of West Augusta shall be considered as a distinct county, and have the liberty of sending two delegates to represent them in general convention as aforesaid."

This is the first account which the author has been able to find in our ancient statutes in relation to West Augusta as a separate district or county. In fact, it does not appear that we ever had a county legally established by this name. It is presumable that it acquired the name by general usage, from its remote and western locality from the seat of justice. Be this as it may, it appears that the district of West Augusta never had its bounds laid off and defined until the month of October 1776, when it was divided into three distinct counties, viz: Ohio, Yohogania, and Monongalia. By the extension of the western boundary between Pennsylvania and Virginia, the greater part of the county Yohogania falling within the limits of Pennsylvania, the residue was, by an act of assembly of 1785, added to Ohio, and Yohogania became extinct.

Harrison county was established in 1784, taken from Monongalia. In 1785 Hardy county was laid off, taken from 'Hampshire. In 1786 Randolph county was laid off, taken from Harrison. In 1785 Russell county was taken from Washington. In 1787 Pendleton county was taken from Augusta, Hardy and Rockingham. In 1788 Knawha was taken from Greenbrier and Montgomery. In 1789 Wythe county was taken from Montgomery, and a part of Botetourt added to Montgomery. In 1790 Bath county was taken from Augusta, Botetourt and Greenbrier. In 1792 'Lee county was taken from Russell; and in the same year, Grayson county was taken from Wythe.

The author has deemed it an interesting part of his work to give a particular history of the establishment of our counties, because it goes to shew the rapid increase of our population, and improvement of our country, since the termination of the war of the revolution. To an individual born and raised in the valley, and who is old enough to recollect the passing events for the last half century-who was acquainted with the state of our country fifty years ago, its sparse population, rude log buildings, and uncultivated manners and customs of our ancestors-the great improvement of every thing calculated to better the condition of human life-the astonishing change in the appearance of our country-its elegant buildings, finely cultivated farms, improved state of society, &c.--are calculated almost to raise doubts in his mind whether these vast changes could possibly have taken place within his little span of existence. The author's destiny, when a youth, thew him into a business which gave him an opportunity of exploring a considerable part of the lower counties of the valley, and he has lately made it his business again to explore the same counties; and if he had been for the last forty years shut up in a dungeon, and recently set at liberty, he would almost doubt his own senses and believe himself in another country. A great part of our valley may be said to be elegantly improved*

*Capt. James Russell, of Berkeley, some years ago built a brick barn 150 feet long and 55 wide.

The late Mr. John Hite, in the year 1785, built the first brick house e

CHAPTER XV.

ABOUT the year 1738, there were two cabins erected near the run in Winchester. The author regrets that he has not been able to ascertain the names of the first settlers in this town. Tradition however relates that they were German families.

In the year 1752 the legislature passed "an act for the establishing of the town of Winchester." In the preamble are the following words:

"Whereas it has been represented to this general assembly, that James Wood, gentleman, did survey and lay out a parcel of land at the count house in Frederick county, in twenty-six lots, of half an acre each, with streets for a town, by the name of Winchester, and made sale of the said lots to divers persons who have since settled and built and continue building and settling thereon; but because the same was not laid off and erected into a town by act of assembly, the freeholders and inhabitants thereof will not be entitled to the like privileges enjoyed by the freeholders and inhabitants of other towns in this colony, Be it enacted, &c. that the said parcel of land lately claimed by the said James Wood, lying and being in the county of Frederick aforesaid, together with fifty-four other lots of half an acre each, twenty-four thereof in one or two streets on the east side of the former lots, the street or streets to run parallel with the street already laid off, and the remaining thirty lots to be laid off at the north end of the aforesaid twenty-six, with a commodious street or streets in such manner as the proprietor thereof, the right honorable Thomas lord Fairfax, shall see fit, be and is hereby constituted, enacted, and established a town, in the manner already laid out, to be called by and retain the

ver erected west of the Blue ride. This is but a small one story building, and is now owned by the heirs of the late Mr. A. Neill, at the north end of Stephensburg, in the county of Frederick. In 1787 Mr. Hite built a merchant mill, which was at that time considered the finest mill in the valley. It is now hardly considered a second rate mill.

A very aged woman, by the name of Sperry, informed the author that when she first saw the place where Winchester now stands, she was 22 years of age, and from her age at the time the author conversed with her, (which was in 1809,) he found the year in which she first saw Winchester to be in 1738, at which time she stated there were but two small log cabins, and those near the run.

Mr. Jacob Gibbon informed the author that he was in Winchester in 1755, and that the court house was a small cabin, and that he saw the court sitting in this cabin.

name of Winchester, and that the freeholders of the said town shall forever hereafter enjoy the same privileges which the freeholders of other towds erected by act of assembly enjoy.' This act further provides that fairs may be held in the town twice in each year.

Thus it appears that the late Col. James Wood was the founder of Winchester, and not lord Fairfax as has generally been believed. The latter made an addition to the town. Tradition relates that Fairfax was much more partial to Stephensburg than he was to Winchester, and used all his influence to make Stephensburg the seat of justice, but that Wood out-generaled his lordship, and by treating one of the justices with a bowl of toddy secured his vote in favor of Winchester, which settled the question, and that Fairfax was so offended at the magistrate who thus sold his vote, that he never after spoke to him.*

The late Robert Rutherford, Esq. opened the first store ever established in Winchester. There was soon a mixed population of Germans, Irish, and a few English and Scotch. The national prejudices which existed between the Dutch and Irish produced much disorder and many riots. It was customary for the Dutch, on St. Patrick's day, to exhibit the effigy of the saint, with a string of Irish potatoes around his neck, and his wife Sheeley, with her apron loaded also with potatoes. This was always followed by a riot. The Irish resented the indignity offered to their saint and his holy spouse, and a battle followed. On St. Michael's day the Irish wouid retort, and exhibit the saint with a rope of “sour krout" about his neck. Then the Dutch, like the Yankee, "felt chock full of fight,' and at it they went, pell mell, and many a black eye, bloody nose, and broken head, was the result. The author recollects one of these riots since the war of the revolution. The practice was at last put down by the rigor with which our courts of justice punished the rioters.

In the month of September, 1758, the town of Stephensburg, in the county of Frederick, was established. This town was first founded by Peter Stop' ens, who came to Virginia with Joist Hite, in the year 1732. The ruins of Stephens's first cabin are yet to be seen. Lewis Stephens, the late proprietor of the town, was the son of Peter Stephens. He laid out the town in form, and applied to the general assembly to have it established by law, which was done in the year 1758.

This town was first settled almost exclusively by Germans; and the religion, habits and customs, of their ancestors, were preserved with great tenacity for many years. The German language was generally used in this village since the author's acquaintance with it, which acquaintance commenced in the year 1784.

In the month of November, 1761, Strasburg, (commonly called Stover's town,) was established by law. This town was settled entirely by

for se

*The late John S. Woodcock, Esq. communicated this fact to the author, and stated that he had the information from the late Col. Martin. Gen. Smith informed the author that this practice was kept up veral years after he settled in Winchester, and that several very dangerous riots took place, in which he with other magistrates had to interpose, to preserve the peace.

Germans, and to this day the German language is in general use, though the English language is now generally understood, and also spoken by the inhabitants. It was laid off by Peter Stover.

Staunton, in the county of Augusta, was laid off by William Beverly, Esq. and established by act of the general assembly in November, 1761. The first settlers were principally Irish.

In March, 1761, Woodstock, then in the county of Frederick, was established by law. Jacob Miller laid off twelve hundred acres of land, ninety-six of which were divided into half acre lots, making one hundred and ninety-two building lots-the remainder into streets and five acre lots, commonly called out lots. This town appears to have been originally laid out upon a larger scale than any of our ancient villages. Like the most of our towns it was settled exclusively by Germans, and their religion, customs, habits, manners and language, were for a long time preserved, and to this day the German language is generally in use by the inhabitants.

Mecklenburg (Shepherdstown,) then in the county of Frederick, now in Jefferson, was established by law in the month of November, 1762.-This village is situated immediately on the bank of the Cohongoroota (Potomac) about twelve miles above Harpers-Ferry. It was laid off by the late Capt. Thomas Shepherd, and was first settled chiefly by German mechanics. It is remarkable for its being the place where the first steam boat was ever constructed in the world. Mr. James Rumsey, in the year 1788, built a boat, which was propelled by steam against a brisk current. There are some of the remnants of the machinery now to be seen, in the possession of Capt. Haines, in that place.

His

Romney, in the county of Hampshire, was laid off by the late lord Fairfax, and established by law in the month of November, 1762. lordship laid off fifty acres into streets and half acre lots; but the town improved but slowly. It does not contain more than fifty families at this time. It is nevertheless a place of considerable business; has a bank, printing office, several stores and taverns. The new Parkersburg turnpike road passes through it, which will doubtless, when completed, give it many great advantages.

In February, 1772, Fincastle, in the county of Betetourt, was established. Israel Christian made a present of forty acres of land to the justices of Botetourt court, for the use of the county. The court laid off the said forty acres of land into lots, and applied to the legislature to have the town established by law, which was done accordingly.

In October, 1776, first year of the commonwealth, the town of Bath, at the warm springs, in the county of Berkeley, (now the seat of justice for Morgan county,) was established, and laid off by act of assembly.

Preamble. "Whereas it hath been represented to this general assembly, that the laying off fifty acres of land in lots and streets for a town at the warm springs, in the county of Berkeley, will be of great utility, by encouraging the purchasers thereof to build convenient houses for accommodating numbers of infirm persons, who frequent those springs yearly for the recovery of their health; Be it enacted, &c. that fifty acres of land adjoining the said springs, being part of a larger tract of land, the

property of the right honorable Thomas lord Fairfax, or other person or persons holding the same by a grant or conveyance from him, be and the same is hereby vested in Bryan Fairfax, Thomas Bryan Martin, Warner Washington, the Reverend Charles Mynn' Thruston, Robert Rutherford, Thomas Rutherford, Alexander White, Philip Pendleton, Samuel Washington, William Ellzey, Van Swearingen, Thomas Hite, James Edmundson, and James Nourse, gentlemen, trustees, to be by them, or any seven of them, laid out into lots of one quarter of an acre each, with convenient streets, which shall be and the same is hereby established a town, by the name of Bath."

The author has been the more particular in making the foregoing extract from the act of the legislature, because this appears to be the first instance under our republican government in which the legislature took the authority of establishing and laying out a town upon the land of pri-) vate individuals, without the consent of the owner of the land. It is pos sible lord Fairfax assented to the laying off of this town; but if he did, there is nothing in the language of the act which goes to show it.

In the month of October, 1777, Lexington, in the county of Rockbridge, was established. Extract from the law: "And be it further enacted, that at the place which shall be appointed for holding courts in the said county of Rockbridge, there shall be laid off a town, to be called Lexington, thirteen hundred feet in length and nine hundred in width.*__ And in order to make satisfaction to the proprietors of the said land, the clerk of the said county shall, by order of the justices, issue a writ directed to the sheriff, commanding him to summon twelve able and disinterested freeholders, to meet on the said land on a certain day, not under five nor over ten days from the date, who shall upon oath value the said land, in so many parcels as there shall be separate owners, which valuation the sheriff shall return, under the hands and seals of the said jurors, to the clerk's office; and the justices, at laying their first county levy, shall make provision for paying the said proprietors their respective proportions thereof; and the property of the said land, on the return of the said valuation, shall be vested in the justices and their successors, one acre thereof to be reserved for the use of the said county, and the residue to be sold and conveyed by the said justices to any persons, and the money arising from such sale to be applied towards lessening the county levy and the public buildings for the said county shall be erected on the land reserved as aforesaid." From this it appears that the name of the town was fixed by law before the site is marked out.

Moorefield was also established in the month of October, 1777, in the county of Hampshire, now the seat of justice for the county of Hardy.— Extract from the act of assembly: "Whereas it hath been represented to this present general assembly, that the establishing a town on the lands of Conrad Moore in the county of Hampshire, would be of great advantage to the inhabitants, by encouraging tradesmen to settle amongst them; Be it therefore enhcted, &c. that sixty-two acres of land belonging to the said Conrad Moore, in the most convenient place for a town,

*This was truly upon a small scale.