Category: Families

St. Clair’s Bottom: A Name Rooted in Early Settlement

November 26, 2025November 26, 2025 Admin No Comments

The place we know today as St. Clair’s Bottom carries with it layers of history, memory, and shifting spellings. The name itself is believed to honor Charles Sinclair (1717–1766), an early settler whose presence along the South Fork of the Holston River left a lasting mark on the region. Over time, the name has appeared in several forms—St. Clair, Sinclair, Sinkler, and others—reflecting both the fluidity of spelling in the 18th century and the oral traditions that carried family names across generations. Charles Sinclair owned just under 1,000 acres along the South Fork of the Holston River, land that was surveyed in the 1740s. Records also place him along Reed Creek in present-day Wythe County during that same decade. How these two tracts of land connected in his life remains a question for further research, but together they show the breadth of Sinclair’s presence in Southwest Virginia during the frontier era. Local tradition suggests that families with the surnames Bonham or Bottom may have been associated with Sinclair or the area that came to bear his name. While the exact relationship is unclear, these connections hint at the complex web of kinship and settlement that shaped early communities along the Holston. In 1755, amid the turbulence of frontier life, Charles Sinclair and his family fled Virginia for Orange County, North Carolina. It was there that his will was later probated by his wife, Ann. After his death, Ann eventually returned with the family to Virginia, reestablishing ties to the land and community that had once been theirs. Tradition holds that Charles Sinclair was buried in the Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery near St. Clair’s Bottom. If true, his resting place anchors the story of the man whose name continues to define the area. St. Clair’s Bottom is more than a name on a map—it is a reminder of the families who carved out lives along the Holston River, endured upheaval, and returned to leave their mark on Virginia’s landscape. As with much of our local history, questions remain: How exactly did Sinclair’s Reed Creek land relate to his Holston River holdings? What role did the Bonhams and Bottoms play in the naming of the area? By piecing together land records, wills, and oral traditions, we continue to uncover the story of St. Clair’s Bottom—a story that belongs not only to the Sinclair family, but to the wider community that grew from these early roots.

Bonham, Primitive Baptist Church, St. Clair, St. Clair's Bottom, Stories

Dr. Goodridge Wilson On Our History

November 5, 2025November 1, 2025 Admin No Comments

Early Settlers Were Attracted to Smyth County’s Rye Valley Rye Valley lies over the mountain to the south of Smyth County. State Route 16, the B. F. Buchanan Highway, coming from the north over Clinch, Brushy, and Walker mountains, passes through Hungry Mother Park, Marion, and Attaway, over another Brushy Mountain, and enters a locality where rye was growing in abundance when the first white men came to this region. That weed is smaller than the cultivated rye but resembles it, and is said to make fairly good horse and cattle food. The pioneers seemed to have liked the plant, perhaps because it grew so well here. Prior to or during the Revolutionary War they gave it its name not only the beautiful valley where the South Fork of Holston starts but also to Rye Bottom on Big Walker Creek, and to Rye Cove in Scott County. The valley is narrow. The high crosses it quickly at a little climbing the steep sides of Iron Mountain and on across Grayson County to North Carolina. The first pioneers who acquired land in Rye Valley appear to have been Joseph and Esther Crockett, enterprising land speculators, who were not husband and wife, but business associates whose names appear together on a number of documents. The late Squire Robert Ward of Sugar Grove, a descendant of one of them, showed me a deed dated in 1753 by which the king of England conveyed the land about the head springs of the South Fork of Holston to Joseph and Esther Crockett. Mr. Ward’s name was included in that grant. His grandfather, a Rev. Crockett, bought it from a James or a Nelson, Joseph and Esther Crockett, or their heirs, had sold the original tract to some families in Virginia and to Nelson families who came from Virginia and they became the first actual settlers in the iron region where three mountain brooks join their waters with those of a number of bold springs in level meadows to form the South Fork of Holston. Two of the brooks, Dickey’s Creek and Cress Creek, come out of Iron Mountain, and the third, Slemp Creek, tumbles into the valley from Brushy Mountain. In this valley meadows a forest of fine sugar maple trees grew. While I was living in Marion back in the 1920s and 30s I would go there sometimes to fish for trout, to visit in some homes, or to conduct a religious service in a public school. At that time two splendid groves, remnants of that ancient maple forest, provided wonderful picnic grounds and ideal places for all-day gatherings as Baptist Association meetings. They gave the community its name, Sugar Grove. Now the groves are gone, and much beauty formerly belonging to this place of many waters faded with the passing of those great trees. Perhaps the first permanent settler in Rye Valley was Jenkins Williams, who settled on land downstream from and immediately adjoining the original Joseph and Esther Crockett survey. When I lived in Marion his descendants in the seventh generation were living on that land. When I went to Marion one of them, a lad in knee pants, lived with his widowed mother across the street from me. He now lives in Richmond and is well known over the state as Robert Williams, executive secretary of the Virginia Education Association, a well-authenticated fact, who made his home here since 1754 when rescuers were trailing marauding Indians and found the dead body of Mrs. Samuel Stalnaker beside a creek, with her infant child crying “Hungry Manny,” they went to warn the family of a settler near the site of Sugar Grove, and left the child with that family. That settler may have been Jenkins Williams. In 1776 John Griffiths came from Pennsylvania and settled in Rye Valley. When I made a sightseeing tour in that section a few weeks ago, B.H. Griffiths of Marion went with me. He was born and grew up with his father’s name in a house that stands on the site of a log house in which the Griffiths settle of 1776 lived. Among other things he showed me some skillful doing masonry work and some lengths of old iron water piping, on a hillside above the South Fork of Holston. These are the remnants of a lead mining and smelting operation conducted there around the turn of the century. An iron working industry was started in Rye Valley early in the pioneer period. Jenkins Williams had a forge on the South Fork in which, among other items, he manufactured barrels for rifles used by Revolutionary War soldiers. A Pierce family engaged in iron working in the valley through successive generations. The Rev. Lewis Wetzel Pierce, a Methodist minister widely known throughout Southwest Virginia as a pastor of churches and as a former agent for the Children’s Home Society of Virginia, is now retired and lives in Bristol. He says that his great-grandfather, Moses Pierce, a Quaker, came from North Carolina and established an iron forge near the mouth of Comers Creek. His grandfather and his father were iron workers at Sugar Grove, He was born on inherited a farm located on the west side of Slemp Creek, which his grandfather bought from Jonathan Slemp. The Slemp’s, Frederick and Jonathan acquired land on the south side of Brushy Mountain in 1804. Mr. Pierce says that Jonathan’s land was on the west side of the mountain between Crockett and Frederick’s on the east side. Frederick stayed and his descendants are still in that section. Jonathan sold his land to Alexander Wilson Pierce and his descendants, Col. Camp, who represented that area in Congress from the 9th Virginia District. The Brushy Mountain land is still called Slemp’s Creek.

Communities, Crockett, Families, Genaology, Griffitts, History, History Keepers, James, Native American, Nelson, Pierce, Roberts, Stories, Sugar Grove, Teas, Ward, Williams

The History Keepers- Sena Roberts-Ward

November 1, 2025November 1, 2025 Admin No Comments

“The History Keepers” is a special series on our website dedicated to honoring those who have preserved and chronicled the stories of our region. Through their writings, collections, and memories—sometimes shared directly, sometimes lovingly submitted by their families—we celebrate the voices that have safeguarded our local heritage. One such voice belongs to Mrs. Sena Roberts-Ward. If you’re from this area, you likely knew her, heard her name spoken with respect, or admired the graceful mill she restored and tended in Sugar Grove—a quiet sentinel that still reminds us of our heritage. Mrs. Ward lived 94 remarkable years, bridging generations and bearing witness to much of the history we now study and remember. Her life overlapped with elders who themselves had lived through even earlier chapters of our community’s story. Her lineage traces directly to several of the pioneer families who settled the Rye Valley, and her deep knowledge of that legacy was matched by her high academic achievements and meticulous care for detail. We are especially grateful for the writings, photographs and memories she left behind—many of which remain unpublished, yet hold invaluable insights into our shared past. Her work is a gift to all of us, and through this series, we hope to bring it to light, honoring her dedication and the enduring spirit of those who keep history alive. Sena Roberts-Ward was one of many who have posthumously contributed to this research and compilation of the History of the Rye Valley and here is her story transcribed from documents found in her own collection: Sena Narcissus Roberts was born February 26, 1901 in Flat Ridge, the first child of Adam Batey and Laura Elizabeth Jennings-Roberts, and the first grandchild of Charles Lafayette Jennings of Camp. She was joined by two brothers, Wiley Winton and Charles Maurice. The family grew up in Grayson and Smyth Counties. She was a graduate of Berea College in Kentucky, and did graduate work at the University of Virginia. She was one of the early home demonstration agents of Kentucky and taught high school and home economics in Mullens, WV. In 1932 she married Clarence John Ward and they were parents of two daughters, Laura Frances and Elizabeth Lavinia. She was the home economics teacher at William Flemming High School in Roanoke, and then operated the Hamm-Roberts Mill in Sugar Grove. In 1968 she retired from the Southwestern State Hospital as a dietitian and returned to Sugar Grove, where she did substitute teaching. With help from many friends, neighbors and relatives, she ran the family farm for several years. Her interests included a wide range of farming activities, from raising cattle to making molasses. She made a study of genealogy of her own family as well as others. She had a special fondness of country living, and her warm, wonderful friends and neighbors were a source of help and comfort to her during her declining hears. Although she saw several generations, she was always especially delighted with the newest generation. She maintained a joy of living almost until the very end. *We would like to extend a special thank you to Elizabeth Ward-Allison and her family for these contributions. **Photos from the Sena Roberts-Ward collection

Business, Camp, Education, Families, Genaology, History, History Keepers, Mill, Roberts, Ward

Fire At the Boiler Plant at Teas

September 26, 2025 Admin No Comments

On Saturday, June 14, 1930, around midnight, a fire broke out in the Boiler Plant, part of the Teas Extract Plant. The fire was suspected to be arson, according to local newspaper coverage. The flames were first spotted by Robert Griffitts, who reported the fire, but by then, it was too late to save anything. The interior of the building was completely gutted by the time it was discovered. Witnesses reported that flames shot up the old smoke stack, which towered over Teas at 150 feet tall, and out from the top. At the time, the damage was considered minimal because the company had already planned to demolish the old building and sell the brick. After the fire, the walls remained standing, and the brickwork was undamaged. Mr. T. J. Maxwell reported that the total loss would amount to $300. In the aftermath, the Teas Extract Plant was demolished, and the 150-foot smoke stack was brought down with dynamite. Spectators gathered to watch, describing the explosion as reminiscent of a Fourth of July celebration. Such events were a rare sight in the area.

Communities, Extract Plant, Griffitts, Industry, Teas

Stirring Tradition: The Art of Making Apple Butter

May 3, 2025May 6, 2025 Admin No Comments

In the heart of Southwest Virginia, the quiet community of Sugar Grove, the Combs Family keeps a rich Autumn Appalachian tradition alive: the making of apple butter. This slow-cooked, spiced spread is more than just a seasonal delicacy—it’s a symbol of heritage, hard work, and togetherness of families and neighbors. For generations, churches, families and neighbors in Sugar Grove have gathered around copper kettles, often before dawn, to stir previously peeled and sliced apples over open wood fires, sharing stories and passing down techniques as old as the mountains themselves. Apple butter making in this region dates back to the early settlers who relied on preserving fruits to last through the harsh winters. What began as a necessity eventually became a celebrated tradition, with church groups, neighbors, visitors, and family farms organizing this activity each Fall. These events are part work, part festival, featuring laughter, music, and the comforting aroma of cinnamon and firewood filling the crisp mountain air. Today, making apple butter in Sugar Grove is as much about preserving a way of life as it is about preserving apples. Whether sold at local markets or ladled into jars for holiday gifts, each batch carries with it a sense of place and history that only Southwest Virginia can offer. What Does The Process Look Like? On a crisp October morning in Sugar Grove, Virginia, the valley hums with the low crackle of a hardwood fire and the rhythmic scrape of a wooden stirrer against copper. It’s apple butter day at the Combs family homeplace, and that means more than just cooking—it’s a gathering of generations, neighbors, and even curious visitors drawn by the promise of rich tradition and the sweet scent of spiced apples hanging in the cool and still misty, very early morning mountain air. The process is usually underway by 4AM. A pole structure, open on two sides and draped with a heavy tarp to block the wind on one, sometimes two sides, shelters the heart of the operation: a weathered “cane furnace” fueled by hand-split oak logs. The hardwood burns hot and steady, heating a gleaming copper kettle that’s been cleaned and set in place since before dawn. Within it, bushels of peeled apples—often Wolf River or another available locally grown variety—have been simmering for hours. The apples slowly break down, to the rich, deep brown of true Appalachian apple butter.. At the center of the kettle stands a stirring stick, worn smooth by decades of use and lovingly passed down by Grandad Combs. This stirrer has been passed down through the family, and today, a younger member of the Combs family keeps the rhythm going, arms steady as they guide the long handle around and around. “Don’t stop stirring,” someone calls out with a grin—one of many reminders passed along with the craft. What happens if you stop stirring? The copper kettle scorches on the bottom. The kettle must be constantly stirred to prevent this costly mistake. Around the fire, a circle begins to form. camp chairs, cinder blocks, and a few other things provide makeshift seating as family and friends gather closer to stay warm. The picnic table is moved over near the cane furnace, Potatoes wrapped in foil roast slowly over heat nearby, filling the air with an earthy, comforting aroma. As the sun climbs higher, casseroles, crock pots, and dessert trays begin to appear on picnic tables—homemade dishes brought by neighbors and friends in true potluck fashion. There’s cornbread, slow-cooked beans, and pies of every kind. There are usually hot dogs to roast over the fire at the other end of the cane furnace as well. It’s a feast earned by patience and fueled by fellowship. What Exactly Is This “Cane Furnace?” The cane furnace is a brick rectangular structure standing at a height of about 2 feet that we also use in the process of making molasses with a large rectangular pan. The brick foundation is mudded and provides a place to build a fire under the whole pan to cook cane juice all day. There is a smoke stack to carry smoke up through the roof and away from the work area. When we use this for apple butter making, we do not use the entire length of it and cover it except for a cut out that we have for the kettle so that we still get the use of the smoke stack and use the covered surface for baking potatoes and the fire for roasting hot dogs. Visitors Throughout the day, visitors drop by—some from nearby, others from out of state, drawn by memory or curiosity. They’re welcomed with a variety of food options, a chair, and often a story or two. Here in Sugar Grove, making apple butter isn’t just about the end product. It’s about the fire, the food, the stories, and the stirring—together. There is a LOT of stirring! Over the years, we have hosted many guests, some were content creators who produced an entire documentary about Appalachian Life focusing on our apple butter making and others from as far away as New York! Our family’s old time apple butter making has been the subject of the Appalachian Studies curriculum at Radford University and has provided many with insight into the culture and heritage of Southwest Virginia’s people. Some of the lucky ones even get to take a jar or two home with them! The Day Continues… As the day wears on, the kettle’s contents darken and thicken, transforming from tart apple pulp into a silky, spiced spread with just the right balance of sweetness, spice and tang as cinnamon and sugar are gradually added. Every so often, several elder family members tests a small spoonful on a saucer, and nodding in quiet approval. “Almost there,” they say, the phrase echoing like a ritual. The patience is part of the process, part of what makes the end result so special. Rushing isn’t an option when it comes to good apple butter. Grandad, while he…

Combs, Communities, Families, History, Resources, Sugar Grove

First Baptist Church Of Sugar Grove

March 28, 2025May 6, 2025 Admin No Comments

This article is being published in memory of Nancy Ann Purefoy 10/26/1933 – 3/26/2025 This beautiful little church house dates back to 1915 in the community of Sugar Grove. Records found at Smyth County Courthouse reflect March 10, 1915, a deed was made by Chaley Barber and his wife Alice to Andrew White Walter Stuart and A. F. Wilson who were both named as trustees. The sum of money exchanged to execute this deed was $30. This deed was made with specific restrictions that read “…said lot to be used for building a church house and not for any other purpose. Said church to be known as Shugar Grove Missionary Babtis Church- colored.” James Purefoy provided the following information and photo about the church on the Rye Valley History Group: This was the First Baptist Church in Sugar Grove, Va. It was the African American Church in the area.I can remember attending all day services there as a child. My mother, Nancy Lee Purefoy, attended there as a child. Her father, my grandfather, Fred Lee was a deacon there. My grandmother, Cleo Lee, was a deaconess. Some of the names of other people that attended were Barbers, Stuarts, Lees, Goins, Madisons, Thompsons, and Murrells. There were others that I cannot mention. This information was provided by my mother Nancy Lee Purefoy. Services continued at this church into the early 2000s. David Rutherford, then employed by Rye Valley Water Authority, shared the following about the property: When Rye Valley Water Authority was getting easements for new water line I traced the deeds back to try to find a signatory for the church property. Ended up getting Mrs. Cleo Lee to sign. Great Lady. The deeds referred to it being in the “colored section of Sugar Grove”. The details in the deed made it sound like the area was from the church back to where Gene Ross now lives out to Flat Ridge Road and back to Quarter Branch Road. (2022-2024) The building collapsed under a heavy snow. The photo at left was what remained of this beautiful little church as of 2024. The church is shown on a 1935 Quadrangle map by location only, no name. Also on that same map, just down the road near the Quarter Branch and Flat Ridge Fork on the opposite side is another church labeled as “Union Ch.” It is speculated that this could have served as the Sugar Grove Negro School up until the early 40s. The Sugar Grove Negro School is documented by Evelyn Thompson Lawrence in a book available about all of the Colored Schools in the county that can be found in the Heritage Room at the Smyth County Public Library in Marion, VA however, it does not mention any specific location where this school was located. *If you have additional information to add about this church, please comment or use the contact form. We would love to add additional information.

Barbers, Black History, Churches, Communities, First Baptist Church Of Sugar Grove, Goins, Lee, Madison, Murrell, Purefoy, Stuart, Sugar Grove, Thompson

Urban Legends: Octagon House Hauntings

February 16, 2025February 16, 2025 Admin No Comments

DISCLAIMER: 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝖼𝗅𝖾 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝗅𝗈𝗋𝖾𝗌 multiple urban legends. 𝖯𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖼𝗋𝗂𝖻𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝖿𝗈𝗅𝗄𝗅𝗈𝗋𝖾, 𝗆𝗒𝗍𝗁, 𝗈𝗋 𝗎𝗇𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖿𝗂𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖻𝖺𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗇 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗆𝖾𝖽 𝖿𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗌. 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖼𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝖽𝗏𝗂𝗌𝖾𝖽, 𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝗍𝖺𝗂𝗅𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝗒 𝖻𝖾 𝗎𝗇𝗌𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗋 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖻𝗂𝗇𝗀. 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝖼𝗅𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗇 𝖺𝗌 𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗎𝗋𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝗉𝗂𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝖿 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌. There are several urban legend-like stories that have been around for decades surrounding the Octagon House. These tales have almost become a part of local culture, at least with people of a certain age group. Let’s explore some of these tales. We have an actual brief history of the Octagon House HERE if you would like to read about the factual history before you embark upon the local stories. Abijah’s Ghost Walk On December 1st, it is said that the ghost of Abijah Thomas appears at dusk as an eerie blue-white glow, moving between the remains of his beloved octagonal house, Mountainview, and the Thomas family cemetery just up the hill, where his grave is located. It is believed that he returns on the anniversary of his unexpected death to check on his cherished home. The sightings are not interactive, and all reports suggest that this is a residual haunting rather than an active one. This ghost story is perhaps one of the longest standing stories to be passed around locally. The Cellar The cellar is often regarded as the most haunted spot on the property and is the focal point of numerous tales of malevolent paranormal encounters. It is said to have been the site where slaves were beaten for failing to perform their work properly. Various versions of the story have circulated, but the most widely known claims that if you stand on the ground behind the house, where the cellar once was, after sunset, you will be confronted by an evil spirit that demands you leave the property. Those who do not heed the warning may suffer physical harm. Other accounts suggest that visitors can hear the anguished screams of those who died on the property, emanating from this mysterious cellar. This version also ends with the evil spirit confronting those present, urging them to depart. Some people feel compelled to bring a rosary, crucifix, or other spiritual items for protection if they dare to visit the location. It is factually known that there was no evidence of a cellar found anywhere around the house and specifically not at the rear of the house near the back door as most of these tales indicate. Additionally, according to various local historical sources, many of the slaves who were owned by Abijah Thomas remained there after slavery was abolished following the Civil War and done so because they were treated well by the family. The Dark Room The dark room was another area on the property known for paranormal activity. Located on the second floor at the top of the stairs, it was centrally situated in the house. The room had no windows and only one door. Popular stories about it included rattling chains, eerie screams, slamming locking doors and blood stains on the floor and walls. It was said to have been a place where slaves, and sometimes even the Thomas children, were punished—locked away for long periods without food. Given its location on the second floor, attempting to access the room, especially in the dark, would have been dangerous—particularly during the time when people dared to enter the house after it had been condemned. The room itself was oddly sized, making it suitable for storage as it was intended. While no blood stains were found on the remaining white plaster walls, there were dark stains on the floorboards. However, it was determined these were not blood stains, but rather food stains from canned goods that had either broken or spoiled, leaving the dark stains. Priscilla Thompson, the daughter of Abijah Thomas, clarified in writing that the room had always been used for storage and that no one was ever punished there. She also mentioned that when the door was open, enough light came through to see whatever one was looking for in the room. This writing was reproduced in the article about the octagon house. The Ghost Who Threw People Out the Window As early as the late 1990s, a popular story began circulating about an especially angry spirit said to haunt the Octagon House. The tale was linked to a broken window on the second floor at the back of the house. A particularly jagged shard of glass remained hanging in the window frame, having not fallen out. According to the story, the spirit that haunted the second floor and guarded the dark room was so enraged by a trespasser who could not be convinced to leave, that it hurled them out of the window, throwing them from the second story with an unseen force, effectively ejecting them from the house. This became a widely circulated tale, often used to warn people to stay away from the second floor. While there are no verified reports of anyone actually being thrown out of a second-story window, countless stories have been passed down through the years about people—mostly young adults—visiting the property as a sort of rite of passage. Many went there in groups for a thrill, to get scared, or to drink and smoke pot. It’s possible that someone could have fallen out of the window, though it likely went unreported, possibly to avoid trespassing charges or other consequences. The Sign Of The Cross This story dates back to 2002. One evening, a group of high school students from Marion, along with a few from Sugar Grove, decided to visit the Octagon House just before sunset. Their goal was to explore the house and see if the rumors about it being haunted were true. They even considered holding a séance to see if they could provoke any paranormal activity. To avoid getting caught, they arranged for a friend to drop them off,…

Stories, Thomas, Thomas Bridge

The Abijah Thomas Octagon House

February 10, 2025February 16, 2025 Admin No Comments

Abijah Thomas was born on May 21, 1814, in what was then Washington County, later part of Smyth County when it was formed in 1832. He was the son of Thomas Thomas and grandson of John Thomas. At the time of his birth, the United States was still in its infancy, with only 18 states in the union, James Madison serving as the 4th president, and the War of 1812 just concluded. That year also marked the establishment of Francis Cabot Lowell’s textile mill in Massachusetts, which would later inspire Abijah’s own textile operations in Southwest Virginia. Raised in a farming family, Abijah’s father and grandfather had worked the land, but the region was rapidly industrializing, embracing manpower, water power, and horse power. Abijah adapted to this change, becoming a manufacturer of iron, textiles, and leather goods. His father, Thomas Thomas, held several significant roles in the community, including Justice of Washington County in 1806, overseer of roads in 1819, and Sheriff of Washington County in 1831-32. He also carried the title of “Esquire,” reflecting his high social standing. In 1795, a land survey granted John Thomas 230 acres along the South Fork of the Holston River, where he established a grist mill and sawmill. This same land would later become the site of Holston Mills, one of Smyth County’s first industries, founded by Abijah around 1860. Abijah’s father married Freelove Cole, daughter of Joseph and Remember Cole, early settlers from New York. She is credited with naming Marion, the county seat, in honor of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, during a conversation at the Thomas home in 1832 during a visit from a commissioner. Abijah grew up on the farm, learning traditional skills like hunting, fishing, blacksmithing, and tanning animal hides. He attended a private school in Wythe County, learning reading, writing, and arithmetic, and later became a skilled carpenter and surveyor. Notably, he was one of the few to subscribe to a newspaper, which he would read aloud to neighbors. Abijah also built the first threshing machine in Smyth County and operated several iron furnaces and Holston Mills. When Smyth County was formed in 1832, Thomas Thomas and William Porter, Abijah’s brother-in-law, became justices of the new county. Abijah married Priscilla Cavinette Scott in 1836 in a ceremony performed at her parents’ home by Reverend Robertson Gannaway. At 22, Abijah and his 16-year-old bride set up their first home in a log cabin on the Thomas farm, near the site of the later famous Octagon House. Abijah owned slaves, and Priscilla managed the household, training servants, educating children, and caring for the servants, providing for their well-being, including sewing clothes and supplying bedding, blankets and quilts as needed. In 1856-57, Abijah constructed the Octagon House, also known as Mountainview, a striking and unusual architectural feat in the region. Built with the help of skilled carpenters, brick masons, and slaves, the house was inspired by Orson Squire Fowler’s octagonal designs and was the only one of its kind in Southwest Virginia before the Civil War. The home featured innovative design elements like triangular spaces used for closets and custom-shaped corner bricks. Built on a 10×10 central beam, the home sat on limestone hauled from an unknown quarry, with materials crafted on-site. It boasted 17 rooms and an intricate roof structure to support shingles and metal coverings. The Octagon House reflected a national “octagon fad,” inspired by Fowler’s own 1853 construction in New York. Some suggested that Abijah chose the design to ward off wind or to avoid being trapped in a corner by the Devil, while others thought he believed in the octagon’s superior qualities. The house’s 16-foot thick walls rose 22 feet to the roofline, with 32 windows providing natural light. A porch ran along the three front sides, and a second-floor promenade deck was accessible from the second-floor doors. The interior had a spacious layout with 8 rooms on the first floor, including a parlor with pink marbleized plaster and a chandelier, a family room with built-in storage, and a winter kitchen. Upstairs, there were bedrooms, including the Thomas girls’ rooms, a master bedroom, and the infamous “dark room,” used for storage, not punishment as urban legends suggest. The Dark Room is located in the center of the 2nd floor of the Octagon House and therefore has no windows or natural light. It has been the subject of many a horrific tale and has become an urban legend over the years. This room measures 15’ 8” x 8’ 1” and was factually used for storage of food and other items in the Thomas house. Some information can be found in a 1940 writing of Priscilla C Thompson, Abijah’s daughter which reads: The dark room upstairs was used as a store room, a catch-all for cotton bats, patent office reports, Congress records, etc. When the door into the upstairs hall was open, the room was sufficiently light to find anything wanted. The idea of my father using this room as a jail to punish any one of the children is all a myth. Urban legends tell a more horrific story of a haunted “slave house” where the owner used the dark room to whip and punish slaves and also lock up his own children as punishment. The size of the room wouldn’t be adequate for this as well as the fact that it is located on the 2nd floor making it not readily accessible for these purposes. Furthermore, the dark stains on the floor said to be blood stains are factually food stains from canned food that broke or spoiled after bring stored there long after the civil war and abolishment of slavery. The white plaster walls do not reflect any such stains. Abijah Thomas was said to treat his servants well contrary to urban legend. Upon close examination of the brick in the Octagon house, you can find the remaining fingerprints of the slave children who formed the bricks that were used in…

Black History, Families, Holston Mills, Homes, Industry, Slavery, Thomas, Thomas Bridge

From Sugar Grove To The American Red Cross National Capital Region

December 21, 2024 Admin No Comments

Preface: This article will not be written by the editor of the site but rather its original author through the transcription of her original notes. The following comes to us from Janelle Hamric (1916-2022), a lifelong resident of Sugar Grove. Through her writings, we will now learn the full story of how Sugar Grove attained national recognition and played a notable role in the history of the country during WWI and then gained national recognition nearly one hundred years later. Donna (Hamm) Keesling’s Quilt 1918 “From the back roads of my mind…” Each Red Cross (small) joining the quilt represented a .10 cent donation. After the signing of “Armistice” on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month 1918, the war which began in 1914 was over. Mama embroidered a “Gold Star” on any name of a serviceman’s square who had been lost in action. When my grandparents F. Jackson and Emma (Phipps) Hamm decided to sell their property at auction, including the mill they built, now known as the Hamm Roberts Mill, and move to Rising Sun, MD, chances were sold on the quilt at mama’s request and proceeds added to the Quilt Fund. Aunt Lora Hutton, her sister, had the lucky number! She said “I would like to let it go to the highest bidder.” Grandfather bought the quilt and gave it to mama. Presently, I am the “Keeper” but it will be placed in the Smyth County Museum at a later date. Total amount collected for The Red Cross was $111.50 (In mama’s writing on the back of the quilt) The same buying power today would be $1868.65. My mother died at age 57 and we wondered what other things she could have done. She “loved her neighbors as herself” and was a dedicated Christian. I displayed the quilt for Elizabeth Church and the Ruritan Club November 4, 2013. Red Cross (Cont.) Mama thought the child who remained home the longest should have the quilt. My brother, Dean who lived in California had claim to the quilt. I kept it for several years and on his last visit here, I insisted he should take it with him. Two years ago, my brother realized his failing health and sent the quilt back to me UPS knowing it would find its rightful place in a museum. I am now the sole survivor of four siblings and “keeper” of the quilt. November 20. 2015 a letter was sent to Mrs. Hamric from the American Red Cross National Capital Region thanking her for her donation of her mother’s quilt. It went on to say “The quilt was on display at the Annual Salute to Service Gala in Washington DC. It served as the centerpiece in an exhibit celebrating the long history of support the American Red Cross has provided our men and women in the military. Over 700 guests were present for this event including US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.” This letter further went on to say that given the historical importance and age of the quilt, a textile expert had been engaged from the Corcoran Gallery of Art to ensure proper preservation of this quilt. It also specified that it was believed that this quilt was part of a larger national fundraising effort for the war in 1918 and further research would be done for additional examples across the country. Sugar Grove’s Red Cross quilt serves as the centerpiece for this exhibit.

Communities, Families, Hamm, History, Keesling, Mill, Sugar Grove, Teas, WWI

The Smyth County Almshouse at Teas

December 2, 2024December 2, 2024 Admin No Comments

In 1874, the Smyth County Board of Supervisors purchased 274 acres from John M. Williams in the Rye Valley. This land was purchased to create an almshouse or poor farm in this part of the county. The Sheriff was ordered to collect 18 3/4 cents from every taxable person for the support of the almshouse. The Smyth County Almshouse is established in 1874 near Teas, Virginia on present day Slabtown road. Mr. Will Keesling was listed as a superintendent of the poor house at one time and Mr. Samuel Wilkinson is listed as superintendent on the 1910 census and his wife, Jennie Wilkinson is listed as housekeeper. During the Civil War and following the war, most of the men had gone to serve and were either killed or returned home with injuries that left them unable to work. This was one basis of establishing these almshouses. The poorhouses population was more narrowly defined during the twentieth century when social welfare legislation such as workman’s compensation, unemployment, benefits and social security began to provide a rudimentary safety net for people who would previously have been pauperized by such circumstances. Eventually the poorhouses evolved almost exclusively into nursing homes for dependent elderly people . But poorhouses left orphanages, general hospitals and mental hospitals for which they had provided the prototype as their heritage system that such people in institutions would provide the opportunity to reform them and cure them of bad. habits and character defects that were assumed to be the cause of their poverty. This as they soon found out was not the case. Often the poorhouse was located on the grounds of a poor farm, on which able-bodied Residents were required to work, Such farms were common in the United States in the 19th and early 20th century. A poorhouse could even be part of the same economic complex as a prison farm. and other penal, or charitable public institutions. Poor farms were county or town run. Residences where paupers (mainly elderly and disabled people) who were supported at public expense. The farms declined in use after the Social Security Act took effect in 1935, with them disappearing completely by about 1950. Most were working farms that produced at least some of the produce, grain, and livestock they consumed. Residents were expected to provide labor to the extent their health would allow, both in the fields and in providing and housekeeping and care for other residents. Rules were strict and accommodations minimal. The photo at the top of this article was taken many years after the poorhouse closed. It met the basic needs of people who did not have anywhere else to turn. They were given a roof over their head , a bed for sleeping and three meals a day during the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1910, a census document lists the following as Inmates at the poor farm at Teas: Robert Harris, 35 Bettie Harris, 30 Guess Colin, 89 Leander Walls, 83 Mary Hogston, 67 Dollie McGee, 46 Ivans Willard, 6 Neoma Ranels, 80 Maud Marshall, 52 Mary Losson, 41 Mary Pickle, 35 Corrill Crutchfield, 20 The poor farm was sold in 1914. By 1927, Smyth County had joined others in the establishment of a district home in Pulaski. During the days of the almshouse in Smyth County, there were reportedly about 1200 people who were dependent on the county. There were multiple poor farms around the county during this time. Special thanks to the research of Donald Harrington for some of the details of this article. Without his work and his family’s contribution to this article, we would not have a photo of the Poor Farm house or much of the information that has been presented here.

Cedar Springs, Communities, Families, History, Keesling, Poor Farm, Teas, Williams