Staunton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Shining Light on Their Humanity

— The Long Road To Freedom —

Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 21, 2025

1. Shining Light on Their Humanity Marker

Inscription.

Shining Light on Their Humanity. . , "I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Ann M. Peyton...four negro men and four negro women to be selected by herself from all I may own..." Will of John Howe Peyton, Remembering their Humanity, The dehumanizing nature of slavery makes it difficult to fully tell the stories of the enslaved men, women, and children within the Montgomery Hall circle. In many instances we have only first names or no names at all. Nonetheless, it is important to memorialize the men, women, and children held in bondage by the Peyton and Shumate families not just as numbers but as real people who were strong and resilient despite the cruel system entrapping them. The list on the right side of this marker contains all the known names of those who were held in bondage by the Peytons. There are no images of the enslaved at Montgomery Hall, but there are images of area African Americans who were enslaved. As you read the names on this marker and look into the eyes of those once held in bondage, take a moment to honor their stories and the power of the human spirit., Making a List, Upon his death (1847), John Howe Peyton directed his executors "to hire out, or to sell, as they think will most conduce to the interest of my family, all my Slaves not herein specifically disposed of..." Census records show approximately 20 enslaved persons living and working at Montgomery Hall but estate settlement documents list 36 African Americans (with their cash value) as being here or at his other local farms., Included was Ben Potter, reputedly Peyton's "most trusted servant." As a boy of 12, Potter had been captured in Africa and shipped to Richmond. Also listed is Ned Phibbs (Fibs), valued at just $50 probably because of his age, who accompanied Peyton during his War of 18 12 service., The list includes Gilbert Guy ($700 value) whom Peyton described in a letter to his wife Ann as "a servant of good character, who will fill the departments at Montgomery Hall... He is sober and obliging, a fair carpenter, wood cutter, cradler, gardener and coachman. I wish you to employ him about the house as 'Jack of all trades.", Elderly George Rideout, "about 70" worth nothing, and "Susan a child of Margarets" worth $150 are also enumerated., Settlement papers include Peyton's Alleghany County farms where 45 additional enslaved persons included "Old Andy" and "Old Sally" considered "valueless" and "infant Hannah" valued at $150., After the death of both Peytons, the mansion house and 300 acres went to William J. Shumate who continued to operate the farm with at least seven enslaved African Americans until the end of the Civil War in 1865. The burial spot of those enslaved at Montgomery Hall remains unknown., (Sidebar):, Remember their Names, Mat Brown . Ben Cole . Bill Cole . Tom Cole . Hannah Fips . Jenny Fipes . Ned Fips . Gilbert Guy . Charles Lucket . Eliza Lucket . Fanny Lucket . Georganna Lucket . John Lucket . Nancy Lucket . George Martin . Aggy Moore . Alice Moore . Bill More . Jane Moore . Nancy Moore . Prescot Moore . Sarah More . Ben Potter . Betty Potter . Molly Susan Potter . Andrew "Andy" Primus . George Rideout . Henry Rideout . Jenny Ross . Salley Smith . Aaron . Abraham . Addeline (daughter of Eliza) . Adeline . Aggy . Alessia and child, Andy . (Old) Andy . Ben . Betty . Bob . Caroline . Charlotte . Charles (son of Eliza) . Cyrus . Eliza . Elissa and infant . Eliza daughter of Lucey . Ellen . Emily daughter of Elissa . Fanny . Francis . Georgiannia, daughter of Rachael . Hannah (infant) . Hannah . Harriet . Henrietta . Henry . Izaac . Isaac . Jane . Jane, daughter of Lucy . Jane, a daughter of Rachael . Jane and her children, Serena and Ellen . Jeremy . Jim . Jimmy . Jinny and Reuben . John . Julia, Julius . Levinia . Lewis . Lititia daughter of Aggy . Lucy wife of Ruben . Madison . Malvina . Margaret . Margaret and infant . Margaret daughter of Aristotle . Margaret daughter of Thornton . Maria . Marietta . Marshall (a tailor) . Ned . Nelly . (Old) Nelly . Page . Patsy . Patty . Rachael . Richard (son of Assry) . Ruben . Sam . Sam, son of Jessee . Sam, son Jane . Sarah and family . Scipio . Sinaugh . Smith . Susan, child of Margaret . Tom, (Captions):, Sid Crawford, center, enslaved by the Crawford family of Fort Defiance. Reportedly lived to be 111 years old. (Augusta Co. Historical Society), Samuel Lindsey, enslaved in Bath County, became a prominent businessman and community leader in Staunton., Ellen Thompson Darcus, enslaved in Nelson County, moved to Waynesboro after the Civil War., Frank Gilkeson was enslaved on a farm in the vicinity of Swoope, just west of Staunton., Harriet Elizabeth Grandison Orchord, right, with her daughter Esther Stephens, lived her entire life in Staunton and died in 1935., James Williams was enslaved in Albemarle County. In the 1850s, his owner rented his labor to the Virginia Central Railroad. He helped construct the Blue Ridge Railroad Tunnel., The photographer who captured this 1850s image of a tavern in Deerfield probably did not set out to make history. However, the grainy and enlarged images on the front porch represent the only known photograph of enslaved African Americans in Augusta County., (Photo Credits):, Perlista Y. Henry , Dale Brumfield , Stonewall Jackson House

"I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Ann M. Peyton...four negro men and four negro women to be selected by herself from all I may own..." Will of John Howe Peyton

Remembering their Humanity

The dehumanizing nature of slavery makes it difficult to fully tell the stories of the enslaved men, women, and children within the Montgomery Hall circle. In many instances we have only first names or no names at all. Nonetheless, it is important to memorialize the men, women, and children held in bondage by the Peyton and Shumate families not just as numbers but as real people who were strong and resilient despite the cruel system entrapping them. The list on the right side of this marker contains all the known names of those who were held in bondage by the Peytons. There are no images of the enslaved at Montgomery Hall, but there are images of area African Americans who were enslaved. As you read the names on this marker and look into the eyes of those once held in bondage, take a moment to honor their stories and the power of the human spirit.

Making a List

Upon his death (1847), John Howe Peyton directed his executors "to hire out, or to sell, as they think will most conduce to the interest of my family, all my Slaves not herein specifically disposed of..." Census records

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

show approximately 20 enslaved persons living and working at Montgomery Hall but estate settlement documents list 36 African Americans (with their cash value) as being here or at his other local farms.

Included was Ben Potter, reputedly Peyton's "most trusted servant." As a boy of 12, Potter had been captured in Africa and shipped to Richmond. Also listed is Ned Phibbs (Fibs), valued at just $50 probably because of his age, who accompanied Peyton during his War of 1812 service.

The list includes Gilbert Guy ($700 value) whom Peyton described in a letter to his wife Ann as "a servant of good character, who will fill the departments at Montgomery Hall... He is sober and obliging, a fair carpenter, wood cutter, cradler, gardener and coachman. I wish you to employ him about the house as 'Jack of all trades."

Elderly George Rideout, "about 70" worth nothing, and "Susan a child of Margarets" worth $150 are also enumerated.

Settlement papers include Peyton's Alleghany County farms where 45 additional enslaved persons included "Old Andy" and "Old Sally" considered "valueless" and "infant Hannah" valued at $150.

After the death of both Peytons, the mansion house and 300 acres went to William J. Shumate who continued to operate the farm with at least seven enslaved African Americans until the end of the Civil War in 1865. The burial

Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 21, 2025

2. Shining Light on Their Humanity Marker

Marker is in the center.

spot of those enslaved at Montgomery Hall remains unknown.

(Sidebar):

Remember their Names

Mat Brown • Ben Cole • Bill Cole • Tom Cole • Hannah Fips • Jenny Fipes • Ned Fips • Gilbert Guy • Charles Lucket • Eliza Lucket • Fanny Lucket • Georganna Lucket • John Lucket • Nancy Lucket • George Martin • Aggy Moore • Alice Moore • Bill More • Jane Moore • Nancy Moore • Prescot Moore • Sarah More • Ben Potter • Betty Potter • Molly Susan Potter • Andrew "Andy" Primus • George Rideout • Henry Rideout • Jenny Ross • Salley Smith • Aaron • Abraham • Addeline (daughter of Eliza) • Adeline • Aggy • Alessia and child

Andy • (Old) Andy • Ben • Betty • Bob • Caroline • Charlotte • Charles (son of Eliza) • Cyrus • Eliza • Elissa and infant • Eliza daughter of Lucey • Ellen • Emily daughter of Elissa • Fanny • Francis • Georgiannia, daughter of Rachael • Hannah (infant) • Hannah • Harriet • Henrietta • Henry • Izaac • Isaac • Jane • Jane, daughter of Lucy • Jane, a daughter of Rachael • Jane and her children, Serena and Ellen • Jeremy • Jim • Jimmy • Jinny and Reuben • John • Julia

Julius • Levinia • Lewis • Lititia
Paid Advertisement

daughter of Aggy • Lucy wife of Ruben • Madison • Malvina • Margaret • Margaret & infant • Margaret daughter of Aristotle • Margaret daughter of Thornton • Maria • Marietta • Marshall (a tailor) • Ned • Nelly • (Old) Nelly • Page • Patsy • Patty • Rachael • Richard (son of Assry) • Ruben • Sam • Sam, son of Jessee • Sam, son Jane • Sarah and family • Scipio • Sinaugh • Smith • Susan, child of Margaret • Tom

(Captions):

Sid Crawford, center, enslaved by the Crawford family of Fort Defiance. Reportedly lived to be 111 years old. (Augusta Co. Historical Society)

Samuel Lindsey, enslaved in Bath County, became a prominent businessman and community leader in Staunton.

Ellen Thompson Darcus, enslaved in Nelson County, moved to Waynesboro after the Civil War.

Frank Gilkeson was enslaved on a farm in the vicinity of Swoope, just west of Staunton.

Harriet Elizabeth Grandison Orchord, right, with her daughter Esther Stephens, lived her entire life in Staunton and died in 1935.

James Williams was enslaved in Albemarle County. In the 1850s, his owner rented his labor to the Virginia Central Railroad. He helped construct the Blue Ridge Railroad Tunnel.

The photographer who captured this 1850s image of a tavern in Deerfield probably did not set out to make history. However, the grainy and enlarged images on the front porch represent the only known photograph of enslaved African Americans in Augusta County.

(Photo Credits):

Perlista Y. Henry
Dale Brumfield
Stonewall Jackson House

Erected 2025 by Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. (Marker Number 5.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: African Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1865.

Location. 38° 8.724′ N, 79° 5.515′ W. Marker is in Staunton, Virginia. It can be reached from Kenneth Jones Drive just west of Montgomery Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Marker is located in Montgomery Hall Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1100 Montgomery Avenue, Staunton VA 24401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: An African American Haven Becomes Reality (here, next to this marker); Held in Bondage (here, next to this marker); The Long Road to Freedom (a few steps from this marker); Montgomery Hall (a few steps from this marker); A Mansion in the New Republic: (a few steps from this marker); Farming and Freedom at Montgomery Hall (a few steps from this marker); The Montgomery Hall Park Recreation Committee (within shouting distance of this marker); A Beacon of Light Across Virginia (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Staunton.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 29, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 95 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 1, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.