Burnshire Family
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Properties tend to be named after their owners or builders. Old Rush's Mill, now Burnshire Dam, is unique in that it was named for the family that dedicated their lives operating and maintaining it.
"It was Triplett who hired Bill Burnshire's father out of Dayton, in nearby Rockingham County, Virginia, in 1891, to work the mill and maintain the log barrier spanning the river." Adam Burnshire, Bill Burnshire's father, continued working at Old Rush's Mill even after it converted to hydroelectric generation. In 1910, Adam Burnshire added help from his sons, Bill and Howard.
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 Photo courtesy of Caroline Harvey (2013). Click to enlarge. |
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The two brothers became the locally famous Burnshire brothers. Living only yards from where they worked, both men were on the clock 24 hours a day. Bill was responsible for the hydroelectric turbines while Howard focused on the diesel generators.
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"On the job 12 hours a day, seven days a week, he initially received 10 cents an hour for his efforts." |
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After almost a half century and two generations of Burnshires, VEPCO shut down Burnshire Dam. Both Bill and Howard were then transferred to Harrisonburg, a nearby city, where they continued to work the lines, but this time for VEPCO.
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 Bill Burnshire standing next to the original turbines. Photo courtesy of Richard Burnshire (1986). Click to enlarge. |
