Page 304 - WPA Book
P. 304
Works Project Administration – Articles from Rockingham County
HOUSES
The Peale Homestead
Page Two
The Peale place originally was a survey to Joseph Rutherford for three hundred and ninety four acres, made to
him in 1768. Portions of it were sold to various parties, until in 1810 it was a tract of one hundred and one acres
bought and owned by Charles Lewis, who in turn conveyed the same to Bernard Peale in 1811. Jonathan Peale,
son of Bernard Peale, became the owner in 1831, and he is said to have built the present house somewhere in
the 1840s about 1844, though it might possibly have been a little later. It was built before the present house at
Smithland. The first house of the Peale’s was of logs and built about 1810; the present house is of brick and has
all told twelve rooms.
The cross roads in those early days was a sparsely settled community, but as early as 1775 it had a store and, a
little later, Peale’s tanyard and both together made it a center of trade. It was here too that barrels of flour and
other commodities were assembled for the relief of the suffering poor in Boston, Massachusetts, after the
closing of that port on account of the opposition on the tax on tea and the “tea party” which threw the tea
overboard.
The genealogy of the Peale’s has not been available but I am told they came from England, landing at
Philadelphia, and were, for sometime, resident in Pennsylvania before coming to the Valley of Virginia.
Bernard Peale was located in what is now Shenandoah County until his purchase in 1810 from Charles Lewis of
what became the Peale homestead which was then a tract of one hundred and one acres. He evidently added
many other acres to his estate as the Peale lands extend for some distance in the direction of Harrisonburg and
other localities. He had a tanyard at the cross roads across the road from the present house; he was a soldier in
the War of the Revolution. His son, Jonathan Peale, was a justice of the peace, and his grandson, Edward Peale,
was a captain in the Confederate Army.
The Peale house is said to have been a center of social life and gaiety, where hospitality was dispensed with a
lavish hand. It is well located on the Spotswood Trail at the cross roads with Harrisonburg, Staunton,
Richmond, and Washington easily accessible. With a little effort and expense might be made a very lovely
home. It has both an eastern and western front with colonial porticos and Doric columns, with the Massanuttens
and the Skyline Drive near by and a variety of beautiful scenery on all sides.
7. ART:
Photograph.
8. SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
Informant: Mrs. Florence R. Peale, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Rockingham County Court Records.
George W. Fetzer
Harrisonburg, VA
October 5, 2024
Page 303 of 482
HOUSES
The Peale Homestead
Page Two
The Peale place originally was a survey to Joseph Rutherford for three hundred and ninety four acres, made to
him in 1768. Portions of it were sold to various parties, until in 1810 it was a tract of one hundred and one acres
bought and owned by Charles Lewis, who in turn conveyed the same to Bernard Peale in 1811. Jonathan Peale,
son of Bernard Peale, became the owner in 1831, and he is said to have built the present house somewhere in
the 1840s about 1844, though it might possibly have been a little later. It was built before the present house at
Smithland. The first house of the Peale’s was of logs and built about 1810; the present house is of brick and has
all told twelve rooms.
The cross roads in those early days was a sparsely settled community, but as early as 1775 it had a store and, a
little later, Peale’s tanyard and both together made it a center of trade. It was here too that barrels of flour and
other commodities were assembled for the relief of the suffering poor in Boston, Massachusetts, after the
closing of that port on account of the opposition on the tax on tea and the “tea party” which threw the tea
overboard.
The genealogy of the Peale’s has not been available but I am told they came from England, landing at
Philadelphia, and were, for sometime, resident in Pennsylvania before coming to the Valley of Virginia.
Bernard Peale was located in what is now Shenandoah County until his purchase in 1810 from Charles Lewis of
what became the Peale homestead which was then a tract of one hundred and one acres. He evidently added
many other acres to his estate as the Peale lands extend for some distance in the direction of Harrisonburg and
other localities. He had a tanyard at the cross roads across the road from the present house; he was a soldier in
the War of the Revolution. His son, Jonathan Peale, was a justice of the peace, and his grandson, Edward Peale,
was a captain in the Confederate Army.
The Peale house is said to have been a center of social life and gaiety, where hospitality was dispensed with a
lavish hand. It is well located on the Spotswood Trail at the cross roads with Harrisonburg, Staunton,
Richmond, and Washington easily accessible. With a little effort and expense might be made a very lovely
home. It has both an eastern and western front with colonial porticos and Doric columns, with the Massanuttens
and the Skyline Drive near by and a variety of beautiful scenery on all sides.
7. ART:
Photograph.
8. SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
Informant: Mrs. Florence R. Peale, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Rockingham County Court Records.
George W. Fetzer
Harrisonburg, VA
October 5, 2024
Page 303 of 482
