George Washington kept a journal on a regular basis throughout his adult life. His journal reports that he spent several days in Rockingham County in 1784. In particular, he passed through the Bryan property on 30 Sep 1784. The following is his journal entry from that day. The text is transcribed from Virginia Valley records: genealogical and historical materials of Rockingham by John Walter Wayland.
Set out early - Captn. Hite returning home - and travelled 11 or 12 Miles along the River, until I had passed thro' the Gap - then bearing more westerly by one Bryan's - the Widow Smith's - and one Gilberts, I arrived at Mr. Lewis's about Sundown, after riding about 40 Miles - leaving Rockingham Ct. House to my right about 2 Miles.
Wayland himself has the following to say about Washington's route.
The general's route through Rockingham on this tour may be definitely followed. He came out of Brock's Gap at or near Coote's Store, thence continued by way of the present Turleytown and Cherry Grove, crossing Linville Creek at Miss Kate Pennybacker's (the old Bryan place); thence by Linville (site of present village), George W. Liskey's (Smithland - "Widow Smith's"), Peale's Cross Roads (Gilbert's), and so on, probably by the Lawyer Road, to Jone's and Lewis's.
The points on the map correspond to the route as follows:
- A - Brock's Gap
- B - Coote's Store
- C - Turleytown
- D - Cherry Grove
- E - Thomas Bryan's house
- F - John Bryan's house, later owned by Kate Pennypacker. Linville Creek is just east of the Pennypacker house, between the house and state route 42.
- The village of Linville, George W. Liskey's place, Peale's Cross Roads, etc. are off the map to the east or south. The map just shows the part of the route from Brock's Gap down to the Bryan property.
It is about 6.5 miles as the crow flies from point A to point F. It is about 1.1 miles as the crow flies from point E to point F. Thomas Bryan Sr. was my sixth great grandfather. John Bryan was Thomas's brother.
