The History of Greene County and the Town of Stanardsville

Stanardsville’s history is very similar to that of many Central Virginia colonial and post-colonial towns with some subtle differences. Stanardsville’s geographic location east of the Swift Run Gap created lucrative business opportunities to accommodate travelers going to and from the Shenandoah Valley. With Stanardsville being the Greene County Seat, the town was the site for trials held at the Court House (Site # 1 on the Tour). Throughout the mid 1800s, Circuit Judges would travel Judicial Circuits holding trials in small towns throughout Virginia and across many of the other States. Lawyers would travel with these judges to represent clients. Of note Abraham Lincoln was a “circuit” lawyer in Illinois. When the court came to town it was an exciting and lucrative time for the town’s residents and merchants. The judges, lawyers and clients traveling to the towns needed accommodations. Merchants and entrepreneurs established businesses to accommodate both travelers and the numerous people that would come to town when court was in session. Some of the sites on the tour were built or transitioned to businesses to support this need.

Like many towns, fires, neglect, and termites have claimed most of the original buildings. One of these many casualties was the William Stanard House, which was located behind Grace Episcopal Church (site # 16) on Ford Ave. Today, the oldest surviving structure in the town is the Sorrille House – 1815 (Site # 28).

Like all towns, Stanardsville evolved with technology. As the horse and buggy was replaced with the automobile, local harness and blacksmiths shops were replaced with the Service Station (site # 18) and the Stanardsville Motor Company (site # 29). The Stanardsville Motor Company, like many of the shops and businesses in Stanardsville, faded away as it was unable to compete with similar businesses in larger towns.

Today, Stanardsville continues to evolve and the Swift Run Gap continues to play an important role in the area's revitalization. Stanardsville, known as the “Gateway to the Shenandoah Valley” is taking advantage of its unique geographic location to encourage tourism by conducting numerous festivals and activities. Businesses that are focused on tourism are beginning to develop to meet this new market. For example, just as Noon Whistle Pottery took over the original Stanardsville Motor Company building, Stanardsville Methodist Church recently bought the former Stanardsville Auto Repair garage and will re-purpose the building as a coffee shop.

To place the tour in historical perspective, the following synopsis of the early history of Greene County and Stanardsville is provided.

The Earliest Inhabitants: Native Americans have occupied the area that is now Greene County and Stanardsville since around 9,200 B.C. During this early period of occupation Native peoples were nomadic hunters who followed herds of elk and deer into the area. From 500 B.C. until 1,600 A.C the area was occupied by the Mannahoacs who lived in villages existing by hunting, gathering and farming taking advantage of the abundant natural resources in the area. When the area that is now Greene County was first explored by John Lederer in 1669 the Mannahoacs villages were long abandoned. The Native people had succumbed to diseases introduced by the Spanish and spread by contact with other tribes and were forced out of the area by tribes from the north who were expanding their range in search of furs to trade to the English, French, and Dutch. Artifacts from these Native peoples are on exhibit at the Greene County Historical Society’s Museum.

The Search for the Pass: John Lederer led two expeditions, sanctioned by the British, to find a passage through the mountains and both times he failed to find the elusive passage. At this time it was believed that the “East India Sea” was on the other side of mountains and the land west of the range was claimed by the Spanish and French. The fall line of the James River was considered the frontier for Virginians at this time. Lederer’s earliest expedition may have passed through the area that is now Stanardsville as he is thought to have reached the mountains somewhere between Greene and Madison Counties.

The Knights of the Golden Horseshoe: In 1716 than Lieutenant Governor Spotswood participated in an expedition that tradition says passed through the area that is now Stanardsville crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains at Swift Run Gap. After the expedition Spotswood gave each gentleman who toasted the King’s health at the crest of the Blue Ridge a commemorative Golden Horseshoe; these gentlemen became known as the “Knights of the Golden Horseshoe”. The horseshoe in the Greene County Seal reflects this history.

Swift Run Gap: Swift Run Gap played a prominent role in the history of Stanardsville. The Town’s location to the east of the gap made it an important rest stop for travelers traveling to and from the Shenandoah Valley through the Gap. A number of businesses like boarding houses, hotels, taverns, inns, shops and stores were established to accommodate travelers. During the Civil War the Gap was used as a major egress and regress route for the Confederate units under the command of Stonewall Jackson. It was so critical that a Brigade from General Richard Ewell’s Division was positioned in Stanardsville to defend the Gap from the Union Army. On March 1st 1864 a cavalry skirmish occurred north of the town near the present day Greene Hills Country Club’s golf course that involved General George C. Custer who was leading Union patrols south out of the Culpeper Garrison. A Confederate Cemetery (Site 33) is located in the Town the last resting place of some of the soldiers from Ewell’s Brigade during the occupation.

Octonia Grant: In 1722 a land grant of 24,000 acres was issued by the King of England that included land in what was then Spotsylvania County, now Orange County, extending west into now Greene County. The grant was called the Octonia Grant as it was extended to 8 prominent Virginians. Given they failed to comply with the terms, it was reissued in 1729 to Robert Beverly the great uncle of William Stannard for whom Stanardsville is named. Of interest, William Stannard’s grandfather was one the original 8 grantees as was Robert Beverly’s father. A large boulder off of Route 637 north of Stannardsville marks the northwest boundary of the grant. The boulder is engraved with an “8” to identify it as part of the Octonia Grant. Another stone survey marker associated with the Grant can be found in Stanardsville (Historical Site # 15).

Early Settlers: The population of the area, that is now Stanardsville and Greene County started to grow in the mid-1700s and continued to after the end of the Revolutionary War. Settlers cleared the land and started small farms. While some of the settlers came directly from England and Ireland most were Virginians who relocated from eastern counties. Scotch-Irish families tended to settle in the mountains and foothills of the Blue Ridge west of Stanardsville. In the early 1930s many of these families were removed from their ancestral properties so that the Shenandoah National Park could be established. A monument is in Stanardsville that commemorates these families (site # 10). African American families came to the area as both slaves and Freeman. After the Civil War the African American Community established the Shiloh Baptist Church (Site 31) and the African American School (Site 32).

Stanardsville is Born: William Stanard came to the area around May 1779 to live on the 6,000 acre plantation he had inherited from his father who had died in 1765. The reason for the move west was probably to escape the Revolutionary War ensuring his and his families safety. The plantation which encompassed a large part of current Greene County was part of the Octonia Grant left to him by his great uncle. In 1794 Stanard divided 45 acres of his western Orange County, now Greene County, property that was along the “Richmond Pike” into half acre lots and began to sell them. On December 19th 1794 the Virginia General Assembly designated the area as an unincorporated town of “Stanards Ville”. Soon after Stanardsville became the largest town in western Orange County. Stanard became the High Sheriff of Spotsylvania and a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. These duties required him to spend a great deal of time in Fredericksburg. William Stanard died in 1807 with his funeral and internment taking place in Fredericksburg.

Greene County: Stanardsville and the area that is Greene County remained part of Orange County until 1838. Residents and settlers, unhappy with the long distance and time required to travel from Stanardsville and the surrounding farms to the Orange County Seat petitioned to form their own County. In 1838 Greene County was established and named for Nathanael Greene of Revolutionary War fame. Stanardsville became Greene County’s Seat; the present courthouse stands on the land donated by William Stanard.

Sources:

Stanardsville Then and Now, edited by Nancy H Morris

http://octoniahighlands.com/History.html

http://learningabe.info/lawyer.html

http://greenehistory.org/history.htm