October 1, 2004
Baker County - Remember the Ellis family? Their Blue Springs plantation home in Baker County burned in July. The Ellis' have faced other struggles since then.
Bill Ellis thinks back "It was a nightmare." A nightmare that came true. As he walks through the ashes he explains, "Me and my wife have been all through here to see if we could salvage anything."
His family lost everything. Ellis adds, "Amazing what lightning can do."
In July, lightning struck their Blue Springs Plantation home, the house burned for three days. The day before the fire, his father, William Ellis Senior, had a stroke. Ellis remembers, "He was 81-years-old and still rode a horse everyday."
The pile of burnt rubble is a reminder of something more painful. Ellis adds, "Two weeks later, he passed away."
A home he can replace. Ellis says, "But I can never replace him. The only thing I can remember are pictures, but I'll never forget him. You see, my mamma died when I was six- years-old. He was a dad and a mom too."
His mother gave birth to him on the plantation, the same place his father was born. Blue Springs Plantation owners have taken care of his family. Ellis smiles, "Everything is looking up now."
And in the future, another home will go up in the same spot.
Blue Springs Plantation owner, Kathryn Montecastle, is paying rent for the Ellis family to stay in a house in Albany.
posted at 4:00PM by kathryn.simmons@walb.com
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