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A Short History of Page CountyFBy Harry M. StricklersTHE ALGER FARM. On the farm of A. J. Alger, 8 miles southwest of Luray on a spur which extends fromMassanutten mountain to the Shenandoah is a mound 50 feet long and from 22 to 28 feet in breadth, the Jonger axis nearly northwest and (southeast, or about parallel with theof stone axes. Higher up on the run the bowlders wore too large but by the time tl.e water did Its work from the head of the run to Its mouth oniv the toughest remained and of convenient size for the primitive menu-1 facturer. The extent of manufacture slt;is indicated by numerous rejects vep-|fresenting all stages from that of aaspur. The height varies from 4 to o £ew trial blows to nearly finishedf — — k A LUMn .1 /iU AvtrtMrlo ' . a . — . i a a _jlfeet. A broad shallow ditch extends nearly around It, the inner edge being 3 to 4 feet from the base of themound.” This mound is described atlength. Most of the mounds in which stone slabs were used it seems that polos were placed on the upright slabs on which were piled stone.When the bodies and poles decayed the stone fell into the grave.THE HUFFMAN FARM. “On the farm of F. M. Huffman, a mile southwest of Rileyville, is a narrow ridge somewhat lower at the middle thanat the end. In this slight depression is a mound 60 feet long, 20 to 24 feet wide, 2 to 3 feet high, being lower and narrower at the middle than at the ends. The longer axis nearly east and west or at a right angle to the ridge, extending across the latter to the slope on either side. There is a shallow ditch along each side of the mound and a stratum of bowlders ranging from 10 to 50 pounds in weight covers the top. It will be observed that the method ofconstruction is exactly the same as that of the Alger mound.” The p.osi-implements. Rroadpolnted instrumentswere made here, such as celts or axes, rather than sharp-pointed objects.In conclusion the commission stated that no evidence was discovered leading to an older culture or civilization than that which existed here when Jamestown was settled. The finding of objects which could have Leon .obtained onlv from white traders fixes approximately the date of some burial places. Other burialplaces lacking -sueit objects show resemblance to the former.Here is an interesting observation made by the report. It reads: “It is worthy of note that many of the pipdsand most of the gorgets found 1 hthis section, whether in the earth or stone mounds, very closely resemble in style, finish, and material those considered typical of the mound-building tribes of Ohio. It would be of interest to know whether this coincidence is accidental or whether itmay result from communication between the different peoples. If the latter, it would have the effect of re-fcCiLrDoaUNFt(akwlion of the relics indicates that thesdueing considerably the length ofbodies had been placed in the graveswith the head toward the east. A*crescent copper 6 inches across the horns, with three small holes punched near the convex edge was found In this mound, also a finely finished platform pipe of bluish-gray sandstone and a paint cup of the same material.time that is generally supposed to have elapsed since the construction of the western mounds,”According to this bulletin lt;No. 23,) the following is a list of all the known tribes residing in or resorting to the valley in 1716-1732 taken from Peyton’s History of Augusta County,BNtiPvITtlt;KhSwLSibbaCt\CbUecCnShawnee, Tuskarora, Senedo, Cataw-THE J. R. HUFFMAN FARM. “On ba, Deleware, Susquehanna, Cinela, I p ~ - ' ’ ----- Piscataway, Six Nations, Cherokee.the adjoining farm of J. R. Huffman, on a knoll somewhat higher than the ridge, is a small cairn now nearly •destroyed.”Objects Found in MoundsTHE J. W, KEYSER FARM. “On the farm of J. W. Keyser, three-fourths of •a mile northwest of Rileyville, is a cave from which several human skullsThere were found in’nearly all theslt;oagmounds: mica, pieces of bones, bowl-1 3 ders, arrow heads, gorgets,* pipes, ete|slt; The gorgets were usually made of I©have been obtained. In the debris slate some having two holes andtl•near the mouth many fragmentaryothers only one. This was worn asibones occur, and in a room about 30 a neck piece. Other objects were 11fee 1 farther back bones are resting £ound but these were the mQSt com. |mon.on and imbedded in the stalagmite. Some entire skulls have been found in vthis room.”The mounds were located on ele-l*THE MICHAEL LONG FARM. “Onivations overlooking the bottom. Th1'the farm of Michael Long, 2 and 1-2miles north, of Rileyville on as pur1locally known as ‘Indian Grave Ridge* are two stone mounds, both of whichhave been ravaged to such an extent as to render further examination useless. One is 70 feet in length, with a bredth of 15 to 20 feet; the other is •about 30 feet in diameter; each probably 3 to 4 feet high originally.” THE A. SHIPE FARM. “On the farm of A. Shipe, near Ida, are two small mounds or bowlder piles which have long been known as Indian graves; but they are on the slope of the hill instead of at the top, and may have been heaped up when the land was .cleared,”village sites were along the water courses not far from the mounds.♦The name gorget is of French or-11 igin from gorge, the throat. Officers]j wore this crescent at the throat as an ornament. The Indians had a custom of wearing at the throat a polished stone, hence the English called it a gorget. Some of these were beautifully engraved by the whites.One at least was used as a peace \ ornament having engraved on it these words: “Friendly Association for Preserving Peace With the Indians.” We might do well to join a friendly association for preserving peace withthe whole world and engrave it on awear it about the neck at.John S. Printz’s land, on Dry Run, is ajj times..a small stone heap from which, it is •claimed, human bones and fragments ‘Of pottery, have been taken; but it lies on-..the, slope* of the Blue Ridge,fully 1,000 feet above the base, and a stream.oi Avatar flows from beneath it.” (This is hear fery Run Falls.)THE 'DAVID; KOONTZ FARM. “Near.the Gordonsvifie turnpike, a mile above Kite’s mill, at the foot of the Blue Ridge, on the land of David Koontz, is a field where hundreds of arrowpoints and spearheads and(1New Theatre Planned ForConstruction At ElktonPlans Completed, BuildingAwaits Gov’t PermitsSamuel F, Roth, president of Valley Enterprises, Inc., which operates the present Elkton Theatre, stated lastmany hoes and celts have been found, week • that “the plans for the new' The ground is covered with chips andspalls, and it seems to 'be the site of • an extensive factory. Quartz and quaFt zite bowlders, and argillite in piecesElkton Theatre have been fully completed and just as soon as we can; secure the necessary permits from thethat may be wrought into implementsGovernment Housing authorities, wewith but little labor are abundant, jproceed with this project.”The ground is too sterile for cultiva-i Valley Enterprises, for which Lurty ftion, and the nearest level land is a,C. Taylor is the Elkton manager, hasmile away. I been planning the construction ofIN'THE FORKS OF THE HAWKS-, lhitS theatre t0f some „ andKILL. “A very small earth mound in' .wmeh isome fragments of mica were1 • .found, stood on a terrace betweendesignated the lot next to the present theatre as thp site. A paper signthe two Hawksbill creeks, a mile and on slte Sivey dimensions anda half south of Luray.”MORE MOUNDS FOUND IN PAGE COUNTY THAN IN ANY OTHERCOUNTYi some details of the proposed building. Mr. Roth said that “the completion of this new theatre will give Elkton a recreation center which willThese were the places In Page. compare favorably with that of anycounty explored by the 1894 explora- j conihiunity irrespective of the size* tion expedition of the Smithsonian and it is our hope that this projecthopeprojecInstitute, which covered the Potomac j W1U become a reality in 1948.”ant! James River valleys. The commission reported 24 mounds and aThe same concern also operates the State and Strand Theatres innumber of village sites in Page Coun- j Harrisonburg, the Grottoes Theatre,ty, the most of the mounds having been opened by the commission, more than in any other one county in the said valleys, three or four being about the average for a county. Of course the mounds reported were not. all themounds in the territory necessarily. According to local papers every now and then a farmei will plow open an Indian grave. This has happened a number of times in the Shenandoah Valley in the past fifty years.The commission found evidence of celt factory just above the mouth of Pass Run. Here it fc* contended was the best possible place to obtainmaterial needed for the manufacturethe Broadway Theatre and the Shenandoah Theatre, The new Elkton Post Office building, the Valley Studio and Sports Center, and various offices are also rented out by Valley Enterprises Inc., through Mr. Taylor,
Newspaper Details
Luray Commonwealth Review
Luray, Virginia, US
Tue, Jan 06, 1948
Page 2
Full Page
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USA 20 Mar 2021
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