Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-03-08
For the Register.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Wy ,e,,,~cno>, CIry
Feb. 25, 1878.

WASHINGTON CITY,
Feb. 25, 1878.
1t is now one hundred and twenty
years since few german Immigrants
formed settlement on The banks OF the
Potomac, aud called it after their ma
tive Notwithstanding. This embryo
town, situated in fine healthy agrlcul-
tural region, where its rich lands were
fast being settled by substantial farmers,
soon became place of business, and OF
great convenience to the neighborhood.
Previous to its establishment the people
had to depend upon traders, peddlers
and pack -horsemen from baltimore
Town" for their much needed supplies.
Referring to "Hennings Statutes at
Large" we find it was established q
town by act Of the Assembly of Virgin
ia, under its present name, Shepherds
town, in the month of November, 1852.
The name as we all know was taken
from the highly respectable family, the
earliest occupants of the land by pur-
chase from Lord Fairfax, the Baron Of
Cameron.
1t would be but to repeat history to
say that in 10 part Of our disatfected
colonies was there more determined
opposition to the edicts Of George III,
than at that rebel precinct, where the
''hunting shirt boys" with firm grasp
of hands agreed to give up the comforts
of home in ITS, and "strike bee line
for Boston, and We regret for the want
Of space i'll the Register that we are de-
barred the pleasure of making an ex-
tract about them from an eloquent and
soul-strring speech by the Hon. y. K.
Boteer, when i'll Congress.
For miles around, Shepherdstown was
fast becoming the principal mart for
the interchange of commodities. The
farmer found ready market for his
surplus produce, receiving in exchange
such merchandise as his necessities re-
quired and the merchant had his mar
ket in Baltimore, where he could re-
plenish his stock with the farm product
taken in in his store. This system work
ed well, although there was but little
real money required in the transaction.
All needful wants Of the people could be
had in Shepherdstown.
1t was there Mr.. Harper, the founder
of Harper's Ferry, went to purchase his
outfit, consisting of a hat, great coat,
saddle-bags, bride, &c, for his long
contemplated journey to Philadelphia,
after an absence of thirty years, in 1878.
This journey, a great event at the
time, was taken when the war of the
Revolution was at its height Philadel-
phia was held by Sir William Howe.
Every thing around the Ferry and Shep-
herdstown gave proof that war was ra-
ging somewhere. The well known forms
of the Darkes, Morgans, Shepherd,
Swearingen, Bedinger, Glenn and others
were missing. Asking for them the
answer was the same in every instance
Gall gone to the war"
Mr.. Harper's mills were motionless
and quiet. Indeed, he could get no
skilled laborers to run them, and it was
Just SO throughout the whole of Berke-
ley, the banner county of Virginia. The
people had to carry on their operations
by depending on those exempt from
military service, either from age, sex, or
condition.
Mr.. Harper was now seventy-five
years of age, and the day of his depar
ture for Philadelphia, 10th of March,
1878, had arrived. Many OF his old
friends went to the Ferry to bid him
farewell, and wish him safe return.
Among them were Edward Lucas, ST.,
and Robert Ryon, both grand fathers
of Edward and William Lucas formerly
members of Congress from your district.
After tedious journey he arrived at
the suburbs of that city, where he was
stopped until he could get a permit FROM
Sir William Howe, the commander Of
the British forces, to pass the lines.
Howe returned word, ''if he is all old
man, and born in England, let him pass.
He soon found himself in the house of
his niece Mrs. Sarah Wager, (who was
under surveillance, her husband being
with Washington,) and introduced him
self, as he had never seen her before, by
saying, "Well Sarah, / have come a
great distance to tell you that you are
my heir" The greeting was hearty,
warm and affectionate. He was absent
one month, and it was that journey
'that fixed the destiny" of the writer's
family, for had it never been taken, in
the course of nature, your humble SER
want never would have been ali inhabi-
tant of this globe to write you this
little piece of history.
SO much at present for the past, now
let us before we close say few words
in relation to the future.
The wonder has been for forty years
why Shepherdstown with so many nat
ural advantages to favor progress, should
remain so long almost unknown to the
business world. There is hardly an ex
cuse for this when we look at its loca-
ton, its proximity to the Chesapeake &
Ohio Canal, only short run from the
Allegheny coal fields, iron ore in abun-
dance but few miles off, water power
unsurpassed running to waste, hydraulic
cement no where equaled, and all these
with many other advantages, are sur
rounded by one of the richest agricultu-
raj regions of the earth. We think it
was Doctor Beecher who said, "There
20 hrt ono Shop.ndoah Tallev in tho