Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-10-17
IN THE COUNTY.

IN THE COUNTY.
DOTS FROM MIDWAY, RAPHINE, GREEN
WILLIE, BROWNsBURG, MIDDLEBROOh,
AND PARNAsSUs-THE BIRTHPLACE
OF TWO GREAT INTENTIONAL HUN
DRED-YEAR-oLD PosToFFICE POLL
TICAL STATUES AND PROSPECTS.
Reported for the STAUNroN VINDIcAToRI
STEELEs TAVERN, Oct IL, 1884.
I promised you some more rambling
notes from the county, and here they are,
though ana so close to Rockbridge that
l stepped over the line at Raphlne this
morning without seeing it.
Did you know that Steele's Tavern is
one of the oldest postof1ices in tho coun-
try? 1t is said that it was established
over 100 years ago. and when postoffice
was located recently at Raphine, on the
Valley Railroad, only two and a half
miles distant and at Vesuvius. on the
Shenandoah Valley, also about the same
distance from Steele's Tavern, it was
feared by the people at and around the
latter place that that office would be dis
continued, but they were surprlse1 ana
delighted when the Postmaster wrote to
the effect that Uncle Sam regarded
Steele's Tavern as sort of heirloom IN
the family and the old Office was con-
tinued for the sake of s'Auld Lang Syne.">
At Raphine there is springing up
fourishing little village. Mr.. ). E. A.
Gibbs has c0mmodious and handsome
storehouse there, occupied by Messrs-
Hutcheson & Stuart, two enterprising
young gentlemen. Mr.. William Hutche-
son received his business education at
Dunsmore Business College here and
their Mr.. John Stuart is with F. Alexan-
der in Stanton. Mr.. Gibbs is now erect
ing another fac storehouse at Raphine,
and Mr.. John Cox is putting up good
dwelling there also. Messrs. Rosen
Stoner are doing the wood work for Mr.
Gibbs and the Messrs. Rowe the brick
work. The Baker Brothers have ferti-
lizer and grain house at Raphine, which is
very efficiently managed by Mr.. Henry
Brown, so long connected with their
house in Stanton.
THE OLD MCCORMICK FARM.
This locality is historical one. having
given birth to two great national lnven-
tions, the Mccormick reaper and the Will
cox & Gibbs Sc wing machine. The old
Mccormick farm is a fine one Of about
400 acres and is now the property of Cyrus
Mccormick, son Of the inventor. The
farm is under the experienced manage
ment of Mr.. Geo. W. Whitmore, who
rents the place and resides in the old
brick residence where Cyrus Mccormick,
Senior was living when he gave to the
world his great agricultural implement,
which revolutionized harvesting. The
dwelling is in good repair and an elegant
and expensive two story barn has just
been erected on the farm. 1t is painted
white, covered with tin and has all the
modern improvements and IS quite
handsome building.
THE BIRTH PLACE OF THE REAPER
is an old log, shingle roof shop on the
road side between the dwelling and the
new barn. 1t was going to pieces so
rapidly that this year some new logs were
put in the building and some new rafters
and braces to the roof, also reshingled.
1t is the wish of the present owner to keep
the old shop in the same shape and present.
ing the same general appearance that it
did at the time that his father worked in
md inv
ANOTHER FARMoUs INVENTOR.
MI. Gibbs, the inventor of the sewing
machine which bears his name. lives in
large, comfortable brick mansion, near
Raphine. The farm is also good one,
and about the same size as thu McCor-
mick farm. The hospitable wife of the
inventor resides here, with the orphaned
children of her daughter, who died re-
Gently at the Hot Spings, in Arkansas.
She is an admirable manager, as we'll she
may be, for her husband is absent
the greater part of his time at the factory
of his company in Providence, Rhode Is
land, where he gives the manufacture of
the machines great deal of personal at
tention, and IS contin tally making i'm
provements in them.
AS to politics, the Democrats about
Midway have not organized any club as
yet, in fact neither party has, but the
Democrats say they are making careful
canvass of all the votes and will make a
good report of themseles on the 4th of
November.
GREENVILLE IMPROVEMENTS.
At this place the progress is mainly WIS.,
ible at the depot, where the level ground
which lies so prettily between the station
and the town, has been laid off into
number of nice building lots, which are
being fenced in and built upon. Several
neat buildings have been put up, the most
noticeable Of which is the new Baptist
Church, which is now under roof and rap
idly approaching completion. It will be a
handsome building and creditable to the
town, as we'll as noble monument to the
zeal and devotion of Mrs. VIM. II. Peyton
and the liberal spirits who have assisted
her.
POLITICAL.
l did nut get over to Middlebrook and
Brownsburg. but saw some gentlemen
from those places who gave me a few in
teresting points. The night before, Mr..
I. G. Fowler, the late Readjuster Speaker
of the House, who Is regarded as a big
gun among the Republicans, save the
mark, spoke at Brownsburg to an audi
ence of negroes, there being only three
white men in the house.
From Middlebrook comes the news that
at least forty Democratic voters who have