There are so many early Georgia family names of prominence connected with this magnificent house that they will be given in sequence.

On land originally granted by the King of England through Sir James Wright, the Governor of the Province of Georgia, Col. Francis Willis began the first cottage. The land was in the name of Nathaniel Willis. Benjamin Sherod, Thomas W. Sims, Osborne Stone, Samuel Watkins Goode, William H. Pope, James R. DuBose (part of the land), Charles E. Wingfield, Samuel and Frank Willis Barnett, Mac Edwards, Robert & Carroll Bounds Leavell.

This house stands on the old post road to Powelton and very near the famous Chalybeate (or Chantilly) mineral springs to which people of the low country fled in the summertime to escape the fevers. Nathaniel Coats gave two acres surrounding these springs to the city in 1787 with the proviso that he be made a town commissioner. He also served as High Sheriff of Wilkes. Spring Street gets its name from the Springs.

The house has at various times been called Chantilly but the present owners call the estate Brookhill.

One of the most gracious and beautiful chatelaine of this great house was Mrs Frank Willis Barnett (née Nannaline Jordan). Her husband bought the house in 1897 and from that date until her death Mrs. Barnett continued the custom of Sunday afternoon teas for her kinspeople who gathered for good conversation, beaten biscuits, wafers, rosettes, and other delightful and traditional southern dainties. Mrs. Barnett loved the soft glow of lamplight and it was pleasant and relaxing at five o'clock in the afternoon to have Henry Hurley, the butler, going from room to room lighting the lamps. The Old South lingered lovingly here.

During the occupancy of the Edwardses, Mrs. Edwards always fashioned a Christmas wreath of fresh greenery that hung from the balcony to the top front step and guests walked through it to celebrate the Yuletide.