Just a quick note on an upcoming tour.  This Saturday, July 15 the SBPA has the pleasure to host members of the Myers Family on their ancestral farm, Mountain View Farm, also known as the Far Away Farm and the James Osbourn Farm.  At 1 pm we will convene at the farm house, and family members who have not seen their family’s former house in over 50 years or more will have an opportunity to walk through the home and grounds.  We greatly appreciate the generosity of the current farmhouse renters who have granted this very special access.

Some may know the Myers descendants locally as the Lowe family that run the mulch plant, Potomac Farms Nursery, and Ken Lowe – Developer of the Clarion and Quality Inn.  As owners of the Mountain View Farm from 1883 to 1943, the family has a special role in the story to preserve the Battle of Shepherdstown.

Much of our current knowledge of the farm during that time is due to the diligent work of Elizabeth Snyder Lowe, documented in her book, “The Folks of Swan Pond”, of which I have a copy.  Five generations of the Folk family farmed Swan Pond in a house built by Lord Fairfax to run his northern neck estate.  Swan Pond is located off Rt. 45 on the right before reaching the Opequon Creek.  A Folk daughter was given Mountain View Farm (Osbourn Farm) as a wedding present in 1883.  Ms. Lowe, who is a Folk family member, will be attending the tour of the farm that she described in her 1989 book.

Thanks to Shepherdstown native and Folk-Myers family member, Jerry T. Moore for bringing much of this to light.  J.T. is an active SBPA member who loaned his family’s artifacts for the recent SBPA weekend displays at Evolve, including artillery shells and a musket.