---- Gochenour, father of Henry Gochenour, supposed to have died intestate.

11 Feb 1856: Henry Gochenour bequeaths to his sons, William, Samuel, Joseph and Hampson. Will Book 5, page 185

Hampson Gochenour died intestate after living on the home place. His son, Charles Edward, then became possessor after buying out the other heirs.

This is a two and one half story "ell" shaped log house with gabled metal roof and three inside brick chimneys. The house is weatherboarded and filled in with sawdust between. The cornices are plain wood. There are eighteen windows having twelve 8x10 panes. There is no front porch, but a back porch was added later and has modern turned posts. There is a limestone step at the front door. The heavy front door has six panels and two crosses and is batten lined.

There are eleven large rooms and the ceiling height is eight and one half feet. The open string, two-flight stairway has a square handrail, balusters and newels. There is a cellar with dirt floor under part of the house. The doors are either six panel, two cross or batten type, and of pine. Partitions of twelve to fifteen inch beaded boards are fastened to the floor with wooden pegs. The doors are fastened to the floor with wooden pegs. The doors have long iron bars, common hinges and outside locks. The floors are of wide boards of varying widths. There is a fluted chair rail.

Hampson Gochenour served in the Civil War for four years. He was in thirteen battles, but came back without a scar.

There is a family graveyard on the place. The Gochenour ancestors are buried there, but without inscriptions on the limestone markers. The graveyard is fairly well kept and has a neat fence (1937).

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

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