Home of William Branch Giles

About seven miles southwest is the Wigwam, the home of William Branch Giles (1762-1830), part of which likely dates to the late 18th century. Between 1790 and 1827, Giles served at various times in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Virginia House of Delegates, and the U.S. Senate. An ally of Thomas Jefferson and foe of Alexander Hamilton, he opposed the expansion of federal power and advocated states’ rights and agrarianism. Giles was governor of Virginia from 1827 to 1830, and Giles County was named for him. He is buried in a family cemetery near the Wigwam.