Henry William Brown was born in Dorking, Surrey, England on the 3rd of July 1841 to Edward and Martha Brown. Not much is known about his parents or extended family except that they died when he was quite young, leaving he and his brother Samuel to the care of an uncle. Having been educated in a Dame School (the equivalent of public elementary school in the U.S.) rather than at home, he was forced to quit his education upon the death of his parents, and at the age of nine years old went to work for his uncle who was a gardener. As an undergardener, young Henry began his career…

The Gravely family first arrived in the Virginia Colonies in the mid-1700’s. From Culpepper County they emigrated to Henry County and began homesteading and farming in that region even prior to the Revolutionary War. The family owned a large expanse of property located some ten miles northeast of Martinsville in a region that came to be known as Leatherwood, named after the plantation home of famous American orator and politician, Patrick Henry. Payton B. Gravely was born on May 15, 1835, in the Leatherwood Magisterial District in Henry County. Payton, or “Pate” as he was called, was the second eldest of 16 children born to Willis Lewis and Ann Marshall…

This home is one of several built around 1900 on the rear portion of lots once belonging to Mary Edmunds Robinson Crumpton (838 Green Street) and J.R. and E.O. McCully. The house at 835 Pine Street was acquired by a group of investors in 1896 who purchased the lot at auction when the McCully brothers ran into some financial trouble and needed to secure the money for a debt. Two years later the property was sold to Dr. George Sumter. Dr. George was born in Fauquier county, Virginia in 1862 to Weeden Starke and Mary Catherine Payne George. He studied medicine at the University of the City of New York…

In 1873, the City of Danville conveyed a large portion of land fronted by Green Street to H.A. Edmunson, “in trust for the use of Sallie R. Tredway” (his sister). She and her husband Moses built a house there at 820 Green Street. In 1910, the Tredway children sold off the rear portions of that lot. The property that would become 819 Pine Street was purchased by Minnie F. Shoffner, presumably as investment property since there are no records of her ever having lived here. The house itself was likely built at the same time as the nearly identical structure next door at 817 Pine Street in or around 1914.…

In 1873, the City of Danville conveyed a large portion of land fronted by Green Street to H.A. Edmunson, “in trust for the use of Sallie R. Tredway” (his sister). She and her husband Moses built a house there at 820 Green Street. In 1910, the Tredway children sold off the rear portions of that lot. D.P. Tate purchased the property that would become 817 Pine Street, but just a few years later, Tate sold the property to pay off a debt. The Home Building Loan & Investment company purchased it. About 1914 the house and its twin at 819 Pine Street were constructed. This home became the property of…

The house at 841 Pine Street is one of several homes built around 1900 as investment property on the rear portion of lots once belonging to Mary Edmunds Robinson Crumpton (838 Green Street) and J.R. and E.O. McCully. 841 Pine Street was sold at auction by the children of Mary Edmunds Crumpton in 1917 and acquired by C.C. Bolen. Bolen never lived in the house but engaged it as rental property. The first inhabitant was Jeduthan “James” Eppes Carter. Eppes was the son of John Wesley Carter, a wholesale grocer, and Margaret Ann Redd. The Carter family lived at 870 Pine Street from its construction until sometime in the 19-teens…