Person:Samuel Pannill (2)

Information on Samuel Pannill

From "Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches, Embracing the History of Campbell County, Virginia, 1782-1926", by R. H. Early, 1927:

Samuel Pannill was descended from William Pannill, of Richmond county, who married Frances Prows, and their son, William, m., in 1735, Sarah Bailey, and son, William (third in line), born 1738, married Ann Morton. This last William served in the Orange county Committee of Safety, of which James Madison was a member, in 1774; he had been sheriff of Orange and as that officer, made the proclamation from the court-house steps of the accession of George III to the throne of England. Wm. Pannill died in 1790; his son, Samuel, born 1770, moved to Pittsylvania, married Judith Boughton in 1795, and two years later bought the Fuqua land upon which he located his home. In 1800, through Richard Stith, trustee, he acquired 100 additional acres of the same tract. A ferry had been operated from Joseph Echols' land in Halifax across the Staunton to Fuqua's opposite bank, but it had fallen into disuse because managers of Echols* estate had let the boat drift away, and though appeal had been made for ferry re-establishment in 1793, there was still no provision made for it in 1797 when Pannill settled there; therefore petitions for it again were sent from Campbell, Halifax and Pittsylvania, urging the necessity. The ferry then established was later replaced by Pannill with a toll-bridge.

In 1807 Pannill bought of Jesse and John Cobbs (sons and executors of Charles Cobbs, dec.), 358 acres on Little Falling river, that being the upper part of Cobbs' estate at the west end of James Hurt's mill dam, along Wynn's creek to Boughton's land and adjoining his own. He acquired large land acreage and many slaves; was a member of Virginia Legislature from Campbell, on the Board of Public Works and president of the Roanoke Navigation Company. Green Hill, his home, constructed of brick and native stone, is the most complete private residence in the county. Situated at the top of a hill, there are various buildings surrounding it, such as loom-house, kitchen, double laundry with water and waste connections, stone stables, partitioned tobacco barn and other out-buildings, connected by rock walks and roadways, enclosed everywhere within stone walls. The original main entrance to the residence was through an avenue of cedar trees, across a wide lawn to a long side porch having round brick columns and flagged flooring upon which the front hall opened,1 with parlor and dining room either side and stairway leading to the dormer-windowed upper rooms. The present approach is by roadway, at the back of the premises, into a wide, walled avenue, separated from the rear yard by a stone wall through which there are square openings, large and small, for the egress and ingress of dogs, and a gateway with stone columns, leading into a box hedged walkway. The abundance of native rock caused free use of it in construction, and brown stone was obtained across the river in Pittsylvania. The group of buildings on the hill was designated Upper Town. Though simpler in ornamentation than many county residences, the interior of the dwellinghouse has hand-carved wood work on its elaborate parlor mantel (reaching to the ceiling), high chair-boarding and stairway rail, with built-in cabinets for the dining room. Three flights of stairs lead to the various suites for male and female members and for guests, as these apartments were disconnected, each from the other, after the custom of the day.

The merchant store, chapel and mill called Pannill's, near which were the slave-quarters, were also known as Lower Toivn. Flour made at his large mill was shipped by batteaux manned by his slaves, to market at Weldon and Gaston, N. C. Gabriel Hunt, a former slave at Green Hill, now janitor at Campbell court house, takes much pride in recalling operations which were conducted at the old plantation. In 1801 Pannill patented 900 acres on the branches of Whipping creek and Watkins' road, including the head of Little Whipping creek, six islands in Staunton river opposite Big Island and including smaller islands and 14-1 acres embracing islands, rocks and shoals in Staunton river. He died aged 94 years, and in the distribution of his estate Green Hill fell to his son, John Pannill.

Children of Samuel and Judith Pannill:

1. John |

2. David | died unmarried.

3. Samuel, Jr. |

4. Catherine m. Robert Wilson of Danville.

5. Elizabeth m., 1841, Robert Rives, Jr., a member of the House of Delegates from Nelson county, 1823 to 1826 and again from 1827 to 1829.

6. Mary m. Captain John D. Alexander, clerk of court at Rustburg.

7. Ann m. _____ Graham.

8. Judith m. Colonel John Wimbush. Their sons, Captain Abram, Samuel and James, served in the army of the Confederacy. Colonel Wimbush acquired the Green Hill property, upon which he lived for some years, then negotiated the sale of it to a purchaser named Randolph, said to have been of foreign birth, who paid for it with fraudulent bonds, and this so incensed the sons of Wimbush that one of

them, coming upon Randolph when he was examining the deed of transfer, shot him dead. The homicide was tried by court but was acquitted.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 International Genealogical Index. ( The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, 1999-2008).