![]() | <<<The man on the bench with a beard is John Alexander Caylor (1851-1921) He was born in Indiana and is believed to be the primary designer/builder of the historic "LeFevre" stone house. After the Civil War, Mr. Caylor did a lot of wood-carving and learned carpentry as a bridge-builder on the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad. This is a picture of some of the local men who worked on the W&OD railroad with John Caylor. |
Many old records have been lost and much of what is known about the "Hillside Farm" comes from county tax records. John LeFevre (1829-1903) and his brother Samuel (1828-1904) were considered "prosperous" in 1870. Their real estate and personal property was valued at $4,000. John Caylor, who married Priscilla LeFevre, was of "modest" capital when the house was built in 1874. He was worth about $38! The house remained in the LeFevre family until 1916, when it was sold to John Smith, who turned it into a modern dairy farm (photo, circa 1926)>>> | ![]() |
![]() | <<These fourth graders were asked to study and draw the house. Old county tax records were used to help the children understand how different life was in the 1800's. In 1873, the LeFevre brothers owned 6 horses valued at $450, 15 cattle valued at $150, 30 sheep valued at $90 and 18 hogs valued at $30. |
In 1916, John Smith's son modernized the farm by installing electricity and indoor plumbing. He was the FIRST to have these modern conveniences and his house had the only radio for miles around!>>> | ![]() |
![]() | <<It's important for our students to make a connection to the rich history of the Broadlands community. By understanding this history, they will bring a greater appreciation of of the community they live in! |
TIME LINE of Important Events:
