The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-03-27


he wanted a stove and would exchange
lumber. Mr.. CARRIER assented, but learn
ing the price, left in huff and bought
another $35 stove. In about year re-
turned, his stove was in the vocative,
bought a $50 stove, and acknowledged
that he had paid right high ''for his first
quarters schooling
About 1857 Mr.. CARRIER took in his son.
Maj. A. NJ. CARRIER, as Mr.. Connell pro-
posed to retire. 1t was in that year, the
difficulty still existing Of getting hot
blast iron, Mr.. Mathew Bryan put up
somewhere below Midway, few miles,
a hot-blast furnace, the first, as we be-
lieve, in the Valley, to supply the want
or Mr.. CARRIERS foundry. We regret we
90 not know the name or it's site. And
right here would that some James NJ.
Swank will arise, and write up the iron
history OF Virginia from the days of
Gov. Spotswood's famous furnace at
Germana, to the present day.
About 1916 one Mullen, we remember,
but do not his antecedents, in partner
ship with James G. Shipman, native
OF the Long Glade, and within mile of
where Maj. Eugene IRVINE was raised,
ran the Estaline furnace. At the end of
the first year Mullen went out, and Alex
st. Clair Turk, now of Newport, in this
county, a brOther-in-law, took his place.
They ran it successfully from the Kun
kle ore bank, few years. Mr.. Ship
man, who represented his native county
in the House of Delegates, as also county
court clerk, took the gold fever, left for
the Pacific in 40, and sleeps in Sonoma,
as we believe. 1t was in 1S47 Mr.. Snuff
was sent to sample the Estaline metal,
found it well adapted to their purpose,
bargained for some 10 tons at $15 per
ton, and with Ephraim Woodward to
deliver it at the foundry at So per ton.
The foundry was run by the CARRIERS
until 1862, when, because of the want of
coal they had to suspend. Before doing
so, Mr.. Snuff was sent to reconnoitre
the Dora coal field. 1t was not satisfac-
tory. The writer thrust the first pick
into that coal formation, expended sew
eral hundred dollars to satisfy himself
as to its quantity; visited Schuylkill
county, Pa, and spent week to deter
mine its quality, and fully concurs with
Prof VIM. B. Rogers in his declaration
in regard to it, and two or three other
formations of a similar character in our
Valley, that they are crushed veins. and
all that has been said and done since,
has been spasmodic, speculative efforts
to take somebody in.
In 1864 Hunter burned the foundry,
chopping- mill, &c. We promise to fol
not know how long he had been con
nected with his third stove factory in
the Valley, when mourning over the
time that he had lost, in having no one
to comfort him, pour out his coffee,
darn his stockings, and most important
of all, to nurse his children, notwith-
standing he was fifty years old, hied
him away to the mouth of Fort Valley,
and married daughter of Mr.. Richard
of 1n E,sv,, k1,o I>A41
furnace. There were three sons, who,
as we learn are worthy, clever men. We |
mentioned as we believe that Mr.. Ed
ward Valentine removed from his farm
referred to, to the vicinity of Pattons-
burg. His only child married a Mr.
Jones, who became Mr.. Finney's part
ner. We do not know how long this
partnership existed, until it was dis
solved by the death of Mr.. Finney Mr..
Jones continued the business with Mr.. /
Washington Keller, now running ma
chine shop at Howardsville, as manager,
until Hunters Unsuitable torch destroyed |
it. Mr.. Keller is brother to Mrs. Snuff |
| may remark that the old stone house
on Middle River in which they were born, /
60 feet in length, the walls two feet
thick, and small portfolio windows of
four panes each, tradition says played
the part of a fort in old times. Mr.. Snuff
saying that one Sawyers once owned it,
on examining the records, we find in
book 8, page 433, that David McNair
decided this tract, as we believe, in 1751
But the old Hanger house, which stood
behind the engine house at the water
works and as Mr.. S. says, was of stone,
with, as he Thinks the name and date
over the door, when he lived close by, |
was occupied by negro family. AS l
doubt not it was the first house built
and occupied by Hanger, he must have
been peter the FIRST" if the late VIM.
Poague was correct. ''Peter the Fourth
yet living below Waynesboro, married
the Majors daughter. On the birth of
the first boy, who, as a matter of course,
inherited the name, he alleged that he
had lived long enough ''to see five Peter
Hangers"
1t is remembered that sometime, we
think not long after the capture of Bur-
gOyne and his Hessians at Saratoga, the
majority of them were brought South.
Tradition says some of them were
brought here. The larger portion were
carried to Albemarle, and it is a matter
of well authenticated history, that they
were long time in camp about five
miles northwest of Charlottesville We
wish there was some reliable information
as touching the place, or anything con-
nected with the history of those who
were brought here. But this incident is
not without much interest.
Mr.. Snuff, who lived in a log house, re-
moved, that was ON the right of the
Churchville road, going in that direc-
ton, and in front somewhat of the Chan
cellor Baldwin-Donaghe mansion
was called in haste by Mr. Donaghe, one
night, to his assistance, his house being
on fire, but did not want the alarm a
general one. There is at the rear of the
mansion proper, sort of ell. in a small
building, at the end of porch. 1t has
been used as a dining room, chamber,
&C., and though plastered over head, has
on the night in question, was in the
walls of this building. Mr.. Donaghe
said to Mr.. Snuff, tradition taught it
had been built by the Hessians. Some
boards were torn away near the gable,
where the smoke issued, and water
poured in, until it was thought the fire
was quenched Mr.. Snuff sat chatting
to late hour, when saying to Mr. D.
his wife did not know where he was, rose
to go, and in doing so, placed his hand
on the plastering, which was SO hot,
it burned him, when he said to Mr.. ID.
the fire hasn't by any means been extin-
guished. He called for an axe, and the
man bringing it, cut away the plaster
ing as Mr.. Snuff directed The inside
walls were mass of live Goals, that were
soon drowned out. But the most unique
and singular construction was brought
to view. The walls were made of Tim
bers set on end, and small poles about
the size of hoop-poles were. worked in
and out, around them as after the style
of a Waited fence and then plastered.
Mr.. Snuff, a plain, modest, sensible
man has been a useful citizen in his
sphere in life. Mrs. Keller's mother was