John Gleed, known as Jack, was enslaved at Oatlands. After freedom, he bought land nearby and built a house. Others followed. Like Jack many had been enslaved at Oatlands and were making new lives for themselves after the Civil War. The community came to be called Gleedsville. Its residents built a school for their children and a church in which to worship. The Mount Olive Methodist Episcopal Church, now the Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun, still stands and is a testament to the hard work and endurance of the people who built it. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research into Jack Gleed, his relatives, and descendants continues. New information will be posted as it becomes available.
