USA > Virginia > Augusta County > Augusta County > Annals of Augusta county, Virginia, from 1726 to 1871 > Part 6
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ANNALS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
of ye Haithen-Bvt yet agine we Humbly perfume to poot your Hon- nor yn mind of our Great want of them in hopes that your Honner will Grant a Captins' Commission to John McDowell, with follring ofishers, and your Honnours' Complyence in this will be great fettis- fiction to your moft Duttifull and Humbil pittioners-and we as in Duty bond shall Ever pray."*
Among the signers were Andrew and David Moore, George Mof- fett, (written "Marfit,") James McDowell, three Andersons, Matthew Lyle (written "Lyel,") and others. David Moore was the father of General Andrew Moore and Captain William Moore. George Moffett was no doubt the person of whom Ben Borden was so much afraid. as mentioned. He evidently did not subscribe his own name, but it was written by some one else as pronounced by the natives of the old country.
On the 27th of November, 1742, the "inhabitants of Borden's Tract" petitioned for a road to Wood's Gap, and the Court ordered that the road be "cleared from James Young's through Timber Grove."
A new "Commission of the Peace" was issued in November, 1742, and still another in May, 1743, in both of which Colonels Lewis and Patton were included.
At November Court, 1742, several Indians, arrested "for terrifying one Lawrence Strother and on suspicion of stealing hogs." were ordered into custody, their guns to be taken from them "till they are ready to depart out of the county, they having declared their intention to depart out of this colony within a week."
The military force of Augusta county in the fall of 1742, consisted of twelve companies of about fifty men each. The prominent officers were, William Beverley, County Lieutenant, James Patton, Colonel, and Captains John Smith, Andrew Lewis, Jolin Buchanan, James Cathrey, John Christian, Samuel Gay, Peter Scholl, James Gill, John Willson, Hugh Thompson, George Robinson and John McDowell. The rolls of all the companies, except those of (Lewis's, Gay's and Thompson's, ) are among the collections of Dr. Draper, which are pre- served by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. From copies we have obtained, it would seem that all grown men were enrolled, with- out respect to age. Ephraim McDowell, then an old man, was a mem- ber of his son John's company. John Moffett was Lieutenant of Capt. Smith's company, and among the privates were Robert Renick, John and James Trimble, and Sundry Erwines, Pattersons, Archers and
* Many of the signers were unquestionably better educated than the writer; and it is strange that a person so illiterate was put forward, or took it upon him- self, to draft the petition.
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ANNALS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
Millers. Matthew Lyle and John Mathews were members of Capt. Buchanan's company, which embraced also Walkers, Andersons, Moores and McClures (written McClewer.) Capt. Christian had under his command Robert McClanahan and all the Breckinridges, includ- ing Alexander, the father. David Logan and Robert McDowell be- longed to Capt. Cathrey's company. Volante Severe (otherwise Val- entine Sevier, father of Gen. John Sevier, ) belonged to Capt. Peter Scholl's company. No less than five Mccutchens and four Youngs were members of Capt. Willson's company.
Estimating the population from the number of men required to perform military service, we find that the total population of the coun- ty, ten years after the first settlement, was about 2,500.
Capt. John McDowell did not long enjoy the honor and perform the duties of his office. He and seven of his men were killed in a fight with Indians, on December, 14, 1742, on North river, near Balcony Falls, within the present county of Rockbridge. A letter from Judge Samuel McDowell, son of Capt. McDowell, written to Col. Arthur Campbell, in 1808, gives a somewhat detailed account of this first con- flict of whites with Indians.
Judge McDowell states that about the first of December, 1742, a party of thirty-three Delaware Indians came into the settlement in Borden's grant saying that they were on their way to assail the Cataw- ba tribe with which they were at war. They professed friendship for the whites, and were entertained for a day by Capt. McDowell, who "treated them with whiskey." From McDowell's they went down the Sonth branch of North river, and encamped seven or eight days. They hunted, went to the houses of white people, scaring women and chil- dren, taking what they wanted, and shot horses running at large.
Complaint being made to Col. Patton, the County Lieutenant, he ordered Capt. McDowell to call out his company, and conduct the Indians beyond the white settlement. The company consisted of thirty-three or four men, and embraced all the settlers in what is now Rockbridge county. In the mean while the Indians moved their camp further Sonth. The company of white men, thirty-three in number, overtook the Indians and accompanied them beyond Peter Salling's, then the furthest white settlement. About one-half the company were on horseback and the remainder on foot. One of the Indians was lame and fell behind, all the whites passing him, except one. The lame Indian left the path and went into the woods, and the white man who was in the rear fired his gun at him. Immediately the Indians raised the war whoop and the fight begau. As stated, the Captain and seven of his men were killed. For a time the result was doubtful, but finally
·
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ANNALS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
the Indians gave way, leaving seventeen of their men dead on the ground. The survivors took to the Blue Ridge, and pursued it till they reached the Potomac river. Several who were wounded died on the way, and it was learned that only ten of them reached their home in Pennsylvania. The people of the settlement gathered on the field of slaughter, and, says Foote, "took the nine" [eight] "bloody corpses on horseback and laid them side by side near McDowell's dwelling, while they prepared their graves in overwhelming sorrow." John McDowell's grave may still be found in the family burying ground, near Timber Ridge church, marked by a rough stone.
For more than a year a state of war existed between the Indians and whites ; but peace was restored in 1744, by the treaty of Lancas- ter, Pennsylvania.
We return again to the records of Orange County Court :
On February 26, 1743, John Pendergrass, for not attending his parish church, was fined ten shillings, or one hundred pounds of tobac- co, payable to the church wardens. In the Valley nothing of this kind was done during the time of the religious establishment. The settlers of the Valley, coming in as Dissenters, had ample "toleration" ; but in other parts of the colony, people claimed as belonging to the Estab- lished Church, and forsaking its services, were subjected to the sort of discipline referred to.
In 1743, Beverley prosecuted suits against James Bell, Patrick Campbell and George Robertson, of Augusta.
On the 23d of February, 1744, James Patton qualified as collector of duties " in that part of Orange called Augusta."
On the same day, Peter Scholl and others living on Smith's creek, (now Rockingham), petitioned the Court, setting forth that they were required to work ou a road thirty miles distant from their plantations, and praying for a new road nearer home. Evidently there was no road within thirty miles of Peter Scholl's dwelling. That, however, did not trouble him and his neighbors so much as the fact that they had to go so far to work, which was a hardship. The petition was granted.
Peter Scholl was one of the first justices of Augusta county in 1745. A man of the same name, and probably the same person, was living in Kentucky, in 1776, intimately associated with Daniel Boone. He is spoken of as Boone's nephew in-law. (See Collin's History of Kentucky.)
May 24, 1744, Jane Breckinridge, widow of Alexander Breckin- ridge, in open court relinquished her right to administer on the estate
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ANNALS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
of her deceased husband, in favor of her son, George,* who entered into bond, etc.
James Trimble was appointed constable in place of James Ander- son, February 28, 1744. This was probably the James Trimble who became deputy surveyor of Augusta in December, 1745.
At last we find a movement for a road through the Valley. On February 24, 1745, James Patton and John Buchanan reported that they had viewed the way from the Frederick county line "through that part of the county called Augusta, according to the order inade last March," (which the writer failed to see) and the court ordered "that the said way be established a public road."
The last order of Orange Court in reference to Augusta or her people, was entered at November term, 1745, when Augusta's part of the cost of running the line between the two counties was fixed at £32 5s. 9d.
THE REV. JOHN CRAIG AND HIS TIMES.
The late Maj. J. M. McCne, an enthusiastic antiquarian, brought to light a record book kept by the pioneer minister of the Valley for nine years, and from it we give here some interesting extracts.
The title of the book, as written by the minister himself, is as fol- lows : "A record of the names of the children baptized by the Rev. John Craig, both in his own and in neighboring congregations, where God in His Providence ordered his labors." It, however, embraces other things besides the record of baptisms. The writer was too busy to think of style, and some of the entries are the more interesting be- cause of their quaintness and crudity.
The first child baptized in the county by Mr. Craig was Elizabeth, daughter of Jeremiah Williams, October 5, 1740. On October 26th, Samuel, son of William Logan, was baptized ; and on the 28th, Mary, daughter of John Preston. Jean, daughter of Robert McClanahan, was baptized December 8, 1740, and this child, on growing up, became the wife of Alexander St. Clair, who is often mentioned in the ANNALS, and is the author's great-grand-mother.
James Bell's twins, William and James, were baptized December 12, 1740. They were of the Long Glade family. William was killed in battle during the Revolutionary War.
At the close of the first year, Mr. Craig writes : "The year being ended, the whole number baptized by me is one hundred and thirty- three ; sixty-nine males and sixty-four females. Glory to God who is daily adding members to His visible church !"
* George Breckinridge probably moved to Albemarle, and therefore his name seldom appears in the Annals of Augusta, An act of Assembly in 1758, provided for the pay of persons who had rendered military service, and among them was a George Brackenridge of Albemarle, who was entitled to 13 shillings,- Hening, Vol. 7, p. 203.
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ANNALS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
It appears from Mr. Craig's record, as well as elsewhere, that there was a low state of morals amongst the white servants brought into the county before the Revolution. This is not to be wondered at, as many of such persons were criminals brought over under sentence of transportation. But good people appear to have sought to rear the children of the convicts under religions influences. On January 20, 1742, "Mr. James Patton stood sponsor for a child baptized, named Henry, born in his house of a convict servant, a base person ; could not be brought to tell who was the father, notwithstanding all means used."
Robert, son of Robert Young, was baptized January 22, 1742, and Mr. Craig notes that he was "born with teeth."
William Johnston's son, Zachariah, was baptized September 26, 1742, and his son, Joseph, April 21, 1745.
In the second year the number of baptismis was eighty-two, and the record is followed by another ascription of praise to God.
Under date of December 19, 1742, we find : "This day the news of the Indian rebellion and the death of our friends by their hands, came to our ears." The allusion is to the massacre of John McDowell and his companions in the Forks of James river.
David Logan's child, Benjamin, was baptized by Mr. Craig, May 3, 1743. This child became the distinguished General Logan of Ken- tucky.
On the 26th of June, 1743, several children were baptized at North Mountain Meeting-house, and on the 30th, eight at South Mountain Meeting-house. The latter place may have been the predecessor of Tinkling Spring, or it may have been in the present county of Rock- bridge. The names of the children baptized there were Hays, Green- lee, Dunlap, Crawford, Breckinridge, etc.
The child of a woman "lately from Ireland," bound to Jolin Pick- ens, was baptized December 10, 1743. Mrs. Eleanor Pickens stood sponsor, her husband being abroad. From 1740 to 1749, inclusive, various children of Israel, Jolin and Gabriel Pickens were baptized.
James Robertson's son, Alexander, was baptized January 10, 1744. On the 15th of January, 1744, David Campbell's child, Arthur, was baptized. This was the widely known and distinguished Colonel Arthur Campbell.
James Trimble's son, John, was baptized March 18, 1744, and James Robertson's son, George, April 24, 1744.
Mr. Craig pursued his calling wherever he went. Under date of June 1, 1744, he says : "Being at Synod" [of Philadelphia] "I baptized three children in Pennsylvania."
Elizabeth Herison, "an adult person," was baptized July 27, 1744, and the following children at the dates mentioned : Jolin Pickens' son, Israel. October 1, 1744; Thomas Stuart's son, Archibald, and Edward Hall's daughter, Jennet, February 12, 1745; John Crawford's s011, William, March 21, 1745; and David Logan's son, Hugh, March 24, 1745.
William Renix was baptized June 2, 1745, and his brother, Joshua, in October, 1746. These were children of Robert Renix, (or Renick),
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ANNALS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
who was killed by Indians in 1761, and his wife and children carried off. William returned from captivity with his mother in 1767, Joshua remained with the Indians, and became a chief of the Miamis.
Next we have the date of the first meeting at Tinkling Spring. After recording the baptism of Samuel Davison's child, Jesse, April 14, 1745, Mr. Craig says, in words expressive of his dissatisfaction with the place and the people : "This being the first day we meet at the contentious meeting-house about half built-T. S."
The "contention" to which Colonel Patton was a party, was then vexing Mr. Craig's soul. He mentions, however, June 9, 1745, "this day Colonel Patton appeared at meeting." We shall see hereafter about the "contention" alluded to.
On September 1, 1745, Charles Campbell's son, William, was bap- tized. This ehild became the celebrated General William Campbell, of King's Mountain fame, the maternal grandfather of William C. Preston, of South Carolina.
February 26, 1746, was "a fast day appointed by the Governor upon ye account of ye civil war." The war referred to was doubtless the rebellion in Great Britain stirred up by Charles Edward, son of the Pretender to the British throne, which began in 1745, and was ended by the battle of Culloden, April 16, 1746.
At North Mountain Meeting-house, June 1, 1746, among the chil- dren baptized were John Trimble's son, James, and Alexander Craw- ford's son, William. It is an interesting coincidence that John Trim- ble and Alexander Crawford were both murdered by Indians in Octo- ber, 1764, and probably on the same day, as related elsewhere. John Trimble's son, James, mentioned above, probably died in childhood, and another child called by the same name, born in 1756, became Cap- tain James Trimble.
John Madison, the first clerk of the County Court of Augusta county, and father of Bishop Madison, was no doubt a member of the Church of England ; but, no rector having been appointed for Augusta parish, his son Thomas was baptized by Mr. Craig in October, 1746. David Stuart and Abigail Herrison, "adult persons," were "bap- tized, after profession of faith and obedience," Jannary 21, 1747.
Thomas Stuart's child, Jennet, was baptized February 22, 1747, This was probably the "Miss Jenny Stuart," a very old maiden lady, who was residing in Staunton within the recollection of persons still living.
Mr. Craig's record shows that there were repeated lapses from the path of virtue, and not alone by the class of "convict servants." It would not be to edification to set these matters forth in detail. The civil magistrates were rigid in the enforcement of laws against immor- ality, and the minister of religion faithfully performed his duty in the premises as he understood it. "Public satisfaction" was required of delinquents before they were allowed to have their children baptized.
The first rector of Augusta parish was the Rev. John Hindman, who was appointed April 6, 1747. He seems to have been a Dissenter and an old acquaintance of Mr. Craig, who mentions him curtly, April 5, 1747, as follows : "This day John Hindman attend, having turned
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ANNALS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
his coat and now appears in the quality of a Church of England par- son.'
Robert McClanahan's son, Robert, was baptized April 19, 1747. He became Dr. Robert McClanahan, removed (after 1770), to the part of Botetourt now Greenbrier, was captain in the Botetourt regiment under Colonel Fleming in 1774, and killed at the battle of Point Pleasant.
John Tate's child, Eleanor, was baptized at North Mountain meet- ing-house, November 5, 1747 ; and Joseph Bell's child, Mary, Feb- ruiary 21, 1748.
Andrew Lewis's son, Samuel, was baptized September 15, 1748, and became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Revolutionary War.
James Crawford's son, Alexander, and Patrick Crawford's daugh- ter, Martha, were baptized in November, 1748.
Robert McClanahan's child, William, was baptized January 10, 1749. He was the father of Colonel Elisha McClanahan, of Roanoke. On January 22, 1749, Mr. Craig makes the following entry : "This the first day we meet in and preach in Augusta meeting-house." It is generally supposed that this refers to the stone meeting-house which is still standing and used by the congregation .*
During the year 1749, besides liis regular preaching places, Au- gusta and Tinkling Spring, Mr. Craig administered baptism at North Mountain, South Mountain, "Timber Grove," North River, near Great Lick, Calf Pasture and Cow Pasture.
The last entry in the book is dated September 28, 1749. During the nine preceding years the number of baptisms was 883,-463 males and 420 females. Mr. Craig could not say with the Apostle Paul that he was sent "not to baptize, but to preach the gospel," although he too, no doubt, preached whenever and wherever he could.
* A letter from the Rev. Dr. William Brown, dated Bay View, Florida, Jan. 24, 1890, says : "I think you mention somewhere that the exact date of the build- ing of Augusta church was not known. I am able to supply the deficiency. In 1837, I visited the family of John Hamilton, a grandson of Rev. John Craig. They were about to remove to Missouri. I found in a blank leaf of one of his books, a mem- orandum in Mr. Craig's hand-writing, in which he states that on such a day he laid the corner stone of Augusta church, and makes record of the prayer which he offered. It was in August, 1747. * * When I went to Augusta church in 1836, the tradition was, that the building was advanced far enough to be occupied in 1748, but was not completed for two or three years after." "The small log building previously used, stood about the center of the old grave-yard."
Among the records of the County Surveyor's office is a book known as the "Entry Book," on page 2 of which is the following :
"May 16. 1746-200 acres for ye Meeting house of ye Lower congregation, where it is now Built, including a spring adjoining Thomas Stephenson's land." The reference here is no doubt to the original log house, not the stone church.
Mr. Craig states in his diary that the first service was held in the stone church on January 22, 1749 ; but as the year at that time began on March 25th, the month of January belonged to the same year as the preceding month of De- cember. Therefore, Mr. Craig's date of January 22, 1749, is, according to the present reckoning, January 22, 1750.
CHAPTER III.
FROM THE FIRST COURT TO THE FIRST INDIAN WAR.
At length the time for the organization of the county had arrived. On October 30, 1745, Governor Gooch issued "a Commission of the Peace," naming the first magistrates for the county, viz : James Pat- ton, John Lewis, John Buchanan, George Robinson, Peter Scholl, James Bell, Robert Campbell, Jolin Brown, Robert Poage, John Pickens, Thomas Lewis, Hugh Thompson, Robert Cunningham, John Tinla (Finley?), Richard Woods, Jolin Christian, Robert Craven, James Kerr, Adam Dickinson, Andrew Pickens, and John Anderson- in all twenty-one.
At the same time, the Governor issued a commission to James Patton as sheriff of the county. John Madison was appointed clerk of the county court by "commission under the hand and seal of Thomas Nelson, Esq., Secretary of Virginia," and Thomas Lewis was com- missioned surveyor of the county by "William Dawson, president, and the masters of the college of William and Mary."
In anticipation of the organization, William Beverley, the paten- tee, had erected a court-house on his land, and at the southwest cor- ner of the present court-house lot. On the day the commissions to the county officers were issued at Williamsburg, Beverley wrote from the same place to the justices of Augusta, informing them that he had erected the house referred to at his "mill place," and would before spring make a deed for the "house and two acres of land about the same to the use of the county to build their prison, stocks, etc., on." It will be observed that nothing was said about Staunton as the coun- ty-seat. There were doubtless some dwellings and other houses here, but the spot was then only known as Beverley's "Mill Place."
The building erected by Mr. Beverley is described in a "present- ment" by the Grand Jury, May 21, 1748. It was "thirty-eight feet three inches long, and eighteen feet three inches wide in the clear, built with logs hewed on both sides, not layed close, some of the cracks between the logs quite open, four or five inches wide and four or five feet long, and some stopped with chunks and clay, but not quite close, two small holes cut for windows, but no glass or shutters to them; the inside not furnished nor fitting for his Majesty's Judicatory to sit." Signed, Wm. Christian, Foreman.
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ANNALS OF AUGUSTA' COUNTY.
The justices appointed by the Governor assembled at the court-house on December 9, 1745, and took the prescribed oaths of office. Next, the commission of the sheriff was read, and he was duly qualified. Thereupon, "court was proclaimed," the following justices being on the bench : John Lewis, John Brown, Thomas Lewis, Robert Cun- ningham, Peter Scholl, John Pickens, Hugh Thompson, James Kerr, and Adamı Dickinson.
Thus was started the County Court of Augusta, which continued without material change till the year 1852, when justices of the peace became elective by the popular vote. Previously, during a period of one hundred and seven years, the justices assembled in court nomina- ted new members from time to time, as the exigencies of the county required ; and the executive of the colony, and afterwards of the State, confirmed the nominations by issuing the necessary commissions.
The justices received no pay, except that after a time the system was introduced of conferring the office of high sheriff of the county, for a terin of two years, upon the justices in rotation, according to seniority of commission ; the sheriffs "farming out" the office to dep- uties who discharged all its duties. Upon the expiration of the term of office, the high sheriffs reverted to the position of justice of the peace, and awaited their turn for the lucrative office, which, however, very few obtained a second time.
The first business in order after the justices took their seats on the bench and the court was proclaimed, was to receive and approve the official bond of the sheriff. The clerk was also qualified; and William Russell, James Porteus, Gabriel Jones, John Quin, and Thom- as Chew qualified to practice as attorneys-at-law.
On the next day, December 10, the commissions of Thomas Lew- is, surveyor, and his deputy, James Trimble, were produced in court, and those officers were sworn in. The sheriff on the same day, "moved the court to be informed how he was to secure his prisoners, there be- ing no prison." The provident Col. Beverley had not thought of that. The court, however, ordered the sheriff to summon a guard, and "to provide shackles, bolts, handcuffs, etc." A committee was also ap- pointed to "build a prison and erect stocks." Great importauce was evidently attached in those days to "stocks." It was thought quite impossible for a well-ordered community to get along without them.
The "presentment" of the Grand Jury in 1748, describes the jail built by the Court as a house : "Twenty-two feet three inches long, and seventeen feet three inches wide, from outside to outside, built with square logs uear one foot thick, holes at ye corners and elsewhere two or three inches wide, and so poorly dove-tailed at the corners that
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