The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-12-30
Prepared for the Registcr.1
EASTERN PANHANDLE.
The Old Part Of West Virginia
First Pioneers Within the
Present Limits Of the State.
by yInolt 4. LIVE.

BY an inspection Of q map 0
Vert Virginia, it will be seen tina
three entire counties-M
Berkeley aud Jefferson land a por
lion Of two others Hardy anc
Hanpshire-.exLend Eastward from
the Allegheny Mountains, the for
mer stretching away across the far
famed Shenandoah Valley, even I,
the Western tbase Of the Blu,
Ridge, aud to the point where tina
mighty mountain barrier has, b.
some convulsion Of nature, in th,
remote past, been torn asunder
and where the blue waters Of th,
Potomac ("Quiriough Of the Ind
ians) dashes onward to the Chesa
peake,
Through the Eastern part Of JET
fersOn county flows the beautiful
Shenandoah, the "Riyer Of Stars,
Of the Indians. AS they stood up
on the lofty submits Of the Blut
Ridge and gazsd downward upor
the gentle bosom Of its Transparent
waters, they beheld mirrored back
the myriad stars which bespangled
the blue vault above them; hence
the name.
Northward through Hardy and
Hampshire, flows the South Branch
called by the Indians "wappato
mac" from which by elimination,
has been derived the name "Polo
mac" Onward it continues it,
course until it unites with The
North Branch known to the Ind
ians as the "Cohongoruta." The
two united form the Northern
boundary Of Morgan, Berkeley and
Jefferson, as we'll as the dividing
line between the Little Mountain
State. and the @Land of the Bait.
imores." Here is the Eastern Pan
Handle. It's the old part Of West
Virginia, and, if written iIs histo.
ry would gil volumes.
1t, together with all the country
eastward between the Potomac aud
Rappahannock rivers, aud in Colo
nial times, known as the "NOrlh.
ern Neck" was granted by Charles
II, King Of England, to Lord Fair.
fax, who then became the first land
proprietor on the Continent West
of the Blue Ridge, From himoit
descended to the second, and then
to the third Lord Fairfax who came
to Virginia and lived in princely
style upon the proceeds Of the sale
Of these lands much Of which he
disposed Of in quantities to suit
purchasers. In 1754, he donated q
lot in Winchester, upon which was
erected the first Episcopal church
ever reared West Of the Blue Ridge,
and beneath its Altar he was bur.
led.
From 1920 to 1898, all this region
was embraced within the limits Of
Spottsylvania county, and from the
latter date to 1853, in those Of Fred.
erick. The year 1871 passed away,
and the entire Shenandoah Valley
remained a bowling wilderness in.
habiIed only by wild beasts and
savage men. No civilized man had
dared to find home in all its wide
domain, but the time had now come
when the Saxon should occupy the
land.
In the year 1882, JOist Hite,
George Bowman, jacob Chrisman,
Robert Mckay, Robert Green, VIM,
Duff, Peter Stephens, and others,
in all numbering sixteen families,
left York Pennsylvania, and cut.
ting their way through the wild.
srness, crossed the Potomac about
two miles above the present site Of
Harper's Ferry, and soon after
halted and built their cabins. In
1874 they were joined by Richard
Morgan, Benjamin Allen, Riley
Moore, (name preserved in that Of
MOoreGeld, the county seat of Har.
dy county,) William White, Rob.
ert Harper, (numod preserved in
that Of Harpess Ferry,) William
strOop, Israel Friend, Thos, Shep.
herd, (name preserved in that oil
shepherdslown, where he settled
John Forman, Jacob yanmatre and
several others. These we're tho
men who flrst planted the stand,
ard Of civilization West Of the
Blue Ridge, and erected the tirst
cabin homes within the present
limits Of West Virginia.
That was a century and q hall
ago-uot a long period-yet when
they CameW Washington was an in
4. n