The Old Shaver Homeplace

By Susan M. Thigpen © 1991

Issue: April, 1991

The old Shaver home near the Blue Ridge Parkway at Bent Mountain, Virginia inspired the poem "Country Home" by Norris E. Vancleave, of Roanoke, Virginia, who at that time was a resident of the nearby Copper Hill community. The old house was about to be torn down by the Blue Ridge Parkway when Vancleave decided to use a picture one of his 4-H children had taken of the house, using a 35 mm camera he had purchased when he made a living as a small-city newspaper reporter, editor and photographer. Also inspiring his effort were memories of his own old family home in north central Louisiana, which long ago fell into ruins.

The Rev. Daniel Shaver had this house built for his large family, three of whom are living today, Mrs. Vester (Ruth) Grant, of Bent Mountain; Mrs. George (Cassie) Fralin, of Bent Mountain; and Mrs. Louis (Mabel) Grant, of Roanoke County, Virginia. Rev. Shaver was a long-time elder and minister of the Church of The Brethren as well as a successful farmer. His daughters remember how they disliked being called out of an interesting family ball game to engage in family devotionals. But now they are very grateful for having been reared that way.