Whitethorn

11/18/2025

Today marks 30 years since Whitethorn became part of the Mayhew–Hancock family, when Barbara Mayhew Hancock purchased this delightful property.

05/13/2024

160 years ago today Major General James Ewell Brown Stuart succumbed to his wounds that were received during the Battle of Yellow Tavern. His last words are said to have been " I am resigned; God's will be done." General Robert E. Lee upon hearing the news became inconsolable. Let us remember Major General Stuart today as one of the last true Cavaliers and perhaps one of the best cavalry commanders in history.
JEB spent his summers as a boy a Whitethorn, located in Pittsylvania County, Va. which is now owned by Roger A. Mayhew.

02/06/2024

February 6, 2024 marks J.E.B. Stuart’s 191st birthday.

Jeb was born in Patrick County in 1833 at Laurel Hill in Ararat, Virginia to Archibald Stuart and Elizabeth Letcher Pannill Stuart. Growing up he spent his summers here at Whitethorn, his grandmother, Bethenia Letcher Pannill’s home.

Jeb was educated at home by his mother and tutors until the age of twelve, when he left Laurel Hill to be educated by various teachers in Wytheville, Virginia, and at the home of his aunt Anne (his fathers sister) and her husband Judge James Ewell Brown (Jeb’s namesake) in Danville. He entered Emory and Henry College when he was fifteen, and attended from 1848 to 1850. In 1850 he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point.

In 1855 he met his sweetheart, Flora Cooke and they married that November. Jeb was serving in the United States Military at the time. An interesting point was that he and his wife owned 2 enslaved individuals, but had freed them both by 1859 because they were good people.
Jeb was a Captain in the US Military from 1854-1861, but when it was clear that Virginia was seceding from the Union, he resigned due to feeling the need to stand for his home, and his family. He joined the Confederate States Army in 1861 and served as a Major General through 1864.
He and his wife Flora had 3 children, the first child, Flora passed away upon being born, their other 2 children Jeb Stuart Jr. and Virginia Pelham Stuart Waller.
Jeb was mortally wounded in the Battle of Yellow Tavern on May 11th 1864, he died on May 12th. He was 31 years old.

His widow, Flora never remarried and wore the black of mourning for 59 years until her death in 1923. She had served as a principal of the Virginia Female Institute (later named Stuart Hall School in her honor) in Staunton, Virginia from 1880-1898. She relocated to Norfolk to help her son in law with her grandchildren upon the death of her daughter, Virginia who passed from complications related to childbirth.
Flora died on May 10th, 1923 after falling and striking her head on a city sidewalk.

This is a brief summary of a man who had honor and integrity, who was loyal to his country and to his home until the end. It’s important to not get history tangled up with social causes and forget it, it’s important to remember history. Today we remember and honor his life and his legacy.

Happy 191st Birthday, JEB!

11/18/2023

28 years ago today, I purchased "Whitethorn" at an auction at the age of 25. This old house has brought much joy into our lives.

It was built before 1799, according to the earliest records that we can find in the Virginia Library of Congress.

In the early 1800's, J.E.B. Stuart's grandmother, Bethenia Pannill lived in the house and JEB who later was a Confederate General in the Civil War, spent many summers there as a child.

In the early 1900's Archer T. Gammon grew up there. Archer (1918 – 1945) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.
Gammon joined the Army from Roanoke, Virginia in March 1942, and by January 11, 1945 was serving as a Staff Sergeant in Company A, 9th Armored Infantry Battalion, 6th Armored Division. On that day, near Bastogne, Belgium, he destroyed a German machine gun position before beginning a one-man assault on a Tiger Royal tank. He silenced a supporting machine gun emplacement and killed two infantrymen before he was killed by a shot from the tank. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor a year later, on February 13, 1946.
Gammon, aged 26 at his death, was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Danville, Virginia.

I have learned SO much because of that purchase and become acquainted with many wonderful people due to their interest and appreciation of the house and/or the people that have lived there. The house is now owned by my Dad, Roger A. Mayhew.

06/17/2023

Giving final goodby.

02/07/2023

February 6, 2023 marks J.E.B. Stuart’s 190th birthday.

Jeb was born in Patrick County in 1833 at Laurel Hill in Ararat, Virginia to Archibald Stuart and Elizabeth Letcher Pannill Stuart. Growing up he spent his summers at Whitethorn, his grandmother, Bethenia Letcher Pannill’s home.

Jeb was educated at home by his mother and tutors until the age of twelve, when he left Laurel Hill to be educated by various teachers in Wytheville, Virginia, and at the home of his aunt Anne (his fathers sister) and her husband Judge James Ewell Brown (Jeb’s namesake) in Danville. He entered Emory and Henry College when he was fifteen, and attended from 1848 to 1850. In 1850 he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point.

In 1855 he met his sweetheart, Flora Cooke and they married that November. Jeb was serving in the United States Military at the time. An interesting point was that he and his wife owned 2 enslaved individuals, but had freed them both by 1859 because they were good people.
Jeb was a Captain in the US Military from 1854-1861, but when it was clear that Virginia was seceding from the Union, he resigned due to feeling the need to stand for his home, and his family. He joined the Confederate States Army in 1861 and served as a Major General through 1864.
He and his wife Flora had 3 children, the first child, Flora passed away upon being born, their other 2 children Jeb Stuart Jr. and Virginia Pelham Stuart Waller.
Jeb was mortally wounded in the Battle of Yellow Tavern on May 11th 1864, he died on May 12th. He was 31 years old.

His widow, Flora never remarried and wore the black of mourning for 59 years until her death in 1923. She had served as a principal of the Virginia Female Institute (later named Stuart Hall School in her honor) in Staunton, Virginia from 1880-1898. She relocated to Norfolk to help her son in law with her grandchildren upon the death of her daughter, Virginia who passed from complications related to childbirth.
Flora died on May 10th 1923 after falling and striking her head on a city sidewalk.

This is a brief summary of a man who had honor and integrity, who was loyal to his country and to his home until the end. It’s important to not get history tangled up with social causes and forget it, it’s important to remember history. Today we remember and honor his life and his legacy.

Happy 190th Birthday, ole Jeb.

02/28/2021

General JEB Stuart

12/26/2020

Aww, this was the last tree my grandma decorated. ❤️

Do you like our Christmas tree this year? It was cut by the Mayhews from the grounds of Whitethorn! Be blessed this Christmas and everyday and remember we celebrate because of our Savior!

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum
Wie treu sind deine Blatter!
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum
Wie treu sind deine Blatter!
Du grunst nicht nur zur Sommerzeit,
Nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit.
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum
Wie treu sind deine Blatter!
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit
Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut!
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
O Tannembaum, O Tannenbaum
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!

05/12/2020

156 years ago today Major General James Ewell Brown Stuart succumbed to his wounds that were received during the Battle of Yellow Tavern... His last words are said to have been " I am resigned; God's will be done." General Robert E. Lee upon hearing the news became inconsolable.... Let us remember Major General Stuart today as one of the last true Cavaliers and perhaps one of the best cavalry commanders in history.