Recorded sound

Recollections concerning W.F. Brand's
post-war career as a miller by his grandsons

William Brand McCaskillKenneth McCaskill III

Photograph of W.F. Brand in his later life.
William Francis Brand
(photo from collection of Barbara Brand Matthews)

ornament

photograph of Brand's Mill (Staunton, Virginia) circa 1884

Brand's Mill (circa 1884),
Staunton, Virginia

William Francis Brand became a miller after the Civil War, and eventually opened Brand's Mill near Staunton, Virginia. The mill still stands in 2002 though it is no longer operational. Reconstruction of a nearby road forced the the creek which supplied water for the mill wheel to be rechannelled.

Wade's Mill is a working flour mill (ca. 1750) in the Shenandoah Valley (same region as Brand's Mill). Purchased by James F. Wade in 1882, the mill provides modern-day visitors an example of 19th century milling practice.

Many of W.F. Brand's letters make reference to milling terms. For a thorough account of the milling process see Theodore R. Hazen's The History of Flour Milling in Early America.




Generous Flour
William Brand McCaskill recalls the generosity of W.F. Brand to his patrons. If your browser does not automatically provide you with an audio player, click on one of the links below to download an audio file of his recollections.
Click here to download a wav soundfile. Click here to download a windows media player soundfile.
Click here to download an mp3 soundfile. Click here to download a QuickTime soundfile.
Click here to download a Real Audio soundfile.



Show Me Your Metal
William Brand McCaskill and Kenneth McCaskill have two differing accounts of the metallic objects embedded in their grandfather's forearms. If your browser does not automatically provide you with an audio player, click on one of the links below to download an audio file of their recollections.
Click here to download a wav soundfile. Click here to download a windows media player soundfile.
Click here to download an mp3 soundfile. Click here to download a QuickTime soundfile.
Click here to download a Real Audio soundfile.

[Collection Contents Button] [Transcriptions and Images Button] [Biography and Genealogy Button]
[Link to Special Collections Guides] [Link to Acknowledgments] [Link to Home Page]