Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-03-04
The Great Valley of Virginia.

Ihe Shenandoah Vazley-Its History
agricultural and Mineral Resources
Popmlatson-ClSm Water PoaDer
Manufacturing Capacity-In duce
nents to Immigrants, Capital, &c.
The Valley Of the Shenandoah truly "Ths
Laughing Daughter Of the Stars" as the In
dians gave poetic meaning to the name was
first penetrated, at either RockGsh or Swif
Run Gap, in the B!ae Ridge range. by Gov
Spottswo0d-who has been justly called the
Tubal Cain of America, for having started ths
first iron furnace on this continent, in 17l4 =
one hundred and ihy-nine years ago. In honor
Of being upon this, then perious expedition
he was knighted by the King, and dubbed hi:
comrades Knights of the Horse Shoe" and
decorated each with small golden horse shoe
inscribed ",Sic juvot transcendere Montes y
some Of which are sill treasured, as heir-looms
in the Berkeley and Brooks families-his de-
scendants. History tells US that their unshod
Tuckahoe horses soon became lame crossing the
IuChy AAOEHtiLu E1ItiS, AHA ltiGt lAS NOYSEBOt
set the example Of hamnseriug shoes for his
horse out Of the crude ore and fitting them him.
self, and hence the tide given them. This ex-
pedition returned with wonderful accounts oi
the beautiful Valley-its waving, rolling prai-
rIes-sparkliug streams-heYd Of buffalo, deer,
wild game, and its genial climate. 1t was some
years before any regular settlement was made,
and Morgan Morgan, q native CT Wales, emf
grated from Pennsylvania, IN 1885, and bull!
the first house on the South side of Potomac,
between Blue Ridge and North Mountains, in
Berkeley county, and IN l740, associated with
Dr.. John BeEcox and Blr. Rite, be built the
first Episcopal church in the Valley Of Va.
From 1906, when jamestown was first per-
manentjy settled, it took about 100 years to ex
tend the COLONY to the Blue Ridge. The set
Elements OH upper r sDpa1auu0ols branches and
in Northern Neck, between this river and the
Potomac, were the ffst to approach this noun
tain barrier, the ridge being less rugged there,
than further to the Southwest. 1t vas first
called SheranGo Valley, and is so known in
original land grants, now IN Augusta clerk Of
ice. The adventurous and hardy settlers risk
ed everything to possess themselves Of this fair
vale and first planted themselves on the rich
low grounds OF the Sherando and founded the
town Of Winchester. This is the Oldest town
n the Valley, and vas frontier fort till the
French we're driven o1t of Canada Emigranta
from Pennsylvania and Europe, as we'll as low
er Virginia came in and the population became
mixture OF English Eirginians, Germans and
Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The Germans OF
Pennsylvania, lovers ef fat lands, poured them
selves over and up the rich lands Of the North
and South Branches, on both sides Of Massa-
mutton Mountain, and filed up the Valley fog
60 miles, completely occupying the country and
swallowing up the lew stray E8giish and Irish
settlers. Ihey long retained, and some still re-
tain, the German language and simplicity OF
manners, though both are dying out with rail
roads and the new lie coming in. Ere they
reached the head branches Of the Shenandoah,
however, they were met by new class OF set
tlers-froEn Ireland, Scotland and England
who filed up a tract equally as large above
them. One John Martin, trader from Will
Iiamsburg 10 Winchester, was struck with the
stories he heard of the uninhabited parts Of the
Valley, and got John Sailing, a bold weaver, to
accompany HIM on al expedition to the waters
Of the Roanoke. They were captured by the
Cherokees, but Martin escaped, while Sailing
was kept prisoner for three years, going with
the Indians to the Salt Licks Of Kentucky, to
hunt Buffalo. He was there captured by par
ty from illinois, and adopted among them, and
even went as far as the Gulf Of Mexico with
them. He was bought there by Spaniards for
an interpreter, and after two years reached Can
ada and was sent home to Virginia. In VIII
liamsburg he met two strangers, just from Eng-
land Ohm Lewis and John MacKey-and the
trio made an expedition across kocktish Gap.
Having the whole Valley before them, Lewis
selected his residence on the Belle Eonte place,
two miles from Staun5on, on the creek which
bears bis nal me, and where the remains of fort
can still be seen, and his grave. MacKey set
tied near Buffalo GAP, and Sailing went fifty
miles further up the Valley, to the forks OF
the North and James Rivers, taking up all the
land there, and where his descendants lived un-
iii the death of Peter A. Sailing in 1858. A
beautiful mountain peak still bears his name,
and the Forks Farm, 400 acres, now occu pied
by the widow of Peter A. SalHng-wife of Col.
J, Mohler-- goes. to the descendants of the orig
NAL Sailing, DR.. Peter a. Sailing of Nilsson.
| ri, at her death.
La 1876. Lewis met with Bepj. Borden, Lord
Falrlaxs agent in Williamsburg, and brought
him 10 bis new home, where be had already
taken up 100 900 acres Of land, in separate par
| GELS, Borden took Gov. Gooch Buffalo calf
which SO delighted him that he gave Borden
leave TO locate 500,0 900 acres on the Sherando
and James, provided he would not interfere
! with other grants and would settle 100 fami
lies On the lands, for which he was to have 1000
| acres adjacent 20 eacn nome, ana the privilege
Of occupying as much mere, at one shilling AZ
acre. This vas the price paid for the great
Borden Grant," which would now bring mil
lions. Borden brought out 100 families frou
Scotland and ireland, in 1857, and the descend
ants Of these emigrants-the McDowells, Alex
anders, Paxtons, Pattons Moores, Telfords
Mathews, and others, are row scattered from
the Blue Ridge to the Pacific. A portion o
Augusta was settled with Germans, but for 6(
miles the mass was Presbyterian. The de-
scendants of MacKey are still numerous il
Rockbridge and well to do, bat he, like most O.
the pioneer tribe of hunters, died poor Abou
the time Lewis came to augusta, came in the
Stuarts, Smiths, McCallahans, Bells, Craw
fords, Cunninghams, Reads, CARRIERS, ant
many whose descendants still live here or ar,
scattered over the West.
The Lover Valley, settled up with the mixet
population already mentioned, and their de
scendauts are still noted for having all the pol
-ish Of the L sst Virginans, as wei! as the stur
d, qualities of the Germans. Shenandoah
| Page aud Rockingham are still IN the mail
German. Before the Revolution the Vale
suffered much from Indian wars, and her peo
r,o frrn;Obod tho daring fiehters who nrOtecta