USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 1st ed > Part 17
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CHAPTER XII.
Mode of living of the primitive settlers. -
'The first houses erected by the primitive settlers were log cabins, with covers of split clapboards, and weight- poles to keep them in place. They were frequently seen with earthen floors ; or if wooden floors were used, they were made of split puncheons, a little smoothed with the broad-ax. These houses were pretty generally in use since the author's recollection. There were, how- ever, a few framed and stone buildings erected previous to the war of the revolution. As the country improved in population and wealth, there was a corresponding im- provement in the erection of buildings.
When this improvement commenced, the most gene- -ral modeof building was with hewn logs, a shingle roof- and plank floor, the plank cut out with the whip saw. Before the erection of saw mills, all the plank used in the construction of houses was worked out in this way. As it is probable some of my young readers have never spen a whip saw, a short description of it may not be uninteresting. It was about the length of the common mill saw, with a handle at each end transversely fixed to it. The timber intended to be sawed was first squa- red with the broad-ax, and then raised on a scatiold six or seven feet high. Two able-bodied men then took hold of the saw, one standing on the top. of the los and the other under it, and commenced sawing. The labor - was excessively fatiguing, and about one hundred feet of plank or scantling was considered a good day's work for the two hands. The introduction of saw mills, however, soon superseded the use of the whip saw, but they were not entirely laid aside until several years af- ter the war of the revolution.
. . The dress of the early settlers was of the plainest
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MODE OF LIVING
materials-generally of their own manufacture ; and if a modern "bello" or "beau" were now to witness the extreme plainness and simplicity of their fashions, the one would be almost thrown into a fit of the hysterics, and the other frightened at the odd and grotesque ap- pearance of their progenitors.
Previous to the war of the revolution, the married men generally shaved their heads, and either wore wigs or white linen caps. When the war commenced, this fashion was laid aside, partly from patriotic considera- tions, and partly from necessity. Owing to the entire interruption of the intercourse with England, wigs could not easily be obtained, nor white linen for caps.
The inen's coats were generally made with broad backs, and straight short skirts, with pockets on the out- side having large flaps. The waistcoats had skirts near- ly half way down to the knees, and very broad pocket flaps. The breeches were so short as barely to reach the knee, with a band surrounding the knee, fastened with either brass or silver buckles. The stocking was drawn up under the knee-band, and tied with a garter (generally red or blue) below the knee, so as to be seen. The shoes were of coarse leather, with straps to the quarters, and fastened with either brass or silver buckles. 'The hat was either of wool or fur, with a round crown not exceeding three or four inches -high, with a broad brim .* The dress for the neck was usually a narrow collar to the shirt, with a white linen stock drawn to- gether at the ends, on the back of the neck, with a broad metal buckle. 'The more wealthy and fashiona- ble were sometimes scen with their stock, knee and shoe .buckles, set either in gold or silver with brilliant stones. The author can recollect, when a child. if he happened to see any of those finely dressed " great folk," as they were then termed, he felt awed in their presence, and viewed them as something more than man.
The female dress was generally the shortgown and
* The Quakers were remarkable for their bread brim hats. They were timetimes called "Broadbrims," by way of distinguishing them from cther people."
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OF THE PRIMITIVE SETTLERS.
petticoat, made of the plainest materials. The German women mostly wore tight calico caps on their heads, and in the summer season they were generally seen with no other clothing than a linen shift and petticoat- the feet, hands, and arms bare. In hay.and harvest time, they joined the men in the labor of the meadow and grain fields. This custom, of the females laboring in the time of harvest, was not exclusively a German practice, but was common to all the northern people. Many females were most expert mowers and reapers, Within the author's recollection, he has seen several fe- male reapers who were equal to the stoutest males in the harvest field. It was no uncommon thing to see the female part of the family at the hoe or the plow ; and some of our now wealthiest citizens frequently boast of -their grandmothers, aye mothers too, performing this kind of heavy labor.
'The natural result of this kind of rural life was, to produce a hardy and vigorous race of people. It was thi- race of people who had to meet and breast the vari- outs Indian wars and the storms of the revolution.
'The Dutchman's barn was usually the best building on his farm. He was sure to ercet a fine large barn, before he built any other dwelling-house than his rude log cabin. There were none of our primitive immi- grants more uniform in the form of their buildings than the Germans. Their dwelling-houses were seldom rai- sed more than a single story in hight, with a large col- lar beneath ; the chimney in the middle, with a very wide fire-place in one end for the kitchen, in the other end a stove room. Their furniture was of the simplest and plainest kind ; and there was always a long pine table fixed in one corner of the stove room, with perma- Lent benches on one side. On the upper floor garners for holding grain were very common. Their beds were generally filled with straw or chaff, with a fine feather bed for covering in the winter. 'The author has several time- slept in this kind of bed ; and to a person unac- customed to it, it is attended not unfrequently with dan-
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MODE OF LIVING
ger to the health. The thick covering of the feathers is pretty certain to produce a profuse perspiration, which an exposure to cold, on rising in the morning, is apt to check suddenly, causing chilliness and obstinate cough. The author, a few years ago, cauglit in this way the most severe cold, which was followed by a long and dis- tressing cough, he ever was afflicted with.
Many of the Germans have what they call a drum, through which the stove-pipe passes in their upper rooms. It is made of sheet iron, something in the shape of the military drum. It soon fills with heat from the pipe, by which the rooms become agreeably warm in the coldest weather. A piazza is a very com- mon appendage to a Dutchman's dwelling-house, in which his saddles, bridles, and very frequently his wa- gon or plow harness, are hung up.
The Germans erect stables for their domestic ani- mals of every species : even their swine are housed in the winter season. Their barns and stables are well stored with provender, particularly fine hay : hence their quadrupeds of all kinds are kept throughout the year in the finest possible order. This practice of hou- sing stock in the winter season is unquestionably great economy in husbandry. Much less food is required to sustain them, and the animals come out in the spring in fine health and condition. It is a rare occurrence to hear of a Dutchman's losing any part of his stock with poverty. The practice of housing stock in the winter is not exclusively a German custom, but is common to most of the northern people, and those descended from immigrants from the north. The author recollects once seeing the cow stalls adjoining a farmer's dwelling.
The German women, many of them,are remarkably neat housekeepers. "There are some of them, how- ever, extremely slovenly, and their dwellings are kept in the worst possible condition. The effluvia arising from this want of cleanliness is in the highest degree disgust- ing and offensive to persons unaccustomed to such fare. The same remarks are applicable to the Irish ; nav to
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OF THE PRIMITIVE SETTLERS.
some native Virginians. The Germans are remarka- ble for their fine bread, milk and butter. They con- sume in their diet less animal flesh, and of course more vegetables, milk and butter, than most other people. Their " sour krout"* in the winter constitutes a consid- erable part of their living. They generally consume less, and sell more of the product of their labor, than any other class of citizens. A Dutchman is proverbial for his patient perseverance in his domestic labors. 'Their farms are generally small and nicely cultivated. In all his agricultural pursuits his meadows demand his greatest care and attention. His little farm is laid off in fields not exceeding ten or twelve acres each. It is rarely seen that a Dutchman will cultivate more than about ten or twelve acres in Indian corn any one year. They are of opinion that the corn crop is a great ex- hauster of the soil, and they make but little use of corn for any other purpose than feeding and fattening their swine.
Previous to the war of the revolution, and for several years after. considerable quantities of tobacco were rai- sed in the lower counties of the valley. The cultivation of this crop was first introduced and pursued by immi- grants from the eastern counties of Virginia. From the newly cleared lands, two crops of tobacco in succes- sion were generally taken, and it was then appropriated to the culture of other crops. The crop of tobacco left the soil in the finest possible state for the production of other crops. Corn, wheat, rya, flax, oats, potatoes, and every thing else, were almost certain to produce abun- dant crops, after the crop of tobacco.
""Sour krout" is maile of the best of cabbage. A box about three feet in length, and six or seyen inches wide, with a sharp blade fixed across the bottom, something on the principle of the jack plane, is used for cutting the cabbage. The head being separated from the stalk, and stripped of its unter leaves, is placed in this box, and run back and forth: The cabbage this out up is placed in a barrel, a fitde salt sprinkled on from time to thne, then press -. el down very closely, and covered over at the open head. In the course of three or four weeks it acquires a sourish taste, and to persons accustomed to the use of it, is a very agreeable and wholesome food. It is said that the use of it, within the last few years, on board of ships, has proved it to be the best preventive known for the scurvy. The use of it is becoming pretty gen- eral among all classes of people in the valley.
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MODE OF LIVING, &C.
In the year 1793 the French revolution broke out, when bread stuffs of every kind suddenly became enor- - mousły high; in consequence of which, the farmers in the valley abandoned the cultivation of tobacco, and turned their attention to wheat, which they raised in vast quantities for several years. It was no uncommon thing for the farmer, for several years after the com- mencement of the French revolution, to sell his crops of wheat from one to two, and sometimes at two and a half dollars per bushel, and his flour from ten to four: teen dollars per barrel in our seaport towns;
In the year 1796, the Hessian fly first made its ap- pearance in Virginia. Its ravages that year were limit- ed, and but little damage was sustained in the crops of wheat. The crop of 1797, in the counties contiguous to the Potomac, was generally destroyed, and the same year partial injury was discovered in Frederick county. The crop of 1798; throughout the county of Frederick, was nearly destroyed. Ever since which time the far- mers have annually suffered more or less from the ra- vages of this destructive destroyer. This insect had prevailed in some of the northern states for several years before it reached Virginia. It is said it first appeared on Long Island, and was believed to have been imported by the Hessian troops in their straw bedding in the time of the war of the revolution. If this be true, it was a woful.curse upon our country,-of which it probably will never be relieved. The present generation have abundant cause to execrate the inhuman policy of our parent state in bringing upon us this heavy calamity, " and all future generations will probably join in con- demning the British ministry who forced upon our an- cestors that unrighteous and disastrous war.
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CHAPTER XIII.
Northern Neck of Virginia.
Charles II. king of England, granted to the ances- tors of the late lord Fairfax all the lands lying between the head waters of the Rappahannock and Potomac to the Chesapeake bay. This immense grant included the territory now comprising the counties of Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Westmoreland, Stafford, King George, Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Fau- quier, Culpeper, Madison, Page, Shenandoah, Hardy, Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley, Jefferson and Frederick. It is said that the first grant to the ancestors of Fairfax was only intended to include the territory in the North- ern Neck east of the Blue ridge ; but after Fairfax dis- covered that the Potomac river headed in the Allegany mountains, he returned to England, and instituted his petition in the court of king's bench for extending his grant into the Allegany mountains, so as include the territory composing the present counties of Page, She- nandoah, Hardy, Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley, Jef- ferson and Frederick. A compromise took place be- tween Fairfax and the crown : but previous to the in- stitution of Fairfax's suit, several individuals had ob- tained grants for large bodies of land west of the Blue ridge, from the colonial government of Virginia. In the compromise it was expressly stipulated that the holders of lands, under what were then called the king's grants, were to be quieted in their right of pos- session.
Joint Hite and his partners had obtained grants for a large body. Fairfax, under the pretext that Hite, &c. had not complied with the terms of their grants, took it upon himself to grant away large quantities of theso lands to other individuals. This arbitrary and high-
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handed proceeding on the part of his lordship, produced a lawsuit, which Hite and his partners instituted in the year 1736, and in the year 1786 it was decided. Hite and partners recovered a large amount of money for the rents and profits, and a considerable quantity of land .*
The immense Fairfax estate has passed out of the hands of Fairfax's heirs. The lands (as observed in a preceding chapter) were granted by Fairfax in fee sim- ple to his tenants, subject to an annual rent of two shil- lings sterling per hundred acres. This small rent amounted in the aggregate to a very large sum ; added to which, Fairfax required the payment of ten shillings sterling on each fifty acres, (what he termed composi- tion money,) which was paid on issuing the grant.
About the year 1742 his lordship opened his office in the county of Fairfax for granting out the land. A few years after, he removed to the county of Frederick, and settled at what he called " Greenway-Court," about 12 or 14 miles south east of Winchester, where he kept his-land office during his life. He died in the autumn of 1781, very soon after the surrender of Cornwallis. It is said that as soon as he heard of the capture of Corn- wallis and his army, he called to his servant to assist him to bed, observing " It is time for me to die ;" and truly the old man never again left his bed until he was consigned to the tomb. His body was deposited under the communion table in the then Episcopal church in Winchester.t
* In the year 1736 Fairfax entered a caveat against Hite, &c., alledging that the lands claimed by them were within the bounds of the Northern Neck, and consequently his property. This was the beginning of the con- troversy, and led to the suit instituted by Hite and partners against him. Al. the parties died before the suit was decided. Hite in Est purchased from Johnand Isaac Vaumieter their right or warrant for larating 40,000 acres : Hite a id M.Kay obtand a warrant for locating 100,000 acres more in their owar. mes: and in order to obtain settlers, took in Robert Green and Wil- liam Darf as partners. Hence the firm of Joist Ein , Robert M'Kay, Robert Green, and William Duff. Greca and Duff seuled io Culpeper county, and are the ancestors of the funihes of those names in theit county, and of Gen. Duff Green, of Washington city.
1 Lord Fairfax minde à donation to the Episcopal society, of a lot of land, upon which a large stone building was erected as a place of worship. The lot is in the center of the town : and, attached to the church, was a large bu- rial ground, in which a great number of bodies were deposited. The Epis-
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OF VIRGINIA.
In the year 1785 the legislature of Virginia passed an act, in which among other provisions (in relation to the Northern Neck,) is the following :
"And be it further enacted, that the landholders with- in the said district of the Northern Neck shall be for- over hereafter exonerated and discharged from composi- tion and quitrents, any law, custom or usage, to the con- trary notwithstanding." *. This act of the state freed the people from a vexatious and troublesome kind of taxation. Fairfax's representatives soon sold out their interest in his private estate in this country, and it is believed there is no part of this vast landed estate re- maining in the hands of any branch of the Fairfax fa- mily. Chief justice Marshall, the late Raleigh Colston, Esq., and the late Gen. Henry Lee, purchased the right of. Fairfax's legatees (in England)-to what is called the Manor of Leeds,t South Branch Manor, Patterson's Creek Manor, and various other tracts of land of im- mense value,-the most of which had been leased out for long terms or lives. This estate has been the cause of more litigation probably than any other estate in Vir- ginin. Suits growing out of the case of Ilite, &c. against Fairfax, are yet depending in our courts, -and some of the tenants in the Manor of Leeds have lately taken it into their heads that the Fairfax title is defective, and refuse to pay rents to the present claimants. This re- fusal has produced a lawsuit, which will doubtless be a long time depending.
This profligate manner of granting away lands in
copal society lately sold at auction this ancient building and lot for twelve thousand dollars. "The purchasers caused the skeletons to be removed, and there are now three elegant brick houses erected on the lot. With the mo- uey arising from the sale the Episcopal society purchased a lot on Boscowen and Washington streets, and have built a splendid new church. . Li is to bo regretted that no account was taken of the number of skeletons removed. The author inquired of several persons, who were concerned in the remo- vadl. no one of whom coull give any account of the number. It is probable there were not less than 1000-the skeleton of lord Fairfax among them. * See Revised Code of the Laws of Virginia, vol. i. p. 351.
t The Manor of Leeds is located in the counties of Culpeper, Fauquier and Frederick, and contains about 150,000 acres; the South Branchi Manor in Hardy, 5,100; Patterson's creek in Hampshire, 9,00 acres. Goony-Run Manor, which adjoins the Manor of Leeds, contains about 13.000 acres, and Bes chiefly in Shenandoah county.
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NORTHERN NECK
immense bodies was unquestionably . founded in the most unwise and unjust policy. Instead of promoting the speedy settlement and improvement of the country -instead of holding out to the bulk of society every - possible encouragement to make the most speedy set- tlement and improvement of the new country,-mono- polies in several instances were given, or pretended to be sold to a few favorites of the governing powers, whereby these favorites were enabled to amass vast es- tates, and to lord it over the great majority of their fel- low men. Such are the blessings of kingly govern- ments. But the people of this free and happy republic have abundant cause to rejoice and bless their God that this wretched kind of policy and highhanded injustice is done away, in the freedom and wisdom of our insti- tutions, and that we have no longer our ears assailed, nor our understandings outraged, with the disgusting, high sounding title of " My lord !" applied to poor frail human beings.
Lord Fairfax was the county lieutenant for Frederick for several years. On looking into the record of the proceedings of the court-martial, the author found the following entry :
" At a council of war, held for regulating the militia of Frederick county, in order to take such steps as shall be thought most expedient in the present critical con- juncture, the 14th day of April, 1756 : present the Rt. Hon. the lord Fairfax. county lieutenant ; John Hite, major ; John Lindsey, Isaac Parkins, Richard Morgan, Saml. Odell, Edward Rodgers, Jeremiah Smith, + Tho- mas Caton, Paul Long, captains.
" Proposals having been sent to the several captains of the militia, signed by the commanding officer of the said militia, and dated the 7th day of April 1756, to get what volunteers they could encourage to go in search of the Indian enemy who are daily ravaging our frontiers and committing their accustomed cruelties on the in-
* Capt. Jeremiah Smith, the same who defeated the party of 50 Indians, and killed the French captain, noticed in a preceding chapter.
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OF VIRGINIA.
habitants; and the aforesaid officers being met together, and finding the number of men insufficient to goagainst the enemy, it is considered that the mnen be discharged, being only fifteen. FAIRFAX."
From this it appears that lord Fairfax, among others, was an attentive officer in the time of the Indian wars. In truth it behooved his lordship to be active. He had more at stake, and the command of greater funds, than any other individual member of society. The Indian hostilities retarded the settlement of his large domain, and of course lessened his revenue. It is said that his lordship was remarkable for his eccentricities and sin- gularity of disposition and character. and that he bad an insatiable passion for hoarding up English gold .* He never married ; of course left no child to inherit his vast estate ; but devised his property, or a large portion of it, to the Rev. Denny Martin, his nephew in England. on condition that he would apply to the parliament of Bri- tain for an act to authorize him to take the name of lord Fairfax. . This was done; and Denny Lord Fairfax. like his uncle. never marrying, he devised the estate to Gen. Philip Martin, who, never marrying, and dying without issue, devised the estate to two old maiden sis- ters, who sold it to Messrs. Marshall, Colston and Lee.
Ile devised that part of his estate on which he resi- ded, and which he called " Greenway-Court Manor," (containing ten thousand acres, with a large part of his slaves, (c.) to another nephew, the late Col. Thomas Bryan Martin, who had resided with him for many years previous to his death. Col. Martin, like the oth- ers, never married. But he contrived to make a daugh- ter by a Mra. Crawford, who lord Fairfax had employ- ed as a housekeeper. After Fairfax's death, Martin kept this woman as a mistress for several years : she died, and the daughter grew up and married the late Francis Geldart, who was a captain in the British ser-
" Some four or five years age the slaves of the Rev. Mr. Kennerly, the present proprietor of " Greenway-Court," in quarrying stone, unt far from Fahfix's ancient dwelling-house, found about $250 worth of gold coin, sup- posed to have been hidden there by his lordship.
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NORTHERN NECK.
vicc in the war of the revolution. She died soon after her marriage without issue. Martin gave Geldart about 1000 acres of land, part of " Greenway-Court Manor," with a number of slaves, &c. Col. Martin, after the death of his daughter, employed a white housekeeper, a Miss Powers, to whom he devised Greenway-Court, with one thousand acres of land, a number of slaves, and all the residue of his personal estate of every de- scription, (with the exception of part of his stock, slaves, and money). Miss Powers, after the death of Martin, married the late Mr. W. Carnagy, by whom she had an only daughter, who is now the wife of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Kennerly. Col. Martin directed by his will the sale of all the residue of his estate, and the money arising from the sale to be remitted and paid to his two old maiden sisters in England .* Shortly after his death an attempt was made to escheat the landed estate, and the suit was depending some sixteen or eighteen years before its final decision. The court of appeals at length decided the question in favor of Martin's legatees.
It is proper, before the subject of lord Fairfax's im- mense grant is dismissed, to inform the reader, that a few years after the war of the revolution an attempt was made to confiscate all that part of his landed estote de- vised to his nephew Denny Martin (afterwards Denny Lord Fairfax). But Messrs. Marshall, Colston and Lee, having purchased the estate, a compromise took place between them and the state government, for the parti- culars of which the reader is referred to the first volume of the Revised Code of the Laws of Virginia, pp. 352, 353.
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