Moravians:
The historian John Wayland's provides an account
of the Spangonberg/Reutz Moravian hikes in 1748. These backwoods
preachers went from the South Branch as far south as Hot Springs,
then came back north to Fort Seybert and from there found a
path over to Brock's Gap. That was essentially a walk from the
Eymans near Petersburg on Iman's Run to Linville Creek!
"On July 25th they left the South Branch and began to
climb the remarkably high mountains called the North Ridge,
which are the Kittidame or Endless Mountains ...For an hour
and a half they climbed the very steep ascent, but when they
reached the top they surveyed in every direction an exceedingly
wide region, and it seemed to them as if the whole world were
at their feet. On account of its remarkable height, they called
the mountain Prince Peak. In passing over the top and in descent
they spent four full hours. As it was evening and they missed
the road, they happened to strike an elk trail which took them
between two mountains. Here they spent the night., hungry and
thirsty, encamped at their fire. They were frequently visited
by elks, which are numerous in these mountains."
"On the following
morning, July 26th, they came to a marked path. It brought them
to a salt lick which is frequented by elks and then they are
usually shot by hunters. A kind spirit led them to the right
way, by which they continued their journey, till they came in
the evening to a German Plantation. Here Adam Roeder lives.."
Notes: Rader was a Mennonite who lived at Timberville, perhaps
5 miles north of Linville and near the creek. The Fairfax Line,
surveyed less than two years before, was only a few miles to
the northwest. (Now, had they turned right from Raders and taken
the road down from Broadway, they'd have been at Edom before
lunch!)
Underground Railroad:
During the Civil War, Mennonites and Brethren
of Rockingham were deeply concerned with events. As people of
peace, their homes were becoming the central battleground of
an ugly war. Pressure was heavy on every able bodied person
to serve. At their annual meetings, they encouraged one another
to resistance to participation. West Virginia, more aligned
with the Union, broke away from the Confederate portions of
the state. With little alternative, many people of peace took
to their horses and headed for western territory. The documented
route of a group of 70 which was apprehended at Petersburg of
West Virginia shows a pathway from Linville Creek to the South
Branch. The group, gathering at Samuel Beery's near Chrissman's
would have been meeting at Edom, and perhaps even at the Mennonite
church built by Brfennemans. The proceeded directly west and
walked up through Hopkins Gap, along ridges and across ravines
to the Judy's on the South Fork. Their trip the next day was
across Ketterman's Mountain and a walk up the South Branch of
the Potomac to Petersburg where they were arrested and marched
back to Staunton and off to Richmond Virginia to be imprisoned.
During the Civil War, there were a number of people of "peace" who
opted to help Blacks escape from the south. A common path for
the "Underground Railroad" was to proceed from Rockingham
up the mountains into West Virgina, which broke away from the
Confederacy, and walk up through Petersburg to catch a train
to the North.
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George Washington:
George Washinton's describes
his days wandering through Rockingham in 1784 on his way back
from the Ohio Valley. He too went a very similar path down through
the South Branch and through Brock's Gap to Rockingham. In this
case though, he stopped to see the neighbors!
"September 29, 1784. Proceeding up the So. Fork of the
So. Branch (of Potomac) about 24 miles -- bated our Horses & obtaiined
something to eat ourselves at one Rudiborts. (1)) Thence taking
up a branch & following the same about 4 miles thro' a very
confined & rocky path, towards the latter part of it we
ascend a very steep point of the So. Branch Mountain, but which
was not far across, to the No. Fork of Shanondoah;-- down which
by a pretty good path which soon grew into a considerable road,
we descended until we arrived at one Fishwaters in Brocks Gap,
abut Eight Miles from the foot of the Mountain -- 12 from Rudiborts
-- & 36 from Colon. Hites (2). This gap is occasioned by
the above branch of Shannandoahs running thro' the Cacapehen & North
Mountains for about 20 Miles and affords a good road, except
being Stony & crossing the Water often. -- September 30,
1784. Captn. Hite returning home -- and travelled 11 or 12 Miles
along the River, until I had passed thro' the Gap -- then bearing
more westerly by one Bryan's (3) -- the Widow Smith's -- and
one Gilberts, I arrived at Mr. Lewis's about Sundown (4)...
(1) This may be Rohrbachs who were on the South Branch and intermarried
with Eymans.
(2) "Capt. Hite" would have been Abraham Hite, Jost's
son who married VanMeter and resided around Moorefield.
(3) Washington apparently didn't stay with Bryan, but at least
inquired perhaps to understand who owned the rather spectacular
home on the north end of Edom. It was part of this property,
sold by Thomas Bryan, son of Cornelius, which had already become
the property of Christian Eyman and Susannah of Conestoga, and
which was sold several years later to Jacob Lincoln, grand uncle
of the president, who lived across the creek.
(4) There was a Felix Gilbert who was a wealthy and prominent
citizen of Rockingham who furnished supplies to revolutionary
troops. He was a merchant at Cross Roads (of which there are
many references in the area). Gilbert had several properties
within ten miles to the east and southeast of Edom. The Lewis
place was 10.5 miles southeast of Harrisburg.
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