Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-07-17
From the Rockingham Register, July 9Th.
History Of McGaheysviile.
BY THE PUPILS OF THE McGAHEYsvILLE
SCHOOL.

w q are lnU6DUou TO our valued CORES
pondent at McGaheysville for the interest
ing history of that ancient village which we
lay before onr readers to-day. The histo-
eysville school and read at the recent Com
mencement exercises. This enterprise
should be initiated by all country towns
Editor Register.]
We have partially traced the settlement
of McGaheysville as far back as 1740. For
| space of % years after that time we have
been unable to find anything of the prog
ress of the settlement. A patent for the
| lands in and around McGaheysville was
granted by George III to Peter Miller and
| Jacob Harman, in 1868. The portion of
land granted to Miller afterward passed
from him to John Long, grandfather of our
well-known patriarchal citizen, Mr.. j. C.
Wetzel. The portion granted to Harman-
family now extinct passed from him to
Mr.. Conrad. This was then called West
Augusta, afterward changed to Rocking
ham. This village was first called Ursulas-
| burg in honor Mrs. John Long, highly
and accomplished lady, and grandmother
of Mr.. Wetzel. She had most excellent
library, was swiss by birth and educated
in that country, and was connected to a
Lord of considerable note. After her faith
er's death she came to this country-date
not known-and married John Long,
minister.
| The first McGahey of whom we have any
account was VIM. McGahey, who was born
in Glasgow, Scotland, Oct. Goth 1741. When
he was 9 years old his parents moved to
Antrim, Poland. At the age of twenty,
he left his home for America, where he
landed in 1861. He married Ann Kincade,
Aug. 7th 1864, and their son Tobias Ran
dolph McGahey, was born in. Dover, Del,
March Gath, 1866. He came to Rocking
ham county in 1901, and married Mrs. Ma
ry Eve Conrad, the widow of the Conrad
spoken of in the first part of the sketch.
She was known afar for her wealth, and
her residence was the corner house-at one
time a blacksmith shop-now owned by
Mrs. Wetzel After his marriage he re-
built the property now occupied by Mr.. Ber-
ry. This house had been built at an earli-
er date by a Mr.. Patran. Mr.. McGahey
established postoffice in 1902 and called it
MsGaheysville-the room that was used for
the postofice is still to be seen. 1t is the
small attachment on the west corner of the
same building. At the expiration of 10
years his wife departed this life, Nov 1st,
| 1919. May 21st, 1921, he married Elizabeth
Anderson, of Woodstock, Shenandoah Co.,
Va, and three years after his marriage he
sold his home to Solomon Pirkey who held
the Office of postmaster until his death. In
the Spring Of 1897 Mr.. McGahey moved to
his farm, 'tBonny Brook" one mile east of
this village, where he lived the life of an
Independent farmer, and the landlord of a
hotel that was noted throughout the Valley
prietor In 1881 he entered the mercantile
| h11ci xrbiob n 1ptiD11a6 ri 1,ic Ioo4J,
December, 1S43. He has one daughter and
two sons who are still living. He was
known by many as "Uncle Toby"
| Another of the first settlers was Peter
Bolinger of Cumberland, Maryland, who
married Rebecca, sister of I. R. McGahey
They moved to this village about the year
| 1902, purchased the home now owned by
his daughter, Rebecca Bader, and estab-
lished brewery-making an article of beer
that was noted throughout the Valley for
its superior quality. The site of the brew
| cry was where the new dwelling of A. J.
| Bader now stands. He was 1st Lieutenant
| of the Rockingham volunteer company,
| which went by order of the government to
the defensive protection of Norfolk, in the
war of 1872 He died in 1885, and his re-
mains were inferred in the Lutheran and
Reformed graveyard. The first mill was
built by Layman, and was situated where
the remains of the woolen factory is now
to be seen. 1t was bought by Jacob Pr
key. His brother Solomon then bought
the McGahey property and kept entertain
ment and wagon yard, and frequently
twelve Or fifteen wagons on their way to or
from Richmond or Fredericksburg, would
put up the same night. He also had a
sawmill on the lot now occupied by Mrs.
I Dr. n