Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-07-24

VIII prove interesting 10 most readers. We nope
tie author will exhaust his stock for the benefit Of
the public. Traces OF the early settlement of the
country, OF local history, and the adventures OF
ancestors with the Indians, have been suffered in
great measure, to perish unrccorded. They do
perhaps ascend to sufficient dignity for general
history, which is limited to general action but they
arc not the less interesting on that account.
FINcAsrLE MIRROR.
No. 1.
'Roll back-my sou-tut the times of my Fathers.
OssiunS Iem0ra. b VA.
Soon alter Lord Fairfax, as assignee of Lord Cul-
pepper and others, got possession of the Northern
Neck. Revised Code 1919. Vol |. page 3i3) the
country between Rappahannock and Potomac. begau
TO be- settled and cultivated, with degree OF rapity
unknown III European couutrics:-AleXandira, Dunn
fries, and fredericksburg became ports of trafic,
surpassed only by James Town, and Williamsburg,
IN Virginia. Front Royal and Winchester be
came INLAND trading posts, surrounded by small white
settlements While the Whole Shenandoah country be
came filed with hunters, land jobbcrs, and alvcntu
rcrS.
Tradition. the only faint historic light. which, sheds
glimtncrng ray, through Tie dark vista that en-.
vcIopcs those departed years, furnishes numerous
instances III the cntcrprisrg and adventurous spirit
o the first settlers of this country whose names and
deeds are fast hurryng away in the of time,
to be lost Ill tie vortex uf oblivion. Some of the
following Instances, dcduccd from the stemorrapic
notes Of traveller, drawn originally from the
mouths of Ot the e'cst and most respectable in
habit ants OF this part of the State. may not be uuu-
terestng to their children.
In IRA, John Suing and Thomas Morlin the
former weaver, OF " lais burm the latter corIli-
Try pcdllT, trauInT to the post OF Winchester, de-
ternined to explore the country farther est, than
The theatre OF contemporary advenurcrs: the country
between the Blue Ridge, and Ohio River, was then
chiefly great hunting ground, common all the
Indians OF Ohio Kentucky, and Tennessee; and
large tracts OF II nov covered with timber, were
then slvannus, prairie laud.--Dur travellers pro-
ceeded up the valley, us far Roanukc where ihev
were met by a party OF ChcrukeeS; Marlin eudrd
thcll pursuit and escapcdto Misunderstanding was
captured aud taken to Tennessee where he remained
several years: on one occasion he accompanied par
~ oil this tribe, to the Salt Licks in Kentucky to cat
ouiaioes--thcy were surprised and captured nv par
~ OF the llinanc nation, who were then at with
inc lower Chcrokecs; Sailing conveyed to the
haShdsKla towns, ana became The adopted of
sG'Iaw, wfosc real son had lately allen in the wars
rms nation We're in the habit of EXTENDING their
hunting and fishing excursion very widc:--on Sow.
raj OCCASIONS he went with parties OF them below the
mouth OF the Arkansaw, and one OCCASION TO Tide
water oi the MeXican tuit. ON one of these, tours
ne tell III with party OF Spaniards EXPLORING that
countrywide became their interpreter-thev purcla-
Sod hun from his adopted muer for three STRAINS of
beads ana rdf1"ut, VIZ: large pipe with the stem
adorned with fcathcrs)--thcv conveyed him TO the
post OF trcvaccur, OH the WabaslI he was thence
conveyed To he post Of Froncgnac now York Inner
canada, where the Governor Of CANADA r.tr,,nr
hun, aud sent him to the Holland settlement OF New
YORK. where he made his way home, after an ab.
.S''ce G. si% years. III adventures of this Dcpic
man, II Journa1ed would have c ysii,r. = &c ~
csIng volume.
At the period of Sallinc's return tn w lynmsb,,r
large number oil Presbyterian dsscnters from Scot
anu ana tle North OF England, emigrat ed TO this CO.
'y, as ddVent"rers:-among these were John Mac
Key ana John Lewis, the latter was married TO Mar
Stfet Lynn, OF the "lynns of Loeb Lynn" noted in
Scottish can-legends. Lewis and NIackev were 50
delighted with Sallings description of the interior
lhat inc three set out together, seek their respec
tive places of abode. Levi, settled on Co.,
which still bears his name, few miles below Stonp
tom now owned by Maj Nelson's heirs Mackav
Sett a on the Middle branch of SHENANDOAH near
buffalo tIaP and Sailing selected position in the
fork OF James River, Ohen called Fluvanna below
the Natural bridge, where some OF his descendept.
stl reside SAID To De the first white settlement made
on James River, west of the Blue Ridoe
Whether the charters OF the COLONY on1 ,bo y ~
~ instructions to the governors, from time to time
winch constituted our form of government outbc;aii
ii or not yet 1t Is certain that the Governor of This
colony, obaby exercising the prernrafiye nr rho
hlng, was always in the habit, at his pcasuro 81
granting leave to individuals, To locate and own Inn
mense quantities Of land without anv o:hcr rnomi-
sitlon or orma'Ity than an o'er entered on his oi
cal Journal, for that purpose. (Sec Revised Coda
1879, Vol. ., page 3it, Sis, 3I6.)
Lewis soon became tayourite With Governor
Gooch-hc obtained cave from the governor. Il, In.
cate ioO'ooo acres OF land in separate parces ON
the waters Of SiemaIdo.h and lanes. va
was subsequently greatly enlarged. When i,evis
would go out, to search Tor tracts of good land ,o
locate ne would always take Mackey with him for
company, under pretencc of hunting bIjfTalnns the
tact is, hlackey was hunting bqfit5oes, and Lewis
was hunting tdnt: The consequence was that Mac
iey lived ana died IN poverty and Lewis at the end
II very useful life, left six sons-Col SamuaI opI
Rockingham Gen. Andrew of }otetourt, Col. CharIcs
icd ut Point Pleasant, William of the Sweet Spring
John of the Warm Spring, aud Thomas: heIeft COOL
and enough, to make p,ncety fortunes for the Whole
IF them; and if his departed spirit revisited the
shores OF his adopted home it must have been ;rrat
led with the rccoiicciion that scarcely another family
II slit' h'h spread so wide as to realize more
NUMBERS more wealth, talents or more merited
'onoilrs than the descendants of John and Marg,ro
'cw!5. 1t would have been gratifying, for Lewis
,gsts might have exercised their skill in i,rin,;n.
nut the difference between their ncqu;sige 1cmt;aS
ny inspection Of the pericraniurn
In l736, old BenjaInin Burden was sent 10 fiji, !
country, as he agent of the Scottish Baron Of Cam
ron ono OF the grantees of the Northern Neck
burden met with John Lewis, at WILLIAMSBURG. and
lInG hNrIn with him = u.