Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-02-26


This town was first settled almost
exclusively 10y Germans; and the
religion, habits and customs Of their
ancestors were preserved with great
tenacity for many years. The Ger
man language was generally used
in this village since the authors
acquaintance with it, which ac-
quaintance commenced in the year
1881.
In the month of November, 1861,
Strasburg commonly called Sto-
ver's town was established by law.
This town WAS settled entirely by
Germans, and to this day the Ger
man language is in general use,
though the English language is now
generally understood and also
spoken by the inhabitants. 1t was
laid off by Peter Stoyer.
Staunton, in the county Of Au-
gusta, was laid of by VIM. Beverly,
Esq, and established by act Of the
General Assembly in November,
1861. The first settlers were prln-
cipally Irish,
In March, 1861, Woodstock, then
in the county of Frederick, was es-
tabllshed by law. Jacob Miller
laid of twelve hundred acres of
land, ninety-six Of which were di-
vided into half acre lots, making
one hundred and ninety.twO build
ing lots-the remainder into streets,
and five.acre lots, commonly called
Out-lOts. This town appears to have
been originally laid out upon a
larger scale than any Of oar ancient
villages. Like the most of our
towns it was settled exclusively by
Germans, and their religion, Gus
toms, habits, manners and language
were for a long time preserved, and
to this day the German language is
generally in use by the inhabitants.
Mecklenburg (Shepherdstown),
then in the county of Frederick,
now in Jefferson, was established
by law in the month of November,
1862. This village is situated i'm
mediately on the bank Of the Co
hongoroota (POtomac) about twelve
miles above Harper's Ferry. 1t
was laid of by the late Capt. Thos.
Shepherd, and was first settled
chiefly by German mechanics. 1t
is remarkable for its being the place
where "the first steamboat was ever
constructed in the world Mr.
James Rnmsey, in the year l7SS,
built n boat, which was propelled
by steam against a brisk current,
There are some Of the remnants OF
the machinery now to Je seen in
! the possession of Capt. Haines in
that place.
Romney, in the county Of iIamp-
shire, was laid on by the late Lord
Fairfax, and established by law IN
the month Of November, l7G2. His
lordship laid Off fifty acres iutC
streets and half acre lots; but the
town improved but slowly. 1t doe.
not contain more than fifty families
at this time. 1t is, nevertheless, Z
place of considerable business
has a bank, printing Office, severa
stores and taverns. The new Park
ersburg turnpike road passes
through it, which will doubtless
when completed, give it many grea
advantages.
In February, 1772, Fincastle, il
the county Of Botetonrt, was estab
lished. Israel Christian made
present of forty acres OF land to th'
justices Of BotctOurt court, for thC
use of the county. The court laiC
of the said forty acres of land int
lots, and applied to the Legislature
TO have the town established b,
law, which was done accordingly
In October, 177G, first year of tn,
Commonwealth, the town Of Bath
at the Warm Springs, in the count!
of berkeley NOW the seat Of justice
for Morgan county,. was establish
ell and laid of by act Of Assembly
Preamble: "Whereas, 1t hatl
been represented to this Genera
Assembly that the laying off fift.
acres Of land in lots and streets fo
a town at the Warm Springs, il
the county Of Berkeley, Will be 0
great utility, by encouraging th'
purchasers thereof to build con
venient houses for accommodating
numbers of infrm persons who fre
quent those springs yearly for th'
recovery of their health;
"Be it enacted, &C., That fifty
acres of land adjoining the salt
springs, being part of a larger trac
of land, the property Of the Righ
Honorable Thomas Lord Fairfax
or other person or persons hO.1lnt
the same by grant or conveyance
from him, be and the same is hereby
vested in Bryan Fairfax, Thomas
Bryan Martin, Warner Washington
the Rev. Charles Mynn Thruston
Robert Rutherford, Thomas Ruth
erford, Alexander White, PhiliI
Pen1leton, Samuel Washington
William Ellzey, Van Swearingen
! Thomas Hite, James Edmundson
and James Nourse, gentlemen
trustees, to be by them, or any
seven of them, laid out into lots o