Colonel Lewis, not knowing who Patrick Henry was, replied "If Patrick Henry had been in Albemarle, the British Dragoons never would have passed over the Rivanna River."
The Legislators were badly demoralized, for they feared Tarleton would come to Staunton. Many of them left during the night and went to the hospitable home of Colonel George Moffett. During Mr. Henry's hasty changes he had the misfortune to lose one of his boots. While eating breakfast the next morning, Mrs. Moffett remarked, "There was one member of the Legislative body whom I knew would not run." The question was asked by one of the party, "Who is he?" Her reply was, "Patrick Henry," at that moment a gentleman with one boot colored perceptibly. The party soon left and after their departure a servant rode up and asked for Mr. Henry, saying he had forgotten his boot. Of course Mrs. Moffett knew whom the boot fitted.
A tale made more popular perhaps because of a recent revival of interest in Salem witchcraft is that of a woman who lived years ago in Augusta County and who was a great aunt of Governor James McDowell of Rockbridge County. She was born Mary McDowell and married James Greenlee.
It is recounted that she was an unusually attractive and intelligent young woman but was considered highly eccentric in her behavior. Neighbors thought that an early love affair had contributed something to her peculiar manner. Be that as it may, she was regarded by her acquaintances as a witch. They believed she had made a written contract with the devil—a contract drawn up in duplicate form so that each party might retain a copy!
Once at a quilting party in her home she urged one of the quilters to take a second piece of cake and laughingly remarked that "the mare that does double work should be best fed." The women misconstrued this to be an acknowledgment that she was a witch who rode a mare at night on her excursions to meet the devil. The rumor of her evil activities rapidly spread throughout the countryside.
—Courtesy Virginia State Chamber of Commerce
Woodrow Wilson's Bed, Staunton, Va.
The neighborhood thought she was capable of placing curses upon them and attributed such tragedies as fires, loss of family or stock, or poor crops to the unfortunate woman.
The fact that she was never brought before the court with the accusation of being a witch was due in large measure to the standing of the family. That does not mean, however, that Mrs. Greenlee did not live a wretched existence or that failure to declare her a witch made the people less afraid of her powers.