USA > Virginia > Rockingham County > Rockingham County > A history of Rockingham County, Virginia > Part 8
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Johnston Neilson (For "1 Riffel Gun Powder Horn and Shot bag Lost in ye Continental Service In ye year 76 In ye Expedition to Georgia £5 10s.")
Jeremiah Harrison (By assignment from Conrad Smith, for 1 roan mare, with bell and pack saddle, lost in the State service in 1774, "In the Exp. to ye point Under Dunmore," £10.)
Daniel Smith Handel Vance Nicholas Curry Michael Baker John Fitzwater Wm. Marshal Danl. Polser Wat. Crow James Elliot William Magill John Guin John Hemphill James Baird George Carpenter (For "1 Gun Lost In the year 81 In the Battle at Jas. Town gun Shot poutch and powder horn," £5 5s.)
Wm. Smith (For acting as packhorse master in carrying provisions to "Tyger Valey," 40 days, at 6s. per day, "Who then Acted under the Direc- tion of Wm. Boon accordg appt By Col. Abram Smith C £. sd Boon having someTime ago Retd his Papers By Col. Nawl," etc.)
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Jonathan Shipman Abijiah Warrin Jno. McGlahing Lind. Wade
Jno. Armstrong
Thomas Collick
Jacob Glaspie
William Rice
James Bletcher
John Rice Jeremiah Harrison
Robt. Craveors
John Deniston
Abram Smith
George Peirce
William Young
April 1, 1782.
Benjamin Harrison took the oath prescribed by law for County Lieutenant of the militia.
April 22, 1782.
Will of Peter Hog, first clerk of the court, written in his own hand, proved by Richard Madison, one of the subscrib- ing witnesses. Gabriel Jones and George Matthews gave bond as executors. Elizabeth Hog is mentioned as surviving widow.
April 23, 1782.
Accounts were allowed for service in the Revolution, as follows:
Sept. 27, 1780 .- "To Jas. Carrel for one Waggon, 3 Horses and Geers for four horses All lost in Publick Service Under Comd. of Genl. Stevans In Carolina Being first 52 Days in ye service 7 Day Retg home at 5s. 6d. Day and 10s. 6d. Day for sd. 52 Days in service."
Carrel was allowed for his horses £25, £30, and £15, re- spectively; for the wagon, gears, &c., £18.
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To Wm. Magill, for 15 days serving as quarter master with the militia from this county, to "Head Qt. Mopin Hills," at 6s. a day. No date.
To Wm. Hook, for 1 horse, lost in public service in 1779, £10. .
April 24, 1782.
Accounts were allowed for service, supplies furnished, etc., during the Revolution, to the following persons:
George Spears
Sol. Mathews
John Henton
John Hopkins
George Baxter
Jeremiah Ragon
Richard Mathews
Archibald Hopkins
Isiah Shipman
Jonathan Shipman
Archibald Henderson
Silas Hart
James Devier
Hugh Devier
Fred. Armentrout
Mathias Kersh (For 3 beeves weighing nett 1750 lbs., at 23d. a pound. )
George Weaver
John Weaver
Jacob Perkey
Thos. Care
Henry Monger
Adam Sellers
Col. Wm. Nawl
Robt. Elliot
Henry Armentrout
Wm. White Martin Petro
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Wm. Davis Wm. Mills
Jacob Nicholas
David Laird
George Mallow
Ann Carpenter
George Carpenter
Adam Fought William Hook
Thomas Harrison
Frances Stewart John Miller
George Huston ("For paying for Keeping 1 Horse His Own Property But Lost In the Ctry Service in Mcintosh Expd. Taken Up and Again Rd. to Him For Sixty Days 4 Dol- lars And pay 1s. 6d. for 106 Days Being ye Time of sd. Expt." Dated Feb. 18, 1779.)
The sheriff was ordered to collect the window glass tax, agreeable to Act of Assembly passed in May, 1780, "Which Should Have Been Collected In Augt. 81."
May 27, 1782.
Frances Kees [?] took the oath of an attorney "in this Court."
May 28, 1782.
It was ordered that James Montgomery, son of Sam. Montgomery, deceased, be bound according to law, by the church wardens, "To Mr. Jno. Hicks To Learn ye silver smith Trade untill he Comes of ye Age of 21 years he Being 14 year Spt Ensuing and the sd. Hicks Learn him read Wright and Cypher."
Accounts for services rendered, supplies furnished, etc., during the Revolution, were allowed to the following persons:
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James Grace
Handel Vance
John Davis
Mary Cravens
Henry Stone
Margaret Cravens
Frances Beaverly
John Craig
Henry Whisler
Wm. Hook
Fred. Keiler
Abram Peters
George Ruddle
Nehemiah Harrison
James Magill
May 29, 1782.
Accounts for services rendered, supplies furnished, etc., during the Revolution, were allowed to the following persons:
John Shipman
Jacob Coofman
Reuben Harrison
John Pence
Thomas Harrison
- John Robison
Robt. Harrison
-David Robison
Robt. Hook
John Thomas
Walter Crow
George Mallow
Mathew Patton
Augustine Price
Robt. Davis
Jacob Harmon
James Dyer
Jno. Bear
Frederick Kester
May 30, 1782.
Revolutionary claims were allowed to
Bethuell Herring
Michael Stump
France Irvine
John Bullet
David Ralston
Charles Rush
Robt. Slaughter
Pasley Hover
Jacob Moyer
John Sellers
Lewis Runckle
Stephen Coonrod
Henry Price John Sword Hugh Dunahoe
Pet. Kize
George Coonrod
Michael Carns
Philip Long
Thomas Hewitt
William Pence
Alex. Herring
Frances Stewart
Pet. Coonrod
Lewis Rhinehart John Fye
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Pet. Runckle David Laird John Eddy
Joseph Smith Thomas Harrison
June 7, 1782.
Revolutionary claims were allowed to
John Herdman
Jacob Bear
John Hinton
Robt. Elliot
John McWilliams
James Dier
John Ewins
Easther Stephenson
Chrisly Painter
John Blain
John Hopkins
Jacob Warick
Archibald Hopkins
Joseph Strickler
Robt. Dunlap
Alex. Samples
Ephraim Love
John McDugal
Brewer Reeves
Henry Ewins
Godfrey Bowman
Wm. Hook
Wm. Pettejohn
Ezekiel Harrison
August 28, 1782.
"Came into Court Benj Crow & made oath that there was a Rifel gun powder horn shot pouch and knife taken from Him When a continental soldier In the year 1777 and put Into the Magn. for which he Recd a certificate Which he Lodged with Walter Crow who also came into Court and Made oath that He Has Lost the sd. Cera. and never Recd any val- ue for ye same the Court Is therefore of the oppinion that ye sd. Benj Crow Be allowed £7 10s for sd gun powder horn shot Pouch and knife and the Same Is ord. to Be Cert."
"Came into Court Walter Crow And Made oath that He Delivered 280 lbs. of Bacon To Mr. Tate Comg. at Albamarle Barricks In April 1779 for Which he has Never Rd. any Valy or Satisfan. the Court Is therefore of ye oppinion that He Be allowed 72 per lb. and ye same Is ord. To Be Cerd."
"Came into Court Robt. Davis Gent. and Made oath the Hemshire Cty Mal When in this Cty supressing The Tories Red. of Him 30 Diets for Which he Red. no-the Court Is
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therefore of ye oppn. that he Be allowed 6 d. per Diet & S ord. To Cert."
September 24, 1782.
"To John Donaphan 1 Gun Lost in Hot water Battle a smooth Rhifle about 3 feet 7 Inches Long Brass mounted with Amidling Lock Vallued To £3 0 & C.
"The Sd. Donaphan was wounded in the Action."-Ac- count dated July 26, 1781.
October 29, 1782.
"To James Reeves for One Rifle Gun Lost in Crossing James River at Sandy Point upon the March Against Genl. Arnold Valued at £5.0.0 Specie."
November 27, 1782.
James Devier was appointed to procure weights and measures for a standard in the county, according to law, "upon the best Terms he can as far as 40£ Will Extend Hav- ing Regard To ye Purchassing of the sd. Measures In ye first Place."
March 25, 1783.
"Gawin Hamilton Gent. having advertised the Court of his intentions of removing from this State to the State of Georgia and as he is informed it is necessary for Strangers to carry with them a Certificate of their Character and Conduct from the place where they remove from prayed the Court would Certifie their Knowledge of him, The Court therefore taking the same under consideration and willing to do Justice as well to the said Mr. Hamilton as to their Fellow Citizens in the State where he is about to remove to, Ordered that the Clerk of this Court do Certifie that the said Gawin Hamilton hath been for many years past an Inhabitant of this County that he hath Acted therein in the public Character of an Assistant Surveyor of the aforesaid County, A Magistrate and a Lieutenant Colonel of the Militia, in all which said Capacities he hath demeaned himself with uprightness, in- tegrity Spirit and Resolution, and Show'd by his Actions
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through the long Contest with Great Brittain that he pos- sessed true Whiggish principles and upon all occasions exerted them for the Advantage of the United States."
On April 29, 1783, certificates were granted to Ezekiel Harrison, Reuben Harrison, and Josiah Harrison, stating that they had been born and brought up in the county, and had behaved themselves as good, faithful citizens and soldiers in the contest with Great Britain, etc. They also were remov- ing to Georgia.
April 29, 1783.
William Dunaphans12 was allowed £2 for a smooth bore gun lost "in Serving a Tour of Militia Duty under Colo. Naul, sd. gun was lost at Stomen [?] Mill Near Portsmouth in the Year 1781."
May 27, 1783.
"On Application of John Brown Senr. on behalf of James Brown that he is Eldest Brother and heir at Law of John Brown deceased a Soldier in the 8th Virginia Regiment13 was in the Continental Service at the time of his Death-which is Ordered to be Certified."
June 23, 1783.
"Capt. Stephen Coonrod came into Court and proved that he lost or mislaid a Certain Certificate granted by Col. Wm. Nall to John Fie so that it cannot be found for one old Wolfs Scalp and that the same is Ordered to be Certified."
June 24, 1783.
Agreeable to an order of the court in March preceding,
12. The Dunaphan family seems to have had a persistent misfortune with guns. This makes three lost by William and John. It is possible, however, that the above item refers to the same gun mentioned in the record of March 27, 1782.
13. The 8th Virginia was the famous "German Regiment, " commanded first by Muhlenberg, later by Abram Bowman. See Wayland's "German Element," pp. 143, 144.
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for the sheriff to let the paving "of that part of the Court House from the Lawyers Barr to the Chimney Ordered that Andrew Shanklin Let the said work with an Addition of two Windows one of each side of the Chair containing Twelve lights each Eight by Ten to be finished in a workmanlike manner with Suitable Shutters &c. by August Court next." On September 23 this work was reported satisfactorily com- pleted.
"O That William Herring and Andrew Shanklin Gent. do lay off the Prison bounds."
Pursuant to the above, Herring and Shanklin made re- port that the said prison bounds "do begin at a Walnut tree In the Corner of Reeves Lott, from thence to a Stone set up below the South East end of Deviers House, from thence to two black Oak saplins growing from one Root, in the North Side of Lanahans Lott, from thence to a Stone Set up at the West side of Rutherfords Kitchen and from thence to the Beginning."
September 22, 1783.
Daniel Mckenley was granted a certificate, stating that he had been a resident of the county for "some years past," had been a person of sober conduct, had manifested true Whiggish principles in the long contest with Great Britain, and had been a good soldier, in the capacity of sergeant, in a long and tedious campaign. Mr. Mckenley, like others al- ready mentioned, was going to Georgia.
October 28, 1783.
Henry Ewin, William Herring, and Benj. Harrison, ap- pointed by a former court, reported that they had viewed the work done by James Henton on the "Jayl, Pillory and Stocks," and had found it done according to contract. An order was entered directing the sheriff to pay the said Henton £35 15s. for the said work. Henton was allowed 20s. for a stock lock "now on the inside Door of Jail upon his furnishing a Lock for the Iron Door agreeable to Article."
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September 27, 1784.
Gawin Hamilton and Ralph Loftus, having been appointed by a former court to examine Mr. John Lincoln in regard to his abilities as deputy surveyor of the county, reported that they had found nothing to hinder his being admitted to the office.
After the successful close of the Revolution in 1783, Vir- ginia bestowed a northwestern empire upon the new nation in 1784. In 1787 the famous ordinance for the government of the northwest and the new constitution for the nation were both drawn up. Two years later Washington was inaugurated first President, and the "tall young Adam of the West" began to stand erect. In 1793 Whitney invented the cotton gin; in 1798 Virginia and Kentucky passed their fateful reso- lutions in protest against the Alien and Sedition Acts; in 1803 Jefferson purchased Louisiana; and in 1807 came a trilogy of great events: The passage of the Embargo, the proof of Fulton's steamboat, and the birth of Robert E. Lee. During all this time progress was rapid in Rockingham, notwith- standing the fact that she surrendered a large part of her territory in 1787 in the formation of Pendleton County. The people were subduing the earth and replenishing it; they were clearing forests, building houses, laying out roads, and establishing schools, churches, and towns: they were marry- ing and giving in marriage. If any one doubts the last, he may abundantly satisfy himself by referring to the list of marriages in the Appendix. At the end of the century Rev. John Walsh, of the Methodist Church, seems to have been best man to Hymen. For the year ending in April, 1798, he reported 30 marriages to the county clerk, and for the next year, ending May 13, 1799, he reported 45.
In 1781 there were about 1500 tithables in the county. Accordingly, the total population was probably about 5000. In 1790 there were about 2100 tithables, and a total popu- lation of nearly 7500. By 1810 the figures were about 3000
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and 12,500, respectively. There was a variety of race ele- ments: German, Scotch, Irish, English, Dutch, and Negro: but the negroes were remarkably few, compared with the number to be found in the adjacent counties east of the Blue Ridge. The number of negro slaves reported for 1790 was only about 10 per cent. of the total population; the number in 1810 being about 11 per cent. of the total. Most of the tax- payers had horses, while but a few of them had slaves. In 1775 Felix Gilbert reported 12 tithables, and John Craig nine,-more than any one else in their district. The largest slave-holders in the county in 1788 were Peachey Ridgeway, John Mackalls, Thomas Lewis, and William Nall, with 12, 10, 8, and 7 slaves, respectively. At the same time James Dyer had 19 horses and one slave; George Crisman, 17 horses and 4 slaves; Gawin Hamilton, 16 horses and 3 slaves; and Jacob Coonrod, 16 horses and no slaves. Usually, however, those who had a large number of horses also had a considerable number of slaves, and vice versa. Another fact of special significance presents itself in this connection. In 1790 all the negroes in the county were reported as slaves: there were apparently no free negroes; but in 1810 there were 200 or more free negroes. This change was probably the result, in large measure at least, of the work done within this period by the Methodists and other religious bodies in behalf of emancipation.
Particular instances of emigration, about the close of the Revolution, have been recorded. Many other instances might be found. Through the kindness of Mr. H. M. Strickler I am enabled to present the following paragraphs in point from two letters written by Mrs. Ryland Todhunter of Lex- ington, Mo. Under date of August 26, 1911, she says:
Almost the entire settlement of Madison County, Kentucky, was made up by a concourse of people who left Augusta, Albemarle, and Rockingham County in a body for that new country about 1785-91.
Again, under date of September 12, 1911, she writes:
In 1810 there were 100 families who came at one time from Madison County, Ky., to settle in the new Missouri Territory. They were almost
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without exception the same names and children of the men who left Augusta and Rockingham County, Va. With them came my Elliott fam- ily and the allied families of Glasgow, Wallace, Estill, Trigg, Rodes, Lewis, Turner, Kavanaugh, Oldham, and others. It is possible that Elliott's Knob was named for my family.
August 11, 1911, Maj. W. P. Pence, of Fort Monroe, Va., who has spent much time searching records in the effort to get a complete history of the Pence family, told me that about 1805-1815 there was a notable exodus from Rocking- ham westward, specially into the northwest territories.
In 1780 Harrisonburg was established as a town; in 1791, Keezletown; from 1801 to 1804 McGaheysville, Port Republic, and New Haven were laid out and named. The first Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery for Rockingham County was held in April, 1809, Judge Hugh Holmes presiding. In April, 1811, this court was put in charge of Judge Daniel Smith, to continue under his able direction till his death in 1850. Much of the work done in the magistrates' court dur- ing the latter part of the 18th and the early part of the 19th century had for its purpose the improvement of facilities for travel and transportation: the laying out of roads, the clear- ing of fords, etc. Many details concerning this work may be found in Chapter XII. Educational and religious work was not by any means neglected. The Lutherans, the Reformed, the Mennonites, and the Episcopalians had been in the field from the beginning; the Dunkers, the Presbyterians, the Methodists, and the United Brethren were becoming well es- tablished. There were perhaps a few Catholics, Quakers, and Moravians in the county. Particulars regarding these various churches are given in Chapter XIV, while the subject of education receives special attention in Chapter XV.
About 1809 George Rockingham Gilmer, later Governor of Georgia, visited Virginia, the home of his ancestors, and in particular the birthplace of his father in Rockingham County. He came up through East Virginia, stopping in Amelia, Cumberland, Albemarle, and other counties. He was in Charlottesville on the day of the election of members of the State legislature and Congress.
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Crossing the Blue Ridge, probably by Brown's Gap, he came into the beautiful Valley. Here I quote from his own account:
I passed that evening the birthplace of my mother-then the resi- dence of my uncle, Charles Lewis-and arrived at Lethe, the birthplace of my father-the residence of my uncle, George Gilmer.
I remained two months at this beautiful place, with the best and kindest people whom I have ever known. The house was of brick, situ- ated upon the descent of a hill, about three hundred yards from the Shenandoah River, which was seen over a beautiful meadow, and through thinly scattered sycamore trees, flowing away with a strong current. From the top of the hill, back of the house, might be seen exceedingly fertile fields, enclosed in a semicircle, formed by the river, and mountains extending in every direction.
In the middle of the valley, between the North Mountain and the Blue Ridge, rose up almost perpendicularly, and to a great height, the Peaked Mountain. In a clear day, many excavations were visible on its side. Upon inquiring about them, I was informed that they had been made by the neighboring Dutch people in search of hidden treasure. A young fellow of the neighborhood, whose father was a man of some wealth and consequence, had a club-foot and was made a tailor of, as fit for nothing else. In following his trade, he went to many places, and became wise in the ways and some of the tricks of the world. After a while he returned to the neighborhood of the Peaked Mountain. The Dutch had heard, and were credulous enough to believe, that a wealthy lord was one of the first settlers of the Shenandoah Valley, had quitted the coun- try a long time before, and returned to Germany, leaving his money behind, hid in the Peaked Mountain. There had been some effort to discover the treasure by digging several places in the mountain side. The tailor told them that, in his travels through Ohio, he had been in a factory of spyglasses, which so added to the power of sight, that he could see several feet into the earth with one of them. Having excited great interest about these glasses and the hidden treasure by his tales, he proposed to the money-hunters that, if they would make up a suffi- cient sum, he would go with it to this factory, and buy them a glass, by which they could find the concealed gold.
The required sum was collected, and the tailor went to Ohio. Upon his return, he informed his employers that he had purchased a glass bet- ter than he had ever seen before; that he had no doubt but that they could have seen through the Peaked Mountain, if he could have got it to them; but unfortunately, as he was traveling home with it, he was obliged to cross a rapid run, which proved moreswollen than he supposed. He was washed down by the strong current, lost his saddlebags, with
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the glass in it, and came very near losing his life. Another sum of money was made up with which the Irish club-footed tailor left the heighborhood of the Peaked Mountain, never again to be seen there. He laid out the money in the purchase of a tract of land, whilst some had theirs sold to repay the money which they had borrowed to supply the tailor with the means to buy the wonderful glass.
Whilst at Lethe, I witnessed an electioneering scene, equally inter- esting with the one I had been present at in Charlottesville. David Holmes, who had for twenty years immediately preceding, represented in Congress the district of which Rockingham County made a part, had been appointed Governor of the Mississippi Territory by Mr. Jefferson. A new member had to be elected. The republicans and federalists were very equally divided in the district. Mr. Smith (now Judge Smith) became the candidate of the republicans, and Jacob Swope the candidate of the federalists. The Virginians vote viva voce. The candidates seat them- selves during the day of the election on the judge's bench, in the court- house, and as each voter names the person for whom he votes, he is bowed to, and thanked by the candidate voted for. I was in Harrisonburg, the court-house townof Rockingham, on the day of this election, and saw Mr. Smith and Swope, thus seated and occupied. Smith was of an old Vir- ginia family; Swope was German, and could speak the German language. The farmers of the county were mostly Germans; the lawyers, doctors, merchants, sheriffs, clerks, &c., were Virginians. Mr. Smith and Swope addressed the people on the party topics of the day, British orders in council, Napoleon's edict restricting commerce, the embargo, and anti- commercial system of Mr. Jefferson.
After both candidates had spoken, Mr. Swope commenced addressing the people in German, in reply to Mr. Smith. A huge old German rose, and in broken English, said Mr. Swope should not talk German, because Mr. Smith could not talk German, and stopped Swope. Mr. Swope was a merchant, a handsome man, and usually well dressed. He resided in Staunton, Augusta County. He came to Rockingham dressed in German fashion. The German succeeded, though the Smith party had the ma- jority in the district; and Mr. Smith was equal, if not superior to Mr. Swope in qualifications for Congressional service. 14
The new nation won political independence in the war from 1775 to 1783, but another hard struggle was necessary to secure commercial independence. The conspicuous part taken in the Revolution by the new county of Rockingham has already been indicated, and it may be shown that in the
14. From Gov. George Rockingham Gilmer's book on Georgians and Virginians, pp. 243-246.
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war from 1812 to 1815 it was not found wanting. In 1813 and 1814 no less than five companies, aggregating nearly 400 men, went into the military service of the nation from Rock- ingham County. The captains of these companies were Robert Magill, Thomas Hopkins, William Harrison, Robert Hooke, and Daniel Matthews; the names of their men may be found in the muster rolls in the Appendix. It is quite proba- ble that other soldiers from Rockingham, not listed in these rolls, also took part in the second war for independence. For example, Col. Joseph Mauzy (1779-1863), who was for many years a prominent citizen of the county, was in com- mand of a company at Norfolk; and under date of January 11, 1861, the editor of the Rockingham Register made this statement:
In 1812 we furnished more than enough men to form a regiment, yet our men served under strangers.
But peace marks progress while war wins victory. Dur- ing the war of 1812-15, as well as in the years preceding and following, progress in the new county was steady and sub- stantial. Things intellectual and spiritual were not lost sight of in the growth of things material. As early as 1813 David- son & Bourne had a printing establishment in Harrisonburg; two or three years later Lawrence Wartmann, whose publi- cations were to become famous, had opened his press in the same town. Daniel Bryan was writing poetry; Joseph Funk was publishing music; John Brown was advocating missions; the Methodists and others were trying to get rid of slavery; the palaces underground were being explored, and the foun- tains among the hills were being sought for health and pleas- ure: the day was at the morn in Rockingham.
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