National Register Listing

Cool Spring Farm

a.k.a. Rockdale Spring Farm;Torytown

Runnymede Rd. (Rt. 26) S of Gerrardstown, Gerrardstown, WV

Cool Spring Farm is significant for its association with Zackquill Morgan, founder of the town of Morgantown. It is also significant for its association with the settlement of the region and its continued growth into the nineteenth century. The period of significance, 1761 to 1873, is represented by the construction of the original portion of the house by Zackquill Morgan in 1761 and the farm was sold in 1873 by the McKown family, early settlers of the region.

Cool Spring Farm is a 200-acre farm which is a section of the 1000-acre grant to Morgan Morgan by the King of England's patent in 1735. The original 1000-acre grant was situated between similar grants to George Hobson and John Mills, on Apple Pie Ridge. In deeds of the 18th century, it is noted to have been bisected by Morgan's Path (now Runnymeade Road) from the east and Bunker Hill to the west. Cool Spring Farm is the most westerly tract of this grant. Morgan Morgan is considered the first permanent white settler of the territory that is now West Virginia. He was born in Wales and emigrated to Delaware as a young man. The date of his settlement in West Virginia is fixed at 1726. He was instrumental in the establishment of the county of Frederick, Virginia in 1738. He also established the first Episcopal Church in present-day West Virginia with John Briscoe and Jacob Hite. He was also involved in early road building in the county, constructing twelve miles of road from Winchester to Colonel Morgan's plantation. He was the overseer of the road.

Morgan Morgan first sold the farm to two brothers, Terrance and Farrell Reily for 40 pounds in 1748. They kept it for 4 years and then with their wives, Mary and Jane, sold it back to Morgan Morgan for 100 pounds.

The name was taken from the Cool Spring Church which was built in 1764 on the tract of land to the west of Cool Spring Farm.
Cool Spring Farm is significant for its association with Zackquill Morgan. Zackquill Morgan was born ca. 1735 on the farm. He was the fifth son of Morgan Morgan. He married Miss Nancy Paxton in 1759 and they had three daughters. Zackquill bought the 200-acre farm from his father for 100 pounds in 1761.

Nancy Morgan died in 1765 and Zackquill married Miss Drusilla Springer. Together they had 11 more children. Zackquill built the present Cool Spring Farmhouse, the stone section, in 1761. He purchased another 100 acres of the original tract from his brother, Henry, in 1767. In 1768, Zackquill sold the 200-acre farm and house to Robert Rutherford for 300 pounds.

Zackquill is significant for his contribution to the settlement of the western portion of what is now West Virginia, along the Monongahela River. After leaving the home farm, he moved to Rivesville in present Marion County, West Virginia. Following a short stay in Rivesville, he continued to the west, to the site of present-day Morgantown. He settled on Decker's Creek in 1767 and erected houses and two forts. He established himself as a Revolutionary War Colonel and a famous Indian fighter. Subsequently, he acquired land in the vicinity and 1781 laid out a 400-acre tract as the town of Morgantown. The town became the county seat of Monongalia County in 1783 and was incorporated by the Virginia Legislature in 1784. As an indication of Morgan's prominence, George Washington came to Morgantown to meet with him in 1783 and discuss the further settlement of the western territory by establishing an inland water route.

Zackquill sold the last 100-acre tract to Absalom Chenoweth in 1773, relinquishing all business ties to his home. He died in Morgantown in 1795.

Robert Rutherford sold the farm only a year after he had bought it to James Seaton, again for 300 pounds. James and Betty Seaton held the farm for 8 years, through the Revolutionary war, until 1777 when they sold it to Robert Eyre for 480 pounds.

Robert Eyre had amassed 477 acres altogether by 1796, 277 acres of which he bought from William and Mary Boyd. This tract adjoined Cool Spring Farm on the northwest along a road that led to Gerrardstown. Eyre mortgaged his farm at least once to Richard Ridgeway in 1800. Also in 1800, he leased land to three men for the express purpose of building a log schoolhouse. He even specified in the lease the dimensions of the building which was within easy walking distance of his farm. The schoolhouse is no longer extant.

Robert Eyre, Jr. purchased the farm from his father in 1802 for 2000 pounds. The deed for this sale shows the farm back to its original 200 acres. Apparently, Robert was unable to pay the mortgage, leased by his father in 1800, because in 1815 Robert McCandless bought the farm and 3 days later paid off Richard Ridgeway to gain the clear title. McCandless called the farm, "Cold Spring Farm."

Cool Spring is significant for its association with the development of the county. This is associated with the work and holdings of the McKown family. The McKown family was significant in the development of the county through their land purchases and amassing of large holdings. Cool Spring is just one of the properties that they controlled but is a good example of their influence. Their ownership of property in the region eventually included most of the original Morgan land grant.

The McKown family settled in Berkeley County from Ireland in the 1700s. John McKown, Sr. and his brother, Gilbert, settled in the Gerrardstown area. They were prosperous farmers and the John McKown family would acquire much of the 1000-acre Morgan Morgan land patent. John Sr. purchased 100 acres in 1779 which contained the Morgan log house. The adjoining 59 acres of land was developed by Charles Morgan, son of Morgan Morgan. John Sr. must have purchased this 59-acre tract also as the next deed of record shows he and his wife, Jane, sold 159 acres to their son, John McKown, Jr. on April 3, 1804. John McKown, Jr. and his brother, Isaac, purchased an additional 200 acres in 1811 from William Jolliffie for $5,000.00. This land was also part of the Morgan Morgan patent. John, Jr. bought out his brother Isaac's share and in 1827 purchased the 200-acre Zackquill Morgan farm, Cool Spring Farm.

John McKown Jr.'s will, probated in 1839, deeded his real estate to his three sons, Hiram, Samuel, and Edmund. Edmund received the 200-acre Zackquill Morgan tract and later added a 54-acre tract that adjoined Cool Spring Farm. The 1861 tax records show that McKown had renamed the farm "Rockdale Spring Farm." Edmund lived on Cool Spring Farm for the next 39 years adding acreage. Edmund apparently never married or had children. His brothers all owned land situated on the Morgan Morgan land patent so he was surrounded by family. It was under Edmund McKown's ownership that the farm received its name of Cool Spring. He had acquired a tract of land which contained the Cool Spring Presbyterian Church and added it to his holdings, changing the entire name to Cool Spring.

In 1873 he sold a total of 270 acres to his brother-in-law, George Hoke. This included Cool Spring Farm with its 200 acres. George Hoke was married to John's sister, Mariah. They lived on the farm until moving to Martinsburg. While living in the country and in town, George Hoke was a dry goods merchant and influential businessman in the county. George and Mariah had five children; two daughters and three sons. George died in 1892 at the age of 67. Mariah had died several years before him. Hoke's heirs sold the farm to Michael J.C. Hoffman in 1877 and Hoffman willed it to his daughter, Mame, in 1895. Mame, in turn, willed it to her husband, W.W. Westphal, with the will being probated in 1937.

In summary, Cool Spring is significant under Criterion B for its association with Zackquill Morgan, prominent Revolutionary War hero, Indian fighter, and explorer and settler of the western portion of Virginia. It is also significant under Criterion A for its association with the development of the region through its association with the McKown family, notably Edmund and John.

Local significance of the building:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1994.