Miles Bishop and Nancy Jane (Matney) Bishop Descendants:Information about Lodowick "Luke" Abshire
Lodowick "Luke" Abshire (b. 1731, d. Abt. 1821)
Notes for Lodowick "Luke" Abshire:
Name:Lute, Lodowick, Ludwick,Last= IPSHER:Resided Bedford Co., VA. Moved 1786 to Franklin Co., VA
.. from "The Abshire Family of Virginia and West Virginia"by James and Jean Abshire
The old Abshire home is the oldest house in Boones Mill, VA. It was built by Jacob Boon ca 1786. It was a stagecoach stop and is still standing.
Jefferson Wade bougth it from the Boons in 1875 and later sold it to Louisa Abshire. She deeded it to Henry T. Abshire in 1916. Today it is owned by Grances Webster, Henry's daughter.
There are large boxwoods around the house, where it is said that Daniel Boon played. The house is two stories high with a built in staircas and an attic. It was a log structure that is now covered with poplar sideing. The door facings and mantels are beautifully carved.
Eulalia Boone Jamison says that slaves were auctioned from the porch of this house.
ABSHIRE ABSTRACTS September-October 1981 Pages 34-35
BOONES MILL, FRANKLIN COUNTY, VIRGINIA by Howard D. Abshire Rt 1, Box 470 Boone Mill, Va.
The Lodowick or Luke Absher (Abshire) family was the first white settlers in this region which in those days was called Bedford County, Virginia. Named after the Duke of Bedford this area where the early Abshire's settled is located on the rolling meadows south of Windy Gap Mountain. From the native forest they built small log cabins, which usually were one story, although some were two stories high.The window, which let in some sunlight, was made of greased animal skins.The door usually faced south and the chimney to the north.The door facing and the sills were usually marked by notching the shadows of the sun.This was their timepiece.All cooking was done on the open hearth fireplace.These pioneer homes were usually located two or three hundred feet from a fresh water spring.
This area is located approximately five miles north of Boones Mill, Virginia, on State Route 684.Today this area is known as Shannon Forest Subdivision.It included both sides of Route 116, which is shown on early maps and charts as the north fork of Gills Creek.This area was to become Franklin County, Virginia, on November 8, 1786.Peter Abshire owned the portion of land which is now owned by Pete Perdue.These early settlers migrated westward up the James River to places that are known today as Buchanan and Eagle Rock; from there to a location called Big Lick, which was on the Sepony River which is known today as the City of Roanoke and Roanoke River. They traveled to a ford in Southeast Roanoke to a place called Buzzard Rock Ford where they crossed the Sepony or Roanoke River, and traveled to a gap or pass in the mountain called Windy Gap southward on to Franklin County.This place is the present highway 116 and is known today as the Jubal Anderson Early Highway.
In the Virginia State Archives of 1773 it is recorded where Lodowick or Luke Ashur (Abshire) obtained a land grant from King George III of England when Dunmore was the governor of Williamsburg.This boundary had its beginning on the north fork of Gills Creek including the lands on both sides of Maggodee Creek to Cahase Mountain west of Boones Mill. Some of the early Indian names of this area were the Illinois, Iroquois, Delaware, Cherokee, Occanneechi, Totera, Mingo and Sapony.Two of their leaders were Chief Cornstalk and Chief Cahase. The early trails were established because of the terrain, by buffalo trails, migration and Indian war parties raiding the early settlers in the East and South.In the early years, portions of State Route 684 were known as the Old Liberty Floyd Trail or Turnpike.Floyd has kept their burial spots secret from the Indians because they did not want the Indians to know how many died from disease, accident and exposure. This is thought to be the reason why many of our early ancestor's burial location is unknown.It was rumored that Lodowick was killed by Indians.
Thomas Abshire, a descendant of Lodowick, granted a parcel of land on Maggodee Creek to Peter and Jacob Boone. These early settlers migrated from Bucks County, Pennsylvania.They, being skilled woodworkers or millwrights, carved out of the native timber the machinery to establish Boone Mill's first grist mill.Wild cherry and other suitable wood was used for this purpose.This mill was located on Maggodee Creek where Ruff's Antique Shop is today on U.S. Route 220.
George Wright, Sr., was the first postmaster of Boones Mill.He rode horseback carrying the mail east and west of the village.The first post office was located approximately one mile down Maggodee Creek from today's post office.The small log building was built by George Wright, Sr., at an area known in those days as the Devil's Steps. This was across the creek from this early post office.The home of William B. Poff, Jr., is located today approximately where this building was.George Wright, Sr., is buried on a hill a short distance from this location.Portions of this information were obtained some time ago from George Wright, who is now 90 years old, and in a nursing home.He is the son of Charles Wright, who was the son of Otey Wright.His mother was Fannie Meadow. She was the daughter of Joseph Meadow and Fannie Abshire Meadow, who was the sister of my great grandfather, Giles WIlliam Burwell Abshire (a Civil War veteran).Today Shannon Forest Subdivision is located on the old Meadows farm.
The oldest house in Boones Mill is the old Jabez Abshire house, which is centrally located in the small village.It is a log body structure with the rafters mortised and pinned and is now covered with huge poplar siding.It is said to have been built by Peter and Jacob Boone.Extra living space has been added to this large (by standards of that day) two story log house.It is located where four hollows come together where early Floyd Liberty and Carolina Trails crossed.It also served in early days as a place where slaves were sold at auction and later as a stage coach stop.This stage line traveled the old Carolina Trail, which included large portions of U.S. Route 220.Today it is the home of Bessie Hodge Abshire, who is in her 80s, and who is the widow of Henry Thomas Abshire.
Peter Boone later migrated westward.It was common practice in the early days for our early ancestors to go on what was known as long hunting parties.They traveled in small groups over many miles.This was done in order not to arouse hostility of the native Indians.This usually took place from late ate fall to early spring.Jacob Boone later built another log house north of his mill at a rock on the east bank of Maggodee Creek.It is said he could not see around the bluff from his first house to the mill.This house has been remodelled and is the present home of John Hatcher Ferguson, Sr.Jacob Boone lost his leg in an accident at his mill.He died sometime later and is believed to be buried at a community graveyard, which was referred to as the old Hardy Graveyard when I was a boy.This graveyard is located on the east side of the ridge behind Continental Homes in Boones Mill, Va.Many of our early ancestors were buried there and I have hunted rabbit in this area many times in my youth.Most all graves were unmarked and at one time this graveyard covered several acres.
Boones Mill today is a lazy little town with much history.To describe it best, it is a small town in Virginia where many of our early settlers of the midwest, west coast, Louisiana, Florida, and every state in the union started their migration.
... from "The Abshire Family of Virginia and West Virginia"by James and Jean Abshire
Luke was born in 1730-1731 based on order book 2 - page 71 Franklin County VA. In june 1790 Luke Abshire was exampt from paying county and parish levies in the future. This meant that he was 59 or 60 years of age, after which he would have been exempt from taxes.He was the eldest son of Peter Ipsher of August County VA. Peter was later listed in his appraisement as Petter Absheir.
Ludwig had inherited 200 acres on John's creek of Craig's Creek as the eldest son and heir at law in 1761 at his father Peter's death.In 1763 Ludwig sells this same 200 acres to Israel Christian.
More About LODOWICK "LUKE" ABSHIRE: Burial: December 11, 1822, Maggotty Creek, Franklin County, Virginia
Notes for CHRISTINA MCGRADY: name:Tina, Teena,last:MAGGOTY, McGOWDY died: 1840, 1841,A note says she died "out west"
Children of Lodowick "Luke" Abshire and Christina McGrady are:
- +Peter Abshire, b. May 1763, Bedford County Virginia7, 8, d. May 22, 1853, Franklin County Virginia9, 10.