North Fork of Shenandoah drains the northern and northwestern portion
and after running through Shenandoah it unites with the main branch soon
after it enters Frederick, a few miles from Front Royal, — Smith's creek a
branch of North Fork drains the central portion of the county, and passes
into Shenandoah before it joins North Fork. The western part of this
county is very mountainous, and the Peaked mountains run up from She-
nandoah, between the Shenandoah and Harrisonburg. Much of the soil
is excellent, and the farming econominal and judicious. A large portion
of the population is German or of German origin. Population in 1820,
14,784 — 1830, 20,683. It belongs to the fourteenth judicial circuit and
seventh district. Tax paid in 1833, $4,821 64 — in 1834 on lots, $167 41
—on land $3,556 60—1189 slaves, $296 74—7446 horses, $446 76—39
studs, $279 00—41 coaches, $88 05—68 carryalls, $68 37—34 gigs,
WESTERN VIRGINIA— ROCKINGHAM.
433
$25 10. Total $4,928 04. Expended in educating- poor children in 1832,
$890 05— in 1833,8990 Oi.
TOWNS, VILLAGES, FOST OFFICES, &c.
Bowman's Mills, P. O. 145 ms.]
N. W. by W. of R. and 155 from
W., situated in the N. W. part of the
county 23 ms. N. N. W. of Ham-,
sonburg.
Brock's Gap, P. O. 150 ms. N.l
W. of R. and 160 from W.
Conrad's Store, P. O. 120 ms.
N. W. of R. and 132 from W.
Cross Keys, P. O. 130 ms. from,
R. and 140 S. W. by W. of W.
HARRISONBURG, P V and-
seat of justice, 122 ms. from R. and
144 S. W. by W. of W., in lat. 33°
25' and long 1° 48' W. of W. C.
situated 24 ms. N. N. E. of Staun-
ton and 40 N. N. W. of Charlottes
ville. This village contains besides
the ordinary county buildings, 125
dwelling houses, a neat brick market
house lately erected, 2 houses of pub-
lic worship, (i Methodist, and i Pres-
byterian,) 3 common schools, 1 tem-
perance and 1 sundav school society.
8 mercantile stores, 3 taverns, and 1
printing- office, issuing a weekly pa- 1
per. There are 2 tan yards, 4 sad ;
dlers, 4 boot and shoe factories, Sj
smith shops, 3 hatters, 2 tailors, 2
wagon makers, 2 gunsmiths, 2
wheelwrights and chair makers, 1
cabinet maker, 2 coppersmiths, a-
tin plate workers, 1 saddle-tree ma-
ker, 1 glove maker, 1 bookbindery, 2
watchmakers and silversmiths, 1 mar-
ble cutter and polisher, a quarry
which is in the immediate neighbor-
hood, and in considerable demand, 1
confectionary, and 1 earthen ware
pottery. There is a line spring of
strong limestone water in the public
square, — and the land adjacent is a
strong limestone soil. Deaton is 4
miles from this plane, and Edom
Mills are 5 miles distant; they are
both small but flourishing places: as
is also Mount Crawford, at which
considerable business h
mechanical and mercantile
done both
These
three having sprung up within a few
years under the auspices of men of
capital and enterprise, together with
other causes have rendered Harri-
sonburg less prosperous than villages
in this valley generally. Population
about 1000 persons; of whom 8 are
resident attorneys, and 8 regular
physicians
County courts are held on the ?>d
Monday in every month ; — Quarter-
la February, May. August, and
November.
Circuit Superior Courts of Law
and Chancery are held on the 10^A
of May&nd 1 ith of October by Judge
rH.
Kite's Mills, P.O. 131 ms. from
R. and 122 W. of W.
Linville Creek, P. O
from R. and 146 W. of W.
McGaheysville, P. O.
from R. and 136 from W.
Mount Crawford, P. V. 133rr.s,
from R. and 148 S. W. by W. of W.
situated in the westt rn part of the
county, on the main valley road lead-
ing from Winchester to Staunton, and
immediately on the North river. It
contains 23 dwelling houses, 1 house
of public worship free for all denomi-
nations, 2 common schools, 2 taverns,
3 mercantile s v 2 tailors, 2 sad-
dlers. 2 boot and shoe factories, I
smith shop, 1 tin plate worker, 1
cabinet maker, 1 wheelwright, I
cooper, 1 pottery, 2 milliner and man-
tua makers, i gun smith, 1 wagon
maker, 1 manufacturing flour mill,
and 1 saw mill. The North river is
navigable for flat boats, about three
miles above this village, and consid-
erable quantities of flour are annual-
ly carried down the Shenandoah from
this place to Georgetown and Alcx-
136 ms.
114 ms.
DO
434
WESTERN VIRGINIA— RUSSELL.
andria. The surrounding country is
fertile and the climate salubrious.
Population 180 persons; of whom 1
is a physician.
Port Republic, P. V. 121 ms.
from R. and 143 N. W. by W, of W.
situated at the junction of the North
and South rivers, branches of the She-
nandoah, 2 ms. below the Augusta line,
2% from Weyer's cave, 12 ms. S. of
Harrisonburg, 20 E. of Staunton, and
32 north of Charlottesville. It con-
tains 30 dwelling houses, 1 house of
public worship, free for all denomi-
nations, 1 common school, 1 house
of entertainment, 2 mercantile stores,
1 manufacturing flour mill, 3 saw
mills, 2 tan yards, 1 tilt hammer shop,
with a carriage manufactory attached,
2 other smith shops, 1 tin plate work-
er, 3 boot and shoe factories, 1 sad-
dler, 1 cabinet maker, 1 turner and
chair maker, 1 hatter, and 2 tailors.
The Shenandoah is navigable for
flat boats from Port Hepublic to the
District of Columbia, running at all
times (except at very dry seasons)
with from 60 to 120 barrels of flour
in each boat. Both branches of the
river furnish admirable seats for ma-
chinery, and the water power is suf-
ficient at all seasons for manufacto-
ries of any common extent. Popu-
lation 160 persons; of whom 1 is a
physician.
Smith's Creek, P. O. 140 ms.
from R. and 130 S. W. of W., situ-
ated in the northern part of the coun-
ty. The creek is the extreme south-
ern branch of the North Fork of the
Shenandoah.
RUSSELL.
« Russell was established by act of Assembly in 1786, and formed from
a portion of Washington county. It is bounded by Tazewell N. E. — by
Clinch mountain separating it from Smyth E. — S. E. by the same moun-
tain, separating it from Washington, — S. and S. W. by Scott, — and by the
Cumberland mountain separating it from Pike county, Ky., N. W. Its
mean length is 40 miles, mean breadth 34£, and area 1,370 square miles.
It lies between 36° 38' and 37° 30' N. lat. and 4° 43' and 5° 41' W lonir
fromW. C. h '
Mountains, $c. — The Clinch, which divides it from Washington and
Smyth on the south; the Cumberland on the north separating it from
Kentucky, are the most prominent. Their general bearing is from N. E,
to S. W. Between the waters which fall into the Clinchand the tributa-
ries of Sandy, and only a few miles north of the Clinch, (with a few ex-
ceptions, on the Guesi river, and a short distance east of it,) until you ar-
rive at the Cumberland mountain, the country seems to be a congregation
of mownioAns. Their sides are generally steep, — the valleys narrow,
most of them of not much greater extent than the space which is occupied
by the meandering streams which, overhung with laurel, pass on in
silent obscurity to their respective destinations. A few scattered inhabi-
tants are occasionally to be seen here, who cultivate a small strip of land
on a watercourse, and follow the chase on the mountains, as the means of
subsistence. Amongst these mountains there are excellent ranges for cattle
and hogs, which continues throughout the year except in the more severe
freezes and snows of winter. Travelling here must be performed either
by following the hunter's path on the mountains, with but few places of
sate descent, or pursuing the watercourses; it being impracticable, with a
WESTERN VIRGINIA— RUSSELL. 435
few exceptions, to cross the mountains with the view of a direct approach
from one point to another. There are two ranges of highland, running
nearly parallel with each other and the Clinch mountain, — one between
Mocasin creek and Copper creek, denominated Mocasin ridge, — the other
between Copper creek and Clinch river, called Copper ridge, These
ridges are cut by Big Cedar creek, east of which the former is denominat-
ed the Chesnut ridge and Preec's mountain, and the latter the River, and
House and Barn mountain. Kent's ridge lies between the Maiden Spring
Fork and North Fork of Clinch river ; and north of the latter is the Stone
mountain. The Big Butt north of Clinch river, is a high projection of
one of the mountains sepaiating the waters of Clinch and Sandy.
Rivers, Creeks, <$fc. — Clinch river, which meanders across the county in a
N. E. and S. W. direction, is the principal stream, but has not as yet been
used for transporting produce to the west, or for other purposes of naviga-
tion. This river affords an abundance of fish, some varieties of which are
quite delicious. The North Fork (of Clinch) and the Maiden Spring
fork which take their rise in Tazewell county, unite their waters in the
eastern section of Russell. Guess 1 river, which divides Russell and Scott
has various sources from spurs of the Cumberland and adjoining moun-
tains, and flows in a southern direction into the Clinch, receiving in its
course Tom's creek on the south, and Bull Run, two of its principal streams.
Copper creek has its source from numerous fine springs filled with yellow-
gravel, rising a few miles east of the village at Dickensonville, and passes
on to the southwest, uniting with Clinch river in Scott county. Moccasin-
creek rises near a gap in Clinch mountain by that name, flows near its
base in a fruitful valley, and passing through Big Mocasin Gap, falls into
the North Fork of Holston. Cedar creek is formed by streams issuing
from the Clinch, Preec's, and the House and Barn mountains : it flows in
a western direction till within 2 miles east of Lebanon, receiving little
Cedar creek which passes the village, and then flows into the Clinch in a
northern direction. Indian creek runs from the eastern end or termination of
Preec's mountain and from the spurs of Clinch mountain, and flows in a
north east and north direction into the Clinch river. Lewis' creek, Thomp-
son's creek, Weaver's creek, and Dump's creek, are inconsiderable streams,
falling into Clinch river on the north ; and Cedar Spring, Beck's branch,
Mill creek, and Castle Run on the south. The principal streams of the
Sandy is the Louisa Fork in the northeastern section, running nearly north
west; The Pound Fork (so called from a bend in the river resembling
somewhat in shape a horse shoe) takes its rise towards the Guess' river,
runs east near to Cumberland mountain and unites, with McClure's Fork,
and afterwards Russell's Fork at the state line of Kentucky. There is a
remarkable cascade upon Big Cedar creek. In its passage through Cop-
per ridge its waters are precipitated over a rock of considerable height,
and they then wander in a circuitous route of many miles to seek a union
with the Clinch river, which here runs at a short distance from it by a
direct line, and which also rolls over a very shoally and serpentine chan-
nel above and below their junction, and at one place is very narrow T and
rapid, occasioned by the projection of rocks from the north side. The
whole county occupies an elevated region, independent of the mountain
rid.sres, from* 1,200 to 1,500 feet above the ocean tides.
Roads. — By a late act of Assembly a road has been established on the
joint stock plan, leading from Price's turnpike in Botetourt, to Cumberland
436 WESTERN VIRGINIA— RUSSELL.
Gap, which will pass through Lebanon. Its route was surveyed by the
Engineer to cross Copper ridge, 3 miles west of Lebanon, and through
Castles' Woods, into Scott, &c. Its location by the Copper creek valley so
as to cross Copper ridge in Scott county, is strongly recommended by some,
and the people on both routes are engaged with spirit in working out the
respective advantages. The road from Lebanon to Abingdon passes by
the way of Little Mocasin Gap, — that to the Salt Works in Washington,
and Smyth, by Hayter's Gap, — that to Scott C. H. (Estillville,) either by
Dickensonville, or down the valley of Mocasin Creek. A road has been
opened along the Louisa Fork ot Sandy, as a line of communication with
Kentucky, aided by an appropriation from the State of $3000; but it was
so injudiciously located and badly constructed, that it is almost impassable.
A track has also been opened from Castle "Woods, via Guess' river and the
Pound Fork of Sandy, to the State of Kentuclcv, passing Cumberland
mountain, communicating with Pike and Perry counties, Ky.
Meeting Houses. — The Episcopalians, Methodists, and Baptists have
about 12 meeting houses in this county, besides various other places of
meeting at private houses. There is no other sect having a congregation,
society or church. The Methodists are the more numerous body of chris-
tians.
Manufactures.-— -There are no merchant mills (properly speaking) in
Russell. Hendrick's on Cedar creek is the best establishment ot that kind;
flour from it is sometimes sent down the Hojston and Tennessee to Hunts-
ville. There are no factories of iron, wool, or cotton in this county, ex-
cept carding machines, although there are many sites suitable for water
power. Capital, and an opening for market, are wanting to give encour-
agement to these branches of industry.
Productions. — This county having many parcels of rich and fertile soil,
produces in abundance most of the necessaries of life. Indian corn, wheat,
rye, oats clover, and the grasses introduced, succeed well: but its distance
from market and the late neglected state of improvement of the roads, have
hitherto compelled the farmer to rear stock as the principal means of ad-
vancing his estate.
There are several quarries of marble .not far distant from Lebanon, of a
greyish complexion. It is used for tomb stones, and for the fronts of hearths.
Some specimens of it have been taken to the South. The lime stone is a
prevailing mineral in the southern section of this county ; amongst it are
found many caverns, few of which, however, are of much notoriety.
There are two remarkable rocks upon the range of mountain between
Clinch river and the upper waters of Big Cedar ^creek in the eastern part
of the county; the one from its form is called a house, and the other a barn,
and hence the name of the House and Bam mountain. Several extensive
beds of iron ore exist in this county, but are not at present worked. Stone
coal is found in some of the ravines north of Clinch river, and is deemed of
excellent quality by the blacksmiths who use it.
This county had its name in honor of Gen'l William Russell, who
formerly resided on an estate of about"600 acres in Castles Woods, but who
at the time of his death lived near to and had an interest in Presto?!'* old
Salt works, in Washington county, now Smyth.
The principal population of this county is contained between Clinch
mountain and a distance of from 12 to 1.5 miles north of its base : the
northern and greater portion of its territory being so mountainous, sterile,
WESTERN VIRGINIA— RUSSELL. 437
and inconvenient of access, that the population is, and will be for many
years hence, very inconsiderable. There are several rich and valuable
sections of land in this county : the principal are, Gilmer' 1 '$ Settlement, be-
tween Lebanon and Big Cedar creek, — Edk Garde?}, in the vicinity of
Hayter's Gap, — Castle's Woods, between Copper ridge and Clinch, west
of Lebanon, — and the Mo c as in Valley, lying between a ridge of that name
and Clinch mountain opposite and below Little Mocasin Gap. In these
sections the first settlements of the country were made.
P rofession.s. — There are two resident attornies in the count)', one living
in the village at Lebanon, and the other in the country: — one resident phy-
sician in Lebanon and two in the country : but the exemption heretofore of
this section of the State from many of the diseases prevalent more frequent-
ly in other places; and the scarcity of litigation in the Courts, have not
presented either to the one or the other, the prospect of much gain from a
reliance upon their respective professions.
" Early Traililions. — In this part of Virginia, as in most other frontier
settlements, the first, settlers encountered many hardships, and experienced
many scones of dreadful suffering from the hostile Indians, who made fre-
quent incursions from beyond the Ohio river for purposes of plunder, or
savage revenge. In these incursions the most tragic scenes of cold blood-
ed butchery were acted ; and the survivors sometimes carried into a cap-
tivity more painful and distressing than the excruciating deaths to which
their relatives had been subjected. Many well authenticated accounts of
these cruelties, and of hair-breadth escapes, are still preserved. We give
in a note* an example of the sufferings and heroism displayed by the early
* A NARRATIVE of the Captivity and Escape of Mrs. Frances Scott, of Wash-
ington county, Va.
On Wednesday, the 29th day ef June. 1785, late in the evening, a large company
of armed men passed the house on their way to Kentucky; some part of whom en-
camped within two miles. Mr. Sc-otfc, living on a frontier part, generally made tha
family watchful ; bur on this calamitous day, after so large a body of men had pass-
ed, he lay down in his bed and imprudently left one of the doors of his house open;
the children were also in bed and asleep. Mrs. Seotr was nearly undressed, when to.
her unutterable astonishment and horror, she saw rushing in through the door that
was left open, painted savages,with presented arms, raising a hideous shriek. Mr.
Scott, being awake, instantly jumped from his bed, but was immediately fired at; he
forced his way through the middle of the enemy and go! qui of the door, but fell a
few paces from thence. An Indian seized Mrs. Scott, and ordered her to a particu-
lar spot and not to move; others stabbed and cut the throats of the three youngest
children in their bed, and afterwards lifted them up and dashed them on the floor
near the mother: the eldest, a beautiful girl of eight years old, awoke and escaped
out of the bed and ran to her mamma with the most plaintive accents, cried, "O
mamma! mamma.! save me!" — the mother in the deepest anguish of spirit, and with
a floo i of tears, entreated the savages to spare her child : but with a brutal fierceness
they tomahawked and stabbed her in the mother's arms. Adjacent to Mr. Seott's
dwelling-house another family lived of the name of Ball. The Indians also attacked
them at the same instant they did Mr. Scott ; but the door being shut, the enemy
fired into the house through an opening between two logs, and killed a lad, and then
essayed to force the door open: but a surviving brother fired through the door, and
the enemy desisted and went off; the remaining part of the family ran out of the
house and escaped. In Mr. Scott's were four good rifles loaded, belonging to people
that had left them on their way to Kentucky. — The Indians loaded themselves with
the plunder, being thirteen in number, then speedily made off, and continued travel-
ling all night; next morning their chief allotted to each man his share, and detach-
ed nine of the party to steal horses from the inhabitants on Clinch. The eleventh
day after Mrs. Scott's captivity, four Indians that had her in charge stopped at a
place fixed on for rendezvous, and to hunt, being now in great want of provisions.
Three went out, and the chief being an old man was left to take care ol the prisoner,
who by this time expressed a willingness to proceed to the Indian towns, which
438 WESTERN VIRGINIA— RUSSELL.
settlers, in the narrative of Mrs. Scott of Powell's Valley, which is now in
Lee county, but which was formerly in Russell, and before its formation, in
Washington county, which was published in the New Haven Gazette of
Dec. 27th, 1785.
seemed to have the desired effect of lessening her keeper's vigilance. In the day-
time while the old man was graining a deer skin, the captive, pondering on her situ-
ation, and anxiously looking for an opportunity to make her escape, took a resolution
and went to the Indian carelessly, asked liberty to go to a small distance to a stream
of water to wash the blood off her apron, that had remained besmeared since the
fatal night of the murder of her little daughter. He told her in the English tongue,
"go along;" she then passed by him, his face being in a contrary direction from that
she was going, and he very busy. She, after getting to the water, proceeded on with-
out delay, made to a high barren mountain, and travelled until late in the evening,
when she came down into the valley in search of the track she had been taken along:
hoping thereby to find the way back, without thv. risk of being lost and perishing
with hunger in uninhabited parts.
On coming across the valley to the river side, — supposed to be the easterly branch
of Kentucky river — she observed in the sand, tracks of two men that had gone up
the river and had just returned. She concluded these to have been her pursuers,
which excited emotions of gratitude and thankfulness to Divine Providence for so
timely a deliverance. Being without any provisions, having no kind of weapon or
tool to assist her in getting any, and almost destitute of clothing — also knowing that
a vast tract of rugged high mountains intervened between where she was and the
inhabitants easterly, and she almost as ignorant as a child of the method of steering
the woods, excited painful sensations. But certain death, either by hunger or wild
beasts, seemed to be better than to be in the power of beings who excited in her mind
such horror. — She addressed Heaven, and taking courage proceeded onward.
After travelling three days, she had nearly met with the Indians, as she supposed,
that had been sent to Clinch to steal horses, but providentially hearing their approach,
concealed herself among the cane until the enemy had passed. — This giving her a
fresh alarm, and her mind being filled with consternation, she got lost, proceeded
backwards and forwards for several days ; at length she came to a river that seemed
to come from the east — concluding it was Sandy river, she accordingly resolved to
trace it to its source, which is adjacent to the Clinch settlement. After proceeding
up the same several days, she came to where the river runs through the great Laurel
mountain, where is a prodigious waterfall, and high craggy cliffs along the water-
edge ; that way seemed impassable, the mountain steep and difficult; — however, our
mournful traveller concluded the latter way was best. — She therefore ascended for
some time, but coming to a range of lofty and inaccessible rocks, she turned her
course towards the foot of the mountain arid the river side ; after getting into a deep
gulley, and passing over several high steep rocks, she reached the river side, where
to her inexpressible affliction she found that a perpendicular rock, or rather one that
hung over, of fifteen or twenty feet high, formed the bank. — Here a solemn pause
ensued ; she essayed to return, but the height of the steeps and rocks she had des-
cended over prevented her. She then returned to the edge of the precipice, and
Viewing the bottom of it as the certain spot to end all her troubles, or remain on the
top to pine away with hunger, or be devoured by beasts. After serious meditation
and devout exercises, she determined on leaping from the height, and accordingly
jumped off Although the place she had to alight was covered with uneven rocks,
not a heme was broken ; but being exceedingly stunned by the tall, she remained
unable to proceed for some space of time.
The dry season caused the river to be shallow — she travelled in it, and, where she
could, by its edge, until she got through the mountain, which she concluded was
several miles. After this, as she was travelling along the bank of the river, a veno-
mous snake bit her on the ancle; she had strength to kill it, and knowing its kind,
concluded that death must soon overtake her. By this time, Mrs. Scott was reduced
to a mere skeleton with fatigue, hunger, and grief; probably this state of her body
was the means of preserving her from the effects of the poison ; be that as it may, so
it was, that very little pain succeeded the bite, and what little swelling there was, fell
into her feet.
Our wanderer now left the river, and after proceeding a good distance she came
to where the valley parted into two, each leading a different course. Here a painful
suspense again took place : a forlorn creature, almost exhausted, and certain, if she