USA > Virginia > Augusta County > Augusta County > Annals of Augusta county, Virginia, from 1726 to 1871 > Part 10
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A deed of Christopher Francisco, of Pennsylvania, to Gabriel Jones, of the county of Frederick, dated August 8, 1751, is recorded in the clerk's office of Augusta county. The land conveyed consisted of 244 acres, being a part of 5,000 acres grauted by patent to Jacob Stover, lying on the north side of "Shenandore River," in the parish and county of Augusta, and "opposite to the lower end of the Great Island." This was the farm below the present village of Port Re- public, upon which Mr. Jones lived many years, and where he died. He was still a resident of Frederick, however, on the 24th of August, 1753, when Alexander Richie conveyed to him 400 acres of land on the north side of James River in the present county of Botetourt. He sold his Frederick property, on which he had lived, December 3, 1753, and probably before the close of that year removed to his farmi on the Shenandoah, in Augusta.
If not the first lawyer who resided in the Valley, Mr. Jones was the first member of that profession who lived in Augusta. He was actively engaged in practice for many years. As we have seen, he also repre- sented Augusta in the House of Burgesses in 1757, 1758 and 1771. He was considered a man of great ability and unbending integrity. His only fault, or the only one which tradition tells us of, was an ex- tremely irritable temper, which, when aroused, expressed itself in the strongest terms he could command, mingled with no little profanity. Having a scorn of all dishonesty and meanness, he did not spare a miscreant by tongue or pen. Two of his letters are before us. In one he describes a certain person, whose trickery he was exposing, as "one of the greatest villains," etc., etc. The other is dated July 28, 1782, and was written, when he was sick, to his son-indeed, from his own account he was "very low"-but he summoned strength enough to denounce a man about whom he wrote as a "scoundrel" and "in- famous rascal." Yet at the close of this letter he expressed the tenderest affection for his son's wife.
When Rockingham was constituted, in 1777, Mr. Jones became a citizen of that county, and was immediately appointed prosecuting at- torney. He was a member of the State Convention of 1788, having his brother-in-law, Thomas Lewis, as his colleague, both of them being zealous advocates of the adoption of the Federal Constitution. Mr. Lewis was a popular man while Mr. Jones was not, and it is related that in a public speech before the election, the latter declined the sup- port of "the rascals" who, he understood, proposed to vote for him be-
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cause of his association with the former. Archibald Stuart, of Augns- ta, went to Rockingham to electioneer for Mr. Jones, who afterwards presented to him a chaise in which to bring home his wife.
He continued to practice law, and the road he traveled, from his residence to the county seat of Rockingham, is still called "The Law- yer's Road." An anecdote related of him, whether true or false, illus- trates the awe he inspired in his latter days. It is said that on one oc- casion, during the trial of a cause before the County Justices of Rock- ingham, or Shenandoah, he had Hugh Holmes, afterwards the Judge, as his adversary at the bar. Holmes was mischievous and witty, aud the old gentleman became angry and profane. The court abstained from interfering as long as possible, but finally pitt their heads togetlier to confer about the matter. After due consideration, the Presiding Justice announced as the judgment of the court that they would send Lawyer Holmes to jail if he did not quit making Lawyer Jones swear so.
Mr. Jones died in October, 1806. Having always pictured hini as a giant in size and strength, we were surprised to learn that he was a man of small stature. His portrait represents him in the old style of ? dress, with a large wig, and a shade over his right eye. Some of his descendants suppose that he lost his eye during his early life, and oth- ers attribute the loss to an accident during his latter years. In the spring of 1887, a window, in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Jones, was in- serted by their descendants in a new Protestant Episcopal church, which stands near their former residence.
The children of Gabriel Jones were three daughters and one son, besides one that died in infancy. Margaret Morton, the oldest daughter, married Colonel John Harvie, for some time a member of Congress and for many years Register of the Land Office of Virginia. The descend- auts of Colonel and Mrs. Harvie are very numerous, and many of them have been highly distinguished. Another daughter married John Lewis, of Fredericksburg ; and the third married Mr. Hawkins, of Kentucky.
The John Lewis just named was a merchant, and furnished to General Wilkinson the capital for his trading expedition down the Mississippi. He was a son of Col. Fielding Lewis by his first wife. Catharine Washington, a cousin of the General. He was married five times, and Miss Jones was his third wife.
William Strother Jones, the only son of Gabriel Jones, was born March 21, 1756. In the catalogue of students of William and Mary College we find the name of Strother Jones, son of Gabriel Jones, of Augusta, in 1767. His wife was Fanny Thorntou, of Fredericksburg, who died about the year 1790. He was a captain in the Continental army during the Revolution, and subsequently a colonel of militia. It is said that he was an accomplished gentleman, but inherited his father's temper. At oue time during the war he was ordered under arrest for " beating a sentry while on post and a corporal on guard."
William Strother Jones, Jr., was the only son of the former. He was born October 7, 1783, lived in Frederick county, married, first, Ann Maria Marshall, a niece of Chief-Justice Marshall; and, second, Ann Cary Randolph, and died July 31, 1845.
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The children of the last-named William Strother Jones were, Mrs. F. L. Barton, of Winchester ; Wm. Strother Jones, now of New York ; Captain James F. Jones, who was murdered in 1866 ; Francis B. Jones, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Second Virginia regiment, who was killed at Malvern Hill ; and R. B. Jones.
Robert T. Barton, of Winchester, to whom we are indebted for much of the foregoing information, is a great-great-grandson of Gabriel Jones.
John Jones, the brother of Gabriel Jones, had a son named John Gabriel, who was born June 6, 1752, and while still a very young man went to Kentucky. In June, 1776, George Rogers Clark and John Gabriel Jones were chosen, by a popular meeting at Harrodsburg, mem- bers of the General Assembly of Virginia. Before they arrived here the Legislature had adjourned, and Jones directed his steps to the settlements on the Holston, leaving Clark to proceed to Richmond. The latter obtained from the council an order for the transportation to Pittsburg of 500 pounds of gunpowder for the use of the people of Ken- tucky. At the Fall session of the Legislature the two agents of Ken- tucky were in attendance. They were not received as members, but through their influence the county of Kentucky was constituted. Clark and Jones conveyed the powder from Pittsburg down the Ohio river to a point eleven miles above the present town of Maysville, and con- cealed it there. In December following, Colonel John Todd and a party of men, under the guidance of Jones, went for the powder ; but on Christmas day, when near the Lower Blue Lick, they were attacked by Indians. Jones and several others were killed, and the expedition was abandoned. In Jannary, 1777, however, Colonel Harrod suc- ceeded in finding the powder and conveying it to Harrodsburg.
Jolın Jones, the brother of Gabriel, was not the rector of Augusta parish in colonial times. Some of the descendants of Gabriel Jones state that as far as they know he had no brother whatever. Otliers not only give the brother's name, but the date of his birth.
THOMAS LEWIS'S JOURNAL.
The journal of Thomas Lewis, the first surveyor of Augusta county, of the expedition of himself and others in 1746, undertaken to establish a part of the line of Lord Fairfax's grant, is preserved by Mr. Lewis's descendants. It constitutes a manuscript volume of many pages, most of which record only courses and distances. But here and there are items of more or less interest. We make the following ex- tracts :
"Wednesday, September 10th, 1746 .- Set out from home in order to wait on his Majesty's and the Right Honorable Thomas Lord Fair- fax's Commissioners at Captain Downs's, from thence to proceed to run the dividing line between his Majesty and Lord Fairfax, from the head spring of the Rappahannock to the head spring of the north
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branch of Potowmack. Lay at Michael Woods's this night, having rode 20 miles."
At the date mentioned Thomas Lewis was twenty-eight years of age. He married in 1749, and in 1751 bought the land on the Shen- andoah river, near the present village of Port Republic, where he after- ward lived and died. His home in 1746, was probably at his father's on Lewis' Creek, about two miles northeast of Staunton. Michael Woods resided east of the Blue Ridge, in Albemarle. The road, or path, between the liomes of Lewis and Woods was through Woods' Gap. now called Jarman's.
Captain Downs was probably the Henry Downs who was present- ed by the Grand Jury of Orange county in 1740, "(for Sabbath-break- ing by traveling with loaded horses to Sharrendo.")
On Thursday the surveyor set off very early, was very sick, but rode thirty-five miles to one Franklin's, where he put up.
There is a popular belief in Albemarle that Dr. Benjamin Franklin at one time owned land and resided in that county, but the Albemarle Franklin was no doubt the person mentioned above. Dr. Franklin was then in Philadelphia engaged in the study of electricity. The journal proceeds :
"Friday .- Set out about nine. Got to Captain Downs's where was Colonel Fry, one of his Majesty's Commissioners, Colonel Jeffer- son, one of the surveyors for his Majesty, and Captain Winslo, for Lord Fairfax. After having eat breakfast, came the Honorable Wil- liam Fairfax and Colonel William Beverley, his Lordship's Commis- sioners. Likewise Colonel Lomax, one of his Majesty's Commission- ers Likewise George Fairfax, Esq., and Mr. Robert Brooke, one of his Majesty's surveyors."
Colonel Joshua Fry, a native of England, was at one time Profes- sor of Mathematics in William and Mary College, but in 1746, resided in Albemarle. In 1752, he and Lunsford Lomax and James Patton con- cluded a treaty with the Indians at Logstown. He and Peter Jefferson completed the map of Virginia, known as "Fry and Jefferson's." In 1754, he was Colonel, commanding the Virginia forces against the French, and died on his way with the troops to the Ohio.
Colonel Peter Jefferson, father of the President, was county sur- veyor and subsequently county lieutenant of Albemarle. He died in 1757. Colonel Beverley was the patentee of "Beverley Manor," in Augusta. Colonel Lomax, grandfather of the late Judge J. T. Lomax of Fredericksburg, was a Burgess froin Caroline county in 1756. Mr. Robert Brooke was the grandfather of Governor Robert Brooke and Judge Francis T. Brooke. He accompanied Governor Spotswood in his visit to the Valley in 1716.
Thie baggage for the expedition was brought to Captain Downs' by wagon on the 12th, but the horses did not arrive till the next day. In the meanwhile a camp was pitched in a field and was visited by "a great number of the neighboring gentlemen."
"Sunday 14th .- Most of the gentlemen went to hear Mr. Mar- shall preach, who returned with them to dinner. Several of us solici- ted him to preach us a sermou before we set off. He, after making
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several religious evasions, showed us the impossibility thereof, and so bid us farewell."
The Rev. Mungo Marshall was rector of the first Orange church. This church stood about ten miles northwest of Orange C. H., near an ancient mound or burial place of Indians, on the right bank of the Rapidan river. Mr. Marshall died in 1758. The vandal spirit which led to the dismantling and destruction of many old colonial churches, did not spare his grave. His tombstone was carried off, and first used to grind paint on, and afterward hides were dressed on it in a tannery. -( Bishop Meade).
Colonel Peter Hedgeman, one of his Majesty's Commissioners, joined the party on the 15th, most of which day was spent in inspecting the horses. Fourteen horses were pronounced fit for service. The number of men in the expedition was forty.
Several days more were passed in preparations. During the night of the 17th the camp was aroused by a quarrel amongst a crowd of drunken people, who used fence rails and stakes with " tolerable good sticcess.''
The baggage, being all packed on the 18th, a part was sent off under Mr. Anthony, one of the stewards, by the way of Swift Run Gap, there to be ready when the party should get over the Blue Ridge ; the other, under Mr. Genn, to the head of the Conoway (now Conway, a branch of the Rapidan), where the survey was to begin.
"Friday, 19th .- We set off from Captain Downs's with expectation of reaching head of Conoway that night. Colonel Fairfax and Colonel Beverley outrode the rest. We called at Hickley's and regaled our- selves with some very good cider. Night coming on, we were obliged to encamp in the mountain before we got to ye spring head."
"Saturday, 20th .- The mountain made such a dismal appearance that John Thomas, one of our men, took sick on the same and so returned home."
About 12 o'clock on Saturday the party reached the camp of Fair- fax and Beverley, at the head of the river, and immediately proceeded to discover, if possible, which branch the surveyors had ineasured up in 1736. After an unsuccessful search, it was determined on the 22d to survey three branches in order to discover the right or main brauch. "Monday, 29th .- It being impossible to take our horses over the Peaked Mountain, they were sent over Massanutten Gap" (now New Market Gap) "with the commissioners and baggage. Mr. Brooke and I went up to where we left off on Saturday."
"Friday, October 3d .- This day several of the horses had like been killed, tumbling over rocks and precipices, and ourselves often in the utmost danger. This terrible place was called Purgatory."
Sunday, 5th- Our situation was such we could not lie by. Our horses were starving ; our provisions not being sufficient for us more than one day made it a work of necessity for us to press forward." The mountain was "exceedingly high and very rocky," and darkness overtook them. "We had like been killed with repeated falls," and the horses were in a pitiable condition. At length they reached the foot of the mountain, but their condition was not much improved,
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"there being a large water course," with steep banks, which they had often to cross. After almost giving up in despair, they reached camp about ten o'clock, "hardly any of us escaping without broken shins or some other misfortune." But on the morning of the 6th they began again on the top of the mountain.
The commissioners went by an easier route, leaving the surveyors to contend with the difficulties of the mountains. Ou October 7th "we were very much put to for want of water. We could find 110 other than a standing puddle wherein the bears used to wallow."
Thursday, 9th .- Went to see Coburn who, with his wife and miller, a buxom lass, repaid the visit in the evening, which we spent very merrily."
Ou Friday the 10th the party paused at the farthest settlement to obtain a supply of provisions, to have the shoes of the horses fastened on, and to allow the men to wash their shirts. On the 11th they camped on Looney's Creek, which runs into the South Branch.
"Tuesday, 14th .- This river was called Styx, from the dismal ap- pearance of the place, being sufficient to strike terror in any human creature. The laurel, ivy and spruce pines so extremely thiek in a swamp through which the river runs that one cannot have the least prospect except he look upwards. The water of the river of a dark brownish color, and its motion so slow that it can hardly be said to move. Its depth about four feet. The bottom muddy and the banks high, which made it difficult for us to cross. Most of the horses, when they attempted to ascend the furthest bank, tumbled with their loads back into the river. Most of our baggage, that would have been dam- aged by the water, was brought over on men's shoulders, such as powder, bread and bed-clothes."
Being without food for man or beast on Sunday the 19th, the party had to push on. On Monday the 20th, a deer and turkey were killed. They heard guns which they supposed were fired by Indians, of whom none were seen. On the 28th one of the men surprised and killed a buck with an axe, and on the same day the party arrived again at Co- burn's, on Mill Creek. Several of the inhabitants came to see them.
"Thursday, 30th .- This being his Majesty's birthday," (George II), "we concluded the evening in merriment. Drank his Majesty's health, which was followed by a discharge of nine guns."
"Saturday, November 8th .- Went down to Lockhart's and en- camped. Here we had left some rum and wine, which contributed to our spending the evening very pleasantly, rejoicing we had surmounted so many difficulties." Here also two of the men fell out, and one offered the other a "piece of eight" to fight him, The challenged party accepted and won the money, which, however, was recovered before a justice in Orange.
On Thursday, November 13th, the commissioners and surveyors were together again. The party dined and drank "his Majesty's and Lord Fairfax's health, which was accompanied with a discharge of nine guns to each health." At "Buckner's Quarter" they got some cider and apples.
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Colonel Jefferson and Mr. Brooke set off for home on Saturday, November 15th. On Monday the 17th, most of the men being dis- charged, the horses, tents, etc., were set up at auction at Captain Downs', and on the same day Mr. Lewis took leave of the " gentlemen commissioners" and started home. He arrived at Michael Woods' about two o'clock, crossed the Blue Ridge that evening, spent the night at Samuel Gay's, and reached home on the 19th, having been absent two months and nine days.
The surveyors had agreed to meet at Colonel Jefferson's the first of January "to make out what plans of the Northern Neck were wanted." Therefore Mr. Lewis took to horse again on December 30th, and arrived at Colonel Jefferson's on the 3d of January The other sur- veyors, Mr. Brooke and Captain Winslo, not coming, he waited till the 14th, and then started to Essex county in search of them. He arrived at Mr. Brooke's the night of the 15th, visited Colonel Beverley on the 16th, and in the evening went with Mr. Brooke to see Colonel Lomax.
On the 23d the surveyor's assembled at Colonel Jefferson's, and began their "plans of the Northern Neck " the next day. But find- ing they wanted paper and other things, they had to send to Willianis- burg for a supply. On Sunday, February 2d, says the journal, "we all rode down to Richmond church, where we heard the Rev. Mr. Stitli preach. The gentlemen of the town treated us to a handsome dinner at Mr. Coale's ordinary." By February 21st Captain Winslo and Mr. Lewis " made seven plans of the Northern Neck on Lord Fairfax's account, according to our instructions from Colonel Beverley," and starting from Colonel Jefferson's on the 22d, Mr. Lewis reached home on the 24th.
Colonel Jefferson's permanent residence was at Shadwell, in Albe- marle, which is seventy or eighty miles from Richmond ; but at the time referred to, he was living temporarily at a place called Tuckahoe, near Richmond. [History of Albemarle County.]
The Rev. William Stith, author of the History of Virginia, was a nephew of Sir John Randolph, one of the original patentees of Bever- ley's Manor. In 1738 he became rector of Henrico parish, and wrote his history in 1740 at Varina, a seat of one of the Randolphs on James river below Richmond. From 1752 till his death, in 1755, lie was president of William and Mary College.
We have not followed Mr. Lewis' spelling, which is decidedly "archaic," to use a modern apologetic term. As he grew older he im- proved in orthography, as his later writings show.
TREATIES WITH INDIANS.
On the 2d of July, 1744, a treaty was concluded at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, between Thomas Lee, member of the Council of State and one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Virginia, and William Beverley, Colonel and County Lieutenant of the county of Orange and member of the House of Burgesses, Commissioners ap-
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pointed by the Governor of Virginia, and twenty-five chiefs of the Six United Nations of Indians. In consideration of four hundred pounds. current money of Pennsylvania, paid partly in goods and partly in gold money, the Indians renounced their right and claim to all the lands in the Colony of Virginia, and acknowledged the title thereto of the King of Great Britain. This is known as the Treaty of Lancaster, and the instrument was witnessed by James Patton, Robert Brooke, Jr., James Madison and others. The deed was proved in the General Court and ordered to be recorded. October 25, 1744.
Some dissatisfaction having arisen among the Indians in regard to the Treaty of Lancaster, a conference was held at Logstown, on the Ohio, in 1752, between chiefs of the Six Nations and Joshua Fry, Lunsford Lomax and James Patton, Commissioners of Virginia ; and another deed was executed by six chiefs, consenting to the deed of July 2, 1744, and promising to assist and protect British subjects settled " on the southern or eastern part of the river called Alleghany." This deed was dated June 13, 1752, and was witnessed by George Croghan, Thomas McKee, William Preston and others.
At Fort Pitt, on July 10, 1775, the chiefs and sachems of the Six Nations, in consideration of twelve thousand Spanish dollars, "or the value thereof in merchandise," and also " the great justice and integ- rity" of George Croghan to the Indians, conveyed a tract of land on the south side of the Ohio River, beginning opposite the mouth of French creek, or Beef river, etc., etc., containing by estimation six millions (6,000,000) acres. The deed was signed by six chiefs, one making the mark of "the hill," another of " the mountain," etc .; and was witnessed by Jolin Campbell, Thomas Hosier and George Rootes.
On the 30th of July, 1777, George Croghan, "of Fort Pitt, in the State of Virginia," by deed to Dr. Thomas Walker and others, in con- sideration of five thousand Spanish dollars, conveyed " one clear eight and fortieth part " (125,000 acres) of the tract granted by the Indians to Croghan. Among the witnesses to this deed were George Rootes and Strother Jones.
George Rootes is said to have lived in Augusta, near the Stone Church, but we have found no trace of him in our county archives. From the Catalogue of William and Mary College, we learn that, in 1771, Philip Rootes, son of Philip Rootes of Augusta, was a student at that institution ; and in 1779, Thomas Rootes, of Augusta, was a student there. Strother Jones was the son of Gabriel Jones of Augusta.
The deeds herein referred to are printed in full in the book called the " Page Family in Virginia."
THE BROWNS.
The Rev. John Brown was a native of Ireland, educated at Prince- ton, New Jersey, and pastor of New Providence congregation for forty- four years. His residence was first near the village of Fairfield, and afterwards near the church, on the spot where the late John Withrow long resided.
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I. John Brown, the oldest son of Rev. John Brown, was born at Staunton, (probably at Spring Farm, where his maternal grandmother lived), September 12, 1757. He was sent to Princeton College, and when the American army retreated through the Jerseys, joined the troops, crossed the Delaware with them, and remained some time as a volunteer. He afterwards was a member of a Rockbridge company, and with it served under LaFayette. His education was completed at William and Mary College. The sketch of him in Collins's History of Kentucky (Volume II, page 252), says he "assisted the celebrated Dr. Waddell for two years as a teacher in his school, read law in the office of Mr. Jefferson, and moved to Kentucky in 1782." After Ken- tucky became a State he was three times consecutively elected a United States Senator. He was also a member of the House of Representa- tives one or more terms. In 1805 he retired to private life, and after that declined all overtures to take office. He died August 28, 1837, at Frankfort. His wife was a daughter of the Rev. John Mason, of New York, and sister of the distinguished Rev. Jolin M. Mason.
The late Judge Mason Brown, of Frankfort, was a son of the Hon. John Brown. One of Judge Brown's sons was the late Benjamin Gratz Brown, of Missouri, the candidate for the Vice-Presidency of the United States on the "Greeley Ticket," in 1872. Another of his sons is Colonel Jolin Mason Brown, of Louisville.
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