Begun in 1908 and completed in 1912, Edgewood is a magnificent example of Greek Revival archecture. Built by Charles S. Butterfield, a wealthy timber barron, who owned giant sawmills throughout south Mississippi. The timber for Edgewood was cut in Lincoln County, shipped to Chicago to be milled, and returned for construction. The grand stairway was copied from the ship the Butterfields sailed on while on their honeymoon. Artisans from New Orleans sculpted the home's moldings and its statuary was purchased in Europe by the Butterfields. David Lovell, who has owned the home 54 years, has worked to restore it to its grandeur. Citing one example of the many things he has done to enhance the home, Lovell purchased and has hung a chandelier which once belonged to John Jacob Astor, a passenger on the ill-fated Titanic, from his New York Astor Hotel The Butterfields were in Europe and had tickets to sail on the Titanic's maiden voyage, but due to a train delay missed their departure.

The following biography was published by the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerece in a brochure for the 2002 Tour of Homnes & Gardens.

Born to be a portrait artist, David Lovell once said he did not enter that profession because he wanted to stay in Brookhaven, and there was not enough need for portrait artist in the area.

A native of Brookhaven, David finished at Brookhaven High School, went to Ole Miss, and eventually attended art school in California. And because there was so little need for his true calling, David turned his artistic nature into making some of Brookhaven's finest homes and businesses distinct, while making a living too.

David is considreed one of Brookhaven's greatest creators of exterior and interior design works and an authority on antiques.

He is described by friends as a very multi-talented person who is very generous with his talents.
You can recognize David's design work on many of the buildings in Brookhaven. He has designed and worked with contractors on changing, or updating, several of Brookhaven's finest buildings. For example, the Hugh Wall home on Natchez Avenue. He worked with the city to design the new fire station on Brookhaven Street and make it more archietecturally appealing the the usual station found in other towns.

Many of the homes and businesses in Brookhaven bare his mark. David worked designing several sets for movies filmed in Mississippi. Most notably "Trilogy of a Marriage" and "The Miss Firecracker Contest."