USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 3rd ed > Part 32
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The German Reformed and Lutheran churches in our country, as far as I know of them, are doing well. The number of the Luth- eran congregations is said to be at least one hundred ; that of the Reformed, it is presumed, is about the same amount.
It is remarkable, that throughout the whole extent of the Unit- ed States, the Germans, in proportion to their wealth, have the best churches, organs and graveyards. It is a fortunate circumstance that those of our citizens who labor under the disadvantage of speak- ing a foreign language, are blessed with a ministry so evangelical as that of these very numerous and respectable communities.
The Episcopalian church, which ought to have been foremost in gathering their scattered flocks, have been the last, and done the least of any christian community in the evangelical work. Taking the western country in its whole extent, at least one-half its popu- lation was originally of Episcopalian percentage ; but for want of a ministry of their own they have associated with other communities. They had no alternative but that of changing their profession or living or dying without the ordinances of religion. It can be no subject of regret that those ordinonces were placed within their reach by other hands, whilst they were withheld by those, by whoin, as a matter of right and duty, they ought to have been given. One single chorea episcopus, or suffragan bishop, of a faithful spirit, who, twenty years ago, should have "ordained them elders in every place " where they were needed, would have been the instrument of forming Episcopal congregations over a great extent of country, and which by this time would have become large, numerous and respecta- ble ; but the opportunity was neglected, and the consequent loss to this church is irreparable.
So total a neglect of the spiritual interests of so many valuable people, for so great a length of time, by a ministry so near at hand, is a singular and unprecedented fact in ecclesiastical history, the like of which never occurred before.
It seems to me, that if the twentieth part of their number of christian people, of any other community, had been placed in Si-
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beria, and dependent upon any other ecclesiastical authority in this country, that that authority would have reached them many years ago with the ministration of the gospel. With the earliest and most numerous Episcopacy in America, not one of the eastern bishops has yet crossed the Alleghany Mountains although the dioceses of two of them comprehended large tracts of country on the western side of the mountains. It is hoped that the future diligence of this community will make up, in some degree, for the negligence of the past.
There is still an immense void in this country which it is their duty to fill up. From their respectability, on the ground of antiqui- ty among the reformed churches, the science of their patriarchs, who have been the lights of the world, from their number of great resources, even in America, she ought to hasten to fulfill the just expectations of her own people, as well as those of other communi- ties, in contributing her full share to science, piety and civilization of our country.
From the whole of the ecclesiastical history, it appears, that, with the exception of the Episcopal church, all our religious com- munities have done well for their country.
The author begs that it may be understood, that with the distinguished tenets of our religious societies he has nothing to do, nor yet with the excellencies nor defects of the ecclesiastical institutions. They are noticed on no other ground than that of their respective contributions to the science and civilization of the country.
The last but not the least, of the means of our present civiliza- tion, are our excellent forms of government and the administration of the law.
In vain, as means of general information, are schools, colleges, and a ministry of the gospel of the best order. A land of liberty is a land of crime, as well as of virtue.
It is often mentioned as a matter of reproach to England, that, in proportion to her population, they have more convictions, execu- tions, and transportations, than any other country in Europe. Should it be asked, what is the reason of the prevalence of crime in England ? Is it, that human nature is worse there than elsewhere? We answer, no. There is more liberty there than elsewhere in Europe, and that is the true and only solution of the matter in ques- tion. Where a people are at liberty to learn what they choose, to think and act as they please, and adopt any profession for a liv- ing or a fortune, they are much more liable to fall into the commis- sion of crimes, than people who from their infancy have been accustomed to the dull monotonous march of despotism, which chains each individual in the rank and profession of his forefathers, and does not permit him to wander into stranger and devious paths of hazardous experiments.
In America, should a stranger read awhile our numerous publi-
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cations of a religious nature, the reports of missionary and Bible societies, at first blush he would look upon the Americans as a na- tion of saints; let him lay these aside, and read the daily news- papers, he will change his opinion, and for the time being consider them as a nation abounding in crimes of the most atrocious dye. Both portraits are true.
The greater the amount of freedom, the greater the necessity of a steady and faithful administration of justice, but more especially of criminal justice ; because a general diffusion of science, while it produces the most salutary effects, on a general scale, produces also the worst of crimes, by creating the greater capacity for their com- mission. There is scarcely any art of science, which is not in some hands and under certain circumstances made an instrument of the most atrocious vices. The arts of navigation and gunnery, so necessary for the wealth and defense of a nation, have often degen- erated into the crime of piracy. The beautiful art of engraving, and the more useful art of writing, have been used by the fraudu- lent for counterfeiting all kinds of public and private documents of credit. Were it not for the science and freedom, the impor- tant professions of theology and physic would not be so fre- quently assumed by the pseudo priest and the quack without previ- ous acquirements, without right, and for purposes wholly base and unwarrantable.
The truth is, the western country is the region of adventure. If we have derived some advantage from the importation of science, arts and wealth ; we have on the other hand been much annoyed and endangered, as to our moral and political state, by an immense importation of vice, associated with a high grade of science and the most consummate art in the pursuit of wealth by every description of unlawful means. The steady administration of justice has been our only safety from destruction, by the pestilential influence of so great an amount of moral depravity in our infant country.
Still it may be asked whether facts warrant the belief that the scale is fairly turned in favor of science, piety and civilization, whether in regard to the important endowments of our nature, the present time is better than the past, whether we may safely consider our political institutions as matured and settled, that our personal liberty, property and sacred honor, are not only secured to us for the present, but likely to remain the inheritance of our children for generations yet to come. Society, in its best state, resembles the sleeping volcano, as the amount of the moral evil which it always contains. It is enough for public safety, and all that can reasona- bly be expected, that the good predominate over the evil. The moral and political means, which have been so successfully em- ployed for preventing a revolutionary explosion, have, as we trust, procrastinated the danger of such an event for a long time to come. If we have criminals, they are speedily pursued and brought to justice.
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The places of our country, which still remain in their native state of wilderness, do not, as in many countries, afford notorious lodgments for thieves. Our hills are not, as in the wilderness of Judea, "hills of robbers." The ministry of the holy gospel is en- lightening the minds of our people with the best of all sciences, that of God himself, his divine government and man's future state.
Let it not be thought hard that our forums of justice are so numerous, the style of their architecture so imposing, and the busi- ness which occupies them so multifarious; they are the price which freedom pays for its protection. Commerce, circulating through its million channels, will create an endless variety of litigating claims. Crimes of the deepest dye, spring from science and liberty them- selves, require constantly the vigilance and coercion of criminal jus- tice. Even the poorest of our people are solicitious for the educa- tion of their children. Thus the great supports of our moral and political state, resting on their finest bases, public opinion and at- tachment to our government and laws, promise stability for genera- tions yet to come.
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APPENDIX.
APPENDIX.
The author of the History of the Valley had intended to post- pone the subject of the following pages, and give the subject matter thereof in a second edition ; but at the request of a highly respecta- ble subscriber, and on consulting the printer, it is found that this addition to his work will not greatly increase the expense of the present volume. It is therefore deemed expedient to gratify public curiosity by giving the following sketches. If any one should be found incredulous enough to doubt the correctness of this statement, he can only say to such individuals, that they can have occular proof of the truth of each by taking the trouble to examine for themselves.
CHAPTER I.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY.
That portion of the Valley lying between the Blue Ridge and Little North Mountain, is generally about an average of twenty-five miles wide, commencing on the Cohongoruton (Potomac) and run- ning from thence a southerly course to the commencement of the northern termination of Powell's Fort Mountain, a distance of about forty-five miles.
This region, it has already been stated in a preceding chapter, when the country was first known to the white people, was one entire and beautiful prairie, with the exception of narrow fringes of timber immediately bordering on the water courses. The Opequon, (pronounced Opeckon) heads at the eastern base of the Little North Mountain, and thence passing through a fine tract of limestone country, seven or eight miles, enters into a region of slate. This tract of slate country commences at the northern termination of Powell's Fort Mountains, and is six or eight miles in width east and west, and continues to the Potomac, a distance or about forty-five miles. The Opequon continues its serpentine course through the
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slate region, and empties into the Potomac about fifteen or sixteen miles above Harpers-Ferry. It is thought by some individuals that this water course is susceptible of navigation for small craft, twenty- five miles from its mouth. This slate region of country is compara- tively poor unproductive land ; yet in the hands of industrious skill- ful farmers, many very valuable and beautiful farms are to be seen in it. About twenty years ago a scientific Frenchman suggested to the author the opinion " that this region of slate country was, at some remote period of the world, covered with a mountain, an abrasion of which had taken place by some great convulsion of nature. This he inferred from an examination of the base of the Fort Mountain, the stratum of the slate at the foot of which being precisely similar to that of the slate at the edges of the region of this slate country." The author will not venture an opinion of his own on this subject, but has given that of an individual who it was said at the time was a man of considerable philosophical and scientific acquirements.
East of this slate country commences another region of fine limestone land, averaging ten or twelve miles in width, and for its extent certainly unsurpassed in point of natural beauty, fertility and value, by any section of country in Virginia.
Powell's Fort presents to the eye mnuch grandeur and sublimity. Tradition informs us that an Englisman by the name of Powell, at the early settlement of our country, discovered silver ore in the West Fort Mountain, and commenced the business of money coin- age; and when any attempt was made to arrest him, he would es- cape into the mountain and conceal himself. From this circum- stance it acquired the name of Powell's Fort. The late Capt. Isaac Bowman, about thirty years ago, pointed out to the author the site of Powell's shop, where it was said he wrought his metal, the ruins of which were to be seen. Capt. Bowman also informed the author that several crucibles and other instruments, which he had frequent- ly seen, had been found about the ruins of this shop, so that there is no doubt of the truth of the tradition that this man Powell was in the practice of melting down some sort of metal, if he did not ac- tually counterfeit money.
The grandeur and sublimity of this extraordinary work of na- ture consist in its tremendous height and singular formation. On entering the mouth of the Fort, we are struck with the awful height of the mountains on each side, probably not less than a thousand feet. Through a very narrow passage, a bold and beautiful stream of water rushes, called Passage Creek, which a short distance below works several fine merchant mills. After traveling two or three miles, the valley gradually widens, and for upwards of twenty miles furnishes arable land, and affords settlements for eighty or ninety familes, several of whom own very valuable farms. The two mountains run parallel about twenty-four or twenty-five miles, and are called the East and West Fort Mountains, and are merged into one, anciently
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called the Masinetto, now Massanutten mountain. The Massanut- ten continues its course about thirty-five or thirty-six miles souther- ly, and abruptly terminates nearly opposite Keiseltown, in the Coun- ty of Rockingham. This range of mountain divides the two great branches of the Shenandoah River. called the South and North Forks. This mountain, upon the whole, presents to the eye some- thing of the shape of the letter Y, or perhaps more the shape of the houns and tongue of a wagon.
The turnpike road from New Market, crossing Massanutten and Blue Ridge in the County of Culpeper, is held as private property. The dwelling-house where the toll is received stands on the summit of Massanutten, from which each of the valleys of the North and South Rivers present to the delightful vision of the traveler a most enchanting view of the country for a vast distance. The little thrif- ty village of New Market, with a great number of farms and their various improvements are seen in full relief. On the east side of the mountain, on the River and Hawksbill Creek, are to be seen a num- ber of fine farms, many of them studded with handsome brick build- ings. Upon the whole, the traveler is amply rewarded, by the grati- fying sight, for his labor and fatigue in ascending the mountain, which is said to be two miles from its base to its summit. There is a considerable depression where the road crosses at this place, called Massanutten Gap.
From the East Fort Mountain, at a point nearly opposite Wood- stock, the South River present to the eye precisely the appearance of three distinct streams of water crossing the valley from the western base of the Blue Ridge to the foot of the Fort Mountain. At the northern end of the West Fort Mountain, from an eminence, Win- chester can be distinctly seen, at a distance of not less than sixteen miles, air measure, and a great portion of the County of Frederick can be overlooked from this elevated point. There is also an elevat- ed point about five miles south of Front Royal, on the road leading from thence to Luray, from which there is a most ravishing view of the eastern section of the County of Frederick, and the tops of the mountains bordering on the north side of the Cohongoruton.
After leaving this eminence, and proceeding southerly towards Luray, from the undulating form of the country between the South River and Blue Ridge, for a distance of fourteen or fifteen miles, it appears constantly to the traveler as if he were nearly approaching the foot of a considerable mountain, and yet there is none to cross his way The South River, for seventy or eighty miles on each side, affords large propertions of fine alluvial lands, in many parts of it first-rate high lands, which are generally finely improved, and owned by many wealthy and highly respectable proprietors. The new County of Page, for its extent, contains as much intrinsic wealth as any county west of the Blue Ridge, with the exception of Jefferson.
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The valley of the North River, from the West Fort Mountain to the eastern base of the Little North Mountain, is generally fine limestone land, undulating and finely watered. It is also highly improved, with a density of population perhaps unequalled by any section of Virginia; and it is believed there is more cash in the hands of its citizens than in any part of the state for the same extent.
It is hardly necessary to state that the three counties of Jeffer- son, Berkeley and Frederick, contain a greater proportion of fertile lands than any other section of the state ; but unfortunately, it may with truth be affirmed that it is a badly watered country. 'There are many neighborhoods in which nothing like a spring of water is to be seen. It is however true, there are many fine large limestone springs, remarkable for the great quantity of water which is dis- charged from them. But nature appears to have distributed her favor in this respect unequally.
The counties of Morgan, Hampshire and Hardy, are remarka- ble for their mountains and fine freestone water. From the mount- tainous character of this section, it is but sparsely inhabited in many parts of it. The South and North Branches of the Cohongoruton (Potomac) afforded considerable quantities of as fine a fertile land as any part of the U. S. Patterson's Creek also furnishes a consid- erable body of fine land. Capon River, Lost River and Back Creek, furnished much fine land, and are all thickly populated.
The western part of Frederick, Berkely and Shenandoah, in- clude considerable portions of mountainous country. The Little North Mountain commences near the Cohongoruton, having Back Creek Valley on the west, which extends about thirty-five miles into the interior, to the head waters of the Creek. This mountain runs a southerly course, parallel with the Great North Mountain, pass- ing through the three counties just mentioned. This tract of moun- tain land is comparatively poor and unproductive. It is, how- ever, pretty thickly populated, by a hardy race of people. In our mountains generally, wherever spots of arable land are to be found, (which are chiefly in the glens), there scattered settlers are to be found also.
East of the Shenandoah River, the Blue Ridge is thickly popu- lated, and many fine productive farms are to be seen. The vast quanity of loose stone thickly scattered over the surface of the moun- tain, one would be ready to believe, would deter individuals from attempting its cultivation ; but it is a common saying among those people, that if they can only obtain as much earth as will cover their seed grain. they are always sure of good crops.
The public road crosses the Blue Ridge, from the South River Valley into the county of Madison. From the western base of the mountain to the summit, it is said to be five miles. On the top of the mountain, at this place, there is a large body of level land, cov- ered almost exclusively with large chestnut timber, having the ap-
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pearance of an extensive swamp, and producing great quantities of the skunk cabbage. But little of it has been reclaimed and brought into cultivation. It produces fine crops of grass, rye, oats, pota- toes and turnips ; but it is said to be entirely too moist for the pro- duction of wheat, and too cool for the growth of Indian corn. The people in its neighborhood say that there is not a week throughout the spring, summer and autumnn, without plentiful falls of rain, and abundant snows in the winter. In the time of long droughts on each side of the mountain, the elevated tract of country is abundantly supplied with rains. It is also said, that from this great height nearly the whole County of Madison can be seen, presenting to the eye a most fascinating and delightful view.
On the summit of the West Fork Mountain, about fifteen miles south of Woodstock, there is also a small tract of land, remarkable for its depth of fine rich soil, but inaccessible to the approach of man with implements of husbandry. The tract produces immense quantities of the finest chestnut, though from the great difficulty of ascending the mountain, but little benefit is derived from it to the neighboring people.
In our western mountains small bodies of limestone land are to be met with, one of the most remarkable of which is what is called the "Sugar Hills," pretty high up the Cedar Creek Valley. The tract is said to contain four or five hundred acres, and lies at the eastern base of Paddy's Mountain. It derives its name from two causes ; first, when discovered it was covered chiefly with the sugar maple ; and secondly, several of its knobs resemble in shape the sugar loaf. Its soil is peculiarly adapted to the production of wheat of the finest quality, of which, let the seasons be as they may, the land never fails to produce great crops, which generally commands seven or eight cents per bushel more than any other wheat grown in its neighborhood. The Hessian fly has not yet been known to in- jure the crops while growing.
Paddy's Mountain is a branch of the great North Mountain, and is about eighteen or twenty miles long. It takes it name from an Irishman, whose name was Patrick Black, who first settled at what is now called Paddy's Gap in the mountain. This fact was communicated to the author by Moses Russell, Esq.
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CHAPTER II.
NATURAL CURIOSITES.
It would require perhaps several volumes to give a minute dis- cription of all the natural and interesting curiosities of our country. The inquisitive individual can scarcely travel more than a mile or two in any direction among our mountains, but some sublime and grand work of nature presents itself to the eye, which excites his wonder and admiration. The author must content himself with a brief description of comparatively a few of the most remarkable. He will commence his narrative with Harpers-Ferry. The wonderful work of nature has been so accurately described by Mr. Jefferson, that it is deemed unnecessary to give a detailed description of it. Suffice it to say, that no stranger can look at the passage of the waters of the Potomac and Shenandoah, rushing through the yawning gap of the mountain, without feeling awe at the grandeur and sublimity of the scene, and ready to prostrate himself in adoration before the omnipo- tent God whose almighty arm hath made all things according to his own wisdom and power.
It is much to be regretted that Capt. Henry, during the admin- istration of the elder Adams in 1799, when what was called the provisional army was raising, and a part of which was stationed at Harpers-Ferry, greatly injured one of the most interesting curiosi- ties of the place. A rock of extraordinary shape and of considerable size stands on the brink of a high hill, on the south side of the tongue or point of land immediately on the fork of the river. The apex of this rock was a broad flat table, supported on a pivot, on which Mr. Jefferson, during his visit to this place, inscribed his name, from which it took the name of Jefferson's rock.
The years 1798 and 1799 were a period of extraordinary political excitement. The two great political parties, federal and democratic, of our country, were at this period completely organized, and an in- teresting struggle for which party should have the ascendancy was carried on. This same Capt. Henry, whether actuated by the same motive which impelled the Macadonian youth to murder Philip his king, or whether he hoped to acquire popularity with his party, (he called himself a federalist), or whether from motives purely hostile towards Mr. Jefferson and all the Democratic party, placed himself at the of a band of soldiers, and with the aid of his myrmidons, hurled off the apex of this rock, thus wantonly, and to say the least,
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unwisely destroyed the greatest beauty of this extraordinary work of nature. By this illiberal and unwise act, Capt. Henry has "con- demned his name to everlasting fame."
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