Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-07-07
shephedstoun Jefferson County, Virginia Thursday, July
the Virginia descendants of William

hiS Virginia NSoSSHNaHto VI " uioiii
Darke.
| find no record of, |, John Darke, JT.,
save that given above II, William Darke,
the second son, married, and had daugh-
ter, Ann, who married Captain Alexander
Sage, and became the parents OF two
daughters, Esther and Rachael Sage; iii,
Joseph Darke married also, and the
names of his children were, Jane, born
9th May, l734, William, afterward Cen
eral Darke - born 6 May, 1876, John,
born 10th March, l74l, Joseph, born 10th
September, l744, Martha, born II Sep
tember. 1850, and Mary probably who
married Philip Engle, of the Elk Branch,
Berkeley county, Va; w, Thomas Darke,
died in infancy; and OF V, Susanrah, |
find no record VI, Mary Darke married,
cica, 1929 30, Edward Lucas, Jr., in
Falls township, Bucks county, Penna. /;
this couple and the family Of her brother,
Joseph, subsequently emigrated TO the
Valley OF Virginia, and both families set
tied in the vicinity of Mechlenburg now
ShepherdStown) on the west side Of the
Potomac river.
In looking over some old accounts now
in the possession Of the Shepherd family,
| came across several entries in reference
to the Darkes: Col. Vim. Darke, Samuel
Darke and John Darke, 1890; Joseph
Darke, 1871; General Darke, 1894; and
General Darke's estate, 30 November,
1902.
The youth OF William Darke, OF Vir-
ginia, and OF his subsequent career as
citizen, soldier and legislator, has often
been related, and has quite recently
been more graphically recited by Prof.
Wirgman in his oration delivered at the
unveiling OF the monument to the MEM
ory OF this courageous officer; and since
then more facts have been related by one
OF his descendants, Mrs. Charles John
son, OF Roanoke, Va, and published in
the Register. shall only add a little
more-factS not mentioned by them in
their respective accounts.
William Darke was man gigantic in
stature, and fearless as brave. The story
is told of him being challenged to fight a
duel, by Major James Stephenson, the
weapons were to be swords. Stephen
son was small man, and, according TO
the code, appeared upon the field with a
rapier, while Darke arrived upon the
scene armed with large broadSword.
II is stated that when the seconds OF the
two combatantS caught sight OF the dis
parity of their arms and the size OF the
two officers, the absurditY OF the situation
Immediately became apparent, and they
were seized with irresistible laughter,
which was communicated TO the princi-
pals, and they too joined in the mirth in
a few moments their grievances were for
gotten and the duel averted, as the two
veterans shook hands and remained there
after firm friends.
Samuel Kercheval, in his History OF the
Valley, says that William Darke married
the widow Delay, whose husband had
been killed by Indians near Fort George,
now marked by the village Of Petersburg,
in Hardy county, W. Va.;Iit was about the
year 1856, while Capt. Delay was return
ing from Dunkard Bottom. He was bur-
led along the South Branch.
General Darke had several children.
Most noted among them, perhaps, was
his youngest son, Joseph, who was killed
at St. Mary's on the Maumee, at the time
of St. Clair'S defeat, and where, alas so
many brave sons of the Valley fell before
their savage slayerS. There were John
and Samuel sons and the daughters,
Mary, who married Thomas Rutherford,
Both November, 1892, and were the pa
rents of, !, Thomas Rutherford, Jr,whoSe
daughter SaIIie married DR.. John BriScoe,
of Piedmont" near Charles Town, and
her sister Frances, who married Henry
Shepherd, OF Shepherdstown; and II,
Van Rutherford, who was the father OF
Thomas 3D., Drusilla and Nancy Ruth
erford.
Other Berkeley county marriages in the
Darke family were: John Darke to Eliza
beth Baker, 81 December, 1889; Rebecca
Darke to Joseph McCullagh, I'd April,
l7S9; Mary Darke to John Kain, 28 Feb
ruary, 1877, and Marcy Darke to Samuel
Welsh, 2Sth March, 1893.
The further history Of this family can
be found, no doubt, among your local and
county recordS-if the latter have sur
vived the fiery blight that fell upon the
Valley, now nearly halfcentury since.
S. GORDON SMYTHE.
Iune 30 1910.