Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-07-22
Place Names In The Valley Of
virginia.
Rev. vi. b. b. sauirea.

AlAce unHfcbs hNAuk ouifC COuutJ 90
divided (17S6) and the upper, southern,
portion took its place on our map as
the county of Hardy. Moorefield was
made the county seat. 1t had been
laid off several years before 177D on
the land of Conrad Moore and carries
his name down the years. The beauti-
full river that here falls into the south
ern branch of the Potomac took the
name of the town at its confluence and
is known as Moorefield River. This
county contains river altogether uni-s
que in that it develops an uncanny
habit of disappearing and reappearing
at some place below. No sober river
of good character in all the world IL
supposed to take such liberties. 1t is
called Lost River. And there is a
village on it that bears the suggestive
name of Lost city ! Its excellent
people evidently lack that saving
sense of humor."
1t is doubtful whether in all the long
history of Virginia so precious youth
as Sam Hardy appeared. His brilliant.
career was cut short by a most un-
timely death. We are glad the fine
county of West Virginia carries his
name. a, name that shall not forgotten.
Sam Hardy was born in Isle of Wright
I758) of good old Virginia blood. A
remote ancestor had sat in'Stfie house
of Burgesses in the proceeding century
(1642-52). The young man was edu-
Gated at William and Mary across; the
noble James and studied law Under
Chancellor Wythe. While still boy
he sat in the House of Delegates. At
twenty-five he was member of the
Continental Congress. He it was
who nominated Jefferson to act with
| Adams and Franklin abroad. He was
the staunch friend of Alexander Hamil-
ton and that great orator paid him a
noble tribute after his death, He be-
came Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.
He died in New York City Q785) and
the following year this county in the
| far west was named for him.
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
| Thomas Jefferson had by no means
come to the full measure of his stature
when his country was given his name.
He has just been successful In one Of
the most bitter and exciting campaigns
/ in our history. The eastern part of
Berk eley was made Jefferson. Its
county seat, Charles Town(Oct., 1856.
was given the Christian name Of its
founder, Charles Washington, who was
the first proprietor and brother of the
great George. The Washington family
held large grants in the county about
Charles Town.
4 Shepherdstown, on the Potomac, is
one of the oldest towns in the Valley
Established Nov, 1859. Itwas origi
nally German settlement and the
name given it was Mecklenburg, for
Queen Charlotte. The State then or
ganized Mecklenburg county (1764)
and the name was changed to that of
its founder. Capt. Thomas Shepherd.
1t is unfortunate that such changes
were not more FIRE quently made to avoid
confusion. West Virginia has stand
ing embarrassment in a Charles Town
and Charleston. Charles Town is
older by five years, but Charleston is
much the larger and has the prestige.
1t appears to an impartial observer
that Charles Town should have been
christened Neutrality-suspicious." in the
beginning. That is surely the historic
and the proper name for little Charles
Town.
Shepherdstown has always claimed
the honor of having built the first steam
boat. 1t made four miles against the
swift current of the Potomac. The
genius who invented it was James
Rumsey. In Oct. 1884. the General
Assembly of Virginia gave him mon
opoly of steam navigation on the waters
of the State for ten years but, alas!
the act was of no value. When it is
recalled that Fulton's boat was not run
until 1907 it will be seen how very
previous was the success of Rumsey.
Shepherdstown is proud of Rumsey'e
achievement now. but in the days of
his effort and distress his neighbors
had so little sympathy with him that
they called him Cray Rumsey." 1t
is the same old story of neglect. the
price that genius has always and will
always have to pay.
| Leetown, though but tiny village,
and distinction Of being at one time the
home of three field officers of the
Revolution Adm Stephen, Haratio
Gates and Chas. Lee, for whom the
village was named, Gen. Lee. neither
kith nor kin to that other more famous
family of Virginia. was an Englishman
whose envy of Washington could not
be controlled. He was challenged to
duel and wounded by Col. Laurens, of
South Carolina, after he had made a
most unjust attack upon the great
leader. After the battle of Monmouth,
New Jersey, which Gen., Lee came,
very near making great American
disaster, he was relieved of his COM
mand. He came to Leetown and lived
| in howell without windows or plaster
ing or any of the amenities of life.
His only companions were his books
and his dogs, He died in Philadelphia
(1782) in squalid lodging house. One
of his eccentricites was bitter hatred
of Presbyterians and Baptists. This
clause was found written in his will
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