USA > Virginia > Orange County > Orange County > A History of Orange County, Virginia > Part 10
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And it ought to be remembered with perpetual gratitude that the city of Baltimore came to Virginia at that time with gifts in her hands-a real Ceres sowing the seeds of hope-and offered to furnish, on the credit of a crop to be planted, matured, and marketed, such seeds as the planters needed. Everybody took fresh heart and went to work. There was life in the land again. The roar of the cannons had ceased; bloody annals were still related by the fireside, but peace brood- ded over all.
And, as the order books show, the court sat on, the same justices and other officials "pursuing the noise- less tenor of their way" in the administration of County affairs; and it was not until January term, 1869, that attention is rudely arrested. Here is the caption of the order book of that time.
At a monthly court held for the County of Orange at the Courthouse on Monday, the 25th day of January, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine:
Present, Garrett Scott, Presiding Justice, Ferdinand Jones, William H. Faulconer, Edward Beazley, and James Coleman.
The first entry under that caption is this:
HEADQUARTERS FIRST MILITARY DISTRICT, State of Virginia. Richmond, Virginia December 31, 1868.
Mr. Michael D. Higgins is hereby appointed Clerk of the County and Circuit Courts of Orange County, State of Virginia, to fill the vacancy caused by the removal from office of Philip H. Fry, and is empowered to perform all the duties of the said office according to law until his successor shall be duly elected and qualified.
162
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
Before entering on the duties of his office, he will qualify as re- quired by the laws of the State and of the United States.
GEORGE STONEMAN, Brevet Major-General U. S. A. Commanding."
The cormorants had got hungry and had demanded the mess of pottage.
That this Higgins may not be confounded with the family "native here and to the manner born," let it be stated that he had, a few years before his appoint- ment, come to the County from the North and pur- chased the estate near Orange now owned by Mr. Wil- liam G. Crenshaw, Jr.
The minutes of this term, and of the February term which began on George Washington's birthday, were signed by Garrett Scott, who had been presiding justice for twenty years-his last appearance on the Bench.
Now came the period of hard swearing known as "taking the iron clad oath," and so denominated in the record when Higgins took the oaths of office.
There was no March term, but on April 26th there appeared a Court with more facile consciences; "Pre- sent John M. Chapman, presiding justice, John Terrell, John M. Shipp, and William H. Faulconer."
Daniel Sheffey Lewis, of Rockingham County, acted as attorney for the Commonwealth during this period, vice Lewis B. Williams who had held the office since 1831.
This "Presiding Justice" appears to have held but the one term. William H. Faulconer was next elected and continued to act as such until March 1870, when the county court ceased to be a Bench of justices.
163
RECONSTRUCTION, 1865 TO 1870
Other justices, whose names appear as constituting the court during this period, besides those named above, were William L. Duval, Robert Allison and Joseph K. Dobbins.
In 1870 the new constitution of the State, framed in 1867-68 by what is known in history as the "Black and Tan" or "Underwood" convention, became effec- tive; and the State was "readmitted into the Union," which she had been chiefly instrumental in forming and establishing. The delegate from Orange to that Convention was a "carpet bagger," whose name, never before nor since heard of in the County, is now known only to the curious; and which, like those of all his class, would be infamous if it had not been forgotten.
The changes wrought by it were many and grave, and chief among them was the abolition of the county courts administered by justices, an institution almost coeval with the colony, and the creation of the office of county judge.
Each county had to be laid off into townships, and the Governor appointed Garrett Scott, R. L. Gordon, Ferdinand Jones, and William F. Brooking to perform that duty in Orange. Their report is recorded in the current deed book for 1870.
The map herewith shows the boundaries of these townships, now known, by Constitutional amendment, as magisterial districts, which have not been changed since they were established.
Great apprehension was felt at the time lest the negroes, who then constituted a majority of the regis- tered voters, might work havoc in the fiscal matters
164
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
of the County by electing a majority of the newly created board of supervisors. As they had already flocked in numbers to Gordonsville and Orange, the two principal villages in the County, it was deemed essential that these precincts should be in the same township, so that the white people might maintain political ascendancy in the other three; which is the explanation of the rather remarkable boundaries of the townships.
There has, however, never been a negro supervisor in the County, nor any negro elected to office, and rarely has there been a negro jury; once, when such a jury had been impaneled to try a member of their own race for murder, the prisoner plead earnestly for a jury of white men, which was denied him.
The townships were named Barbour, Madison, Taylor, and Gordon, in memory of four eminent citizens of the County. William G. Williams was chosen by the legislature as county judge. He held his first term, April 1870, and appointed Lewis B.Williams, Common- wealth's Attorney and John G. Williams, Clerk of the courts.
There have been three county judges: William G. Williams, who resigned; William R. Taliaferro; and James W. Morton. The last named was the incumbent when the present constitution, which abolished the county courts, went into effect. He was the recipient of a handsome "loving cup," as a testimonial from the Bar, when his court ceased to be an institution.
Since 1870 matters have gone on in the usual and regular routine, with nothing of such notable moment
165
RECONSTRUCTION, 1865 TO 1870
in the order books as need be narrated here. Such items as have been omitted in the regular narrative, because not susceptible of grouping under the chapter headings, and which are deemed worthy of attention, may be found in a subsequent chapter under the head of "Miscellaneous."
CHAPTER XX.
Fiscal and Statistical, 1870 to 1907.
The narrative having been brought down to the end of Reconstruction, little remains to be told.
The recuperation from the waste of the war, has been remarkable; not more so than that of other counties enjoying like advantages of climate, soil, and market facilities, yet so remarkable as to arrest attention. For it must be remembered that Orange was a theatre of the war, almost from the beginning, and though fabu- lous prices were paid for the timber and fences des- troyed by and for the supplies furnished to the army, yet payment was made in fabulous currency, and the final result was total loss.
There were 6,11I slaves in Orange in 1860, consti- tuting an asset of quite a million and a half dollars, nearly double the value of all other personal property, which was wiped out as with a sponge.
The tax rate on slaves twelve years of age, whether decrepit or not, was $1.20 each, and the auditor's report shows 3,309 of that age, the tax on whom amounted to nearly four thousand dollars.
A table is annexed, that readers may compare for themselves values as assessed in the years 1860, 1866, and 1906. The only change of County lines since 1838 was an adjustment of the line with Louisa, whereby
166
167
FISCAL AND STATISTICAL, 1870 TO 1907
Orange gained some little territory, yet the returns show a few thousand acres less in 1906 than in 1860. In the latter year, the tax rate on lands was forty cents on the hundred dollars of assessed value; in 1866, fourteen cents, the valuation being nearly the same; in 1906 it was thirty-five cents, of which ten cents for free schools; but the assessments for this year are much lower, though not lower than for a good many years past.
No good reason can be given for this apparent depre- ciation in value, which is certainly only apparent.
There is now much more arable land, the farming has been greatly improved, and the lands are in much better condition than ever before. There has also been a very great increment of value by reason of new buildings and enclosures, yet the assessment has fallen off from more than $2,700,000 in 1860 to less than $2,000,000 in 1906, and of the latter sum nearly a quarter of a million represents town values which in 1860 were only $84,000 in amount. True, labor was abundant and cheap in 1866, gold was at a premium, the currency inflated, and the land market brisk by reason of an influx of immigrants from England and the northern States. The panic of 1873 depressed all values and for some years thereafter land could hardly be sold at any price. But these conditions no longer prevail, and normal prices have been attained for sev- eral years; yet the assessments of the panic time con- tinue not only in Orange but throughout the State.
There can be little doubt that "politics" had much to do with it, the controversy over the State debt, now
168
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
happily ended, having been a material factor in lower- ing not actual values, but values assessed for taxation.
There are but few manufactures and special indus- tries in the County ; among the latter, stock breeding, dairy farming, and poultry raising. Some years since, there was a cheese factory at Somerset, which manu- factured excellent cheese, but it has been found to be more remunerative to ship the cream and milk to the city markets than to manufacture them at home.
There was never a bona fide bank in the County till long after the war, and the early adventures in that line proved disastrous to the depositors, there having been three bank failures in a few years. Now, at the County seat there are two national banks, the "Bank of Orange," with a paid-up capital of $25,000 ; surplus, $30,000 ; deposits, $330,000; John G. Williams, presi- dent, M. G. Field, cashier; the "Citizens' National Bank," capital, $25,000; surplus, $4,000; deposits, $160,000; R. O. Halsey, president, R. C. Slaughter, cashier; and at Gordonsville there is a "Branch of the Virginia Safe Deposit and Trust Corporation," W. S. Rogers, manager. All these institutions possess the confidence of the people, and their stock commands a premium.
There are two hunt clubs, which go to the field in costume and oftener pursue a bag of anise seed than reynard; the "Tomahawk," Mr. H. O. Lyne, president and Mr. Wallace Sanford, master of hounds; and the Blue Run," Mr. William duPont, president, and Dr. James Andrews, master of hounds.
These clubs in addition to their picturesqueness and
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WOODLEY
Page 212
169
FISCAL AND STATISTICAL, 1870 TO 1907
the sport they afford their members, teach the "art of Thrace-centaur like to ride," and promote the breed- ing and training of hunters which command great prices.
The Orange Horseman's Association, Mr. Thomas Atkinson, president, has become an institution that annually draws a great throng to its exhibition. This undoubtedly constitutes the chief spectacular occa- sion of the year, and also stimulates the breeding of fine horses.
The building of the Charlottesville and Rapidan Railroad cut off Gordonsville from her main back- country trade, which has now fallen to Barboursville and Somerset. These hamlets have become the main depots of Greene and Madison, respectively, and their trade in the minor products of the farms is something phenomenal.
The County seat is the junctional point of three railroads, and its growth in recent years has been quite susbtantial. Here are two banks, a merchant mill and ice factory, a wholesale store, macadamized streets, granolithic pavements, electric lights, and a library.
Gordonsville has a bank, excellent pavements, elec- tric lights and an uncommonly good system of water works. The water, gathered into two reservoirs from a group of pure freestone springs on the mountain side, is very wholesome, and the natural gravity is sufficient to throw a stream over the greatest elevation in the town. There is one manufacturing plant in successful operation. Here the "Gordon Land Company," launched an unfortunate "boom" in 1890, which, like most booms, ended in disaster.
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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
There are six merchant mills in the county, most of them equipped with the roller-process machinery. There is little valuable timber left, but a considerable business continues in lumber and cross ties.
The "Pamunkey" neighborhood, which embraces the Orange Springs, a very fertile section of the County, lying ten miles below the County seat, has long been celebrated for the thrift and hospitality of its people.
The "Somerset" and "Rapidan" neighborhoods embrace the most beautiful and highly cultivated sections of the County. The landscape, beautiful in itself, with "the long, waving line of the Blue Pyra- nees," the Blue Ridge, for its northward horizon, is embellished with many handsome homes. The soil is very fertile, and nature has dispensed all her boun- ties with a lavish hand.
Before the war there were a good many citizens in the County of ample fortunes, as fortunes were then reckoned. Colonel George Willis's family, of Wood Park, used to come to Church at Orange in a coach and four, and fine equipages were more the rule than the exception; after the war hardly anybody was left even "well-to-do," though some of the County people have now amassed handsome fortunes. In more recent years gentlemen of great means, attrac- ted by the salubrity of the climate, the ever pleasing landscape, the historic associations and the many other features which render the country so dear to its people, have acquired homes in Orange, whose combined for- tunes aggregate millions. In most cases they have adapted themselves to their new environment, and
171
FISCAL AND STATISTICAL, 1870 TO 1907
have enlarged and adorned homes that were long cher- ished even in their former and simpler settings. They have introduced the newest methods in farming, have brought in many varieties of improved stock, and thus have stimulated agricultural activities in their respective neighborhoods; better than all, they have shown themselves, with rarest exception, to be liberal minded and public spirited, and wholly without the offensive arrogance and display of the newly rich,
In 1906 Madison district was authorized by a vote of all the districts to contract a loan of $25,000 for the improvement of its public highways; a beginning of the "Good Roads" system so much talked about of late. The universal hope is that this loan will enure to the general welfare.
In 1907 there are seventy-four public free schools in the County, forty-five white and twenty-nine col- ored, with fifty white and twenty-four colored teachers ; eight graded and one high school; school population, 2,004 white, 2,451 colored; Edmund W. Scott, Somer- set, county superintendent.
The net revenue paid into the State treasury in 1905, by the County was $16,125.60.
In 1906 the County levy was at the rate of twenty cents on the $100 for general purposes, and ten cents for schools. The magisterial district levy was from five to ten cents for schools, and twenty to thirty for roads. The receipts of the County for the year were: on real estate, $3,609.47 ; personal estate, $1,878.96; railroads, $1,034.29; telegraph and telephone lines, $33.65 ; other sources, $968.00 ; for schools, $3,279.85. Total $10,804.22.
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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
Total district receipts for schools, $2,933.08; for roads, $7,638.74 ; all purposes, $10,571.82. Grand total, county and districts, $21,376.04.
There were ninety Confederate pensioners, to whom the State paid $2,110.00.
Population in 1860, whites, 4,407 ; free negroes, 188; slaves, 6, III; total, 10,700. In 1900, whites, 7,052; negroes, 5,519; total 12,571.
Mr. Woolfolk, the County clerk, furnishes the fol- lowing figures as to the denomination of the white people's churches: Episcopal, 4; Presbyterian, 3 ; Methodist, 7; Baptist, 13; Disciples, 4; Roman Catholic, I; Free, I.
I73
FISCAL AND STATISTICAL, 1870 TO 1907
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF TAXABLE VALUES OF ORANGE COUNTY FOR THE YEARS 1860, 1866, AND 1906.
1860.
1866.
1906.
PERSONAL PROPERTY.
No.
ASSESSED VALUE.
No.
ASSESSED VALUE.
No.
ASSESSED VALUE.
Horses
2,991
$150,328 00
2,102
$119,040 00
3,881
$166,364 00
Cattle
6,599
90.631 00
4,981
80,003 00
8,263
102,482 00
Sheep
13,457
30,947 00
4,443
12,073 00
3,519
11,450 00
Hogs
10,704
19,838 00
7,187
24,128 00
6,102
14,224 00
Watches
386
11,876 00
344
12,313 00
762
6,107 00
Clocks
539
1,619 00
429
1,510 00
917
1,696 00
Pianos.
74
10,400 00
75
9,655 00
361
15,010 00
Plate and silverware ..
8,111 00
6,001 00
2,300 00
Household and kitchen furniture
88,870 00
67,800 00
91,954 00
Bonds
355,191 00
36,549 00
222,974 00
Farming implements and other personal property
7,040 00
12,120 00
94,343 00
Total
$774,851 00
$381,192 00
$728,904 00
No. ACRES.
ASSESSED VALUE.
No. ACRES.
ASSESSED VALUE.
No. ACRES.
ASSESSED VALUE.
Real Estate.
214,937
$2,279,222 00 402,988 00
214,158
$2,313,384 00 384,991 00
212,366
$1,209.567 00 474,699 00
Buildings
Town lots and buildings
84,075 00
93,246 00
239,984 00
Total.
$2,767,285 00
$2,791,621 00
$1,924,250 00
CHAPTER XXI.
Miscellaneous.
The Marquis's Road is one of the historic highways of the County, extending, originally, from old Raccoon Ford to Brock's Bridge, from the Rapidan to the North Anna.
The general impression that La Fayette constructed this road is an error. Retreating rapidly before Corn- wallis, from the neighborhood of Richmond, the latter boasting that "the boy can not escape me," he crossed the Rapidan, probably at Germanna, subsequently moving up to Raccoon Ford, where he awaited rein- forcements under Wayne. On Wayne's arrival, he began his march towards Albemarle old Courthouse, (Scottsville,) where, and also at the Point of Fork (Col- umbia, in Fluvanna County,), supplies were stored which Tarleton was menacing. The following extract from Burk's History of Virginia, 1816, Vol. IV., 507, indicates the portion of the road opened by La Fayette.
From a respectable officer of militia, at that time, the subjoined description of La Fayette's route has, been obtained ;
"I joined the Marquis's army the night they left Richmond, and encamped with the army at Winston's plantation, I believe in the County of Hanover. * The route from thence was to Culpeper
174
175
MISCELLANEOUS
County, near the Rackoon Ford, where we halted until Wayne's brigade joined. The route from thence was in bye-roads in the direction of the Rivanna River, through Orange, and the upper end of Louisa and Fluvan- na Counties. Near Boswell's Tavern the army halted one night, and the next day was marched along a new road to Mechunk Creek, which road goes by the name of 'the Marquis's road' to this day."
Citations from the order books in the chapter, "Orange in the Revolution," prove that Brock's Bridge was regarded as an important structure, and that a guard was constantly kept there long before this march oc- curred; which seems to be conclusive, that the Mar- quis did not construct the road in Orange.
This road passes La Fayette, a station on the Nar- row Gauge Railroad, named in honor of the Marquis. Here he encamped for a night, his headquarters being under a large tree on one of the boughs of which he hung his sword. This tree was blown down during a storm some years since, and later converted into cross ties. The Rev. Dr. Howison of Fredericksburg, author of a history of Virginia, and also a history of the United States, purchased some of these ties and had walking sticks made out of them.
The items following, not susceptible of grouping under a general chapter, are inserted as interesting miscellanies.
At the rating of prices for ordinaries in 1742, "whis- key" is mentioned for the first time, though something denominated "rye brandy," which was probably the same thing, had been rated some years earlier.
In that year also, there was a difference of two pence
I76
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
in the quart for "Virginia ale;" six pence "below the ridge," four pence "over the ridge." The probable explanation is that this commodity was manufactured in the Valley, and hence could be sold more cheaply there. Philip Long, who came from Alsace, was a notable citizen of that part of the county now called Page, and his lineal descendants are still prominent citizens of the latter county. Philip Long's name, often spelled Lung, appears frequently in the early records of Orange. His descendants say he was an accomplished brewer, and it is not unlikely that he was the first manufacturer of this Virginia ale.
The names of Augustine and of Lawrence Wash- ington appear as parties plaintiff, during the forties. George Wythe, presumed to be the "Signer," and afterwards the famous "Chancellor," appeared as counsel for John Willis in 1747. Edmund Pendleton, also, appeared as counsel, but the name of his client is not given.
Chief Justice Marshall was counsel for Johnny Scott, and his receipt for his fee is still extant.
In 1751 Henry Downs, who had been a King's jus- tice and a member of the House of Burgesses, is men- tioned in a court order as a "Runaway." He was expelled from the House of Burgesses of Virginia for "stealing a white sheep," in Maryland, before he settled in this State.
It is stated in a note to the "Dinwiddie Papers," Vol. II., 167, that John Spotswood was County Lieuten- ant of Orange in 1755. This is an error, as John Bay- lor was then County Lieutenant, a fact which these same papers establish.
جيمسبيـ
بين البلاد
177
MISCELLANEOUS
A county seal is first mentioned in 1774. The seal is an excellent cut of a lion, encircled by the name of the County. The cost of it was fifty shillings.
Smallpox created more consternation in the old days than now. In 1778, "on the petition of Joseph Spencer leave is granted him to inoculate for the smallpox at his house in this County;" and in April, 1797, "on the motion of John Stevens for leave to inoculate for the smallpox it is granted him, it appearing to the Court that he and his family are in immediate dan- ger of taking the said disorder; such inoculation to take place on or before the roth of May, next ensuing, and not less than half a mile from the road."
There was another alarm in 1848, when the Court directed Dr. David Pannill to take charge of the malady, erect a hospital or hospitals, employ servants, agents, etc., and clothed him with plenary power to do what he thought best, promising $500 to pay expenses.
In 1823 the Court contracted with Reuben Lindsay to make an accurate chart of the County at a cost of $1,500. This was probably for the well-known "Nine-Sheet" map of the State, far and away the best that has ever been made, the copper plates of which are yet in the State Library.
A committee of prominent citizens was appointed by the Court in 1833 to see the "free people of color," and ascertain what number of them would avail them- selves of a recent Act of Assembly providing for their transportation to Liberia. Nothing appears to have come of it, though James Madison, Jr., was an ardent
178
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
member of the American Colonization Society and remembered it in his will. The mill at Toddsberth once belonged to this society.
Madison died in 1836, and his widow qualified as executrix, giving bond for $100,000. Judge Philip P. Barbour's will was proved in 1841, and the admin- istration bond was for $120,000.
In Dr. Taylor's "Virginia Baptist Ministers" it is stated that Mr. Craig was imprisoned in both Cul- peper and Orange. The Orange records do not sus- tain this statement.
Although interest in improved stock, and especially in horses, was never so great in former times as now, yet the importation of thoroughbreds for breeding purposes began long ago, Governor Barbour having imported several notable horses from England early in the last century. Mr. R. B. Haxall, who resided at Rocklands, gave quite an impulse to the breeding of fine stock of every kind, and also to high-grade farm- ing. He introduced what is commonly known as "Japan clover" in the County, and kept in stud for many years several of Major Doswell's highest bred horses, and others of equally famous pedigree.
Some years prior to the war a joint stock company built a training stable at Lee's Crossing, near Madison Run, known locally as the "Horse College," and placed an imported English trainer, named Carrier, in charge. Here was kept "Voltaire," probably the most famous "sire" ever known in Orange, and this history would be incomplete if Voltaire's name were omitted.
A general officer bought him during the war, and he
179
MISCELLANEOUS
was killed in battle; but to be able to trace lineage back to him still establishes a horse genealogy through- out the County.
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