How Newport Got Its Name (Page Co., VA) Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Project and VAGenWEb Project Archives by Genealogical Society of Page County, VA USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or for other commercial presentation. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. SEAKFORD, Dear Sir: - How did Newport get its name? Answer: In 1832 the Shenandoah river was worked from Harpers Ferry to Port Republic and in 1834 boating started first from Port Republic, Jacob SIPE, who lived at that place was a great flour boatman at that time, and when he began to take on flour at what is now Newport, he named the place "New Port" and it always has been called that since boating began. Only a few people now living ever saw a boat load of flour go down the Shenandoah river. Mr. SIPE would leave Port Republic with 25 or 30 barrels of flour on his boat. He would take on flour at mill banks and he would come on down to KITE's mill at Elkton and take on more flour. Then he would take on more flour at Bear's mills, then on down to the William KITE mill. Then down to Rolly KITE's mill. Then down to STROLE's mill. Then down to the Newport Mill, then down to Columbia Mills stood on the river bank just above where you cross the bridge at Alma that washed away in the flood of 1870. Then he would go to MOHLER's mill. Then he would go down to MAUCK's mill near the White House. Then down to Sandy Hook Mill. At that point he would take on flour made at SHIPE's Mill at Springfield. Then he would go down to STRICKLER's Mill at BIXLER's Ferry. Then he would go down to Jim GOOD's Mill at Rileyville. From there he would go to the HAZARD's Mill in Warren county. Then he would go to BUCK's Mill. Then down to Riverton Mills. All these mills stood on the Shenandoah river and were run by water power. Sometimes Mr. SIPE would leave Port Republic with three boats and take on flour at all of the mills that I have mentioned. Flour was also hauled to the river from GROVER's Mill at Marksville and MOORE's Mill now Willow Grove Mill. They would boat it down the Shenandoah river to Harper's Ferry and then load it on the canal and take it in to Baltimore. Flour was also hauled form the Shenandoah Valley mills and boated down the river. A boat load of flour was a hundred and twenty-five barrels. According to Mr. SIPES advertisement in the Harrisonburg paper, there was but little wheat raised between Harper's Ferry and Port Republic in the year 1837. But according to his card in the year 1838 he speaks of a great crop of wheat throughout the entire country. In that card he tells the people that he saws his own lumber, builds his own boats and makes and furnishes flour barrels. He also says in the year 1837 he boated only 60 barrels of flour. Thousands of tons of iron made at Miller's furnace out in the mountains about four miles east of Port Republic were also boated to Harper's Ferry. Also, millions of feet of lumber. Later on boat yards were established all along the river from White House to Port Republic. Iron was boated from Shenandoah furnace in the upper end of Page and the old Catherine furnace just above Newport and all of the iron made at the furnace over in the Fort was hauled across Massanutten mountain and loaded on boats and taken down the river. Source: Page News & Courier 10 May 1932