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

,.s weeks ago the Register made
the fact that a new barn was
-. prilt on the Cold Spring Farm
sr'"1,.rc sI,, TO Miss Virginia Lucas, a
- ~. miles south OF Shepherds
,ovn The mention of this place, even
~ casually, brings to observer S
80 some interesting facts concerning
aIr,aS lands in this section.
Tho first Lucas to come to America,
- far as the family history reveals,
,.as Pobert Lucas, of Deverall, county
y, wis. in England, who arrived the
I,h of April, 1879, in the good ship
"siiizabeth and Mary" His wife, Eliz-
,hs,h and their children came nine
ronths later and they made themselves
- home in Bucks county, Pennsylvania.
We became prominent and was in the
PENNSYLVANIA Assembly Of 1857 and
I6Ss. diving in the latter year. He left
son. Edward, who probably some
where about 1882 bought new home
in Virginia, coming down through the
CUMBERLAND Valley and thence across
the Potomac river at the Pack Horse
Ford into the Shenandoah Valley.
He secured title from Lord Fairfax
n a large tract of land at the head
waters of the little stream now known
az Rattlesnake run. He had an eye
for good farming lands, for he Sc
lected some of the most fertile in all
This section. Most of it was covered
with splendid timber-oak, hickory.
walnut and other fine trees. 1t is said
that the tract was surveyed In part
with long grape vines for chains, and
il is a family tradition that there was
considerable gain in acreage over what
was bargained for. One Of the orig
inal corner stones may still be seen on
the south or east corner of the farm
now owned by Rion Lucas, with the
date 1882 upon it. The late Judge
Daniel B. Lucas had it preserved by
building an iron fence around it. Ed
ward Lucas married Mary Darke, aunt
of General William Darke, Of Revolu-
tionary fame, who lived at what is
now Duffields. She died, and later he
married Mary Corn. He was the
father Of seventeen children, the eldest
of whom was a son named Edward
and was born in 1893. This son was
a member of Captain Stephenson's
company that set out from Shepherds
town on its "bee-line to Boston, in
July, ITS. Another son was William
Lucas, who was famous as an Indian
fighter. Later he established himself
further down Rattlesnake run, owning
the Linden Spring farm now the prop
ery OF VIM. ]. Knott, and which was
the home of Captain Lee Henry Moler
for many years. He was the father
Of Robert Lucas, who went West and
became Governor Of Ohio. Many Of
the Lucases were prominent in civil
and military affairs.
II is a curious fact that four of the
sons of Edward Lucas, the first of the
family to come to Virginia, were killed
BY Indians and two others badly
wounded. Robert was killed near
Nashville, Tennessee; Benjamin in
Eastern Kentucky; David and Isaac in
tennessee. Edward was wounded by
the Indians near Laurel Hill in what
IS now West Virginia, and Andrew was
snot IN tennessee, bullet entering
his neck and passing out through his
mouth-he escaped by jumping into a
stream of water.
The big brick mansion house on
Hhat is now known as Elmwood Farm
was Quilt in 1897, and is as substan-
ual now as when it was first built,
win thick, well-constructed walls. Il
IS sun occupied by the Lucases, for il
me home OF Rion Lucas and his
insmiIy ny and James Shepherd Lucas and
Miss Bette Lucas. 1t became the
nome OF DIR. Robert Lucas, father Of
uIe TWO laSt-named, who is well remem-
SeIed oy our older people, A family
SURFING ground occupies a part of the
pack yard, though there has been no
'.'ilheht ,H there for many years. At
u'e ioot OF the knoll on which the man.
I.on ,. stands is a fine spring OF water.
!. was not an open spring when the
place was first settled it was after
s;ah. aia lue out and walled up. Seven or
s.L generations have drunk from il
in ~ ,ie long years it has been in the
nueas ~" family. Some persons saw that
o,e ROOT on the mansion house is the
s'nai roof OF cypress shingles that
snar ~S put on 1t in 1897, but this hardly
seems possible.
han ~ Inc meadow to the east OF the
ho.,, ue IS fine spring known as Barn
70 , spring, because it was adjacent
apo ,bo . mouse in which many years
e. the Barnhart family lived. II was
~ Inns 5nis spring that the verv last % The
,,re'ans ~. that passed through this coun.
in ;r1 sehcamped. 1t had been from time
w,''einoTIal wan an Indian resort, for il
oaE d pleasant place, shaded by great
faSo.is' fN uiees' level and grassy. 1t was q
yilIsoo Spot for the red men, and the
tbnass base arrow-maker had an abode
a lever even though it was in a measure
ana d',porary ly home. Many arrow-heads
bro, S oIher implements Of stone have
Som ,Ound nd about this spot, Including
nor nor rare specimens, and years ago q
H..