Laurel Hill: Birthplace and Boyhood Home of J.E.B. Stuart

White Flint Bill

Sergeant
Joined
Oct 9, 2017
Location
Southern Virginia
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Although none of the structures on the farm remain, the site of the birthplace and boyhood home of J.E.B. Stuart in Patrick County, Virginia has been preserved by a private historical trust.

It is a beautiful site. In an 1863 letter to his brother General Stuart wrote, "“I would give anything to make a pilgrimage to the old place, and when the war is over quietly spend the rest of my days there.”

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Those are really nice pictures. I can see why Jeb always wanted to get back to the old family home, frequently musing about living there with his own family after the war. But, sadly, he never saw it again. Oddly, Laurel Hill was a name that popped up at least three times in battles he commanded. Jeb always did have a bit of a spooky side!
 
Thanks so much for posting these! They are so neat. I so wish I could go see it! Someday, someday, maybe! :smile:

It's so bittersweet, though, thinking how he always wanted to go live there, but he never came home. :frown:
 
Thank you for posting!! It's sad that none of the original buildings were preserved...

At least it is not through neglect that these buildings are gone, a fire completely consumed the buildings as early as winter 1847/48 and the house was never rebuilt. So the goodbye from Flora as depicted here (with Stuart looking more like Longstreet, lol) did not take place here and when Stuart said he longed to come back, he meant the place, not the house. Although not even the grounds still belonged to the Stuart Family, JEB's mother sold them in 1859 and it was subsequently divided into smaller lots.
True, he always kept fond memories of the place, but the tragedy of losing his boyhood home had even struck earlier in his life than the Civil War.

http://www.jebstuart.org

Thank you, @White Flint Bill for this tour of the grounds. Great photos!
 
At least it is not through neglect that these buildings are gone, a fire completely consumed the buildings as early as winter 1847/48 and the house was never rebuilt. So the goodbye from Flora as depicted here (with Stuart looking more like Longstreet, lol) did not take place here and when Stuart said he longed to come back, he meant the place, not the house. Although not even the grounds still belonged to the Stuart Family, JEB's mother sold them in 1859 and it was subsequently divided into smaller lots.
True, he always kept fond memories of the place, but the tragedy of losing his boyhood home had even struck earlier in his life than the Civil War.

http://www.jebstuart.org

Thank you, @White Flint Bill for this tour of the grounds. Great photos!

I think what he had in mind was buying some of those pieces and eventually getting most of it back into the family. Sort of like Lee's rather sad dream of buying back Stratford Hall, his boyhood home. I know Stuart was appalled to find his dad and brother were still living in the burned out house! They were in the kitchen as everything else was gone, and that wasn't safe either. These two seemed to think most about their boyhood homes during the war and getting back to that peaceful time - all soldiers have that dream.
 
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