Colonial Dames members enjoy tour of Wansley home, Alexandria

Colonial Dames members in the hallway of the historic Alexandria after their tour of the home are (from left) Dr. Sophia Bamford, Mobley Ross, Nina Albea, Nita Riley, Mary Ann Bentley, Patricia Wilkins, Adelle Adams, Carolyn Miller, Virginia White and Dr. Louise McCommons. With them are Alexandria's owner, William Wansley holding his daughter Elizabeth.

The Fort James Chapter, Colonial Dames XVII Century, met at Snow Hill, the 1850 home of Mrs. William C. White in McDuffie County, on April 28.

Dr. Louise McCommons, chaplain, installed the new slate of officers for 2007-2008. The group voted in one new member, Mrs. J. Stewart Lyle of Elberton. Mrs. Patsy B. Wilkins of Colbert, chapter delegate to the state convention in Peachtree City in March, gave an interesting report on the convention and related to the group that the Colonial Dames now has 700 members and 17 state chapters.

Mrs. White, new chapter president, gave a challenge to the chapter to move forward in the next two years by encouraging membership, attendance and the marking of historic sites. The Fort James Chapter has established a state reputation for marking sites. Towards this end, Dr. Sophia Bamford, Mrs. Adelle Adams, Mrs. Nita Riley and Mrs. Sandra Hood were appointed as a committee to go forward with plans for the next site to be marked, probably in McDuffie County.

Following lunch, William Dunn Wansley gave a talk on his historic McDuffie County home, Alexandria, known also as the Thomas Carr House. Taking three years to build, (l803-l806), the house is as sturdy as a fort with 130,000 bricks that were hand fired in four kilns on site by Booker Sutton for $48. All the brick were laid by Mr. Sutton in American bond fashion for a total of $260. Alexandria is the oldest surviving documented brick house in Georgia and may be the only early brick house in Georgia with rubbed and gauged brick lintels and a full copper roof.

Alexandria has been featured in a number of publications including brochures, books and a PBS documentary, "Historic Houses of Georgia". The house and surrounding land were once a large plantation that included a temple, dairy, spring house, kitchen and several slave quarters. Now only the house survives. It is the keystone house of four remaining houses along with surrounding property that comprises the Thomas Carr National Historic District.

Mr. Wansley, great-nephew of the original owner, Col. Thomas Carr, took the Colonial Dames on a tour of the house following the program and noted the restoration of the house is complete.

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