Historical Marker Society of America

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Home Virginia Appomattox

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Picture Courtesy of John Musgrove

Nearby is buried Joel Walker Sweeny (ca. 1810-1860) the musican who redesigned this African instrument into the modern five-string banjo that is known today. Although slaves apparently added the fifth string to what had been a four-string instrument. Sweeney popularized the new form on the minstrel circuit. He toured with his two brothers, Sam and Dick, in minstrel shows from 1831 until his death in 1860. During the Civil War, Sam Sweeney served as Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart’s personal banjo picker until Sweeney’s death in the winter of 1863-1864.

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VA Rt. 24 (westbound) at the Appomattox River.

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