Merry Christmas 2012 to all my Aldersonian friends and with it
thoughts about our area from a voice from 1798 which still rings
true.
I’ve been researching Greenbrier County’s early history for my
family genealogy and found this wonderful quote by Col. John Stuart
about the Greenbrier Valley:
“In the following mentioned year, Colonel John Stuart, then old and
feeble, entered the office of the County Clerk at Lewisburg, and in
Deed Book No. 1, beginning on page 754, wrote the following:”
"Memorandum-1798, July 15th (by John Stuart).
“May I here hazard a conjecture that has often occurred to me since
I inhabited this place, that Nature has designed this part of the
world a peaceable retreat for some of her favorite children, where
pure morals will be preserved by separating them from other
societies at so respectful a distance by ridges of mountains; and I
sincerely wish time may prove my conjecture rational and true. From
the springs of salt water discoverable along our river, banks of
iron ore, mines pregnant with salt-petre and forests of sugar trees
so amply provided and so easily acquired, I have no doubt the future
inhabitants of this County will surely avail themselves of such
singular advantages greatly to their comfort and satisfaction, and
render them a grateful and and happy people."
