Dots and dashes Telegraph Machine

The importance of telegraphy in US history in the nineteenth century cannot be understated.  Before that period, messages could only be transmitted physically, such as by mail or courier, or visually.  Line-of-sight communications, such as smoke signals, beacons, reflected light signals, and semaphore flag signals, had limited usefulness over long distances and were ineffective at night or during bad weather. These methods of communication typically served governments and armies, not the people.

A number of European inventors experimented with electrical telegraphy in the early 1800s. However, it was American inventor Samuel F. B. Morse who is credited with designing and patenting the first successful electrical telegraph in 1837 in this country.  As the message had to be encoded, Morse and his partner, Alfred Vail, also developed the Morse code signaling alphabet for use with the electric telegraph.

While the first telegram in the United States was send by Morse on January 11, 1838, it is his message to Vail on May 24, 1844 that most Americans know:  WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT.  While Morse was referring to electric telegraphy, his message portends the electronic age with messages and information now transmitted worldwide to the masses in a matter of seconds with all its benefits and risks.

The Morse/Vail telegraph quickly spread across the country with the overland telegraph connecting the east and west coast completed on October 24, 1861, making the Pony Express obsolete.  The telegraph was critical during the Civil War.  Faster, more efficient communication expanded an army’s operational radius.  Troops, ammunition, food and other critical resources could now be quickly deployed as information changed.  Enemy movement could be easily relayed to officers allowing for greater strategic planning of attacks and counterattacks.  While miles of telegraph line were laid during the Civil War, they were often felled by sabotage, underscoring the critical importance of telegraphy to the war.

This Thursday afternoon, August 9, Jim Mullins will discuss the telegraph at History Adventure Camp for Kids at the Giles County Historical Society museum.  Several years ago Mullins donated to the museum a telegraph machine once used here in Giles County The campers will learn about the importance of the telegraph in this country’s expansion, as well as about the Morse code.  There may even be a few encoded messages sent from the Historical Society that day!  The museum complex will be closed the week of August 6-10 for the History Camp, but the community is welcome to visit and see all the fun activities that week.

Dots and dashes. Kids participating in this week's Historical Society History Adventure Camp will try some hands-on encoding on this telegraph machine, once used in Giles County.

Expert on regional brick architecture

Little is known about the architect and brick mason who built the Andrew Johnston House in 1829, but that is not true of other homes and buildings in the Roanoke and New River Valleys.  On Thursday, August 2 at 7:00 pm at the Giles County Historical Society, Michael J. Pulice will talk about his ten-year study of the Deyerle family and their impact on 19^th century brick architecture in the region.

Pulice holds degrees from Radford University and Virginia Tech, and is an archaeologist and architectural historian. He currently works at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources Western Regional Office in Salem.  Pulice’s illustrated presentation will be followed by a book signing and is free and open to the public.

The Deyerles were a legendary family of builders and architects of the nineteenth century.  Their story begins with Benjamin Deyerle, an architect, brick mason, and builder of brick homes and other structures in the Roanoke Valley.  Other family members included his brother, David, half-brother, Joseph, and Joseph’s son, J.C.

David and J.C. expanded the family’s influence into Franklin County and the New River Valley.  Nearby landmarks built by the Deyerles can still be seen in Christiansburg, Blacksburg and elsewhere in Montgomery County, as well as Pulaski County.  Pulice’s book, Nineteenth-Century Brick Architecture in the Roanoke Valley and Beyond: Discovery the True Legacies of the Deyerle Builders, features many photographs of their work in our region.

The Giles County Historical Society works to preserve, interpret and exhibit Giles County’s rich historical and cultural heritage.  It provides a repository for Giles County family histories, documents and artifacts, assists genealogical researchers, and supports the preservation of endangered Giles County artifacts, sites and records.  The Giles County Historical Society, Museum and Gift Shop (921-1050) are open Wed-Fri from 12-5 PM and Sat-Sun from 2-5 PM.  Admission is free.  The Research Office is open on Thursday from 12–5 PM.  For more information, visit www.gilescountyhistorical.org.

 Expert on regional brick architecture. On August 2 at 7pm architectural historical Mike Pulice will give a talk at the Historical Society on 19th-century brick architecture in the Roanoke and New River Valleys.

Giles County School Desegregation

Giles County School Desegregation

The 1960s was a turbulent period of social and political change in the United States, embodied by the desegregation of public schools.  Although the Civil War officially ended slavery, many Southern states enacted laws following Reconstruction to limit the rights of African Americans.  For over half a century the doctrine of “separate but equal” justified the segregation of blacks from services, facilities, and public accommodations used by whites.  In 1954, however, the US Supreme Court declared separate schools for whites and blacks unconstitutional in the landmark decision Brown v. Board of Education, paving the way for desegregation of the public schools and the Civil Rights Movement.

Desegregation of Virginia’s schools began in 1959 and ended in the early 1970s.  A Southern state, once part of the Confederacy, Virginia’s desegregation was often characterized by massive resistance to the court’s ruling, including shutting down public schools in some counties to avoid integration -- but that is only part of the story.

In March 1964 twenty-three courageous students at the all-black Bluff City High School submitted applications to attend the all-white high school in Giles County.   While their names have been forgotten by most, what is known about these students is that they would have been good students with perfect or near-perfect attendance, so that if the Giles County school board denied them admission to the all-white school it could be for only one reason—race.

The school board initially voted to close the all-black schools in the county suggesting to some that Giles County would also resist school desegregation, but on May 15, 1964 – to the surprise of all – the board voted to fully integrate the schools for the following school year.

The media were skeptical that a Virginia school system would voluntarily vote to end racial desegregation or that the citizens would accept this action peacefully.  As the first day of school approached, the media anxiously gathered across the road from Giles High School with cameras ready to chronicle the anticipated violence.  According to local sources, that morning a thick fog rolled in, obscuring the view.  When the haze lifted later that day – and much to the chagrin of the media – it was business as usual in Giles County.  The school system had integrated peacefully.

Many believe that is the end of the story, but it was only the beginning . . .  Seven of Giles County’s African American teachers lost their jobs as a result of school desegregation.  It was commonly assumed that the teachers were not qualified, yet all seven held college degrees.  They subsequently filed a lawsuit against Giles County public schools.  Both the lower and higher court found that the teachers had been discriminated against on the basis of race. However, the remedy in both cases fell short of the teachers’ expectations to regain their positions.

In 1966 the US District Court in Roanoke ruled only that the black teachers could reapply for any teaching positions available in county for which they were qualified, leaving the interpretation of “qualified” up to the superintendant and the school system.  The existing laws at the time were simply inadequate to afford the teachers protections.  At least one teacher was subsequently rehired, while the others found employment elsewhere.  The case of Mary A. Franklin et al v. County School Board of Giles County and P. E. Ahalt, Division Superintendant of Schools of Giles County was cited in numerous cases over the next few years in both Virginia and other states forging new laws on employment discrimination.

  

According to Patricia Jacobs, Executive Director of the Giles County Historical Society, children often perceive “real history” as something that takes place in Richmond or Washington or some world capital.   “They think nothing important ever happens here.  This story, however, demonstrates how the way people of Giles County respond to events can influence policies and decisions and craft new laws, thereby changing history.   Giles County played an important role in the 1960s in regard to both desegregation and employment law.”

Aided by a grant from the Community Foundation of the New River Valley, the Historical Society is launching several oral history projects this summer, including one on desegregation of the public schools. Jacobs says “We are now conducting background research and identifying sources for this project, including members of the local African American community, former students at the segregated school at Bluff City, and white students and teachers at Giles County High Schools.  We are also interested in speaking with those who lived in other areas at the time to compare how their experiences were similar to or different from those living here.”

The ultimate goal is to better understand the factors which led to the voluntary desegregation of Giles County’s public schools, as well as to organize an exhibit in 2014 marking the fiftieth anniversary of that historic event.  “We encourage people to share their experiences and memories for this project and to contact the Historical Society at 540-921-1050.”

During the week of August 6-8, Giles County kids will have an opportunity to delve into the history and culture of their region in an action-packed “History Adventure Camp”, sponsored by the Giles County Historical Society.  The camp is designed for kids aged 8-11.

“This is the first time we’ve offered a summer camp, and we hope there will be many more” says Executive Director Patricia Jacobs.  “A few months ago we had great success with a simulated archaeology dig for Eastern Elementary 5^th graders, so we decided to expand it into a full week of activities.”

The camp day will run from 10:00 to 4:00, with a lunch break at 12:30.  During the week campers will learn about prehistoric Giles County; local Native American culture; colonial crafts and games; regional music, dancing and storytelling; tracking and orienteering; and the life of a Civil War soldier.

“We’re bringing in local experts in these fields, including teachers, craftsmen, performers and re-enactors” says Jacobs.  “The kids will learn about their heritage and have a great time in the process!”

The camp is limited to 15 participants, so Jacobs urges parents to contact the Historical Society as early as possible for registration details.  Call 540-921-1050 for more information.

Genealogy

The research office now the War Room will be closed until Thursday June, 15 2012, from 12-5.

Dixie

The life of a Civil War soldier was often difficult, from inferior clothing and equipment to scarce and barely edible rations, to the crushing monotony of camp life.  Many of the soldiers tried to distract themselves by singing and playing instruments.  The resulting music became a legacy of the conflict.

Music provided a much-needed diversion for both Union and Confederate armies.  It was used to rally troops, as recreation, and to march by, among other reasons.  Frequently both sides would borrow each other’s tunes or lyrics.  It was not uncommon for each side to serenade the other, or for battle to stop while an impromptu concert was held.  As the Union and Confederate armies camped across the Rappahannock River from each other in the winter of 1862-63, bands on both sides played the popular ballad “Home Sweet Home.”

Before 1862, new volunteer regiments usually included a regimental band.  When Union Col. Rutherford B. Hayes invaded Giles County with a regiment of 600 men in the spring of 1862, his band played a lively quick-step as his small force marched into Pearisburg.  One federal soldier described the week-long occupation as “the biggest picnic we have had since enlistment.  Whenever the band plays “Dixie” the whole town throws open windows and waves aprons and ‘kerchiefs.”

When the number of bands became unmanageable, many were disbanded and some were replaced by brigade bands to serve a larger contingent of troops.  Whether played by these organized bands or simply sung by the soldiers themselves around the campfire (accompanied by banjo, fiddle or harmonica), popular songs ranged from patriotic melodies meant for marching to aching ballads that reflected the soldiers’ yearnings for home and hearth.

Among the Union favorites were “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp,” “Battle Cry of Freedom” and “John Brown’s Body” (later changed into “Battle Hymn of the Republic”).  Confederate troops enjoyed “Dixie,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again,” “The Yellow Rose of Texas” and “The Bonnie Blue Flag.”

The upcoming Civil War Weekend in Giles County will feature some of these and other favorites.  On Saturday night, June 9, while downtown Pearisburg is filled with events and activities, the popular band “Sugar Run” will be playing Civil War-era music at the Historical Society from 6 to 9 pm.

The Giles County Historical Society works to preserve, interpret and exhibit Giles County’s rich historical and cultural heritage.  It provides a repository for Giles County family histories, documents and artifacts, assists genealogical researchers, and supports the preservation of endangered Giles County artifacts, sites and records.  The Giles County Historical Society, Museum and Gift Shop (921-1050) are open Wed-Fri from 12-5 PM and Sat-Sun from 2-5 PM.  Admission is free.  The Research Office is open on Thursday from 12–5 PM.  For more information, visit www.gilescountyhistorical.org.

When Union Col. Rutherford B. Hayes occupied Pearisburg for a week in the spring on 1862, his regimental band often played "Dixie", to the delight of local residents.

Civil War Weekend offers something for everyone

On Saturday and Sunday, June 9 and 10, parts of Pearisburg will be transformed into scenes from the most momentous period in the nation’s history.   The Giles County Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee is hosting a series of events to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the Battle of Giles Court House.  Visitors will have an opportunity to observe and interact with soldiers from both sides in camp, in training, and in action.  They can view a re-creation of a Civil War hospital, be entertained by a snake oil salesman, join in a traditional Appalachian dance, and feast on Southern barbeque.  Finally, the will have the opportunity to observe a re-enactment of the Battle of Giles Court House, which took place on a beautiful Spring day in 1862.

Thursday, June 7 – “Skirmish at Pearisburg,” a talk by Al McLean

Author George A. McLean Jr. sets the stage with a discussion of the battle, subject of his recently published book “Skirmish at Pearisburg.”  7 pm, Pearisburg Town Hall.

Saturday, June 9  -  Memorial ceremony, parade, hospital, dance, dinner

At 11:00 am the day starts at the Giles County Courthouse, where Union and Confederate soldiers will gather for a memorial ceremony to honor the fallen of both sides.  Following an honor guard salute and a rendition of “Taps” (first played at a military funeral in 1862, and soon adopted by both sides in the Civil War) the reenactors and their ladies will march down Main Street to the Giles County Historical Society.

In the afternoon, from 1:00 to 5:00, the Confederate camp will offer Living History demonstrations for the public, and from 3:00 to 5:00 field artillery demonstrations will take place on the battlefield reenactment site.  The site is located on Rt. 100 beyond Bluff City near the PSA office.  Public parking will be available in the large field across from the concrete plant (see map). 

The evening festivities begin at 6:00 at the Giles County Historical Society, 208 North Main Street.  Enjoy a BBQ dinner catered by the Old Virginia Smokehouse, skits, demonstrations, exhibits, and Living History at the Yankee encampment on the grounds of the Andrew Johnston House.  The Giles County Historical Museum will be open, featuring two exhibits: “The Civil War in Giles County” and “On the Eve of War:  Artists’ Views of Giles County in the Mid-19^th Century.”

At 7:00 visitors will be taught the basics of traditional southern Appalachian dance, and from 7:30 to 8:30 all are invited to dance to the music of “Sugar Run,” featuring many tunes from the Civil War era.  Activities will cease at 9:00 to allow the Federal soldiers time to rest on the eve of battle.

That same evening from 6:00 to 9:00 at the Giles County Courthouse, visitors will be able to view a recreation of a Civil War hospital.  The Courthouse served as an actual military hospital throughout the war, and on Saturday night the ground floor will be furnished with cots, oil lamps, straw-covered floors, wounded soldiers, busy nurses and a military surgeon.   Civil War medical reenactors will be on hand to demonstrate the treatments available at the time.

All activities on Saturday are free of charge except the BBQ dinner.  Parking in town will be available in municipal lots, the Magic Mart lot, and on the streets.  Check www.gilescivilwarreenactment.com for more details, for a history of the Battle of Giles Court House, and also for specials offered by local inns and restaurants.

Sunday, June 10  -  “The Battle of Giles Court House”

At 10:00 in the morning the Union and Confederate camps are again open to the public, and will close at noon to prepare for the skirmish.  At 1:00 pm the battle commences!  Confederates and Federals will skirmish, canons will roar, and the wounded will be treated at a field hospital.  Duration will be approximately 40 minutes.  Bring your lawn chairs and plenty of drinks.

There is a modest fee for spectators.  Public parking will be available on the large field across from the cement plant.  Access to the parking will be via the old Wade’s parking lot, then under the 460 overpass.  Follow the signs to the parking area.  A limited amount of handicapped parking will be offered closer to the reenactment site; properly designated vehicles will be directed to that area by parking attendants. 

Call the Giles County Historical Society (540-921-1050) or visit www.gilescivilwarreenactment.com for more information.

Reenactors of the 83rd PA Infantry, the First Stuart Horse Artillery, and the 60th VVA Infantry (among others) will be clashing on the battlefield during Giles County's Civil War Weekend, June 9 and 10.

Civil War: The Union Invades Giles County, 1862

During the first year of the Civil War it became clear that the conflict would not be the brief, glorious fight that many on both sides had predicted.   It soon began to take a grim toll on both soldiers and civilians, and the Union found itself unable to defeat the rebel army.  Those first twelve months saw a humiliating rout at Manassas, followed by a costly victory at Shiloh, and the failure of the Peninsula Campaign to capture the Confederate capital at Richmond.

Federal forces were somewhat more successful in western Virginia, where unionist sympathies ran high.  During the winter of 1861-62 President Lincoln and his generals devised a plan to invade Southwest Virginia, capture its lead and salt mines and destroy the strategically important Virginia & Tennessee Railroad.  The railroad was part of a vital transportation network that kept the South – and the capital of Richmond – supplied with salt, munitions, food and other crucial supplies.

By the spring of 1862 Federal troops occupied almost all of what is now West Virginia, and had reached Raleigh Courthouse (now Beckley, West Virginia).  Stationed at Raleigh Courthouse was the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, commanded by future U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes.


A 38-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer with no military experience before the war, Hayes had already proved himself to be a daring, ambitious leader much-admired by his troops.  Among the men of the 23^rd Ohio was a newly-promoted commissary sergeant, William McKinley.  A brash and spirited 19-year old, McKinley would also become President of the United States.

As part of the overall invasion plan, Union General Jacob Cox was ordered to lead two brigades up the New River, through the Narrows and Giles Court House (Pearisburg) and on to Central Depot (Radford.) The goal was to burn the covered wooden railway bridge across the New River near Central Depot.

Occupation of Pearisburg

By the 1st of May, Cox’s division had fought its way to Princeton, which was engulfed in flames on orders of the retreating Confederate commander.  Lt. Col. Hayes pushed forward into Giles County with 600 men of the 23rd Ohio.  By May 6 Hayes had passed through the undefended Narrows of the New River, occupied Pearisburg and encamped on high ground just south of the town at the base of Angel’s Rest mountain.

Hayes wrote of his first impressions: This is a lovely spot, a fine, clean village, most beautiful and romantic surrounding country, and polite and educated Secesh people…I find more intelligence and culture here than anywhere else in Virginia.

Private E. E. Henry, was also taken with the village and its surroundings: In the beautiful town of Pearisburg a mountain is near, called Angel's Rest.  The fields are full of grass, clover, and bumble bees humming around.”

Henry goes on to describe the occupation of Pearisburg as something akin to a schoolboy caper:

We capture Confederate money, our expert penmen sign the new bills…. We buy palm leaf hats, sorghum, hams, bacon, everything to suit our fancy; go the hotel, look over the register, and sign our names, order dinner, call ourselves Colonels and Generals.  The rebel citizens do not seem to know that we are high privates.  We eat and give toasts, make speeches to the delight of the servants, and then march out as though we owned the hotel. The storekeepers are jolly, saying, "Have a good time boys, General Lee will not allow you to stay but a few days."  This is the biggest picnic we have had since enlistment. Whenever the band plays "Dixie", the whole town throws open windows and waves aprons and 'kerchiefs.

Another soldier, Private John Ellen, took a dimmer view of the citizenry:

The town abounds in liquor and cross men and women.  The women are a little insulting; they hate the Yankees.

The Federals captured a large amount of food and supplies stored in the Presbyterian Church on Main Street.  Across from the church was the elegant brick home of Dr. Harvey Green Johnston and his nearby medical office.  Tradition holds that Hayes set up his headquarters in the doctor’s office, and took his meals at the Woodrum Hotel (now the Chamber of Commerce.). 

With the Federals now within twenty miles of the strategic railroad bridge near Radford, Gen. Henry Heth, commander of the area’s Southern forces, managed to cobble together an army of some 2000 men and five artillery pieces.

Hayes soon realized that the gathering Confederates force far outnumbered his regiment of around 600 men.  Heth also had artillery while Hayes had none.  Hayes sent a series of desperate but unheeded requests to his commander for reinforcements.

Battle of Giles Court House

Early in the morning of May 10, the Confederates attacked Hayes’ first line of defense just south of town.  In an hours-long running battle the Federals fell back through the town and up the river, making several futile stands along the way. At the Narrows, Heth continued to pound the Union troops with artillery.  Hayes was wounded and his regiment retreated to Princeton.

Total casualties of the skirmish were two or three killed on either side and several wounded.  Local legend has it that as the Yankees fled town they set fire to the supplies in the Presbyterian Church.  The formidable ladies of Pearisburg formed a bucket brigade and extinguished the flames.

The action at Giles Court House effectively ended the Union advance to Central Depot and saved – for a time – the strategic Virginia and Tennessee Railroad.  It can even be said that Hayes’ defeat ensured that Giles County remained a part of the state of Virginia, and not part of the new unionist state of West Virginia.  Giles County remained relatively peaceful until Union Gen. George Crook marched through the county in 1864 after the battle of Cloyd’s Mountain.

Commanders at the battle of Giles Court House.
Gen. Henry Heth (R) drove Lt. Rutherford B. Hayes and his 600 men out of Pearisburg on May 10, 1862. Hayes was elected President of the United States in 1876.

19-year-old Sgt. William McKinley served under Hayes during the Civil War. He was elected U.S. President in 1897 and was assassinated four years later.

Skirmish At Pearisburg

Do you want to learn what the upcoming Civil War Weekend is all about?  On Thursday evening, June 7, at 7 pm, the Historical Society will present an illustrated lecture and book signing by George A. McLean Jr. at the Pearisburg Town Hall, 112 Tazewell Street.  McLean will discuss his newly-published book, Skirmish at Pearisburg, the first in-depth study of the Union invasion of Giles County in 1862.

Al McLean is a native of Giles County, where his father operated a pharmacy for many years.   After graduating from Pearisburg High School, he attended Hampden-Sydney College and the University of Richmond School of Law.  He has practiced law in Roanoke since 1974.  

McLean, whose ancestors fought on both sides of the Civil War, has had a life-long interest in the subject.  Skirmish at Pearisburg is the result of many years of research, and places the action at Giles Court House (as Pearisburg was often called in the 19^th century) in the context of the greater conflict.

“The skirmish was significant for several reasons,” says McLean.  “It saved the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, and it can be argued that the Confederate success prevented Giles County from becoming part of West Virginia. “

It was also a testing-ground for the Federal commander, Lt. Col. Rutherford B. Hayes.  A young officer with little military training, Hayes’ actions established a reputation for audacity and courage. 

“It had to be a defining moment for future President Rutherford B. Hayes,” declares McLean.  “He was in a tight spot. To a man his men praised him for his calm leadership that allowed them to successfully retreat from a far superior force.”

Hayes’ regiment, the 23^rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, produced an impressive number of future leaders in the post-war era, including two Presidents (Hayes and William McKinley), six generals, a U.S. Supreme Court justice, a U.S. senator, four congressmen, four governors, and four lieutenant governors.

McLean’s lecture will also illuminate some of the lesser-known stories of the invasion, including a curious incident involving Col. George S. Patton (grandfather of the famed WWII commander), as well as the exploits of Ellen Adair, whom McLean dubs “the Scarlett O’Hara of Giles County.”

The program is free and open to the public.  Call 540-921-1050 or visit www.gilescountyhistorical for more information.

The Giles County Historical Society Receives Grant from the Community Foundation of the New River Valley

  The Community Foundation of the New River Valley has chosen the Giles County Historical Society as one of its 2012 spring grant recipients.  The proposal entitled “Putting Power to Our Point” received $400 for a digital projector for its new lecture series.  The Community Foundation funds a variety of projects across the New River Valley believing that modest grants, like the one received by the Historical Society, can have tremendous impact on local communities.  This spring the foundation awarded over $26,000 to local non-profits.

In 2011, the Historical Society hosted two lectures:  “The Mystery at Mountain Lake” by Detective Mark Skidmore of the Giles County Sheriff’s Office (September), and “Lost Communities of Virginia” by local author Terri Fisher (November).  Both presentations were well attended.  Based on these number and the positive comments received about the two lectures, the Historical Society decided to offer a lecture series as part of 2012 calendar of events.  Among the goals of the lecture series are to promote the cultural and historical heritage of Giles County and the New River Valley, to showcase local authors and historians, particularly those beginning their careers, to provide an avenue for the public to learn more about Giles County beyond simply viewing artifacts, and to create dialogue about the culture and history of Giles County and the New River Valley and how the influences have impacted the community.

The Historical Society’s next lecture will be Thursday, June 7^th, at 7:00pm at the Pearisburg Town Hall.  To kick off the Civil War Weekend, Giles County native and Roanoke attorney George A. McLean Jr. will be discussing his new book The Skirmish at Pearisburg, the first comprehensive history of the Union invasion of Giles County in 1862.

On June 23^rd, the Historical Society presents “The Negro Spiritual: History and Performance” at 3:00 at the First Baptist Church of Virginia Heights in Pearisburg.  A talk by Virginia Tech professor Dr. Paula Marie Seniors on the origins of the spiritual and its role in African-American culture will be followed by a performance by the “Spirits of Joy.”   For further information on the lecture series visit www.gilescountyhistorical.org.

The Giles County Historical Society works to preserve, interpret and exhibit Giles County’s rich historical and cultural heritage.  It provides a repository for Giles County family histories, documents and artifacts, assists genealogical researchers, and supports the preservation of endangered Giles County artifacts, sites and records.  The Giles County Historical Society, Museum and Gift Shop (921-1050) are open Wed-Fri from 12-5 PM and Sat-Sun from 2-5 PM.  Admission is free.  The Research Office is open on Thursday from 12–5 PM.

  In one of the Historical Society's lecture series, Giles County Sheriff's Investigator Mark Skidmore describes the investigation into the body found at the bottom of Mountain Lake in 2008. The Historical Society received a grant from the Community Foundation of the New River Valley to purchase a powerpoint projector so that lectures can now be hosted at the Museum.

Traditional American Dance Workshop

Don’t let the Giles County Civil War Weekend sneak up on you without attending a

Traditional American Dance Workshop

Saturday, May 19

3 – 5 pm

Pearisburg Community Center gym

taught by “Wild Bill” Anderson

sponsored by the Giles County Historical Society

In two hours you will master the Virginia Reel, the Texas Star, Appalachian circle dance, and other favorites of the 19^th century.  The class is for beginners and those who want a brush-up to prepare for the Traditional Dance on Saturday evening, June 9, at 7 pm at the Historical Society.  No partner is necessary – just bring gym shoes or sneakers, a towel and water!  Cost: $5.00.  Call 540-921-1050 to register!

For more information visit: www.gilescountyhistorical.org and www.gilescivilwarreenactment.com

What did Giles County look like 160 years ago?

What did Giles County look like 160 years ago?  A new exhibit at the Historical Society Museum portrays a landscape much like today, with picturesque farms and areas of great natural beauty. “On the Eve of War: Artists’ Views of Giles County in the Mid-Nineteenth Century” features the work of Edward Beyer and Lewis Miller, who recorded their impressions of Giles in the 1850’s.

Giles County was already a popular tourist destination at that time.  Among the many visitors drawn to its famous hot springs resort on the New River (near present-day Eggleston), and to Virginia’s highest lake, were these two artists who delighted in depicting the area’s scenic attractions and life at the resorts. 

Edward Beyer, a polished European painter, and Lewis Miller, a self-taught Pennsylvania German folk artist, brought distinctly different artistic visions to their subjects. Their work captures a view of the county in a time of peace and relative prosperity just before the Civil War would devastate the region and plunge Giles County into a period of economic austerity that would last for decades.

Lewis Miller, a carpenter from York, Pennsylvania, visited Southwest Virginia for several decades before finally settling in Christiansburg, where he died in 1882 at the age of 87.  His charming sketches of excursions into Giles County by horse and buggy provide modern historians and art lovers alike with a detailed view of the daily life of farmers, tradesmen and slaves at work, as well as elegant ladies and gentlemen on day-trips to see the sights. 

Edward Beyer came to America from Germany in 1848 for a ten-year sojourn, earning his living as an itinerant artist traveling from New York to southern Virginia.  His most famous work is the Album of Virginia, a collection of 40 colored lithographs depicting bustling towns, stately country estates, scenic mountain landscapes, and Virginia’s famous hot springs resorts which drew wealthy visitors from through the East.  Three of the lithographs, included in the exhibit, depict favorite tourist destinations in Giles County: Salt Pond (Mountain Lake) and Bullard Rock (part of the Palisades.)  The exhibit runs through July 15.

The Giles County Historical Society works to preserve, interpret and exhibit Giles County’s rich historical and cultural heritage.  It provides a repository for Giles County family histories, documents and artifacts, assists genealogical researchers, and supports the preservation of endangered Giles County artifacts, sites and records.  The Giles County Historical Society, Museum and Gift Shop (921-1050) are open Wed-Fri from 12-5 PM and Sat-Sun from 2-5 PM.  Admission is free.  The Research Office is open on Thursday from 12–5 PM.  For more information, visit www.gilescountyhistorical.org.

Trip to Mountain Lake. A new exhibit at the Historical Society features the work of two artists who painted scenes of Giles County before the Civil War. Seen here is a detail of an 1853 painting by Lewis Miller depicting a party of tourists from Christiansburg on an excursion to Mountain Lake.

Moonlight fishing at the Palisades. In this 1857 lithograph by Edward Beyer, guests from nearby Chapman's Springs resort enjoy an evening on the New River.

War Of 1812

The history world has been preoccupied lately with the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, with reenactments and other events planned to commemorate the men (and women) in blue and gray. But another important milestone occurs this year —the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. Often called America’s “second war of independence”, the causes of the war included America’s desire to expand its territory, British attempts to restrict American trade, and the Royal Navy's impressment of American seamen into British service.

During the war the young United States suffered many defeats at the hands of the British, including the capture of Washington and the burning of the White House in August of 1814 (when First Lady Dolley Madison famously saved the portrait of George Washington from the fire). In the end, American troops were able to ward off British invasions in New York, Baltimore, and New Orleans, and were ultimately victorious. The war ended with the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent on February 17, 1815.

Giles County sent a considerable number of men who served at different times during the war. Early in 1815 Captain Andrew Johnston (who later built the Historical Society’s current home) organized a company of soldiers and was ordered to march to Norfolk. When they reached Bedford County they received the welcome news that a peace treaty had been signed and they were able to return home.

Over a century later a tattered piece of paper was found in the wall of a log cabin in neighboring
Montgomery County. This document contained a list of veterans from the War of 1812, including men from Giles County, many of whose descendants live in the county today. Giles men known
to have served in the War of 1812 include: Major James Bane, Lt. John Bane, Ens. Peter Blake, Lt. William Blake, Berry Blankenship, Ens. Andrew Bogle, Ens. William Brown, Lt. John Cook, Capt. Hiram Davis, Jesse Diamond, Ens. Charles Dingess, Benjamin Duncan, Lt. William French, Daniel Fry, George Fry, John Fry, Capt. John Harvey, Major R.M. Hutchinson, Lt. Samuel Hutchinson, Capt. Andrew Johnston, Capt. David Johnston, Capt. Charles King, Thomas Kirk, Jacob Lucas, Nelson Lucas, Ens. Price Lucas, Lt. Ralph Lucas, Ens. William Lucas, Pct. William
Lucas, Ens. John McClaugherty, Ens. Elisha McComas, Capt. Joseph McDonald, Ens. Stephen McDonald, Ens. Patrick Napier, William Oney, Lt. James Orr, Capt. George N. Pearis, Capt. John Peters, Capt. David Price, Alexander Porterfield, William Porterfield, James Sarver, Lt. John Shannon, Capt. William Smith, Christian Snidow, Capt. John Snidow, John Spangler, Ralph Stafford, Jr., Daniel Stanley, James Stanley, John Stanley, Lt. James Straley, Ens. Joseph Taylor, Ens. Enos Walker, Capt. CHA Walker, Henry Walker, Julius Walker, Alexander Williams, Ens. GeorgeWilliams.

The Giles County Historical Society works to preserve, interpret and exhibit Giles County’s rich
historical and cultural heritage. It provides a repository for Giles County family histories, documents and artifacts, assists genealogical researchers, and supports the preservation of
endangered Giles County artifacts, sites and records.

Bestselling author Sharyn McCrumb to speak at the Palisades

Bestselling author Sharyn McCrumb to speak at the Palisades


The Giles County Historical Society will present an evening talk and book signing by New York Times bestselling author Sharyn McCrumb on Tuesday, March 27th, at 7:00pm at the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston. The event is free and open to the public.

The talk will feature two of McCrumb’s books: The Ballad of Tom Dooley, which tells the true story behind the celebrated folk song, and the new edition of Ghost Riders, a tale chronicling
the Civil War in the Southern mountains as a local reenactors group plans a mock skirmish in their community.

With ancestors hailing from the mountains of North Carolina, it is no surprise that McCrumb
is best known for her Appalachian “Ballad” novels, including The Ballad of Frankie Silver, She Walks These Hills, and The Devil Amongst the Lawyers. Set in the mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, the ballad novels interweave local legends and natural wonders with contemporary Appalachian issues.

McCrumb has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including Writer of the Year at Emory and Henry College in 2005 and, in 2008, Virginia Woman of History for Achievement in Literature by the Library of Virginia.

Her gift for storytelling, however, is not confined to pen and paper. Patricia Jacobs, Executive Director of the Giles County Historical Society, recalls hearing McCrumb speak at the 2007
Appalachian Studies Conference in Maryville, Tennessee:

“I attended an all-day program on health issues in Appalachia, and, by the end of the day, we were tired, restless, and noisy. But as the final two presenters entered the room, it suddenly became silent. The male presenter introduced himself and said that he, too, would be speaking on health care in the region, but a very, very different kind of health care. Then, he introduced his co-presenter Sharyn McCrumb.

“The presentation was on folk healing, specifically the gift of “removing fire” or “talking the fire out” in which the practitioner heals those who have been severely burned. For the next half hour
the audience set mesmerized as the man explained the practice and its history in Appalachia while Ms. McCrumb told magical tales of “fire removers” known throughout the region and their miraculous ability to heal. First, the pain and redness would disappear, but within days even
scarring would completely disappear!”

Jacobs, a student at Radford University at the time, was studying physical anthropology, but after hearing McCrumb’s talk she changed her focus to cultural anthropology with an emphasis on Appalachian studies—a focus she has continued in graduate school at Virginia Tech.

Jacobs encourages the community to attend the presentation saying “It will be an exciting and memorable evening for all!”

The Early Years of Newport by Dr. Doug Martin

The Giles County Historical Society invites you to its quarterly meeting on Sunday, March 18th at the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston. Newport native Dr. Doug Martin will talk about the early years of Newport, when the village was a bustling hub of commerce and transportation on the main east-west road through the county. Both members and non-members are welcome to this free presentation, and they may also enjoy an optional High Tea offered by the restaurant for an additional cost.

To set the stage, Dr. Martin offers the following vignette:

“The year was 1872. In the southwest Virginia county of Giles, the village of Newport was recovering from a War that involved many of the local citizenry and other individuals who had witnessed and participated first-hand in battles and skirmishes between North and South. Many
soldiers did not return and others brought back with them injuries, experiences and memories that required a time of healing. Yet this village, with the vestiges of pre-history Native Americans and European settlement prior to the Civil War, was determined to re-establish its autonomy and structure consistent with its founders’ vision. There was an optimism as nearby railroads became connecting points, and the Great Wagon Road westward assured a steady stream of visitors, as stagecoaches rumbled through Newport on their way to hot springs resorts, and as returning soldiers sought to re-establish their definition of the good life.

“Efforts were made to make Newport the first incorporated town in Giles County and those
efforts reached fruition through General Assembly action in 1872.

“For Newport, Chapter 129, Acts of the Assembly, 1872, titled “An ACT to Incorporate the Town of Newport, in County of Giles, In Force March 4, 1872 provided the following:

“‘Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That the village known as the town of Newport, in the County of Giles, laid off within the following boundaries, beginning at the white oak tree, at corner of David B. Price’s and John P. Martin’s lands, marked with four chops; thence running south thirty three degrees west one hundred and fifty poles, crossing the turnpike leading from Newport to Blacksburg, to an apple tree near a line between Gustavus A. Butler and William H. Martin’s lands;’ – an so on.

“The act appointed George W. Hines as mayor, and David B. Price, William R. Gitt, William Keister, Flayle P. Payne, J. Addison Logan and Christopher C. Wingo as councilmen. These men – returning veterans, a medical doctor, ministers and local citizenry – worked in concert to add to the colorful history of the Village of Newport.”

Pssst . . . Have you heard the rumors about what happened in Pearisburg?

Pssst. . . Have you heard the rumors about what happened in Pearisburg?

On May 6, 1862, Union forces entered Pearisburg where Major James M. Comly of the 23rd Ohio regiment reserved rooms for two of his officers, Col. Rutherford B. Hayes and Major William McKinley, at the Woodrum Hotel. Surveying the town, Hayes and McKinley decided to set up headquarters in Dr. Harvey Green Johnston’s medical office.

Shots were heard the morning of the 10th as Confederate forces under Brigadier Gen. Heth engaged the Union forces at Giles Court House. Poor Annie Johnston was home alone with her
young children. She must have been terrified by battle taking place just outside her home!

The Confederate forces prevailed and within a short time the 23rd Ohio retreated to the west with Heth and his men in hot pursuit. As the town quieted down, Annie saw a large sack on the stoop of her husband’s office. Thinking the Union troops had left food or perhaps coffee behind in return for her hospitality during their encampment, she hurried over, only to find a sack of horse feed.

Mrs. Johnston was not the only Pearisburg resident hoodwinked by the dastardly boys in blue. Col. Hayes, in his haste to vacate, had neglected to pay his room and board at the Woodrum Hotel. Fourteen years later, Mrs. Woodrum, upon learning of Hayes intent to run for president, lightheartedly wrote newspapers in New York about the unpaid bill still owed to the Woodrums. No doubt the scandal was kept quite by Hayes powerful political supporter, attorney James M. Comley, as Hayes was elected the 19th president of the United States in 1877.

These two yarns (undocumented stories which describe incredible or fantastic events) are part of the local legend about Giles County during the Civil War. While it is known that the 23rd Ohio regiment occupied Pearisburg from May 6-10, 1862 and that a skirmish ensued, there is no actual documentation that Hayes and McKinley (actually a newly-promoted sergeant) used the Doctor’s Office as headquarters during that period, or that Annie Johnston found a sack on the stoop left by the retreating Union forces. As for the yarn about the unpaid bill at the Woodrum Hotel, all that remains is a faded article from The Virginian (predecessor to the Virginian Leader) some sixty years after the original events describing Mrs. Woodrum’s efforts to inform voters about
Hayes’ unpaid bill.

While the mission of the Giles County Historical Society is to document historical facts about the county, we are also interested in yarns and family stories about Giles County during the Civil War. These tales not only provide color and insight into life during that period, but will pique interest in the reenactment of the Battle of Giles Court House planned for June 9th and 10th. The Historical Society invites you to call 921-1050 to share your Civil War-era yarns and family stories which we hope to compile into a book. Who knows . . .maybe documentation will be unearthed, turning your tale into a new, previously unknown fact about Giles County!

The Giles County Historical Society works to preserve, interpret and exhibit Giles County’s rich historical and cultural heritage. It provides a repository for Giles County family histories, documents and artifacts, assists genealogical researchers, and supports the preservation of endangered Giles County artifacts, sites and records.