Virginia homeowner discovers family ancestors were enslaved at purchased property

Fred Miller, an Air Force veteran, discovered that the Gothic Revival-style house he purchased in southern Virginia was formerly a plantation known as Sharswood. Built in the 1850s, the property was owned by an uncle and nephew of Miller who shared his surname.

Through research conducted by Miller, his sister Karen Dixon-Rexroth, and their cousins, alongside local historian and genealogist Karice Luck-Brimmer, the family uncovered documents proving that their own ancestors were once enslaved at the estate. Miller noted physical evidence of this history, such as the distinct wear on the basement stairs used by enslaved people to bring food into the main house.