Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-11-16
ming of the Civil war.

Washington's Cave is two and one
half miles southeast of the town. II
is divided into several compartments,
one Of which is the lodge room. Ira
diticn informs us, that Washington,
with others of the Masonic fraternity,
held meetings in this cavern. In the
spring Of 1874, the Masons in the vi
cinity held a celebration there.
Harper's Ferry, 1919, was called
Shenandoah Falls, and The Hole"
by the sQuatters. Robert Harper
purchased the squatters' claims in
l747, and established ferry.
Harper's Ferry, for its original geo.
graphical location, its unrivalled scenic
beauty and its historical significance
having been the scene of the first act
of the Civil War drama and many
skirmishes later on-is the most wide
ly known little town in the United
States. In 1896 General Washington
purchased one hundred and twenty-five
acres from the Harper family for the
Armory. Later, the national arsenal
was established here. Nine times dur
ing the Civil War the B. & o. bridge
was destroyed, and the town itself
changed from Union to Confederate
hands eight times. Camp Hill has
many thrilling tale to tell.
Harper's Ferry's industrial era is
past, and today it is a mecca for sight
seers, artists and writer's from all
parts Of the United States.
Middleway, or Wizards Clip, is an
old village just laedn with old ghosts
and haunts, old lore, old homes, and
the old spirit of hospitality. Not far
from this village is the Priests
Field" tract of thirty-four acres,
decided to the Catholic Church by Adam
Livingstone in 1896. Its legal tangle
has been in court for years for final
settlement; and only a few weeks ago
it was declared the indisputable prop
erty of the Catholic Church.
There are other towns and villages
of note, but the last which shall give
is Shepherdstown. Years ago, when
the first settlers crossed the ford from
the Maryland shores, and found all
things conducive to home building, fer
tile soil, healthful climate, pure,
sparkling springs and runs, the old
ford was named Pack Horse, and the
village took that name. Later Thomas
Swearengen established a ferry across
the river, near the present foot-bridge,
and it became Swearengen's Ferry.
This it retained until it was changed to
Mecklenburg, and later on to Shep-
herdstown, after Thomas Shepherd,
upon whose land part Of this town
was laid out Its industrial era has
passed also, but each street and many,
many houses on them, have history
antedating colonial days.
Mrs. Danske cambridge has collect
ed valuable data in her book, "Historic
Shepherdstown." Its patriotic sons
and daughters, through the Indian
Wars, the Revolution, and Civil War
days, have responded nobly and given
their lives in the cause of right and
justice.
Today we find Shepherdstown, a
quiet town of refined homes, schools
and churches. They are her living
monuments; her gift to the world,
through James Rumsey, the application
of steam, her immortal monument.
Where this sketch deals primarily
with historic colonial spots, can not
close without mentioning later deeds
and stirring events of our Civil War, in
which this county figured notably.
There were ten companies of infan-
try, cavalry and artillery raised in Jef-
ferson county.
Five of these companies belonged to
the Second Virginia Infantry, "Stone-
wall' Brigade. There were four COM
panies of cavalry, and Chew's battery.
"No soldiers, in any cause, ever
fought better than those that went
from Jefferson county to fight the
battles of the South. Their reputation
is interviewer with that Of Turner Ash
by, Stonewall Jackson, ]. E. B. Stuart.
Wade Hampton and Robert E. Lee
the matchless leaders Of the armies of
the South"
twenty-five markers have been
erected to commemorate even more
than that many battles and skirmishes,
as during the four years there were
many Skirmishes within the Gonna