BIOGRAPHY, Rockbridge County, VA- "E" ********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ********************************************************************** DAVID E. EAST- was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, November 16, 1847, a son of William and Amanda (Strong) East. His father died on the 14th of February, 1857. Near Middlebrook, Augusta county, Virginia, June 8, 1882, were recorded the marriage vows of David E. East and Maggie McCutchen. The bride was a daughter of Addison and Ann (Buchanan) McCutchen, and was born in Augusta county August 4, 1847. David E. East owns and farms 403 acres of land situated three miles west of Moffats Creek P.O., and is devoting much attention to the raising of fine stock, in which he is very successful. The land lies in Walkers Creek district, Rockbridge county, but his postoffice address is Moffatts Creek, Augusta county, Virginia. Source: Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia (NY, Richmond, and Toledo: H. H. Hardesty and Company Publishers, 1884). p. 413. Transcribed and submitted by Angela M. Ruley, ********************************************************************** JAMES C. EAST- born in Augusta county, Virginia, May 16, 1814, and Ann E. Wade, born in the same county, February 20, 1820, were united in marriage in Rockbridge county, December 31, 1846. Here four children have been born to them, all now living in this county, the oldest and youngest in homes of their own, the other two with their parents: Samuel M. was born July 28, 1850; James W., April 2, 1854; Mary E., October 16, 1856; David Howard, December 1, 1857. James C. East was a son of David E. and Elizabeth (Beard) East, and his wife was a daughter of George W. and Polly (Brubeck) Wade. The parents of both have been many years numbered with the dead. The farm which Mr. East owns and resides upon contains 320 acres of good land, and lies on the headwaters of Walkers creek, in Rockbridge county. He receives his mail at Moffatts Creek, Augusta county, Virginia. Source: Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia (NY, Richmond, and Toledo: H. H. Hardesty and Company Publishers, 1884). p. 413. Transcribed and submitted by Angela M. Ruley, ********************************************************************** ECHOLS - Captain Edward Echols, who lived at the mouth of North River, was a brother to General John Echols, of the Confederate army, and consequently an uncle to the late Edward Echols, of Staunton. He was a citizen of considerable local prominence, and died in 1874 at the age of fifty-seven. An incident in his career illustrates his unselfishness and his generous impulse. It also brought suddenly to the front an unexpected power of vivid narration. The account of the incident which has been furnished to us we quote entire. In January, 1854, a large covered freight boat with a cargo of nearly 100 Negro men who had been hired in the vicinity of Richmond to work in the furnaces above Buchanan was swept over the dam on James River at Balcony Falls, in consequence of the breaking of the tow-line, as the boat was struggling across the mouth of North River then swollen by a heavy freshet. Most of the Negroes as soon as the boat began to drift down the stream plunged into the river and swam to the bank. About a dozen of them who probably could not swim stuck to the boat and were dashed over the dam into the boiling and foaming whirlpool below. The boat was broken into fragments, and half the men drowned. The others clung to a fragment of the wreck and were drifted down the surging and roaring torrent about a mile and a half, until they struck a large rock called the²Velvet Rock,² from the carpet of soft green moss which covered it, when they jumped off and after much scrambling secured a precarious foothold on the narrow surface of the wet and slippery stone. One of these men was William G. Mathews, uncle to William G. Mathews of the Virginia Western Power Company. The river was rising, the spray dashed over the rock. The weather was freezing, a dark night was closing in, and it was impossible to send a boat through that surging torrent to bring off the shipwrecked sufferers, whose doom seemed to be sealed. To encourage them to hold on to their perilous position and to cheer their desponding spirits, a large fire was kindled on the opposite bank of the canal, about 100 yards off, by a body of rough, but kind-hearted men, who sang and danced and shouted around it all that dark and gloomy night. Above the loud roar of the turbid waters as they rushed through the narrow gorge of the Blue Ridge, their trumpet voice could be heard ringing on the midnight air, ³Hold on, hold on; dance and sing; we'll save you; we'll save you day is almost here; hold on; hold on; the river is falling; you're safe.² Thus animated and encourage, the imprisoned men did hold on through that awful night until the first faint streak of day, when the river having fallen during the night, a canoe danced over the foaming tide and brought the half-frozen men to the bank. And there was such a scene, such hugging, and dancing and laughing, and crying and shouting and rejoicing. A few days later Captain Edward Echols, who resided in the immediate vicinity and was an eye-witness of most of these thrilling scenes wrote a most vivid and graphic account of them, which was published in the Lexington Gazette and copied by many papers in and out of the state. Captain Echols almost literally photographed the whole catastrophe, from the breaking of the rope to the rescue of the men in a series of living pictures taken fresh from nature. You almost saw the boat as it plunged over the dam, and heard the shrieks of the drowning and drifting men. The style was perfectly simple and unpretending- of the drowning and drifting men. The style was perfectly simple and unpretending-like naive Isaac Walton in his ³Compleat Angler²- a style which every school boy thinks he can write until he tries, but which the critics say has never been successfully imitated,-fresh, racy nervous, pictorial, and yet familiar, colloquial, easy and natural. Captain Echol's success in that happy effort is easily explained. He felt warmly, the scenes were distinctly pictured on his heart, and his pen naturally copied them. Feeling is the source of eloquence, and simplicity is the source of refinement. It is but simple justice to a man to say that Captain Echols was untiring in his efforts to save these unfortunate men and that they probably owe him their lives. The same praise is due to another worthy man, Peter A. Salling. A Negro named Frank Padgett, who belonged to a gentleman of that name in Amherst, was drowned in a voluntary and heroic effort to save some of these imperiled men. The humane and martyr-like conduct of this poor slave, who simply yielded to his natural sympathies for his suffering fellows made a deep impression on Captain Echols's susceptible heart, and most justly encited his warm admiration. To commemorate this noble deed he erected at his own cost an enduring monument to Frank's memory at the lock opposite the ³Velvet Rock² about a mile and a half below the dam, in the midst of the wildest and grandest scenery in Virginia, where the gurgling and foaming river dashes tiny cascades through the overhanging mountains, and sweeps off in a glittering stream of glittering stream of silver. The traveler may observe s stout obelisk of dark marble bearing the following inscription: "IN MEMORY OF FRANK PADGET" "a colored slave who during a freshet in James River in January, 1854, ventured and lost his life by drowning in a noble effort to save some of his fellow creatures who were in the midst of the flood from death." If the hearty admiration and commendation of noble and generous action is the next thing to performing them, then when Captain Echols so generously erected this monument to this poor, humble Negro, who deserved it far better than many an overpraised and vulgar hero who dies on the field of battle, he illustrated the nobleness of his own heart and built for himself, let us hope, an enduring monument in the hearts of his countrymen. When the canal was sold to the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad Company, it was stipulated that the monument should not be disturbed, and a railing was placed around it. Source: A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, published in 1920. Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** EDMONDSON - During a long while the Edmondsons were numerously represented in this county. The name is now extinct, although it maintained itself more that a century and a half. James K., a son of James and Margaret, was a lawyer by occupation and was county judge from 1870 until 1881. In the Secession war he was colonel of the 22nd Virginia Infantry and lost an arm at Chancellorsville. He was married to Emily J. Taylor. No children were born to the union. Colonel Edmondson died in 1898 at the age of sixty-six. Source: A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, published in 1920. Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 ************************************************************************************** JAMES K. EDMONDSON Son of James and Margaret (Glasgow)Edmondson, was born in Rockbridge county, February 11, 1832 In Augusta county, Virginia, April 22, 1857, he was united in marriage with Emily J., daughter of John and Mary (Kercheval) Taylor. She was born in Augusta county on the 5th of July, 1835. James K. Edmondson was second lieutenant of a volunteer company raised in Rockbridge county in I859, and on the 18th, of April, 1861. under the call of Governor Letcher, the company took up its line of march for Harpers Ferry. He re- enlisted for the war in 1862 as second lieutenant of Company H, 27th Virginia Infantry, Stonewall brigade. The order of Lieutenant Edmondson's promotion was as follows: Elected captain in 1861, and upon expiration of the term of service of the company in spring of 1862 and re-enlistment of same for service through the war, was re-elected captain; in the same year was elected by the regimental officers lieutenant-colonel, to fill vacancy, and later in the same year was promoted by the Secretary of war colonel to fill vacancy. With this rank he served until leading his regiment on the field of Chancellorsville, where he was severely wounded, losing his entire left arm. The other battles in which he was engaged were Falling Waters, first Manassas, Kernstown, McDowell, Winchester, seven days fight around Richmond, and Fredericksburg. After recovery from his wounds, Colonel Edmondson was assigned to command of post at Lexington and upon election by popular vote of Rockbridge county to the office of county clerk in November, 1863, he resigned his commission in the army. He ably served as county clerk until 1869. In l87O he was elected by the legislature of Virginia judge of the county court of Rockbridge county for the term of four years, and was reelected for a term of six years, efficiently serving to the end of the second term. His profession is attorney-at-law, and his residence and postoffice address, Lexington, Rockbridge county, Virginia. Source: Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia (NY, Richmond, and Toledo: H. H. Hardesty and Company Publishers, 1884). p. 413. Transcribed and submitted by MRS JUDITH A PAUL , 1997 ************************************************************************************** GEORGE WILLIAMS EFFINGER born in Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia, February 11, 1846, was about three years of age when his parents made their home in Rock- bridge county where he has since resided. Madison Hite Effinger, born in Rockingham county, and Lucy F. (Williams) Effinger, of Nelson county, Virginia, were his parents. They are no longer living. In Rockbridge county was born Nannie M. Moore, who, at Forest Hill, this county, November 15, 1871. Became me the wife of George W. Effinger. Their daughter and only child, Lucy Madison, was born March 9, 1875. Mrs. Effinger was a daughter of Nathan G. and Nancy J. (McGuffin) Moore, her father born in Botetourt county, and her mother in Augusta county, Virginia. George W. Effinger enlisted in March, 1864, in Company C. lst Virginia Cavalry, and in June following, while Participating in Hunter's raid he was made prisoner and sent to Camp Chase, Ohio where he was held until paroled a short time before the close of the war. He was one of the enterprising farmers and well abreast of all the agricultural improvements of the day and serving Natural Bridge district as secretary of the school board. His post office address is Lexington, Rockbridge county, Virginia Source: Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia (NY, Richmond, and Toledo: H. H. Hardesty and Company Publishers, 1884). p. 413. Transcribed and submitted by MRS JUDITH A PAUL , 1997 ************************************************************************************** LEWIS CLARK ENTSMINGER - born in Rockbridge county, March 25,1809, is a son of David and Mary (Clark) Entsminger, both now many years dead. In this county, February 22, 1831, he was joined in wedlock .with Margaret Ford, who was born here June 7th 1811, a daughter of James and Anna (Standoff) Ford, now deceased. The children of Lewis C. Entsminger and wife are recorded: James F., born September 20,1832, died April 1, 1881; Martha A., born November 9, 1833, is at home; Sarah Jane born July 14, 1836, died May 5, 1839; Rebecca Y. (Reynolds), born March 27, 1839. lives in Bath county, this State; Nancy Emeline (Armstrong .), October 17, 1841; David H., July 8, 1845; Alexander C., July 9, 1848; Virginia E. (Reynolds), March 18, 1851-these four living in Rockbridge county; Lewis M., December 28, 1852, lives in Putnam county, West Virginia; Mary F. (Foster), September 30.1855, lives in this county. The two oldest sons were soldiers in the Confederate Army. Lewis Clark Entsminger served some time as captain in the state militia. He owns 175 acres of land on Colliers creek and gives his attention exclusively to farming. His present address is Collierstown, Rockbridge county, Virginia. Source: Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia (NY, Richmond, and Toledo: H. H. Hardesty and Company Publishers, 1884). p. 413. Transcribed and submitted by MRS JUDITH A PAUL , 1997 ************************************************************************************** ESTILL - The Estills who have been identified with Lexington, and have distinguished themselves in literary and professional lines, are of the numerous progeny of Wallace Estill, a grand nephew to the first white child born in New Jersey. Wallace lived in the Bullpasture valley from 1745 to 1773, and was high sheriff of undivided Augusta. When seventy-five years of age he moved to what is now Monroe county, a region then on the very border-line of settlement. At the time of this migration to Indian Creek, all-or all but one-of the nine children of his last wife were under age. The Estills have been people of strong mental power, and many of them engaged in public or professional life. The Estills of Lexington, sprang from Benjamin, The oldest son of Wallace, and a member of the first county court of Botetourt. Doctor Andre D. Estill was born in 1853 in Tazewell, but married Lavellette Davidson, of Rockbridge. Henry Estill, who died in 1880 at the early age of thirty-five, was a graduate of Washington College. He edited the Virginia Educational Journal, and was an author of school books. In 1878 he became McCormick Professor of Natural Philosophy in his alma Mater. Source: A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia by Oren F. Morton, published in 1920. Transcribed and submitted by: "Marilyn B. Headley" , 1997 **************************************************************************************