Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-18
HISTORY OF THE VALLEY.
CHAPTER V.
RELIGION. HABITS AND CUSTOMS,
RELIGION, HABITS AND CUSTOMS,
OF THE PRIMITIVE SETTLERS.

composed OF natlVe dernahs OF
German extraction. There were,
however, a number directly from
Germany, several from Maryland
and New Jersey, and a few from
New York. These Immigrant Is
brought with them the religion,
habits and customs, of their an
cestors. They were composed gen
orally of three religious sects, viz
Lutherans, Menonists (a) and Cal
vinists, with a few Tunkers. They
generally settled in neighborhoods
pretty much together.
The territory now composing the
county of Page, Powelps Fort, and
the Woodstock Valley, between
the West Fort mountain and North
mountain, extending from the
neighborhood of Stephensburg for
a considerable distance into the
county of Rockingham, was al.
most exclusively settled by Ger
mans. They were very tenacious
in the preservation of their Ian
guage, religion, customs and hab-
it's. In what is now Page county
they were almost exclusively of the
Menonist persuasion: but few
Lutherans or Calvinists settled
among them. In other sections OF
the territory above described, there
was a mixture of Lutherans and
Calvinists. The Menonists were
remarkable for their strict adhe-
renee to all the moral and religious
observances required by their sect.
Their children were early instruct
ed in the principles and ceremonies
of their religion, habits and GUS
toms. They we're generally farm
ers, and took great care Of their
stock of different kinds. With
five exceptions, they strictly IN
hibited their children from joining
in the dance or other juvenile
amusements common to other re.
ligious sects of the Germans.
In their marriages much cere-
mony was observed and great prep
aration made. Fatted calves, lambs,
poultry, the finest of bread, ,,sutter,
milk, honey, domestic sugar, wine,
if it could be had with every arti.
Gle necessary for sumptuous feast
in their plain way, were prepared
in abundance. Previous to the
performance of the ceremony, (the
clergyman attending at the place
appointed for the marriage,) four
of the most respectable young
females and four of the most re-
spectacle young men were selected
as walters upon the bride and
groom. The several waiteTs were
decorated with badges, to indicate
their Offices. The groomsmen, as
they were termed, were invariably
furnished with fine white aprons
beautifully embroidered. 1t was
deemed high honor to wear the
apron. The duty of the walters
consisted in not only waiting on
the bride and groom, but they
were required, after the marriage
ceremony was performed, to serve
up the wedding dinner, and to
guard and protect the bride while
at dinner from having her shoe
stolen from her foot. This custom
of stealing the brides shoe, it is
said, afforded the most heartfelt
amusement ID the wedding guest.
TO succeed in it, the greatest dex-
terity was used by the younger
part of the company, while equal
vigilance was manifested by the
walters to defend her against the
theft; and if they failed, they
we're in honor bound to pay
penalty for the redemption of the
shoe. This penalty was bottle of
wine or one dollar, which was
commonly the price OF hottie of
wine: and as a punishment TO the
bride, she was not permitted to
dance until the shoe was restored.
The successful thief, Oh getting
hold of the shoe, held il up in
great triumph to the view of the
whole assemblage, which was
generally pretty numerous. This
custom was continued among the
Germans from generation to gener-
alton, until since the war Of the
revolution. The author has con-
versed with many individuals, still
living, who were eye-witnesses of
lit.
Throwing the stocking was
another custom among the Ger
mans. (b) When the bride and
groom were bedded, the young
people were admitted into the room.
A stocking, rolled into a ball, was
given to the young females, who,
one after the other, would 90 to the
foot of the bed, stand with their
backs towards. it, and throw the
stocking over their shoulders at
the brides head ; and the first that
succeeded in touching her cap or
head was the next to be married.
The young men then threw the
stocking at the grOOm's head, in
like motive. Hence the utmost
eagerness and dexterity were used
in throwing the stocking. This
practice, as well as that of steal