Date: About 1851.

Owners: Freeman Beverly bought this place about 1851. He sold to James Brown, in 1875. Brown sold to George Dingus in 1876. Dingus sold to his son Tom and he sold to a Smith. Mrs. Sallie Easterling bought it in 1925, who still owns it. The place is now occupied by Ed Jenkins, a renter.

Description: Story and a half, hewn log house, with two rooms on the first floor, board roof, stone chimney at the end. The house was chinked and mud daubed. House faces east, with one story porch across the front. Freeman Beverly and his sons sawed boards from logs by hand and covered this house. The first
doors were made of black walnut.

History: Freeman Beverly was born in 1806 and was married to Unicy, a daughter of Joel Ramsey, and a sister to James Whitley Ramsey. He was a miller by trade and had a grist mill continuously from 1836 until his death in 1890. He was reputed to be a faith healer and was also a weaver. He wove bedspreads,
coverlids and many other fancy articles. Some of these are still in existence and his granddaughter, Mrs. Molly Fraley, at Wise, has one of the coverlids.

Source of Information: R. Beverly, J. T. Hamilton and collected notes. 
 Court Records.

The Mill

Location: Near Tacoma on the Norton-Coeburn Road. 
About seven miles east of Norton.

Date: About 1836

Owner: Freeman Beverly

Description: Building about 20 x 24. Log construction. One story.
Operated by side-shot turbine wheel.

History: This was probably the first mill ever established in Wise County to do custom grinding, excepting James Mullins' horse powered pound on Pound River.  Freeman Beverly, a son of Robert Beverly, the weaver, built this mill about 1836, and operated it for several years. Tradition says that he moved the mill several times during his life, but kept it in almost
continuous operation until his death in 1890.

Source of Information: W. P. Beverly, W. P. Dotson, Letters of W. P. Beverly.