Shenandoah National Park Rappahannock County

J.J. Miller farm, Tract 54, Rappahannock County

Under folder 'B.F. Miller'.

Did you know?Timber sold for $10 per acre

The 1920s survey

Timber (poplar, basswood, white, red, and black oak). 3,459 acres, valued at $12,659. The state paid $22,349.

Today

Landmarks on this map (6)

Places

Gravel Springs Shelter · USGS place names
Mount Marshall Overlook · USGS place names
Range View Overlook · USGS place names

Summits

Mount Marshall · USGS place names
North Marshall · USGS place names

Gaps

Gravel Springs Gap · USGS place names

House sites and family graves are never marked. Pins show only public places, from USGS place names and other public sources.

Landmarks in this tract: Gravel Springs Gap · USGS place names, Gravel Springs Shelter · USGS place names, Mount Marshall · USGS place names, Mount Marshall Overlook · USGS place names, North Marshall · USGS place names, Range View Overlook · USGS place names

Case files

Scanned deeds, surveys and claims, kept by the National Park Service (PDF).

MillerJ.J._Rapp54.pdf (3.3 MB, PDF, opens in a new tab)
MillerJ.J._Rapp54_I.pdf (1.2 MB, PDF, opens in a new tab)
MillerJ.J._Rapp54_II.pdf (3.1 MB, PDF, opens in a new tab)

County court land file

Papers from the Rappahannock County circuit court’s proceedings to take the land for the park, scanned by JMU Libraries.

Miller, JJ Estate
The file at JMU Libraries, opens in a new tab PDF, opens in a new tab
Courtesy of the Rappahannock County Circuit Court Clerk and JMU Libraries, Histories along the Blue Ridge. Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0, opens in a new tab.

From the case file

There is no evidence before us as to any potential value. We have given Mr. Iles every opportunity to procure some evidence of mineral value, but has failed to do so.

— Geo. E. Levi, Miller, JJ Estate, Rappahannock County court land file, page 75. Courtesy of the Rappahannock County Circuit Court Clerk and JMU Libraries, Histories along the Blue Ridge. Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Families of the park

Other tracts whose owners shared the name. A shared name doesn’t always mean a shared family.

Did you know?

Timber sold for $10 per acre
In 1922, J. J. Miller sold the remaining merchantable timber on the tract to H. W. Grannis, reportedly for $10.00 per acre, with the timber rights running until May 3, 1932.
From the records How we know
Grannis's purchase from John J. Miller
Grannis stated he acquired his interest in 1922 by purchase from John J. Miller, who was now deceased.
From the records How we know
Grannis claims $133,000 for timber
William H. Grannis claimed the total value of his right, title, and interest in the tract of timber with improvements was $133,000.00.
From the records How we know
Miller sold timber rights in 1922
In 1922, the late J. J. Miller sold the remaining merchantable timber on the tract to W. H. Grannis for $10.00 per acre, with rights expiring in 1932.
From the records How we know
Timber rights sold in 1922
In 1922 the late J. J. Miller sold the remaining merchantable timber on the tract to H. W. Grannis. The appraisers understood the price was $10.00 per acre and that the timber rights would expire May 3, 1932.
From the records How we know
Mineral lease claim of $20,000
A 25-year mineral lease on 1,000 acres of the tract had been signed, and the lessee filed a claim of $20,000 for the rights under it.
From the records How we know

Source: National Park Service, Shenandoah National Park, Historic Land Tracts.