Greene County Facts History of Greene County: Pre-Settlement At least ten thousand years ago, Paleo-Indians used to gather north of what is now Greene County, along the Shenandoah Valley, in search of their main source of spear and knife points: jasper. These hunters, however, only stayed for short periods of time to enjoy temporary hunting grounds in the Shenandoah mountains. It is not surprising that artifacts from ten thousand years ago are rare and have never been found in Greene County. However, it is inconceivable that some adventurous group, possibly during a point in time when animals were fewer and more diffi cult to fi nd, did not fi nd their way into what is now Greene County. Over time, with the retreating of glaciers and changing of the climate, Virginia became a warmer place with nut-producing trees and berryproducing bushes. While some bands of Paleo-Indians followed the glaciers north, other natives found permanent cave protection in the new warm environment where they could not only hunt but gather plenty. In 1953, archaeologists found and surveyed a rock shelter just west of Brown’s Cove in Albemarle County which yielded proof of residency over a considerable period of time. Other examples of artifacts from c. 2000 BCE found in Greene County include stone ax heads, mortars, pestles and pottery. Early European explorers in what is now Greene County, encountered Monacan Indians, what we now know to be a loose confederation of tribes related to those living in the Dakotas. Other tribes called them “Siouan”, meaning “diggers in the dirt” in Algonquian language, for their traditions of cultivating corn, squash and other greens. While farming was their trademark, the hundreds of small arrows that have been found in the County show us that they were still hunters as well. Explorers did fi nd strong tribes, but early settlers found few if any natives. The pressure of white man’s western movement, including the introduction of certain European diseases, probably caused remaining Indians to abandon the land. Today, there are still a few people near Amherst, Virginia who claim to be descendants of the Monacan tribe. In Greene County, there is a persistent belief that some residents in the hollows have some Indian blood. We do know that in the period between the earliest colonists and the arrival of settlers, traders and trappers ventured deep into the Appalachian Mountains. Historically throughout the country, traders took native women as consorts both for personal interest and for diplomatic ties to local tribes. When the Indians left the area, it seems possible that a few descendants of the traders and trappers - with Indian blood - remained to intermarry with a few early settlers. It is doubtful if we will ever know for certain whether or not Indian blood remains in Greene County. The Beginnings of Greene County Around 1670, statutes aimed at controlling Indian trade prove that there existed extensive independent traders in the area. But in 1679, German scholar John Lederer led an expedition commissioned by Lieutenant Governor William Berkeley. They traveled along the Pamunkey River to the “Apalateaean (sic) Mountains”, encountering what we believe to be many sites in Greene County including the Rapidan River, Swift Run River and Hightop Mountain. The more well known expedition of Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood set out on August 29, 1716 with 63 men and 73 horses. A preponderance of evidence indicates that they crossed the mountains at Swift Run Gap, traveling through what is now Greene County. The symbol of Greene County comes from this legendary trip, and the Greene County Historical Society’s publication, A Greene County History, chronicles the legend: “We are told that at the end of the journey, Spotswood gave each of his men a golden horseshoe in which colored stones represented the nails. On one side was the Latin motto, ‘Sic juvat transcendere montes’ (How delightful it is to cross mountains). On the other side were the words, ‘The Tramontane Order.’ Tramontane is a classical Italian-derived word referring to anything that comes from, or anyone who lives on, the other side of mountains. Unfortunately the golden horseshoes, if Spotswood did actually present them to the men, have all been lost.” Within 20 years, almost all of what is now Greene County, except the more mountainous land, had been taken up in grants from the King of England, a total of c. 60,000 acres. One survey marker from an eight-piece (Octonia) grant still remains as a National and State Registered Historical site, the Octonia Stone. There were actually a number of rigorous requirements for keeping such a grant and after the initial eight grantees failed at meeting the requirements, the grant was renewed in 1729 to only one man - Robert Beverly. Through marriage into the Beverly family, William Stanard managed to inherit a signifi cant portion of the Octonia grant in 1756. But after a lifetime of development of his own Stanard - ville and accession to membership in the Virginia House of Delegates, at his death William had 4 Gateway to Greene!
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