Volume 36, No. 4 Fall 2014 - The Heritage Museum · The Sideboard Safe The safe style that seems to have been made exclu-sively in the central Shenandoah Valley and primarily Rockingham

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

Published Quarterly by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society

From the Back Porch to the Dining Room

The 2014 Annual Banquet featured Jeff Evans of

Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates speaking on the topic

“Safes of the Valley: Not Just for Pies.” His interest-

ing talk was well illustrated with many slides accumu-

lated over the past three years as Evans and fellow re-

searcher Kurt C. Russ worked on the Virginia Safe

Project. This study concentrat-

ed on Shenandoah Valley

punched-tin paneled furniture

produced from northern Freder-

ick County up to southern Bo-

tetourt. The fruits of their labor

are now on display in a major

exhibit at the Museum of the

Shenandoah Valley in Win-

chester. The exhibit includes

over 40 food safes and related

items and will be open through

March 2015.

The Dictionary of American

Regional English defines this

type of food safe as a “usually

free-standing cabinet or cup-

board, especially one of which

all or part is ventilated with

screen wire or perforated sheet

metal for the storage of food

stuffs, frequently in combina-

tions pie safe, kitchen safe.”

Jeff’s talk revealed many

interesting facts, and some mis-

conceptions, about the pieces many people call “pie

safes.” It turns out the pie safe name is a 20th century

term for the utilitarian pieces of furniture that were

originally known simply as safes. They stored all man-

ner of objects, not only pies, although the punched tins

in a myriad of designs were always used to provide

ventilation for the contents. Pies fresh from the oven

could be placed within and kept safe from flies while

the punched tins allowed them to cool quickly.

Other regional names for similar cupboards were

pie cabinet and pie cupboard. They could hold other

baked goods such as cakes and breads or even jellies

and jams. For ideal use, they should not be placed near

excessive heat such as near a cook stove. For this rea-

son, some families kept their

safe on the back porch.

It is also evident, Evans

said, that conditions in the cen-

tral Shenandoah Valley pro-

duced a perfect storm situation

for needing this type of cabinet.

Valley families tended to be

large and mainly agrarian.

They used few slaves and ac-

complished their farming with

the help of their children. Be-

cause of the large families, they

needed cabinets to store the

sizable amounts of food neces-

sary to feed the hungry farm

workers. There were also cabi-

net makers in most communi-

ties who could make needed

furniture for the locals, includ-

ing coffins as well as safes.

Safe Designs

The early tin panels were

available from England in

standard 10 by 13 inch sizes.

The punched tins allowed for ventilation while keep-

ing out vermin. Actually, as with tin cans, the metal

panels were thin sheet steel not tin. But they may have

had a coating of tin applied to the steel to prevent

them from rusting. Pure tin is a soft metal, too easily

By Dale MacAllister

Volume 36, No. 4 Fall 2014

See Safes, page 4

Safe on display at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, about 1840-1850, Rockingham Co., maker

unknown, collection of Glenn Campbell. Ron Blunt photographer.

Calendar of Events

Thursday, Nov 6th, Veteran’s Day Program, 7

pm with Major General Jerry Curry (Ret.)

Tuesday, Dec 9th, 11:30 am, Volunteer Luncheon

Saturday, Dec 13th, 10 am - 5 pm, Open House at

The Heritage Museum with Shenandoah Valley

Railroad Club train models, children’s activities,

refreshments, wine tasting, and specials in the Book

Store and Gift Shop. Call for schedule of events.

Thursday, Jan 15th, 7 pm: The Good Old Days:

They Were Terrible! Part II with Greg Owen.

Thursday, Feb 19th, The Story of the 1951

R. R. Moton Student Walk-Out with Beau Dick-

enson, Social Studies Coordinator, Rockingham

County Public Schools.

Thursday, Mar 19th, To Be Confirmed.

Thursday, Apr 16th, 7 pm, Philip Baker, the

Brocks Gap Cabinet Maker with Jeff Evans, Auc-

tioneer & Specialist, Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.

Saturday, Apr 25th, 25th Annual Brock’s Gap

Heritage Day, Fulks Run Elementary School.

Thursday, May 21st, Weaving the Fabric of a

New Nation with Nancy Sorrells, Author, Historian

and Immediate Past President of the Augusta Coun-

ty Historical Society.

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. Now closed on Sundays until April Office closed on Saturday and Sunday

Telephone: (540) 879-2616 Email: [email protected] www.ValleyHeritageMuseum.org 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: Roberta Wright

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

Winter January 23, 2015

Spring April 24, 2015

Summer July 24, 2015

Fall October 23, 2015

THE HERITAGE MUSEUM HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Charlie Collette Dana Fenner

Wes Graves Nathan Miller

Lew Taylor Mike Way

Paper or Digital?

Digital editions reduce costs.

Let Margaret know your preference at [email protected]

Our Wish List

David Wood

Page 2 Volume 36, No. 4


Notes from the Executive Director

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). This fall

The Heritage Museum received an update from the

NHHC at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum.

The flag, c. 1862, is of wool and cotton bunting

with a grey/green wool gauze field, red wool gauze

canton with blue cotton gauze “X” with ten applique

stars in white plain weave cotton. The flag is in “fair”

condition due to dessication and numerous losses to

the field, canton, stripes, and applique stars.

The flag will undergo a treatment process for the

purpose of preservation which includes: 1) underline

ground fabrics to stabilize loss of structural integrity,

2) sew to a custom made mount in preparation for ar-

chival framing, and 3) frame to archival specifications.

The treatment process will conclude in the next

several months. The Hampton Roads Naval Museum

is planning a celebratory event in April 2015, with a

featured speaker in addition to the flag unveiling. All

HRHS members will be invited to attend. Road trip

anyone?

Confederate Flag Update

Volume 36, No. 4 Page 3

Speakers Bureau: Do you belong to a local club or organization? Executive Director Penny Imeson will be

delighted to speak to your group about the many programs, activities, and resources available at The

Heritage Museum. Your program coordinator will appreciate the suggestion! Call the office to request

more information or to schedule a date.

Did you know?

Funding general operations and programming at

The Heritage Museum requires $200,000 each year.

As the season of giving draws near, please keep the

Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical

Society on your gift list. Your donation

is 100% tax deductible. It will also make

us smile, which will make you smile—

and smiling is healthy exercise!

If you are unable to give financial sup-

port now, don’t forget planned gifts. Your legacy

will continue for future generations.

It’s a challenge to select one Volunteer of the Year

(see page 8) when there are so many knowledgeable and

loyal volunteers working day after day, month after

month, and year after year to support The Heritage Mu-

seum. We celebrate our volunteers at a special luncheon

in December, but the incredible work of the Collections

Committee deserves a “for the record” recognition right

now. This faithful crew, in consultation with archivists,

has assessed decades of donations and identified over

100 collections in the Archives. The transformation to

the storage room over the past several years is amazing!

The next step is to research the identified collections and

create finding aids so that the contents are accessible to

the public. With applause and appreciation,

Very Valuable Volunteers

Give a Gift to History!

Members of Collections Committee hard at work.


bent to use in the safes.

Most perforations in the tins are punched toward

the interior, but some have been observed with the

rough metal pushed outward toward the exterior. A

local tinsmith, or perhaps the safe maker himself,

punched the tins. The tiny, punched perforations

served a utilitarian function, as mentioned, but they

also added a decorative, folk art element to the furni-

ture. The most common artistic designs include stars

and other geometric patterns. Fancier designs may

have included a fylfot cross, tulips, sheaves of wheat,

an urn, a flower pot with flowers, or even a spread-

wing eagle. The most unusual patterns were profiles of

famous Americans such as George Washington and

Andrew Jackson.

The safe photos with the talk illustrated the many

variations. Some safes had solid sides with tins in the

doors only. Other safes had tins in the sides and the

doors. Some had two drawers in the bottom while oth-

ers had drawers at the top. One of the safe photos Ev-

ans used had drawers at the top, but the safe was mas-

sive and so tall one could not see into the drawers

while standing in front of it. The door frames on some

safes were held together with pegged joints. Drawers

were often assembled with some type of dovetail joint

at the corners. Others had a splash board on top at the

back to prevent items from falling behind and add a

decorative element.

The legs also displayed various styles. Some were

turned on a lathe. Others were tapered or straight or

bracket, short or tall. Evans revealed that some people

set the four legs into small containers filled with tur-

pentine or something similar to keep small ants from

crawling up the legs, squeezing through the perfora-

tions, and feasting on the goodies stored within.

Evans explained that using punched tins as the ven-

tilation panels is an American innovation. European

food cabinets were typically ventilated by using

spaced wooden slats, wire, or loosely-woven linen to

allow air into the interior.

The Sideboard Safe

The safe style that seems to have been made exclu-

sively in the central Shenandoah Valley and primarily

Rockingham County is the sideboard safe. It is made

for the dining room to store the dinnerware, table lin-

ens, and other accessories used in the dining area. As

such, it is the most formal of the safes, both in its de-

sign and use. The sideboard safe is essentially two

safes side by side in width and about chest high suita-

ble for serving dishes.

The Safe in our Cromer-Trumbo House

The Cromer-Trumbo house museum, on the corner

of our grounds, has an excellent safe, with original

finish and green paint on the tins, in the log kitchen.

Its tins display well-executed fylfot crosses, a design

some have incorrectly called a swastika. This safe was

part of the Mary Spitzer Etter household that she be-

Safes of the Valley


Continued on the next page

Punched tin design with birds, about 1850-1870, Frederick Co., maker unknown, collection of Mark Loving. Ron Blunt photographer.

Fylfot pattern on Andes safe in HRHS Mary Etter Collection. William McGuffin photographer; courtesy Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.

Continued from the front page

Safes of the Valley


queathed to the Historical Society. The safe had de-

scended to Mrs. Etter through her Andes family line.

The maker of this safe was Eli Andes (1815-1874)

who lived in western Rockingham County. Census

records list him as a farmer, but he was certainly a

master cabinet maker during the colder months of the

year when farming was less demanding. Andes is bur-

ied in Greenmount Church of the Brethren Cemetery

near his farm.

In addition to safes, local households also favored

chests and bureaus made by the same cabinet makers.

If the safe was originally painted with milk paint, or

other paints, retaining the original finish is most desir-

able, even if it is degraded and partially missing. Strip-

ping the finish greatly lessens the value since most

collectors desire them to have the original paint intact.

Jeff Evans added that safes made of pine or poplar

were usually painted, while walnut safes were often

unpainted but covered with a protective finish such as

varnish. Having the original hardware, hinges, and

door latch adds to the value.

Jeff explained that limited records exist for cabinet

makers who made safes. Another known maker is

Philip Baker (1859-1935) from the Brocks Gap area.

Former Historical Society president Pat Turner Ritchie

has been helping gather information about Baker and

his work. Evans and Russ are authoring a book about

safes and an entire chapter will be devoted to Baker.

The book will be available in early 2015.

One safe maker the writer is aware of was John

Funk (1822-1914) of Singers Glen, son of Joseph

Funk, the village founder. John was well known as a

finish carpenter. His daybook lists pieces of furniture,

including tables, wash stands, dry sinks, and bed-

steads, which he made for family members and neigh-

bors. He also made various pieces of furniture for his

father’s print shop. An entry in John Funk’s daybook

for December 1848 is given as “Jos. Funk to a safe

$8.00.” This would be equivalent to charging about

$245 for the safe today—what a bargain!


Safes of the Valley

Continued from previous page

Safe in Cromer Trumbo House kitchen by Eli Andes (1815-1874) Rockingham County, HRHS Mary Etter Collection. William McGuffin photographer; courtesy Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.

The Heritage Museum encourages students in grades 6-8 (public, private, and homeschool) to explore local

history and submit an essay for judging by February 14, 2015. Winners will be announced by March 15, 2015

with prizes awarded: 1st place $75, 2nd place $50, 3rd place $25. Winning essays will be printed in The Herit-

age Museum Newsletter. Essay topics required to date prior to 1965 and must pertain to an aspect of life in the

Harrisonburg-Rockingham community.

Questions? Call 540 879 2616 or click www.ValleyHeritageMuseum.org/history-essay-contest



Adam Wise Kersh was born on November 16, 1828, in Wise Hollow, near

Centreville, on the Augusta-Rockingham County border in the Shenandoah Val-

ley. He served as a Private in Company F of the 52nd Virginia Infantry from July

1861 until May of 1865. Before the war, Adam had become a member of St.

Michael’s Church and made his living as a cabinet and furniture maker. He also

made violins. His woodworking shop was located on a farm near Mount Craw-

ford, where he lived the remainder of his life with his brother George, until his

death on March 22, 1905. He is buried in St. Michael’s Church cemetery.

Adam enlisted in Staunton at the age of 33. Throughout his early military service, he tried to find a paid substitute but

failed to do so. He was wounded in action in May of 1864, at which time he went AWOL and returned home for several

months, hiding in his attic whenever someone approached. He returned to his Company without punishment and was

eventually paroled in Staunton at the end of the war. His Civil War letters comprise a collection that is available on the

“Valley of the Shadow” website. Most of his letters were to his brother George.

Port Royal, Caroline County, VA

January 1st, 1863

Dear Brother

I again take the opportunity to write you a few lines. I received a letter dated 22nd November on the 8th of De-

cember directed Co G instead of F stating that you had got a substitute for me and did not get him on account of

him not stating his age correctly and answered it right off. I don’t know if you got it or not. I also received the

one you wrote on the 7th of December on the 28th it being 21 days else I would have wrote sooner. D A Plecker

arrived at our camp about the 18th December and I got my cloths all right. He said that Harris had gone to Rich-

mond to try for a substitute for me and that he had been bothered very much this trip on account of us being he

had sold out before he got to us…..

We can make out pretty well this winter I think now. We had pretty weather ever since the fight a day or two. The

weather is not as cold here as it is in old Augusta. We got in the fight on the 13th December . . . Our Brigade es-

caped pretty well. It was about 80 killed and wounded in our Brigade. We had eight wounded in our regiment,

amongst them was Captain Dabney. He has died since of his wound. He was shot through the hip with grape

shot. Our Captain had his coat tail torn also with a grape shot. None of our Co. was hurt in the fight. But in a

day or two after the fight in coming off picket one of our company was shot in the arm by the name of Mayfield.

I was on scout Christmas. Eleven of us had orders to scout around the neighborhood to take up stragglers that

were loitering without proper authority. We had fine times. We got gingerbread and turnips, we are enjoying

ourselves pretty well today. New Year it is a pretty day here. We have still some gingerbread to eat but we have

to buy it. As I have no news of importance and you have received the news of the fight I will close. This leaves

me well and I hope you are all enjoying good health.

Yours Respectfully, AW Kersh

In L. B. Taylor’s book, The Ghosts of Virginia, Volume II, he relates a story told him by Andy McCaskey of Weyers

Cave about old ‘Uncle Ad.’ “Adam Kersh was a cabinet maker of marked ability, who was also a gifted musician of

some local renown. He enjoyed his work and relaxed from his labors with his hobby of playing the fiddle. Apparently,

says Andy and others, Adam “isn’t always content to stay in his grave.” “He’s what I call a cheerful ghost, a happy

ghost.” “This seems to disappoint some people because they believe all ghosts should be solemn and somber.”

The late wood sculptor and local historian John Heatwole was once quoted in the Harrisonburg Daily News-Record as

recalling “two elderly men who pointed to the graveyard (of Adam Kersh) near their home and said matter-of-factly that

Uncle Ad had been sighted more than once, usually on those starry nights when there’s just a hint of a breeze in the top

of the trees. “He just sits on his tombstone and plays a tune,” the two men said. “They tell me,” Andy says, “it sounds

forth as a toe-tapping melody, a bright tune for those who have a happy heart; a sad dirge for those of dour disposition.”

The Civil War letters of Adam Kersh, 1861-1865 in the Bridgewater College Special Collections were compiled and donated by Hugh H. Mottern. The letters are open to viewing by appointment. Researchers may contact Stephanie Gardner at 540.828.8018 or [email protected].

Photo courtesy

of Bridgewater

College Special

Collections.

Ghost Story

By Rosemarie Palmer

tel:540.828.8018

mailto:[email protected]


Commemoration Day October 3rd, 2014


What began as an overcast morning gradually

turned into a sunny, mild autumn day as descendants,

historians, members, and visitors commemorated the

150th anniversary of Lt. John Rodgers Meigs’ death

during “The Burning” of the Shenandoah Valley.

Remembrance and Reconciliation

The day began with a tour led by Dr. Irvin Hess for

descendants of the Meigs and Shaver families. He ex-

plained the story behind the preservation of the Meigs

historic site ─ part of historic Swift Run Gap Road ─

as well as the gun fight that led to Meigs’ death. Con-

federate scout Benjamin Franklin Shaver killed Meigs

which led General Philip H. Sheridan to order the total

destruction of the area, including Dayton.

Louisa Alger Watrous, a Meigs descendant, re-

marked on her family’s discovery of the site in the

1970s and shared photos from that visit. Her pride res-

onated with the presentation of a heart-shaped Wreath

of Remembrance. Its elements included rosemary for

remembrance, lavender for peace, ivy for faithfulness,

and poppy for sacrifice, among others.

Alan Kaylor Kline, a Shaver descendant, spoke

about the joy of bringing the families of Meigs and

Shaver together to show how people can reconcile

their differences. He also sought to have the attendees

remember the sacrifice young men made during the

Civil War and what the cost of freedom truly means.

Dayton Proclaims Thomas F. Wildes Day

The festivities continued on Mill and Main streets

with a ceremony honoring Lt. Col. Thomas F. Wildes’

successful efforts to convince Sheridan to spare the

town of Dayton from destruction. Remarks were made

by HRHS Trustee Chairman Greg Owen, and retired

Dayton Church of the Brethren pastor James Flora of-

fered the invocation. Dayton Mayor Charles T. Long

read the proclamation passed by the Dayton Town

Council signifying October 3rd of every year to be

Colonel Thomas F. Wildes Day. Another wreath by

Ms. Watrous, including bittersweet from Ohio, was

laid at the Wildes’ marker. Wildes was a member of

the 116th Ohio, and the marker is a rare southern trib-

ute to a Yankee soldier.

New Exhibit Opens

During the exhibit opening for The Burning of the

Breadbasket, The Heritage Museum welcomed guests

with music by the Shenandoah Valley Minstrels and

festive catering by Joy Strickland. Then it was stand-

ing room only for Dr. Hess’s lecture on the many sto-

ries of tragedy, compassion, and vengeance during

The Burning. The tales of local lore and historical fact

that were accompanied by numerous images of citi-

zens, homes, maps, and more.

By Tess Evans

Descendants: Kathy Zimmerman, Thomas Flory, Louisa Meigs Watrous, Alan Kaylor Kline, Montgomery Meigs. Wildes Marker and Wreath, Dayton.


Annual Banquet 2014

A very festive Annual Banquet took place at the

Holiday Inn Harrisonburg on Thursday, October 16th,

2014. Guests mingled around the Silent Auction tables

and chatted over dinner. HRHS member Rev. Robert

Alley delivered the invocation before a seasonal meal

that ended with apple pie. Pie was on the menu to ac-

company Jeffrey S. Evans’ program on “Safes of the

Valley: Not Just for Pies!” The gathering listened at-

tentively as Jeff described the evolution of the

punched tin storage cabinet in the Shenandoah Valley.

During the business meeting, Trustee Nathan Miller

presented the slate of officers for the new Trustee

Class. Charles Collette, Lisa Ann Hawkins, and David

Ehrenpreis were elected by acclamation. Executive

Director Penny Imeson presented the Volunteer of the

Year Award to Betty Redmond. As guests departed

with their auction winnings, many remarked on the

relaxed, fun, and interesting evening. One guest stated,

“There was just something in the air this year!”


David Ehrenpreis is a member of the Art History

faculty and Director of the Institute for Visual Stud-

ies at JMU. Last year, he organized a series of com-

munity conversations on the effects of urban renew-

al and downtown revitalization in Harrisonburg,

which led to his current exhibition project:

“Picturing Harrisonburg,” examining images of the

town since the mid-19th century set to open in late

2016. David’s family lives in Harrisonburg. His

wife Diane is a Curator at Monticello, and his two

daughters attend the University of Virginia.

David Ehrenpreis

Volunteer

of the Year

Betty Redmond

Betty Redmond, a Harrisonburg native, began

volunteering at the Museum in February 2013 and

immediately began asking questions—and that’s a

good thing! By her second day, she was letting us

know where we could improve—which is also a

good thing! From there she typed, commented, gath-

ered information, commented some more, delivered

brochures, and then decided to do more. She pulled a

group of volunteers together and created a very ef-

fective Communications Committee. They devel-

oped a local history contest which is now open to 6th

- 8th grade students (see page 5) and a Lifelong

Learning Course for mature learners. Betty was also

instrumental in nominating Executive Director Pen-

ny Imeson as a “Valley Woman to Celebrate” in

Bloom magazine. The committee will meet again this

month to define a new project – and that’s a really

great thing!

Betty, a retired nurse, also volunteers for other

non-profits. Her interests have her attending the local

bird club and archaeology meetings. Her energy is

endless and her spirit is warm and caring. Betty’s

father, Galen Showalter, am amateur Rockingham

historian and writer, was active with the Historical

Society until his death. He would be proud of Betty!

Charles Collette returns for a second term as an

HRHS Trustee. Retired from IBM, Charlie lives in

Briery Branch, is an avid sportsman, and accom-

plished carpenter. His contributions behind the

scenes include exhibit construction, painting, and

other facility projects. His wife, Sandy, will soon

retire from Sentara RMH and has already an-

nounced her plans to become an HRHS volunteer!

Lisa Anne Hawkins is a founding partner of the law

firm of Lenhart Pettit PC. Of particular note to histo-

ry buffs, Lisa is legal counsel to the Shenandoah

Valley Battlefields Foundation. She currently serves

on the Board of Harrisonburg Downtown Renais-

sance as Past President, and has previously served on

the local Chamber of Commerce and Arts Council of

the Valley Boards. She lives in Bridgewater with her

husband and teenage son and is an avid reader.

Charles Collette

Lisa Anne Hawkins

TRUSTEE CLASS OF 2017


A Warm Welcome To Our

New Members

Richard Ankrum, Leesburg, VA

Margaret Beckwith, Elkins, WV

Brenda Black, Port Matilda, PA

Sara Byrne, Annapolis, MD

Sue Dunlap, Bedford, MA

Gail Fairfield, Pleasanton, CA

Robert & Sue Glasgow, Nokesville, VA

Lanier Harrison, Americus, GA

Charlotte Hoyle, Dayton, VA

David E. Huffman, Harrisonburg, VA

Christopher Jones, Winchester, VA

Monique Kelson, Los Altos, CA

Elizabeth Krafft, Morgan Hill, CA

Ronald Martin, Spring, TX

Jim Nibbelink, Tucson, AZ

Eve Owens, Accokeek, MD

Kenneth Prillaman, Annandale, VA

Kay Robertson & Hayden Mathews, Purcellville, VA

Larry Scott, Tyler, TX

Steven Shaeffer, Dayton, OH

Barbara Shaughnessy, Santa Clara, CA

Jeffrey Schleifer, Harrisonburg, VA

William Simpson, Woodbridge, VA

Julia Sinclair, Noblesville, IN

R. Jay & Karen Stipes, Blacksburg, VA

Boyd Switzer, Chapel Hill, NC

Eric Talla, Broken Arrow, OK

Lynn Whitmore, Broadway, VA

Charlsie Woodside, Leverett, MA

valleyheritagemuseum.org

pinterest.com/heritagemuseum/boards

facebook.com/hrhsheritagemuseum

Visit! Like! Share! Contribute!

HRHS Trustee Chairman Greg Owen addresses the crowd at the Col. Thomas F. Wildes Marker in Dayton.

Commemoration Day 10.3.14, see pg. 7

Fall colors, beautiful pumpkin and flower table arrangements, and a seasonal menu contributed to the festive atmosphere.

Numerous framed images from the HRHS photo archives, brass replica home goods, and a wide range of books and gift certifi-cates on the Silent Auction tables created great conversation .

Annual Banquet 10.16.14, see pg. 8




Acquisitions Archives

Sue Switzer Dunlap donated two boxes of items which included letters, booklets, news clippings and

scrapbooks collected by her parents Frank C. Switzer and Mamie Omohundro Switzer. Frank Switzer was

a son of Walter C. Switzer who founded the Harrisonburg Telephone Company in 1902.

Betty Gunter donated a copy of the 1908 Shenandoah Collegiate Institute & School of Music yearbook

which belonged to her mother, Hazel (Kline) Schreiner.

Patricia Johnson of Texas donated four editions of the Daily News Record dated April 23, 1938, Septem-

ber 14 & 15, 1960, and November 6, 1973, and one edition of James Madison College’s newspaper, The

Breeze, dated September 23, 1960.

Ben Ritter donated a 1962 program for the Stonewall Jackson Anniversary March, which at the time was

sponsored by the town of Elkton, VA.

Juanita Wysong donated the book, Hymns of the Kingdom, published in Rockingham County and edited by

J. Owen Long.

Artifacts

Roger Chandler, Donald Miller, Donna Miller, and Dr. Ed McKee, who are associated with the Woodturn-

ers of the Virginias, donated a Civil War pen and bowl made from Stonewall Jackson's Prayer Tree. Also

included was information regarding the tree's significance.

Gerald Griffin donated a View Master, a popular toy from the 1960s along with many stereo pictures.

Photo Archives

Lois Emswiler donated a photo dated about 1930 of a farmer selling his produce on Route 42.

James Histand donated photos taken by his father, James L. Histand, Sr. Several 1948 images include

Eastern Mennonite University, downtown Harrisonburg, and the Ingleside Hotel in Staunton, VA. There is

also a 1983 photo of the Virginia Mountains and an aerial photo of Harrisonburg.

Robert Gaines donated a photo taken in 1942 on the grounds of Shenandoah College and Conservatory.

Pricilla Liskey provided an identified photo she found in the George and Ida Laverne Liskey Family Bible.

The Little Grill Collective provided three different photos to be scanned of women and children in and

around Pankey's Pool, which was located on Harrisonburg’s N. Main St. 1920s.

Ben Ritter donated two unidentified photos and one identified photo that included Ethel Hoover, Lester

Hoover and Bertie Fahrney, Timberville, VA.

Alan Shirkey donated a CD that included data from the 1895 U.S. Atlas and picture postcards from Virgin-

ia and West Virginia.

Library

Gerald Griffin donated the following books, The First Germans in America, by Gary Carl Grassl, Cava-

liers and Pioneers, Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants 1623-1666, by Nell Marion Nugent,

The Virginia Company of London 1606-1624, by Wesley Frank Craven, and English Duplicates of Lost

Virginia Records, compiled by Louis des Cognets, Jr. A CD was also donated which includes four books:

three on the history of Augusta County plus Settlers by the Long Grey Trail, by J. Houston Harrison.

Stewart Hammond donated the George Washington Atlas for use in the Genealogy and Research Library

Clark Hopkins donated copies of his transcription of Cornal and Guadalupe County East Land Titles from

the book, Abstract of Land Titles of Texas Comprising the Titled, Patented and Located Lands in the State,

Vol. 1. He also donated a transcription of Louisa County, Virginia, Marriages from the book, A History of

Louisa County Virginia by Malcom H. Harris.

Gerald Miller, a visitor to the Genealogy and Research Library, donated paperwork regarding his great


Downsizing? Decluttering? Spring/Summer/Winter/Fall Cleaning?

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.


grandfather, Jacob Kyger, from both the Civil War Research and Genealogy Database and an article which

was included in the Winter 1995 HRHS newsletter regarding same by M. Elsworth Kyger.

Alan Shirkey donated copies from a number of ledgers which he purchased from several auctions. These

ledgers are from: Fairview Sunday School, F.M. Stinestring, Joseph & Mitchell, E.A. Dinkle, and S.M.

Davison's Bells Valley Ledger. He also provided copies of a buggy tag of J.R. Foley along with Foley’s

business card and a group of Rockingham County high school graduation booklets.

James M. Tanner donated genealogical research materials compiled by his mother, Edith Virginia

(Lawson) Tanner. These documents focus on the family of Elmer H. Lawson and Nellie May (Hensley)

Lawson born in the Swift Run area of Rockingham County.

Wesley Pippenger, research historian and prolific writer of many genealogy related books, donated his

book Alexander Family, Migrations from Maryland.

Raymond Rhodes donated a copy of his book, Selected Pages from the 1867 Pocket Diary of My Great

Grandfather, Frederick Anthony Rhodes (Feb 22, 1819 - Feb 12, 1900)

Juanita Taylor donated Celebrating the Past, Creating the Future Improving Health Every Day. The book

was published by Sentara Healthcare to celebrate their 125th Anniversary and highlights the individual his-

tories of the regions and hospitals (including Rockingham Memorial Hospital) that are now part of Sentara.

An anonymous donor provided the following books for research: Pennsylvania German Immigrants (1790-

1786), edited by Don Yoder, Hopeful Journeys, German Immigration, Settlement, and Political Culture in

Colonial America, 1717-1775, by Aaron Spencer Fogleman, Virginia Wills and Administrations 1632-

1800, compiled by Clayton Torrence, The Day Book/Account Book of Alexander Mack, Jr. (1712-1803),

Weaver, Brethren Elder, Apologist, and Chronicler in Early America, editors, Donald F. Durnbaugh and

Edward E. Quinter, and, Foundations in a Fertile Soil, Farming and Farm Buildings in Lancaster County,

Pennsylvania, published by The Historic Preservation Trust.

Administration

A special thanks to Lois Emswiler, Alan Shirkey and Jane Smootz, who donated file folders, notepads, and

notebooks—always useful in all areas of operations!

—Compiled by Margaret Paul Hotchner

What's new in Dayton?

The gift shop at the Heritage Museum! Virginia-made food and treats, plus

jewelry and crafts from local artists will be available for the holidays. It's a

perfect place to buy Christmas presents, and there is even something for

your dog!

Can’t decide what to select? Purchase gift certificates and your loved ones

will enjoy a free Museum visit along with their shopping spree!


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

Fall 2014, Vol. 36, No. 4

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

The Heritage Museum received

a nice dose of publicity when

Bloom magazine featured Exec-

utive Director Penny Imeson,

calling her a “Museum maven.”

Bloom is a quarterly periodical

celebrating Valley women pro-

duced by the Daily News-

Record publisher.

Photography by Holly Marcus

Documents

Volume 36, No. 4 Fall 2014 - The Heritage Museum · The Sideboard Safe The safe style that seems to have been made exclu-sively in the central Shenandoah Valley and primarily Rockingham