The curse of the Sorrel-Weed house

Behind the Spanish moss filled trees of Madison square, lies one of the most famous homes in Savannah GA. Commonly known as “the most actively haunted house in savannah,” the Sorrel-Weed house has gained a reputation for its ghost sightings, strange noises, and common unnatural occurrences.

The house was originally designed by Charles Cluskey in 1835, and officially finished in 1840. It was built for a rich merchant named Francis Sorrel, who moved his family into the home after it’s construction. The Sorrels, with their wealth and power quickly became one of Savannah’s most influential families, throwing famously giant parties which became the highlight of Savannah’s golden days.

When the civil war raged and Sherman’s army stood at the gates of Savannah, the Sorrel’s home became a military hospital, with deadly surgeries and operations occurring in the basement of the house.

After the death of his first wife Lucinda Moxley, Francis married her younger sister Matilda. Unfortunately, his younger wife did not please Francis’s lusts completely, so he began an affair with one of the slaves named Molly. When Matilda discovered the two lovers, she allegedly threw herself off the second floor balcony and landed head-first onto the concrete below. Just a few weeks later, Molly was found hung in her private quarters.

There are many stories of hauntings and sightings in the home. Most commonly are either the giant mirror in the parlor, or the noises and feelings one experiences in the basement. Madison square was the site of the battle of Savannah in 1779, and over a thousand men lost their lives in less than an hour there. Sightings of men in a British-style grenadier uniform occur within a small hallway in the basement, whilst the spirits of children can be found across the entire house. Under an old couch in the basement for example, the spirit of a child allegedly grabs visitors by their ankles playfully. The ghosts of Molly and Matilda are also spotted fairly often in the places in which they died, and even Francis Sorrel comes out every once in a while. The house has essentially a giant ghost family, just waiting to meet their new visitors.