The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-07-25
HISTORIC FREDERICKSBURG
Contlnned from page |.

bear the name of General Mer-
GER. My school room which is
about three quarters of a mile
from my dwelling house, is the
old drug store of Gen. Mercer,
and in the last year or so, there
has scarcely been a day when
there have not been visitors to
look at the old fashioned window
sills, windows and doors and the
old fireplace about which Mercer
and Washington used to sit and
discuss political affairs. The
building in which Washington
went to school still stands, just
short trip across the fields from
where | live. President Monroe
lived here and went from here
to Congress. Chief Ju st j ce
Marshall and Commodore Maury
were both residents of Freder-
icksburg. We had a mandatory
for arms during the Revolution,
and we even have an old Inn
which dates back before the
days of the French and Indian
War. Mary, the mother of Wash
ington, is buried here, and her
old home still stands as it has
stood for $50 years. We have bur-
led here the body of a German
prisoner, but that does not mean
a prisoner who has died in this
war. This prisoner was killed
by falling from a scaffold in 1778
while working on a house erected
by Fielding Lewis, a brother-in-
law of George Washington, and
is buried in the back yard.
Our chief claim to fame how
ever is that we were the battle
center of the contending armies
of the COS, and more blood was
shed in this county, and more
lives lost during the Civil War,
than any spot of similar size the
world around until this present
great war struggle. A number
of our houses are still battle
SCARED, and every Sunday morn
ing as | 60 by the Presbyterian
Church | can see two cannon
balls sticking in the church wall.
These things don't make a
town. The people who live in a
town make it for better or for
worse; and while Virginia is
noted for her hospitality, and
Fredericksburg the most hospi-
table town in the state, | may
confess that McConnellsburg is
even more hospitable than Fred
ericksburg. | can never forget,
and do not care to forget, the
hospitality | received at tn e
hands of your good people and |
made debts at old McConnells-
burg that | can never repay.
George Reisner, little George
whom | used to take on my
shoulder and carry to his fathers
store, is at Camp Lee, some so
miles from here. His cousin,
who lives here in town told me
some weeks ago that he expected
George to visit him, and prom.
ised to bring him down to see
me. have wondered what has
become of all the young men who
were children when | was last in
your town. | have. wondered if
like George they have placed
themselves in the service of the
country.
| wish that if you see Jake
Reisner you will tell him that my
sister Hettie's only child and son
is now in France, a member of
the Engineer Corps. His father
who is a physician, is a Major
Doctor in the same regiment.
Mrs. Reisner | know will be in
terested in this piece of infor-
nation because my sister was
named Henrietta after her.
| have been to Pennsylvania a
number of times in recent years,
but have never had the opportu-
nifty nor the time to cross the
into your little valley;
but if God spares me until my
next vacation time | certainly
will leave here headed straight
for the old town, If you see any
of my friends l wish you would
remember me kindly to them all. |