1984
"The Salem Publishing Co., owned by Ray Robinson and his wife, Jeanne, is purchasing the Vinton Messenger and the Fincastle Herald effective Oct. 1."
From The Roanoke Times, "Your Community", September 28, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
The Phoenix Bridge
This historic bridge is located about 2.6 miles from Eagle Rock in Botetourt County, Va. It is one lane across Craig's Creek on Rt. 685. The roadway is made of wood.
The bridge was constructed in 1887 and was one of the first steel bridges in this end of Virginia. It is called a Phoenix Bridge because it was built by The Phoenix Bridge Company of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
The bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Iron instead of timber use in bridges began around 1840; two iron bridges were built across the Erie Canal in New York about that time.
In 1850 an iron railroad bridge collapsed, which set the use of iron back a bit.However, by the 1860s it was in demand and after the Civil War there was a boom in bridge-building.
Many companies formed to take advantage of the need, including the Phoenix Bridge Company.
The Phoenix Company's distinctive product was the Phoenix post, a compression member composed of four flanged segments riveted together, which is used in this bridge.
It is formed of rolled wrought iron.
Major Kent
From The Roanoke Times
Historical Community Calendar
September 7, 2009
1934 (75 years ago)
"Apparently as indifferent as any person in the packed courtroom, Major Robert C. Kent, Jr. ... sat in circuit court here [Fincastle] this afternoon at 3:30 and heard read a jury verdict that said he was guilty of kidnapping Mrs. Mary Jane Hastings, 50, from Blue Ridge Springs."
Historical Community Calendar
September 7, 2009
1934 (75 years ago)
"Apparently as indifferent as any person in the packed courtroom, Major Robert C. Kent, Jr. ... sat in circuit court here [Fincastle] this afternoon at 3:30 and heard read a jury verdict that said he was guilty of kidnapping Mrs. Mary Jane Hastings, 50, from Blue Ridge Springs."
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
1959
"'Miss Botetourt County of 1954' has been named Mrs. Virginia of 1959.' Down at Virginia Beach yesterday, Mrs. Bruce Ikenberry of Roanoke ... walked off the winner over eight contestants in a day-long contest."
-- The Roanoke Times, "Your Community," printed on Monday, May 25, 2009
"'Miss Botetourt County of 1954' has been named Mrs. Virginia of 1959.' Down at Virginia Beach yesterday, Mrs. Bruce Ikenberry of Roanoke ... walked off the winner over eight contestants in a day-long contest."
-- The Roanoke Times, "Your Community," printed on Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
1959
"Greenfield, historic Botetourt County landmark where George Washington visited when he was a surveyor, was razed by fire early today."
-- From The Roanoke Times, "Your Community" on Monday, May 25, 2009
"Greenfield, historic Botetourt County landmark where George Washington visited when he was a surveyor, was razed by fire early today."
-- From The Roanoke Times, "Your Community" on Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Botetourt's Beginnings
From History of Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, By Lewis Preston Summers, copyright 1903, p. 106
Quote
[I]n the year 1769, the House of Burgesses of Virginia passed an act for the division of Augusta county, and all that part of Augusta county lying south and west of the North river, near Lexington, Va., was given the name of Botetourt county, and thus a new county was formed, which included all that part of Virginia in which we live and about which I write.
The act establishing Botetourt county provided that from and after the 31st day of January next ensuing, 1770, the said county and parish of Augusta be divided into two counties and parishes by a line beginning at the Blue Ridge, running north 55 degrees west to the confluence of Mary's creek, or the South river, with the north branch of James river, thence up the same to the mouth of Carr's creek, thence up said creek to the mountain, thence north 55 degrees west as far as the courts of the two counties had it extended, and further.
Whereas the people situated on the waters of the Mis- sisippi in the said county of Botetourt will be very remote from their courthouse and must necessarily become a separate county as soon as their numbers are sufficient, which probably will happen in a short time, be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that the inhabitants of that part of said county of Botetourt which lies on the said waters shall be exempted from the payment of any levies to be laid by the said county court for the purpose of building a courthouse and prison for said county.
It will thus be seen that the organization of the county of Bote- tourt was intended to be temporary only.
End Quote
Quote
[I]n the year 1769, the House of Burgesses of Virginia passed an act for the division of Augusta county, and all that part of Augusta county lying south and west of the North river, near Lexington, Va., was given the name of Botetourt county, and thus a new county was formed, which included all that part of Virginia in which we live and about which I write.
The act establishing Botetourt county provided that from and after the 31st day of January next ensuing, 1770, the said county and parish of Augusta be divided into two counties and parishes by a line beginning at the Blue Ridge, running north 55 degrees west to the confluence of Mary's creek, or the South river, with the north branch of James river, thence up the same to the mouth of Carr's creek, thence up said creek to the mountain, thence north 55 degrees west as far as the courts of the two counties had it extended, and further.
Whereas the people situated on the waters of the Mis- sisippi in the said county of Botetourt will be very remote from their courthouse and must necessarily become a separate county as soon as their numbers are sufficient, which probably will happen in a short time, be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that the inhabitants of that part of said county of Botetourt which lies on the said waters shall be exempted from the payment of any levies to be laid by the said county court for the purpose of building a courthouse and prison for said county.
It will thus be seen that the organization of the county of Bote- tourt was intended to be temporary only.
End Quote
Germans of the Valley
From: "The Germans of the Valley," by John Walter Wayland,The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume X,No. 1, July 1902, pp 38-39.
Quote:
The German Lutherans, German Reformed Mennonites, Cal-vinists, Dunkers, etc., forced their way up through the Valley, and furnished a varying percentage in the population of Augusta, Rockbridge. Botetourt, Roanoke, Craig, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Wythe counties. Prof. M. F. Maury{Physical Survey of Virginia,,\9>"i$) says: "This county, Augusta, as well as Rock- ingham, Shenandoah and Frederick, was settled up in a great measure by Germans, and the population has retained its German character." In Wythe, Pulaski, Montgomery and Craig counties the Germans met a number of Swiss who emigrated from North Carolina to Virginia. Schuricht quotes Captain R. B. Moorman, of Roanoke, assaying: " Rockbridge, Botetourt, Roanoke, Craig, Montgomery and Pulaski present a grateful field to the German-American historian." Salem, in Roanoke county, was for many years almost the exclusive domain of the Lutherans, and some think that a large number of German Chapels and other meeting houses may have formerly existed in the more remote valleys of the mountains.
Through the kindness of Judge W. B. Simmons, of Fincastle, Va., I am able to give the names of a number of German families that located in Botetourt county immediately after the Revolution. These, however, are evidently not the first Germans to settle in that county. " The earliest deeds to the German element in this [Botetourt] county," says Judge Simmons, " bear date from 1783. The first, or among the first, German settlers
were the Graybills, Simmons, Keplers, Gishs, Broughs, Sniders, Harshbargers, Bechmers. Amens and others. The Amens now spell their name ' Ammen.' All came in the '8o's. These Germans came into this county directly after the Revolutionary war, from Pennsylvania and Maryland,—mostly from Pennsylvania. The German element I think you will find came into Virginia about the same time all along up the Valley, a great many of them stopping in what are now Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Augusta, and the lower counties. I do not think many stopped in what is now Rockbridge. The Germans looked for good land, and have, as a general rule, held on to it. They evidently had
money and seem to have paid cash for 1heir lands, and paid as much for their lands then as the same lands are worth now. As a rule the German element are a frugal, sturdy, honest folk. For many years they made the mistake of not educating their children;* but for some years many of them are educating their children, many of whom are filling the various professions with ability."
End Quote
Quote:
The German Lutherans, German Reformed Mennonites, Cal-vinists, Dunkers, etc., forced their way up through the Valley, and furnished a varying percentage in the population of Augusta, Rockbridge. Botetourt, Roanoke, Craig, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Wythe counties. Prof. M. F. Maury{Physical Survey of Virginia,,\9>"i$) says: "This county, Augusta, as well as Rock- ingham, Shenandoah and Frederick, was settled up in a great measure by Germans, and the population has retained its German character." In Wythe, Pulaski, Montgomery and Craig counties the Germans met a number of Swiss who emigrated from North Carolina to Virginia. Schuricht quotes Captain R. B. Moorman, of Roanoke, assaying: " Rockbridge, Botetourt, Roanoke, Craig, Montgomery and Pulaski present a grateful field to the German-American historian." Salem, in Roanoke county, was for many years almost the exclusive domain of the Lutherans, and some think that a large number of German Chapels and other meeting houses may have formerly existed in the more remote valleys of the mountains.
Through the kindness of Judge W. B. Simmons, of Fincastle, Va., I am able to give the names of a number of German families that located in Botetourt county immediately after the Revolution. These, however, are evidently not the first Germans to settle in that county. " The earliest deeds to the German element in this [Botetourt] county," says Judge Simmons, " bear date from 1783. The first, or among the first, German settlers
were the Graybills, Simmons, Keplers, Gishs, Broughs, Sniders, Harshbargers, Bechmers. Amens and others. The Amens now spell their name ' Ammen.' All came in the '8o's. These Germans came into this county directly after the Revolutionary war, from Pennsylvania and Maryland,—mostly from Pennsylvania. The German element I think you will find came into Virginia about the same time all along up the Valley, a great many of them stopping in what are now Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Augusta, and the lower counties. I do not think many stopped in what is now Rockbridge. The Germans looked for good land, and have, as a general rule, held on to it. They evidently had
money and seem to have paid cash for 1heir lands, and paid as much for their lands then as the same lands are worth now. As a rule the German element are a frugal, sturdy, honest folk. For many years they made the mistake of not educating their children;* but for some years many of them are educating their children, many of whom are filling the various professions with ability."
End Quote
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