"Millcote," Home of Captain Edward “Ned” J. GILLIAM
Virginia Historical Inventory
Updated November 25, 2022
Background
For information on the Virginia Historical Inventory see “The Price Place”
Overview
Millcote was primarily the home of John Robertson Gilliam, the son of Captain Edward “Ned” J. Gilliam and Nancy Talbot, his wife. Ned and Nancy had one child Edmonia “Bettie” who married William Emmett McCraw.
Works Progress Administration of Virginia
Historical Inventory
County: Buckingham
Class: Home
Millcote
Research made by
Elizabeth McCraw
Andersonville, VA
April 7, 1936
1. Subject:
Millcote
2. Location:
1.6 miles west of Andersonville, Virginian Route #640, thence south on Route #612, for 1.7 miles, thence west .6 mile on a private road.
3. Dates:
About 1826
4. Owners:
Captain Ned J. Gilliam, 1825
Colonel Dick Gilliam, 1868
Willie Gilliam, 1875
Willie Hix, 1894
Fred Coles, 1908
5. Description
Millcote known to the oldest inhabitants as "old Captain Ned Gilliam Place," is one of the most unique looking places in the county. The long, rambling story ad a half house, is just as it was 100 years ago. The house is built in three different parts, that is, it looks like the original was added to twice, and each addition a little lower each time.
There are three very large brick chimneys , one at each end of the center building and one at the “T” part. In one of the chimneys, where a closet was removed are four different “cubby holes” all nicely finished off like shelves. On the front of the house is one dormer window, which forms a door in the upstairs hall.
There are three porches.
The front room is 20 feet square and has a ceiling eleven feet high. There are two windows in this room but only one in each other room. There is a chair railing in each room and in the halls. The original plaster is still on the walls, though several rooms have been papers in recent years. The shop made nails show in the wide planks of the floors. The stairway is unusual, a winding one flight, a very steep style, with a very narrow steps, only six inches wide. The last three steps at the bottom, where the steps turn, are the usual width. One step near the middle way is split almost entirely across. This happened when a large stick of firewood was dropped accidentally on the step the day Miss Betty Gillam and W. E. McCraw were married in the upstairs parlor, October 24, 1867.
The large 4 or 6 panel doors are adorned with “HL” iron hinges. There are several of the big iron locks left, though some have been replaced by modern locks. Most of the inside doors have wooden hand latches. Most of the inside doors have wooden hand latches.
The half story upstairs rooms are small with one window each and being in the eaves, the doors are outs off diagonally to fit when closed.
See the attached Form 3686.
6. Historical Significance
Captain Ned Gilliam, the original owner, was a slave owner before the war and was never known to sell one of his negroes. He owned a negro woman whose husband, Stephen Woodson, belonged to another plantation and whose master was going to sell and send south.
Of course that meant separating from his wife. Every night Stephen would see Captain Ned Gilliam and begged him to buy him, in order that he might stay with his wife. Captain Gilliam borrowed $1800, the price of Stephen, from his brother Colonel Dick Gilliam, and brought the negro. This was not long before the war and after all the slaves were freed. Captain Gilliam was unable to pay his brother the money, so he gave him his home, Millcote, in payment of the debt made to keep two slaves together as husband and wife.
7. Art
Photograph
8. Sources of Information:
Informants:
Mrs. Ferd Coles, present owner
Miss Louise Harrison McCraw, granddaughter of the original owner
Address of both, Andersonville, Virginia.
Architectural Description of Building Called for in 5-A of Bulletin 3400
Name of building: Millcote
Exterior:
1. Building plan: “T” Cellar ( x )
2. No of stories (1 1/2) Attic classed as 1/2 story
3. Material Brick ( ) Frame (x) Stone ( ) Log ( )
4. If brick, state what bond: Flemish ( ) English ( ) Common ( ) Other ( )
5. Kind of roof: Hip (x) Gabled ( ) Gambrel ( ) Lean-to ( ) Deck ( )
Combination
6. If church, describe or draw sketch of roof on reverse side
7. Roof material: Slate ( ) Shingle (x) Metal (x) Tile ( )
was shingle, now metal
8. Chimneys: Number (3) Brick (x) Stone ( ) Location: Ends and at “T”
9. Weatherboarding: Yes Beaded ( x ) Plain ( )
10. Cornices: Plain or elaborate: None Material:
11. Windows: Number (9) Size and number of panes 10 x 12”
12. Shutters: Describe: slat
13. Dormers: Number, and shape of roof: one gabled
14. Porch: three all one story
15. Type of entrance: one door, plain
16. Columns: Doric ( ) Ionic ( ) Corinthian ( ) Square ( ) None
Interior
17. No. of rooms: (8) Large (5) small (3) approximate ceiling height 11’7”
18 Stairway: Open string (x) closed string ( ) describe: one flight winding, square balusters and newels, hand rail turned and all painted.
19. Cellar: describe: two rooms, large fireplace
20. Doors: style and type of wood: 4 an 6 panel, heart pine wood
21. Walls: Plastered and papered
22. Interior cornices: None
23. Hardware: Locks and hinges: iron locks and “HL” iron hinges
24. Floors: wide uniform planks
25. Mantels: high and narrow
26. Misc: wainscoting in parlor
27. Present condition and state if spoiled architecturally by remodeling: Good condition. No.
28. Does occupant seem to appreciate old architectural features? Yes
Your name: Elizabeth McCraw
Sources