Peter Bock Borst,
Page County Representative for the 1861 Secession Convention
Peter Bock Borst was born in Schoharie County, New
York on June 23, 1826. Likely the descendant of German Palatine immigrants, Borst came to Page County in 1847 and soon opened his law practice. Known as a man of "wonderful force of character," Borst devoted most of his life to his law practice and several aspects of Page County. Within a few short years of his arrival to Page, he met and married Isabella C. Almond on April 1, 1851.
The daughter of Mann Almond, Borst had instantly married into one of the most active families in the Page County courts. From their marriage would come four children, including Charles (ca. 1852), Elizabeth (ca. 1854), Cornelia (ca. 1856), and William (ca. 1858).
Soon after the arrival of son Charles, the popular Page County structure "Aventine" was constructed. Borst had designed the home when he was 20, without consulting any architects. All of the lumber that made up the beautiful home came from the Blue Ridge and had been seasoned for at least two years before being applied to the project. Built with no nails, the home was entirely "pinned and morticed." According to family stories, it was Peter's daughter Elizabeth, who later named the home for one of the seven hills of Rome. Later serving as the principal building of Luray College from 1925 - 1927, the home later moved "piece-by-piece" to make room for the Mimslyn in 1937.
With his office in the North wing of the courthouse, by 1860, Peter, having established himself as Commonwealth Attorney since 1852 had accumulated a great deal of property ($40,000 worth) and popularity within the county. Borst's inclination to increase his wealth is evident in the fact that he also owned a farm by the middle 1850's. Likewise, Borst had also built a three story tannery that would be later known as being "one of the most flourishing establishments in the county" in antebellum Luray.
With the election of republican President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, the Commonwealth of Virginia sat on the verge of joining sister southern states in secession. Page citizens found the best representative for the state's Secession Convention in Borst. In both of the votes on April 4 and 17 respectively, Borst voted for secession, helping to seal Virginia's role in the Confederacy.
Peter's presence in Page also lured two brothers from New York to the town prior to the Civil War. Both Addison D. Borst and John B. Borst would follow their brother's belief's in the Confederacy and joined Co. K, 10th Virginia Infantry on June 2, 1861. As 2nd corporal, Addison would be captured with most of his company at Spotsylvania Court House on May 12, 1864 and was sent to Point Lookout and Elmira before being exchanged in October, 1864. Addison later married into Virginia's prominent Taliaferro family and resided in King George County in later years where he died.
Working as a tanner in his brother's business prior to the war, John was first brought into the service as 1st sergeant before being made commissary sergeant of the regiment in 1862. Paroled in 1865, John later attended several Confederate reunions, including the 1906 event in Culpeper.
Following his return to Luray, Borst resumed his practice as the Commonwealth's attorney for Page. Having been a representative to the Secession Convention however, Borst had been earmarked as a target of Federal aggression during the war. On July 22, 1862, under orders from General Steinwehr, an expedition under the command of Colonel William R. Lloyd entered the town of Luray. Easily taking Luray, Lloyd's force encamped on the high ground immediately south of Luray. The town was immediately placed under marshall law and Captain Abell, of the 6th Ohio acted the role of provost-marshal, with his company as the provost guard at the court house. Additionally, Peter Borst's home was seized, after his evacuation of the place, and used as a hospital, under charge of Surgeon Finch, also of the 6th Ohio.
Over a year later on December 22, 1863, a Federal raiding party entered Luray and broke up Harry Gilmor's camp equipage, destroyed large quantities of leather goods, and burned Britton's shops and Borst's tannery.
Following the war, Borst held the position as Commonwealth's Attorney until 1870, when due to the military (post-Civil War) appointment of Judge Hargest, Borst was without the office for one year. He resumed the post in 1871 however.
Borst became involved with other issues in the postwar as well, being the projector of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad and was largely interested in several other important lines. With the motto, "It is better to wear out than rest out," the latter part of his life was filled with labor.
On April 24, 1882, while in the service of legal matters at the Rust House, and in the presence of Judge Bird and several other lawyers, suddenly and noiselessly Borst fell back in his chair, and although a dozen hands were willing to go to his assistance he was dead from apoplexy, by the time they could lay him on the bed. Borst was laid to rest in Green Hill Cemetery. Isabella would survive her husband for several more years before passing in 1916 and being laid to rest next to Peter.
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