USA > Virginia > Augusta County > Augusta County > History of Augusta County, Virginia > Part 21
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164
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
After the battle, Cornstalk opposed the treaty of peace concluded with the Indians by Dunmore, and in his speech in reply to Dunmore's charges against the red men for their infraction of former treaties, and their many unprovoked murders, he proved himself an orator as well as soldier. He rose to make his speech in no way confused or daunted, and spoke in a distinct and audible voice, without stammering or repetition, and with pe- culiar emphasis. His appearance is said to have been truly grand, yet graceful and attractive. He sketched in his remarks, in lively colors, the once prosperous and happy condition of his tribe, inveighed against the perfidy of the whites and the dishonesty of the traders; and proposed that no one should be permitted to trade with the Indians on private ac- count ; that fair wages should be agreed upon and the traffic be com- mitted to honest men, and, finally, that no " fire-water," which brought evil to the Indians, should be sent amongst them.
It is not known how Cornstalk spent the next three years, but, in the Spring of 1777, he visited Point Pleasant with Red Hawk and a few at- tendants. He informed Captain Arbuckle, who commanded the post at the time, that, with the exception of himself and the Shawanese, all the nations had joined the English, and that, unless protected by the whites, " they would have to swim with the stream." Capt. A. thought proper to detain Cornstalk and his companions as hostages for the good conduct of the tribe to which they belonged. They had not been long in this situa- tion before a son of Cornstalk, concerned for the safety of his father, came to the opposite side of the river and hallooed; his father, knowing his voice, answered him. He was brought over the river. The father and son mutually embraced each other with the greatest tenderness.
On the day following, two Indians, who had concealed themselves in the weeds on the bank of the Kanawha, opposite the fort, killed a man of the name of Gilmore, as he was returning from hunting. As soon as the dead body was brought over the river, there was a general cry amongst the men who were present, "Let us kill the Indians in the fort." They im- mediately ascended the bank of the river, with Capt. Hall at their head, to execute their hasty resolution. On their way they were met by Capt. Stuart and Capt. Arbuckle, who endeavored to dissuade them from killing the Indian hostages, saying that they certainly had no concern in the mur- der of Gilmore; but remonstrance was in vain. Pale as death with rage, they cocked their guns and threatened the captains with instant death if they should attempt to hinder them from executing their purpose.
When the murderers arrived at the house where the hostages were con- fined, Cornstalk rose up to meet them at the door, but instantly received seven bullets through his body ; his son and his other two fellow-hostages were instantly despatched with bullets and tomahawks.
Thus fell the Shawanese war chief Cornstalk, who, like Logan, his com-
165
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
panion in arms, was conspicuous for intellectual talent, bravery and mis- fortune.
The biography of Cornstalk, as far as it is now known, goes to show that he was no way deficient in those mental endowments which constitute true greatness. On the evening preceding the battle of Point Pleasant he proposed going over the river, to the camp of Gen. Lewis, for the purpose of making peace. The majority in the council of warriors voted against the measure. " Well," said Cornstalk, "since you have resolved on fighting, you shall fight, although it is likely we shall have hard work to- morrow ; but if any man shall attempt to run away from the battle I will kill him with my own hand," and accordingly he fulfilled his threat with regard to one cowardly fellow.
After the Indians had returned from the battle, Cornstalk called a coun- cil at the Chillicothe town, to consult what was to be done next. In this council he reminded the war chiefs of their folly in preventing him from making peace before the fatal battle of Point Pleasant, and asked, " What shall we do now? The Long-knives are coming upon us by two routes. Shall we turn out and fight them?" All were silent. He then asked, " Shall we kill our squaws and children, and then fight until we shall all be killed ourselves ?" To this no reply was made. He then rose up and struck his tomahawk in the war post in the middle of the council house, saying, " Since you are not inclined to fight, I will go and make peace," and accordingly did so.
On the morning of the day of his death, a council was held in the fort at the Point in which he was present. During the sitting of the council, it is said that he seemed to have a presentiment of his approaching fate. In one of his speeches, he remarked to the council, "When I was young, (he was at this time only thirty years of age,) every time I went to war I thought it likely I might return no more; but I still lived. I am now in your hands, and you may kill me if you choose. I can die but once, and it is alike to me whether I die now or at another time." When the men presented themselves before the door for the purpose of killing the Indians, Cornstalk's son manifested signs of fear, on observing which his father said, " Don't be afraid, my son; the Great Spirit sent you here to die with me, and we must submit to his will. It is all for the best." He then turned to meet the enemy at the door of his cell. In a moment he fell dead, pierced by seven bullets. His son was killed in the same way. Red Hawk was also shot dead while trying to escape. Thus perished one of the greatest heroes among the red men of the frontier-a brave and noble man, for whose death the Shawanese afterwards took ample vengeance on the whites ;- a chief remarkable for many great and good qualities, he was disposed at all times to be the friend of white men, as he ever was the ad- vocate of honorable peace. Dr. de Hass, from whose valuable work we
166
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
have derived much aid, says, p. 173: "The Governor of Virginia offered a reward for the apprehension of the murderers, but without avail. Con- gress, too, made every suitable concession to the Shawanese, through Col. Morgan, but the savages would not be appeased, and bitterly did the frontier suffer for this imprudent act of a few lawless men."
MRS. JAMES HAGERTY, THE SO-CALLED WITCH.
The laws of nature, and the ever-lasting chain of antecedents and con- sequences, were little recognized in the early days of Augusta. Our fore- fathers, though many of them were highly enlightened men, belonged to a community in which were still traces of the ignorance and barbarism of the Middle Ages. They understood few of the laws of nature, and every unusual event was contemplated with more or less of awe and aların. They saw perpetually in events the supernatural and miraculous, and im- agined that there existed among their fellow-creatures a gifted race that had command over the elements, held commerce with the invisible world, and could produce the most stupendous and terrific effects, and a race of perverse and badly disposed, who delighted in mischief, and were thought able to bring on those to whom they were hostile the direst calamities. Science was already making advances, Dr. Franklin having discovered the identity of electricity and lightning, but there was still enough of credulity remaining to display in glaring colors the aberrations of the human mind, and to furnish forth many curious tales. The greater part of these strange stories and marvellous adventures are swallowed up in oblivion, but the following survives as to one of Staunton's so-called witches.
One of the singular personages of early days in Staunton, of whom the writer has heard much from several venerable gentlemen still living, was Mrs. James Hagerty-a supposed witch. She lived in great poverty in a villainous little alley running by the Episcopal burying-ground. Witches are said to meet their master, the devil, frequently in churches and church yards, and one cannot help wondering at the boldness of Satan in thus invading consecrated ground. The alley was, in those days, called Spring Lane, but is at present better known as Irish Alley. Mrs. Hagerty was a poor, decrepit old woman, bending under the weight of years and infirmi- ties. The lingerings of decent pride were visible in her appearance ; her dress, though humble in the extreme, was scrupulously clean. Years be- fore, she was the victim of an accident, by which the lower part of her face was horribly burnt and scared. To conceal the disfigurement, she wore a scarlet handkerchief across her face, above which two bright, twinkling eyes shot fortlı penetrating glances. Born in Ireland, she came, at an early day, with her husband, to Staunton. After his death she was left with three children in such abject poverty that they were compelled to engage in the meanest offices for bread. The eldest child, James Hagerty, was kept for some time from starvation by tramping up clay, the ordinary task
167
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
of a horse, for brick making. Though unable to more than half nourish themselves, Mrs. Hagerty was always attended by a fat black cat-the most faithful of companions. The cat was supposed to be a distinguished demon, a confederate in works of darkness. She and the cat were thought now and again to change shape, to make journeys together on a broom stick, and to be always plotting mischief. Mrs. Hagerty's body was lean and bony, only an excuse for a body on which material life had little hold, but her mind was transcendently bright and vigorous. These circum- stances were sufficient to gain for her the reputation of being a witch, of living in a sulphureous atmosphere with the damned everywhere around her. Beelzebub was thought, by the juvenile community, at least, to make a daily visit to her humble abode, and this prince of demons, not even excelled by the black cat in fidelity, was reported to have once taken her on the grand tour of Tartarus. Thus this old, decrepit, poverty- stricken, harmless and miserable woman was believed to be the incarnation of malice-able and delighted to blight the harvest, to cover the leav- ens with clouds, to destroy the health of an enemy,-in a word, to do everything that was wrong, and hence everything that went wrong was attributed to her. The young people carried their superstition so far as to have conceived a terror of passing her house. This, no doubt, accounts for the rural aspect of Spring Lane in the writer's boyhood. He well remembers to have seen grass growing in the lane, and sleek cows grazing in what now is one of Staunton's busiest thoroughfares.
Her eldest child, James Hagerty, the mud-mixer, attracted the attention of Robert Gamble, one of the leading merchants, of that day, in Staunton. Gamble was struck with the quickness of the boy's answers to such ques- tions as were propounded to him, and took him into his employment and put him to school. Here his exemplary conduct and rapid acquisition of learning soon procured him many patrons, whose assistance enabled him to prosecute his studies and ameliorate the last days of his mother. Some years after, 1783, Gamble removed to Richmond, Va., and there resumed business, with Hagerty as one of his assistants. Hagerty remained with him till about 1805, frequently, during this period, making voyages to Liverpool in the interest of Gamble, and forming the acquaintance of her principal men of business. About 1805-1806, Hagerty removed to Liverpool, and there opened, on his own behalf, a business house in the cotton and tobacco trade, was successful, and became one of Liverpool's merchant princes. In 1841, he was appointed United States Consul for that port, and a few years later died, without issue.
We may add that Robert Gamble, who acquired large fortune, married Letitia, a daughter of Gen. James Breckenridge,-a cousin of the writer,- and left two sons, one of whom became Governor of Florida and the other of Missouri. One of his three daughters married William Wirt, another
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HISTORY OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
Chancellor Harper, of South Carolina, and the third W. H. Cabell, Gov- ernor of Virginia.
EXCERPTS, ANA, ETC.
Previous to 1772, there was only a pathway, or Indian trail, between Staunton and the Warm Springs. This year the Governor, Council and Burgesses enacted that John Wilson, Thomas Lewis, Andrew Lewis, Samuel McDowell, Charles Lewis, William Preston, John McClenechan, George Moffett, and James Loving, gentlemen, be and they are hereby appointed trustees for carrying into execution the laying out and clearing a road from the Warm Springs to Jenning's Gap.
Among the successful natives of Ireland in Staunton, in 1770-'80, were George and Sampson Mathews-the first of whom became Governor of Georgia. The latter left descendants in Staunton, one of his daughters marrying Samuel Clark, Mayor in 1820, and the other Gen. Blackburn, who died s. p.
While recruiting his force previous to the campaign of 1774, Staunton was a general rendezvous for Gen. Lewis' men. Sampson Mathews kept an ordinary in the long frame building, afterwards occupied by Lawrence Tremper, on Augusta street, and now replaced by the brick building occu- pied by O'Rork and Alexander. Tradition relates that the height of the men composing one of the companies was marked on the bar-room wall, and not a man, in his stocking feet, was under six feet, and most of them were six feet two inches high.
From a cabin in Western Virginia a song emanated after the battle of the Point, in which these lines occur :
"Col. Lewis and some noble Captains, Did down to death like Uriah go; Alas ! their heads wound up in napkins, Upon the banks of the Ohio."
Another poetaster, evidently an old European soldier, thus closes some hot-blooded poetry, which is still sung by the mountaineers :
" I have been where cannons roared and bullets rapidly did fly, Yet I would venture once more the Shawanee to conquer or die."
The following letter from Washington to Lord Dunmore has never been published. It was found by the author in the Clerk's Office of the Supe- rior Court of Augusta. It possesses little interest, beyond being the pro- duction of the illustrious Father of his Country, being from his pen, and referring to the compensation received by many engaged in the campaign of 1754, of whom numbers were from Augusta, including our colonial hero, Gen. Andrew Lewis. It will be read not without interest :
169
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
To the Right Hon'ble John, Earl of Dunmore, his Majesty's Lieut .- Gov. General of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, and to the Hon' ble, the Council :
MY LORD, AND GENTLEMEN : The whole quantity of 200,000 acres of land granted by the Hon. Robert Dinwiddie's proclamation of the 19th of Feb., 1754, being now fully obtained, (within the number of surveys lim- ited) and the last certificates thereof lodged in the Secretary's office, I take the liberty humbly to inform your Excellency and Hon'rs that the surveys formerly made are already patented, agreeably to an order of Council of the 6th of Nov., 1772, and that the certificates lately returned and unappropriated, are for 28,400, 21,941, 7,276, 7,894, and 6,788 acres, in all, 72,299 acres. It is also necessary to inform the Board that the fol- lowing claims, including not only those which were given on the - day of Oct. 1771, but such as have been entered here, are yet to be acknowl- edged and satisfied accordingly :
Col. Joshua Fry's heir, being short of his full ninth at the last
distribution . . .
7,242 acres.
George Washington, also short of his ninth at that distribution
453
Col. Muse & others,
do.
do.
do.
do.
199
And'w Wagener,
do.
do.
do
do.
2,672
John Savage,
do.
do.
do.
do. 2,672
Dr. James Craik,
do.
do.
do.
do. 394
Robt. Stobos' heir, for his full proportion of the 200,000 acres 9,000
Jacob Vanbraam,
do.
do.
do.
do.
9,000
William Bronaugh,
do.
do.
do.
do
6,000
James Forest's heir,
do.
do.
do.
do.
6,000
Thomas Bullet
do.
do.
do.
do
2,500
John Wright's heir,
do.
do.
do.
do.
2,500
Jno. David Welfer,
do.
do.
do.
do.
600
And'w Tonler,
do. do.
do.
do·
do.
400
Arthur Watts, dec'd,
do.
do.
do.
do.
400
Robert Stewart,
do.
do.
do.
do.
400
Alex'r Bonny,
do.
do.
do.
do.
400
Wm. McAnulty,
do.
do.
do.
do.
200
Thos. Napp,
do.
do.
do.
do.
400
Jesse May,
do.
do
do.
do.
400
Robt. Murphey,
do.
do.
do.
do.
400
Jno. Smith,
do.
do
do.
do.
400
Wm. Horn, dec'd,
do.
do.
do.
do.
400
do.
do
do.
400
Francis Self,
53,432 acres.
This ninth of 53,432 acres of land, taken from the amount of the survey on the other side, leaves, of the 30,000 acres, (set apart in Oct., 1771, for satisfying any claims which might thereafter come in, and for the further purpose of reimbursing the few who had been at the trouble and whole risque,) 18,867 acres, which, if appropriated to those who were full in ad- vance at that time, and distributed according to the former proportions, will go thus: To George Washington, 3,500; to Geo. Muse, 3,500; to Geo. Mercer, 2,800; Adam Stephen, 2,100; Andrew Lewis, 2,100; Peter Hog, 2,100 ; John West, 1,400; and James Craik, 1,400 acres. And if this method of proportioning the 18,867 acres of land is approved of by Y'r
170
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
Exc'll'y and Hon'rs, and you are pleased to order, as before, an associa- tion of names into each Patent, so as to bring the amount of their several claims as near to the quantity of land in the survey as may be, the follow- ing method of doing it probably will be found to answer as well as any other, as it cost some hours in shifting and changing the claims from one survey to another, to bring them so near; but if any other method, better approved of, it cannot but be equally agreeable to the parties concerned, as chance, at all events, must have the government of this matter.
TRACT OF 7,276 ACRES.
To Geo. Washington, for his div. of the last distribution 453
And for his div. of the 18,867 acres · 3,500
3,953
3,323
To Geo. Muse, the residue -7,276
THE TRACT OF 28,400 ACRES.
To Capt. Stobos' heir in full . 9,000
To Capt. Vanbraam . 9,000
To representative of James Towners, dec'd . 6,000
To Andrew Fowler
400
To Thomas Napp.
400
To Arthur Watts, dec'd . 400
To Jesse May, (assigned to M. Fox)
400
To Frank Self
400
To Jno. Smith 400
To Alex. Bonny
400
To Wm. Horn, dec'd
400
To Wm. McAnulty 400
-28,400
THE TRACT OF 7,894 ACRES.
To Wm. Bronaugh, in full . .
6,000
Dr. Craik, for his div. at the last distribution
394
do. for his div. of the 18,867 acres . 1,400
Col. Muse, for residue .
100
- 7,894
THE TRACT OF 6,788 ACRES.
To And'w Wagener, for his div. at the last distribution . . 2,572
Jno. West, his div. to the 18,867 acres 1,400
Col. Mercer, for the remainder of the tract-with what he re- ceived over his proportion at the last distribution, it more than pays him .
2,816
- 6,788
THE TRACT OF 21,944 ACRES.
To the heirs of Col. Fry, for his div. at the last distribution . . 7,242 John Savage, do. do. do. do. 2,572
Thos. Bullet, in full of the grant .
2,500
Wm. Wright, dec'd, do. . 2,500
John David Welfer .. 600
Adam Shepherd, for his div. of 18,867 acres 2,100
Andrew Lewis
2,100
Peter Hog
. 2,100
-21,944
1 71
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
As the opening of the patents for these lands will put an end to the business of this tract of 1754, so far as depends upon Y'r Excellency and Hon'rs, I would beg leave to offer two points of material interest to some of the trustees to the serious consideration and determination of the Board. The first is, as none of the patentees, under the mode adopted of granting land to numbers in the same patent, can be ascertained of their particular property therein till a legal division is established, which, (as in the case of a late grant of 28,667 acres to sixty odd patentees, is scarcely practi- cable to accomplish, and, of consequence, the saving of the land by culti- vation and improvement, next to impossible; by this means the intended bounty offered for a valuable consideration is not only rendered void, but to those who have contributed to the expense, evidently injurious, inas- much as they have paid for that which it is not in their power to come at,) I say, under these circumstances, whether some expedient cannot be hit upon to serve those who are willing and desirous of complying with the theory of the grant, either by prolonging the time of cultivation, if this can be done, or by directing each man's share in any patent to be laid off (if the division is not effected by consent of parties) within a certain limited period, of which public notice to be given, as each patentee thereafter that respectively apply to the Surveyor, who may be entrusted, to lay the same in one body and in a good figure, to prevent injustice.
The second matter to be offered is : whether something cannot, and if it can, ought not to be done, recompensing those who have never paid one farthing, or taken one single step towards obtaining their lands, (not even the fees of office on their own particular tracts,) to contribute in propor- tion to the quantity of land they have and are to receive ? Without some- thing of this sort can be done previous to the patenting, or in the patenting of these lands, nothing is to be expected from them afterwards ; for where men (I am speaking of those who hold principal shares in this grant, for, as to common soldiery, little ever was expected from them,) are found so remiss, after repeated exhortation, as neither to afford time nor money for the purpose of conducting a work which could not possibly have gone without both, little of the latter is to be expected after the business is at an end and their patents delivered to them, unless litigious law-suits are com- menced, some of which against infants, and some against persons beyond sea, and, without this, I must, after having been already saddled with almost the whole trouble and many expenses peculiar to myself, submit to considerable loss, as I have been obliged to advance all the fees of office, and many drafts of the Surveyor, and considered, I dare say, by him, as liable for his whole fees, assured by having one, in that case, for the be- fore-mentioned tract of 28,600 acres patented to the common soldiery to pay for account. (I fear their being a penny the better of it.) [A line illegible here.] One year of the three gone, and one-half of them may never more be heard of.
I have thus, may it please Y'r Excellency and Hon'rs, endeavored to draw the whole of this matter into one short view, to save you the trouble of referring from one order of Council to another. I have now to beg par- don for the trouble I have had occasion from time to time to give in prose- cuting this matter, and have the honor to be,
Your Lordship's and Hon'rs Most obed't and most humble serv't, GO: WASHINGTON.
172
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA COUNTY.
CHAPTER XII.
The right claimed by Great Britain to tax the colonies caused dissen- sions between the mother country and her American dependencies, soon after the peace of 1763. Previous to 1763, the colonies had been permit- ted to tax themselves without the interference of Parliament. The first act for the avowed purpose of raising a revenue from the Colonies was passed by the British Parliament in 1764, laying a duty on sundry articles of American consumption. Of this act the Colonies highly disapproved, be- cause it proceeded on the right to tax them without their consent. In pur- suance of the same policy, the notorious stamp act was passed the follow- ing year, and excited general indignation throughout America. Virginia led the way in opposition to this act by the adoption of Patrick Henry's resolutions, May 29, 1765. These resolutions were warmly supported in the House by our distinguished delegate at that time, Hon. Thos. Lewis. The · controversy thus introduced continued for ten years, increasing in animosity, and had gathered strength and maturity from various circumstances of aggression and violence. The Ameriaans had no desire for independence, and neither party seems to have anticipated a civil war. Matters were, however, obviously tending towards that point at which all hope of recon- ciliation must be banished forever, and in 1776, America made a formal declaration of independence. From this time, local and colonial contests were swallowed up by the novelty, the grandeur, and the importance of the struggle which then opened between Great Britain and America. Within four months of the day on which the Boston port bill reached America, the deputies in the first Continental Congress convened in Phila- delphia. On the meeting of Congress, Hon. Peyton Randolph was chosen President, and Charles Thomson, Secretary. Congress, soon after their meeting, agreed upon a declaration of their rights, by which it was, among other things, declared that the inhabitants of the English colonies in North America, by the immutable laws of nature, the principles of the British Constitution, and the several charters, were entitled to life, liberty, and property, and that they had never ceded to any sovereign power what- ever a right to dispose of either, without their consent, &c. Congress also resolved that the colonists were entitled to the common law of Eng- land, and, more especially, to the privilege of being tried by their peers of the vicinage, &c., and that sundry acts, which had been passed in the reign of George III, were infringements and violations of the rights of the colonists, and Congress declared that they could not submit to these
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