Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-05-20

now Ia OcNpfIuSe, ou tno ianouS DoTue
Grant of go, 100 acres. to McCunds, Mon
anau, McSpooden, Davidson, Myrtain, Lyle
McClung, Mcclure, McCorkle. Maxwell, MOI
rison, Taylor, Jno Mckay (750 acres)-A
lison, Grahams, Bells, Kidds, Dryden, REID
| McCroskey, Mcdowell, Fuller, Shields, Moore
Greenlee, Lockhart, Lackey, Trimble, Steele
Gray, Dean. Dorman, Alexander, Sterritt, Jor
dan, Young, Paxton, Houston, Lowrey, Lusk
Randalls, King. Edmonson, Hamilton, Lynn
and others. We could give more names, bu
the above are sufficient to designate the oldes
settlers, and shows the fountain head of thos'
now scattered over the United States, of thos,
names, and our sketches of prominent familie
will take in the history of the whole of them
or so many as to give proper idea of the live
they ell led, in the 'tlmes that tried men,
souls.
1t will be seen that the spelling of many o
the names has been changed. "Chrysties'' art
now Christians-the ''Robinsons" Robertson,
the "Willsons'' Wilson-tbe ''Tremmel
Trimble-the 'McUllucks' McCulloughs-the
'Doags' Doaks, and so on; but their deeds
and the records of those who came after them
show that they were good men and true,
that they loved God and kept his Command
ments," that they built churches and schoo
houses first, without wheeled carriages or roads
Of any kind, the very women carrying the sane
In bags on horse back for miles, and the mer
carrying the trowel. in one hand and the rifle
ever ready near the other, to guard against the
too frequent attacks Of the meIciless savage.
But we must isave these incidents In the
lives Of our ancetors for separate chapter and,
having given the names of majority of the
first settlers in mass, we will now turn to In
dividual and family records And ''as first
e. n ooo1 old Nollox,
We pay our respects and touch our hat to
The Four JoHNs-SALLING, MARLIN, LEWIS
AND MACKAY.
It is little remarkable that among the first
brave white men who penetrated Augusta were
four Johns: John Sailing, John Marlin,
John Lewis and John Mackay, "a fact, !"
as the venerable James D Davidson, of Lex
ington, remarked, when told of it, (which no
doubt accounts for her holding winning hand
in every game she has played against the rest
of the State since" In our outline sketch of
the Great Valley, we spoke of John Sailing,
the bold weaver" who first accompanied John
Marlin, trader, to Winchester from Williams
burg on az exploring expedition up the then
unknown Valley to the head waters ofthe Roam
oke River, where they we're captured by hunt
ing party of Cherokee Indians. Marlin es-
capped, but Sailing was taken by them to the
UUpCI lSuuGsSCO luhuS duO iiNCu lhSAO thiSC
years, until he was taken on a Buffalo hunt to
the Salt Licks of Ky. Kentucky. like the
Valley, was middle ground of contention be-
tween the Northern and Southern tribes. Here
he was ca captured by some Indians from Illinois
and taken by them to KaskaSkias, and even to
the Gulf Of Mexico on their expeditions. Af-
ter many adventures IN his years of captivity,
he was sold to some Spaniards. who took him
to Canada as an interpreter. He vas redeemed
by the French Governor, kindly treated and
sent back to williamsburg OF Marlin We hear
nothing more, but suppose he stuck to his pack
and traded from Williamsburg, as the name is
a familiar one in Virginia. Sailing was six
years in captivity, and on bis return to VIII
liamsburg met John Lewis and John Mackay,
who had just arrived from Great Britain. AS
the Lewis family tradition dates their settle
ment of Augusta about 1912, the Halls,
Stuarts', Crawfcrds', Christians, Patricks +,
and others, about the same time, Salling's and
Marlins first trip through the Valley must
have been in l726-or about FIVE years after
Spottswood came through Swift Run Gap in
1921.
Dr.Rufaer,in in his history of Washington Col
lege, says: Lewis and Maoaky were particular
Iy struck with Saliings glowing description OF
the Valley of Virginia, "a broad space between
parallel ridges Of mountains; Its wales watered
by clear streams, Its soil fertile, its plain COW
cred only with shrubbery, grazed by herds of
buffalo, and its hills crowned with fruits a re-
gion Of beauty, as yet, for the most part, un-
touched by the hand Of man, and Offering un-
bought homes and easy subsistence to all who
had the enterprise to scale the mountain barrl-
er, by which it had been so long concealed from
the CoIonists' No wonder the newly arrived
immigrants were carried away by the picture,
drawn By one whose selection Of the beautiful,
fruitful and romantic Forks OF the North and
James, in Rockbridge, for his portion, showed
him DO mean Judge OF the beautiful and good
ooe of the more substantial blessings of lile
They Joined Sailing in an expedition to this
newly discovered land, and from the dates OF
other estates and tradition, many other heads OF
old families must have come in With them, and
it is evident they all followed the track OF Gov.
Spottswood.
John Lewis selected his residence on the
creek which still bears his name, on the farm
now owned by d. 9. MEG ufin, Esq, and on
Belle Fonte, owned by Maj. John A Harman,
about two miles east of Staunton. A portion
of the old stone buildings still remains On the
McGuhin place, aud under some oaks near by
marble tablet was erected to the memory of
Jno. Lewis, who slew the Irish Lord. &c, by his
namesake and descendant, Joho Lewis PeytoD,
ESQ then of Staunton, now OF London, Fog
land. He was a man OF great energy and lore
thought and soon obtained authority to locate
100, 900 acres in separate parcels around him.
Mackay settled up near Buffalo Gap and tre-
ouentIy accompanied Lewis to hunt Buffalo,
while Lewis took up fat lands. Mackay died
Door, though his descendants are numerous and
well-to-do, but Lewis left fine estate. he
was native of Ireland and descended from a
French Huguenot family, who fled from the per-
secutions of Henry the 4th. His leaving Ire
land was caused, tradition says, by his killing
the Lord he leased from while resisting an un-
lawful and iorcible ejeciment. tie brought
with him some 80 of his tenants, as well as his
family A pardon was afterwards granted Lew
is and large portion OF land, In Western Va,
given him by he King.
For many years peace reigued between the
whites and Indians, but, rs the white settlers
increased, the jealousy of the Indians became
aroused and war broke out which was never
surpassed in this country tor ierocity, desperate
courage aud activity, on both Sides Scarcely 3
settlement escaped periodical, almost monthly,
attacks and during the whole the Lewises bore
aconspicuous part, ranking with the Christians,
the Patricks, the McCianahans, the Black
burns, the McPheeters, Stuarts, Gambles,
Prestons, Robinsons, Motfetts, Crockets,
Hayses, Thompsons Smiths. CraWtords, Full
ton S, and a host of other brave and true men,
some of whom fell by the side OF the gallant
COL Chas. Lewis at the bloody battle OF Point
Pleasant, May 10Th, IVA, in which Gen. An
drew, second son OF John Lewis, commanded.
The seven sons of John Lewis were at Brad
dock defeat and greatly distinguished them
selves During this war aa attack was made
on Ft. Lewis, while the young men Of the
Countv were absent fighting Indians hut old