Fellow researchers,

  I'm still looking for more information about Sidney Vale, where my Rockbridge Co. ancestors, the Gilmore-Rowlands lived,  but I'm having a difficult time explaining my query asking for help.  I'll just have to hope you can make sense of the following.

  Bottom line:  Establish (1) who built the house at Sidney Vale plantation located in Rockbridge Co. VA. on the south side of the James River a few miles from Gilmore Mills and near the Botetourt Co. line;  and (2) which Gilmore first lived there.

  Current research project:  Determine  (exact location) of homes of  William and Joseph Gilmore of Rockbridge Co. VA.  ca. 1800 - 1805.  Was Sidney Vale the house insured by one of them in 1803?

  The top line in 1803-1805 declarations made by applicants in VA  for Mutual Assurance Policies (fire insurance) begins, "I, the underwritten  (name)   residing at           in the county of  Rockbridge   . . .  situated between ____ and ____ . . . "

  From copies of policies written in Rockbridge Co. (available at LVA):
   "Wm. Gilmore residing at  Gilead ...situated between  Joseph Gilmore  and . . Samuel Barclay.... "

  "Joseph Gilmore residing at View Mont ... between Wm. Gilmore and John Greenlee."

  "John Greenlee  residing at Clover Hills ... between Jos. Gilmore  and  John Polge(Poage?)"

  In each case, the men state that they are in residence at these three locations.

  These men are obviously neighbors, so I  assume the names Gilead, View Mont and Clover Hills pertain to their plantations and not to towns.  Was it necessary for applicants who did not live in towns to identify their location by giving it a name?   Does anyone have more information about what these fire insurance policies may reveal?

    In a perfect genealogical world, someone would recognize these names and write to tell me they know the location, but . . .   Do the names, Gilead, View Mont and Clover Hills ring any bells?  Are there any Greenlee researchers reading this who would like to share information?


  I have an excerpt from the sale of Sidney Vale in 1913, and  I've done the usual search of land deeds, etc. trying to trace back to the 1800s using what's available online at LVA,  et al, but not able to pinpoint a single location.

  Any ideas or suggestions of where I should go from here much appreciated.  In fact, even if you have no suggestions but have been patient enough to read this far, thank you for your patience!

  Joanne





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