rian faith.
As soon as they had cleared the lands and built their homes they planted
orchards, built their barns and settled down. These were thoughtful men
and women who kept their emotions under constant guard. Yet when
occasion arose, they spoke simply and clearly and were unafraid. They
detested civil tyranny and as they were far away from the seat of
government, to a certain extent they made their own laws and rigidly
adhered to them.

They were among the first in the Valley of Virginia to rally to the
defense of their country during the War of the Revolution.

In their moral life, they were almost Puritanical. This was founded on
religious principle and often they were considered austere and stern.
Yet those who knew them, felt the kindness and devotion to which they
did not give expressions in words. To them, deeds meant more than
promises. Though they reproved one without a smile, their eyes often
expressed understanding and sympathy and the offending one felt the deep
love which had moved the other to speak--always for the good of the
offender. And while some other fault would rear its head, not often was
the offense repeated which had called forth the reproach.

The men and women were deeply religious and family prayers were the
first order of the day. As soon as homes were established provisions
were made for religious services to be held. Tiny churches dotted the
Valley wherever the Scotch-Irish settled. If the church was far away, as
it was from some, on meeting day young and old mounted their horses and
rode the intervening miles for the long services.

Many of these old Presbyterian churches are still standing today and
they serve as monuments to that hardy race of men and women who braved
all for religious freedom and for civic liberty. The building of these
churches meant such labor as we of the present generation cannot know.
There were no roads and no sawmills. An old historian tells us how one
church was built:

"The people of Providence Congregation packed all the sand used
in building their church from a place six miles distant, sack
and sack, on the backs of horses! And what is almost
incredible, the fair wives and daughters of the congregation
are said to have undertaken this part of the work, while the
men labored at the stone and timber. Let not the
great-granddaughters of these women blush for them however
deeply they would blush themselves to be f