Situated on an imposing knoll just west of Marshallville, this Neoclassical Revival landmark was built by Anson Ball Slappey for his daughter Alma and her husband, J. Leonard Jones, as the center of the 800-acre Alma Fruit Farm. The Roy Peterson family were also longtime owners, and many still refer to the property as the Peterson Farm.
Louise Frederick Hays, author of History of Macon County, also resided here for a time.
Thanks to Lori Kelley Adams for help with the identification. I made these photos about 10 years ago and for some reason had never been able to identify the house.
National Register of Historic Places
My name is Linda Marian Peterson Hamsley. I am one of the daughters of Roy Carl Peterson and the late Jennie Lu Ramsey Peterson. This home was built by my Mother’s great grandparents. My grandmother, Eugenia “Jinks” Jones Ramsey grew up in the house, as she was the youngest of 6 children. Her parents died before she was 16. I am not sure where the other children went, but they did ensure that she attended the Teacher’s College in Athens, Georgia…..Many years later, in the late 60’s, my paternal grandparents, Roy Cecil Peterson and Marian Hitchner Peterson moved into the house from Maryland. They lived there and ran a dairy farm until the mid 1990’s. The house was not ornate when I played there as a child, but it is a very special place in my memories. I was happy to see that it was restored. Thank you for your information.
My grandmother, Virginia Louisa Jones ((Chambers) was your grandmother’s oldest sister. She was called “Jennilou”. So sorry to hear about your mother’s death. She was so special! My daughter has been very interested in the Jones Peterson house and has done research. She told me last week that she said it is now being used as a sod farm and is owned by someone in Orangeburg, SC.