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Green-Meldrim House

A National Historic Landmark

Savannah, Georgia

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Meldrim Family

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Judge Peter Meldrim

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Judge and Mrs. Peter Meldrim bought the house in 1892 from Edward Moon Green, Charles Green’s son. Judge Meldrim was born in Savannah in 1848. At the time of Sherman’s occupation, Peter, age 16, was serving in the Confederate Army. After the war he earned his law degree from the University of Georgia. Not only did Mr. Meldrim serve as mayor of Savannah, but he also was elected President of the American Bar Association in 1912. In addition, Judge Meldrim was a Brig. General in the Georgia National Guard. Highly regarded by his contemporaries, Judge Meldrim was a devoted husband and father.


Frances Casey married Peter Meldrim in 1881. She was born at Waverly Hall Plantation near Augusta, GA. Noted for her beauty and gracious hospitality, she was equally renowned for her civic contributions. She originated the idea of a centennial celebration in the city honoring the sailing of the S/S Savannah. She also authored a booklet on early Savannah landmarks, A Historic Pilgrimage through Savannah (1921).


Judge and Mrs. Meldrim had five children: Caroline, Frances, Sophie, Jane and Ralph (who died as a young man). They are pictured above with their beloved nanny, Margaret Monroe.

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Sophie Meldrim Coy Shonnard

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Sophie was known for her beauty, style and spirit. She attended many parties and dances and eventually caught the eye of Ted Coy, an All-America fullback at Yale. They eloped to Asheville, NC to marry and subsequently moved to New York. After 12 years of marriage they divorced .

As a way to support her two sons, Sophie and her friend Nona Park opened Chez Ninon, a private, custom dressmaking salon on Park Ave in New York City. They made authorized Chanel designs from Paris for society's most fashionable women, including Doris Duke and Babe Cushing. Jackie Kennedy was their best customer; she had her own mannequin in the salon so her outfits could be fitted just right. The pink Chanel-designed strawberry boucle 2-piece suit worn by Mrs. Kennedy in Dallas when President Kennedy was assassinated came from Chez Ninon. ( The pink suit was never cleaned of its bloodstains and has been kept in an acid-free container at the National Archives in Maryland since 1964.  In 2003 Caroline Kennedy signed a "deed of gift" specifying that the dress not be displayed until 2103.)

In 1970 Sophie sold her shop and moved back to Savannah where she was an active supporter of historic preservation. She died in 1980 at age 92.