This is in reply to an e-mail I received from one of the subscribers to the CEARLOCK list, a descendant of Hanchrist CARLOCK through Luther Carel CARLOCK, pictured on page 439 of the book "History of the Carlock Family", who is planning a trip to the east coast and considering visiting the Natural Bridge in Virginia. Further information about the Natural Bridge can be found at the following websites: http://www.cei.org/gencon/025,01355.cfm http://www.naturalbridgeva.com/bridge.html http://www.ohwy.com/va/n/nabrdgva.htm Source: "History of the Carlock Family", by Marion Pomeroy CARLOCK, 1929, pages 92 - 94. "NATURAL BRIDGE, ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA THE NAMES OF GEORGE WASHINGTON AND H. CARLOCK ARE CUT IN THE WEST WALL The publisher's eldest brother, George William Carlock, was the first of our people to discover the name of our Revolutionary War ancestor as linked with that of George Washington on the west wall of Natural Bridge. We wondered at the time who this very old Carlock could have been, little thinking then that it was his own great-great-grandfather, Hanchrist Carlock, who fought under Washington's command. It was only after years of careful research work that the author definitely proved that he was the same man who was commonly known among our people as Hawkis, Hinkis, Dorcas, Houkus, Hoerndkis, Huncri, Hunkrist, or Hanrist Carlock. In a search through old surveying and tax records the writer found the correct spelling, which is Hanchrist. At first the name baffled, but it was quickly established that the name Hanchrist is a contraction of the Christian name, Hans, meaning John and Christ, or Krist, meaning Christian; therefore Hanchrist when Anglicized, means simply John Christian. [photo caption: NATURAL BRIDGE, VIRGINIA Width 100 ft., height 215 ft. Arrow shows where the names of Geo. Washington and H. Carlock are cut close together on the west wall. -- Note that in my copy of the 1989 reprint I cannot see the arrow.] When George Washington and Hanchrist Carlock chiseled their names on the west wall of the bridge is not known, but it is safe to assume that it was between the years 1750 and 1775. It is now well established by the Virginia records that George Washington---at that time a civil engineer in Colonial Virginia---was actively engaged surveying roads in this locality, one of them being the great highway from the mouth of the Potomac River to Natural Bridge. At the same time, in this section of what was then Augusta County, the records show that Hanchrist Carlock (in company with his brothers, Conrad and Frederick Carlock) was working with Washington in the construction of these roads, Hanchrist Carlock's name appearing as 'foreman,' or road commissioner. It was during these days, unquestionably, that George Washington and Hanchrist Carlock, as co-workers, became acquainted with each other, possibly friends, leaving their names deeply engraved together in the rock of Natural Bri! dge. Said facts are confirmed by the following telegram: WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM Received at Main Office 608-610 So. Spring St., Los Angeles, Calif. 1929 AUG 7 A.M. 10:16 CA201 45 NL COLLECT---LEXINGTON, VIR 7 (C129) M. P. CARLOCK 604 GARFIELD BLDG., LOS ANGELES, CALIF. CALIF. JNO CLOTHIER MANAGER OF BRIDGE SAYS CARLOCK NAME IS NEAR THE ONE OF WASHINGTON. HE HAS TRIED TO HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS MADE BUT SEVERAL PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE REFUSED. I COULD MAKE IT ONLY IN THE WAY I WROTE BUT WOULD NOT CARE OT UNDERTAKE SUCH WORK. H M MILEY (NOTE: Owing to the washings of many decades, the names now appear dangerously high up on the wall of the bridge.) This wonderful structure of nature overlooks the James River Valley, being located on the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains and near the center of the State of Virginia. Natural Bridge ranks high among the wonders of the world. It approaches Niagara Falls in grandeur and exceeds it in height and natural mystery. The height is 215 feet; width 100 feet; and span 90 feet. It is a single block of limestone, with many shades of color, wide enough to span Broadway, New York City, and high enough to throw in shadow the turrets of Trinity Church, in whose churchyard many very old Carlock relatives lie buried. Under its arch 'men look like small boys, and giant trees like small bushes.' The visitor follows a tumbling cascade down a deep fissure in the mountain, under some of the largest arbor vitae trees in the world, and, turning down a line of steps cut in the precipice, suddenly finds himself by a swift stream in a dark canyon with the Great Natural Bridge above him. Natural Bridge Park is a plateau 1,500 feet above the sea, and comprises about 1,500 acres generously traversed by smooth, safe roads, in addition to numerous walks and bridle paths. The world-famous Natural Bridge hotel which is within easy walking distance gives excellent service to the public. The bridge connects two of the five round-top mountains that rise boldly from the great Valley of Virginia near the confluence of the James and North Rivers. These mountains have been named Lebanon, Mars Hill, Mount Jefferson, Washington Heights and Cave Mountain, and embrace in the park private roads from which are seen a wonderful variety and extent of mountain scenery. When George Washington was a surveyor for Lord Fairfax, he probably for the first time visited this great scenic wonder. During the Revolution, the French organized two expeditions to visit it. From their measurements and diagrams, a picture was made in Paris, which for nearly half a century was copied all over Europe and America. The place was much visited in the early part of the last century by such famous men as Marshall, Monroe, Clay, Benton, Jackson, Van Buren, Sam Houston and many others. The original bridge tract was granted by King George III, to Thomas Jefferson in 1774. After Jefferson was President he visited the place, surveyed it and made the map with his own hands. The next year he returned, bringing two slaves, and for them had built a log cabin of two rooms, and directed one of these to be kept open for the entertainment of strangers. Jefferson spoke of it as yet to be 'a famous place that will draw the attention of the world.' Marshall named it 'God's greatest miracle in stone.' Clay wrote of 'the Bridge not made with hands, that spans a river, carries a highway, and makes two mountains one.'" Susan Cearlock Tilleman List Administrator