This was provided generously by David O'Connor, who shares our family heritage:
Our Slack and Chappell ancestors lived on the side of the Blue Ridge Mountain just above the towns of Paris and Upperville in the extreme southwest corner of Loudoun County. In Road Case #304, Abel Gourley petitioned to have a road built from his mill and farm to the main road leading from Berry's Ferry (crossed teh Shenandoah River in Frederick County) to Alexandria. This is now US Route 50 which runs through Ashby's Gap at Paris and is the main road through Upperville. The petition in support of Gourley was signed by several neighbors, my two 4-great grandfathers, Tunis Slck, and Thomas Chappell, and Thomas' son James. I made a copy of the original document, including signatures. The petition:
"Abel Gourley having Isaiah Hick's merchant mill and farm rented in the upper edge of Loudoun County Va which is near the paved road leading from Berry's ferry to Alexandria about half way between Paris and Upperville. This mill sets about a quarter of a mile from the pavement. There is no road that leads by this mill at all since Wm Moss has built his mill for he turned the mountain road leading to Upperville round by his mill where there used to be a round about way from the mountain to this mill which by turning that sloped up this other tract which is about a mile from this mountain road at Jesse Flemin's still house across to this mill. It is a straight way out into the paved road. I think there can be a good road made across there very easy for there is only about three quarters of a mile but what there is a road left. I think the neighborhood is imposed upon for the want of a road across there as well as myself."
Signed by:
Jesse Fleming
Thomas Trussell
Aaron Gibson
James Chappell
Thomas Chapel
Tunis Slack
Jane Smallwood
Hebron Smallwood
George Lanham
Charles Kendall
George Kelly
William Fleming
Joseph Fleming
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