It is said that the American Civil War started in his front yard and ended in his front parlor.

The initial engagement on July 21, 1861 of what would become the First Battle of Bull Run took place on McLean's farm, the Yorkshire Plantation, in Manassas, Prince William County, Virginia...

...He decided to move because his commercial activities were centered mostly in southern Virginia and the Union army presence in his area of northern Virginia made his work difficult. He undoubtedly was also motivated by a desire to protect his family from a repetition of their combat experience. In the spring of 1863, he and his family moved about 120 miles (200 km) south to Appomattox County, Virginia, near a dusty, crossroads community called Appomattox Court House.

On April 9, 1865, the war revisited Wilmer McLean. Confederate General Robert E. Lee was about to surrender to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. He sent a messenger to Appomattox Court House to find a place to meet. On April 8, 1865, the messenger knocked on McLean's door and requested the use of his home, to which McLean reluctantly agreed. Lee surrendered to Grant in the parlor of McLean's house, effectively ending the Civil War.[2] Later, McLean is supposed to have said "The war began in my front yard and ended in my front parlor".

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Psst.  The McLean house in Appomattox is actually a recreation built by the National Park Service. The original house was dismantled for a road show and left to rot in pieces.  So, thank you NPS.  It's my favorite thing about the the Federal Government (and I also like the Military History Institute at Carlisle Barracks, the National Archives & The Library of Congress).

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They stole his parlor table too!

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They stole his parlor table too!