Thank you, Michael, for taking an interest in my search. You've included land transactions I hadn't found yet. Am also very interested in the Gilman map. Is it by chance the same one available online in the American Memory (Congressional Archives)?
Because of all the help from members of this list, I was able to find Sidney Vale (multiple spellings), names of the current owners, and even heard from the granddaughter of people who bought the property from the Gilmores in 1913 and lived there until the early 1930s. She was kind enough to send photos of the house taken in 1988. It's located pretty much where you found Capt. Gilmore's home on the Gilman map: the south side of the James --diagonally across from Gilmore's Mill-- on 246 acres of private property surrounded by the Jefferson Nat'l Forest. It's a lovely old brick house, with a small, round wooden structure, oddly placed maybe 10 feet or so in front of the house. Appears to be a relict of some sort, maybe used in later days for wood storage, but I can only guess at it's original purpose.
My quest now is to determine which Gilmore first owned Sidney Vale, and who built the house and when. Q: When did they start building with brick instead of stone? Any experts out there who would like to take a look at my photos and hazard a guess or two?
I found the 1017ac."settlement" based on a survey of 6 Jan 1804 and pub. 1805 (LVA land records) which deeds the land left by will to William and Joseph Gilmore. Trying to identify locations of the several pieces of property that are included, but afraid I get lost in the Pine and White Oak trees that mark boundaries.
Aha, the Gilmores and Rowlands you mentioned in your email are all old "acquaintances" of mine from 10 years of researching them and others of my VA ancestry. I can identify them all, and know just where they fit into my family. The younger Joseph Gilmore that you mention, along with Thomas, were the 1/2 brothers of Madison and James Gilmore, all sons of Joseph who inherited --along with his brother William-- "the plantation I live on" from their father, James, Sr. It may or may not have been Sidney Vale. LIke father, like son, however, and in each generation there were squabbles over inheritence, or lack thereof, that went on for years.
By the way, where did that name come from? Was there a Sidney family in the area?
Again, many thank yous. I'm very impressed at the generosity shown by you and others in these busy times.
Joanne Kartak
"Michael M. Gregory" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Regarding the post about Gilmore Mill and Sydney Vale, the following
information and sources may be of interest. I used or reviewed the data
while researching the community of Denmark, Virginia, which is located on
upper Kerrs Creek.
The earliest county map I reviewed is entitled “Map of the County of
Rockbridge, Virginia” (William Gilman 1859) and it shows Gilmore’s Mill
located southeast of Natural Bridge and on the left bank of the James River
near the mouth of Cedar Creek. The residence of a Capt. Gilmore is shown a
little farther up the James River and on its right bank. No Gilmores are
shown near Natural Bridge, but the map copy to which I had access was
flecking paper in this area. Another thing to consider is that while
Gilmores may have owned property in the area, they may have rented it out
and lived some place else. An original and good copy of the Gilman map may
be viewed in the Rockbridge County Historical Society building at
Lexington, Virginia. The map was also reproduced in 1980, but I do not the
source of this reproduction.
As for land records, I searched all grantor/grantee records for several
Gilmores owning land near Denmark. This search includes lands owned by
several James Gilmores (wives identified as Polly Grigsby and Sally
Davidson), and of interest to you are the following transactions I recorded
in a cursory fashion due to their location outside of my area of research:
During May 1785, James Exor. (Joseph & William Gilmore with all power of
Samuel Gilmore of Lincoln County, Virginia) sell 120 acres on Cedar Creek
to Agnes Hamilton. (Rockbridge County Deed Book A:518);
During Oct. 1801, James of Pulaski County, Kentucky sells to Joseph Gilmore
86 acres on the James River, which James patented during July 1784. This
parcel adjoins Henry Miller and Andrew Shink(?) [or Shish(?)] parcels
(Rockbridge County Deed Book D:434); and
During Sept. 1844, James, and Madison Gilmore & wf. relinquish to Joseph
Gilmore their interest in “Sydney Vale”, or 600 acres adjoining the Vale,
or both [its not clear in the deed]. Thomas and Joseph Gilmore were willed
all of “Sydney Vale” by their father at the death of their mother, but
Thomas died intestate during 1838 and Mildred, the widow of Joseph [the
father?] died during 1844. The father includes in the will slaves and
personal property on the Vale to his two sons. Joseph purchased the
interests of James and Madison & wf Jennetta's, [the children of Thomas ?],
interests in the Vale and possible the 600 adjoining acres, but as
mentioned this is unclear in the deed (Rockbridge County Deed Book Y:120).
Whether the 120 acres on Cedar Creek includes land that would one day
accommodate the mill cannot be determined from my notes. Similarly, my
notes do not pursue the 86 acre parcel in order to locate its exact
location on the James. I did copy “Sydney Vale” the way it is spelled in
the deed.
In additon, I copied two land transactions for Joseph Gilmore:
During Aug. 1855, Albert Yeatman & wf Josephine sell one undivided forth
interest in a parcel of 83 acres to Joseph Gilmore. The parcel is located
where Gilmore’s Mill is situated on the James River at the mouth of Cedar
Creek (Rockbridge County Deed Book EE:119); and
During Aug. 1855, John B. Rowland of Botetourt County sold one undivided
forth interest in a parcel of 83 acres to Joseph Gilmore. The parcel is
located where Gilmore’s Mill is situated on the James River at the mouth of
Cedar Creek (Rockbridge County Deed Book EE:120).
From the two transactions recorded, I cannot tell whether Joseph inherited
an undivided fourth in the parcel, or whether he was trying to consolidate
the interests of four or more parties to gain clear title to the property.
A further search on Joseph’s name may clarify his intentions.
These land transactions may not answer your questions, but they may provide
starting points for further work if you pursue it with microfilm or the
actual deed books. Often times, the deeds do identify several or all land
owners adjoining a parcel, and this info, combined with a later county map
may help you locate Sydney Vale rather quickly using only one late 19th-
century deed description.
Wish I could help more, but as stated, my dissertation focused on the
people and sites in the vicinity of Denmark, Virginia.
michael m. gregory, ph.d.
Great Lakes Archaeological Research Center
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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