A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 58

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry
Publication date: 1835
Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia > Part 58
USA > Virginia > A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia > Part 58

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

GA M ESWOT

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andria. The surrounding country is| dler, 1 cabinet maker, 1 turner and fertile and the climate salubrious. chair maker, 1 hatter, and 2 tailors .. Population 180 persons; of whom 1 is a physician. The Shenandoah is navigable for PORT REPUBLIC, P. V. 121 ms. from R. and 143 N. W. by W. of W. times (except at very dry seasons) situated at the junction of the North and South rivers, branches of the She- nandoah, 2 ms. below the Augusta line, 23 from Weyer's cave, 12 ms. S. of Harrisonburg, 20 E. of Staunton, and 32 north of Charlottesville. It con- flat boats from Port Republic to the District of Columbia, running at all with from 60 to 120 barrels of flour in each boat. Both branches of the river furnish admirable seats for ma- chinery, and the water power is suf- ficient at all seasons for manufacto- ries of any common extent. Popu-

tains 30 dwelling houses, 1 house of lation 160 persons; of whom 1 is a physician.

public worship, free for all denomi- nations, 1 common school, 1 house of entertainment, 2 mercantile stores, 1 manufacturing flour mill, 3 saw mills, 2 tan yards, 1 tilt hammer shop, with a carriage manufactory attached, 2 other smith shops, 1 tin plate work- er, 3 boot and shoe factories, I sad-

SMITH'S CREEK, P. O. 140 ms. from R. and 130 S. W. of W., situ- ated in the northern part of the coun- ty. The creek is the extreme south- ern branch of the North Fork of the Shenandoah.

RUSSELL.

RUSSELL was established by act of Assembly in 1786, and formed from a portion of Washington county. It is bounded by Tazewell N. E .- by Clinch mountain separating it from Smyth E .- S. E. by the same moun- tain, separating it from Washington,-S. and S. W. by Scott,-and by the Cumberland mountain separating it from Pike county, Ky., N. W. Its mean length is 40 miles, mean breadth 344, and area 1,370 square miles. It lies between 36° 38' and 37° 30' N. lat. and 4º 43' and 5° 41' W. long. from W. C.

Mountains, &c .- The Clinch, which divides it from Washington and Smyth on the south ; the Cumberland on the north separating it from Kentucky, are the most prominent. Their general bearing is from N. E. to S. W. Between the waters which. fall into the Clinch and the tributa- ries of. Sandy, and only a few miles north of the Clinch, (with a few ex- ceptions on the Guess' river, and a short distance east of it,) until you ar- rive at the Cumberland mountain, the country seems to be a congregation of mountains. . Their sides are generally steep, -- the valleys narrow,- most of them of not much greater extent than the space which is occupied by the meandering streams which, overhung with laurel, pass on in silent obscurity to their respective destinations. A few scattered inhabi- tants are occasionally to be seen here, who cultivate a small strip of land on a watercourse, and follow the chase on the mountains, as the means of subsistence. Amongst these mountains there are excellent ranges for cattle and hogs, which continues throughout the year except in the more severe freezes and snows of winter. Travelling here must be performed either by following the hunter's path on the mountains, with but few places of safe descent, or pursuing the watercourses; it being impracticable, with a .

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'few exceptions, to cross the mountains with the view of a direct approach from one point to another. 'There are two ranges of highland, running nearly parallel with each other and the Clinch mountain,-one between Mocasin creek and Copper creek, denominated Mocasin ridge,-the other between Copper creek and Clinch river, called Copper ridge. These ridges are cut by Big Cedar creek, east of which the former is denominat- ed the Chesnut ridge and Preec's mountain, and the latter the River, and House and Barn mountain. Kent's ridge lies between the Maiden Spring Fork and North Fork of Clinch river ; and north of the latter is the Stone mountain. The Big Butt north of Clinch river, is a high projection of one of the mountains separating the waters of Clinch and Sandy.

Rivers, Creeks, S.c .- Clinch river, which meanders across the county in a N. E. and S. W. direction, is the principal stream, but has not as yet been used for transporting produce to the west, or for other purposes of naviga- tion. This river affords an abundance of fish, some varieties of which are quite delicious. The North Fork (of Clinch) and the Maiden Spring Fork which take their rise in Tazewell county, unite their waters in the eastern section of Russell. Guess' river, which divides Russell and Scott has various sources from spurs of the Cumberland and adjoining moun- tains, and flows in a southern direction into the Clinch, receiving in its course Tom's creek on the south, and Bull Run, two of its principal streams. Copper creek has its source from numerous fine springs filled with yellow gravel, rising a few miles east of the village at Dickensonville, and passes on to the southwest, uniting with Clinch river in Scott county. Moccasin creek rises near a gap in Clinch mountain by that name, flows near its base in a fruitful valley, and passing through Big Mocasin Gap, falls into the North Fork of Holston. Cedar creek is formed by streams issuing from the Clinch, Preec's, and the House and Barn mountains : it flows in a western direction till within 2 miles east of Lebanon, receiving little Cedar creek which passes the village, and then flows into the Clinch in a northern direction. Indian creek runs from the eastern end or termination of Preec's mountain and from the spurs of Clinch mountain, and flows in a north east and north direction into the Clinch river. Lewis' creek, Thomp- son's creek, Weaver's creek, and Dump's creek, are inconsiderable streams, falling into Clinch river on the north; and Cedar Spring, Beck's branch, Mill creek, and Castle Run on the south. The principal streams of the Sandy is the Louisa Fork in the northeastern section, running nearly north west; The Pound Fork (so called from a bend in the river resembling somewhat in shape a horse shoe) takes its risc towards the Guess' river, runs east near to Cumberland mountain and unites, with MeClure's Fork, and afterwards Russell's Fork at the state line of Kentucky. There is a remarkable cascade upon Big Cedar creek. In its passage through Cop- per ridge its waters are precipitated over a rock of considerable height, and they then wander in a circuitous route of many miles to seek a union with the Clinch river, which here runs at a short distance from it by a. direct line, and which also rolls over a very shoally and serpentine chan- nel above and below their junction, and at one place is very narrow and rapid, occasioned by the projection of rocks from the north side, The whole county occupies an elevated region, independent of the mountain ridges, from 1,200 to 1,500 feet above the ocean tides.

Roads .- By a late act of Assembly a road has been established on the' joint stock plan, leading from Price's turnpike in Botetourt, to Cumberland

18 00.

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Gap, which will pass through Lebanon. Its route was surveyed by the Engineer to cross Copper ridge, 3 miles west of Lebanon, and through Castles' Woods, into Scott, &c. Its location by the Copper creek valley so as to cross Copper ridge in Scott county, is strongly recommended by some, and the people on both routes are engaged with spirit in working out the respective advantages. The road from Lebanon to Abingdon passes by the way of Little Mocasin Gap,-that to the Salt Works in Washington, and Smyth, by Hayter's Gap,-that to Scott C. H. (Estillville,) either by Dickensonville, or down the valley of Mocasin Creek. A road has been opened along the Louisa Fork of Sandy, as a line of communication with . Kentucky, aided by an appropriation from the State of $3000; but it was : so injudiciously located and badly constructed, that it is almost impassable, A track has also been opened from Castle Woods, via Guess' river and the Pound Fork of Sandy, to the State of Kentucky, passing Cumberland mountain, communicating with Pike and Perry counties, Ky.

Meeting Houses-The Episcopalians, Methodists, and Baptists have about 12 meeting houses in this county, besides various other places of meeting at private houses. There is no other sect having a congregation, society or church. The Methodists are the more numerous body of chris- tians.

Manufactures,-There are no merchant mills (properly speaking) in Russell. Hendrick's on Cedar creek is the best establishment of that kind; flour from it is sometimes sent down the Holston and Tennessee to Hunts- ville. There are no factories of iron, wool, or cotton in this county, ex- cept carding machines, although there are many sites suitable for water power. Capital, and an opening for market, are wanting to give encour: agement to these branches of industry.

Productions .- This county having many parcels of rich and fertile soil, produces in abundance most of the necessaries of life. Indian corn, wheat, rye, oats clover, and the grasses introduced, succeed well; but its distance from market and the late neglected state of improvement of the roads, have hitherto compelled the farmer to rear stock as the principal means of ad- vancing his estate.

There are several quarries of marble not far distant from Lebanon, of a greyish complexion. It is used for tomb stones, and for the fronts of hearths. Some specimens of it have been taken to the South. The lime stone is a prevailing mineral in the southern section of this county ; amongst it are found many caverns, few of which, however, are of much notoriety, There are two remarkable rocks upon the range of mountain between Clinch river and the upper waters of Big Cedar creek in the eastern part of the county; the one from its form is called a house, and the other a barn, and hence the name of the House and Barn mountain. Several extensive beds of iron ore exist in this county, but are not at present worked. Stone } coal is found in some of the ravines north of Clinch river, and is deemed of excellent quality by the blacksmiths who use it.

This county had its name in honor of Gen'l William Russell, who. formerly resided on an estate of about 600 acres in Castles Woods, but who at the time of his death lived near to and had an interest in Preston's old Salt works, in Washington county, now Smyth.

The principal population of this county is contained between Clinch mountain and a distance of from 12 to 15 miles north of its base : the northern and greater portion of its territory being so mountainous, sterile,'

carPoito ad'T

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and inconvenient of access, that the population is, and will be for many years hence, very inconsiderable. There are several rich and valuable sections of land in this county : the principal are, Gilmer's Settlement, be- tween Lebanon and Big Cedar creek,-Elk Garden, in the vicinity of Hayter's Gap,-Castle's Woods, between Copper ridge and Clinch, west of Lebanon,-and the Mocasin Valley, lying between a ridge of that name and Clinch mountain opposite and below Little Mocasin Gap. In these sections the first settlements of the country were made.

Professions .- There are two resident attornies in the county, one living in the village at Lebanon, and the other in the country ;- one resident phy- sician in Lebanon and two in the country : but the exemption heretofore of this section of the State from many of the diseases prevalent more frequent- ly in other places ; and the scarcity of litigation in the Courts, have not presented either to the one or the other, the prospect of much gain from a reliance upon their respective professions.

Early Traditions .- In this part of Virginia, as in most other frontier settlements, the first settlers encountered many hardships, and experienced . many scenes of dreadful suffering from the hostile Indians, who made fre- " quent incursions from beyond the Ohio river for purposes of plunder, or savage revenge. In these incursions the most tragic scenes of cold blood- ed butchery were acted; and the survivors sometimes carried into a cap- tivity more painful and distressing than the excruciating deaths to which their relatives had been subjected. Many well authenticated accounts of these cruelties, and of hair-breadth escapes, are still preserved. We give in a note* an example of the sufferings and heroism displayed by the early

* A NARRATIVE of the Captivity and Escape of Mrs. Frances Scott, of Wash- ington county, Va,

On Wednesday, the 29th day of June, 1785; late in the evening, a large company of armed men passed the house on their way to Kentucky ; some part of whom en. " camped within two miles, Mr. Scott, living on a frontier part, generally made the family watchful; but on this calamitous day, after so large a body of men had pass- ed, he lay down in his bed and imprudently left one of the doors of his house open ; the children were also in bed and asleep, Mrs. Scott was nearly undressed, when to her unutterable astonishment and horror, she saw rushing in through the door. that was left open, painted savages with presented arms, raising a hideous shriek. Mr, Scott, being awake, instantly jumped from his bed, but was immediately fired at; he forced his way through the middle of the enemy and got out of the door, but fell a few paces from thence. An Indian seized Mrs, Scott, and ordered her to a particu- lar spot and not to move; others stabbed and cut the throats of the three youngest children in their bed, and afterwards lifted them up and dashed them on the floor near the mother ; the eldest, a beautiful girl of eight years old, awoke and escaped out of the bed and ran to her mamma with the most plaintive accents, cried, "O mamma ! mamma ! save me!"-the mother in the deepest anguish of spirit, and with a floo I of tears, entreated the savages to spare her child : but with a brutal fierceness they tomahawked and stabbed her in the mother's arms. Adjacent to Mr. Scott's dwelling-house another family lived of the name of Ball. The Indians also attacked them at the same instant they did Mr. Scott ; but the door being shut, the enemy fired into the house through an opening between two logs, and killed a lad, and their essayed to force the door open ; but a surviving brother fired through the door, and the enemy desisted and went off; the remaining part of the family run out of the house and escaped. In Mr. Scott's were four good rifles loaded, belonging to people that had left them on their way to Kentucky .- The Indians loaded themselves with the plunder, being thirteen in number, then speedily inade off; and continued travel- ling all night ; next morning their chief allotted to each man his share, and detach, ed nine of the party to steal horses from the inhabitants on Clinch. The eleventh day after Mrs. Scott's captivity, four Indians that had her in charge stopped at a place fixed on for rendezvous, and to hunt, being now in great want of provisions, Three went out, and the chief being an old man was left to take care of the prisoner, who by this time expressed a willingness to proceed to the Indian towns, which

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settlers, in the narrative of Mrs. Scott of Powell's Valley, which is now in Lee county, but which was formerly in Russell, and before its formation, in Washington county, which was published in the New Haven Gazette of Dec. 27th, 1785.

seemed to have the desired effect of lessening her keeper's vigilance. In the day- time while the old man was graining a deer skin, the captive, pondering on her situ- ation, and anxiously looking for an opportunity to make her escape, took a resolution and went to the Indian carelessly, asked liberty to go to a small distance to a stream of water to wash the blood off her apron, that had remained besmeared since the fatal night of the murder of her little daughter. He told her in the English tongue, "go along;" she then passed by him, his face being in a contrary direction from that she was going, and he very busy. She, after getting to the water, proceeded on with- ont delay, made to a high barren mountain, and travelled until late in the evening, when she came down into the valley in search of the track she had been taken along; hoping thereby to find the way back, without the risk of being lost and perishing with hunger in uninhabited parts,

On coming across the valley to the river side,-supposed to be the easterly branch of Kentucky river-she observed in the sand, tracks of two men that had gone up the river and had just returned. She conelded these to have been her pursuers, which excited emotions of gratitude and thankfulness to Divine Providence for so timely a deliverance. Being without any provisions, having no kind of weapon or tool to assist her in getting any, and alnost destitute of clothing-also knowing that a vast tract of rugged high mountains intervened between where she was and the inhabitants easterly, and she almost as ighorant as a child of the method of steering the woods, excited painful sensations. But certain death, either by hunger or wild beasts, seemed to be better than to be in the power of beings who excited in her mind such horror .- She addressed Heaven, and taking courage proceeded onward.

After travelling three days, she had nearly met with the Indians, as she supposed, that had been sent to Clinch to steal horses, but providentially hearing their approach, concealed herself among the cane until the enemy had passed .- This giving her a fresh alarm, and her mind being filled with consternation, she got lost, proceeded backwards and forwards for several days; at length she came to a river that seemed to come from the east-concluding it was Sandy river, she accordingly resolved to trace it to its source, which is adjacent to the Clich settlement. After proceeding up the same several days, she came to where the river runs through the great Laurel mountain, where is a prodigious waterfall, and high craggy cliffs along the water- edge ; that way secmed impassable, the mountain steep and difficult ;- however, our mournful traveller concluded the latter way was best .- She therefore ascended for some time, but coming to a range of lofty and inaccessible rocks, she turned her course towards the foot of the mountain and the river side ; after getting into a deep gulley, and passing over several high steep rocks, she reached the river side, where to her inexpressible affliction she found that a perpendicular rock, or rather one that hung over, of fifteen or twenty feet high, formed' the bank .- Here a solemn pause ensued ; she essayed to return, but the height of the steeps and rocks she had des- cended over prevented her. She then returned to the edge of the precipice, and viewing the bottom of it as the certain spot to end all her troubles, or remain on the top to pine away with hunger, or be devoured by beasts. After serious meditation and devout exercises, she determined on leaping from the height, and accordingly jumped off. Although the place she had to alight was covered with uneven rocks, not a bone was broken; but being exceedingly stunned by the fall, she remained unable to proceed for some space of time,

The dry season caused the river to be shallow-she travelled in it, and, where she could, by its edge, until she got through the mountain, which she concluded wqs several miles, After this, as she was travelling along the bank of the river, a veno- mous snake bit her on the anele; she had strength to kill it, and knowing its kind, concluded that death inst soon overtake her. By this time, Mrs. Scott was reduced to a mere skeleton with fatigue, hunger, and grief; probably this state of her body was the means of preserving her from the effects of the poison ; be that as it may, so it was, that very little pain succeeded the bite, and what little swelling there was, fell into her feet.

Our wanderer now left the river, and after proceeding a good distance she came to where the valley parted into two, each leading a different course. Here a painful: suspense again took place : a forlorn creature, almost exhausted, and certain, if she' was far led out of the way, she would never see a human creature. During this

المطافـ

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Population in 1820, 5,536-in 1830, 6,714. This county belongs to the fifteenth judicial circuit and eighth district. Tax paid in 1833, $668 60- in 1834 on lots, $22 54-on land, $247 00-366 slaves, $91 50-3301 horses, $198 06-23 studs, $103 00-7 carryalls, $7 00-Total, $669 98. Expended in educating poor children in 1832, $418 44-in 1833, $485 64.

TOWNS, VILLAGES, POST OFFICES, &c. S, &c: 1,6,

BICHLEY'S MILLS, P. O. situated height and is covered on the summit in Castle's Woods.

with evergreens,-amongst which is CLIFTON, P. O. 312 ms. S. W. of the balsam tree, from which a resinous R. and 374 from W., situated on the Maiden Spring Fork. substance is extracted, and which is celebrated as useful in the cure of DICKENSONVILLE, P. O. village was formerly the seat of jus- tice, but since that has been removed to Lebanon, it is almost depopulated, and the houses in a state of dilapida- tion. This chronic diseases. This village was located in 1816, and in 1818 the seat of justice was established here. 'The court house which is of stone, is the only permanent building in the place, the rest being all wooden tenements /LEBANON, P. V. and seat of justice, 330 ms. from R. and 394 S. W. by W. of W., in lat. 36° 53' N. and long. 5° 03' W. of W. C., situat- and most of them rather indifferent. It contains 6 mercantile stores, 1 grocery, 2 tan yards, 2 blacksmiths, 2 tailors, 1 hatter, 1 cabinet maker, ed about 130 ms. N. E. by E. of and in the vicinity 1 school house. Knoxville, Ten., on Little Cedar The main road from Botetourt, thro' Montgomery and Giles to Cumber- land Gap, passes through this village, and will when completed, contribute much to the prosperity of this place and the adjoining country. creek, a branch of Clinch river hav- ing its source in Clinch mountain, on a southern inclination, near the centre of the population of the coun- ty. It is well watered by springs, and commands a beautiful prospect of County Courts are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in every month ;- Quarterly in March, June, August and November. Clinch mountain on the south, whose lofty summits present an almost un- broken range from Little Moccasin to Hayter's Gap, a distance of 12 Circuit Superior Courts of Law and Chancery are held on the 3d Monday in April and September, by miles. On the left of the latter gap, and directly east of this village, the mountain rises to a considerable JUDGE ESTILL.

doubt, a beautiful bird passed close by her, fluttering along the ground, and went out of sight up one of the valleys. This drew her attention, and whilst considering what it might mean, another bird of the same appearance in like manner fluttered past her, and took the same valley the former had done. This determined her choice of the way ; and in two days, which was on the 11th day of August, she reached the settlement on Clinch, called New Garden ; whereas, (she is since informed by wood- men,) had she taken the other valley it would have led her back towards the Ohio. Mrs. Scott relates that the Indians told her that the party was composed of four dif- ferent nations, two of whom she thinks they named Delawares and Mingocs.

She further relates, that during her wandering from the 10th of July to the 11th of. August, she had no other subsistence but chewing and swallowing the juice of young cane stalks, sassafras leaves, and some other plants she did not know the names of; that on her journey she saw buffaloes, elks, deers, and frequently bears and wolves- not one of which, although some passed very near her, offered her the. least harm. One day a bear came near her with a young fawn in his mouth, and on discovering her he dropped his prey and ran off. Hunger prompted her to go and take the flesh and eat it; but on reflection she desisted, thinking that the bear might return and de-' vour her-besides, she had an aversion to taste raw flesh.

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SCOTT.

ScorT was established by act of Assembly in 1814, and formed from por- tions of Lee, Washington and Russell. It is bound N. and N. E, by Rus- sell,-E. by Washington, -S. by Sullivan and Hawkins counties of. Ten -. nessee,-and W. by Lee. Its mean lat. is about 46° 47' N., its long. 5° 40' W. of W. C .- its mean length 26 miles, mean breadth 24, and area 624 square miles.

The face of the country is mountainous and uneven .- Clinch mountain passes through the county from N. E. to S. W .- all the principal ridges and streams take the same direction. The county is exceedingly well watered by good springs, creeks and rivers, and possesses water power in abundance.

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A new and comprehensive gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Part 58

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry Publication date: 1835 Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Martin, Joseph. ed. cn; Brockenbrough, William Henry
Publication date: 1835
Publisher: Charlottesville, J. Martin
Number of Pages: 1278