Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-07-21

CnurCnydrQ, or Wlt1ln a mile OF any PreS-
byterian or AnabaptiSt Westinghouse
for since have resided in this country
have kept so much bad company when
living, that do not CfooSe to continue it
when dead"
Six miles east of Leetown is "Duf-
fields" the home OF General William
Darke, OF the Revolution. Here this
brave man served his country in many Of
ficial capacities after the war and here his
descendants continue to reside. His
daughter married Thomas Rutherford.
General Adam Stephen lived at "Ihe
Bower" now owned by the cambridge
family, about two miles west or Leetown.
Travellers Rest" the hospitable old
home OF General Horatio Gates, is loca-
ted three miles from Leetown. High
above the fountain head OF Evett'S Run
stands Caledonia" built by Col. Gerard
BriScoe, of the Revolution, now owned
by TIE Aldridge family.
Near Leetown is New Hopewell," "
built by Col. Thomas Hite, OF the Rev.
olutionary War, grandson OF Baron JoSt
Hite. Until the past few years this eS-
tate remained in the possession OF the
Hite family, the late Col. Thomas Hite
being the last to own it.
Three noted Governors OF Ohio were
born in Jefferson county Worthington,
Tiffin and Lucas. The first Governor
built the stone part of Piedmont" the
ancestral BriScoe home, one and a-half
miles from Charles Town; the present
brick mansion was built in 1850 by DR..
Tohn Briscoe, one OF the first settlers OF
the Valley, and a grandson OF DR.. John
Briscoe, of ST. Mary'S, Maryland, 1862,
from Brike Keugh, England, Dr. Brls-
coe was a Justice OF the peace OF Berke-
ley county, surgeon in the Revolution
at one time, and organized State militia
for il. General Lafayette wrote him to
send a company to WaShington's aid at
Yorktown, which he did. His grandson,
Mai. Thomas BriScoe, was an officer IN
the War OF 1912. The old home is still
m possession OF the family OF the late
Capt William Darke BriScOe, who was
grandson OF its builder as well as OF
General Darke.
Near the BriScoe homestead, and in
fact until recent years a part OF the estate,
is the sacred spot and ancient landmark,
"St. Georges Chapel" " whose ruins re-
mind one pathetically OF past glory, and
one cannot but marvel that ithaS not been
reclaimed and preserved for the editica-
ton of the coming generations, as well as
out of respect to those piouS ancestors
who have passed "to the great beyond. "
St. Georges Chapel was erected by the
Church OF England in l760, OF limestone.
To quote a historian, Near Piedmont
the ancestral BriScoe home, about mile
and a Ihalf from Charles Town, upon a
Slight elevation, in an open, uncultivated
field, stands the ruins OF this ancient
church. DR.. John Briscoe, Morgan Nor
gan and Jacob Hite built the first EpiSco-
pal Church in the Valley OF Virginia, on
Mil creek, in Berkeley county, IN l742,
soon after the above 076O-70) church
was erected. This was in colonial times
and the work was done by the Established
Church of England. The walls were OF
stone, about twenty-five inches thick,
and the material came from England.
When completed it was magnificent and
costly; the roof was OF sheet lead and
cypress shingles, the window frames OF
cedar wood, the flooring OF tile, the pews
of oak. with high, old-faShioned back,
the pulpit was Of oak, beautifully carved,
well elevated and projecting forward
some distance from the walls. The fur
nishing was all rich, tasty and complete.
Graves were numerous in the old church,
yard fifty years ago, but time and the
ruthless hand OF man have hardly LETT the
traces OF a single mound, headStone or
monument to mark the sacred spot where
rest the remains OF the worthy dead OF
other generations. Here in this wilder
ness was this beautiful sanctuary erected,
and TO it flocked the rich and the poor
for miles around, to worship God in those
good old days. II fell into diSuSe about
the beginning OF the nineteenth century.
If it had been left to the tender care OF
the elements, il would still be in a fair
state OF preservation, but the hand OF man
has despoiled it, and it now stands ven
erable and picturesque old ruin, overrun
with ivy, which clinging in its beauty and
verdure to the crumbling walls, gently
waves in the passing breeze, yerdant
youth supported by old age"
The last minister who preached at this
church was familiarly known as "Old
Parson Brown" an Englishman of con-
siderable note, who lived for years in the
family of DR.. John Briscoe, and OF whom
many interesting stories are related. Al
ter the church was abandoned the young
sportsmen tore the roof to pieces to OBJ
tain the lead for rifle balls years after
ward il was dismanted and its woodwork
was used in the erection of Zion Episco-
pal Church in Charles Town, which was
soon afterward destroyed by fire, on the
site OF the present church. When Wis
tied the old ruins last summer | found
cattle grazing there and no trace OF sin
gle grave to be found of the people who
built the first Episcopal Church in the
Valley OF Virginia, lost sight OF within
the shadow of their ancestral homes and
in the midst of churches. This old church
was in Norbone Parish.
Amongst the colonial mansions in this
neighborhood, none is more stately than
Woodbury." Ii is OF gray stone, four
-..-;o- l;oL, ,a1r HuonpUeIi - IL was