Evening star., 1936-08-08

The stirring history Of the section,
that will allure tourists from all over
the country, makes Warren County
zestful in celebrating its centennial
in the Valley of the Shenandoah,
rich in historical lore and magnifi-
cent in scenic beauty"
In 1910 Sir William Berkley, Cover
nor of Virginia. on behalf of Charles
II. commissioned John Lederer. a
Franciscan monk. to explore that part
of Virginia then called The Far
West"-The Blue Ridge Mountains and
the country beyond Lederer jour-
neyed up the James River and a little
farther north and crossed the Kappa
hammock River at the falls, following
due westward through the Blue Ridge
Mountains at what is now known as
Manassas Gap (named after Hebrew
peddler, Manassah. He crossed the
Shenandoah Valley and mapped it in
1870, reported exploring some very
high peaks" (the Alleghenies) and
returned. On this trip the monk was
escorted by nine English horsemen
under Col. Catlett and five Indian
guides, the group now being memoir
ialized in a pageant featured by the
centennial, with DR.. F. E. White taking
the part of Lederer. In 1927 mon
ument was erected at Manassas Gap
commemorating this expedition and
the dedication was made by J. H.
Eckenrode the historian
THE Lederer pioneers passed through
Manassas Gap and explored the
lands comprising Warren County 40
years before Spotswood and his ro-
mantle Knights of the Golden Horse
shoe watered their horses in the
"Euphrates River" of the Garden of
Eden" Sixty-three years later, in
1888, Robert Mckay, a Quaker, came
into the valley with Joist Hite's re-
nowned party and settled on land now
a part of Warren County. William
Russell, John Fishback and Others
followed. As early as 1874. according
to records in the Orange County court
house, the people of the valley petit
| toned that a road be opened through
Manassas Gap.
Col Thomas Marshall, father of the
distinguished Chief Justice John Mar
shall, who was known as "the Man
of the Forest" emigrated from Mid
land up through the gap to Markham
took up land and settled at the Hol-
low. Later he became sheriff of Fau-
quier County and vestryman at Leeds
Manor. He prospered and moved back
on the James River, about four miles
west of Marshall, where he built Oak
Hill. Part of this residence is still
standing, near more impressive man.
sion, the showplace of the country
side, still in excellent repair, which
was erected by Chief Justice Marshall
Col. Tom Marshall was with George
Washington on the famous survey
made for Lord Fairfax and they be.
came great friends. He was the frs
clerk of the court at Shenandoah anc
it was Washington who persuaded hin
to go to Kentucky specializing in land
Both Col. Tom and his more famous
son. John, were with Washington ir
the Revolution.
When the wave Of population ad'
vanced up the lowlands and river:
to the mountains. carrying civilization
into the wild regions over and beyond
Warren County saw much of the great
tide of homeseekers, for thousand,
who crossed the Alleghenies to the
West passed through the famous
Manassas and Chester Gaps, anc
where these trains crossed the roads
of Shenandoah and Page Valleys there
sprang up the town now known a.
Front Royal. This town has long beer
noted for its hospitality and refine
ment and its history peculiarly illus
trates that old observation, "A bac
beginning makes a good ending" Fol
into this little hamlet f1ocked all thu
wild and lawless spirits of the sur
rounding country "sore given to rev.
elry and ungodly glee." 1t became
known as Helltown, which astound
ing appellation it retained until aftel
the Revolution, when there was 6
marked change in the village. Man!
respectable families settled there ant
new name, Front Royal, was adopted
The town was formally incorporates
in 1888, when so acres Of land, th'
property Of Henry Trout, Solomon
Vanmeter, James Moore, Rober
Haines, William Cunningham, Pete
Hallery, John Smith, Allen Wiley