Book Purge - The Story of Winchester in Virginia

Morton, Frederic. The Story of Winchester in Virginia: The Oldest Town in the Shenandoah Valley, Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, Inc., 2001.  First published in 1925.

p. 22 The business quarter of Winchester lies in the basin of the little stream known as Town Run. It is therefore depressed, but the gradual improvement of the streets and lots has made it almost level throughout. In every direction is slightly rising ground; For Hill in the north, Church Hill in the east, Potato Hill in the south and Academy Hil and Powell's Ridge in the west. But these elevations are gentle in ascent, and are broadtopped belts of tableland rather than tre hills. Even the tower of the Handley schol does not rise high enough to permit a quite satisfactory examination of the field of view. . . . 

Running twenty miles southward, a little more than twenty miles northward, and a similar distance east and west, lies the Lower Shenandoah Valley, as distinguished from the Middle Valley between Strasburg and Harrisonburg.  To speak accurately, it is not a true valley, but a long and relatively narrow plain, separated by the narrow rampart of the Blue Ridge from the plain of Piedmont Virginia. The watercourses around Winchester are not tributaries of the Shenandoah, bu turn directly to the Potomac.

[Shenandoah River flows from southwest to northeast entering the Potomac River at Harper's Ferry, WV.  The "upper river" is in the south, the "lower river" is in the north.]

p. 31 [Lord Fairfax owned land around Winchester and gave out 99 year leases which allowed him to collect annual quitrents from farmers.]

The farmer settling on Fairfax land was compelled to pay for each fifty acres ten shillings in "composition money" and a yearly quitrent of two shillings. And since this was in sterling and not Virginia currency, the respective sums were $2.50 and 50 cents. These sums appear small, yet the purchasing power of the dollar was far greater then than now. The quitrent, whether to the Crown or to a proprietor, was paid very reluctantly, since it was regarded as a cloud on the tithe. 

p. 39 To the prospectors of the first quarter of the eighteenth century, the Shenandoah was an inviting country, and there were no resident Indians except the little band at the Shawnee Spring. . . . 

There was strong reason for white people to come to the Lower Valley, and they came. The members of the advance guard did not trouble themselves with legal formalities when it came to choosing a plot of ground. They settled where they pleased . . . 

The early comers were not exclusively Scotch-Irish and Germans from Pennsylvania. Here was also an English element from the east of Virginia, bu it was less conspicuous in the presnt Frederick area than in the adjoining county of Clarke. 

According to Mr. Kemper, the first attempt to acquire land in the Shenandoah, by way of legal procedure, was by William Russell and Larkin Chew, the date of their claim being October 18, 1728. 

p. 48 In the original Winchester were therefore 80 lots. . . . 

Attached to each in-lot (house-lot) was an out-lot of three to five acres for gardening and pasturage purposes. As fast as the out-lots passed into private ownership, they were fenced. The ones unsold were commons, and the boys had unlimited use of hem for their sports. Fort Loudoun was buil on one of these commons. Another, in the south of town, was long uninclosed and was called Sheep Hill. It was ten acres in extent, and was used for 120 years as a muster ground and place for public executions. [p. 49] Every in-lot was sold under the condition that the buyer should erect within two years a house of squared, dovetailed logs, at least sixteen by twenty feet on the ground.  . . . But since no out-lot might be built upon, the natural effect of this restriction was to limit the growth of the town. 

[Wood's Addition was the first enlargement was in September 1758, 106 acres on west side.  Fairfax's Addition, February 1759.]

[Early lot owners with lot number:]

• Bostin, Martin 71
• Bratten, Jesse 69
• Brinker, Henry 7
• Bruce, George 23
• Bush, ---- 66
• Caldwell, ---- 22
• Calmes, Marquis 16
• Carlyle, John 74
• Castleman, Ludovick 49
• Cochran, William 14, 57
• Cocks, William 8
• Craigen, Robert 68
• Earle, Samuel 33
• Feif, James 54
• Fritley, Andrew 47
• Greenfield, John 60, 76
• Hambert, Godfrey 70
• Harrow, John 75
• Hite, John 30, 31
• Hope, --- 10
• Howard, John 25
• Jones, John 21, 24
• Lemon --- 2
• Lemon, James 39
• McCLoun, Thomas 67
• McDonald, Alexander 3
• McGuire, Edward 61
• Martin, Thomas Bryan 18, 26
• Mercer, George 43
• Neill, Lewis 17
• Otto, Tobias 58
• Palb, Merder 41
• Parkins, --- 13
• Perkins, Isaac 15
• Pilcher, James 20
• Sperry, Peter 80
• Stephens, Daniel 46
• Stephens, Leiws, 51, 52, 53
• Steward, John 48, 72
• Washington, George 77
• Weitreit, --- 6
• Wetsell, Christopher 79
• Wood, --- 4, 5
• Woods, Thomas 9

p. 54 For bearing an illegitimate child, the churchwardens ordered the sheriff to apply 25 lashes to the bare back of Elizabeth King. This punishment was because of inability to pay a fine. For the same offense, Mary Wolf was to pay either 500 pounds of tobacco or 50 shillings in specie, in addition to the costs. 

p. 79 [George Washington stood for election in Frederick County due to land ownership.  He was defeated by the pro-liquor vote. He took only 40 ballots of which were William Russell and Taliaferro Stribling.]

p. 96 The same complaint [refuse the preesnt currency to the great inconvenience and injury of many] reappears in a petition of May 17, 1780. Twelve "traders" of Winchester say that "depreciation is so rapid that we have never been able to replace the same quantity of goods with the money received from goods sold." The signers allege that the ax of 2 1/2 percent on goods retailed, and not of Virginia growth or manufacture, is unequal, since the farmer does not pay a tax of one percent. The merchanges are Bryant Brian, James Dowdall, Charles Haynes, James and William Holladay, John Kaine, William Kincaid, Samuel May, Patrick Murray, John Reynolds, Benjamin Shreve and Lewis Wolfe. . . . .

p. 97 [Lewis Wolfe is again among the merchant signers of a petition complaining about freight prices and duties levied to move goods, November 6, 1787.]

p. 107 [Lewis Wolfe, merchant is said to have come from Mannheim, Germany.]

p. 113 The first local bank of a bona fide nature was the Winchester Branch of the Farmers Bank of Virginia, established in 1812 with a capital of $250,000; or, by another statement, 1,666 shares of stock of a par value per share of $100.  In 1818 the directors of this bank, as appointed by the Executive, were . . . John Smith and Edward J. Smith.  Those appointed by the stockholders were . . . Edward Smith. 

p. 117 [Advertisements in the Gazette:] November 3, 1789 . . . E. Smith advertises apple trees large enough to set out. 

p. 118 Some of the business men not already spoken of are the following: . . . John Smith . . . jeweler. 

p. 198 he following is as complete a list as we have been able to gather of the attorneys of Winchester down to a recent period. The year following a name is the earliest mention. Where a name is starred, the year is not earlier than 1858. [abstracted]

• Clark, William L. 1819
• Clark, William L. Jr.*
• Cook, Edward E. 1833
• Cook, Giles 1833
• Cooke, John R. 1812
• Denny, J.W.*
• Hopkins, John 1819
• p. 199 Smith, John B. 1824
• Wolfe, Lewis 1812 . . . 

p. 200 State Senators: Until 1800 Frederick was in a district with Berkeley and Hampshire. Hardy was  then added. From 1817 to 1836 this county was united with Jefferson, and Clarke was then added. In 1851 Frederick was joined with Warren and Clarke. In 1869-1870 it was joined with Clarke and Shenandoah. Warren was then substituted for Shenandoah, but in 1896 Frederick and Shenandoah became a senatorial district. . . . 

• John Smith 1792-1795 . . . 1796 . . . 
• Lewis Wolf 1804-1811 . . . 
• Augustus C. Smith 1827-1829 . . . 
• William D. Smith, 1869-1870 . . . 

p. 201 Membres of House of Delegates . . . 

• Isaac Zane & John Smith 1779 . . . 
• John B.D. Smith 1831-1837 . . .

p. 214 Until 1784 the Methodists were a society within the Church of England and not an independent communion.  It was the American Revolution that made a separate organization unavoidable. In the early years the Methodists had certain peculiarities that marked them off from the older denominations. And for some time their usages did not attract the more substantial classes of people.

Berkeley circuit came into existence in 1778, and Winchester circuit in 1790. James Quinn, in charge of the latter in 1802, had to travel 400 miles to reach all his appointments. The first Methodist minister to be regularly stationed in this city was Charles A. Davis, who came in 1827. Until the war of 1861, these others preached at Market Street: . . . Edward Smith . . . Norval Wilson [twice] . . . John Smith . . . William R. Edwards . . . 

p. 231 Maria [p. 232] Smith will open a school for girls Ocober 15, 1788, if 13 patrons will guarantee tuition for one year, her terms being $3.33 a year besides an entrance fee of $1. She will give instruction in needlework. By reading between the lines we can see taht the number thirteen is not a hoodoo with Maria Smith, and that teaching by women was not in marked disfavor in this community. . . . 

Just when the Winchester Academy began its existence is not quite clear. In a petition of November 27, 1786, the trustees . . . John Smith . . . ask "the incorporation of their grammar and high school." The opening in that year took place July 10, and the tuition was four guineas ($14) a year. . . . But in an advertisement of 1787, the trustees named are . . . Lewis Wolf . . . It is stated that the academy has been running some time, and that the principal is CHarles O'Neal, a Master of Arts of Dublin and Glasgow universities. . . . In 1790, John Smith, president of the board of trustees, announces that a tutor in the classics has been engaged, that large sums of money have veen subscribed, and that a five-acre lot contiguous to the town has been offered. 

. . . Other early teachers were John Bruce, W.L. Clark, Augustus C. Smith and one McLemar.

p. 233 In relating the general history of the Academy, Mr. Cartmell says that the school taught on Water Street near Market in 1787 seems to have developed into the Winchester Academy, because of the wording of the Act of December 9, 1789, which says a school is then in operation. The Act set apart for its use a half-acre lot in the town, as well as tracts of 200 and 520 acres, coming respecively, from the late James Hamilton and Thomas Spear. These farm-lots were to be sold and the proceeds applied to the use of the school. The Academy migrated about and at length it found a permanent home on the hill west of the hospital. Here was erected an imposing building of stone and brick.  This was destroyed and for several years after the civil war the residence of A. Magill Smith was used. 

p. 266 Appendix A - Inhabitants of 1788  The following is the list of the holders of taxable personal property in Winchester in 1788, according to the return by John Conrad, commissioner.

In the first column are the names of the persons chargeable with a tax on personal property. In the second column are the names of other tithables in the household. [second column is mostly empty] Where a name is starred, it belongs also in the second column. In the third column is th enumber of horses owned by the householder [marked h], and in the fourth is the number of slaves. [marked s] . . . 

[Surnames listed:]

• Albert, Aldridge, Alexander, Anderson, Anson, Armstrong
• Bailey, Baker, Baldwin, Ball, Balmain, Barclay, Banrhart, Beatty, Benart, Bennet, Berger, Bost, Bowen, Bowman
• p. 267 Brady, Brown, Bunker, Burger, Burk, Bush
• Calvert, Carkmore, Carron, Carter, Caster, Chandler, Chisler, Christle, Conrad, Cooley, Copenhavner, Coyle, Craford, Craigen, Crockwell, Cromwell, Crosby, Cooper
• Clark, Thomas*, no horse, no slave
• Cook, John* no horse, no slave
• Dalby, Deadrick, Delaplain, Dobbins
• p. 268 Donaldson, Dowdall, Duffield
• Edmondson, Egin, Ellis, Ellison, Evans
• Fleming, Fridley, Fry
• Gibson, Gray, Grim
• Goodnight, John* no horse, no slave
• Haas, Haymaker, Hazelwood, Headley, Holding, Hollensworth, Holliday, Holmes, Holtzel, Hoover, Huff, Huffman, Hulet, Hyskill
• H---, ? - William Holliday, Adam Butler, Adam Douglass 2 wheeled chaise - 8 h - 2 s
• p. 269 Japson, Jenny, Jones, Justice
• Kearn, Kennedy, Kertchavel, Kiger, Klipstine, Kreamer, Krebs, Kurts
• Laubinger, Lauck, Lent, Lindsey, Liney, Linty, Long, Loughridge, Love, Lynn, Lauck
• McAlester, McDonald, McDougle McGuire, McMullin, McMun, Macky, Magill, Mgason, Maugholt, May, Medlicott
• March, Michael* no horse, no slave
• p. 270
• Messmore, Millburn, Miller, Murphy, Magill
• Nealis, Newman, Nolden, Norton
• O'Neal, Osburn, Overacre, Owram
• Passmore, Payton, Pealing, Pearce, Poe, Poker, Powers, Pringle, Pue, Pulley, Pyles
• Reandle, Richardson, Righter, Riley, Rise, RItter, Russell, Rutter
• Sherard, Shrock, Shultz, Sitler, Slater
• p. 271 
• Smith, John* - John Bogan, no horse, no slave
• Smith, John* no horse, no slave
• Smith, Thomas* no horse, no slave
• Sperry, Jacob - David Smith - 2 h, 0 s
• Smith, Mahlon* - Lewis Reese 2 wheeled chaise, no horse, no slave
• Sommer, Sommerset, Sowers, Sperry, Stewart, Streit, Swords, Shuller, Sherar
• Thomas, Thompson, Thrasher, True
• Updegraff, Vanhorn
• Wade, Walker, Waller, Walters, Warior, Weedon, Welch, Wells, Whetsel, Shite, Willey, Williamson, Willis, Windle, Woodrow
• Wolf, Lewis* - 1 h, 1 s
• Young, Adam* no horse, no slave

p. 276 A list of men serving in the French & Indian war and adjudged by Mr. Cartmell to belong to the Lower Valley. The names were collected from those to whom some form of pension was subsequently paid. Where two names are identical a star is set down. It is not certain from the lits that two individuals were intended. All were privates except when there is mention to the contrary.  

[Surnames:]

• Alfort, Allen
• Bageant, Bailey, Barr, Beatty, Beckman, Bell, Bennett, Bewtoole, Black
• Blackburn: Andrew, Benjamin, William
• Blakeman, Braithwaite
• Brook, Humphrey
• Buckner, Buckus, Burkem, Bush
• Camp, Capper, Campbell, Carroll, Cave, Champain, Colbert, Colston, Conaly
• Cook, John
• Combs, Cooper
• p. 277 Cox, Crawford, Cross
• Degell, Dickson, Duckworth, Dunlevy
• Edwards, Peter
• Ewings, Faucett, Fiell, Fleming, Foolam
• Foster, James
• Ghink, Gooseberry, Gordon, Greenway, Grigson, Grim
• Haley, Hall, Hamilton, Hampton, Haney, Harbinson, Hardin, Haven, Hawkins, Hefferlin, Hensell, Horden, Hudson, Hugh, Hughes, Humble, Huston
• Jack, Jackson, Jacobs, James, Jenkins, Job
• Johnson: Daniel, Stephen
• Johnston, Jones
• Kenney, Keyser, Kiger, Kingore, Knipe, Kramer
• Laman, Lauch, Legat, Lender, Linsey, Littleton, Lockard, Lonas, Lucas, Lyon
• McCormick, McCrimas, McDonald
• McDowell, Joseph (Ensign)
• M'Gill, McGuire, McIntire, McKenney, McMullen
• Magill, Maginis, Marshall, Martin, Mason, Mathews, Mauk, Meamick
• p. 278 Mergee, Merger, Miller, Money, Monroe, Morris, Murray, Murphy
• Odle: Jeremiah, Jonathan
• Oliver, Parke, Parrall, Pearis, Perry, Petanger, Phillips, Pierce, Piper, Pittman, Polson, Price, Prickett
• Regan, Rice, Riely, Ruddall
• Robinson: Thomas
• Sampson, Sargeant, Schultz, Seifert, Selser, Shade, Shirley, Southard, Speak, Sperry, Springer, Stearman, Stephenson, Stradler, Stewart, Stubbs, Suthard, Sweet
• Smith: John (Colonel) 
• Tate, Tharp, thomas, Thompson, Thruston, Timmons, reson, Tummens, Turner
• Taylor: John
• Vance, Van Landingham, Vanmeter
• Wallbroke, White, Williams, Wingfield, Wright
• Wilson: WIlliam
• Young: John

p. 268 French & Indian War - List of soldiers from Frederick County and Winchester as shown by Act of General Assembly of Virginia, September 1758 - 32d George II, Hening's Statutes, Vol. 7, page 215. 

(NOTE: THis does not purport to be a complete list of soldiers. It does not include those serving in the regular military organizations, but only the militia.) [abstracted]

• Odle, Jeremiah
• Odle, Jonathan
• Parke, John
• Johnson, Hugh
• M'Dowell, Joseph, lieutenant
• Blackburn, Andrew
• Blackburn, Benjamin
• Blackburn, William
• Young, John
• Cook, John
• Wilson, William
• Johnson, Stephen
• Robinson, Thomas
• p. 280 Taylor, John
• Cook, John

The "Index of Revolutionary Soldiers," by W.T.R. Saffell includes the men serving in the Eleventh and Fifteenth regiments under General Daniel Morgan in 1777-1778. But to make sure of the names belonging only to this locality, it would be necessary to quote thirteen pages of the said book.

In 1776 Captain Berry raised a company for the Eighth regiment. About the same time Captain Charles Thruston joined the army in New Jersey. In 1777 the company of Captain Helmes was three months in service. In 1778 the company of Captain Gilkerson guarded prisoners. Next year the company of Captain Joseph Ball was in service three months. In 1781 the companies fof Captains Joseph Gregory and Josiah Swearingen were sent against the Indians, the latter being stationed at Fort McINtosh on the Muskingum. In the latter half of the same year he companies of Captain Joseph Looney and Captain Bell were at the siege of Yorktown. Several other companies were also in the Yorktown campaign and guarded prisoners to Winchester. 

For the above facts wer are indebted to "Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War," by J.T. McAllister. From the same source is derived the following list of militia officers who qualified in Frederick in the years 1776-1780. (Lt. is lieutentant, En. is ensign, Cp. captain). [abstracted]

• Abernathy, Bobb, Baldwin, Barnett, Barrow, Bell, Berry, Branson, Brinker, Brown, Burk, Bush, Byerly
• Cockley, Calmes, Calvert, Camp, Carter, Catlett, Cochran, Combes, Crim
• Daniel, Dobbins, Dorsey
• Denny, Samuel en; Robert lt
• p. 281 Eastin, Elkins, Evans
• Frost, Gilham, Gilkerson
• Hampton, Hancher, Harrell, Heaton, Helphingston, Hill, Hisewanger, Hiskill, Horsely
• Kemp, Kindrick, Kendrick, Kennedy
• Larrick, Lawrence, Lindsay
• McCormick, Mercer, Myers
• O'Brien, Pyles
• Redman, Rice, Rinherbo
• SImerall
• Smith, John Co. Lt, resigned 1777; Samuel, lt
• Stribling, William, lt. 
• Taylor, Richard, en; William cp
• Vance, White, Wood
• Wilson, Hugh, en
• Wolfe, Henry en; John en

Revolutionary War - Soldiers from Winchester and Frederick County who served in the Revolutionary War, taken from list published by the Secretary of War in 1835, which includes only those entited to pensions or bounty land warrants then living. [abstracted]

• Brook, Humphrey
• Edwards, Peter
• Foster, James
• Smith, John - colonel of Virginia state line

p. 282 Soldiers serving undr General George Rogers Clarke in 1778. The company from Frederick was commanded by Captain James Bowman. Some of the names may belong to the Fauquier company of Captain Leonard Helm. Mr. Cartmell, who gathered the names, does no differentiate the names belonging to the two companies. [abstracted]

• Bender, Bentley, Berry, Bowman, Brazer, Bulger, Bush
• Breeden: John ensing; Richard
• Cartmell, Conn, Coontz
• Detering, Doran, Dust
• Eskridge, Funk
• Haller, Henry, Hite, Honaker
• Isaacs, James, Keller, King, Lee, Long
• McBride, McClanihan, McIntire
• Master, Miller, Murrey, Myers
• Perry, Peter, Rubey
• Setser, Simpson, Slack, Sowers, Strode, Swearingen
• Shepard: George; Peter
• Speers, Jacob sergeant
• Vance, Vanmeter, Walters, White

Supplementary - Soldiers serving in the Northwest in 1781 under Captains Benjamin Biggs and Uriah Springer. [abstracted]

• Bailey, Barr, Bean
• Carter, Conn, Conrad, Crawford
• Clark - David
• Daugherty, Kairnes, Lockhart, Morrison
• Morgan - Charles
• Osburn, Rhodes, Rinker
• Smith, James

p. 282 Soldiers of 1812 - Names followed, respectively by 1, 2, and 3 refer to the companies of Captains Thomas Roberts, William Morris and Michael Coyle. The first was Cavalry Company Number Four of the First Regiment. The second was an artillery and the third an infantry comman. Names starred are those of emergency men.  [abstracted]

• Allen, Ashby, Aulick
• Austin, Thomas - 2
• Baker, Ball, Barnes, Barr, Beatty, Beckwith, Bennett, Booker, Bowers, Bowley, Brown, Burwell, Bush
• Brill - (--?--) 3
• Campbell, Carter, Cather, Cochrane, Conrad, Cooley, Copenhaver, Coyle, Crawford, Crebs
• Clark, John C. - 1
• Dalby, Davidson, Day
• Denny, John - 1
• Everly, Farmer, Fulkerson
• Foster: John - 1 ; Thomas - 2
• Gibbs, Glaize, Grant, Gray
• Haas, Hansberry, heeser, Heinrick, Heister, Hdsman, Hester, Hillman, Hoff, Hoffman, Hoffnagle, Holliday, Hutchison, Hutchinson
• Jack, Jenkins, Jones, Joyce
• Johnson: John - 2
• Kane, Keeler, Kiger
• p. 284 Klyfusine, Kremer, Kurtz
• Lafferty, Lauck, Long
• McCann, Macfee, Magson, Meredith, Mesmer, Miller, Morris
• Newman, Owen, Parkins, Perry, Poe, Price, Reed, Regan
• Schreck, Schultz, Scrivener, Shaw, Sherer, Sloat, Spengler, Streit, Swallum
• Thatcher, Throckmorton, Touchstone
• Vance, Van Horn, Welsh, White, Winn
• Young: Henry - 2; William - 2