A history of Rockingham County, Virginia, Part 1

Author: Wayland, John Walter, 1872-1962
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Dayton, Va. : Ruebush-Elkins Co.
Number of Pages: 578


USA > Virginia > Rockingham County > Rockingham County > A history of Rockingham County, Virginia > Part 1


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Photo by Dean THE PEAK, MASSANUTTEN MOUNTAIN


(Page 32),


A HISTORY OF


ROCKINGHAM COUNTY


VIRGINIA


BY


JOHN W. WAYLAND, Ph.D.


Professor of History, State Normal School, Harrisonburg, Va .; Member Virginia Historical Society, American Historical Association, Pennsylvania-German Society, Etc .; Author of "Politi- cal Opinions of Thomas Jefferson," "The Ger- man Element of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia," Etc.


RUEBUSH-ELKINS COMPANY DAYTON, VIRGINIA .


1912


3


COPYRIGHT, 1912, JOE K. RUEBUSH AND P. H. ELKINS


Published and Sold by RUEBUSH-ELKINS COMPANY DAYTON, VA.


CM.A330287


R


OUTLINE OF CONTENTS.


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. INTRODUCTION. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. PART I. - CHRONOLOGICAL.


CHAPTER.


I. Geography of Rockingham County. Geological Features.


II.


III. First White Settlers: 1727-1738.


IV. Rockingham as Part of Augusta: 1738-1777. V. The New County and the New Nation: 1777-1820.


VI. A Growing Community: 1820-1860.


VII. Rockingham in the Civil War: 1861-1865.


VIII. The Days of Reconstruction: 1865-1876.


IX. From 1876 to 1912.


X. Rockingham To-Day.


PART II. - TOPICAL.


XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI.


Towns and Villages of Rockingham.


Roads and Railroads.


Race Elements and Population.


Churches and Religious Life.


Education and Schools. Charitable Institutions.


XVII. Writers and Printers: Books and Periodicals. Singers of Rockingham.


XVIII. XIX. Rockingham Statesmen and Jurists.


Farms and Farmers.


XX. XXI. Domestic Arts and Manufacturing Enterprises.


XXII. Banks and Banking.


XXIII. Health Resorts.


XXIV. Natural Curiosities.


XXV. Hunting in the Western Mountains.


XXVI. Boating on the Shenandoah River.


XXVII. Court Days of Long Ago. XXVIII. Some Interesting Incidents: Spotswood's Expedition of 1716 and the Uni- versity Pageant of 1909. The Coming of the Lincolns. Daniel Boone on Linville Creek. Valentine Sevier's Sale Bill. The Influenza of 1806-7. A Case of Body-Snatching. A Visit to Philadelphia in 1847. Death of Ashby: 1862. Stonewall Jackson at Port Republic.


Killing of John Kline: 1864.


Death of Meigs: 1864. The Thurman Movement.


Sidney Lanier at Rockingham Springs. A Fence Corner Council.


CONCLUSION.


APPENDIX.


Sheriffs of Rockingham.


County Judges and Circuit Judges.


County Clerks rnd Circuit Clerks.


Commonwealth's Attorneys.


Superintendents of Schools.


County Surveyors.


Members of House of Delegates.


Members of State Senate.


Marriages in Rockingham, 1778-1720.


Landowners in Rockingham in 1789.


Muster Rolls of Rockingham Soldiers.


Business and Professional Directory of Rocking- ham County: 1912. Bibliography: A list of books, magazines, and newspapers containing information con- cerning Rockingham County and Rock- ingham People.


INDEX.


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


Frontispiece, The Peak


-


-


-


-


District Map


16


Geological Map


24


General John Sevier


32


Site of First Court House


48


Bear Lithia Spring


-


48


Suter Wheat Field -


-


-


-


-


48


Steam Plow -


-


48


Court House of 1833


64


Court House of 1874, two views


64


Court House of 1896 -


64


Chesapeake-Western Bridge


- 80


Bridgewater Bridge -


80


Confluence of the Rivers, Port Republic


80


Lethe -


-


96


Lincoln Homestead


-


-


96


Miller Farm Scene - - - - -


96


Mt. Clinton -


96


State Normal School


112


Senator John F. Lewis


128


Etching, 10th Va. Regt. Camp Equipment


138


Battle-Flag 10th Va. Reg. 144 -


Flag of Chrisman's Boy Company 144 -


Flag Saved at Appomattox 144 -


Port Republic Battlefield -


144


Hon. John T. Harris


- 160 -


Fort Lynne


176


Conrad's Store


-


-


176


Funk Printing House


176


Madison Hall


176


Smithland -


176


Old Stone Fort


176


-


-


-


-


-


-


-


-


-


.


-


-


-


-


-


.


-


Bowman's Mill


176


Bogota - Waterman House


- 176


Chinkapin Tree


-


192


Town Hall, Bridgewater -


192


Farm Lands on Cook's Creek


192


Historical Map


198


Bridgewater College


204


Elkton Hotel -


208


Singer's Glen


208 208


Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters


208


View of Harrisonburg -


224


Site of Salyards School (McGaheysville)


224


Singers Glen High School


224


Orphans' Home -


224 224


Blosser Hatchery


224


Bishop James Madison


256


Big Spring


272


Ashby's Monument


272


Olden Days on Court Square


272


Asbury's Chapel


272


Old St. Peter's Church


272


District Sunday School Map -


280


Bridgewater Graded and High School


288


Waterman School


288


Harrisonburg High School


288


McGaheysville Graded and High School 288


Shenandoah Collegiate Institute 296


Joseph Salyards -


304 312


U. S. Court House and Postoffice


Rockingham Memorial Hospital -


312


Rockingham County Almshouse -


312


Old Folks' Home 312


Dr. Gessner Harrison 320


Etching, Oldest Known Number Rockingham Register 336


Title-Page Genuine Church Music -


342 Judge Daniel Smith 352 -


-


First Postoffice -


-


Old Elk Run Church


Henry Tutwiler 240


192


Hon. Chas. T. O'Ferrall


359


Judge John Paul


360


Senator I. S. Pennybacker


Hand-Woven Coverlets


368 384 394


Rawley Springs


Massanetta Springs


394 400 400


Cedar Cliff Falls


400


Formation in Massanutta Cave


400


Diamond Lake, New Market Endless Caverns


400


Sidney Lanier Cottage - -


416


Keezletown School Building


-


-


416


A Rockingham Orchard


416


First Piano Brought Into Rockingham


-


- 416


Pageant, Knights of Golden Horseshoe


426


Mt. Vernon Furnace


432


Where Meigs Fell 432


The Falls, Bridgewater


432


Brock's Gap


432


Lincoln Graveyard


432


Silver Lake, Dayton


432


Sidney Lanier


-


- -


- 434


-


-


Washington's Profile


Giant's Grave


INTRODUCTION.


In this volume we present to the public the results of the first serious attempt ever made to write and publish a com- prehensive illustrated history of Rockingham County, Vir- ginia. That the task herein essayed has not been undertaken before is remarkable, in view of the broad scope and inviting character of the field; for the sons of Rockingham, both at home and abroad, have been making history for many gen- erations. They have made this fair land between the moun- tains to blossom as the rose; they have cleared farms and enriched them; they have founded homes and kept them in the light of sacred fires; they have builded altars and worshiped before them; they have erected schools and trained their children; they have sought peace and pursued it, yet in the hour of battle they have set their bravest and best in the forefront; they have borne loss and disaster without flinching, and in the midst of wasted fields and homesteads have raised again the standards of a free and prosperous people. Not only have the brave gone forth for defense, and the strong to arduous labor, but the fair have also done faithfully their noble part. In peace or war, in prosperity or adversity, the women of Rockingham have risen always to their high destiny. Their invincible spirit has given motive to soldier and farmer and scholar; their hands have ministered to sick and wounded, their prayers have soothed the dying; the memorials raised by their toil and patience enhance the past and inspire the future. We give them honor.


It has been the author's purpose in this history (1) to give due recognition to all the important phases of Rocking- ham life, interests, and enterprises; (2) to emphasize those


V


particular interests and activities that have given the county its distinctive character and influence; (3) to find and pre- serve some treasures lost, or nearly lost, in the lapse of time and the obscuring din of busy days.


Inasmuch as Rockingham is a great county, mine has been a great task. How well it has been performed, the intelligent reader must judge. No one more than the author will realize the lacks and deficiencies in the result, but he hopes and believes that all will at least credit him with a sincere purpose and an earnest effort. No opinion, however adverse, and no criticism, however sharp, can take from him the joy that he has found in the work. To him it has been indeed a labor of love. The splendid achievements and re- sources of the county have been appreciated as never before, and things in her history have been found-often by seeming chance or rare good fortune-that were before undreamed of.


At the laying of the corner stone for the new Court House in 1896, Judge John Paul delivered an address that contains much valuable information concerning the courts and civil officials of Rockingham. This address has been found very helpful by the author of this book. In 1885 Mr. George F. Compton, now of Charlottesville, Va., published an ex- tended and interesting series of historical articles on the county in the Rockingham Register; in 1900 Mr. John H. Floyd of Day- ton wrote a series of ten historical papers concerning Rock- ingham, and published them in the Harrisonburg Free Press; in addition, many historical pieces, in books, magazines, and newspapers have appeared from time to time. To all these, so many as he has seen, the author makes due and grateful acknowledgement; all that he has found published, in any available form, he has listed, and in many cases described, in the appended Bibliography; at the same time he begs leave to state that the bulk of the matter presented in this volume has been collected and prepared by himself, with the gen- erous aid of many friends, from sources that may in a large measure be termed original. It would of course be impossible to enumerate all the sources from which materials have been obtained; but some of the more important ones are herewith indicated.


vi


First in natural order and importance are the official records to be found in the land office at Richmond and in the county clerks' offices of Orange, Augusta, and Rockingham County. The records of marriages, of land sales, and of court proceedings are rich in facts and interest and signifi- cance. Of almost equal importance with these original records, are the many printed volumes of Hening's Statutes and the Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia. Old almanacs and files of old newspapers have been found to contain circumstantial accounts of important events that could scarcely be obtained from any other source. Old files of the Rockingham Register have proved of special value in this respect. Containing as they do particular and contemporary accounts of practically every notable happening in the county within the past ninety years, the successive issues of the Register are a very treasure-house to the student and anti- quarian. A complete and well-preserved file of the Register, from the first issue in 1822 to the present, would be sought after eagerly by any of the great libraries of the country, and would command almost any price. Although the writer has not seen any complete file of this paper, he has been exceedingly fortunate in securing what is perhaps the best file in existence. Through the generous kindness of Mr. R. B. Smythe, manager of the News-Register Company, Har- risonburg, Va., he now has in his possession Register files covering many years. These have been found most helpful in the preparation of this book. Miss Hortense Devier, whose father, Giles Devier, was for many years editor of the said paper, has made a generous loan of extended files. In addition to these files, many fugitive copies of the Register, some dating back almost to the first issue, have been put into the author's hands by his friends, as either a gift or a loan. Special acknowledgement is made to Hon. Geo. E. Sipe for access to files of the Old Commonwealth. For all these favors he is duly grateful.


He has also had put at his disposal files of other pe- riodicals, old ledgers and day books, and even personal manu- scripts and diaries. A manuscript account of Harrisonburg,


vii


its people, and the activities centering in it as the county- seat, written in 1892 by a lady who was born in the town in 1812, and giving realistic descriptions of days and doings nearly a century ago, should be specially mentioned. The records of the Methodist church, dating back in their begin- ning more than a hundred years, have been a source of much information having a general as well as a particular interest. Photographers have contributed pictures, authors have given their books, publishers have opened their presses in hearty


and generous co-operation. The librarians at Richmond and at the State University, as well as at other places where the author has gone gathering facts, have been obliging and helpful; hundreds of persons all over the county, and in many other parts of our great country, have responded cheerfully to personal letters requesting particular informa- tion. It is indeed an embarrassment of riches that has confronted the author; the task has been one of selection rather than of collection, though he has sought far and long for some things herein presented. He feels, therefore, that he may be justly criticised, not so much for what he has given in this book as for what he has been obliged to leave out. It has been deemed wiser, on the whole, to keep the volume within reasonable size and cost than to include so much as to make it cumbersome in bulk or expensive in price. We have tried to make a book for the average reader, for every citizen, as well as for the scholar and antiquarian.


Grateful acknowledgement is made to special contributors and others who have given aid in supplying materials or sug- gesting lines of choice, and the names of many of these will be found in the proper connections throughout the volume.


Special mention is yet due in this place, and is gratefully made, of the uniform courtesy extended to the author by Col. D. H. Lee Martz, clerk of the circuit court in Rocking- ham, and by his assistants, Mr. C. H. Brunk and Mr. J. Frank Blackburn.


CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.


1716-September-Spotswood visits the Valley-East Rock- ingham.


1727-Adam Miller settles on the Shenandoah River.


1738-November-Act of Assembly passed creating Frederick and Augusta Counties.


1745-September 23-John Sevier born in Rockingham.


1749-August 27-James Madison, first Protestant Episcopal bishop of Virginia, born at Port Republic.


1751-Thomas Lewis and Gabriel Jones buy land in East Rockingham.


1753-May 11-Valentine and Joannah Sevier sell land to Andrew Byrd, on or near Smith's Creek.


1758-April 28-Massacre at Fort Seybert.


1763-April 18-Valentine Sevier sells his personal property to Andrew Byrd.


1769-Lutheran and Reformed congregations at Peaked Moun- tain agree to build a union church.


1773-August 15-Valentine and Joanna Sevier sell land in Long Meadow to Michael and David Holsinger.


1775-October-John Alderson installed as pastor of the Lin- ville Creek Baptist church.


1777-October-Act of Assembly passed creating Rocking- ham County.


1778-April 27, 28-First court held for Rockingham County. 1779-August 5-Thomas Harrison sells lot for county buildings.


1780-May-Act of Assembly passed establishing Harrison- burg.


1780-First Presbyterian preaching in Harrisonburg, accord- ing to tradition.


1782-Abraham Lincoln goes from Rockingham County to Kentucky.


A HISTORY OF


1784-First court house for Rockingham completed.


1787-December-Act of Assembly passed creating Pendleton County.


1789-October 29-Rockingham Union Lodge, No. 27, A. F. & A. M., chartered.


1791-December-Act of Assembly passed establishing Kee- zletown.


1794-Bishop Asbury organizes Methodist school in Harrison- burg.


1801-McGaheysville named for Tobias Randolph McGahey. 1802-January 14-Port Republic established by Act of As- sembly.


1804-January 5-New Haven established by Act of As- sembly.


1805-Robert Gray locates at Harrisonburg.


1807-November 16-Henry Tutwiler, first M. A. of Univer- sity of Virginia, born in Harrisonburg.


1807-December-Dr. Peachey Harrison writes of Rocking- ham for Philadelphia Medical Museum.


1809-George Rockingham Gilmer of Georgia visits Rocking- ham.


1809-Bishop Newcomer (U. B.) confers with Bishop Asbury (M. E.) at Harrisonburg.


1811-February 20-Dr. Asher Waterman sells 35,000 acres of West Rockingham land for $13,125.


1813-Daniel Bryan publishes the "Mountain Muse."


1816-Rockingham


Methodists prepare memorial against slavery.


1818-Brown's "Circular" published.


1818-Harrison's Cave discovered.


1820 (?)-Garber's Church built.


1822-Trissel's Church built.


1822-Rockingham Register founded by Lawrence Wartmann.


1824-January 26-Timothy Funk born at Mountain Valley. 1825-Mt. Crawford established by Act of Assembly.


1826-February 18-Act of Assembly passed chartering Rock- ingham Academy.


-10-


A


ROCKINGHAM COUNTY


1828-Linville Creek Church (of the Brethren) built.


1831-March-Act of Assembly passed creating Page County. 1832-Dunker Annual Meeting held in Rockingham County. 1832-First edition of Joseph Funk's "Genuine Church Music."


1833-January 7-Great Anti-Nullification meeting held in Harrisonburg.


1833-January Court-Old courthouse sold.


1833-March-Dayton established by Act of Assembly.


1834-Valley Turnpike Company authorized to construct toll road from Winchester to Harrisonburg.


1835-February-Bridgewater established by Act of Assem- bly.


1839-40-Extraordinary snows in Rockingham County.


1840-December 19-Joseph Salyards advertises the resump- tion of school at McGaheysville.


1844-Sons of Temperance organize at Harrisonburg.


1844-Liberty Springs Company buys land.


1847-Joseph Funk and Sons open printing office at Mountain Valley.


1847-October 5-Cyclone near Friedens Church.


1848-Mt. Vernon Furnace in Brown's Gap built.


1850-Rockingham Parish reorganized and put in charge of Rev. James B. Goodwyn.


1850-Death of Judge Daniel Smith.


1858-Jed Hotchkiss publishes description of Northwest Rockingham.


1861-Dunker Annual meeting held in Rockingham.


1861-October-Girls' school at Harrisonburg turned into a Confederate hospital.


1862-May 8-Col. S. B. Gibbons killed at McDowell.


1862-June 6-Gen. Turner Ashby killed near Harrisonburg.


1862-June 8-Battle of Cross Keys.


1862-June 9-Battle of Port Republic.


1862-December 24-Joseph Funk dies at Singer's Glen.


1864-May 5-Col. E. T. H. Warren and Maj. I. G. Coffman killed in the Wilderness.


-11-


A HISTORY OF


1864-June 15-John Kline killed in Rockingham.


1866-John W. Taylor begins teaching at Lacey Springs.


1866-School for colored children organized in Harrisonburg


by Misses Martha Smith and Phoeby Libby, of Augusta, Maine.


1868-February-Lutheran Church in Harrisonburg rededi- cated.


1868-July 13-Old Waterman home near Harrisonburg burns.


1868-Thurman movement in Rockingham culminates.


1869-Rockingham Home Mutual Fire Insurance Company organized.


1869-First railroad opened to Harrisonburg.


1869-New stage line opened from Harrisonburg to Shenan- doah Iron Works.


1870-January-Musical Million established at Singer's Glen. 1870-January-Navigation opened on Shenandoah River in Brock's Gap.


1870-October-Destructive Floods.


1870-December 25-Destructive fire in Harrisonburg, south side of Public Square.


1871-Harrisonburg graded school organized under new public school system-J. S. Loose, principal.


1871-U. S. District Court located at Harrisonburg.


1872-January 6-West Rockingham Mutual Fire Insurance Company organized.


1872-April-Redivision of Rockingham County into 5 town- ships.


1872-John Cover builds tannery near Conrad's Store.


1873-September 29-Valley Normal School at Bridgewater opened.


1874-March-First train over Valley Railroad from Harrison- burg to Staunton.


1874-November-Grading on Narrow Gauge completed from Harrisonburg to Bridgewater.


1874-Third Court House erected.


1875-Shenandoah Collegiate Institute at Dayton founded.


-12-


ROCKINGHAM COUNTY


1876-May-Catholic church in Harrisonburg consecrated.


1876-Monument to soldiers erected in Woodbine Cemetery by Ladies' Memorial Association.


1877-November-Destructive floods.


1878-Ruebush-Kieffer printing house moved to Dayton.


1879-June-Dunker Annual Meeting at Broadway.


1879-August-September-Sidney Lanier at Rockingham Springs.


1879-New Market Endless Caverns discovered.


1880-Bridgewater College started at Spring Creek.


1880-March-Broadway established by Act of Assembly.


1881-April 18-First through trains from Hagerstown to Waynesboro on Norfolk & Western Railway.


1881-September-A. C. Kimler begins teaching at McGah- eysville.


1881-A. S. Kieffer publishes "Hours of Fancy."


1885-Lake's Atlas of Rockingham County published.


1885-G. F. Compton begins history of Rockingham in the Register.


1887-Shenandoah Normal College located at Harrisonburg.


1889-Dunker Annual Meeting at Harrisonburg.


1892-February-Shendun established by Act of Assembly.


1892-March 1-Old Folks' Home at Timberville opened.


1892-Harrisonburg synagogue dedicated.


1892-Emma Lyon Bryan publishes "A Romance of the Valley."


1893-Massanutta Cave, near Keezletown, discovered.


1894-February-Timberville established by Act of Assembly.


1895-July 31-Chesapeake & Western Railway completed to Dayton.


1895-September 13-C. & W. Railway completed to Bridge- water.


1897-Fourth Court House erected.


1897-Cross Keys Home Mutual Fire Insurance Company or- ganized.


1898-New water system for Harrisonburg put in operation. 1898-Harrisonburg Daily News established.


-13-


A HISTORY OF


1899-April 18-Valley Telephone Company absorbed by the Rockingham Mutual System.


1899-May 20-President McKinley in Harrisonburg.


1899-July 1-Rockingham County Medical Association or- ganized.


1903-Nettie Gray Daingerfield publishes "That Dear Old Sword."


1905-Harrisonburg Daily Times established.


1906-April-Fravel Sash and Door Company moved to Har- risonburg.


1906-J. C. Paxton builds lime kiln at Linville.


1907-J. W. Wayland publishes the "German Element of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia."


1911-Harrisonburg and Rockingham County adopted com- pulsory education law.


1908-March-Elkton incorporated.


1909-June-Great Dunker Annual Meeting at Harrisonburg.


1909-September-State Normal School at Harrisonburg opened.


1911-Waterman School opened.


1911-Rockingham Memorial Hospital built.


1911-L. J. Heatwole publishes his perpetual calendar.


1911-Rockingham Daily Record established.


1912-Legislature changes the name of Shendun to Grottoes.


1912-State Sunday-School convention held in Harrisonburg. 1912-E. U. Hoenshel publishes the "Crimson Trail."


CHAPTER I.


GEOGRAPHY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY.


Rockingham County, Virginia, extends from the Blue Ridge on the southeast entirely across the great valley to the first Alleghany ranges on the northwest, and has an area of 870 square miles. Only two counties in the State, Augusta and Pittsylvania, are larger. Excepting a great notch, cut out of the east corner in 1831 in the formation of Page County, Rockingham is nearly a square, and lies on the map as if its corners were approaching the cardinal points of the compass in a right-hand turn. The corner farthest north extends nearly up to the 39th parallel of latitude, the south corner be- ing almost as near to the [38th. As to longitude, the 79th meridian cuts it almost in half.


A line drawn due east from the north corner of Rock- ingham, and measured in that course 107 miles, would end in sight of the Washington Monument, on the south side to- wards Alexandria. One drawn southeastward from the south corner, and measured 87 miles, would end at a point near enough to Manchester and Richmond to be in sound of the chiming bells in those cities beside the James.




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