Our Land & Legacy — Full History

The Carter Homestead’s Indigenous History

According to our limited research, the history of this land begins with the Siouan (Sue-In)-speaking peoples, a collective of related tribes who shared a common language family. The Saponi tribe, a specific group within the Siouan language family, inhabited this land prior to colonial settlement. The Occaneechi, another Siouan-speaking tribe, were also a prominent presence, centered around Occaneechi Island on the Roanoke River in present-day southern Virginia, with influence extending into this region. We acknowledge that all subsequent occupants of this land benefited from the removal or relocation of the Indigenous peoples who were its original and rightful inhabitants.

Early Colonial and Post-Revolutionary Ownership

The earliest recorded transaction for the land, today known as the Carter Homestead, occurred on November 25, 1768, when Patrick Shields conveyed 651 acres to Joseph Shields for a price of £25. On September 16, 1793, Joseph Shields and his wife, Marget, sold the 651-acre property to Nicholas Perkins for £200. This transaction demonstrates the continued use of British currency in the early years of the United States.

The land was transferred again on or about July 19-20, 1801, when Nicholas Perkins sold the 651 acres to Abednego Harp for £170. Abednego Harp and his wife, Elisabeth, thereafter conveyed 650 acres of the property to William and James Hines for £200. William and James Hines are the forefathers of Hinesville, a community northwest of the property that still exists today.

Late 19th Century and Subsequent Transfers

On December 6, 1880, a lawsuit known as Dallas et al. vs. Hines et al. resulted in a 160-acre portion of the land, owned by William James Hines and Sallie F. Hines, being held in trust by B.B. Munford, a court-appointed commissioner. The deed for this was officially recorded on May 3, 1887, when Munford transferred the 160 acres to father and son, A.G. Pritchett and John G. Pritchett, who were merchant partners in the business AG Pritchett & Son, for $275. This transaction marked the first use of U.S. dollars in the property's recorded history. Later that year, on December 27, 1887, the Pritchetts sold the property to Elisha K. Carter for $800.

Ultimately, those 160 acres became the Carter Family Homestead, purchased on August 2, 1889, for $100. The purchasers included Abraham Blaine Carter, Raleigh M. Carter, and James Lloyd Carter, with Romley Orlando Martin acting as a guarantor. Mr. Martin was the founder of First State Bank, a Black-owned bank chartered in 1919. His name appears on many deeds during this period in his service as a guarantor. The deed was re-recorded on January 1, 1911, without Mr. Martin's name, after the associated debt was fully satisfied.

The Future of the Land

Over time, as with many family farms, the land has been divided among descendants and sold to neighbors and friends. Still, our collective vision remains the same: to keep the land in the family and ensure it remains a place of purpose, connection, and opportunity.

To honor this vision, several of the Carter grandchildren and great-grandchildren have come together to propose the development of Echo Valley Micro Resort. This small, intentionally-designed, nature-first, multi-unit property will serve as a family compound and a revenue-generating site for short-term rentals, family retreats, and small-scale events.

Echo Valley Micro Resort will be developed on 20 acres of the former 160-acre homestead. For more than a century, our family has cherished this land — cultivating it, raising families on it, all while instilling the values of self-sufficiency, resilience, and generational wealth in each new generation.
The proposed development will include:

• A Micro resort - 15 maximum self-contained, intentionally designed ‘micro’ units
• A main communal structure for gatherings, shared meals, and multipurpose use
• Nature-forward design that preserves the land’s natural features and open space
• Small gardens of herbs, vegetables, and flowers
• A retail operation where farm-raised items can be sold, and
• A wellness center, equipped with a salt cave, sauna, and cold plunge

*This land chronology could not have been completed without James & Rochelle Bethea and their children, who conducted the historical research on our family’s real estate. By carefully reviewing deed books at the Pittsylvania County Clerk of Courts Office, they uncovered vital details that brought depth and clarity to the story of our land. This helps us preserve and honor our family's legacy for future generations.