Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-02-05

Northern Neck Of Virginia." of
which Thomas, Lord Fairfax,
Baron of Cameron, was Lord Pro-
prietary. In Kercheval's History
of the Valley there is a curious
tradition touching the naming of
this county. from that of England.
One day Lord Fairfax was at Fort
Loudoun, (Winchester), and saw
a drove of such very fine hogs
there as induced him to inquire
where they had been raised. Be-
ing told that they were from the
South Branch of the Potomac, his
| Lordship observed that he intend
ed shortly to erect q new county
out of western Frederick, which
would embrace the South Branch
Valley, and it should be called
Hampshire, from the county of
England, celebrated for the growth
of hyperion hogs.
The earliest authentic knowl-
edge we have of the white mans
occupancy in the South Branch
Valley, is to be found in an inter-
esting journal of George Washing
ton, the boy-surveyor, who ac-
companied Lord Fairfax's expedi-
ton in surveying tour, to lay
out "the Fai' fax South Branch
Manor" in 1747-'S. This very
curious and entertaining journal
of General Washington, written
at sixteen years of age, is publish
ed at.length in the secoud volume
Of Sparks Invaluable Life and
Writings Of Washington work
for accuracy, research and fidelity,
beyond all cora Darison the best
that has been written. Though
the county was created by legisla-
ton in 1853, the organization, by
establishment of its County Court,
did not take place until 1867, in
which year, the first court was
constituted and held, the Rt. Hon,
Thomas Bryan Martin, nephew Of
Lord Fairfax, presiding. The seat
of justice was finally established
at Romney, founded by Lerd Fair
fax himself, on "Pearsall's Level
q beautiful bluff or highland over
looking the South Brance of the
Potomac, near Pcarsall's Flat, in
1862. This necessary protection of
the fort, at once suggests the delay
in organizing the county OCCASION
ed by the Indian border trouble
just before and after the defeat of
General Braddock, in 1854, the
year after the foundation of Hamp-
shire, Romney, one of the English
"cinqus poets" affords this line Of
Cowley;
"Not all the grass that Remney yields"
| In 1772, the county of Berkeley
was formed out of the northern
part Of Frederick, and named in
honor of Rt. Hon. Norborne
Berkeley Baron-de Botetourt, a
greatly beloved colonial Governor
of Virginia. The county seat,
Martlnsburg, was named for Col.
Thomas Bryan Martin, mentioned
above, who assisted In organizing
the county.
In 1776, the year of Independ-
ence the "District of Augusta
was defined by the Legislature,
and comprised the counties of
| Ohio, bearing the rivers name,
La Belle Riviere, Beautiful River,
| Monongalia, bearing also the In.
dian appellation ofthe river which
is one of the affiuencss of the Ohio,
and Yohogenia, comprshending
the disputed territory of which
Fort Duquosne afterwards Pitt,
the present city of Pittsburgh is
situated. The principal part of
this county was coded by the
boundary commission to Pennsyl-
vania, and the small rsmsinder at
tached to Ohio county.
In 1877, Greenbrier county was
formed, and derived its name
from the great growth of green
brier roses upon the Greenbrier
river. Its county-seat bears the
honorsd name of Col. Lewis, the
heroic leader, who fell at Point
Pleasant in IVA. That battle
sounded the signal note of the Rev
olution.
| NOTE The Northwest Territory
the country lying north and
west Of the Ohio, was coded by
Virginia to the Old colonial Fed
Grafton in 1888
Harrison county, lying to the
west of Hampshire, WAS formed in
1884. and named in honor of Col.
Benjamin Harrison, signer Of
the "Dsclartion of Independence"
Governor Of the State of Virginia
aud father of General William
Henry Harrison, formerly Presi-
dent of the United States. Query
Did Clarksburg the county seat
of Harrison, derive its name from
the distinguished and gallant Cen
eral George Rogers Clarke, the