Frederick, a town was established called Battletown. This was so called,
says tradition, because of the rough and-tumble fights of the gang who
met there to drink their ale.
Daniel Morgan, a picturesque character of the Valley, thought he had the
right to stop such fights and so he frequently got into the fray. Old
records show that Morgan sometimes had to pay a fine "for misbehavior."
But no doubt it was here that he won his strength and learned to
out-match the toughs of the neighborhood. Certainly he won a reputation
for his prowess, and as a general he won distinction.
The town changed its name in 1798 when it was granted a charter and
became Berryville. It was named for its founder Benjamin Berry, who
donated the land and when Clark County was formed in 1836, Berryville
was chosen as the county seat.
Tradition tells us that George Washington boarded with Captain Charles
Smith when he was in the Valley surveying for Lord Fairfax. This home
was about a half mile from the present Berryville. His office while in
the Valley was a small log building which was used as a spring house for
"Soldier's Rest." A cold spring of water flows under the floor of the
first room, which is about twelve feet square. George used the room
upstairs for his sleeping quarters. It was there he kept his instruments
and carefully recorded in his diary his experiences. It was there he
made out his reports for Lord Fairfax. Howe, an early historian, tells
us about that youth of sixteen. Quoting Bancroft, he writes: "The woods
of Virginia sheltered the youthful George Washington, the son of a
widow. Born by the side of the Potomac, beneath the roof of a
Westmoreland farmer, almost from infancy his lot had been the lot of an
orphan. No academy had welcomed him to its shade, no college crowned him
with its honors, to read, to write, to cipher--these had been his
degrees of knowledge. And now at sixteen years, in quest of an honest
maintainance, encountering intolerable toil, cheered onward by being
able to write to a boyhood friend, 'Dear Richard, a doubloon is my
constant gain every day, and sometimes six pistoles.' He was his own
cook, having no spit but a forked stick, no plate but a large chip;
roaming over the spurs of the Alleghanies and along the banks of the
Shenandoah, alive to nature, among skin-clad savages, with their scalps
and rattles, or uncouth emigrants that would never speak English, rarely
sleeping in a bed, holding a bear skin a splendid couch, glad of a
resting place for a night upon a little hay, straw or fodder ... this
stripling surveyor in the woods, with no companion but his unlettered
associates, and no implements of science but his compass and chain,
contrasted strangely with his fellows. And yet God had not selected a
Newcastle, nor a monarch of the Hapsburg, nor of Hanover, but the
Virginia Stripling to give to human affairs and as far as events can
depend upon individuals, had placed the rights and destinies of
countless millions in the keeping of the widow's son."
While in the Valley of Virginia the young George Washington learned how
to tell the age of various trees by the thickness of their bark. The
older a tree is, the thicker the bark and it is much rougher and thicker
on the north side of the tree. He learned to know the course of the
winds and to get to the leeward of his game when out hunting for food or
skins. This was done by putting his finger in his mouth and holding it
there until it became warm, then holding it high above his head; the
side which became cold showed him which way the wind was blowing. He
learned that the deer always seeks the sheltered places and the leeward
side of the hills. In rainy weather, they keep in the open woods and on
the highest grounds. He found that the fur or skins of animals are good
in all those months in which an "R" is found in the spelling.
He learned how to track animals, to know the various birds' songs and
cries. He watched the hunters build their camp fires and learned how to
cook his own game.
Front Royal
As most of us know, Charles II lived in such extravagant style and had
such a luxurious court he had difficulty in keeping his bills paid. He
was accustomed to resorting to one scheme after another in order to
raise revenue. At one time he dreamt of great wealth from the Virginia
colony through its tobacco crop--and it did supply him generously with
taxes.
Realizing a lucrative business might be established by trading in furs
with the Indians, Charles ordered Governor Berkeley to send explorers
beyond the mountains. The governor chose a man of whom history records
very little. John Lederer was at one time a Franciscan monk. He
obviously had leanings towards an adventuresome life. In 1761 he set out
for the West, under the compulsion of Governor Berkeley. The party was
composed of five Indian guides and a Colonel Catlett. They went through
Manassas Gap in the neighborhood of Front Royal.
The expedition proved a failure because of the unfriendly attitude of
the Indians and the roughness of the country. Charles was destined for
another disappointment.
White settlers came to Front Royal as early as 1734 and built their
little houses in sheltered coves near the Shenandoah. Soon, news of the
desirable home sites in the Valley attracted other settlers. Lehewtown
was the early name given the settlement.
Rough characters began to find their way here and shootings, brawls and
hard drinking were the order of the day--so much so that the place later
became known as "Helltown." However, it acquired more dignity and order
with the years and about 1788 it was incorporated under the name of
Front Royal. And why did the town get its double name? There are several
existing legends as to the derivation of the town's present name.
The trails from Page and Shenandoah valleys crossed at this point. One
account states that the settlers going from one place to another met at
a tavern at the crossroads where the Royalist troops were stationed.
Hence ground around the town was a military post. When the sentry on
guard called out "Front" and the settlers were not able to give the
password "Royal." The name Camp Front Royal was given the post and later
it was known by the last two words.
* * * * *
A particularly tragic battle occurred at Front Royal in May, 1862, when
the First Maryland Regiment of the Union forces met the First Maryland
Regiment of the Confederate Army. It happened when Stonewall Jackson
came out suddenly from the Page valley and attacked General Banks' left
wing stationed at this town. The Federals were defeated and were driven
on through Rivertown where they tried hard to burn the bridges and cut
off the Confederate advance. The cavalry of the latter under Ewell saved
the bridges which spanned the two branches of the Shenandoah River.
About two weeks later the Confederates themselves burned the bridges,
but this was after Jackson had flanked Banks away from the position at
Strasburg, followed him to Winchester and won a victory there.
Flint Hill
In 1861 young Albert Willis was a theological student. Like many others,
he left his studies to enter the services of the Confederate Army. While
he was not a chaplain in Mosby's Rangers in which he had enlisted, he
did carry on his pastoral work with the men by giving them Bibles,
holding some services, and writing home for those who could not write;
no day passed during which he did not find an opportunity to be of
service to the men.
One day in October, 1864 he was granted a furlough and was riding
southward to Culpeper, hoping to reach his home in that county. Not far
away from Flint Hill his horse lost a shoe, so he stopped at Gaines
Mill. There was a rickety old blacksmith shop at the crossroads. It had
been raining and he was very wet. While the horse was being shod, he
stood near the fire to dry his boots. The beat of the hammer on the iron
drowned out the sounds of approaching horses on which rode Federal
soldiers.
Willis was taken captive and joined another prisoner outside. The two
Confederates were told that one of them must die in reprisal for the
death of a Federal soldier who had been killed the day before.
The prisoners were carried before General William H. Powell, Union
Cavalry leader. Someone told General Powell that Mr. Willis was a
chaplain.
"If you are a chaplain," General Powell told him, "your life will be
spared."
"I am not a chaplain," the young Confederate replied, "I am a soldier,
fighting in the ranks."
General Powell then told the Confederates that one of them would be
hanged within an hour. They would be given straws to draw lots. In this
way would one be spared.
Willis replied that he was a Christian and was not afraid to die. He
insisted that the other Confederate who was a married man, be set free.
The doomed man was led out to a spot on the road near Flint Hill. A rope
was placed around his neck while the other end was tied to a young
sapling which had been bent down by the weight of several Federal
soldiers.
While the preparations were being made, young Willis knelt down and
prayed. A witness said he never heard such a beautiful prayer, lacking
all bitterness. When he was through, the men released the tree and it
sprang into its natural position, swinging Willis high into the air,
where the body was left.
When the Federals had gone, Mr. John Ricketts came by with a companion
and they cut down the rope, took the body of the brave Confederate and
buried it in the cemetery at Flint Hill. Today there is a stone which
marks his resting place and every Spring women go and place flowers on
his grave. Nearby is a small chapel named in honor of him--"Willis
Chapel."
General Powell knew that young Willis was not accused as a spy, but he
was carrying out an order, issued in August 1864 by General U. S. Grant,
which read: "When any of Mosby's men are caught hang them without
trial."
The Skyline Drive
This world famous drive is not very old in point of years, but its lure
has and is attracting thousands of visitors every week to see the
beauties along its borders. Beginning at the northern entrance at Front
Royal, one winds around curving grades of finely built roads which pass
through great forests of oak, walnut, maple and wonderful specimens of
evergreens.
West of the Drive one sees the eastern section of the Shenandoah Valley
and Massanutten Mountain which divides the Shenandoah River into two
forks for fifty miles or more. The river winds in and out and at one
place the guide will point out eleven bits of blue river spots as it
makes as many turns through the Valley. One thinks of old patchwork
quilts as he looks into the Valley below, for there are patches of
green fields, oblong bits of blue water, red roofs of barns and homes,
besides the various shades of greenwood lots.
[Illustration:--_Courtesy Virginia State Chamber of Commerce_
VIEW ALONG THE SKYLINE DRIVE IN THE SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK]
And no matter when or how often one goes, the views are never the same.
Sometimes the blue haze from the Blue Ridge Mountains makes the sunlight
turn to a golden mist. Clouds often cast huge moving shadows over the
fields and forests below--and sometimes they shut out the patchwork
entirely, leaving the visitor in a gray world, with only himself and the
clouds below and above. But this is unusual.
Tall stark gray chestnut trees make a striking contrast against the
greens and flowers, especially in the Fall when the leaves are so
brilliantly colored. These once-producing nut trees were killed by
blight years ago.
Occasionally one's attention is caught by a moving object high above on
some peak. This will prove, upon investigation, to be a hiker, or maybe
two or more. Every year more and more of these nature lovers are using
the Appalachian Trail, which, as you know, is the foot-trail from Maine
to Georgia. It was through the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club that this
link in the trail was included in the Skyline Drive and they maintain
locked shelters for hikers along the way within the park.
Other trails invite one to lofty peaks through wild canyons and into
groves of giant hemlocks. Another takes one through White Oak Canyon
where a stream of pure water tumbles over huge rocks and makes a
snow-white misty spray. Here one sees rare wild flowers, ferns, moss and
herbs. There are trout lilies, Solomon's-seal, Hepaticae and many other
varieties of flowers.
There is a trail to Big and Little Devil's Staircases where two hundred
foot cliffs protect narrow canyons filled with maidenhair fern,
spleenwort, cinnamon, wild parsley, ginseng and ginger. Tall maple and
tulip trees are lovingly intertwined by such clinging vines as trumpet
vines and honeysuckle while at their feet grow rare ferns and carpets of
moss. One hears the songs of the birds and sees the flashing of their
brilliant colored wings.
Not far from Mary's Rock is Skyland. Here the tourist finds
accommodations for overnight or longer. Big roaring fires at evening
make visitors linger to listen to the stories of the Valley.
Horseback riding is great sport for the Skyline guests who explore the
various trails nearby.
The visitor may leave the drive at Panorama and go west down the
mountain to Luray. Or he may go east from Panorama down a lovely road to
Sperryville. Then on Route 211 he may motor north to Washington or, if
he would like to go by way of Culpeper, Madison, Orange and
Fredericksburg, he would find a rolling country and inviting roads to
the west, south and east.
If the visitor would continue the drive to Swift Run Gap, he could go
over the Spotswood Trail to Elkton and to the Valley beyond. If he would
go east, he would also use the Spotswood Trail to Stanardsville and
Gordonsville, then to Orange or to Charlottesville.
Who dreamed the dream or had the first vision of the Skyline Drive? What
farsighted men started the movement which resulted in our national
government's making a great scenic park in Virginia?
A bulletin from the _Commonwealth_ gives the following summary:
"The movement which has made this area a national park was
begun in 1924 when the director of the National Park Service
and the Secretary of the Interior conferred on the
establishment of a park in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
The Secretary appointed a committee to choose the most
attractive and suitable area; in December, 1924, his committee
voted unanimously for the area of the Blue Ridge mountains
between Front Royal and Waynesboro to be the first large
national park in the East....
"Acquisition of the area was a very difficult task. In 1926 the
newly created Virginia State Commission on Conservation and
Development started field work, and the Shenandoah National
Park Association began a campaign to raise funds for the
purchase of the land. The required area was made up of 3,870
separate tracts. Most of the owners did not wish to sell; land
titles were not clear nor boundaries well defined; sufficient
money to make the purchase was not available. Congress reduced
the minimum area required for administration, protection, and
development of the park by the National Park Service. Certain
individuals made large donations. The Virginia legislature
appropriated $1,000,000 for acquisition and passed a special
law providing for wholesale condemnation of the land. Finally,
in 1935, at a total cost of approximately $2,000,000, 275
square miles were acquired, and the deed to the park area was
presented to the United States government by the State of
Virginia.
"The completion of this tremendous task of acquiring and
establishing the Shenandoah National Park has made available to
the people of the United States, for recreational and
educational purposes, an unusually attractive region of
mountains, hollows, dashing streams, forests and flowers.
"The mountains rise to a maximum height of slightly more than
4,000 feet above sea level, or approximately 3,200 feet above
the surrounding country."
Strasburg
We can hardly mention a Valley town which has retained its original name
throughout the years. What is now known as Strasburg was in the
beginning called Staufferstadt, which indicates its German background.
Peter Stover was the founder from whom the settlement took its name but
when he had the town incorporated in 1761 he changed it to Strasburg in
honor of his home city in Germany.
There are evidences of the pioneer life of the Valley to be seen near
here. A house built about 1755 and occupied by the Hupps was so
constructed as to serve efficiently as a fort during the Indian raids;
this may still be seen. The home of George Bowman, a son-in-law of Joist
Hite, is also close by Strasburg.
Joist Hite had four famous grandsons born at this Bowman home. John was
a governor of Kentucky. Abraham was a Colonel in the Revolutionary War
and Isaac also served in that war. Joseph served under General George
Rogers Clark in the expedition to the Northwest Territory.
The story is told that a party of eight Indians with a white man named
Abraham Mitchell killed George Miller and his wife and two children just
two miles from Strasburg. They also killed John Dellinger and took his
wife and baby prisoners.
A group of white men set out to find them and overtook the Indians in
the South Branch Mountains. They fired upon the Indians and killed one
of them, allowing the others to make their escape. Mrs. Dellinger was
forgotten in their flight so she came home with her neighbors. She told
them the Indians had killed her baby by dashing out its brains on a
tree--a favorite means of execution with them.
Samuel Kercheval, who so frequently is quoted by us and of whom we have
written elsewhere is buried near Strasburg at "Harmony Hall."
The town saw Union and Confederate troops march by during the length of
the war and several battles took place not far distant. A few trench
lines may still be seen around the countryside. "Banks' Folly" was
erected by General Banks when he expected Jackson to invade the
territory from the south and later found to his dismay that the
Confederates had entered the Valley from the opposite direction. Signal
Knob on top of Massanutten Mountain was used by the latter general as a
means of communication with the main division of the army on the
Rappahannock River.
Orkney Springs
Orkney Springs, earlier known as the Yellow Springs, was named for the
Earl of Orkney and was surveyed by George Washington, according to some
accounts. The Springs may be reached by travelling west of Mount
Jackson.
"The Orkney Springs are composed of several lively springs and
are strongly chalybeate. Everything the water touches or passes
through, or over, is beautifully lined with a bright yellow
fringe or moss. The use of this water is found beneficial for
the cure of several complaints. A free use of this water acts
as a most powerful cathartic, as does also a small quantity of
the fringe or moss, mixed with common water."
So stated the historian Howe concerning the Springs. Around the waters
there grew up a tiny village which accommodates the visitors to the
section. An excellent hotel caters to the guests who seek either quiet
and rest or zestful games.
Near Orkney Springs there is a beautiful outdoor shrine where the
Episcopal Church holds regular and impressive services during the Summer
months--Shrinemont.
Stephens City
An act of the General Assembly in 1758 made Stephens City, or
Stephensburg as it was then known, the second town in the Valley. The
first was Winchester. Lewis Stephens the founder of this town came to
Virginia with Joist Hite in 1732.
Later on this was a thriving town manufacturing the Newtown-Stephensburg
wagon that was the pride of teamsters who travelled all roads leading
south and west. They took merchandise into the wilderness and returned
with furs, skins and other products sent back by those settlers who had
pushed on farther into the wilds of Virginia. Many a covered wagon which
saw the plains of the Middle West had its birth in Stephensburg.
When the Forty-Niners created companies which sent supplies to the gold
fields of California they found that few wagons lasted more than six
months. At last they began to order those being made in Stephensburg.
These were found to be sturdier in build and could stand the strain of
the rough roads and paths longer than other wagons on the market.
The stores in the town were good ones, and often covered wagons came in
drawn by splendid horses. The drivers of these teams put up overnight at
the old taverns and many of the citizens gathered after supper to hear
the news of what was going on in Alexandria or in Tennessee. The drivers
would be called personal shoppers today, for they brought lists of
articles to be carried back into the far-off country for the convenience
of the homesteaders there. The lists probably included sugar, tea and
coffee, cloth by the bolt and household articles. You can imagine the
joy with which the covered wagons would be sighted days later!
During Jackson's Valley Campaign the village was known as Newtown and
mention is made in this book of fighting in the neighborhood.
Today the main industry centers around lime which is found in large
quantities close by.
Middletown
As an early village this was known as Senseny Town, in honor of the
doctor by that name who owned the land. In 1795 it was called
Middletown. Long ago it was a manufacturing town and was noted for the
fine clocks and watches which were splendid time-keepers for the
punctual and thrifty Valley folk. In fact, the demands for them came
from far and near. The old wooden wheels were first used, then brass was
introduced and the watch-makers learned to make the eight-day
clocks--the last word in time-keepers until the advent of the modern
electric clocks. The manufacturers of the watches and clocks soon made
instruments for surveyors as well as the much needed compasses.
The first successful effort to produce a machine to take the place of
the flail and threshing floor for threshing wheat from the straw had its
start in this same town. The machines were a marvel in their day and the
villagers talked for months at the time when the machine beat out one
hundred bushels of grain in one day!
The Story Teller of the Valley--Samuel Kercheval
PIONEER LIFE
Samuel Kercheval as a boy saw many of the pioneer men and women who had
cut their homes out of the wilderness. He never tired hearing of how
they had left Germany, and later had come down from Pennsylvania into
the Valley. He himself could remember many of the "Newcomers" who were
themselves pioneers. He loved the stories of the forts, the Indian raids
and the customs of the Germans and Scotch-Irish. He later began to write
down many of these stories and after he was older he rode up and down
the Valley gathering more and more stories and reading wills and old
records. Nothing was of too little value for him to record, even
accounts of the freaks of nature, like a six-legged calf, snakes and
other animals.
When Kercheval's friends insisted that he write a book about the Valley,
he objected until they told him how much the children of the country
would enjoy stories of their grandparents. His own children (there had
been fourteen of them in all), like all children, loved stories. Now he
began to get his notes in shape and about one hundred years after the
first settlers came into the Valley, Samuel Kercheval's _History of the
Valley of Virginia_ was ready for the publishers.
This was so popular that all the first edition was soon exhausted. How
pleased he was with the demands for more of them! However, he died
before the second edition came out. He lived at the time of his death in
1845 at "Harmony Hall" near Strasburg. This had at one time been a fort.
During an Indian raid, we are told, sixteen families sought shelter
within its old stone walls. They lived together so peaceably that they
gave it the name of "Harmony Hall."