Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-03-16


Iollowing In the footsteps of the other
They were on their way to Tennessee
where they would not be disturbed bv
SO many white settlers. Barbara Ron.
emous sent word years afterward from
chattanooga to her kinfolk back here
that the Indians we're "very bad, in
tennessee, and had murdered many
white settlers. Perhaps some of this
same oand, enragsd at finding even in
Iar-oH tennessee their hunting
GROUNDS were being taken from them,
may nave been among the marauders
tnere. The Pack Horse Ford below
Shepnerdstown was crossing place of
the Indians and their trail to the South
and west was by this route and the
Lucas springs.
A few years after Elmwood mansion
mouse was built the stone house was
erected on Cold Spring Farm--where
the new barn is now being built! This
was also most substantially construct
ed, designed to stand for ages. One
OF the curlosities of this place is the
porch, built entirely OF stone so that
II would never decay or rot down as a
wooden porch was sure to do. There
is splendid spring of never-failine
water here, forming most of the bodv
OF Rattlesnake run This run, by the
way, heads further west, on the farm
now owned by Daniel P. Demory.
known to older people as the Koontz
farm. The stream was we'll called
Rattlesnake run, and this was the way
1t got its name: The meadow land
along its course was rich and fertile.
out 1t was marshy. The Lucases de-
cided to have it drained, and a party
OF Irish laborers were engaged to dig
oitches from the headwaterS down as
far as what is now the Cook farm. In
digging the bitches, the outlines of
which may yet be traced, the Irishmen
killed scores and scores of rattlers.
and so they named the stream Rattle
snake run. 1t is fact that they
would occasionally be bitten, but they
didn't particularly mind that, for handy
10 cold spring was a still-house where
snakebite antidote could be had for
the asking. Summer-red apples dis
titled into apple jack that would coun,
teract any sort of snakeJbite, and BRAN
dies from other fruits were great COM
forters.
Colonel Bob" Lucas was the owner
and occupant Of Cold Spring Farm.
He was bachelor and lived all alone
in the stone house, with an old colored
woman as housekeeper. He was re-
garded as very crusty old gentleman,
and small boys, especially, had an
idea that he was fierce old ogre. His
place was famous for its delicious
.aI
les, rambos, pippins, June apples and
many varieties that few other persons
cultivated. The cherries were wonder
suEMay Dukes, OK hearts, black
Rears, and 90 on, to say nothing of
plums, peaches and other delicious
fruits. Observer and couple of other
small boys from town once found
themselves facing the grim old "Col-
onel Bob," and when they tremblingfy
asked permission to get few buckets
OF cherries he asked their names and
their parents names, and being salts
fed with the answers he led them I'd
the choicest tres and bade them helm
themselves.
On the other hand, on one occasion
Will Link and Morris Hendricks, coun.
try boys who lived not far away, un-
dertook to hunt through the Coloners
woods without asking permission.
They tied their horses to the fence
along the lane and set forth into the
woods. They shot at a squirrel, but
before they could get it the Colonel
heard them and charged down on
them, believing in fierce anger. They
were almost paralyzed at first, but as
he came toward them yelling and
swearing they made a break for their
horses. They made such a racket as
they tore through the brush that they
threw the horses into panic, and the
steeds broke their brides and with
| tails up struck for home in full gal
lop. But the horses didn't go any
faster than the boys, who were spurred
on by the threats Of Colonel Bob-one
| report says that they got home before
the horses did. IT was the last time
they tried to hunt in those woods.
AS stated above, when this land was
first taken up by Edward Lucas il was
covered with magnificent timber, and
wild grape vines and berry bushes
made tangled jungle that was not
easy to clear. Wild game Of every
sort was plentiful. Splendid springs
OF clear water gushed from the crevices
Of the limestone rock. There arc
three Of these springs within a stones
throw of Elmwood mansion house.
There is another on the Demory place.
And at the Cold Spring house, which
is now tenanted by Frank Jones, is
one of the finest springs in all this
section. Along the pike just east Of
Elmwood. on land now owned by Ebert
Conard, is another fine spring, which
in days gone by sent forth a large
volume of water. The ruins Of a
foundation OF q house may still be
| traced near this enrino hut M one ,ou