History Matters

On Being Brought from Africa to America ‘Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land, Taught my benighted soul to understand That there’s a God, that there’s a Savior too: Once I redemption neither sought nor knew. Some view our sable race with scornful eye, “Their colour is a diabolic […]

A little after midnight on February 27, 1776, about 800 Loyalist men wearing their Scottish Tartans came through the swampy woods clutching their weapons. The Bagpipes were playing highlander music to encourage the men as they moved forward toward the patriot forces. They carried their ancient weapons, large heavy broadswords […]

General Washington won his first victory, and it felt like a miracle. After he built fortifications and placed cannon on Dorchester Heights, overlooking the city, the British sailed away and abandoned Boston. They have taken their army and all the civilian Loyalists who wanted to leave and sailed to Nova […]

Welcome back to “Our History Matters”. Today, I would like to discuss the Fincastle Resolutions. What were they, and why are they important? In 1775, our part of Virginia was in the County of Fincastle. It stretched from the New River west to the Mississippi River. It included Southwest Virginia, […]

We have all heard of the Boston Tea Party, but many wonder why it happened. Samuel Adams said, “The Boston Tea Party was a protest against taxation without representation.” The Colonists were getting more upset with British Rule and looking for new ways to protest. They were not happy and […]

This column is for you, the readers of the New River Valley. I plan to share some interesting short history stories with you as we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday. History is about folks, just like you and me, and why they did the things they did. Not just what […]