Historic Land of the Potomac, the Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge

Jefferson County, WV

New! 111 Page Illustrated Booklet!

Early days in Jefferson County, West Virginia, which includes Harper's Ferry, Shepherdstown and Charles Town (formerly Charlestown), are recalled through a mixture of colorful tales and factual data in this booklet comprised of excerpts from four rare vintage books. The booklet is printed on 60# opaque paper, with the print size enlarged as needed to fit the 8 1/2 x 11 size. The front cover is a parchtex card stock, protected with a vinyl sheet.

Other communities mentioned: Middleway, Leetown, Smithfield, Bloomery, Bardane, Kearneysville, Bollivar, Halltown, Darke, Ranson.

The source books include: Historical Collections of Virginia by Henry Howe (1845); West Virginia in History, Life, Literature and Industry by Morris Purdy Shawkey (1928); History of West Virginia by Virgil A. Lewis (1889); and Virginia, a Guide to the Mountain State, a WPA publication (1941).

Among the many topics are: Formation of the county; Physical features and mineral deposits; Scenery at Harper's Ferry; James Rumsey, a pre-Fulton steamboat inventor; General William Darke; Washington's Masonic Cave; Shannondale Springs; Newspapers; Judge Daniel B. Lucas; Schools; John Brown's Raid at Harper's Ferry; Jefferson County during the Civil War; John Lederer; Storer College; Shepherd College State Normal School; Home of the Burr family; General Horatio Gates and the Revolution; ; Alexander Martin, university president; William Lyne Wilson, statesman; Points of Interest and Maps for Charles Town, Harper's Ferry and Shepherdstown; Claymont Court, Falling Springs and other area mansions; a Ghostly cobbler, a colorful excuse for late mail, an amusing clause in Charles Lee's will, and other bits of history and trivia.

Attention Genealogists: This booklet contains relatively detailed biographies of prominent county residents of the late 1800s, often shedding light on the businesses, churches, and institutions in the area, and on the events of the day. They include: Dr. Abner Osburn Albin, Forrest Barnhart, Henry N. Bradley, Forrest A. Brown, Col. Forest W. Brown, Frank Lee Bushong, Capt. Henry Clay Getzen-Danner, John W. Irvin, James Murray Mason family, Mary (Minnie) Reinhart Ringgold (a descendant of Gerrett Van Swearingen), and Frank B. Robinson.

Wouldn't this make a unique gift?