USA > Virginia > Clarke County > Clarke County > History of Clarke County, Virginia and its connection with the war between the states > Part 3
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
say, amen to his prayer, though we soldiers did not think he treated his Yankee hearers exactly right. But really the home folk had more to fear and to feel hard over than the soldiers. The War over, things speedily dropped into a regular routine. Stores were opened, mechanics went to work and the town went ahead with new life. A bank was soon organized, also a building association. Mr. Pulliam built a bark and sumac mill, which gave employ- ment to a number of people, and a market for the sumac leaves, until then considered a useless weed. Geo. C. Thomas, from Maryland, reopened the large carriage shops that had been run by Strother H. Bowen before the War. For a few years things flourished, but fire destroy- ed the sumac mills, the bank failed, and Mr. Thomas was driven out of business by the cheap manufactured car- riages and buggies from the north. During the prosperity of the town, J. Rice Smith opened up a large addition to it on the northwest, and many men taking advantage of the building association, built their own homes. No in- stitution that the town has had has done more good than this building association. It has been running ever since, with great success, and has always been in the hands of conservative business men. In 1880 the Bank of Clarke County was organized, and has done a good business and grown in strength and in the confidence of the people. Later the First National Bank was opened, and has been successful, both banks adding yearly to their surplus and also paying good dividends to their stockholders. In 1880 the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, now the Norfolk and Western, which had been hanging fire for some years, was finished and opened for business, Berryville has be- come one of the most important stations on the road, both as to freight handled and passenger traffic. A handsome passenger depot has been recently built, which adds much
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
to the comfort of travellers. A number of years ago a large flour mill was built by Mr. Lovett, and run by him until his death, and then by the Berryville Milling Co. It has been recently sold and will be, when in operation, an addition to the business of the town. There is also an ice plant doing good service, and a co-operative cream- ery, which is doing well. Stores have multiplied and any- thing can be bought in the town from a threshing machine or an automobile to a paper of pins. Telephone lines run in every direction and you can talk to your friends in the distant cities if you wish. An electric light and power Company can furnish you with light for your house, power to run your machinery and heat to cook your food. For all these things you only need to have one thing yourself, and that can be got by hard work, that is money. With the coming of a trolley line connecting the town with Washington and Hagerstown and Winchester, new life will be aroused and those now living may see it develop into a city. The town many years ago was incorporated, and has a Mayor and Town Council to look after its af- fairs. Under their management many good side walks have been laid, and a fine supply of water has been brought from the Blue Ridge across the river. Before the war there were for a while two papers in the town: The Ber- ryville Gazette, edited by D. C. Snyder, and by Alex- ander Perkins, and another, the Conservator, by Mr. Glenn. Parkins was wounded at First Manassas and died. The other paper died itself. After the War Capt. Jas. H. O'Bannon and D. Holmes McGuire edited the Jounral for a few years. When Mr. McGuire died and O'Bannon had moved to Richmond, where he was made Public Printer, Capt. Wm. N. Nelson started The Clarke Courier, but soon sold out to Jno. O. Crown, a Marylander, who had fought for the South and settled among us. Mr. Crown
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
was a practical printer as well as an accomplished writer, one of the best editorial writers in the State. After his death, Mr. Blackburn Smith edited the paper for awhile, and sold out to Mr. Chas. R. Hughes. Mr. Hughes is an alert, active man, and thoroughly understands his busi- ness. He has one of the best printing plants in the Valley.
Soon after the War the most provident and industrious of the negroes bought lots and built houses just out of the town, calling the settlement Josephine City. Most of the older ones are dead or aged, and the younger ones do not seem to care to keep up their property and many of the houses are going to rack. They have one very good church, the Zion Baptist. They have shown much de- termination and energy and liberality in building their churches. The Free-will Baptists have a very good church on Liberty Street. and the Methodists one on Buckmarsh Street. The Gallileean Fishermen, a fraternal order, have a good hall, and do much good in helping the sick and burying the dead. Among the white people are a num- ber of orders. Masons, Red Men, and Woodmen of the World. There are two halls for amusements. The Clarke Opera House and Winston Hall. Plays and moving pic- tures afford amusement to the people of town and country, and in August the Berryville Horse Show brings crowds of people from every direction and many fine horses are shown. It is the great event of the year and is looked for- ward to by many with great pleasure. Very many of those who grow up in the county take that time for coming home to see friends. This Horse Show has stimulated the raising of fine horses, both heavy and light draft, and also of the hunting class for jumpers. As mentioned before Berryville has probably the largest freight and passenger business of any station between Roanoke and Hagers- town. This will materially increase as the apple industry,
"SARATOGA"
BUILT BY GEN. DANIEL MORGAN DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND NOW THE HOME OF MR. R. POWEL PAGE
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
heretofore neglected, is more and more developed. There are a number of fine orchards, both old and young, in the neighborhood of Berryville, and also of White Post and Millwood. Mr. H. F. Byrd, of Winchester has an orchard of two hundred acres, some bearing, which will in a few years be very valuable. Messrs. Harry Warden and Jno. B. Neill, Mr. A. Moore, Jr., Mrs. Kittredge, and Lewis and Glover, and Mr. A. Arnett have very valuable or- chards, and many others have smaller orchards. It is hoped that in a few years they will add much to the pros- perity of the County.
North of Berryville is Gaylord, a station on the Norfolk & Western Railway, where a store and grain warehouse are doing business, and also one at Briggs near the Old Chapel. On the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. are Wadesville and Swimley, where grain and fertilizers are handled, and general merchandise is carried on. In the neighborhood of Swimley, Mr. Dudley Pierce has a very large hennery, where the production of eggs and raising of chickens is carried on in a large way. In fact, the egg and chicken business brings an immense amount of money into the country. Farmers are not putting "all their eggs into one basket," but are seeking to diversify their produc- tions. Lambs of the best quality are shipped in large numbers each spring, and hogs are being taken all the year to the city markets. So not relying as formerly on wheat and corn, they are prospering in a greater degree than some years ago.
CHAPTER V.
A SKETCH OF MILLWOOD BY COL. GEO. H. BURWELL
M ILLWOOD, an unincorporated village of about seven hundred inhabitants, is situated six and a half miles south of Berryville, eleven miles east of Winchester, three miles west of the Shenandoah River at Berry's Ferry and opposite Ashby's Gap.
It is located on land formerly owned by Col. Nathaniel Burwell, of "Carter Hall," who was much interested in the early development of this section of the State and to that end erected several mills and inaugurated other in- dustrial enterprises in the neighborhood, among others the Upper Mill in Millwood from which the village takes its name. This mill was built by Gen. Daniel Morgan for Col. Burwell with the skilled workmen among the Hes- sian prisoners of whom the General had charge and whom he also employed in building for himself a handsome and capacious residence on his own estate about a mile and a half from the village and named it "Saratoga," after the battle in October, 1777, in which these Hessian prisoners were captured and he played so conspicuous a part.
In carrying out his scheme of improvement Colonel Burwell had already established a tan-yard in Millwood in 1785, for in that year he leased the property to Mr. Tuley, the father of the late Col. Joseph Tuley of "The Tuleyries," for a term of ninety-nine years, reserving a rent of ten
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
dollars a year. Mr. Tuley seems to have been very suc- cessful in the tanning business as he made a large fortune and bought a fine estate which his son, Colonel Tuley, added to, developed and improved with a handsome resi- dence.
About 1790 the erection of "Carter Hall," a half mile from the village, was begun as the permanent residence of Colonel Burwell, he having for a number of years prior to that time occupied a house in the village during the summer months when he would make his annual pilgrim- age from the Lower Country in the neighborhood of Wil- liamsburg. This house is still standing, and is the com- fortable and substantial residence of Mrs. W. H. Cox.
Millwood from its earliest settlement had one or more country stores filled with the numerous and varied arti- cles hauled from Alexandria which the thrifty agricultural population of the neighborhood might need. This kind of store reached its highest development a few years prior to the Civil War under the able management of Mr. James H. Clark, who built and kept filled with merchan- dise the large brick storehouse where everything could be gotten, from a trace chain to a silk dress. This, however, was only accomplished after the building of the Balti- more and Ohio Railroad and the Winchester and Potomac Railroad, which brought about the transfer of trade from Alexandria to Baltimore.
But Millwood, with its neighborhood, upon the sound- ing of War's rude alarms, was no less interested in mili- tary preparations than it had been in the pleasant pur- suits of Peace. In 1860 a company of infantry was or- ganized and drilled by Cap. W. N. Nelson, a veteran of the Mexican War, assisted by Dr. William Hay and Robert C. Randolph as first and second lieutenants, and Mr. John W. Holland as commissary sergeant, who after-
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
wards as such in active service had charge of the company wagon until military necessity required its abandonment and the dispensing with all impediments not absolutely necessary for veteran troops. The interest and enthu- siasm of those days of preparation can be distinctly re- called when Mr. George H. Burwell and Dr. R. C. Ran- dolph, both over or about sixty years of age, enrolled them- selves as members and took part in the drills of the "Nel- son Rifles" as examples to the younger men, and when the wagons gathered in Millwood for the transport of the company, which afterwards became Company C, Second Virginia Infantry, to the neighborhood of Harper's Ferry for the capture of that place in April, 1861. It was through Millwood that General Johnston's army marched from Winchester to reinforce General Beauregard at Manassas in July, 1861, and all the good women of the village and surrounding country gathered to give the hot and weary soldiers what food and refreshment could be hastily pro- vided. It was to Millwood, and Winchester beyond, that Blenker's Dutch were headed when forty of them were drowned in the Shenandoah River at Berry's Ferry and their further progress in this direction stopped.
Stonewall Jackson had his headquarters in the Carter Hall Grove in the immediate vicinity of Millwood in Oc- tober, 1862, after the Battle of Sharpsburg. And refut- ing the charge of boorishness in his manners, the writer recalls with pride and pleasure being sent with a basket of eatables and an invitation to him to make his head- quarters in the house; to which he most politely and con- siderately replied that he was so constantly being called upon at all hours of the day and night by officers and couriers that he was unfit to be the occupant of any gen- tleman's house, but that he would take pleasure in calling as soon as he was able. This he did in a day or two, ac-
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
companied by Colonel Pendleton and riding "Little Sor- rel."
The above mentioned mill in Millwood was frequently inpressed by the Confederate Army. Threshing machines manned by soldiers and worked by army horses were sent into the surrounding country and stacked grain, threshed and then ground in this mill into flour for the army, until Generals Grant and Sheridan compelled even the crows to carry their rations over this devastated region.
To Millwood the Sixth Corps of General Sheridan's army came when on its way to Washington just before the Battle of Cedar Creek, and to Millwood it was re- called on reaching the River and hurried back to Middle- town upon apprehension of an attack by General Early. History would have been written differently if it had been allowed to pass over the mountains.
One of the most successful of Colonel Mosby's attacks was made upon a squadron of Federal calvary in about a mile and a half of Millwood, by which the squadron which had formed the dangerous habit of daily scouting from Winchester to the River and returning via The White Post was almost wholly destroyed by being killed or captured. After General Lee's surrender, Colonel Mosby and General Chapman met in Millwood to ar- range terms for the surrender of the Colonel's command, which was not successfully accomplished. Since that time the village has had an uneventful career and does not appear likely to be awakened into exciting activity of any kind.
CHAPTER VI. THE TOWN OF BOYCE
BY GEO. B. HARRISON
T HE Town of Boyce was incorporated by the Cir- cuit Court for the County of Clarke on the 28th day of November, 1910, having at that date a population of 312.
The first election for Mayor and four Councilmen was held on the 20th day of December, 1910, at which W. M. Gaunt was elected Mayor and George W. Garvin, M. O. Simpson, J. T. Sprint and Geo. B. Harrison were elected Councilmen; and the Council duly organized on the 24th day of December, 1910, and elected Geo. B. Harrison, Recorder.
The town is situated at the crossing of the Norfolk & Western Railway and the Winchester & Berry's Ferry Turnpike about two miles west of Millwood of which it is the shipping point, and three miles from Old Chapel and White Post respectively, and nine miles from Winchester, upon a ridge, which drains on the one side into the Page- brook Run and on the other into the Saragota Run, af- fording most excellent sanitary conditions. It is appar- ently well underlaid with water, a number of its artesian wells proving inexhaustible. The Town well at a depth of 165 feet furnishes water so cold that no ice is needed with it.
The N. & W. Railway passes through the centre of the
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
business portion of the town, which at the time of the building of the Railroad in 1881 was dense woods; and the community since its renaissance on the 4th day of October, 1900, when it was visited by General J. C. Hill, Railroad Commissioner, in his official capacity, has taken on all the push and energy of a railroad town.
The Norfolk & Western Railway in kind response to the requests of the community has erected a magnifi- cient station of latest design and material with spacious grounds and facilities, fully equipped and provided with electric light and water.
In addition to the Public Well the Town owns the Electric Plant and lot on the Railway in the centre of the town, and has added thereto an alternating current plant with ninety kilowatt dynamo, so as to meet any possible demand for light or power; a switch will bring the coal to the power-house.
The main street of the Town is piped with water; and it has been contemplated to establish a fire department and sewerage system.
The Town contains an Episcopal and a Methodist church, and a Baptist parsonage; the Episcopal church being electrically lighted; a brick High School with seven teachers and an enrollment of about two hundred scholars; a brick Bank with a capital of $15,000.00; a hotel and two livery stables; one planing mill and two lumber yards; two grain elevators; nine stores-one being a department store; a butcher shop; a harness shop; and a barber shop. Adjoining the town is a large cattle plant, and the town is a large stock-shipping station. Including the incorpor- ated town of Millwood the population of the two towns is computed to be about eight or nine hundred.
CHAPTER VII.
WHITE POST
BY DR. H. C. SOMMERVILLE
NE of Clarke County's noted villages, noted es- pecially for its antiquity, was founded, or rather not founded at all, just came so, in colonial times. It was an English settlement under the rule and owner- ship of his Excellency, Lord Thomas Fairfax, whose house such as it was, a large one story log building, with no Lady Fairfax in it, was situated only a mile and a half distant. The location of this noted settlement was where two roads met and crossed at right angles. One road was quite a distinguished highway coming from East Tennessee, fol- lowing the valley of Virginia all the way, taking in the several settlements of Lexington, Staunton, Harrisonburg, Woodstock, Strawsburg down to Newtown, now bearing the misplaced name of Stephen's City. At this point the road left the main valley trail, turned east for White Post, Alexandria and Baltimore. Many stopping places or Taverns were needed to accommodate teamsters and travelers. White Post furnished one of these taverns, now standing, at this date, as in the long past. Water was vital-hence a well was dug. It bears the name of the public well and furnishes water today as it did in the days of the teamsters. It is located on the Media lot, formerly owned and occupied by a very saintly lady, Miss Mary Meade, sister of Bishop Meade of Virginia. Very
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GREENWAY COURT
THE HOME OF THOMAS, SIXTH LORD FAIRFAX
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
much history of interest is connected with this Tennessee road. The other road of not much note, led from Battle- town, now Berryville, to Front Royal. At the crossing of these two roads a post was planted and on it a sign board was nailed with directions to "Greenway Court," the Capitol or seat of Government of all that territory, known as the Northern Neck of Virginia. Lord Thomas Fairfax just mentioned being the owner, ruler and king. I can't say how the word "White" originated, I suppose Lord Fairfax ordered it, (the post) white washed, that being the start perhaps and the reason for keeping up the whitewashing business, both on buildings and in govern- ment circles, etc., to this day. Strange to say the Post never lost its identity. As one would fail and decay, another would take its place with an improvement on the former. Today there stands in the same spot a large locust post neatly enclosed with dressed boards painted white. On the top of which a large Kerosene lamp rests, to give light (when lighted) to the way-farer or others, that they may see which of the four roads to take. Grand old Post a mark of antiquity, and what a history it could tell. It could tell of the splendid country and fine farms of which it is the center. It could tell of the owners of those farms, many of whom were among the best people of the land-chivalric, hospitable, intelligent, refined. White Post had an awakening gradually and became quite a center of trade. This started mainly through the ef- forts and enterprise of Mr. Oliver Funsten, whose store- houses-substantial buildings of stone and brick, were built on the several corners of the crossing of the roads. There was a store room in the tavern, occupied by the following merchants, namely: R. K. Meade, Hiram P. Evans, E. W. Massey, W. Weaver, perhaps others, among whom it is said was a Capt. Wm. Sommerville of revo-
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
lutionary times, who settled here about the year 1786 and lived on the White Hall estate. I am told they all did a good business. Besides the needs of the white citizens, there were many slaves, whose owners did not fail to pro- vide through the stores, for their every day wants. Then came a post office of the same name. The mail was car- ried on a horse once a week. This was the event of the day and times. A general social meeting day of the citi- zens to discuss crops, political events, every phase of gossip that could be mentioned. I like those old time meetings, so cheery and open and free-they did good- made kinder hearts-better neighbors-knew each other better and had more interest in each other than now in the modern method of handing you your mail from the road side. It is true we would have our little differences. Our ups and downs, perhaps a "spat" now and then, in imitation, you know, of our larger and neighboring town of Battletown. Our educational interests though limited were not neglected. The pioneer teacher was Mr. John Dow-a Scotchman-quaint and peculiar as is charac- teristic of the Scotch-believing the main things neces- sary for an education to be Latin and hickory switches. However, he held sway many years and "none dare his right to intrude." He exerted, it is hoped, a good in- fluence on the youth of the neighborhood, "the boys"- some of whom I will name, Capt. David Meade, Sr., George Meade, Wm. C. Kennerly, Capt. J. McKay Ken- nerly, Wm. D. Timberlake, with many others have passed to the Great Beyond, I can recall but one or two of his pupils living, David Meade, Jr., Mrs. Bush Puller, for- merly Miss Belle Grubbs and sister.
An amusing incident was told on the old teacher. Dr. Fauntleroy, the village doctor, had his office just across the street from Mr. Dow's home. A patient made a pro-
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
fessional call on the doctor one day and while there a donkey started up a great braying, the patient never hav- ing heard the like, asked to know what it meant. The doctor replied: "Oh that is nothing, only old Dow has got the whooping cough." Among his successors as teach- ers might be mentioned the names of a Miss Eunice Bal- lard, Walker Y. Page and Captain Simpson, etc.
There was little or nothing done to educate the slaves. Now the colored people have a fine large, modern school building, situated in the Southern border of the village- two or more rooms-with basement under entire building. The purpose being to make it a Manual Training or In- dustrial School. This enterprise was effected mainly through the interest and liberality of Mr. and Mrs. Gra- ham F. Blandy, of "Tuleyries." There are at present two teachers and all the modern appliances.
The first building ever used as a school house was sit- uated in the North-east of the Village on the land owned by Col. R. K. Meade-part of his home place-the Lucky Hit Farm. This lot of some two or three acres was well located, covered with a beautiful blue grass sod and or- namented with some grand old oak trees-for which the neighborhood is famous. Colonel Meade, not only gave the land, but it is said put up a good sized stone building, to be used as a church (or meeting house as old time peo- ple used to say) for all denominations-free to all. The building was also to be used for a school house or academy. It was here John Dow taught a number of years-his suc- cessors following him. The building was made a con- venience as a kind of public hall-speeches, lectures, plays, entertainments, etc. It was finally abandoned and with the beautiful lot sold. That was a sad day for White Post-parting with her jewel-the beautiful lot. Poor old church-how like the changing links of time and things
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HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY
and people, they fill up the measure of their days-out- live their time and are gone. Before destruction and ob- livion overtook the old stone meeting house a new and modern (for that day) brick church had been built by the Methodist people, located just north, on the border of the beautiful lot, in full view of the damage and wreckage being done to the old. Like many new enterprises-the new church prospered-interest was alive, membership active and large, general attendance good. Among the Methodist Clergy we had some able good men-men of talent and piety. While the church was a denomina- tional one; yet liberty abounded. The use of the church was granted to the Episcopalians and Presbyterians. Both used it regularly. The first under the leadership of Rev. Jos. R. Jones for a number of years. The second had Rev. Chas. White, of Berryville, for some years, both prospered. It is well to remark that provision was made for the interests of the school by erecting a new and sub- stantial building of brick, containing two large rooms on the lower floor-the upper story or floor being in one large room and was used and known as the Masonic Hall. The same building-remodeled is now used as a public school. The location is near the Methodist Church above mention- ed. Among the earlier teachers in this school or academy might be mentioned Messrs. Grayson and Son-at one time having as many as ninety scholars in two rooms. After the war Geo. Turner, Geo. Kittridge, Miss Helen Smith with Miss Lula Meade, Mr. Wm. F. Meade, C. G. Massey, Mrs. Lucy McCormick and others. The scholars used to tell a funny story on Mr. Meade-they would all get their lessons aloud and make a terrible racket, this would so worry him that he would become impatient and rep- rimand them severely-then after everything would quiet down, he would ask their pardon. The lot on which the
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