Family History: Mount Gilead, Centreville, Virginia
In a recent blog, I posted a photograph of my great grandmother, Margaretta "Maggie" Jamesson Macrae (1846-1929). Maggie grew up at Mount Gilead (c.1785) in Centreville, Virginia. Mount Gilead became the home of the Malcolm Jamesson family in 1837. Mr. Jamesson operated a tannery nearby. Mount GIlead remained in the hands of Jamesson family members until the 1930s.
It is believed that during the Civil War, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston, Commander of the Department of Northern Virginia, resided at Mount Gilead. His operational headquarters were nearby, at Four Chimney House (it stood near where Wiloughby Newton Drive is today). Almost 40,000 Confederate troops were quartered in the Centreville area. Remains of Confederate breastworks can be found on the property adjacent to the Jamesson family cemetery.
I think it is interesting that my great grandparents owned and occupied this historic property that is now owned the Fairfax County Park Authority. My younger brother’s first name was Malcolm, named after Malcolm Jamesson.
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