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...the boyhood home of Civil War General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson
Scenes from our historic area
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Generations of Jacksons... The mill on the West Fork River was established by Colonel Edward Jackson, a Revolutionary War figure, in 1801. Three generations of Jacksons operated grist and saw mills at this site. The most famous of the clan, Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, came here after the death of his parents, to live with his uncle Cummins Jackson. He spent much of his childhood here, working in the saw and grist mills and on the family farm. He earned the nickname "Stonewall" during the Civil War, while on his way to becoming a Confederate hero and one of the most brilliant strategists in American military history. In 1921, property that included the original Jackson homestead was given to West Virginia University to establish a youth facility. The deed agreement required that a homeplace marker be placed and maintained. Our historic area has grown from that simple beginning. It has taken a collaborative effort to ensure that this piece of our past is forever remembered. The Old Mill Cummins Jackson had learned the milling trade well. Recognizing that the West Fork's powerful current threatened to destroy his inheritance, he rebuilt the mill on the river's west bank, the inside of the bend. Unfortunately, the new mill burned within a few years. Undaunted, Cummins rebuilt on the same site in 1841. That structure still stands today.
The 2 1/2 story mill has a foundation of native stone. It is 40 feet square and made of lumber produced at the Jackson sawmill. Power was provided by two horizontal water wheels situated beneath the first floor. When Thomas Jackson's mother died in 1830, he went to live with his Uncle Cummins. During the next 12 years, Thomas learned a great deal from Cummins and became, in effect, his business partner. When Cummins died without leaving a will, Thomas decided to stay out of a bitter dispute over the property, which lasted almost 20 years. During that time, the property suffered from lack of care. Cummins' sister, Catherine Jackson White, finally took possession of the property in 1868. When she died in 1875, it was sold to William and Huldah Moxley. The Moxleys failed to keep up the payments, and the land was repossessed and sold to Joseph Clifton, a miller whose mill had recently been destroyed by fire. Clifton set about making improvements, hoping to put the mill back into operation, but he died after only four years. Jackson's Mill was deeded to the State of West Virginia in 1921. Efforts to preserve the gristmill, which is all that is left standing of the original homestead, began at that time. Plans to restore the mill to working order were abandoned in the early 1980s, after a study concluded that the building could no longer stand the strain of operation. The old mill became a museum, which now houses artifacts relating to Jackson family history and the history of milling in West Virginia. Cummins Jackson House After Cummins' death, his older sister, Catherine Jackson White, eventually emerged as the owner of the mill property. At her death, the site was purchased by the Moxleys, who lived in the house for some years but failed to make the final payments on the property. In 1886, it was repossessed and sold to Joseph Clifton, a miller from Weston. He began renovation of the dilapidated property. The oldest photos of the house show his repairs and changes; these included a new roof, windows, siding, a third chimney, and a large porch on the east and south sides of the house. Clifton only lived four years after purchasing the site, and the property passed to his wife and eventually to his daughter. As an absentee owner, Mrs. Clifton rented the house to various tenants. In 1913, the house and property were sold to A.T. Watson, who transferred it to the Monongahela Traction Company, which drilled many gas wells on the property. In these last years, the house remained much the same as it was when Joseph Clifton renovated it. On December 3, 1915, the Cummins Jackson house burned beyond repair. Henry McWhorter Cabin
The hewn-log McWhorter Cabin measures 18 feet by 24 feet and is markedly different from modern-day log houses because its chimney is built inside the walls as protection from Indian attacks. An outside chimney could conceivably be knocked in, exposing a gaping hole and rendering the occupants defenseless. McWhorter and his family lived in this cabin for 37 years, during which time it served a variety of functions including post office, church, and meeting house. Henry, a millwright, also constructed Lewis County's first gristmill in 1793. It primarily ground corn and later could make flour as well. Eventually, a sawmill was added on the property as the population in West's Fort/Jane Lew area grew. In addition to his business, Henry was a member and class leader of the Methodist Episcopal Church for 60 years. Involvement in these activities made the McWhorter name well known in the surrounding area. After a series of security debts left Henry financially embarrassed, the family was forced to leave the homestead in 1827 and return to McKinneys Run. Henry died there in 1848. He is buried alongside his wife in the McWhorter Cemetery. The McWhorter Cabin today serves as a memorial to two of Lewis County's early prominent families -- the McWhorters and the Jacksons. Henry McWhorter's keen initiative and sense of community interest were important factors in the early settlement of this area. Though the McWhorter Cabin is not an exact replica of Stonewall Jackson's boyhood home, it does typify a rural early 19th century (West) Virginia homestead. Blaker's Mill Jacob and Mary Hockman erected a gristmill at the confluence of Mill Creek and Muddy Creek soon after moving to Greenbrier County in 1794. The Hockman mill opened for business in 1796, producing cornmeal for the local population. In 1842, the mill was inherited by Susan, one of the Hockmans' three daughters, and her husband, George Lewis. The first Blaker to be associated with the mill was John Blaker from Loudon County, Virginia, who was hired by the Lewises to work at the mill. He eventually married Susan Lewis, probably the granddaughter of Susan Hockman Lewis and George Lewis. The Blakers had eight children, three of whom, James L., Mamie, and Ida, ran the mill until it closed. The Blakers were an enterprising family, not content to merely grind grain. In 1891, the Blaker's Mill post office was established. The office was situated in the mill until 1915, when it was moved to Blaker's grocery next door. When the post office closed in 1956, its only three postmasters had been John, James, and Mamie Blaker. In addition to operating a store and post office, James Blaker was an excellent carpenter, producing fiddles as well as furniture. Prior to the introduction of electricity to the mill in 1948, James built a carpenter shop at the side of the mill and "borrowed" water power to operate his woodworking tools. The family also operated a mail order business, distributing cornmeal, wheat flour, buckwheat flour, and other specialty flours throughout West Virginia and a number of other states.
Robert Hockman Blaker of Wilmington, Delaware, who generously donated Blaker's Mill so that it may be preserved and enjoyed by future generations, is a direct descendant of the family who built and operated the mill almost two centuries ago. Thanks to his generosity and the many volunteers who have worked on this project, Blaker's Mill enjoys a productive future. Disassembled carefully, stone by stone and board by board, it was transported from its original site to Jackson's Mill, where it was reassembled and restored. In 1993, Blaker's Mill began operation at its new location. Today, it is a centerpiece of the Historic Area. Cornmeal and whole wheat flour are ground regularly, and offered for sale in the General Store.
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