Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-06-03

regarded his opposition, and the 'Tinklin
Spring was selected whereupon he declare
that none of that water should ever 'tinkle
down his throat" and for thirty years he ken
his word-and through his long sermons. In th
parching summer days, never once alayipg hi
thirst with drop from that cool and limpi
spring.
| He makes his promise good"
In the Graham letters an anecdote is told O
| his having been sent by Hanover Presbytery t.
| organise churches and ordain elders, among tn,
settlements on New River and Holstein. o.
his return he reported surprising number O
elders whom he had ordained; and upon beins
questioned how he found suitable materials fol
SO many, he replied, in his rich brogue, "Wher
! cudna get heson stanes, tux dornocks." A
dornack is rough mis-shapen stone, generally
rejected by builders
Brave and patriotic, alter Braddcck's IS dsas
trous expedition bad left the Valley exposed tC
the raids OF the ruthless sayages, and the help
less inhabitants in utter CONSERVATION were
counciiing safety in fight, his journal yet ex-
tant, says, Il opposed that scheme as scan
dal to our nation, falling below our brave an
cestors, making ourselves Z reproaeh among
VirgDians, a dlshonour to our friends at home,
an evidence OF cowardice, want Of faith, and
noble Christian dependence on God, as able to
save and deliver from the heather and witha
lasting blot forever on all our posterity." He
advised the building of forts 10 convenient
places for refuge. His appeal and example had
Its effect, 'sor my own hock," he adds, ''re-
CURED me to go before them 10 the work, which
l did cheerfully, though it cost me one-third
OF my estate; but the people followed and my
congregation, in less than two months, was well
fortified. And they maintained their homes
most bravely through all the fiery trials of these
times. Eonored forever among all their pos
terity be the name of the pohla and pious old
patriot Surviving the subsequent struggles OF
his adopted country for the freedom he Sc
dearly priced he fell at last like fruit fully ripe
but mourned by all, and leaving a memory to
be revered, and examples Of life and faith that
all like
--''4ha actions oethe Just
Snell sweet, and blossom in the DUST
Let him be taken as the type and ante-type o1
the Presbyterian preachers OF the Valley, fol
time will fail to tell Of Brown. and Wilson, and
Waddell, and Scott, aud Graham, and many
others; men of thorough learning and approved
plety, whose names their descendants should
not willingly lat die, whose appeals for patriot
ism will echo 10 this land while its everlasting
hills abide, whose lessons of piety and faith viii
De eff5ctual for time and eternity, whose canon,
lied memory will remain among their slcoes-
sors as a monument forever, and stand before
them like that lofty tower which David build
ed fox an armory, whereon there hang thou.
sand bucklers shields of mighty men,"
The first settlement OF Augusta was about
the year 1923 and was made By the Lewises
Mckay, Cunningham. l.esslies, Fultons, Pat
ricks, Christians, McEeeters and others before
mentioned. the Prestops, Staarts, Breckin.
ridges and others eale 10 later, say about 173f
and 3T, and they all got their deeds after set
Ting, building houses and taking up lands from
Beverley. Borden, Preston and others who had
grants direct from the King or ColoGy. 4he
irst settlements were mads at Sort Lewis, Z
miles below Staupson, By John Lewis, ca D. c.
MoGufan's farm-neafly all Of the old fort still
ey's Creek, and SO known 10 Beverley grant,
aad around old stone church at Port Repub
lie, where the Clerk s Office was long kept: or
Christian creek at Buffalo Gap, (by Mckay
and then the Trimbesl; at Lebanon White
Sulphur on the Preston Grant, Is miles fron
Staunton, ON yenning's Gap road at the Ole
Doag place, (now owned by COL j. D. Lilley
and John Merrett,) near Greenvlle and il
Stanton, By Robert Cunningham, Esq, anc
others. Authentic tradition points to the house
now occupied by John Peer, corner Of Spring
Lane and Augusta streets, as the first house
ever built in StaUnton. 1t is about one hun
dred and thirty-nine years old, is built of 10
Gust logs and is ona story high, with an attic
thGusa containing only four rooms it must have
seemed palace beside the wigwams and bari
shantees that filed what is now the @. Ii. yart
and along the margin of Lewis Greek to "a,
Va. hotel lots. This settlement vas made be
cause it afforded wood and water convenient
f>c Il orf:olo her
valley. The timbers in the oldest house ar
still sound and it is likely to outlast many nov
living, unless it is moved to make way for tn,
crty's progress. Robert Cunningham who bull
| it is the ancestor of the extensive aOanezion O
| the CARRIERS, Harmang, Michies, Dormans, BIC
| Cues, CANDLES, Grays, Burns, and others, nov
living In the Valley, and the West.
| The next log house was built by Cunning
| ham for his daughter, Margaret, tsaid to b.
the first white female child born in Augusta)
who married Mr.. Reid, end after bis death
Gov. Mathews OF Georgia, but was divorces
| from%the latter and again took the name of Rel
| and was famlliarly knowa as Aunt Reid I'll
| her death. sho owned all the land now own
ed by Hon. Alexander Ell. I'll. Stuart, (whos
father purchased it) and all out to the old W "a
johnson farm 81 miles on MiddlesroOk road
It was built where ths Va Banking and Trus
company s building now stands, opposite th
| Lutheran church. The third house built Wa
the old Lawrence Tremper post Office. SO long
land mark, where the Richardson building no,
stands, corner Main and Augusta streets. Ii
died In l84l, and was 81 years old. He wa
| the first post master in Staunton, and was com
missioned by Gen. Washington. IN tesrin
down the Old frame house sae names Of man
OF the first vestrynen OF Augusta were foun
on the foundation stones, and it is supposed t
have been built in l7a6. The first brick hous
| built was the old Patsy Mcdowell house, sti
standing on Frederick street, opposite August
| Female Seminary supposed to have been bull
in I744, by George Mitchell, the first brick
| mason who ever came to Augusta, and ances
tor of George and Joseph Mitchell OF August
county. Others will be spoken of hereafter
as we cone down to the time of building
And here it may not be out of place to sugge:
| that in widening and improving New Court 81
and Spring Lane, the Council call the new ay
enue or street, Cunningham, as new nam
will be required for several united, and it wi
serve to keep up the memory OF the first 'bniiC
er" of Staunton. There is legend, that ha
come down from old times, and it is said tha
Cunningham and the Abneys aud other firs
settlers got it from the 4ndans-that he wh
drank OF Abney's spring could never leave her
| for good and all, and would surely return.
was the custom to water new comers at ths
spring, but the present generation have give
the same qualities to Hlll's pump. Singula
as it may. seem more people come back to Ssaur
ton, than go away to this day. Staunton wa
named after the Lady Staunton, daughter
Governor Gooch, by Beverley, in return for b
grant. Its literal meaning is stone-town, fror
the German Steintown, which was changed /
StanetOWu and then to Staunton.