PREFACE

From childhood I have been interested in history. To me it is a living subject filled with facts which deal with the life of human beings. I like to study the way people act, for to me they are the most interesting things in the world.

There has been, however, one group of people in which I have been especially interested. These have been my home people—the people of Madison county, Virginia. I love Madison county and I love its people. This love that I hold has created within me a desire to see their history recorded.

I have hoped for some years to see some citizens of the county record the events that have occurred. Many other counties in Virginia have written histories and are seeking to preserve their records. In fact, for the last few years there has been an increased effort to preserve historical records over the entire United States. I see no reason why Madison should not be represented in this move of reviving the glorious events of yesterday.

I have waited, but no one has undertaken the task I desired to see done. I have waited until I have realized that the time is ripe for some one to undertake this task. There are many sources through which we may secure knowledge of our county's history, which if they are not preserved now, will in a few years be lost forever. Realizing that the time is ripe to preserve these records, having a burning desire to record the achievement of our forefathers, and possessing a love for Madison county and its people have been the causes which led me to attempt to write this book.

I dare say that no one who reads the pages of this book will see as many errors and weak points as I see myself. I can assure you, nevertheless, that I have tried to the best of my ability to present to you true facts in a simple way. I am not presenting this book to you in a finished form, for I could not hope to do that; neither could you expect me to do it. I am presenting this book only as a beginning in the collection and recording of our county's history. My purpose has been to arouse an interest among the people, so that sometime in the future the county would produce an historian who would do justice to the work before him.

I am aware of the fact that criticism of this book will arise: in fact, I want it to arise. I want the people to become interested in their history; I want them to think about their history. I want them to be dissatisfied with present conditions and seek to achieve perfection, for if they do not become interested enough to want better kept historical records they cannot hope to make progress.

How I would like to see Madison county have an historical society composed of citizens of the county who would each year record the facts of that year!

My problems and handicaps have been many in writing this book. In the first place there has not been any work of this nature in the county. I have not had a model to follow, nor a work on which to build. In the second place, all the facts I have given had to be gathered here and there and many of them were hard to find and get straight. Then, in the third place, some records are so vague, brief and complicated, it is almost impossible to get the material desired. There are also many other problems which I will not take time to mention, for I am sure the reader will see them.

My problems and handicaps, however, have been alleviated to a great extent by many loyal citizens of the county, and I desire in the beginning of this book to express my gratefulness to them. First of all I want to mention Mr. W. E. Bohannon to whom most of the credit of this book is due. He not only gave encouragement and help in every way, but also much valuable material. I take not the honor of being the first to gather facts and conceive the idea of recording them in this manner, for this honor belongs to Mr. Bohannon. Then there are others who have helped in various parts of the book. Mr. J. N. Miller helped in the history of the school system; Mr. J. W. Sprinkle on the church history; and Finks Gordon on the history of the colored people. I also talked with many older people; received answers to questionnaires from others; was given help by county officials, librarians, etc., and from many, many people received help of every kind all of which I wish to acknowledge and to whom I wish to express my most grateful thanks.

The English historian, Bryce, states in his History of the Holy Roman Empire, "For until they can look forward, men must look backward." It is my desire that the people of my county may look back to the noble deeds of their ancestors and then look forward to

greater and nobler achievements. I love the people of Madison county, therefore I dedicate this book to them.

INTRODUCTION

EVENTS AS AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF AN INWARD FEELING

Events occur, but ideas continue; for this reason history is important. Events of themselves may be unimportant; their importance lies in the fact that they are always an outward expression of an inward feeling; they show us how people think; and we know that as they think, they will act. This has been recognized by great philosophers during all ages. Many years ago, the great French philosopher, Descartes, had as his motto "Je pense donc je suis" (I think; therefore, I am). Even before that, the Bible stated, "As a man thinketh, so he is." Events may occur quickly, but ideas are usually slow in developing. Ideas pass from one generation to another; they are more important than events; but, if it were not for the outward event, we would never know the inward idea.

The events that occurred in Madison county have not been important in the nation's history, nor in the history of Virginia; yet, to us who are citizens of Madison, they are important, for they show us the ideas under the influence of which our lives have been molded. They show how our ancestors thought, and how, after thinking, they acted. Some of their acts may have been mistakes; if so, let us not make the same mistake again. If their deeds were right and were crowned with success, let us follow their example and achieve greater success. It would be foolish for succeeding generations not to profit by the experience of former ones.

A knowledge of history should arouse within us pride for the noble deeds of our ancestors and that pride should create a desire never to place a blot upon the fair record left by our forefathers. There are many facts connected with the history of Madison county and its people of which any who possess such a heritage, may be proud. Oh, what a burden it is upon the present generation to continue the noble actions of the past! What a responsibility it is to keep our characters clean and to add something to the civilization of former ages!

So many of us are prone to think only in terms of the present and forget or neglect the past and the future. I like to think of this world's civilization as a great monument of stone upon which each generation places one more block. The past has built it up to the present; the present is now making its contribution; while the future. will, generation by generation, add to this structure carrying it nearer to perfection and closer to the throne of God. It is, then, the duty of each generation to lay a firm stone on which others may build. Many

times in the history of the world faulty stones have been placed in the structure of a country's civilization. For a while this faulty stone lay unnoticed; then, after a few years, the structure began to totter and at last came to earth with a mighty crash. Egypt flourished in its day; but at last, fell because of the life of its citizens; the same was true of Babylon, of Chaldea, of Assyria, of Greece, of Rome, and of many other nations. The same will be true of us if we do not build our civilization with stones of noble deeds. It is sad to find events in the history of our county which may be considered as faulty stones, and to find people who have placed a blot on the fair record of their family. I am glad, however, to say there are very few examples of either of these in the history of our beloved county.

We

The events which have taken place in Madison which were due to the toil and achievement of our ancestors should inspire us to greater patriotism, and should create within us a greater love for those who have lived and died. This love and heritage of common traditions should bind us closer together, and form for us a common heritage. Similar traditions and a community inheritance are the greatest elements in the patriotism of any group of people. have only to look to the World War for an example of this. It was common traditions, similar language, race, and blood which caused the little nations of Poland, Czecho-Slovakia and Jugo-Slavia to retain a nationality for years suppressed. Patriotism should not be applied to the defense of one's country in time of war only; it should also be active in times of peace. It is just as patriotic to obey the laws of the land, to perform the various duties of a citizen, and to seek to make one's country better as it is to march to war. The Stars and Stripes are over us always, and always we need loyal citizens to uphold them.

History points out to us universal facts. There are facts which happen over and over again, or, in other words, are universal. These facts are universal because man is man, and does things which distinguish him from other animals. The God-idea is a universal fact; there has never been any nation or tribe of people who did not believe in some God and who do not today worship some deity. A tendency to produce the beautiful is another universal fact: there has never been a group of people on earth who has not attempted to produce some form of beauty. It may have been beauty of sound, which is music; it may have been beauty of language which is literature; or it may have been beauty which appealed to the eye, as painting, architecture, or sculpture. These and other facts are universal to mankind; there are other facts universal to communities only.

Some of these facts universal to Madison county are as follows: the people of the county have not been rich in material wealth; they have possessed a greater wealth; they have always possessed noble characters and have lived noble lives; they have always been

industrious, honest, kind and hospitable; they have not caused their neighbors to fall; they have suppressed no one; nor have they blasted homes for the sins of the people. On the other hand they have lifted the fallen, have cared for those in need and have given a helping hand and sympathetic heart to those who needed and deserved them. It is a universal fact that the people of Madison have lived and still live simple, yet noble lives.

To know the past often enables us to lay aside prejudices and become citizens of mankind and of the world. It broadens our views and enlarges our sympathies. The world has not made progress through any certain group of individuals, but has progressed through the labors of all mankind; hence no study can be compared with history in the broadening of the mind. Every race and every nation has made its distinctive contribution to the advancement of mankind. Palestine has given us our religion; Greece our art; and Rome our laws. We may differ from the views held by some, yet we should respect their viewpoint and see their good rather than their evil. If the people of this world expect to approach a lasting peace they must all become citizens of the world. To become a citizen of the world one must lay aside prejudice, envy, selfishness, and intolerance and must have love, understanding, tolerance, and cooperation.

There is no better place to begin this world citizenship than at home; in Madison county.

The historical events which have occurred in the county and the achievements that have been made, have not been made by one little community, but by the county at large. From this we see the necessity for expanded patriotism, greater tolerance and more perfect cooperation. When we have extended our patriotism to the limits of the county then we are ready for a greater expansion and not until then. Events are built one upon another, and do not occur without some relationship to other events. Automobiles could not be made before gas engines; nor could gas engines be made before iron could be worked; nor could iron be worked before fire could be made. So it is with patriotism; it must begin in the community and extend first to the county; then, to the state; later on, to the nation and, at last, embrace the world.

History does not teach partisanship but citizenship. It took both patricians and plebeians to build Rome; likewise it took only a clash between the nobility, bourguoise and peasants to cause the bloody French Revolution. Political parties and social classes are necessary and beneficial; but, history testifies that, when they take the place of citizenship, there is danger of destruction. Rome had its parties and made progress until those parties cared more for themselves than they did for the welfare of Rome; then, Rome crumbled into dust. France had its parties, until those parties became so exclusive and self-centered that the Revolution arose and with it, came a change. These and other examples from different