BURWELL's Mill

formerly known as MOORE's Mill, formerly known as GREGORY's Mill

Burwell's Mill was on the South Fork of Meherrin River as it divides Lunenburg and Mecklenburg counties. Its location can be seen on both the Confederate J. F. Gilmer map of Lunenburg, and the 1870 map of Mecklenburg. The Lunenburg map shows it was on the east side of the road that led from Five Forks in Lunenburg to Finneywood in Mecklenburg. (The road now dead-ends at the river, privately owned on both sides.)

With the coming of the railroad, Finneywood thrived as a depot, post office, with dwellings and a couple of stores. Possibly the road existed long before the railroad, as the mill was there before 1807, in the ownership of Joseph Gregory, Senr.

[Thirty acres of the Joseph Gregory tract involving the mill site sold to William Tisdale was part of 2,020 acres patented by William Evans in 1764 (Pat. Bk 35:493,494). The thirty acres was sold in 1788 by John Evans of Amelia to Mack Goode and John Snead of Charlotte County (Meck. DB 7:304,305). In 1801, John Snead and Mack Goode sold the thirty acres to Joseph Gregory of Mecklenburg (Meck DB 10:484). The co-ownership by John Snead and Mack Goode may indicate the thirty acres included an enterprise before it was sold to Joseph Gregory.]

In 1807, Joseph Gregory moved from his Mecklenburg land to adjoining Charlotte County. He sold the land in two contiguous tracts (Meck.DB 13:366). The southernmost portion, 322 3/4 acres in Mecklenburg, was sold in January to Edward Jones of Mecklenburg. The northernmost portion, 323 1/4 acres in Mecklenburg, was sold in November to William Tisdale. The tract was described "on Meherrin River, on northside of the river below the old mill, to a stump near the spring, old Mill pond a few yards above the mill house (this takes in 2 acres on the N side of the river [Lunenburg] for the use of the mill), Evan's line, Stokes' line."

William Tisdale sold the tract and mill the following spring to Eddins Moore of Lunenburg. (Meck. DB 14:150). The tract was tied up in the estate of Eddins Moore after his death. In 1832, commissioners of Mecklenburg court granted the tract to David Thomas Jr. "land lying on South Meherrin River in counties of Mecklenburg & Lunenburg adjoining land of Robert Saunders & others"

In the winter of 1835, David Thompson sold to Lewis Burwell, both of Mecklenburg, one acre in counties of Mecklenburg and Lunenburg on both sides Meherrin River, included "both abutments of Moore's Old Mill Seat" (Meck. DB 26:467). The site adjoined Robert Saunders on the Lunenburg side. The deed reads, "It is expressly understood that if the said Lewis Burwell shall fail to build a mill or when it shall cease to be in use for the space of 3 years that the afsd tract or parcel of land with title thereof shall cease & be void & of none effect."

Mecklenburg DB 28:470-471
30 Jan 1840
Lewis Burwell & Sally B. Burwell his wife of Mecklenburg
to
Allen A. Burwell of same county
$1.00
In counties of Mecklenburg and Lunenburg on both sides of Meherrin River
One Acre (which includes both of the abutments of Moores Old Mill) on which there is a grist and saw mill & other houses lately erected and bounded as follows. Beginning at a corner Red Oak on the North bank of Meherrin River in Lunenburg County thence to a corner walnut on Ro. Saunders line thence along said Saunders line to a corner Hickory thence across the river to old abutment with? Mecklenburg side thence up the river to a white oak thence to a persimmon & walnut on a branch thence down the branch to a beach from thence to the beginning.
Sig: Lewis Burwell
Sally E. Burwell
Acknowledgment and acknowledgment of dower recorded Feb 17, 1840

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