Photos of Our Ancestors

Index to Photos Submitted to the Floyd Co., Newslist Website

Directs you to the Floyd County, Virginia Mailing List Web Site

Clyde Angle’s Store

Contributed to the original Floyd Co., VA News List site by unknown

Check Buildings

Contributed to the original Floyd Co., VA News List site by unknown

Downtown Floyd

Contributed to the original Floyd Co., VA News List site by Cecil Hill

Floyd Historic Walking Tour

src: Floyd County Historical Society

Site of Jacksonville Academy

later Floyd High School

now School House Fabrics

Contributed to the original Floyd Co., VA News List site by unknown.

Jacksonville Academy

Established 1846 & served students from Floyd & surrounding counties.

Academy Served Elementary, High School Classes
Floyd Press
July 1, 1976

The Academy was located on a lot on North Locust Street (then known as Cross Street); the. site was later used for Floyd High School which is now known as the Thompson Building.

In a deed recorded Nov. 16, 1847, between Manassas Tice and Cynthia, his wife, and the following: "Harvey Deskins, Thomas McCabe, David Kitterman, Tazewell Headen, Samuel Dobyns, Major Howard, Manassas Tice, Asa L. Howard, Samuel A. Jr. Evans, J. N. Zentmeyer, Alvin Graham, Fleming W. Lester, James B. Headen, Ira Howard and Jackson Godby, trustees of the Jacksonville Academy of the said county--in consideration for a sum of one hundred dollars - - on which the new academy stands."

Thus it will be noted that the building had been completed. Nothing is stated about the cost.

When the building was torn down in May 1913, a newspaper account states that there was found, in a large black bottle in the cornerstone, a copy of a New York newspaper bearing the date Apr., 1847 and a list of the trustees and contributors and this notation "The undertakers to build this building are Henry Dillon, F. W. Lester, J. Gill who do the work themselves."

Henry Dillon was noted as a master builder having built the Jacksonville Presbyterian Church (1850) and the Courthouse.

The Academy was a two-story brick building with four large rooms, two upstairs, two down each with a fireplace (stoves were later used).
The wooden steeple housed the bell. Winding stairs led from the front hall to the hall and two rooms upstairs. There was a small unheated room at the back of the downstairs hall that was used as a classroom in Fall and Spring.

A plank fence and a wooden sidewalk were in front of the building. Then a plank fence separated the playground at the back for the girls and boys.

There are no early records to show if, at first, it was a private school. However, a map on record dated Feb. 24, 1843, showing the location of lots and naming the owners shows a lot marked "School House" on what is now Oxford Street, the land of Guy Dickerson and Guy Williams.

Little is known also of this school, but in a deed dated Apr. 2, 1879, it is stated that the lot and house had been used for public free school purposes. It was sold to the trustees "of the Jacksonville trustees (school board members) to Joseph P. Proffitt For the sum of $600 being in part payment, J. P. Proffitt was to make repairs to the Jacksonville Academy which is referred to in the deed as Floyd Institute. The authorization of this sale was made by the General Assembly and Dr. C. M. Stigleman, the School Superintendent, gave his consent in writing.

In the early 1900's the Academy served the community as a school for elementary and high school classes. It is recalled a class graduated from the two-year high school courses in 1912 and another class in 1913.

The teaching principal with some assistance from an upper grade teacher taught these courses.

Great emphasis was placed 'upon the offering in English, grammar, composition, literature, Latin, mathematics and history. One primary teacher taught the first three grades—the first in the morning, the second in the afternoon and the third from nine until two-thirty. The school day was from nine until four o'clock with an hour for lunch.
It served the townspeople and the surrounding community until it was torn down in May, 1913. The brick from. its solid walls were used to brick case. the new building on the same site, Floyd High School 1913-1939 which became Floyd Elementary 1919-1962. Now it is known as the Thomoson building.

A number of interesting side lights are known about the building and the first trustees. For example, on record is a deed made Feb. 6, 1853, between "Harvey Deskins, David Kitterman, Tazewell Headen, Samuel Dobyns. Major Howard. Asa L. Howard, Samuel A. J. Evans, J. N. Zentmeyer, Alvin Graham, Fleming W. Lester, James B. Headen, Ira Howard, Jackson Godby, Henry Dillon, and Joseph L. Howard, trustees of the Floyd Institute-formerly Jacksonville Academy of the one part and Samuel Dohyns, Moses S. Cark and John N. Zentmeyer , trustees of the Floyd Division No. 138. Sons of Temperance in Virginia- for the sum of $300-do grant for the use of the said division of the Sons of Temperance the two upper rooms of the Floyd Insitute."

Keith Family Home

Photo provided by: Tom Mitchell with the question “Can you identify any of these family members and/or the address of this home?”

Kelley School House

Blue Ridge Parkway, Locust Grove District

John Lawrence Home & Old Lawrence Cemetery

High Rock Hill Rd, Pilot, Montgomery Co., VA but only 100 yds from Floyd Co., VA. Rd also known as Daniels Run Rd

Contributed to the original Floyd Co., VA News List site by Ron V. Howard

This home is on the Historic Register, and much should be on file about its owners and layout.
I believe this is the home of John Lawrence III. It is located a short distance from the Old Lawrence Cemetery.
Roy V. Howard
Rvincehow@aol.com

Old Lawrence Cemetery

John Lewis Lester Homestead & Cemetery

The Lester Cem. & Homeplace are located at the beginning of Easter Creek Road (a dirt road) which is off Rt.750.

From Cemetery

Lindsey Lester Homestead

Marguerite Tise records the Lindsay Lester Cemetery as being on Rt. 601, Copper Valley (Floyd Co.). She refers to it as "Lester Cemetery #3.

Provided by Wanda Simpkins

From Cemetery

James Ireson McNiel Homestead

Payne Creek Primitive Baptist Church

Contributed to the original Floyd Co., VA News List site by Janice Smyth

Located at the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and River Ridge Road in Floyd County.

When you leave Floyd going north (towards Roanoke) on Rt. 221, travel 11 miles and turn right on Rt. 664 (River Ridge Road).

I estimate it will be about three miles to the church which will be on the right side of the road. – Mary Williams

Pine Creek Primitive Baptist Church

Contributed to the original Floyd Co., VA News List site by Janice Smyth

Rose Hill

Home of Jacob Helms & later Asa & Ellen (Helms) Howard

Contributed to the original Floyd Co., VA News List site by Ron Howard

Salem Head of the River Church & Cemetery

Contributed to the original Floyd Co., VA News List site by unknown but William “Bill” Conner & Rena Worthen are mentioned.

This is the Head of the River Cemetery in Floyd County

Photo by Rena
The area where the stones have been placed and the flowers planted by William (Bill) Conner
is where the old Salem Head of the River Primitive Baptist Church stood.
It is believed it was built about 1875.
The church was organized in 1784 and the first church may have been located behind this one.
The new church was built in 1984.

Second Church
It is believed that it was built about 1875.

The Floyd Press, Thursday, September 22, 1983

Third Church
The new church was built in 1984.
Inscription on front of church:
Organized 1784, Rebuilt 1984

The Ridgemont Hospital

Currently Floyd Co., Historical Society Museum

The Historical Society museum and offices are housed in a Victorian vernacular style building in downtown Floyd, Virginia, that Dr. Martin Luther Dalton had built in 1913.

Dalton is believed to have hired Lather Hylton, a well-known local builder, to construct his new office and hospital, which he named “The Ridgemont.”

On the first floor was the surgery, pharmacy, examining room with an x-ray machine, and waiting room. Three rooms on the second floor housed over-night patients. Dalton ran the hospital from its opening on March 26, 1914 until 1923. Subsequently, Dr. Silas T. Yeatts operated the hospital.

In 1950 the building became the home of Marie Williams, a long-time dedicated teacher in Floyd County schools and the first President of the Floyd County Historical Society. After her death, the Floyd County Historical Preservation Trust acquired the building and began rehabilitation work so it could become an historical museum.

The museum opened on May 29, 2010 and continues to welcome visitors each May thru December of the year.

(src: History of the Ridgemont - Floyd County Historical Society (floydhistoricalsociety.org)