Overview

Why was the name “Rockmill” chosen, when the closest mill is Woodson’s Mill (c.1794)? The rubble foundation of the original rock mill can be seen from the Manor House. The mill has been used to grind wheat and corn and eventually to saw lumber, and many legends surround the property. The legend passed down and recorded in a 1930’s newspaper held that the mill was used to hide escapees from Tarleton’s raid on the Virginia state assembly in Charlottesville in June 1781. Since the mill was just off the main stage coach line and a familiar territory for Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry, the legend could certainly be true The mill was named from the patriots cry of “meet me at the old rock mill”. The Manor home was built by William Macon Waller (or, more precisely, by his slaves) with brick made just across the road near the Indian Creek Spring. William was the grandson of Benjamin Waller of Williamsburg, who read the Declaration of Independence from the court house steps in Colonial Williamsburg for the very first time. William came to Amherst County in 1815 and began buying land. He served in the General Assembly and also as Justice of the Peace. He ministered the Morning Prayer Service for the Amherst Parish of the Episcopal Church, gave land to build churches from his estate, and was known upon his death as “dedicated to purposes of integrity, faith, and good will to man”. He had a large farm called Forest Hill, with several homes on the farm. After his death, his children sold the current manor house and 400 acres of land to Samuel S. Harris, a tobacco farmer. Stories of the mill’s use have surfaced with the Harris family also. The mill stored homemade whiskey in barrels, and farm hands helped themselves to the barrels using “a wheat straw coming from a small knothole in the barrel”. Those who imbibed would find themselves “slightly touched in the head”. Samuel Preston Massie purchased the Mill and Manor House in 1881 after serving as a civil war chaplain. He pastored several churches in the community. Massie’s niece married the Reverend Lester Mintz, great-great uncle of the current innkeeper. Reverend Mintz met his bride at Jonesboro Baptist Church while pastoring the church previously served by Reverend Massie. The last family to own the mill was the Harvey Family. Mrs. Harvey was the granddaughter of Samuel Massie. It was during their ownership that a brushfire burned out of control and burned the mill down. In 1939 the Manor House was purchased by the Beard Family and was known for many years as the Beard Farm. Many folks in our community remember bailing hay in the summertime on this farm. In 1983 the Manor House and farm were sold at auction to Gil Brockenbrough, who also restored Woodson’s Mill. Your innkeepers have lived at Rockmill Farm since 1996.