University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER X.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, 1840-1870.

About this time political lines were closely drawn in Washington
county, and the zealous work of the advocates of the Whig and
Democratic parties has not been surpassed in the history of our
county.

Freeholders were the only qualified voters, and the great effort
of the advocates of the two parties was to enfranchise every
male citizen sympathizing with their respective parties.

[1] Two brothers, prominent citizens of this county, were opposed
in their political views, one being a Whig and the other a Democrat.
They were the owners of a large tract of land situated in
this county. The Whig brother conveyed his interest in the said
land to a large number of persons of Whig sympathies, qualifying
them to vote, and thereupon the Democratic brother conveyed
his lands to an equal number of male citizens of Democratic
proclivities, and Governor David Campbell, who was the
owner of the south side of Clinch mountain from Little Moccasin
Gap to Mendota, executed numerous deeds to his political friends
for the purpose of enfranchising them. In many instances the
grantee never knew the location of his land nor did he care.

In the presidential campaign in 1840 William Henry Harrison
was elected President of the United States, and there was great
rejoicing among the Whigs of this section. The Whig ticket in
that campaign was as follows:

                                               

Districts.	Electors.
1.	JOHN W. MURDAUGH, of Norfolk county;
2.	JOHN URQUHART, of Southampton;
3.	WILLIAM S. ARCHER, of Amelia;
4.	RICHARD KIDDER MEADE, of Dinwiddie;
5.	HENRY E. WATKINS, of Prince Edward;
6.	JAMES C. BRUCE, of Halifax;
7.	WHITMELL P. TUNSTALL, of Pittsylvania;
8.	THOMAS R. JOYNES, of Accomack;
9.	NORBORNE E. SUTTON, of Caroline;
10.	WILLOUGHBY NEWTON, of Westmoreland;
11.	JAMES LYONS, of Richmond City;
12.	VALENTINE W. SOUTHALL, of Albemarle;
13.	JOHN S. PENDLETON, of Culpeper;
14.	JOHN JANNEY, of Loudoun;
15.	ANDREW HUNTER, of Jefferson;
16.	PHILIP WILLIAMS, JR., of Frederick;
17.	WILLIAM SEYMOUR, of Hardy;
18.	BRISCOE G. BALDWIN, of Augusta;
19.	BALLARD SMITH, of Greenbrier;
20.	EDWARD JOHNSTON, of Botetourt;
21.	JOHN N. HUMES, of Washington;
22.	GEORGE W. SUMMERS, of Kanawha;
23.	WAITMAN T. WILEY, of Monangalia.

There were but three precincts in Washington county at this
time, to-wit, Joseph Meek's, the courthouse and Three Springs.

The election at the three precincts named was conducted by the
following persons:

           

Joseph Meek's.	Courthouse.
Parker Smith,	Ed. Latham,
Joseph Miller,	Jonathan King,
John Clark,	Daniel Lynch,
David Beattie,	J. A. Davis,
Lewis Smith.	Samuel Logan.

Three Springs.

• Thos. Fulkerson,

• Peter S. Hanby,

• John Horn,

• Isaac Stoffle,

• Zachariah Jourdan.

Upon the death of President Harrison, in 1841, the 14th of
May, 1841, was, pursuant to the proclamation of John Tyler,
President of the United States, observed as a day of fasting and
prayer by the citizens of Washington county; and on the 13th
day of May, 1841, the Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery
of this county entered the following order—Judge Estill presiding:

"To-morrow being the day of fasting, humiliation and prayer
appointed by proclamation, to be observed by the people of the
U. S. in testimony of a nation's sorrow for the death of William
Henry Harrison, late President of the United States, and this
court and bar intending so to observe the said day, it is therefore
ordered that this court be adjourned till Saturday next, at nine
o'clock in the morning."

A similar order was entered by the circuit court of Washington
county, Virginia, upon the death of President McKinley in the
year 1901.

The cost of supporting the poor of the county had, by the year
1841, increased to such an extent that the county court of this
county decided to sell the poorhouse and maintain the poor by
having them supported in their homes, and a committee was appointed
for the purpose of selling the lands occupied by the poorhouse
of the county, but soon thereafter and before the lands
were sold, the order directing the sale of the property was, for
some reason, revoked, and between this time and the year 1860
considerable improvements were made upon the poorhouse farm,
which consisted of the lands now occupied by J. A. P. Ryan.

By order of the county court during this year the commissioners
of the revenue were directed to omit from their lists the students
of the Abingdon Academy and of Emory and Henry College.

The country at the time in question was greatly agitated over
the Texas revolution and the attitude of Mexico toward the United
States. The Democratic party, advocating war and the annexation
of Texas, nominated James K. Polk for President, and the Whigs
nominated Henry Clay. The contest between the parties in this
election was bitter from the start, but resulted in the election of
James K. Polk.

As a result of this election war was inevitable, and from the
spring of 1845 to the summer of 1846 the youth of Washington

county were monthly drilled and trained in the art of war. The
Government at Richmond furnished the militia officers of Washington
county with a cannon and a number of guns, and Abram
Mongle, colonel of the One Hundred and Forty-sixth regiment,
was given permission by the county court, on the 28th day of
April, 1845, to erect a shed on the public lot for the protection
and preservation of the artillery allowed the county, and on the
25th day of March, 1846, A. C. Cummings was permitted to erect
a house on the public square for the preservation of a cannon allowed
the militia of the county by the State authorities, and
twenty dollars was appropriated by the county court to pay for the
house.

Upon the breaking out of the Mexican War, three large companies
of volunteers were organized in Washington county, one in
the lower end of the county, officered by Captain Frank Campbell
and Lieutenant Samuel V. Fulkerson; another at Abingdon, officered
by Captain Arthur Campbell Cummings and Lieutenant
James T. Preston; another in the upper end of the county, the
names of the officers of which I cannot ascertain.

General Peter C. Johnston took an active interest in enlisting
the young men of the county in these companies, and during the
time, accompanied by a number of young men from Washington
county, visited Lebanon on a court day, and took with him the cannon
that was at that time in the possession of the militia officers
of Washington county.

When the three companies above mentioned were completed, their
services were tendered to the Governor of the State, but were declined,
as the State had furnished its full quota of men.

The only opportunity for the citizens of this county to serve
their country in this war was to secure their commissions from the
President and enlist in the regular army.

In the spring of the year 1847, President Polk commissioned
Arthur Campbell Cummings, a graduate of the Virginia Military
Institute and an attorney at the Abingdon bar, a captain in the
regular army. Upon the receipt of his commission Captain Cummings
proceeded to enlist all volunteers possible for the regular
army, and on the 27th day of April, 1847, with fifteen recruits,
left Abingdon for Mexico. The night of the first day was spent
at Hansonville, the night of the second day at Virginia City, with

James Dickenson; the night of the third day at Wise Courthouse
with Captain Samuel Salyers; the night of the fourth day one
mile over the Cumberland mountains with a Mr. Mullin; the night
of the fifth day fifteen miles east of Pikeville, Kentucky, and from
Pikeville, Kentucky, Captain Cummings and the troops proceeded
by water to Newport, Kentucky; thence by the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers to the Gulf of Mexico, and thence to Vera Cruz,
Mexico, where he joined his command.

Captain Cummings and his men were assigned to Company K
of the Eleventh regiment of the United States Infantry, which
regiment was officered as follows:

Colonel, Albert C. Ramsey, of Pennsylvania.

Lieutenant-Colonel, — Graham, killed in the battle
of Moline del Rey.

Lieutenant-Colonel, John H. Savage, Tennessee, succeeded to
command upon the death of Graham.

Captain, Arthur Campbell Cummings.

Privates.

James Dickenson, killed, Abingdon, 1865.

William Haley, served in C. S. A.; died at Winchester, 1862.

Wesley Hubbard, Tazewell county.

Moses Hubbard, died Pueblo, Mexico, 1847.

John S. Lynch, Washington county, killed Passo Ovejas,
Mexico; buried there.

— Pawpaw, wagoner, died Pueblo, Mexico, 1847.

John Slaughter, Washington county; served in C. S. A.; died near
Banhams in 1898.

James J. Shelton, Washington county; served in C. S. A.;
married a daughter of George Garrett; killed at Chancellorsville.

Hezekiah Smallwood, Scott county; killed accidentally in Scott
county.

— Snead, Scott county.

Robert Wilson, died near Lynchburg.

James Wynn, Tazewell county; emigrated to Missouri.

Marvel White, Scott county.

W. S. Wood, Scott county, brother-in-law of Fayette McMullen.

In addition to the volunteers accompanying Captain Cummings,

the following Mexican veterans lived in this county, so far
as I can ascertain:

• John Dinsmore,

• John M. Cunningham,

• William Rhea,

• Samuel Davis, Tex., Rev.

• William E. Jones,

• John P. Johnston,

• John C. Deadmore, Tex., Rev.

• Madison Leedy, Tex., Rev.

The successful conclusion of the Mexican War gave great impetus
to the emigration from this section of Virginia to Texas,
large numbers of the young men of the county emigrating thither.

The building of a new courthouse for the county was considered
by the county court of this county in the fall of 1847, and the Legislature
of Virginia, on the 15th of January, 1848, authorized the
County Court of Washington county, Virginia, to borrow ten thousand
dollars for the purpose of erecting a new courthouse. The
county court at the June term, 1848, decided to borrow ten thousand
dollars and erect a new courthouse, and appointed John M.
Preston, William Y. C. White and John D. Mitchell, commissioners,
to borrow the money and superintend the erection thereof.

The building of the new courthouse was let to Herbert M. Ledbetter
and William Fields, contractors, and, by the spring of 1850,
the courthouse was completed and Jacob Lynch and Connally F.
Trigg were appointed a committee to purchase the necessary tables,
chairs, carpets, etc., for the new courthouse.

The courthouse thus completed served the county until the 15th
of December, 1864, at which time it was destroyed by the fire that
burnt the town of Abingdon.

In the year 1848, General Zachary Taylor and General Lewis Cass
were the Whig and the Democratic candidates for the presidency,
while the Honorable Fayette McMullen and Samuel E. Goodson
were the Democratic candidates and Andrew S. Fulton the Whig
candidate for Congress from this district. The Whig ticket was as
follows:

Electoral Ticket.

1. John J. Jones, Isle of Wight.

2. George W. Bolling, of Petersburg.

3. Henry P. Irving, of Cumberland.

4. Joseph K. Irving, of Lynchburg.

5. W. Martin, of Franklin.

6. B. Johnson Barbour, of Culpeper.

7. Robert E. Scott, of Fauquier.

8. H. T. Garnett, of Westmoreland.

9. John A. Meredith, of Richmond City.

10. Robert Saunders, of Williamsburg.

11. Andrew Hunter, of Jefferson.

12. A. H. H. Stuart, of Augusta.

13. S. McD. Moore, of Rockbridge.

14. Connally F. Trigg, of Washington.

15. G. W. Summers, of Kanawha.

16. G. D. Camden, of Harrison.

17. F. H. Pierpont, of Marion.

Assistant Elector.

14th District, James W. Sheffey, Esq., of Smyth.

County and Town Electors.

Grayson, Dr. Robertson.

Lee, John M. Crockett.

Russell, Dale Carter.

Scott, William Spear.

Smyth, Thomas L. Preston.

Tazewell, John A. Kelly,

Wythe, P. S. Buckingham.

Washington, Charles S. Bekem.

In the contest for the seat in Congress, the Honorable A. S.
Fulton defeated his Democratic opponents and represented this district
until the year 1849.

The Honorable Fayette McMullen represented this district for a
number of years in the Congress of the United States, and while
he had but little ability as a statesman, he was one of the most popular
men and effective canvassers that ever lived in this district.
He kissed the babies, joked with the men and flattered the women

upon all occasions. He knew, personally, nearly every voter in the
district. Numerous anecdotes are told of Colonel McMullen, the
best now recollected being told by Senator Vest, of Missouri. This
anecdote was told by the Senator to illustrate the propensity on the
part of some people for speech-making.

"It occurred in Virginia," said Vest. "Old Fayette McMullen
was canvassing his district for a nomination for Congress, years
ago, and during the canvass a man was hung in that locality for
murder. About ten thousand men collected to witness the scene,
and among them old Mac, who, by the favor of the sheriff, occupied
a place on the platform in the rear of the gallows, his oratorical
mouth watering at the sight of the magnificent audience in front.
When everything was ready, as is usual in such cases, the sheriff
asked the culprit if he had anything to say before the sentence
of the law was passed upon him; to which the condemned
responded that he would say nothing. Whereupon old Mac
stepped forward, rubbing his hands, and remarked: `Mr. Sheriff,
if the gentleman will yield his time to me, I will embrace this
occasion to make a few remarks on the political situation, and
announce myself a candidate for Congress.' "

Major Robert E. Bradley, a distinguished and popular citizen
of this county, died in the month of November, 1849, and the
county court of this county out of respect to his memory adopted
appropriate resolutions.

The Constitution of 1829-1830 had never been satisfactory to a
large majority of the people of Virginia in this, that the right
of suffrage was restricted to a greater extent than the times
demanded, and the representation, as between the sections, was so
unequally apportioned as to give dissatisfaction to all the people of
Western Virginia. By the year 1850, Western and Northwestern
Virginia had increased in population and wealth so rapidly that in
this year this section of Virginia succeeded in having adopted a
resolution by the General Assembly submitting to the people the
question of the calling of a Constitutional Convention. This question
was submitted to the people on the fourth Thursday in April,
1850, and resulted in the calling of a Constitutional Convention.

The election for members to this convention was held in the summer
of 1850. This district was composed of Wythe, Smyth and
Washington, and the candidates before the people in said election

were: George W. Hopkins, B. R. Floyd, Thomas M. Tate, Democrats.
Connally F. Trigg, Andrew S. Fulton, James W. Sheffey,
Whigs. The two first named were elected by an average majority of
three hundred and forty-one, while the majority of Thomas M.
Tate, Democrat, over James W. Sheffey, Whig, was fifty-five.

At the time in question, George W. Hopkins was a member of
the General Assembly of Virginia, and, upon the convening of the
General Assembly in the fall of the year, he was elected Speaker of
the House of Delgates, and resigned his position as a member of
the Constitutional Convention, and the Honorable Connally F.
Trigg was elected without opposition to fill the vacancy.

This Convention assembled in the hall of the House of Delegates
at Richmond, on October 14, 1850. It was controlled in
nearly all of its proceedings by what was known at the time as
"Reformers." This convention extended the right of suffrage to
every white male citizen of the Commonwealth of the age of twenty-one
years, who had been a resident of the State for two years, and
of the county, city or town where he offered to vote, for twelve
months, excluding persons of unsound mind, criminals, etc.

It was provided therein that the vote should be given openly, or
viva voce, and not by ballot.

It will be observed that this was a radical change from the provisions
of the former constitution of the State, property qualifications
of all kinds were dispensed with, and manhood suffrage, for
the first time in the history of the Commonwealth, was made a
part of the organic law of the State.

The question of the apportionment of representation was
deferred by this Constitution until the year 1865, and was never
put into operation, as in the year 1865 the Commonwealth was
in great turmoil.

Had the provisions of this Constitution become effective as to
representation, this question would have been settled in a manner
satisfactory to the citizens of Western Virginia.

By this Constitution, the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor and
Attorney-General were made elective by the people, the Governor
and Attorney-General of the State having been theretofore selected
by the Council of State and the General Assembly. This was a
great change from the former conditions existing in Virginia and

was antagonistic to the old system and former institutions of the
State.

All the judges and justices were made elective by the people.
Each county was to be laid off into districts, and four justices were
to be elected from each district.

This Constitution was submitted to the people for ratification or
rejection, and all persons qualified to vote under the proposed
Constitution were permitted to exercise the right of suffrage in
said election. The vote resulted in the ratification of the Constitution
by the people in the month of October, 1851, the vote being
75,748 for, and 11,060 against the new Constitution. The vote
in Washington county was 1,083 for and 12 against the ratification
of the Constitution, the twelve votes against the Constitution
being polled at Abingdon precinct.

In the fall of this year the Democratic and Whig parties nominated
their strongest men for Governor and the Legislature,
George W. Summers, of Kanawha county, being the Whig, and
Joseph Johnson, of Harrison county, the Democratic candidates
for Governor, while in this county, Isaac B. Dunn and William
King were the Democratic candidates and John A. Campbell and
James Orr, the Whig candidates for the Legislature. The result
was the election of the Democratic candidates in the State and
the county by a greatly-reduced majority. This was the first time
in the history of the Commonwealth that the Governor of the Commonwealth
was elected by popular vote and Virginia's first experience
with manhood suffrage.

At the same election the following county officers were selected:

Clerk of the County Court, Jacob Lynch.

Commonwealth's Attorney, Samuel Logan.

Sheriff, Matthew H. Buchanan.

County-Surveyor, James C. Black.

Commissioner-Revenue, upper end, Robert H. Henderson.

Commissioner-Revenue, lower end, James L. F. Campbell.

At the same time twenty-four members of the county court were
elected by the people. In the year 1852, Washington county was
divided into magisterial districts by Jonathan King, Washington
Bishop, Robert B. Edmondson, Alexander Findlay, James C.
Fulcher, James L. Davis, Michael W. Weathers, John M. Hamilton,
L. L. Waterman, Peter S. Hanby and Whitley Fullen, commissioners

appointed for that purpose, and the members of the county
court were divided into classes and held the court in the order
arranged.

From this time forward, the magnificent specimen of manhood
that so often adorned the old county court of this county gradually
disappeared, and their places, in many instances, were filled
by men who were able to control the voters, either by an appeal
to party passion or corrupt measures.

The members of the county court were elected from this time
until the year 1870, at which time the old county court system was
abolished.

In the fall of the year 1850, a considerable revival was evidenced
among the agricultural portion of the people of Washington county.
After notice, a number of the citizens of the county assembled at
the courthouse for the purpose of organizing an agricultural
society for this county.

At this meeting, upon motion of Connally F. Trigg, Colonel William
Byars was elected chairman and John A. Campbell secretary,
and the following resolution was adopted:

That the chair appoint a committee of five gentlemen to prepare
and report a constitution to our next meeting, under which
the agricultural society for Washington county shall be organized.

Thereupon the chairman appointed the following committee:
Connally F. Trigg, chairman; Wyndham Robertson, F. H. Preston,
Samuel E. Goodson and William Y. C. White. The meeting then
adjourned to the 28th day of September, 1850, on which day a
large number of the leading citizens of the county met at the
courthouse and adopted a constitution and by-laws and elected
the following officers of the agricultural society.

President, William Byars.

Vice-Presidents, David Campbell, William C. Edmondson and
James L. Davis.

Secretary, John A. Campbell.

Treasurer, John M. Preston.

Executive Committee, William Y. C. White, Lewis F. Cosby,
Isaac Horne, F. H. Preston and John Baker.

The agricultural interest of Washington county was closely
looked after, and prospered to a considerable extent for many
years.

The General Assembly of Virginia at its session in the year
1849, incorporated the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company,
and interest throughout this section of Virginia in the building of
this railroad was greatly stimulated.

A railroad meeting was held at Abingdon on the first day of
July court, 1849, for the purpose of electing delegates to a convention
to be held at Christiansburg on the 7th of August. Governor
Wyndham Robertson was elected chairman and Leo Shaver,
secretary of the meeting, and on motion of John A. Campbell the
chairman appointed John M. Preston, Dr. Snead, Jacob Lynch,
C. F. Trigg and John A. Campbell a committee to draft resolutions
expressive of the sense of the meeting. The meeting was
addressed by Governor Robertson, who dwelt upon the paramount
importance of the road to this section of Virginia.

John A. Campbell, chairman of the committee, reported the following
resolutions, which were adopted:

"Resolved, That we, the people of Washington county, respond
cordially to the invitation made us by the county of Montgomery,
to appoint delegates to the convention proposed to be held at Christiansburg
on the 7th of August, next, to take measures in aid of,
and to promote subscriptions of stock to, the Virginia and Tennessee
Railroad.

Resolved, That both local and general considerations urgently
recommend this great work to the enlightened self-interest and the
patriotism of the people of the whole Southwest.

Resolved, That twenty delegates be appointed in behalf of this
county to attend the said convention; and that they be charged to
coöperate heartily in any measure proposed by said convention, calculated
to attain the desired object.

Pursuant to the third resolution, the chairman appointed the
following-named gentlemen delegates to said convention: John M.
Preston, Colonel William Byars, Major John Campbell, William
King Heiskell, William C. Edmondson, William Y. C. White,
C. F. Trigg, Thomas L. Preston, John Gray, Charles B. Coale,
John A. Campbell, Colonel Ota H. Ward, C. S. Bekem, John D.
Mitchell, Colonel James L. Davis, Dr. N. Snead, William B. Byars,
Dr. A. R. Preston, John C. Cummings and Colonel Abram Mongle.

The convention was held at Christiansburg, and in the month of

April, 1850, a corps of engineers were engaged in making a survey
preparatory to the location of a railroad through this county.

Another mass meeting of the citizens of the county was held in
Abingdon on the 25th day of August, 1850, for the purpose of electing
delegates to a railroad convention to be held in the town of
Wytheville on the 11th of September, 1850, at which meeting Dr.
Daniel Trigg presided and James T. Preston acted as secretary.

On the 20th of September, 1850, a railroad meeting was held
at Elizabeth Chapel at Saltville, having for its object the election
of delegates to a railroad convention to be held at Jeffersonville,
on the 17th of October. The object of this convention was to have
the Virginia and Tennessee railroad located from New river along
Walker's creek and Holston Valley, passing Saltville. The proceedings
of said meeting were as follows:

"On motion, Major A. B. Trigg was called to the chair and
William P. Bishop and William King were appointed secretaries.

The object of the meeting was explained by Dr. Robert Thurman,
and the following-named persons appointed to report resolutions
for the action of the meeting: Dr. Alex. McCall, Major Thomas
Tate, Dr. Robert Thurman, H. D. Poston, Theo. G. Pearson, D.
M. Hunter and John Roberts.

The committee retired and afterwards reported the following
resolutions which were unanimously adopted:

The County Court of Washington county, on the 28th of July,
1851, directed the election officers of this county to submit to the
qualified voters of the county, at the next general election, the question
whether the court of this county, on behalf of the county, should
subscribe to the stock of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Company the sum of $33,400, on condition that said road be put
under contract to the Tennessee line the ensuing fall, and in the
month of October, 1851, a great railroad meeting was held in
Abingdon, at which meeting delegates attended from most of the
counties of Southwestern Virginia and East Tennessee. The proceedings
of this meeting are here given.

On Wednesday last, pursuant to previous notice, a great railroad
convention was held in Abingdon. It met at 12 M. and was temporarily
organized by the call of Major John Campbell as chairman,
and the appointment of Charles B. Coale and William King Heiskell
as secretaries.

On motion of C. F. Trigg, a committee of seven was appointed
to select and report officers for the convention, whereupon the chairman
appointed the following gentlemen said committee—viz.: C. F.
Trigg, I. B. Dunn, W. Y. C. White, P. J. Branch, J. L. Davis, Dr.
T. M. Tate and Colonel William Byars.

The committee having retired for a few minutes, returned and
reported the following nominations for officers, all of whom were
unanimously elected.

For President, Hon. Seth J. Lucky, of Tennessee.

For Vice-Presidents, Colonel William L. Burwell, of Bedford;
Colonel L. C. Haynes, of Tennessee; Colonel Thomas J. Boyd, of
Wythe; Hon. William B. Preston, of Montgomery; John S. Gaines,
Esq., of Tennessee; E. S. Watson, Esq., of Smythe; Colonel William
Heiskell, of Tennessee.

For Secretaries, Charles B. Coale, Leonidas Baugh and William
King Heiskell.

The names of the delegates were then recorded.

From Washington county, Virginia, there were several hundred
delegates in attendance, and it was impossible to procure a list of
them.

Smyth county—James F. Pendleton, Thomas L. Preston, James
Saunders, Dr. Thomas M. Tate, H. D. Poston, Esq., Meade E.
Smythe, Richard Haller, John C. Poston, William T. Campbell,
E. S. Watson, Esq., Dr. William T. Thurman, William Porter,
Esq., Robert Houston, Esq., A. H. Campbell, James C. Smythe,
Dr. Robert Thurman, John C. Rogers, James Campbell, John
Campbell, Thomas H. Thurman, Colonel Hiram A. Greever, John
H. Barton, John Pride and Robert Goolsby.

Wythe county—Colonel Thomas Boyd, Mitchell B. Tate, Charles
S. Crockett, Esq. and P. S. Buckingham, Esq.

Bedford county—William M. Burwell, Esq.

Scott county—Samuel V. Fulkerson, Esq.

Russell county—Richard H. Lynch, Dr. John T. Smith, John
McElheny and Charles L. Creigh.

Montgomery county—Hon. William B. Preston.

Emory and Henry College—Professor Edmund Longley.

Richmond city—Wyndham Robertson.

Giles county—(as alternates), Colonel Thomas J. Boyd, Dr.
Thomas M. Tate and Colonel S. E. Goodson.

From Tennessee.

Sullivan county—Robert P. Rhea, Samuel Rhea, William Lynn,
James W. Preston, John S. Gaines, George M. Bachman, Rev. S. D.
Grimes, Hon. A. McClellan, A. B. Tipton, General James Dulaney,
Eli Marsh, Cyrus King, D. Willoughby, Benjamin Pemberton,
David McClellan, James Crockett, John G. King, William Willoughby,
John L. Keys, William Odell, Leander G. Dryden and
Leander M. King.

Jefferson county—William F. Anderson and Samuel N. Fain.

Green county—John McGaughey, Peter Earnest and Colonel
Loyd Pilghman, Chief Engineer of the Tennessee and Virginia
Railroad.

Washington county—Dr. Samuel B. Cunningham, Colonel Landon
C. Haynes, Hon. Seth J. Lucky, William G. Gammon, Joseph
S. Rhea, Samuel D. Mitchell, Isaac McPherson, Henry Young,
George Grisham, John A. Wilds, William H. Crouch, Albert S.
Graham and Colonel A. E. Jackson.

McMinn—Thomas L. Preston, W. Y. C. White and Colonel William
King Heiskell as alternates.

Monroe county—Colonel William King Heiskell.

Carter county—N. J. Taylor, Colonel William C. Emmert and
Nathaniel M. Taylor, Esq.

Caldwell county, North Carolina—Colonel William A. Lenoir.

Huntsville, Alabama—Dr. L. B. Sheffey.

The chair appointed Messrs. W. Robertson and C. F. Trigg to
conduct the president-elect to the chair, who promptly and cheerfully
performed that duty, when the president indulged in a few
brief and eloquent remarks explanatory of the object of the convention,
and closed by calling upon the president of the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad Company (General O. G. Clay) for an
exposition of the condition and prospects of the work.

General Clay, having complied, stated that but the comparatively
insignificant sum of $200,000 was wanting to complete the work
from Lynchburg to the Tennessee line. On motion of C. F. Trigg,
Esq., Professor Edmund Longley, who was present, and who had
been appointed a delegate to this convention, by a meeting of the
students of Emory and Henry College, was invited to take a seat
and participate in the deliberations of the convention.

It was moved by Wyndham Robertson, Esq., that a committee
of seven be appointed to prepare a series of resolutions for the consideration
of this convention; whereupon the president appointed
the following gentlemen said committee: W. Robertson, Esq., Dr.
S. B. Cunningham, Colonel S. E. Goodson, Hon. A. McClellan,
Thomas L. Preston, Esq., Captain J. A. Campbell and William
King Heiskell, Esq.

The committee having retired, in response to a call made upon
him, Colonel L. C. Haynes, of Tennessee, entertained the audience

for more than an hour, with a most thrilling, eloquent and
unanswerable address, in advocacy of this great improvement; at
the close of which (the committee not having returned), Colonel
William M. Burwell, of Bedford, was loudly called for and briefly,
but eloquently, addressed the convention.

The committee returned, but not having accomplished their
work,

On motion, the convention adjourned till to-morrow morning at
ten o'clock.

The convention, in pursuance of adjournment yesterday, assembled
at ten o'clock.

A number of ladies were present on the morning of the second
day, blessing and cheering the members of the convention and those
in attendance, with their smiles and presence, urging us on to
renewed efforts in behalf of this great work, for their sakes, at least,
if not for our own.

Colonel John McGaughey, being called upon for that purpose,
occupied the stand for a short time, during which he advocated
the speedy completion of this great railroad line, and deprecated
that want of energy and nerve that has lost to so many forlorn
bachelors a prize worth more than all the gold of California; and
the lack of which is so detrimental to the interests of our great
railroad.

After Mr. McGaughey concluded, the committee appointed yesterday,
through its chairman, Wyndham Robertson, Esq., submitted
the following resolutions—viz.:

Resolved, That all history has shown, and all experience still
attests, that an easy and convenient means of intercourse between
men and of a ready interchange of the products of labor, if not the
main spring, is yet the indispensable condition of human progress
and national power, and of all the ameliorations, social, moral,
political and material, that follow in their train.

Resolved, That from the introduction of railroads to the present
day, a like unvarying experience, wherever they have been tried,
has fully established their vast and yet unrealized importance to
the cause of civilization and of natural and individual wealth—
outstripping in their results, year after year, all previous calculations
of their capacity for usefulness, and that, in view of the overwhelming
array of concurrent proof, we feel authorized to declare,

that, in our opinion, the value of the railroad is no more than the
value of light and heat, of the steamboat or mariner's compass, open
to question.

Resolved, That among the projected railway communications of
the day, we recognize the great southwestern national route—passing
through Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee—which purposes
to connect, through the most favorable depression of the Alleghanies,
the waters and people of the West and South with the
waters and people of the East and North, which, in particular, by
the most direct location possible across the Union connects New
Orleans with the seat of the national government and the eastern
cities, and which promises at no distant day to offer the most direct
practicable connection between our Pacific and Atlantic borders,
as second in importance to no other, exerting, as it must, a great
and most beneficent influence on all the great interests of our country—commercial,
social and political.

Resolved, That the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad and the
East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, occupying the very throat
of the pass between the West and East, form a most interesting
portion of this great line and must largely share in the mighty
results to flow from it; and yet more, because, viewed in its local
aspects, their result must inevitably be to augment production,
cheapen transportation, increase population and diffuse knowledge,
they pre-eminently deserve the fostering care of the States in
which they lie, and present the strongest claims on them and on the
people along the line, to a most liberal support.

Resolved, That, connected by the strong ties of vicinage with
our sister State of Tennessee and by the bond of a common interest
in the prosecution of this great line of improvement, this convention
feels at liberty and does most earnestly appeal to the authorities
of the State to lend their liberal aid and coöperation to our
fellow-citizens of East Tennessee, who are now laboring, with inadequate
means, but enlightened and patriotic spirit, to construct the
East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad.

Resolved, That the Legislature of Virginia, by its generous participation
in the expenses of the construction of the Virginia and
Tennessee Railroad, by the liberal charter granted it and by the
wise policy it encourages by authorized county subscriptions to
public works, has well and wisely discharged a high public duty,

and receive the merited tribute of the acknowledgments of this
convention.

Resolved, That while we consider the ultimate completion and
triumphant success of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad as
beyond all contingency, we yet deem its early construction throughout
the line to its western terminus to be of the highest importance,
and to insure that, it is only necessary to put forth renewed exertions;
that we entertain no doubt whatever of the great value of its
stock, and, confidently recommending it as a safe and valuable
investment, we earnestly invite present subscribers, so far as they
can, to enlarge their subscriptions, and particularly appeal to those
who are able to aid in the enterprise and situated so as necessarily to
share its benefits, but who from whatever reasons have heretofore
held back, now that its final completion is certain, to come up to the
work and no longer refuse to share its preliminary burdens.

Resolved, That we recommend the appointment of committees
for the various counties interested in this improvement to solicit
individual subscriptions and a standing central committee in the
county of Washington, and that such subscriptions be on the condition
that steps be taken by the company during the present fall
to place the road under contract through its whole length.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this convention, the counties
along the line of the road will derive benefits from a subscription
to the road in increased wages to the laborer, increased prices of the
farming products and lands, in the increased amount of circulating
money, in increased variety of employments, and the early and permanent
reduction of county taxes, so great as to render a small temporary
provision for any required loan scarcely felt as a burden,
and felt in all time after as the source of unmixed benefits.

Resolved, That the company shall apply its present resources first
to completing and putting in operation the first division terminating
at Salem; secondly, the grading and masonry of remaining
divisions to the Tennessee line; relying upon the remaining
resources after the said grading and masonry shall have been completed
and upon further subscriptions to purchase the iron necestion.

Resolved, That we deem the uninterrupted prosecution and earliest
possible completion of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad to
be commended by every consideration of sound policy; that we

applaud the energetic policy which has heretofore marked its management,
and express the undoubting confidence that a persistence
in it will insure within a period of three years from this day its
triumphant consummation.

A call being made for Hon. William Ballard Preston, he arose
and took the stand and entertained a large and attentive audience
for two or three hours, with a speech of great force and eloquence,
in which he showed the importance of this road, not only as a local
or State work, but as a great national work, and as an important
link in the great chain of railway communication that is destined to
convey the productions of the Eastern Hemisphere to Europe, and
to the Eastern shores of this country.

On motion the convention adjourned until this evening at half
past four o'clock.

EVENING SESSION.

The first business in order was the report of the Committee on
Resolutions, but before any action was taken thereon, a call was
made on the "distinguished gentleman from Bedford," Mr. William
M. Burwell, who entertained the convention for more than two
hours with a masterly address in favor of the great line from New
Orleans to Norfolk.

The convention now took a recess for one hour. On reassembling
at candle-light, Sidney Baxter, Esq., having appeared as a delegate
from the city of Richmond and being introduced to the convention,
proceeded to address it for a short time.

After Mr. Baxter "wound up," the resolutions of the Committee
on Business coming up in order, they were unanimously adopted.

Thomas L. Preston, Esq., then introduced the following resolution:

Secretaries.

On the 24th of November, 1851, the county court, upon motion
of the president and directors of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Company, appointed James Edmondson, John Eakin, James
Orr, Michael W. Withers and James K. Lowry commissioners to
ascertain a just compensation to the owners of lands upon the line
of the proposed railroad through this county.

The election at which the question of voting the subscription to
the railroad was considered was held on June 1, 1852, a considerable
majority of the citizens of the county voting for said subscription.

The advocates of the subscription held public meetings at the

six precincts in Washington county on the day of the election, at
which meetings the following gentlemen addressed the people:
follows:

Abingdon, Colonel S. E. Goodson.

Three Springs, C. F. Trigg.

Jones's Mill, J. H. Earnest.

Meek's, Dr. N. Snead.

Ward's Store, A. C. Cummings.

Fleenor's, J. A. Campbell.

The county court of this county on the 28th of June, 1852, subscribed,
on behalf of the county of Washington, $33,400 for three
hundred and thirty-four shares of the stock of the Virginia and
Tennessee Railroad Company, and appointed William Y. C. White
the agent for said county to subscribe said sum in three annual
instalments of $11,1331/3 each, and authorized the said agent to
issue the bonds of the county payable twenty years after date bearing
six per cent. interest from date, and to sell the same for the
purpose of paying the subscription to the railroad, the said bonds
to bear interest from June 28, 1854.

The railroad was completed to the town of Abingdon in the fall
of the year 1856.

At the February term, 1852, of the County Court of Washington
county, Virginia, Green, a slave, the property of Thomas Wilson,
was tried, convicted and sentenced to be hung for the murder of
Tom, a slave, the property of William Y. C. White, but, by a subsequent
order of the court, his sentence was commuted and he was
transported from the Commonwealth. In the spring of the same
year, Campbell and Benjamin Smith were arrested, and, at the
April court, were tried for rape. Campbell Smith was sentenced
to be hung, and on the 23d of October, 1852, was executed pursuant
to his sentence. An account of the execution is here given:

"Campbell Smith, a free negro, was hung yesterday (Friday)
near this place, in pursuance of the sentence pronounced upon him
by his Honor, Judge Hopkins, at the late term of the Circuit Court
for this county.

The crime of which Campbell Smith was found guilty was one
of so heinous and diabolical a character, committed as it was by
two stout negroes, and upon a young respectable white girl, that
but little sympathy was manifested for the prisoner by any one

present. The culprit himself seemed indifferent to his fate, almost
as much as many of those present to witness his execution.

He was taken from the jail about twelve o'clock and followed to
the place of execution by between 3,000 and 4,000 people. After
arriving at the gallows, the Rev. George R. Barr, at the request of
the prisoner, engaged in a short and appropriate religious service
with him, having previously addressed a few remarks to the large
crowd assembled around the gallows. The prisoner stated, through
Mr. Barr, that he became religious six years ago, and continued
faithful for four years, when in an evil hour, through the influence
of intoxicating liquor, he lost the image of his Maker, and now
found himself condemned to die for an offense which he told Mr.
Barr, had it been committed by another, he would call as loudly
as any in the crowd for his execution.

He said he died at peace with all the world and trusted in the
mercy and forgiveness of the Saviour of the world. He struggled
for some time after the wagon was driven from under him.

On the 25th of July, 1853, the County Court of Washington
county, on behalf of the county, subscribed $4,000 to the old courthouse
and Abingdon turnpike, and appointed Jacob Lynch the
agent of the county to make said subscription, and on the 23d day
of October, 1854, the court subscribed $2,250 to the Abingdon and
Pattonville turnpike, and appointed C. S. Bekem the agent of the
county to make the subscription.

At this time in our history the attention of our public men
was, to a great extent, directed to the internal improvement of
the country, to the building of turnpikes, MacAdam roads and railroads.

At the August term, 1853, of the County Court of this county,
Peter C. Johnson, A. C. Cummings, I. A. McQuown, Andrew
Edmondson and Washington Bishop were appointed commissioners
to run and mark the boundary line between the counties of Washington
and Grayson, and in the month of October these commissioners
made their report, which was received and recorded on the 29th
day of November, 1853.

Among the public improvements that attracted the attention of
the people of Southwest Virginia, and the one that was of greater
importance to this section of Virginia than all others combined, was
the Southwestern Turnpike road.

On the 28th of January, 1846, the General Assembly of Virginia
incorporated the Southwestern Turnpike road, which road was
to be a MacAdamized road from Salem, Virginia, by the way of
Christiansburg, Newbern, Wytheville, Marion and Abingdon to the
Tennessee line, and appropriated seventy-five thousand dollars to
carry into effect the object of the act.

The said road was to be graded to a width not less than twenty-four
feet, and to be MacAdamized to a width not less than twenty-two
feet.

This act provided for the condemnation of the lands over which
the road was to pass, said road to be, at no point, on a grade
exceeding three degrees.

An engineer, who was also to be superintendent of the road, was
to be selected by the president and directors of said company, and
it was made the duty of the engineer to make all contracts for the
opening and constructing of said road, erecting bridges and whatever
else was necessary for finishing the same, but all such contracts
were to be approved by the president and directors of said
company.

The construction of this road was begun during the same year
and the work upon the road was carried on with commendable
speed until the year 1848.

In January of this year, the road had been completed as far
as Wytheville, and there was an urgent demand for its immediate
completion to the Tennessee line, by the citizens living in the counties
of Smyth, Wythe, Washington and Scott, and the General
Assembly on the 17th of January, 1848, appropriated the sum of
three hundred thousand dollars to complete said road, not exceeding
seventy-five thousand dollars of said sum to be expended in
any one year.

The superintendent and engineer of the Southwestern Turnpike
let the contract from Wytheville west to the Tennessee line to
William L. Lewis, and this contract was approved by the president
and directors of said company in the fall of the year 1848. At the
fall session of the General Assembly in the year 1848, and, on the
day of the approval of said contract as above stated, E. R. Watson,
a member of the General Assembly from Albemarle county, introduced
a resolution in the Legislature to suspend the work upon the
Southwestern road west of Wytheville. A large majority of the

Legislature were in favor of the resolution, but in view of the fact
that the Board of Public Works had signed a contract for the construction
of this road, the resolution was defeated and work was
continued upon the road.

Fifty thousand dollars of the public money appropriated for the
construction of this road was paid to William L. Lewis, the contractor,
but for some reason, which cannot now be explained, the
work of constructing said road was delayed, and but little progress
was made until the year 1851.

The road was surveyed and located to the Tennessee line by the
spring of 1850.

By an Act of the Assembly adopted on the 29th of March, 1851,
it was provided that unless William L. Lewis, the contractor,
should complete a section of the road twenty miles west of Wytheville
by the first day of April, 1851, it should be the duty of the
Board of Public Works within ninety days thereafter to take legal
steps upon the bond of the said Lewis and his sureties to recover
damages for his default, with the proviso that the sureties of the
said Lewis might become undertakers to complete the twenty miles
of road according to the tenor of the said contract, and in that
case action on the bond of the said Lewis should be suspended for
one year.

This same Act provided that, should the said William L. Lewis,
abandon or forfeit any other portion of his contract for constructing
the said road to the Tennessee line, the Board of Public Works
were directed and instructed to relet said road to the sureties of the
said William L. Lewis. And in the event the said sureties did not
become the undertakers of said road under this act, the Board of
Public Works should not give the said Lewis any further time to
complete his contract, but should, so soon as any part of his contract
for constructing said road is abandoned or forfeited, proceed
forthwith to relet the same in sections of not more than five miles.

As a result of this act, Lewis, or his sureties, completed said
MacAdamized road as far west as Seven-Mile Ford in Smyth county,
Virginia.

Such was the condition of affairs on the 5th day of April, 1851,
at which time a resolution was offered by Colonel Hopkins, directing
the Board of Public Works to relet said road, to which resolution

Mr. Stovall, a member of the Legislature, offered the following
substitute:

"Resolved, by the General Assembly, That the Board of Public
Works be and they are hereby authorized and required to suspend
the further construction of the Southwestern Turnpike road, except
so much as may be necessary to finish any intermediate sections
between the eastern part of said road which has been finished, and
the extreme western part of said road upon which the contractors
may have commenced work."

This substitute was eloquently and energetically opposed by Colonels
Hopkins and Imboden, but was adopted by a vote of fifty-two
to forty-four, and the friends of the road were unable to obtain
a reconsideration of the vote.

A number of unsuccessful efforts were made by the friends of
this road to have work on the same resumed, but without success.

The newspapers of Abingdon charged that Governor Johnson
and the Board of Public Works were responsible for the suspension
of work upon this road, and Governor Floyd was severely censured
for his course in the matter. The road was never completed west
of Seven-Mile Ford, and while Southwest Virginia and Washington
county have had to bear their portion of the great public
debt created for public improvements previous to 1860, they have
received no benefit therefrom.

The failure to complete this road has been attributed to different
causes, among the number being:

First. The anticipated construction of the Virginia and Tennessee
Railroad.

Second. The principles actuating Governor Johnson and his
advisers, which principles were opposed to internal improvements
by the Commonwealth and favored a strict construction of the
Constitution of the Commonwealth.

Third. The indisposition of the representatives from Eastern
Virginia to interest themselves in the welfare of Western Virginia.

It will be nothing more than an act of justice to this section of
Virginia, if the General Assembly of Virginia should yet complete
this road.

In the year 1855 the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company
decided to build a branch railway from Glade Spring to Saltville,
to be known as the Saltworks Branch, and on the 27th day of

February, on motion of the railroad company, the county court
appointed William A. Preston, Lewis F. Cosby, Isaac Horne, James
Orr and Pleasant Smith commissioners for the purpose of ascertaining
a just compensation to the owners of the lands through
which the Saltworks Branch would pass. This road was built
shortly thereafter and the town of Glade Spring had its beginning.

About this time, at the instance of John M. Preston, a number
of citizens contributed a sum of money sufficient to MacAdamize the
main road leading east from Abingdon to near the railroad crossing
at McConnell's Switch. Some evidence of this work is still to be
seen.

On the 23d of July, 1855, the county court of this county, upon
receipt of information of the death of Samuel Logan, who had for

Samuel Logan.

many years been the very efficient attorney for
the Commonwealth in this county, adopted the
following resolutions:

"Resolved, That in the removal from amongst
us of Samuel Logan by an all-wise Providence,
this court has been deprived of an able and efficient
officer, the members of the bar of a courteous
and gentlemanly practitioner, the community
of a laborious, able and well-informed lawyer,
and his family of a kind and indulgent husband
and father.

"Resolved, That the court, its officers and the members of the
bar extend their warmest sympathies to the bereaved widow and
children of the deceased in this most afflicting dispensation of Divine
Providence.

"Resolved, That these resolutions be entered upon the minutes
of the court, and that the clerk furnish a copy thereof to Mrs.
Logan, and also to each of the newspapers of Abingdon for publication."

Nothing of any importance occurred until November, 1858, at
which time John S. Mosby, who had settled in the town of Goodson,
qualified to practice law in the courts of this county.

The abolition sentiment in the meantime was fast obtaining
prominence throughout the Union, and by the fall of the year 1860
excitement was at fever heat, and the feeling between the sections
had grown to such an extent that war was inevitable.

The Democratic Convention held in this year for the purpose
of nominating a candidate for President was not harmonious, and
as a result three candidates for President were nominated by three
different conventions held by the Democratic party, viz., John C.
Breckenridge, John Bell, and Stephen A. Douglas, while Abraham
Lincoln was nominated by the Republican party.

The campaign preceding the election was exceedingly bitter, and
the election resulted in favor of Lincoln and the Republican party.
The effect of the election of Lincoln was to create great excitement
throughout the South and advocates of secession, peaceable,
if possible, by force, if necessary, were heard and applauded
throughout the Southern States; but such were not the sentiments
of the people of Washington county.

Four hundred patriots from the county of Washington had assisted
in the erection of the Union. Their descendants long hesitated
before lending their assistance to any movement that had for
its object the dissolution of that Union and they did not give their
consent nor lend their assistance to the movement until President
Lincoln called upon the States for seventy-five thousand men
to invade and overcome the Southern country.

It must not be understood from what is here stated that the people
of this county were unanimous in their opposition to secession,
for it is a fact that numbers of our citizens were strong advocates
of secession from the beginning.

War Between the States—1861-1865.

In the month of December, 1860, or January, 1861, a volunteer
company was organized in Abingdon and was known as the Washington
Mounted Riflemen, and the county court of this county,
on the 29th of January, 1861, entered an order permitting this
company to use and occupy the rooms on the third floor of the
courthouse as an armory, and from this time on, during the spring
and summer of the year 1861, the sole theme of conversation was
the organization of companies of volunteers and preparations for
war.

At the election for members of the General Assembly in the year
1859 George W. Hopkins and Jacob Lynch were elected to the
Assembly from Washington county, and Ben Rush Floyd, of the
county of Wythe, was elected to the Senate from this district, but
Jacob Lynch soon thereafter became president of the Exchange

Bank of Abingdon, Va., resigned his seat in the Assembly, and
Dr. A. R. Preston was elected to fill the vacancy.

The one subject that engrossed the Assembly at its meeting in
the year 1860-1861 was the secession of the Southern States from
the Union, and on the 14th of January, 1861, the General Assembly
called a convention and directed that an election be held
on the 4th day of February, 1861, to select delegates to the convention
thus called.

This Act directed that the sense of the qualified voters be taken
as to whether any action of said convention dissolving the connection
of the State with the Federal Union or changing the organic
laws of the State should be submitted to the people for ratification
or rejection. In other words, the Legislature, by submitting to
the voters at this time the last question stated, did so for the purpose
of securing their ratification of the action of this convention
in advance of any action by the convention.

The candidates for the position of delegates to this convention
from Washington county were: John A. Campbell and Robert E.
Grant opposed to secession, and William Y. C. White for secession.
The result of the election held on the 4th of February, 1861,
was an overwhelming triumph for Campbell and Grant, the vote
in this county being as follows:

WASHINGTON COUNTY—Official.

                                         

	WAIT-A-BIT.		SECESSION.
Precincts.	Campbell.	Grant.	White.	Floyd.	Ref.	No Ref.
Courthouse	307	236	154	79	209	92
Clark's Mills	11	9	13	13	10	13
Davis'	36	34	18	16	35	17
Waterman's	121	113	33	30	120	27
Three Springs	173	169	61	60	169	60
Gobble's	83	83	10	9	92	1
Craig's Mill	125	125	4	21	127	1
Worley's	103	92	13	00	105	00
Williams'	48	26	28	4	47	6
Morell's	48	39	39	37	62	14
Fullen's	58	54	32	38	59	34
Matt Clark's	56	19	69	90	50	68
Kelley's	51	50	33	33	52	32
DeBusk's	75	74	17	18	69	19
Arch. Orr's	64	64	41	39	61	43
Miller's	122	119	34	37	119	31
Good Hope	9	7	2	1	9	1
Green Spring	65	62	21	23	66	17
	1555	1375	622	529	1551	476

While Governor Floyd was not a candidate, he was voted for
in this election, being a strong advocate of secession, and Secretary
of War in the cabinet of President Buchanan.

It will be observed from an inspection of the returns from this
election that the people of the county were overwhelmingly opposed
to secession and to permitting the convention to proclaim
its action without referring the same to the people.

At this time South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama
and Georgia had adopted ordinances of secession, and excitement
was at fever heat.

At the February court following this election a tremendous
crowd of people were in Abingdon, and an incident occurred that
might, under other circumstances, have definitely fixed the sentiment
of the people of this county against secession and have placed
this section within the State of West Virginia.

A few over-zealous advocates of secession on the morning of the
day in question obtained a Confederate flag and placed it upon a
rope stretched across Main street from the residence of John D.
Mitchell to what is known as the White House, on the south side
of the street.

When the presence of this flag was observed it greatly enraged
the citizens of the county who were opposed to secession, and William
B. Clark,[2] one of the best and bravest men this county has
ever produced, proposed to the anti-secession men present that
they immediately tear down what he termed "that d—d rag," saying,
"Boys, it is not the flag of our fathers," and immediately proceeded
to execute his threat.

At the same time the advocates of secession appeared, and war
seemed imminent, but by the advice and counsel of Joseph T.
Campbell, Judge Campbell, Charles S. Bekem, and others the disturbance
was quelled.

It is proper to be stated at this point that as soon as Virginia
had seceded from the Union and the homes of our people were
threatened with invasion, the men who that day proposed to tear
down the Confederate flag were the first to enlist in the service of
their State, were the bravest in battle and the last to surrender,
William B. Clark himself dying in the service of his country.

The convention assembled in the city of Richmond on the 13th
day of February, 1861, and on the 17th of April, 1861, by a vote
of 81 to 51, adopted an ordinance to repeal the ratification of the
Constitution of the United States by the State of Virginia, and
to resume all the rights and powers granted under said Constitution.
This act of the convention was submitted to the people for
ratification at an election held on the fourth Thursday of May,
1861, at which election the ordinance of secession was ratified.
Washington county voted for the ratification by an overwhelming
majority. On the 15th of June, 1861, the convention agreed to a
permanent Constitution for the State, but this Constitution, when
submitted to the people, was rejected by a small majority, and the
Constitution of 1850 remained the fundamental law of the State.

The convention that adopted the ordinance of secession elected
five gentlemen to represent Virginia in the Confederate Congress,
then in session at Montgomery, Alabama, Judge Waller R. Staples
being the representative from this section of Virginia.

While the delegates from Washington county sent to Richmond
were opposed to secession, they afterwards voted in favor of the
ordinance of secession in view of the course pursued by President
Lincoln and his cabinet.

In the month of March President Jefferson Davis formed his
cabinet, which was confirmed by the Senate of the Confederate
States, and was composed of the following gentlemen: Robert
Toombs, C. C. Memminger, L. P. Walker, S. R. Mallory, J. H.
Reagan and J. P. Benjamin.

On the 24th of December, 1860, the county court of Washington
county, upon motion of the president and directors of the Virginia
and Kentucky Railroad Company, appointed James L. Davis, L.
L. Waterman, John Gobble, Roland T. Legard and William Fields
commissioners to ascertain a just compensation to a number of
land owners through whose land said road was proposed to be
constructed, and these commissioners made their report to the
county court on the 24th of February, 1861. This was the inception
of the efforts that resulted in the building of the Virginia
and Southwestern railroad from Bristol to Big Stone Gap.

At the January term of the county court in 1861 the court gave
permission to Thaddeus Harris, Samuel Merchant, Barbary Beverly
and Senah Richmond, free persons of color, to remain in the

county for the space of ninety days for the purpose of settling
their business, the authorities having theretofore required all free
persons of color to leave the county, but, notwithstanding this provision,
many free persons of color remained in the county throughout
the entire war by having some responsible white man stand
security for their good behavior.

At the April term of the court of this county the sum of fifteen
thousand dollars was voted by the county court for the purpose of
securing necessary supplies for the support, equipment and arming
of the volunteer companies of the county, which companies were at
that time being formed, and James K. Gibson, William Y. C.
White, John W. Johnson, T. G. McConnell, James C. Greenway
and Thomas S. Stuart were appointed a committee and authorized
to borrow said money and to issue the bonds of the county for
the same, said bonds to be paid in one, two and three years, or upon
longer time if said committee should think proper.

At the May term of the county court the court adopted a plan to
police the county for the protection of the citizens, the order of
the court being as follows:

1st. The magistracy of this county shall constitute a vigilance
committee, who shall be always on the alert and at all times more
prompt and active than ever in the performance of their duties
under the law in the protection of the rights and interests of the
citizens.

2d. The county court shall have control over all measures of
home protection and defence.

3d. There shall be a central vigilance committee in each district,
composed of four magistrates and two other discreet gentlemen,
to be appointed by the court within the bounds of every
district. This committee shall have power to direct and dispense
all measures of protection and defence within the sphere of their
actions, and make a report in writing at least once a month to
the county court of all matters worthy of note.

4th. There shall be one or more volunteer companies of not
less than forty men within each district to be commanded by a captain
and two lieutenants and four sergeants, respectively, which
officers shall be selected by the men of the companies and confirmed
by the court. Each man shall be armed with his own rifle, musket
or shot-gun, or with arms of like character, loaned or furnished

him by the citizens of each district from the house, stock or lands
or otherwise. In like manner he to furnish or have procured to
him a sufficiency of ammunition. The companies shall be divided
into two platoons, extending from the center to the extremities of
the district as nearly as practicable, and shall act as a general patrol
within the proper bounds and under their proper officers
at least once a week, performing alternate turns of duty. The
company, or companies, of the district shall assemble semi-monthly
at some central point, under the command of the captain, for the
purpose of drill and instruction. At these meetings a report of
the general operations of the company, and especially the condition
of things within the districts as regards the peace, security
and good order of the ctiizens, shall be made to the captain, and by
him reduced to writing and forwarded to the central committee.

5th. The district committee shall have power to order out, when
in their opinion deemed necessary, an additional police to act independently
of, or in conjunction with, the armed police.

6th. The needy families of all the volunteers absent in the service
of the State shall be provided for, and with this view the
magistrates of each district shall be appointed by the court a committee
whose duty it will be to inquire into the condition and necessities
of said families, and provide at once for the same, if necessary,
and report in writing to the next and every succeeding county
court, and thereupon the proper allowance will be made.

7th. In the event of invasion or for the purpose of suppressing
insurrections within the county, this court will at once proceed to
appoint a field officer, who shall be empowered to call out and
command the voluntary forces provided for, or so much thereof
as may in his opinion be deemed necessary for the purpose of repelling
such invasions or suppressing such insurrection.

The court then proceeded to the appointment of the additional
committee under the third clause, and thereupon John L. Bradley
and Jacob Neff were appointed in district No. 1; Henry Roberts
and Francis Preston, in district No. 2; John Gobble and A. M.
Apling, in district No. 3; Jeriel D. Linder and John J. Scott, in
district No. 4; Alex. G. Thompson and David M. Stuart, in district
No. 5; Benj. K. Buchanan and Robert B. Edmondson, in
district No. 6; Andrew Edmondson and James Kelly, in district

No. 7; Thomas M. Preston and John Eakin, in district No. 8;
Robert L. Berry and Lilburn O. Byars, in district No. 9.

The court then unanimously elected James T. Preston colonel
or field officer under the seventh clause.

A number of muskets had been furnished the county by the
State authorities early in the year, and had been distributed
throughout the county, but in such a manner as to render them of
little value to the authorities, and at the May term of the court
the sheriff of the county was directed to collect and deposit them
in Abingdon.

During the spring and summer of 1861 ten companies were organized
in Washington county, which were officered as follows:

The Washington Mounted Rifles—Captain William E. Jones.

The Mountain Boys—Captain William White.

The Glade Spring Rifles—Captain R. P. Carson.

Washington Independents—Captain Dr. James L. White.

Company B, Forty-eighth Virginia Regiment—Captain Milton
White.

Company I, Forty-eighth Virginia Regiment Captain James
C. Campbell.

Company H, Thirty-seventh Virginia Regiment—Captain Robert
E. Grant.

Goodson Rifle Guards—Captain John F. Terry.

Floyd Blues—Captain David C. Dunn.

Company F, Forty-eighth Virginia Regiment—Captain D. A. P.
Campbell.

The Washington Mounted Rifles were sent to First Virginia Cavalry,
Stuart's command, while the companies of Captains Terry, Carson,
Grant, James L. White and William White formed a part of the
Thirty-seventh regiment, commanded by Colonel Samuel V. Fulkerson,
and the companies officered by D. A. P. Campbell, James C.
Campbell and Milton White formed a part of the Forty-eighth regiment,
commanded by Colonel John A. Campbell, of Abingdon, and
D. C. Dunn's company formed a part of Floyd's Brigade. Captain A.
C. Cummings was commissioned colonel by a committee composed
of Governor Letcher, Judge Allen and Francis Smith, in the
month of May, 1861, and was ordered to report at once to General
Jackson at Harper's Ferry, which he did, and was there assigned
to the command of the Second regiment, afterwards the Tenth Virginia

regiment, but was soon thereafter placed in command of the
Thirty-third Virginia regiment.

At the June term of the county court Thomas G. McConnell
was appointed by the court to visit all the volunteer companies
from this county then in the service of the State or thereafter to
be formed, and to provide for their wants out of any money that
might be in the hands of the committee appointed by the court at the
April term.

About this time Charles Eckerbusch was arrested and committed
to jail upon the suspicion that he was not true to the institutions
of the South, but was discharged by the court upon his taking
the following oaths, to-wit:

"I declare myself a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia,
and solemnly swear that I will be faithful and true to the said
Commonwealth, and will support the Constitution thereof so long
as I continue to be a citizen thereof, so help me God."

"I do solemnly swear that I will obey all orders of the legally
constituted authorities of the State of Virginia and of the Confederate
States, and that I will in no wise give aid and comfort to
the enemies of the State or Confederate States either directly or indirectly,
so help me God."

On Sunday night, September 1, 1861, at about 10 o'clock a collision
occurred on the railroad, about one mile west of Abingdon,
between trains loaded with troops. The first train, carrying a part
of the second regiment of the Polish Brigade from Louisiana, was
ascending the grade west of the depot when a shackle pin broke,
and the cars descended to the level at the bridge over Wolf creek.
At this time the second train, heavily loaded with soldiers, ran
into the front section at the bridge, the result being one soldier
killed and seventeen wounded, one of the wounded soldiers afterwards
dying. The wounded soldiers were removed to the houses
of the Rev. James McChain, Messrs. T. G. McConnell, J. M. Ropp,
and Judge S. V. Fulkerson, and were attended by Drs. Preston,
Barr, Heiskell and Pitts.

On the 28th of October, 1861, the county court of this county
appropriated an additional sum of $2,500 for the purpose of supplying
the volunteers of this county in the service of the Confederate
States, and directed the committee theretofore appointed to
borrow said sum of money and apply it to the purposes mentioned,

At the same term of the court William B. Dickenson was appointed
quartermaster for the eastern and John M. Hamilton for
the western district of the county, and they were directed to aid
the committee appointed by the court in applying the sums above
voted to the purposes directed.

On Thursday, November 6, 1861, an election was held throughout
the Confederate States for President, Vice-President and members
of Congress. Jefferson Davis and Alexander H. Stephens had
no opposition for the offices of President and Vice-President of
the Confederate States of America, but in this district the Hon.
Walter Preston, of Abingdon, and the Hon. Fayette McMullen, of
Scott county, were opposing candidates.

Polls were opened at all the voting precincts in the county, and,
in addition thereto, at Camp Dickenson, Camp Cooper and at the
Confederate camp at Abingdon, soldiers being stationed in this
county at the places mentioned.

Preston was elected a member of the Confederate Congress by a
considerable majority.

On the 25th of March, 1862, the sheriff and his deputies and the
commissioners of the revenue were directed to enroll, as soon as
possible, all able-bodied free negroes in the county and report the
same to the clerk of the court.

By this time the families of the absent soldiers were beginning
to feel the burden of the war, and a number of the wealthier citizens
of the county by voluntary contributions undertook to relieve
their situation. The following citizens contributed the sums set
opposite their names to this cause:

       

1862.	April 28.	Henry Preston,	$ 300 00
1862.	April 28.	Stuart, Buchanan & Co.,	1,000 00
1862.	Dec. 22.	Mrs. Wyndham Robertson,	100 00
1863.	Oct. 26.	Wyndham Robertson,	500 00

The General Assembly of Virginia, on the 29th of March, 1862,
passed an Act authorizing the counties to issue notes of less denomination
than five dollars, and the county court of this county, on
the 28th of April, 1862, deciding to avail itself of the advantages
of this law, appointed a committee, consisting of James K. Gibson,
Thomas G. McConnell and William King Heiskell, to ascertain
and report to the court,

First. A design for said notes.

Second. Whether a supply of suitable paper could be procured
and on what terms.

Third. The terms upon which said notes could be printed and
the amount and denomination of the notes necessary to be issued.

This committee on the following day made their report, which
report was filed, and, upon consideration of said report, the county
court ordered that this county issue $15,000 of these notes of the
following denominations and amounts:

Nine thousand ten-cent notes.

Six thousand fifteen-cent notes.

Eighteen thousand twenty-five-cent notes.

Three thousand four hundred and fifty one-dollar notes.

Six thousand fifty-cent notes.

Three thousand seventy-five-cent notes.

The form of said notes as prescribed by the court is shown by
the fac-simile of a one-dollar note and a twenty-five-cent note.

John G. Kreger, clerk, whose name appears to said notes, was
required by the court to issue the same as soon as practicable, and
was appointed treasurer for the purpose of exchanging said notes
for other funds to pay the indebtedness of the county.

The court, on the 24th of June, directed the clerk not to issue
the ten-cent notes as provided for by their former order, but to
issue twenty-one thousand six hundred notes of the denomination
of twenty-five cents instead of eighteen thousand as provided
by their former order, and John G. Kreger, the clerk, on the 24th
of February, 1863, was allowed one thousand dollars for issuing
and redeeming said notes.

On Tuesday, the 4th of April, 1862, a company of Confederate
soldiers was organized in Abingdon, to which was given the name
of the Abingdon Confederates. This company was officered as
follows:

Captain, William L. Hunter.

First Lieutenant, Milton W. Humes.

Second Lieutenant, William McChesney.

Third Lieutenant, James H. Smith.

This was Company A, and formed a part of the Sixty-third Regiment,
Virginia Volunteers.

On the 11th day of April, 1862, the Methodist Protestant church
and the Protestant Episcopal church of Abingdon delivered the
bells used by the respective churches to the ordinance department
of the Confederate States for use in manufacturing cannon, and
on the 25th of April of the same year the Presbyterian and Methodist
Episcopal churches, South, performed a like service.

In the spring of the year 1862, the armies of the Confederate
States were reorganized, and upon the reorganization of the Thirty-seventh
and Forty-eighth regiments Colonels Fulkerson and Campbell,
as well as Lieutenant-Colonels Carson and Garnett, were reelected.
Major Williams was re-elected in the Thirty-seventh, and
Captain James C. Campbell, of Abingdon, succeeded Major Stuart
in the Forty-eighth regiment.

In the companies there was a considerable change as follows:

Captain Grant was succeeded by Sergeant Duff.

Captain William White was succeeded by Lieutenant B. P. Morrison.

Captain James L. White was succeeded by Captain James Vance

and Captain Vance was succeeded by Sergeant T. M. Gobble.
Captain Milton White was succeeded by Lieutenant W. Y. C.
Hannum. Captain D. A. P. Campbell was succeeded by Lieutenant
W. T. Greenway.

At the October term of the county court, in the year, 1862, the
court appointed agents in the several magisterial districts of this
county to solicit subscriptions in their districts of articles of clothing,
shoes, etc., for the use of the volunteers in the service of the
Confederacy.

At this time a great scarcity of salt prevailed in the county as
a result of the State authorities taking charge of the salt works,
and the county court appointed John N. Humes a committee to
correspond with Governor Letcher and seek to have the contract
of Stuart, Buchanan & Company, made with the county authorities
in July of this year, enforced, but the court obtained no relief
in this particular.

On the 27th of June, 1862, Colonel Samuel V. Fulkerson, of the
Thirty-seventh Regiment, was mortally wounded near Richmond on
the second day of the great battle before Richmond, and died the
next day. Upon the receipt of the news of his death, a public meeting
was held at the courthouse of this county for the purpose of
offering a tribute of respect to the memory of the deceased.

"On motion, J. N. Humes, Esq., was called to the chair, and
William King Heiskell appointed secretary.

The object of the meeting was explained by Adjutant Joseph T.
Campbell in brief but appropriate remarks, and, on his motion, a
committee of ten gentlemen was appointed as an escort of honor to
meet the remains at Wytheville. The following gentlemen were
appointed: Adjutant J. T. Campbell, Hon. Walter Preston, William
King Heiskell, Colonel A. C. Cummings, Thomas G. McConnell,
G. V. Litchfield, Jr., William Y. C. White, James C. Greenway,
J. G. Kreger and D. M. Stuart."

This committee met the remains of Colonel Fulkerson at Wytheville
and accompanied the same to Abingdon.

Colonel Fulkerson, at the time of his death, was judge of the
Seventeenth Circuit of the Superior Court of Law and Chancery,
and soon thereafter an election was held in this circuit to fill the
vacancy, at which election John A. Campbell, John W. Johnson,
William B. Aston and W. P. Cecill, were opposing candidates.

Judge Campbell was elected by a considerable majority and served
until removed by the military authorities of the United States in
the year 1869.

In May, 1862, President Jefferson Davis issued his proclamation
setting apart the 16th day of May, 1862, as a day of fasting, humiliation
and prayer, and, on the day appointed, the several congregations
of the town united in regular services at the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, at eleven o'clock in the morning, and at
the Methodist Protestant Church at four o'clock in the evening.

On the 4th day of October, 1862, in the lower end of this county,
on the farm of Colonel John Preston, William McDaniel, a very
respectable citizen was brutally murdered by Jerry and Jim, two
negroes, the property of James Allen, of Tennessee. These negroes
had left their homes and were scouting in the woods, with a lot of
stolen property in their possession, when they observed McDaniel
approaching. After meeting McDaniel and engaging in a conversation
with him, as to what they were doing there, and where they
were going, Jack, one of the negroes, struck and seriously wounded
McDaniel, and the negroes hid his body until night came on and
then returned and carried it to the creek and placed it therein.
They were tried, and Jim and Jerry were sentenced to be hung on
the 23d of January, 1863, on which day they were executed pursuant
to the sentence of the court.

The Abingdon paper in describing the scene in Abingdon on that
day says:

"At an early hour the people began to pour into town from the
farthest limits of this and adjoining counties, and from the gorges
and coves of the mountains. They came by railroad, in wagons,
on horses and mules, and hundreds came wading up to their knees
in mud. Some rode bare-back, others on sheep-skins, and again
others with halters and blind bridles. Little boys and negroes galloped
into town almost breathless, bespattered with mud and wild
with excitement to see two negroes choked to death. But stranger
still was it to see probably not less than a thousand hearty, robust
young men jostling and elbowing their way through the dense
mass of humanity towards the field where the scene was to be
enacted; and when we saw them working and twisting their tortuous
way like so many eels in the mud, we wondered if they
would have been as eager and as hurried if there had been a squad

of Yankees in that direction. If Stonewall Jackson had them, he
would cross the Potomac in a week."

This execution took place in the Academy field west of Abingdon
and was the last execution of any person in this county for any
offense.

The Provost-Marshal at Abingdon at this time was Colonel
John H. Earnest.

In October of this year President Lincoln issued his proclamation
emancipating all negroes after the first day of January, 1863,
which information greatly excited the slave owners of the county.

Some idea of the conditions existing during this time may be
gathered from a diary kept by a very aged citizen of Abingdon,
from the summer of 1861 to the fall of 1862, which diary is here
given.

"1861. July 1st. The evening train had about 150 troops; 100
from Arkansas, the balance from Georgia, remnants of companies
gone on.

"1861. July 2d. At dark I saw the comet for the first time, but
it was seen the night before by others. It is the largest I have ever
seen; it was high up north of west, at ten o'clock it was large, the
tail was broad and appeared to be 250 feet long, the body of it
appeared the size of a common hat.

"1861. July 3d. The evening train had 200 Arkansas troops.

"1861. July 4th. This day eighty-five years ago since the Declaration
of Independence of the old U. S. It's gone, and to-day there
is another declaration going on for independence, the South against
the North, and it must and will end the same way the first declaration
did against old England. The South must be independent
of the North, her cause is more just, etc. In 1775 there were two
parties, one for immediate independence from old England, the
other was for no separation from the mother country, as they called
it. But independence was declared on the 4th of July, 1776. The
party that went for independence of the mother country and fought
for it and got it was called Whigs and the party against independence
was the Tory party and fought against it, but was defeated;
yet they remained Tories, for I can remember hearing one of them
in Wythe county when he got drunk, "halloo" for King George, &c.
The present revolution for independence and a separation from
Northern tyrants, or rather Northern Goths and vandals, against

Southern rights is tenfold greater than the first revolution, and in
all respects like it, as to the parties Whig and Tory. But I believe
it will end just like the first revolution.

"1861. July 4th. Cold all day. The evening train took Captain
David Campbell Dunn's company to General Floyd's Brigade at
Wytheville, seventy-eight men and boys.

"1861. July 16th. To-day awful news from General Garnett's
command at Beverly, Randolph county. Fulkerson's regiment is
part of it. Colonel Fulkerson's regiment is composed of five companies
from Abingdon and county, two from Russell, one from
Davis and one company from Lee county. The news is that all are
killed and taken and that General Garnett is killed.

"1861. July 23d. News this morning of a great battle fought on
the 21st, last Sunday, at Manassas, between the Southern forces
and Lincoln's Northern or black army, in which the latter lost
25,000 men killed, the South 15,000. If this be true it beats
Waterloo, for the South had only 60,000, while the North had
95,000.

"1861. July 26th. Colonel John A. Campbell's regiment left
for Staunton to-day, ten companies, three companies from Washington
county, nine companies of old Washington county now in
the field. Colonel Campbell has Captain White's and David Campbell's
and J. C. Campbell's companies.

"1861. August 31. This morning at five o'clock the house trembled
and shook, the window sash rattled so much that it awakened
all, the rocking of the house awakened me. I never felt such a
sensation before, the house appeared to be standing on something,
the house would quiver and rattle like it would fall.

"1861. September 1st. Two trains at ten o'clock with 1,100
troops, one company of eighty-two from Mobile, Alabama, and the
balance from New Orleans, mashed up at the bridge west of
Abingdon depot, killing one and wounding twenty odd, the front
engine with the conductor cut loose and went on towards Lynchburg,
the other engine was mashed up in the wreck, but the engineer
and conductor left rather suspiciously.

"September 3d. The soldier scalded in the mash up died last
night.

"1861. September 21st. John M. Preston died this morning at
Seven-Mile Ford.

"1861. September 24th. Charles G. Preston, son of F. H. Preston,
died on the 15th. He belonged to the Greenbrier Cavalry, was
in the retreat from Laurel Hill in July last when General Garnett
was killed.

"1861. September 28th. No trains from the East yesterday, no
mail, the rivers were higher yesterday than any one recollects,
houses were taken off where never known before. The whole roof
of one house was left on the bank of the river below Mr. Cole's
on the Middle Fork. The Holston river was six feet higher than
ever known before.

"1861. October 1st. Part of a company of horse got here last
evening from Kentucky.

"1861. October 3d. Hon. John C. Breckenridge and William
Preston, of Kentucky, got to Abingdon to-day.

"1861. October 14th. A company of horse, 111 from Kentucky
by way of Pound Gap, got here this evening, all armed with double-barreled
shot-guns, under Captain Desha.

"1861. October 15. I was wrongly informed as to the arms of
the Kentuckians, they have Minnie rifles and muskets, and were a
part of the State guard. Three thousand dollars reward for the
above-mentioned Captain Desha; his father is here with him.

"1861. October 30th. The Kentucky company took the cars for
General Buckner's headquarters by way of Nashville, Tennessee,
and all took the oath this morning. One of the Kentuckians by
accident shot himself through the arm above and below the elbow.

"1861. November 13th. This day the Cherokee artillery of Georgia
got here from Goldsboro, North Carolina. The train with
most of the regiment ran off near Senter depot last night and
killed three and hurt several. They have three brass six-pounders
and one iron rifled six-pounder.

"1861. November 25th. Twenty of Colonel Jenkins' cavalry got
here to-day from Dublin, where they took ninety-four prisoners
captured at Guyandotte on the 17th.

"1861. November 26th. Colonel Stewart's Fifty-sixth Virginia
Volunteer Regiment got to Abingdon depot to-night on their way
to Pound Gap to join General Humphrey Marshall.

"1861. December 9th. Three hundred cavalry, Colonel Phillips,
of Georgia Legion, got here to-day from Tory mountains of Virginia,

and left for Taylorsville, Tenn., the Tory mountains of
Tennessee. The balance of the regiment is behind.

"N. B.—The above regiment is said to be the Fifty-seventh Virginia,
and that a battalion from North Carolina went about the
same time after night and stopped at Bristol.

"1861. December 8th. There are now at the depot six cannon,
two of them rifled, and twenty-four carriages.

"1861. December 31st. Mrs. Humes died to-day, General Floyd's
Brigade has been going for the last week on the railroad from the
Tory mountains of Virginia to Bowling Green, Kentucky.

"1862. March 16th. Jacob Lynch died this morning at two
o'clock, his brother Daniel died at Estillville, Scott county, the 16th
of March, 1843, at 12 o'clock.

"1862. May 18th. Adam Hickman died this morning at twenty
minutes past nine o'clock, has been in bad health for about ten
years.

"1862. July 1st. It rained very hard at sundown, just after the
train got to the depot with the remains of Colonel Fulkerson, who
was shot the evening of the 27th, in the battle below Richmond in
a charge on the enemy's battery, which was taken, but the Colonel
died the 28th, at twelve o'clock at night. His place cannot be
filled in Southwest Virginia, and I doubt if it can be in the State.
He was buried July 2d at twelve o'clock.

"1862. November 6th. — got home to-day from
Kentucky; has been there almost two months; brought a fine Bowie
knife of a Union Tory and his cap (tip too) —
killed him. Nothing now on this continent in the shape of man
but thieves, robbers and murderers.

"1862. December 22d. Jerry and Jim, slaves of Allen, of Tennessee,
were convicted for the murder of William McDaniel on the
farm of Colonel John Preston and sentenced to be hung on the
23d day of January, 1863.

"1862. December 31st. It is said that 1,500 or 3,000 cavalry
(Yanks) came through Stone Gap, and got to Blountville, the 30th,
and took it.

"1863. January 23d. This day between twelve and one o'clock
Jerry and Jim were hung in the Academy field for the murder of
William McDaniel in October, 1862.

"1863. March 4th. This night, 1841, Charles B. Coale and

myself were converted by Dave Shaver in what is called the Radical
Church, to Methodism; Hum—

"1863. March 28th. Yesterday was Jeff Davis' fast day, whether
the people fasted or not I don't know, but they went to the different
churches.

"1862. November 22d. William Fields died the 22d of November,
1862, in the fifty-second year of his age, no better man has
lived or died in Washington county. His father died New Year's
morning 1829, just such a man."

By the fall of the year 1862, the Southern sympathizers living in
the State of Kentucky were compelled to leave their homes, and
the provisional Governor of that State, after being inaugurated at
Frankfort, Kentucky, on the 4th of October, was forced to leave his
State and had his headquarters in Abingdon on the 31st of October.

In the month of December, 1862, shoes in Abingdon brought
from $10 to $12 per pair, boots from $20 to $30 per pair, a pair of
jeans pants, $20; a jeans coat, $30 to $40; a bushel of corn, $2.50
to $3; a bushel of wheat, $4; a barrel of flour, $25, and a bushel of
sweet potatoes, $5.

The people of this county were greatly excited by the invasion
of East Tennessee by about fifteen hundred Federal troops under
the command of General Carter.

At the time, General Humphrey Marshall with his brigade was
at Abingdon, and immediately started in pursuit, accompanied by
a volunteer company from this county under Lieutenant Warren
M. Hopkins.

The invaders succeeded in destroying the railroad bridge across
the Holston and Watauga rivers and made their escape.

In January, 1863, the Governor of Virginia made a requisition
upon the authorities of Washington county for one hundred and
twenty slaves to work upon the fortifications around Richmond,
which request was complied with, after some time.

The court directed the sheriff and his deputies to ascertain the
number of slaves in the county of all ages and sexes and the number
of male slaves between the ages of eighteen and forty-five
years. The sheriff and his deputies and the commissioners of the
revenue reported, ascertaining the number of slaves in this county
to be twenty-seven hundred and eighty-seven, and the number of
male slaves between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years to

be six hundred and fourteen; thereupon the court directed Tobias
Smith, John N. Humes, Abram Mongle and Joseph W. Davis to
apportion the one hundred and twenty slaves required from this
county, upon the male slaves between the ages of eighteen and
forty-five years, and required the slave-holders of the county to
deliver his or her quota of slaves to the sheriff of this county at
Abingdon, Goodson and Glade Spring on the 21st of February,
1863, and John L. Bradley and Moses Brooks were appointed
agents or overseers for such slaves, and Floyd B. Hurt was directed
to notify the railroad company of the number of slaves to be sent
from this county to Richmond.

At the same term of the court an order was entered appointing
the Rev. Thomas Catlett agent for the county to proceed to North
Carolina to purchase cotton yarn and domestic for the destitute
families of soldiers in this county.

In the summer of the year 1863, the portion of salt allotted to
this county from the Saltworks was distributed among the people
by T. G. McConnell, William R. Rhea and Robert C. Allison, in
quantities not less than ten bushels and at $2 per bushel.

On Thursday evening, the 10th of September, 1863, Rebecca
Lynch and Elizabeth Murray, of this county, were under an oak
tree near Lynch's Spring on the turnpike at the head of McBroom's
mill-dam, with two Confederate soldiers, during a storm. Lightning
struck the tree under which they had taken shelter and the
four persons were killed.

In the fall of the year 1863, Washington county was overrun by
stragglers and deserters from the army, claiming to belong to the
cavalry service. These men traveled about and over the county in
bands of from two to twenty, and robbed the citizens indiscriminately
of their money, clothing, horses, saddles, bridles, their grain
and forage, by force and actual violence, and such was the condition
of affairs that the County Court of Washington county
appealed to the General Assembly of the State for a remedy, stating
that they had appealed to the military authorities, but without
avail.

In the fall of 1862 and the spring and summer of 1863 several
companies of infantry and cavalry were organized in this county—
viz.: Company E, of the Sixty-third Virginia Regiment, Captain
David O. Rush; Company F, of the Sixty-third Virginia Regiment,

Captain James Snodgrass; Company C, of the Twenty-first Virginia
Regiment, Captain R. J. Preston; Company —, Twenty-first
Virginia Cavalry, Captain Fred Gray.

In the fall of this year another requisition was made upon the
county authorities for eighty slaves to work upon the fortifications
at Saltville.

The county had been threatened with an invasion by the enemy
during the fall of the year and had been overrun as before
described, and the County Court, at the October, term, petitioned
the Governor to exempt this county from the requisition, but their
petition was refused and the slaves were furnished early in the year
1864.

At the same term of the court an order was entered appointing
John Roberts a general agent for the county to purchase supplies
for the families of soldiers who were in indigent circumstances,
and district agents were appointed in the several districts of the
county with authority to purchase supplies for the same purpose
and to draw upon John G. Kreger for such sums of money as
were needed for the purpose.

At the November court, 1863, the districts of the commissioners
of revenue for the county were designated, pursuant to an Act
of Assembly, the Western District being No. 1, and the Eastern
District No. 2.

By December, 1863, the condition of affairs was such that the
people of the county were threatened with a famine for bread, and
the County Court entered an order calling the attention of the Confederate
authorities at Richmond to the condition of affairs in this
county and asking their aid in every legitimate way to prevent any
further appropriation of the means of the people of this county to
the support of the army.

On the 16th of September, 1863, a company was organized at
Abingdon for home defence. This company was officered as follows:

Captain, Peter C. Johnson.

First Lieutenant, Joseph T. Campbell.

Second Lieutenant, Charles F. Keller.

Third Lieutenant, W. R. Trigg.

A full complement of sergeants and corporals were appointed
and Saturday was fixed as the day for drilling. This was the second

company organized for home defence in the town, the first company
having been organized on the 22d of June, 1863, and was
officered as follows:

A. C. Cummings, captain.

John A. Campbell, first lieutenant.

G. V. Litchfield, second lieutenant.

Charles F. Keller, first sergeant.

James L. Davis, second sergeant.

Henry Roberts, third sergeant.

John Leach, fourth sergeant.

James A. King, fifth sergeant.

James S. Munsey, first corporal.

These two companies undertook the protection of this community
upon ordinary occasions and discharged their duties well.

In the spring of this year, Colonel William E. Peters was elected
to represent this district in the Senate of Virginia, while Colonel
A. C. Cummings and Captain George Graham were elected to
represent the county in the House of Delegates, but, in the fall, Colonel
Peters resigned his position as a member of the Senate of Virginia,
and Colonel Joseph J. Graham, of Wythe, was elected to fill
the vacancy.

The threatened invasion by the Federal troops from the West was
so imminent that on the 16th of October, 1863, Abingdon was
honored with two major and six brigadier-generals—to-wit: Ransom,
Samuel Jones, Corse, Wharton, Williams, W. E. Jones, Jackson
and Crittenden.

By January 1, 1864, this county had furnished at least two
thousand men, nearly all volunteers, to the army of the Confederate
States, and had been subjected to the necessity of having quartered
on them large numbers of troops, and provisions and forage were
scarcer in the county than they had been for many years. Serious
apprehensions were felt that the poor of the county and the families
of soldiers would suffer. During the fall of 1863, the brigades of
Generals Corse, Jones and Wharton were encamped near Abingdon
for more than a month, and had consumed large quantities of
provision and forage. There were at this time about one thousand
sick and wounded soldiers in the three hospitals in the county.

But, notwithstanding the situation of the people of the county,
in the month of March, 1864, officers were impressing in the lower

end of this county all provisions to be found except five bushels of
grain and fifty pounds of beef or bacon to each adult of the family,
and one-half the quantity for those under fourteen years of age,
for use by General Longstreet's forces, and by the summer of this
year, wheat sold at $30 per bushel and corn at $24.

It seems that such a condition of affairs would have been unbearable,
but such was the patriotism and loyalty of our people to their
Commonwealth, that they, with but little hesitation, furnished the
officers of the Confederate government the greater portion of all the
grain and provision that they could possibly secure.

General Buckner and General Morgan were both in Abingdon on
the first of April, 1864.

A portion of General Morgan's Brigade were encamped for a
few days near our town.

On the 5th day of February, 1864, a young man by the name of
Jacob Mullens, of Wise county, Virginia, was shot by order of
Colonel Prentiss, in West Abingdon, at the location of the colored
graveyard. Mullens had deserted from his company and joined the
enemy. The Abingdon paper in speaking of Mullens says: "He
was an exceedingly ignorant young man, almost a heathen, having
never read the Bible, nor heard it read until after his conviction,
and never heard a sermon in his life. The chaplain of the post
and several other ministers here gave him the benefit of their counsel
and consolation, and he seemed to be penitent. He was greatly
affected on the day of his execution, but exhibited a good deal of
firmness and composure after arriving at the place of execution.
He was sitting upon his coffin with his fingers in his ears when the
order to fire was given. He expired almost immediately, five balls
having pierced his breast."[3]

This is but one instance of the many that happened during the
war, such executions being necessary to enforce discipline and to
render the armies of the Confederacy effective.

The first day of April, 1864, was set apart as a day of humiliation,
fasting and prayer throughout our Southland, and that day
was observed by all our people.

On the same day James K. Gibson resigned his office as Confederate

States Depositary at Abingdon, and Floyd B. Hurt was
appointed his successor.

The County Court at its April term, 1864, directed that $50,000
be levied upon the county to buy grain in Georgia or elsewhere to
be distributed among the poor and the families of soldiers who
were in indigent circumstances in this county, and Aaron L. Hendricks
was appointed to purchase the said corn and have it conveyed
to this county, and committees were appointed in each of the
magisterial districts of the county to solicit subscriptions and
relieve the sufferings of the people as far as possible.

The County Court at this time had on hand six hundred and
eighty bushels of salt, which was much more valuable than the Confederate
currency and county scrip, and the court directed Jonas
S. Kelly to convey this salt to Tennessee and exchange the same for
corn, to relieve the suffering families of the soldiers of this county.

The indebtedness of Washington county on the 23d of May, 1864,
was ascertained to be $53,648.66.

To add to the sufferings of the people of the county, small-pox in
a dangerous form appeared in the vicinity of Abingdon, producing
a great deal of uneasiness among the people.

On the 3d day of September, 1864, General John H. Morgan,
who had been of great service to the people of this county, was
foully murdered at the residence of Mrs. Dr. Williams in Greenville,
Tennessee. He was betrayed by a young Mrs. Williams, who
had left her home upon the coming of General Morgan, and
informed the Federal troops of the whereabouts of General Morgan
and the number of guards on duty, and on Sunday morning
the 3d, the house where General Morgan was sleeping was surrounded
by Federal troops, and in attempting to escape General
Morgan was shot through the right breast and killed, his body
thrown across a horse and paraded through the streets of the town.

On Monday night the remains of General Morgan arrived at
Abingdon, and were taken to the residence of Judge Campbell in
the vicinity,[4] where Mrs. Morgan with one or two relatives were
sojourning. On Tuesday evening at 4 o'clock, funeral services were
performed by Chaplain Cameron, and the procession formed by
General George B. Crittenden. It was the largest and most imposing

procession of the sort ever seen in this part of the country. The
order was as follows:

1st. Hearse, with the body and guards on each side, without
arms.

2d. Chaplains.

3d. Family of deceased.

4th. Military family, mounted by twos.

5th. Military court, mounted by twos.

6th. Officers of the army, mounted by twos.

7th. Privates, mounted by twos.

8th. Citizens, mounted by twos.

9th. Citizens, dismounted.

As the sun went down behind dark masses of clouds in the West,
emblematic of the sorrow and gloom that pervaded the vast concourse
in attendance, all that was mortal of the immortal John H.
Morgan was consigned to the rest of the tomb, there to sleep,
unmindful of the clash of arms and the terrible tread of armies,
until the trump that marshals the buried millions shall break his
slumbers.

The remains of General Morgan were interred in Sinking Spring
Cemetery, but were subsequently removed to his home in Kentucky.

General Morgan was succeeded in his command by General Duke,
of Kentucky, but from this time forward the people of this county
were without hope and calmly awaited the inevitable.

The subscription price of the "Abingdon Virginian," at this time
was $8 per year.

BATTLE OF SALTVILLE.

Major-General Burbridge, in command of about five thousand
Federal troops, at this time entered Virginia by way of Pikeville,
Kentucky, and proceeded up the Big Sandy and crossed the mountains
into Tazewell county at Richlands. At the same time General
Gillem, at the head of a considerable force of Federal troops,
was making every effort to enter Virginia from East Tennessee, but
the progress of Gillem was greatly retarded by the efforts of
General Vaughan, who was in command of a considerable body of
Confederate troops in that section.

It was known that the destination of General Burbridge and
General Gillem was the Saltworks in this county, and the reserves

of this county (being boys under seventeen and men over forty-five
years of age) were called upon to organize for the purpose of
defending their homes, and, by the 30th day of September, four
companies were ready for service under the command of Colonel
James T. Preston, as follows:

Company I, Captain Thomas Patterson.

Company C, Captain William B. Campbell.

Company E, Captain John W. Worley.

Company F, Captain William Barrow.

A portion of these companies were organized some time previous
to this time.

At the same time, General Vaughan with his forces was ordered
to Saltville from East Tennessee, where he had, until this time,
successfully opposed the advance of General Gillem's Brigade.
When it was known that General Vaughan had been ordered to
Saltville, such a stampede as occurred among the people of this
section had never before been witnessed in this county. The roads
were crammed and blocked with cattle, sheep, negroes, wagons, buggies
and great numbers of citizens with their families. The scene
was almost indescribable, and Abingdon was deserted, with the
exception of a very few old men, women and children.

About seven hundred reserves had gathered at Saltville under
the command of Colonel Robert Smith, of Tazewell; Colonel Robert
Preston, of Montgomery; Colonel James T. Preston, of Washington,
and Colonel Kent, of Wythe.

Colonel Robert Trigg, of the Fifty-fourth Virginia Regiment,
being at Saltville at that time, took charge of this force and was
actively engaged in organizing it when General A. E. Jackson
arrived and took command and began to plan the defences of the
place.

General Burbridge had followed the State road from Kentucky
into Tazewell county and from Richlands directed his course by
Cedar Bluff toward the Saltworks.

Giltner's Brigade, composed of the Fourth Kentucky, Johnson's
Battalion, Jenkin's Battalion, Clay's Battalion, the Tenth Kentucky
Cavalry and the Sixty-fourth Virginia Regiment, met Burbridge's
army at Cedar Bluff, and from that point disputed his
advance at every opportunity from the 30th day of September

until he had passed Laurel Gap in Clinch mountain on Saturday,
October 1, 1864.

This brigade of Confederate troops was composed of probably
the best soldiers in the Confederate army and numbered about
twelve hundred men.

They not only assailed Burbridge's army at every opportunity,
but cut trees across the road and placed every obstruction in the
way that could be thought of to retard the progress of the Federal
army through Tazewell county, and, notwithstanding the superior
forces commanded by Burbridge, the Federal army was unable to
pass through the Laurel Gap in Clinch mountain for more than a
day.

When Giltner's Brigade had, by superior strength, been driven
from the Laurel Gap, it was divided into two sections of about
equal numbers, the first section passing down the Poor Valley road
destroying bridges and obstructing the road in every possible way.
This force was commanded by Dr. E. O. Guerrant, of Giltner's
staff, and Colonel Pryor, of the Fourth Kentucky, while the second
section crossed the river and followed the Valley road to Saltville,
and was under the command of Colonel H. L. Giltner.

Colonel Giltner expected Burbridge with his army to march
to the Saltworks that night, and if he had, the capture of the works
would have been inevitable, but, to the surprise of the Confederate
forces, Burbridge's army went into camp in the bottom on the south
of Laurel Gap and remained until the following morning, Sunday,
October 2, 1864.

The Federal forces began their march to Saltville and arrived on
the north side of the river near Governor Saunder's residence
between nine and ten A. M. of that day, and in the meantime and
on the morning of the same day, General John S. Williams, of
Wheeler's Cavalry, arrived at Saltville, with his division, which
was composed of Robertson's Brigade, of soldiers from Texas,
Dibrell's Brigade and the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry commanded by
Colonel William C. P. Breckenridge.

The Confederate forces at Saltville at this time were as follows:

Colonel H. L. Giltner's Brigade, composed of the Fourth Kentucky,
commanded by Colonel Pryor; Tenth Kentucky, commanded
by Colonel Edwin Trimble; Johnson's Battalion, Kentucky troops;
Clay's Battalion, Kentucky troops; Jenkins' Battalion, Kentucky
troops; the Sixty-fourth Virginia Regiment, commanded by

Colonel A. L. Pridemore; Brigadier-General John S. Williams'
Brigade, composed of Robertson's Brigade, commanded by General
Robertson; Dibrell's Brigade, commanded by General George Dibrell;
Ninth Kentucky Cavalry, commanded by Colonel William
C. P. Breckenridge; First Kentucky, commanded by Colonel Griffith;
the Thirteenth Battalion of Virginia reserves, commanded
by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Smith, of Tazewell county, the ranking
colonel then present. This battalion was composed of the following
companies:

Company A, Smyth county, commanded by Lieutenant James
Golahon.

Company B, Tazewell county, commanded by Captain Samuel L.
Graham.

Company C, Washington county, commanded by Lieutenant
J. S. Booher.

Company D, Smyth county, commanded by — Anderson.

Company F, Washington county, commanded by Captain William
Barrow.

Company G, Russell county, commanded by Captain A. P.
Gilmer.

Company H, Tazewell county, commanded by Captain George E.
Starnes.

Company I, Washington county, commanded by Captain Thomas
E. Patterson.

Company E, Washington county, commanded by Captain Henry
B. Roberts, was on duty at Abingdon, and did not reach the battleground
until about sundown of October 2d.

Kent's Battalion, commanded by Colonel Kent and Major Hounshell,
of Wythe.

This battalion was composed of several companies of militia from
Wythe, Carroll and Grayson counties; the officers' names I do not
know.

The forces at Saltville were under command of General A. E.
Jackson until about 9:30 of the morning of the day of the battle,
when he was succeeded by General Williams, who arrived at that
time, and took command of all the forces then at Saltville.

General Williams began his preparations for the battle and
arranged his forces as follows:

Colonel James T. Preston, with one hundred and twenty reserves,

was directed to form a skirmish line along the river and to defend
the ford one-half a mile above the lower works.

The line of battle was formed from right to left on the south side
of the river, the right wing of the army fronting the residence of
Governor Saunders, the forces being arranged in the following
order:

To the north of the road and on the extreme left the First Kentucky,
Colonel Griffith, and, in the order named, to the right, the
Ninth Kentucky Cavalry, Colonel William C. P. Breckenridge,
Giltner's Brigade, as follows: Fourth Kentucky, Colonel Pryor;
Johnson's Battalion, Colonel Thomas Johnson; Jenkins' Battalion,
Captain Jenkins; Clay's Battalion, Colonel Clay; Sixty-fourth
Virginia Regiment, Colonel A. L. Pridemore; Tenth Kentucky,
Colonel Edwin Trimble—this last regiment defending the
ford.

To the south of the road and facing Governor Saunders' residence,
in the order named, the Thirteenth Battalion of Virginia
Reserves, Colonel Ro. Smith; Kent's Battalion, Colonel Kent;
Robertson's Brigade, General Robertson, and Dibrell's Brigade,
General George Dibrell—this last brigade forming the extreme
right of the army, while the artillery under the command of Captain
John W. Barr, was placed on Church Hill, north of the public
road near the position occupied by the First Kentucky and in a
position that commanded the advance of the enemy.

William King's Battery was to the south of Robertson's Brigade
and south of the ridge, and did not have an opportunity to take
part in the battle.

The Federal forces were partly on the north side of the river
and partly south of the river and east of Dibrell's Brigade. Such
was the position of the opposing forces when an overwhelming force
of Federal troops, colored soldiers, assaulted Dibrell's Brigade,
which brigade retired to the west side of Cedar creek, and had every
advantage of the attacking forces.

A part of Kent's Battalion of Reserves commanded by Major
Hounshell and stationed east of and near to Governor Saunders'
house, thinking that Dibrell's Brigade were acting in a cowardly
manner and not being themselves accustomed to war, refused to leave
their position and for some time and without any assistance maintained
the contest against overwhelming numbers, suffering the loss

of a number of excellent men, Major Hounshell himself exhibiting a
bravery never excelled, but after some time this force was induced
to retire to the west side of Cedar creek, and at this point the
battle began in earnest, and in a few moments the colored regiment
was repulsed with great numbers killed, Colonel Dibrell's Brigade
being especially effective in mowing down the advancing enemy.

About the time of the attack on Dibrell's Brigade the Federal
troops attempted to force the ford at the position occupied by the
Tenth Kentucky, and the right wing of Colonel Giltner's Brigade,
notwithstanding the fact that they fought with determined bravery,
were gradually pressed back a short distance from their position by
a whole brigade of the enemy commanded by Colonel Hanson, and
every field officer of the Tenth Kentucky was killed or wounded at
this time.

Colonel Trigg, seeing the situation of Giltner's Brigade, detached
two companies from Kent's Battalion, Wythe and Carroll companies,
and sent them forward under the command of Colonel Kent
to reinforce Colonel Giltner.

The two companies thus sent to the assistance of Colonel Giltner
were soon in the thickest of the fight and lost twenty-four men,
including Captain Shockley and First Lieutenant Bolt of the cavalry
company.

The artillery, under command of Captain Barr, did very effective
work. The reserves under the command of Colonel Robert
Smith, Colonel Robert Preston and Colonel Kent, were in the thickest
of the fight, and their gallantry and bravery upon this occasion
were highly commended at the time and have since been the pride of
all the citizens of Southwest Virginia.

The force commanded by Colonel James T. Preston was attacked
at about two o'clock by a brigade of infantry and a regiment of
cavalry under Colonel Charles Hanson, but held their position from
two o'clock in the afternoon until dark, with the assistance of about
one hundred men from the Tenth Kentucky Regiment. About
one-half an hour before dark, Colonel Hanson, who commanded the
enemy's forces, was wounded and thereupon withdrew. The battle
lasted from ten o'clock in the morning till sundown of the same
day, and resulted in the precipitate retreat that night of General
Burbridge to Kentucky by the road that he had come, hotly pursued
by the Confederate forces.

The forces engaged in this battle were, according to the official
report of General Burbridge, four thousand eight hundred picked
troops on the Federal side, while not more than three thousand
men, including the reserves, were on the Confederate side.

The Federal loss in killed and wounded in this battle was about
three hundred and fifty, the number of prisoners captured is
variously estimated at from three to twelve hundred. The Federals
left dead upon the field one hundred and four white and one hundred
and fifty-six negro soldiers.

The Confederate loss was eight killed and fifty-one wounded,
among the killed being Colonel Trimble and Lieutenant Crutchfield,
of the Tenth Kentucky Regiment.

General John C. Breckenridge, who was in command of this
department at that time, reached the field of battle about sun-down,
and General Vaughan, who had made a forced march from East
Tennessee, with his own and Duke's and Cosby's Brigades, reached
the field of battle just as the enemy began to withdraw and in time
to hear the shout of victory given along the lines of this gallant
army of Confederate soldiers.

It was thought at the time that the bravery exhibited in this contest
by the reserves from Southwest Virginia was equal to the
bravery exhibited by the citizens of this county at King's mountain
in 1780.

General Burbridge was not only hotly pursued by the victorious
forces, but he was assailed at all points upon his retreat, and escaped
into Kentucky with great loss.

This victory, if it could have been the fortune of our country to
take advantage of it, as did our forefathers of the battle of
King's mountain, might have turned the tide of the war and won
for the South her independence. But the condition of our country
at this time was hopeless.

The greater portion of the South had been overrun by the Federal
forces, and the armies of the Confederacy were starving and
naked, while the families of the soldiers with the greatest difficulty
kept starvation from the door.

The County Court of this county at the November term, 1864,
appropriated $10,000 to be used for this purpose.

The last call for troops was made by the Confederate States
in the month of November, and met with a hearty response from

our authorities, but, as the county was about drained of its male
population, the court of this county petitioned the Secretary of War
of the Confederate States to exempt from this call two to four men
in each of the nine districts of the county, blacksmiths, wagonmakers,
coffin-makers, shoemakers, tanners, one physician, and one
miller. The names of the men thus asked to be exempted were furnished
to the Secretary of War and entered of record by said court.

General Burbridge, shortly after his return to Kentucky, united
his forces with those of Generals Stoneman and Gillem, making an
army of at least ten thousand men, and again began the march for
Southwest Virginia. The people of this county were informed of the
movements of the Federal troops, but were so reduced by the poverty
and want that surrounded them upon all sides and the almost
total absence from the county of men able to bear arms, that the
march of the Federal troops met with but little resistance. The
people were expecting the arrival of the Federal troops for several
days preceding the 14th day of December, 1864, and on the evening
of the 14th at about nine-thirty o'clock, the report of the guns
of the Federal pickets was heard at the western outskirts of Abingdon.

A part of General Duke's command of Confederate soldiers was
encamped at the farm of James A. Bailey, a few miles northeast of
Abingdon, and a number of soldiers from that camp were in Abingdon
at the time the fire of the Federal pickets was heard.

These soldiers undertook to delay the Federals in entering the
town, but a company of the Federal troops advanced up Main
street, firing at intervals, and when they had reached a point opposite
the residence of S. N. Honaker, a discharge from their guns
in the direction of the court-house caused Duke's men, who had
formed a line at the intersection of Court and Main streets to
rapidly disperse in the direction of their camp at Bailey's.

General Stoneman, after taking possession of the town, passed
on rapidly in the direction of the Lead Mines, having directed the
burning of the Virginia and Tennessee depot, Hurt's store, Sinon's
wagon-shop, Musser's wagon-shop, the county jail and the barracks
opposite the jail, at the corner of Court and Valley streets. All of
the places thus burned were occupied by the officials of the Confederate
States and in all of them were stored Confederate supplies.

The Federal commander issued orders forbidding the troops to

enter private houses or to plunder or burn any portion of the town
other than the places mentioned.

A number of Federal soldiers and stragglers remained at a blacksmith
shop in the east end of the town on the morning of the 15th
for the purpose of having their horses shod.

A company of Confederate soldiers numbering about twenty men,
being a part of Colonel Lee's regiment from Mississippi, had
become detached from their regiment and were following in the
rear of Stoneman's army, capturing, plundering and harassing the
enemy to as great an extent as possible.

This company reached Abingdon some time during the night of
December 14th, and encamped on the Glebe land back of the reservoir,
and early on the morning of the 15th, sent one of their number
disguised in Federal uniform into the town to see what was
going on.

About the time this messenger reached Abingdon, a straggler
from the Federal army by the name of James (Tites) Wyatt, who
had been reared in this community and had served as an apprentice
to Gabriel Stickley, rode into town, dressed in Federal uniform,
and declared his purpose to burn the town, because, as he said,
"Noble I. McGinnis, a prominent citizen of the town and a member
of the County Court, had some time previous to the war, punished
him for an offence of which he was not guilty." He dismounted
in front of the court-house, had a negro to hold his horse,
went to the cupola of the court-house and set it on fire. He then
remounted and proceed to fire all the buildings on the south side
of Main street, riding into the buildings and firing them as he
went. After he had partially completed his work, he halted his
horse at the intersection of Main and Court street, in front of the
store now kept by Nidermaier & Barbee, put his leg across the horn
of the saddle and watched the fire as it rapidly devoured the buildings
on either side of the street.

He would not permit any one to extinguish the flames. In the
meantime the messenger from the camp of the Confederate soldiers
had returned and reported the presence in the town of the Federal
soldiers at John G. Clark's blacksmith shop, and the firing of the
town by Wyatt.

While Wyatt was occupying the position last stated, this company
of Confederate soldiers, partially disguised in Federal uniform,

were seen rapidly galloping down the hill fronting Jackson
Institute, and from that point they began to disperse, a part of the
soldiers turning to the right and to the left at Hayes and Slaughter
streets. After passing Slaughter street, two of the number kept up
Main street, the others following Valley and Water streets to the east
end of the town. The two that came up Main street were named
John and Samuel Findlay, and were from Holly Springs, Miss.
When they had reached a point near the residence of N. K. White,
Samuel Findlay asked a number of boys as to the whereabouts of
the man who was firing the town. In answer, a boy by the name
of Deady pointed out Wyatt at the corner of Main and Court
streets. Thereupon Findlay began to fire upon him, and Wyatt
began to call to Findlay that he was shooting at his own men, but
Findlay continued to fire, and Wyatt, getting himself in position,
rushed his horse by the Findlays, going toward the west end of the
town. Samuel Findlay thereupon turned his horse and pursued
Wyatt to Hayes street, when Wyatt's horse turned to the left and
Wyatt fell to the ground, mortally wounded. Findlay captured
Wyatt's horse, and soon joined his fellows in the east end of the
town.

John Findlay did not halt his horse as he passed Wyatt at the
court-house, but rapidly proceeded to the east end of town. Before
he had reached the intersection of the street at Webb's store, the
Federal troops at Clark's blacksmith shop had been charged by the
Confederate soldiers that came down Valley street, and Findlay
joined in the pursuit

One of the Federal soldiers, beyond question a brave man and
bolder than the rest, turned in his saddle as he started east from
Webb's store and deliberately fired upon his pursuers, and, as a
result he was shot from his horse near the residence of A. B. Trigg,
the horse making its escape. The Confederate soldiers thereupon
returned to Abingdon.

The fire started by Wyatt consumed all the buildings, including
the courthouse, on both sides of Main street from the Court street
to Brewer's street.

This account of the circumstances attending the burning of
Abingdon was given me by an eye-witness of the transaction.[5]

The Federal troops continued their march to the Lead Mines in

Wythe county, which they destroyed, and from that point they
returned to Seven-Mile Ford and thence to the right to Saltville.
When they had reached Saltville, some slight resistance was offered
by a number of Confederate soldiers and reserves who were at the
place at that time, but the town was easily captured and the
works destroyed. The particulars of the last visit of the Federal
troops to Saltville it is impossible to obtain at this time, as all
newspaper plants in this country had been destroyed previously
thereto, and the accounts given by persons present at the time are
so conflicting and unreliable that I do not undertake to state the
facts.

On the 29th of December, 1864, the County Court of this county
appointed Peter J. Branch, John G. Kreger, Joseph T. Campbell
and James Fields, a committee to procure suitable rooms for a
courthouse and clerk's office, and to report at that term of the
court. On the same day this committee reported that they had procured
Dunn's store-house, (now the old Arlington Hotel), for one
year, at the price of $1,500. This report was accepted by the court
and the committee before named were directed to proceed at once
and have said building fitted up in a proper manner for the courthouse
and clerk's office, and the jail of Smyth county was adopted
as the jail of Washington county.

Dunn's storehouse, at the time, was occupied by Captain J. G.
Martin, commandant of the military force at this place, as a guard
house, and he declined to surrender possession to the committee
appointed by the County Court, which fact the committee reported
to the court, and the court at its January term, 1865, issued a rule
against Captain Martin, summoning him to appear before the court
at once, and show cause why he should not surrender the possession
of the building to the court.

This rule was issued, and Captain Martin appeared before the
court and answered that he had made a report to Major-General
Breckenridge and had received a communication from Adjutant
J. Stoddard Johnston directing him to hold possession of the
rooms, and that he intended to obey the order, and immediately
retired to an adjoining room and ordered his guard under arms,
some of whom went into court with arms in their hands. The
court evidently thought that this action was taken to intimidate
the court, for thereupon an order was entered referring the matter

to the Governor of the Commonwealth, requesting that a sufficient
force be ordered out by the Governor to enforce the order of the
County Court of this county.

Nothing more of importance occurred in this county until the
close of the war in the following April.

This county, in addition to furnishing more than three thousand
soldiers to the armies of the Confederate States, produced a number
of officers who won distinguished honors in their several
spheres, among them being Generals Joseph E. Johnson, John B.
Floyd, William E. Jones, William Y. C. Humes, John S. Preston
and Colonels John S. Mosby, Samuel V. Fulkerson, John A.
Campbell, John F. Terry, R. P. Carson, A. C. Cummings, D. C.
Dunn, Connally F. Lynch, James W. Humes, Abram Fulkerson
and many others, all of whom were citizens of this county by birth
or by choice.

The Confederate officers stationed in Abingdon during the war,
so far as I can ascertain, were M. B. Tate, William Rodefer and
E. Crutchfield, quartermasters; R. A. Williams and Francis Smith,
commissaries; John H. Earnest, D. B. Baldwin and J. G. Martin,
provost marshals; James K. Gibson and Floyd B. Hurt, Confederate
States depositaries.

A hospital was maintained in the White House, opposite the
residence of Mrs. John D. Mitchell, during the greater part of the
war, and Dr. Lightfoot, of Kentucky, was the principal surgeon
in charge, in 1864. The wounded soldiers at this hospital were
attended by Drs. Barr, Heiskell, Pitts and Preston, and received
every attention possible from the ladies of the town.

The close of the war found the people of this county in as deplorable
a condition as could be imagined—without money, credit,
clothing or the wherewithal to eat, with hundreds of wounded and
disabled soldiers, their farm houses, fences, and farming utensils
destroyed, and with grave apprehensions as to the future.

RECONSTRUCTION, 1865-1870.

Upon the surrender of the Confederate armies, the people of Virginia
accepted the situation in good faith and were ready and
willing to resume their former position in the Union and to loyally
discharge all the duties imposed thereby. The victors in this
contest had insisted that the one object in view was the preservation

of the union of the States, and the people of Virginia supposed
that it was their duty to proceed with their government as
formerly, and did not anticipate any interference therewith from
the victors.

The people of Washington county, pursuant to the proclamation
of Governor Pierpont, held an election for county officers in this
county on the 3d day of August, 1865, at which election David C.
Cummings was elected clerk of the circuit court and James C.
Campbell clerk of the county court of this county, and Rees B.
Edmondson Commonwealth's attorney; James Fields, sheriff;
Commissioners of the Revenue, District No. 1, John F. Terry;
District No. 2, D. A. P. Campbell and members of the county
court, constables, and overseers of the poor.

Soon after this election the attorney-general of the State gave it
as his opinion that all persons who had held office under the Confederate
States Government were ineligible to office, and as a result
a number of officers elected in July were compelled to resign
in the latter part of this year.

The county court thus elected held several meetings and transacted
some business of importance.

This court, on the 28th of August, 1865, took into consideration
the building of a new jail and courthouse for this county. James
Fulcher, William C. Edmondson and Joseph W. Davis were appointed
a committee to contract for the erection of the new
county jail, while John A. Campbell, Newton K. White and W.
W. Blackford were appointed a committee to ascertain on what
terms a courthouse and clerk's office could be erected upon the public
square; and on the same day the court proceeded to classify the
justices for the performance of their duties in court.

Governor Pierpont, by proclamation, appointed John N. Humes
and Charles J. Cummings commissioners to reorganize the government
of the county, and pursuant to this authority they administered
the oaths of office required by law to the members of the
county court.

Governor Pierpont, acting upon the opinion of the attorney-general,
ordered new elections to be held in the counties of the
State to fill the vacancies occasioned by the resignation of all
county officers who had held Confederate commissions.

The county court, on the 26th day of September, 1865, directed

the commissioners of election of this county to hold an election
in said county on Thursday, the 12th day of October, 1865, for
the election of a representative in the Congress of the United
States, a member of the Senate, members of the House of Delegates,
and to take the vote of the electors upon the question, "Shall
the next General Assembly be clothed with power to alter or amend
the third article of the Constitution according to law?"

In this election Daniel Hoge, of Montgomery county, Edmund
Longley and Thomas J. McCulloch, of Washington county, were
candidates for Congress, the election resulting in favor of Daniel
Hoge.

Joseph W. Davis was elected to the State Senate, and Charles S.
Bekem and Josiah Teeter were elected to the House of Delegates,
and a considerable majority was given in favor of clothing the
General Assembly with power to alter or amend the third article
of the Constitution.

The Congress of the United States and the General Assembly of
Virginia assembled in December of this year. Daniel Hoge was
not permitted to take his seat in Congress, and Virginia was deprived
of representation in the Congress of the United States from
this time until January 24, 1870.

But the representatives from this county in the Senate and
House of Delegates were permitted to take their seats, and the
business of the General Assembly proceeded without interruption.
Governor Pierpont, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution,
adopted for the State at Alexandria, Virginia, nominated Judge
John A. Campbell to preside over this circuit, which nomination
was confirmed by the Legislature on the 22d of February, 1866,
Judge Campbell receiving the unanimous vote of the General Assembly.

Rees B. Edmondson, James Fields and John F. Terry were
compelled to resign the offices to which they were elected, and at
a special election held on January 11, 1866, Rees B. Edmondson
was elected Commonwealth's attorney, James L. Campbell sheriff,
and Ben C. Clark commissioner of the revenue in District No. 1.

At the November term, 1865, of the county court of this county,
orders were entered letting to contract the building of a new jail
and directing the fitting up of the Temperance Hall for the use of
the court until a new courthouse could be built, and the court was

held in the Temperance Hall from the spring of the year 1866 until
the year 1868. The action of the court in occupying the Temperance
Hall was authorized by proclamation of Governor Pierpont
in the month of October, 1866.

The government of the county as thus reorganized was in the
hands of the best citizens of the county, men who in nearly every
instance had been active supporters of the Government of the
Confederate States.

In the month of December, 1865, York A. Woodward, first lieutenant
Twenty-fourth V. R. C., assistant superintendent Eighth
District of Virginia, arrived in Abingdon for the purpose of organizing
the Freedmen's Bureau. His district was composed of the
counties of Washington, Russell, Buchanan, Wise, Scott and Lee.

He established his headquarters at Abingdon and had his office
in the Swedenborgian Temple on Main street, but subsequently
his office was removed to the courthouse by permission of the
county court.

The Freedman's Court for Washington county was organized at
the December term of the county court of this county, and was
constituted as follows: Lieutenant, York A. Woodward, of the
Freedman's Bureau; John N. Humes, Esq., selected by the county
court; Colonel D. C. Dunn, selected by the freedmen. This court
held weekly sessions, commencing Saturday morning of each week
at 9 o'clock.

The purpose of this court was to determine all matters of difficulty,
civil and criminal, that arose between the whites and the
freedmen, to take a census of the freedmen in the district, to celebrate
the rites of matrimony between freedmen and freedwomen
and to require all the able-bodied freedmen and freedwomen to
enter into written contracts for their services and to see that the
contracts were faithfully observed by both parties.

The organization of schools for the instruction of freedmen and
freedwomen was also undertaken by this court.

In this year a white man, by the name of Parks, and his wife
came to Abingdon at the instance of the Freedmen's Bureau and
for some time conducted a school for colored children in the building
now occupied by the colored Masons of Abingdon, on the south
side of Water street, the land having been purchased for the purpose,
Colonel D. C. Dunn, of his own volition, contributing one-half

the cost. The object sought to be obtained by the Freedmen's
Bureau was accomplished to a great extent in this community, and
the conduct of Captain Woodward was such as to command the
respect of all good citizens.

Captain Woodward remained in Abingdon for some time and
was succeeded by Captain Sherwood.

Upon his departure the Abingdon Virginian said: "The people
of Abingdon and Washington county will regret to hear of the
transfer, as the official conduct of Captain Woodward has been such
as to entitle him to the respect and confidence of those with whom
he had business transactions. The system here worked well under
his direction and, in the main, gave the fullest satisfaction to
both races. The Freedmen's Bureau was abolished in the year 1869.

In January, 1866, the General Assembly of Virginia authorized
the county court of Washington county to sell and dispose of its
stock in the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company, and the
county court of this county, pursuant to this Act, at the May
term of said court, appointed A. C. Cummings, J. C. Greenway
and James K. Gibson a committee to ascertain for what price these
bonds could be sold and upon what terms a courthouse could be
built. This committee reported, and the contract for the erection
of the new courthouse was awarded as follows: To Messrs. James
and David Fields, the plastering; Mr. Hockman, of Harrisonburg,
the carpenter's work; Messrs. Keller & Grim, the roofing; Messrs.
Morrison and Vaughan, the painting.

The courthouse thus let to contract was completed in November,
1868, and was occupied by the courts of the county in December
of the same year.

Elections were held throughout the county on the 24th of August,
1866, for field officers in the militia regiments of the county, pursuant
to an Act of the General Assembly passed on the 2d day of
March, 1866.

At this election the following officers were chosen:

One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Regiment—Colonel, James L.
F. Campbell; Lieutenant-Colonel, David O. Rush; Major, Joel W.
Hortenstine;

One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Regiment—Colonel, D. A. P.
Campbell; Lieutenant-Colonel, Robert J. Keller; Major, W. W.
Hurt.

The officers elected in the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment I
cannot ascertain.

The militia organization of the county, an organization that had
existed from the earliest times, was abolished by the Constitution
of 1868.

The "loyal" citizens of Virginia were very much dissatisfied with
the manner in which the State and county governments were reorganized
and undertook to have the Congress of the United States
set aside the government thus organized in Virginia and to establish
a territoral government in its place.

The thirteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United
States had been adopted in the year 1865 without opposition from
the people of this State, but no sooner had the amendment been
adopted than the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution was
proposed. This amendment had been vetoed by President Johnson,
but was passed over his veto by a two-thirds vote of both Houses
of Congress.

The General Assembly of Virginia declined, with one dissenting
vote, to ratify this amendment.

The Congress of the United States, on the 20th day of February,
1867, passed the Shellabarger bill, which provided that whenever
the people of any of the States lately in rebellion should adopt
a Constitution framed by a convention of delegates elected by the
male citizens of said State twenty-one years of age and upwards,
of whatever race, color or previous condition (excepting therefrom
such persons as were disfranchised for participation in rebellion),
and when the General Assembly of said State should ratify the
fourteenth amendment to the Constitution, their representatives
should be admitted to seats in the Congress of the United States.

On the 22d day of March, 1867, another Act was passed over the
veto of the President providing for the registration of the voters
and the calling of constitutional conventions in the States lately
in rebellion.

By the provisions of the Acts in question a great majority of the
white citizens were denied the right to participate in the elections
contemplated, and great uneasiness prevailed, as there was strong
probability that the persons lately freed would be able to control
the State and county organizations.

The Southern States were divided into military districts, this

portion of Virginia being District No. 1, commanded by General
Schofield, and, pursuant to the authority vested in him by the
Congress of the United States, on April 2, 1867, he issued an order
suspending all elections by the people until the registration of the
voters had been taken as required by the Act of Congress.

The Registration Board for this county was appointed by General
Schofield, and Captain John O'Neal was elected President of
the board for this county.

The registration of the voters of this county began on the 22d
day of June and ended on the 19th of July, 1867. The result of
the registration in the nine districts of this county was as follows:

                     

	White.	Colored.
First District,	276	170
Second District,	336	84
Third District,	351	42
Fourth District,	278	15
Fifth District,	309	59
Sixth District,	280	106
Seventh District,	201	38
Eighth District,	279	34
Ninth District,	112	19
Total,	2,422	567

Upon the conclusion of the registration of the voters in this
county, by order of General Schofield an election was ordered to be
held throughout Virginia on the 22d day of October, 1867, for the
purpose of selecting delegates to a Constitutional Convention to be
held in Richmond in December, 1867, and by the same order the
counties of Washington and Smyth were made one district and
were entitled to two representatives.

The two parties existing at this time were termed Conservatives
and Radicals, and the candidates voted for in this election were
Joseph T. Campbell and J. H. Thompson, Conservatives, and
G. G. Goodell and Henry C. White, Radicals. The vote of this
county for delegates in this election and upon the question of the
holding of the convention was as follows:

             

	White.	Colored.
Campbell (Con),	1,180	5
Thompson (Con),	1,175	5
Goodell (Rad.),	416	500
White (Rad.),	417	498
For Convention,	422	500
Against Convention,	1,154	5

Campbell and Thompson were elected to represent this district
in the Constitutional Convention. This convention assembled in
the city of Richmond on the 3d day of December, 1867, and was composed
of a hundred and five delegates, thirty-three of whom were
Conservatives and seventy-two Radicals.

The Constitution proposed by this convention embodied many
praiseworthy principles, and while some objectionable features
were found in the instrument as originally proposed, it may be
truthfully stated that the Constitution as ratified has given greater
satisfaction to the majority of the people of Virginia than any similar
instrument adopted in the history of our State. The one serious
objection to this Constitution, in the opinion of many, was the
enfranchisement of a great body of illiterate voters, while on the
other hand it provided for the free school system and gave all the
guarantees necessary to the enjoyment of personal liberty to its
fullest extent.

This Constitution was submitted to the people at an election
held on the 6th day of July, 1869.

At the same time an election was held for Governor, Lieutenant-Governor,
Attorney-General, Congressmen, Senator and Representatives
in the House of Delegates.

At this election the vote of the county was as follows:

                                                       

For the Constitution,	2,539
Against the Constitution,	35
For Clause 4,	491
Against Clause 4,	2,109
For Section 7,	492
Against Section 7,	2,115
For Governor—G. C. Walker,	1,971
H. H. Wells,	569
For Lieutenant-Governor—J. F. Lewis,	1,969
J. D. Harris,	521
For Attorney-General—J. C. Taylor,	2,042
T. R. Bowden,	663
For Congress—J. K. Gibson,	2,026
A. C. Dunn,	13
George S. Smith,	573
For Congress at Large—Joseph Segar,	1,876
A. M. Crane,	564
For State Senate—R. B. Edmondson,	860
J. S. Greever,	1,163
Charles McDougall,	517
For House of Delegates—George Graham,	1,675
John F. Terry,	1,702
Harry Remine,	497
M. L. Ingram,	629
Jeriel D. Linder,	98
White voters,	2,212
Colored voters,	389
	2,601

The Constitution was ratified by the people, and Gilbert C.
Walker, John F. Lewis, J. C. Taylor, J. K. Gibson, Joseph Segar,
James S. Greever, George Graham and John F. Terry were elected
to the respective offices for which they were candidates.

James K. Gibson was permitted to take his seat in the Congress
of the United States on the 24th of January, 1870.

Early in the year 1868, the Conservative party in Virginia nominated
a ticket for Governor, Lieutenant-Governor and Attorney-General,
which ticket was as follows:

For Governor, Robert E. Withers, of Lynchburg.

For Lieutenant-Governor, James A. Walker, of Pulaski.

For Attorney-General, John L. Marye, of Fredericksburg.

The object of the Conservative party was not only to elect their
ticket, but to defeat the Constitution proposed by the convention that
adjourned on the 15th of April, 1868. Numerous canvassers were
appointed throughout the State and every preparation was made to
defeat the Constitution proposed, but in March of the year 1869
the Radical convention assembled in Petersburg and two tickets
were nominated, headed by H. H. Wells and Gilbert C. Walker,
respectively, the latter being termed the nominee of the Liberal Republican
party.

The State Executive Committee of the Conservative party, believing
this to be the opportunity to accomplish their object, withdrew
their ticket and decided to support the ticket headed by Gilbert C.
Walker, with the result that Walker was elected by an overwhelming
majority.

On the first day of January, 1868, the term of office of Governor
Pierpont having expired, General Schofield appointed H. H.
Wells Governor of the State, and on the 27th of March, 1869, an
order was issued by the military authorities removing Wells and
vesting all executive power of the State in General Stoneman.

The Congress of the United States, on the 23d day of January,
1869, adopted a resolution directing the removal of all persons
holding civil offices under the provisional governments of Virginia
and Texas, who could not take the oath prescribed by an act of
Congress passed on the 22d of July, 1866, and conferring upon the
military authorities the power to fill all vacancies from persons who
could swear that they had not engaged in the rebellion against the
United States. In the month of February, 1869, Judge John A.
Campbell, of the Circuit Court, was removed and John W. Johnson,
whose disabilities had been removed, was appointed Judge of
this Circuit, and the following persons were appointed to fill vacancies
occasioned by the removal of the officers of the county.

Clerk of the Circuit Court, John O'Neal.

Clerk of the County Court, Charles McDougall.

County Surveyor, Leonidas Baugh.

Sheriff, W. A. Dunn.

Commonwealth-Attorney, Henry C. Auvil.

At the same time members of the County Court, constables and
overseers of the poor were appointed by General Stoneman.

The Constitution, as originally proposed by the convention of
1868, contained many objectionable clauses, and, had the same
been adopted as proposed, it would have been very disastrous and
humiliating to Virginia, but through the intercession of a committee
of nine prominent citizens of this State, among the number
being Governor Wyndham Robertson, of Abingdon, General
Grant, soon after his inauguration on the 4th of March, 1869, by
the direction of the Congress of the United States, issued a proclamation
appointing July 6, 1869, as the day for the people of the

State to vote upon the question of the ratification or rejection of
the proposed Constitution.

By the terms of this Act of Congress General Grant was authorized
to submit to the voters of the State, separately, such clauses of
the proposed Constitution as he might think proper, and, pursuant
to this authority, clause four and section seven of the proposed
Constitution were submitted to the people to be voted upon separately
and, as a result, the only objectionable clauses contained in
this Constitution were eliminated.

The General Assembly elected on the 6th of July, 1869, assembled
in Richmond on October 5th, of the same year, and, after organizing,
ratified the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution
of the United States, elected two United States senators
and adjourned to meet again on the 8th of February, 1870.

On the 28th of January, 1870, the Congress of the United States
passed a bill admitting the representatives from the State of Virginia
to their seats in the Congress of the United States.

When the General Assembly re-assembled on the 8th of February,
1870, they proceeded to reorganize the government of the State
under the Constitution.

John A. Kelly, of Smyth county, was elected judge of the Circuit
Court and R. M. Page, judge of the County Court of this county.
County officers were elected on the 8th of November, 1870, as follows:

Clerk of the Circuit Court, L. T. Cosby.

Clerk of the County Court, W. G. G. Lowry.

Commonwealth-Attorney, James L. White.

Sheriff, James L. F. Campbell.

Treasurer, George R. Barr.

The last term of the old County Court was held on the 9th day
of April, 1870, with the following members present: Henry Davenport,
John D. Rose and Jacob B. Kent.

This court, during its existence, was one of the most valued institutions
in the State, being well suited to the genius of our people
and affording a reliable and speedy remedy for wrongs.

For a number of years immediately subsequent to the close of
the war, an organization existed in this county and in many portions
of the South, known as the Ku-Klux-Klan, having for its
object the restriction of that large body of freedmen found in every

section of the South, and, in many instances, very difficult to control,
the object being to restrain the vicious without the commission
of any wrong against the well-meaning freedman. The terror
created in the minds of the ordinary freedmen by the mention of the
word Ku-Klux-Klan would be hard to describe.

The following notice was published in the Abingdon paper on the
3d of April, 1868:

"NOTICE.
TO THE UNTERRIFIED KU-KLUX-KLAN.

Meet at the Smoky Den of Destruction to hear what the royal
avenging Giant has to say for the good of this Klan; be prompt to
be there at 2 o'clock on the 1st April (night).[6]

By order of the 4th Demon now in the land."

In the month of January, 1869, a depot was erected by the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad Company near Goforth's Mill, six
miles east of Bristol, and since that time a considerable town has
grown up at this point and is now known as Wallace's Switch.

A Law Library Association was organized in Abingdon in October,
1869, by James W. Humes and other prominent citizens of the
town, but for some reason this association was short lived.

On the 24th of November, 1870, the sense of the people of this
county was taken upon a proposition for a county subscription of
$200,000 to the Norfolk and Great Western railroad, and the proposition
was negatived by a vote of nine hundred and ninety-five
against, to two hundred and thirty-eight for.

The county of Washington, previous to the year 1872 divided
into nine districts, was changed in that year, pursuant to an
Act of the General Assembly, and was divided into six districts by
M. H. Buchanan, I. A. McQuown, D. A. P. Campbell, John Roberts,
John M. Hamilton and W. P. Wallace, commissioners
appointed by the County Court of this county for that purpose.

The names of the districts as thus established were Glade Spring,

Saltville, North Fork, Abingdon, Goodson and Kinderhook Districts.
In 1876, by order of the County Court of this county, Holston
District was established and became the Seventh District of
the county.

At this point I will close the history of the county, as it has oftentimes
been truly said: "Nations only begin to look after the history
of their founders and search into their origin when they have
outlived the memory thereof."

EDUCATION.

By far the most creditable chapter in the history of Abingdon and
the people of Washington county, has been the effort of the people
to afford excellent facilities for the education of the youthful
inhabitants of Abingdon and the surrounding country.

William Webb was the first schoolmaster that taught an English
school in the vicinity of Abingdon. He was an Englishman and
came to America in the employment of Lord Fairfax, in whose
land office in the Northern Neck of Virginia he wrote for many
years at the same time that George Washington, with whom Mr.
Webb was well acquainted, was surveying for Lord Fairfax. He
came to Abingdon in 1782 or 1783 with a wife and nine children
and was employed by John Campbell, clerk of the county, in
recording deeds and doing other work in the clerk's office. Soon
after his arrival Mr. Campbell had a school made up for him, and a
schoolhouse was built just across the creek from Mr. Findlay's old
tan-yard, at the head of Black's mill pond, and near where a good
spring came out from between rocks. The ground was the floor and
the seats for the scholars were made of hewn slabs placed on forks
driven into the ground around the walls, and their writing table was
of the same material placed on forks in the middle of the room. Such
was the furniture of the first school-house in Abingdon. Mr. Webb
was a very small man, with a round face and sparkling black eyes.
He was talkative, lively and intelligent, and though feeble, was very
independent in his opinions, and when aroused was as bold as a
lion. He had a ready use of his pen and wrote a most beautiful
hand, as is evident from an inspection of his work now to be found
in the clerk's office of Washington county. Mr. Webb removed to
Russell county in 1786, and settled near the present location of
Tazewell Courthouse, Virginia, and taught school until his death in
the year 1818.

The next teacher of any distinction that came to the vicinity of
Abingdon was Turner Lane, an Irishman, who had previously
thereto taught school at the Royal Oak, where Marion, in Smyth
county now stands. He began to teach school in Abingdon in the
year 1786, in a house on the land of John Bradley. In 1788 or
1789 a school-house was built for him near the meeting-house
spring, at a location within the present enclosure of the Sinking
Spring Cemetery. At this location he taught for several years,
and subsequently removed to Tennessee and settled near Sparta.
He was a man of good size and appearance, very orderly in his
requirements in school, but not tyrannical.[7]

At this location a school was conducted until the organization of
the Abingdon Male Academy in the year 1802.

ABINGDON MALE ACADEMY.

At the fall session of the General Assembly of Virginia in the
year 1802, Robert Craig, Sr., a member of the Legislature from
Washington county, at the request of a number of prominent citizens
of Abingdon, introduced a bill in the Legislature of Virginia
having for its object the incorporation of the Abingdon Academy.
This bill became a law on the 13th of January, 1803, and provided
that:

• John Campbell,

• Richard White,

• James Bradley,

• William King,

• James White,

• Andrew Russell,

• Henry Dixon,

• Robert Craig, Sr.,

• Robert Campbell,

• Gerrard T. Conn,

• Francis Preston,

• Claiborne Watkins,

• William Tate,

• Frederick Hamilton and

• David Campbell,

should constitute a body politic and incorporate by the name of
the Trustees of Abingdon Academy, and by that name should have
perpetual succession, a common seal, and sue and be sued. They
were given the power to make rules and regulations, to appoint
officers and remove the same, in the establishment and conduct of
the proposed Academy, and vacancies occurring on the Board of
Trustees were to be filled by the surviving trustees."

By this same act the trustees of the town of Abingdon and their
successors, or the majority of them, were authorized to raise, not

exceeding $2,000, by lottery or lotteries, to be applied by them in
purchasing a library, philosophical and mathematical apparatus, and
anything else necessary for the use of the said Academy.

The school as thus chartered was opened in the Masonic Hall,[8]
in the town of Abingdon, in the fall of the year 1803, and the Academy
was conducted in the same hall until about the year 1820.

Every member of the Board of Trustees appointed by this act was
personally interested in the success of the Academy, each contributing
everything possible to the institution and the success of the same.

Four members of the Board of Trustees of the town of Abingdon
met at the courthouse in the town of Abingdon on the 18th
of June, 1803, and, pursuant to the provisions of the Act of the
Assembly of date January 13, 1803, had the following proceedings:

"At a meeting of the trustees of the town of Abingdon, at the
courthouse of Washington county, on Saturday, the 18th day of
June, 1803.

Present, Robert Campbell, Andrew Russell, Frederick Hamilton
and James White.

By an act of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia,
passed the 13th day of January, 1803, it is enacted that it
shall and may be lawful for the trustees of the said town, and their
successors or a majority of them, to raise by lottery or lotteries, a
sum, not exceeding two thousand dollars, to be applied by them in
purchasing a library, philosophical and mathematical apparatus,
and anything else necessary for the use of the said Academy. In
pursuance whereof we have adopted the following scheme of a lottery
to be denominated `The Abingdon Academy Lottery,' to raise
the sum of two thousand dollars for the purposes aforesaid, by
account of twenty per cent. on prizes alone.

                 

1 Prize of $1,000,	$ 1,000
2 Prizes of $500,	1,000
15 Prizes of $100,	1,500
40 Prizes of $50,	2,000
50 Prizes of $20,	1,000
700 Prizes of $5,	3,500
808 Prizes,	$10,000
1192 Blanks,
2,000 Tickets@$5,	$10,000

The drawing will commence in the Abingdon Academy as soon
as the tickets are sold, and continued from day to day until finally
completed; immediately after which the prizes will be paid to the
fortunate adventurers. Such as shall not be demanded within six
months after the close of the drawing will be considered as relinquished.
We have adopted the following form of the tickets:

There can be no question that the drawing under this lottery
took place, but with what success it is impossible to ascertain.

The first principal of the Abingdon Academy is unknown, and
the success attending the Academy previous to 1820 is equally
unknown; but it is probable that the institution received considerable
patronage and to some extent at least met the object of its
projectors.

William King, a young man who had been identified with the
town of Abingdon since an early day in its history, became very
much interested in the Abingdon Academy, and being a man of considerable
means, at the time of the execution of his will he made the
following provision for the Academy—to-wit: I also leave and
bequeath to the Abingdon Academy the sum of ($10,000) ten thousand
dollars payable to the trustees in the year 1816, or lands to
that amount, to be vested in said Academy with the interest or rents
thereon forever."

His will was probated on the 20th of December, 1808.

William King was an Irishman and a self-made man in every
particular, but evidently had received a good English education
himself. By this act he rendered a great service to many generations
of people, and his name will be intimately associated with
the history of his adopted home as long as education is appreciated
by our people.

In the fall of the year 1812, the following advertisement appeared
in the "Political Prospect," a newspaper published in Abingdon:

ABINGDON ACADEMY.

"The trustees of this institution have the happiness to announce
to the friends of Erudition, that the muses are about to pour out
their treasures from the Pierian Spring in this Seminary. To the
American Youth who thirst for literary acquirements, they offer the
draughts of:

LANGUAGE AND SCIENCE.

Under

The REV. THOMAS ERSKINE BIRCH, WHOSE TALENTS
as a preceptor have been so universally authenticated that any
encomium is unnecessary.

PRICES FOR TUITION.

       

For a novitiate,	$10 00
Reading and writing,	12 00
English Gram., Arithmetic, &c.,	15 00
Language & Mathematical Science, Elocution, Philosophy, Belles-Lettres and Astronomy, Book-keeping, geography and Navigation, &c.,	20 00

Nothing more is known of the Academy at this time.

The trustees of the Abingdon Academy in the year 1819 instituted
a suit in the court of this county having for its object the
enforcement of the provision made by William King in his will for
Abingdon Academy.

Matthew Willoughby, Edward Latham and James Vance were
appointed commissioners by the court to ascertain the lands owned
by William King in Abingdon and vicinity, and to ascertain the
value of said lands and report to the court.

These commissioners reported to the court at the October term
thereof, and by a decree of said court entered on the 22d of December,
1819, the following lands were directed to be conveyed by the
adult heirs of William King, deceased, and by Jacob Lynch, commissioner
of the court, to the trustees of the Abingdon Academy,
99 acres and 31 poles; 29 acres and 80 poles; 10 1-2 acres; 20 3-4
acres; 32 acres and 59 poles; 32 acres; 40⅔ acres; 15 acres and
120 poles; 17 acres and 88 poles; 8¼ acres; 100 acres; 10 quarter-acre

lots in the Robert Craig addition to the town of Abingdon, and
being lots Nos. 31, 35, 33, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 43; 10 quarter-acre
lots in the David Craig addition to said town, and being lots Nos.
15, 16, 17, 18, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30."

Deeds were executed pursuant to this order of the court, and the
trustees of the Academy set about in earnest to make the institution
of great service to the community.

Soon after the determination of this suit, the trustees of Abingdon
Academy employed Nathaniel Holley as principal of the Academy,
and rented a room for the school to be taught in until the Academy
building could be erected.

In the year 1824, the Board of Trustees appointed Francis Smith,
James Cummings and Earl B. Clapp, curators for the Academy
land, and in the same year appointed David Campbell, James White
and Francis Smith, a committee to select a location for the Academy
and have the site for the Academy cleared out, and in the following
year, Francis Smith, John M. Preston and David Campbell, were
appointed a committee to let the contract for the erection of a brick
Academy to cost $2,000, and at the same time the Board of Directors
directed that the cost of the erection of this Academy be paid by
money raised by private subscription.

In the year 1826, when the brick Academy was nearing completion,
the Board of Trustees of the Academy sold and conveyed
to General Francis Preston, all their interest in the old Academy
building on Water street, and in the year 1827, occupied the new
Academy building, and elected William Ewing principal.

The brick Academy erected in this year was situated upon the
location of the present Academy building, and was one of the best
school buildings in Western Virginia at the time.

William Ewing served as principal of the Academy until 1833,
and during his occupancy the attendance was considerable and the
Academy prosperous.

From the year 1833 to 1837, Professor Peter McViccar, formerly
a professor in Hampden-Sidney College, was principal of the Academy,
and received for his compensation $1,300 yearly. The tuition
fee was $10 per session and the number of students exceeded
forty.

In the year 1833, the trustees of Abingdon Academy decided that
it would be advisable to unite the male and female schools of the

town, and appointed a committee to ascertain the practicability of
selling the Academy lands and uniting the two schools, but this
undertaking of the trustees evidently failed, as there is no evidence
that the two schools were ever united.

In the year 1833 there were four schools for boys in the town
of Abingdon, conducted by the Rev. David Spyker, Rev. F. L. B.
Shaver, Samuel Baillie and a Mr. Hathaway, and one school for
girls.

In the year 1774, Dr. Thomas Walker conveyed to the minister
and congregation of Sinking Spring and their successors fifty-five
acres of land, now in West Abingdon and including Sinking Spring
Cemetery, and a portion of Fruit Hill and Taylor's Hill.

In the year 1800 the validity of this deed was questioned by some,
and on the 11th of January, 1800, Colonel Francis Walker, as
executor of Dr. Thomas Walker, conveyed this same land to the
Rev. Charles Cummings and others and their successors.

In the year 1840, the validity of this last conveyancee was questioned,
and on the 23d of May in that year, William C. Rives and
his wife, Judith P. Rives, Mann Page, and Jane F. Page, the heirs-at-law
of Dr. Thomas Walker, conveyed these lands to the trustees
of Abingdon Academy and their successors.

Subsequently it was decided that the first deed executed by Dr.
Walker was valid and, consequently, all subsequent deeds void.

The next information that we have of the Academy is in the year
1849, at which time W. A. Woodson and B. F. Ficklin were principals.

During the administration of Woodson and Ficklin the Academy
was a military institution, and for a number of years thereafter.
The students were uniformed and daily drilled. The uniform worn
by the students was as follows: A coatee of gray cloth with white
metal buttons, with pantaloons of the same material for winter,
and white linen or cotton for summer and a blue cloth cap. The
attendance during this period in the history of the school was
large, and the school was exceedingly prosperous.

W. A. Woodson and J. M. Brockenbrough were the principals
of the Academy in the year 1851, but they disagreed, and J. M.
Brockenbrough during the following year conducted a school for
boys in the basement of the Temperance Hall. To this school he

gave the name of Washington Institute, but the school ceased to
exist after the first year.

The principals of the Abingdon Academy from 1822 until the
present time have been as follows:

1822-1827, Nathaniel Holley.

1827-1833, William Ewing.

1833-1837, Peter McViccar.

1837-1838, Rev. Ephraim D. Saunders, Cumberland county.

1838-1840, George Clive, Albemarle county.

1840-1843, Rev. Samuel Matthews.

1843-1849, John G. Winniford.

1849-1850, B. F. Ficklin and W. A. Woodson.

1850-1851, W. A. Woodson and J. M. Brockenbrough.

1851-1852, W. A. Woodson and W. Y. C. Humes.

1852-1853, J. E. Blankenship.

1853-1854, Rev. Thomas Brown.

1854-1855, Rev. Henry T. Lee.

1855-1856, Stephen J. Pendleton, Williamsburg.

1856-1859, Rev. Thomas Brown.

1859-1860, Charles T. Brown.

1860-1861, R. H. Hall.

1861-1865, William Farmer.

1865-1871, Robert P. Carson.

1871-1872, John H. McRae.

And since 1872, Robert P. Carson, J. B. Baker, A. P. Wilmer,
J. W. Cole and B. R. Smith in the order named.

It is worthy of mention at this point that John G. Winniford, who
for a number of years successfully conducted the Abingdon Academy,
was the son of the principal contractor in the building of
Emory and Henry College, and probably the first graduate of that
institution.

Mr. Hall, the principal of this Academy in the year 1861, resigned
his position as principal of the Academy and enlisted in the service
of the Confederate States.

Robert J. Preston, Samuel B. Paston and James G. McChain, in
the order named, were assistant professors at the Academy during
the administration of Robert P. Carson.

In the spring of the year 1861, the volunteers from Scott county
were permitted to occupy the Abingdon Academy temporarily, but

this permission was abused, and the trustees of the Academy petitioned
the Secretary of War of the Confederate States to prohibit
the use of the Academy by the soldiers, and in June, 1862, this
petition was granted and the soldiers forbidden to occupy the
Academy.

By the year 1872 the Academy buildings by neglect and bad usage
had cracked and were in a very dilapidated condition, and the Board
of Trustees, because of the necessity above stated, began the erection
in that year of the present Academy building and the brick residence
near thereto.

The corner-stone of the Academy was relaid jointly by Waterman
Lodge, No. 219, and Abingdon Lodge, No. 48, Ancient Free and
Accepted Masons, on the 15th day of July, A. L., 5872, A. D., 1872,
conducted by P. G. M. Thomas F. Owens.

The program was as follows:

Robert E. Withers, Grand Master of Virginia.

Waterman Lodge, No. 219.

John C. Campbell, Master.

John G. Clark, S. W.

William White, J. W.

George R. Barr, Secretary.

Charles B. Coale, Treasurer.

Abingdon Lodge, No. 48.

John A. Barrow, Master.

P. C. Landrum, S. W.

John D. Cosby, J. W.

G. V. Litchfield, Secretary.

W. F. Barr, Treasurer.

Committee of Arrangements:

           

R. M. Page,	Lodge No. 219.
George R. Barr,
Thomas K. Trigg,
G. V. Litchfield,	Lodge, No. 48.
John D. Cosby,
John A. Barrow,

Trustees of Abingdon Academy:

• E. M. Campbell, President.

John G. Kreger, Secretary and Treasurer.

• James K. Gibson,

• John A. Campbell,

• A. R. Preston,

• Charles J. Cummings,

• T. G. McConnell,

• James Fields,

• C. S. Bekem,

• A. C. Cummings,

• George V. Litchfield, Sr.,

• N. K. White,

• D. G. Thomas,

• S. N. Honaker,

• James L. White.

Contractors:

James Fields, Masonry.

Frank Smith, carpenter.

The buildings thus begun were completed in a short time, and at
this day are in use by the authorities of the Academy.

The trustees of the Academy in the meantime had sold and conveyed
the property derived under the will of William King, and, previous
to 1861, had used the interest arising from this endowment
fund in discharging the current expenses of the school, but by the
depreciation of the securities held by the Board of Trustees for this
fund, the entire fund was exhausted by the erection of the buildings
before mentioned and since that time the school has been without
an endowment fund.

Since the close of the war the following gentlemen have acted as
principals of the Academy in the order named: Colonel R. P. Carson,
J. B. Baker, A. P. Wilmer, J. W. Cole, and B. R. Smith.

This Academy is situated within view of the Norfolk and Western
Railway and about one-quarter of a mile from the depot thereof.
The grounds consist of about eighteen acres of land, and the
Academy buildings are situated on a high hill in the midst of a
splendid grove of poplar, oak and chestnut trees overlooking the
town of Abingdon, and from this hill a splendid view may be had
of all the surrounding country.

Many of the distinguished men produced by this county and this
section of Virginia have been students of this Academy, and under
its present very efficient management many of the sons of this section
of Virginia are being prepared for a life of usefulness and
honor.

What this Academy most needs is an endowment fund that will
enable the trustees to extend the sphere of usefulness of the institution,
and if some of our well-to-do citizens could be impressed with
the fact that wealth transmitted to descendants has an enervating
effect and oftentimes destroys the usefulness of excellent men, maybe
they would be impelled to confer a small portion at least of their
wealth upon this institution, and thereby forever merit the love
and respect of their fellow-citizens and their posterity. The provision
contained in the will of William King, as above set out, has
done more to perpetuate his memory and to instill into the minds of
his posterity and fellow-citizens a sublime respect for his character
as a man than all the great wealth that passed at his death to his
relatives.

Female Education.

As early as March, 1840, the General Assembly of Virginia incorporated
the Abingdon Female Academy with a capital of $50,000,
under the management of the following trustees:

• David Campbell,

• Alexander Findlay,

• John N. Humes,

• Jacob Lynch,

• Samuel H. Wills,

• Jeremiah Bronough,

• John M. Preston,

• John W. C. Watson,

• Fairman H. Preston,

• Daniel Trigg,

• William Y. C. White,

• John C. Greenway,

• John Dunn.

This school was for many years conducted in a room in the Masonic
Hall, which was located on Valley street, on now the vacant
lot between the Presbyterian manse and the residencee of Mrs. S.
M. Withers. This school for many years was under the supervision
of Miss Melville and Miss Agnes Mitchell (the latter won distinction
by her production entitled the "Smuggler's Son"), and afterwards
by Miss Bettie Litchfield, and at one time by the Rev. Thomas
Brown.

In the year 1851, Miss Bettie Litchfield conducted the school at
the Masonic Hall, and Misses Sallie C. and Elizabeth Balfour conducted
a school for young ladies in the Methodist Protestant church.

In February of the year 1851, a committee appointed by the
Holston Conference met in Abingdon and discussed the propriety
of establishing a female college within the bounds of the conference;

and while this committee failed to establish a school in Abingdon,
the subject was extensively discussed and was finally brought
to the attention of McCabe Lodge, No. 56, I. O. O. F., of Abingdon,
and, as a result, the lodge, in the year 1853, projected a plan for the
erection of a first-class female college in Abingdon, to which was
given the name of

MARTHA WASHINGTON COLLEGE.

This name was suggested by Colonel John Campbell, of Hall's
Bottom, who, in speaking of this enterprise, said: "If the name of
your county was the first honor of the kind paid to General Washington,

the name you are about to give to your female college will
be the first of the kind paid to his wife, who shared with him his
anxieties and hopes in our struggle for liberty and whose domestic
virtues made her a perfect model of female excellence. By thus conferring
the name you will do honor to the bosom friend of Washington,
who consoled him during his wonderful career. You will also
do honor to the first settlers of Washington county, who proved
themselves in the darkest hours of the revolution to be worthy the
name that had been selected for their county."

The Odd-Fellows Lodge that undertook this worthy enterprise
was organized on the 27th of June, 1847, the following persons
being charter members: James D. McCabe, John C. Campbell, F. L.
B. Shaver, Matthew Davis and Charles B. Coale.

The growth of the lodge was rapid, and its usefulness was unbounded,
and by the year 1853 most of the leading citizens of Abingdon
were active members.

When the lodge had decided to undertake this enterprise committees
were appointed to select the location for the college and ascertain
the cost thereof, to solicit subscriptions from the citizens of the
town and county and from other lodges, and shortly thereafter the
lodge purchased from William Y. C. White about ten acres of land
on the hill north of the county courthouse for the sum of twelve
hundred dollars, the purchase money being paid in cash. W. W.
Blackford, a member of the lodge, was employed to furnish the plan
for said college, which plan was reported and adopted, and contracts
were let for the building of a large three-story building intended
as the main building of the college.

In the meantime the General Assembly of Virginia, on the 3d
day of March, 1854, incorporated the proposed college under the
name and style of the Trustees of the Martha Washington College,
the following gentlemen being named as trustees: B. R. Johnston,
James H. Dunn, James Fields, David C. Dunn, John L. Bradley,
Samuel Garner, George R. Barr, Samuel Logan, William K. Heiskell,
Thomas L. Preston, Peter E. B. C. Henritze, Henry W. Baker
and John C. Cummings, to which board were subsequently added
Charles B. Coale and John G. Kreger.

This board organized by the election of Thomas L. Preston as
president of the board.

The ladies of the town were interested, and conducted several
fairs for the benefit of the college. A Gift Enterprise was conducted
at Abingdon and 50,000 tickets were sold at $1.00 each. Fifty thousand
gifts were bestowed upon the holders of the tickets sold, among
the gifts being a farm of 150 acres of land, house and lot in the town
of Abingdon, piano, carriage, buggy, certificates of scholarship in
the proposed college, and several thousand steel engravings of the
proposed college buildings.

By the year 1858 the main building of the college was about completed
and the grounds somewhat improved, when, during a very
severe storm, the building was so badly injured as to make it necessary
to tear it down and rebuild it, and it was apparent that the
lodge would not be able to complete the undertaking as at first proposed,
although they had expended $30,000 thereon.

At this time the Rev. E. E. Wiley, representing the Holston Conference,
submitted a proposition to the lodge on behalf of the conference.
The lodge accepted the proposition of the conference, and
the college, with its debts, real estate and subscription list, was
transferred to the Holston Conference, the transfer taking effect
on Monday, June 14, 1858.

The conference immediately began preparations for the completion
of the enterprise undertaken by the lodge, and soon thereafter
purchased from Thomas L. Preston the present location of the college
for the sum of $21,600.

The property thus purchased was the former residence of General
Francis Preston, and the home at one time of William C. Preston
and John S. Preston, of South Carolina; Mrs. Wade Hampton,
South Carolina; Mrs. Robert J. Breckenridge, of Kentucky; Mrs.
General Carrington, of Albemarle county; Mrs. John B. Floyd,
Mrs. James McDowell, of Rockbridge, and Mrs. John M. Preston, of
Abingdon.

The General Assembly of Virginia incorporated Martha Washington
College on the 22d of February, 1860, naming the following
trustees:

• George V. Litchfield,

• Milton Y. Heiskell,

• B. R. Johnston,

• C. B. Coale,

• Thomas S. Stewart,

• Joseph Haskew,

• Ephraim E. Wiley,

• T. P. Hoofnagle,

• William P. Bishop,

• W. K. Heiskell,

• Edmond Longley,

• Thomas G. McConnell,

• John A. Campbell.

This board organized by the election of John A. Campbell as
president, and the first session of the school was duly opened on
March 15, 1860, and, save for the suspension of a few months in
the year 1862, has continued in successful operation to the present,
the last few years being the most prosperous in its entire history.

This college can boast of more than three hundred and fifty graduates,

representing all of the Southern States and many of the
Northern and Western States.

The description of the buildings and grounds is best given by one
of the original trustees of this college:

"The buildings and grounds are of the most elaborate and magnificent
order, unsurpassed for beauty and convenience in the South
or out of it. The grounds comprise eight acres, and are gorgeously
ornamented with trees and shrubs and flowers. There are more
than a mile of continuous serpentine walks for the young ladies
to promenade in, all tastefully bordered with flowering shrubbery.
Fruits in great variety, including berries and grapes in great abundance,
grow in all parts of the ground, at all times in their season
accessible to the inmates, and the young ladies seem, in their beautiful
and well-ordered "home school," to be as happy as the first
inhabitants of Eden before that Snake came along. The buildings
are extensive, convenient and imposing, and capable of accommodating
from 125 to 150 boarders. The Faculty is equal to any
anywhere; and if we were young again, we believe we might be
bewildered at the sight of the bright eyes, sunny curls and fairy-like
forms that sport amid the flowers of the campus on calm summer
evenings. Some of our young men are half crazy now, but
they dare not pass the enclosure, except to see a sister or a cousin, and
they all have cousins of course, and even then nearly every tree and
bush and flower seems to say—"thus far shalt thou go and no
further."[9]

The buildings, four in number, are constructed of brick, and are
heated by steam and are lighted by incandescent electric lights.

The principals of this college during its very useful career have
been: W. A. Harris, B. Arbogast, R. W. Jones, Warren Dupree,
E. E. Hoss, E. E. Wiley, D. S. Hearon, S. N. Barker and W. M.
Dyer.

STONEWALL JACKSON INSTITUTE.

In the year 1868, a number of the prominent citizens of Abingdon,
principally affiliating with the Presbyterian Church, feeling
it necessary that another school for the education of girls should be
established in this section of the State, undertook the founding of
such an institution in the town of Abingdon.

The location selected was the brick residence erected by General
John S. Preston in the year 1833, and lots Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13, 20,
21 and 3-4 of lot No. 9, in West Abingdon. This property was
occupied by General Preston until his removal to South Carolina,
and then by Governor Floyd until the time of his death.

After the death of Governor Floyd, his wife, Sally B. Floyd, and
W. B. Byars, trustee, conveyed this property to A. L. Hendricks,
who, on the 16th of January, 1868, sold and transferred the same
to the trustees of Martha Washington College.

Stonewall Jackson Institute, Abingdon, Va.

When it was definitely determined to undertake the establishment
of this school, the trustees of the Sinking Spring Presbyterian
Church, purchased from the Trustees of Martha Washington College
the property above mentioned, and the gentlemen interested at
once met and organized a Board of Trustees composed of the following
gentlemen: W. Y. C. White, A. C. Cummings, T. P. Clapp,
F. B. Hurt, Robert A. Preston, T. M. Clapp, James W. Preston, Rev.
James McChain, D. G. Thomas, D. C. Dunn, S. A. Preston,
D. C. Greenway and J. G. Kreger, and elected the following officers:

President, W. Y. C. White.

Vice-President, A. C. Cummings.

Secretary, John G. Kreger.

Treasurer, Samuel A. Preston.

The Trustees of the Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church
appointed the Rev. A. L. Hogshead as agent to solicit subscriptions
to the new enterprise, and the Board of Trustees gave to the
new institution the name of Jackson Female Institute, and selected
the Rev. Samuel Davies Stuart, of Staunton, Virginia, as principal
of the institution for the first year, and the Rev. Thomas Brown as
principal professor. The first session of this school began on the
15th of September, 1868, with a large attendance and bright prospects.
The name given to the institution was bestowed and intended
as a tribute, so far as such an act can constitute a tribute, to a
majestic character, a great name that will ever shine with undimmed
glory upon the page of history.

When General Lee received information of the organization of
this institution he addressed the following letter to the principal
of the Institute, expressing his feelings in regard thereto:

What more fitting monument could be erected to the memory of
General Jackson, who was loved chiefly for his patriotism, gentleness,
truth, his love for his family and his God, than an institution
of learning of this character.

Could General Jackson know the manner in which the young
lady pupils of this institution are taught and witness them in their
uniforms of Confederate gray, he would feel that this is the grandest

monument that has yet been erected to his name by a loving
people.

By the year 1870, it was found necessary to have this institution
incorporated, and the General Assembly of Virginia, on the 27th of
June, 1870, incorporated the same with the following Trustees:
W. Y. C. White, T. P. Clapp, James W. Preston, S. A. Preston,
David C. Dunn, Floyd B. Hurt, D. G. Thomas, John G.
Kreger, David C. Greenway, H. S. Preston, E. H. Barnett, George
R. Barr, James W. Humes, George W. Palmer, A. C. Cummings,
Isaac B. Dunn and Joseph R. Anderson.

I. B. Dunn and Joseph R. Anderson declined to serve as trustees
and R. M. Page and John A. Buchanan were elected to fill the
vacancies.

Considerable difficulty was experienced by the trustees of this
institution in relieving it from its indebtedness, but after a few
years the financial condition of the institution was such as to
justify the erection of a commodious addition, three stories in height,
at the east end of the original building, and about ten years ago a
handsome building was erected at the west end of the original building,
and the grounds were terraced and placed in excellent condition.

The trustees of this institution until recent years were selected,
one-half by the trustees of the Institute and the other half by the
trustees of Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church, but, in the year
1896, the trustees of the Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church
transferred their interest in the institution to Abingdon Presbytery,
and the charter of Jackson Female Institute was amended by the
General Assembly changing the name to Stonewall Jackson Institute
and provides for the appointment of new trustees by the Abingdon
Presbytery and the trustees of the Institute.

It may be said that this institution bids fair to experience in the
near future such an era of prosperity and usefulness as is seldom
witnessed, and that not without cause.

Could the fathers and mothers of our country know and experience
the gentle Christian-like influences that are constantly
exerted by the principal of this institution in her dealings with her
pupils, they could not hesitate to intrust their daughters to her care.

The Institute is situated upon a beautiful eminence on west Main

street, the grounds are studded with handsome shade trees, all of
them of full growth, many of them of stately stature and patriarchal
age; the surface is undulating in graceful terraces and intersected
by winding paths. The front and sides of the campus are
enclosed with a handsome stone wall, surmounted throughout its
entire length by an artistic iron fence. The buildings occupy the
crest of a hill of considerable elevation above the street upon which
they front and from which they are quite far removed, while the
town of Abingdon is 2,057 feet above the level of the sea. In salubrity
of climate, which is an important consideration in selecting a
school, Southwest Virginia is not excelled by any other section of
the country.

The principals of the institute since its founding have been:
Rev. Samuel D. Stuart, Thomas D. Davidson, A. Q. Holliday, Rev.
John O. Sullivan, J. D. Anderson and Miss Kate M. Hunt.

Under the present administration the institute has received a
larger patronage than in any preceding period of its history.

EMORY AND HENRY COLLEGE.

From an early day in our history the need of an institution of
learning that would afford educational advantages of a high order
was keenly felt, and for many years the practicability of establishing
such an institution was discussed by the leading citizens of this
section of our country, but no practical results were obtained until
about the year 1833. Colonel William Byars, Tobias Smith, Alexander
Findlay and the Rev. Creed Fulton, about this time, undertook
the establishment of such an institution in this county, and
had made some progress, when the Holston Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, at its fall session of 1835, held in Knoxville,
Tennessee, resolved to establish in Southwestern Virginia a
manual labor college, and soon thereafter, on the 9th of April, 1836,
Colonel William Byars and Alexander Findlay purchased from
George M. Crawford and the other devisees of the Rev. Edward
Crawford, 554 1-2 acres of land for the sum of $4,158.75.

The lands thus purchased were situated on the waters of Cedar
creek, described in the deed as the waters of the Little Holston creek,
and were the same lands that were surveyed by John Buchanan,
deputy surveyor of Augusta county, for Colonel James Wood, on
the 26th of March, 1874 and the 24th of March, 1749. These

lands were devised by Colonel Wood to his wife, Mary Wood, and
by her conveyed to James Dysart and Matthew Ryburn, executors
of John Beattie, deceased, and by Dysart and Ryburn conveyed to
the Rev. Edward Crawford, and by the Rev. Edward Crawford
devised to his children by his wife, Jane.[10]

The Holston Conference, at the same time that it decided to
establish the manual labor school in Southwest Virginia, commissioned

the Rev. Creed Fulton as an agent to solicit funds for the
undertaking, which duty he immediately proceeded to discharge.
Upon his return from Knoxville, a meeting of the citizens of the
upper end of this county was held at the Old Glade Spring Church,
having for its object the obtaining of subscriptions for the enterprise.
This meeting was largely attended and $5,000 was subscribed
to the enterprise at that time and place,[11] and soon thereafter
another meeting was held in Abingdon at which a subscription
equally as large was obtained. In the meantime Colonel William
Byars, Alexander Findlay and Tobias Smith were furnishing the
money and were giving their time to the erection of buildings upon
the location selected for the school, being the lands purchased by
Byars and Findlay from George M. Crawford and others.

The corner-stone of the main college building was laid with
Masonic ceremonies on the 30th day of September, 1836, in the
presence of a large concourse of people. The contract for the buildings
had been previously let to Lyle & Sheppard and the carpenters'
work to George Winniford, and by the spring of 1838 the
buildings were sufficiently advanced to justify the opening of the
school, and the first session began on the 13th day of April, 1838.

The name given to this college was Emory and Henry College, in
honor of Bishop Emory and Patrick Henry, and the Rev. Charles
Collins was elected the first president of the college.

Colonel William Byars was elected president and Alexander Findlay
secretary, of the first Board of Trustees of Emory and Henry
College. The first Board of Trustees of Emory and Henry College
was composed of the following gentlemen:

• Colonel William Byars,

• Alexander Findlay,

• Tobias Smith,

• Daniel Trigg, M. D.,

• Colonel Thomas L. Preston,

• Rev. Thomas Catlett,

• John W. Price,

• John W. C. Watson,

• Rev. Creed Fulton,

• Rev. Nathaniel Sherman,

• John N. Humes,

• Nickerson Snead, M. D.,

• Rev. Arnold Patton.

This school, in its inception, was called a manual labor college,
and was intended as an institution in which the pupils were to be
taught to labor with their hands as well as to think. They were to
be permitted to work upon the farm and to receive credit upon
their tuition and board for labor thus performed, and while this
feature of the institution was maintained for many years, it was
finally found to be impracticable and was abandoned. One hundred
students were enrolled during the first year, and, as far as
patronage was concerned, the school was prosperous.

This institution was incorporated by an act of the Assembly
approved March 5, 1839, and on the 24th of December, 1840, William
Byars, Alexander Findlay and Catherine Findlay, his wife,
conveyed to the trustees of Emory and Henry College the lands
they had purchased from the devisees of the Rev. Edward Crawford
in 1836, and in this deed William Byars retained a lien on the

lands thus conveyed to secure to himself the sum of $7,400, and to
Alexander Findlay and John D. Mitchell $2,000, money advanced
by them in the establishment and support of said college.

By the year 1843 the trustees of the college found the institution
considerably in debt and petitioned the General Assembly of
Virginia for a loan of $18,000 from the Literary Fund, and by an
Act of the Assembly approved on the 27th of February, 1843, the
directors of the Literary Fund were authorized to loan to the
trustees of Emory and Henry College the sum of $18,000, provided
the trustees of said college would secure the payment of said sum of
$18,000 and its interest by a deed of trust upon all their property,
and by good personal security, and pursuant to this Act of the Assembly
the trustees of the college on the 24th of March, 1843, executed
to Beverly R. Johnston a deed of trust upon all their real estate in
this county to secure the said sum of $18,000 and its interest, and
William Byars, Alexander Findlay, Tobias Smith and other prominent
citizens of the county became endorsers on their note.

This incumbrance upon the property of the college was discharged
on August 20, 1890, by the trustees of Emory and Henry College
conveying to the Board of Public Works of Virginia 248 1-2 acres of
their real estate situated at Emory.

It should be stated to the credit of the management of this institution
that, from the year 1843, the college, without an endowment,
was free from debt for about thirty years, and that the income from
tuition and board was not only sufficient to meet the current
expenses of the school, but the trustees were enabled to make considerable
improvement during this time, such as the erection of
handsome buildings and enlarging the library and apparatus. The
patronage of the school reached 280 pupils in the year 1860, and
since the close of the war has varied from 80 to 150.

Colonel William Byars and Governor Wyndham Robertson, each,
in the early history of the college gave to the trustees a sum of
money the annual interest of which has for many years furnished
the Byars' Medal for the highest proficiency in Natural Sciences,
and the Robertson prize medal for encouraging oratory, while Professor
James A. Davis donated to the college valuable instruments
costing about $700.

More than five thousand young men have been educated and more
than five hundred have graduated from this institution in its history.

It has accomplished great good in its time, and the prospects
are that it will accomplish untold benefits to our country in the
future.

The presidents of this institution have been:

1837-1852, Rev. Charles Collins, M. A., D. D.

1852-1879, Rev. Ephraim E. Wiley, M. A., D. D.

1879-1880, John L. Buchanan, M. A., LL. D.

1880-1884, Rev. David Sullins, M. A., D. D.

1884-1885, Rev. E. Embree Hoss, M. A., D. D.

and since that time, Thomas W. Jordan, Rev. James M. Atkins
and Rev. R. G. Waterhouse.

The location of Emory and Henry College is in a beautiful valley
nine miles east of Abingdon, just south of the extreme west end
of Walker's mountain, and cannot be excelled for its beauty and fertility
anywhere in our country. The college is situated 2,000 feet
above the level of the sea, with the White Top mountain in plain
view, and directly upon the line of the Norfolk & Western Railway.

LIBERTY HALL ACADEMY.

Liberty Hall Academy was founded in 1866—thirty-seven years
ago. It has ranked high as a school ever since. Its founder was
Rev. James Keys, who had taught successfully for many years in
Johnson county, Tennessee, and was driven out by the war. It is
a commodious brick building, built at Mr. Keys' own expense. He,
as principal, assisted by his daughter, Mrs. T. W. Hughes, had
charge until 1878.

His patronage exceeded that of any other school in the county except
Emory. In the year above mentioned Mr. Keys retired on account
of age and infirmity, and the property was purchased by a board
of gentlemen of the Presbyterian Church. This purchase was made
in 1878. The object was to continue the school, and to that end they
signed and placed an agreement on record that the property should
be used for school purposes forever.

The first principal after the purchase was Professor T. W.
Hughes. He continued in charge seven years, and was succeeded by
Rev. Mr. McClure, who resigned at the end of the second year. He
was succeeded by a number of gentlemen who remained for brief
periods and whose success was not conspicuous. Professor W. J.
Edmondson, at present county superintendent, became principal
in 1891, and continued in charge six years. The character of the

school was fully sustained under him and the patronage very large.
His successor was Professor W. G. Edmondson, who resigned at the
end of the second year, and was succeeded by Professor Sam
Edmondson, the present principal.

Liberty Hall has been a school for thirty-seven years. Its average
patronage has been large. Its instructors have generally been men
of first-class attainments. Its standard has always been high, and
no similar institution in Southwest Virginia has fitted as many
young men for college or sent into the ranks so many of the teachers
of our common schools.

While Liberty Hall Academy is nominally Presbyterian, it is not
in any sense denominational.

An effort is now being made to secure an endowment of $10,000,
by which means the salary of the principal will be secured, and rates
of tuition correspondingly lowered.

BARRACK INSTITUTE.

While the writer has but little information in regard to Solomon
G. Barrack or the history of the institute established by his donation
near Love's Mill in this county, he thinks it worthy of note that
Solomon G. Barrack, a citizen of this county, and of very limited
means, by his will, which was executed prior to the war between
the States, devised the larger portion of his estate to Leonidas Love,
to be invested by him upon undoubted security as a school fund,
and directed that said fund be kept on interest, and the interest
expended yearly in paying the salary of a competent teacher under
the direction of Leonidas Love, David Jones, Oscar Love and
Charles Meek, and by the same will directed the erection of a schoolhouse
upon a piece of land near Love's Mill, Virginia.

The gentlemen above named were incorporated under the name
and style of Trustees of Barrack Institute in the year 1866. The
school-house provided for was erected under their supervision and
for now more than thirty-five years the youth of that community
have been enjoying the benefits of educational advantages that they
would not have enjoyed had the founder of this institution been
actuated by selfish motives alone and conferred his property upon
his relatives.

The memory of Solomon G. Barrack is entitled to a position
along-side that of William King, and the memory of both should be
honored and respected by the citizens of this county.

WHITE TOP MOUNTAIN.[12]

[13] "This is a peak in the Appalachian range, here more familiarly
known by the local name of Iron mountain, and near the point
where the three States of Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina
all unite at a common corner. It is about twenty miles from
Abingdon the way the crow flies, though perhaps thirty by the
intricate bridle paths through intervening mountains, by which it
is approached. Until within a few years comparatively, owing to its
inaccessibility, it was almost in its primitive state, and visited
only by hunters and trappers, and here and there a "squatter," who
may have fled to its fastnesses to evade those penal exactments which
a certain class of men in most communities deem oppressive. It is
some 5,000 feet high from base to summit, and upwards of 6,000
feet above the level of the sea. Its summit is a vast field comprising
from 300 to 500 acres, without a tree or shrub, and covered with
a luxuriant growth of wild grass resembling that of our northwestern
prairies, which is highly nutritious and cropped with
insatiable avidity by vast herds of stock driven from the neighboring
settlements to graze and fatten. During the months of May
and June, this field, as well as a large portion of the wooded parts
of the mountain, is gorgeously carpeted with wild flowers of every
imaginable hue, and so fragrant that their perfume is often wafted a
considerable distance on the wings of the wind, which sometimes
sweeps across the broad fields like the dying throes of a hurricane,
with fitful shrieks of wild and melancholy music.

Bordering this natural field are great numbers of native gooseberry
and currant bushes, which yield their acrid fruits in neverfailing
abundance, and the wild leopard lily, springing from its
rocky bed, sways to and fro and scatters its rich perfume as the
blast sweeps by.

Upon the very summit, various springs of ice-cold water gush
from the rocks and leap down the declivities, babbling their wild
music as they disappear among the magnificent rhododendrons and
the dazzling crimson of the Indian pink. These waters are so
pure and light that they never oppress, no matter how freely the
thirsty visitor may quaff them.

The field above referred to is bordered by a very singular as

well as very beautiful growth of timber, known in that region by
the name of Lashorn. Some of these trees grow to an immense
height, but generally are not more than from thirty to fifty feet
high, and, what is very remarkable, where not crowded they are
perfectly flat on top, spreading out to a diameter of from fifteen
to thirty feet. It is a species of, and very much resembles, Norway
spruce, an ornamental tree often found in the yards of our more
elegant city residences. The Lashorn of White Top mountain is
peculiar to that locality, and of the thousands that have been transplanted,
not one has ever been known to grow, though some have
lived several years. The limbs at the top where they spread out are
so tenacious and inflexible, and so closely interlaced, that the writer
has seen as many as twenty persons standing and stepping about
upon the top of the same tree at the same time. It is very easy to
ascend and descend, as the limbs usually begin at the ground, and
being cut off about a foot from the trunk, a very convenient "Indian
ladder" is formed, and then a hole being cut through the foliage
in the centre of the top, it is not difficult for even a lady to ascend and
step out upon the vernal platform. Where the forest of this singular
and beautiful growth is dense there is no undergrowth, the trees
limbless to the height of forty or fifty feet, the tops intermingling
and forming a canopy the sun can scarcely penetrate, and the earth
covered with a carpet of lichen moss which feels to the tread as
soft and elastic as a sponge. During the summer months these
trees are literally alive with snow birds, the little creatures congregating
here in millions to build their habitations and rear their
young.

Notwithstanding the romantic beauty of this grand elevation,
and the exhilarating effects of the highly rarified atmosphere upon
the system, hundreds and thousands have lived and died within sight
of it without ever having paid it a visit. The reason for this has
been the difficulty of access, want of accommodations in the vicinity,
and the mere cattle paths by which it is approached through deep
and intricate gorges, over steep foot-hills, and through almost
impenetrable laurel jungles, sometimes infested by bears, wolves,
wild-cats and rattlesnakes. There are but few of these "varmints"
there now.

The view from the summit of the White Top is grand beyond
description or even conception. Looking toward the south, you have

within the scope of vision, stretching away from east to west, the
Blue Ridge Range, which, in the dim distance, looks like an azure
band bordering the horizon, with here and there a tall peak hiding
its head in the clouds. To the east, mountain piled upon mountain
meets the view, their gentler slopes in places dotted with "clearings,"
and a column of smoke, here ascending and there lying in long
folds along the mountain side, denoting the rude habitation of the
ruder "squatter." Looking toward the north you have the grand old
Cumberland range, the barrier that divides the "Dark and Bloody
Ground" from the Old Dominion, as if swelling up from an ocean of
green, and struggling to lift itself above the vapor that hangs lazily
upon its sides. To the west the view, though less imposing, is not
less beautiful. You have before you the broad valley of the Holston,
which, although diversified with hill and dale, bold promontories and
pine-clad ridges, still, from the altitude from which you look out
upon it, has the appearance of a vast sea dotted with picturesque
islands. In the distance the spires and tin roofs of the town of
Abingdon glisten in the sunlight, large plantations look like blankets
spread out in the forest, and at intervals, as it dashes out from
behind a bluff, or winds its way through a green pasture, may the
White Top Fork of Laurel be seen, like a serpentine thread of silver,
its sparkling waters shimmering like diamonds among the foliage
and wild flowers upon its bank.

The writer of this has enjoyed the luxury of many a magnificent
scene in his wanderings, but has never seen that from the summit
of the White Top excelled, or even equaled. He was there on one
occasion when a storm came riding on the blast more than a thousand
feet below where a company of gentlemen were standing. The
whole valley was shrouded as with a pall. The deep-toned thunder
bellowed below, preceded by brilliant flashes of lightning, illuminating
the dark bosom of the cloud. The scene was awfully grand, and
so far transcends the powers of mortal description, that he would
not dare attempt it."

NATURAL BRIDGE AND TUNNEL OF SCOTT COUNTY.

One of the curiosities of Southwest Virginia is the Natural Tunnel
and Bridge of Scott county. It spans a turbulent and rapid
stream bearing the name of Stock creek, and like the Natural Bridge
of Rockbridge county has a public road passing over it. It is not so
perfect a bridge as that of Rockbridge county, but is much grander

in proportion and is laid out upon a much more stupendous scale.
It is by actual measurement 420 feet high, about twice as high
as the Natural Bridge of Rockbridge county, and the face of the
structure is as smooth and perpendicular as if fashioned by the skill
of a mason. Its imperfections consist in being much wider than
long, and in the small proportion of arch to the immense mass of
rock above it. It is really more of a tunnel than a bridge, although a
public road crosses the chasm upon it. The tunnel is not straight,
but is in the shape of an S, and from two to three hundred yards in
length."[14]

The track of the Virginia and Southwestern Railroad is located
through the tunnel, and the arch is far more than sufficient for the
passage of the train. In the vicinity of the tunnel there are several
large caves in which are found a great variety of stalactites and stalagmites
in all stages of formation, and in these caves are found
Indian bones and many Indian relics.

SALTVILLE VALLEY.

The location of the Saltworks in this county was surveyed by John
Buchanan, a deputy surveyor of Augusta county, for Charles Campbell,
on December 12, 1748, and in the plat that was returned with
the survey,[15] the words "Buffalo Lick," are written, and a patent for
the same was procured from the Governor of Virginia in 1753.
Charles Campbell was the father of General William Campbell, of
King's mountain celebrity, and, upon his death, General Campbell
became the owner of this tract of land, but the presence of salt water
upon this property was not discovered until about the time of the
death of General William Campbell, which occurred in 1781.

General William Campbell left two children, Sarah Buchanan
Campbell and Charles Henry Campbell, the latter dying at the
age of five years, and Colonel Arthur Campbell and Colonel William
Christian, upon the death of General Campbell, qualified as
guardians of his children, and they proceeded to improve this
property to a considerabe extent.

When the General Assembly of Virginia voted Charles Henry
Campbell five thousand acres of land in consideration of the distinguished
services of his father, Colonel Arthur Campbell, his guardian,

entered this grant in the name of Charles Henry Campbell on
lands adjoining the Salt Lick tract, and this land passed, upon
the death of Charles Henry Campbell, to his sister, Miss Sarah
Buchanan Campbell, afterwards Mrs. General Francis Preston.

Some years after the death of General Campbell, his widow married
General William Russell, who moved with his family to the Salt
Lick in February, 1788, and built what was afterwards known as
the "Madam Russell" house.

General Russell dug a well on the margin of the flat in front of
his house, obtained salt water, and built a furnace and salt houses;
the furnace was an open shed, and the kettles were the camp kettles
of that day, of a capacity of from eight to ten gallons.

A dispute arose between General Arthur Campbell and General
William Russell, and, in 1789, the court appointed Colonel Thomas
Madison, an uncle of Sarah Buchanan Campbell, her guardian in
the place of Colonels Campbell and Christian. In 1790 Colonel
Thomas Madison removed to the Salt Lick, built a log cabin upon
the location of what was afterwards known as the Preston House,
and, digging a well, began the manufacture of salt, and continued
to manufacture it at this place until the marriage of his ward to
General Francis Preston in 1793.

In the meantime General William Russell had died at the home of
his son, Robert L. Russell, in Culpeper county, on the 14th of January,
1793.

In 1795 General Francis Preston built an addition to the log
cabin of Thomas Madison, and, in 1797, upon his retirement from
the Congress of the United States, moved with his family to the
Salt Lick, and made his home there until the year 1810, when he
removed to Abingdon.

Soon after General Preston located at the Salt Lick, he had
another well dug near that of Colonel Madison, and enlarged the
furnaces and the kettles.

In 1795 William King bought 150 acres to the west of the Preston
tract, and in 1799 erected furnaces and other buildings thereon and
began the manufacture of salt. On the 20th of February, 1801, he
rented the Preston Salines for the period of ten years, for $12,000
per year, and manufactured salt with great success until the date of
his death, which occurred in 1808. From that time until the year

1819, the works were carried on by James King, William Trigg,
Mary King, Charles S. Carson, executor of James King, and Lilburn
L. L. Henderson, executor of William Trigg.

On the 17th of June, 1819, the Saltworks were leased to John
Saunders for five years from August 1, 1819, at an annual rental
of $30,000, but Saunders, during the following years, assigned his
lease to James White, who renewed the lease and continued his
operations until September 2, 1833. The Saltworks were then leased
to Alexander McCall and William King at an annual rental of
$15,972 for the King Saltworks, and $16,000 for the Preston
Salines, during the life of Mrs. William Trigg, and they continued
in possession of the property until 1845, when Thomas L. Preston
took charge of the Preston Saline, and King and McCall and Findlay,
Mitchell & Company took joint possession of the King Saltworks.

In 1846 Thomas L. Preston rented the King estate from the
court at an annual rental of $16,000 for five years, and at the
expiration of his lease, Wyndham Robertson became the lessee
thereof for the period of five years, and was in turn succeeded by
Thomas L. Preston, who, in the year 1858, rented both estates to
Spencer, Ackerman & Company. In 1863, Stuart, Palmer and
Parker purchased the Preston property, and in 1864 a joint stock
company of the two estates was formed under the title of the Holston
Salt and Plaster Company, and this company continued business
until 1893, when the present proprietors of the Mathieson Alkali
Works became the owners of the two estates.

The King Salines, in the year 1819, produced from 90,000 to
100,000 bushels of salt per year, and in 1861-1865 the production
of the Saltworks was many times greater than in the year 1819.
The larger portion of all the salt used in the Southern States during
that time was supplied from the Saltworks, it being a common thing
to see as many as a thousand salt wagons at one time at the Saltworks
during the period mentioned.

Since 1893 the present company have manufactured soda and
other alkalies upon an extensive scale, and employ hundreds of
hands.

In the eighteenth century, and soon after the discovery of salt
water at the Salt Lick, the bones of a mammoth, the king of the
land animals, were dug up by the laborers at the Preston Salines.

They were from three to seven feet below the surface of earth, and
furnished convincing proof that the mammoth was formerly an
inhabitant of this country.

NEWSPAPERS.

By the year 1806, the enterprising citizens of this county had
secured the services of a printer, and a newspaper outfit had
arrived at Abingdon, and on the 4th day of January, 1806, the
first newspaper published in this portion of Virginia was given to
the public. The editor of this paper was John G. Ustick, who
afterwards married a Miss Berry, of this county, and the name of
the paper was the Holston Intelligencer and Abingdon Advertiser.
This paper was published every Tuesday, and the subscription price
was $2 per annum, payable half-yearly in advance, if the subscription
was paid in cash, but if paid in produce the subscription
was required to be paid for the entire year in advance. When the
subscriber neglected to pay his subscription in advance, the price
was fifteen shillings per annum, half of which was to be collected at
any period after the commencement of each six months, subscriptions
to the paper to be withdrawn at the end of each six months
on the payment of arrearages, but not otherwise. The terms of
advertising were 62 1-2 cents per square for the first insertion and
three dollars for chancery notices. This paper was ably edited by
Mr. Ustick, was uncompromising in its Republicanism, advocating
the policies of Madison and supporting his administration upon all
occasions.

In the year 1812, Mr. Ustick changed the name of this paper from
the Holston Intelligencer and Abingdon Advertiser, to the Political
Prospect, and continued to publish the Political Prospect until the
year 1830.

Mr. Ustick was not only an enterprising editor, but he was a
patriotic citizen, and in February, 1815, being a member of the
Rifle Company formed at Abingdon, he accompanied this company
upon their expedition to Norfolk and was absent from his
home for nearly five months, as he says, "in the service of a righteous
government and a holy cause." The descendants of the editor of the
first newspaper published in this portion of Virginia have entirely
disappeared from among our people.

Mr. Ustick was succeeded by James Alexander, who published a
newspaper in Abingdon from 1830-1835, under the title of the

Virginia Republican. As to the character of this paper I can say
nothing, as I have been unable to obtain a copy of the same.

Alexander was succeeded by J. W. Lampkin, who published a
newspaper in Abingdon from 1835-1838, called the Virginia Statesman.

In the year 1838, Mr. Lampkin formed a partnership with Charles
B. Coale, and this partnership published the Southwest Virginian
from 1838 to 1840, in the old frame building that stood on the
southeast corner of the jail lot in the rear of the courthouse. No
copy of the Virginia Statesman or Southwest Virginian is now in
existence, and nothing is known of the policy or character of these
papers. The editors of these papers were men of character and
ability, John W. Lampkin being a young lawyer of fine attainments.
He subsequently married and removed to Russell county,
where his descendants are to be found at this time, while Charles B.
Coale continued to reside in Abingdon, and won a place in the
hearts of the people of this country that will be forgotten only
when the sons of the fathers who had the pleasure of reading the
old Abingdon Virginian have all passed away.

In 1840, John N. Humes became the owner and editor of the
Southwest Virginian and published the same in the building occupied
by the Academy of Visitation east of the creek in East
Abingdon.

While no copy of this paper has been preserved, there can be no
question as to its politics, as John N. Humes was one of the leaders
of the Whig party, at the time in question, in Southwest Virginia.
In this year, he was the elector for this district upon the presidential
ticket headed by William Henry Harrison.

In March, 1841, George R. Barr and Charles B. Coale became the
owners of the Southwest Virginian and began the publication of
the Abingdon Virginian as a Whig paper in the town of Abingdon,
and continued the publication of this paper until the year
1873, with but one interruption.

When the town of Abingdon was destroyed by fire on the 15th of
December, 1864, the Abingdon Virginian was published in the
brick building opposite the Colonade Hotel (now occupied by C. A.
Pobst), and, of course, was destroyed at the same time that the
building was burned. The publication of the Abingdon Virginian
was resumed in December, 1865. This paper during the thirty-three

years that it was published by Coale & Barr, was, beyond doubt,
one of the most readable and deservedly popular country newspapers
that have ever been furnished to the public in this section of Virginia.
During the war between the States, notwithstanding the great difficulties
which confronted the newspaper publisher, the Abingdon
Virginian never failed to stand nobly by its people or to issue weekly
until the destruction of its plant as before described.

In the year 1863, the following advertisement appeared in the
Abingdon Virginian:

"RAGS!

"We call upon everybody who has rags, rich and poor, old and
young, learned and unlearned, to send them to us and get four
cents per pound, or more if demanded. We are obliged to have
them or stop printing. So send them along for humanity's sake,
and help us to keep the machine in motion."

In the year 1873, the Abingdon Virginian was transferred to
George R. Dunn, and soon afterwards became the property of
George W. Ward.

The Abingdon Virginian, as published by Coale & Barr, advocated
in a high-toned and able manner the Whig cause, and the effect
upon the politics of the people would have been exceedingly
dangerous if not counteracted.

In December, 1841, at the instance of the Democratic leaders in
Washington county, Robert Latham became the editor and W. R.
Fitzsimmons the publisher of a Democratic paper in the town of
Abingdon called The Banner. This paper, a copy of which is now
in existence, was a very creditable publication. In the copy now in
existence is to be found an account of a Democratic mass-meeting
held in the town of Abingdon on the second of March, 1843, at
which meeting Colonel Samuel E. Goodson was nominated for the
Legislature, and in the proceedings of the meeting Colonel Harold
Smyth, Colonel William Byars, Robert Latham, Dr. Nick Snead,
Tobias Smith, John W. S. Watson, Parker Smith and James Davis
took an active part. This paper survived but a few years, and was
succeeded by a paper called the Jacksonian, edited by W. R. Fitzsimmon.
The Jacksonian was published in a house owned by Jackson
Toncray, on the lot now owned by S. N. Honaker, opposite the
former residence of James K. Gibson in East Abingdon.

The Jacksonian ceased to exist in 1846, and the outfit was sold

to Dr. H. F. Peery, who removed the same to Jeffersonville, now
Tazewell Courthouse, Virginia, and, in the year 1847, began the
publication of the Jeffersonville Democrat.

On the 28th of April, 1849, Leonidas Baugh, of Abingdon, began
the publication of the Abingdon Democrat, a paper strong in
its advocacy of Democratic principles, to which the greater part of
its space was devoted. This paper thrived for a number of years,
but was transferred by Mr. Baugh some time after his appointment
as postmaster at Abingdon, in 1853, to John B. Floyd, and the paper
was thereafter, until the year 1857, published by J. M. H. Brunet, of
Petersburg, who soon died, and then the paper passed into the hands
of Stephen J. Pendleton.

In the year 1857, this paper was sold at public auction to pay
the debts of Mr. Pendleton, and Henry W. Baker became the editor
and owner thereof, and continued to publish said paper until 1861,
when the plant was sold to the Southern Advocate, Goodson, Virginia.

From this time until the year 1876, the Abingdon Virginian was
the only newspaper published in Abingdon.

In April, 1882, George W. Gary, of Richmond, began the publication
in Abingdon of a monthly paper called The Trade Journal,
and continued the publication of the same until the year 1883, when
he became the owner and editor of the Abingdon Virginian. Mr.
Gary conducted an excellent and successful paper until the year
1890, when the entire outfit was sold and transferred to the Abingdon
Publishing Company, which company had become the owner
of the Standard, a Democratic newspaper that had been established
in Abingdon in the year 1876 and was edited by Hindlay Harris,
afterwards by Samuel P. Withers and then by R. E. Hardwick.

The Virginian, under the management of Judge Ward, strongly
advocated the cause of the Readjuster party in Virginia. After
the retirement of Judge Ward from the Abingdon Virginian, he
became the owner and editor of the Southwest Examiner, a Read-juster-Democratic
paper, but after Judge Ward went upon the
bench the Southwest Examiner passed into the hands of R. E.
Hardwick and in a short while ceased to exist. The Abingdon
Virginian, during the ownership of the Abingdon Publishing Company,
was edited by Thomas H. Mason and W. F. Smith.
While the paper was well edited, it was a financial failure, and in

the year 1896 was sold at public auction and purchased by L. P.
Summers. The Virginian from this time till June, 1901, was an
advocate of Republican principles and was a success financially.

Upon the acquisition of the Abingdon Virginian by Summers
in 1896, and during the five years of his ownership, a number of
efforts were made by the advocates of the Democratic party to establish
a Democratic paper in the town.

In the year 1897, the Glade Spring Citizen was removed to
Abingdon and began publication as a Democratic paper, "The
Citizen," with G. C. Porterfield as editor, but within the year the
newspaper outfit became the property of the editor of the Virginian,
and Mr. Porterfield became a strong advocate of the Republican
party.

In the year 1899, J. W. Lyons, of Greenville, Tennessee, became
the editor of a newspaper in Abingdon, to which was given the
name of the Abingdon Democrat.

This effort upon the part of Mr. Lyons proved a failure and in
the spring of the year 1900 he returned to Greenville, his former
home.

In the fall of the year 1900, Thomas S. Hamilton and George H.
McCormick began the publication of the Washington Herald, a
Democratic newspaper, in the Scott building in West Abingdon.
This venture also proved a failure, and the property of the Herald
was sold and transferred to the editor of the Virginian, in the same
year, since which time no effort has been made to establish a rival
newspaper to the Virginian in Abingdon.

On the night of the 29th of May, 1898, the Greenway store was
destroyed by fire; the offices of the Abingdon Virginian caught
therefrom and the entire outfit was destroyed, but by the fall of the
same year a one-story brick building had been erected upon the site
of the former frame building and the publication of the Virginian
was resumed.

The Virginian became the property of E. M. Slack by purchase on
June 11, 1901, and has since been edited by him.

The present editor of the Abingdon Virginian is young, intelligent,
independent and enterprising to a degree that is seldom
excelled in this country, and in the opinion of the author he is the
best-equipped newspaper man that the town has seen in many years.

The newspaper of which he is the editor is beyond question the
best country newspaper to be found in the Southwest.

JUDICIARY.

A distinguished historian has said that "the laws of a country
are necessarily connected with everything belonging to the people
of it, so that a thorough knowledge of them and their progress
would inform us of everything that was most useful to be known
about them, and one of the greatest imperfections of historians in
general is owing to their ignorance of law."[16]

While a thorough knowledge of the law is necessary to a complete
understanding of the history of a country, at this point we
regret the necessity that compels to a brief notice of the courts that
have administered the law in this Commonwealth and county.

Prior to the Revolutionary war, the laws of this Commonwealth
were administered in the county or monthly courts and in
a general court which was held first at Jamestown and afterwards
at Williamsburg.

The county or monthly courts were composed of a number of
persons commissioned by the Governor and Council, and theirs
was an extensive jurisdiction, while the general court was composed
of the Governor and Council, any five constituting a court, and it
had jurisdiction to hear and determine all causes whatsoever relating
to or concerning any person or persons, ecclesiastical or civil, or to
any person or thing of any nature whatsoever, whether brought
before them by original process, appeal from an inferior court or
by any other way or means, its jurisdiction being limited only to
controversies of the value of ten pounds sterling or 2,000 pounds
of tobacco and upwards. It had exclusive criminal jurisdiction of
all cases of free persons wherein the judgment on conviction was
loss of life or member.

After the Revolution, the county courts were continued and a
Court of Appeals, High Court of Chancery, a General Court and a
Court of Admiralty were established. The judges of said courts
were chosen by the General Assembly and commissioned by the
Governor.

The Court of Appeals was established in May, 1779, and was
composed of the judges of the High Court of Chancery, General

Court and Court of Admiralty, until 1788, when five judges were
chosen by the General Assembly and commissioned by the Governor.
This court, from the time of its establishment until 1830, was the
supreme civil tribunal of the State, and since that time it has been
the supreme civil and criminal tribunal of the State.

The first president of this court was Edmund Pendleton. The
General Court was composed of ten judges and was the supreme
criminal tribunal of the State until 1830, when it was abolished.
The Admiralty Court ceased to exist upon the adoption of the Federal
Constitution.

County Courts.

"The institution of the County Court originated as early as
1623-4; and as it is the most ancient, so it has ever been one of the
most important, of our institutions, not only in respect of the
administration of justice, but for police and economy. They were
first called monthly courts. At first only two of them were established,
and their jurisdiction was jealously limited to petty controversies,
reserving for the party cast the right of appeal to the Governor
and Council, who were the judges of what were then called
quarter courts. In 1642-3, the style of monthly courts was changed
to that of county courts, the colonial assembly having previously
begun and continuing thenceforward to enlarge their duties, powers
and jurisdictions and to extend the system to every county, as it
was laid off. As early as 1645 they had been matured into courts
of general jurisdiction, in law and equity, and the most important
duties in the matters of police and economy were confided to them.
In 1661-2, the Governor and Council were constituted itinerant justices,
to sit in the county courts, but that provision was repealed the
next year. Hitherto the judges of the county courts had been styled
commissioners of the county courts, but in 1661-2 it was enacted
that they should take the oath of justices of the peace and be called
justices of the peace. These tribunals now assumed a perfectly
regular form and their functions were ever after so important
that their institution may well be considered as a part of the Constitution,
both of the colonial and the present government. No
material change was introduced by the revolution in their jurisdiction
or general powers or duties of any kind."[17]

The county court remained unchanged until the year 1850, and

it is impossible for any man to estimate the character and utility of
this system without actual experience of its operation. The members
of this court, prior to 1850, were recommended to the Governor
by the county courts of their respective counties, were commissioned
by the Governor and held office during good behavior.
They served without pay and were selected by reason of their character
and ability.

The Constitution of 1850 made the members of this court elective
by the people, and they were allowed a small fee for their services.
From this time until the year 1870, we find a great deterioration in
the character of the members of this court, and its efficacy was to a
great extent destroyed. This court was abolished by the Constitution
of 1868.

Can anyone question the character and efficiency of a court presided
over by such men as Arthur Campbell, William Campbell,
Daniel Smith, William Edmiston, James Dysart, John Kinkead,
Robert Craig, James White, John Goodson, Robert Davis, John
Gibson, Reuben Bradley, James Cummings, John Preston, Jr.,
Francis Preston, Charles Tate, William P. Thompson, Thomas
McChesney, John M. Preston, John Eakin, M. B. Tate, Tobias
Smith, Henry Davenport and many others, presiding justices of this
court during its existence?

Upon the abolition of the old county court by the Constitution
of 1868, a new institution came into existence, to-wit: the county
court of the present time. This court exercised a criminal jurisdiction
concurrent with the Circuit Court and a limited civil jurisdiction.
The first session of this court in this county was held on the
25th day of April, 1870, Judge R. M. Page presiding, Leonidas
Baugh clerk, and Beverly R. Johnston Commonwealth's Attorney.

This court has been abolished by the Constitution of 1902, and
will cease to exist on the first day of February, 1904, and such a
thing as a county court will no longer be heard of in this Commonwealth,
after an existence of nearly 300 years.

The judges presiding in this court since the date of its formation
in 1870 are as follows:

1870-1880, R. M. Page.

1880-1881, George W. Ward.

1882-1886, William F. Rhea.

1886-1887, Francis B. Hutton.

1887-1897, George W. Ward.

1897-1904, David C. Cummings, Jr.

The attorneys representing the Commonwealth in this county
from the organization of the county until the year 1850 were
appointed first by the Attorney-General of the State, upon the
recommendation of the county court, and were after that time
elected by the county court.

The first Commonwealth's Attorney of Washington county, being
the first lawyer qualifying to practise in the courts of this county,
was Ephraim Dunlop, who came from Pennsylvania. He had but
one leg, the other having been amputated above the middle of the
thigh. He had some capacity, but was a drunkard. He was
appointed prosecuting attorney for this county in the year 1777, and
was pretty severe upon the Tories, many of whom had taken refuge
in the mountains. On one occasion Dr. Brooks, whose right arm
was palsied, was passing along the road below town when he found
Dunlop, who had fallen from his horse, lying with his foot in the
stirrup and his head on the ground, the horse standing perfectly still
and quiet. The Doctor having no use of his right arm and Dunlop
having but one leg, made the case a difficult one to decide what he
should do. He dismounted, however, and succeeded in getting Dunlop
into his saddle, intending to take him to the next house. After
balancing and straightening Dunlop as well as he could in his saddle,
he mounted his own horse and they started, but in a few yards
Dunlop made a move in his saddle and down he went again. The
horse seemed to be conscious of the state of things and stood still
again. The Doctor dismounted again and raised him to his horse's
back, then, by riding close to him on his leg side, he kept him
from falling until he brought him to a house, half a mile from
where he fell.

When sober, Dunlop was interesting. At the bar he would rise
and place his stump of a thigh on the bar and in that manner steady
himself and then proceed with whatever he had to say to the court.
He was listened to with attention.

After the courts were organized in Sullivan county, he attended
them, and some ten or fifteen years afterwards died on the road
between Abingdon and Blountville. I believe he had no family.[18]

Since the year 1852, the attorneys representing the Commonwealth

in this county have been elected by the people. The attorneys
representing the Commonwealth in this county since the organization
of the county have been as follows:

1777, Ephraim Dunlop.

...., Benjamin Estill.

1831, Henry St. John Dixon.

1831-1837, Edward Campbell.

1837-1855, Samuel Logan.

1855-...., George Eakin Naff.

1855-1863, John H. Ernest.

1863-1865, Joseph T. Campbell.

1865-1869, Rees B. Edmondson.

1869-...., Henry C. Auvil.

1869-1870, J. S. Slater.

1870-...., Beverly R. Johnston.

1870-1872, James L. White.

1872-1884, Connally F. Trigg.

1884-1885, George W. Ward.

1885-1887, John L. Rowan.

1887-1891, John C. Summers.

1891-1895, Francis B. Hutton.

1895-1904, Peter J. Davenport.

The clerks of the county court from the organization of the government
of this county until the year 1852, were elected by the
county court, and since the year 1852, they have been elected by
the people. The clerks of this court from its first organization until
the present time have been as follows:

1777-1779, David Campbell.

1779-1824, John Campbell.

1824-1837, David Campbell.

1837-1858, Jacob Lynch.

1858-1865, John G. Kreger.

1865-1869, James C. Campbell.

1869-1870, Charles McDougal.

1870-1871, Leonidas Baugh.

1871-1887, William G. G. Lowry.

1887-1897, David C. Cummings, Jr.

1897-1904, Robert Preston Cummings.

District Courts.

The General Assembly at its session in the year 1784, for the purpose
of rendering the administration of justice more expeditious
and convenient and less burthensome to individuals and to the
Commonwealth, passed an Act establishing courts of assize throughout
the Commonwealth, for the trial of issues and inquiry of damages,
in suits then pending in the General Court, and such as may
thereafter be brought, and also for the trial of all treasons, felonies
and other crimes and misdemeanors that should be brought before
the court. This court was to be held by two judges of the General
Court, and it was directed that all verdicts of said court should be
certified to the General Court at Richmond. The State was divided
into districts. The counties of Montgomery and Washington
formed one district, and it was directed that this court of assize
should meet at Washington Courthouse and Fort Chiswell, alternately,
on the 10th day of May and on the 11th day of October of
each year. This Act never went into operation, but after several
suspensions it was succeeded by an Act of the Assembly, in the year
1788, establishing district courts.

The Act establishing the district courts became a law on the 22d
day of December, 1788, and directed that the Commonwealth, except
the district of Kentucky, should be divided into districts, and a
superior court held in each on the 9th of June and the 9th of
November in each year.

The counties of Washington, Montgomery and Russell composed
one district, and it was directed that a court should be held at Washington
and Montgomery courthouses alternately, on the 2d day of
May and the 2d day of October in each year. This court was to
be held by two judges of the General Court assigned for that purpose.
The jurisdiction of the district courts, as fixed by this Act,
was as follows: "Over all persons in all causes, matters or things at
common law, then cognizable in the General Court, amounting to
thirty pounds sterling money or 3,000 pounds of tobacco, whether
brought before the court by original process or by appeal from the
County Court." This court was given the power to hear and determine
all treasons, murders, felonies and other crimes and misdemeanors
committed within their district.

Claiborne Watkins was the first clerk of this court, and lived at
Abingdon and discharged the duties of this office for many years.

The Act establishing the district courts was amended in December,

1789, and it was directed that Washington, Wythe and Russell
counties should form a district, that the next court for said
district should be held at the courthouse of the county of Wythe,
late the courthouse of the county of Montgomery (Fort Chiswell),
and that, thereafter, every court for said district should be held at
Washington courthouse. This court continued to exist until it was
succeeded by the Superior Court of Laws, established in the year
1808.

The General Assembly in the year 1777, established a High Court
of Chancery composed of three judges selected by the General
Assembly and commissioned by the Governor, to hold office during
good behavior. This court was held at Williamsburg and afterwards
at Richmond, in the months of April and September of each year,
with a general jurisdiction over all persons and causes in chancery,
whether by original process or appeal, where the amount in controversy
exceeded ten pounds. The judges of this court were afterwards
reduced to one, George Wythe, who was the president of the
first court.

On the 23d of January, 1802, the General Assembly of Virginia
divided the State into three districts and established a superior
court of chancery in each. The county of Washington was included
in the Western District, and the High Court of Chancery for this
district was directed to be held at Staunton on the 12th of March,
the 1st of July and the 15th of November of each year. This court
exercised the jurisdiction formerly exercised by the High Court of
Chancery as originally established, and was to be held by a judge
selected by the General Assembly and commissioned by the Governor.

The Honorable John Brown, of Staunton, was elected judge of
this court and discharged the duties of the same until the year 1827,
when he was succeeded by the Honorable Allen Taylor, of Botetourt
county, who discharged the duties of this office until the year 1831,
when this court was merged into the Circuit Superior Court of
Law and Chancery.

The General Assembly in 1818 divided the Commonwealth into
nine districts, instead of three districts as formerly, and directed
that a Superior Court of Chancery should be held in each of said
districts.

The counties of Lee, Russell, Scott, Washington, Tazewell, Wythe,
Grayson, Giles and Montgomery composed the Eighth District, and

a Superior Court of Chancery was held at Wythe courthouse on the
Monday first succeeding each term of the Superior Court of Law
for the said county in every year, and after this time a Superior
Court of Chancery was held at Wythe courthouse, by Judge Brown
until 1827, and by Judge Taylor until 1831.

A portion of the records of this court are still to be found at
Wythe courthouse, and present to the practicing attorney at this
day a clear idea of the proceedings of the court of that time.

During the existence of this court, every paper connected with a
chancery cause was recorded in the minute book of the court, and
in one case decided by this court the process, bill, answer, depositions
of witnesses and other papers connected with the suit fill one
entire book of several hundred pages.[19]

The General Assembly, on the 1st of February, 1808, amended
the Act of 1789 establishing the district courts, divided the Commonwealth
into twelve districts, established a superior court of law
in each of said districts and directed that a judge of the General
Court should be allotted to each of said districts and should hold a
superior court of law twice a year at the courthouse of each county
in said district.

The counties of Grayson, Washington, Lee, Russell, Tazewell,
Giles, Montgomery and Wythe composed the Fourth Circuit, and
the Hon. William Brockenbrough, a judge of the General Court,
was assigned to this district and discharged the duties of the same
with marked ability until May, 1811, when he was succeeded by the
Hon. Peter Johnson,[20] a judge of the General Court, who discharged
the duties of the office until June 6th, 1831, when the Superior Court
of Law was merged into the Circuit Superior Court of Law and
Chancery.

The General Assembly of Virginia, pursuant to the provisions of
the Constitution of 1829-1830, rearranged the courts of the Commonwealth
and established the Circuit Superior Court of Law and
Chancery, which court superseded the Superior Court of Law and
the Superior Court of Chancery.

The first session of this court was held at Abingdon on the 6th

of June, 1831, Benjamin Estill presiding. This court continued to
be the principal court of this section until the year 1870, when some
alterations were made in the jurisdiction of the court and the name
was changed to the Circuit Court.

The judges presiding in this court during its existence have been

1831-1852, Benjamin Estill.

1852-1857, George W. Hopkins.

1857-1862, Samuel V. Fulkerson.

1862-1869, John A. Campbell.

1869-1870, John W. Johnston.

1870-1895, John A. Kelly.

1895-1904, John P. Sheffey.

Judge Fulkerson, in the spring of the year 1861, was elected colonel
of the Thirty-seventh Virginia Regiment of Volunteer Infantry,
in which capacity he served until the fall of 1862, when he
was shot and killed in one of the battles near Richmond. During his
absence in the army Judges Andrew S. Fulton, David McComas and
G. D. Camden presided over the courts held at Abingdon.

The Constitution adopted in the year 1902 made some alterations
in the courts of the State, and the General Assembly of Virginia on
the 12th day of February, 1903, elected Francis B. Hutton, of
Abingdon, judge of the Twenty-third Circuit, composed of the counties
of Russell, Washington and Smyth.

Upon the organization of the district court in the year 1788,
Claiborne Watkins was appointed clerk of the court, and, as far
as I can ascertain, he and Andrew Russell performed the duties of
this office until the year 1830.

The clerks of the old District Court, the Superior Court of Law,
the Superior Court of Chancery and the Circuit Superior Court of
Law and Chancery were appointed by the court until the year 1852,
and from that time they have been elected by the people. The clerks
of the Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery and the Circuit
Court have been as follows:

1831-1838, Andrew Russell.

1838-1852, Connally F. Trigg, Sr.

1852-1865, Peter J. Branch.

1865-1869, David Campbell Cummings, Sr.

1869-1870, John O'Neal.

1870-1871, Dr. A. R. Preston.

1871-1887, L. Thomson Cosby.

1887-1893, John G. Kreger.

1893-1904, John M. Kreger.

When an effort was made to secure the photographs of the
deceased judges of this court for use in this history, the propriety of
securing and placing their photographs in the courthouse of this
county was discussed by several members of the bar, and, as a result,
a meeting of the bar was called for the 8th of October, 1901, which
meeting, after discussing the matter, appointed Daniel Trigg, James
L. White, F. B. Hutton, R. M. Page and L. P. Summers, a committee
to secure the portraits of the deceased judges of this court and to
make the necessary arrangements for hanging said portraits in the
court-room of the court, and to wait upon the Board of Supervisors
of this county and request that they place the court-room in a suitable
condition for said portraits. This action of the bar was made an
order of the Circuit Court. The committee appointed proceeded to
the discharge of their duties and secured portraits of Judges Peter
Johnston and John W. Johnston from Dr. George Ben Johnston,
of Richmond, photographs of Judges Samuel V. Fulkerson and
John A. Kelly from Colonel Samuel V. Fulkerson and Joseph L.
Kelly, of Bristol, and photographs of Judges Estill, Hopkins and
Campbell from friends.

The Board of Supervisors in answer to the request of this committee
appointed J. D. Williams, J. O. Susong and J. C. Hayter, of
the board, and James L. White, W. I. Newton and F. B. Hutton
outside thereof, a committee to superintend the repairs to the courthouse,
and by the spring of the year 1903 the repairs were completed
and the committee reported their proceedings to the judge of the
Circuit Court. Their report was received and entered of record,[21]
and thereupon the court appointed L. P. Summers, Preston W.
Campbell, John W. Neal, W. H. Robertson and John J. Stuart a
committee to arrange a program for the exercises attending the presentation
of the portraits of the deceased judges to the county of
Washington.

This committee arranged a program and reported their action to
the court, which report was received and made a matter of record.[22]

The presentation exercises were held on the 11th day of May,
1903, and the following program was rendered on that occasion:

Chairman, Judge John P. Sheffey.

Secretary, John M. Kreger.

Portrait of Judge Peter Johnston.

Speech of presentation by Captain J. L. Whit

Portrait of Judge Benj. Estill.

Speech of presentation by L. P. Summers, Esquire.

Portrait of Judge G. W. Hopkins.

Speech of presentation by Daniel Trigg, Esquire.

Portrait of Judge S. V. Fulkerson.

Speech of presentation by Judge R. M. Page.

Portrait of Judge John A. Campbell.

Speech of presentation by William E. Burns, Esquire.

Portrait of Judge John W. Johnston.

Speech of presentation by D. F. Bailey, Esquire.

Portrait of Judge John A. Kelly.

Speech of presentation by Judge John A. Buchanan.

Manuscript remarks of Hon. Patrick Hagan read by John J.
Stuart, Esquire.

Speech of acceptance on behalf of the Supervisors of Washington
county, Judge F. B. Hutton.

United States Circuit and District Courts.

In the year 18—, the Congress of the United States created a
district in Western Virginia, to which was given the name of the
Western District of Virginia, and soon thereafter the court of said
district was organized. For many years this court was held at
Wytheville, but it was subsequently removed to Abingdon. This
district at the present time is composed of the following counties:
Alleghany, Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Augusta, Bath, Bedford,
Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Buckingham, Campbell, Carroll,
Charlotte, Clarke, Craig, Cumberland, Dickenson, Floyd, Fluvanna,
Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Greene, Halifax, Henry, Highland,
Lee, Madison, Montgomery, Nelson, Page, Patrick, Pulaski,
Pittsylvania, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham,
Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Tazewell, Warren, Washington,
Wise and Wythe.

Courts are held at five points in the district, semi-annually, towit:
Abingdon, Roanoke, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg and Danville.

The jurisdiction of this court is confined to matters arising under
the Constitution and laws of the United States.

This court, from the time of its first meeting in Abingdon until
the year 1891, held its sessions on the second floor of the county
courthouse of this county.

Some time previous to the year 1884, through the efforts of Colonel
Abram Fulkerson and General William Mahone, the Congress
of the United States appropriated money sufficient to erect
a handsome courthouse in Abingdon for the accommodation of the
United States courts, which courthouse was completed in the year
1891, at an expense to the United States of $85,000, including the
furnishing of the same, and was occupied the same year.

The judges of this court, so far as I have been able to ascertain,
have been:

18—, Judge Caldwell, of Wheeling.

1839-1846, Isaac S. Pennypacker, of Harrisonburg.

1846-1871, John W. Brockenbrough, of Lexington.

1871-1883, Alexander Rives, of Albemarle.

1883-1900, John Paul, of Harrisonburg.

1900—, Henry Clay McDowell, of Big Stone Gap.

The clerks of this court have been as follows:

1839—, Thomas L. Moore.

1839-1846, R. W. Moore.

1846-18—, Erasmus Stribling.

1861—, Joseph W. Caldwell.

1871-1874, E. S. Watson.

1874-1884, Benjamin Gildersleeve.

1884—, Isaac Chapman Fowler.

The attorneys representing the United States in this court since
1871 are as follows:

1871—, Robert W. Hughes.

1871-1882, Warren S. Lurty.

1882-1885, Daniel Sheffey Lewis.

1885-1889, Henry C. Allen.

1889-1893, William E. Craig.

1893-1897, A. J. Montague.

1897-1901, T. M. Alderson.

1901-1905, Thomas Lee Moore.

The marshals of this court since 1855 have been as follows:

1855—, Jefferson T. Martin.

1871-1878, Algernon S. Gray.

1878-1882, John F. Lewis.

1882-1886, John G. Watts.

1886-1887, Samuel L. Graham.

1887-1890, James R. Jordan.

1890-1893, John G. Watts.

1893-1898, George W. Levi.

1898-190-, S. Brown Allen.

In addition to the officers above named, several of the citizens of
this county and district, to-wit: F. B. Hutton, David F. Bailey,
John J. Stuart and John C. Blair, have discharged the duties of
assistant district attorney in this court with distinguished ability.

PRESBYTERIANISM IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

The first settlers of Washington county were principally Presbyterian
in belief and of Scotch-Irish descent, and as early as the
year 1772 the Rev. John Craig and the Rev. James Campbell, Presbyterian
ministers, had visited and preached to the settlers upon the
frontiers (then Southwest Virginia).

It may be thought strange that men situated as were the first settlers
of this section would have need or would wish to be instructed
in religious matters, as their lives were a constant effort to either kill
their adversaries, the Indians, or to prevent the Indians from
slaughtering themselves and families; but man is a religious being
and cannot divest himself of his religious nature. Herodotus, the
ancient traveler and the father of history, said that "cities without
walls could be found and communities without pretence to arts,
laws, or even morals, but no tribe or nation could be found without
a religion." The idea of God is intuitive, inherent in the soul of
man. And the first settlers of this section were not only susceptible
to this idea, but as a rule they had been taught in their youth to
honor and love their Creator in all their walks and under all circumstances.

Prior to the year 1772, two congregations had been organized
in this county, the one at Sinking Spring, the other at Ebbing
Spring, and by the summer of 1773 these congregations had grown
until their membership was one hundred and twenty-six persons,
and these congregations extended a call to the Rev. Charles Cummings,

who was then preaching at Brown's Meeting House, in
Augusta county.

This call was presented by Samuel Edmiston at a session of the
Presbytery held at Brown's Meeting House on June 2, 1773.

Mr. Cummings accepted the call and removed with his family to
the neighborhood of the Sinking Spring church (Abingdon),
purchased land and settled upon it. Mr. Cummings served the two
congregations until the year 1780, when the Rev. Thomas Brown
Craighead took charge of the Ebbing Spring congregation, while
Mr. Cummings remained in charge of and served the Sinking
Spring congregation faithfully and well until 1812, the date of his
death.

From the time Mr. Cummings commenced preaching at Sinking
Spring up to about the year 1776, the men never went to church
without being armed, and taking their families with them. On
Sabbath mornings during this period, it was Mr. Cummings' custom,
for he was always a very neat man in his dress, to dress himself,
then put on his shot-pouch, shoulder his rifle, mount his dun
stallion and ride off to church. There he met his gallant and intelligent
congregation, each man with his rifle in his hand. When
seated in the meeting house they presented altogether a most solemn
and singular spectacle. Mr. Cummings' uniform habit, before entering
the house, was to take a short walk alone whilst the congregation
were seating themselves; he would then return, at the door hold a few
words of conversation with some one of the elders of the church,
then would walk gravely through the crowd, mount the steps of the
pulpit, deposit his rifle in a corner near him, lay off his shot pouch
and commence the solemn worship of the day. He would preach
two sermons, having a short interval between them, and go home.

The congregation was very large, and preaching was always well
attended. On sacramental occasions, which were generally about
twice a year, the table was spread in a grove near the church. He
preached for many years, and until far advanced in life, to one of
the largest, most respectable and most intelligent congregations ever
assembled in Western Virginia.[23]

In the year 1782, the elders of the Sinking Spring congregation
were: Samuel Newell, Sr., George Finley, John Blackburn, John
Davis, Andrew Willoughby, Sr., William Lowry and James Douglas.

Mr. Cummings was a very zealous Whig and did much to fire the
patriotism of his congregation and the settlers upon the frontiers.
He was the first named on the Committee of Safety for Fincastle
county and to his pen has been generally attributed the resolutions
adopted by the freeholders of Fincastle county on the 20th of January,
1775. He was a member of Hanover Presbytery and assisted
in the preparation of the petition for the abolition of the established
church, which was presented to the General Assembly on the 24th
of October, 1776, and after the organization of Washington county,
in the year 1777, he was chairman of the Committee of Safety for
this county during the Revolution, and never failed to serve his
country in the cause of liberty when an opportunity afforded.

An idea may be had of his influence and the dependence placed
upon him by our leaders during the darkest days of the Revolution
from a letter addressed to him by Colonel Arthur Campbell in June,
1778, upon his return from Richmond:

"Yesterday I returned home, the Assembly having adjourned
until the first Monday in October. The acts passed and a list of
their titles I here enclose, together with an address of Congress
to the people of America, for you to publish agreeably to the resolve.
I wish you could make it convenient to preach at the lower meeting
house in this county, if it was but a week day, as the contents of the
address are of the most interesting nature, both as to the moral and
political conduct of the good people of America. Providence is
daily working out strange deliverances for us. The treaty with
France is much more advantageous than the wisest men of this
country expected. The Indians the other day were unexpectedly
discomfited on Greenbrier. I think the overthrow was something
similar to what happened in this country about two years ago. I
must give you the intelligence at full length, as the most hardened
mind must see and admire the divine goodness in such an interposition."

Mr. Cummings was succeeded by the Rev. Stephen Bovel, and an
eye-witness of the place and character of the service at the Sinking
Spring church in the year 1833 says: "The Presbyterians worshipped
in a very old log building at `the Grave-Yard'—weatherboarded
outside and ceiled inside. To this plain, old-fashioned
house would, literally, the gathering of the people be. From the
hills and valleys the worshippers would pour in until an overflowing

house would leave a multitude outside. Ladies and gentlemen, with
their children, would walk there twice a day in summer's heat and
winter's cold, and listen to one or two discourses before returning to
Abingdon! They went there for a purpose, and that purpose was to
worship God. The silence of death almost prevailed before preaching.
Talking and jesting in the house of God had not then become
a fashionable amusement. They were prayerful, solemn, thoughtful,
serious, and never failed to enjoy the services of the sanctuary
and of the minister. The same writer says: "Dr. Bovel was a minister
of the olden stamp. We have heard gray-headed members of the
church speak of his teaching them `the Assembly's Catechism,' when
they were children. Venerable patriarch of the church! We saw
him when far beyond his three score years and ten. With his white
head, tremulous voice and faltering steps, he still moved amongst
the former people of his charge. In extreme age—the activity and
usefulness of his young manhood having passed by, and repose and
comfort should have been his—he journeyed far away, and sought a
home, and found his grave in a distant State."[24]

In the year 1830 Mr. Bovel was succeeded by Rev. David R. Preston,
and shortly thereafter this congregation erected a new church
building (now Temperance Hall), and worshipped in this building
until the schism of 1837 divided the church; when one branch of
the church erected a new building on the lot now occupied by the
Presbyterian church at the corner of Main and Slaughter streets.

From the year 1837 until 1865, two congregations of Presbyterians
worshipped in the town, one at the Temperance Hall and the
other at the new church, and the feelings between the two congregations
were such as to greatly endanger the existence of the
church.

The total membership of both churches in 1865 was one hundred
and twelve members only. The two congregations were united in
1865, through the efforts of the Revs. Thomas Brown and James
McChain, and since that time the church has greatly prospered,
the membership at the present time being three hundred and thirty.

This church took its name from the Sinking Spring near the
marble yard of James L. Brown, and this church is the parent of
the Meadow View, Cold Spring, Green Spring, Walnut Grove, Maple
Grove, Spring Creek, Bethel and the first Presbyterian church of
Bristol, Tenn.

The pastors serving this church during its history have been:

1774-1812, Rev. Charles Cummings.

1812-1830, Rev. Stephen Bovel.

1830-1835, Rev. David R. Preston.

1835—, Rev. William Preston, stated supply.

1835-1842, Rev. Stephen Taylor.

1842-1866, Rev. James McChain.

1870-1883, Rev. E. H. Barnett, and in recent years Revs. P. D.
Stephenson, T. A. Wharton and R. V. Lancaster.

The ruling elders of this church, so far as I can ascertain, in addition
to those previously given, have been: James Vance, James
Davis, Michael Shaver, Alexander White, J. W. C. Watson, Elias
Ogden, Henry Parrot, Archimedes Davis, T. P. Clapp, John F.
Preston, Philip Snapp, Jacob N. Campbell, R. C. Craig, Samuel A.
Preston, D. C. Dunn, R. L. Francisco, Robert J. Preston, T. D.
Davidson, B. Gildersleeve, John A. Buchanan, R. A. Preston, John
A. Hagy, F. B. Hutton, W. B. Ingham, T. M. Clapp and B. R.
Smith.

Ebbing Spring.

This was one of the first churches to be organized in Washington
county, and its first pastor was the Rev. Charles Cummings, who
served the church until 1780, when he was succeeded by Rev.
Thomas Brown Craighead.

This church was named from the Ebbing Spring, the church
building being on the hill a short distance north of the spring. This
spring is now on the farm owned by David Stump, on the Middle
Fork of Holston river, in the upper end of this county, and in its
normal condition it is a beautiful stream flowing from among limestone
rocks. Before the water begins to flow there is a gurgling
sound, and then the stream gushes out with a rapid current, filling
the channel. The ebb begins gradually, and in less than half an
hour the spring is as limpid and quiet as before the disturbance.[25]
This was the place of worship of General William Campbell and
the families east as far as the head of Holston, and the number of
the worshippers at this church was exceeded by that of the Sinking
Spring only.

In the year 1792, it was decided to remove the church building
from the Ebbing Spring to the Old Glade Spring. With the removal

of the church from Ebbing Spring the name was changed
to Glade Spring. The new church was erected upon property given
by Francis Kincannon and deeded, by the direction of Kincannon,
by John Robinson on the 15th of February, 1814, to Robert Buchanan,
Joseph Snodgrass, David Beattie, John Porterfield, Thomas
Edmiston, William Beattie, James Scott, Samuel Edmiston, Leonard
Hutton and William Eakin, members of the Presbyterian congregation
of Glade Spring. The families constituting this congregation
in the early days were among the most patriotic citizens to
be found anywhere within the colonies; they were respectable and
progressive, and their descendants at this time practice the same
ideas that rendered their ancestors distinguished. The pastors
serving the Ebbing Spring congregation have been:

                         

1774-1780	—Rev. Charles Cummings.
1780-1790	—Rev. Thomas Brown Craighead.
1790-1816	—Rev. Edward Crawford.
1816-1831	—Rev. Alexander McEwen.
1835	—Rev. Philip Wood.
1843-1844	—Rev. Robert C. Graham.
1844-1848	—Rev. A. G. Taylor.
1848	—Rev. Robert Glenn.
1848-1852	—Rev. Levi R. Morrison.
1852-1856	—Rev. D. F. Palmer.
1856-1859	—Rev. Henry Smith.
1859-1862	—Rev. J. J. McMahon.
1863-1866	—Rev. R. L. McMurrin,

and since 1866, the Revs. Henry M. White, J. O. Sullivan, Frank
McCutchen, P. H. Guinn, and J. R. Herndon.

The ruling elders of this church, so far as I have been able to
ascertain, have been: Mitchell Robinson, David Beattie, John
Eakin, Peter Clark, John S. Clark, Arthur Hutton, John Robinson,
Philip B. Snapp, J. C. Porterfield, Isaac M. Benham, W. B. Dickenson,
James A. Buchanan, A. D. Hutton, A. H. Byars, George A.
C. Beattie, M. W. Robinson, E. B. Clark, T. M. Porterfield, A. M.
Byars, and J. D. Kent.

This church has experienced a very rapid growth in recent years,
and at the present time five churches and chapels are within the
bounds of the Glade Spring church, viz.: Old Glade Spring church,

Glade Spring church, Seven Springs, Ebbing Spring Chapel, and
the membership of the church is considerable.

The location of the church erected in 1792 was near a fine
spring and there was a long glade free from timber looking southeast
from the location of the church, and it was from this circumstance
that the church took the name of Glade Spring in the year
1792.

When the building of Emory and Henry College was proposed, a
meeting was held for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions at the
Old Glade Spring church and the members of this congregation contributed
the greater portion of a $5,000 subscription to the enterprise,
and Colonel William Byars, Alexander Robinson, Madison
Beattie, Absalom Beattie, W. B. Edmondson, W. C. Edmondson
and J. M. Byars, active members of this church, have given their
influence, money and labor to the upbuilding of Emory and Henry
College since the inception of the enterprise.

There is not a community in Washington county that excels that
of Glade Spring in intelligence, patriotism and worth, and this fact
is in great part due to the influence of this church.

Rock Spring Church.

The Rock Spring church, by far the oldest church organization
in that section of the county, was organized just after the Revolution,
in the year 1784.

The land upon which this church stands was deeded to the congregation,
March 15th, 1820; fifty-five poles by Robert Edmondson,
twenty poles by Matthew Brown.

No sessional records appear to have been kept until 1843, but
the membership was large and somewhat scattered. In 1880, sixty-three
of its members were organized into a separate church, known
as Bethel, near Osceola.

The total membership of Rock Spring church from 1843 to 1902
is estimated at something over 500. Its present membership is
over seventy.

Many of the signers of the original call to Rev. Charles Cummings
lived within the bounds of Rock Spring church, and some
of their descendants still occupy the old homesteads of their ancestors.

The church has occupied three separate buildings; the second

was removed in 1884, and the present large and beautiful building
erected near the old site.

The names of those who ministered to the people of Rock Spring
church prior to 1843 are (so far as can be learned) Crawford, Bovel,
Glenn and McEwen, of the Presbyterian church, and Harper, McLaws,
Scott, Patrick and Thompson, of the Reformed Presbyterian
church. About 1825, McEwen, who was then stated supply, and
who appears to have been an able and popular minister, was deposed
from the ministry on the charge of immorality. The controversy
over his trial was bitter and protracted, and checked the
growth of the church for several years.

In the great controversy of 1837 over church representation, out
of which grew the Old and New Schools, Rock Spring sided with
the former.

Down to 1843 the church had no regular pastor. In that year
the Rev. R. C. Graham was called and installed.

At that time Samuel Moore, Andrew Edmondson, and Robert
E. Lowry were elders. Their first meeting under the new pastor
was on December 10, 1843. From that meeting records of the proceedings
of the session were kept; the membership at that time was
ninety.

Mr. Graham's pastorate appears to have ended in 1847. It resulted
in a largely increased membership. From 1847 to 1866 the
church had no pastor. The stated supplies during that time were
Hodge, Stickley, Reece, Wilson and Hogshead. The last, in the
year 1866, was installed pastor, and continued as such until the
year 1871.

He was succeeded by Rev. J. C. Carson, as stated supply, who
continued in charge until the autumn of 1875, when Rev. J. O.
Sullivan became pastor. His pastorate ceased in the year 1881,
when he became president of Stonewall Jackson Institute.

The present church building, one of the most commodious in the
Presbytery, was erected in the year 1884, at a cost of about $3,000.

The next pastor was the Rev. Frank McCutchen. He remained
until 1893, when he accepted a call to Rogersville, Tenn. Rev. J.
B. Hutton, Rev. S. R. Preston and the Rev. Mr. Visor were stated
supplies until October, 1896, when Rev. J. B. Morton became pastor.
He resigned in 1901 because of disaffection in the congregation.

The present pastor (not yet installed) is Rev. Allen Jones, an able
and most energetic man.

Maple Grove Church.

The first Presbyterian preacher to conduct regular services in
this community was the Rev. Stephen Bovel, and, as a result of his
efforts, a log-house was built upon the location of the present
church in 1831. A partial organization of the church was effected
about the same time, but all records pertaining thereto have
been lost, and the first regular session of this church of which we
have any record was organized in the year 1836, with the following
elders present: John Gray, John Davis, John Anderson, Wallace
Maxwell, Peter S. Hanby and A. C. Maxwell.

The first regularly installed pastor of this church was the Rev.
John H. Wallace.

In the year 1874, the log church erected in 1831 was torn down,
and a handsome country church erected in its place. The church
has been served by the following pastors, so far as I can ascertain:
Revs. Stephen Bovel, James McChain, John H. Wallace, Henry
Rose, J. P. Briscoe, John L. Allison, W. T. Mobray, J. B. Morton,
G. W. Henderlite and R. B. Hudson.

Spring Creek Church.

This church was organized in the year 1852, with John F. Preston
and Archimedes Davis as ruling elders, and the following members:
Archimedes Davis, John F. Preston, Mrs. Nancy Preston,
Mrs. Margaret L. Fulkerson, Mrs. Mary Bradley, Misses Margaret
J. Willoughby, Caroline Willoughby, Elizabeth Rush, Mary
J. Legard, Andrew Willoughby, Jeremiah Rush, Sr. and James
Rush.

Soon after the organization of the church, Andrew Willoughby
was installed an elder, and within recent years Henry B. Roberts,
J. G. R. Davis and others have served in the same capacity.

The land upon which this church stands was given by John F.
Preston. A very commodious frame building was erected thereon
in the year 1852 and remained until 1886, when the old building
was torn down and a handsome frame building erected in its stead.

The pastors that have served this church have been the same that
served the Maple Grove church.

Upon this church property stood an old log-house in which the
writer attended the public schools, and in the church building he
was taught the Shorter Catechism by H. B. Roberts and a faithful
corps of noble women.

Walnut Grove Church.

This church was organized at an early day and has been of great
usefulness; but, I am sorry to say that, notwithstanding very persistent
efforts, I have been unable to obtain any information in regard
to its history.

Green Spring Church.

This church was established in the year 1794, and the first building
was erected upon a tract of land conveyed to the members of
the Green Spring congregation and their successors, they calling a
regular Presbyterian minister of the gospel, adhering to the Westminster
Confession of Faith and the doctrine and discipline therein
contained, with the Larger and Shorter Catechism, James Montgomery.

This church is situated in the strongest Presbyterian community
in Washington county, possibly in Southwest Virginia, and has had
a very useful career; but I must express my regret at being unable
to obtain any information in regard thereto.

All that has been said in regard to the Glade Spring community
will apply to this, the peer of the Glade Spring community.

The Kings, McConnells, Berrys, McChesneys, Coxes, Kellers,
McCauleys, Grays, Thomases, Lowrys, Parks, Avens, Mimmicks
and Campbells constitute a large part of this congregation.

METHODISM IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

Methodism made its appearance in Washington county, Virginia,
by emigration, somewhere between 1770 and 1775. The
first circuit, in what is now Holston Conference, appeared in the
minutes of 1783 entitled "Holston Circuit," with sixty members,
and Jeremiah Lambert was appointed in charge of it. This circuit
embraced the scattered Methodists in Southwestern Virginia
and upper East Tennessee. In 1784, Lambert reported seventy-six
members, a gain of sixteen.

Bishop Asbury held the first conference west of the Alleghanies,
at Stephen Keywood's, Washington county, Virginia, May, 1788,

Keywood lived about midway between Saltville and what is now
Glade Spring depot. He lived in a two-story log-house with a massive
stone chimney at one end. The conference met in an upper
room without fire, and sat three days. Religious exercises were
kept up daily, with fine results. John Tunnell, Thomas Ware and
others had preaching at Keywood's every day for a week before
the session of the conference began, and on Sunday before the conference
John Tunnell preached in the morning. Under this sermon
Madam Elizabeth Russell, wife of General William Russell,
of Revolutionary fame, and sister to Patrick Henry, was convinced
that she was the veriest sinner on earth, although up to that period,
as a member of the Episcopal church, she had been exemplary in
life and thought she was a child of God. She invited the preachers
home with her to pray for and instruct her. They complied,
and in the afternoon she emerged from darkness into light, praising
God with a loud voice. This good—yea, great—woman became a
flame of Christian zeal, and to the day of her death, which occurred
in 1825, she served God and her generation with a zeal not surpassed
in ancient or modern times. Mrs. Russell's first husband
was General William Campbell, of King's mountain celebrity. Her
daughter, Miss Sarah B. Campbell, married General Francis Preston.
Among the children of General Preston may be mentioned
the Hons. William C. Preston and John S. Preston, of South Carolina,
Thomas L. Preston, and Mrs. John B. Floyd, the last a lifelong
Methodist.

Up to 1812, Washington county was generally included in Holston
Circuit; but in that year Abingdon Circuit appears in the
minutes. This circuit embraced Washington county and some adjacent
territory in Virginia and Tennessee. Baker Wrather was
the first appointee to Abingdon Circuit. This circuit was a part
of Tennessee Conference until 1824, when Holston Conference was
organized. Abingdon station was established in 1826, with the
Rev. George Atkins as its first pastor.

At what date the first Methodist church in Abingdon was built
I am unable to state. In 1849, the old Abingdon church was torn
down and supplanted by a neat brick chapel where the old Methodist
graveyard is. This chapel afterwards gave place to the present
church on Main street. The Findlays, Litchfields, Mitchells,
Floyds, Campbells, Hoofnagles, Honakers, Hamiltons and Barrs

have been among the most prominent Methodist families of Abingdon.

John Baker, four miles west of Abingdon, was a wealthy Methodist,
and was for many years a liberal supporter of the church.
John W. Price, near Glade Spring, was a wealthy farmer and an
active church worker, often exhorting and holding protracted meetings,
resulting in great revivals in his community.

Lebanon camp-ground, some six miles east of Abingdon, was
established at an early day, and for a number of years was one of
the most popular camp-grounds in the connection. Methodists
from Abingdon and other parts of the county camped there, and
many of the first preachers of the connection preached from its pulpit.

In 1835, Holston Conference projected a scheme for an agricultural
college. The Rev. Creed Fulton, agent, and also member
of the committee to locate the school, raised a subscription and
called the committee together. The present site of Emory and
Henry College was chosen, and the erection of buildings was begun
at once. In 1838, the school was inaugurated under the presidency
of Charles Collins, of Maine, a graduate of the Middleton (Conn.)
Wesleyan University. He was a well-rounded man, and under his
wise administration the college prospered; but the school reached
its zenith afterwards under the administration of President E. E.
Wiley.

Martha Washington College was projected in 1858. The conference
accepted from the Odd-Fellows a site and unfinished buildings
in the northern suburb of Abingdon, but abandoned the site
afterwards, and bought the Preston property, the present site.
This college has had a very useful career.

Some years afterwards the Methodists of Bristol built and established
Sullins College there, with Dr. David Sullins as president.
This school has been a successful competitor of Martha
Washington College in the cause of female education.

Methodism has always been strong in Washington county, of an
evangelical type, and a powerful factor in educating and refining
the people and creating a good quality of citizenship. Long will
the memory of such people as Father Wilkenson, Father Haskew,
Dr. George Barr, "Aunt Bettie Haskew," "Aunt Kittie" Findlay,

and others like them, linger among our healthful hills as a sweet
perfume.

I should have mentioned particularly the Methodist Protestant
church. This denomination was organized in 1830. It was at
first made up of members and preachers who formerly represented
the Annual and General Conferences, and, being opposed to an
episcopal form of government, seceded from the M. E. Church,
and set up a church more democratic in polity. The Rev. Mr.
Cosby and Dr. George R. Barr were the principal pioneers of this
church in Abingdon. A nice brick church was built, and regular
preaching kept up for many years. Dr. Barr was many years its
pastor, and a revered and venerable name. The church had some
influence at other points in this county, but made little headway
against its older and more thoroughly established rival.[26]

The members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in about the
year 1845, disagreed upon the question of slavery, and divided
their church property, and since that time there have been two
branches of the same church in this county, to-wit: The Methodist
Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

The Methodist Episcopal Church has experienced a very rapid
growth in Washington county since 1865, and to-day has thirteen
churches and a large number of communicants in this county, while
the Methodist Episcopal Church South has churches and communicants
in nearly every community in the county.

ABINGDON, VIRGINIA—ITS HISTORY.

The present location of Abingdon was immediately upon the
Indian trail from the south and the Indian trail from the northwest,
which, passing through Cumberland Gap, crossed the southern
trail at about the present location of Hurt's store, in the town
of Abingdon, in the direction of North Carolina.

When Dr. Thomas Walker and his company of explorers visited
Southwestern Virginia in the years 1749-1750, they followed this
Indian trail, and on July 14, 1752, King George II. of England
granted to Dr. Thomas Walker a large body of land surrounding
and including the site of the town of Abingdon and supposed to
contain 6,780 acres.

This is the first record that we have of the early exploration of
the lands upon which the town of Abingdon has been built.

Dr. Walker made no immediate effort to settle the lands secured
by his grant, and the next mention that we have of this locality
was in the year 1760, in which year Daniel Boone and Nathaniel
Gist left the home of Boone, in North Carolina, and, crossing the
Holston mountains, encamped in what is now known as Taylor's
Valley, from which point they passed down the Holston river to
near Glenn's Mill, and thence to the present location of Abingdon,
where they encamped on the second night, near where Black's

Fort was afterwards built at a spring. Boone and Gist were upon
a hunting expedition at the time and were accompanied by their
dogs. Soon after nightfall, the hunters were greatly disturbed by
the appearance of a large number of wolves. Their dogs were assailed
with such fury that Boone and Gist with great difficulty
succeeded in repelling the attack of the wolves and preserving their
lives, several of their best dogs being killed. From this circumstance
the present location of Abingdon received its first name,
"Wolf Hills." The wolves had their home in the cave that underlies
the town of Abingdon, the entrance to which is upon the lot
now occupied as a residence by Captain James L. White.

The creek that passes through the eastern and southern portions
of the town about this time received the name of Castle's Creek,

Abingdon, Virginia, 1902. Looking East from Fruit Hill.

Abingdon, Virginia, 1902. Looking South from Fruit Hill.

which name, about fifteen years afterwards, was changed to Eighteen
Mile Creek, and the creek west of Abingdon was given the
name of Wolf Hill Creek, which names are retained until this time.

Some time between the years 1765 and 1770, James Douglas,
Andrew Colvill, George Blackburn, Joseph Black, Samuel Briggs,
James Piper and several other persons settled upon lands surrounding
and including the present location of Abingdon, under
purchases from Dr. Thomas Walker, which lands were afterwards
conveyed to the settlers in the year 1774.

By this time, 1774, the immediate vicinity of the present location
of Abingdon was settled by large numbers of people, and during
this year a church was built near the entrance gate of the present
cemetery, west of the town of Abingdon, under the direction
of the Rev. Charles Cummings and under the auspices of the Presbyterian
Church.

The early settlers of this section of Virginia at this early date
recognized the importance of this locality, and as the natural instinct
of the Indian had made this the passing point of two great
Indian trails, so the same instinct of the white man caused him to
recognize this as a central location for his operations.

Captain Joseph Black, who settled on Eighteen Mile Creek
nearly south of the present residence of Colonel Arthur Cummings,
with the assistance of his neighbors, erected a small fort near his
residence for the protection of the neighborhood from attacks
by the Indians, which fort was called "Black's Fort," and this fort
was used until the summer of 1776.

In the spring of this year, 1776, the Cherokee Indians, after
twelve years of comparative peace and friendliness, decided to wage
a war against the whites, and to exterminate or drive them from
the waters of the Holston and Clinch rivers; and in the month of
July news came to the settlement, which extended down as far as
Eaton's Fort, seven miles east of Long Island of Holston, that
Dragging Canoe, a noted Indian chief, at the head of seven hundred
Indian warriors, was marching upon the settlements, which
news created great consternation, and every settler, with but few
exceptions, gathered his family and traveled with all speed for the
older settlements.

There was but one public highway passing through this section

at that time, which was known as the Great road and passed
directly by Black's Fort.

By the 20th of July, 1776, fully four hundred men, women and
children, had assembled at Black's Fort, and, at the suggestion of
their leaders, determined to build a substantial fort and contest
the further progress of the Indian invasion.

While the building of this fort was in progress, the battle of
Long Island Flats was fought and resulted in an overwhelming
victory for the settlers. The news of this battle reached Black's
Fort on the following day.

Upon the receipt of this good news, the Rev. Charles Cummings
had all work upon the fort suspended, assembled the multitude,
and, kneeling in prayer, thanked God for the deliverance of the
people.

The work upon the fort was continued until completed and, when
completed, it was one of the best forts upon the frontiers.

During the week following the battle of Long Island Flats the
settlers at Black's Fort were greatly annoyed by small bands of Indians
traveling through the settlements, killing the settlers indiscriminately,
burning their homes and driving off their property.

Three parties of Indians came within the vicinity of Black's
Fort. One party scalped Arthur Blackburn and left him for dead,
another succeeded in killing and scalping Jacob Mongle, and a
third party assailed the Rev. Charles Cummings, his negro servant,
Job, William Creswell and James Piper, and succeeded in
killing William Creswell and crippling James Piper by shooting
off one of his fingers.

After the battle at Long Island Flats, the settlers were greatly
encouraged, and, at the same time, felt very much outraged at the
depredations of their Indian neighbors, and a portion of the settlers
at Black's Fort, with the assistance of a few men from Bryan's
Fort, succeeded in killing and scalping eleven out of a party of Indians
that visited the home of James Montgomery, near the South
Fork of Holston river, about eight miles south of Abingdon. The
scalps of the eleven Indians were brought to Black's Fort and
tied to the end of the longest pole that could be found in the vicinity,
and this pole was planted at the gate of the fort as a warning,
we suppose, to future invaders that they would meet a like
fate.

The county of Washington was established by an Act of the
Assembly of Virginia in the fall of the year 1776, and by the
provisions of that Act Black's Fort was designated as the first place
of meeting of the County Court of the new county. The time of
the meeting was fixed as January 28, 1777.

Tradition says there was a great contest between the citizens of
this county as to the location of the county seat, a portion of the
citizens advocating the present location of the Presbyterian church
at Green Spring as the proper location for the county seat.

But several important inducements decided the contest in favor
of Black's Fort; to-wit: first, the fact that Black's Fort was directly
upon the line of the Great road passing through this section, and,
secondly, because Dr. Thomas Walker, Joseph Black and Samuel
Briggs agreed to give to the county of Washington one hundred and
twenty acres of land for the purpose of locating the town and
assisting in discharging the cost of the erection of the necessary
public buildings, and, in addition, Dr. Walker agreed to deed to
the trustees of the town of Abingdon, for a nominal consideration,
four hundred and eighty-four acres of land adjoining the one hundred
and twenty above spoken of.

It cannot be doubted that the selection was a wise one, especially
in view of the mutilation of the territory of Washington county
as originally formed, by the formation of new counties by the General
Assembly of Virginia, and the encroachments upon Virginia
territory by the State of Tennessee. The county seat was as nearly
centrally located as possible.

The four hundred and eighty-four acre tract of land which Dr.
Walker agreed to sell to the trustees of the town of Abingdon for
a nominal consideration was conveyed to said trustees by Daniel
Smith, attorney in fact for Dr. Walker, on October 7, 1781.

The power of attorney from Dr. Walker constituting Daniel
Smith his attorney in fact to convey said lands was executed September
9, 1777 and was witnessed by Thomas Jefferson, Reuben
Lindsay and George Dives.

Shortly after the organization of the County Court of Washington
county, Virginia, to-wit: on April 29, 1777, the County Court
entered an order appointing

• Arthur Campbell,

• Daniel Smith,

• William Edmiston,

• William Campbell,

• Joseph Martin,

• John Coulter,

• Robert Craig,

trustees to dispose of the lands given to the county by Walker, Black
and Briggs.

It will be observed that the present location of Abingdon, at the
time in question, was without a name, and, as far as I can ascertain,
it did not receive the name of Abingdon until the summer of this
year.

The one hundred and twenty acres of land given to the county by
Walker, Black and Briggs were surveyed by Captain Robert Doach,
and, immediately after the appointment of the trustees above
named, they directed John Coulter to survey and lay out the main
street of the town of Abingdon, which was accordingly done.

The County Court, on the 27th day of August, 1777, directed
James Dysart, the sheriff of Washington county, to employ some
person or persons, upon the best terms he could, to remove to some
convenient place, where the town was to stand, the logs and other
timber which had been placed at Mr. Black's for the purpose of
building a magazine, to be used in building a courthouse. The
sheriff, pursuant to this order, selected the present location of the
yard of Mrs. James W. Preston as a convenient place for the same,
and let the contract for the building to Samuel Evans.

The County Court, at the same time, directed the sheriff of the
county to build a prison fourteen feet square, with square timbers,
twelve inches each way, and with a good shingle roof, and in lieu
of a stone wall to line the side walls and also the under floor with
two-inch plank, and to put in each plank nine iron spikes six inches
long; and the sheriff, pursuant to directions, let the contract for
the building of the prison to Abraham Goodpasture.

At the time of the building of the courthouse, the County Court
of Washington county had erected what was known as stocks, just
west of the courthouse and on Main street.

These consisted of a platform some five or six feet above the
ground, with a centrepiece about seven feet above the platform.
To this were attached movable boards, one at the foot of the platform
and another about four feet above the first. In these boards

were holes, through which the head, hands and feet of the culprit
were thrust."[27]

It is said that one application of this mode of punishment made
a lasting impression upon offenders.

To George Martin was given the contract for making irons for
criminals, and to Hugh Berry that of making nails to be used in
the erection of the courthouse and prison.

The courthouse and prison were not completed until the year
1779, at which time the County Court directed David Carson and
Joseph Black to lay off the prison bounds, and on the 17th day of
June, 1779, David Carson and Joseph Black, after laying off the
prison bounds, made the following report:

From this report it will be observed that numbers of white oak
saplings were standing within the present limits of the town of
Abingdon as late as the summer of 1779.

It is hardly necessary to be said at this point that the prison
bounds thus laid out were used, until the year 1850, as a place of
confinement for delinquent debtors, and it would be a matter of
great surprise, could the present generation read the names of the
prominent citizens of this county who were confined within these
prison bounds because of the non-payment of their debts.

As soon as the Main street of the town was located and the lots
on the north and south sides of said street surveyed, the trustees of
the town proceeded to sell and dispose of said lots; but, finding some
difficulty in disposing of said lots by reason of some uncertainty
in their title to said property, eleven members of the County Court
in the fall of the year 1777 addressed the following petition to the
General Assembly of Virginia:

To the Honorable, the Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of
Delegates:

The petition of the court of Washington county.

Whereas a certain tract or parcel of land is given by the Honorable
Thomas Walker, Joseph Black and Samuel Briggs, and also
another tract of land is agreed to be sold at a certain rate by the
said Walker for the benefit of the aforesaid county to erect their
public buildings on, and as this court has already fixed upon a
place on said land for their courthouse and prison, and has also laid
off a part thereof for a town, and whereas it is apprehended that it
would much conduce to the speedy settling of the aforesaid town
and advance the value of the lots if an Act of Assembly should pass,
enabling the said court or their trustees to receive titles from the
above-named gentlemen for the land given and sold, and also to
enable them to lay off, sell and make conveyances to the purchasers,

and grant such privileges and immunities to the settlers on such
lots, as to citizens in like cases have been granted, in the premises
we submit to the consideration of your honorable House, and pray
you to grant us such redress as you judge just and right, and your
petitioners, as in duty bound, shall pray, etc.:

• George Blackburn,

• John Kinkhead,

• William Edmiston,

• James Montgomery,

• John Campbell,

• Andrew Colvill,

• William Campbell,

• John Snoddy,

• Daniel Smith,

• Thomas Mastin,

• Arthur Campbell.

This petition was referred to the proper committee on November
8, 1777, but was not again heard of until the fall of the year 1778.

Washington county's representatives in the Legislature at this
time were William Cocke and Anthony Bledsoe, neither of whom
had any particular interest in the welfare of the proposed town.
But in the spring of the year 1778, Arthur Campbell and Anthony
Bledsoe were elected to the Legislature of Virginia from Washington
county, and, as a result of the efforts of Arthur Campbell, the
town was incorporated in December, 1778.

For some reason which I cannot explain, the trustees appointed
by the County Court of Washington county, Virginia, on April 29,
1777, with but two exceptions, never acted in the capacity of trustees,
William Edmiston and Robert Craig being the exceptions,
but on the 6th of June, 1777, William Edmiston, Robert Craig,
James Armstrong, Robert Preston and Robert Campbell, terming
themselves trustees for the town of Abingdon, met at Christopher
Acklin's, in said town, and proceeded to business and surveyed
a part of said town, namely the inner lots; after which the board
adjourned until the next day, the 7th of June, 1777, on which day
the trustees ordered an alley to be laid off, one pole wide, adjoining
the lower end of the lots on the south side of Main street; and
that a street be laid off, three poles wide, ten poles from said alley,
and that the land between the alley and said street be laid off in
half acre lots, and that the land on the south side of said street
be laid off in acre lots, and that said street be known by the name
of Water street; and to the alley between Water and Main streets
was given the name of Troopers' alley.

Robert Preston was directed to survey said lots and to deliver a
draft of the same to Christopher Acklin, who was directed to sell
said lots at public outcry at the following June court, which lots
were accordingly disposed of by Christopher Acklin at public
auction.

There seems to be a difference of opinion as to the first settler
within the bounds of Abingdon. Charles B. Coale makes the statement
that the first house erected in the town was by Dr. Smith,
who built his house about the year 1760, on the lot now occupied by
Mrs. Henry S. Preston.

The statement of Mr. Coale is evidently a mistake, as this portion
of Virginia was not settled in the year 1760.

There can be no question that Christopher Acklin, as early as
June, 1777, had a house built and was living upon the lot now occupied
by the county courthouse.

As previously stated, in the month of October, 1778, the town of
Abingdon was established by Act of the Assembly, and Evan
Shelby, William Campbell, Daniel Smith, William Edmiston, Robert
Craig and Andrew Willoughby were named as trustees for said
town, and the title to the one hundred and twenty acres of land
given by Dr. Walker and others was vested in fee simple in said
trustees by said Act,[28] and said trustees or any three of them were
empowered to make conveyances of such lots in said town as had
been previously sold and of such as might be sold thereafter.

Considerable power was conferred upon said Board of Trustees,
as will be seen by an inspection of the Act establishing the town.

The name given to the town was evidently suggested by Colonel
Arthur Campbell, through whose influence the Act incorporating the
town was passed.

While the object in view in giving the name, Abingdon, to the
town is not known, several statements in regard thereto have been
made by different writers upon the subject, one statement being
that the town was given the name of Abingdon as a compliment
to Martha Washington, the wife of General Washington, it being
the name of the parish in which she worshipped in girlhood[29] ;

another statement being that the town was named in honor of Lord
Abingdon, a young English nobleman of Scotch descent, with whom
William Campbell was well acquainted, Lord Abingdon being very
much in sympathy with the ideas of his Scotch kinsfolk living in
America, in their contest with England.

Daniel Boone, at this time, was known as the greatest explorer
and hunter on the frontiers, and the name may have originated
with him. Abingdon, Pennsylvania, situated about twelve miles
north of Philadelphia, was his first residence in America, and, for
many years, was the home of many of his family.

The lands deeded to the trustees of the town of Abingdon
included four hundred and eighty-four acres in addition to the
one hundred and twenty acres given by Dr. Walker and others and
vested in said trustees by Act of the Assembly. These four hundred
and eighty-four acres lay north and northeast of the town of
Abingdon of the present day; and while Main and Water streets
were laid off previously to 1778, and lots on either side of said
streets surveyed, the lands included within the four hundred and
eighty-four acre survey were not surveyed until August, 1781,
during which month Daniel Smith surveyed and divided said four
hundred and eighty-four acres into nineteen tracts containing from
thirteen to fifty-six acres to the lot, which tracts of land were
denominated the outer lots of said town.

"The lands on which the town is built were given to the county
of Washington by Dr. Thomas Walker, of Albemarle county, and
by Samuel Briggs, who owned the tract adjoining to the east, and
Joseph Black, who owned the one to the west of the town. I first
saw the town hill in 1782, and then there were on it a log courthouse
about twenty-five feet square, standing opposite Dunn's Hotel
across the street—a small log jail on the lower corner of the present
public lot; Christopher Acklin's Tavern on the southeast corner of
the public square; John Yancey's Tavern, on the lot where Dunn's
Hotel stands; and William Dryden's Tavern on the lot where Mr.
Mitchell's dwelling stands, that formed the then town of Abingdon.
In 1782, Yancey sold his house and lot to John Campbell, and
shortly afterwards Dryden sold his to Dr. Alexander Smith, the
first husband of Mrs. Conn."

Acklin and Smith now entertained all who called on them, Acklin
those who were fond of their brandy, Smith the more temperate.

Two Irishmen, named Dan and Manasas Friel, at this time
appeared with a cargo of merchandise and opened their goods in a
room in John Campbell's dwelling house. They soon built a storehouse
across the street and, for ten or twelve years from 1783,
sold goods and made a handsome property. They then removed to
Wythe, and Manasas to a valuable farm near Fort Chiswell. About
the time they had located themselves in their new storehouse, William
Bagnell and Mrs. Bagnell came to the town and built a large
cabin on the lot east of Dunn's Hotel. This couple were from
Baltimore and merit special notice.

William Bagnell was a dwarf about four feet, nine inches, high,
and diminutive in form. Mrs. Bagnell was just the opposite in
every respect—a large, athletic woman of good figure, rather handsome
than otherwise, and intelligent. They appeared to be about
thirty years of age. Bagnell's Tavern soon attracted attention and
commanded company. Mrs. Bagnell had been evidently well
accustomed to the noise and confusion of a drinking establishment,
and acted in her cabin with good authority. She was often visited
by an old man and two sons from the foot of Iron mountain, who
never left without having a drunken frolic. On one occasion they
continued their bacchanalian riot until late in the night and until
Mrs. Bagnell was fairly worn down with it and refused to let them
have any more whiskey. They begged and pled and threatened, but
her ladyship was firm to her purpose and would not yield. They
then commenced beating her and running her around the cabin,
they pursuing and she retreating and defending herself. At length
she was able to escape up a ladder to the loft, and there she shouted
murder with all her strength. The town was roused and all came
to her relief and to hear what was the matter. The three bacchanalians
retreated into the street and bade defiance, and Mrs. Bagnell
complained of being much hurt. The sheriff made his appearance
and was ordered by a justice to arrest the men. He summoned a
posse, and for a short time there was a general engagement; at
length the men were taken and committed to jail. In the melee
several persons were seriously injured, but the prosecutions failed.

Henry Dickenson came to town to live and built on the corner lot
on which William King's old brick house stands. Near the same
time Captain William Y. Conn arrived from Alexandria with a
cargo of merchandise, built a storehouse across the street from

Dunn's Hotel and opened goods. Alexander Smith died and Mrs.
Smith, then a beautiful young widow, continued the house, which
was always crowded with the best company. John Greenway came
from Pennsylvania, purchased out Henry Dickenson and built his
blacksmith shop on the corner.[30] All this time the society of two or
three genteel families and the constant intercourse of well-informed
strangers made Abingdon a most agreeable place.

Although the country was settled with a well-informed population
generally, yet there was in it a mixture of all sorts. The leading
characters of one class were Edward Callahan and his wife Succy.
Where they originally came from I do not know, but they were
themselves originals. Edward was a hunter by profession, and
when they emigrated to Holston he selected for his residence the
banks of the north fork twenty-five miles below Abingdon, at a point
where he could see the top of Clinch mountain through a gap
in the river knobs. Here he lived many years. Succy was a cake
woman, but with the cakes she sold something to drink. She made
her appearance on the first day of every court, with a cartload of
cakes, pies and drinkables, halted in the middle of the street and
made an awning for herself and commenced business. Edward
followed on foot at the tail of the cart in the full dress of the
hunter, with rifle and shot pouch, and his fine, well-taught hunting
dog at his heels, and when he had gotten Succy fairly started at
her business he moved off with his peltry to transact his own business.
Succy was a shrewd woman and adopted all sorts of evasions
to avoid paying license, and sometimes she was hard pressed by the
grand jurors and Attorney-General Dunlop. On one occasion she
was nearly at her wit's end about retailing whiskey, when John
Campbell, the clerk, said something to the court in mitigation,
and the justices, being very willing to accept any excuse, let Succy
off. She never forgot the kindness, and fifteen years afterwards
I, the son of John Campbell, was riding in that part of the country
and was benighted at Succy's cabin, when she treated me with a
kindness and hospitality which I shall never forget and in a manner,

too, that showed she knew how to act her part. I have named two
originals of each sex."[31]

In the year 1786, Abingdon was a considerable village, boasting
of two hotels, one occupying the present location of the Bank of
Abingdon and kept by James Armstrong, and the other, kept by
Mrs. Mary McDonald, on the south side of Main street nearly opposite
the courthouse. There were no buildings west of the present
residence of the late S. N. Honaker, and from this point to the western
limits of the original town was a wild plum and chinquapin
thicket, with a few large white oak trees interspersed.

The residence of Daniel Friel occupied the location of the present
residence of Mrs. Kate Preston, while the residence of Mrs.
Smith occupied the present location of the residence of Mrs. John D.
Mitchell, the residence of Dr. Groce occupying the position of what
is known as the White House, on the south side of Main street, while
to the west of Dr. Groce's residence there lived several families, one
by the name of Wise, another by the name of Redpath (James). A
house built by William Brice stood on the present location of the
Colonnade Hotel. These were about all the houses to be found in
the town in the year 1786.

A writer upon this subject makes the statement that General
John Armstrong, Secretary of War under President Madison, and
General Francis Preston Blair, of Missouri, were born on the lot
occupied by Dr. Groce; but it is more probable that General Armstrong
was born at the home of his father, James Armstrong, and
that General Blair was born at the residence of his father, James
Blair, both of whom lived in Abingdon.

The next effort made to extend the town was at a meeting of the
Board of Trustees at the house of William Y. Conn, on the 12th
day of January, 1789.

At this meeting it was ordered that all that part of said town
lying north of the lots on the north side of Main street be laid off
into one-fourth-acre lots, that an alley be left at the north end of
the lots fronting on Main street, and that a street be laid off ten
poles north of said alley, said street to be three poles wide. To
the alley was given the name of Chinquapin alley, and to the street
thus proposed was given the name of Office or Valley street.

Robert Preston was directed to survey said land and to deliver
particular plats to Andrew Russell, and Christopher Acklin was
directed to sell said lots at public outcry, as directed by the Act
incorporating the town.

It will be observed that Valley street, as originally proposed,
was three poles wide, but at a meeting of the trustees on the 4th
of October, 1798, it was ordered that the street known as Valley or
Office street be altered and made four poles wide, ten poles north of
Chinquapin alley. This alteration in the width of Valley street was
induced by the fact that the owners of the lands along said street
by their improvements had evidenced that they believed that said
street was four poles wide. At the same meeting of the trustees,
Andrew Russell was elected secretary and was directed to record a
plan of the inner and outer lots of said town.

At a meeting of the Board of Trustees on the 22d of November,
1798, Slaughter street was opened two poles wide, running from
Valley street in a northwestwardly course to the northern boundary
of the town land, but for some reason the name Slaughter street
has been given to the cross street running from Valley street to
the railroad and crossing the Main street near the Presbyterian
church.

The original town, as it was in 1798, contained three streets running
east and west, known as Water, Main and Valley streets, with
two alleys north and south of Main street and known as Troopers'
and Chinquapin alleys, the cross streets being Tanners' street, which
crosses Main street near to and west of the residence of Captain
James L. White; Cross street, now known as Court street, crossing
Main street, east of the courthouse; Brewers' street, crossing Main
street near to and west of the residence of Mrs. Bessie Watson, and
Slaughter street, which began at Main street and ran a northwestwardly
course to the boundary of the town land.

Most of the lots within the town of Abingdon were sold at public
auction, previously to the year 1798. The names of such purchasers
as have been preserved are given in another place.

In the month of October, 1798, Andrew Willoughby resigned
as one of the trustees of the town of Abingdon, and an election
to fill the vacancy was held on the 3d day of November, 1798.
The election was held at the court-house in said town, and only the
freeholders living within the town were permitted to vote.

The candidates voted for were Andrew Russell and Frederick
Hamilton, and the freeholders voting in said election were:

• William Brice,

• John Gold,

• Frederick Hamilton,

• C. Watkins,

• Robert Dukes,

• James Longley,

• Joseph Hays,

• Jacob Baker,

• Joseph Acklin,

• Connally Findlay,

• James White,

• William Greenway,

• Solomon Marks,

• James Armstrong,

• Samuel Glenn,

• Patrick Lynch,

• Michael Deckard,

• John McCormick,

• James Redpath,

• Andrew Russell.

It will be seen from an inspection of this poll-list that the freeholders
living within the bounds of Abingdon in 1798 were few
in number.

On the 18th day of April, 1793, the County Court of Washington
county, Virginia, directed that twenty-five pounds out of the
bonds arising from the sale of lots in the town of Abingdon be
appropriated towards building a market-house on the courthouse
lot; and James Armstrong, James Bradley, John McCormick and
Claiborne Watkins were appointed commissioners to superintend
the building of the same; and in September of the same year, the
court appropriated twenty pounds to complete a well upon the public
lot.

The market-house, when completed, was placed in charge of the
officers of the town, and Tuesdays and Saturdays were the regular
market days, and it was made an offence for any person to sell
butchers' meats at other times and places in the said town. This
institution was maintained for many years subsequent to 1793, and
as late as the year 1810 the law governing the subject was strictly
enforced.

A Masonic lodge was organized in Abingdon at the residence of
James White on the 3d day of October, 1796, and, by the year
1800, this lodge had erected a Masonic hall in the town on Lot No.
50, Water street, the present location of the new jail. A part of
this building was used by the Abingdon Academy from the year
1803 until about the year 1820.

In 1798 Henry Clay and Captain Henry St. John Dixon came to

Abingdon together for the purpose of settling, provided the country
suited them. The former, after looking around for a week or two,
proceeded on to Kentucky, where his mother had settled after her
second marriage, and the latter, having become acquainted with
the family of Mr. Dick White, on the farm now owned by William
Clark, married one of his daughters and lived for many years where
the Stonewall Jackson Institute now stands.[32]

On the 20th of March, 1799, the County Court appointed William
King, James Armstrong, John Eppler and Robert Craig
commissioners to report a plan for a new stone prison, which was
afterwards built on the public square in the rear of the present
courthouse, James White being the contractor, at the price of
$1,532.25.

By Act of the General Assembly of Virginia of date January 10,
1803, the corporate limits of Abingdon were extended to the west
as far as Lot No. 16, which addition to the town has since been
known as "Craig's addition" to the town of Abingdon. On the
13th of January, 1803, the General Assembly authorized the trustees
of the town of Abingdon to conduct a lottery for the benefit
of Abingdon Academy, the proceeds to be used in purchasing a
library, philosophical and mathematical apparatus and anything
else necessary for the use of the said Academy. By this same Act
the Academy was chartered, with many of the prominent citizens
of the town as trustees, evidencing the disposition of the citizens
of Abingdon, at this early day, to afford their children every
necessary facility for securing an education.

The General Assembly of Virginia, during the first fifty years of
the history of Abingdon, adopted numerous laws extending the
time of the property owners for building houses upon the lots
purchased of the town, as required by the Act of the Assembly in
the year 1778.

On the 3d day of August, 1802, an election was held for trustees
to succeed Andrew Willoughby, who had died, and Robert
Craig and James Armstrong, who had removed from the town.
The candidates voted for by the freeholders of the town were
Andrew Russell, James White, Frederick Hamilton and John

McClelland, the three first named being elected. The freeholders
voting in this election were as follows:

• William King,

• John McClelland,

• John McCormack,

• W. Greenway,

• A. Russell,

• Samuel Glenn,

• Pat Lynch,

• John Gold,

• James Longley,

• G. T. Conn.

Between the years 1800 and 1810, a new courthouse was built
upon the public square, which courthouse served the county until
the year 1848. This courthouse was built of brick and was a very
substantial structure.

By the year 1806, the town and county had grown in importance
to such an extent that a newspaper, a badly-needed institution, was
established in the town of Abingdon by John G. Ustick, the name
of the paper being "The Holston Intelligencer and Abingdon
Advertiser."

The first postoffice in Southwestern Virginia was established at
Abingdon on the 25th day of April, 1793, with Gerrard T. Conn
as postmaster, and this was the only postoffice to be found in the
county of Washington, until the year 1833. It is hard to believe
that the citizens of this county for forty years had but one post-office
and one place at which they could mail their letters and receive
their mail.

From the year 1793 until about 1835, Abingdon was the centre
of the business life of Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee and
Kentucky; all mails for the sections named were distributed at the
Abingdon postoffice; and a large per cent. of the wholesale trade
for the same section was controlled and supplied by Abingdon
merchants.

Such was the condition of affairs in Abingdon at the beginning of
the war of 1812, and, with the first evidences of war, the patriotism
of the citizens of the town knew no bounds.

A number of brick buildings had been erected in Abingdon,
among the number being the brick building erected by William
King, which building is still standing on the east side of Court
street, opposite the courthouse, and is beyond question the oldest
building in the town of Abingdon.

Abingdon was visited by its first great fire on Thursday night,

September 10, 1812. A description of the fire and the damage
done thereby is here copied from a newspaper published in Abingdon
on the following Saturday.[33]

"At the hour of midnight of Thursday night last we were alarmed
by the cry of Fire! which proved to be in the new brick building of
Colonel Francis Preston, which was in a few moments so far consumed
as to preclude all hopes of its salvation. The flames continued
to rage until the following property was consumed: Colonel
Francis Preston's frame dwelling house, brick building, ice-house
and every stick of timber on his lot; two houses occupied by Mr.
John McCormack, with their out-houses; Mr. Estill's office, Mr.
William McKee's dwelling house, his new frame store, compting
room, kitchen, etc.; Major James White's saddle shop, dwelling
house, kitchen, etc., and the building occupied by John McClellan,
Esq.

"This dreadful destruction of property was the work of some fiend
of hell. An attempt was made to fire the new courthouse, but the
exertions of a single person, a slave, saved it. Captain F. Smith,
who was early on the spot, discovered the fire in the court-house.
He entered when the flames had risen to the height of a man's
head. He was about to abandon the building, when Mr. William
Trigg's yellow man JOE ran in, caught up in his arms the combustibles
on fire, threw them into the street and saved the building.
This was done at the hazard of his life. If the courthouse had
been consumed, we apprehend not a building in the western precinct
of the town would have escaped.

"The citizens are about to reward JOE by presenting him with a
sum of money. A subscription will be handed the citizens of the
town for that purpose. Gentlemen of the County who feel an interest
in the welfare of Abingdon, and who may happen to be in
town can have an opportunity of contributing by calling on Benj.
Estill, Esq., Capt. F. Smith, or Andrew Russell, Esq."

The Board of Trustees for the town of Abingdon, between the
years 1808 and 1812, adopted a number of by-laws and ordinances
which conduced very much to the peace and good order of the town.
They began by first adopting rules and regulations for the government
of the trustees at their regular meetings.

Secondly. They adopted an act to enforce the attendance of the
trustees.

Third. An act describing the duties and regulating the fees of the
town sergeant.

Fourth. An act to levy a tax on the tithables and property in the
town of Abingdon.

Fifth. An act to protect property in the town of Abingdon against
fire.

Sixth. An act concerning out-houses.

Seventh. An act laying off the streets and alleys into precincts
for the purpose of keeping the same in repair.

Eighth. An act to regulate the building of chimneys to houses
and blacksmith shops.

Ninth. An act to prevent obstructions and remove nuisances from
the streets and alleys of the town.

Tenth. An act to restrain negroes and mulattoes from being disorderly
and for other purposes.

Eleventh. An act to preserve good order in the town of Abingdon.

Twelfth. An act to establish market days in the town of Abingdon.

Thirteenth. An act concerning houses of evil fame.

Fourteenth. An act to prohibit the female of the dog kind from
running at large in the town of Abingdon.

Fifteenth. An act fixing the marks of the hogs owned by the citizens
of the town of Abingdon.

Sixteenth. An act to restrain negroes from wandering about the
streets after night.

Seventeenth. An act allowing witnesses for their attendance before
a justice of the peace.

Eighteenth. An act respecting patrols in the town of Abingdon.

This last act was passed on Friday, 11th day of September, 1812,
the day after the fire heretofore mentioned.

Among the laws adopted by the Board of Trustees at this time was
one that provided that "any woman found quarreling or rioting in
the streets or alleys or in any other part of said town to the disturbance
of the inhabitants, shall be punished by ducking, as is prescribed
by the Act of the Assembly of this Commonwealth." This
law was adopted on the 29th of April, 1809.

The by-laws and ordinances adopted by the trustees were excellent

in their character, and could not be improved upon by the lawmakers
of this day.

At the time in question and until the year 1833, Abingdon was
without sidewalks, and her citizens had nothing more than a dirt
footway on either side of the street.

On the 26th of June, 1811, the Board of Trustees, by an ordinance,
declared that "there shall be nine feet laid off in front of the
lots on Main street, the main cross and Valley streets for a footway,
and the same shall be kept constantly clear and free from obstructions
for the convenience of passengers; and that the footways in all
other streets of the town shall be seven feet wide."

About this time numerous trees were planted along the footways
above mentioned, some of which are to be seen at this day, notably
the large trees along Main street west of the courthouse and fronting
the residence of Mrs. Bessie Watson.

If the Board of Trustees of Abingdon held meetings or made a
record of their proceedings from the year 1812 until the year 1828
I cannot find it.

The General Assembly of Virginia of the 30th of December, 1819,
adopted a new charter for the town of Abingdon, extending the corporate
limits of the town east to the creek near the tan-yard of Lindsay
& Newland; thence to Valley street; thence following the outer
limits of Valley street to the old town.

It is impossible to give any of the particulars of this extension of
the town, as no record of the Board of Trustees for this period has
been preserved.

On May 9, 1828, the trustees of the town re-enacted, with but few
changes, the by-laws and ordinances adopted by the Board of Trustees
in the years 1808 and 1812.

The additional by-laws adopted were:

First. An act to impose a tax on public shows.

Second. An act to prevent mischievous dogs from running at
large in the streets and alleys of the town.

Third. An act concerning coal-houses.

Fourth. An act to restrain hogs from running at large in the
town of Abingdon.

Fifth. An act concerning small-pox, and

Sixth. An act to require the sidewalks or footways on the main
street of Abingdon to be paved.

On the 13th of June, 1833, the following members of the Board
of trustees—to-wit: Andrew Russell (President), J. W. Paxton,
Thomas Findlay, John M. Preston, Daniel Lynch, Charles C. Gibson,
Elias Ogden and Jacob Lynch—met at the courthouse in the
town of Abingdon and enacted the following law:

"Whereas the inhabitants of the said town are now engaged in
the laudable enterprise of MacAdamizing the Main Street between
the sidewalks or footways, and it is deemed proper by this Board
that the said sidewalks or footways shall be paved with brick, and
curbstones shall be placed next the street, in order to place the said
Main Street in proper repair, and that this repairing should be
made in front of each lot by the owner thereof,

"First. Be it enacted by the Trusteees of the town of Abingdon,
that every owner of a lot on the Main Street in said town be and
he is hereby required, within twelve months from the time said
MacAdamizing shall be completed, to pave with brick the footway
in front of his lot, and every person failing herein shall, for
every month the said foot way in front of his lot shall remain
unpaved, pay a fine of five dollars, to be recovered as other fines are
recovered by law.

"Second. Be it further enacted, that every owner of a lot or
part of a lot on said Main Street be and he is hereby required
to deliver or cause to be delivered, in front of his lot on or before
the 15th day of August next, to John Kellar, the superintendent
of the MacAdamizing of said street, a sufficient quantity of curbstones
to curb the side of the foot way in front of his lot, which
curb-stones shall be at least twenty inches in depth and twelve
inches in width and not less than five or more than seven inches
thick. Every person failing herein shall pay a fine of eight dollars
for every lot he or she shall own, or in that proportion for a
greater or lesser piece of ground, which fines, or so much thereof
as may be necessary, shall be appropriated to the purchase of the
curb-stones hereby required to be delivered."

The approach to the courthouse from the east and west previous
to 1830 was exceedingly steep, the courthouse standing upon
the summit of an oval-shaped hill on the north side of Main street
and facing south. The approach from the east was not only steep,
but large limestone rocks, to a great extent, rendered the street
almost impassable.

As early as the year 1830, Colonel John Kellar, who was superintendent
of the streets in the eastern precinct of the town, spent
a considerable sum of money in blasting the rocks out of the street
east of the courthouse, and soon thereafter a number of the enterprising
citizens of the town, by private subscription, undertook the
macadamizing of the main street of the town. The subscribers to
this cause, with the amount contributed by each, as far as I can
ascertain, were as follows:

                     

Andrew Russell,	$ 17 71
John Gibson,	10 00
Chas. S. Bekem,	5 00
John Preston, Jr.,	5 00
Samuel Logan,	20 00
Elias Ogden,	25 00
John Hall,	3 00
Daniel Sheffey,	30 00
John S. Preston,	40 00
General Francis Preston,	50 00
John M. Preston,	500 00

If there were other contributors to this fund, no record of names
or amounts contributed has been preserved. The work of macadamizing
Main street was done by Jacob Clark under the supervision
of Colonel John Kellar.

The county of Washington and the town of Abingdon assisted in
discharging the cost of macadamizing the main street, the private
subscriptions not being sufficient for the purpose.

Washington county was represented in the General Assembly of
Virginia in the year 1834 by Colonel John Kellar in the Senate and
Thomas McCulloch in the House of Delegates.

Colonel John Kellar was one of the most enterprising citizens
that ever lived in the town of Abingdon, and, as a result of his
efforts in behalf of the town, he succeeded in having the General
Assembly of Virginia, on the 11th day of March, 1834, adopt a new
charter for the town of Abingdon, which charter completely changed
the form of government and greatly extended the corporate limits
of the town.

Under this new charter the limits of the town were as follows:
Beginning on the northeast corner of the bridge near the currying
shop of George V. Litchfield, and in a line with the lands of John N.

Humes; thence northwardly on said line to a point in a line parallel
to the northern boundary of the inner lots of the said town; thence
westwardly on said parallel and along the said line to the line of the
land of Alexander Findlay; thence with the said Findlay's line to a
point parallel to the southern line of Valley street; thence with the
said parallel westwardly to a point parallel to the western line of the
lot on which Jacob Loehr formerly lived; thence in a direct line
southwardly to the line of said lot and along the same to the alley;
thence with said alley to Lot No. 17 in Robert Craig's plan; thence
with the eastern line of said Lot No. 17, and continuing in the same
direction to a point parallel to the southern boundary of the inner
lots first laid off for the said town; thence to the said southern boundary
and along it to the southwestern boundary of Samuel Bailie's
lots; thence with the line of said lot to the gate at the corner of
General Francis Preston's and John N. Hume's land; thence in a
straight line to the beginning.

This charter provided that all the free white inhabitants of said
town should be a body corporate by the name and style of Mayor,
Council and Inhabitants of the town of Abingdon, and by that name
sue and be sued, etc.

This charter directed that on the first Monday in May, 1834, and
annually thereafter on the first Monday in May, the inhabitants of
said town legally authorized to vote for members of the General
Assembly and the freeholders therein who may not be inhabitants
and all other housekeepers therein not thus qualified shall assemble
at the courthouse of the county, in said town, and shall there and
then elect ten persons, being freeholders in said town, who shall be
called and denominated a Council, and one other person who shall be
denominated a Mayor. The Council thus chosen were directed to
hold two regular meetings in each and every year—one the first Monday
after they were elected and the other on the first Monday in
December, and at such other times as they shall be assembled by the
Mayor. The Council were authorized to appoint a clerk and treasurer,
and the Mayor was authorized to appoint the town sergeant,
surveyors and superintendents of the streets, and such other powers
were conferred upon the Mayor and Council of the town as were
necessary for the government and improvement of the same.

This charter has been followed in all subsequent amendments of

the laws of the town, and it is from this source that we derive our
present form of town government.

The first Mayor and Council elected under this charter were as
follows:

Mayor—John M. Preston.

Council—Daniel Lynch, Augustus Oury, John S. Preston, Jeremiah
Bronough, R. R. Preston, Benjamin Estill, John Kellar, Peter
J. Branch, Daniel Trigg, Chas. S. Bekem.

Clerk and Treasurer—Jacob Lynch.

Sergeant—Jacob Clark.

The Mayor and Council thus elected adopted the necessary laws
for the government of the town, and in doing so they followed, to a
great extent, the laws adopted in the years 1808 and 1812 by the
Board of Trustees of the town.

The one act adopted by the town of Abingdon that is worthy of
notice at this point was an act to regulate the sale of ardent spirits
in the town, adopted June 12th, 1837. This act provided that, "If
any person within the corporation of Abingdon shall sell by retail
(other than an ordinary keeper), to be drunk in or at the place
where sold, or in or upon the premises of which such person has control,
or within the said corporation, any wine, rum, brandy or other
ardent spirits, or a mixture thereof, he or she so offending shall pay
a fine to the said corporation of $5.25 for each offence."

A description of Abingdon as it was in the year 1835 has been preserved,
which description is as follows:

"It is situated on the great valley road, about 8 miles north of
the Tennessee boundary, at the southeast side of a mountain ridge,
about seven miles distant from either of the two main forks of the
Holston River. A part of the town stands on a considerable eminence,
beneath which there is a cavern containing a lake.

"Abingdon contains, besides the ordinary county buildings, between
150 and 200 dwelling-houses, many of them handsome brick
buildings. A portion of the inhabitants are followers of Baron
Swedenborg, in other words belong to the New Jerusalem Church,
but they possess no house of worship and their preacher occasionally
occupies one or the other of the Methodist houses.

"There is an academy for females and one for males, (both brick
edifices) 2 hotels kept in good style, 3 taverns principally used for
the accommodation of wagoners, 1 manufacturing flour mill, 9 mercantile

houses, some of which are wholesale establishments and sell
goods to the amount of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars annually,
3 groceries, 1 woolen and 2 cotton manufactories and one
well-established nursery.

"There are 4 tanyards with saddle and harness manufactories attached
to them, 10 blacksmith's shops, 1 hat manufactory and store,
6 wheelwrights and wagon makers, 2 cabinet warehouses, 3 bricklayers,
2 stone masons, 3 house-carpenters, 3 watch-makers and jewelers,
2 boot and shoe factories, 3 house and sign painters, 2 coppersmiths
and tin-plate workers and 3 tailors.

"Abingdon is rapidly increasing in population and trade. Old
houses are giving place to handsome brick buildings, which the opulent
and enterprising citizens are daily erecting. The main street
has lately been MacAdamized at considerable expense, but greatly to
the improvement of its utility, beauty and comfort.

"As a specimen of the flourishing condition of this town, we must
mention that a quarter acre lot, situated near the courthouse, recently
sold for upwards of $4,000. There is a distributing postoffice
here. Population, 1,000 persons, of whom thirteen are resident attorneys,
and 3 regular physicians.

"County Courts are held on the 4th Monday in every month;
quarterly, in March, June, August and November.

"Judge Estill holds his Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery
on the 2nd Monday after the 4th of April and September."

It may excite some surprise when told that in this large and well-populated
county there were in 1831 but two postoffices, the one in
Abingdon and the other at Seven-Mile Ford; but since the severance
of Smyth the one at Seven-Mile Ford is now in that county, in consequence
of which there is not, to our knowledge, any other postoffice
in this county except the one at Abingdon, the county seat. The
merchants doing business in the town of Abingdon at this time
were: William McKee & Co., Edward M. & John C. Greenway, John
M. Preston, Col. James White and Findlay & Mitchell, and with
such merchants Abingdon was the centre of trade for all the surrounding
country. All goods were brought to Abingdon from Baltimore
by wagon.

The practicing physicians in Abingdon at the time were Drs.
Earl B. Clapp, James W. Paxton and Alexander R. Preston.

There was but one church in the town, and that was a frame

structure occupied by the Methodist Episcopal church, and one
in the vicinity, and that was the Presbyterian church situated west
of the entrance gate to the Sinking Spring Cemetery. That church
was a very old log-building, weatherboarded on the outside and
ceiled inside, and to this old-fashioned house nearly all the people
gathered from the town and surrounding country for the worship
of God.

Upon the arrival of Rev. Lewis F. Cosby in Abingdon in March,
1831, efforts were immediately set on foot to build a Methodist
Protestant church, which church was erected that year upon the
present location of that church. The Presbyterians, being
stimulated thereby, at once undertook the erection of a new church,
and in the same year their new church, now Temperance Hall, was
completed and occupied.

The County Court of Washington county, on the 24th of July,
1838, upon the application of John W. Stevens, captain of a company
of artillery, granted permission to erect a gun-house upon the
public lot, and John M. Preston, Elias Ogden and Jacob Lynch
were directed to superintend the erection of it. This company was
organized as a result of the agitation preceding the Texas Revolution,
and Captain Stevens organized this company of artillery
from the patriotic youth of Abingdon.

On the 23d day of October, 1838, a new county jail was completed
on the public lot at the corner of Court and Valley streets, and
the prison bounds were so extended as to include the new jail.

On the 16th day of November, 1841, Andrew Russell, after more
than forty years of active participation in the government of the
town of Abingdon, departed this life, and appropriate resolutions
were adopted by the County Court of Washington county, Virginia,
in token of respect to his name.

On the 27th of May, 1844, the County Court of Washington
county appointed John M. Preston a commissioner to have a well
dug upon the jail lot, which was done, and this served large numbers
of the people of the town until the year 1901.

In the year 1846, the citizens of Washington county were very
greatly interested in the war between the United States and Mexico,
Captain A. C. Cummings and General Peter C. Johnson taking an
active part in the efforts made to organize the citizens of this
county and enlist them in the service of their country, and on the

25th of March, 1846, the County Court entered the following
order:

"On motion of Arthur C. Cummings, Captain of the Artillery
attached to the 164th Regiment of Virginia Militia, and it appearing
to the court that the cannon which was sent out for the use of the
said company is being injured for want of a shed to place the said
cannon under to protect it from the weather, it is therefore ordered
that leave be granted the said Cummings to have a suitable shed
erected for the purpose aforesaid on the lower end of the public lot
on which the courthouse stands, provided he can procure the same
to be done at an expense not exceeding the sum of twenty dollars,
and that the same be levied in the next County levy."

A number of the citizens of this county served in that war under
Captain Cummings, while General William E. Jones and Lieutenant
John Preston Johnston did valiant service for their country,
Johnston losing his life in the service.

In the spring of the year 1847 the County Court of Washington
county, Virginia, authorized the building of a new courthouse
for the county in the town of Abingdon, which courthouse was
completed by the year 1850, the court occupying a house of the late
James White as a court-room from the year 1847 to 1850.

Herbert M. Ledbetter was the undertaker of said building, and
William Fields assisted in the completion of the building. Upon
the completion of the courthouse Connally F. Trigg and Jacob
Lynch were appointed commissioners to secure tables and chairs for
the new courthouse and to have the courthouse bell removed and
hung therein.

It was also directed that the portico to the new courthouse should
be enclosed with an iron railing; that the public lot should be enclosed
and suitable pavements provided. The floors of the courthouse
were ordered to be carpeted.

At a meeting of the stockholders of the Exchange Bank of Virginia,
held at Norfolk, Va., in the month of May, 1849, a branch
bank was ordered to be established at Abingdon, with a capital of
$100,000, and during the same month this branch bank was
organized at Abingdon by the election of the following officers:
President, Dr. Daniel Trigg; cashier, Robert R. Preston; directors,
John C. Greenway, David Campbell, Beverly R. Johnston, Jacob
Lynch, Isaac B. Dunn and Thomas L. Preston.

This was Abingdon's first bank, and the town has not been without
a bank since that time, with the exception of a short period in
the fall of the year 1893.

Upon the 30th of May, 1850, a peculiar order was entered by the
County Court, which was as follows:

"It appearing to the Court that there is now no overseer of the
streets and alleys in the western end of the town of Abingdon, and
that there is at present no Mayor in said town who could appoint
an overseer, and it further appearing to the Court that the street
in said town called Slaughter or Butcher Street south of the Main
Street is in such bad repair as to render it unsafe to pass over it with
a vehicle of any kind or for man on horseback; it is therefore ordered
that Norman Crawford be and he is hereby authorized and directed
to proceed and cause the said street to be put in such repair as to
render the passage along the same safe and convenient for wheel
carriages and horsemen, and that the expense thereof be levied out
of the next county levy."

On the 27th of April preceding, James H. Dunn, with ten other
prominent citizens of the town, were elected Mayor and councilmen,
and why this order was entered cannot be ascertained from the
records preserved.

In the year 1856, the Mayor and Council of Abingdon appointed
E. M. Campbell, W. J. Deady and John C. Campbell a committee
to have Slaughter street graded and macadamized, which was accordingly
done.

At the April term, 1853, of the County Court of this county, the
court appointed John M. Preston, Peter J. Branch and Beverly R.
Johnston a committee to plant trees in the public square north of
the courthouse, which duty was performed and the trees thus planted
remained in the square until the year 1902, when they were cut down
and removed from the premises.

On the 31st day of March, 1856, a fire of considerable proportions
consumed a portion of the western end of the town. A description
of the fire and the damage done, as given by the "Virginian"
at the time, is here copied.

"On Saturday morning last, about 2 o'clock, our town was visited
by the most destructive fire that has occurred here since 1812. The
hour at which it commenced, when the whole population was buried
in slumber, and the place, in the midst of the largest collection of

combustible material in the town, rendered it but the more resistless
and disastrous. It broke out in the extensive coach factory of
Mr. Henry Sinon, and in the course of an hour five large buildings,
four of them wood, were consumed, besides numerous out-buildings
that were either burned or torn down. Mr Sinon lost his dwelling,
his shops and every building upon his premises, besides everything
they contained, except a portion of his furniture. Some forty-odd
new carriages and buggies were destroyed, as well as all his lumber,
tools, materials, books and papers, involving a total loss of everything
he possessed, except his family and part of his furniture and
apparel.

"The house recently purchased for the Gift Enterprise was also reduced
to ashes, and the buildings of Mr. William Rodefer, adjoining,
were demolished to arrest the progress of the flames. On the
opposite side of the street Mr. Michael Shaver lost two tenements,
one his old family residence on the corner, and the other a new
two-story brick, recently erected.

"The wind, coming from the west, for a time threatened the destruction
of the whole town, as the flames broke out at various times
and places upon the roofs of many of the neighboring buildings.
Under all the circumstances, the dryness of the weather, the stiff
northwest breeze, the combustible material of the buildings, the inflammable
contents of the large, well-filled coach shop, the hour
of the night and consequent relaxation of the muscles and energies
of the people, and the scarcity of water, the wonder is that the
destruction of property was not greater, but when the people did
get there and had their blood warmed up, they put forth all their
energies and fought the devouring element manfully. The whole
population was out, men, women, children and servants, and all
performed their duty.

"The loss is a heavy one, probably between $30,000 and $40,000,
and the whole is supposed to have been the work of an incendiary.
A negro girl of Mr. Sinon's, who had previously forboded or threatened
evil to the family, is now in jail under suspicion.

"Messrs. Crawford, Ellis, Joseph A. Brownlow and H. B. Tunnell
are the other persons whose families were left without shelter, all
of whom, so rapid was the progress of the flames, lost a portion
of their household property. A broad expanse of blackened earth

with a number of tall, ghost-like chimneys, is all that is left of the
best improved portion of the west end of Abingdon.

"In addition to Mr. Sinon's loss of carriages, Mr. Greenway lost
four, Mr. Robertson two, and Messrs. T. L. Preston, B. K. and
M. H. Buchanan, Thos. G. McConnell, J. M. Rose and others one
each.

"On Saturday evening a meeting of the citizens was held for the
purpose of relieving, as far as possible, the destitution of the sufferers,
at which John M. Preston, Esq., was called to the chair
and John G. Kreger appointed Secretary. The Chairman explained
the object of the meeting and appointed Revs. McChain,
Baldwin, Dickey, and Barr and Wm. Y. C. White, Esq., a committee
to wait upon the people for such aid as they might be disposed
to contribute. The last we heard of the effort, upwards of
$1200 had been raised, which, for the citizens of town and vicinity,
is exceedingly liberal."

By this time the Virginia and Tennessee railroad was approaching
Abingdon, and on the 1st day of April, 1854, the Council of Abingdon
passed an ordinance allowing the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Company to enter the town and to use the streets and cross
streets of the town, provided they place their depot in the town or
at the eastern end thereof, and the citizens of the town presented
a petition to the authorities of the new road asking that the same
be located at the Knob Road, or the eastern end of the town.

In addition to what the Council of the town did to secure the
depot of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company, the citizens
of the town petitioned the railroad authorities to place their depot
at the eastern end of the town, but Thomas L. Preston agreed to
give the railroad three acres of land at the present location of the
Norfolk and Western depot, and the depot of the railroad was established
at that point, the railroad being completed as far as Abingdon
by the year 1856.

John D. Mitchell, the Mayor of Abingdon, departed this life on
Tuesday morning, March 15th, 1859, and on the following morning
the Council of the town convened at the courthouse and appointed
Dr. E. M. Campbell, S. W. Carnahan and James C. Greenway
a committee to draft and report suitable resolutions, which
committee reported on the evening of the same day. The resolutions
were as follows:

"Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God to call suddenly from
our midst John D. Mitchell, Esq., our worthy officer and esteemed
citizen, therefore:

"Resolved, That it is with deep regret we have heard of the sudden
death of our Mayor and friend, John D. Mitchell, Esq., and
that in his death the community has lost a long tried and faithful
public servant and an esteemed and worthy citizen, and this body
an efficient and honored presiding officer.

"Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with the family of the
deceased.

"Resolved, That the members of the Council and its officers
wear a badge of mourning for thirty days.

"Resolved, That this preamble and these resolutions be entered
upon the record of the Council.

"Resolved, That a copy of these proceedings be transmitted to
the family of the deceased.

"Resolved, That the editors of the `Virginian' and `Democrat'
be requested to publish the foregoing preamble and resolutions in
their respective papers."

This is the only death of a Mayor of the town while in office in
the history of the town.

Nothing further of importance occurred previously to the spring
of 1861, the opening of the war between the States. In the spring
of this year the following officers of the town were elected:

Mayor, Samuel W. Carnahan; Councilmen, James K. Gibson,
Thomas S. Stuart, Milton Y. Heiskell, Jacob Lynch, John G.
Kreger, Isaac Benham, Newton K. White, William Keller, John W.
Johnston and William Rodefer; Sergeant, B. C. Clark.

The charter of the town was amended by Act of the Assembly on
the 18th of March, 1852, and by this charter the town was authorized
to construct water works for the town, but the question
had to be submitted to the voters of the town for their approval or
disapproval.

By an order of the Council an election was ordered for the second
day of July, 1853, which election was held, but the result cannot
be given, as no record of the same has been preserved. It is probable
that the vote was adverse, as the question is not mentioned again
in the records.

At the first meeting of the new Council, on the 9th of July, 1861,
the following orders were entered:

"Ordered that the Mayor appoint a patrol of the citizens, regardless
of age, to patrol the town of nights, who are able to render
such service."

"On motion the Mayor is directed to appoint a committee to
wait upon those who sell liquor in the town and request them not
to sell liquor to the soldiers in and about Abingdon."

"On motion it was made the duty further of said committee to
request of officers permitting their men to come to Abingdon to
require of them to leave their side-arms in their camp quarters."

The record of the town government from this time until the
summer of 1863 has not been preserved.

At a meeting of the Town Council on the 18th of August, 1863,
the Mayor was appointed a committee to ascertain at what price a
negro man, suitable for work on the streets, could be purchased
by the corporation. The committee reported on September 1st,
1863, that a negro man suitable for the purpose could be purchased
of Mr. Seabright for $1,800. Thereupon, it was moved
and seconded that the negro man be purchased, upon which motion
a vote was taken and resulted in a unanimous vote against
the purchase of the negro, otherwise we might now have to record
the corporation of Abingdon as a slave-owner.

At the same meeting of the Council, C. S. Bekem and E. M. Campbell
were appointed a committee to select a suitable piece of ground
outside of the present enclosure of the Sinking Spring Cemetery
as a burial ground for Confederate soldiers, to ascertain the cost
of the same, and report to the next meeting of the Council, but
this committee was discharged on the 18th of April, 1864, without
reporting, and a resolution was adopted requesting Captain M. B.
Tate, post-quartermaster, to make some arrangements as to a proper
location for the burial of Confederate soldiers and enclosing the
same.

Quite a number of Confederate dead are buried in the Sinking
Spring Cemetery, and their graves to-day are unmarked, and not
the slightest effort has recently been made to keep green the graves,
or fresh in memory the brave souls who died in defence of their
country, and, as they were taught to believe, in a righteous cause.
Could these brave men again appear in the flesh and see their

surroundings, how justly could they reproach their fellow-soldiers,
descendants and kinsmen, for their failure to discharge such an
obligation to the worthy dead.[34]

By the latter part of August, 1863, numbers of wounded soldiers
and officers were in Abingdon, and the enemy not thirty miles
distant, and on September 1st, 1863, the owners of carriages in and
around Abingdon lent every assistance in transporting the sick and
wounded to Washington Springs.

On the 25th of September, 1863, this community was threatened
by an invasion of the Federals from the west. An account of the
situation, as it was in Abingdon at that time, is here given:

"On Saturday last, great excitement prevailed all over this
county, in consequence of the apprehended approach of the Yankees
from Kingsport, Tenn., in this direction. The particulars, as
accurately as we can obtain them from the mass of contradictory
rumors and accounts, are these: Two companies of Col. Carter's
1st Tenn. Cavalry had been resting and recruiting their horses for
a few days on Netherland's Island, near Kingsport, after their successive
skirmishes with the enemy near Cumberland Gap, when they
were suddenly attacked by a Yankee Brigade under General Ross.
Carter threw his few men on this side of the river and made a stand
at Vance's Ford of Reedy Creek, opposite the upper end of Kingsport.
After holding the enemy in check awhile, a very large force
was seen crossing the river above the island, for the purpose of
flanking him. Carter's men then fell back, taking the Holston
Springs road one mile this side of Kingsport, and being separated
from the rest of the command, they proceeded to Bristol on Saturday.
The Yankees kept the Reedy Creek road to Morell's Mill,
and thence to Bristol. A large portion of Colonel Carter's men,
from frequent skirmishing and falling back, became much scattered,
but the small number, about one hundred and fifty, who were led
by the Colonel in person, fought gallantly and made a stand whenever
and wherever there was a chance to hold the enemy in check.

"The enemy reached Bristol about the middle of the day Saturday,
and committed some depredations, among which were the
burning of the commissary house with, some say a hundred, and
others three hundred, barrels of flour, a small amount of bacon

and some dozen boxes of ammunition, rifled Gugginheimer's store
and despoiled the houses of a few citizens. This latter was done
by a few stragglers who had been left behind and who were intoxicated.

"The enemy then started in this direction, and Carter again
gave them fight at Millard's Mill, one mile this side of Bristol,
farther than which they did not come in force. Foraging parties
scattered out as far up perhaps as Col. John Preston's, but no particular
damage was done that we have heard of. They all then
retired beyond Bristol, and, on Sunday morning, proceeded towards
Zollicoffer, where they were met by General Jones and got more
than they bargained for. The fight lasted several hours, with, it is
said, a loss to the enemy of nine killed and about thirty wounded, and
to us of two killed and seven or eight wounded. General Williams
pursued the enemy to within two and one-half miles of Blountville
and only returned when called back by a dispatch from Gen. Jones.

"All day Saturday most intense excitement prevailed in Abingdon.
The company recently organized in town was under arms all
day, together with various squads from the country, in support of
Davidson's Battery, then stationed in this vicinity, with the Provost
Guard, and also a portion of Colonel Carter's cavalry, and Col.
Chenneworth and his command. From the position of our forces,
a fair view of the road towards Bristol was had for a mile or two,
in which direction all eyes were constantly turned. Ever and anon,
when a cloud of dust produced by flying refugees, men, women,
negroes and stock, rose in the distance, Captain Davidson could be
seen to look sternly, and the fingers of the undrilled infantry
pressed upon the triggers of the charged muskets. Had the Yankees
approached, many saddles would have been emptied, for determined
resistance was depicted in every countenance.

"Had it not been humiliating it would have been amusing to see
citizens and strangers stampeding through town with as much haste
and excitement as if the Yankees had been at their heels, when
the latter were quietly regaling themselves at Bristol, without a
thought of proceeding another foot in this direction. As night
approached, scouts brought the information that the enemy had
gone in the opposite direction, when `quiet once more reigned in
Warsaw.' "[35]

From this time until the summer of 1864, the officers and citizens
of Abingdon were kept busy guarding the town, nursing the
sick and wounded and burying the dead. To add to the troubles
of the people, in the month of June, 1864, small-pox was discovered
in the town, which caused a great deal of uneasiness and
annoyance.

Such was the condition of the people of the town in the month
of December, 1864, when General Stoneman, in command of about
10,000 Federal troops, arrived at Abingdon on the evening of the
14th. By order of General Stoneman, the depot of the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad Company, the Government Commissary
(Hurt's store), in charge of Captain Williams, the issuing department
of the Quartermaster's Department (Sinon & Co.'s brick
carriage factory), in charge of Major Crutchfield, Quartermaster's
storing department (Musser & Co.'s carriage factory), in charge
of J. E. C. Trigg, the county jail and the barracks opposite
the jail, on the corner of Court and Valley streets, were destroyed
by fire, the Federal officers strictly enjoining the destruction of any
other than government property. After the destruction of this
property, the Federal troops resumed their march to the east, but
had not left the town more than two hours before a renegade by
the name of James (Tites) Wyatt, who had formerly been an
apprentice to Gabriel Stickley, being in the town on horseback,
proceeded to fire all the property on both sides of Main street
from Court street to Brewers' street. He succeeded in firing the
courthouse and other buildings on the north side of Main street
and had fired all the buildings on the south side of Main as far
west as the present storehouse occupied by Honaker & Sons, when
he discovered the presence of a number of Confederate soldiers and
undertook to make his escape, passing down Main street to the west
with all possible speed, hotly pursued by the Confederate soldiers,
being hard pressed all the time. When he reached Hayes Street
he turned to the south at the eastern gate of Stonewall Jackson
Institute. At this point he fell from his horse and was left for
dead, but was afterwards carried into the former residence of Governor
Floyd, where he soon died.

The fire that he thus started destroyed the courthouse of the
county and all the buildings west as far as the present residence
of S. N. Honaker. All the buildings on that side of the street

were of brick and almost all were three stories high. On the south
of Main street every building, without an exception, was destroyed,
from Court street on the east to Brewers' street on the west.
The fire might have been stopped sooner, but, at the time, in Abingdon
was hardly an able-bodied man, and about the only witnesses
of the destruction of the town were old men, women and children.

Thus the people of Abingdon were to a great extent rendered
homeless, with starvation and sickness on every side and their
country in the hands of the enemy. Such was the condition of the
town when peace came, in 1865.

The fall of 1865 and spring of 1866 were used by the people
in collecting and preserving such property as had been left after
four years of desperate fighting.

The first meeting of the Town Council of Abingdon, after the
surrender, was held at the office of Dr. W. F. Barr on March 3d,
1866, with the following officers present: Mayor, G. R. R. Dunn;
Councilmen, Norman Crawford, Charles J. Cummings, John G.
Clark, David G. Thomas, William Rodefer, Milton Y. Heiskell
and W. F. Barr.

The first order entered by this meeting was one repealing the bylaws
in so far as the same referred to the punishment of slaves and
free men of color, and the Mayor was directed to refer all violations
of the laws of the town by freed men or freed women to
Lieutenant Woodward, superintendent of the Freedmen's Bureau
of this district.

At the same meeting a committee of five was appointed to petition
the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company to locate the new
depot on or near the Knob Road leading from Abingdon, or at the
eastern end of the town, and on March 16th, 1866, a committee
of three was appointed to ascertain what ground could be procured
for a depot and what subscription could be raised to aid in building
the depot, and on June 21st, 1866, a resolution was adopted,
requesting the directors of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Company to send a committee to Abingdon to discuss with the
Council the question of the location of a depot; but, notwithstanding
the efforts of the officers and the people of the town of Abingdon,
the depot was built upon the location of the old depot.

The Council and people of Abingdon from this time henceforward
lent their every energy toward the upbuilding of the town,

and in a few years the damages suffered by the town as a result
of the war were completely obliterated.

Pursuant to the proclamation of the Governor, the courts of the
county and circuit were held in the Temperance Hall until the
county could build a new courthouse.

The County Court of Washington county, in November, 1866,
awarded the contract of building a new courthouse to the following
persons: To Messrs. James and David Fields, the brick-work
and plastering; to Mr. Hockman, of Harrisonburg, the carpentry-work;
to Messrs. Keller & Grim, the tin-work; to Messrs. Morrison
and Vaughan, the painting. The courthouse was completed by
the beginning of the year 1869, and at the time was said to be the
handsomest courthouse in the State.

On May 10th, 1873, Valley street, from the residence of Martin
Keller to the west gate of the residence of G. V. Litchfield, was
ordered to be macadamized, G. V. Litchfield paying a large part
of the costs of said macadamizing.

We here give a description of the town as it was in 1875, written
by the late Charles B. Coale.

"Abingdon was endowed with its name anterior to 1776. The
streets, of which there are seven, intersect each other at right angles,
three east and west, and four north and south, with an equal number
of alleys running in the same direction. The streets are sixty
feet wide and the alleys sixteen. The main street is MacAdamized,
as are several others partially, with brick pavements on either side,
from one end of the town to the other. There is no place of its
size in the State more noted for fashion, taste and morality, with its
usual proportion of loafers and gentlemen of leisure; and, like all
other places where there is or has been considerable wealth, there is
a right smart sprinkling of what some people would term aristocracy,
but which, in reality, is nothing more than a decent observance
of the conventionalities of life. Many of the private residences,
as well as the public buildings, are of brick, large and tasteful,
and a number of them three stories high. They are generally neat,
some of them approaching elegance, and but few dilapidated,
though one here and there may look as if it had been rocked by an
earthquake, or had danced to the piping of a hurricane, at some
period in its history. We claim to have one of the most capacious
and convenient courthouses in the Commonwealth, and by some it

is considered a model in architecture, with its massive pillars and
towering steeple, though the writer must confess that he cannot
exactly see it in that light.

"We are great church-going people and have a variety of denominations.
For instance, we have two Methodist churches, Episcopal
and Protestant, a Baptist, a Presbyterian, a Protestant Episcopal,
and a Roman Catholic, and for good measure we have thrown
in a Swedenborgian Temple, and a few Lutherans, Universalists
and Christian Baptists lying around loose. In all these churches
are regular services, except the Baptist, which is rather too far
from water to be very vigorous, and the Swedenborgian. We
have three large and well kept hotels, nine variety stores, two
drug stores, two fancy stores, two or three drinking saloons, half a
dozen confectionaries, an agricultural warehouse, a bakery, a billiard
saloon, an iron-foundry, three or four black-smith and as
many wheelwright shops, two tanneries, two or three saddle and
harness establishments, any number of carpenters, painters, shoemakers,
tailors, brick and stone-masons, a large brick town-hall, a
library association and reading room, in which may be found all
the leading literature of the day, and last, though not least, two
of the best weekly papers within a circuit of a dozen miles, and a
job office. The town was incorporated by legislative enactment
many years ago, and, city-like, has a mayor and common council,
who maintain the peace and dignity of the corporation and periodically
enforce the hog-law.

"We have, as is the case in all places where the people get sick
and die, or fall out with and wrong each other, a redundancy of
doctors and lawyers, five or six of the former and a baker's dozen
of the latter, none of them probably making fortunes very rapidly
by their professions.

"There seems to be no possible chance of a diminution of lawyers
shortly, but there is a bare probability that some of the doctors
may take a dose of his own medicine one of these days, and if so,
the jig is certainly up with him. One of our citizens, Judge
Johnston, is a United States Senator, and we have a score or less
who would love to be in the house of representatives. And right
here it might be said, that we have three banks, all as stubborn
as mules since the Legislature has limited interest to six per cent.,
two or three insurance companies, a machine shop operated by

steam, two tin and copper-smith's establishments, a photograph gallery,
two barber shops and the biggest sort of a colored school."

Nothing more of sufficient importance to be worthy of note occurred
from this time until the year 1884. In the month of April
of that year the Council of the town appropriated $100 to pay the
expenses of a committee to the city of Washington to prevent the
United States Courthouse from being located at Wytheville. And
in this year the main street, from J. M. Rose's to Wall street, and
Wall street, from Main street to the depot, was macadamized,
thirty feet in width, and from six to twelve inches in depth. Sidewalks
made of brick and curb-stones were placed on both sides of
Main street and of Wall street, at an expense of several thousand
dollars. A large portion of the territory in the western part of
the town was thus opened and prepared for rapid development, and
at this time the community thus dealt with constitutes the best
business section of the town.

The Mayor and Council were authorized and directed to issue
$20,000 in bonds, pursuant to the Act of the General Assembly of
date March 4th, 1884, and, in keeping with this spirit of improvement,
the Council, by an ordinance passed on the 12th day of
April, 1886, ordered all porches and steps to be removed from the
streets of the town, and a committee was appointed on April 5th of
the same year to investigate the opening of Valley street, through
the property of Miss Ella V. Findlay and that of Dr. William
White. By an ordinance, adopted on the 11th day of October,
1886, the sergeant of the town was ordered to kill all the English
sparrows found within the corporate limits.

The author of the last ordinance is unknown, the record giving
no information of the member of the Council upon whose motion
this order was made.

About this time a peculiar order was entered by the Council of
the town. The contest as to the readjustment of the State debt
was the sole theme of public discussion, and, upon motion of James
H. Hines, William H. Mitchell was permitted to erect a pole at
the corner of Court and Main streets and near the Bank of
Abingdon building and to place thereon a Readjuster flag. This is
the only instance in the history of the town, so far as I can ascertain,
in which a request of this kind was made and granted.

On the 14th day of October, 1887, S. F. Hurt, a member of the

Town Council, at the request of Captain James L. White, moved
that an election be ordered to take the sense of the citizens of the
town of Abingdon upon the voting of $20,000 of the bonds of the
town to the Abingdon Coal & Iron Railroad Company. The Council
directed this election to be held on the 24th of November, 1887, and
John C. Campbell, David J. Webb and W. M. G. Sandoe were appointed
judges to conduct the election, in which election all persons
authorized to vote in any election held in the town for town
officers were permitted to vote. The result of the election was one
hundred and fifty-three votes for the subscription and thirty votes
against the subscription, being one hundred and eighty votes out of
a total registration of two hundred and seventy-four. In this election
seventy-five freeholders voted; sixty-one for the subscription
and fourteen against it.

The Council thereupon subscribed $20,000 to said railroad company,
John A. Buchanan, George E. Penn and W. J. Brown having
been appointed by the Council for that purpose on December 22d,
1887.

The question arose as to when the bonds thus subscribed to
said railroad should be issued, and upon this question George E.
Penn and W. J. Brown, two of the committee, recommended that
said bonds should be issued and delivered as fast as the road was
graded, at the rate of $133.33⅓ per mile, while Judge Buchanan
filed a minority recommendation that said bonds be issued for the
sum mentioned as each mile of the railroad was completed, but
the majority report was adopted, and the bonds were issued and
delivered as the road was graded.

At a meeting of the Council on the 18th of August, 1888, on motion
of Dr. George E. Wiley, seconded by H. H. Scott, an election
was ordered to be held on the 29th of September, 1888, to take the
sense of the voters of the town upon the question of a subscription
of a sum not exceeding $20,000, for the purpose of furnishing water
and lights for the town. In this election sixty-three votes were
poled for the proposition and fifty-seven against it, but the Council
refused to subscribe any amount to this enterprise. It was a
short time only until the town obtained the benefits of a very
efficient water and light company.

At a meeting of the Council on the 6th of July, 1892, upon motion
of Samuel A. Carson, seconded by Colonel A. F. Cook, a

committee was appointed to buy a lot in the town of Abingdon,
upon which to build a Mayor's office and city prison. This committee
purchased a part of a lot situated near the centre of the
town upon the south side of the street, adjoining the I. O. O. F.
Hall, for the sum of $450, and immediately erected thereon a very
commodious building, which has since been occupied by the officials
of the town, and in the year 1897, a house was erected upon
the same lot, in which all prisoners failing to pay their fines in
money are required to break rock to satisfy the same, the rock thus
prepared being used to macadamize the streets of the town.

In the year 1900 Col. A. C. Cummings and D. S. Grim, surviving
trustees of the Sons of Temperance, transferred to the town
of Abingdon the title to Temperance Hall, and their action was confirmed
shortly thereafter by the General Assembly of Virginia,
whereupon John W. Barr, H. H. Scott, J. W. Bell, D. A. Preston
and R. M. Page were named as trustees to hold said property
for the town. It is the purpose of the town to improve this
property, and, if this be done, it will be quite an addition to the
town and probably a source of revenue.

Such is a brief outline of the history of Abingdon as it has been
preserved.

In the words of another and a more gifted writer:

"If there is any more picturesque country than that which surrounds
Abingdon, the writer has never been so fortunate as to see
it; that is, according to his idea of the grand and beautiful in
nature. For a mile or two around, the landscape is undulating,
interspersed with bolder hills generally wooded, standing out like
islands in a storm-tossed sea. During Spring and Summer the
whole face of the earth, except cultivated fields, seems to be covered
with a carpet of green irregularly figured with wild flowers, a
rural picture with a frame-work of mountains.[36]

"To the south of and adjoining the corporate limits of the town,
is `King's Mountain,' now thickly populated. It was so named
because of a fancied resemblance to the famous mountain in South
Carolina, on which was fought the battle of October 7th, 1780.
The victory won there by the western mountaineers, quorum magna
pars were Washington county men, Mr. Jefferson said, turned the
tide of war in favor of the United States and led Cornwallis to

march to Yorktown, to his surrender there, and to the end of the
war."

"There were many of the veterans of that campaign alive in 1825,
and to rehearse the incidents of the contest and impress upon the
minds of that generation the gallant and daring deeds of their ancestors,
a sham battle was fought at King's Mountain. The position
of the Revolutionary commanders was occupied by some officers
who were instructed (perhaps drilled,) how to play their part,
and the English people in red coats, with cannon and bayonetted
muskets, occupied the crest of the hill. There was great firing of
blank cartridges, charging up the hill and retreat from the fixed
bayonets of the British regulars, until Colonel Ferguson was killed
and a white flag raised. In all of this melee no fatal accidents occurred
and few casualties."[37]

To the north and northwest of the corporate limits of the town
is Fruit Hill, commonly called "Taylor's Hill," which is thickly
settled, and it is reasonable to say that at least one-third of the
inhabitants of the town proper are without the corporate limits.

The main street of Abingdon of the present day is fully one
mile in length. The streets are excellently macadamized, with
brick pavements on both sides.

Valley street is more than one-half mile in length, a part of the
street being macadamized, and brick pavements are on the eastern
end thereof. This street is rapidly developing and is destined to become
the main thoroughfare of the town.

It would be a considerable undertaking to enumerate the many
and varied enterprises of the town.

The chief pride of Abingdon are her educational facilities, there
being three institutions in and near the town that cannot be
excelled anywhere in this country, to-wit: Martha Washington
College, Stonewall Jackson Institute and the Abingdon Male
Academy, to each of which a separate chapter has been devoted.

Mayors of Abingdon.

                                                                               

1834-1835	—John M. Preston.
1836	—James White.
1837	—Samuel H. Wills.
1838	—Daniel Lynch.
1839	—Andrew Gibson.
1840-1841	—Jeremiah Bronough.
1842	—John M. Preston.
1843-1844	—John D. Mitchell.
1845	—Isaac B. Dunn.
1846	—Daniel Trigg.
1847	—John D. Mitchell.
1848	—James W. Preston.
1849	—John D. Mitchell.
1850	—James H. Dunn.
1851	—John G. Kreger.
1852	—William Rodefer.
1853-1854	—John D. Mitchell.
1855	—Lewellyn C. Newland.
1856	—David G. Thomas.
1857-1858	—John D. Mitchell. Died March 15, 1859.
1859	—Wm. Rodefer. Unexpired term.
1859	—Newton K. White.
1860-1861	—Samuel W. Carnahan.
1863-1864	—W. F. Barr.
1865-1866	—Geo. R. B. Dunn.
1869	—W. H. Smith.
1870	—D. A. Jones.
1872	—Jas. C. Campbell.
1873	—G. V. Litchfield, Jr.
1874	—John G. Clark.
1875	—David P. Sandoe.
1876	—Milton G. Heiskell.
1877	—John G. Clark.
1878-1879	—Milton G. Heiskell.
1880-1881	—D. P. Sandoe.
1882-1887	—John W. Barr.
1888	—Thomas K. Trigg.
1888-1889	—John W. Barr.
1889-1890	—P. C. Landrum.
1892-1904	—J. H. Hines.

Treasurers and Clerks.

     

1884-1887	—Geo. Keller.
1855-1884	—Geo. R. Barr.
1834-1855	—Jacob Lynch.

Clerks.

         

1887-1892	—Geo. R. Barr.
1892-1894	—C. H. Jennings.
1894-1896	—D. T. Campbell.
1896-1900	—W. A. Johnston.
1900-1904	—W. H. Hamilton.

Treasurers.

   

1887-1896	—Geo. Keller.
1896-1904	—D. A. Preston.

Sergeants.

                                                           

1834	—Jacob Clark.
1835	—Wm. N. Ruley.
1836	—John W. Leckie.
1837-1839	—L. C. Price.
1840-1841	—Job Clark.
1842-1843	—M. C. Orr.
1844-1845	—W. N. Ruley.
1846	—Samuel Garner.
1847-1848	—James Leedy.
1849	—Samuel Garner.
1850	—James Leedy.
1851	—Lewellyn C. Newland.
1852-1856	—Jos. A. Brownlow.
1856-1858	—James Henritze.
1859	—W. W. Barker.
1860	—B. C. Clark.
1872	—Theo. P. Dunn.
1873	—Isaac DeBusk.
1874	—S. G. Keller.
1875	—Geo. W. Oswald.
1876	—R. H. Henritze.
1877	—J. H. Hines.
1878	—R. H. Henritze.
1879	—J. R. Deadmore.
1880-1881	—B. P. Morrison.
1882	—F. B. Brownlow.
1883	—John W. Love.
1884-1890	—W. T. Graham.
1890	—Geo. A. Hall.
1892-1904	—T. H. Crabtree.

Abingdon, Virginia.

[38] Trustees—1778-1834.

Date of Qualification.

                                                             

1778	—James Armstrong.
1808	—Valentine Baugh.
1830	—Peter J. Branch.
1778	—William Campbell.
1778	—Robert Craig.
1778	—Robert Campbell.
1808	—David Campbell.
1833	—Chas. C. Gibson.
1808	—Michael Deckard.
1808	—Robert Dukes.
1778	—William Edmiston.
1833	—Thomas Findlay.
1808	—James Graham.
1808	—James Harper.
1808	—William King.
1830	—Jacob Lynch.
1830	—Daniel Lynch.
1808	—John McClelland.
1830	—Elias Ogden.
1830	—Augustus Oury.
1778	—Robert Preston.
1830	—John M. Preston.
1830	—Francis Preston.
1833	—J. W. Paxton.
1798	—Andrew Russell.
1778	—Daniel Smith.
1778	—Evan Shelby.
1808	—Jonathan Smith.
1808	—William Trigg.
1808	—James White.
1778	—Andrew Willoughby.

[39] Members of Town Council—1834-1902.

Date of Qualification.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

1834	—Peter J. Branch.
1834	—Jeremiah Bronough.
1836	—Daniel M. Bailey.
1837	—Austin Bronough.
1834	—Chas. S. Bekem.
1846	—B. K. Buchanan.
1847	—Geo. R. Barr.
1851	—Leonidas Baugh.
1855	—Isaac Baker.
1858	—Wm. W. Barker.
1859	—Jos. C. Baltzell.
1860	—Isaac M. Benham.
1865	—W. F. Barr.
1870	—John W. Barr.
1876	—John A. Buchanan.
1876	—A. McBradley.
1876	—H. C. Brownlow.
1880	—Thomas Brooks.
1881	—Frank B. Brownlow.
1890	—Wm. H. Barrow.
1890	—Geo. M. Bright.
1892	—John A. Barrow.
1894	—J. W. Bell.
1894	—R. E. Bolling.
1900	—J. K. Buckley.
1855	—Isaac L. Clark.
1836	—David Campbell.
1838	—John C. Cummings.
1843	—Chas. J. Cummings.
1850	—Norman Crawford.
1856	—E. M. Campbell.
1856	—D. C. Cummings.
1856	—John C. Campbell.
1858	—S. W. Carnahan.
1860	—John A. Campbell.
1865	—John G. Clark.
1866	—James C. Campbell.
1876	—C. F. Trigg.
1881	—L. T. Cosby.
1884	—A. W. Carmack.
1885	—A. F. Cook.
1886	—I. G. Clark.
1887	—Thomas H. Crabtree.
1892	—Samuel A. Carson.
1836	—John Dunn.
1844	—I. B. Dunn.
1845	—Edwin L. Davenport.
1853	—Hiram S. Dooley.
1854	—D. C. Dunn.
1855	—Andrew J. Dunn.
1855	—James H. Dunn.
1870	—Geo. R. Dunn.
1896	—J. E. Deaton.
1834	—Benj. Estill.
1843	—John B. Floyd.
1835	—John H. Fulton.
1839	—Edward Fulton.
1845	—James Fulcher.
1837	—Andrew Gibson.
1842	—C. C. Gibson.
1843	—John C. Greenway.
1846	—James K. Gibson.
1853	—H. C. Gibbons.
1856	—J. C. Greenway.
1870	—D. C. Greenway.
1876	—W. T. Graham.
1835	—Adam Hickman.
1852	—Wm. Hawkins.
1854	—W. K. Heiskell.
1860	—M. G. Heiskell.
1864	—R. M. Hickman.
1866	—John A. Hagy.
1876	—S. N. Honaker.
1880	—J. H. Hines.
1880	—Jas. A. Hagy.
1881	—Chas. Harris.
1882	—R. A. Hines.
1882	—M. H. Honaker.
1885	—S. F. Hurt.
1885	—F. B. Hutton.
1885	—J. B. Hamilton.
1889	—E. S. Haney.
1894	—P. M. Hagy.
1894	—P. E. Hayter.
1896	—Wm. Hagy.
1898	—C. F. Hurt.
1849	—Peter E. B. C. Henritze.
1860	—Jas. Henritze.
1878	—W. C. Hagy.
1835	—John N. Humes.
1887	—W. B. Ingham.
1840	—Peter C. Johnston.
1843	—Beverly R. Johnston.
1855	—Hugh Johnston.
1860	—John W. Johnston.
1872	—James M. Jones.
1874	—I. Frank Jones.
1879	—J. N. Jordan.
1888	—D. A. Jones.
1896	—Chas. H. Jennings.
1900	—W. A. Johnson.
1834	—John Keller.
1846	—Wm. Keller.
1860	—John G. Kreger.
1875	—Martin H. Keller.
1878	—S. G. Keller.
1894	—R. B. Kreger.
1834	—Daniel Lynch.
1836	—Jacob Lynch.
1838	—Samuel Logan.
1844	—Geo. V. Litchfield, Sr.
1847	—H. M. Ledbetter.
1856	—W. J. Leedy.
1866	—Daniel Lewark.
1872	—Geo. V. Litchfield, Jr.
1872	—Wm. G. G. Lowry.
1877	—Paul C. Landrum.
1892	—John R. Lyon.
1834	—John D. Mitchell.
1851	—T. G. McConnell.
1856	—Noble I. McGinnis.
1866	—Samuel D. Meek.
1870	—Benj. P. Morrison.
1878	—Daniel Musser.
1887	—Samuel Mothner.
1834	—Augustus Oury.
1836	—Elias Ogden.
1838	—James Orr.
1850	—Abram S. Orr.
1834	—John S. Preston.
1834	—Robert R. Preston.
1836	—John M. Preston.
1836	—James W. Paxton.
1838	—Alexander R. Preston.
1838	—Fairman H. Preston.
1850	—Walter Preston.
1859	—Samuel A. Preston.
1866	—W. H. Pitts.
1870	—R. M. Page.
1875	—Henry S. Preston.
1884	—Geo. E. Penn.
1846	—Wm. Rodefer.
1846	—Philip Rhor.
1876	—Jackson M. Rose.
1889	—David O. Rush.
1896	—Wm. F. Roberson.
1896	—David G. Rose.
1836	—Michael Shaver.
1850	—Gabriel Stickley.
1852	—Thomas S. Stuart.
1870	—Wm. M. G. Sandoe.
1874	—David P. Sandoe.
1886	—H. H. Scott.
1896	—Sol. L. Scott.
1834	—Daniel Trigg.
1835	—Connally F. Trigg.
1845	—Francis S. Trigg.
1858	—David G. Thomas.
1873	—Thos. K. Trigg.
1880	—Daniel Trigg, Jr.
1836	—Samuel H. L. Wills.
1838	—Thomas J. Wallis.
1851	—Newton K. White.
1872	—John G. White.
1872	—James L. White.
1887	—Geo. E. Wiley.
1888	—David J. Webb.

Postmasters at Abingdon.

Date of Appointment.

                                         

Gerrald T. Conn,	April 25, 1793.
George Simpson,	July 1, 1796.
John W. McCormack,	October 1, 1800.
John McClellan,	October 1, 1813.
Augustus Oury,	August 28, 1820.
Robert R. Preston,	July 9, 1836.
James K. Gibson,	January 4, 1842.
George R. Barr,	July 26, 1849.
Leonidas Baugh,	May 12, 1853.
Henry W. Baker,	October 18, 1858.
George Sandoe,	March 27, 1861.
W. M. G. Sandoe,	September 6, 1865.
Jackson M. Rose,	May 31, 1869.
Lewis W. Rose,	June 25, 1878.
Rosalie S. Humes,	March 1, 1879.
Jackson M. Rose,	March 2, 1883.
Connally T. Litchfield,	March 7, 1887.
Lewis P. Summers,	March 20, 1890.
John G. White,	January 12, 1894.
James W. McBroom,	February 18, 1898.
Rosa Rose,	February 10, 1902.

Lots Sold by Christopher Acklin.

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Name of Purchaser.	Date of Sale.	No. Lot.
Alexander Montgomery,	June, 1787,	23
Jo. Acklin,	June, 1787,	22
Christopher Acklin,	June, 1787,	21
Joseph Black,	June, 1787,	15
John Thomas,	June, 1787,	16
Andrew Davison,	June, 1787,	17
Joseph Campbell,	June, 1787,	18
Henry Harkleroad,	June, 1787,	20
Henry Harkleroad,	June, 1787,	19
Devault Keller,	June, 1787,	38
Alexander Montgomery,	June, 1787,	37
James Vance,	July, 1787,	32
Josiah Danforth,	July, 1787,	5
Jacob Wills,	July, 8, 1787,	4
James Porterfield,	July, 1787,	7
George Findlay,	July, 1787,	31
Edward Callahan,	July, 1787,	6
James Parberry,	April, 1789,	34-35-36
Walter Welsh,	April, 1789,	1
James Bradley,	April, 1789,	2
Geo. Colvill,	April, 1789,	3
Thomas Welsh,	April, 1789,	33
Alexander Breckenridge,	April, 1789,	28
Charles Cummings,	April, 1789,	14
Robert Campbell,	April, 1789,	43
Nancy McDonald,	April, 1789,	44
Samuel Acklin,	April, 1789,	51
Robert Campbell,	April, 1789,	45
Elijah Smith,	April, 1789,	50
Robert Campbell,	April, 1789,	48
Elijah Smith,	April, 1789,	49
James Vance,	April, 1789,	42
William Brice,	April, 1789,	41
John Lusk,	April, 1789,	52
Jos. Gamble,	June, 1789,	61
Robert Laird,	June, 1789,	62
Jos. Gamble,	June, 1789,	60
John Fegan,	April 14, 1790,	59
Patrick Lynch,	April 14, 1790,	58
James Bradley,	April 1790,	57
Claiborne Watkins,	April 15, 1790,	81
Claiborne Watkins,	April 1790,	82
Patrick Lynch,	April 1790,	63
Chas. Cummings,	April 1790,	66
Archilas Dickenson,	April 1790,	65
Chas. Cummings,	April 1790,	64
Andrew Colvill,	April 1790,	80
Andrew Colvill,	April 1790,	79
Claiborne Watkins,	April 1790,	83
William Greenway,	April 17, 1790,	84
Robert Montgomery,	April 1790,	86
William Greenway,	April 1790,	85
Christopher Acklin,	April 1790,	29
Urbin Ewing,	April 1790,	6
Josiah Danforth,	September, 1790,	58
Nicholas Mansfield,	June, 1790,	39
Urbin Ewing,	June, 1790,	40
Nicholas Mansfield,	June, 1790,	20
Daniel Friel,	June, 1790,	19
Trustees,	June, 1790,	8
William Brice,	June, 1790,	12
Baldwin Harles,	June, 1790,	16
Alexander Montgomery,	April, 1791,	90
Samuel Vance,	April, 1791,	89
Wm. McDowell,	April, 1791,	67
Andrew Willoughby,	April, 1791,	87
Jos. Acklin,	April, 1791,	69
Christopher Acklin,	April, 1791,	68
Jos. Acklin,	April, 1791,	70
John Alexander,	April, 1791,	71
Wm. Mifflins,	April, 1791,	72
James Bredin,	April, 1791,	74
James Dysart,	April, 1791,	78
John Alexander,	April, 1791,	77
Wm. Delap,	April, 1791,	76
Wm. Delap,	April, 1791,	75
Thos. Hammond,	April, 1791,	73
Wm. King,	April, 1791,	73
Robert Preston,	April, 1791,	73
James Dysart,	April, 1791,	11
Wm. Y. Conn,	April, 1791,	15
Andrew Russell,	April, 1791,	13
Robert Preston,	April, 1791,	14
James White,	April, 1791,	17
Gerrald T. Conn,	April, 1791,	18
Andrew Russell,
Jos. Acklin,
Francis Preston,
Geo. Simpson,
Andrew Russell,
Geo. Simpson,
Christopher Acklin,
Jos. Acklin,
Lands sold by David Craig.
James Redpath.
Jeremiah Rush,
Peter Deckart.

An Act for Establishing a Town at the Courthouse in the County
of Washington.

Passed October, 1778.

"Whereas it hath been represented to this present general assembly
that Thomas Walker, Esq., Joseph Black and Samuel Briggs
have engaged to give one hundred and twenty acres of land in the
county of Washington, where the court house of the said county now
stands, agreeable to a survey thereof made by Robert Doach, for the
purpose of establishing a town thereon, and for raising a sum of
money towards defraying the expenses of building a court house and
prison, agreeable to which part of the said land has been laid off,
and several lots sold, and buildings erected thereon; and whereas it
would tend to the more speedy improvement and settling the same,
if the freeholders and inhabitants thereof could be entitled to the
same privileges enjoyed by freeholders and inhabitants of other
towns of this state, Be. it Enacted By this Present General Assembly,
That the said one hundred and twenty acres of land, agreeable
to a survey made thereof, relation thereto being had may more fully
appear, be and the same is hereby vested in fee simple in Evan

Shelby, William Campbell, Daniel Smith, William Edmondson,
Robert Craig and Andrew Willoughby, gentlemen, trustees and
shall be established a town by the name of Abingdon.

"And be it further enacted, That the said trustees, or any three of
them, shall, and they are hereby empowered to make conveyances to
the purchasers of any lots already sold, or to be sold, agree able to
the conditions of the contracts, and may also proceed to lay off such
other part of said land as is not yet laid off and sold, into lots, and
streets and such lots shall be sold by the said trustees at publick
auction for the best price that can be had, the time and place of sale
being previously advertised at least three months before, on some
court day at the court house of that and the adjacent county, the
purchasers respectively to hold the said lots subject to the condition
of building on such lots a dwelling house at least twenty feet long
and sixteen feet wide, with a brick or stone chimney, to be finished
within four years from the date of sale, and the said trustees, or any
three of them, shall, and they are hereby empowered to convey the
said lots to the purchasers thereof in fee simple, subject to the condition
aforesaid, and receive the monies arising from such sale, and
pay the same to the order of the Court of Washington County, towards
defraying the expenses of their publick buildings, and the
over-plus, if any, to be applied in repairing the streets of the aforesaid
town.

"And be it further enacted, That the said trustees, or the major
part of them, shall have power from time to time to settle and determine
all disputes concerning the bounds of said lots, and to
settle such rules and orders for the regular and orderly buildings
of houses thereon as to them shall seem best and most convenient.
And in case of the death, removal out of the country, or other legal
disability of any of the said trustees, it shall and may be lawful for
the freeholders of the said town to elect and chose so many other
persons in the room of those dead, removed or disabled, as shall
make up the number, which trustees so chosen shall be to all intents
and purposes individually vested with the same power and authority
as any one in this act particularly mentioned.

"And be it further enacted, That the purchasers of the lots in the
said town, so soon as they shall have built upon and saved the same
according to the conditions of their respective deeds and conveyances,
shall be entitled to and have and enjoy all the rights, privileges

and immunities which the freeholders and inhabitants of
other towns in this state, not corporated by charter, have, hold and
enjoy.

"And be it further enacted, That if the purchasers of any lots sold
by the said trustees shall fail to build thereon within the time before
limited, the said trustees, or the major part of them, may thereupon
enter into such lot, and may either sell the same again, and apply
the money towards repairing the streets, or in any other way for the
benefit of the said town, or they may appropriate the said lot, or any
part of it, to any publick use for the benefit of the inhabitants of
said town.

"And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that the
trustees of the said town, and their successors, for the time being,
shall, and they are hereby authorized and empowered by that name
to sue and implead either in the court of the said county, or the
general Court, any person or persons who shall commit a trespass
on the streets of said town, or lands which may have been appropriated
for the use of the inhabitants thereof. All sums of money
recovered by virtue hereof shall be applied by the said trustees
towards repairing the streets of the said town.

"Provided, always, That nothing herein contained shall be construed
to affect the legal rights of any person holding lands adjoining
the said town."[40]

BRISTOL, VIRGINIA.

It is with delicacy that we undertake to write of a locality that at
the present time is attracting the attention of a considerable part of
the business world and that is destined to become a great city.

There has been something in the location of Bristol that attracted
the attention of the early explorers of our country, and afterwards
many of our best and noblest citizens.

Some time after Colonel James Patton had obtained from the
Governor and Council of Virginia a grant for one hundred and
twenty thousand acres of land to be located in this section of Virginia,
John Buchanan, a deputy surveyor of Augusta county, with a
comany of explorers, visited this section of Virginia and from the

Bristol, 1856.

Bristol, 1903.

year 1746 to the year 1750 surveyed made tracts of the choicest land
to be found on all the waters of the Indian river.[41]

Among the lands surveyed by John Buchanan were three tracts in
the immediate vicinity of Bristol.

The three tracts in question were surveyed for John Taylor, of
Caroline county, Virginia, and are described as follows:

1,946 acres, Shallow Creek,[42] waters of Indian river.

1,000 acres, Shallow Creek, waters of Indian river.

720 acres, Shallow Creek, waters of Indian river.

The first tract was surveyed on the 22d of February, 1749, and to
it was given the name of "Sapling Grove"; the second tract was surveyed
on the 23d of February, 1749, and to it was given the name of
"Timber Grove," while the third tract was surveyed on the 19th of
March, 1749, and was given the name of the "Forks."

From this time until about the year 1765, the close of the French-Indian
war, no efforts were made to settle the lands in question, so
far as can be ascertained.

In the year 1765, or shortly thereafter, Evan Shelby and Isaac
Baker left their homes in Maryland[43] and came to the Holston country,
and soon thereafter purchased the "Sapling Grove" tract of
1,946 acres from John Buchanan, who, by assignment from John
Taylor, had become the owner thereof. This tract of land was
divided between Shelby and Baker by Robert Preston, Shelby owning
973 acres, the western end thereof, and Baker 973 acres, the
eastern end thereof.

Soon after the purchase Evan Shelby erected his residence upon
the lots now occupied by Dr. John Ensor and John H. Caldwell,
in South Bristol, while Isaac Baker erected his residence on Beaver
Creek, about 300 yards north of the present residence of A. A. Hobson
and north of the creek. The location of his residence is pointed
out at the present time in an old field in which stand a few apple
trees.

John Buchanan died before a patent issued for said land and
before he had executed a deed for same to Shelby and Baker, and
William Preston and William Campbell, the executors of John

Buchanan, for some reason, did not convey said land during their
lifetime.

Colonel William Preston, by his will, appointed John Preston,
Francis Preston, John Breckenridge and John Brown his executors,
and on the 2d of May, 1796, John Preston, one of the executors
of William Preston, executor of John Buchanan, deceased, executed
a deed to Isaac Baker, Jr., for the 973 acres of land contracted to his
father, Isaac Baker, deceased, and on the 22d of November, 1798,
Francis Preston, one of the executors of William Preston, executor
of John Buchanan, deceased, conveyed to Isaac Shelby, as executor
of Evan Shelby, deceased, the 973 acres of land contracted to Evan
Shelby by John Buchanan. The consideration paid by Isaac Baker
was 304 pounds, and by Evan Shelby 304 pounds. This 1,946-acre
tract of land was patented to William Preston and William Campbell,
executors of John Buchanan, deceased, on the 2d of November,
1779.

Evan Shelby and Isaac Baker were intimate friends before their
emigration to the Holston, as evidenced by the fact that Shelby had
named one of his sons Isaac for Isaac Baker, while Baker had
named one of his sons Evan for Evan Shelby. Isaac Shelby won distinction
at King's mountain and was several times Governor of Kentucky,
while Evan Baker took an active part in the cause of the
Colonies and served during the Revolutionary war as deputy commissary
on the waters of the Holston.

Isaac Baker by his will devised his moiety in the "Sapling Grove"
tract of land to his sons, Isaac Baker, Jr., and William Baker.

Evan Shelby and Isaac Baker, in their lifetime, conveyed small
portions of their respective properties to Henry Harkleroad, William
Bolton and John O'Brian.

It is worthy of mention at this point that Evan Shelby and Isaac
Baker, in their old age, were bereft of their wives, and subsequently
remarried—the former, Isabella Elliott; the latter, Mary Head, a
young widow—and each was required by his prospective wife to
make a settlement upon her before marriage, Evan Shelby conferring
upon his second wife a considerable interest in his personal
property, which was large, and of which a considerable number of
slaves formed a part, and in his real estate at "Sapling Grove," while
Isaac Baker made a similar provision for his second wife, and in

addition thereto conveyed to the two sons of Mary Head by her former
marriage one hundred acres of land each.

Stirring scenes were often witnessed in the "Sapling Grove" community
from the date of the settlement made by Shelby and Baker
until the year 1800. The armies of the State and large delegations
of Indians were many times visitors to this community.

Colonel Evan Shelby was one of the great men produced by the
conditions existing upon the frontiers in those days. He was well
educated, patriotic and a very wise counsellor, and many times did
he command expeditions against the Indian tribes living south of
the Tennessee.

The Virginia Government greatly appreciated his worth, and
prior to 1781 conferred upon him numerous (very valuable) tracts
of land within her territory, and subsequent to 1781 the Government
of North Carolina showered upon him every honor that could
be thought of.

Colonel Shelby departed this life in the year 1794, leaving Isaac
Shelby, Moses Shelby, Evan Shelby and James Shelby, sons, and
several daughters.

His remains were interred in a grove of very fine trees and within
view of his former residence, and remained there until the growth
of Bristol required their removal to the present cemetery. The location
of his grave previous to this removal is now pointed out as
being on Fifth street immediately in front of the First Presbyterian
church, Bristol, Tennessee. Isaac Baker was buried in this same
graveyard.

Isaac Baker, Sr., at the time of his death, left six sons, to-wit:
William Baker, Isaac Baker, Joshua Baker, Evan Baker, John
Baker and Thomas Baker and several daughters, to-wit: Hatchy
Baker, Susannah, who married Thomas Worley, Mary, who married
Thomas Van Swearingen and Catharine, who married Ephraim
Smith.

William Baker, who obtained an interest in the "Sapling Grove"
by the will of his father, removed to Knox county, Tennessee, and
on the 10th of September, 1799, conveyed his interest in said land,
being three hundred and forty-eight acres, to John Goodson, for the
sum of $3,000, and this tract of land afterwards became the
property of Colonel Samuel E. Goodson, and the location of a large
part of East Bristol.

Isaac Baker, Jr., conveyed part of the lands devised to him by his
father to William Bolton, Solomon Sell, Henry Harkleroad, David
Worley, John Cornett, Ephraim Johnson, John Cuff, Simeon Ely
and Jacob Susong, while Colonel Isaac Shelby, as executor of Evan
Shelby, conveyed the lands owned by Evan Shelby at "Sapling
Grove" to James King, Jr., on the 26th of November, 1814, for the
sum of $10,000. James King, immediately after his purchase, built
a residence on Solar Hill, near Sullins College and near the present
location of the late residence of H. E. McCoy, while the former
residence of Isaac Baker was occupied by John Goodson.

Some years previously to this an iron furnace was built on Beaver
Creek about three and a half miles below the present location of
Bristol at the Sulphur Springs. James King and John Goodson
for many years exercised great diligence in farming their respective
properties, and persons now living often speak of King's Meadows
as a beautiful farm.

In the year 1842, James King conveyed six acres of the "Sapling
Grove" tract to Campbell Galliher, and on the 18th of June he conveyed
to the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company, in addition
to an eighty-foot right of way, ten acres of land for the use of the
company, and on the 12th of April, 1854, he conveyed to his son-in-law,
Joseph Anderson, four acres of land.

By the year 1850 the building of the Virginia and Tennessee railroad
had become an assured fact, and in view of the fact that the
terminus of that road under the Virginia charter was the State line,
the building of a town at this point was begun.

Colonel Samuel E. Goodson had a part of his lands surveyed, and
offered the same for sale. He gave to the proposed town the name
of "Goodsonville," which name it retained until the incorporation
of Goodson in the year 1856.

He also gave to the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company a
right of way through his lands, and transferred to the said company
for a consideration, in the years 1851-1852, eleven acres of land for
the use of the said company. Among the first conveyances executed
by Colonel Goodson was to John G. King, Jacob H. Susong and
J. P. Hammer, as trustees for the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows,
and to John Fleming, John Moore, Fleming Crumbly, D. W.
Crumbly, W. W. James, William F. Bolton, Wm. H. Snodgrass,

Jesse Aydlott and Hardy Pool, as trustees for the Methodist Episcopal
church.

The lot last conveyed was Lot No. 103 in the plan of Goodsonville,
as surveyed by Edmund Winston, and this lot is now occupied
by the Colored Methodist Episcopal church on Lee street.

Some time previous to the 1st of April, 1855, A. K. Moore, from
Pennsylvania, arrived in Bristol and decided to make it his home,
and ever thereafter until his death, in the year 1863, he was a most
enthusiastic believer in the future of Bristol. He was a real estate
agent by profession and an accomplished gentleman, and his views
in regard to the future of Bristol were so convincing that the early
settlers of the town were confident that it was a question of only a
few years when Bristol would monopolize the trade and business of
all the surrounding country. And having this object in view, the
projectors of the town so named the streets thereof that by the year
1860 we find the principal streets having the following names: Virginia
street, in honor of the Commonwealth; Washington street, in
honor of Washington county; Russell street, in honor of Russell
county; Lee street, in honor of Lee county; Scott street, in honor of
Scott county; Cumberland street, in honor of the mountain of that
name; while Moore street, King street, Shelby street and Spencer
street were named for James King, A. K. Moore, Evan Shelby and
Geo. M. Spencer, and Edmund street in honor of Edmund Winston,
who first surveyed the lots and streets of the town.

In the year 1855 the Magnolia House was built upon the location
of the present Hamilton House, and a number of small houses were
erected on both sides of Main street. James King about this time
moved from his residence on Solar Hill to his home in South Bristol,
where he subsequently died in 1867, and his former home on
Solar Hill was occupied and used as a boarding house and as an
office by Dr. J. P. Hammer and Walter Willoughby.

A storehouse and hotel were built at the corner of Washington
and Main streets on the corner now owned by John R. Dickey, and
was occupied by Wilson & Loyd, merchants, and the hotel was conducted
by J. H. Everett.

Jos. R. Anderson occupied the brick building on the southwest
corner of Main and Fourth streets, and conducted a store therein.

In the fall of the year 1855 it was found necessary to have local
government in the town, and all the citizens of Bristol, Tennessee,

and Goodson, Virginia, were called to meet upon the present location
of the St. Lawrence Hotel, and at this meeting the Rev. James
King presided. The meeting decided that it was necessary that the
town should have local government, and after petitioning the General
Assembly of Virginia to incorporate the town of Goodson, they
proceeded to select one of their number to act as Mayor until a
charter could be obtained. William L. Rice, a citizen of Goodson
and at that time a member of the County Court of Washington
county, and having the power in that capacity to administer oaths,
to issue warrants for, and try, offenders against the law, was selected
by the meeting to act as Mayor, tax collector and sergeant of the
town.

Pursuant to this authority, Mr. Rice proceeded to discharge his
duties, and wishes the fact to be recorded that V. Keebler was the
first man in the town to voluntarily pay one dollar to be used in
discharging the costs of the government thus organized.

Pursuant to the petition of the citizens of the two towns, the
General Assembly of Virginia, on the 5th of March, 1856, incorporated
the town of Goodson, and directed that the officers of the
said town should consist of seven trustees and a sergeant, and their
term of office was fixed at one year and until their successors were
appointed, and it was directed that an election should be held for
the selection of the trustees and sergeant therein provided for on the
first Saturday in April, 1856, and James Fields, John N. Bosang
and A. T. Wilson, or any two of them, were directed to conduct said
election.

It will be observed that this Act contemplated the government of
the town by a Board of Trustees, and nothing was said as to a Mayor,
but the citizens of the town thereafter selected a Mayor until the
charter of the town was amended, among the number thus selected
being A. K. Moore, A. M. Appling, William L. Rice, Philip Rohr
and others, whose names I have been unable to obtain.

The persons thus selected to act in the capacity of Mayor also
acted as sergeant of the town.

It is a matter of regret that no record has been preserved of the
early trustees of the town of Goodson.

The boundaries of the town of Goodson, as set out in the Act of
incorporation, were as follows: Beginning at a sycamore tree on the
west side of the said town; running thence north 22 east one hundred

and ten poles; thence due east one hundred and fifty poles;
thence due south 22 east one hundred and forty poles; thence south
56 west one hundred poles; thence north 37 west one hundred and
fifty poles to the beginning.

The sycamore tree mentioned in this Act stood about two feet
south of the middle of Main street, and in front of the storehouse
formerly occupied by T. F. Wood.

The Virginia and Tennessee railroad reached Bristol in the fall
of the year 1856, and at the time the following merchants were
doing business in the town, to-wit: Seneker & James, on Main street
between Fourth and Water streets at the place now occupied by
Bunn's store; Jos. R. Anderson, at the corner of Fourth and Main
streets, as before described; Rosenheim Bros., on southwest corner of
Main and Fifth streets, the present location of the drug store;
Martin Bros., on the location of the National Bank of Bristol, and
Wilbar Bros., on the southwest corner of Main and Sixth streets;
Smith & Wilson, at the corner of Main and Washington streets, and
L. F. Johnson, in a brick building south of the Norfolk and Western
railway and near the west bank of the creek.

J. N. Bosang kept a bar-room on the lot now occupied by the
Dominion National Bank and Williams Walters a bar-room at the
present location of the Stanley House, and in addition thereto
whiskey was retailed at several of the stores above enumerated.
Three hotels were found in the town at that time, the Caywood
House, kept by Ezekiel Caywood, at the present location of the
Thomas House; the Magnolia House, kept by Peck & Langhorne,
at the present location of the Hamilton House, and the Virginia
House, kept by John H. Everett, at the corner of Main and Washington
streets on the Dickey lot. In addition to the places named
several small houses were found along the Virginia side of Main
street from Fourth to Moore, and one brick residence on Main
street between Fourth and Water streets, east of Bosang's bar-room,
and known as the Zimmerman House. A portion of this house is
now occupied by Col. J. B. Peters, President of the Board of Health,
as an office.

In the year 1855, upon the application of William L. Rice, the
county court of this county appointed John F. Preston, Wallace
Maxwell, Moses H. Latham, William B. Campbell, E. R. Rhea and
Jonathan T. Hanby commissioners to view a location for a road

from the town of Goodson to the Jonesboro road at or near the lands
of John L. Bradley, three miles west of Abingdon. The commissioners
thus named made their report, and the main Bristol road was
opened in the following year.

In December of this year the county court of this county appointed
the following citizens living in the vicinity of Goodson to
patrol in the neighborhood of Goodson: Roland T. Legard, captain,
James T. Preston, Henry A. Wilds, William A. Preston, E. L.
Brooks, John P. Buchanan, Joseph Rhea, Alexander, James, and
Jacob Carmack.

In the following year Nunley & Fuqua and Booker & Trammel
were licensed to conduct business in the town of Goodson.

Early in the year 1857 a number of the citizens of Goodson and
Bristol, recognizing the importance of a newspaper, formed a joint
stock company and purchased a printing press in Philadelphia, and
in the month of May, 1857, began the publication of the Bristol
News. The head lines of this paper presented a very suggestive
scene. To the left of the page was placed an engine and car and to
the right was placed a man on horseback, the train and horseman
facing to the centre of the page. This paper was edited for a short
while by A. K. Moore, who was succeeded by J. Austin Speery.
Speery continued to edit this paper until the year 1862, in which
year he became the editor of the Knoxville Register, and the News
was discontinued until 1865. In 1858 Lafayette F. Johnson and
Andrew Manonie were licensed to transact business in Goodson by
the county court of Washington county.

On the 10th of May, 1858, at about 1 o'clock A. M., in the night
time of that day, the Magnolia Hotel was destroyed by fire and
Minor Boler and George Ligon, free men of color, were arrested
and tried, charged with having fired said building, but were acquitted.

Soon thereafter the county court of this county appointed the
following citizens to patrol in the town of Goodson: Robert B. Moore,
captain, Lucian Johnson, J. F. H. Ledbetter, Edward Johnson,
John C. Carner, Samuel G. Booker, Hardy Pool, John Hammit,
James Williams and Joseph Barnes.

About this time two lawyers came to Bristol and decided to make
it their future home, John S. Mosby[44] and Gideon Burkett.

Burkett located on the Tennessee side of the town and had his office
in the frame building that stood upon the lot occupied by Rosenheim
Bros., while Mosby settled on the Virginia side and had his
office in a building, owned by James King, that stood upon the lot
now occupied by the Tip-Top Restaurant, at the corner of Cumberland
and Fourth streets.

Bristol, Virginia, should be proud of the fact that her first lawyer
afterwards distinguished himself in the defence of his State.

In the year 1859 Raine & Megginson, Jos. W. Jones, Lafayette
F. Johnson and Raine & Jamison were licensed to transact business
in the town of Goodson, and John S. Mosby qualified as a
notary public.

By the year 1860 Col. Goodson had sold and transferred lots in
the town of Goodson to the following citizens: Reuben H. Crabtree,
J. N. Bosang, Thos. E. Bibb, Morgan & Thomas, James H. Johnson,
J. C. Hayter, Samuel Sells, John B. Wagoner, M. T. & James
W. Morgan, Jane G. Wilds, Thos. Lanahan, Stephen Connelly,
A. T. Wilson, Ella Shelor, Sarah A. Howard, Henry Rosenheim,
David Rust, John OBrian, Elijah Coman, John Rhea, George M.
Spencer, Mary A. Hammit, David P. Jamison, Alex. Morgan, James
Johnston, H. D. Shell, I. N. McQuown, Thos. J. Morrison, Wm.
Rencher (colored barber), John Dulaney, Cordle Harmeling, L. F.
Johnston, W. E. Eakin, Wm. Trammel, I. B. Dunn, S. H. Milliard,
James A. Apling, D. J. Ensor, and many others.

The Rev. James King had sold to David F. Scranton and Joseph
Johnston, of Savannah, Georgia, sixty-five and a half acres of land,
and they had conveyed parts thereof to W. L. Martin, James A.
Apling, W. F. Moon, M. W. Jones, Alexander Lazenbay, Jesse
Aydlott, V. Keebler, Samuel E. Philips, Bridget Powers, Sparrel
Askew, John H. Newman, Thos. E. Lancaster, Jos. W. Jones, and
several others.

Such was Goodson, as best it can be described, at the opening of
the war between the States.

In the spring of the year 1861 Philip Rohr was elected Mayor,
V. Keebler Recorder and Treasurer, Campbell Galliher, Sergeant,
and J. N. Bosang, J. E. Pepper, John Johnston and W. H. Trammel
aldermen of said town, and the officers thus elected served with
but few changes until the year 1870.

Immediately upon the declaration of war a company was organized

at Goodson, to which was given the name of the Goodson
Rifles, of which company John F. Terry was elected captain.
This company was assigned to the Thirty-seventh Virginia Regiment,
commanded by Col. Samuel V. Fulkerson, and many brave
deeds are recorded as having been performed by the members of this
company.

On the 23d of July, 1861, Campbell Galliher, Sergeant of the
town of Goodson, appeared before the county court of Washington
county and represented to the court the need of firearms in said
town, whereupon the county court directed the sheriff of this
county to lend to the said Galliher, for use in the town of Goodson,
ten guns, the property of the Commonwealth.

In the month of February, 1862, Martin L. Comann and Rev.
W. W. Neal purchased from Henry W. Baker the outfit of the
Abingdon Democrat, and on the 27th of March, 1862, the first issue
of the Southern Advocate was published in the town of Goodson,
the Bristol News having passed out of existence at this time. The
headline of this paper was such as to be worth recording. Between
the words Southern and Advocate, which were printed in large letters,
were placed the seal of the State of Virginia and the seal of
the State of Tennessee, and above the seals was printed in small
type "Virginia & Tennessee." From this paper I ascertain that
Jos. B. Palmer was at that time practising law in the town of
Goodson, that L. A. Womack and W. W. Nickels were the proprietors
of the Exchange Hotel, afterwards the Nickels House, and
that the Bank of Philippi was temporarily transacting business in
Goodson, with L. D. Morall as president and J. W. Payne as cashier.
The Provost Marshal stationed at Bristol in the year 1862 was
Joshua H. Pitts, but he was shortly thereafter succeeded by William
D. Gammon.

In the month of April the authorities of the Presbyterian and
Methodist churches of Bristol tendered the use of their churches to
the authorities of the Confederate States for the care of the sick
and wounded soldiers.

In 1862 a young ladies' boarding school was conducted in Bristol
by Mrs. M. M. Bailey and was continued for several years thereafter.
At the same time two schools for boys were conducted in the
town the Bristol-Goodson Academy, of which Thos. D. Walthall
was principal, and the Bristol High School, of which Prof.

H. C. Neal was principal. From the files of the Southern Advocate
we ascertain that W. M. Pettyjohn was conducting a general land
agency, L. M. Hall practising dentistry, and A. P. Johnston, J. F.
Parrot, M. D. Richmond & Co., Johnston & Pile and Wilbar Bros.,
merchants, were doing business in the town.

In February, 1863, small-pox appeared in the town, causing a
great deal of uneasiness, and Philip Rohr, the Mayor of Goodson,
applied to the County Court of Washington county and was allowed
the sum of five hundred dollars to fight the small-pox in the
town.

In the spring of this year the Southern Advocate ceased to exist,
and the first issue of the State Line Gazette was published on the
6th of March, 1863. Martin L. Comann and Wm. L. Rice owned
and edited this paper, and afterwards W. W. Langhorne, a young
lawyer who had settled in the town, was associate editor. This
paper lived about five years, and ceased to exist.

By this time Goodson contained a considerable population, and
on the 25th of May, 1863, Wm. F. Moon[45] petitioned the County
Court of Washington county for the establishment of a voting precinct
in the town, which precinct was established at the storehouse
of A. M. Apling, and Wm. L. Rice was appointed conductor and
Wm. F. Moon, Malon S. Susong, Valentine Keebler, Elijah
Seneker and Hugh M. Milliard commissioners to hold all elections
in said town. In the fall of the year 1863 the Federal forces
reached Bristol and destroyed the freight depot, the brick storehouse
occupied by L. F. Johnston, and the Masonic Lodge. And
while the town was visited several times thereafter by the Federal
forces during the war, no other property was destroyed by fire.

In this year A. K. Moore was killed by Captain Lucas, of Kentucky,
at the Thomas House, in Bristol, Tenn.

Upon the close of the war, and in 1865, the Bristol News was
resurrected by John Slack, and the first issue of this paper appeared
on the 9th of August, 1865.

From the files of this paper we find that Chas. R. Vance, J. R.
Deadrick and J. B. Palmer, practising attorneys, then lived in
Bristol-Goodson.

Previous to the incorporation of Goodson by the General Assembly
in the year 1856, and probably as late as the year 1860, the

postoffice was "Sapling Grove," and was at first kept in the residence
of James King on now Solar Hill, and afterwards in a small
frame house on the lot now occupied by the St. Lawrence Hotel.
The postoffice was removed to the Tennessee side of the town in
1865, by order of President Johnson.

Early in the year 1866, the Rev. James King donated property
situated in South Bristol, and valued at $16,000, for the purpose of
establishing a school for young men, and to be under the management
of the Holston Presbytery. The Presbytery which met at
Leesburg, Tenn., shortly thereafter, accepted the proposition of Mr.
King and appointed a board of curators, consisting of fifteen gentlemen,
and this board was directed by the Presbytery to assemble
in Bristol on the 4th of July, 1866, for the purpose of organizing
the school and electing officers for the same. This school was organized,
and has for many years been known as King College, one
of the best-equipped schools to be found in all this section of the
Holston country.

The Virginia and Kentucky railroad was undertaken, and considerable
work was accomplished on said road previously to 1861, but
the outbreak of the war caused a cessation of all work for the time;
but interest in the building of this road was again manifested in the
year 1866, and the attention of the citizens of Goodson-Bristol to
this matter was urged by Robert W. Hughes, president of the company,
and a mass-meeting of the citizens was held in the Methodist
church in Goodson in this year.

Governor Francis H. Pierpoint and the Board of Public Works
attended this meeting, and a great deal of interest was manifested.
The meeting was called to order by the Rev. Philip Rohr, then
Mayor of Goodson, Robert W. Hughes was elected chairman
and Chas. R. Vance secretary, and strong resolutions, prepared by
a committee composed of James King, John Slack and Wm. L.
Rice, were adopted, and Jos. R. Anderson, Philip Rohr and L. F.
Johnston were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions to the
enterprise. The building of this railroad was begun, and, in addition
to the subscriptions of private individuals, the town of Goodson,
on the 12th of May, 1877, subscribed five thousand dollars to
the Bristol Coal and Iron Narrow-Guage Railroad Company, the
successor of the Virginia and Kentucky railroad, and to-day this

road, now called the Virginia and Southwestern, is one of the most
profitable enterprises that Bristol can boast of.

In March, 1866, the following lawyers were practising in the
town of Goodson: W. W. Langhorne, J. B. Maclin, N. M. Taylor
and York & Fulkerson.

In the fall of this year the Bristol News was leased by John Slack
to David F. Bailey, and the first issue of the News published by
Bailey was on the 9th of August, 1867. From an inspection of this
paper we find that M. L. Blackley and W. N. Clarkson were practising
law in the town, and that the Bristol High School, under the
management of J. D. Tadlock, and a male and female school, under
the management of B. G. Maynard, were doing a thriving business.

The Bristol News was edited by D. F. Bailey, and then by Bailey
and Ramey, and on August 7th, 1868, was sold and transferred to
I. C. and Elbert Fowler.

In the year 1870 John Slack began the publication of the Bristol
Courier, and the two papers, the News and the Courier, are still published
in Bristol.

At the time of the total eclipse of the sun in the month of August,
1869, Goodson being in the centre of the path of totality, the
United States Coast Survey directed Colonel R. D. Cutts, of the
United States Navy, to proceed to Bristol and to prepare for making
observation during the eclipse. Colonel Cutts visited Goodson and
erected an observatory on Lancaster Hill, now called Solar Hill.
The observations were taken, and the latitude of Goodson ascertained
to be 36° 35′ 50.2″, the longitude to be 5° 08′ Washington
time, 20-32 fast. Afterwards, in the year 1870, the street now
known as Solar street was opened, and the observatory used by
Colonel Cutts was found to be in the centre of the proposed street,
and from that circumstance, and at the suggestion of the Mayor,
the street was called Solar street, and the hill has since been called
Solar Hill.

By the year 1870 Goodson had grown rapidly and the future of
the town was exceedingly bright, and in this year the General Assembly
of Virginia amended the charter of the town and extended
the corporate limits, the provisions of said charter as to the limits
of said town being as follows: Beginning at the intersection of the
Virginia and Tennessee States' line and the western boundary line
of the town cemetery, and running west with said State line twenty-two

hundred yards; thence north nine hundred and fifty yards;
thence east twenty-two hundred yards on a line parallel with the
States' line; thence south nine hundred and fifty yards to the point
of beginning. This Act provided for a mayor, five councilmen, a
recorder and sergeant, all to be elected by the vote of the people, and
directed that the election should be held for that purpose on the 2d
of July, 1870, at King Block, on Front street, and John N. Bosang,
John Keys and Jesse H. Pepper were directed to superintend said
election.

The first election held under this Act resulted in the election of
the following officers:

Mayor—I. C. Fowler.

Recorder—J. T. Millard.

Sergeant—J. L. Ligon.

Councilmen—John H. Winston, President; S. L. Saul, Chas. T.
Pepper, Geo. H. DeVault and Jos. W. Owens.

At a meeting of the Mayor and Council on the 27th of July,
1870, rules and regulations were adopted by the Council for the
government of the body in their proceedings, and the foundations
were laid for an era of prosperity and growth that has met the expectations
of the most ardent friends of the town.

By the amended charter the Council of the town was authorized
to provide a building for the safekeeping of all persons sentenced to
imprisonment under the ordinances of the town, and, pursuant to
this authority, the Council appointed a committee to select a place
and to ascertain the cost of such a building. This committee
selected a place on Washington street, now Wagoner's planing mill,
and employed Archer & Carmack to erect the necessary buildings
thereon.

At a meeting of the Mayor and Council of the town on the 23d
of January, 1871, the Council requested the General Assembly of
Virginia to amend the charter of the town so as to increase the
Council from five to seven members, and to authorize the Council of
the town to open and extend the streets of the town, and to subscribe
a sum of money, not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars,
to be used in purchasing suitable grounds within the limits of the
town for a public square, for building a town hall, and also for the
purpose of purchasing a tract of land then within the corporate
limits of the said town, the property of Joseph Johnston, and giving

to the Council the authority to lay off said land, when purchased,
into lots, and dispose of the same to the best interest of the corporation,
and pursuant to this petition the General Assembly of Virginia,
on the 14th of March, 1871, amended the charter of Goodson
as petitioned for, except that it was provided that no subscription
should be made until the expediency thereof should be submitted to
the qualified voters in the corporation and should receive three-fifths
of the votes actually polled at said election; and it was further
provided that said property, when purchased, should be sold
by the Council, and for the purpose of improvement only.

The Council of Bristol ordered this election to be held, and the
proposition to purchase the Johnston lands received more than
three-fifths of all the votes polled, and these lands, containing about
sixty acres, were purchased by the Mayor and Council of Goodson
for the sum of eighteen thousand dollars.

On the 8th of May, 1871, I. C. Fowler, John H. Winston and
Jos. W. Owens were appointed a committee to superintend the laying
off of said lands into streets and lots, and Thos. D. Walthall
was designated to survey said land. The lands when laid off into
lots were ordered to be sold, and Dr. David Sullins was the auctioneer.

After the sale of these lots, and in the fall of the same year, the
lots owned by the town and the money and notes received from the
purchasers of lots previously sold amounted to $41,218, or $16,000
profit on the investment.

On the 13th of June, 1870, the General Assembly of Virginia
incorporated the Bank of Goodson, with Z. L. Burson, W. W.
James, I. C. Fowler, U. L. York and I. B. Dunn as directors. This
bank was organized and transacted business in Goodson for several
years, and was known as James' Bank.

In August of the year 1871, while great improvements were
being projected and the Council of Goodson was transacting the
most extensive real estate business that the town has known in its
history, the Council of the city were presented with a melon by the
"Marble Players" of the town, and the present was so much appreciated
that the Council at its meeting on the 29th of August
adopted the following resolution:

"Resolved, That the thanks of the Council be tendered the `Marble

Players' of this corporation for the present of a magnificent
melon."

In the same year a chain-gang was organized, and in the year
1873 goats, swine and cows were prohibited from running at large
in the town.

In 1874 it was provided that wooden buildings should not be
erected in the town except upon the petition of two-thirds of the
land-owners in the square where the building was proposed to be
erected, and from the year 1871 to 1880 most of the streets of the
town were macadamized, and in many cases extended so as to meet
the requirements of a rapidly increasing population.

In the year 1881 it was thought necessary by the Council of
Goodson to have a public building erected for the use of the officers
of the town, and the question was submitted to the vote of the people,
and having received the necessary vote, the Council appointed
John H. Winston, Z. L. Burson and W. W. James a committee to
report a plan and the cost of a public building. This committee reported,
and a very commodious hall, built of brick, was erected
some time thereafter on the corner of Cumberland and Lee streets,
at a cost of about $7,000 to the corporation.

By the year 1890 the town of Goodson had grown to be a city,
and the inconvenience attending the transaction of the legal business
of the town at Abingdon created a public demand for the establishment
of a corporation court for the city, and in answer to
this demand the General Assembly of Virginia, on the 12th of February,
1890, changed the name of the town of Goodson to that of
the city of Bristol, and adopted a new charter for said city. The
officers provided for by the new charter were a mayor, treasurer,
nine councilmen, a clerk of the corporation court, an attorney for
the Commonwealth, a sergeant, one justice of the peace for each
ward in said city, and one constable. Pursuant to this Act of the
Assembly, the first Corporation Court of the city of Bristol assembled
in the City Hall on the 3d of March, 1890, Judge Wm. F.
Rhea presiding. The following officers were appointed by the court
for said city: Clerk, J. H. Winston, Jr.; Commonwealth's Attorney,
W. S. Hamilton; Treasurer, C. C. Minor; Sergeant, Chas.
Worley; Commissioner of the Revenue, J. W. Mort.

The court thus organized has continued until the present time
and is at this time presided over by Judge Wm. S. Stuart. The

city of Bristol has grown rapidly and to-day it is a very thrifty city,
with beautiful streets and many large and handsome business
houses.

In the city of Bristol are to be found two female colleges—towit:
Sullins College and the Southwest Virginia Institute—that
cannot be excelled anywhere in the South.

In the year 1902 the Norfolk and Western Railway Company
tore down the old depot, erected in 1865, and on the same site
erected as handsome a depot as is to be found in Southwest Virginia.

Census of Bristol, Virginia.

     

1880	1,562
1890	2,902
1900	4,579

Census of Bristol, Tennessee.

     

1880	1,647
1890	3,324
1900	5,271

Officers of Bristol-Goodson.

Mayors.

             

1871-1875	—I. C. Fowler.
1875-1886	—John F. Terry.
1886-1889	—A. F. Miles.
1889-1894	—W. A. Rader.
1894-1898	—J. H. Winston, Jr.
1898-1902	—Chas. F. Gauthier.
1902	—William L. Rice.

Sergeants.

                           

1871-1872	—J. L. Ligon.
1872-1874	—D. A. Wheeler.
1874-1875	—W. H. Trammell.
1875-1877	—R. T. Hamlet.
1877-1881	—John B. Keller.
1881-1884	—D. A. Wheeler.
1884-1887	—Chas. Worley.
1887-1888	—W. P. Hughes.
1888-1890	—Chas. Worley.
1890-1892	—W. J. Cox.
1892-1894	—Justin King.
1894-1898	—John H. Gose.
1900	—Luther Rush, resigned.
1902	—Jerry Bunting, appointed.

Recorder and Treasurer.

                             

1870-1876	—T. J. Millard.
1876-1878	—M. T. Devault.
1878-1884	—G. G. Hickman.
1884-1885	—James Byrne.
1885-1886	—A. F. Miles.
1886-1887	—G. G. Hickman.
1887-1888	—John D. Witt.
1888-1890	—J. W. Mort, Clerk.
1890-1894	—J. H. Winston, Jr., Clerk.
1894-1896	—J. A. Stone, Clerk.
1896-1897	—G. H. Reed, Clerk.
1897-1900	—H. Doriot, Clerk.
1900-1902	—W. H. Price, Jr., Clerk.
1902	—J. H. Gose, Clerk.
1902	—P. C. Marsh. Clerk.

Judges of Corporation Court.

   

1890-1896	—Wm. F. Rhea.
1896-1904	—Wm. S. Stuart.

Commonwealth's Attorneys.

     

1890-1894	—William S. Hamilton.
1894-1896	—Preston Lewis Gray.
1896-1904	—John S. Ashworth.

Clerks of Corporation Court.

         

1890-1894	—J. H. Winston, Jr.
1894-1896	—Isaac Sharett.
1896-1898	—James A. Stone.
1898-1902	—W. H. Price, Jr.
1902	—John H. Gose.

Treasurers.

     

1890	—C. C. Minor.
1890-1896	—J. L. C. Smith.
1896-1904	—J. W. Owens.

Commissioners of the Revenue.

       

1890-1896	—J. W. Mort.
1896-1900	—J. W. Frizzell.
1900-1902	—S. D. Keller.
1902-1904	—Geo. W. Hammit.

Chief of Police.

   

1896-1898	—Geo. W. Wolf.
[46] 1898-1904	—W. B. Kilgore.

VILLAGES OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.

Glade Spring.

Glade Spring is situated in the best section of Washington county,
and previous to the spring of the year 1856 but five houses were to
be found in that vicinity, viz., the residence of David Beattie,
which occupied the location of the present residence of Mrs. W. B.
Cobb; the house of Beattie Allison, now occupied by Mrs. Brewer;
a log house occupied by David (Proctor) Edmondson, on the lot
where Dr. W. L. Dunn's residence stands; the residence of W. Mc.
Ryburn and the residence of James O. Ryburn, now occupied by
his widow.

The Virginia and Tennessee railroad was completed to this place
in the spring of the year 1856. A depot was built, and for a
short time was called Passawatamie, but it was changed within a
short time to Glade Spring by the request of all the citizens of
that community.

The name Glade Spring was derived from Glade Spring Presbyterian
church, located some distance south of the town.

In the year 1856, about the time the depot was erected,
W. B. Dickenson and J. S. Buchanan employed Francis Smith,
of Abingdon, to erect the frame building, now painted red, standing
a short distance southwest of the depot and on the main road,

and Dickenson & Buchanan occupied the same as a storehouse for
five years thereafter. This was the first business house established
in Glade Spring.

By the year 1861, a considerable village had grown up around
the depot at Glade Spring and considerable business was transacted
there.

This is one town in Southwestern Virginia that escaped the
ravages of the Federal forces in 1864-1865, the depot being saved
at the request of David (Proctor) Edmondson.

Since the close of the war Glade Spring has been incorporated
by the General Assembly of Virginia and now has a full quota
of town officials, namely:

Mayor—J. T. Morris.

Councilmen—W. K. Brooks, M. V. Edmondson, J. D. Kent,
Samuel Keys and E. M. Atkins.

Three attorneys at law, to-wit: Selden Longley, S. D. Jones
and A. M. Dickenson, have had their homes in the town at different
times since 1870, and for a number of years a newspaper and a
bank have thrived in the town.

The citizens living in and around Glade Spring cannot be excelled
for virtue, wealth, intelligence and enterprise anywhere in
our country.

Postmasters—Glade Spring.

Office established December 30, 1833.

                                     

1833-1839	—David R. Smyth.
1839-1845	—Nickerson Snead.
1845	—John K. Cunningham.
1845-1847	—Benjamin F. Aker.
1847-1852	—D. M. Stewart.
1852-1853	—Samuel Vance.
1853-1856	—Abram S. Orr.
1856	—James Robinson.
1856-1858	—Robert H. Henderson.
1858-1869	—James S. Buchanan.
1869-1870	—Lavinia M. Ryburn.
1870-1872	—Ann S. Cook.
1872-1873	—Roger Sullivan.
1873-1874	—Hiram V. Thompson.
1874-1885	—John C. O'Rear.
1885-1889	—Robert S. Cunningham.
1889-1894	—John Faris.
1894-1898	—Joseph D. Williams.
1898-1900	—John R. Hendricks.

Meadow View.

This is a thriving village about seven miles east of Abingdon,
on the Norfolk and Western railway, and is experiencing a rapid
growth at the present time, having several large and thriving
stores, several beautiful churches and a number of very thrifty
people for citizens.

The name of this village was suggested by the location (formerly
"Edmondsons Meadows").

Wyndale.

For many years this village was known as Montgomery's Switch,
the depot having been located on the lands of S. W. Montgomery,
but several years ago the name of the railroad station, but not
the postoffice, was changed to Wyndale by the authorities of the
Norfolk and Western railway.

This village has experienced some growth within recent years.

Wallace's Switch.

When the railroad reached this point in the year 1856, Major
Goforth was the owner of the mill at that point, and at his instance
the citizens of the community petitioned the railroad for
a station, and the station was established and called Goforth's,
but the name was shortly changed to Wallace's Switch in honor
of the Rev. W. P. Wallace, a Presbyterian minister who lived in
that community. The growth and prosperity of this town has
been greatly retarded in recent years by the rapid growth and development
of Bristol, which is in close proximity thereto.

This town has several good business houses and churches and
an excellent flouring mill, owned by Dr. W. M. Phillips.

Mendota.

Mendota is situated on the North Fork of Holston river opposite
the noted Kinderhook farm and immediately on the Virginia
and Southwestern railroad.

The excellent river-bottom lands opposite Mendota were patented
by the Commonwealth to Thomas Kendrick, William Todd

Livingston and others, and the home of Peter Livingston was but
a short distance below Mendota at the time the noted half-breed
Benge made his raid thereon in the year 1794.

The river-bottom land opposite Mendota, some time previous to
1860, became the property of Adam Hickmen, a native of Kinderhook,
N. Y. Upon his acquisition of this property, he gave
it the name of Kinderhook, and from this farm Kinderhook
magisterial district derived its name.

The postoffice at this point was for many years Kinderhook,
but some years ago the name was changed to Mendota by Henry
C. Holly, who for many years merchandised at that place.

A number of thriving business houses and pretty residences
are to be found at this place, and several physicians and one lawyer
reside in the town.

Hamilton Institute was established at Mendota in the year
1874, and has continued from that time to be the resort of the
ambitious youth, both male and female, of that section of this
county. At present its prosperity is fairly good.

Several efforts have been made in recent years to organize a
new county out of parts of the counties of Scott, Washington and
Russell, and Mendota has been the only place suggested as the
county seat of the proposed new county.

Damascus.

When the Abingdon Coal and Iron Railroad Company was first
suggested, and for some years thereafter, the location of this town
and the postoffice at this place were known as Mock's Mills and
remained so until about the year 1892; when the postoffice was
changed to Damascus at the instance of General J. D. Imboden,
who at that time was very much interested in the welfare of the
community.

It has been suggested that the name of Damascus was given to
this locality because of a fancied resemblance to Damascus in Palestine,
near the scene of the conversion of St. Paul.

The location of this town was laid off into streets by the year
1892, and the plans of a magnificent hotel and numerous business
enterprises were projected; but the crisis came soon thereafter,
and all growth and progress ceased until about the year 1897.

In the meantime business had revived, and the property of the
Abingdon Coal and Iron Railroad Company became the property

of the Virginia and Carolina Railway Company, of which W. E.
Mingea, of Roanoke, was president, and the railroad had been
completed to Damascus.

The first train carrying passengers reached Damascus on the
7th day of February, 1900, and at that time the building of the
Beaver Dam railroad from Damascus to Crandull, Tennessee, was
being rapidly pushed to completion, and every preparation was
being made for a rapid development of the magnificient water-power,
mineral deposits and immense forests of splendid timber
found in the immediate vicinity of Damascus.

Since that time the Beaver Dam railroad has been completed,
and the Virginia and Carolina Railway Company has been extended
some distance up Laurel Fork of Holston river in the direction
of North Carolina. A large tannery, extract plant, an
extensive sash, door and blind factory and numerous saw mills
carried on by hundreds of hands are at work in and around Damascus
at the present time. The town itself has experienced a
very rapid growth, and to-day boasts of several churches, a splendid
public school building, a number of prosperous mercantile
establishments, one physician, Dr. Fortune, one real estate agent,
R. F. Fortune, a bank and many thrifty citizens.

Greendale.

Greendale is situated six miles northwest of Abingdon on the
Russell turnpike, in the Rich Valley. The name of this town
was suggested by the location, and the town boasts of an excellent
high school, several stores, two mills, several churches and many
good citizens.

Boundaries of Washington County.

The boundaries of Washington county, with the exception of
the southern boundary, between this county and the State of Tennessee,
formerly the State of North Carolina, have been fully
given at other places in this history, and as to them there has been
no serious controversy.

The southern boundary of Virginia, extending from Steep Rock
creek, now the Laurel Fork of Holston river, to Cumberland Gap,
has been the subject of controversy since the coming of the first
settlers to this portion of Virginia, and, therefore, it is deemed
proper that a history of this controversy should be preserved.

The first charter of Virginia was granted by King James in
the year 1606 to Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, Richard
Hackluit, Edward Maria Wingfield, Thomas Hanham, Robert Gilbert,
William Parker and George Popham, and embraced all the
lands lying and being all along the sea coast between 34° of north
latitude from the equinoctial line, and 45° degrees of the same
latitude, and in the main land between the same 34 and 45 degrees
of latitude and the islands thereunto adjacent or within one hundred
miles of the coast thereof.

The second charter of Virginia was granted by King James in
the year 1609 to the treasurer and company of adventurers and
planters of the city of London for the first Colony of Virginia.

The territory thus granted was described as follows: "All those
lands, countries and territories situate, lying and being in that
part of America called Virginia, from the point of land called
Cape or Point Comfort all along the sea coast to the northward
two hundred miles, and from the said point of Cape of Comfort
all along the sea coast to the southward two hundred miles, and
all that space and circuit of land lying from the sea coast of the
precinct aforesaid up into the lands throughout from sea to sea
west and north west, and also all the islands lying within one hundred
miles along the coast of both seas of the precinct aforesaid.

"In the year 1663, Charles II., King of England, granted a
charter to Edward, Earl Clarendon, George, Duke of Albemarle,
William, Lord Craven, John, Lord Berkley, Anthony, Lord Ashley,
Sir George Carteret, Sir William Berkley and Sir John Colleton,
of all that territory or tract of ground situated, lying and
being within our dominions of America, extending from the north
end of Lucke Island, which lyeth in the southern Virginia seas
and within six and thirty degrees of the northern latitude, and
to the west as far as the South seas, and so southerly as far as the
river St. Mathias, which bordereth upon the coast of Florida and
within one and thirty degrees of northern latitude, and so west in
a direct line as far as the South seas aforesaid."

A second charter was granted by King Charles II. in the year
1665 to the same persons, and by this charter the northern boundary
of Caroline was fixed at 36° and 30 minutes north latitude
and so west in a direct line to the South seas.

Considerable difficulty was experienced by the two colonies in

agreeing upon the true location of this line previously to the year
1776, but, notwithstanding these difficulties, the line was extended
as far west as Steep Rock creek, now Beaver Dam creek,
in this county, by Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson, commissioners
upon the part of Virginia, and Daniel Weldon and William Churton,
commissioners on the part of North Carolina.

It will be observed that the lands included in the Carolina
charter had been previously granted by King James to the treasurer
and company of adventurers and planters of the city of London
for the first Colony in Virginia, and a similar condition existed
as to the colonies of Maryland and Pennsylvania.

When the delegates and representatives from the several counties
in Virginia met in Williamsburg and adopted a Constitution
for the Commonwealth on the 5th day of May, 1776, section 21
of that Constitution contained the following provision:

"The territories contained within the Charters, erecting the
Colonies of Maryland, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina,
are hereby ceded, released and forever confirmed to the people of
these colonies respectively, with all the rights of property, jurisdiction
and government, and all other rights whatsoever, which
might, at time heretofore, have been claimed by Virginia, except
the free navigation and use of the rivers Patomoque and Pokemoke,
with the property of the Virginia shores and strands, bordering
on either of the said rivers, and all improvements which
have been or shall be made thereon. The Western and Northern
extent of Virginia shall in all respects stand as fixed by the Charter
of King James I., in the year one thousand six hundred and
nine, and by the public treaty of peace between the courts of
Britain and France, in the year one thousand seven hundred and
sixty-three; unless, by Act of this Legislature; one or more governments
be established westward of the Alleghany mountains.
And no purchases of lands shall be made of the Indian natives,
but on behalf of the Public by authority of the General Assembly."

Thus Virginia disposed of all her rights in and to the large territory
included within the State of North Carolina.

By this time the lands west of the mountains and extending
far into the present State of Tennessee were being rapidly settled,
and disputes were frequent and oftentimes resulted in violence.

The first controversy as to the true location of this line in this

section of Virginia arose out of the election held for members of
the House of Delegates from Washington county, in the spring
of the year 1777.

The right of Anthony Bledsoe and William Cocke, the delegates
receiving the majority of votes in that election, was contested by
Arthur Campbell and William Edmiston, the principal ground of
their contest being that Bledsoe and Cocke were elected by citizens
living in North Carolina.

The contention of Campbell and Edmiston was not sustained,
and the citizens living as far down as the Long Island of Holston
were accepted as legal voters in said election.

In the following year Arthur Campbell and Anthony Bledsoe
were elected to represent this county in the House of Delegates
of Virginia and, upon the assembling of the General Assembly,
Anthony Bledsoe presented a bill for extending the boundary line
between Virginia and North Carolina, which bill became a law at
the same session of the General Assembly.

The bill as thus passed was as follows:

Whereas, the inhabitants of this commonwealth and those of
the State of North Carolina have settled themselves farther westward
than the boundary between the said two states hath hitherto
been extended, and it becomes expedient in order to prevent disputes
among such settlers, that the same should be now farther
extended and marked. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly,
that two commissioners shall be appointed by joint ballot
of both houses of assembly, who shall have authority to meet with
others to be appointed on the part of said State of North Carolina,
and proceed to extend and mark the line between this Commonwealth
and the State of North Carolina, beginning where
Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson, commissioners from Virginia,
together with others from North Carolina, formerly appointed to
run the said line, ended their work, and, if that be found to be
truly in the latitude of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north,
then to run from thence due west to Tenasee river, or, if it be
found not truly in the said latitude, then to run from the said
place due north or south into said latitude, and thence due west to
the said Tenasee river, correcting the said course at due intervals
by astronomical observations. If either of the commissioners so
to be appointed shall decline or be unable to go through the duties

of his appointment, the governor and council shall appoint some
other to act in his stead; The said commissioners shall nominate
such skillful surveyor to execute their directions and such other
attendants as shall be necessary, and shall endeavor to procure the
most accurate instruments, which, if injured in said service, shall
be made good at the public expense, or wholly paid for, at the
election of the proprietor, if borrowed from an individual, or of
any such other person or persons, as shall have authority to make
such election, if borrowed from any seminary of learning. Each
commissioner shall be allowed for his trouble herein fifty shillings
per day for every day he shall attend. Each surveyor with the
chain carriers and other attendants, shall be allowed such sums as
the commissioners shall certify they respectively ought to receive
and be paid by the treasurer of this commonwealth out of any
publick money in his hands, together with the allowance to the
commissioners as aforesaid; and the said commissioners are hereby
directed to make a report of their proceedings to the general assembly.

And whereas, from the hostile disposition of the Indian nations,
it may be unsafe for the commissioners and attendants to
proceed on the business hereby directed, without a sufficient guard
to protect them, Be it further enacted, That the governor, with
the advice of the council, shall, on application of the commissioners
so appointed direct and order a sufficient number of officers
and men to be raised for that purpose, by voluntary enlistment, or
if that cannot be done, then to be furnished from the militia of
such counties as shall be convenient, to attend the said commissioners
as a guard, and, for their safe conduct in the prosecution
of the business by this act directed shall order them a sufficient
number of tents and camp utensils, and shall appoint a commissary
to furnish necessary provisions during the time they shall
be employed for the purpose aforesaid; which commissary shall,
previously to his entering on the execution of his office, give bond
with sufficient security for the faithful performance of his duty,
and shall receive for his services such allowance as is given to
other commissaries of this commonwealth.

In the year 1779, the Legislature of North Carolina concurred
in the action of the Legislature of Virginia and passed the following
Act:

"Whereas, the inhabitants of this State and those of the commonwealth

of Virginia, have settled themselves farther westwardly
than the boundary between the said two States hath
hitherto been extended; and it becomes expedient in order to prevent
disputes among such settlers, that the same shall be further
extended and marked. 2 Be it therefore enacted, &c., that Oroondates
Davis, John Williams (Caswell), James Kerr, William
Bailey Smith and Richard Henderson, or any three of them, be
and they are hereby appointed commissioners with full power and
authority to meet with other commissioners from the commonwealth
of Virginia, and to proceed to extend and mark the line
between that commonwealth and this State, beginning where
Joshua Frye and Peter Jefferson, commissioners on the part of
Virginia, together with Daniel Weldon and William Churton, from
North Carolina, formerly appointed to run the said line, ended
their work; and if that be found to be truly in the latitude of
thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north then to run from thence
due west to Tennessee or the Ohio river; or if it be found not truly
in said latitude, then to run from the said place due north or due
south, in the said latitude, and thence due west to the said Tennessee
or Ohio river; correcting the said course at due intervals
by astronomical observations. If either of the commissioners by
this act appointed shall decline, or be unable to go through the
duties of his appointment, the Governor and Council shall appoint
some other to act in his stead.

And the said commissioners are hereby directed to make report
of their proceedings to the General Assembly"[47]

The Governor of Virginia, pursuant to the authority vested in
him, directed Thomas Sharp and a company of militia to act as
guard to the commissioners while running the boundary line as
directed, and designated Anthony Bledsoe to act as commissary
to the commissioners and the guard while running said line.

The Governor of Virginia, pursuant to the authority vested in
him, appointed Dr. Thomas Walker and Daniel Smith commissioners
upon the part of Virginia, and the Virginia commissioners,
in the summer of 1779, met the North Carolina commissioners
at Steep Rock creek, and proceeded to discharge the duties directed
by the General Assemblies of the two States.

As to what occurred at this time and upon this undertaking, the

report of Dr. Walker and Daniel Smith is the best evidence, and
is here given:

This report of the Virginia commissioners accompanied the
Governor's communication to the Virginia House of Delegates in
the year 1780, and was received by the Legislature and ratified,
and, at the same time, Anthony Bledsoe, who had acted as commissary
to the commissioners, and Thomas Sharp and his company
of militia, who had acted as guard to the commissioners,
were allowed compensation for their expenses, etc.

If Richard Henderson and his associates made a report to the
General Assembly of North Carolina, I have not been able to obtain
it. The disorder that prevailed upon the failure of the commissioners
to agree was alarming. The criminals of the country
found a place of security between the lines as run by Walker and
Henderson, and the people living between said lines refused to
pay taxes or perform military services in either State.

The Virginia Legislature, on the 6th of June, 1781, adopted
the following resolutions:

"Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee that another
and more pointed representation may be made to the General Assembly
of North Carolina, in support of the title of the citizens
of Virginia as well as the title of others, circumstanced as they
are, to lands which, previous to the late extension of the boundary
line between this State and that of North Carolina were supposed
to be in this commonwealth, but since have been proved to lie in
the said State of North Carolina.

"Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that such other
parts of the said memorial as pray that a public agent may be appointed
to present the same to the General Assembly of said State
of North Carolina, and receive their final answer thereupon, are

reasonable and that the Governor, with the advice of the Council, be
authorized and required to appoint such an agent."

And on the 15th of December, 1783, when the situation was precarious
indeed, the General Assembly of Virginia adopted the following
resolutions:

"Resolved, That the Governor, with the advice of his Council,
be authorized and required to propose to the State of North Carolina,
either to confirm the boundary line extended by the Virginia
commissioners between the States of Virginia and North Carolina,
or to choose able commissioners from some other of the
United States, who shall begin where Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson,
commissioners from Virginia, together with others from
North Carolina, formerly appointed to run the same line, ended
their work: And if the termination of the old line be found truly
in the latitude of thirty-six degrees 30′ north, to extend the same
to the river Mississippi, and should the termination of the old
line not be truly in the latitude aforesaid, then to run from thence
due north or south to the same, and from thence due west to the
river Mississippi; and that all necessary expenses incurred in carrying
this resolution into execution be paid out of any money in
the hands of the treasurer, not otherwise appropriated."[48]

But the General Assembly of North Carolina, for some reason,
delayed action as to the confirmation of the Walker line until the
year 1789. In the meantime the authorities of Washington
county were exercising all their energies in keeping the peace and
preserving order in the disputed territory.

Colonel Arthur Campbell, the county lieutenant of Washington
county, in answer to an inquiry, addressed the following letter
to the Governor of Virginia in the year 1787:

"Sir,—If I recollect right, about the year 1749, the boundary
line betwixt Virginia and N. Carolina was extended by Col. Fry
and Jefferson as far west as a place called Steep Rock creek, since
known by the name of Laurel Fork of the Holston River. This
line being extended on the true latitude by commissioners on both
sides, and mutually agreed to was returned and recorded in Public
Offices in both States.

"In 1779, the Commissioners, Thomas Walker and Daniel
Smith, on the part of Virginia, and Richard Henderson and

James Smith on the part of North Carolina, met at the place
where Fry and Jefferson left off, and, after spending many days in
making observations, agreed to continue Fry and Jefferson's line
as the true, or at least nearest the true latitude. Both parties proceeded
amicably about 40 miles, until they crossed the north fork
of Holston, near the Great Island. By this time the Pilots and
Hunters gave it as their opinion that both Cumberland Gap and
the settlement on Cumberland River, at the French Lick, would
both fall into Virginia. A halt was made and several days passed
in making observations, debating, and even abusing one another.
Henderson said the line must be run crooked, and insisted on delay
until a parallel at two miles distant, north of the line then
run, should be extended eastward back, which would prove whether
the surveyors had lost the latitude and run the line crooked. To
this Dr. Walker assented, that if the line was found crooked he
would rectify it. The surveyors ran back accordingly, accompanied
by two commissioners, and the line was found equi-distant
in all parts that was tryed. It was then acknowledged that the
error did not proceed from the surveyors. Notwithstanding which,
Henderson proceeded westwardly on the north line and Walker on
that of the South, it being a due west direction from Steep Rock.
The Commissioners, when they reached Cumberland mountain
again, had a meeting and spent many days in taking observations.
At length Walker proceeded on over the mountain with his line,
without being accompanied by Henderson, spent the winter in
the woods and, the next spring, continued the line to the Mississippi.
The Carolina Commissioners left off at Cumberland Mountain,
and when they found that the boundary run by Dr. Walker
left the French Lick upwards of twenty miles to the South, they
seemed well satisfied, and it was generally thought that Dr. Walker's
report would be agreed to and signed by both parties. But,
from what motive I know not, yet Henderson returned his works
as run only to the Cumberland Mountain to the Executive of North
Carolina. And I have been told that the papers have since lain
dormant, no opinion having been given one way or the other.

"The People settled between those lines have ever since adhered
to either State, as Interest, caprice and sometimes very unworthy
motives dictated. Although the public authority seems, in the

first instance, to be blamable, yet the evil amongst the people is
increasing, and prudence points out delay as improper."

In the meantime Daniel Smith had appeared before the General
Assembly of North Carolina and represented to that body the
true situation of affairs in the disputed territory, and, as a result,
the committee to whom the communication from the Virginia
authorities had been referred, reported to the General Assembly
of North Carolina at their session in the fall of the year 1789,
which report is as follows:

REPORT

Of the Committee of the Legislature of North Carolina, on Walker's
Line, at their session at Fayetteville, which began on
the 2nd. of November and ended on the 22nd. of December,
1789.

Mr. Person, from the committee to whom was referred the letter
from his Excellency, the Governor of Virginia, on the subject
of establishing the boundaries between this State and Virginia,
reported that it is proposed on the part of Virginia that the line
commonly called Walker's line be established as the boundary between
us. Should this proposal not be acceptable to this State,
they then will appoint commissioners to meet any persons who
may be appointed on the part of North Carolina, empowered to
confer on the propriety of establishing Walker's or Henderson's
line, and to report to the Legislature of their respective State
their proceedings.

On examining the manner in which those lines were run by the
commissioners in the year 1780, they find that the commissioners
began and extended the line together about forty miles, when some
difference took place and the commissioners on the part of this
State ran a parallel line two miles north of the other line, for
about half the distance, and extended the line no farther. Mr.
Walker and the other commissioners from Virginia extended the
line to the Tennessee river and marked its termination on the
Mississippi by observations, leaving the line from the Tennessee
to that place unsurveyed.

As the difference between said lines would be only two miles,
running most of the distance through a mountainous, barren country,
and as they have great reason to believe, from the information

of General Smith, that the commonly called Walker's line is the
true line, your committee are of the opinion that the object is not
worth the expense of sending commissioners to confer on the
propriety of establishing Henderson's line in preference to that of
any other and do recommend that a law be passed confirming and
establishing the line usually called Walker's line as the boundary
between this State and the State of Virginia, with a reservation
in favor of the oldest grants from either State in deciding the
rights of individual claimants in the tract of country between the
two lines commonly called Henderson's and Walker's lines.

This report was not definitely acted upon until the 11th of December,
1790, upon which day an Act was passed establishing Walker's
line as the boundary line between the States, which action of
the General Assembly of North Carolina was immediately communicated
to the Governor of Virginia at the fall session, 1791,
of the General Assembly of Virginia, and on the 7th day of December
the following action was taken by the General Assembly
of Virginia:

§ 1. Whereas, official information hath been received by the
General Assembly that the Legislature of the State of North
Carolina have resolved to establish the line as the boundary line
between North Carolina and this Commonwealth, and it is judged
expedient to confirm and establish the said line on the part of
this State, be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, that
the line commonly called and known by the name of Walker's
line shall be, and the same is hereby declared, to be the boundary
line of this State.

§ 2. And be it further enacted, That in all courts of law and
equity within this Commonwealth, the claims for lands lying between
the line commonly called Walker's line and the line commonly
called Henderson's line shall be decided in favor of the
oldest title, whether derived from this Commonwealth or from
the State of North Carolina.

In the meantime the State of North Carolina, through her senators
in the Congress of the United States, had conveyed and ceded
to the United States of America all of her western possessions, including
the territory affected by the disputed line and which cession
was accepted by the Congress of the United States on the 7th
day of April, 1790.

As a result, the authorities of the southwest territory, now included
in the State of Tennessee, denied the right of North Carolina
to act in the premises, and held the action taken to be invalid,
and asserted their right to the territory lying between the Walker
and Henderson lines.

In the spring of the year 1792, the Governor of Virginia, by
proclamation, asserted the authority of this Commonwealth to the
lands in dispute, and directed Colonel Arthur Campbell, the
county lieutenant of this county, to transmit a copy of the law
and proclamation to William Blount, the Governor of the southwest
territory, and to Gilbert Christian, the county lieutenant of
Sullivan county.

Pursuant to the direction of the Governor, Colonel Campbell,
on the 7th of June, 1792, addressed the following letter to Governor
Blount:

At the same time Colonel Campbell addressed a letter to Gilbert
Christian asking information as to the orders given by Governor
Blount as to the disputed territory, and in reply received
the following letter from Gilbert Christian:

"Dear Sir,—Some days past I received a letter from you, requesting
me to inform you whether Governor Blount had given
special orders to me to draft between Walker's and Henderson's
lines. Sir, my orders are to draft the men required from the County
of Sullivan, which I conceived extends from Henderson's line

from everything I have known or seen, respecting that matter for
when the Assembly of North Carolina passed the cession Act, that
part was claimed by North Carolina, but after they passed the s'd
cession Act, and at the same Assembly they passed a resolve, giving
up that part to Virginia with a condition Congress would consent
to it, which has never been done as I know of. I have seen a
proclamation from the Governor of Virginia, informing the people
in those bounds that the Assembly of North Carolina made such
a Resolve, and at the next year's Assembly they appointed a committee
to confirm the s'd Resolve, which they did, But Congress
had received the cession Act, before that several months, and
appointed and commissioned Governor Blount to exercise his authority
over the ceded territory. I cannot see what right North
Carolina had to say anything about our territory, without our consent
or the consent of Congress, for the Constitution says the people
are not to be bound by law, but by their own consent, either by
themselves or by their Representatives in General Assembly. So,
Sir, I apprehend the State of Pennsylvania had as great a right
to have confirmed the aforesaid Resolve as the State of North
Carolina. If the Executive of your State had mentioned in the
Proclamation a confirmation of the Resolve aforesaid by Congress,
it might have been considered authentick, but as it is I cannot conceive
it so."

Upon the receipt of this letter, Colonel Campbell enclosed the
same to the Governor of Virginia, and addressed the following
letter to the Governor:

And it is deemed proper and expedient that the said boundary
line so fixed and ascertained as aforesaid should be established and
confirmed on the part of this Commonwealth.

"Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth
of Virginia, That the said boundary line between
this State and the State of Tennessee, as laid down, fixed and
ascertained by the said commissioners above named, in their said
report above recited, shall be, and is hereby fully and absolutely,
to all intents and purposes whatsoever ratified, established and
confirmed on the part of this Commonwealth, as the true, certain
and real boundary line between the said States.

"7. All claims or titles to lands derived from the government
of North Carolina or Tennessee, which said lands by the adjustment
and establishment of the line aforesaid, have fallen into this
State, shall remain as secure to the owners thereof as if derived
from the government of Virginia, and shall not be in any wise
prejudiced or affected in consequence of the establishment of
the said line.

"8. The acts of all public officers, whether magistrates, sheriffs,
coroners, surveyors or constables, heretofore done or performed in
that portion of territory between the lines called Walker's and
Henderson's lines, which has fallen into this State by the adjustment
of the present line and which would have been legal if done
or performed in the States of North Carolina or Tennessee, are
hereby recognized and confirmed.

"9. This act shall commence and be in force, from after the
passing of a like law on the part of the State of Tennessee."

The General Assembly of the State of Tennessee on November
3, 1803, adopted an act confirming the report of the commissioners
establishing the boundary line between the two States and
confirming the title of all lands lying in the State of Tennessee
granted by the Commonwealth of Virginia as fully as if said land
had been granted by the State of Tennessee.

The act in question is identical with the act of the Virginia
Assembly before given.

It was supposed that the boundary line thus established would
forever settle this question, but by the year 1856 it seems that the
old controversy was renewed, and in that year the General Assembly
of Virginia passed an act appointing two commissioners to
meet commissioners appointed by the State of Tennessee to again
run and mark the boundary line between the States. The General
Assembly of Tennessee did not take action in this matter until
the first of March, 1858, on which day an act was passed authorizing
the Governor of the State of Tennessee to appoint two
commissioners to meet the commissioners appointed by the Commonwealth
of Virginia to re-run and mark the line of 1802, and
said commissioners were directed to cause monuments of stone to
be permanently planted on said line where there is now growing
timber by which the line may be plainly marked, said stones to
be planted at least one in every five miles.

The commissioners thus appointed were given full power and
authority to re-run and mark the line of 1802, and it was made
their duty to employ a field party to consist of one engineer, one
surveyor, one back-sighter, one axe-man and such others as were
necessary, the said engineer and surveyor to be well qualified to
make said survey upon scientific principles, said commissioners to
superintend the work.

The Governor of Virginia appointed James C. Black and
Leonidas Baugh commissioners upon the part of Virginia, and
the Governor of Tennessee appointed Samuel Milligan and George
B. McClelland commissioners upon the part of Tennessee, to run
and re-mark said line. The commissioners thus appointed began
work on the 29th of September, 1858, and on the 3d of December,
1859, submitted their report to the executives of the State of
Tennessee and the State of Virginia. Their report was in the
following words and figures, to-wit:

SURVEYOR'S REPORT.

This report was disapproved and rejected by the General Assembly
of Virginia on the 9th of March, 1860, and the Governor
of the Commonwealth was authorized and directed to settle with

Baugh and Black for services rendered, and to appoint one or more
commissioners to run again and re-mark the line between Virginia
and Tennessee in strict conformity with the compact of 1802.

The result of this effort to run and re-mark the line of 1802
having failed, the entire question was again open for discussion
and controversy.

In the year 1869, the superintendent of the United States Coast
Survey directed Richard B. Cutts to proceed to Bristol, with instructions
to observe the solar eclipse on August 7th, and to connect
the station at Bristol with one or more of the monuments
which mark the boundary line in that vicinity. Pursuant to instructions,
Mr. Cutts proceeded to Bristol, and, after having discharged
his duties, made the following report to his superior.

In the year 1871, the General Assembly of Virginia passed an
act providing for the appointment of commissioners to ascertain
and locate the true boundary line between this State and the State
of Tennessee, and in the year 1886 a similar act was adopted, but
the State of Tennessee persistently refusing to take any action
looking to a settlement of the question, the General Assembly of
Virginia, on the 31st day of January, 1890, passed an act repealing
the act of the General Assembly of Virginia passed on the 22d
of January, 1803, confirming and establishing the boundary line
between this State and the State of Tennessee as ascertained by the
report of the commissioners appointed in that year, and declared
the true line of this State to be in latitude 36°, 30′ north; and that
the line agreed upon between the States on the 22d of January,
1803, was erroneous by reason of mistakes in fact caused by defective
instruments and incompetent observers, and that the same is
not obligatory on the State. In the meantime, on the 7th day of
January, 1890, a suit had been instituted in the Supreme Court of
the United States by the Commonwealth of Virginia through her
attorneys, R. A. Ayers and William F. Rhea vs. the Commonwealth
of Tennessee, the object of the suit being to have the Supreme
Court of the United States declare the true line between the States
to be 36°, 30′ north latitude, as provided for in the original charter
of the colonies of Virginia and North Carolina.

Numerous depositions were taken in this case, and the Supreme
Court of the United States, on the 3d day of April, 1893, rendered
their opinion, and decided that Virginia was estopped by her action
in the year 1803, and declaring the true line between the States
to be the compromise line of 1803.[49]

Controversies between the citizens of Virginia and the citizens
of Tennessee at this time and for some time previous thereto were

of frequent occurrence, and oftentimes seriously threatened the
breach of the peace.

In the year 1889, N. T. Wills, Joseph Southerland and R. R.
Butler undertook to take possession of a tract of land situated near
Green Cove in this county, the property of Marion Miller and the
heirs of George W. Hopkins, deceased, and continued their efforts
until the year 1892, in which year Marion Miller obtained an injunction
from the judge of the Circuit Court of this county restraining
the said Wills, Southerland and Butler from interfering
with said property, and in the month of October, 1893, the defendants
answered in said suit. Numerous depositions were taken,
and on the 24th of May, 1895, the judge of the Circuit Court of
this county rendered an opinion, holding that the summit of White
Top, as the beginning of the compromise line of 1802, did not
mean, nor never was intended to mean, the top of the highest peak
of that mountain, but that it meant the top of the mountain at
the point where the compromise line run by the commissioners of
1802 began. But the court, in view of the fact that the corner
where the line of 1802 actually began was uncertain, ordered and
decreed that the following issues out of chancery should be tried
at the bar of the court, namely:

First. Does the compromise line of 1802, between the States of
Virginia and Tennessee, as located and established by General Joseph
Martin, Creed Taylor and Peter Johnston, commissioners on
the part of Virginia, and Moses Fisk, General John Sevier and
General George Rutledge, commissioners on the part of Tennessee,
lie south or north of the lands in controversy?

Second. At what point did it actually begin, and in what direction
was it actually run and located until it passed west of the
lands now claimed by complainant and in controversy in this cause?

This issue was tried by a jury, composed of R. P. Carson, W. O.
Booker, H. B. Roberts, D. A. Jones, Jerry Whitaker, Thomas H.
Akers, J. C. Hayter, George Keller, James Hagy, W. F. Arnett,
Robert Miller, and James Fields.

This jury, after hearing all the evidence produced by the parties,
returned the following verdict:

"1st. We, the jury, find and decide that the compromise line of
1802-'03 runs south of the land in controversy.

"2nd. The jury further find that the point where that line began

is on the summit of Pond Mountain, and runs due west beyond
the lands in controversy."

The defendants moved the court to set aside this verdict of the
jury and grant them a new trial, and the court, in the month of
January, 1896, delivered an opinion disagreeing with the jury in
their conclusions and adjudging that the top of Pond mountain was
not the summit of White Top, where the said line began, and fixed
said line north, instead of south, of the land in controversy, and
declared the land in controversy to be in the State of Tennessee
and without the jurisdiction of the court.

From this opinion of the court the plaintiff, Marion Miller, appealed
to the Court of Appeals of Virginia, and that court, on the
18th of November, 1897, delivered an opinion reversing the judgment
of the Circuit Court of Washington county and fixing the
boundary line between the States of Virginia and Tennessee as a
straight line, beginning on the top of White Top mountain where
the northeastern corner of Tennessee terminates and following a due
west course midway between Walker's and Henderson's lines to the
top of the Cumberland mountain where the southwestern corner of
Virginia terminates.[50]

By this decision the contention of the citizens of the State of
Virginia was sustained, and the position of the claimants of lands
under titles derived from the State of Virginia was greatly
strengthened.

Thus matters stood when, on the 30th day of April, 1900, a
consent decree was entered by the Supreme Court of the United
States in the suit of Tennessee, complainant, vs. the State of Virginia,
defendant, directing commissioners to ascertain, retrace, remark
and re-establish the boundary line between the State of Tennessee
and the State of Virginia as fixed in the year 1803.

W. C. Hodgkins, J. B. Baylor and Andrew H. Buchanan were
appointed commissioners to execute said decree.

These commissioners proceeded to execute this decree, and on
the 5th day of January, 1903, filed their report in the clerk's office
of the Supreme Court of the United States, which report is in the
words and figures following, to-wit:

Detailed report of the operations of the commission appointed
by the Supreme Court of the United States (April 30, 1900,) to
retrace and re-mark the boundary line between the States of Tennessee
and Virginia.

At the date of the above decree and for several months thereafter
the State of Virginia had no funds available for the proceedings
ordered by the court, and none could be had until there could
be a session of the State Legislature to make the needed appropriation.
It was, therefore, necessary for your commissioners to
seek an extension of the time within which they might make their
report, and, upon the motion of the attorney-general of Virginia,
an extension was granted until the next term of court.

At a session of the General Assembly of Virginia held in the
winter of 1900-1901, the sum of five thousand dollars was appropriated
for the purpose of paying Virginia's share of the expenses
of this boundary survey. The Tennessee Legislature had previously
made a like appropriation.

Your commissioners, therefore, made preparations for beginning
the execution of their duties under your decree of April 30, 1900,
as early in the season of 1901 as the weather conditions should permit.

The commission held its first meeting at Washington, D. C., on
May 16, 1901, and organized by choosing William C. Hodgkins,
of the State of Massachusetts, as chairman, James B. Baylor, of
the State of Virginia, as secretary, and Andrew H. Buchanan, of
the State of Tennessee, as treasurer.

At this meeting there was a full discussion of the problem presented
and of the method of work which might be most suitable
under all the conditions. Arrangements were also made for procuring
the necessary camp outfit and supplies.

Through the courtesy of the superintendent of the United States
Coast and Geodetic Survey your commissioners were able to procure
from that bureau, without charge, not only the outfit of tents
and camp furniture required for the shelter and comfort of the
party, but also valuable instruments needed for the survey.

This relieved the States of Tennessee and Virginia of a considerable
expense which would otherwise have been unavoidable.
The two States were spared another heavy item of expense by the
fact that each of your commissioners is a civil engineer and entirely

familiar with work of this nature. It was, therefore, unnecessary
to follow the usual course of employing engineers or surveyors to
carry out the field work under the direction of the commissioners.
Instead of that, your commissioners themselves conducted all the
field work, hiring only such rodmen, axemen, etc., as were necessary
from time to time. By such methods and by exercising rigid
economy in all their expenditures, your commissioners have been
able to complete the entire work, including the setting of cut-stone
monuments and also including the amount charged for their own
remuneration for the sum of $9,475.99, which is but little more
than the amount charged to the State of Virginia alone by the joint
commission of 1858-1859.

It having been decided at the first meeting of the commission
that the most convenient place for beginning field operations would
be the city of Bristol, which is located directly upon the boundary
line, the commission adjourned to that place.

Field-work was begun on May 22, 1901, with the examination of
a portion of the line east of Bristol, where a number of trees were
found which bore the marks of the surveys of 1802 and 1858-'59.
As there have been considerable controversy and conflicting testimony
in regard to the nature of these old marks, it may be well to
show by diagrams and photographs the actual arrangements and
appearance of those of both years, as well as of the somewhat different
mark which was used for the present re-marking by your
commissioners:

 

1802.	1859.	1902.

While the marks made in 1858-'59 are still numerous in forested
areas and are generally easily distinguishable, those made in 1802
are becoming scarce, and sometimes are barely discernible when
found.

This is shown in the accompanying photograph of a large white
oak tree, upon which the marks of 1858-'59 can readily be traced,
while only three of those made in 1802 can be distinguished, and
those with difficulty. The marks of 1802 were apparently made
with a small and light hatchet, and on many trees which have a

thick and rough bark the hatchet does not seem to have reached
the wood, and in such cases the gradual exfoliation of the bark
has often nearly or entirely obliterated the mark. Where the wood
was wounded a small burr has formed, which can nearly always be
recognized; but cuts which did not completely penetrate the bark
have sometimes disappeared.

The marks left by the survey of 1858-'59 were found of very
great value as guides to the older "diamond" marks of 1802. Both
marks were often found on the same tree, and it was a rare occurrence
to find the diamond mark without the mark of 1859 either
above or below it. In fact, it was very soon noticed that the mere
fact of finding the mark of 1858-'59 either above or below the normal
position on a tree was an almost certain indication that a diamond
mark had been found there at the date of the latter marking,
even though, through the action of time and the elements, all vestiges
of it may now have disappeared. Since the date of the last
survey, very many marked trees have been destroyed through various
agencies, especially since the more rapid development of this
section in the recent years has caused a greater demand for lumber,
and in some places the trees bearing the old marks are so far
apart and the marks themselves are so faint that great trouble and
delay would often have been experienced in the search for these old
marks had it not been for the aid afforded by the marks of 1858-'59,
which always proved reliable guides by which to find the older
marks.

In this connection it may not be inappropriate for your commissioners
to state that they everywhere found that the joint commission
of 1859 did its work in a careful and conscientious manner,
and that they believe its line, as marked on the growing timber, is
identical with that marked by the joint commission of 1802, and
that full credence should be given to statements of fact in the report
of that survey.

From a point about a mile and a quarter east of Bristol the line
was traced without difficulty, other than that due to the broken nature
of the country traversed, as far as the beginning of what is
commonly known as the Denton Valley offset.

At this point occurs the greatest and most remarkable irregularity
in the whole course of this line, there being a deflection from
the direct course of 66°, 10′ for a distance of 8715.6 feet. The

portion of the boundary east of the offset is further north than that
west of the offset, so that the deflection is to the south in going
westward from the eastern end of the line, the direction in which
it was originally run out, or to the north in working eastward from
Bristol, as was done in the present survey for reasons of convenience.
In either case the deflection is to the left hand; but it is not
the same in each case, as the two portions of the line east and west
of the offsets are not exactly parallel to each other. This difference
of direction amounts to 1°, 30′, as shown on the map of the
line accompanying this report.

Owing to the long controversy over this offset and the persistent
assertions of certain parties that marked timber would be found on
the eastern prolongation of the portion of the line extending from
Bristol to Denton's valley, if the same were run out, your commissioners
felt obliged, in order to settle the question for all time, to
run out this line and make a careful search for marked timber
along its course. This was accordingly done and a careful examination
of the timber on each side of the transit line was made as
the work progressed, but with only negative results.

Although several weeks were spent in running this line across
the series of very rough and heavily-timbered mountains lying
between Denton's valley and Pond Mountain, near the corner of
North Carolina, and although every story brought to the commissioners
by people interested in the result was carefully examined,
your commissioners were utterly unable to find or have pointed out
to them one authentic mark of the line 1802, either on this line or
anywhere in its vicinity.

On the other hand, the "offset line" and the portion of the line
running eastward from the offset to the vicinity of the White Top
mountain were found well marked; both the 1802 and the 1858-'59
marks were found at frequent intervals.

In order to be assured that these marks were authentic, blocks
were cut from several of these trees at different points on said
offset line, and the ages of the marks were determined by counting
the rings of the annual growth.

These tests showed that the marks were of the supposed age.
The ages of the most important marks were verified by the United
States Bureau of Forestry. As was found in 1858-'59, the marking
of the timber ceased (or began) on a comparatively low eminence,

known as Burnt Hill, which from the neighboring heights of White
Top or Pond mountain seems to be in the bottom of a hollow.

The apparent discrepancy between this situation and the language
of the report of the joint commissioners of 1802, which
reads: "Beginning on the summit of the mountain generally known
as the White Top mountain," etc., has led some to suppose that
the line should be extended further east, to the summit of the so-called
"divide" or watershed between the tributaries of the Holston
and New rivers.

There seems, however, nothing to support this theory except the
somewhat hazy idea that the eastern end or point of beginning of
this line ought to be on a summit.

As a matter of fact, the actual end of the line of Burnt Hill is
on quite as much of a summit as if it had been on the "divide,"
which in this place is so low and flat as to be scarcely perceptible
as an elevation of any importance. It certainly could never be supposed
to be the summit of White Top mountain, which towers far
above it, its huge, dome-like bulk filling the northeastern horizon.

No marked trees of 1802 or 1858-'59 could be found east of
Burnt Hill, though the line was produced through heavy timber of
original growth to the "divide," and careful search was made for
them. The same condition was found in 1859, as reported by the
commission of that year. A point which that commission seems
to have overlooked is the important fact that the eastern end of
the marked line at Burnt Hill is almost exactly in line between
the corner of North Carolina, on Pond Mountain, and the summit
of White Top mountain. What more likely than that the
commissioners of 1802, who had agreed to lay out a line equally
distant from the older lines, known as Walker's and Henderson's
and beginning on the summit of the mountain generally known
as the White Top mountain, should begin at the point where the
Walker line reached the northwestern corner of North Carolina,
and where accordingly the jurisdiction of Tennessee should begin,
and run thence in the direction of the most important peak to the
northward and eastward until they reached the desired middle
point between the lines of Walker and Henderson, and from that
point started on their westerly course. It is hard to understand
why they should have omitted to mark this part of the line; but
this small bit of boundary extending from the northeast corner of

Tennessee to the northwest corner of North Carolina seems to have
been somewhat overlooked in more recent proceedings. Your commissioners
respectfully recommend that the straight line between
these two points be declared to be the boundary, believing as they
do, in the absence of any marks to the contrary, that this was the
original and true line. All of this section is composed of very
rugged and densely-wooded mountains with but a scanty population.

The progress of the work in this mountainous anl almost inaccessible
region was delayed not only by the nature of the country
and by the fact that in this very worst part of the whole line it was
necessary to run out these two independent lines, doubling the labor
to be expended, but also by the unfortunately rainy weather which
was experienced. The frequent and heavy rains often stopped
field work, washed the few roads so badly that they became almost
impassable, and raised the streams so high that sometimes for
days at a time it was impossible to ford them.

It was not until September 21st that your commissioners were
able to close work in the White Top region and return to Bristol
to start westward from that place towards Cumberland Gap.

For the remainder of the season, however, both the weather and
the nature of the country were much more favorable for field
operations, and excellent progress was made, though it was impossible
to complete the work before the approach of winter.

So far as the portion of the boundary passing through the central
portion of the city of Bristol is concerned, the labors of your
commissioners were forestalled by a special act of the General
Assembly of the State of Tennessee, approved January 28, 1901,
ceding to the State of Virginia the northern half of the main
street of the two cities. The General Assembly of Virginia accepted
the cession by an act approved February 9, 1901, and the
action of the two legislatures was subsequently ratified by the Congress
and approved by the President of the United States March
3, 1901. This cession covers, however, but a small part of the
boundary, extending only from the northwest corner of the old
town of Bristol on the west to the western boundary of the Bristol
cemetery on the east. As it is important to guard against the
possible renewal of this long-standing controversy, and as the town
is already extending beyond the above limits, it was deemed proper

to mark the old diamond line by monuments, just as if there had
been no legal change in the boundary for this short distance. But
your commissioners regret to report that they have been unable to
reach a unanimous conclusion in regard to the true location of the
said diamond line within and near the above limits.

Commissioners Hodgkins and Buchanan, after careful study of
all the evidence of record and after diligent examination of the
ground, are of the opinion that the said diamond line of 1802-1803
runs from monument No. 25, near the first marked trees east of
Bristol, in a straight line, to monument No. 26, on the western
boundary of the Bristol cemetery and on the north line of Main or
State street; thence along the northern line of said Main or State
street to "a planted stone in the edge of a field formerly owned by
Z. L. Burson, being the northwest corner of the corporate territory
of the old town of Bristol" referred to in the act of cession, supra;
and thence in a straight line to monument No. 28 in the fork of the
main road and near the first marked trees west of Bristol.

Commissioner Baylor, on the other hand, after equally careful
consideration of all the evidence of record and diligent examination
of the ground, is of the opinion that the said diamond line of
1802-1803 runs from monument No. 25, near the first marked tree
east of Bristol, in a straight line to monument No. 27, situated
just outside of the wall of the Bristol cemetery, and on the middle
line of Main or State street as it runs west from this point; and
thence in a straight line along the middle of Main or State street
to monument No. 28, near the centre of the fork of the main road
and near the first marked trees of 1858-'59 west of Bristol.

The said line running through the centre of Main or State street
is just thirty feet south of monument No. 26 on the north property
line of Main or State street outside the western wall of Bristol
cemetery.

Westward from Bristol, the boundary was retraced without difficulty
by the marked trees, just as in the previous work to the
eastward.

Only one marked deviation from the general course of the line
was encountered during the remainder of the season. This was on
the property formerly known as the Hickman place, in the vicinity
of the village of Bloomingdale, Tennessee.

Here the line was found to have a deflection of 8°, 30′ to the

right or north for the distance of 3161.8 feet. From the western
end of this offset the line resumed its general westerly course,
and so continued until the end of the work of that year. As the
season advanced it became evident that even under the most favorable
conditions it would be impossible to complete the survey without
working far into the winter, which on many accounts was undesirable.

The attorney-generals of the two States therefore joined in a
request for a further extension of time within which your commissioners
might file their report, and this honorable court thereupon
extended that time until the opening of the October term,
1902.

The field operations for the season of 1901 were closed at the
end of October, at which time the survey had been extended to the
Clinch river, forty-three miles east of Cumberland Gap, the total
length of boundary retraced being seventy miles, besides sixteen
miles of trial line run on the extension of the "straight line" from
Denton's valley to Pond mountain.

Before the opening of the field work for the season 1902 a complaint
reached your commissioners from a citizen of Johnson
county, Tennessee, supposed to be reliable, to the effect that interested
parties were interfering with the marks placed on the line the
previous year, and that, in some cases at least, the monuments had
not been properly placed by the persons employed for that purpose.

Although these statements seem scarcely credible in view of the
general interest taken in the work by the inhabitants, your commissioners
thought it best to investigate the matter and to satisfy
themselves by personal inspection that the monuments had remained
undisturbed in their proper places.

This was accordingly done at the outset of the season's work,
and it was ascertained that the stories of falsification of the marking
were without any foundation of fact; that all the monuments
between the northeast corner of Tennessee and Bristol had been
properly set, and that none of them had been disturbed.

These preliminary operations occupied the time from June 23
to July 4, on which day your commissioners returned to Bristol.
After placing some additional monuments on the old line in and
near Bristol they proceeded to Gate City, Virginia, where the

camp outfit had been stored at the close of the work in the preceding
autumn, and at once went into camp at Robinett, Tennessee,
west of the north fork of the Clinch river.

The survey of the boundary line was resumed at the point where
it had been suspended the year before, at the crossing of Clinch
river near Church's ford.

From this point to Cumberland Gap the line crosses a succession
of mountains and valleys with comparatively little level or cleared
land. Little difficulty was experienced in tracing the line in this
part of its course, the marked trees being generally found at frequent
intervals. The line preserved its general course as before,
except that two deflections to the northward were found, which
were similar to that found the year before near Bloomingdale.

The first of these occurred on the mountain called Wallen's
Ridge, where the line made a deflection of 19° to the north before
reaching the summit, and kept that course for a distance of 4643.7
feet before resuming its usual direction. There were numerous
trees with both the 1802 and 1859 marks on this deflected line.

The final deflection of 4° 10′ to the north for a distance of
6503.3 feet began at the "old furnace road" near Station creek,
less than three miles from the west end of the line on Cumberland
mountain. From the western end of this offset the line runs
straight to the terminus.

There has been considerable controversy and litigation over
these last three miles of the boundary, and a number of witnesses
have testified in the case of Virginia ag't Tennessee, Supreme
Court United States, October term 1891, that there were none of
the marks of the previous surveys remaining between Station creek
and the summit of Cumberland mountain, owing to the destruction
of the timber in that area during the military operations of the
Civil war.

Your commissioners were able to find, however, three trees well
marked with the mark of 1859 survey, and at least one of these
bore evidence in the position of this mark that an old diamond
mark was formerly visible above it.

These marked trees were found on the east and west part of the
line west of the offset, and are in excellent alignment, and settled
beyond the possibility of doubt the location of this part of the
boundary, and hence the short remaining distance to the summit

of Cumberland mountain. This line passes near and a little south
of the old mill several times referred to in the case above cited, and
thence across the Union railroad station, leaving most of the town
of Cumberland Gap in Tennessee. The summit of Cumberland
mountain was reached on Saturday, August 23, 1902, and on the
following Monday the field work of the survey was completed and
the camp outfit was packed and shipped to Washington. Your
commissioners then separated; Professor Buchanan returned to
his home at Lebanon, Tennessee, to work up his field notes, and
Mr. Hodgkins to Washington, to attend to business of the commission
and to draft a report of its operations, while Mr. Baylor
remained on the ground until September 13, superintending the
placing of monuments along the part of the line surveyed in 1902.

In conclusion, your commissioners state that they have found the
duties imposed upon them by your instructions often arduous
and exacting, and that the survey just completed proved far more
laborious, and was attended by greater hardships, than any of them
had anticipated; but that they have nevertheless given the same
careful attention to every part of it, and that they believe it to be
correct throughout.

List of monuments of cut limestone and other durable marks as
hereinafter more fully described:

(1)—At northeast corner of Tennessee, at Burnt Hill.

(2)—On summit of Flat Spring ridge.

(3)—On Valley Creek road on John Tolliver's place.

(4)—On road from Laurel river to White Top mountain near an
old mill.

(5)—On road up Laurel river near a double ford.

On summit of Iron mountain, near the north end of the rocky
bluff, a cairn of rocks was erected.

(6)—At eastern foot Holston mountain, a short distance from
Beaver Dam creek and the Virginia and Carolina railway.

Coast and Geodetic Survey triangulation station, "Damascus,"
on summit of Holston mountain, a stone marked [ILLUSTRATION]

(7)—On Rockhouse Branch road in the valley on Mary Nealy
place.

(8)—On road from Barron railway station to New Shady road
cut-stone monument of 1858-'59.

(9)—In woods north of New Shady road where the line changes
its course to south 23° 50′ west (mag.) a marked deflection from
the general course of the line.

(10)—On the New Shady road where this deflected line
crosses it.

(11)—In woods on Little mountain west of Cox creek where
this bearing of south 23° 50′ west (mag.) ends, and the line resumes
its general course to the westward.

(12)—On the road just north of cross road leading to Thomas
Denton's place.

(13)—On road on hill on C. D. Short's place.

(14)—On road on east bank of the south fork of Holston river,
cut-stone monument of 1858-'59.

(15)—On hill in George Garrett's cow lot west and north of
south fork Holston river.

(16)—On road to King's mill near John Buckle's house.

(17)—On road to King's Mill via Thomas' place.

(18)—On summit of open hill east of Painter place, concrete
monument.

(19)—On road running east of Painter house.

(20)—On road running west of Painter house, cut-stone monument
of 1858-'59.

(21)—On road through woods west of Painter property.

(22)—On summit of first high ridge east of Paperville road.

(23)—On Paperville road at Jones' place.

(24)—On road west of Carmack house.

(25)—On Booher place near first marked tree of 1858-'59 east
of Bristol.

(26)—On north property line of the main street of Bristol outside
the western wall of the cemetery. Commissioner Baylor does
not consider this a part of the true line.

(27)—Outside the street wall of Bristol cemetery at the point
where the average centre line of Main street intersects said wall.
Commissioners Hodgkins and Buchanan do not consider this a
point on the boundary. A stone post in the edge of a field formerly
owned by Z. L. Burson at the northwest corner of the old corporate

territory of the old town of Bristol. Commissioner Baylor does
not consider this a point on the boundary.

(28)—In the fork of the main road west of the town of Bristol.

(29)—On the road to Bristol east of Worley place.

(30)—On road to Bristol west of Worley place.

Coast and Geodetic Survey triangulation station, "Dunn," on
summit of ridge on old Dunn's place, stone marked [ILLUSTRATION]

(31)—On Dishner Valley road.

(32)—On road to Bristol east of Gumm spring.

(33)—On road to Bristol near Tallman house.

(34)—On road in valley west of old abandoned railway bed.

(35)—On Scott road.

(36)—On road west of Akard place.

(37)—On road near Jackson place.

(38)—On Boozey Creek road.

(39)—On road to Hilston ford, cut-stone monument 1858-'59.

(40)—On Timbertree road.

(41)—Between two roads just east of Gate City road.

(42)—In woods west of Gate City road where there is a deflection
of 8° 30′ to the right or north from the general course of the
line on old Hickman place.

(43)—In woods northeast of Bloomingdale where this 8° 30′ deflection
from the general course of the line ends in going westward
and line resumes its general course.

(44)—On road to Bloomingdale.

(45)—On Wall Gap road.

(46)—On road up ravine.

(47)—On Carter Valley road.

(48)—On Gate City and Kingsport road, cut-stone monument of
1858-'59.

Coast and Geodetic Survey triangulation station, "Cloud," on
bluff of North Holston river, stone marked [ILLUSTRATION]

(49)—On east bank of North Holston river.

(50)—On road on west bank of North Holston river.

(51)—At cross roads on Stanley Valley road, cut-stone monument
of 1858-'59.

(52)—On Stanley Valley road on hill at turn in road.

(53)—On Cameron postoffice road.

(54)—On Stanley Valley road south of barn of N. J. Bussell,
cut-stone monument of 1858-'59.

(55)—On Stanley Valley road, cut-stone monument of 1858-'59.

(56)—On road which runs across Opossum ridge.

(57)—On Moore's Gap road.

(58)—On Caney Valley road.

(59)—On Little Poor Valley road south of Mary Field house.

(60)—On Poor Valley road, cut-stone monument of 1858-'59.

On summit of Clinch mountain, cairn of rocks erected a few
feet south of the Coast and Geodetic Survey triangulation station,
"Wildcat," which station marked with [ILLUSTRATION] cut in sandstone rock.

(61)—On Clinch Valley road.

(62)—On road on east bank of Clinch river above Church's ford.

(63)—On road at Jane Bagley's house.

On summit of open hill east of Fisher Valley road line, crosses
solid rock. Small hole drilled in it with a T cut south of hole and
V north of it.

(64)—On Fisher Valley road.

On summit of a high ridge east of Robinett line, crosses solid
rock. Small hole drilled in it with V cut on north side of hole and
T south of it.

(65)—On road at Robinett.

On side of ridge at east edge of woods line, crosses rock. Small
hole drilled in it with V cut on north side of hole and T on south
of it.

On summit of Newman's ridge line, crosses rock similarly marked.

(66)—On Rogersville and Jonesville road.

(67)—On Little Creek road.

(68)—On Sneedville and Black Water Salt Works road.

(69)—On Black Water Valley road near J. Mullen's house.

Coast and Geodetic Survey triangulation station, "Powell," on
summit of Powell mountain, large sandstone rock marked [ILLUSTRATION]

(70)—On Mulberry Gap and Wallen Creek road near large
poplar.

(71)—Near junction of Mulberry Gap and Jonesville roads.

(72)—On east face of Wallen's ridge on edge of trail over ridge
where there is a deflection to the right or north of 19° from the
general course of the line.

On summit of Wallen's ridge line, crosses large sandstone rock.
Small hole cut in it with V cut north of hole and T south of it.

(73)—On west face of Wallen's ridge in open field on the
boundary fence of Mollie Thompson and J. W. Moore, where this
deflection of 19° from the general course of the line ends in going
westward and line resumes its general course.

(74)—On road east of Powell river and north of Welch or
Baldwin ford.

On rock bluff west of Powell river a small hole was cut with V
north of this hole and T south of it.

(75)—On Powell river and Sneedville road, on west hill of
Powell river, rough stone monument with V cut on north face and
T on south face.

(76)—On Powell river and Sneedville road.

(77)—On Martin Creek road.

(78)—On Low Hollow road.

(79)—On Four Mile Creek road.

(80)—On Bayless' Mill road.

(81) On Ball's Mill road.

Coast and Geodetic Survey triangulation station, "Minter," on
summit of hill near gate and fence corner.

(83)—On road south of Jacob Estep's house.

(84)—On East Machine Branch road.

(85)—On West Machine Branch road.

(86)—On Ducktown road.

(87)—On Mud Hollow Hole road near large limestone spring.

(88)—On Hoskin's Valley road near large limestone spring.

(89)—On George Souther's saw-mill road.

(90)—On Louisville and Nashville railway near Brooks' crossing.

(91)—On old Iron Works roads where there is a deflection of
4° 10′ to the right on north from the general course of the line.

(92)—On Station Creek road.

(93)—On the east side of Poor Valley ridge where this deflection
of 4° 10′ from the general course of the line ends in going
westward and line resumes its general course.

(94)—On Cumberland Gap and Virginia road east of Cumberland
Gap.

(95)—On small hill just east of road connecting Cumberland
Gap with Old Virginia and Cumberland Gap road in the edge of
the old town park.

(96)—On side of open hill facing south about two and one-half
squares east of the Tazewell and Kentucky roads at Cumberland
Gap.

(97)—On west side of Tazewell and Kentucky roads and just
east of woolen factory at Cumberland Gap.

(98)—At foot of Cumberland mountain west of the Union Railway
station and in line with the south edge of the south chimney
of said Union Railway station.

(99)—On summit of Cumberland mountain. The monument
of cut limestone had V and T cut on its adjacent vertical faces
and "Corner" cut on its top. Its base is set in cement and broken
rock with one diagonal running east and west. The summit of the
sandstone ledge was blasted in order to set this monument.

In addition to the cut-stone monuments and other durable marks
your commissioners marked with six chops, thus:

the trees on and within ten feet of this line on each side.

Your commissioners unanimously agree in recommending that
the rights of individuals having claims or titles to lands on either
side of said boundary line as ascertained, re-marked and re-established
by your commissioners shall not in consequence thereof in
any wise be prejudiced or affected where said individuals have paid
their taxes in good faith in the wrong State.

William C. Hodgkins,
Commissioner.

[ILLUSTRATION][Description: [SEAL.]]

James B. Baylor,
Commissioner.

[ILLUSTRATION][Description: [SEAL.]]

Andrew H. Buchanan,
Commissioner.

The Supreme Court of the United States on the 1st day of June,
1903, confirmed this report and entered the following order:

This cause came on to be heard on May 18, 1903, on the proceedings
heretofore had herein and upon the report of William C.
Hodgkins, James B. Baylor and Andrew H. Buchanan, commissioners
appointed by the decretal order herein of April 30, 1900, to
ascertain, retrace, re-mark and re-establish the real, certain and
true boundary line between the States of Tennessee and Virginia
as actually run and located from White Top mountain to Cumberland
Gap under proceedings had between the two States in 18011803,
and as adjudged and decreed by this court in its decree of
April 3, 1893, in a certain original case in equity wherein the State
of Virginia was complainant and the State of Tennessee was defendant,
which report is annexed hereto and made part hereof.

And it appearing to the court that said report was filed in this
court on the 5th day of January, 1903, and that the same is unexcepted
to by either party in any respect, therefore, upon the motion
of the State of Tennessee by her attorney-general and of the
State of Virginia by her attorney-general, it is ordered that said
report be, and the same is hereby, in all things confirmed.

It is thereupon ordered, adjudged and decreed that the real,
certain and true boundary line between the States of Tennessee
and Virginia as actually run and located under the compact and
proceedings had between the two States in 1801-1803, and as adjudged
by this court on the 3d day of April, 1893, in said original
cause in equity wherein the State of Virginia was complainant and
the State of Tennessee was defendant as aforesaid, was at the institution
of this suit, and now is, except as hereinafter shown, as
described and delineated in said report filed herein on January 5,
1903, as aforesaid.

And it further appearing to the court, and it being so admitted
by both parties, that since the institution of this suit and the decretal
order of April 30, 1900, as aforesaid, a compact was entered
into by the States of Tennessee and Virginia expressed in the concurrent
laws of said States, namely, the act of the General Assembly
of Tennessee, approved January 28, 1901, entitled "An act to
cede to the State of Virginia a certain narrow strip of territory belonging
to the State of Tennessee lying between the northern
boundary line of the city of Bristol, in the county of Sullivan,

and the southern boundary line of the city of Bristol, in the county
of Washington, State of Virginia, being the northern half of
Main street of the said two cities," and the reciprocal act of the
General Assembly of Virginia, approved February 9, 1901, entitled
"An act to accept the cession by the State of Tennessee to
the State of Virginia of a certain narrow strip of territory claimed
as belonging to the State of Tennessee and described as lying between
the northern boundary line of the city of Bristol, in the
county of Sullivan, State of Tennessee, and the southern boundary
line of the city of Bristol, in the county of Washington, State of
Virginia, being the northern half of the Main street of the said
two cities."

And it further appearing that said compact received the consent
of the Congress of the United States by joint resolution approved
March 3, 1901, as follows:

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That a recent
compact or agreement having been made by and between the States
of Tennessee and Virginia whereby the State of Tennessee by an
act of its legislature approved January twenty-eighth, nineteen
hundred and one, ceded to the State of Virginia certain territory
specifically described in said act, and being the northern half of the
Main street between the cities of Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia,
and the State of Virginia, by act of its general assembly, approved
February ninth, nineteen hundred and one, having accepted said
cession of the State of Tennessee, the consent of Congress is hereby
given to said compact or agreement between said States fixing the
boundary line between said States as shown by said acts referred to,
and the same is hereby ratified."

And the said commissioners in their said report having ascertained
and recommended the straight line from the end of the "diamond
marked" or compact line of 1801-1803 to the corner of the
States of North Carolina and Tennessee as the true boundary line
between the States of Virginia and Tennessee between those two
points, the court, approving said recommendation and finding of
said commissioners, doth adopt the same.

And the court being of opinion that it is proper to recognize the
line so established by said last mentioned compact of 1901 as the
real, certain, and true interstate boundary line within and between
said two cities, and to definitely determine and fix in this cause

what is the real and true and certain boundary line between said
States throughout the entire length thereof from the corner of the
States of North Carolina and Tennessee, on Pond mountain, to
the corner of Virginia and Kentucky, at Cumberlnd Gap, doth
therefore adjudge, order, and decree that the entire, real, certain
and true boundary line between the States of Tennessee and Virginia
is the line described and delineated in said report filed herein
on January 5, 1903, modified as to so much of said line as lies
between the two cities of Bristol by the aforesaid compact of 1901
between the two States, and as so described, delineated and modified
said boundary line, from the said North Carolina corner to the
eastern end of the compact line of 1801-1803, known as the "diamond
marked" line, and thence to Cumberland Gap, is hereby determined,
fixed and established.

It is to be hoped that this action of the Supreme Court of the
United States will put an end to this controversy, which has lasted
for more than 130 years.