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HISTORICAL
BULLETIN
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Founded 1964 2
P.O.Box 686 • Staunton, Virginia 24402-0686 01 VOLUME 53 – 2017
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www.AugustaCountyHS.org
Presidents
of the
Augusta County Historical Society
*Dr. Richard P. Bell, 1964-1966
*Harry Lee Nash, Jr., 1966-1967
*Dr. Marshall M. Brice, 1967-1968
*Dr. James Sprunt, 1968-1970
*Richard M. Hamrick, Jr., 1970-1972
+Joseph B.Yount III, 1972-1974
*Mrs. William Bushman, 1974-1976
*John M. Dunlap, Jr., 1976-1977
Miss Mary Kathryn Blackwell, 1977-1979
Mrs. Harry D. Hevener, 1979-1981
John M. McChesney, Jr., 1981-1983
Mrs. John E. True, 1983-1985
Edgar R. Coiner, 1985-1987
Charles R. Chittum, 1987-1989
*Mrs. William B. Patterson, 1989-1991
*R. Fontaine McPherson, Jr., 1991-1993
Dr. James B. Patrick, 1993-1995
Dr. Ann McCleary, 1995-1997
Dr. Katharine L. Brown, 1997-1999
Nancy T. Sorrells, 2000-2001
Mary Beirne Nutt, 2002-2003
Dr. Kenneth Keller, 2004-2005
Linda Petzke, 2006-2007
Dr. Katharine L. Brown, 2008-2011
Nancy T. Sorrells, 2012-2013
Linda Petzke, 2014-2015
Charles R. Chittum, 2016-
*Charter Member of Society
+Honorary Charter Member
Augusta
Historical
Bulletin
Published by the
AUGUSTA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Founded 1964
Post Office Box 686
Staunton, Virginia 24402-0686
www.augustacountyhs.org
VOLUME 53 2017
Copyright 2018 by the Augusta County Historical Society
ISSN: 0571-8899 Copies of this annual issue go to all members
500 copies printed.
Augusta County Historical Society
A purpose of the Augusta County Historical Society is to
publish the Augusta Historical Bulletin, which is to be sent
without charge to all members.
The membership of the society is composed of persons
who pay the following dues:
Annual (individual).........................................................$35
Annual (family).................................................................$50
Annual Institutional.............................................................$35
Membership renewal notices are sent out based on the
month in which you joined the society.
NOTICE
It is urgent that the society be promptly notified of changes
of address. Bulletins that cannot be delivered by the postal
service will not be forwarded due to high postage rates.
P.O. Box 686
Staunton, VA 24402-0686
540-248-4151 [email protected]
www.augustacountyhs.org
Augusta County Historical Society office and research library are
located on the third floor of the R.R. Smith Center for History and
Art at 20 South New Street, Staunton, VA 24401. A parking garage
is located across the street.
Cover design by Jennifer Wood
Contents
Dr. DeJarnette's Trunk
By Suzanne Fisher Page 1
The history of the Thomas-Fields VFW Post 7814
By Melissa Patrick Page 21
Pragmatic Capitalism: Businessman Michael G. Harman of
Staunton, Virginia, 1823-1877
By Dr. Maria Lee Page 41
Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, and the 1832 Election in Staunton
and Augusta County
By Daniel A. Métraux Page 54
Brethren during the Civil War: Christian Kline, his sons, the Confed-
erate draft, and their filings with the Southern Claims Commission
By Wayne Diehl Page 58
Augusta African-American men who served with the
Union in the Civil War
By Donna Huffer Page 75
Augusta Military Academy in WWI
By Morgan Liddick Page 86
World War I in Staunton and Augusta County
By Allegra Morrison Page 91
Montgomery Hall: A Plantation and a Park
National Register Nomination Page 98
Book reviews (By Daniel A. Métraux)
1) Edward Ayers, The Thin Light of Freedom Page 142
2) Laten E. Bechtel, Interviewer, In Their Words Page 144
3) Andrei Kushnir, Oh, Shenandoah: Paintings Page 147
4) Gordon Barlow, Augusta County: Virginia's Western
Frontier Page 149
5) William J. Miller, Decision at Tom's Brook Page 150
-- iii --
6) Hugh B. Sproul III, Glenmore Hunt Page 151
7) William B. Pittard, Once Upon A Ridge Page 152
Books of General Historical Interest
8) David McCullough, The Wright Brothers Page 153
9) Charles Rappleye, Herbert Hoover Page 155
10) Cokie Roberts, Capital Dames Page156
11) John Strausbaugh, City of Sedition Page 157
12) Geoffrey Cowan, Let the People Rule Page 159
13) Adam Krakowski, Vermont Prohibition Page 160
Recent Acquisitions of the
Augusta County Historical Society Page 162
Index Page 180
ACHS officers Page 187
Family Heritage Program Page 188
-- iv --
Augusta Historical Bulletin: Editorial Policy
The editors of the Augusta Historical Bulletin welcome submissions
relating to any topic or period in the history of Augusta County, Virginia, and
its wider environs. Submissions may take the form of articles, research notes,
edited documents, or indexes to historical documents. Other formats might
be acceptable, but prospective authors of such submissions are encouraged
to consult with a member of the editorial board. With rare exceptions, the
Bulletin does not publish manuscripts that focus exclusively on genealogical
matters. Authors should strive to make their contributions accessible to a
broad readership. In matters of form and style, authors should adhere to
the guidelines and strictures set forth in the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th
ed., or Kate L. Turabian, et al., A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses,
and Dissertations, 6th ed., both of which are widely available in libraries and
bookstores. A style sheet, prepared by the editors of the Bulletin, is available
upon request. Authors should submit four double-spaced copies of their
manuscripts, with endnotes where applicable, and include photocopies of
any illustrations. Upon acceptance of the manuscript for publication, au-
thors must provide an electronic copy of it, as well as publishable-quality
illustrations.
Manuscripts or requests for style sheets should be sent to: The
Augusta County Historical Society, Attention: Bulletin Editors, P.O.
Box 686, Staunton, Virginia 24402-0686. Please try to submit proposed
manuscripts by July 15, 2018. Queries may also be sent to: Nancy Sorrells
([email protected]).
Dr. DeJarnette's Trunk
By Suzanne Fisher
Editor’s Note: A dusty trunk, stenciled “Dr. J.S. DeJarnette, Staunton, VA,” on
one side, was the first project presented to Jim Hobin and Suzanne Fisher when
they began volunteering at the Augusta County Historical Society archives. The
trunk was donated to the historical society in 2011 by James Kivlighan, who
found it in the attic of a house he purchased on Sherwood Avenue in Staunton.
The house has once been occupied by Dr. Joseph DeJarnette, the longest serving
Superintendent of Western State Hospital.
The bulk of the material in the trunk ranges in date from 1889 to approxi-
mately 1914, and is a mix of personal, professional, and hospital-related materials.
These include photographs, notebooks, correspondence, poems, receipts, check
registers, copies of wills, annual bound Western State Hospital reports, articles,
newspaper clippings, issues of periodicals and newspapers, and ephemera such
as birthday cards and invitations. A later batch of documents relates to the estate
of Nanette Hopkins, DeJarnette’s sister-in-law, who died in 1938. This article
is a fascinating “inside look” at Dr. DeJarnette looking through the lens of the
contents of his trunk.
Joseph Spencer DeJarnette was born on September 29, 1866, in Spot-
sylvania County, the son of Elliott Hayes DeJarnette, formerly a captain in
the Confederate Army, and Evelyn May Magruder DeJarnette.
His mother educated him and prepared him to enter the Medical
College of Virginia, from which he graduated in 1888. He was hired as As-
sistant Physician at the Western Lunatic Asylum (after 1894 called Western
State Hospital). In 1905 he was appointed superintendent and remained
in that position until he retired in 1943. He was involved in the establish-
ment of the Virginia State Epileptic Colony at Lynchburg, Virginia. He was
responsible for founding the DeJarnette State Sanatorium in Staunton, a
private hospital for paying patients, and was superintendent there from
its formation in 1932 until 1947.
Private Life
One of the earliest artifacts in the trunk collection, which dates from
the first years of DeJarnette’s career in Staunton, is a small red notebook
with the date 1898 (when he was assistant physician) written on the cover.
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