USA > Virginia > Historical collections of Virginia : containing a collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c. relating to its history and antiquities ; together with geographical and statistical descriptions ; to which is appended, an historical and descriptive sketch of the District of Columbia. > Part 71
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You then make your way some fifty feet down the bosom of the hill, and are sup- plied with some admirable standings on the projecting rockwork. to see the bridge and all its rich accompaniments. There is, 200 feet below you. the Cedar River, apparently motionless, except where it flashes with light as it cuts its way through the broken rocks. Mark the trees of every variety, but especially the fir, how they diminish as they stand on the margin of its bed ; and how they ascend, step by step, on the noble rockwork, till they overshadow you ; still preserving such delicacy of forin and growth, as if they would not do an injury, while they lend a grace. Observe those hills. gather. ing all around you in their fairest forms and richest verdure, as if to do honor to a scene of surpassing excellence. Now look at the bridge itself, springing from this bed of ver- dant loveliness distinct, one, complete ! It is before you in its most picturesome form You just see through the arch, and the internal face of the further pier is perfectly re- vealed. Did you ever see such a pier-such an arch ? Is it not most illusive ! Look at that masonry. Is it not most like the perfection of art ; and yet what art could never reach ? Look at that coloring. Does it not appear like the painter's highest skill. and yet unspeakably transcend it ?
This is exquisite. Still you have no just conception of this masterpiece until you get below. You go some little distance for this purpose, as in the vicinity of the bridge the rocks are far too precipitous. A hot and brilliant day is, of all others, the time to enjoy this object. To escape from a sun which scorches you, into these verdant and cool bot- toms, is a luxury of itself, which disposes you to relish every thing else. When down, I was very careful of the first impression, and did not venture to look steadily on the objects about me till I had selected my station. At length I placed myself about 100 feet from the bridge, on some masses of rock which were washed by the running wa- ters, and ornamented by the slender trees which were springing from its fissures. At my feet was the soothing melody of the rippling, gushing waters. Behind mne, and in the distance, the river and the hills were expanding themselves to the light and splendor of day. Before me, and all around, every thing was reposing in the most delightful shade, set off by the streaming rays of the sun, which shot across the head of the pic- ture far above you, and sweetened the solitude below. On the right and left, the majes- tic rocks arose, with the decision of a wall, but without its uniformity, massive, broken, beautiful, and supplving a most admirable foreground ; and, everywhere, the most deli- eate stems were planted in their crevices, and waving their heads in the soft breeze, which occasionally came over them. The eye now ran through the bridge, and was grati- fied with a lovely vista. The blue mountains stood out in the background; beneath them, the hills and woods gathered together, so as to enclose the dell below ; while the river, which was coursing away from them, seemed to have its well-head hidden in their recesses. Then there is the arch, distinct from every thing, and above every thing ! Massive as it is, it is light and beautiful by its height, and the fine trees on its summit seem now only like a garland of evergreens ; and, elevated as it is, its apparent eleva- tion is wonderfully increased by the narrowness of its piers, and by its outhne being drawn on the blue sky, which appears beneath and above it! Oh, it is sublime-so strong, and yet so elegant-springing from earth, and bathing its head in heaven ! But it is the sublime not allied to the terrific, as at Niagara ; it is the sublime associated with the pleasing. I sat, and gazed in wonder and astonishment, That afternoon was the shortest I ever remembered. I had quickly, too quickly, to leave the spot for ever ; but the music of those waters, the luxury of those shades, the form and colors of there rocks, and that arch-that aich --- nsing over all, and seeming to offer a passage to the skies --- O, they will never leave me !
James H. Piper, Esq., at present a member of the Virginia sen-
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ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY.
ate from Wythe county, when a young man climbed the Natural Bridge. The spot where he ascended is not shown in the engra- ving. On looking at the place, it seems impossible that a human being could ascend, and had the feat not been accomplished, it would be so considered. This, however, was the only instance, the particulars of which have been variously and erroneously stated. The account below is from the pen of Mr. William A. Caruthers, originally published in the New York Knickerbocker under the caption of-
CLIMBING THE NATURAL BRIDGE ; BY THE ONLY. SURVIVING WITNESS OF THAT EXTRAORDI- NARY FEAT.
I think it was in the summer of 1818, that James H. Piper, William Reveley, William Wallace, and myse !! , being then students of Washington College, Virg nia, determined to make a jaunt to the Natural Bridge, fourteen miles off. Having obtained permission of the president, we proceeded on our way rejoicing. When we arrived at the bridge, nearly all of us commenced climbing up the precipitous sides in order to immortalize our names, as usual.
We had not been long thus employed, before we were joined by Robert Penn of Am- horst then a pupil of the Rey Samuel Houston's grammar school, in the immediate neighborhood of the bridge. Mr. Piper, the hero of the occasion, commenced climbing on the opposite side of the creek from the one by which the pathway ascends the ra- vine. He began down on the banks of the brook so far, that we did not know where he had gone, and were ouly apprized of his whereabout by his shouting above our heads. When we looked up, he was standing apparently right under the arch, I suppose a hundred feet from the bottom, and that on the smooth side, which is generally considered inaccessible without a ladder. He was standing far above the spot where General . Washington is said to have inscribed his name when a youth. The ledge of the rock by which he ascended to this perilous height, does not appear from below to be three inches wide, and runs almost at right angles to the abutment of the bridge ; of course its termination is far down the cliff ou that side. Many of the written and traditiona! accounts state this to be the side of the bridge up which he climbed. . I believe Miss Martineau so states ; but it is altogether a mistake, as any one may see by casting an eye up the precipice on that side. The story no doubt originated from this preliminary exploit.
The ledge of rock on which he was standing appeared so narrow to us below, as to make us believe his position a very perilous one, and we earnestly entreated him to come down. He answered us with loud shouts of derision. At this stage of the busi- ness M.r. Penn and servant left us. He would not have done so, I suppose, had he known what was to follow ; but up to this time not one of us had the slightest sus- picion that Mr. Piper intended the daring exploit which he afterwards accomplished. He soon after descended from that side, crossed the brook, and cominenced climbing on the side by which all visitors ascend the ravine. He first mounted the rocks on this side, as he had done on the other, far down the abutment ; but not so far as on the op- .posite side. The projecting ledge may be distinctly seen by any visitor. It commences four or five feet from the pathway on the lower side, and winds round, gradually ascend- ing, until it meets the cleft of rock over which the celebrated codar-stump langs. Following this ledge to its termination, it brought him thirty or forty feet from the ground, and placed him between two deep fissures, one on each side of the gigantie column of rock on which the aforementioned cedar.stump stands. This column stands out from the bridge, as separate and distinct as if placed there by nature on purpose fur an observatory to the wonderful arch and ravine which it overlooks. A huge crack or fissure extends from its base to the summit ; indeed, it is cracked on both sides, but much more perceptibly on one side than the other. Both of these fissures are thickly over- grown with bushes, and numerous roots project into them from trees growing on the precipice. It was between these that the aforementioned ledge conducted him. Here he stopped, pulled off his coat and shoes, and threw them down to me. And this, in my opinion, is a sufficient refutation of the story so often told, that he went up to inscribe his name, and ascended so high that he found it more difficult to return than to go for-
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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY.
ward. He could have returned easily from the point where he disencumbered him- self ; but the fact that he did thus prepare so early, and so near the ground, and after he had ascended more than double that height on the other side, is clear proof, that to inscribe his name was not, and to climb the bridge is, his object. He bad already inscribed bis name above Washington himself, more than fifty feet.
Around the face of this huge column, and between the clefts, he now moved, back- wards and forwards, still ascending, as he found convenient foothold. When he had ascended about one hundred and seventy feet from the earth, and had reached the point where the pillar overhangs the ravine, his heart seemed to fail him. . He stopped, and seemed to us to be balancing midway between heaven and earth. We were in dread suspense, expecting every moment to see him dashed in atoms at our feet. We bad already exhausted our powers of entreaty in persuading him to return, but all to no purpose. Now it was perilous even to speak to him, and very difficult to carry on conversation at all, from the immense height to which he had ascended, and the noise made by the bubbling of the little brook as it tumbled in tiny cascades over its rocky bed at our feet. At length he seemed to discover that one of the clefts before men- tioned retreated backward from the overhanging position of the pillar. Into this he sprang at once, and was soon out of sight and out of danger.
There is not a word of truth in all that story about our hauling him up with ropes, and his fainting away so soon as he landed on the summit. Those acquainted with the localities will at ouce perceive its absurdity ; for we were beneath the arch, and it is half a mile round to the top, and for the most part up a ragged mountain. In- stead of fainting away, Mr. Piper proceeded down the hill to meet us and obtain his hat and shoes. We met about half way, and then he lay down for a few moments to re- cover himself of his fatigue.
ROCKINGHAM.
ROCKINGHAM was formed in 1778, from Augusta. It is 38 miles long, and 23 broad. The main Shenandoah runs through the east- ern portion ; North River drains the southern part; north fork of Shenandoah runs through the N. and sw. portion ; and Smith's creek, a branch of the latter, the central portion. The western part is very mountainous, and the Peaked mountains lie between Harrisonburg and the Shenandoah. Much of the soil is extremely fertile, and the farming economical and judicious. A large por- tion of the population is of German origin, and many still speak that language. Pop. in 1840, whites 14,944, slaves 1,899, free col- ored 501 ; total, 17,344.
Harrisonburg, the county-seat, is 122 miles northwesterly from Richmond, 25 from Staunton, and 40 from Charlottesville. The town was established in May, 1780, and named from Thomas Har- risen, who had laid out 50 acres of his land into streets and lots. It contains 8 mercantile stores, 2 newspaper printing-offices, & market, 1 Methodist, and 2 Presbyterian churches, and about 1100 inhabitants. There is a fine spring of water on the public square, neatly enclosed. The village is handsomely built, flourishing. and is surrounded by a beautiful and fertile country. Mount Crawford, 8 miles s. of the O. H., on the North River, near the head of boat navigation, contains a church and about 30 dwellings. Port Re- public, 12 miles s. of the C. H., at the junction of the North and South Rivers, contains a church and about 35 dwellings. Deaton,
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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY.
4 miles sw., and Edom Mills, 5 miles N. of Harrisonburg, are small places.
This portion of the Shenandoah valley was almost exclusively settled by Germans from Pennsylvania, a few years previous to the French and Indian war. The manner of living among the primitive settlers of the valley of Shenandoah, together with the peculiar customs of the German population, are thus given by Kercheval :
The first houses erected by the primitive settlers were log-cabins, with covers of split clapboards, and weight.peles to keep them in place. They were frequently seen with earthen floors ; or if wooden floors were used, they were made of split puncheons, a little snroothed with the broadaxe. These houses were pretty generally in use since the author's recollection. There were, however, a few framed and stone buildings erect- ed previous to the war of the revolution. As the country improved in population and wealth, there was a corresponding improvement in the erection of buildings.
When this improvement commenced, the most general mode of building was with hewn logs, a shingle roof, and plank floor, the plank cut out with the whipsaw. Before the erection of saw-mills, all the plank used in the construction of houses was worked out in this way. As it is probable some of my young readers have never seen a whip- saw, a short description of it may not be uninteresting. It was about the length of the common mill-saw, with a handle at each end transversely fixed to it. The timber in- tended to be sawed was first squared with the broadaxc, and then raised on a scaffold six or seven fort high Ter able-bodied man than tank hold of the cair one standing on the top of the log and the other under it, and commenced sawing. The labor was excessively fatiguing, and about one hundred feet of plauk or scantling was considered a good day's work for the two hands. The introduction of saw-mills, however, soon superseded the use of the whipsaw, but they were not entirely laid aside until several years after the war of the revolution.
The dress of the early settlers was of the plaincst materials-generally of their own manufacture ; and if a modern "belle" or " beau" were now to witness the extreme plainness and simplicity of their fashions, the one would be almost thrown into a fit of the bysterics, and the other frightened at the odd and grotesque appearance of their progenitors.
Previous to the war of the revolution, the married men generally shaved their heads, and either wore wigs or white linen caps. When the war commenced, this fashion was laid aside, partly from patriotic considerations, and partly from necessity. Owing to the entire interruption of the intercourse with England, wigs could not easily be obtained, uor white linen for caps.
The men's coats were generally made with broad backs, and straight short skirts, with pockets on the outside having large flaps. The waistcoats had skirts nearly half way down to the knees, and very broad pocket flaps. The breeches were so short as barely to reach the knee, with a band surrounding the knee, fastened with either brass or silver buckles. The stocking was drawn up under the knee-band, and tied with a garter (generally red or blue) below the knee, so as to be seen. The shoes were of coarse leather, with straps to the quarters, and fastened with either brass or silver buckles. The bat was either of wool or fur, with a round crown not exceeding three or four inches high, with a broad brim .* "The dress for the neck was usually a narrow collar to the shirt, with a white linen stock drawn together at the ends, on the back of the neck, with a broad metal buckle. The more wealthy and fashionable were sometimes seen witk their stock, knee, and shoe buckles, set either in gold or silver with brilliant stones. The author can recollect, when a child, if he happened to see any of those finely-dressed " great folk," as they were then termed, he felt awed in their presence, and viewed them as something more than man.
The feride dress was generally the shortgown and petticoat, made of the plainest materials. The German women mostly were tight calico cape on their heads, and is the summer season they were generally seen with no other clothing than a linen shift and petticoat-the feet, hands, and arms bare. In kay and harvest-time they joined the men in the laber of the meadow and grain fields. This costom of the females labering in the time of harvest, was not exclusively a German practice, but was common to all the northern people. Many females were most expert mowers and reapers. Within the
* The Quaker were remarkable for their broad-brim hats. They were sometimes called " Broad. braus, " by way of distinguishing them item other people.
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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY.
author's recollection, he has seen several female reapers who were equal to the stoutest males in the harvest-field. It was no uncommon thing to see the female part of the family at the hoe or the plough; and some of our now wealthiest citizens frequently boast of their grandmothers, ay, mothers too, performing this kind of heavy labor.
The natural result of this kind of rural life was, to produce a hardy and vigorous race of people. It was this race of people who had to meet and breast the various Indian wars, and the storms of the revolution.
The Dutchman's barn was usually the best building on his farm. He was sure to erect a fine large barn before he built any other dwelling-house than his rude log-cabiu. There were none of our primitive immigrants more uniform in the form of their build- ings than the Germans. Their dwelling houses were seldom raised more than a single story in height, with a large cellar beneath ; the chimney in the middle, with a very wide fireplace in one end for the kitchen, in the other end a stove-room. Their furni. ture was of the simplest and plainest kind ; and there was always a long pine table fixed in one corner of the stove-room, with permanent benches on one side. On the upper floor, garners for holding grain were very common. Their beds were generally filled with straw or chaff, with a fine feather-bed for covering in the winter. The au- thor has several times slept in this kind of bed ; and to a person unaccustomed to it, it is attended not unfrequently with danger to the health. The thick covering of the feathers is pretty certain to produce a profuse perspiration, which an exposure to cold, on rising in the morning, is apt to check suddenly, causing chilliness and obstinate cough. The author, a few years ago, caught in this way the most severe cold, which was followed by a long and distressing cough, he ever was afflicted with.
Many of the Germans have what they call a dram, through which the stove-pipe passes in their upper rooms. It is made of sheet iron, something in the shape of the military drum. It soon fills with heat from the pipe, by which the rooms become agreeably warm in the coldest weather. A piazza is a very common appendage to a Dutchman's dwelling-house, in which his saddles, bridles, and very frequently his wagon or plough harness, are hung up.
The Germans erect stables for their domestic animals of every species : even their swine are housed in the winter season. Their barns and stables are well stored with provender, particularly fine hay : hence their quadrupeds of all kinds are kept through- out the year in the finest possible order. This practice of housing stock in the winter season is unquestionably great economy in husbandry. Much less food is required te sustain them, and the animals come out in the spring in fine health and condition. It is a rare occurrence to hear of a Dutchman's losing any part of his stock with poverty, The practice of housing stork in the winter is not exclusively a German custom, but is common to most of the northern people, and those descended from immigrants from the north. The author recollects once seeing the cow-stalls adjoining a farmer's dwelling.
The German women, many of them, are remarkably neat housekeepers. There are some of them, however, extremely slovenly, and their dwellings are kept in the worst possible condition. The effluvium arising from this want of cleanliness is in the highest degree disgusting and offensive to persons unaccustomed to such fare. The same re- marks are applicable to the Irish ; nay, to some native Virginians. The Germans are remarkable for their fine bread. milk, and butter. They consume in their diet less an - mal flesh, and of course more vegetables, milk, and butter, than most other prople. Their " sour krout"* in the winter constitutes a considerable part of their living. They generally consume less, and sell more of the product of their labor, than any other class of citizens. A Dutchman is proverbial for his patient perseverance in his domestic ja- hors. Their farms are generally small, and nicely cultivated. In all his agricultural pursuits his meadows demand his greatest care and attention. His little farm is laid off' in fields not exceeding ten or twelve acres each. It is rarely seen that a Dutchman will cultivate more than about ten or twelve acres in Indian corn any one year. They are of opinion that the corn crop is a great exhauster of the soil, and they make bat little use of cora for any other purpose than feeding and fattening their swine.
* Svr krout is, made of the best of cabbage. A box about three feet in length, and six cr seven lechos wide, with a sharp blade five I serons the bottom, something on the principle of the jack plane, is ased for cutting the cabbage. The head being separated from the stalk, and stripped of its onter leaves. is placed in this box, and ran back and forth. The cabbage thas cut up is placed in a barrel, a little salt sprinkled on from time to time, then pressed down very closely, and covered over at the open head. In the course of three or four weeks it acquired a sourch thete, and to persona accustomed to the use of it is a very agreeable and while some food. It is all that the age of it within the last few years, va board of shing, has proved it to be the best preventive known for the scurvy. The use of it is becoming pretty general among all classes of people in the valley.
463
RUSSELL COUNTY.
Previous to the war of the revolution, and for several years after, considerable quan- tities of tobacco were raised in the lower counties of the valley. The cultivation of this crop was first introduced and pursued by immigrants from the eastern counties of Vir- ginia. From the newly cleared lands, two crops of tobacco in succession were general- ly taken, and it was then appropriated to the culture of other crops. The crop of tobac- co left the soil in the finest possible state for the production of other crops. Corn, wheat, rye, flax, cats, potatoes, and every thing else, were almost certain to produce abundant crops, after the crop of tobacco.
In the year 1789 the French revolution broke out, when bread-stuff's of every kind suddenly became enormously high ; in consequence of which, the farmers in the valley abandoned the cultivation of tobacco and turned their attention to wheat, which they raised in vast quantities for several years. It was no uncommon thing for the farmer, for several years after the commencement of the French revolution, to sell his crops of wheat from one to two, and sometimes at two and a half dollars per bushel, and his flour from ten to fourteen dollars per barrel in our seaport towns.
RICHMOND.
RICHMOND Was created in 1692, when the old county of Rappa- hannock was extinguished, and Essex, with this county, made from it. It is 30 miles long, with an average breadth of 7 miles. The Rappahannock forms its southwestern boundary, Pop. in 1840, whites 3,092, slaves 2,363, free colored 510; total 5,963.
Richmond C. H. is centrally situated in the county, 56 miles NE. of Richmond. It is a small village containing only about a dozen dwellings.
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RUSSELL.
RUSSELL was formed in 1786, from Washington county, and named from Gen. Wm. Russell. Its mean length is 40, mean breadth 34 miles. It is drained by branches of the Sandy, and by the Clinch River ; the latter runs through its eastern portion. The principal portion of the population is included between Clinch mountain and a distance of 15 miles from its base. The northern, and a greater portion of its territory, is so mountainous, sterile, and difficult of access. that its inhabitants are few and far between. There are some rich sections of land in Russell ; and its mineral wealth-coal, iron ore, marble, &c .- is considerable. About 100,000 pounds of maple sugar are annually produced in the county, Pop. in 1840, whites 7,152, slaves 700, free colored 26; total, 7,878.
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