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When Edwin Boston Mabry (1867-1936) built his water powered mill in Virginia's Blue Ridge
Mountains, he had no way of knowing it would become one of the most photographed
places in the United States. The mill, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, is now
run by the National Park Service and has several hundred thousand visitors
each year. Ed Mabry (Frelen6, John, Charles, Isaac, George, Francis) was
one of the fifth generation of MabryÕs to live in this part of Virginia.
He was born in Patrick County and is buried in Floyd County not far from
the mill.
On March 22, 1782 his great-great-grandfather, Isaac Mabry, received a
grant for 183 acres of land on the south side of Robertson's Creek that
is part of the Dan River. This land is on Mayberry Creek about 4.5 miles
southwest of the Mabry Mill and about one-mile east of the Blue Ridge
Parkway. Nearby is Mabry Gap and Mayberry Presbyterian Church. Isaac Mabry's
brother, George Mabry, had land on Rock Castle Creek, about two miles
northeast of the Mabry mill and also on Burk's Fork and Greasy Creeks
near the present line between Carroll and Floyd Counties. Today there
are hundreds of Mabry descendants living in Floyd, Patrick, Carroll and
other nearby counties.
Before 1890, on land not far from his birthplace in Patrick County, Ed
Mabry had a water turned lathe which he used to make chairs. Later he
worked as a blacksmith in the coal fields of West Virginia. In 1903 he
returned to Floyd County and soon began construction of the mill. It was
first a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, then became a sawmill. By 1905
it was in operation as a gristmill. By 1910 the front part of the mill
was completed and included a lathe for turning out wheel hubs, a tongue
and groove lathe, a planer and a jig-saw. Between 1905 and 1914 he bought
adjacent tracts of land, mostly for the purpose of acquiring more water
power. Those who knew Ed Mabry thought well of him and have described
him as peaceable, easy-going, honest, hard working, a Primitive Baptist
and a Republican. Whatever he needed he tried to make himself including
most of the furniture in his home. He didn't travel much, but when he
did it was either on foot or in his one-horse Concord wagon. Today the
Mabry Mill is one of the most popular attractions on the entire Blue Ridge
Parkway.
The gristmill and sawmill have been restored by park naturalists in order
that visitors might see live exhibits, a real mill and a working miller
to demonstrate the milling process. The grounds of the mill include other
interpretive media all designed to tell about mountain industry. The Matthews
Cabin is an outstanding example of mountain architecture and workmanship
and offers an intriguing look into the tanning and shoemaking crafts.
There is also a whiskey still, a sorghum mill and a working blacksmith
shop.
Ed Mabry left no children, but his legacy lives on reflecting the self-sufficiency
and hard work of our ancestors on the Blue Ridge.
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