Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-10-13

the neighboring provinces eastward, to
trace their way from the Hudson to the
highlands and valleys here.
Ii is an historic fact that the shores Of
the American Rhine, from the sea TO Al
bany and beyond, were settled by the
Dutch not so long after the date of Hud-
sons famous voyage of discovery, in 1909.
In the decades following, they peopled
the fat meadows OF the New Netherlands
both in New York and New Jersey, fra
ternizing with the later coming SwedeS,
Scotch-Irish and English; and on many
a choice location along the streams, they
planted deep and strong the roots oftheir
sturdy growth in the hamletS, where, to
this day, their racial impress bloss oms
true amid the cosmopolitanism Of the 10th
century They then ferried the Delaware
and dwelt in Pennsylvania, long before
Charles II bestowed upon William Penn
a principality as a recompense for the
debt his father-the first CharleS-owed
Penn, the old Admiral OF his fleet. And
so, in their progress southwark to this
colony, you will find their trail marked
with chain OF Dutch and German COM
communities perpetuating the beloved
names of native towns in the Fatherland.
1t particularly concerns us that, in the
year 1909, the centenary OF HudSon'S ad-
vent in the Half -Moon-a large emigra-
ton of Swiss and Germans poured into
Pennsylvania and speedily spread them
selves over the most desirable wales
on the outlying borders OF Lancaster
county. Hans Herr and Martin Kendig
were the leaders in this movement. They
settled the land under a grant from Will
liam Penn, whose agents had heralded the
New Canaan throughout the Provinces
of the Rhine and the Swiss Palatinate.
Through the succeeding years these rug
ged outlanders swarmed in great numbers
along the frontier and at the foot OF the
AlIeghanies disputed with the Scotch
Irish for the choice locations Rich in
fertility and resourceful as Lancaster
county was, and is today, and withal, as
beautiful in its physiognomy as the hands
of the Lord could shape it, yet she was
unable TO hold these coloniStS when the
garden land of Virginia was compared
with it. Thus, in the decade between
l720 and 1870, the differing stocks, par
ticularly the German types, found the
water courses beyond the SuSquehanna
tempting them on, and on, and thus drawn
southwark beside the CodoruS, or along
the Conococheague and the Monocacy,
until they were able to step unresisted
over the Potomac into the royal dominion
of George IL. Along these forest paths
and water ways came the march OF the
pioneers, planting as they plodded-such
settlements as: Holland, Mannheim, Gre
ishan, Germantown, Lititz, Strasberg,
Berne, Bohemia, Saxe-Gotha, Frederick,
and here at your gates, perhaps Meek
linburg!
have consulted various references as
to the origin of this town, but found no
evidence to prove that Germans founded
your municipality. In Miss Bittenger'S
admirable book, "The Germans in Col
onial Times" says: Shepherd-a
Penna- German, whose real name was
Schaefer, settled this town with number
OF German Mechanics" Herman Schu-
RIGHT, graduate in history of the Uniyer-
sity OF Leipsic, writing extensively on
"The German Element OF Virginia, ="
states: "ShepherdStown, formerly New
Mecklinburg, is the oldest town in this
part OF the Valley it was incorporated in
1852 and is inhabited by German trades
men," Samuel Kercheval, reputable
writer OF Valley history, adds "Meck-
linburg, then in the county OF Frederick,
was established by law in the month OF
November, 1852. II was laid off by Capt.
Thomas Shepherd and was first settled
by German mechanics" ]. q. RoSen-
garten, in his "The German Soldier il
the Wars OF the United States" testifies
that: "Shepherdstown was settled in
1862 by Colonel Schaefer shepherd who
brought there a number of German me
chanics. The place was first called Neck
linburg." Professor Wayland remarks :
"* in l740 = company OF Ger
mans crossed the Potomac few miles
above Harper's Ferry, at Packhorse ford
and at mile above the crossing founded
d settlement in what is now Jefferson
County; it soon developed into a village
known as New Mecklinburg, and later, on
its establishment in 1862, to Mecklinburg
and afterward called Shepherdstown after
its founder, Thomas Shepherd" AS long
ago as 1877, Jedediah Morse issued his
American Gazetteer it contains this pas
sage: "Shepherdstown, or, Shepherds
burg, post town OF Virginia, situated in
Berkeley County, on south side Of Poto-
mac river. Its situation is healthful and
agreeable, and the neighboring county is
fertile and we'll cultivated. II contains
about 1900 inhabitants mostly OF German
extraction" Thus, with almost perfect
unaniniity, that storyis handed down and
perpetuated. Who can bridge the gen.
erations preceding the period in which
Morse was writing, and produce the actual
evidence that ga colony OF German Me-
chanics" really were here before Thomas
Shepherd came upon the scene ?
Being christened Mecklinburg. was
doubtless due to German influence, and
il may be that some compatriot of Jacob
Slower, coming down from Lancaster
county, Pa, about l725, laid the founda-
tion of this town II is singular, however,
that the Rev. Johan Casper Stoever,
Lutheran minister, itinerating among all