Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-02-26
HISTORY OF THE VALLEY
CHAPTER XIV.

LA ii
The two counties Of Frederick
and Augusta were laid of at the
same session of the colonial legis-
lature, in the year l73S, and IN
cluded all the vast region OF coun-
try west of the Blue Ridge. IRE
yIous to that time the county OF
Orange included all the territory
west of the mountains. Orange
was taken from SpOttsylvama IN
the year 1874, Spottsylvania hva-
ing previously crossed the Blue
Ridge, and took in considerable
part Of what is now the county OF
Page. Previous to laying OIL the
county of Orange, the territory
west of the Blue Ridge, except the
small part which lay in SpottSyl-
vania, does not appear to nave
been included many county. Spott-
Sylvania was laid of in the year
1920; the act for which is wOrded as
follows:
preamble. That the frontiers
towards the high mountains are
exposed to danger from the In
dians, and the late settlements OF
the French TO the westward of the
said mountains Enacted, Spottsy J.
vania county bounds upon Snow
creek up to the mill thence 10y a
southwest line to the River North
Anna; thence up said river as far
as convenient, and thence by a line
to be run over the high mountains
TO the river on the north west side
thereof, CAY so as to include the
northern passage through the said
mountains thence down the SAID
river until it comes against the
head of the Rappahannock thence
by line to the head Of Rappahan-
mock river; and down that river ia
the mouth of Snow creek; which
tract of land, from the first OF May,
1921, shall become a county, 10y
the name of SpOttsylvauia county.
Thus it appears that a little
more than one hundred years ago
Spottsylvania was frontier coun-
ty, aud that the vast region west
Of the Blue Ridge, with its millions
of people, has been settled and i'm
proved from an entire wilderness.
The country for more than a thOus-
and miles to the west has been
within this short period rescued
from state of natural barbarlsm,
and is now the seat OF the fine
arts and sciences, Of countless mil
lions of wealth, and the abode OF
freedom, both religious and pOllti-
cal, Judging from the past, what
an immense prospect opens Itself
to our view for the future. With
in the last half century, our Valley
has poured out thousands Of emf
grants, who have contributed to-
wards peOpllng the Carolnasi
Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio,
and other regions south and west,
and migrauOns still continue.
1t has already been stated that
Frederick county was laid of in
the year 1888. The first court oi
Justice held in the coanty was in
the year 1913. This delay, 1t j,
presumable, arose from the want
of sufficient number of Magis
trates to form a quorum for the
legal transaction of business. The
first court was composed Of the
following justices, to-wit : Morgan
Morgan, David Vance, Marquis
Gaines, Thomas Rutherford, vii
liam M'Mahon, Meredith Helm
Geo. IIoge and John White. Jane
Wood, clerk. This court sat tn,
first time, on Friday 1lth day o
November, 17l3. At this term 0
the court is to be found on IecOrC
the following entry "Ordcred
that the sheriff of this county bull'
a twelve foot square log house
logged above and below, to secuIl
his prisoners, he agreeing to b
satisfied with what shall be al
lowed him for such building b.
two OF the court, and he not to b
answerablc for escapes" This va
the first Jail erected in the count.
of Frederick.
The county Of Hampshire va
the next laid of, and was take
from Frederick and Augusta. Thi
was done in the year 1853. Th
FIRST court held in this county wa
in December, 1851 Thomas /
Mar.r, James Simpson, William
Miller, Solomon Hedges and Na
thanial Kuykendall, justices, CON
posed the court, and GabriC
Jones the clerk.
Berkley and and Dunmore wer
taken from Frederick in the yea
1772. In October, 1777, the legi'
lature altered the name of Dun
more county to Shenandoah. ]
does not appear, from the languag
OF the law, for what particula
reasons this alteration was made
It had been named after and i
honor of Lord Dunmore, the the
governor under the royal govern
ment. But his lordship took
most decidedly active part in OF
position to the American revolt
ton and in order to have th
Hherfv of wearing his head. foo