Greatly revered physician, Dr. J. C. Wright, lived in the very center of the small village of Folkston and like most of his neighbors, he combined the back enclosure with a chicken pen and barnyard where he kept the cow and horse. After he died, in 1911, the administrators of his estate sold, in February 1912, the back section of his city lot, which included the stable, to F. D. Mills, his son-in-law, for $300.00.

In an informal understanding, which was common in that era, Mr. Mills agreed to sell this most desirable lot, which is in the first block of South First Street, to Jesse W. Vickery, Clerk of the court and one of the most progressive young men of the county. With this verbal agreement, a deed in hand wasn’t necessary, so in April, 1912, Mr. Vickery began cleaning the lot, tearing away the stables and making way for his much-planned-for family home. He hired F. A. Armbruster of Homeland to prepare the plans for a large eight-room dwelling, with six rooms on the first floor and two on the second. Construction began on the home, which would have an eight feet wide front piazza, large back screened veranda and be built 25 feet from the unpaved street. Like most of the other homes in Folkston, a picket fence with a swinging gate, defined the front yard. Mr. J. O. Williamson, having recently moved from Minneapolis, Minn. was chosen as contractor.

The editor of the county newspaper, remembering that Mr. Vickery was a former carpenter, and seeing his intense interest in the construction of the new home, teased him in the weekly Charlton County Herald of May 9th, 1912, by reporting that he “…saw the carpenters busy and shucked his coat and commenced to apply the saw, hammer and plane. He nailed piece after piece till he found that he had nailed himself up in the framework for the topmost cupola of his building. How he got out and made it for dinner, call on Jess for an explanation…” this must have been a source of good natured laughter at the courthouse.

On June 25th Mr. Vickery took time to get a deed prepared and F. D. Mills formally sold the land to his friend. It measured 210 feet by 92 feet.

The Vickery’s, the last week in July 1912, moved into the Folkston landmark, which would remain in the Vickery family name for over seventy years. Jesse, thirty-six years old, his wife, Miss Annie, thirty-two years old and their first two children, W. B., seven and Bernice, four, were the first of the family to live there. Later five other children were added to the family as well as Mr. John Vickery, Jesse’s father, after his wife, Ellender, died in 1919.

The home was a show place of hospitality for many years as the Vickery’s entertained friends connected with their church, civic and political interests. The large front porch was also the scene of many birthday parties for children. Mr. Vickery died in 1942 and his widow, Miss Annie, continued living in the home place with her daughter and family, Bernice Vickery Allen, until Miss Annie died in 1958. Mrs. Allen and her husband Edgar F. Allen received title to the home in February 1959.

The lively dwelling that had sheltered four generations of Vickery’s finally passed out of the Vickery name in June, 1984 but the purchase of this enormous home is still focused on making joyous events happen. Today “Vickery House Catering Company” is operated out of this historic building and has established itself as one of the leading catering companies in the South East, catering friendly get-togethers, weddings and corporate events from Saint Simons Island to Ponta Vedra Florida.

The stable is gone, the dusty street has been paved but the picket fence is still there protecting this eighty-five year old landmark. The front porch is still full of ferns and comfortable rocking chairs, and except for the small seedlings of 1912 which are now tall stately shade trees, the Vickery House is the same, keeping its original charm and beauty, right in the middle of Folkston still surrounded with the sounds and smells of happiness.

Lois Barefoot Mays

Charlton County Historical Society - December 9, 1997