USA > Virginia > Augusta County > Augusta County > Annals of Augusta county, Virginia, from 1726 to 1871 > Part 28
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The Legislature of 1776, passed an act repealing all acts of the British Parliament which made criminal the maintenance of any relig- ious opinions, forbearing to attend church, or the exercise of any mode of worship. The act also exempted Dissenters from all levies, taxes, and impositions for the support of the "Established Church"-still so called. But all Dissenters, as well as others, were required to con- tribute to the salaries of ministers and other parisli dues, up to Janna- ry 1, 1777. The vestries were to continue their care of the poor. Glebes, churches and chapels were to be kept for the use of the " Es- tablished Church," but all acts providing salaries for ministers were suspended.
At the meeting of the vestry of Angusta parish, in February, 1777, Mr. Jones, the rector, appeared by Robert McClanahan, his attorney. He was allowed {200 for the year 1776, and to February 1, 1777; but. Mr. Balmaine, late curate, was to receive out of the said sum the balance due to him,-£103, 10s. 1od. It was ordered that the collector pay to Robert McClanahan the remainder of the £200, he entering into bond to keep and maintain Mr. Jones, and save the parish any expense on his account for three years. Very likely, before the three years expired, the aged rector had departed this life. We hear no more of him. The Glebe was turned over to the vestry to make what they could of it. William Bowyer and Alexander St. Clair were elected church wardens.
At the beginning of the war, when the State first called for troops, the young and ardent men no doubt rushed into the army, and there was no difficulty in filling np the ranks. The officers were eager for military distinction, and others, not anticipating a protracted war, were anxious to participate in the frolic. As months and years rolled by, and the war still continued, the popular enthusiasm evidently cooled down. It was one thing to march out and shoot at the British and return home " covered with glory," and a different thing entirely to be kept from home indefinitely, marching about or lolling in camp, ex- posed to the weather, badly clad, and nearly all the time without
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sufficient food. Many men who had courage and patriotism to serve a campaign, hesitated about voluntarily taking upon themselves the sufferings mentioned. But the casualties of war depleted the regi- ments in the field, and recruits were demanded. Volunteers in suffi- cient number were not forthcoming, and drafting was resorted to.
Governor Patrick Henry, writing to General Washington, March 29, 1777, on the subject of Virginia's quota of Continental troops, says: "In a very little time seven (7) companies were made up in Augusta."
The Legislature passed an act in May, 1776, "for completing the quota of troops to be raised in this Commonwealth for the Continental army." Any two militiamen procuring a recruit for three years, or the war, were exempted from draft and minister. To complete the six additional battalions already mentioned, drafting was ordered to be made on the 10th of August, unless the number of men required had previously enlisted.
Again, in 1777, the people of Augusta sent supplies to the desti- tute. From some canse unknown to us, there was a scarcity of pro- visions in Washington county, Southwest Virginia, and the records of that county show that Augusta contributed flour for the use of "the distressed inhabitants." [Howe, p. 501.]
The militia were called out again, in September, 1777, to protect the frontier from the Indians. The men rendezvoused at Staunton ou the 22nd. Capt. Thomas Smith commanded the company, and Joseph Bell, of South River, was first sergeant. From Staunton the company marched to the Little Levels in Greenbrier, at which point they were joined by other troops under Colonel Dickerson, Lieut .- Col. George Skillern, and Maj. Samuel McDowell. They then marched to the Ohio, at Point Pleasant, to join the commands of General Hand. After being there for some time, says Bell in his "declaration," the army was drawn up and Major McDowell rode along the line and pro- claimed that the British army under Burgoyne had surrendered ! The troops were then disbanded, and the Augusta men reached home about the second week in December, after an absence of two months and three weeks. It was no doubt thought that the war was over.
Samuel McCune was in the same company, of which, he says, Charles Baskin was lieutenant. He says further that General Hand came down from Pittsburg and disbanded the men at Point Pleasant.
At the session of the Legislature, which began in October, 1777, another act was passed "for recruiting the Virginia regiments on the Continental establishment, and for raising additional troops." It provided that Colonel George Gibson's battalion should continue in
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the Continental service in place of the Ninth Virginia regiment, which was captured at Germantown. It also provided for the speedy re- cruiting of the Virginia regiments in service, Augusta to furnish ninety- seven men by drafting, if a sufficient number of volunteers did not come forward. The drafting was to be made at the court-house of each county on the second Monday in February, 1778, and only un- married men were liable to be called out. Foote relates that a com- pany of volunteers was made up at this time in Rockbridge, of which the Rev. William Graham was elected captain, but which was not called into service. We are informed, however, that the statement is not entirely correct.
The counties of Rockingham and Rockbridge were established by act of assembly passed at the session which began in October, 1777, the former being taken from Augusta, and the latter from Augusta and Botetourt. From that time till further reduced, Augusta consist- ed of her present territory, the county of Highland, and part of Bath.
The first session of the County Court of Rockbridge was held April 7, 1778, at the house of Samuel Wallace, the justices presiding being John Bowyer, Samuel McDowell, Charles Campbell, Samuel Lyle and Alexander Stuart. Other justices commissioned were Arch- ibald Alexander, Andrew Reid, John Trimble and John Gilmore. Andrew Reid being appointed clerk, was sworn in. A commission from Governor Patrick Henry, appointing Archibald Alexander sheriff of the county during pleasure, was produced, and the sheriff executed bond and took the oath of office. Other county officers who qualified were Samuel McDowell, Colonel ; Jolin Gilmore, Sen., Lieu- tenant-Colonel; Alexander Stuart, Major ; John Bowyer, Lieutenant ; and James McDowell, County Surveyor. The surveyor was still appointed by the president and masters of William and Mary College.
The court sat April 18 and May 5, 1778, for the examination of Captain James Hall and Hugh Galbraith, "upon a charge of sus- picion " of being guilty of the killing of Cornstalk and two other Indians in November, 1777, and they denying their guilt, and no one appearing against them, they were acquitted. On both occasions the sheriff made proclamation at the door of the courthouse for all persons who could give evidence in behalf of the commonwealth against the accused to come forward and testify, but of course no witness volunteered.
On the 14th of May the court sat for the trial of Mary Walker, wife of John Walker, who stood charged " with speaking words main- taining the power and authority of the King and Parliament of Great
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Britain over the United States of America." A jury was impaneled, consisting of Henry McClung, William Ramsey, John aud Samuel Caruthers, Hugh Barcley, William Paxton, and others, and after due trial the accused was pronounced guilty of the charge preferred. Thereupon it was considered by the court "that she be committed to close gaol four days, and that the commonwealth recover against her fifteen pounds, ten shillings, as damages," etc.
No attorneys appear to have qualified to practice in Rockbridge County Court till August term, 1778, when Harry Innis* and Andrew Moore were admitted to practice. At April court, 1782, Archibald Stuart was recommended to the Governor as " deputy attorney for the State."
The town of Lexington was legalized and named before it existed, or had a local habitation. The act of assembly, which established Rockbridge county, provided that "at the place, which shall be ap- pointed for holding courts in the said county of Rockbridge, there shall be laid off a town to be called Lexington, thirteen hundred feet in length and nine hundred in width." The act further provided for the condemnation of the land (only about twenty-seven acres), and payment for it out of the county levy. One acre was to be reserved for county buildings, and the residue sold by the justices.
Rockbridge was so called from the celebrated Natural Bridge, in the southeast part of the county, and Lexington after the town in Massachusetts, where the first battle of the Revolution occurred.
It is presumed that Rockingham county was named in honor of the Marquis of Rockingham, Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1765-'6. During his administration the Stamp Act was repealed by Parliament, which caused great rejoicing in America, and the Minister received more credit for the repeal than he perhaps deserved.
The County Court of Rockingham hield its first session April 27, 1778, at the house of Daniel Smith, which was two miles north of the site of Harrisonburg. The justices commissioned were Silas Hart, Daniel Smith, Abraham Smith, John Grattan, Josiah Davison, George Boswell, Thomas Hewitt, John Thomas, William Nalle, Robert Davis, Henry Ewing, William McDowell, Anthony Ryder, Jolin Fitzwaters, and Isaac Hinckle.
* Harry Innis, son of Rev. Robert Innis of the Episcopal church, born in Caroline county, in 1752 ; elected, in 1783, by the Legislature of Virginia, Judge of the Supreme Court of Kentucky, with Samuel McDowell and Caleb Wallace as his associates ; appointed, in 1787, Judge of the U. S. Court for Kentucky, and held that office till his death, in 1816. His brother James was Attorney General of Virginia.
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Only one of the justices (Isaac Hinckle) seems to have been of the German race. At that time the Scotch-Irish no doubt predominated in Rockingham, and probably few of the German people then living in the county could write or speak the English language.
Silas Hart was the first sheriff ; Peter Hogg, the first clerk of the court, called in the proceedings "clerk of the peace of the county ; " and Thomas Lewis, the first county surveyor. The following military officers were nominated by the court to the Governor and Council for appointment : Abraham Smith, County-Lieutenant ; Daniel Smith, Colonel ; Benjamin Harrison, Lieutenant - Colonel ; John Skidmore, Major. For some unexplained reason the last-named person was not appointed Major by the executive, but the office was conferred upon William Nalle. John Grattan, John Thomas, and Daniel Smith, were appointed coroners. At May court, 1778, Gabriel Jones was ap- pointed deputy-attorney for the commonwealth, with a salary of £40 a year.
We now take leave of Thomas Lewis, Gabriel Jones, Silas Hart, Peter Hogg, John Grattan, the Smiths, and others, as citizens of Augusta.
Thomas Harrison, of Rockingham, laid off fifty acres of his land in lots and streets, and the Legislature, in 1780, confirmed what he had done by establishing the town of Harrisonburg, without appoint- ing trustees, as was usual.
We resume our narrative of events during the Revolution.
Still more soldiers in the field were needed. Therefore, the Legislature, in May, 1778, passed an act "for raising volunteers to join the Grand Army." A bounty of $30 and a complete suit of regimentals, were promised to every soldier volunteering before August ist to serve till January 1, 1779. To Augusta was assigned a captain, lieutenant and ensign ; the captain to enlist twenty four men ; the lieutenant, sixteen, and the ensign, ten, making a company of fifty.
The vestry of Augusta parish held a meeting May 21, 1778, but transacted no business except in regard to the poor. Dr. John Jack- son was then practising medicine in the parish.
The court-martial of the county sat for a number of days in suc- cession in October, 1778, Colonel Sampson Mathews presiding. George Moffett was then a colonel also, and a member of the court.
On October 21, sundry persons were reported to the court "as delinquents for not going out when drafted, August 25, 1777," and at other times.
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The next day John Bratton, a soldier of Captain Thompson's company, was tried " for deserting from the detachment of militia of this county commanded by Lieutenant - Colonel Bowyer, on their march to Fort Pitt to join General McIntosh," but was acquitted, and on account of bodily infirmity, exempted from military duty.
On the 23d of October, " William McCutchen, of Captain Samuel Mccutchen's company, returned for not appearing at the place of rendezvous, 15th September, 1778, to join the said company on the expedition commanded by General McIntosh, and for opposing Lieu- tenant James Buchanan and his guard by force of arms," was duly tried. It was ordered that the accused be fined twenty shillings and imprisoned twenty days.
The following day, it appearing that Sergeant John Barrett, of Captain Laird's company, Tenth Virginia regiment, had hired Camp- bell McCawly as a substitute, and that Colonel John Green, of the Tenth, had refused to receive the latter, Barrett and McCawly being brought before the court, and Captain Laird testifying that McCawly had " used some deceit " to induce Colonel Green to reject him, it was ordered that Barrett having "sore legs," and McCawly being fit for service, the latter should return to camp and be accepted in place of the former.
At the same term the court ordered that arms be furnished to various captains for members of their companies too poor to supply themselves.
In October, 1778, the Legislature passed an act for recruiting the Virginia regiments, requiring each county, except Illinois, to furnish the one twenty-fifth man of its militia by May 1, 1779, to serve for three years, or during the war. An act of May, 1779, reciting that the former act had not "produced the end proposed," ordered that the "one twenty-fifth man of the militia" be drafted for eighteen months.
By another act passed at the same session, a part of Augusta county was added to Monongalia.
At a court-martial, held April 15, 1779, Lieutenant-Colonel Wil- liam Bowyer was fined {10 for not attending the court.
On the 17th John Woods, of Captain Simpson's company, "re- turned at the last court for deserting from his command when he was a substitute for Robert Wallace, who was drafted in Captain Bell's company, on the head of Greenbrier, about the last of September," was fined £4, and ordered to be imprisoned thirty days.
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The Augusta militia were called out in April, 1779, by Col. Sampson Mathews, and rendezvoused at Staunton on the 16th. The company was commanded by Capt. James Trimble. Joseph Bell of Sonth River was orderly sergeant, and Alexander Hamilton was one of the privates. They marched to Tygart's Valley, and returned home after an absence of three months. Hamilton states in his " declaration " that he was on several scouts, but in no battle.
By the year 1779, courthouse No. 2 required fixing up, and the sheriff was ordered to employ workmen to repair the under-pinning and windows, so that business might be done therein ; and also to rent out the old courthouse, in which jailor Thomas Rhodes then lived.
THE POAGES.
Robert Poage, with many other settlers in the Valley, appeared at Orange conrt, May 22, 1740, to " prove his importation," with the view of taking up public lands. The record sets forth that he, his wife, Elizabeth, and nine children, named, came from Ireland to Philadelphia, "and from thence to this colony," at his own expense. He may have come some years earlier than the date mentioned, but we find no trace of him before that time. Alexander Breckinridge proved his importation on the same day, and very likely the two families came over in the same ship.
Mr. Poage settled on a plantation three miles north of Staunton, which he must have purchased from William Beverley, as the land was in Beverley's Manor. The tract contained originally seven hun- dred and seventy-two acres. It was there, no doubt, that the young preacher, McAden, obtained his first dinner in Virginia, on Saturday, June 21, 1755.
But he acquired other lands directly from the government. There is before us a patent on parchment, executed by Governor Gooch, July 30, 1742, granting to Robert Poage three hundred and six acres of land "in the county of Orange, on the west side of the Blue Ridge," to be held "in free and common soccage, and not in capite or by knight's service," in consideration of thirty-five shillings ; pro- vided the grantee should pay a fee rent of one shilling for every fifty acres, annually, "on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel," etc. The seal attached to the patent has on it an impression of the royal crown of Great Britain.
The will of Robert Poage, dated Octobor 20, 1773, was proved in court March 6, 1774. The executors were William Lewis and testa- tor's son, John. The testator mentions his sons John, Thomas, Robert, George and William; and his daughters Martha Woods,
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Elizabeth Crawford and Margaret Robertson. To the last six he gave only "one pistol, " each, having provided for them otherwise. The son Thomas is not named in the Orange county court record, and the presumption is that he was born after the family came to America. The record referred to mentions, however, two daughters, Mary and Sarah, who are not named in the will. Both had probably died before the date of the will. One of these, it is supposed, was the first wife of Major Robert Breckinridge (son of Alexander), who died while quite young, leaving two sons, Robert and Alexander Breckinridge, who became prominent citizens of Kentucky.
William Poage, son of Robert, probably removed first to Albemarle (see Hening, Vol. 7, p. 203), and finally to Kentucky.
The only children of Robert and Elizabeth Poage, of whom we have any particular account, are their sons John and Thomas.
I. John Poage qualified as assistant to Thomas Lewis, surveyor of Augusta county, May 20, 1760. In 1763, he was a vestryman of Augusta Parish. On March 17, 1778, he became high sheriff, and on the next day qualified as county surveyor. His will, dated February 16, 1789, and proved in court April 22, 1789, mentions his wife, Mary; and his children, Robert, George, James, John, Thomas, Elizabeth and Ann. Of most of these nothing is known.
1. Robert Poage, son of John, qualified as assistant county sur- veyor, June 16. 1778. Nothing else is known of him.
2. James Poage married his cousin, Mary Woods, daughter of Mrs. Martha Woods, who was a daughter of Robert Poage, Sr. He moved to Kentucky, and was a member of the Kentucky Legislature in 1796. He had two sons, Andrew and George, both Presbyterian ministers ; and two daughters, Margaret, wife of the Rev. T. S. Williamson. M. D., and Saralı, wife of the Rev. G. H. Pond. The last couple were missionaries.
3. John Poage, son of John, succeeded his father as county sur- veyor. He lived on a farm near Mowry's Mill, about five miles north of Staunton, and died in 1827, leaving several children, most of whom went west. His sou James, who remained in Augusta, died in 1876.
4. Thomas Poage, son of John, Sr., was a promising young min- ister, who died in 1793. He had recently married a Miss Jane Wat- kins, to whom and his brother John, he left his estate. The wit- nesses to the will were the Rev. William Wilson and the Rev. John Poage Campbell. The latter and Jolin Poage were appointed execn- tors. Mr. Campbell's name was originally simply John Campbell, but he added the name Poage on account of his devotion to his friend, Thomas Poage.
5. Elizabeth, daughter of John Poage, Sr., was the wife of the Rev. Dr. Moses Hoge, long president of Hampden Sidney College. She was married August 23, 1783, and died June, 1802. Her three sons were eminent ministers, viz : Rev. Dr. James Hoge, of Colum- bus, Ohio; Rev. John Blair Hoge, a man of brilliaut genius, who
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died young, at Martinsburg ; and Rev. Samuel Davies Hoge, who also died young, the father of the Rev. Moses D. Hoge, D. D., of Rich- mond.
Of George and Ann Poage, the remaining children of John Poage, Sr., nothing is known.
II. Thomas Poage, son of Robert, Sr., inherited and lived on his father's homestead. His wife was Polly McClanahan, a daughter of Robert and Jane McClanahan. His will, proved in court, January 24, 1803, mentions his children, viz : Elijah, Robert, John, William, Elizabeth, Ann, Polly and Agnes.
1. Elijah Poage married Nancy Grattan, daughter of John Grat- tan, July 3, 1787, and went to Kentucky.
2. Robert Poage, son of Thomas, Sr., married Martha Crawford, September 15, 1791, and went to Kentucky.
3. John Poage, son of Thomas, Sr., married, November 27, 1792, Mrs. Rachel Crawford, widow of John Crawford, of Augusta, and daughter of Hugh Barclay, of Rockbridge. He lived in Rockbridge, on a farm given to him by his father, and was the grandfather of Colo- nel William T. Poage of Lexington.
4. William Poage, youngest son of Thomas, Sr., was the Major Poage who lived many years on the ancestral farm, three miles from Staunton. His first wife was Betsy, daughter of Colonel Andrew An- derson. She died without issue, and he married again, Peggy Allen, (see "The Allens,") by whom there was a large family. His son Thomas, a rising lawyer in southwest Virginia, was Colonel of the Fiftieth Virginia regiment when he was killed, on Blackwater, in February, 1863. One of Major Poage's daughters is the wife of Gen- eral James A. Walker, late Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia.
5. Ann Poage, daughter of Thomas, Sr., married Major Archi- bald Woods, of Botetourt, March 5, 1789, who was a son of Mrs. Martha Woods, daughter of Robert Poage, Sr. Major Woods re- moved to Ohio county, and died in 1846. His son, Thomas, who was cashier of the North Western Bank of Virginia, at Wheeling, was the father of the Rev. Edgar Woods, of Pantops Academy, Albemarle.
6. Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Poage, Sr., was the wife of the Rev. William Wilson, of Augusta church.
7. Polly, daughter of Thomas Poage, Sr., was the wife of Thomas Wilson, a brother of the Rev. William Wilson. Thomas Wilson lived at Morgantown, Northwest Virginia, and was a lawyer, member of Congress, etc. His son, the Rev. Norval Wilson, was long a promi- nent minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, and one of his daughters, Mrs. Louisa Lowrie, was a missionary in India. Among the grandsons of Thomas Wilson is Bishop Alpheus Wilson of the M. E. church.
8. Agnes Poage, daughter of Thomas, Sr., died unmarried.
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Another family of Poages came from Ireland and settled in Rock- bridge county. The name of the ancestor is not known. He was, probably, a brother of Robert Poage, Sr., who settled in Augusta about 1740. His wife was Jane Somers. They had ten children. One of the sons, Jonathan, was the grandfather of Dr. Poage, late of Rockbridge, and of Mrs. Lane, a missionary in Brazil, and others. A daughter, Ann, was the wife of Isaac Caruthers, and has many de- scendants widely scattered. Another daughter, Martha, married James Moore. The fifth child of James and Martha Moore was called Mary, after her father's oldest sister, who was the wife of Major Alexander Stuart, father of Judge Archibald Stuart. Mary Moore became the wife of the Rev. Samuel Brown, of New Providence. When a child, nine years of age, living with her parents in Abb's Valley, now Tazewell county, she and others were carried off by Indians, July 14, 1786, and detained in captivity three years.
THE CUNNINGHAMS.
Robert Cunningham, a native of north Ireland, settled on a farm called Rock Spring, in Augusta county, about the year 1735. He was one of the first set of justices of the peace appointed in 1745, and afterward a member of the House of Burgesses. His wife was a widow Hamilton, and the mother of several children at the time of her second marriage. One of her daughters, Mary Hamilton, married David Campbell, and was the mother of John and Arthur Campbell, and others. Two of the daughters of Robert Cunningham also married Campbells. He had no son. His daughter, Martha, about the year 1750, married Walter Davis, who became the owner of Rock Spring farm. Mr. Davis never held civil office, but was an elder of Tinkling Spring church, and a man of much influence. His daughter, Margaret, married John Smith, and was the mother of Judge Daniel Smith, of Rockingham. His son, William Davis, born in 1765, married Annie Caldwell, and died about 1851, aged eighty-six. He was a man of high standing in the community, a justice of the peace, high sheriff, etc. Walter Davis, Jr., son of William, born in 1791, was for many years one of the two commissioners of the revenue in Augusta county, and noted for his faithful and intelligent discharge of the duties of his office. His wife was Rebecca Van Lear. William C. Davis, a brother of Walter Davis, Jr., removed to Missouri in 1836 or 1837. Dr. Thomas Parks, of Missouri, is the only surviving grandchild of Walter Davis, Sr.
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