Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-09-10
NEW VOL. 22-NO. l.

er. The date on the oldes. of the three
bells is 1862, and the second bell was
given by Michael Yeasley, worthy cit-
izen of the town. Mr.. Yeasley was \
grandfather Of Mr.. Joseph Welshans,
an aged and respected citizen Of Shep-
herdstown at present. When the bell
arrived it was taken to his house, still
standing on the main street, where it
was filled with wine, AID then both
minister and congregation joined In
rather unique fashion OF dedicating Il
20 the church. The custom OF tolling
the passing hell is always observed and
on New Years Eve the old chimes toll
out the dying year aud ring IN a well
come 10 the rev.
Shcpherdstown is well supplied with
churches and schools, and during It's
colonial life was quite hourlshing
place. Among its industries were tan.
neries, where, besides the hides Of do
mestic animals, the skins of deer were
prepared, buckskin breeches being tho
ordinary wear of its men. IL also had
gun factory aud one Tor making files,
aud they tell us OF the time when goods
from wholesale houses were wagoned
to Winchester aud all parts OF the lower
valley. Ii has, besides all this, fur
nished three Governors 10 Ohis, viz,
Tiilin, Morrow and Worthington, who
were natives of the place, and five mem.
bers of Congress, viz, Morrow, Baker,
Swearingen, Bedinger and Boteler.
A few hundred yards more down the
railroad track brings us TO where the
Shenandoah Valley Railroad bridge
crosses the river at distance OF ITO
feet above the water. The view from
the bridge is surprisingly beautiful,
wiki the smooth green slope OF the Ma
ryland shore down 10 the canal; and ON
the Virginia side the tall cliffs with al
ternate bare rocks aud rich foliage.
Near by is the customary "lover's leap"
which every river claims. This tale Is
OF u dusky Indian maiden aud her lover
from another tribe. Naturally, 1.-The
match didn't happen TO please the oil
folks, so the unhappy pair determined
To drown their woes aud precipitaied
themselves from the clin into the river
below. But greater interest than that
Of Indian legends pertains to Shepherds
town, for IL gave TO tho world the first
successful steamboat. This boat was
invented by James Rumsey, In 1883.
aud exhibited TO the public on the Po-
tomac here ia 1856. after having been
previously tested In private In the pres
enOe Of a number OF Rumsey's personal
friends, among whom was General
Washington. Part OF the boiler OF this
steamboat was presented by Hon. A. X.
Botelcr to the Philadelphia Historical
Society, and the cham which worked
over the piston OF the motive power fell
unhTrt among the ruins OF Colonel Bot.
eler's library when 1t was burned by
General IiNnter in 1864. IL was then
given to the Smithsonian Institute, at
Washington. Rnmsey died Ia London
OF apoplexey after he had completed his
invention, and twenty years later Robt.
Fulton, whom Rumsey, In letters which
are extant, mentions as having met In
England, launched the Clermont Oh the
Hudson.
Shepherdstown has not grown much
since the Revolutionary war, when II
had almost as many inhabitants as now.
IL seems, In fact, to be taking Rip Van
Wrinkle sleep Of a century, and II IL TO
be hoped that 1t will soon wake from its
lethargy to a realization OF the natural ,
advantages IL Helen Boielev
PendletOn, IN The Philadelphia Weekly
Times.