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Whence the Name?
Front Royal is distributing a charming little leaflet telling of the assumed origin of the city’s name. <
“In Colonial days, a giant oak —the “royal” tree'of England— stood in the public square where Chester and Main streets now join. There, on Muster Days, was drilled the local militia, composed of raw recruits slow to learn military commands and maneuvers. On one occasion, the sorely tried drill sergeant became so exasperated by the clumsy efforts of his troops and their failure to follow his command, that he hit upon a phrase all eouid understand and shouted: “Front the royal oak!” Among the spectators was a Mr. Forsythe, who had been a professional soldier, and was so amused by the officer’s coined order that he and his friends found much sport in telling of the occurrence, repeating “Front the Royal oak” until Front Royal was the resulting derivation. (Information furnished by Miss Virginia Hale)”
Around our cotfnty, it’s not so hard to know the origin of the names of m%st of the villages.
There is a sledgehammer convenient to brain the first wisecracker who says, "Where did Washington get its name?”
Sperryville is supposed to have been named for a family by the name of Sperry #ho once lived there; and there are enough Wood families in the county to give a pretty good idea where Woodville got its name.
Some years ago J. J. Silvey wrote a history of Amissville and told of the great excitement when the Amisses and Luttrells voted for the name of their locality, and there were more votes on the Amiss side; hence, Amissville.
A story is told about Huntly’s name (rather recently given, for it was formerly Sandy Hook.) but the facts aren’t too well known. It is generally reported that the name is derived from one of the Gordon estates.
The origin of Flint Hill is nob certain. Some people seem to be of the opinion that a family by the name of Flint may have lived there. There are people by this name in an adjoining county, but none left in Rappahannock. Other folks seem to think that the name comes from the-white flint rocks located about the land.
One of these days someone will take time off and tell the printers at the News office how the other names of localities came in the county: Castleton, Hawlin, Smed
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