Page 132 - History of Rockingham Co
P. 132
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY
being projected, some towns, perhaps, being "boomed,"
several banks being established, many roads being con-
structed, and a large number of bridges being erected. In the
decade preceding the crisis of 1837 the building of turnpikes
was especially in vogue, the Valley Turnpike and the one
leading from Harrisonburg to Warm Springs both being con-
structed within that time. The Rockingham Turnpike, lead-
ing from Harrisonburg eastward toward SvWft Run Gap, was
not built until some years later, but still within the period
under consideration. The roads, good and bad, were being
utilized, not only for neighborhood communication and trans-
portation, but also for a great wagon trade with Scottsville,
Fredericksburg, Winchester, and other markets; and the
Shenandoah River at the same time was a throbbing channel
of navigation between the eastern sections of the county and
the cities on the Potomac.
Chapters XII and XXVI are devoted specially to roads
and the river trade, respectively; further particulars regard-
ing banks may be found in Chapter XXII; and a number of
items concerning the bridges of the county will be found
here and there— some further on in this chapter.
Rockingham County has always been notable as a distri-
buting center for people. In this respect it resembles those
counties of Eastern Pennsplvania, whence most of its early
settlers came. Far and wide, over the south, west, and north-
west, in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri,
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and many other States, not only indi-
viduals but also communities may be found that trace their
ancestry or former places of residence to Rockingham County,
Virginia. As already indicated, emigration was common
from the first, but so great was the exodus in the period under
review that the number of Rockinghamers actually in Rock-
ingham in 1850 was about 300 less than in 1830; and emigra-
tion was so rapid in the decade following 1830 that the popu-
lation (only the white population is included in these figures)
was nearly 3000 less in 1840 than in 1830. To cite a single
instance, there were nine children in one of the Kaylor fami-
—113—
being projected, some towns, perhaps, being "boomed,"
several banks being established, many roads being con-
structed, and a large number of bridges being erected. In the
decade preceding the crisis of 1837 the building of turnpikes
was especially in vogue, the Valley Turnpike and the one
leading from Harrisonburg to Warm Springs both being con-
structed within that time. The Rockingham Turnpike, lead-
ing from Harrisonburg eastward toward SvWft Run Gap, was
not built until some years later, but still within the period
under consideration. The roads, good and bad, were being
utilized, not only for neighborhood communication and trans-
portation, but also for a great wagon trade with Scottsville,
Fredericksburg, Winchester, and other markets; and the
Shenandoah River at the same time was a throbbing channel
of navigation between the eastern sections of the county and
the cities on the Potomac.
Chapters XII and XXVI are devoted specially to roads
and the river trade, respectively; further particulars regard-
ing banks may be found in Chapter XXII; and a number of
items concerning the bridges of the county will be found
here and there— some further on in this chapter.
Rockingham County has always been notable as a distri-
buting center for people. In this respect it resembles those
counties of Eastern Pennsplvania, whence most of its early
settlers came. Far and wide, over the south, west, and north-
west, in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri,
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and many other States, not only indi-
viduals but also communities may be found that trace their
ancestry or former places of residence to Rockingham County,
Virginia. As already indicated, emigration was common
from the first, but so great was the exodus in the period under
review that the number of Rockinghamers actually in Rock-
ingham in 1850 was about 300 less than in 1830; and emigra-
tion was so rapid in the decade following 1830 that the popu-
lation (only the white population is included in these figures)
was nearly 3000 less in 1840 than in 1830. To cite a single
instance, there were nine children in one of the Kaylor fami-
—113—
