Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-04

the ground forty or fifty years.
Every part of this gun, even the
stock, which was made OF black
walnut, was sound. Mr.. Kline's
father took the barrel from the
stock, placed the britch on the fire,
and it soon discharged with a loud
explosion. la
In the county Of Page, on the
South fork of Shenandoah river,
there are several Indian burying
grounds and signs of their villages.
These signs are also to be seen on
the Hawksbill creek. A few miles
above Luray, on the west side OF
the river, there are three large ln-
dian graves, ranged nearly side by
side, thirty or forty feet in length,
twelve or fourteen feet wide, and
FIVE or six feet high. Around them,
in circular form, are a number OF
single graves. The whole covers
an area of little less than quar-
ter of an acre. They present to
the eye a very ancient appearance,
and are covered over with pine
aud other forest growth. The ex-
cavatiOn of the ground around
them is plainly to be seen. The
three first mentioned graves are in
oblong form, probably contain
many hundred of human bodies,
and we're doubtless the work of
ages.Ibl
On the land of Mr.. Noah Keyser,
| near the mouth of the Hawksbill
creek, stand the remains Of large
| mound. This, like that at Mr..
| Steenbergen's is considerably re-
duced by plowilg, but Is yet some
twelve or fourteen feet high, and
is upwards of sixty yards round at
| the base. 1t is found to be liter
| allv filed with human skeletons,
and at every fresh plowing fresh
layer of bones are brought to the
surface. The bones are found to
be in q calcareous state, with the
exception of the teeth, which are
generally sound. Several unusually
large skeletons have been discover
ed in this grave. On the lands
now the residence of my venerable
friends, John GatewOOd, Esq, the
signs of an Indian village are YET
plainly to be seen. There are
numerous fragments of their pots
cups, arrow points, and other i'm
| plements for domestic use, found
from time to time. Convenient tC
this village there are several pretty
large graves.
There is also evidence of an In
dian tewn in Powel's fort, on th'
lands now owned by Mr.. DAME
Munich. From appearances, thi'
too was a pretty considerable vii
lage. 4 little above the forks o
the Shenandoah, on the east sld'
of the South fork, arc the appear
ances of another settlement, eX'
= hibiting the remGi1s of two con
| siderable mounds now entirely re
duced by plowing. About thu
place many pipes, tomahawks, axes
hominy pestles, &C., have beeI
found. Some four or five miles
| below the forks of the river, on thu
southeast side, on the lands nov
owned by Capt, Daniel Oliver, i
the site of another Indian village
At this place a considerable yarie
| ty Of articles have been plOwod uI
| Among the number were severa
| whole pots, cups, pipes, axes, tom
ahawks, hominy pestles, &c. 4
beautiful pipe of high dnish, mad
of white flint stone, and severa
articles of curious workmanship
all OF very hard stone, have bee
, found. Their cups and pots wer
, made of a mixture of clay and shell
of rude workmanship, but of fri
{ texture.
There are many other places o
all our watNr courses, to wit, St0n
Creek, Cede 7 Greek, and Opequoi
as we'll as the larger water courses
which exhibit evidences of ancleT
Indian settlcm ents. The Shawne
tribe, it is well known, were settle
about the neig, lborhood Of WI
chester. What re called the SHAY
nee cabins and ", Shawneesprings
Immediately ado ming the tow
are well known. / / is also equal
certain, that this Il ibe had n Co
siderable village on Babbs mars
!, some three or four mil es north-we
of Winchester. C
The Tuscarora Indi aus resi- ut
in the neighborhOod Of Martin
burg, in the county of Berkeley, I'd
: on the TuscarOra creek. On til
fine farm, now owned by, and tn
!. residence of, Matthew Ransom, Esq
[the former residence of MI. Bel
jamin Beeson, are the remains
: several Indian graves. These, lik
several others, are now plowe
down but numerous fragments
human bones are to be found mi,
ed with the clay on the suIfac
Mr.. Ransom informed the authO
that at the place the under ia
' bone of human being was plowe
up, of enormous size; the teet
were found in perfect state
is preservation.
Mt (a) Mr.. Anthony Kline related this
m currence to tho author. No man who