About

Americus, Georgia was incorporated as a town and established as the Sumter County seat December 22, 1832. In 1834, Dr. Albert Rees was one of the first doctors to begin a practice in Americus. His wife, the former Sarah H. Lamar, was a member of one of Georgia’s most eminent families. One of her relatives, Mirabeau Bonaparte Lamar would become the President of the Republic of Texas in 1838. Dr. Rees acquired substantial real estate holdings shortly after his arrival in Americus and became responsible for developing the neighborhood around the park that still bears his surname, Rees Park. He sold off large lots surrounding the square from 1846 to 1848. James Kelso Daniel, a former Georgia State Senator, bought property from Dr. Rees and built the imposing two-story residence at 504 Rees Park in 1847. Continuously occupied for 173 years, it served during the 1860s as the home of William A. Wilson, president of the Furlow Masonic Female College located at the site of the old Furlow Grammar School. Adjoining the house is a smaller structure that was one of the many private academies in Americus prior to the advent of public schools in 1880.

December 7, 1846 – James Kelso Daniel, a North Carolina transplant and our state senator in 1842, bought the 21-acre parcel on the park’s northeast corner for $84. In 1847, the house was built. Mr. Daniel died in 1851. His widow was remarried in 1857 to the Rev. John P. Duncan. She died in 1864.

1864 – J.P. Duncan sold the property to William Adams Wilson who, from 1864 to 1870 served as president of the Furlow Masonic Female College. W. A. Wilson’s distinguished career included two terms in the General Assembly, first as our state representative (1882-83) and then as our state senator and president pro tem (1892-93)

June 29, 1874 – W. A. Wilson sold to Uriah B. and Thomas Harrold

June 21, 1883 – The Harrolds sold to Henry Rogers Johnson for $1500. H.R. Johnson was a local capitalist and their business partner. (H.R. Johnson’s brother, Capt. William L. Johnson, commanded the 4th regiment of the “Sumter Light Guards” at the outbreak of the Civil War). It appears that H.R. Johnson was responsible for the victorianization of the property.

Nov 5 1891 – Mr. Johnson sold to Binion H. Jossey for $7,000. Binion H. Jossey served on the Americus City council from 1887 to 1890.

Oct 21, 1893 – Mr. Jossey sold to J. B. Hudson, Esq who was survived by his wife.

Oct 10, 1918 – Mrs. J.B. Hudson sold the home to Ben and Ida Easterlin.

Oct 5, 1954 – The Easterlin’s sold to J. Thomas and Iris Argo

Feb 1, 1967 – The Argos sold the home to Joseph Slappy (There was an interesting note where the Argos transferred the home to their 3 daughters on June 22, 1964. Since the Argo parents sold the home again in 1967, we’re not quite sure what happened with the daughters.)

Dec 9, 1967 – Joseph Slappy sold to Herbert A. McDonald, who owned a local insurance company. The McDonalds’ raised a son and 3 daughters there.

Oct 4, 1994 – H. A. McDonald’s estate sold the home to Donald and Jodi Miles who restored and updated the home and converted it to a bed and breakfast inn, The Rees Park Garden Inn.

Dec 9, 2002 – The Miles sold the property known as The Americus Garden Inn to Mr. and Mrs. Kim and Susan Egelseer.

All historical information was researched and collected by the late Alan Anderson, Sumter County Historian