Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-07-26
would sit on the dixie of evenings and on

sunday afternoon, peerlng into the lower
ing lake. Every piece OF mast or rearing
PROV challenged his keenest attention !;
perhaps he might discern the shape OF his
fathers ship or even read IFS lettered
name on the stern.
The bottom was strewn with the ships
OF many centuries. My friend tried TO
picture the scenes he witnessed as the
water lowered every day. The wrecked
vessels had never sunk deeply into the
clay, but were for the most part lying on
their sides. Smaller ones had lurched
forward IN their final plunge and now
were standing on their heads, like boys
at play. Older ships, wrecked hundreds
OF years ago, looked like so many fort
resses. Their sides were thickly walled
with The accumulation OF ages. Here
and there an opening remained as if for
cannonading. To make the impression
more striking, there were gathered about
those older wrecks sunken vessels Of
every description whose ruin they had
occasioned.
No sooner was the work of draining
finished and the new land offered for
sale, than Arie Schoonhoven bought as
large section as the government allowed
10 single owner-about one hundred
and fifty acres. He had carefully studied
the probable location Of the shipwreck,
and felt convinced that the farm he had
bought contained il. The ship itself, he
had learned earlier, could never be iden-
titled. Too many hands had been there
TO dismantle every wreck almost before
it emerged. But there must be other
evidences OF his father, if he could only
find them.
Years passed by with nothing but dis
appointment, until he had virtually given
up all hope. One day he was ploughing
a field that had never before been broken.
On the upturned soil, as he happened TO
cast his eye there, lay ruSty-looking
tobacco box. Although the thing was
probably OF no value, he picked it up and
carried il 10 his home in the evening.
After night in oil il Yielded 10 his efforts
10 open Il, and proved 10 be OF silver.
Inside the lid were the initials "a. S."
the same as his own. Above the letters
he discovered the engraving OF farm
house that had touches here and there Of
an ancient castle. Ii was figure OF the
old family estate, "Schoone Hove" or
FAIR Estate. The blacknesS OF the silver
convinced him that the box had seen fire,
and he still believes that fire was the
cause OF his fathers disaster.
A few years later his laborerS were
digging narrow ditch when they came
upon a human skeleton. Near by were
several pieces OF gold and silver, bearing
the image of William |, King OF Holland
the most recent date among them was
1896. Most interesting OF all was huge
watch. The case fitted 50 well that rot
drop OF water had entered the works
even then The big watch proved TO be
OF a well-known English make.
Mynheer Schoonhoven knew that his
father had carried such watch II only
il could be identified beyond doubt he
would feel more content. Inscribed on
the outside OF the inner case he found
written, "Eduard Hill, London, No.
l69l." Searching his fathers papers, he
came upon the corresponding name and
number and so completed the identiiica-
ton.
To-day, if you should visit The Aals-
meer cemetery you might lind among the
family tombs one Of Schoonhcven that
bears, translated, this inscription "Here
lies Mathys Schoonhoven. Born Jan. 10,
1882. Shipwrecked March A, 1898. Bur-
led October 9, 1889"
My friend, after tellingthe story, reach
ed into his vest pocket and brought out
the same beautiful watch. OF late it had
not ruu as perfectly as had been its wont
but he never would carry another. And
he had willed it TO his grandson, also an
Arie Schoonhoven, already grown TO
manhood.