Edwin Rush Beavers, son of Maj. William Beavers, operated Beavers’ Sandy Creek mill after his half-brother William died in 1828. Both of these second-generation millers at Beavers’ Mill on Sandy River had major financial problems. Many factors, such as competition form other mills, mechanical breakdowns, and over production made many mill operations unprofitable.

And it wasn’t just he small time operators. President Thomas Jefferson completed his Shadwell Mill near Charlottesville in 1806. Just before John Quincy Adams became president in 1823, he purchased the large Columbia Mill in Washington, D. C. Both of these men hired managers who drained the fortunes both Jefferson and Adams instead of producing a profit.

Edwin’s brother John F. Beavers made a deposition in a lawsuit concerning debt beginning in 1842 when Richard Yarborough worked on the mill and was never paid. Here is a transcription of John’s testimony in the suit:

“The deposition of John F. Beavers taken before William G. Banks, one of the commissioners in chancery of the Circuit Court of Pittsylvania County, Va., at the Courthouse of said county in the office of said Commissioners, on the 21st day of May 1867, to be read as evidence in favor of E. R. Beavers and J. C. Beavers, Trustees, defendants, at the trial of a suit in chancery pending in the Circuit Court of Pittsylvania County in which Richard Yarbrough is Plaintiff and the said E. R. Beavers, J. C. Beavers, trustees, & others are defendants. The said John F. Beavers being first duly sworn, answers and says:

Question by counsel for said defendant.

Examine the paper marked “ax” purporting to be a receipt for $125.00 executed by the plaintiff to the defendant E. R. Beavers in part of two dated the 26th Sept. 1846 and state all that you may know in connection therewith. Said paper is now shown you.

Answer:
“I have examined the paper marked AX. The sum therein mentioned was paid by the plaintiff Richard Yarbrough for my brother E. R. Beavers at the date of said paper which was taken by me and afterward handed to my brother Edwin R. Beavers by me.”

Question by counsel for said defendant:
Examine the papers marked “AB” and “CD” which are now shown you. “AB” purporting to e a receipt for $55.00 dated 2nd May 1826 to you, for E. R. Beavers by Richard Yarbrough & “C.D.” purporting to be a receipt for $75.00 dated 27 Feb, 1827 to you for said E. R. Beavers by Richard Yarbrough , both being given in part of bone due the said E. R. Beavers to said Yarbrough and state all that you may know in connection therewith.

Answer:
I have examined the papers “A.B” & “C.D.” the sums of $55.00 & $75.00 (afterwards handed to my brother Edwin R. Beavers). “A.B.” received or $55.00 2 May 1846 to you for E. R. Beavers by Richard Yarbrough. The receipt for $75 is dated Feb. 1827 for E. R. Beavers from Richard Yarbrough. On the 18th Feb. 1847, I paid said Yarbrough for my brother E. R. Beavers $65.00 an took the receipt thereof.

Question by counsel for said defendant:
State what has been the pecumary? Condition of your brother from the year 1845 to the present time. Not lent? for the last sixteen years.

Answer:
He has been utterly insolvent for the last sixteen years or longer.

Question by counsel for said defendant:
State if you know what has been the condition of your brother’s health an mind since the middle of the year 1837. State what in your opinion has been his capacity since said time in regard to attending to and transacting his business, making contracts, & c.

Answer:
His health has been bad during the whole of the period that he has not in my opinion been capable of transacting his business or making his contracts. His memory especially has been during the whole of said period been almost entirely destroyed by paralysis some time in the year 1858. His incapacity …(torn) became so apparent that a trustee was appointed to attend to his business and take care of him. And further this witness saith nothing. (Signed by J. F. Beavers).

Written and transcribed by Danny Ricketts