Pound Origin

The Origin of Pound

The Origin of the Town of Pound, Virginia

Legend of Swift Silver Mine

The Story of Wise County, VA

Roberson Mill

Definition of a Pound

An enclosure maintained by a town, an enclosure for keeping and sheltering animals or a sheltered place for a person to rest. Webster’s Dictionary 2nd College Ed. Webster's New World Dictionary©Copyright 1970-72

Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia

Publication Committee of The Historical Society of Southwest Virginia
"Legend of Swift Silver Mine"
By James A. Dougherty

"Other sources"

At the Pound gap there are many caves. Jonathan W. Swift is supposed to have stored silver in the larger ones of them.

On the lower ridge there is a natural barricade that formed a natural "pound" where Swift stored his horses; hence the name Pound for Pound Gap came. Other sources advanced the idea that Chris discovered silver on his exploration in 1751. Furthermore he told Swift about it. Furthermore Gist and Swift worked together. In turn they established Guest Station now known as Coeburn, VA as an outlet for their silver trading business. ©Copyright 1966

The following information about Pound is an excerpt directly from the book.

The Story of Wise County (Virginia)
By Luther F. Addington 
"Pound"

William Roberson, who is probably remembered better than any other of The Pound Pioneers, because he established the first mill on the river, was, according to his son, Gus Roberson, born in England.

His first mill was situated in the bend of the river, east of the present crossroads in the town. It was not a mill in the modern sense. It was a horse-operated mortar and pestle, which pounded the grain into meal. From all over the country, five, ten, fifteen miles away people brought their turns to "The Pound." And people have been saying "The Pound" ever since.
There are those that contend that The Pound got its name from the practice of Indians pounding horses in the bend of the river. But it is known that Indians who traveled in these trails from north to south, walked.

Another theory is that the Long Hunters pounded their horses in the bend. But we know also that most of the long hunters walked. Then, even though horses had been brought here in the early days, a fence across the neck of the bend would not have kept the horses from crossing the river at most any place they might have desired to cross. Hence, it seems to this writer, that "The Pound" name originated from the big pounding mortar mill.

Roberson's first mill, operated by waterpower, was built a short distance down the river from the last mill, the one that washed away. William Roberson was succeeded as miller by his son, James who built the last mill about the year 1875. Gus Roberson inherited the last mill on the death of his father, James. (pages 196-197) ©Copyright 1956

The following information about Roberson Mill is an excerpt directly from the book.

Old Mills Of Far Southwest Virginia
By Emory L. Hamilton
"ROBERSON MILL"

 

Located about 300 yards from U. S. 23, on Clintwood Road at Pound, Virginia, stood the old Roberson Mill, which was washed away in the flood of July, 1942.

The first mill in this site was built sometime after 1816 by James Mullins and Greenberry Roberson. From the Russell County records we find that James Mullins and Greenberry Roberson bought several thousand acres of land on Pound, Indian Creek and Bold Camp creeks in 1815. Two years later Roberson sold his interest in the land and moved to Pike County, Kentucky.

It is said that James Mullins built his house near where the Gus Roberson house once stood and that he built d mortar for pounding corn into meal nearby. This pounding mill was first built for his own use, but a short time later-he conceived the idea of enlarging it and operating it by horse-power, and people of the Pound area would come for miles around to Mullins' pound for their meal.

Mullins continued to operate the pound until 1837, when he sold to William Roberson, Who moved there from Gladeville (now Wise), and replaced the pound with a small watermill Which he operated by himself and his son, James, until the year 1875, when James Roberson employed C. Pinckney Carter, of Scott County, Virginia, to build the mill which was washed away in 1942. It was probably at the time that Carter rebuilt the mill that rolling machinery was added for making flour.

William Roberson operated the mill until about 1869, and James Roberson from then until about 1900; and Augustus Roberson from then until about 1934. Augustus was the last to operate the mill and he was a son of James Roberson, the former owner.

The old mill was four stories high. The first floor contained the water wheel and machinery. The second floor the corn mill and the third the flourmill. The wheat was poured into hoppers on the second floor and was carried by conveyors to the top floor, cleaned and then brought back to the second floor Where it was ground, and then again to the third floor where it was bolted, ending up again on the first floor through elevators to the waiting customer.

The old mill had a fore bay and overshot Wheel. Later Gus Roberson installed a turbine wheel. There was also a sawmill connected to the old mill, which operated from the waterpower of the mill. (pages 40- 42) ©Copyright 1973