Simpson and Jones Saw Mill (Site)

These coordinates mark the estimated location where the mill once stood. There are no known photos of the mill. This photo is an example of how another Virginia grist mill was constructed in 1750.


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In the mid to late 1700s to mid-1800s, Fairfax County was a sleepy rural farm area. Farmers grew grains for local consumption and exports, but like today, processed grain commands a higher price and is easier to transport. Since there was no electricity, electric motors or mechanical engines, local residents harnessed the power of water flow to power their mills. Their challenge was to find a site along a stream valley with water flow powerful enough to operate a mill, yet close enough to easily access. Fortunately, Fairfax County had an abundance of sites that allowed the milling industry to thrive.

William Simpson and Benedict Jones entered into an agreement to build a mill in 1816 on the South Run of the Pohick Creek. They agreed to build first a saw mill and then a grist mill, contributing equally in labor and materials.

The 1816 Agreement with Benedict Jones:
Fairfax County deed records confirm an agreement between William Simpson and Benedict Jones dated 1816, documented in Deed Book O-2, page 183. This entry describes it as a formal contract or deed related to the partnership. Benedict Jones, as William's son-in-law (married to William's daughter Massa Simpson around 1796), had strong familial and economic ties to the property.

Later Developments and Sale:
William Simpson died on October 6, 1820. By September 16, 1823, a public notice in the Genius of Liberty newspaper advertised the sale of his former property, explicitly mentioning the grist mill (with implied saw mill operations) as a key feature:

"...formerly the property of the late William Simpson, deceased, containing THIRTEEN ACRES, with a GRIST MILL On it which is considered amongst the best in the County... saw mill in good repair. It is well wooded..."

The ad targeted heirs and interested buyers, including Benedict Jones (listed alongside other family members like Thomas Garrett and Moses Simpson). This indicates the mill remained operational and valuable post-1816, serving the South Run area until at least the mid-19th century.

Family and Local Context

Simpson Family Ties: The Simpsons were prominent early settlers on South Run. William (b. 1757, d. 1820) was part of a lineage tracing back to Richard Simpson Sr. (d. ~1762), who owned land there since the 1720s. The family operated multiple mills and farms, contributing to Fairfax's agrarian economy.

Jones Connection: Benedict Jones (m. Massa Simpson) appears in later Fairfax records as an executor and landowner, including fiduciary bonds in 1830 and trusts in 1842 tied to Simpson properties.

Broader Historical Role: South Run mills like this one were vital for 19th-century Fairfax, processing timber for construction and grain for food. The area saw growth in the early 1800s due to population increases and improved roads, but declined after the Civil War.