Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-03-25
From the ''Woman's News" pub lishec by
Ladies's Auxiliary Y. NJ c. Al
STAUNfON 100 YEARS AGO.


ed dozen years before, and soldiers
and patriots still survived to narrate
thrilling adventures to their children
Washington and Patrick Henry we're
still living, while II Younger set OF iiius
trious men were Fastening upon The
scenes.
In 1897 the population of Stauntor
numbered about 800 people, it possess
ed eight inns or ordinaries, as they
were called, and fifteen or eighteen
were the Wayne Tavern ION the site
on its swinging sign a likeness of that
famous general; and the "Washington
Tavern" whose sign was ornamented
with the portrait of the Father of his
Country" which stood upon the site oi
two churches in the town a hundred
on its present site and was erected in
originally stood near the street on the
and for which Beverly gave the land
IN 1850. The church was erected in
1853 and for hundred and fifty years
this was the only burying ground o
the place; in it were inferred the an
cestors of many of the present citizens
of our town, and there were lain, with
ceremony and honor, the bodies o1
brave soldiers and patriots who fought
for and achieved American Independ
ence In the old church-a low white
wooden building-met the memorable
| Legislature of June 7th, 1881, when
driven first from Richmond by the ap
proach of English troops and later
compelled to fly from Charlottesville
by the dashing cavalry of Tarleton
For sixteen days the Legislature sat in
the old church, (being once disbanded
| by q false alarm of that generals ap
proach) and among the distinguished
members of that body were Patrick
Henry. Richard Henry Lee, George
Nicholas, Harrison, Tyler and Mann
Page.
Among the few buildings still stand.
| ing which were erected a hundred
years ago, may be mentioned the
Staunton Male Academy, which was
chartered in 1899, and erected upon
the lot given ry Judge Archibald
Stuart; the private residence of Judge
Stuart, built in 1871, and an old resi-
dence on New Street opposite the
Mary Baldwin Seminary.
AT this period of her history Staun-
ton had two market days a week, but
was badly supplied with provisions
fresh meat sold at cents a pound and
-four at $11 90 a barrel. Money was
scarce and few years prior to this
time the Legislature passed an act
authorizing the payment of one halt
OF taxes in tobacco, hemp, flour and
deer skins. English money aud the
Mexican dollar were the coin in crcu.
lation- there was no bank in Staunton
until the year 1S47. The Staunton
Lodge of Masons was chartered in
Richmond 1886 Staunton also possess
ed several Military Companies which
paraded the streets and aided in cele
| brating the 4th of July, with pomr
and ceremony, cannonading, ,barbecues
| and speech making being the order OF
| the day; it is also recorded that upon
| the occasion of the marriage of the
captain one company of cavalry went
out some eight miles to escort him and
his young bride to town.
Daring the Revolutionary war, when
the State undertook to provide a navy
| the Legislature passed an act appoint
| ing certain citizens OF Staunton to
erect, at public expense, a manufac
tory for the making Of sail duck; in
| 1890 an act was passed authorizing citi
zens to raise by lottery f30o, to be used
in erecting a paper-mill and for repair
| ing bleaching mill near the town
At a later date wagons, cabinet-furni
ture, spinning wheels Leather, aud
tin ware were manufactured here
and the town supported three hatters
shops and several large tailoring
houses In regard to manufactories
we cannot say that Staunton has i'm
proved in the last 100 years. About
the end of the last century "a news
paper was published here called The
Stanton Eagle the paper contained
little news and no editorial, but was
fanciful and unique; marriages were
announced under the head of Hall oi
Hymen; deaths under The Repository
of Death; poetry came under the col
umn of Temple of the Muses.. and jokes
under Temple of Hilarity.
| A post-office was first established in
Staunton in 1898. Before that time al
letters were brought by travellers and
every horseman had in his saddle bags
a wallet for carrying mail; this was
| opened at each place where the travel
| icI JOuI GU anu lSlleTS were uCllNof
| ed, or forwarded to their destination
A traveller, in 1896, writes that he met
great numbers of people travelling
from Kentucky towards Philadelphia
and Baltimore; "These people were al
on horseback, with pistols or swords
and large blanket folded under theil
saddle, which they used for sleeping in
when obliged to pass the night in the
woods"
| Our hundred years ago Stauntor
merchants purchased their goods i1
Philadelphia Or Baltimore and gener
ally went twice year On horseback
two Or more travelling together. Roads
were little more than defiles through
the mountains, and produce was carri
ed on pack-horses and, later on, in
rough wagons, to and from the various
markets. Women frequently rode
with an infant in their arms and chile
behind them for very long distances
| gigs, or two-wheeled vehicles, were in
uroduced later. and in the year 1906
there were only two four wheeled
vehicles in the county for taxation
viz: "ThOmas Martins stage and Arch.
| ibald Stuart's chariot"
In spite of the difficulties of trans
portation, there were great mum bers
of persons going to and from the Vir
ginia Springs, and every year the town
was thronged with visitors From its
earliest settlement Staunton held i'm.
portant courts, and in the ninetie.
there were many able lawyers at he1
bar. Although most of the old Eng
lish customs, and costumes. had disap.
peared after the close of the Revolu
tionary war, some few retained the
dress Of that period. Waddell's IAN
nals'' gives the following account: AT
the August term of the Court in 1791
is recorded the following entry: Order
ed that the court adjourn to some
trees down the lane near the highway!
Upon meeting under the trees, Cayen
dish and Archibald Stuart qualified as
attorneys. Archibald Stuart was af-
terwards Judge of the District Court
1t was customary for the high sheriff,
carrying drawn sword, to escort the
Judges from their lodging to the court
house, at the opening of each term
Judge Stuart never entirely laid aside
the dress worn by gentlemen in the
l \