I've had a life so far beyond anything I could have imagined or dreamed. In my early days in Brunswick the future looked like a career as a high school math teacher. Mildred Cox provided a strong groundwork for that career path. I thank her and all of the wonderful teachers we had at BHS. I also owe my career to Joe Hartman. Joe asked me to go to Baltimore to take the test for the Westinghouse/Johns Hopkins Awards program. I passed the test and the interview and was accepted into the program. College and a new career started four days after graduation. The program provided a great career that took me from being an engineering aide at Westinghouse to eventually achieving the position as President of Applied Technical Services in Washington state. Who could have ever predicted that. If someone had described to me my future while I was a teenager I would have never believed them.
For as long as I can remember I have had wanderlust. That has taken me to forty-nine of the fifty states and in a few days it will be fifty (only North Dakota left), twenty-six state capitols, and thirty-five countries. For the first seventeen years of my life the longest trip was via train with my Grandparents to visit the Peacher family in Hamilton Ohio, always a great time. Other than Hamilton our vacations were most usually to visit my Uncle Donald's family in Berkeley Springs or our Peyton relatives in Falls Church. There was the occasional trip to Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. or somewhere in Maryland but those were all day trips.
The trip this summer for me was easy. A few asked if I were apprehensive about taking such a long trip (10,000 miles so far). Nothing could be further from the truth. I've dreamed for years about taking an extended cross-country trip. The stars aligned and the right camper appeared and Raven and I set off for points east on the first of May. I've had the opportunity to see amazing and wonderful places. We live in a diverse and beautiful country. Beyond that God has given me the richest gift possible, the presence of each of you in my life. Trump, Gates, Buffet and others may have financial wealth but that pales in comparison to the wealth of your friendship and love. Others of you have said I've inspired or touched your life in some way. For that I say thank you for allowing me to be even a small part of your life.
To my friends and family in the Pacific Northwest I look forward to seeing each of you in the upcoming months. Some of you I saw just before I left, others it's been the passing of several years. I miss each of you and can't wait to see you and talk with you soon. To those of you on the east coast. I'll be back in January and again in the spring. I'm being blessed with the birth of another grandchild in November, Luke Austin Myers. Thank you Keith and Cherry and may God watch over you and provide continued good health through this most amazing time in your lives. In the spring I'm going to return to go on a cross-country road trip with my cousin, Holly Garrett, and return for the 50th reunion of the class of '64 from Brunswick High School.
So here is our trip as we departed on the 17th of August:
We camped for about the last ten days of our visit at the KOA campground at Harpers Ferry. It's a great campground and it afforded the opportunity to explore an area where my ancestors lived and walked. My 3rd Great Grandparents, John Sr. and Lydia Peacher lived and died in the Harpers Ferry area. I've been researching the family for a number of years. As best I can tell, John was an only child and possibly an orphan. He was born somewhere in the area around Boonsboro and Middletown to Thomas and Nancy Pitcher. He appears in Harpers Ferry in 1803 and lived there until 1810. In 1811 he ventured to Groveport, Madison Township, Franklin County Ohio where he purchased 1 1/2 square miles of land, married Lydia Mollihon, and had the first three of his ten children.
In 1816-1817, at the conclusion of the War of 1812, he sold his property in Ohio and returned to Harpers Ferry where he resumed his career as a boatman, transporting goods from Harpers Ferry to Georgetown and Alexandria. In 1817 he purchased Virginius Island, constructed a mill and home, and began a career as a miller.
This is a typical long boat that John would have used to transport goods.
The Potomac had a number of challenges for boating goods down the river.
The Potowmack Canal system allowed John and others to transport goods from Harpers Ferry to Georgetown and Alexandria
National Park Service map of Virginius Island
A millwheel found on Virginius Island
Stonework used to control the flow of water to some of the later mills on the island.
The mill foundation
Stonework between the island and Harpers Ferry
Bridge from the island to Harpers Ferry
In 1823 John Peacher sold the Island to James Stubblefield, superintendent of the federal armory in Harpers Ferry.
To read more: http://www.wvculture.org/history/journal_wvh/wvh54-1.html
In 1819 John Peacher, Sr. purchased his second property in the Harpers Ferry area, Keep Tryst Furnace property, also known as The Old Furnace", from the U.S. Secretary of War. As if that were not enough John bought property on the Potomac in Loudoun County, across the Potomac from Weaverton, in 1824 from the Everhart family. He constructed a mill, house and supporting buildings and operated a mill there until he sold the property in 1839. He must have lived between the Old Furnace and Loudoun properties with his family until his death in 1864. His daughter Sabina inherited the property upon her father's passing. John, his family, and his property saw and were involved in much of the local engagement of encampment and engagement during the civil war. At different times, both his property and his son's, John Jr. at Samples Manor in Maryland, were occupied by either the Union or Confederate troops.
A view from the Old Furnace property looking toward the Potomac.
Raven on the path from the Potomac to the Old Furnace property.
Guns on Bolivar Heights just over the hill from the Old Furnace property.
Raven and I got up early on the 17th so we could drive into and park in Harpers Ferry. It was a beautiful sunny morning with fog just lifting from the Potomac River and Maryland and Loudoun Heights.
Early morning fog on the Potomac
From Harpers Ferry across the Potomac to Maryland Heights
From Harpers Ferry to Loudoun Heights
A home along Shenandoah Street as you enter Harpers Ferry.
Looking down Shenandoah Street as you enter town.
Shopping as it was in the 1800's
An early day Walmart?
Shenandoah Street - Harpers Ferry in the early morning
The engine house, where John Brown and some of his men were hold-up and captured
All aboard the B&O
Looking east from the station across the Potomac River
Harpers Ferry Station as it is today.
It's interesting. John Peacher was also involved with the B&O. The railroad built on and passed through his property in 1834. John's daughter Sarah Jane married Christian Smith, first engineer on the B&O. The area on the railroad passing through the Old Furnace property is known today as Peacher's Mill. During John Brown's activities in Harpers Ferry in 1859 a train headed from the west to Washington was stopped at Peacher's Mill. After a delay the train was allowed to continue and people in Washington were notified. The Army sent Robert E. Lee to Harpers Ferry to put down the insurrection.
So I give to each of you a thank you for a wonderful summer and I share with you our trip home to the Pacific Northwest. Raven and I thank you for following our grand adventure.
