Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-02-18
Historical Scraps.
NUMBER n-Compiled for the Spectator.

1743
Greenbrier was taken from Augusta and Bot
etourt, in TIT.
Berkeley and Shenandoah were taken from
Frederick, In TIT.
Hampshire was taken from Frederick and
Augusta in 1853 and held It's first court in De-
cember, 1857.
Stephensburg, Frederick county, was estab-
lished 10 1853. 1t has remained established
ever since, although its name has been changed
to Newtown.
Iu l761 Strasburg. first called Stoverstown,
was established and settled by Germans entire
ly. Peter Stover laid it off 1t now has about
800 people and is growing.
Abingdon was established in 177S. in Wash
ington county, and now numbers 1900 people.
1t was mostly burned during the war, but has
since rebuilt and grows apace.
In October, 1776, West Augusta District was
laid off into three counties-Ohio, Yohogania,
and Monongalia. In 1855, the latter was divi-
ded between the States of Pa. and Ohio.
In ITS Convention for the purpose of re-
sisting England, decided 'that the landhoders
Of the district of West Augusta shall be con-
sidered as distinct county and entitled to two
delegates to this Convention
In March, 176l, Jacob Miller laid off 1900
acres into 1872 half acre building lots and streets
and five acre lots, for the town of Woodstock,
@. FL. of Shenandoah. 1t was and is German,
and now has about 1900 people and is increas-
ing.
In 1772 FincastIe county was taken from Bot
etourt, but in 1776 was divided into counties of
Kentucky, Washington and Montgomery, drop
ping Fincastle, except as G. Fl. of Botetourt,
which was established in l772, and laid off by
Israel Christian.
Winchester was established, by law, in 1852,
is 121 years old, and as good as she is DID,
Col. James Wood was the founder Robert
Rutherford, ESQ.,, opened the first store. It
was settled principally by Germans and Irish,
and few English and Scotch.
The town of Bath, at Warm Springs, Nor
gan county, was established in 1776. Moore
field, Hardy county, in TIT; Martinsburg,
in Oct. 1778, and named after Col. I. B. Mar
tin Clarksburg, Harrison county, in 1875, and
Charlestown, Jefferson, in 1886, by Col. Chas.
Washington-br of George.
Harrison county was taken from Monougaia
in 1884; in 1885 Hardy was taken from Hamp-
shire; in 1886, Randolph from Harrison; in
| 1885 Russell from Washington; In 1887, PEN
deton from Augusta, Hardy and Rockingham;
| in 1888, Kanawha from Greenbrier and Mont
gomery; in 1889, Wythe from Montgomery;
in 1870, Lee from Russell, and Grayson from
| Wythe.
| Sheperdstown, first called Mecklenburg) JEFF
ferson county, was established in 1862, and laid
off by Capt. Thos. Shepherd, and settled by
German mechanics The first steamboat built
in the world was made here in 1888 by James
Rumsey aud some Of the remains of it are still
in possession Of the Haines family there. and
| COL Alex. Boteler. It has 500 people and was
noted for the devotion of its women to the
South during the war, as we'll as for the gal
lantry Of Its men.
Lewisburg Greenbrier, was established 10
| 1882; Morgantown, MonoDgala, in 1885 !;
| N~op in II HaunT Tahrn 1877 ENo~ro
| Berkeley, ard Capon Springs, In same year;
Front Royal, Warren, in 1888; Pattonsburg
and Crowsville, Botetourt, same year; Bever-
| ley. Randolph, in 1870; Sweet Springs and
| Springfield, Hampshire 10 $780, and in Octo-
Der, 1871, Darksville, Berkeley, (where john
ston drew up against Patterson army in 1861
and Keezetown in Rockingham, and Charles
ton in Ohio, were established also.
Harrisonburg was established In May, 1880
Mr.. Thomas Harrison laid off so acres in lots
and Streets without appointing Trustees, as
usual, but the Legislature confirmed his action,
and it has ever since been known, and is, the
free town of Harrisonburg." This same Mr.
Harrison gave the square and spring to the peo-
pie of Rockingham, and laid the foundation of
free fight" that has ragged between county
and town ever since, as to jurisdiction in and
over the ''free zone," enclosed by the Court
house fence The town authorities have, over
1 duu dSdiu, tIiC0 W ctOp tAC COUuly pOOpIS 1IOu
| hitching horses, &C., to fences, but, holding to
| their rights, under Harrison's grant, country
| men still adorn it every court day, and keepup
regular hitching posts, and on watering their
horses at Court house spring they have always
conquered the town. 1t has grown considera-
| bly, since the war and now claims $500 people.
The Register and Old Commonwealth flourish
there, and Harvey Wartman, texcept Gallaher
of the Free Press) is the oldest Editor in the
| 81 ,,o1
and grow fat.
| Iu 1868. even after the treaty between Eng
land and France, Va. and N. G. had long
and bloody war with the Indians on the West
ern boundary, but finally conquered them. In
IVA, COL Angus Mcdonald, collected 400
Valley men at Wheeling. and cleaned out the
Indians on the OHIO. In 1878, Gen. McIn-
tosh made disastrous campaign against the
Sandusky, Ohio, Indian towns. In 1882, the
Moraviau Campaign took place-Col. David
Williamson breaking up the Indian towns on
the Muskingum, and great massacre took
place. During the Revolution Gen. George
Rogers Clarke, the Hannibal Of the war; with
| few hundred Vlrginlans, conquered and held
the now great States Of Ohio, Illinois and In
diana from the Indians and saved our frontier
from devastating war, by his bold invasion of
the enemies country. There were Indian
fights on our border after that, but of no gen.
efal importance, anu Ine greater pOTtl0n were
soon driven further West, where, with undy-
ing devotion, the Modocs are now making a
fight against the U. S. worthy of the heroic
legends of the days we have been giving some
Scraps OF History from. To look back IS well,
and to see what we have done since, should
encourage US to greater efforts In the grand fu-
ture Of old Virginia.
THE RAM THAT BUTrED "A retired clergy
man sends US an account of little affair that
happened in his place. 1t appears that there
was young woman, ine-spirited girl, en-
gagged at wash-tub opposite an open door. Just
behind her was young man, as is generally
the case, and In the yard was an old buck that
was allowed the freedom of the premises, which
is not always the case, we are glad to say
Well, this buck came up to the door, and look
ed 10, and the young man going close behind
the young woman, pointed his finger straight at
the buck, and the old fellow recognizing at
once the pressing character of this mute invi-
tation, put down his head and dashed forward,
and the miserable fellow stepped to one side
and fed, and the woman all unconscious of the
arrangements received the awful shock without
} warning, and passed over the tub, and the air
for an instant appeared to be full of slippers,
, and wet clothes, and soap, and hot water, and
suds. And the next minute that goat came
hying out of that door at a dreadful speed, bald
the whole length of his spine, and with wild
look in his eye. And for an hour afterward he