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 77
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This county, being upon the Ohio River, has, in common with those counties situated upon this great artery, a facility in trans- porting its produce to market not possessed by the country fur- ther inland. The introduction of steamboats has greatly increased these facilities. In the infancy of the country every species of water-craft was employed in navigating this beautiful river ; and that unique and hardy race that once spent their lives upon its waters have vanished. The graphic and lively picture given below from Flint's Recollections of the lives of the boatmen, is now a part of the history of our country :
The way of life which the boatmen lead, is in turn extremely indolent and extremely laborious; for days together requiring little or no effort, and attended with no danger, and then, on a sudden, laborious and hazardous beyond Atlantic navigation. The beats float by the dwellings of the inhabitants on beautiful spring mornings, when the verdant forests, the mild and delicious temperature of the air, the delightful azure of the sky, the fine bottom on one hand and the romantic bluff on the other, the broad and smooth stream rolling calmly down the forest and floating the boat gently onward-all combine to in. spire the youthful imagination. The boatmen are dancing to the violin on the deck of their boat. They scatter their wit among the girls on the shore, who come down to the water's edge to see the pageant pass, 'The boat glides on until it disappears behind a point of wood. At this moment, perhaps, the bugle, with which all the boats are pro- vided, strikes up its notes in the distance over the water. These scenes and these notes, echoing from the bluffs of the beautiful Ohio, have a charm for the imagina- tion, which, although I have heard a thousand times repeated, and at all hous, is, even to me, always new and always delightful.
WARREN.
WARREN was formed in 1836, from Frederick and Shenandoah : it is 20 miles long and 12 wide. The Shenandoah River runs through it at the base of the Blue Ridge, and receives in its pas- sage the waters of its North Fork, which enters it from the west. There is considerable mountain fand in the sw. part of the county. and the surface is generally hilly, yet there is much excellent soil.
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Pop. in 1840, whites 3,851, slaves 1,434, free colored 342 ; total, 5,627.
Front Royal, the county-seat, is 139 miles Nw. of Richmond and 20 SE. of Winchester, between the Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge, about a mile from the former. It was established in 1788, on 50 acres of land, the property of Solomon Vanmeter, James Moore, Robert Haines, William Cunningham, Peter Halley, John Smith, Allen Wiley, Original Wroe, George Chick, William Morris, and Henry Trout ; was laid into lots and streets, and Thomas Allen. Robert Russell, William Headly, William Jennings, John Hick- man, Thomas Hand, and Thomas Buck, appointed trustees. - The town is neatly built, and is surrounded by beautiful scenery. It contains 1 Presbyterian, 1 Baptist, and 1 Episcopal church, 5 mer- cantile stores, and about 400 inhabitants. About 7 miles south of this village is a copper-mine, which has recently been opened. It is conducted with spirit, and promises to be valuable.
About three miles southwest of Front Royal is Allen's Cave. In beauty and magnificence it is said to equal Weyer's Cave .. It ex- tends about 1200 feet. The sparry incrustations and concretions of "Sarah's Saloon," one of its principal apartments, presents a gorgeous scene. Its innumerable cells and grottoes form a com- plete labyrinth.
WARWICK.
WARWICK was one of the eight original shires into which Vir- ginia was divided in 1631 : its extreme length is 20, and greatest breadth 5 miles. It occupies a portion of the narrow peninsula between York and James Rivers, the latter of which forms its southwestern boundary. Pop. in 1840, whites 604, slaves 831, free colored 21; total, 1,456.
The C. H. lies about 3 miles N. of the James, and 77 miles south- easterly from Richmond.
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON was formed in 1776, from Fincastle county : it is 40 miles long, and 18 broad. This county occupies part of the valley between the Blue Ridge and Clinch mountains, and is-watered by the North, Middle, and South Forks of Holston, which rise in Wythe and flow through this county, dividing it into three fertile valleys. Gypsum of a superior quality abounds, and over 60,000 pounds of maple sugar are annually produced. Pop. in 1840, whites 11,731, slaves 2,058, free colored 212; total, 13,001.
On the bank of the Middle Fork of Holston, about 15 miles sE.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY.
of Abingdon, is an ebbing and flowing spring. At irregular inte ;- vals of from 3 to 4 hours, this spring, with a rushing noise, sends forth a volume of water in two or three successive waves, when it suddenly subsides until again agitated by this irregular tide.
Westerly from Abingdon, between Three Springs and the North Fork of' Holston, on Abram's creek, in a narrow, gloomy ravine. bounded by a high perpendicular ledge, is a waterfall, which in one single leap descends perpendicularly 60 feet, and then falls about 40 feet more ere it reaches the bottom ; the stream is about 20 feet wide.
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Emory and Henry College.
Emory and Henry College is 10 miles from Abingdon, in a beau- tiful and secluded situation. It was founded in 1838, under the patronage of the Holston Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church. It is yet in its infancy, but is efficiently organ- ized, and is already exerting a salutary influence upon the cause of education in sw. Virginia. The faculty consists of a president, Rev. Charles Collins, A. M., who is the professor of moral and mental science, two other professors, and a tutor ; number of pu- pils about 125, including those in the preparatory department. The name, Emory and Henry, was given in honor of Patrick Henry, and the Rev. Bishop Emory of the M. E. church, The post-office of the college is Glade Spring.
Abingdon, the county-seat, is 304 miles sw. of Richmond, 8 x. of the Tennessee line, 56 from Wytheville, and 130 from Knoxville. Tenn. This, by far the most considerable and flourishing town in sw. Virginia, was established by law in Oct. 1778, on 120 acres of land given for the purpose by Thomas Walker, Joseph Black, and Samuel Briggs, Esqs., and the following gentlemen were appointed trustees : Evan Shelby, WHham Campbell, Daniel Smith, William
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Edmondson, Robert Craig, and Andrew Willoughby. The town stands on an elevation ; it is substantially built, with many brick buildings ; the principal street is macadamized, and the town is surrounded by a fertile, flourishing, and thickly-settled agricultural
Abingdon.
country. It contains several large mercantile stores, 2 newspaper printing offices, 1 Presbyterian, 2 Methodist, and 1 Swedenborgian church, a variety of mechanical and manufacturing establishments, and a population of over 1000.
In regard to the early settlement of the tract of Virginia west of New River, it is said, that in 1754, six families only were residing on it-two en Back ereck, in (now) Pulaski county ; two on Cripple creek, in Wythe county ; one at the Town house, now in Smyth county ; and Burke's family, in Burke's Garden, Tazewell county. On the breaking out of the French war, the Indians in alliance with the French made an ir- ruption into this valley, and massacred Burke and his family. The other families, find- ing their situation too perilous to be maintained, returned to the eastern side of New River. The renewal of the attempt to settle this part of the country was not made untit after the elose of that war. A small fort, called Black's Fort, was erected when the country around Abingdon was settled, at a point about 100 yards south of that village, on the westera bank of a small creek. It was one of those rude structures which the pioneers were accustomed to make for defence against the Indians, consisting of a few log cabins surrounded by a stockade, to which they always fled whenever Indian signs appeared.
Southwestern Virginia, at that day, had ceased to be the permanent residence of the aborigines, but was the thoroughfare through which those tribes inhabiting the Rock- eastle hills, in the wilderness of Kentucky, passed to the old settlements of Virginia. About two and a half miles northwest of the village, an old gentleman, by the name of Cummings-familiarly known as Parson Cummings-resided. It frequently happened, during times of excitement, when the whole population had repaired. to the fort, that provisions grew scarce, and it became necessary for some of the most fearless and ath - letic to go out to the clearings and bring in supplies .. On one occasion, several started with a wagon to the clearing of Parson Cummings, and among the rest, the parson ac- companied them. About halt a mile from the fort, upon what is called Fiper's hill, the company was surprised by a party of Indians, and one of their number killed. The others, unprepared for auch a reception. took to the bushes. The parson bring some- what portiy, and wearing one of those large powdered wigs deemed an essential acco n. paniment of the gown in those days, rendered him conspicuous, and, of course, an object
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of more particular pursuit. Accordingly, in bis precipitate retreat, he was closely fo !. lowed by an active savage, with upraised tomahawk. The parson, in dodging under the undergrowth, left the aforesaid wig suspended upon a bramble, seeing which, the in. dian, taking it for the parson's head, made a bound or two and grasped it, but, on find. ing the head was not there, with a violent gesture, and all the lincaments of disappoint- ment drawn upon his face, he threw it upon the ground, exclaiming, " d-d'lie !" and doggedly gave up the chase. The parson, in the mean time, was concealed in the bushes, within a few feet of the spot. The man who was killed was buried at a place since comprising the village burial-place, and the spot where his ashes repose. is marked with a rude, unhewn stone, with the inscription, " William Creswell, July 4, 1776."
As an evidence of the superstition even now occasionally existing among the lower class of the country, there resided, in 1838, in the hills, a few miles from Abingdon, a man by the name of Marsh, who was deemed by his neighbors not only honest and in- dustrious, but possessed of as much intelligence as most people in the lower walks of life. This man was severely afflicted with scrofula, and imagined his disease to be the effects of a spell, or pow-wow, practised upon him by a conjurer, or wizard, in the neighborhood, by the name of Yates. This impression taking firm hold of Marsh's mind, he was thoroughly convinced that Yates could, if he chose, remove the malady. The latter, being termed an Indian doctor, was sent for, and administered his nostrums. The patient, growing worse, determined to try another remedy, which was to take the life of Yates. To accomplish this, he sketebed a rude likeness of Yates upon a tree, and shot at it repeatedly with bullets containing a portion of silver. Yates, contrary to his expectations, still survived. March then Avtermined to draw a head upon the ori- ginal, and, accordingly, charged an old musket with two balls, an admixture of silver and lead, watched an opportunity, and shot ins victim as he was quietly passing along the road, both balls entering the back of the neck. Yates, however, survived, and Marsh was sent to the penitentiary.
The annexed historical sketch of Washington county is abridged from the Ms. memoirs of Southwestern Virginia by Col. John Campbell, Esq. Treasurer of the United States in the adminis- tration of President Jackson :
About one hundred years ago-viz., in 1738-the counties of Frederick and Augusta were formed out of Orange. These two western counties then embraced within their jurisdiction the whole colony of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge. With the exception of the few first settlers of Augusta and Frederick, it was all a howling and savage wil- derness. As late as the year 1756, eighteen years after Frederick and Augusta were formed into counties, the Blue Ridge was regarded, as Judge Marshall says. as the northwestern frontier of Virginia, and she found an immense difficulty in completing a single regiment to protect the inhabitants from the horrors of the scalping-kuite, and the still greater horrors of being led into captivity by those who added terrors to death by the manner of inflicting it. Carlisle in Pennsylvania, Frederick in Maryland, and Win- chester in Virginia, were then frontier posts.
This division of the territory west of the Blue Ridge into counties, continued for 31 yearz, up to the year 1769, when the county of Botetourt was formed out of Augusta. Botetonrt then embraced all southwestern Virginia, south and west of Augusta. Three years afterwards-viz., in 1772-the county of Fincastle was formed out of Botetourt. The county of Fincastle then embraced all sw. Va. south and west of the Botetourt line, which was near New River. In 1776, four years afterwards, the county of Fin- castle was divided into three conaties, and called Kentucky, Washington, and Mont- gomery counties, and the name of Fincastle became extinct.
Washington county, during the whole of the revolution and up to 1786, embraced within its hinits all southwestern Va., sw. of the Montgomery line. It included parts of Grayson, Wythe, and Tazewell, all of Smyth, Scott, Russell, and Lee, with its present limits.
The act establishing the county of Washington passed in October, 1776, but it was not to go into operation until January, 1777. If received its military and civil organi- zation on the 25th of January. 1777. It is the oldest county of Washington in the U. S., being the first that was called after the father of his country. . The act establishing
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WASHINGTON COUNTY.
the county passed in the first year of the commonwealth, and the county was organized the first month of the new year.
The following are the first records made, in which the county received its civil and military organization :
" January 28th, in the first year of the commonwealth of Virginia, and in the year of our Lord- Christ 1777. being the day appointed by act of the General Assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia, for holding the h' t count of the county of Washington at . Blek's Fort.' A commission of the Peace and Dedimns for this county, directed to Arthur Campbell. William Campbell, Evan Shelby, Daniel Smith, William Edininston, John Campbell, Joseph Martin, Alexander Buchanan, James Dysart, John Kincaid, John Anderson, James Montgomery, John Coaller, John Suody, George Blackburn, and Moses Masten, gentlemen, bearing date the 21st day of December, 1776, were produced and read. Thereupon, pursuant to the Dedimus, William Campbell and Joseph Martin, two of the aforesaid justices, administered the oath of a justice of the peace, and of a justice of the county court of chancery, to Arthur Campbell, the first justlee named in said commision, and he afterwards administered the aforesaid paths to William Campbell, William Edminston, and others named as aforesaid in the said commission." The records also state that James Dysart produced a commission as county sheriff from Gov. Patrick Henry, and secu- rities being given, he took the oath.
The sheriff having opened the court in the name of the commonwealth of Virginia, David Campbell, afterwards Judge Campbell of Tennessee, was inducted into the office of county cierk.
The same records exhibit the following as the military organization of the county in this the first year of the commonwealth, and morning of the American revolution :--- Arthur Campbell, county lieutenant or colonel-commandant ; Evan Shelby, colonel ; William Campbell, lieutenant-colonel ; Wilham Edminston and Daniel Smith, majors ; Captains, John Campbell, Joseph Martin, John Shelby, Sen., James Montgomery, Robert Buchanan, Aaron Lewis, John Duncan, Gilbert Christian, James Shelby, James Dysart, Thomas Masten, John Kinkead, John Anderson, William Bowen, George Adams, Robert Craig, Andrew Colvill, and James Robertson. Some time after this organization, Col. Evan Shelby resigned his commission, and William .Campbell was appointed in his place.
Among the records illustrating the times, is this :
" Jobn Findlay making It appear to the satisfaction of the court of Washington county, that he, upon the 20th day of July, 1776, received a wound in the thigh in the battle fought with the Cherokees, near the Great Island. * and it now appears to the said court that he, in consequence of the said wound, is unable to gain a living by his labor as formerly ; therefore his case is recommended to the consideration of the General Assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia."
The Cherokee Indians were defeated in this action, and massacre prevented upon the frontier settlements. The savages were led on, it is said, by a bold chieftain called " Dragon Canoe." He led his men, in some places, within thirty or forty paces of the opposing party ; and although he fought with the courage and skill of a Tecumseh or Ocenla, he was completely beaten in his own mode of warfare. Both parties fought be- hind trees, with rifles, and both were girded with tomahawks, as weapons of self-defence with the white, when in close personal conflict with his savage foe, and of massacre on the part of the Indian, when his wounded enemy had fallen into his power. There was no American officer in this well-fought action, of a higher rank than captain. Three of that grade commanded volunteer companies from Washington county, Va., viz. : John Campbell, James Shelby, and James Thompson. William Cocke commanded a company from Tennessee, then the territory of North Carolina. There were other captains out of Va., whose names are unknown to the writer.
The condition of the country is further disclosed by these annexed extracts :
Jan. 29th, 1777. " Ordered, that William Campbell, Wm. Edminston, John Anderson, and George Blackburn, be appointed commissioners to hire wagons to bring up the county salt, allotted by the governor and council. and to receive and distribute the same agreeably to said order of council." " Ordered, that Capt. Robert Craig and Capt. John Shelby be added to the commissioners appointed to receive and dis -. tribute the flour contributed in Augusta, or elsewhere, for the distressed inhabitants of the county."
Without flour, and without salt, these brave pioneers of a new county, cheerful and gay, social and kind to each other, and linked together like a band of brothers, thought of nothing but the sublime objects of the American revolution -- the great cause of Ameri- can liberty. Avarice had not won its way to their patriotic souls. They fought for freedom, and with their own weapons and war-steeds they volunteered and marched in every direction, at their own expense, in which the cries of suffering humanity reached them. . These gallant Highlanders volunteered on the expedition against the Shawnees at Pr Pleasant, against the Cherokees at Long Island, and against the British at King's Mountain and Guilford ; against the Cherokees, under Col. Christian, and afterwards under Col. Arthur Campbell in 1781. Col. Campbell, on this expedition, commanded 706 mounted riflemeu. History gives him the credit of having first made the experiment
* This Island les'in Hoiston River, East Tennessee, uear Kingsport, a few miles south of the Virginia Line.
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of attacking Indians with mounted riflemen, a mode of fighting on this occasion proving completely successful .* He destroyed in this expedition 14 Indian towns. and burnt 50,000 bushels of corn. The cruel necessity also devolved upon him of destroying seve- ral scattered settlements, and a large quantity of provisions, after supplying his own army for their return.
Mr. Jefferson, then governor of Virginia, in a letter dated the 17th of Feb., 1781, to the Continental Congress, enclosing the account of this expedition, remarks :
"Our proposition to the Cherokee chiefs to visit Congress, for the purpose of prevent- ing or delaying a rupture with that nation, was too late. The storm had gathered to a head when Major Martin (the agent) had got back. It was determined, therefore, to carry the war into their country, rather than wait it in ours ; and I have it in my power to inform you that, thus disagreeably circumstanced, the issue has been successful. I enclose the particulars as reported to me." Col. Arthur Campbell's report to Mr. Jeffer- son is dated Washington county, Jan. 15, 1781. " The militia (he says) of this and the two western North Carolina counties (now Tennessee) have been fortunate enough to frustrate the designs of the Cherokees. On my reaching the frontiers, I found the In- dians meant to annoy us by small parties. To resist them effectually, the apparently best measure was to transfer the war without delay into their own borders.
" To raise a force sufficient, and provide them with provisions and other necessaries, was a work of time, that would be accompanied with uncommon difficulties, especially in the winter season. Our situation was critical, and nothing but an extraordinary effort could save us, and disappoint the views of the enemy. All the calamities of 1776 came fresh in remembrance, and to avoid a like seene, men flew to their arios and marched to the field."
The following message was sent to the Indian chiefs and warriors after this expedition was completed :
" Chiefs and Warriors-We came into your country to fight your young men. We have killed many of them, and destroyed your towns. You know you began the war, by listening to the bad counsels of the King of England, and the falsehoods told you by his agents. We are now satisfied with what is done, as it may convince your nation that we can distress you much at any time when you are so foolish as to engage in war against us. If you desire peace, as we understand you do, we, out of pity to your women and children, are disposed to treat with you on that subject.
" We therefore send this by one of your young men, who is our prisoner, to tell you if you are disposed to make peace, six of your head men must come to our agent, Major Martiu, at the Great Island, within two moons, so as to give him time to meet them with a flag guard on Ilolston river, at the boundary line. To the wives and children of' those men of your nation who protested against the war, if they are willing to take refuge at the Great Island until peace is restored, we will give a supply of provisions to keep them alive.
" Warriors, listen attentively :
" If we receive no answer to this message until the time already mentioned expires, we shall then conclude that you intend to continue to be our enemies. We will then be compelled to send another strong force into your country, that will come prepared to remain in it, to take possession of it as a conquered country, without making you any compensation for it. Signed at Kai-a-tee, the 4th of Jan., 1781, by
" ARTHUR CAMPBELL, Col.,
" JOHN SEVIER, Col., " JOSEPH MARTIN, Agent and Maior of Militia."
A few days after the return of the army across the Dan, Gen. Greene received a com- munication from Col Anhar Campbell, announcing the fortunate result of the expedi- tion, and stating that the Indians were desirous of submitting, and negotiating a treaty with the proper authorities, It being at that early day doubtful in whom such a power rested, Gen. Greene deemed the necessity of the case sanctioned him in nominating commissioners for that purpose. On the 20th of February, 1781, he issued a commission to Wm. Christian, Wmm. Preston, Arthur Campbell, and Joseph Martin, of Virginia, and to Robert Sevier, Evan Shelby, Joseph Williams, and John Novier, of North Carolina, to enter into a treaty for restoring peace, and establish the limits between the two states and the Indian tribes ; but with the wary precaution of limiting their powers by the laws of those states, and the duration of the counission by the will of Congress or the
* On this point see Morse's Hist. Sketch of Tenn., prepared for the Am. filas, pub. i 1897, by Camy & Lao.
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commander-in-chief. Under this commission was concluded that. treaty which took place the ensuing year.
During the summer of 1780, the militia of southwestern Virginia were kept con- stantly on the alert, in consequence of the movements of the British army in South Cat. olina. In August and September, 150 men from Washington county were in service on New River, about the lead mines, and over the mountains in North Carolina, under Col. Campbell, to prevent and suppress insurrections among the tories in those quarters. In the fall of this year the regiment of Col. William Campbell was in the battle of King's Mountain, and behaved with great bravery. The signal defeat which the enemy expe- rienced on that occasion crushed the hopes of the tories, and did much towards giving a favorable turn to the tide of war in the southern states .*
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