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HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, 1746-1786 Washington County 1777-1870
SUMMERS
Margaret 7. Sayre
TC 889
88
100-
AT
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History
OF
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786,
Washington County, 1777-1870.
BY
LEWIS PRESTON SUMMERS,
OF THE
ABINGDON BAR, Alumnus of the University of Virginia, and of Tulane University, Louisiana, and Member of the Virginia Historical Society.
RICHMOND, VA. : J. L. HILL PRINTING COMPANY, I903.
COPYRIGHT 1903
BY
LEWIS PRESTON SUMMERS.
This Book is dedicated to the memory of the first settlers of Southwest Virginia, whose enterprise conquered her domain and whose love of freedom and valor in defending their rights have given to their posterity the blessings of civil and relig- ious liberty.
ERRATA.
On pages 18 and 39 the motto on the Golden Horseshoe presented by Governor Spotswood to his comrades in the expedition across the Blue Ridge Mountains is given as, "Sie jurat transcendere montes." (Thus he swears to cross the mountains. I am aware that some authorities state the motto was, "Sie juvat transcendere montes." (Thus it delights (us). to cross the mountains.)
On page 18, last line, instead of "countries " read "two counties."
On page 31, line 14, read "other" between words "the " and " Indians."
On page 53, line 5, instead of " settling " read "setting."
On page 57, line 11, instead of "Inglish " read " Inglis."
On page 73, line 17, instead of "Judds' friend " read Judds Friend."
.On page 76, line 2, the word "Fountainbleau " should be "Fountainebleau."
On page 93, lines 25 and 29, instead of "Cloud's Fort " read " Cloud's Ford."
On page 114, line 3, instead of " Walden " read " Wallen."
On page 143, line 4, instead of "Glass" read " Gass."
On page 146, line 7, instead of "Bower" read "Bowyer."
On page 148, line 18, instead of "Isaach " read " Isaac."
On page 164, line 2, a period should appear after " Burgesses," followed by a new paragraph.
On page 184, line 7, instead of "county " read "country."
On page 195, line 22, instead of " marchandise" read " merchandise."
On page 257, line 6, instead of "Washington Districts" read "Washington Dis- trict."
On page 291, instead of "1,098.9" read "1,098."
On page 292, line 26, instead of "rank " read "ranks."
On page 360, line 2, instead of " was " read " were."
On page 361, line 11, instead of "citizens " read " citizen."
On page 364, line 5, instead of "commissioners " read "commissioner."
On page 367, line 4, instead of "Tranalleghany" read "Transalleghany."
On page 369, line 6, instead of " Walliam " read " William."
On page 370, line 6, instead of "bans" read " banns."
On page 435, line 11, instead of "agents " read "agent."
On page 448, line 14, instead of " A. S. A." read " U. S. A."
On page 461, line 20, instead of "effecting" read "affecting."
On page 463, line 15, instead of "effected " read "affected."
On page 488, line 14, instead of " Moline del Rey " read " Molino del Rey." On page 502, line 1, instead of "receive" read "receives."
On page 521, line 23, instead of "ordinance " read "ordnance."
On page 522, line 1, instead of " Cecill " read " Cecil."
On page 571, line 9, instead of " Dupree " read " Dupre."
On page 590, line 12, instead of "Hindley Harris" read "Findley Harris."
INTRODUCTION.
The writer is a native born son of Southwest Virginia, and has always felt a great pride in his country, and since reaching ma- turity has been interested in the history of this section.
In the schools but little has been taught in regard to the his- tory of this portion of Virginia, as but a small part of its history has been preserved. Our historians have been citizens of Eastern Virginia or of other States; and while our people have been mak- ing history from the earliest settlement, scarcely any effort has been made to preserve it, and as a result other parts of our country whose history has been preserved have in many instances received credit that properly belongs to the people of this section of Vir- ginia, and being impressed with this fact, and prompted by a do- sire to preserve the past history of our people, he determined, a few years since, to collect the history of Southwest Virginia, in so far as it was possible, and to rescue the same from oblivion, and in doing this work he has given such time only as he could spare from his professional duties.
If an apology is needed for his effort in thus attempting to pre- serve this history it will be found in the remark of Lord Macaulay, wherein he justly observed: "A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."
There can be no question that this section of Virginia has been robbed of much of the honor due her for the carly settlement of the vast extent of country to the west and south thereof, and that the noble deeds of her sons have been aseribed to others; and a knowledge of this fact has rendered necessary the preservation of the deeds of the worthy citizens that this section has produced, not only to gratify the pride of our citizens, but to remind them of the obligations they are under, and to supply them with exam- ples of patriotism which they may seek to emulate.
The writer feels his inability to properly perform this task, but hopes that the gleanings he has gathered may suffice in some more skillful hands to weave for the founders and builders of our country
8
Introductory.
an enduring garland of glory, and he asks a kind indulgence of the reader for such errors, omissions, and imperfections as may be found in this work.
In the words of Judge Haywood: "Let no one censure his mo- tives, for they are pure. There will indeed be much room to blame the defective performance of the author, but this he will hear with the greatest pleasure if the person dissatisfied will, for the benefit of his country, either produce a more perfect work or con- tribute to the merits of this."
In the preparation of this work he has obtained information from various persons and places, but in nearly every instance has required documentary evidence for all statements made, and has given references where the statement is liable to be questioned, and in quoting original papers has done so without changing the same in any particular.
In the course of the preparation of this work he has received as- sistance from a number of persons, for which he feels deeply grateful. He desires to mention in this connection the following persons : Miss Lucy Landrum, his stenographer, who has faithfully labored in preparing his manuscript for the printer; W. G. Stan- ard, secretary of the Virginia Historical Society; the secretary of the New York Historical Society, Hon. J. L. Bristow ; Fourth As- sistant Postmaster-General, C. A. Dunnington; Congressional Li- brary, Washington, D. C .; Thomas E. Nimmo, State Library, Rich- mon, Va .; Mrs. Margaret C. Pilcher, Nashville, Tenn .; Prof. T. D. Davidson and many others. L. P. SUMMERS,
June 13, 1903.
Abingdon, Va.
History of Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870.
CHAPTER I.
1001-1716. The history of Virginia, from the earliest times until the date of the formation of Washington county by the General Assembly of Virginia, is interesting and instructive, and is necessary to a thorough comprehension of that part of our history subsequent thereto.
In the year 1001, the American Continent was discovered by Leif Erickson, a Northman, who sailed west from Greenland, and landed on the coast of America in 41144 north latitude. He named the land of his discovery Vineland. This discovery was made in the spring of the year, and the luxuriant growth of vegetation that adorned the land suggested the name-Vineland.
This continent was visited by the Northmen at intervals from the time of the discovery of Erickson until as late as 1347. The visits of the Northmen to America have often been questioned, and were generally doubted, until discoveries made in recent times.
An examination of the records and documents to be found in the archives of the Antiquarian Society of Copenhagen put to rest this question.
So eminent an authority as Humboldt, after an examination of the record, says: "The discovery of the northern part of America by the Northmen cannot be disputed."
No practical benefit resulted from the adventures of the North- men, and in view of the fact that those people ceased to visit the newly discovered country after 1347, and actually forgot the ex- plorations of their people, they are to be given but little credit for their early discoveries.
From the time of the last visit of the Northmen, in 1347, until the year 1492, the continent of America was unknown to the inhabi-
10
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
tants of the rest of the world; they had never before heard of such a land; the curtain of oblivion shut out from the vision of man- kind the garden spot of God's creation.
1492. In the year 1492, Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, Italy, bearing the flag of Spain, after surmounting innumer- able difficulties, sailed west in search of a new land and discovered what afterwards proved to be San Salvador, one of the Bahama Islands. He took possession of the newly discovered land in the name of the King and Queen of Spain.
Columbus did not visit the mainland of the American Continent until many years thereafter. Nothing could be more pleasant than to study the life and daring adventures of Columbus and other Spanish, Portuguese, and French explorers, but their efforts are in no way associated with the history of the country that we purpose to deal with in this book ; this pleasure, therefore, must be deferred to another time.
Columbus ! His name should be ever revered, and his fame is as imperishable as the continent that he gave by discovery to the world.
1497. John Cabot, in the year 1497, sailing the flag of England, commissioned so to do by Henry VII, discovered Newfoundland and Labrador, and declared that he had found a new world.
1498. The following year John and Sebastian Cabot, under a new commission from the King of England, fitted out an expedi- tion under the charge of Sebastian Cabot, and, sailing in a north- wardly course, sought a route to the East India Islands, but the inclemency of the weather and the insurpassable barrier of ice forced the abandonment of the original purpose of the expedition. The course of the voyage was consequently changed, and, as a result, Virginia was discovered in the year 1498.
John and Sebastian Cabot were the first to discover the Eastern coast of America, and England laid claim to all the vast territory between the 34th and 68th parallels of north latitude from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans, basing her claim on this discovery.
1539. De Soto, by a commission from the King of Spain, in the years 1539 and 1540, extended his discoveries from the north of Florida inland to the head waters of the present Holston and Clinch rivers and thence to the Mississippi river.
1584. Eighty-five years intervened between the time of the
11
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
discoveries of John and Sebastian Cabot and the first permanent set- tlement made in all the vast territory claimed by England by reason of their discoveries, and the honor attending this event justly be- longs to Sir Walter Raleigh, a young nobleman, a participant in the French Protestant wars, who in 1493 applied to Queen Eliza- beth for assistance in fitting out an expedition for the purpose of planting a Colony in America. In answer to his application the Queen gave him a commission creating him Lord of all that por- tion of the American continent claimed by England.
The first expedition sent out by Raleigh was composed of two ships, and their object was to make discoveries. This expedition sailed in April, 1584, and, on the 13th day of July of the same ycar, entered Ocracoke inlet within the present limits of North Carolina. Here they remained until September, 1584, at which time they sailed for England, and upon their arrival Elizabeth gave the country the name of Virginia. Immediately upon their return seven ships carrying one hundred and eighty men set sail for the New World and landed at Roanoke Island in the year 1585.
This company, charmed with the prospects, decided to settle on the island. Many of the company, not being accustomed to labor and not being inclined to work, were greatly disappointed in their hopes, became disheartened and, at the first opportunity, returned to England.
Sir Richard Grenville left fifteen men on the island to guard the rights of England.
Sir Ralph Lane, one of the returning colonists, introduced the use of tobacco into England, he and the other colonists having learned from the Indians to smoke it.
1587. In 1587 Raleigh sent out another expedition to settle Roanoke Island. This expedition was composed of women and children as well as men.
Upon reaching their destination in safety they found the tene- ments and fort in ruins and the beasts of the forest feeding on the vegetation where the former settlements had been located. They found, also, scattered about the former settlement, the bones of the fifteen men left by Sir Richard Grenville.
This Colony was in charge of John White. Soon after the land- ing, on August 18th, 1587, a child was born to Annias and Vir- ginia Dare, to whom was given the name of "Virginia Dare." This
12
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
was the first white child born of English parents in America. Soon after the birth of Virginia Dare, John White returned to England for supplies for the Colony, leaving behind him eighty-nine men, seventeen women and eleven children. He was delayed on his return voyage and when he arrived at Roanoke Island after an absence of three years no trace of the Colony could be found except the word Croatan carved on a tree.
It is said, but not verified, that some of this Colony found shelter among the Indians on the coast of North Carolina.
This story of the first settlement in this part of America remains one of the saddest tragedies in our history.
1606. One hundred and fourteen years had passed since the discovery of America by Columbus, when King James the First of England granted to a company* of wealthy merchants a patent of that part of America lying between the 34th and 45th degrees north latitude and all islands within one hundred miles of the coast. This grant was divided between the London and Plymouth companies.
The London Company sent out an expedition composed of one hundred and five colonists under the command of Captain Christo- pher Newport, an experienced seaman. Although this expedition sailed in 1606, it did not reach the mouth of Chesapeake bay until May 15, 1607.
+James river and Capes Henry and Charles were discovered and named for the king of England and his sons. The colonists continued the voyage up the James river about fifty miles, when they landed and began the erection of houses and the making of all necessary arrangements for a permanent settlement. Thus was founded Jamestown, and thus occurred, according to a noted histo- rian, "The most important event in profane history," and thus the foundation stones of the greatest commonwealth and republic the world has ever known were laid by men whose posterity were destined to kindle a spirit of political and religious liberty such as can be extinguished only with the Anglo-Saxon race.
This settlement at Jamestown may be regarded as the starting point of all Virginia histories.
The first Colony in Virginia began under circumstances having
*Stith-Henning's Statutes at Large, page 60.
+ Indian name "Powhatan River."
15
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
his authority, exercised rightly, met the demands of the hour. During his administration the Colony was augmented by the arrival of three hundred emigrants from England.
From the founding of the Colony at Jamestown in 1607 until the latter part of the administration of Sir Thomas Dale all property had been held in common, but he directed a division of property among the colonists, and from this time we may certainly trace an improvement in the conditions of the people.
Every man thereafter was dependent upon his individual exer- tions for his livelihood. Laziness was punished by flogging and irons. Mutineers and deserters were punished with death. The lands of the colonists were divided and allotted to the members of the Colony, and then, for the first time, the right of property in lands was recognized in America. Several new settlements were made during this time on both sides of the James river.
The administration of the affairs of the Colony was entrusted suc- cessively to Sir Thomas Gates, George Yeardly and Captain Argall, and to George Yeardly again in 1619.
The administration of George Yeardly marks an epoch in the history of mankind.
Beyond question his inspiration was human liberty and repre- sentative govenment. He believed the colonists should have a hand in the government of themselves. He called a legislative assembly to meet at Jamestown on July 30th, 1619, to be composed of two representatives from each of the eleven boroughs into which the Colony was divided, and this assembly was called the House of Burgesses.
Thus was planted the germ from which sprang representative government in America, and thus to Virginia may be credited the honor of being the first State in the world* "composed of separate boroughs diffused over an extensive surface in which the govern- ment was organized on the principle of universal suffrage."
All freemen, without exception, were entitled to vote.
In the following year, 1620, a Dutch ship landed at Jamestown and sold to the planters about twenty Africans to be held as slaves, and thus began slavery in America.
On the 24th day of July, 1621, the London Company gave to the Virginia colonists a written Constitution, granting all the rights
* Bancroft.
16
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
and liberties theretofore granted by George Yeardly, and, about the same time, a shipload of English maidens, about one hundred in all, arrived at Jamestown. There was great rejoicing, and general prosperity prevailed; the colonists were no longer numbered by hundreds, but by thousands.
1622. Sir Francis Wyatt became Governor in the year 1622, and this year witnessed, on March 22d, the massacre of three hun- dred and forty-seven men, women and children by the Indians, but the Colony continued to grow and prosper.
The London Company was dissolved by the King in the year 1625, and from this time the crown of England dictated the policy of the Colony.
Events passed rapidly in Virginia for the next twenty years. One governor after another came and went, but none of them was of sufficient importance to be mentioned.
1634. In the year 1634 the territory of Virginia was divided into eight shires or counties similar to those in England. For each shire lieutenants were appointed to look after the military affairs, and sheriffs and justices of the peace were commissioned to hold courts in each of the counties, or shires. Thus was constituted and thus began the county court system that continued with but little change until 1870.
1646. The Virginia Colony in the struggle between Charles I of England and his Parliament sympathized with the King and did not hesitate, upon the death of Charles I, to recognize his son, Charles II, as king.
Cromwell sent a force to subdue the Colony in 1650, but the attempt was futile and the Virginians submitted only upon condi- tion that they be permitted to retain their government and the rights and privileges previously bestowed by the kings of England ; which was readily agreed to. Richard Bennett was elected Gover- nor, but was shortly thereafter succeeded by Edward Diggs. The next Governor of Virginia was Samuel Mathews, a Virginia planter of forty years' standing.
1660. Upon the restoration of Charles II in 1660, Sir William Berkley again became the Governor of Virginia.
1666. The next event of importance in the history of Virginia arose in the Colony from the dissatisfaction aroused by the acts of the British Parliament and the conduct of Sir William Berkley. A
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
large portion of the people of Virginia, under the leadership of Nathaniel Bacon, rebelled, and drove Sir William Berkley from Jamestown and forced the commissioning of Bacon as a general. These troubles ceased with the death of Bacon. This is known as Bacon's rebellion, and it partook of the spirit that prompted Patrick Henry and the people of Virginia, a hundred years later, to aspire to liberty and independence.
For a period of nearly fifty years but little of interest occurred in the history of Virginia save the succession of governors.
1698. The seat of government was removed from Jamestown to Williamsburg in 1698. The reason assigned for the removal was that Williamsburg was healthier, and the situation more convenient.
1710. Alexander Spotswood became the Governor of Virginia in 1710, and with prudence governed the Colony for twelve years. He faithfully guarded the interests of the people of Virginia and, during his administration, inaugurated many new enterprises for their good.
He was the first Postmaster-General for the Colonies and estab- lished many postoffices. Under his administration the mails were regularly carried from Williamsburg to Philadelphia. The one undertaking of this accomplished gentleman and officer that is espe- cially interesting to the people of Western Virginia is the expedition undertaken by him, when, on the 1st day of August, 1716, he set out from Chelsea upon the famous expedition to the Blue Ridge mountains.
The Virginia Colony of one hundred and five souls in 1607 had grown to nearly one hundred thousand. Twenty-four counties are to be found in the Colony, and the hardy pioneer was fast pushing his way to the base of the Blue Ridge mountains, but of the country beyond the Blue Ridge mountains nothing was known except the indefinite accounts of Indian traders.
Governor Spotswood determined to explore this unknown region and, leaving the home of his son-in-law at Chelsea, in August, 1716, accompanied by a gay and gallant band, he began his journey through a dense wilderness inhabited by beasts of prey and the cruel savage, and after thirty-six days of incessant toil and fatigue, the Governor and his party, on September 5, 1716, reached the sum- mit of one of the highest peaks of the Blue Ridge mountains, at Swift Run Gap, Augusta county, Virginia.
18
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
What a spot ! What an occasion ! What must have been the feel- ings experienced by these gallant knights, when for the first time the beautiful Shenandoah was presented to their vision! The inspiration of the occasion must have been full compensation for all the toil and perseverance expended in the effort. Governor Spots- wood, in commemoration of this expedition into the heart of the savage wilderness, presented each of the company with a small golden horse-shoe set with jewels, and this was the origin of the order, "Knights of the Golden Horse-Shoe."
The inscription upon the golden horse-shoe was "Sic jurat trans- cendere montes." (Thus he swears to cross the mountains), and it is stated that these mementoes were given to all who would accept them, promising to comply with the terms of the inscription.
Spotswood Crossing the Blue Ridge.
Governor Spotswood and his company descended the western side of the mountain into the valley, and, finding a ford, they crossed the Shenandoah river and "took possession of the country for King George the First of England." They crossed the Shenandoah river on September 6th and called it the Euphrates.
Thus the first passage of the Blue Ridge into the Valley of Virginia was made by Governor Spotswood at this time, but, as early as 1710, a company of adventurers found and went to the top of the highest mountain with their horses, but did not pass over it into the valley, by reason of the lateness of the season. Abraham Wood had visited the New River section in the year 1654.
1738. In the year 1738 the House of Burgesses of Virginia passed a bill for the formation of two countries west of the Blue
19
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
Ridge mountains, and accordingly Orange county was divided and that part of Orange county west of the Blue Ridge mountains was formed into two counties, called Frederick and Augusta counties. Thus was opened to settlement a magnificent country of which Washington county is a part, and as the history of Washington county is inseparably connected with the early history of Augusta county, I will here take leave of the general history of Virginia.
20
Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
CHAPTER II
INDIANS LIVING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.
The discovery of America by Columbus in 1492 can be attrib- uted to the pious zeal of the Queen of Spain to extend the bene- fits of the religion of Rome to all mankind, and to the search for gold. It is a matter of history that the Queen of Spain, to enable Columbus to explore the western seas, sacrificed many of the jewels pertaining to her queenly estate.
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