The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-04-26
TWO DOLLARS PER ANNUM.
NO. 4.
Messy Creek Items.

Mr.. Samuel Forrer, ar Ina
of four months, looking fat and %1ar
rived at home on last Thursday eySNo
His many friends can now, by seeing F
learn what he thinks of Florida and OF
parts Of the South. 1t seems that FlorA
is not only the land of consumptives an
refugees from northern cold, of orange
and alligators, of cheap lands and good
roads, (how the people ought to thank their
lstars), of high prices and perennial fruits,
| Of ,brilliant-hued flowers and bad water,
| but it is also the home of chills and fever,
| Of thick fogs, and is filled with marshes,
lakes and boys. 1t is tie land where ell
ergy and industry are paralyzed by the en-
ervating influences of an ever genial eli
mate. Centuries have rolled around since
| its discovery and settlement by the Euro
pean nations, yet to-day the march OF civ
| iliZation has made but little inroad into
| the interminable forests and everglades of
her vast DOMAIN. With a coast line far eX-
needing that OF any Other state, not one
friendly harbor invites to repOse the weary
sea-lashed mariner With more lake and
river surface within her confines than any
other state,no single manufacturing centre
can be pointed out. Nor in all time to
come will she ever be anything else than Il
sort of pleasure ground a garden of del
lcacles, and q refuge from the cold of
northern winters
From the lofty summit which oyerlOOks
from the west the site of the old FOrrer
forge, etc, and which is the Chimborazo of
all the Messy Greek hills, one has on q clear
day IN almost uninterrupted view of the
surrounding country. The entire length
OF the stream, from where it gushes out of
the hillside at Mount Scion, to where it
empties its limpid waters into the North
River just above Bridgewater, is plainly
visible. The twenty farms which girt its
borders can each be distinctly pointed out.
Centreville, Mt Scion and Bridgewater are
all in full view. And it is said that the tin
roof on the old court house in Harrison
burg, although eleven miles distant, was
before its removal often seen with the
naked eye. Perhaps no where else in Vir-
ginia is so perfectly beautiful and pic
turesque a landscape to be found as that
which greets the eye from the top OF this
mountain like elevation. 1t is all the artist
could wish for, but no pen or genius can
do justice to it. AS you descend the eastern
the top you come to Il narrow terrace OF
table land on which is an ancient burial
place OF graveyard, where lies the dust of
some who long since have gone the way OF
all flesh. 1t is neglected spot, and so well
has time done its work of despOliatiOn that
1T is with difficulty the inscriptions upon
the tombstoneS can be deciphered. The
wild sumac stands thick all over the graves.
The wooden fence surrounding the spot
al fn no nd *
only a question of time when the ruthless
shall CRATE through the sod
once sacred as the last Sublunary resting
place of human beings like us. PauSing
and standing on this spot the lonely visitor
has a sermon without Il sound or q text
Solemnly impressive and highly instructive.
After scratching away with nail the moss
which fills up and covers over the lettering
OF the slabs, it was found that one was i'll
memory of Mrs. Hannah Miller, born in
ITO, but no date of her death was given.
Another was that of Miss Nancy Cam
eron, born i'll 1885 and died in 1865 and
Henry Miller also born in 1875, who died
i'll 1890. Also Henry Miller probably Il
son OF the former), who was born in 17SS,
died in 1S41. Patsey Estil, born July 18th,
died Sept 25th 1852. 1t appears from well
authenticated sources of information that
these were among the pioneer settlers of
Messy Creek. The MillerS, who erected
the iron works, took up and claimed the
lands for miles around 1t is a pity that
the earliest history OF this section, as well
as of the whole Valley, is not rescued from
oblivion. Antedating the time when the
first tree fell by the woodlands axe, how
lndescribably grand must have been the
forest which crowned these hills and wales.
What hunting and fishing ground for the
red man. a we'll written and accurately
compiled history of the Valley of Virginia
would be q saleabe book and well reward
the author for all the time and trouble i'll
getting it up.