Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-10-09
DIR. WAYLAND
is REMINISCENT
Valley Historian Writes of His Days
In Mt jackson
Harrisonburg. Va,
August %, 1926.

Mt. Jackson, Va.
Dear Mr.. Dingledine:
If you will pardon some personal
"reminiscences, shall be glad to be a
small contributor to the Mt. Jackson
edition of the Herald. As boy,
lived at Woodlawn, on the Middle
Road, and Mt. Jackson was my home
town. Every week, usually on Satur-
day, / would walk to town, carry
few pounds of butter and several
dozens of eggs, barter them for su-
gar, coffee, and kerosene, get the
mail from the post Office, and walk
back home. The leading merchants
in those days were John P. Lonas
and John w. Miller. the latter being
Familiarity known as BILLY Miller.
A little later, Samuel P Lonas opened
his store, and for number of years
Cooper Bros. also operated gen
eral store on the east side of Main
Street. at or near the present oca-
ton of the lunch room of Hawkins
and Evans.
My early recollections of Mt. Jack
SON cover the period from about 1878
to 1898 NJ. S. Moore had his watch
making shop and iewelry store at or
near the place where he is now.
When my recollections begin, the
postmaster at Mt Jackson was Cap
tain Huzzey, an cd gentleman, who
had been master of ship on the high
seas. He was assisted in the post
office by his daughter Mrs. Jones.
Her maiden name was India Huzzey,
so called because she had been born
in India on one of the long voyages
made by her fathers ship. Her sis
ter, Mrs. Walls, often helped in the
postofice, and later I think Mrs.
Jones and Mrs. Walls had charge of
the postofice, after the death of their
father
l recall very distinctly when the
Mt. Jackson National Bank was open
ed. 1t was at first located in an old
red brick house that stands on the
west side of Main Street, about half
way down the hill between the S. P.
Lonas store and the creek. The
building in which it now is located
was not erected for a number of
years The site of the present bank
building was occupied by the took
yards and livery stable. The lat
ter was operated in connection with
the hotel at the depot, which was
then carried on under the proprietor
ship of Mr. Wilson (the father of
Lee Wilson,, and was known as will
sons Hotel"
Our family physician in my early
boyhood days were DR.. Leonidas Trip
lett and his son, DR.. Joseph l. Trip
lett The old Triplett home was on
the east side of Main Street, on part
of the lot now occupid by the Trip
lett School Just blow the old Trip
lett residence, on the same side of
the street, was a harness and saddle
shop, operated by Mr.. Samuel Kin
gree. He not only sold harness and
saddles-he also made them by
hand l remember very well that
purchased my first riding saddle from
old Mr.. Kingree, in about the year
1890. The saddle l wanted was not
quite finished when l went into the
shop, and l waited while Mr.. Kingree
finished it-swing on buckle here
and driving a tack or two there.
larrwin. .iofl fedio NJ sh sh enc
In those days the wagon road from
the northwest did not come into the
Valley Pike at the Soldiers Genet
cry, as it does now but came down
over the hills from Eugene Stonebur-
ner's farm, and entered the town be-
tween the residence of Lemuel H.
Rinker on the southwest and that
of Frank S. Pennybacker on the
northwest. That part of the road
from the Stoneburner place (later
occupied by Samuel Rinker) was
known, l think, as the Dutch Lane"
If | am not mistaken, some of the
hospital camps of the Civil War were
located along the Lutch Lane.
| remember very well when Mr..
Frank S. Pennybacker built his house
on the hill west of the railroad. All
of the beautiful evergreen trees that
now adorn the place were planted
and have grown up within my recol-
lection
During the winter of 1929, Il
taught school in Mt Jackson. Mr..
George w. Glen (now of Tennessee)
was principal; Miss Alice Rinker was
first assistant. I had charge of the
primary pupils, and we occupied the
east corner room on the main floor
of the old brick schoolhouse, now
Hepner's Garage. l rode horseback
most of the time during the winter.
and Mr.. L. HI. Rinker very kindly al
lowed me to keep my horse in his
barn, free of charge. His brother,
Mr.. X. X. Rinker, operated a livery
and fed stable just west of the rail-
road, short distance north of the
depot | remember selling a load of
hay to Mr.. r. r. Rinker. and he de-
livering it at the livery stable. One
time, when I had trapped a dozen
cartridges, my cousin, Mike Kagey,
and | walked to Mt Jackson after
dark, and there sold the birds at Will