Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-07-18
LETTER FROM LEETOWN.
LEETowS,
July 6. 1874.

over for 1874. The wheat crop OF this
vicinity will be about an average one,
ranging from very light up to twenty
or twenty-five bushels to the acre, &C,
cording to the estimates OF some gooa
Judges. Some of the early sown wheat
was injured by the fl stall, and some
of the late wheat by the chIpch bug
this summer, though both drawbacks
did not very materially effect the az
gregate yield for this part of the county
Taking the present wheat crop just as
It is. and we have abundant cause Tor
gratitude to the giver of all good tor
his bounty.
Mr.. William Johnson, or as he was
usually called, BILLY Johnson, one OF
our Oldest citizens, and soldier during
the War of 1912, died nj the residences
of his son-in-law, James Hasson, in this
place, on Friday last. lie was aged
about 81 years. He was buried III
smithfeld on Saturday. Rev. Mr..
Rodgers, OF Mt. Zion Baptist Church,
preach he'd the funeral sermon. This Is
The fourth aged person of this neighbor-
hood who has died within the last three
months. Mr.. aud Mrs Jacob Morn
ingstar had removed from the neigh
borhood Just before their delths occur
red. Mrs. Peggy Wisely, a. sister OF
the Mr.. Johnson above mentioned, died
at the almshouse about two weeks ago.
She had probably passed the limit of
cntury, by one or two years. There rs
something of sad romance connected
with her history. AS | have heard IT,
it runs thus: During the War OF 1872
she was married to 4 soldier. whose
regiment received marching orders a
few hours after the wedding, and the
soldiers bride never saw her husband
again, nor eyer heard from him. She
remained widow for the remainder OF
her life. | will not vouch for the cor
rectness of the story, but just ''Tell the
tale as it was telled to me.
The widow of the late Judge Balch
is now the only really aged person in
oT village. She is somewhere III the
nineiies, but age is telling upon her Sc
riously, aud she has been quite sick for
several weeks.
The citizens hereabouts did not make
any Fourth Of July demonstration, but
there was an unexpected cciahratiCu, 81
the Glorious Fourth, came of about
sunset, in the shape OIL a tlmndcr storm,
and which lasted for about three quar-
tiers of an honr Tie wind blew
strongly, scattering the wheat shocks,
knocking down lenees, and uProoiln@
some trees in its ccdrse The rain fall
was slight, aud ACCOMPANIED by 4 fine
display of lightning, far moI9 brilliant
than any fire works that We lave ever
witnessed.
Have you seen the new comet yet ?
first noticed il on Thursday evening,
about Z. NJ. At that liQe the tail
was hut slightly Visible, but last night
it was making considerable of a show.
| suppose that it will be quite brilliant
ia a week or two.
July T., 4aA.
I'm nv letter of the 9th iust, spoke
Of the iflncss Of Mrs Judge Balch, who.
has since died She was a good woman
and her loss " III he mostly trA b. those
in the humber walks of NE. ,o6rG So
than in the upper circles, outside OF her
own family. Her funeral took place on
Friday afternoon. and rs she was de
voted member of the Protestant kplsco-
pal, Church, ! suppose DOR J was not
present) that mlhister of that church
ofliciatcd at the funeral.
Mrs. Bal6h was the mother OF Rev.
Lewis Balch, prominent minister of
the T. +. Church, add TIE Right Rev.
Bishop Cnmmihs is Her son-in'aw,
Peace to her dust.
The Temperance PIC Mo and Social
Reunion was held last Saturday, being
the fifth animal gathering of this kind
held under the auspices Of Lcetown
Lodge No. II. |. O"'G. II, and not
withstanding the showery weather il
was quite as pleasant AS any OF the pre-
ceedipg occasions Of the kind that we
have had at Lectown.
The procession was formed about ten
o'clock, under the direction Of S1owden
II. Watson, Chief Marshal, assisted by
NJ. Mcdonald, Joseph Kisncr, and L.
+. Yeamans, Assistant Marshals. and
comprised about one hundred persons
in regaIia, including delegations from
Smithfield Lodge of Good Templars,
and Dufficlds Division of Sons of Tenn
perance, and headed by the Sharpsburg
CUrnet Band.
After getting tho line into the proper
shape, the word to ':go" was given, the
musicians played a march, and the turn
ont marched 10 the woods Of George u.
Wiltshire, Esq, where a stand for the
speakers had been previously erected.
Rev. T. B. Shepherd, Of Charlestown,
made the regular address of the day,
and it was tirst-rate one; and AT its
close all hands adjourned for dinner,
aud Judging from what | saw, most
everybody" did ample justice to the
substantials and delieacies provided for
those in attendance, and certainly all
were satisfied.
After dinner we had a short speech
by Rev. DR.. Andrews of Shepherds
town, and an interesting speech Of
about twenty-five minutes length, by
Rev. a. A p. Neel, also of your town.
G. I. Butler, Esq, also made . good
little speech, and Mr. Shepherd made a
few remarks. and the crowd was dis