I wondered if this could be the old Allen Surrency house, so famous for a series of hauntings in the 1870s, but George Eason and Bruce Carson both wrote to say that that house was across the street and burned many years ago. George’s aunt, Maggie Watson, lived here and he recalls visiting her in this house until the early 1960s.
The Watson house is Granny Murphys house n no it was not the ghost house n yes it is haunted I lived there for around 20 years
Brian,
This is the Watson House, the Surrency house was on the other side of the street facing the RR tracks across the street from the Surrency Bank / old Post office, I burned down sometimes in the twenties, My Mother was raised in Surrency they lived close to the Surrency house. My Grandmother used to tell me stories about the Surrency haunted house
Thanks, Bruce. Glad to finally know. I’ll add the information to the post.
What’s the address for the Watsons house? I’ve been intrigued for years.
No address, but it’s right in the middle of “downtown” Surrency. You can’t miss it.
Hi, Bruce. I know this is almost 10 years too late to comment, but I thought I would give it a shot since you seem very knowledgeable about the area. I am researching ghost lights and other stories/legends in Georgia and recently found out about the Surrency Spook Light and the Surrency Family Poltergeist. I was wondering if you could provide an address for the site of the former Surrency home, or to an existing location that’s nearby like the bank you mentioned (I’m not native to the area, so I don’t know my way around). I haven’t had much luck in finding any info aside from a few mentions online. I have been to see the Screven light many times, but the Surrency light is much more difficult for me to pin down and I thought going to the site of the former Surrency home would be a good place to start. I think it’s amazing that you got to hear these stories first-hand from your grandmother.
My aunt, Mrs.Maggie Watson lived here and I remember visiting her with my parents up until the early sixties. The haunted house in Surrency burned down many years ago.
I believe the haunted house burned.
I would say it probably is the house. Because if you look at your picture the outline of the chimney is still there and if you look at the the old picture and add a little bump out above the porch then you got the same house it looks like the same house to me.
As a child, my “GRANDS” lived in Odum…my family in Brunswick, and relatives in Appling County also. WE were always told and I know “WE” proved it to be true that the 10 miles of road between Baxley and Surrency was “SO FLAT” that in the dark BOTH traffic and caution lights could be seen clearly from either town to the other !! IS IT STILL TRUE?????
Indoor plumbing maybe added the center 2nd story projection. It does look like house at Haunting Link. Did it burn all the way down or was it a fire from kitchen which only took back?
Hi Brian,
I lived in Surrency as a child and was told the original haunted house was lost in a fire. The family moved but the haunting followed them. Surrency is a very unique little town. I remember when the old depot was still there. Thanks for the photos.
Sherry
Thanks for the information, Sherry!
Thanks Brian. I think this might be a very old house. The shadow of a removed surface attached chimney with a detached upper portion is clearly visible. Attached gable end chimneys were almost a given in the Plain style houses before the civil war. The twin windows are very rare on simple houses pre 20th century but they may have replaced single windows when the “remuddling” which added the upper projecting box bay was done, probably in the first quarter of the 20th century. Hope this one survives.
I agree, Ben. Thanks for the input!