This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/gAC.2ACE/2736.1 Message Board Post: There is a section on this property in "Some Old Homes In Frederick County, Virginia" by Garland Quarles. p. 198 & 199 Called "The Pifer House" No. 113, Gravel Spring Also referenced is "Cartmell, p. 495" assumed to be "Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants" by T. K. Cartmell - this section is on the Richards family. Quarles book lists owners of property as: Isaac Zane 1778 Jacob Fry 1779, Frederick Co. Deed Book 18, p. 236 Henry Richards 1787, FDB 21, p. 764 Conrad Miley 1845, FDB 82, p. 467 (mentions James R. Richards as executor to Henry Richards)) George Washington Pifer 1865. FBD 8, p. 559 Stephen Pifer (son of George) 1917, Frederick Will Book 45, p. 496 Emma Pifer (widow of Stephen) 1959, FWB 63, p. 326 Emory Gregg & Mary Ellen Gregg his wife & M. Ross Farrar, widower 1963, FDB 288. p. 707 "after death of Mr. Gregg, his widow, Mary Ellen Gregg, was married to M. Ross Farrar, and the prop[erty is now owned by M. Ross Farrar and Mary Ellen Farrar, his wife." FDB 354, p. 355 It looks like the 1963 sale was not really outside of the family, but the mother and her new husband. "Historical Records of Old Frederick County, Virginia" by Dr. Wilmer Kerns p. 220 Mentions Henry Kerns married Rachel Kackley, whose mother, Catherine (Rudolph) Kackley (widow of Benjamin Kackley) married Henry Richards (1753-1847). This land and families also seem to be connected to "The Richard House" Quarles book, p. 208-209 This section talks about the home being built ant the same time, probably by the same builder. (Same Richards family) Quarles, p. 209-210 "The Richards - Dodson House" also fits into this same category. This property has the Richards family graveyard. 1850 census Household consists of: all born in Germany Conrad Miley, age 54, property value $1500 Catherine Miley, 37, Anthony Newman, 70 Celinia Newman, 66 (Newmans might possibly be Catherine's parents???) 1870 Household: Miley, Conrad, 76, farmer, property value $500 (not unusual after Civil War), b. Switzerland Miley, Catherine, 50, keeping house, b. Switzerland 1870 Census Back Creek, Gravel Springs, VA Pifer, George W, 37, b. VA, property value $3000/personal value $1000, farmer Mary M., 26, b. Switzerland Silas B., 4 Anna M., 2 Living next door to Miley, Conrad, 76 Catherine, 50 Brill, Francis, 13 1880 Pifer, George W., 47 Mary M., 37 Silas, 13 Anna M., 12 Mary M., 9 Margaret, 5 Elijah, 1 Miley, Catherine, 67 (aunt) Brill, Mary, 21 (servant) 1930 census Pifer, Elijah, 51, age at first marriage 28, b. VA, father b. VA, mother b. Switzerland, farmer & smith, Emma E., 48, age 1st m. 21, b. VA, parents b. VA Ponton, June Rose, niece, 12, b. OH, father b. VA mother b. OH Barton, Lydia H., boarder, 29 Bayliss, Katherine E., boarder, 19 1910 Miracode, Emma Pifer in household with G. Wash. Pifer, 1910 Census Pifer, G. Wash., 76, married 44 years, b. VA, parentsd b. VA Mary, 66, birth to 6/5 living, b. Switzer/German, parents b. Switz/German Elijah, 32, m 8 years Emma, 28, birth to 1 child/0 living - or maybe 0/0 ************* Census records can give a nice view of family and changes over the years. The photos on the website look really nice - are you restoring? B&B? The Quarles book and the Cartmell book should be of hepl, and check out the Handley Archives in Winchester VA, they will probably have more info that you will find interesting. http://www.hrl.lib.state.va.us/handley/about.asp?p=27 Good Luck!