The Signatures of Greatness

One thing I've always loved about my community is its history. Botetourt County is not the oldest in Virginia; it was formed in 1769 and there are others towards the east that are older. But it still has a lot of history.

At its founding, Botetourt went all the way to the Mississippi and took in parts of Wisconsin. Many historic documents are in our courthouse.

This is fortunate, because the courthouse burned in the early 1970s. Fortunately, forward-thinking persons had put the old documents in a fireproof vault, and they were saved.

The documents seldom make an appearance in public, but recently the county circuit clerk had them out to show off during the Fincastle Festival.

This document, dated 1782, has the signature of Benjamin Harrison on it. He was a governor of Virginia and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

This document has the signature of James Monroe on it. He was the fifth president of the United States, and he proclaimed the Monroe Doctrine, which stated that European powers should not interfere in the Americas.

The last photo shows the signature of General William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark expedition) as he married Judith Hancock of Fincastle.

As a citizen of this county, and someone who can trace her heritage here back to before the American Revolution, I find the history of my community to be a rock upon which I can stand even when the antics of today make me wonder if there will be a tomorrow.

Seeing these signatures, I am reminded that great men once existed, and they can once again take the reins of this great nation and send her upwards.

We do not always have to be ruled by lesser men. Greatness exists in every generation.

Sometimes we simply don't find it.