Location: North side of Route 23, at Parsons Springs, 1 « mile south of Wise.

Date: Built about 1850.

Owners: William L. Beverly bought the land at the sale of the State Mortgaged Land November 21, 1853.
At the resale of this land William L. Beverly again became the purchaser October 23, 1878. Beverly sold to Stephen J. Parsons, February 12, 1887. Parsons then resided there until January 11, 1909 when the place
was sold by T. G. Wells, Commissioner to Roland B. Roberson. Roberson sold to Wade B. Hamilton. Hamilton did not live at this place at all. Hamilton sold to Orpha Bradley, March 13, 1915. Bradley sold to
J. E. Lipps February 22, 1916. Lipps sold to G. C. William, March 14, 1924. William still owns the place.
     The Beverly Settlement is better known as the Parsons Place or the Parson's Springs. The Parsons' Springs originated from the fact that two springs bubble out under the mountain near the east of the old home site.

Description: The first house here was a two story, four room, hewn log of yellow poplar. It was built in the oblong fashion, two rooms on each floor. It faced slightly south east and had a two story, full length
porch across the front. Small, one story porch at the rear. One 12 pane window in each room, facing the front. Two entrance doors, one on each floor at the front, batten type. Stairway leading up from the east side of the porch to the porch above. It was more of the ladder fashion and was boxed on the sides with
yellow poplar planks. Stone chimney on the west end, mud dobbed. Fireplace only on the first floor. Flooring of yellow poplar wood, hand dressed about six inches in width. Ceiling of the same material. The second story flooring formed the ceiling of the first floor rooms overhead, leaving the joists exposed. Plain
handmade mantel of yellow poplar wood. The walls were formed by the inside part of the hewn poplar logs. 
     On the back lawn of this place is a mammoth Raleigh Apple tree with a body about four feet or more in circumference and until recently on the front lawn stood three very old cedar trees.
    East of this house and near the Parsons' Springs Stephen J. Parsons had a small log building that he used as a blacksmith's shop.This, as well as the old home, has been torn away. The old home was torn down about or between 1905 and 1907 and the logs were hauled away to build a barn.
     Later about 1915, James Bradley built a frame house here and it burned within that same year.
     The present house was built by J. E. Lipps of Wise after he 
bought the place in 1916.
     
Historical Significance: William L. Beverly was a son of Robert, Sr. and Elizabeth Dotson Beverly. He married Lester, a daughter of John and Sarah Parsons Davis. John Davis lived at Esserville so it was logical in that early day that he would settle near his or her home. After Beverly sold this place to Parsons
he moved to the Hurricane section near Wise and in later life to Gate City, Scott Co., where he died. He qualified as Sheriff for Andrew J. Dotson, SWC at the June term of Court 1857. He was a member of the
Big Glades Primitive Baptist Church and joined there in April 1848. To his marriage was born five children, three sons and two daughters. William Sherman, son of the above is the present Mayor of the town of Big Stone Gap.
     Stephen J. Parsons came from Washington Co., VA and settled in Wise County several years before he bought this place from Beverly.
     His first family (by first wife) all died at this place. Parsons himself also died there. One daughter was burned to death and after catching fire she ran from the house and sat down in the creek below the house and died there. Stephen Parsons was a Methodist preacher, blacksmith, farmer and Horse Fistula Doctor.
     It has often been rumored that this place is haunted and many and sundry ghost tales have been told about it from time to time.

Source of Information: J. T. Hamilton, J. E. Lipps and Court Records.