Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-05-11
Interesting Recollections Of the Old
Valley Wagon Route.

~HAAOACAO as W uCl u6dlIil 6uU COuulUII.
Interesting Recollections Of the Old
Valley Wagon Route.
The following is a very interesting rem
iniscencelof the Valley wagon route in old
/ times, gathered by Maj. J. NJ, McCue, in
trip to Winchester and written to that
sterling paper, "The Industrial South"
, The writer says:
! Such history as here attempt to set
| forth, imperfect as I know it is, may be
Said to De mile-stones, indicating the pro-
gress of our country. Few there are now
but believe WILDE an interesting narrative
of the wagon trade from Baltimore, first.
J to the town of Knoxville, Tennessee, and
then from Winchester to Knoxville. am
sure it must have been very near the first
of the present century when this trade be-
gan. 1t cannot now be explained why it
was that the villages of Newtown tnow
Stevens City, and Front Royal became
more prominent than any other points in
Virginia or Maryland as identified with
it. This was particularly so with New
town, which, for more than halfa century
retained the supremacy in building and
fitting out the immense wagons, capable
of sustaining $500 to 5000 pounds of
freight. The wood work of the best ma
terial was made sometimes by the same
man who had them ironed. The pitch in
front and rear Of the bodies, surmounted
by bows and sheet, was such that four or
five men could shelter under the projec-
ton. The harness was very heavy, ard
the traces, breast aid tongue chains of
twisted links, and tire, and all the iron
used. was of the best bar, made by Miller,
Arthur. Newman. Backford, Penny baker
and others. They cost from $3.50 to 5000
The horses, six to wagon. were of the
heaviest and best quality at that day, and
could be bought at from SIS to $125. The
average time
TAKEN FROM BALTIMORE TO KNOXVILLE
was thirty. five to forty-fye days, Deepen
dent on the softness or dryness of the
roads.
1t was my good fortune to encounter a
venerable man in Winchester, the 18th
instant, who is the last survivor, that l
have any knowledge of. capable of giving
such narrative. as / trust your readers
will regard this. have long contempla-
ted such a sketch as furnishing an inter
esting link in the history of the past.
Frederick G. Rosenberger, now in the
seventy-fifth year of bis age, is my au-
thority for the facts set forth. He was
born on the edge of Frederick and Berke-
IN MILL At seventeen, he took charge
of a team. and in 1881 set out as a WACO
ner between Baltimore and Knoxville.
He gave me the name OF Frederick Shultz
as the most prominent builder of these
wagons, in bis boyhood, in Winchester,
where he carried on the business extern
sively. On the close of the Winchester
and Knoxville trade. he removed, or his
defendants did. to GAINESVILLE, Ohio, where
their skill soon attracted notice. A com.
pany was formed, of which they are the
head. and 1t is this company that is now
sending out the Brown" wagon. from
Dan to Beersheba. at $75 up to SIPS. Phil
lip Shearer was another in Winchester.
AT Newtown, John Grove. Thornton Nc
Cloud, JAG. Cline. John Long, John Grid.
er, Moses Barker, Peter Keeding, William
Frailey, Jacob Semley, John Stevens an6
Abraham Piper. At that day the pros
perity of the town was in marked contrast
to its present condition-its population 80(
to 900, now perhaps 500. The names on
the linden gate, advertises the makers
extensively.
1t is important to bear in mind thai
there was
NOT MILE OF MACADAMIzED ROAD
then between Baltimore and Knoxville
and the only short bit of graded road was
ON th Allegheny mountains. near Chris
tiansburg. of few miles, where toll
gate, the only Que on the road. was found
The stages were from twelve to ffteeI
miles day, and the wagner paid at th'
eastern half of his drive from $1.75 to $z.2
for lib raj feed for his six horses and him
self, and h the last half, because farther
from market, from $3.50 to 81 25. From
six to eight wagons Travelled in company
and the long trains presented very pic
turesque spectacle.
cannot recall the stands between Bal
timore and Winchester in the six d Zys
drive, but as there are many interesting
incidents that deserve preservation, viii
mention the other stands, as nearly as
can recall them, their owners names, ani
incidents connected with them. From
Winchester to David Dinpes (pronounce'
Deenls). was the first drive. The secon'
to Jacob Pence's, at HawkinstOwn tn
third to Seyber's at New Market. Befor
the Staunton and Winchester pike wa
made the WAGNER bore TO the left vi
Keezletown, being made comfortable b
George keezle. which was the fourt
stand, The fifth was
PETER HANGERS,
grandfather of Maj NJ. Hanger, Speake
J for some years. After the macadamize
road was made, this stand became tn
) property of Col. Sam. Hansberger, for sew
eral years super intendent of this road
when it was Willow Spout. The sixth wa
Browns, at the Cross Keys. a few mile
east of the village of Greenville; the sew
enth, Midway Or Steele's, on line between
Augusta and Rockbridge; the eighth a
Wallace's. at Fairfield, near the Cherry
Grove, residence of Col. James Nc
Dowell, of the Revolution, father of Gov
error Jam, Mcdowell, Mrs. Thomas II
Benton, and Mrs. Susan Taylor, whose
husband represented the district in Con
gress; the ninth, passing Lexington t.