Stapleton GA | Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown

Dr. Fay Stapleton Burnett, who has numerous family connections to the area, writes: When we went to Stapleton Ga. today, I discovered this house was originally owned by James Stapleton Jr. (1862-1941), son of Col. James Stapleton and my Grandfather’s half brother. He later moved from this house to the home of the late Mrs. Marguerite Newsome, just down the street. It is a large white two story home with a great old barn across the road – perhaps it has been posted as well. The glass globes on the weather vane/lightning rods were light lavender today. I thought they were more red in color, so not sure if they change with temperature and conditions, or I am just wrong!!

Originally known as Spread Oak, and then just Spread, the town’s name was changed in 1885 in honor of Colonel James Stapleton upon the building of the Augusta, Gibson & Sandersville Railroad. It was incorporated in 1906.

John P. Rabun, Jr., says that many of the commercial buildings in Stapleton were owned by and some possibly built by his grandfather, John Palmer Rabun (1879-1966) who was a farmer, businessman and Jefferson County’s representative in the state legislature at one time.