Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-01-10
Local
Staunton for IA Years.

MR.. VIM BEvERLEY's GIFT-THE MAYORS
OF sTAUNTCN FOR A CENTURY-THE
OLD TIME POLICE REGULATIoNs-IN-
TERESTING FACTS.
&C., &C., &C.
In the city Of Williamsburg, one hazy
Indian summer evening in the fall, one
hundred and forty-four years ago, Mr..
VIM. Beverly, a gentleman, who for the
trouble of stalking it out, and in further
consideration that his family was highly
respectable one, had received large
grant of land in Augusta county, from
another gentleman, who had about as
much right to it as Mr.. Beverly-except
that, instead of hat, he wore crown,
and that his father, George I, before him
had also worn one. notwithstanding he
could not speak the language Of the coun-
try he governed-on this October evening,
we say flor this sentence is getting fear
fully long, Mr.. Beverly sat down and
wrote to their High Mightinesses, The
Court of Augusta County," that he had a
proposition to make. He proposed that as
s'the Governor and Council had been
pleased to order'' that the court of Au.
gusta county should be held in the court
house he had built for that purpose "at
my mill place." he would be up in the
Spring and make them deed to the house
and two acres Of land around it Ito the
use of the county, to build their prison,
stocks, &c. on, for SO long as the court
house shall be kept there, but not to have
any other liberty but for public buildings.'
When Mr.. Beverly got to Staunton in the
Spring he gave not only the two, but
twenty five acres, SO that this morning if
you will make a square, Of which the
Picker building, the First Presbyterian
parsonage, the gas works and the county
jail are the four corners, you will pretty
we'll understand the locality of the spot
from which Staunton grew. eye stakes
on ye creek" "Ye mouth of quit 'front.'
ing ye court.h house," and the other sur
veyor's marks, used in the metes and
bounds, have disappeared. The town it.
self was laid off four years afterwards and
incorporated, but the act of incorporation
was vetoed by George II, against the pro-
test of the House of Burgesses, and it was
not until George Ill got on the throne
that, in 1851, it was incorporated and al
lowed to remain so, with VIM. Preston,
Israel Christian, David Stewart. John
Brown, Jno. Page. VIM. Lewis. VIM.
Christian, Eledge McClanahan, Robert
Breckenridge and Randall Leckhart as it's
first trustees. Its limits were extended in
1S45 by the legislature on survey by A.
D. Trotter, and again in 1859 and in
1871. At the first extension it had 2, 456
and at the last $40 inhabitants.
ITS OFFICERs-THe OLD MAYORS.
The first Mayor of 5taunton was elected
in 1901 and was Jacob Swoope and the first
Recorder was John Bowyer. Looking
over the list of Mayors we find that the
lamented Nicholas K. Trout served seven
tie en- terms in that Office having been cleo
ted in 1852. That office. as we'll as that of
Recorder, seems always to have served as
a stepping stone to something better.
Chapman johnson, the famous lawyer,
once filled it; Samuel Clarke, an occupant
was elected to the legislature; Moses Nc
Cue, another, was chosen sheriff and also
member of the legislature; John FL. Pey-
ton. prominent lawyer, went from one
term in it to the State Senate. and David
w, Patterson, another occupant, expert
eneed the same promotion; VIM. Kinney
was elected to the legislature; Thomas W.
Niche. the famous lawyer, was elected to
the legislature; Robert s. Brooke went
from it to the legislature; John B. Baldwin
who was Recorder in 1848, was afterwards
in the legislature and one Of the most dis
tinguished men in the State. N. X. Trout
was elected to the State Senate. Among
the councilmen of early days were many
men of mark: A. II. H. Stu TT. afterwards
Secretary of the Interior and then member
of the council again; Chas. H. Lewis, at
forwards U. S. Minister to Portugal; Ken
ton Harper, the well known editor of the
"Spectat. r;;'' DR.. F. r. Stribling, who af-
forwards made a national fame in the
treatment of the insane; Levi L. Steven
son. the venerable Mason, and Hugh w.
Shelley, afterwards Speaker of the House
of Delegates and Judge, and others.
IleT6 WdS uO clCCGlUA ohO poppy la wv
the military having taken control. and
none was held until 1870 when N. K. Trout
was reinstated and the following council
chosen-Wm A. Burke, John M. Hardy,
With. Lynn, W. II. German, W. L.
Balthis, Jas. II. Waters, G. T. Cochran,
VIM. J. Nelson, John B. Scherer, Jr., w
T.. Lushbaugh and R. H. Catlett.
LIST OF THE MAYORS.
The MAYORS of Staunton since 1902 hay
been John Mcdowell, Jacob Swoope, Jacol
Kinney, Chesley Kinney, Chapman John
son. Michael CARRIER, John H. Peyton
Erasmus S ribling, Samuel Clarke, James
Crawford, VIM. Kinney, Jr., l.. l.. Stew
enson. Thomas J. Niche, David w. Pat
te1son, John Eagon. Kenton Harper. JET
ferson Kinney, Robt. S. Brooke, w. Run
Thos. P. Eskridge, n. K. Trout, Waldo
M. Allen, Robt G.. Bickle and W. L.
Balthls.
While there have been twenty seven
mayors in seventy six years there have beer
only four clerks of the council. Vlneen
'Tapp being elected clerk in 1902 Waite
az, Tapp in 1914, Erasmus Stribling II
1888. and James F. Patterson, the presen
incumbent, in 1915.
EARLY LAWS ON ANIMALS AND FOWLS
In 1906 an ordinance was passed linn!
s5 the owner Of any dog allowed to rl
at large sat any time within four week
after a general report that mad dogs wer
in the neighborhood, -" and in 1919 an ord
nance was passed about fowls allowed {
ca at LARGE in the streets, that eslt snail