Altona

Altona, near Charles Town, West Virginia, is a historic farm with an extensive set of subsidiary buildings. The original Federal style plantation house was built in 1793 by Revolutionary War officer Abraham Davenport on land purchased from Charles Washington. The house was expanded by Abraham's son, Colonel Braxton Davenport. During the Civil War the farm was a favored encampment. Generals Philip Sheridan and Ulysses S. Grant both used the house as a headquarters and meeting place. The farm was sold out of the Davenport family in 1906, but repurchased in 1936. In the interim, a Sears, Roebuck house was added to the property. History Major Abraham Davenport, Sr.'s 1793 house was a wood-frame structure built on land purchased from Charles Washington, adjoining several Washington family homes, including Blakeley, Claymont Court and Harewood. Davenport became a Jefferson County magistrate in 1801, and was sheriff in 1803. His son, Colonel Braxton Davenport took over the farm in 1830. Col. Davenport added the present brick front to the original house, as well as the impressive stone fence that lines the road between Charles Town and Middleway. The house was named at this time for Mrs. Davenport's family home in Germany. Colonel Davenport, who had served in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812, followed his father as Jefferson County magistrate, and arraigned John Brown in his court in 1859. Braxton Davenport was also a Virginia state legislator, serving four terms.