Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-03-21

OF, on which MIR. Jefferson, during
his visit to this place, inscribed his
name, from whence it took it's name
as Jefferson's Rock. The years
1893 and 1900 were a period of ex.
traordinary excitement. The two
great political parties, federal and
democratic, of our country, were at
this period completely organized,
and an interesting struggle for which
party should have the ascendency
was carried on. This same Capt.
Henry, whether actuated by the
same motive which impelled the
Macedonian youth to murder Philip
his king, or whether be hoped to &C
quire popularity with his party, plac.
ed himself at the head of band OF
soldiers, and with the aid of his
myrmidons hurled off the apex OF
this rock, thus wantonly aud, to say
the least, unwisely destroying the
greatest beauty Of this extraordinary
work Of nature"
The same document also contains
a romantic account of a girl by the
name of Isabella Cohoon, who later
in life settled in the neighborhood OF
Morgantown. Her father and moth.
er were killed by the Indians and
she was taken prisoner. This was
i'll 1756 and Isabelle was s or 8 years
old. The writer goes on to say
!" She was detained and grew up
among the savages. Being a beau
tifnl and interesting girl they sold
her to Canadian in Canada, where
a young Frenchman, named Plata,
soon became acquainted with her
and made her a tender of his hand
in matrimony. She declined until
she could first see her brothers and
friends. The Frenchman accompa-
MED her back to Virginia. Her
brothers objected to the marriage,
but the young couple started togeth-
er for Pennsylvania. They we're
overtaken at HnnterstOwn, Pa, and
Isabella forcibly carried back by
her brothers, and the poor French
man was warned that if he ever
made any further attempts to take
her off he should pay the forfeit.
This story is familiar to severalaged
and respectable individuals in the
neighDOrnOod OF MarIlnsuurg. Isa-
bella aiterward married a man by
the name of McClary, removed and
settled in the neighborhood Of Nor
gantOwn, and grew wealthy"
sin the year 1777 Rockbridge
county was taken from Augusta and
Boletourt, Rockingham county the
same year was taken from Augusta,
and Greenbrier from Augusta and
Botetourt. The years 1866 and 1777
we're remarkable for the many divis-
ions OF the western counties. West
Augusta. in the year 1775, by the
convention assembled for the pur-
pose of deyising plan for resisting
the expressions ofthe northern coun-
try, determined among other pro-
ceedings that sthe landholders of
the district of West Augusta shall
be considered as a distinct county
and have the liberty Of sending two
delegates to represent them in gen.
eral convention as aforesaid This
is the first account which the author
has been able to find in our ancient
statutes in relation to West Augusta
as a separate district or county. In
fact, it does not appear that we ever
had a county legally established by
this name. 1t is presumable that it
acquired the name by a general
usage, from it's remote and western
location from the seat of justice. Be
this as it may, it appears that the
district of West Augusta never had
its bounds laid off and defined until
the month Of October, 1776, when it
was divided into three distinct coun-
ties. viz: Ohio, Yohogania and Mo-
nongalia. By the extenti0n of the
western boundary between Pennsyl-
vania and Virginia the greater part
of the county of Yohogania falling
within the limits of Pennsylvania,
the residue was, by an act of the as
sembly of 1856, added to Ohio coun-
ty, and Yohogania became extinct.'
This report is dated at Martins
burg, November 6, 1882, and is adj
dressed to John Floyd, Esq, Gov
ernor Of Virginia. The document is
very able and interesting but is too
long to be used in this connection,
consisting as it does of more than
eighteen pages. Mr.. Faulkner was
by the Governor of Vir-
ginia to determine the correct boun-
Diary line between Virginia and
Maryland, concerning which there
was some dispute. The report is
largely a review of the surveys of