The Ansley family has deep roots in Atlanta dating back to the development of Ansley Park and Ansley Golf Club through its current sales of homes throughout Atlanta and the Blue Ridge Mountains by Ansley Real Estate and extending into the Golden Isles. The connection between the Ansleys and the Georgia coast started around 1930, when Bonneau’s great grandfather, Shepard Bryan, wanted a beach house. A fairly new destination had emerged on the Georgia Coast called Sea Island. After exploring the island and renting homes in the summer, he discovered a “For Sale” sign on an empty beachfront lot in 1935 and purchased it for $4,500.00.The renowned architects Ivey and Crook drew up the plans and Bryanscot-by-the-Sea was built as Cottage 71 on 14th Street.
1 of 2
Bryanscot-by-the-Sea, Cottage 71 on Sea Island Thanksgiving, 1936
2 of 2
The Bryan family playing games on Sea Island in 1935
Since that time, each generation has owned their own home on Sea Island. Currently Bonneau Ansley, Jr. and his wife, Sharon, have a home in Ocean Forest, while Bonneau Ansley III and his wife, Jen, are building their dream home on 50th Street complete with a dock out to Village
Sharon and Bonneau Ansley Jr., with children Bonneau III and Fayne playing tennis on Sea Island in the 1980s.
Creek. Renowned architect Keith Summerour was tapped for the design and build. Bonneau has always loved the North End of the island with its proximity to the Ocean Forest Club. When looking for a lot, he considered having access to the river a necessity and Jen wanted to see the sunset over the marsh.
Bonneau III chose to begin his career on the Georgia coast that he so loves. After college, he and his new bride moved to Savannah where he sold property at the Ford Plantation. He later developed over 100 homes at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina. After a significant house fire, Bonneau and Jen moved back to Atlanta, just as the recession began. He sold homesthere for seven years before starting his own brokerage. As Georgia’s number one Realtor (with his small team, as just announced in the Wall Street Journal – REAL Trends 2019 rankings), Bonneau is always striving for what is next and anticipating the future. Started only four and a half years ago, Ansley Real Estate now has 250 agents and has earned top awards with Inc. 5000, the Atlanta Business Chronicle, and has been a Bulldog 100 award recipient for seven consecutive years. Bonneau and the entire Ansley company have made a giving partnership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta a cornerstone of their community outreach and have donated more than $200,000 to date.
Brian Ingram
Bonneau Ansley, III with his family: daughter Blakely, son Beau, and wife Jen.
All of this external success is built on a foundation of values, a firm belief in the culture of relationships and people first. Theses were the values Bonneau grew up with in Atlanta and Sea
Beau Ansley on Sea Island with his big catch
Island. When asked about his favorite thing to do, it is an easy answer: share experiences on Sea Island with his family. Eleven-year-old son, Beau, loves to fish and ride his bike all over the island. Daughter, Blakely, who is 15 years-old, competes nationally with her horses, and loves hanging out on the dock, tubing in the river, and playing pickle ball. Jen, Bonneau’s college sweetheart from The University of Georgia, says, “Sea Island is the perfect home away from home for the entire family.” Times change, but the love of life and family on Sea Island and St. Simons Island are eternal.
You can find the Ansley Coastal Real Estate office at 301 Sea Island Road, Suite 28, St. Simons Island, or call 404.906.3161.
By Julie Harris, Chief People Officer, Ansley Real Estate
