21.3.10

ELMWOOD: TERRY HOME OF BOTETOURT CO., VIRGINIA


According to many researchers this house was the home of the Terry's in what is now Roanoke, VA. It served as the recreation offices of the city in 1944 and later the main library but was demolished in 1964 as the and the libraries grew ( public library). The area is known as Elmwood Park. The last Terry to reside there on South Jefferson Street was the town's first millionaire, Peyton L. Terry. According to one source, Peyton acquired "Elmwood" in 1868 after the Civil War. Other sources indicate he was the son of a Stephen Terry and there had been a "Elmwood" ikn Pittsylvania Co.. Continuing research will clarify the connection as valid or just a really good story.
Peyton Leftwich Terry of the Pittsylvania Co. Va area, was the descendent of Steven (1805-), son of William (1777-1815), son of Stephen (1750-1802), son of Zachariah (1725-1767 and all in the same Pittsylvania Co., Va area) who may have been the son of a James Terry (dates and location unknown). His wife, Mary Terry, wrote a book, "Big Lick Homefront: 1861-1865" written in 1898.
Although connection to this home is still possible due to many unanswered family history questions. from the information about the last Terry resident (who may or may not have named it), it would appear that there is no clear connection to the Peyton L. Terry of Elmwood and the line of this page.

The TERRY line of this page goes back to William (b. Ct?) and Rachel Manson Terry (early pioneer and Rev. War Soldier in Botetourt Co., VA and the Big Lick/Black Creek area). He owned land there at least as early as the mid-1700's. His son John Terry (wife Esther Brown) who settled in Perry County, Indiana and was also a Rev. War soldier, to William and Barbara Ennis Terry, Martin and Mary Ann Reed Terry, John King and Mary Ann Riddle Terry, and Wesley Sartin and Edna Maggie Boyd Terry.
The family tended to be very prolific and to be westward bound - with many lines being the first settlers in numerous locations, from Kentucky to Texas and beyond.

No comments:

Find-a-Grave

Search 113.0 million cemetery records at by entering a surname and clicking search:
Surname: