He plans for the distillery to be a living history lesson that includes the manufacture of a "prohibition style beverage" using the prohibition style processes. He's played by Guy Pearce as an effete, brutal sadist. His version is what was told to him after the fact Love the double porches! He takes Jack to the hospital in Rocky Mount, and Abshire drives the wounded Forrest into town where they meet with Lee. Follow along and get to know a little about bootleggin shine through the mountains and valleys of Virginias Blue Ridge. The National Register shows the mill closed some 50 years ago. Sometimes, people are oblivious to how unique the property their parents leave behind for them actually is. THE WEATHERED GRIST mill towers above Maggodee Creek, whose waters sluiced into a mill race and once spun the mills waterwheel. Matt Bondurant, a novelist and creative writing teacher at the University of Dallas, is Jack Bondurants grandson. With his father, Bondurant pieced together what he calls a constellation of details from newspaper cuttings and court transcripts. Robert says it is his understanding that the bullet entered his grandfather's side under one arm and exited out the other side of his body under the opposite arm. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}370309N 794937W / 37.052363N 79.826976W / 37.052363; -79.826976. Rakes survived the shoot-out with the Bondurants and continued to serve as a policeman, the whole incident seemingly swept under the carpet. , WebAccording to members of the Bondurant family, the Bondurant Boys Forrest, Howard, and Jack - bucked the idea of paying additional protection money and were thus involved in Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. WebIMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. One history suggests construction likely occurred in 1866. I dont know if he ever used them, says Bondurant. Hes played by Guy Pearce as an effete, brutal sadist. At each bend in the road, dozens of jars make a gleeful clinking. To the family, Jack Bondurant was a farmer. Portrayed in the movie Lawless starring Shia LaBeouf as Jack Bondurant, the Bondurant Boys were Franklin County rumrunners in the 1930s. Michael Pulice, an architectural historian for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, said he considers the grist mill on rural Alean Road and companion buildings to be a significant historic resource. Water data back to 1981 are available online. WebBefore long, three of the cars reach the narrow wooden bridge at Maggodee Creek. People would travel to see it.. Jack may not have been a storyteller, but his grandson is. Red flags brought revenuers to southwest Virginia, and eventually sugar was bought by legitimate businesses like bakeries as a cover for the real operations. NC But there aren't as many additives and sugars as store-bought whiskies, so it doesn't have the same flavour profile or complexity - though there are probably people who'd disagree with me about that!" Like Musgrove, he believes a restored mill, perhaps housing a restaurant, could become a destination for locals and visitors. Caswell sends the Loyalists courier back with an adamant refusal, but not before the courier completed his true mission. Indeed, the new law led to health concerns. Brothers doing their thing caught up in government racket, some things never change. Maggodee Creek (1.20 RT 852; 0.60 RT 726), 2: Basically intolerable requiring high priority of replacement. Bush hogging, excavating, & much more! Don't knowingly lie about anyone On Feb. 7, 1935, a grand jury meeting in Harrisonburg handed down a 22 page indictment against 34 individuals and one corporation, and named another 55 unindicted co-conspirators who allegedly were engaged "in carrying on the business of a distiller" without paying tax on the distilled spirits. Bondurant never got a chance to ask his grandfather about the details of this extraordinary period in his life. Today, that is equal to $95.6 million. Loyalist forces had fired on Patriot sentries guarding the bridge. Diary [c.a. Jack and his wife, Bertha, were taciturn folk. Those indicted included Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Charles Carter Lee (the great nephew of Robert E. Lee), plus a former county sheriff, four deputies and a federal revenue agent. The witnesses were in the parking lot setting up for a craft show when they encountered the victim, they said. MacDonalds force camps in an old field 2 miles east of town on February 18, 1776. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Michael Babycz at 734-260-9602 or by email at babyczm@washtenaw.org . I knew he was somebody to be taken very seriously. Bondurant also remembers a pair of rusty brass knuckles hanging from the gun rack in his grandfathers utility room. He has had to forego using the family recipe, since it died with his grandfather and great uncles. For Bondurant, his new venture is as much about making moonshine as it is about telling what he calls "the real story" of his family's moonshine past. In part, because of the quantities of sugar, malt, hops, corn meal and yeast that poured into a county with a population of 24,000. The inventory route is not part of the national network for trucks. The elder Jack Bondurant spent his later years farming, and building houses. I don't think he was ashamed of being involved in criminal activities, but he was adhering to the code where you keep your mouth shut." He hopes to restore the mill and open it to the public. Bondurant said, Three years before national prohibition took effect by way of the 18th Amendment, Virginia went dry. They aint got nothing like this. Keandra S. Smith, 30, was originally charged with second-degree murder for the shooting that killed Grover W. Edwards III, 40, of Roanoke midday on June 3. With hard economic times, though, comes moonshine. Tuesday, January 8, 2019 6:00 AM Retrieve data Hydrograph Alert No IV or field vist data is available + Legend Monitoring Location Active Monitoring Before long, three of the cars reach the narrow They may not have been the biggest moonshiners in the area but they were certainly infamous: Jacks own father-in-law called the three brothers the toughest mess ever to hit Franklin County. "Well, if they did," says Bondurant, "I certainly wouldn't tell you.". "He did not see anything, he said he did not hear anything. 2021 Dispatch couple. 'Lawless the film is released on September 7, This article also appeared in SEVEN magazine, free with the Sunday Telegraph. 0: Inspected feature does not meet currently acceptable standards or a safety feature is required and none is provided. The Battle of Moores Creek Bridge was over almost as quickly as it began. You couldnt ask a stranger for a sip of their delightful moonshine, but if you have family who make it, you might find a cup being thrust into your hand at a gathering. Lee was acquitted. Water data back to 1951 are available online. The race for the ferry crossing was on. By the 1930s folks were so intertwined with moonshine that the national spotlight came to rest on Franklin County. Use the 'Report' link on [1], The creek is located in the Blue Ridge, Piedmont, and Appalachian mountains. According to the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum, agents in Floyd County alone destroyed 3,909 stills, made 1,669 arrests, and seized over 716 vehicles along with 130,717 gallons of alcohol during Prohibition. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The cabin's removal was approved by the city Architectural Review Board Thursday. Having almost been lost from the historical record, the Bondurant boys were suddenly large enough to fill the big screen. The National Registers history notes that the lower millers house included the communitys post office and a dentists office where the dentist pulled teeth without painkillers.. Inventory Route Total Horizontal Clearance: Minimum Vertical Clearance Over Bridge Roadway: 4.99 metric tons(Load and Resistance Factor (LRFR)), 3.81 metric tons (Load and Resistance Factor (LRFR)). According to the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum, The United States collected an excise tax on alcohol from 1791 to 1802 and then again from 1813 to 1817. Later, eleven of the twelve jurors signed affidavits accusing Carter Lee of jury tampering. When Bondurant went to stay on their farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains, four hours from his own home in the city of Alexandria, Jack would wake him early in the morning to go and feed the cows. The structure is toll-free and carries a toll-free highway. Rakes survived the shoot-out with the Bondurants and continued to serve as a policeman, the whole incident seemingly swept under the carpet. I like history, he said. The tradition of not talking in my fathers family was very important, because if you talked, you could get in a lot of trouble. Mother, 2 sons found dead in overgrown field in Pontiac; 10-year-old girl hospitalized with hypothermia, Man arrested in fatal shooting of Detroit mother; charged with murder, armed robbery, Driver arrested after running out of gas on I-94, calling 911 to report being shot at, Mother of shooting victim livid judge reduced suspect's bond, allowing him to get out of jail. That afternoon they send a courier to deliver a letter, an ultimatum, for the surrender of Patriot forces under Richard Caswell and Alexander Lillington. The shooting remains under investigation. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Jack may not have been a storyteller, but his grandson is. Moonshine. Large, notable busts since then have occurred as recently as 2001. "But they were emblematic, part of his terrifying aspect." Chance of rain 70%. I knew he was somebody to be taken very seriously." Id ride along with him in a truck for hours, says Bondurant, and we wouldnt say a word. WebThe film not only has the Boys send the cured gonads to their archfoe before the showdown at Maggodee Creek Bridge; it also evokes the gelding in vivid detail. Maggodee Creek Dr, Boones Mill, VA is a vacant land home. In If not subscribed, pick up a print edition or subscribe at www.smithmountaineagle.com/subscriber_services. Police said it is not an active shooting situation and it does not appear to be a random shooting, but people are being asked to avoid the area while officers investigate. He described fond boyhood memories of visiting grist mills in Franklin County with his father. WebBefore long, three of the cars reach the narrow wooden bridge at Maggodee Creek. Moonshine continues to roll down from the hills of Franklin County. According to members of the Bondurant family, the Bondurant Boys Forrest, Howard, and Jack - bucked the idea of paying additional protection money and were thus involved in a 1930 shoot-out with police at Maggodee Creek Bridge. No navigation control on waterway (bridge permit not required). In Jack's account, his father and uncles, who began producing moonshine in 1928, paid Franklin County Deputy Sheriff Henry Abshire between $25 and $30 each month to keep state and federal revenue agents away from their stills. Rather than shy away from the brutality that seemed to surround his ancestors, Bondurant's prose pulses with it. Casey Jane Tryon-Castro was scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge Tuesday afternoon in Roanokes federal court. From your back yard to the back 40, weve got you covered! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Records introduced during the Great Moonshine Conspiracy trial, list shipments of nearly 34 million pounds of sugar, 13 million pounds of corn meal, 1 million pounds of malt, 30,300 pounds of hops and 35 tons of yeast making their way to Franklin County during a five-year period. Rakes too has living descendants. You couldn't ask a stranger for a sip of their delightful moonshine, but if you have family who make it, you might find a cup being thrust into your hand at a gathering. WebHed been shot at least once, under his left arm on a snowy morning at the Maggodee Creek Bridge in December of 1930, and never told anyone about it. But he knew nothing of his grandfathers past when he was growing up. You don't sit down at the table and drink." Bondurant never got a chance to ask his grandfather about the details of this extraordinary period in his life. The community included a general store, a blacksmith shop, the Piedmont Church of the Brethren and Piedmont Elementary School. There was a centuries-long tradition of evading the taxes that were periodically levied on alcohol; when Prohibition was enacted in 1920, distillers were forced underground. Royal Governor Josiah Martin opens commination with Patriot leaders in North Carolina to sue for peace without any bloodshed. Thirty-one people were convicted, but Rakes was not one of them; he died in mysterious circumstances before taking the stand. I dont think it has anything to do with my grandfather and his brothers, he says, at least we dont know that it did, but it happened. What is also certain is that the Bondurant filling station was as infamous for drinking and violence as it was for moonshining. The first time they attempted to haul liquor the phrase used to describe the transportation of the liquor from the still to a buyer Jack and Forrest were shot, after refusing to pay additional protection money in the form of a carload of moonshine. The newly formed Patriot government of North Carolina orders all men of fighting age to take an oath to the Patriot Cause. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Congress voted in favor of repeal on February 20, 1933, the Virginia General Assembly concurred on October 3, 1933, and the 21st Amendment was ratified December 5, 1933. WebNovember 27, 2012. The Loyalists begin a six-mile march though the cold dark swamps of the Eastern North Carolina backcountry. The listing agent for these homes has added a Coming Soon note to alert buyers in advance. He dropped the head gate to divert rushing water from the millrace and direct it to the wheel. In October, the countys Department of Planning and Community Development issued Musgrove a stop-work order and told him he needed an erosion and sediment control permit. We'd love to hear eyewitness He also has memories of his father being away from home among them three brief periods when the elder Jack Bondurant was sentenced to prison because of his moonshine operation. Colonel Moore had about 1,100 Patriot soldiers under his command. And if hes bad in the book a corrupt and violent man enforcing a protection racket on local moonshiners he transforms into something grotesque in the film. WebMaggodee Creek is a creek in Franklin County in the United States state of Virginia. But it was not to be. Maggodee Creek on NSRR Location Franklin County, Virginia Status Open to traffic History Built 1939 Builder - Virginia Bridge & Iron Works of Low 46F. The true history of the Bondurant boys only came to light in the late Nineties, when Andrew took up the gentle hobby of genealogy. One of them had produced more than 213,780 gallons over a seven-year period in the 90s. WebThe present identified location of Maggoty Gap (or Willow Branch Gap) on topographic maps is at 37.156N 79.972W, which is actually inside the Back Creek watershed, not at the There is minor stream bed movement evident. Matt Bondurant talks about his grandfather, the gangster, and how he became a Hollywood hero. December 19 1930: four trucks careen across the hills and hollows of Franklin County, Virginia. The Rent Zestimate for this home is $888/mo, which has increased by $888/mo in the last 30 days. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Detroit DEA battles spread of deadly fentanyl, animal tranquilizer xylazine, Detroit water protesters want moratorium on shut-offs to continue, Reports: Michigan football co-offensive coordinator on leave during police investigation, Mother of shooting victim livid that judge reduced suspect's bond due to his 'mental issues', Emanuel Steward's legacy lives on in Westland. You have permission to edit this article. It contains 0 bedroom and 0 bathroom. And a capacity for certain things, whether its breaking the law, or breaking another mans face with a pair of brass knuckles.. The former sheriff and a deputy, Abshire, were convicted of conspiracy, but Carter Lee was found not guilty. "My father started picking up all these articles on Franklin County," says Bondurant, 41, "and there was a set of articles about the Bondurant boys, in quotations, talking about them as a notorious gang. Facts and features Edit Type: MobileManufactured Heating: No Data Cooling: None Parking: 0 spaces Interior details Cooling Cooling features: None Property details Lot Lot size: 2.70 Acres Other property information Parcel number: 0270013501B Construction details Type and "It's something that's done outside, by men," says Bondurant, "out of the back of pickup trucks. The taste of moonshine, says Bondurant, is like Scotch: If you dont like whiskey, straight whiskey, then youre not going to like it. He takes Jack to the hospital in Rocky Mount, and Abshire drives the wounded Forrest into town where they meet with Lee. 5: Bridge is not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. In fact, Matt Bondurant wrote that his grandfathers shooting was unknown to the family until his father found a newspaper article about the incident. That fireplace is massive! Well, if they did, says Bondurant, I certainly wouldnt tell you., 'Lawless by Matt Bondurant (Canongate) is available to order from Telegraph Books at 7.99 plus 1.10 p&p. Miear, who spent just over six years as MCPS chief, said his dismissal which the school board unanimously approved on March 17 last year was rooted to his objection to his transgender childs decision to change their name. The next day, Wilkerson pumped a grease gun to lubricate fittings on the wheel mechanism. Charley Rakes tried to kill my grandfather, so I don't have too many apologies for the way I wrote him. Musgrove said last month that it would be foolhardy to launch major restoration work at the site as long as Maggodee Creek is free to flood the mill. He estimates renovation of the mill alone would cost more than $250,000. A fellow deputy of Rakess named Jefferson Richards was also killed; gunned down on a dark road because, its thought, he was threatening to reveal how high up the corruption went. Up until then I, like most people, thought our lives were quite dull and our family was full of nice, respectable people.. Fleming said she asked the 18-year-old who shot him. Information can also be submitted by contacting the confidential tip line at 734-973-7711 or crime stoppers at 1-800-SpeakUP. But Musgroves dream faces a host of challenges including the periodic flooding of Maggodee Creek, building codes governing erosion and sediment control and, of course, raising money. Error! And now, his statements two years ago about the 2020 election outcome are coming to light. I'm a distiller. Low 46F. "There wasn't a whole lot of story there other than that," says Bondurant, who was in his late twenties at the time. Forrest, the middle brother, was their talisman, reputed to be invincible; two years earlier, according to family legend, hed had his throat slit, perhaps over a botched liquor deal. The county told Musgrove to submit an erosion and sediment plan prepared by an engineer which he has done. Historically, alternate names for this stream have included "Maggodi Creek" and "Maggotty Creek."[3]. With Prohibition, the market for whiskey turned black as pitch. Two of the three were shot but none were killed. STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS | The Roanoke Times;The upper miller's house on the old Clements Mill property in the Alean community of Wirtz is overgrown with ivy. Learn More: Franklin County Distilleries Heritage Spirits >, In a veritable race to be first, Twin Creeks Distillery also launched in 2015. He said his Wirtz-based company, T. Musgrove Construction, has not been very busy in recent years. By this time, the third brother, Howard, has arrived at the Maggodee Creek Bridge. After crossing over Maggodee Creek bridge- Signs/entrance on the left-hand side of road. Caswell and Lillington have their men build earthworks on the east bank of Moores Creek to defend the crucial bridge crossing. "There was another lady next to me that was a nurse, so she took care of the triage and I called 911 and (his) parents and police took care of it from there.". "We are looking at video footage, we are looking at a few things, and currently it does not appear to be random.". Having almost been lost from the historical record, the Bondurant boys were suddenly large enough to fill the big screen. You have permission to edit this article. He never tried to bring his children into the moonshine business. On July 28, Musgrove, two descendants of Ben Clements and a helper dug out mud that had settled through the years in the bottom of the wheel. Neither is surprised to see the Bondurant boys Jack, Forrest and Howard making a morning delivery. 5: Bridge deck above roadway approaches. 6: SATISFACTORY CONDITION - structural elements show some minor deterioration. The couple raised three sons and lived there until their recent passing. On July 31, Musgrove said he had spent about $5,000 to date on the engineered plan and related surveying and anticipates spending about $1,000 more on legal fees. Caswell arrives at Moores Creek to find a detachment of the Wilmington District Minute Men under the command of Colonel Alexander Lillington. Casey previously wrote for Virginia is for Lovers and is excited to share her enthusiasm for family fun, outdoors, and culinary delights found in Virginia's Blue Ridge. Firewater. The jars are filled with what people in the north and only there call moonshine. WebJack stressed that he was not present at the shooting, which took place on a bridge at Maggodee Creek in Franklin County. The big picture was relatively clear. Visit our Franklin County section to learn more >. Schad provided guidance about installation of a silt fence, as well as proper mulching and seeding for the disturbed section of bank. ! Jack died in 2001, and in 2008 Matt published a fictionalised version of the bloody events of his grandfathers life, The Wettest County in the World, which has now been turned into the brutal half-western, half-gangster movie, Lawless, starring Shia LaBeouf as Jack and Tom Hardy as Forrest. Rather, illegal drinking and the making of such drink skyrocketed. Instead, he's setting up shop in an old warehouse on Third Street, across from the Southside Roller Mill in Chase City. Share with Us. By this time, the third brother, Howard, has arrived at the Maggodee Creek Bridge. The couple raised three sons and lived there until their recent passing. Debris is restricting the channel slightly. WebThe shooting remains under investigation. Arriving there, their way is blocked by a car, beside which stand two sheriffs deputies, History bears out that he was not a good person.. WebThis home is located at 320 Maggodee Creek Dr, Boones Mill, VA 24065. I think its the most interesting place in Franklin County, he said. Id like to work on it as quick as possible before I get too old, Musgrove said. Months passed before officials in Franklin County learned about Musgroves work. As a young child in America, says Bondurant, you read these stories about people like Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, these frontiersmen who have this legend built around them. One group of Loyalists armed with Highland Broadswords, a traditional weapon of the Highland Scots, moved around the encampment to the Moores Creek Bridge. Threats of harming another ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - Ann Arborpolice are investigatinga shooting Friday afternoon at Briarwood Mall in an attack that investigators say was not random. / 613 over Maggodee Creek; Search [2] The town of Boones Mill, Virginia is located in the valley of the creek. After some discussion, the Loyalists felt the sentries must have been a rearguard and that the main force was retreating from the area. Its been suggested that binge drinking got its start during prohibition, plus additives like creosote and embalming fluid were known to have been mixed into some batches to add color and potency. The creek is a southeast-flowing tributary of the Blackwater River, part of the Roanoke River Occasional overtopping of roadway approaches with significant traffic delays. River control devices and embankment protection have widespread minor damage. WebPony truss bridge over Maggodee Creek on Alean Road Location Franklin County, Virginia Status Replaced with a new truss bridge and moved to a nearby location History Built Reported By:| Edited By: Horatia Harrod |Source: The Daily Telegraph |Updated: Aug 21, 2012, 03:54 PM IST, December 19 1930: four trucks careen across the hills and hollows of Franklin County, Virginia. 6: Bank is beginning to slump. What is also certain is that the "Bondurant filling station" was as infamous for drinking and violence as it was for moonshining. The teen remains at the hospital in critical condition. He survived by walking 12 miles through the snow to hospital, blood gurgling from his throat. We know much of this is apocryphal, or half-true, or embellished, and yet we still celebrate them and their spirit, and I think that's what's going on to some degree here." The county was, as the contemporary writer Sherwood Anderson put it, "the extreme wet spot" of the United States in the Thirties. Enjoy Virginia spirits responsibly and enjoy Franklin County. by Casey L. Higgins, The days of illegal moonshine are long gone. Winds light and variable. It was estimated that had the still operators paid taxes, their moonshine sales would have generated $5.5 million in excise taxes at the 1920 rate. A prosecutor called it a Munchausen-by-proxy case. In Boones Mill, Danny Poff, son of Tommy and Helen Poff, and his wife, Rhonda Poff, learned that their home is more than just an old farmhouse inside the structure is an unknown and hidden pre-Civil War log cabin. Sir Henry Clinton Papers 14:10. 1776]. person will not be tolerated. "He was very calm, considering he had just got shot," Tasha said. 43 talking about this. In the 1920s and 1930s, if you lived in Franklin County, most likely you were in involved in the county's biggest industry making illegal whiskey or moonshine. A visit to Franklin County is a visit to the moonshine capital of the world and the wettest county in the world.. The new bridge cost about $1.36 million, she said, and opened in mid-June. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, He said the two houses nearby, including the lower millers house, which housed the general store, and the upper millers house, could become lodgings for visitors. The effort to reduce crime and protect the family backfired. $179,900 From the Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter to keep up with all the exciting things in Virginia's Blue Ridge! But Musgrove said he is not prepared to spend several thousand more dollars to get the permit. Tweet; Share. The drinking culture is conservative. And if he's bad in the book - a corrupt and violent man enforcing a protection racket on local moonshiners - he transforms into something grotesque in the film. General Donald MacDonald observes his enemy on February 18 from the west bank of a large creek that divided the two forces. Liquor legality has been off and on again like a bad relationship. Musgrove said his wife, Linda, supports his quest. One moonshiner was punished for a transgression with the forced removal of his testicles; as he recovered in hospital, his testicles were returned to him in a jar of moonshine. Following the indictments, The Roanoke Times reported that Lee and the five other officials were accused of accepting money for protection of those engaged in illicit whiskey operations. Web660 Maggodee Creek Dr, Boones Mill, VA 24065 | Zillow By Agent By Owner New Construction Coming Soon Coming Soon listings are homes that will soon be on the market. The creek is a southeast-flowing tributary of the Blackwater River, part of the Roanoke River watershed. He hopes to restore the mill and open it to the public. Bridge rehabilitation because of general structure deterioration or inadequate strength. With hard economic times, though, comes moonshine. Love this! This home was built in 1782. I wish I had gotten into it more when I was younger but I didnt have no money. But we do know that the road was covered with snow, and that Rakes raised his gun and shot Jack in the chest; that when Forrest went to aid his brother, Rakes shot him in the gut; and that he was making to shoot Howard, too, when deputy Abshire knocked his gun off target. You dont sit down at the table and drink. So do the Bondurants keep a still today? Their tasting room in Boones Mill is the place to sample their white label corn whiskey. The jars are filled with what people in the north and only there call moonshine. Likewise, Matt's father, Andrew, had no idea his father had been shot until the last years of Jack's life. Im going to have to rely pretty much on donations. Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Franklin County Moonshine Conspiracy Trial. The water-powered Martin-Piedmont-Clements mill (built in the 1860s) was built on Maggodee Creek, which helped the rural industry to flourish in Southside Virginia. As a child, Bondurant knew his grandfather as a farmer of beef cattle and tobacco. It comes in many forms - with peaches, berries, apples - and is known by many names: mule, white lightning, stump whiskey, mountain dew, fire water. Some of the soldiers recalled nearly 60 years later that the battle only lasted three minutes. With a Loyalist defeat at Moores Creek Bridge, the British failed to arm those colonists that supported the crown, a consequence that would have a devastating effect on Loyalism in the colony throughout the war. Musgrove, a building contractor, believes that renovation of the mill and nearby buildings could bring new life to what has been described as one of Virginias lost communities.. Matt Bondurant, a novelist and creative writing teacher at the University of Dallas, is Jack Bondurant's grandson. Casey L. Higgins is a writer, editor, content consultant, and social media strategist working in the realms of travel and small business. Jack stressed that he was not present at the shooting, which took place on a bridge at Maggodee Creek in Franklin County. Shes not into it as deep as I am but she wants to get it fixed up, he said. The children were not allowed at or near the still. Two deputies were dead, one from pneumonia and another allegedly shot while transporting a prisoner. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. 40 Patriots Hall Dr. Police are still looking for the shooter. Be Nice. Testimony from 176 witnesses during the 1935 trial unveiled the extent of the bootlegging in Franklin County. Prohibition has been around for a decade and the Great Depression is just beginning: the market for illegal liquor is booming. In the Sixties it was supplanted by marijuana, and in the last few years the young Appalachian lawbreaker has been more likely to cook up methamphetamine than white lightning. Rakes responds by shooting Jack. Eighty years later, the grandson of one Franklin County's moonshiners, Robert Bondurant of Chase City, is carrying on the family legacy by making moonshine in a still pot handed down through the family. North Carolinas last Royal Governor Josiah Martin calls on the colonys loyal subjects in order to subdue the horrid and unnatural Rebellion. They are to unite under the British flag and prepare for war. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. The mills current owner, Franklin County native Tommy Musgrove, 67, bought the property of about five acres in 2000 for $112,475 from a Clements descendant. That's where Robert's ties to the past ends. ", "Based on our current findings it does not appear to be random," said Ann Arbor Police Chief Michael Cox. At 10 weeks, it was the second longest trial in Virginia history (behind that of Aaron Burr in 1807). General Donald MacDonald leads 1,600 Loyalists out of Cross Creek leaving 1,400 behind to defend the town. An article in the Winter 2009/2010 edition of VBA News Journal penned by Lees nephew, William B. Hopkins, suggests Lee was thrown under the bus, as he was simply following orders that came directly from Virginia Governor John Garland Pollard. But, in 1935, he was indicted in a corruption trial The Great Franklin County Moonshine Conspiracy Trial as it came to be known which exposed a massive system of kickbacks and bribes enforced by local officials on moonshiners. For that, he has to apply for a different set of permits. MacDonald had none. Musgrove wants to complete additional flood control measures on the opposite bank of Maggodee Creek but said he anticipates more conflict with the county. or anything. His version is what was told to him after the fact and what he gleaned from the grand jury testimony of his Uncle Forrest and father as written in the T. Keister Greer book "The Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial of 1935.". Arriving there, their way is blocked by a car, beside which stand two sheriff's deputies, Charley Rakes and Henry Abshire. So when my father unearthed a series of newspaper articles about a shooting at Maggodee Creek Bridge in 1930, we were quite shocked. "If illegal activity was actually taking place, the Virginia ABC Bureau of Law Enforcement would have taken action," wrote the department's spokesperson, Kathleen Shaw. The big picture was relatively clear. The inventory route is not a STRAHNET route. that is degrading to another person. He was quiet, silent, somewhat gruff. The Loyalists camp about six miles away on that evening. 28435, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. And he won't be making his whiskey in Franklin County. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. the most interesting place in Franklin County. Did he ever question the morality of what they did? One of the sons, Danny Poff, who has a home on the property, inherited his parents home and There wasnt a whole lot of story there other than that, says Bondurant, who was in his late twenties at the time. Learn More Auction Foreclosures These properties are currently listed for sale. Webcreek. In 2015, Franklin County Distilleries became the first legally licensed distillery in Franklin County since Prohibition. WebPolice said the shooting was not random and there was no further threat to the public after a brief lockdown. He isnt a fan of the restaurant idea but he thinks the restored mill would draw visitors. USGS Hydrologic Unit Map State of Virginia (1974), "Flood hazard information: Maggodee Creek, Boones Mill Virginia Indiana State Library", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maggodee_Creek&oldid=1125429174, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 December 2022, at 23:57. The Rent Zestimate for this home is $888/mo, which has increased by $888/mo in the last 30 days. Jack recalls when he first realized what his father was doing to earn a living, "I was a very inquisitive kid, so I probably realized what my father did, when I was 9 or 10." A fellow deputy of Rakes's named Jefferson Richards was also killed; gunned down on a dark road because, it's thought, he was threatening to reveal how high up the corruption went. The deputies demanded they turn over one of the two cars. Last year a reality television show, Moonshiners, aired on the Discovery Channel. Eventually, Franklin County's moonshine operation drew the attention of federal officials. No one is pulling Musgroves teeth, but he winces when he says that Franklin County officials have dogged his efforts to restore the property. Would you like to receive our daily news? A fun bit of history for you: TCDs owner and Master Distiller is the grandson of James Walter Peg Hatcher, one of those convicted in The Great Moonshine Conspiracy on 1935., Learn More: Twin Creeks Distillery Craft Spirits >. Ann Arbor, Michigan. Data Central; Bridge Inspections; U.S. Virginia; Franklin; Naff Rd. Be Truthful. Thirty-one people were convicted, but Rakes was not one of them; he died in mysterious circumstances before taking the stand. Moonshine continues to roll down from the hills of Franklin County. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). They also refute allegations made in the book and the movie "Lawless" that there were any connections between the Franklin County moonshine operation and the Chicago mob. WebDeck plate girder bridge over Trib. Obviously, I was outside so I did not, either. Shown is the Inn at Maggodee Creek, which has a hidden pre-Civil War log cabin within its walls. In a 2012 Newsweek article, the younger Bondurant describes his Grandpa Jack as an imposing man while recalling taking stock of a pair of brass knuckles hanging on the wall in his grandfathers storage room. Those indicted included a former Franklin County Sheriff and multiple deputies, a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, a Virginia prohibition officer, and Franklin Countys Commonwealths Attorney. Use if structure is not a culvert. It was lengthy in both duration and defendants. I dont make that kind of money, he said. But I haven't had any real interaction with anyone on the Rakes side. Their plan is to surround the Patriot Camp on the west bank of Moores Creek in order to cut off the bridge and force the Patriots to surrender. In 1929, the Virginia State Highway Commission built a single lane truss bridge over the creek. WebThe Battle of Moores Creek Bridge was over almost as quickly as it began. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Hidden cabin found in the Inn at Maggodee Creek. The American Revolution in Its Political and Military Aspects 1763-1783. After such a bust, one might think the hammer had effectively been dropped on moonshining in Virginias Blue Ridge, but that would be a foolish thought. WebProhibition has been around for a decade and the Great Depression is just beginning: the market for illegal liquor is booming. News never stops. "I heard that she was a little concerned about his portrayal. But, in 1935, he was indicted in a corruption trial - "The Great Franklin County Moonshine Conspiracy Trial" as it came to be known - which exposed a massive system of kickbacks and bribes enforced by local officials on moonshiners. Several minutes later, it began to turn at a fast clip. In June 2012, after one such high water event, Musgrove decided to do some flood control work on a section of bank upstream from the mill and downstream from the mill ponds concrete dam. The crash occurred shortly before 4 p.m. on Route 460, or Roanoke Road, at its intersection of North Fork Road. Bondurant couldnt resist adding this piece of Grand Guignol to his novel. Meanwhile, Musgrove and helper Phillip Wilkerson have been tinkering with the grist mills steel overshot waterwheel, which once provided the power to move the millstone and, later, run a generator. The government posited authorities received protection money from still operators, and that Commonwealths Attorney Charles Carter Lee was the instigator. Bibliography: Anonymous. Both Jack and Robert say that Lee, was the mastermind behind the moonshine operation. None (no additional concrete thickness or wearing surface is included in the bridge deck). View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. The family lore, according to Robert, is that when the car seized by the deputies was stopped at the bridge, there were over 120 gallons of moonshine inside. Or are they? On a recent Sunday afternoon, as Bondurant surveys the building that is about to become his distillery and gift shop in Chase City, he asked, "Do you know the difference between a distiller and a moonshiner? You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Arriving there, their way is blocked by a car, beside which stand two sheriffs deputies, "I don't think it has anything to do with my grandfather and his brothers," he says, "at least we don't know that it did, but it happened." "Yeah, shot me there," he told his son, and lifted his shirt to show where the bullet had passed. By 1935, the brothers were also unindicted co-conspirators and central figures in one of the most sensational and longest trials in the history of Virginia, "The Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial.". Rather than shy away from the brutality that seemed to surround his ancestors, Bondurants prose pulses with it. Follow him on Twitter: @duncana54. Likewise, Matts father, Andrew, had no idea his father had been shot until the last years of Jacks life. White Lightning. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. When his own That's how Bondurant first tasted it as a teenager. He was quiet, silent, somewhat gruff. He is also licensed by both the federal government and the state of Virginia to operate a distillery, which, of course, was not true of his grandfather and great uncles' stills. The Piedmont Mill Historic District, is located along the creek. Support MLive.com. He does have a surviving daughter whos very old, says Bondurant. Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email. And there was this big article about the shoot-out at the bridge in December of 1930, where my grandfather was shot. When Andrew confronted his father about the shooting, Jack simply admitted it. Hoping to stop them from seizing the moonshine, Jack is said to have removed the keys from one of the vehicles and to have tossed them down the bank toward the creek. In fact, the business had to get the support of locals during the 2017 election to pass a referendum that allowed the sale of liquor by the drink. The taste of moonshine, says Bondurant, is like Scotch: "If you don't like whiskey, straight whiskey, then you're not going to like it. WebIn the 1920s and 1930s, if you lived in Franklin County, most likely you were in involved in the county's biggest industry making illegal whiskey or moonshine. Too timid as a child, too distracted as a young adult, by the time he was seriously considering writing his grandfather's story, Jack was dead. It is located on 2.8 acres in Boones Mill, Virginia. "I was in the parking lot and he actually came up to me saying he got shot," said a witness named Tasha. The home is situated along the Maggodee Creek. My father started picking up all these articles on Franklin County, says Bondurant, 41, and there was a set of articles about the Bondurant boys, in quotations, talking about them as a notorious gang. accounts, the history behind an article. Vehicle strikes bridge on Route 24, is engulfed in fire, Judith Jones, beloved SML barber, retires, Rent, utility help offered to Pittsylvania County residents, 80-plus members attend SML Newcomers holiday luncheon, Fishing University TV show episode featuring SML to air, Update: Two bodies found after boat capsizes on SML, The Gibson Brothers to perform at Harvester, Farm Credit of the Virginias makes $15K Christmas donation to local charities. WebThe Virginia Department of Transportation recently replaced the single-lane steel pony Warren truss bridge over Maggodee Creek at the mill site. Contact Duncan Adams at [emailprotected] or 981-3324. STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS | The Roanoke Times; Tommy Musgrove, 67, with his miniature dachsund, Copper, look out the window of the old Clements Mill. On Aug. 2, he posted the bond and was finally issued a permit for work hed done more than a year before. 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