Blue Ridge Cousins

Welcome to Blue Ridge Cousins Web Site 

 This is a Genealogy web site dedicated to my Scotch-Irish Abraham LEWIS and Monacan Indian William JOHNS relatives/ancestors living along the western Lexington-Rockbridge Co.,Va. and eastern Lynchburg-Amherst Co.,Va. sides of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Scotch-Irish and German immigrants from Pennsylvania began to settle the lower valley traditional Monacan territory in the early 1700's and established themselves along The hunting,trading Indian path, known as the Great Wagon Road, that was cut thru the center of the valley. This road is still traveled today and called Lee Highway, ( U.S. Rt. 11)  

The Legend of Natural Bridge

 The Monacan Indians being driven from there villages by great enemies from the north. The Monacans fought bravely, but with there attackers beginning to overpower them. Being tired and weak from battle the Monacans retreated into the deep forest. They kept moving till they could go no farther, before them was a wide gorge with steep walls and creek below. Trapped the Monacans looked for away around. Finding no way around and their attackers in hot pursuit. The Monacans fell to ground praying to the Great Spirit to save them, show them a way around. When they looked up, before them was a great bridge of stone, over the gorge. At this time the enemies from the north came out the woods. The bridge being a sign from the Great Spirit, the Monacans repelled there attackers. From that day forward the Monacans called the arch "The Bridge of the Great Spirit". Believing that the bridge had been made to save there tribe. Thus the Monacan Indians being the discoverers of Natural bridge. 

By: D.K. Lewis Sr.(7/2000)