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THE HERITAGE MUSEUM NEWSLETTER Home of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society

Published Quarterly by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society

Three Men Who Voted Against Secession

In our country we think voting is a safe activity.

However, for my great, great, great, great grandfather

Joseph Beery, and for my great, great, great grandfa-

ther Jacob Wenger, voting against popular opinion

brought trouble. These men, and others, did not sup-

port war in any form, and were opposed to secession

in the 1860s.

In the years leading up to the American Civil War,

our country was divided over slavery and states’

rights. In Virginia, the popular opinion was that our

state should withdraw from the Union. However, there

was a minority who disagreed. Here in the Shenando-

ah Valley, voting against secession was dangerous.

Men were required to vote, but their votes were appar-

ently not private. Some were given the “opportunity”

to change their vote, under threat of harm.

Voting against secession in Virginia, or not sup-

porting the Confederate movement was dangerous be-

cause you could be threatened, put into jail, or killed.

John Kline was a traveling evangelist, a doctor in

herbal medicine, and a Brethren preacher. He was of-

ten warned about the dangers of speaking out on his

opinions against secession and slavery, but refused to

heed the warnings. In 1864, Kline was shot by Con-

federates.

Joseph Beery, my great, great, great, great paternal

grandfather was threatened by Confederate soldiers

for voting against secession, openly supporting the

Union, and helping his likeminded neighbors escape

to the North. Beery told a story of a neighbor boy

coming through the fields to warn him that “the re-

bels” were coming to shoot him. He went into hiding.

When the rebels could not find Beery, they shot his

hogs and chickens instead.

Joseph Beery was also arrested several times. He

had furnished a substitute so that his oldest son would

not have to fight, but the substitute would not desert to

the Union army as Beery had requested. Instead, the

substitute reported Beery to the Confederate authori-

ties, who then arrested him. He was put into prison

with John Kline and several other refugees. Beery was

arrested multiple other times as well for attempting to

help other men escape serving the Confederacy. On

July 2, 1874, Joseph Beery was found hanging by his

neck in his own barn. News reports claimed his death

was an act of “self-destruction,” though some think

otherwise because of the treatment he had been receiv-

ing from the Confederate authorities as well as neigh-

bors.

My maternal great, great, great grandfather, Jacob

Wenger also voted against secession. He was one of

11 Mennonite men who had voted against secession in

the face of threatened violence.

Even though it was dangerous to vote against se-

cession in Virginia during the Civil War, a few men

had the courage to stand firm in their beliefs.

By Cara Rodes, Redeemer Classical School, 6th grade

History Essay Contest First Place

Volume 37, No. 2 Spring 2015

Trustee Chairman L.J. Purcell presents Cara Rodes with her First Place Certificate and Award.

Calendar of Events

Saturdays, May 2nd and 16th, 10:30a - 12:30p Shenandoah

Valley Railroad Club members in the gallery to operate the

model locomotive and talk trains!

Thursday, May 21st, 7 pm: Weaving the Fabric of a New

Nation with Nancy Sorrells, Author, Historian, and Past Presi-

dent of the Augusta County Historical Society. In the 18th

century, the Ulster Scots Presbyterians from the northern areas

of Ireland settled in large numbers creating “The Irish Tract”

in Augusta and Rockbridge. The talk will explore the connec-

tions and look at how those Presbyterians helped fuel the set-

tlement and revolutionary thinking of America’s backcountry.

Thursday, June 18th, 7 pm: Stained Glass Windows in the

Churches of Harrisonburg with Seymour Paul. A Visual

tour of Harrisonburg’s stained glass windows with descrip-

tions of their history and iconography.

Thursday, July 16th, 7 pm: Chamber Business After

Hours Open House—an outreach opportunity to showcase the

extraordinary programming at The Heritage Museum! Bring a

friend and help encourage membership and volunteer support

for your favorite Historical Society.

Friday, July 24-25: Civil War Quilts: What Women Left

Behind, a Study Seminar of Virginia Quilts from the Shenan-

doah Valley featuring Lynne Z. Bassett, “Herstory in Civil

War Quilts,” offered by the Virginia Quilt Museum. Seminar

schedule includes presentation by Dale MacAllister and Quilt

Turning at The Heritage Museum. Schedules, fees, and more

info: www.vaquiltmuseum.org

Thursday, August 20th, 7 pm: Railroad History with Bob

Cohen. Further details to follow.

Monday, September 14th, 7 pm, Documentary Film: In

This Land: The Camp Lyndhurst Saga. German Prisoners of

War in The Old Dominion featuring Q&A with historian and

author Gregory L. Owen, Waynesboro Heritage Foundation

President Shirley Bridgeforth, and Producer/Director James

Overton.

Annual Banquet Save the Date: Thursday, October 15th.

Donations are encouraged to help keep events free.

Do you have a program suggestion? Please let us know!

The Heritage Museum Hours

Monday—Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Seasonal Sundays through November, 1-5 pm

Office closed on Saturday and Sunday

Telephone: (540) 879-2616 Email: [email protected]

ValleyHeritageMuseum.org HeritageMuseumStore.com

Trustees

Resident Historian

Dale MacAllister

HRHS Staff

Executive Director: Penny Imeson

Administrator: Margaret Hotchner

Staff: Amy Kiracofe, Juanita Wysong

Museum Assistant: Tom Knight

Newsletter Submission Deadlines

All articles are subject to editing. Ideas for feature articles

must be submitted in advance of the article. We reserve the

right not to use unsolicited feature articles. Genealogical que-

ries welcome.

Submissions may be emailed to

[email protected]

or mailed to HRHS, P.O. Box 716, Dayton VA 22821

Summer July 24

Fall October 23

Winter January 28

THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Charlie Collette David Ehrenpreis

Wes Graves Lisa Hawkins

Nathan Miller Lew Taylor

Mike Way David Wood

Our Wish List

Volume 37, No. 2

L. J. Purcell, Chairman

Irvin Hess, Vice-Chairman

George Homan, Treasurer

Dana Fenner, Secretary


Notes from the Executive Director

Volume 37, No. 2

Do you belong to a local club or organization? Executive Director Penny gave eight presentations in 2014

and she will be delighted to speak to your group too! Your program coordinator will appreciate the sug-

gestion and The Heritage Museum will benefit from this important outreach program. Call the office to

request more information or to schedule a date. Thank you for your help!

What a busy month! And so many opportunities

to share history stories with visitors ranging from 4

to 94—well, that’s an estimate, but we did host a

homeschooling group of 30+ students, and most

were very young! We offered our first Lifelong

Learning Institute course for students in retirement

years. At the Redbud Festival, families enjoyed kids

activities, Civil War Era dancing, mustering with the

10th VA Living Historians, viewing antique cars,

and celebrating young historians. Plus, we provided

not one, but two Thursday Talks giving the audience

insight into Philip Baker the Cabinet Maker of

Brocks Gap and the little-known history of the R. R.

Moton High School Student Walkout in Farmville,

Virginia, which became part of the Brown v. Board

of Education decision.

If education is essential to our mission, then I’d

say we had a successful month! Whew!

The mission of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society is to collect, preserve, and share for future

generations the rich history and heritage of our community. Please consider a financial gift to support the ac-

tivities and programming at The Heritage Museum. The second quarter of the year is usually a cash flow chal-

lenge. Your mid-year donation will make a difference! Challenged by cash flow yourself? A planned gift may

be the best way for you to support HRHS. Thank you!

DEVELOPMENT & FUNDRAISING

Students of all ages!

New activities located throughout the galleries keep little hands busy—and big hands too!

I visited this museum today with two of my grandchildren.

We enjoyed it very much! Tripadvisor Review, 4.8.2015


When looking back at the history of our communi-

ty, it’s always an honor to remember our finest mo-

ments. One of the most important to me is the founda-

tion of the State Normal and Industrial School for

Women – a school we now know as James Madison

University. Education for women in the United States

during the early twentieth century was hard to come

by – it was considered unusual for a woman to better

herself through college. The founding of this school,

which allowed women to broaden their education and

earn a degree, made a huge impact in the slow process

of educational equality for women and men.

The State Normal and Industrial School was found-

ed in 1908. The first president of the school was Julian

Ashby Burruss, and on September 27, 1909, Nannie

Sword became the first girl to arrive as a student.

Originally, the school offered what would now be

known as technical training, or junior college courses.

This changed in 1916, when a bachelor’s degree be-

came a possibility for the attending students. Masters

degrees would not be authorized until 1954.

In 1924, the school was accurately renamed the

State Teachers College at Harrisonburg. Despite the

great strides being made towards equal education, the

profession a woman would most likely enter once re-

ceiving a degree from this school was a teaching one.

Tremendous changes were occurring – in the year

1900, 5,237 women in the United States earned their

bachelor’s degree after attending college. By 1940,

there were around 600,000 women attending colleges,

with 77,000 of them earning a bachelor’s degree.

There were still many people who thought a woman’s

position was to marry, keep house, and produce chil-

dren – but this thinking wouldn’t last forever.

In 1938, the State Teachers College at Harrison-

burg was renamed Madison College in honor of Presi-

dent James Madison. Enrollment that year passed

1,000. Just eight years later, in 1946, men enrolled as

day students for the first time. As the desire for equal

education was becoming a reality, a new struggle was

surfacing – in 1966, Sheary Darcus became the first

African American to attend Madison College. Later, in

1977, the school would become James Madison Uni-

versity, the school we know today.

Women struggled for the right to vote, educate

themselves, and have an occupation for many years.

Today, it’s hard to imagine a United States where only

men are encouraged to go to college and get a job. We

see the injustice existing in other countries through the

news, like Malala Yousafzai and her work towards the

education of women in Pakistan. When looking at

what she went through for the ability to go to school,

it makes us realize how lucky we are for the education

we receive. The State Normal and Industrial School

for Women is where further education for girls started

in our community, and therefore is a place that should

be greatly admired.

Safes of the Valley

Volume 37, No. 2

By Renée Flory, Eastern Mennonite Middle School 8th grade,

History Essay Contest Second Place Award.

The Roots of Education Equality

Above, Renee Flory accepts her certificate and award from Chairman L.J. Purcell. Below, Normal School students c. 1910-11, courtesy James Madison University.


Volume 37, No. 2

A Note of Thanks: The Heritage Museum expresses deep appreciation to members of the Communications Committee

for creating and implementing the History Essay Contest, to The Darren McHone Foundation for sponsoring the Award

stipends, to the Essay Judges for sharing time and expertise, and, most especially, to the many numerous local teachers

for encouraging students to explore local history.

The One and Only: Lucy F. Simms

Lucy Simms was a beautiful woman inside and out.

She experienced many challenges being an African

American in the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Her

knowledge and methods are still influential to us. Not

only did Ms. Simms teach many primary students, but

she has taught our whole community what strong real-

ly means.

Lucy Frances Simms was born a slave on “Hilltop,”

the Gray family’s estate, in 1855. Even though she

was a young slave who labored hard, Lucy was natu-

rally bright and caught on quickly. Unlike many for-

mer slaves, she got a good education, and she also ad-

mired the concept of applying knowledge. At the

young age of 17, she began teaching and attended

Hampton Institute. At Hampton, Lucy studied from

1874-1877. She also attended summer teacher-training

schools,

sometimes as

an instructor.

After Lucy

graduated,

she taught at

Zenda for a

year. Zenda

was an Afri-

can-American

community

near Harri-

sonburg.

Then, she

went to Har-

risonburg

city schools,

first teaching in a church room and, at the time, the

new Effinger School. At Effinger, she served as the

acting principal from 1883-1884. Lucy taught at Eff-

inger until she died on July 10, 1934. Little did she

know her talent and passion for teaching would not

just be shared with her 1,800 pupils, but with the

world. In 1938, Harrisonburg named their newly built

school after her. The Lucy F. Simms school was listed

on the National Register of Historic Places on Febru-

ary 11, 2004. With her 56 years of teaching, she only

missed one half-day due to illness! According to al-

most everyone who knew Lucy, teaching was her life.

She was living and loving her dream.

In addition to a school name in her honor, Lucy

Simms has an award, the Educator of the Year Award,

named after her! This award was named in memory of

her courage and devotion. Her goal was to “sow a seed

in that mountain soil that it should yield, in time,

abundant crops,” wrote Lucy in a letter. She

did just that! Every time the Superintendent

gives out the Educator of the Year Award, we

are recognizing just how amazing of a teacher

Lucy Simms was. Her work was astonishing

and still remains ongoing today.

One writer described her as, “a person of

strong moral convictions. She could not abide

dishonesty. Although loving and kind to her

children, she also administered punishment

when she deemed it necessary.” It is obvious to see

Lucy Simms is a great role model for all people. Not

only did she prove hard work pays off, she proved re-

gardless of your race, gender, or where you started,

you can achieve your goals.

By Emily Villacrusis, Wilbur S. Pence Middle School 8th

grade, History Essay Contest Third Place Award.

Trustee Chairman L.J. Purcell congratulates award winner Emily Villacrusis.

Miss Lucy Simms with three generations of her pupils.


Volume 37, No. 2

In the last issue I wrote about the refugee wagon train that left from Harrisonburg with Sheridan’s forces as

they moved back down the Valley in early October 1864. By the time they reached Winchester there were

about 600 wagons carrying families escaping the devastation caused by “total war” in Augusta, Rockingham,

Page, and Shenandoah counties. Names of the families known to have been on the wagon train were not in-

cluded in the article. Since then I have confirmed many as having made the trip north. Some families returned

following the War, most during the summer of 1865, while some went west and found new, permanent homes

there. Most were Mennonite or Dunkard families. Others held Union sympathies and felt it was unwise to re-

main here after the Valley had been devastated and anger toward them increased.

Jacob & Catherine Baugh, and children Josephine, Jacob, and William Baugh

Isaac & Barbara Bowman, and children Samuel D., Sarah R., and Mary Catherine Bowman

John & Rebecca Wine Bowman

John W. & Rebecca Petry Bowman, and children Henry P., Jacob W., Rebecca E., and Isaac D. Bowman

Joseph & Sarah Flory Bowman, and sons John and Solomon Bowman

Christian & Magdalene Brunk family, and children Michael, Ann, Susan, Joseph, Noah, Frances, John,

and Charles Brunk

Jesse & Leanah Carrier, and daughter Amanda Carrier

John S. Coffman

Henry Crawford

Lawrence Crawford

John & Frances Garber Flory, and children Joel S. and Samuel Flory

Algernon S. Gray, daughter Orra, brothers Robert Gray and Douglas Gray

Peter S. Hartman

Albert Jenkins

David H. & Mary Landis, and children Elisabeth and Sarah Landis

Samuel H. Lewis family, William Lewis, Lunsford L. Lewis, Sheffey Lewis, and Charles H. Lewis

George & Rebecca K. Whitesel Lutz

Frederick S. & Elizabeth Whitmer Rhodes, and children John S., Lucy Ellen, Turner Ashby, and Mary

Ida Rhodes

John & Fannie Bowman Rhodes

Esther Roof and children Elizabeth, Caroline, Susan, and Mary Ann Roof.

Michael & Lydia Shank family, and children Frances, Hettie, John, Kate, and Charles Shank

Christian & Sarah Bowman Showalter, and children David B., Samuel F., Jonathan B., Catherine Ann,

Lewis A., and Joseph R., and Sarah E. Showalter.

Samuel Showalter

Christian Suter

Emanuel Suter family, wife Elizabeth, and children Reuben, Daniel, Susan Virginia, John Robert Suter,

sister Margaret Suter, and father Daniel Suter

William & Susan Tankersley, and children John, Nancy, Estaline, Elizabeth, Margaret, George, Anna

Frances, and Richard

Benjamin & Barbara Wenger, and children Abraham and Magdalene Wenger

Noah C. & Sarah Basinger Wenger, and child Peter B. Wenger

The following families lost their homes or barns in the Dayton area and may have been on the wagon train,

but I have not found proof: Abraham Blosser, Jonas Blosser, Rev. John Flory, Hinegardners, Ralls, and

Thomases.

More about the Refugee Wagon Train By Dale MacAllister

See Refugee Wagon Train, continued on page 10


A Warm Welcome To Our

New Members

David Bailey, Colorado Springs, CO

A. Christine Bailor, Richmond, VA

Dwight S. Beery, Dayton, VA

Kevin & Jere Borg, Bridgewater, VA

Greg Bott, Winchester, VA

William Braden, Sandston, VA

Patricia Brown, McGaheysville, VA

Meegan Carr, Harrisonburg, VA

David Curtis, Silver Spring, MD

Fred Frazier, McGaheysville, VA

Robert & Nancy Hodges, Harrisonburg, VA

Howard & Lucinda Holsinger, Browns Mill, NJ

Charles McCartney, Shelby, NC

Robert Moore, Palm Bay, FL

Gail M. Murphy, Dubuque, IA

Barbara Paulson, Port Republic, VA

MaryAnn Rexrode, Roanoke, VA

William G. Ritchie, Broadway, VA

Sara Robinson, Charlottesville, VA

Martha Ross, Harrisonburg, VA

Patricia Santiago, Harrisonburg, VA

Judy Schwarz, Derby, CT

James B. Stephens, Cape Coral, FL

Jeff & Laurie Weatherholt, Fisher, WV

Linda G. Wise, Uniontown, OH

Redbud Spring Arts & Crafts Festival

Many visitors enjoyed learning new dances on the lawn called by the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Era Dancers.

Volume 37, No. 2

Kids learned about the life of the Civil War soldier with the 10th Virginia Infantry Living Historians.

It was a beautiful day in Dayton for the activi-ties all over town, including the Car Cruise-In

on The Heritage Museum lot and grounds.

Creating clothespin dolls and learning to weave kept young visitors busy while others toured the Cromer-Trumbo house.


Dr. C. E. Hammen House

Volume 37, No. 2

Submitted by Anthony D. Lawson

McGaheysville native, John L. Hopkins, III, dis-

covered a “diamond in the rough” at 185 Conn Road

in the form of a two-story log house. When he pur-

chased the house in the spring of 2014, it was not a

gem. It was in such need of restoration, the former

owner found it overwhelming. Before any work be-

gan, most people would have only noticed the peeling

blue and white paint, but J. L. saw logs beneath the

curled up siding. That gave him a vision of what

would become a reality six months later. At 86 years

old, he had faced many challenges, this was just the

next one.

Every old house has a history of its own which

must include the story of its inhabitants. The Harmon

family (likely descendants of Jacob Hermann) were

the first recorded owners of the property. It is likely

that this family built the first two rooms about 1812,

one room over the other over a limestone foundation.

About 1850 another similar struc-

ture was built about 8 feet away

and, according to Hopkins, a dog-

trot was built between. Dog-trot

houses were common in the 19th

century. The open space between

was generally covered with a roof

and served as a breezeway and

summer dining area, while pre-

venting the heat from the kitchen

from entering the other structure.

The family dog would use the area

as a place to lay in the shade, thus

the name 'dog-trot.' Another ad-

vantage was that the two smaller

houses would be taxed at a lower

rate than a one larger home.

In the mid 1850s a tailor named William Hammen

and his wife Prudence moved with their family to

McGaheysville. They bought the property from the

Harmons. Hammen set up shop and also ran a store

nearby.

Three of the Hammen sons served in the Confeder-

ate cause. The eldest, Charles E., enlisted on April 18,

1861, as a private in the 10th Virginia Infantry. He

later became a First Sergeant and had an interesting

career during the war. His brother, William, served in

the 5th Battalion of the Valley Reserves. Another

brother, Samuel, served in the 7th Virginia Calvary in

Ashby's Co. C. After the war Charles became a dentist

and proprietor of a store.

William died in 1867, and 1870 census records list

the head of household as Charles, living in the house

with his mother, brother Samuel, and a house servant.

His mother Prudence died in 1877. Charles E. Ham-

men married Mary Catherine Hopkins on February 8,

1877. She was the daughter of G. T. and Frances Hop-

kins.

It was about 1880 that the Hammens began a major

remodel of the house. The two houses were joined as

one and the dog-trot area became a grand entrance

with the stairway which today graces the old home.

Windows were moved into locations more pleasing to

the eye. When doing this, carpenters had to cut away

log sections and used conventional framing to fill in

the gaps. A large L addition was added to rear of the

1812 section

of the house.

An alcove

was added to

the down-

stairs facing

south where

the dentist

located his

examination

chair. The

bay window

gave him the

advantage of

maximum

natural light

and remains

an outstanding feature of the home. Yellow pine sid-

ing was added to the outside hiding the logs and creat-

ing a more uniform appearance. A front porch and

widows walk were added, as well as a slate roof. Un-

fortunately, Mary died of a kidney disorder in 1881

before the work was done. Charles died in 1901. After

their deaths the house had numerous owners and

renters.

Continued on the next page

C.E. Hammen House, Conn Rd., McGaheysville, Virginia, restored by owner John L. Hopkins, III, 2014.



Volume 37, No. 2

To begin the restoration, Hopkins had to locate

logs from the period to fill in gaps and replace deteri-

orated sections. In a desire to return the house its orig-

inal size, about 20 feet of the framed portion was torn

off. A 9- foot section was retained to add a modern

kitchen and a full bathroom upstairs. A half-bath was

added below the stairway. Notably, the recent renova-

tion marks the first time the house ever had plumbing.

Hopkins also upgraded the electrical system and add-

ed a 2-zone heat pump system.

At the end of the 19th century remodel, the house

was covered with weatherboarding and a slate roof.

Today the house appears as an impressive two-story

log house much like those that stood throughout the

Valley and mountains during the 1800s. As curious

local people ride by they give a thumbs up to what

J. L. Hopkins has accomplished with this old house.

Hopkins gives the credit for the finished results to

the many individuals and contractors who did the

work. At age 87 now, he looks forward to the next

challenges.

Old Peaked Mountain Meetinghouse with the C. E.

Hamman house in the background, c 1900. Note

the proximity of the two buildings considering there

is a road in between.

Continued from previous page

Confederate Naval Flag Update

On Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015, fourteen Historical Society mem-

bers and volunteers traveled to Norfolk, Virginia, to participate in the un-

veiling of the conserved CSS Hampton flag which was donated to the

Hampton Roads Naval Museum (HRNM) in 2013. Everyone was amazed

by the results of the conservation—the fragile and tattered flag now looks

resplendent in a shiny new case. The conservator spent many months of

painstaking work to mend frayed ends, mount the flag on archival bat-

ting, and fill in the missing sections of the blue cross.

HRNM Director Becky Poulliot praised The Heritage Museum for the

unselfish and generous decision to return the CSS Hampton ensign to the

home of its gunboat. Appropriately displayed in the HRNM, the flag will

bear witness to history for many, many years to come. It was a proud mo-

ment for the Historical Society.


Spring cleaning? If you discover artifacts and papers unique to Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, please consider

donating them to the Museum. Items must be reviewed before being accepted into the permanent collection. We request

that you make an appointment with the Collections Committee. Questions? Call (540) 879-2616.

Volume 37, No. 2

Acquisitions Archives

Louise Grady donated two World War II ration books.

Sara Robinson donated a 1937 advertisement calendar for the Robinson Store in Elkton, Virginia, plus a

large collection of photographs by her father, Hobby Robinson.

Artifacts

Conrad and Dot Deeds provided various World War II items including clothing, medals and ribbons, an

army sewing kit, Camp Hood post card, and two pillow covers from where Mr. Deeds was stationed.

Diane Lyke donated the Rockingham Memorial Hospital nurse cape, some Army Nurses Corp medals, and

a picture for a military id which belonged to her mother, Lois Mae Kiser Rusnak.

Technology and Digital Collection

Conrad and Dot Deeds provided a World War II era photo of themselves – with Mr. Deeds in his uniform.

Ramona Evans donated photos from the estate of Cora Shickel Harpine.

Neil Mowbray of Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital provided dvds of the RMH Centennial Celebra-

tion 2012 and the RMH Move Day 2010.

Phyllis Secrist donated two computers with accessories.

Library

Daniel Burkholder, Jr. provided a 2015 reprint of The Confession of Faith of the Christians known by the

Name of Mennonites, translated by Joseph Funk.

Wayne Hannah donated his book, The Light Still Shines, Celebrating 70 Years as Shenandoah Valley

Electric Cooperative.

Raymond C. Rhodes donated the book, Harry G. and Susie B. Horning Ancestors and Descendants 1977-

2009, compiled by Grace A. (Horning) Zimmerman.

Sara Robinson provided her memoir regarding her parents entitled Love Always, Hobby and Jessie and

eight books by Hobby Robinson containing pictures of several generations of the Elkton community.

Phyllis Secrist provided some Secrist family genealogy.

John H. Sipe donated a copy of Civil War Recollections written by George Edgar Sipe.

Phillip and Christina Updike donated the book, The Virginia Updikes-Updykes, by Robert S. Craig.

Ramona Evans provided various news clippings from the estate of Cora Shickel Harpine.

Compiled by Margaret Hotchner

Little has been written about the scorn these families endured when they returned to the Valley and their

homes. In her book Mountain Valley People, Marie Arrington gave some indication of those hard feelings.

She wrote: Those who fought or lost loved ones in the war had a bitter pill to swallow when those who ‘went

over to the North’ or went west to work . . . returned with Yankee dollars to rebuild their farms and homes. . .

The war created mistrust and ill will within families and between neighbors that traces of can still be found

today (1982).

I want to encourage our readers to add to our list if you know of some family that was on the wagon train

but was not included above.

Continued from page 6

Refugee Wagon Train


Volume 37, No. 2

Harrisonburg author!

The Way it Was - Not the Way it Is

by Doris Harper Allen. Softcover, $17.00.

This is a story beginning more than eighty

years ago. The author has a story to tell as she

was not born in slavery but felt enslaved dur-

ing her childhood. "The Way it Was (not the

way it is)," meaning you lived in poverty, you

were poor and did not know it. You lived in

the northeast section known as "Newtown" [in

Harrisonburg, Virginia] with stores, restau-

rants, churches, dance hall, and a school. You

stayed there with gardens and livestock to take

care of and children to raise in a peaceful,

Christian neighborhood where everybody

knew everybody. The latest in the series:

1865: Life in the Shenando-

ah Valley edited by Elsie

Renalds Newcomer and Janet

Renalds Ramsey. Softcover,

$20.00.

The journal, letters, and news

articles lead the reader

through the trying last days

of the War Between the

States and the beginning of

Reconstruction in the Valley

of Virginia for the Henkel,

Coiner, and Miller families.

A personal journey into the park’s past

Shenandoah: A Story of Conservation and

Betrayal by Sue Eisenfeld. Softcover, $19.95.

For fifteen years Sue Eisenfeld hiked in Shen-

andoah National Park in the Virginia Blue

Ridge Mountains, unaware of the tragic history

behind the creation of the park. In this travel

narrative, she tells the story of her on-the-

ground discovery of the relics and memories a

few thousand mountain residents left behind

when the government used eminent domain to

kick the people off their land to create the park.

Bookstore & Gift Shop

Lifelong Learning Institute

Students give the Behind the

Scenes at the Museum inaugural

course 4.9 stars!!


Harrisonburg - Rockingham Historical Society

P.O. Box 716

Dayton, Virginia 22821

OR CURRENT ADDRESS

Non-Profit U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 19 Harrisonburg/Rockingham

Spring 2015, Vol. 37, No. 2

Check your mailing label. If it’s blue, it’s time to renew!

A SNAPSHOT OF HISTORY

Photography Contest 2015

Be inspired by the history and heritage of Harrisonburg & Rockingham!

The subjects for this contest are local architecture, land-scape, still life, and period ap-propriate people.

Open to area non-professional photographers of all ages.

Deadline: 5p, Tues, July 7, 2015

Rules & Forms found at

ValleyHeritageMuseum.org

Get out your camera and have some history fun!

three men who voted against secession - heritage centerthree men who voted against secession in our...

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