Alford Tales -- A Trip to Court

Margaret took time to talk about the creation of Rockingham County and the celebrations that came after it.  She gave little information about the events, so this is first part written from what I could find about the county's founding, but the trip to the courthouse and witnessing a day in court was from Margaret herself.

Set back and enjoy "A Trip to Court."

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I was very young when Rockingham County was created from Augusta County in October 1777.  I was only 4 years old, but remember the celebrations.  Governor Henry made Silas Hart our first sheriff. I remember him after my father's death coming to see my Mama.  Rather sympathetic he was.  Tom Lewis came by as well.  He was the surveyor and surveyed Pa's land when he first moved here.  But that's a tale for another day.

Harrisonburg became the county seat in 1779.  I heard stories of the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe traveling through the area sometime well over a hundred years ago.  So that became the site of Rocktown.  Later renamed it to Harrisonburg after Tom Harrison.  He gave the town about 2 acres for use if the public good.  Used it for the first courthouse.  Later he gave more land.  His son Benjamin later married Mr. Alford and me.  But that's another tale for another day.

My Pa took us to Rocktown to a celebration of the new county.  It was in the spring the following year.  Too cold and too much work to prepare for the winter to be traveling in October.  I remember it was warm and it was the first time I had iced cream.  It had apricots in it.  Heard Mama talking to Mrs. Donald's about the receipt.  Came from Mrs. Glasse's. We had a good time.  Later went when Harrisonburg was named the county seat.  Sometimes I still call it Rocktown.  

My earliest memory of the courthouse was in October of 1780.  John took us over to Tom Harrison's plantation to do some trading of woven material, but also to see the building.  I was 12 years old.  I had seen it but never been in it.  It was a stone building.  Two story.  Divided into two rooms with windows and fireplaces.  They were using it as a courthouse that day.

They were holding court and the men were all arguing.  They were talking about Randall McDonald's daughter.  He had died while he was fighting in the army.  John Magill was taking care of her.  He got some corn and pork.  Then they argued about poor Anne Gum and her two, I think it was two, maybe three, no two children.  Lost her husband as well in the service.  My Pa had done work for the service.  We lost him as well.  

Many widows and children back in those days were taken care of by their neighbors and friends.  That is what happened to us.  After Pa died, John took us in. Married my Mama and treated us like his own.  We got land from him after he died.  My Pa's 46 acres were sold so Mama had some money when John met her.  I never went to any other courts until later in my life, here in Monroe County.  Mr. Alford has been many times.