Frederick Altdoerffer, deceased, in his last will, bequeathed all his real estate to his two sons, John and George Altdoerfer, made November 5, 1816, probated May 11, 1818. Will Book K, page 427

John Altdoerffer and Mary, his wife, sold to Daniel and Adam Soxman 152 acres of land for $4833.33, one third which land was sold to Frederick Altdoerffer, deceased, by John Huddle on March 8, 1796. Deed Book K, page 82

Adam Soxman in his last will bequeathed all his real estate to his son-in-law, Benjamin Harmon (sic), and to his daughter Rebecca Harman after the death of his wife, Elizabeth Soxman. Made December 28, 1854, probated June 11, 1855. Will Book 4, page 358

Benjamin Harmon, deceased, in his will bequeathed his home place to his wife, Rebecca Harmon. Recorded February 11, 1884. Will Book 20, page 229

Rebecca Harmon, deceased, in her will, bequeathed the home place to Green Berry Saum and Mary E. Saum, his wife. Recorded April 23, 1897. Will Book 25, page 171

This common brick, two and one half story house is of the "ell" shaped design. The roof is metal-covered and gabled in style. The house has three brick inside chimneys. There are twelve windows with twelve and fifteen 9x12 panes and shutters, some with stationary slats and others with movable lower slats. There is a one story front porch and a two story back porch, both with enclosed ends. The entrance is a wide door with six panels, two crosses and a three pane transom.

The house has seven large rooms with nine-foot ceilings. The open string stairway has wide, easy steps and a neat and small hand rail and newel. The cellar, under part of the house has a hard ground floor. The doors are six-paneled with two crosses and made of pine wood with outside iron locks and common hinges. The walls are papered with a painted chair rail and the floors are of wide pine boards. There are two high, elaborately molded and carved wood mantels.

The portico and window frames of this house were burnt away when the large barn was destroyed by fire during the Civil War.

Source: Virginia W.P.A. Historical Inventory Project, 1937

Return to Shenandoah County VAGenWeb