Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-10-25
From the Richmond Dspatch.l
THE TALE OF WIZARD CLIP.
A Wild Legend of Old Times in West
Virginia.

|
Virginia.
The following scrap of folk lore is
from the manuscript of history of
Harpers Ferry, with legends and tra-
ditions of Jefferson county, W. Va, to
be published this year by Mr.. Joseph
Barry, one of Harper's Ferry's Oldest
and most respected citizens.
Seventy years ago the uncanny hap
penings at Wizard Clip were the great
sensation all through the Northern
Neck of Virginia, and were the theme
of learned treatise by an eminent
scholar. At that time there were but
few people of any grade Of intelligence
in that part of Virginia who treated
the matter with contempt, and many
survivors of the generation now dying
out yet cling to it as a genuine spirit
manifestation.
In the southwest part of Jefferson
county, w. Va, within less than a
mile of the Opequon river, 50 famous
in our late war, is a drowsy though
well-to-do village that rejoices in three
names-Middleway, Smithfeld and
Wizard Clip. The first of these names
it got from its being situated at eX-
actly the same distance-fourteen
miles-from Winchester, Martinsburg
and Harper's Ferry, and this is the
name acknowledged in the Postal Ser
vice. The second-Smithfeld-is de-
rived from very respectable family
of the far-extended Smith clan that
has resided there a great many years.
The last-Wizard Clip-it got from a
singular legend connected with a house
that once stood in the outskirts of the
village. This building, except a part
of the foundation, has long since sue
cumbed to time. Not far from the site
of the house is a tract of land known
as "The Priests Field" which at one
time belonged to a resident ofthe afore-
said mansion, a man named Living
stone, but now forms part Of the lands
of Mr.. Joseph Minghini. In the old
burying-ground of the village Is, or at
least was shown a few years ago, a
mound known as "The Stranger
Grave" and these singular names will
be explained by the story.
Some time about the commencement
of this century a Pennsylvania named
Livingstone moved from his native
State and purchased the farm on which
was the residence above referred to.
He and his family took possession OF
the house, and for several years they
prospered. Livingstone used to say
that he had been unfortunate IN hte
before his moving to Virginia, and he
was fond of contrasting his former fail
ures with his success in his new home.
He is said to have been man Of a
mild and genial disposition, but tradi-
ton has it that his better-half was Of
different temper, and that fguratively
she wore the garment whichis supposed
to be the special prerogative and at
tribute of the male sex. The facts Of
our tale, if indeed they are bona fde
facts at all, appear to bear out the pop
ular estimate of the family, with the
addition that Mr.. Livingstone was Of
a credulous turn of mind, which ex-
posed him to the Vaccinations of some
designing neighbors, who took advan-
tage of his unsophisticated nature, and
who, perhaps, were not sorry to punish
the wife for her lack of amiability.
1t should be noted that the period
of our tale long antedates railroads and
steamboats,. Goods were conveyed
entirely with horse power, and the
principal road from Baltimore and
Alexandra to Southwest Virginia,
Kentucky and Tennessee passed
through Middleway. In consequence
long conveys ofwagons were constantly
passing along this road, which was with
IN q fa,r vardc of TivinCstOne's 6 house.