History of “The Condo”–originally “The Yank House
**Prepared by Yonna Windham Shaw in May 1993 as told by Ina Morton Windham.
Frank Snellgrove fought in the Civil War (1864-65) beginning in Tennessee and then at the Battle of Chickamauga where he was wounded. He returned to Laurens County, purchased land (part of the land where the “Condo” now sits), and married Rachel Herndon. Frank and Rachel’s children were: Americus Snellgrove (married a Fordham), Matt Snellgrove (drank liquor, was a roughneck, and never married), Agnes Snellgrove (married Elliott Morton), Robert “Rob” Snellgrove, George Snellgrove, Early Snellgrove, Bernard Snellgrove (died of double pneumonia), and Alvia Snellgrove (died of double pneumonia). Each child received 50 acres of land, except Americus and Agnes (who received money instead). The house across the road (Morton Road) where the Condo”now sits (Madie Morton lives there now) was originally the home of Frank and Rachel and their family.
The Condo was built by Wilbur Windham in 1911 (he was approximately 26 years old) for Frank’s son, Bernard Snellgrove. The house was originally only one room, with 2 windows, and only 1 door.
During this time Rachel Snellgrove’s sister died, leaving four daughters: Queen (married a Bellflower), Benita (married a hall), Biancia “Aunt Yank” (who never married), and Rocksie (married a Browning). Rachel’s sister’s husband then remarried, and the four girls were split up and sent to different families. Frank Snellgrove took in one of the sisters, Aunt Yank (a tiny woman, who never weighed over 98 pounds), and he gave her the 10 acres where the Condo now sits.
After that time, the next person to move in was Frank’s son, Early Snellgrove (married a Adie Herndon–Bea and Norris’s daddy), and their son, Bea Snellgrove, was born there.
Vernon Bracewell then lived in the house for about a year and farmed with Frank. During this time, Frank had another room built on (what is now the bedroom).
Frank’s daughter, Agnes married Elliott Morton around this time. Agnes and Elliott had five children: Ruby (died at age 6 of pneumonia, Tildon, Harden, Ernest, Lola (married a Bracewell), and Tom. Agnes died from childbirth when Tildon was only 9 years old. Frank and Rachel then took their 5 grandchildren, and along with the help of Aunt Yank, raised these children.
The oldest grandchild, Tildon Morton, married Nettie Rowe and had four children: Ina (married Bernard Thomas Windham–the son of Wilbur Windham who built the original house), Gerald, Dorothy (married a Smith), and Wayne (had polio and died from a heart attack at age 26.
Frank, during the hard times that came along, had to get a mortgage on the old home. He told Tildon if he would work and pay off the mortgage, he would give him the 40 acres below the old home place (where they were all now living together). Tildon and Nettie worked hard and paid off the mortgage in 5 years. They moved down the hill on the 40 acres and lived there for 6 years. They began to prosper, buying more land.
Frank’s son, George, and Elliott Morton bought Frank’s old home place. Then George sold his part to “old Man Eleck.” Elliott then remarried (Madie Cox) and Madie still lives in the “original” Frank Snellgrove home today.
In the meantime, Tildon and Nettie bought another 200 acres of land, then 200 more, and then 400 more. They moved into a log house (only the kitchen now stands) facing Rock Springs Road. Tildon was a logger and ran his own saw mill. He raised cattle and hogs and worked with turpentine. He grew tobacco and had his own tobacco curing barn. Tildon and Nettie lived in the log home for 12 years. During this time, Aunt Yank deeded the 2-room house and 10 acres to Tildon Morton.
At one time, Frank’s grandson, Harden Morton (married Dessie Branch) lived there.
Then, Columbus Lowery (a friend of Tildon Morton) and his wife lived there. Tildon then had Doc Usury build on another room (what is now the bathroom).
Manual Curry (a black family) lived in the house for years. Manual was a very good farmer and he share-cropped with Tildon. Two of Manual’s sons were wage hands for Tildon. Tildon paid them so much a month, and Nettie prepared their lunch every day. Manual had 10 children and one day he came to Tildon and requested another room be built on. Tildon complied and had another room built on (what is now the kitchen).
Tildon’s son, Gerald Morton (married Margie Joiner) lived in the house and their first two sons, Clinton and Ferrell, were born during the time they lived there. There was also a period of time during World War II that Tildon’s son, Dorothy Morton (Smith) lived with Gerald and Margie for about two weeks and helped with the new babies.
Then Susie and Melie Ricks moved in (still during World War II). They did not want to help on the farm or pay any rent, even though they received a government subsidy check from Susie’s two brothers who were fighting in World War II. Tildon asked them to leave. They were so furious that they wrote on the inside door some rather obscene and vulgar words.
A family came and wanted to work with Tildon. The man had no money and wanted to share-crop. The wife went to Tildon and explained that they were a poor, Christian family and could not tolerate the offensive language. She had a small can of green paint and asked Tildon is she could cover the words with her green paid. Of course he said yes, and you can still see the green paint on the door between the front living room and the kitchen.
After the War was over and families began to move back to the cities, the house was used only for storage. Hay was stored in the rooms, and at one period of time, boards were brought in and built up to turn the house into a corn crib.
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