USA > Virginia > Sketches of Virginia : historical and biographical > Part 11
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92
TIMBER RIDGE.
in 1753, when he fell victim to the small-pox, then infesting the country. His will bears date March 30th, 1753. He left two daughters ; one died unmarried, the other, named Martha, married Robert Hervey. His widow married John Boyer and lived to a great age. Joseph Burden, a son of Benjamin the grantee, claimed, as heir under his father's will, part of the unsold lands in the Rock- bridge grant, and commenced suit against Robert and Martha Her- vey ; and dying in 1803, in Iredell County, North Carolina (his will bearing date April 29th,) left the suit to be carried on by his heirs. This suit was in court many years ; and ultimately involved all the titles for land held under Burden's grant. The testimony and pro- ceedings in the case, occupy two large thick folios preserved in the clerk's office at Staunton. The preceding history is taken princi- pally from the testimony of Col. James M'Dowell, the grandson, and Mary Greenlee the sister of John M'Dowell, the surveyor of Burden's grant.
John M'Dowell made choice of a pleasant and fertile possession ; and in a few years left it to his heirs. In the latter part of Decem- ber, 1743, the inhabitants of Timber Ridge were assembled at his dwelling, in mourning and alarm. To resist one of the murderous incursions of the Indians from Ohio, who could not yield the valley of the Shenandoah to the whites but with bloodshed, M'Dowell had rallied his neighbors. Not well skilled in savage warfare, the com- pany fell into an ambush, at the junction of the North river and the James, on the place long in possession of the Paxton family, and at one fire, M'Dowell and eight of his companions fell dead. The Indians fled precipitately, in consequence probably of the unusual extent of their murderous success. The alarmed population gathered to the field of slaughter, thought more of the dead than of pursuing the savages, whom they supposed far on their way to the West, took the nine bloody corpses on horseback and laid them side by side near M'Dowell's dwelling, while they prepared their graves in over- whelming distress. Though mourning the loss of their leading man, and unacquainted with military manœuvres on the frontiers, no one talked of abandoning possessions for which so high a price of blood was given in times of profound peace. In their sadness, the women were brave. Burying their dead with the solemnity of Christian rites, while the murderers escaped beyond the mountains ; men and women resolved to sow their fields, build their church, and lay their bodies on Timber Ridge. Strange inheritance of our race ! Every advance in civil and religious liberty is bought with human life; every step has been tracked with human blood.
The burial-place of these men, the first perhaps of the Saxon race ever committed to the dust in Rockbridge County, you may find in a brick enclosure, on the west side of the road from Staunton to Lexington, near the Red-house, or Maryland tavern, the residence of M'Dowell. Entering the iron gate, and inclining to the left, about fifteen paces you will find a low unhewn limestone, about two
93
TIMBER RIDGE.
feet in height, on which in rude letters by an unknown and unprac- tised hand, is the following inscription, next in age to the school- master's memorial to his wife,' in the grave-yard at Opecquon.
HEER LYES THE BODY OF JOHN MACK DOWELL DECED DECEMBE 1743
Mary Greenlee lived to a great age, and retained her memory, and spirit, and vivacity to the last, unharmed by the hardships and changes in life, from the time of an early disappointment in love, which gave a peculiar turn to the action of her mind, through the fatigues of emigration when twenty-six years of age, the labors of a new settlement, and some peculiar difficulties arising from her native shrewdness and many peculiarities. Endowed with powers of mind beyond the ordinary measure, and possessing great inde- pendence of character, she excited suspicious apprehensions among her more simple-minded neighbors, who believed, as was the fashion of the times, most devoutly in the existence of witches, and the power of witchcraft, to which many events were, by common con- sent, attributed. Happening one day, during a quilting at her house, to say, in a jocular manner, to a lady who had been very industrious, and whom she was pressing to eat more freely-" the mare that does double work should be best fed;" it was construed according to the mysterious jargon of the craft to mean-that she herself was a witch, and this woman the mare she rode in her nightly incursions. Some losses of stock occurred about the same time, as in the case of Mr. Craig, of the Triple Forks, and the slander was spread abroad with many additions. The indignation of the super- stitious was aroused, and Mrs. Greenlee scarcely escaped a trial for witchcraft, according to the ancient laws of Virginia. In the famous trial between Burden's heirs, she underwent a long examina- tion, testing her temper and her memory, in the April of 1806. In the midst of the examination, the question was put to her-" How old are you ?" She smartly replied-" Ninety-five the 17th of this instant; - and why do you ask me my age ?- do you think I am in my dotage?" Among other things in the course of the voluminous testimony taken in Burden's case, it is stated that an Irish girl, Peggy Milhollen, built a number of cabins, and entered them upon the list for cabin rights; and managed the matter with adroitness above suspicion till long after the registry was made ; thus accomplishing a double purpose, helping Mr. Burden to the requisite number of cabins for his grant, and herself to abundant landed possessions.
Ephraim M'Dowell and his wife were advanced in life when they came to America. Their son John emigrated a widower, and mar-
1 94
TIMBER RIDGE. -
ried a Miss Magdaline Woods. At his death he left her with three children, Samuel, James, and Martha. Samuel was Colonel of militia in the battle of Guilford, North Carolina. He married a Miss Mary McClung; his daughter Magdaline married Andrew Reid, son of Andrew and Mary Reid, of Rockfish, and father of Samuel M'Dowell Reid, the present Clerk of Rockbridge County. . James married a Miss Cloyd, and died about 1770, aged thirty-five years, leaving three children, James, Sarah, and Betsy ; James, the great- grand-child of Ephraim, married Sarah Preston, grand-daughter of John Preston, the emigrant, was the father of the late Governor, James M'Dowell, and is the Colonel M'Dowell whose evidence in the case of Burden afforded in part the information respecting the early history of Rockbridge. Martha was married to Colonel George Moffitt, of Augusta, a gentleman much engaged in the Revolutionary war.
The first church-building on Timber Ridge was of wood, and stood about three miles north of the present stone building, and less than a mile south of the Red house, on the west side of the road, near an old burying-ground in the woods, where there are now seen many graves, and a few monuments. In the division which took place in the Presbyterian church, in the years 1741-5, this congregation sympathised with the new side, and were supplied with missionaries from the Presbyteries of New Castle, New Brunswick, and New York. In the year 1748, they, in conjunction with the people of Forks of James, made out a call for the ministerial services of Wil- liam Dean, of New Castle Presbytery, which was presented to Synod of New York, whose records say-Maidenhead, May 18th, 1748-" A call was brought into the Synod to be presented to the Rev. Mr. Dean, from Timber Ridge and Forks of James river ; the Synod refer the consideration thereof to the Presbytery of New Castle, to which Mr. Dean doth belong, and do recommend it to said Presbytery to meet in Mr. Dean's meeting-house, on Wed- nesday next upon said affair ; and that Mr. Dean and his people be speedily apprized of it." Mr. Dean was one of those referred to by Mr. Craig, that troubled parts of his congregation on some missionary visits to the valley. The race of this warm and ardent preacher was soon brought to a close. His death occurred soon after this call. In 1753, this congregation united with New Provi- dence in presenting a call to Mr. John Brown, a graduate of Nassau Hall, Princeton, in 1749, and a licentiate of New Castle Pres- bytery. He had visited the frontiers and was willing to cast his lot among them. The paper presented to Presbytery has been pre- served by the descendants of Mr. Brown in Kentucky.
WORTHY AND DEAR SIR :- We being for these many years past in very destitute circumstances, in want of the ordinances of the gospel among us, many of us under distressing spiritual languish- ments, and multitudes perishing in our sins for the want of the bread of life broken amongst us, our Sabbaths wasted in melancholy silence at home, or sadly broken and profaned by the more thought-
95
A CALL TO JOHN BROWN.
less amongst us, our hearts and hands discouraged, and our spirits broken with our mournful condition and repeated disappointments of our expectations of relief in this particular ; in these afflicting circumstances that human language cannot sufficiently paint, we have had the happiness by the good providence of God of enjoying a share of your labors to our abundant satisfaction; and being universally satisfied with your ministerial abilities in general, and the peculiar agreeableness of your qualification to us in particular, as a gospel minister ; we do, worthy and dear sir, from our hearts and with the most cordial affection and unanimity, agree to call, invite, and request you to take the ministerial care of us-and we do promise that we will receive the word of God from your mouth, attend on your ministry, instructions and reproofs, in public and private, and to submit to the discipline which Christ has appointed in his church administered by you, while regulated by the word of God, and agreeable to our Confession of Faith and Directory. And that you may give yourself wholly up to the important work of the ministry, we do promise that we will pay unto you annually, the sum which our Commissioners, Andrew Steel and Archibald Alexander, shall give in to the Reverend Presbytery from the time of your acceptance of this our call; and that we shall behave our- selves towards you with all that dutiful respect and affection that becomes a people towards their minister, using all means within our power to render your life comfortable and happy. We entreat you, worthy and dear sir, to have compassion upon us, and accept this our call and invitation to the pastoral charge of our immortal souls, and we shall ever hold ourselves bound to pray. We request the Reverend Presbytery to present this our call to the said Mr. Brown, and to concur in his acceptance of it-and we shall always count ourselves happy in being your obliged humble servants.
Subscribers.
John Houston,
John Kerr,
Samuel M'Cutchon, William Smith,
Andrew Steel,
John Loggan,
Samuel Buchanan,
James Eakin,
Thomas Hill,
Alexander Walker, Walter Eakin,
. James Lusk,
John M'Crosky, Sen.,
William Lockbridge
Robert Gamble, John Rossman,
Alexander M'Crosky, Robert Kirkpatrick,
Francis Beaty,
William Berry, James Trimble,
John Douglass, John Walker,
John Hawely, John Stuart,
Robert Robertson,
William Reah,
William Wardlaw,
John Shields,
John Wardlaw, Robert Weir,
Alexander Walker,
Charles Berry,
Alexander Moor, Matthew Houston,
John Houston, Jr., John Moore, Samuel Houston, Samuel Steel, John Sprowl,
John M'Crosky, Jr.,. John Patton, Robert Henry, John Winiston,
William Whiteside,
James Coulter, Robert Reagh,
James Robinson,
Halbert M'Cleur,
John Robinson,
Samuel Hay,
John M'Nabb,
Matthew Robinson,
Joseph Kennedy,
William Caruthers, -
A
John Montgomery,
George Henderson,
Alexander Miller,
James Walker, David Sayer,
Thomas Berry, William Robinson,
Samuel Dunlap,
96
A CALL TO JOHN BROWN.
William Gray,
James M'Clung, Jr
William Davis,
James M'Clung,
Samuel Lyle,
Charles M'Anelly,
David Dryden,
John M'Cleur,
Neal M'Glister,
George Stevenson,
Matthew Lyle,
John Lowry,
William Hamilton,
James Thomson,
Andrew Fitzpatrick,
Thomas M'Speden,
John Davison,
Samuel Gray,
Joseph Hay,
James Edmiston,
John Lyle,
Francis Allison, John Smily,
John Keys,
John Macky,
James Greenlee,
John Stevenson,
Baptist M'Nabb,
Thomas M'Murry,
Jacob Gray,
Moses Trimble,
James M'Dowel,
Nath. M'Cleur,
Magdalen Burden,
Rodger Keys,
Edmund Hearken,
Samuel M'Dowel,
Thomas Paxton,
Samuel Paxton,
Widow M'Clung,
Nath. Peoples,
William Lusk,
John Mitchel,
Alexander M'Cleur,
Thomas Dryden,
Daniel Lyle,
Robert Allison,
Edward Gaor,
Agnes Martin.
Moses Whiteside,
Samuel Davis,
Mr. Brown became their pastor. He was united in marriage to the second daughter of John Preston, Margaret, born in Ireland, 1730, a lady of strong intellect, a cultivated mind, and much energy of character. The high esteem in which he was held by her parents, is chronicled in the saying of Mr. Preston, that "he devoutly thanked God that he had a Presbyterian minister connected with his family." For a succession of years he served the two congregations which were adjoining, each very extensive. Mr. Brown was of the new side in the division which then existed in the Synod. We have but few memoranda of his proceedings for a few years. His residence was about a quarter of a mile from the north end of the village of Fairfield, in the direction of New Providence, a very convenient position for his extensive charge. Of the course he pursued during the distresses of the Indian incursions in the Valley in Braddock's war, we have but one single notice, and that is in the journal of
Hugh McAden, given in the Sketches of North Carolina, pp. 162, 163. Mr. Brown continued his ministrations throughout the whole Indian war. Mr. Craighead with his family and a large part of his congregation removed from their exposed position in the Cowpasture, and sought a residence in North Carolina. We have no historical data for an opinion as to his courage, but from his associations with Davies, cannot believe him less courageous than Craig.
The elders in Timber Ridge, in Mr. Brown's time, were, Wm. McClung, Archibald Alexander, Daniel Lyle, John Lyle, John Mckay, Alexander McCleur, and John Davidson. In New Provi- dence, John Houston, Samuel Houston, James Wilson, Andrew Steel, and John Robinson.
Before the time of Mr. Brown, there was a classical school at New Providence ; and Mr. Robert Alexander taught in the bounds of Timber Ridge the first classical school in the Valley. Mr. Brown kept up a flourishing " grammar school " near his residence. His dwelling was about three-fourths of a mile from the south end of the present village of Fairfield, in a westward direction ; and the Academy stood about a mile from his house, and about the same distance from
Robert Houston,
Archibald Alexander,
97
REV. JOHN BROWN.
the north end of the village. In 1774 the Presbytery of Hanover adopted the school, and appointed William Graham teacher, under the care of Mr. Brown. In 1777 the school was removed to Timber Ridge. From thence it was removed to the neighborhood of Lex- ington. For a series of years its history is inwoven with the life of William Graham. It is now Washington College. (See the first series of Sketches of Virginia, Chapter 21st.)
The records of Hanover Presbytery, for October 11th, 1767, at Bird Meeting House, say, "Mr. Brown laid before Presbytery the extent of his charge, and the difficulties of performing the duties of his functions, and also declared to the Presbytery that he verily be- lieves that his usefulness is at an end in Timber Ridge Congrega- tion ; and as he apprehends it would be for the good of said Con- gregation that the pastoral relation he sustains to them should be dissolved (the people of Timber Ridge in the mean time petitioning against his dismission, and sending commissioners to oppose it), the Presbytery having maturely considered the affair, do not pretend to oblige Mr. Brown to continue with that people contrary to his incli- nation, but leave it to himself to continue with them, or confine him- self to Providence, at his own discretion ; but do earnestly recommend it to Mr. Brown not to give up his pastoral relation to Timber Ridge, and leave that people destitute, since there appears to be a mutual regard between them and him. But if he should leave Timber Ridge, the commissioners from Providence having represented to the Pres- bytery the earnest desire of that Congregation to have the whole of his labors, and the ease with which they can give him a comfortable support." What the difficulty between Mr. Brown and Timber Ridge Congregation was does not appear, but he withdrew from the minis- terial care of that people, and confined his labors to New Providence the remainder of his active life.
The amount of salary promised by the commissioners to the Pres- tery in 1753 is not known. The Congregation at New Providence in 1767 promised to give him $80 per annum. There is a paper in Mr. Brown's handwriting purporting to be an account of money received from the congregations under his care, the only paper of its kind, relating to the salaries of ministers, of the last century, that is made public, except that giving the subscription in part for Mr. Waddell by Tinkling Spring.
New Providence, 1754.
£ s. d.
£ s. d.
Joseph Kenedy 1 0 73
Robert Weir.
0 15 0
John Roseman ,
1 00
Wm. and Thos. Berry 1 12 0
Andrew Steel 2 3 4
John Stewart . 0 15 0
John Montgomery 1 1 8
George Henderson 0 12 6
James Trimble. 1 00
Alexander Walker (E.). 0 15 0
William Smith 0.15 0
Alexander Moore 0 13 0
Patrick Porter 0
5 8
Samuel Buchanan 1 1 53
William Wardlow 1 00
John Houston . 0 13 9
Matt. Houston.
1 50'
James Coulter 0 15 0
Alexander Miller
1 2 6
James Walker. 1 40
98
REV. JOHN BROWN.
£ s. d.
£ s. d.
Wm. Edmiston. 1 0 0
John Handly. 0 15 0
Andrew Steel. 1 50
James' Eaken.
0 17 6
Robert Gamble, by John Logan
0 10 0
James Robinson 1 0.0
John Logan
0 15 0
Matthew Robinson 0 10 0
Edward McColgan
0 10 0
John Robinson ..
0.50
Robert Reagh
1 10
John Walker
0 15 0
James Lusk.
0 10 0
Walker Eaken 1 50
In 1755 the same names, marked with *, with the addition of :- John Edmis- ton, £1 4 4; Samuel Houston, £1 1 4} ; Thomas Hill, £0 15 0; James Moore, £0 17 0: John McCroskey, £1 10 0; Robert Culton, £0 8 ; Ann Wilson, £100; Wm. Reagh, £1 17 8; Widow Smith, £0 15 0; John Logan, £0 12 0; Samuel McCutchan, £1,3 10; John Walker, £0 15 0.
Timber Ridge, 1754.
£ s. d.
£ s.d.
Alexander McClure* 1 00
Samuel Gray*
0 12 0
Nathaniel McClure*
1 0
John McClure*
0 15 0
Halbert McClure
0
5 9
Moses McClure*
00
Wm. Caruthers*
0 11 6
James McClung 1 00
Moses Trimble
0 12 0
James Greenlee 1 16
John Lowry* 0
00
Joseph Hays. 0 10 0
David Dryden*
1
0 0
Robert Alison*
1
John Keys
0 10 0
Wm. Lusk. .
1 10 0
Robert Houston*
1
00
John Davison*
Mr. Boyer*
2
0 0
John Davison
0 10 0
John Lyle*
1
6 0
Thomas Paxton*
1 50
John Stevenson*
1 0
George Stevenson* 1 10
John Patton*
0 10 0
John Smiley *.
0 10 0
James Thompson*
1 00
Thomas McSpeden 0 15 3
Archibald Alexander 1 50 Moses Whiteside*
0 12 0
John Macky* 1 0 0
Andrew Fitzpatrick
0 10 0
Baptist McNab *. 0 15 0
Neal McCleaster* 0 10 0
James McClung, Jr .* 0 15 0
Wm. Davis* 0 10 0
Wm. Gray*
0 10 0
Samuel Davis* 0 10 0
The names marked * for 1755, with additions, viz :- John Alison, £0 10 0; John Mitchell, £0 6 0; Samuel McDowel, £0 6 0; James McKee, £0 10 0; Wm. Young, £0 15 0.
These subscriptions were undoubtedly liberal for the circumstances of emigrants. The country was new, and their distance from mar- ket great ; and few at the time wealthy, and none in possession of much money. Were the prices of grain and different kinds of stock preserved, the relative value of salaries at that and the present time could be estimated, and would show well for both periods. At the earnest entreaty of New Providence, Mr. Brown confined his labors to that congregation the latter years of his residence in Virginia.
After the Academy became established at Lexington, and that village grew in importance, and was supplied with regular preach- ing, Timber Ridge was greatly curtailed on that side, and by a simi- lar increase of Fairfield it was lessened on the other side. But there has ever been, under the variety of pastors and supplies, since the time of Mr. Graham, a congregation of great worth assembling
1 00
Samuel Lyle* 1 1 7₺
Daniel Lyle*
1 50
Nathan People* 0 60
Wm. McClung
99
REV. JOHN BROWN.
in the Stone Church now giving evident signs of age. The associa- tions with the house, and the very rocks around, remain vividly in the hearts of those accustomed in youth to assemble here on the Lord's Day. Governor McDowell passed this meeting house always with reverence, often in tears, and when he came in sight of the great rock, the landing place of his father and mother, and himself when a child, on the Sabbath day, he was known often to have raised his hat with a burst of emotion. What had God wrought from the time his ancestor was murdered by the savages, till he himself became Governor of Virginia ! In 1796, Mr. Brown, weighed down with the infirmities of age, resigned his charge of New Providence, and welcomed Mr. Samuel Brown as successor in influence and usefulness. He soon followed his children to Ken- tucky, and in a few years closed his life. The inscription over his grave in Frankfort, is :- " The tomb of the Rev. John Brown, who, after graduating at Nassau Hall, devoted himself to the ministry, and settled at New Providence, Rockbridge County, Virginia. At that place he was stated pastor forty-four years. In the decline of life he removed to this country, to spend the feeble remainder of his days with his children. He died in the 75th year of his age, A. D. 1803." , His wife preceded him to the grave, dying in 1802, in her 73d year. This worthy couple reared seven children :- 1st. Eliza- beth, who married Rev. Thomas B. Craighead, of Tennessee ; 2d. John-a student at Princeton when that institution was broken up by the British-represented the district of Kentucky in the Virginia Legislature-and was in the old Congress of '87 and '88, and in the new of '89 and '91 ; married Margaretta Mason, sister of Rev. John M. Mason, of New York. 3d. William-educated at Princeton-a physician-died early, in South Carolina. 4th. Mary-married Dr., Alexander Humphreys. 5th. James-a lawyer ; first Secre- tary of State in Kentucky, member of the United States Senate from Louisiana, six years American Minister in France ; married Ann Hart, sister of Mrs. Henry Clay. 6th. Samuel-an eminent physician and professor in the Medical School of Transylvania. 7th. Preston-a physician.
The Alexander family formed a part of the Timber Ridge settle- ment and congregation. In giving farther specimens of the gene- alogies of the Scotch-Irish emigrants, of which numbers may be found, there are reasons why that of this family should be chosen for the public eye. The sons of a certain Archibald Alexander removed from Scotland to Ireland, in the great immigration in the early part of the 17th century. Their names were, Strong, Wil- liam, and Thomas. One of these had a son William, remarkable for his corpulency. This William had four sons, Archibald, William, Robert and Peter. Peter died in Londonderry; the other three removed to America about the year 1736. Archibald, the eldest, born in the Manor of Cunningham, Ireland, Feb. 4th, 1708, married his cousin Margaret Parks, Dec. 31st, 1734, - " a pious woman, of a spare frame, light hair, and florid countenance." Their eldest
(
100
THE ALEXANDER FAMILY.
child Eliza, was born in Ireland, Oct. 1735. They took their resi- dence in America in 1737, near Nottingham. Here their children, William, Ann, Joseph, and Hannah were born. Mr. Alexander being persuaded by his wife to hear Mr. Whitefield, became a con- vert. In the division of the Presbyterian Church which followed the great revival, the family was numbered with the new side - or new lights. Their place of worship was called Providence.
About the year 1747, this Mr. Archibald Alexander joined the settlement and congregation of Timber Ridge, Virginia, and took his residence on the South River, a tributary of the James, opposite the mouth of Irish Creek. The country is rough but well watered. It abounded in timber and was desirable for grazing. Here his children Phobe and Margaret were born. Mr. Alexander formed a part of the first session of the Church of Timber Ridge. Rev. Samuel Davies visiting the congregation, lodged at his house; his daughter Hannah, that married James Lyle, used to tell of his gold- headed cane given him in England, and his gold ring presented by an English lady. Mr. Alexander went as the Elder from Timber Ridge, with Mr. Steel of Providence, to present the call for Rev. John Brown, in August 1753. Before his return his wife suddenly died of dysentery. In 1757, he was married to his second wife, Jane M'Clure. Their children were Isabella, Mary, Margaret, John, James, Samuel, Archibald and James. Of his fifteen children, three girls died young. Six sons and six daughters became heads of numerous families. His grandson Archibald Alexander D. D., says of his grandfather-" He was rather below the common height, thick-set, broad-breasted and strongly built. His face was broad, his eyes large, black and prominent. The expression of his coun- tenance, calm and benignant his manner of speaking; was very kind and affectionate." Such a man, fearing God, could not fail to impress the community with a conviction of his personal bravery. Of course when the young men wanted a captain of Rangers, they naturally looked to "old Ersbell" Alexander ; and he as naturally went along to tell the boys what to do, - when to march, - where to camp, - what was right, and what was wrong. As to the fighting, every man expected to do that, when it was wanted, without much order or direction. The authority of the father, the grandfather, the elder, the captain, and above all, the irreproachable man, was un- limited. Mr. Burden employed Mr. Alexander very extensively in his affairs ; and at his death, left him to fill up the deeds for lands. ‘ This delicate business he performed to the entire satisfaction of the . purchasers and the heirs. He entered into no speculations while settling the intricate affairs of Mr. Burden's estate. His stern hon- esty and calm uprightness, Archibald Alexander bequeathed to his children, baptized into the everlasting covenant of God the Re- deemer. No one expected a descendant of "old Ersbell" to be greedy, or avaricious, or pinching, or unkind, or indolent, or igno- rant, or very rich. But the public did expect them to know their catechism, to be familiar with their Bible, to keep the Sabbath, to
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