This house is to me one of the great rural landmarks of South Georgia, due not only to its imposing stature but its pastoral setting behind mossy oaks. I never knew anything about it until recent correspondence (October 2017) with Alysssa McManus, a Florida architectural historian who has been as fascinated by it as I have.
Some sad history about people connected to the house has arisen. One of the daughters of the Snow family, Jamie Snow Branch, whose family owned this house, was murdered, along with her husband, by her brother, but that DID NOT HAPPEN HERE, despite what some social media posters claim. According to people in Quitman, the murders occurred in this house. It’s located on Court Street, downtown.
Thanks to Marian Phillips and Michael Williams for sharing photographs and inspiring me to find this place.
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Trying to determine if this a house I once lived in
Can anyone share the Wasden connection here? I can’t seem to find the name connecting it to the home, but it’s my Maiden name and my family has been in Georgia since at least the 1700s. Thanks!
It’s still owned by Dr. Wasden’s daughter, Lafils and for a long time was rented to various people. I don’t know when Dr. Wasden purchased it but I’m sure county records and the Huxtable history book for Quitman would likely have that information.
Thanks for putting together this interesting history on the house. Lee and Jamie Branch are my great-grandparents. Their daughter Lalla Branch (Kirkpatrick) is my maternal grandmother. Years ago I visited Quitman to see the house where the murder occurred (402 North Court Street), and I did some research and found newspaper articles about the murder on micro-fiche.
BrooksCountyNative, I would love to know any details of the scandal that weren’t published in the Quitman paper. The story from my grandmother was that Livingston was ‘manic-depressive’ or now bi-polar, and had voluntarily decided to enter an asylum. The murder rocked the community as Lee Branch was the former President of the Georgia State Bar Association (1926) and a highly respected public figure. When the news of his death reached Washington DC, the US House of Representatives had a moment of silence in his honor. My grandmother was devastated. She later visited Livingston in the Asylum, sometime in the mid-1960’s. Russell could not visit his brother, he was too distraught.
According to my family, Russell Snow (Bubber as he was known) was an architect, not a lawyer. However, he may have had business dealings with Lee Branch. If someone has a source for Russell being a lawyer, I would love to see it. Russell was present when Livingston shot Lee and Jamie, and was about to be shot himself. However the gun jammed, and Russell tackled Livingston and held him until the authorities arrived. Also, regarding Ashville, Jamie had tuberculosis, and the common treatment was to send patients to the mountains for fresh air. My family and I were just perusing photographs of Jamie, Lee, and my grandmother in the Ashville mountains. It may be that Jamie had connections in Ashville from her treatment stay.
I would also love to know where the house photographed above is currently. Just for the family history, and perhaps a drive by one day.
Correction from my previous post. Russell was a lawyer, there was another member of his family (a cousin I think), who was the architect.
This was a great read. I had wondered about the house for sometime. Leaving Quitman on what some folks call Madison highway is is just past the fairgrounds on the right. It is still a beautiful house. I would love to see a picture of it back in it time
I am sure that the farm house photo in this posting is not 402 N Court Street where the murders occurred. I believe the old farm house south of town is the old Snow farm house where the pecan orchard was. I plan to verify this information.
You are correct Randy. I have tried to correct it but people haven’t paid attention.
Didn’t even come close to getting all of the “real” story behind this house. There is WAY more of a scandal here that wasn’t even reported on. If only the walls could talk.
Do tell!
Oral history is still history.
Lee W Branch was my great uncle. I am pretty sure that there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye. My father (nephew of Lee), who was 15 at the time of the murders, always told me that there were strange gaps in information back in the day. I have no details other than that, but I plan to look into it.
Story seems strange and only eye witness was the brother Russell? Was Russell setting up Livingston since he was being committed anyway? Send me a message, I would love to discuss!!
Here’s what the house looked like before they started prepping it for relocation. Sadly they just left it sitting there like the above pcitures for many years
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/22780163_10214455107521620_5669162859252675808_n.jpg?oh=21b00c5532d2c5efc3ecbb085a250555&oe=5AD32659
OMG! THANK YOU! for sharing this photo. I would love to go inside and document it. Do you have any other pictures of it? Do you know where it is going to be relocated? Or did that plan fall by the wayside? Do you have any info about the people who have lived there?
Thanks for sharing.
Quitman, Brooks Co GA is my hometown. I drove by this house today and as I do every time I see it, thought what a beautiful home this had to have been and still could be. Several years ago, someone told me it is still owned by the Wasden family.
I came upon it about 2 weeks ago and just stood there, agog. Magnificent. Even if it is in a ruinous state, it is still amazing!
Hi, I love your pictures and the work your doing. I have seen this house in pictures and would LOVE to see it in person. I live in North Florida and love my roots of South Georgia. Traveling the back roads is one of my favorite past times. Would you mind sharing the road name? Also I came upon a lovely picture of it with its porches if you’d like for me to share it with you I’d be happy to.
Christy-please email me for the address.
Im restoring the house…i would love to see a pic with the porches on it so i can have an idea of how to rebuild them…thank you in advance
Alan, I live and grew up just down the road off Greenville Hwy. I love this house. A few years back my neice & I drove up to it and was able to go inside. The house is just as beautiful as the outside.Sadly though the gentleman that came up told us that ppl have broken in to it over the years and stolen fireplace mantels , glass door knows and etc… The last few months I’ve enjoyed driving by and seeing the work that’s been done on it. I would love the opportunity to stop by and see the beauty inside.
Hi! Are you restoring the gorgeous home Snow-Wasden House in Quitman, Georgia?
Hi. My husband and I live here in Quitman, could you please give me a message to vswilley821@gmail.com. He wants to speak with you. Thanks
Please, someone take this home as a restoration project. I hate seeing huge amounts of money being spent on new homes when homes like this are a southern treasure.
Someone was in the process of restoring it, and found it to be haunted