Gallihugh Landmarks
GALLIHUGH MOUNTAIN
Gallihugh Mountain is located in the center of Madison County, Virginia, near Ruth. It is located (roughly) 2 miles west of 231 and 4 miles north of 230, or 2 miles north of White Oak Lake. If you take Aylor road to its end, you'll end up on Gallihugh Mountain. 4-wheel drive is necessary and it's a little scary with no place to turn around. The mountain's elevation is 1516 feet with a 900 foot climb.
My husband and I have climbed Gallihugh Mountain twice in 2001 and 2010 It is a very steep climb; our feet kept sliding down one step for every two we took.
"Gallihugh Top named around 1825 after Elijah Gallihugh, who purchased lands from the estate of Acrey Berry. Present Day Gallihugh Mountain" from Landgrants of Madison County Virginia 1722-1865. p. xxii.
To read about a daring and frightening Jeep ride up to the mountain, go to http://4x4icon.com/offroad/blakey_ridge_011202/index.htm
Aylor Road to Gallihugh Mountain now has 'no trespassing' signs posted everywhere and we were met by gun-toting guys in trucks the last time we went there (2018).
You can search for maps of the mountain. Also go to:
GMountain topography.pdf
Cabin on top of Gallihugh Mountain
Gallihugh cemetery
Gallihugh cemeteries
There is an official Gallihugh Cemetery, located off Beamer's Head Road. We've not been to this one, as I just found it on a map (2021).
There is an old cemetery on the top of Gallihugh Mountain (see photos). There are field stones marking the graves. One stone has some etching, but it’s impossible to read. There is no known record of who’s buried there.
There is another Gallihugh/Berry cemetery located in Ruth, on Ruth Rd, a few miles from Gallihugh Mountain. It is very small, remote, and unmarked, You cannot see it from the road. It is on private property in a field. There are four headstones, plus one small blank marker. The headstones are:
BERRY, Larnie Almond 4/11/1898-8/31/1972 and Nina Utz 12/7/1892-1/23/1959
Virginia Ann Jenkins Berry 1859-1944
GALLIHUGH Minnie B 1/4/1892-9/17/1969 and Herbert L 5/12/1884-10/22/1976
GALLIHUGH Stewart R 9/18/1910-2/15/1984 and Alice Berry 6/8/1918-1/15/1994
Our visit there in 2018 was very disappointing; all of the stones were overturned, brush was grown up, and there was cow manure everywhere. The cows had knocked down the barbed wire and pushed all of the stones over. It is badly neglected at this point.
There is also a Berry/Gallihugh cemetery located elsewhere in Madison County, which includes:
Ashby Linwood Berry 1881-1958
Elmer L Berry 1898-?
John William Berry 1857-1935
Sarah Margaret McAllister Berry 1856-1940
Alice Berry Gallihugh 1918-1994
Herbert Lee Gallihugh 1884-1976
Minnie Belle Berry Gallihugh 1892-1969
Stewart Ross Gallihugh 1910-1984
Cemetery on top of Gallihugh Mountain
Gallihugh home
The Gallihugh Home is located in Hood on Rte 230. It was built before the civil war. John W Gallihugh and his wife, Jane Ellen Rose, lived there initially. Upon John's death, the house was owned by William Elwin Gallihugh and his wife, Martha Frances Huckstep. All of these people are buried in a cemetery northeast of the house. The house is featured in "Madison County Homes" by Vee Dove 1975. The house is no longer owned by Gallihughs.
Grave marker on Gallihugh Mountain
Gallihugh cabin
Gallihugh Cabin is located at the foot of Gallihugh Mountain on Aylor Road. The cabin has a building next door, which includes a small pool. The cabin is no longer for rent and 'no trespassing' signs are posted all over, as well as security cameras.
Chimney and cabin on Gallihugh Mountain