Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-10-19
HARpER's FERRY.
Approaching Bale OF the Government
Property There.
Historic Recoilections---joAa Brown.
The Civil W&---0esiyation Of
the Name.


years since the Government purchased
Harper's Ferry, and with it 6l0 acres Of
land, from the State of Virginia, to be used
for the manufacture of arms 1t is to be
sold at public auction by the Government
shortly. In l704. during the administra-
ton eff General Washington, Harper Ferry
was chosen as the site Of national
armory Il is said that this selection was
made by the Father OF his country, ne
having visited the place in person. This is
tradition among the people, and Is so
characteristic Of the man that people find
little difficulty in believing it. The water
power is immense some supposing it to be
the finest in the world. Iu 1894 Congress
applied TO the General Assembly of Vir-
ginia for permission to buy this property,
and Of course permission was granted, but
not to exceed 640 acres. One hundred and
twenty acres were purchased from the
heirs of Harper. This tract was triangular,
the two rivers forming two Of its sides.
Building the Works.
A subsequent purchase was made of 3lO
acres was Mr. Rutherford, where
the village of Bolivar now stands.
The Government, desiring to secure the
valuable timber land of London Heights,
leased in perpetuity 1906 acres from Lord
Fairfax, Immediately adjoining Harpers
Ferry. Thus prepared, the Government a.
ouce set TO work the erection of shops, and
in 1896 Mr.. Pernine, Jan English Mora
Wan. was appointed to superintend the
work. In 1899, during the administration
of John Adams, in anticipation OF war with
France, the Government osganized a con-
siderable arms for defence. a portion OF
the forces was sent, under General Pinck
ney. into camp at this place, and the ridge
on which they were stationed has ever since
cen known as Camp Hill. 1t runs north
aud south between Harper's Ferry and
Bolivar
Historic Recolections.
When the war closed many OF the soldiers
settled at this place. The spirits of those
buried here are said to be regular visitors to
ihe old habitatiOnS, causing those houses to
remain tenanteSs and known as the haunt
ed houses The negroes. who appear to be
especially favored with spiritual manifesto
tons, bear unanimous testimony to these
reports. The more recent history OF the
, place is best known. Here John Brown
struck his blow for the freedom OF the
slaves, capturing the arsenal on the night
Of October l6, 1859, fighting all day on. the
18th, seeing his sons and near friends shot
down about him, and finally on that even
ming returning to the little engine house as
last stronghold, where the forces gather
ed against him the next morning, captur-
ing him and his two remaining men, kill
ing one outright, wounding the other, and,
after piercing the leader Of the band with
their bayonets, reserving him for the hang.
man, who did his work on the following
December, at Charleston, turning the re-
mains over to the sorrowing widow at Har-
per's Ferry on the same day.
During the Civil War.
Less than two years later the echo Of
John Browns blow was heard in this very
spot, when the arsenal and its valuable
arms, and the machinery for the manulac
ture for more arms, were captured by the
Confederates without a blow. The place
was recaptured by the Union troops after
ward, but not until the more valuable ma
chinery had been carried off to Richmond
FOR use by, the Confederate Government il
the manufacture OF arms. 1t was recap
l.. 10, ~, hn
fore the battle of Antietam, later by tn
Mon forces again The fortunes Of tho
war left it wreck; the buildings werr
burned and demolished, and nothing is nov
eft to recommend the visitor to the manI
tragic scenes enacted there except the foun
dations Of the old building and the littl,
engine house where John Brown made biz
last stand which, by some means escaped
the general destruction about it, and nov
stands near the RAILROAD station. labelled il
large letters. John Browns fort
The Name.
Harper Ferry derives its name from
Robert Harper, u native of Oxford in Eng
land. He was born about the year 1903
and at the age OF twenty he emigrated t.
Canada, where he prosecuted the bushes.
of architecture and millwriting. In la
he was engaged by some members of the
Society OF Friends to erect church for
that denomination on the Ossequon river
near the present town of Winchester
While on his way through the then almos'
nbroken forests, he lodged one night with
a G, rman in lonely inn on the site Of tn,
present city Of Frederick, Nd
This Germans name was Hoffman, who
! informed him that the best route was by the
way of the Hole" where he would see
some wonderful scenery. Harper adopted
the suggestion, arrived at the Hole, fell
in love with the place, found a man living
there named Peter Stevens, bought out
Stevens with fifty British guineas and set,
tied here. The reality of The place was in
Lord Fairfax, and by perseverance he alb
tanned from that noblemsn deed of pat,
emit Harper settled down here and estab.
lished ferry; hence the name the "Hole"
ceased and "Harper's Ferry" doomed up'in
10 perpetual prominence Harper died in
1882 and was inferred on his own property.
His moss-covered grave is to be seen in the
romantic graveyard that overlooks the
town