Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-05-30
INTERESTING LETTER
ABOUT CLARKE COUNTY
It's Historic Associations Briefly
reviewed, together with other
Entertaining Observations.

OF Mr.. q. Mason Conklvn. a brother
OF Mr.. james u. Conklyn, who re.
sides at "Dunbcath," near here. Mr..
Conklvn, when on recent visit to
his brother, made tour through the
county, and the letter gives an enter
tanning description of his obser>a
tionS. The COURIER thanks the writ
er for his kind remarks about the
paper and its late and present editors.
The letter is as follows:
DEAR REGIsTER-l have been cniovinp a
visit among relatives and friends in tins his
torlc section of Old Virginia. Clarke county
whose people are noted for their generous
hospitality and courtesy. BerryVilie. the
county-seat Of Clarke county is a staid old
town of some 1900 inhabitants Contains
quite number of very handsome and com
| mOdiOuS private residences. surrounded nv
beautiful grounds. Notably among these.
are those of Mr.. Warde. native of Enciafid
who was So pleased with the beauty 81 ihis
locality that ne purchased "a beautiful site.
known as The Knoll. and erected hand
some residence with ali modern improve
ments. Hon. Marshall Mccormick. Dir Nc
CURE, DR.. Page. and others
The new watcrworks. when completed
VIII be great thing for the town a. 1t will
be supplied with fine spring water brought
from the Blue Ridge mountain, six miles
distant
Among the business men fthc town who
l met were McSsrs John Thompson ami G...
Phillips. lumber dealers and contractors
VINO are doing good business i'm their line.
| The genial and iovial John W. kcrcheval
merchant and his courteous and gentle
manly SONS. Johr. Ell and Howard. Dr oil
yer, dentist. Mr.. Griffith. the popular asses
sOr of Clarke county. and Others. We also
had "a pleasant call az the editorial sanctuin
Of Mr.. John Il Crown. editor OF that most
excellent and spicy newspaper the Clarke
Courier. that was for So many years ~o ably
edited and conducted 10y the late lamented
and beloved Mr.. John %. Crown. father of
the present editor. May the mantle OF th,.
departed father gently fall around the son.
We found Mr. Crown "a very pleasant ami
ahablc young gentleman, ,entcrtainingand i'm
Structve, indeed the whole office force were
pleasant young gentlemen The office Dew
ii must have been absent a. all their faces
were wreathed in pleasant smiles Success
% the COURIER and It's genial editor.
Mcssrs. James ii. Conkiyn. Jas. ". Clipp
and James Ware. former Jefferson county
people, live in this vicinity.
Rerryville, a great many years ago. WAS
often called Battletown. from the fact great
many pugihstic comhats took place WITHIN
't> bounds soldiers Rest. the home of
WI lfAilltl ANlEtls tfl lAtNNlOlllnafN lAint.
is near this place. also Washiugtun's spring
The old stone Chapel. four miles distant
on the MlllWoOd pike. IS a sacred relic of the
oldcn times built perhaps 10 years ago and
known as Frederick PARISH Ia d. exceed
ingiN PLAIN and queer looking. has heavy
battcn doors and window shutters with
heavy blacksmith hinges and AN immense.
heavy paddock on the door. Ii was never
ainted inside or out. Plain, straight high
back pcwS. a queer looking uulpit that i
"A l.rls Nftrlf ~ q
head il the old sounding board. ON either
side hangs the collection pockets attached TO
long rods. The stone wall Il pierced on eth
er side of the pulpit with small windows
about eighteen inches square that resemble
portfolios. and protected 10y heavy shutters
same as the large windows. The venerable
and Vencratcd Bishop Meade. of Virginia.
was rector OF this parish from lNo9 till the
time of his death i'm Richmond. Va. In So.
bn the south wall of tins chapel Il hand
me marble memorial tablet to his memory. .
Also one ON the north wall 90 DIR. Carter
Randolph. one of the VcStrymcn. After the
handsome Christ Episcopal Church WAS built
at NlllWood regular service WAS discontinued
at the chapel. ~ the EpiScopalians attended
service AT lierrvVille and MillwoOd. bat IL
was Bishop McaieS request that an annual
service be keld yearly $40 the old chapel. 80
once every year the good Cnurchman of that
section for miles Hook 60 This mecca ofSaCrtti
mcnu urlc> and associations. and Join i'm the
beautiful Episcopal service. 10 WAS Bishop
NeaGcS wISh to hc laid to rest with his pco-
pie i'm old chapel yari, hat dying in Rich
mOnd in the time of the civil war. he was
buried there i'm HOLLYWOOD cemetery I'm the
beautifully shaded churchVArd are some
beautiful monuments that mark the nesting
places of the RurWcll>. Nelson's. Carriers. Nc
lures Pages, Randolphs John ESten
Cooke. the author. and a host Of others that
were notable and prominent perSonagcS,
that made thiSscction Of the old Dominion
80 famous i'm their day and generation \
handsome monument - erected To the mem
ory of the Confederate dead who lie mere.
There are also some queer looking slabs and
inscriptions, one records death that OC-
CURED in l75l. The old chapel is kept and
preserved in the plain simplicity that was
prevalent when ii was built. Millwood is 4
village of several hundred, and has a hand
some Episcopal and Baptist Chnrch. and 4
Methodist church. Garter Hail. owned
by Mr.. Thomas Burwell, near the village is
beautiful Colonial mansion immense in
size in the midst of beautiful forest. ''Sar-
atOga,' the home of Mr.. Powell Pag Is also
a Colonial mansion of historic note. Green
way Court the seat of Lord FairfeX, is near
here also. The drive from MillwOOd la
BOyce, station on the n. & w. Railroad,
over a splendid pike, is through a rich and
productive country that Is dotted here and
there with magnificent residences of latest
and most modern improvements and land
scape gardens, especially of Mr.. Mayo, who
spends his winters In the city of Richmond,
Va. Clifton" the lovely home of the Al
lens, near Gaylord, is another Colonial struc-
ture. Perhaps no county in the State is
richer in historic associations than Clarke.
The present Baptist Church of Berryville
is the offspring of the famous old Buck
Marsh Baptist Church. that was minstercd
to by the noted old Father Ireland" the
blind preacher. who at one time was incar-
cerated in old Bedford Jail for proclaiming
Baptist principles. This section was then a
portion of Frederick county. Six miles Il :
tant is Wickliile Episcopal Church, of which
the late Rev. Mr.. Leaycll was - long the
rector Clarke county has some beautiful
farms we'll improved, and her good people
are noted for their hospitality.
We had pleasant drive q few days since
to Winchester, and saw great deal Of that
historic old city, its magnificent residences,
the fine Hotel Evans the new postoffice and
many other handsome structures. We Wis
tied the flourishing Winchester Wooden Fac
tory, of the Williams brothers, ncarthat city.
Their factory is running full force having
all the latest improved machinery placed i'm
the new substantial stone and brick Struc-
ture, erected in the spring of 1893 immcdi-
ately after the fire Their quality of goods
is excellent and finds d. ready sale through
out the country. We were glad To- note the
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