CSS Hampton Flag Heads to Hampton

Volume 35, No. 3 Summer 2013

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

Published Quarterly by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society

CSS Hampton Flag Heads to Hampton

On Wednesday, July 31, 2013, the Harrisonburg-

Rockingham Historical Society transferred ownership

of a rare naval flag captured from the Confederate

gunboat, CSS Hampton, to the United States Naval

History and Heritage Command (NHHC).

Built at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1862, the

CSS Hampton is from the class of “Maury Gunboats,”

named for inventor of the idea, Commander Matthew

Fontaine Maury. His theory was to build lots of eco-

nomical small wooden gunboats with the thought that

they could overwhelm the Union with their “mosquito

fleets.” One hundred ships were planned, but only

about fifteen were actually built before the concept of

an ironclad ship took over the Confederate budget.

The Hampton was one of only two Maury gunboats

which saw action during the war, the Nansemond be-

ing the other. The CSS Hampton had encounters at

Dutch Gap in August of 1864, as well as at Fort Har-

rison and Chaffin’s Bluff in September and October

of that year. Upon the fall of Richmond on April 3,

1865, the Hampton was burned by the Confederates

as they evacuated the city.

Sewn onto the flag is a handwritten note that reads:

“That of Confed. Gun Boat Hampton burnt in James

River at the taking of Richmond. The flag was taken

from the burning ship by Lieut. Ladd (13 N. Hamp-

shire) of Gen. Devens’ staff.”

Research has uncovered a wonderful story of its

rescue. The “Lieut. Ladd” mentioned in the note is

William Jones Ladd of the 13th New Hampshire Regi-

ment. Born on February 4, 1844, Ladd is considered

by many historians as the first Union soldier to enter

Richmond when it was seized by the Union on April

3, 1865. A personal account of this day is recounted

by him on page 578 of the History of the Thirteenth

New Hampshire Regiment. Ladd states, “I was in the

Capitol grounds as early as 5:30 am. I saw no flag on

the Capitol at that time. After looking about the

grounds and vicinity for a few minutes, and realizing I

was alone in the city, I rode back towards Rocketts,

and when near there met a white Union cavalryman –

the first Union soldier I had seen in Richmond that

morning. We tied our horses, took a skiff and rowed

out to a rebel war ship on the James, and captured two

Confederate flags then flying upon her. I pulled down

the larger flag, the cavalryman the smaller one, and

Continued page 6

AFTER 150 YEARS, CONFEDERATE NAVAL

FLAG RETURNS ‘HOME.’

By Nancy Hess

Note sewn onto USS Hampton flag.

Calendar Of Events

Thursday, August 15, 7 pm Lecture: “Harrisonburg’s

Confederate General Hospital” with Dale MacAllister,

HRHS Resident Historian. Free, but donations wel-

come!

Thursday, September 19, 7 pm Lecture: “Rockingham

County Chancery Court Records” with Carl Childs,

Local Records Services Director, The Library of Vir-

ginia. Free, but donations encouraged!

Friday, October 18, HRHS Annual Banquet, with

special guest Joseph W. A. Whitehorne, retired United

States Army staff historian, battlesite interpreter, and

author speaking on “Born in Battle: Military and Politi-

cal Events in a New State, 1863.” Details and ticket

information to be announced. Save the date!

Thursday, October 24, 7 pm Lecture: “Elder John

Kline” with Paul Roth. Free, but donations accepted!

Saturday, November 9, 12 - 2 pm Lunch/Lecture

Fundraiser: “The Union Fish Hook Breaks! The 10th

Virginia at Culps Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg”

with Jeremy Hilliard, 10th Virginia Volunteer Infantry.

$15 per person.

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Page 2 Volume 35, No. 3

The Heritage Museum Hours

Tuesday—Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Seasonal Sundays 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Genealogy on Mondays by appointment

Office closed on Saturday and Sunday Telephone: (540) 879-2616

Email: [email protected] www.heritagecenter.com

www.heritagemuseumstore.com

Trustees

Chairman: Greg Owen

Vice-Chairman: Irvin Hess

Secretary: Monica Frackelton

Treasurer: L.J. Purcell

Resident Historian

Dale MacAllister

HRHS Staff

Executive Director: Penny Imeson

Administrator: Margaret Hotchner

Archivist: Laura Adams

Staff: Amy Kiracofe, Juanita Wysong

Museum Assistant: Tom Knight

2013 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 can be emailed to

[email protected]

Or mailed to HRHS

P.O. Box 716

Dayton VA 22821

Fall October 25

Winter January 25

THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Charlie Collette Wes Graves

Michael Hill Nathan Miller

Lew Taylor David Wood

Paper or Digital?

Please keep your contact addresses

and preferences up to date!

Let Margaret know at [email protected]

Our Wish List

Volume 35, No. 3 Page 3


Notes from the Executive Director

This year spring stretched into

summer with weeks of cool and wet

weather creating a lush and verdant

landscape. When, in mid-July, the

temperatures finally shot up so did the corn fields.

Now the approach along Eberly Road to The Heritage

Museum is a gorgeous allée of corn as “high as an ele-

phant’s eye.” You may have seen the photo on our

Facebook page.

Facebook is just one of the many ways we try to

share the “Best-Kept Secret in Valley History.” Our

marketing efforts include rack cards, newspaper and

brochure advertisements, numerous community calen-

dars, and many online options, including our website,

Facebook, and Pinterest pages.

We are constantly looking for new opportunities to

reach new audiences. In this issue you will discover

several new endeavors.

As a member you understand the importance of our

mission to collect, preserve, and share. Won’t you

please join our marketing team? It’s as simple as tell-

ing a friend, engaging with us on social media, or

passing on your newsletter. And please share your

suggestions for promoting the mission. Of course, you

are welcome to stop in to see what’s new or to chat

about future plans. Whether the fields are filled with

corn, cows, or snow, the road to The Heritage Muse-

um always is a rewarding drive.

If you ask them, they will come.

. . . National Park Passport Stamps? The Heritage Museum recently became a member

of the National Park Passport Stamp Program, joining

with 24 other sites in the newly created Shenandoah

Valley Battlefields National Heritage District.

The stamp program is over 25 years old. It encour-

ages tourism to the many national parks and historic

sites across the nation. A recent count estimated near-

ly 2000 stamps, also called cancellation stamps, avail-

able with new sites added frequently. There is great

enthusiasm for collecting the stamps as evidenced by

a Facebook group page1 and a National Park Travel

Club2 for stamp devotees.

Eastern National manages the passport program.

On their site you may purchase official passports and

other collectibles, if desired. But no purchase is nec-

essary to participate. One recent visitor brought in her

own thick scrapbook filled with travel memories. An-

other simply stamped a sheet of recycled paper as a

memento.

Have you heard about . . .

1www.facebook.com/pages/National-Parks-Passport-

Cancellations/247270474752 2www.parkstamps.org/news.php 3www.easternnational.org/passport.aspx

. . . Geocaching? The Heritage Museum is also a recent addition to Rockingham County geocaching sites. Geocaching is an

outdoor treasure hunt with participants using global positioning system (GPS) devices to locate hidden con-

tainers, called geocaches, with log books and small “treasures” inside. There are more than 1 million geocache

sites around the globe! More information is available at www.geocaching.com.

Come in and ask for your stamp!



A Warm Welcome To Our

New Members

Keith Beasley, Pottstown, PA

Judith Boyers, Harrisonburg, VA

Susan Burnett, Little Rock, AR

Jean Chevaux, Bridgewater, VA

Elaine Clearwater, Virginia Beach, VA

Donna Davis, Charlotte, NC

Mildred Deviers, Harrisonburg, VA

Tina Egge, Mechanicsville, VA

Wanda Finney, Roanoke, VA

Robert Fulks, North Chatham, MA

Clark & Pam Hopkins, Germantown Hills, IL

Glenn & Elena Hughes, Sterling, VA

Stuart Jordan, Bridgewater, VA

Sammy Lantz, Grottoes, VA

Justin McCann, Bridgewater, VA

Winifred McConnell, Harrisonburg, VA

Michael McDowell, San Antonio, TX

Iris Miller, Kansas City, MO

Michael O'Neal, Tuxedo Park, NY

Jackie Pierce, Salt Lake, UT

Marilyn Rexilius, Everett, WA

Stephen & Jacqueline Ritchie, Muncie, IN

Joe Scott, Claysville, PA

Susan Simches, Waynesboro, VA

John Swanson, Tampa, FL

Amylyn Taylor, Towson, MD

Ronnie Vaughan, Alton, VA

Charles & Carol Wade, Pulaski, VA

Loren & Joyce Weaver, Pocatello, ID

Evelyn White, Danville, IL

Sheron Wolf, Waynesboro, PA

Gaile Zigler, Gulf Breeze, FL

Kirsten Eve Beachy delivered a captivating talk on Brethren and Mennonite women during the Civil War on May 16th.

The Court & Market Days Festival drew a large crowd for drama, demonstrations, music, and dancing on June 1st in Harrisonburg.

Dr. Irvin Hess dis-cussed Civil War Surgery on July 18th, including the description of tools and their uses in a surgeon’s kit.



Memberships It is exciting to welcome so many new members in

the past several months. You have joined a large team

of faithful supporters and ambassadors. Thank you.

We hope all members will enjoy the benefits of be-

longing to The Heritage Museum, including the re-

duced research and photograph reproduction rates in-

stituted last year. As always, we encourage you to

share your thoughts on and suggestions for programs,

exhibits, publications, activities, and goals.

College student Sally Meyer’s description on page

8 of developing a love for history is a beautiful re-

minder that providing history education through ex-

hibits and tours is still relevant to younger generations.

Sally’s dedication to volunteering with the Big Bits of

Dayton History exhibit during her summer vacation is

an inspiration. As a member, you support education at

The Heritage Museum. Thank you.

The cover story on the transfer of the USS Hamp-

ton flag is an exceptional example of The Heritage

Museum’s commitment to the stewardship of precious

artifacts and history. This mission guides our work

each day both downstairs in the galleries and upstairs

in the Genealogy Library. As a member, you support

preservation at The Heritage Museum. Thank you.

When your renewal letter arrives, please remember

the many, many activities at The Heritage Museum

that would not be possible without your name on the

membership rolls, and then check “renewing member”

for another year. Again, thank you.

The Board of Trustees is excited to announce that Joseph W. A. Whitehorne will be the keynote speaker at

the 2013 Annual Banquet on Friday, October, 18th. Joseph W. A. Whitehorne is a retired United States Army

officer who served as a staff historian in the United States and Europe. On the staff of the Secretary of the

Army his duties included primary research, battlefield interpretation, archives development, and support to

archaeological and casualty recovery operations. After retiring from the army in 1989, he was a professor of

history at Lord Fairfax Community College until retiring again in 2012. He continues to be a historical con-

sultant to the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at James Madison University. He is the author or

co-author of numerous articles and books. His honors include the Andrew Watts Prize from the University of

Pennsylvania and the Moncado Prize from the American Military History Institute. His military awards in-

clude the Combat Infantryman Badge, Purple Heart, and two Legions of Merit. He is past president of the

Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation and Past President of the Warren County (VA) Historical Society. Mr.

Whitehorne will discuss the division of West Virginia from Virginia in 1863.

Annual Banquet Speaker

Welcome Center

For nearly a year, The Heritage Museum has collaborated with The Town of Dayton to acquire a certified Vir-

ginia Tourist Information Center (VTIC) designation. On July 18th two representatives from the VTIC state

office performed a site visit at The Heritage Museum, the final step in the approval process. Design for high-

way and road signs are now underway. Once the signs are installed, travelers will be directed through the roll-

ing countryside to Dayton from Interstate 81. The Heritage Museum has been providing welcome center ser-

vices for years, stocking many local business and tourist site brochures, offering travel suggestions, and

providing a lovely, relaxing, and fully accessible location. The applica-

tion process has been documented by local newspaper articles, creating

beneficial publicity for The Heritage Museum. It will be exciting to see

how awareness of our remarkable facility grows as more tourists find

the “Best-Kept Secret in Valley History!”



we rolled them up and tied them to our saddles. These

were the first and only flags of any kind – Federal or

Confederate – that I saw in Richmond that morning. I

still, 1887, have this flag. Soon after we secured these

flags the vessel blew up. Capt. Ladd”

Another wonderful account of Ladd retrieving the

flag is found in a book titled Capture and Occupation

of Richmond, written by a fellow Civil War soldier,

George Anson Bruce. Bruce wrote that Ladd “jumped

quickly from his horse and rowed in a boat to the ship.

He quickly ran up the mast, secured the flag, and had

just stepped ashore when the magazine blew up and

scattered the gunboat in fragments from bank to bank.

This flag he now retains in his home in Milton.”

HRHS received the flag in the late 1960s from a

law firm in Milton, Massachusetts, which was settling

the estate of a Ladd family member. Several years

ago, while working with the museum’s collections,

volunteers Peyton Yancey and Shelvie Carr expressed

concern for the condition of the flag and its need for

attention. These concerns were presented to the Board

of Trustees, but there were no funds for such a signifi-

cant conservation project. The Board questioned

whether The Heritage Museum was the best venue to

display the artifact. Eventually, the Board approved a

search for a new, more suitable home for the flag.

Stipulations were simple: the flag was to be profes-

sionally stabilized and restored if possible; the new

“adopting family” would offer a facility and the abil-

ity to maintain and care for it in a proper environment;

and finally, the flag was to be displayed where a ma-

jority of interested people could view it and learn

about its rich history.

Enter Captain Henry J. Hendrix II, Director of the

Naval History and Heritage Command in Washington,

D.C., who stepped forward and offered to see to the

flag’s conservation and care. “We were contacted by

Mrs. Hess and told the amazing story about the Con-

federate flag. I couldn't let this incredible opportunity

to recognize our naval heritage slip by, especially dur-

ing the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. I told her

NHHC would indeed be interested in the society’s sto-

ried flag,” Hendrix said.

After being professionally stabilized, the flag will

go to the Hampton Roads Naval Museum in Norfolk,

Virginia, one of the official United States Naval Mu-

seums. Elizabeth Poulliot, Executive Director of the

HRNM, said she is very excited to welcome the his-

toric artifact into their “family.” She comments, “In

the museum business, if you are lucky, you occasion-

ally have an opportunity to experience what we call

‘wow’ moments. The minute I saw the ensign from

CSS Hampton was one of those moments for a variety

of reasons. First, the flag has an authentic provenance

of a pivotal point in American history – the fall of

Richmond. Secondly, according to our staff research,

it is the only known flag in existence that flew from a

Maury gunboat. That gunboat was built across the

Elizabeth River from our museum. So, it is irreplacea-

ble. Lastly, this ensign fills an important gap regard-

ing the material culture of the Confederate Navy in

Hampton Roads.”

She explained further, “Our museum’s Civil War

gallery tells of Richmond’s defense through the ac-

tions of the James River Squadron, the defense of

Drewry’s Bluff, and the Battle of Trent’s Reach. As a

part of that squadron, CSS Hampton participated fully

in these events. Yet, up until now, our museum has

been unable to display any Confederate artifact to

highlight the squadron. After the flag is conserved, we

plan to prominently display it in our Civil War gal-

lery. I assure you that it will stop people in their

tracks. They will want to learn more about the Civil

War, and how the Confederacy built Maury gunboats.

The acceptance of this ensign from CSS Hampton is

an honor for our institution, and on behalf of the

Hampton Roads Naval Museum, thank you for the

tremendous generosity which you have shown by

transferring it back home.”

CSS Hampton Flag

Continued from front cover

If each member bought or sold one raffle ticket we would meet our goal.

Your help supports preservation.

See CSS Hampton Flag on next page.



Ethel Sellers, the sister of my grandfather, Walter

Jacob Sellers, unfortunately died at the early age of 11

years. Born January 2, 1877 and died January 12,

1888, it was never recorded exactly what caused her

death, although my Uncle Walter Sellers says that his

dad told him she was “sickly” from birth. Ethel was

buried in the Jacob Sellers Cemetery, just east of old

Route 11 in Rockingham County.

Ethel’s grave was marked with a small tombstone,

which could pivot on a base. Her parents, Jacob and

Mary Rebecca Shafer Sellers, later were buried at her

side. On top of her tombstone was the sculpture of a

baby lamb. Inscribed on the tombstone was the fol-

lowing:

Sleep with thy beauty,

Thou sweet angel child,

By sorrow unblighted,

By sin undefiled.

Approximately 15 years ago family members no-

ticed that Ethel’s tombstone was missing. A police

report was filed. To our astonishment it was found this

past fall of 2012 by a family member.

Jeryl Sellers was walking a through a farm field

just west of Timberville, about ten miles from the

cemetery, when he stumbled over what he thought to

be a large stone. Upon investigation he recognized it

to be a tombstone. It was dirty and difficult to read but

he could make out the name Ethel Sellers inscribed on

the tombstone. Jeryl called me as he knew that I was

working on Sellers genealogy and may know who this

person could be. I told Jeryl he just found the missing

tombstone! Evidently, vandals stole the tombstone,

and then for some reason discarded it in this vacant

field. Since the tombstone had some damage, my

brother, Dennis Sellers, had it repaired. He then

cleaned it, making the marker look almost new.

On July 22, 2013, Jeryl, Dennis, Cletus Jr. Sellers,

and I gathered at the graveyard and erected the marker

back in its original place. After finishing our work we

discussed the odds of Jeryl, a family member, acci-

dently stumbling across the little tombstone, so far

from Ethel’s grave. Our only conclusion was that it

had to be divine intervention.

Another Happy Homecoming By John Sellers

Members of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Histor-

ical Society can take comfort and pride in knowing

that the individuals to whom they entrust the caring of

their museum collections take stewardship very seri-

ously. As such, we are pleased that after 150 years,

this precious flag will once again be back at its Vir-

ginia “home,” just a short sail from where the gunboat

it once flew over was built. Thanks to the efforts of

many, this national symbol, which represents such an

important time in our country’s history, will be pre-

served for visitors to enjoy and appreciate . . . now,

and for all generations to come.

CSS Hampton Flag, continued from previous page

Trustee Irvin Hess transfers ownership of the CSS Hampton Flag to Captain Henry J. Hendrix, II.

With much appreciation to volunteer Nancy Hess for her ex-

tensive research and untiring efforts on behalf of the flag.



A Youthful Perspective on History by Sally Meyer


Your help supports education.

When asked where my grandparents live, my fa-

ther usually replies, “You go past nowhere, and there

you are.” Despite their small farm

being nowhere close to shopping

malls or anything that should in-

terest a child, I love it. To our

family, the farm is known as Riv-

er Hill, due to the simple conven-

ience of it existing on a hill and

near a river. My grandmother, al-

so my namesake, turned River

Hill into a place where the past

lived through her stories and her

encouragement. At River Hill, I

learned who I am and who I want

to become.

My grandmother was a docent at Monticello, and

she instilled in all of her children, and therefore her

grandchildren, a healthy appreciation of history. She

told us amazing stories about the house we sat in and

the stories it held from the Civil War and earlier.

These stories fascinated me; they made me want to

know and understand more about the past. To her, and

to my family, history is not just dates, names, facts,

and figures. It is people and the story of how their

lives fit into a bigger picture. This fascination has held

through my life. While at school, I soaked up all the

knowledge my teachers could provide, and on the

weekends I listened in rapt attention to my grandmoth-

er. Now in college, I know that I want the rest of my

life to be devoted to studying history. I have had the

opportunity to work at The Heritage Museum this

summer and the experience has been more than I had

ever hoped for. I have been able to contribute to the

exhibits and see how a museum works behind the

scenes. I am extremely proud of the exhibit I have

helped create. My experience working with the people

and artifacts at the museum has only confirmed to me

that this is the field I belong in.

Many people question the practicality of my deci-

sion; the constant refrain of “What are you going to

do, teach?” can be discouraging. I am constantly re-

minded, however, that by studying history I am not

just learning a task that I can

apply to a specific job. I am

learning how people think and

operate, how to write and com-

municate my ideas, and lastly,

who I am and who I want to be.

My grandmother understood

that, and I am eternally grateful

that she was able to pass her

passion on to me.

Sally Meyer is a graduate of Spotswood High School and

a rising junior at Christopher Newport University in

Newport News, VA. As a volunteer intern at The Heritage

Museum this summer, she was the primary researcher

and writer for the “Big Bits of Dayton History” exhibit

and assisted with all details from concept to installation.

Photos of Sally during the exhibit installation and receiving special recognition from Penny Imeson in the gallery.



From the Galleries

At the end of July, the Big Bits of Dayton History

exhibit was ready for the public, offering a first

glimpse at one of The Heritage Museum’s more recent

acquisitions. The name of the exhibit reflects the size

of the artifacts on view and the small portion of Day-

ton history which they explore.

In 2010, The Heritage Museum received two spe-

cial additions to the Collection - the 1904 firefighter’s

hose reel from the Town of Dayton and a 1924 Chan-

dler & Price letterpress from the Shenandoah Press,

then owned by Dale McConnaughay. The hose reel

was on view in the Invincible Spirit Gallery until it

was removed to make way for the expansion of the

Civil War Exhibit last summer. The letterpress re-

mained in storage until now. These two sizable items

are dwarfed by a third object on loan: a restored bug-

gy built by M. A. Layman in Dayton in 1911.

The letterpress, buggy, and hose reel each have

wonderful histories on their own, but those histories

weave together against the backdrop of turn-of-the

20th century Dayton. Mr. Layman’s carriage business

burned during the “fire demon” of November 12,

1911. One can imagine Dayton fire fighters, along

with the assistance of their Harrisonburg counterparts,

struggling to compete with the blaze using the small

hose reel.

Founding members of the Dayton Friendship Fire

Company, which organized in 1898, include several

Ruebush and Kieffer surnames who are most likely

the sons of Ephraim Ruebush and Aldine S. Kieffer.

These two gentlemen established the Ruebush-Kieffer

Company printing business which operated in Dayton

for over 100 years. For nearly 80 years the Chandler

& Price letterpress was an active part of the business.

Big Bits Tidbits - Vocabulary Quiz from the New Exhibit (answers found on page 10)

1 Quoin A metal frame in which a page of type is locked for printing

2 Fifth-wheel B metal instrument used by the chief to shout orders

3 Speaking trumpet C horizontal support structure designed to prevent tipping

4 Chase D storage compartment behind the seat

5 Boot E device used to lock type into place; may be wooden or metal wedges

Three large artifacts plus supporting archives provide a common history from early 20th-Century Dayton, Virginia.



BONNIE L. PAUL, P.C.

Attorney at Law

4159 QUARLES COURT TELEPHONE: 540.433.0990

HARRISONBURG, VA 22801 FACSIMILE: 540.433.2691

EMAIL: [email protected]

Would you like to see your business name in the

newsletter? We would!

Business Memberships are available! A Basic Business Membership provides advertising

for your business in each of the quarterly newslet-

ters. Annual fee: $500

Enhanced Business Memberships are under consid-

eration to provide additional advertising in the

monthly e-news bulletin.

Please contact the office for more information.

SUPPORT OUR BUSINESS SPONSORS

Notes from the Bookstore

Big Bits Tidbits - Answers (from page 9)

1. E, 2. C, 3. B, 4. A, 5. D

Your purchases support HRHS! heritagemuseumstore.com Please note: not all gift shop items are available online. Thank you!

Back in Print! Carriage Makers of Rockingham Co, Virginia

1820-1997

by E. Daniel Burkholder, Jr.

A thoroughly researched and illustrated history of

the local carriage building industry.

$10 softcover

The Battle of

Fisher’s Hill, Breaking the Shenandoah

Valley’s Gibraltar

by Jonathan A. Noyales

First-ever book focused on

this Civil War engagement.

$19.99 softcover

The French and Indian War in

Shenandoah County

Life on the Inner Frontier, 1752-1766

by R. Patrick Murphy

$30 softcover

The James Turner III

and Margaret Fulk

Turner Family By Lois May Rhodes and

Pat Turner Ritchie

$40 Hardcover

Please share your reading

lists with us. We welcome

suggestions to expand our

inventory of local history,

heritage, and genealogy

titles.

Thank you!



Archives Margaret Bonney donated a tintype of Silas Hottinger.

Darnell French donated photos of the Fulk and Pennybacker families.

Wes Loomis donated various newspapers, the Farmers Yearbook for 1946, the Jan 1934 Bulletin

from the Virginia Department of Agriculture & Immigration, War Ration Books, a card providing

the amount of taxes paid to Rockingham County for 1918, a tax receipt from 1934, and antique

eyeglasses.

Bonnie Painter donated various programs and other items from the State Normal School from the

years 1928 and 1929 which had belonged to her aunt, Nellie Painter. She also donated an old post-

card of the Lincoln Homestead.

Martha Propper donated four 5 x 7 photos of different scenes of the Valley.

Phillip Stone donated the book, "Virginia School Report - 1872," and the May 8, 1909, edition of

the Harrisonburg Daily News.

Margaret Tysinger donated an Underground Railroad Folklore Motif Quilt.

Library Margaret Bonney donated a genealogy of Mary Virginia Siever Atherton; other families men-

tioned are Caplinger, Smith, and Hughes.

Libby Custer donated the book, The Wamplers 1871-1971, 100th Anniversary of John Wampler

Family at Sunny Slope Farm, compiled by Catherine Bowers and Roseline Bryan.

D. Clark Hopkins donated his book, Archibald Hopkins Family.

Cecil F. Gilkerson donated his book, Mt. Crawford As I Remember.

Frank Fitzgerald donated two books, Reporting the Revolutionary War, by Todd Andrlik, and The

Civil War in Color, by John C. Guntzelman.

Eldon Bowman donated his book, I Am Eldon Bowman.

Charles Leary donated his book, John Leary, Sr., Revolutionary War Veteran, Ancestor of Learys

in Randolph and Roan Counties, WV.

Elaine Tutwiler Parnell donated her college report, “Community Study,” which discusses the

changes of the Harrisonburg community.

Phillip Stone donated numerous articles of various subjects about Rockingham County.

Bruce Thomas donated his paper, “Baseball Leagues in the Valley.”

Ron Trissell, donated a CD that contains the genealogy of the Trissell family, along with pictures

of Trissell Mountain in Austria, and a transcription of the 1738 birth record of Joseph David

Trissler.

Glenn Weatherholtz donated a memoir titled, Brown Memorial Community Church, 250 Sem-

iquincentennial Anniversary.

Faye Witters donated books to the genealogy library: Letters Descriptive of The Virginia Springs

1834 & 1836, by Peregrine Prolix and The Palatine Immigrant, Vol. 15 #2, Index to the 1850 Cen-

sus of Pennsylvania.

—Compiled by Margaret Hotchner

Acquisitions

Your treasures may rest at HRHS!

Please consider donating artifacts and papers unique to Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Items must be

reviewed before being accepted into the permanent collection. We request that you make an appointment with

the Collections Committee. For questions or to schedule an appointment, call (540) 879-2616.

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

Summer 2013, Vol. 35, No. 3

Three beautiful items have been commissioned! 1st Prize: Alexander McGilvray Rifle by Gunstocker/Engraver Mark Thomas,

2nd Prize: Apple Core Quilt by Quilter Bonnie Spoon 3rd Prize: Tiger Maple Sugar Chest by Craftsman Charles Neal

The winners will be selected at the Annual Banquet in October 2013. Tickets: $25 each, 5 for $100.

Only 1000 tickets printed!

Call to order yours today! 540 879 2616

The Heritage Museum proudly presents

The Replica Raffle


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