Page 117 - WPA Book
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Works Project Administration – Articles from Rockingham County
HOUSES
1. SUBJECT:
Bowman-Sellers Place.
2. LOCATION:
On Smith’s Creek, about twelve miles north of Harrisonburg, Virginia, on the east side of Route 11, about a
mile distant from highway.
3. DATE:
About 1815.
4. OWNERS:
Original land ownership supposed to have been Zebulon Harrison, Sr., the burnt records interfer with
tracing back.
Burnt records again.
Henry Conrad from George H. Chrisman Commissioner, May 1834 record of deed burnt.
Jacob Bowman from Henry Conrad, July 17, 1839, B.R.D.B. 13, page 413.
Samuel Bowman and other heirs of Jacob Bowman, D.B. 2, page 380.
Reuben Sellers from Samuel Bowman and other heirs, 1854, D.B.2, page 380.
Jacob S. Sellers from Reuben Sellers, 1893.
Walter J. Sellers present owner, by Deed, April 15, 1915, D.B. 102, page 151, consisting of one tract of two
hundred and three acres, twenty poles, one tract of nine acres, thirteen poles.
5. DESCRIPTION:
The plan of the house is an L; it is two stories, brick, English bond. There is a chimney on either end and a
modern porch with flat roof and four square posts or columns. The hall is wide with colonial stairway reaching
to attic, turned rail, newels and balusters with square bases; it is three flights. The rooms are large and airy and
fireplaces in all rooms; the mantel in the parlor is hand carved and beautiful in its simplicity. The door hinges
are of the common kind known as Butt hinges, and the locks on the room doors were hand latches originally,
and some of them are still in use, while those on the outer doors were of the plate pattern with hand lever on top
of the lock with a longer lever on the outside of the door. Only one of these remain which is still used. The
cellar shows the foundation of stone, mostly flat with here and there larger ones; the floor is paved with flag
stones as in the foundation; the brick walls are thirteen inches thick generally, but thicker in some places to
accommodate the flues in the wall running to the chimneys. The partition walls on the first floor add strength
and solidity to the whole structure, which is likely to stand for years yet to come.
See form 3686, attached.
6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Just who built the Bowman-Sellers house has not been established definitely. It seems to be the impression of
some people that the house was built by Jacob Bowman. If it were built by him, it must necessarily have been
much later than 1816 as shown in item 4, as he did not come into possession of the property until 1839. Miller
Bowman, the father of Jacob, seems to have been the first of that name to live on Smith’s Creek, the others of
that name being located and living on Linville Creek, west of and about ten miles distant from Smith’s Creek.
Miller Bowman is said to have been a son of John Bowman, born July 1st or August 26, 1750, and died by
drowning in 1832 at the age of eighty-two years. December 24th, 1812, he married Phoebe Harrison, daughter of
John Harrison and wife, who was Grace Woodley. After the death of her husband, Phoebe went to live with her
youngest son, Andrew J. in Centerville, Tennessee. Miller and his wife made their home on Smith’s Creek, and
it is not impossible that he built the present brick house now know as the Sellers place, about 1816, though it
has not been possible to connect him with the ownership of the property.
Page 116 of 482
HOUSES
1. SUBJECT:
Bowman-Sellers Place.
2. LOCATION:
On Smith’s Creek, about twelve miles north of Harrisonburg, Virginia, on the east side of Route 11, about a
mile distant from highway.
3. DATE:
About 1815.
4. OWNERS:
Original land ownership supposed to have been Zebulon Harrison, Sr., the burnt records interfer with
tracing back.
Burnt records again.
Henry Conrad from George H. Chrisman Commissioner, May 1834 record of deed burnt.
Jacob Bowman from Henry Conrad, July 17, 1839, B.R.D.B. 13, page 413.
Samuel Bowman and other heirs of Jacob Bowman, D.B. 2, page 380.
Reuben Sellers from Samuel Bowman and other heirs, 1854, D.B.2, page 380.
Jacob S. Sellers from Reuben Sellers, 1893.
Walter J. Sellers present owner, by Deed, April 15, 1915, D.B. 102, page 151, consisting of one tract of two
hundred and three acres, twenty poles, one tract of nine acres, thirteen poles.
5. DESCRIPTION:
The plan of the house is an L; it is two stories, brick, English bond. There is a chimney on either end and a
modern porch with flat roof and four square posts or columns. The hall is wide with colonial stairway reaching
to attic, turned rail, newels and balusters with square bases; it is three flights. The rooms are large and airy and
fireplaces in all rooms; the mantel in the parlor is hand carved and beautiful in its simplicity. The door hinges
are of the common kind known as Butt hinges, and the locks on the room doors were hand latches originally,
and some of them are still in use, while those on the outer doors were of the plate pattern with hand lever on top
of the lock with a longer lever on the outside of the door. Only one of these remain which is still used. The
cellar shows the foundation of stone, mostly flat with here and there larger ones; the floor is paved with flag
stones as in the foundation; the brick walls are thirteen inches thick generally, but thicker in some places to
accommodate the flues in the wall running to the chimneys. The partition walls on the first floor add strength
and solidity to the whole structure, which is likely to stand for years yet to come.
See form 3686, attached.
6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
Just who built the Bowman-Sellers house has not been established definitely. It seems to be the impression of
some people that the house was built by Jacob Bowman. If it were built by him, it must necessarily have been
much later than 1816 as shown in item 4, as he did not come into possession of the property until 1839. Miller
Bowman, the father of Jacob, seems to have been the first of that name to live on Smith’s Creek, the others of
that name being located and living on Linville Creek, west of and about ten miles distant from Smith’s Creek.
Miller Bowman is said to have been a son of John Bowman, born July 1st or August 26, 1750, and died by
drowning in 1832 at the age of eighty-two years. December 24th, 1812, he married Phoebe Harrison, daughter of
John Harrison and wife, who was Grace Woodley. After the death of her husband, Phoebe went to live with her
youngest son, Andrew J. in Centerville, Tennessee. Miller and his wife made their home on Smith’s Creek, and
it is not impossible that he built the present brick house now know as the Sellers place, about 1816, though it
has not been possible to connect him with the ownership of the property.
Page 116 of 482
