Table Of Content

A U G U S T A H I S T O R I C A L B U L L AUGUSTA E T I N HISTORICAL BULLETIN V O L U M E 5 3 – Founded 1964 2 P.O.Box 686 • Staunton, Virginia 24402-0686 01 VOLUME 53 – 2017 7 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, authors 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. -1-