Post on 31-Aug-2018
Volume 34, No. 2 Spring 2012
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM NEWSLETTER Home of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society
Published Quarterly by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society
Some families have a rich tradition of preserving sto-
ries from earlier generations that occasionally connect with
famous people. In certain cases, the stories may be true. In
others, they were merely wishful thinking that evolved into
family folklore. For example, most Lee families with Vir-
ginia roots probably have a tradition that they are somehow
related to Robert E. Lee. This article will present a local
example of such a family tradition.
If you have ever heard of “Pawnee Bill,” the famous
Wild West show promoter and businessman, you may won-
der what his connection could be with Rockingham Coun-
ty, Va. The answer may be simple: Not much!
However, a tale has been told that William Lilly was
the father of “Pawnee Bill” Lilly. William Lilly was also
said to be responsible for naming the neighborhood in
western Rockingham County after his surname. The tale
adds that William Lilly, who helped start the Lilly post of-
fice, had 19 children. More oral history is told about the
famous son: “Pawnee Bill” was also known as Major Lilly
because of his success in the U. S. Army in the 1880s. He
supposedly came to the Harrisonburg area in 1895 to find
musicians for his Wild West show’s 14-member band and
chose 10 men from this area.
Let’s extract the main points from the tradition. Wil-
liam Lilly had 19 children, one of whom was “Pawnee
Bill” Lilly, the famous Wild West show promoter. The
Lilly neighborhood in western Rockingham County had a
post office that William Lilly helped establish and name.
“Pawnee Bill,” who rose to the rank of major in the army in
the 1880s, came to the county in 1895 and chose 10 local
musicians for his western show band.
The story may have its origins in an article in the Daily
News-Record when Pawnee Bill died in 1942. The article
contained some slight variations about Pawnee Bill Lilly’s
supposed connections with Rockingham County that differ
from those mentioned above. Information for the article
came from Kirby Bassford, a Harrisonburg resident who
wrote several booklets and newspaper items about the city
and its people. Unfortunately, Bassford was not the most
accurate of historians, and his writings contain occasional
errors. The article stated that Pawnee Bill Lilly was “a na-
tive of Rockingham County and had relatives here.” Bass-
ford told that he had spent six months touring with Pawnee
Bill’s band, which included 10 Harrisonburg men. Howev-
er, in the article, he could recall the names of only four of
his fellow musicians.
by Dale MacAllister
The Local Legend of “Pawnee Bill” Lilly
and how it informs us about historical research
See page 6
Gordon William Lillie was best known as a Wild West
showman and performer. In the late 1870s, he began work-
ing for the Pawnee Indian agency in Indian Territory. The
tribe gave him the nickname “Pawnee Bill.” He was hired by
showman Buffalo Bill in 1883 as a Pawnee interpreter. Lillie
started his own Wild West show in 1888. His wife May (see
photo on page 6) starred as the “Champion Girl Horseback
Shot of the West.” Lillie’s show was reorganized several
times and was finally called “Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East
Show.” In 1908, he again joined with Buffalo Bill in a ven-
ture called the “Two Bills’ Show.”
Calendar Of Events
May 25: “Sensation, Science & Scandal: The Popular
Press in Antebellum America,” 7 p.m. With Mark Sawin.
How dimensions of the economic, technological, and social
changes underway in Antebellum American society manifested
themselves in the national culture
May 28: Museum and Offices Closed for Memorial Day.
June 3: “Civil War Firsts,” 2 p.m. Income tax, the U.S.
Secret Service, home delivery of mail—come and learn from
Irvin and Nancy Hess, as they present a program about a few
of the many “firsts” to come out of the Civil War.
June 7: “Stonewall’s Narrow Escape,” 7 p.m. Irvin Hess
speaks about the surprise Federal cavalry raid at the village of
Port Republic on the morning of June 8, 1862 that nearly led to
the capture of General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.
June 8: “The Metamorphosis in Stonewall Jackson's Pub-
lic Image, May-June 1862,” 7:30 p.m. With Robert Krick,
author of “Stonewall Jackson at Port Republic.” Turner Ashby
High School, Bridgewater, VA.
June 9: “If This Valley Is Lost: Preserving the Legacy of
Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign.” 6-8:30 pm at the
Widow Pence Farm (owned by HRHS Trustees Irvin and Nan-
cy Hess), Cross Keys Battlefield, near Harrisonburg. A sesqui-
centennial program co-sponsored by the Shenandoah Valley
Battlefields Foundation and the Virginia Sesquicentennial of
the American Civil War Commission. Barbecue dinner, period
music, on-site interpretation, living history, youth activities.
Guest speakers include Dr. James I. “Bud” Robertson Jr., pro-
fessor emeritus at Virginia Tech and leading Jackson biog-
rapher. $20/person, $30/family (two adults and children under
18); youths 13 and under/free. For tickets, download registra-
tion form at bit.ly/svbftj, email theder@svbf.net or call (540)
740-4545.
June 21: “Brigadier General Turner Ashby,” 7 p.m. With
David Dillard.
July 4: Museum and Offices Closed
Sept. 20: “The Civil War According to the Rockingham
Register,” 7 p.m. The Rockingham Register, begun in Harri-
sonburg in 1822, became a newspaper of regional importance.
This lecture will examine the Civil War as witnessed by
citizens of the Shenandoah Valley and reported by the paper.
Stay in touch for new listings at www.heritagecenter.com or
visit the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society on
Facebook!
Page 2 Volume 34, No. 2
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: heritage@heritagecenter.com www.heritagecenter.com
www.heritagemuseumstore.com
Trustees
Chairman: Greg Owen
Vice-Chair: Nancy Hess
Secretary: Monica Frackelton
Treasurer: John Paul
HRHS Staff
Executive Director: Penny Imeson
Administrator: Margaret Hotchner
Archivist: Laura Adams
Newsletter Editor: Lauren Jefferson
Staff: Amy Kiracofe, Juanita Wysong
2012 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 the editor
lxjefferson@earthlink.net
Or mailed to HRHS
P.O. Box 716
Dayton VA 22821
Summer July 15
Fall October 15
Winter January 15
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Charlie Collette Wes Graves
Nathan Miller Michael Hill
Irvin Hess
Have you moved or changed your address?
Please contact Margaret so that we can
update our records.
Volume 34, No. 2 Page 3
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Notes from the Executive Director
The best training opportunity I could ask for as a newbie to
the museum world was to attend the annual Virginia Associa-
tion of Museums (VAM) conference in Newport News from
March 17-20. With a theme of Launching New Connections, it
was an excellent opportunity to set sail into the broader scope of
the museum business and activity. Approximately 25 sessions
ranged in topic from “Building a Membership Program from
Scratch” to “Including Films in Your Museum” to “Connecting
with Traditional Media.” Speakers and workshop leaders in-
cluded museum staff members and industry consultants.
Most Interesting Program
The conference was designed to take advantage of our en-
tire stay, providing workshops and vendor networking during
the day, as well as museum sightseeing during the evening. The
first night I was tired and not so enthusiastic about loading onto
a bus, but load I did. We were shuttled to the Downing-Gross
Cultural Arts Center to be treated to music by petite Suzuki vio-
linists, a children’s art exhibit and opportunities to get creative
in both art and dance studios. The highlight was a one-man
show by Southampton County native Michael LaMelle in the
Ella Fitzgerald Theater. Portraying Nat Turner, he brought the
story of the slave rebellion to life in a thought-provoking, ener-
getic, and engaging manner. Here’s a deep dark secret: I was
never an enthusiastic history student. So I was excited to realize
I was being entertained by history as well as fascinated by Mr.
LaMelle’s ease as an African-American man discussing slavery
with a mostly white audience. This performance opened my
eyes to broader avenues of sharing and discussing history.
Most Informative Program
A panel discussion on “The Brave New World of Muse-
ums” with consultant James Chung, president of Reach Advi-
sors, and William Hennessey, director of the Chrysler Museum
of Art, provided insight on issues which will affect the future of
museums. As the traditional core audience shrinks, how do we
encourage more frequent visits and develop nontraditional visi-
tors? As the period of dramatic economic growth ends and baby
boomers age, how do we maintain our budget? How do we rec-
ognize the impact of the immediate nature of today’s technology
on future generations? Can we teach philanthropy? Museums
around the country will be asking these and many more ques-
tions raised by demographic, social, and economic change and
then attempting to reinvent and remain relevant.
Best Museum Management Tips I Learned
Charlotte Whitted, Director of Historic Crab Orchard Mu-
seum, was one of three leaders of the session entitled
“Shrinking Budgets and Nowhere to Cut.” Her mantra is
“make do or do without.” She offered the following program
and activity assessment questions: 1) Is it museum mission-
related? 2) Is it revenue generating? While I believe The Her-
itage Museum scores well on question one, I can confirm that
most of our programming is provided free of charge which
translates into negative revenue. Having been called the Val-
ley’s “Best-Kept Secret,” we have been investing in bringing
new visitors through the doors in order to build awareness. I
will certainly be considering Charlotte’s suggestions for gener-
ating funding opportunities as we grow forward. It’s definitely
time to share the secret, but we must also recognize the econom-
ic value of our unique facility and unique programming within
the community.
During a workshop on fundraising, I was reminded of the
importance of stewardship and good communication by Laura
Vaughan, executive director at the Barrier Island Center on Vir-
ginia’s Eastern Shore. This is simple, yet essential advice. For
the record, I am so grateful for all the wonderful members, do-
nors, and volunteers who help keep The Heritage Museum a
vibrant place to work and visit!
New Vocabulary Word I Learned: Educator
I didn’t realize some museums have staff members called
“educators” who are responsible for making the museum experi-
ence meaningful to all visitors. An educator at the Children’s
Museum of Virginia shared the concept of “bag programs,”
which could easily be used at The Heritage Museum as we work
toward becoming a more youth-friendly attraction. The idea is
to create an appealing bag that parents or teachers can check out
at the front desk to provide a more interactive visit for younger
family members. Using activity and question cards along with
simple and inexpensive tools like a magnifying glass or com-
pass, the bags help interpret the stories in the galleries and pro-
vide a richer and more entertaining visit for families and school
groups.
Overall, the conference was packed with information and
opportunity. Networking allowed me to make new friends and
find a mentor or two. Through presentations and conversations,
I added to my growing list of museum “field trip” sites. (This
month, I traveled to Abingdon to visit the William King Muse-
um and meet with the executive director who, like me, began
her museum career recently from a Masters in Business Admin-
istration background.) I also learned about collections practices
and fundraising and where to get supplies for exhibit installa-
tions and wished there were three more days to learn much
more. I’d say my VAM theme this year was Discovering New
Connections, but I was also launched into a new level of under-
standing and enthusiasm.
Penny Imeson shares the superlatives of her Virginia Association of Museums conference experience.
Page 4 Volume 34, No. 2
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Contentment is a large symmetrical two-story, Federal
-style house situated on a small knoll southeast of Mt.
Crawford. The dwelling is in fine condition and has under-
gone few changes since its construction. Bricks for Con-
tentment were fired on site and laid in a Flemish-bond pat-
tern on all four elevations. The five-bay house has a pair of
chimneys placed at each end of the gable roof with an unu-
sual brick parapet between each pair. The interior has a
central-hall plan and boasts thirteen-foot ceilings and
much original woodwork, including nine mantels, each in
a different style. Most doors, moldings, double-hung wood
-sash windows, and wainscoting have been preserved
along with door trim with bull’s-eye corner blocks. While
Contentment is a fine example of Federal style, it is also
associated with events in the Civil War.
After the burning of an earlier home in 1823, Robert
Grattan Sr. faced a daunting task of building a dwelling
worthy of his older sister, Catherine, and her well-
connected family. At the time, Catherine lived in Rich-
mond in a house designed by Benjamin Latrobe, designer
of the U.S. Capitol. Catherine’s daughter Nancy was the
wife of former Virginia governor William H. Cabell. And
Nancy’s younger sister Elizabeth was the wife of U.S. At-
torney General William Wirt. Grattan also needed to con-
sider the expectations of his daughter Eliza who had mar-
ried an aspiring young congressman from Georgia, George
Gilmer, who would win re-election several times before
being elected as governor twice in the 1830s.
Contentment was Robert’s answer—his definition of a
“grand” house. The dwelling is large, even by modern
standards. With 1,500 square feet on each of two main
floors, it also boasts a full basement and a floor-covered
attic for a total of 6,000 square feet of enclosed space.
While the results probably gave Robert great pleasure, it
would take his son more than a decade to restore the fami-
ly’s finances. In the 1840s and 1850s, Robert’s daughter
Eliza and her husband, the former Georgia governor, often
stayed at Contentment for long visits, realizing the fami-
ly’s social ambitions.
While Contentment is noted for its unusual architec-
ture, it is also associated with events in the Civil War. Two
skirmishes occurred on the estate and an army was orga-
nized in its fields in early June 1864. Many in Rocking-
ham Country are aware of the Confederate victory at New
Market, but few may realize what happened next. The bat-
tle on May 15, 1864, led to the removal of the inept Feder-
al general Franz Sigel. His replacement, David Hunter,
reorganized and reinforced Sigel’s army and quickly
marched south. These events took the Confederacy by sur-
prise, as most of the New Market troops had been sent
elsewhere. Seeking to buy time, Confederate commander
Brigadier General John D. Imboden responded to Hunter’s
maneuvers by an alternating strategy of harassment and
retreat. The terrain around Contentment offered remarka-
ble military potential. The turnpike bridge crossed the
North River at the base of a steep hill on the south bank. In
contrast, the land on the opposite shore slopes slowly
down to the river from Mount Crawford. Artillery on the
hill could shell an enemy on the low open fields. A differ-
ent choice for Federal troops would be to sweep across the
lowlands to the old river ford near the Grattan house. Even
this plan had a frightful problem. A millrace cut off the
entire low point on the south side of the river from the hill
to the east of the house.
When Imboden arrived at Contentment on June 3, he
saw 2,000 ragtag troops gathered in the fields. General
William E. Jones had collected dismounted cavalry, recov-
ering wounded soldiers and small units from Lynchburg
and beyond. Imboden spent the night at Contentment de-
veloping a plan to put them into brigades. Jones arrived
with reinforcements early the next day and approved Im-
boden’s efforts. The army grew to almost 4,500 soldiers
and two batteries of artillery with the subsequent arrival of
General John C. Vaughn.
Contentment: A Mount Crawford home
by John T. Foster Jr.
See page 5
Volume 34, No. 2 Page 5
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Your treasures may rest at HRHS!
Please consider donating artifacts and papers unique
to Harrisonburg and Rockingham County to the
Historical Society. Items must be reviewed before
being accepted into the permanent collection. We
request that you make an appointment with the Col-
lections Committee. For questions or to schedule an
appointment, call (540) 879-2616.
To the dismay of the Southern generals, Federal
troops marching out of the area on June 4 avoided Mount
Crawford, instead marching from Harrisonburg to Port
Republic and then turning south. The Confederate army
left Contentment on June 4 and clashed with David
Hunter’s much larger army the next day near Piedmont in
Augusta County. After considerable fighting, Federal
troops broke through a gap in the Southern line, killing
General Jones and shattering his forces. One-third of the
Confederate army was killed or wounded. It was the first
Union victory in the Shenandoah Valley.
Skirmishes occurred later on two separate occasions.
The first came at the end of the “Burning.” As General
Philip Sheridan finished destroying Valley farms, the
forces of Jubal Early shadowed the withdrawing Union
army. A major skirmish began at Contentment on October
4. According to a military map, Southern units formed a
line along the banks of the North River extending from
the house across the hill less than a half mile away. From
these positions, Confederate troops crossed the stream at
the Valley Pike while other units forded the river near the
house. General Wesley Merritt, a member of Sheridan’s
staff, reported from Mount Crawford: “The enemy ad-
vanced and skirmishing took place along my entire line,
lasting all day.” The second happened when Sheridan
returned to Mount Crawford in March 1865.
John T. Foster Jr. is the co-author, with wife, Sarah
Whitmer Foster, of the newly-published history,
“Contentment and the Pursuit of Ambition: The Grattans
and Their Remarkable Women.” To learn more about the
book, see page 8. The Fosters reside in Tallahassee, Flor-
ida, and are frequent visitors to Contentment.
Skirmishes occur near grounds
Judith Brinegar, Ramseur, NC
Janice Carroll, Bridgewater, VA
Matthew Connor, Allentown, PA
Warren Coonce, Eagle River, AK
Pamela Cox, Harrisonburg, VA
Colleen M. Eagan, Staunton, VA
Lee & Patricia Early, Mt. Crawford, VA
Janet Gillespie, Anderson, IN
Cheryl Harrison, Columbus, OH
Joyce Allen, Bridgewater, VA
Barbara Horan, Woodbine, NJ
Joyce King, Baltimore, MD
Carl & Margaret Krize, Highland, PA
Erich Lantz, Harrisonburg, VA
Jim & Carol Lawson, Elkton, VA
Roxanne Lynnes, Grand Forks, ND
Dawn Mahaffey, Heathsville, VA
Laura Mapp, Bridgewater, VA
Robin McNallie & Christine Edwards,
Harrisonburg, VA
Angela Meyers, Potomac, MD
Larry & Anne Moore, Martinsburg, WV
Michelle Neal, Palm Coast, FL
Dorothy Schaff-Mowen, St. Thomas, PA
Nan Sweeney, Blue Bell, VA
Laurie Weitzel, Lakewood, CO
Lynn Wise, Lancaster, PA
Leighanne Zeigler, Bunker Hill, WV
A Warm Welcome To
Our New Members
Our Wish List
Donations for Library books
Acrylic display stands for brochures
Large magnifier desk lamp for archives
Volunteers to scan, enter data,
submit history book reviews,
join hospitality team, and
many other opportunities.
The newspaper article explained that Lilly was born
near McGaheysville and “went west with his father as a
child.” It also stated that “his father’s brother [was] Wil-
liam Lilly, [who] established the Lilly post-office in west
Rockingham.” It explained that Solomon Lilly, a son and
only surviving child of William Lilly in 1942, when the
article was written, was a “first cousin of “Pawnee Bill.”
And from this article, we learn that “Major Lilly paid fre-
quent visits to his relatives here in the early days.”
Let’s begin to parse through these questions with a
search of the public records. What do the public records
say about the William Lilly family of western Rocking-
ham County? William Jackson Lilly was born in 1801 and
married Nancy Ann Fye in 1823. Nancy Lilly died in 1837
and is buried in Massanutten-Cross Keys Cemetery. Wil-
liam Lilly married Harriet Earman for his second wife in
1838. Lilly had many children, but he most assuredly did
not have 19. His family Bible lists 17 children, 4 by the
first wife and 13 by the second. Census, marriage, obitu-
ary, and cemetery records also concur on 17 children.
Oddly, William’s brief obituary in the Rockingham Regis-
ter when he died in 1884 states, “He reared fourteen chil-
dren, thirteen of whom survive him.” None of his sons,
however, was named Gordon William, the given name of
“Pawnee Bill.” Harriet Earman Lilly died in 1894, ten
years after her husband. They are buried in Bank Mennon-
ite Church Cemetery in West Rockingham. The 1880 cen-
sus gives important facts about William Lilly’s back-
ground. His father was born in Ireland, and William was
born in Virginia.
Was Pawnee Bill born in Rockingham County? His
spelling of his actual name— Gordon William Lillie—
provides a clue. His birthplace was far from Virginia. He
was born in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois, in
1860, the son of Newton and Susan Conant Lilly. Newton
Lilly (his spelling) was a miller, born in Stanstead, Canada
(near the border with Vermont) in 1829. Susan Conant
was born in Illinois.
We can go even further back, but the point is that evi-
dence shows Pawnee Bill’s Lilly ancestors were born in
the northeast: father in Canada, grandfather in Connecti-
cut, and great-grandfather in Massachusetts. There is no
apparent connection to Rockingham County or even Vir-
ginia.
Gordon William “Pawnee Bill” Lillie was the oldest
of four children. He had a brother Albert and sisters Effie
and Pauline. When their mill in Illinois burned in 1873,
the family moved near Wellington, Kansas. It was at Wel-
lington that Gordon William became familiar with the
Pawnee tribe that was associated with Pawnee, Oklahoma.
Gordon William later moved to that town where the muse-
um memorializing him operates today.
Was the Lilly Post Office named for William Lilly?
The post office at Lilly was among many in the county
that were established, operated for a few years, and then
closed shortly after the turn of the twentieth century when
Rural Free Delivery began. Lilly P. O. was established in
1885 with William H. Sipe, the local merchant, as post-
master. Fannie Newman became the second postmaster in
1898, and the office closed four years later in 1902 when
the mail was transferred to the post office at Ottobine.
William Lilly, having died in 1884, a year before it
opened, likely had little to do with establishing the office.
Page 6 Volume 34, No. 2
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
May Lilly, the wife of “Pawnee Bill.”
From page 1
See page 7
Public records, archival research helps answer questions
Volume 34, No. 2 Page 7
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
However, the post office name was assuredly suggested
by his large Lilly family that lived near Sipe’s store.
Lakes’ Atlas for 1885 shows the “estate of William
Lilly” at the northwest corner of the intersection of cur-
rent Coopers Mountain and Clover Hill roads. Notice
also that Lilly had died the year before the atlas was
printed. The William Lilly residence was just north of
where Dry River flows under the bridge on Clover Hill
Road (Route 613). Sipe’s store and the Lilly Post Office
were located across the river south of William Lilly’s
land.
What about Pawnee Bill’s success in the U. S. Army
in the 1880s? He was never in the military. The “Major”
title that he used all his professional life was honorary or
self-applied.
And the band members from Harrisonburg? This is
still a puzzle. Bassford named four Harrisonburg boys
who were in it, but a check of available obituaries made
no mention of them having been in Pawnee Bill’s band.
There were, in fact, two bands used with the show in
1895: a ten-member Mexican Band (with all Italian musi-
cians) and another band that accompanied the side show.
None of these musicians was from Harrisonburg.
As is true with so many family traditions, the stories
are memorable, they survive for generations, but they
often stray far from reality.
The words and voices of the peo-
ple who lived on the land that became
Shenandoah National Park have
much to tell. The collection of 135
recorded audio interviews about life
in the Blue Ridge Mountains before
the park’s creation has been digitized,
so that transcripts can now be ac-
cessed online.
About 460 families lived on what
became park land, according to the
park’s website. Some of their sur-
names include Atkins, Beahm,
Breeden, Cave, Corbin, Dodson,
Graves, Judd, Long, Meadows, Ni-
cholson, Shifflett, Wood and Yager.
Starting in 1926, the park was
formed from more than 3,000 indi-
vidual tracts of land that were either
bought or condemned by the Com-
monwealth of Virginia. By early
1938, 42 elderly residents had been
given life estates and 175 families
were relocated to resettlement com-
munities. While some were forcibly
removed, most people left the area of
the own accord. Later, their houses
were burned. Remnants of their pres-
ence can still be seen in cemeteries
(some still active), apple orchards,
and flowers in bloom (such as iris
and lilac).
Referred to as the Shenandoah
National Park Oral History Collec-
tion, the interviews were donated to
James Madison University Special
Collections Library in 2001 from the
park’s headquarters in Luray where
the documents were not available to
the public.
Researchers interested in learning
about topics such as Civilian Conser-
vation Corps camps, subsistence
farming, folk medicine, schooling,
music, folklife customs, moonshine
and food preservation will find a
wealth of information in the first-
hand accounts of the mountain peo-
ple.
Most of the interviews were con-
ducted by Dorothy Noble Smith, a
longtime writer for the Page News &
Courier. She published Recollec-
tions: The People of the Blue Ridge
Remember in 1983 based on her find-
ings in the oral histories. The earliest
interviews date to 1964.
This oral history collection is
available at http://mdid.cit.jmu.edu/
snp/. Click on “Browse the Collection
Website” and then on appropriate
icons to listen to audio recordings,
read interview transcripts, and see
photographs of the interviewees.
The collection can be seen in
JMU Special Collections Library,
located in Room 207 of Carrier Li-
brary. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Monday-Thursday, or by appoint-
ment at (540) 568-3612.
by Rosemarie Palmer
Voices of the Mountain: Interviews of displaced mountain
residents available online
Historical records still leave mystery to legend of “Pawnee Bill”
Page 8 Volume 34, No. 2
New In The HRHS Bookstore
For these titles an more shop and support The Heritage Museum online:
www.heritagemuseumstore.com
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Civil War Stories
Collected and Edited by Rosemarie Joswick Palmer
$15.00 softcover
With 130 personal accounts about people and events
in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County found in
letters, diaries, journals, memoirs, chronologies, and
newspapers of the day, as well as excerpts gleaned
from local books, newsletters, and publi-
cations. The stories are about ordinary
and prominent citizens, soldiers and paci-
fists, wives and husbands, slaves and free,
heroic men and women and witnesses to
the battles and The Burning, Confederates
and Yankees, Secessionists and Unionists,
Generals and farm boy volunteers, poign-
ant incidents and 19th Century modes, but
most of all, people on the home front dur-
ing four years of strife and turbulent
times.
Backroads:
Plain Folk and
Simple Livin’
Lynn Coffey
$15.00 softcover
With chapters on Butchering Hogs, Digging
Ginseng, Chair Caning, Making a Kraut Mal-
let, Early Mountain Schools, Grave Digging,
and Rural Route Carriers plus 25 more Lynn
provides stories and images of mountain her-
itage in rich detail.
A to Zax, Third Edition
Barbara Jean Ev-
ans
$14.95 softcover
A comprehensive
dictionary for genealogists and histo-
rians with meanings for thousands of
little-used or old-fashioned words
and abgreviations that you might en-
counter in the course of your re-
search.
Contentment
and the Pursuit of Ambition
John T. Foster, Jr. & Sarah Whitmer Foster
$19.95 Softcover
For several generations the Grattans produced
strong women. To ensure their family's suc-
cess, daughters and nieces engaged in business,
made economic decisions, and one even set the
social calendar of a governor.
“The strong-willed Scarlett
O'Hara had nothing on the
women of the Grattan fami-
ly." Canter Brown, Jr., J.D.,
Ph.D., Executive Vice Presi-
dent, Fort Valley State Univer-
sity, Fort Valley, GA.
All profits benefit HRHS!
Thank you, John & Sarah!
Volume 34, No. 2 Page 9
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
From the Genealogy Library
Whether you are just getting started
or a seasoned searcher . . .
Visit our extensive Genealogy Library
Or Hire a Researcher!
We have one of the largest collections of
Rockingham County records.
We are very proud of our Genealogy Library. Of course,
its focus is Rockingham County, but it also includes a collec-
tion of books regarding other Virginia counties and various
states including West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and
Ohio.
Resources include marriage and death records, burnt wills,
books on various families, local and military history, churches
and cemeteries, houses and mills, and various indexes for
courthouse research. Our surname files fill 20 drawers, while
our obituary collection fills 135 card catalog drawers! We have
a unique collection of newspaper clippings which pertain to
people, places, history, businesses, government, the arts, and
various other miscellaneous categories —all of which fills up
an additional 12 drawers.
As marvelous as it is, we couldn’t keep it organized and
running without our volunteers! They assist staff and our visi-
tors with research, catalog new acquisitions, enter information
into our online database, and reorganize and straighten the vari-
ous records, files, and books in our library.
We receive phone calls and correspondence from people
looking for their ancestors. Some ask if we know of anyone
else who may be researching a particular family line. Although
we have a Queries file in our library, it has been overlooked for
quite some time, and we would like to get it back up and run-
ning. If there is enough interest, we may start up a Surname
Registry at some point.
We are always looking for ways to improve, update, and
add to the library. We can’t do it without our volunteers or
YOU! If you would like to add a query to the Query file or add
to our genealogy library (e.g. bible records, obituaries, letters,
remembrances, family books), please let us know. E-mail infor-
mation to heritage@heritagecenter.com or mail to PO Box 716,
Dayton, VA 22821.
—Margaret Hotchner
Archives Kathleen Pridgeon Broderick donated various photos from
her family album to be digitized.
Lorna Campbell donated a book, “New Starry Grown: For
the Sabbath School.”
Marlin Diehl donated a letter written by Samuel B. Coyner
to Samuel Deal, Esq. of McLean Co. dated 6 May 1861
along with a book with a reproduction of same letter trans-
lated.
Sallie Funkhouser, J. William Ewing, and Ann Homan
donated print plates from the Newtown Producing Co.
from 1917, and, early poultry magazines, photos, and blue-
prints.
Library Norman L. Baker donated the books, “Braddock’s Road –
The Final Thrust” and “Fort Cumberland to the Mononga-
hela – A Definitive Mapping of Braddock’s Route.”
Marlin Diehl donated genealogy information
Roland Garber donated 11 family folders of genealogy and
cemetery photos.
Eugene Holsinger donated the book, “The Spitzer Family,
Germany to Lancaster, PA to the Shenandoah Valley of
VA, and Beyond.”
Raymond Tracy Hunter donated a copy of his book, “All
Roads Lead to Roman.”
Earl R. Layman donated a copy of his book, “Lehman,
Layman Genealogy Handbook, 2011 Supplement.”
Linda N. Layman donated two books,” Genealogy of Val-
entine Shirley and Related Families” and “Documentation
of the Runyon House at East Jersey Olde Towne.”
Diana Rader donated genealogical files and books regard-
ing the Rader family.
Ethel B. Simons donated a genealogy book regarding the
Harman family (Southern Branch) along with seven Lingel
titles.
Rebecca Gooden Taylor donated copies of the Thomas and
Susanna Hoffman/Huffman Gooden family Bible along
with the article, “A Daughter of History – Susan Hoffman
Gooden 1796-1884.”
—Compiled by Margaret Hotchner
Acquisitions
BONNIE L. PAUL, P.C.
Attorney at Law
4159 QUARLES COURT TELEPHONE: 540.433.0990
HARRISONBURG, VA 22801 FACSIMILE: 540.433.2691
EMAIL: estate@cfw.com
Thank you
to our
Business
Sponsors!
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Page 10 Volume 34, No. 2
My fifth-grade class had just completed its reading work-
book exercise to create a family tree for the family in our
reading story. Then the teacher gave us an assignment: “Now,
I want each of you to see what you can learn about your fami-
ly and create a family tree for your own family.” When I ar-
rived home that day, I quizzed my parents and later some old-
er relatives. Shortly after that, I turned in my family tree to
our teacher, but the assignment didn’t stop there. That assign-
ment initiated a lifetime journey in genealogy.
As a 10-year-old, I had one living grandparent and lots of
great aunts and uncles to give me a start. From there, I turned
to distant cousins. Research progressed from personal inter-
views to identifying family pictures to learning how to re-
search in county clerk records of deeds, taxes, wills, births,
deaths, marriages and more. My family and I visited cemeter-
ies and other locations. Ten years after that first assignment, I
completed A History of the Joseph Alley Family, 50 mimeo-
graphed copies including several inserted pictures.
Throughout my pastoral career, genealogy became my
“golf,” a past-time experience to relax and enjoy something
different from my routine ministry. In 2007, I learned that the
National Genealogical Society was holding its “Conference in
the States and Family History Fair” in Richmond, Va., only
two hours away. Numerous seminars took my interest in the
four-day conference. One was titled “Certification Seminar.”
In this two-hour seminar, I learned about the application pro-
cess and requirements to become a certified genealogist. The
National Genealogical Society founded a Board for Certifica-
tion of Genealogists (BCG) in 1964 to promote uniform
standards of competence and ethics among researchers. Certi-
fication may be attained for basic genealogical research and
subsequently for teaching purposes.
According to the BCG, “The ultimate goal for all geneal-
ogists is to assemble (and perhaps share with others) a recon-
structed family history that is as close to the truth as possi-
ble” (The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual, Millennium
Edition, p. 3). Such a goal requires standards for collecting
information, evaluating evidence, and compiling results. BCG
has identified 56 standards to be attained for certification.
These standards ensure that research has been done as a com-
petent, reasonably exhaustive search—analyzing and collating
evidence, resolving conflicts in evidence, and reaching appro-
priate conclusions.
The process for certification includes a preliminary appli-
cation after which the applicant is provided a formal applica-tion and materials. One year is given for the application pro-
cess from the time of signing the preliminary application. Ap-
plicants compile a portfolio demonstrating their skills in re-
search.
This portfolio includes:
1. Signing the Genealogist’s Code.
2. Preparing a Background Resume .
3. Document Work on a document supplied by BCG. This
work includes a transcription of the document, an abstract of
the transcription, a statement identifying a research focus
from the document, an analysis of the data in the document
pertaining to the research issue, and a research plan to contin-
ue working on the focus.
4. Document Work on a document supplied by the appli-
cant. This work includes the same elements as those for the
BCG-supplied document (#3).
5. A Research Report prepared for a client. This report must
include the issue identified by the client, permission to use the
client’s report for the certification portfolio, copies of materi-
als sent to the client, etc.
6. A Case Study: Conflicting or Indirect Evidence. This
section of the portfolio is often taken from the applicant’s
own research. The purpose is to demonstrate the applicant’s
skill in solving genealogical problems that are not solved by
direct uncontested evidence.
7. Kinship-Determination project. Again, this part of the
portfolio may be the applicant’s own family. Linkages be-
tween individuals are documented through at least three gen-
erations, but they may not include the applicant or his/her
siblings.
The application process is a rigorous one including read-
ing of the standards manual for certification, evidence, etc.
The process includes significant writing and verification of
evidence. In essence, it becomes an academic term paper or
project. Once the applicant submits the portfolio, several
months will expire before three judges report their analysis of
the portfolio and grant or deny certification. All three judges
must agree to pass a portfolio for a person’s certification. If
one disagrees, a fourth judge is selected.
I found the certification process most fulfilling. It provid-
ed the challenge of compiling research and verifying evi-
dence, honing and testing my skills. I submitted my profile
with full expectation of receiving certification, but confident
that if I did not, the process had been an important learning experience. For persons who want to advance in their genea-
logical research skills and perhaps make them available for
others, certification provides a public verification of expertise
for a most rewarding hobby and profession.
Becoming a Certified Genealogist
by Robert Earl Alley
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Volume 34, No. 2 Page 11
Special ThanksSpecial ThanksSpecial Thanks
We truly appreciate the volunteers who helped with
spring landscaping to help beautify the HRHS grounds:
The fifth-graders at Blue Ridge Christian School in
Bridgewater and their chaperones.
Lois Paul and her co-worker Diana Adams with the
assistance of her daughter Katie Adams. Special
“kudos” to the Department of Environmental Quality
in Harrisonburg which allowed Lois and Diana to vol-
unteer during their work day.
The Glendale Garden Club for many seasons
of service in the flagpole flower bed.
Special Thanks
HRHS Spring Activities
The Collections Committee celebrated a successful coordination with
First Presbyterian Church to “dress” the windows of the former Fauls
Clothing Store on Court Square for a Harrisonburg walking tour.
To celebrate her milestone birthday, volunteer Libby Custer stands in front
of “Ninety-Nine Bottles of Cheer on the Wall” decorated by family mem-
bers. HRHS thanks you for your many years of helpful volunteering.
The museum hosted members of the Museum of Early Southern
Decorative Arts for a quilt turning, organized by Beverley Ev-
ans of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.
The 10th Virginia Infantry Encampment and Spring Drill April 14-15
offered visitors an authentic look at 1862 camp life.
Visitors, including many Lincoln relatives, attended the opening of the
“Lincoln’s Rockingham Roots” exhibit on his birthday, Feb. 12.
Harrisonburg - Rockingham Historical Society
P.O. Box 716
Dayton, Virginia 22821
OR CURRENT ADDRESS
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Valley Music Exhibit Opens
A new permanent display highlight-
ing “Shenandoah Valley Music” opened
May 12 with a lecture and performance
by exhibit co-curator Don DePoy. He
brings a wealth of experience to the ex-
hibit. A fifth generation Valley musician,
DePoy holds a PhD specializing in Amer-
ican Music and Popular Culture. He is the
executive director of the Shenandoah
Valley Mountain Music Makers Associa-
tion, Inc., and performs with his wife as
part of the duo “Me & Martha.”
The exhibit features musical instru-
ments from the region as well as popular
instruments of the 19th and early 20th
centuries. An 1870s walnut pump organ
made in Dayton, Va. by the Virginia Or-
gan Company takes center stage.
During early years of settlement and
western expansion, virtually the only
musical instruments on the frontier were
fiddles and scheitholts. A Junior Davis
(1904-2002) scheitholt, which he affec-
tionately called a “swinette,” is displayed.
The scheitholt quickly evolved to a new
instrument, the mountain dulcimer. A
Virginia-style mountain dulcimer is part
of the exhibit. As part of the exhibit’s
hands-on experience, visitors will have an
opportunity to play a song on a mountain
dulcimer.
Other instruments in the exhibit in-
clude: a Kay Kraft Venetian Model -
Style A (c.1933) parlor guitar and a Pian-
ophone (c. 1898) with an accompanying
booklet showing how it’s played. The
pianophone is a "chordless" gizmo harp
and at the time was a popular mail order
musical instrument.
The exhibit also features instruments
reflecting the Valley’s string-band tradi-
tion. There is a 1880s open-back Ameri-
can 5-string banjo, and an original 1932
National Instrument Company tricone
Resophonic guitar.
Rounding out the exhibit is the fiddle
of Emory Stroop. “Stroupy” was born in
Rockingham County, VA, and was con-
sidered one of the best Valley fiddlers. In
1939-40, “Stroupy” was recorded along
with several other Valley musicians by
folklorist Alan Lomax. Lomax was work-
ing with the Library of Congress as part
of the “New Deal” to capture the
“essence” of the American experience.
These recordings are part of the Folk Mu-
sic Archives at the Library of Congress in
Washington, DC.
This new permanent exhibit at The
Heritage Museum provides a link to the
“The Mountain Music Makers Trail,” a
project bringing together 14 counties in
western Virginia, as well as musicians
and music venues, other historical socie-
ties and educational institutions, to pro-
mote and preserve the traditional music
heritages, including sacred and secular
music. HRHS and The Heritage Museum
is proud to be a part of this venture.
Non-Profit U.S. Postage
PAID Permit No. 19 Harrisonburg/Rockingham
Emory
Stroop was
one of the
Valley’s
best-known
fiddlers. His
instrument
is now on
display at
the museum.