Sketches of Virginia : historical and biographical, Part 2

Author: Foote, William Henry, 1794-1869. 4n
Publication date: 1856
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott
Number of Pages: 614

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THE EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN

end of the valley. This warrant they sold to Joist Hite of Penn- sylvania, who proceeded to make locations of the land, and to in- duce emigrants from the European nations to take their residence on his grant.

Of the streams that water the extensive western section of Fair- fax's grant, all of which seek their outlet by the Cohongorooton, at Harper's Ferry, the Opecquon, taking its rise at the base of the North Mountain a few miles west of Winchester, and winding its way through the middle of the valley to the main river Potomac, claims for her banks the honor of the first settlement. The Cedar creek, rising in the same mountain a little farther south, and wind- ing across the valley into the Shenandoah, divides the honor with the Opecquon, or claims indisputably the second place. The Shen- andoah claims the third for its banks above its first forks, in the counties of Page, Warren and Shenandoah. About the same time Linvel's creek in Rockingham, in Beverly's grant, was chosen for a settlement. And then in quick succession the adjoining head streams of the Shenandoah and the James, and the waters that run among the Allegheny ridges into the Potomac, and the Potomac itself, were adorned with habitations of white men associated for mutual defence and improvement.

A dispute immediately arose between Fairfax and Hite, and other grantees. Fairfax obtained from the crown the establishment of his boundaries, on conditions,-one of which was that the grants already made by the king's officers should remain undisturbed by any claim of Fairfax. Hite was thus confirmed in his grant, and those that bought under him were secured in their possessions. Fairfax, how- ever, pretended that Hite had not fulfilled the conditions of his grants, for besides the grant obtained from the Messrs. Vanmeter, he had with M'Kay, Green and Duff, received warrants to locate 100,000 acres in the bounds of the so called northern neck ; and he proceeded to grant away large quantities of the land covered by Hite's warrants. This proceeding led to a lawsuit, which was finally settled in 1786, in favour of Hite. While all that bought under Hite were secured by the compromise with the king, those who bought under Fairfax and settled on Hite's grants, were com- pelled by this decision to hold their titles from Hite. The lawsuit alarmed many emigrants, and the hopes of greater security allured them on to the head waters of the Shenandoah, and a large region of country, of which Staunton is near the centre, was occupied more rapidly than the lower end of the valley, unsurpassed as it was in beauty and fertility, and untroubled as a great part of it was by the opposing grants and the lawsuit.

Those that first came into the valley for a residence, were Scotch- Irish, more or less direct from Ireland, through Pennsylvania ; Germans, also through Pennsylvania, more or less direct from the parent land; and the Quakers or Friends, of English origin, also from the state of Penn, their American founder. A large part of the valley, from the head springs of the Shenandoah to the

THE VALLEY OF VIRGINIA.

Potomac, or Maryland line, a distance of about 150 miles, em- bracing ten counties, was covered with prairies abounding in tall grass, and these, with the scattered forests, were filled with pea vines. Much of the beautiful timber in the valley has grown since the emigrants chose their habitations.

Joist Hite removed his family to Virginia in 1732, and took his residence on the Opecquon a few miles south of Winchester. The farm and dwelling of Mr. Hite have been for many years in posses- sion of the Barton family. His sons-in-law came with him : George Bowman was located on Cedar Creek, about eight miles south of Newtown ; Jacob Chrisman at a spring two miles south of New- town, still called by his name; and Paul Froman on Cedar Creek, some nine miles above Bowman, towards the North Mountain. Other families came with them, making in all sixteen. Peter Stephens took his residence between Hite and Chrisman, and others settling with him, he called the place Stephensburg, now commonly called Newtown. Robert M'Kay made his residence on Crooked Run. Robert Green and Peter Duff came with the company - but preferred locating a part of their grant east of the Blue Ridge, in Rappahannocounty.

Other grants were obtained from the Governor in the region claimed by Fairfax, and were sanctioned by the king; one in 1733, to Jacob Stover, a German, for five thousand acres on the south fork of the Gerando (Shenandoah) and on Mesinetta Creek. In 1734, Benjamin Allen, Riley Moore and William White, removed from Monoccasy in Maryland, and settled on the north branch of the Shenandoah, about twelve miles south of Woodstock.

Before any settlement had been made in the valley of the Shen- andoah, John Vanmeter, from the state of New York, accompanied the Delawares in an excursion to the Catawba. Their path led along the south branch of the Potomac. Delighted with the ap- pearance of Hardy County, he, on his return, advised his sons if they turned their steps southward for a home to seek the south branch. His son Isaac visited the country about the year 1736, and made what is called a tomahawk right to Fort Pleasant. He revisited the country in 1740, and found a cabin built upon the tract. He bought out the inhabitant, and in 1744, removed his family. Between his first visit, and his removal, a number of persons had taken their abode along the branch - Howard, Coburn, Walker, Rutledge, Miller, Hite, Casey, Pancake, Forman, and perhaps others, had found their way to that beautiful country.

In 1734, Richard Morgan obtained a grant for a tract of land in the immediate vicinity of Shepherd's town, on the Cohongorooton. The first settlers were Robert Harper (at Harper's Ferry), Thomas and William Forrester, Israel Friend, Thomas Shepherd, Thomas Swearingen, Van Swearingen, James Forman, Edward Lucas, Jacob Hite (son of Joist), John Lemon, Richard and Edward Mercer, Jacob Vanmeter and brothers, Robert Stockton, Robert Buckles, John Taylor, Richard Morgan, William Stroop and John

THE EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN

Wright. Others were soon added : and settlements were made along the banks of the Cohongorooton, or Potomac, from Harper's Ferry to the North Mountain.

An enterprizing man by the name of Ross obtained a warrant for forty thousand acres. His surveys were north of Winchester, along the Opecquon and Apple-pye Ridge. The settlers were Friends, and in 1738 had regular monthly meetings.

In 1730, Colonel Robert Carter had obtained a grant for sixty three thousand acres along the Shenandoah, on the west side, from the forks down about twenty miles: some of the finest lands in Warren County were embraced. Another grant of thirteen thou- sand acres along the same river, next below Carter's tract, em- braced the finest lands in Clarke County. These tracts were not pressed into market, and were not occupied till the rest of the valley was taken up.

Back Creek in Berkeley county, west of the North Mountain, was early settled, being chosen in preference to the lands in the valley between the North Mountain and the Blue Ridge. The settlers were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The date of their earliest settlement is not preserved. Harassed by the Indians in Braddock's war, the greater part went across the North Mountain and took their abode on Tuscarora and along to the Falling Waters, and founded con- gregations by those names, still known in the Presbyterian Church.

In 1738, the County of Frederick was set off, including all Fair- fax grant west of the Blue Ridge, now embraced in ten counties. The preamble of the law says-" Whereas great numbers of people have settled themselves of late upon the rivers Shenandoah, Cohon- gorooton and Opecquon, and the branches thereof, on the north side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, whereby the strength of the colony, and its security upon the frontiers, and his majesty's revenues of quit-rents are like to be much increased and augmented," &c., &c. On Tuesday, November 14th, 1743, eight persons took the magistrates' oath, and composed the court. Morgan Morgan and David Vance administered the oath to Marquis Calmes, Thomas Rutherford, William M'Mahon, Meredith Helmes, George Hoge and John White. These, in turn, administered the oath to Morgan Morgan and David Vance. James Wood was made Clerk of the County, and Thomas Rutherford, Sheriff. James Porteus, John Steerman, George Johnston, and John Newport, gentlemen, taking the oath of attornies, were admitted to the Bar. Winchester was the county seat. At the second meeting of the court, December 9th, 1743, the will of Benjamin Burden, who had been named as magistrate, was proved : Barnet Lindsey received twenty lashes on his bare back, at the common whipping-post, for stealing two pieces of venison from the milk house of Thomas Hart, adjudged to be worth two pence : Henry Howard, servant to James M'Crachan, 'was adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor, on charge of stealing a mare from Samuel Glass, and received ten lashes on his bare back, December 10th. In another case of horse stealing-or rather horse

THE VALLEY OF ' VIRGINIA.

riding - taking a man's horse without leave, and riding off on a visit for some days-the defendant had his choice of twenty lashes or fifteen shillings fine : the same Henry Howard was complained of by his master, James M'Crachan, that he had been absent eleven days, and that in finding him and bringing him back, the expenses had been twenty shillings, and one hundred and fifty pounds of tobacco ; and the court ordered that he serve six months and four days for his runaway time and expenses, after the expiration of his time of servitude according to law, unless he could otherwise satisfy his master. In March, 1744, ordered that James O'Neal keep the Court House clean, and attend on court days to take care of the Justices' horses during a twelvemonth, for which he is to receive from the county levy £23 15s. current money.

These servants were persons from the old country, sold to service for a term of time to pay their passage across the ocean. Black slaves were not common in the valley of Virginia, till long after the revolution, except along the Shenandoah river, on the tracts of land owned by persons living east of the Ridge. The public officers were chosen with due respect to the various settlements in the extended county. The High Sheriff was from Jefferson-the County Clerk from Winchester-Morgan, one of the Magistrates, from Berkeley, Hoge, from south branch of Potomac, and the others from Frederick, and Clarke, and Warren.

Augusta County was set off in 1738, at the same time with Frede- rick. The two counties were to embrace all western Virginia ; Frederick to contain that part of the northern neck west of the Ridge, and Augusta all the rest of the vast western possessions. The dividing line was to run from the head-spring of Hedgeman's river, a branch of the Rappahannocto the head-spring of the Poto- mac. Augusta contained an area now embraced by four states, and about forty counties in Virginia. The emigrants to this county were like those to Frederick, with the exceptions of the Friends. The Scotch-Irish took the lead.

And now kind reader, you shall be introduced, if you please, to some of these early settlements, made by men of strong minds, ready hands, and brave hearts ; the elements of whose character, like the country they chose, have been developed in the prosperity of Virginia.

THE OPECQUON SETTLEMENT.

CHAPTER I.

THE OPECQUON SETTLEMENT.

[Lines written by a young lady that now lies in the old burying-ground near Opecquon Charch.)

HEAR you not the warning sigh On the breeze that passes by ? Lingerers near this solemn ground, To our silent home ye're bound .. Hast thou strength ? the strong were laid In these mansions of the dead. Youth and vigor slumber here ; And hast thou no cause to fear ?

Hast thou kindred ? ties as strong .

Here have been forgotten long : As they laid each sleeper low, Sighs were heaved, and tears did flow.' Hast thou beauty ? hast thou wealth ? Future hopes and present health ? Trust them not,-here perished lie, Loveliness and hopes as high. Yes, we hear thee ;- on the ear

There has fallen a voice of fear. Deep, sepulchral, hollow tone, We would bid thy words begone.

Must we perish ? must we die ?

And beneath the cold earth lie ? Yes, this fearful thing we know ; Monitor, thy tale is true. Speak again thou warning one ; Did you go with horror down ?

Did the dread of that dark place

Freeze thy blood, and blanch thy face ? O there is a mingled sound From the regions under ground ? Songs of joy, and anguished moans,

From the lost and rescued ones ? Listen, and their truth's the same; We had hope in Jesus' name, And that hope shone in the gloom; Seek his love to light thy tomb. But the groaning of the lost, Helpless, restless, tempest-tossed, Comes to break that happy strain ; We despised the Saviour's name, And we warn you from the grave, Ye cannot his anger brave. Lingerers ! idle not your day, Fly, and seek him while you may.

About three miles from Winchester, on the paved road to Staun- ton, on the western side of the road, near a little village, is a stone building surrounded by a few venerable oaks. That is Opecquon

OPECQUON CHURCH.

meeting house ; and between it and the village is the grave-yard, in which lie the remains of some of the oldest settlers of the valley : in their midst the writer of these lines, going down to the rest of her ancestors in her worth and loveliness, a believer in Jesus. Her voice charmed many hearts, in the praises of God, in this house : silenced on earth, her spirit makes melody in heaven.

Let us visit this church and yard. This house is the third built upon this site for the worshippers of the Opecquon Congregation. This old grove has witnessed the coming and going of generations ; and could these trees speak, they could tell of remarkable scenes of crowded assemblies, of tears, and groans, and outcries, and joyful songs of faith, and hope, and love, under the faithful preaching of the gospel. They have bent their boughs over many a funeral train, mourning for some, lest the buried, "restless, hope- less, tempest-tossed" were waiting a sorrowful resurrection ; and waving with joy over others whose dead "had hope in Jesus' name." Come, let us sit down here, in the shadow of the church and school- house, which always went hand in hand with the Scotch-Irish emigrants, and these old trees, the witnesses of the past and present, and let us gather up some of the memorials of the events and generations passing in a century of years.

It was a condition of the grant by which Hite came in possession of this beautiful country, that he should persuade some of the emigrants from the European countries, and from Pennsylvania, to settle on his lands. In all his grants of frontier territory, the Governor secured an increase of population and wealth to his Majesty's Colony, while he made the grantees rich. Hite, Beverly, and Burden, grantees in the valley, sent out advertisements to meet the emigrants as they landed on the Delaware, and also as they were about to leave their native land, setting forth the fertility and beauty of the valley, and offering favorable terms to actual settlers. And soon after Hite had removed his family to the Opecquon, the Scotch-Irish, immediately from Ireland, began to rear habitations around him and his sons-in-law, Bowman and Chrisman, and Fro- man, and near to Stephens and M'Kay. Of those that came first, the greater part took their titles from Hite and were located to the south of Opecquon. As others came and joined the settlement, some purchased of Fairfax, and others settling near the line of the grant, purchased on both sides, and held their titles from both Hite. and Fairfax. Tradition says that Hite made more favourable terms for his purchasers than Fairfax was inclined to do; but does not tell in what this advantage consisted, except Fairfax demanded payment in money, and Hite received part in traffic. Samuel Glass took his residence at the head-spring of the Opecquon, having pur- chased from Hite sixteen hundred acres, lying along the southern side of the stream. He afterwards made some small purchases of Fairfax-and as a grand-daughter said, might have had as much as he pleased of the land lying toward Winchester, for a few shillings the acre. James C. Baker now occupies his farm. A son-in-law,

OPECQUON CHURCH.

Becket, was seated between Mr. Glass and North Mountain ; his son David took his residence a little below his father, on the Opec- quon, at Cherry Mead, now owned by Madison Campbell; his son Robert was placed a little further down at Long Meadows, now in possession of his grand-son Robert. The stone dwelling is on the old site, and at the back of it is carefully preserved, as part of the residence, the stockade fort used as the place of refuge in alarms. Next down the creek was Joseph Colvin and family. None of the descendants remained long in possession of their purchase here, they chose to live on Cedar Creek. Then came John Wilson and the Marquis family, with whom he was connected ; the grave of his wife is marked, in this yard, by the oldest monumental stone in the valley. Next were the M'Auleys, within sight of the church here ; and then William Hoge had his residence on that little rising ground near by us to the west. He gave this parcel of land for a burying-ground, a site for a church and a school-house. Adjoining these to the south were the Allen family, a part of whom speedily removed to the Shenandoah, near Front Royal. The M'Gill family now occupy their positions here. A little beyond the village, on the other side of the paved road, lived Robert Wilson ; his residence, part stone, and part wood, remains to this day. There M'Aden, on his mission to North Carolina, met with the preacher of Opec- quon ; and there Washington, while stationed at Winchester, was often entertained. A little further down the stream lived James Vance, son-in-law of Samuel Glass, and ancestor of a numerous race, most of whom are to be found west of the Alleghenies. These were all here as early as 1736, or '37. Other families gathered around these, and on Cedar Creek, charmed with a country abounding with prairie and pea vines, and buffaloe and deer.

By the time of Braddock's war, the congregation assembling at this place for worship was large, and composed of families of great moral worth, whose descendants have been thought worthy of any posts of trust, honor, or profit, in the gift of there fellow-citizens. 'They came from the gap in the North Mountain, from the neigh- borhood of the White Posts, from the neighborhoods east of Win- chester, from Cedar Creek, and from beyond Newtown. While Washington was encamped in Winchester this was the only place of religious worship in the vicinity of the fort. Congregations assembled here when Winchester could scarce show a cluster of houses. After Braddock's war many families were added to the congregation, as the Chipleys, the Gilkersons, the Simralls and the Newalls, and many others. But it is not necessary to add further to this list, as a large portion of the families that composed the congregation of Opecquon, about the close of the 18th century, removed to the inviting fields of Kentucky, and very few families now residing near this sacred spot, can trace their origin to the carly settlers.

The first minister of the Presbyterian order that visited this region is supposed to have been a Mr. Gelston, of whom the

PASTORS OF OPECQUON CHURCH.

Records of Donegal Presbytery, in 1736, say -- "Mr. Gelston is appointed to pay a visit to some new inhabitants near Opeckon, in Virginia, who have been writing to Mr. Gelston, and, when he was over the river, desired a visit of this kind ; and he is to spend some time in preaching to said new inhabitants according to discretion." In 1739, the same Presbytery took measures to send Mr. John Thompson, as an Evangelist, through the new settlements, on the frontiers of Virginia.

The missionaries sent out by Donegal and New Castle Presby- teries to the frontiers, and those under the direction of the Synod, found Opecquon on their journeys going and returning. Mr. William Robinson, on his long to be remembered tour through Virginia and Carolina, repeatedly preached here. On the division of the Synod, which began in 1742, and continued till 1758, the people on Opeckon generally went with the new side, and had the visits of missionaries from the Presbytery of New Castle, and other parts of the Synod of New York.

The first pastor of this church was John Hoge, a relative of him that gave this land for the place of worship, and the burial of the dead. He was graduated at Nassau Hall, in 1748, and prepared for the ministry under the care of New Castle Presbytery. As the records of that Presbytery for a series of years cannot be found, and no private memoranda have been discovered to throw any light on the subject, the time of his licensure, and of his ordination, are not certainly known. He appears on the roll of Synod as a member in 1755. At that time he was preaching at this place. Hugh M'Aden, the pioneer in Carolina, in his journal, says, that on Tues- day, June 18th, 1755, he spent the day at Robert Wilson's, in company with Mr. Hoge, the minister. They appear to have been acquaintances. Under Mr. Hoge, the churches of Cedar Creek and Opecquon were regularly organized. There are no records of the congregations during the long period of his ministry. Tradition says he was an amiable and pious man. Becoming infirm the latter part of his life, he gave up his charge. After the Synods were united, Mr. Hoge became a member of the Presbytery of Donegal, and continued united with that body, until it was, in 1786, divided, in anticipation of forming a General Assembly, into the Presbytery of Baltimore and the Presbytery of Carlisle, to the latter of which he was annexed as without charge : in 1795, he was member of the Presbytery of Huntingdon, without charge, after which his name does not appear on the records, but the time of his death is not mentioned.

The next minister was John Montgomery, from Augusta County, a graduate of Nassau Hall; ordained in 1780, and in 1781, accepted a call from Winchester, Opecquon, and Cedar Creek. A young gentleman of fine manners, and pleasant address, and esteemed as a preacher. He remained with the congregation till 1789, and then removed to the Calf Pasture.

The third minister was Nash Legrand, an extended notice of

THE BURIAL-GROUND.

whom is found in the first series of these sketches. He came to visit the churches, and there being a mutual approbation, he accepted their call in 1790. His ministry was eminently successful ; under his care Opecquon saw her best days. This stone house was built. A continued revival filled the church with devoted worshippers.

The neighborhoods were full of young people, active, intelligent, and enterprizing. The reports from the west painted Kentucky as more beautiful in its solitariness, than Opecquon had been to the eyes of the emigrants from Ireland. And the grand-children, like their ancestors, sought a new home among the prairies, beyond the Alleghenies. Not a moiety of the congregations remained with their preacher. Being bereaved of his wife, and suffering in health, Mr. Legrand left Opecquon, in 1809. Since that time the church has been served by a succession of ministers, and has been blessed with revivals.

Now let us go within this stone enclosure, and among the re- mains of the ancient settlers, and meditate upon the past. Let us enter through the narrow gate-way on the southern side, through which the congregation sleeping here entered, never to return. Let us pause a few moments at this rough, low, time-worn stone, in the very centre of the graves ; the first, with an inscription, reared in the Valley of Virginia to mark the resting-place of an emigrant- you will scarcely read the inscription on one side, or decipher the letters and figures on the other. The stone crumbled under the unskilful hands of the husband, who brought it from that eminence yonder on the west, and, in the absence of a proper artist, inscribed the letters himself, to be a memorial to his young and lovely wife. Tradition says he was the school-master.

[On one side.] JOHN WILSON

[On the other.]

FROM

INTERED HERE

JR L AN D Ju l y vith 1737

THE BODYS OF HI S 2 CHILDER & WIFE yª MOTHER MARY MARCUS

g H, Argma

WHO DYED AGR*

THE 4th 1742

AI ged 22 year

On the side on which Ireland is chiselled, the pebbles in the stone, or his unsteady hand, made large indentures, and rendered the inscription almost illegible. Here the stone has stood, a monu- ment of affection, and marked the grave of the early departed, while the days of more than a century have passed away.

Out towards the eastern corner marked by these small head and foot stones without names, lie Hoge, and White, and Vance, and we know not how many others, with their families. We cannot dis- tinguish their graves, but we know they lie there. A little to the right of that limestone pyramid lies William Hoge, buried in the

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Sketches of Virginia : historical and biographical, Part 2

Author: Foote, William Henry, 1794-1869. 4n Publication date: 1856 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott Number of Pages: 614

Author: Foote, William Henry, 1794-1869. 4n
Publication date: 1856
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott
Number of Pages: 614