Discovering Page County Above and Below Ground
As written by James Allen
I would like to thank all of those that read my short stories/column (Discovering Page County), in the Shenandoahnewz.com. Recently my stories went over the twenty thousand views mark.
To date I have supplied twenty-four stories in the last eighteen months. Some are more interesting than others, and some are edited better than others. All but one or two have to do with Page County. In high school I would have been voted least likely to be a writer, had that category been available. To be honest I really don’t consider myself a writer, I look at myself as more of a story teller. Everything that I right about I found interesting, a lot of my stories are incidents that happened in Page County, that I am recounting in my own words. Most of it is history that I am retelling.
I am not from Page County VA, my family traveled all over the world when we were young.
I could tell stories of playing soccer with young Iranian boys outside of Tehran Iran, in a scorpion filled field with rocks and tumble weeds. I could tell you how the Iranian boys for no particular reason would call us American boys “Donkeys, You American Donkey”. We would call them this or that and give them the finger, while they slapped their leg at us. All was well, I wonder if they knew calling us a Donkey never offended us in the least. We thought it was hysterical. No, I am not from around here. I’ve lived in Illinois, Colorado, Virginia twice, Ohio, and North Carolina, Turkey and Iran. Ive had visits to England, Maine, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Florida, Georga, Missouri and the list goes on. However, I sure like living in this Valley and maybe this is where I will wrap life up.
Why is Page County so interesting you might wonder, its just a poor ole rural county like many others in VA. That much is true. We are a poor county but very rich in history. Ive said it before, while some counties have paved over their history, Page has not. Page county was officially given its name in 1830 but our county goes back at least another one hundred years prior.
Our Valley was a highway of sorts for the American Indian for centuries prior to the white man arriving. Many folks living in Page today were direct descendants from the pioneers that founded this Valley. Aside from the natural wonders of the Valley, the county has Indian Mounds, forts, famous people, folk lore galore, historic homes and buildings, and lots of civil war history. Then there is the heritage, how in the world did these people make it against all odds. What tools did they use, what did their homes look like. Many traveled down from PA with everything they had, following Indian trails as there were no roads. It almost appears they stopped in the middle of nowhere and began building. All of that is still here and ready to explore.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz February 10, 2026- Hits 20,572
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Calling all Shoemakers and Blacksmiths
In late October of 1864, Union General Ulyssis Grants Valley Campaign was all but over.
This left Page Counties Government like other Valley governments with several big issues to deal with. Lack of manpower, lack of mechanics and a food shortage. What little grain they had couldn’t be processed for lack of operational Mills, Millers and Mechanics to get the Mills they had, up and running. To make matters worse the Confederate Government was now requiring all males between the ages of 17 and 51 to report for duty.
All of this is just after Union General Sheridan’s Army came through and burned the Valley.
“The Burn” as it is referred to, effectively stopped the Shenandoah Valley from feeding and supplying the South. For three and a half years the Shenandoah Valley supplied the Southern Armies with just about everything needed for the war machine. These included, food, horses, cattle, leather goods, iron ore and the list goes on. Basically, all that was left was what little could be hidden. There are stories of locals hiding a few cows and horses up in the mountains to save them. There are more stories of young teen age boys, and older men being hidden under the floor boards in homes to evade the conscription officers. One such man was Page Counties Ruben Alshire. Ruben was a farmer and due to his father’s early death was the head of the household of a large farm, and family at age 20. He married the next year and immediately began having children. At the start of the war, he was in his early thirties with seven children and more on the way. The trapdoor in the floor had helped for a time but with just a few months left in the war, he was sent off to Richmond for training.
Page county like Rockingham County decided to send a letter asking for some relief.
They wanted relief from sending at least some of the young boys and old men to fight.
The court sent in a list of all those that were listed as mechanics of some sort. Basically, they wanted an exemption for any remaining Blacksmiths, Tinners, Wagon Makers and Shoemakers to help get the Mills going. Any person with mechanical skills was being asked to help.
Sources used: Harry Strickler’s a “Short history of Page County”, and “There is more to Tell – Old Homes in Page County” by James Allen.
The image above was taken by Julie Patina of the Willow Mill just outside of Luray. This and many other mills were destroyed during the war and later rebuilt.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz January 10, 2026- Hits 19318.
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Two weeks before Christmas
Two weeks before Christmas sixty-five years ago, a local Inns Manager heard noises and set out to investigate. What she found was a fourteen-year-old boy unconscious on the floor. Not just any boy, this young man was more or less part of the staff. She tended to the boy all night and when he did not improve, she took him to Page Memorial Hospital. The boy was seen by Dr. Thomas Amis. Doctor Amis reported that the boy had a fractured skull, and at 4:00 am Sunday morning, still unconscious the boy was transferred to Charlottesville for surgery.
The boy was William Douglas Silvious from Rileville VA, who was helping out at the Inn for room and board. That Inn was the Mansion Inn, on west main street in downtown Luray VA. That Inn Manager was Mrs. Elizabeth Westenberger, She and her late husband Valentine Westenberger, came from Germany six years prior to help their younger brother with his farm and Inn. You see she the sister-in-law to Inns owner, Urban Westenberger. The young lad was beaten severely by a man staying at the Inn. Young William was confronted in the hall that night and accused of stealing from the man, an accusation that he denied his entire life. No matter the man took it out on him right there in the hallway. The man was twenty-eight-year-old Charles Chadduck, and he was charged with assault and battery by Police Chief Harry Farrar. The chief himself had done the investigation.
William would fully recover, and six years later marry his girl Ruby Lee Broyles from Luray, VA. It was Ruby who first told me this story sixty-four years after the event. When Ruby told me this story, I was a bit skeptical. Ruby was elderly and was having a hard time remembering. However, a few months later the actual newspaper clipping was found.
If you want to know about Urban, his Mansion Inn, his Mausoleum, or his famed Lorelei Estates, consider joining us at facebook group Urban Westenberger Fact from Fiction or picking up a copy of my book “An American Dreamer – Urban Westenberger and his Mysterious Mausoleum.
Above photograph created by author.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz December 11, 2025- Hits 18150.
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The Luray Inn - Titanic
The Luray Inn like the Titanic, had much in common, considering one was a ship and the other an Inn. The Titanic was to be unsinkable; its luxury suites were second to none. The world had never seen a luxury liner like it. The rich and famous lined up to be the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean on the mighty Titanic. I can imagine people that otherwise would not sail across the Atlantic, finally agreed to take the plunge, and plunge they did.
The Luray Inn was not a ship, but it was a huge Luxury Inn where no expense was to be spared. The Inn was built by the Luray Cave and Hotel company, a subsidiary of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. Local Author Dan Vaughn tells us that the Inn was fitted with gas lights, telephone, hot water, steam heat, electric bells, a darkroom, and fifteen hundred feet of covered porch.
Its design was an architectural beauty. The wood working throughout the Inn was spectacular. Hand carved this or that, everything was trimmed and extravagant.
The Luray Inn opened Sept 1st 1891, with an additional one hundred rooms opening two years later. The Inn also had a huge greenhouse. The grounds were no different with a Stalactite Garden created by the Luray Caverns. Each pathway had trees planted all along both sides. There was a lookout tower for people to take in the scenic Shenandoah Valley. People came by the thousands to stay at the Inn.
The Titanic survived just five days before striking an iceberg and sinking to the bottom. The Luray Inn was open for just nine years. Some say it was the pride of the Valley, most certainly Luray. The Titanic sunk in about 2 hours and twenty minutes, which is about the same amount of time it took the Luray Inn to burn to the ground, though it smoldered for days.
Another thing this pair have in common is that people still speak of them as if these disasters just happened recently.
In Page County, The Luray Inn comes up regularly in all the local facebook groups, newspapers, and you can read about in the local books as well. I can honestly say, that I would not sail across the Atlantic on the Titanic if it were resurrected today, but I most certainly would stay at the Luray Inn if it were rebuilt.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz November 14, 2025, Hits 16924.
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Shenandoah Valley’s Lady in White Mystery
Mystery still unsolved after thirty-two years in Page County, or was it? After writing a book and interviewing dozens of people on Urban Westenberger, and all that went on over at Lorelie Estates, there were still several unanswered questions. The most perplexing question for me is; who dug up the grave back in 1992 and to what end? To find some answers I went to every living person that I could find, that was either directly or indirectly involved. Note, that not all would talk about it.
To recap, local law enforcement was called about a casket just sitting out in the woods not far from the Westenberger Mausoleum, the old Keyser Cemetery, and the little unmarked Westenberger graves. The Westenberger cemetery is a small chain link fenced in area no bigger than four feet by seven feet, with three maybe four flat stones or grave markers within. I was told by a friend of the late Mr. Westenberger, that he put the fence around the graves to keep a promise that he made to his sister in-law. The promise was that no cows would be able to wonder over her grave. At that time the Mausoleum was under construction, and Urban was also going to make a nice cemetery next to it for his kin. The Mausoleum was for his parents only, and Urban went to great lengths to exhume their bodies back from Germany. He had them sealed air tight in one container, and shipped to him at Lorelei Estates along the Shenandoah’s South Fork. As you might imagine that was the talk of the Massanutten, and fodder for other folklore and mysteries along the river. In any event the Mausoleum was finished and a grand reburial took place for the Westenberger Parents, complete with a Catholic Cardinal from Washington D.C. and synchronized bells ringing with bells in his home town in Mainz Germany. The Westenberger Cemetery on the other hand remained a little chain link fenced area.
Twenty-five years after the parents were buried Local law enforcement is called to the scene, to check out an empty casket sitting in the nearby woods. Law enforcement calls the local funeral home who in turn sends out a pair of employees to help investigate. What they found was a formally buried casket with no body just like they were told. It did not take them long to search the two cemeteries to find an open grave site. I was told by both employees many years later (independently) that the body was found about a week later laying on the ground less than 100 yards from the Mausoleum and Cemeteries. No one disputes that the body was of a woman in a white dress. It was also believed to be Mrs. Westenberger (Urbans mother from Germany), in fact they were sure of it. During my interview I asked, which Mrs. Westenberger? I realized at that moment they didn’t know there were two. I did not tell either of them that Urban’s mother was buried in a black dress, which multiple eye witnesses had told me separately.
The story continued to get stranger. One eye witness told me that the body hadn’t aged much, but aged quickly after being out of the ground. Another eye witness said no she was aged and looked as one would think she would look. Another story has a police report being filed that this Lady in White was desecrated by a necrophiliac in the woods. I don’t even want to know why they thought that. Yet another story has this Lady in White found over along the river having never aged. This was explained because Mrs. Westenberger had been sealed all that time. That theory sounds good but isn’t true.
Mrs. Barbara Westenberger took ill in the late 1920s, and died in Germany soon after. She was buried in her home town. Urban, her youngest son had her dug up and sealed for shipment to his place fifteen years later along with his father, who had died in the first two months of World War One.
One thing that I am really confident of, is that The Lady in White was Mrs. Elizabeth Westenberger. Elizabeth was the wife of Urbans brother Valintine. Urban had talked his older brother along with his wife to come to America and help him work grapes into wine. Valentine and Elizabeth left Germany for Luray Va in 1952, just four years later Valentine dies of stomach cancer among other things. Valintine is buried in the little Westenberger cemetery. I believe his wife who died in 1964 while living in Key West, FL. was buried next to him, and just like Urban promised the fence was placed around the graves. So, what about the other two head stones you ask? The only logical answer is that at some later date Urbans parents were moved to the little cemetery from the Mausoleum, after being disturbed by someone while resting in the Mausoleum. The pair were buried one over the other in a very decretive alter or shrine with a heavy slate slab pulled over the top. This did not stop whomever. To be honest I do not think Urban envisioned himself leaving his beloved Lorelei Estates, along with his deceased relatives that he worked so hard to bring to America. The question remains, who dug up Mrs. Elizabeth Westenberger and why? There were some suspects but no one was ever arrested or charged.
Sources used: An American Dreamer – An abbreviated Tale of Urban Westenberger and his Mysterious Mausoleum by James S Allen. The image is from Lady in White Lake, a ghost tale from San Francisco.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz October 13, 2025, Hits 15568.
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A Boy and His Fort
In 1962, Luray’s Jennie Kerkhoff was running the roads collecting data for her new book,
“Old Homes in Page County”. I do not know if she took the photos herself or if she had a trusty photographer. I believe it was that summer in 1962 that she arrived at Fort Paul Long.
She would go on to write that the building was built in or around 1735! She interviewed the family and took some photos. As it turned out a little boy was in one of the photos. The caption read “One of 8th Generation of Longs to live on the property.” No one ever said who the boy was, perhaps his parents wanted it that way. The photo was of the back wall in the cellar fort.
The young lad was looking up. He appeared to be about five or six years old.
Fast forward to the summer of 2025, I had an opportunity to visit this same Fort Paul Long.
To be honest many thought the place had been lost to father time. Gobbled up by decay, bushes and trees. This seems to be a common theme with many old dwellings that I search for.
There was no mention of it online, except by Harry Strickler and Jennie Kerkhoff to name a few local writers that featured it, I didn’t find much on it. As I set out that morning, I was very excited, but at the same time I tried to keep my expectations low. While the writeup in 1962 said the house/fort was still in decent shape, the old photos were not as kind, now add on another sixty-three years. The owner assured me that I could walk around to take some photos. What he didn’t tell me until later was that he was the little boy in the pictures all those years earlier. Help me out here, does that mean he was standing in his great, great, great grandfathers fort? You know what I had to ask him; would it be possible for you to stand in that same spot for a photo.
Fort Phillip Long was built with native limestone; it had two rooms on the main level and one long room upstairs. The fort was built in the side of a steep embankment below the house. The windows were narrow slits with just the one large door.
Like others that I have seen the ceiling is arched and made of stone to support the house. This would also come in handy if the house burned down.
I will be writing more about Fort Paul Long in the upcoming weeks, and sharing many of the photos in the Facebook group. “Discovering Page County”.
Special Thanks to the Jennings for carving out some time to share this will me, so that I can share it with you.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz September 12, 2025, Hits 14317.
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Reporting for Duty
If you just have to go drinking, never do it near a recruiting station. A lesson Page Counties young Samuel Sours learned the hard way. Samuel Sours was going to be a cobbler, a shoe maker, his life was all planned out for him. That is until he took to drinking in New Market one night. Also in New Market was a newly established recruiting station for the Army. To make matters worse, the United States had recently gone to war with Mexico. Oh yes he did, out of the blue for no particular reason Samuel thought it would be a good idea to signup that night.
Kind of makes you wonder if maybe they strategically placed those recruiting stations near Taverns. Which begs the question, how many of our boys were recruited that way?
Samuel Sours was the son of Frederick Sours, and a long line of Sours in the little community known as Valleyburg, in Page County VA. Frederick had several sons, all big boys and very popular. Samuel was a teenager and all set to learn the cobbler trade from a Mr. Hunt, who ran a shop on a nearby farm. That is until the night he decided to enlist with the Army.
We do not know if his friends told him what he had done when he sobered up, or if he himself figured it out. Whatever the case was it hit him hard. Oh lord what have I done he must have thought. What happened next? Why, he did what any teenage boy that just realized they signed up for the army during a war, because they were drinking when they were not supposed to be would do, he ran! It was sixteen miles from Valleyburg to New Market, when he reached the Shenandoah River and found no boat, he swam across. He reached home in the middle of the night, and didn’t want to wake his parents so he slept in the barn. It just kept getting worse for Samuel. When he woke up his boots were frozen to his feet. His mother had to thaw them to get them off.
While all of this was going on, a $30 reward was posted to bring one Sameul Sours back to the Army. It didn’t take long for them to find him back at his parent’s house, and off he went for five months of training. Samuel Sours life would make an interesting Netflix series in my personal opinion. He did become a cobbler, and then build himself a shop prior to joining the Southern cause in 1861. Samuel fought with the Stonewall Brigade like a good many Page County boys. He survived the war and had other adventures during his long life. This story was inspired by a story found in the Virginia Library from 1933, as told by Samuel’s relatives years later.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz August 11, 2025, Hits 12960.
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Did you know animals were the first settlers in the Valley, of course you say?
If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Jacob Stover a German immigrant is thought to be the father of Page County. Jacob had petitioned the authorities of Virginia in the 1720s for a land grant. DENIED! He determined that his petition didn’t have the numbers, it didn’t really wow the powers that be. They were looking to grant large groups of families, land west of the Blueridge. They had no time for one offs. Jacob needed a better plan, a full proof plan.
It is not written just how or when the idea popped into Jacob’s head, or perhaps it was his wife’s idea. Whatever the case may be, they began setting the plan in motion. One at a time Jacob named his animals, not just any name, but names that led you to believe they were the head of the family names. One dog may have been named Rueben Samuel Stover, or perhaps a horse was Daniel C. Varner. Jacob wrote up his new petition with carefully disguised names, designating his animals as, head of a family. If you think about it, Jacob’s animals were some of the first settlers in the county. The petition was submitted directly to the King this time.
The plan worked, as the King granted him a large tract of land along the Shenandoah River, which he began selling off as quickly as he could. It was through these purchases that the early settlers began building little communities throughout this wonderful Valley, with all of their root’s tracing back to the Stover’s animals. Thank you, Rex!
Errr I mean Sir Charles Watley.
This story comes from the article written in 1924 by a fellow by the name of Earl Lutz, who wrote an article on the early settlements of Page County. Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch, Feb 3, 1924.
This image was found randomly on the internet, not associated with anyone to give credit to.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz July 10, 2025, Hits 11742.
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Hamilton Varner Family Photo
In and around late 1895, the Hamilton Varner family was planning a family photo. In those days you had to plan to take a photo in his little community in Stonyman Va. You either brought in a photographer or just maybe you knew someone that had one those new fandangled Kodak cameras, that were all the rage. Those new point, click, and wind cameras were the first commercial Cameras on the market. Boy they were really something, you could take up to one hundred photos. However, if you read the fine print, you had to send in the entire camera back to Eastman Kodak to get the pictures processed, and they would send your photos back with your camera reloaded. Judging by the shape of Hamilton Varner’s Family photo, it was not taken by one of the new cameras, as those photos were round.
So, it was decided that one Sunday after church, the family would get together and have this photo done, after all Pappa Varner was not getting any younger. Everybody most certainly was included and I mean everyone. The Varner’s ten children, their spouses with grand children, and of course the dog along with Hamilton’s favorite horse. How they picked the corner of the house we will never know, but that is where they gathered. The photographer is unknown, what was known, is that no one was allowed to smile. You may think they might have been irritated to be there or that it took long for the flash etc. The truth is being happy during a photo was seriously frowned on back in those days. In fact, a person’s wide smiles were often associated with madness, drunkenness, or otherwise informal, immature behavior. So, there was none of that going to happen, well except for the dog, he sure looked happy.
Fast forward one hundred and thirty five years later, give or take. I stood in front of the two hundred year old house, and immediately went to the corner where the photo was taken back so many years before. I thought of the photo, and for just a minute I could envision the excitement in the air of the family gathering around. I could hear the laughter of the children, and the groan when Pappa Hamilton led the horse to the lawn. The women were making sure every hair was in place while the dog barked, and the men spoke of everything but the photo. With a loud voice the photographer said, “ok everyone on three, look unhappy”.
Original photo supplied by direct descendant Jerry Varner.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz June 11, 2025, Hits 10688.
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Twenty five mile backup on Leakesville Road.
When you drive down Leaksville Rd. I bet you don’t think about the Civil War. I mean Leaksville Rd is just another country road. Perhaps you live on it or near it. It could be your kids go to the high school on Leaksville Rd. Maybe you take it as a short cut to get over to Rt 340. The truth is, it did play an important role in the battles of Port Republic, and Cross Keys.
The plan was for General Fremont to attack General Jackson from the west, while General Sheilds Division attacked from the east. This was to happen near or around New Market Va. This plan was foiled as Jackson was tipped off, and thus ordered the burning of the White House, Columbia, and Red Bridge. This would significantly hinder the Union troops on the eastside of the Shenandoah River. Only the White House Bridge was actually burned. Today the abutments of Columbia and White house Bridge still remain. The original White House Bridge abutments sit just south of the current Rt211 bypass bridge. If you could still cross the old bridge, it would take you right into The Luray RV Resort and Campground. In fact, that campground was built on a lot of history. After the burning of the White House Bridge, General Jackson was able to escape entrapment. He then continued south along what is rt 11 today, with Union General Fremont’s troops in pursuit. On the other side of the Massanutten Mountain, Union General Shields division was now stuck on the wrong side of that burned bridge.
Plan B was for General Shield’s Division to head down the Luray Stanton Turnpike (Leaksville Rd), thus again trapping General Jackson in or around Port Republic. Of course, it didn’t work out that way. General Shields Division was quickly bogged down in the mud all along what is now Leaksville Rd, from Luray to Alma. In fact, his supply trains were spread out twenty five plus miles. There are even accounts of new roads being cut out through the woods to go around the mud in places. All of this took time. To make matters even worse, half of the Union infantry did not have shoes or socks. By the time his troops arrived they were 3 days late. General Jackson had already defeated General Fremont’s troops and were now lying in wait. After losing 1000 men to either wounded, killed or captured to Stonewall Jackson, the Union troops marched all the way back to Luray, the same way they had just came from. So, the next time you find yourself on Leaksville Rd, think about the 25 mile backup in June of 1862, and how it very well could have changed history.
Sources used “Avenues of Armies” By Robert H Moore also there are many online sources if you search The Valley Campaign.
The image used is from a similar mud march in Fredericksburg.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz May 9, 2025, Hits 9329.
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Benjamin Franklin Huffman
Catcher St Louis Browns 1937
On July 18th 1914 a little baby boy was born. As his parents Amos and Molly Huffman gathered around, I wonder if they saw a future baseball player? Just maybe as they counted his fingers and toes, his mother thought he might grow up to be a great piano player. Not his father, no he took one look at those hands and thought baseball. Stranger things have happened. Based on the end result, I’d say he would grow up loving baseball. After graduating from Luray high school, he played baseball and football for Bridgewater College where he would excel at both sports. Benjamin Franklin Huffman was shortened to Bennie Huffman. Lord knows Benjamin Franklin never played baseball or football, so Bennie it was. It was after the 1936 football season that Bennie decided professional baseball was his future. That spring he left for Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he had enrolled in the Ray Doan baseball school. It wasn’t long before legendary player/ manager Roger Hornsby noticed Bennie. Mr Doan invited Bennie to play with the St. Louis Browns. With zero professional experience, Bennie Huffman from Rileyville Va became the 1937 St. Louis Browns opening day catcher. Bennie went 2 for 3 in his first big league game! As bad luck would have it in a game against Cleveland, a bad collision at the plate would injure Bennie’s shoulder. Even with an ailing shoulder and playing time reduced Bennie would hit 273 with one home run, and finish second in the league with pinch hits. That would be Bennie’s one full season in the majors. Bennie would spend time in the minors while his shoulder healed. In 1940 it was looking good for him to rejoin the majors when he was drafted, not by a baseball team but by Uncle Sam.
The U.S. Navy had the Huffman rights from 1941 to 1945. Interestingly Bennie played some ball in the Navy with several ex major leaguers. In 1946 he was discharged from the Navy and he returned to baseball as a player/manager for nearly a decade. Huffman managed the 1951 Seatle team in the Pacific Coast League to a
pennant and a victory in the playoffs. Two years later Bennie would hang up his cleats, and become a player scout for the Chicago White Sox organization. Huffman worked for the White Sox for the next thirty six years, helping sign notable players like Minnie Minoso, Roy Sievers and Harold Baines. In 1991, Huffman was inducted into the Major League Bureau Hall of Fame. Bennie Huffman would pass at age 90 years old, he was laid to rest in Luray Va. Sources Bridgewater College Athletics, Huffman Genealogical Tree, baseball reference com and deadball era com.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz April 10, 2025, Hits 8434.
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Jedediah’s Notebook
In professional golf, each pro golfer has a course notebook. In this notebook are every distance from most every angle to the green, and other strategic locations around the course. In fact, a pro golfer will drop balls all over each hole, and hit from there just to make notes. They do this during the practice rounds. As you can imagine these notebooks are invaluable to the pros, the smart ones take meticulous notes. On top of that during each tournament each pro golfer is assigned a caddy, or brings his own, if allowed. This caddy also has a notebook of the very same things. To the pro, the caddy is “the man”, and he or she is relied upon heavily. Did I hit a five or six iron from here the pro might ask. The answer may sound like this, you hit a six iron sir, however there was no wind at that time. Now that’s useful information.
In 1862 General Stonewall Jackson had a man, or caddy if you will. His name was Jedediah Hotchkiss, folks that knew him called him Jed. Jedediah was worth his weight in gold to General Jackson. Not only did he take notes, he made maps, and created drawings. While the golfers’ notes tell him the yards to the pin, Jedediah’s notes told Jackson the distance to key locations throughout the Valley, as well as other locations. His notes might remind General Jackson that we can’t take that bridge any longer, as you had the men burn it to the ground. Again, useful information. Officers took great care not to lose or misplace their notes and maps. History tells us that more than one battles outcome were changed by misplaced or lost notes and maps. Today we can call up the internet to ask, how far from Luray to Staunton, or New Market to Winchester, no problem. General Jackson had no internet so he asked his main man. How far from the Columbia Bridge to Luray, or Luray to Front Royal. My personal favorite is, how far from Conrad’s store to Fishers Gap? Now even the internet will not tell you that one. Siri, how far is it from Conrads Store to Fishers Gap? Crickets. Jedediah knew, eighteen miles Sir. FYI Conrads Store is what they use to call Elkton Va. The Pro’s note book will have where all of the bunkers and water hazards are placed. Jedediah’s note book listed all of the fords, bridges and gaps and any other discernable land marks. For both it is imperative that they have good penmanship, as well as the ability to write left to right in a straight line. While I can draw fairly well, penmanship and writing in a semi straight line would have had me relegated to the front lines. To show off further Jedediah wrote in cursive. To this day I write in half of each. I have no idea why, but I can honesty tell you, that there was a lot of red markings on my papers when they were handed back to me. Of course, I never had a caddy or a main man either.
The National Library of Congress has 350 items in their Jedediah Hotchkiss Map Collection. According to Wikipedia Jedediah Hotchkiss (November 30, 1828 – January 17, 1899), was a teacher and the most famous cartographer and topographer of the American Civil War. His detailed and accurate maps of the Shenandoah Valley are credited by many as a principal factor in Confederate General Stonewall Jackson's victories in the Valley Campaign of 1862.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz March 9, 2025, Hits 7430.
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Mooo along, nothing to see
If you grew up in a rural county like Page County Va., Cows are an everyday site. You might actually own some, and if not, you certainly know people that do. A lot of folks in this county raise them for this or that. However, if you are a transplanted suburban cowboy like me, Cows are special, and I can tell you they are huge. I like the Cows and see them most everywhere that I go exploring. I like them better when they are on the other side of the fence. Last year I was given the privilege to do some metal detecting on a big farm. To be honest I stayed away from the Cows, I gave them their space. Ive had past experiences with metal detecting and cows. They can be very stealthy. If they were in the lower pastures then I would stay up top and so on. While I was assured by the land owner that they were nice and would never hurt me. Still, I shied away from them. Then on one particular day everything changed, the Cows decided to graze wherever I was. Apparently, they didn’t get the memo, I work alone. When you are on your hands and knees, and a dozen or so Cows come up close and personal, well like I said, Cows are huge, and every one of these Cows seem to have irritable bowel syndrome. There was no warning either, I will leave it at that. I seldom find anything metal detecting when the Cows are close, as I am too busy watching them, watch me. Don’t let them surround you Jim, I tell myself as if they are a pack of wolves, always keep an escape route. Before I knew it, I am talking to them. “Listen Patsy, I have nothing to eat and I am no threat to any of you, Nor do I have any idea where your cousin went.” I found it interesting that some Cows looked happy while other Cows gave me the death stare. Perhaps I am reading too much into the Cows. Perhaps they just want to know why I am digging holes in their Pasture. Maybe they want to see what I am finding, to see if they can eat it. I wonder if Cows sense that your nervous like dogs can. I ended up yielding to the cows and walked fifty or so yards away from them. Still, a few decided to follow me. I had lost interest in metal detecting by then, so I just hung out taking a few videos and pictures of the cows for our grandson back in South Carolina.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz February 9, 2025, Hits 6198.
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French and Indian War – Shenandoah River
I don’t know that many people remember why, and who were fighting in the French and Indian War. The very name would imply that the French were fighting the Indians. Actually, the British and early Americans were fighting the French and Indians. No, they were not fighting over a woman, or gold, or even God. They were fighting over America, at least parts of it. Both France and England were claiming countries and territories all over the world. It wasn’t enough that they fought each other on their own soil for hundreds of years, now they brought their war here. Both countries wanted a piece of the American Pie. Our lower part of the Valley was being populated as fast as Britain could move people into it. I guess you could say that land was at an all-time low. Britain wanted a buffer between the French and Ohio Valley Indians well up into Canada. Our ancestors were to be that buffer. A volunteer with the National Park Service (Barbara Magill) wrote a short piece on the last attack, you may recognize some of the names involved. My father use to tell stories of his grandmother being a “tough old bird.” She wasn’t alone, to survive in this Valley back in the day, you had better be tough.
Last Attack
By 1764 the Indian attacks on settlers in the Virginia frontier had nearly ended, but a formal peace agreement with the return of captives was not arranged until 1766, the year of the last recorded incident.
The incident took place about two miles south of Woodstock along Route 11, near Narrow Passage Creek. The Sheetz and Taylor families were on their way to either Miller’s Fort or the fort-like Sheetz Mill when they were attacked by five Indians. The men were killed but the women managed to fight off their attackers with axes. Several of the Indians were wounded and the group fled, leaving the women and children to make their way to the fort.
The widow Barbara Sheetz continued to successfully run her husband’s Grist Mill, located on Narrow Passage Creek just above where it enters the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, long after this final French and Indian War attack. Image used from the Alamy.com website.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz January 8, 2025, Hits 5301.
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Indian Burial Mounds
Indian Trails and Burial Mounds in Page County Va. While exploring the history of the Massanutten, I learned of Indian Burial mounds on the west side of the south fork, just passed Rileyville Va. Not surprising really, given the richness of the Valley and the river. The mounds along with Indian Burial Ridge are on National Forrest property. There are public hiking trails that take you along the ridge, and as you can imagine some spectacular views from the top. The information is readily available online. The mounds remain, but are empty now. They were dug out and the remains, along with any artifacts were removed. To date I have not been able to determine just where the remains went, but I did read that there are countless rooms in storage with just such items at the Smithsonian.
If you are like me, you thought that all Indians created mounds, or burial sites. As I dug into this, I found that is not the case. While some tribes did others did not. Some buried their dead individually outside of their homes. Virginia places.Org tells us that during the Middle Woodland Period, the dead in the Northern Shenandoah Valley were buried close to a towns palisade (defensive fence,) then every five years or so they would be moved to a sacred burial mound. As mentioned above, Page County has a couple of these such mounds. Many years before the first settlers came to the Shenandoah Valley, there were no permanent Indian Settlements to leave mounds in the Valley. The Shenandoah Valley became the hunting grounds to the Iroquois tribes, who fought the Catawba Nation war parties for decades along the path through the Valley. By 1722 settlers continued to push ever westward, so a treaty was formed. Virginias Colonial government, led by Governor Alexander Spotswood, brokered a deal with the six nations. The treaty would keep the settlers to the east side of the Blue ridge. However, by the 1930s settlers began crossing into the valley in large numbers. In part because of huge land grants given to settlers to go, and settle the Valley by the same Virginian government this time headed by Lord Fairfax.
As the settlers continued to come into the valley, it was clear that the treaty was more to keep the people of the six nations from moving east. In 1744 the Haudenosaunee (people of the six nations) sold the Shenandoah Valley to the English for the equivalent of $100,000 I mean at this point what else could they do? They were going to lose the Valley one way or another.
There is quite a lot of information regarding Native Americans in Va going back some 15,000 years. Sources include: Native American Communities of the Shenandoah Valley by Dr Carole Nash Website Virginia places.org, photo taken by Mr. Dewey Sours of Page County.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz December 9, 2024, Hits 4417.
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The Burner Barn Burning-
In late September 1864, General Ulysses Grant sent out a general order to destroy the entire Shenandoah Valleys food making ability. For four plus years the Valley had provided food to the southern war department. For four years off an on the Union Army attempted to control the Valley with little success. Things were different now, what was left of the Southern Army was with General Lee, trying to protect Richmond, leaving only a rapidly shrinking fighting force to protect the entire Valley. General William Tecumseth Sherman divided his army, sending part down what is now Rt. 340 with the other half driving down what is now Rt11. The troops were instructed to burn all crops, all barns, some houses while confiscating all cattle. The exceptions were, if the barn was empty it could stand, or if a widow owned it and the house they were to be spared. There is much written about this with many varying details.
To a boy almost ten none of that mattered, it was just another day with chores to do. Maybe even a little fishing once the chores were done. Sure, the adults were talking and folks were wringing their hands and praying for this or that, but it wasn’t until he and his brother heard the words “Union Calvary were coming”, did they perk up. Now that would be something to see. The following morning the boys got their wish. No sooner than their father hid what was left of his cows, did the troopers ride into the yard. The boys ran out to meet them, soon to be ten years old Danny Burner ran up to the lead trooper, pleading to let him go in to get the eggs before they burned their barn. The trooper was so struck by the boy that he allowed him to collect the eggs. Upon returning from the barn with his basket full of eggs, the trooper called out to the boy and offered him a trade. I will spare your barn if you give me all of your eggs. That was a great trade Danny thought, and he smiled from ear to ear as he handed over the eggs.
Meanwhile Mr Danny A Burners cows came out of hiding when they heard the cow bells of other cows that had just been collected from other farms. Mr Burner surely felt all was lost. That is until he came back and saw his barn still standing. Why didn’t they burn the barn Mr Burner asked? We traded young Danny said, they got the eggs and we kept the barn. In 1877 some twelve years after the war, many families would attempt to be compensated for their losses during Sherman’s March through the Valley. Some would do better than others at getting some or all of their money back.
I first saw this story in Avenues of Armies by Robert Moore. The image is from Historical Notes on the Blosser Family during the Civil War.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz November 5, 2024, Hits 3778.
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Abandoned Cemeteries in Page County – Peter J Keyser Cemetery. Page Valley Estates
There are dozens of little cemeteries scattered throughout Page County, many of them are abandoned. One such is the Peter J Keyser Cemetery. A small very old cemetery that is said to be haunted. Peter J Keyser Sr. was very well known in Page County and Luray. Peter J Keyser Sr. had eight children with two wives. At one me there were three of the Keyser brothers living across from Rileyville along the South Fork.
In 1939, Peter James Keyser Jr. left his only living descendant, Virginia Pearl (Keyser) Vaughan, $1116 a month to maintain his father’s cemetery. Well in truth he left her $50 a month, which today would be estimated at $1116. Peter James inherited the task from his brother Issac when their mother passed. Father Peter J Keyser sr. who built the cemetery, left a little something for upkeep and maintenance. They were also instructions to finish the wrought iron fence should he not be able to, along with who could be buried there. He only wanted family members to be buried in his cemetery.
There are just eighteen people buried there inside the fence, (outside the fence is another story.) The first to be buried there was Mary Ann Obtz Keyser. The first wife of Peter J Keyser Sr. Born in 1804 and passed in 1826. The last to be buried there was Mary Catherine Keyser, wife of Peter James Keyser Jr. Born in 1877 and died in 1926. She is buried alongside her two infants, one passing in 1901 and the other in 1908. Neither were named. These are all direct descendants from Pioneer Charles Sabason Keyser, who was the grandfather of Peter J Keyser Sr.
Six years aer her father’s death In 1945, Virginia Pearl and then husband John W Vaughan would sell the cemetery as part of a two hundred and seventy-five acre farm to a Luray newcomer, Urban Westenberger. Without getting deep into the weeds, the cemetery eventually ended up as part of the George Washington National Forrest. Despite nature and party goers from decades ago the little cemetery is in decent shape. It would not take much of an effort to restore it back to the way it was. Given the circumstances though I do not see that happening. Like the hundreds of little cemeteries scattered along the Shenandoah trail, this one will eventually be swallowed up by mother nature. As for the hauntings, there have been numerous tales of voices heard, orbs floating and the like. While I can’t say for certain, Id like to believe the only spirits out there may have been in cans or bottles. Then again, I only explore during the day.
Figure 1 Peter J Keyser Cemetery 2024 The figure to the left is unknown. Happy Halloween.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz October 5, 2024, Hits 3295
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WHERE DID ALL THE CABOOSE’S GO?
Somewhere between graduating from school, having kids, and getting established in a career, they phased out the Caboose. They were very sneaky about it to, they took their time and slowly got rid of them thinking we wouldn’t notice. Well, they were right, I mean I noticed once in a while the train was missing the Caboose, or was it? Life can get pretty busy. All of my life I loved to watch trains, who didn’t? Steam locomotives were long gone before I was born, so I didn’t really know to miss them. Now days it seems most people get aggravated when the cross bars come down, not me. I do miss the Cabooses though. As kids we would wait and wait until finally one of us would spot it, “there it is!”, so cool. No man standing at the end though, its ok maybe next time. It was the trifecta to see a train, hear the horn and see the Caboose. Perfect, now if the man was standing outside the Caboose, eureka! In the early 2000s I had the opportunity to explore the Virginia Transportation Museum. It was there that I spotted many of the missing Cabooses. Everything was cool until I saw them, they were lined up in rows side by side and behind one another. Some still good looking, but many were old, all now relics from a bygone era. It’s kind of like the houses in rural Virginia, people just can’t bear to get rid of them. I get it they cost too much, they aren’t needed, technology is so much better now. Well, I don’t care, they could put a hollowed-out Caboose at the end of the trains. They don’t need to do anything but look like a Caboose. Think of all the smiles they would be putting on people’s faces. Oh my God, did you see that, there goes a Caboose. Just maybe it would even slow people down, and make them happy to see the cross bars come down.
The Town of Shenandoah’s Caboose. Photo by Amos Thomas
This picture was taken at Shaffer’s Crossing Roanoke Va. by Jim Allen
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz September 7, 2024, Hits 2811
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More from E.O.B July 15th 1862 Occupation of Luray Va - 6th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry
When we last left trooper E.O.B they were fighting off guerrilla attacks daily from bands of Southern Cavalry and Local Milia. Riding with the 6th Ohio brought new meaning to” on the job training,” they learned quickly to increase their scouting party numbers to sixteen men to keep from being overwhelmed during ambushes. The kept their horses saddled and ready 24 hours a day, they also moved camp on a regular basis. E.O.B is writing back home explaining the condition of the Shenandoah Valleys farm land below.
“Children and fools generally speak the truth and the children say they can’t find anything to buy now”. “These valleys are generally very productive, when well cultivated, but they are being neglected very much now. Only a crop of spring grains are growing, and those not well cared for, and a large portion of the ripened wheat will have to fall upon the ground unharvested. The cattle and hogs are gone and going, and no salt to preserve what may be le. We have been offered a dollar a pint for salt. The old bacon is nearly gone, and the old flour and wheat are getting scarce, if we are to believe the people. There is no trade in groceries as none can get in here.
The country side abides in fruits, especially peaches, plums, cherries, and berries. For the past two weeks we have had great times living on cherries and berries. The cherries (several kinds) are excellent. We really believe that our regiment picked ten bushels of sweet ones the first day at our present campsite. So you see we have had some good things.
Yours E.O.B
Letter taken from the “The life and times of Colonel William Stedman of the 6th Ohio Cavalry”
No source was found for the image.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz August 8, 2024, Hits 2352
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The Second Burning
There were two burnings in the Shenandoah Valley that devastated Page County, and surrounding counties for generations to come. The latest one came back in the late 1920s and into the 1930s,
when President Woodro Wilson wanted a National Park on the east coast. There were commissions
and panels created, but at the end of the day the Blueridge Mountains in Virginia was picked.
Reports were written then presented, and all were in agreement. There was one stipulation however from the President, that was no federal money would be used. In other words, Virginia and its counties would have to figure out how to obtain the land.
In the beginning the counties were able to give, and or grant the National Park much of the land needed. In the end it wasn’t enough, so the government began finding creative ways to take the land. There were rezonings, purchases for pennies on the dollar, and downright theft. All of this was made possible by a commissions study of those living along the mountain. In short, the study concluded that they were stuck in the 1800s, they were lawless, there were no communities, or organization what so ever. They would be doing them a favor. Give them pennies on the dollar for their land, as they are too dumb to even understand. Nearly one hundred years later many are still bitter, and rightfully so. So the burnings began. Every house, barn and dwelling were to be burnt to the ground.
To this day mother nature has not been able to cover all of the chimneys still rising up out of the thick underbrush, as if in defiance. There are still little clusters of homes covered in plant growth that were bought out, but not burned down as an outcry of folks came pouring in, “To Stop this Madness!”
The Shenandoah National Park is not proud of their history, but at least it in not hidden. You can read incredibly detailed accounts of how all of that transpired right on their website.
A couple of good articles.
Blue Ridge Heritage Project
The spirits of Shenandoah National Park
An overgrown cemetery is tucked in the woods off the Appalachian Trail, very close to the Swift Run Gap Entrance Station. Before the park’s creation in the 1930s, hundreds of families lived in the Blue Ridge, within the boundaries of what became the park. They ran farms, orchards, schools, stores and mills. And they left behind more than 100 cemeteries, some visible from hiking trails, others deep in the backcountry. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz July 10, 2024, Hits 1893
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Five Guys and One Hundred Thousand Acres
In 1731, the governor and colonial council in Virginia granted five guys (all partners) headed up by one Robert McKay Sr. from Pennsylvania, 100,000 acres of land in the Shenandoah Valley between Winchester and Front Royal. However, that would be stretched well into page counties South Fork land before it was all over. There was but one condition, they needed to recruit 100 families to settle the land over the next four years. These five guys were no dummies, they immediately saw that there was no fine print. There was nothing telling them that the 100,000 acres had to be one giant block of land.
I can see these five guys sitting around a table smoking those long pipes, looking at each other grinning from ear to ear. “Have you read this” one would say? “Over and over” they said, we get to pick the land blocks. I can tell you with certainty that there were no Indians present at that meeting.
After four years of beating the bushes going from town to town, they could only recruit 54 families.
The colonial council and governor agreed that would be fine. Let the land dividing begin.
These guys took all the best tracks of land, while staying away from the less desirable tracks.
This would be challenged in court of all things by a guy named Lord Fairfax. Oh, those pesky northern Virginians. In the end the grant held, and folks began settling. Not only did they settle they sold off of some their land as more and more folks came into the Valley.
It all sounds so easy, well except that there were no roads to this land only Indian trails. There were no bridges across that part of the Potomac River. They basically had to cut their way through a large Pennsylvania forest down into Va, cross the river, and that was just to get above Harpers Ferry. Now they do it all over again to find, then settle their parcels of land all along the Valley. Many of these settlers would build multipurpose homes, part fort, storage building, and home all in one. For a time in this Valley, they are taking their weapons to work with them, and staying as close to the Fort as possible. Remember that saying “don’t wonder off alone,” now you know where it came from.
So the next time I’m outside whining about mowing or weed whacking our one acre, I will think about my early family members. Don’t laugh, we Allen’s played our part back in the pioneer days, and as if the Shenandoah Valley wasn’t hard enough, we ended up migrating deeper west to what is now the Huntington West Va. Area.
Chronology Of Land Grants In The Shenandoah Valley:
1729 – Robert Carter granted 50,000 acres in the lower Valley (this section remained primarily English)
6/17/1730 – John Van Meter granted 10,000 acres on the fork of the Shenandoah River and 20,000 acres “not already taken up by Robert Carter”.
6/17/1730 – Isaac Van Meter granted 10,000 acres between Carter’s land, the River and Opequon Creek.
6/17/1730 – Jacob Stover (a Swiss) granted 10,000 acres (5,000 at Massanutten, 5,000 in Rockingham County)
10/28/1730 – Alexander Ross and Morgan Bryan granted 100,000 acres near present day Winchester (Quaker settlement)
6/10/1731 – William Beverly et al. Granted 20,000 acres on the western side of the lower Valley
6/10/1731 – John Fishback et al. Granted 50,000 acres between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River in present day Warren and Page Counties
10/21/1731 – Robert McKay and Joist Hite granted 100,000 acres (McKay was Scots-Irish and this points out why Germans and Scots-Irish co-mingled in the valley near Winchester)
5/5/1732 – Francis Willis et al. granted 10,000 acres on both sides of the South Shenandoah (up to Stover’s tract)
10/27/1732 – William Russell granted 20,000 acres near present day Front Royal
10/28/1734 – John Tayloe et al. granted 60,000 acres adjoining Stover’s northern tract.
1736 – Benjamin Burdon granted between 100,000 to 500,000 acres in present day Rockbridge and Augusta counties.
If you want to go even further back, this site breaks down the different American Indian Periods.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/native-americans-in-the-shenandoah-valley.htm
This photo was taken by Jim Allen "White House"
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz June 1, 2024, Hits 1213
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Redman Store
At one time there was a little ole couple, that ran a little ole store. As far as we know this couple didn’t have any little ole children, but they had a little ole house across from the store. Not surprisingly they had a little ole barn, with a little ole pasture. Now it would be perfect if they had a little ole cow, but I do not know that to be true. This store was very convenient at the time for folks that did not want to drive back into Luray, or over to Stanley. They sold milk, eggs and bread and a lot of other things. Yes, they sold candy and cold sodas for the kids to. Like all of us the couple grew old and passed away. I was not told how or why they past, only that they grew old and that the store went to one of their nephews who lived in New York. He did not want the little store, house or little barn, he had no use for them, so he sold them. I would love to tell you that the new owner restored the store, built a new house and put a cow in the field. However, that was not to be, as sometimes things sit to long and the land itself is worth more than the buildings that sit on them. The Little ole store is still there on the corner but barely. If you look real close across the street and into the trees, you can see what is left of the little ole house, and the little ole barn. The current owner gave me permission to take the photos and tell this story.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz May 5, 2024, Hits 733.
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LAST STOP BEFORE LURAY
If you wanted to come to Page County to visit family in the early 1900s, you probably took a train. Perhaps you came in from Manassas, or Fairfax through Front Royal. Between Front Royal and the town of Shenandoah there were several little depots or stations along the way. Sadly, many of these communities are long gone, and with them their depots/stations. One such would be the Elgin Depot in Kimball Va. Last stop before Luray folks! In some cases, the train didn’t stop at all, they could snag the mail bag from a line on the way by. In 1910 the Elgin Depot was slated for expansion to help with the ever-growing N&W Railways freight business. Other than that, I found very little on this Depot, and so I have no idea if it ever did expand. We do know that it was not used that far into the future and in fact it has been long gone for some me now. Armed with an old map I set out to find the exact spot of its location. I believe that I succeeded. The house in the distance still stands. The Kimball Post Office which was on the other side of the Depot is also gone. Interestingly there are a few old non-functioning poles still standing in the area. Did you know that Kimball Virginia was named after a very early N&W railway president? “Frederick J Kimball” under Kimball N&W railway would become famous for their manufacturing steam locomotives in Roanoke Va. The following is provided by Wiki. “A request was made to rename the town of Big Lick, now Roanoke, in his honor, but Mr. Kimball turned it down. Kimball Avenue in Roanoke, Virginia, was named in his honor. A decorative fountain in downtown Roanoke was named for him and dedicated in 1907. The rail station Kimball, just north of the town of Luray, VA was originally named after F.J Kimball, but the name was later changed to Elgin to eliminate confusion with another station. Kimball Road in Luray still bears his name though.” The black and white photo was found in the “The Pictorial Heritage of Page County” book. Great book with lots of nice photos. The other images were taken and or created by the author.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz May 5, 2024, Hits 733.
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Jimmy Bell
In April of 1862, Page Counties own Jimmy Bell, a 1st Lieutenant in the 7th Virginia Cavalry, was captured while guarding the Columbia Bridge near Alma Virginia. He was transferred to Winchester, then off to Baltimore, and finally he was sent to Fort Delaware.
There Jimmy remained while the war went on. It was not uncommon for both sides to exchange prisoners at various times early in the War, and so it was for Jimmy. He was sent to Aikens Landing for exchange however, he would finish the war as a private. While he served in various units, eventually Jimmy would once again join a Virginia Calvary regiment. On Nov 5th of 1864 he would go awol, only to return on December 31st.1864, no details were given. Jimmy would ride out the last few months of the war unharmed.
Who the heck was Jimmy Bell? Jimmy Bell was born on June 8th 1840 as James H Bell, and only child, his parents were John Westley Bell, and Rachel Keyser Bell. Jimmys father would be brutally murdered by a couple of his slaves in 1842 while Jimmy was two years old. No explanation was given in the records. Thus, the hauntings of the Shenandoah Rivers South Fork were born. Jimmy and his mother would soon move in with his grandfather, George Keyser on his farm the “The Green Castle”. Jimmy Bell had it good at his grandfathers and was surrounded by friends and lots of family. In 1859 George Keyser would pass, leaving his farm to his daughter Rachel, who in turn would pass five years later, leaving it all to Jimmy in Jan of 1864. The war would end the following year and he would return to the Green Castle.
Jimmy was pretty much set for life, he had a large farm with a beautiful small mansion built by his grandfather along the Shenandoah River. He had good people running and taking care of the farm.
He was well liked in the community, and would travel around staying with friends and family. Life was good for Jimmy, that is until June 1st 1866. He had just arrived home from an afternoon in Luray. To those that worked for him nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Later that evening Jimmy would retire to his chambers never to be seen alive again. Jimmy Bell would take his own life later that night, no notes, or letters, and nobody saw it coming. It is said that Jimmy used a service pistol to take his life.
On June 3rd the day of Jimmy Bells funeral, a Writer by the name F J.W. Wood wrote, “No young man in Page County ever began life with brighter prospects than Jimmy Bell, and none ever came to a sadder end”.
This image was created by the author James Allen.
Sources used include:
U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles 1861-1865
The Page Courier article in 1896.
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz April 19, 2024 Hits 379.
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E.O.B writes back to Ohio - he is in Page County during the Civil War.
In early July 1862, a newly formed all volunteer Union Cavalry Regiment (6th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry) was tasked with occupying the small town of Luray Virginia. Just three months earlier they were drilling in central Ohio. The 6th Ohio Calvary Regiment was put together from ten different counties across northern and north central Ohio. Interestingly the vast majority of the troopers were not proficient in riding at all. Most could drive a wagon sure but to ride, shoot, maneuver, hardly. They would learn quickly or they would not survive.
Below is an excerpt from a letter written by Union Trooper “ E.O.B” going back to Ohio to his parents. “Know that at this time only the 6th is left to occupy Luray and Page County. The rest of the Union Army has moved north. Also keeping in mind that this regiment is inexperienced and losing troopers to accidents regularly. Just the day before they lost the company Bugler when his pistol discharged into his knee as he mounted his horse”.
E.O.B. writes on June 15th 1862 from Luray Virginia.
“We have been highly complimented by Brigadier Gen. Lloyd and Gen Stienwehr for gallantly defending Luray and keeping our good position. The 6th is learning their style, will give them enough of their own play. But they have greatly the advantage, knowing every crook, turn, and hiding place in this mountainous country which is peculiarly adapted to guerrilla warfare, and then every citizen, men, women, (woman are the worse) act as spies, and inform them of our every move, troop strength etc.
Some means must be adopted to drive them out of these mountains or they will fight us for forty years.
The main source for this post came from “The Life and Times of
Colonel William Stedman of the 6th Ohio Cavalry.”
This image came from americancivilwar.com
This Article Posted on Shenandoah Newz April 14, 2024
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Another one of my hobbies is researching Urban Westenberger and his Mausoleum. Check out my Facebook page at the following link and learn about the book I just published!
Urban Westenberger - Fact from Fiction
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