The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 3, November, 1834Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 3, November, 1834
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
The first article in the pamphlet before us, is the address of
President Cushing, of Hampden Sidney College, in which he sets forth
the objects of the Society, and presses them earnestly upon the
attention of the members. They are such as are usually embraced in the
plans of similar institutions, including not only historical and
biographical details, but facts in relation to the natural history and
actual condition of the state.
The next article is a "memoir of Indian wars, and other occurrences, by
the late Colonel Stuart, of Greenbrier"--a paper which sheds
considerable light upon the events which transpired upon the western
portion of Virginia, during the thirty years succeeding the year 1749.
The writer participated in the eventful scenes of that interesting
period, and was not only a soldier, but a man of strong mind, who has
recorded his recollections in a clear and easy style. The following
anecdote is quite characteristic:
About the year 1749, a person who was a citizen of the county of
Frederick, and subject to paroxysms of lunacy, when influenced by such
fits, usually made excursions into the wilderness, and in his rambles
westwardly, fell in on the waters of Greenbrier river. At that time,
the country on the western waters was but little known to the English
inhabitants of the then colonies of America, being claimed by the
French, who had commenced settlements on the Ohio and its waters, west
of the Alleghany mountains. The lunatic being surprised to find waters
running a different course from any he had before known, returned with
the intelligence of his discovery, which did abound with game. This
soon excited the enterprise of others. Two men from New England, of the
name of Jacob Marlin and Stephen Sewell, took up a residence upon
Greenbrier river; but soon disagreeing in sentiment, a quarrel
occasioned their separation, and Sewell, for the sake of peace, quit
their cabin and made his abode in a large hollow tree. In this
situation they were found by the late General Andrew Lewis, in the year
1751. Mr. Lewis was appointed agent for a company of grantees, who
obtained from the governor and council of Virginia, an order for one
hundred thousand acres of land lying on the waters of Greenbrier
river,--and did, this year, proceed to make surveys to complete the
quantity of said granted lands; and finding Marlin and Sewell living in
the neighborhood of each other, inquired what could induce them to live
separate in a wilderness so distant from the habitations of any other
human beings. They informed him that difference of opinion had
occasioned their separation, and that they had since enjoyed more
tranquillity and a better understanding; for Sewell said, that each
morning when they arose and Marlin came out of the great house and he
from his hollow tree, they saluted each other, saying--good morning Mr.
Marlin, and good morning Mr. Sewell, so that a good understanding then
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