History of Rapidan : Rapidan Communities

By Shotwell, Alan, James, Dr.

Book Id: WPLBN0002829068
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 59.10 MB
Reproduction Date: 20012 6ed

Title:	History of Rapidan : Rapidan Communities
Author:	Shotwell, Alan, James, Dr.
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Non Fiction, History of America, History of central Virginia
Collections:	Authors Community, History
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	Privately published

Member Page:	Alan James Shotwell
Citation APA MLA Chicago Alan James Shotwell, B. D. (n.d.). History of Rapidan : Rapidan Communities. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
The history of a small town in central Virginia (1700s to 1900s) with bibliography and photographs

Summary
The history of a small town in central Virginia (1700s to 1900s) with bibliography and photographs

Excerpt
My grandmother used to tell me stories of the very small community I grew up in. My memory isn't as good as it shouold be so I wrote it all down. When I wanted to find our more about my home town, there was nothing written. so I set out to see if what she told me was true. The 50 year investigation (part time of course) and interviews with residents was intriguing. My family loves to tell stories. The stories I heard growing up brought to life several generations of residents of the community of Rapidan going all the way back to my great grandfather’s time. There were tales of the Civil War, the railroad, milling, flooding of the Rapidan River at twenty year intervals, and other Rapidan themes. In organizing this diversity of information, I have primarily attempted to give a history of the “community” of Rapidan, Virginia over time. I’ve also included information about another community by the same name, Rapidan, in Minnesota and stories told me by the crew of the USS Rapidan, a Navy oiler that served in World War II. Bear with me as I attempt to describe a kaleidoscope of folklore and stories presented as a narrative over time, with side trips expanding on communities related by the name Rapidan.

Table of Contents
Chapter I. The Native Americans. The Native American communities near Rapidan were made of "long houses", woven stick huts covered with grass mats or tree bark. Native American women raised corn, squash and pumpkins and gathered several hundred varieties of nuts, berries and roots. The men hunted deer, wild turkeys, birds and woodland buffalo and got fish using trap lines and plant poisons. Local folklore says that the nearby community of Buena had a population of Native Americans who may have come from Wolftown. [Emma (Beeler) Strother by Pat Hurst 11,60] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 5. Chapter II. The Settlers. In 1772 at the area known as Alexander Waugh's Ford, wagons camped along the river carrying goods between the Shenandoah valley and Fredericksburg. A miller, and land grantee, "Gentleman Billy" Willis, petitioned the English King, George III, to grant a tract of land on which to build a grist mill to grind feed for oxen and horses and to grind flour for the settlers. [The Orange Review centennial Edition, 1936 88] . . page 8. Chapter III. The Civil War. "It seems the war with all its horrors, is really upon us now. I am sure you will rejoice that Old Virginia has come out on the right side at least, and I think, is acting very promptly, now that she has commenced. I am trying to accustom myself to thinking of Henry's going, though I hope he will not be needed - if he were, I would not try to detain him. Henry has hoisted the secession flag upon the top of his mill, and it looks beautiful when it flouts (sic) upon the breeze. The girls made it and are very proud of having done so." [Mary Jane (Boggs) Holladay 53] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 9. Chapter IV. The Young People. "The community called us the "Young People" when we were growing up in Rapidan in the 1930's and 40's. Rapidan still looks pretty much like it did to us then. Some of us say "even the grass has stayed the same". Rapidan doesn't have big city crime and problems like that. It's still the way it used to be, or maybe if that's not true, then it's the way we like to remember it was." [Jimmie Peyton, Melvin Amos, William Davis, et al. 95] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 28. Chapter V. Rapidan, the Ship. "Sailors from the beginning have laid special trust in reliable shipmates, because they know that when their ship is underway, whether they are awake, or asleep in their bunks, their safety depends on that portion of the crew on watch. The U.S.S. Rapidan crew, knowing the inherent dangers of an oiler at sea during wartime, quickly developed each other's respect and trust. The small community of our crew was fortunate to keep such a relationship for the whole duration of World War II." [Captain J.F. Mundy, Jr. 43]. . . . . . . page 31. Chapter VI. The Fire Company. "I think a lot of the social and community support has now perhaps shifted from the three churches to the Rapidan Volunteer Fire Company, which has many community activities." [Gail Marshall, 1997] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 47. Chapter VII. The Black Community at Buena. Local folklore says that Buena was originally called "Birdtown" and three German brothers settled there. Two married Native Americans and one married a black. The Native Americans may have come from Wolftown. [Emma (Beeler) Strother quoted by Pat Hurst 11, 60] Nobody in the area, black or white, had a lot of money and everybody behaved and lived pretty much the same. "You fought if somebody did you wrong, but you ignored it when somebody said something unkind. When I was growing up, if you were a good person you could go to almost any white person and get help because they knew you and they knew your family." [James Ellis 40] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 57. Chapter VIII. Rapidan, Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 59. IX. Addendum A. Homes and Buildings (Rapidan in 20 year intervals) . . . . . . . . . . . page 66. X. Addendum B. Geology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 81. XI. Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 84. XII. Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 88.