Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1891-03-10
For the Spirit of Jefferson.I
Gen. Washington and jefferson
County.

4
fIhad had little time for thought
when called on so suddenly to stmake
a few remarks" at the Masonic Ban
quet, February goth, l would have
mentioned several other matters re-
lating to the early history of Wash
ington which connects him with our
community in Jefferson county. AS
/ then stated, he served as surveyor
for Lord Fairfax, who lived at Green
way Court one hundred and forty
years ago, and he made repeated
journeys and marches later through
what is now Jefferson county, on his
waY-from Alexandria via Winchester
and Cumberland, to the site of the
present city of Pittsburg. These
gave him the opportunity to note the
fine timber and the rich soil of our
county as well as the fact of its being
well watered. Washington was man
who knew a good thing when he saw
it. Doubtless when he would revisit
Westmoreland county, where he was
born, he spoke of the excellent land
he had seen in the wilderness he had
so often traversed as surveyor and
soldier, and his words had the effect
Of inducing flow of population from
Westmoreland Ga good county to be
born in) to what is now jefferson,
Clarke, Frederick and Berkeley, a
much better country than Westmore-
land to live in and have a home.
1t is very likely that many of our
people would, by tracing back their
lineage hundred years or so. find
their projenitors came from West
moreland, or the adjacent counties,
to Jefferson under the influence of
Westinghouse representations. /
know it was so with my own. My
grandfathers, Craighill and Brown,
were both born in Westmoreland
county, near the place of Washing
toms birth, and came up to the valley
of the Shenandoah more than one
hundred years ago. My great-grand-
father, Robert Rutherford, came to
Winchester about the same time, and
was merchant there when that set
Element was on the Indian frontier
He was there in 1853, as I have
just discovered from some letters
published by the Historical Society
of Maryland. Washington com
menced his work as a surveyor for
Lord Fairfax in 1853, when he was
20 years of age. Robert Rutherford
lived and died personal friend of
Washington, having served in Con-
gress while he was at tue head of the
Government. He owned large tracts
of land in this county and was buried
at the Flowing Springs. My ances-
tors, the CraighilIs and Littles, set
tied on the banks of the Shenandoah.
Col. Charles Little, my grandmother's
brother, was one of the pall-bearers
ofGeneral Washington, at Mt. Vernon.
Frederick county, which then in
cluded jefferson, was at one time
honored by being represented in the
House of Burgesses, at Williams
burg, Va, by George Washington.
We are apt to think of lIrs Wash
ington only as the widow GUSTS, be-
fore she became the wife of her illus
trious husband, but it is interesting
to recall the fact that her maiden
name was cambridge, and one of our
Representatives in the present House
of Burgesses has the same name and
is doubtless connected by blood with
her.
1t is interesting to note These little
things, familiar to many but also I'M
known TO many, which connect Wash
ington, the Great, with our county,
town and community.
VIM P. CRA1GH1LL.
March 8, 1891.