The Mumpower House History

The beautiful thing about genealogy is the wonderful cousins and connections we meet in the here and now as we make our way down the murky path to the past. I frequently receive emails from "cousins" who have found my website. Many have made great contributions to this website. All have been wonderful to meet. As a child and youth growing up in Washington Co, VA, I always admired the Mumpower house, but never met anyone actually connected to the house. On one visit back to Bristol, having moved away many years ago, I attempted to contact the owner of the house, but she wasn't at home when I knocked on the door. Now, two years later, she found my website and contacted me. I was so excited I called my sister and told her all about it. SallyAnne provided me with information on this house via email. With her permission, I share that information with you. ---Judy January 6, 2010

Judy, Glad you are interested in genealogy.

This house was built in 1905-1906 time period. I have been told that this house was built by William Hancher Mumpower with the help of Dan Mumpower. Bailey Mumpower and Nevada Mumpower Anderson (Mrs. Isaac) always spoke of their father, W. H., building this house for the Mumpower family to live in. It was indeed lovely in its day. There was a set of steps in the front going up to the second floor. For years, a trellis was at the front gate with flowers and vines growing over the trellis. There are nine rooms. The rock wall encloses a dirt floor basement. At one time the house was truly beautiful inside.

W. H. Mumpower also owned the old reservoir at one time and I have heard stories that he had a mill for grinding grain on it. W. H. was about 32-33 years older than his wife, Annie Rowina Smith Mumpower. He was a veteran of the Civil War and was my grandfather.

This is indeed an old photo. If this is Bailey on the wagon, which I believe it is, or possibly a neighbor, Clara Mumpower, and Ike Rutter driving the team of oxen, then it is probably about 1910 or 1911. I doubt stagecoaches even ran on Benhams Road especially this late in time. I do remember horse drawn farm wagons with going down Benhams road on their way to Bristol to pick up supplies.

The Mumpower family has been traced to Germany by Joseph Coleman Mumpower and he has done extensive research, some of which may be in the Bristol Library. Some of the information for his research came from records of Liberty Lutheran Church, later Oak Grove Lutheran Church, and these records were with the Loudy family. I am also related to the Loudys.