The George Shaver Home

Location: Three quarters of a mile east of Maurertown, Virginia, on Route 654.

Built: Unknown

Owners:

5 Sep 1795: John G. Westenberger sold to George Sheffer (Shaver). Deed Book K, page 58

Recorded 8 Apr 1839: George Shaver devised home farm to his son, George Shaver, Jr. Will Book V, page 537

Recorded 11 Jul 1881: George Shaver devised home farm to his son, Samuel A. Shaver. Will Book 19, page 279

4 Mar 1887: Samuel A. Shaver and Annie H., his wife, sold to John Funk. Deed Book 28, page 320

Tarah Funk Locke, being the only heir of John Funk, dec'd., is the present (1937) owner. This property is now (1937) occupied by her son, John Funk Locke.




Physical Description

This is a three and one half story "ell" shaped brick house with a metal roof of block tin from England. There are four inside brick chimneys. The cornices are plain brick. There are twenty six windows with on 30x27 pane in the lower sash and six 10x12 panes in the upper sash. All small panes are of early American glass. There are three porches, the front one being of brick with Tuscan pillars. The two-story side porch is enclosed for sun parlors. There is a kitchen porch. The entrance is a heavy, six-panel, two-cross door with a four-pane transom.

There are eight large rooms with ceiling heights of ten feet. The open-string, four-flight stairway extends to the attic. It has graceful, turned newels, small round rails, square balusters and beautiful hand-carved scrollwork. There is a small winding stairway in the rear wing having ten steps with triangular treads. The handmade iron locks have coffee-mill handles. The walls are painted and there is a beaded chair rail around each room. The floor boards are of medium width and of heavy, heart pine with few knots. There are seven beautiful mantels of simplicity and dignity, somewhat of Greek Revival, similar in appearance but each one varied in detail. Some have fluted pilasters with beaded motifs above them, while others have a tier above the pilasters. The kitchen mantel is seven feet high and ten feet long. the family gun was kept above this mantel. All rooms have a molding around them with wooden pegs set one foot apart for hanging pictures or clothes. The cellar has a brick floor with grooved tile at sides for drainage. The house has been restored and is in excellent condition.

Historical Significance

It is said that this land was a grant from Lord Fairfax to John G. Westenberger who planted fruit trees on the place but never occupied it. Mrs. Locke remembers one apple tree which was called the "Westenberger." It lived approximately 100 years.

One field near the house is called the "Brick Field" - where bricks were burned to build the house, which was built by George Shaver, Jr.

During the Civil War, this barn was set on fire three times, and each time was stamped out by Miss Sallie Shaver. The Federals called her a brave woman, but held her while they set it afire the fourth time and succeeded in burning it down.

An upstairs room shows many blood stains where a room full of wounded soldiers lay and were cared for by the Shaver family.

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



Return to Shenandoah County VAGenWeb


Created October 15 2001