the two story wooden farmhouse (incorporating an old log structure in the back) is associated primarily with the chew family, who moved into the house from loudoun county, virginia in the mid-19th century, when roger preston chew was three. the l-shape is due to an incorporated stone cookhouse wing. as a virginia military institute cadet, chew helped control crowds attending the execution of john brown after his raid on nearby harper's ferry. col. roger chew later became a distinguished confederate artillery and cavalry officer. during the american civil war, chew's flying artillery was engaged in more skirmishes and battles than any battery in the confederate army, and col. chew eventually commanded five battalions of two batteries.