Own a Piece of History! Beautiful Jack Jessee historical home for Sale
Joe Jessee (joejessee@yahoo.com) wrote, April 28, 2016, regarding Here's an Opportunity!
This is Jack Jessee of Mill Creek who owned Jessee’s Mill, and built the beautiful home opposite the Jessee Mill.
Source: This is an excerpt from “Old Mills of Far Southwest Virginia” by Emory L. Hamilton, Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, Publication 7-1973, Historical Society of Southwest Virginia. This can be found on the Internet at New River Notes, http://www.ls.net/~newriver/nrv.htm
The Jessee Mill
The Roller Process Jessee Mill was built between 1889 and 1900, by Andrew Jackson Jessee. It is located on Mill Creek four miles southwest of Cleveland on Route 645 and about six miles from Lebanon, in Russell Co.,VA.
The mill was built from lumber grown and sawed on the Jessee farm which consisted of several hundred acres of land. Most of the lumber was yellow poplar and has not deteriorated with age. The machinery in the mill was made in Salem, VA. All the cogs or gears in the machinery are wood. Prior to the building of the present mill there had been a grist mill near the site of the present one for around fifty years. The building consisted of three floors and the machinery was installed through the three floors. For several years the Jessee Mill was the only roller mill in Russell Co. People came from all over the county and surrounding counties to have meal and flour ground. Huge storage bins were located in the mill for storing grain for the farmers. Mill Creek during that time was a thriving settlement. There was a general store, a one room country school and a church.
The mill was owned and operated by Jack Jessee until his death in 1922. His son, Wiley E. Jessee operated it for ten years. The mill closed in 1932. Mr. Joe Axemserved as the first miller at the Jessee Mill. Melvin Kestner operated the mill for twenty-five or thirty years. He lived in the white house just below the Jessee home. Jamie Chafin operated the mill for sometime, also Tilton Jessee. Other men who served as millers sometime during the life of the mill are as follows:
Jack Jessee built a large brick home in 1883 and lived there until his death, which house is still standing. The home is located just below the mill. The lumber was sawed on the place, and the carvings on the doors and wood work is hand carved. Located on the second floor hall is a red, stained glass window which Mr. Jessee imported from England when the house was built.
In Mr. Jessee's later life, he was unable to go to the mill, but he would lie in bed and see people coming to the mill through a large mirror near his bedroom window. He always wanted everyone to come in and talk with him.
Jim Jessee:
This is an historic Jessee home, the Jessee’s Mill owner’s home, across the road from Jessee’s Mill. It has been restored and is for sale for $229,000 (Highlands Realty, Abingdon, VA 24210) This is on the original John Jessee land. Jack Jessee is a son of Archer Jessee and Mary Jane “Polly” Wilson Owens.