In celebration of our country’s semiquincentennial* in 2026 and VA250, this rare document is on display at the Botetourt Museum of History and Culture. It is from April 4, 1776, illustrating Botetourt’s role in the American Revolution. This formal commission was issued by the Colony of Virginia’s Committee of Safety that replaced royal authority at the local level to ensure loyalty to the cause of independence as revolutionary sentiment grew. It marked Lt. Col. George Skillern’s duty in leading the Botetourt County Militia during the Revolutionary War.
Col. Skillern was a leading figure in early Botetourt and had served as one of the first justices, sheriff and later as a delegate to the Virginia General Assembly. He held similar roles in Augusta County before Botetourt was formed in 1770.
In 1764 he purchased land in Cherry Tree Bottom near Buchanan and was a successful hemp farmer. His commission was proudly displayed by his direct descendants in their home on the same property for over 100 years. It is in remarkably good condition and can be examined closely at the museum in Fincastle, which is free and open everyday.
(* A semiquincentennial refers to the 250th anniversary of an event, derived from the Latin roots “semi” (half), “quin” (five), and “centennial” (100) to mean “half of five hundred” years. It signifies two-and-a-half centuries, or a 250th celebration, and is also known by terms like the “sestercentennial” or “quarter millennial.”)
~ Botetourt County Museum of History and Culture
