Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-05-19
For the Register.
AN HISTORICAL SKETCH.

many historical facts of the Engle and
Darke families which may be OF interest
to the readers OF the Register.
When Melchior Engle, the first we
know of the family, came to Virginia it
was vast wilderness with few emf
grants here and there. Indians were
numerous and often on the war path.
The emigrants had to be constantly on the
alert-the fear of being murdered or cap
tured, which was even worse, was ever
before them.
The Engle family is of ancient origin,
dating from before the fifth century. The
name has been Spelt and written various
ly.
In the sixteen hundreds four brothers
came TO America. Three settled in Penn
sylvania and one in New Jersey. Three
of these brothers came from "Old Eng
land" in Germany, and the other from
England, who joined them to cometo this
country. The Anglese conquered Britain
and gave il their name, England. The
"Engle land" in old Germany is around
Sleswick. Mechior Engle, two brothers
and his son Philip, who was about eleven
years old, came from Lancaster county,
Pennsylvania. In 1850 MelChior Engle
bought land from Lord Thomas Fairfax at
eek Branch" in the colony of Virginia;
also from Thomas Hart, a surveyor, to:-
merly of Pennsylvania. The writer does
not know how long he had been IN Viz
ginia when he bought this land. Iradi-
ton says: "On this spot Melchlor Engle
built stone fort around his house and
spring; it enclosed an acre OF ground.
The spring is today in the yard OF J. B.
Osboun near Shenandoah Junction.
The first Presbyterian Church at the
Elk Branch settlement was built upon
land donated by one OF Mechior Engle's
sons. There are here three things that
prove that this spot marks one ofthe ear
lest settlements west of the Blue Ridge
"The Fort, ,""The Old Engle Graveyard" "
and "The Old Church" Not so many
years ago some of the old gray stones OF
its foundation were brought TO light.
This city OF the dead, the old Engle
graveyard, nesting in a grove in one OF
the most beautiful sections Of Gods land,
had one of the oldest monumental stones
in the Valley Of Virginia. 1t marked the
grave of Katrina Berlin, who was born
in 1886 and died in 1907. The letters on
the stone were English, the words Ger
man. The inscription was translated by
Prof. McClelland and Prof. Schele, de-
veri. The latter was an accomplished
and learned incumbent OF the chair Of
modern language, of the University OF Viz
ginia. The description of this stone was
given when it was removed to the His
torical Society of Charleston, West Viz
ginia, for preservation. The writer new
er learned who gave the permission for
its removal. Tradition says this young
lady came withthe Engles or Darkes, and
is thought to be the person who died in
the Fort. She was laid ina strange land
Asleep in Jesus, far from thee,
Thy kindred and their grave may be-
is applicable to this unknown woman.
II is said on one occasion when the SET
tiers were driven in the Fort, they were
surrounded by a large number of hostile
Indians, and one OF the settlers, supposed
TO be the above young woman, diedinthe
Fort. The savageS by their presence
prevented the burial of the corpse. Two
young men under cover OF the darkness
stole out with the body at midnight.
They had just buried it, when they were
attacked by the Indians. One was killed,
the other reached the Fort, but, dying
from his wounds, was buried on the inside.
Philip Engle, son of Melchior and Mary
Engle, married Mary Darke, daughter OF
John and Jane Rush Darke and sister OF
General William Darke, Samuel and John
Darke. Jane Rush was OF the celebrated
Rush family of Pennsylvania. Philip and
Mary Darke Engle raised a large family.
She died and he married Isabella Pollock,
daughter of Thomas and Mary Pollock,
at that time living near old Mecklenburg.
Thomas was major in the Revolution
ary War. He was near relative OF Pres
ident Polk. The name of Pollock, or de-
Pollock, was changed to Polk. They
originally settled in North Carolina, and
from there came to Virginia and Tennes-
see. II seemed that EngleS, RuShes and
Darkes lived near each other in Pennsyl-
vania. A George Engle married Mary
Rush there. Now those OF the name are
scattered North, East, South, and West.
General William Darke was born in
PENNSYLVANIA about 1876. He was about
five wears old when he came TO Virginia
with his parents. They settled about i've
miles from old Mecklenburg now Shep-
herdstown). He married a widow, Sarah
Deleyea, whose maiden name was Lydia.
CAPTAIN Deleyea, her son, was in the
Revolutionary War. He lies near her IN
the Engle graveyard. General Darke' 5
bovhood was passed in the vast wilder
ness. He was OF frank, fearless dIspo-
sition. AT the early age OF nineteen he
was with the Virginia Provincials. When
the Revolutionary War broke out he
ioined the army. He was in prison on a
vessel at Germantown, Pennsylvania, and
remained there until November lst, lISO.
He was colonel of the Hampshire and
Berkeley regiments at the Selge OF York.
He sustained the character previously
won for bravery and daring. He was
chosen with General Stephens to repre-
sent Berkeley county in the Virginia Con-
vention in 1888, both being ardent Feder-
alists, and both voted for the ratification