Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-03-15
HISTORICAL.
THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.

GreenOrler WAS tdkeu iOh -h"SN
and Botetourt, in l777.
Berkeley and Shenandoah were taken
from Frederick, i'll l777.
Hampshire was taken from Frederick
and Augusta in 1853 and held its first
court in December, 1857.
Stephensburg, Frederick county, was
established in 1853. 1t has remained
established ever since, although its
name has been changed to Newtown.
In 1851, Strasburg, first called Sto-
verstown, was established and settled
by Germans entirely. Peter Stover laid
it off. 1t now has about 800 people and
is growing.
Abingdon was established in 177s, in
Washington county, and now numbers
1900 people. 1t was mostly burned
during the war, but has since rebuilt
and grows apace.
In October, 1875, West Augusta Dis
trict was laid off into three counties
Ohio, YohogaLia and Monongalia. In
1885, the latter was divided between
the States of Pa. and Ohio.
Inl775 convention for the purpose
of resisting England, decided THAT the
landholders of the district of West Au'
gusta shall be considered as a distinct
county and entitled to two delegates to
the Convention.
In March, 1861, Jacob Miller laid off
1900 acres into 1872 half acre building
lots and streets and five acre lots, for
the town of Woodstock, Z. III. OF Shen-
andoah. 1t was and is German, and
now has about 1900 people and is In
creasing.
In l772 Fincastle county was taken
from Botetourt, but III l776 was divided
into counties of Kentucky. Washington
and Montgomery, dropping Fincastle,
except as a G. II. of Botetourt, which
established in l772, and laid off by Is
rael Christian.
Winchester was established, by law,
in 1852, is l2l years old, and as good
as she is old. Col. James Wood was
the founder. Robert Rutherford, Esq,
opened the first store. 1t was settled
principally by Germans and Irish, and
a few English and Scots.
The town of Bath, at Warm Springs,
Morgan county,w was established in l776.
Moorefeld, Hardy county, in 1777 ;
Martinsburg, in Oct. 177S, and named
after Col. r. B. Martin Clarksburg,
Harrison county, in 1885, and Charles
town, Jefferson county, in 1856, by COL
Chls. Washing ton-brother of George
Harrison county was taken from Mo
nongalia in 1884; III 1855 Hardy was
taken from Hampshire; in 1856 Kan
dolph from Harrison; in 1855 Rnssel
from Washington; in 1856 Pendleton
from Augusta, Hardy and Rockingham;
in 1888 Kanawha from Greenbrier aid
Montgomery; IN 1889 Wythe from
Montgomery, in 1890 Lee from Russell,
and Grayson from Wythe.
The Potomac was called "Cohongo-
rooton" by the Indians.
Shepherdstown first called Me:klen-
burg) Jefferson county, was established
in 1852, and laid off by Capt. Thomas
Shepherd, and settled by German me
chanics. The first steamboat built in
the world was built here in 1886 by
James Rumsey and some of the remains
of it are still in the possession OF the
Haines family there, and Col. Alex.
Boteler. 1t has 400 people and was
noted for the devotion of its women to
the South during the war, as as well as
for the gallantry of its men.
Lewisburg, Greenbrier, was establish
ed in 1882; Morgantown, Monongalia,
in 1885; Frankfort, in Hampshire, in
1877; Gerrardstown, Berkeley, and Ca
pom Springs,in same year; Front Royal,
Warren, in 1888; Pattonsburg. and
Crowdsville, Botetourt, same year; Bev-
erley, Randolph,in 1890; Sweet Springs
and Springfield Hampshire, in 1880;
and in October, 1871, Darksville,
Berkeley, (where Johnston drew up
against Patterson's army in 1861 and
Keezletown, Rockingham, and Charles
ton, in Ohio, were established also.
Harrisonburg was established in May,
1880. Mr.. Thomas Harrison laid off
so acre in lots and streets, without ap-
pointing Trustees, as usual, but the
Legislature confirmed his action, and 1t
has ever since been known, and is, the
"free town of Harrisonburg." This
same Mr.. Harrison gave the square and
spring to the people OF Rockingham,
and laid the foundation of ''ffee fight
that ragged between country and town
ever since, as to jurisdiction in ani ovet
the ''free zone," enclosed by the Court
house fence The town, authorities
have, over and again, tried to stop the
country people from hitching horses,
&c, to fences, but, holding to their
rights, under Harrisons grant, country
men still adorn it every court day, and
keep up regular hitching posts, and on
watering their horses at the Courthouse
spring they have always conquered
the town. 1t has grown considerably
since the war and now claims $500 peo-
pie. The Register and Old Common
wealth flourish there, and Harvey Wart-
man, Except Gallaher of the Free Press
is the oldest Editor in the Valley. Long
NAV the .free town" flourish and grow
fat
In I76S, even after the treaty between
ENGLAND and France, Va and \. {.
had a long and bloody war with the In
diaps on the Western frontier, but final
" conquered them. In 1774, Col. An
gus Mcdonald, collected 400 Valley
men at Wheeling, and cleaned out the
Indians on the Ohio. In 1873 Gen.