David Baldwin writes: The house was built by John Samuel Betts. He and Mr. W. W. Ashburn starting buying property over here in June 1888, before the railroad connected north of Ashburn in late October, 1888. First Mr. Betts had a house at Wanee Lake, but later moved to Ashburn. I can’t recall the exact date he built this house, likely 1890’s but well before 1900. He was mayor of Ashburn for twenty years and ran a saw mill that employed 100 people, 60 black and 40 whites. He was a great Christian but the saw mill went broke in 1912 due to over supply in the industry. He once told someone that the only thing he hated about being broke was that he was not able to help people as he had always done before. He died in 1918 and four town leaders spoke for him at his funeral at the Methodist Church. He was from Clayton, Georgia originally but they ran out of logs there and came to Eastman, starting his new mill six miles north of Eastman at a spot called Dempsey. He lost a son when the son was 20 years old. He knew Mr. Ashburn, J.S. Shingler, D.H Davis, Mr. Evans and all the town founders very well.
Betts, whose sawmill was the reason Ashburn came into being, was also the first mayor of the town. He commissioned a prominent architect, Peter E. Dennis, to design this home in 1897.
Jerry Shealy Powell adds: My grandfather, Lawrence Bunyon Shealy, was in the lumber business. He moved his family to Turner County between 1925-1929. Prior to moving to Turner County he owned a sawmill in Florida and others in Adrian, Camilla and Ellenton, Georgia. He purchased the Ashburn Lumber Company and managed a naval stores operation. In the middle 1940’s he bought the John Samuel Betts home and restored it. My father said he hand picked all the pine for the floors. For more than forty plus years the home remained in our family and was known as the “L.B. Shealy Home”. My grandmother, Ruby Clyde, outlived her husband and children.
Subsequent owners have done a nice job of maintaining the house.
Shingler Heights Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
September 30, 2014
My grandfather, Lawrence Bunyon Shealy, was in the lumber business. He moved his family to Turner County between 1925-1929. Prior to moving to Turner County he owned a sawmill in Florida and others in Adrian, Camilla and Ellerton, Georgia. He purchased the Ashburn Lumber Company and managed a Naval Stores Operation. In the middle 1940’s he bought the John Samuel Betts home and restored it. My father said he hand picked all the pine for the floors. For more than forty plus years the home remained in our family and was known as the “L.B. Shealy Home”. My grandmother, Ruby Clyde, outlived her husband 8 children. Sadly, upon her death in 1989, the home has had several owners.
Jerry Shealy Powell, Granddaughter
Jerry, my great grandfather was Lawrence Bunyon Shealy … and for various reasons I know nothing of that side of the family. Can I chat with you? I’d really appreciate it.
The house was built by John Samuel Betts. He and Mr. WW Ashburn starting buying property over here in June 1888, before the railroad connected north of Ashburn in late October, 1888. First Mr. Betts had a house at Wanee Lake, but later moved to Ashburn. I cant recall the exact date he built this house, likely 1890’s but well before 1900. He was mayor of Ashburn for twenty years and ran a saw mill that employed 100 people, 60 black and 40 whites. He was a great Christian but the saw mill went broke in 1912 due to over supply in the industry. He once told someone that the only thing he hated about being broke was than he was not able to help people as he had always done before. He died in 1918 and four town leaders spoke for him at his funeral at the Methodis Church. He was from Clayton, Georgia originally but they ran out of logs there and came to Eastman, Ga. starting his new mill six miles north of Eastman at a spot called Dempsey. He lost a son when the son was 20 years old. He knew Mr. Ashburn, J.S. Shingler, D.H Davis, Mr. Evans and all the town founders very well. He had timber leases in the 10,000 of acres with Davis and Shingler and Baldwin, and other large owners from other parts of Georgia. I own some of thos leases.
Idk you owned some of those leases. Who owns the rest??
This was the home I grew up in from ages 2 to 10. I remember scaring my friends and telling it was haunted, the first time it snowed when we were living there, sliding down the railing, sneaking out on the roof and spying on my sister and her boyfriend kissing…You name it, my sisters and I did it. I even used to tell my friends that stayed over that it was haunted and look out for the ghost that walks the side yard.
I also lived here with my grandmother . Please call if you would so we could chat. My grand mother was Ruby Shealy.
Are you related to Keith Turner? He was our neighbor growing up and we “adopted” him and Mrs. Shirley Turner as our Mimi and Papa. 🙂
Sandy,
Ruby Shealy was my Aunt. My Grandmother was Pearl Hillman.. We live in Ocala, FL. Does Keith Turner still live in Ashburn?
Is it actually haunted or was that just a joke? I have heard that it and the Sparrows Nest are both haunted.
It wasn’t haunted when we lived there from 1992-2001. Nothing untoward came to our attention.
My Aunt ands Uncle owned that house for years. My grandma owns the one right next to it and she lives there now.
Beautiful. I love the widow’s walk atop the roof.
I grew up in this house from 1992-2001. It was a wonderful place to live. There is a sister house to this on Highway 41 a mile or so south that has fallen into disrepair. We were able to go back inside this summer and the current owners have made some changes but it still has its beautiful pine floors and 12 foot ceilings. My Papa, (Reverend L. Keith Turner) who lived next door to us when we lived there, grew up there as a young boy.
This is a beautiful home. To walk through it would be like walking through time gone by .