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1 


ANNALS 

of 

BATH  COUNTY 

VIRGINIA 


By  OREN  F.   MORTON,   B.   Lit. 

Author  of 

Under  the  Cottonwoods,  "      Winning  or  Losing?"      Land 
of  the  Laurel,"    "The  Story  of  Daniel  Boone,"    "A 
Practical  History  of  Music,"    "History  of  Pendle- 
ton County,   W.   Va. ,"    "History  of  Preston 
County,  W.  Va. ,"   "History  of  Monroe 
County,    W.    Va.,"     "History    of 
Highland     County,     Virginia." 


/ 


Staunton,  Virginia 
The  McClure  Co.,  Inc. 

19   17 


w<>:?   ■«■■ 


PUBLIC  LI 

882819 

AgTOfl  AND 

TI^DEN  FOUNDATIONS 
R  1919 


Copyright,   1918 

By  The  McClure  Co.,  Inc. 

All   Rights  Reserved 


CONTENTS 


Chapter  Page 

Introduction    v 

1 .     Geography  of   Bath 1 

II.     Discovery  and  Settlement 10 

III.  The  Lewis  Land  Grant 22 

IV.  Areas  of  Settlement 36 

V.     The  Mineral  Springs 42 

VI.     Early   Political   History 51 

VII.     Roads  and  Road  Builders 56 

VIII.     Life  in  the  Pioneer  Days 62 

IX.     Ten  years  of  Indian  Wars 79 

X.     The  Point  Pleasant  Campaign 88 

XI.     Bath  During  the  Revolution 94 

XII.     Selim   the  Algerine 101 

XIII.     Efforts  Toward  a  New  County 104 

XIV.     Organization  of   Bath 107 

~  XV.     The  Surnames  of  Bath Ill 

XVI.     A  List  of  Early  Marriages 127 

XVII.     Seventy  Years  of  Bath  History 134 

XVIII.     Bath  in  the  War  of  1861 143 

XIX.     The  Bath  Squadron 146 

XX.     Roster  of  Confederate  Soldiers 152 

XXI.     Cloverdale    162 

XXII.     The  Calfpasture  Valley 167 

XXIII.  The  Bath  of  Today 172 

XXIV.  Alleghany    County 176 

XXV.     The  Families  of  Greater  Bath 186 


in 


FOREWORD 


|ATH  has  a  small  number  of  people,  and  a  considerable 
share  of  this  small  number  is  a  new  element.  To  many 
individuals  of  the  latter  class  a  history  of  the  county  will 
appeal  very  little.  And  since  the  circulation  of  such  a 
book  must  necessarily  be  small,  the  price  of  a  full  and  comprehensive 
history  would  unavoidably  be  so  high  as  to  be  prohibitive  to  persons 
of  small  means.  The  choice  before  us  was  whether  to  bring  out  a 
very  small  edition  of  a  very  high  priced  book,  or  a  larger  edition  of  a 
comparatively  low  priced  book.  If  the  second  choice  were  taken, 
only  a  small  volume  was  possible.  And  if  the  volume  were  to  be 
small,  it  was  clearly  out  of  the  question  to  cover  as  much  ground  as  is 
attempted  in  a  local  history  of  comprehensive  scope. 

For  the  above  reasons  we  confine  ourselves  to  a  presentation  of 
the  more  striking  and  important  features  in  the  story  of  this  county. 
But  while  this  was  the  only  course  possible,  we  have  sought  to  treat 
these  features  with  all  the  fullness  the  limits  of  the  book  would  per- 
mit. And  since  the  present  volume  is  a  county  history  in  a  somewhat 
abbreviated  form,  we  entitle  it  "The  Annals  of  Bath,"  rather  than  "A 
History  of  Bath." 

Owing  to  the  necessary  limitation  in  space,  it  has  been  impossible 
to  give  genealogic  records  of  the  old  families  of  the  county.  A  partial 
account  is  all  the  size  of  the  book  will  permit.  Yet  this  account 
would  cover  more  pages,  if  there  had  been  a  more  general  response  to 
our  requests  for  information.  What  was  not  furnished  to  us  we  could 
not  put  in,  and  we  disclaim  all  responsibility  for  its  non-appearance. 

But  if,  in  a  commercial  sense,  this  county  seemed  only  a  moderate- 
ly promising  field  for  a  local  history,  it  remains  very  true  that  Bath 
is  one  of  the  best  known  counties  of  the  Old  Dominion.  It  is  one  of 
the  older  counties  in  the  Alleghany  belt,  and  it  lies  on  a  natural  high- 
way of  travel  and  commerce.  The  story  of  its  evolution  is  one  of  much 
interest. 

The  present  work  was  begun  in  the  fall  of  1912.  Joseph  T.  Mc- 
Allister, of  Hot  Springs,  had  for  a  long  while  been  collecting  material 
for  a  history  of  the  county.     But  his  favorable  opinion  of  the  author's 


History  of  Highland  County  led  him  to  invite  the  undersigned  to  his 
home,  so  as  to  use  his  collection  and  write  the  history  himself.  The 
original  manuscript  was  completed  the  next  July  at  the  house  of 
George  W.  Wallace  on  the  Cowpasture.  Publication  being  much 
delayed,  and  the  author  coming  into  possession  of  new  and  valuable 
information,  a  new  and  enlarged  manuscript  has  been  prepared. 

The  question  of  writing  a  history  of  Alleghany  County  was  dis- 
cussed with  several  friends,  and  was  decided  to  be  unpromising  in  a 
commercial  aspect.  But  with  a  view  of  supplying  the  lack  in  a  par- 
tial way,  a  special  chapter  has  been  added  to  the  new  manuscript. 

Illustrations  were  repeatedly  solicited,  and  would  have  added  to 
the  interest  and  attractiveness  of  the  book.  But  as  only  one  was 
offered,  it  has  been  decided  to  issue  the  book  without  any.  This 
will  explain  the  non-appearance  of  the  cut  spoken  of  on  page  72. 

The  most  sincere  thanks  of  the  author  are  extended  to  all  persons 
who  have  in  any  way  contributed  to  the  success  of  this  enterprise.  In 
particular,  he  makes  warm  and  grateful  acknowledgment  to  Joseph 
T.  McAllister,  George  W.  Wallace,  and  Houston  H.  Byrd  for  their 
very  substantial  assistance,  and  to  Boutwell  Dunlap,  of  San  Francis- 
co, for  valuable  data  relating  to  several  of  the  early  families.  Mr. 
Dunlap  is  not  only  a  historian  of  repute,  but  is  a  descendant  of  Cap- 
tain Alexander  Dunlap,  the  earliest  settler  on  the  Calfpasture. 

Oren  F.  Morton. 
Staunton,  Va.,  August  22,  1917. 


ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  BATH 

N  ALL  the  states  of  the  American  Union  there  are  but  two 
counties  named  Bath.  One  is  in  Virginia  and  the  other 
is  in  the  daughter  state  of  Kentucky.  The  older  of 
these  came  into  actual  existence  May  1,  1791.  It  was 
then  larger  than  any  present  county  in  either  of  the  Virginias.  It  is 
still  larger  than  the  average  of  the   155  counties  in  the  two  states. 

Until  West  Virginia  became  a  fact,  Bath  lay  near  the  center  of 
the  Old  Dominion.  It  now  lies  against  the  western  border  of  the 
parent  state.  Near  its  southwestern  angle  it  is  crossed  by  the  thirty- 
eighth  parallel  of  north  latitude  and  also  by  the  third  meridian  west 
from  Washington.  In  outline  the  county  is  a  fairly  regular  quadran- 
gle, the  four  corners  pointing  very  nearly  north,  east,  south,  and  west. 
Between  the  northern  and  southern  corners  the  diagonal  distance  is 
27  miles,  and  between  the  eastern  and  western  corners  the  distance  is 
30  miles.  The  area  is  placed  at  548  square  miles,  or  352,720  acres. 
The  airline  distance  from  the  county  seat  to  the  state  capital  is  135 
miles,  the  direction  being  a  little  south  of  east.  The  city  of  Washing- 
ton is  160  miles  away,  the  direction  being  northeast. 

The  western  boundary  of  Bath  is  the  central  ridge  of  the  Appa- 
lachians, sometimes  called  the  Alleghany  Front.  It  divides  the  wa- 
ters coursing  toward  the  Atlantic  from  those  running  toward  the 
Mississippi.  This  massive  uplft  is  a  natural  boundary.  On  the 
eastern  side  of  the  county,  Walker's  Mountain,  Sideling  Hill,  and 
Mill  Mountain  take  turns  in  forming  the  border  line.  These  three 
elevations  run  almost  precisely  in  the  same  direction.  From  the  top 
of  Walter's  Mountain  the  line  leaps  squarely  across  a  very  narrow- 
valley  to  the  top  of  Sideling  Hill.  Four  miles  southward  it  passes 
with  equal  abruptness  across  a  still  narrower  valley  to  the  summit  of 
Mill  Mountain.  And  yet  this  complex  eastern  border  opens  to  the 
base  line  only  at  the  one  point  where  Panther  Gap  provides  an  easy 
passage  for  a  railroad  and  an  outlet  for  the  waters  of  Mill  Creek. 


I  ANNALS   OF    BATH    COUNTY 

On  the  other  hand  the  northern  and  southern  county  lines  are  entirely 
artificial.  Bath  is  simply  a  cross-section  of  the  great  valley  which 
extends  nearly  all  the  way  from  New  River  to  the  Potomac.  The 
bordering  counties  are  Highland,  Augusta,  Rockbridge,  Alleghany, 
Greenbrier,  and  Pocahontas,  the  last  two  lying  in  West  Virginia. 

The  Alleghany  Front  is  lofty  throughout,  reaching  in  Paddy 
Knob  at  the  northern  corner  of  Bath  an  altitude  of  4500  feet.  With- 
in the  county  the  most  distinctive  uplift  is  the  divide  running  length- 
wise through  the  center,  separating  Bath  into  two  principal  divisions. 
For  more  than  half  the  way  this  divide  is  Warm  Springs  Mountain, 
which  enters  from  the  south  and  terminates  near  Burnsville.  Jack 
Mountain  enters  from  the  north  and  runs  a  little  past  the  other  ridge, 
the  distance  from  crest  to  crest  being  one  mile.  From  Duncan's  Knob, 
Jack  Mountain  drops  quite  suddenly  into  the  lower  continuation 
known  as  Wilson's  Mountain.  From  the  same  knob  a  saddle  reaches 
across  to  Warm  Springs  Mountain  and  thus  preserves  a  continuity  of 
watershed  in  the  central  divide.  Near  the  center  of  the  county  Warm 
Springs  Mountain  forks,  the  western  and  lower  arm,  known  as  Val- 
ley Mountain,  running  nearly  parallel  with  the  eastern,  at  a  distance 
from  summit  to  summit  of  two  miles,  and  passing  into  Alleghany 
county.  The  portion  lying  in  Bath  is  pierced  by  no  fewer  than  six 
water-gaps. 

Midway  between  the  Alleghany  Front  and  the  central  divide 
is  a  very  conspicuous  elevation,  which  to  the  north  of  the  place  where 
it  opens  to  give  passage  to  Back  Creek,  is  styled  Back  Creek  Moun- 
tain. Southward,  it  is  known  as  Bollar  Mountain.  Westward  of 
this  ridge  is  Little  Mountain,  separating  the  valley  of  Little  Back 
Creek  from  that  of  Back  Creek  proper.  Eastward  are  Rocky  Ridge, 
Warwick's  Mountain,  and  Callison  Ridge.  A  little  east  of  Warm 
Springs  Mountain  is  Tower  Hill,  a  continuation  of  the  Bullpasture 
Mountain  of  Highland.  From  the  Bullpasture  gap  on  the  county 
line  it  runs  10  miles  southward  to  a  bend  in  Dry  Run.  Southward 
from  Thompson's  Creek  to  the  line  of  Alleghany  County,  the  space 
for  five  miles  east  of  the  crest  of  Warm  Springs  Mountain  is 
crowded  with  a  succession  of  much  lower  uplifts.  Beard's  Moun- 
tain, the  outermost  and  highest  of  these,  lies  in  the  same  axis  with 
Shenandoah  Mountain,  though  separated  from  it  by  a  long  depres- 
sion.    Shenandoah  Mountain,  after  holding  for  60  miles  an  imposing 


GEOGRAPHY    OF    BATH  j 

height  and  breadth,  breaks  down  very  abruptly  after  penetrating 
Bath  only  six  miles.  The  Sister  Knobs  mark  the  forked  southern  end. 
Southward  are  hill-ridges  walling  in  the  basin  of  Stuart's  Creek. 
Near  Millboro  Springs  begins  the  higher  and  ragged  uplift  of  Rough 
Mountain,  which  terminates  all  at  once  in  Griffith  Knob  at  a  bend 
of  the  Cowpasture  on  the  Alleghany  line. 

Bath  is  in  fact  mainly  occupied  with  mountain  ridges,  which 
vary  a  good  deal  in  heighth,  length  and  contour.  To  a  person  follow- 
ing any  of  the  larger  watercourses,  the  river-valley  often  appears  nar- 
rower than  is  truly  the  case,  because  of  foothill  ridges  rising  sharply 
from  the  edge  of  the  bottom  land.  Sometimes,  as  on  the  upper  Cow- 
pasture,  these  heavy  bluffs  present  toward  the  river  abrupt  faces  of  dry, 
slaty  soil,  supporting  a  thin  growth  of  small  pines  and  a  little  hard- 
wood underbrush. 

As  is  generally  the  case  in  Appalachian  America,  the  mountains 
of  Bath  occur  in  long  ridges  and  present  outlines  of  much  grace  and 
symmetry.  This  is  particularly  true  of  Walker's  Mountain,  the 
skyline  of  which  is  almost  as  horizontal  as  a  house  roof.  Rough 
Mountain  is  quite  exceptional  in  this  respect. 

The  tendency  of  the  Appalachian  ridges  to  run  out,  or  to  be  in- 
terrupted by  watergaps,  is  of  much  practical  importance.  Routes  of 
travel  were  thereby  suggested  to  the  white  pioneers  and  to  the  In- 
dians before  them.  The  breaking  down  of  Shenandoah  Mountain 
offers  a  line  of  easy  approach  from  the  Valley  of  Virginia  to  the  Cow- 
pasture  at  Fort  Lewis.  Panther  Gap  and  the  pass  at  Griffith  Knob 
presented  lines  of  approach  to  the  settlers  who  occupied  Stuart's 
Creek  and  the  lower  Cowpasture.  From  the  Cowpasture,  Thomp- 
son's Creek  opens  a  way  through  a  succession  of  minor  ridges  to  the 
very  foot  of  Warm  Springs  Mountain.  A  depression  in  the  skyline 
of  the  latter  indicated  to  the  early  comers  the  most  advantageous  place 
for  crossing  that  barrier.  Then  again,  the  gaps  in  Valley  Mountain 
offered  a  choice  of  routes  into  the  lower  lying  valley  of  Jackson's 
River.  In  short,  physical  geography  has  placed  Bath  on  a  through 
line  of  travel  between  the  East  and  the  West. 

The  uplift  in  the  center  of  the  county  divides  Bath  into  the  two 
main  valleys  of  Jackson's  River  and  the  Cowpasture.  The  more  im- 
portant sub-valleys  of  the  western  division  are  Warm  Springs  valley 
and  the  valleys  of  Big  and  Little  Back  Creeks.    Those  of  the  eastern 


4  ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 

division  are  Dry  Run,  Stuart's  Creek,  Porter's  Mill  Creek,  and 
Padd's  Creek.  In  addition  to  these  is  the  basin  of  Mill  Creek,  which 
drains  into  the  Calfpasture  and  not  into  the  Cowpasture. 

Jackson's  River  has  a  course  of  some  20  miles  before  touching 
Bath,  and  enters  this  county  as  a  considerable  stream.  Within  Bath 
it  is  swollen  by  Muddy  Run,  Chimney  Run,  Warm  Springs  Run,  and 
Cedar  Creek,  but  most  of  all  by  Back  Creek.  To  the  point  of  junc- 
tion, Back  Creek  has  pursued  quite  as  long  a  course  as  the  main 
stream  itself  but  through  a  narrower  valley. 

A  half  mile  south  of  the  Highland  boundary  the  Cowpasture  is 
joined  by  the  Bullpasture,  which  is  the  longer  and  larger  of  the  two 
streams,  and  is  even  larger  than  Jackson's  River  at  the  county  line. 
The  united  waters  also  pursue  a  longer  course  within  the  confines  of 
Bath.  But  after  passing  into  Alleghany,  and  at  length  reaching  the 
point  a  little  below  Clifton  Forge  where  it  is  joined  by  the  Cowpas- 
ture, Jackson's  River  gains  upon  its  companion  both  in  length  and 
volume.  It  is  therefore  regarded  as  the  head  branch  of  the  James, 
which  is  the  title  the  waters  assume  below  the  confluence.  In  colonial 
days  this  section  of  the  James  was  known  as  the  Fluvanna.  The 
chief  tributaries  of  the  Cowpasture  are  the  five  mentioned  in  a  preced- 
ing paragraph.  None  of  these,  except  Stuart's  Creek,  is  ordinarily  of 
much  size.  Dry  Run  is  so  named  because  in  its  lower  course  there  is 
no  visible  water  except  in  a  wet  season. 

The  running  waters  of  Bath  are  nearly  always  rapid  as  well  as 
clear.  In  the  sandstone  areas  are  excellent  springs  of  cool  freestone 
water.  The  caverns  which  underlie  the  limestone  belts  attract  the 
rainfall  into  underground  channels.  Near  the  base  level  of  the  val- 
leys in  which  these  belts  occur,  the  waters  reappear  as  powerful,  never- 
failing  springs.  Except  in  times  of  flood,  fordable  places  occur  in  all 
the  rivers,  although  bridges  sometimes  obviate  the  need  of  taking  the 
rocky  bed. 

Rock  formations  are  called  stratified,  when  they  are  due  to  the 
marl,  sand,  clay,  or  gravel  which  has  been  deposited  by  water,  es- 
pecially that  of  tidal  streams.  Because  of  the  pressure  of  newer  de- 
posits above,  these  soft  materials  finally  solidify  into  hard  rock.  The 
internal  heat  of  the  earth  assists  in  this  process,  and  when  intense  it 
works  a  change  in  structure,  causing  the  rock  to  be  of  the  kind  known 
as  metamorphic.     Of  this  latter  nature  is  the  flinty  sandstone,  layers 


GEOGRAPHY    OF    BATH  5 

of  which,  bent  into  an  almost  vertical  position,  may  be  seen  in  some 
of  the  watergaps.  The  stratified  rocks  of  Bath  are  among  the  oldest 
known  to  geology.  On  the  eastern  and  western  borders  they  are  of 
the  Devonian  series.  There  are  also  small  areas  of  these  in  the  in- 
tervening ridges.  Elsewhere,  the  greater  portion  of  the  county  is 
covered  by  the  older  Silurian  series.  Older  yet  is  the  narrow  rim  of 
Ordovician  rocks  in  the  Warm  Springs  valley.  This  rim  incloses  a 
large,  oval-shaped  area  of  the  yet  older  Cambro-Ordovician  rocks. 
Since  all  these  formations  are  older  than  the  Carboniferous  beds,  it 
is  scarcely  worth  while  to  look  for  coal,  unless  on  the  extreme  western 
border.  But  the  deposits  of  iron  ore  and  building  stones  are  of  much 
extent  and  value,  although  as  yet  undeveloped.  There  is  also  some 
manganese. 

Layers  of  hard  sandstone  form  the  cores  of  the  steeper  ridges  and 
tell  us  why  these  mountains  exist.  They  protect  the  adjacent  softer 
layers,  which  are  more  susceptible  to  wear  and  tear.  It  is  mainly  in 
the  valleys  and  on  the  broad-topped  elevations  that  we  find  the  flaky 
slates  and  the  limestones.  The  former  blister  from  the  action  of 
frost  and  sun.  The  latter  dissolve  under  the  honeycombing  effect  of 
rainwater  charged  with  carbonic  and  vegetable  acids.  Caverns,  which 
are  underground  waterways,  are  thus  eaten  into  the  limestone  beds, 
the  presence  of  which  is  shown  by  the  sinkholes  on  the  surface  above. 
But  the  limestone  areas  in  Bath  are  not  extensive.  They  occur  chief- 
ly in  the  Warm  Springs  valley  and  around  Burnsville.  Shale,  more 
commonly  termed  slate,  is  a  characteristic  feature  of  the  sterile  bluffs 
which  sometimes  hem  in  the  fertile  bottoms  of  alluvial  origin. 

The  soils  of  Bath  differ  very  much  in  quality.  First  in  value  is 
the  deep,  dark  loam  of  the  river  bottoms.  The  soil  of  the  limestone 
belts  is  likewise  superor  and  is  particularly  suited  to  grass.  Much  of 
the  upland  soil  elsewhere  is  light  in  color  and  sandy  in  texture.  Tight 
or  loose  stones,  sometimes  waterworn,  occur  everywhere,  but  in  vary- 
ing frequency.  It  is  only  the  bottoms,  the  bench  lands,  and  limited 
portions  of  the  higher  levels  that  have  been  in  demand  for  tillage.  A 
belt  of  bench  and  bottom  is  sometimes  a  mile  from  side  to  side.  Yet 
such  a  strip  is  not  continuous,  bold  heights  sometimes  coming  close 
to  the  river  on  either  side,  as  in  the  case  of  Jackson's  River  above 
Fort  Dinwiddie.  Furthermore,  the  bottoms  are  confined  to  the  two 
rivers  and  the  lower  courses  of  their  larger  affluents. 


6  ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 

With  respect  to  the  climate,  Bath  is  highly  favored.  The  ele- 
vation gives  it  a  more  temperate  air  than  is  found  in  the  same  latitude 
on  the  Atlantic  or  the  plains  of  the  West.  The  Alleghany  Front 
breaks  the  force  of  the  northwesters  that  have  such  free  play  through- 
out the  Mississippi  basin.  It  also  causes  a  lower  degree  of  humidity 
on  the  eastern  side  than  on  the  western.  Shenandoah  Mountain 
scatters  the  east  wind  that  is  so  trying  along  the  seacoast.  Bath  has 
not  the  damp  air  that  one  would  expect  in  a  mountain  region.  It  has 
not  the  close  summer  atmosphere  and  the  winter  keenness  of  the  sea- 
shore, nor  the  accentuated  extremes  of  heat  and  cold  that  are  a  well 
known  feature  of  the  Western  climate.  The  air  movement  is  less 
than  in  either  of  the  other  sections,  high  winds  being  rare.  The  win- 
ters are  not  usually  of  a  severe  type,  the  summers  and  falls  are  par- 
ticularly delightful,  and  the  air  is  pure,  healthful  and  invigorating. 
There  is,  in  fact,  a  fine  climate  at  all  seasons. 

To  be  more  precise,  the  climate  of  Warm  Springs  valley,  with  its 
altitude  of  2200  feet,  is  but  slightly  below  the  average  for  the  county. 
In  this  locality  the  mean  temperatures  for  winter,  spring,  summer, 
and  fall  are  31,  51,  69,  and  53  degrees.  The  yearly  average,  which 
is  51  degrees,  is  about  the  same  as  at  Harrisburg  in  Pennsylvania,  or 
Lincoln  in  Nebraska,  although  the  climate  of  this  valley  is  more  reg- 
ular than  that  of  the  other  places.  The  yearly  rainfall  is  42  inches, 
including  the  snow,  which  in  an  unmelted  form  amounts  to  26 
inches.  Along  the  two  rivers,  especally  the  Cowpasture,  the  climate 
is  perceptibly  warmer,  the  altitudes  being  less  by  from  500  to  1000 
feet. 

In  the  old-time  solitudes  of  Bath  there  was  a  great  deal  of  animal 
life.  The  buffalo  and  the  elk  have  been  gone  much  more  than  a  cen- 
tury. The  wolf,  once  a  great  scourge  to  the  young  livestock,  is 
locally  extinct,  thanks  to  the  large  bounty  that  was  maintained  so 
long  as  he  was  here.  The  name  of  Panther  Gap  keeps  us  from  for- 
getting that  the  puma,  called  "painter"  by  the  pioneer,  was  once  a 
co-tenant  with  the  wolf.  The  fox  and  the  wildcat,  and  an  occasion- 
al black  bear  still  linger,  and  now  and  then  an  eagle  disports  himself 
in  the  air.  A  very  few  deer  remain  in  the  more  extensive  woodlands. 
jret  even  the  gray  squirrel  and  cottontail  are  now  comparative  rare. 
Other  small  mammals  are  the  raccoon,  the  opossum,  the  woodchuck, 
the  ^kunk,  the  muskrat,  the  chipmunk,  and  the  bat.     Turkeys,  pheas- 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  BATH  / 

ants,  quails,  and  other  game  birds  are  now  rather  few,  and  the  small 
migrants  that  appear  in  the  spring  are  not  so  numerous  as  the  true 
interests  of  the  farmer  demand.  Rattlesnakes  and  copperheads  are 
few,  unless  in  their  regular  haunts.  The  clear  streams  contain  some 
trout,  bass,  perch,  suckers,  and  eels.  The  former  abundance  of  wild 
game  is  reflected  in  the  following  rhyme,  written  of  William  Wilson 
of  Bolar  Run: 

Old  Wilson  could  sit  at  his  door, 

And  count  buffalo,  elk,  and  deer  by  the  score. 

As  is  true  in  all  Appalachia,  the  hills  and  valleys  of  Bath  take 
naturally  to  a  forest  covering.  The  deciduous  trees,  such  as  maples, 
chestnuts,  hickories,  sycamores,  willows,  and  oaks,  heavily  prepon- 
derate. Small  pines  cling  to  the  dry  soil  of  certain  river-hills.  The 
larger  specimens  on  the  mountain  sides  are  mostly  killed  about  fifteen 
years  before  the  date  of  this  book,  by  an  insect  pest,  but  many  of 
their  barkless  trunks  are  yet  standing.  A  varied  undergrowth  of 
shrubs  and  small  trees  is  now  more  in  evidence  than  in  the  time  of 
the  pioneer.  Some  of  the  more  conspicuous  wild  fruits  are  the  black- 
berry, the  huckleberry,  the  teaberry,  and  the  common  and  mountain 
raspberries.     The  wild  grapevine  grows  to  large  dimensions. 

Outside  of  the  bottoms  and  the  small  lime  stone  area,  the  soils 
of  Bath  are  not  so  favorable  to  making  a  good  grass  sod  as  in  the  more 
elevated  county  of  Highland.  Hence  tillage  farming  is  more  con- 
spicuous than  there.  The  leading  field  crops  are  corn,  grain,  and  hay, 
and  large  yields  are  obtained  on  the  bottoms.  The  Fort  Lewis  farm 
has  produced  2340  bushels  of  wheat  in  a  single  season.  Orchard 
fruits,  particularly  apples,  have  always  been  grown  for  home  use,  but 
only  of  late  has  there  been  much  attention  to  the  producing  of  either 
large  or  small  fruits  on  a  commercial  scale.  The  county  is  well  suit- 
ed to  this  branch  of  agriculture.  An  apple  tree  just  over  the  High- 
land line  was  set  out  in  1765  by  William  Wilson,  and  in  1908  was 
still  yielding  35  bushels  of  good  spitzenbergs. 

The  scenic  beauty  of  Appalachia  is  at  once  recognized  by  the 
observant  traveler.  There  is  an  absence  of  monotony,  because  the 
prospect  distinctly  varies  from  mile  to  mile.  When  the  woods  are  in 
summer  foliage,  the  contour  of  the  numerous  ridges  assumes  the  most 
graceful   appearance.      The   emerald   verdure   of   the   meadows   and 


8  ANNALS   OF    BATH    COUNTY 

pastures  then  renders  the  open  ground  more  pleasing  to  the  eye  than 
in  regions  where  grass  is  not  spontaneous. 

The  view  from  Flag  Rock,  on  the  crest-line  of  Warm  Springs 
Mountain,  can  scarcely  be  surpassed  with  respect  to  scenic  loveliness 
and  interest.  Looking  southeastward,  the  eye  passes  over  the  succes- 
sion of  comparatively  low  ridges  on  the  nearer  side  of  the  Cowpas- 
ture.  Turning  nearly  to  the  east  one  gazes  through  a  low  gap  into 
the  valley  of  Thompson's  Creek,  and  has  distant  glimpses  of  the 
Millboro  turnpike  among  the  fields  around  Fairview  and  Bath  Alum. 
Beyond  the  winding  course  of  the  unseen  Cowpasture  there  comes 
into  view,  for  its  entire  length,  the  irregular  summit  and  fluted 
slope  of  Rough  Mountain.  Beyond  is  the  far  smoother  outline  of 
Mill  Mountain.  Still  further  beyond,  and  of  a  pearly  hue  from  the 
effect  of  distance,  are  the  two  House  Mountains  toward  Lexington. 
Their  short,  straight  summits  and  their  abrupt  endings  loom  well 
above  the  deeper-hued  crest-level  of  the  prominence  in  front.  Yet 
the  final  sky-line  in  the  east  is  not  reached  until  one  makes  out  the  pal<* 
Blue  Ridge,  40  miles  away,  and  dominated  by  the  towering  Peaks 
of  Otter.  Looking  more  nearly  east,  and  in  a  line  with  the  view 
down  Thompson's  Creek,  the  observer  peers  into  the  deep  notch  of 
Panther  Gap.  In  front  of  and  to  the  right  of  this  opening  are  the  two 
uplifts  on  either  side  of  Stuart's  Creek.  Beyond  is  Sideling  Hill  and 
then  comes  the  remarkable  horizontal  crest  of  Walker's  Mountain. 
A  dozen  miles  awav  in  the  northeast  are  the  Sister  Knobs,  marking 
the  south  end  of  Shenandoah  Mountain  and  standing  like  sentinels 
above  the  low  expanse  in  front.  Tn  the  same  direction,  but  at  more 
than  twice  the  distance,  is  Elliott's  Knob,  one  of  the  loftiest  peaks  in 
Virginia.  Turning  about  and  facing  the  point  of  sunset,  we  behold 
another  rapid  alternation  of  forested  heights,  the  Alleghany  Front 
occupying  the  horizon.  In  the  foreground  is  an  exquisite  panorama 
of  Warm  Springs  valley,  which  lies  a  thousand  feet  below.  Whether 
one  is  looking  eastward  or  westward,  mountain  rises  behind  mountain 
at  intervals  that  are  seeminglv  short.  Because  these  heights  are  for- 
est-clad, and  thus  screen  the  open  lands  between  them,  the  outlook  is 
almost  as  primeval  to  us  as  it  was  to  the  pathfinder  of  nearly  two 
centuries  ago.  And  when  the  whole  prospect  is  bathed  in  the  clear, 
bright  atmosphere  of  a  Virginia  sky,  the  picture  receives  a  touch  of 
completeness. 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  BATH  9 

Among  the  natural  curiosities  of  Bath  is  Ebbing  Spring,  three 
miles  south  of  Williamsville.  Intermittent  springs  are  usually  quite 
regular  as  to  ebb  and  flow.  But  this  one  is  so  abnormal  that  the 
McClintic  family,  whose  mansion  lies  within  a  few  rods,  have  never 
been  so  fortunate  as  to  see  the  waters  at  the  exact  moment  of  high 
tide.  The  rush  comes  with  a  considerable  noise,  yet  during  the  times 
of  ebb  there  is  still  considerable  outflow.  The  stream  once  ran  a  mill, 
and  so  important  was  then  the  period  of  high  water  that  when  it 
came  in  the  night,  the  miller  would  get  up  and  set  his  burrs  in  mo- 
tion. Two  miles  north  is  Meadow  Lake,  covering  more  than  an  acre 
of  the  Cowpasture  bottom.  It  is  fed  by  a  powerful  spring,  and  is  the 
source  of  Spring  Branch,  which  is  capable  of  turning  a  very  large  over- 
shot wheel.  It  is  thought  that  the  spring  is  simply  a  reappearance  of 
Cowpasture  waters.  At  all  events,  the  Cowpasture  at  ordinary  stages 
is  nearly  dry  for  several  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Bullpasture. 
Near  Wallawhatoola  Spring  the  Cowpasture  seems  again  to  lose  a 
share  of  its  visible  volume,  recovering  it  in  a  large  spring  near  Nim- 
rod  Hall. 

In  a  bluff  on  this  river,  near  Windy  Cove  church,  is  Blowing 
Cave,  mentioned  in  Jefferson's  Notes  on  Virginia.  The  cavern 
has  been  explored  a  considerable  distance  and  seems  to  have  a  second 
opening.  There  is  a  strong  outward  draft  in  hot  weather  and  a 
strong  inward  draft  in  cold  weather.  The  explanation  is  simple. 
Any  deep  cave  has  a  uniform  temperature  the  year  round.  This 
temperature  is  practically  the  same  as  the  yearly  average  of  the  sur- 
face above.  Such  a  cave  in  Bath  would  have  a  constant  temperature, 
day  and  night,  winter  and  summer,  of  from  50  to  52  degrees.  So 
when  the  outer  air  is  warmer  than  that  of  the  cave,  the  heavy  cold 
air  rushes  out,  giving  place  to  an  equal  weight  of  the  lighter  warm 
air.  In  winter  the  outer  air  is  the  colder,  and  it  displaces  the  warm- 
er air  within. 


II 


DISCOVERY   AND   SETTLEMENT 

T  IS  an  established  fact  that  in  1671  a  party  sent  out 
from  Fort  Henry — now  Petersburg — penetrated  to  the 
Falls  of  New  River  and  found  on  the  way  several  letters 
cut  into  the  bark  of  the  trees.  These  markings  were 
by  still  earlier  prospectors  of  whom  nothing  else  is  known.  But  the 
journal  kept  by  this  party,  and  the  journal  written  about  the  same 
time  by  John  Lederer,  were  scarcely  supplemented  during  the  next 
half  century  by  any  further  authentic  information  as  to  the  country 
west  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  That  mountain  barrier  presents  from  the 
east  a  rather  rugged  and  lofty  outline.  It  was  thought  impassible. 
The  country  on  the  farther  side  was  uninhabited  by  Indians  and  was 
believed  to  be  very  uninviting. 

During  the  first  century  after  the  settlement  at  Jamestown,  the 
eight  original  counties  grew  into  25,  yet  they  were  tenanted  by  only  a 
fifth  of  the  half  million  inhabitants  of  the  English  colonies  in  America. 
In  Virginia  the  area  of  actual  settlement  had  not  spread  two-thirds  of 
the  way  from  the  Atlantic  coast  to  the  Blue  Ridge. 

In  1716  the  governor  of  Virginia  was  Alexander  Spottswood,  a 
man  of  energy  and  foresight.  He  believed  in  making  good  the  claim  of 
the  British  to  the  region  beyond  the  mountains.  Geographical  knowl- 
edge concerning  the  interior  of  the  American  continent  was  very  fog- 
gy, and  the  governor  believed  the  Blue  Ridge  to  lie  much  nearer  the 
Great  Lakes  than  is  really  the  case.  He  wished  to  find  a  way  to 
those  lakes,  so  that  forts  might  be  established  on  them,  these  forts 
to  be  linked  with  the  coast  settlements  by  a  line  of  fortified  stations. 
He  thus  thought  the  French  on  the  St.  Lawrence  might  be  checkmated 
in  their  ambition  to  occupy  the  region  south  of  the  lakes. 

So  the  governor  headed  a  party  of  exploration.  The  start  was 
from  Williamsburg,  then  the  capital  of  Virginia.  Above  Fredericks- 
burg there  was  no  road.  The  Blue  Ridge  was  crossed  through  or 
near  Swift  Run  Gap,  and  near  where  Flkton  now  stands  the  South 
Fork  of  the  Shenandoah  was  reached.  It  was  named  the  Euphrates 
and  was  thought  to  flow  into  the  Great  Lakes.     On  the  west  bank 


DISCOVERY  AND   SETTLEMENT  11 

Spottswood  and  his  gay  companions  uncorked  the  large  variety  of 
liquors  they  had  brought  along  and  indulged  in  a  grand  spree.  Prob- 
ably not  enough  firewater  remained  for  a  second  big  drunk,  and  the 
"gentlemen"  of  the  party  seem  to  have  been  in  no  mood  for  farther 
adventure.  But  the  rangers  who  had  guided  Spottswood  were  left 
behind  to  continue  the  exploration. 

The  governor  did  not  half  accomplish  his  declared  purpose,  and 
yet  his  trip  wras  of  much  significance.  The  lowlands  of  the  Valley 
of  Virginia  were  found  to  be  a  grassy  prairie  with  a  soil  more  fertile 
than  that  of  the  tidewater  region.  No  Indians  were  living  here  and 
the  country  was  stocked  with  game.  The  land  beyond  the  Blue  Ridge 
was  now  officially  discovered,  and  the  news  was  published  on  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic.  Exploration  in  detail  now  went  forward  with  some 
rapidity. 

Yet  the  new  region  would  not  have  been  occupied  very  soon, — in 
fact,  not  for  a  long  while,- — had  it  waited  on  the  advance  of  settle- 
ment from  Tidewater  Virginia.  That  district  was  a  land  of  tobacco 
plantations.  Nearly  every  estate  was  within  easy  reach  of  some  river 
always  navigable  by  seagoing  vessels.  The  planter  had  no  wish  to 
make  a  new  home  150  miles  beyond  the  heads  of  navigation.  The  im- 
migration from  Britain  was  no  longer  large,  and  the  district  east  of 
the  Blue  Ridge  was  by  no  means  fully  occupied. 

About  1725  there  set  in  a  new  and  very  large  stream  of  American 
immigration.  It  came  from  the  north  of  Ireland  and  the  valley  of 
the  upper  Rhine.  Nearly  all  these  people  landed  at  Philadelphia,  be- 
cause the  Pennsylvania  government  had  in  Europe  the  reputation  of 
being  more  liberal  than  in  the  case  of  the  other  colonies.  But  the 
Germans  were  scarcely  represented  at  all  among  the  earlier  settlers  of 
Bath. 

A  little  more  than  a  century  before  Spottswood's  trip  the  prov- 
ince of  Ulster  in  the  north  of  Ireland  had  been  conquered  and  almost 
depopulated.  The  British  government  confiscated  several  million 
acres  of  its  lands  and  colonized  them  with  people  from  the  southwest 
of  Scotland  and  the  north  of  England.  Among  them  were  many  of  the 
Highland  Scotch  and  a  few  Huguenots  from  France.  The  settlers 
were  plain,  hardv,  and  industrious,  and  they  soon  redeemed  Ulster 
from  its  sorry  appearance  at  the  close  of  the  conquest.  Yet  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  breathing  spells,  there  was  a  nagging  persecu- 


12  ANNALS   OF    BATH   COUNTY 

tion  of  the  Ulster  people.  This  persecution  was  partly  religious  and 
partly  industrial,  and  did  not  cease  until  1782.  The  spirit  of  that  age 
was  very  intolerant.  It  had  not  yet  outgrown  the  opinion  that  a  state 
should  permit  no  difference  in  church  organization  within  its  confines. 
The  immigrants  were  Presbyterians,  while  the  native  Irish  were  Cath- 
olics. England  placed  under  civil  disabilities  those  who  did  not  ad- 
here to  the  Church  of  England.  The  Presbyterian  ministers  were  not 
permitted  to  perform  the  marriage  ceremony,  and  at  times  their  con- 
gregations could  not  meet  in  public.  The  industrial  persecution  was 
because  of  the  thrift  and  industry  of  the  Ulster  people.  Vexatious  re- 
strictions were  thrown  upon  their  manufactures  with  a  view  to  strang- 
ling the  competition  from  them. 

To  get  away  from  this  harsh  and  illiberal  treatment  the  people  of 
Ulster  began  flocking  to  America.  Here  they  were  called  Irish.  The 
term  Scotch-Irish  is  of  recent  coinage  and  is  inexact.  They  were  a 
blend  of  Scotch,  English,  Celtic  Irish,  and  French  Hugenots,  the  first 
element  being  the  largest.  In  the  settled  southeast  corner  of  Penn- 
sylvania there  was  little  room  or  welcome  for  the  strangers.  They 
were  therefore  constrained  to  press  inland,  and  in  doing  so  they 
pushed  westward  the  colonial  frontier.  Within  fifty  years 
the  Ulster  people  and  the  colonial  Americans  who  joined  them  had 
occupied  a  broad  belt  of  mountain  and  piedmont  country  extending 
from  New  York  to  Georgia.  They  made  good  pioneers,  because  they 
were  a  resolute  folk,  accustomed  to  a  simple  life.  They  took  kindly 
to  the  mountains  for  the  reason  that  they  came  from  a  country  of  hills. 
They  were  overcomers  by  nature,  and  in  Appalachian  America  they 
proceeded  to  subdue  the  forest,  the  beasts  of  prey,  the  Indians,  the 
French,  and  the  British. 

The  Blue  Ridge  is  nearer  the  seaboard  in  Pennsylvania  than  in 
Virginia.  The  broad  Cumberland  Valley  is  but  a  continuation  of  the 
Valley  of  Virginia.  Nature,  aided  by  Indian  paths,  had  thus  provided 
an  easy  line  of  travel  to  the  South.  Many  of  the  immigrants  poured 
into  the  hitherto  uninhabited  district  made  known  by  Spottswood. 
They  reached  Virginia  by  a  side  entrance,  and  without  coming  into 
close  touch  with  the  people  of  Tidewater,  who  were  almost  wholly  of 
English  origin. 

Between  the  two  sections  of  Virginia  sundered  by  the  natural 
boundary  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  there  has  remained  since  the  dawn  of  set- 


DISCOVERY  AND   SETTLEMENT  13 

tlement  a  very  perceptible  difference.  Their  populations  are  of  di- 
verse origin,  and  consequently  their  manners  and  customs  have  never 
been  the  same.  Nevertheless,  the  laws  and  institutions  of  the  colony 
began  at  once  to  exert  a  unifying  influence. 

We  are  now  brought  to  the  threshold  of  the  settlement  of  Bath. 
Eleven  years  after  Spottswood's  revel  on  the  bank  of  South  River,  we 
find  a  petition  to  the  governor  and  council  that  speaks  of  the  Cow- 
pasture  bv  its  present  name.  The  signers  were  Beveriv  Robinson, 
Robert  Brooke,  William  Lynn,  and  Robert  and  William  Lewis. 
These  men  were  not  themselves  explorers,  but  were  influential  planters 
of  Tidewater.  The  two  Lewises  were  not  of  the  family  that  became 
so  conspicuous  in  the  annals  of  Augusta  and  her  daughter  counties. 
John,  the  father  of  the  Lewises  of  Augusta,  had  not  yet  come  from 
Ireland.  But  William  Lynn  was  his  brother-in-law.  The  paper  is 
dated  in  1727  and  reads  as  follows: 

"Your  Petitioners  have  been  at  great  Trouble  and  Charges  in  making 
Discoveries  of  Lands  among  the  Mountains,  and  are  desirous  of  taking  up 
some  of  these  Lands  they  have  discovered;  whereupon  your  petitioners  hum- 
bly pray  your  Honours  to  grant  him  an  order  to  take  up  Fifty  Thousand 
Acres  in  one  or  more  tracts  of  the  head  branches  of  James  River  to  the 
West  and  Northwestward  of  the  Cow  Pasture,  on  seating  thereon  one  fam- 
ily for  every  Thousand  Acres,  and  as  the  said  Lands  are  very  remote  and 
lying  among  the  great  North  Mountains,  being  about  Two  Hundred  Miles 
at  least  from  any  landing — Your  Petitioners  humbly  pray  Your  Honours 
will  grant  them  six  years  time  to  seat  the  same." 

The  above  petition  does  not  seem  to  have  been  acted  upon.  But 
an  attempt  to  colonize  the  valleys  of  Bath  even  before  there  was  a 
settler  at  Staunton  or  within  30  miles  of  it  looks  rather  curious.  How- 
ever, it  must  be  remembered  that  the  Ulstermen  were  not  used  to  the 
sight  of  wild  land  uncovered  with  wood.  The  prairies  of  the  Shen- 
andoah were  not  so  inviting  to  them  as  we  might  suppose.  A  tract  of 
good  soil  might  not  have  a  spring  because  of  the  limestone  formation. 
Some  of  the  best  lands  of  the  Valley  are  not  among  the  first  that  were 
reduced  to  private  ownership. 

How  the  Calfpasture,  Cowpasture,  and  Bullpasture  rivers  came 
to  acquire  such  unusual  names  is  not  clearly  known.  The  legend  that 
some  early  hunters  killed  a  buffalo  calf  on  the  first  stream,  a  cow  on 
the  second,  and  a  bull  on  the  third  is  too  much  of  the  nature  of  stor- 
ies that  are  told  to  children,  and  has  the  earmark  of  being  an  after- 


14  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

thought.  There  is  good  evidence  that  in  all  these  valleys  there  was 
much  open  land.  This  was  covered  with  grass  and  attracted  the  buf- 
falo, an  animal  that  does  not  live  in  the  woods.  These  natural  pas- 
tures had  been  created  by  the  Indians,  and  were  perpetuated  by  burn- 
ing the  grass  at  the  close  of  each  hunting  season.  Thus  the  valleys 
watered  by  the  three  streams  came  to  be  known  as  "the  Pastures." 
The  names  the  rivers  now  bear  were  first  applied  to  the  valleys  and 
not  to  the  streams.  The  colonial  deeds  relating  to  the  most  eastern 
of  the  pastures  speak  uniformly  of  "the  Great  River  of  the  Calf  Pas- 
ture" and  "the  Little  River  of  the  Calf  Pasture."  The  Cowpasture 
river  in  1743  was  better  known  as  Clover  Creek,  and  until  1760  the 
Bullpasture  was  generally  called  Newfoundland  Creek.  For  some 
years  the  valley  of  the  Bullpasture  was  more  generally  called  the  "New 
Found  Land,"  probably  because  it  is  so  walled  in  by  mountains  that 
it  may  not  have  been  found  for  several  years  after  the  main  Cowpas- 
ture was  explored. 

The  red  men  called  the  Cowpasture  the  Walatoola  (Wah-lah- 
too-lah).  This  musical  name  was  corrupted  by  the  white  people  into 
Wallawhatoola,  which  now  survives  only  as  the  designation  of  an 
alum  spring  above  Nimrod  Hall.  It  has  been  supposed  to  mean  "the 
river  that  bends,"  or  "winding  river,"  and  such  a  meaning  is  indeed 
very  appropriate  to  so  crooked  a  river  as  the  Cowpasture.  But  the 
real  meaning  is  "fine  white  cedar."  The  only  other  stream  in  this  re- 
gion, of  which  the  Indian  name  does  not  seem  to  be  totally  lost,  is 
Dunlap  Creek.  The  natives  called  it  the  Escataba,  meaning  "wild 
rushing  water." 

Speaking  of  the  Indian  place-names,  the  authors  of  the  "Heart  of 
the  Alleghanies"  makes  this  very  just  observation:  "There  is  a  mean- 
ing in  their  euphony,  and  a  suggestiveness  in  their  melody.  It  is  a 
grievous  fault,  the  more  grievous  because  irreparable,  that  so  many  of 
the  bold  streams  which  thunder  down  forest  slopes  and  through  echo- 
ing canyons  have  lost  those  designations  whose  syllables  glide  from  the 
tongue  in  harmony  with  the  music  of  the  crystal  currents." 

In  the  summer  of  1732  John  Lewis  settled  a  mile  north  from  where 
Staunton  soon  arose.  He  was  a  person  of  means  and  leadership  and 
was  accompanied  by  about  30  of  his  Ulster  followers.  A  more  prom- 
inent comer  was  James  Patton,  who  was  unwearied  in  soliciting  im- 
migration to  the  Augusta  colony.     By  the  end  of  a  dozen  years  there 


DISCOVERY  AND  SETTLEMENT  15 

were  several  hundred  Ulster  families  scattered  over  the  present  coun- 
ties of  Augusta,  Rockingham,  and  Rockbridge,  and  even  into  the  Val- 
ley counties  lying  nearer  the  Tennessee  line. 

The  first  county  to  include  any  portion  of  the  Valley  of  Virginia 
was  Spottsylvania,  organized  in  1720.  It  took  in  only  that  small 
strip  lying  wholly  east  of  South  River  and  between  lines  meeting  it  a 
little  below  Port  Republic  and  a  little  above  Front  Royal.  In  1734, 
Orange  was  carved  out  of  Spottsylvania.  It  was  defined,  however, 
as  covering  the  entire  region  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  so  far  as  it  lay 
within  the  boundaries  claimed  by  Virginia.  So  when  John  Lewis  ap- 
peared in  the  vicinty  of  Staunton,  he  had  come  to  a  "no  man's  land." 

In  1738  that  portion  of  Orange  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge  was  divid- 
ed into  the  counties  of  Frederick  and  Augusta  by  a  line  running  from 
where  is  now  the  northwest  corner  of  Greene  County,  to  the  Fairfax 
Stone  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the  western  line  of  Maryland.  But 
until  there  should  be  more  settlers  west  of  the  mountains,  the  two  new 
counties  were  left  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Orange.  It  was  not  until 
December,  1745,  that  Augusta  was  organized.  It  is  for  this  reason 
that  the  early  records  of  Orange  have  something  to  do  with  the  district 
west  of  Shenandoah  Mountain.  When  it  was  set  off,  Augusta  con- 
tained about  4000  people,  but  they  were  scattered  over  a  wide  area. 

Lewis  and  his  companions  were  regarded  as  squatters  on  the  pub- 
lic domain.  To  make  them  feel  the  authority  of  the  state,  two  im- 
mense tracts  of  choice  land  were  given  to  William  Beverly  and  Ben- 
jamin Borden.  The  grant  of  118,491  acres  to  Beverly  lay  around 
Staunton.     It  was  known  as  Beverly  Manor  and  also  as  Irish  Tract. 

Lewis  was  of  middle  age  when  he  came  to  Virginia.  His  sons, 
Thomas,  Andrew,  and  William  were  then  minors  but  became  more 
prominent  than  himself.  Thomas  was  the  first  county  surveyor  of 
Augusta.  Andrew  assisted  in  surveying  and  both  brothers  were  very 
energetic  as  land  prospectors. 

Under  the  date  of  October  29,  1743,  an  order  of  council  for  30,- 
000  acres  was  issued  in  favor  of  James  and  Henry  Robinson,  James 
Wood,  and  Thomas  and  Andrew  Lewis.  The  grant  was  located  in 
the  basin  of  the  James  River  above  the  mouth  of  the  Cowpasture. 
Thomas  and  Andrew  Lewis,  now  25  and  23  years  old,  seem  to  have 
been  the  only  active  members  of  the  syndicate,  although  Wood,  of 
Frederick  County,  was  also  a  surveyor.     The  Robinsons  were  aristo- 


16  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

crats  of  Tidewater  and  their  names  were  enough  to  give  prestige  to 
the  enterprise. 

If,  as  is  probable,  no  settlers  had  appeared  in  the  Bath  area  before 
1743,  this  will  explain  why  the  surveying  did  not  begin  in  earnest  un- 
til nearly  two  years  had  elapsed.  September  26,  1745*,  the  Lewises  ap- 
peared on  the  Cowpasture,  just  above  Nimrod  Hall,  and  surveyed  1080 
acres  for  Adam  Dickenson.  This  tract  was  the  most  northern  in  a 
chain  of  four.  During  the  next  two  days  the  others  were  run  off  for 
Alexander  Millroy,  John  Donally,  and  Hugh  Coffey.  The  fourth 
day  was  Sunday,  and  after  the  manner  of  good  Presbyterians  the  sur- 
veyors reported  no  work.  During  the  first  half  of  the  following  week 
they  were  moving  northward,  adding  seven  more  links  to  the  chain. 
These  surveys  were  in  favor  of  James  Waddell,  Ralph  Laverty,  James 
Stuart,  James  McCay,  John  Mitchell,  John  Cartmill,  and  James 
Hughart.  Those  of  Stuart,  McCay,  and  Mitchell  were  on  Stuart's 
Creek. 

The  last  day  in  March,  1746,  the  date  falling  on  Monday,  the  sur- 
veyors returned  to  the  Cowpasture,  and  below  Coffey  they  laid  off 
parcels  for  Joseph  Watson,  Andrew  Muldrock,  and  William  Daugh- 
erty.  On  the  first  of  "Aprile,"  they  continued  down  the  river  to 
the  vicinity  of  Griffith  Knob,  surveying  for  John  Walker,  James 
Mayse,  and  Robert  Crockett.  Meanwhile  a  detachment  of  the  sur- 
veying party  wTas  at  work  far  above,  laying  off  selections  for  James 
Scott,  John  McCreery,  William  Gillespie,  William  Lewis,  James 
Jackson,  James  Simpson,  William  Black,  Robert  Abercrombie,  Thomas 
Gillespie,  Thomas  Fitzpatrick,  Hugh  Edwards,  William  Warwick, 
and  James  Hall.  The  surveys  already  mentioned  took  in  nearly  all  the 
choice  morsels  of  Cowpasture  bottom  that  lie  within  the  present  lim- 
its of  Bath  and  also  the  more  desirable  land  on  Stuart's  Creek. 

During  the  last  week  in  April  the  surveyors  were  busy  on  Jackson's 
River.     Their  largest  tract  was  for  William  Jackson.     Immediately 


•According  to  the  Old  Style  Calendar,  which  was  11  days  behind  the  true 
time.  The  correct  date  is  therefore  October  7.  The  New  Style  calendar, 
was  put  into  force  in  1752.  To  correct  the  error,  11  days  were  taken  out  of 
ihe  September  of  that  year.  Until  then,  the  English  began  the  new  year 
with  March  25.  For  example,  all  dates  in  1746  coming  prior  to  March  25 
were  counted  as  belonging  to  1745,  but  were  often  written  as  in  this  illustra- 
tion:    March   1,   1745-6. 


DISCOVERY  AND  SETTLEMENT  17 

below  was  a  second  large  tract  for  Adam  Dickenson,  who  took  a 
third  a  little  lower  down.  The  lands  of  James  Ewing,  William 
Jameson,  and  Archibald  Elliott  were  still  farther  below. 

The  surveying  continued  at  intervals  until  October  4.  Mean- 
while the  Lewises  did  not  fail  to  look  out  for  Number  One.  The 
Fort  Lewis  survey  of  950  acres  was  run  off  September  5  in  the  name 
of  John  Lewis.  William  Lewis  took  a  tract  immediately  below  Bull- 
pasture  Gap.  Thomas  Lewis  took  two  tracts  on  Jackson's  River,  at 
and  just  below  the  Highland  line,  and  four  on  Back  Creek.  Of  the 
long  list  of  surveys  four  remained  for  a  while  in  the  hands  of  the 
syndicate. 

It  is  not  to  be  assumed  that  every  given  acreage,  as  put  down  in 
the  suryevor's  book,  is  very  close  to  the  actual  amount.  The  Lewises 
understood  how  to  survey,  but  their  work  was  done  too  rapidly  for 
precise  results.  The  wilderness  was  broad  and  the  methods  they 
used  were  slapdash.  The  length  of  a  course  was  sometimes  paced 
off  or  guessed  at.  An  open  line  was  occasionally  drawn.  But  it  is 
significant  that  in  nearly  or  quite  every  instance  the  true  area  is  found 
to  overrun  the  surveyor's  figure,  sometimes  to  a  very  considerable 
extent.  The  loose  way  in  which  the  courses  were  often  run  appears 
in  the  frequency  with  which  the  phrase,  "containing  by  estimation," 
occurs  in  the  deeds  based  on  these  surveys. 

In  the  surveys  not  held  until  a  purchaser  should  appear,  the  sur- 
veyor entered  this    clause  in     his     report:     "Now  in    possession  of 

."     This  does  not  necessarily  imply  that  the 

person  named  was  already  living  on  his  land.  Millroy,  Coffey,  and 
Daugherty  are  indeed  mentioned  as  having  houses  on  their  selections. 
The  same  was  doubtless  true  of  several  other  settlers.  But  in  some 
instances  the  expression  means  no  more  than  that  purchase  had  been 
made.  Several  claimants  lived  on  the  Beverly  or  Borden  grants, 
and  not  here.  Sometimes  an  actual  settler  would  take  a  second  and 
perhaps  a  third  tract,  possibly  at  a  considerable  distance  from  his 
homestead. 

On  Jackson's  River,  and  within  the  Bath  area*,  it  is  doubtful 


*By  "Bath  area,"  we  mean  Bath  County  within  its  present  lines,  just  as 
if  these  limits  had  always  existed.  By  "Greater  Bath,"  whenever  the  term  is 
used  in  this  book,  we  mean  Bath  as  it  stood  from  1790  to  1822. 


18  ANNALS   OF   BATH    COUNTY 

whether  there  was  any  settler  as  early  as  1746,  unless  it  were  William 
Jackson. 

How  long  had  the  settlers  been  on  their  lands?  Dickenson,  the 
foremost  man  in  the  Cowpasture  settlement,  calls  himself  a  resident  of 
Maryland  in  1742.  As  to  the  other  settlers,  there  is  no  evidence  that 
any  of  them  came  sooner  than  1744.  Carpenter,  Mayse,  and  Wright 
did  not  appear  until  1746.  Had  the  settlements  generally  been  prior  to 
1745,  the  surveyors  would  have  come  sooner  than  they  did.  In  his  list 
of  surveys  in  Augusta  between  the  dates,  January  29  and  June  15, 
1745,  Thomas  Lewis  mentions  none  west  of  Shenandoah  Mountain. 
Again,  if  there  had  been  settlers  here  for  some  length  of  time,  the 
court  records  should  disclose  some  indication  of  the  fact.  The  first 
constable  for  the  Cowpasture  was  James  Mayse,  appointed  in  Febru- 
ary, 1745.  And  as  the  head  tax  was  closely  looked  after,  the  pioneers 
could  not  have  escaped  the  attention  of  the  county  court.  The  first 
recognition  by  that  body  of  tithables  beyond  Shenandoah  Mountain 
occurs  May  23,  1745.  The  justices  of  Orange,  in  describing  precincts 
to  the  various  tithe-takers,  then  instruct  John  Lewis  to  list  "all  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  Cow  and  Calf  Pastures  and  the  Settlers  back  of 
the  same."  The  expression,  "back  of  the  same,"  is  not  quite  conclu- 
sive that  any  man  had  as  yet  located  beyond  Warm  Springs  Mountain. 
It  seems  worded  to  cover  a  possible  and  perhaps  probable  contingency. 
Once  again,  the  muster  rolls  of  the  militia  for  1742  do  not  include  the 
names  that  were  soon  to  appear  in  the  region  covered  by  the  Lewis 
grant. 

The  county  surveyor  did  not  come  again  for  four  years.  In  1750 
and  1751  he  surveyed  37  tracts,  which,  however,  aggregate  not  quite 
2000  acres.  Those  of  above  100  acres  number  only  four.  Several 
are  of  10  to  20  acres  only.  Twelve  were  taken  by  men  already  here. 
Some  others  were  seemingly  taken  by  junior  members  of  the  pioneer 
families.  During  the  next  four  years,  which  interval  brings  us  to  the 
outbreak  of  the  Indian  war,  there  are  only  five  new  surveys  which  seem 
to  belong  to  the  Bath  area. 

This  abrupt  falling  off  in  the  amount  of  land  surveyed  between 
1740  and  1755  tells  a  very  plain  story.  All  the  more  desirable  lands 
had  now  been  taken;  the  early  settlers,  who  seldom  chose  tracts  of 
less  than  200  acres,  were  a  substantial  class  of  men  and  the  little  sur- 
veys of  1750-51,  so  far  as  associated  with  the  names  of  later  comers, 
generally  indicate  men  of  less  stability  and  more  limited  means. 


DISCOVERY  AND  SETTLEMENT  19 

We  close  this  chapter  with  a  tradition  bearng  on  the  early  settle- 
ment of  Bath.  The  story  was  put  into  print  quite  a  while  ago,  and 
was  related  by  a  man  whose  personal  recollection  must  have  begun 
nearly  a  century  since.     It  runs  as  follows : 

Peter  Francisco  settled  near  the  eastern  foot  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 
With  the  help  of  the  men  who  located  around  him,  he  blazed  a  path 
to  the  summit  of  the  mountain  wall.  John  Lewis,  Robert  Clark, 
and  James  Mayse  joined  him  in  the  decision  to  explore  the  country 
lying  westward,  and  late  in  a  September  the  four  men  set  out  afoot. 
Once  on  the  mountan  top  they  were  struck  with  the  broad  expanse 
of  desirable  country  in  full  view.  They  went  forward  a  consider- 
able distance,  and  on  their  return  they  marked  out  a  trail  for  pack- 
horses. 

In  the  spring  they  set  forth  again,  this  time  with  horses,  and 
reached  the  Cowpasture  at  Fort  Lewis.  Selecting  a  hollow  lying 
against  a  high  cliff,  they  built  a  hut  of  three  rooms  and  fenced  it  in 
with  a  barracade  of  felled  trees.  They  planted  corn,  potatoes,  and 
turnips,  and  in  the  fall  stored  away  their  little  crop,  burying  the  veg- 
etables under  the  floor  of  the  hut.  Then  they  returned,  no  Indians 
having  been  seen. 

The  second  spring  there  were  about  20  men  to  go  to  the  Cowpasture 
several  being  accompanied  by  their  families.  The  hut  was  undisturb- 
ed, except  that  squirrels  had  eaten  much  of  the  corn  and  the  foxes 
had  looked  out  for  the  venison  and  bear  meat.  More  land  was  clear- 
ed and  individual  huts  were  to  be  built  in  the  fall.  After  the  grow- 
ing corn  was  "laid  by,"  several  of  the  men  went  back  for  additional 
supplies.  There  were  left  behind  four  women,  a  man  lamed  by  an 
axe-cut  in  his  foot,  and  a  boy  named  Joseph  Mayse. 

The  third  morning  afterward,  a  party  of  Indians  captured  the 
four  women  and  the  small  store  of  eatables  and  fired  the  hut.  The  boy 
who  was  hoeing  corn  barefoot,  was  also  taken.  The  man  had  hob- 
bled some  distance  up  the  river  and  was  fishing.  Hearing  the  yells 
and  seeing  the  smoke,  he  crawled  up  a  bluff  to  get  a  better  view.  Some 
Indians  with  the  boy  and  two  of  the  women  passed  below  without 
seeing  him.  He  supposed  the  other  women  killed,  but  feared  to  fire, 
since  it  might  lead  to  the  death  of  the  captives.  The  company  passed 
on,  and  he  was  about  to  descend  the  bluff,  when  the  other  women 
came  in  sight,  urged  along  by  a  switch  in  the  hand  of  a  solitary  Indian. 


20  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Their  condition  made  it  impossible  for  them  to  travel  as  fast  as  the 
others.  Enraged  by  the  spectacle,  the  lame  man  shot  the  driver  dead, 
but  the  report  of  his  gun  did  not  cause  the  other  Indians  to  return. 

The  red  men  and  their  prisoners  camped  that  night  in  a  cave  a 
mile  above  Bath  Alum.  When  they  had  reached  Beaver  Run  on 
Gauley  they  were  overtaken  by  the  men  of  the  settlement,  who,  upon 
seeing  the  smoke  from  a  mountain  summit,  at  once  turned  back  in 
pursuit.  The  Indians,  though  taken  by  surprise,  made  their  escape, 
but  the  captives  tried  to  follow,  thinking  the  assailants  were  other  In- 
dians. They  had  reached  and  swum  the  Gauley,  before  the  rescuers 
could  overtake  them  and  tell  them  to  go  back  to  camp  and  live  on  the 
venison  that  was  there.  The  men  resumed  the  pursuit.  The  women  and 
the  boy  missed  the  trail  in  the  darkness  and  followed  a  deerpath, 
which  took  them  to  a  river  that  ran  the  wrong  way  to  be  the  Gauley. 
This  stream  was  broad  and  shoal  and  they  easily  got  across.  On  the 
farther  side  they  saw  many  buffalos  and  other  grazing  animals,  some 
of  them  drinking  from  a  spring.  The  fugitives  were  hungry  and 
tired.  The  boy  picked  up  a  knife  that  had  been  dropped  by  an  Indian 
and  killed  a  buffalo  calf,  although  for  a  while  its  cries  maddened  the 
herd  and  compelled  the  boy  and  women  to  keep  out  of  its  way.  After 
the  animals  dispersed  he  cut  out  a  ham.  While  searching  for  the 
women  he  fell  into  the  spring,  and  its  salty  water  made  his  feet  smart. 

In  two  days  they  reached  the  source  of  the  river,  which  was  the 
Elk.  From  the  mountain  they  were  now  on,  they  thought  they  could 
recognize  the  ridge  east  of  the  Greenbrier.  Their  meat  had  become 
tainted,  but  the  resourceful  boy  caught  fish  in  the  Elk,  using  a  string 
of  hickory  bark  as  a  fishing  line.  When  they  reached  the  Greenbrier 
they  recognized  the  point  where  they  had  crossed.  The  waters  were  too 
deep  for  wading,  their  firsh  were  spoiled,  and  they  could  get  no  more 
in  the  muddy  river.  But  the  men,  who  were  mounted,  presently  came 
along  and  they  had  plenty  of  venison  captured  from  the  Indians. 
What  had  happened  to  the  latter  the  men  could  not  be  induced  to 
tell.  In  two  more  days  they  reached  the  home  on  the  Cowpasture, 
where  the  lame  man  had  saved  from  the  fire  a  building  of  green  logs 
intended  for  a  stable.  This  he  had  made  comfortable  for  the  women, 
and  in  a  few  days  the  little  colony  was  increased  by  two  infant  boys. 

This  legend  of  the  discovery  of  the  mineral  springs  of  Webster 
county  cannot  be  accepted  at  face  value.     Like  some  other  narratives 


DISCOVERY  AND  SETTLEMENT  21 

of  the  old  frontier,  it  appears  to  confuse  names  and  events  belonging 
to  different  periods  of  time.  John  Lewis  never  lived  east  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  and  the  elder  Joseph  Mayse  did  not  settle  on  the  Cowpasture 
before  1746.  Peter  Francisco  lived  in  Bedford  County  and  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution.  He  was  a  giant  in  size  and  strength  and 
wielded  a  broad-sword  five  feet  long?  With  this  terrible  weapon  he 
cut  down  eleven  British  soldiers  in  the  battle  of  Guilford.  The 
younger  Joseph  Mayse  was  not  taken  by  the  Indians  until  nearly  20 
years  after  the  settlement  of  the  Cowpasture.  His  experience,  as  told 
by  himself,  has  little  agreement  with  this  narrative.  And  if  the  four 
captives  could  swim  the  Gauley,  why  could  they  not  swim  the  Green- 
brier? 

The  only  chronological  place  for  the  story  is  in  the  year  1743,  at 
which  time  the  Augusta  people  had  some  trouble  with  the  red  men, 
though  it  was  not  of  very  serious  nature.  It  is  probable  that  the 
legend  includes  some  facts,  otherwise  lost  sight  of,  which  concern  the 
original  settlement  around  Fort  Lewis.  That  settlement  may  have 
Legun  in  1743,  in  which  case  the  legend  would  be  partially  correct. 


Ill 

THE  LEWIS  LAND  GRANT 

N  COLONIAL  times  an  immigrant  to  Virginia  who  was 
of  age  and  could  prove  he  had  paid  the  cost  of  his  pas- 
sage from  Europe  could  claim  a  "headright,"  which  en- 
titled him  to  50  acres  of  the  public  domain.  He  could  al- 
so take  up  50  acres  for  each  adult  male  member  of  his  household.  The 
man  availing  himself  of  the  headright  privilege  was  required  to  settle 
on  the  land,  to  improve  at  least  six  per  cent  of  the  acreage,  and  to  pay 
each  year  a  quitrent  of  one  shilling  (17  cents)  for  each  5  acres.  The 
tendency  of  this  system  was  to  fill  Virginia  with  a  good  class  of  citi- 
zens. The  principle  on  which  it  is  based  is  the  same  as  in  the  case  of 
the  present  homestead  law  of  the  national  government.  Fifty  acres 
was  also  the  amount  of  public  land  which  might  be  taken  up  by  the 
private  soldier  of  the  Indian  wars,  by  virtue  of  a  proclamation  of  the 
royal  governor  of  1763.  In  Bath  the  headright  was  not  permitted  to 
cut  any  figure.  As  for  the  corn  right  and  tomahawk  right,  which  are 
one  and  the  same  thing,  they  did  not  acquire  a  recognized  status  until 
1766,  and  consequently  have  no  actual  bearing  on  the  settlement  of 
this  county. 

Another  system  was  the  order  of  council.  The  governor,  with  the 
concurrence  of  his  council,  a  body  of  men  corresponding  to  the  present 
state  senate,  would  grant  a  huge  block  of  land  to  an  individual,  or  to  a 
group  of  men  acting  as  a  company.  In  theory  the  purpose  of  the  order 
of  council  was  to  settle  a  minimum  number  of  families  on  the  grant 
within  a  stated  time.  The  grantee  was  supposed  to  be  prohibited  from 
charging  more  than  a  specified  price  per  acre.  He  issued  deeds,  just  as 
though  the  grant  was  owned  by  himself  in  fee  simple.  In  modern 
usage  the  order  of  council  would  be  defined  as  a  method  of  coloniza- 
tion. But  in  practice  there  was  created  a  non-resident  proprietorship, 
enabling  influential  men  in  favor  with  the  powers-that-were  to  levy 
for  their  personal  benefit  a  plump  tax  on  a  body  of  settlers,  and  with- 
out rendering  a  corresponding  benefit  in  return.  Such  a  way  of  doinq: 
things  was  a  graft.  It  discriminated  against  the  small  landseeker.  It 
cornered  the  desirable  land  in  a  region  where  the  proportion  of  rough 


THE  LEWIS  LAND  GRANT  23 

land  is  very  large.  Unless  the  settler  was  able  to  pay  a  comparatively 
high  price  for  such  choice  land,  he  had  to  go  on  to  the  very  verge  of 
settlement.  Many  persons  did  so  and  in  this  way  a  thin  fringe  of  set- 
tlement was  pushed  forward  too  rapidly  for  comfort  or  safety.  Fur- 
thermore, the  colonial  government  is  said  to  have  been  very  lenient 
toward  its  favorites  in  the  matter  of  enforcing  forfeiture  where  there 
was  a  failure  to  comply  with  the  settlement  condition.  Sometimes  the 
grantee  did  not  charge  the  full  minimum  price  per  acre.  At  other 
times  he  exacted  more  than  was  his  due. 

The  headright  method  was  equitable.  It  assumed  that  the  settler 
was  capable  of  choosing  land  for  himself.  The  other  method  was 
monopolistic.  It  assumed  that  the  immigrant  was  too  much  like  a 
child  to  select  for  himself,  and  that  it  was  fair  and  proper  to  allow 
some  self-constituted  agency  to  charge  him  a  high  price  for  a  compara- 
tively small  service. 

The  following  paragraph,  taken  from  a  petition  presented  to  the 
Legislature  by  Botetourt  citizens  in  1779,  doubtless  voiced  a  very  prev- 
alent feeling: 

A  few  artful  monopolizers,  possessed  of  immense  sums  of  money,  which 
they  have  accumulated  by  taking  advantage  of  the  necessities  of  individuals, 
have  it  in  their  power  to  engross  the  greatest  part  of  the  public  lands  on  this 
side  of  the  Ohio,  whilst  the  brave  soldier  is  limited  to  a  small  portion  and 
the  virtuous  citizen  is  implicitly  debarred  from  getting  any  at  all. 

As  we  have  already  seen,  a  syndicate  which  included  Thomas  and 
Andrew  Lewis  was  given  in  1743  an  order  of  council  for  30,000  acres. 
We  recognize  as  portions  of  this  grant  91  separate  tracts,  covering 
about  27,000  acres,  and  surveyed  in  1745-6.  The  Lewis  brothers  were 
good  judges  of  land  and  they  scarcely  overlooked  any  section  of  river- 
bottom  that  was  of  first  desirability.  Neither  did  they  fail  to  take  no- 
tice of  the  limestone  uplands  of  Warm  Springs.  These  they  seem  to 
have  covered  by  entries,  probably  as  early  as  1743.  The  surveys  based 
upon  such  entries  are  of  considerably  later  date  than  the  91  we  are 
about  to  consider. 

These  original  surveys  average  about  300  acres.  Several  of  the 
more  choice  tracts  were  reserved  by  the  Lewises  for  personal  owner- 
ship or  for  speculation.  Of  the  others  all  but  seven  had  been  taken  by 
individual  landseekers  before  the  surveyors  came  around.  The  further 
progress  of  private  ownership  in  this  basin  of  the  upper  James  may  be 


24  ANNALS   OF    BATH   COUNTY 

read  in  the  lists  of  patents  for  the  remaining  fragments  of  river-bottom 
and  the  more  desirable  tracts  of  upland.  Much  of  this  later  patenting 
went  to  the  enlargement  of  the  original  estates.  These  later  surveys 
may  be  classed  as  culls.  Many  of  them  were  not  made  into  new  farms 
and  their  history  is  of  far  less  interest  than  that  of  the  primary  sur- 
veys. 

We  therefore  append  to  this  chapter  a  list  and  description  of  these 
primary  surveys.  Where  we  find  conveyances  of  title  during  the  first 
50  years  of  settlement,  we  include  in  the  record  all  but  the  least  im- 
portant of  these  transactions.  Yet  here  and  there  an  item  is  missing 
which  we  have  not  been  able  to  find.  In  a  few  other  instances  there  is 
an  element  of  uncertainty.  Now  and  then  an  entry  seems  not  to  have 
found  its  way  into  the  record  books. 

The  holdings  under  the  Lewis  grant  constituted  the  key  to  the  ear- 
ly history  of  the  upper  basin  of  the  James.  The  lands  esteemed  choice 
by  the  settlers  cover  only  one-twentieth  of  this  area.  This  fraction 
was  taken  up  by  men  of  enterprise  and  resource;  men  capable  of  car- 
rying on  a  plantation  rather  than  a  common  farm.  Now  and  then  a 
settler  dropped  out  of  the  race,  usually  because  of  Indian  raids  or  fi- 
nancial embarrassment.  Other  men,  feeling  cramped  by  the  narrow 
valleys,  or  impelled  by  sheer  restlessness,  moved  at  length  to  the  Caro- 
lina uplands  or  into  the  smooth  country  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  If 
the  pioneer  did  not  himself  migrate,  his  son  or  his  grandson  was  quite 
certain  to  do  so.  If  his  surname  has  not  utterly  disappeared  during 
the  seventeen  decades  of  settlement,  the  outflow  has  in  most  instances 
been  of  such  volume  as  to  leave  behind  only  a  small  representation  of 
his  posterity. 

Since  Greater  Bath  covered  nearly  all  the  upper  valley  of  the 
James,  we  have  thought  it  best  to  include  the  Lewis  surveys  in  High- 
land and  Alleghany. 

Beginning  with  the  most  eastern  of  the  sources  of  the  Bullpasture, 
that  valley,  as  far  down  as  the  Lockridge  neighborhood,  was  parcelled 
off  into  the  surveys  claimed  by  Elliot,  De  la  Montony,  syndicate  (224 
acres),  Armstrong  (112),  Carlile  (204),  McCreery  (208),  Holman, 
Largent,  syndicate  (175),  Harper,  Miller  (250),  Bodkin,  Estill, 
Carlile  (304),  Carlile  (284),  and  Lewis  (348). 

On  the  Cowpasture,  immediately  above  the  mouth  of  the  Bullpas- 
ture, w.is   Black.     Just  above  him  was  Knox   (254)   and  across  the 


THE  LEWIS  LAND  GRANT  25 

Cowpasture  was  Jackson  (340).  Above  Knox  was  Hall  (212),  and 
beyond  him  were  Rainey,  Jackson  (163),  and  syndicate  (286),  these 
four  not  forming  an  altogether  connected  series.  For  about  nine 
miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Bullpasture  the  order  was  as  follows: 
Lewis  (390),  McCreery  (520),  Lewis  (430),  Lewis  (950),  and 
Mayse  (182).  Southward  to  the  mouth  of  Stuart's  Creek  the  order 
is  approximately  this:  Cartmill,  Knox  (93),  Moore,  Clendennin 
(195),  Clendennin  (130).  Knox  and  Moore  were  separated  by  the 
river.  Abercrombie  lay  on  Cromby's  Run,  now  Thompson's  Creek. 
Laverty  was  at  the  mouth  of  Stuart's  Creek.  Just  above  him  on  that 
stream  was  Stuart.  Beyond  was  first  McCay  and  then  Mitchell. 
Some  distance  higher  up  were  Gillespie  (300),  Edwards,  Hall  (150), 
and  Fitzpatrick.  Just  below  Laverty  and  nearly  opposite  was  Wad- 
dell.  Thence,  until  we  come  into  the  great  bend  of  the  Cowpasture 
beginning  at  Griffith's  Knob,  the  succession  is  as  follows:  Dicken- 
son (1080),  Millroy,  Donally,  Coffey,  Watson,  Muldrock  (130), 
Duagherty,  Walker,  Mayse  (415),  Crockett  (246),  Scott,  Simpson, 
Gillespie  (320).  Muldrock  had  a  small  survey  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Cowpasture,  and  in  the  bend  above  was  Gannt's. 

In  the  pocket  of  bottom  on  Jackson's  River,  beginning  just  above 
the  Highland  line,  there  came,  successively,  Miller  (487),  Mayse 
(234),  Lewis  (304),  and  Lewis  (489).  Below  the  defile  above 
Fort  Dinwiddie  were  the  very  long  surveys  of  Jackson  (1100)  and 
Dickenson  (870).  Thence  along  the  river  to  the  mouth  of  Dunlap — 
first  called  Carpenter's  Creek,  Peter's  Creek,  and  Meadow  Creek — 
the  succession  is  about  as  follows:  Crockett  (283),  Davis,  Jameson, 
Armstrong  (270),  Ewing,  Crockett  (195),  Elliot  (163),  Wilson, 
Montgomery,  and  Dunlap,  together  with  three  syndicate  surveys. 
On  the  lower  portion  of  the  site  of  Covington  was  Wright,  and  in  the 
river-loop  below  was  Carpenter. 

About  the  source  of  Falling  Spring  was  a  Dickenson  survey.  Well 
up  on  Dunlap  was  a  large  Lewis  survey  and  another  held  by  the  syn- 
dicate. On  Back  Creek  was  a  Lewis  survey  and  four  syndicate  sur- 
veys, three  of  the  latter  lying  at  the  mouth  of  Little  Back  Creek. 

The  surveys  in  the  Lewis  grant  were  patented  by  the  first  occu- 
pants or  by  their  successors.  The  certificates  of  survey  were  trans- 
ferable by  law,  and  were  given  to  the  settlers  in  return  for  the  pur- 
chase money  of  10  cents  per  acre. 


26  ANNALS   OF    BATH    COUNTY 

It  would  seem  as  though  most  of  the  settlers  were  either  unable 
or  unwilling  to  pay  for  their  lands,  or  that  they  wished  to  worry  the 
Lewis  syndicate  into  granting  patents  for  a  nominal  consideration. 
At  any  rate,  many  suits  were  brought  against  them  by  Robinson 
and  Lewis  between  1747  and  1752.  The  defendants  in  these  suits 
include  an  undue  proportion  of  the  leading  men  of  the  settlements. 

The  suit  of  Mays  v.  Lewis,  1746,  throws  considerable  light  on 
the  early  settlement  of  Bath.  Joseph  Mayse  states  that  he  agreed  to 
purchase  of  John  Lewis  500  acres  in  one  or  more  blocks.  Lewis  was 
to  survey  at  his  own  cost,  and  give  perfect  title  in  fee  simple  when- 
ever so  required.  Mayse  was  to  pay  three  pounds  per  100  acres  and 
paid  down  two  pounds.  A  200-acre  tract  was  laid  off  on  the  Cow- 
pasture  and  Lewis  promised  to  lay  off  the  other  300  acres  when  asked 
to  do  so.  Mayse  paid  the  surveyor  one  pistole  ($3.61)  and  decided 
to  take  the  other  300  acres  on  Jackson's  River,  adjoining  William 
Wilson.  James  Trimble,  alias  Turnbull,  there  ran  off  for  him  234 
acres.  In  the  fall  Mayse  built  a  cabin  on  it,  paid  40  shillings,  and  al- 
ways stood  ready  to  pay  the  residue  in  cash,  but  Lewis  demanded  a 
bond,  which  Mayse  refused  to  give,  as  he  expected  interest  would  be 
required.  Mayse  understands  that  Lewis  has  sold  the  234  acres  to  a 
stranger. 

In  his  reply,  Lewis  states  that  the  bargaining  was  in  June,  1746. 
Mayse  lives  on  the  Cowpasture  survey.  Lewis  denies  that  Mayse 
paid  him  40  shillings  or  any  smaller  sum  on  the  same,  but  admits 
that  Mayse  let  him  have  a  tweed  hat  and  some  other  trifles,  which 
he  understands  were  not  to  apply  on  the  purchase.  Lewis  says  Mayse 
never  paid  40  shillings  on  the  Jackson's  River  land,  but  on  the  con- 
trary owed  him  43  shillings,  which  he  could  not  get  till  he  threaten- 
ed suit.  Mayse  had  money  in  the  hands  of  John  Brown.  The  Latter 
made  over  to  Lewis  a  doubloon,  out  of  which  Lewis  paid  to  himself 
the  43  shillings  and  was  ready  to  pay  Mayse  what  was  left.  He  con- 
fessed selling  the  234  acres  and  being  paid  in  cash  for  it.  He  gave 
Mayse  notice  to  settle  and  either  pay  down  or  give  bond  for  the  pur- 
chase money  for  both  tracts,  the  bond  to  bear  interest  from  the  end 
of  August,  1747.  Mayse  flatly  refused  to  do  either  and  demanded 
a  patent  in  his  own  name.  Lewis  declares  he  has  always  been  ready 
ti»  Lrive  deed  or  patent  for  the  200-acre  tract,  provided  Mayse  took 
500  acres  in  all,  cither  paving  in  specie  or  giving  his  bond.  In  his  re- 
joinder, Mayse  reaffirms  his  previous  statement. 


THE  LEWIS  LAND  GRANT  27 

In  McCreery  v.  Justice,  we  find  this  memorandum  by  James 
Trimble,  dated  August  7,  1750:  "Surveyed  for  Wm.  Warrick  224 
Acres  in  Newfound  Land  between  Saml  De  La  Matonye  &  Car- 
lile."  Thomas  Lewis  says  John  McCreery  paid  him  $6.54  for  the  sur- 
veying, which  was  done  for  Warrick.  In  1749  a  charge  of  $10.75 
was  added  to  the  foregoing.  John  Justice  gave  bond  to  pay  Mc- 
Creery $22.50  "for  my  right  of  a  piece  in  the  bull  paster,"  also  the 
purchase  money  to  John  Lewis,  and  the  charges  for  the  surveying 
and  the  "patton." 

The  name  of  the  person  for  whom  the  tract  was  surveyed  is  mentioned 
first.  Then  follow,  in  regular  succession,  the  acreage,  the  location,  the 
date  of  patent,  and  finally  the  conveyances,  if  any,  which  ensued.  When  no 
name  immediately  follows  the  year  of  patent,  it  is  to  be  understood  that 
the  patent  was  issued  in  the  name  of  the  person  for  whom  the  survey  was 
made.  Otherwise,  the  name  of  the  new  owner  is  mentioned.  A  star  follow- 
ing the  acreage — as  100* — means  that  the  survey  was  in  1745.  All  other 
surveys  were  in  1746.  The  Virignia  pound  of  $3.33  is  represented  by  "p". 
Therefore,  to  reduce  pounds  to  dollars,  add  one  cipher  and  divide  by  3. 
Other  special   abbreviations  are  these: 

CP — Cowpasture;  BP — Bullpasture;  JR — Jackson's  River;  BC — Back 
Creek;  SC — Stuart's  Creek;  FS — Falling  Spring  Run;  DC — Dunlap  Creek; 
A — acres:  P — patent;  br — branch;  n — 'near;  opp — opposite;  adj — adjoining; 
cor — cornering  on  ;   mo — mouth  of. 

Abercrombie,  Robert — 425— Cromby's  Run,  CP— P,  1760,  James  Gay— 336 
A  sold,  1773,  to  John  Gay  for  lOOp — the  same  sold  by  Jas.  and  Jno.  Gay  to 
Henry  Rockey,  of  Pennsylvania  for  3500p   (depreciated  paper  money). 

Armstrong,  Robert— 270— JR,  below  Bath  line— P,   1760. 

Armstrong,  Robert— 112— BP,  below  Doe  Hill— 'P,  1760,  William  Wil- 
son— sold,   1768,  to  Abraham  Hempenstall  for  46p. 

Black,  Alexander— 250— CP  at  mo.  BP— P,  1750—125  A  sold  to  Alexan- 
der Black,  Jr.,  1765,  for  40p — whole  P  plus  later  P  of  34  A  sold  by  pioneer's 
sons,  1792,  to  Thomas  Houston  for  400p — sold  by  Houston,  1796,  to  John 
Lewis  for  1000  p — sold  by  Lewis,  1798,  to  Charles  Cameron  for  lOOOp. 

Bodkin,  Richard— 339— BP  above  Pullin— P,  1750— sold,  1762,  to  Samuel 
Given  for  158p — 100  A  sold,  1765,  to  James  Burnside  for  40p — 239  A  sold 
1768,  to  John  Hicklin  for  150p. 

Carlile,  Robert  and  John— 304 — BP  below  Estill— P  1765— divided  equally 
1773.  between  Robert  and  John. 

Carlile,  Robert  and  John — 204 — W  side  BP  below  Armstrong's  112 — P, 
1759— sold,  1786,  by  George  Carlile  to  William  Erwin  for  lOp.  Sold,  1793, 
by  William  and  Susanna'Erwin  to  James  Hutchinson  for  140p. 

Carlile,  Robert  and  John— 300— P,  1759— CP,  E  side  Indian  Draft— sold 
to  John  Carlile,  Jr.,  1773  for  70p. 


28  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Carlile,  John— 281— BP  below  Carlile's  30-1 — P,  1750,  William  Wilson- 
sold  1761,  by  Matthew  Wilson  (brother  and  heir)  to  Robert  Graham  for 
67i/2p. 

Carpenter,  Joseph— 782— JR  below  Wright— P,  1750 — 230  A  sold,  1762,  to 
John  Mann  for  700 — 1-64  A  divided  equally,  1765,  between  Joseph  and  Solo- 
mon Carpenter  (sons),  each  paying  father  lOp — 160  A  of  Solomon's  share 
purchased  at  public  sale,  1772,  by  William  Hughart  for  90p,  and  sold  by  him, 
1786,  to  Wallace  Estill,  Jr.  for  260p.  However,  Solomon  Carpenter  and 
Sutney  his  wife  sold  to  John  Mann,  1773,  160  A  for  130p. 

Cartmill,  John— 300*— CP  touching  Indian  Draft— P,  1760—245  A  sold, 
1774,  to  Samuel  Cartmill  for  lOOp,  and  by  him,  1787,  to  Nathan  Crawford. 

Clendennin,  Archibald — 195 — CP  n  mo  SC — P  1750,  Thomas  Thompson, 

Clendennin,  Archibald — 130 — adj  his  other  tract — P,  1750,  Thomas 
Thompson. 

Coffey,  Hugh— 220*— CP  below  Donally— P  1750— Sold  1766,  by  John  Cof- 
fey (son)  to  John  Ramsey  for  40p,  and  by  him,  1794,  to  Samuel  McDannald 
for  150p.     John  McDannald  then  a  neighbor. 

Crockett,  Robert— 195— JR  mo  Cedar  Creek— P,  1760,  John  Dickenson— 
sold  1762,  to  James  Fitzpatrick  for  30p — sold,  1793,  by  Fitzpatrick  to  Paul 
Harpole  for  225p. 

Crockett,  Robert — 246 — CP  below  James  Mayse — P,  1750,  John  and  Arch- 
ibald (sons) — sold,  1776,  to  James  Beard  and  by  him  to  Richard  Mayse, 
1794,  for  385p. 

Crockett,  Robert— 283— JR  above  mo  FS— P  1750,Samuel  (son)— sold, 
1762,  to  Alexander  Hamilton  for  40p — sold  by  Hamilton,  1765,  to  William 
Hamilton  for  lOOp — sold  by  latter,  1771,  to  Samuel  Kincaid  for  50p — sold  by 
Kincaid,  1780,  to  Andrew  Kincaid  for  400p — 76  A  sold  by  Andrew  Kincaid,  of 
Greenbrier,  to  John  Kincaid,   1795,  for  35p. 

Davis,  David— 320— E  side  JR,  mo  FS— P,  1760,  Robert  Abercrombie— 
sold,  1761,  to  John  Stuart  for  150p — sold  by  Stuart,  1761,  to  William  Mann 
for  152p — sold  by  Mann,  1784,  to  John  Robinson  for  60p. 

De  La  Montony,  Samuel— 200 — CP  below  Elliott— P,  John  McCreery— 
sold,  1760  to  John  Bodkin  for  25p— sold  by  Bodkin,  1762,  to  Robert  Duffield 
for  21i^p — sold  by  Duffield,  1794,  to  William  Armstrong  for  300p. 

Dickenson,  Adam— 1080*— CP  between  Waddell  and  Millroy — P,  1750— 
311  A  sold,  1754,  to  Alexander  Craighead  for  150p,  and  by  Craighead,  1765, 
to  Andrew  Sitlington  for  200p. 

Dickenson,  Adam— 870— JR  below  Jackson's  1100  A— P  1750—215  A  (up- 
per end)  sold,  1754,  to  John  Byrd  for  25p— 377  A  (middle)  sold,  1754,  to 
James  Bourland  for  75p — 317  A  (lower  end)  sold,  1754,  to  William  Dean 
for  75p.  Dean  sold  to  John  Dean  (brother),  1765,  for  lOOp — Bourland  sold 
175  A,  1774  to  Robert  McClentic  for  154p.  Note:— The  sales  by  Dicken- 
son show  an  excess  of  acreage. 

Dickenson,  Adam— 546— FS  valley— P,  1750— sold,  1767,  by  John  Dicken- 
son  and   Benjamin    Estill    (mortgagee)    to   Gabriel   Jones   for   250p — sold   by 


THE  LEWIS  LAND  GRANT  29 

Jones,  1792,  together  with  P's  of  217  and  82  A  to  Thomas  Massie  for  500p. 
At  same  time,  Jones  sold  to  Elisha  Williams  3  other  tracts  in  WS,  910  A,  for 
150p. 

Donally  John— 277*— CP   above   Coffey— P,   1751. 

Daugherty,  William— 285*— CP  between  Muldrock  and  Walker— P,  1750 
—sold  by  heirs,  1791,  to  Robert  Sitlington  for  330p. 

Dunlap,  Arthur — 270 — JR  mo  Dunlap  Creek — P,  1750,  William  Jackson — 
sold,  1772,  to  Richard  Morris  for  lOOp. 

Edwards,  Hugh — 174 — SC,  cor  Thomas  Gillespie— P,  1763,  Charles  Lew- 
is sold,  1769,  to  John  McCausland — sold  by  latter,  1791,  to  Andrew  McCaus- 
land    (son). 

Elliott,  Archibald — 364 — sources  of  BP  and  Blackthorn — P,  1756,  James 
Trimble — sold,  1757,  to  George  Wilson  for  55p — 200  A  sold  by  Wilson  to 
Samuel  Wilson  for  40p — 164  A  (remainder  of  survey?)  sold  by  Samuel  Wil- 
son, 1773,  to  John  McCoy  for  150p. 

Elliott,  Archibald— 163— JR—P    (?)— sold,   1758,  to  John  Johnson— sold, 

1759,  by  James  Clark  and  William  Elliott  (through  power  of  attorney  from 
Archibald  Elliott)  to  William  Johnson,  assignee  of  John  Johnson,  for  60p — 
sold  by  William  Johnson,  1762,  to  John  Bollar  for  50p. 

Estill,  Wallace— 344 — BP  at  Clover  Creek  mill — P,  1750—131  A  sold, 
1761,  to  Boude  Estill  (son)  for  40p,  and  by  latter,  1774,  to  James  Carlile  for 
108p— 213  A  sold  by  Wallace  Estill,  1774,  to  John  Pebbles  for  200p,  and  sold 
by  Pebbles'  heirs,  1805,  to  David  Gwin  for  $1500. 

Ewing,  James — 254 — JR  at  Muddy  Run — P,  1760,  Archibald  Armstrong — 
sold,  1793,  by  Armstrong  to  John  Sumwalt  for  105p. 

Fitzpatrick,  Thomas — '190 — SC — P,  1761,  John  Stephenson — sold  to  John 
Gillespie,  1767,  for  30p. 

Gannt,  Robert— 1-0— CP— P,  1770,  John  Ramsay  (?) 

Gillespie,  William— 320— CP  opp  Griffith  Knob— P,  1761— sold,  1780,  to 
Aaron  Hughes  for  10,000p  (depreciated  money). 

Gillespie,  Thomas— 300— SC—P,  1760—150  A  sold,  1795,  to  John  Edwards 
for  HOp,  and  by  him,  1779,  to  Jacob  Rodecap  for  180p. 

Hall,  James— 150— SC—P,  1750— sold,  1770,  to  Andrew  Donally,  and  by 
him,  1779  to  Leonard  Bell.  Seems  to  have  been  sold,  1797,  by  Samuel  Gilles- 
pie to  John  Edwards  for  HOp. 

Hall,  James-^212— CP  above  Laurel  Gap— P,  1750— sold  to  Robert  Hall, 

1760,  for  lOp,  and  by  him  to  Joseph  Gwin,  1772,  for  lOOp. 

Harper,  Matthew— 220— BP  above  Miller— P,  1758— sold,  1764,  to  Hugh 
Martin  for  80p — sold  by  Martin  to  John  Miller,  of  Rockingham, — sold  by 
Miller,   1789,  to  Charles  Callahan. 

Holman,  William — 265 — BP  above  Largent— P  (?) — probably  acquired  by 
Edward  Hynes,  who  died  about  1778. 

Hughart,  James— 590— E  side  CP  adj  Cartmill  and  Indian  Draft— P.  1750 
— sold,  1772,  by  Thomas  Hughart  (son)  to  James  Hughart,  Jr.,  (son) — 112  A 
sold  by  Thomas  and  James,  1784,  to  Nathan  Crawford  for  40p — 110  A  sold 
by  James  Hughart,  Jr.,  1793  to  John  Hughart  (son)   for  5p. 


30  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Jackson,  William — 1100 — JR  at  Fort  Dinwiddie — P,  1750 — Repatented, 
1784,  by  Robert  Hall,  who  in  17S0  purchased  for  5  shillings  320  A  of  John 
Oliver— 100  A  sold  by  Hall  (1783?)  to  William  Allen— 1000  A  sold,  1788,  to 
Jacob  Warrick  for  1500p— 261^4  A  sold,  1795,  by  Warrick  to  Charles  Cam- 
eron. 

Jackson,  James— 340— CP  opp  mo  BP— P,  1750,  John  Jackson— 170  A  sold 
1765,  by  William  Jackson  to  Francis  Jackson  for  30p,  and  by  latter,  1769, 
to  William  Renick  for  42p — sold  by  Renick,  1776,  to  George  Benson  for  65p — 
the  other  170  sold,  by  William  Jackson,  Jr.,  to  Robert  Hall  for  600p. 

Jackson,  James— 168— CP—P,  1759,  William  Sprowl— sold  to  William 
Steuart,  1761,  for  30p. 

Jameson,  William — 280 — E  side  JR  cor  Ewing — P,  1760,  John  Jameson 
(son) — sold,  1765,  to  Archibald  Armstrong,  Sr.,  for  50p,  and  by  the  latter, 
1767,  to  Robert  Armstrong,  Sr.,  for  lOOp — 145  A  sold,  1780,  to  Benjamin  Tall- 
man — James  Kirk,  a  neighbor,  1780.  But  in  1795,  Robert  Armstrong,  Sr.,  sold 
196  to  James  Sttele  for  200p. 

Knox,  James— 25-1 — CP  above  Black— P,  1760—100  A  sold,  1765,  to  Robert 
Knox  for  20  p,  and  by  latter,  1776,  to  Thomas  Nickell — 160  A  sold,  1769,  to 
Patrick  Miller  for  70p. 

Knox,  James — 93 — CP  adj  John  Moore— P,  1760 — sold,  1761,  to  Edward 
Thompson  for  31^p,  and  by  him,  1763,  to  Joseph  McClung  for  30p. 

Largent,  James — '212 — BP  below  Holman  and  on  a  small  br — P  (?)  — 
sold,  1762,  by  William  Johnson  to  Thomas  Hamilton  for  16^p,  and  by  Ham- 
ilton, 1773,  to  Joseph  Beathe. 

Laverty,  Ralph— 300— CP  mo  SC— P,  1750— conveyed  to  Mrs.  Rebecca 
Hamilton    (daughter),   1786. 

Lewis,  John— 950— CP  at  Fort  Lewis^P,  1750,  Charles  Lewis. 

Lewis,  John— 304 — JR  at  "great  lick"  (Bolar  Run)— P,  1760,  William 
Wilson. 

Lewis,  Andrew — 348— BP  below  Carlile's  281  A— P.  1750— sold,  1756, 
to  Thomas  Hicklin  for  60p — 217  sold  by  latter,  1761,  to  John  Hicklin  (son) 
for  50p,  and  by  Samuel  Given,  of  Botetourt,  1776,  to  Andrew  Lockridge  for 
270p— 131  A  sold,  1770,  by  Thomas  Hicklin  to  Thomas  Hicklin,  Jr.,  (son) 
and  sold,  1793,  by  James  Lockridge  to  Alexander  Wiley  for  230p — this  sold 
by  Wiley  to  John  Steuart  1797. 

Lewis,  William— 390— CP  and  BP  below  Black— P,  1750— sold,  1752,  to 
Thomas  Feamster  for  37^p — 100  A  sold,  1764,  by  Feamster  to  John  Mont- 
gomery for  48p,  and  by  latter,  1792,  to  Alexander  Taylor  for  ISOp. 

Lewis,  Thomas — 304,  210,  and  150 — mo  of  little  BC — P  as  one  tract,  1759, 
by  Robert  Abercrombie — sold,  1760,  to  Robert  Gay — 364  A  sold,  1765,  by 
(iay  to  Samuel  Vance  and  William  Hutchinson  for  60p — 183  A  sold,  1766,  to 
Samuel  Vance  for  50p — 133  A  sold,  1766,  to  John  Vance  for  50p. 

Lewis,  Thomas — 489 — JR  below  Bolar  Run — P,  1764,  Robert  Bratton  and 
Ralph  Laverty — sold.  1769,  by  Bratton  and  Laverty,  244^  A  to  William 
Given  for  70p  and  244^  to  Adam  Bratton,  1770,  for  150p — Given  sold,  1792, 
98*/£  A  to  Robert  Given  for  lOp.  But  in  1753,  Thomas  patented  his  sur- 
vey here  of  489  acres  and  sold  it  the  same  year  to  James  Gay  for  115p. 


THE  LEWIS  LAND  GRANT  31 

Lewis,  Thomas— 560— BC—P,  1761— sold,  1761  to  James  and  Robert 
Allen  for  80p — 280  A  sold  by  the  Aliens,  1763,  to  John  Young  for  45p — sold 
by  Young,  1766,  to  John  Davis  for  67p,  and  by  latter  to  James  Gregory,  1768 
for  75p— 280  A  sold  by  Robert  Allen,  1763,  to  John  Davis  for  lOOp,  and  85  A 
sold  by  Davis,  1768,  to  David  Tate  for  17p,  and  by  latter  to  John  Sprowl, 
1770,  for  20p. 

Lewis,  Thomas— 95— BC—P  (?) 

Lewis,  George^30— CP  below  McCreerys  520  A— P,  1752 — 215  sold, 
1755,  to  John  Lewis  (son)  for  120p,  and  by  him  to  Charles  Lewis,  1772,  for 
lOOp — 215  sold,  1775,  to  Benjamin  Lewis  (son)  for  90p,  and  by  him  to  David 
Frame,  1772,  for  150p. 

Mayse,  James — +15— CP  below  Walker— P,  1760,  William  Mayse    (son). 

Mayse,  Joseph— 182— CP  below  Lewis'   950  A— P,   1761. 

Mayse,  Joseph— 234 — JR  below  Miller— P,  1760,  Stephen  Wilson— sold, 
1797,  to  David  Gwin  for  1600p. 

McCay,  James— 290 — SC  above  Stuart— P,  1759— sold,  1784,  by  Jane  Mc- 
Cay  of  Greenbrier  (widow)  to  Andrew  and  Charles  Donally — sold,  1795  by- 
Charles  Donally  to  Benedict  Ailshe  for  300p— 150  sold  by  Aishe,  1798,  to 
James  Graham. 

McCreery,  John— 520— CP  below  Lewis'  390  A— P,  1751—260  A  sold, 
1765,  to  Robert  McCreery  (son)  for  120p,  and  by  him*  1790,  plus  30  A  to 
Thomas  Wallace  for  500p— 260  A  plus  later  P  of  16  A  sold,  1787,  by  John 
McCreery  Jr   (son)   to  John  Bourland  for  500p. 

McCreery,  John— 280— BP  below  Carlile's  204  A— P,  1760,  1773,  sold, 
1763,  to  Richard  Bodkin  for  45p — sold  (with  mill)  by  Bodkin  to  Joseph  Mal- 
com  for  50p. 

Miller,  John— 487— JR  above  Mayse's  234  A— P,  1760 — 243  A  sold,  1770, 
to  David  Gwin  for  lOOp— 244  A  sold,  1767,  by  Robert  Miller,  of  Albemarle, 
to  George  Skillern  for  250p. 

Miller,  James — 250 — BP  above  Bodkins' — P,  1760,  James  Burnside — sold 
plus  100  A  of  Bodkin  land,  to  John  Hicklin,  1786,  for  300p— 196  A  sold,  1789, 
by  Andrew  Lockridge  to  James  Lockridge. 

Millroy,  Alexander— 200*— CP  below  Dickenson's  1080  A— P,  1751— sold 
1762,  to  William  Sprowl  for  200p,  and  by  Sprowl,  1772,  to  Hugh  Hicklin  for 
132p— 178  A  sold  by  Hicklin,  1794,  to  George  Whiteman  for  250p  and  22  A 
1794,  to  John  Dickenson. 

Mitchell,  John— 234* — SC  above  McCay— P,  1759— sold  to  George  Wil- 
son for  80p — sold  by  Wilson,  1768,  to  Charles  Donally  for  90p,  and  by  lat- 
ter, 1791,  to  James  Graham  for  250p. 

Montgomery,  James — 220 — JR  above  Wright — P,  1750,  Charles  Walker. 

Moore,  John— 220*— CP  below  Mayse's  182— P,   1759. 

Muldrock,  Andrew — 130 — CP  between  Watson  and  Daugherty — P,  1761 
— sold  by  Hugh  Muldrock,  1781,  to  Casper  Faught  for  140p  and  by  him, 
1785,  to  Robert  Sitlington  for  80p. 

Muldrock,  Andrew— 40— mo  of  CP— P,  1761. 


32  ANNALS  OF  BATH   COUNTY 

Pullen,  Loftus— 321— BP   between  Estill    and  Bodkin— P,    1758. 

Raney,  Michael— 216— CP  adj  Hall's  212  A— P,  1760,  Charles  Gilham— 
sold,  1763,  to  James  Bodkin  for  41p,  and  by  him  to  Robert  Carlile,  1767, 
for  50p. 

Scott,  James — 190— CP  below  Crockett's  246  A— P,  1751— sold,  1781,  to 
Joseph  Surber  for  400p. 

Simpson,  James — 300* — CP  below  Scott — P,  1761 — sold  to  James  Handley 
1762 — 58  A  sold,  1772,  to  John  Henry  Insminger  for  55p. 

Stuart,  James— 300— SC  Laverty— P,  1750— sold,  1800,  by  Robert  Stuart  to 
Richard  Mathews  and  by  him,  1802,  to  Joseph  Kincaid. 

Syndicate — 875 — DC — P,   1750,  Adam  Dickenson. 

Syndicate — 490— DC— P,  1760,  John  Dickenson— sold,  1766,  to  William 
Hughart  for  SOp,  and  by  him,  1768,  to  Andrew  and  Thomas  Lewis  for  120p 
— sold  1768  by  Andrew  Lewis  to  James  Blair. 

Syndicate— 286— CP  above  Knox's  254  A— P,  1760,  John  Miller— sold, 
to  John  Kincaid  for  SOp. 

Syndicate — 175 — BP  between  Largent  and  Harper — P,  1750,  John  Brown 
— sold  to  Hance  Harper,  1753,  for  20p,  and  by  him,  1768,  to  Samuel  Black — 
63  A  sold,  1787,  by  John  Black   (son)   to  James  Curry  for  10p. 

Syndicate— 224 — BP  below  De  La  Montony— P,  1750,  John  McCreery— 
sold  1753,  to  John  Justice  for  13J4p,  and  by  him,  1754,  to  Michael  Harper 
for  30p — sold  by  Harper,  1760,  to  William  Shannon  for  35p,  and  by  him, 
1765,  to  Robert  Scott  for  29p — 'sold  by  Scott,  1768,  to  James  Burnside  for  42p, 
and  by  him,  1772,  to  William  McCandless  for  42p — sold  by  McCandless,  1775, 
to  Robert  Hestent,  of  Dunmore,  (Shenandoah)  county  for  170p,  and  by  him, 
1779,  to  Paul  Summers  for  700p  (depreciated  money).  This  place  was  by 
this  time  known  as  the  Burdie  house. 

Syndicate— 196  (169?)— JR  mo  Cedar  Creek— P  (?) 

Syndicate— 94— JR-^P,   1771,  William  Lewis 

Waddell,  James — 224* — CP  between  Laverty  and  Dickenson's  1890  A — P, 
1750,  Ralph  Laverty — sold,  1770,  to  William  Laverty  (son)  for  25p,  and  by 
him,  1774  to  John  Sitlington  for  \\21/^ — deeded  by  Sitlington,  1790,  to  James 
Kelso   (son-in-law). 

Walker,  John— 340— CP  below  Daugherty— P,  1759,  John  and  Archibald 
Clendennin. 

Warrick,  William— '216— br  of  CP— P,  1759,  Henry  Gay— 98  A  sold  by 
Martha  Gay  (widow),  1780,  to  Andrew  Moody  for  lOOOp  (depreciated 
money). 

Watson,  Joseph— 200  CP  between  Coffey  and  Muldrock— P,  1760,  by  heirs 
who  sold,  1769,  to  James  Scott  for  22^p. 

Wilson,  George — 175— JR  n  Cedar  Creek— P,  1759  (?)  James  Callison— 
sold,  1760,  to  James  Bourland  for  30p,  and  by  him  to  Rowland  Madison — 
sold  by  Madison,  1787,  to  James  Elliot  for  lOOp  and  by  James  Elliot,  1791, 
to  Moses  Mann  for  250p.  Note: — George  Wilson,  1758,  patented  on  the  CP 
or  Shaw's  Fork  an  unlisted  survey  of  316  A.  From  this  he  appears  to  have 
sold  in  1759  105  A  to  William  Steuart  for  20p,  and  100  A  to  James  Shaw  for 


THE  LEWIS  LAND  GRANT  33 

lOp.  In  1762  he  sold  James  Clements  100  A  for  $15.46.  Shaw  sold  to 
James  Bodkin,  1766,  for  25p,  and  he  to  James  Steuart,  179+  for  109p. 
Clements  sold,  1776,  to  Jared  Erwin,  of  Rockingham,  for  200p. 

Wright,  Peter — 286 — JR  at  Covington — P,  1750 — divided  between  Peter, 
Jr.,   and  John   (sons). 

SURVEYS  OF  1750-1754 

Clendennin,  Thomas— 1754 — 68— Warm  Springs  Run--P,  1757— sold, 
1797,  by  Thomas,  Jr.,  (son)  to  Anthony  Mustoe  and  William  Chambers  for 
150p. 

Cochran,  Patrick— 1750— 24 — JR— P,  1765,  James  Scott— sold,  1768,  to 
Patrick  Corrigan   for  20p. 

Cochran,  Patrick— 1750— 18— CP—P,   1765,   James   Scott. 

Crockett,  John— 1750— 24— CP. 

Davis,  Patrick— 1750— 44 — CP  below  Robert  Crockett — P,  1767— sold, 
1770,  to  James  Milligan  for  30p,  and  by  him  to  William  Griffith,  1776,  for 
103p. 

Dickenson,  Adam — 1750 — 135 — JR,  P,  1761,  Zopher  Carpenter — sold  to 
Michael   Mallow,   1789,  for  275p. 

Dickinson,    Adam— 1751— 33— DC— P,    1763,    John    Dickenson. 

Seely,   Jeremiah— 1754 — 100— Dry  Run   of  JR— P,    1761,   Peter   Wright. 

Thompson,  Edward— 1751— 42— CP  adj  Knox's  93  A— P,  1770,  William 
McClung. 

Warwick,    William^l750— 50— JR— P,    1761,    William    Gillispie. 

Wilson,  William— 1754— 100— JR—P,   1765. 

Wilson,    Hercules— 1754 — 74 — head    of    CP—P,    1774,    George    Wilson. 

Wilson,  George— 1750— 90— br  of  SC— P,  1761,  James  McCay— sold, 
1793,  by  William  McCay  to  Charles  Donally  for  25p. 

Other  patents  for  this  region,  in  the  period  1741-1769  inclusive,  are 
these,  the  acreage,  date  and  descriptions  being  given  consecutively: 

Adams,   Thomas — 340 — 1767 — adjoining  Hot   Springs  survey. 

Arbuckle,    James — 400 — 1749 — north    side    James    below    Island    Ford. 

Boggs,  James — 23  5 — 1766 — JR — between  Jackson   and  William  Hamilton. 

Clark,  John— 210— 1769— BC   of  James. 

Davis,  John— 45— 1769— JR. 

Dunlap,  William— 100— 1750— mo  BC. 

Fulton,   Thomas — 115 — 1759 — west  side  JR. 

Gellispie,  Hugh— 85— 1769— west  side  SC. 

Grove,  John — 400 — 1741 — including   fork   at  mo   of   CP. 

Hanly,   Archibald — 58 — 1765 — northwest  side  of   CP. 

Hardin,  Benjamin — 44 — 1775 — head  of  JR. 

Hanley,    Archibald — 58 — 1765 — northwest    side    CP. 

Hardin,   Benjamin — 44 — 1755 — head  of  JR. 

Henry,  William — 120 — 1759 — main  branch  James  opp.  mo.  of  CP. 

Hicklin,  Hugh:      (1)    130— 1769— CP     (2)    100— 1758— on  a  draft  of  BP. 


34  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Hicklin,  Thomas — 68 — 1761 — BP — adj.  Andrew  Lewis  land  on  southwest. 

Lewis,  Thomas— 1300— 1763— "the  valley"  of  BC. 

Lewis  William — six  surveys  on  BC,  in  1763,  of  110,  148,  172,  220,  187, 
and  100  A.  and  one  at  Vanderpool  of  270. 

Hugart,  Thomas— 65— 1760— JR. 

Mann,   William — 1^9 — 1765 — JR  below   BC. 

Mathews,    Sampson    and    George — 69 — 1769 — head    SC. 

McCallister,   James— 100— 1760— JR. 

McCay,    James— 90— 1761— SC. 

McClenahan,   William— 50— 1769— BC  below   Davis. 

McCutchen,  William— 166— 1760   (  ?)— mo  of  Cedar  of  JR. 

Mcllwain,  Alexander — 190 — 1761 — branch  of  Cedar. 

McMurray,   William — 20 — 1761 — McMurray  Creek  of  CP. 

McSherry,  Luke— 186— 1761— BC  of  James. 

Miller,   Robert— 150— 1762— JR. 

Montgomery,   John— 30 — 1769— BP. 

Montgomery,   James — 5-1 — 1757 — northwest  side  JR. 

Moore,   David— 200— 1763— Bolar  Run. 

Muldrock,  Jean:  (1)  30— 1769— fork  of  James  at  CP  (2)  33—1769— 
James  River  adj.  homestead. 

Preston,  William— 130— 1763— small  branch  of  BP.  William  Preston 
in  1769  took  6  surveys  on  Pott's  Creek  of  250,  200,  150,  300,  and  95  A. 

Simpson,  James — +5— 1761— BC  of  CP. 

Switchard,  Henry— 85— 1755— BC  of  James. 

Wade,  Dawson— 125— 1767— branch  of  BP. 

Wright,  Peter— 100— 1767— Pott's   Creek. 

Young,  James — 98 — 1769 — head  branch  of  CP. 

The  foregoing  surveys  do  not  include  all  the  individual  patents  in 
Warm  Springs  Valley  by  the  Lewises,  Bullitts,  etc. 

The  new  names  occurring  among  the  patentees  for  the  remainder  of  the 
eighteenth  century  are  but  few.  The  following  are  all  we  are  reasonably 
sure  of: 

Adams,    Robert  Dowden,    Michael  Persinger,    Jacob 

Alley,    William  Evans,    Evan  Poage,  John 

Baxter,   John  Hosaw,   Andrew  Putnam,  John 

Berry,  John  Hume,    William  Rhea,    William 

Boggs,    James  Logue,   Samuel  Richardson,   Robert 

Bullitt,  Thomas  Mason,    Joseph  Rockey,   Henry 

Bullitt,    Cuthbert  McColgan,    Edward  Satchel],     William,    Jr. 

Clark,   Samuel  McDonald,  Samuel  Sloan,   James 

Coole,    Richard  Morrison,     Ilu^'i  Sydnor,    Richard 

Cowardton,   John  O'Hara,   Daniel  Wildridge,   William 

Dickey,    John  Oliver,    John  Wooten,    William 

Dixon,    William  Park,   Benjamin 


THE  LEWIS  LAND  GRANT  35 

We  now  mention  several  early  purchasers,  which  in  some  instances 
seem  to  relate  to  the  original  patents. 

Dennis  Callahan  of  John  Dickenson — 76  of  tract  of  195  acres — Ugly 
Creek— 5p— 1793. 

Christopher  Clark  of  Peter  Wright— 96— JR— 50p— 1791. 

Jacob  Cleek  of  Alexander  McFarland — 213 — JR  below  Given — 400p — 
1792. 

Henry  Dill  of  Peter  Hubbard— 285  of  600  deeded,  1767,  by  John  Wilson 
to  William  Rhea— Mill  Cretk— 130p— 1792. 

John    Gillespie   of   Martha   McCroskey,   sole   daughter    and   heir   of   Hugh 
Gillespie,   of  Greenbrier— 85— SC— 20p— P,   1769—1795. 

James  Harris  of  John  Cartmill — 140 — CP  between  James  Hughart  and 
Nathan  Crawford  and  corner  Samuel  Cartmill — lOOp — 1733 — sold  by  Har- 
ris,  1792,  to  Isaac  Mayse  for  120p. 

James  Johnson  of  Robert  Armstrong,  Jr., — 100 — JR  both  sides  Robert's 
Run— 50p— 1793. 

Thomas  and   Joseph  Kincaid   of  John   Eddy — 158 — 237p — 1797. 

Robert  and  James  McAvoy  of  Joseph  Carpenter — 13-1 — Little  Valley — 
lOOp— 1799. 

Richard  McCallister  of  John  Dickenson — 113 — Ugly — 15p — 1793 

John  McCorkle  of  Patrick  Miller— 17— CP  adj  William  Dickey— 3p— 
1794. 

John  McCorkle  of  John  and  William  Dickey — 231  (2  surveys) — CP — 
lOOp— 1794. 

Thomas  Milhollen  of  Thomas  Fitzpatrick — 32 — Cedar  Creek — 30p — 
P,  1779—1792. 

Hugh  Tiffany  of  James  Blake— 13— SC— lip— 1793. 

Alexander   Simpson   of   Charles   Donally — 75 — SC — 50p — 1792. 

William  Smythe  of  Peter  Wright— 176— JR— 50p— 1791. 

Stephen  Wanless  of  Hugh  Morrison — 95 — SC  at  forks  of  road  above 
James  Morrow — 40p — 1792. 

Jacob  Warrick  of  William  Lewis — 400 — Clover  Lick  on  Greenbrier — 
600p— 1797. 

The  last  mentioned  sale  looks  like  a  high  figure,  considering  the  sit- 
uation.    , 


IV 

AREAS  OF  SETTLEMENT 

INCE  only  a  very  minor  portion  of  Bath  was  covered  by 
the  early  holdings  of  the  pioneer  families,  it  is  possible  to 
group  these  holdings  into  several  tolerably  well  defined 
areas  of  settlement.  The  names  we  aportion  among 
these  areas  are  not  presented  as  an  exhaustive  list  or  as  one  that  is 
free  from  error,  even  so  far  as  it  goes. 

The  Dickenson  settlement  may  be  considered  as  extending  along 
the  Cowpasture  from  the  gorge  below  Fort  Lewis  into  the  bend  at 
Griffith's  Knob,  and  as  including  the  lower  course  of  Stuart's  Creek 
and  the  occupied  part  of  Porter's  Mill  Creek.  The  more  conspicu- 
ous of  the  earlier  names  associated  with  this  belt  are  Abercrombie, 
Beard,  Clendennin,  Coffey,  Crockett,  Daugherty,  Dickenson,  Donal- 
ly,  Douglass,  Gay,  Gillispie,  Graham,  Hicklin,  Insminger,  Kelso, 
Kincaid,  Laverty,  Madison,  Mayse,  McCay,  McClung,  McDannald, 
Millroy,  Mitchell,  Muldrock,  O'Hara,  Porter,  Ramsey,  Scott,  Simp- 
son, Sitlington,  Sloan,  Stuart,  Thompson,  Waddell,  Walker,  Wat- 
son. 

The  Fort  Lewis  settlement  began  a  little  above  the  mouth  of 
Thompson's  Creek  and  extended  up  the  Cowpasture  to  Laurel  Gap. 
Here  we  find  the  names,  Benson,  Black,  Cartmill,  Cowardin,  Dickey, 
Feamster,  Francisco,  Frame,  Hall,  Hughart,  Jackson,  Knox,  Lewis, 
Mayse,  McCreery,  Miller,  Montgomery,  Moody,   Moore,  Wallace. 

The  upper  Cowpasture  settlement  included  the  bottoms  on  that 
river  between  Laurel  Gap  and  the  mouth  of  Shaw's  Fork  and  on  the 
lower  course  of  the  latter  stream.  Here  were  the  Devericks,  Erwin, 
Gwin,  Johns,  Shaw,  and  Steuart  families. 

The  upper  Mill  Creek  settlement  occupied  the  basin  of  that  stream 
above  Panther  Gap.  Names  associated  with  this  somewhat  limited 
space  are  Bratton,  McDonald,  Putnam,  Rhea,  Swearingen. 

The  Green  Valley  settlement  embraced  the  upper  basin  of 
Stuart's  Creek  and  is  connected  with  the  following  names:  Bell, 
Crawford,  Eddy,  Hall,  Hcpler,  Fit/patrick,  McCausland,  Morrow, 
and  Warrick. 


AREAS  OF  SETTLEMENT  37 

The  Bullpasture  settlement  stretched  along  the  entire  course  of 
that  stream  from  its  source  nearly  to  the  Bullpasture  Gap.  Here 
the  names  are  Beathe,  Black,  Bodkin,  Bradshaw,  Burnside,  Carlile, 
Curry,  Davis,  Duffield,  Erwin,  Estill,  Ferguson,  Graham,  Harper, 
Hempenstall,  Hicklin,  Hiner,  Hynes,  Jones,  Justice,  Lockridge,  Mal- 
com,  McCoy,  Peebles,  Pullin,  Siron,  Summers,  Wiley. 

Adjacent  to  the  Bullpasture  valley,  and  just  within  the  Bath  line, 
is  the  Red  Holes,  or  Burnsville,  settlement.  The  earlier  name  is 
derived  either  from  the  reddish  loam  exposed  to  view  in  the  sinkholes, 
or  from  the  artificial  licks,  made  by  driving  stakes  into  the  ground, 
withdrawing  them,  and  then  filling  the  holes  with  salt.  Here  David 
Frame  patented  a  tract  that  nominally  covered  1150  acres.  But 
when  sold  in  1792  to  Elisha  Williams,  John  Burns,  and  James  and 
Daniel  Monroe,  the  lines  proved  so  elastic  as  to  include  1363  acres. 

The  bottoms  on  Jackson's  River  are  less  continuous  than  those 
of  the  Cowpasture.  The  "pockets"  in  which  they  occur  were  main- 
ly gathered  into  a  few  large  surveys.  The  northernmost  of  these 
pockets  begins  beyond  the  Highland  line  and  may  be  called  the  Wilson 
settlement.  The  names  found  here  are  Bratton,  Cleek,  Given, 
Gwin,  McFarland,  Wilson. 

For  several  miles  below  the  Wilson  settlement  Jackson's  River 
is  closely  confined  between  lofty  hills.  Then  comes  the  Fort  Din- 
widdie  settlement,  comprising  two  very  long  surveys  by  William 
Jackson  and  Adam  Dickenson.  Here  are  the  names  Bourland,  Byrd, 
Cameron,  Davis,  Dean,  Jackson,  McClintic. 

A  short  distance  east  of  the  Wilson  settlement  is  Little  Valley, 
where  the  early  names  are  Carpenter,  McAvoy,  and  Pritt. 

Beginning  below  the  Fort  Dinwiddie  settlement,  reaching  nearly 
to  Covington,  and  extending  up  the  valley  of  Cedar  Creek  was  the 
Fort  Mann  settlement,  where  these  names  occur:  Armstrong,  Bol- 
lar,  Elliot,  Kincaid,  Kirk,  Mann,  McGuffin,  Montgomery,  Morris, 
Robinson,  Walker. 

Around  and  just  below  Covington  was  the  Fort  Young  settle- 
ment, occupied  by  the  Carpenters,   Mallows,   Seelys,  and  Wrights. 

On  Great  Back  Creek,  stretching  some  distance  above  and  below 
the  mouth  of  Little  Back  Creek,  was  the  Vance  or  Mountain  Grove 
settlement  where  lived  the  Baxters,  Gregorys,  Hamiltons,  Kellys,  and 
Vances. 


38  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

On  the  lower  course  of  Potts  Creek  were  the  Potts  and  Persinger 
families. 

On  the  Cowpasture,  below  the  pass  at  Griffith  Knob,  were  sev- 
eral pioneers,  but  our  knowledge  of  their  names  is  quite  unsatisfactory. 

The  Warm  Springs  basin  and  the  upper  valley  of  Falling  Spring 
Run  may  be  termed  the  Warm  Springs  settlement.  But  so  closely 
were  the  lands  in  this  locality  monopolized  by  wealthy  non-residents, 
that  most  of. the  people  living  here  in  the  early  days  were  tenants,  and 
we  know  little  as  to  who  they  were.  This  was  not  quite  so  much  the 
case  at  the  Falling  Springs  end,  which  is  associated  with  the  Cham- 
bers, Massie,  and  Mustoe  families.  The  three  tracts  held  by  Ga- 
briel Jones  of  Port  Republic  begin  at  Healing  Springs  and  run  a  long 
way  to  the  north.  North,  east,  and  south  of  him  were  the  lands  of 
Thomas  and  Cuthbert  Bullitt.  John  Bollar  had  400  acres  alongside 
Jones.  Against  the  present  Alleghany  line  were  the  holdings  of  Oli- 
ver and  Thompson.  Immediately  to  the  south  was  Thomas  Massie's 
tract  of  3329  acres.  The  John  Lewis  survey  ran  north  from  Warm 
Springs  itself,  and  one  owned  by  John  Cowardin  ran  in  the  direction 
of  Warm  Springs  gap. 

Adam  Dickenson,  the  leading  pioneer  on  the  lower  Cowpasture. 
was  in  1733  living  at  Hanover,  New  Jersey.  In  1742  he  was  an 
ironworker  in  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  but  seems  to  have 
moved  in  the  same  year  to  Prince  George  County,  Maryland.  It 
was  at  this  date  that  he  entered  into  a  bond  in  favor  of  Thomas 
Lindsay,  whereby  he  was  to  patent  1,000  acres  on  Clover  Creek, 
"otherwise  ye  Cow  Pasture";  and  place  two  families  on  the  tract. 
Four  years  later,  he  brought  suit  against  Roger  Hunt,  Lindsay's  as- 
signee, for  a  failure  to  comply  with  the  contract.  He  must  have 
come  to  the  Cowpasture  himself  by  1744.  When  Augusta  was  or- 
ganized, at  the  close  of  1745.  he  alone,  of  the  21  justices  in  the  first 
county  court,  represented  the  portion  of  the  county  west  of  Shenan- 
doah Mountain.  His  grist-mill  was  evidently  the  first  in  this  region, 
and  the  church  built  on  his  homestead  was  undoubtedly  the  first  house 
of  worship  among  the  southern  Alleghanies.  Dickenson  acquired  at 
least  3321  acres  of  choice  hind.  He  died  intestate  about  1760.  His 
persona]  property  was  appraised  by  his  neighbors,  James  Gillespie, 
James  McCay,  John  Young,  and  Andrew  Sitlington,  at  almost 
$1,000,  easily  the  equivalent  of  <"\000  today.     The  estate  included 


AREAS  OF  SETTLEMENT  39 

two  slaves,  33  cattle,  and  a  wagon  valued  at  $23.33.  The  only  book 
was  a  large  Bible.  Abigail,  a  daughter,  married  William  Mc- 
Clung.    Another  daughter  was  Mary  Davis. 

John,  the  only  son  of  Adams  Dickenson,  was  almost  an  exact  con- 
temporary to  George  Washington.  He  was  born  in  1731  and  died 
in  1799.  At  the  age  of  22  he  was  a  captain  of  horse,  and  during  the 
next  25  years  he  saw  very  much  military  service  on  the  frontier.  Af- 
ter being  wounded  in  at  least  two  skirmishes  with  the  Indians,  he  re- 
ceived a  severe  hurt  in  the  shoulder  at  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant. 
For  this  injury  he  was  granted  a  pension  of  50  pounds  ($166.67)  a 
year.  In  1777,  with  the  rank  of  colonel,  he  returned  to  Point  Pleas- 
ant at  the  head  of  a  regiment  of  militia.  In  1757  he  was  a  justice  of 
Augusta,  but  in  1779  he  declined  further  service.  Although  ap- 
pointed a  member  of  the  first  county  court  of  Bath,  he  refused  the 
honor.  Colonel  Dickenson  was  a  large  holder  of  real  estate,  owning 
land  on  the  Greenbrier  and  even  in  North  Carolina.  He  was  of 
positive  convictions  and  was  influenced  by  high  motives.  His  gen- 
erous impulse  appears  in  his  kindness  to  the  unfortunate  Selim,  and 
in  his  refusal  to  deliver  up  some  converted  Indians  whom  the  gov- 
ernor assumed  to  be  spies  of  the  French.  By  a  clause  in  his  will,  no 
liquor  was  to  be  served  at  his  interment,  and  in  this  matter  he  stood 
against  a  very  pernicious  custom  of  his  day. 

His  children  were  Mary,  Martha,  Nancy,  Adam,  Jean,  and 
John.  Mary  and  Martha  married,  in  order  of  mention,  Samuel  and 
John  Shrewsbury,  who,  after  being  prominent  in  Bath,  migrated  to 
West  Virginia.  The  only  grandson  in  the  male  line  to  finish  his 
days  in  Bath  was  John  Usher  Dickenson,  who  returned  about  1850 
and  was  the  first  proprietor  of  the  hotel  at  Millboro. 

William  Jackson  gave  his  name  to  the  river  which  runs  more  than 
three  miles  through  the  land  he  took  up.  He  may  have  been  the 
first  settler  on  its  upper  course,  although  he  could  not  have  been  living 
in  this  valley  in  1740,  when  he  succeeded  James  Pickett  as  con- 
stable. His  home  on  Jackson's  River  was  probably  near  the  site  of 
Fort  Dinwiddie.  Jane  and  William  were  children.  The  former 
married  Archibald  Bourland,  his  executor.  The  son,  and  probably 
the  son-in-law  also,  went  to  North  Carolina.  Whether  the  early 
Jacksons  of  the  Cowpasture  were  related  to  this  family  we  do  not 
know.     William  Jackson  died  June   1,    1750,   and  his  suits  against 


40  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Robert  Abercrombie  and  Jacob  Marlin  were  thereby  abated.  His 
personality  of  $1  106.07  ranked  him  among  the  nabobs  of  early  Bath. 
The  appraisement  by  Ralph  Laverty,  George  Wilson,  and  Archi- 
bald Elliot  mentions  23  horses,  18  cattle,  and  some  timothy  seed. 
A  lancet,  and  the  instrument  of  torture  styled  a  "tooth  drawers" 
would  appear  to  indicate  that  he  made  some  pretensions  to  the  heal- 
ing art.  It  took,  seven  gallons  of  liquor  to  lubricate  the  sale  of  the 
personal  effects.  Archibald  Bourland,  the  executor,  named  the  fol- 
lowing persons  at  the  "vandue":  James  Bourland,  James  Brown, 
Thomas  Bryan,  John  Carlile,  John  Crockett,  William  Davis,  Robert 
Duffield,  Andrew  Dunlap,  Charles  Dunlap,  Archibald  Elliot,  Samuel 
Ferguson,  Alexander  Gillespie,  John  Graham,  Napthalim  Gregory, 
William  Hamilton,  John  Harden,  Michael  Harper,  George  Lewis, 
James  Lockridge,  Joseph  Mayse.  Samuel  McAlvery,  Alexander 
Millroy,  Nathan  Patterson,  David  Stanley,  John  Warrick,  John 
Williamson,  George  Wilson,  and  Alexander  Wright.  A  number  of 
these  persons  lived  more  than  20  miles  away. 

According  to  C.  K.  Bolton,  the  following  Ulster  immigrants 
came  from  county  Antrim.  The  Arbuckles,  Campbells,  Clarks, 
Crawfords,  Givens,  Harpers,  Jacksons,  Jamesons,  McCays;  from 
Derry,  the  Grahams,  Lockridges,  Pattons,  Rheas;  from  Down,  the 
Carliles,  Dunlaps,  Mathews,  Steuarts ;  from  Donegal,  the  Brat- 
tons,  Hamiltons;  from  Londonderry,  the  Kincaids;  from-  Tyrone, 
the  Burnsides,  Knoxes,  and  Walkups. 

Certain  of  the  families  who  have  migrated  from  this  country  include 
names  of  considerable  prominence.  Thus  James  B.  McCreery  and 
his  cousin,  Thomas  C.  McCreery,  of  Kentucky,  are  great  grandsons 
of  Robert,  son  of  John  McCreery,  of  the  Cowpasture.  Both  these  men 
have  served  in  the  United  States  Senate,  and  the  former  has  twice 
been  governor  of  his  state.  Dr.  Charles  McCreery,  the  first  physi- 
cian to  remove  the  collar-bone  in  a  surgical  operation,  which  was 
done  in  1813,  was  a  son  of  Robert.  By  way  of  North  Caro- 
lina we  are  told  that  Zebulon  B..  Robert  B..  and  Robert  E.  Vance 
of  North  Carolina,  are  of  the  Vance  family  of  Back  Creek.  All 
three  served  in  Congress.  The  first  was  also  a  famous  governor  of 
North  Carolina,  and  the  second  was  a  brigadier  general  in  the  Con- 
federate army.  Meigs  County,  Tennessee,  is  named  for  Return  Jon- 
athan  Meigs,   a  descendent  of  the  Clendennins.      C.  C.   O'Hara.   an 


AREAS  OF  SETTLEMENT  41 

eminent  geologist,  appears  to  be  a  descendant  of  the  O'Hara  who 
once  lived  on  the  Cowpasture.  William  Bratton,  one  of  the  picked 
men  of  the  Lewis  and  Clarke  expedition  of  1803,  was  a  grandson  of 
Robert  Bratton  of  the  Calfpasture.  A  monument  stands  over  his 
grave  in  Indiana  giving  his  services  in  that  famous  expedition.  Col- 
onels Robert  and  John  McFarland,  early  pioneers  of  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, Tennesse,  are  descendants  of  Duncan  McFarland,  as  was  also 
William  McFarland,  a  congressman  from  that  state. 


V 

THE  MINERAL  SPRINGS 

(ISTILLED  water  is  chemically  pure,  but  is  tasteless  and 
therefore  insipid.  The  "pure,  cool  spring  water"  we  hear 
about  is  pure  only  with  respect  to  its  harmlessness.  After 
y  the  water  from  the  clouds  has  had  time  to  soak  through 
the  ground  it  has  become  charged  with  various  mineral  ingredients,  and 
is  thereby  rendered  palatable.  Water  that  has  been  much  in  contact 
with  limestone  or  calcareous  earth  is  called  "hard."  If,  on  the  other 
hand,  there  had  been  a  filtering  through  deposits  containing  little  lime, 
we  call  the  water  "soft."  But  when  ground  water  is  unfit  to  drink,  it 
is  rarely  because  of  the  minerals  it  has  taken  up.  The  harmfulness 
is  usually  due  to  organic  matter,  either  of  vegetable  or  animal  tissue. 

But  while  the  water  from  wells  and  springs  is  mineral  water  in 
the  strict  sense  of  the  term,  it  is  customary  to  regard  as  mineral  waters 
only  those  which  have  distinct  medicinal  effect.  The  character  of 
such  waters  varies  with  the  chemical  composition  of  the  rock  and  earth 
from  which  they  issue.  Beds  of  slate  often  contain  the  bright  yellow 
particles  known  as  iron  pyrites,  or  "fool's  gold."  The  yellow  color 
is  due  to  the  sulphur  in  the  pyrites.  On  exposure  to  the  air,  these  par- 
ticles decompose  into  the  sulphates  of  iron  and  alumina,  and  give 
rise  to  springs  of  alum,  sulphur,  or  chalybeate  waters.  The  valley 
of  the  Cowpasture  abounds  in  slate  formations,  and  hence  the  mineral 
springs,  particularly  of  alum  and  sulphur  waters,  which  there  occur. 

The  mineral  springs  of  the  Cowpasture  are  cool,  while  those  of 
Warm  Springs  valley  are  warm.  This  difference  is  because  of  the 
geological  structure  of  that  valley. 

In  the  very  deepest  mines  the  temperature  is  so  constantly  and  op- 
pressively hot  that  rlic  miners  tan  work  only  in  short  shifts  and  with 
very  little  clothing.  We  can  thus  understand  that  if  surface  waters 
sink  to  very  great  depths,  and  thus  come  well  within  the  influnece  of 
the  internal  heat  of  the  earth,  they  reappear  with  much  higher  tem- 
perature than  are  found  in  ordinary  springs.  They  are  also  more 
heavily  loaded  with  mineral,  because  heated  water  has  a  greater  dis- 
solving power  than  cold   water,   and   is  more  energetic   in   absorbing 


THE  MINERAL  SPRINGS  43 

gases  from  the  rocks  through  which  it  forces  its  way.     The  chemical 
action  of  this  process  tends  to  further  increase  the  heat  of  the  water. 

Let  us  suppose  that  a  section  of  pipe  is  bent  into  two  arms  of  un- 
equal length,  and  then  placed  in  a  vertical  position,  the  elbow  being 
embedded  in  redhot  coals.  If  water  is  steadily  poured  into  the  upper 
arm,  it  will  as  steadily  come  out  of  the  lower  opening  because  water 
seeks  to  maintain  a  level.  But  it  will  issue  at  a  higher  temperature, 
because  of  the  coals.  This  illustration  will  help  to  explain  the  ther- 
mal springs  of  Bath  County.  The  Warm  Springs  Valley  has  the  form 
of  a  canoe,  but  the  mountain  wall  on  the  east  is  higher  than  the  one 
on  the  west.  It  is  also  significant  that  all  the  thermal  springs  lie  on 
the  western  side  of  the  valley.  In  the  first  chapter  of  this  book  it 
was  observed  that  the  basin  within  this  mountain  rampart  is  largely 
occupied  by  an  oval-shaped  area  of  very  early  geologic  origin.  Sur- 
rounding this  rock  formation,  and  appearing  next  the  surface  as  an  oval 
ring,  is  a  more  recent  stratum.  If,  now,  this  last-named  deposit  pass- 
ed underneath  the  other,  and  to  a  great  depth,  and  if  it  were  imper- 
vious to  water,  we  would  have  a  very  easy  explanation  of  the  heated 
waters.  However,  the  rock  strata  in  this  valley-floor  are  convex  and 
not  concave.  Nevertheless,  the  rainwater  falling  on  the  sharp  western 
slope  of  Warm  Springs  Mountain  and  reappearing  as  warm  mineral 
water  in  the  depression  below,  behaves  in  about  the  same  manner  as 
the  water  which  in  our  illustration  is  poured  into  the  upper  end  of 
the  bent  tube. 

The  several  springs  differ  in  temperature,  and  this  would  indicate 
that  their  waters  do  not  rise  from  an  equal  depth.  It  is  also  worthv 
of  notice  that  the  basin  is  cross-sectioned  into  sub-valleys,  each,  with 
one  exception,  having  a  thermal  spring  of  its  own.  Each  spring,  or 
group  of  springs,  lies  near  the  upper  entrance  to  a  watergap  in  Valley 
Mountain.  And  as  the  mineral  elements  in  the  several  springs  dif- 
fer in  number  and  also  in  proportion,  it  would  indicate  that  the  rock 
structure  below  the  suface  is  not  uniform. 

Lying  mostly  in  Highland,  but  crossing  into  the  northern  confine 
of  Bath  is  another  canoe-shaped  basin  drained  by  Bolar  Run.  It  pre- 
sents the  same  peculiarities  as  Warm  Springs  Valley,  and  has  a  group 
of  thermal  springs  lving  a  little  above  its  solitary  watergap. 

Certain  plants  have  medicinal  qualities  of  one  kind  or  another. 
To  supplement  them,  certain  mineral  springs  have  great  curative  pow- 


44  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

ers,  by  reason  of  the  gases  and  the  solid  ingredients  which  their  waters 
hold  in  solution.  And  as  it  is  an  error  of  judgment  to  use  any  vege- 
table drug  in  a  random  manner,  it  is  no  less  an  error  to  use  a  given 
mineral  water  without  regard  to  expert  knowledge  of  its  effects  on  the 
human  svstem.  The  various  springs  of  these  two  valleys  differ  in 
their  healing  qualities,  one  reaching  one  class  of  ailments,  and  anoth- 
er reaching  to  a  certain  extent  a  different  class.  The  peculiarities  of 
the  individual  patient  are  also  to  be  taken  into  account. 

The  Hot  Springs  of  Bath  are  primarily  a  group  of  six  flowing 
fountains  of  great  volume.  The  leading  one  has  a  temperature  of 
106  degrees  and  contains  of  mineral  salts  43  grains  to  the  gallon.  The 
minerals  held  in  solution  are  mainly  calcium,  magnesium,  sodium,  and 
potassium.  Calcium,  which  is  the  basis  of  lime,  is  by  far  the  most  im- 
portant. The  large  proportion  of  it  in  all  the  springs  of  this  valley  is 
indeed  what  we  might  expect,  since  the  entire  floor  of  this  basin  con- 
sists of  limestone  strata.  The  Hot  Springs  also  contain  sulphuric  and 
carbonic  acids,  and  chlorine.  These  make  various  combinations  with 
the  four  minerals  already  named.  The  waters  are  particularly  bene- 
ficial in  rheumatic  ailments.  They  are  also  useful  in  nervous  and  dys- 
peptic disorders,  and  in  liver,  kidney,  and  female  diseases.  There  are 
springs  of  soda,  sulphur,  and  magnesia  waters  close  by,  and  alum 
waters  at  a  little  greater  distance.  The  magnesia  water,  issuing  at  a 
temperature  of  100  degrees,  acts  as  a  mild  alterative.  The  soda  wat- 
ers, which  have  a  temperature  of  74  degrees,  are  serviceable  in  urinary 
complaints.  The  alum  water  is  an  excellent  tonic  and  a  mild  yet  cer- 
tain astringent.  The  very  great  depth  from  which  all  these  springs 
rise,  and  the  force  with  which  they  come  to  the  surface,  render  them 
free  from  organic  impurities.  Otherwise,  their  medicinal  value  would 
be  impaired,  and  they  would  be  unfit  for  bottling. 

The  Warm  Springs,  five  miles  northeast  of  the  Hot  Springs,  have 
a  temperature  of  98  degrees  and  an  outflow  of  1200  gallons  a  minute. 
To  style  them  warm  rather  than  hot  is  incorrect.  In  temperature 
they  are  of  the  same  class  as  the  Hot  Springs,  and  they  contain  a  lar- 
ger variety  of  mineral  elements.  The  principal  ones  which  do  not 
appear  to  be  found  in  the  other  are  carbonate  of  iron,  sodium  sulphate, 
and  silicic  acid.  Taken  as  a  beverage,  the  water  is  tonic,  aperient,  and 
diuretic.  It  is  useful  in  nearly  the  same  class  of  ailments  as  the  waters 
of  the  Hot  Springs,  and  is  very  advantageous  in  dyspepsia. 


THE  MINERAL  SPRINGS  45 

The  Healing  Springs  are  about  three  miles  southward  from  the 
Hot  Springs.  They  are  likewise  of  strong  volume  and  their  tem- 
perature is  84  degrees.  They  are  more  varied  in  composition  than 
the  Hot  Springs.  They  may  be  said  to  possess  about  the  same  ele- 
ments that  occur  in  the  Warm  Springs,  but  in  differing  proportions. 
A  few  ingredients  do  not  appear  to  be  found  at  either  of  the  other 
places.  As  the  name  would  indicate,  these  waters  constitute  a  power- 
ful healing  agent,  and  are  bottled  in  large  quantities.  They  are  very 
good  in  affections  of  the  skin,  but  are  also  used  in  rheumatism,  in 
bronchial  complaints,  and  in  disorders  of  the  urinary  and  digestive  or- 
gans. 1    .     !    j 

The  Rubino  Spring  lies  within  a  mile  of  the  Healing  Springs 
and  is  of  the  same  character. 

Bolar  Spring  in  Great  Valley  has  a  temperature  of  74  degrees  and 
an  outflow  of  1600  gallons  a  minute.  Like  the  other  thermal  waters, 
it  is  highly  charged  with  gases.  Iodine  and  arsenic  are  present,  but 
there  has  been  no  complete  analysis.  Taken  internally,  the  water  is 
diuretic  and  alterative,  and  mildly  aperient.  Taken  externally,  it 
enjoys  much  repute  in  ailments  of  the  skin  and  in  nasal  catarrh.  One 
mile  noithward  is  the  Burns  Spring,  79  degrees  warm  and  somewhat 
stronger  in  mineral  qualities  though  of  the  same  general  nature. 

In  the  valley  of  the  Cowpasture  the  best  known  of  its  mineral 
waters  are  the  sulphur  fountains  at  Millboro  Springs  and  All  Healing 
Springs,  and  the  alum  waters  of  Bath  Alum  and  Wallawhatoola. 

The  red  men  of  America  have  a  natural  aptitude  for  the  healing 
art.  That  the  thermal  waters  of  Bath  had  been  known  to  them  from 
time  immemorial  may  be  taken  for  granted.  An  attractive  legend, 
published  in  1838  in  the  Southern  Literary  Messenger,  relates  that  a 
young  brave  was  making  his  first  journey  across  the  Alleghanies  in 
order  to  carry  a  message  from  his  powerful  tribe  to  the  council  fire 
kindling  on  the  shore  of  the  Great  Water.  The  shades  of  night  over- 
took him  in  Warm  Springs  Valley.  The  darkness  was  profund,  and 
the  wind  was  moaning  dismally  among  the  tree-tops.  On  the  sodden 
ground  he  could  find  no  comfortable  place  to  sleep,  and  he  was  too 
weary  to  climb  the  mountain  lying  across  his  path.  But  continuing 
to  search,  he  came  upon  an  opening  in  a  laurel  thicket.  Here  was  a 
pool  in  which  he  could  see  the  reflection  of  the  evening  star.  The 
waters  were  so  clear  that  the  pebbly  bottom  could  be  made  out.     The 


46  ANNALS  OF   BATH  COUNTY 

warm  vapor  that  rose  to  his  nostrils  tempted  him  into  the  pool  so  that 
he  might  bathe  his  aching  limbs.  To  his  surprise  and  delight  the 
temperature  was  of  blood  warmth.  By  the  strong  current  issuing 
from  the  basin,  he  knew  he  had  found  a  spring.  He  laid  himself 
down,  and  the  Spirit  of  Strength  gave  him  new  life  and  hope.  At 
dawn  the  Young  Panther  strode  with  easy  step  up  the  bold  mountain 
wall.  At  the  council  fire  on  the  eve  of  that  day,  no  other  warrior  was 
more  graceful  in  address,  more  commanding  in  manner,  or  more  sa- 
gacious in  council. 

But  this  legend  of  a  poetic  race,  seemingly  adapted  to  the  time  of 
arrival  of  the  first  English  settlers,  is  not  to  be  taken  as  a  precise 
fact  of  history.  It  is  an  expression  in  symbolic  form  of  the  virtues 
of  these  health-giving  waters,  as  they  had  been  experienced  during 
centuries  upon  centuries  by  the  wild  men  of  the  forest. 

A  family  tradition  relates  that  Andrew  Lewis  came  accidentally 
upon  the  Hot  Springs  while  escaping  from  hostile  Indians.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  is  alleged  that  a  knowledge  of  them  had  been  carried 
to  the  capital  of  Virginia  before  the  expedition  under  Spottswood  in 
1716.  That  white  explorers  were  told  of  these  thermal  waters  by 
the  Indians  is  very  probable.  Be  this  as  it  may,  Lewis  was  very  mat- 
ter of  fact,  and  seems  to  have  been  more  deeply  impressed  with  the 
limestone  lands  of  Warm  Springs  Valley  than  with  the  hygienic  value 
of  its  remarkable  fountains. 

In  1750,  which  was  during  the  early  infancy  of  the  settlement  of 
Bath,  the  springs  were  already  well  known.  Thomas  Walker,  on  his 
return  from  a  prospecting  tour  into  the  southwest  extremity  of  Vir- 
ginia, makes  this  entry  in  his  journal,  the  date  being  July  9,   1750: 

"We  went  to  the  hot  Springs  and  found  Six  Invalides  there.  The 
Spring  Water  is  very  Clear  &  Warmer  than  new  Milk,  an  there  is  a 
Spring  of  cold  Water  within  20  feet  of  the  Warm  one." 

Between  1763  and  1767,  Andrew  Lewis  surveyed  in  his  own 
name  884  acres  in  Warm  Springs  Valley.  Meanwhile,  Thomas 
Bullitt,  a  fellow  soldier  who  in  one  instance  acted  in  partnership  with 
Lewis,  surveyed  1120  acres.  These  tracts  do  not  include  the  lands 
they  surveyed  along  the  course  of  Falling  Springs  Run.  No  more 
surveys  are  recorded  for  quite  a  while,  for  the  evident  reason  that 
Lewis,  Bullitt,  and  Dickenson  had  taken  the  cream  of  the  agricultural 


THE   MINERAL   SPRINGS  47 

lands  in  the  valley.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  entry  of  a  tract  of  pub- 
lic land  usually  took  place  some  years  before  the  actual  survey. 

The  Lewises  reduced  to  patent  1886  acres,  and  Bullitt  1248. 
Gabriel  Jones  is  credited  with  720  acres  and  John  Dickenson  with 
250.  And  as  in  the  case  of  the  surveys,  these  patents  do  not  include 
the  tracts  on  the  upper  course  of  Falling  Springs  Run.  Thus  a  few 
influential  non-residents  monopolized  the  valley. 

A  patent  of  1764,  calling  for  300  acres,  and  including  the  Hot 
Springs,  was  taken  by  Thomas  Bullitt  and  Andrew  and  Thomas 
Lewis.  These  men  entered  into  an  agreement  to  build  a  hotel  and 
stock  it  with  the  distilled  and  fermented  liquors  which  in  their  day 
as  in  ours  were  deemed  by  many  persons  to  be  superior  to  the  bever- 
age prepared  by  Dame  Nature.  So  far  as  the  Lewises  were  con- 
cerned this  plan  was  not  carried  out.  They  made  an  arrangement 
with  Bullitt  whereby  access  to  the  springs  was  secured  to  each  party. 
Bullitt  erected  a  hotel  about  1764,  portions  of  which  remained  until 
destroyed,  together  with  a  newer  building,  in  the  fire  of  1901.  In 
1790,  Bullitt  authorized  John  Oliver  to  grant  twenty-year  leases  on 
his  lands  in  Warm  Springs  Valley.  But  the  Hot  Springs  tract  was 
excepted,  and  so  was  another  supposed  to  contain  an  undeveloped 
mine. 

As  early  a  1778,  Cuthbert  Bullitt,  then  a  resident  of  this  valley, 
petitioned  the  assembly  that  50  acres  of  his  land  be  laid  off  into  lots 
and  a  town  established  at  "Little  Warm  Springs,"  this  being  the 
early  name  for  the  Hot  Springs.  He  remarks  that  it  was  extremely 
difficult  to  procure  building  materials. 

In  1793  the  owners  of  this  property  were  Nathaniel  Wilkenson, 
John  Littlepage,  and  John  Oliver.  They  petitioned  the  Assembly, 
under  the  date  of  October  23,  "That  they  have  laid  off  a  town  of 
one  hundred  half-acre  Lotts  with  convenient  Streets  on  this  land  at 
Hot  Springs  in  the  County  of  Bath,  and  that  the  benefit  of  those 
Waters  (especially  Scorbutick  and  Rheumatick  Complaints)  may  be 
enjoyed  by  all  who  may  have  occasion  to  visit  those  springs,  they 
pray  the  said  Town  may  be  established  by  an  act  to  be  passed  for 
that  purpose." 

The  Act  was  at  once  passed.  The  trustees  named  in  the  charter 
were  Sampson  Mathews,  Samuel  Vance,  Thomas  Hughart,  Charles 
Cameron,    George   Poage,    John   Montgomery,    John   White,    John 


48  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Lewis,  John  Bollar,  Anthony  Mustoe,  and  Samuel  Shrewsbury. 
They  were  authorized  to  make  such  rules  and  orders  concerning  the 
building  of  houses  as  they  might  think  best.  They  were  also  em- 
powered to  settle  all  disputes  relating  to  the  boundaries  of  lots. 
Whenever  the  purchaser  of  a  lot  had  built  a  house  at  least  16  feet 
square,  and  provided  it  with  a  chimney  of  brick  or  stone,  he  was  to 
be  entitled  to  all  the  rights  and  privileges  which  were  enjoyed  by 
the  freehold  inhabitants  of  unincorporated  towns. 

The  lot  drawing  was  held  in  Staunton,  July  14,  1794.  William 
Forbes  who  drew  ticket  51,  purchased  a  one-half  acre  lot  at  "Hott 
Bath"  for  10  pounds  ($33.33). 

In  1820  the  mail  came  only  three  times  a  week  to  the  resorts  in 
this  valley,  and  the  ordinary  postage  was  \SH  cents. 

But  as  a  resort  for  health  or  pleasure,  Hot  Springs  languished  un- 
til the  hotel  was  purchased  in  1832  by  Doctor  Thomas  Goode.  Un- 
der his  regime  the  hotel  was  200  feet  long  and  two  stories  high.  It 
was  well  filled  during  the  summer  season,  because  the  resort  was 
now  swiftly  coming  into  a  wide-reaching  repute.  In  the  summer 
of  1838,  Hot  Springs  and  the  other  resorts  within  a  radius  of  40 
miles  were  visited  by  about  6000  people.  The  guests  had  to  come  by 
stage  coach  or  private  conveyance.  To  arrive  from  Philadelphia  in 
four  days,  the  traveler  had  to  make  prompt  connections  among  the 
various  stage  lines,  and  to  submit  to  being  jolted  in  a  coach  for  16 
hours  a  day.  And  yet  from  the  far  more  distant  lowlands  of  the 
Gulf  States  came  many  cotton  planters  and  their  families.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  add  that  no  such  journeys  could  be  made  by  weak 
invalids. 

P.  H.  Nicklin,  writing  of  Hot  Springs  in  1835,  says  that  "at 
first  sight,  appearances  do  not  invite  a  long  sojourn."  He  speaks  of 
the  old  frame  hotel  and  bath  houses  and  several  rows  of  cabins. 
But  the  table  fare  was  very  good,  and  "the  scenery  grows  into  your 
affection  the  deeper  the  longer  you  remain." 

Doctor  Goode  died  in  1858  and  there  were  more  changes  in  own- 
ership. Finally,  in  1890,  the  Virginia  Hot  Springs  Company  came 
into  control.  This  corporation  also  acquired  title  to  the  Warm  and 
the  Healing  Springs. 

The  tract  of  140  acres  which  includes  the  Warm  Springs  was  sur- 
veyed in  1751  for  John  Lewis,  Sr.,  and  John  Lewis,  Jr.    The  younger 


THE    MINERAL   SPRINGS  49 

John  settled  on  the  land,  dying  here  in  1788.  The  same  year  he  sold 
to  William  Bowyer  of  Staunton  two  one-half  acre  lots  for  $200, 
these  being  on  "a  line  with  the  large  dwelling  house  and  store  house 
now  built." 

In  the  summer  of  1781,  the  Virginia  Assembly,  which  had  ad- 
journed from  Charlottesville  to  Staunton,  voted  to  adjourn  again  to 
Warm  Springs,  and  thus  would  have  made  this  hamlet  a  third  tem- 
porary state  capital,  had  the  British  cavalry  made  good  their  threat- 
ened raid  into  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  A  writer  of  1792  remarks 
that  it  lay  "on  a  great  leading  road  from  Richmond  to  the  Illinois 
and  Kentucky  and  several  of  the  western  countys" ;  that  it  was 
the  "numerous  resort  of  all  ranks  of  people."  But  he  adds  that  the 
real  estate  was  owned  by  minors,  and  that  rent  was  under  such  re- 
strictions as  nearly  to  forbid  population. 

Enjoying  the  prestige  of  being  the  county  seat,  Warm  Springs 
was,  during  the  stage-coach  era,  as  widely  and  favorably  known  as 
its  nearby  rival.  In  fact,  Hot  Springs  is  sometimes  mentioned  in  the 
early  surveys  as  Little  Warm  Springs.  Prior  to  the  purchase  of  the 
springs  and  hotel  by  the  corporation  which  also  controls  the  other 
resorts  of  the  valley,  the  owner  was  the  late  Colonel  John  L.  Eubank, 
secretary  of  the  Virginia  Secession  Convention  of  1861. 

Healing  Springs,  like  the  "Hot"  and  the  "Warm,"  as  the  others 
are  popularly  known  in  the  county,  has  attracted  to  its  neighborhood 
a  considerable  village.  But  in  a  social  point  of  view  this  resort  is 
much  less  conspicuous.     Until  about  1850  it  was  quite  undeveloped. 

Five  miles  east  of  Warm  Springs,  and  a  little  beyond  the  foot  of 
the  intervening  mountain,  is  Bath  Alum.  During  the  many  years 
when  the  pike  leading  toward  Staunton  was  the  only  entrance  to 
Bath  from  the  east,  Bath  Alum  was  a  well  known  summer  resort. 
But  no  village  grew  up  around  it,  and  the  brick  hotel  was  at  length 
closed  by  an  owner  who  was  indifferent  to  the  tourist  business.  It  is 
now  unvisited  and  stands  in  quiet  loneliness  amid  fields  and  forests. 

The  hotel  at  Millboro  Springs  was  opened  by  John  U.  Dicken- 
son a  few  years  before  the  war  of  1861,  and  being  within  three  miles 
of  a  railroad  station,  it  enjoys  a  good  patronage.  Wallawhatoola 
Spring,  a  mile  down  the  Cowpasture,  is  a  private  resort  only.  Nim- 
rod  Hall,  three  miles  still  farther  below,  is  without  the  adjunct  of  an 
important  mineral  spring.     Panther  Spring  in  Panther  Gap  is  con- 


50  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

trolled  by  the  Alleghany  Inn,  at  Goshen.  All  Healing  Spring,  at 
the  south  end  of  Shenandoah  Mountain,  is  little  developed  as  a  re- 
sort. 

The  hotels  of  Warm  Spring  Valley  heavily  preponderate  in  draw- 
ing visitors  to  Bath.  As  a  field  for  health  and  pleasure,  this  upland 
is  exceptionally  favored.  In  the  matter  of  climate  it  has  advantages 
over  the  outside  portion  of  the  county.  The  towering  mountain 
wall  shields  it  from  storms.  The  several  watergaps  on  the  west 
side,  the  absence  of  any  stream  coursing  lengthwise  through  the  val- 
ley, and  the  considerable  elevation  of  its  floor  above  the  level  of  Jack- 
son's River,  combine  to  exempt  this  locality  from  the  morning  fogs 
which  hover  over  the  river  bottoms  during  the  warm  season.  In  conse- 
quence the  air  is  more  than  usually  dry  for  a  mountain  valley,  and 
even  in  the  winter  season  many  a  day  is  mild  and  sunny. 

General  David  H.  Strother*,  better  known  as  Porte  Crayon, 
speaks  of  "the  matchless  gift  of  beauty  with  which  Heaven  has  en- 
dowed this  happy  region,  its  beautiful  and  invigorating  atmosphere, 
its  abundance  even  to  superfluity  in  all  the  good  things  that  make  it  a 
desirable  residence  for  man.  It  is  a  picture,  soft  and  luxuriant,  of 
rolling  plains  and  rich  woodlands,  watered  by  crystal  streams,  en- 
riched with  rare  and  curious  gems  wrought  by  the  plastic  hand  of 
Nature,  all  superbly  set  in  an  azure  frame  of  mountains,  beautiful  al- 
ways, and  sometimes  rising  into  sublimity." 

In  1856,  the  three  leading  resorts  in  Bath  paid  the  following  in 
license  fees:  Warm  Springs,  $114.59;  Hot  Springs,  $100.84;  Bath 
Alum,  $87.09. 

The  corporation  now  owning  the  resorts  has  at  a  large  outlay  sup- 
plemented the  advantages  bestowed  by  nature.  Among  the  improv- 
ments  is  first  the  railroad  spur  of  25  miles  which  connects  Hot  Springs 
with  the  main  line  of  the  Chesapeake  &  Ohio  at  Covington.  The 
present  very  modern  hotel,  with  accommodations  for  700  guests,  more 
than  equals  the  combined  capacity  of  the  hostelries  at  Warm  Springs 
and  Healing  Springs.  Roadways  totalling  15  miles  are  owned  and 
controlled  by  the  management.  A  large  share  of  this  mileage  is 
macadamized.  Bridle-paths  and  foot-paths  have  been  cut  through 
the  woods  to  the  mountain  summits  on  either  side,  particularly  to  Flag 
Rock  on  Warm  Springs  Mountain. 


•Nephew   to   Doctor   Archer  P.   Strother,   a   highly   respected   citizen   who 
lived  between  Hot  Springs  and  Warm  Springs  and  died  in  1856. 


VI 

EARLY   POLITICAL   HISTORY 

jHE  pioneer  history  of  the  Bath  area  starts  with  the  be- 
ginning of  white  settlement  about  1745,  and  comes  to 
a  close  with  the  organization  of  the  county  in  1791.  By 
the  end  of  the  half-century  the  region  had  become  well 
populated,  according  to  the  standard  which  then  and  for  many  years 
later  prevailed  in  the  Southland. 

But  not  until  after  Bath  had  become  a  county  was  there  any 
group  of  houses  large  enough  to  be  termed  a  village.  There  were 
a  few  stores  and  gristmills,  and  a  few  dwelling  houses  were  licensed 
as  taverns.  Only  in  one  instance  was  there  a  sufficient  nucleus  to  be 
called  a  hamlet.  This  exception  was  Warm  Springs.  At  Hot 
Springs  there  could  have  been  no  more  than  a  primitive  hotel  with 
its  accessory  buildings. 

The  earliest  tavern  licenses  we  know  of  were  those  granted  to 
George  Wilson  in  1758,  to  James  Ward  in  1759,  and  to  John  Dick- 
enson in  1763.  The  rates  which  the  tavern-keeper  might  not  exceed 
were  minutely  prescribed  by  the  county  court,  and  had  to  be  posted  in 
the  public  room.  By  a  ruling  of  the  court  of  Botetourt  in  1775,  the 
charge  for  a  "warm  diet  with  good  meat"  was  one  shilling,  or  16  2-3 
cents.  For  a  cold  meal  it  was  10^4  cents.  If  the  guest  slept  alone, 
his  lodging  cost  him  half  a  shilling.  If  two  or  more  slept  in  the 
same  bed,  the  charge  to  each  was  a  third  of  a  shilling.  Pasturage  or 
hay  for  24  hours  cost  10H  cents.  All  hostelries  kept  intoxicants  in 
variety,  and  the  drinking  habit  must  have  been  very  general.  The 
charge  at  this  time  for  rum,  whiskey,  or  peach  brandy  was  one  dollar 
a  gallon.  For  three  pints  of  toddy  made  with  half  a  pint  of  rum  and 
"single  refined  sugar"  the  charge  was  21  cents.  The  books  of  Wil- 
liam Crow,  who  was  a  merchant  of  Staunton  in  1760-70,  show  few 
very  long  accounts,  yet  scarcely  a  day  passed  without  several  charges 
for  drinks.  A  petition  of  1754  condemns  the  selling  by  ordinaries  of 
large  quantities  of  liquor  at  extravagant  rates,  whereby  money  is 
drained  out  of  the  country.  The  signers  express  their  intention  of 
making  their  own  liquor  so  as  to  keep  their  money  in  the  home  neigh- 


52  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

borhood.  Among  the  91  signers  who  "felt  the  smart"  of  this  state  of 
things  were  Archibald  Armstrong,  John  Allen,  Joseph  Bell,  John  Car- 
lile,  James  Gay,  Matthew  Harper,  James  Knox,  James  Montgomery, 
Loftus  Pullin,  and  James  Scott. 

The  first  definite  mention  of  a  store  is  that  of  Sampson  and  George 
Mathews  at  Cloverdale.  It  was  built  about  1775.  The  first  store 
we  read  of  at  Warm  Springs  was  that  of  White,  Kirk  and  Company 
in  1787.  Until  local  stores,  began  to  appear,  the  merchants  of  Staun- 
ton had  a  monopoly  of  the  Bath  trade,  except  so  far  as  they  had  to 
compete  with  traveling  pedlers.  This  competition  must  have  been 
considerable.  The  pedler  went  everywhere  and  was  a  welcome  visi- 
tor. 

The  earliest  mill  license  seems  to  be  the  one  issued  to  Adam  Dick- 
enson February  12,  1747.  It  must  have  been  a  new  mill  that  was  built 
on  the  Dickenson  plantation  by  William  Hamilton  about  1763.  In 
that  year  the  labor  that  had  been  put  into  the  new  building  was  pro- 
nounced by  David  Davis  and  Samuel  Vance  as  worth  four  pounds 
cash,  or  $13.33.  The  Hamilton  mill  was  doubtless  to  replace  one 
burned  by  the  Indians.  The  second  mill  license  is  that  in  favor  of 
George  Wilson  in  August,  1747.  In  1750  John  Justice  built  for 
William  Wilson  on  Bolar  Run  a  tubmill  at  the  contract  price  of  $20. 
It  was  to  have  been  completed  by  May  1,  but  the  builder  was  much 
behind  time.  Wilson  sued  for  20  pounds  damages,  and  Patrick  Mar- 
tin, William  Hamilton,  and  David  Davis,  ordered  by  the  court  to 
view  the  mill,  reported  it  insufficient.  In  the  spring  of  1753  John 
McCreery  put  in  a  mill  on  the  Cowpasture,  just  below  Ebbing  Spring. 
The  first  mention  of  a  sawmill  is  in  1761.  The  owner  was  George 
Wilson,  and  the  site  is  probably  on  the  upper  course  of  Stuart's  Creek. 

Until  1852,  the  county  court  in  Virginia  was  a  close  corporation 
and  had  extensive  powers.  For  a  long  time  there  was  no  higher  tri- 
bunal than  the  Governor's  Council,  a  body  corresponding  to  the 
present  state  senate.  When  a  new  county  was  created,  its  justices 
were  nominated  by  the  court  of  the  parent  county.  Whenever  a 
county  court  was  to  be  enlarged,  or  when  vacancies  were  to  be  filled, 
the  court  made  its  own  nominations.  In  either  case,  the  nominations 
were  passed  upon  by  the  governor  and  the  appointments  were  made 
by  him.  He  also  chose  the  sheriff  and  the  commissioned  officers  of  the 
militia  from  the  men  nominated  by  the  court.     But  it  was  the  court 


EARLY    POLITICAL     HISTORY  53 

itself  that  appointed  the  county  clerk,  the  constables,  and  the  over- 
seers of  the  roads.  It  passed  judgment  on  all  offenses  except  felonies 
and  high  treason,  and  in  the  case  of  such  criminals  as  were  negro  slaves 
it  could  decree  the  death  penalty  and  order  the  sheriff  to  execute  it. 

Under  British  rule  the  highest  county  official  was  the  county  lieu- 
tenant. He  was  a  sort  of  deputy  governor,  and  when  the  militia 
were  called  out  he  held  the  rank  of  colonel.  The  coroner  was  a  con- 
servator of  the  peace,  and  his  office  was  much  more  important  than 
it  is  now. 

There  was  a  property  qualification  for  voters,  and  a  considerable 
number  of  men  were  thus  deprived  of  the  use  of  the  elective  franchise. 
Yet  the  only  dignitaries  the  colonial  voter  had  a  regular  opportunity 
to  elect  were  members  of  the  House  of  Burgesses.  Until  1776  the 
governor  was  sent  from  England  under  appointment  by  the  British 
crown,  and  he  acted  as  its  personal  representative.  His  salary  was 
large  and  it  was  paid  by  the  colony.  He  lived  in  much  pomp  and 
wielded  a  great  influence.  At  the  close  of  his  term  he  usually  re- 
turned to  Britain. 

Until  local  government  was  organized  in  Augusta,  which  was  not 
until  the  close  of  1745,  its  settlers  had  to  go  to  Orange  to  attend  court, 
a  distance  from  Fort  Lewis  of  over  100  miles.  The  first  justices 
from  its  own  territory  were  John  Lewis  and  James  Patron.  The 
former  seems  to  have  been  commissioned  in  1739.  There  was  no  res- 
ident justice  in  the  Bath  area  until  Adam  Dickenson  was  appointed  in 
1745.  John  Dickenson  was  chosen  in  1756.  Whether  the  William 
Wilson  who  was  serving  in  the  same  year  was  the  man  of  that  name 
living  on  Jackson's  River,  we  cannot  determine.  Charles  Lewis  was 
appointed  in  1763,  but  declined  to  serve.  Jacob  Warwick  was  on  the 
court  in  1778,  and  John  McCreery,  Jr.,  in  1781,  but  in  the  year  fol- 
lowing both  these  men  declined  further  service  because  of  the  distance 
to  the  courthouse. 

The  first  local  coroner  we  read  of  was  John  McCreery,  Jr.,  who 
was  serving  in  1779.  The  first  constable  was  James  Mayse,  ap- 
pointed by  Orange,  February  28,  1745.  The  June  court  of  the  same 
year  ordered  him  to  qualify  at  its  next  meeting.  Wallace  Estill  and 
James  Hughart  succeeded  Mayse  in  1747.  Later  constables  whom 
we  can  identify  as  belonging  to  Greater  Bath  were  these: 


54  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Ralph  Laverty — 1748  Thomas  Thompson — 1763 

Archibald  Elliott— 1749  Alexander  Black— 1763 

James  Stuart — 1751  Thomas  Cartmill — 1767 

William  Daugherty— 1752  Joseph  McClung— 1763 

Henry  Gay— 1753  Richard  Mayse— 1768 

John  Byrd— 1755  Thomas  Wright— 1770 

James  Bourland — 1756  Andrew  Hamilton — 1770 

Andrew  Muldrock — 1756  Andrew   McCausland — 1780 

Wright  and  Hamilton  were  appointed  by  the  Botetourt  court. 
Both  represented  Jackson's  River,  the  former  from  that  section  of  the 
valley  above  the  "bent." 

Another  close  corporation  within  each  county  was  the  vestry.  It 
had  charge  of  the  local  interests  of  the  Church  of  England.  This 
was  the  established  church  in  Virginia  and  was  supported  by  public 
taxation.  The  taxes  for  this  purpose  were  levied  by  the  vestry,  which 
had  also  the  care  of  the  poor,  and  it  bound  out  the  children  of  illegiti- 
mate birth.  When  a  new  county  was  formed,  the  members  of  its 
first  vestry  were  chosen  by  the  qualified  voters.  But  with  a  curious  in- 
consistency, the  board  was  thenceforward  self-perpetuating.  It  filled 
its  own  vacancies  and  was  a  close  corporation  like  the  county  court. 
The  executive  officers  of  the  vestry  were  the  two  church-wardens 
chosen  from  its  own  membership. 

The  laws  were  harsh,  although  a  lax  administration  of  severe 
laws  was  often  winked  at.  Under  British  rule,  Virginia  recognized 
27  offenses  as  punishable  by  death.  Imprisonment  for  debt  contin- 
ued until  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Lashes  at  the  public 
whipping-post,  on  the  bare  back  and  "well  laid  on,"  were  frequently 
ordered,  39  being  the  limit  at  any  one  time.  Women  were  thus 
punished  as  well  as  men. 

The  first  lawsuit  pertaining  to  the  Bath  area  and  recorded  in 
Augusta,  was  that  of  Adam  Dickenson  against  John  Potts,  called 
February  11,1  746.  A  gray  mare  was  ordered  sold  to  satisfy  a  debt 
of  five  pounds   ($16.67). 

Until  1769  the  county  of  Augusta  had  for  its  eastern  boundary 
the  crest  of  the  Blue  Ridge  from  the  Tennessee  line  to  a  point  nearly 
east  of  Port  Republic.  Westward  it  was  understood  as  extending 
tar  enough  to  cover  all  the  territory  in  that  direction  that  was  claim- 
ed by  Virginia.  Hut  in  practical  sense,  the  actual  county  was  never 
larger   than   the   area   that   was   occupied.     As   population   extended 


EARLY    POLITICAL    HISTORY  55 

the  real  county  grew  in  size.  After  it  had  become  unwieldy  it  was 
subdivided.  The  first  curtailment  was  in  1769,  when  Botetourt 
was  authorized.  The  line  between  the  old  county  and  the  new  ran 
in  a  southeast  and  northwest  direction,  crossing  the  present  county 
of  Bath  in  the  vicinity  of  Dunn's  Gap  between  Hot  Springs  and 
Warm  Springs.  The  Cowpasture  was  crossed  at  the  Donally  farm 
and  Jackson's  River  at  the  John  Davis  place.  James  Trimble  sur- 
veyed this  line  in  1770,  so  far  as  it  lay  between  the  Blue  Ridge  and 
the  Alleghany  Front.  To  reimburse  him  for  the  fees  and  expenses 
the  court  of  Botetourt  voted  $53.88.  Four  years  later  the  same 
court  ordered  that  application  be  made  to  Augusta  to  have  the  line 
extended  to  the  Ohio  River.  It  does  not  appear  that  this  was  ever 
carried  into  effect. 

During  21  years  the  south  of  Bath  and  all  of  Alleghany  lay  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  Botetourt.  Until  after  1776,  however,  there  is 
no  mention  of  justices  or  grandjurors  from  the  Bath  area.  In  1770 
William  Christian  was  directed  to  list  the  tithables  on  "James  River 
and  the  Pastures  from  the  mouth  of  Craig  up  to  and  including  the 
Greenbrier  settlement."  Three  years  later  Matthew  Arbuckle  took 
the  list  from  the  mouth  of  Craig  up  the  James  and  Cowpasture  to 
the  county  line,  and  up  Jackson's  River  to  William  Hughart's.  The 
rest  of  Jackson's  River  was  assigned  to  John  Robinson.  In  1775, 
Richard  Mayse  had  Arbuckle's  district  enlarged  by  being  extended  to 
Sweet  Springs.  The  next  official  was  William  McClenahan,  whose 
district  comprised  Arbuckle's  and  Robinson's. 

In  1772  Botetourt  had  2202  tithables.  Perhaps  less  than  one- 
eighth  of  these  were  in  the  space  now  included  in  Bath,  Alleghany, 
Greenbrier,  and  Monroe.  For  her  first  county  buildings  the  sum 
of  $1280  was  voted.  In  1772  Richard  Mayse  was  appointed  to  look 
after  putting  up  an  office  building  for  the  use  of  the  court.  In  1770, 
169  wolf-heads  were  brought  in,  the  bounty  being  $5.00  for  a  grown 
animal  and  $2.50  for  a  cub. 


VII 

ROADS  AND  ROAD  BUILDERS 

!HEN  this  county  became  known  to  the  whites  it  had  no 
settled  native  population.  It  does  not  follow  that  such 
had  always  been  the  case.  The  probability  is  that  it  had 
at  some  time  been  inhabited.  Be  this  as  it  may,  Indian 
paths  followed  the  valleys  and  crossed  the  ridges.  These  trails  cer- 
tainly existed  but  are  now  forgotten.  The  settler  was  quick  to  use 
them  whenever  they  could  serve  his  purpose.  Some  portions  of  the 
aboriginal  highways  may  still  exist  in  the  form  of  county  roads.  In 
fact  the  Indian  road  was  sometimes  broad  enough  to  admit  a  wagon, 
and  often  it  was  deep  on  account  of  long  continued  use.  A  stream 
wTas  ordinarily  crossed  at  the  mouth  of  a  branch,  because  a  bar  will 
occur  at  such  a  place. 

The  buffalo  was  also  a  maker  of  paths.  This  animal  lives  in 
herds,  and  when  the  grazing  gives  out  at  one  place,  the  whole  herd 
moves  to  another,  taking  a  very  straight  course.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  the  Indian  appropriated  some  of  the  buffalo  paths  for  his  own 
use.  At  first  sight,  it  would  look  as  though  the  buffalo  and  not  the 
Indian  was  the  first  road-builder  in  Bath.  The  contrary  is  almost 
certainly  the  case.  The  buffalo  lived  only  in  open,  grassy  country, 
and  never  in  the  dense  forest.  The  whole  Alleghany  country  is  by 
nature  an  unbroken  forest.  The  large  expanses  of  open  ground 
seen  by  the  early  explorers  were  caused  by  the  Indians,  so  as  to  de- 
velop an  ample  supply  of  large  game.  So  the  buffalo  herds  crept 
farther  and  farther  eastward  from  their  native  western  plains,  and 
as  a  consequence  the  mound-building  ancestors  of  the  historic  Indian 
tribes  fell  away  from  their  agricultural  habits. 

A  remnant  of  a  buffalo  trail  is  said  to  be  still  visible  on  a  Cow- 
pasture  bluff,  about  a  mile  northward  from  the  crossing  of  the  Har- 
risonburg and  Warm  Springs  turnpike,  and  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river. 

The  roads  of  the  early  period  of  white  settlement  were  rough 
and  ready  affairs.  With  a  small  population,  and  but  little  money 
passing  from  hand  to  hand,  it  was  out  of  the  question  to  build  what 


ROADS  AND  ROAD  BUILDERS  57 

we  would  now  consider  a  good  highway.  The  pioneer  acted  quite 
literally  on  the  belief  that  a  straight  line  is  the  shortest  distance  be- 
tween two  points.  He  was  more  inclined  to  go  directly  over  a  ridge 
than  to  wind  through  a  hollow,  and  there  contend  with  side-cutting, 
laurel  thickets,  and  ledges  of  rock.  He  had  no  time  for  grading, 
and  a  road  through  a  narrow  pass  offered  too  good  an  opportunity 
for  Indians  to  lay  in  ambush.  But  the  woods  had  less  underbrush 
than  now,  and  it  was  comparatively  easy  to  open  a  tolerable  wagon 
way.  As  for  bridges,  it  was  seldom  that  they  were  seriously  thought 
of. 

The  earliest  roads  were  used  almost  wholly  as  bridle-paths,  the 
usual  mode  of  travel  being  horseback  and  the  packsaddle  being  the 
usual  mode  of  transporting  goods.  Nevertheless,  there  was  now  and 
then  a  pioneer,  even  among  the  earliest,  who  had  a  wagon,  and  the 
more  important  roads  had  to  be  wide  enough  to  permit  a  vehicle  to 
be  used.  Wherever  the  road  forked,  the  colonial  law  required  an 
index  to  be  set  up  for  the  information  of  the  traveler.  Crude, 
stumpy,  rocky,  and  innocent  of  grading  as  the  first  roads  must  have 
been,  the  public  opinion  of  the  day  required  a  certain  standard  of 
excellence.  Many  a  road  overseer  was  presented  by  the  grand  jury 
for  failing  to  keep  his  road  in  order. 

Two  classes  of  highways  received  very  early  attention.  A  road 
was  needed  along  each  river,  for  it  was  directly  upon  the  water- 
courses that  almost  all  the  early  comers  located.  In  these  valleys 
were  the  forts  for  their  protection  and  the  indipensable  gristmills. 
Other  roads  ran  over  the  mountains,  or  if  possible,  around  them,  so 
as  to  reach  the  neighboring  valleys.  The  most  important  of  such 
roads  were  those  leading  toward  the  courthouse,  which  was  the 
chief  commercial  point  for  a  wide  radius. 

Thus  it  is  easy  to  see  why  the  first  road  leading  to  the  Cowpas- 
ture  should  come  from  Staunton,  and  that  it  should  pass  around  the 
end  of  Shenandoah  Mountain.  That  it  should  strike  the  Cowpas- 
ture  at  Fort  Lewis  is  because  here  was  the  choicest  of  the  surveys 
taken  by  the  influential  Lewis  family.  So  it  was  ordered  by  the 
court  of  Augusta,  May  12,  1746,  that  "a  road  be  laid  off  and  marked 
from  the  great  lick  in  the  Cow  Pasture  adjoining  Col.  Lewis  Land 
to  Andrew  Hamilton  in  the  Calf  Pasture,  and  that  Andrew  Lewis 
and  George  Lewis  mark  out  and  lay  off  the  same  and  make  report  to 
the  next  court." 


58  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Two  years  later  there  was  an  order  for  a  road  from  Jackson's 
River  to  the  above  mentioned  land  of  Colonel  Lewis  on  the  Cowpas- 
tur,  William  Jackson  being  apponted  to  lay  off  the  same.  A  year 
later  still,  the  matter  was  again  taken  up,  for  we  find  the  court  re- 
iterating its  order,  May  18,  1749.  William  Jackson  and  James 
Mayse  were  appointed  overseers,  the  latter  taking  the  portion  of 
road  "already  marked"  from  the  Fort  Lewis  survey  to  William  Ham- 
ilton's on  the  Cowpasture.  All  the  tithables  on  the  Cowpasture 
above  James  Hughart's  were  ordered  to  turn  out  and  build  the  high- 
way. 

Meanwhile,  the  Dickenson  settlement  was  moving  for  an  outlet. 
A  petition  by  Adam  Dickenson,  for  a  road  from  the  "lower  end  of 
the  Cowpasture  to  Carter's  mill"  on  the  Calfpasture  was  rejected  in 
February,  1748,  but  granted  a  month  later.  The  signers  were  John 
Cartmill,  Hugh  Coffey,  Adam  Dickenson,  John  Donally,  William 
Daugherty,  William  Gillespie,  James  Mayse,  William  Hugh  ( ?) 
Ralph  Laverty,  Alexander  Millroy,  James  McCay,  John  Mitchell, 
John  Moore,  Andrew  Muldrock,  James  Scott,  James  Simpson,  and 
James  Stuart.  These  people  were  living  above  and  below  Fort 
Dickenson,  and  on  Stuart's  Creek.  Whether  this  road  was  to  go 
through  "Painter's  Gap"  is  not  clear.  We  do  not  find  definite 
mention  of  that  passage  in  road  orders  until  1762. 

In  1748,  also,  a  view  was  ordered  from  Peter  Wright's  to  Adam 
Dickenson's.  Wright  lived  where  Covington  now  stands.  An  or- 
der of  1751  calls  for  a  road  from  Wright's  mill  to  the  Cowpasture 
near  Hughart  or  Knox.  This  would  bring  it  up  the  river  to  the 
vicinity  of  the  bridge  on  the  Harrisonburg  pike.  The  work  was  en- 
trusted to  Adam  Dickenson,  David  Davis,  Peter  Wright  and  Joseph 
Carpenter.  On  the  same  date,  a  road,  apparently  below  the  Rath 
line,  was  ordered  from  the  Cowpasture  to  Borden's  grant.  The 
builders  designated  were  James  Frame,  William  Gillespie,  Hugh  Mc- 
Donald, Robert  and  James  Montgomery,  William  McMurray, 
James  and  John  Scott,  and  James  Simpson. 

Just  a  year  later,  a  petition  by  Cowpasture  settlers  led  to  an  order 
for  another  eastward  road.  This  was  to  go  from  "Patrick  Davis  to 
the  road  leading  to  Beverly's  big  meadows."  Adam  Dickenson  was 
to  lay  off  the  precincts  for  the  two  overseers,  John  Dickenson  and 
James  Mayse. 


ROADS  AND  ROAD  BUILDERS  59 

By  this  time  the  dwellers  on  the  Cowpasture  were  quite  well  ac- 
commodated with  roads.  During  the  next  ten  years  there  was  a 
slowing  up  in  road-building  throughout  the  Bath  area,  largely  a  re- 
sult of  the  long  war  with  the  Indians.  In  1762,  Ralph  Laverty, 
James  McCay,  and  John  Dickenson  were  to  view  a  route  from 
Davis's  to  Dickenson's.  The  same  year,  Laverty  and  James  Gay 
were  to  survey  a  road  through  Panther  Gap  to  Dickenson's.  It  is 
in  1763  that  we  find  the  first  mention  of  a  public  road  to  Warm 
Springs.  The  other  terminus  was  Walker's  place  on  the  Cowpas- 
ture. The  overseers  were  Thomas  Feamster,  from  Walker's  to 
Charles  Lewis's,  and  John  Lewis,  from  the  latter  point  to  Warm 
Springs. 

In  1766,  William  Gillespie  and  James  Beard  were  overseers  for 
a  road  down  the  river  from  Dickenson's  to  a  point  eight  miles  from 
"Pedlar  foard."  John  Dickenson  and  William  Hughart  were  to 
divide  their  precincts.  A  year  earlier  there  was  an  order  for  a  road 
from  Estill's  mill  (now  McClung's)  on  the  Bullpasture  to  the 
George  Lewis  place  on  the  Cowpasture.  The  overseers  were  Wil- 
liam Black,  John  Hicklin,  and  John  Estill.  But  in  1767  a  petition 
for  a  road  over  a  part  of  this  same  course  was  rejected.  The  18 
petitioners,  all  or  almost  all  of  whom  lived  on  the  Bullpasture,  asked 
for  a  road  from  John  Hicklin's  to  Feamster's  mill.  In  the  same 
year,  however,  a  view  was  ordered  from  William  Wilson's  mill  on 
Bolar  Run  "into  the  New  Laved  out  Road  at  the  foot  of  the  Bull 
Pastures  and  thence  into  the  Branch  near  Feamster's."  The  peti- 
tioners were  Robert  Bratton,  Robert  Barnett,  John  Davis,  David 
Frame,  William  Given,  Ralph  and  William  Laverty,  Thomas  Lewis, 
Duncan  and  Alexander  McFarland,  George^  Skillern,  and  Stephen 
Wilson.     Skillern  was  a  non-resident  land-holder. 

We  have  seen  that  the  first  mention  of  an  authorized  road  to 
Warm  Springs  is  in  1763.  But  in  both  English  and  French  maps  of 
1755,  a  road  is  drawn  all  the  way  to  the  Hot  Springs  from  the  mouth 
of  the  South  Branch  of  the  Potomac.  Its  course  inside  the  Bath 
area  begins  near  the  mouth  of  the  Bullpasture.  In  1769  a  view  was 
ordered  from  "Little  Warm  (Hot)  Springs"  to  the  forks  of  the  road 
on  Dunlap  Creek.  The  viewers  were  Robert  Armstrong  and  John 
Bollar.  For  a  time  wagons  were  unloaded  at  the  east  foot  of  Warm 
Springs   Mountain   where   Brinkley's  tavern    was    afterward    built. 


60  ANNALS  OF  BATH   COUNTY 

Goods  could  be  moved  farther  west  only  by  packsaddle.  Until  after 
1774  there  was  no  wagon  route  beyond  Warm  Springs.  But  in 
1779,  and  probably  as  early  as  1774,  there  were  mileposts  all  the 
way  to  this  point  from  Staunton. 

The  Revolution,  with  its  domestic  turmoil,  high  taxation,  and 
depreciated  paper  money,  was  not  favorable  to  the  building  of  new 
roads  or  the  improvement  of  old  ones.  In  1785  Robert  McCreery, 
William  Dickey,  and  Patrick  Miller  were  delegated  to  view  a  road 
from  Feamster's  mill  to  the  Bullpasture  ford  next  above  John  Mont- 
gomery. This  would  locate  the  ford  at  Williamsville.  In  1790  a 
road  was  established  from  Ralph  Laverty's  to  Thompson's  mill  by 
way  of  Windy  Cove.  To  build  it  the  tithables  were  summoned 
from  Thomas  Thompson's  to  Patrick  Davis's,  and  the  call  included 
those  on  Jackson's  River  who  lived  within  convenient  reach. 

In  1770  the  first  county  court  of  Botetourt  named  and  described 
39  road  precincts.  One  of  these  lay  partly  in  the  Bath  area,  and  its 
first  overseer  was  James  Montgomery.  In  1772  the  court  of  Bote- 
tourt ordered  Peter  Wright  and  Robert  Armstrong  to  survey  a  road 
from  Wright's  to  Sweet  Springs. 

We  have  now  given  all  we  know  as  to  the  steps  taken  to  build 
public  roads  within  the  present  limits  of  Bath  and  previous  to  its 
organization.  The  reader  has  already  noticed  that  an  order  by  the 
county  court  was  not  always  promptly  followed  by  actual  construc- 
tion. 

We  next  mention  the  road  overseers  under  Augusta,  and  also 
their  precincts,  where  the  latter  are  described: 

James  Mayse — 1748. 

Ralph  Laverty— 1753. 

John  Dickenson — 1754. 

William  Gillespie — 1765— Pedler  Ford  to  Dickenson's. 

John  Miller  vice  Loftus  Pullin — 1767 — Estill's  to  Feamster's. 

John  McCreery — 1768 — from  Charles  Lewis'  to  where  the  Dickenson 
road  joins  the  Staunton  and  Warm  Springs  road. 

John  Hamilton — 1768 — Warm  Spi  ings  to  forks  of  road  leading  to  John 
Dickenson's. 

John    Dean — 1769 — same   precinct    as   Hamilton's. 

Charles  Donally  and  John  McCreery — 1769. 

John   Byrd    vice   John   Lewis — 1773 — Cowpasture    to   Warm    Springs. 

William   Black   and   George  Rratton — 1777. 

David    Frame — 1778 — from   Frame's   to   William   Black's   and    from   Fort 


ROADS  AND  ROAD  BUILDERS  61 

Lewis  to  Colonel  Mathews'  on  the  Calfpasture.  Next  year,  his  precinct 
is  "from  the  forks  of  the  road  leading  to  Warm  Springs  and  Cowpasture, 
and  to  the  new  store." 

Stephen  Wilson — 1778 — John  Wilson's  to  Warm  Springs,  and  from  Wil- 
liam Wilson's  to  the  Bullpasture    road  over  the   mountain. 

John   Oliver — 1780 — Warm   Springs   to    Cowpasture. 

Edward    Thompson — 1780 — Cowpasture    to   Leonard   Bell's. 

Hugh  Hicklin — 1780 — from  the  county  (Botetourt)  line  to  the  school- 
house  on  Indian  Draft. 

Charles  Donally — 1780 — from  the  above  named  schoolhouse  to  Leonard 
Bell's. 

John   Montgomery — 1781 — William  Black's   to   David   Frame's. 

John   Rucker — 1781 — Thomas   Cartmill's   to   Samuel   Vance's. 

James  Young — 1783 — Cloverdale  to  big  hill   above  Andrew   Hamilton's. 

Osborn  Hamilton  vice  Adam  Blackman — 1786 — Samuel  Vance's  to  Fort 
Dinwiddie. 

Robert  Kirk  vice  John  Oliver — 1788 — Warm  Springs  to  Cowpasture.  Ja- 
cob Warrick  succeeded  Kirk. 


VIII 

LIFE   IN   THE  PIONEER  DAYS 

JN  NEARLY  every  instance,  the  parents  of  the  early- 
pioneer  were  born  on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean,  landed 
at  Philadelphia,  and  proceeded  with  little  delay  to  the 
settlements  in  Augusta.  Occasionally,  however,  they 
lived  some  years  in  Pennslyvania.  The  journey  was  by  wagon.  It 
led  through  the  towns  of  Lancaster  and  Frederick,  across  the  Poto- 
mac at  Shepherd's  Ferry,  and  up  the  Shenandoah  Valley  to  Staunton 
by  what  was  at  first  an  Indian  trail.  The  route  was  styled  the 
"Pennsylvania  Road."  This  side  the  Potomac  it  rather  closely  fol- 
lowed the  course  of  the  present  Valley  Turnpike.  From  Staunton 
they  continued  as  best  they  could  over  rough  paths  to  the  Cowpasture 
and  Jackson's  River. 

Doctor  Walker,  writing  in  1750,  during  the  infancy  of  Bath  set- 
tlement, makes  these  entries  in  his  diary: 

"July  9 — Having  a  Path  (from  Hot  Springs)  We  rode  20  miles  and 
lodged  at  Captain  Jemysons  below  the  Panther  Gap.  Two  of  my  Company 
went  to  a  Smith  to  get  their  Horses  Shod. 

"July  11 — Our  way  mending  We  travelled  30  miles  to  Augusta  Court 
House." 

As  a  rule,  men  are  slow  to  adopt  a  radical  change  in  their  manner 
of  living.  After  once  choosing  his  piece  of  land  in  the  wilderness, 
the  pioneer  sought  to  feed,  clothe,  and  house  himself  as  he  had  done 
in  the  native  land.  But  Europe  was  an  old  country,  comparatively 
well  peopled.  America  had  only  a  few  wild  Indians,  and  the  fron- 
tier looked  to  the  new  comer  as  though  it  had  never  been  peopled  at 
all.  So  the  environment  led  to  some  departure  from  the  old  mode. 
The  modification  was  not  hard  to  accept,  because  the  plain  ways  of 
the  immigrants  made  them  adaptable  to  new  conditions.  For  exam- 
ple, they  had  lived  in  stone  dwellings.  It  was  now  more  convenient 
to  build  a  log  cabin.  Indian  corn  was  to  them  a  new  food  and  fodder 
plant,  yet  it  w  as  accepted  at  once.  The  potato,  however,  was  not  well 
known  in  Scotland  before  1760.  A  cradle  could  be  made  of  peeled 
hickory  bark. 


LIFE   IN   THE    PIONEER  DAYS  63 

The  climate  was  found  to  be  more  sunny  than  the  European, 
but  in  general  temperature  not  greatly  different.  The  soil  was  un- 
worn. Yet  the  small  seaports  of  America  were  200  miles  away,  and 
in  the  intervening  distance  there  was  almost  no  town  population  what- 
ever. Nearly  every  man  was  a  producer  and  not  a  consumer  1  hese 
were  disadvantages,  but  the  Ulstermen  were  bent  on  escaping  the 
vexations  they  had  undergone  in  Ireland.  In  some  instances  the 
settler  brought  with  him  a  considerable  stock  of  hard  cash.  But  in 
the  wilderness  itself  there  was  no  money,  and  there  were  few  com- 
modities which  would  bring  money.  All  manufactured  goods  and 
such  necessities  as  salt  and  ammunition  had  to  be  brought  from  the 
seacoast  and  were  expensive.  The  pioneer  was  thus  constrained  to  be 
as  independent  as  possible  of  the  outside  world. 

Where  there  are  handicaps  on  travel  and  trade,  a  frontier  com- 
munity tends  to  lag  behind  in  the  march  of  civilization.  In  some  of 
the  more  isolated  valleys  of  Appalachian  America  the  people  still  live 
very  much  as  their  grandparents  lived  a  century  ago.  It  has  been  dif- 
ferent in  Bath,  because  this  county  lies  on  a  natural  line  of  travel. 
But  in  the  abundance  of  game  there  is  a  novelty.  Walker  remarks 
that  during  his  summer  expedition  to  Cumberland  Gap,  his  party  kill- 
ed 13  buffaloes,  53  bears,  and  about  150  turkeys,  to  say  nothing  of 
other  game,  and  could  have  killed  three  times  as  much  if  there  had 
been  the  need.  Slumbering  instincts,  inherited  from  remote  ancestors, 
began  at  once  to  assert  themselves.  Some  of  the  newcomers  almost 
literally  took  to  the  woods.  They  neglected  the  soil  and  made  hunt- 
ing a  business.  The  skins  they  did  not  need  as  articles  of  clothing 
could  be  sent  to  the  seaports.  The  bounty  on  the  destructive  wolf 
put  some  additional  coin  into  their  pockets.  Nearly  every  pioneer 
seems  to  have  yielded  in  some  degree  to  this  "call  of  the  wild." 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  a  great  error  to  assume  that  coonskin 
caps  and  deerskin  hunting  shirts  were  generally  worn  in  this  region, 
or  that  the  pioneer  lived  within  doors  in  almost  as  primitive  a  fashion 
as  the  Indian  himself.  This  was  true  of  some  persons,  but  it  was  not 
the  recognized  standard  of  living.  The  dress  suit  of  the  person  who 
by  the  usage  of  the  time  was  styled  either  a  gentleman  or  a  yeoman 
was  more  elaborate  than  in  our  day.  The  colors  were  brighter  and 
more  diversfiied.  We  read  of  green  and  plum  colored  broadcloths 
and  of  bright  red  fabrics.    George  Wilson's  coat  was  valued  by  him- 


64  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

self  at  $13.33,  and  it  would  have  taken  two  of  his  cows  to  pay  for 
it.  James  Burnside  was  charged  $10  for  three  beaver  hats.  Wil- 
liam Jackson  lived  on  the  verge  of  settlement,  yet  he  wore  a  wig  and 
a  stock  and  buckle.  In  presenting  a  bill  of  $1003.52  against  his  fa- 
ther's estate,  John  Dickenson  mentions  broadcloth  at  $3  a  yard,  and 
calico  at  75  cents.  A  pair  of  silver  knee  buckles  is  listed  at  $3.33,  a 
lawn  handkerchief  at  $1.25,  a  silk  bonnet  at  $11.33,  a  set  of  silver 
breeches  buttons  at  $3.33,  and  a  pair  of  men's  stockings  at  83  cents. 
There  was  a  tailor's  bill  in  favor  of  James  Stuart  of  $7.67.  And 
Adam  Dickenson  was  the  founder  of  the  settlement  on  the  lower  Cow- 
pasture.  Robert  Armstrong  was  a  hunter,  but  wore  silver  buckles. 
The  statute  of  Andrew  Lewis,  at  Richmond,  represents  that  gener- 
al as  attired  in  hunting  shirt  and  leggings.  Such  was  not  his  ordinary 
apparel,  for  he  is  known  to  have  been  particular  in  the  matter  of  dress. 
His  brother,  Charles,  was  equally  particular  and  left  a  brown  suit 
inventoried  at  $50. 

The  person  acquiring  100  or  more  acres  in  the  Augusta  colony 
was  usually  a  yeoman,  his  class  constituting  the  backbone  of  British 
society.  Of  the  very  much  smaller  class  known  as  gentlemen,  there 
were  very  few  among  the  Augustans,  although  a  prominent  man 
would  be  given  that  title  by  courtesy.  The  gentleman,  according  to 
the  aristocratic  meaning  of  the  word,  was  a  man  who  claimed  that 
his  ancestors  had  never  been  serfs.  He  had  a  coat  of  arms  and  could 
wear  a  sword. 

In  deeds  and  other  documents  it  was  customary,  if  the  grantor  or 
grantee  were  a  yeoman,  to  state  the  fact,  or  to  name  his  occupation. 
This  was  a  means  of  defining  his  social  standing.  Bound  white  ser- 
vants were  numerous  in  Augusta.  Some  of  these  were  orphans  or  of 
illegitimate  parentage.  In  the  early  days  of  the  colony  they  were 
chiefly  young  persons  brought  from  Europe  under  indenture.  To 
pay  their  passage  across  the  Atlantic  they  were  sold  into  servitude  for 
the  average  term  of  five  years.  At  the  end  of  this  time  the  servant 
became  free.  But  while  his  servitude  continued,  he  was  virtually 
a  slave.  If  he  ran  away  and  was  retaken  he  was  made  to  serve  his 
master  an  extra  period,  the  length  of  which  was  proportioned  to  the 
cost  of  recovery.  Some  of  the  servants  made  as  good  citizens  as  any 
other  people.  Some  others  had  a  record  as  petty  criminals,  or  were 
of  loose  moral  character.     If,   as   frequently  occurred,   the  wvman 


LIFE   IN   THE   PIONEER  DAYS  65 

servant  had  bastard  children  by  another  man  than  her  master,  hei 
term  of  servitude  was  lengthened.  But  immoral  behavior  was  not 
confined  to  the  servant  class. 

Until  after  the  Indian  war  of  1754,  negro  slaves  were  very  scarce 
in  Augusta. 

White  male  adults  were  enrolled  in  militia  companies,  of  which 
the  commissioned  officers  were  captains,  lieutenants,  and  ensigns. 
But  the  frontiersmen  were  little  amenable  to  restraint,  and  only  the 
officer  with  a  strong  inborn  power  of  leadership  could  control  his 
men.  The  day  of  general  muster  was  the  fourth  Tuesday  in  Sep- 
tember.    There  was  a  company  muster  every  three  months. 

The  "processioning"  of  lands  was  a  colonial  custom.  It  began  in 
1751  and  was  to  be  repeated  every  four  years.  It  consisted  in  re- 
marking the  corners  of  the  surveys,  and  was  done  by  men  appointed 
for  that  purpose  by  the  vestry.  The  purpose  was  to  keep  the  lines  from 
being  lost  sight  of,  and  to  prevent  unlawful  hunting  and  ranging. 
In  1755,  James  Hughart  processioned  in  John  Dickenson's  militia 
company  of  the  Cowpasture,  and  Stephen  Wilson  and  Joseph  Carpen- 
ter in  Jeremiah  Seely's  company  on  Jackson's  River.  The  following 
document  is  dated  October  12,  1765: 

"As  it  has  pleased  your  Worships  to  send  an  order  to  nominate  Four 
Persons  in  the  Cow  Pasture  to  mark  the  lines  of  the  Several  plantations 
there,  we  the  subscribers  hereof  have  gone  from  the  Forks  at  Jackson's  Riv- 
er upward  to  Joseph  Mayse,  and  Thomas  Feamster  and  William  Black 
from  there  to  the  head  of  the  waters.  There  is  many  places  that  there  is 
no  livers  in  and  others  that  doth  not  know  their  lines.  The  names  of  such 
as  have  f'd  their  lines  are  as  follows. 

James  McCay 
James  Scott." 

McCay  and  Scott  marked  for  themselves  and  for  William  Gill- 
espie, John  Handley,  William  McMurray,  James  Beard,  John  Dick- 
enson, James  Hamilton,  Ralph  Laverty,  John  Cartmill,  James  Hug- 
hart,  Robert  Stuart,  Charles  Donally,  and  Thomas  Gillespie.  Feams- 
ter and  Black  marked  for  themselves  and  James  Mayse,  John  Mc- 
Creery,  James  Knox,  James  Shaw,  George  Lewis,  James  Clements, 
Hugh  Hicklin,  Charles  Lewis,  John  Kinkead,  Robert  Hall,  Boude 
Estill,  William  Jackson,  and  James  Bodkin. 

About  1768,  Samuel  Hamilton  marked  for  the  following  men  be- 


66  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

tween  his  house  and  James  Beard's:  Andrew  Sitlington,  John 
Dickenson,  William  Sprowl,  John  Donally,  Hugh  Coffey,  Joseph 
Watson,  Andrew  Muldrock,  William  Daugherty,  John  Clendennin, 
and  William  Mayse. 

The  first  dwelling  houses  were  small  round-log  cabins.  The  roof 
was  of  long  riven  shingles  held  down  by  weight-poles.  The  floor 
was  of  puncheons,  or  even  the  natural  earth.  But  larger  and  better 
houses  of  hewn  logs  soon  made  their  appearance.  That  of  William 
Jameson,  of  the  Calf  pasture,  built  in  1752,  was  18  by  24  feet  in  the 
clear,  and  one  and  one-half  stories  high.  James  Carlile  did  the  work 
for  $22.50.  Jameson  brought  suit  on  the  ground  that  the  house  was 
badly  put  together,  some  of  the  logs  being  but  four  inches  thick  in- 
stead of  the  six  inches  required  by  the  agreement,  and  that  some 
rows  of  shingles  lay  20  inches  to  the  weather. 

In  many  an  instance  the  settler  had  learned  some  handicraft.  On 
the  frontier  he  could  still  follow  his  trade  to  some  extent,  making  it 
a  side-line  to  his  farming.  One  man  was  a  weaver,  another  a  mill- 
wright, another  a  cooper,  and  still  another  a  carpenter  or  cabinet- 
maker. A  very  important  man  was  the  blacksmith.  He  did  not 
limit  himself  to  repair  work,  but  was  really  an  iron-worker.  He 
manufactured  nails,  horeshoes,  edged  tools,  and  copper-glazed  bells. 
He  also  made  farm  implements,  except  such  as  were  wholly  of  wood. 

The  tilled  acreage  was  small,  because  the  pioneer  grew  little  more 
than  the  supplies  consumed  on  his  place.  The  farming  tools  were  few 
and  simple.  Almost  the  only  horse  implements  were  the  wooden 
plow  and  the  brush  harrow.  Wagons  were  scarce  at  first,  but  were 
fairly  common  during  the  Revolution.  Indian  corn,  unknown  in 
the  British  Isles,  was  the  only  staple  the  pioneer  had  to  learn  how  to 
grow.  The  Ulster  people  were  proficient  in  linen  weaving,  and  the 
flax  patch  was  seen  on  every  frontier  farm.  Only  the  well-to-do 
could  wear  clothes  made  of  imported  cloth.  Others  wore  home- 
spun made  of  flax  fiber  or  wool,  or  a  mixture  of  the  two.  Hemp 
was  peculiarly  a  money  crop  and  was  encouraged  by  the  Virginia 
government.  It  was  suited  to  the  deep  black  soil  of  the  river  bot- 
toms. The  price  was  $5  a  hundredweight,  and  there  was  also  i 
bounty  of  $1.  Charles  Lewis,  the  champion  hemp  grower  of  Bath, 
had  a  crop  of  2374  pounds  in  1773.  Few  planters  produced  so 
much  as  1000  pounds. 


LIFE   IN   THE   PIONEER  DAYS  67 

Bath  has  been  a  grazing  region  from  the  very  first,  and  the  pio- 
neer farm  was  well  stocked  with  horses,  sheep,  and  hogs.  The 
smaller  domestic  animals  needed  protection  from  the  bears,  panthers, 
and  wolves.  The  grown  animals  were  not  so  large  as  those  of  the 
present  day. 

The  frequency  with  which  the  colonial  will  begins  with  a  long 
pious  preamble,  would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  pioneers  were  usu- 
ally attendants  on  religious  service.  And  yet  profanity  was  very- 
prevalent,  not  to  mention  coarseness  of  speech.  Gambling  was  also 
common.  Complaint  was  made  of  one  Bath  magistrate  for  visiting 
a  gaming  house  and  violating  his  official  duty  by  failing  to  report  it. 

The  pioneers  of  this  county  were  Presbyterians.  Their  first 
minister  was  John  Craig,  who  preached  on  the  Cowpasture  at  least 
as  early  as  1749.  He  was  followed  by  Alexander  Craighead,  who 
came  to  Augusta  in  1752  and  two  years  later  purchased  a  part  of 
the  Dickenson  homestead.  Whether  he  lived  here  or  on  the  farm 
he  owned  in  the  Borden  grant,  we  do  not  know.  At  this  time  the 
Church  of  England  was  also  the  established  church  in  Virginia.  No 
one  except  a  minister  of  that  communion  might  marry  a  couple,  and 
there  was  no  resident  clergyman  in  Augusta  until  1760.  The  Indian 
war  broke  out  shortly  after  Craighead's  arrival.  He  thought  it  too 
great  a  hardship  for  the  frontier  people  to  bear  the  brunt  of  this 
bitter  conflict,  and  at  the  same  time  be  subject  to  religious  disabilities. 
In  1755  he  went  to  North  Carolina,  where  the  laws  were  more  lib- 
eral. In  that  colony  he  was  the  only  Presbyterian  minister  between 
the  Yadkin  and  the  Catawba.  Craigheard  was  followed  by  so  many 
of  his  congregation  on  the  Cowpasture  that  for  a  while  it  was  almost 
broken  up.  One  effect  of  the  Indian  war  was  greatly  to  loosen  the 
application  of  the  laws  against  dissenters,  and  one  result  of  American 
independence  was  full  religious  liberty  in  Virginia.  It  may  be  open 
to  question  whether  Craighead  chose  the  better  course  in  quitting  his 
field  and  not  helping  in  the  fight  for  toleration.  But  in  North  Carolina, 
where  he  died  in  1768,  he  did  good  service  in  preparing  his  flock  for 
the  inevitable  conflict  with  England.  It  was  his  adopted  county — 
Mecklenberg — that  was  a  year  ahead  of  the  Continental  Congress  in 
declaring  for  the  independence  of  America. 

Windy  Cove  is  the  mother  church  of  all  the  Presbyterian  organi- 
zations  in   Greater   Bath.     The   original   church    building,    a   little 


68 


ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 


round-log  structure  with  a  large  fireplace,  stood  on  Craighhead's 
farm.  According  to  the  memorial  slab  that  marks  the  spot,  it  was 
erected  in  1760.  This  is  an  error.  At  that  date  the  Indian  war 
had  not  ceased,  there  was  no  resident  minister,  and  the  congregation 
was  nearly  broken  up  because  of  the  exodus  to  North  Carolina.  The 
real  date  is  probably  not  later  than  1752.  The  church  seems  to  have 
been  burned  by  the  Indians  between  1753  and  1763.  About  1756, 
Laverty  and  Millroy  employed  William  Gillespie  to  reroof  the 
church  for  $10,  but  they  brought  suit  on  the  ground  that  his  work 
did  not  sufficiently  turn  the  rain  and  snow.  A  second  and  smaller 
church  was  built  about  1766  near  the  site  of  the  present  Windy  Cove. 
This  was  succeeded  by  a  church  and  a  session  house  of  hewed  logs, 
and  these  in  1837  by  the  present  brick  buildings.  The  second  resi- 
dent minister  was  John  Montgomery.  His  ministry  was  from  1789 
to  1804. 

The  first  of  the  offshoots  from  Windy  Cove  used  as  a  house  of 
worship  was  a  log  building  on  the  Dean  homestead  on  Jackson's 
River.     This  gave  place  to  a  church  at  Warm  Springs. 

The  first  elders  of  Windy  Cove  were  William  Gillespie,  John 
Sitlington,  Nathaniel  Crawford,  and  Joseph  Surber. 

The  names  given  below  are  those  of  the  communicants  at  Windy 
Cove  in  1833 : 


Avis,    Margaret 
Bell,  Thomas   A. 
Bell,   Joseph   W.    G. 
Bratton,    Andrew 
Bratton,    John 
Bratton,    Lewis 
Bratton,    Mary,    Sr. 
Bratton,    Mary,    Jr. 
Bratton,    Mary 
Bratton,    Rebecca 
Burger,    Martha 
Carlile,    Jane 
Crawford,    Martha 
(Vawiord,   Mary 
Crawford,    Samuel 
Crawford,    William 
Criser,    Mary 
Dickenson,  Adam,    Jr. 
Dickenson,  Charlotte 


Dickenson,   Emhy 
Dickenson,    Harriet 
Dickenson,  John   0. 
Dickenson,    Samuel 
Feamster,    Margaret 
Francisco,    Elizabeth 
Francisco,    George 
Frasier,   James 
Frasier,    Jane    G. 
Frasier,  Martha 
Frasier,  Martha   G. 
Gillespie,    Peggy 
Gilliland,  Stephen 
Hansbarger,  Rebecca 
Hughart,    Ervin 
Hughart,   James 
Hughart,    Martha 
Hughart,    Samuel 


Jameson,   Rachel 
Kelso,   Hugh 
Kelso,   John 
Lyle,    Isabella 
Lyle,   James 
McCland,    Andrew 
McCland,  Frances 
McClung,  John 
McClung,    Rachel 
McClung,    Sarah 
McDannald,    Adam 
McDannald,     Harriett 
McDannald,    Hugh 
VlcDannald,    John 
McDannald,  Rebecca 
Moore,   Jane 
Payne,   Ann 
Porter,   Adam 


Hutchinson,    Harriet    K.     Porter,    Martha 


LIFE   IN   THE    PIONEER  DAYS  69 

Porter,    Mary  Sitlington,    Thomas  Walters,    Benijah 

Porter,    Rachel  Sloan,    Mary  Withrow,    Eliza 

Porter,    Rebecca  Surber,    Jane  Woods,   Edward 

Ryne,  Martha  Surber,  Levi  Woods,  ,  Mrs. 

Sitlington,  Mary   (1)  Surber,  Mary  Mingo     (negro) 

Sitlington,  Mary   (2)  Surber   ,    Mrs.  Bridget    (negro) 

Sitlington,    Nancy  Williams,    Elisha,    Jr. 

The  ruling  element  in  colonial  Virginia  held  that  education  is 
a  private  and  not  a  public  interest,  and  that  schooling  is  to  be  pur- 
chased like  clothing  or  groceries.  This  is  why  the  subject  has  only 
incidental  mention  in  the  public  records.  So  far  as  we  know,  the 
first  schoolhouse  in  the  Bath  area  stood  on  Indian  Draft,  in  or  near 
the  basin  of  Stuart's  Creek.  It  is  mentioned  in  1779.  But  ever 
since  the  Reformation  came  to  Scotland,  the  Scotch  people  have  been 
noted  for  their  zeal  in  the  cause  of  general  education.  The  ability 
to  read  and  write  was  almost  universal  among  the  pioneers  of  Bath. 
We  have  found  scores  of  their  signatures,  often  written  in  a  plain, 
easy  hand. 

The  settlers  of  Augusta  were  very  much  given  to  litigation.  The 
number  of  their  lawsuits,  during  the  30  years  prior  to  the  Revolution, 
runs  into  the  thousands.  The  settlers  of  Bath  seem  to  have  fur- 
nished their  full  proporton.  Some  persons  were  exceedingly  con- 
tentious and  were  almost  constantly  in  court  for  years.  Most  of  the 
suits  were  for  debt.  Not  a  few  were  for  assault  and  battery.  Many 
others  were  for  slander.  If  a  man  gave  a  note,  performed  a  piece 
of  work,  or  ran  up  a  bill  at  a  store,  the  outcome  was  commonly  a 
lawsuit,  and  sometimes  it  dragged  through  court  after  court  for  a 
number  of  years.  It  sometimes  looks  as  though  every  man  was  not 
only  all  the  while  in  debt,  but  was  holding  notes  against  other  per- 
sons. It  was  a  common  thing  for  a  person  to  claim  damages  for 
being  called  a  thief.  It  was  even  more  common  for  both  men  and 
women  to  complain  of  having  immoral  behavior  alleged  against  them. 
Some  of  these  charges  are  gross  in  the  extreme,  and  are  set  forth  in 
the  bills  of  complaint  with  a  frankness  that  is  astonishing.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  the  people  of  old  Augusta  knew  perfectly  well  how  to  call 
a  spade  a  spade. 

The  pioneers  were  not  meek  in  submitting  to  any  human  author- 
ity. The  justices  of  the  county  court  were  sometimes  "damned" 
or  otherwise  insulted  while  sitting  on  the  bench.     In  1754,  a  woman 


70  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

called  William  Wilson  a  rogue,  and  said  that  on  his  "coming  off 
the  bench  she  would  give  it  to  him  with  the  devil."  At  another 
time,  three  soldiers  came  into  the  court-room  and  insulted  the  jus- 
tices. The  court  was  repeatedly  disturbed  by  rioting  in  the  court- 
yard or  by  ball  playing.  As  for  the  constables  they  were  not  to  be 
envied  in  attempting  to  discharge  their  duty.  Sometimes  they  could 
not  serve  a  writ  "by  reason  of  a  fresh."  One  of  them  says  he  was 
"kept  off  by  force  of  arms."  Another  says  his  writ  was  "not  exe- 
cuted case  of  by  a  hay  fork."  A  third  says,  "the  fellow  gave  me 
neel  play."  A  writ  against  two  settlers  near  Fort  Dickenson  was 
not  executed  in  1758  "for  fear  of  the  Indians." 

Micheal  Harper  complained  that  three  of  the  Bath  settlers  burn- 
ed his  house  and  500  rails  and  committed  other  "enormities."  John 
Bodkin  was  granted  two  pounds  damages  for  being  accused  of  steal- 
ing a  filley.  Robert  Duffield  complained  of  a  certain  very  conten- 
tious and  rather  pugilistic  settler  that  the  said  person  killed  a  black 
mare  belonging  to  him.  A  woman  on  Jackson's  River  was  accused  by 
another  woman  of  stealing  a  cheese,  but  was  granted  only  one  penny 
damages.  A  man  on  the  Cowpasture  sued  Joseph  Mayse  for  speak- 
ing of  him  as  a  hog  thief.  In  this  suit  a  pioneer  of  Stuart's  Creek 
deposed  that  he  saw  the  plaintiff  drivng  away  seven  "hoggs"  from 
the  plantation  of  Colonel  Lewis  and  supposed  them  to  belong  to 
Mayse.  William  Wilson  sued  two  men  for  using  several  nanels  of 
his  fence  to  catch  a  horse  belonging  to  one  of  them ;  also  for  burning 
some  of  the  fencing,  whereby  eight  acres  of  rye  and  fifteen  of  good 
timothy  were  ruined.  This  was  in  1757,  during  the  Indian  war,  and 
Wilson  lost  the  suit.  William  Armstrong  sued  a  neighbor  for  coming 
at  him  with  "clubs,  swords,  staves,  knives,  feet,  hands,  and  sticks." 
whereby  he  was  knocked  senseless  and  his  arm  broken.  The  bill 
fails  to  state  how  many  hands  and  fingers  the  assailant  possessed. 

During  the  Revolution  the  mines  of  Wythe  county  were  an  im- 
portant source  of  bullets  and  shot.  Attempts  to  manufacture  powder 
were  begun  at  an  early  day  in  the  Alleghany  region,  and  were  con- 
tinued until  until  near  the  middle  of  the  last  century.  The  first 
powder  mill  we  hear  of  in  Greater  Bath  was  at  Fort  Mann.  Anoth- 
er, on  Blue  Spring  Run  in  Rich  Patch  Mountain,  is  spoken  of  in  1810. 

The  first  drowning  in  the  Cowpasture  that  we  hear  of  was  that 
of  Garret  Phclnn,  in  1782.      The  inquest  was  held  at  David  Frame's. 


LIFE    IN   THE   PIONEER  DAYS  71 

The  coroner's  jury  consisted  of  Charles  Cameron,  James  Henry, 
Patrick  Miller,  Andrew  Sitlington,  Robert  McCreery,  Alexander 
Black,  William  Black,  David  Frame,  Jermiah  Frame,  Matthias  Ben- 
son, and  Sampson  Wilson.  Wilson  was  from  the  Doe  Hill  neigh- 
borhood. 

Thomas  Feamster  "bred  a  meeting"  in  1757  and  was  its  spokes- 
man. He  set  forth  his  refusal  to  muster,  saying  Captain  George 
Wilson  had  given  to  women  and  children  provisions  that  belonged 
to  the  soldiers.  He  said  Wilson's  character  would  become  as  well 
known  a  it  was  in  Pennsylvania.  Wilson  brought  suit  for  slander 
and  won.  One  pioneer  of  the  Calfpasture  sued  another  for  saying  he 
had  stolen  two  shirts  from  the  neighbor  and  had  been  to  see  a  conjuror 
about  it.  It  was  easily  within  the  recollection  of  the  people  then  living 
that  a  woman  had  been  ducked  in  Princess  Anne  County  for  witch- 
craft. 

Previous  to  the  French  and  Indian  war  small  printed  forms  were 
used  for  writs.  From  then  until  the  Revolution  legal  papers  were 
written  out  by  hand,  usually  in  a  neat,  legible  manner.  Very  small 
pieces  of  paper  were  used,  and  the  lines  of  writing  were  near  to- 
gether. This  was  because  of  the  high  cost  of  paper.  The  ink  was 
very  good  and  the  writing  is  easily  read  to-day.  None  but  quill 
pens  were  known  or  used,  and  unlike  steel  pens  their  action  is  not 
corrosive. 

The  large  river  farms  were  really  plantations,  and  were  spoken 
of  as  such.  And  as  these  farms  took  in  nearly  all  the  prime  tillable 
land  in  Bath,  the  structure  of  society  was  rather  aristocratic  for  a 
mountain  region.  So  often  are  the  planters  mentioned  as  officers  of 
the  militia,  that  one  is  sometimes  inclined  to  wonder  who  were  the 
privates. 

Money  was  computed,  as  in  England,  in  pounds,  shillings,  and 
pence.  But  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  these  words  applied  to  val- 
ues and  not  to  coins.  The  Virginia  pound  was  worth  almost  one- 
third  less  than  the  pound  sterling,  and  for  this  reason  English  money 
did  not  circulate  in  the  colony.  In  Virginia  currency,  the  pound  was 
worth  $3.33,  the  shilling  16  2-3  cents,  and  the  penny  a  little  more 
than  1  and  1-3  cents.  The  hard  money  in  actual  use  came  from  the 
West  Indies,  and  was  of  Spanish,  French,  and  Portuguese  mintage. 
Thus  we  read  frequently  of  the  pistole,  the  doubloon,  and  the  "loo- 


72  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

dore,"  which  were  gold  coins  worth,  respectively,  $3.92,  $5.00,  and 
$3.96.  It  was  thus  that  the  Americans  became  acquainted  with  the 
"piece  of  eight,"  or  Mexican  dollar.  The  former  name  was  because 
it  was  divided  into  eight  reals,  the  real  being  a  silver  coin  of  the 
value  of  nine  pence,  or  12H  cents.  The  earliest  mention  of  the  dol- 
lar by  name  is  in  1752,  when  Adam  Dickenson  thus  acknowledges 
a  payment  on  a  note:     "Rec'd  of  the  within  28  dollars." 

"Since  the  gold  and  silver  coins  that  passed  from  hand  to  hand 
were  of  so  varied  a  character,  it  was  tedious  and  inconvenient  to  turn 
their  values  into  Virginia  money.  They  were  computed  by  weight, 
and  this  is  why  money  scales  are  often  mentioned  in  inventories  of 
personal  property.  The  silver  coins  were  legal  tender  at  the  rate 
of  33A  pence  per  penny-weight,  or  $1.04  per  ounce.  Copper  pennies 
were  coined  for  Virginia  in  1733.  Paper  money  of  colonial  issue  be- 
gan to  appear  in  1755.  The  ten  pound  bill  was  only  2^2  by  3  inches 
in  size,  was  crudely  engraved,  and  was  numbered  and  signed  with  a 
common  pen.  The  bill  pictured  in  this  book  was  once  held  by 
William  Blanton,  who  asked  Charles  Lewis  to  change  it  for  him 
or  get  it  changed.  That  planter  could  not  change  it  himself,  and  was 
holding  it  until  an  opportunity  arrived,  when  he  showed  it  to  Adam 
Bovvyer,  the  sheriff.  Bowyer  pronounced  it  counterfeit,  and  Lewis 
gave  back  the  bill  to  Blanton,  who  brought  suit  against  the  man 
who  had  passed  it  on  him. 

When  a  nominal  money  consideration  was  written  into  a  legal 
document,  the  sum  mentioned  is  usually  five  shillings.  Five  per  cent 
was  the  legal  rate  of  interest.  There  were  no  banks,  and  men  who 
had  considerable  money  on  hand  were  accustomed  to  hide  it.  Peter 
W  right  hid  some  money  on  Peter's  Mountain  in  so  secure  a  manner 
that  it  was  not  found  until  a  comparatively  recent  day. 

Most  of  the  early  settlers  of  Bath  came  through  Philadelphia,  and 
their  merchants  often  purchased  their  goods  in  that  city.  Thus  we 
can  understand  the  very  frequent  mention  of  Pennsylvania  money,  in 
which  the  pound  was  worth  only  $2.50.  The  fact  that  the  Mexican 
dollar,  was  worth  six  shillings  in  Virginia  or  New  England  money, 
and  eight  shillings  in  the  money  of  the  Middle  Colonies,  is  the 
leading  reason  why  the  dollar,  already  a  well-known  coin,  became 
the  unit  of  the  new  Federal  currency.  Under  the  names  of  "levy" 
and  "fip,"  the  real  and  half-real  (12K-  and  6%  cents)  were  legal  ten- 
der in  this  country  until  near  the  time  of  the  civil  war. 


LIFE   IN   THE   PIONEER  DAYS  73 

Certain  of  the  Augusta  court  records,  particularly  those  relating 
to  suits  for  debt,  throw  much  light  on  values  in  the  colonial  era. 
The  purchasing  power  of  the  dollar  was  several  times  greater  than 
it  is  now.  This  fact  helps  to  explain  why  the  prices  of  land  and 
livestock  seem  so  very  low.  On  the  other  hand,  some  articles  were 
very  expensive;  relatively  more  so  than  they  are  now.  Whether,  on 
the  whole,  living  was  easier  than  with  us  can  be  judged  fairly  well 
by  studying  the  values  mentioned  in  the  paragraphs  below.  Most  of 
these  have  been  taken  from  the  law  documents  which  concern  the 
pioneers  of  Greater  Bath. 

What  land  sold  for  in  various  years  may  be  found  in  Chapter  III. 
As  to  land  rent,  we  find  two  instances.  A  farm  of  517  acres  on 
Back  Creek  rented  three  years  for  $6.46.  James  Gay  was  to  pay 
John  Warwick  four  pounds  yearly  for  three  years  for  149  acres.  A 
mare  could  be  had  for  $15,  although  an  extra  good  horse  might  come 
as  high  as  $40.  Andrew  Lockridge  paid  $6.17  for  a  cow,  but  Valen- 
tine Coyle  furnished  one  for  $3.58  to  Patrick  Martin's  militia  com- 
pany. Rachel  Burnside,  perhaps  through  sheer  necessity,  sold  two 
cows  and  a  yearling  for  $10.  We  find  mention  of  a  hog  at  $2.1 1,  and 
a  sheep  at  $1.14,  although  one  animal  of  either  sort  could  ordinarily 
be  had  at  rather  less  than  one  dollar.  The  one  mention  of  a  goose 
is  at  42  cents.  Common  labor  ran  from  33  to  50  cents  a  day,  al- 
though corn  could  be  gathered  and  husked  for  25  cents,  and  33  cents 
would  command  the  services  of  a  person  who  could  tend  store,  and 
post  books.  James  Bourland  charged  but  50  cents  a  day  for  him- 
self, wagon  and  two  horses.  But  George  Lewis,  working  at  a 
somewhat  later  date  at  Warm  Springs,  charged  $1.08  for  himself 
and  three  horses.  Jacob  Marlin,  a  trapper,  charged  $3.75  for  the 
use  of  a  horse  two  months.  A  horse  could  be  kept  one  week  for  a 
shilling,  but  Michael  Harper  was  charged  $5.33  for  the  wintering 
of  a  single  horse.  Rails  could  be  split  for  37^4  cents  a  thousand,  al- 
though selling  as  high  as  $5.  A  blacksmith  would  make  a  mattock 
for  67  cents.  A  carpenter  charged  William  Dean  83  cents  for  mak- 
ing a  churn,  $2.50  for  laying  his  barn  floor,  $6.67  for  covering  his 
house,  and  $10  for  covering  his  barn.  A  bedstead  could  be  made  for 
$1.25,  a  loom  for  $5,  and  a  coffin  for  $2.17.  Two  pounds — $6.67 — 
would  build  one  of  the  big  stone  chimneys  of  that  day,  and  four 
pounds  would  build  a  log  dwelling.     David  Kincaid's  house  in  1752 


74  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

cost  him  $30.  We  find  $7.50  charged  for  making  a  spring  house. 
and  only  83  cents  for  a  lime  kiln.  $10  would  pay  for  a  year's 
schooling.  Aminta  Usher,  servant  to  Loftus  Pullin,  worked  for  $20 
a  year. 

Wheat  varied  little  from  50  cents  a  bushel  and  oats  33  cents. 
Rye  was  quoted  at  25  to  42  cents,  corn  at  24  to  38  cents,  and  pota- 
toes 20  cents.  Even  in  the  Greenbrier  settlement  of  1762,  corn  com- 
manded 33  cents.  Flour  by  the  barrel  ran  all  the  way  from  $3.25 
to  $8.33.  Butter  was  worth  five  to  eight  cents  a  pound.  Beef  and 
mutton  averaged  hardly  more  than  two  cents  a  pound,  although  there 
is  an  instance  where  we  find  400  pounds  of  bear  meat,  bacon,  and 
venison  billed  at  $25.  In  1749,  Joseph  Mayse  sold  a  "half  buflar" 
for  $1.25.  Half  a  bear  carcass  is  mentioned  at  83  cents,  and  a 
whole  deer  at  36  cents.  A  month's  board  bill  could  be  satisfied  for 
$3.  All  condiments  were  brought  from  the  seaports.  It  was  here 
that  the  pioneer  "caught  it  in  the  neck."  Salt  was  67  cents  a  quart 
in  1745.  As  late  as  1763  coarse  salt  commanded  $2  a  bushel,  and 
it  cost  83  cents  to  bring  it  from  Richmond.  Tea  was  $1.56  a  pound 
and  coffee  $1.  Bottled  honey  was  31  cents.  Pepper  was  75  cents  a 
pound  and  alspice  54  cents.  Nutmeg  was  17  cents  an  ounce  and  cin- 
namon 58  cents.  As  to  sugar,  we  are  sometimes  in  doubt  whether 
maple  or  cane  sugar  is  meant.  White  loaf  sugar  from  the  West 
Indies  was  sometimes  25  cents  a  pound.  Brown  cane  sugar  was 
much  cheaper. 

Clothing  was  costly.  Homemade  linen  could  be  woven  for  six 
cents  a  yard,  but  Irish  linen  cost  $1.08  a  yard,  ribbon  17  cents,  flannel 
41  cents,  sheeting  $1.25,  and  velvet  $3.33.  A  handkerchief  of  cotton 
or  linen  cost  from  25  to  33  cents,  while  one  of  silk  cost  75  cents. 
Men's  stockings,  which  came  above  the  knee  and  were  there  secured 
under  the  ends  of  the  trousers  with  a  buckle,  cost  80  to  90  cents. 
Worsted  hose  for  women  was  50  cents  and  plaid  hose  33  cents. 
Headgear  was  high  or  low  according  to  the  means  of  the  wearer. 
A  woman's  hat  is  mentioned  at  $5  and  a  boy's  at  83  cents.  But  a 
cheap  felt  hat  could  he  purchased  for  33  cents.  Leggins  were  $1.04, 
pumps  $2,  and  men's  fine  shoes  $1.41.  James  Carlile's  blue  broad- 
cloth coat  cost  him  $S.42.  Gloves  are  listed  at  58  cents,  a  necklace 
at  33,  and  a  woman's  fan  at  2S.  A  pair  of  steel  buckles  for  shoes  or 
knees  cost  2S  cents,  hut  the  man  of  fashion  insisted  on  silver  for  both 


LIFE   IN   THE   PIONEER  DAYS  75 

buttons  and  buckles,  and  he  had  his  name  put  on  the  buttons.  Com- 
mon -buttons  were  42  cents  a  dozen,  silk  garters  were  42  cents  a  pair, 
and  thread  was  half  a  shilling  to  a  shilling  an  ounce.  Leather 
breeches,  very  generally  worn  by  laboring  men,  are  priced  at  $3.17  a 
pair.  There  were  fabrics  called  osnaburg,  callimanco,  and  none-so- 
pretty. 

The  hunter  had  to  be  a  good  marksman,  when  he  paid  56  cents 
a  pound  for  powder  and  21  cents  for  lead,  and  turned  in  beaver  skins 
at  83  cents  each.  His  gunflints  and  fishhooks  cost  him  about  one  cent 
apiece.  "Sang  digging"  was  a  rather  profitable  pursuit.  In  1755 
a  Carlile  promised  30  pounds  of  ginseng  at  Thomas  Hicklin's  house, 
and  it  was  valued  at  $20.  Eight  years  later  we  find  the  root  quoted 
at  a  dollar  a  pound. 

During  the  Revolution  the  mines  of  Wythe  county  were  an  im- 
portant source  of  bullets  and  shot.  Attempts  to  manufacture  powder 
were  begun  at  an  early  day  in  the  Alleghany  region,  and  were  con- 
tinued until  near  the  middle  of  the  last  century.  The  first  powder 
mill  we  hear  of  in  Greater  Bath  was  at  Fort  Mann.  Another,  on 
Blue  Spring  Run  in  Rich  Patch  Mountain,  is  spoken  of  in  1819. 

Nails  were  sometimes  sold  by  count,  ten-penny  nails  coming  as 
high  as  $1.50  a  thousand.  A  bell  and  collar  cost  $1.25  and  a  horse- 
shoe one  shilling.  A  woman  gave  11  cents  for  a  thimble,  six  cents 
a  dozen  for  her  needles,  and  17  cents  for  a  paper  of  pins.  The  doctor 
was  charged  33  cents  a  pound  for  his  casteel  soap,  67  cents  an  ounce 
for  his  calomel,  and  33  cents  for  a  roll  of  court  plaster. 

In  their  account  with  John  and  George  Francisco,  the  Mathews 
brothers  name  the  following  items:  Chalk  per  pound,  $1  ;  ten-penny 
nails  per  pound,  21  cents;  sheeting,  35  cents  a  yard;  one  frying  pan, 
$1.25. 

Some  miscellaneous  values  are  shown  in  the  list  below: 

Bible    $1.00  Candles,   per  pound    $  .08 

Testament    33  Knives   and   forks,   per  dozen..    1.56 

Scythe     1.00  Brass   knife    and   fork    21 

Iron    pot     1.17  Brimstone,    per    pound     17 

Iron    candlestick    11  Indigo,    per   ounce    17 

Handsaw    file     22  Tablecloth     1.33 

Steelyards    2.33  Packsaddle     50 

Whip     1.41  Pocketbook     83 

Tallow,    per   pound    02  Basin     37^2 


76  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Comb   $1-33      Blanket   $2.67 

Ivory   Comb    42      Making  a  jacket   1.00 

Horn    Comb    21       Gloves    58 

Rye  Brandy,  per  gallon 33       Tobacco    10   to    .14 

China     bowl     33       Allspice,   per   pound    1.08 

To  give  some  idea  of  prices  at  the  leading  seaport  of  America,  we 
take  the  following  items  from  the  bills  rendered  in  1759  and  1760 
by  two  merchants  of  Philadelphia  against  two  merchants  of  Staun- 
ton: 

Tumblers,    per    dozen    $3.33       Worsted  Hose   $.42 

Glasses,    per    dozen    1.00       Sleeve    buttons,    per   dozen 09 

Flannel     33       Salt,  per  bushel    42 

Needles,    per    thousand    1.12       Bar  iron,   per   pound    04 

China    bowl     33       Bar  lead,   per  pound    05   3-5 

Linen    Handkerchief     14       Brown    sugar    10 

Silk    Handkerchief    44      White    sugar    25 

Sheeting    48 

The  thinness  of  population,  the  fewness  of  towns,  the  slowness 
of  travel,  and  the  comparative  absence  of  newspapers  and  a  real  post- 
al service,  caused  the  life  of  the  community  to  move  at  a  slow  pace. 
So  late  as  1775,  there  were  but  two  newspapers  and  15  postoffices  in 
all  Virginia.  Postage  was  so  high  that  many  letters  were  sent  by  private 
persons.  There  were  no  envelopes,  and  postmasters  read  the  letters 
just  as  gossip  now  claims  that  country  postmasters  are  said  to  read 
the  postal  cards.  Until  1755,  there  was  no  regular  service  with  the 
British  Isles,  and  if  a  letter  weighed  one  ounce  it  cost  a  dollar  to  get 
it  delivered  there. 

The  pioneers  had  little  of  our  modern  hurry,  but  were  awake  to 
what  was  taking  place  in  their  own  neighborhoods.  On  matters  re- 
lating to  the  colony  in  general,  they  were  slow  to  move  unless  aroused 
by  their  better  informed  leaders.  As  to  anything  like  a  national  feel- 
ing between  the  populations  of  the  several  colonies,  there  was  nothing 
worthy  of  the  name. 

A  journal  kept  in  1740  by  two  Moravian  missionaries  gives  us 
a  glimpse  into  the  valleys  of  Bath  after  some  four  years  of  settle- 
ment. These  men  were  traveling  afoot  from  Pennsylvania  to  the 
Dunkard  settlement  on  New  River,  ministering  as  they  went  along 
to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  pioneers  of  German  birth.  They  came  by 
wav  of  the  South  Fork,  and  at  the  head  of  that  river  they  reached 


LIFE    IN   THE    PIONEER  DAYS  77 

on  the  night  of  November  13th — November  24th,  New  Style — an 
"English  Cabin,"  probably  that  of  Hercules  Wilson.  Here  they  warm- 
ed themselves  by  a  fire  on  the  hearth  and  slept  on  bearskins  spread  on 
the  floor.  Like  all  the  settlers  this  family  had  bear  meat,  and  like 
some  of  them  it  had  no  bread.  But  on  the  morning  of  that  day  a 
German  woman  had  given  the  missionaries  some  bread  and  cheese. 
These  eatables  they  shared  with  their  entertainers. 

Next  day,  after  frequent  fordings  of  the  Cowpasture,  they  came 
either  to  the  Black  or  the  Jackson  farm  and  lodged  there  for  the 
night.  Their  host  was  suspicious  and  not  very  willing,  but  in  the 
morning  he  was  induced  to  put  them  over  the  Bullpasture  on  his  horse, 
the  waters  being  high.  They  soon  fell  in  with  George  Lewis,  who 
was  traveling  on  horseback  in  the  same  direction  they  were  going. 
This  man  set  them  across  the  river  at  12  fords.  They  seem  to  have 
parted  with  him  when  they  left  the  vicinity  of  the  river  and  began 
climbing  Warm  Springs  Mountain.  A  rain  began  to  fall,  and  it  was 
dusk  when  they  reached  the  summit.  They  were  not  only  wet,  but 
were  weary  with  a  hard  day's  walk.  They  found  an  empty  hut, 
which  must  have  stood  near  the  present  tollgate.  They  had  nothing 
for  a  supper,  but  made  a  fire  and  dried  their  clothes.  In  the  morn- 
ing they  hurried  down  the  mountain  into  Warm  Springs  Valley,  and 
at  the  first  house  they  had  a  breakfast  of  hominy  and  buttermilk. 
They  speak  of  the  man  as  a  good  Presbyterian,  but  do  not  give  his 
name.  He  was  probably  James  Ward.  The  missionaries  do  not  say 
a  word  about  the  thermal  waters.  They  were  in  a  hurry  to  get  on. 
They  could  not  speak  English  fluently,  and  along  this  part  of  the  way 
there  were  no  German  settlers.  Jackson's  River  was  crossed  by 
swimming  and  with  some  difficulty.  They  speak  of  "mountains  all 
around."  At  the  close  of  this  day,  after  crossing  Dunlap  Creek,  they 
reached  a  house,  perhaps  that  of  Peter  Wright.  Here  they  again 
slept  on  bearskins,  like  the  rest  of  the  family.  While  crossing  a 
mountain  on  their  way  to  Craig's  Creek,  they  heard  an  "awful  howl- 
ing of  wolves." 

These  Moravians  found  that  the  people  they  met  were  living  like 
savages,  wearing  deerskin  clothes,  and  making  hunting  their  chief 
pursuit.  The  style  of  living  among  the  settlers  is  mentioned  as  poor 
in  the  extreme.  But  this  was  in  the  very  infancy  of  the  settlement 
of  Bath,  and  was  during  the  "wild  and  wolly"  stage  of  its  evolution. 


78  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Doctor  Thomas  Walker,  in  his  diary  for  July,  1750,  says  the 
settlers  on  Jackson's  River  "are  very  hospitable  and  would  be  better 
able  to  support  themselves,  were  it  not  for  the  great  number  of  In- 
dian warriors  that  frequently  take  what  they  want  from  them,  much 
to  their  prejudice." 

At  the  date  of  the  Dunmore  war,  and  still  more  so  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolution,  there  was  a  comparative  degree  of  prosper- 
ity and  comfort.  Staunton,  a  village  of  some  20  houses  in  1753,  grew 
into  a  sizable  place  and  had  its  third  courthouse.  To  Richmond, 
which  did  not  become  the  state  capital  till  1779,  produce  was  wagoned 
from  the  Augusta  settlements.  After  1783,  the  Indian  peril  was  a 
thing  of  the  past.  But  in  the  features  of  local  government  there  was 
little  change,  outside  of  the  abolition  of  the  vestry.  This  came  with 
the  disestablishment  of  the  Church  of  England  near  the  close  of  the 
war  for  Independence. 


Bill 

h 

IX 

TEN  YEARS  OF  INDIAN  WAR 

NTIL  1748,  and  theoretically  until  1763,  the  Alleghany 
Front  was  the  western  frontier  of  Virginia.  Beyond 
was  the  Indian  country,  claimed  by  the  English  and 
the  French,  as  well  as  by  the  natives.  The  conflict  known 
in  American  history  as  the  French  and  Indian  war  broke  out  in  1754. 
It  was  a  final  struggle  between  England  and  France  for  control  in  the 
Western  Continent,  and  victory  declared  for  the  former.  Aside 
from  the  Iroquois  of  New  York,  nearly  all  the  Indian  tribes  aided 
the  French.  They  resumed  the  strife  on  their  own  account  in  the 
episode  known  as  the  war  with  Pontiac's  confederacy.  A  general 
peace  did  not  come  until  1764. 

No  Indians  were  living  in  Bath  when  the  white  settlers  appear- 
ed, although  hunting  parties  visited  these  valleys  in  the  fall  months. 
They  called  at  the  cabins  of  the  white  people  and  learned  to  express 
themselves  in  the  English  tongue.  By  reason  of  this  intercourse  they 
became  very  familiar  with  words  of  insult  and  profanity. 

The  points  of  view  of  the  two  races  were  very  divergent.  The 
pioneer  despised  the  native  as  a  heathen,  and  showed  little  tact  or  pa- 
tience in  dealing  with  him.  Because  the  red  man  did  not  cultivate  the 
ground,  except  to  a  slight  extent,  the  white  man  could  not  see  that 
his  claim  to  the  country  was  worthy  of  any  serious  consideration.  He 
did  not  conceal  his  desire  that  the  Indian  should  get  entirely  out  of 
his  way,  so  that  he  might  have  the  whole  country  for  himself.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  Indian  did  not  like  the  British-American.  His 
people  were  very  few  in  number,  while  the  whites  were  a  host.  The 
powerful  and  ceaseless  push  of  the  latter  was  driving  him  farther  and 
farther  away  from  the  hunting  grounds  where  his  own  people  had 
followed  the  chase  for  generations.  There  was  sentiment  in  the  In- 
dian, and  those  hunting  grounds  were  sacred  in  his  eyes.  He  was 
proud  as  well  as  free.  He  did  not  give  up  the  hopeless  struggle  with- 
out a  long  and  gallant  fight,  during  which  he  inflicted  far  heavier 
losses  than  he  received.  He  was  cruel  in  war,  after  the  manner  of 
all  barbarians,  yet  the  frontiersman  was  not  far  behind  him. 


80  ANNALS  OF  BATH   COUNTY 

There  were  some  curious  exceptions  to  the  general  rule.  "Mad 
Anthony,"  for  whom  Anthony's  Creek  is  named,  was  an  Indian 
hunter  who  used  to  visit  Fort  Young  and  tell  of  the  plots  of  his 
race.  Quite  as  a  matter  of  course,  he  was  distrusted  by  both  pale- 
face and  redskin.  White  men,  taken  captive  in  boyhood,  could  only 
with  much  difficulty  he  weaned  from  the  life  of  the  forest,  and 
sometimes  they  fought  against  their  own  color. 

The  shamefuL  defeat  of  General  Braddock  in  July,  1755,  ex- 
posed the  whole  inland  frontier  to  the  vengeance  of  the  native.  Wash- 
ington was  put  in  charge  of  the  Valley  of  Virginia  and  made  every 
effort  to  defend  it.  His  position  was  a  very  trying  one.  With  only 
a  few  hundred  militia,  untrained,  insubordinate,  and  poorly  equip- 
ped, he  was  expected  to  defend  a  line  300  miles  long.  He  was  under 
the  authority  of  a  royal  governor  who  was  stingy,  meddlesome,  and 
inefficient,  and  was  also  hampered  by  a  legislature  that  was  not  only 
meddlesome  but  at  times  incompetent  and  unfriendly. 

Many  of  the  people  on  the  fronter  did  not  think  that  the  colonial 
government  rose  to  its  duty,  and  they  flocked  into  the  upland  districts 
of  the  Carolinas.  There  were  some  others  who  did  not  leave  the 
colony,  but  sought  places  of  greater  safety.  Those  who  remained 
at  their  homes  were  in  almost  constant  danger  except  in  the  winter 
season.  Rangers,  who  were  known  as  Indian  spies,  watched  the 
trails  and  the  mountain  passes.  They  were  forbidden  to  make  fires 
to  warm  themselves,  lest  the  smoke  might  give  notice  to  some  lurking 
enemy.  A  horseman,  speeding  over  the  bridlepaths,  and  shouting 
"Indian  sign"  to  every  person  he  met,  caused  the  families  along  his 
route  to  make  a  hurried  flight  to  the  nearest  stockade  or  blockhouse. 
There  they  "forted"  during  the  times  of  special  danger.  Fierce 
dogs,  trained  to  recognize  the  odor  of  the  Indian,  were  an  additional 
means  of  protection. 

And  yet  the  pioneers  were  wilfully  careless.  While  serving  as 
militia  they  could  not  be  counted  upon  to  obey  their  officers  or  serve 
out  their  terms.  They  disliked  to  be  cooped  up  in  the  stockades.  At 
such  times  they  not  only  took  imprudent  risks,  but  they  were  negli- 
gent in  sentinel  duty.  When  Washington  passed  through  the  Bath 
area  on  a  tour  of  inspection,  not  one  of  the  forts  he  visited  was  in  a 
proper  condition  for  defense.  There  was  not  one  which  could  not 
have  been  surprised  with  ease.     He  also  writes  that  the  members  of 


TEN  YEARS  OF   INDIAN   WAR  81 

his  escort  conducted  themselves  in  a  most  foolhardy  manner.  It  is 
not  pleasant  to  learn  of  these  shortcomings  of  our  ancestors,  and  to 
see  that  their  hardships  were  due  in  a  considerable  degree  to  their 
own  fault.  While  in  service  the  militiaman  received  one  shilling  a 
day. 

The  leading  stronghold  on  the  Cowpasture  was  Fort  Dickenson. 
It  stood  in  the  midst  of  the  river-bottom,  a  half  mile  north  of  Nim- 
rod  Hall  and  to  the  west  of  the  stream.  There  is  nothing  to  mark 
the  exact  site.  Close  to  where  is  now  an  ancient  brick  house,  a  mile 
north  of  Fassifern  on  Jackson's  River,  was  Fort  Dinwiddie,  the  south- 
ern limit  of  Washington's  tour  of  observation  in  the  fall  of  1755. 
Like  Fort  Dickenson,  it  stood  on  the  second  bottom  and  near  a  water 
supply.  Near  the  Clover  Creek  mill  on  the  Bullpasture  stood  Fort 
George,  in  the  midst  of  a  meadow  that  has  never  been  plowed,  and 
hence  the  lines  of  stockade  and  covered  way  may  easily  be  traced. 
Near  the  site  of  the  iron  furnace  at  Covington  was  Fort  Young, 
built  in  1756  according  to  specifications  given  by  Washington.  A 
council  of  war  held  in  the  same  year  speaks  of  Fort  Breckenridge 
and  Fort  Christian,  the  former  16  miles  from  Fort  Dickenson,  and 
the  latter  15  miles  from  Fort  Dinwiddie.  They  were  small  stock- 
ades and  both  stood  on  Jackson's  River.  It  is  probable  that  Fort 
Christian  was  but  another  name  for  Fort  Mann,  which  stood  at  the 
mouth  of  Falling  Springs  Run. 

There  were  also  fortified  houses  capable  of  repelling  an  ordinary 
attack.  Thomas  Feamster,  who  lived  a  mile  south  of  Williams- 
ville,  hit  upon  an  ingenious  device.  His  house  stood  near  Meadow 
Lake,  a  pool  more  than  an  acre  in  extent.  In  the  midst  of  this  water 
he  built  a  blockhouse  supported  on  piles,  some  of  which  remained 
visible  many  years.  The  blockhouse  was  approached  by  a  foot-bridge, 
the  planks  being  detachable. 

In  a  letter  of  September  23,  1755,  Robert  McClenachan  relates 
that  Captain  Dickenson  had  had  a  "scrimmage"  with  nine  Indians, 
killing  one  of  them  and  losing  one  of  his  own  men.  Two  Cherokee 
boys  were  released  and  taken  to  Fort  Dinwiddie  to  remain  there  until 
the  governor  could  make  known  his  wish  as  to  what  should  be  done 
with  them.  The  Cherokees  were  at  this  time  allies  of  the  English. 
The  writer  does  not  say  where  the  skirmish  occurred,  and  it  probably 
happened  on  the  Greenbrier. 


82  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

A  council  of  war  held  at  Staunton,  July  27,  1756,  decided  in  fa- 
vor of  placing  a  garrison  of  30  men  at  Miller's  Fort,  and  60  at  Fort 
Dinwiddie.  Miller's  Fort  stood  15  miles  up  Jackson's  River  from 
Fort  Dinwiddie.  Forts  Breckenridge  and  Dinwiddie,  the  former  13 
miles  from  Dinwiddie  and  13  from  Dickenson,  were  deemed  properly 
protected  by  the  men  already  there. 

Of  the  Indian  raids  into  Bath,  the  earliest  we  can  locate  took 
place  near  the  middle  of  September,  1756.  Within  or  very  near  the 
present  county  limits,  and  mainly  along  Jackson's  River,  nine  men, 
one  woman,  and  three  children  were  killed,  and  two  men  were 
wounded.  Among  the  slain  were  Ensign  Humphrey  Madison,  John 
Byrd,  Nicholas  Carpenter,  James  Mayse,  and  James  Montgomery. 
Joseph  Carpenter,  David  Galloway,  and  a  Mrs.  McConnell  were 
captured,  but  got  away.  Mrs.  Byrd,  Mrs.  George  Kincaid,  Mrs. 
Persinger,  and  25  boys  and  girls  were  taken  to  the  Indian  towns  in 
Ohio.  Among  the  children  were  six  Byrds,  five  Carpenters,  and  two 
Persingers. 

During  this  raid  occurred  the  first  attack  on  Fort  Dickenson. 
Captain  Dickenson  was  absent  at  a  general  muster.  When  Wash- 
ington came  along,  about  seven  weeks  later,  he  remarks  that  the 
stockade  was  in  need  of  improvement.  He  also  remarks  that  at  the 
time  of  the  attack,  the  Indians  crept  close  to  the  enclosure  without 
being  discovered  and  captured  several  children. 

A  council  of  war  the  same  year  advised  stationing  250  men  at 
Fort  Dickenson,  100  at  Fort  Dinwiddie,  and  40  at  each  of  the  other 
forts,  Breckenridge  and  Christian.  The  only  way  to  have  secured 
garrisons  of  such  strength  was  to  bring  soldiers  from  east  of  the  Blue 
Ridge. 

In  the  summer  of  1757  Fort  Dickenson  was  invested  a  second 
time.  Again  Dickenson  was  absent,  and  again  there  was  negligence 
on  the  part  of  the  defenders.  The  approach  of  the  Indians  was  first 
known  by  seeing  the  cattle  of  John  McClung  running  toward  the 
fort  with  arrows  sticking  in  their  backs.  Several  boys  had  gone  out- 
side the  stockade  to  gather  wild  plums  and  they  were  captured.  Among 
them  was  Arthur  Campbell,  a  militiaman  of  15  years  who  later  on 
became  prominent  in  the  annals  of  southwest  Virginia.  A  girl  named 
Krwin  moulded  bullets  for  the  men  in  the  fort.  Governor  Dinwid- 
die, always  swift  to  find  fault,  scolded  Dickenson  for  being  away  and 
ordered  Major  Andrew  Lewis  to  garrison  the  post  with  70  men. 


TEN  YEARS  OF   INDIAN   WAR  83 

Between  the  middle  of  May  and  the  end  of  September  of  this 
year,  we  are  told  of  six  more  men  who  lost  their  lives.  In  this  num- 
ber were  Sergeant  Henry  at  Fort  Dinwiddie,  and  John  Moore  and 
James  Stuart  on  the  Cowpasture.  Stuart  may  have  been  killed  in 
the  second  attack  on  Fort  Dinwiddie.  James  Allen  and  one  Swoope 
were  wounded  on  Jackson's  River.  This  season,  11  captives  were 
carried  away.  Among  them  were  James  McClung,  James  Stuart, 
Jr.,  Mrs.  Moore  and  her  children,  and  two  Cartmill  children. 

The  affair  at  Fort  Dinwiddie  was  perhaps  the  same  for  which 
John  Brown  put  in  a  claim.  He  was  helping  to  convoy  some  pro- 
visions to  the  fort  and  the  guard  was  attacked. 

In  April,  1758,  there  was  still  another  raid  into  the  valley  of 
the  Cowpasture.  A  man  was  killed  and  a  boy  and  a  girl  were  cap- 
tured. All  three  of  these  were  servants.  During  this  incursion  the 
Indians  are  reported  as  having  carried  away  John  and  William  Mc- 
Creery.  This  statement  is  probably  incorrect.  One  Kephart  was  a 
tenant  on  the  McCreery  plantation  and  lost  two  sons  by  capture. 
They  made  their  escape,  however. 

Fort  Duquense  fell  in  1759.  The  Indians  were  now  deprived  of 
French  support  and  their  raids  soon  came  to  a  pause.  These  were 
not  confined  to  the  settlements  west  of  Shenandoah  Mountain.  The 
northern  and  middle  portions  of  the  Shenandoah  Valley  were  severe- 
ly scourged.  Staunton  and  its  neighborhood  fared  better,  the  natives 
not  coming  within  five  miles  of  that  place.  But  for  some  cause  the 
Indians  bore  a  deep  grudge  against  the  settlement  on  Kerr's  Creek. 
Their  first  foray  into  that  valley  seems  to  have  taken  place  in  Octob- 
er, 1759.  The  assailants  came  from  the  direction  of  Sweet  Springs. 
They  are  said  to  have  killed  12  persons  and  carried  away  13.  With 
wonderful  energy  Charles  Lewis  raised  in  one  night  a  pursuing  party 
of  150  men,  Captain  Dickenson  heading  one  of  the  three  companies. 
The  foe  was  overtaken  on  Straight  Fork,  west  of  the  Crabbottom  in 
Highland  County.  A  surprise  was  intended,  but  through  a  mis- 
chance it  was  far  from  complete,  and  the  Indians  escaped  wth  a  loss 
stated  at  20  of  their  warriors,  though  it  was  probably  less.  The 
booty  they  were  carrying  away  was  retaken.  Thomas  Young  was 
killed  in  this  fight  and  Captain  Dickenson  was  wounded. 

The  Pontiac  war  suddenly  burst  out  in  June,  1763.  It  had  been 
planned  with  great  secrecy  by  the  red  men  and  was  designed  as  a 


84  ANNALS  OF  BATH   COUNTY 

simultaneous  attack  along  the  whole  western  frontier.  To  Corn- 
stalk, a  Shawnee  chieftain  of  unusual  ability,  was  assigned  the  task 
of  dealing  a  heavy  blow  on  the  Greenbrier  and  the  settlements  to 
the  southeast.  With  a  strong  band  he  fell  upon  the  unsuspecting 
Greenbrier  settlements,  and  in  a  day  or  two  he  had  blotted  them  out. 
One  Conrad  Yoakum  outdistanced  the  Indians  in  their  progress  to 
Jackson's  River,  and  gave  warning  to  the  people  around  Fort  Mann. 
The  settlers  could  scarcely  credit  the  report,  yet  they  gathered  into 
the  blockhouse  and  sent  a  courier  to  Fort  Young,  10  miles  down  the 
river.  Captains  Moffett  and  Phillips  set  out  with  60  men  to  their 
relief.  The  scouts  kept  cautiously  along  the  river-bank  the  entire 
distance.  But  when  the  main  body  reached  the  horseshoe  peninsula 
immediately  below  the  fort,  they  thought  to  gain  time  by  marching 
arcoss  the  neck.  As  a  result  of  their  imprudence  they  fell  into  an 
ambuscade  and  lost  15  of  their  number,  the  survivors  retreating. 
This  action  seems  to  have  taken  place  July  16th. 

The  fort  was  not  taken,  but  the  Shawnees  followed  up  their  vic- 
tory over  the  relief  party  by  going  down  Jackson's  River  and  then 
up  the  Cowpasture.  They  were  seen  near  Fort  Young  and  an  ex- 
press rode  at  full  speed  to  William  Daugherty's.  That  pioneer  was 
away  from  home,  but  his  wife  mounted  the  only  horse  in  the  stable  and 
raced  up  the  valley,  warning  the  settlers  as  she  galloped  along.  Her 
house  was  burned  but  we  are  told  that  no  scalps  were  then  taken  on 
the  Cowpasture.  If  so,  it  was  during  some  previous  raid  that  a  man 
was  shot  while  standing  on  a  bluff  near  the  Blowing  Cave.  His 
body  fell  into  the  river. 

The  Indian  army  now  divided,  one  part  turning  homeward,  and 
the  other  crossing  Mill  Mountain  to  Kerr's  Creek,  where,  only  two 
days  after  the  havoc  in  Greenbrier,  there  was  more  loss  by  fire  and 
massacre  than  on  the  former  occasion.  This  time  they  had  nothing 
to  fear  from  Charles  Lewis,  for  he  was  now  serving  in  Pennsylvania 
under  Colonel  Bouquet.  The  other  squad  seems  to  have  returned  by 
way  of  Green  Valley,  near  the  head  of  Stuart's  Creek.  Close  to  the 
present  home  of  Jasper  C.  Lewis,  they  killed  one  or  more  persons,  and 
carried  off  the  wife  of  Joseph  Mayse,  her  son  Joseph,  Jr.,  and  another 
woman,  whose  name  is  now  unknown.  The  captors  appear  to  be 
the  same  party  that  attacked  the  home  of  William  Wilson  at  the 


TEN  YEARS  OF   INDIAN   WAR  85 

mouth  of  Bolar  Run.  They  were  beaten  off,  though  not  until  they 
had  wounded  the  wife  of  Wilson,  and  a  daughter,  and  carried  away 
his  son  Thomas. 

Joseph  Mayse  afterward  wrote  an  account  of  his  experience. 
His  guard  camped  the  first  night  on  the  west  slope  of  Warm  Springs 
Mountain,  and  at  a  large  pine,  which  continued  to  stand  until  a  few 
years  since.  A  lateral  root  made  the  spot  where  the  boy  was  order- 
ed to  lie  down  a  most  uncomfortable  couch.  For  a  while  he  feared 
to  complain,  lest  he  be  quieted  with  a  tomahawk.  But  his  position 
proving  quite  unendurable,  he  nudged  the  Indian  lying  by  his  side 
and  made  him  understand  the  situation.  The  brave  made  a  comrade 
move  over,  so  as  to  permit  the  boy  to  rest  in  some  comfort.  On  the 
Greenbrier  the  Indians  were  overtaken  by  a  pursuing  force.  The 
pony  which  young  Mayse  was  riding  carried  also  a  coil  of  rope,  and 
in  the  confusion  caused  by  the  attack,  an  end  of  the  rope  caught  on 
a  bush  and  dragged  him  off.     He  was  thus  restored  to  his  people. 

While  Cornstalk  was  falling  upon  the  Greenbrier  settlement,  a 
band  of  Delawares  and  Mingoes  divided  on  New  River,  one  party 
going  to  Catawba  Creek  and  the  other  to  Dunlap.  The  latter  cross- 
ed Jackson's  River  above  Fort  Young  and  went  on  to  Carpenter's 
blockhouse,  which  stood  near  the  residence  of  Colonel  W.  A.  Gil- 
liam. Near  the  house  they  killed  and  scalped  William  Carpenter, 
after  which  they  plundered  the  dwelling,  took  his  son  Joseph,  two 
Brown  children  and  a  woman,  and  began  their  return  by  way  of 
Greenbrier.  The  shot  was  heard  at  Fort  Young,  but  as  the  garrison 
was  weak,  an  express  was  sent  to  Captain  Audley  Paul  at  Fort  Din- 
widdie.  He  pursued,  and  though  he  did  not  overtake  this  party,  he 
came  up  with  and  scattered  the  party  returning  from  the  Catawba. 
The  younger  Brown  became  known  as  Colonel  Samuel  Brown  of 
Greenbrier.  His  brother  remained  with  the  reds,  but  visited  his 
mother  in  her  old  age.  Joseph  Carpenter  became  a  doctor  in 
Michigan. 

It  is  probable  that  the  attack  on  the  Carpenters  occurred  only  a 
day  or  two  after  the  battle  at  Fort  Mann. 

Bouquet's  victory  at  Brushy  Run  near  the  site  of  Pittsburg, 
brought  an  early  end  to  the  war  with  Pontiac.  The  Indians  were 
required  to  give  up  the  prisoners  they  had  collected  during  the  pre- 
ceding ten  years.     In  the  number  were  Mrs.  Mayse,  John  Byrd,  and 


86 


ANNALS  OF   BATH  COUNTY 


doubtless  several  other  persons  belonging  to  the  Bath  area.  One  of 
the  restored  girls  was  reared  by  Captain  Dickenson,  and  she  became 
the  wife  of  James  McClung.  As  in  several  other  similar  instances 
her  real  name  was  never  learned. 

The  following  letter  of  the  Indian  period  is  the  earliest  we  know 
of  to  be  written  in  Bath.  It  seems  to  have  been  addressed  to  Thomas 
Lewis. 

Jackson's   River,  May  ye   15th,   1755. 
Dear  Brother, 

I  have  been  stopping  here  several  days  in  purchasing 
of  provisions.  I  have  purchased  as  much  grain  as  will  serve  three  months, 
but  will  have  a  great  deal  of  deficiency  in  getting  of  meat.  I  propose  to 
march  in  ye  Narrows  towards  Greenbrier.  I  think  I  shall  go  to  Marlings 
(now  Marlinton,  W.  Va.)  in  two  days,  where  I  purpose  to  construct  a  small 
fort.  I  hope  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to  remind  Mr.  Jones  (Gabriel  Jones, 
King's  Attorney  of  Augusta  County)  to  bring  pay  for  my  company  from 
Colonel  Wood  as  often  as  he  has  an  opportunity,  which  he  promised  to  do. 
I  have  nothing  that  is  new  to  acquaint  you  of.  I  am,  dear  brother,  your 
most  affectionate   and   very  humble  servant, 

Andrew  Lewis. 

A  partial  list  of  Captain  John  Dickenson's  Rangers  in  1757-59 
affords  the  following  names: 


Bollar,    John    (Sergeant)    Hamilton,  William 


Carpenter,  Solomon 
Carpenter,  Thomas 
Carrigan,  Patrick 
Davis,  William 
Fulton,  John 
Galloway,  David 


Jameson,  Andrew 

Johnston,  James 

Kelly,     Thomas      (corpo 

ral) 
Madison,  Humphrey  (en-    Taylor,  John 

sign)  Wiley,  John 

Wiley,  Peter 


McMullen,  John 

Persinger,  Abraham 

Persinger,  Jacob 

Persinger,  Philip 

Shields,  William 


Gillespie,  Robert,  Sr.  (ser-    McMullen,  Edward 
geant) 

The  following  is  the  muster  roll  of  Captain  George  Wilson's 
company,  August  11,   1756: 


Hugh  Hicklin — lieutenant    Barton,  James 
Thomas  Hughart — ensign     Bell,  Joseph 
Charles      Gilham — ser-     Black,  William 

geant 
William    Johnson — corpo- 
ral 


Adair 


PRIVATES 
Robert 


Bodkin,  James 
Bodkin,  John 
Bodkin,  Richard 
Bright,  Samuel 
Burnett,  William 
Carlile,  John 


Carlile,  Robert   (1) 
Carlile,  Robert  (2) 
Davis,  Patrick 
Deckert,  Simon 
De   La    Montony,   Samuel 
Duffield,  Robert 
Elliott,  Andrew 
Estill,  Benjamin 
Estill,  Boude 


TEN  YEARS  OF   INDIAN   WAR 


87 


Gilbert,  Felix 
Hall,  Robert 
Harper,  Hance 
Harper,  Matthew 
Harper,  Michael 
Hicklin,  John 
Hicklin,  Thomas 
Jackson,  James 
Jordan,  Adam 
Jordan,  John 


Knox,  James 
Lewis,  George 
„ewis,  John 
Long,  Stephen 
Mayse,  James 
McClenahan,  Elijah 
McClenahan,  William 
Miller,  James 
Miller,  John 
Miller,  Patrick 


Miller,  Valentine 
Miller,  William 
Phegan,  Philip 
Price,  William 
Sprowl,  William 
Stull,  Frederick 
Warwick,  William 
Wilfong,  Michael 
Wilson,  Samuel 


The  letter  below  was  written  from  Sitlington  Creek,  Pocahontas 
county,  a  spot  then  on  the  very  edge  of  white  settlement,  but  techni- 
cally within  the  Indian  domain.  The  writer  subsequently  moved  to 
the  Cowpasture. 

Green  Briar   September   25th   1766 
Dr  Brother 

This  comes  to  let  you  know  that  I  am  in  good  health 
at  Present  blessed  be  God  for  it  hoping  these  will  find  you  and  your  Fami- 
ly in  the  same  Condition,  for  tho'  we  have  been  long  absent  from  each 
other,  yet  neither  Time  nor  distance  of  Place  can  remove  the  Brotherly 
Affection  I  have  for  you.  As  for  my  Situation  in  this  Country  I  live  on  a 
Branch  of  the  Mississippi  Waters,  which  is  a  very  fertile  Land  but  it  is 
not  yet  Purchased  from  the  Indians.  I  enjoy  a  reasonable  Living;  but  have 
been  long  in  a  dangerous  situation  from  the  incursions  of  the  Savages,  yet 
thro  the  Protection  of  God  have  hitherto  Escaped,  and  had  I  the  comfort  of 
you  to  Converse  with  shou'd  think  myself  Happy:  But  I  dare  not  advise 
to  come  to  this  Country,  Yet  were  I  in  Ireland  and  had  such  a  Family  as 
you  have  and  cou'd  foresee  it  no  other  way,  I  wou'd  bind  myself  &  them  be- 
fore I  wou'd  stay  to  be  so  Oppressed,  but  you  have  no  Occasion,  for  if  you 
are  unable  to  pay  your  Passage,  come  upon  Redemption  to  Pennsylvania  and 
Brother  William  will  soon  relieve  you,  and  as  soon  as  I  have  an  Opportu- 
nity I  will   repay  it  him. 

I  had  the  Comfort  of  hearing  of  your  welfare  by  Brother  William  which 
gave  me  great  Satisfaction   and  likewise  I  heard  of  Brother  Thomas. 

I  have  no  Child  which  makes  me  the  more  Desirous  to  have  you  hear, 
my  Wife  Joins  in  our  Love  to  you  and  Family  and  Sister  Elizabeth  and 
her  Family  and  to  all  old  Friends,  which  is  all  from  your  Affectionate  & 
Loving  Brother  till  Death 

Andrew  Sitlington 


THE  POINT  PLEASANT  CAMPAIGN 

Ten  years  of  nominal  peace  succeeded  ten  years  of  intermittent 
war.  The  boundary  line  between  the  two  races  had  been  pushed 
westward  to  the  Ohio,  and  yet  England  was  vainly  trying  to  keep 
the  Americans  from  settling  beyond  the  Alleghany  Front.  In  the 
spring  of  1774  anoether  conflict  was  in  sight.  Wanton  outrages  were 
being  committed  by  white  men  as  well  as  red  men,  and  the  latter 
were  putting  on  their  war-paint.  A  campaign  aganst  the  tribesmen 
was  planned  at  the  capital  of  Virginia.  It  was  arranged  that  Andrew 
Lewis,  then  a  member  of  the  House  of  Burgesses  from  Botetourt, 
should  lead  an  expedition  to  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha.  He 
was  there  to  be  joined  by  Governor  Dunmore  in  person  with  1200 
men  from  the  lower  counties  of  the  Valley  of  Virginia.  Thus 
opened  the  Dunmore  war,  waged  on  the  side  of  the  white  people  by 
Virginia  alone  and  against  the  desire  of  the  British  government.  The 
white  soldiers  taking  part  in  it  were  almost  wholly  of  American 
birth  and  nearly  all  came  from  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 

The  militia  were  called  out  in  June.  During  the  last  week  of  this 
month  a  band  of  Indians  penetrated  as  far  as  the  Cowpasture,  and 
fired  upon  Fort  Lewis  from  the  steep  hill  just  east  of  the  river.  The 
range  was  too  great  for  the  firearms  then  in  use  to  do  any  damage. 
The  redskins  shouted  to  the  men  within  to  come  out  of  the  "Lewis 
hogpen"  and  be  accommodated  with  all  the  fight  they  could  wish. 
Charles  Lewis  was  away  at  the  time,  and  the  defenders  kept  prudent- 
ly inside.  John  McClenahan,  who  had  married  a  Lewis,  lay  dying 
in  the  stockade,  and  in  setting  down  a  mention  of  his  death,  his  wife 
said  it  took  place  amid  the  yelling  of  the  savages  in  the  woods. 

Charles  Lewis  was  now  colonel  of  the  Augusta  militia.  It  was 
near  this  time  that  he  wrote  the  following  letter  to  Colonel  William 
Preston : 

Dear  Sir — I  Received  your  letter  of  the  19th  of  June  and  will  take  all 
oportunity  to  a  Quente  you  of  Every  thing  that  happens  here  worth  your 
Notice,  no  Dout  but  you  have  herd  of  ye  engagement  that  Capt  Dickenson 
is  had  with  ye  Indians,     he  had  one  man  killed  and  his  Lieutenant  Wound- 


THE  POINT  PLEASANT  CAMPAIGN  89 

cd.  a  fewe  Days  ago  ye  Indians  fired  at  Wm  Mcfarlen  Neere  ye  Warm 
Springs  and  wounded  him  slitly.  Ye  inhabitants  of  our  Frunter  is  in  ye 
Greates  Confuson.  they  are  all  gathered  in  forts.  I  have  ordered  out 
Several  Compneys  of  Militia  which  I  am  in  hops  will  put  a  stope  to 
thir  intended  Hostilities.  I  hear  that  ye  Assembly  is  to  Meet  ye  11th  of 
Next  Month  when  I  hope  they  will  fall  on  som  Method  to  put  an  End  to 
ye  War.  Since  I  begane  to  Rite  to  you  I  ha'e  Re'd  by  way  of  Ex(p)  ress  from 
fort  Pitt  that  ye  Indians  is  Suing  for  Pace,  as  to  further  perticlers  I  will 
Refer  you  to  my  Brother  (to)  home  I  have  sent  Capt  Connelly  letter  with 
ye  Indians  speech. 

I  am  Dr  Sir  your  Humb  Servant 

Chas.  Lewis. 

July  9th  1774 

The  regiment  under  Charles  Lewis  formed  a  part  of  the  column 
led  by  his  brother  Andrew.  Among  his  captains  were  John  Skidmore 
from  the  South  Branch,  Samuel  Wilson  from  the  head  of  the  Bull- 
pasture,  Andrew  Lockridge  from  the  upper  Cowpasture,  John  Lew- 
is from  Warm  Springs,  John  Dickenson  from  the  lower  Cowpasture, 
and  George  Mathews  from  Cloverdale.  At  the  muster  of  September 
27,  their  companies  numbered,  respectively,  32,  25,  28,  21,  56,  and 
60  men.  The  total  for  the  regiment  was  477.  The  muster  rolls  for 
the  above  companies  do  not  seem  to  be  in  existence,  and  we  are  there- 
fore unable  to  publish  the  names  of  the  soldiers. 

Warm  Springs  was  at  this  time  the  western  terminus  of  a  wagon 
road,  and  several  of  the  Augusta  companies  were  assembled  here  by 
the  close  of  August.  By  September  12,  96  wagon  loads  of  provisions 
had  arrived.  Thence  to  the  general  rendezvous,  where  now  stands 
the  town  of  LewTisburg,  only  a  bridlepath  was  available.  For  the  re- 
maining distance  of  160  miles,  a  trail  had  to  be  cut  through  the  woods. 
It  took  19  days  to  make  this  part  of  the  march.  Colonel  Lewis 
started  from  the  Levels  of  Greenbrier  September  6,  his  regiment  con- 
voying 500  packhorses  and  108  beeves.  At  every  camping  place  a 
"grass  guard"  was  put  out  to  watch  the  cattle  during  the  night.  In- 
dian spies  were  all  the  while  lurking  in  front  of  the  head  of  the 
column,  and  once  in  a  while  they  fired  upon  it.  Matthew  Arbuckle, 
later  a  captain  in  the  Revolution,  piloted  the  army  to  its  destination. 
Ten  years  earlier,  he  had  gone  down  the  Kanawha  with  a  load  of 
furs.  His  home  was  on  the  James,  near  Island  Ford,  and  his 
father,  James  Arbuckle,  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  on  this  part  of 
the  river. 


90  ANNALS  OF   BATH   COUNTY 

At  the  end  of  August,  Dunmore  had  not  left  Fort  Pitt,  now  the 
city  of  Pittsburg.  His  progress  down  the  river  was  slow  to  a  need- 
less degree.  He  was  to  join  the  other  column  at  Point  Pleasant 
September  20,  but  16  days  later  he  was  still  as  far  up  the  river  as  the 
mouth  of  the  Hockhocking.  General  Lewis  arrived  at  the  appointed 
place  October  6,  and  sent  William  Mann  and  William  Sharp  to  see 
where  the  governor  was.  They  did  not  return  for  five  days.  Octo- 
ber 9,  Dunmore  informed  Lews  through  a  messenger  that  he  had 
changed  the  plan  of  campaign.  The  southern  division  was  now  or- 
dered to  meet  the  other  some  distance  west  of  the  Ohio. 

Lewis  was  intending  to  get  ready  the  next  day  to  move  forward 
from  Point  Pleasant.  Meanwhile  a  force  of  Indians,  probably  rath- 
er less  than  800,  and  representing  several  tribes,  had  come  in  between 
the  two  armies,  paying  no  attention  to  that  of  Dunmore.  Their  lead- 
er was  Cornstalk,  the  Shawnee,  one  of  the  most  able  known  in  the 
history  of  the  red  race.  Before  daylight  on  the  10th,  they  were  across 
the  Ohio,  and  were  stealing  down  the  east  bank  in  the  hope  of  taking 
the  Virginians  by  surprise.  They  nearly  succeeded  in  doing  so. 
There  was  slack  discipline  in  the  camp  and  the  men  were  dissatisfied 
with  the  lean  beafsteak  issued  to  them.  Quite  a  number  were  out  in 
the  woods  hunting  game,  although  the  commander-in-chief  had  given 
orders  that  no  soldier  should  go  out  of  the  camp  or  fire  a  gun.  Some 
of  these  men,  perhaps  not  always  unintentionally,  did  not  get  back- 
in  time  for  the  battle.  Two  of  the  number  discovered  the  approach 
of  the  Indians  and  gave  the  alarm.  Colonels  Lewis  and  Fleming: 
were  ordered  forward  with  five  companies,  including  those  of  Dick- 
enson, Lockridge,  and  Wilson.  They  met  the  enemy  half  a  mile 
from  the  camp,  but  were  forced  to  give  ground.  Lewis  was  soon 
stricken  with  a  mortal  hurt  and  Fleming  was  severely  wounded.  A 
reenforcement  was  sent  to  the  firing  line.  Other  men  were  set  to 
work  felling  trees  for  a  breastwork.  Such  a  protection  for  the  camp 
should  not  have  been  left  till  the  last  moment. 

Across  the  tongue  of  land  between  the  Ohio  and  the  Great  Ka- 
nawha, the  struggle  raged  until  dusk.  The  opposing  forces  were  on- 
ly from  six  to  twenty  yards  apart,  every  man  taking  a  tree  or  any 
other  cover  that  he  could  find.  The  forest  resounded  with  the  din 
of  rifle  and  musket  and  with  the  yells  and  curses  of  paleface  and  red- 
skin.    Above  the  noise  of  battle  the  Virginians  could  hear  the  loud 


THE  POINT  PLEASANT  CAMPAIGN  91 

voice  of  the  Indian  commander,  shouting  encouragement  to  his  men. 
Under  a  better  generalship  than  that  of  Lewis,  the  red  men  fought 
with  a  courage  and  determination  that  won  the  respect  of  their  foes. 

At  noon  there  was  a  lull.  The  Indians  fell  back  to  rising 
ground,  dealing  severe  punishment  to  their  pursuers.  Not  daring  to 
undergo  the  loss  which  would  come  by  pressing  a  direct  attack  on 
the  new  position,  yet  fearful  of  the  result  if  the  enemy  was  not  dis- 
lodged before  night,  General  Lewis  sent  three  companies  to  go  up  the 
Kanawha,  and  then  up  a  little  tributary,  so  as  to  assail  the  left  flank 
of  the  Indians  in  the  rear.  This  maneuver  decided  the  long  and  bitter 
conflict.  Believing  this  turning  movement  was  by  Colonel  Christian, 
whose  regment  of  300  men  from  Fincastle  county  did  not  arrive  un- 
til after  nightfall,  the  Indians  drew  farther  back,  although  their  de- 
fiant taunts  made  Lewis  suspect  that  they  were  reenforced.  The 
white  men  held  the  battlefield,  although  at  the  time  they  considered 
the  result  scarcely  better  than  a  draw.  Under  cover  of  the  darkness 
Cornstalk  made  a  skilful  retreat  across  the  Ohio,  carrying  all  his 
wounded  with  him.  It  is  not  believed  that  the  Indian  casualties  were 
much  more  than  100.  According  to  Colonel  James  Smith,  the  total 
number  of  the  dead  was  28.  Of  these,  17  were  scalped  by  the  whites. 
Only  one  chief  was  slain.  He  was  the  father  of  the  celebrated  Te- 
cumseh. 

To  the  Virginians  the  victory  came  dear.  Their  loss  is  variously 
stated  and  no  official  report  is  known  to  be  in  existence.  It  is  some- 
times set  as  high  as  200.  Many  of  the  wounded  died  in  the  camp 
owing  to  the  want  of  competent  care.  Of  the  Augusta  men  22  were 
killed  and  55  were  wounded.  Of  the  company  officers  under  Colo- 
nel Lewis,  Captain  Wilson  was  killed  outright  and  Captains  Dicken- 
son and  Skidmore  were  wounded. 

At  Point  Pleasant,  as  in  most  other  battles  between  the  whites 
and  the  reds,  the  latter  had  the  fewer  men  in  action  and  they  inflicted 
the  heavier  loss.  Yet  they  have  not  the  white  man's  persistence  in 
battle,  and  they  are  not  patient  under  such  losses  as  they  received  at 
Point  Pleasant.  In  this  instance  they  were  discouraged  at  their 
failure  to  overwhelm  their  adversaries,  and  by  going  back  to  their  vil- 
lages they  gave  up  the  campaign. 

After  waiting  for  provisions,  General  Lewis  crossed  the  Ohio 
October  17th.  Captain  Lockridge  was  left  at  Point  Pleasant  with  119 


92  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

men  of  the  Augusta  regiment.  When  the  army  had  advanced  80 
miles,  Dunmore  sent  Lewis  an  order  to  return,  saying  that  a  peace  was 
being  arranged.  But  the  column  that  had  done  all  the  righting  was 
suspicious  of  the  governor's  intention,  and  the  march  was  continued 
until  the  governor  put  in  a  personal  appearance.  Each  army  re- 
turned the  way  it  had  come,  Lewis  leaving  100  men  to  garrison  the 
fort  built  on  the  battleground. 

The  agreement  between  the  governor  and  the  Indians  was  a  tem- 
porary and  not  a  final  treaty.  The  red  men  were  to  give  up  all  the 
prisoners,  valuables,  and  domestic  animals  that  they  had  taken.  They 
were  not  to  molest  any  boats  on  the  Ohio,  nor  were  they  to  hunt  east 
of  that  river.  A  more  permanent  treaty  was  made  the  next  year.  On 
the  side  of  the  whites  it  was  effected  by  the  Americans  themselves 
and  not  by  the  tory  governor. 

The  untimely  death  of  Colonel  Charles  Lewis  at  the  age  of  38 
was  recognized  as  a  public  calamity.  His  personal  magnetism  and 
his  social  qualities  made  him  a  leader  of  men.  He  was  the  youngest 
of  the  sturdy,  forceful  sons  of  the  founder  of  Augusta  and  the  only 
one  that  was  born  in  America.  No  other  was  so  brilliant  and  prom- 
ising, or  so  beloved  by  the  people.  He  was  a  captain  when  21  and 
a  magistrate  when  27.  As  a  fighter  of  Indians  he  was  one  of  the 
most  successful.  He  was  fearless,  and  had  he  lived  through  the  war 
of  the  Revolution,  it  is  safe  to  affirm  that  he  would  have  been  one 
of  the  best  known  and  most  efficient  of  the  American  generals.  Lewis 
County  in  West  Virginia  is  named  in  his  honor. 

Against  the  remonstrance  of  his  brother  Andrew,  Charles  Lewi* 
went  out  on  the  morning  of  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant  arrayed  in 
a  red  coat,  thus  making  himself  too  conspicuous  a  target.  He  was 
stricken  by  a  bullet  before  he  had  taken  a  tree.  While  walking  to 
the  rear,  he  handed  his  gun  to  a  soldier,  telling  the  man  to  "go  on 
and  be  brave."  To  those  who  asked  about  his  hurt,  he  replied  tlr>- 
it  was  "the  fortune  of  the  war." 

His  untiring  energy  and  the  public  demands  upon  his  time  nr 
attested  by  the  very  believable  statement  that  after  he  came  to  man- 
hood he  was  never  home  more  than  a  month  at  a  time.  Like  all 
the  Lewis  brothers  he  was  practical  and  thrifty.  The  tract  of  950 
acres  of  fine  river  bottom  that  his  father  selected  for  him  became  the 
plantation  of  Fort  Lewis.     He  acquired  other  lands  himself,  includ- 


THE  POINT  PLEASANT  CAMPAIGN 


93 


ing  several  surveys  on  the  Greenbrier.  His  will,  dated  precisely  two 
months  before  his  death,  was  proved  by  John  Dickenson  and  Charles 
Cameron,  the  latter  being  his  brother-in-law.  The  appraisement  of 
his  personality,  which  totaled  nearly  $4000,  was  entrusted  to  John 
Cowarden,  Thomas  Feamster,  and  John  and  Robert  McCreery. 
Such  possessions  as  24  horses,  96  cattle,  43  sheep,  and  50  hogs  made 
Colonel  Lewis  a  wealthy  planter.  The  will  and  inventory  mention 
eight  slaves  and  a  white  man  servant,  furniture  valued  at  $117.58,  a 
bookcase  at  $16.67,  a  looking  glass  at  $10,  and  a  suit  of  brown 
clothes  at  $30.  All  this  indicates  a  comparative  degree  of  luxury, 
when  we  stop  to  consider  that  a  dollar  would  go  much  farther  then 
than  now.  His  watch,  scheduled  at  $30,  was  probably  the  one  for 
which  his  father  left  hm  a  special  legacy,  and  provided  that  his  own 
initials  should  be  engraved  thereon  as  a  token  of  esteem  and  affection. 

Charles  Lewis  was  spare  of  figure  and  upward  of  six  feet  in 
height.  He  was  married  to  Sarah  Murray  in  1761.  Their  children 
were  -ilizabeth,  Margaret,  John,  Mary,  Thomas,  Andrew,  and 
Charles.  John,  who  married  Rachel  Miller,  inherited  \hc  home- 
stead, where  he  died  in  1843  at  the  age  of  77.  Colonel  Andrew 
Lewis  wedded  Margaret  Stuart  and  died  in  1833,  aged  61.  Charles, 
Jr.  was  borr  a  ht'le  after  his  father  set  out  on  lv.s  last  expedition.  He 
was  married  to  Jane  Dickenson  in  1799  and  died  only  four  years  later 
Thomas  and  Mary  lived  single.  The  husband  of  Margaret  was  Ma- 
jor Prior. 

From  miscellaneous  courses  we  gather  the  following  names  of 
men  who  served  in  the  expedition  to  Point  Pleasant.  Nearly  or  quite 
all  of  them  must  have  served  under  Colonel  Charles  Lewis: 


Carpenter,  Jeremiah 
Carpenter,  John 
Carpenter  Solomon 
Carpenter,  George 
Douglas,  George 
Douglas,  James 
Dunlap,    Robert 
Gillespie,  Thomas 
Hamilton,  Isaiah 
Hamilton,  Jacob 
Hamilton,    James 


Hamilton,   John 
Hamilton,  Thomas 
Jameson,  John 
McClintic,  William 
Knox,  James 
Mann,  John 
Mann,   William 
Mayse,  Joseph 
Milican,  John 
Persinger,  Jacob 


Reagh,  Archibald 
Reagh,   John 
Scott,  James 
Scott,   William 
Shannon,    Samuel 
Steward,    John 
Steward,  William 
Ward,  James   (Capt.) 
Ward,   Wm.    (Sergt.) 
Wilson,  Wm.  (Sergt.) 


XI 

BATH  DURING  THE  REVOLUTION 

ITH  respect  to  Virginia  soil  there  were  three  stages  in  the 
war  for  American  Independence.  There  was  first  the 
campaign  against  Dunmore,  which  was  confined  to  the 
counties  on  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  it  came  to  an  end  with 
the  expulsion  of  the  tory  governor  early  in  1776.  Next  came  the 
invasion  by  Arnold  and  Cornwallis,  limited  to  the  country  east  of 
the  Blue  Ridge  and  to  the  10  months  closing  with  the  surrender  of 
Cornwallis  in  October,  1781.  The  last  stage  was  the  warfare  with 
the  Indians,  which  was  carried  on  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  and  prin- 
cipally west  of  the  Alleghanies.  It  lasted  intermittently  from  the 
summer  of  1776  until  after  the  treaty  with  England  in  1783.  The 
British  never  came  nearer  to  Bath  than  Charlottesville.  The  only 
practical  danger  was  from  the  Indians,  and  they  do  not  appear  to  have 
come  inside  the  present  limits  of  the  county. 

The  soldiers  of  the  Revolution  were  of  three  classes:  the  militia, 
called  out  only  on  special  emergency;  the  provincials,  or  state 
troops,  enlisted  for  home  defense  by  the  state  governments;  and  the 
continentals,  enlisted  for  long  terms  under  the  direct  authority  of 
the  Continental  Congress.  The  continentals  were  trained  soldiers 
and  consequently  the  most  efficient  and  dependable.  The  militia 
came  direct  from  their  homes  on  absurdly  short  "tours  of  duty."  Not 
onl\  were  they  untrained,  but  they  were  imperfectly  under  the  con- 
trol of  their  officers.  Hence  they  were  easily  demoralized,  and  at 
such  a  time  each  man  took  no  thought  except  to  look  out  for  himself. 
They  were  seldom  on  the  actual  firing  line,  and  when  they  did  get 
into  a  real  engagement,  they  were  very  much  inclined  to  take  to  their 
heels.  Yet  on  several  occasions  their  behavior  was  all  that  could 
reasonably  be  asked. 

As  in  the  case  of  other  counties,  the  able-bodied  white  adults  of 
Bath  were  with  few  exceptions  enrolled  as  militia.  But  the  records 
of  the  Revolution  are  so  brief  and  incomplete  that  we  can  affirm 
very  little  as  to  the  names  of  its  citizens  who  were  enrolled  as  pri- 


BATH  DURING  THE  REVOLUTION  95 

vates  in  the  militia  companies,  or  in  the  continental  and  provincial  or- 
ganizations. With  respect  to  the  officers  our  informaton  is  more 
satisfactory. 

General  Andrew  Lewis  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  operations 
against  Dunmore,  and  he  soon  drove  the  hated  governor  to  the  shelter 
of  the  British  fleet.  His  campaign  was  far  from  the  mountains  and 
on  a  small  scale,  and  we  do  not  certainly  know  that  any  Bath  men 
took  part  in  it.  Arnold's  marauding  career  on  the  lower  James, 
and  the  approach  of  Cornwallis  in  the  spring  of  1781  were  far  more 
serious.  Nearly  1700  of  the  Virginia  militia  took  part  in  the  battle 
of  Guilford,  where  their  conduct  was  unusually  good,  owing  to  a 
stiffening  in  their  companies  of  some  experienced  men  who  had  seen 
service  in  Washington's  army.  Among  these  troops  were  militiamen 
from  this  county  under  Robert  McCreery,  John  Bollar,  and  David 
Gwin.  Gwin's  men,  and  probably  the  other  commands  also,  rode  on 
horseback  until  they  had  crossed  the  Dan  into  North  Carolina.  The 
horses  were  then  sent  home  under  guard.  Robert  Sitlington,  Wil- 
liam Gillespie,  and  James  Sloan  were  privates  under  McCreery. 
Sitlington  grieved  at  the  loss  of  the  knife  he  had  used  as  a  gun-rest. 
"Bullets,"  he  said,  "were  flying  so  thick  that  by  God,  sir,  I  had  to 
leave  that  knife  sticking  where  it  was." 

At  Guilford  the  Virginia  militia  gave  a  good  account  of  them- 
selves. Their  deadly  rifle-fire  repelled  several  assaults  by  the  red- 
coats. Cornwallis  was  virtually  defeated  and  his  shattered  army 
was  driven  to  the  sea  coast.  He  gave  up  his  attempt  to  subdue  North 
Carolina  and  joined  Arnold  at  Petersburg.  While  the  British  lead- 
er was  pursuing  the  small  American  army  under  Lafayette,  his  cavalry 
under  Tarleton  burned  the  little  village  of  Charlottesville,  where 
the  Assembly  was  in  session.  The  legislature  fled  to  Staunton,  and 
sat  there  from  June  7th  to  June  23d.  But  Tarleton  remembered  his 
overthrow  at  Cowpens  and  did  not  try  to  force  his  way  through 
Rockfish  Gap.  He  seems  to  have  had  a  wholesome  respect  for  the 
Scotch-Irish  militia  of  the  VaUey.  The  whole  British  army  pres- 
ently fell  back  toward  the  coast. 

There  were  now  heavy  calls  on  the  militia.  Perhaps  a  larger 
number  of  Bath  men  were  at  the  front  than  were  present  at  Guil- 
ford. On  the  peninsula  between  the  James  and  the  York  they  saw 
fightng  under  Colonels  Robert  McCreery  and   Sampson  Mathews, 


96  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Mathews  had  been  south  of  the  James  the  preceding  winter,  as  a  part 
of  the  force  under  General  Steuben,  who  was  watching  Arnold,  at 
Portsmouth.  McCreery  and  Mathews  were  in  the  battle  of  Green 
Spring,  which  took  place  near  Jamestown,  July  6th.  Under  Mc- 
Creery were  the  horsemen  of  Captain  Peter  Hull.  Under  Mathews 
were  Captains  David  Gwin,  Thomas  Hicklin,  William  Kincaid,  and 
John  Brown.  Brown  was  taken  prisoner  and  was  succeeded  by 
Charles  Cameron,  who  had  served  as  adjutant.  Brown's  lieutenant 
was  Robert  Thompson.  Gwin's  subalterns  were  Lieutenant  William 
McCreery  and  Ensign  Alexander  Wright.  Hicklin's  were  Lieuten- 
ant Joseph  Gwin  and  Ensign  Thomas  Wright. 

At  Yorktown,  where  the  redcoats  in  Virginia  laid  down  their 
arms,  about  3000  of  the  state  militia  were  present.  There  was  no 
further  attempt  by  the  British  to  prosecute  the  war  with  their  own 
men.  Within  and  beyond  the  mountains,  the  case  was  different. 
For  nearly  three  years  after  their  experience  at  Point  Pleasant,  the 
Ohio  Indians  remained  quiet.  But  being  stirred  up  by  British  emis- 
saries, whose  home  government  did  not  scruple  to  turn  loose  the 
savages  on  women  and  children  as  well  as  men,  they  once  more  began 
to  raid  the  settlements  beyond  the  Alleghanies.  Still  earlier  on  the 
warpath  were  the  Cherokees,  who  in  1776  became  troublesome  in  the 
valley  of  the  Holston. 

The  menace  from  the  Indians  was  enough  to  make  it  necessary  to 
garrison  such  posts  as  Fort  Dinwiddie.  During  the  two  years  be- 
ginning with  the  fall  of  1776,  Captains  John  Lewis,  Robert  Mc- 
Creery, Andrew  Lockridge,  and  Samuel  McCutchen  were  by  turns 
in  command  at  this  point.  Captain  John  McKittrick  was  here  in 
the  early  summer  of  1 780.  The  stockade  was  burned  by  a  tenant  in 
the  spring  of  the  same  year,  but  for  what  cause  we  do  not  know. 
During  the  summer  of  1777  there  was  a  guard  of  six  men  at  William 
Wilson's  at  the  mouth  of  Bolar  Run.  Fort  Warwick  on  The  Green- 
brier was  held  the  same  year  by  Captain  John  Lewis,  and  the  next 
year  by  Captain  Samuel  Vance,  whose  lieutenant  was  John  Cart- 
mil].    Vance  became  a  lieutenant  colonel  in   1782. 

Augusta  companies  were  also  marched  into  Bath,  either  to  gar- 
rison the  local  posts  or  to  proceed  to  the  Greenbrier  and  Tygart's 
Valley  rivers,  or  even  to  the  Ohio  and  Monongahela.  In  1777. 
John  Dickenson,  now  a  colonel,  led  his  regiment  to  Point  Pleasant, 


BATH  DURING  THE  REVOLUTION  97 

whence  General  Hand  was  to  march  against  the  Indian  towns  on  the 
Scioto.  Through  a  seeming  lack  of  energy  that  officer  contented 
himself  with  announcing  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne  and  then  dis- 
missing the  troops.  A  few  days  before  the  arrival  of  General  Hand, 
Cornstalk  was  treacherously  murdered  by  the  militia  from  Rock- 
bridge. Next  May  the  Shawnees  sought  to  avenge  his  death  by  at- 
tacking the  fort  of  Andrew  Donally  in  Greenbrier.  They  were 
beaten  off  before  the  relief  column  under  Captains  Tate,  Buchanan, 
and  Long  could  arrive.  About  this  time  Captain  Lockridge  was  at 
Vance's  fort,  and  a  year  later  at  Clover  Lick,  both  points  being  in 
the  Greenbrier  valley.  So  late  as  1782  Captain  George  Poage  was 
stationed  at  Clover  Lick.  Even  a  year  later  Colonel  Sampson 
Mathews  reported  an  alarm  at  that  place,  and  the  wife  of  Christo- 
pher Graham  of  the  Bullpasture  thought  it  advisable  to  flee  with  her 
child  to  Deerfield  on  the  east  side  of  Shenandoah  Mountain.  So 
far  as  we  know,  this  was  the  last  Indian  alarm  in  this  region,  although 
so  late  as  1788  Juhn  Stuart,  of  Greenbrier,  feared  that  Indians 
and  foreigners  would  drive  out  all  the  people  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 
Not  until  Wayne's  treaty  with  the  Indians  in  1795  was  the  peril 
finally  removed. 

In  1780,  Thomas  Hughart,  John  McCreery,  and  Andrew  Lock- 
ridge were  respectively  colonel,  lieutenant  colonel,  and  major  of  the 
Second  Battalion  of  the  Augusta  militia.  Other  local  officers  not 
already  named  were  Captains  John  Given,  James  Hicklin,  and  John 
Oliver;  Lieutenants  Samuel  Black,  James  Bratton,  Samuel  McClin- 
tic,  and  Robert  McFarland;  and  Ensigns  Thomas  Catrmill,  Jona- 
than Humphrey,  and  Moses  McClintic. 

During  the  war  the  machinery  of  local  government  moved  about 
as  usual.  Yet  there  was  much  hardship.  Foreign  trade  was  pre- 
carious on  account  of  the  British  war  vessels  hovering  along  the  coast. 
There  was  no  good  money  except  specie.  The  paper  bills  issued  by 
the  Congress  became  more  and  more  worthless.  In  the  spring  of 
1781  it  took  $140  in  paper  to  go  as  far  as  $1  in  coin.  The  previous 
October,  James  Bratton,  as  keeper  of  an  inn,  rendered  a  bill  against 
Anthony  Mustoe  for  $150  for  seven  meals,  four  lodgings,  and  a  few 
glasses  of  liquor.  The  taxes  were  very  oppressive,  and  although  they 
could  be  paid  in  produce,  some  persons  refused  to  pay  them  at  all, 
and  some  officers  refused  to  make  collections. 


98  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

To  draw  the  line  between  patriot  and  tory,  a  law  of  1777  re- 
quired that  an  oath  of  allegiance  be  administered  to  the  citizens. 
Richard  Mayse  was  assigned  to  this  duty  in  the  territory  covered  by 
the  militia  companies  of  Captains  Dean  and  Robinson. 

This  district  seems  to  have  been  nearly  free  from  tory  disturbanc- 
es, such  as  took  place  on  the  South  Branch  to  the  northward  or  in 
Montgomery  County  to  the  southward.  In  fact,  the  only  exception 
of  which  we  have  any  positive  knowledge  is  narrated  by  Colonel 
Skillern,  of  Botetourt,  in  a  letter  to  Governor  Nelson,  dated  June  26, 
1781.  He  states  that  about  four  years  earlier,  Captain  Lapsley  had 
taken  as  recruits  Solomon  Carpenter  and  Samuel  Lyons,  telling  them 
they  were  to  go  into  Washington's  bodyguard  and  to  have  3^  shil- 
lings a  day.  Finding  this  representation  untrue  on  their  arrival  at 
the  army  headquarters,  the  men  deserted,  came  home,  and  hid  in  the 
mountains.  At  the  date  of  the  letter  there  were  supposed  to  be  from 
40  to  50  men  in  their  band.  Attempts  to  disperse  them  and  capture 
their  leader  had  failed.  The  two  men  in  question  came  to  Skillem's 
house  under  a  flag,  offering  to  serve  subject  to  call  during  two  years 
in  the  county  militia  or  to  join  George  Rogers  Clark  for  two 
years.  Skillern  recommends  acceptance  of  the  terms.  Carpenter,  a 
bold,  daring,  active  man,  had  been  with  the  Indians  some  time,  and 
intimated  that  if  his  terms  were  not  accepted  he  would  go  back  to 
them.  His  comrades  were  active  woodsmen,  well  armed  with  rifles, 
and  might  become  dangerous.  The  writer  adds  that  there  were  par- 
ties of  tories  and  deserters  in  Montgomery  and  Washington,  who 
were  probably  in  correspondence  with  one  another. 

Aside  from  the  officers  we  have  mentioned,  the  following  men  of 
the  Dunmore  and  Revolutionary  wars  appear  to  have  belonged  with- 
in the  Bath  area  or  nearly  so: 

Black,.  Alexander,  Jr.  Mayse,        Joseph — wounded        at 
Black,  James  Point   Pleasant 

Black,   William  McAvoy,    Hugh — killed 

Burnside,  James  McFarland,  Alexander — wounded 

Byrd,  John  Montgomery,  James 

Cowarden,   John  Sitlington,   Robert 

Gillespie,  William  Sloan,  James 

Some  of  the  pensioners  of  the  Revolution,  whose  names  appear  in 


BATH  DURING  THE  REVOLUTION  99 

1832,  were  born  elsewhere,  or  settled  in  this  country  after  that  war. 
Among  them  were  Richard  Cole,  an  Englishman,  who  enlisted  in  Bath 
in  1780;  William  Keyser,  of  Glouchester  County;  Andrew  McCaus- 
land  and  William  Bonner,  of  Pennsylvania;  and  John  Putnam,  of 
Massachusetts. 

This  chapter  would  not  be  complete  without  some  mention  of  that 
eccentric  and  masculine  woman,  known  to  American  border  history 
as  Mad  Ann  Bailey.  She  was  given  this  name  because  of  her  iras- 
cible Welch  temper.  Her  maiden  name  was  Dennis,  and  she  was 
a  native  of  Liverpool.  She  came  to  Staunton  at  the  age  of  13,  and  ten 
years  later  wedded  James  Trotter,  who  was  killed  at  Point  Pleasant. 
The  pair  had  a  son  named  William,  who  was  born  in  1767.  Ann 
Bailey  left  her  child  with  Mrs.  Moses  Mann,  a  near  neighbor,  put  on 
masculine  apparel,  and  for  several  years  was  a  hunter  and  scout. 
One  of  her  reasons  for  adopting  such  an  unfeminine  career  was  to 
avenge  the  death  of  her  husband.  According  to  tradition  she  took 
more  than  one  scalp.  Her  most  famous  exploit  was  her  relief  of 
Fort  Lee,  which  stood  where  the  city  of  Charleston,  West  Virginia, 
afterward  arose.  The  stockade  was  besieged  by  Indians,  the  powder 
gave  out,  and  it  was  very  dangerous  for  a  courier  to  get  past  the 
assailants.  But  Mad  Ann  volunteered,  rode  swiftly  on  her  horse 
"Liverpool"  to  Fort  Union — now  Lewisburg, — and  came  back  with 
an  extra  horse  with  a  fresh  supply  of  powder.  This  was  in  1791, 
when  she  was  49  years  of  age.  For  a  year  or  so,  she  lived  in  a  hut 
on  Mad  Ann's  Ridge,  on  the  south  side  of  Falling  Spring  Run.  On 
one  occasion  her  black  horse  went  on  to  Mann's  without  his  rider.  A 
party  from  the  stockade  went  out  to  follow  the  trail,  and  located 
Mad  Ann  by  airholes  in  the  snow.  She  had  failed  asleep,  either  from 
liquor  or  drowsiness.  According  to  Ann  Royall,  who  knew  her  in 
her  old  age,  she  could  both  drink  and  swear..  In  1785  she  married 
James  Trotter.  Her  last  years  were  spent  on  the  farm  of  her  only 
son,  who  settled  in  Gallia  County,  Ohio.  Eccentric  to  the  last,  she 
refused  to  live  in  his  comfortable  house,  and  stayed  in  a  cabin  near 
by,  which  she  built  herself.  Here  she  died  in  1825  at  the  age  of  83. 
In  1901  her  remains  were  reinterred  in  the  memorial  park  at  Point 
Pleasant.  In  personal  appearance,  Mrs.  Bailey  was  short,  stout, 
coarse,  and  masculine,  yet  affable  and  pleasing.  She  wore  a  coat  in- 
stead of  a  gown  and  she  could  read  and  write.     While  ranging  the 


882819 


100  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

forest  she  "hahvays  carried  a  hax  and  a  hauger  and  could  chop  as 
well  as  any  man." 

The  longest  of  Colonel  Dickenson's  letters  that  we  have  seen  is 
addressed  to  General  Edward  Hand,  and  is  of  this  tenor: 

Point  Pleasant  Near  Fort  Randolph 

.     7th  Novr  1777 

Dear  Sr — Colo  Skilron  from  Bottetourt  and  myself  from  augusta  arived 
here  with  our  Troops  from  Each  County  the  5th  Instant  whare  we  flattered 
our  selves  of  the  hapyness  of  meeting  yr  Excelency  but  being  Disapointed 
Do  greatly  fear  that  some  accident  or  Disapointment  has  fell  in  yr  Way 
Which  I  should  be  hearttely  sorry  for  our  No.  of  Troops  are  Not  men- 
tioned here  as  the  strength  of  the  Whol  is  Inclosed  in  Capt.  Arbuckles  Let- 
ter agree  able  to  yr  Excelencys  Instructions  to  your  county  Lieutnt.  We 
brought  Flour  and  salt  seficiant  only  to  bring  us  to  this  place  as  we  ware 
greatly  Detained  on  our  march  by  Rain  and  high  Waters.  We  Expected  to 
have  met  with  a  seficiant  supply  of  provisions  here  but  to  our  great  morti- 
fication found  the  garison  out  of  salt  and  very  scarce  of  Flour  tho  Wile  we 
have  Beef  are  Willing  to  surmount  every  Deficasy  and  hardship  until  We 
Either  see  or  hear  from  yr  Excelency.  our  Troops  are  extremely  good  In 
general  and  in  high  spirits  Keen  for  the  Expedition  under  a  Commander  of 
so  great  a  Caracter  as  yrself 

I  am  Dear  general  tho  unacquainted  Yr  Excelencys  most  obedient  and 
very  Hbie  Servt 

John   Dickenson. 


XII 

SELIM  THE  ALGERINE 

HE  STORY  of  Selim,  a  native  of  Algeria,  is  perhaps  the 
most  picturesque  incident  in  the  early  annals  of  Bath. 
Between  1764  and  1774  Samuel  Given  was  hunting  on 
the  Greenbrier.  He  had  at  least  one  extra  horse  for 
carrying  home  the  game  he  hoped  to  secure.  In  the  top  of  a  fallen 
tree  he  espied  an  object  which  he  at  first  took  to  be  a  wild  animal, 
and  he  came  very  near  firing  into  it.  A  more  deliberate  glance  satis- 
fied him  that  what  he  saw  was  a  human  being,  but  not  an  Indian. 
Going  to  the  tree  he  found  a  man  in  a  most  pitiable  condition.  He 
was  stark  naked  except  for  some  rags  wrapped  about  his  feet.  His 
body  was  very  much  emaciated,  and  his  skin  was  thickly  marked  by 
scars  and  scabs.  In  a  word  he  was  in  an  advanced  stage  of  starvation. 
Neither  man  could  understand  the  other's  language,  and  they 
could  converse  only  by  signs.  The  hunter  at  once  made  himself  a 
Good  Samaritan.  He  took  as  good  care  of  the  unfortunate  stranger 
as  was  possible  under  the  circumstances.  In  giving  him  something  to 
eat,  he  prudently  allowed  very  little  at  first,  and  increased  the  amount 
as  the  digestive  organs  of  the  famished  man  began  to  recover  their 
normal  tone.  After  a  few  days  the  patient  had  gained  enough 
strength  to  be  able  to  ride  the  led  horse.  He  was  now  taken  to  the 
home  of  Captain  John  Dickenson  and  made  welcome  after  the  open- 
hearted  manner  of  the  frontier.  He  remained  with  Dickenson  sev- 
eral months,  meanwhile  recovering  his  strength  and  rapidly  acquiring 
the  ability  to  converse  with  his  new  friends.  At  length  it  became 
possible  for  him  to  tell  who  he  was,  and  how  he  had  failed  into  the 
plight  from  which  he  was  so  providentially  rescued. 

His  name  was  Selim  and  he  was  a  son  of  a  wealthy  Algerine.  The 
father  sent  him  to  Constantinople  for  an  advanced  education.  While 
the  young  man  was  returning  home  his  ship  was  captured  by  a  Span- 
ish man-of-war.  He  was  transferred  to  a  French  vessel  bound  for 
New  Orleans.  The  Algerines  as  well  as  the  other  nations  of  Bar- 
bary  were  at  this  time  great  pirates.     They  made  slaves  of  their  cap- 


102  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

tives  and  were  themselves  treated  with  scant  consideration  whenever 
they  fell  into  the  hands  of  any  of  the  Europeans.  From  New  Or- 
leans Selim  was  taken  to  the  Shawnee  towns  on  the  Scioto.  A  white 
woman,  also  a  prisoner  of  the  Indians,  told  him  by  signs  that  she 
came  from  the  east.  Selim  knew  there  were  English  colonies  on  the 
Atlantic  shore  and  judged  correctly  that  she  came  from  that  quarter. 
He  found  an  opportunity  to  escape  from  the  Indians,  and  tried  to  find 
the  white  settlements,  so  that  he  might  return  to  his  own  people. 

He  had  nearly  succeeded  when  stumbled  upon  by  Given.  But  he 
had  found  little  to  eat  except  nuts  and  berries  and  became  too  weak 
for  any  farther  progress.  The  bushes  and  briars  had  torn  his  cloth- 
ing into  shreds,  and  these  he  had  wrapped  about  his  feet  to  give  them 
some  protection.  His  exposed  skin  had  been  so  often  lacerated  by 
thorns  and  other  obstacles  as  to  present  the  condition  observed  by  the 
hunter.  He  had  resigned  himself  to  a  death  by  starvation  or  by  wild 
beasts,  and  for  a  last  resting  place  had  chosen  the  top  of  the  tree  in 
which  he  was  found. 

Dickenson  treated  the  unfortunate  Moor  with  a  noble  generosity. 
He  gave  him  a  horse  to  ride  and  took  him  to  see  the  neighbors  of  the 
settlement.  Selim  accompanied  his  host  to  Staunton,  at  a  time  when 
the  county  court  was  sitting,  and  there  attracted  much  notice.  The 
attention  of  the  Algerine  was  particularly  fixed  upon  the  Presbyter- 
ian minister,  John  Craig,  who  lived  near  the  town.  Selim  asked 
the  privilege  of  going  home  with  the  preacher  and  the  request  was 
granted.  He  then  explained  his  reason.  He  told  Mr.  Craig  that 
during  his  journey  through  the  forest  the  pangs  of  hunger  caused 
vivid  dreams.  In  one  of  these  visions  he  saw  marshaled  in  military 
order  on  an  immense  plain  a  vast  assemblage  of  people,  all  dressed 
alike.  In  the  distance  was  a  person  of  distinguished  appearance. 
Every  now  and  then  some  member  of  the  throng  would  undertake  to 
go  to  him,  but  when  half  way  there  would  suddenly  disappear  into  a 
pit.  Other  persons,  who  asked  directions  of  an  old  man  standing  by 
himself,  passed  safely  across.  Mr.  Craig  was  recognized  as  the  old 
man  seen  in  the  dream,  and  it  was  for  this  reason  that  Selim  asked  to 
go  home  with  him.  He  wished  to  be  instructed  in  the  principals  of 
Christianity.  The  French  had  tried  to  make  him  a  convert,  but  his 
Mohammedan   train ing  made  him   think  the  use  of   images  by  the 


SELIM  THE  ALGERINE  103 

Catholics  was  a  form  of  idolatry.  Selim  was  a  quick  pupil.  He  un- 
derstood the  Greek  language  and  probably  had  a  better  insight  into 
the  meaning  of  the  Greek  Testament  than  the  minister  himself.  Se- 
lim embraced  Christianity  and  was  baptized  at  the  old  Stone  Church. 

But  at  length  the  Moor  expressed  a  longing  to  go  to  his  old  home, 
and  could  not  be  moved  from  his  purpose.  Some  money  was  raised 
through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Craig,  who  also  gave  him  a  letter  of  in- 
troduction to  Robert  Carter,  a  member  of  the  House  of  Burgesses 
from  Westmoreland.  The  legislature  was  then  in  session  at  Wil- 
liamsburg. Mr.  Carter  did  all  that  was  asked  of  him,  and  Selim 
was  thus  enabled  to  recross  the  Atlantic. 

After  some  years  the  Algerine  reappeared  at  Dickenson's  with  a 
disordered  mind.  In  his  lucid  moments  he  said  he  had  been  home, 
but  that  his  father  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  him  on  account  of 
his  acceptance  of  Christianity.  At  Warm  Springs  he  was  much 
pleased  with  the  gift  of  a  Greek  Testament  by  a  young  minister 
named  Templeton.  He  visited  Mr.  Carter,  and  wherever  he  ap- 
peared he  aroused  great  sympathy.  John  Page,  when  governor  of 
Virginia,  took  him  to  Philadelphia  and  had  his  portrait  painted  by 
Rembrandt  Peale,  the  celebrated  artist.  From  that  city  he  accompa- 
nied a  man  of  South  Carolina  to  his  home.  He  returned  to  Virginia, 
and  in  Prince  Edward  County  learned  to  sing  the  hymns  by  Watts. 
For  a  while  he  was  an  inmate  of  the  hospital  for  the  insane  at  Wil- 
liamsburg. At  a  date  unknown,  but  which  must  have  been  some 
years  later  than  1805,  he  died  at  a  private  house. 

Thus  the  story  of  Selim  is  pathetic  as  well  as  unusual.  It  is 
gratifying  to  know  that  he  was  treated  with  great  kindness  by  the 
strange  people  he  tried  so  hard  to  reach. 


XIII 

EFFORTS   TOWARD  A   NEW  COUNTY 

(E  HAVE  seen  that  Botetourt  was  set  off  from  Augusta 
in  1769.  Eight  years  later  Rockingham  and  Rockbridge 
were  formed  and  Augusta  was  reduced  to  its  present 
breadth,  north  and  east.  But  westward  it  still  reached 
beyond  the  Alleghanies.  The  greater  portion  of  it  lay  to  the  west 
of  Shenandoah  Mountain.  This  broad  and  lofty  range  is  indicated 
by  nature  as  a  political  boundary.  It  is  even  yet  very  largely  a 
wilderness.  Nothing  could  be  more  certain  than  that  the  people 
living  on  the  farther  side  would  agitate  for  a  new  county  just  as  soon 
as  there  might  be  any  possibility  of  realizing  this  desire. 

Bath  was  not  actually  established  until  the  closing  month  of  1790. 
And  yet  it  was  almost  thirteen  years  earlier  that  the  first  petition  for 
this  purpose  was  sent  up  to  the  General  Assembly.  This  petition 
with  its  signers  will  be  found  at  the  close  of  the  present  chapter. 
Slightly  more  than  a  year  later  there  was  a  second  petition,  whch  in- 
cluded the  request  that  the  courthouse  site  be  located  in  the  valley  o? 
the  Cowpasture.  A  third  petition,  presented  in  the  very  same  year- 
1779 — asked  that  the  proposed  county  include  portions  of  Botetoir 
and  Rockbridge  lying  in  the  Cowpasture  and  Jackson's  River  valleys. 
It  was  represented  that  in  order  to  attend  court  some  of  the  petitioners 
had  to  travel  a  hundred  miles  and  cross  high  mountains  and  rapid 
streams.  Some  of  the  movers  for  the  new  county  wanted  the  valley 
of  the  Calfpasture  included. 

Notwithstanding  the  energy  shown  in  these  efforts,  the  time 
was  not  favorable  to  immediate  action.  The  people  of  Virginia  had 
to  struggle  with  high  taxation  and  depreciated  paper  money.  The 
Revolution  had  not  yet  been  fought  to  a  finish,  and  much  attention 
was  necessarily  bestowed  upon  the  British,  the  tories,  and  the  In- 
dians. In  1780  and  1781,  British  armies  were  ravaging  the  country 
east  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  So  we  need  not  feel  surprised  that  no  fur- 
ther effort  was  made  until  after  the  return  of  peace. 

In  178S  there  was  a  petition  signed  by  522  men,  John  McCreery. 
Alexander  Black.  John  Kincaid,  and  John   Lewis,  of  Warm  Springs. 


EFFORTS  TOWARD  A  NEW  COUNTY  105 

being  active  in  the  movement.  In  October,  1788,  there  was  another 
paper,  the  petitioners  saying  that  their  troubles  with  the  Indians  had 
prevented  them  from  addressing  the  Assembly  at  an  earlier  date.  The 
settlers  west  of  the  Alleghany  were  strenuous  in  their  appeal.  They 
urge  as  a  strong  consideration  the  fact  that  there  was  now  a  wagon 
road  to  Kentucky  to  take  the  place  of  the  pioneer  bridle-path. 

The  petition  below  was  written  by  a  man  of  lame  scholarship  and 
does  not  compare  favorably  with  the  general  run  of  the  formal  docu- 
ments of  the  colonial  era. 

13th  April  1778 

To  the  Honble   Specker  &  Gentilmen  Deligates  setting  now 
The  Petision  of  the  Inhabitance  of  Cow  and  Calf  pastures  Bull  pasture 
Jackson   River   and   Back   Creek   Humbly   Sheweth 

That  yr  pensioners  Not  only  at  present  but  for  many  years  past  have 
Labored  under  so  great  and  grievous  Disadvantages  by  Reason  of  the 
great  Distance  the  most  of  us  yr  petisioners  Lives  from  our  Courts  of  Jus- 
tice from  forty  and  fifty  and  others  Near  seventy  Miles  from  our  Nearest 
Court  House  besides  those  on  our  plantation  in  the  upper  end  of  green  bryer 
at  thirty  and  forty  miles  farther  Back  Not  to  Mention  Tygers  valley  which 
is  yet  Dependent  on  Augusta,  so  it  would  be  Better  for  the  most  of  us  to 
put  up  with  small  Losses  and  Injuries  Don  to  us  than  to  attend  our  present 
courts  for  common  Justice  at  so  great  a  Distance  and  specially  in  theze 
Extravagant  Times  therefore  we  yr  petisioners  Humbly  prays  that  our 
great  Deficulty  and  hardships  may  be  Removed  by  granting  us  a  New  coun- 
ty of  our  Own  and  as  som  of  us  yr  petisioners  Inhabiters  of  the  Calf  pasture 
are  Lately  Thrown  into  Rockbridge  County  much  against  our  minds  and 
Inclinations  as  its  vastly  more  Inconvenient  than  stanton  and  worse  Road, 
therefore  the  VVhol  of  us  yr  petisioners  Humbly  prays  that  our  County  if 
granted  may  be  struck  of  from  augusta  and  Rock  Bridge  Counties  by  the 
Dividing  Waters  on  the  Top  of  the  North  Mountain  The  Lower  End  to  be- 
gin on  the  Top  of  sd  Mountain  square  with  the  Mouth  of  the  Cowpasture 
River  from  thence  to  the  Lower  End  of  William  Manns  plantation  at  the 
mouth  of  the  fawling  spring  on  James  River  then  to  continue  on  a  south 
line  to  the  Waters  of  Green  Bryer  from  the  Beginning;  the  upper  End  Like- 
wise to  begin  on  the  Top  of  sd  North  Mountain  opposite  to  the  upper  Inhab- 
iters of  the  Calf  Pasture  and  from  thence  to  the  hd  waters  of  Cow  and  Bull 
pastures  then  on  a  South  Line  to  the  Waters  of  Green  Bryer  from  the  Be- 
ginning; and  as  our  Bounds  is  very  Extensif  and  Inhabitance  plenty  in 
Number  and  Seficient  Curcomstance  to  make  good  all  Necessary  public 
Buildings  Required  by  Law  We  Earnestly  pray  that  your  goodness  may  Take 
our  Case  into  yr  consideration  and  grant  our  petision  alowing  our  Court 
House  to  be  Built  in  the  Cowpasture  where  it  may  be  sentrable  and  a  greed 


106 


ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 


upon  by  the  Majority  of  us  yr  pensioners  &c  We  Rest  in  suspense  in  hopes 
of  success  in  our  Request. 

And  we  as  in  Duty  Bound  shall  pray 


Rafe   Laforde 
Henry    Beard 
John    Macdonley 
VVm.  Rhea 
Wm.    Jameson 
Jas.   Crocket 
Alex.    Crocket 
William    Black 
Alex   Black 
William    Jackson 
John    Montgomery 
John    Montgomery 
John    Montgomery 
Patrick    Miller 
John    Kinkaid 
George  Benston 
Jno.  Dunlap 
Robt.    Lough  ridge 
Wm.    Loughrilge 
John  Loughridge 
Andey  Loughridge 
Joseph  Carpenter 
James  Botkin 
James  Clements 
Jas.    Clements,    Senr 
John  Redman 
Robt.  Duffell 
Stephen  Willson 
Anthony  Johnston 
James   Rucker    Jenr 
Samuel  McDannell 
Wm.    Daughherty.    Jenr 
George   Daugherty 
William    Maze,    Jenr 
Andr.  Sitlington 
Saml.  Cartmill 
John  Redman 
Ralph  Wilson 
Thos.   Galaspy,  Jenr 
Christian  Snider 
Moses  Knap 
John    peeble 
George  Blake 


John  Montgomery 
Joseph  Green 
David  Frame 
Thomas  Feemster 
John  Feemster 
John    Wilson,    Jenr 
Jas.  Dunwodie 
Wm.  Dunwodie 
Wm.  Given 
Wm.  Green 
John  Carlil 
James  Carlil 
Robert  Carlil 
John  Cartmill 
James  Hughart 
John  Cowarding 
Joseph  Mayse,  Sr. 
Joseph  Mayse,  Jr. 
george    francisco 
Chas.  Cameron 
Robt.    peebles 
Robt.  McCree 
Lofty    pullin 
Loftis   pulin,   Junr 
Sam  Guliam 
Wm.  Willson 
John  Smith 
Thomas  Cartmill 
Hugh  Hicklin 
Jacob  Warwick 
Robert  Hall 
William  Griffeth 
George  Doherty 
Hugh  Hicklin 
Robert  Kinkade 
abraham    hempstall 
Alexr.  Crockett,  Senr 
Samson  Wilson 
Jas.  Galaspy 
Caleb   knap 
Theophilus  Blake 
James  Blake 


John   McCreery 
Robert  McCreery 
Mathias  Benston 
Joseph  Green,  Jr. 
John  Kinging 
James  Peebles 
John    hicklin 
Thos.    hicklin 
Jas    hicklin 
William  Steuart 
James  Stuart 
Edward  Stuart 
Joseph  Beathe 
John  Miller 
William  McCanles 
Thos.  Douglas 
William  Smith 
John  Beverage 
Robert  McMullin 
William  Kilpatrick 
Andr.  McCoslin 
Thos.  Davis 
George  Carlile 
Christopher  Graham 
Ervin    benson 
Wm.  Jordan 
John  Willson 
John  Dickenson 
Robert    Mcfarland 
Wm.  Daugherty,  Senr 
John    beard 
Richard    Maze,    Junr 
William  Doherty 
Chas.  Donally 
Thos.  Fitzpatrick 
Robert   McCreery  Junr 
Elibabb  Wilson 
John  Galaspy 
Christian  Snider    Jr 
John  Brown 
John  Blake 
John  McCoslin 


XIV 

ORGANIZATION  OF  BATH 

HE  efforts  to  divide  what  was  left  of  Augusta  County 
finally  bore  fruit.  The  following  Act  of  Assembly  was 
passed  December  14,  1790: 

SECT.  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly,  That  from  and  after 
the  first  day  of  May  next,  all  those  parts  of  the  counties  of  Augusta,  Bote- 
tourt, and  Greenbrier,  within  the  following  bounds,  to-wit,  beginning  at 
the  west  corner  of  Pendleton  County,  thence  to  he  top  of  the  ridge,  dividing 
the  head  waters  of  the  South  branch  from  those  of  Jackson's  river,  thence 
a  straight  line  to  the  lower  end  of  John  Redman's  plantation  on  the  Cow- 
pasture  river,  thence  to  the  top  of  the  ridge  that  divides  the  waters  of  the 
Cowpasture  from  those  of  the  Calfpasure,  thence  along  the  same  as  far  as 
the  ridge  that  divides  Hamilton's  creek  from  Mill  creek,  thence  to  the  Mill 
mountain,  and  with  the  same  to  the  north  corner  of  the  line  of  Rockbridge 
County,  thence  along  the  said  mountain  crossing  the  line  of  Botetourt  Coun- 
ty, to  the  ridge  that  divides  the  waters  of  Pad's  creek  from  those  of  Simp- 
son's creek,  thence  along  the  said  ridge  to  the  Cowpasture  river,  thence 
crossing  the  said  river  a  direct  course  and  crossing  Jackson's  river,  at  the 
mouth  of  Dunlap  creek,  thence  up  the  same  as  far  as  the  narrows  above 
the  plantation  of  David  Tate,  so  as  to  leave  the  inhabitants  of  the  said 
creek  in  Botetourt  County,  thence  a  direct  course  to  the  top  of  the  Alleghany 
mountain,  where  the  road  from  the  Warm  Springs  crosses  the  said  moun- 
tain, thence  along  the  top  of  the  said  mountain  opposite  the  head  waters 
of  Anthony's  creek,  thence  a  direct  course  crossing  Greenbrier  river  to  the 
end  of  the  Droop  mountain,  thence  up  the  same  to  the  great  Greenbrier 
mountain,  thence  along  the  said  mountain  to  the  line  of  Randolph  County, 
thence  with  the  same  along  the  said  mountain  dividing  the  waters  of  Mo- 
nongalia and  Cheat  from  those  of  Greenbrier  river,  and  thence  to  the  be- 
ginning, shall  form  one  distinct  county,  and  be  called  and  known  by  the 
name  of  Bath. 

SECT.  2.  A  court  for  the  said  county  of  Bath  shall  be  held  by  the 
justices  thereof  on  the  second  Tuesday  in  every  month  after  the  same  shall 
take  place,  in  like  manner  as  is  provided  by  law  for  other  counties,  and 
shall  be  by  their  commissions  directed;  and  the  court  of  quarterly  sessions 
for  the  said  county  of  Bath  shall  be  held  in  the  months  of  March,  May, 
August  and  November  in  every  year. 

SECT.  3.  The  justices  to  be  named  in  the  commission  of  the  peace  for 
the  said  county  of  Bath,  shall  meet  at  the  house  of  Margaret  Lewis  at  the 


108  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Warm  Springs,  in  the  said  count}-,  upon  the  first  court  day  after  the  said 
county  takes  place,  and  having  taken  the  oaths  prescribed  by  law,  and  ad- 
ministered the  oath  of  office  to,  and  taken  bond  of  the  sheriff  according  to 
law,  proceed  to  appoint  and  qualify  a  clerk,  and  fix  upon  a  place  for  hold- 
ing courts  in  the  said  county,  at  or  as  near  the  center  thereof,  as  the  situa- 
tion and  convenience  will  admit  of;  and  thenceforth  the  said  court  shall 
proceed  to  erect  the  necessary  public  buildings  at  such  place,  and  until  such 
buildings  shall  be  completed,  to  appoint  any  place  for  holding  courts,  as  they 
shall  think  proper.  Provided  always,  That  the  appointment  of  a  place  for 
holding  courts,  and  of  a  clerk,  shall  not  be  made  unless  a  majority  of  the 
justices  of  the  said  county  be  present;  where  such  majority  shall  have  been 
prevented  from  attending  by  bad  weather,  or  by  their  being  at  the  time  out 
of  the  county,  in  such  cases  the  appoinment  shall  be  postponed  until  some 
court  day,  when  a  majority  shall  be  present. 

SECT.  4.  The  governor  with  advice  of  the  council  shall  appoint  a  person 
to  be  sheriff  of  the  said  county,  who  shall  continue  in  office  during  the  term, 
and  upon   the   same  conditions  as  are  by  law   appointed   for  other  sheriffs. 

SECT.  5.  Provided  always,  That  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  sheriffs  of 
each  of  the  said  counties  of  Augusta,  Botetourt  and  Greenbrier,  to  collect 
and  make  distress  for  any  public  dues  or  officers  fees  which  shall  remain 
unpaid  by  the  inhabitants  thertof,  at  the  time  the  said  county  shall  take 
place,  and  shall  be  accountable  for  the  same  in  like  manner  as  if  this  act 
had  not  been  made.  And  the  courts  of  the  said  counties  shall  have  juris- 
diction of  all  actions  and  suits  which  shall  be  depending  before  them,  at 
the  time  said  county  of  Bath  shall  take  place;  and  shall  try  and  determine 
the   same   and    award   execution   thereon. 

SECT.  6.  In  all  further  elections  of  a  senator,  the  said  county  of  Bath 
shall  be  of  the  same  district  as  the  county  of  Augusta. 

SECT.  7.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  all  that  part  of  the  county  of 
Augusta  lying  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Bullpasture  and  Cowpasture  riv- 
ers, not  included  within  the  limits  of  the  county  hereby  established,  shall 
be  and  the  same  is  hereby  added  to  the  county  of  Pendeton. 

SECT.  8.  The  said  county  of  Bath  shall  be  included  in  the  district  with 
the  said  county  of  Augusta,  for  which  a  court  is  to  be  holden  in  Staunton. 

A  portion  of  the  original  Bath  lay  in  the  Greenhrier  valley.  This 
was  at  the  request  of  the  people  who  were  living  there.  About  1796 
some  of  the  people  on  Anthony's  Creek  several  times  petitioned  to  be 
annexed  to  Rath. 

The  first  session  of  the  county  court  of  Rath  convened  May  10, 
1791,  at  the  home  of  the  widow  of  Captain  John  Lewis.  A  part  of 
the  proceedings  took  place  under  a  large  shade  tree,  but  later  in  the 
year  the  court  voted  Mrs.  Lewis  the  sum  of  seven  pounds  for  the  use 
of  her  two-roomed  house. 


ORGANIZATION  OF  BATH  109 

The  justices  present  on  the  opening  day  were  John  Bollar,  John 
Dean,  John  Poage,  William  Poage,  Samuel  Vance,  and  John  Wilson. 
Sampson  Mathews  was  the  first  sheriff  and  Charles  Cameron  the  first 
clerk,  the  bond  of  each  being  fixed  at  1000  pounds  ($3,333.33). 
William  Poage  became  the  first  surveyor,  and  Samuel  Vance  the  first 
coroner.  The  first  attorneys  were  John  Cotton,  James  Reid,  and 
Archibald  Stuart.  The  members  of  the  first  grand  jury  were  Joseph 
Mayse  (foreman),  Samuel  Black,  Thomas  Brock,  John  Dilley,  James 
Hamilton,  James  Hughart,  Owen  Kelley,  John  Lynch,  John  Mc- 
Clung,  Samuel  McDonald,  John  Montgomery,  Joseph  Rhea,  Wil- 
liam Rider,  Robert  Stuart,  and  Stephen  Wilson.  There  was  an  ap- 
propriation of  25  shillings  ($4.17)  for  blank  books  for  the  county 
officers. 

According  to  the  usage  of  the  time,  the  first  court  defined  the 
minimum  rates  for  entertainment  at  taverns.  The  figures  are  as  be- 
low when  reduced  from  shillings  and  pence  to  Federal  money. 

Dinner  .21  Stabling  and  hay,  1   night  .16  2-3 

Breakfast  or   supper  .16  2-3  Pasturage,  one  night  .08 

Cold  supper  .12^  West  India  rum,  per  gill  .07 

Lodging  .08  Common  whiskey,  per  gill  .04 

Corn   or   oats,    per    gallon  .10J^  Cider,    per    quart  .08 

The  first  misdemeanor  of  which  the  court  took  notice  was  the 
striking  in  its  presence  of  John  McCarty  by  Abraham  Thompson. 
Thompson  was  fined  $10.  Next  year  both  Thompson  and  Captain 
Thomas  Lewis  were  summoned  to  answer  the  charge  of  rescuing 
property  from  the  sheriff.  In  1792  it  was  ordered  that  30  lashes  on 
the  bare  back  be  administered  to  a  person  who  had  stolen  some  goods. 

The  first  minister  of  the  Gospel  to  present  the  necessary  creden- 
tials was  Charles  Clark  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  The  second — 
in  1796 — was  John  Pinnell  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

The  portion  of  the  county  west  of  the  Alleghany  Front  was  di- 
vided into  two  constable  districts. 

In  April,  1792,  Samuel  Vance  and  John  O'Hara  were  elected 
over  John  Brown  and  George  Poage  as  delegates  to  the  legislature. 
The  largest  number  of  votes  polled  was  217.  The  number  of  men 
subject  to  poll  tax  was  769,  and  about  one-half  of  them  were  pre- 
sented by  the  grand  jury  for  failing  to  vote. 


110  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

After  holding  office  one  year,  the  first  sheriff  resigned  and  went 
to  Augusta.  He  was  succeeded  by  John  Bollar,  Sampson  Mathews, 
Jr.,  becoming  his  deputy. 

About  this  time  the  first  mill  license  under  Bath  was  granted  to 
Hazael  Willams  on  Lick  Run.  John  Lyle  and  Michael  Bowyer 
were  named  as  practicing  attorneys. 

In  1793  a  deputy  sheriff  reported  delinquent  taxes  to  the  amount 
of  $75.93.     The  poll  tax  for  that  year  was  $256.33. 

And  thus  the  county  of  Bath  was  launched  upon  its  independent 
career. 


XV 

THE    SURNAMES    OF    BATH 
Heads  of  Families   in   1782 

HE  personal  property  books  of  1872  are  the  oldest  that 

have  been  preserved.     Tithables,  slaves,  horses,  and  cattle 

are  indicated,  respectively,  by  T,  S,  h,  and  c.     Where  a 

T  preceded  by  a  numeral  does  not  occur,  there  is  but 

one  tithable. 

List  by  Captain  James  Bratton  of  the  Calfpasture: 

Adams,  Thomas— 2T — 4-OS— 13h — 43c— also   1   chariot 

Armstrong,  Archibald — Hh — 16c 

Bell,  John— 4h— 12c 

Black,  Rebeckah— 6h— lie 

Bratton,  James — 3S — 14h — 19c 

Bratton,  Adam — 8h 

Bratton,  Robert— 5 S—l Oh— 45c 

Carlisle,  John— IS— 7h— 26c 

Carson,  Thomas — 3h 

Craig,  Alexander — 2h — lie     • 

Craig,  Samuel — 9h — 8c 

Davis,  Charles — 4h — '7c 

Davitt,  Tulley— IS— 3h— 8c 

Elliot,  John— IS— 9h— 14c 

Fauntleroy,    Moore — US — 6h — lc — 1    two-wheeled    chariot 

Fulton,  James — IS — 6h — 15c 

Gay,  James — lOh — 3c 

Graham,  John — 7h — 30c 

Gaham,  Elizabeth— 2S—7h— 25c 

Griffith,  James — 4h — 12c 

Gween   (Gwin),  Robert,  Sr. — 3h — 8c 

Gwin,  Robert,  Jr.— <7h — 12c 

Hamilton,  Andrew,   Sr. — 3S — 8h — 22c 

Hamilton,  Andrew,  Jr. — 6h — 6c 

Henderson,  John — 2S — lh 

Henderson,  Joans— 2S — 12h — 52c 

Hughart,  Thomas— 5S—15h— 34c 

Jones,   George — nothing 

Kelly,  John— 4h— 9c 

Kincaid,  John — 5h— 15c 

Kincaid,  William — 9h — 21c 


1 12  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Lockridge,  John — 3h — 10c 
Lockridge,  William — 4h — Sc 
Lockridge,  Samuel — 4h — 12c 
Mateers,  William — 9h — 25c 
Mathews,  Sampson — 14S — 26h — 45c 
McCutchens,  Robert— IS— 7h— 24c 
McCutchens,  John — IS — 7h — 19c 
Meek,  Daniel — 6h — 19c 
Meek,  Thomas— 3S—4h— 23c 
Meek,  John — 6h — 16c 
Montgomery,   Humphrey — IS — 7h — 15c 
Moorehead,  Matthew — nothing 
Plunkett,  John — 3h— lie 
Poesy    (Posey),   Thomas— 2S 
Porter,   William — lh — 5c 
Ramsey,  John — 4h 

Ramsey,  —    4c 

Salt,  Humphrey— 2h— 13c 
Shields,  Robert — 4h — lie 
Stuart,  Alexander — 8h— 23c 
Vahubs   (Walkup),  John— Sh— 23c 
Vahubs,   Robert— IS— 4h— 17c 
White,  Archibald — *h— 5c 
Wilson,  John— IS— 8h— 17c 
Wright,  John— 5h— 14c 
Wright,   William— 6h— 15c 

Total:     63  white  tithables,  101  slaves,  352  horses,  870  cattle,  2  carriages. 

List  by  Captain  John  Brown  of  the  Cowpasture: 

Beall    (Bell),  Leonard— 4h— 10c 

Benston  (Benson),  Mathias — 4S — 6h — 13c 

Benston,  Ervin — lh — 2c 

Benston,   George — 5h — 9c 

Black,  Alexander — 2h — 4c 

Black,  William— 2S—5h— lie 

Bleak  (Blake),  Theophilus— >2h— 5c 

Bleak,  George — 4h — 6c 

Brown,  John — 6h — 2c 

Bums,  John — 2h — 2c 

Cameron,  Charles — 8h — 2c 

Carlock,  Hunkrist — 5h — 15c 

Cartmill,  John^8h — 9c 

Cartmill,  Samuel — 3h — 12c 

Cochran,  Thomas — 8S — 8h — 4c 

Cowarden,  John — 3S — 7h — 3c 

Crawford,  Alexander— 2S—6h— '6c 


THE  SURNAMES  OF  BATH  113 


Crawford,  Nathan — 6h — 8c 

Crawford,  William — lh 

Day,  Samuel — 2h — 3c 

Dickey,  William— 6h— 10c 

Donally,  Charles— 2S—17h— 13c 

Ervin,  Charles — 5h — 18c 

Feamster,  Thomas— 6S—24h— 37c 

Frame,  David — 6h — 19c 

Frame,  Jeremiah — 3h — 10c 

Francisco,  George — 8h — 19c 

Francisco,  Michael — 2h — 3c 

Gillespie,  Samuel — 3h — 3c 

Gillespie,  Thomas— 3h— 10c 

Gillespie,  John— 2S— 6h— 1  Sc 

Hicklin,  Hugh— 9h— 13c 

Hughart,  James— 'IS— 3h— 10c 

Irvin    (Ervin),  James — 5h 

Kenny,  James — 4h — 4c 

Kincaid,  John— IS— 9h— 28c 

Kirk,  Alexander — 5h — 6c 

Knight,  James — lh — 5c 

Laverty,  Ralph— 8h— 10c 

Lewis,  Sarah— 8S—18h— 22c 

Mais   (Mayse),  Joseph — lOh — 25c 

Mattinearly,  James — lh — lc 

Mayhall,  Stephen — 3h — 4c 

Mayhall,  Samuel — lh — '3c 

McCaslin   (McCausland),  John— 8h— 21c 

McCaslin,  Andrew — 3h 

McClung,  John — 4h — 13c 

McCreery,  Robert— 2S—16h— 48c 

McCreery,  John— >llh — 15c 

McDannald,  Samuel — 9h — 7c 

McRobert,  John— llh— 28c 

Miller,  Patrick— 12h— 24c 

Montgomery,  John — 5h — 22c 

Montgomery,  James — 6h — 4c 

Moody,  Andrew — 2h — 7c 

Moore  William — 5h — lie 

Moses,  Samuel — 2h — 3c 

Newton,  Joseph — 7h — 13c 

Rhea,  William— IS— 9h— 21c 

Rhea,  John— IS— 6h— 14c 

Setlington   (Sitlington),  John — 6h — 8c 

Setlington,  Robert — 5h — 5c 

Singlenton,  Andrew — 12S — 8h — 44c 


114  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Sloan  James — 6h — 14c 
Smith,  John — 5h — k: 
Stout  Daniel — 7h — 7c 
Stuart,  Robert — 6h — 16c 
Swerengen,  Van — 2h — 7c 
Thompson,  Robert — 3h 
Thompson,  Edward — 4h — lie 
Thompson,  William — 2h — 9c 
Townsend,  Taylor — 3h — 4c 
Wildridge,  William— 2h— 6c 
Wilson,  Samson — 3h — 2c 
Young,  William— 5 h— 14c 
Young,  James — lh. 

Total:     83  white  tithables,  61  slaves,  451  horses,  830  horses. 

List  by  Captain  David  Gwin — Jackson's  River  and  Back  Creek. 

Bates,  Ephraim — Sh — 9c 
Baxter,  John— 2T— lOh— 37c 
Beans,  Jacob — 2h — 5c 
Boreland,  John— 3T— 5S— lOh— 20c 
Bratton,  George — 3S— 9h—  12c 
Byrd,  John— 17h— 15c 
Davis,  John— IS— 13h— 18c 
Dennison,  John — 4h — 10c 
Dixon,  William — lh — 4c 
Elliott,  Richard— 4h— 18c 
Ellis,  James-^S— 7h— 16c 
Fitzpatrick,  James — 3h — 5c 
Givens,  William— IS— 14h— 15c 
Green,  John — 5h — 15c 
Gregory,  John — 2h — 4c 
Gwin,  David— IS—  19h — 35c 
Hamilton,  Alexander — IS — 6h — 18c 
Hamilton,  Charles — 5h — 12c 
Hamilton,  John — lOh — 12c 
Hamilton,  Osborn— 9h — 12c 
Hickman,  Roger — 6h — 14c 
Hughes,  David — 3h — 4c 
Hutchinson,  William— IS — 8h— 20c 
Johnson,  Samuel — 2h — 3c 
Kelly,  Oan    (Owen)— 2h— 6c 
Kilpatrick,  Andrew — lh — 2c 
McClain,  James — 4h— 6c 
McFarland,  Daniel— 5h — lie 
McLaughlin,  James — 2h — 4c 
N'ail    (Neil),  Thomas— 2h—  5c 


THE  SURNAMES  OF  BATH 


115 


Rider,  William— 4h— 5c 
Robertson,  William — 4h — 7c 
Slavin,  William— 3h—lc 
Stout,  Hezekiah — lh — 4c 
Tabley,  Jewel— IS— 2h— 2c 
Townsend,  Ezekiel — 2h — Sc 
Townsend,  James — 2h — 7c 
Vance,  Samuel— 2S— lOh— 28c 
Vance,  Martha — IS — 8h— *14c 
Waid   (Wade),  John— 4h— 10c 
Warren,  Obijah — lh — lc 
Willson,  William— 4S—26h— 35c 
Willson,  Stephen— 11  h^30c 
Willson,  John— 13h— 24c 
Wright,  Elizabeth — 4h — 9c 
Wiley,  Alexander — 4h — 3c 
Wiley,  Robert— 4h— 16c 

Total:     46  white  tithables,  28  slaves,  293  horses,   568  cattle. 


List  by  George  Poage — Greenbrier  River: 


Anderson,  Thomas 
Barker,  James 
Blaik,  Thomas 
Blakeman,  Adam 
Blakeman,  Moses 
Carson,  James 
Cartmill,  Thomas 
Docherty,  Michael 
Drenon,  Lawrence 
Drenon,  Thomas 
Dunlap,  Alexander 
Galford,  Thomas 
Gillespie,  Jacob 
Guy,   (Gay),  James 


Guy,  John 
Hencher,  John 
Hutchinson,  Robert 
Jarvis,  Thomas 
Lowry,  Alexander 
McCarty,  James 
McCollum,  John 
Moore,  David 
Moore,  Levi 
Moore,  Moses 
Offill  John 
Poage,  George 
Reaugh,  James 


Rucker,  James   (1) 
Rucker,  James   (2) 
Sharpe,  William 
Stuart,  Ralph 
Sutton,  Joseph 
Tackett,  Christian 
Tackett,  Lewis 
Tackett,  Francis 
Tanner,  James 
Taylor,  William 
Tracewell,  Edward 
Warwick;,  Jacob 
Warwick,  William 
Wiatt,  Leonard 


Rogers,  John 

The  total  was  43  tithables,  460  horses,  543  cattle.  Jacob  Warwick  had 
80  horses,  88  cattle.  William  Warwick  had  22  horses,  34  cattle.  Dunlap 
had  44  horses  and  24  cattle. 

List  by  Captain  George  Frazier — Cowpasture,  below  Botetourt 
Line— (1783): 

Beard,  James — IS — 4h — 10c 
Beard,  Samuel — IS — 4h — lie 
Beaty,  Robert— 2T—4h— 10c 
Cairns,  Michael — 2h— *15c 
Carrigan,  Patrick — 3h — 9c 


1  16  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Cashady,  Thomas — lh 

Clendening,  John — IS — 8h — 17c 

Cooper,  James — 4h — lie 

Daugherty,  William — 3S— 4h — 5c 

Davidson,  William— 2T—3S—5h— 16c 

Fleming,  James — 2S — 6h — 6c 

Fogle,  Philip— 2h — 4c 

Fogle,  John — 3h — 3c 

Frazier,  George — IS — Sh — 13c 

Galloway,  William— 8h— 26c 

Galloway,  William—  IS— 4h— 7c 

Galloway,  Robert— 9h — 13c 

Gilliland,  James — 2h — lie 

Gillispie,  Simon— 2S—5h — 13c 

Gore,  Michael — 3h — 4c 

Griffith,  William— 7h— 10c 

Haines,  Joseph — 2h — 7c 

Haines,  Benjamin — 4h — 5c 

Haines,  Betty — IS — 2c 

Hanley,  Mary — 2S — 2h— 3c 

Hill,  Robert— 3 S— 11  h— 20c 

Hughes,  Aaron — 5h — 9c 

Insminger,  John — 2h — 5c 

Insminger,  John  Jr. — lh 

Lingnecker,  Mary — 2h — 4c 

Maze,  William— 5h — 15c 

Maze,  Richard— 2S — 6h— 13c 

McCoIgan.  Edward— 2T— IS— 6h— lie 

McKay,  Archibald— lc 

McMurray,  William^— IS — 8h— 22c 

Miller,  Henry— 2h — 3c 

Muldrough,  Jean — 2h — 2c 

Muldrough,  Hugh— 7h — 21c 

Muldrough,  William — 4h— 3c 

Musson,  Jean — 2h — 2c 

Nighswinger,  John — 5h — lie 

Roberts,  Abel — 2h — 6c 

Roop,  Nicholas — 2h — 4c 

Scott,  James,  Sr. — 2T—  IS— 9h — 9c 

Scott,  James,   Jr.— 5h-^7c 

Shanklin,  Richard — 8h — 7c 

Shaver,  Sebastian— 2T—2S—1 1  h— 21c 

vSimpson,  James — 3S — 5h— '17c 

Stewart,  James — 2h — 9c 

Thompson,  Joseph — 2h — 2c 

Vaught,  Casper— 2h— 12c 


THE  SURNAMES  OF  BATH  117 

Walker,  James — 2h — 7c 
Wooley,  William— 2T— 9h— 12c 

Total:     23   tithables,  10  slaves,  102  horses,  212  cattle. 

List  by  Captain  John  Bollar — Jackson's  River,  below  Botetourt 
Line— (1783): 

Armstrong,  James — 6h 

Armstrong,  Robert — llh — lie 

Barbery,  Thomas — 3h — 3c 

Barratt,  William — nothing 

Boiler,  John 

Bullitt,  Cuthbert— 3S— 8h^24c 

Carpenter,  Jeremiah — 5h — 6c 

Clark,  Joseph — 2h — 6c 

Corder,  William — lc 

Cottle,  Benjamin — lh — 2c 

Craig,  James — 3h — 9c 

Davis,  William — lh — 3a 

Davis,  James — 3c 

Dean,  John— 8 S— llh— 28c 

Doylton,  William — nothing 

Edwards,  Jeremiah — 5h — 4-c 

Elliott,  James— 7h — 20c 
Fitzpatrick,  John — nothing 

Fitzpatrick,  Thomas — nothing 
Harvie,  Thomas — lh 
Jones,  Henry — 2h — 3c 
Jones,  John — lh — 3c 
Jones,  John — 3h 
Kender,  Peter — nothing 
Kimberlane,  Adam — k7h — 5c 
Kincade,  Andrew — 7h — 17c 
Kincade,  William — 3h — 9c 
Lilley,  William — 3h — 4-c 
Mann,  Jean— IS— 8h— 10c 
Mann,  Moses — 2h — 9c 
Mann,  Moses — 7h — 2c 
Mann,  Esau — 3h — 3c 
Massie,  Thomas — 7S — 4-lh — 30c 
McCalister,  Thomas— IS— 8h-Jllc 
McCalister,  James — 2T— 7h — Sc 
McCalister,  Garrett — lh 
McClintoch,   William,— 6h— 21c 
McClintock,  William — Sh — Sc 
McClintock,  Robert — +h — 7c 


118 


AN'XALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 


McDuff,  John— 3h— Sc 

McGart,  John— 3h— lie 

Milholland,  Thomas — nothing 

Morren    (Morris?),  Bernard — 3h — 4-c 

Morris,  Richard— 22h— 18c 

Price,  Evan — 3h 

Price,  Zachariah — lh — lc 

Robinson,  James — '3S — Sh — 17c 

Robinson,  James — 5h — 5c 

Robinson,  William — 3h — 7c 

Scott,  John — 5h — 6c 

Scott,  James — lh — 3c 

Slath,  John— lh 

Smith,  William — 4-h— lie 

Sprovvl,  William — 4h — 7c 

Thompson,  Martha — lh — 3c 

Trotter,  Ezekiel — 3h — 3c 

Wall,  Thomas — lh — 5c 

Wall,  Thomas — lh — '5c 

Ward,  William— lh— 2c 

Wright,  Peter— 2S— lOh— 38c 

Total:     29  tithables,  7  slaves,  130  horses,  209  cattle. 

Heads  of  Families  in  1791 
First  District — Samuel  Vance,  Assessor. 


Alexander,  John 
Anderson,  John 
Anderson,  Thomas 
Arskin     (Erskine),   John 
Barnet,  Thomas 
Baxter,  John 
Beathe,  Joseph 
Benson,  Mathias,  Sr. 
Benson,  Mathias,  Jr. 
Benson,  George 
Benson,  Ervvin 
Berry,  John    (Captain) 
Bevins,  Thomas 
Black,  William 
Blacke,  Samuel 
Blaik,  James 
Botkin,  James 
Botkin,  Thomas 
Bmirland,  Andrew 
Boyle s,  David 


Bradshaw,  John 
Brinkley,  John  ' 
Brock,  Thomas 
Brown,  Joseph 


Carlile,  Robert  of  Robert 
Carlile,  James 
Carlile,  Rachel 
Carpenter,  Joseph 


Brown,  John   (Captain)     Cartright,  Jesse 
Buck,  Charles  Chapman,  George 

Burne    (Burns),  Petter       Chesnut,    Sophia     (w  id- 
Burner,  Abraham  ow) 
Burns,  John                          Cleek,  Jacob 
Byrd,  John   (Back  Creek)  Coberly,  Thomas 
Byrd,  John    (J  a  c  k  s  o  n'sCochran,  David 

River)  Collins,  John 

Byrd,  Thomas  Conell,  William 

Byrd,  Jacob  Cook,  Stephen 

Cailer,  Mathias  Court   (McCourt),    James 

Cameron,  Charles    (Colo-Cowardin,  John 

nel)  Crane,  John 

Campble,  William  Crawford,  Nathan 

Carlile,  John  Crawford,  William 

Carlile,  Robert    of    JohnCrump,  John 


THE  SURNAMES  OF  BATH 


119 


Cutlip,  George 

Davis,  William  le) 

Davis,  James  Givens,    William 

Deever,  John  Godard,    John 

Denison,  Mary     (widow)  Graham,   Christopher 

Dickey,  William  Graham,   Felix 

Dickenson,  John       (Colo-Grahami,    William 

nel)  Graves,    Richard 

Dilly,  John  Green,   William 

Dinwoody,       W  i  1  1  i  a  mGregory,    Isaac 
(Captain)  Gregory,   Joseph 

Diverix,  John 

Dixon,  William  Griffen,   Abner 

Dizard,  William  Gum,  Ebram 

Donoly,  Charles  Gum,  John 

Donoly,    Mary,    (widow)  Gwin,    David 
Donovan,  Peter  Gwin,   Joseph 

Donovan,  Charles  Hamilton,    James 

Dougherty,  Michael 

Drinen,  Thomas  Hamilton,    Osborn 

Duffill  (Duffield),  John  Handly,  James 
Edde,  John  (constable)  Harris,  Ebram 
Elliott,   John  Hicklin,    Thomas 

Erwin,   Gerard    (Jared)    Hicklin,    James    (Capt.) 
Erwin,  John  of  Jared       Hicklin,    John 


Erwin,    John 
Erwin,    Charles 
Erwin,   James 
Evins,    Ebram 
Femster,    Thomas 
Fisher,   William 
Fletcher,    Robert 
Fletcher,    William 
Forbes,    Alexander 
Fox,  Jane   ( ?) 
Frame,    David 
Fuller,   William 


Fulks,    (Fultz)    Nicholas  Ingram,    Job 


Gabbart,  John 
Galford,   John 
Garnett,    Absolam 
Gates,  David 
Gillespie,    Jacob 
Gillespie,    Samuel 
Gillespie,    William 
Gillespie,   John 


Givens,   Robert   (constab-Kelso,  James 
Kime,  Henry 
Kinkaide,    John 
Kinkaide,  James 
Kinkaide,   Joseph 
Knight,    James      (consta- 
ble) 
Knox,  Jeremiah 
Lafferty,    Ralph 
Layton,    Thomas 
Lewis,  John,  Esq. 
Gregory,  Mary    (widow)  Lewis,    Andrew 

Lewis,    Margaret      (wid- 
ow) 
Leytch    (Leach),   John 
Lockridge,    James 
Lockridge,    William 
Lockridge,  Jean   (widow) 
Hamilton,  Alexander,  Jr.  Lowney,    Alexander 
Lunsford,    Reuben/^ 
Matheny,    Archibald 
Matheny,   Luke 
Mathews,  Sampson   (Col- 
onel) 
May    (Mayse)    William 
Mayze,   Joseph 
Mayze,    Isaac 
Mayze,    Rebecca 
McCab    (?),   John 
McCal lister,    John 
McCartney,    Andrew 
McCarty,    Elijah 
McCarty,   John 
McCashlin  (McCaus- 

Iand),    John 
McCashlin,   John    (2) 
McCashlin,    Andrew 
McClung,  John 
McCollom,   Daniel 
McCollom,   John 
McDonald,    John 
McDonald,    Samuel 
McGlaughlin,    Hugh 
McGalughlin,        Hugh 

(taylor) 
McGlaughlin,    John 


Hickman,   Roger 
Hinkle,    Isaac 
Hively,   Jacob 
Houchon,    Moses 
Houchon,   William 
Hubbard,    Petter 
Hughart,   James,    Sr. 
Hughart,  James,  Jr. 
Hughart,  John 
Hutcheson,   James 
Hutcheson,  Jacob 
Ingram,   Ebram 


Irick,    Coonrod 
Johns,    Isaac    (1) 
Johns,  Isaac  (2) 
Johns,   William 
Johnson,  Bartholemew 
Kelly,    Hugh 
Kelly,   Owen 
Kelly,   Thomas 


120 


ANNALS  OF  B,ATH  COUNTY 


McGlaughlin,     John 
(Cowpasture) 

McGlaughlin,   James 

McGlaughlin,    Daniel 

McGoverny,    James 

McLey,  John 

Miles,    George 

Miller,   Charles 

Miller,  James 

Miller,    Patrick 

Miller,    John 

Montgomery,    John 

Moor,    William 

Moor,    John 

Moor,   Levi,   Sr.    (consta- 
ble) 

Moore,    John,     (Pennsyl- 
vania) 

Moore,  Mary   (widow) 

Moore,  Moses,  Sr. 

Moore,  Moses,  Jr. 

Moore,    Robert 

Moore,   George 

Moore,  Levi,  Jr. 

Morison,   Hugh 

Mullinix,   John 

Munroe,    Daniel 

Neel,  John 

Neel,   William 

Nicholas,    Lewis 

Nicholas,    William 

Nicholas,    Zephiniah 

Notingham,    William 

Odle,   Sylvanus 

Ofriel,    Jeremiah 

Peebles,    John 

Phelps,    Isaac 

Poage,    George 

Poage,    James 

Pullins,    Loufty    (Loftus) 

There  was  a  total 
studs,  ;md  4  "carriage 


Pullins,  John 
Pullins,    Jonathan 
Pullins,  Samuel 
Ray,  Joseph 
Reah,    John 
Reah,    William 
Redman,    Samuel 
Rian,   George 
Richardson,    Robert 
Rider,    William 
Roberts,  John  W. 
Robinson,  John  (Captain) 
Robinson,    Thomas    (con- 
stable) 
Robinson,   John 
Robinson,   Petter 
Robey,    Patrick 
Rodgers,  John 
Rose,  Jesse 
Ruckman,  David 
Ruckman,    Thomas 
Russell,    John 
Scott,    Henry 
Sharp,  William 
Shaw,    George 
Shrewsbury,    Samuel,  Esq. 
Sigafoos,   Petter 
Sitlintown,   John 
Slavin,    Isaiah 
Slavin,    William 
Slavin,  John,  Sr. 
Slavin,  John,  Jr. 
Slone,   Jenny    (widow) 
Smith,   Joseph 
Stephenson,    James 
Stiff,    John 
Stuart,   Robert 
Stuart,  James  of  Robert 
Stuart,    William 


Stuart,   Edward 
Stuart,  John 

Stuart,  James  (constable) 
Sybert,  Nicholas 
Swearingham,    Van 
Tait,    David 
Taylor,    William 
Townsend,  Ezekiel 
Townsend,    Robert 
Townsend,   Solomon 
Turner,   Edward 
Tygart,  Joshuah 
Tygart,    Samuel 
Vance,    Samuel,   Esq. 
Viers,     Gideon 
Waide,   Leonard 
Walgrave,   Francis 
Wall,  Charles 
Wallace,  Thomas 
Walsh,  Edward 
Wanless,    Stephen 
Warick,  Jacob,  Esq. 
Warick,    John 
Warick,    William 
Waring,    Abijah 
Watson,   Samuel 
Webb,   John 
White,  Valentine 
Whitman,    George 
Wiley,    Alexander 
Wiley,  Robert,  Sr. 
Wiley,   Robert,   Jr. 
Willoughbv,  Benjamin 
Wilson,  John  Esq. 
Wilson,     Stephen 
Wilson,  William 
Winder,   James 
Winder,    John 
Wooden,   Bill 


of  476  tithables,   132  slaves,   1376  horses,  6 
wheels." 


Second   District — John  Oliver,  Assessor 
Alderman,    Ezekl  Alford,    Talithain  Armstrong,    Robert 


THE  SURNAMES  OF  BATH 


121 


Armstrong,    Robert,    Jr. 
Armstrong,  Isaac 
Armstrong,    James 
Barker,    Thomas 
Barkly,    James 
Barkly,  Joshua 
Barnett,   Robert 
Barnett,   William 
Baty,  Andrew 
Bently,   Rosanna 
Boiler,  John 
Brindly,  James,  Sr. 
Brindly,  James,  Jr. 
Brindly,   William 
Buckly,    James 
Buckly,   Joshua 
Bumgardner,   Jacob 
Byrnsides,  John      — 
Calaghan,    Dennis 
Casebolt,   John 
Casebolt,   Henry 
Clarke,   Christopher 
Cochran,  Thomas 
Cole,   Richard 
Cotton    Benjamin 
Crawford,   William 
David,  Thomas 
Davis,    James 
Davis,   Daniel 
Davis,  John 
Davis,   Richard 
Day,  Joseph 
Dean,   John,   Esq. 
Deene,  John 
Dodridge,    William 
Douglas,    John 
Edmanson,    James 
Edwards,    Jeremiah 
Erwin,   James 
Erwin,  John    (river) 
Ewin,  James 
Ewin,  Joshua 
Ewin,   William 
Evans,    Griffith 
Evins,    Aaron 
Fisher,    Philip 


Fitzpatrick,    Daniel 
Fitzpatrick,  John 
Foster,    Luke 
Fry,   Jacob 
Gibson,    John 
Gilliland,    Samuel 
Gilliand,  Catherine 
Grattan,    David 
Greenlee,  James 
Griffith,    William 
Hanceford,  William 
Hannah,    David 
Javins,    Daniel 
Johnson,   John 
Johnson,   Samuel 
Jones,   John 
Jones,  John  W. 
Keckley,   Valentine 
Kenison,    Charles 
Kenison,  David 
Kenison,    Nathaniel 
Kimberlandj_Adam 
Kinkead,    John 
Kinkead,   Robert 
Kinkead,  William 
Knox,  William 
Kuykendall,  Simon 
Lewis,  James 
Linager,    Isaac 
Linch,    John 
Lonsdale,    William 
Mann,  James 
Mann,   Jane 
Massingbird,   George 
Maze,    Richard 
Maze,    William 
McClintick,    Alexander 
McClintick,  Robert 
McClintick    William 
McClintick,    Alice     (wid- 
ow) 
McCollister,    James 
McCollister,    Moses 
McCollister,  Richard 
McDonald,  Hugh 
McDuff,    John 


McKenny,    Samuel 
McNeil,    Abraham 
McNeil,   John 
McNeil,    Thomas 
Milholland,    Thomas 
Mitchel,    Robert 
Morris,   John 
Morrison,    James 
Mourning,    Bernett 
Nales,  Stephen 
Nants,    (Nance),    James 
Nants,   Lydia 
Oldram,    William 
Oliver,  Daniel 
Oliver,    Thomas 
Peacock,  David 
Paine   William 
Parker,   Thomas 
Poage,    William 
Powel,    Caleb 
Power,    Elizabeth 
Prince,  Evan 
Reah,    Robert 
Reid,  James 
Richards,  John 
Robinson,    William,    Sr. 
Robinson,  William 
Robinson,  James,  Esq. 
Robinson,   James 
Robuck,    James 
Rupe,   Bernett 
Rupe,   Mary 
Salisburg,  William 
Salmon,    Jacob 
Saxton,    William 
Scott,   James 
Scott,  John 
Scott,    Robert 
Sitlington,    Robert 
Smith,  William 
Smith,   John 
Smith,  Lily 
Smith,   Sarah 
Stinson,   (Stevenson),  Jas. 
Stinson,  James,   Jr. 
Stinson,    David 


122 


ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 


Sprowl,    Alexander 
Sprowl,    John 
Stuart,    Henry 
Surber,    Henry 
Swearingen,    Samuel 
Switcher,  John 


Syms,  James 
Thompson,  Abrm 
Thompson,    Joseph 
Thompson,  John 
Thompson,  William 


Trotter,   Ezekl 
Waddle,   Alexr 
Walker,  Charles 
Wilson,    Robert 
Wyatt,     Reuben 


There  was  a  total  of  224  tithables,  44  slaves,  664  horses,  and  5 
studs. 

Grand  total  for  Greater  Bath:  Tithables,  790;  slaves,  176; 
horses,  2040 ;  studs,  1 1  ;  carriage  wheels,  4. 

PRESENT  SURNAMES 

The  surnames  below  are  grouped  according  to  color,  and  are  taken 
from  the  books  of  the  county  treasurer,  as  the  list  stood,  June  1,  1913. 
The  abbreviations  are  these:  W  for  Williamsville  District,  M  for 
Miilboro,  WS  for  Warm  Springs,  and  C  for  Cedar  Creek.  Where 
a  figure  follows  such  abbreviation,  it  indicates  the  number  of  taxable 
individuals  bearing  the  same  surname.  Where  no  figure  is  given, 
there  was  only  one  such  person. 


WHITE 


Adams — M 
Agnew— WS,  2 
Ailstock — M,   6 
Alphin— C 
Anderson — WS, 
Ayers — C 
Baldwin— WS 
Bartley — M 
Barksdale — M 
Beard— WS 
Beckner — C 
Bell— C 
Bird— W— WS 
Black— M—C 
Blakey— C 
Blankenship — C 
Bogan— WS,  4 
Boleyn— C 
Bonner— WS,   10 
p„,,kin_W_c 
Bovvers — C,    2 
Bowman — M,  2 


Bradley— M—C 

Bradshaw — W 

Bragg— C 

Branscome — C 

Bratton— M,  3— WS,  4 

Bright— WS,    3— M 

Brill-^V 

Brink  ley— W,    4— C 

Brockway — M 

Brooks— M,    2 

Brown — M 

Bulger — M 

Burger — C 

Burns— W,    10— WS,    3— C,    2 

Bussard— 'WS— C 

Butler— W,    3 

Byrd— WS 

Callahan — C 

Cameron— W — C 

Campbell— W,    3— WS— C,    2 

Canthorn — M 

Carpenter— W,  6— C,  4 


THE  SURNAMES  OF  BATH 


123 


Carroll— WS 
Cash— WS 

Cauley— WS,   6— M— C,  4 
Challender— C,    2 
Chaplin— C,    3 
Chapman — C 
Chestnut— WS,  2 
Clark-AV,    3 
Clarkson— M,   2— C 
Cleek— M— WS,   6— C,    3 
Cobb— WS 
Connor — C,    3 
Corbett— WS,    2 
Cosby— C 
Coursey — W,   2 
Crawford— W 
Criser— M— WS,   5— C 
Crummett— WS 
Curry— W,   3— WS,  4 
Curtis— M—C 
Daggy — M,  2 
Daniel — M 
Darnell— 'M 
Davenny — M 
Davenport — M 
Davidson — M 
Deaner — C 
Deeds — M,    6 
Dempsey — M 
Dickenson— »M,   2 
Dineen — C 
Douglass — M,   3 
Doyle— WS 
Driscoll— C,  2 
Dudley— C,   3 
Dunn— C 
Durham — M,    2 
Eagle— W 
Eakle— WS,  2 
Ebert— C 
Edenton — 'C 
Edmondson — M,   2 
Elliot— WS 
Ervine — W,   2 
Erwin— WS 
Eskins— WS 


Estes — M 
Faircloth— W 
Fertig— M— C 
Fisher— C 
Fitzgerald — C 
Fleishman — C 
Ford— C 
Foster— WS 
Fountaine — C 
Foutz— WS 
Fox— WS,  2 
Fuller— C 
Gardner — W 
Garing— WS 
Garland — M 
George — lWS 
Getty— C 
Gillespie— C,   2 
Gillett-^WS,   5 
Gillock— M 
Ginger— WS,   3 
Goode— M 
Grady — M 
Graham — W 
Graybeal— WS 
Greaver — C 
Green— M—C— WS 
Grinsted — C 
Grose — C,  6 
Grose— C,   6 
Gum— WS,    3— C 
Gunton — C 
Guy— C 

Gwin— WS,  4— C,  2 
Hahn— C 
Hall— W—  C 
Halterman — W 
Hamilton— WS,  2— C 
Hammack — C  ' 
Harruff— W— M,  2 
Harper — C,  2 
Harris — M 
Harrison — C 
Hawkins — M 
Hayslett— 'M 
Hefner— WS,   2 


124 


ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 


Helminstoller — C 

Helms— WS 

Hepler— M,   3 

Herman — C 

Hevener — W — C 

Hicklin— W,   2 

Hickman— M,   2— WS 

Hicks^WS,  2 

Hillman— C 

Hiner— WS 

Hite— W 

Hively— WS 

Hodge— W,  7— M— WS,  6— C,  2 

Holland— M 

Holmes— W 

Hoover^WS— C,   10 

Hopkins — C,  2 

Hornberger — C 

Jack— W— M 

Jackson — W,    6 — C,    2 

Jeffrey — C 

Johnson — M — C,  7 

Jones — WS 

Jordan— 'W 

Karr — M 

Kay— WS 

Kayton — C 

Keller— M 

Kelley— W— WS— C 

Kellison— WS,   2 

Kelso— W 

Kenney — W,   2 
-Keyser->WS— C,  10 

Kimberlin — C 

Kincaid— W,   2— M— C 

King— M— C 

Kirby— M 

Knittel — C 

Kuhn— M 

Lair— M 

Lamb— 'C 

Landes— M— WS— C,   2 

I.aRue— W,  2— WS— C 

Law— W— WS,    2— C,    2 

Lawrence — M,    2 

Layman — C,  2 


Leach— C 
Lemon — M 
Lewis — W 
Lightner— WS,  3 
Lindsay— WS,  2 
Lininger — C 
Linkswiler — M 
Liptrap — W 
Little— C 

Loan-W,   5— M,   5 
Lockridge— W,  2— WS,  4 
Loving — C,    3 
Lowe— WS 
Lowman — M,   3 — C 
Lyle— M,   8 
Mackey— W,  3 
Madison — M 
Manasse — C 
Mann — WS,  2 
Marshall— W,   7— C 
Matheny — M,   4 
Mathews — C 
May— M,    2— C 
Mayse — W,   3 
McAllister— WS,  4— C,  3 
McClintic— W— WS— C,    3 
McClung— W,    3 
McCormick— W— M,  2 
McCoy— M,  2 
McCray— C,   2 
McCune— W 
McDannald— WS 
McDonald— WS 
McElyee — C,   4 
McFadden— WS— C,   2 
McGowan — C 
McGuffin— WS,   2 
McLaughlin — M,    2 — C,    4 
McMansmay — WS,  2 
McMuIlen— C 
McNeil— W 
Mede— 'C 

Miller— W,    2— M,    3— WS 
Mines— WS,    3 
Mustoe — C 


/ 


THE  SURNAMES  OF  BATH 


125 


Neff— W— M,   3 

Newcomer — C 

Newman — C 

No  ff  singer — M 

Northern — 'C 

Nutty— C 

Oden— C 

O'Farrell— WS,  2— C 

O'Mara— C 

Page— W 

Pateson — W 

Payne— WS,   2— C,   2 

Peery— C 

Pelter— JM 

Peters— M,   2 

Phillips— MC 

Plecker— W 

Pole— C,   4 

Porter— M—C 

Powers — C 

Preston — W 

Pritt— W— WS,   4— C 

Puffenberger— W— WS,  2 

Putnam — M,  3 

Rader— W 

Ramsey — M 

Ratliff— W 

Reed— WS 

Revercomb — W,    4— »C 

Reynolds — M 

Rhea— M,   5 

Rice— C 

Richards — C 

Richardson — C,   3 

Richie— C 

Rider— WS,    3— C 

Riley— M—WS 

Roberts— W,    5 

Robertson — W — M 

Robinson— W— M—WS,  2— C,  2 

Rodgers— W,    3— WS,    3 

Rorke— WS 

Rose— WS 

Ross— W,    2— M 

Rosser — W 

Rowe— W— M— WS 


Pucker — M 

Rule— W 

Rush— WS 

Rusmisell— W,    2 

Rutherford— C 

Ryder— W 

Schosleo — W 

Scott— C 

Shaffer— WS,    2 

Shanks— W,  3— M 

Sharp— WS,    2— C 

Shaw— C 

Sheesley — WS 

Sheffer— M 

Ghelton— WS 

Showalter — WS 

Simmons — W — M,   2 

Simpson — M,    3 

Sively— WS 

Slosser — M 

Smith— W,  2— M—WS— C, 

Snead— C,  2 

Snider— WS 

Snyder— C,  2 

Snodgrass — WS,  2 

Sprouse — C,    2 

Stephenson— W— M—WS,  2 

Sterrett — C 

Sterry— C 

Stimson — C 

Stinespring — C 

Stombeck — M 

Swadley— W,   2 

Swartz— WS— C,   2 

Swearingen — W,    3 — M 

Sweet— C,  2 

Taliaferro — C 

Tankersley — W 

Taylor— W,  2 

Terrell— W,   2—C,   2 

Thacker — C 

Thomas— M—WS,  2— C,  6 

Thompson — M,  3 — C,  3 

Tidd— C 

Todd— C 

Tomblin — C 


126 


ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 


Townson — C 
Trainor — W 
Trostle— WS 
Tucker— C 
Toiler— C 
Vance — C 

Van   Derveer — M,   2 
Van    Lear — M 
Venable— WS 
Vees — M,  4 
Vines— WS 
Wade— W,  2— M 
Wallace— W,   2 
Wall  in— C 
Walton— C,  2 
Wanless— W,    3 
Warren— M—C,    2 


Warwick— W—WS,    3 

Watson— M—C 

Weaver — C 

Webb— WS 

White— M,    2 

Wilfong— WS 

Wiley— WS 

Wilkenson— WS,   2 

Williams— W— »M,    2— C,    4 

Wilson — M 

Wine— WS 

Wiseman — W,    2 

Withrow — M,    3 

Wood— M,  3 

Woodzell— W— M— WS,  2— C 

Wright— M—C 

Zimmerman — WS,    3 — M 


XVI 

A  LIST  OF  EARLY  MARRIAGES 

f|  HIS  list  of  marriages  that  are  more  or  less  associated  with 
Bath  history  is  compiled  chiefly  from  the  marriage  bonds 
on  record  at  Warm  Springs.  Names  in  parentheses  are 
those  of  consorts.  The  dates  are  those  of  the  bonds. 
Where  a  parent  is  mentioned  it  is  nearly  always  because  the  son  or 
the  daughter  was  under  age  at  the  time.  It  is  to  be  remembered 
that  a  bond,  like  a  license  at  the  present  time,  was  not  invariably 
followed  by  a  marriage. 

Previous  to  1852,  the  applicant  for  a  marriage  permit  in  Vir- 
ginia had  to  execute  a  bond  in  the  office  of  the  county  clerk.  The  pur- 
pose of  the  bond  was  to  make  the  person  answerable  for  any  infrac- 
tion of  the  law  that  might  occur.  The  bond  was  likewise  a  license. 
It  was  signed  by  the  groom  and  by  one  other  person,  usually  the 
prospective  father-in-law.  When  an  applicant  for  matrimony  was 
under  age  the  consent  of  the  parent  was  filed  with  the  bond.  But 
occasionally  the  bride  wrote  the  consent  herself.  Sometimes  the  se- 
curity on  a  bond  was  tendered  in  a  quite  informal  manner,  as  will 
appear  in  the  letter  below.  A  consent  as  well  as  a  bond  had  to  be 
witnessed  by  two  persons. 

Below  are  given  a  letter,  which  speaks  for  itself,  and  a  specimen 
consent : 

Hot  Springs  May  the  14th  1793 

Sr  this  is  to  Certify  that  I  have  no  objecksons  agenst  Mr.  Jas 
Henry  and  my  Daughter  Nancy  a  getting  Married  therefore  if  youl 
Be  pleased  to  Grant  Mr.  Henry  License  for  the  Purpose  youl  oblige 
yours  Sir  Martha  Jevons 

Friend  White, 

Mr.  George  Norton  Came  to  me  this  day  and  told  me 
he  was  so  farr  on  the  Road  to  you  for  License  to  get  Married,  and  he 
Complains  that  he  hase  no  Money  to  pay  you  with,  if  it  is  no  disad- 
vantage for  you  to  lay  out  of  the  Money,  I  will  see  you  paid  in  a 


128  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

short  time,  and  likewise  I  will  be  answerable  for  all  damages  in  givinj 
him  the  License  I  am  Sir  yr  Humble  Servant 

James  Kelso 
June  26,  1793 

1.  Armstrong,  John    (Polly   Crawford) — 1790 

2.  Armstrong,  John    (Jane   Kincaid   of  Robert) — 1797 

3.  Armstrong,   Archibald    (Nancy   Scott) — 1797 

4.  Baxter,   William    (Margaret  Toms)  —1788 

5.  Beard,  Robert   (Sarah  Mitchell   of  James) — 1785 

6.  Berry,  John    (Janet  Given) — 1790 

7.  Betty    (Beaty),   Andrew    (Agnes  Sitlington   of  John) — 1786 

8.  Black,  William    ( )— 1764 

9.  Black,   Alexander    (Mary  Ann   Ham) — 1793 

10.  Black,  George   (Elizabeth  Miller  of  Patrick)— 1796 

11.  Bourland,  William   (Sarah  Dean — or  Mary?) — 1786 

12.  ^ratton,  James   ( )  — 1774 

13.  Bratton,    Adam    (Elizabeth    Feamster    of    Thomas) — 1788 

14.  Bratton   David    (ipres   Kirk    .if   John)— 1^99 

15.  Brown,  Josiah    (Jane  Waddell)— 1801 

16.  Burns,  Peter   (Jane  Miller)— 1789 

17.  Burns,  John    (Margaret  Monroe) — 1801 

18.  Burns,   Polly    (James  McCourt)— '1792 

19.  Burns,  Eva    (John  Miller)— 1791 

20.  Burnside,  Alexander    (Elizabeth  Gilliland  of  John) — 1800 

21.  Carlile,  John   ( )— 1762 

22.  Callison,    Mary    of    Daniel     (Benjamin    Delany) — 1801 

23.  Clark,   Samuel    (Jane  Mathews  of  Sampson) — 1790 

24.  Cleek,  Elizabeth    (Daniel   McGlaughlin   of  John)— 1795 

25.  Cleek,   Sophia    (William   Hartman)— '1801 

26.  Cleek,  Margaret,    (Benjamin  Potts) — 1792 

27.  Coffey,    Margaret   of   James    (John    McWilliams)— 1781 

28.  Corbett,    Mary    of    Samuel     (Joseph    Chestnut)— 1794 

29.  Crawford,   William    (Martha   Cooper)— 1786 

30.  Crawford,  James   (Mary  — )— 1786 

31.  Crow,    Thomas     (Nancy    Donally    of    Charles) — 1789 

32.  Davis,  James   (Ann  Estill)— 1786 

33.  Dean,  John   ( )— 1758 

34.  Dean,  Sarah   (James  Venable) — 1797 

35.  Dean,  Mary   (Samuel   Depew) — 1787 

36.  Dickenson,    Martha    (John    Shrewsbury) — 1793 

37.  Dickenson,   Nancy    (Joseph   Kincaid) — 1795 

38.  Donally,    Andrew     ( )— 1766 

39.  Donally,    Catharine     (James    Ward)— 1800 

40.  Daugherty,   William    (Mary   Bridge)— 1786 


A  LIST  OF.  EARLY  MARRIAGES  129 

41.  Daugherty,   Isabella    (William   Nicholas) — 1796 

42.  Elliot,  Archibald   (Sarah  Clark)— 1748 

43.  Elliott,  Abraham   (Nancy)   Campbell)— 1786 

44.  Elliott,  Wiliam  (Agnes  McCampbell)— 1788 

45.  Estill,  Solomon   ( . — ) — 1773 

46.  Ewing,  John  S.    (Rebecca   Cackley)— 1801 

47.  Ewing,   William    (Mary  Taylor)— 1791 

48.  Ewing,   Jean    (Moses   Moore) — 1786 

49.  Feamster,  William  ( )— 1763 

50.  Fitzpatrick,  Mary   (John  Jones)— '1792 

51.  Frame,  Elizabeth    (John  Duffield)— 1790 

52.  Frame,   Mary    (George   Roebuck) — 1795 

53.  Frame,  John    (Martha   Daugherty  of   Michael) — 1798 

54.  Francisco,    John     (Eizabeth    S.    Lewis) — 1798 

55.  Gay,  Thomas   (Mary  Swearingen) — 1791  t 

56.  Gay,   Samuel    (Margaret  Mustoe) — 1799 

57.  Gillespie,   Mary   (Samuel  Blake)— 1792 

58.  Gillespie,    Rachel    of   Jacob    (John    Sutton) — 1795 

59.  Gillespie,  John   (Comfort  Griffith)— 1798 

60.  Gillespie,  James  (Elizabeth  Gillespie  of  Simon  and  Rebecca) — 1779 

61.  Gillespie,    Robert     (Mary    Galloway) — 1791 

62.  Gillespie,  William  (Margaret  Eddy)— 1792 

63.  Given,   William    (Agnes  Bratton) — 1764 

64.  Given,    Samuel     (Elizabeth    Robertson) — 1785 

65.  Given,  William    (Rebecca  Kenny  of  Matthew) — 1789 

66.  Given,    Adam    (Nancy   McGuffin) — 1797 

67.  Given,    Isabella    of   Agnes    (Isaac   Duffield) — 1795 

68.  Graham,    Sarah    (James    Waddell)— 1798 

69.  Graham,  James   ( ') — 1763 

70.  Graham,  Lancelot   ( )— 1763 

71.  Gregory,  David  of  Mary   (Margaret  Warrick) — 1786 

72.  Gregory,  Elizabeth   (John  Robinson)— 1800 

73.  Gregory,  Isaac    (Hannah  Given) — '1790 

74.  Griffith,  Mary    (Peter  Flack)— 1793 

75.  Gwin,    David    (Violet    Crawford    of    William)— 1790 

76.  Gwin,   James    (Jane   Hicklin   of   John) — 1792 

77.  Gwin,  Robert   (Ursula  Robinson  of  Peter) — 1793 

78.  Gwin,   ( )— 1765 

79.  Gwin,  Robert    (Margaret  Elliott  of  William)— 1785 

80.  Hall,  James    (Nancy  Hicklin  of  Thomas)— 1785 

81.  Hall,  Jane   (Robert  Hutchinson)— 1788 

82.  Hamilton,  James   (Rachel  Vance  of  Samuel) — 1786 

83.  Hodge,   William    (Martha    Benson   of    George) — 1800 

84.  Hughart,    Thomas    ( )— 1761 

85.  Hughart,  Mary  Elstock  of  Joseph  of  Louisa  County) — 1799 

86.  Hughart,   James    (Nancy  Thomas) — 1792 


130  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

87.  Hughart,  Jane  of  James  (Edward  McGlaughlin) — 1796 

88.  Jackson,  Rhoda   (Edward  Morris) — 1795 

89.  Jackson,   H .    (John  Townsend) — 1786 

90.  Jackson,  Elizabeth    (David  Caruthers)— "1786 

91.  Kelly,   Mary    (Patrick   McGraw)— 1798 

92.  Kelly,    James     (Margaret    Sloan) — 1796 

93.  Kelso,    James    (Elizabeth    Sitlington) — 1789 

94.  Kincaid,  Andrew    (Ann  Poage) — 1785 

95.  Kincaid,   David    (Jennie  Lockridge   of  Robert) — 1S00 

96.  Kincaid,   Ferdinand    (Margaret   Fulton   of  James) — 1799 

97.  Kincaid,   James    (Jane   Curry) — 1791 

98.  Kincaid,    James    (Margaret    Wiatt) — 1793 

99.  Kincaid,  John    (Mary  Dinwiddie) — 1786 

100.  Kirk,  Robert  (Martha  Moffett)— 1785 

101.  Knox,   Alice    (Francis   A.   Dubois)— 1801 

102.  Knox,  Elisha  (Nancy  Parker)— 1801 

103.  Knox,    John     (Sarah    Robinson    of    Joseph) — 1793 

104.  Knox,  William   (Sarah  Acklin  of  Green-Craig  County)— 1792 

105.  La  Rue,  Abraham    (Sarah  Lower)— 1792 

106.  Laverty,  Ralph    ( )— 4764 

107.  Lewis,  Charles    (Sarah   Murray)— 1762 

108.  Lewis,    Charles    (Ann    Honce)— 1792 

109.  Lewis,  John   ( ) — '1793 

110.  Lewis,  John   (Rachel  Miller)— 1789 

111.  Liptrap,     Isaac    (Mary    Bright) — 1785 

112.  Mann,  Thomas   (Elizabeth  Armstrong  of  Robert)— 1792 

113.  Marshall,  Robert   (Jean  Vance)— 1792 

114.  Mayse,  Isaac   (Ruth  Hicklin  of  Thomas) — 1788 

115.  Mayse,  Joseph   (Agnes  Hicklin  of  Hugh) — 1787 

116.  Mayse,  Nancy   (George  Shaw) — 1787 

117.  Mayse,  Richard   ( )— 1760 

118.  Mayse,    Robert     (Margaret    McClenahan)— 1790 

119.  McAvoy,   Robert    (Sarah   Burns)— 1798 

120.  McCallister,  Garnett   (Ann   Sprowl)— 1792 

121.  McCallister,   John    (Mary   Kincaid)— 1800 

122.  McCartney,  Lucy   (Zachariah  Barnett)— 1792 

123.  McCarty,  Timothy    (Jane  Waugh)— 1800 

124.  McCausland,    Mary    (Samson    Sawyer) — 1790 

125.  McClintic,    Jane    of    Robert     (James    Brown)— 1800 

126.  McClintic,    Samuel     (Susanna    King    of    Adam)— 1793 

127.  McClung,   John    (Mary   Stuart  of  Benjamin)— 1788 

128.  McClung,    John,    Jr.,     (Jane    McClung)— 1793 

129.  McClung,    Elizabeth   of  Joseph    (John   Moore) — 1793 

130.  McClung,  Margaret   (James  Musson) — '1797 

131.  McCreery,  John   (Martha  )— 1762 

132.  McCreery,  Robert   (Mary  )— 1764 


A  LIST  OF  EARLY  MARRIAGES  131 

133.  McCreery,  John   ( )— »1771 

134.  McCreery,  John  of  Robert    (Margaret  Black  of  William) — 1787 

135.  McMullen,  Edward   ( )— 1759 

136.  WcWhorter,  David    (Barzillai  McCorkle  of  Robert)— '1800 

137.  Means,  High   (Nancy  Armstrong  of  Robert) — 1785 

138.  Milhollen,    Sarah    (Jeremiah    Simms) — 1800 

139.  Miller,    Patrick    ( )— 1785 

140.  Milligan,  John   (Isabella  Doak) — 1786 

141.  Montgomery,    James    ( ) — 1765 

142.  Montgomery,  John    ( ) — 1753 

143.  Montgomery,  John    (Sarah   Hicklin) — 1785 
144  Morris,  Richard    (— ' )— 1761 

145.  Morris,  Frances   (Abraham  Garnett) — 1794 

146.  Payne,  Lewis    (Nancy  Davis) — 1794 

1^147.  Porter,  Amelia    (Nimrod  Bogges — Boggs?) — 1801 

148.  Porter,  James    (Catharine  Hughes) — 1795 

149.  Porter,   Nancy    (Robert   Nutt) — 1800 

150.  Ramsey,  Charles    (Polly  Mounts)— 1801 

151.  Ramsey,  William    (Sarah  Fulton)— 1794 

152.  Rhea,  Elizabeth   (Tolliver  Wright)— 1797 

153.  Rhea,  James   (Margaret  Still)— 1800 

154.  Rhea,   Robert    (Catherine   Bailor)— '1798 

155.  Ross,  John    (Mary  Harvey  Davis) — 1795 

156.  Ross,  James   (Elizabeth  Griffin  of  William)— 1795 

157.  Scott,  Hugh   (Betsy  Bell)— 1800 

158.  Smith,  Barbara  of  William    (Joseph  Warman) — 1794 

159.  Smith,  James    (Elizabeth  Wilson  of  Robert) — 1794 
^160.  Smith,  John   (Sarah  Moore  of  Levi  and  Susanna) — 1794 

161.  Sprowl,  William   ( ')— 1757 

162.  Stephenson,  David  (Mary  Davis) — 1783 

163.  Stephenson,  James    (Margaret  Smith) — 1796 

164.  Stephenson,  Robert   (Jane  Smith  of  John) — 1798 

165.  Stephenson,  Susanna   (William  Hughes) — 1801 

166.  Stewart,  Isaiah   (Martha   Stewart) — 1786 

167.  Stuart,  Henry  (Sarah  Moore) — 1791 

168.  Stuart,  James   (Nancy  Moore) — '1794 

169.  Swearingen,  Alexander    (Sarah  Layne) — 1800 

170.  Swearingen,  Samuel   (Hannah  Scott) — 1798 

171.  Tharp,  Daniel    (Margaret  Barkley)— 1795 

172.  Thompson,  Hannah    (Peyton  Walker) — 1794 

173.  Thompson,  Thomas   (Jean  McClung) — 1795 

174.  Trotter,   Christopher    (Prepare  McClintic  of  William)— 1786 

175.  Usher,  Ann  of  Robert    (Hugh  Donaho)— 1795 

176.  Usher,   Jean   of  Robert    (Clements   Graham) — 1791 

177.  Usher,  James   (Catherine  Whitesides) — 1788 

178.  Vance,   Samuel    ( '  )— 1763 


132 


ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 


Vance,  Mary  of  James    (William  Bridger) — 1795 
Waddell,  Isabella  of  Alexander   (James  Boggs)— 1797 
Wallace,  Matthew   (Sarah  Brown)— '1801 
Ward,  James    (Catharine  Donally)— 1800 

Warwick,  John  ( )— 1771 

Warwick,  John    (Mary  Poage) — 1794 

185.  Warwick,  Margaret   (Adam  See) — 1794 

186.  Wilson,  John   ( )— 1769 

Wilson,  George  (Elizabeth  McCreery) — 1750 
Wilson,  Jane  (Cornelius  Vanosdale) — 1785 
Wooton,  William    (Jane   Gilliland)— 1793 

CROSS-INDEX  TO  ABOVE  LIST 

Donally— 31,    182 


179. 
180. 
181. 
182. 
183. 
184. 


187. 
188. 
189. 


Acklin— 104 
Armstrong— '112,     137 
Bailor— 154 
Barkley— 171 
Barnett— 122 
Bell— 157 
Benson — 83 
Black— 134 
Blake— 57 
Boggess — 147 
Boggs— 180 
Bratton — 63 
Bridge— 40 
Bridger— 179 
Bright— 111 
Brown— 125,   181 

Burns— 119 

Cackley — 46 

Campbell-^3 

Caruthers— 90 

Chestnut— 28 
Clark^2 

Cooper— 29 

Crawford— 1,  75 

Curry— 97 

Daugherty — 53 

Davis— 146,     155,     162 

Dean— 11 

Delany — 22 

Depew — 35 

Dinwiddie— 99 

Doak— 140 

Donaho — 175 


Dubois— 101 
Dumeld-151,  67 
Eddy— 62 
Elliott— 79 
Elstock— 85 
Estell— 32 
Feamster — 13 
Flack— 74 
Fulton— 96,   151 
Galloway — 61 
Garnett— 145 
Gillespie — 60 
Gilliland— 20, 
Given — 6,    73 
Graham — 176 
Griffin— 156 
Griffith— 59 
Ham— 9 
Hance— 108 
Hartman — 25 
Hicklin— 76,   80 
Hughes— '148, 
Hutchinson — 81 
Jones — 50 
Kenny — 65 
Kincaid — 2,    37, 
King — 126 
Kirk— 14 
Layne — 169 
Lewis — 54 
Lockridge — 95 
Lower — 105 


189 


114,    115,    143 


165 


121 


A  LIST  OF  EARLY  MARRIAGES 


133 


Mathews — '20 

McCampbell- 

McCIenahan— 118 

McClintic— 174 

McClung— 128,    173 

McCorkle— 136 

McCourt— 18 

McGlaughlin— 24,  87 

McGraw— 91 

McCreery— 187 

McGuffin— 66 

McWilliams— 27 

Miller— 10,    16,    19,    110 

Mitchell — 5 

Moffett— 100 

Monroe — 17 

Moore— 48,  129,  160,  167,  168 

Morris— 88 

Mounts — 150 

Murray — 107 

Musson — 130 

Mustoe — 56 

Nicholas— 41 

Nutt— 149 

Parker— 102 

Poage— 94,    184 

Potts— 26 

Robertson — 64 

Robinson— 72,   77,   103 

Roebuck — 52 

Sawyer — 124 


Scott— '3,    170 
See— 185 
Shaw — 116 
Shrewsbury — 36 
Simms — 138 
Sitlington — 7,  93 
Sloan— 92 
Smith— 163,   164 
Sprowl— 116,    120 
Still— 153 
Stewart— '166 
Stuart — 127 
Sutton — 58 
Swearingen — 55 
Taylor— 47 
Thomas — 86 
Toms — 4 
Townsend — 89 
Vance— 82,   113 
Vanosdale— 188 
Venable — 34 
Waddell— 15,   68 
Walker— 172 
Ward— 39 
Warman— 158 
Warrick — 71 
Waugh— 123 
Whitesides — 177 
Wiatt— 98 
Wilson— 159 
Wright— 152 


XVII 

SEVENTY  YEARS  OF  BATH   HISTORY 

N  THIS  chapter  we  can  give  only  some  of  the  leading 
facts  in  our  local  history  for  the  period  of  just  seventy 
years  between  the  organization  of  Bath  and  the  war  of 
1861. 

The  original  Bath  lay  astride  the  Alleghany  Front 
and  was  at  least  three  times  as  large  as  the  present  county.  The  re- 
duction to  the  present  boundaries  has  been  by  four  steps. 

The  line  between  Bath  and  Pendleton  was  201/i  miles  long  as  re- 
ported in  the  survey  of  1793.  It  is  described  as  leaving  North 
(Shenandoah)  Mountain  opposite  the  lower  end  of  John  Redmond's 
plantation,  and  by  a  course  running  N  63^2  degrees  W,  crossing 
Shaw's  Fork  below  the  dwelling  of  Thomas  Deverick's,  the  Cowpas- 
ture  below  the  land  of  John  Redmond,  the  Bullpasture  below  the 
house  of  Joseph  Malcom,  and  Crab  Run  below  the  house  of  Joseph 
Bell,  about  2y2  miles  above  the  Blue  Hole.  Thence  to  the  top  of  the 
Alleghany,  no  houses  are  named. 

The  first  curtailment  took  place  in  1796,  when  a  strip  averaging 
three  miles  in  breadth  was  annexed  to  Pendleton,  the  new  line  running 
through  the  Dinwiddie  Gap  and  crossing  the  Cowpasture  at  the 
mouth  of  Shaw's  Fork.  The  second  and  largest  reduction  came  in 
the  winter  of  1822-23,  when  the  counties  of  Alleghany  and  Pocahon- 
tas were  established.  The  third  was  when  Pendleton  and  Bath  were 
shortened  to  make  room  for  Highland.  The  last  was  in  1847  and 
was  very  small.  It  consisted  of  a  slight  change  put  into  the  Bath- 
Alleghany  line  where  it  crosses  the  Cowpasture,  so  that  Sheppard 
Gilliland  and  Orlando  Griffith  might  be  citizens  of  Alleghany. 

The  original  line  between  Bath  and  Alleghany  is  thus  described: 

(From  the)  top  of  Alleghany  mountain  where  the  public  road  crosses  to 
Anthony's  Creek;  thence  to  the  mouth  of  the  draft  at  Benjamin  Thomp- 
son's (deceased)  on  Jackson's  rivr  so  as  to  leave  the  said  public  road  in 
Hath,  and  with  the  road  as  the  dividing  line  between  Alexander  Mc- 
(  lintic  and  Benjamin  Thompson;  thence,  with  the  dividing  line,  crossing 
the    river,    to    top   of   mountain;    thence    with    top    of    mountain    to    intersect 


SEVENTY  YEARS  OF   BATH   HISTORY  135 

line  run  by  William  Herbert,  and  with  said  line  to  top  of  mountain  at 
Henry  Massie's;  thence  direct  to  Cowpasture  just  below  William  Griffith, 
leaving  him  in  Bath;  thence  on  direct  line  to  top  of  Mill  Mountain 
in  Bath  line;  thence  with  top  of  same  to  corner  of  Rockbridge  on  mountain 
top;  thence  with  Rockbridge  line  between  the  heads  of  Simpson's  Creek 
and  Bratton's  Run  to  top  of  North  Mountain,  passing  Collier's  Gap,  and 
thence  with  boundaries  of  Alleghany   as  per  Act. 

The  section  of  Bath  west  of  the  Alleghany  Front  went  to  form 
the  greater  part  of  Pocahontas  County.  A  petition  of  1812  had  stated 
that  a  third  of  the  people  of  Bath  were  living  between  25  and  50 
miles  from  the  courthouse. 

The  progressive  shrinking  in  the  county  limits  will  largely  ac- 
count of  the  fluctations  in  the  census  returns,  the  figures  for  six 
decades  being  as  follows: 

1800—5508  1830—4002 

1810—4838  1840—4300 

1820—5231  1850—3426 

The  falling  off  between  1800  and  1810  was  not  because  of  a  di- 
minished area.  It  was  due  to  the  heavy  emigration  then  moving  into 
the  seemingly  boundless  West.  But  since  Bath  shrank  into  its  present 
dimensions  in  1847,  the  population  has  doubled,  and  there  has  been 
no  falling  off  in  any  ten-year  period. 

It  is  well  known  that  a  domestic  animal  will  sometimes  return  to 
the  former  home,  regardless  of  the  wishes  of  the  owner.  This  is 
usually  soon  after  the  migration.  But  in  1810  a  horse  returned  from 
Kentucky  after  a  residence  there  of  15  years.  It  was  summer  time, 
and  instead  of  going  at  once  to  the  Mayse  place,  where  he  had  be- 
longed, the  animal  thought  it  the  proper  thing  to  resume  business  on 
his  old  grazing  range  on  the  mountain. 

In  1853  there  were  seven  election  precincts:  Courthouse,  Cedar 
Creek,  Hamilton's,  Cleek's  Mill,  Williamsville,  Milton,  and  Green 
Valley. 

Because  of  its  summer  resorts  and  its  fertile  river  bottoms,  Bath 
has  always  had  a  large  proportion  of  negroes  as  compared  with  other 
mountain  counties.    Between  1810  and  1860  the  percentage  of  blacks 


136  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

increased  from  19  to  27.  In  the  latter  year  this  county  had  946 
slaves  and  78  free  colored  persons,  as  against  402  slaves  and  27  free 
colored  in  the  adjacent  county  of  Highland  with  its  then  larger  total 
population. 

A  sidelight  on  material  conditions  appears  in  the  circumstance 
that  while  2117  horses  were  reported  in  1833,  there  were  only  six 
coaches,  five  carryals,  and  two  gigs.  The  total  tax  in  that  year  was 
$837.24. 

With  respect  to  its  county  seat  and  its  courthouse,  Bath  has  had  a 
somewhat  checkered  career.  For  the  county  buildings,  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet Lewis  offered  to  donate  two  acres  adjacent  to  Warm  Springs 
Run,  and  to  give  free  access  to  a  cold  spring.  But  she  was  in 
straitened  circumstances,  and  payment  was  made  for  the  land.  In 
1795,  her  son,  Thomas  L.  Lewis,  conveyed  one  acre  to  Bath  County 
for  $100.  For  the  May  term  of  1792  the  court  sat  in  the  clerk's  of- 
fice, and  in  the  next  month  it  met  in  the  upper,  or  debtor's,  room  of 
the  new  jail.  It  would  not  seem  that  the  county  was  then  entertain- 
ing any  boarders  in  its  jail. 

In  April,  1795,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  plans  for  a 
courthouse  of  stone,  the  building  to  be  20  by  30  feet  in  the  clear,  two 
stories  high,  and  not  to  cost  more  than  500  pounds  ($1666.67). 
The  members  of  the  committee  were  John  Bollar,  John  Dean,  John 
Lewis,  John  White,  and  Andrew  Moore.  For  drawing  the  plans, 
William  Mathews  was  to  be  allowed  $3.  But  no  courthouse  appears 
to  have  been  ready  for  more  than  twelve  years  after  the  county  was  or- 
ganized. The  first  one  was  finally  built  opposite  the  grounds  of  the 
Warm  Springs  hotel.  The  brick  structure  is  yet  standing,  and  though 
vacant  is  a  serviceable  building. 

After  1822  there  were  petitions  for  and  against  the  removal  of  the 
county  seat  to  the  twin  hamlet  of  Germantown.  Until  Highland 
County  was  created,  there  was  violent  opposition  to  such  removal. 
It  is  only  within  quite  recent  years  that  the  change  has  been  effected. 

The  justices  appointed  at  the  time  of  the  organization  of  Bath 
were  these: 

John  Bollar  John    Leu  is  James    Poage 

Charles  Cameron  Sampson  Mathews  Samuel    Shrewsbury 

Alexander  Crawford  John    Oliver  Samuel    Vance 

John   Dean  John   Peebles  Jacob  Warrick 

John    Dickenson  George   Poape  John  White 

John    Kincaid  William   Poape  John   Wilson 


SEVENTY  YEARS  OF   BATH   HISTORY  137 

Warrick  and  the  Poages  were  from  beyond  the  Alleghany.  Pee- 
bles and  Wilson  lived  in  what  is  now  Highland  County.  Crawford 
and  White  seem  to  have  represented  the  Alleghany  area.  Crawford 
and  Dickenson  refused  to  serve.  Bollar,  Mathews,  and  White  com- 
prised the  committee  to  build  a  jail,  which  was  the  first  county 
building  to  come  into  existence.  Cameron,  who  lived  at  Fassifern, 
used  a  little  stone  building  on  his  farm  as  the  first  county  clerk's  of- 
fice. 

The  later  justices,  for  the  32  years  during  which  Bath  was 
"Greater  Bath,"  were  the  following,  so  far  as  we  can  ascertain  their 
names.  The  dates  are  for  the  earliest  year  in  whch  we  find  mention 
of  the  persons: 

Berry,    John— 1812  Lewis,    Andrew— 1801 

Brown,    John— 1794  Lewis,  Charles  A.— 1812 

Crawford,    William— 1793  Lockridge,  William— 1797 

Davis,   Jesse — 1813  Mason,  Moses — 1812 

Dean,   William— 1801  Massie,    Henry— 1814 

Dean,   William   M— 1812  McClintic,  Alexander— 1812 

Dinwiddie,  William— 1796  Milhollen,   Thomas— 1796 

Erwin,   John— 1794  Moore,    Levi— 1796 

Gatewood,    Thomas — 1801  Robnson,  James — 1792 

Gay,   Robert— 1812  Shrewsbury,    John— 1797 

Hamilton,   James— 1801  Sitlington,  Robert— 1797 

Hicklin,   James— 1801  Sitington,    Willianv-1812 

Hill,   Richard— 1815        v  Sitlington,   George— 1814 

Hite,    Keeland— 1813  Slaven,   Stewart— 1815 

Holcomb,  Timothy— 1795  Tallman,  James— 1812 

Johnson,  Bartholemew— 1795  Walker,  Joe— 1796 

Jordan,  John— 1814  Warwick,  John— 1794 

Jordan,    Solon— 1813  Warwick,   Andrew   J.— 1814 

Kinkead,  Joseph— 1801  White,   Valentine— 1796 
Kinkead,    Thomas— 1801 

After  the  reduction  of  the  county  in  1823,  and  previous  to  the 
war  of  1861,  we  find  the  following  sheriffs: 

Robert   Sitlington— 1823  Archer  P.   Strother— 1848 

Alexander  McClintic— 1828  Andrew  H.  Byrd— 1849 

James  Hamilton— -1834  Samuel    Lewis — 1851 

William   McClintic— 1837  Andrew    H.    Byrd— 1857 

John  Sloan— 1838  Adam   G.   Cleek— 1858 

Until  1852  the  justices  of  the  county  courts  of  Virginia  were  ap- 
pointed and  served  without  pay.     They  now  became  elective  and  re- 


138  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

ceived  a  per  diem  allowance.  About  this  time  the  county  was  di- 
vided into  four  districts,  each  of  which  was  entitled  to  four  justices. 
For  a  while  the  districts  were  designated  as  First,  Second,  Third,  and 
Fourth.  Later,  they  were  given  the  names  of  Cedar  Creek,  Warm 
Springs,  Williamsville,  and   Millboro. 

In  1860  the  valuation  of  real  and  personal  property  was 
$3,156,238.  There  were  16  churches:  6  Baptist,  4  Presbyterian,  4 
Union,  1  Methodist,  and  1  Episcopalian. 

In  1794  Virginia  was  called  upon  for  a  quota  of  4800  men  to  be 
used  in  putting  down  the  Whiskey  Insurrection  in  the  southwest  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  commander  of  the  national  troops  was  Governor 
Henry  Lee,  the  father  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee.  As  "Light  Horse 
Harry,"  he  had  made  a  brilliant  record  in  the  Revolution.  Some  Bath 
men  served  in  this  army,  but  we  have  not  list  of  their  names.  The  fol- 
lowing letter  by  one  of  them  was  written  to  a  friend  at  home : 

Camp   at  Simpson's,  the   Center  of  Aligany  32   miles  short  o/ 

Beason  Town1  &  8  from  the  Big  Crossings2,  Sunday  Morning, 

Oct.  26,  '94. 
Dear  Mustoe 

Wee  are  hear  Lying  on  our  ores  waiting  for  Better  weather. 
It  has  been  Verry  wet  Since  Friday  Evening  Last  and  appears  to  Continue 
this  Evening.  Wee  would  Reached  Beasontown  had  the  weather  been 
Feavorable.  Wee  will  march  to  Pit3  at  all  events  &  there  Remain  Some 
time.  There  will  be  about  2000  Men  Kept  there  this  winter  to  be  Com- 
posed of  Volenteers  from  the  whole  army  when  Collected  on  Imediate 
Drafts  from  the  home  Militia  if  the  Volenteers  Cannot  be  Procured,  there 
will  be  Nothing  to  be  Don  but  to  Reduce  them  to  Proper  Subordination, 
which  will  be  Easily  Effected  as  they  are  Almost  frighted  to  Death,  the 
Great  Breadford  made  his  Escape  Eight  Days  ago  Doan  the  River  and  Left 
Some  fine  farms,  it  is  Supposed  one  of  them  will  be  head  Quarters  this 
winter.  Brackenridge,  Gattes,  Cook,  &  some  others  As  yet  Says  they  will 
Stand  their  Tryal  in  hopes  for  Mercy,  a  Captain  Higgens — Express  from 
that  Country  Came  to  Genl  Morgan  a  Thursday  Last  who  Informs  there 
Never  was  so  affrighted  a  People,  when  they  find  the  Army  so  near  them. 
Genl  Morgans  Division  to  which  I  Belong  are  the  advanced  part.  My 
Compny  Drew  Riffles,  there  is  one  Regiment  of  Riffle  men  in  the  Division 
Commanded  by  Colo.  Crisup  from  Maryland,  wee  are  about  500  strong. 
A   Military  Life   is   a   fine  one.     Waron4   Says    if   Ever   he   Volenteers   it 


'Vow    Union  town,    Pennsylvania. 

2A    ferry   on   the   Youghiogheny. 

3Pittsbur^. 

4Probably  Abijah   Warren. 


SEVENTY  YEARS  OF   BATH   HISTORY  139 

again  the  Devil  May  be  his  Captain,  for  my  own  Part  I  am  as  happy  as  the 
Nature  of  my  Situation  will  admit  of — a  fine  apatite  &  Plenty  to  Eat  and 
Drink,  wet  Cold  Ground  to  Ly  on.  wee  Ly  Down  &  get  up  Contented.  I 
Procured  the  Quarter  Masters  Appointment  for  Fliegan,  which  is  a  hand- 
some one.  he  Lives  in  My  family.  So  of  Course  when  Joined  with  the 
Stof  wee  shaP  Not  Want.  So  hears  to  You  &  the  two  Whites,  Cochran,  & 
Oliver,  &  the  rest  of  the  Boys  about  the  Springs.  Just  Merridian,  the  Publick 
pays  for  all.  Fliegan  Joins  the  Lott.  My  Love  to  Dolly  &  the  Childer.  I 
shall   Soon  see  them  when  I  Return. 

As  Yours 

W.  Chambers 

In  1822  many  Bath  citizens  signed  a  petition  for  the  removal  of 
the  state  capital  from  Richmond.  The  reasons  given  were  that  Rich- 
mond would  be  too  much  exposed  in  case  of  war;  that  its  warm  cli- 
mate makes  it  uncomfortable  for  mountain  legislators  to  attend  sum- 
mer sessions ;  and  that  the  luxurious  habits  of  its  people  were  distaste- 
ful to  the  petitioners. 

As  already  observed,  there  was  a  comparatively  full  population 
in  1790  and  a  considerable  degree  of  prosperity  and  comfort.  The 
further  progress  of  this  county,  before  the  upheaval  of  1861,  was  at 
a  steady  and  substantial  pace,  so  far  as  agricultural  interests  were 
concerned.  With  respect  to  highways  and  the  summer  resorts,  the 
advance  was  more  marked.  Geography  has  been  kind  to  Bath.  The 
several  openings  among  the  mountain  ridges  between  the  Iron  Gate 
and  the  Sister  Knobs  are  doorways  to  through  lines  of  travel  between 
East  and  West.  Even  before  1800,  what  was  then  considered  a 
good  road  led  over  the  Alleghany  divide  and  down  the  Great  Kana- 
wha to  Ohio  and  Kentucky.  The  Harrisonburg  and  Warm  Springs 
Turnpike,  built  some  years  later,  was  a  still  better  road.  It  was 
lined  with  taverns  and  was  traversed  by  the  stages  that  conveyed  vis- 
itors to  and  from  the  summer  hotels.  It  was  thronged  with  numerous 
freight  wagons  and  with  droves  of  cattle  and  other  domestic  animals. 
In  1857  the  pike  was  partially  superseded  by  the  Virginia  Central 
Railroad,  which  in  that  year  had  extended  its  line  to  Jackson's  River 
station,  a  few  miles  west  of  Clifton  Forge.  War  checked  the  ad- 
vance of  the  iron  path,  but  in  1867  work  was  resumed,  and  under 
the  name  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio,  it  has  grown  into  a  very  im- 
portant thoroughfare. 

With  respect  to  slavery,  a  few  clauses  in  the  will  of  Andrew 


140  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Sitlington  are  of  interest.  One  of  them  leaves  several  slaves  to  his 
wife  and  concludes  with  this  wish :  "And  though  I  give  them  entirely 
into  her  disposal  to  do  unto  them  as  she  pleases,  yet  I  cannot  help  ex- 
pressing confidence  in  her  humanity  and  tenderness  that  she  will  grant 
them  their  freedom  in  some  reasonable  time  after  her  death."  He 
desired  such  emancipation  as  to  slaves  over  the  age  of  25.  Males 
under  25  were  to  be  "bound  out  to  honest,  industrious  persons  to  be- 
come industrious  and  moral,  and  taught  to  read  and  write,  so  as  to  un- 
derstand Scripture  and  keep  their  accounts."  Females  were  to  be 
bound  until  21,  and  taught  "to  read,  at  least,  and  to  habits  of  indus- 
try and  morality,  so  that  they  may  be  good  and  useful  members  of 
society."  But  Sitlington  did  not  deem  it  prudent  or  expedient  to 
free  the  male  negroes  under  the  age  of  25.  The  freed  negroes  were 
to  contribute  to  the  support  of  any  of  their  number  who  might  become 
infirm. 

The  interest  in  popular  education  appears  in  a  petition  by  Pat- 
rick Maloy  and  fifty-seven  other  persons,  the  names  having  been  pro- 
cured about  1842.     We  quote  some  extracts  from  this  paper. 

(There  is)  no  legal  provision  for  the  proper  location  and  construction 
of  schoolhouses,  for  supplying  well-qualified  teachers,  or  for  testing  the 
quality'  of  such  as  profess  to  teach;  no  superintendent  of  schools,  nor  gen- 
eral regulations  for  the  proper  management  of  them,  or  the  proper  selection 
and  supply  of  textbooks.  The  fund  appropriated  for  the  education  of  poor 
children  is  not  only  deficient  in  amount,  but  often  negligently  and  injudi- 
ciously administered.  Much  of  this  precious  fund  has  been  wasted  in  pay- 
ing for  abortive  scraps  of  tuition.  We  hold  it  to  be  manifestly  just  and 
proper,  that  the  people  should  all  contribute  according  to  their  ability,,  to  the 
great  object  of  diffusing  the  blessings  of  education  through  all  classes  of 
our  citizens. 

It  was  not  until  1846  that  Virginia  adopted  any  plan  for  free 
public  tuition,  and  even  this  was  not  comprehensive. 

An  advanced  stand  against  intoxicants  is  disclosed  in  a  vigorous 
petition,  probably  written  by  John  H.  Ruckman.  It  was  presented 
to  the  General  Assembly,  January  15,  1840,  by  William  Lockridge. 
We  give  below  its  opening  and  closing  sentences. 

Those  laws  by  which  the  sale  of  intoxicating  drinks  are  legalized  and 
licensed  were  originally  dictated  by  a  benevolent  wish  to  restrict  the  sale  and 
use  of  such  drinks.  They  were  intended  to  keep  the  means  of  intoxication 
away  from  the  drunkard,  but  leaving  them  entirely  open  to  sober  men. 
Were   the   system   perfectly   successful    we   should   deem    it   highly   objection- 


SFVENTY  YEARS  OF   BATH    HISTORY  141 

able,  as  tending  to  debase  respectable  citizens  into  drunkards.  But  it  is  a 
matter  of  perfect  notoriety  that  it  imposes  no  practical  restraints  whatever 
upon  any  person. 

If  the  laws  will  continue  to  permit  sinks  of  vice,  poverty,  and  crime  to 
stand  open  night  and  day,  the  same  laws  must  continue  to  provide  poor- 
houses,  prisons,  gallowses,  and  graves  to  receive  the  victims.  Can  it  be 
necessary  to  keep  up  this  state  of  things  forever?  Does  the  public  good 
require  that  in  these  United  States  50,000  men  shall  spend  their  whole  time 
in  manufacturing  and  selling  a  deadly  poison,  both  to  body  and  soul,  and 
that  these  men  shall  destroy  25,000,000  bushels  of  grain  yearly,  while  the 
people  are  suffering  for  bread?  And  is  it  necessary  that  30,000  of  our 
fellow  citizens  shall  annually  go  down  to  the  drunkard's  grave,  leaving  their 
wives  widows  and  their  children  orphans?  Does  the  public  good  require 
such  a  sacrifice?  Is  there  no  remedy?  Has  law  nothing  to  do  with  hu- 
manity? There  is  a  remedy.  Repeal  the  liquor  laws,  and  in  their  stead 
provide  suitable  penal  enactments  against  the  further  sale  and  distribution 
of  the  poison. 

A  century  after  the  first  appearance  of  Selim  the  Algerine  there 
was  another  incident  of  a  quite  unusual  character.  A  stranger  ap- 
peared in  this  county  one  summer,  who  never  revealed  his  name  and 
went  to  much  trouble  to  avoid  meeting  people.  He  would  hide  if  a 
person  were  coming  in  his  direction  and  likely  to  encounter  him. 
He  occupied  a  vacant  mountain  cabin  near  Bath  Alum.  An  old  col- 
ored woman  came  once  a  week  to  keep  the  habitation  in  order. 
When  he  needed  provisions,  he  would  place  the  order  and  the  neces- 
sary money  on  a  stump,  and  then  go  off  with  his  gun  until  the  woman 
came  back  with  the  supplies. 

One  day  the  negress  found  him  in  a  delirious  condition  and  called 
a  doctor,  under  whose  ministration  the  man  recovered.  There  was 
a  long  talk  with  the  mysterious  patient,  who  was  found  to  be  a  cul- 
tured gentleman  of  pleasing  personality.  One  day  the  caretaker 
brought  him  a  letter  and  photograph  which  pleased  him  greatly.  In 
taking  leave  of  his  physician,  he  told  the  latter  he  was  going  home  and 
that  they  would  never  see  one  another  again.  The  stranger  had  mon- 
ey and  paid  all  his  bills.  Who  or  what  he  was,  or  where  he  came 
from,  were  things  that  never  became  known  in  Bath.  The  conjec- 
ture esteemed  most  plausible  was  that  the  eccentric  behavior  was  due 
to  a  love  affair. 

The  letter  with  which  we  close  this  chapter  was  written  from 
Indiana.  Captain  James  Bratton,  the  father,  was  living  near  Mill- 
boro.     The  original  letter  is  in  the  possession  of  W.  A.  Bratton. 


142  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

"Montgomery   County   October  th.  20.    1812. 

Honoured  father  and  mother  1  embrace  this  opportunity  of  informing 
jou  of  our  welfare.  At  present  that  we  are  well  thanks  be  to  the  giver  of 
all  mercies  hopeing  that  these  few  lines  will  find  al  in  the  same  state  of 
health.  We  have  had  a  young  daughter  born  April  th  eight  the  name  is 
Betsy  Dunlap  We  are  highly  pleased  with  our  moving  to  this  county  as  yet 
I  have  not  purchased  land  as  yet  but  I  expect  in  few  days  to  get  place  where 
we  shall  settle  upon  As  to  going  to  the  Wabash  I  have  defered  as  the  In- 
dians appears  to  be  very  troublesome  there  yet  we  have  had  a  very  late 
account  from  the  frontiers  and  the  killing  the  people  on  the  frontiers  every 
Chance  they  get  the  mounted  volunteers  that  went  from  this  state  against 
the  indians  are  now  all  Coming  home  the  have  cut  all  the  corn  burnt 
there  towns  in  all  this  work  there  never  an  indian  appared  against  them  the 
footmen  are  to  stay  during  the  winter  nothing  more  but  remain  your  loving 
son  and  daughter  till  death 

"Robert   and  Anne   Bratton" 

"Remember   us  to   William   Crawford   and   the   family   likewise   to  John 
Poter  and  his  family     Brother  David   and  his  family  are  well." 


XVIII 

BATH  IN  THE  WAR  OF  1861 

URING  the  war  of  1861  this  county  adhered  to  the  Con- 
federate government.  A  large  share  of  the  able-bodied 
men  were  absent  in  the  Southern  army,  and  the  hotels 
in  Warm  Springs  valley  were  converted  into  military 
hospitals.  Bath  did  not  itself  come  within  the  sphere  of  important 
military  operations.  There  were  slight  skirmishes  at  Williamsville 
and  Millboro,  but  no  engagement  of  importance.  Yet  the  Federal 
cavalry  several  times  raided  through  the  valleys  and  thus  brought  the 
people  face  to  face  with  some  of  the  aspects  of  actual  warfare. 

The  men  serving  on  the  county  court  for  the  term  1860-64  may 
well  be  termed  the  "war  justices."    Their  names  are  as  follows: 

First  District:  Alexander  H.  McClintic  (president),  Anthony  Mustoe, 
William  W.  Shields,  George  Mayse. 

Second  District:  Aaron  G.  McGuffin,  Osborne  Hamilton,  Roger  Hick- 
man,   . 

Third  District:  Moses  McClintic,  William  C.  Burger,  Stephen  Wan- 
less,  John  Carpenter. 

Fourth  District:  Thomas  Sitlington,  John  U.  Dickenson,  Addison  Mc- 
Clung,  Robert  P.  Williams. 

It  is  a  very  exceptional  fact  that  Bath  supplied  from  one  of  ts 
households  a  general  of  brigade  rank  to  each  of  the  contending  armies. 
They  were  sons  of  William  H.  Terrell,  an  eminent  lawyer  who 
filled  the  position  of  commonwealth's  attorney  in  1860-64.  Brigadier- 
General  William  R.  Terrell,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  took  his 
stand  with  the  Union,  and  his  artillery  was  very  instrumental  in  sav- 
ing the  day  for  the  Federals  at  Shiloh.  He  was  killed  in  the  battle 
at  Perryville,  Kentucky,  October  8,  1862,  and  was  buried  at  West 
Point.  Brigadier-General  James  B.  Terrell,  a  graduate  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Military  Institute,  went  with  the  South,  and  was  killed  in  the 
battle  of  the  Wilderness  in  1864.  He  was  serving  as  colonel  at  the 
time,  but  his  commission  as  brigadier-general  had  already  been  signed. 
The  Terrill  brothers  were  descendants  of  the  McCausland  family, 
now  extinct  in  Bath. 


144  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

To  deal  as  directly  as  possible  with  the  way  in  which  this  county 
experienced  the  vicissitudes  of  the  struggle,  we  present  some  data 
taken  in  chronological  order  from  the  pages  of  the  county  records. 

1861 

Jim.  a  slave  of  Mary  C.  Frazier,  was  acquitted,  April  21st,  of  the  charge 
of  feloniously  conspiring  to  plot,  rebel,  and  make  insurrection.  But  as  he 
was  of  bad  reputation,  a  bond  of  $150  was  demanded  from  his  owner. 

The  county  court  ordered,  May  14th,  that  $1500  be  appropriated  out  of 
the  forthcoming  levy  to  arm  and  otherwise  equip  a  troop  of  cavalry. 
Charles  R.  McDannald  was  appointed  its  agent  for  this  purpose.  A  patrol 
of  16  men  was  appointed  July  9th,  according  to  an  act  of  Assembly.  The 
poll  tax  voted  was  $4.25. 

1862 

Martial  law  was  proclaimed  by  the  Confederate  president,  March  29th. 
An  order  from  General  Heth  requiring  a  provost  marshal  in  Bath,  Robert 
B.  Matheny  was  recommended  for  the  position.  Salt  being  scarce,  John  P. 
McDannald  was  authorized,  April  8th,  to  borrow  money  for  the  purchase 
of  100  sacks,  the  fund  so  used  to  be  repaid  out  of  the  next  levy.  At  the  same 
time,  and  in  pursuance  of  a  military  order,  all  free  able-bodied  negroes  be- 
tween the  ages  of  18  and  45  were  ordered  to  report.  Of  these,  12  were  re- 
quired to  work  the  road  between  Milboro  and  Warm  Springs.  There  being 
no  election  at  the  usual  time,  of  sheriff  and  commissioner  of  the  revenue,  a 
special  election  was  ordered  for  November  27th.  December  9th,  12  patrols 
were  ordered,  three  for  each  district 

1863 

A  smallpox  hospital  was  ordered,  January  13th.  On  the  same  day  it  was 
decreed  that  $3500  be  applied  to  the  relief  of  destitute  families,  the  justices 
acting  as  distributors.  Notes  to  this  amount,  in  denominations  of  one  dollar, 
fifty  cents,  and  twenty-five  cents,  were  ordered  to  be  printed  and  then 
signed  by  the  presiding  justice  By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  five  free 
negroes   were  drafted  to  chop   wood   on   the   Virginia   Central    Railroad. 

There  was  a  requisition  on  the  county,  February  13th,  for  40  slaves 
between  the  ages  of  18  and  45,  the  purpose  of  the  call  being  to  employ 
them  in  building  fortifications  around  Richmond.  The  answer  was  that  of 
the  781  slaves  in  1862,  there  should  have  been  available  104;  but  that  some 
had  been  removed  from  the  county  by  their  owners,  others  had  been  sold 
because  of  the  nearness  of  the  enemy,  while  from  14  to  16  had  escaped,  and 
from  12  to  15  were  physically  unfit  for  service.  As  the  draft  was  therefore 
deemed  much  too  heavy,  the  War  Department  reduced  the  requisition  to  30, 
a  third  of  whom  were  to  go  to  Richmond.  Wiliam  Shumate  was  detailed 
to  have  charge  of  the  party. 

In    March,   John    Cleek    was    appointed    an    agent   to    procure   cotton    and 


BATH  IN  THE  WAR  OF   1861  145 

yarn  from  the  South.  It  was  announced  that  goods  thus  purchased  were 
for  use  and  not  for  speculation.  A  special  election  was  ordered  for  May, 
but  none  took  place.  A  claim  of  $584  against  the  county  was  allowed, 
December  8th.  It  was  for  flour  to  the  amount  of  14  barrels  and  61  pounds. 
On  the  same  day  the  sheriff  was  ordered  to  make  a  list  of  all  indigent  sol- 
diers honorably  discharged,  and  also  a  list  of  the  widows  and  minor  chil- 
dren of  deceased  soldiers. 

In  September,  there  was  a  call  for  20  slaves  between  the  ages  of  18  and 
55.  The  answer  was  returned  that  the  number  of  such  was  still  further 
reduced,  from  15  to  20  having  lately  been   abducted  by  the  Federals. 

1864 

Bonds  to  the  amount  of  $15,000  for  the  relief  of  destitute  soldiers  were 
ordered,  January  12th.  Ten  slaves  were  requisitioned,  in  February,  but 
only  about  30  of  the  class  asked  for  were  reported  as  now  in  the  county. 
At  the  May  election,  Charles  R.  McDannald  was  chosen  clerk,  Adam  G. 
Cleek  sheriff,  and  William  McClintic  surveyor.  The  poll  tax  for  the  350 
tithables  was  fixed  at  $10,  and  to  pay  the  allowances  for  the  destitute,  a 
levy  of  2J^  per  cent,  was  ordered  on  the  assessment  of  $2,266,125.  The 
Federal  inroads  causing  the  production  of  foodstuffs  to  be  less  than  the 
needs  of  the  population,  it  was  asked  that  the  head  tax  might  be  paid  in 
money.  In  December  there  was  a  requisition  for  five  slaves  beween  the 
ages  of  17  and  50,  the  draft  to  be  supplied  by  individuals  individualy  own- 
ing a  number  equal  to  the  call.  It  was  replied  that  there  were  but  two  such 
pel  sons.  One  of  these  had  lost  seven  by  capture  within  18  months.  Some 
negroes  had  been  secreted,  and  others  had  been  stolen  away.  There  was  a 
request  that  six  millers,  five  blacksmiths,  two  shoemakers,  and  one  tanner 
be  exempted  from  detail  service. 

In  October,  Smith  Darnell  was  allowed  $13,743.10  of  the  depreciated  cur- 
rency for  the  relief  of  the  destitute  in  the  First  District. 

1865 

It  was  announced  in  January  that  a  third  of  the  slaves  had  been  ab- 
ducted. In  April  the  county  court  ordered  that  any  surplus  of  provisions 
which  might  exist  should  be  distributed  at  prices  not  to  exceed  the  following 
figures:  Wheat,  per  bushel,  $50;  corn,  $30;  rye,  $30;  buckwheat,  $30; 
potatoes,  $15;  bacon,  per  pound,  $11. 

The  last  session  of  the  court  under  the  Confederate  government  was  held 
April  14th.  The  clerk  was  ordered  to  remove  the  records  to  a  place  of 
safety. 

The  next  session  was  held  August  21st,  the  members  being  James  L. 
Bratton,  John  Carpenter,  John  Cleek,  Sr.,  Smith  Darnell,  Osborne  Ham- 
ilton, Charles  H.  Hughart,  Alexander  H.  McClung.  and  Addison  McClung. 


XIX 

THE  BATH    SQUADRON 

N  MAY,  1861*,  a  company  of  the  young  men  of  Bath, 
eager  for  the  fray,  responded  promptly  to  the  call  of  the 
governor  of  Virginia  The  patriotic  daughters  of  the 
2J  county  soon  raised  the  funds  to  purchase  a  beautiful  silk 
flag.  This  was  presented  on  the  Saturday  preceeding  the  departure 
of  the  company  from  Staunton  on  its  way  toward  the  northwest.  The 
speech  of  presentation  was  by  Nicholas  K.  Trout,  Mayor  of  Staun- 
ton. The  flag  was  received  by  Captain  A.  T.  Richards,  of  the 
company  with  these  words:  "We  will  cherish  it  as  we  will  our 
wives  and  sweethearts." 

The  Bath  company  was  a  cavalry  command.  It  marched  under 
sealed  orders  to  Philippi,  W.  Va.,  where  it  reported  to  Colonel  Por- 
terfield,  commanding  the  Confederate  forces  there.  It  rendered  good 
service  in  picketing  and  scouting,  during  the  interval  up  to  the  sur- 
prise by  the  Federals  under  General  Kelley.  In  this  engagement,  L. 
P.  Dangerfield  of  the  company,  lost  a  leg  by  a  minie  ball,  he  and  a 
member  of  another  command  being  the  first  Virginia  soldiers  to  be 
wounded  in  the  war.  On  the  other  hand,  A.  M.  McClintic2  wound- 
ed General  Kelley  by  a  ball  from  his  flintlock  pistol. 

Because  of  the  hasty  retreat  from  Philippi,  the  company  was  so 
unfortunate  as  to  lose  its  beautiful  flag.  It  was  in  its  case  in  the 
company's  wagon,  and  in  the  suddenness  of  the  early  morning  attack 
was  overlooked.  The  retreat  continued  to  Beverly,  where  General 
Garnett  took  command.  With  other  troops  the  Bath  Cavalry  were 
advanced  to  Laurel  Hill,  northwest  of  Beverly.  While  here  being 
drilled  in  the  duties  of  the  soldier,  they  continued  to  do  good  work  in 
picketing  the  roads  leading  toward  the  Federal  position.  Early  in 
July  General  McCIellan  advanced  from  Buckhannon  by  the  Staunton 
and  Parkersburg  pike,  and  overpowered  after  a  gallant  resistance  the 


iXhis  account  is  condensed  from  articles  written  for  the  Bath  News  by 
Lieutenant  A.  C.  L.  Gatewood.  His  letters  relating  to  events  after  the  bat- 
tle of  Gettysburg  were  not  available  to  us. 

2John   W.    Sheffer,    according  to    another   account. 


THE    BATH   SQUADRON  147 

Confederates  on  Rich  Mountain.  Pegram  and  his  men  were  cap- 
tured but  were  released  on  parole  to  return  to  their  homes  and  there 
remain  until  regularly  exchanged.  Among  the  prisoners  were  the 
Bath  Greys  under  command  of  Captain  S.  A.  Bonner.  Pegram's 
men  reported  kind  treatment  by  McClellan  and  his  army.  After  their 
exchange  the  Greys  were  transferred  to  the  cavalry  service  and  were 
now  commanded  by  Captain  W.  D.  Ervin.  Their  assignment  was  to 
the  18th  Virginia  Cavalry  of  Imboden's  Brigade. 

General  Garnett  began  his  retreat  the  evening  of  July  9th,  intend- 
ing to  make  a  stand  in  the  mountain  passes  near  Huntersville.  But 
learning  that  the  road  to  Beverly  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Federals, 
his  only  way  to  escape  was  northeastward  through  Tucker  County. 
At  Corrick's  Ford — now  Parsons — he  gave  battle  and  was  killed. 
McClellan,  an  old  friend  and  classmate  at  West  Point,  had  his  body 
embalmed  and  sent  to  his  family.  From  the  Cheat  River  to  Peters- 
burg, Garnett's  men  had  nothing  to  eat  except  fresh  beef  killed  on  the 
road  and  eaten  without  salt  or  bread.  At  Petersburg  there  were  sup- 
plies for  the  famished  soldiers.  After  a  rest  the  march  was  continued 
to  Monterey,  where  within  a  few  weeks  General  R.  E.  Lee  took 
command  and  advanced  into  Pocahontas  County.  The  Bath  Cavalry 
were  assigned  to  his  army,  being  put  into  a  battalion  commanded  by 
his  son,  Major  W.  H.  F.  Lee. 

The  summer  was  unusually  wet  and  there  was  much  sickness  from 
measles  and  typhoid  fever.  The  country  from  Valley  Mountain, 
where  General  Lee  made  his  headquarters,  down  to  Huntersville  is 
dotted  with  the  neglected  graves  of  soldiers,  especially  the  Georgia 
troops.  The  Bath  Cavalry  were  at  Huntersville  till  late  in  the  fall, 
when  from  the  great  difficulty  of  provisioning  the  army,  the  command 
was  odered  into  winter  quarters  at  Bath  Alum,  and  afterward  at 
Rockbridge  Alum.1 

Early  in  May  it  was  known  that  a  foraging  party  from  Milroy's 
army  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  Williamsville.  With  a  view  of 
bagging  the  detachment,  the  Bath  Cavalry  set  out  at  2  P.  M.,  and  at 


because  of  the  recruits  who  came  in  at  these  places,  the  Bath  Squadron 
was  divided  into  two  companies,  F  and  G,  commanded,  respectively,  by 
Captains  A.  G.  McChesney  and  F.  A.  Dangerfield. 


148  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

night  were  near  the  foraging  party.     At  daylight  they  took  position 
on  the  Burnsville  road  a  little  way  out  from  Williamsville.     It  was 
by  this  road  that  the  foragers  were  to  return  to  McDowell.     A  picket 
on  an  opposite  hill  within  observation  of  the  foragers  was  to  fire  his 
gun  as  a  signal  for  the  attack.     The  train  was  captured,  only  a  few 
shots  being  fired.     A  Federal  refusing  to  surrender  was  wounded  in 
the  shoulder  by  J.  W.  Warwick,  Jr.     The  booty  amounted  to   15 
prisoners,  25  wagons,  and  105  horses.     Because  of  high  water  in  the 
Cowpasture,  and  the  danger  of  being  intercepted  if  the  return  were 
by  the  Burnsville  road,  the  wagons  were  set  on  fire.  The  wounded  Fed- 
eral recovered.     He  was  a  cousin  to  Mrs.  Felix  Hull,  of  McDowell. 
Just  after  the  battle  of  McDowell,  which  took  place  May  8th,  the 
two  companies,  a  fine  looking  and  well  mounted  body  of  troops,  were 
ordered  to  report  at  Staunton.     Company  G  was  put  on  detached 
service,  to  scout  down  the  South  Branch  toward  Franklin.     Company 
F  was  sent  to  Richmond,  and  thence  on  picket  duty  toward  Freder- 
icksburg.    Early  in  July,  Company  G  was  sent  to  Gordonsville  to 
picket  the  Rapid  Anna  near  that  place.     July  4,  a  scouting  party 
from  Company  F,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Henry  McClintic, 
was  surprised  in  Caroline  County.     Six  men  escaped,  but  four — E. 
B.  Williams,  M.  P.  Surber,  W.  H.  Tinsley,  and  C.  Cochran — were 
captured.     After  this  occurrence,  there  was  some  skirmishing  with 
Kilpatrick's  men.    July  25th,  Company  F  was  put  into  the  17th  Bat- 
talion, Virginia  Cavalry.  In  a  skirmish  early  in  August,  Company  G 
lost  three  men.     The  captain  and  A.  M.  McClintic  were  wounded 
and  captured   and  William  Thompson  was  killed.     The  company, 
now  under  Lieutenant  Joseph  Mayse,  was  ordered  to  McDowell  on 
detached  service.     Shortly  afterward  the  17th  Battalion  was  detailed 
to  convoy  to  Richmond  the  600  prisoners  taken  in  the  battle  of  Cedar 
Run.     It  then  rejoined  Stonewall  Jackson's  army,  and  accompanied 
it  on  the  flanking  movement  which  brough  on  the  second  battle  of 
Manassas.     Its  position  was  on  Jackson's  extreme  left.     This  force 
reached  Middleburg  August  28th,  where  an  unusual  hospitality  was 
shown  to  the  men,  the  chronicler  being  careful  to  mention  that  never 
before  had  he  seen  so  many  pretty  young  ladies  in  a  small  town.     But 
the  sound  of  cannon  toward  the  southeast  made  it  necessary  to  resume 
the  march,  and  that  night  the  cavalry  were  deployed  as  videttes  in 
front  of  the  infantry.     Next  day  the  17th  supported  Chew's  Battery. 


THE    BATH    SQUADRON  149 

After  the  Federal  lines  were  broken  on  the  30th,  the  cavalry  were  sent 
in  pursuit. 

While  General  Lee  was  moving  across  the  Potomac  into  Maryland, 
the  17th  Batallion  and  the  12th  Virginia  Cavalry  were  ordered  to 
make  a  demonstration  on  Martinsburg  to  keep  the  Federals  there 
from  reenforcing  Harper's  Ferry.  This  brought  on  an  engagement 
at  Darkesville,  Sept.  6th.  The  loss  of  Company  E,  which  was  arm- 
ed with  double-barelled  shotguns,  was  four  killed  and  six  wounded. 
Early  in  November,  General  W.  E.  Jones  took  command  of  Ashby's 
old  brigade  of  which  the  17th  was  now  a  part,  and  was  left  in  charge 
of  the  lower  Shenandoah  Valley.  The  17th  was  stationed  seven 
miles  north  of  Winchester  in  order  to  scout  the  roads  toward  Romney. 
Company  G  joined  the  battalion  here,  and  during  the  remainder  of 
the  war  the  two  Bath  companies  were  never  separated.  In  December, 
Jones  made  a  reconnoissance  toward  Moorefield.  About  the  middle 
of  February  companies  I  and  K  were  added  to  the  17th  Battalion, 
which  became  known  as  the  11th  Virginia  Cavalry.  Lieutenant  A. 
J.  Ware  became  captain  of  Company  F,  and  Henry  McClintic  the 
first  lieutenant.  Between  Edinburg  and  Woodstock  the  11th  en- 
countered the  13th  Pennslyvania  Cavalry,  February  26th,  and  cap- 
tured over  200  men. 

In  April,  Colonel  L.  L.  Lomax,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  took 
command  of  the  regiment,  which  on  the  21st  of  the  same  month,  as 
a  part  of  the  brigade  under  General  Jones,  began  a  raid  into  West 
Virginia.  The  whole  command  was  in  fine  order,  the  men  having 
fresh  mounts.  Starting  from  near  Harrisonburg,  and  moving  through 
Brock's  Gap  to  Moorefield,  the  South  Branch  was  found  so  high  that 
it  was  necessary  to  go  10  miles  up  the  river  to  find  a  ford  at  all 
practicable.  The  crossing  was  with  much  difficulty  and  danger,  one 
member  of  the  6th  Regiment  being  drowned.  At  Greenland  Gap  a 
Federal  force  of  150  men  was  captured,  though  after  considerable 
delay.  At  daylight  on  the  26th,  "Red  House"  was  reached.  This  was 
a  point  on  the  line  of  Garnett's  retreat,  nearly  two  years  earlier.  The 
command  passed  through  Preston  County,  greatly  harrassed  by  bush- 
whackers. At  Evansville  the  soldiers  were  permitted  to  help  them- 
selves to  the  goods  of  the  merchants.  One  fellow,  not  knowing  what 
he  wanted,  tied  about  a  dozen  pairs  of  hoop  skirts  to  his  saddle.  But 
General  Jones  made  him  get  off  his  horse,  put  on  a  pair,  and  then 


150  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

prominade  up  and  down  the  street  in  the  presence  of  the  other  troops, 
at  the  same  time  giving  him  a  verbal  reprimand  for  burdening  his 
horse  with  such  baggage.  The  12th  Regiment  gained  the  name  of 
"Calico  12th,"  from  its  taking  back  to  Dixie  more  of  that  brand  of 
cloth  than  any  other  command. 

Jones  advanced  to  Morgantown,  some  of  his  command  pushing 
onward  nearly  to  Uniontown.  He  next  seized  Fairmont,  where  he 
captured  without  any  fight  the  105th  New  York  Infantry,  and  some 
Home  Guards,  a  total  of  about  800  prisoners.  They  were  released 
on  parole,  the  Home  Guards  with  the  promise  that  they  would  be- 
have better  in  the  future.  At  this  town  the  fine  railroad  bridge  was 
destroyed.  This  act  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  Federal  cause.  A  pon- 
toon bridge  had  to  be  used  for  the  next  six  months,  and  a  permanent 
one  was  not  constructed  until  after  the  war.  Near  Bridgeport  there 
was  a  hot  skirmish,  in  which  Company  G  lost  two  men.  Upon  reach- 
ing the  town  some  damage  was  done  to  the  railroad  and  rolling  stock. 
It  was  here  at  Bridgeport  that  Imboden  was  to  meet  Jones,  after 
which  the  united  force  was  to  capture  Clarksburg  and  then  wreck  the 
railroad  bridges  and  tunnels  in  the  direction  of  Parkeisburg.  But  the 
other  command  not  appearing,  Jones  moved  to  Philippi,  and  learning 
that  Imboden  was  at  Buckhannon,  he  joined  him  there,  and  the  united 
forces  advanced  to  Weston,  where  they  rested  a  few  days.  Imboden 
then  went  to  Sutton,  while  Jones  struck  the  railroad  again,  this  time 
at  Pennsboro,  tearing  up  the  track  from  that  point  to  Cairo.  He  then 
moved  to  Burning  Springs  on  the  little  Kanawha,  where  a  vast 
quantity  of  oil  was  set  on  fire,  turning  the  river  into  a  flaming  lake 
for  12  miles,  and  killing  the  timber  within  a  hundred  yards  of  either 
bank.  The  next  objective  was  Sutton,  where  the  11th  was  detached 
from  the  bribade,  rejoining  it  at  Warm  Springs.  After  this  the  old 
camp  near  Harrisonburg  was  reoccupied.  The  raid  had  lasted  30 
days  and  was  very  fatiguing,  but  resulted  in  the  infliction  of  much 
damage  and  the  capture  of  much  livestock. 

After  a  short  rest,  Jones  was  ordered  to  join  General  J.  E.  B. 
Stuart  at  Culpeper,  where  in  June  there  was  a  review  of  the  whole- 
cavalry  corps.  The  spectacle  was  very  imposing.  Next  day  the 
great  cavalry  battle  of  Brandy  Station  took  place,  in  which  the  11th 
captured  a  battery  and  routed   a  large  force  of  cavalry.     For  this 


THE    BATH    SQUADRON  151 

achievement,  Colonel  Lomax  became  a  brigadier  general.  The  next 
fight  was  at  Upperville,  where  both  the  Bath  companies  sustained  some 
loss.  In  the  advance  of  Lee's  army  into  Pennsylvania,  the  11th  was 
on  the  extreme  right,  and  at  Fairfield  repulsed  the  2d  U.  U.  Cavalry 
(regulars),  this  being  the  regiment  of  their  commander-in-chief  be- 
fore the  war. 

At  the  close  of  this  year,  General  Rosser  became  the  brigade 
commander.  The  campaigning  of  1864  took  place  in  the  valleys  of 
the  Shenandoah  and  the  South  Branch. 


XX 

ROSTER  OF  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

EARLY  all  of  the  soldiers  from  Bath  in  the  Confeder- 
ate army  served  in  the  11th  Cavalry  and  the  52d  In- 
fantry of  the  Virginia  Line.  The  services  of  the  cav- 
il airy  command  are  related  in  a  special  chapter.  The 
52d  Infantry  served  first  in  the  brigade  of  General  Edward  Johnson, 
and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  McDowell.  Then  and  afterward  it 
was  under  Stonewall  Jackson  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia  and  East  of 
the  Blue  Ridge. 

The  following  roster  is  a  consolidated  list,  gathered  from  the  rolls 
collected  some  years  since  by  the  veterans  of  the  county.  It  is  not  in- 
tended to  include  men  who  were  not  residents  of  Bath  between  1860 
and  1865,  nor  who  were  not  honorably  discharged  from  the  Confed- 
erate service.  The  list  does  not  assume  to  be  complete  or  perfect.  It 
has  had  the  best  revision  we  could  command  ,but  the  War  of  1861 
now  lies  more  than  50  years  in  the  past  and  hence  it  is  all  but  impos- 
sible to  attain  absolute  accuracy.* 

So  far  as  our  information  will  permit,  each  name  is  followed  by 
these  particulars: 

1.  The  company  (indicated  by  letter)  and  the  regiment  (bv 
number)  in  which  the  soldier  served,  the  regiment  being  understood 
to  be  infantry  unless  otherwise  mentioned. 

2.  The  soldier's  rank.  Where  no  rank  is  mentioned  it  is  to  be 
understood  that  he  was  a  private. 

3.  Facts  as  to  being  killed,  wounded,  or  taken  prisoner,  and 
where  and  when. 

4.  If  still  living,  his  postoffice  address  in  August,  1917.  Where 
no  state  name  follows  the  name  of  the  state,  an  address  in  Virginia 
is  to  be  understood. 

Names  of  military  prisons  are  sometmes  mentioned  in  the  case 
of  prisoners  of  war. 

Names  followed  by  a  star  indicate  the  soldiers  who  went  out  on 
service  May  13,  1861,  these  being  the  first  ones  to  go  from  Bath. 


ROSTER  OF  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS  153 

The  following  abbreviations  are  used  in  the  list: 

Capt — captain  wd — wounded  in  action 

Lt — lieutenant  m  wd — mortally  wounded 

Sergt — sergeant  cp — taken  prisoner 

Corp — corporal  d — died  of  sickness  during  the  war 

Qmr — quartermaster  D — died  since  the  war 

k — killed    in    action  ukn — whereabouts  unknown 

ROSTER 

Acord,    George — F — 11    Cav — k   Wilderness,   '64 

Adams,  William— K— 52 

Ailstock,   Simon — Grays 

Ailstock,  C.  F.— F— 11   Cav 

Ailstock,  Jordan — G — 11    Cav — cp — d,   prison 

Ailstock,   Zerubabel*— G — 11    Cav— 3d    Corp.— D 

Anderson,   William   H.* — G — 11    Cav — 4-th   Corp. — cp — ukn 

Anderson,  Samuel — F — 11   Cav —4th  Corp — D 

Archie,  Robert— G— 11   Cav— D 

Archie,  Stephen  P.— K— 52-4D 

Armstrong.  Dr.  J.  M. — G — 11   Cav — Ass't  Surgeon — Ardmore,  Okla. 

Ayers,  Stephen  P. — K — 52 

Baldwin,   Peter—  ?— 52— D 

Peaty,  George— 'Grays — D 

Bennett, Grays — unkn 

Bess,   Andrew  J. — unkn 

Bethel,   James  S—  K—  52 

Bogan,  S.  W.  B.—  ?— 18  Cav 

Bolton,  John — Grays 

Bonner,  S.  A.— F— 11  Cav— Lt— k  Wilderness  '64 

Bonner,   Andrew    G.* — Bath   Cav 

Boone,  Walter— K— 52 — 4th  Sergt 

Booth, F — 11   Cav — West  Virginia 

Bratton,  Andrew  S—  F— 11   Cav— 2d  Sergt— D 

Bratton,  William  A.* — F — 11   Cav — k — Blackwater  '64 

Bratton,  John  F.— F— 11  Cav— Bolar 

Bratton,  James — F — 11   Cav — D 

Bratton,  J.  M.— 'G— 11  Cav  — Millboro 

Bright,   Thomas — Grays 

Bright,  John — Grays — D 

Bright,  David — Grays — D 

Bryan,  Dr.  C.  P. 


'We    are   indebted   to   Mr.   George   W.    Wallace   for   a    revision   of   the 
roster. 


154  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Burger,  David— F— 11   Cav— D 

Burger,  Samuel  C— G— 11   Cav^D 

Burger,  William  C— K — 52 — 1st  Lt — D 

Burns,   M.   C— K— 52 

Burns,  Aaron  W  —  K— 52 

Burns,  Lewis  F. — K — 52 — D 

Burns,  Hughart  M  —  ?— 18   Cav— D 

Burns,    Pressley — G — =11    Cav — D 

Burns,  John  — G — 11  Cav — Tex. 

Burns,  Michael  N. — K — 52 — 1st  Corp — m  wd  '62 

Burns,   Joseph 

Carpenter,  William  R.  N.— K— 52— d  '62 

Carpenter,  J.  W. —  ? — 18  Cav — Burnsville 

Carter,   Thomas — Grays — D 

Cauley,   Lee— G— 11    Cav— McClung 

Cauley,  Brown — ? — 11   Cav — McClung 

Chandler,  Samuel — F — 11   Cav — West  Virginia 

Chandler,  David— ?— 11   Cav 

Chandler,  Stround — Grays 

Clark,  James  M.— K— 52 

Cleek,  Eli*— G— 11   Cav—  D 

Cleek,  James*— G— 11    Cav  — D 

Cleek,  George  W—  F— 11— Cav— 2d  Corp.— cp— Darkesville  '62— Bolar 

Cleek,  D.  G—  F— 11   Cav— wd,  Wilderness— '64 — D 

Cleek,  Thomas* 

Cleek,  Adam  G.*— K— 52— D 

Cleek,  Jacob— K— '52— D 

Cosby,   Benjamin — G — 11    Cav — D 

Cosby,   John — G — 11    Cav — d,    home 

Cosby,  David— G— 11   Cav  —  D 

Coyner,  Robert — Grays — D 

Coyner,   William — Clifton   Forge 

Criser,  William  H.*— G— 11  Cav  — D 

Criser,  T.  J.— G— 11  Cav.— D,  1898 

Criser,  J.  Lewis*— F— 11   Cav  —  D 

Criser,  John  S.*— »F — 11   Cav — Warm  Springs 

Criser,  Robert  J.*— F— 11   Cav  — D 

Curry,  Alexander — K — 52 

Curry,   Martin   V.— K— 52— D 

Curry,   Samuel   M.— K— 52— D 

Curry,  Peter  S.— K— 52— 3d  Corp  — D 

Curry,  Andrew* — G — 11   Cav — D 

Curtis,  Joseph — Grays 

F>aggy,  John   H.— K— 52— D 

Danellor,  William— G— 11   Cav —2d  Corp— k  Blackwater  '64 

Danellor,  F.  G.* — <unkn 


ROSTER  OF  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS  155 

Dangerfield,  F.  A.*— G— 11  Cav— Capt— w  and  cp,  '62— D 

Dangerfield,  Leroy  P.* — wd,  Philippi  '61 — D 

Dean,  William*— F— 11   Cav 

Deeds,  John  L. — D 

Dickenson,   John   S. — F — 11    Cav — 1st  Corp — D 

Donovan,  Stephen — G — 11   Cav 

Douglas,   B.   R. — F — 11    Cav  — Sitlington 

Douglas,   Calvin — Grays — k   Fisher's   Hill   '64 

Dunlap,  Joseph  M. — >F — 11  Cav — 1st  Sergt 

Erwin,  William  D. — Grays 

Erwin,  Dr.  James  R. — G — 11    Cav — k  Wilderness  '64 

Foster,  David  C— K— 52 

Fry,   James — G — 11    Cav 

Fry,  William— F— 11   Cav  —  D 

Garrison,  John  W.— K— 52 

Gatewood,   A.   C.   L.— F— 11    Cav —2d  Lt  — wd   Darkesville   '62 

Gay,  David* — ukn 

Gay,  Henry — ukn 

George,  Samuel   F. — ukn 

Gibson,  Lewis — F — 11   Cav 

Gibson,   Stephen — Grays — D 

Gillespie,  Joseph   G.* — F — 11   Cav — m  wd   '64 

Gillespie,  John  W.— K— 52 

Gillett,  James — K — 52 — Warm   Springs 

Gillett,  Andrew  W.—K— 52— Flood 

Gillett,  John  W.— K— 52— D 

Gillett,  William  R.—K— 52— Color  Sergt— D 

Gillett,  Daniel— Grays— Tex. 

Ginger,   James* — G — 11    Cav — D 

Ginger,  George — F — 11   Cav — k  Orange  '62 

Ginger,  Frank — Grays — D 

Ginger,    Samuel — Grays — Warm   Springs 

Cladwell,  John— G— 11  Cav  — D 

Glendy,  R.  G.*— G— 11   Cav —4th  Sergt— D 

Glendy,  Thomas— G— 11   Cav—  D 

Glendy,  John— G — 11  Cav  — D 

Glendy,   Benjamin — G — 11   Cav 

Gordon,  James  W. — ukn 

Green,   B.  W. — Grays — ukn 

Green,  William— G — 11   Cav  — k  Upperville  '63 

Gross,   Henry — F — 11    Cav    k  Wilderness  '64 

Gross,  William  A.— >D 

Groves,  John,  Jr. — K — 52 

Gwin,  J.  S.— F— 11  Cav 

Gwin,   James  K.   P.— F— 11    Cav— D 

Gwin,   William— F— 11    Cav— d.   diphtheria 


156  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Hamilton,   Charles* — F — '11   Cav — k   Edinburg  '62 
Hamilton,  Joseph  E.* — F — 11  Cav — D 
Hamilton,  John  A. — F — 11   Cal — Rockbridge  Co. 
Hamilton,   Charles   B. — K — 52 
Hamilton,  C.  A.— K— 52 
Harouff,  James — Grays — D 
Harris,  William — 'Grays 

Haynes,  — Grays 

Heffner,  Zebulon — K — 52 

Hickman,  L.— F— 11   Cav—  D 

Hicks,  William  E.— D 

Hite,  Allen— 'D 

Hively,   Thomas — G — 11    Cav — d,   home 

Hively,  George  W.— K— 52— D 

Hodge,  James,  W.  D.— F— 11  Cav  — D 

Hodge,  Joseph — Grays — D 

Hodge,   Reuben — 'D 

Hodge,   William — Deerfield 

Hoover,  John  A. — K — 52 — D 

Hoover,  Jacob  A.— K— 52— D 

Hoover,   William  A.— K— 52— 3d.   Sergt— D 

Hoover,   Samuel— K— 52— 2d.  Corp  — D 

Hoover,  David— G— 11  Cav  — D 

Hopkins,   W.   H—  G — 11   Cav— 1st.   Sergt— wd    Upperville,   '63— D 

Hughart,  Charles  A.— K— 52— D 

Hughart,   Robert — Grays — D 

Husk,  Thomas  R—  C— 11   Cav—  ukn 

Huzer,  William  J.— K— 52— ukn 

Jack,  David — Grays — D 

Jack,  William,  Z.  B.— K— 52— D 

Jack,  John  H.— K— 52— D 

Jackson,  George — ukn 

Jackson,   Peyton — G — 11   Cav — Richmond 

Johnson,  — G — 11   Cav 

Jordan,  James — F — 11   Cav 

Jordan,  John— F— 11   Cav— D 

Jordan,    William— F— 11    Cav  — D 

Jordan,  William  D. — Grays 

Jordan,  William  C.  S. — Grays — D 

Karnes,   William   H.— G— 11    Cav  — wd.  Brandy,  '63— D 

Keatz,  John — ukn. 

Keizer,   Marshall   D.— K— 52 

Keizer,   H.   G.— K— 52 

Kenny,   James — Grays — D 

Keyser,  James — F — 11  Cav. — D 

Keyser,  D.  W.  C— F— 11  Cav  — D 


ROSTER  OF  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS  157 

Keyser,  Hezekiah* — F — 11   Cav 

Kincaid,  Thomas  M.— K— 52— D 

Kincaid,  Floyd — D 

Kincaid,  James   N. — D 

Kincaid,  Joseph  B.*— G— 11  Cav  — D 

Kirpatrick,  William,  R  —  K— 52 

Kirkpatrick,  C.  T.— Bolar 

Lair,  John — D 

Landes,  Joseph — F — 11  Cav 

Landes,  James 

Lange,  Henry — G — 11  Cav — k  Edinburg,  '62 

Lange,  William — unk 

Lange,  John — G — 11   Cav 

Law,  Aaron — F — 11  Cav — k  Wilderness,  '64 

Law,  James — G — 11  Cav — D 

Law  Benjamin  H. — G — 11  Cav — McClung 

Law,   Stephen — G — 11    Cav — D 

Lawrence,  William — Grays 

Lewisi  Jasper  C* — G — 11  Cav — 2d  Sergt — Green  Valley 

Lindsay,  John  A.— K— 52— 2d  Lt 

Lindsay,  William 

Lindsay,  R.  D.— ?— 18  Cav— McClung 

Lindsay,  Paul — D 

Linkswiler,  Joseph — K — 52 — D 

Linkswiler,  James — K — 52 — D 

Liptrap,  David — K — 52 

Loan,  Samuel — K — 52 — D 

Lockridge,  Cooper* — G — 11  Cav — D 

Lockridge,  Jacob 

Lockridge,  David — F — 11   Cav — 2d  Sergt — wd — d,   home 

Lockridge,  L.— Churchville— F— 11   Cav— D 

Lockridge,  John  W.— G— 11  Cav— D 

Lockridge,  Andrew  J. —  ? — 31 — D 

Lockridge,  Lewis  C. — Grays — D 

Lockridge,  William — D 

Lowman,  James  D. — G — 11  Cav — D 

Lyle,  William  A.— K— 52— D 

Lyle,  John — Grays — D 

Lyle,  Samuel — Grays 

Lyle,  Benjamin  F. —  ? — 18  Cav 

Marshall,  J.  M.— D 

Marshall,   William — Grays 

Martin,  W.  A.— F— 11   Cav 

Matheny,    Oliver   T. — Gray9 — D 

Mayse,   Allen— G — 11   Cav— D 

Mayse,  Thomas — G — 11  Cav — D 


158  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Mayse,  Joseph*— G — 11   Cav — 1st  Lt — D 

Mayse,  Charles  F. — G — 11  Cav — Fort  Lewis 

Mayse,  Dr.  George — G — 11  Cav 

Mayse,  Anderson — F — 11  Cav — D 

McAllister,   John   W. — McClung 

McChesney,  A.  G. — F — 11  Cav— »Capt — resigned,  '63 — D 

McClintic,  W.  S.— G— 11   Cav— D 

McClintic,  Adam  A.*— G — 11  Cav— k,  Cedar  Creek,  '64- 

McClintic,  Robert  S. — G — 11   Cav — k,  Patterson's  Creek 

McClintic,  A.  B—  G— 11  Cav— D 

McClintic,  John— F— 11   Cav— D 

McClintic,  James — K — 52 — D 

McClintic,  Henry— F— 11  Cav— 1st  Lt— D 

McClintic,  A.  M.— G — 11  Cav— 2d  Lt— wd  and  cp,  '62— D 

McClintic,  G.  T.— G— 11   Cav— 3d   Sergt— Tex. 

McClung,  W.  T.—K— 52— McClung 

McClung,   John — Grays — D 

McCray,  William — Grays — Hot  Springs 

McDannald,  William  C.*— F— 11  Cav— D 

McDannald,   George  W—  F— 11    Cav 

McDannald,  J.  P.— F— 11  Cav— Qmr  Sergt— D 

McDannald,  S.  Crockett* — G — 11  Cav — d,  disease,  '62 

McDannald,  W.  K.— G— 11   Cav— D 

McElwee,   John— F— 11    Cav— d,   '64 

McEIwee,  Francis — F — 11   Cav 

McElwee,  William  D. — Grays   (?) 

McElwee,  "Bud"— F— 11   Cav 

McElwee,  Divis — F — 11  Cav 

McElwee,  Bernard  F—  F— 11   Cav 

McGuffin,  James — F — 11   Cav — 2d  Lt — resigned,  '62— <D 

McMath,  Samuel— G — 11   Cav— D 

McMullen,  John— K— 52 

Miller,  John   M—  K— 52 

Miller,  Andrew* 

Moffett,  W.  B.— F— 11  Cav 

Moore,  W.  H—  F— 11  Cav 

Moore,  — Grays 

Morris,  Joseph 

Mustoe,  M— F— 11  Cav— 3d  Corp— D 

Mustoe,  George — F — 11  Cav — O 

Neff,  Allen— ?— 18  Cav— D 

Oliver,  C.  H.— G— 11  Cav 

Oliver,  Charles — Grays 

Oliver,  Joseph— G— 11  Cav— k  (?) 

O'Mara,  James— F— 11  Cav— D 

Painter,  Alexander — Grays 


ROSTER  OF  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS 

Painter,  James— Grays— D 

Painturff,  J.  H.— F— 11  Cav 

Palmer,  George— Grays 

Payne,  Charles— G — 11   Cav 

Payne,    George — D 

Payne,  Lewis— F— 11  Cav^th  Corp— cp,  Darkesville,  '62 

Payne,  W.  G.— F— 11  Cav— 2d  Corp— Charlottesville 

Payne,   William  H.*— F— 11   Cav— Alderson,   W.   Va. 

Payne,  J.  E.— F— 11  Cav— 'Warm  Springs 

Phillips,  Wiliam*— G— 11  Cav 

Phillips,  Thomas*— G— 11   Cav 

Porter,  Andrew  S.— F— 11  Cav— wd— D 

Price,  Henry— F— 11   Cav— D 

Pritt,  James — K — 52 

Propst,  James — D 

Putnam,  Albert — D 

Putnam,  Samuel — Grays — D 

Ratcliff,  Warwick  C— K— 52— D 

Ratcliff,  James  P.— K— >52— D 

Ratcliff,  William— Grays— D 

Ratcliff,  — Grays— D 

Ray,  J.  Shaw— D 

Ray,  Thomas  T—  Grays— D 

Rider,  Jacob  M.— K-»52— D 

Ritchie,  William*— G— 11   Cav— D 

Ritchie,  Joseph — G — 11  Cav 

Rithway,  William — D 

Rogers,  Stephen — G — 11  Cav 

Rogers,  J.  H. 

Rosser,  John — F — 11   Cav — k,   Wilderness,   '64 

Rourke,  Charles  K.  S.— K— 52— D 

Rowe,  John  A. — D 

Rucker,  — Grays — D 

Shelton,  Thomas  A.— K— 52— D 

Shultz,  John— F— 11  Cav— D 

Shumate,  John  R. — G — 11  Cav 

Shumate,  William  H.*— D 

Silver,  Joseph— F— 11  Cav— Color  Sergt— k,  Cedar  Creek,  '64 

Simpson,  George — G — 11  Cav — D 

Simpson,  John  F. — G — 11   Cav — D 

Simpson,  William — G — 11   Cav — Millboro  Springs 

Simpson,  Michael— K — 52 

Sittlington,  Alexander  H—  F— 11  Cav— D 

Sively,  George  L.— F— 11  Cav— D 

Smith,  John— K— 52 

Smith,  James  M.— K— 52— d,  '62 


159 


160  ANNALS  OF  BATH  COUNTY 

Smith,  James— 'G— 11  Cav— D 

Smith,  Charles— G— 11   Cav— D 

Smith,   Stewart — G — 11    Cav — wd — Millboro 

Smith,  James— F— 11  Cav— d,  '63 

Snead,  Anthony— K— '52— 4th  Corp— D 

Snead,   William — F — 11   Cav 

Snead,  Robert  V.— F— 11   Cav— D 

Snead,  Samuel — K — 52 — D 

Snead,  John — K — 52 — D 

Sprouse,   William — Grays — D 

Sprouse,  Walker— K— 52— D 

Stewart,  James  H.— F— 11  Cav— D,  1894 

Stinespring,  James — Grays — 'D 

Stinespring,  Jonathan — D 

Surber,  M.  P.— F— 11  Cav— cp,  '62 

Swartz,  John — G — 11   Cav 

Swartz,   Samuel   R. — F — 11    Cav — cp,   Darkesville,   '62 — D 

Swartz,  Lewis  R.— >F— 11   Cav— cp,  Darkesville,  '62— D 

Swearingen,  James  N. — K — 52 — D 

Swearingen,   William — Grays — D 

Taylor,  Almond  S.*— G— 11  Cav— D 

Thomas,  Charles — F — 11  Cav — Augusta  Co. 

Thomas,  Charles  A.* — G — 11   Cav — Hot  Springs 

Thomas,  David — F — 11  Cav 

Thomas,  George — F — 11   Cav — D 

Thomas,  Jacob — G — 11   Cav — k,  Wilderness,  '64 

Thomas,  John  J. — K — 52 

Thomas,  John  M. — Grays 

Thomas,  Samuel  B.* — F — 11  Cav — D 

Thompson,  Benjamin — G — 11   Cav — k,  Wilderness,   '64 

Thompson,   Charles* — G — 11    Cav — D 

Thompson,  George — G — 11  Cav — D 

Thompson,  Henry — F — 11  Cav 

Thompson,  Mason — G — 11  Cav — d,  home 

Thompson,  William* — G — 11   Cav — 1st  Corp — k,   Orange,   '62 

Tinsley,  James — F — 11   Cav 

Tinsley,  William  H.— F— 11  Cav— cp,  '62 

True,  Thomas — G — 11  Cav — D 

Tuning,   Benjamin — Grays 

Tyree,  Larkin  B.— K— 52 

Tyree,  W.  W. 

Vance,  Charles — Grays — D 

Venable,   William   G— k   Cedar  Run   '62 

Vess,   George   W.— K— 52— k   Cedar   Run   '62 

Vess,  Jacob — Grays — D 

Wallace,    Andrew — G — 11    Ca^ — mt    Wd — Patterson's    Creek 


ROSTER  OF  CONFEDERATE  SOLDIERS  161 

Wallace,  Christopher  R.*— F— 11  Cav— D 

Wallace,  John  S. — Sunrise 

Wallace,  M.  W.— 11  Cav— 3d  Corp — cp,  Darkesville— d,  Camp  Chase  '62 

Wallace,   William   H. — Lewiston,   Wash. 

Walton,  Benjamin  F. — K — 52 — Capt — mstwd  Port  Republic  '62 

Walton,  John  A.— K— 52— k,  Port  Republic,   '62 

Walton,  Thomas— F— 11  Cav— K 

Ware,  A.  J—  F— 11  Cav— Capt— D— 1898 

Warwick,  John  A.*— G— 11  Cav— 3d  Lt— D,  1900 

Warwick,  J.  W.,  Jr.— G — 11   Cav— Hot  Springs 

Wilfong,  Jacob— F— 11  Cav— Hot  Springs 

Wilkenson,  James— 'F — 11   Cav — D 

Wilkenson,    Robert — G — 11    Cav — Warm    Springs 

Williams,  Anthony  M.* — G — 11  Cav 

Williams,  Charles — Grays — D 

Williams,  E.  B.— F— 11  Cav— 1st  Corp— cp  '62 

Williams,  Erasmus  F.*— >G — 11   Cav— Hot  Springs 

Williams,   Harry— G— 11    Cav 

Williams,  James* — G — 11    Cav 

Williams,  Lewis   H.*— G— 11   Cav 

Williams,  Thomas — K — 52 

Williams,  T.  J.— F— 11  Cav— 'Healing  Springs 

Wilson,   William— K— 52 

Windom,  John — F — 11   Cav 

Windom,  Charles  W.— K— 52 

Wine,  Robert  E. 

Withrow,  Jacob  E.— 'G— 11   Cav 

Witt,  J.  J. 

Wood,  P.  A.— F— 11  Cav— d,  prison 

Wood,  Frank — Grays — d,   prison 

Woodzell,  William — G — 11   Cav — Warm  Springs 

Woodzell,   George— K— 52 

Woodzell,  Benjamin — Grays — D 

Wright,  John — Grays 


XXI 

CLOVERDALE 

N  THE  northeast  of  Bath  is  the  elevated,  fertile  valley 
lying  between  Walker's  and  Shenandoah  mountains. 
The  summers  are  cool,  the  scenery  is  attractive,  the  graz- 
ing is  superior.  The  position  is  on  the  natural  route 
used  by  the  Harrisonburg  and  Warm  Springs  Turnpike.  The  tim- 
bered mountains,  containing  deposits  of  iron  ore,  give  the  locality  a 
prospective  industrial  importance.  Last,  but  not  least,  this  belt  of  up- 
land, known  as  Cloverdale,  or  the  Wilderness,  is  associated  with  some 
interesting  events  in  American  history. 

John  Mathews,  an  immigrant  from  Ulster,  settled  about  1742 
in  Rockbridge  County  a  little  above  Balcony  Falls.  Of  his  ten  chil- 
dren Sampson  and  George  acquired  fame  and  fortune.  When  only 
about  twenty-one  years  old,  Sampson  was  a  reader  in  the  "chapel  of 
care"  near  his  father's  home.  His  services  were  discontinued  in  1759 
owing  to  the  partial  depopulation  of  the  neighborhood  as  a  result  of 
the  Indian  war.  In  1762,  or  perhaps  earlier,  these  brothers  went 
into  the  mercantile  business  at  Staunton.  Their  store,  which  was  at 
the  northeast  corner  of  Beverly  and  Augusta  streets,  seems  to  have 
been  on  the  lot  which  they  purchased  in  1760  for  $100.  Their  busi- 
ness prospered  and  they  opened  stores  at  other  points.  With  Jacob 
Lockhart  as  a  partner  they  conducted  one  at  Lexngton.  They  also 
acquired  considerable  land.  In  1765  they  bought  a  large  tract  near 
Staunton  between  the  famous  hills  known  as  Betsy  Bell  and  Mary 
Gray.  In  the  same  year  they  purchased  1200  acres  on  Elk  Run,  this 
being  the  starting-point  of  their  Cloverdale  estate.  The  price  was 
61  cents  an  acre.  Five  years  later  they  patented  2080  acres  adjacent. 
They  also  owned  several  small  tracts  on  the  Cowpasture. 

Like  most  Virginians  of  the  time  previous  to  the  war  of  1861, 
Sampson  and  George  Mathews  preferred  the  country  to  the  town. 
They  at  length  made  their  home  on  the  Cloverdale  purchase,  George 
styling  his  residence  "Market  Hill."  He  lived  here  until  1785. 
Sampson  removed  to  Augusta  in  1791.  A  little  before  the  outbreak 
of  the  Revolution  in  1775  the  brothers  built  a  store  at  Cloverdale. 


CLOVERDALE  163 

Their  success  in  business  demonstrated  their  executive  ability.  Be- 
ing also  of  great  energy  and  influence,  they  were  drawn  irresistibly 
into  public  and  military  life.  Sampson  was  nominated  for  a  seat  on 
the  county  court  in  1765,  when  he  could  not  have  been  more  than 
twenty-eight  years  old.  He  was  by  this  time  the  proprietor  of  the  most 
fashionable  of  the  hostelries  at  Staunton.  George  was  likewise  a 
member  of  the  court  and  in  1770  was  sheriff  of  Augusta.  In  1776 
he  represented  the  county  in  the  House  of  Burgesses. 

In  the  Point  Pleasant  campaign,  Sampson  Mathews  had  charge 
of  the  commissary  department  of  the  army  under  Lewis.  As  a  colo- 
nel of  militia  he  saw  active  service  in  the  war  for  American  Inde- 
pendence. In  July,  1781,  he  was  quelling  the  tory  organization  of  Wil- 
liam Ward  in  Pendleton.  A  little  later  he  was  leading  his  regiment 
in  the  Yorktown  campaign.  In  the  preceding  year  he  was  a  member 
of  the  State  Senate.  He  favored  the  formation  of  Bath  and  took  an 
active  part  in  its  organization.  He  died  in  Augusta  in  1807  at  the 
age  pf  about  seventy.  His  first  wife,  to  whom  he  was  married  in 
1759,  was  Mary,  a  sister  to  his  partner,  Jacob  Lockhart.  Other 
sisters  were  the  wives  of  Matthew  Arbuckle  and  William  Ward  of 
Greenbrier.  The  last  wife  was  Mary,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Warwick. 
His  sons  identified  themselves  with  Greenbrier  County.  It  is  curious 
to  note  that  in  spite  of  the  services  of  Colonel  Mathews  he  was  so  lax 
in  the  matter  of  intoxicants  as  to  expose  himself  to  the  action  of  the 
grand  jury  by  selling  them  contrary  to  the  regulations  of  law. 

The  following  is  one  of  his  official  letters  during  the  Revolution: 

Cloverdale  26th  Sep  1781 
Sir 

I  Reed  your  Excellencys  favor  (of  the  14th  Instant)  on  the  24th  I 
have  ordered  200  beef  Cattle  &  30  Waggons  Loaded  with  stores  &  Spirits 
to  be  at  Colo  Esoms  ordinary  on  Saturday  the  6th  nex  month  &  So  proceed 
with  all  Expedition  To  the  army  &  Expect  at  Least  150  or  160  head  of 
Cattle  &  20  or  25  Waggons  will  at  that  Time  make  their  appearance 

I  also  will  forward  in  about  5  Days  after  80  or  100  cattle  &  5  or  6 
waggons,  which  will  be  the  whole  that  Posibly  can  be  furnished  from  ye 
County.     I  have  the  honor  to  be  with  Much  Esteem  &  Respect 

Your  Excellencys 

obt  humbl  Servt 

Samp  Mathews 

It  was  the  younger  brother,  George,  who  became  the  more  prom- 


164  ANNALS   OF    BATH   COUNTY 

inent  man.  When  only  twenty-two  years  old  he  led  a  band  against 
the  Indians  and  was  victor  in  a  sharp  skirmish,  the  foe  losing  nine 
of  their  number,  against  three  on  his  own  side.  In  the  Point  Pleasant 
campaign  he  commanded  a  company  under  Colonel  Charles  Lewis. 
Not  one  of  his  60  men  was  under  six  feet  in  height,  and  many  stood 
six  feet  two  inches.  It  was  these  husky  fellows  who  helped  to  decide 
the  day  at  Point  Pleasant.  His  company  was  one  of  the  three  that 
turned  the  flank  of  Cornstalk's  line  and  caused  the  Indians  to  think 
the  Fincastle  regiment  had  come  to  the  rescue. 

Soon  after  the  Revolution  broke  out,  George  Mathews  was  made 
lieutenant  colonel  of  the  Ninth  Virginia  Regment  of  the  Continental 
Line.  For  a  while  he  was  stationed  east  of  the  Chesapeake.  He 
then  joined  the  army  under  Washington  and  in  February,  1777,  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  At  Germantown,  his  regiment,  400 
strong,  was  a  part  of  the  left  wing  under  General  Greene.  This 
able  leader  had  turned  the  British  right,  and  the  Americans  were  on 
the  point  of  gaining  a  complete  victory,  when  a  thick  fog  settled, over 
the  field.  In  the  confusion  that  followed,  the  "tall  Virginians"  of 
Mathews  were  outflanked,  but  did  not  surrender  until  reduced  to  the 
equivalent  of  a  single  company.  Colonel  Mathews  received  several 
wounds  in  this  battle  and  was  not  exchanged  until  December,  1781. 
His  health  being  somewhat  impaired  by  his  long  captivity,  he  re- 
tired to  Market  Hill  to  provide  for  the  needs  of  his  large  family. 
General  Greene,  who  put  a  high  estimate  on  his  ability,  importuned 
him  to  join  the  army  in  the  South.  Mathews  at  first  demurred.  He 
wrote  Greene  that  he  had  been  in  easy  circumstances  when  the  war  be- 
gan, but  was  now  "with  care  &  rigid  economy  endavoring  to  pre- 
sarve  from  rail  want  a  wife  and  eight  helpless  children."  But  he 
yielded  to  Greene's  wishes  and  took  command  of  the  Third  Virginia 
Regiment.  When  the  British  evacuated  Charleston  in  1782,  he  had 
the  satisfaction  of  turning  the  tables  on  his  late  captors  by  riding  into 
the  city  by  the  side  of  his  commander-in-chief. 

The  visit  to  the  South  led  to  his  removal  to  Georgia  in  1785.  As 
a  representative  from  his  adopted  state  he  sat  in  the  First  Congress, 
1789-91.  He  was  governor  of  Georgia  in  1787-8  and  again  in  1793- 
6.  He  was  also  a  member  of  its  first  constitutional  convention.  Dur- 
ing hs  second  term  as  governor,  Mathews  signed  very  reluctantly  and 
under  pressure  the  charter  of  the  Yazoo  company  to  lands  in  what 


CLOVERDALE  165 

is  now  Alabama  and  Mississippi.  But  the  concern  was  fraudulent 
and  shares  of  its  stock  were  distributed  among  members  of  the  leg- 
islature to  influence  their  votes.  After  a  hot  fight  the  graft  was  ex- 
posed and  came  to  grief.  The  governor  was  not  designedly  a  party 
to  what  went  into  history  as  the  "Yazoo  land  steal,"  and  did  not  line 
his  own  pockets  through  its  corruption.  But  his  popularity  was  tem- 
porarily eclipsed.  John  Adams  nominated  him  for  the  governorship 
of  Mississippi  Territory,  but  withdrew  his  name  owing  to  the  re- 
luctance of  the  senate.  Mathews  was  so  angry  that  he  rode  horse- 
back to  Philadelphia,  strode  into  the  president's  room  wearing  his  old 
sword  and  his  three-cocked  hat,  and  gave  the  first  magistrate  of  the 
land  a  a  "tongue  lashing."  But  as  he  was  a  Federalist,  like  Adams 
himself,  he  was  soon  pacified. 

At  the  outset  of  the  war  of  1812,  Mathews  was  a  brigadier  gen- 
eral of  militia  and  was  stationed  on  the  frontier  of  Florida,  then  under 
the  ownership  of  Spain.  He  was  also  appointed  one  of  two  commis- 
sioners to  receive  Florida,  if  offered  to  the  United  States,  or  to  seize 
it  if  any  third  power  attempted  to  do  so.  Mathews  was  an  expan- 
sionist and  believed  in  taking  over  the  peninsula.  He  abetted  the  in- 
surgents in  Florida,  occupied  the  fort  on  Amelia  Island,  put  out  the 
Spanish  officials,  and  raised  the  American  flag.  Spain  remonstrated 
at  what  was  technically  a  breach  of  international  law,  and  as  the  ad- 
ministration did  not  choose  to  incur  the  risk  of  fighting  two  enemies 
at  the  same  time,  Mathews  was  removed.  He  was  on  his  way  to 
Washington  to  talk  to  Madison  as  he  had  talked  to  Adams,  but  was 
taken  ill  at  Savannah  and  died  there  in  1812  at  the  age  of  73. 

General  Mathews  was  a  short,  heavily  built  man,  with  a  florid 
face  and  light  red  hair.  He  walked  very  erect  with  his  head  thrown 
back.  He  was  of  eccentric  manner  and  very  positive  convictions,  not 
conceding  that  any  man  was  his  superior  except  Washington  himself. 
He  was  married  in  1762  to  Ann  Paul.  Two  of  his  sons  were  given 
land  in  Ohio  and  two  daughters  had  lands  in  Kentucky. 

According  to  some  authorities,  Mathews  County,  Virginia,  was 
named  for  George  Mathews. 

In  the  year  of  his  return  to  Augusta,  Sampson  Mathews  mort- 
gaged the  Cloverdale  tract  of  2080  acres  to  Gabriel  Jones,  a  once 
famous  lawyer  who  lived  near  Port  Republic.     Shortly  afterward  a 


166  ANNALS   OF    BATH    COUNTY 

portion  was  conveyed  to  Samuel  Blackburn  and  the  remainder  to 
other  persons. 

General  Blackburn,  who  married  Anne,  a  daughter  of  George 
Mathews,  in  1785,  was  born  about  1758  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1796.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Liberty  Hall  Academy — now 
Washington  and  Lee  University — and  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution. 
He  went  first  to  Kentucky  and  then  to  Georgia,  to  practice  law,  but 
the  clamor  against  his  father-in-law  caused  him  to  leave  the  latter 
state  in  disgust.  He  returned  to  Virginia  and  built  the  old  brick 
mansion  on  what  is  now  called  the  "Wilderness"  property.  In  1824 
he  had  1000  acres  under  cultivation.  Blackburn  was  an  orator  and 
a  criminal  lawyer  of  repute.  While  sitting  in  the  General  Assembly 
he  secured  the  passage  of  an  anti-duelling  law.  In  politics  he  was  a 
Federalist.  He  died  in  1835,  freeing  his  40  slaves  by  will  and  giving 
$500  to  the  Staunton  Bible  Society.  There  were  no  children  and  the 
estate  fell  into  neglect. 

John  Kephart  had  been  a  lessee  of  Cloverdale  in  1789.  The  prop- 
erty at  length  passed  into  the  hands  of  Louis  C.  Barley,  of  Alexan- 
dria, who  has  acquired  mountain  lands  adjacent  until  his  holdings 
aggregate  47,000  acres. 

Judge  Barley  is  a  great  friend  to  industrial  development  and  has 
put  himself  to  much  effort  in  the  way  of  developing  the  natural  re- 
sources of  Bath.  It  is  through  his  exertions  that  a  railroad  spur  has 
been  built  up  Mill  Creek  to  afford  an  outlet  for  the  millions  of  feet  of 
merchantable  lumber  on  the  mountain  sides.  There  is  a  reasonable 
hope  that  this  beginning  will  lead  to  a  permanent  railroad.  This 
would  prove  of  much  moment  in  the  future  development  of  this  and 
nearby  counties. 


XXII 

THE  CALFPASTURE  VALLEY 

HOUGH  not  a  portion  of  Bath,  the  main  valley  of  the 
Calfpasture  is  closely  associated  with  this  county.  At  the 
time  of  early  settlement  it  was  undoubtedly  open  ground, 
and  was  shut  off  from  the  country  around  Staunton  by 
timbered  mountains.  Access  to  the  Cowpasture  was  rendered  easy  by 
Panther  Gap  and  by  the  great  depression  at  the  south  end  of  Shenan- 
doah Mountain.  Some  of  the  pioneers,  or  members  of  their  house- 
holds, speedily  began  to  move  in  this  direction,  thus  establishing  ties 
of  relationship  and  interest  with  the  people  of  Bath. 

The  valley  of  the  Little  Calfpasture  is  more  distinctly  a  part  of 
the  great  Valley  of  Virginia,  and  is  not  considered  in  the  present 
chapter.  On  the  other  hand,  Mill  Creek,  though  coursing  mainly 
in  Bath,  is  a  tributary  of  the  Great  Calfpasture.  Locally,  the  two 
Calfpasture  streams  are  known  as  Great  River  and  Little  River. 

Actual  settlement  on  Great  River  can  scarcely  have  begun  much 
earlier  than  1743.  The  author  of  Annals  of  Augusta  claims  that 
this  valley  was  settled  quite  as  early  as  the  district  around  Staunton, 
yet  offers  no  evidence  in  proof.  The  records  of  Augusta,  especially 
the  muster  rolls  of  1742,  do  not  support  the  statement. 

The  first  constables  were  Robert  Graham  and  William  Hodge, 
appointed  February  28,  1745.  William  Jameson  was  made  a  cap- 
tain the  same  year  to  succeed  Alexander  Dunlap,  appointed  in  Au- 
gust, 1743.     In  1744  Henry  Gay  was  made  a  lieutenant. 

Acting  under  an  order  of  council,  John  Lewis  and  James  Patton 
surveyed  in  1744  a  tract  nearly  fifteen  miles  long,  but  nowhere  more 
than  about  one  and  one-eighth  miles  broad.  Their  map  shows  it 
cross-sectioned  into  twenty-three  lots,  the  first  lying  where  Goshen 
now  stands  and  the  last  rather  to  the  north  of  Deerfield.  With  a 
single  exception,  every  lot  had  already  been  taken  by  some  settler. 
The  following  tabular  statement  shows  consecutively  the  number  of 
the  lot,  the  name  of  the  settler,  the  acreage,  the  purchase  price,  when 
stated  in  the  deed,  and  the  early  transfers  of  title.  In  those  in- 
stances where  the  deed  was  issued  to  some  other  individual  than  the 


168  ANNALS   OF    BATH   COUNTY 

original  settler,  the  name  is  given  in  brackets.    The  name  of  a  wife  is 
also  thus  given. 

1.  Alexander  Dunlap  (John  Dunlap)—  625— $68.69— 295  acres  sold  to 
Robert  Dunlap,  1761,  for  $333.33. 

2.  William  Jameson— 170— $20.87. 

3.  Thomas  Gilham— 168— $18.S6--sold,  1752,  by  Thomas  (Margaret) 
Gilham  to  James  Lockridge  for  same  price — resold,  1767,  by  John  Dicken- 
son to  William  Thompson  for  $200. 

4.  Robert  Crockett — 370 — $41.15 — sold,  1760,  by  pioneer's  sons: — James 
(Martha)  and  Robert,  Jr.  (Janet),  both  of  Mecklenburg  County,  N.  C,  to 
William  Thompson  for  $200—295  acres  sold  by  Thompson,  1767,  for  $166.67. 

5.  David  Davis — 290 — $29— *old,  1749,  by  Lewis  and  Patton  to  John 
Poage. 

6.  Thomas  Weems— 525— $31.10— sold,  1768,  by  Thomas  (Eleanor) 
Weems  to  William  Given  for  $723.33. 

7.  Henry  Gay — 694 — $33.39 — 100  acres  sold,  1769,  to  James  Frasier 
for  $33.33. 

8.  Francis  Donally— 266— $30.02. 

9.  Robert  Gay— 519— '$57.89. 

10.  Samuel   Hodge — 449— $47.97. 

11.  John  Miller— 316— $70.08— sold  by  John  (Ann)  Miller  to  John  Ram- 
say, 1757. 

12.  Loftus  Pullin— 252  (240?)— $26.92— sold  to  James  Shaw,  1760,  for 
$30— sold  by  Shaw  to  John  Ramsay,  1768,  for  $150. 

13.  Robert  Bratton— 834— $96.67 — +00  acres  sold  to  James  Bratton,  1771, 
for  $133.33. 

14.  James  Lockridge — 280 — ? — sold  by  James  (Isabella)  Lockridge  to 
Andrew  Lockridge,   1764,  for  $66.67. 

15.  John  Graham — 696 — $79.58 — 150  acres  sold  to  James  Graham  (son), 
1763,  for  $16.67. 

16.  Robert  Gwin — 544 — ? — sold  by  William  (Agnes)  Gwin  to  Robert 
Lockridge,  1766,  for  $575. 

17.  John  Preston— 1054— $31.15— 520  acres  sold  by  William  (Susanna) 
Preston  to  Mary  Preston,  1762,  for  $333.33.  The  same  sold  by  Mary  Pres- 
ton to  Robert  Lockridge,  1763,  for  $366.67. 

18.  William  Warrick— 1060— $118.67— sold,   1745,   to  John  Kincaid. 

19.  James  Carlile— 600— $65.39— 250  sold,  1753,  to  John  Carlile,  and 
sold  by  him,  1762,  to  Thomas  Hughart  for  $166.67—200  acres  sold  by  John 
(Mary)   Carlile  to  Thomas  Adams,  1796,  for  $391.67. 

20.  Jacob  Clements— 457— $51.67— 202  acres  sold,  1751.  by  Jacob  (Mary) 
Clements  to  John  Campbell  for  $66.67,  and  sold  by  John  (Ann)  Campbell, 
1768,   to   James   Carlile    for   $250. 

21.  John  Campbell— 308— $34.17— 208  acres  sold  by  Samuel  Campbell  to 
William  Lockridge,   1769,  for  $713.33. 

22.  James  Carter— 300— $33.38— sold  to  Robert  Gay,   1746. 

23.  John  Wilson— 600— $66. 


THE  CALFPASTURE  VALLEY  169 

Not  all  the  original  claimants  were  actual  settlers  on  the  survey, 
but  lived  on  the  Beverly  or  Borden  grants  and  took  lands  here  for 
speculation  or  for  their  sons.  This  seems  to  be  the  case  with  Crock- 
ett, Davis,  Donally,  Miller,  and  Preston.  Miller  is  named  as  a  res- 
ident of  Albemarle. 

The  first  deeds  were  issued  mainly  in  April  and  July,  1745,  and  in 
Orange  County.  Carlile,  Graham,  and  Weems  did  not  take  deeds 
until  1748. 

Mention  of  the  Calfpasture  families  in  general  is  given  in  a  later 
chapter.  Thomas  Adams  came  from  New  Kent  County  and  was  a 
local  magnate.  He  was  one  of  the  exceedingly  few  men  of  his  time 
to  own  a  "chariot."  By  his  will  he  freed  a  slave,  "as  there  is  no  man 
to  whom  I  consider  myself  under  greater  obligations  than  to  my  slave, 
Joe." 

James  Carter  was  a  millwright,  and  his  mill  is  named  in  early 
road  orders.  He  was  in  the  Carolinas  in  1748,  but  must  have  return- 
ed.   He  died  in  1768. 

The  Calfpasture  families  not  only  took  a  very  prominent  part  in 
settling  the  valleys  of  Bath  and  Highland,  and  afterward  those  of 
Greenbrier  and  Pocahontas,  but  they  helped  to  people  the  uplands 
of  the  Carolinas.  They  were  also  prompt  in  taking  a  share  in  the 
settling  of  Kentucky.  In  1779,  Captain  James  Gay  and  Alexander 
Dunlap,  Jr.,  headed  a  party  which  settled  in  the  blue-grass  region  of 
that  state  and  founded  Pisgah  church,  said  to  be  the  first  Presbyterian 
organization  in  Kentucky.  The  school  which  grew  up  by  the  side  of 
the  church  developed  into  Transylvania  University. 

Gay,  who  was  but  twenty-one  years  old  when  he  turned  west- 
ward, had  served  under  Andrew  Lockridge.  His  second  wife  was 
Elizabeth,  a  daughter  of  John  Dunlap.  He  was  himself  a  son  of 
James  Gay,  who  married  Jean  Warwick.  Alexander  Dunlap,  Jr., 
married  his  sister,  Agnes.  Major  Samuel  Stevenson,  whose  mother 
was  a  daughter  of  John  Warwick,  was  a  third  member  of  the  emi- 
grating party,  and  he  also  wedded  a  Gay.  Thus  the  Gays,  Dunlaps, 
and  Stevensons,  as  well  as  the  Hamiltons,  Kinkeads,  Warwicks,  and 
other  Calfpasture  families,  have  gained  both  affluence  and  prominence 
in  the  Bluegrass  State  and  other  commonwealths  of  the  Great  West. 
A  Warwick  gave  his  name  in  a  changed  spelling  to  Warrick  County, 
Indiana.      Lieutenant-Governor  Walkup,  of   California,   was   a  de- 


170 


ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 


scendant  of  Captain  John  Walkup,  who  came  to  the  Calfpasture 
about  1760. 

So  great  was  this  exodus  that  in  time  it  nearly  extinguished  the 
Calfpasture  surnames  of  the  Revolutionary  period. 

Because  of  the  homogeneity  between  the  early  populations  of  Bath 
and  the  Calfpasture,  there  were  many  persons  who  thought  the  latter 
region  should  be  included  in  the  new  county.  Geographic  considera- 
tions appeared  to  link  it  with  Bath  rather  than  Augusta.  But  there 
was  a  difference  of  opinion  on  this  matter  among  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Calfpasture  itself,  and  the  stronger  voice  prevailed. 

Rocky  Spring  church  was  built  on  an  acre  deeded  in  1773  by 
Andrew  Kincaid,  Jr.,  to  the  "trustees  of  a  congregation  of  dissent- 
ers." These  trustees  were  James  Bratton,  Lancelot  Graham,  Andrew- 
Hamilton,  Thomas  Hughart,  William  Kincaid,  and  Andrew  Lock- 
ridge. 

It  seems  to  have  been  on  the  Calfpasture  that  Charles  Knight 
was  to  have  $60  for  teaching  one  year,  every  half  Saturday  or  every 
other  Saturday  to  be  free  time.  In  case  of  an  Indian  alarm  Knight 
was  to  have  the  privilege  of  being  lodged  in  the  neighborhood. 

The  names  below  are  appended  to  a  petition  of  May  27,  1779. 
The  signers  are  not  in  favor  of  being  included  in  a  new  county  lying 
mainly  to  the  west  of  Shenandoah  Mountain : 


Armstrong,   Archible 
Armstrong,  John 
Armstrong,  Thomas 
Armstrong,    William 
Bell,    John 
Black,   John  (1) 

Black,   John  (2) 

Bratton,  Adam 
Bratton,    Robert 
Byrnes,  John 
Carlisle,   James 
Carlisle,   John 
Cashader,   Micol 
Clark,  James 
Davis.   Charles 
Divet,    Tolly 
Elliot,    John 
Fortner,   William 
Fulton,   James 
Fulton,   John 
Fulton,  Thomas 


Gay.    William 
Griffith,   James 
Graham,  John 
Graham,  John 
Graham,   William 
Gwin,  Robert   (1) 
Gwin,  Robert   (2) 
Hamilton,    Alexander 
Hamilton,  Andrew 
Henderson,  James 
Henry,   James 
Hoge,    John 
Kinkead,    David 
Kinkead.   John 
Kinkead,  Thomas    (1) 
Kinkead,  Thomas   (2) 
Kinkead,  William 
Martin,  Samuel 
Martin,  William 
Marton,  John 
McCutchen,   John 


McCutchen,  Joseph 
McCutchen,    Robert 
McCutchen,   William 
Meek,   Daniel 
Meek,   John 
Meek,   Samuel 
Meek,   Thomas 
Moorhead,  Matthew 
Plunkett,    John 
Ramsay,   John 
Reagh,  James 
Right,    William 
Stewart,   Alexander 
Vacob,    Joseph 
Vachub,    Matthew 
Vachube,    John 
Vachube,    Robert 
Walker,    John 
White,    Archible 
Wright,    John 


THE  CALFPASTURE  VALLEY 


171 


Additional  Names  on  an  Undated  Petition. 


Aikman,    William 
Armstrong,    W.    M. 
Barker,   Edward 
Berry,   James 
Butler,    Patrick 
Carson,  Thomas 
Craig,  Alexander 
Craig,    James 


Craig,    William 
Hodge,   Andrew 
Jones,    William 
Lockridge,    John 
Lockridge.  Samuel 
McConnell,    Alexr 
McNight,    Tadey 
McCutchen,   James 


Montgomery,  John 
Mongomery,  John 
Meteer,    William 
Moor,    William 
Page,   James 
Peery,    James 
Thompson,   Alexander 
Youll,    William 


XXIII 

THE  BATH  OF  TODAY 

HERE  are  really  two  Bath  Counties  in  Virginia.  They 
occupy  the  same  geographic  area,  but  are  very  unlike 
one  another. 

There  is  first  the  old  Bath,  given  to  agriculture  and 
stockraising,  and  peopled  by  the  descendants  of  the  pioneers  and  the 
later  comers.  Since  the  war  of  1861  its  advance  has  been  at  a  leisure- 
ly pace,  such  innovations  as  modern  farm  machinery,  the  silo,  the 
telephone,  and  the  automobile  being  primarily  due  to  influences  from 
without.  Toward  the  other  Bath,  its  attitude  is  very  much  that  of 
a  spectator.  In  some  measure  the  old  Bath  is  directly  or  indirectly 
supported  by  the  other,  but  between  them  there  is  in  the  nature  of  the 
case  but  little  community  of  feeling. 

There  is  second  the  tourist  Bath,  created  by  the  mineral  springs, 
the  mountain  climate,  and  the  shortness  of  time  in  which  it  may  be 
reached  from  the  great  centers  of  American  population.  This  Bath  is 
largely  though  not  wholly  localized  in  Warm  Springs  valley.  The 
characteristic  human  element  in  the  tourist  Bath  is  the  throng  of  vis- 
itors, most  numerous  in  spring  and  fall.  To  these  must  be  added  the 
families  who  have  built  mansions  or  cottages,  so  as  to  make  this  valley 
an  adjunct  home.  And  as  a  great  share  of  the  inflow  is  from  the  city 
of  New  York,  distant  only  a  night's  journey  by  the  express  train,  it 
is  hardly  an  exaggeration  to  call  Hot  Springs  a  detached  suburb  of 
the  great  American  metropolis.  The  people  who  frequent  the  hos- 
telries  of  Warm  Springs  valley  are  mainly  of  the  wealthy  and  exclu- 
sive classes.  It  is  thus  that  between  them  and  the  native  element, 
save  in  exceptional  instances,  there  can  be  little  in  common.  Each 
Bath  lives  to  itself. 

Dependent  on  and  called  into  being  by  the  tourist  Bath  is  a  third 
population  which  is  characteristically  a  labor  class.  This  element  is 
quite  considerable  in  number  and  quite  varied  in  composition.  It  is 
largely  derived  from  without  the  county,  and  in  a  great  degree  it  is 
concentrated  in  Warm  Springs  valley.  This  class  has  had  much  to 
do  with  the  steady  increase  of  the  total  population.     To  the  north  is 


THE   BATH  OF   TODAY  173 

Highland  with  an  almost  exclusive  agricultural  interest  and  a  slowly 
declining  population.  To  the  south  is  Alleghany,  where  a  diversified 
industrial  interest  heavily  dominates,  and  because  of  which  the  aggre- 
gate population  tends  to  increase. 

The  visitor  who  makes  a  comprehensive  tour  of  Bath  is  struck  by 
the  seeming  smallness  of  the  number  of  people  on  the  farms,  and  by 
the  large  areas  of  hill  and  mountain  which  remain  very  nearly  as 
much  a  wilderness  as  they  were  when  the  first  pathfinders  arrived. 
The  river-bottom  lands  have  been  continuously  occupied  since  the 
dawn  of  settlement.  Not  a  few  of  the  holdings  are  owned  by  progres- 
sive farmers  and  are  valuable  properties.  But  the  natural  increase  in 
population  has  ever  been  much  more  inclined  to  migrate  to  newer  re- 
gions than  to  reduce  to  tillage  the  much  inferior  uplands.  No  large 
inroad  has  been  made  into  these,  and  on  some  roads  one  may  travel 
several  miles  without  passing  a  house.  The  imperfect  railroad  fa- 
cilities are  somewhat  adverse  to  intensive  farming,  which  has  the  ef- 
fect of  arresting  the  decline  in  population  of  strictly  rural  communities. 
Yet  there  is  an  increased  demand  for  the  minor  products  of  the  farm, 
and  a  beginnig  has  been  made  in  commercial  orcharding. 

Turning  to  Warm  Springs  valley,  whose  limestone  soils  point  to 
grazing  farms,  one  is  impressed  by  the  extent  to  which  this  exception- 
al basin  has  been  turned  into  a  recreation  ground.  The  present  con- 
siderable population  is  dependent  on  the  soil  only  in  a  slight  degree. 

The  main  line  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  railroad  touches  just 
one  limited  stretch  of  good  agricultural  land;  that  which  is  immediate- 
ly tributary  to  Millboro  Station,  where  quite  a  village  has  grown  up. 
After  coursing  through  it  two  miles,  the  steel  track  plunges  into  a 
tunnel,  beyond  which  it  follows  the  exceedingly  rough  and  almost  un- 
peopled valley  of  Padd's  Creek.  The  branch  line  from  Covington 
merely  traverses  a  few  miles  of  the  indifferent  Cedar  Creek  valley  and 
reaches  only  to  the  upper  end  of  Hot  Springs  Gap. 

A  complete  railroad  development  of  the  Virginias  would  include 
a  through  line  from  the  Potomac  to  the  upper  James  by  way  of  the 
South  Branch  and  Jackson's  River  valleys.  At  all  events,  an  electric 
line  through  this  long  district  could  be  of  great  service  to  it,  and  the 
necessary  motive  power  could  be  secured  by  harnessing  the  rapidly 
flowing  rivers. 

The  metallic  resources  of  this  county  are  not  inconsiderable,  but 


174  ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 

must  await  the  hour  when  the  ores  that  are  more  readily  reduced 
have  diminished  greatly  in  amount. 

The  future  of  Bath  is  to  be  read  in  its  past  and  present.  It  will 
remain  to  a  somewhat  increasing  extent  a  recreation  field  for  the  tour- 
ist element.  Agriculture  will  slowly  become  intensive  and  its  output 
more  valuable.  Relatively,  the  rural  population  will  hold  its  own, 
and  is  not  likely  to  be  supplanted  in  any  marked  degree  by  a  tide  of 
new  immigration.  The  highways  will  very  noticeably  improve,  both 
with  respect  to  roadbed  and  bridges.  The  present  degree  of  incon- 
venience in  reaching  the  outside  towns  and  markets  will  diminish. 
In  a  word,  we  may  confidently  expect  that  the  county  will  develop 
into  a  still  better  place  in  which  to  live. 

Since  1860,  the  increase  in  population  is  shown  in  these  census 
returns: 

1870—3795  1900—5595 

1880^4482  1910—6538 

1890—4587 

Considered  by  districts,  there  are  these  contrasts  between  1890  and 
1910: 

1890  1910 

Cedar   Creek  867  2472 

Millboro  1542  1418 

Warm   Springs        1058  1360 

Williamsville  1120  1258 

In  1910,  the  whites  numbered  5362  and  the  negroes  1176.  Of 
the  whites,  115  were  of  foreign  birth,  and  134  were  of  foreign  or 
mixed  parentage.  Of  the  foreign  born,  28  were  from  Italy,  20  from 
Greece,  17  from  Germany,  15  from  Sweden,  14  from  Ireland,  and 
12  from  England.  Only  12  of  the  115  had  taken  the  trouble  to  make 
themselves  fully  naturalized  ctizens.  Of  the  negroes  276  were  class- 
ed as  mulattoes.  The  white  males  were  2821  and  the  white  females 
2541.  The  males  of  voting  age  were  1818,  although  but  527  of  the 
number  cast  ballots  for  the  three  leading  presidential  candidates  of 
1912.  Of  these  1818,  there  were  111  illiterate  whites  and  83  il- 
literate negroes.     The  persons  between  the  ages  of  6  and   14  were 


THE   BATH  OF  TODAY  175 

1332,  of  whom  842  were  in  school.  The  dwellings  numbered  1195 
and  the  families  1225.  The  average  of  persons  to  the  family  was 
5.3,  against  4.9  for  the  state  at  large. 

The  563  farms  of  the  county  had  a  valuation  per  acre  of  $6.05. 
They  covered  41,323  acres  of  improved  land,  which  is  one-ninth  of 
the  entire  surface.  Of  the  farms  13.2  per  cent,  were  operated  by 
tenants.  There  were  1475  horses,  80  mules,  5980  cattle,  3711  hogs, 
and  16608  sheep  and  goats.  The  value  of  all  farm  property,  including 
improvements  and  domestic  animals,  was  $2,958,186.  The  acreage 
and  yield  of  the  leading  farm  crops  present  this  exhibit: 

Corn  4,405  acres  112,895  bushels 

Wheat  2,567  acres  36,816  bushels 

Oats  459  acres  6,912  bushels 

Potatoes  198  acres  18,345  bushels 

Hay  8,027  acres  8,645  tons 


XXIV 

ALLEGHANY  COUNTY 

LLEGHANY  was  carved  out  of  Bath,  Botetourt,  and 
Monroe,  Bath  contributing  the  most  important  portion. 
The  Act  of  Assembly  creating  the  county  was  passed 
January  5,  1822.  A  portion  of  Monroe  was  annexed  in 
1843,  and  a  very  small  portion  of  Bath  in  1847.  On  the  other  hand 
a  part  of  Alleghany  was  annexed  to  Craig  in  1856. 

Nearly  all  the  preceding  chapters  of  this  book  deal  very  much  in 
matters  which  concern  the  Alleghany  area  as  well  as  the  Bath.  Also, 
what  has  been  said  of  the  general  characteristics  of  the  mountains, 
streams,  soils,  climate,  plants,  and  animals  of  Bath  applies  nearly  as 
well  to  Alleghany.  The  climate  of  the  valleys  is  a  little  warmer  be- 
cause the  altitudes  are  less. 

A  striking  difference  in  the  physical  geography  lies  in  the  circum- 
stance that  in  this  locality  every  mountain  ridge  east  of  the  Alleghany 
Front  opens  to  give  passage  to  the  James,  just  as  the  corresponding 
ridges  200  miles  northward  open  to  give  passage  to  the  Potomac. 
In  each  instance  nature  has  indicated  a  route  for  an  important  line 
bf  railway  between  the  Atlantic  seaboard  and  the  Great  West.  As  a 
consequence  of  this  continuous  cleft  in  the  ridges  of  Alleghany,  Jack- 
son's and  Cowpasture  rivers,  and  Dunlap  and  Potts  creeks  are  con- 
verging streams,  and  each  is  followed  by  a  railroad  line.  And  since 
the  mountains  of  this  county  are  stored  with  mineral  wealth,  the  trans- 
portation and  industrial  interests  very  much  outweigh  the  agricul- 
tural. 

The  counties  of  Pocahontas  and  Alleghany  were  created  during 
the  same  session  of  the  legislature.  It  is  said  that  the  intention  was 
to  call  the  western  county  Alleghany  and  the  eastern  Pocahontas,  but 
that  the  heedlessness  of  the  engrossing  clerk  caused  the  names  to  be 
transposed.  The  first  should  have  had  the  name  Alleghany,  since  it 
lies  in  the  midst  of  what  are  in  this  latitude  the  loftiest  heights  of 
the  Appalachian  system. 


ALLEGHANY  COUNTY  177 

Alleghany  has  a  length  of  40  miles,  a  breadth  of  26,  and  an  area 
of  462  square  miles.     The  census  figures  by  decades  are  these: 

1830—2816  1880—5586 

1840—2749  1890—9283 

1850—3515  1900—16330 

1860—6765  1910—19921 
1870—3674 

By  districts  the  population  in  1910  was  as  follows: 

Boiling   Spring  2794 

Clifton  4415 

Covington  6974 

Clifton    Forge  (city)             5748 

By  the  last  Federal  census  Alleghany  had  574  farms,  of  which  one- 
sixth  were  operated  by  tenants.  The  valuation  per  acre  was  $7.43. 
There  were  32,699  acres  of  improved  land,  covering  about  one-ninth 
of  the  county.  The  value  of  all  farm  property,  inclusive  of  improve 
ments  and  domestic  animals,  was  $2,092,552.  There  were  1267 
horses,  68  mules,  4563  cattle,  2487  hogs,  and  5558  sheep  and  goats. 
The  leading  crops  were  as  follows  with  respect  to  acreage  and  yield: 


Corn 

5,023  acres 

121,048  bushels 

Wheat 

2,535  acres 

28,456  bushels 

Oats 

659  acres 

8,389  bushels 

Potatoes 

434  acres 

43,159  bushels 

Hay 

4,210  acres 

4,376  tons 

Alleghany  has  three  times  as  many  people  as  Bath,  yet  its  total 
farm  valuation  is  3  per  cent.  less.  The  leading  farm  crops  rank  about 
the  same,  but  Alleghany  stands  much  lower  in  its  number  of  farm 
animals.  It  outclasses  the  older  county  in  such  minor  crops  as  po- 
tatoes and  cabbages,  and  in  orchard  and  small  fruits.  The  explana- 
tion of  the  above  facts  is  quite  plain.  Outside  of  the  limited  bottom 
lands,  neither  county  is  well  enough  suited  to  general  farming.  The 
uplands  are  too  rough  and  stony.  But  in  grazing  and  fruit  culture, 
and  in  some  other  specialized  lines,  these  counties  can  hold  their  own 
against  many  others.     The  future  of  agriculture  in  this  mountain 


178  AXNALS   OF    BATH   COUNTY 

region  lies  not  in  the  time-honored  field  tillage,  which  is  adapted  on- 
ly to  level  or  nearly  level  lands,  but  in  those  special  products  which  are 
indicated  by  soil,  climate,  and  contour,  and  by  the  nearness  to  large 
markets.  Mountain  counties  are  constrained  to  give  much  attention 
to  general  field  crops  so  long  as  they  are  remote  from  market.  But 
as  soon  as  this  remoteness  is  removed  and  they  are  brought  into  com- 
petition with  prime  agricultural  districts,  general  tillage  is  forced  into 
the  background,  no  matter  how  ample  the  marketing  facilities  may  be. 
The  highways  of  Alleghany  are  in  better  order  than  those  of 
Bath,  and  a  considerable  mileage  is  macadamized. 

As  early  as  1800  there  were  several  furnaces  and  forges  with  a 
capacity  of  one  to  three  tons  a  day.  They  used  charcoal  and  water- 
driven  triphammers.  Stoves,  pots,  skillets,  and  pipe  were  manufac- 
tured before  the  war  of  1861. 

The  mountains  of  this  county  contain  immense  deposits  of  iron 
ore.  There  are  now  six  large  furnaces,  but  it  is  useless  to  expect  that 
iron  mining  will  assume  very  great  dimensions,  so  long  as  there  are 
large  beds  of  loose  ore  in  the  Lake  Superior  region  that  can  be  scooped 
up  with  a  steam  shovel. 

The  other  mineral  resources  are  of  much  importance.  They  in- 
clude very  large  deposits  of  limestone,  in  addition  to  cement  rock, 
marl,  magnesia,  brick,  clay,  and  slate. 

Among  the  scenic  features  and  natural  curiosities  is  the  cascade 
where  Falling  Spring  Run,  itself  the  outlet  of  a  mammoth  spring, 
passes  through  Little  Mountain  by  a  watergap.  Toward  the  lower 
end  of  the  gap  the  waters  plunge  70  feet  over  a  precipice  of  marl  and 
enter  the  deep  lower  valley  leading  to  Jackson's  River.  One  is  now 
almost  compelled  to  speak  of  the  fall  in  the  past  tense.  The  waters 
have  been  turned  aside  in  order  to  give  better  excess  to  the  immense 
cliff  of  marl  which  the  stream  has  built  up  from  the  leachings  of  the 
limestone  strata  in  the  upper  valley.  The  manufacturing  plant  is 
located  at  the  railroad  station  of  Barber  on  Jackson's  River.  From 
the  standpoint  of  the  picturesque,  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  cas- 
cade has  been  done  away  with,  at  least  for  a  time. 

A  waterfall  of  far  greater  volume  occurs  in  Jackson's  River,  where 
that  stream  passes  through  White  Mountain  between  Covington  and 
Clifton  Forge.  It  was  described  by  Jefferson.  A  little  below  Clif- 
ton Forge  the  same  river  passes  through  the  Iron  Gate,  a  short,  sharp- 


ALLEGHANY  COUNTY  179 

sided  gorge  that  has  much  the  same  form  as  the  notch  which  is  cut 
into  a  tree  in  the  process  of  felling.  A  railroad  track  follows  one  side 
of  the  defile  and  a  wagon  road  the  other.  Midway  between  Coving- 
ton and  Hot  Springs  is  the  Natural  Well.  The  opening  is  only  about 
three  feet  in  diameter,  but  not  far  below  the  surface  the  well  widens 
very  greatly,  forming  a  considerable  cavern. 

The  James  River  and  Kanawha  Canal  was  projected  to  Coving- 
ton, but  never  built  above  Buchanan.  A  convention  was  held  at 
Covington,  October  19,  1846,  to  discuss  the  improvement  of  the 
James  and  the  Great  Kanawha.  Delegates  came  from  the  county  it- 
self, and  from  Bath,  Botetourt,  Greenbrier,  Kanawha,  Mercer,  Po- 
cahontas, Roanoke,  and  Rockbridge.  The  meeting  was  in  favor  of 
bringing  the  canal  to  Covington  and  then  securing  a  railroad.  If 
this  were  denied  it  was  claimed  that  the  region  would  be  almost  de- 
populated by  emigration  to  the  West.  It  was  shown  that  most  of 
the  counties  represented  were  virtually  without  a  market,  owing  to 
the  prohibitive  cost  of  transportation.  Coal,  wheat,  and  fruit  could 
not  be  sent  abroad,  and  the  attention  of  the  farmers  had  to  be  centered 
on  stock  growing.  With  the  canal  at  Covington,  it  was  asserted  that 
there  would  be  a  probable  increase  yearly  of  15,000  tons  of  traffic  in 
farm  produce  and  8,000  tons  of  merchandise.  The  cost  per  ton  in 
moving  freight  could  thus  be  reduced  from  $5  to  $1.50. 

In  1857  the  rails  were  laid  to  Jackson's  River.  Ten  years  later, 
construction  was  resumed,  and  by  the  end  of  1872  there  was  a  through 
line  to  the  Ohio.  The  influence  on  the  later  history  of  Alleghany  has 
been  very  marked. 

Covington  was  designated  as  a  town  in  1833  and  incorporated  in 
1873.  In  1840  it  contained  about  50  houses.  In  1867  it  was  still 
an  inland  village  looking  much  like  those  county  seats  that  still  lie 
remote  from  the  railroad.  Even  in  1890  the  population  was  only 
704.  Since  then  Covington  has  steadily  grown  into  a  little  city 
that  was  credited  with  4234  people  in  1910,  and  is  larger  today.  Its 
industrial  interests  are  very  important.  Far  in  the  lead  is  the  ex- 
tensive plant  of  the  West  Virginia  Pulp  and  Paper  Company,  opened 
in  1900.  Others  are  an  extract  plant — the  only  one  of  its  kind  in  the 
United  States — an  iron  furnace,  a  tannery,  machine  shops,  brick 
works,  an  ice  factory,  and  two  large  flouring  mills.  The  pulp  and 
paper  works  are  the  second  largest  in   the  country.      Most  of  the 


180  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

growth  of  Covington  having  taken  place  within  the  last  twenty 
years,  the  town  has  a  quite  modern  appearance.  In  fact,  the  size  of 
the  place  is  not  in  proportion  to  its  industrial  and  commercial  im- 
portance. 

Twelve  miles  down  Jackson's  River  is  Clifton  Forge,  an  incor- 
porated city  and  politically  independent  of  Alleghany  County.  It  is 
situated  among  very  bold  river-hills,  and  unlike  what  is  true  of  Cov- 
ington, there  is  a  very  inconsiderable  amount  of  arable  land  in  the 
near  vicinity.  Clifton  Forge  is  the  metropolis  of  the  county,  having 
a  population  in  1910  of  5748.  Originally  the  site  of  an  iron  furnace, 
Clifton  Forge  is  now  almost  exclusively  a  railroad  town  ,and  is  a  di- 
vision point  in  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  system.  What  there  is  of 
river-bottom  is  covered  by  the  railway  yard  with  its  extensive  sidings. 
It  is  here  that  the  James  River  division  leaves  the  main  line  and  runs 
with  a  constant  down  grade  to  Richmond,  231  miles  distant.  This 
was  at  first  an  independent  road,  and  was  built  as  the  Richmond  and 
Alleghany.  The  easy  down  grade  is  why  this  line  is  used  mainly  for 
freight,  all  express  trains  using  the  main  line. 

The  minor  towns  of  the  county,  such  as  Lowmoor,  Iron  Gate, 
and  Longdale,  are  exclusively  industrial,  and  are  mainly  devoted  to 
the  smelting  of  iron.  The  population  of  Iron  Gate  by  the  last  census 
was  600. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  county  court  was  held  at  Covington, 
March  18,  1822.  William  Herbert  was  the  first  surveyor  and  sher- 
iff, Oliver  Callaghan  the  first  county  clerk,  Thorns  Crutchheld  the 
first  commonwealth's  attorney,  and  William  S.  Holloway  the  first 
commissioner  of  the  revenue. 

The  number  of  men  liable  to  poll  tax  was  534.  The  first  levy 
was  $1361.70,  out  of  which  there  was  an  appropriation  of  $1068  for 
the  first  county  buildings. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  justices  previous  to  the  time  when 
they  became  elective  instead  of  appointive.  The  names  with  a  star 
are  those  who  were  present  on  the  opening  day  of  the  first  court.  The 
names  with  a  date  are  those  whose  commissions  were  subsequent  to 
July,   1823: 


ALLEGHANY  COUNTY  181 

Allen,  John— 1831  Keyser,   Joseph   D* 

Aritt,  Michael*  Kincaid,   Robert 

Aritt,  John  King,    Charles— 1839 

Bishop,  Jacob — 1846  Knox,   Rev.   Elisha 

Boswell,  John  L.  Pitzer,  John  L. — 1846 

Callaghan,  John*  Mann,  Moses   H. 

Callaghan,    Charles  Mann,  Lewis  T— 1846 

Carpenter,   Samuel— 1838  Morton,  William  F— 1846 

Crow,  John  Persinger,  John 

Davis,   Jesse*  Persinger,   Peter 

Harry,  John — 1831  Persinger,   Lee — 1839 

Harnsbarger,    Sebas  Sancy,   Sampson 

Haynes,    William   H.  Smith,    Henry — 1831 

Holloway,  John*  Steele,   Isaac 

Holloway,  William  G.  Warren,  James — 1839 
Hook,   Stephen 

Of  the  original  board,  Massie  and  Keyser  were  empowered  by 
the  legislature  to  administer  the  oath  of  office  to  the  other  members. 
The  justices  elected  in  1852  were  as  follows: 

First  District:  Peter  Helminstoller,  William  Herbert,  John  C.  Taylor, 
James  Warren. 

Second  District:  Jacob  Bishop,  Samuel  Brown,  Jr.,  Lewis  F.  Mann, 
Thomas  Richardson. 

Third  District:  John  A.  Black,  James  Harnsbarger,  John  J.  Paxton, 
James  Shanklin. 

Fourth  District:  Samuel  Carpenter,  Charles  King,  Madison  Hook,  Wil- 
liam F.  Morton. 

The  recommendations  by  the  first  court  for  officers  of  the  militia 
were  these:  Colonel,  John  Crow;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  John  Per- 
singer; Major,  William  H.  Haynes;  Captains,  Moses  H.  Mann, 
Anthony  Brennemer,  George  Arritt;  Lieutenants,  Jacob  Fudge, 
Moses  Smith. 

Further  recommendations  for  the  First  Battalion,  128th  Regi- 
ment, were  as  follows:  Captain,  John  Callaghan;  Lieutenant,  Cor- 
nelius Vanstavern ;  Ensigns,  David  Johnson,  William  Mann,  Joseph 
Pitzer.  For  the  Second  Battalion,  they  were  Robert  Griffith  as  cap- 
tain; William  G.  Holloway  and  Barton  Shawver  as  lieutenants,  and 
George  Pitzer  and  Alexander  Johnston  as  ensigns. 

The  first  tavern  license  was  granted  to  Fleming  Keyser. 

The  town  of  Covington,  as  orignally  laid  out,  comprised  120  lots, 
each  a  quarter  acre  in  size. 


182  ANNALS   OF    BATH   COUNTY 

The  first  board  of  school  commissioners — for  1843 — were  Joseph 
Damron,  Andrew  Damron,  Charles  King,  John  McD.  Mann,  Alex- 
ander Rayhill,  Sampson  Sawyers,  Henry  Smith,  Isaac  Stull,  James 
Warren. 

In  1860  there  were  several  naturalizations,  especially  of  Irish. 
There  were  hundreds  of  that  nationality  in  the  county  during  the  con- 
struction of  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad. 

We  now  pass  to  the  leading  documentary  features  of  the  War  of 
1861,  as  given  in  the  county  order  book. 

1861 

The  grand  jury  for  the  March  term  was  thus  constituted:  William  F. 
Morton  (foreman),  John  H.  Stone,  Jordan  Helminstoller.  Asbury  Matheny, 
Samuel  Boyer,  Peter  Boyer,  Dennis  Callaghan,  William  Scott.  Joel  Kindell, 
Elias   Hook,   George   Carson,    Michael   Karnes,   Peter   Dressier. 

The  entire  county  court  was  present  at  what  may  be  termed  the  first 
war  session  held  April  27th.  The  members  were  Andrew  Fudge,  G.  Mc- 
Donald, George  Stull,  Lee  Persinger,  Madison  Hook,  Thomas  T.  Shumaker, 
Charlton  Shirkey,  Beale  V.  Keyser,  John  I.  Haynes,  and  Davis  Williamson. 
At  this  session  it  was  announced  that  two  volunteer  companies  were  organ- 
ized and  on  duty  in  a  tented  field,  and  that  other  companies  would  soon  be 
organized. 

For  the  equipment  and  support  of  these  volunteer  companies,  there  was 
an  appropriation  of  $6000,  raised  by  a  loan.  The  board  to  adjust  and  set- 
tle all  claims  arising  out  of  this  fund  were  C.  Bias,  James  Burk,  William 
F.  Clark,  Thomas  J.  Daggs,  Colonel  Charles  Dressier,  William  G.  Hollo- 
way,  Madison  Hook,  Edwin  Jordan,  John  Mallow,  James  M.  Montague, 
Lee  Persinger,  John  L.  Pitzer,  William  M.  Scott. 

The  "war  sheriff"  was  John  J.  Stack. 

The  poll  tax  was  $3.50  per  tithable,  and  there  was  a  levy  of  two  per 
cent,  on  official  salaries. 

1862 

Tn  March  Andrew  Damron  was  authorized  in  case  of  need  to  remove  the 
public  records  to  a  place  of  greater  safety. 

The  levy  was  $6375.53. 

William  C.  Clark  was  directed  in  August  to  buy  2500  bushels  of  salt  in 
Washington  County. 

A  great  scarcity  of  wagons  was  reported. 

In  November,  William  P.  Rucker  was  arraigned  under  a  charge  of 
treason  for  acting  as  provost  marshal!  under  the  Wheeling  government, 
for  compelling  citizens  to  take  an  oath  to  uphold  the  Federal  government 
fur  burning  the  railroad  bridge  over  the  Cowpasture,  for  appropriating 
horses  and  wagons,  ofr  carrying  off  slaves,  and  for  mortally  stabbing  Mi- 
chael   Soice   in    April,    1861. 


ALLEGHANY  COUNTY  183 


1863 


In  January,  William  C.  Clark  was  employed  to  buy  800  bales  of  cot- 
ton yarn,  1000  yards  of  osnaburgs,  and  3000  yards  of  brown  domestic.  The 
actual  purchases  were  225  bales  of  cotton  and  800  yards  of  cotton  cloth. 

Out  of  595  slaves  the  county  was  required  to  furnish  27  between  the 
ages  of  18  and  45  to  work  in  the  Confederate  service. 

In  August  there  was  appointed  a  committee  of  safety,,  consisting  of 
Thompson  McAllister,  Peter  Byers,  William  F.  Clark,  Joseph  Irvin,  Charl- 
ton  Shirkey,   and   William  Damron. 

It  was  ordered  that  C.  F.  Johnson  be  paid  $25  for  removing  the  county 
records. 

Colonel  Samuel   Carpenter  was  made  salt  agent. 

The  court  states  that  early  in  the  war  ten  per  cent,  of  the  population 
had  volunteered  for  the  Confederate  service;  that  200  families  of  soldiers 
were  now  in  need  of  support;  that  there  had  been  two  invasions  by  Aver- 
ill's  cavalry;  that  many  slaves  had  absconded,  and  that  if  the  quota  of 
forty  slaves  asked  by  the  War  Department  were  insisted  upon,  desertions 
from   the   army  would   follow. 

1864 

W.  F.  Clark  was  authorized  to  borrow  $10,000  to  buy  2000  bushels  of 
corn   for   destitute   soldier  families. 

It  was  announced  that  the  Federals  under  Averill,  Duffie,  and  Crook  in 
their  advance,  and  Hunter  in  his  retreat,  had  taken  everything  they  could 
lay  their  hands  on;  that  there  had  been  unprecedented  drouth;  and  that 
it  was  impossible  to  supply  the  people  and  the  soldiers  unless  the  Con- 
federate government  should  release  the  payment  of  tax  in  kind  and  permit 
payment  in  money. 

In   September  wheat  was  worth  $8.11. 

The  tax  on  real  and  personal  property  was  \Yz  per  cent. 

1865 

W.   F.   Clark  was  an   impressing  agent. 

There  was  a  good  deal  of  felony. 

At  the  special  term  held  April  24th,  a  resolution  was  passed,  stating 
that  the  surrender  of  Lee  had  greatly  demoralized  the  citizens,  and  that  both 
soldiers  and  citizens  were  taking  government  property  by  force.  Captain 
John  Carpenter,  of  Carpenter's  Battery,  was  ordered  to  take  possession  of  all 
government  property  now  in  private  hands,   and  turn  it  over  to  the  state. 

At  the  session  of  May  5th,  it  was  represented  that  there  was  not  enough 
grain  on  hand  to  support  the  soldier  families  till  harvest.  Twelve  days 
later,  the  grain  distributors  were  ordered  to  receive  no  more  Confederate 
money  in  payment  of  grain,  but  only  specie  or  its  equivalent. 

The  county  court  did   not  meet  again   until   August  21st. 


184  ANNALS   OF   BATH   COUNTY 

Alleghany  had  only  five  soldiers  in  the  Mexican  War,  but  their 
names  are  not  at  our  command.  In  1843  there  were  only  thirteen 
schoolhouses. 

The  real  and  personal  property  valuation  in  1860  was  $3,156,238. 
The  churches  were  fifteen — nine  Methodist,  four  Presbyterian,  and 
one  Union. 

We  close  this  chapter  with  three  legends.  The  first  claims  that 
some  peaceable  Indians  lived  in  White  Rock  Gap  near  Lowmoor,  and 
frequented  the  distillery  of  Michael  Karnes;  and  that  by  appointment 
the  nearby  farmers  met  at  the  distillery,  looked  up  the  Indians,  and  ex- 
terminated them. 

Another  states  that  Katherine  Vanstavern  taught  the  children  of 
the  four  families  once  living  on  the  site  of  Clifton  Forge.  An  ad- 
mirer was  Harry  Gorman,  a  graduate  of  William  and  Mary  College. 
Two  Indians  came  one  day  to  the  door  of  the  schoolroom.  Gorman 
fired  upon  them  from  the  woods,  killing  one  and  causing  the  others 
to  run.  Very  naturally,  this  led  to  the  lovers  becoming  engaged. 
But  before  they  were  married,  Katherine  was  seized  by  five  Indians 
and  taken  bound  in  a  canoe  to  the  camp  of  the  red  men  lower  down 
Jackson's  River.  Gorman  saw  the  performance  while  hunting,  col- 
lected a  party,  came  upon  the  Indians  while  they  were  asleep,  and  af- 
ter several  of  the  latter  were  killed,  the  maiden  was  rescued  to  be- 
come in  due  season  the  wfe  of  the  rescuer.  But  Cornelius,  the  first 
of  the  Vanstaverns  in  Bath,  was  born  in  Delaware  in  1756,  and  his 
daughter  Katharine  married  Joseph  Carson  in  1822,  a  date  much  too 
recent  to  fit  into  any  Indian  raid  into  the  valley  of  Jackson's  River. 

Jacob  Persinger  is  thought  to  have  been  born  at  the  mouth  of 
Potts  Creek.  When  about  twelve  years  old,  he  was  taken  with  thirty 
other  captives  to  the  Shawnee  towns  and  adopted  by  a  squaw  who 
had  two  boys.  Boards  were  tied  to  their  backs  to  make  them  straight, 
and  every  morning  all  three  had  to  take  a  plunge  bath,  after  which 
they  ran  about  nude  until  their  skins  were  dry.  As  a  consequence  of 
the  treaty  of  1764,  the  boy  was  brought  in  that  year  to  Jackson's 
River.  No  one  claiming  him  he  went  back  to  his  foster  mother,  who 
was  greatly  pleased.  The  chief  insisted  that  it  was  not  right  for  him 
to  stay  with  the  red  men,  and  three  braves  returned  him  to  the  set- 
tlement, but  he  escaped  from  them.  This  time  the  squaw  concealed 
him,  but  he  was  at  length  seen  by  the  chief,  who  said  he  must  go  back 


ALLEGHANY  COUNTY  185 

to  the  whites.  The  boy  thought  the  Indians  were  no  longer  willing 
for  him  to  be  among  them,  and  he  made  no  further  attempt  to  return. 
This  time  he  was  claimed  by  a  German  woman  who  had  lost  a  son, 
although  he  did  not  have  a  scar  from  the  bite  of  a  rattlesnake,  such 
as  was  on  the  foot  of  her  own  child.  The  returned  captive  was  six 
feet  four  inches  tall,  while  she  was  but  four  feet  six  inches.  But 
she  adopted  him  and  he  lived  in  her  home  a  while.  He  went  to 
school,  but  every  day  carried  his  rifle,  knife,  and  tomahawk  to  the 
schoolroom.  After  some  time,  he  built  a  cabin  on  Stony  Mountain 
and  lived  the  life  of  a  hunter.  He  married  Mary  Kimberlin,  who, 
on  finding  he  had  no  bed  except  the  floor  and  two  bearskins,  insisted 
that  he  adopt  a  more  civilized  way,  and  she  carried  her  point.  He 
became  a  good  famer  and  reared  his  large  family  well.  He  was  a 
scout  in  the  Dunmore  War  and  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution.  This 
story  is  probably  correct  in  the  main,  although  an  older  Jacob  Per- 
singer  was  the  pioneer  of  that  name  on  Potts  Creek. 


XXV 

THE  FAMILIES  OF  GREATER  BATH 

jl^N  THIS  book  the  spelling  of  proper  names  ordinarily 
follows  the  style  now  in  common  use.  It  is  very  true 
I  that  present  usage  is  not  always  the  same  as  that  of  the 
colonial  time.  It  is  also  true  that  these  ancient  spellings 
are  a  part  of  history.  But  in  those  days,  each  person  who  wielded  a 
pen  spelled  a  surname  according  to  the  way  it  sounded  to  him,  and 
sometimes  wrote  it  several  different  ways  in  the  same  document.  How 
are  we  to  choose  in  such  a  case  as  that?  And  how  can  we  be  sure  of 
those  instances  where  the  deviation  from  modern  usage  is  simplv 
the  work  of  a  poor  speller?  Nevertheless,  we  give  below  some  of  the 
more  conspicuous  divergencies: 


Abercrombie — Abercromby 

Benson — Benston 

Bourland — Borland,   Boreland 

Byrd— Bird 

Byrnside — Burnside,    Burnsideg 

Carlile — Carlyle,   Carlisle,  Carolile 

Clements — Clemons 

Clendennin — Clendening 

Daugherty — Doharty,    Docharty 

Dickenson — Dickerson 

Eddy— Edde 

Feamster — Feemster,    Fimster 

Gay — Guy 

Gillespie — Galaspy 

Given — Givens 

Graham — Grymes 


Hughart — Hogarth 

Kincaid — Kinkead 

Knox — Nox 

Lockridge — Loughridge 

Mayse — Mays,   Maze,   Mais 

McCay — McKay 

McClintic — McClintock 

McDannald — McDonel,  McDonald 

McFarland — McFarlin 

Millroy — McElroy 

Montgomery — McGummery 

Moore — Moor 

Muldrock — Mu  Id  rough 

Rhea — Reah,    Reagh 

Wan!  ess — Wand  less 


According  to  C.  K.  Bolton,  the  following  Ulster  immigrants  came 
from  County  Antrim:  the  Arbuckles,  Campbells,  Clarks,  Crawfords, 
Givens,  Harpers,  Jacksons,  Jamesons,  McCays;  from  Derry,  the 
Grahams,  Lockridges,  Pattons,  Rheas;  from  Down,  the  Carliles, 
Dunlaps,  Mathewses,  Steuarts;  from  Donegal,  the  Brattons,  Hamil- 
tons;  from  Londonderry,  the  Kincaids;  from  Tyrone,  the  Burnsides, 
Knoxes,  and  Walkups. 


THE  FAMILIES  OF  GREATER  BATH  187 

Certain  of  the  families  who  have  migrated  from  this  county  include 
names  of  considerable  prominence.  Thus  James  B.  McCreary  and 
his  kinsmen,  Thomas  C.  McCreery  of  Kentucky,  are  descendents  of 
John  McCreery,  of  the  Cowpasture.  Both  these  men  have  served  in 
the  United  States  Senate,  and  the  former  has  twice  been  governor  of 
his  state.  Dr.  Charles  McCreery,  the  first  physician  to  remove  the 
collar-bone  in  a  surgical  operation,  which  was  done  in  1813,  is  also 
of  the  same  family.  By  way  of  North  Carolina,  we  are  told  that 
Zebulon  B.,  Robert  B.,  and  Robert  E.  Vance  of  North  Carolina,  are 
of  the  Vance  family  of  Back  Creek.  All  three  served  in  Congress. 
The  first  was  also  governor  of  North  Carolina,  and  the  second  was  a 
brigadier  general  in  the  Confederate  army.  Meigs  County,  Tennessee, 
is  named  for  Return  Jonathan  Meigs,  a  descendant  of  the  Clenden- 
nins.  C.  C.  O'Hara,  an  eminent  geologist,  appears  to  be  a  descend- 
ant of  the  O'Hara  who  once  lived  on  the  Cowpasture.  William 
Bratton,  one  of  the  picked  men  of  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition 
of  1803,  was  a  grandson  of  Robert  Bratton,  of  the  Calf  pasture.  A 
monument  stands  over  his  grave  in  Indiana  giving  his  services  in  that 
famous  expedition.  Colonels  Robert  and  John  McFarland,  early 
pioneers  of  Jefferson  County,  Tennessee,  are  descendents  of  Duncan 
McFarland,  as  was  also  William  McFarland,  a  congressman  from 
that  state. 

The  remainder  of  this  chapter  is  devoted  to  paragraphic  mention, 
in  alphabetic  order,  of  a  large  number  of  the  families  which  are  more 
or  less  associated  with  the  history  of  this  county.  The  list  includes 
names  belonging  to  the  Alleghany  area  and  the  Calfpasture.  Names 
belonging  quite  particularly  to  that  portion  of  the  old  Bath  which  now 
lies  in  Highland  are  discussed  in  the  author's  history  of  that  county. 
And  as  there  is  a  History  of  Pocahontas,  written  by  Reverend  Mr. 
Price,  there  is  no  attempt  in  this  chapter  to  cover  that  part  of  the  old 
county  that  lies  beyond  the  Alleghany  Front. 

The  list  does  not  assume  to  be  exhaustive.  In  the  case  of  Bath,  as 
in  the  case  of  all  counties  once  a  part  of  the  American  frontier,  there 
has  all  the  while  been  coming  and  going.  Names  once  prominent  are 
now  virtually  forgotten.  Some  other  names  that  were  once  here,  yet 
never  seem  to  have  made  more  than  a  slight  impress,  are  likewise  all 
but  forgotten.  Certain  names,  especially  those  occurring  in  our  men- 
tion of  surveys  and  patents  are  given  no  place  here,  because  our  genea- 
logic  knowledge  of  them  is  too  slight. 


188  ANNALS   OF    BATH    COUNTY 

But  some  of  the  names  still  occurring  in  Bath  would  either  appear, 
or  would  have  more  space,  if  we  had  been  given  the  necessary  infor- 
mation. 

Some  further  explanation,  bearing  upon  this  chapter,  will  be  found 
in  the  preface  to  this  book. 

********* 

Robert  Abercrombie  was  a  man  of  enterprise  and  more  than  or- 
dinary education.  He  took  up  several  large  surveys,  and  seems  to 
have  lived  several  years  on  the  stream  named  for  him;  Cromby's  Run, 
otherwise  Molly  Moore's  Run,  but  now  called  Thompson's  Creek. 
He  was  one  of  the  persons  who  followed  Craighead  to  North  Caro- 
lina. 

_^-  James  Anglin  lived  until  about  1756  at  the  mouth  of  Benson's 
Creek/which  at  first  was  called  Anglin's  Creek.  Like  so  many  other 
settlers  he  became  embarrassed  by  debt.  The  Indians  may  have  had 
something  to  do  with  his  leaving,  although  he  seems  to  have  made  a 
new  home  beyond  the  Alleghany.  We  read  of  Isaac  and  other  Anglins 
in  that  quarter,  and  there  is  an  Anglin's  Run  near  the  western  line  of 
Greenbrier.  Anglin's  Ferry,  now  Philippi,  was  named  for  WilHam 
Anglin. 

Robert  Armstrong,  of  Jackson's  River,  is  mentioned  by  Doctor 
Walker  in  1750.  Another  Robert  Armstrong  was  living  at  the  same 
time  near  Churchville,  and  so  we  cannot  always  tell  which  man  is  re- 
ferred to  in  the  records.  There  even  seems  to  have  been  a  third  Rob- 
ert. The  one  in  Bath  moved  to  Kentucky  about  1793,  but  his  son  of 
the  same  name  lived  here  several  years  longer,  and  was  often  foreman 
of  the  grand  jury.  He  gave  much  attention  to  raising  horses.  Ar- 
chibald Armstrong  was  a  neighbor  and  probably  kinsman,  who  finally 
removed  to  Augusta.  An  Archibald  who  died  here  in  1800  had  chil- 
dren named  Robert,  Ann,  Thomas,  Isabella,  William,  and  Jean.  Ann 
was  the  wife  of  James  Elliot. 

John  Baxter  came  to  Back  Creek  with  the  Vances  and  removed  to 
Pocahontas  before  1800. 

In  1755  the  mother  of  James  Beard  made  oath  that  her  boy's  ear 
had  been  bitted  off  by  a  horse.  In  those  days  the  human  ear  was  liable 
to  get  its  owner  into  trouble.  It  was  sometimes  chewed  off  by  ani- 
mals, whether  wild,  or  domestic,  and  also  by  the  human  animal  in  the 
brutal  rights  of  the  time.     And  as  slicing  off  the  lobe  of  the  ear  was 


X-  d     v-7/7  W  'Ke*  G,    Gefi*V* 


THE   FAMILIES  OF  GREATER  BATH  189 

then  a  mode  of  punishment,  it  was  not  desirable  to  be  under  sus- 
picion as  a  convict.  This  James  was  probably  a  son  of  an  older 
James.  It  was  doubtless  the  one  or  the  other  who  purchased  the 
Crockett  place  on  the  Cowpasture  in  1776.  A  James  Beard  had  re- 
moved to  Tennessee  by  1794. 

George  Benson,  a  maternal  ancestor  to  the  late  Joseph  Benson 
Foraker,  of  Ohio,  died  near  Williamsville  about  1809.  Several  sons 
of  his  brother  Matthias,  went  to  Monroe. 

Alexander  Black,  the  first  owner  of  the  Byrd  farm  near  Wil- 
liamsville, died  in  1764,  leaving  sons  named  William  and  Alexander. 
The  latter  and  probably  the  former  also,  went  to  Kentucky  with  the 
McCreerys  and  settled  in  the  same  county.  The  James  Black  who 
owned  Fassifern  in  1794  seems  of  another  family. 

William  Blanton,  whose  wife  was  Christina  Gwin,  lived  a  while 
somewhere  near  Williamsville.  He  moved  to  the  vicinity  of  Union 
in  Monroe  County,  where  he  was  a  prosperous  and  well  known  citi- 
zen, as  well  as  a  member  of  the  first  Methodist  congregation  west  of 
the  Alleghanies. 

John  Bollar,  whom  tradition  styles  a  fearless  soldier,  was  a  planter 
on  Jackson's  River  in  1762.  His  daughter  Elizabeth,  wedded  a  Lewis. 
The  John  who  married  a  granddaughter  of  William  Wilson  and 
gave  his  name  to  Bolar  Spring,  was  a  son  or  grandson. 

William  Bonner,  a  veteran  of  the  Revolution,  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1759. 

James  Bourland  came  from  Pennsylvania  in  1752,  and  was  mur- 
dered nine  years  later.  One  Thomas  Murray  was  committed  for  the 
crime.  Archibald  seems  to  be  a  brother.  His  wife  was  Jean  Jack- 
son. James  left  a  son  named  Andrew,  and  there  were  probably  other 
sons. 

Robert  Bratton  was  one  of  four  brothers.  Samuel  remained  in 
Pennsylvania,  James  settled  in  Montgomery  county,  and  the  sons  of 
the  fourth  went  to  South  Carolina.  Robert  married  the  widow  of 
Alexander  Dunlap.  His  sons,  James  and  Adam,  remained  here, 
two  sons  going  to  Kentucky.  Adam,  who  married  Agnes,  a  sister  to 
William  Given,  settled  on  Jackson's  River.  James  purchased  in  1779 
the  farm  and  mill  of  James  Rhea.  Robert,  son  of  Adam,  married 
Susannah  Feamster,  daughter,  of  William.  Elizabeth,  a  daughter 
of  Robert  Bratton,  married  Samuel  Craig. 


190  ANNALS   OF    BATH    COUNTY 

John  Brown,  born  in  Ireland  in  1743,  settled  at  Ebbing  Spring. 
He  was  a  major  in  the  Revolution  and  a  justice  of  Bath  for  33  years. 
His  adult  children  were  Joseph,  Margaret,  John,  and  Rosanna. 

Joseph  and  John  Burns,  brothers,  settled  in  the  Red  Holes  about 
1792,  Peter,  a  third  brother,  going  to  Tennessee.  Joseph  married 
Kate  Keiffer,  and  John  married  Margaret  Monroe.  John  died  in  the 
Red  Holes  in  1805.  Of  his  seven  children,  Peter,  who  married  Eli- 
zabeth C.  Monroe,  in  1817,  was  the  only  son  to  leave  posterity  in 
this  county.     The  hamlet  of  Burnsville  takes  its  name  from  this  family. 

James  Burnside  was  a  stepson  to  Archibald  Clendennin,  who 
willed  him  300  acres  in  the  "New  Found  Land."  Burnside  lived 
quite  a  while  on  the  Bullpasture.  He  moved  to  Monroe,  was  burned 
out  by  Indians  in  1763,  and  returned  for  about  six  more  years.  He 
died  at  Union  in  1812.  He  was  arbitrary  and  contentious,  but  an 
energetic  trader  and  land  operator.  He  had  a  sister  Rachel.  His 
descendants  changed  the  spelling  to  Byrnside. 

John  Byrd,  a  brother-in-law  to  John  and  William  Dean,  was  kill- 
ed by  Indians  two  years  after  his  purchase  on  Jackson's  River  in  1754. 
Of  the  wife  and  six  children  who  were  carried  away,  John,  Jr.,  is 
the  only  one  we  know  to  have  returned.  The  family  were  trying  to 
escape  to  Fort  Dinwiddie.  The  son  became  so  Indianized  that  it  was 
quite  a  while  before  he  could  reconcile  himself  to  the  ways  of  his  own 
people.  He  was  a  favorite  with  the  red  men,  and  made  at  least  one 
attempt  to  go  back  to  them.  His  wife  was  a  Hamilton.  There  were 
seven  children,  but  Andrew  H.,  whose  wife  was  Elizabeth  Capito, 
was  the  only  son  to  stay  in  Bath.  He  was  twice  its  sheriff.  A  sister 
two  years  older  than  John,  Jr.,  remained  with  the  Indians.  Another 
sister  was  Sarah,  born  in  1743.  She  does  not  seem  to  have  been  car- 
ried away,  and  chose  John  Dean  as  guardian. 

James  Callison  came  from  Albemarle  about  1749. 

Charles  Edward  Cameron,  born  precisely  twenty  years  later  than 
Washington,  was  a  soldier  at  Point  Pleasant,  where  his  only  brother 
was  killed.  General  Lafayette,  who  esteemed  him  as  a  personal 
friend,  presented  him  with  a  gold-headed  cane  in  1781.  He  became 
a  colonel.  About  1790  he  settled  at  Fassifern,  which  he  named  after 
his  ancestral  home  in  the  Scottish  Highlands.  He  died  here  in  1829. 
His  wife  was  Rachel  P.,  daughter  of  Jacob  Warwick.  The  only 
son  to  grow  to  maturity  was  Andrew  W.,  grandfather  to  Mrs.  Tate 


THE   FAMILIES  OF  GREATER   BATH  191 

Sterrett.  But  Colonel  Cameron  reared  Andrew  Gatewood,  and  also 
Charles  L.  Francisco,  son  of  his  half-sister,  Mary,  and  afterward 
county  clerk.     Colonel  Cameron  was  of  very  estimable  character. 

James  Carlile  died  on  the  Calfpasture  about  1752,  where  he  had 
for  several  years  been  living  on  a  farm  of  578  acres.  He  told  the 
Lewises  he  did  not  want  the  land  on  account  of  the  "barrens"  in  it, 
but  would  complete  the  purchase  if  he  could  have  the  portion  of  the 
survey  east  of  the  river.  Otherwise  he  would  leave,  but  asked  pay- 
ment for  his  improvements.  These — on  400  acres — were  sold  to 
William  Hamilton  for  $87.50,  against  whom  James,  Jr.,  and  the 
widow,  Elizabeth,  brought  suit  for  the  $25  still  due.  Robert  and 
John  Carlile,  of  the  Bullpasture  were  undoubtedly  other  sons.  The 
late  John  G.  Carlisle,  of  Kentucky,  was  a  grandson  of  Robert. 

Joseph  Carpenter  came  from  New  York  in  1746,  and  took  a  large 
river-bottom  survey  a  little  below  Covington.  Tradition  states  that 
a  first  visit  was  in  the  spring  and  that  he  started  a  crop  of  corn.  On 
his  return  in  the  fall,  he  found  that  a  young  buffalo  had  broken  through 
the  fence  and  was  trying  to  relieve  the  owner  of  the  trouble  of  har- 
vesting. The  poacher  was  promptly  converted  into  steak.  Carpenter 
came  with  a  large  family  nearly  grown,  and  he  wished  them  to  settle 
around  him.  He  seems  to  have  been  living  in  1776.  Close  by  was 
another  Carpenter  family,  that  of  a  brother,  the  name  of  the  pioneer 
appearing  to  be  Solomon.  John  and  Joseph  were  sons  of  Joseph,  Sr., 
and  Thoiiias  anc'.  Jeremiah  of  Solomon.  Two  daughters  of  Joseph 
Sr.,  married  Jeremiah  Seely  and  John  Mann.  Of  a  later  generation 
was  Samuel,  who  died  in  1842,  leaving  six  chldren. 

The  Joseph  Carpenter  who  came  from  England  as  an  indentured 
servant,  and  lived  about  seven  years  with  Loftus  Pullin,  was  not  re- 
lated to  the  other  families.  He  settled  in  Little  Valley  about  1790, 
and   reared  twelve  children. 

The  father  of  John  Cartmill  came  to  the  vicinity  of  Winchester 
during  the  infancy  of  settlement,  and  a  part  of  the  family  homestead 
is  still  in  the  family,  being  owned  by  T.  C.  Cartmill,  historian  of  the 
lower  Shenandoah  Valley.  John  was  one  of  eleven  children.  His 
own  sons  were  John,  James,  Samuel,  and  Thomas. 

Jacob  Cleek  seems  to  have  come  from  Rockbridge.  He  died  in 
1813,  and  his  sons  were  David,  Josiah,  John,  and  Benjamin. 

Jacob  Clements  died  in  1759.     His  children  were  nine  daughters. 


192  ANNALS   OF   BATH    COUNTY 

Archibald  Clendennin  lived  on  the  John  Walker  survey,  and  was 
buried  there  in  1749.  He  left  half  the  farm  to  his  son,  John,  then 
about  five  years  old,  who  later  went  to  East  Tennessee.  The  boy  had 
a  sister,  Margaret,  and  James  Burnside  was  a  half  brother.  Archi- 
bald, Jr.,  a  son  by  the  first  wife,  moved  to  Greenbrier  and  was  mur- 
dered by  Indians  in  1763.  His  wife  was  a  Ewing.  Five  of  his  six 
children  were  also  killed,  but  the  wife  escaped  to  the  Cowpasture. 
George  and  Charles  seem  to  have  been  other  sons.  The  latter  gave 
his  name  to  the  capital  of  West  Virginia. 

Hugh  Coffey  went  to  South  Carolina  about  1756. 

John  Cowardin,  who  married  a  Lewis,  rented  the  Fort  Lewis 
plantation  after  the  death  of  Colonel  Charles  Lewis. 

Alexander  Crawford,  Sr.,  lost  his  life  in  one  of  the  massacres  on 
Kerr's  Creek.  The  son  seems  to  have  lived  on  the  Cowpasture  till 
after  the  Revolution,  when  he  returned  to  Rockbridge.  There  were 
other  Cravvfords  in  Bath. 

Captain  Robert  Crockett  came  to  America  in  1740,  and  died  in 
Beverly  Manor  in  1746,  leaving  nine  sons  and  a  daughter.  John  and 
Archibald  inherited  the  Cowpasture  land,  but  moved  to  Mecklenburg 
Count}',  North  Carolina.  John  and  James  sold  the  Calfpasture  prop- 
erty. Samuel,  who  inherited  the  place  on  Jackson's  River,  was  a  ser- 
geant at  Fort  Dickenson  in  1763.  Robert,  Jr.,  was  killed  in  Tenn- 
essee, in  1769,  where  he  was  a  member  of  a  company  of  hunters. 
Whether  the  celebrated  Davy  Crockett  sprang  from  this  family  we 
do  not  know.  There  were  other  Crocketts  in  Augusta  in  pioneer 
times. 

William  Daugherty  was  a  blacksmith.  The  family  was  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1791. 

Patrick  Davis,  who  was  living  near  Windy  Cove  in  1750,  removed 
to  Greenbrier. 

William  Dean  was  a  minister  on  the  Brandywine  in 
Pennsylvania.  Shortly  before  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1748, 
he  purchased  land  in  the  Borden  grant  and  on  Jackson's  River.  The 
latter  place  fell  to  William,  Jr.,  who  sold  it  to  his  brother,  John. 
The  latter,  who  was  also  a  minister,  and  in  1794  sheriff  of  Bath,  died 
in  1811,  aged  about  ninety.  His  daughters,  Mary,  Margaret,  Alice, 
Elizabeth,  Nancy,  Sarah,  and  Jean,  married,  respectively,  William 
BourlandAVilliam   Crawford,  John   Kincaid,  James  Kincaid,  James 


FAMILIES  OF  GREATER  BATH  193 

Anderson,  James  Venable,  and  Andrew  McClung.  There  was  also 
a  son  William. 

John  Donally  died  before  1772,  and  his  farm  seems  to  have  fallen 
to  John  Clark,  a  son-in-law.  Charles,  who  died  on  Stuart's  Creek  in 
1733,  was  probably  a  brother.  His  children  were  Andrew,  Charles 
Ann,  and  Catharine.  Captain  Andrew  Donally  moved  to  Green- 
brier about  1769,  and  his  stockade  withstood  a  heavy  attack  by  the 
Indians  in  1778.  A  few  years  later  he  moved  on  to  Kanawha  Coun- 
ty, of  which  he  was  one  of  the  first  justices. 

Alexander  Dunlap  came  from  near  Philadelphia  and  is  said  to 
have  been  the  first  settler  on  Great  River.  He  became  a  captain  of 
horse  in  1743,  but  died  the  following  year,  leaving  personality  to  the 
then  considerable  value  of  $811.48.  His  house  stood  near  the  spot 
now  occupied  by  the  Alleghany  Inn  at  Goshen.  His  wife  was  Jean 
McFarland,  and  his  children  were  John,  Alexander,  and  Elizabeth. 
The  first  lived  in  Rockbridge.  The  other  two  went  to  Kentucky. 
Goshen  Pass  was  first  known  as  Dunlap  Pass,  and  Bratton's  Run  was 
first  Dunlap 's  Run.  It  was  another  Dunlap  who  gave  his  name  to 
Dunlap's  Creek. 

John  Eddy  moved  to  Botetourt  before  1797. 

Thomas  Feamster,  a  wheelwright,  came  from  Pennsylvania  and 
lived  a  while  in  Hampshire.  In  1743  he  was  an  appraiser  of  the  es- 
tate of  Christopher  Graham.  He  died  in  1797  on  the  farm  near  Wil- 
liamsville  where  he  had  been  living  about  half  a  century.  His  person- 
ality amounted  to  almost  $4,400.  A  daughter  hid  his  will  and  the  es- 
tate was  not  settled  for  fifteen  years.  The  document  was  at  length 
found  by  a  grandson,  Thomas  Sitlington,  who  burned  it.  The 
daughters  of  Thomas  Feamster  were  Martha,  Rachael,  Elizabeth, 
Susanna,  and  Sarah,  who  married,  respectively,  John  McCreery  John 
Carlile,  Adam  Bratton,  Joseph  Wallace,  and  Hugh  Brown.  The  on- 
ly daughter  of  Sarah  Brown  married  Matthew  Wallace.  The  sons 
of  Thomas  Feamster  were  William  and  John,  who  moved  away,  the 
first  settling  in  Greenbrier  before  his  father's  death.  William  was 
three  times  married.  The  second  wife  was  a  Black,  the  third  was 
Mary  Fulton.  The  three  daughters  by  the  first  wife  married  and 
went  to  Indiana.  The  one  son  by  the  second  was  Thomas,  who  mar- 
ried Polly  McClung,  1796,  and  has  descendants  in  Tennessee. 
The  sons  by  the  third  marriage  are  the  ancestors  of  the  Feamsters  of 
Greenbrier. 


194  ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 

Conrad  Fudge,  who  died  in  Alleghany  about  1849,  married  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  Persinger,  by  whom  he  had  fourteen  children.  He 
owned  lands  then  worth  $7,000,  and  left  $1,000  to  each  of  five  sons. 

David  Frame  was  the  oldest  son  of  John  Frame,  who  came  from 
Pennsylvania.  The  son  purchased  the  Benjamin  Lewis  farm  and  lived 
on  it  some  years,  but  moved  to  Greenbrier"  about  1797. 

John  Fulton  was  a  pioneer  of  the  Calfpasture.  The  Fulton 
Spring  on  Mill  Creek  seems  to  be  associated  with  James  or  with  a 
son.     James  died  in  1753,  leaving  eight  children. 

James,  Henry,  John,  Robert,  and  William  Gay,  whose  names  ap- 
pear in  the  Pastures  between  1745  and  1755,  were  brothers.  Their 
sister,  Eleanor,  married  William  Kinkead.  James  died  in  1776,  leav- 
ing eight  children.     Several  of  the  later  Gays  went  to  Kentucky. 

Samuel  Given  purchased  in  Beverly  Manor  in  1738  and  was  one 
of  the  early  justices  of  Augusta.  His  son  William  seems  identical 
with  the  William  Given  of  the  Wilson  settlement,  who  died  in  1793, 
leaving  ten  children. 

Christopher  Graham,  who  died  in  1748,  was  probably  the  father 
of  John,  who  lived  until  1771,  and  had  eight  children.  One  of  these 
was  Jean,  who  married  Andrew  Lockridge.  Robert  inherited  a  half- 
interest  in  his  father's  gristmill.  Florence  married  her  cousin,  James 
Graham,  a  pioneer  on  the  Greenbrier.  It  may  have  been  her  brother 
James,  who  was  owning  the  Mitchell  patent  at  his  death  in  1829. 
That  he  owned  silver  tableware  besides  a  bed  and  curtains  inven- 
toried at  $45,  indicates  that  he  was  comfortably  situated. 

Naphthalim  Gregory  was  a  soldier  of  the  Indian  war  and  must 
have  died  at  an  early  age.  His  widow,  Mary,  continued  to  occupy 
the  farm  on  Back  Creek. 

James  Hall  died  about  1764,  a  date  which  suggests  that  he  may 
have  been  a  victim  of  the  Indian  raid  in  1763.  His  appraisers  were 
Thomas  Feamster  and  George  and  John  Lewis.  His  son  Robert 
was  in  North  Carolina  in  1737,  but  as  he  purchased  one-half  of  a 
Jackson  survey  five  years  later,  he  must  have  been  one  of  the  number 
who  preferred  the  Augusta  highlands  to  the  Southern  lowlands. 

We  are  in  some  doubt  a.  to  who  was  the  first  Hamilton  on  Jack- 
son's  River  and  Back  Creek,  and  there  may  have  been  more  than  a 
single  pioneer  in  that  quarter.  Tradition  relates  that  the  first  Ham- 
ilton family  on  Back  Creek  used  for  a  while  an  Indian  camping  hut. 


THE   FAMILIES   OF   GREATER   BATH  195 

It  is  said  that  trees  from  which  bark  had  been  stripped  to  cover  such 
shelters  continued  to  stand  until  a  recent  day.  Charles,  Osborn,  and 
Robert  seem  to  be  sons  of  this  family.  Major  Andrew  Hamilton 
moved  to  Greenbrier,  where  he  was  a  wealthy  resident,  owning  much 
property  in  lands  and  slaves.  He  had  a  brother  William.  Two 
sisters  married  James  McCay  and  William  Mann,  and  a  third  mar- 
ried a  Bowen. 

Hugh  Hicklin,  who  lived  some  years  on  the  Millroy  patent,  was 
the  oldest  son  of  Thomas,  of  the  Bullpasture,  and  he  moved  to  Ken- 
tucky about  1797.  Sonora  Hicklin,  who  married  the  late  William  M. 
Boggs,  of  Napa,  California,  may  have  been  a  descendant.  Mrs.  Boggs 
left  the  statement  that  her  great-grandfather  Hicklin  was  in  Ken- 
tucky before  Daniel  Boone. 

Samuel  Hodge  died  in  1773.  His  sons  were  John  and  James. 
The  latter  was  born  1747.  His  daughters,  Sarah,  Agnes,  Margaret, 
Catharine,  and  Elizabeth,  married  in  order,  a  McDonald,  a  Martin, 
a  Mcllvaine,  a  Kelly,  and  a  McCutchen.  Another  daugrter  was 
Eleanor. 

John  Henry  Insminger,  a  blacksmith,  lived  a  while  on  the  Cow- 
pasture  and  then  went  to  Monroe,  where  he  remained. 

Captain  William  Jameson  died  about  1753.  To  John,  his  oldest 
son,  he  left  his  land  on  Jackson's  River  and  his  best  suit  of  "close." 
Other  sons  were  George,  Andrew,  and  William,  of  whom  the  last 
named  had  the  Calfpasture  homestead.     John  left  Augusta. 

James  Kelso  was  a  servant  in  1759.  He  married  a  daughter  of 
John  Sitlington,  lived  nearly  opposite  Laverty,  and  was  a  prominent 
citizen. 

William  Keyser  purchased  land  on  the  west  side  of  Warm 
Springs  Mountain  in  1797. 

Even  in  the  infancy  of  Augusta  the  Kincaids  were  many.  The 
John  who  bought  land  on  the  Calfpasture  lived  at  New  London,  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  at  once  conveyed  the  place  to  David  Kincaid,  of 
Albemarle. 

James  Knox,  who  died  in  1772,  lived  a  mile  northeast  of  Wil- 
liamsville.  His  children  were  James,  John,  Robert,  Jean,  Abigail, 
Elizabeth,  and  Mary.  The  wife's  name  was  Jean.  It  is  stated  on 
very  good  authority  that  James,  Jr.,  an  officer  in  Washington's  army, 
was  the  man  who  gave  his  name  to  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  and  not 


196  ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 

General  Henry  Knox,  as  is  the  usual  claim.  Jane,  the  mother  of 
President  Polk,  was  a  daughter  of  one  James  Knox.  That  the  latter 
was  a  kinsman  is  very  probable. 

The  LaRue  family  is  derived  from  Isaac,  who  settled  near  Win- 
chester in  1738.    Abraham,  a  son,  moved  to  Augusta  County. 

Ralph  Laverty  died  in  1792  at  the  mouth  of  Stuart's  Creek, 
where  he  had  lived  near  half  a  century.  He  was  a  person  of  some 
means  and  prestige,  and  until  the  Revolution  his  name  often  occurs 
in  the  Augusta  records.  But  he  operated  a  still,  and  on  one  occasion 
he  was  fined  for  being  too  drunk  to  give  testimony.  His  second  wife, 
whom  he  married  in  1764,  was  Jean,  widow  of  Robert  Graham. 
His  sons,  William  and  Steele,  settled  on  New  River  at  the  mouth 
of  Indian  Creek.  The  latter  was  killed  by  Indians.  The  former, 
who  died  a  natural  death  in  1818,  was  the  parent  of  fourteen  chil- 
dren. The  daughters  of  Ralph  were  Elizabeth,  Agnes,  Sarah,  and 
Martha.  To  the  first,  who  married  James  Hamilton,  of  Rock- 
bridge, he  left  his  homestead.  The  otrers  married,  in  order,  a  Had- 
don,  a  Clark,  and  a  Meek.  In  1800,  a  slave  named  Chainey,  be- 
longing to  the  widow  Laverty,  murdered  her  own  child.  The  people 
of  Bath  were  not  willing  to  see  the  woman  hanged,  and  she  was  sent 
out  of  the  county. 

Captain  John  Lewis,  of  Warm  Springs,  was  a  son  of  Thomas  and 
a  nephew  of  Charles.  He  commanded  a  company  at  Point  Pleasant, 
and  was  also  an  officer  under  Washington.  He  died  in  1788,  leaving 
four  children,  Thomas  L.,  Elizabeth  S.,  Charles  A.,  and  John  B. 

George  Lewis  was  unrelated  to  the  other  connection.  He  came 
from  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  seems  to  have  been  il- 
literate. His  sons,  John  and  Benjamin,  between  whom  he  divided  his 
homestead,  went  to  Greenbrier.  Yet  the  father  may  have  been  the 
George  Lewis  who  was  exempted  from  head-tax  in  1785  because  of 
age. 

James  Lockridge  seems  to  have  come  to  the  Calfpasture  in  1753. 
He  sold  his  purchase  to  his  son  Andrew  and  went  to  North  Carolina. 
Andrew  built  a  mill  soon  after  his  arrival,  but  in  1774  he  removed 
to  a  large  purchase  north  of  Burnsville  and  died  there  in  1791. 
James  and  Lancelot  were  his  brothers,  and  there  was  probably  also  a 
Robert.  His  own  sons  were  John,  Andrew,  James,  William,  and 
Robert.     Rev.  Andrew  Y.  Lockridge,  a  Presbyterian  missionary  to  the 


THE   FAMILIES   OF   GREATER   BATH  197 

Cherokee  Indians,  is  a  descendant.  Sarah,  a  daughter  of  the  first 
James,  married  John  Gay,  son  of  James,  and  went  to  Kentucky.  The 
celebrated  Colonel  Lockridge,  of  Texas,  killed  in  Walker's  filibus- 
tering expedition  to  Nicaraugue,  is  believed  to  have  been  another  de- 
scendant. 

Humphrey  Madison  was  a  deputy  sheriff  in  1753  and  was  killed 
by  Indians  three  years  later.  He  must  have  lived  on  the  Cow- 
pasture,  as  his  estate  was  appraised  by  four  men  of  the  Dickenson  set- 
tlement. 

Michael  Mallow  seems  to  be  identical  with  the  Michael  whose  fa- 
ther of  the  same  name  settled  near  Upper  Tract  in  Pendleton  County. 
The  son  was  born  about  1755  and  carried  off  by  Indians  in  childhood, 
but  was  restored.  He  was  identified  by  a  scar  on  the  thumb.  Mi- 
chael, of  Alleghany,  died  in  1830,  leaving  seven  children. 

Moses  Mann,  an  early  settler  in  Beverly  Manor,  died  about 
1758,  and  seems  to  be  the  father  of  John,  William,  and  Thomas,  of 
whom  the  first  was  the  administrator.  The  brothers  William  and 
Thomas  settled  on  Jackson's  River.  William  died  about  1778. 
His  first  habitation  was  a  saltpeter  cave,  in  which  a  son  was  born. 
His  children  were  Moses,  Thomas,  William,  John,  Jenny,  and  Sa- 
rah. The  sons  were  given  land  in  Bath  and  Monroe.  Thomas, 
brother  of  William  Sr.,  traded  with  the  Indians  and  lived  until  1794. 

Thomas  Massie  came  from  Frederick  County. 

James  Mayse,  a  cooper,  was  the  first,  pioneer  in  Bath  to  hold  a 
civil  office.  He  was  killed  by  Indians,  leaving  personalty  worth 
about  $150.  His  sons  were  William,  Joseph,  anad  Richard.  The 
third,  whose  administrator  was  William  Douglas,  died  in  1809. 
Joseph  Mayse,  of  the  Fort  Lewis  settlement,  may  have  been  a  brother, 
yet  we  are  not  certain  that  there  was  an  entire  identity  of  surname. 
His  son  Joseph  died  in  1840  at  the  age  of  eighty-four.  His  brief  cap- 
tivity among  the  Indians  is  elsewhere  mentioned.  A  severe  wound 
in  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant  induced  his  mother  to  ride  there  on 
horse-back  with  only  a  negro  attendant.  She  nursed  him  back  to 
recovery,  yet  at  a  much  later  time  amputation  of  the  injured  leg  be- 
came necessary.     He  had  a  brother  Isaac. 

James  McAvoy  was  kidnapped  from  Ireland  when  a  youth  and 
sold  to  Robert  Carlile. 

Thomas    and    John    McAllister,    of    Ugly    Creek,    died    about 


198  ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 

the  same  time — 1829.  The  sons  of  the  former  were  William  and 
Reese;  of  the  latter,  James  and  Samuel. 

JamesMcCay  moved  to  Greenbrier. 

John  McClung,  Jr.,  came  from  Rockbridge  to  Thompson's  Creek 
in  1751,  when  only  eighteen  years  old.  His  wife  was  Sarah  Mc- 
Cutchen,  and  his  sons  were  Robert,  John,  and  William. 

William  McClintic  purchased  a  part  of  the  Bourland  place  in 
1774,  and  lived  there  till  his  death  in  1801.  His  sons  were  Alexan- 
der, William,  Joseph,  and  Robert.  Two  daughters  married  Mil- 
hollens.  A  brother  to  William  was  so  desperately  wounded  at  Guil- 
ford that  he  only  partially  recovered.  In  1786  the  court  of  Botetourt 
recommended  him  for  a  pension.  He  died  soon  afterward,  leaving  a 
son. 

John  McCreery,  a  carpenter,  was  a  settler  of  some  means  and 
enterprise.  He  died  on  his  homestead  in  1768,  after  dividing  it  be- 
tween his  sons  John)  and  Robert,  both  of  whom  were  prominent  in 
both  civil  and  military  life  in  this  county  before  moving  to  Kentucky. 
The  pioneer  McCreery  had  also  several  daughters.  Elizabeth  mar- 
ried Colonel  George  Wilson  in  1750.  Wilson  is  mentioned  in  anoth- 
er paragraph.  Jane  married  Major  Andrew  Donally,  a  pioneer  of 
Greenbrier  and  Kanawha,  and  whose  fort  near  Lewisburg  was  the 
scene  of  a  battle  with  the  Indians  in  1778.  Nancy — named  for  her 
mother,  Nancy  Crawford,  of  Dublin,  Ireland — married  James  Hus- 
ton, who  went  to  Kentucky  in  1783  and  died  at  his  home  near  Cov- 
ington in  1818,  at  the  age  of  ninety-five.  The  wife  of  John  Mc- 
Creery, Jr.,  was  a  daughter  of  Wallace  Estill. 

The  children  of  John  McDannald,  who  seems  to  have  been  a 
physician,  were  Samuel,  John,  Elizabeth,  James,  Mary,  Rebecca,  and 
William.  Samuel  was  living  on  Mill  Creek  in  1790.  John  went 
to  Ohio  and  James  to  Kentucky.  Elizabeth  was  several  years  a  cap- 
tive among  the  Indians.  As  the  widow  of  Robert  Sitlington  she 
gave  $1,000  to  Windy  Cove  church. 

Duncan  McFarland  seems  to  have  come  from  Lunenburg  Coun- 
ty. Alexander  and1  William  were  soas.  The  first  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution.  He  sold  to  Jacob  Cleck  and  went  to  North  Caro- 
lina. The  other  absconded  about  1775,  leaving  his  father-in-law 
to  rare  for  the  wife  and  her  seven  children. 

Robert  McGuffin  came  from  Rockingham  and  purchased  land 
below  Falling  Spring  in   1795. 


THE    FAMILIES   OF   GREATER    BATH  199 

Alexander  Millroy  seems  to  have  moved  to  Rockbridge  about 
1762. 

John  Mitchell  was  living  in  North  Carolina  in  1766.  But  a 
John  who  may  have  been  the  same  died  in  Augusta  in  1771.  His 
children  were  Thomas,  Robert,  John,  James,  Eleanor,  Mary,  and 
Elizabeth.  One  John  Mitchell  died  a  natural  death  in  1783  at  Da- 
vid Frame's  stillhouse;  according  to  the  verdict  of  the  coroner's  jury. 

John  Moore,  who  settled  near1  the  mouth  of  Thompson's  Creek, 
was  a  victim  of  the  Indians.  According  to  tradition,  his  widow 
Molly  accepted  a  brave  as  her  second  husband,  and  her  son,  Joseph, 
fought  on  the  side  of  the  red  men,  thereby  arousing  great  indigna- 
tion among  the  white  people  who  had  known  him  in  boyhood.  This 
legend  may  be  confused  as  to  names  and  details.  Moore  is  not  one 
of  the  rare  names  and  it  was  not  rare  in  pioneer  Augusta.  At  all 
events  the  Moore  name  was  not  blotted  out  in  Bath,  and  a  Joseph 
Moore  was  living  in  this  county  in  1797. 

Richard  Morris  died  on  Jackson's  River  in  1805.  His  nine  chil- 
dren seem  mostly  to  have  gone  to  Ohio.  Isabella  and  Frances  mar- 
ried,  respectively,   William   Elliot   and  Archibald  Armstrong. 

Andrew  Muldrock  died  in  1758  or  1759,  leaving  a  will  which 
was  not  put  on  record.  The  widow,  Jean,  seems  to  have  moved  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Cowpasture. 

Anthony  Mustoe  came  to  Warm  Springs  Valley  about  1790. 
He  was  associated  with  William  Chambers  in  some  land  operations. 

In   1762   Michael  O'Hara  was  a  ward  of  Alexander   Millroy. 

John  Oliver,  a  large  landholder  and  a  prominent  citizen,  died  in 
1791,  leaving  a  son  of  the  same  name. 

Jacob  Persinger  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Potts  Creek 
and  had  a  numerous  posterity.  His  son  Jacob  died  in  1841,  leaving 
eleven  children.  To  his  brother  Henry,  who  preceded  him  seventeen 
years,  there  were  born  ten. 

Adam  Porter  settled  on  Porter's  Mill  Creek  shortly  after  the 
Revolution,  and  built  a  gristmill.  Three  son  were  Robert,  Reese, 
and  Adam. 

John  Putnam  was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1764,  and  came  to 
Stuart's  Creek  at  the  age  of  thirty.  As  Jeptha  Putnam  he  was  a  fif- 
er  in  the  Revolution  when  a  boy  of  thirteen. 

Michael   Rainey  moved   from  the  upper  Cowpasture  to   Indian 


200  ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 

Creek  and  ended  his  days  there.     He  seems  to  have  had  no  children. 

John  Ramsey,  who  married  the  widow  of  Robert  Gay,  purchased 
the  Coffey  place. 

William  Renick  owned  the  Benson  farm  for  seven  years  before 
moving  to  Greenbrier,  and  may  have  lived  on  it. 

William  Rhea  died  on  Mill  Creek  in  1801,  after  having  lived 
there  at  least  thirty  years.  His  sons  were  William  and  John.  To  a 
grandson  he  left  a  copy  of  "Whitefield's  Sermons." 

James  and  William  Scott  apear  to  be  brothers.  The  latter  died 
in  1751,  and  the  widow  married  Joseph  Carpenter,  the  guardian  of  his 
children.  Elizabeth  Scott,  who  died  in  1841,  was  an  aged  widow  who 
left  $200  to  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Covington. 

Andrew  Sitlington,  who  came  to  America  before  1760,  and  to  the 
Cowpasture  soon  after  1766,  lived  chiefly  on  the  Craighead  farm  till 
his  death  in  1804  .  Tjo  relatives  and  friends  he  left  sums  amounting 
to  $3,000.  Like  his  brother  Robert  he  had  no  children.  A  third  Sit- 
lington was  John,  who  lived  at  the  mouth  of  Stuart's  Creek.  Wil- 
liam and  James  were  his  sons.  The  latter  was  killed  in  the  battle  of 
Falling  Spring,  though  not,  it  is  said,  until  he  had  slain  two  of  the 
foe.  His  scalp,  identified  by  its  yellow  hair,  was  recovered.  William, 
who  died  in  1772,  has  many  descendants,  although  the  surname  has  for 
several  decades  been  extinct  both  in  Bath  and  Highland.  The  Sit- 
lingtons  were  people  of  much  thrift  and  prominence. 

James  Sloan,  a  neighbor,  to  the  McClungs,  married  a  daughter  of 
John   Sitlington. 

James  Stuart  gave  his  name  to  the  stream  first  known  as  Stuart's 
Mill  Creek.  He  was  probably  a  brother-in-law  to  Ralph  Laverty, 
and  was  killed  by  Indians  in  1757.  James,  Ralph,  and  John  were 
then  minor  children.  James  and  Ralph  went  to  Tygart's  Valley, 
where  the  former  died  in  1777,  probably  while  in  militia  service. 
Robert,  who  was  living  on  the  patent  in  1789  and  keeping  a  store, 
was  probably  the  oldest  son. 

Van  and  Leonard  Swearingen,  living  on  Mill  Creek  in  1790, 
seem  to  be  descendants  of  the  Van  who  was  living  in  Berkeley  Coun- 
ty in  1 738. 

Thomas  Thompson  came  from  Delaware  about  1749,  and  set- 
tled on  the  stream  which  now  bears  his  name.  He  was  guardian  of 
James  Stuart,  Jr.     He  died  about   1760,  perhaps  another  victim  of 


THE   FAMILIES   OF   GREATER   BATH  201 

the  red  man.  Edward,  the  administrator,  seems  to  be  a  brother. 
There  were  a  William  and  a  younger  Thomas.  Robert,  a  soldier  at 
Point  Pleasant,  was  born  in  1758.  Joseph,  living  in  1781  on  the 
Botetourt  section  of  Jackson's  River,  was  probably  of  a  distinct  fam- 
ily. 

The  surname  Usher  calls  up  a  romance,  of  which  our  knowledge 
is  all  too  fragmentary.  One  Edward  Usher  wedded  the  only  daugh- 
ter and  sole  heir  of  a  member  of  the  English  aristocracy.  After  a 
few  years  she  was  left  a  widow  and  sought  a  reconciliation  with 
her  father.  She  was  walking  toward  his  mansion,  leading  her  chil- 
dren, when  he  drove  by.  The  parent  merely  tossed  her  a  coin  with  * 
the  remark  that  that  was  all  the  brats  should  have  of  his  property. 
In  some  unknown  manner,  the  three  daughters  came  to  the  Dicken- 
son settlement.  In  1745,  James  Knox,  as  guardian  of  Ann  Jenny 
Usher,  executed  the  first  fiduciary  bond  on  record  in  Augusta  Coun- 
ty. She  married  Loftus  Pullin,  of  the  Bullpasture.  Martha  married 
Colonel  John  Dickenson,  and  Margaret  married  William  Steuart  of 
the  upper  Cowpasture.  Steuart,  an  educated  Scotchman,  came  to 
America  when  about  twenty  years  old,  but  the  ship  he  took  passage 
with  was  captured  by  pirates  and  he  was  set  ashore  with  nothing  at 
all  but  a  piece  of  canvas.  All  three  had  families.  There  was  al- 
most certainly  a  brother,  who  must  have  emigrated  from  this  region. 
The  aristocratic  grandparent  finally  relented  and  sent  an  agent  to 
America,  but  the  sisters  did  not  know  of  it  till  afterward,  and  do  not 
seem  to  have  been  much  interested  in  the  matter. 

Samuel  Vance  came  to  Mountain  Grove  by  1765,  and  lived  there 
till  his  death  in  1807.  His  children  were  James,  Benjamin,  Ally, 
Allen,  Patsy,  Nancy,  Sarah,  and  Elizabeth.  John  would  appear  to 
be  a  brother  to  Samuel. 

James  Waddell  bargained  for  his  survey  on  the  Cowpasture  in 
1743.  He  fell  into  debt  to  a  number  of  people  and  betook  himself 
to  Pennsylvania  in  1747.  Robert  Bratton  attached  a  mare.  Laverty 
was  his  security  to  John  Scott  on  a  note  of  $21.86.  Scott  brought 
suit,  and  Laverty  petitioned  that  he  might  be  allowed  to  patent  Wad- 
dell's  survey,  the  face  of  the  note  and  the  purchase  price  of  the  land 
being  nearly  the  same.  This  was  granted,  and  a  valuation  of  the 
improvements  was  made  by  McCay,  Cartmill,  Stuart,  and  Adam 
Dickenson. 


202  ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 

Thomas  Wallace  came  from  Deleware  in  1781,  purchased  the 
upper  half  of  the  McCreery  homestead,  and  died  on  it  in  1799.  His 
children  were  Matthew,  David,  Josiah,  John,  Benjamin,  Joseph, 
Thomas,  Polly,  and  Nancy.  Matthew,  born  in  1772,  is  the  ancestor 
of  the  Wallaces  of  Bath.  General  W.  H.  L.  Wallace,  killed  in  the 
Battle  of  Shiloh  in  1862,  sprang  from  another  branch. 

James  Ward,  born  about  1727,  lived  some  years  at  Warm 
Springs  where  he  kept  a  tavern.  He  was  a  lieutenant,  and  was  a 
brother-in-law  to  Sampson  Mathews  and  Matthew  Arbuckle.  He 
removed  to  Anthony's  Creek  in  1769.  John  Ward,  excused  from 
poll  tax  in  1768,  seems  to  have  been  his  father  and  to  have  lived  with 
him  at  Warm  Springs.  Colonel  William  Ward,  the  oldest  of  the 
seven  children  of  James,  was  taken  by  Indians  near  Fort  Dinwiddie, 
but  was  restored.  He  was  ai  justice  of  Greenbrier  and  otherwise  a 
leading  man  there.  He  finally  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  founded 
the  city  of  Urbana  in  1805.  Captain  James  Ward,  the  second  son, 
was  killed  at  Point  Pleasant. 

William  Warwick  came  from  Williamsburg  and  married  Eliza- 
beth Dunlap.  His  sons  were  Charles  and  John.  The  latter  was  a 
scout  in  the  Indian  war  and  went  to  Kentucky  in  1789.  Captain 
Jacob  Warrick,  a  son,  was  killed  at  Tippecanoe,  and  Warrick  Coun- 
ty, in  Indiana,  is  named  for  him.  General  Harrison  complimented 
his  company  by  saying  he  had  never  seen  a  finer  body  of  men.  Major 
Jacob  Warwick  owned  for  a  while  the  Fort  Dinwiddie  farm.  He 
moved  to  Pocahontas  about  1800.  Three  sons-in-law  were  Charles 
E.  Cameron,  Sampson  Mathews,  and  William  Gatewood. 

Joseph  Watson  died  in  the  spring  of  1747,  and  the  widow  mar- 
ried John  McCapen.  In  the  inventory  of  Watson's  effects  is  the 
first  mention  in  Augusta  of  knives  and  forks,  their  value  being  fifty- 
eight  cents. 

Elisha  Williams  came  from  Frederick  County.  Hazel  Wil- 
liams, whose  wife  was  Rachel  Cauley,  was  a  miller  on  Lick  Run  in 
1792. 

William  Wilson,  of  Bolar  Run,  came  from  Brandywine  Creek  in 
Pennsylvania  about  1749.  Stephen  Wilson  was  a  neighbor  and  kins- 
man. 

George  Wilson  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  much  energy  and 
influence  and  to  have  had  some  enemies.     He  acquired  several  widely- 


THE   FAMILIES   OF   GREATER    BATH  203 

separated  surveys,  but  appears  to  have  lived  at  Green  Valley.  Dur- 
ing the  Indian  war  he  commanded  a  company  of  militia.  About  1763 
he  removed  to  the  west  of  Pennsylvania  and  settled  near  where  he 
had  campaigned  in  the  Braddock  war.  After  the  Revolution  began 
he  was  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania,  but  died  in  that 
service  in  1777. 

Archibald  Withrow  was  born  in  1773  and  died  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty. 

Peter  Wright  settled  on  the  site  of  Covington  and  had  a  grist- 
mill. Fort  Young  was  built  on  his  homestead.  He  died  about  1758, 
and  his  son  of  the  same  name  was  his  executor. 


ERRATA 

Page  7,  line  14:     Read  were,  not  are. 

Page  16,  line  25:      Read  Alexander  not  William. 

Page  35,  line  1 :     Read  purchases,  not  purchasers. 

Page  40,  line  27:     Read  Thomas  C.  McCreary,  not  McCreery. 

Page  41,  line  5:  According  to  very  recent  information,  these 
McFarlands  were  not  discended  from  Duncan. 

Page  72,  line  1 :     Read  $7.84,  not  $5.00. 

Page  92,  line  32:     Omit  the 

Page  93,  line  10:     Read  $50,  not  $30. 

Page  100,  line  18:     Read  "Deficalty,"  not  "Deficasy." 

Page  102,  line  36:     Read  principles,  not  principals. 

Page  1-95,  line  7:     Read  John  Byrd,  Jr.,  not  Boiven. 

A  few  other  errors  are  quite  slight  and  therefore  are  not  men- 
tioned here. 


GENERAL  INDEX 

NOTE:  The  topics  beginning  on  pages  27,  36,  106,  111,  128, 
153,  168,  and  170,  contain  numerous  proper  names  arranged  with 
one  exception  in  alphabetic  order.  These  names  are  not  repeated 
in  the  present  index. 


Abercrombie,    Robert 188 

Act    of    Assembly,    1790 107 

Alleghany,    Naming   of 176 

Alleghany,   Formation   of 176 

Alleghany,     Physical      Geogra- 
phy     176 

Alleghany,    Statistical    177 

Alleghany,    Industrial    177 

Alleghany,    Scenic    Features    ..178 
Alleghany,    Organization    of...  180 

Alleghany  in  War  of  1861 182 

Alleghany,    Justices,    1823-1852.180 
Alleghany,     Early     History     of 

181,   182,   184 

Anglin,    James     188 

Animals    and    Plants 6 

Armstrong,    Robert    188 

Augusta    County    IS 

Augusta   in   1783 78 

Bailey,    Ann 99 

Bath    Alum     49 

Bath,  Form   and    Size    1 

Bath,  Boundaries     1 

Bath,  Organization    of    108 

Bath,  Curtailments    134 

Bath,  Magisterial    Districts    ...138 

Bath,  Valuation,    1860    138 

Bath,  Progress,    1790-1860    139 

Bath,  Squadron    146 

Bath,  Modern     172 

Bath,  Tourists    172 

Bath,  Statistical    174 

Bath,  Pioneer    Families     186 

Bath,  Soldiers      in      Revolution 

95,    98 


Bath,  Officers      in      Revolution 

95,   96,   97 

Bath-Pendleton    line,     1793 134 

Baxter,    John    188 

Beard,    James    188 ' 

Benson,    George    189 

Black,    Alexander     189 

Blanton,    William     1 89 

Blowing    Cave     9 

Bolar   Spring    45 

Bollar,    John     189 

Bonner,    William    189 

Botetourt  County,  Formation  of  54 

Bourland,    James    189 

Bratton,    Robert    41,    189 

Brown,    John    190 

Burns    Family    190 

Burnside,   James    190 

Byrd,   John    190 

Calfpasture,    Position    of 167 

Calfpasture,    Early    Officials. .  .167 
Calfpasture,   Lewis   and   Patton 

Survey    167 

Calfpasture,     Pioneer     Settlers 

168-170 
Calfpasture,    Emigrants   from..  169 

Callison,    James    190 

Cameron,    Charles    E 190 

Carlile,    James     191 

Carpenter,    Families     191 

Cartmill,    John     191 

Chesapeake   &    Ohio   R.    R 179 

Church    Buildings,    1860 138 

Cleek,    Jacob    191 

Clements,    Jacob    191 


206 


AXNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 


Clendennin,    Archibald    ...40,    192 

Clifton    Forge    180 

Climate     6 

Cloverdale     162 

Coffey,    Hugh     ....192 

Confederate    Soldiers,  Roster  of  152 
County    Government,    Colonial.   52 

Courthouses     136 

Covington    179,    181 

Covvardin,    John    192 

Craighead,    Alexander    67 

Crawford,    Alexander     192 

Crockett,    Robert    192 

Daugherty,    William    192 

Davis,    Patrick     192 

Dean,   William    192 

Dickenson,   Adam  and   John...   38 

Donally    Family    193 

Dunlap,    Alexander    193 

Ebbing    Spring     9 

Eddy,    John     193 

Feamster,    Thomas     193 

Flag   Rock,   View   From    8 

Fort   Lewis    Settlement    19 

Frame,    Daniel     194 

Frenqh   and   Indian   War    79 

Fort    Dinwiddie     96 

Fudge,    Conrad    194 

Fulton,    John     194 

Geology     4 

Given,    William    194 

Gregory,    Naphthalim    194 

Graham,    James    194 

Hall,    James     194 

Hamilton    Family    194 

Healing    Springs    45,    49 

Hicklin,    Hugh    195 

Hodge,    Samuel    195 

Hot   Springs    44 

Hot   Springs,   Town   of    47 

Hot  Springs,   Walker's    Visit   to 

62,   78 


Immigrants,    Ulster    Homes   of   .40 

Incidents,   1790-1860    135,    139 

Indian    Names     14 

Indian    Legend    45 

Indian    Raids,    1756-59    82 

Indian   Raid,    1763    84,    85 

Indians,    Relations    with     79 

Indians,    Defense    against    80 

Jackson    Family     39 

James  River  and  Kanawha  Ca- 
nal      179 

Jameson,    William    195 

Justices,    1791-1823    136 

Kelso,   James    195 

Keyser,    William     195 

Kincaid    Family    195 

Knox,   James    195 

LaRue   Family    196 

Laverty,    Ralph    196 

Law   and    Order    69 

Legal    Documents    71 

Letter  by  Andrew   Lewis    86 

Letter  by  Andrew  Sittlington    .   87 

Letter  by  Charles  Lewis   88 

Letter  by  John    Dickenson    ....100 

Letter  by  W.   Chambers    138 

Letter  by  Robert   Bratton    142 

Lewis    Family    196 

Lewis,    John    14,    15 

Lewis,    Charles    92 

Lewis  Land  Grant    15,  23 

Litigation     69 

Licpjor,   Petition    against    140 

Lockridge,    Andrew    196 

Madison,    Humphrey    197 

Mallow,    Michael    197 

Mann  Family 197 

Mann's    Fort,    attack    upon    ...   84 

Marriage   Bonds,   list  of   128 

Marriage    Formalities    127 

Massie,    Thomas    197 

Mathews,    Sampson    and    Geo. .162 
Mayse    Family     197 


GENERAL    INDEX 


207 


Mayse,    Captivity   of   Joseph...   85 

McAvoy,    James    197 

McCallister   Family    197' 

McCay,    James     198 

McCIung,   John    198 

McCIintic    Family    198 

McCrary,    John    40,    198 

McDonnald,    John    198 

McFarland,    Duncan    198 

McGuffin,    Robert    198 

Meadow  Lake    9 

Millboro    Springs    49 

Militia    System    69 

Millroy,    Alexander    199 

Mineral   Waters,    Nature   of...  42 
Mineral  Springs  of  Cowpasture  49 

Mitchell,    John     199 

Money   in    Colonial   Times    ...   71 

Moore,    John    199 

Moravian    Missionaries    76 

Morris,   Richard    199 

Mountain   Ranges    2 

Mountain    Passes    3 

Muldrock,    Andrew    199 

Muster  Roll,  Wilson's  Company  86 
Mustoe,    Anthony    199 

O'Hara,    Michael    40,    199 

Oliver,    John    199 

Paths,    aboriginal     56 

Pennsylvania    Road    62 

Pensioners    of    Revolution    ....   98 

Persinger  Family   184,  199 

Petition   of    1727    18 

Petition   of   1779,   Signers  of...  106 

Petitions    of    1779-1788    104 

Pioneer    Settlement   Areas    ....   36 

Pioneer    Conditions    62 

Pioneer   Houses    66 

Pioneer    Costume     63 

Pioneer    Taverns     51 

Pioneer    Occupations    66 

Pioneer   Stores    52 

Pioneer    Farming 66 


Pioneer    Mills    52 

Pioneer    Prices 73 

Pioneer  Postal    Service    76 

Pioneer    Forts    81 

Pioneer  Schools  , 69,   170 

Plantations      71 

Point   Pleasant    Expedition    ...   89 

Point   Pleasant,   Battle^of    90 

Pontiac  War   83,  85 

Population  Figures    135,   174 

Porter,    Adam    199 

Powder    Mills    75 

Presbyterianism      67 

Prices,    1781    97 

Processioning    65 

Public   Land,    Methods    of    Ob- 
taining     22,    23 

Putnam,    John    199 

Rainey,   Michael    199 

Ramsey,   John     200 

Rangers,    Dickenson's    86 

Renick,   William    200 

Revolution,     Three     Stages     of 

94,  96 
Revolution,  Local  Events  ....  96 
Revolution,   Bath   Soldiers   in    .   94 

Rhea,    William    200 

Rivers    of   the    Pastures    13 

Roads,    Pioneer    56 

Road    Overseers,    1748-88       ...   60 

Rocky    Springs    Church     170 

Rubino   Spring    45 

Scenery     7 

Schools,    Petition    on    140 

Scotch-Irish    Settlers     11 

Scott    Family     200 

Selim,    the    Algerine    101 

Sheriffs,    1823-61    137 

Sittlington    Family    200 

Slavery     139 

Sloan,   James    200 

Society,   Grades  of    64 

Society,  State  of   67,  69,  76 


208 


ANNALS    OF    BATH    COUNTY 


Soils     57 

Spottsylvania    County    IS 

Spottswood's   Expedition    10 

Stranger,    A   Mysterious    141 

Stuart,    James    200 

Suit,    Mayse    vs.    Lewis    26 

Surnames,  1782-3     Ill  j 

Surnames,  1791     118 

Surnames,  1913     122 

Surveys  and  Patents,  Lists  of   .   27 

Terrill   Brothers    143 

Trompson,    Thomas    200 

Toryism      98 

Usher,   Edward    201 

Vance    Family    40,    201 

Vanstavern    Story     184 

Waddell,    James     201 

Wallace,    Thomas    202 

War  of  1861,  local  incidents  of 

143,   147 


War  of  1861,  War    Justices    ..143 
War  of  1861,  Local    Document- 
ary   History    144,    182 

War  of  1861,  Jones'    Raid     ...149 

Ward,    James    202 

Warm  Springs    44,  49 

Warm   Springs,   Town   of    ....  48 
Warm    Springs    Valley,    Settle- 
ment  of    46 

Warm    Springs,    Description    of  50 
Warm    Springs,    Strother's    Eu- 
logy         50 

Warwick,    William    202 

Water-cdurses      4 

Watson,    Joseph     202 

Whiskey   War    133 

Williams,    Elisha    202 

Wilson,    William    202 

Wilson,    George    202 

Windy    Cave    Church     67 

Withrow,    Archibald    203 

Wright,    Peter    203 


f/',AR   1  2  1952