USA > Virginia > Clarke County > Clarke County > History of Clarke County, Virginia and its connection with the war between the states > Part 2
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During the years which had passed both before the for- mation of the County and afterwards, changes had been taking place. The people had prospered, Baltimore had been growing, Washington had come into being and was fast becoming a city, and everything that the farmer raised, whether live stock or grain, could be sold if got to market. Long strings of big, tent-covered wagons were continually on the go to and fro laden with the fruit of the soil. Droves of cattle went to Baltimore or George- town, the number of stores was increasing and everything
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
was prosperous. Interest was being taken in education and there were a number of good schools in the county. But the long haul to Alexandria was burdensome and the County welcomed the opening of the canal from George- town to Cumberland, and a little later the building of the railroad to Harper's Ferry and westward. This revo- lutionized everything. The Shenandoah River now be- came of great use to the people on its banks.
Mills were built and flat boats carrying large loads of flour were soon passing down to Harper's Ferry and un- loading on either the canal or the railroad. Saw mills were put in operation, iron ore from the hills near the banks was shipped, and the hitherto useless river was made to serve the purposes of man. This went on until the War, and large numbers of men made their living by boating on the river. The building of the Winchester and Poto- mac R. R., and later of the Shenandoah Valley R. R. in 1880, ended all that, and now the river is left to the fisher- man and the electric power companies, who have harnessed it near Harper's Ferry and will doubtless do so at other points.
In addition to the improvements of navigation on the river, at this time, about 1840, the State had undertaken a system of internal improvements from which Clarke was to get great benefit. Wherever public spirited and enterprising citizens were willing to form corporations for the building of railroads, canals, or turnpikes, the State would take a large part of the stock. This policy stimu- lated such enterprises, especially good roads, such as the great Vally Turnpike from the Potomac down the Valley into the southwest, the Northwestern Grade from Romney to Winchester and others. The people of Clarke, alive to all such things, soon formed a company to build a road from the Shenandoah River through Berryville to Win-
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
chester, and to Charlestown; one from the river through Millwood to Winchester, from White Post to the road from Front Royal to Winchester, and from Millwood to Berryville. By 1850 all these roads were finished, and have been kept up ever since. Over them great armies passed during the War, with their immense trains, and they have been to the County the greatest asset of value she has ever had. The gentlemen who put their money into them never expected, and have never gotten divi- dends on their stock, but were well satisfied to get the con- venience and comfort of good roads upon which to travel and haul their produce, and in the increased value of their lands. These roads today are the pride of the County, and the joy of the many automobile tourists who pass through the country. Along in the fifties the people of the County voted to take $100,000 of stock in the Alexandria, Lou- doun and Hampshire Railroad, hoping thus to secure di- rect connection with Alexandria and Washington, but that hope has long been deferred and is yet to be realized. Just after the War another subscription of the same amount was made to the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, running from Hagerstown to Roanoke. After some delay this road in 1880 was opened, and has been of great value to us. Bonds were issued by the County for the payment of this subscription, and a part of this debt is still unpaid, but it has been reduced to something less than $60,000. During the session of 1892 of the General Assembly, Hon. R. S. B. Smith, then representing the County in the House of Delegates, introduced a bill for the building of two bridges across the Shenandoah River, one at Castleman's Ferry and the other at Berry's Ferry. This matter was submitted to the vote of the people and carried, and bonds to the amount of $40,000 were issued for this purpose. In this matter Mr. Smith had the aid and co-operation of
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
Hon. Thos. D. Gold, then in the State Senate from this district. These improvements have been of great value to the County, and the only regret is that more money was not put into them, so as to put them beyond danger of destruction from great floods. These public debts, while a burden on the County, are so managed as to run for many years and to divide the burden with coming generations, if necessary. Under the Act establishing the bridges, the Board of Supervisors of the County were to have charge of the work. The Board at this time con- sists of T. B. Levi, Chairman, J. E. Barnett, R. Powel Page and C. T. Hardesty. They immediately called for an election on the question of issuing the bonds of the County, and that having been settled affirmatively, they proceed- ed to build. The bridges are very handsome, steel struc- tures and the best that could be built for the money al- lowed to be used. Ten thousand dollars more on each bridge, and they would have been secure for all future time.
CHAPTER III.
I N giving an account of the public works in the County, we have passed without comment the process by which the County resumed civil life and government at the close of the War. When the War ended there was in exist- ence a pretended State government with Governor Pier- repoint as Governor, acting under the legislation of a con- vention held in Alexandria by men from such counties of Virginia as were under Federal control. This Conven- tion passed an ordinance vacating all civil offices and or- dering an election in the County of Clarke under the sup- erintendence of Chas. H. Boxwell, John W. Beemer, and John Bromley as commissioners. On the 25th of May, 1865, the election was held with severe restrictions as to qualifications of voters, and the following Justices were elected. District No. 1, Wm. W. Meade, Jos. Mitchell, Jacob B. Vorous and Jas. H. Bitzer. No. 2, David Wade, Robt. B. Wood, John Bromley, and Martin Gaunt. No. 3, Wm. D. McGuire, Matthew Pulliam, Aaron Duble and Wm. D. Smith. No. 4, Nathaniel Burwell, Thos. L. Humphrey, John Morgan, and Jackson Wheeler. Wheeler declined to serve, and John M. Gibson was appointed to fill the vacancy. Under Governor Pierrepoint the militia was reorganized, and at a meeting in Berryville a full set of officers was elected, but these things were not allowed to stand. The U. S. Government in its determination to treat the South as conquered provinces, set aside Governor Pierrepoint and all of his acts, and established Military
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
District No. 1 for the State of Virginia. Under orders from Military Headquarters, Military District No. 1, dated March 29th, 1867, a court was held on Monday, April 12th, 1867, present, John Morgan and John Bromley. They were the only two Justices of those heretofore elected who had taken the oath prescribed by the Act of Congress of the United States dated July 2nd, 1862, and also Jarvis Jennings, appointed by the commanding officer as a Jus- tice from District No. 4, and Samuel L. Pidgeon from Dis- trict No. 2. Mr. Jennings was elected Presiding Justice, J. C. Shields, a Yankee doctor living in Winchester, was appointed Commonwealth's Attorney, Jno. W. Beemer was made Sheriff and George Glass, Clerk. These gen- tlemen administered the offices of the County until those elected under the new constitution went into office. Mr. Jennings was a Northen man who had settled near White Post just after the War. He was a most estimable man and very highly thought of by his neighbors, and was re- tained in office as supervisor for some years after the con- stitution went into effect.
In 1870 Edward White was elected Judge of the County Court, and he appointed Geo. Glass, Clerk, Robert P. Morgan ,Sheriff, and S. J. C. Moore, Commonwealth's Attorney. Mr. Glass was subsequently elected for four years, when he was succeeded by Jno. M. Gibson, who held it until a few years ago. Mr. Gibson was succeeded by Samuel McCormick, and he by Mr. George Glass. Judge White was succeeded by J. H. Sherrard, of Frederick, he by Jno. E. Page, of Clarke, he by R. A. Finnell, of Warren, he by Giles Cooke, of Warren, he by S. J. C. Moore, of Clarke. The office of County Judge was then done away with, and the business is done by the Circuit Court under the most wise and learned Thos. W. Harrison, of Win- chester.
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
Since the adoption of the constitution of 1867, which went into effect in 1869, the affairs of the County have been administered by the Board of Supervisors. Since the New Constitution of 1902, their powers have been enlarged so as to assume some of the duties of the County Court. The Board at this time consists of J. E. Barnett, Chair- man, Hugh Pierce, Lacy Humpston and J. H. Funkhouser. Since the War, a system of Public Schools has been put into operation, giving to each community the advantages of a good school. No one need now be without the foun- dation of an education. The country schools have as a rule good teachers and comfortable houses. It is how- ever, to be regretted that many do not take advantage of this opportunity to get an education, there being, ac- cording to a recent publication in "The Clark Courier," a very large percentage of the children, both white and black, who do not avail themselves of it.
Sometime about the year 1900 the U. S. Government located upon the Blue Ridge Mountain a weather station, and built large buildings for the purpose. About the same time persons of wealth bought land near to this govern- ment property and built homes. This has attracted others and the price of land on the mountain top has rapidly ad- vanced. Many others from the City of Washington and elsewhere are locating there. This advance in land val- ues turned the attention of the Board of Supervisors of Clarke and Loudoun to the importance of definitely fix- ing the boundary line between the counties. By the Acts of Assembly under which the County of Clarke was constituted, the top of the mountain was the boundary. This was very indefinite, and the Boards determined to appoint a joint commission to settle and mark the line. This was done a few years ago. Five commissioners from each county were appointed by the Judges of the Circuit
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
Court of the respective counties. Those from Loudoun were, Hon. Henry Fairfax, A. W. Phillips, Volney Os- borne, Benton James, - Whitmore. From Clarke were A. Moore, Jr., S. S. Thomas, T. B. Levi, M. H. Rear- don and Thomas D. Gold. They met at Bluemont and decided that the natural water shed was the top, and had lines run by an engineer and marked with stones, showing the line. These gentlemen reached their conclusion and settled the matter in a most friendly spirit and to the sat- isfaction of all parties.
CHAPTER IV.
BATTLETOWN OR BERRYVILLE
V ERY soon after the first settlers arrived in the county, or even before, the roads or trails seemed to fall naturally into certain places, pioneers and travelers from the eastern settlements crossing the mountains, made for Winchester, even then a village, by the most direct line, and persons from the lower neigh- borhoods on the Bullskin and below having business with his Lordship at "Greenway Court",sought him by the easiest route. These paths crossed each other, and there some enterprising person opened a tavern and another a blacksmith shop, and later a store. Here the young men gathered to drink and play, and very naturally where law had not much force, to quarrel and fight. Nearby was the home of Daniel Morgan, and no one was fonder of his drink then he and no one quicker to resent an insult, real or fancied; so the cross roads settlement was called Battle- town, and for many years continued to bear that name among the older people, who were loathe to adopt the name Berryville given it by the gentleman who had it laid out. In January, 1798, it was established as a town on twenty acres of land belonging to Benjamin Berry and Sarah Stribling, and the following gentlemen were appointed trustees: Daniel Morgan, Wm. McGuire, Archibald Magill, Raleigh Colston, John Milton, Thomas Strib- linger, Geo. Blakemore, Chas. Smith and Bushrod Taylor. In 1803, another addition was authorized by the Legis-
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
lature from the property of Chas. Smith, on the east side of the town, and again a second enlargement in 1842, and a third in 1870, when a large addition from the property of J. Rice Smith, embracing all that part of the town north of the Winchester Turnpike, and west of the property of the Showers family. We still find a number of houses that are very old. Probably the house where Mr. John T. Crow now lives is as old as any; seventy-five years ago it was known as "Quality Corner". Some pretty young ladies lived there, and one of them taught a small school for boys and girls. The small stone building occupied by Mr. John Hart is very old, and was used as a jail be- fore the County was laid off. The house adjoining, used as his dwelling, is also one of the old houses; so also is Dr. Page's residence and the home of Mrs. Cyrus McCor- mick, which has been almost continuously occupied by doctors during the memory of the oldest inhabitants and longer, according to tradition. The Root house is very old. Its last owner, Miss Mary Courtney Root, came to it when a girl, having ridden on horseback from the State of Tennessee. The house of Mr. Louis Scheuer and the one adjoining are possibly as old as any. When the writer was a boy, there were no houses west of Mr. Wm. Stolle's except the house of Mrs. Ogden and the Misses Washington. Near the old well at Louis Stolle's shop, was a cabin in which old Aunt Fanny Finch, a very fat old colored woman, kept a cake shop and sold cider, and big horse cakes such as the children of today never see, but which were the delight of the boys of those days. On the Charles- town Road, an old house and blacksmith shop, stand- ing where is now Mr. J. M. Kercheval's nice home, were the outside houses, and on the road to the river the house now owned by Mr. Province McCormick was the last house, and on the Millwood road that owned by the Misses
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
Crow, then just built. The tavern, which stood where the Battletown Inn now stands, was "The Old Tavern" when I was a boy, and with its bar room and long shed over the street in its front was a very attractive place for those who wanted to refresh the inner man, either with food or drink, or to sit in the pleasant shade of the porch. Many noted caterers to the public appetite lived there and dispensed its good cheer, but none who excelled the late Mrs. Ann Castleman, who for many years presided over it to the great comfort of guests and friends. The old Academy, the place where all got their education prior to the War, deserves special notice. The need of a good school being very badly felt, some gentlemen of the vil- lage and neighborhood united in buying two acres of land, which was deeded to them as Trustees of the Berryville Academy. This deed is dated 1810. Very soon there- after they built a substantial stone building of two rooms, with a belfry and bell on the top. The old bell called several generations of our fathers to books, and is now, I believe, in use at the Berryville High School, calling the children's children to books. These gentlemen very wisely provided the Academy with a good library of sev- eral hundred books of choice reading, history, biography, travels and good novels. The boys were allowed to take these books home with them, but very seldom were they allowed to take a novel, for which the boys should have been thankful, as they were then compelled to read some- thing solid and useful. The teachers were often Scotch- men, who were fine teachers and strict disciplinarians. The writer has heard this story of one. Two boys, big fellows about eighteen years old, were kicking each other under their desks. "Come thither, ye two kickers. Take off your coat." "I wont." The old Scotchman, a big raw-boned fellow, took the youngster by the throat and
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
proceeded to thrash him, he cried "I won't, I won't," but down came the blows faster and faster, until his tune changed to "O, pray, Mr. Adams," "O, pray, Mr. Adams." The boy wore nankeen trousers, which an eye witness said were cut into strips. For a wonder the boy's mother re- belled and took him from school. But in those days, and even in the writer's day, boys did not tell of their whip- pings at home; they feared. another there. Times have improved wonderfully since then, children seldom get whipped at school or at home, and I don't see that they are any worse than the boys of long ago.
Another famous teacher, a Scotchman, was Mr. Jno. Dow. He was also a surveyor and his name appears on many deeds in the records of the County. He was reputed to be very severe, and tales were told by those of his day about him. Another, a Presbyterian preacher, Mr. Baber, was a most excellent man, but somewhat eccentric. He used to open with very long prayers, and one day a boy tiring of it said "Amen," and all arose. The old gentle- man immediately proceeded to thrash every boy, and when through resumed his prayer and finished without further interruption. The teacher for a number of years prior to the War was the Rev. William Johnston, an Irishman, a graduate of Dublin University, and also a Presbyterian preacher. He was a most excellent teacher, but too se- vere on some of the boys. The War closed his school, and after the War he moved to Cumberland and taught. The Academy was used for some years by the Episco- palians for preaching until they built their first Church. The Methodists also used it. In it was the first Sunday school held in the town. Rev. Chas. Page and Mr. John Gold, Sr., were the founders of it. At that time there was no church in the town, the Old Chapel. and the old Bap- tist Church at Trap Hill being the only ones in reach.
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
Here also the Courts were held until the present Court House was built. During the War the library was scat- tered, never to be found. After the war some depart- ments of the Public School were held in it until the new house was built, and then it was used to store the fire engine and a few years ago a spirit of vandalism taking possession of somebody, it was torn down. It is a little singular that southern people have so little reverence for old places. The associations connected with the old building were dear to many, and they would have been glad to have seen it put to some useful public service.
Very early in the history of the town there were es- tablished wagon making shops and blacksmith shops, where famous work was done. Plows of all kinds and every thing needed to use on the farm were made. About 1840, Matthew Pulliam, a young man from across the mountain, settled here and his good work became known far and wide. When threshing machines were introduced he built them at his shop and there was nothing used on the farm that he did not make. Others also were en- gaged in the same work. Bowly and Ridings, on the Charlestown Road, and Newman in the lower end of town. All of this was before we had a protective tariff, which has crushed out the small manufacturer and leaves us in the hands of the great trusts. Cabinet makers were here also. Mr. Deahl, the father of our Horace P. Deahl, could furnish you with anything you needed while you lived, and bury you in a good walnut coffin when you died, not in a poplar one covered with shoddy cloth, as we do now, and there were tailors to fit you up to nature with the best clothes. Old Mr. Joseph Noble, who lived where Mr. John Enders now lives, was quite a noted character. He would fit you at his home, and he would also go to the house to cut and fit the men on the place. For in those
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
days one of the big jobs of the farmer's wife was to make clothing for the negro servants, suits of drab woolen cloth for the men, and striped linsey for the women and chil- dren. Mr. Noble was the man for this task, and when not at work he could entertain the family, for he was a well-read man and a fluent talker, and of most genial nature. The house where he lived with his sister and a lady relative was among the very oldest in the town. Among the best known men of the town in the ante-bel- lum days was Mr. Christian Bowser, the postmaster. He lived in the building next the alley on the south side of Main Street and for a great many years was the Postmaster. He kept the office and in addition a small candy store. His daughter taught a school for small children in the same building. He was a very genial old gentleman, and fond of jokes. One of his jokes on the small boy who would run in and ask him for a stick of candy was to give him a piece of pepper candy, very hot, and then when the boy cried over it to give him something nice. Notwith- standing his little jokes, the boys and everyone were fond of him. He also took great pleasure in furnishing glasses to those who chanced to have left theirs at home and could not read their mail, but his glasses were just a pair of frames with no glass in them. He did these things in such a kindly way, however, and enjoyed them so much that no one got mad. He continued in the office for thirty years or longer, when he was succeeded during President Hayes' administration by Mr. Beemer. During the War the people of the town were often much at a loss for a means of livelihood. There was no work going on, the stores were closed and there was absolutely "nothing do- ing". The men who before the War had made their liv- ing by work at various trades or business, now had to rent small pieces of land and farm them. Mr. Bowser and
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
others managed to get an old horse, and joining together sometimes, they would put out corn or potatoes, or al- most anything, to provide for those under their care. But for this, they would have suffered as they had no money to buy with, and there was nothing to buy, as the farmers were hardly able to get sufficient to feed and cloth those dependent on them. There was before the War almost always a good school for girls and young ladies main- tained in the town. Dr. J. A. Haines for some years, and after him Mr. Mallory, had large schools on the prop- erty now owned by the Deahl estate. Miss Mary Court- ney Roots had a school for boys at her house. During the War Rev. Mr. Suter had a school in the vestry-room of the Episcopal Church and after the War Miss Hattie Hammond had a flourishing school for young ladies. Misses Davies and Cunningham had one in the west end of town in a building put up by Capt. J. R. Nunn, for the purpose. They were succeeded by Miss Laura Gold for a few years. Capt. W. N. McDonald carried on for some years a fine school for boys at his residence on the Mill- wood road. The public schools were started in the State in 1969, and the one in town has grown in size and use- fulness until now it is considered among the best. At first classes were held in the lecture room of the Baptist Church and in the old Academy, until a large building was erected. The first building was burned some years ago, but another and better was built. There have been some fine teachers connected with the school. The first prin- cipal was Mr. M. W. Jones. To him is owing much of its success. He has devoted himself to this work for many years, first as teacher and since as a trustee. Many men now successful in life were given an impetus by his thor- ough training. There have been other fine principals, and a most excellent corps of assistants.
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
The town people suffered many hardships during the War. Stragglers and even the organized troops would commit depredations upon the defenseless people. They would take the churches and the Court House for camping places. The Baptist Church was occupied by troops on more than one occasion during the fights which took place in the town, and used as a defense. Mosby in his attack on the wagon train fired at it with his cannon when thus occupied, but did no damage. The basement was some- times used as a stable. The Episcopal Church fared better generally, but on one occasion was occupied by some negro troops, who were endeavoring to get some of the negroes of the town to go with them either by persua- sion or force. They collected a number, among them Siz Dangerfield, a big burly fellow, who did not want to go. After nightfall, Siz, watched his opportunity, knocked over the guard at the door and seizing his gun made his escape, followed by others. They never got another chance to make him a soldier. Rev. Chas. White, the Presbyterian minister, lived near his Church and suc- ceeded in protecting it. Mr. White was well known for his warm southern sentiments and for his earnest prayers in behalf of the cause, and many ardent old gentlemen went to church to join him in his fervent petitions. The writer remembers the service on the first Sunday after every one had come home from the surrender. Some Yankee troops, camped near by, were marched in to at- tend the service. His text was "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept; when we remembered Zion, we hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst there- of." He prayed most earnestly that what was obnoxious in our sight might be removed, and then preached a ser- mon appropriate to the occasion. The unrelenting and unconquerable old gentlemen present felt, if they did not
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