d
                                       r
88 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the disputants, giving Penn the territory of the present
State of Delaware. ‘ Under this decision a deed was made
to Penn’s heirs in 1732 ; but the Baltimore who made the
deed afterward attempted to have it set aside, and appealed

' to the King, asking for the charter line of 1632. This was

refused. In 1760, Lord Baltimore executed another deed,
favorable to Penn, in which he renounced all claim to the
true line of forty degreesnorth latitude, and thereby sur-
rendered a strip of territory 19% miles in width (the length
of his province on the north), west of the present west
boundary line of Delaware. The commissioners chosen to
establish the line employed as surveyors John Lukens and
Archibald McClean for Pennsylvania, and John F. A. Priggs
and John Hall for Maryland. Their work, because of
imperfect instruments, was slow. In 1763, the proprietaries
then living in London, became impatient, and in August
employed Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon as surveyors
to complete the work. They landed in Philadelphia, No-
vember 15, 1763, and consumed two years in establishing
the starting point”“ of the “great due west line” now bearing
their names. June 17,1765, they were at the Susquehanna;
and the 4th of June, 1766, at the summit of the Little Alle-
gheny Mountain, where they turned back from fear of
Indians. In June, 1767, they commenced work again, and
on the 14th were joined by an escort of fourteen Indians
sent by the Six Nations to hold the Delawares and Shaw-
nese in check. They arrived on the 24th of August at the
Braddock Road, and on the next day John Greene, the

* From the most southern part of the city of Philadelphia (the north wall of a house
on Cedar Street) a parallel line was run due West, and fifteen miles south of it at a
point on a straight line that would strike the west side of a circular line whose every
point was twelve miles from the center of New Castle, the great “due west line”
between Pennsylvania and Maryland was to have its initial point.

‘ _ MASONS AND DIXON’S LINE. 89

Mohawk chief, with his escort, left them. They pushed on,
crossing the Youghiogheny and Monongahela. Twenty-six
of their assistants left on September 29th. They had now
but fifteen axmen, and sent back to Fort Cumberland for aid.
They were, however, now beyond their call to settle the line
between the Penns and Baltimore. The terminal point of
the “ great due westline” between the proprietaries was to
be on the meridian of the first fountain of the Potomac.
In October, they arrived at the Warrior Branch of the
Great Catawba VVar—path, near their second crossing of
Dunkard Creek. Here the Shawnees and Delawares
ordered them to stop, which they were compelled to do;
and, returning, they received honorable discharge on De-
cember 26, 1767.

Mason_and DiXon’s. line as thus run (its latitude is 39°
43’ 26") was a final adjustment of 'the boundary dispute
between Maryland and Pennsylvania; but so far west of
Marylandvasiit had been run, was not accepted by either
Pennsylvania or Virginia as the boundary line between
them. But at this time the west boundary line of Pennsyl-
vania was of more importance than the south line, as each
State was anxious to secure Pittsburgh and the Mononga-
hela region. In 1754, Pennsylvania contended that the
beginning of the fortieth degree was at the ending of the
thirty-ninth degree, latitude 39° north. The establishment
of this parallel would have given Pennsylvania a strip of
territory 43’ 26" south of Mason and Dixon’s line, embrac-
ing the present counties of Monongalia, Preston, Marion,
Taylor, Harrison, Barbour and Tucker, with portions of
Wetzel, Lewis and Upshur. Virginia’s claim in the same
year was a strip 16’ 34" wide north of Mason and Dixon’s
line, and extending across the present counties of Fayette

90 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

and Greene, in Pennsylvania, and making the parallel of
40° north latitude the boundary line. The defeat of Wash-

ington and Braddock put an end to the controversy for_

several years, as the French were in possession of the
territory. On April 21, 1774, the commissioners appointed

by Pennsylvania on the subject of boundaries, proposed for

the south boundary of Pennsylvania against Virginia the
extension of Mason and Dixon’s line to five degrees of
longitude west form the Delaware. Dunmore objected, and
the commissioners then offered the extension of Mason
and DiXon’s line to the Monongahela. But Dunmore would
not accept this unless Fort Pitt was given to Virginia. The
commissioners refused this, and negotiations closed. The
Governor of Pennsylvania before this, however, had sug-
gested a serpentine line five degrees west of the Delaware
River, in every point corresponding to the meanderings of
the said river, and running down to Mason and DiXon’s
line, and then straight to the 39° of north latitude; which
was also declined by the Governor of Virginia, who, think-

’ ing the Delaware River farther east than what it was—on

the 43° north latitude—-proposed that the west boundary
be run south from a point five degrees of longitude west on
that parallel. Pennsylvania in turn refused to accede.

The next proposition for the settlement of the boundary
controversy came from the General Assembly of Virginia,
December 18, 1776. In regard to the southern boundary
of Pennsylvania it was as follows : “ That the meridian line
drawn from the head of the Potomac to the north-west
angleiiof Maryland be extended due north until it inter-
sects the latitude of forty degrees, and from thence the
southern boundary shall be extended west on the said
fortieth degree of latitude until the distance of five degrees

MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 91

of longitude from the Delaware shall be accomplished
thereon.” This line, ih the opinion of the writer, was the
true southern boundary line of Pennsylvania, and with the
serpentine west line fromiit north, also proposed at the
same time, made the true south and west charter bounda-
ries of Pennsylvania against Virginia.

It is often asserted that in this year Virginia passed an
act waiving her claims to the disputed territory between

Pennsylvania and herself. The reading of the act in ques- »

tion does not warrant_any such conclusion. It says: “ The
territories contained within the charters erecting the
colonies of Maryland, Pezznsylvavzia, North and South
Carolina, are hereby ceded, released and forever confirmed
to the people of those colonies respectively.” (9th Hening,
p. 118.) This language does not express or imply that
Pennsylvania was to be given all she asked, but only what
was in her charter limits. .

Leaving Virginia’s charter, which was annulled in 1624,
out of the case, in 1682 when the charter of Pennsylvania
was drawn, it contained no provisions from which its south
boundary could interfere with the northern boundary of
Maryland lying “under the fortieth degree where New
England is terminated.” As the New England charter was
to begin expressly from forty degrees of northern latitude,
Pennsylvania’s southern boundary, “the beginning of the

« fortieth degree of north latitude,” could nothave been in-
tended to be at the thirty-ninth degree north latitude, which
claim Pennsylvania never attempted to establish against

aryland. If the parallel of forty degrees north latitude
 the southern boundary of Pennsylvania against
Maryland, and that southern boundary was to be a straight
line to its western terminus, how could it dip down after pass-

\ '7-sky

92 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

ing Maryland on any‘ territory, chartered or unchartered‘?
Again: if Pennsylvania’s interpretation of the beginning of
the fortieth degree as being at thirty—ninth degree north
latitude, was correct, then the beginning of the three and
fortieth degree of north latitude must be at forty—two degrees
north latitude; and thus she was claiming a whole degree
of latitude on the north of New York to which she had no
right, according to her claim against Virginia.

The establisnment of the parallel of forty degrees north
latitude as the southern boundary and the serpentine line as
the western boundary—and they seem to be the true boun-
daries—would have given to Monongalia the larger part of
what is now Fayette County, Penn., including most of the
Connellsville coke region, with nearly all of Greene and a
portion of Washington County.

The final settlement of the bounclaryilines was effected
in 1779, by commissioners appointed by the two contend-
ing States. Pennsylvania appointed George Bryan, John
Ewing and David Ritenhouse ; Virginia, Dr. James Madison -
and Robert Andrews. They met at Baltimore, Md.; and, .
after the exchange of several written propositions, the Vir-
ginia commissioners, for the “sake of peace and harmony,”
dropped the claims of Virginia and entered into an agree-
ment with the Pennsylvania commissioners, “to extend
Mason and DiXon’s line due west five degrees of longitude,
to .be computed from the river Delaware, for the southern
boundary of Pennsylvania, and that a meridian line drawn
from the western extremity thereof to the northern limit of
said State be the western boundary of said State forever ”
Virginia ratified this agreement June 23, 1780, and Pen’;
sylvania on September 23, 1780.

In 1782, a temporary line was run by 001. Alexander

MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 93

McClean and Joseph Neville, from where Mason and Dixon
were stopped, northward to the Ohio River; and in 1786,
Col. McClean and Col. Porter extended it to Lake Erie.
The permanent line west from ‘the Maryland line was run
and established in 1784 by a commission of eminent men.
They determined the west line terminus point of the five
degrees of longitude by astronomical observations, and
found the temporary west extension point one hundred and
thirty—four chains and nine links too far west. The point
was marked by planting a square unlettered white oak post
and raising a pile of stones around it.

‘Nest of Blacksville two marked lines gradually diverge
from each other until they are twenty—nine rods apart at
the western boundary of Pennsylvania. Both these. lines
were claimed to be the southern boundary of Pennsylvania.
In 1858, in the circuit court of Monongalia County, in the
suit of White 718. Hennen, in which the Hon. W. T. VVilley
was counsel for the defendant, the south marked line was
proven to be the true State boundary line. The post was
gone, but an old trapper named Roberts testified, that,
forty—nine years before 1858, he had seen the post standing
at the end of the south marked line. By the report of the
Pennsylvania Commissioners* of 1784, preserved in the
archieves of that State, it seems that several temporary
lines were run and afterward corrected. This erroneous

north line may have been one of these temporary lines.

The stone-pile marking the west terminus of the southern
boundary of Pennsylvania, is fast disappearing. If the

* Spiritually the commissioners were well provided for by Pennsylvania. Sixty
gallons of spirits, twenty gallons of brandy, forty gallons of Madeira wine, 200 pounds
of loaf-sugar, and a small keg of lemon juice were ordered for their use.

94 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

authorities of West Virginia and Pennsylvania fail to mark
the point of terminus by the erection of a. suitable monu-
ment, it would be well, as suggested by Mr. Willey, for
Monongalia County to do so herself.* '

I
* Among the first Writers who discussed at much length the history of Mason and
DIXon’s llne, Were John H. B. Latrobe, of Maryland, and James Veech, of Pennsylvania.

CHAPTER X.
VVHISKEY INSURRECTION.

1791-1795.
Origin, History and Suppression.—Mobs at MorgantoWn—Action of
the State and National Authorities.

AFTER the adoption of the Constitution, the first act of
rebellion against the Government was the VVhiskey Insur-
rection, commencing in 1791 in south—Western Pennsylvania
in murmurs of discontent, and swelling into an open rebel-
lion in 1794. It Was caused by Congress passing an excise
law on March 3, 1791, which imposed a tax of four pence
per gallon on all distilled spirits. At this time whiskey Was
about the only cash article West of the mountains, and about
every eighth or ninth farmer had a still. Grain was no
price. A horse could carry only three or four bushels of
grain across the mountains, there to be exchanged for salt
at five dollars a bushel and iron at eighteen cents a pound.
In the form of spirits, the same horse could carry the pro-
duct of twenty bushels of rye. Hence the people of soutl1—
Western Pennsylvania regarded this excise law as unjust and
oppressive, a view that was ‘also shared to some extent by
some of the inhabitants of Ohio and Monongalia counties.
A great field-meeting or muster of the insurgents was held
at Braddock’s Field (Allegheny County, Penn.), August 2,
1794, and a circular was issued inviting the neighboring
counties of Virginia to send delegates to a meeting to be
held on the 14th of that month at Parkinson’s Ferry (now

I Monongahela City, Penn.). Ohio County was represented

at this meeting, and Wflliam Sutherland was her member of

96 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

a committee of conference to meet the United States Com-
missioners sent out to adjust the trouble. In this meeting
Monongalia 11ad no representative. On the 9th of August a
body of Pennsylvanians, not content with attacking their
own excise collectors, invaded Monongalia County; and
again on the fourteenth, when they were joined by a few
others, but were driven out of Morgantown by the citizens
of the town and the people in attendance at court. -Sub-
joined is a clipping from the P/oiladeljy/tic; Gazette of Sep-
tember 2, 1794:

:‘VVe hear that the inhabitants of Morgantown, Virginia, have
assembled in a body, and determined to defend themselves against
the encroachments and depredations of the insurgents in the west
parts of Pennsylvania. In two or three instances they have

‘ opposed the insurgents and driven them back.

“ [Extract of a Letter from Morgantown, Va., August 14, 1794.]

“ ‘The insurgents have been quite outrageous, and done much
mischief. Here we have been quiet until a few days ago, when
about 30 men, blacked, came in the night of the 9th instant, and
surrounded the house of the Collector of this county, but the man
escaping, and advertising that he had resigned his office, they went
ofi peaceably. Three days after, at our_court, a number of men,
mostly from Pennsylvania, came to Morgantown, and in the even-
ing, began to beat up for proselytes, but they were in a few
minutes_ driven out of town. Yesterday they were to have returned
with a stronger partyfbut did not.’

“ N. B. Morgantown is mostly composed of Virginians and native
Americans.” A

James Veech says : “Albert Grallatin (of Fayette Co., Pa.) in his
historical—defensive speech on the Insurrection, in the House of
Representatives of the Pennsylvania Legislature, in January, 1795,
on a Resolution (which was adopted) to set aside the election of
Senators and members from the four Western counties, says of this
event : ‘A short time afterwards’ [having referred to previous like
outrages in Pennsylvania] ‘the oflicer of a neighboring county in
Virginia, fled, for -fear of insult, and a riot was committed at the

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AUGUSTUS I-IAYMOND. .

SEE PAGE 352.

\

‘INTRODUCTION.

To WRITE the history of Monongalia County from its

creation by legislative enactment in 1776, down to {the
recorded events of the present,—-and confine the work to
the limits of the present territory of the county,—to gather
a large portion of the events of this history from scant

records and imperfect sources,—is an undertaking of no

small degree- While it unavoidably possesses considerable
to make it a wearisome task, it also necessarily contains
much to render it a work of pleasure.

In attempting to someextent the investiture of this
history with the interest that naturally belongs to it, We

‘ shall seek to trace the assembling of its first civil courts for
. near twenty years beneath the walls of the frontier fort. We

shall endeavor to chronicle the existence and mark the
course of two great parties on its soil, struggling for civil
supremacy over its northern sweep of territory. We shall
record the fraternizing of these hostile factions in the com-

mon war waged by the colonies against England, and call *

especial attention to the noble spirit of patriotism aroused
by the opening thunders of the Revolutionary struggle.
We shall seek to notice briefly the att_empted Tory revolt in
the Monongahela Valley, that one dark spot upon an other-
wise bright Revolutionary page. We shall try to pass
carefully over the closing struggles of the ‘White Race and

the Red Warriors of the forest, for a land crimsoned with

WHISKEY INSURRECTION. 97

place of his residence, by some of the inhabitants of that county, who

have since been arrested, although the outrage seems at first to
have been ascribed by the Governor of Virginia to Pennsylvanians.
In another county of the same State, some of the papers of the
officer were forcibly taken from him.’ ”
Who the excise officer at Morgantown -was is not known.
When news of these disturbances reached Richmond,
Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia, issued a proclamation on
the 20th of August, 1794, concerning the Morgantown
trouble, calling on the civil and military officers to arrest
every offender and Watch all parties coming from Pennsyl-
vania, and to apprehend them if found exciting a spirit of
disobedience to the government. President VVashington is-

. sued two proclamations against the insurgents, or “ Whiskey

Boys,” as they styled themselves, and called out 15,000 men
in four divisions, from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia
and Maryland, one division from each State. The Virginia
division was commanded by Gren.'Daniel Morgan, rende-
voused at Cumberland, Md., and marched into south-
Western Pennsylvania by the Way of Braddock’s Road.
Gov. Henry Lee (grandfather of Gen. Robert E. Lee) was
appointed commander—in—chief. By the time the army
arrived in the rebellious district, the last vestige of armed
resistance had died out. A part of the leaders were arrested
but none were put to death. No troops Were sent into
Ohio or Monongalia counties.

The records of the old District Court held at Morgan-
town, show that on May 5th, William Mc'Kenley, John
Moore, William Sutherland, Robert Stephenson and John
McCormick, of Ohio County, vvere notified to appear there

for trial, for stirring up the inhabitants of Ohio County
7

98 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

against the government; but at the next session, in Septem-
ber, no prosecution was made by the Deputy Attorney-
General. > «

Gov. Lee at Pittsburgh, on November 17, 1794, ordered
the return of nearly all the army home. Brig.-Gen.
Matthews was to move the next Wednesday to Morgantown,
and “from thence to Winchester by way of Frankfort.” As
soon as the service would permit, Gen. Darke with the
Elite Corps of the left column was to follow on the same
route. No account was preserved of the arrival of the
troops at Morgantown and their winter march through
Monongalia.

CHAPTER XI.
LOSSES or TERRITORY.

1784-1848.

Formation of Harrison County—Addition to Harrison—Forn1ation
of Preston County—Addition to Preston——Fo1-mation of Marion
County—Addition to Marion——Unsuccessfu1 Attempts to
Detach Territory.

MONONGALIA has sustained several losses of territory—terri-
tory which to—day is thickly populated, wonderfully rich in
material resources, and whose inhabitants are in a highly
prosperous condition. In 1779, she lost all her territory
north of Mason and DiXon’s line, a portion of which is the
Connellsville coal and coke region. For this loss she was
partly compensated by an addition of territory on the south
from Augusta County, and, in the following year, by,
another addition from the same county. But Monongalia
was, however, scarcely well settled in her new possessions
before she was deprived of a large part of them, together
with a portion of her original territory, which was taken in
May, 1784, to form Harrison County.*

On anuary 1, 1800, a small portion of the southern part
of the county—“beginning at the mouth of the West Fork
of the Monongalia River, thence running a north-west
course until it strikes Buffalo Creek, thence up the said
creek to the main fork thereof, thence with the ridge the

* “ The county of Monongalla shall be divided in two distinct counties, by a line to
begin on the Maryland line at Ford Fork on the land of John G011’, thence a direct
course to the headwaters of Big Sandy Creek, thence down the said creek to Tyger’s
['l‘ygart’s] Valley Fork of Monongalia River, thence down the same to the mouth of
West Fork River, thence up the same to the mouth of Biggermams [Bmgamon] Creek,
thence up the said creek to the Ohio County line, and that part of the said county lying
south or the said line, shall be called by the name of Harrison. ”-—Hem'ng, vol. ii, 1). 366.

100 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

waters of said fork to the line of Ohio County, and with
that line to the line of Harrison County”—~was added to
Harrison County.

On the 19th of January, 1818, a third diminution of the
county was made by the establishment of Preston County,
Whose boundaries were thus defined in chapter thirty-two
of the Acts of 1817-18 : ‘

Beit enacted by the General Assembly, That all that part of the
county of Monongalia contained within the following bounds, to wit:
beginning at the Pennsylvania line, near Fickle’s, including the
same, thence a straight line to where Cheat River breaks through
the Laurel Hill, so as to include all the inhabitants of the Monon-
galia Glades settlement, including Samuel Price’s and Henry
Carother’s, from thence, including Grandy’s to the Clarksburg road
on the Laurel Hill where it descends ; from thence a direct line to
the junction of the Big and the Little Sandy Creek, where the
Randolph County line is; from thence, with Randolph County,
to the Maryland line; from thence to the Pennsylvania line, and
with the Pennsylvania line to the beginning, shall form a dictinct
and new county, and be called and known by the name of Preston
County.”

Monongalia, in 1841, for the fourth time lost territory,*
when all that portion of the county east of the Chestnut
Ridge was added to Preston County by the passage of a
bill introduced into the General Assembly by the Hon. Wil-

liam G. Brown, a member from Preston.

*On the 15th of March, an act was passed by the General Assembly, providing,
“That so much of the County of Monongalia as lies east of the ridge of mountains
called Laurel Hill, and north of Cheat River, next to and adjoining the County of
Preston, and is contained in the Iollowing boundary lines, to Wit: beginning on the
line dividing said counties at the point where it crosses Cheat River, and running
thence a straight line to the England Ore bank, on top of the mountain; thence a.
straight line to the Osburn farm, so run as to include the dWel1ing—house of said farm
in the County of Preston; thence a due north course to the Pennsylvania line, shall
be annexed to, and henceforth a part oi‘. the County of Preston.” Reterringto this act,
Mr. John J. Brown, in his Centennial address, says: “ In 1841, by an act of Assembly

which Monongalians mildly designate as ‘BroWn’s Territorial Larceny,’ the grand ,

summits of Laurel Hill, away to the east ‘where the King or day flrst heralds his glory,
were rudely Wrested from her [Monongalia’s] unwilling grasp and added to Preston
County.” V

LOSSES or TERRITORY. 101

In the next year, Monongalia suffered her fifth loss of
territory, in the taking of the southern part of the county,
With a part of Harrison, to form Marion County.*

The last loss of territory was a small slice which was
added to Marion County, March 15, .1847, by a change of
the county lines, the act providing “that the line run
between the‘. counties of Monongalia and Marion, shall
hereafter run so as A to include within the county of Marion
all territory on the waters of Buffalo Creek.”

Several unsuccessful attempts have been made to take
portions of the territory of the county as it now is. In
1857, an effort was made to annex that part of the county
south of White Day and Indian creek, to Marion. Ten
years after this, in 1867, another unsuccessful attempt was
made to take all that part of .Mononga1ia west of a line
beginning at the corner of “Battelle and Clay townships on
the Monongalia and Marion county lines, and with said
lines to the pictured rocks at the head of Bennefield’s Fork
of Pawpawg thence with the dividing ridge between Miracle
and Day’s Run to the Union School—house on the head of
King’s Run ; thence with the county road to a bridge across
Dunkard Creek at or near Blacksville, including the same ;
thence a straight line to the nearest point on the Pennsyl-
vania line.’’ This portion of Monongalia, with parts of
Wetzel, Harrison and Marion, it was proposed to form into
a new county called Union with Mannington, Marion

*The act erecting Marion, passed January 14, 1842, so far as it concerned Mononga-
lia, reads as follows:

“ So much of the southern end of the county of Monongaiia . . . Beginning at
Laurel Point, (a corner of the line of Preston Co.) from thence to the mouth of Mapie
Run on White Day Creek; thence down White Day Creek to Barnabas Johns0n’s
meadow; thence a straight line to a low gap on the top of a ridge on the lands of the
Rev. John Smith, at or near, Where the road leading from Middletown [Fairmont] to
Morgantown crosses said ridge, and following said ridge to Where the old State Road
crosses said ridge, and thence a due West line to the line of Harrison County.”

102 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

County, as the county-seat. This movement was supported
by a petition signed by eight hundred citizens of the several
counties, including two hundred and eighty-_five citizens of
Monongalia. The petition was presented in the Legislature
on the 21st of January, 1867. The Constitution then pro-
vided, as does also the existing one, that no county of the
State should be reduced in area to less than four hundred
square miles. As Monongalia did not contain so many as

this minimum, the proposition was clearly unconstitutional.

Notwithstanding the provision of the Constitution referred
to above, on the second day of December, 1873, in the
House of Delegates Mr; W. S. Laidley, a Delegate from
Kanawha County, as chairman of the committee on coun-
ties, districts and municipal corporations, submitted a.

' report, that the said committee, “ to whom was referred the

petition of VV. H. McCans and two hundred and twenty-five
others of Monongalia County,‘asking that the county line
of Monongalia and Marion counties, be so changed as to
annex the district of Battelle to the county of Marion,’
beg leave to report the same back with recommendation
that the prayer of: said petitioners be granted, and report
therefore‘ House Bill No. 249,” providing for the change in
the counties’ line so as to annex Battelle to Marion County.
The bill was ordered to its second reading, December 4th;
December 8th, laid on the table; and an efl'ort to take it
upon the 10th, was unsuccessful, but a similar motion
prevailed on the next day. On the 16th, a motion to in-
definitely postpone the measure was made, which was

superseded by a motion to table, which was adopted; and,

thus the measure died. This attempt to annex Battelle to
Marion was revived as late as the year 1875.

CHAPTER XII.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

1796-1883.

"Early Growth of the County——Monongalia Glades Road-Monon-

gahela Navigation Company——Census of 1820, 1830 and 1840-
First Steamboat—Academies—Turnpikes—Baltimore and Ohio
Ra.ilroad—Pro_jected Railways—S1ack-water Navigation——Mor-
gantown Suspension Bridge—~Various Minor Enterprises.

..AFTER peace was declared and the country freed from the

incursions of the Indians, the population and development
of the county rapidly increased. From 1796 to the begin-

ning of the Nineteenth Century, Monongalia enjoyed a

comparatively large immigration from the East, and, al-
though the tide of emigration to Kentucky and Ohio took
with it every year a number of the inhabitants of the
county, yet from 1790 to 1800 the population grew from

over 4,000 in the former, to more than double that number '

in the latter year. As early as 1794, a mail route was es-
tablished, which enabled the people of the county to com-
municate with themselves and the outside world. Between

-1800 and 1802, a brick court—house was built on the site of
the present one; and in 1804 the Jllonongalia Gazezfzfe was

published. Another four thousand was added to the popu-
lation of the county in the decade of 1800-10; and the iron-
works on Cheat River and on Decker’s Creek promised a
‘rapid development of the material resources of the new
county, if the problem of cheap transportation could be
solved. Long distances and bad roads added enormously
to the cost of transportation by wagons, and insufiiciency

104 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

of water in the Monongahela River was a serious drawback
to water-carriage. Hence, efforts were early made to better
the ‘condition of the existing roads and to secure new ones.
At the same time attention was directed towards the increas-
ing of the navigableness of the Monongahela.

The General Assembly of the State, on the 27th of J an-
uary, 1812, passed an act for the opening of a road from the

Monongalia Glades (now in’1?reston County) to the mouth .

of Buffalo, and thence to the site of New Martinsville on
the Ohio River," there to meet a road opening from Zanes-
*ville, Ohio. The act appropriated a part of the county
revenues of 1812 for the purpose. This road being

deemed the nearest and best way from the northern part of '

the State to the State of Ohio and the adjoining country,
in the same month of the.neXt year——-the 29th of January,
1813—an additional appropriation was made for its con-
struction. It was projected with a view to open up northern
Virginia, connect the interests of the “eastern and western

parts of the Commonwealth, and to secure commercial .1

intercourse between the inhabitants of Ohio and adjoining '

territories and those of Eastern Virginia. Over this road.

Salt and like commodities could be brought into Monongalia
County by a land carriage of fifty miles from New Martins-
ville, while before from this point they had to come around
by Pittsburgh to Morgantown, a distance of 260 miles, or
else go to Winchester. John S. Barnes and William Willey
were commissioners on this road, Which, however, never
fulfilled the expectations of its projectors. The Northwest-
ern Turnpike, which passed by Smithtown, afterward became
the great avenue of trade and travel. An academy Was in-

- corporated in 181.4, and the town of Granville (two miles N

from Morgantown on the river) was established. Public

s

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 105

attention was still engaged upon the object of securing an‘

' outlet to the world, to quicken the industries of the county

’ by safe and cheap transportation; and an effort in this line

was made January 2, 1817, by the incorporation of the
Monongahela Navigation Company.

The census of 1820 exhibited a falling off of 2,000 in the -

population of the county; but adding the 3,000 inhabitants
of Preston taken off two years before, and a gain of 1,000
is shown, of which the Monongalia of 1820 was entitled to
fully one—half. Besides, immigration naturally decreased as
the county filled up, and her industries, for want of market,
could not reach that state of development necessary to
attract any considerable number of the laboring and com-
mercial classes from abroad.‘

Some changes having been secured in the charter of the
Monongahela Navigation Company in 1821, a meeting was
held, October 27, 1823, at the court—house, and T. S. Hay-

mond; C. S. .Morgan, A. P. Wilson, Thomas P. Ray and J. I

T. Dougherty were appointed to attend a meeting to be

. held at VVashington on November 6th, for the purpose of

considering the question of securing the connection of the
eastern and western waters of Virginia by a canal.
It was estimated that, during the year 1826, ten thousand

dollars’ worth of cattle and hogs was sold by the people _

of the county.

On Sunday, April 29, of this year, the first steamboat
came up to Morgantown. It was the Reindeer, commanded
by Captain Bennett, and "came to just below the town.

In November, Thomas P. Ray and A. P. Wilson attended
another canal convention. All efforts to secure slack water
navigation had failed. ,

The census of 1830 showed an increase of 3,000 white

6 INTRODUCTION.

the blood of the slain. \Ve shall examine what little can be
found of the VVhiskey Insurrection, with a view to divorce
it from tradition and preserve it from oblivion. \Ve shall
next attempt to trace the progress of the county, noticing
its stages of growth and giving attention to its'feW acces-
sions a11d many losses of territory, and the influences
tending to retard its advance, up to the days of the late
Jivil ‘Var. lVe shall endeavor to give the position the
county occupied and the part it took in that great struggle.
VVe shall attempt the record ofits progress since the war,
and the efforts made to place Monongalia in the front rank
of the counties of ‘Vest Virginia¥—a rank the county is
justly entitled to by her immense material resources; by
her educational advantages, commencing in a county graded
school system and culminating in the State University
situated upon her territory, with its departments of law and
medicine ; by her religious standing, sustained by churches
in every community, and by an intelligent county press,
wielding a potent influence for the public weal and con-
tributing to the high moral character the county has
abroad for peace and good order.

To write this history, treatingof the living as well as of
the dead, is a delicate task. To write this history, making
a faithful presentation of facts, may not render it acceptable
to the extreme enthusiastical, too prone to overt-exalt; or
the over critical, too liable to under-estimate.

\ To write this history intelligently, it is necessary to trace
the territory of Monongalia under the urisdiction of Orange
and Augusta counties ;" chronicling under Augusta the de-
struction of its first attempted settlement by the red demons
of the forest, the planting of its first permanent settlements,
the growth of population till suflicient to Warrant the erec-

_ 106 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.
population since 1820. On the 3d of February, 1830, Blacks- -

ville was established as a town. A meeting was held at the
court~house on the 28th of May, and a committee was ap-
pointed to securethe establishment of a mail-route, over
which mail would be carried semi—weekly in stages, from
Uniontown,via Morgantown and Clarksburg, to Parkersburg.

On the 23d of March, 1831, the trustees of the Monon-
galia Academy, by act of Assembly, were authorized to sell
a lot and establish 0a female ‘academy, which they did the
next year. In it and in the Monongalia Academy, incorpo-

A rated January 28, 1829, for years afterward, were educated

not only many of the sons and daughters of Monongalia,
but many also from abroad.

During 1832, the Maryland and Ohio Turnpike, which
was to pass through the county, received considerable at-
tention. The trustees of the road were authorized by act
of the Assembly passed January 21st, to raise $100,000 by
lottery to construct it. An act of the Assembly, passed ‘the

25th of February, provided for the opening and improving

of the navigation of the Monongahela River in Monongalia.
County, and a committee was appointed to raise $20,000 for
this purpose. Col. Johnson, on the 9th of March, started
a line of four-horse stages to run between Uniontown and
Morgantown. January 14, 1883, was passed an act by the
Assembly, authorizing the holding of a lottery to raise the
sum of $50,000 to construct Wharves at Morgantown. This,
however, was never done. In 1834, mails were carried tri-
weekly in two—horse stages, from Uniontown, via Morgan-
town, to Clarlsburg. .

During the next year the subject of turnpike-roads occu-
pied considerable attention; and, in 1836, through the
exertions of Thomas P. Ray and others, the State directed

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 107

an engineer to survey the Brandonville and Fishing Creek
Turnpike, which was a portion of the Maryland and Ohio
Turnpike; and efl'orts were made during the next two years
to push forward the construction of this turnpike. The
Assembly incorporated the Dunkard Creek Turnpike Com-
pany and the Morgantown and Clarksburg Turnpike
Company in 1839. The latter company was formed to
build a road byway of Morgantown and Ice’s Ferry to the
Pennsylvania State line. Also, in this year the county
court was empowered to borrow $10,000, to build bridges
and aid in making internal improvements. During 1840 the
locating and. constructing of turnpikes engaged public
attention. Among the most active workers was Thomas P.
Ray, clerk of the circuit court. Ellicott’s rolling—mill at
Ice’s Ferry, on Cheat River, commenced work this year,
employing many hands, and giving a new impetus to
business in the county. The white population was now
nearly 17,000, an increase of over 3,000 since 1830. A
meeting was held at the court-house, November 23d, to
secure signers to a petition praying the legislature to pass
an act to provide slack—water navigation. An act of Assem-
bly was passed March 10th, 1847, incorporating the “ Mo-

nongahela Navigation Company,” and on the 19th another,

‘act, empowering this company to increase its capital and

improve Cheat River, was passed. On the 13th the Dunk-
ard Creek Turnpike project of 1839 was revived.

An unwise opposition in Monongalia contributed to some
extent to losing the location of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad through the county and compelling its construction
through Marion County.* This failure was a bar to her

* Monongalia is not to be too _strongly censured for her early opposition to railroads.

In that day their advantages were little understood, and the most erroneous ideas

108 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

future progress. The construction of the road through the
county would have given life and success to many of the
since—attempted enterprises, and ushered into birth many
never yet contemplated. The development of its material
resources and the establishment of numerous branches of
industry would have stayed the emigration from the county
to the prairie lands _of the Great VVest. Remaining in her
isolation, Monongalia has seen herself outstripped in the
race for population and wealth by her daughters lying upon
the line of the great railway. A _

The lossof the location of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
railroad throu_gl1 Monongalia did not discourage her
enterprising citizens who had been projecting and securing

prevailed concerning these new roads——ideas ludicrous enough indeed in the light of
this age. As an example of these, We quote the following from the reminiscences of
the Rev. Mr. Hanna, published in the Waynesburg (Penna) Independent: “ The Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad had been completed to Cumberland, Md, and her representa-
tives came knocking at the door of the Pennsylvania Legislature asking the right of
Way through this immediate neighborhood. But oh! the wisdom of the citizens of
Fayette and Greene counties, through which the road was expected to pass. Instead
of hailing the proposition with delight and receiving the representatives with open
arms, they rise up in fierce opposition. R. T. Galoway, of Uniontown, and Dr. J. C.
Cummings, of Connellsville, were the representatives of Fayette County in the State
Ifigislature at the time. These men were possessed of suflicient intelligence to know
that the railroad could not be permanently halted at Cumberland. Not so the people.
I listened to the sophistical arguments of some of the demagogues of that day, in
which they asserted that the iron horse could not eat oats or corn. ‘ Let us just com-
pel them to stop at Cumberland, and then all the goods will be wagoned through our
country, all the hogs will be fed with our corn and the horses with our oats. Go away
with your railroad! We don’t want our wives and children frightened to death by the
screaming of the locomotive. We don’t Want our hogs and cows run over and killed
by the cars of a soulless corporation.’ Meetings were held and instructions formulated
and forwarded to the representatives in the Legislature warning them of the fearful
precipice on which they were standing, and notified them of the all-important fact that
the people had a heavy rod in soak for them, it they dared to violate the will of their
constituents. These men did in part violate the instructions and reaped the bitter
consequences. But how were the applicants treated? They received a negative an-
swer. The Baltimore and Ohio Company built their road over the almost impassable
mountains of Virginia, almost touching Pennsylvania at the south-west corner of
Greene County, leaving the regions that had said ‘no,’ to reap the consequences of
their folly, While that proud, imperious company ‘ sits and laughs at their calamity.’ ”

Mr. Hanna does not overdraw the picture. The excitement was intense and a1l-ab-
sorbing. Large meetings 01’. the citizens gathered at the country school-houses,‘
whereat the ‘subject was warmly discussed. Resolutions of opposition were passed at
almostii not quite all these meetings with great unanimity. Thus Monongalia was

. not alone in an act which time has demonstrated to have been one of very great folly.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 109

the construction of turnpikes, and who had hoped to see
the railroad built through the county. They conceived the
idea of constructing a railway from the Pennsylvania line,
by the Way of Morgantovvn, to intersect the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad at or near'the town of Independence, in
Preston County; and the General Assembly, November 30,
1852, through the exertions of Maj. VVilliam B. Zinn, of
Preston County, and others, passed an act incorporting
“ The Morgantown and Independence Railroad Company.”
Its capital stock was to be $200,000, divided into shares of
$25 each. It was provided that books of subscription

should be opened at Morgantown by John HanWay,VVi1l-A

iam Lazier, Nicholas Pickenpaugh and James Evans, and
at Kingwood by William Gr. Brown, John P. Byrne, Elisha
M. Hagans and John A. Dille; that when the sum of $50,000
was subscribed, the company was to be organized, and that
the work of constructing the‘ road was to begin by the year
1857. The necessary amount of subscriptions could not be
obtained, and work was never begun.

The next railway project was that of a road from the
Pennsylvania line where the Monongahela crosses it, by
Way of Morgantown, to Ravenswood, Jackson County. An
act incorporating “ The Monongahela and Ravenswood
Railroad Company” was passed February_27, 1857. The
act fixed the capital stock of the company at $4,000,000, in
shares of $100. At a meeting held at Morgantown on
April 24th, one hundred and forty delegates were appointed
to attend a convention at Fairmont, June 15th, in the inter-

est of this project. This road, however, never got beyond,

the paper stage. ‘ -
In 1865, on the 6th of March, the “Monongahela and
Lewisburg Railway Company ” was incorporated. The

110 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

object was the building of a railroad from a point on the
Pennsylvania State line, by Morgantown, to or near the
town. of Lewisburg, in Greenbrier County. Capital stock,
$5,000,000; shares, $50 each. A period of four years was
allowed to receive subscriptions. and begin the work of
building the roadi A large meeting Was held at Fairmont,

' November 4th; but the enterprise, like all its predecessors,

amounted to a “paper railway” only. Among the stock-
holders were James Evans, VVi_lliam Lazier, Henry Dering,
D. H. Chadwick, B. F. Smith, George M. Hagans, William
Wagner, William A. Hanway, Samuel Sears, Alfred a11d S.
S. Yeager, Amos Courtney, E. C. Bunker, W. T. Willey and
James McClaskey, of M'onongalia County. '

An act authorizing the Monongahela Valley Railroad
Company, of Pennsylvania, to construct a railway from the
State line on the Monongahela River, by Morgantown, to a.
point on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at or near Fair-
gnont, was passed March 3, 1868. The work was to com-
mence in three years and the road to be completed in ten
years. This road, too, was exclusively a paper one.

The year 1869 opened with another attempt to get a.
railway through the county. The Legislature, February
18th, passed an act empowering the townships east of the
Monongahela, severally or jointly, to subscribe stock, by
vote of the people, not exceeding $200,000, to “ The Union-
town and West Virginia Railroad,” a corporation chartered
in Pennsylvania. An election, accordingly, was held in
Union and Morgan townships, May 17th, the result of
which was adverse to the subscription. The enterprise,
however, was not abandoned; and a meeting in the interest
of the project was held at Morgantown, December 26th,

which adjourned to a future day. It re-assembled on the
u

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. ' 111

’ 8th of January, 1870, and proposed thatithe townships of

Union, Morgan, and Clinton vote $110,000 to the road, and
that individual subscriptions to the amount of $10,000 be
raised. The route of this road crossed Cheat near Ice’s
Ferry, passed through Morgantown, and thence south-
ward. The town of Morgantown granted this road’ the right
of way through its corporate limits.

On the 15th of February, 1870, the Legislature renewed
and amended the charter of the “VVest Virginia Central
Railway Company.” This road was to begin on the Penn-
sylvania line in Preston County, and extend thence to
Charleston, Kanawha County. This act gave it the right to
construct its road by the best route, from the State line in
Preston 07' Monongalia.

The Legislature, in the same year, on the 25th of Feb-
ruary, passed‘ an act which granted to the Pittsburgh,
Virginia and Charleston Railroad Company the privilege of
extending its road across West Virginia. All the rights
granted to the Monongahela Valley and the Greenbrier and
Tygart’s Valley railroads were revived and re—enacted, and
the benefits thereof transferred to the Pittsburgh, Virginia
and Charleston Railroad. The work of constructing the
road was to be commenced within three years, and be
-finished within ten years. At a meeting held in aid of
this road, at Fairmont in April, A. G. Davis-,.of Monongalia,
was appointed to confer with the parties in Pennsylvania
interested in the project.

All hope of the extension, of the Uniontown and West‘

Virginia Railway through Monongalia having been aban-

doned, the Legislature was asked to pass an act incorpo-.

rating “ The Pennsylvania and West Virginia Railway
Company,” which it did on the second of March, 1870.

112 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

This company’s railway was to begin at a point at or near
where Ruble’s Bun crosses the Pennsylvania and West
Virginia State line, and thence pass by Morgantown to the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at or east of Grafton. The
capital stock was to be $1,500,000, in shares of_$50 each.
The county or the townships were authorized to subscribe
stock. When five hundred shares had been taken, the cor-
porators* were to organize. The road was to be commenced
by 1876, and be completed by 1879.

During 1870 another railroad was projected from the
Pennsylvania line via Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburg
and Charleston, to some point in Wayne County on the

1 Kentucky and West Virginia line. This road was incorpo-

rated February 26th, as the Northern and Southern

West Virginia Railroad. Among the corporators were .

George C. Sturgiss, William A. Hanway, John J. Brown, D.
H. Chadwick and William Price. The capital stock author-
ized was $5,000,000, in shares of $100 each. The next
year the charter was amended on the 28th of February,
increasing the capital stock from $5,000,000 to $10,000,000,
and providing that the road was to be commenced within
two, and finished within ten, years. Meetings in the inter-
est of this project were held atthe court—house, April 15th
and August 21st. George C. Sturgiss was appointed
to solicit subscriptions to the amount of $100,000.
This company organized at Clarksburg, October" 31,
1871, at which time $300,000 of the stock had been sub-
scribed for; $40,000 by persons in this State and the balance

* W. T. Willey, D. H. Chadwick, Wm. Wagner, Samuel Sears, Geo. M. Hagans, James
Fisk, Jr., H. B. Lazier, Wm. R. Grlrfith, John J. Brown, J. M. Hagans, John H. H011‘-
man, E. H. Coombs, A. L. Wade, George W. Brown, John W. Mason, R. W. Blue, A. D.
Casteel and Reuben Davisson.

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VVILLIAM SANFORD COBUN.
See Page 354.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 113

by capitalists of New York City. The subscriptions raised
in Monongalia were not put in as stock. Oflicers of the
company were elected December 2., 1871. The Pennsyl-
vania Central Railroad had surveyed the route of this road
from the Pennsylvania line to Morgantown, and the com-
pany had surveyed it as far north as Weston, Lewis County.
On the 20th of February, 1872, the company was authorized
to increase its capital stock to $12,000,000. At a meeting of
the projectors held at Charleston in March, Col. Thomas
Scott of the Pennsylvania Central proposed that his com-
pany would ‘construct the road if West Virginia would
raise $1,000,000. A division of this sum among the several
counties directly interested in the construction of the road
was made, and $175,000 was apportioned to Monongalia.

On the -28th‘ of February, 1871, an act was passed
authorizing George Hardman and D. Randolph Martin to
extend the Iron Valley Railroad from Irondale, Preston
County, by Morgantown, to the Pennsylvania State line.

There was considerable agitation in 1875, of the project
of building a railway from Waynesburg, Penn., through
western Monongalia to Mannington, Marion County. A
meeting in the interest of the scheme was held at Man-
nington. V .

All the many laudable efforts to secure a railway through
the county having failed owing to the impossibility of
securing the necessary capital, in 1877 attention was di-
rected to the narrow—gauge railway. These roads are
usually of three—foot gauge, while the standard—gauge is
nearly two feet wider. The narroW—gauge admits of the
close fitting of the road-bed to the contour of the ground;
and thereby is made a great saving in the cost of the road-

bed. Considerable, too, is saved in the smaller cross-ties
8

INTRODUCTION. . 7

tion of a new county, called Monongalia, with a sweep of
territory ample to constitute a State, upon which since have
been born and lived men of national fame—Andrew Stew-
art, John L. Dawson, Philip Doddridge, “ Stonewall”
Jackson, James G. Blaine, and a host of others, who have
Won honorable ‘mention iii the history of the American
Republic. Virginia. gave to Pennsylvania. the northern
portion of the territory of Monongalia, including nearly all
of the wonderful Connellsville coking region. After this it
must be related that Monongalia yielded portion after
portion of her fairest territory, until to-day sl1e retains but
a mere fragment of a territory once magnificent in its
proportions.

Associated with the history of the present territory of
Monongalia under the rule of the \Vhite Race, comes up
the history of its occupation by the Red Man, and its
previous habitation by the Mound Builders, thus making
its history divisible into three periods, namely: 1. the
A?)07'iginaZ 0)“ flfound BurilcZers,' 2. S¢z2,~a_r/c or [m7z'(m,' 3.
C’iv2°Zi2ecZ or lV/lite Race.

The pioneer—stock of the Great ‘Vest; for over eighty
years, has drawn largely of its numbers from the green hills
of Monongalia.

Monongalia! the age of the Republic numbers thy years!
Monongalia, mother county of Northern VVest Virginia 3, five
generations sleep in thy cemeteries, and thousands ‘of loving
hearts, the Great Republic over, cherish thee fondly as
the land of their birth and the home of their fathers.

S. T. ‘V.

R114 HISTORY or MONONGALIAI COUNTY.

and lighter rails. Steeper grades than can be used on the

standard-gauge are practicable; and this, with the closer
fitting of thedinarrow-gauge to the contour of the ground,
saves distance. As the difference between the cost of the

' narrow-gaugeiiand the standard-gauge increases in favor of

the former in proportion to the roughness of the country,
it would seem that the narrow-gauge is a railway peculiarly
adapted to the mountain regions of West Virginia. At this.
time the people of Kingwood and neighborhood (Preston
County) were agitating the project of connecting Kingwood
with Morgantown by a narrow-gauge road, and thence with
Pittsburgh by the Monongahela. A meeting at Kingwood.
appointed a committee to confer with the people of Mor-
gantown. Accordingly, ‘a meeting was called to assemble-
at the court-house in‘ 'Morgantown, August 30th. There:
were present at this meeting from Kingwood, Robert W.
Monroe, Wm. M. O. Dawson, J. Ami Martin, John Barton
Payne and Charles E. Brown. The Hon.‘ W. T. Willey was
elected chairman and Henry M. Morgan secretary. Ad-
dresses were made by Messrs. Willey, Dawson, Payne,

George C. Sturgiss, Monroe, Charles E. Brown and John J. K

Brown. A committee consisting of the Hon. W. T. Willey,
George Hall, Joseph Moreland, John J. Brown, Ashbel
Fairchild, George C. Sturgiss and Henry M. Morgan was
appointed to confer with the Preston County committee.
The attention of the people of Monongalia was next:
turned to the Pittsburgh, Castle Shannon and Washington
Narrow-Gauge Railroad. The object was to get an exten-
sion of this railway, by way of Mt. Morris (Greene
County, Penn.) and Morgantown, to some point on the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. A meeting was held at
the court-house, November 3, 1877. The company owning

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. A s 115

the above-named railway proposed to the meeting that they

would extend and operate their road to Morgantown, and

thence to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, if the people

‘along the route would subscribe, in money or labor, an

amount suflicient to grade the Way, build the bridges and
furnish the cross—ties.

The meeting appointed a committee to solicit subscrip-
tions. Three thousand dollars were subscribed by those
present at the meeting. The name of the road was changed,

. in 1878, to the Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Southern

NarroW—Gauge Railroad; and on the 31st of January, at a
meeting held at Grafton, George C. Sturgiss was appointed
general manager of the enterprise in West Virginia. The
road Was to run from some point in Cass District, by Way
of Morgantown, to Grafton. Thepeople along the route
Were asked to subscribe $3,000 for each ‘mile of the road.
Meetings were held at Maidsville and Cassville, and one at
the court-house on March 16th, where$11,000 were sub-
scribed. On June 14th, Morgan District, by a vote of four
hundred and sixty—seven to six, subscribed $20,000 to aid in
the construction of the road through her territory; Novem-
ber 9, 1878, Cass District voted on a proposition to sub-
scribe $15,000, and by a vote of one hundred and? seven for
and one hundred and tWenty—three against, refused to con-
tribute her portion; and thereby defeated the project in
the end, as all eflbrts afterward failed to raise the amount

by private subscriprtion in the district. In the next year a

corps of engineers, under"N. McConaughty, surveyed the
route of the road from Morgantown to the State line, and
Dr. George P. Hayes, president of the company, addressed
meetings inits interest at Morgantown and Cassville. In
August, 1881, President Hopkins, of the Pittsburgh South-

116 HISTORY‘ OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

ern Railroad, was at Morgantown in the interest of the
extension of that road, via Carmichael and Mt. Morris, to
the State line and to Morgantown; thence south by the
proposed Iron Valley and Morgantown Railroad.

The Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad——April, 1880——
made an estimate of the probable cost of extending their
road from Fairchance Furnace, Penn., to Morgantown.
The estimated cost from the State line to Morgantown was
$260,000. A bridge eighty—five feet high and 720 feet long,
across Cheat, it was found, would have to be constructed.
The company, owing to the cost, declined to make the
extension. ,

Early in 1881, another railway was projected—The Iron
Valley and Morgantown Railroad.* Its route was partly in
the direction of that of the first railroad projected in the
county, run in 1852; and of a later projected road in 1871.
It was hoped that, by the early construction of this road,
Morgantown would become the junction of the road up the
Monongahela and down Elk River with the great road pro-

* The “ Iron Valley and Morgantown Railroad Company ” was incorporated by Col.
Felix Nemegyie and Charles E. Kimball, or New York; J. N. Camden, of Parkersburg,
John T. McGraw, of Grafton, and William C. McGrew and George C. Sturglss, or Mor-
gantown. ,The company was organized for the purpose of constructing a railroad
from Hardmams Switch, a point on the B. & 0. R. R., Preston County, “along the
meanders of Three Fork Creek, to the Irondale Furnace, in the said county, and trom
said Irondale Furnace, along said creek, to the water shed between the said Three
Fork Creek, and Decker’s Creek, and from thence along and over the most practical

, route of the said last named creek to the town of Morgantown,” and “Irom Morgantown

along the eastern shore ot the Monongahela River to the Pennsylvania State line ;"
or from Hardman-’s Switch to Morgantown through Preston, Taylor and Monongalia
counties by any other route “ round upon a survey to be practical and convenient.”
The articles'ot‘incorporation were filed with the Secretary of State March 1, 1881. The
certificate oi incorpration was admitted to record in Preston County March 21, and

V in Moiiongalia the next day. The corporation commenced its existence from the 15th

of ‘March, 1881. Capital stock, $600,000, with privilege to increase to $2,000,000, in
shares or $50 each. The corporators organized September 19, 1881, at Sturgiss and
Berkshire’s law oiiice. The directors were‘Danie1 R. Davidson, James B. Young and
Robert Pitcairn, of Pittsburgh ; William C. McGrew and George C. Sturgiss, or Mor-
gantown; COL Felix Nemegyie, or New York; and John W. Guseman, of Preston
County. The oiiicers elected were Daniel R. Davidson, president; William C. Mcerew,

;:vice ‘president ;:and George C. Sturgiss, secretary.

rNTE1u<iAL IMPROVEMENTS. 117
jected from Virginia by Clifton Forge down Tygart’s
Valley River and Decker’s Creek. If the Iron Valley road

was not built, it Was feared the Virginia road would make a
junction at Fairmont. ‘

On April 2, 1881, the county court of Monongalia made
an order submitting to the voters of Morgan District a
proposition to subscribe- $40,000 of preferred capital stock
to the road. If the proposition received the requisite
three-fifths vote, 4-24 coupon bonds were to be issued, of
the denomination of $100, bearing six per cent. interest
payable semi-annually. The principal was to be discharged
in equal yearly payments from 1885 to 1905. The amount
of the subscription was to be expended in the district in
the construction of the road. The election occurred May
17th, and the subscription Was authorized by a vote of four
hundred and seventy—eight for it to five against it. Valley
and Lyon Districtsof Preston County, on_ the same day,
voted subscriptions to the road; the former, of $11,000, and
the latter, of $20,000. The estimated length of the road is
thirty-four miles; estimated cost, $680,000. By actof the
Legislature, passed February 19, 1883, the time of com-
mencing the work of the construction of the road was
extended to January 1, 1884.* On the 22d of March the
first Work in the actual construction of the road, and the
first ever did on any railroad in the county, was begun. A
force of twenty to thirty men, on that day, broke ground
near J. Joseph & Son’s mill, on Decker’s Creek, just south-
east of Morgantown. ‘ The Work of grading the road was

* It any railroad company shall not, within two years after filing its articles of incor-
poration and recording them, begin the construction of its road, and expend thereon
ten per cent. oi! its capital within three ‘years, andfinish and put in operation its road
within ten ‘years, its corporate existence shall cease. See Acts of 1881, chap. xvii,
sec. 66. 1

118 HISTORY OF 1 MONONGALIA COUNTY.

discontinued in a few days after the‘ commencement, and
nothing further of the kind has been done. An advertise-
ment asking for sealed proposals “for the graduation,
masonry, trestling and bridging of 14% miles of the Iron
Valley and Morgantown Railroad,” appeared in the news-
papers of Morgantown in their numbers for March 28th.
Several proposals were received, but the action of the com-
pany upon them has not as yet transpired. The present
organization of the company and since May 11, 1882, is as
follows: President, William C. McGrew; Vice_ President,
John  Guseman; Secretary and General Manager,

George C. Sturgiss; Directors, John W. Guseman, WiHiam_ "
C. McGrew, Daniel B. Davidson, Ashbel Fairchild, William ‘

Morehead, John T. McGraw and Alexander Strausz. A
preliminary survey has been made through to the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, and the permanent location has been
made to a point near Masontown, Preston'County. Citizens
of the town of Newburg and its vicinity, in March, sub-
scribed several thousand dollars to the road, on condition
that Newburg shall be made a point on its line. ,The 0133-

cers of the company are still making strong efforts to build .

the road. I

On the 21st of March, 1881, a meeting was held at Fair-
mont, in the interest of a projected railway south from
Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River. This road is
known as the ‘Vest Virginia and Pennsylvania Railroad.*
Harrison and Marion counties voted subscriptions to it,

* The West Virginia and Pennsylvania R. R. is to “commence at the Pennsylvania
line in the county of Monongalia, and run thence by the most practicable route, by
way of Morgantown and Fairmont or Palatine, to Clarksburg.” Certificate of moor-
poration issued July 26, 1881; capital stock, $1,500,000, in shares of $100. Among the
corporators were W. T. Willey, J. M. Hagans, Ashbel Fairchild, George C. Sturgiss, N.
N. Hoifman, W. S. Cobun, Thomas F. Watson, Shelby P. Barker, J. S. Hood and W. E.
Watson, of Monongalla County. ‘

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 0 119

and Monongalia was requested .to do likewise. But the

request came so» late (according to the Post), that the
county court could not convene till April 18th-—-one day too
"late to give the requisite legal notice of the taking of a poll
on the question at the. election for school officers to occur

1 in May. Besides, (continued the Post) the projected Iron

Valley and Morgantown Railroad was engaging the atten-
‘tion of the people, and a vote by the county on the river,
‘railroad would be unwise, as Clay and Battelle could and
most likely would vote it down. Another meeting was held
in July at Fairmont, and representatives from Harrison,
"Marion and Monongalia were present. On April 29, 1882,
at a special session of the county court an order was

1 ‘entered, in accordance with the prayer of several petitions,

submitting to the voters of the county the proposition to
-subscribe $150,000 to the capital stock of this railroad, de-
scribing it as a standard—gauge railroad to be built from the
Pennsylvania line to the Marion County line. Thefriends
of the scheme held meetings at several places in the county.
The day of the special election* was June 10th, when the
proposition was defeated by a vote of 1486 in its favor to
1045'against——32 less than the requisite thre.e—fifths of all
the votes cast upon the questioni Another effort was
made by the friends of the road. .A meeting was held, June
16, 1882, at VVilley and Moreland’s oflice. A new proposi-
tion was prepared, which, it was hoped, would meet the
approbation of all parts of the county. It provided for a
subscription of $100,000 to the VVest Virginia and Pennsyl-
vania Railroad, one of $60,000 to a narrow—gauge railway

* As to Why special election could be held this year and not in 1881, see change made
in the law by the enactment of chapter xi, of the Acts of 1882.

1‘ See Constitution or West Virginia, Art. x., sec. 7; Acts of 1881, chap. v., sec. 24;

‘ Acts of 1882, chap. xi.

120 HISTORY or ‘MONONGALIA COUNTY.

from West Morgantown to Blacksvi1le,* and $15,000 to the
Iron Valley and Morgantown Railroad. On November 9th,
the county court ordered a special election on this proposi-
tion to be held December 30th. Dissatisfaction with the
arrangement having developed, on the 5th of December the

order was rescinded. Two large meetings, however, were
held at Blacksville in October.

New Year’s-day, 1883, found the friends of the West
Virginia and Pennsylvania Railroadt assembled at the
Wallace House, with C01. James . Evans as chairman of the
meeting, which adjourned till the next day, when a propo-
sition was prepared providing that the county subscribe
$100,000 to the above road and $60,000 to the Morgantown
and Blacksville road. The county court entered an order"
for a vote to be taken on this proposition on February 17th.
On the 13th, a large meeting was held at the court-house,
and speeches in favor of the measure were made by the
Hon. Benjamin Wilson, Shelby P. Barker, the Hon. W. T.
Willey and the Hon. William L. Wilson. The proposition,
however, was defeated. The vote was, for the subscrip--
tions, 1383 ; against, 1479. At Laurel Point the people
celebrated the result by the burning of tar barrels, etc. A
meeting was held, February 21st, over which John B.‘ Gray
presided, and of which J. R. Hall was secretary. Speeches
were made by Mr. Gray, B. F. Long, S. Stewart and NV. R.
Price. A series of resolutions were adopted, congratulating
the people of the county on the defeat of the subscriptions,
declaring that the “ people of Grant District are in favor of

* The Blacksville and Morgantown Narrow-Gauge Railway was to extend from the»
Pennsylvania line, near the mouth or Roberts Run in Blacksville, to West Morgantown.
Capital stock, from $100,000 to $200,000. in shares or $50. Corporators: E. P. Lantz,
Thompson Strosmder, E. Tennant, A. Garrison, D. South, A. W. Brown and G. A. Burke.

1‘ The engineers estimate or the cost of constructing this road was $19,000 per mile.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. I21

internal improvements on a proper basis,” and would “ex-
tend any reasonable facilities to a responsible company and
will subscribe liberally to the capital stock of said company
when the road is located,” and that the people of Grant and
Cass were “in favor of the railroad subscription, but, owing
to some great prejudice on the East Side of the river, We
failed to get our proposition granted by the honorable
county court.”

A meeting attended by citizens of Grant and Cass dis-
tricts, Was held at Granville, December 27, 1882, Whose
object “ was to devise some plan by which to get a railroad
through these districts.” The ‘ meeting decided that the
route “ commencing at the Pennsylvania line in ‘the district
of Cass, thence to Granville and up Dent’s Run by the most
practicable route to the Marion County line in the district
of Grant,” was the most desirable. A committee Was ap-
pointed to ask the county court to order an election to be
held in the two districts, to take the sense of the voters on a
proposition to make a subscription to aid in the construc-
tion of a standard—gauge railroad by the route before men-
tioned. Another committee, to confer with “ certain rail-
road companies,” to ascertain on what terms they would
co-operate with the people of the districts, was appointed.
The county court, March 8th, 1883, made two orders sub-
mitting a proposition to Cass and one to Grant. The
proposition to Cass District was to subscribe $15,000 to the
capital stock of the West | Virginia and Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, to aid in the construction of a standard-
gauge railroad “ through said district, beginning at or near
the Pennsylvania line in said district, and running up the
Monongahela River on the west side thereof, to the line
dividing said district of Cass from the district of Grant in

122 HISTQRY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

said county; and the further sum:of--‘$10,000- for and on .

behalf of said district of Cass to be subscribed to the capi-
tal stock of the Blacksville and Morgantown Railroad
Company,” a narrow-gauge railroad leading from the town
of Blacksville to West Morgantown. The proposition sub-
mitted to Grant District was to- subscribe $40,000 to the
capital stock of the West Virginia and Pennsylvania‘ Rail-
road Company, a standard-gauge road, to run from a point
at or near the Pennsylvania line in Cass District, up the

0 west side of the Monongahela, to the mouth of Dent’s Run;

“thence up and along what is known as the Dent’s Run
route,” through Grant District to a. point on the Marion
County line in said district. The vote in each district was
ordered at the election for school oflicers in May, when

0 both propositions were defeated. The vote in Cass was,

for subscription, 51; against, 143. Grrant’~s vote: for sub-
scription, 63; against, 244. _

On the 3d of March, 1883, a large meeting was held at
Blacksville “for the purpose of inaugurating steps towards
the extension of the VVashington and Waynesburg [narrow-
gauge] Railroad to Blacksville.” Dr. A. W. Brown was
president. “Articles of Association” for the extension of
said railway to Blacksville, were presented by the manager
of the road. The railway company asked ‘$15,500 in sub-
scriptions from the people along the route" of the proposed
extension. Eight thousand five hundred dollars were sub-
scribed at the meeting. The Democrat, a newspaper pub-
lished at 'VVaynesburg, Penn., in its number of May 5th,
said that nearly $20,000 had been subscribed, and that“the
work steadily goes on.” VVOrk on the extension of the
road, however, has never been begun.

Notwithstanding all these projects and the unselfish

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 123

efforts of many of her citizens; and the long years of agita-
tion, dating from the days when the Baltimore and Ohio
Company was seeking a passage through the county,
Monongalia has yet no railway within her borders.* If
repeated defeatsand successive failures should crown rail-
way efi"orts for years to come (which we do not believe),
eventually the exhaustion of the Lower Monongahela Valley
coal fields will necessitate the construction of a railway to
the coal fields of Monongalia. In the future, capitalists
will turn as eagerly to the great material resources of this
county as did the projectors of the Ohio Companyt to its
fertile soil and wealth of timber in 1748. I

* On the 6th of March, 1847, an act was passed by the Legislature of Virginia,
“authorizing the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company to construct the extension or
their road through Virginia.” In this act it was sought to include the location of the
road. Many people in Monongalia and in every other county in Western Virginia, and

in adjoining parts of Pennsylvania (see p. 107, foot-note), were bitterly opposed to a

railroad, because, among other things, they said it would bring oats down to 10 cents
a bushel, and would so far take the place of horses that there would be no sale tor
them. Among the men or that day having the foresight to see the value of a railroad,
was Thomas Haymond, then the representative from Marion County. It is said by
those acquainted with the circumstances, that Haymond never mentioned his county
as desiring the road; but being well acquainted with the geography of north-western
Virginia, he quietly got the following clause attached to the bill: “That the said
railroad to be constructed through the territory on Virginia, shall reach or cross the
Tygart’s Valley River at or within three miles or the mouth of Three Fork Creek in the
county of Taylor.” Previous to this, surveys had been made down Muddy Creek,
Preston County, to get on to Decker’s Creek and reach Morgantown. Haymond’s
clause compelled the road to make near the mouth of Three Fork a point. When this
was done there was no route left to get from there to Wheeling but through Marion ;
and Grafton became the junction Morgantown most likely would have been, as the
engineers pronounced the route by Morgantown the most desirable. '

TUpon the death of Thomas Lee, the chief management or the Ohio Company
devolved upon Lawrence Washington, and at his death “Governor Dinwiddie and
George Mason became proprietors.” Col. Mercer’s efiorts in England to revive the
Company having failed, he agreed to merge its interests in those of the Walpole or
Grand Company. This latter company .grew out of the plan proposed, in 1766, by Gov.
Wm. Franklin of New Jersey, and Sir Wm. Johnson, Indian Agent, to form a-new
colony on the Ohio. Dr. Franklin, then in London, was engaged by them to press
their claims for a grant. In 1770, Thomas Walpole, an eminentbanker, was at the
head oi? the scheme, hence the territory asked was called Walpo1e’s Grant. August.14,
1772, the King approved the grant, “ and that a new government should be established
thereon.” .Its boundaries were as follows: “To begin opposite the mouth or the
Sciota River, and to extend from thence in a southwardly direction through the pass
of the Onasioto Mountain [near the latitude of North Carolina], thence northeast-
Wardly to the Kenhawa [Kanawha], at the junction of New River and Green Briar,

ERRATA.

Notwithstanding that great care has been taken to avoid mis-
‘takes in the preparation and printing of this book, and that it Was
hoped to avoid this heading entirely (though it is quite seldom that
such is done in works of this class), yet the comparatively short
time in which the book had to be written, and the immense num-
ber of dates and proper names handled, have allowed a few errors
to creep in and pass unnoticed till in print. The reader is kindly
requested to correct the following before reading :

Page 33, last line, for “ Lancaster ” read Lancaster.

104, Monongalia road, not North-Western pike, passed by Smlthtown.
106, line 24, for “ 1883 ” read 1833.

125, Brandonville and Morgantown pike, see pp. 537-8.

147, line 7, for ‘‘[John]’’ read [William].

150. 1ine’29, for “ Sine ” read Line. '

220, Taylor County bounds Monongalla on the north-east—mistake made by con-.

sultlng detective map of the State.

250, line 9, for “ Capt. James Thompson,” read G. Thompson.
254, last line, for “ 1822,” read 1882.

289, line 14, for “ CLARK ” read CLARKE.

303, vote of 1871 for House of Delegates, see p. 768.

355, line 25, for “ General Daniel,” read David.

411, line 20, and p. 422, line 5, J. S. Stewart, see p. 774.

438, line 5, for “ Mr. Morgan ” read Mr. Hoffman.

522, line 19, for “ or ” read and.

584-5, for “ Kelley ” read Kelly.

651, line 23, and p. 674, line 20, for “ son” read grandson.

680, line 1, for “Rode ” read Rude.

694, line 16, Cass was in the Sixth instead of the First (Constabulary) District.

124 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.
To present the information concerning theseveral railway
projects in the county, in a succinct form, the subjoined

statement, giving the name of each company and the date of
its incorporation, has been ‘prepared 2

Name of Company. When Incorporated.
Morgantown and Independence ...................... ..November 30, 1852
Monongahela and Ravenswood .............  ...... ..February 27, 1854

_ Monongahela and Levvisburg ................................. ..March 1, 1865
Monongahela Valley, extension of, .......................... ..March 3, 1868
Uniontown and West Virginia .......................... ..February 18, 1869
West Virginia Central ....................................... ..February 15, 1870
Pittsburgh, Virginia and Charleston ................ ..February 25, 1870
Northern and Southern West Virginia ............. ..February 26, 1870
Pennsylvania and West Virginia ........... ..' ................ ..March 2, 1870
Iron Valley, extension of, .................................. ..February 28, 1871
Southwest Pennsylvania, extension of, ............. ..February 28, 1872
Iron Valley and Morgantown ............................... ..March 25, 1881
West Virginia and Pennsylvania .............................. ..July 26, 1881
Blacksville and Morgantown Narrow €‘rauge.......... —— —, 1882

Recurring to the history of the turnpike enterprises, we
have to note-the incorporation, March 15, 1849, of the
Morgantown and Bridgeport Turnpike Company. March
12, 1853, the capital of this company was increased $12,000.

The maximum limit of the capital stock of the Kingwood
and Wrest Union Turnpike Company was increased, in 1851,
and the extension of the road to Morgantown was also
authorized. This road was constructed; and, between
Morgantown and Kingwood, is familiarly known as the
“Morgantown and Kingwood Pike.” February 10th, the
Board of Public Works was authorized to borrow $2,800,

thence up Green Briar to the head of its noitheasterly branch, thence easterly to the
Allegany Mountains, thence along these mountains to the line of Lord Fairfax, and
thence with his line and the lines of Maryland and Pennsylvania ‘till the West boun-
dary or the latter intersects the Ohio, and down said river to the place of beginning."
The troubles connected with the Revolution prevented the organization or this new or
14th colony.

INTERNAL A IMPB.OVEMENTS., 125

with which to macadamize this pike between Morgantown

I and Cranberry, which work was done. After theextension

of the road to Morgantown, its name was changed to that
of the Morgantown, Kingwood and West Union Turnpike.
This_is now the best road, perhaps, in all this section of
country.

A bill appropriating money to macadamize the road from
Morgantown to Ice’s Ferry, was defeated in the General
Assembly, in 1850, by a vote of fifty-four to forty-two.

There was some advocacy, in 1851, of the construction
of a plank road to Cranberry.

The Assembly, February 10, 1853, appropriated $2,200 to
complete the Maryland and Ohio Turnpike, and $6,000 to
macadamize that part of it on Pharoah’s Run.

The work of constructing the Brandonville, Morgantown
and Fishing Creek Turnpike was let out by sections, in
1850, by VVilliam J. Willey, the superintendent, from
Maryland to Morgantown, and thence’ nine miles towards
Indian Creek. A

The Blacksville and Worthington Turnpike Company was
incorporated, March 26, 1853, with a capital of $15,000;
shares, $25. Books of subscription were to be opened at
Blacksville by Egan B. Tygart, Thomas E. Hall, William
Lantz, Enos Tennant and John Shryon. ‘ ,_

On the 1st of March in the same year, the capital stock
of the Pennsylvania, Beverly and Morgantown Turnpike
was increased $8,000; and on the 29th, the Smithtown
Turnpike Company“ was chartered with a capital of $10,000.

On the 15th of February, an act was passed providing
for the extension of the Beverly and Fairmont Turnpike to
Warren. “The Dunkard Valley Turnpike Company” was
incorporated, February 23, 1871, to construct a turnpike-

126 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

road from the Morgantown and Fairmont road, one mile
west of Morgantown, by the way of Granville, Hamilton,
Cassville and the Valley of Dunkard Creek to its source in
Monongalia, and to Burton. Books of ‘subscription were
to be opened at Cassville, Blacksville and West Warren,
under the direction of Morgan L. Boyers, John W. Tucker,
Dr. A. W. Brown, Abraham Hair and Charles VV. Edwards.
The capital stock wasto be formed of shares of $20 each.

Early efforts to secure water transportation have been
mentioned in the first pages of this chapter. The State of
Pennsylvania made the Monongahela River within her ter-
ritory a public highway, April 15, 1782, and afterward
appointed a commission to examine the river from the State
line to Pittsburgh, and report an estimate of the probable
cost of “locks, works or devices necessary to be made to

render said river navigable.” The Monongahela Navigation 0

Company, a Virginia corporation, chartered in 1817, never
accomplished anything. Slack-water navigation of the
Monongahela was finally achieved in Pennsylvania by a
second Monongahela Navigation Company, a Pennsylvania
corporation, organized in 1837. A survey of the river
showed it to be ninety and one-half miles from Pittsburgh
to the Virginia (now West Virginia) line, and the ascent in
the same distance, seventy-four and one—half feet. In 1844,
dams and locks numbers one, two, three and four were
completed, at a cost of $418,000. Their completion made
the river navigable from Pittsburgh to Brownsville.*

* From 1844 to 1862, the company carried over 745,000 passengers, yielding a revenue
or over $126,000. The great source of revenue to the company now is from carrying
coal and coke. The coal shipments for 1881 were over 91,000,000 bushels, and of coke
for the same year nearly 4,000,000 bushels. The revenue or the company for 1881 was
over $216,000. - y -

some persons opposed slack-water, because, they said, it would make the upper

river coal lands worthless; but these lands have risen in price steadily as the work

has progressed. ‘

INTEBNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 127

Between 1854 and 1856, looks and dams numbers five and
six were completed, causing slack—water to reach to New
Geneva. The original intention of this navigation com-
pany was to slack the river to the State line ; and for years
efforts (as will be detailed presently) were made by the
people of Morgantown to co—operate with the company.
These efforts failing, the United States Government took
hold of the work; and one dam and look (No. 8) is now
being built in Pennsylvania by the Government. When
this look and dam is completed, and Look and Dam No.
7 in Pennsylvania (now in course of construction) is
built by the Navigation Company, the improved navigation
of the river will extend to Morgantown.

Another navigation company, called the Monongahela
Navigation Company, was chartered by Virginia, March 10,
1847. Its object was to slack the Monongahela from the
State line to Fairmont. At a meeting held February 24,

_ 1851, at the court-house, subscriptions were ordered to be

taken at eight different points in the county, and a com-
mittee of correspondence was appointed. Meetings were
held in Pennsylvania to aid the enterprise by subscriptions
of stock to slack the river from Brownsville up to the State
line. It was proposed for Monongalia and Marion to raise
$30,000, induce Baltimore capitalists friendly to the enter-
prise to take $50,000 of stock, and then get the State to
subscribe $120,000. Although a considerable effort was
made, the undertaking failed. Another meeting was held
in 1852, to take steps to get the charter of the company
extended. This was done by the Virginia Legislature in
March, 1853, when it was enacted that the company should
begin work in 1855, and finish by 1860 ; also that the board
of public works would subscribe when Pennsylvania com-

1.28 HISTORY OF M’0NONGALLA COUNTY.

pleted slack-water navigation in the.Monongahela. River up
to the State line. Later in March, the trustees of Morgan-
town borough were authorized to submit to a vote a propo-
sition for the borough to subscribe not exceeding $100,000
to the company.

A meeting in the interest of slack—water navigation was
held in Morgantown on the 25th of March, 1853, at which a.
committee was appointed to visit Pittsburgh and solicit aid.
As the Pennsylvania navigation companion was not going
ahead with its Work according to the terms of its charter,
a committee was appointed in the spring of 1853, by the
people of Morgantown, to institute suit against the com-
pany and compel it to do the Work or forfeit its charter.
November 26th, the town authorized by vote the levying of

_a tax to enable this committee to prosecute the suit- James

Dunlap was employed as attorney, but .no suit was brought,
as the Pennsylvania company got their charter extended.
The charter of the Virginia navigation company Was
revived and amended, April 7, 1858, and a capital stock of
$100,000, in shares of $25, Was authorized. Until the year
1868 was given for it to complete the Work of slacking the
river from the State line to Fairmont. A meeting was held
at Morgantovvn (John B. Lough, chairman; Lewis Layton,
secretary), to organize a movement to secure subscriptions
to the stock of the company. The advisability of asking
the county to vote a subscription of $25,000 was discussed.
In the year 1860——March 8th,——the charter of the company
was amended authorizing it to extend its work to Clarks—

burg. Another effort was now made to get enough money '

to enable the company to begin work. Meetings°" were

hit a meeting held April 24th, Col. James Evans was elected president and Dr.
Isaac Scott secretary. W. T. Willey, 001. James Evans, P. H. Keck, Prof. J. R. Moore
and C01. Wm. A. Hanway were appointed a. committee to visit Pittsburgh to solicit aid.

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INTEBNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 129

held at Morgantown, and a committee was appointedto go
to Pittsburgh and solicit aid. In November, Col. James
Evans went to that city, and addressed the board of trade.
Assurances of aid from the Pennsylvania navigation com-
pany were received. Engineers employed to make a survey
of the river, reported sixteen feet of fall from the Pennsyl-
vania line to Morgantown, and that two locks and dams,
costing $100,000, would be necessary to slack the river
between these points. The borough trustees of Morgan-
town ordered a vote upon a subscription by the town of
$5,000 to the enterprise. There is no record of such elec-

tion having been held. The presidential election of 1860 -

and the beginning of the Rebellion called away the energies
of the people to other subjects; and no further effort was
made till 1863. 0

On October 19th of this year, “The Marion and Monon-

gahela Navigation Company” was incorporated, for the

purpose of slacking the Monongahela from the Pennsyl- -

Vania line to Fairmont. Capital stock, $200,000; shares,
$20. Henry Dering, D. H. Chadwick, Alfred Yeager,
Samuel Sears and George M. Hagans were to receive
subscriptions. The company was authorized to commence
work -as soon as enough was subscribed to- build a lock and
dam, and so keep on until the whole work was completed.
January 9, 1867, Morgantown, with but one dissenting voice,

‘voted $20,000 to the capital stock of this company; and on

the 21st of February its charter was amended so that tolls
could be collected both‘ways as soon as a lock and dam was
completed. Before this amendment all crafts or lumber
passing down and not returning went free of toll. David
H. Chadwick, Alfred Yeager, Samuel Sears, James Evans,
William  Wflley, James Lazzell, George M. Hagans, Will-

130 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

iam A. I-Ianway and Francis Thompson were authorized to
receive subscriptions in Monongalia. When they had
received $25,000 in subscriptions, Col. James Evans, the
Hon. W. T. Willey and R. B. Carr were sent to Pittsburgh
to solicit aid.

This project was fruitless, as had been all the efi'orts,
beginning as far back as the year 1817, for the improvement
of the Monongahela River in what is now West Virginia.
The Hon. James C. McGrew, member of the House of
Representatives of the National Congress, secured the pass-
age of an act by the third session of the Forty—first Con-
gress, authorizing a survey of the Monongahela River from
New Geneva to Morgantown,which was made in the summer

of 1871, under Col. Merrill. Mr. McGrew, February 12, 1872, 7

introduced a bill appropriating money, and $25,000 was

appropriated by the second session of the Forty—second .

Congress to begin the work of slacking the river from New
Geneva to Morgantown. VVhi1e the bill was pending in
Congress, a board of trade was organized at Morgantown
in the interest of the measure, and R. L. Berkshire and
George C. Sturgiss were sent to Washington. The next
session of Congress appropriated $66,000 to the work. In
1872, the contract for the construction of a stone look (No.
9) at Hoard’s Rocks was let to Smith, Hawkins and Davis,
for $54,641.75, theirs being the lowest of twelve bids. The
Hon. J. Marshall Hagans, M. C., in 1875, secured an appro-
priation of $22,000 to continue work on the lock, and also
an act authorizing a survey of the Monongahela River from
Morgantown to Fairmont. This survey was made under
direction of Capt. T. P. Roberts, whose report gave the dis-
tance as twenty-eight miles, with a fall of fifty-five feet in
the river, which would require six dams. In March, 1876,

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 131

the contract for constructing the dam at Hoard’s Rocks was
awarded at Cincinnati to Smith and Hawkins, for $50,000.
The work was to be completed by November 15th, but was
suspended in October, because of exhaustion of funds and
the failure of further appropriation by Congress. The Work
was re-commenced in 1878. A part of it was pronounced
defective, and was torn up and rebuilt. Work, after a time,
was suspended, and was begun again in the summer of 1879.
In September of that year, the lock and dam was completed,
and on the 29th about 1,500 people gathered there to cele-
brate the event. Addresses were made on the occasion by
the Hon. J. Marshall Hagans and oseph Moreland. Later
in the season the lock'Was damaged by the bursting of water
through, and a part of the wall fell. The damage, however,
was immediately repaired. The following description of the
lock and dam was given in the Genius of Libertg/,,a news-
paper published at Uniontown, Penn., in 1879, which was
furnished the paper by William Weston, the engineer in
charge when the work was completed‘: ’
“ The dam is over 300 feet from shore to lock-wall. It is built en-
tirely of stone and cement, and is vertical on the upper side and
slants from a width of four feet on top to fourteen at the bottom.
It is built in the form of an arch, circling up the river. A line
drawn from the middle of the base of the arch to the middle of the
top of the dam, is twenty feet. The foundation stones are bedded
in solid rock with a shoulder of five or six inches to rest against.
The stones are not only cut keystone fashion to prevent moving

down, but each successive layer is held down by being cut with
copings, and thus dovetailed in the wall below each stone in the

top layer which reaches across the top of the dam, and is cut

smooth and round so as to prevent drift catching the walls. No loops
or hooks of iron are used to hold the stone together, as this is
unnecessary. From the standing water below, the dam is nineteen
feet high, and slacks the water five feet at Morgantown, a distance
of eight miles by river. 1 1 I

TABLE or CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE MOUND BUILDERS.
Discovery of America. The Mound Builders. Origin, Works and Fate. Mound
Builders in Monongalia. Occupation of the County for Hunting Purposes.
Traces and Relics ............................................................... ..

CHAPTER 11.
INDIAN OCCUPATION.

Origin of the American Indians. Theories Held. Probable Asiatic Origin. Indians
in Monongalia. Six Nations, Proprietors. Delawares and Shawnees, Tenants.
War—paths. Pottery and Relics. Buffalo Pond. “ Pictured Rock.” ......... . .

CHAPTER III.

MONONGALIA UNDER ORANGE.
' 1734-1738.
Crossing of the Blue Ridge by Spotswood. Orange County Erected. Settlements
West of the Blue Ridge. Erection of Frederick and Augusta Counties ...... ..

CHAPTER IV.

MONONGALIA UNDER AUGUSTA.
1738-1775.

'.l‘erritory'of Augusta County. The Ohio Company. Attempts to Settle the Coun-
try. The Eckarlys. Thomas Decker and his Colony Murdered. First Perma-
nent Settlement. Virginia Colony under the Morgans. Pioneers from 1769
to 1774. Murder of Bald Eagle. Dunmore’s War. Stockade Forts and Block-

houses. Old Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ............ ..
CHAPTER V.‘
MONONGALIA IN WEST AUGUSTA.
1774-1776.

struggle oi? Virginia and Pennsylvania for the Northern portion 01’. its Territory.
Outbreak of the Revolution. West Augusta Recognized. Names of Settlers
in 1775 and 1776. Boundaries of West Augusta Declared... .- ................. ..

CHAPTER VI.

MONONGALIA COUNTY FORMATION.
1776. ‘
Virginia in the Revolution. Creation of Monongalia, Ohio and Yohogania. Their
Boundaries. The Name Monongalia. Selection/or County-Seat. First Court-
House Situated in Pennsylvania. First Sheriff and Clerk .................... ..

17

28

30

44

49

132 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

“ The lock walls are the most complete piece of masonry along
the river. The walls within the gates are 200 feet; entire length of
walls 300, and the distance between the walls fifty feet. The

wicket gates are in the walls on the sides of the lock; the water i

above the upper gates pass in arches ; when these wickets are
opened to the center of the side walls then perpendicular down to
the bed of the river, then returns to the center table walls above
and under the upper gates, and thence through arches in the table
walls into the lock. These arches, though very crooked, will
admit a volume of water sufficient to fill the lock in a short time.
There are flve—inch groves in each wall above the upper gates, and
below the lower gates for the purpose of slipping down five-inch
boards (like the front boards are put in a granary as it fills up), to
keep the water off the gates if they need repair. The four gates
weigh thirteen tons each.”

It was found to be necessary to lower the height of this
dam four feet, and this was completed in January, 1881.
Col. VV. E. Merrill, an engineer in charge of the work for
a time, in a letter concerning the Weakness of the dam and
explaining the reason of cutting it down, said that Look and
Dam No. 8 should have been built before No. 9, and that
the proper location for No. 9 was at Collins’s Ripple, about
four miles below Morgantown, but no good foundation
could be found there. Building at -Hoard’s Rocks, about

four miles further down the river, necessitated increasing

the lift from ten and a half feet (what it would have been at
C0llins’s) to eleven and a half feet. Col. Merrill also said
that after Lock No. 9 was built,_ he desired the construc-
tion of the dam delayed until Lock No. 8 was built, but a
public meeting at Morgantown demanded that Dam No. 9
be built at once, and that he had done so, which caused
the lift to be raised from eleven and a half feet to eighteen
feet. 4

The contract for the building of Lock No.8 was awarded

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 133

in July, 1881, to Shipman and Carmody, of Fairfax County,
Va., for the sum of $46,236; but the work is not yet com-
pleted, owing to lack of‘ funds. On the 24th of December,
1881, Look No. 7 was let by the Monongahela Navigation
Company of Pennsylvania to Harold, McDonald and Com-
pany.

On March 13, 1882, a meeting in the interest of slack-
Water navigation was held in Morgantown, of which Prof.
D. B. Purinton was president and E. Shisler was secretary.
This meeting appointed George C. Sturgiss, Joseph More-
land, Col. A.iFairchild, the Hon. J. M. Hagans and Prof.
I. C. White a committee to endeavor.to secure an appropri-
tion by Congress suflicient to finish look No. 8 and repair
No. 9. On the 9th of June Congress appropriated $25,000.
The last session of Congress having failed to make an
appropriation for the Monongahela River improvement,
Col. Merrill, in a letter dated May 5, 1883, said that the
balance of $29,000 on hand Would have to be-used to pay
for stone then being quarried, and that no further Work
could be done till Congress should make an appropriation.
1 March 5, 1850, the “Morgantown Bridge Company” was
incorporated by the Assembly, by a vote of 58 yeas to 49
noes. This company built the Wire suspension bridge
across the Monongahela River at Morgantown, wl1icl1 was
completed on the 16th of December, 1854, at ‘a cost of
nearly $30,000. Its construction was a Work of great value
and benefit to the Whole county, as it furnished a safe and
sure means of crossing the river at all seasons of the year.

Various minor enterprises were projected during the pe-
riod covered by this chapter, which will be treated of in
their appropriate places in following chapters.

CHAPTER X111.
REORGANIZED GOVERNMENT OF‘ VIRGINIA.

1861-1863. .

Secession——Virginia Legislature Convoked——Ca1ls a Convention——-
Action in Mononga1ia—Proceedings of the Richmond Con-
vention—Submits an Ordinance of Secession—-Course of the
Union De1egates—Large Meetings at Morgantown—-Resolu-
tions Adopted—Other Meetings in the C0unty——Vote on the
Ordinance—Ru1nored Invasion—Mi1itary Preparations—NeW
State Organization——~Whee1ing Convention of ‘May 13th, ’61——
Convention of June——Reorganization of the State Govern-
1nent—Jones’s Raid——Showa1ter’s Retreat.

THE profound excitement following the raid of John
Brown upon Harper’s Ferry in the antumn of 1859, was at
its height at the opening of the presidential election of
1860. This struggle, in whichfour tickets were in the field,
was bitter beyond precedent. Certain southern States had
declared at an early period in the canvass that they would
withdraw from the Union in the event of the election of the
Republican candidate. When it was definitely ascertained
that Abraham Lincoln was elected, a convention of the
people of South Carolina was called. On the 20th of
December, 1860, this convention adopted an ordinance of
secession. Within the next two months, Mississippi, Flor-
ida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas withdrew
from the Union. These States formed a new Republic
——T/£~6 C7072fecZe7"ate States of Ame7*z'ca,——and elected J efferson
Davis, of Mississippi, President. \

The people of Virginia found themselves confronted with
the most important question that had ever come up in the

REORGANIZED GOVERNMENT. 135 '

history of the State since the days of the Revolution.
Governor Letcher called an extra session of the Legislature
to meet on the 7th of January, among other things, “to take
into consideration the condition of public affairs, and deter-
mine calmly and wisely what action is necessary.”

People in Western Virginia at first did not comprehend
that a terrible war was about to be inaugurated, and many
laughed at the idea of secession, or if the South did secede
that a war of any magnitude would follow. Marshal M.
Dent, then editor of the Wrginia Weekly Star, seemed to
have had a correct idea of the terrible contest of arms about
to open, and in anieditorial as early as January 5, 1861,
said, under the heading of “ The Crisis Has Come”:

“ VVe are in the midst of a Revolution. The country is becoming
aroused in every direction. . . . Madness rules the hour. The
North has commenced to arm, and soon we will be in the midst of a.
bloody internecine war. . . . We here warn you to beware of
the insidious smiles of Secession. It commenced as a peacable
lamb, and has increased step by step until it has become a monster
of strength and power. Again we call upon you to arouse to your
interests—to choose for yourselves whether you shall be for or
against your country.”

This editorial was followed by others making‘ eloquent
and -stirring appeals against secession.

The Legislature convened in extra session on the 7th day
of January, 1861, and on the 14th passed‘ a bill calling a
convention of the people of Virginia, whose members were
to be elected on the 4th of February, and to meet at Rich-
mond on the 13th of that month. A substitute for this bill,
offered in the House of Delegates, providing that a vote of
the people should be taken upon the calling of the conven-
tion, was defeated by a large majority. Thus, for the first
time in the history of the State, a convention would

186 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

assemble without the sanction of the people. A clause of
the bill, however, provided that the sense of the voters
should be taken at the election for members of the conven-

tion, “as to whether any action of said convention '

dissolving our connection with the Federal Union or
changing the organic law of the State shall be submitted
to the people for ratification or rejection.”

Petitions of citizens of Monongalia, irrespective of party,
were published from Morgantown, Granville, Scott’s Run
and Cassville, calling upon the Hon. Wa.it1nan T. VVilley
and Marshall M. Dent, then clerk of the Circuit Court, to

become candidates for seats in the convention as the rep— '
I

resentatives of the county. These gentlemen were elected
Without opposition, while the people of the county, by a
vote of 2,027 to 13, said in thunder tones that Monongalia
wanted the action of the convention as to Secession or any
change of the organic law of the State submitted to the
people.

On the 27th of January, the Kramer Guards and Moore
Cadets paraded in Morgantown, and Mr. VVilley made a
Union speech to a large assemblage, which was received
with applause. Subsequent to this two Union poles and
flags had been raised at Morgantown and Granville. On

the 30th of January a Union meeting was held at Easton,

with lVilliam J . Vandervort as chairman, and was addressed
by J. M. Holmes, Thomas A. Ryan and VV. S. Cobun. On
the same day a similar meeting was held at Fort Martin, at
which Daniel Miller presided as chairman.

The Convention assembled at Richmond on the 13th, and
organized by electing the Hon. John J anney, of London
County, president. W. T. VVilley Was appointed a member
of the Committee on Federal Relations. Fulton Anderson,

-A REORGANIZED GOVERNMENT. 137

a commissioner from Mississippi, Henry L. Benning, a com-
missioner from Georgia, and John S. Preston,'a commis-
sioner from South Carolina, addressed the convention, all
urging Virginia to join the Southern Co‘nfederacy. Mr.
‘Willey answered the address of Preston in an able and
eloquent speech. Many resolutions were offered, which
were referred to the Committee on Federal Relations. This
committee sat with closed doors. On the 9th of March, a
partialmajority report of fourteen resolutions was made ‘by
the committee. The eighthlresolution asserted the right of
a State to secede. Upon this report opened the battle in
the Convention. It was a great struggle of the giant minds
of Virginia. The leaders from the eastern part of the State
championed secession; the leaders of the west stood for
the Union. On the 4th of April a substitute for the sixth
resolution, proposing an ordinance of secession to be voted
upon by the people, was defeated by a vote of forty—five
yeas to eighty-nine noes. The people of Richmond were
for secession. An uncontrollable throng filled the streets,
and treated with derision the Western members. The news
of the fall of Fort Sumter set the turbulent crowds upon
the streets wild with excitement. The national flag was
torn from the dome of the Capitol, and the Confederate
banner raised everywhere. At night, the ])i..sj9azfc.72, said,
“the city was ‘lighted up and the Whole heart of Ricliinorid
was in the demonstration.” A great assemblage. gathered
in a large hall with closed doors. The Convention Went
into secret session. A stormy scene followed. On the
morning of the 17th, ex-Governor Henry A. ‘Vise made a
Wonderfully impassioned speech. The Union leaders were
firm, but could not hold the rank and file against the great
pressure brought to bear upon them. The convention came

138 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

to a vote upon “ an ordinance to repeal the ratification of
the Constitution of the United States of America, by the
State of Virginia, and to resume all the rights and powers
granted under said Constitution,” and it Was_ carried by a
vote of eighty—eight to fifty-five. This ordinance was to be
voted upon on the 4th Thursday of May, but the schedule
prohibited the election of Congressmen on that day.

The Union leaders were greeted with threats of personal
violence, and their language declared treasonable, by the
excited throngs in the city. VVilley, Carlisle, William G.
Brown, James C. McGrew, and others, the next day, declared
that Western Virginia would never support the ordinance.
On Saturday, April 20th, some of the Union leaders assem-
bled at the Powhatan Hotel secretly, and resolved to
withdraw from the convention, return home, and urge their
constituents to vote down the ordinance. The Hon. James
C. McGrrew, of Preston, was one of this "little band of
eighteen or twenty members thus assembled. The meeting
was so hastily called that it was impossible to notify all
the Union delegates. Several of these delegates found
much difficulty in getting out of the city and through the
State to their homes.

When Beauregard’s circling batteries opened fire upon
the walls of Sumter, and the thunder of battle rolled up
from the South Atlantic coast, VVestern Virginia realized
the awful fact that a terrible war was upon the country, and
turned with intense anxiety to the State Convention and the
action it would take upon secession. The 17th of April,
1861, was an eventful day in the history of the Common-
wealth of Virginia. With the rising of the sun Virginia
was united; with its setting, the East had pronounced for

REORGANIZED GOVERNMENT. . 139

secession, and the West was assembling its first meeting in
favor of revolution against any attempted disunion.

A large assemblage of citizens, without respect to party,
convened at the court~house in Morgantown, on Wednesday
evening, April 17, 1861, pursuant to a previous notice. It
organized by electing William Lazier president, George M.

_ Reay, William N. Jarrett, John Mikel and'Henry Dering,
_vice presidents, and Drs. VVilliam M. Dent and Isaac Scott,

secretaries. William Lazier and Henry Dering made Union
speeches. Dr. J. V. Boughner, Francis Madera, Col. Leroy
Kramer, B. L. Berkshire and Dr. H. N. Mackey, the com-
mittee on resolutions, reported the following:

“WHEREAS, an alarming crisis now exists in this country immi-
nently threatening the existence of the American Union, and all
the blessings of that civil and religious liberty. to secure which our

. Revolutionary forefathers waged and endured all the hardships

and privations of a seven years’ war ; and, whereas the present
deplorable condition of our public affairs has arisen from the
indiscreet and useless agitation of the slavery question in our
National legislature by demagogues and selfish polititcians North
and South; and whereas the time has come when it behooves
every true friend of the Union and his country to rally under the
flag and maintain the same with an unwavering hand and under
the most adverse and trying circumstances ; Therefore, be it

“Resolved, Thatwe, the people of Monongalia, without distinc-
tion of party, deprecate and hereby enter our solemn protest

against the secession of Virginia in the present exigency, as unwise ‘

and inexpedient and fatal to her best interests and the interests of
our whole country; believing as we do, that amongst its immediate
and legitimate results, will be the utter ruin and bankruptcy and
desolation of our hitherto proud and powerful old Commonwealth.

“Resolved, That we are attached to the Federal Union as the
ark of our political security and safety, that it is endeared to us by
the enduring fame and patriotic deeds of its founders, and that we
will cling to it despite all the tirades and treasonable threats of

140 HISTORY OF - MONONGALIA ‘COUNTY.

the ingrates and traitors who are engaged in the unholy work of

firing the Southern heart and precipitating us in the yawning gulf

of Secession. , _
“Resolved, That secession as it is practically exemplified in the

so—called Southern Confederacy,is unmitigated treason against the ‘

Constitution of Government of the United States, and its leading
actors in the language of its prime mover and greatest champion,
Williani L. Yancey, ‘are traitors,’ and liable to be treated as such

‘for violating the Constitution and laws of‘ their country.

“Resolved, That the idea of seceding from the general goVern~
ment of the United States, and attaching Virginia (as the ‘outside
sentinel) to the so-called Cotton or Gulf State Confederacy, is
repulsive and opposed to every feeling, sentiment and instinct of
patriotism, and the sense of this meeting is unalterably opposed to
being into the wake of secession by South Carolina, the hot—bed of
political heresies and treason.

“Resolved, That VVestern Virginia has patiently summitted to
and borne up under the oppressive policy of Eastern Virginia for
the last half century, as shown in her course in denying to us equal
representation and refusing to bear her equal share of taxation (in
uniformly claiming and receiving exemption from equal taxation on
her slave property ;) that now the measure of Eastern oppression
is full and that if, as is claimed by her, secession is the only remedy
offered by her for all our wrongs, the day is near at hand when
Western Virginia will rise up in the majesty of her strength and
repudiating her oppressors will dissolve all her civil and political

connection with them, and remain firmly under the time honored

Stars and Stripes.

“Resolved, That we hereby tender our thanks toour delegates
in Convention, W. T. VVilley and M. M. Dent, Esqrs., for their firm
stand and active resistance to the extreme and unwise policy of
secession, and cordially say to them, ‘ \Vell done good and faithful
servants.’ ”

The resolutions were adopted, and the following was pre-
sented and unanimously adopted: .

“ Resolved, That in case an ordinance of secession is passed by
our State Convention, that our delegates be requested to propose

REORGANIZED GOVERNMENT. ,/ 141

a division of the State, by some line that will sever us from all
future connection with Eastern secessionists.”

The Virginia Star, in commenting on the action of the
meeting, concluded by saying:

“The whole West is on fire, and ere long the flames will reach
the top of the Blue Ridge and proclaim to our oppressors and
would-be masters, that our backs are not yet ready for their lash ;
that we have borne with their oppression and “unjust taxation as
long as we can, and that now, we must either be equals, or separate."

The meeting adjourned to Monday, April 22d. Morgan-
town on that day was decked with flags. A delegation from
the “Flats” numbered about three hundred, and one from
Fort Martin, commanded by Capt. Joseph Snider, J r., num-
bered about two hundred and fifty. _ It is said that over
two thousand people were present. F. H. Pierpont and
Fontaine Smith made Union speeches, and the meeting by
acclamation adopted the six resolutions offered at the meet-
ing of April 17th. Dr. Z. Kidwell, the States’ Rights
party’s nominee for Congress, was present, but declined to
speak on the ground that it would subject himself and
friends to insult and injury, which reason he gave in a card
addressed to the people of Monongalia.

Mr. VVilley arrived home on the 24th, and that evening, by
request, addressed a large audience of ladies and gentlemen
in the court-house upon‘the work of the State Convention.
Marshall M. Dent, the other delegate to the Convention,
left Richmond in two hours after the passage of the
ordinance of secession, but arrived home later than Mr.
Willey. Upon his arrival he issued a card resigning as a.
member of the Convention, and in a long editorial pub-
lished in his paper urged that Western Virginia should
declare herself a separate and independent State.

10 . TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VII.

MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION.
1776-1783. .

Patriotism of the Inhabitants. Virginia and Pennsylvania Recruit Troops in
Monongalia. Tory Revolt. Indian Invasions. Attack. on Dunkard Creek.
Killing of Miller and Woodfin. Slaughter near Ft. Statler. Adventure of the
Morgans. Attack on Martin’s Fort. Murder of the Scott Girls. Adventure
01' James Scott. Correspondence of Col. Broadhead and Col. Evans. Slaugh-
ter on Do1l’s Run. Killing of Statler, Myers and Thomas. Thrilling Escape of
Smith and Mrs. Thomas. Murder of Crawford, Wright and Elizabeth Pindall.
Unprotected State of the Frontier. Capt. John Wetzel’s Company. Reminis—
cences of William Haymond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

CHAPTER VIII.

CLOSE OF THE INDIAN WARS.
1783-1792.

The Frontier Cabin. The Early Settlers. A CoWard’s Courage Tested. Washing.
ton’s Visit. Capture of Dawson. An Indian Party Killed. Attack on the
Cleggs, and Murder of the Handsuckers. Adventures of two Boys and of Col.
John Evans. Indian Campaigns. Monongalians in Them. Levi Morgan. List
of Taxable Persons in 1786. Murder of the First County Surveyor . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CHAPTER IX.

MASON AND 1)IXoN‘s

History and Importance of the Great Boundary Line. The Virginia Charter.
Grant to Lord Baltimore. William Penn’s Charter. Boundary Controversies

of Penn and Baltimore. ‘Mason and Dixon’s Work. Boundary Controversy
between Virginia and Pennsylvania. Futile Attempts at Settlement. Final
Settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LINE.

CHAPTER X.

WHISKEY INSURRECTION.
1791-1795.
Origin, History and Suppression. Mobs at Morgantown. Action of the State and
National Authorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CHAPTER XI.

LOSSES OF TERRITORY.
17844848.
Formation of Harrison County. Addition to Harrison. Formation of Preston
County. Addition to Preston. Formation of Marion County. Addition to
Marion. Unsuccessful Attempts to Detach Territory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

g CHAPTER XII.

IN'l‘I<)R1\'AL IlVIPROVEMEl\"I‘S.
1796-1883.

Early Growth of the County. Monongalia Glades Road. Monongahela Naviga-
tion Company. Census of 1820, 1830 and 1840. First Steamboat. Academies.
Turnpikes. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Projected Railways. Slack-Water
Navigation. Morgantown Suspension Bridge.

Various Minor Enterprises... 103

142 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Public excitement was intense. The militia met and
drilled. Rumors came of a northern invasion from Union-
town, Penn. During May additional meetings were held.
At Adam Brown’s on Dunkard Creek one thousand people

i were present; at the Evans school—house, where over four

hundred assembled; at Clinton Furnace, at Easton, at Cheat
Neck,land at Capt. Joseph Snider’s, near the State line,
where over two hundred were present.

Monongalia’s vote on the ordinance of secession, May
23d, was: “For Ratification,” 115; “For Rejection,” 2,263;

majority against secession, 2,148. VVhile the people were it

voting rumors came that a Confederate force was gathering

at Grafton. At Morgantown the council placed the town _

under the charge of Capt. Jacob Hickman in command of
the Home Guards. In the early history of the town its
citizens had rallied under arms to repel an Indian invasion;
and now nearly a century after, its rest was broken again by
war’s alarms, and upon its Revolutionary picket-posts were
standing many of those wl1o were to be soldiers of the
Great Rebellion. On the following Monday the “excitement
became intense. A messenger reported an armed force
at only ten miles’ distance, whose object was the capture
of the town. Active preparations were made—runners
were sent to the country and messengers to Pennsylvania
to ask aid. All night long armed men in response to the
call poured in from the country. The first organized com-
pany that came in was the Cheat Neck company. The next
was a company from Smithfield; Penn. After them came
Capt. Hughes Oliphant’s cavalry company from Fairchance
Furnace, Penn., a company from Morris X Roads, Penn.,

and Capt. Joseph Snider’s company. News came from"

Fairmont that over two thousand troops were on their way

REORGANIZED GOVERNMENT. 143

from Wheeling to attack the Confederate force at Grafton.
Word was brought that the Confederates had fled, and that
the Union force was in l1ot pursuit, and had captured four
hundred of them. Before this last word came, an advance
of the force at Morgantown upon Grafton was proposed.
The Smithfield company was requested to remain in Mor-
gantown, as a military guard, which they did. The ad-
vance on Grafton resulted iii no fighting, and the force soon
retured.

On the 11th of June, Capt. Frank Thompson with 120
men left for Wheeling tohenter the Federal service, followed
on the 18th of July by Capt. J. Lowrie McGee with sixty
cavalry. In August, a military camp was established two
miles north—east of Morgantown.

Opposing the secession of the State, the people of
Western Virginia were steadily engaged at the same time
in agitating the idea of a new State west of the Alleghanies.
The Morgantown meeting of April 17th had declared that
in event of secession upon the part of Virginia, Western

‘ Virginia would plant herself under the stars and stripes as

a new State. Three days later, the conference at the Pow-
hatan Hotel at Richmond took action that pointed to the
same end. The Western delegates came home, and from
the stump helped to arouse the public mind upon the
wrongs of VVestern Virginia. Men began boldly to pro-
claim that the only redress lay in separation and a new
State. On the 22d of April the people of Monongalia
assembled to reiterate her views of April 17th. At the
same time, John S. Carlisle and others had assembled

over twelve hundred people at Clarksburg. The meet-

ing passed resolutions declaring that the Secessionists
were attempting without the consent of the people

144 Hisronr or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

to take Virginia out of the Union, and that in seiz-
ing Government property, they had inaugurated war.
The meeting then recommended that the people in each
county of North-western Virginia appoint at least five dele-
gates to meet in convention at Wlieeling on the 13th of
May, “to consult and determined upon such action as the
people of North—western* Virginia should take in the present
fearful emergency.” This meant separate organization of
the North—west without waiting for the result of the elec-
tion ordered on secession. For, they said, Eastern Virginia
had already seceded. Confederate bayonets at the polls in
the coming election would ensure but one result in the
East, and something was to be done before they would
appear in the West. A meeting was held at the court-
house in Monongalia, May 4th, to appoint delegates to this
convention. James McClaskey was called to the chair and
Franklin Sinclair, Dr. H. N. Mackey, C. Burgess, John Lem-
ley and Capt. J os. Snider, J r., were chosen vice presidents,
and Francis Madera, secretary. VVaitman T. ‘Willey and a
large number of others were appointed delegates* by accla-
mation. This convention met at VVashington iHall in
Wheeling, Monday May 13th, 1861. Over four hundred

* Following is the list oi‘. the delegates appointed: Joseph J olliffe, Alex. L. Wade,
Allen Fast, Joseph Shuttlesworth, Moses Steel, Thomas Tarleton, Abraham Devault,
John W. Lanham, M. M. Dent, William Lazier, Henry Dering, Dr. H. N. Mackey, Dr.
Isaac Scott, Dr. Charles McLane, Col. James Evans, W. T. Willey, W. A. Hanway, J.
R. Moore, L. W. Runner, Leroy Kramer, Elisha Coombs, John Rogers, F. Madera,
Samuel Howell, William Shaw, Philip Rogers, Charles Howell, A. C. Plckenpaugh, J.
T. Mcclaskey, John Bowers, N. C. Vandervort, William Anderson, Jacob Miller, Edgar
St. Clair, John N. Baker, James Hare, C. H. Burgess, F. Furman, John Lemley, Joseph
Snider, William Simpson, Amos S. Bowlby, Dr. W. M. Dent, A. S. Courtney, Col. Reuben

Finnell, Joel Bowlby, Jesse Mercer, Dr. J. V. Boughner, J. N. Waters, S. G. Morgan, \

C. S. Price, William Fear, Benj. Thompson, Benj. Barker, James T. Hess, E. B. Tygart,
Andrew Brown, Michael Core, John Wildman, Asa Tennant, William Price, Asa.
Lemley, A. Garrison, E. Morris, Dr. John'McCarl, William Kinney, P. L. Rice, J. S.
Lemley, Charles Edwards, Andrew Wiley, George Price, A. B. Pratt, E. C. Bunker, E.
P. Fitch, A. G. Davis, Alex. Wade, Sr., Dr. D. B. Dorsey, James Lazzell, R. L. Berkshire,
W. N. Jarrett, G. R. Dering, E. B. Swearingen, A. S. Vance, George McNeely, George D.
Evans.

   

 
    

    
 
   
  

 

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PETER THOMAS LAISHLEY.
See Page 455.

~REORGANIZED GOVE_RN_MENT. 145

delegates were present, representing twenty-six, Weste1'n
Virginia counties. The Rev. Peter T. Laishley, of Monon-
galia, offered up a prayer ;* John VV. Moss, of VVood
County, was elected president, and one of the secretaries
was Marshall M. Dent, of Monongalia. WV. '1‘. VVilley
represented the county on the Committee on State and
Federal Relations. VVhen the Convention came to a plan
of immediate action it divided into parties: one, called the
“radical,” led by John S. Carlisle, wanted the Convention
to organize Westerii Virginia into a new State; the other,
known as the “conservative,” opposed this as unconstitu-
tional. Its leaders were VV. T. VVilley and F. H. Pierpont.
The conservatives recommended resistance by the people to
the illegal acts of the Legislature at Richmond, and that
to attempt to form a new State at this time in an unconsti-
tutional manner would bring “anarchy and confusion” on
VVestern Virginia. On the evening of the third day the
Committee on Federal and State Relations brought in a
report, which both parties accepted. It declared the ordi-
nance of secession null and void; and in event of its car-
rying, recommended that the counties represented, and any
others desiring to do so, appoint delegates on the 4th of
June to 5. convention to meet on the 11th. \
After the ordinance of secession had carried, Monongalia,
on the 4th of June, elected as delegates to the convention
to be held on June 11th, Leroy Kramer, Joseph Snider, R.

* Subjoined is an extract from Mr. Laishley’s prayer :

“ May the Almighty grant that the stars and stripes oi’. the flag of our country ever
Wave all over this land, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from Maine-to the Gulf of
Mexico. 0 may those who would plunge us into the horrors of civil discord be over-
reached by the omnipotent arm or Almighty God. 0 do Thou grant, We pray Thee,
that this convention met here for the purpose of consulting upon the best Interests
of our own beloved Virginia, may act promptly, decisively and harmoniously. May it
act with reference to peace, principles and the universal happiness of our citizens and
the country fit?) large.”

146 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

L. Berkshire, William Price, James Evans and D. B. Dorsey,
The Convention met and organized at Washington Hall, in
"Wheeling. D. B. Dorsey, on the 12th, offered resolutions
for the separation of VVestern Virginia from the State of
Virginia, but withdrew them at the request of John S.
Carlisle. The convention, on the 19th, passed “an ordi-
nance for the reorganization of the State Government.” On
the'20th, the convention, as provided for by the ordinance,
elected Francis Hi Pierpont Governor of the Reorganized
Government of Virginia. VVilliam Lazier was selected as
one of the Governor’s Council, and L. A. Hagans, of
Preston, Secretary of State. The convention adjourned to
August 6th. The Legislature of the Reorganized Govern-
ment met on the 1st day of July, and elected W. T. Wflley
and John. S. Carlisle United States Senators from. Virginia,
the acceptance of whose credentials, together with those of
the Congressmen elected, was the oflicial recognition by the
Governmentiof the United States of the Reorganized Gov-
ernment of Virginia. V J

The Confederates, in April, 1863,imade a raid into North-
western Virginia for the purpose of destroying the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad and securing as many horses as possible.
They entered Preston County in two divisions, General
Jones came by the way of the North—Western Turnpike,
attacked Rowlesburg, and was there repulsed by the
Federal forces under Major John H. Showalter. He then
marched by the way of Independence to the eastern border
of Monorigalia County. Col. Harmon, in command of the
other division, came by Cranberry and Kingwood, and re-

joined General Jones before he entered Monongalia. The
following account of General J ones’s raid is taken from the
Jlfonizfor, a paper then published at Morgantown: '

REORGANIZED GOVERNMENT. 147

“On Monday morning, the 27th ult., [April, 1863] several citizens
of Kingwood arrived at our place, and reported that the rebels
were encamped a short‘ distance beyond Kingwood, and that they
numbered about 5,000, as they had counted about 500 canip-fires.
It was court day, and by 10 o’clock some 500 people were in town.
As soon as the news from Kingwood was circulated, Mr. [George
M.] Hagans, the president, and Mr. [John] Wagner, the cashier of
the M. and M. Bank here, left with the funds of the bank. Senator
Willey and other prominent citizens also left. A meeting was called
at the c0urt—house, and it was determined to send out scouts on
different roads to ascertain the number of the rebels, and if there
were not over 100 of them, it was the determination of our citizens
to resist and defend the town.

“Col. James Evans proposed to be one of ten men to go out and
reconnoitre, and discover, if possible, how large a force was coming
so that we might know what course to pursue, as, if the rebel force
was large, any resistance on our part would be perfect folly, and
only ensure the destruction of the town. After nearly an hour
spent by Col. Evans in trying to get men to volunteer to go with
him, he got six besides himself, whose names we take pleasure in
putting before the people, that they may do them that honor
which their conduct deserves. They were Col. Evans, J. J. Jen-
kins, Kinsey Fife, Evans D. Fogle,’John Holland, Peter Hess and
Sylvanus Pierpont, who mounted and started to reconnoitre the
Kingwood turnpike. Holland and Hess were sent up the ‘Forge
Road,’ and Col. Evans and his party continued on the pike, Jen-
kins being sent a short distance ahead of the rest of the party, for
the purpose of stopping a man who had gone in advance of the
party. Just as Col. Evans and his party were going up a rising
piece of ground, the rebel cavalry advance came in sight over the
hill, with Jenkins as a prisoner between them. Jenkins, by raising
his hat, gave our party a sign by which they knew the character of
the company he was in. It was but the work of a second to "bout
face,’ run, and down the hill they came like a thunder—gust, closely
pursued by the rebels, who were soon within seventy yards of them;
but they were about at the bottom of, the hill, and on rising ground
our party leftthem far in the rear. They were pursued about two
miles, Fogle and Pierpont leaving Evans and Fife behind, owing

148 HISTORY OF . MONONGALIA COUNTY.

to the superior fleetness of their horses. Evans and Fife dismount-
ed',and led their horses into the brush on the road-side, and Watched
the advance pass them, and then entered the woods and took to the
river, which they crossed some distance above Morgantown.

“ During the chase after this party, Jenkins escaped, took to the
woods, and succeeded in gaining town before the cavalry, as did,
also, Fogle and Pierpont, and reported that they had been chased
by the rebels, who were numberless, and that they (the rebels)
were at thefarm of Gr. VV. Dorsey, only two miles from town. The
citizens nearly all commenced leaving; those who had horses, on
the roads, and those on foot fled to the hills.

“About 1 o’clock two rebels came to town, with a flag of truce,
and were informed that the town was surrendered to them. They
returned to their main force, and in about half an hour, some
eighty of their men came to town. Some of our citizens upon
finding out that there were only eighty of them, were Very indig-
nant that we had not resisted, but it was not long before their in-
dignation was changed to submission to superior numbers when
about 600 rebels occupied the town. This force consisted of a
Maryland battalion under command of Major Brown, and a Vir-
ginia regiment under command of General Harmon. They called
at the different houses and taverns for something to eat. Some
were engaged in squads scouring the country for horses——others
were trying to get into the stores, which were all closed. Some of
‘them got in and purchased some few goods; others forced their
way into Capt. VVilliam Lazier’s, Charles Watts’ and Frank
Demain’s stores. They took many things at Demain’s and Lazier’s
which they did not need, but gave and sold them to citizens. They
got all the boots and men’s shoes fromflall the stores; and all the
hats. Our citizens, especially the ladies, talked freely with them,
and gave them to eat with as good a grace as possible. Shortly
before night the whole force left on the Independence Road. This

‘ force had crossed the Railroad about Oakland (Md), and came via

Cranberry Summit and Kingwood, destroying the wire suspension
bridge across Cheat River. It was evidently their intention to get
to Morgantown, capture the funds in the bank, put their pickets
around the town, permit all the persons coming to court to pass
within their lines, and none to go out, and thereby capture a num-

REORGANIZED‘ GOVERNMENT. 149

ber of horses; but they were foiled in this. and Col. Harmon was
evidently very much incensed at his ill success, and was disposed to
be rather crabbed. They were successful in getting sixty or seventy
horses. This force bivouaced along the Independence Road,
distant seven to ten miles from town. i H

“Towards morning they started in the direction of Independence,
and met the command of William Ezra Jones, Brig.—General, (said
to be a son of William Jones of Marion County in the neighborhood
of Basnettsville, and who emigrated South several years ago,) and
all then returned in the direction of Morgantown. At Morgantown
many of the citizens had returned, and several people from the
country had come into town, and were standing around the streets
in small crowds discussing the events of the day previous, until
about 10 o’clock, when about sixty rebel cavalry came into the two
main streets of the town on a charge at their highest speed, yelling
like devils, with their cocked pistols in their hands, and com-
menced gathering the horses. The most of the people got off the
streets in a hurry, supposing that the rebels were intending to
shoot, burn, conscript, etc. In a few minutes it0was discovered
that they were after horses. They canvassed every street, searched
every stable, and at the sound of the bugle, assembled in front
of the bank, and left town within fifteen minutes after they had
come in, with about thirty—five or forty horses. Soon after, the
whole force commenced coming in. They occupied the town and
surrounding country during the day, and they conducted then1—
selves very much as on the day previous, only on a more extended
scale. The General put guards over the drug stores and bars,
which were kept there as long as he remained in town. Toward
evening he left, and some 200 who stayed behind succeeded in
getting whiskey, and some of them got quite merry. One soldier,
about half seas over, (a private in a Jefferson County company by
the name of Bushrod Washington and a son of Lewis ‘Washington,
one of the witnesses against John Brown,) apologized to the ladies
for drinking so much, by stating ‘that the whiskey that they got
here was so much better than they got in the confederacy, that
they could not restrain themselves. Upon being interrogated as
to the age of their whiskey down South, he replied. ‘A week old,
all to six days.’ V ' ' ' J" ‘J

TABLE OF CONTENTS. H 11

CHAPTER XIII.

REORGANIZED GOVERNMENT OF VIRGINIA.
1861-1863.

Secession. Virginia Legislature Convokerl. Calls a Convention. Ac "ion in Monon-
galia. Proceedings of the Riclnnond Convention. Submits an Ordinance of
Secession. Course of the Union Delegates. Large Meetings at Morgantown.
Resolutions Adopted. other Meetings in the County. Vote on the Ordinance.
Rumofiecl Invasion. Military Preparations. New State Organization. Wheel-
ing Convention of May 1331861. Convention of June. Reorganization of the
State Government. Jones’s'Raid. Sl1owa1ter’s Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  134

CHAPTER XIV.

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.
- 186:3-1883.
Erection of West Virginia. Meetings held in Monongalia. Establishment of the
Townships. Monongalia’s Centennial Celebration. Biographical Sketch of
Waitman '1‘. Willey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  I52

UHAPTE R XV.

PHYSICAL HISTORY.

Geography of the County. Cheat River Canon ‘Views. Geology, Structural and
Economic. Palaeontology. Carboniferous Fossils. Botany. Zoology . . . . . . . .. 220

CHAPTER XVI.
AGRICULTURAL HISTORY.
Early Farming. Tools used. Early Mills. “Old Monongahela Rye Whiskey.”
Reaping, Cleaning and Threshing Grain. '.l‘i1reshing'Machines. Home-made
Goods. Early Clothing. First Stores. Present Farming. Fertilizers. Im-

proved Stock. County Fairs. Market Gardening. Fish Culture. Prices of
Farm Products, 1821 to 1883. Statistical. Delinquent Land, 1820 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 240

CHAPTER XVII.

‘I.\*DUs'.rRIAI. HISTORY.

Decker’s Creek Iron Works. Cheat River Iron Works. Davis or Pleasant, Wood-
grove, Henry Clay and Anna Furnaces. Clinton Furnace. Hawthorne-‘s Nail
Works. Powder l\:Iill. Mill Stones. Woolen Factories. Paper Mill. Potteries.

, Carriage Works. ‘Foundries. Furniture Works. Boringsfor Oil. SaltMaking.
Gold Seeking. Coke Burning. Preston Company. Statistical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 254

CHAPTER XVIII.

POLITICAL HISTORY.

Qualification of Voters. Voting Places. Presidential Votes. Delegates to Consti-
tutional and other Conventions. Votes on Constitutions and Amendments,
Secession, New State, Etc. Members 01‘ House of Delegates. Senatorial and
Congressional Districts and Representatives. List of Sheriffs, Surveyors, and
Assessors. O1dTaxReceipt. Prominent Monongalians Abroad. Political Cus-
toms. Political Speaking in 1846. Biographical. Votes of the County. Statis-
tics ot Population, Etc ..........................  ............................. .. 26'2"

150 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

“When the charge was made into town for horses, in the morn-
ing, several persons who were trying to escape with their horses
were fired at, but none injured so far as we can learn. As they
(the rebels) cameto town they were fired at, so the rebels allege, by
some citizens, Lloyd Beall, Andrew Castle, and Albert Roby, about
seven miles from town, and they shot them, killing the two first
dead, and wounding the other, who feigned death, and is now
recovering. ' Lloyd Beall stood up like a brave man, as he was,
after he was shot through the body, and did not fall until he was
piercedwith four balls.

“ On Tuesday evening the rebels all left in the direction of Fair-
mont on the west side of the river, and we have seen none of them
since, except two prisoners. The whole force was commanded by
Jones and numbered about 2,000 men in all.

“ On Monday the farm—house of Capt. Lazier, one mile from town,
occupied by Alpheus Sheets, a very worthy man, whose family was
absent from home, was burned by the rebels. They also set fire to
the suspension bridge on that day, but were prevailed upon to
put out the fire. The losses here were, say, 200 horses in the
country; Charles Watts, $500,’ boots, etc.; Fitch & Scott, $300,
drugs; Carr, Hanway, Nye & Co., $1000, drugs; J. S. Hickman,
$500, hats; F. Demain, $4.-00, groceries; H. D. Murphy, $100, goods;
D. H. Chadwick, $100, goods; William Lazier, $1000, goods ; Gr. M.
Hagans, $500, goods. Although the bearer of the flag of truce
informed our citizens that private property would be respected,
yet a large amount of property was destroyed, some sold to
unprincipled persons, and more taken away.”

The Confederates during this raid sent a small body of
troops by Stewarttown to the Sine Ford on Cheat, to ob-
serve if any Federal forces were advancing from Pennsyl~
vania; and a small force was sent to Ice’s Ferry for the
same purpose.

Maj. John H. Showalter, after repulsing the Confederate
attack on his forces at Rowlesburg on Sunday, April 26,
received reinforcements in the form of a volunteer company

from Wheeling with four mountain howitzers. His scouts

REORGANIZED GOVERNMENT. 151

now reported that the Confederates were destroying the
railway east and west of him (which was false). Having
no provisions, he called a council, and determined to retreat.
His force, 450 strong, marched to Kingwood, and then to
Zinn’s Mill, where, he states, he sent three men to the rail-
way ‘near Independence to telegraph for orders, which they
did, and received and brought back to him a dispatch
ordering him to march to VVheeling, which was now threat—
ened, in the shortest possible time; that he concluded he
could march to Uniontown, Penn, by way of Morgantown,
and go by rail to Pittsburgh, and thence by water to VVheel—
ing, sooner than he could march across the country to
Wlieeling. On the morning of the 29th, Major Showalter
broke camp and marched for Morgantown, which he reached
that night. The next day at 4:30 P. M., he put his force in
motion for Uniontown, and by a night march reached Smith-
field, Penn, a distance of sixteen miles, where the citizens
furnished his men with breakfast. He then marched to
Uniontown, took the cars, and arrived at Pittsburgh, and
thence by water proceeded to Wheeling.

CHAPTE xiv}

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

1863-1883.
Erection of ‘Vest Virginia.—Meetings held in Monongalia-—Estab~
lishment of the Townships—Mononga1ia’s Centennial Celebra-
tion——Biographical Sketch of VVaitn1an T. VVi1ley.

Tim storm of battle had burst upon Virginia, and she was
rent in twain. “The men from the sea-shore”; from
the south district, from “the beautiful and historic
Valley,” afterward “upon whose hoof—beaten bosom red
battle so deeply stamped his foot and made it famous
forever”——these all_ gathered beneath the Stars and
Bars, pledging life and fortune for Southern Incle-
pendence. But westward from the crest of the
Alleghanies, the sons of Virginia rallied un-
der the Stars and Stripes, and from the frowning

 

mountains to the bright waters of “the beautiful

ARMS OF WES’1‘
vmanm. river,” rang the war—cry of the Union and passed

the watchword—A NEW STATE.
Dating her existence from the 20th of June, 1863, VVest
Virginia became the thirty—fifth State of the ‘Union, and so

it was that, while the destinies of the nation trembled in
the balances of battle—while the clouds hung heavily over
the Union——before Vicksburg fell, and before the decisive
battle of Gettysburg was fought——aI1otl1er star was added
to the clustered constellation upon the banner of the grand-
est Republic known in all human history. The idea of a
new State west of the Alleghanies was not created by the

STATE or WEST CVIRGCIENIA. 153

secession of Eastern Virginia. That event gave it life-
developed it "and brought it out as a remedy for the hard
position in which the people of the trans-Alleghany section
found themselves when deserted by the eastern part of the
State. There were several causes of the growth of the
desire of these people for a new State. There was little
commercial or other intercourse between the two sections :
the Alleghany mountains were an almost impassible barrier
between Eastern and Western Virginia. The people were
different in their modes of life, in their principles, and in.
their ideas. The East was aristocratic ; the West was dem-
ocratic: the East was slaveholding; the West was non-
slaveholding. Inequality in the system of taxation, a11d
discrimination against the West in appropriations for works
of internal improvement, were other causes of dissatisfac-
tion. In the matters of representation in the Legislature
and restrictions upon the right of suflrage, Virginia had
departed far from the principles laid down in her Bill of

Itights. Jefferson, as far back as 1816, had animadverted

upon the failure of the Commonwealth to adhere to her
declarations of fundamental principles. These questions
of representation and suffrage were fought over in the
convention of 1829, when the cause of the ‘Vest was so ably
championed by Philip Doddridge. Some concessions to
the demands of the VVest were to be found in the Constitu-
tion framed by that remarkable body of distinguished men;
but as these demands, based as they were upon right and
justice, were not fully recognized, the agitation went on.
The Legislature, March 4, 1850, passed an act submitting
to the people the question, “Shall there be a convention to

amend the Constitution bf this Commonwealth?” The vote

‘W of the people was in the affirmative, and the convention”

154 HISTORY OF MONQNGALIA COUNTY.

assembled on the 14th of October, 1850. The Constitution
was adopted on August 1, 1850, and ratified in the following
October. 8

During 1850, the ]|[0n0ngaZz'a 1}[i7"7°07’ said: “We ask for
the right of representation for freemen, instead of being
made ‘hewers of Wood and drawers of water’ to those
Whose chattels are deemed of equal value with ourselves.”

A meeting was held at the court—house in Morgantown,
and a committee composed of Guy R. C. Allen, the Hon.
Edgar C. Wilson, W. T. Willey, 'Willia1n':Price, John Watts,

' Ravvley Holland, Caleb Tanzy, N. Pickenpaugh, the Rev. S.

Siegfried, Martin Calendine and Egan B. Tygart reported
resolutions declaring that the “VVhit'e Basis” is the only
proper basis of representation in convention or state legis-
lature, and that the calling of a convention on the eve of a
census (1850) was forestalling and taking advantage of the
West, as the census would develop the numerical strength
and resources of that section. William Thomas was presi-
dent and Col. James Evans vice president of this anti-con-
vention meeting, and H. E. Smith was the secretary. The
call for the convention was defeated in Monongalia County.

In November, 1860, a memorial of 348 citizens of Monon-
galia was sent to the convention, asking for the “VVhite
Basis,” and the election of oflicers by the people.

The amended Constitution had tWenty—seven votes only
cast against it in the county. The basis of representation
provided for by it Was denominated the “Mixed Basis,”
being based on the number of white inhabitants of the
State and the amount of all State taxes paid: one dele-
gate and one senator for every seventy-sixth part of said
inhabitants, and one delegate and one senator for every
seventy-sixth part of said taxes. This apportionmenton

STATE or WEST VIRGINIA. 155

the “mixed basis,” was, by a provision, not to be subject
to amendment until 1865. It gave the eastern part of
the State a majority of representatives, ‘owing to its
great wealth, principally in slaves, and to which its num-
bers in population would not have entitled it. The landed
qualification of voters was abolished, and all property
was to be taxed according to its value, except slaves over
twelve years of age, who were to be assessed at $300 each.
County oflicers were‘ now to be elected by the people,
instead of being appointed, as heretofore.

All this was a step in advance; the West had extorted
further concessions from the East, but yet she had gotten
neither equal representation nor just taxation. These and
other sources of strife had been left unhealed by the
amended Constitution; and so the new State idea lived.

The Wheeling Convention re—convened on the 6th of
August, 1861, and on the 20th passed an ordinance for the
formation of a new State, to be called Kanawha, which
ordinance was submitted to the people in October. At
the same election delegates were to be chosen, who, if
the ordinance were ratified, were to form a convention to
frame a Constitution for the new State. The ordinance
was ratified, the convention assembled November 26,
1861, and concluded its labor on the 18th of the follow-
ing February, and the Constitution framed was submitted
to the people on the 3d of April, 1862, and ratified. On
May 13th, the Legislature of the Reorganized Government
of Virginia passed an act giving its consent to the formation
of therState of West Virginia, the name West Virginia hav-
ing been substituted by the constitutional convention for
the proposed name of Kanawha. ‘

The consent of Congress to the admission of the State

156 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

into the Union was next sought. The petition for the
admission was presented in the United States Senate by
Senator Willey on the 29th of May, 1862. After a long
struggle, the amended bill offered by Mr. Willey on the 1st
of July, 1862, was passed. It provided that the new State
should be admitted in the event of a certain change being
made in the constitution. The constitutional convention,
which, fortunately, had not adjourned, but merely taken a
recess, re-assembled February 12, 1863, made the change,
submitted it to the people, the people ratified it, and
President Lincoln, by proclamation of April 19, 1863,

declared the fact, and West Virginia became a State of _

the United States. The State oflicers elected on the 28th
of May were inducted into office on the 20th of June,
1863—the day from which the existence of the State is
reckoned.

The Legislature, on the 31st of July, 1863, appointed
William Price, Reuben Finnell, James T. McClasky, Thomas
Tarleton, Philemon L. Rice, Jesse Mercer and Jesse J.
Fitch commissioners to divide Monongalia County into
townships, and designate them by names. Philemon L.
Rice and Jesse J. Fitch did not serve, and Michael Wliite
and Harvey Staggers were appointed in their place. These

commissioners marked off the first township, and ran its J

lines with but little variation from the existing lines enclos-
ing the old First Magisterial District, and named it Clinton.
They then laid off the remainder of the county in like
manner, making each magisterial district a township with

I but little alteration of its enclosing lines. The Second

District became the second township, by the name of Mor-

A gan; the Third District, the third township, which was

STATE _.OF WEST VIRGINIA. 15,7

named Union; the Fourth District became Cass Township ;
the Fifth District became Grant Township ; the Sixth Dis-
trict, Clay Township, and the Seventh District became Bat-
telle Township.

During the remainder of 1863 nothing of unusual interest
occurred within the county beyond several false alarms* of
Confederate invasions.

In August, 1864, the militia were called out and went
into camp for four days on the Runner farm, four or five
miles from Morgantown, in apprehension of a Confederate
raid. In November, some one entered the court—house one
night, and tore up and otherwise injured the public records.

Early in the month of June, 1876, steps were taken to
appropriately celebrate on the Fourth of July the county’s
as well as the Nation’s centennial anniversary. A meeting
was called, which assembled at the court—house, to make
arrangements for the celebration. Of this meeting the
Hon. W. T. VVilley was elected chairman and Henry N.
Morgan secretary. Addresses were made by Mr. Willey,
the Hon. J. Marshall Hagans and the Rev. J. R. Thompson.
Resolutions, offered by George C. Sturgiss, declaring. the
propriety of a celebration on the Fourth of July of the

county and nation’s hundredth anniversary, and providing.

for the appointment of a general committee of arrange-
ments, were adopted unanimously. Joseph Moreland,
Thomas P. Reay, George C. Sturgiss, A. W. Lorentz, Wm.
C. McGrew, Jesse J. Fitch, Ed. Shisler, George Hall and
J. P. Shafer were appointed such committee, which organ-
ized by electing Mr. Moreland chairman and Mr. Reay

* The people were ‘frightened several times by reported raids, which the Post enu-

merated, in 1864, as the “ Dusenberry," the “ Weaver,” the “ Granny" and the “ Cart-

wright” raids.

158 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

secretary. Sub-committees were appointed in each district
by this committee, Col. Joseph Snider was chosen mar-
shal of the day, with Capt. George VV. McVicker assistant.

“No event,” said The lVew D0m2'.m'0n, “that has trans-
pired in our town for time immemorial Was so generally
observed as the Centennial Celebration here on the 4th.
Early in the morning immense crowds poured into town
from every direction, in every conceivable means of convey-
ance. The rich and the poor, the high and the low, in car-
riages, Wagons, on horse—back and on foot, Without regard
to past or present, political or religious distinction, they
assembled for a day of genuine pleasure, ‘enjoyment and
hearty patriotic demonstration. . . . The reverence which
we feel for our noble fathers, who so earnestly labored to
give us pure and independent government, was brilliantly
manifested. . . . Though after the exercises had been con-
cluded, a heavy rain commenced to fall, which made it
extremely unpleasant for all those going home that evening,
still they did the best they could to protect themselves, and
departed for their homes with a feeling of serene satisfac-
tion and supreme contentment over the manner in which
the day had been passed, and with renewed zeal for the
perpetual and enduring prosperity of our country and
Union.”

From the description of the day published in T/Le Mor-
gcmtown lVee/cly Post ‘We extract: “The celebration in
Monongalia County, West Virginia, on Tuesday,:Ju1y 4th,
1876, of the one hundredth anniversary of American Inde-
pendence and the one hundredth anniversary of the organi-
zation of Monongalia County, will long be remembered by

our children after the present generation has passed aWay._

. . . At 3:30 o’clock Tuesday morning, the signal Was

STATE or WEST vIRGINIA. 159

/given for a general ringing of bells. The clear notes of the

old bell in the cupola of the court-house, immediately under
the statue of Patrick Henry, one of Virginia's patriotic sons,
rang out on the still air of that balmy July morning with
music sweet to the American heart. Then followed the pon-
derous strokes of the sledge-hammer upon the big bell at the
University, and the ringing of the old Monongalia Academy
bell, and all the church bells in town.” Describing the
procession, the same paper says : “The attractive feature
at the head of the procession was a splendid representation
of ‘Brother Jonathan ;’ personated by John Guseman.
John was on horseback, decked out in the stars and stripes.
His horse was covered with a blanket of stars and stripes,
and he wore a suit of the same. The short breeches,
strapped to the bottoms of his boots, the gaunt figure, the
hatchet—faced visage, the keen Yankee contour in every
respect, was a real ‘Uncle Sam’ in costume and figure.

The day indeed was a glorious one, in_which we will all recur
in the future with patriotic pride and joyful recollections.”

The ringing of the bells brought almost the whole town
on the streets, and at sunrise. a Federal salute was fired at
the University. People were now coming in from the
country in all directions. Two bands were present from
Fayette ‘County, Penn.: a martial band, whose members
were Henry, John and Ulysses Scott and Philip and Ad.
Lyons; a brass band from Morris X Roads, composed
of Thomas F. Protzman (leader), Martin Hope, Ira Conn,
Paton B. Protzman, George Hertzog, Hugh Scott, Amody
Gans, Samuel Conn, James Frankenberry, “Abe” B. Hall,
Jr., and A. Jackson Hirdman. The_Monongalia martial
band was “headed by Silas Sinclair, fifer, and the irre-
pressible Riley Walker on the tenor drum.”

12 . TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIX.

JUDICIAL HISTORY.

Courts of the County and the Judges. District Court. Superior Court of Law.
superior Court of Law and Chancery. Circuit Court.’ County Courts. List or
Prosecuting Attorneys. List of Clerks of Courts and Presidents of County
Courts. List of Presidents and Clerks of Board 01’. Supervisors. Recorders of
the County. List of Justices of the Peace. Roll of the Bar. County Buildings.
Hangings. Suit of Harrison County against Monongalia. Biographical
Sketches of Judges, Clerks, Attorneys, and others ............................. . . 307

CHAPTER XX.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.

Early Schools and School Houses. How furnished. Methods of Teaching. Books..
Subscription Schools. Commissioners. Tuition. Free Schools. Establishment
and Growth of the System. List of County superintendents, Votes for and
Sketches of. Institutes. Wade’s Graduating System. Morgan’s Outline
Course of Study. Boards of Examiners. Exhibit at Centennial Exposition;
Prize Map. Statistics. Extracts and Summaries from Reports of County Su-
perintendents. Monongalia Academy. Morgantown Female Collegiate Insti-
tute. Woodburri Female Seminary. Morgantown Female Seminary. Sketch
or James R. Moore. West Virginia University. Boards of Regents, Officers,
Professors. Sketches of Presidents and Professors. Names of Graduates.
Yearly Enrollment of Students. Monongalians Graduated from Other C01-
leges. West Virginia Historical Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 358

CHAPTER XXI.
JOURNALISTIC HISTORY.

Progress in Journalism. List of the Newspapers Published in Monongaiia County.
The First Paper in Virginia West of the Alleghany Mountains. Particular De-
scription of Each Paper Published in Monongalia, with Extracts. Early
Presses, Etc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ . . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 426

CHAPTER XXII

RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANCE HISTORY.

The First Church West of the Alleghany Mountains in Virginia’ Organized in
Monongalia. County. The Baptists. Methodist Episcopal, with Extracts from
Bishop Asbury’s Journal; and List of Preachers from 1784 to 1833; Presiding
Elders from 1786 to 1813; Statistics; Conferences Held in Monongalia. Camp-
meeting. Presbyterian. Evangelical Lutheran. Protestant Episcopal. Meth-
odist Protestant. Christian. Catholic. Mormon Preacher. Church Statistics.
Missionaries: Mrs. Lowrie. Miss Moreland; First Sermon. Sunday-Schools.
Monongalia County Bible Society. Temperance Organizations. Whiskey Li-
cense. Biographical Sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 440

CHAPTER XXIII.

FINANCIAL HISTORY. ‘

Honey in Early Days. Tobacco as Currency. Paper Money. Furnace Script.
Points of Exchange for State Bank Currency. Former and Present Methods of
Transmitting Money. Panics of 1837, 1857 and 1873. Monongalia Farmers’
Bank. Merchants’ and Mechanics’ Bank. Merchants’ National Bank. J. H.
Hoffman & Co._ The Morgantown Bank. Second National Bank. Bank Pres-
idents and Cashiers, Etc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . 460

160 -HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The procession was headed by the artillery under com-
mand of Col. Frank W. Thompson; "next, the martial bands;
then citizens, followed by Indians——-boys decked out in full
Indian costume; then the brass band, after which came the
colored people closing the procession. After marching
through the streets, the long line marched to the fair ground,
where a national salute of thirty—eight guns was fired.
Here, after music by the band and prayer by the Rev. Dr.
Jimeson, the choir* sang “1876,” a patriotic ode. J. S.
Boyers read the Declaration of Independence; and the
“Star Spangled Banner,” solo, duet and chorus, was sung
by T. P. Reay and J. M. Lazier, and the chorus by all the
people. John J. Brown now delivered the Historical Ora-
tion (local), followed by Carl Beden’s “Centennial Hymn”
by the choir, and music by the band. The Historical
Oration (general) was delivered by the Hon. VV. T. Willey;
music by the band, and recess for dinner. During the
recess a centennial salute of one hundred guns was fired.
After dinner, the colored citizens had an hour in the rendi-
tion of a programme of their own "making. At 2 o’clock,
after music by the band, the Rev. J. R. Thompson delivered
an oration; music by the choir, and “Old Hundred” by
all the people, led by Dr. J. M. Lazier. The benediction
was now pronounced, and the vast-concourse of people was
dismissed about 4 o’clock.. A heavy rain—storm set in
before all of them reached the town. In the evening a
balloon ascension, fire works from the suspension bridge,
and a pyrotechnic display at Robert L. Demain’s on the

* The choir was composed of the Fletcher Class—J. A. Jones (leader), Amy, Alice,
Drusilla, Elza, Clark and Lindsay Warman, Isaphine and Filena Hunter, Laverne.
Stewart and Morgan Hertzog; and the Granville Class—Z. Taylor Martin (leader),
J. W., L. and Martha A. Bixler, Theodocia, Fannie and E. V. Finnell, Minnie and
Martha Martin, George and William Lewellin, Luinie and Ellison St. Clair, Kate Frum,
Josie Corothers, Clavin Roby and R. P. Hess.

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STATE or WEST VIRGINIA. ‘ 161

‘ hill south of town, closed the exercises of the Centennial

Fourth at Morgantown. It was “ cne of the largest popular
demonstrations ever witnessed in the county, participated
in by nearly three thousand people, and not marred by the
arrest of a single person by the police.” Mr. John J.
Brown’s historical oration was a masterly efl'ort——the best
centennial address the writer: has yet seen. He opened by
saying: ‘

“The voiceless tomb holds in eternal silence. the unrecorded
‘thoughts that breathed and words that burned? a hundred years
ago. The patriots who then rallied around the unfurled standard
of freedom, erected by their invincible courage, burning zeal, and
patient and prolonged sufferings, this grand temple of liberty,
under whose shadow we this day gather. More than forty millions
of freemen are met to-day at the shrine of patriotism to worship,
and to learn from tradition, from history, from eloquence, from
poetry and song, the events of other years; and to renew at a
common altar their pledges of fidelity to thsir country, and to be
baptized with the spirit of a hundred years ago. Those brave men
who would have gathered around VVashingt0n in the mountains of
West Augusta, had the cause. of their country gone down amid the
shock of battle on the eastern slopes of the Alleghanies, are now
forever speechless and silent.

“The recorded events of the distant past alone remain to us.
And, as the years go by, even these are yielding to those seen and
unseen agencies, before whose power the solid brass and the
enduring marble perish. Other generations will live when the
record of those I address to-day has been made up, and they in
turn make room for others.

‘ So the multitude goes, like the flowers or theweed "
That Withers away to let others succeed.

So the multitude comes, even those we behold,
To repeat every tale that has often been told.’

As. distance lends enchantment to the view, so time softens the

asperities and hallows the memories of the past. History written

amidst passing events is fraught with the angular" harshness, the
11

162 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

prejudices and excitements of the hour. As the azure hue covers:
and hides from our vision the huge rocks and deep ravines on the
mountain-side, so may the record of this day conceal beneath the»
mantle of charity the imperfections of all, and breathe naught but‘
the spirit of kindness.

“I ask your attention and patience, fellow-citizens of Mononga-
lia, while we go back and attempt to gather some of the wrecks on
the shores of time, ere the outgoing tide shall wash them away for-
ever.” '

L“. Brown then spoke, in eloquent and glowing terms,
of the ‘early settlements, sketched ' the formation and extent;
of the county, told of its soldiers in the past Wars, its courts
of law, its county—seat, its newspapers, banks and post-
offices, its honored sons and daughters at home and abroad,
its educational institutions and influences, and, in the con-
clusion of his brilliant peroration, said :

“ VVho will say, standing this day beneath his country’s flag, and
Witnessing the universe.joy of a free and happy people, that the
wars, the tears, and the blood of a century have been a costly sac»
rifice? VVho will say that if it has taken a hundred years to give»
practical interpretation to the great charter of American freedom,
and to present every citizen in this year of jubilee before High
Heaven, redeemed, disenthralled and regenerated by the spirit of‘
universal liberty, that the cry will not ere long be heard from the
tops of the mountains—VVatchman, what of the night? And in
ten thousand answering voices echoing around a ransomed world
the welcome response will be-——The morning cometh! to usher in
the meridian splendor of the Son of Righteousness, to whom not
only all the honors of all the centennial years of earth and time,.
but the excellent glory of the eternal ages belong.”

Monongalia County was well represented at the Centen-
nial Exposition in Philadelphia, no less than three hundred
and five of her inhabitantsvisiting that mammoth exhibit
of arts and industries.

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 163

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.—WAITMAN T. WILLEY.*

It is apparent to the student of History that no record
of the life of a people is complete that does not relate the
story of those individual members of the communities,
who, by their virtues or vices, their genius or talents, their
natural endowments or acquirements, their achievements
or their adventitious surroundings, make them important
factors for weal or woe on the theater of life’s actions.
Such is the complex system of human operations that a
species of mastery is engendered by the very elements of
which it is composed, in those whom native genius and for-
tuitous circumstances bring to the aid of the infirmities as
well as the strength of the aggregate mass. Therefore, they
who rise to prominence either by the force of intellect or
the exercise of private virtues, become a part and parcel of
the body of the nation or people, and whilst they exercise
an influence for good or evil, a faithful chronicle of their
lives is an index to the spirit of the age in which they live,
and they are in no small degree representatives of its chief
characteristics. Hence, a faithful portrayal of their career
involves the annals of surrounding events, connected with
their advent into the world and their bearing whilst on the
stage of action. Such explanation is deemed necessary for
much that may appear in the following pages sketching the
life and character of the distinguished citizen of Monongalia
County whose name appears above.

The settlers who founded the communities embraced in
that portion of West Virginia, which earlier in the century
was designated as North-western Virginia, were for the
most part a hardy race of pioneers who were chiefly

" Written by the Hon. J. Marshall Hagans, for this work.

164 HISTORY OF MON ON GALIA COUNTY.

engaged, in the localities from which they came, in agricul-
tural pursuits. The fertility of the soil, the boundless
realms of wooded waste which only awaited the coming of
the advancing tide of honest toil to develop fair fields and
lovely landscapes, were attractive to the eye of the adven-
turous sovereigns whose limbs had but just donned the
mantle of freedom in the struggle with the mother country.
The emigration came from New Jersey in colonies and fam-
ilies. A few New England people in search of a softer
climate found their way to its hospitable borders. The
eastern Pennsylvanian in search of thrift looked with
admiration on future comforts." Many also came from
Maryland and contributed their share to the labor of found-
ing in toil the abodes of peace and happiness. From the
eastern portion of Virginia there came a large number who
brought their slaves, and settled in the valleys where con-
tentment and ease promised to spring from the efforts of
labor. Others came from the shores of the gallant little
colony which had borne on her bosom so much of the
struggle in the Revolutionary conflict, and where the
Brandywine had been reddened with the blood of relatives
and neighbors. Among the latter was the father of the sub-
ject of this sketch, William Willey, who was born in Sussex
County, Delaware, in 1767. Although a mere child during
the greater part of the war of the colonies, he retained a
vivid recollection of many of the incidents connected

therewith in his own locality, and loved to recount them in .

after years to the willing ears of the rising generation.
He heard at a short distance away the guns at the disas-

trous battle of Brandywine and witnessed some ‘of the

demoralization following that untoward event. He was the
son of William Willey whose ancestry came from Great
Britain. In the year 1782 or 1783, the grandfather re-
moved to Monongalia County, Virginia, locating 11ear
Collins’s Ferry, then called Martin’s Ferry, on what has
since been known as the Burris farm, now owned by D. I.
B. Anderson, Esq. A few years thereafter he purchased

STATE or WEST VIRGINIA. 165

and removed to the farm near Cassville now owned and
occupied by John T. Fleming, Esq., where he died a few
years later.

In 1802, William Willey, the younger, purchased and
settled on a tract of land adjoining the present site of
Farmington, in the now county of Marion, on Buffalo Creek.
Here the Hon. Waitman T. Willey was born on the 18th
day of October, 1811, in a log cabin not twenty feet square.
His mother was the second wife of his father, and her
maiden name was Sarah Barnes, daughter of Thomas
Barnes, who had removed from Frederick County, Md., in
1779 or 1780, where his daughter was born. The ancestry
of Thomas Barnes were from England, whilst his wife was
of Irish descent. He settled at the mouth of Buffalo Creek,
then in Monongalia, now in Marion County.

The scenes which surrounded the childhood of Mr. Willey
were far different from those which greet the eyes of the
youth in the same locality at the present day. Then it was
an exceptionally isolated community. The few scattered
settlers along the stream from thence to its head were
thirty miles or more from the county—seat. They were situ-
ated on no great thoroughfare which marked the tide of
emigration to the great West. A few log cabins with the
curling blue smoke, in the midst of a small “deadening,”
were all that denoted that the restless spirit of the Anglo-
American courage had attacked the vast primeval solitudes
of the upper waters tributary to the Monongahela. The
tastes and habits of the population were simple, their dress
plain and their manners unaffected. The chief character-
istic that distinguished them in their primitive, rustic life
was a cheery hospitality that was unbounded in its wel-
come. This feature was exhibited in their genial intercourse
with each other, and manifested itself by frequent assem-
blages at their respective homes, where feats of generous
rivalry in physical prowess were enlivened and interspersed
with simple abundance and good cheer. The educational
facilities of such a stage in the progress of a people, at that

166 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA CQUNTY.

day, were not great. In this section the grand truth that
the stability of the Republic depended on the intelligence
of the suifragans had not been popularly brought forward.
Nor had it been necessary. The men who had wrested the

‘ principle of Republican government from the domination

of the old-world methods of ruling, were still on the stage,
and jealously guarded in infancy what their valor had won.
It is not until the memories of the participants in a struggle
for human liberty fade from men’s minds, or its echoes have

V died away or been lost in the surging ocean of human pride,

ambition or revenge, that it becomes necessary to hedge it
about with all the barriers that knowledge can oppose to
ignorance allied to malevolence. The few log school-houses
which stood as lone sentinels of knowledge in the midst of
such rugged frontier patriotism, were sufficient to supply all
the needs of men engaged in a hand—to-hand contest with
the forces of nature.

It is not surprising, therefore, that young Willey received
but about nine months’ schooling before he attained the
age of twelve years; snatched, as it were, from the intervals
of hard labor to which all were devoted as soon as they
were physically competent. In the year 1823, his father
removed to a farm purchased by him on the Monongahela
River, at the mouth of Pawpaw Creek, and across the creek
from the site of the present village of Rivesville. This was
quite a change for him. He soon felt the impulse of
achievement, which seems to pervade the minds and hearts
of all dwellers by the side of deep flowing streams. He
never wearied of sitting on the banks of the river'and
listening to the monotone of its steadily moving currents.
Still hard toil as a farm boy was his duty, and, as in every
relation of life in subsequent years, he discharged it to the
full measure. Until he attained the age of seventeen
years, he labored assiduously on the farm, developing a
magnificent physique, capable of immense endurance, and
which was the foundation on which he builded largely in
future years; his stature then being six "feet and two inches,

STATE or WEST VIRGINIA.   I 167

and his weight two hundred pounds. The only interruption
that occurred during these five years to his daily toil, was
his attendance for ‘two months on what was then called a
grammar-school, taught by a strolling teacher from Phila-
delphia. In this school he caught a glimpse of the temple
of knowledge, and resolved to enter its portals.

Among the household treasures that found a place in the
boyhood home of Mr. Willey, and which were yellow with
age, were a time-worn copy each of the Illiad (Pope’s
translation) and the Essay on Man. These, with an oft-
‘perused Volume of Pilgrim’s Progress, Pike’s Arithmetic
and the Bible, comprised the whole of the library to which
he had access until he left home to enter upon his collegiate
course. The former of these works he was most diligent in
reading and re—reading, although he early formed the habit
of reading the Bible, and has constantly practiced it all his
life, until long passages were at his command from memory
alone. The more he read the more his wonder grew, and
the sublime conceptions of the father of epic story, all of
which he regarded as a Verity, filled his imagination with a
glowing fervor of mental exaltation. New thoughts rose to
stir within him new desires. He longed to oin in the
scenes of the great world around him, and for himself to
observe in the great surging multitude which he knew lay
beyond the horizon of his rural life, the actions of men, and
to participate in the grand conflict where each for himself
hews out the pathway to honor. These feelings oppressed
him until he besought his father for the means of obtaining
an education, and was at length gratified by his reluctant
consent.

Madison College, subsequently merged in Allegheny Col-
lege, located at Uniontown, Penn., being the nearest to his
home, was selected as the place where he should essay the
arduous tasks of the student. On Christmas day, 1827, at
seventeen years of age, he left his father’s house for college.
His appearance at that time was characteristic of his times
and surroundings. He was over six feet high and weighed

TABLE or CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXIV.

MEDICAL HISTORY.

First Visiting Physicians. First Resident Physicians. Schools or Medicine Rep-
resented in the County. Regular or Allopathic. Eclectic. Homeopathic.
County Board or Health. Medicinal Plants and Waters. Births, Marriages
and Deaths. Cause and Ratio of Deaths. Statistics. Centenarians and Nona-
genarians. Biographical Sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

CHAPTER XXV.

MILITARY HISTORY.

French and Indian War. Dunmore’s War. Revolutionary War. War or 1812.
Mexican War. Oregon Frontier War. The Civil War. Regularnrmy. United
States Navy. Militia Regiments, 1796 to 1867. Projected Monument to Wash-
ington. Projected Soldiers’ Monument. Soldiers’ Reunion, July 4, 1883.
Biographical Sketches... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

CHAPTER XXVI.

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.

Roads. Rivers, Ferries and Steamboats. Servitude. Early Taverns. Postal
History. Flour Inspectors. First Notary Public. Early Coroners. Overseers
or the Poor. Secret Organizations. Literary Societies. Monongalia. Inven-
tions. Insurance History. Telegraph History. Building Associations. Wealth,
Debt and Taxation. County Areas. Geographical Center. Center of Popula-
tion. County Divisions: Constabulary, District and Township ............... ..

CHAPTER XXVII.

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH.

General Description. Theory of the Morgantown or Monongahela Valley Terraces.
Early Settlers. Traditional Block House. County Buildings. Town Estab-
lished. Trustees. Incorporation. . Officers. Mills. Postmasters. Stores.
Physicians. Morgantown Suspension Bridge. Gymnasium. Lecture Associa-
tion. Religious Denominations. Schools and Offlcers. Growth of the Town.

Suburbs. Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
CHAPTER XXVIII.
CLINTON DISTRICT.
Geographical Boundaries and General Description. Indian Occupation. Early

Settlers. Indian Murders: Miller, Woodrln, Stone, Booth, Etc. Voting Places.
Civil List. Towns: Smithtown, Clinton Furnace, Halleck, Uffington. Post-
Offices. Roads. Oil Wells. Noted Places: Pictured Rock, Uflington Cave,
Clinton Cave, Raven ' Rocks, Ferrell Rock, Indian Rocks. Jones’s Raid.
qaurch History. Sunday-Schools. School History. Statistics. Stores. Flour-
ing Mills. Saw-Mills. Blacksmiths. General Notes. Biographical Sketches
and Notes...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . 

:-

CHAPTER XXIX.

MORGAN DISTRICT.

Geographical Boundaries and General Description. Indian Occupation. Destruc-
tion of the Decker’s Creek Colony. Early settlers. Settlers’ Forts: Kern’s,
Cobunis and Burris’. Growth 01‘ the District. Civil List. Towns and Post-

13

465

486

536

605

168 HISTORY OF’ MQNONGALIA COUNTY.

two hundred pounds; he wore the native home-spun jeans v ..

of the butternut hue; his entire earthly effects were carefully
wrapped up in abandanna handkerchief which he carried
in his hand, as, with a light heart and an unconquerable
courage, he walked the whole of the distance, forty miles,
in one day—a feat he performed at each vacation .during
his college course.

His advent into the ranks of the students was signalized
by general diversion at his uncouth appearance and man-
ners. 'He cared little, however, for all this; his was a deep

purpose. Silently he kept in his unobtrusive way, feeling con- -

scious that his was at last to be the hour of triumph. It was

soon apparent to those to whom he recited, that here was

a gem in the rough, and his rapid advance enforced the
respect of his early detractors. Under the date of Decem-
ber 22, 1829, but two short years after he entered upon the

course, Professor Fielding of the Faculty wrote to his V

father: “Your son Waitman has now been under our care

about two years. .. . . It affords me similar pleasure.

to be able to give a good character of Waitman. His
natural capacity and talent are of a high order; his love of
learning is intense, and of course his habits of study have
been assiduous. His gentlemanly deportment and his
amiable disposition have secured him the esteem and affec-
tion of all who know him. He understands English well;
he writes in his native tongue with purity and especial
elegance. He has laid a goodfifoundation in mathematical
science, and has already read, and carefully read, a larger
portion of Latin and Greek than is usually read in this
country. From his capacity and diligence he may be ex-
pected to graduate much sooner than the “prescribed
period.” By dint of great exertions he outstripped all his

competitors, though much below them at the outset, and .

finished the course six months before the allotted time, or
the rest of his class. The last year he taught the junior
class the course of Latin and Greek. Among the latter was

William Hunter, who subsequently became theprofound,

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 169

Hebrew scholar and professor, and between Whom there
always existed the warmest ties of friendship. In June,
1831, he graduated, bearing away every honor_;of his_ class.
It was indeed a triumph. '

On his nineteenth birthday he began keeping a journal.
His first entry is brief but striking : “ Oct. 18, 1830.——Nine-
teen years old this day. Tempus Fwgit.” After he had
passed his examination prior to graduation, he writes: “The
fiery ordeal is past. The examination is over and mine are
the first honors.” The trustees declared that “Waitman T.
Willey . . . is well entitled to that honor.” A month later
the pride of victory had subsided from the purple flush of
early dawn into the beam of constant and generous benig-
nity, when he writes under date of July 30, 1831: “The old
college looks desolate. . . I love these old walls. . . I could
almost shed tears on departing from these old bricks. If
the boys were here now, I cofild love them all.” How con-
sonant With the views and actions of a long and varied life!
Madison College having consolidated with Allegheny Col-
lege, the degree of A. M. was conferred by the latter in due
course. Some years later, the honorary degree of M. A.
was conferred by Augusta College. Some time after his
election to the United States Senate, the authorities of
Allegheny College voted him the degree of LL. D., but,
with characteristic modesty, not deeming himself entitled
to so distinguished an honor, he let the matter fail of con-
summation sub 8z'lem‘z'0.

From his graduation until May, 1832, Mr. Willey remained
at home, engaged in labor on the farm and reading at every
leisure hour. At the latter period he entered the law office
of the Hon. Philip Doddridge, at Wellsburg, Brooke County.
Under his direction he read law until November of that
year, when his preceptor diedat Washington. Mr. Willey
always retained for the talents of Mr. Doddridge the most
profound admiration, and it was a matter of pleasure for him
to prepare, and deliver before the Historical Society of West
Virginia, at its annual meeting in 1875, an address which

170 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

comprises a sketch of his life. He completed his law studies
in the oflice of Dr. John C. Campbell, of Wellsburg. On
the 24th of June, 1833, he located in Morgantown ; and was
admitted to the bar in September of that year, forming a
partnership with the Hon. E. C. Wilson, which lasted two
years, when he opened an office of his own. That he meant
to be serious in the business of life is apparent from an en-
try to be found in his journal of the above date, of his
location in Morgantown, saying, “where I now live (M.) and
where I expect to die.” _

The following year, on the 9th of October, he married
Elizabeth E. Bay, daughter of Patrick Bay, the father also
of Thomas P. Ray. From that time until the year, 1841,
Mr. Willey was deeply immersed in the practice of his pro-
fession, and he rapidly built up a moderately lucrative
business. He soon became distinguished as an advocate of
very superior abilities. IR ingratiated himself into the
society of ,the place by his genial manners, his versatile
powers and his very accommodating disposition. He
established a reputation for sobriety of habits and upright-
ness of character, that laid the basis for the respect -and
esteem subsequently manifested on all occasions when he
was before the people for their suffrages. ‘ His powers as an
orator became a matter of State repute, and, in 1840, the
Whig Convention held at Richmond, Virginia, placed him
on the Harrison and Tyler electoral ticket. Into that ex-
citing canvass he entered with all the enthusiasm of the
impassioned orator impelled by profound convictions of
duty. He made over forty speeches in North-western
Virginia and Western Pennsylvania. His peculiar oratory
made him a favorite with the masses. He n.ot only pleased
them with the smoothness of his speech and convinced them
with the soundness of his logic, but he swayed them with
the indefinable subtility and the nameless spirit of elo-
quence. Out of that campaign he came with a most
definitely established reputation as an orator; it was re-
served for other times and issues to demonstrate his ability

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 171

as a statesman. In the spring of 1840, he Was a candidate
for member of the House of‘Delegates for the county, but
Was defeated owing to a popular prejudice against his pro-
fession.

At the election of Gen. Harrison for the Presidency, he
Was greatly gratified, and at his untimely death he was as a
patriot deeply affected. His journal bears this entry: “ In-
scrutable Providence! I loved him——his country loved
him.” By general request he delivered an address on the
life and character of President Harrison in the Presbyterian
Church. For some years prior to this time his health was
not good. The excessive application to his studies at
college and subsequently, had brought about the usual
results in hepatic affection. His journal is full of Weariness
in the flesh. March 17, 1841, exhibits a somber page :
“Spring with its birds and blossoms will soon be here.
Dreary nature will soon shake off her torpor, and infuse joy
into both man and beast by her reanimated appearance.
Old and young look to the approaching season with feelings
of delight.. But to me, alas! this pleasant season of the
year Will have few charms; for as the Warm Weather ap-
proaches my disease is aggravated. I feel despondent and
hopeless. . . . My life bids fair to be short. I wish enough
of it to make provision for my dear family, and then I am
ready to depart in peace. . . Not my will, but thine, be
done, 0 Lord.” Again he Writes, a few days later,.Whilst
lamenting his embarrassment in pecuniary affairs: “But I
will struggle with it. The darkest night must have a morn.
. . . It is said that genius has been generally developed by
the stern tuition of remorseless poverty; but, on the other
hand, how many a noble mind, implanted in the bosom of
the sensitive sons of genius, has sunk, never to recover,
under the pressure of indigence and Want. Such I know,
such I feel, has been the history of many a‘mute, inglorious
Milton.’ But poverty is far more desirable than ill—gotten
wealth. I will live honest, if I die poor. I" will live an
honorable man,if I die in obscurity. I would not exchange

172 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the approbation of agood conscience for the hoards of
Croesus. I would not relinquish the pleasure and exalted
happiness of conscious integrity for the crown of an
Emperor. I even now shun certain circles, because I have
no decent coat to Wear; but I can go into my closet and
present myself before the Majesty of Heaven in a moral
garb, showing all the stains of man’s natural depravity,
indeed, but free from all those pollutions which even the
finest merino cannot always conceal. If I starve I hope to
die honestly hungry.”

In November, 1841, Mr. Willey was elected Clerk of the
County Court of Monongalia County, succeeding to the
place made vacant by the death of his brother-in-law,
Thomas 1?. Ray; and in the same month was, by Judge
Fry, appointed Clerk of the Circuit Superior Court of Law

’and Chancery, both of which ofiices he held until the

amended Constitution of 1851 went into effect, in 1852.
He Was a candidate for the clerkship of the county court
under that Constitution, but was defeated by a small vote.
During the years he held these important positions his life
was a very laborious one, but amidst it all he performed
much literary work and kept up his habits of study. He
began the collection of a library which developed into a
large and well chosen stock of the highest order of standard
works. At the beginning of this period of his life he
united with the church of his choice, although his journal
contains many evidences of his having before been deeply
moved by spiritual influences, and fully recognizing by
private devotions his duties to his maker. Of this open
acknowledgement of his faith his journal records: “But
more important than any or all acts of my life, I recognize
my union with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the
month of November last. . . May I be a faithful servant.”

In the year 1843, he delivered before the literary society
of his alma mater an address that indicated the line of his
thought and studies, and his habitual tendency to inculcate
the moral virtues. It bore the title of “The Influence of

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 173

Virtue upon the Character, and its Effects upon the Higher
Attributes of the Mind.” His field of operations was not

alone the higher intellectual sphere. Wherever good was

to be accomplished he was ever an active Worker. The
Sunday-school was a favorite arena for the exercise of his
genial talents and sympathetic heart; and when the great
temperance reform under the auspices of the order of the
Sons of Temperance began to move among the people, it
found in him a most willing and efficient coadjutor.’ He
became early one of its chief officers in the western part of
the State. He traveled extensively in the year 1849
throughout his own section of the State, lecturing and
establishing divisions of the order. He also visited the
eastern part of the State and was well received, producing
a most favorable impression of his powers as an orator and
character as a man. At this time he was complimented by
a newspaper of Fairmont in the following flattering terms:
“ In view of his talents, his numerous services to our people
and the sacrifices he has made for the good of others, he
should be regarded as the pride of VVestern Virginia.”

Mr. VVilley’s ability as a temperance orator at this period
was of no meager character. He was deeply in love with
his theme. To him it was as broad as humanity and as vi-
tal as eternity. His pictures of the desolation and ruin
wrought by intemperance were as somber as the grave, and
the magnetism of his glowing fervor pierced the shield of
the stoutest opposer. Some of the greatest triumphs of his
life were made during this eventful temperance campaign.

The central pivot upon which all revolutions in the forms
of governments in the world, whether violent or peaceful,

has been the question of supremacy in the few or the many. A

The people of Virginia were no exception to this rule. Ever
since the adoption of the original constitution, after her
allegiance as a colony had been severed, there had been two
questions which agitated her people. . The convention which
assembled in her capital in 1829, had been the scene of a
very vigorous if not acrimonious debate, on the question of

174 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

representation in the legislative branch of the State govern-
ment. The Western members, led by the intrepid and gigan-
tic Doddridge, _had sought to engraft in the organic law the
just principle of all true Republican government, that each
and every citizen should have equal privileges in the affairs
pertaining to the common weal. They had not been suc-
cessful, but an arbitrary basis had been assumed whereby
property was to counterbalance, in some measure, the man-
tle of citizenship in the legislature of the State. This was
a source of much irritation in the trans—Alleghany counties,
and the aspiring young men of that section readily took up
the theme promulgated by the leading public men of the
day, and it was a fertile field to till in the heat of a political
contest.

Another of the grave questions that agitated the people
of- Virginia was the extension of the elective franchise.
From the first organization of the State the exercise of suf-
frage had been confined by a property qualification to the
ownership of a freehold. The advancing tide of intelligence
and the spirit of the people were beginning to chafe under
the restraint thus imposed. The agitation which followed
the action of the Convention of 1829-30 became more active
until it manifested itself in the election of a legislature
which submitted a vote upon the question of calling a con-
vention to remodel the constitution of the State. The peo-
ple, by a large majority, decided in favor of the convention,
and an election for delegates was held in May, 1850. For
one of these delegates the people of the district, composed,
under the call, of the counties of Monongalia, Preston,
Marion and Taylor, instinctively turned to Mr. Willey, al-
though his political party was in a great minority in it.
They knew of his talents and they relied upon his fidelity.
He was a genuine son of the people, and his sympathies
were in harmony with their interests and sentiments. 'As a
member of the Convention which followed he took a con-
spicuous part in its deliberations, and was one of the cham-

pions of western views. His eloquence and his scholarly.

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. V 175

acquirements Won the respect of his foes and the admiration
of his friends. It was his first appearance in a deliberative
body, and the press of the day in speaking of his extreme
modesty and unassuming character, records that after’ he
obtained the floor the weight of responsibility caused him
to fairly stagger under his load. The old question of the
basis of representation soon became prominent in the body.
Mr. Willey made a characteristic speech upon the subject,
well fitting his life, and associations; it breathed of the
spirit of his native hills and of the freemen whose delegate
he was. He denied that wealth is properly the source of
political power; he asserted that wisdom, virtue and in-
telligence are the true elements of political influence, and
that wealth is often, from its corrupting tendency, a dis-
qualification; that there Would be a preponderating majority
of whites in Western Virginia, and that they could not be
controlled by an eastern aristocracy; that the materials of
armies had much to do with the question; that he would
not permit, however, majorities to oppress minorities, and
would prescribe constitutional checks‘-j thereto; that the
rights of persons were above those of property even, and
must first be provided for; and that Virginia, the first to
vindicate inalienable rights from Enghish encroachment,
ought not to refuse to acknowledge their potency in the
regulation of her own domestic affairs.

The effort was being made by the delegates from the
eastern portion of the State to provide a system of repre-
sentation in the Legislature, based upon the wealth of the
State. This was largely in the ascendant in that section by
reason of the property held in slaves. It eventuated in
that convention in a provision that, after the year 1865, to
which period arbitrary representation in the various coun-
ties and districts was provided for, two modes known as
“suffrage basis” and “mixed basis” should be submitted to
the people of the State. Speaking of the suffrage basis
which Western members were seeking to engraft on the
Constitution, Mr. Willey said:

176 HISTORY OF LIONONGALIA COUNTY.

“What are these principles which gentlemen would deny and
exclude from all practical effect in the establishment of our
Constitution? They are no novelty; they are as old as society
itself ; they are as old as man, for when God made man he endowed

him with these principles, and has stamped upon the seal that -

they are natural and inalienable and indefeasible. And our
forefathers have laid them at the foundation of our government;
they have laid them at its very threshold, and we must trample
them under our feet and disregard them before we can found a.
government upon the principles of mixed basis. But although
they have ever been the natural birth-right of mankind, it was

reserved for the earlier history of the country——for those who par— -

ticipated largely in the earlier events of our history——to give them
a definition and reduce them to practical form. . . . I will not
consent to go behind the revolution which established this great
political truth, and exhume the discarded principlesffiof English
aristocracy, and fill our halls of legislation with representatives of
Wealth. I will never consent to revive odious distinctions and
privileged classes, founding claims to superior political power upon
the possession of property; but I will stop where I find the princi-
ple declared that ‘all men are by nature equally free and independ-
ent.’ . . . I will adhere to the rule that ‘no men or set of men
are entitled to exclusive or separate emoluments or privileges from
the community, but in consideration of public service.’ And I will
call upon gentlemen distinctly to say whether they will subscribe
to these doctrines of our fathers, whose wisdom and virtues we are
so often and so vehemently admonished to revere and to cherish,
or whether they will repudiate and reject them. . .

“I am weary of this cry of selfishness~—this inferential impeach-
ment of western integrity. It has been ringing in our ears
for the last quarter of a century-the stereotyped decree against
every petition we have preferred for political equality. When we
ask for our natural liberties, we are told that we are clamoring for

A abstractions; when we sue for an equal and just participation in

the administration of the government, we are answered that men
are selfish. The distinguished gentleman from Fauquier [Mr.
Scott] cries out, ‘How long shall our patience be abused by
this eternal clamoring of the West to get their hands on our purse
strings.’ The fears of eastern gentlemen are idle. What is there
to justify them in the history of the past? Upon what facts do
gentlemen predicate their apprehensions of our integrity? There
are no facts to justify them. These apprehensions are the mere
bug—bears of an excited imagination~—mere speculative assumptions
having their origin in their theories of human selfishness.

“I_ appeal to the record. The gentleman from Halifax [Mr.
Purkins] has made it necessary. I do so with reluctance. Self-

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14 TABLE OF CONTENTS.

0fiiC0S- R0€1(1S- M111S- “ROCK FOFSG.” Iron Valley & Morgantown Railway.
Noted Points: Dorsey-‘s Knob, McKinney Rocks, Dripping Spring. Religious
Denominations. Cemeteries‘: Oak Grove Cemetery. Schools and School Oifi-
cers. Statistics.

0

CHAPTER XXX.

UNION DISTRICT.

Geograpliical Boundaries and General Description. Geology of CheatRiver Canon.
Hanging Cliff. Brock’s View. Eagle Cave. Mound Builders. Indian Occupa-
tion. ,_White Pioneers and Early [Settlement-s. Fort Dinwiddie. PierpoI1t’s
Fort. Growth from 1770 to 1884. Civil List. Polling Places. Towns: Stew-
arttown, Easton. Roads. Mills. Mail Service. Ferries. Jacks0n’s Iron
Works. Local Geology. Summer Resorts. Camp Eden. The Lock. Pro-
jected Railways. Religious Denominations. Cemeteries. Oil- and Salt-well
Borings. Buffalo Pond. Catawba War—pat-h. SquirrelRock. A Gretna Green.

Biographical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 646

Schools. Biographical and Family Sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ . . . .. 660

CHAl."i‘.El{. xxxi.‘
CASS DISTICT.
Geographical Boundaries and General Description. Indian Occupation. Early
Settlers. Settlers’ Forts. Martin’s Fort. Harrison’s Fort. Indian Murders.

Adventure of John Snider. Growth of the District. Civil List. Election Polls.
Towns: Cassville, Hamilton, Maidsville, Stumptown, Osageville. Dornicktown.

Mail Service. Roads. Mills. Ferries. Monongalia Salt Works. Salt Borlngs.
Oil Borings. County Poor-house. Religious Denominations. Schools and
School Oflicers. Statistics. Biographical Sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 694

CHAPTER XXXII.

' GRANT DISTRICT.

Geographical Boundaries and General Description. Indian Occupation. Indian
Mill Rock. Pioneers and Early Settlers. Stewart’s Block House. Growth of
the District. Civil List. Polling Places and Presidential Votes. Towns: Gran-
ville, Laurel Point, Arnettsvllle, Lowesviile, Georgetown, Flickersvilie. Mail
Service. Roads. Mills. Religious Denominations. Sunday-Schools. Schools

and School Officers. Statistics. Biographical Sketches. General Notes. . ..
CHAPTER XXXIII.
CLAY nisrarcr.
Geographical Boundaries and General Description. Indian Occupation. Pioneers

and Early Settlers. Indian Invasions and Murders. Settlers’ Forts. Statler’s
Fort. Growth of the District. Civil List. Towns: Blacksville, New Browns-
ville, Brown’s Mills, Mooresville, Mccurdysville, Ponetown. Mills. Roads.
Mail Service. Religious Denominations.
Offlcers. Statistics. Biographical Sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

CHAPTER XXXIV.
BATTELLE DISTRICT.

Geographical Boundaries and General Description. Indian Occupation. Early
Settlers. Murder of William Thomas and the Handsucker Family by Indians.
Growth or the District.
Roads. Mills. Religious Denominations. Schools and School Omcers.
Statistics. A Venerable Couple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

on Borlngs. Schools and son!»

Civil List. West Warren Town. Mail Service.‘

. 715

757

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 177 '

‘P.

commendation is hardly ever in good taste. But the gentleman’s
remarks in reply to the remarks of the venerable gentleman from
Greenbrier [Mr. William Smith] require some noticef Besides, I
feel myself in some sense compelled to refer to those events of
which the gentlemen have spoken, to offset the constant reference
of eastern members to this Inoderation and justice with which
they have exercised the power in their hands and to repel the
imputations against western fidelity and patriotism. I confess I
feel some pride, withal, in making this reference. I appeal then
to the record. How was it some forty years ago, when the invader
was enticing away your negroes, burning your villages, pillaging
your property, and driving your families into the interior? How
was it then, when the enemy in your midst, who, when you
sought to repel the invader from before you, might recall you by
the midnight glare of your own dwellings in flames? You called
for help, and the echo of your call had hardly returned from our
mountains till the roll of the western drum was heard on your
capitol ‘square. Where were your ideas of selfishness then?
Whe1'e was your distrust when you were arming us for defense?
VVe came at your call. The district which I in part have the honor
to represent, sent down her men, her Haymonds, her Morgans, her
Tennants, her Hurrys, her Staffords and others equally worthy.
But they did not all come back. No. Many a desolated western
fireside—many a bereaved family———attested the fidelity of the
western heart that day. And now the gentleman from Halifax
[Mr. Purkins] tells us that we received our wages—We were duly
paid off—‘we had our reward and ought to be content.’ Yes, the
bones of some of those brave men now lie bleaching on your pine
hills and pine barrens, along your sea coast, to reproach you for
your ungenerous distrust; and the gentleman from Halifax cries
out from the midst of these affecting mementoes of western fidelity
—‘ I am tired of hearing these things—you,have had your reward—
be content.’ ‘

“ I must pause here to pay a tribute to the memory of a great,
good man. Under whose banner did those true-hearted western
soldiers rally‘! It was that of a man as true-hearted as they, or
any man that ever lived—the1noble General Robert B. Taylor.
There and then it was he learned our character, our fidelity, our
devotion to the State, without regard to section or locality. It was
fitting that afterwards, in the hour of our extremity, he should be
the first to unfurl the flag of this suffrage basis in the convention
of 1829-30. But the same unmitigated, unrelaxing spirit of this
money—power which is here now, was here then, and drove him
from the councils of the Convention. His voice ceased to be
heard in our defense. His name ceased to be recorded with the
friends oflgepublican liberty. , But his name lives for all that. It

178 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

has found a more enduring record in the hearts of Western freemen ;
and it shall continue to live and to be cherished whilst a freeman
remains in our mountains. I acknowledge the weakness of the
moment. The unbidden tear has revealed [wiping a tear from his
check] the homage of a grateful heart, and in that tear, here in
the presence of this Convention, I baptize the memory of that
great man.”

In conclusion he said:

“For the honor of the ‘ Old Dominion,’ I pray that this mixed
basis shall never darken her annals. Liberty, if not born on her-
soil, at least escaped from her bondage here, and first stood forth
in all the graceful attitude of her mature proportions. Shall she
be stabbed on the very arena of hereoriginal triumph? Shall she
be wounded in the house of her friends? Why, What an unen-
viable position gentlemen are striving to place this proud old State
in! Clinging to the relics of an exploded aristocracy, under the
blazing splendor of American liberty. Star after star has been
added to the glorious galaxy of American States to increase the
lustre of the great doctrine of popular sovereignty, undimmed by
the faintest shadow of the dark dogma of property representation.
One after another of the ‘Old Thirteen’ have thrown off the livery
of colonial vassalage, from which there was not an entire escape
in the revolutionary struggle, till there is hardly a vestige of
mixed basis remaining in the Union. All over North America,
where our banner is unfurled, it floats, with exceptions hardly
worthy of being named, over a people not only by ‘nature equally
free and independent,’ but so in fact. Nor is this all. The moral
influences of this great American doctrine of political equality, and
its practical development in the civil, social, moral, political and
religious condition of the American citizen, have crossed the seas.
They have reached Asia. They are recognized in Africa. They
are felt and feared in Europe. Ancient dynasties and hoary
thrones are crumbling away to naught, under the spreading and
potent influence of the doctrine of popular sovereignty. The
pampered minions of moneyed aristocracy——the proscriptive chil—
dren of a haughty ollgarchy, are trembling for the tenure of their
privileges and their powers, under the influence of the doctrine of
popular sovereignty. The great mighty popular heart of the
world has received an impulse. The masses are moving. The
divine right of kings has been exploded, and the millions groping
in the dark labyrinth of despotism are being quickened and en-
lightened by the great doctrine of popular sovereignty.

“And yet in the midst of all this, in the middle of the Nineteenth
Century, beneath the noontide effulgence of this great principle of
popular supremacy, a voice is heard in old Virginia, rising from

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 179

almost the spot where the clarion voice of Henry awoke a nation
to freedom when he exclaimed, ‘ Give me liberty or give me death 1’
——-even here, where we should take off our shoes, for the earth on
which we walk is holy, bearing in its consecrated bosom the re-
mains of George Mason and Thomas Jefferson, the one the author
of the Declaration of Independence, the other of the Virginia Bill.
of Rights-even here, a demand is made by honorable gentlemen t(§
give superior political power to the property-holder, and virtually
invest goods and chattels with the prerogative of legislating upon
the rights and liberties of a vast majority of the people of this
Commonwealth ! I trust this can never take place.”

So long an extract from this memorable speech is neces-
sary to depict the issues of the times, and exhibit the
sentiments held by the people of Western Virginia, and
voiced by their courageous and undaunted delegate. In the
light of this language it is not diflicult to discern the ati-
tude of this people in the great events that followed in a
few brief years, and the vindication of the line of remark
was full and complete in their conduct in the then near
future. This speech attracted much attention throughout
the State. In the west, it was universally applauded as a

j true exposition of public sentiment; in the east, it extorted

much reluctant compliment. The correspondent of a
Petersburg paper wrote of it: “I think I do no one injus-
tice when I give the opinion that his is the best speech
which has as yet been delivered in favor of the white basis.”
The Richmond W/big gave a long synopsis of it, and char-
acterized it as “an animated and able speech.” The
Republican Advocate regarded it as “powerful, argumenta-
tive and eloquent.” During the same convention Mr.
Willey made two otherinotable speeches. One upon the
subject of an elective judiciary, -and the other upon the
abolition of the county court as then constituted. Upon
the former subject he took the broad and philosophic
ground, that the people being the source of all political
power would always select the judicary from those who
were in harmony with themselves in the moral as well as
the legal sense ; and that it was as well" to trust the people
with this duty as it was to delegate it to the appointment

I80 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

of the executive branch, or submit it to the caprices of the
legislative department; that in fact the true theory of gov-
ernment was to maintain an entire independence in ‘the
three departments of administration. Prior to that time
the judges had been elected by the legislature or appointed
by the Governor. Indeed all the oflices in the State, and
in the county organization also, had been filled by election
by the legislature or appointment, save only the legislative
branch, which was the solitary department filled by popular

suffrage; and the’ result of that convention brought about _

for the first time in the history of Virginia, a general exer-
cise of the right to select State, county and district ofiicers
by the people. The county court was composed of the
justices of the peace scattered throughout the counties, ap-
pointed by the Governor; it had enlarged powers of original
general jurisdiction in law and equity. But it had evidently
outlived its day, and was illy adapted to the times. Mr.
Willey’s practical eye as an attorney had discerned its im-
perfections, and his still closer contact for so many years as
its clerk had disclosed its unfitness for the new condition
of things which he fondly hoped was dawning on Virginia.
In this, however, he was not successful; but after under-
going an eventful career, the county court, at last, by an
overwhelming vote of the people in 1879, attainedmwhat is
believed to be its final repose.

The Constitution submitted to the people as the Work of
this convention, was not satisfactory in many aspects, but
as a whole it was a great advance. The influence of the
West had been impressed upon it in many features. Prop-
erty qualification for the suffragan was omitted, and suffrage
was free and untrammeled in its exercise. It received the
sanction of the people, by a large majority, in 1852.

Mr. Willey resumed the practice of the law at the bar of
Monongalia in 1852. He extended his practice into the
adjoining counties of Marion and Preston. He became a
candidate for Congress in the same year, with no expecta-
tion of being elected, but to bring out a full vote for Gen.

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. . , 181

Winfield Scott, the Whig candidate for the presidency. He
canvassed the district thoroughly and awakened the masses,
wherever he went, by his knowledge of the issues and his
electrifying oratory. He ran largely in excess of the
general ticket, but was defeated. In 1853 he delivered a

series of lectures on the Spirit and Progress of Methodism. .

They were highly commended by the press and his hearers.
In the same year he was elected an honorary member of
various societies throughout the country. He delivered
temperance lectures in many localities under the auspices
of the Grand Division of the Sons of Temperance. . He
spoke at Pittsburgh in favor of extending slack-water to
the State line.

His journal at this period is filled with accounts of active
labors in the temperance cause, in the Sunday—school and
everywhere that good could be accomplished. His records
show a broad, catholic spirit, free from bigotry and intoler-
ance. Many touching domestic scenes are committed to its
pages. He speaks of his step~mother on one occasion, who
had been on a visit to him, thus : “ She was a step-mother
only in name. She was always to me truly kind, far beyond
my deserts. Heaven will reward her. She was not as a
mother to an orphan. She was a mother to me in all her
conduct.” His mother died when he was but three years
old. Of her this memory appears : “I recollect seeing
her corpse and wondering why my mother had gone to sleep
in so strange a place. I believe I once heard her singing
with other voices in strains of no earthly melody—but this
will be called superstition. I shall never forget it.”

Mr. Willey wrote an article which was published in the
January number of The Jfet/Loclist Quarterly ]a7eview, 1853,
on “The Spirit and Mission of Methodism.” It was much
commended by the Press of that church. The C’/2mz'.s-zfz'a7z
Advocate and Journal, of New York, says of it: “It is pe-
culiarly timely, as called for by the state of our church, and
clearly pointing out the necessity of preserving‘ the essen-
tial principles of Methodism. . . . We should greatly tran~

182 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

scend the prescribed limits were we to indulge the fullness
of heart which has been made to overflow in reading the
article to which we refer.” In 1854, he delivered at Union-
town, Penn., and also at VVheeling, a lecture on “The Per-
petuation of Liberty and the Union.’’ It was published in
pamphlet form and was widely circulated and read. In
June, 1855, he delivered the Annual Address before the
Philo—Franklin Literary Society of Allegheny College,
which was published by the society. In September of the
same year he delivered the address before “The Western
Virginia Agricultural Society and Industrial Institute,” at
Wheeling. It was also published. In it he drew a‘ picture
of the the model farmer, appearing to forget nothing. It
was an able speech, full of suggestions. In January, 1858,
he lectured at Richmond, Va., before “The Young Men’s
Christian Association” of that city; and was elected an
honorary member of the same. The society voted that the
lecture had afforded “more than mere gratification.” His
theme was -“ Christian Missions in their Secular Influences.”
He discussed the rationale of Christianity as the great un-
derlying basis of all our civilization,iof all our social con-
fidence and security, and portrayed in a narrative manner
what Christianity had done for the nations that had encour-
aged it. In addressing the literary societies of Monongalia
Academy, he made “A Plea for Virginia,” showing that her
sons must develop the resources of their own St rte.

On the 10th of February, 1859, he was nominated by the
Whig State Convention at Richmond as a candidate for the
oflice of Lieutenant—Governor. During the campaign fol-

_ lowing he canvassed a large part of the State, both east and

west of the mountains. He so bore himself throughout
this struggle with all the dignified courtesy of the able
statesman and true gentleman, that he received many com-
pliments from his opponents for his ability and fairness.
The ticket, ofwhich the Hon. William L. Groggin was the
head, was defeated. In his own county, however, which the
Hon. Henry A. Wise had carried four years before by over

I STATE OF ~WEST VIRGINIA. ’ 183

seven hundred majority, his majority was seventeen. The
following yearhe was a delegate to the Whig National Con-
vention which met at Baltimore, and nominated John Bell
and Edward Everett for President and Vice President. He
took an active part in the ensuing canvass, addressing the
people at various points.

In the intervening period between the close of the year
1852 and 1860, Mr. Willey was most diligently busied by
a large and lucrative law practice. Theintervals of respite
from the demands of his profession were very few. But these
golden hours were deemed a season of recreation if he
could but pursue in quietness the paths of literature which
he loved so well. His desire for knowledge had abatedrnone
of its vigor. He was in the full tide of his mental powers“,
and his physical health was much improved'over the earlier
years of his manhood. He seemed to have given himself
Wholly to the pursuit of his profession as a .means of ad-
vancement in the world, and was living happily in the enjoy-
ment of great domestic felicity, content with the thought of
a quiet existence and freedom from the excitement and fierce
struggles incident to public station. The near future was

pregnant with events in which he was destined to be an H

actor of no mean bearing.

Eoreseeing the terrible disasters which must follow seces-
sion, and. utterly abhorring the treason it involved, Mr.
Willey exerted himself to stem the tide of madness and
folly which, during all the autumn of 1860, seemed to be
flowing in the direction of National disruption. He pre-
dicted from the hustings that if Virginia attempted to
secede, one of the results would be her division. He wrote
and published a long article of the date of December 26,
1860, which concluded, in the following emphatic words:

“ I am for Virginia as she is and was, as our fathers created her-
one and indivisible. I have deprecated recent manifestations of a
desire for her dismemberment. Let her be integral forever. But
if we are to be dragged into secession or disunion; to be made a
mere outside appendage to a Southern Confederacy, defenseless
and exposed as we must be, by our geographical position, to all the

184 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Wrong and contumely that may be heaped upon us, our oppression
may become intolerable; and I for one will be ready to accept the
only altcw-native.”

The Legislature was convoked in extra session. It issued
a call for a convention, fixing the time of the electionof
delegates thereto in February, 1861. The convention was
to assemble in Richmond soon thereafter. Again the people
of his native county turned to Mr. Willey. The action of
the Gulf States in passing ordinances of secession, and con-
federating for mutual attack and defense; the inefiiciency
and hesitation of the Federal Administration; the treach-
ery of high ofiicials and the general signs and sounds of
the hour, filled the masses in Western Virginia with alarm.
Mr. Willey was known to be in harmony with the people of
his section on the questions most vitally affecting their in-
terests. He was known to be for the Union and opposed
to secession. No pledges were exacted from him in the
canvass. There was no canvass. He Was elected without
opposition.

The history of this convention is remarkable as an exam-

ple of the coercive power of mere local surroundings.

When it assembled the large majority of its members were
thoroughly opposed to any action which savored of the
severance of the ties that bound Virginia to the Federal
Union. They had been selected by constituencies equally
loyal to the government established by Washington, and
who by an overwhelming vote had declared that any action
taken by the convention should be returned to them for
their approval. But it Was not long before the true purpose
in assembling the body was disclosed. Resolutions looking
to a secession of the State soon poured upon the conven-
tion from those whose ultimate object could no longer be
doubted. One by one many Whose fealty was supposed to
be unquestioned, yielded to the clamor or threats of the de-
termined spirit of Secession. It was an hour of grave
thought and apprehension to those whose patriotism knew
no faltering, and whose anxious hearts were true to the tra-
ditions and teachings of the founders of the Republic.

STATE or WEST VIRGINIA. 185  

None felt a more poignant sorrow at the madness of the
hour than Mr. Willey. He exerted himself with all the
ability and pertinacity of his character, to stop the onward
rush of the swelling waters of dis_union. On the 2d of
March, 1861, he delivered a speech of great power, in op-
position to the scheme of secession. Threats of violence
had been uttered on the streets and in the very corridors of
the capitol against any who dared to raise a voice of pro-
test’ against the contemplated action of secession.

He first spoke of the attempts to suppress free speech, F

and declared that he spoke more with a desire to vindicate
the right of free speech, than with a hope of enlightening
the body; that he represented a free people and they
should be heard through him. The right of free speech
Was a fundamental principle of republican liberty, and
Whenever it was destroyed the people’s liberties were over-
thrown; whether, the suppression was the result of an
imperial edict or popular violence and intimidation; in
either case men were slaves. This was attested by the

“ story of ancient Rome, which was free so long as the Forum

and the Senate were the arena of free speech, but the palsy
of political dissolution settled forever upon the empire,
when Cicero, its last great defender, was gibbeted in the
Forum. Modern history furnished a like example when the
voice of liberty was drowned by the clamors of a revolu-
tionary populace in France, and she found a refuge only
in the arms of an absolute despotism. On the question of
the right of secession he said:

“ I am not here, sir, to argue the right of secession. I do not in-
tend to weary the convention by entering into a discussion of that
question. I shall not even pause, sir, to vindicate the founders of
our Constitution from the imputation, which seems to me would
certainly apply to them, of a most gross self-stultification in organ-
izing a great government, in establishing a Inore perfect Union, by
collecting together a heterogeneous mass of political elements that
might dissolve and fall asunder any day. I shall never believe
that Washington, and Madison, and Franklin, and the other great
sages who constructed the Union in the first place and organized
our Federal Government, brought their labors to no greater results

TABLE OF CONTENTS. ' 15

APPENDIX.
SUPPLEMENTAL AND ADDITIONAL.

llorgantown Gas and Water Company. County Agricultural Correspondents and
Average Crops tor 1883. Census Enumerators, 1880. Congressional Districts
and Representatives (See note, also, 1). 776). Votes for Governors, Congress-
men, Judges and Clerks of Courts, State Senators and Members House of Dele-
gates; on Locating the Capital, the Dog Tax, and on Railroad Subscriptions.
List of Virginia and West Virginia Executives. Newspapers: “ The Mononga-
lian” and the “Morgantown Telegraph.” Monongaiia County Temperance
Law and Order Society. Additional Statistics of Clinton District. Statistics
of Morgan District. Additional Civil List of Cass District. Preachers of
Monongalia Circuit, 1860—8~.1. Value of Property in the ‘County. Amount of
Taxes. Value of Town Lots. Augustus Haymond. Alexander Martin. Capt.
0. P. Jo11iffe......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . .  . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . .. 76-1

186 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

than this; that is to say, to bring the States of the Federal Union
together, give them a simple introduction to each other, and
place them side by side, under the flag of the country, without any
legal bond to bind the Union. Sir, I believe in no such voluntary
association.”

He said that he could not conceive that the Federal
Government, when purchasing Louisana, believed that
State could foreclose the great commercial advantages
arising from the freedom of the mouth of the Mississippi, at
her pleasure, by secession. Nor, when Florida, which was
acquired at such great expense, choose to so construe the
bond, that she too, could quietly walk out of the Union
with all the forts and arsenals belonging to the general
government. Nor could Texas pass out of the Union after
so great a struggle had been made in her acquirement. If
so, likewise a State could refuse to participate in a war with
an invading enemy, or after it was over and the invader ex-
pelled, it could bid adieu to its associates whose blood and
treasure had been expended in its defense, and take no
part in meeting the results. He showed that the founders
of the Republic did not so esteem the Constitution. That
the iron logic of President Jackson had penetrated the
weak defenses of the argument. He combatted the various
positions offered in favor of secession with warmth, and
maintained that it provided no remedy for the ills com-
plained of, but rather aggravated them. To the argument
that there was an irrepressible confiict between the North
and the South, he spoke as follows:

“Against this mere speculative opinion I oppose stubborn facts.
Against this mere prediction I present actual history. I appeal
to the record of the past operation and effect of the Federal Union.
It is no longer a problem to be solved. It has had a fair
trial; it has been in existence seventy—five years. Look at
the result of the experiment. I shall not attempt to describe it.
Some traveler records that, in the great temple of St. Paul’s,
there is a tablet upon which the name of Sir Christopher VVren,
the great architect, is engraved. Beneath _it is this inscription——
‘Do you ask for his monument? Circumspice. Look around 1'_' In

reference to the great experiment of the Union, I can only say with
reverence, awe, and patriotic emotion-—‘Look around 1‘ ”

I STATEIOF WEST VIRGINIA. 187

“ Whose heart does not throb, as an American citizen. in view of
this experiment‘? Look around you, from the Pacific to the
Atlantic, from "the Gulf to the Lakes, from Texas to Maine.
Three-quarters of a century ago we were only four or five millions
of people in number, and but a few scattered and impoverished
States. Now we are thirty-four States——for I will not admit that
our sisters are finally gone-—with cities rivaling in wealth, popula—
tion, power and magnitude the oldest cities of the oldest Empire of
the world; with a people unsurpassed for intelligence, for all the
appliances and means of self subsistence, for happiness and pros-
perity, and the like of whom the sun of God has never before
shone upon. And yet we are only upon the threshold of our
glorious destiny, if we will be but faithful to our duties as true
American citizens.” .

He spoke of the evils that would result from secession, in
the establishment of a number of weak and warring confed-
eracies. He declared that the moral sense of the world was
against slavery. He said that one of the evils of secession
would be the destruction of nationality and the_'prestige of
the American name and citizenship.

“ How is it I1OW,'Sl1‘ ?” he exclaimed: “-Wherever our country’s
flag, with its thirty-four stars, floats on the breeze, any Virginian
may stand up and proudly point to that banner as afflag that
represents his country and his country’s greatness and power. Sir,
it is a noble flag. It is a flag upon which victory has perched
Without interruption for seventy years-a flag which Perry carried
in his hand through the din and smoke of battle and placed it vic-
toriously upon the ‘enemy’s vessel—_——an enemy who once held the
empire of the sea—a flag which waved in triumph at the head of
our army in its victorious march from Vera Cruz to the capital of
Mexico, and at last floated over the palaces of the Montezumas——a.
flag which protects our commerce in every port and on every sea-a.

flag which, in short, represents our national power, gives full pro f

tection to every American citizen, go Where he will———whether
among the savages in the steppes of Russia, or among nobles in
the abodes of kings or emperors, or wherever else he may choose to
Wander. Secession will trail that glorious banner in the dust—de—
stroy its prestige and power—and leave the American citizen to
Wander abroad, if he shall dare to go abroad, an object of con-
tempt, for chuckling tyrants 'to point the finger of scorn at, while
they say, ‘ Behold the last pitiable demonstration of the fallacy of
the dogma of man’s capacity for self-government.’ ”

Notwithstanding the powerful influence brought to bear
by the Confederate Government, the convention held out

188 HISTOBY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY. ‘

against the efforts of the secessionists during the month of
March. At length the chiefs in the movement deemed the
hour for decisive action at hand. The convention Went into
secret session, and after a few days of intense but brief de-
bate, an ordinance of sesession was passed April 17, 1861.
On its passage Mr. Willey and other members, a. majority of
whom were representatives of western constituencies, voted
in the negative. For a day or two after the fateful secret
found its way to the outside world, the members who had
voted against it were the objects of scorn and contumely.
Many of them yielded to the storm that came from the
various quarters of family and local influences. They came
into the convention on the following day and by the appeals
of their associates were induced to sign‘ the fateful document
after its enrollment. The last speech made by Mr. Willey,
in which he was most pathetically seconded by the Hon. A.
F. Haymond, of Marion County, in the convention, was in
resistance to these vehement appeals. He cast no vote
after the one which recorded him in the negative on the
ordinance of secession, and took no further part in the
proceedings. On the 21st of April, being compelled to pro-
cure a permit from the Governor (Letcher) he started for
his home. On arriving at Alexandria he was prohibited
from going to Washington, and was forced to remain over
night, during which he was seriously beset by a band of
self-styled “Regulators,” who threatened to cast him into
the Potomac River. He retraced his course the next morn-
ing to Manassas Junction, and came up the Valley to ‘Win-
chester, where he found the place full of volunteers march-
ing to Ha:rper’s Ferry. He arrived at the latter place next
day, to find the armory and the splendid buildings of the
United States Government a mass of smoking ruins, and
the place occupied by armed volunteers of Virginia. Here
he was kept under military surveilance until evening, when
he boarded the cars and in due time once more breathed
the free air of his native hills.

When it became known to the loyal people of North-

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 189

western Virginia that the Convention had passed an ordi-
nance of secession, the excitement became intense, which
was succeeded by a resolution of defiance in their minds
and hearts. The remembrance of years of injustice at the
hands of the eastern oligarchy rose up to stimulate their
deep—seated love of the government of the fathers. This
was heightened when it became known towhat lengths of
usurpation the convention had been extended. Its proceed-
ings were thus describedby Mr. Willey in a speech deliv-
ered subsequently in the Senate of the United States:
“Before the seal of secrecy was removed from the proceedings of
the convention; before the people knew that the ordinance had
been passed ; before the people had voted upon it—yes, sir ! on the

very next day after the passage of the ordinance, the convention
began to levy war against the United States—large appropriations

for military purposes were made ; field oificers were appointed and‘

commissioned; the military stores, forts, arsenals, and arms, and
custom-houses of the United States, were seized at Richmond,
Norfolk, Harper’s Ferry, and other places. A fortnight had not
elapsed until the convention, still in secret session, and before the
people knew that any ordinance of secession had passed, had, by
solemn compact made with commissioners from the insurrectionary
government of the so-called confederate States, annexed Virginia.
to that confederation, and transferred to it her entire military
resources, and placed the militia under the control of the rebel
chief of that insurrectionary organization. All this was done by
these secret conspirators, not only before the people had voted
upon the ordinance of secession, but before they were permitted to
know, or did know, that any ordinance of secession had been
passed. Thus were the unconscious people of Virginia, like beasts
in the shambles, transferred to a new allegiance, a. new govern-
ment, and new rulers and political masters, in the selection,of
whom they had no knowledge or choice. And before the people
were permitted to know of these proceedings, the ‘sacred soil’ of
Virginia was trodden by the armed legions of South Carolina and

the Gulf States, and on the fourth Thursday in May, when the’

ordinance was to be voted upon by the people, thirty thousand
glittering bayonets surrounded the polls from the Chesapeake to
the summit of the Alleghanies. Portions of the confederate forces
had been pushed across the Alleghanies, and were menacing the
lives and liberties of the people of north-west Virginia. Ofiicers
had been commissioned and authorized to raise troops there and
to organize the militia in subjection to the military tyrants at

' 190 HISTORY OF" MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Montgomery, and in hostility to the United States. The civil
authorities were also threatened with condign punishment unless
they instantly recognized this new order of things, and adminis-
tered their ofiices as under the authority of the southern confeder-
ation.”

Alarmed and exasperated by their proceedings, the loyal
people in some thirty of the north-Western counties, assem-
bled in primary meetings and appointed delegates to a mass
convention to be held in Wheeling on the 12th of May fol-
lowing. The object was to consult upon the situation and
concert measures for the public safety. When the time
appointed arrived there Was a mass convention indeed.
Some three hundred delegates were present.

Mr. VVilley had not intended to be present, but at the
urgent request of the Hon. F. H. Pierpont,.he Was induced
to go. The latter gentleman informed him that the Hon.
John S. Carlisle, who had been a delegate to the Richmond
Convention and was an ardent Union man, intended to in-
troduce a proposition to immediately create a new State
out of certain north-western counties, Without first having
obtained the consent of either the Legislature of Virginia,
or of the Congress of the United States.

Such a proposition was introduced by Mr. Carlisle early
in the deliberations of the convention. It seemed to meet
with great favor both in convention and among the throngs
of people outside of the body. They were looking to the
end Without respect to the means. They were actuated by
a patriotic and proper purpose; but were not advised of
the essential preliminary steps to be taken in order to ac-
complish that purpose. Grovernor Pierpont exerted himself
with great energy and ability to defeat so revolutionary a

' project. In this he had the hearty co—operation of Mr.

Willey. They spoke against it for a considerable part of
two days. At first their efforts excited "much angry feeling-
especially against Mr. Willey. Placards were posted in the
city calling a meeting to denounce him. But planting
themselves on the Constitution and the law, they maintained
their position" boldly and unflinchingly. The convention

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. ‘ 191

came to see that, the adoption of the proposed project would
defeat the object they had in view, and most probably in-

volve the people of north-western Virginiajn disaster and’

disgrace. It was at this point when Governor Pierpont in-
troduced the following proposition:

“Resolved, That in the event of the ordinance of secession being
ratified by a vote, we recommend to the people of the counties
here represented, and all others disposed to co—operate with us, to
appoint, on the 4th day of June, 1861, delegates to a general con-
vention, to meet on the 11th of that month, at such place as may
be designated by the committee hereinafter provided, to devise
such measures and take such action as the safety and welfare of
the people they represent may demand—-each county to appoint a.
number of representatives to said convention equal to double the
number to which it will be entitled in the next House of Delegates ;
and the Senators and Delegates to be elected on the 23d instant, by
the counties referred to, to the next General Assembly of Virginia
and who concur in the views of this convention, to be entitled to
seats in the said convention as members thereof.”

This resolution was cordially supported by Mr. Willey. It

was adopted and furnished a happy solution of the difiicul- _

ties of the situation. Perhaps on no otherioccasion in the
history of governments among men did greater results ever
turn on a more important measure. The course which this
opposed was revolutionary, null and void under the Consti-
tution of the United States. Had no such conclusion been
reached, no mode would have been selected that would have
been agreeable to the body, and anarchy would have been
given wings; no lawful method could have been employed
which would have eventuated in a new State, and civil gov-
ernment been established around which the loyal people
could rally in their aid of the Federal government in the sup-
pression of the Rebellion, if indeed, loyalty itself had not
fallen into disuse.

This June convention was called. It reorganized the
State. A Legislature assembled at Wheeling, and the loyal
State government peacefully resumed its legitimate func-
tions, with Governor Pierpont at its head., Mr. Willey has
often said to the author of this sketch, that through this

192 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

prudent, wise and statesmanlike measure, the people were
more indebted to Governor Pierpont, for the successful
accomplishment of this security against anarchy, and for
the maintenance of their allegiance to the United States,
and for the ultimate creation of the State of West Virginia,
than to any other man in it. Of the effect of Mr. Wi1ley’s
speech during the contest in the convention, Gen. George
R. Latham, who was a delegate, in order to correct a mis-
apprehension which still seemed to prevail in some quarters,
wrote to him from his seat in the House of Representatives
at Washington in 1866: “I have "no hesitancy in saying to
yourself, as I have said to others, that your effort on that
occasion saved us from anarchy, and placed the restora-
tion of the State of Virginia upon a basis which secured it
at once the respect of the thoughtful and the confidence
and recognition of the government of the United States.”

Among the first acts of the Legislature was the election
of Senators to the Congress of the United States. Mr.
Willey was chosen as one of these in July, 1861. A special
session of Congress was then being held at Washington,
Where he presented himself, and after a brief delay in which
the credentials which he bore were carefully considered, he
took his seat. Thus was the wisdom of the action for
which Governor Pierpont and himself had so arduously
struggled fully demonstrated. By his recognition as a.
Senator from Virginia the Federal Government was not
embarrassed by the exigency of the situation, nor, in its ef-
forts to encourage loyalty in so-called seceded States, was
it required to occupy an illogical or inconsistent position
upon the asserted right of secession.

Mr. Willey in his first speech in the Senate, December
19, 1861, announced his opinions very decisively on the
great question that was at issue between the contending
forces. He asks the question as a primary one in the pend-
ing conflict-

“Has the Federal Government become so destructive of the ends
of its institution as to create the right in the people, or any por-

 

     

   



 
  

  
 

     

   

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STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 193

tion of the people, ‘ to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new
government ?’ Respectfully appealing to the ‘opinions of man-
kind,’ and inviting the most rigid scrutiny and criticism, I confi-
dently declare that this rebellion is wholly inexcusable.”

After showing the groundlessness of the fears of the
South from the action of the Republican party on the sub-
ject of slavery, he again asks,—-

“What has the Republican party done, since the avowal of its
policy, to exclude slavery from the territories? VVhy, sir, with a.
decided majority in the other branch of Congress, it has allowed
several territorial governments to be organized without interven-
tion to exclude slavery. The South was at perfect liberty to emi-
grate there with their slaves if they thought proper. Will it be a
sufficient reply to this fact to allege, as Southern politicians have
al1eged,that this liberality on the part of the North would never have
been manifested if it had not been known that the soil and climate
of those territories were of such a character as to practically pre-
vent the existence of slavery there? Grant the fact; what wrong

has the North done to the South? ‘Was the North responsible for V

the climate and soil? Sir, this outcry against the North in regard
to these Territories applies only to the God of nature; and, so far
as secession is predicated upon the exclusion of slavery from any of
the present Territories of the United States, it is a revolt against
the inexorable laws of nature and Providence. The spirit which
dictated it is akin to the spirit which inspired the angelic revolt in
Heaven. May its overthrow be as complete.”

He thoroughly examined the pretexts for secession,
offered ,the opinions of the founders of the government in
in opposition to them, and maintained that the pretenses
set up by the leaders in the movement were false and that
no shield of “peaceable secession” could avail against the
execration of the future.

“Sir, truth will ere long strip these conspirators naked before
the world, and the people whom they have so cruelly misled will
rise up and curse them. History——impartial history—will arraign
and condemn them to universal contempt. It will hold them
responsible before man and God for the direful consequences
already brought upon country, and for the evils yet to come—for
the desolations of war, its pillage, and rapine, and blood, and car-
nage, and crime, and widowhood, and orphanage, and all its sorrows
and disasters . . . . . . . _

“What shall be said of those who, without pretense of provoca-
tion, haveigconspired to destroy the unexampled peace and pros-

ILLUSTRATIONS.

P O R T R A. I T S .
PAGE Sketch on PAGE

Waitlnan T. \Vil1ey (Steel Plate) Front/ispiece . . 163
John James Brown do. . Facing 283 . . 283
John A. Dille do. .  “ 324 . . 324
Mathew Gay do. . . “ 336 . . 336
Thomas P. Ray do. . . " 348 . . 348
James Evans do. . . “ 527 . . 527
John Marshall Hagans . . , “ 48 . . 277
VVi1liam Price . V . . . '. .“ 64 . . 287
\Vaitman Willey Houston . . “ 80 . . 347
Augustus Haymond . . . . “ 96 .' . 352
William Sanford Cobun . . ' “ 112 . . 354
. Alexander L. ‘Wade . . . . “ 128 . . 371 _
Peter Thomas Laishley . . . “ 144 . . 455
George Frederick Charles Conn . S" 160 . V. 457
George 'W. John . . . . “ 176 . . _ 477
James Vance Boughner . . . “ 192‘ . . 479
Absalom Morris Jarrett . . “ 208 . . 480
Marmaduke Dent . . . .‘ “ 224 . . 482
Joseph Snider . . . . “ 240 S. . 531
VVilliam Edmund \Vatson . . . “ 256 . . 634
George Washington McVicker ‘ . “ 304 . . 658
John H. Bowlby . . . . “ 368 . . 711
Shelby Pindall Barker . . . “ 432 . . 732
Samuel Calvin Stewart . . . “ 448 _ . . 733
Alpha Ralphsnyder . . . “ 464 , . 735
Andrew Brown . . . . . “ 496 . . 753
Alpheus Garrison . . . . “ 704 . . '7'" 4
Oliver P. J ol1ifi‘e . . . . “ 720 775

B U I L D I N G S .
Public School Building, Morgantown,' . . . Faezing 384
West Virginia University “ ' "-

194 HISTORY or MONONGALlA COUNTY.  

perity of the United States, and to overthrow the wisest and best
Government which the annals of history have ever presented to
the admiration of mankind? a Government of which one of the
principal conspirators, now Vice President of the organized rebel-
lion, said a l.ittle more than a year ago,——

“ ‘That this Government of our fathers, with all its defects, comes nearer to the
objects of all good government than any other on the face of the earth, is my settled
conv1ction.’—A. H. Stephens, before the Georgia Legislature, November, 1860.”

He declared that it was hostility to democratic institu-
tions that had evoked the spirit of secession. He advanced
the View that the southern statesmen were hostile to the
general education of the masses, because fearful of its ef-
fects, and cited the pertinacity with which Mr. Calhoun had
resisted the application of the majority principle in the
national government, as subversive of the rights of the
States. He closed this able speech in an eloquent perora-
tion, in which he declared that the rebellion was “treason
against universal liberty”; that “we were to—day in the last
intrenohments of liberty, fighting her last battle,” and “if
she perish in the conflict she will sink into a grave from
which there .will be no resurrection”; and that “twenty
millions of loyal people struggling in such a cause as this
must prevail.”

“Sir, this Union can not be dissolved. Nature and Providence
forbid it. Our rivers, and lakes, and mountains, and the whole
geographical conformation of the country rebuke the treason that
would sever them. Our diversities of climate and soil and staple
production do but make each section necessary to the other.
Science and art have annihilated distance, and brought the whole
family of States into a close proximity and constant and easy
intercourse. VVe are one people in language, in law, in religion,
and destiny. ‘Whom God hath joined together, let no man put
asunder.’ The past is glorious—the future shall be sublime.

“ ‘No pent-up Utlca contracts our powers;
But the whole boundless continent is ours.”

In all the movements which had for their object the for-
mation of a new State west of the_ Alleghanies, Mr. Willey
was among the original actors and chief advisers. These
acts of the loyal people of Western Virginia will be viewed
by the impartial historian with wonderment and admiration.

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 4195

Their position was one of extreme perplexity, because of
their geographical position and because of the complex
nature of the problems they had to solve. In all, however,
they acted wisely and well. Beginning at the corner-stone
of all true government, they laid it well in the consent of
the governed. Our limits do not admit of a detailed ac-
count of the acts and events in the formation of West Vir-
ginia. We must hurry on.

It was with feelings of pride mingled with anxiety that
Mr. VVilley presented the Constitution of the proposed
State of West Virginia, accompanied with the act of the
General Assembly assenting to the formation of the same
and the memorial requesting its admission, on the 29th day
of May, 1862, to the Senate of the United States. After
reviewing the preliminary steps taken on behalf of the
movement, he spoke as follows:

“And now it only remains for Congress to give its assent.
Ought that assent to be given? Before I answer this question, I
desire to correct a misapprehension which I find is prevalent, not

only throughout the country, but likewise here. It seems to be ‘

supposed that this movement for a, new State has been conceived
since the breaking out of the rebellion, and was a consequence of
it; that it grew alone out of the abhorrence with which the loyal
citizens of West Virginia regarded the traitorous proceedings of the

V conspirators east of the Alleghanies, and that the effortwas

prompted simply by a desire to dissolve the connection between
the loyal and disloyal sections of the State. Not so, sir. The
question of dividing the State of Virginia, either by the Blue Ridge
mountain, or by the Alleghanies, has been mooted for fifty years.
It has frequently been agitated with such vehemence as to threaten
seriously the public peace. It has been a matter of constant
strife and bitterness in the Legislature of the State. The animos-
ity existing at this time between the North and the South is
hardly greater than what has at times distinguished the relations
between East and West Virginia, arising from a diversity of
interests and geographical antagonisms. Indeed, so incompatible
was the union of the territory lying west of the Alleghany moun-
tains with the territory lying east thereof, under one and the same
State municipality, that so long ago as 1781, several of the States
insisted that Virginia should include in her act of cession all her
trans-Alleghany territory, making the Alleghany mountains her
western. as they were her natural, boundary. A committee in the

196‘ HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Federal Congress about this time made a strong report, suggesting
such a boundary; and Mr. Madison records that-

“ ‘ From several circumstances, there was reason to believe that Rhode Island, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, 11: not Maryland likewise, retained latent views
or confining Virginia to the Alleghany mountains.’--Mad1Ison’s Debates, vol. 1, pp.
463-465.”

He showed that there was the requisite population to en-
title the people to the privilege. The geographical
position of the territory was also in favor of the proposed
admission. The Alleghany Mountains were impassable
barriers, he maintained, to a common State policy. Vast
sums of money had been expended in works of internal
improvements in the eastern section, whilst the west had
been denied like privileges. The social institutions were
such as to indicate the propriety of a division of the State.
Negro slavery required a system of laws adapted to its
peculiar necessities. Slavery never could exist to any con-
siderable extent in the bounds of the proposed new State.
It was not adapted to the climate of West Virginia.
This argument on the divergence of slave and free institu-
tions he offered, to show that the communities were not
homogeneous, which was essential to every political organ-
ization, and not on the moral aspects of the question of
slavery; on that subject his opinions had been expressed in
the Senate. After consideration of the area of the proposed
State, a glance at its immense mineral and timber wealth,
and the statements that its water-power was sufiicient to
drive all the machinery of New England and its coal-fields
to supply the continent for a thousand years, Mr. VVilley
concluded in the following eloquent appeal:

“ Sir, these counties of Western Virginia, knocking for admission
into the Union as a new State, contain, in rich abundance, all the
elements of a great commonwealth. Why pave they remained
undeveloped in the oldest State in the American Union? VVhy are
our mines unworked? Why are our water—fa11s forever wasting
away, unappreciated by the skill of man, chafing and foaming in
their channels, as if in conscious rage at the long neglect? The
answer to these questions is an irrefutable argument in favor of
the division desired. Unless the State is divided, these natural
resources of wealth and power will forever remain undeveloped.
Is this just to the people there? Is it just to the country at large ?

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 197

“Thus, sir, we present our claims for this new State. We pray
you to grant your assent. It will send a thrill of joy through three
hundred thousand hearts, and it will do no injustice to any. Then,
sir, will our invaluable virgin mines invite the espousal of your
surplus capital, and our perennial streams will lend their exhaust-
less power to your manufacturing skill. Then shall we soon be
able to say, in the jubilant language of the Psalmist: ‘The pas-
tures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over
with corn; they shout for joy; they also sing.’ Virginia-East
Virginia, restored from her temporary aberration; West Virginia,
like a newly discovered star——-East Virginia and West Virginia,
twin stars, shall thenceforth shine with ever-brightening lustre in
the republican zodiac of States encircling our western hemisphere.”

The final vote on the admission of the State was not
reached till July 14, 1862. It was some time before the
matter was reported back to the Senate by the committee
on Territories. It became apparent that the Senate was

_not satisfied with the constitution of the new State concern-

ing slavery. Whilst arguing the propriety of admitting the
State with the constitution just as the people of West Vir-
ginia had ordained it, Mr. Willey was nevertheless willing to
concede something to the wishes of Senators. He proposed
that the following clause should be incorporated in the
constitution :

“The children of slaves born within the limits of this State after
the 4th of July, 1863, shall be free ; and no slave shall be permitted
to come into the State for permanent residence therein.”

But even this did not meet the demand; and Mr. Willey’s
proposition was amended so as to make it read as follows:

“The children of slaves born within the lin1its of this State, after
the fourth of July, 1863, shall be free; and all slaves within the
said State who shall, at the time aforesaid, be under the age of ten
years, shall be free when they arrive at the age of twenty-one
years; and all slaves over ten and under twenty one years, shall
be free when they arrive at the age of twenty-five years; and no
slave shall be permitted to come into the State for permanent resi-
dence therein.”

This substitute afterwards came to be designated‘ as the
“Willey Amendment,” although it had not, in the first in-
stance, been introduced by him in its exact present form,

but only accepted by him in deference to the sentiments of

198 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the Senate. Mr. Carlisle, his senatorial colleague, who,
from some unexplained reason, had become violently op-
posed to the creation of the new State, vehemently assailed
the measure now, upon the ground that to admit the new
State with this amendment would be to impose a constitu-
tion upon the people of West Virginia, which, in this
particular, had never been submitted to them or ratified by
them. There was much force in the objection. But Mr.

Willey and the members of the House of Representatives ‘

representing the counties included in the limits of the new
State, the Hon. VVilliam Gr. Brown, of Kingwood, and the
Hon. Jacob B. Blair, of Parkersburg, aware of Mr. Carlisle’s
defection, had prepared themselves for such a contingency.
Fortunately the convention which framed the proposed
constitution of West Virginia had not finally dissolved, but
had simply adjourned to be re—convened upon the call
of a committee which had been appointed by the body
for.i.th'e.f purpose, whenever in the opinion of the committee
it might be deemed necessary and expedient. The surprise
andidiscomfiture of the opposition was very great when Mr.
Willey asked leave of the Senate to introduce, by way of
substitute, for the original proposition pending, a new bill,
which he had lying on his desk, referring the constitution as
amended back to the convention which framed it, with the
provision that if that body should adopt it, and submit it
again to the people, and they should ratify it as thus
amended, that the President of the United States, upon be-
ing properly certified of the fact, should make proclamation
accordingly; fixing a certain day when West Virginia
should become one of the United States. In this form the
bill finally passed the Senate on the 14th of July, 1862. It
was immediately sent to the _House of Representatives, but
it being near the close of the session, the consideration of
it was postponed until a day early in the next session, when
the bill as it now stands, was passed by a large majority.
The committee referred to did recall the "convention. It
met again at Wheeling early in February, 1863. Mr. Willey

STATET or WEST VIRGINIA.‘ 199

attended, he being a member of it by election before its or-
ganization, and by special resolution of the convention,
delivered an address on the 13th of February, which was
thus noticedby T/be W7Leeling Intelligenceh

“Mr. Van VVinkle moved that Mr. VVi1ley be now invited to
address the convention, and that gentleman accepting the invi-
tation, in an address of some two hours, of such breadth and power
that it is but faint praise to say that he exhausted the whole new
State question, and left nothing for others to say.”

This speech was translated into German, and was circulated
throughout the State. In it Mr. VVill'ey examined carefully
the objections made, both legal and political, to the admis-
sion of the State into the Union. He declared his great
surprise that any of the people of the State should offer
opposition thereto. If it were true that no assent of the
Legislature of Virginia had been given, then it was true
that the objection in that behalf was well taken, as the con-
stitution of the United States provided that “no new State
should be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of an-
other State, without the consent of the Legislature of the
State and of the Congress.” He then proceeded to say:

“I hardly suppose it is necessary to controvert the idea before
the people of ‘West Virginia, that the Richmond Legislature since
the 17th day of April, 1861,,was the true and rightful Legislature
of Virginia. Traitors may think so, but loyal men cannot think so.
Those who believe in the doctrine that a State has a right to secede
from the Union, may be excused for entertaining such an opinion,
but those who believe that Virginia is still in the Union, and one
of the United States, cannot tolerate sucha political heresy. Why,
sir, those men at Richmond were rebels. They had abjured their
allegiance to the United States and sworn to support the Constitu-
tion of the so—called Confederate States. They had levied war
against the United States. Shall they be acknowledged as the
rightful Legislature of Virginia? Not by me, sir, while God spares
my life! Not by me while the old flag of my fathers floats over
one foot of ground between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.”

He quoted from the decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States in the celebrated case of Lat/wr vs. Borden, to
establish the proposition that ‘Congress having admitted
Senators and Representatives under the government as re-

200 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

stored at Wheeling, that it could alone be held to be the
lawful and rightful government of Virginia; and its decision
was “binding on every other department of the govern-

" ment.\_”, ,.As_to.the objection that Congress was exercising

its power in an oppressive and unconstitutional way, by re-
quiring a clause on the subject of slavery, he said that no
law of very great importance was, perhaps, in all respects
perfectly acceptable; the feelings and prejudices of all had
to be consulted. VVhilst he would have preferred to have
had’ the State admitted under the constitution as it was
originally framed, yet he could not hesitate; the advantages
of admission embarrassed by the change proposed by Con-
gress, over its total rejection, were so overwhelming that
there was no apology for hesitation. He cited in opposi-
tion to the argument of Congressional dictation so many in-
stances wherein it had been provided by Congress in the
admission of States, that restrictions and qualifications had
been imposed, that the precedents gave it the force of law,
if it were not absolutely so in fact. In the ordinance of
1787 for the government of the territories north—west of the
Ohio River, slavery was absolutely forbidden therein. The
admission of Missouri was upon condition of a change
absolute and imperative in relation to slavery. Likewise
the State of Michigan was admitted with imposed conditions
by Congress. Wisconsin was admitted with explicit funda-
mental conditions in the act in relation thereto, which were
to be complied with before it took effect. The same was
true of Texas, and finally of Kansas. The principal objec-
tion to the measure by its opponents was, he thought, not
because of alleged Congressional dictation, but because if
the amendment were adopted West Virginia would become
a free State.

This branch of the subject he discussed in the aspect it
presented as a question of political economy; maintaining
that slave labor ought not to be brought into competition
with the white labor of West Virginia; that slavery was not
adapted to the soil or climate of West Virginia, and cited

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 201

copious extracts from tl1e opinions of eminent Virginians
in the colonial days and arlier history of the State, to
show that the institution everywhere was pernicious in its
effects. jH,e arrayed the progress of the free States of the
Union against the inactivity and dullness pervading those
in which slavery existed, by pertinent columns of meaning
statistics. He declared thatthe separation could not injure
Virginia in the least, and would derange no mutual interest.
No social interest, he said, would be disturbed, because “in
the East the tone of society is aristocratic; in the West it
is democratic.” This latter declaration he enforced in the
following words:

“ It was when speaking of what he called the ‘peasantry’ of the
West, that Benjamin Watkins Leigh, in the constitutional conven-
tion of 1829, said that in political economy slaves fill exactly the
same place as the White laborers of the West. ‘What real share,’
said this illustrious representative of the aristocratic sentiment of
Eastern Virginia, ‘VVhat real share, so far as mind is concerned,
does any man suppose the peasantry of the West . . . can or will
take in the affairs of State?’ Yes, sir, this was the sentiment of
the Tidewater and Piedmont districts of the State at that time—.an
-assumption of social and political superiority based on slave labor
and slave property. Nor has this sentiment at all abated. It was
at the bottom of the present rebellion.”

On the subject of the provision relating to the debt of
Virginia, he said that in the matter of assuming by the new
State of a just and equitable proportion of it existing at
the time of the ordinance of secession, “it was eminently
right and proper”; that West Virginia would not deserve
to be admitted into the Union on any other terms. “Any
attempt to evade it would be dishonorable.” He depre-
cated any attempt to bring the issues of party politics into
the arena in determining this great question before and by
the people, as it was understood the opponents of the move-
ment were seeking to do. In the spirit born of his native
hills, and which seemed always ready to leap from his lips
whenever the recollection of eastern domination rose up
before him, he closed his exhaustive argument in this
language:

202 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

“Sir, I do feel that the long and chilly night of western destitu-
tion and ‘demoralization is passing away forever; and that a new
era is dawning upon us—an era of li t and life which shall quicken
the long dormant energies of our p ple, reveal and develop the
abounding treasures everywhere hidden beneath our mountains and
valleys, attract labor and capital and skill from every quarter of
the land, and elevate us to that condition of moral, intellectual and
physical prosperity and happiness which we have a right to enjoy.
. . . . . VVhy should we hesitate to accept the great advantages
before us? We have complied with every ‘requisition of the law.
We have fulfilled every constitutional obligation. And now
wealth, and popular education, and material and moral progress
and development, and political equality and prosperity in every
department of political economy, so long withheld from us, are
all within our grasp. The ‘golden moment’ has come at last.
If we fail to improve it we shall deserve the degradation in which
our folly will have forever involved us.”

The convention accepted the amendment, and the people
by a popular vote ratified it. The proclamation of Presi-
dent Lincoln was the final act which admitted the people of
West Virginia in their sovereign capacity into the Union of

States; which admission dates from the 20th of June, 1863.

Whilst these things were taking place in Congress, Mr.
'Willey responded, as usual, to the demands upon him for
popular addresses. On July 4, 1862, he addressed the 91st
Pennsylvania Regiment at its encampment near Alexandria.
He delivered an address at the forty-first anniversary of the
Philadelphia Conference Missionary Society. On this occa-
sion he gave utterance to this sentiment: “ To my mind the
most sublime object under heaven ever since the fall, we
have in the conversion of a sinner.” At another meeting
in Philadelphia about the same period he electrified his
audience by his glowing oratory as he pointed out the pow-
erful influence of the Christian’s Bible over men’s minds in
the righteous government of the world; and that through
it the cause of justice and public liberty which the nation
Was struggling to promote must ultimately triumph, because

it was just, and God would never desert the right. The

chronicler of this meeting says that at this point “the en-
thusiasm of the audience boiled over and found vent in

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 203

fairly shouting “The Star Spangled Banner.” In Decem-
ber, 1862, he delivered a missionary speech in Brooklyn;
and again at Wesley Chapel in Washington, on the 11th of
January, 1863.

On the assembling of the first Legislature of West Vir-
ginia, Mr. Willey was elected as one of its Senators in
Congress, on the 4th day of August, 1863, on the first bal-
lot, receiving fifty votes out of sixty-eight. As illustrating
the delicacy of his views upon the appointment to such
high and honorable trusts, it should be said that he remained
away "from the body during the pendency of the question
and sedulously avoided any personal canvass as unbecoming.
With his colleague, the Hon. P. G. Van Winkle, of Parkers-
burg, he took his_ seat in the United States Senate, Monday,
December 7th, 1863. On drawing the lot usual under such
circumstances, Mr. Willey drew the short term of two years.

In January, 1864, Mr. Willey, by invitation, addressed a .

mass meeting at the Musical Fund Hall in Brooklyn on the
occasion of the forty—fifth anniversary of the Missionary
Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His address
was thus mentioned in the organ of the society:

“ Hon, W. T. Willey, Senator from West Virginia, next addressed
the vast audience on the material and moral result of the great
Gospel Mission to man. His comparison of the different civiliza-
tions with Christian civilivation .was a triumphant vindication of
the divine origin of Christianity, judging it by its fruits even in
this world. It was not an unauthorized View of the Gospel Mission,
but it was an unusual view, an.d one that required knowledge
and power to bring it out clearly. His comparison of ancient and
modern science, of ancient and modern literature, was as just
as it was masterly. The whole address was a luminous com-
mentary on the first of the passage, ‘Godliness is ‘profitable unto
all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that
which is to come.‘ ”

On the 22d of March, 1864, Mr. Willey made a speech in
the Senate in favor of the constitutional amendment abol-
ishing slavery. In entire harmony with his character he is
always found upon the side of order and precedent. He
argued for the passage of the amendment, because it then

H1sToRY

‘OF

MONONGALIA COUNTY.

GENERAL HISTORY.

CHAPTER I.
THE MOUND BUILDERS.

Discovery of Aniei-ica——The Mound Buil(le1's—O1'igin, \Vorks, and
Fate——l\Iou11d Builders in- Monongalia~Occupation of the
County for Hunting 1’urposes~—Traces and Relics.

IT WAS on the 12th of October, 1492, that the VVestern
world revealed itself to the wondering eyes of Christopher
Columbus. The discovery of a continent so large that it
maybe said to have doubled the habitable world, is an event
so grand a11d interesting that nothing parallel to it can ever

occur again in the history of mankind. Before this America .

had been known to the barbarous tribes of eastern Asia for a
thousand years. Iceland was discovered about A. D. 860, and
colonized by the Norwegians. About 50 or 100 years later,
the same people planted colonies in Greenland. In 1001,
an Icelander, sailing to Greenland, was driven far to the

2

u

2o4 -HISTORY OF MONONGALIA, COUNTY.

became a. part of the organic law, which defied the turbu-
lence of the times or the sophistries of the demagogue.
Nothing, he maintained, could justify a Violent step outside
of the obligations of the National Constitution:

“ But, sir, all this does not absolve us from the obligations of the
Constitution as it is. It is the law paramount ; and whatsoever may be
our theoretical views respecting slavery, the guarantees of the ponsti-
tut-ion must be observed while those guarantees remain a part of it.
Slavery is an evil ; but a broken, demoralized Constitution would be a
greater evil. It is for the integrity of the Constitution, to restore its
power and authority, that I understand we are now waging this terrible
war. Its prosecution can be justified on no other consideration; and
we shall do well to take heed to the fact that civil war, beyond all other
causes, is fruitful of pernicious and dangerous passions and antipathies,
leading to a disregard of constitutional obligation. The sectional
character of the rebellion adds another and still more malignant ele-
ment to the inflammation of public sentiment ordinarily incident to
revolts against the civil authority. And I think I utter no paradox
when I say further, that the manifestjustice of our cause constitutes in
itselfa source ofdanger. Justly exasperated at the wanton wickedness
of the bad men who, in seeking to overthrow our wise and benignant
Government, have plunged the country into all the sins and sorrows by
which we are surrounded, we are liable to be transported by ajust and
patriotic indignation beyond the limits of a lawful resentment. And
now :it is to be {feared that corrupt men, demagogues, unprincipled
politicians, will begready to avail themselves of this patriotic excite-
ment, and under the cover and pretext of a holy" zeal for the public
good, seek to accomplish their own ambitious personal ends iiin de-
fiance of the law. It is in times like this when written organic laws
become valuable. It was to meet such contingencies especially that
our Constitution was ordained. In times of peace and harmony and
prosperity, when there is little occasion or temptation to do wrong, but
little restraint is required to prevent the commission of wrong.

“ Now, therefore, has come the crisis when thejvalue of ourjnational
Constitution is to be tested, and when the wisdom and foresight of its
immortal framers are to be exemplified and consecrated in the successful
application ofits powers and adaptations to the overthrow of its enemies
and to the preservation of the public liberty. Now too; has arrived the
hour in the history of the country when those Who are intrusted with

‘ its destinies should rise to the full stature of a wise and lofty states-

manship. My humble abilities and limited experience may forbid me
from any worthy participation either in its duties or itsghonors. But,
sir, I think I can properly conceive of what an American Senator ought
to be, and of what, when I look around upon this august body, I feel
assured he will be, in this great national trial. He will rise above the
prejudices and passions of the hour. He will be incapable of the

motives of mere revenge or retaliation. No narrow sectional influen-

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 205

ces will trammel his conduct. Fully instructed by ‘the wisdom of the
past, calmly meeting the exigences of the present, and profoundly com-
prehending the behests of the future, he will match steadily forward to
the accomplishment of the simple and only lawful purpose of the war-—
tbe suppression of the rebellion, the integrity of the Union, and the
supremacy of the Constitution. No motive of unholy ambition will
warp his purpose. No thirst for blood will taint the pure aspirations
of his patriotic heart. No eagerness to inflict punishment beyond what
is essential to enforce obedience to lawful authority will prompt his
action or deform his policy. He will disregard the idle clamors of the
mere partisan, and scorn the angry manaces of the political Zealot.
Recognizing the force of the maxim that ‘law is reason without pas-
sion,’ he will be dispassionate in the administration of the law.”

After declaring that such a course only could be success-
ful, and that it would “add ten-fold to every blow struck by
our armies,” and “ appall the guilty conscience of the States
in rebellion,” and unite and consolidate _all the friends of
the Union, he said; * \

“Mr. President, I commenced these remarks by saying that the
question of African slavery could no longer be evaded, and that it
ought now, if possible, to be finally adjusted. But how shall it be
adjusted? In my opinion, the most effectual method of accomplishing
this result is a vigorous prosecution of the war for the suppression of
the rebellion. I do not mean to say that the extinction of slavery
should constitute the motive of the war. No, sir. The purpose 0! the
war is and should be now what it was declared to be in the beginning;
and that now, as then, ‘ Congress, banishing all feeling of mere passion
and resentment, will recollect only its duty to the whole country ; that
this war is not prosecuted on our part in any spirit of oppression, nor
for any purpose of conquest or subjugation, nor for the purpose of over-
throwing or interfering with the rights or established institutions of the
States in rebellion, but to defend and maintain the supremacy of the
Constitution and all laws made in pursuance thereof, and to preserve
the Union with all the dignity, equality, and rights of the several
States unimpaired; that as soon as these objects are accomplished the
war ought to cease.’

“ But while in the prosecution of the war for thesejustifiable ends no
constitutional right of any individual or of any State should be re-
nounced or infringed, yet if by the necessary and lawful exercise of the
authority and power vested in or pertaining to those to whom the con-
duct of the war properly belongs slavery shall be destroyed, and our
beloved country be thus redeemed from ‘ the everlasting curse of hu——
man bondage,’ it will bejust cause of joy and gratitude to every patriot
and Christian, and go far to indemnify our country and the human race
for the sacrifices of treasure and blood made in the accomplishment of a
result so beneficent. One thing is certain; the rapid and universal
advance of our arms into the insurgent States, to which all are agreed,

206 HISTORY OF MO.NVONGALIAi COUNTY.

and for which all parties are urgent, must necessarily, less or more,
obliterate slavery wherever they go. In proportion as we succeed in
redeeming the insurgent States ‘from the thralldom of the rebellion,
almost in the same proportion will they be released from the thralldom
of slavery. My own State is an example. When the loyal sentiment
was left free to act it abolished slavery. . .' . . .

“ Every great victory obtained in the field is of more practical value
than a thousand proclamations of emancipation, and whole volumes _ot
acts of confiscation. It is war, ‘,sir, stern war,:and not words. which
shall put down the rebellion; and in proportion as we successfully
prosecute the War,'_"_and so put down the rebellion, in the same propor-
tion will slavery be put down. Its political power is even now forever
annihilated. And sir, a few more victories will place slavery in a con-
dition where it will be just and expedient to inaugurate the only wise
and competent measure for its extinction. What is that measure? '
“The Committee on the Judiciary have reported a proposed amend-
ment of the Constitution prohibiting slavery. This, in my opinion, is
the true solution of the question. It is conclusive, it is final; and,

»moreover, it conforms to the requirements of the Constitiiti(;n.€%§:,It

works out this great result in the mode prescribed by the Constitu-
tion. It accomplishes its purpose directly and lawfully, and thus avoids
all those indirect, partial, and questionable, if not unlawful expedients
which have been proposed. . . . . .

“Sir, I believe this amendment of our Constitution is demanded,
either now or soon hereafter, by every principle ofjustice and by every
consideration of expediency; by the history of the past, by the woes of
the present, and by the hopes ofthe future; by the blood of our fellow-—
ditizens sacrificed on the altar of their country in defense of the Union;
by our defeats at Bull Run and at the Chickahominy; by our victories
at Antietam, at Gettysburg, and at Chattanooga; by the millions of our
national debt; by the burdens of Federal taxation; by the genius of
our American liberty; by the spirit ofour Christianity; by our love of
freedom; by our hatred of tyranny, and by the voice of the people,
which, in this instance, is the voice of God.”

Of this effort Forney’s Was/tingzfon 0/wonicle said: “ The
speech of Senator Willey was indeed an effort of command-
ing ability, and will long be remembered and profitably read
by patriotic men.” Mr. VVilley voted for the amendment on
its final passage.

In May, 1864, Mr. Willey addressed the Laymen’s Con-
vention, assembledat Philadelphia, for the purpose of con-
sidering the propriety and expediency of admitting lay
delegates into the legislative councils of the M. E. Church.
Of this address T/Le Jlfezf/todiszf, of New York, said that “it
was a. notable feature of the convention.” In September

STATE or wEsT VIRGINIA. , 207 _

following he delivered the annual address before the Union
and Philomathean societies of VVaynesburg (Penn.) College.
And during the same fall he canvassed a large part of the
new State for the Republican Presidential ticket of Lincoln
and Johnson. . ,
January 31, 1865, he was again elected to the Senate;
this time for six years; being the only person nominated in

either branch of the Legislature, and receiving fifty—three

out of sixty—nine votes.

The bill coming up on the 27th of June, 1866, to extend I

the right of suffrage to negroes in the District of Columbia,
Mr. VVilley offered an amendment confining the right to
such as could read and who could Write their names, and in
support of his View made a speech which was published in
pamphlet form. He took an active part in the gubernato-
rial campaign that fall in this State, at which Gov. A. I.
Boreman Was again elected, having been previously chosen
the first Governor of West Virginia. The following winter,
in connection with the lamented President Garfield, he
addressed, by special invitation, the meeting of the mana-
gers and friends of “The Protestant Orphan Asylum,” at
the Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in VVashington.

In March, 1867, by invitation, he addressed the Sabbath-
school Association of the Philadelphia Conference at its
anniversary, held at Harrisburg, on the subject of “The
Relation of the Sabbath—school to the Welfare of the State.”

The following year he threw himself with all his fervor
into the presidential canvass which resulted in the first
election of Gen. U. S. Grant. After this election he was
suggested in several papers, among others by ]%e IV/Leeling
Intelligencer, as a proper person for a cabinet position.

Among other questions which excited great attention
about this period, was that of compensation to southern
loyalists for their private property taken for public use
owing to the late rebellion. In March, 1870, Mr. Willey
made a speech upon the subject, in favor of compensation.

In the spring of 1870, Mr. Willey introduced a bill into

208 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the Senate, for a division of the proceeds of the sales of
the public lands among the several states, for educational
purposes. In this he was the pioneer of all the movements
that have since been made in this direction. He addressed
the Senate on the subject on the 26th of April, 1871, in
some carefully prepared remarks, which are replete with
ripe statesmanship and most valuable, suggestions. He
maintained that the duty of the hour required that the
mass of newly enfranchised persons upon whom the mantle
of citizenship had been cast by events growing out of the
war, should be prepared for an intelligent exercise of their
newly acquired rights. He said:

“The education of this race LAfr1canj so as to enable them to prop-
erly assume and to discharge the responsibilities and duties which
we have imposed upon them is a matter of the highest obligation
due from us to them. They have a right to demand it. Their ig-
norance is no fault of theirs. Their emancipation was our act.
We are responsible for their ignorance ; we are responsible for their
enfranchisement; and, therefore, it is our duty to qualify them to

A meet the demands of the position in which we have placed them.

Andlin this as in all matters of justice and right, it will be found
that duty and interest are in harmony. By the Thirteenth Amend-
ment we made the African race in this country freedmen. By the
Fifteenth Amendment they were nominally made freemen; but
they can never be freemen in fact until they are elevated above the
ignorance and demoralization of slavery, where enfranchisement
found them. He only is truly enfranchised who votes intelligently
as Well as freely. Ignorance is not only the ‘mother of supersti-
tion’ ; it is the parent of vice, the toy of demagogues and the tool
of tyrants. . . . .

“ Those of us who are now congratulating ourselves that the ad-
vancing column of liberty and progress has been strengthened and
reinforced by this new accession of suffrage may live to deplore
our Inistake unless speedy measures are adopted for the education
and enlightenment of these recruits of freedom. Gratitude to their
benefactors and the hatredof their enemies may bind them to us
for a season ; but the former will become weakened as the cause of
it becomes more remote in the past, and when the passions of the
latter subside, policy will suggest that more can be accomplished
by using them for party and sinister purposes than by persecuting
them.”

But it was not alone from the ignorance of the African’

    
   
      

     
  

   
  
         

    
      
  

       
   

       

     
     
  

   

  
 
  
    
    

     
 

     
  

  
           

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See Page 480.

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 209

race that dangers were to be feared. Mr. Willey showed
that there were 467,023 white voters, according to the cen-
sus of 1860, who could neither read nor write. He thought
the policy of American statesmen looked too much to the
development of the exclusively materialistic—the physical
resources of the nation. These, he said, were not the only,
indeed not the principal, elements of national welfare. The
true statesman and the wise political economist look more
to the intellectual and moral. Here they find the only safe
principles which must underlie all abiding national pros-
perity and glory. Moreover, looking only to the develop-
ment and advancement of material interests, it was demon-
strated that the general education of the people would be
the most eflicient and reliable basis "of success. A philo-
sophic contemplation of the future of the country. must
inspire the gravest apprehensions in the mind of every
thoughtful patriot. The‘ territory of the Nation was ex-
panding. Already every. variety of climate, from the
borders of the frigid zone almost to the tropic, was included

in the realm. History, physiology, philosophy, admonished’

of the effects of climate on the character, habits, passions,
if not indeed on the opinions of men, There was a vast
diversity of economical interests that would be constantly
engendering internal antagonisms of policy. Differences of
race and language and the discords of heterogeneous civili-
zation introduced by the large influx of foreign immigration,
would multiply the disturbing influences likely to agitate
the country. The European and African were already here,
and Asia ‘was beginning to pour her herds upon the Pacific
Coast. '

“By what agency can we hope to assimilate these diverse ele-
ments of society so as to secure a harmonious political unity? Our
great and multiplying facilities for commercial and social inter-
course will accomplish much in this direction; but universal edu-
cation will do more. . Ignorance is always provincial; intelligence
is national. Ignorance is always sectional ; intelligence is catholic.
Popular ignorance is the parent of local prejudices. It is inca-
pable of lzn enlarged patriotism. It can not comprehend the

210 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

general welfare. It will be i-nithewfuture, as it has been in the
past, the instrument of demagogues and disappointed ambition, to
organize sectional hostility against the national Government. . . .

“What objection can there be to the application of the people’s
domain to the people’s education? In what manner could it be
more beneficially used? and for a purpose so vital to the public
welfare wh.y may we not resort to other sources for means, if it be
necessary, to accomplish the object? VVe do not hesitate to grant
millions of the public lands for the construction of railways across
the \Vestern States and across the Continent. Abating the
extravagance which sometimes, as I think, characterizes our liber-
ality in this respect, tending to enrich private corporations and
pamper great monopolies far above what is necessary to build
these great works, no man rejoices more in their construction than
I do. Let them be made. Let them bind the nation from ocean to
ocean in the strong bonds of commercial interest and social inter-
course. Let them utilize the immeasurable physical resources of
the country, and speed our progress in all the departments of
the material power and prosperity of the nation. But this is not
enough. There remains a higher duty for us and a higher destiny
for the people. If we would fill up the full measure of the National
welfare, we must send the school—master along with the engineer;
we must encircle the continent with schoo1—houses as well as rail-
roads. Sir, there are richer mines in the intellect of the people
than iii the quartz mountains of California or the silver-bearing
lodes of the Nevadas. The former must be developed as well as
the latter, else our material wealth may become our greatest peril
and the true grandeur and glory of the Republic will remain
incomplete. And, therefore, I repeat the inquiry, why should We
not set apart the proceeds of the sales of the public lands for the
promotion of the people’s education?

“If it be alleged that the burden of the public debt would be
increased by such an application of the land sales, let me answer
that the greatest burden which the country carries to—day is the
ignorance of so large a proportion of the people, involving so many
disadvantages and so much detriment to the public welfare. Edu-
cation is the most productive source of revenue. Intelligent indus-
try is the most remunerative capital of any nation. It is the highest
element of a prosperous political economy. Where do we find the
most fruitful fields of our present immense national revenues? I
answer, on the barren soils and amid the inhospitable climate of
the New England States. The reason of this is found in the em-
cient school system and consequent general intelligence of the peo-
ple of those States.

“If any question should be raised as to the power of Congress
to dispose of the proceeds of thesale of the public lands for the

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 211

purposes indicated, I suppose it would be a sufficient answer to say
that these lands belong to the whole people of the United States,
and any use of them which would enure to the benefit of the whole
people alike, would be more Warrantable and far more equita-
ble than the prevailing policy of surrendering them to private
individuals and rich monopolies, oftentimes with little benefit to
the public. . . . Besides, what are the police powers of the nation?
May we not pass laws to preserve the peace, to maintain order. to
enforce the laws, to prevent crime and immorality? And then,
there is the supreme law, the public safety. And is not universal
education essential to these ends? Can liberty endure without it ?
Is it not indispensable to the life and perpetuity of the Nation?
Does it not involve the supreme good of the Nation ?

This speech, which Was, as We have said, the pioneer in
this direction, attracted much attention from the thoughtful
who heard and read it. The Boston Journal spoke of it at
some length, concluding as follows: “When Mr. Willey
concluded he received the hearty congratulations of Mr.
Sumner and others, who had listened to him with evident
interest and profit.”

In July, 1870, Mr. VVilley delivered the annual oration
before the societies of Wesleyan University, Middletown,
Connecticut. This effort was most highly commended by
several of the distinguished persons who were present. At
the solicitation of the Central Executive Committe of the
Republican party, he canvassed the State in the fall of this
year. It was in this campaign that the political scale in
VVest Virginia turned, which pending event Mr. Willey
intimated to his political allies soon after he entered the
field. ‘

His Senatorial life ended March 3, 1871, his term expiring
at 3 o'clock P. M. on that day. During Mr. Wil1ey’s Sena-
torial career it can be said, in general terms, that he cordi-
ally supported the general policy of the Republican party.
Especially is this so on all questions relating to the sup-
pression of the Rebellion. With him this was a duty pa-
triotically and religiously paramount to all others. VVhen
the questions were simply of a judicial character, he voted
against the majority if his judgment so dictated. The no-

18. HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

s0uth—west, where he saw a level, wooded country. Return-
ing home, l1e gave an account of his adventure. This

induced Lief, the son of the founder of the Greenland

colony, to undertake a voyage to the new country. Sailing

with Bjorn, and after touching at two other places, they,
after some days, came to a country having trees loaded with
fruits on the banks of a river. Iiere they spent a winter.
Finding wild vines growing, they called the country Vinland.
A colony was planted, which remained for years. They
traded with a people who came in leathern boats. Of dwarf?
ish size, they called them NZ‘/'(¢eli/cf/8. These were the
Esquimaux. The seat‘ of this colony was about the 41st
parallel of latitude, and the actual latitude of Rhode Island.
There seems, therefore, no reasonable doubt that the nortl1—
eastern portions /of America were familiarly known ‘to the
Norwegians as early as the Eleventh Century.*

But the colony disappeared, and the discovery seems not
to have awakened the attention of either statesmen or phi-

losophers; and so it was that when Columbus planted the

imperial banner of Spain on the soil of the New \Vorld' and I

. . ‘ ’ t g - n u . o n ' -
beside it placed the cross of Christian civilization, 1t was 
if a great curtain had rolled up from the Western world of
waters.

The ].’er7 ;l[c/2, whom Columbus found here were not the
primitive inhabitants. An ancient race, entirely distinct
from the Indians, possessing a certain degree of civilization,
once inhabited, the central portion of the United States.
They are known as the Mound Builders. Of their origin,
their history, and of their fate, we have first, supposition,
next theory from relics, and then speculation, and that is all.

* Encyclopaedla Britannica, 9th ed., "01. 1, art. America.

212 HISTORY OF .MONONGALIA COUNTY.

table instances in which he differed from his political
friends in this class of cases, were on the resolution to ex-
pel Senator Bright, of Indiana; and on the right of Senator
Stockton, of New Jersey, to retain his seat. Whilst in the
Senate he was a member of the Committee on Pensions;

tDistrict of Columbia; Naval Affairs; on Claims; and for

several years was chairman of the Committee on Patents
and Patent Oflice. The standing of Mr. Willey among his
fellow Senators was highly creditable to his State, and grati-
fying to his sense of personal pride. _ His urbane manners
made him a favorite with partisan friends and foes alike.
His integrity of character won the esteem of all, for his
views, however variant from others, were never expressed
in a manner designed to evince any other than an honest
purpose to arrive at the very truth. His scholarly acquire-
ments and research made him early a man of mark in a
body so remarkable for eminence in knowledge and learning.
N0 better conception of his position can be advanced
than that drawn by the skillful genius of one who was a
member of the House of Representatives during the period
of his senatorial life, who subsequently became a Senator
and Cabinet minister, and whose career is a very important
factor in the history of the Nation. In a conversation with
the writer he remarked that Mr. Willey was a member of
that small circle of persons who in every deliberative body
are known and recognized as wise men; and are consulted
in matters of great moment for their safe and discreet
counsel.

Once again, after a stormy and laborious era, Mr. VVilley
is in the private walks of life. He resumed the practice of
his profession immediately on his return home in March,
1871. He for the second time delivered the address at the
decoration of the soldiers’ graves at Morgantown, on the
30th of May of the same year. In June following, he read
an elaborate paper before the Historical Society of West
Virginia on the Geographical History of Monongalia
County. In July of the same year, he Wrote a series of

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 213

articles to The W281 Virginian at Fairmont, at the request
of the editor, opposing the call for a convention to amend
the Constitution of the State.

The convention was called by a popular vote, and, with-
out his solicitation, he was called by the people of his
county to represent them therein. He took no very active
part in its deliberations, but maintained a dignified and

watchful interest in all the proceedings. When the Com- ,

mittee on Taxation and Finance reported to the body the
provisions as now found in sections five and six of Article X
of the Constitution, and these had been adopted in commit-
tee of the Whole, Mr. Willey not deeming them sufiiciently
explicit on the subject of the unsettled financial status ex-
isting between the States of Virginia and West Virginia,
offered to amend the report by adding thereto as an ad-
ditional section to the Article the following: _
“An equitable proportion of the public debt of the Common-
wealth of Virginia, prior to the first day of January, in the year
one thousand eight hundred and sixty—one, shall be assumed by
this State ; and the Legislature shall ascertain the same as soon as
may be practicable, and provide for the payment thereof.”
This was the clause in the Constitution of 1863, under
which the State had been admitted into the Union, and Mr.
Willey strenously maintained that a sense of fairness and
political integrity required the people of the State to retain
and fully recognize this obligatory provision. The amend-
ment was rejected by a vote of twenty ayes to forty—six noes.

When the report of the Committee on Bill of Rights and
Elections was under consideration, he moved to amend the
amendment of the committee of the whole by inserting at
the end of section sixteen which, as reported, closed thus:
“The people of this,State have the inherent, sole and
exclusive right of regulating the internal government and
police thereof,” these words: “But every citizen of the
State owes paramount allegiance to the government of the
United States.” This Amendment was also rejected, by a
vote of seven to fifty-six.

214 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The convention did not complete its work and adjourn
until the 9th day of April, 1872, but Mr. Willey, being in
delicate health, asked leave of absence for the remainder of
the session on the 30th of March previous, which was
reluctantly but unanimously granted. He then arose and
in a very impressive manner addressed the body as follows:

“Mr. President, after consultation with my political friends and
associates in this body, I have their unanimous concurrence in of-
fering the resolutions which I shall presently send to the chair.
Before doing so, however, I beg to be indulged in submitting a.
remark or two.

“The authority of the United States Government is now restored
and recognized in every State in the Union. Every vestige of or-
ganized and armed resistance to it has been destroyed; and from
the lakes to the gulf—-from the Atlantic to the Pacif'1c—it-s laws and
its officers have unobstructed operation. The great fundamental

principles claimed to be necessary to consolidate, secure and per— ‘

petuate its authority, have been incorporated in the National Con-
stitution, and are everywhere acknowledged as the supreme law of
the land. This Convention has inserted such an acknowledgement
in the instrument which it is proposed to submit to the people of
this State as their organic law. The organization of the State
itself has been accepted as valid; and every gentleman on this
floor stands pledged to its integrity. Moreover, in the language of
the President of the United States, in his late annual message,——

“ ‘ More than six years having elapsed since the last hostile gun was fired between
the armies then arrayed against each other—one for the perpetuation, the other for
the destruction of the Union—it may Well be considered whether it is not now time
that the disabilities imposed by the Fourteenth Amendmend should be removed.
That amendment does not exclude the ballot, but only imposes the disability to
hold offices upon certain classes. When the purity of the ballot is secure, majorities
are sure to elect officers reflecting the views of the majority. I do not see the advan-
tage or propriety of excluding men trom oflice merely because they were before the
rebellion of standing and character sufilcient to be elected to positions requiring them
to take oaths to support the Constitution, and admitting to eligibility those en-
tertaining precisely the same views, but of less standing in their communities.’

“Influenced by such considerations, the popular branch of the
National legislature has, on several occasions, passed amnesty bills
less or more general in their terms and character; some of which
are now on the calendar of the United States Senate awaiting con-
sideration. I *-

“ Mr. President, the past cannot be recalled; it has gone into the
province of history, by whose impartial record all men and all par-
ties must ultimately abide. While we may not wisely reject the
lessons it would teach to all thoughtful men, yet our especial duties
and responsibilities relate to the present and the future. But the

STATE or WEST VIRGINIA. 215

interests of neither the present nor the future will be promoted by
cherishing needless animosities, personal or political. For myself,
I desire to see all the causes of such strife removed—forever re-
moved. Sir, I love peace and those moral and intellectual achieve-
ments which can be accomplished only in times of peace. I abhor
war and all its inseperable atrocities ; and to-day and here, on the
eve of sundering those personal and social relations with the mem-
bers of this body, which, although they have been brief, have been
uniformly cordial and kind, I can and do, with the deepest sincerity
of heart, repeat the language put by Shakespeare into the mouth of
Henry IV. of England:
“ ‘ No more the thirsty entrance of this soil

Shall daub her lips with her own chi1dren’s blood;

No more shall trenching war channel her fields,

Nor bruise her flowerets With the armed hoofs

Ot hostile paces: those opposed eyes,

Which, like the meteors of a troubled heaven,

All of one nature, of one substance bred——

Did lately meet in the intestine shock

And furious close of civil butchery,

Shall now in mutual well-beseeming ranks,

March all one Way ; and be no more opposed

Against kindred, and allies ;

The edge of war, like an ill sheathed knife,

NO more Sllilll cut his master.’

“ In all free governments, political parties are inevitable ; perhaps
they are necessary. Properly controlled, they contribute to the
public welfare; unregulated by reason and patriotism, they will
again, as they have done in time past, lead to the direst calamities.

“ Mr. President and gentlemen of the Convention, henceforth let
our only strife be the noble emulation of the statesman, seeking
who can best promote the peace and advance the prosperity of our
beloved young State, and of our common country. I now perform
what I have no doubt will be my last act of public life, in offering
the resolutions which I send to the chair:

“Resolved, That in the opinion of this convention, without dis-
tinction of parties, the time has come when it would be wise and
judicious that all political disabilities growing out of any connec-
tion with the late civil war should cease in \Vest Virginia ; and our
Senators and Representatives in the Congress of the United States
are hereby requested to use their influence in securing the passage
of an act of Congress removing all such disabilities.

“Resolved, That copies of the foregoing resolution, with the
ayes and noes recorded in the vote thereon, be transmitted by the
President of this Convention, to our Senators and Representatives
in Congress, to be laid before the Houses to which they respect-
ively belong.”

The resolutions were unanimously adopted.

216 HISTORY OF MOINIONGALIA COUNTY.

The remarks and the resolutions are entirely in accord
with the magnanimity of .Mr. Willey’s character, and Were
a fitting close to a career of great activity in a field in which
the fiercest human passions had been stirred, and had been
allayed in blood, but over which the sense of duty which
fills the superior mind was the guiding star, although tears
might be shed during its exercise.

Although practically retired from the political arena, Mr.
Willey was induced by the Central Committe of his party
to take some part in the Presidential campaign of 1872,
making several speeches at prominent points in the State.
He was nominated for Congress at the Cranberry conven-
tion in_1874, against his express Will, and declined. During
the following years, until 1876, he was busily engaged in the
practice of his profession in Monongalia and surrounding
counties. He‘ did not, however, relinquish his literary la—
bors and studies, but delivered addresses before religious
and other bodies on various subjects; his chief lectures
being “VVesleyan Hymnology 7;e7"sus Doggerel”; and his

_ sketch of the life of Philip Doddridge, his law preceptor,

before the West Virginia Historical Society.

In 1876, he was a delegate to the National Republican
Convention at Cincinnati, and was chairman of the delega-
tion from his State. He voted steadily and to the end for
the nomination of the Hon. James G. Blaine of Maine. He
subsequently took a part in the canvass which resulted in
the election of President R. B. Hayes.

In the same year he was appointed one of the six laymen
by the Board of Bishops of the’ M. E. Church, to act in
conjunction With six ministers, to confer with other Metho-
dist churches concerning questions of fraternity and union.

In 1878, he delivered the fourth in the series of lectures
at the ‘Vest Virginia University, his subject being “The
Relation of Law to Civil Liberty”; which he subsequently
repeated by request before the Philomathean Society at
Kingwood. '

In May of the same year, he delivered the address on

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 217

Decoration-day at the Grafton National Cemetery. He
was a delegate to the General Conference of the M; E.
Church which met at Cincinnati in 1880, and spent the
month of May attending its sessions. He participatedin
the discussions pertaining to the report of the Cape May
commission, which had reported an adjustment of the con-
flicting claims of the M. E. Church and the M. E. Church
South, in relation to the church property in the South. He

« insisted upon the maintenance of the terms of the agree-

ment made by the commission on behalf of the Church, as
a matter of good faith, and because a repudiation of it
would re-open the questions of strife and bitterness. His
remarks were received with profound attention and gratifi-
cation. He was a member of a committee of the legislative
department which was charged with the duty of submitting
a plan for two distinct houses of the General Conference,
composed respectively of ministerial and lay delegates. He
was in charge of the report in the body, and the plan, al-
though defeated, received a large vote. He maintained that
sooner or later its adoption was inevitable.

He again took part in political affairs to a limited extent
during the campaign of 1880. His friends thought that he
never appeared to a better advantage than during this can-
vass. His wisdom was ripened in.to the fullest maturity of
his powers, and although singularly free from selfishness in
the sincerity of his opinions all his life, he seemed to be
wholly absolved from any interest in the pending events save
that of a high patriotic resolve for his country’s welfare. This
purpose made his speeches interesting to all parties, and, as
they breathed a pure purpose, however their sentiments
might be disapproved, and were free from the acrimonious
tone too often heard in the heat of the canvass, they were
listened to with most respectful attention by the opposition,
and with warm admiration by his allies.

In May, 1881, by special request, he made the inaugural
address at the opening of the Lincoln Club in Wheeling.

In August, 1882, he addressed the Teachers’ Institute of

218 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Monongalia County on the subject of “National Aid for
Public Schools,” which was published by request.

On the death of Capt. Wm. S. Cobun, Clerk of the County
Court of Monongalia County, Mr. Willey was appointed to
the vacancy, in November, 1882, which position he still holds.

It is impossible in the limits assigned to this sketch to’
give even a synopsis of all of Mr. Willey’s efforts and works
in the various spheres which he has filled. Those hereto-
fore given have been included with a view to indicate his
position on current events, and to illustrate them, rather
than as specimens of his style. He was a frequent con-
tributor to public journals and reviews, both religious and
political, and wielded always a graceful and able pen.

Of Mr. VVilley’s oratorical powers it can be said they are
of no ordinary character. They are best shown, perhaps,
in some of his unstudied bursts of eloquence in advocacy
at the bar. On such occasions, the sweep of his power
seems utterly irresistible as the electric current can almost
be seen to scintillate from the tip of his long, bony finger,
and his high genius illumes his kindling eye, His triumphs
at the bar are scattered over a period of a half century, and
would alone furnish -material for an interesting volume.
His reasoning powers are distinguished more for’ breadth of
analysis than subtlety or acuten/ess; hence, he is not so well
known in the ranks of the special pleaders. He under-
stands more of the philosophy of the law, than the mere
forms by which it is too often made successful in its
practice by men of less culture and intellect.

As a statesman his record, so imperfectly sketched here,
is before his countrymen. Wliilst in the Senate of the
United States, he did not fill so large a place in the public
eye, or occupy so much space in the public prints, as many
others, yet it is believed that his fame will be in comparison,
like the silent, colorless rock at the foot of the nodding,
waving monarch of the forest, enduring when the winds
shall have ceased to rustle through its branches and its
trunk will have returned to native mould.

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. 219

In the sphere of citizenship, Mr. Willey has ever been
held in high esteem by his fellow-men. He has partici-
pated in all the public enterprises in which the community
has engaged, and has enjoyed the confidence of all for his
discretion and sterling integrity. His reputation for prob-
ity in public and private life is as unsullied as the new-
fallen snow. Through his church relationship his name has
become familiar to thousands of the homes of the land as
the synonym for purity and exalted Christian character.
His friendships are firm and unselfish. But in no manner
Will his memory be perpetuated in the future more signally
or with more lasting certainty, than through the influence
of a lofty example, exhibiting all the noble qualities that
enter into the composition of a character which combines a
just pride without ostentation, candor Without dissimula-—
tion, humility without afi"ectation, learning Without vanity,
generosity Without selfishness and truth without fear. All
of these elements are the environments of his daily existence
and are the lessons of his life, and

“Bespeak the good man who acts out the whole-
The Whole of all he knows of high and true.”

PARTICULAR HISTORY.

CHAPTER XV.
PHYSICAL ' HISTORY.

Geography of the County—Cheat River Canon Views—Geology,
Structural and Economic—Pa1aeonto1ogy—Carboniferous Fos-
si1s——Botany—Zoo1ogy.

MONONGALIA CoUN'rY* is bounded on the north by the
State of Pennsylvania, from which it is separated by the

-celebrated Mason and Dixon line; on the east, Chestnut

Ridge forms its mountain-wall boundary against Preston
County; on the south it is bounded by Marion County,
from which it is partly separated by a portion of White
Day Creek, and on the West it is separated from Wetzel
County by the dividing ridge between the waters of the
Ohio and Monongahela rivers._ In shape the county is
irregular: the width from north to south varies from twelve
to twenty miles; and the length, east and west, being nearly
forty miles. As there is no survey on record, to be found,
bf its present boundary lines, either county or district,
nothing but an estimatediarea can be.given, which will be
found in another part of this work.

The county is drained by the Monongahela River System,
comprising the said river, its numerous creek tributaries,

*Albert G. Davis, in a. speech in the House of Delegates of Virginia, March 2, 1858,
bounded and described the county as follows: “ We are bounded on the north by the
Pennsylvania line, on the south by Marion County, on the east by Preston, on the west
by Wetzel, and We are bounded above by the clear bright heavens. We have 9. fertile
so1L We are ashamed to beg and afraid to steal, and we can live without public aid.”

PHYSICAL HISTORY‘: 221 '

and its adjunct Cheat River System. The Monongahela.
River divides the county into two unequal portions; the
eastern or smaller, and the western or larger.

West Virginia has been divided topographically into two
regions, styled the HILLY REGION and the MOUNTAIN REGION.
Monongalia is included in the former, commencing at the
Chestnut Ridge (erroneously called Laurel Hill) and ex-
tending westward to the Ohio River. This region is com-
posed of a “vast multitude of hills,” some fiat—topped,

others almost rising up into mountains; and all carved out i

in no regular order by streams flowing “to every quarter of
the compass,” but which finally make: their way westward,
or north—westward into the Ohio. Rains and running
streams for untold centuries have been cutting down
through “gently sloping, and often almost horizontal
strata,” carving out the great sea of hills we see today,
swelling from the mountain to the river, and which con-
stitutes a grand panoramic picture when viewed from the
many favorable points in Monongalia along the crest of the
Chestnut Ridge. A small portion of the Mountain Region
falls in Monongalia———that portion of her territory embraced
in the western slope of Chestnut Ridge from base to crest-
line. Here the wild, impetuous Cheat has sundered the
great arch of the mountain and cut down over twelve hun-
dred feet through solid rock for itself a passage way known
to-day as the “Cheat River Canon,” justly famed for its
wild, strange beauty and grand and magnificent scenery.
On this canon are two Cheat River views called respectively
“Brock’s View” (in honor of Dr. H. ‘V. Brock, who first
called public attention to its attractions), and “Hanging
Cliff” (so named by Prof. I. C. White). The first is on the
West side of the river, and the other is on the east side.

THE MOUND BUILDERS. 19

The weight of scholarship is to the opinion that all man-
kind descended from one primitive pair, and that varieties,
of form, stature and complexion in the human species, are
modifications produced by external causes. The Mound
Builders, most probably, were of Asiatic origin. They were
here ages ago. They may have crossed over Behring’s Strait,
or coasting along the Aleutian Islands found their way here.
Their works are found in New York; thence ‘westwardly
along the southern shore of Lake Erie, through Michigan
to Nebraska on tl1e West, and as far as Isle Royal, and

the northern and southern shores of Lake Superior, on the

north. From this line they extend to the Gulf of Mexico.

They occur i11 great 11u1nbers in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky,

‘Tennessee, Illinois, VVisconsin, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas,

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. In
less numbers they are found in the Carolinas, western New
York, Pennsylvania, the Virginias, Michigan, Iowa, and
the Mexican Territory. Some authorities say in Oregon
and other regions of the’ far ‘Vest. In choosing this vast re-
gion, consisting of a system of plains, with its numerous
rivers and perfect system of navigation, the lVIound Builders
showed great foresight and wisdom?"

Their works are divided into two general classes, viz.i
Enclosures and Mounds. These embrace a variety of_ Works,
diverse in form, and designed for different purposes.

The Enclosures may be sub—divided into two classes: De-

fensive and Sacred. They are characterized bybeing bounded ’

by embankments, circumvallations, or walls, and all symmet-
rical in form. The defensive enclosures were always situated
on well chosen hills, and their avenues guarded with
consummate skill. On the other hand, the sacred enclosures

*’l.‘l1e Mound Builders. By J. P. MacLean.

C222 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The scenery of these views can scarcely be surpassed by
anything east of the Mississippi River. The widest range
of scenery is at “Brock’s View,” where “ that wild, sublime,
unique panoramic scene of river and mountain, rock and
forest,” needs but once to be seen to be never forgotten.
The grandest canon—picture is revealed from “Hanging
Cliff.” The woodman’s ax has already invaded, and if not
restrained, in a few years will despoil this beautiful scenery
of its grandest attractions. Thegap of Decker’s Creek
through Chestnut Ridge, while lacking the necessary pro-
portions of a canon, yet possesses a wild and picturesque
scenery of no common interest.

GrEOLOGY.*

The anticlinal axis of Laurel Hill passing from northeast
to southwest through the eastern portion of the county
brings to view, as capping the mountain, the great conglom-
erate, and toward the bottom of the gaps made by Cheat
River and Decker’s Creek, the triple series of the lower
carboniferous is fully exposed. The conglomerate is suc-
ceeded by the coal measures, which, as in the bituminous
coal field of Pennsylvania, seem to be divided naturally into
four groups, the first, or lower coal group, resting directly
upon the conglomerate, and reaching to the Mahoning
sandstone; the second, or Lower Barren group, reaching to
the Pittsburgh coal; the third, or upper coal group, begin-
ning with the Pittsburgh and closing with our VVaynesburg

* For the rest 01 this chapter the author is largely indebted to “A Geological
Examination of Monongalia County, West Virginia, by John J. Stevenson, PK. D.,

Professor of Chemistry and Natural History, in West Virginia University,” which Was,

published as an appendix to the “ Third Annual Report or the Board of Regents or.
West Virginia University, for the year 1870.” ,

PHYSICAL HISTORY. 223

coal; the fourth or Upper Barren group, including all be-

yond the last named coal. Yet the division seems to be
made better at the Pittsburgh coal, being more convenient

and more in accordance with the distribution of the fossils
obtained. '

The main line of section extends from a point on Decker’s
Creek, two miles above I-Iagedorn’s Mill, along Decker’s
Creek to its mouth, at Morgantown, along the Monongahela.
to the mouth of Scott’s Run, and up the run to a point
nearly one mile above Cassville, thus including only the
eastern third of the county, which, however, contains nearly
all that is of interest, economically or scientifically. Local
sections have been made on Cheat River, Booth’s and Wliite
Day creeks, as well as on several of the smaller streams.

The lower carboniferous rocks are visible, as a whole, at
only two localities, the gaps in Laurel _Hill, made by Cheat
River and Decker’s Creek.. The formation here assumes a
three-fold character: at the bottom, sandstones; in the
middle, limestone; and on the top, red or olive shales.
The sandstones are not well exposed. The limestone is
not a homogeneous mass, but is divided by calcareous shales,
into numerous layers, or possibly into independent strata.
It appears to be fossiliferous throughout. .

This group sinks under Cheat River, about one mile and
a half above Ice’s Ferry. Its thickness above that point is
about ninety feet. On Decker’s Creek it seems to be some-
what more. The shales, as in Pennsylvania, include several
veins of iron ores, very pure and in large quantities.

The conglomerate formation consists mainly of sand-
stones, varying in grain and color, and shales mostly arena-
ceous. Several deposits of iron ore occur. The succession

224 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

of strata as shown by a boring made near Hagedorn’s Mill,
on Decker’s Creek, is as follows:

Feet. In.

1st. Hard sandstone, with seams of iron ore. ...................... .. 22 4
2d. Shales .......................................................................... .. 2 8
3rd. Sandstone with carbonaceous matter .......................... .. 12 8
4th. Shales .......................................................................... .. 1 8
5th. Sandstone, white .....................................................  9 0
6th. Sandstone, black ......................................................... .. 18 0
7th. Sandstone, gray, course. ............................................. .. 14 0
8th. Shales, black ............................................................... .. 16 6
9th. Conglomerate, white, with quartz pebbles ................. .. 13 0
10th. Shales, red and blue .....................  ............................. .. 10 10
11th. Sandstone, blue, fine. .................................................. .. 23 6
12th. Sandstone, White, fine .................................................. .. 25 6
13th. Shales, dark, with iron ............................................... .. 6 0
14th. Sandstone, blue, fine, very hard .......................... ..'. ..... .. 18 0
15th. Sandstone, gray, Very hard ........................................ .. 15 0
Total number of feet.. ............................................... ..208 00

If we may trust the records of boring made west of the
Monongahela, which, however, seems to have been made
carelessly, the shales are not persistent, for the succession,
as given, is as follows:

1st. Sandstone, white, veryhard. 9th. Sandstone, black and very

2d. Sandstone, blue, very hard. coarse.
3d. Sandstone, white, Veryhard. 10th. Sandstone, white,very hard.
4th. Sandstone, blue, softer. 11th. Sandstone, white, coarse.
5th. ‘Sandstone, white, fine. 12th. Sandstone, white.
6th. Sandstone, white, coarse. 13th. Sandstone, blue, fine hard.

Depth, 218 feet. 14th. Sandstone, white.
7th. Sandstone, blue, very hard. 15th. Sandstone, dark, and very
8th. Sandstone, white coarse. coarse.

The total thickness of the formation is between 350 and
400 feet. On Cheat it disappears near Ley’s Mill, and on
Decker’s Creek near Guseman’s Bridge.

LOWER COAL MEASURES.——1. S/LaZe8.~—Argillaceous, of
yellowish gray color. These shales contain an impure proto-
carbonate of iron, known to the older residents as the
Stratford ore. This is found in two layers, the lower about
one foot thick and quite persistent, the upper very irregu-

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PHYSICAL HISTORY. 225

lar. A seam of coal about four inches thick, lies near the
middle of the shale. Thickness-, ten feet. .

3. Coal No. I. A.——Thickness, one foot, but of very fair
quality. Observed on Decker’s Creek, about 200 feet below
G-usemanfs Bridge. T

,4.‘ Scmdst0ne.—Thickness, _four feet. For the most part
very light gray, fine grained and compact. The light col-
ored portions split readily into flags, which are good for
furnace hearths.

4. Ooal No. I. B.—Thickness, one foot eight inches.
Four thin seams, separated by thin bands of shale.

5. S/aaZe.9.——Thickness, about twenty—five feet. Brown
colored and argillaceous and contains nodules of iron ore
which are of little value.

6. Scmdst0ne.——Thickness, from twenty—five to thirty feet.
This is the Tionesta sandstone of Pennsylvania. Coarse,
silicious, gray, passing from a conglomerate to a compara-
tively fine sandstone. A thin seam of coal, three or four
inches thick, was struck in this stratum. T

7. S/oaZes.-Thickness, fifteen feet.

8. Uoal N0. I[.——Brookville coal, of H. D. Rogers.
Thickness, rarely exceeding two feet. It is friable and well
adapted to smiths’ use. i The coal is frequently of the irised
or peacock variety.

9. Flaggy Samlstones and ShaZes.——Thickness, not far
from thirty feet.

10. Coal No. III.—Clarion Goal, of Rogers. Thickness
as given,three and one—half to four feet. Old miners say that
the coal bears a strong resemblance to cannel. It disap-
pears under the creek, about two miles below the furnace.

11. S/oaZe.s=.—Thickness between thirty and forty feet.
The uppeg part contains nodules of iron ore. The lower

O

226 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

portion burns with great ease, and has been mistaken for
cannel coal. ‘

12. Fermferous Lz'mes2f0nc.—Thickness, from four to five
and one-half feet. Is blue, gray or yellow, of fine grain and
very compact. Useful as a flux as well as a source of lime
for ordinary building purposes. The top is frequently a cal-
careous ore, which was worked at the neighboring furnace.
The stratum is easily accessible for agricultural purposes.

13. S/oaZes.——Tl1ickness, five to ten feet; argillaceous.

14. Sandst0ne.——Tl1ickness, five feet.

15. S/LaZes.—Thickness, eight to ten feet. Argillaceous.
of dark color and fine grain, and contains a seam of fine iron
ore one foot thick.

16. Coal N0. IV.——Kittanning Coal. Thickness, from four
to five feet.

One mile above Morgantown it is seen in the river bed.

This coal is in high repute as a smiths’ coaL

Openings may be examined on Decker’s Creek, Tibb’s Run,
Booth’s and Aaron’s Creek, and on Cheat River. It may,
however, prove to be the Lower Freeport.
17. S/zaZes.——Thickness, ten feet.
and likely to be mistaken for cannel.
18. ShaZes.——-Tliickness, fifteen feet.
19. Coal N0.
fifteen inches. This veinis persistent.
20. Sloales.——Thickness, twelve feet.

21. Sandszf0ne———]l[akom'ng Sandst0ne.——C0arse grained,

Black, very bituminous,

V.——Upper Freeport Coal. Thickness,

Dark; fine grain.

micaceous, quite This important stratum as

exposed at Morgantown and along Decker’s Creek, fifty feet

compact.

thick, affords most excellent building material.
Creek, four miles above Morgantown, it is about seventy-
five feet thick, and weathering so as to show deep cavities,
whence its local name, “Raven Books.”

On Booth’s .

PHYSICAL HISTORY. 227

22. ;S*7zczZe.s*.—-'I‘hickness, ten to fifteen feet, red or olive
brown, includes iron ore about six inches thick.

23. SancZszf0ne.—Thickness, ten to twenty feet.

24. S7aaZes.——Thickness, twenty feet. Argillaceous, varie-
gated with deposits of iron ore.

25. 1§z'meszf0ne.—-Thickness, five to six feet. Dark blue,
fine grain, and furnishes cement of a fair quality.

26. Sioczlea--—Thickness, forty feet. Argillaceous, varie-
gated.

27. Zimest0ne.——Thickncss three and one-half to four feet,
as disclosed in Mrs. Purinton’s ravine, near Morgantown.

28. ;S7mZes.——~This stratum is rather a small group of five
subdivisions over twenty feet thick, containing a three-inch
vein of fire-clay. I

29. S/wales.-—Thickness two to four feet. Blue, gray or
black, and a persistent stratum.

.30. Sandst0nes.—Thickness, one to four feet; dark colored.
 31. S/2.aZes.——Thickness, ten feet. Gray to blue, with
seam of iron ore six to twelve inches.

32. SamcZszf0ne.——Thickness, ten feet. Micaceous; iron ore.

33. S/LaZes.—Thickness, ten feet; color, blue.

34. S/zaZes.——Thickness, three and one-half feet; iron ore.

35. Goal No. VI.—Thicknessi two and one half to three
feet; is persistent, hard and brilliant. It sinks under the
river near Granville. Openings, two hundred feet on
Decker’s Creek above the stream, and on the hill opposite
the University. ‘

36. Flaggy Sandst0nes.——Thickness, fifteen feet.

37. 0ongZome1'ate.—Curious stratum of fragments of lime-
stone, sandstone and iron ore, in size from fine sand to that
of a man’s head. Thickness unknown.

38. S/uzle.—Thickness, ten feet. Argillaceous.

228 V HlS,TORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

39. Sandst0ne.—;—Thickness about forty feet. The lower
portion affords a handsome and durable building stone,
which was used in constructing the foundation and base-
ment story of University Hall at Morgantown. It disap-
pears under the river near the mouth of Scott’s Run.

40. S/Lale.———Thickness, twelve to fifteen feet. Argillaceous.

41. Limest0ne.———Thickness, three feet. Ferruginous.

42. S/taZes.——Thickness, perhaps ten feet.

43. limestone.-——Tl1ickness, eight V feet. Three layers,
separated by layers of shale. Lime is burned from it for
building purposes.

44. Coal No. VI[.—Thickness, eight to fifteen inches;
along the Scott’s Run road near the river.

45. ;S'andst0ne.——Thickness, ten feet.

46. Coal No. VIII.——Thickness, from fifteen inches to two
feet. It is best exposed a little above the mouth_of Scott’s
Run, and nearly the whole outcrop is covered with copperas.

47. Sioales and Sloaly SanoZst0ne.——Thickness, from fifteen
to eighteen feet.

48. Limeszf0ne.——Thickness, eighteen inches.

49. Sandstone and S/eaZe.—Thickness, twenty-two feet,
composed of five layers.

50. Limcszfonew-—Thickness, eighteen inches.

51. S7LaZes.%Thickness, four and one—half feet."

52. Limest0ne.—-Tliickness, three feet. Brovvnish yellow,
compact, with irregular fracture, contains some mica. It is
highly probable that this would yield hydraulic lime.

53. S’/oaZes.—-—Thickness, eight feet. Arenaceous.

54. Sa7zd8t0ne.—Thickness,. twenty-five feet. It is gray,
micaceous, and contains some feldspathic sand. The com-
pact portions, When struck with a hammer, yield a very
fetid odor, whence the local name, “ Polecat Rock.”

P.I-IYSICAL HISTORY. 229

55. SILale.—«—-Thickness, three feet. Disintegrates rapidly
on exposure.

56. Coal No. IX'._——Thickness, one to two .feet. Good
quality. '

57. Iimest0ne.—Thickness, two to four feet. Black from
admixture with carbonaceous matter. The compact por-
tions burn into quick lime of good quaility.

58. S/bale or Sandstone or I>0th.——Thickness, fourteen feet.
This stratum is subject to very considerable variation. The
iron ore it contains is evidently the “ Oliphant Blue Lump ”
of Pennsylvania. In Marion County, but twenty miles
south, this ore is not visible.

UPPER COAL MEASURES.——-1. Ooal No. X.—-This is the
most important bed on the line of section. It has long
been identified with the Pittsburgh coal, which underlies an
area of at least twenty-two thousand miles. This bed is
usually double, the lower bed consisting of pure coal, and
the upper of alternate layers of coal and shale. The beds are
generally together, though sometimes distinctly separated.
The double character is well displayed on Scott’s Bun,
where the followipg section was obtained near Haigh’s

Mill :

1. Coal .......... .. 10 feet, Oinches. '3. Coal ........... .. 1 foot, 3inches.
2. Sha1e.......... 1 “ 5 “ 4. Shale ......... .. 1 “ 9 “
5. Coal .......... .. 0 foot, 3 inches.

East of the Monongahela the coal as opened, about a mile
east of Morgantown, differs in its character, for only the

lower bed, No. 1 of the section, is present, with possibly a‘

part of No. 2. I have been informed by the Hon.’ F. H.
Pierpont that at Fairmont the upper bed is Wanting;

The strata adjoining this coal ofl'er an equally clear illus-
tration of the rapid changes to be noted in carboniferous

20 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

are found on level river bottoms ; seldom upon table-lands.

The Mounds, which were round, oblong, and pyramidal,
may be divided into four classes: Temple, Altar or Sac-
rificial, Eifigy or Symbolical, and Tomb or Sepulchral.
Besides these,"tl1e1'e are others which a.dmit of no classi-
fication. A dissertation upon the uses of these Mounds,
theirivarious forms, the large dimensions of many of them,
and the great labor expended in their erection, cannot be
indulged in a work of this character.

Nor ca11 We dwell upon their works of art, their knowledge
of mining, their advancement in the sciences, the proba-
bility, or rather improbability, of their possessing a written
language, nor their degree of civilization, their religion,
government, and numerous other topics of interest to the
arcliaeologist. .

There are many facts which lend support to the View that
the Mound Builders inhabited this country ages ago. David
Cusick, an educated Indian, states an Indian tradition
assigning the Mound Builders back twenty-two centuries
before the landing of Columbus. That they were denizens
of America for a very long time iscertain.

It is evident also that they were expelled from the country
nmv forming the Tnited, States. The invaders came from
the north, and drove the Mound Builders -to the south.”"

Leaving this country, they most probably settled i11 Mexico.
According to Inost craniologists their type of skull is that of

"-‘A curious tradition of the present Iroquois records that when the l.en~m'. Lenapz”,
the common ancestors of the Iroquois and other tribes, advanced from the north-west
to the Mississippi, they found on its eastern side a great nation more civilized than
themselves who _lived in Iortified towns and cultivated the ground. This people at‘.
first granted the Lenni Lenapi leave to pass through their territories to seek an east-
ward settlement, but treachcrously attacked them while crossing the river. This
conduct gave rise to inveterate hostilities, that terminated In the extermination or
subjugation of their opponents, and the establishment of the red men in these regions.
—Em-yl. B1'i(., Vol. I. 1;. 692.

230 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

rocks. At Morgantown, as also at Fairmont, the bed is
overlaid by a thin shale, on which rests a heavy stratum of
sandstone, coarse grained, with feldspathic sand and some
pebbles of quartz. Its stratification is irregular and the
material is not compact, so that it frequently weathers into
rounded holes. This is a valuable guide to one seeking the
coal east of the river, and probably all along the line of
strike from Morgantown to Fairmont, but it disappears
somewhere between Morgantown and Scott’s Run. It is
impossible to trace this sandstone east of the river in the
direction of dip, as between its outcrop and the river it has
been stripped off by denudation, and the hills are too low
to catch it.

This change both in the coal and the adjoining strata, has
led some of our local geologists to doubt the identity of the
seams east and West of the river. There is also a greater
distance, by perhaps twenty—five feet, between No. 39 of the
lower coal, and this coal west of the river, than between the

same strata east of it. The angle of dip is somewhat in-

creased west of the river. It is impossible to obtain two
sections, one hunderd yards apart, which will be identical.
There is, however, no coal west of the qciver that can be
equivalent to that on the east, except it be the Pittsburgh,
and the angle of dip would continue the latter until it made
its connection with the former. East of the river there are
no exposures of the superior limestones.

In localities where pyrites are abundant, exposure causes
the formation of copperas, beautiful crystals of which may
frequently be found in the shales. In some cases the heat
produced during this chemical change may induce combus-
tion; Just beyond Haigh’s Mill the strata give such
abundant evidence of having been at some time subjected

*’1°.H3Y'SICAL HISTOR=Y;- ' V 231

to the action of fire that the locality is -known as “ Burned

Hill.”      

2. A Sandst0ne.—Tl1ickness, from nothing tothirty-five feet.
3. S7mZe.——Thickness, five to “twelve feet.
4. Lz'meszf0ne.—Thickness, ten to twelve feet. This is the

.first of a series of limestone that attain an ernormous devel-

opment. On Scott’s Run the thickness is about ninety feet.
5. Oocil N0. XI—Iie(Zst0ne 00aZ.——Thickness, between

four and five feet. It is best exposed at Stumptown, where

it may be seen in the bed of the run.

6.. Iz'meszf07ze.—Thickness, eight feet: Two layers.

7. Limesione.~—Thickness, fourteen feet. Irregular.

8. Scmclstone.—Thickness, four to ten feet.

9. Lime.92f0ne.—Thickness, seven to nine feet.

10. S/oaZc.—Tl1ickness, five to eight feet.

11. Coal ZVO. ¢YI[.——Sewic/clay Coal.-——Thickness, four feet
eight inches to five and one-half feet. In some respects
this is as important as the Pittsburgh coal. It is usually
separated into two parts by a thin layer of splint coal. It
is a good coal for smith’s use, and would doubtless make
good coke. Like the Reclstone coal, this thins out toward
the west. Openings numerous along Scott’s Run.

12. S/zaZe.——Thickness, from six inches to twenty feet.

13. ;S'ancZs2f07*a,e.—T11ickness, eleven feet.

14. S72.aZe.—-—Tl1ickness, twelve feet.

15. Liwzestone wit/L S7LaZe.—Tl1ickness, eight feet.

16. Sandstone and Arenaceous S/LaZes.—‘—Tl1ickness, ten feet.

17. L2Tmest0ne.—Tl1ickness, seven feet.

18. Sanclstone.-.——Tl1ickness, fifteen feet.

19. Limest0ne.—Thickn_es_s, about six feet.

20. S/zales.——Thickness, ten feet. I

21. Sanclst0ne.——Tl1ickness, perhaps twenty-five feet.

232 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

22. Limest0nes.——Thickness, not far from thirty feet.

23. Skales and SancZst0ne.——Thickness, about fifteen feet.

24. S’/zales.——Thickness, four feet.

25. Limeszf0ne.-Thickness, five feet. It contains numer-
ous specks of calcspar, and probably would take a fine
polish. In this case it would be a rather handsome marble.

26. Shale.s.——Thickness, about eight feet.

27. SancZsi0ne.—Tl1ickness, probably fifteen feet.

28. Coal No. .XIII.——In respect to size this seam ranks
second only to the Pittsburgh coal, and appears to attain
much greater development along the line of our section
than at any other point of which I am aware. If it be the
VVaynesburg coal, as is probably the case, its rapid increase
in thickness is somewhat extraordinary. At the most
easterly point Where it is worked the section is as follows-—

ascending:

1. Coal, quite good .............................................. .. 4 feet 10 inches.
2. Bituminous shale ............................................ .. 0 “ 8 “

3. Coal, full of iron pyrites .............  ................... .. 1 “ 10 “

4. Shales ............................................................ .. 1 “ 2 “

At Cassville No.2 is known as the “eleven-foot vein,”
having increased to a thickness of upwards of ten feet.
This seam sinks under the run about three-fourths of a mile
beyond Cassville. At Tucker’s opening the shale No. 2
frequently disappears and leaves full nine feet of coal. The
coal is usually of very fair quality, though always contain-
ing a large proportion of iron pyrites, which sometimes
occurs in large nodules. .

29. ScmcZsl0nc.—Thickness, thirtyto forty feet.

30. S/aaZe.—No “measurement. About ninety feet above
Coal No. XIII. lies Coal No. XIV., a thin seam, one foot
thick, struck by Mr. Lemley, about two miles south of a
point on the run, two miles east of Cassville, at Ramp’s

PHYSICAL HISTORY. ' 233

Hollow. Four miles beyond Cassville, on a small run, and
perhaps two hundred and fifty feet, possibly more, above
Coal No. XIII. lies Coal No. XV., about four feet thick.
This seam is worked, but the coal is of poor quality.
There are two strata of limestone, but are of inferior quality.

ECONOMICAL GEOLOGY.

C’0aZ.——The section just given shows a thickness in work-
able veins of forty—three feet, between Hagedorn’s Mill and
Cassville. The low coals have been little worked along
Decker’s Creek. They are, however, of very considerable

value, three of them being of workable thickness, and so

situated as to be opened with little expense, while one, the
Brookville, is so pure that it may perhaps be used raw in
smelting iron. The upper coals are of such magnitude and
of such easy access, that they have all been worked to a
greater or less extent. At all these points, along Scott’s Run,
the several seams can be opened so as to drain themselves,
and the coal conveyed on a tramway to the river.

Several thousand acres of the Connellsville coking
coal lie in Union District, extending from Pennsylvania
across Cheat River by Stewarttown andtowards the neigh-
borhood of Easton. A test of the coke made from it at
Fairchance Furnace is said to have revealed a fair quality.

The coals of West Virginia are divided into three great
class_es——Bituminous, Splint and Cannel. Bituminous veins
in Monongalia have been analyzed, as follows :

   

~ 0 .=-..: .’-< °

 3%; s ‘‘ aaafiias

Redstone ..................................... .. 54.36 37.88 .37 7.39 2.87 2.85
Sewickley ..................................... .. 54.31 35.78 .44 9.47 3.10 2.78
Waynesburg ............................... .. 56.36 35.36 .74 7.55 .70 .55

     

234   HIsr.o13Y.,oF,i.;gi$1,oivt},ALIA, COUNTY.

Mr. C. E. ‘Dwight, whowmade these analyses, as given in
the “ Resources of   says  The color of the
ash from the Redstone  dark gray, and the sulphur in the
coal seems to be in combination  the lime or magnesia,

‘ not as sulphides or iron; consequently it will not be injurious

for iron—making. The coke is hard and bright. The ash
from the Sev__vickley.._is_ gray and the sulphur seems to be in
the same form as the last. The coke is medium hard. From
the Waynesburg the ash is light buff, and the coke moder-
ately hard.” Mr. Dwight also givesthe following analysis of
the Pittsburgh seam from coal near Morgantown: ?‘Thick-
ness of seam, ten feet; colie, 60.98; volatile ‘matter, 39.02;
water, .38; ash, 6.20; sulphur in coal, 2.54;‘;  in coke,

2.19.”

Cannel coal varies from zero to'5,§ feet. A The oil distilled

0 from‘ this goal would play an important part to—day as an

illuminating agent had not the cheaper petroleum taken its
place.   F. Maury, in  Resources of ‘West Virginia,”

says  it this coal that “in Monongalia County on Tibb’s

Run," ‘Prof.i’Stevenson reports that ‘the shale above it
[Upper Freeport Coal] for several feet, is very bituminous,
with a conchoidal fracture, and is undoubtedly a cannel
coal of inferior quality.’ ”

Monongalia County constitutes What is known as the
Monongalia (Coal) Basin.

Iron.-——Prof. Stevenson says: “Iron ore is plentifully
distributed throughout the lower coal measures, and val-
uable beds practically inexhaustible underlie the con-
glomerate.” Samples of nine distinct veins were gotten
and sent to the Centennial International Exhibition at
Philadelphia in 1876. Mr. C. E. Dwight’s analysis of them

is as follows :

PHYSICAL HISTORY. 235

. ,9; _
.2‘ .9 5, s -E 3
22 22 ~ 6: 3 :3 99 92
,.r ° qi "“ _ ‘H " 95
CONTENTS. § § 5 2 g  3 33> 
_ ®
7:2 3 T? m 5.: 3 5 E“ ‘=3
as .2‘ :3 E” .c: g .2 as 3
3 an g ‘g .9 ‘at “S g Q»
2 :3 3 $3“ 5 m 53 m '53
Carbonate of Iron. 61.01 69.61 31.19 ..... .. 59.6 ..... .. 49.81 1 67 62 60
Sesquioxide of Iron 3.44 1.79 11.89 70 49 19. ‘.80 7 55 2 54

Protoxide of Iron... ..... ..  ..... .. 0:71 ..... .. 1:22 ................... ..

OxideofManganese 0.01 trace tr’ce 1.07 1 334 2.43 0.23 002
Carbonate of Lime. 11.95 4.91 26.05 2.28 5 560 13.25 19.26 837
do Magnesia 2.10 0.21 2.45 1.01 0.31 210 3.11 1.35 031
Silica ................... .. 15.14 20.75 15.55 14.41 13.04 18.19 4.06 15.98 21 62
Alumina .............. .. 4.48 1.23 2.12 2.10 0.31 2.10 1.48 1.25 3.21
PhosphoricAcid.... 0.53 0.71 0.89 0.44 0.37 1.99063 0.69 0.41
Sulphuric Acid ..... .. 0.37 0.30 0.42 0.32 0.49 0.74 0.54 0.82 0.22
Moisture .............. .. 0.64 0.48 1.02 6.90 0.38 6.80 0.68 0.76 0.48
99.69 100.00 99.59 99.69 99.97 99.80 99.80 99.56 99.78

Metallic Iron ....... .. 31.86 34.69 27.24 49.69 41.94 41.35 40.71 30.24 32.00
Phosphorus. ........ .. 0.23 0.31 0.39 0.19 0.16 0.87 0.27 0.30 0.18
Sulphur .............. .. 0.15 0.12 0.17 0.13 0.20 0.30 0.22 0.33 0.09

Lead.———There are traditions to the effect that the Indians
worked a mine in the county, but it must be remembered
that lead was an article of exchange among them. Prof.
Stevenson says: “ Though not by any means impossible, the
existence of large quantities of galena in this county is not
sufficiently attested to warrant belief.” Prof. Maury says:
“Nowhere within our borders is, or will this metal be,
found in workable quantities.”

Gold and Sz'lver.——These precious metals have been
anxiously sought after. Says Prof. Maury: “The geolog-
ical structure of West Virginia does not in a single locality,
north to south, or east to west, admit of their profitable
presence.”

Lz'mest0ne.—Is abundant in the county, fit for coarse
work and agricultural use. The following is an analysis of

I

236 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Hydraulic Limestone, obtained near Morgantown, by Prof.
W. B. Rogers: “Carbonate of lime, 52.04; carbonate of
magnesia, 17.12 ; alumina and oxide of iron, 8.60; insoluble
siliceous matter, 19.36; water and loss, 1.40.”

Clays and Sands.——-Brick-clay of fair quality is easily
obtainable in all sections of the county. Fire-clay of a
superior quality to the Mt. Savage, is found at Ice’s Ferry,
where it has been successfully worked. Near Morgantown,
a bed four feet thick occurs, which was analysed as follows
by Mr. Dwight: “Silica, 54.27; alumina, 33.83; oxide of
iron, 0.01; lime, trace; magnesia, 0.02; potash and soda,
trace; moisture, hydroscopic, 1.00; moisture combined,
10.86; organic matter, 0.15; total, 100.14.”

Potter’s clay results from the decomposition of granites
and shales. This clay is found in the county, and Worked
at Thompson’s pottery in Morgantown. Of glass-sands,
Prof. Stevenson says: “Several layers of the more friable
sandstones of the conglomerate are white enough for the
manufacture of ordinary glassware.”

SaZt.——-“ In nearly every instance,” says Prof. Stevenson,
“where the conglomerate hasibeen bored, brine has been
obtained.” These borings were made for oil, and no
attention was paid to the salt brine, which, it is said, was
strong and of good quality. Salt-Works were erected on
Scott’s Run, and salt of an excellent quality was manufac-
tured fora short time. The well is now chocked up.

]’etr0Zeum.——Again we quote from Stevenson: “Efforts
have been made frequently to find oil, but not always with
judgement. Those on the west side of the Monongahela
had to sink six hundred and fifty or seven hundred feet
before reaching the conglomerate. Oil was obtained in
non-paying quantities from the wells on Decker’s Creek and

PHYSICAL HISTORY. 237

Cheat River. There is no doubt that borings made in the
gap of either Cheat River or Decker’s Creek would be as
likely to find oil as those made anywhere, for these are the
lowest points in the county.”

Building St0ne.——In the hills above the conglomerate
coal measures is a light buff and dove-colored sandstone
fifteen feet thick, which “dresses well” and one day “will
be a source of revenue to the. county.” Col. Merrill has
said that “it could well bear the expense of transportation
to New Yor .”

PALJEONTOLOGY.

The Palaeontology of the county remains a rich field yet
for research. Prof. Stevenson in working his geological
section had not the time to make a careful search for fossil
remains. The species he obtained were from the extreme
top and from the red shales of the Lower Carboniferous
Limestone. These were forwarded to F. B. Meek, of
Washington City, who made out the following list of Car-
boniferous fossils : A

‘A. Lownn CARBONIFEROUS (CHESTER GROUP) SPECIES—
(obtained on Cheat River).——1. Monticulipora. 2. Crinoi-
dal Columns. 3. Hemipronites Crassus. 4. Productus
Fasciculatus. 5. Productus Pileiformis. 6. Athyris Sub-
quadrata. 7. Spirifer Keokuck. 8. Pinna. H9. Modiola.
10. Allorisma Clavata. 11. Allorisma. 12. Macrocheilus.
13. Naticopsis. 14. Bellerophon. 15. Pleurotomaria. 16.
Straparollus Planidorsotus. 17. Cyrtoceras. 18. Phillipsia
Stevesoni.

_B. LOWER COAL MEASURES S1>EcIEs.—Forty-six ‘species
were obtained from Strata Nos. 20, 28 and 29 of the section
made by Stevenson. From the Upper Coal Measure but
one species was obtained, viz.: “Solenomya.” No. 18 A.

238 HISTORY‘ OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

was a new species named in honor of Professor Stevenson ;
also No. 27 B., “Yoldia Stevesonia,” was named for him.
No. 26 B., “Yoldia Carbonari,” and No.24,“Nucula An-
odontoides,” with No. 31, “Macrodon Obsoletus,” were new
species discovered for the first time.

BOTANY.
Monongalia in her botanical wealth or plant-life will com-
pare favorably with any of the northern counties of West
Virginia. Her trees,* shrubs, medicinal plants, flowers and

grasses make a very respectable list. In the unsettled por—\

tions of the county are heavy forests of large timber, chiefly
oak, beech, maple, walnut and chestnut. Oak and chestnut
are the most abundant. In 1876, it was estimated that
$50,000 worth of timber in logs was floated down the
Monongahela River from Monongalia and Harrison counties.
The flowers or flora of the county seem to be divided into

two sections: first, those peculiar to the streams and hills;
and, second, those peculiar to the mountain sides. As yet,

no collection has ever been made suflicient to warrant a
complete classification.

ZOOLOGY, CLIMATE.

The Zoology of the county is an interesting field. The
animals of Monongalia may be considered as of two classes
——Wild and Domesticated. The wild animals extinct are
the bison, panther, bear, wolf and elk, while those remaining

are the wild cat, deer and fox in small numbers. In their _

‘Among the trees growing in Monongalia are the Ash(1«'7-'a:m'nus), Beech (Fagus
Fermgmea), Birch (Betula), Buckeye (Aesculus), Cedar (Juniperus Virainiana),
Cherry, Wild (Prunus Serottna), Chestnut (Gascania Vesca), Cucumber Tree (Magnolia
Acummate), Dogwood (Cornus Florida), Elm (U Imus), Fir (Abies), Gum, Hemlock,
Hickory (Carya), Locust, Linn, Sugar Maple, Oak (Quercus), [wI1ite, post, burr, chest-
nut, blackjack, spanish, red and black oak], Pine (Pénus), Poplar, Sassafras, Sycamore
and Walnut.

PHYSICAL HISTORY. 239

place the white man has introduced the domestic animals

of to—day. Of birds of prey, the eagle has gone, and the

hawk and owl are lessening in numbers, while the deadly
serpents, the rattle-snake and copperhead, are only to be
found in the mountains. Birds of song and beauty are
decreasing in numbers with the clearing of the forests.

The climate will be fully considered in the district chap-
ters, and will be dismissed here with but the single remark
that Monongalia has been noted for being a healthy section
of country, to which every year during the heated term
large numbers from the cities resort for rest, pleasure and
health. ’

THE MOUND BUILDERS. 21

the Toltecan family; and there are other evidences that the
lVIound Builders were the original Toltecan race, which set-
tled in Mexico at an early date. It is, however, impossible
to tell whether they were the original Nalioas, who emi-
grated into Mexico before the Christian Era from the north,

or the Toltecs, who came later.

Traces of the Mound Builders" in Monongalia County
were none too plain when the first settlers came. They
were not interested much in antiquities, and would not
stop long to examine any trace of camp, grave or fort, to de-
termine whether it was Indian or not. North of Monongalia
the Mound Builders existed .in strong numbers. They
passed up Cheat River, and were in Preston County. Near
Pt. Marion, but a short distance from the territory of
lVIonongalia, is a mound undoubtedly erected by them.
Some bones found in graves of stone along Cheat River,
some years ago, from the description given_ by those wl1o
have seen them, in,dicate/ tl1e dead to have been Mound
Builders. The description of other bones found on the
head waters of Dunkard answers to that given of the
lVIOund Builders.

The Mound Builder had a long, narrow head, with low
sloping forehead, long narrow face, a11d short heavy bones,
indicating a race not generally tall, but heavy and muscular.
Some darts and arrow-heads of superior workmanship,
found in different places in the county, unquestionably
indicate the presence and tempora1'y occupation of
lVIonongalia as a hunting ground by them. At the mouth
of nearly every creek along the hlonongaliela River are
found traces of pottery in connection with the ren1-ai11s

of Indian villages. Now, the use of charcoal in the

CHAPTER XVI.
AGRICULTURAL HISTORY.

Early Farming—Tools Used—Early Mil1s—“ Old Monongahela Rye
Whiskey”—Reaping, Cleaning and Threshing Grain——Thresh-
ing Machines———Home-made Goods——Ear1y Clothing—First
Stores —— Present Farming — Fertilizers — Improved Stock -
County Fairs—-—Market Grardening—Fish Cu1ture—Prices of
Farm Products, 1821 to 1883——Sta.tistical.

“Good farming‘ consists in taking large crops from the soil, while at the same
time you leave it better than you found 1t.”—StocIch.ardt.

THE 1>IoNEERs who came into the county from 1766 to ‘1772,
erected any kind of a pole- or log-cabin, near a good spring
of water, in order to hold their 400 acres on a settlement-
right. In the former year, a small number of settlers were
in the present limits of the county, and emigrants from the
East were slowly swelling their numbers. The first thing
to be done by the settler, after choosing his location, was to
clear a spot of ground on which to put up the cabin. Then
another piece of ground would be cleared for a garden.
This accomplished, a clearing for corn and flax was made.
The underbrush was grubbed, and the larger timber mostly
felled by the ax, some, however, being girdled and left for
fire—wood. "The trees felled were cut into logs and rolled
into heaps, and fired. At first, when neighbors were few
and far apart, this work was all done by the settler himself.
But whenever possible, he would have a “l0g-rolling,” and
all the men within six or seven miles would come with the
oxen and the horses and assist him to roll the logs and pile
the brush into heaps ready to be burnt. After the “clear—
ing” was burnt over and the field made ready, the principal

JOSEPH SNIDER.
See Page 531.

AGRICULTURAL HISTORY. 241

‘ crop of that early day, Indian corn, was planted. Often

this crop was planted and raised with no implement save

‘the hoe. In their farm work these hardy pioneers used

both oxen and horses——mostly the latter, whose harness
consisted of a leather bridle, with reins and lines made of
rope, and hames, collars, and back- and belly-bands. The
rude plow was sometimes made entirely of wood; and, at
best, never possessed more than a colter and share of iron.
For the harrow a thorn—bush was often drafted into
service, or the implement consisted of a wooden frame with
Wooden teeth. Wagons, there were none; in their stead
were used sleds of various shapes and sizes. The forks and
shovels were made of wood, or of ironirudely fashioned by
the blacksmith. The saddle was the pack—saddle, which
was constructed of the crotches of two forked limbs
fastened together by two boards, which were padded with
sheep-skin. About four inches of the limbs were left above
the crotches for horn and crupper.

Edward Eggleston, in pointing out some of the useful
things which the white settlers learned from the Indians,
says that the art of making 1naple—sugar and the culture of
the maize were learned from the savages, who planted the
corn in hills, grew beans around the stalks, and filled the
intervening space with pumpkin—vines, as some farmers do
even to this day. The great factories of fish-‘manure along
our Northern coast can be traced to the advice of the Indian
given to the Pilgrims to put a fish in every hill of corn.
Hominy and pone are Indian words; and there is hardly
an approved method ‘of cooking maize that the Indian did
not know. The hoe—cake of the ‘Vest and the Southern
ash-cake or_ johnny-cake were made by the squaw. The

white men in making use of corn-husk for chair—bottoms
16

242 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

and horse—collars, etc., got the hint from the custom of the
Indians of making mats, baskets and shoes of this material.
The birch canoe and the dug—out, which played so important
a part in Colonial life, and which are still used, and the
device of heating water by the use of hot stones,were gotten
from the Red Men, who also had the corn-husking “bee”

)

and the house “raising.’ The first Virginia settlers early

learned fromthe savages to eat the meat of the snake, and

a hundred years after the settlement rattlesnakes were re-

garded as a great delicacy by some of the planters.

The corn was at first ground on the hand-mill, which con-
sisted of two stones, one above the other, placed in a hoop.
To this hoop was attached a spout for the discharge of the
meal. To the upper stone was fastened an upright piece of
Wood, to the end of which was fixed albeam, and two per-
sons could labor at the same time in turning the mill. Its
capacity was about one bushel per day. The meal was used
for food in form of johnny-cake, pone or mush. Cabbage
and potatoes were raised in small quantities. At first corn
sold for what would be a dollar per bushel in English cur-

_ rency. Later, as more of it was produced, the price fell to

twenty and twenty-five cents. Of the early public mills,
Buble’s “ tub-mill,” built about 1779, across Cheat River, in
Union District, near the Pennsylvania line, seems to have
been among the first resorted to by the pioneers of Monon-
galia. The next mill of which we have any recordwas on
Decker’s Creek, _near Morgantown, built, as is supposed,
about 1780, by Michael Kern. The construction of the tub-
mill has been thus described : “The upper end of a perpen-
dicular shaft was fitted in the bed-stone. The lower endxof
this shaft was attached to a water-wheel about four or five
feet in diameter. VVhen the wheel was sunk in the stream

AGRICULTUBAL HISTORY. 243

the current turned it, and this motion was communicated to
the bed—stone, which, turning against the stationary upper
stone, ground the grain.” Sieves were used instead of
bo1ting—cloths, which were made of deer-skin stretched over
a hoop, and perforated with a hot Wire. ’

After the close of the Revolutionary war, in those parts

0 of the county freest of Indian incursions, fields were Widen-

ing out, and the settlers began to raise crops of wheat, oats
and rye, and cattle, sheep and hogs. After 1790, copper
stills were brought into the county to Work up the rye into
Whiskey, which was made an article of exchange at VVin-
chester for salt and iron and taken down the Ohio to New
Orleans. This liquor became noted throughout the country
as “Old Monongahela Rye VVhiskey.”

Some time between 1790 and 1800, the tub-mill in some
places was superseded by the more pretentious and more
efficient water grist-mill, equipped with a set of country
stones. Col. Samuel Hanway had one on Decker’s Creek in
1796, Samuel Jackson one on Cheat, and Michael Kern
one on Decker’s Creek before 1800.

0 During the next decade, farms of considerable size were
succeeding the pioneer clearings. With an abundance of
land to be had for the clearing, the settlers gave no thought
to the preservation of the fertility of the soil. A field was
counted good for so many crops, and when exhausted
another Was cleared out to take its place. The grain Was
cut with the sickle, the reaper gathering a “grip,” as it was
called, with his left and cutting it with his right hand. Four
grips generally made a sheaf. A reaper would cut from
thirty-five to forty—five dozen per day. The men had reap-
ing, mowing, chopping and hauling “frolics”; the women
sewings, quiltings, flax-pullings and “scutchings.” Thresh-

244 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

ing of grain was done with the flail, the Irishm_an’s “two
sticks of pleasure.” An expert hand would flail out from
twelve to fifteen bushels of wheat per day. The cleaning of
the grain at the first was done with a sheet. Just at what
time the wind—mill was introduced can not be ascer-
tained, but probably not much before 1810.

The outer garments of these pioneer days were made of
linsey, a cloth composed of flax and wool; the flax constitu-
ted the chain and the wool formed the filling. In nearly
every house was found a loom, roughly made indeed, yet
answering well its purpose, and turning out as linsey a
warm and substantial cloth. Nearly every housewife was a
weaver, and also a tailor, cutting out and making all the
garments for the family. Flax and tow goods supplied the
place of muslin; and the men to the tastefully fringed linsey
hunting—shirt added the deer—skin vest and buck—skin
breeches. The foot covering was the moccasin, made of a
single piece of deer-skin or leather, without heel or sole.
When improved with the addition of a tongue—piece on the
top and a sole on the bottom, the moccasin became the
“ shoe-pack.”

The first store in the county, it seems, was kept by
Thomas Laidley, about 1784 or 1785, at Morgantown.
Between 1800 and 1815, Felix Scott had a store at Gran-
ville, and_ Samuel Jackson one at his iron works on Cheat.
In 1819, Lemuel John had a store at or near Stewarttown.
These stores, however, did not effect the home manufacture
of clothing. An old gentleman now living writes the
author, that, in 1823, “our clothing was chiefly all home
manufactured. Our mothers used to shear the sheep and
card the wool on hand-cards, and make rolls and spin them,
and weave flannel or linsey. Often in two weeks’ ‘after the

AGRICULTURAL HISTORY. 245

Wool was taken from the sheeps’ backs we had it on ours.
In the summer We Wore flaxen shirts and coats, and flax and
tow pants. The young ladies wore flaxen dresses, striped
with a part dyed with copperas, and were as tidy as young
ladies could be.”

Improved farm machinery, it is most probable, was not
introduced long before 1840. In that year we have an
account of John Durr, of Greene County, Penn., bringing a
ground or chafi'—piler threshing machine into the county,
and setting it up first on the farm of Major W. W. John.
It was an object of wonder to all, and was feared by some,
who could not be induced to come near it for fear “it
would bust.” Joseph and George Hartman, in 1852, brought

in a separator called the “Down’s machine.” Sometime -

after this, William E. Watson and E. J. Evans purchased
mowing machines, which are now numerous in the county.
Mr. Watson made a rude horse hay-rake. The sulky hay-
rake made its’ appearance after the late war. Grain reapers
Were not introduced till a considerable time after the use of
mowers, and are not yet extensively used. The first steam
thresher was brought into the county in 1882, by Lucian
Snider. Another was brought by J. T. "Weaver for C. W.,
J. M. and Conn Pixler, in July, 1883. The patent cider
hand-mills have been used for some years. Nothing but
the hand corn-planters are used yet. The sulky corn—plow
has been in use by Thomas Anderson since 1882. Seed-
sowing machines have been used since the year 1852, while
grain drills have just been introduced.

Lime has been used as a fertilizer for many years, and
always with good effect. It is said that its use adds one-
fifth to the products of the soil. Guano was used with

good efl'ect as early as the year 1855, by James Kerns, of 

246 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Pleasant Valley. It is estimated by intelligent farmers that
the use of fertilizers in the past decade has added one—third

V to the yield in the crops with which they have been used.

“Soluble flour of bone and ammoniated super—phosphate are

the favorate fertilizers with the farmers of Monongalia. .

County, though many hold that lime, after barnyard manure,
is the cheapest and best article for the soil of the county.
When burnt and applied as quick-lime, it imparts fertility

 partly by being dissolved in the surface Waters, and so

I passing into the soil in such shape that the roots of plants

can seize» hold of it, but mainly by tending to decompose
vegetable matter and so form a fertilizing humus.

Market gardening, when once the resources of the county
are developed and railways are constructed, will be no small
source of revenue. In 1870, the products of market gardens
were given at $470.

Fruit is a pretty sure crop.* Apple orchards were planted
and bearing as early as 1779. The climate and soil permit
the cultivation of any fruit which can be grown in the cooler
parts of the temperate zone. The apple is by far the most
important fruit raised in the county, and considerable atten-
tion has been paid to securing improved varieties. The
peach was formerly cultivated more extensively than now.
It is being largely supplanted by the apple, owing to the

_ increasing uncertainty of the crop, due to unfavorable

Winds and early frosts. Some pears and quinces are pro-

* In January, 1831, snow fell to the depth of’ three teet——the deepest since 1780. On
the 15th of May, 1834, the snow was four inches deep in places, and ice one—third of an

. inch in thickness formed. The summer of 1854 is known as the “ Dry Summer.”

When the light of day broke on Sunday, June 5, 1859, the trees and the earth were
White as with a heavy show. A great frost had fallen, and when the sun rose up in
the eastern heavens, drooping leaf and wilting blade Were cause of alarm to an excited
people. Many supposed there would be a famine. Grain advanced with a bound to a.
/high price. People turned from the wheat crop ruined, and, breaking up large fields,

‘ planted them in buckwheat, corn and potatoes. The remainder oi‘. the season proved

favorable, and large crops were gathered from these late plantings.

AGRICULTURAL HISTORY. 247

duced., and several varieties" of cherries. Most of the small
fruits cultivated in the temperate zone do well here.

Fish culture was begun «in the county in the year 1881.
On the 29th of April, VVm. S. Cobun, received ninety Ger-
man carp from one of the Fish Commissioners of the State,
for himself and Lewis Runner. 8 A A

Monongalia is well adapted in soil and productions, and
favored in climate for the successful raising of cattle, horses
and sheep. In the last twenty years, the native stock has
been greatly improved. The Durham was here as early as
1850. Thomas F. Watson, “Eek” Morgan, T. H. Morgan
and others introduced sho1't—horn cattle, and the Ralphsny-
ders and others the Alderney, and Merino sheep from the
Washington County (Pa) stock. D. C. Hoffman, in 1878,
brought in registered Jersey cattle from Maryland, and fine
Merino sheep from Greene County, Penn. Capt. O. P.
J ollifle and James S. Watson have Southdown sheep. The
Devon stock has been introduced. Attention also has been
paid to the improving of the breed of draught horses. The
American merino "sheep do better in ‘Vest Virginia than the
French or German varieties.

“The soil of Monongalia is a loam, varying from sandy to
clayey, with some calcareous lands. The strata of the coal
measures above the conglomerate produce the best class of
soils, since they consist of shales, argillaceous sandstones,
and layers of limestone, or calcareous strata, intimately
mixed. All is naturally productive and well suited for
grass. The depth on the hills is from six to fifteen inches,
deepest on the northwest sides; on the levels from one to
several feet. Average yields are: corn, thirty to forty bush-
els; oats, twenty—five to thirty—five bushels ; wheat, when
succeeding, ten to twelve bushels; potatoes, seventy-five to

22 HISTORY or TMONONGALIA COUNTY.

manufacture of this pottery,’ which is plainly: revealed,
indicates that the Indian here in Monongalia copied the
work of a previous and superior artizan, has no traces of
charcoal exists in connection with the lndian’s work in
territory not formerly occupied by the Mound Builder.

A stone jar some years ago, it is asserted, was found in a
stone—pile grave, and when the stone lid was removed, a.
very faint odor resembling sassafras wasiperceived. This
grave was said to have been on a high hill between Crooked
Run and the Monongahela River. If such was the case, no
Indian had anything to do with placing it in the grave.
Lapse of years has obliterated nearly all ‘traces of the
Mound Builders’ occupation. How long they were here,
and Why they left, no one knows; Undoubtedly they
shared the common fate of their mysterious race. Coming
years may dispel the darkness that obscures them now, or
may leave them elnbalnied in oblivion to the end of time.

248 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

one hundred and fifty bushels. There is not much differ-
ence in the product of the hills and levels. Value of agri-
cultural land, from $10 to $75.’”"‘

As early as 1854-—on the 24th of December-“The
Monongalia Agricultural and Mechanical Society” was
organized at the court—house. Col. James Evans was
elected president, M. M. Dent secretary, and William Wag-
ner treasurer. The society sought to buy grounds and start
a fair on the West side of the Monongahela, but never suc-
ceeded.

Subsequent efforts in this direction were more successful,
and on the 7th of January, 1869, “The Monongahela Valley
Agricultural and Mechanical Society” was incorporatedfr

_ Its charter extended to 1889; capital authorized, $10,000,

in shares of $25. This society held nine annual fairs at
Morgantown. Its presidents Were, 1869-72, William Wag-
ner; 1872-5, E. H. Coombs; 1875, VVilliam C. McGrreW;
1876, E. C. Lazier; 1877-9, E. H. Coombs. Manliff Hayes
was the vice—president during its entire existence, which
extended from 1869 to 1879, its last exhibition being in
1878. It was succeeded by the “Monongalia Agricultural
Association.”;t which organized June 23, 1879, by electing
Col. Joseph Snider president, and Ed. WV. Brand .vice-
president, vvho continued to fill these offices till 1882, when
the society dissolved. This association held three fairs, the
last closing September 15, 1881. The receipts not being
snflicient to meet expenses, the organization discontinued.

* “ Resources of West Virginia,” (Wheeling, 1876,) p. 395.

flncorporatorsz J. H. Hoffman. Wm. Wagner, Samuel Howell, Manllfl‘ Hayes, J. P.
Sharer, W. T. Willey, E. C. Lazier, W. A. Hanway, W. P. Willey, J. M. Hagans, J. K.
Durr, J. C. Wallace, L. S. Layton, A. L. Wade and J. H. Hoflman & Co.

3: Stockholders: 001. Joseph Snider, Frederick Breakiron, Major W. W. John, Ed. W.
Brand, Manliff Hayes, S. B. Mcvicker, P. F. Harner, E. J. Evans, A. Garrison, Ed. W.
St. Clair and J. E. Dent. '

AGRICULTURAL HISTORY. 249

PRICES OF FARM PRODUCTS FROM 1821 TO 1883,
On January 1st of each year.*

.4 .4 .—: .5 :3 ._z .5 ,5 .. :3 ._.
:5 1%’ mé as g2D§ §%’; gs as 0%? 2%
43 4-3 Q3
YEAR 33 5.3 55 +33 aw §B g3 :53 2'3‘ gs
3 as 5 23 ‘‘° 3 as :1. 31 5 :3 33 = 5
Q. Q. :1. Ga $24 $34 32. Q 94 F9 94
$ cts. $ cts. cents cents cents $ cts celgts cents $ §7ts $ cts
50  16 "16" "'6" IIIIII 21/IIIIII 40 IIIIII
3. 21) 12 8 .......... .. ..i‘.'  25 25
37 25  g . . . . . . . . . . .. g/5 3/3  . . . . ..
40 25 . .. . . . . ..
75 31 20 8 .......... .. 9%, 212 ‘ .... ..
50 25 25 8% . . .... .. 6 2 /2 _ . . . . ..
44 31 18 8% ........... .. 2% 2 .13 .... ..
52 31 20 8 . .... .. 6 21/ 37 .... ..
62 25 20 s .......... .. 2% 25 33 .... .-
62 37 20 8 ......... . .. 31 2 , 40 .... .-
62 31   . 2 3 3  . . . . ..
7 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 - - - - - -
1 10 4o 25 12% .... .. 25 5 4 50 .... --
59 25 12 .... .. 75 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
1 no 75 50 15 . . . . . . . . . . .. . .... .. 75 . . . . ..
5g 37 25 15 . . . . . . . . . . .. 51 4  .... --
50 31 gt; 13 .... .. . M 3 .......... ..
75 31 . . . . . . . . . . .. 9 . . . . . . . . - - - --

50 25 16 8 3 2%; 2% . . . . . . . . . . ..

62 25 16 8  , . . . . . .. 2 2 ................ ..

25  13 . _ , , _ _ _ , , _ ,, A  . . . . . . . . . . ..

37% . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
1      31/2 31/2  
75 37 31 12 13 II..II 13 . . . . . . . . . . ..

60 40 31 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

55 37% 25 16% . 25 lg . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 00 40 33% 15 9 50 1.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1 75 75 5 15 , , , _ ,, 1 00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - --

1 50 37 22 15 1% 37  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

1 no 50 37 5 7 ' . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - .~

50 37 25 12 . . . . .. 37 lg  . . . . . . . - - - - --

1 no 75 40 12 , . . . .. 75 1. . . . . . . . . - - --

25 50 30 15 .... .. 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . ..

()0 1 00 75 35 15 1 25 15 8 . . . . . . . . . . ..
25 60 40 25 20 1 50  %2 11 3.) 1 2;
~ ‘ 7: 45 2- 12 1 00 6 3 7
‘5 1 03 45 33 12 1 00 15 16 1 25 7;;
5 90 50 33 20 ................ .. 1 2.; 1 16
1 10 ~ 40 30 20 65 92 10 1 00 1 0
00 3;; 50 25 20 62 20 12 80 1 on
1 25 60 60 20 20 50 8 10 80 1 0.’)
1 85 50 40 30 25 . 10 1g 1 00 1 00
1 80 50 40 30 15 50 9 1:.) 1 O0 1 00
1 20 50 30 1') 90 lg 15 1 ()0 % 38
1 50 60 60 25’ 20 50 1‘ 15 1 00
1 20 40 2:3 25 12 50 13 15 1 09 1 00
?»0 40 29 20 20 40 1'3 15 20 . . . . . .
40 2o 10 15 60 .... .. 12% . . . . . ..
1 25 50 40 20 14 50 12 10 . . . . . . . . . . ..
- ’) v 1) . . . . ..
i 38 3% 32 39 33 138 13‘/2 ii "éo """ "
50 25 20 60 18 15 80 . . . . ..

Wheat was highest in the sumfher of 18E‘17,w11en the
price Was $3.25. '

‘ Carefully compiled from newspapers and private diaries.

250

HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The following table, compiled from the Federal census

reports, exhibits the number of acres of land in the county,

value of the farms, the "farm machinery; number of horses,
etc., and value thereof; and“'the detailed agricultural pro-

ductions, with values, etc. 2‘

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS, ETC., FOR THE YEARS
1860, 1870'AND' 1880.

1860. 1870. 1880.
LANDS, STOCK, ETC.
Acres of land in improved farms ..... .. 92,048 112,045 138,032
“ unimproved “ ..... .. 86,310 80,662 ............ ..
Cash value of farms ....................... .. $2,884,916 4,724,358 5,218,813
Value farm implements & machinery $59,257 83,187 92,597
Number of Horses .......................... .. . 3,904 4,238 4,513
“ Mules and asses ........... .. 32 36 93
“ . Milch cows .................. .. 3,881 4,606 5,559
“ Workilig oxen .............. .. 680 761 452
“ other cattle .................. .. 7,090 7,743 11,156
“ Sheep ........................... .. 10,945 17,371 26,697
. “ Swine ........................... .. 8,028 7,324 10,155
Value of live stock ......................... .. $454,070 871,260 651,392
GRAIN AND PRODUCE. ’
Wheat, bushels of .......................... .. 49,124 111,805 96,916
Rye, “ .......................... .. 4,999 5,130 1,858
Corn, “ .......................... .. 239,024 301,328 441,587
Oats, “ ......................... .. 126,198 148,072 72,988 '
' Tobacco, pounds of. ....................... .. 1,380 2,733 11,330
ool, “ ...................... .. 27,801 55,856 108,185
Peas and beans, bushels of ............ .. 41 25 ............ ..
Irish potatoes, “ ............ .. 10,586 23,772 31,335
Sweet “ “ ............ .. 565 435 2,145
Barley, “ ............ .. 161 80 ............ ..
Buckwheat “ ............ .. 13,798 1,575 8,164
Orchard products, value of ......... .. $9,376 37,427 27,571
Wine, gallons of. ......................... .. 45 3  .
Market garden products, value of. $103 470 ............ ..
Butter, pounds of .......................... .. 171,876 345,573 459,835
Cheese, “ . ....................... .. 6,116 1,030 4,061
Hay, tons of ................................. .. 6,353 12,030 6,517
Glover and grass seeds, bushels of.. 376 309 ............ ..
Hops, pounds of ............................ .. 32 13 ............ ..
Flax, “ .............................. .. 5,998 540 ............ ,,
Maple sugar, pounds of ................. .. 32,608 24,274 ........... 
Maple molasses, gallons  1,812 733 ............ ..
Sorghum “ “  7,722 36,504 ............ ..
Beeswax, pounds of ....................... .. 111 3 ............ ..
Honey, “ ........................ .. 8,271 10,710 ............. ..
Home-made manufactures, value of $13,290 12,928 ............ ..
Animals slaughtered or sold for
slaughter, value of... . . . . .. . .  . $46,994 304,006 ............ ..
Estimated value of all farm products. $1,141,914 497,415

. AGRICULTURAL . HISTORY. 251

N OTE.-—In the matter of “the estimated value of all farm prod-
ucts,” in the foregoing table, no statement is given in the report
for 1,860. The heading of the column in the report for 1870 is,
“Value of all farm products, including betterments and additions

to stock”; while that for 1880 is, “Value of all farm productions,

(sold, consumed and on hand) for 1879.” It will be observed that
the statement of value for 1870 includes matters excluded in that
for 1880. It this latter year we have for the first time the “ cost of
building and repairing fences,” which for Monongalia County is
given at $41,203.

The numerous blanks in the column for 1880 are owing to the fact
that the specific information has not yet been published from the
Census Department. '

SIZES OF FARMS.

1860 1870

Number under 10 acres ........................ ..: ................................  69
“ of 10 and under 20 acres .............................................. .. 11 134

‘ ‘ 20 “ 50 “ ............  ................. . ., .......... .. 159 481

“ 50 “ 100 “ ..    ......... .. 433 509

‘ ‘ 100 “ 500 “ ............................................. .. 335 353

“ 500 “ 1000 “  ..  . 6 7

" 1000 acres and over .............................................   2

The number of farms in the county in 1880 is given at
2,013; in 1870, 1555. The value of the forest’s products for
the same year, $25,743; total amount of Wages paid farm-
hands, including value of board, in 1880, $49,076; cost of
fertilizers purchased in 1879, $4,336. The county produced
229 bushelsof flax seed in 1860; no statement of the pro-
duction is given in subsequent reports.

Statistical reports previous to 1860, are comparatively
meagre. Very many items of interest contained in the cen-
sus reports for 1860 to ’80, are lacking in these reports of

earlier years. What can be gathered from those reports at
hand follow:

  

  

  

252 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.
1840. 1850.
PRODUCED. -—-————--— -———-~———
Wheat, bushels of ...............  ................................... .. 166,496 52.3;0
Rye “ .................................  ............... .. 6,259 2.9 1
Corn, “ ....  ............................................ .. 38§,3l6 183,379
Buckwheat “ .................................................... .. ,936 .964
Oats, “ ........................  ......................... .. 320,092 111,252
Potatoes, lrish. bushels of ...........  ................  .................. .. 8,016
“ sweet “ ............................................  .... .. 2,999
Beans and Peas, “ ................................................ .. 392
Tobacco, pounds of ............ .. 14,915 3,750
lfilillops, ‘: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 636 179
ax ‘ ..    ............ .. 615
Hay,’ tons of ............. ..,..... ..................................... .. 6.938 6,013
Grass seeds, bushels of ......................  ................ ..   536
Molasses, sorghum, gallons of .............................................. .. 2,403
]V;Voo1, pounds of....;.... .......  ................................... .. 51,316 29,129
utter “ ................................................................... .. 145,178
Cheese: “  ............................................................. .. 10,784
Honey, “ ..........................  ....................... .. 930 8,118
Orchard products, value of .............  ..................... .. $9,582 301
LIVE s'rooK,
Number of Horses ................................................ .. 5,560 2,790
“ Mules and asses .............................................. .. 10
“ Working oxen ....................  ............. .. 423
“ Milch cows ............. .. . 2,905
‘- other cattle...  .. . 5,188
" Sheep ...............................  .............. .. 13.015
“ SWine.....- ....... .. . ................................ .. 19,885 8,121
' MISCELLANEOUS.

Acres improved ..................................................................... .. 58,536
“ unimproved ....... .. . ........................................ .. .   $68,047
Value of farm imp1ements......................................... ............ .. 50,939
“ of farms .......................  ...................  ..................... .. $1,569,392

The writer has in his possession “A List of Lands and

Lots returned as Delinquent, in Monongalia County, Va.,

for the non-payment of taxes, for 1820, and prior thereto,”

which was made out and printed in conformity to an act of
the General Assembly passed April 1, 1831. The document
is a pamphlet of fifty—eight large pages, divided into col-

' ' 1 wn r
umns showing the names and residences of tle o e s,

number of acres in each tract, and “local descriptionof the

land,” With its distance and bearing from the court-house,

and the years for which taxes were due, the amount for

each year, and the aggregate. The year 1787 is the earliest

for which taxes are put down as unpaid in this large list.

About 2,500 tracts are named in the list, lying in all parts

of the then extensive territory of Monongalia.

In the col-

AGRICULTURAL HISTORY. 253

umn of “local description of land,” we have the following
names: Muddy creek, Sandy, Scott’si run,“Dunkard, Mon on-
galia, Cheat, Three~fork, Snowy creek, Meadow run, Laurel
run, White-day, Pawpaw, Crooked run, Booth’s creek, Cole-
man’s creek, Mill creek, Bufialoe, Buffalow, Hazel run, Co-
lourn creek, White Day creek, Free—fork creek, Colburn’s
creek, Beaver creek, Tyger (also Tygar) Valley, Glady
creek, Decker’s creek, Prickett’s creek, Monongalia river,
Swamps, Harper town, Hether run, Grady creek, Yohogany,
Three Fork, Dunkard, Little river, Glade run, Valley river,
West Fork [of] Valley river, Wickw'ire’s creek, Bull run,
Aaron’s creek, Pawpaw, Laurel Hill, Farro’s run, Green’s
run, Indian creek, Deep run, Raccoon, Little creek, Dillow’s
creek, Zauyll. run, Round run, Swamp run, Sand spring,
Corloan’s creek, State spring, Green Glades, Ruble’s run,
Fauquire, Wickware’s creek, Miracle run, VVolf creek, Stew-
art’s run, Doll’s run, Robinson’s run, Salt Lick, Smithfield,
“ Darrow’s run——Farrow’s run——Garrow’s run,” Plum run
and Bull creek. In the table of town lots we find the names
of the towns of Morgantown, Kingwood, Granville, Smith-
field and Machanic Town.

CHAPTER XVII.
INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.

Decker Creek Iron VVorks—-Cheat River Iron VVorks——Davis or
Pleasant, Woodgrove, Henry Clay and Anna Furnaces-—C1in—

ton Furnace—-Hawthorne’s Nail Works—Powder Mi11——Mi1l'

Stones—Woo1en Factories—Pap‘er Mi11—Potteries—Carriage
Works—Foundries—Furniture VVorks—Borings for Oi1——Salt
Making—Gro1d Seeking—Coke Burning—Preston Company-
Statistical.

“ In places wherein thriving manufactories have erected themselves, land has been
observed to sell quicker, and for more years’ purchase, than In other p1aces.”—Locke.

. “The most opulent nations, indeed, generally excel all their neighbors in agricul-
ture, as well as in manufactures ; but they are eminently more distinguished by their
superiority in the latter than in the 1‘.ormer.”—A dam Smith.

THE first industry carried on in the county was the manu-
facture of iron. In 1789, the first iron ever made west of
the Alleghany Mountains was turned out at old Alliance
Furnace in Pennsylvania, not fifty miles from Morgantown.
In the following year the fires of Springhill Furnace were
lighted just beyond the county line. Who were the first

iron-masters of Monongalia? None can tell. As a matter y

of history the burnt records of 1796 have swept it away, and
the memory of the oldest inhabitant fails to supply the loss.

DECKER CREEK IRON WORKS.—AlSO known as the old
“ Rock Forge,” were said to have been standing in 1798.
In volume two, at page 34, of the county court order-book,
on August 12th, 1800, is recorded an order for “ a road from
Samuel Hanway’s mill and iron Works down Decker’s Creek.”
JohnStea'ley* advertised for hands at this furnace in 1815.

* John Stealey came from Maryland to Morgantown. He died atJeI1’ersonv1lle,
Indiania. It is said that he made the first grates made in the county. Two of these

INDUSTRIAL HISTORY. 255

Betweeen this year and 1824, Watts and Kiger, Stealey’s
sons-in—law,ran the works. In 1824, Watts was succeeded
by Jesse Evans, who put A. P. Wilson in charge of the
works and the furnace, known as “Valley,” which was then
standing. Alexander Clear and William Alexander operated
the works sometime after 1831, and were succeeded by
Clear. Crouther and French operated the works sometime
after 1840. They were succeeeded by Kinsley sometime
between 1852 and 1855; Kinsley ran them but a short time,
and the works, about three and a half miles from Morgan-
town, are now nearly in ruins and nearly all gone. They
consisted of the furnace—quarter—stack——and a forge.

CHEAT RIVER on “JAcKsoN’s OLD IRON WoRKs.”——In a
deed made November 28, 1798, by John B. Armstead to John
Davis, Henry and Isaac Hite Williams, for 200 acres of
land on Quarry Run, it is described as a tract upon which
“Pleasant Furnace’f.is_now standing. This is the earliest
oflicial mention of a furnace to be found in the county.
Samuel Jackson, of “Washington Township, ‘Fayette Coun-
ty, Penn.,” about 1800, built a log dam and mill, where,
some time before 1809-10, he erected his forge, and made
nails by hand.‘ On April 8, 1809, John Ramsey sold two
tracts of land to Jackson, for $4,000. Pleasant or Davis
Furnace could not supply enough iron for J ackson’s use,
and he bought large quantities at Springhill and other
furnaces in Pennsylvania, and hauled the iron to his works.
To supply these works, Davis’s Furnace was run, and
Woodgrove, Henry Clay and Anna furnaces were built and

grates at 0. H. Dil1e’s residence are quaint, queer looking old things, though very
serviceable. Mr. Stealey married Prudence Cozad. Of their children, Elizabeth Was
married to Cornelus Berkshire, Sarah to Jacob Kiger, Christina to Rawley Scott, and
Catharine to C01. Richard Watts, and after his death she Was married to Wm. Hart,
Whose widow she now is. .

256 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Greenville Furnace was rented. These furnaces were all
quarter stacks. We shall now relate their individual
histories, and then return to the Cheat River Iron Works
which they supplied.

DAVIS on PLEASANT FURNAcE.—It is said that John Davis
and Hugh McNeely built this "furnace, and operated it for a
time, and that Davis failed in business and became insane.
John Jackson and Updegraff operated it until 1808-9, when
they were succeeded by John Test, who opened a large
store. He failed about 1811, when the furnace was aban-

doned. It made, it is said, a ton and a quarter of iron at

day, which was Worth at that time $100 a ton.

. Wooncnovn FUnNAcE.—Three miles from Ice’s Ferry, on
the Ice’s Ferry and Uniontown road, this furnace was
built by Josiah Jackson between 1822 and 1824 (by most
accounts; some say in 1828). 1 It stood on the Samuel
Canby tract of land, bought by Jackson in 1818. It
made pig-iron. In 1836, it passed to Lamb, Tassey & Bis-
sell, Who were succeeded in 1839 by the Ellicotts, Who at-
tached steam. ‘Claybaugh operated it from 1849 to 1852,
when the old stack gave out, and he built the one now
standing. It was next operated by Dr. Meredith Clymer,
from 1854 to 1860. He put in the hot—blast. In 1861-62,
Henry S. Coombs and Isaac Blaney Worked up the last stock.
After the year 1849 all the iron made was shipped by Water.
The furnace was destroyed by fire in 1862.

HENRY CLAY FURNACE.——Tl1iS cold-blast furnace, run by
steam, located on a branch of Quarry Bun, four miles from
Ice’s Ferry, was built by Leonard Lamb, bewteen 1834 and
1836, for Tassey & Bissell. Its capacity was four tons in
twenty-four hours. Tassey & Church next operated it, then
Tassey, Morrison and Semple, who conveyed it, in 1859, to

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CHAPTER 11.
INDIAN ()CCUPATIO.N.

Origin of the American Indians—Theoi~ies He1d——Probab1e Asiatic
0rigin—Indians in Monong'a1ia——SiX Nations, proprietorse
])e1awa1'esand Shawnees, tenants—\Var—paths——1’ottery and
Re1ics—-Bui‘fa.1o VPond—“ Pictured Rock."

WVELL says a recent Writer (in Encyclopaedia Britannica),
that “the origin of the populations of America is a problem
which has yet to be solved.” Thelndians, a race of dark-
skin hunters, succeeded the primitive inhabitants, the

.1’.
u

‘l\Iou11d.Bni1de1's or “First Aineric-ans."' Of their origin
1/nany theories have been advanced. _ “Te niention first (but
not, however,‘ because it is most probable) the doctrine of
that School which holds to the theory that man was evolved
originally fron1' several centres. ’ As before relnarked, the
Weight of scholarship favors the doctrine, that all races of
men are the descendants of one primitive pair.

Perhaps the ‘most probable theory of the ‘origin of the
Indians is that it is Asiatic. Many of their traditions favor
this theory. Another argument in its favor is that the
grammatical aifinityt of all the Indian languages, constitu-
ting the sixth or American group of languages, both in

* Some autliorities hold that between the time of the Hound Builders and the
Indians, a race known as the “ Villagers” occupied certain districts of thisoountry;
and still there is yet another theory to be mentioned: Since the period of the
Villagers and before the advent of the Indians, it is held that another race existed
here. i

‘r Says Prof. ‘Whitney of Yale College, in his work on. Langzmge and the stmly of
Lzmguage, p. 3&6: “ It is the coniident opinion of linguistic scholar.-1 that a iundamenr
tal unity lies at the base of those infinitely varying forms or speech [of the American
Indians]; that they may be, and probably are, all descended irom a single parent
language.”

INDUSTRIAL HISTORY. 257

the Ellicotts. They built seven or eight miles of tramway,
and ran the furnace till about 1847. Up to the year 1839
all the iron made was boated down the river.

ANNA FURNACE.——Otherwise known as the “River Fur»-
nace,” was located at Ice’s Ferry. It was built by the
Ellicotts between 1845 and 1848, to burn charcoal, but after-
wards Was converted into a coke furnace. Its capacity was
from eight to ten tons in twenty-four hours. It was bought
by Matthew Gray in 1849, and sold to McKey & Kelvey in
1852. This firm operated it until 1854, succeeded by Dr,
Clymer, who ran it until 1860. From 1863 to 1866, it was
in charge of John Kelley; 1866 and 1867, Lyod & Lossing.
In 1868, Chess finished up the stock, and the machinery was
taken but in 1881 and sent to Pittsburgh. This furnace had
seven or eight miles of tramway.

The history of Cheat Iron Works, with its group of fur-
naces named above, has been an eventful one, and a history
impossible to collect at this late day, in its every detail of
the many and complicated changes of possession by owner-
ship and leasing. Samuel Jackson was succeeded by his son

‘ Josiah, who rented the works to Huston and others, and

then ran them awhile himself. He failed. Lazier, Byard &
Co., among others, operated the works for a time. On April
22d, 1839, Tassey, Morrison & Semple sold them to the
Ellicotts for $92,000. After the Ellicotts failed, in 1848 or
1849, several changes took place; and, in 1852, McKelvey &
Kay came into possession. In 1854, Dr. Clymer took charge
of the works for the Pridevale Iron Company, which failed
about 1860. Smyth & Chess, of Pittsburgh, were the next real
owners, and the last iron was made in 1868. The property
was placed by them,in 1876, under the supervision of Justice

John N. Dawson, the present efficient superintendent.
17

258 HIST(,)1{Y OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Samuel Jackson out his nails  hand until 1822, when he
put in machinerv. The Ellicotts built a rolling—mill and a
puddling and boilingfurnace, a nail factory, (Joshua Swin-
dler Was their first nail-maker,) a foundry, the ‘Anna
Furnace, machine, Wagon and blacksmith shops, a large
number of dwelling-houses, and leased the Greenville Fur-
nace. Under their administration the Cheat Iron Works
saw their palniiest Clays. It is said they employed as high
as 1,200 hands and fed daily for a time 3,000 persons-hands

andltheir famili_es. The rolling—n1ill commenced work Mon- '

day, September 14, 1840.

CLINTON FU]:'.\';-XCE is located on the left bank of Booth’s
Creek, six miles above its mouth. It was built and named
Clinton by VVill.iain Salyardsi about 1846, who bought the
land from John Frederick, Sr. About a year after it Was
commenced, the property ‘passed into the hands of George
D. Evans, Plununer Fitch and Alf "ed Dorsey. They leased
the furnace, itlmllt 184.8, to Robert M. Bendle and John
Burns, who inzule the first iron, ran it for a short time, and
failed. Dr.iCarr and George D; Evans were the next own-
ers, but they did not make any iron. They sold to George
Hardman* (so it is said) about 1853. Hardman operated it
for several yem.-s. He made coke in 8 ground ricks, and put
in the l1ot—blast. About 1858, Hardnian made an assign-
ment to Benjmnin Ryan who made the last iron. The
furnace was a quarter‘-stack, and is now in ruins.

_HAwTHoRNIa’s NAIL WonKs.——Bobert and Alexander Haw-
thorne came to Monongalia _in 1790, and settled on what is

*George Hardm-an 0211119. from Courhessen, Germany. Alexander Campbell aided
him in Wheeling in impinving lots and selling them. He built the Cresson rolling-
mill at Wheeling. A fter quitting“ Clinton he Went to Preston County, and built Iron-

dale Furnace in 1859, 21 nd Gladesville Furnace in 1870, which he operated for several

years. M1‘. Hardman (lied in Preston a few years ago.

INDUSTRIAL HISTORY. ' 259

known as the “Hawthorne Homestead,” about four miles

south of Morgantown, on Aaron’s Creek. One mile from its

mouth they built, previous to 1800, a nail factory and car-
ried it on for a number of years.

A powder mill Was built on Quarry Run before 1800, and
stood several years, Where powder was made by Smith,*
Charles Rose and Graham. 5

In an early day getting out country mill-stones was a
considerable business. Some forty years ago, Joshua
Swindler had a boat load shipped from Cheat River to
Cincinnati.

Carding machines were used at an early day. Over fifty
years ago, John Rogers had a carding—machine anda full-
ing—mill for the manufacture of country cloths. Moses
Strosnider, in 1874, built a woolen factory on Dunkard
Creek at Strosnider’s Mill. Four years later, he moved the

‘ machinery to Blacksville, and erected his present large and

commodious factory for the manufacture of woolen goods
and for carpet-weaving. ‘It is a two—story frame building, 36
by 52 feet, with an underground story. The machinery is
run by a 20-horse-power engine. .

John Rogers finished building the “Live Oak” paper-mill
at MorgantoWn,‘on Decker’s_ Creek, in 1839. On Monday,
September 2d of that year, Tillton & Crowl commenced
making paper. The building was stone, four stories high,
and cost about $6,000. Tillton & Crowl were succeeded by
Rogers & Tillton, and they by Tillton. In 1853, Mr. Tren-
dly was making Wrapping paper; and in 1855, Mr. Charles

* By one account a man by the name of Smith (and by another account his name was
Lyons) drove a nail 1n the powder mill, and a spark from it set on the powder, and the
mill was blown up. Smith Was so severely burned that he died after walking halt a
mile to Charles Rose’s house. 5

260 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Arthur, of Beaver, Penn., had leased the mill and was re‘-
fitting it, when it took fire and burned down.

The manufacture of pottery was commenced in Morgan-
town by a man by the name of Foulk. At an early day his
pottery stood where Pickenpaugh’s livery stable is. John
Thompson bought him out, and the pottery burned down,
August 29, 1830* Thompson commenced building the
present steam pottery on September 15, 1830, and operated
it until 1853, when his son, Capt. James Thompson, came
into possession, afterwards attached steam to it, and is now
engaged in manufacturing stone-ware. Francis Billingsley
started a pottery on Mrs. Kelley’s lot, which he sold to John
Thompson. It was torn down. William Critchfield made
stone-ware at Collins’s Ferry years ago. Potteries were
started by James Morris on Dunkard, and by one Miller
twelve miles from Morgantown on the Evansville Road.
Neither is now running.

One of the leading industries of the county is that of
carriage-making. John Shisler, in 1802, commenced
wagon-making in Morgantown, on the site of the building
now occupied by G. W. John & Co.’s store. In 1805, he
built the log part of Kern’s carriage and buggy shop at the
bridge, and associated his son Michael with him. James
Kern became apprenticed to him in 1832. In 1841, Mr.

Kern put up the first buggy ever made in the county, as.

he says, in a shop just across Maiden Alley from Price’s mill,
and sold it to Harrison Postlewaite. In 1849-50, Mr. Kern
built a steam buggy factory on the east side of the river,
one-half mile above the mouth of Decker’s Creek, and ran it
a few years. From 1863 to 1883, Mr. Kern and his son,

' According to a diary. Col. Frank Thompson says he thinks It was In 1827.

INDUSTRIAL HISTORY. 261

W. T. Kern, carried on the business at the factory at the
bridge, which is not running now.

The carriage manufactory of Fairchild, Lawhead & Co.,
established in the spring of 1851, is one of the most exten-
sive in the State. The buildings, if connected, would be
244 feet in length, and, with the lumber-yard, cover over an
acre of ground. Two long two-story frame buildings (one
72 by 26, the other 102 by 32 to 40) are connected by a
broad bridgeway above the first story. A one-story black-
smith shop, 50 by 30, and an ofiice a story and a half, 20 by
14 comprise the establishment. The power is furnished by
two engines, respectively, of l2~ and 40-horse-power. The
departments of the manufactory are, first, the machine shop,
52 by 40 (With engine—roo1n, 14: by 32, attached), run by the
forty-horse—poWer engine, where the neccessary planing and
spoke machinery dresses the rough material. Next is the
Wood-shop, 48 by 26, on the first floor. A The material is
next carried to the blacksmith shop, where five fires and all
neccessary machinery are run by a twelve-horse—poWer
engine. The Work from here goes up to the second story to
the paint—rooms (respectively, 32 by 60, and 32 by 50), with
varnish- and trimming-rooms attached. The work is now
taken to the sales—room, 40 by 32 (on the first floor), where
carriages, buggies, phaetons, barouches, spring-Wagons, etc.,
are kept for the inspection of buyers. When running to its
full capacity, the factory employs thirty hands. Vehicles
from these Works go all over this State,’ south-western
Pennsylvania, and in nine States, reaching as far west as
Texas. "All growing from a small beginning in 1851.*

' In the spring or 1851, Ashbel Fairchild built what is now a part or the W00d-Shop
and one or the paint-rooms (36 by 18); and in the tall or that year associated with him
Ashbel Fairchild Lawhead. Daniel Fordyce then came in, and the present firm was
established. In 1852, a small blacksmith-shop was built. The shop was widened from

262 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

An establishment was opened in 1880, at Cassville, by W.
C. Lough & Brothers, for the manufacture of buggies,
spring-Wagons and» general Wood-work, which is still in
operation.

John Stealey made stoves before 1825, at Rock Forge;
but the first foundry proper in the county, of which we have

any account, was built about 1838 or 1840, at Morgantown, ,

just back of the present seminary, by Joel Nuzum and
Henry and Hugh Daugherty. Afterwards Henry Daugherty
operated it for several years. Hugh Daugherty, in 1844,

_ built the molding and engine—room of Reay’s steam foundry,

in Durbannah. Williain Lazier succeeded him, and put in
a steam-engine about 1848, and associated with him James
Nimon. They operated it from 1856 to 1859, when they
sold to George M. Beay, its present proprietor. The foun-
dry building is a frame, 150 by 32 feet (90 feet two-story,
and 60 feet one—story). It is run by a7—horse-power engine.
The ware-room is 24 feet long; engine—room, 66 feet; cast-

_ ing—house and store—room, 60 feet. Stoves, grates, general

castings, and hollow-ware are made. Cane mills were made
in 1863 and 1864. James Nimon built a steam foundry in
Durbannah in 1862, and operated it for eighteen months.
It was torn down. Joseph Smith once had a foundry near
Halleck, which was removed from Clinton Furnace to that
place. Mr. Jones ran a small foundry near Thomas Pugh’s,
in Union District, near the State line, some years ago.
Robert P. Hennen Worked as a cabinet-maker in Morgan-

18 feet to 26 feet in 1854, and extended to 72 feet. The machine shop (two stories) was
built in 1860, and a small engine set up. The large engine was put in in 1869; and the
next year the sales-room was added to the machine shop, completing the second long
building. In 1871, the present blacksmith-shop was built, and in 1872 the office was
erected. In 1874, the 12-horse engine was set up. The firm ran abranch establish-
ment at Clarksburg, W. Va., from 1857 to 1870, and one at Uniontown, Pa... for several
years.

INDUSTRIAL HISTOIB Y. 263

town in 1840, and built a part of the present steam furni-
ture manufaotory on Front Street. In 186.3, he associated
his son with him; and, in 1873, the firm ClJ:ll,Ig"Gd to Hennen
Brothers, which continued until 1882, wlieu it was succeeded
by Hennen (Q: Madera——F. A. I-Iennen amlo J. E. Madera.
The esta]olisl1ment is a three—story frame lmilding, 50 by 70
feet, divided into a large workshop and finisl1i11g— and fur-
niture—r0oms. It is run by a 25—l1()l’.\’<"-]A)0\V61’ engine.
Steam has been used for twenty years. '\\'hen running to
full capacity it employs twenty hands. 'l‘lw establishment
makes fine furniture of all l{lI1ClS—Cl).:H'1f,\‘, spring—beds,
mattresses, caskets and coffins. The work is sold in this
and adjoining counties. The Smyth B1~otlom1.'s—lVilliam B.
and John H. Smyth——liaVe a furniture and undertaking es-
tablishment near Maidsville, which has luv-mi in operation
since 1882. Edward Price also has a fimriture establish-
ment in Morgantown.

There was considerable excitement in the county in the
spring of 1861, which was caused by talk of the certainty of
striking a rich oil—field in the territory of l\i[onongalia. The
more intense excitement attendant upon the breaking out
of the War absorbed it, however, until 1865, when the ‘‘oil
fever” again broke out. Oil companies"" "were, organized,
and wells bored (but down a few hundred fr-«At only) in many
places throughout the county. However, nil in non-paying
quantities was obtained on Decker’s Creel; nncl Cheat River

* Oil companies incorporated in 1865 :

Name. Du/w. .-1uLh,or<z',zed Capital.
Baltimore and Dunkard Oil. ............................ . .March ::<.I . . .. . . . .  . . $150,000
Do11’s Run and Dunkard Creek Petroleum ............. ..Ma.rcl; 3d ............ . . 300,000
Cheat River 011 and Mining ...... . .' ..................... ..Ma1-ch 4111... .. . . . . . . .. 500,000
Laurel Run Oil .......................................... ..April 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 500,000
The Maidsville Oil and Mining .......................... . .April 8111 ............ . .1,000,000
Monongalia 011 and Mining ............................. . .Aprii 24th ........... ..1,000,000
Hawthorne Petroleum and Lumbering ................. . .May Gm. . .. .. ........ . . 100,000

The Woodgrove 011 ..................................... . .Augu.~'l 30th.... .....  500,-000

264 HISTORY OF MONONGAIJIA COUNTY.

only. The Zllorgcmtown Post mentions the Essex Petroleum,
The Teutonia, the Decker’s Creek Petroleum and the Key-
ser Oil companies as operating in the county in 1865.
About 1824 or 1825, Peter A. Layton and Andrew Brown
bored a well for salt-water, near Cassville, but abandoned
the project. In the borings for oil, brine was struck on en-
tering the conglomerate. At Stumptown, in 1869, an aban-
doned oil-well was converted into a salt-well, and Thursby,
Kidd & Co. put up the Monongalia Salt Works, at which
about fifteen barrels of good salt was made per day. It

" was a very white article, but coarse for want of proper ma-

chinery to reduce it. The enterprise was abandoned.

Something resembling gold quartz was found at 519 feet
in the Grrufflin oil well, near New Brownsville. The same
material was struck in a well on Decker’s Creek at 343 feet,
and considerable excitement prevailed. The quartz did not
turn out to be gold.

Coke—burning in the county, since 1853, has been carried
on at the furnaces, by burning in ricks on the ground. Some
time after 1850, VVilliam Lazier built a brick oven and
burned coke at Durbannah Foundry. About 1878, George
M. Reay erected a fire—stone coke-oven at the foundry,
about eight feet in diameter, in which he has since burnt
48-hour coke, which is a good article for foundry use. In
December, 1881, Thomas Anderson hauled ninety bushels
of Connellsville coal from near the Pierpont Church to the
Fairchance Furnace, where it was coked. The superintend-
ent, R. L. Martin, pronounced it a fair grade of coke.

In 1822, “The Preston Company”* was incorporated.

* Certificate of incorporation issued April 25, 1882; admitted to record in Monongalia.
August 19th; corporation to expire in 1932; maximum capital authorized, $1,000,000;
shares, $25; corporators: J. M. Hagans, A. W. Lorentz, H. B. Lazier, R.'L. Berkshire
and S. G. Chadwick.

INDUSTRIAL HISTORY. 265

Its object is the buying and selling of mineral and timber
lands, the mining and manufacturing of minerals, and to
contract for the building of railways, telegraph lines,
bridges, etc. «

Among the exhibits of Monongalia in the West Virginia
Building at the Centennial International Exhibition in 1876,
were cedar, spruce, white Walnut, black Walnut, white oak,
hickory, poplar, common locust, Wild black cherry, white
ash, sugar maple, linden (or basswood), and chestnut sam-
ple boards from Fairchild, Lawhead & Co., and curly

walnut boards from Walter Mestrezatt, of Morgantown.

INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS OF. MONONGALIA COUNTY.

-49 8 $ 3  CD

~55 :33 23° «M g §,3+§

,_, E .: 3, 1; 95mg g > 3

YEAR. 3'52 M2 H ‘5 <9 H :2: H3

:3‘ _8 Q4 :8  43"‘ ‘g ’-*

5% g 5 5 $2 -*»=«’ mg‘

mg as 5 ° 3' =3

H Z <1 0 O <3
1860. ‘
Agricultural Imp1e1n’ts. 2 5 $1,152 $1,100 $5,200 $3,100
Carriages .................... .. 1 10 3,600 600 3, 000 10, 000
Men’s Clothing ........... .. 1 4 672 1,000 1,000 2,000
Flour and Meal .......... .. 12 22 5,772 97,987 53,500 114,284
Furniture, Cabinet ..... .. 1 2 480 247 1,000 887
Leather ...................... .. 4 9 840 4,815 8,300 6, 700
Lumber, Sawed ........... .. . 7 8 2,088 3,910 6,800 7,475
Pottery Ware ............. .. 1 2 600 497 1,500 2,000
W001, Carded .............. .. 3 3 180 7,200 5,000 8,000
Total .............  32 65 15,384 117,366 85,300 115,346
1870. 
Carriages, VVagons ..... .. 3 14 $16,336 $4,250 $12,350 $19,600
F1ouring—mil1 Products. 7 11 3,200 77,235 39,300 80,700
Leather ....................... . . 8 11 1, 950 23, 325 11,400 29,065
Lumber, Sawed .......... .. 3 9 1,500 7,400 3,350 15,625
Wool, Carded .............. .. 2 3 .......... .. 8,940 2,200 11,000
Total ................. .. 115 178 28,273 $208,091 $148,750 ' 329,714
1880.

Total ................. .. 73 166 $30-877l$1'98.134 $157,850 $281,733

NOTE ON THE FOREGOING TABLE.-—The table is compiled from
the census reports. The report for 1860 attempts to give all the

24 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

principle of formation and grammatical construction, bears
a strong resemblance to the Tartar or third group_ of
languages, which is one of the two great language—fan1ilies
of tlie Mongolian race. V ,

Of the time of their coming and the manner of their
occupation, we know nothing. VVhether they, driving the
Mound Builders from their homes here, advanced upon their
retreating footsteps, or whether they found the country

unoccupied, we know not.

VVhat' tribes inhabited Monongalia? Jefferson in his

“Notes” divided the Algonquin Indians of Virginia into

 four branches, one of which was the Massowomees, wl1o
inhabited west of the Alleghany Mountains. Jefferson does

qwwmvfinot state of what tribes this Massowomee Confederacy was
kw composed.
fig, The first white traders, who came several years before the
""“"Mii ifirst settlers, found the Indians in the Monongahela Valley
to consist of the Delaware and Shawnese tribes with a few
bands of Iroquois or Mingoes originally from New York.
They found that these Indians had all their permanent
settlements or villages within a few miles of Pittsburgh.
From time to time, hunting parties went from these settle-
ments up the Monongahela River, and had temporary
villages or, hunting—camps in what  nowl Monongalia
County. One of these camps was below Hamilton, and
another was on Cobun’s Creek, and, judging from its ruins
as described by early settlers, it must have been of consid-
erable size. _ ' ,

The Huron Iroquois or Six Nations were the owners of
the l\Ionongahela Valley. They were the great war—nation
of the Indian race, and, after planting themselves in New

York on the great water—ways to the ocean and the gulf,

266 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

industries of the county, While that for 1870 gives in detail only the
“selected industries,” and the total of all in the county. The report
for 1880, so far as now published, gives the total only.

The number of steam—engines in the county in 1870, was
17; their total horse-power, 361. Number of water Wheels,
27; their total horse—poWer, 440.

In 1870, there were two “bituminous coal establishments”
in the county, employing three hands, with $1,200 capital
invested, paying $700 in wages, using $200 worth of raw
material, producing 2,400 tons Worth $2,400.

The value of “home-made productions” in 1850, accord-
ing to the United States census reports, was $17,946.

CHAPTER XVIII.
POLITICAL HISTORY.

Qualification of Voters—Voting P1aces—Presidential Votes—Del—
egates to Constitutional and other Conventions——Votes on
Constitutions and Amendments, Secession, New State, Etc.——

’ Members of House of De1egates—Senatoria1 and Congress-
ional Districts——List of Sheriffs, Surveyors, and Assessors-
Prominent Monongalians Abroad—Biographical——Votes of the
County—Statistics of Population, etc.

BY THE constitution of 1621 of the Colony of Virginia, the
right of suffrage (in the election of members of the House
of Burgesses) was given to “the inhabitants”; afterwards
only freemen were allowed to vote. The right Was further
restricted, and housekeepers only could vote; then free-
holders and housekeepers liable to levies. Again, all free-
men were madevoters ; then freeholders only; then tenants
for life‘ were added. Again, the right of suffrage was limited
to freeholders “(excluding Women, infants, and recusants
convict).” In 1736, it was confined to holders of one hun-
dred acres of unsettled land or twenty-five acres of improved
land, and all freeholders in towns. Till 1723, free negroes,
Indians and mulattoes could vote. In that year they were
disqualified. The convention of 1775 extended the right of
suffrage to free white men in possession of the requisite
quantity of land, and those claiming freeholds therein, though
they should have no patents or legal title to their land.* I In
1785, the amount of unimproved land neccessary to be held
as a requisite to the right of suffrage, Was reduced from one
hundred to fifty acres. The provision requiring voters to

' See page 51 or this work, root-note.

268 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

vote in their respective counties and towns, was enacted in
1699.* The Constitutional Convention of 1829-30 made
further modifications in the direction of free suffrage ; and
the convention of 1850 wiped out the property qualification
altogether, and “every white male citizen of the Common-
wealth, of the age of twenty-one years, who has been a resi-
dent of the State for two years, and of the county, city or
town where he offers to vote, for twelve months next pre-
ceding an election,” was made a voter. The mode of
voting was viva 12006.

The first election was held at the house of Jonathan Co-
bun.’r The next earliest voting places of‘ which we have
any account was at Morgantown or near it, prior to 1782,
when an act of the Legislature made Zackwell Morgan’s the
place of holding court, and it and Boush’s Fort (now Buck-
hannon) voting places. After 1784 the place of holding
court was the voting place for some time. In 1816, Morgan-
town and some point in “the Cheat District” were voting
places. The court-house and the “Swamps” were polling
places in 1821. In 1824, the court-house, “Pawpaw” and
“Swamps” were the polls. In 1830, “Dunkard” was a poll;
and, in 1832, the court-house, Middletown, Pawpaw, Dun-
kard and Swamps were the polls. In 1836, “J arrett’s, Ross
and Snodgrass” were additional polls, and Pawpaw and
Dunkard did not appear. In 1840, the polls were the court-
house, Ross, Swamps, Jacksonville, Snodgrass, Middletown,
J arrett’s, Pawpaw, Flat Run and Blacksville.

“No returns of the popular vote for President are pre-
served with any fullness previous to 1824,” says Mr.
Spofford, the Librarian of Congress.

" Code or 1819, voL 1, pp. 38, 39, note.
1’ See page 51 of this Work.

POLITICAL HISTORY. . 269

THE voTEs OF MONONGALIA FOR PRESIDENT,
from 1828 to 1880, were as follows:

1828—Andrew Jackson, Democratic . . . . 490
John Q. Adams, National Republican . . 181
1832—AndreW Jackson, Democratic . . . . 860
Henry Clay, National Republican . . . 230
1836——Martin Van Buren, Democratic . . . . 680
William H. Harrison, Whig, etc. . . . 307
1840-Martin Van Buren, Democratic . . . . 1236
William H. Harrison, Whig . . . ' . 681
1844*—JaInes K. Polk, Democratic . . . . 780
Henry Clay, Whig . . . . . 393
1848——Lewis Cass, Democratic . . . . . ---- ..
Zachary Taylor, Whig . . . . . .... ..
’rMartin Van Buren, Free Soil . . . . .... ..
1852-Franklin Pierce, Democratic . . . . 1310
Winfield Scott, Whig . . . . ‘ . 728
IJohn P. Hale, Free Democratic . . . .... ..
1856——James Buchanan, Democratic . . . . 1474
Millard Filmore, American . . . . 630
John C. Fremont, Republican . . . . 2
1860——Stephen A. Douglas, Democratic . . . 757
John Bell, Const. Union . . . . . 622
John C. Breckinridge, Democratic . . . 601
Abraham Lincoln, Republican . . . . 77
1864——Abraham Lincoln, Republican . . . 1321
George B. McClellan, Democratic . . . . 706
1868——Ulysses S. Grant, Republican . . . 1518
Horatio Seymour, Democratic . ‘. . . 945
1872—Ulysses S. Grant, Republican . . . . 1531
Horace Greeley, Dem. &: Lib. Rep. . . . 807
Charles O’Connor, Democratic . . . 7
1876~——Rutherford B. Hayes, Republican . . . 1572
Samuel J. Tilden, Democratic . . . . 1136
Peter Cooper, Greenback . . . . . 8
1880-—James A. Garfield, Republican . . . 1753
Winfield S. Hancock, Democratic . . . . 1239
James B. Weaver, Greenback . . . . 88

A.

‘ In this'year no vote was cast for James G. Birney, Liberal 1’a.rty, in Virg lnia.
‘r Received but 9 votes in the State.
3 Received no votes in Virginia.

V 270 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

CONVENTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONS.*

The delegate from Monongalia County {to the convention
of 1776, which framed the first constitution of Virginia, was
Col. John Evans.

Convention of 1829.——The delegate from the county to the
Constitutional Convention of 1829 was Eugenius M. Wilson.
The votes of the county upon the question of calling this
convention,-and upon the ratification of the constitution
framed by it, were as follows :

Convention. Constitution.
POLL A For Against. For Against.
Court-house . . . . . . . . . . 4:22 69 282 219

Swamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 8 7 59

Pawpaw . . ; . . . . . . . . . . 136 28 112 126

Dunkard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 . 62 30

Total . . . . . . . . . . .. 635 105 410 487 C .
Majority. . . . . 530 ' 77

Convention of 1850.—Waitman T. Willey, of Monong/alia,
was a_ delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850.
The vote of the county upon calling this convention, was,

for convention, 179; against, 797; majority against, 618.

The vote upon the ratification of the Constitution submit-
ted by that body was, for ratification, 1377; against, 27;

majority, 1350.

Richmond Convention of 1861.—VVaitman T. ‘Willey and

* Ra1eigh’s grant was made in 1584; first charter, 1606; second charter, May 23d,
1609; third charter, 1611. Virginia Bill of Rights was adopted by a convention of
iorty—1ive members of the House of Burgesses at Williamsburgh, June 12, 1776. The
first Constitution oi Virginia was adopted June 29, 1776, by the same convention.
Amended Constitution of 1830 ratified by a vote of 26,055 to 15,563. Amended Constitu-
tion of 1851 ratified by 67,562 to 9,938 (with no returns from two counties). Ordinance
of Secession, 1861, vote reported at 128,884 in favor to 32,734 in opposition. Constitution
of West Virginia, 1861, ratified by a. Vote of 28,321 to 572. Constitution of 1872 Was rati-
fied by a vote of 42,344 to 37,777, with no returns from Ritchie County.

POLITICAL HISTORY. 271

Marshall M. Dent were elected delegates by Monongalia
County to the Richmond Convention of 1861, which passed
the ordinance of secession. At tl1e election of these dele-
gates, the county also voted upon the question Whether the
action of the convention should be submitted to their ap-
proval.* That vote in detail, also the votes on the‘ ordinance
of secession and on the question of a new State, should the
ordinance be ratified against the vote of VVestern Virginia,

are given in the following table:

3 § - -  as ‘:5’

8 :13 $3 %;’, 8 E2 13 $

53 3 8 ":§ 8 5 as

, L: 8 g Q, 8 an  <1)

POLLS. , :5 cu +3 Q 53 f Q E

at we 25» .1 2 Z 3

-:--< ' -.--4 5-! -:—<

5*’ as 5 so a 2%

<1 ’ <1 <1

Court-housez...‘ ..... .. , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ‘ 650 00 2 801 452 2
Guseman’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 00 00 36 35 00
J ones’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 159 00 9 146 98 00
0sborn’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . .- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 00 00 84 56 00
Ross ................................... . . 80 00 00 114 70 00
Loftus’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 00 00 153 98 00
Cushman’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , 95 00 00 103 76 00
Cassville .............................. . . 161 00 1 133 147 00
Laurel Point .......................... .. 181 1 10 134 92 1
Cox’:-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 8 ()2 63 51 00

Mooresville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ., ....... .. 159 00 00 201 147 . 00

Tennanvs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 00 7 35 48 2

Darrah’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 00 2 66 54 1

Warren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 4 22 190 167 12
otal ............................. . . 202?. 13 115 2263 1591
Majority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2014 2148 - 1573

7/V/aeeling Uomjenzfion of _Jzme, 1861.——Delegates from
Monongalia: Leroy Kramer, Joseph Snider, Ralph L.
Berkshire, Williani Price, James Evans and D. B. Dorseyj“
V lV7weZi72g Convention of 1861 10 fmme cz Uonstizuiion for
the j9r0_g90sed JVew SZazfe.—The delegates of Monongalia to
this convention were W. T. Willey and Henry Deringfi;

Z7Zz'c7c Ame7zcZmem,‘.——Tl1e vote of the county, in 1871,

‘This election was held February _4th; that on Secession, May 23d, and that on the
proposition to form a new State, in October, 1861.
‘r John J. Brown was a member from Preston County.
1 John J. Brown and John A. Dille were members from Preston County.

272 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

upon the amendment to the constitution of the State, pop-
ularly known as the “Flick Amendment,” was 786 for and
200 against. 1

Oonvention of 1872.——This convention was called by a vote
of the people taken on the fourth Thursday of August, 1871,
to amend the constitution. At the election for delegates to
this convention, held on the fourth Thursday of October
following, J. Marshall Hagans and Joseph Snider were
elected the two delegates from Monongalia County, and W.

'T. Willey, of Monongalia, was chosen as one of the delegates

from the senatorial district. The convention assembled at
Charleston, then the Capital of the State, on the third Tues-
day of January, 1872. The vote of Monongalia upon call-
ing this convention was, for convention, 688 ; against, 1,214.
Upon the ratification of the Constitution submitted, the
vote of the county was 895 for ratification, and 1,470 against.

Constitutional Amendments of 1880.——-The Legislature, on
the 6th of March, 1879, proposed two amendments to the
Constitution—an amendment to Article VIII, and one to
Section 13 of Article III. At the election on the second
Tuesday of October, 1880, these amendments were ratified.
Monongalia’s vote was: Article.VIII, for ratification, 1,450 ;
against, 1,277. ‘Article III, Section 13, for ratification, 1,440;
against, 1,270. I

MEMBERS OF HOUSE  DELEGATES.

The destruction of the records in Monongalia in 1796, at
Richmond in 1865, and the fact that the earlier journals of
the Legislature do not contain the names of the members,
have made it impossible to get a full list of the names of the
gentlemen who have represented the county in the House
of Delegates of the General Assembly of Virginia. The list

POLITICAL 1-1L‘5’1‘()1t 1'. - 273

subjoined is the result of patient. and prolonged searchings.
It was made up from old documents and newspapers,
from records in the county clerk’s oflice, from searches at
Richmond, and from the day—book of Thomas P. Bay (from
1821 to 1841). From her creation till 1842, the county had
two delegates in the General Assembly; from this year till
1852, but one; from 1852 to 1882, two delegates in the
Assembly, and in the Legislature of West Virginia. The
re-apportionment made in 1882, gave her but one member
in the House of Delegates.

MEMBERS HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

STATE OF VIRGINIA.

1797--Thom as Laid ley

1800—'I‘homas Laidley

1808-VVilliam G. Payne
Benjamin Reeder

l809—Ralph Berkshire
John Fairfax

1810—Dudle_v Evans
John Nl(fkllI]

-18l1——Felix Scott

1812——Felix Scott

1813-Dudley Evans
\ John VVagner
1814~—])udlev Evans
John Fairfax
18l5—Dudle_v Evans
John Wagner
1816—'l‘homas Wilson
Ralph Berkshire

. 1817-—-John VVa;.mer

Thomas Byrne
1818—Dudley Evans
John Wagner
1819——Dudle_v Evans
Alpheus P. Wilson
1820—John Wagner
Thomas S. Haymond
1821--Thomas S. Haymond
-— Morgan
1822——Ralph Berkshire
—— Morgan
1823~—'I‘homas S. Haymond
-—- Morgan

l824——Tbomas S. Haymond
Ralph Berkshire
1825-29-—Rioliard Watts
Francis Billingsley
1830-Richard Watts
Edgar C. Wilson
1831——Franr.~.is Billing-sley
William G. Henry
1832——William J. Willey
William G. Henry
1833——[*‘ranc-is Billingslev
Isaac Cooper
1834—William J. Willey
Morgran
1835——William J. VVilley
Joseph F. Harrison
1836—William J. Willey
Isaac Cooper
1837—Thomas S. Haymond
Horatio Morgan
1838—Thomas S. Haymond
John Clayton
1839—.lohn Cla_vt(‘n
James Evans
1840——-John Clayton
Caleb Tanzey
184]—William S. Morgan
Joseph F. Harrison
1842-Caleb Tanzey
l843—John H. Bowlby
1844—Alex. Wade
1845-—Alex. Wade
1846——Andrew Brown
1850-Francis Warman
1851——Andrew McDonald
*1852——Andrew McDonald

‘After this year the regular sessions were held b1-ennially; prior to this year, they

were held annually.
1 8

274 .H1ST()1{Y OF MONONGrALIA' COUNTY.

1852—John S. Letnley

1Sb3——J()bu B. Lough
Henry S. Coomlns

185E»—VViHiau1 Lantz
Robert C. Carothers

1857--Alfred .‘-l. Barbour
Alhen L1‘. Davis

1859——John \’\"alla(-,9
Andrew Brown

REOBGANIZED GOVERNMENT OF VIRGINIA.

l861——LeeRo_y K ram er
Joseph Snider

1862——LeeRo_y K ra mer
Joseph Snider

STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

1863——LeeRoy Kramer
John B. Lough
1864-——LeeRoy Kramer
John B. Lough
18-65—Alpheus W. Brown
Henry S. Coombs
1866-Alpbeus W. Brown
Nelson N. Hofiman
1867- James T. McClaskey
James V. Boughner
1868—James '1‘. McClaskey
Alpheus Garrison
1869—William Price

l870—George O. Stu:-;,iss
1871-George C. Slurgiss
John B Lough
*‘l872—WiHiam Price
Joseph Snider
1874—John B. Lough
Joseph Snider
1876—J-ames '1‘. Mct‘-laskey
John B. Gray
1878-—J. Marshall 1-lagans
James Hare
1880-—Henry L. Cox
James S. Watson

George C. Sturgiss
1870——John B. Lough

1882-Henry L. Cox.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.

In 1788, Monongalia was in a Congressional district with
Harrison, Ohio, and several other counties. In 1792, Mon-
ongalia was in the third Congressional district with Hamp-
shire, Hardy, Pendleton, Randolph, Harrison and Ohio.
In 1813, Monongalia, Brooke, Ohio and Harrison were in
the First district; up to the year 1820, the counties of
Lewis, Tyler and Preston were added. These counties,
except Lewis, formed the 18th district after 1823. Monon-
galia, Brooke, Hancock, Ohio, Marshall, Tyler, Wetzel,
Marion, Randolph, Preston and Barbour, in 1849, consti-
tuted the 15th district. In the apportionment of April 6,
1852, Monongalia, Marshall, Ohio, Brooke, Hancock, Wetzel,
Tyler, Pleasants, Marion, Taylor and Preston composed the
10th district. The Legislature of the Reorganized Govern-

* After this year the regular sessions of the Legislature were held hi-ennlally ; and
the session did not begin 13111 In January or the year after that In which the members
were elected; thus, members were elected in 1874, to serve in the Legislature or 1875,
and so on. \

POLITICAL Hrstronv. 275

.ment, January 30, 1863, made the 11th district to consist of

Monongalia, Taylor, Marion, Preston, Tucker, Iiewis, Bar-
bour, Upshur, "Webster, Pocahontas, Randolph, Pendleton,.
Hardy, Hampshire and Morgan: Under the New State, on
the 24th of September, 1863, the 2d district was formed 01
the counties of Monongalia, Taylor, Marion, Preston,
Tucker, Barbour, Upshur, VVebster, Pocahontas, Randolph,

_ Pendleton, Hardy, Hampshire, Berkeley and Morgan. Sub-

sequently, the counties of Grant, Mineral and Jefferson
were added to this district, which so remained till the ap-
portionment of 1882, when VVebster, Upshur and Pocal1on~
tas were taken off, and rest of the counties still formed the

second district.

CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES.

The first Congress of the United States assembled at New
York City, March 4, 1789. John G. Jackson represented
the districts of which Monongalia was a part from 1795 to
97, and from 1799 to 1810, and again from 1813 to 17.
Ex—Governor Joseph Johnson represented the district of
Which Monongalia Was a part from 1823 to 27; and from 1835
to 39. Philip Doddridge represented the district from 1829
until his death, November 19, 1832. William G. Brown, of
Preston, was the representative from 1845 to 49 ; also in the
37th Congress, and was the first representative from the dis-
trict under the new State. He also served through the 38th
Congress, and was succeeded by George R. Latham, 1865-7.
B. M. Kitchen, of Berkeley, was the next representative,
serving in 1867 and 68,‘ J anfes C. McGrew, of Preston,
succeeded him, in 1868, and served through two Con-
gresses, and until ‘1872. J. Marshall Hagans, of Monon-
galia, was the next representfitlve of the district, from 1872

K

INDIAN OCCUPATION. 25

waged a war of subjugation and extermination against
kindred ‘nations with xvonderful success. The Delawares,
the great nation of the Algonquixi family,‘fell before them
in the east, a11d, with the Shawanese, came west in 1713,
and inhabited this country as tenants of the Six Nations.
It is a common supposition that the Indians inhabiting
this country traveled by the sun, the moss on the trees and
the stars. In extreme cases they did, and were enabled to
travel great distances by these means; yet they had their
roads from village to village and from point to point, as we
have our roads «froni place to place. Judge Veech says:
“ They had their trails or paths as distinctly marked  our
county and State roads, and often better located.”
of these Indian paths or highways passed through the
county. ' ,
Ct¢zf(m‘7;(./, ll?n'—] it!/e.—-R1111I1i11g from New York, this
great path or trail came through Fayette County, Penna.,
and crossed Cheat River at the mouth of Grassy Run;
thence, passing south through the county, it ran to the
Holston River.

attack the southern tribes living in the LP‘/Vi!/1‘()r1i11-(’LS, Georgia

Over this trail the Six Nations traveled to

and Tennessee.

ll?u°2°i0i° J)’/"(me/z.—Tl1is was a tributary path that struck

from the great trail, just mentioned, in Fayette County, and

crossed Cheat River at l\IcFarland’s; then passed over the
lllonongahela and up the valleyof*Du11ka1‘d Creek. From
Dunkard, it passed over to and down Fish Creek, and then
through southern Ohio into Kentucky.

JFCI/,.\'?f6I’/L T/'a2'l.——Tl1is path came from the Ohio, probably
by the Way of Fish Creek, down Indian Creek, and, crossing
the Monongahela, ran up 'VVhite Day Creek. Passing

through Preston County, it kept on to the South Branch {of

Several ,

7/lvtx.

1,:

/\gfi:«‘

276 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

to 74. He was succeeded by Charles James Faulkner, of
Berkeley, from 1874 to 76. Benjamin F. Martin, of Taylor,
then represented the district, from 1876 to 1881, when John
Blair Hoge, of Berkeley, was elected, and served till 1883.
William L. Wilson, of. J efierson, was elected in 1882, as a
member of the XLVIIITH Congress.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

THOMAS WILSON, a prominent man in the county in his
day, was born in Eastern Virginia. He read law with Judge
Stuart, of Staunton, and was admitted to the bar at that
place. He married Miss Mary Poage, and came to Morgan-
town, Where he was admitted to practice law September 21,
1789. After enjoying a lucrative practice for over twenty
years, he‘ was elected the first member of Congress from
Monongalia County, and served from 1811 to 1813. After
the expiration of his term in Congress, he devoted himself
to the practice of his profession. He died on the 24th
of January, 1826, after a long life of public usefulness,
leaving behind him five sons and three daughters, distin-
guished for talent and ability.

EDGAR CAMPBELL WILSON, son of the Hon. Thomas Wil-
son, was born at Morgantown, October 18, 1800. He read
law with his father, and was admitted to the bar at Morgan-
town on June 24, 1822. He was elected a member of the
House of Representatives of the United States in 1833, and
served till 1835. Mr. Wilson, in 1842, was appointed pros-
ecuting attorney in the circuit court of Marion County. He
was a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church. He died at
Morgantown on the evening of the 24th of April, 1860. The
trustees of Monongalia Academy paid a high tribute of re-
spect to his memory, and the bar of the county held a.

POLITICAL HISTORY. ‘277

meeting, and among other resolutions passed was the follow-
ing: “That the character of Mr. Wilson as a lawyer, a gen-
tleman, and a Christian, is eminently entitled to our respect,
and we desire to enter upon the record of this court a
permanent testimonial of our high regard for it.”

J OHN MARSHALL HAGANS.——Tl1e subject of this sketch was
born on the 13tl1 of August, 1838, at Brandonville, Preston
County, Virginia (now VVest Virginia). His paternal an-
cestors were from New England, and his maternal were of
Scotch descent. Monongalia Academy—-the University of
Northw'est Virginia before the War,—witl1 its learned in-
structors and full curriculum of English and classical stud-
ies, furnished Mr. Hagans a thorough educational training :
and at the instance of many friends who saw in him that
peculiar diversity of talent which seldom fails to win dis-
tinction at the bar, he commenced the study of the law in
the office of the Hon. Waitman T. Willey, and afterward
further pursued his studies at the law school of Harvard
University, Cambridge, Mass. He was licensed and admit-
ted to the practice of law in the courts of Virginia in 1859,
and has successfully prosecuted his profession since that
time.

Mr. Hagans was elected Prosecuting Attorney for the
county of Monongalia in 1862, at the first election for State
and county oflicers under the first Constitution of VVest Vir-
ginia ; re-elected in 1863 and 64, and again in 1870.

In January, 1864, the Supreme Court of Appeals of VVest
Virginia appointed him its Reporter, which position he held
until March, 1873, during which time five volumes of the
leading cases decided by that court were published, known
as “Hagans’ West Virginia Reports.” The first volume

278 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

contains an accurate and ‘well-written history of events an-
tecedent‘ to and contemporaneous with the admission of the
State of 'VV’est Virginia into the Union.

In 1866, 67, and again‘ in 1869, he was elected Mayor of
the municipal corporation of Morgantown. From the deep
interest he manifested in the political affairs of the State,
other honors were rapidly conferred upon him.

In 1868,,he was Presidential Elector on the Republican
ticket for the second Congressional District. In 1871, he
was chosen by his 'fellow—citizens of Monongalia County a
delegate to the convention to amend the Constitution of the
State. The Baptist Record, then published at Charleston,
VV. Va., in sketching the members of that convention, April
10, I872,"__says of Mr. Hagans:

“VVhile he is uncompromising in his views, and tenacious of his
opinions, and will maintain them with all the vigor of a cultivated
and well thinking mind, he recognizes a‘ proper and just respect
for the views and opinions of others. He is deferential in discus-
sion to those who are his seniors, respectful always to those who
difier from him, and kind and courteous to all. His social qualities
are of rare order.. VVith a generous and impulsive nature, it is
your comfort and not  convenience that is to be consulted. He
possesses to a rare extent the faculty of impersonating characters
and telling anecdotes, which, with his ready flashes of wit ‘and
humor, renders him, as a. conversationalist, almost unapproachable.
As a debater, he has but few superiors in the convention, and very
few, if any, in the State. He is a forcible as well as an eloquent
speaker. ,rI‘Ie isiiever at a lost for words to express his ideas ; they

always seem to be ready and waiting for his use, which gives him_

that ready and eloquent diction that but very few of our public
men possess. His style is generallyealm, and never boisterous‘; he
is content upon all occasions, to address himself to the judgement,
and not the prejudices, of his hearers. ‘His cool, calculating mind,

coupled with his natural as well as cultivated shrewdness, fits him

for a skillful political leader.”

  POLI']?IC;A;L~HIS.TORY.'    279

Mr. Haganswas elected a Representative of the second
West Virginia District to the 43d Congress of the United
States by a majority of nearly three thousand, and served
on the Committee on the District of Columbia. In 1879
he was chosen a member for Monongalia County of the
House of Delegates of the West Virginia Legislature, and
took an active part in securing an enactment submitting to
the voters of the State for ratification or rejection the pro-
vision in its present constitution, substituting three com-
missioners in each county as a police and fiscal tribunal, in-
stead of the old county court, and had the pleasure of
seeing that amendment ratified by a very large majority.

In 1880, he was a delegate to the National Republican
Convention held at Chicago, and was a most ardent, untir-
ing and persistent adherent of the H011. James G. Blaine
for the nomination, and only. yielded his preference for his

friend When the voice of the convention so decisively pro-

' nounced in favor of the lamented Garfield, Whose election

he advocated with all the activity and energy of his nature.

Mr. Hagans was married in May, 1860," to Sarah -B., sec-
ond daughter of . Senator VVaitman T. VVilley, and has three
children.

Mr. Hagans possesses literary ability of a high order.
His addresses and speeches are marked by being logical in
thought, rich in imagery and language, and remarkably close
‘in connection. Some of his best efforts have been pro-
nounced fine specimens of forensic oratory.

' CONGRESSIONAL vorns.

The earliest vote of Monongalia on Congressmen which
has been obtained is that of April, 1819, which was found
in The Jlfonongalia Spectator of April 17th of that year. VVe
reproduce the table as it appeared in that newspaper:

280 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Counties. Pindell. .McKinZey.
Preston ................................................................ .. 173 ..... .. 27
Ohio .................................................................... .. 100 ..... .. 175
Lewis .................................................................. .. 190 ....  143
Tyler .................................................................... .. 144 . .... .. 10

James Pindell was successful atthis election. His service
in Congress extended from 1817 to 20. William McKinley
had been a member of Congress from 1810 to 11.

Year. Candidates. Votes.
1870.—Jan1es C. McGrew, Rep ................................................ .. 1,257
, O. D. Downey, Dem ..................................................... .. 895
*1874.—Chas. J. Faulkner, Dem ............................................ .. 562
Alex. R. Boteler, Ind ................................................ .. 342
1878——Frank Burr, Rep ........................................................ .. 1,227
Benj. F. Martin, Dem....   . . .  . . . . . .  1,182

John A. Thompson, Grbk ............................................ .. 48
1880.—Joseph T. Hoke, Rep ................................................. .. 1,744
John B. Hoge, Dem ...................................... ... ............ .. 1,244

D. D. T. Farnsworth, Grbk .......................................... .. 90

SENATORIAL DISTRICTS.

By the Constitution of 1776, the Virginia Senate con-
sisted of twenty—four members, and this number was not
increased till 1830. In May, 1776, the convention divided
the Commonwealth into twenty-four Senatorial Districts.
This was before Monongalia Was formed, but her territory
was in the twenty—fourth district, as the county was itself
after its formation. In 1792, another apportionment viras
made, and Monongalia, Ohio, Tyler and Brooke constituted
the twenty-fourth district, to which Preston was added at
the date of its formation. The Constitution of 1830 in-
creased the number of Senators to thirty-two, and Monon-
galia, Preston and Randolph constituted the second district.
Marion and Barbour were erected out of this territory and

“ J. Marshall Hagans, who was not 9. candidate, received 432 votes In the county.

POLITICAL HISTORY. 281

became counties of the district, January 14th and March
3d, of the year 1842, respectively. When Taylor was
erected, on January 19, 1844, so much of her territory as
Was taken from Marion remained a part of the second Sen-

atorial District. This arrangement was enacted in the code 8

of 1849 and remained till the ratification of the Constitu-
tion of 1851, which went into operation in January of the
next year. Under that Constitution the Senate consisted
of fifty members, and Monongalia, Preston and Taylor
formed the 49th district. This apportionment, it was pro-
vided in the Constitution, was not to be changed till 1865.
Under the Constitution of ‘Vest Virginia, in 1863, the
State was divided into nine Senatorial Districts, each of
which elected two Senators. (In Virginia each district
elected but one Senator.) By the admission of the counties
of Pendleton, Hardy, Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley and
Jefferson into the State, two other Senatorial Districts were
formed, and thus the Senate consisted of twenty—two mem-
bers. The Constitution of 1872 divided the State into
twelve districts, and made the Senate to consist of twenty-
four members-—two from each district,—and Monongalia
and Preston constituted the 10th district. By the appor-

_ tionment of 1882, thirteen districts were macTe, two members

added to the Senate, and Monongalia and Preston became
the 11th district.

STATE SENATORS.

Of the earlier State Senators from Monongalia County,
we have record of Alpheus P. Wilson, who served from 1821
to 24; Charles S. Morgan, from 1825 to 28; VVilliam J.
Willey, Who was elected in 1837, and again in 1843. It is
said that Francis Billingsley was in the Senate in 1835.

.282 HISTORY OE—1\IQNQNGA.LIA COUNTY.

Alexander Wade was elected in 1852., 2. Jonathan Huddleson.

, was Senator from 1856 to 59.

Since the creation of West Virginia, the Senatorial repre-
sentation of the districts of which Monongalia has been 3.
part, is as follows:

1863.—John J. Brown. 1871.——Wil1iam Price.
E. C. Bunker. 4 VVil1ia.m B. Crane.
1864.—E. C. Bunker. 1872.—Jesse H. Gather.
John J. Brown. , William Price.
1865.—John J. Brown. v 1872—3—~C. M. Bishop.
William Price. . James T. McClaskey.
1866.——John S. Burdett. 1875.——C. M. Bishop.
William Pricc. . Ralph L. Berkshire.
1867.—William B. Zinn. 1877.-—Ra1ph L. Berkshire.
John S. Bu-rdett. John P. Jones.
1868.—William Price: . 1879.—John P. Jones.
VVi1liam B. Zinn. W. C. McGrrew.
1869.—Jesse H. Gather. 1881.——VV. M. O. Dawson.
William Price. ‘V. C..McGrrew.
1870.——VVilliam B. Crane. 1883.———W. C. McGrrew.
Jesse H. Cather. W. M. O. Dawson.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ALPHEUS POAGE WILSON, son of the Hon. Thomas Wilson,
was born March 2, 1794 ; read law with his father, and was
admitted to the bar in 1821. He was elected to the Legis-
lature in 1819. On the 20th of September, 1821, he married
Miss Eliza Evans, daughter of Jesse Evans, of Springhill,
Fayette Count Penn. Mr. \Vilson was elected the same
year to the State Senate, in which he served from 1821 to 25.
In 1826, he was a delegate to IVashington City to a canal
convention. He operated Rock Forge from about 1825 to
32, in which year, on‘ February 10th, he fell from a boat
load of iron, near Brownsville, Penn., and was drowned.

' WILLIAM J. VVILLEY, the eldest son of Squire VVilliam,

VVilley, and a balf-brother of the Hon. W. T. ‘Willey, was
born in Monongalia County, and becamevprominent as a

public man. , He was commissioned a justice of the peace,

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_POLITICAL HISTORY. . 283

December 24, 1824. He represented Monongalia County in
tlie House of Delegates from 1832 to 36, and was elected
to the State Senate about 1837, and re-elected in 1843.
He removed to Missouri about 1865, and died there soon
afterward. H

ALEXANDER WADE was the son of Dr. Thomas Wade, and
was born on the waters of Scott’s Run. He married Miss
Cottr *1, of near Burton. He represented Monongalia in the
House of Delegates of Virginia in 1844 and 45, and was
elected to the State Senate in 1852. After the opening of
the civil War, he moved to Missouri, Where he died some
years ago.

JOHN JAMES BROWN, only son of Robert and Annie Brown,
was born in Kingwood, Preston County, Virginia, November
19, 1823. In early boyhood he was sent to Monongalia

~ Academy and placed under the instruction of the- Rev.

Thomas Martin, a learned English and classical scholar, ed-
ucated at the College of Belfast, Ireland. He afterward
entered the junior class of VVashington College, at VVash-
ington, Penn., and was graduated from thatinstitution in

October, 1845. Returning home, he became deputy for‘

John P.'Byrne, clerk of «the circuit and county courts of
Preston County, and during this time studied law under his
uncle, the Hon. VVI11. G. Brown, of Kingwood. He was
licensed in November, 1848, and began the practice of his
profession in partnership with his uncle, in April, 1849.
This firm soon won a reputation second to none in the
State, which was owing perhaps not more to the ability and
experience of the uncle, than to the industry, activity and
ability of the nephew.

When the trying days of 1860 came upon the country,

26 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the Potomac). Over it most likely came the band that
murdered the Dunkards. "Over it p_assed the war—parties
that made forays against the Indians of" eastern Virginia.
Over it traveled the Ohio Indians who harassed the South
Branch settlements, and over it canie the band that mur-
dered John Greene in 1788"“ The location ofthese paths
beyond their general direction is noyv impossible. \Vith a
generation past‘ it is buried, and nothing can be found
preserving it. The scarceness of Indian”villages,showing
signs of perinanent location i for any great length of
time, shows that the Indians used the county mainly as a
favorite l1u11ting ground. VVhereVer their Villages were
situated is found a black earth, filled with b_urnt muscle
shells, traces of White-wash clay and charcoal, showing their
process of making pottery, pieces of which are found in the
same earth. T to L

A mile or so from Stewarttown is the “Buffalo Pond,” a
long narrow‘ hollow with high rocky ‘sides running back
from Cheat River and terminating in a Wal11O or 12 feet
high. It is asserted that the Indians used this as a trap for
buffaloes. They drove the bison up into it from the river,
and then shot them.

Indian stone-pile graves were some years ago to be found
all over the county, but are now scarce. The stone of
which they were composedhave been hauled away. \Vhen
opened an Indian skeleton was generally found, and, some;
times with it, a tomahawk, i pipe, beads or some other
ornament.

The “Pictured Rock,” about four or five miles from Mor-
gantown, is now so covered and overgrown that deciphering

' History of Preston County, W. V'a., pp. 44 and 

284 HISTORY OF 'MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Mr. Brown stood steadfastly for the Union. A convention
of the people of Preston County was held at Kingwood on
the 26th of January, 1861, to nominate two delegates to the
Richmond Convention which passed the ordinance of se-
cession. Just before the convention formally organized, the
Union Women of Kingwood presented to the meeting a
beautiful flag, their own handiwork. Mr. Brown was chosen
to make the presentation speech, which he did in the fol-
lowing eloquent words : *

“My Country/men,——We have met to-day to do homage to the sen-
timent of patriotism; and if love to God and love to our neighbor
be the fulfilling of the law, certainly love for our country can not
be idolatry. Love of country is a universal sentiment, and is some-
times roused to the wildest enthusiasm by apparently the most
trivial causes. In times past, the Switzer’s song of home, echoing
along the glaciers of the Alps, has called a nation of freemen to
arms; and the mercenary ranks of almost every army in Europe
have been deserted by the influence of the same soul-stirring song.
The Marseilles has time and again revolutionized France, and
to-day it is like a magazine beneath the throne of the imperial
Napoleon. ‘ Hail Columbia’ and ‘Yankee Doodle’ gave victory to
the arms of Washington, and the smoke of battle and the shout of

, triumph at New Orleans rose amid their soul-inspiring strains.

And when our ears hear, and our hearts drink the eloquence of
song ; when our eyes, kindled with the fire of patriotism, catch our
country’s flag streaming in the sunlight, then let the loud shout go
up, as it did from the shores of the Chesapeake in 1814-

‘Our flag is there-
Our flag is there——
Behold its glorious stripes and stars!’

“I now desire to perform one of the most pleasing acts of my
Whole life. Your mothers and wives and sisters have handed to me
‘ The glorious ensign of our Republic,’ with ‘not a stripe erased or
polluted, and not a single star obscured’—-wrought by their own
patriotic hands——and desire me to present it in their name, to you,
my fellow countrymen of Preston County, and to say to you, ‘ It is

' History or Preston County, W. Va., pp. 126, 127.

POLITICAL ' HISTORY. 285

our country’s flag--the emblem of our National Union.‘ I can find
no more suitable response to the patriotic Union-loving ladies,
than by giving utterance to the beautiful sentiment of the patriot
poet of our own country:
‘A unlonpot lakes and a. union of lands,
A union of States none can sever ;
A union of hearts and a union or hands,
And the flag of our Union forever.’

“ It is notithe flag of Virginia, nor of Pennsylvania, nor of Massa-
chusetts, nor of South Carolina : It is the flag of our country——the
flag of our Union ; and there are clustering around it ten thousand
hallowed associations and memories. It is the flag to which the
gallant Lawrence turned his eyes in death and exclaimed, ‘Don’t
give up the ship !’ It is the flag that Perry grasped from the prow
of his sinking vessel, and through the deadly broadsides of the
enemy, bore aloft to victory. It is the flag our gallant countrymen
unfurled, in triumph, over the palaces of the Montezumas.

“ Gro, my countrymen! baptize it in the morning sunbeams, and
give it to the breeze; and if "the time shall ever come (which God
forbid 1) when it must be bathed in blood, these mothers and wives
and sisters and daughters, whose gift is is, bid me to say to you,
their fathers and husbands and brothers and sons—Gro to the
tented—field, stand by this flag, fight for your country under your
country’s banner, and die in its defense, if death shall come, like
the gallant Jasper, enshrouded in its folds.”

Mr. Brown took the stump and exerted himself with great
earnestness against the adoption of the ordinance of seces-
sion. Knowing his ability and not fearing to trust his
fidelity, the Union men of Preston County elected him a
delegate to the Wheeling Convention of June, 1861, which
restored the government of Virginia; and, with ex—Judge
John A. Dille, Mr. Brown was chosen to represent that
county in the Constitutional Convention which met at
Wheeling in November, 1861, and framed the first consti-
tion of the State of West Virginia. In both these impor-
tant bodies Mr. Brown was an industrious and influential

286 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

member. He labored for the adoption of the constitution;
and when Congress made it the condition of admission of
West Virginia into the Union, that the constitution should
be changed in the clause respecting slavery (see pp. 197
and 198), Mr. Brown, willing to sacrifice all personal
feelings to secure the new State, upon the re-assembling
of the convention, advocated the adoption of the gradual
emancipation clause, and urged the people afterward to
ratify it.

At the first general election under the constitution of
West Virginia, Mr. Brown, with the late General Edward C.
Bunker, of Monongalia County, was elected to represent
the senatorial district composed of the counties of Preston,
Monongalia and Taylor in the first Senate of West Virginia;
and was re-elected from the same district a second time to
the Senate. He was chairman of the important Committee
on Finance and Claims, and a member of that on Courts of
Justice and General Laws. In the Senate Mr. Brown was
among the leading members. A ripe lawyer, possessed of
an acute and logical mind, cool and self—possessed, and
always practical, conservative and safe, he exerted much
influence among his fellow Senators. At this period Mr.
Brown was the subject of a biographical sketch printed in a
Wheeling newspaper, in which it was said of him:

“ He speaks not very often, but well and very short. He is one
of the most pointed and logical debaters in the Senate; does not
say a word too much or too little, and nothing that is not right to
the point; his gestures are natural and forceful, and his enuncia-

tion is exceedingly clear and striking. . . . He writes with rapid- .
ity and great beauty. . . . Mr. Brown’s grandfatlier and grand-

mother came from the old country just after the Revolutionary
war, and settled in Monongalia (now Preston) County; the former

was one of the ‘
‘Scots who ha’ W1’ Wallace bled,’

POLITICAL HISTORY. C 287

and the latter was a pearl from the ‘Crew of the Ocean,’ the Eme-
rald Isle.”

In October, 1864, Mr. Brown removed from Kingwood to
Morgantown, Monongalia County, Where he still resides in
the practice of his profession. He has been for many years
a director of the Merchants’ National Bank of West Virginia
at Morgantown, and for the last five years its president,
which position he still holds.

Mr. Brown gets his military title from having come up
from the ranks in the old 148th Regiment of Virginia
Militia, in which regiment he was commissioned a Major in
June, 1858, under the law reorganizing the Virginia Militia,
as prepared by the late Gov. Kemper, of Madison County,
Virginia.

Mr. Brown is a gentleman of fine literary tastes and
acquirements ; and that he is a chaste and polished writer,
the extract herein cited from one of his speeches, as Well as
those on pages 161 and 162, from his Centennial address,

abundantly show. As an orator, he has few superiors. He

is of a profoundly religious character, and is an earnest and
leading member, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of
a modest and retiring disposition, kind, generous, and
sympathetic, liberal and broad in his political opinions, he
is temperate in all things, and is, as has been said of him

by a Writer, “ a model Worthy of imitation.”
The year of Mr. Brown’s birth is 1825, not 1823 as printed on p. 283,—an error made

in deciphering the manuscript, and not noticed till the page was printed.

WILLIAM PRICE was the son of Michael and Elizabeth
Price, who came to this country from VVales. He was born
in Greene County, Penn., on the 21st of November, 1803,
and removed from near Carmichaels to Clay District,
Monongalia County, in 1826. He married Catharine,

‘Z88 H1S'1‘(_)RY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

sister of Andrew Brown. Thirteen children were born
to them, of whom Dr. Thomas H. Price, a graduate of Jeffer~
son Medical Colle,c;e, is at Bridesburg, near Philadelphia;
Col. George Price was once in command of a regiment of
militia, and was elected County Surveyor in 1864; John
E. Price was elected County Surveyor in 1868, and at
present is deputy she-.rifl' of the county; Oliver Price resides
upon the home farm.

William Price, or, as he was commonly called, Squire
Price, was six feet high, of light complexion, with fair hair,
and his weight was about one hundred and eighty pounds.
He was elected Justice of the Peace under the Constitution
of 1851, and was County Surveyor in 1863. He ran the

1 township lines of the county in that year. He represented

Monongalia in the House of Delegates in 1869, and was
elected to the State Senate in 1864:, andire-elected in 1867,
and re—elected again in 1870. ‘

His wife, who was born on January 22, 1814, died on the
27th of April, 1869, and twelve years later was followed
to the grave by her husband, who died on the 14th of May,
1881, at the ripe age of seventy-seven years, and after a
long and active life‘. Of his usefulness and worth as a pub-
lic man and as a citizen, the Monongalia and other papers
of the State spoke in high terms. The State Journal,
published at Parkersburg, said that he “represented his
district in the Senate with marked industry and ability.”
The 1V07'gant0'wn Post declared that “his many acts of
charity and kindness will live in the memory of many years
after his body has crumbled to dust.”

JAMES TRAVILLA MCCLASKEY, the third son of William and
Rebecca McC1askey, was born on the 3d day of September,
1816, in Alleghany County, Md; When but a youth, he

' POLITICAL HISTORY. 289

Went to Randolph County. From there he removed to
Monongalia in the year 1835. James T. McClaskey was
united in marriage with Nancy, daughter of VVilliam Vande-
vort, in 1839.

He was elected a member of the House of Delegates of
the West Virginia Legislature in the years 1867, 68 and 76;
and was elected to the State Senate in 1872. He served his
constituents with fidelity and ability. Mr. McClaskey was
an uncompromising Union man. He is of earnest nature, of
industrious habits, liberal, of quick sympathy, and of sterling
integrity. He stands high among his neighbors, and is well
and favorably known throughout the county. Mr. McClas—
key now resides upon his farm in Union District.

WILLIAM CLARK MCGREW, son of the Hon. James C.
McGrew, was born at Kingwood, Preston County, April 21,
1842, and received an academic education. He was married
to Miss Julia 13)., daughter of the Hon. "W. T. VVi1]ey, in
1864. For several years previous to 1870, he was engaged
in the mercantile busines at Kingwood. In this year he
removed to Morgantown, where he has followed the same
occupation, and in which he is still engaged. He was
elected Mayor of Morgantown in 1876 and 77, and was
elected, in 1878, to the State Senate from the 10th district
(Monongalia and Preston counties), and, in 1882, was re-
elected to the Senate from the same counties for the term
expiring in 1886. In the last session of the Senate Major
McGrew, as he is popularly known, though of the minority
party, was chairman on the part of the Senate of the labor-
ious and responsible Joint Committee on “Enrolled Bills.
He was a member, in the sessions of 1881 and .82, of the
joint conpgnittee. to apportion representation. in. the Legisla-

290 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA ‘COUNTY.

ture, and of that to re—arrange the Congressional districts.
He Was also a member of the joint committee to investigate

certain alleged abuses in the Hospital for the Insane.

Mr. McGrreW hadino superior in the Senate as a parlia-
mentarian, and was often called to preside over the body.

Though possessed of a ricl1, deep and sonorous voice, and ’

one Well adapted to public speaking, Mr. McGreW’s speeches
were neither long nor frequent. His words, however, were
always to the, point. Of a genial and companionable na-
ture, always fond of a jOl{6, and with a fine vein of humor,
he was popular among his fellow—Senators.

WILLIAM S. MORGAN* was born in Monongalia County,
September 7, 1801. He was self—educated; served as a
Representative in Congress, from Virginia, from 1835 to 39,
and was Chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary
Pensions, and declined a re-election; in 1840 he was ap-
pointed aiClerk’_in the Houseof Representatives, from which
position he was transferred to the Legislature of Virginia,
and declined a re-election; he was a Democratic Elector in
1844; and in 1845, having injured his health by public
speaking, he was appointed to a clerkship in the Treasury
Department. '

SHERIFFS.
In the Code of 1849 andtofi 1860 may be found an inter-

esting statement of the laws. of Virginia from the earliest:

times, concerning Sheriffs. In 1634, it was enacted that;
Sheriffs should be elected; the term; of oflice Waslimited tot

one year in 1642-3; in 1655-6, it was enacted that the gov-

. . I
* This sketch, which is copied from Lanmams Dictionary of Congress (Washington,
1864), shouldiouow that of tine,-Hen. Edgar.C.. Wi1son.on,pa_ge .

POLITICAL HISTORY’. L291

ernor and council should. appoint one of the three persons
nominated to them by the commissioners of each county, as
Sheriff ; in 1660—1, that the Sheriff ’s place be conferred on

the first orroldest in commission, and so devolve to every‘

commissioner in course; in 1705, that the governor might
commission either one of three nominated, and also that a
Sheriff might continue in office two years; in 1710, a pen-
alty was imposed for refusal to accept the office, and pro-
vision made for caseof failure to nominate to the governor,
and in event of vacancy in the office ; in 1775, the power of
appointment was conferred on the county courts; the Con-
stitution of 1776 revived the custom of recommendation to
the governor by the county courts, and, in 1792, an act was
passed providing that the county court of each county
should annually nominate to the governor three of the jus-
tices, one of whom should be commissioned as Sheriff by

the governor, Failure to make the nominations subjected’

each justice so failing to a fine of two hundred dollars. If
the person appointed Sheriff failed to give bond within two
months, he was liable to a fine of three hundred dollars, and
one of the other justices nominated was to be appointed
Sheriff. A Sheriff might be continued in office for two
years with the consent of the governor. In 1819, provision
was made for the event that none‘ of the justices nor any
other person in a-county would accept’ the oflice.- These
provisions of » law remained in force, substantially, till the

Constitution of 1851 went into operation, by which a Sher-H

ifl"‘was to be elected by the voters of each county for a term
of 3 two. years.

The following is a. list of the Sheriffs of» Monongalia
County" so far"asltheii'< names can‘ be*l1“a.d.

292
LIST OF
'ame. Sworn:
*Joun Dent, about 1776
David Scott, 1783

Francis Warman,
John Dent,
Thomas Butler,
Thomas Chipps,
Robert Ferrell,
James Scott.
James Scott,
John T. Goff,

John '1‘. Goff, March 10.
John T. Golf, March 12,
Russel Potter, March 1,
Elihu Horton,

John Fairfax, Sept. 10,
Stephen Morgan, Sept. 15,
Lemuel John. Sept. 11,
Nicholas Vandervort,
Nicholas Vandervort,

Thomas Miller, December 15,
TJosoph Campbell,

TA. 1’. Wilson,

A. P. Wilson,

Rawley Evans, July 27,
John Cox,

Rawley lhvans, Jan. 25,
John Cox, August 28,
John Cox, August 28,

John P. Barnes, August 26,

HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

[The following were elected by the people]

A. C. Dorsey,
John T. Fleming,
John T. Fleming,
James Odbert,
James Odhert,
John Brand,

1852
1854
1856
1858
1 860
1862

SHEBIFFS. " . .

Ncmw. Sworn in.
John P. Barnes, August 25, 1823
Adam Brown, August 24, 1824
Ralph Berkshire, March 4, 1825
Ralph Berkshire, March 29, 1826
Jesse Busey, March 26, 1827
Jesse Busey, March 24. 1828
Anthony Smith, March 23, 1829
Anthony Smith, March 22, 1830
David P. Morgan, March 30, 1831
David P. Morgan, March 26, 1832
Thos. S. Haymond, March 25, 1833
Thos. S Haymond, March 24, 1834
David Musgrave, March 23, 1835
David Musgrave, March 28. 1836
David Musgrave, April 24, 1837
John Nuzum, March 26, 1838
John Nuzum, March 25, 1839
John Evans, March 23, 1840
John Evans, March 22, 1841
Samuel Minor, March 28 1842
Samuel Minor, March 27, 1843
Owen John, March 25, 1844
Owen John, March 24, 1845
Aaron Barker, March 25, 1846
Aaron Barker, March 22, 1847
Geo. McNeely, March 27. 1848
William John, March 25. 1850
William John, March 24, 1851
Thomas Meredith, March 22, 1852
George W. McVicker, 1866
Alpheus Garrison, 1870
George W. McVlcker, 1872
Samuel Hackney, 1876
George W. McVicker, 1880

This old tax-receipt was found among the papers of the
late Capt. William Sigler, of Kingwood, Preston County:

WILLIAM SIGLER, Dr.

(To 2 Horses ..........  ............  .............................. ..$0"42
1814 -Ego 22lac‘1-es (ié land ....................................................... .. 0"04
, o 4 ots in ingwood ................................................. .. 1"10
To 1 tythe, 2 Horses & 3 cattle .........  ......................... .. 1"01
1815 To 22 acres of land ........................  ....  ................... .. 0"O4
$0 4 l%ts in[ fiiingwood . . .............  ............................ . . 1°'45
' o 1 0g ? .........  ........................................  1"00
, (To 1 tythe & 1 Horse ...........................  .............  0"61

1816 «To 22 acres of land............ .........  .............  .......  0"03%
(To 2 lots in Kingwood .................  ..........  1"20

‘As to first snemr, see page 53.

’rJosepl1 Campbell and A. P. Wilson were coroners; no sherur was appointed, and
the county court made them acting sherma.

POLITICAL HISTORY. 293

To 1 Horse ................  ..............  ....  ..........  ....  0"18

 

1817 .To 22 acres of land ..................................  ................ . . 0"O3ii
(To, 2 lots in Kingwood ................................................ .. 1"20
Received payment of the above, $8..32§-

EDGAR C. WILSON, Deputy for
A. P. WILSON. collector &: coroner of Jlfonongalia.

COUNTY SURVEYORS.

County Surveyors were, at the first, nominated by the
county courts and commissioned by the governor (act of
October, 1783). All candidates for the office (except those
in the counties of Monongalia, Harrison, Randolph and
Ohio,who were to be examined by the trustees of Randolph
Academy), were to be examined by the president and
professors of Wifliam and Mary College. By act of 1815,
candidates were to be examined by the surveyors of ‘‘two
adjacent counties,” then (act of 1821) by any two surveyors
of the State. Prior 1301831, they held their oflice during
good behavior; in this year their term of office was made
seven years. By the Constitution of 1851, the ofiice was
made elective, and the term of ofiice six years.

LIST OF COUNTY SURVEYORS.

[The year is that or appointment or election.)

l781.——°-“John Madison. 1866.-—David Wiedman.
1784.-—Samuel Hanway. 1868.—Jobn E. Prion,
1837.——John Hanway. 1870.—'I‘homas R. Evans.
1852. —-John R. Drabell. l872.—’[‘homas R. Evans,
1863.—-William Price. 1876.——James M. Stewart.
l864.—G-eorge Price. ; 1880.——James M. Stewart.

ASSESSORS.

These oflicers were called Commissioners of the Revenue
in Virginia, and have been known as Assessors since the
creation of West Virginia. Until the Constitution of 1852,
they were appointed annually by the county court; bythat
instrument they were made elective oflicers, and their term

' See page 85.

INDIAN OCCUPATION. V 27

its rude engraved figures, cut by the Indians, is a very

difficult task. Years ago theypwere clearly discernible, and

Howe, i11 his history of Virginia, says at page 38-2 :

“ On the plantation of Henry Hamilton there is a large flat rock,
about 150 feet long and 50 Wide, with numerous engravings of ani-
mals, wel1executed—such as panthers of full size, bufialo-tracks,
horse—t1-acks, deer—tracks, turkey—t1-acks, eels, fish, women large as
life, huma.n—tracks, otters, beavers, snakes, crows, eagles, wild cats,
foxes, wolves, raccoons, opossums, bears, elks, etc."

An Indian burial place Wasdiscovered years ago,\near

Sinithtown, "under an oVerl1anging cliff of rocks.

\Ve shall now pass on to chronicle the advent of the race

which dispossessed the Indian of the wooded hills and
valleys of l\Ionongali-a.

.294 HISTORY or MONONGALIAJCOUNTY.

of office wasitwo years. In,West Virginia, the term of
office was two years until the Constitution of 1872, 'When

the term was made four years.‘

LIST OF ASSESSORS.

Eastern District
1796 to 1813.—.-Hex. Brandon.
1815 to 1818 ——Charles Byrne.
18l8.—Isa.a(: Cooper.
1819.--—'l‘lmmas S. Hayinond.

/1821 to 183l.—1saac Cooper.

1831 to 1833.—R-alph Berkshire.
1833.-—Thomas _Watson.
1834.———Isaac Cooper.
1835.——Hill'r_rr Boggess.

1836 to 1838‘;'——'Williarn John.
1838 to 1840.——Seth Stafford.
1840 to 1842 —'I‘homas Watson.
1842.—W. W. John.

1843 to 1845.—-Anthony Smith.
1845.-W. W. John.

1846 to 1848.———Rawley Holland.
1848.—Nelson Berkshire.

1849 to 1851.—-Thomas Meredith.
1851.—James F. John.
1852.-—Michael R. Chalf-ant.
1854.——Michael R. Chalf-ant.
1857.—-James Hare.
1858.—James Hare.

1859 to 1861.——M. R. Chalfant.
1862.—John Pierpont.
1863.——James B. Price.
1864.—James B. Price.
1866.—E. Trickett.

1868.—John I. Swindler.
187U.—-John I. Swindler.
1872.—Henry C. Baker.
1876.——l.-Ienrv C. Baker.
1880.—W. H. Phillips.

Western District.
1796 to 1805.—-—.Iosepn Trickett.
1805 to l821.——R.~iwley Martin.
182l.—John S. Barnes.
1822 to l824.——David Musgrave.
1824 to 1826.-—-James Tibhs.
1825 to 1827.—Aaro,n Barker.
1827 to 1830.—Rawley Evans.
1830 to l832.—William J. Willey.
1832.—-Cornel Vanzant.
1832 to 1834.—William Thomas.
1834 to 1836.—Nimrod Dent.
1837.—-Henry Boggess.
1838 to 1840.—George Dawson.
1840 to 1842.—-John Musgrave.
1843.——John Stewart.

William Hood.

1844 to 1846.—Wil1iam Lantz.
1846 to I848.——VV. W. Lazzeli.
1848 to 1850.—Gideon Barb.
1850.—W. H. Stewart.

1851.—John B. Lough.
' 1852 to 1854.—James A. I-Iogne.

1856 to 1859.—'l‘homas R..Miller.
1859 to 1861.-—Thom pson Strosnider.
1861 to 1863.—Benjamin McCurd_v.
1863.—Benj-amin McCurdy.
1864.—-—J0seph McC-allum.
1866.—W. A. Garrison.

1868.—Silas W. Hare.

l870.—-Silas W. Hare.
l872.——Georg'e Barb.

1876.——Gem-ge Barb.

l880.—B. M. Jones.

Of the sons of Monongalia who have went from the

county, settled elsewhere, and been honored with office, we

have to mention :

FRANCIS H. PIERPONT, Governor of Virginia in 1861-5,

and who was afrepresentative in the'Legis1ature from his
adopted :,_.&co£unty of Marion, He is the third son of
Francis “and Catharine - Pierpont, and was born on the
25th of June, in the year 1814, in a small log-cabin in
Union District, Monongalia County. In 1815, his parents

POLITICAL HITS.ORY_- , 295

moved to Harrison County, and , fifteen years later to
Marion. Gov. Pierpont was educated at Alleghany College,
Pennsylvania. .He spent some years in Mississippi,

where he studied law. He returned ‘to Marion on account

‘of the ill health of his father, and engaged in the practice of

the law at Fairmont. He early took an active interest in
politics, and was a popular, eloquent and effective public
speaker. Dunnington’s History of Marion County says that

.“he was a thorough Abolitionist, and did more than any

other man to cultivate anti-slavery sentiment” in this part
of Virginia; Gov. Pierpont resides at, Fairmont, where,
until recently, he was Collector of Internal Revenue.

FELIX SCOTT, better known as Capt. Felix Scott, was the
son of Col. David Scott. He read law at Clarksburg, and
was married, about 1807, to Nancy, daughter of Capt. John
Dent. He served in the Legislature of Virginia in 1811
and 12. He was the founder of the town of Granville. In
1819, he removed to Missouri where he was elected a mem-
ber of the Legislature, and to the office of Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor, and was a candidate for Governor in 1832, but was de-
feated, owing to the opposition of Thomas H. Benton, who,
it is said, feared him as a probable rival for a seat in the U.
S. Senate. About 1845, Capt. Scott went to Oregon, where
he amassed a fortune. He came, in 1858, on a visit to his son
George, in Illinois. There he bought some blooded stock.
He started with it for his home, which he never reached,
and it was always thought he was kflrled by Indians in the
Rocky Mountains. Fearless, brave and generous, with a
love for adventure, he had always pushed to the frontier.

JOHN CARY was born in Monongalia County, Virginia,

‘April 5, 1792', removed with his parents to the Northwest

296 . HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Territory, in 1798; from that period until1812, he labored
with his father in the tanning business ; in 1814, he assisted
in building the first stone house in Columbus; after which
he devoted himself to the various employments of carpen-
tering, milling in its various branches, and farming; in 1825,
he was elected an Associate Judge, which oflice he held for
seven years; he Was elected to the Ohio Legislature in 1828,
36 and 43; and was elected a Representative, from Ohio,
to the Thirty—sixth Congress, [1859—61] serving on the
Committee on Agriculture.*

THOMAS J. WEST, son of Nathaniel West, was born in
Monongalia County, in 1830; was educated at Smithfield,
Penn., taking an academic course. _ He settled in . Harrison
County; was elected to the Legislature in 1870, and, in 1876,
was elected State Treasurer. On the expiration of his term
as Treasurer, he was appointed Superintendent of the Pen-
itentiary, which position he still holds.

ED. G. C. BROOKE was born in Monongalia County, and
went to the West after the Mexican War. He was for ten
years Deputy Marshal of St. Louis. After a time, pushing
West again, after several perilous adventures—in one of
which he came near being murdered by Indians——he located
at VVhite Hall, Montana Territory, his present residence,
and from where he has been twice sent to the Territorial
Legislature.

LEBBEUS A. and XENOPHON J. PINDALL, it is said, were born
in what is now ‘Grant District, Monongalia County. They
are lawyers in Arkansas, Where they have served as mem-
bers of the Legislature.

' Dictionary of the United States Congress, by Charles Lanman; Washington, 1864.

POLITICAL * HISTORY. 297

BENJAMIN P. MASON, who settled in Montana, and was
elected a member of the Legislature of that Territory in
1878, was born .in Monongalia.

H. S. WHITE, the well known lumber merchant of Mar-
shall County, W. Va., and who was a member of the Leg-

islature in 1871, is a native of Monongalia County, and a
brother of Prof. I. C. White of the West Virginia University.

JOHN W. MASON, the lawyer of Grafton, who entered the
Union army in his youth, who has twice been the member for
West Virginia, of the National Executive Committee of the
Republican party, and who was the nominee of that party
for Representative in Congress for the second West Virginia
District in 1882, is a native of Monongalia County. His
father was a blacksmith, and could give his son but a com-
mon—school education. Many years ago Mr. Mason’s pa-
ternal grandfather lived in a log-cabin near the old road
leading from Morgantown to Kingwood, in what is now a
part of Valley District, Preston County, but was then a part
of Monongalia County. ’

In the early days it was a custom, and onecontinued till
recent years, for the members of the Legislature to meet
their constituents on court-days, more particularly on the
first day of the quarterly terms of the county court and the
first day of the circuit court, and tell them what had been
done in the General Assembly, and justify their own acts
therein. Few counties then had a newspaper, and the peo-
ple could not be so well informed, from that source, of what
was doing in the sessions of the Legislature, nor of the acts
of -their representatives. The multiplying newspapers,
which keep their readers informed of the proceedings of

298 HIASTORY530F7<.MON0NGALIA COUNTY.

the Legislature, hasinade this-’cust'om unnecessary. ‘Then,

‘as now, general lpolitical meetings and. discussions of the

current issues of :;'t'll6 day, were held on court days. These
meetings, as were also the elections, were well attended in
those. early times, and the political campaigns were as hotly

‘contested as they are in these later days. Though there

was an earlylaw, which will be found in the Code of 1819,
that any person who had served seven years in the Legisla-
ture, should not be “ compellable to serve therein again,”yet

a seat in that body was considered as great a prize then as

now, and the number of, candidates for it was not small.
For instance, in 1846, in Monongalia,there were printed in
the lV6856‘7’/2, Virgiizia Standaml the announcements of‘ seven
candidates for the House of Delegates. “The greater part”
of the first day of the quarterly term of the county court,
which was Monday, March 23d, in 1846, “was occupied with
the speeches of the several candidates for the Legislature,”
we read in the Séamdwcl. “ First upon the rostrum came Wm.
W. J ohn,_Esq., [a Democratic candidate,] who commenced
by saying that he was a farmer, and ploughed with a true
American, and that he aspired to direct the plough of state,
and thought he could handle it correctly and plough a
straight furrow. . . . He advocated railroads generally,
showing by a few simple but conclusive arguments and illus-
trations, their benefits and importance.”

John F. Cooper, another Democratic candidate, followed
and-“gave his views upon the Railroad question, opposing
the right of Way [for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad], and
also the Wheeling terminus, .unless the road would pass

lnorth instead of south of Morganto.Wn.”,: Mr. Cooper

» . sharply criticised the conduct of. the two gentlemen then

members of "the -House oft-Delegates; for Monongalia. Nor

POLITICAL “‘HI'STOR‘Y;:" “ 299
was such criticism unusual,‘ H for personalities in political
campaigns are not of recent introduction. Perhaps no can-

didate for the Presidency was ever more bitterly assailed
than was George Washington. He was even charged with

disloyalty to the country!

“Next in order came Alexander Wade, who occupied
most of his time” in answering the criticisms of Mr. Cooper,
and also. gave “some account of the doings of the last Leg-
islature.” He urged the importance of a convention to
amend the constitution, and predicted “that a convention
could never be obtained on the white Z;asz'.s=,” and recom-
mended the “acceptance of a convention on the vniaced basis,
as the best of a hard bargain, and the only means by which
VVestern Virginia could ever hope to obtain redress. He
also took his usual stand against the county court system.”

Elias Stillwell, Jr., made “a very mild and gentlemanly
speech. He boldly declared himself a Whig; said that he
was a mechanic, and that mechanics, farmers and laboring
men were as much entitled to the respect and_ support of
of the people, as wealthy and professional men.” Here the
editor of the Stanclarcl, who was a Whig, added, “(by the
Way, very good doctrine).” Mr. Stillwell announced his
opposition to “Railroads and all monopolies.”

Daniel Miller “informed the people that he was no longer
a candidate for the Legislature at the coming election.”

John H. Bowlby made a long speech, and"‘declared him-
self a J elfersonian Democrat, and laid down the principles
that would govern him, if elected.”

Alexander B. McCans advocated biennial sessions of the
Legislature.

“ Last but not least, came the ‘ Old Wheel Horse of

300 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Democracy,’ Abner Scipio Davis.” The Standard continues
as follows:

“VVe did not hear the beginning of Mr. Davis’ speech, but learn
that he commenced by saying that he regretted that he had not
heard his brother candidates speak, having been engaged all day
in ferrying his constituents across the river, he had just snatched
a few moments from his occupation to come to the court-house to
let the people know that he was stilla candidate for the legislature,
and the ‘Old Wheel Horse’ was not going to back out. He said
that he sometimes felt discouraged and disposed to retire from the
contest, when persons crossing the river would speak lightly of the
qualifications of the candidates before the people. He acknowl-
edged that they were all a set of fools, but he was now determined to
run through, fodder or no fodder. Mr. Davis promised the people
that on the day of election, he would be more fully prepared to
give them his views, and informed the candidates that on that oc-
casion, they might expect a complete currying; he would com-
mence with the oldest and end with the youngest, raking from stem
to stern. Mr. Davis concluded by assuring the people that there
was no doubt of his triumphant election, but that they might do as
they pleased about electing him, afterwards he would do as he
pleased. He informed them moreover that if they did not choose
to vote for him, they might go to — and he would stay at home and
attend to the ferry, which was a darn’d sight more profitable than
going to the Legislature any how.”

The election occurred‘on Thursday, April 23d, and re-
sulted in the election of Andrew Brown, one of the two
Whig candidates. Thereturns of the election were printed
in the Standard of the 25th, and the table is reproduced
on the following page. '

POLITICAL HISTORY. , . 301

59 A * A

.= 3 g A g0

5 § 9 E E

:1 =- >- " ..

PRECINCTS. E g. E _g E

A an o 3 P: 5

E r=«' pi § 5

*~ :1 . = V2

g .: 3 = 53

< r-°: »= 3 El
Court House ............................... .. 132 103 85 76 89
J arr_ett’s ...................................... . . 38 3 1 20 1
Smithfield .................................. . . 6 3 16 5
Pawpaw ...................................... .. 3 23 3 2 2
Jacksonville ............................... . . 22 28 34 9 1
Blacksville ................................... .. 49 33 7 0 O
VVa.rren ....................................... .. 12 5 47 2 O
 262 195 180 125 . 98

The vote of the county for members of the House of Del-
egates, at the election in 1821, was: Haymond, 483; Mor-
gan, 403; Berkshire, 376; Tibbs, 160; Evans, 102. '

In 1822, the result of the election for Delegates was as

follows :

Candidates. Courwzouse. Pawpaw. Total.
Morgan . . . . . . . . 513 52 565
Wagner . . . . . . . . 230 56 286
Berkshire . . . . . . . . 425 33 458
Haymond . . . . . . . 307 49 406
Tibbs . . . . . . ~ . . . 25 25

In the following table is given the votes in 1828 for State
Senator and Delegates to the Legislature, and also the Vote
in 1829 for delegates to the Constitutional Convention 2

I

 

3' 3%
3 ' er! 3 E as
CANDIDATES. =3 5 a. CANDIDATES. 11‘ «i :2.
, ti 94 E '4 :3 E E. -g
3 g E g l 5 as g 3
‘O 9-: w E4 O 94 02 E4
Senate. ‘ 1 Delegates to Con-venetian
C.. S. Morgan ......... .. 421 158 82 661
House of Delegates. C S Morgan ......... .. 369 60 53 482
Richard Watts ....... .. 401 143 76 620 E. M. Wilson. ........ .. 337 35 42 414
E.  ggison ......... .. 2133; 70 3} 3:37‘ §ll111lpCDod‘()1br(1!(l1lge .... .. 3423 3; 52 3:13
ap organ ...... .. ex. am ...... .;
Aaron-Baker ......... .. 52 52 .. 104 Samuel Sprlgg ....... .. 155 14 40 209
T. S. Barnes ......... .. 50 18 5 73; A. Mcclean .......... .. 132 43 1 176
P. Holland............. 32 2 14 48; Wm. G. Brown ...... .. 80 34 35 149

392: HISTORY ore MQNONGALIA CQUNTY.

Besides the foregoing, eighteen scattering votes were cast in
1829, six of which were for John Fairfax, and four for Israel
Nicklin. , -

Subjoined is ‘the vote of the county for members of the
House of Delegates in 1830, 31 and 32, and the vote for

State Senator in the last—named year.

1
l

 ' / C1
33 :> ' E t E "
DATES, OFFICES,  5 3 c8 ‘ 3 :2
AND CANDIDATES. 4;: g. 5 g 1 1-: g

g g g 2 i E

O 0.. (D 9 5 E

1830—Hozo.9e of Delegates.

E. C. VVilSOn . . . 386 80 82 57 . . 605
Richard: VVatts . . . 308 104 81 71 . . 564
F. Billingsley . . . 222 126 54 45 . . 447
S. H. Morgan . . . 67 33 16 3 .. 119
E. A. Barker . 57 29 1 8 . . 95

1831——IIouse of Delegates.

Richard Watts 289 21 34 60 21 425

F. Billingsley . . . 288 57 35 51 85 516
Wm. Gr. Henry . . 305 28 56 37 63 489
Thomas S. Haymon . 205 9 81 10 143 448
—— McGee . . . 44 23 4 1 214 286

S. H. Morgan . .

. 76 35 15 34 46 206
1832~House of Delegates.

Wm. G. Henry . . 427 80 44 72 7 92 715
‘VH1. J. Willey . . g 248 91 27 112 222 700
Thomas S. Hayxnond . 242 25 77 25 245 614
Isaac Cooper . . . 305 14 87 14 25 445
1832——State Senate. 5 I
Watts . . i 460 76 62 108 76 782
Allen 1 102 25 27 9 47 210
Zinn . I 38 6 29 8 175 256

THE‘ YE-‘AR 1864.;
GOVE.RNOB.——A- I. Bm-'em~an,.......................  .........1046

STATE SENA'rm~——VVilIiam Price .........................  ...................... .. 534
N. N. Hoffman ...................  ............................ .. 375

W. Lazier.‘ ............................  ........................... .. 118

HOUSE or DELEGATES.——LeeR0y Kramer-....... ....  .....................  738
J. B. Lough ................  ..................... .. 671

W’..A'. I-lanway   ........  530

Reuben . Finnell.....  ....... .. 358‘

* Dunkard disappears 1n«.1831,- and “Thomas” appears-inlts stead; so theflgures 1'

under Dunkard» in -1831 .are' mascot the vote-castrat Thomas in that year.’ Thomas‘
dtsappears after .1831, and ]3unKard reappears;
1 Middlewwn.-does not apopalms avottng: place till 1831.

POLKNI%LaEHSTORY.M. MB:

THE YEAR 1865.

STATE SEINATE.—-John S.  896
William G.  237

HOUSE OF DELEGATEs..——A. W. Brown ..............  ....  ............  487
H. S. Coombs .......  ....  ....  .................. .. 481

E. C. Finnell....................   434

Reuben Flnnell........................ .................. .. 368

Michael White....  265

THE YEAR 1866.77?

GOVERNOR.—A. I. Boreman ............  ........ . . ................................. .. 926
B. H. Smith ................................................................ .. 549

STATE SENATE.—Wi11iam B. Zinn   923
James A. Bro 7vn .................................................. .. 548

HOUSE OF DELEGATES.——A. W. Brown .......................................... .. 840
N. N. Hotfman .......  ............................... .. 710

H. S. C0ombs.....   278

S. H. Sbriver ....................  .................... .. 593

THE YEAR 1869.

STATE SENA'I‘E.—William B. Crane.... ..............  ...................... .. 919
VViiliam B. Zinn ..................................................  80

HOUSE ‘OF 'DELEGATEs.—-George C. St.urgiss.. ................................. .. 865
William  890

John J. Brown ........   491

COUNTY SUP’T.——k_ienry L.   909

THE YEAR 1870.

GoVERNoR.—William E. Stevenson   ..............1262
John I. Jacob......... 891

STATE SENATE.—-William Price......   
Abram Hare.................   902

HOUSE or DELEGATES.-J. B. Lough.... ...............1242
George C. Sl:urgiss............ 

James Hare...................  914

THE. YEAR, 1871.

HOUSE or DELEaATEa._—Jl M, Hagans............   ...........1195
Joseph Snlder............... ........1141

William P.  723
William Lantz........................   738-

DELEGATES To ConsT. CoNv.—W. '1‘. Willey  ......1204

/

James  727
J. A. F. Martin........................ ........  727

A. H. ’1‘bayer....................................1188‘

' F0n_Judg'e at Supreme.vC0,m’$‘;ot.Appeals, R. L.  _rece1ve(L;1008 votes, and:

Edwin Maxwell 302.

/

CHAPTER III.
MONONGALIA ‘UNDER ORANGE.

- 1734-1738.
Crossing of the Blue Ridge by Spotswood—Orange County Erect-
ed—Sett-lements ‘Vest of the Blue Ri(1ge—Erection of Frederick
and Augusta Counties. 1

FOLLOWING the 4Mound Builder, the Indian, in turn, was
succeeded by the‘ \Vhite Man. 7
The Blue Ridge, in 1716, constituted the Western boundary
of civilization. In that year it was crossed by the accom-
plished a11d scholarly Col. Alexander Spotswood, Governor
of the Colony of Virginia. In recognition of this service,
the King of England made him a Knight, and sent him a
golden horse-shoe bearing the inscription, “Sic amt ZI'(m.s*-

ceclerc mo/z.zfes”——Tl1i1s he swears to cross the mountains.

In 1634, Virginia was divided into eight shires, and among ,

other counties erected from them, were King and Queen
(1691), Essex (1692) and King VVilliam (1701). From por-
tions of these three counties, in 1720, a county was formed
and called Spotsylvania (to exist from May 21, 1721) in
honor of Col. Alexander Spotswood. The county was di-
vided in 1730 into two parishes, called respectively St.
George and St. Marks. ' _
Four years later, in 1734, an act* was passed for the
division of Spotsylvania County as follows (to take effect
January 1, 1735): 2
ing to, and above the said line (between St. George and St.
1VIarks) bounden southerly, by the line of Hanover County,

* Hen1ng’s Statutes at Large, Vol. iv., 1). 450.

“And all that territory of land, adjoin- /

304 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

THE YEAR l872.*

Govmmon.——John J. Jacob..... 
J. N. Camden ......................... .. . .............................. .. 895

STATE SENATB.—J. '1‘, Mcclaskey.    ..1311
C. M. Bishop.......   .....1422

Willliam M. Dent.....................   908

James T. Port....  887

Housn or DELEGA'l‘ES.——VVillia[n Price   
Joseph 

The votes of the county for following years, in order to
be verified, will be deferred for insertion in the Appendix,
the last chapter in this book.

STATISTICS OF POPULATION.

In this chapter will be given such statistics as pertain to
this subject. Statistics of churches, schools, etc., may be
found in the appropriate chapters.

The population of the county, as shown in the decennial
census reports, from 1790 to 1880, is subjoined.

       

as 33 l ‘D _ , -4 co 5’ ‘D r—<

YEAR g I §% }  ‘lg YEAR g I §% J  E 4%

as ‘"0 l B E-4 :7; 1 ‘Ho . E3 9
1790 154 12 4,602 4,768 1840 260 146 16,962 ‘17,368
1800 163 18 8,359 8,540 1850 176 119 12,092 12,387
1810 351 37 12,405 12,793 1860 101 46 12,901 13,048
1820 375 117 10,568 11,060 1870 i  231 13,316 13,547
1830 362 119 13,575 14,056 1880 l 317 14, 668 14, 985

Of the total population of the county in 1870, 11,731 were
natives of the Virginias, 1,390 of Pennsylvania, 61 of Ohio,
178 of Maryland, 8 of Kentucky and 16 of New York. Of
the foreign population, 37 were natives of England and
Wales, 29 of Ireland, 6 of Scotland, 16 of Germany and 2
of France. '

Of the total population in 1880, there were born in this

" Vote tor Judges or Supreme Court or Appea1s—tour to be elected: R. L. Berkshire,

1434; Matthew Edmlsoon, 1388; Edwin Maxwell, 1382; C. P. T. Moore, 2293;‘ James ‘

Paul, 913; A. F. Raymond, 922; John S. Hoffman, 911. V

  

 

,,,/.,u,%WMa,$ ,,

  

'I Z /.3 3 4,n;I,,,,:,..4.wowuu;// «
. V, nwfiuuflnuu ,.,u,m%W«w,,;,un.;.,,4;,w¢...,.w%nw7

  

    

   


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//7 4

             

 

   

 
 

  

    

       

   

”,

GEORGE WASHINGTON MCVICKER.

See Page 658

POLITICAL Hisronr. 0 305

State, 8,843; in Virginia, 4,318; Pennsylvania, 1,462; Ohio,
69; Maryland, 130; Kentucky, 14; British America, 3;
England and VVales, 25; Ireland, 22; Scotland, 3; Ger-
many, 14, and France, 2.

The population of the county by sexes, from 1840 to
1880, is exhibited in the following table:

Males. Females.

1840 . . . . . . . 8,645 8,723
1850 . . . . . . . . 6,131 6,256
1860 . . . . . . . 6,453 6,595
1870 . . . . . . . . . 6,699 6,849
1880 . . . . . . . 7,414 7,571

The number of colored people, free and slave, by sexes,
for 1840, 1850 and 1860, was as follows:

FREE-Males. Females. SLAvE—-Males. Females.
1840 . . . . 73 74 . . . . 131 129
1850 . . . . 69 50 . . . . 75 101
1860 . . . . 26 20 . . . . 42 59

The population of the several districts of the county is
not given in the reports previous to 1870. For that year
and the year 1880 it was as follows: .

Districts. 1870. 1880.
Battelle . . . . . . . . . . 1,856 2,293
Cass . . . . . . . . . . 1,449 1,459
Clay . . . . . . . . . . . 1,972 2,522
Clinton . . . . . . . . . . 1,900 2,126
Grant . . . . . . . . . . . 2,216 2,156
Morgan . . . . . . . . . . 2,536 2,722
Union . . . . . . . . . . . 1,618 1,707

Of the population in 1870, there were 15 colored persons
in Battelle, 1 in Cass, 9 in Clay, 30 in Clinton, 30 in Grant,
139 in Morgan, and 7 in Union. The inhabitants of foreign
birth were distributed, in 1870, in the several districts as
follows: Battelle, 6; Cass, 7; Clay, 1; Clinton, 20; Grant,
14; Morgan, 24; Union, 20. These details are not given
in the reptprt for 1880, so far as published at this time.

306 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The population of the several unincorporated villages of
the county is given in the census report for 1880. Of course,
the figures are only approximately correct, as the limits of
such places are not sharply defined. As given in the report,
they are as follows:

Arnettsville, 54; Blacksville, 106; Cassville, 80 ; Dur-
bannah (adjoining Morgantown), 127; Granville, 122; Ham-
ilton, 44; Hoffman’s addition to Morgantown, 86 ; Maids-
ville,44: SallytoWn,67; Stringt-own, 29; ‘Vest Morgantown,
51.

The population of the town of Morgantown in 1860 was
741'(740 whites, and 1 free colored ; number of slaves is not
gi6en); in 1870, 797; in 1880, 745.

In 1870, the number of male citizens 21 years of age and
over in the county, WasL2,929; in 1880 the number was 3,440.

NOTE.-011 page 275 it is said that ex—Grov. Joseph Johnson
represented the Congressional District _of which Monongalia was a
part, in 1835-9. This is an error, as VVi11ia1n S. Morgan, of Monon-
galia, was the representative in those years. A list of the repre-
sentatives in Congress of the districts of which Monongalia has

been a part from 1789 to the present, may be found in the
Appendix.

CHAPTER XIX.
JUDICIAL HISTORY.

Courts of the County and the J udges——District Court—Superior
Court of Law——Superior Court of Law and Chancery—Circuit
Court—County Courts—List of Prosecuting Attorneys—-List of
Clerks of Courts and Presidents of County Courts—List of
Presidents and Clerks of Board of Supervisors——Recorders
of the County—Roll of the Bar——List of Justices of the
Peace—County Bui1dings—Hangings~—Suit of Harrison County
a.g'a.inst Mononga1ia—Bio,9;raphical Sketches of Judges, Clerks,
Attorneys, and others.

“One of the greatest imperfections of historians in general, is owing to their
ignorance of 1aW.”—Priescl'y.
IMPORTANCE. of character has been deemed reason sufii—
cient to change order of age, and consider first the Superior
Court, ‘Which Was not created for Monongalia until after the
establishment of its inferior court. But the burning of the
county court records in 1796, leaves the District Court
records of 1789 the oldest fountain of judicial knowledge in
the county.

In 1789, Monongalia was included in the district com-
prising Harrison, Monongalia, Ohio and Randolph counties,
to which other counties were added afterward. Its District
Court, styled Superior Court, held its first session at the
Monongalia Court-house, at “ Morgans-Town,” on Monday
May 4, 1789. ’TWo sessions were held in each year, one in
May and the other in, September. To each session two

judges were allotted. From the order-book of this District

Court the following allotted judges were present at its
sessions from l\Ia3q4§,,178_,;9,.to September 15,1808: Joseph

» 308 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Prentis, Cuthbert Bullett, James Mercer, Richard Parker,
St. George Tucker, Joseph Jones, Spencer Roane, Henry
Tazewell, William Nelson, James Henry, John Tyler, Paul
Carrington, Robert VVhite, Edmund "Winston, Archibald
Stewart, Robert VVhite, J r., VVilliam Nelson, J r., Francis T.
Brooke and Hugh Holmes.

The records of the years 1802 and 1803 are Inissing; and
at some sessions only one of the two allotted judges was
present.

Monongalia, in 1809, was included in the 11th Judicial

Jircuit, and Judge Hugh Nelson opened a Superior Court
of Law in Monongalia, Monday, May 15, 1809. Judge
Nelson resigned, and was succeeded by Daniel Smith, Who
was chosen by the General Assembly, and commissioned by
the governor, January 22, 1812. In 1820, Judge Lewis
Summers, by exchange with Judge Smith, held a term of
court in the county.

Under the Constitution of 1830, by act of Assembly
of April 16, 1831, Monongalia was included in the 20th
Circuit, 10th Judicial District.

The Superior Court of Law was now designated “ Circuit
Superior Court of Law and Chancery.” Judge Joseph L.
Fry, of Wheeling, opened the first court, May 28, 1831.

By the Constitution of 1851, the Court of Law and
Chancery was designated “ Circuit Court,” which name it is
still known by. Monongalia was included in the 5th Sec-
tion, 10th District and 20th Judicial Circuit, composed of
the counties of Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel,
Tyler and Monongalia. George VV. Thompson was elected
Judge for eight years, and opened his first court at Morgan-
town, September 8, 1852. At the expiration of his term he
was re-elected, but held no courts after the spring of 1861.

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 309

R. L. Berkshire was elected to fill the vacancy, and opened
his first court September 2, 1861.

In 1863, Monongalia was included in the 2d Judicial Cir-
cuit, composed of the counties of Monongalia, Preston,
Tucker and Taylor, and John -A. Dille was elected Judge.
He was re-elected in 1865 and 69. On July 17, 1868, the
Legislature re-arranged the circuits, and increased their
number. The number of this judicial circuit was changed
from the second to the third.

In 1872, the circuits were re-arranged, and Wetzel,
Marion, Monongalia, Taylor, Doddridge and Harrison con-
stituted the 2d Judicial Circuit, and Charles S. Lewis was
elected judge for eight years. Judge Lewis died in 1878,
and A. Brooks Fleming, of Marion County, was appointed
judge until October, 1878, when he was elected to fill the
unexpired term of Judge Lewis. He was re-elected in 1880,
for a full term of eight years, as judge of the Second J udical
Circuit, composed then (by the amendment made to the
8th Article of the Constitution) of the counties of Mononga-
lia, Marion and Harrison.

Thus briefly is sketched the history of the Superior
Courts in Monongalia for ninety-four years——from the first
court held in 1789 to the latest one in 18833“

The inferior courts have always been styled County
Courts. They were established in 1623-4. In 1652, their
members were elected by the House of Burgesses; in

1661-2, the number was restrained to eight, and they were

* The Iirst Superior Court provided tor the State of Virginia, was by an act of the
General Assembly passed October, 1784, creating courts of assize, one or which was to
be held for Monongalia on May 1st, 1785. At the same session, these courts were sus-
pended to January 1,1786; and again were suspended to January, 1788; but in 1787,
the act was repealed, and on the 22d of December, 1788, the State was laid off into
districts, and a Superior Court Was established in each district. Harrison, Monongalia,
Ohio and Randolph counties composed the 10th District in order of enumeration, with
Monongalia Court-house as the place for holding courts for the district.

310 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

called Justices of the Peace; in 1776, the governor was to
appoint them for each county from the number recom-
mended by its County Court. Their number was not
limited, and the Justices were appointed for life or good
behavior; they received no compensation for their services,
but they always recommended from their own body for the
offices of Sheriff and Commissioner of the Revenue.

The Clerk’s oflice containing the county records from
1776 to 1796, was burned in February of the latter year.
The first County Court held after that was on the 14th of
March, 1796. Justices present: Thomas Butler, Robert
Ferrell, James Scott, Nathan Springer and Thomas Barnes.
The first act of this court was granting a license to William
Tingle in Morgantown. The following jury of inquest “for
the body of the county ” was sworn : John Plom (foreman),
James Bran, Thomas McKinley, Joseph Kelso, 1Vaitman
Furbee, John Barker, Richard Ice, James Leggit, Frederick
,+ Isaiah Haskinson, Thomas John, John Downer,

John Statler, Alexander Brandon, Peter Clutter, Thomas
Gibson and John Pierpont.

The County Courts were modified somewhat by the Con-
stitution of 1830. The J ustices of the County Court, from
1776 to 1852, were appointed by the governor from those
-recommended by the County Court, and were unlimited as
to number. The County Court from 1852 to 63, consisted
of four justices from each of the seven magisterial districts
into which the county was divided, and were elected by the
people every four years. In 1863, this County Court was
abolished, and a county Board of Supervisors, consisting of

* It was the custom or the Governor to appoint (but not always the law, as many
have supposed) the oldest commissioned Justice for Sheriff, if recommended; and if he
were not recommended, not to appoint any, but let the Sheriff at the time hold over
another year.

1‘ This name has so faded out that it can not be told what it was.

JUDICIAL HISTORY. ' 311

one member from each of the seven, townships (now called
districts), was created. It held sessions from December 10,
1863, to December 25, 1872. The old County Court was

re-established by the Constitution of 1872, and its first

term was held March 24, 1873, and its last one ended Octo-
ber 1, 1880.’ The Justices were reduced from four to two
from each district (formerly township). In 1880, by amend-
ment of the Eighth Article of the Constitution, the County
Court was abolished i11 fact though not in name, and the
present board of commissioners (still called the County
Court) was established. It is composed of three commis-
sioners, who are elected by the people of the county, and
has jurisdiction of the police and fiscal affairs of the
county. This court held its first term January 3, 1881.

LIST OF PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.*

,3 1' I 1 a Nanw. Sworn in.
SUP1 RIOR Cobnvlh J. M. Hagzans . . . 1863
District C'om~z‘.~——1789 to 1809. w_ p_ VVi1]e_V _ _ , 1856
Name. A Su?01‘n'i7I- A. Gr. S1'L11‘g‘lSS . . . 1868
Francis '1‘. Brooke May 4, 1789 J, M_ Haggmg , _ _ 1870
VVilliam McCleary  3,  George  S[',111'gjss, _ _ 
Maxwell Armstrong Sept. 15,1797 VV, \V_ }I()11st()n , _ _ _ 1880
Isaac H. \Villian1s . C 1798 f
John Brown . May 15, 1799 INFERIOR COURTS.
Philip Doddridge May —, 1803
Noah Lindsey . May 15, 1804 Comm; Cour-t~1796 to 1852.
. VVilliam McCleary . . 1797
*3’wPm0" 00W‘1"8§if LWW1809 to Isaac H. \Villia1ns . . 1793

Noah Lindsey . ° May 15‘ 1809 Tl1](§)‘1IlaS 1\;:)1lston1810 Sept. 11.,d1’798
James McGee . . April 4. 1814 VV(_uT‘0m M 210 “ff recfi lg“)
Eugeiiius M. Wilson Se t. 10,1821 1 1am v c eary  ay ~ .
C'1Ircm7t i8’u.pcrio7' (Your: of Law afhepw  . " iiuée  
and C’/Lcuz(e(:r,z/—1831 to .1852. ' 1' 381 Cb 1118 6 ' W’
Guy R, C, Allen _ 1VIay —, 1831 C'0?.mf_I/ C(.)?.H"t——1852 to 1863.

E. C. VVilson . . Sept. 8. 1831 R. L. Berkshire . . 1852

Guy R. C. Allen . April 8, 1834 1?‘. H. Keck . . . . 1856
Circuit 0om~t—-1852 to 1883. l E‘ 0' B‘”’k“' ' ' ' 1861

R, L, Berkshire _ _ 1852 ’ (702.mf,l/ (}’0m"t—1873 to 1881.

P. H. Keck . . . . 1856 G‘reor«,2;e C. Sturgiss . . 1873

E. C. Bunker . . . 1861 VV. WV. Houston . . . 1880

* Appointed by the respective courts until 1852, after which year one has been elected
by the voters of each county.

MONONGALIA UNDER ORANGE. 29

northerly, by the grant of Lord Fairfax, and westerly by the
utmost limits of Virginia, be thenceforward erected into one
distinct county, and be called a11d known by the county of
Orange.” Thus St. Marks became Orange County, named
in honor of VVilliam Prince of Orange, afterward King of
England. Howe in his Historical Collections of Virginia,
page 417, says that the name of Orange was given it
from the color of the soil in one part of the county.

The settlement of the white race West of the Blue Ridge
was pioneered by colonists from Pennsylvania and Maryland,
who entered the Valley of Virginia by way of Harper’S
Ferry. These settlements were so numerous in 1738 that
the portion of Orange West of the Blue Ridge was erected
into two counties, Frederick and Augusta, so named in
honor of Frederick Prince of ‘Vales, heir-apparent of the
throne, and his highly esteemed consort, Augusta of Saxe—
Crotha, who died young and sincerely lamented by the En~
glish nation. In Goldsmith’s Works the piece entitled
“Threnodia Augustalis,” was written as a monody on her
death.

Frederick County embraced the northern part of the
Valley, with VVinchester as its county-seat. Augusta com-
prised the southern part of the Valley, and embraced all the
remainder of Virginia Westward of the Blue Ridge. Its
county-seat was Staunton.

‘George S. Ray

312

LIST OF
surnruon counrs.

District Oourt~—1789 to 1809.
Name. Sworn in.
John VVilliams . May 4. 1789
William Tingle, September 15, 1801

Superior Court of Law—l809 to 1831.
William Tingle May 15, 1809
Nimrod Evans. September 2, 1811
Thomas P. Ray April 14, 1828

Ct'rcuz't aS'uper77or Court of Law and
Chancewfa/-1831 to 1852.

Thomas P. Ray May 28. 1831

VVaitm'an T. Willey April 8, 1842

C'ircm't C'ourt——1852 to 1883.

July 1. 1852
Marshall M. Dent Jan. 1, 1857
Lewis Layton . July 1. 1858
Augustus Haymoud June 20, 1863

HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

oLERKs.*

Name. Sworn 172.
M. M. Dent, Deputy June 14, 1883
INFERIOR COURTS.

County Onurt—1796 to 1852.

John Evans . . . 1796
Nimrod Evans January 1, 1807
Thomas P. Ray 1828

Waitman '1‘. Willey Nov. 522,

County Com't——1852 to 1863.
Marshall M. Dent July 1., 1852
John E. Dent (pro tem.)Oct. 31, 1861
A. L. Wade January 27, 1862

County C'ourt-1873 to 1883.
W. S. Cobun . March 24, 1873
Jno. W. Madara Dep., Jan. 2. 1879
W. T, \Villey November 7, 1882
R. E. Fast, Deputy Dec. 4, 1882

1841

PRESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY COURTS.’I'

1852——J. '1‘. Davis.
1856—John B. Lough. -
1860~—Aug'11stus Haymond.
1872——Manliff Hayes.

PRESIDENTS OF THE BOARDS

1863——A. VV. Brown.
1864——65—A. VV. Brown.
1866-\Vi11ia1n Donaldson.
1867——Saniue1 Hackney.
1868—Samue1 Hackney.

. James Evans.

1876—Man1iff Hayes.
I1881——S. P. Barker.
1882—A. W. Brown.
1883-—A. VV. Brown.

OF SUPERVISORS.

I 1869——F. R. Sinclair.
I 1870-—James McKee.

F. R. Sinclair.

I l871——A. W. Brown.

1872—J. Milton Taylor.

OLERKS OF THE BOARDS  SUPERVISORS.
1863——E. H. Ooombs. I l871—A. L. Wade. I 1872-—W. VV. Dering.

RECORDERS.

 I4. VVade.

I 1866—A. L. VVade. I 1870——VV. S. Cobun.

* The clerks 01 both courts were appointed until 1852, since which time they have
been elected. The Board of Supervisors appointed their own clerks.

T From 1852 to 1863, the County Court chose its own presidents; from 1872 to 1881, the

presidents were elected by the people.

Recorders were elected by the people.

Since 1881, the Commissioners have chosen 3.
president annually from their own body, as also did the Board of Supervisors.

The

¢'l‘he other members (commissioners) of the County Court, beside the president,
since 1881, have been: 1881, A. W. Brown and W. W. Dering; 1882, S. P. Barker and
George W. Lalshley; 1883, S. P. Barker and George W. Lalshley.

Names.
Thomas Barnes
Joseph Cox .
Peregrine Foster
George Snider .
John Collins .

Thomas Butler .
Robert Ferrell.
James Scott .
Nathan Springer
David Scott .
Dudley Evans
John Fairfax .

Edward Jones .
Russel Potter .
Hedgman Tripplet
John Dent .
Enoch Evans .
William John .
John '1‘. Golf .
Samuel Hanway .
Benjamin Reader
Philip Pindall .
William Haymond
Stephen Morgan .
George Greenwood
Asa Dudley

JUDICIAL HISTORY.

LIST OF JUSTICES OF THE PEACE,
From 1796 to 1852, appointed by the Governor.

0

Alexander Hawthorne ’

Lemuel John pp .
Abram Miley .
John McLain .
Spencer Marlin
Jesse Hanway .
Michael Kern .
John Vt’. Dean .
Thomas Miller
Simeon Everly .
Augusta Ballali
William Hamilton

Nicholas Vandervort

David Morgan
Henry Deri-12
Frederick Hersh
William Jobes
Jacol) Polsley .
William N. Jarrett.
John Stealey .
Ralph Berkshire
Thomas Trotwell

o

J. Smallwood Wilson

Enoch Jones .
John Nuzum .
Amos Roberts .
James E. Beall
Augustus Weringer
John Wagner .
William George .
William Willey
William Barnes

A Sworn in.‘
Before 1796.
St

(6
H
56

August 13, 1798
August 13, 1798
August 13, 1798
August 13, 1798
August 14, 1798
Sept. 11, 1798

March 11, 1800

June 9, 1800
June 10. 1800

E
Nov. 8, 1802.,
Nov. 8, 18023
April 12, 1803’

August 11, 1800
August 11, 1806
August 11, 1806
August 11, 1806

.\Iarch
March
March
April
Sent.

14, 1808
14, 1808
14, 1808
11, 1808
15. 1808

313
Resigned.‘

May 15, 1796
May 15, 1796
May 15, 1796
Nov. 15, 1796.
N ml. 15, 1796

October 9. 1797
August 14, 1811

Sept. 26, 1831

Oct. 14, 1816
Died Mar. 1,1803

Jan. 8, 1810

August 18, 1810
Sept. 13, 1802
Nov. 13, 1806

August 12. 1811

4 June " 8, 1807
Jan. 15, 1811
Jan. 15. 1811
March .15. 1808
March 10, 1807
Nov. 10, 1807
Sept. 23, 1809
June 11, 1810
August [8, 1810
Sept. 13, 1808
Jan. 8. 1810

* Where blanks occur in these

columns, no dates could be found.

314 HISTORY OF

.\'mnes.
Rawley Evans
Joseph Campbell
John Evans

Alexander Hawthorn

John S. Roberts
Daniel Cox .
Jared Evans .
Charles Byrn
Isaac Powell .

Enoch Evans . A

Thomas Pritchard
Hugh Evans

Cornelius Berkshire .

M0r;..v,an Morgan .
Ra zvlev Scott .
John Henthorn .
Adam Brown .
James Tibbs .
Nathan Ashby
James Barker .

William B. Lindsey

Joshua Hickman
Achillis Morg—,an

Robert Abercrombie

John Forsnea
David Dunhazn ,.
Jesse Busey .

VVilliam Sizzler . ,

Ryner Hall .

J21 mes' VVebster

Boaz Burrows
Anthony Smith ,.
David I’. lV1organ
Rawley Martin .
Owen John .

Aaron Barker
David Wusgrave .
John Jeffs .
Andrew Corbly .
Peter Hen kins
John H. Polsley .
Nathan Hall .
VVilliam VVilIey
George D. Barnes
Fielding Kiger .
Jesse Ice

Richard VVatts
Bennnia Fleming

Joseph Pivkenpaugh

Isaac Means .
John Shriver .
VVil!ian1 J. VVilley
.VVilliam Thomas
Robert 1VIcUree
George McNeely
Nathan Golf .
John Wagner .
Levi Anderson

, William John .

Jacob Wagner

9

O
Tho mas S. Haymond

6

Sworn 1'72.
May 14, 1810
May 14, 1810

. M.-a,._y  14, .1810

May 14, 1810
May 15, 1810
May 15, 1810
May 15, 1810
June 11, 1810
June 11, 1810
June 13, 1810
July 9, 1810
October 8, 1810

May 15, 1811
May 15, 1811
June 10, 1811
July 8, 1811
Sept. 9, 1811
Jan. 15, 1812
Nov. 8, 1813

May 9, 1814
June 13, 1814
June 13, 1814
June 13, 1814
June 13, 181:1
Nov. 14, 1814
Dec. ’ 12, 1814

August 24, 1818
August 24, 1818
Feb. 23, 1819
Feb. 23, 1819
Feb. 23, 1819
April 26,1819
April 26, 1819
April 26, 1819
April 27, 1819
April 27, 1819
April 27, 1819
July 26, 1819

July 1, 1820
July 1, 1820
July 1, 1820
August 28, 1820
August 28, 1820
August 28, 1820
Sept. 27, 1820
August 26, 1822
Dec. 27, 1824
June 27, 1825
June 27, 1825
June 27, 1825
June 27, 1825
June 27. 1825
June 27, 1825
June 27. 1825

July 25, 1825

MJONONGALIA COUNTY.

Resigned.
Sept. 26, 1831

April 8, 1816
Jan. 8, 1816

Julv 10. 1815
August 17, 1815
Sept. 22, 1817
March 14, 1814

June 27, 1826

May 8, 1815
October 22, 1821
March 24, 1834
June 10, 1816
April 8, 1816

June 11, 1816
March 22,1824

July 23, 1827

Sept. 26, 1831
May 26. 1823
Feb. 26, 1822

Dec. 25, 1821

Jan. 27, 1823
May 28, 1822

Sept. 28, 1829

August 28, 1827
May 20, 1828

.Vmn,es.
Alex. VVade
Jacob Kiger ,

Thomas Meredith

Matthew Fleming

John Drabell
Hillary Boggess

Benjamin B. Thorn

Nimrod Dent .
Seth Stafford
Henry Boggess
John Wagner
Joseph Gray

VVilliam Thomas

Isaac Cooper .
William Lazier
Andrew Brown
Moses Cox
Leonard Lamb
Thomas VVats0n
Fielding Kiger
John Clayton
Josiah Buyers

John Rude .
John S. Shisler
George Dawson

Francis Billingsley

John S. Smith

1 John Lemley

John Bowl by
Elijah Tarleton

VVilliam Swearingen

John Musgrave
William Price

Joseph F. Harrison
George S. Renshaw

Rawley Holland
John Stewart
John Hood

7 Reuben B. Taylor

VVilliam Bradley.

Leander S. Laidley

John Watts

Martin Calle-nd.ine

William Launtz

l\'10rgan S. Bayles

H ugh Daugherty

Henry Watson
James Evans .
Gideon Barb

William Haines

Daniel Dusenberry

Henry Daugherty

Henry Dering
George M. Reay

George M. Hagans
Daniel }‘lrll(l6lIl.1ll

The offinces of the
appointed, were

went into effect.

J UDICIAL’

o 0

HISTORY.
Sworn in.

. July 25, 1825
. July 25, 1825
. July 23, 1827
July 23, 1827

. Au,<.gust 28, 1827-
August 25, 1828
. August 25, 1828
August 26, 1828
. August 24. 1829
August. 24, 1829

. Jan. 23. 1832
Feb. 27, 1832
. Feb. 27, 1832
Feb. 27, 1832
. March 28, 1832
Sept 23, 1833
. Sept 23, 182-33
Sept 23. 1833
. Sept 23, 1833
Sept 23, 1833
Oct. 28, 1833
July 28. 1834
. July 28, 1834
Jan. 26, 1835
May 25, 1835
May 25, 1835
. April 24, 1837
April 24. 1837
. April 24,1837
April 24,, 1837
. Way 22, 1837
May 22,1837
. May 22, 1837
May 22, 1837
. N1 ay 22, 1837
June 25, 1837
. June 25, 1837
.l ll ly 27, 1840

. August 24, 1840
August 24, 1840

Sept. 28, 1840
May 23, 1842
. May 23, 1842
May 23, 1842
. May 23, 1842
Way 23, 1842
. May 23, 1842
May 23, 1842
. August 24, 1846
July 26, 1847
. July 26, 1847
July 26, 1847
. July 26, 1847
July 26, 1847
. Sept. 24, 1849
‘Sept. 24. 1849

315

Resigned.

M ay 25, 1835

May 26, 1834

Justices of the Peace who had been

vacated when the Constitution of 1851

316
Of the bar of Monongalia

always a credit to the county and the State.”

HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

it has been said that “it was
Members of

the Monongalia bar have served in both houses of the Vir-

ginia and West Virginia Legislatures. It has given judges

to the judicial circuits of West Virginia, and a judge to the

State Supreme Court of Appeals.

It has furnished mem-

bers to represent Virginia and VVest Virginia in the House

of Representatives of the United States, and one of its

number represented West Virginia for ten years in the

Senate of the United States.

ROLL or THE 13A1i.*

1789.
Francis T. Brooke . . May 4
William McCleary . May 4
Thomas Wilson . . Sept 21
1790.
James Allen . . .Sept 20
1794.
Jolm Brown . . . Sept 20

Isaac Hite Williams . Sept 20
1795.
Philip Doddridge . . May 4
1797. 7
Maxwell Armstrong . Sept. 15
Dec. 13

Noah Lindsey . . .
180

William Tingle. . .

VVilliam G. Payne .

James G. Laidloy . .
1803.

June 9
Sept. 15
Oct. 13

James Pindall - . April 12
James Evans . . . July 11
1807.

Mathew Gay . . October 13
1808.

Felix Scott . . . April 11
Rawley Scott . . . June 13

James McGee . .

June 14

Marmaduke Evans 
1811.

Oliver Phillips September 2
1819.

Eugenius M. Wilson September 17
1821.

A. P. VVilson
John K. Mines .
1

April 13

. September 25

2.
Edgar C. Wilson .
Joseph T. Daugherty .

September 9
A pril 8

1823.
Charles S. Morgan .
1825.
Guy R. C. Allen .
- 1826.
W. Calder Haymond .
1833.
Waitman T. Willey
1841

April 14
April 13
April 10

September 9

Ralph L. Berkshire . April 8
1842.

Eusebius P. Lowman . April 26
1844.

I. J. T. Fox Alden . .  

Lycurgus S. Bough . March 29

Andrew McDonald . . April 8

Philip H. Keck . . October 28
1845.

David G. Thompson . April 7

George S. Ray September 8
1

848.

Henry E. Smith . . April 6
Samuel Woods . April 6
1851.

Edward C. Bunker . . April 5
1855.

Alfred M. Barbour . April 13
1858.

Henry T. Martin . . April 8

Jonathan M. Beck
1859.
John A. Dille , August 
J. Marshall Hagans September 9
John G. Gay . . . 
1860.
William A. Hanway .
Lowrie Wilson ‘.

September 9

April 13
. September4

or information obtainable.

* No rollihlasieveru been “kept on the records; this is made up Irom the best sources

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 317

1864. 1880.

George C. Sturgiss . May 11 Ledrew M. VVade . March 1
William P. Willey . . May 12 John M. Davis . . . July 14
John J. Brown . November 9 Waitman W. Houston . April 16

1868. J. S. Brookover . September 2
A. G. Sturgiss . . . May 13 .

1339_ Marshall M. Dent . June 21
Joesph Moreland . February 10 _ 1332”

1872 A. G. Davis .‘ - . . June 16

Oliver H. Dille 18 .' September 9 (I}_'.:”:;:']t‘-i’?:’h($‘(;:3lIf£eck. . .  

- B . S. . . O I: b 18

Thomas H. B. Staggera March 22 Ffigncjs T?£§£;m0nd Ofitgbgi 23
1879, 1883.

Clarence B. Dille . March 20.. Frank Cox . . . June 19

The attempt to classify the attorneys, so as to show those
admitted to the bar in Monongalia, but who never practiced
here, and those from abroad who were admitted to the
Morgantown bar, had to be abandoned, because of want of
clearness in some of the entries on the record and because
of incomplete indexing. This lack of comprehensive index-
ing of the record-books and the destruction of a part of the
records in 1861, account for all the blanks in the lists of
county officers and attorneys in this chapter. Some of the
record—books need transcribing, all of them thorough and
comprehensive indexing—an amount of labor that no clerk
can spare from his regular work.

William G. Brown and Thomas Brown, of Preston

County, were engaged in the trial of cases here as early as
1833 or 35. Of other attorneys from abroad admitted to

practice in the courts of Monongalia,we have record of. the

following :

1789-—Char1es Magill, Samuel Read, John Ralfs, Williarii C.
VVi11ia1ns, \Vil1ian1 Marshall, Nathaniel Davisson. l799——M. Sexton.
1800—Wyl1is Lithnxan-. 180l—John Gr. Jackson. 1804——Isaac Mor-
ris. 1811——Andrew Stewart and Samuel Evans, of Pennsylvania.
1819—John James Allen. 1824~—Copeland Stockton. 1827—W. L.
Jackson, George J. \Villiams, Daniel" H. Polsley. 1830—Wi1liam
McCord. 1832—~Wil1iam A. Harris. l835—Gr. D. Camden. 1836-

318 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

George H. Lee. 1842—E. M. Davisson, Charles A. Harper, 1846——
William McKinley. 1851-E. B. Hall, Z. Kidwell, U. M. Turner.
1852——R. E. Cowan. 1854-James P. Smith. 1858——VV. P. Thompson,
E. H. Fitzhugh, Moses C. Good. 1860~—Charles M. Brown. 1862——

E. S. Bland, B. F. Martin, S. A. Morgan, VV. VV. Peck. Since 1862, p

among the number were Fontaine Smith, James H. Carroll, A. F.
Haymond, John A. Hutchinson. Jr., Dwight McCleave, George H.
McGrrew, Nathan Golf, J r., A. B. Fleming, John Barton Payne,
Charles E. Brown, Joseph H. Hawthorne, VVilliam G. \Vor1ey and
William G. Brown, Jr.

Among attorneys who are practicing their profession in
other parts of the country, and who read law and were ad-
mitted to the bar in Monongalia, we have record of the
following:

Name. A r7;mxitt(2(7. I .\'a'mP. Ad’I')?/I'tl‘-(’(?l.
William Weringer April 16, 1833; W. L. Bouglmer September 10,1874

Samuel Arnold . April 11, 1834 T. 1’. Jacobs September 16, 1875
John W. Harrier April 8, 1844 Edgar VV. Wilson September 15, 1876
Samuel VVood . . April 6, 1848 W. R. D. Dent March 15, 1877
Newton B. Jones September 2, 1867 Rob’t H. Dolliver September 20, 1877

John W. Mason February 3, 1868 Frank Woods . March 19. 1879
H. Clay Showalter February 15, 1868‘Ulysses Arnett March 22, 1879
John E. Kern . May 4, 1868 Madison T. Garlow June 20, 1882
Marmaduke H. Dent Sept. 13, 1872 Arthur L. Cox October 19, 1882

 

Two natives of Monongalia are practicing at the King-
wood (Preston County) bar, where they were admitted,
namely: Joseph Hullawthorne, in Sepmteber, 1878; Isaac
C. Ralphsnyder, Cflctoljer 8, 1880.

3 ?.‘COUNTY BUILDINGS.

Phillips’s shop was used as a Court-house in 1776, and
afterwards different houses were used for the purpose.
Three Court-houses have been built in Morgantown; the
first a frame, the second a brick, and the present brick
building. Four Jails have been built in Morgantown. The
first one was a. stone building, the second a block, the
next was a brick, and the fourth and present. one is a
stone building, and is said to be one of the finest Jails in

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 319

the State. These will be treated in detail in the history of
the Borough of Morgantown. The county has had two
County Poor-houses. The first one was in Morgan District;

' the present one is near Cassville. They will be noticed in

full in the history of Morgan and Cass districts.
HANGINGS.

Since the formation of the county only five executions
have taken place, and these all at Morgaiitowii. Only two
of these five persons—Milly and Joshua, both slaves——
were living on the present territory of Monongalia County.

The first of August, 1798, at a called session of the
County Court, at which Justices David Scott, VVillian1 John,
James Scott, John Dent and Enoch Evans were present,
Milly, a slave, the property of David Robe, was tried for
burning her m aster’s barn, for attempting to murder VVilliam
Robe, Jr., and for preparing medicine and administering
the same. Noah Lindsey was assigned as counsel to
defend her. She acknowledged that there was poison
prepared to give to Robe. The testimony of several
Witnesses Went strongly to prove her guilt, and the court
sentenced her to be hung-on the 1st day of September,
1798. This court also tried Will, a slave of Barsheba
Ferguson, as accessory to the burning of the barn, and
found him guilty. His sentence was to be burnt on the
hand and receive thirty lashes.

On the 16th of August, a. special examining court was
called, upon a plea of Milly assigning a reason that the sen-
tence of death should not be executed upon her at the time
set. The sherifl' was ordered to impannel a jury of twelve
discreet women to inquire into the truth of the fact alleged.
The jury were Catherine Evans, Mary McNeely, Sarah
Foster, Ann Beck, Mehitable Mehose, Susannah McCrea,

320 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Susannah Madera, Mary Baltzel, Sarah McKinley, Catharine
McIntyre, Sarah Laidley and Mary Gandy. They reported
that no cause existed for postponing the execution of the
sentence. Milly was valued by the court at £75 and was
hung on the 1st of September. Thomas Evans “found the
plank” and made her cofiin for four dollars.

Joshua, a negro slave of James Collins, was arrested for
an assault on a white Woman, and was tried on the 13th of
July, 1827, before a County Court called for the purpose,
which was composed of the following Justices: Dudley
Evans, Richard VVatts, David P. Morgan, Owen John and
Jacob Kiger. The court assigned Charles S. Morgan and
Edgar C. Wilson to defend him, and ordered that his master
pay each a fee of $7.50. Joshua was found guilty by the
Justices, and sentence of death was passed upon him. He
was hung on the 17th of August, 1827, on the Waters of
Falling Run, just beyond the VVest Virginia University, on
lands now belonging to and enclosed in a lot by Michael
Chalfant. Joshua was about 18 years old, and was ‘valued
at $250 by the Court, which amount the State had to pay to
his master. '

HARRISON VERSUS MONONGALIA.

A suit was brought by Harrison County* against Monon-
galia County on the 19th of May, 1800, in the District Court
at Morgantown, presided over by Judge William Nelson,
Jr. In the act (of July 20, 1784,) creating Harrison County,
it was declared that Monongalia should pay and refund to
the people of Harrison their proportion of the cost of
erecting the public buildings in Monongalia. The propor-—

" The justices 0! Harrison bringing the suit were William Robinson, Thomas Reed, «

Watson Clark and William Martin. The suit was brought against David Scott.
Thomas Butler, Robert Ferrell, John Fairfax and John Collins, Justices of and for
Monongalia. ' - .

JUDICIAL HISTORY. \ 321

tion of Harrison was 24 pounds and 6 shillings, of which
amount they had received 24 pounds 5 shillings and 8%
pence. A tax* for “wolf scalps,” of 97 pounds 17 shillings
and 11 pence, was collected in the county in 1784. The
State gave Monongalia a certificate for this tax, which the
county sold in 1795, at 18 shillings on the pound.

After the striking off of the territory of Harrison, there

were 343 “tythables” in_ Monongalia and 282 in Harrison. ‘

And it was in this proportion, it seems, that Harrison con-
tended that the'wolf~sca1p tax should be divided between
the two counties. Harrison’s suit was brought to recover
the balance due her on the public-buildings tax, and that
part of the wolf-scalp tax of 1784 which was paid by the
people of that part of Monongalia which became Harrison
County in the same year. The latter, it is said, was the
principal object of the suit. 8

The case was decided on the 20th of May, 1795 ; and the
judgment of the court was that Monongalia was indebted to
Harrison in the sum of 3 pence and 3 farthings on the pub-
lic-buildings tax, but owed her nothing for the wolf-scalp
tax, and that Harrison pay all the costs of the suit.

On the pages of the records of the county, among matters
of serious character and grave import, are to be found
those of an amusing and humorous character. Of ’ the
latter, let one specimen sufiice. It is an entry upon the
estray-book of 1849, which is reproduced below, substitu-
ting blanks for the names of the persons mentioned :

Pursuant to a warrant to us directed after being duly sworn
for that purpose we have this day viewed and do appraise one

' A premium was paid tor each W01! scalp taken in a county and presented at the
county-seat. A tax was laid each year to pay for these scalps, the amount or which
was to be repaid by the State. No tund was provided by the State at this time, for its
payment, and Monongalia, like other counties, sold this certificate against the State,
about 179:5, tqsrlwhat she could get for it, which was 18 shillings on the pound. 1

CHAPTER IV.
MONONGALIA UNDER AUGUSTA.

1738-‘r775.

Territory of Augusta County-—The Ohio Co1upany—Attempts to
Settle the Country—The Eckarlys—Thon1as Decker and his
Colony Murdered——First Permanent Settle1nent—Virginia Col-
ony under the Morgans—Pioneers from 1769 to 1’? 74—~Mu1-der of
Bald Eag1e—Dumn_ore‘s \Var-—Stockade Ports and Block-
Houses—Old Roads; V

AUGUSTA COUNTY was created by an act passed in November,
1738. It declared, “That all that territory and tract of
land, at present deemed to be  part‘ of the county of Or-
ange, lying on the north-west side of the top of the said
[Blue Ridge] mountains, extending from thence northerly,
Westerly, and southerly, beyond the said mountains, to the

utmost limits of Virginia, be separated from the rest of the

said county, and erected into two distinct counties and par- V

ishes; to be divided by a line to be run from the head
spring of Hedgman River to the head of the river POt0W-
mack . . . said territory lying on the other side
(northwest) of the said line, beyond the said Blue Ridge,
shall be one other distinct county, and parish; to be called
by the name of the! county of Augusta, and parish of
Augusta.””"‘

Augusta!‘ at the time of its formation e1nbrace(l the
southern part of the Valley of Virginia, and all the vast
stretch west of this Valley. To-day its territory comprises
four States and over forty counties of VVest Virginia.

* V’ Hening, p. 79. - .

T May 1, 1754, a part of Augusta was added to Frederick, and Hampshire was
taken from Augusta and Frederick. Nov., 1769, Botetort was taken from Augusta.
These losses of territory, however, did not effect the territory of Monongalia.

322 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

stray hog shown to us by ——- ———~—— and do find the same to be a
white sow with a. black spot nearthe right eye, ears badly torn,
supposed to have been done by a dog with a short tail supposed to be
eighteen months old. VVe do appraise the same to be worth one
dollar and fifty cents. Given under our hands this 22d day of

November, 1849. ——-
-- -———— Appraisers.

As it is supposed that the .appraisers did not mean to
describe tl1e dog that tore the ears of the sow, at all, and
certainly not so particularly as having “ a short tail sup-
posed to be eighteen months old,” this descriptive language
must be applied to the aforesaid “white sow with a black
spot near the right 'eye.” Whether the owner of this his-
toric hog ever came into possession of this particular piece
of his property, is one of those numerous things about
which the records and tradition are both provokingly silent.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

DANIEL SMITH, who presided as Judge from 1809 to 1831,
was a resident of Harrisonburg. About six feet tall, witha
round full face, black hair, and pleasant countenance, he
was a man of fine presence.

JOSEPH L. FRY, of VVheeling, Judge from 1831 to 1852,

was a native of Orange County, Va.; he moved to Kanawha
County and practiced law; was elected judge of this district,
by the Legislature, in 1831, when he moved totWheeling.
He was aman of fine literary taste, and had an extensive
library. He died June 10, 1865, aged seventy-one years.

GEORGE W. THOMPSON, who presided as Judge from 1852
to 1861, is still living and resides near Wheeling. He is
now a very aged man. He quitted the bench in 1861, refus-

“\

JUDICIAL HISTORY. I 323

ing to take certain oaths prescribed by the Wheeling Con-
vention of June 18, 1861. He turned to literary pursuits,
and wrote a remarkable book, entitled the “Category of the
Infinite.”

RALPH LAZIER BERKSHIRE, Judge from 1861 to 1863,
son of William Berkshire, a farmer of limited means, was
born April 8th, 1816, in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.
His father removed thence to Monongalia County, in the
following year, where he died in 1860. Ralph Lazier lived
with his father on the farm till eighteen years of age, when
he went to Morgantown to learn the carpenters trade, at
which he Worked for several years. In 1838, he began to
read law with Guy R. C. Allen, and Was admitted to the
bar three years afterward. He was appointed by the
County Court prosecuting attorney in 1847, and was elected
in 1852 to the same position. Like his father, .a VVhig in

politics, he was voted for in a portion of the congressional _

district as a candidate against the Hon. Sherrard Clemmens,
receiving a heavy vote in Monongalia County. In 1861, he
Was a candidate for Circuit Judge against Judge George W.
Thompson, receiving over 400 of a majority in Monongalia,
but was defeated in the circuit. ,

He was an ardent opponent of secession, and was one of
those who called the meeting of the 17th of April, 1861, at
Morgantown and was .a member of the committee that
drafted the resolutions* there adopted, which were “pub—

lished in the National Intelligcncer and other leading papers 1 

as the ‘first loyal voice from Western Virginia.’ "T He was
appointed a delegate to the May Convention at Wheeling,
but was prevented from attending by professional duties.

— _\
.-

' see pages 139 and 140 of this work. 1 West. Virginia Reports, vol. 1., p. 84.

324 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

He was elected a delegate to the June Convention at the
same place, and succeeded Judge Thompson, in 1861, as
Judge of the 20th Judicial Circuit, being elected over his
competitor by a large majority. In this capacity he served
until June, 1863, when he was elected one of the three
Judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals of this State, and
became President of this court, and served until 1867. In
1874, he was elected, as the candidate of the Republican
party, with little opposition, to the State Senate, from the
district composed of Monongalia and Preston counties, and
served the full term of four years.

Since his admission to the bar, Judge Berkshire has
continued to practice law, except during the period when
he was on the bench; He is still engaged in that vocation,
as a member of the firm of Berkshire & Sturgiss. Judge
Berkshire is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOHN A. DILLE, son of Ezra Dille, was born in Washing-
ton County, Penn., July 19, 1821. His mother was a
daughter of William McFarland and sister of the late
Major Samuel ’McFarland, of Washington, Penn. His
early years were spent in working on his father’s farm, and
attending the free schools of the neighborhood during the
Winter months. At the age of sixteen, a laudable ambition
prompted him to seek higher educational advantages; and,
accompanied by an elder brother now deceased, he entered
“Greene Academy,” an institution then possessing a high
reputation for enlarged educational facilities and scholarly
teachers. A year spent in the Academy opened new and
broader fields for thought, and awakened and inspired a
stronger desire for mental culture. Accordingly, in the
fall of 1839, Mr. Dille was regularly entered at Washington

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College (now Washington and J efierson), where he pursued
his studies in that old and well-established institution until
he had about completed its full course of instruction.
While at college he made a reputation as an essay writer,
and on two occasions‘ represented the Literary Society of
which he was a member in public performances. Impaired
health, owing in part to a not very strong constitution and
in part to confinement at school, compelled him to leave
college just before graduating, and repair to his home, and
there, amid the activities of a country life, to regain vigor
and strength. By the advice of his friends, who were still
solicitous in regard to his health, he was prevailed upon
to remove to Preston County, Va. (now West Va.,) with the
hope that the purer air of the mountains would so improve
and restore his health, as to enable him to enter upon the
profession he had chosen before,entering:college. Follow-
ing this advice, in the spring of 1843, he removed to
Kingwood, the county-seat of Preston; and in that and the
following year studied law under the direction and instruc-
tion ofihis esteemed friend, the Hon. William G. Brown;
and also taught a select school in the higher academic
studies, which soon thereafter developed into what was after-
wards known as “Preston Academy.”

In March, 1844, Mr. Dille was examined by Judges Fry,
Douglass and Smith, and licensed to practice law in the
courts of Virginia, and opened an office in Kingwood. His
diligence, energy, and fidelity to the interests of his clients
soon won deserved success and remunerative pecuniary
rewards. Sometimes antagonized by and sometimes asso-
ciated as co-counsel with Brown, Wilson and Allen, who
had long been engaged in the profession and were ranked
among the best lawyers in the State, he had to study

326 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

diligently and continuously to sustain himself and to Win
reputation and laurels against such veterans in the pro-
fession. I11 the spring of 1845, the law partnership of
“Brown &‘ Dille” was formed, the senior partner of the
firm was his distinguished preceptor and friend, the Hon.
Willialn G. Brown. This partnership continued until April,
1849. Mr. Brown Was a member of the House of Represent-
atives of the United States Congress during the Whole
time of the partnership, and consequently the entire
business of the firm was managed by its junior member.

In the spring of 1849, Mr. Dille was married to the eldest
daughter of the late Elisha M. Hagans, Esq., of Kingwood,
whose acquaintance he had formed While a student at
college, she having been at that time a pupil at "Washington
Female Seminary, where she graduated in the fall of 1845.
In less than three years after her marriage Mrs. Dille died,
leaving one son,-—Oliver H. Dille—who, a few years ago,
bought and now resides on the “Evans Homestead,” near
Morgantown, in Monongalia County.

After the dissolution of the partnership of “Brown &
Dille,” in 1849, the partnership in the practice of law of
“ Dille & Hagans” was formed, the Hon. M. B. Hagans, now
of Cincinnati, being the junior member. Mr. Hagans is a
brother of Mr. Dil1e’s first Wife, and read law in his oflice.
This partnership [was dissolved in the spring of 1850, when
its junior member removed to Cincinnati, Where he has
since distinguished himself both at the bar and on the
bench as a successful lawyer and able judge.

With most men in the legal profession, success at the bar
is generally made a stepping stone to political honors and
preferments, but the subject of this sketch pursued the

even tenor of his way, winning reputation and remuneration

JUDICIAL HISTORY. _ 327

from the diligent practice of the law, until the beginning of
the late sectional strife; before which time he was a Dem-
ocrat, and in the presidential campaign of 1860—in which
he took a very active part~—‘was a Douglass Democrat ; and
when the conflict came on, was very decided in his convic-
tions and expressed opinions in favor of the preservation of
the Union. During the war he never wavered in his
attachment to the Government, nor doubted the result of
the confiict; and necessarilyacted witl1 his fellow citizens,
Who—-after the secession of Virginia——restored her govern-
ment, and advocated the formation of a new State out of

\ her territory. Mr. Dille was elected a member ofpthe Con-

stitutional Convention which met in lVheeling on the 26th

of November, 1861, and, with John J. Brown, Esq., repre— _

sented the County of Preston therein ; was a member of the
Committee on County Organization, advocated the election
by the people of three commissioners—a system of county
government somewhat similar to the provisions of our
present Constitution-—and was opposed to the plan adopted
by the convention. He was also a member of the Commit-
tee on the Judiciary Department, and took an active interest
in so framing the Constitution that the judiciary of the new
State would be not only cheap but efficient. The work of
the convention having been submitted to the people for
ratification or rejection, Mr. Dille addressed the people in

various parts of the State in favor of its ratification, and

afterwards accompanied many distinguished citizens from all"

sections of the State to VVashington, for the purpose of
securing the passage of a law by Congress for the
admission of VVest Virginia into the Union; was elected
Without opposition, Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit,
composed of the counties of Monongalia, Taylor, Tucker

328 HISTORY OF MONONGALIAD COUNTY.

and Preston, and re-elected at the close of his first term,
and continued on the bench until the 1st of January, 1873, a
period of ten years.

In the fall of 1864, Judge Dille removed from Kingwood
to Morgantown, where he still resides. This change of res-
idence was made with a view to the education of his
children in the schools of that town, then as now, justly
celebrated as among the very best institutions of learning
in the country. Judge Dille has always taken a deep
interest in education ; advocated the incorporation into the
Constitution of the State the system of Free Schools, and
the liberal advanced system of higher education provided
for in the West Virginia University and Normal Schools,
which, in a score of years, have become the pride and

glory of her people.

How faithfully and ably he discharged the responsible
duties of his judicial office, and his appreciation by the
members of the bar who practiced in his court, will appear
by the following resolutions, adopted by the bars of Monon-
galia, Preston and Taylor counties:

“At a meeting of members of the Bar of Monongalia County, VV.

Va., held at the Court-house, on Saturday, December '7, 1872, on
motion, the Hon. W. T. VVil1ey was called to the chair, and L. S.

Hough, Esq., appointed secretary. J. M. Hag-ans, Esq., moved‘

that the chair appoint a com1nitte,to draft resolutions expressive of
our regard for the Hon. John A. Dille, about to retire from the
bench; whereupon John J. Brown, George C. Sturgiss and L. S.
Hough, Esqs., were appointed, who submitted the following resolu-
tions, which were unanimously adopted, and the chairman was
requested to present them to his Honor, and ask that they be
recorded among the proceedings of the court, viz.:

“Resolved, That the members of the fraternity practicing at the
bar of this court, desiring to give expression to our appreciation of
the services of the Hon. J. A. Dille, who since the formation of the

J UJDICIAL HISTORY. 329

State of West Virginia has, with so much honor to himself and
usefulness to the public, held the office of Judge of this
Judicial Circuit. do tender to him our thanks for his uniform
kindness, and regret that these pleasant relations, so long existing
between us, are to be terminated by this term of the court.

“ Resolved, That in our intercourse with each other, we will
endeavor to profit as well by his example of fraternal kindness and
courtesy, as by the light shed upon our pathway by his profound
learning, enlightened opinions and impartial decisions; and express
the hope that the future of his life may be fraught with the like
success and happiness which have attended the past, and with the
consciousness of duty well done.

“Resolved, That the secretary of this meeting furnish a copy of
these resolutions to the clerk of this court, with the request that he
enter them upon its recordsjand have them published in the county

papers. * W. T. VVILLEY, Chm’n.
“L. S. HOUGH, Sec’y.”

“At a Circuit Court held in and for the County of Preston, on
the 23rd day of November, 1872: On motion of Col. Asbury C.
Baker, the Court permits the following to be entered of record, as
per writing here filed in these words :

“‘At a meeting of the members of the bar of the County of
Preston, at the Court—house in Kingwood, on Friday evening,
November 22, 1872, Gustavus Cresap, Esq., was called to the chair,
and A. C. Baker, Esq., appointed secretary. It having been ex-
plained by the chairman that the official term of the Hon. John A.
Dille, Judge of the Third Judicial Circuit will shortly expire, and
that the last regular term of his Honor’s Court for this county is
now in session, and will be adjourned on to-morrow; whereupon,
the following resolutions were introduced and unanimously
adopted:

“ ‘Resolved, That we sincerely regret that the relations of court
and bar, which for a number of years have existed between the Hon.
John A. Dille and ourselves are about to be severed ; also,

“ ‘Resolved, That, as a slight testimonial of our regard for his
Honor’s many noble qualities of mind and of heart, we tender him
our sincerest thanks for the uniform courtesy, judicial wisdom, and
unwavering integrity constantly manifested by him while presid-
ing over the multifarious business of our courts ; on motion,

MONONGALIA UNDER AUGUSTA. 31

Monongalia County, as a part of the territory of Augusta,

was an unbroken wilderness. For ten years no attempt was
made by_ English—speaking people to possess the soil of the
Monongahela Valley. Thomas Lee""‘ a member of the Royal
Council of Virginia, in 1748, projected the formation of the
Ohio Company, which was chartered by George II. in
Marcli, 1749. Five hundred thousand acres of land was the
grant to be taken up on the Ohio between the l\I_Mo_riongr_ali,ela
and Kanawha rivers. Two hundred thousand acres were to
be taken immediately and held ten years free from quit-rent
or tax to the King. The Ohio Companyi‘ was to bring
out one hundred families, and build a fort to protect them,
within seven years. The object of the Company was to
settle these lands and wrest the Indian trade from the
hands of the Pennsylvanians. This I grant‘ embraced a
portion of the territory of Monongalia. The Company
attempted to settle its lands with 200 German emigrants
from eastern Pennsylvania, but the collection of church
rates from dissenters by the Episcopacy of Virginia
deterred them.

The next efl'ort made to possess the soil of Monongalia
In February, 1752, the

House of Burgesses offered any Protestant who would

was by the Colony of Virginia.

settle in Augusta County, west of the ridge, on the waters
of the Mississippi, ten years’ exemption from public, county
and parish levies. In November, 1753, the exemption
was extended to fifteen years, ending in 1769. Braddock’s
defeat in 1755 stopped settling until 1763. V

* Ellis’s History of Fayette County, Penna.

‘r The charter members were Thomas Lee, Mr. Hanbury, of London, Lawrence
and John A. Washington (brothers of George Washington), and ten others of Virginia
and Maryland. }}raddock’s defeat in 1755 put a stop to the Ohio Coinpany’s operations.
In 1760, Col. George Mercer was sent to England to revive the Company. He met with
varying success until the Revolution killed the project.

~€./vr.--«.,«

330 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

“ ‘Resolved, That the secretary of this meeting be directed to ,

present a copy of the foregoing resolutions to his Honor, in court,
together with the request that they be entered of record. On
motion adjourned. GUSTAVUS CRESAP, Chm’n.

“ ‘A. C. BAKER, _Sec'y.’ ”

“At a Circuit Court held for the County of Taylor, at the Court-
house thereof, on Thursday, the 19th, day of December, 1872 :

“ WHEREAS, The present term of court will terminate the official
labors of the Hon. John A. Dille, Judge of the Third Judicial
Circuit; therefore,

“Resolved. That the members of the legal profession practicing
at the bar of this court desiring to give expression to our appre-
ciation of his services as Judge of this Circuit, do most cordially
tender to him o11r thanks for his uniform kindness, patience and
courtesy in the discharge of his official duties.

“ Resolved, That in the future, as in the past, we will endeavor to
cultivate friendly relations among ourselves. assured that the
patience, kindness and courtesy exhibited by his Honor will shed
brightness in our pathway in life and make us wiser and better
men; that, following his high example, we will aim to be just and
impartial and to do right; trusting that he and we may have a.
labor and life record which when presented in Heaven’s Chancery
will be found to be pure and rig/zt.

“Resolved, That when Judge Dille shall leave us that he shall
carry with him assurances of our esteem and our best wishes for
his success and happiness in life.

“Resolved, That the Clerk of this Court be requested to enter
these proceedings in the order-book upon the common law side of
this Court. .

“Resolved, That the secretary of this meeting furnish a copy of
these proceedings to the Grafton Sentinel for publication.

L. S. JOHNSON, Chm’n.
“J. V. MARTIN, Sec’y.”

Since he left the bench, Judge Dille has devoted himself
largely to grazing and agriculture. In superintending his
farms—one in Preston County, known as the Beatty farm,
near Kingwood, and the other in Monongalia, known as the

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 331

Coombs farm, near Stewarttown—he takes great delight,
and calculates, with his economical habits and attention to
business, with the small accumulations of ‘a lifetime, he may
be able to spend his declining years in quiet and enjoy-
ment. Judge Dille, at the close of his judicial term, opened
a law ofiice in Chancery Row in Morgantown, where now,
associated with his youngest son, he is still engaged in the
practice of his profession.

In 1853, Judge Dille was married to his second wife, the

eldest daughter of the late Thomas Brown, Esq., of King— .

wood, who still lives, and by whom he has two children,
Clarence B., who is engaged in the practice of law with his
father, and a daughter—Mary—about sixteen years of age.

Judge Dille’s strong convictions in favor of temperance,
religion and progress have given him a large influence with
his friends a11d neighbors. He has been for many years a.
member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Ruling Elder of
that church in Morgantown. The writer of this sketch
would not conclude what he has to say about his friend,
Without adding that the most strongly developed element in
Judge Dille’s character, is a prudent conservatism, which
enables him to avoid extremes on all questions, and which
gives influence and weight to his judgment and opinions,

and secures the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens.
I

CHARLES S. LEWIS, the successor of Judge Dille, died in
Clarksburg, Harrison County, January 22, 1878, of con-
sumption, aged fift__v—six years. He was a member of Con-
gress in 1854; afterwards was a member of the Legislature
of VVest Virginia; was elected State Superintendent of
Schools; in 1872, he was a candidate for the judgeship of
the circuit against Judge Thomas W. Harrison, and in the
contest was awarded the election over his opponent.

332 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

ABETAS BROOKS FLEMING, the present Judge of the Cir-
cuit, was born, October 15, 1839, in what is now Marion
County. His father, Benjamin F. Fleming, married a
daughter of the Rev. Asa Brooks. Judge Fleming studied
law at the University of Virginia, and with Judge E. B.
Hall, and was admitted to the bar in 1861. He was a
member of the Legislature of VVest Virginia from Marion
for two terms. He was appointed judge of the Second
Judicial Circuit January 30, 1878, by Gov. Mathews, to fill

the vacancy made by the death of Judge Charles S. Lewis,

and served from that time till the following general election
in October, 1878, when he was elected to serve the rest of
Judge Lewis’s term. In October, 1880, he was elected for a
new and full term of eight years. Judge Fleming is a resi-
dent of Fairmont.

Among those who were born in Monongalia, and else-
where were elected to the bench, we have account of the
following:

JAMES EVANS, son of Col. John Evans, read law and was
admitted to the bar of Monongalia, July 11, 1803. He
removed to Cape Guerdeau, Missouri, in 1807, and, after

practicing law some time, was elected Judge of a circuit ,

court, and served for many years, resigning upon the death
of his wife, who was a sister of United States Senator Buck-
ner. He resided awhile on a farm at Louisville, Kentucky,
and came back to Monongalia in 1863 or 64, where he died,
March 9, 1870.

XENOPHON J. PINDALL, born in what is now Grant District,
it is said, after removing to, and practicing law in, Arkansas,
was elected and served as Judge of a judicial district.

Josnrn D. TINGLE was born in Morgantown, October

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 333

30, 1807. He was the son of George R. Tingle, who came
from Martinsburg to Monongalia, and on September 6, 1775,
married Sarah McFarland. They removed to Ohio, and
their son Joseph D. Tingle became a lawyer in Guernsey
County, and was appointed by Governor Thomas Corwin to
a judgeship in the common pleas court.

ALPHEUS E. WILSON, son of the Hon. A. P. Wilson, was
born at Rock Forge (in what is now Morgan District), Octo-
ber 24, 1828. He married Miss Dawson, of Brownsville,
Penn., in September, 1856. He read law with Judge
Nathaniel Wilson, of Uniontown, and was admitted to the
bar at Uniontown in June, 1850. He was elected in
October, 1873, President Judge of the 14th District, com-
posed of the counties of Fayette and Greene. Judge
Wilson’s term is now drawing to a close, and he declines to
be a candidate for re-election. He is highly spoken of for
the able, just and efficient discharge of his duties upon the
bench.

FRANCIS TALIAFERRO BROOKE, the first attorney on the
roll, was born near Fredericksburg, Virginia. At the age
of sixteen he was a lieutenant of artillery in the Revolu-
tionary War. After the war he read law, and, in 1788,
settled at .Morgantown, and was appointed prosecuting
attorney in 1789. About 1790, he returned to Fredericks-
burg; was appointed a circuit judge, and, in 1815, was
appointed one of the judges of the Supreme Court of Vir-
ginia, and held that position until his death, about 1851.

WILLIAM MCCLEERY was born in Tyrone County, Ireland,
about the year 1741, and, about the close of the Revolu-
tionary War, migrated to and settled in the territory now

334 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

embraced in Washington County, Penn., supposed then to
be, and claimed by Virginia to be, within her charter. After
the extension of Masons and Dixon’s line from the western
terminus of the Maryland line to the western limits of the
Pennsylvania charter, and the formation of VVashington
County in the latter State, Col. McCleery held the office of
Prothonotary of the County of Wasliingtqn; soon after he
removed to Morgantown which, in 1783, was made the
county—seat of Monongalia County, and received from the
Governor of Virginia a 'Colonel’s commission, and under the
orders of Col. John Evans, commandant of the county, was
distinguished for vigilance and activity in repelling the
incursions of the Indians on the Virginia frontier. :During
the administration of General VVashington he held the
ofiice of Collector of United States direct taxes, and con-
tinued in that service during the Whiskey Insurrection in
western Pennsylvania, and until the repeal of the United
States direct tax laws. Col. McCleery received the appoint-
ment, in May, 1790, of Deputy Attorney General by the
District Court, of the district composed, at that time, of

‘the counties of Monongalia, Harrison, Ohio and Randolph,

to which afterwards the counties of Wood and Brooke were
added; and performed with ability and fidelity tl1g.,;;respon-
sible duties of that oflice until September, 1797. He was a
member of the Presbyterian Church in Morgantown and a
Ruling Elder therein, from 1804 until- his death. In 1806,
the church minutes record, that he and three women con-

stituted all the members of that church residing in Mo‘rgia_n,-I

town. The earliest records of the church are lost, but in
those which exist, it is recorded of Col. McCleery, “that he
was an extraordinary man,‘being well read in theology and
quite active in sustaining the means of grace.” The

JUDICIAL HISTORY. , 335

judicial and police records of Monongalia County having
been destroyed by fire in February, 1796, the trustworthy
history of the stirring and eventful period prior thereto
comes down to us.alone through the untrustworthy medium
of tradition. A

Col. McCleery was twice married. His first wife was
Isabella Stockton, a young lady of Berkeley County, Va.,
whose early life——in captivity by the Indians; education in a
Catholic convent in Canada; separation from her friends in
Berkeley County until she had grown to womanhood; her
return afterwards to her home and friends in Virginia; her
stay with them until her Canadian lover (a handsome young
Frenchman) came to see her, and got the consent of her
parents to marry her; the return journey through the wil-
derness of the youthful lovers to Canada to be married
‘amid the scenes of their early courtship, where first

“ Love his golden shafts employed,
Lighted his constant lamp,
Reigned and reveled,”

and his assassination on the way near the Susquehanna
River by a Virginia rival, who had stealthily followed them
——furnish truthful material for the pen of the writer of ro-
mance. In the latter part of Col. McCleery’s life (many years
after the death of his first wife) he married a widow lady by
the name of Prentis, the mother of the late Jonathan Prentis,
of Morgantown, and the grandmother of General Prentis,
of Missouri. In his declining years Col. McCleery wrote to
his nephew, Mathew Gay, a son of his sister Margaret and
wife of John Gay, of Tyrone County, Ireland, to come to
Morgantown and live with him. His nephew came about
the year 1800, studied. law in his oflice, and upon the retire-
ment of his uncle in 1807 from his professional life, suc-

336 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

ceeded him therein. Col. McCleery died on the 9th of
April, 1821, aged eighty years.

PHILIP DODDRIDGE, the celebrated lawyer and statesman,
practiced at the bar of Monongalia after ceasing to be
Prosecuting Attorney. His home was at Wellsburg, Brooke
County. He died at Washington City in November, 1832,
and his memory has been Well preserved in ex—Senator
W. T. Willey’s sketch of his life.

NOAH LINDsEY* was said to have been the founder of
Linsly Institute at VVheeling. If the Noah Lindsey who
was Prosecuting Attorney in 1804, is identical With the
Noah Lindsey who founded that school, then he came to
Morgantown in 1797-98; was a tutor in Yale; studied law
at Litchfield under Tapping Reeves; and after living at
Morgantown a “couple of years,” removed to Wheeling,
Where he died in 1814. Miss J. B. Wilson contributes an
interesting sketch of Mr. Lindsey to the History. of the
Pan—Handle. .

MATHEVV GAY.——Usefulness is the largest factor in a suc-
cessful life. The individual, measured by the highest
standard, in so far as he lacks this essential element, is com-
paratively a failure. A large majority of men who in many
respects are disti_nguished and canonized as great, are dis-
tinctively so only in a limited and qualified sense; and the
rightful measure of distinction to which they are entitled-
Whether national or local—-is as justly their own, and should
be as generously awarded to them by the historian, as it is
to those by whom a larger field of action is occupied, and
with whose illustrious deeds and useful lives mankind have
been more strongly; and deeply impressed. What a. man

‘As to the spellings 0!.’ this name, see History of Pan-Handle (Wheeling, 1879), p. 222.

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JUDICIAL HISTORY. 337

makes of himself, and not What he is made by the aid and
influence of friends and family, is the‘ most potent and
prominent thought that arrests the attention and deepens
the conviction of his fellow men, and influences them———
Whether favorably or otl1erWise—in a just and impartial
opinion. A calm and unbiased judgment of the life is more
likely to be rendered when its labors are ended, and its
ambitions and rivalries can no longer affect the award.
There is a" large class of useful men in every. country who
hold communities together, who are—to use the Yankee
phrase,——»“ solid men,” and Who, designated by the more
generally popular and expressive, if not the more elegant
term, are the backbone of society. These men, with pro-
nounced individuality, patriotism, integrity, and usefulness,
give tone to society, stability to its morals, ease and dignity
to its manners, and progress and probity to its business
affairs.

Of this class of men was the late Mathew Gay, of Mor-
gantown, Virginia, who was the eldest son of John and
l\/Largaret Gay, of Tyrone County, Ireland, where he was
born about the year 1780. His mother’s maiden name was
McCleery, a sister of Colonel William McCleery. About
the year 1799, Col. McCleery, who had resided in Morgan-
town for many years before, and had some years before
lost his wife, and had no children nor relatives living in the
United States, wrote to his nephew, Mathew Gray, to come
to this country and make his home with him. Mr. Gay,
then about nineteen years of age, sailed from Londonderry,
and,’ after a long and stormy voyage, landed at Philadelphia
and came to Morgantown.

In the meantime, Col. McCleery had fallen a victim to

the charms of a young widow, Who, before his nephew
22 '

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32 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Up to the year 1753 we have nothing to show that a white
About

that year, Dr.iThomas Eckarly and his two brothers, from

man had ever set foot on the soil of Monongalia.

eastern Penns3F':II1/1iia,Isougl1t a ho1ne_ in the wilderness to
avoid military duty, they believing all war to be wrong. All
frontier history agrees with an account given over forty
years ago in the riVczti0/cal _[72,teZligen.cer, which stated that
they camped in south-western Pennsylvania on the waters
of a stream which they called Dunkard Creek, (which name
it bears to-day,) and then removed to and settled on Cheat
River in Virginia, where they were murdered by Indians.
As the Eckarlys ascended the stream upon which they had
camped, one hundred and thirty years ago, their gaze must
have fallen upon the vast forest region of Monongalia.
Such a region they foresaw possessed too many advantages
to remain long unsettled, and as they sought solitude, they
turned back. Strange explorers were they, indeed, to turn
away from a country because it was too inviting! Yet such
were the Eckarlys,""' the first white men who ever trod upon
the soil of Monongali-av. They left their camp and went to
the Dunkard Bottom ( i11 what is now Preston County),
where two of them were killed by Indians, a year or so later.
The Eckarlys were the first explorers of the Upper Monon-
gahela Valley-the first discoverers of Monongalia County,
and were the first white settlers murdered by Indians west
of the Alleghanies of which we have any account.

This murder was the opening scene of the great tragedy

* Withers’s Chronicles of Border Warfare states that they settled on Cheat River, on
the Dunkard Bottom [named after them], that they were Dunkards and lived here
[two miles south-east of the site of Kingwood, Preston County] a. year or two. Run-
ning out of salt and ammunition, Dr. Thomas Eckarly followed a path leading east-
ward, to procure a supply. At Fort‘ Pleasant he was stopped as a spy sent out by, the
Indians. His story of being settled Was not believed, and an armed guard accompanied
him back. They found his cabin in ashes, and the mutilated bodies or his two brothers,
upon which had been wreaked all the savage indignities of Indian hate.

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338 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

reached Morgantown, became his second wife. The nephew
earnestly set about the work of learning the manners and
business habits of the people of his new home, and, having
determined‘ to cast i11 his lot with them, commenced the
study of the law in his uncle’s office; and, after a sufiiciently
lengthy residence in the country, on the 12th of June, 1805,
renounced his allegiance to King George III., and became a
naturalized citizen of the United States. In 1807, having
obtained the legal certificate of residence and good charac-
ter, Mr. Gay set out on his journey on horseback to Rich-
mond, the Capital of the State, to be examined by three of
the judges of the General Court of Virginia. On this
journey he tarried over night  the house of Alexander
Smith, on the north branch of the Potomac River, and saw,
for the first time, the little blue-eyed girl, who, just fifteen
years afterwards, became his wife. Having procured the
signatures of Judges Archibald Stewart, Henry Hohms, and

“William Fleming, Mr. Gay returned to Morgantown and ,

entered upon the successful practice of his profession,
which he prosecuted until a few years before his death--a
period of nearly half a century.

His uncle, Col. McCleery, who had previously held the
oflice of Deputy Attorney-General in the old District Court,
and afterwards Attorney for the Commonwealth in the
County Court of Monongalia County, having, in 1811,
resigned the office, Mr. Gay, near the close. of the war
(June, 1814), was appointed Commonwealth’s Attorney in
the County Court of Monongalia; and so great was the
confidence reposed in him, that hewas appointed to and
held the ofiice for thirty-three consecutive years (until 1847),
when he resigned.

In 1814, at the call of the Governor of Virginia for sol-

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 339

diers to repel the threatened invasion of Virginia by a large
British military force, which it was supposed ivould land
within tl1e Chesapeake Bay, Mr. Gay volunteered in a cav-
alry company raised in Monongalia County, and commanded
by Captain William N. Jarrett, of Morgantown. The com-
pany Was ordered to the defense of VVashington City; but
before it had proceeded on its march Very far, was met by
the news that the National Capital had been burned, and
the enemy had embarked on board their vessels for the
South, and that the further services of the company were
not required.

On the 1st of December, 1814, “The Monongalia Farm-
er’s Company of Virginia,” a bank of exchange, discount
and deposit, was organized in Morgantown under a charter
granted by the General Assembly of the State. Mr. Gay
Was chosen among its first Board of Managers (directors),
and was annually chosen a member of its Board until it
ceased to transact business. In 1840, he was appointed
trustee by its Directors, collected its assets, and, after pay-
ing its liabilities, equitably distributed the residue among
its stockholders.

The people of Monongalia County, and indeed of West-
ern Virginia, have always cherished a just pride in the past
history of Monongalia Academy. The practical record of
this far-famed institution, is found in the hundreds of thor-
oughly educated men—-—not only in Western Virginia, but
in all the adjacent and many of the distant States of the
Union,——who have been fitted in its classic halls for the
‘highest positions in church and state, and whose honorable,
useful and successful lives, keep fresh, and will indefinitely
perpetuate thelmemory of the men who through so many
laborious years, without fee or reward, unselfishly devoted

340 ' HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

themselves to the cause of education in Northwest Virginia.
Monongalia Academy lives to-day in the University of.1Vest
Virginia, for whose use, in 1867, all its valuable real estate,
library, apparatus, moneys and investments were donated to
the State of VVest Virginia. In 1827, Mr. Gray was elected
President of the Board of Trustees, and was re-elected
continuously and consecutively until his death in 1857.
The following record of his faithful services is found upon
the minutes of the proceedings of its Board:

“ At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Monongalia Academy,
held May 2, 1857, the following resolution, presented by Edgar C.
\Vilson, was unanimously adopted and ordered to be entered in the
minutes :

“ Jflesolvcd, That the Board of Trustees now assembled feel
called upon by the decease of Mathew Gray, Esq., to express the
high estimation in which he has long been held by this Board, over
which he has presided for the last thirty years. ‘We bear testimony
to the many excellencies of character which have made him for so
long a time the Presiding Officer of this Board, and our companion
and wise counsellor in the discharge of the duties devolving
upon us.”

In 1834, the Merchants and Mechanics’ Bank of VVheel-
ing at Morgantown—a branch of the Merchants and Me-
chanics’ Bank of \Vheeling, at VVheeling, Virginia—was
organized. Mr. Gray, who, up to 1841, was a Director of
the bank, in that year, on the death of Thomas P. Ray, its
first President, was chosen and was thereafter annually
elected its President until his death, which occurred on the
17th of March, 1857, and was announced in the Virgivzia
Star of the 21st of that month, as follows:

“Died, on Tuesday 111C rning, the 17th inst., after about a weel<’s
illness of pneumonia, Mathew Gray, Esq., President of the M. 85 M.

Branch Bank of this place, aged seventy-eight years. The de-
ceased‘ was one of our oldest citizens. having ‘resided here during

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 341

the last fifty years. He enjoyed the esteem of his fellow-citizens.
His remains were followed to the grave on Thursday afternoon
last, by a large concourse of friends.”

The W/aeelingy Times of the 18th of M-arcli made the fol-
lowing announcement:

“VVe regret to learn of the death of Mathew Gray, Esq., President
of the M. & M. Bank at Morgantown. The news was received here
yesterday, with unaffected regret, by a large number of our
citizens, to most of whom he was well known, and among whom he
was generally esteemed.”

Having been a member of the Monongalia County bar for
fifty years, and actively engaged in the practice of the law
for more than forty years, at the first term of the Circuit
Court of the county held after his death, the following

record was made in its proceedings:

“At a Circuit Court held in and for Monongalia County, on the
8th day of April, 1857 : Present, the Hon. George ‘V. Thompson,
Judge of said Court 2 Edgar C. W'ilson, Esq., arose and announced
to the Court that since the last term, Guy R. C. Allen, Esq., and
Mathew Gay, Esq., members of this bar, have departed this life;
and that at a meeting of the surviving members of the profession
practicing at this bar, held this day, the following resolutions had
been unanimously adopted.”

Those of these resolutions relating to Mr. Gay are as
follows:

“That although Mr. Gay had, for many years, retired from the
bar, yet his long professional career, his rigid integrity, and his
character as a citizen in all the relations of life, had commanded
the public respect and veneration in no ordinary degree. He died
full of years, honored and respected by all who knew him.

“That, as an enduring memorial of the (leep feeling of sorrow
and regret inspired in the bosom of every member of this bar, at
his death, and of their high regard for his memory, the Court now

in session be respectfully requested to direct these resolutions to be‘

entered of record among the proceedings of the term.

342 ‘HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

‘”Whereupon the Court said, that from his long acquaintance
with the deceased. and high regard for his many virtues, he‘ con-
sidered it highly proper that the said proceedings be entered of
record, ‘and it is ordered accordingly; and it is further ordered,
that the Clerk of this Court furnish a copy thereof to the family of
th.e deceased, and to the newspapers of this place for publication.

“ On motion of Edgar C. Wilson, Esq., and as a further mark of
respect for the memory of the deceased, it was ordered, that the
Court do now adjorn till to-morrow morning at 9 o’clock.7’

Four sons of Mr. Gay——VVilliam M., Alexander S., John
G. and Mathew, and a daughter, Sarah A., are deceased.
Four daughters survive~-Jane V., wife of Andrew McDonald,
Esq., of Orlando, Florida; J ennette J ., wife of Dr. M. W.
Tate, of Lexington, Missouri ; Margaret P., Wife of the Hon.
1Villiam G- Brown, of Kingwood, VV. Va., and Mary E., wife
of John J. Brown, Esq., of Morgantown, VV. Va.

GUY RICHARD CHAMPLAIN ALLEN was born in Wood County,
August 18th, 1803; removed to Preston County, where ‘he
was appointed Prosecuting Attorney, about 1832, and served
until 1852; was elected to the Legislature in 1828, and re-
elected in 1829. He removed to Morgantown, where he
practiced law for many years, and was known as a lawyer of
ability throughout the State, and was a very prominent man
in Monongalia County during his life. He died December
4, 1856. The Monongalia bar adopted resolutions testifying
to his worth and ability as a man and a lawyer.

PHILIP HENRY KECK was born March 6, 1820, in Reading,
Berks County, Penn, His father, John Keck, removed to
Monongalia in 1822, and located about eighteen miles west
of Morgantown, where he died in 1860. Philip Henry read
law in Morgantown, in 1843-4, and was admitted to the bar

October 28, 1844; was elected Prosecuting Attorney in

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 343

1856, and has industriously practiced his profession at Mbr-
gantown from 1844 until this time without a single interrup-
tion.

EDWARD C. BUNKER was born in New York City, October
9, 1830, and came to Kingwood, Preston County, when six
or seven years of age to live with his uncle, the late Israel
Baldwin, who was his guardian. He entered VVashington
College in 1844, but was compelled to quit the school on
account of ill health. He studied law, in 1849, with Guy
R. C. Allen, of Morgantown, and was admitted to the bar at
Kingwood in 1850. He married Miss Delia, daughter of the
late Harrison Hagans, of Preston County, and removed to
Morgantown in 1857, and became associated with the Hon.
Wlaitman T. \Villey in the practice of law. He was Prose-
cuting Attorney for Monongalia County from 1861 to 1863,
when he was elected to the State ‘Senate, and was a member
of that body until appointed to the judgeship of the
Eleventh Judicial Circuit, in 1865, when he removed to
Piedmont, Where he died on the 24th of November, 1867.
He was buried at Kingwood. A high tribute of respect was
paid him by the bar in his district, “bearing testimony to
his pure, uncorrupt sense of justice and right,” as being “ a
citizen of tried public and private virtues,” and “ a faithful,
upright and efficient judge.” Judge Bunker was a Briga-
dier-Greneral of the Militia. At the age of seventeen he
united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he
remained an earnest member until his death. He was an

official member of that church at lVIorgantoWn.

VVILLIAM 13. VVILLEY is the eldest son of the Hon. “Tait-
man T. \Villey, and was born at the old homestead, ii 011
“Chancery Hill,” in the suburbs of Morgantown. After

344 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

completing his primary education in the schools of the
county, Mr. VVi1ley entered the freshman class of Alleghany
College in 1858, Where he completed the freshman year, and
then entered the sophomore class of Dickinson College, and
Was graduated from that institution June 26, 1862. Three
years after, this college conferred upon him the degree of
l\Iaster of Arts, at which time he was chosen to deliver the
l\Iaster’s oration of his class. On leaving college, he began
the study of law in his father’s office, and was admitted to
the bar at Morgantown on May 12, 1864. He became
associated with his father in the practice of his profession,
the firm name being VVilley & Son. As his father was then
in the United States Senate, and necessarily absent the
greater part of the time, the most of the business of the
firm devolved upon the junior member. It is an incident in
his experience, that the first case he tried happened to be
the first one ever tried in Monongalia in which negroes
Were admitted as Witnesses. He defended a negro upon a
charge of assault and battery made upon a negro, in which
all the witnesses were negroes; and which, by reason of the
pronounced color in the case, made it a conspicuous trial.
Two years after his admission to the bar, Mr. VVilley was
elected Prosecuting Attorney for a term of two years. In
the spring of 1873, seeking larger opportunities, Mr. VVilley
removed to St. Louis; but just before leaving his native
county, he married Miss Lida B. Allen, daughter of the late
Guy R. C. Allen. The climate of St. Louis being unfavora-
ble to Mr. VVil1ey’s health, after a residence of eight months
there, he removed to Baltimore, to Whose bar he was ad-
mitted in February, 1874. After he had some business on
his own account, he formed a co—partnership with Isaac Mc-

Curley, under the firm-name of McCurley & VVilley. Here

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 345

he practiced his profession with quite an average measure
of success and with much relish, until the fall of 1878, when

theproprietors of the ll/'8/2.eeZing Ifegister (a daily and weekly‘

newspaper), offered him the editorship of that paper, which
he accepted. Reluctant to quit the practice of the law, his
decision was influenced by the fact that he would once again
become a citizen of his native State. Mr. Willey’ continued
to edit the 130963162’ until in August, 1883, when he resigned,
having been elected in June, by the Board of Regents of
the ‘West Virginia University, to the chair of History in
that institution.

In politics, Mr. V\7illey has been a Democrat from boy-
hood. Although difi"ering with his father, his family and
most of his nearest friends, he has done so not captiously,
but regretfully, frankly, honestly, and with the courage of
his convictions. VVhile pursuing his law studies, he con-
ceived the idea of publishing a county paper, and securing
a partner in his fellow law student, George C. Sturgiss, they
together published T/ea fl{07~{/amfown 1l.[o'm7zf07" for a year. It
was a Democratic paper, and in the Republican county of
Monongalia, during the year 1863, when the civil War was
at its height, it is needless to say that it encountered very
intense opposition. Though a Democrat in a county over-
whelmingly Republican, Mr. VVilley was accorded the merit,
at least, of being honest in his political convictions; and
the next year after he was admitted to the bar the people
of his native county elected him to the office of Prosecuting
Attorney. Mr. VVilley made the first Democratic speech
—-addressed the first Democratic 1neeting—in Monon-

i galia County after the vvar. In 1868, he received the

nomination for Attorney-General from the first State Con-
vention held by the Democrats after the war. He was a

346 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

delegate to the Baltimore Convention which nominated
Horace Greeley, but refused to acquiesce in that action of
his party; was the one dissenting voice in the convention
against making the nomination unanimous; denounced it
throughout the campaign as the greatest political burlesque
of the age; and raised an O’Connor flag of his own i11 front
of the court-house, although there was but one other voter
in the county who favored his candidate.

ALFRED GALLATIN STURGISS was born at Meadville, Penn.,
in 1844. He served in the Federal Army during the War;
read law with Berkshire & Sturgiss, and was admitted to
the bar at Morgantown, May 13, 1868. He was elected
Prosecuting Attorney, and served the term of two years,
1868-70. He married Miss Emma A., youngest daughter of

VVilliam VVagner, Esq.; removed to Oakland, Maryland,

where he is engaged in the business of a druggist.

GEORGE COOKMAN. S'rURGIss is the son of the Rev.  G.
Sturgiss, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was born
at Poland, Mahoning County, Ohio, August 16, 1842. His
father married Sabra L. Miner, and their children were
Joseph VV., “George C. and Alfred G. George C. was named
for the Rev. George C‘-ookman, a distinguished minister of
the Gospel who Went down on the ill-fated 1’/°c.s°«i(Ze/at about
1841. His father dying in 1845, Mr. Sturgiss, at the age of
eleven years, with a varnish brush in hand, Went through
parts of Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania, an itinerant
furniture varnisher. He came to Monongalia County to
visit friends in 1859;} and attended the Monongalia
Academy, taught school, and studied law. He was admitted
to the Monongalia bar on the 11th of May, 1864, and at

once entered upon the practice ‘of his profession. He

JUDICIAL Hrsronr. 347

was one of the editors of The .M07"gcm2f0wn ]l[0m'zf07",
referred to in the sketch of Prof. VVilliam P. Willey.
On the 22d of September, 1863, he married Miss
Sabra J ., the second daughter of the late Colonel Ad-
dison S. Vance. Mr. Sturgiss Was paymaster’s clerk in

1864-5. He served as the first County Superintendent of’

Free Schools of Monongalia, and was two terms, in that
office, during which he placed the free school system in that
county on a firm basis. He was a member of the House of
Delegates of the Legislature of West Virginia in 1870, 71
and 72. In the last—named year he was elected Prosecuting
Attorney and served in that office from 1873 to. 1880,;both
years inclusive. It was while he was in the discharge of
the duties of that oflice that he Was unanimously nominated
for the oflice of Governor of the State, by the State Con-
vention of the Republican party. Though defeated, he ran
ahead of his ticket, and in the canvass made a reputation
as a man of fine’ abilities and as a logical, convincing and
impressive orator. 7

Mr. Sturgiss still resides at Morgantown, and with ex-
Judge Berkshire, his law partner, practices in Monongalia
and the adjoining counties. No man in Monongalia County
has ever taken a deeper interest or been more active in the
work of developing the resources of the county. In the
last few years Mr. Sturgiss has spent much time in efforts
to perfect arrangements for the building of the proposed
Iron Valley and Morgantown Railroad. A

He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
an active Worker in the Sunday-school.

WAITMAN WILLEY HOUSTON Was born in Union District,
Monongalia County, May 9, 1858. His father, William H.

MONONGALIA UNDER AUGUSTA. 33

acted throughout nearly forty years on the western frontier,
where the curtain but rose to reveal the burning cabin and
the fleeing family, and but fell too often to shut out their
Had the broad bosom
of the Monongahela been less inviting, no doubt they would

dead and mangled bodies from sight.

have ascended it and met the same doom of Decker and his
ill-fated colony.

Frontier history designates the Eckarlys as Dunkards.
From scant records loosely kept over a hundred years ago,
it requires continued, patient and Wearying search to find
What little is to be gathered. All authorities agree that the
Eckarlys or Eckarlins came from ea_stern Pennsylvania, and
were opposed to war of any kind.

Searching eastern Pennsylvania records for information,
we find some account of the Eckerlins, in Dr. VVm. Fal1ne—
stock’s History of the Society of Ephrata, as given i11 Ha-
zard’s Register, vol. 15, andreferred to in Day’s History of
Pennsylvania. Dr. Fahnestock states that thissociety is a
distinct sect from the Dunkards, from Which, however, they
descended; that the three brothers Eckerlin were from
Europe, and were originally Catholics; that the Eckerlins
had charge of the secular concerns of the society and were
suspected gf certain ambitious designs to possess themselves
of the title’ to the property of the society and to give the

establishment a more luxurious and imposing appearance.-

They were tried by the society and expelled, and went to
south—western Pennsylvania or Virginia.
VVere the Eckarlys and Eckerlins one? If so, they, the
first discoverers of Monongalia and the first settlers of
Preston (then a part of Monongalia), were not Diinkards
but Ephratians——a sect some of whose followers still reside

in Lancester County, in the eastern part of Pennsylvania.

348 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Houston, was a son of VVilliam Houston who married Abbie
Baker, and came from New Jersey to this county. VVilliam
H. Houston married Permelia, daughter of John Costolo,
and VVaitman VV. is the eldest of their two living children.
The manner in which he came by his Christian name is
peculiar. VVhen a boy, between four and five years of age,
no permanent name having yet been given him, he was with
his father at a meeting which was addressed by the Hon.
Waitman T. Willey’. He asked the name of the man who
was speaking. Being answered that it was \Vaitman VVilley,
he replied that that was his name, and went by i.t from that
time.

Mr. Houston attended the ‘Vest Virginia University, read
law with Mr. Willey, then completed the University law
course, and was admitted to the bar April 16, 1880. He
was appointed Assistant Prosecuting Attorney the same
day, and at the election in the fall he was elected to the

office of Prosecuting Attorney for the term of four years.

He married, December 15, 1881, Saida M., daughter of
John Long, of Orville, VVayne County, Ohio. Mr. Houston
/when a boy was fond of public speaking and of participa-
ting in debates. In his close application to the principles
and practice of the law, he has shown himself to be of that
class who are lawyers from choice and love of their profes-
sion, devoting themselves to its intricacies, and enjoying
with a keen relish intellectual contact in the courts, and
who aspire, by close application to business, attention and
earnestness, to mark out a course of life in the profession,
useful to the public and honorable to themselves.

THOMAS P. RAY.—One of the most prominent citizens of
Monongalia County, in his day and generation, was Thomas

 

‘1 ':‘L.1v_

 

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 349

P. Ray. No history of the county would be complete,
Without a sketch of his life. Indeed, for many of the latter
years of his life, his history would be, essentially, the history
of tlie county, so far as material development, and public
improvements are related to it. The nature and limitation
of this work, however, will only allow a meager outline.

Mr. Bay was /born May 14, 1796, in the Isle of VVight.
Six weeks after his birth, his parents, Patrick and Mary Ray,
sailed from England, and, after a tedious voyage, arrived at
Philadelphia. Thence they came to the vicinity of VVells—
burg, Brooke County, Where they remained about nine
years, and then removed down to the town of VVheeling.
Here young Thomas lived With his parents until he was
about fifteen years old, when he came to Morgantown,
Monongalia County, to write in the clerk’s office in the
employ of Nimrod Evans, Clerk of the Court of said county.
He soon commanded the confidence not only of his
employer,but also the esteem of the bench and the bar, and
the people ;’ and by his diligence, industry and capacity, in

C a few years became one of the most expert and best quali-

fied clerks in the State.

On the death of Mr. Evans, Mr. Ray succeeded to the
place of his principal; and after the adoption of the
amended constitution of 1831-2, erecting Circuit Superior
Courts of Law and Chancery in each county, Mr. Bay was
appointed clerk of that court also; and continued to hold
the office in both the inferior and superior courts of the
county until his death. '

Mr. Bay was married on the 22d of June, 1819, to Miss
J ennett Smith, of Alleghany County, Maryland. Three
children were the fruit of this marriage——Col. George S.

nay, who died many years ago '; Volender Ray, who "is also‘

350 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

dead, and Delia Bay, the only surviving child, and who is
the wife of Col. James Evans. His home in Morgantown,
soon became tl1e very seat of hospitality—-a hospitality
most cordial and generous. His house was always open to
his friends, and persons from abroad ever received from
him those courtesies and kind offices which are so grateful
to the stranger. ‘ A

But his distinguishing trait of character was his public
spirit; and tl1e distinguishing feature of his history was
his assiduous, persistent and unselfish efforts to promote
the public welfare by all available and proper instru1nen-
talities. The organization and endowment of the “Monon-
galia Academy” are noted in the proper place in these
pages. This institution owed its existence to the personal
exertions of Mr. Ray; and inasmuch as its property and
endowments, by their transfer, became one of the controll-
ing inducements for the erection of the University of ‘Vest
Virginia at Morgantown, the people of Monongalia are thus
indirectly indebted to Mr. Bay for this institution. It was,

also, through his instrumentality that a branch of the old '

Merchants and Mechanics’ Bank of VVheeling was secured
at Morgantown~—of which he was president for many years.

Mr. Ray devoted much of his time in the earlier part of
his life, in unavailing efibrts to secure the improvement of
the Monongahela River by slackwater navigation, from the
Pennsylvania line to the junction of the West Fork and
Tygart’s Valley rivers. He secured a survey, but nothing
further in that direction.

He was more successful in securing the charter and con-
struction of turnpike roads. It was principally through
his personal and persistent efforts, that legislative aid was

secured to build what was known as the Brandonville and

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 351

Fishing Creek Turnpike, and the Beverly and Pennsylvania
Turnpike, and the Ice’s Ferry Road. Nor was he satisfied
with obtaining the means to prosecute these works; but
gave much of his time and attention to surveying and loca-
ting them, and still further superintending their construction.
There were no improvements of general interest to the
county, during the mature years of his life, of which he was
not the principal factor; and to no other citizen, during
these years, was the County of Monongalia so largely

indebted for its material prosperity and development.

It was supposed that his indefatigable labors in such
efforts, added to the discharge of his official duties, super-
induced the malady which terminated his active and useful
life at Baltimore, Whither he had gone for medical treat-
ment, in the forty—sixtl1 year of his age, on the 14th of
October, 1841. The following extract from The ])em0cmzfz'c
IL’e])u7)Zz'ca7z, noticing his death, although it was written,
doubtless, by the hand of warm personal friendship, in a
moment of recent bereavement, contains no statement not
fully warranted by the whole tenor of his life:

“Mr. Ray has been long and favorably known as a citizen of our
town. He was a man of strong n1ind—of great business habits,
and of unquestioned integrity. As clerk of our County and Supe-
rior Court, it is believed that there "was no officer of the kind in the
State his superior, and few that were his equals. He, attended to
more business of a public nature, and without compensation,_ than
we have ever known attended to by one of our citizens. As the
active and managing head of several road companies and incorpo-
rations-—as Trustee of the Borough—-as Treasurer and Trustee of
the Monongalia Acade1ny—-as President of the Bank in Morgan-
town; and in the various offices and appointments with which he
was entrusted, he displayed the most untiring industry. judgment,
and ability. Mr. Ray was truly the friend and assistant of the
poor; his heart and purse were ever open to their wants. He con-

352 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

tributed liberally to the support of the Gospel, to all charitable and
benevolent associations, and to the internal improvement of the
county. Few men have departed this life more generally and more
sincerely lamented within the circle of his acquaintance.”

GEORGE S. RAY, son of Thomas P. Ray, was born Sep—
tember 27th, 1823; was graduated from Jefferson College,
and read law with Edgar C. VVi1son, and was admitted to
the bar September 8, 1845. He was the editor of the
ll/raster); Vi7'g/Ema Stamlwrcl and of T/L6 ]l[02z0ng(zZ/ian, in

V 1847 and 1849. He was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court

in 1852, and died on the 17th of August, 1856——cut down in
the very prime of his life.

AUGUSTUS HAYMOND.~—MajOr \Villiam Haymond,* grand-
father of Augustus‘Hayn1ond, was of English extraction,
and came to Monongalia in 1773. His near relatives, Ed-
ward and Calder, came about the same time. Major Hay-
mond removed‘ to Clarksburg, about 1784, and served as
County Surveyor from that time until his death in 1821.
He was twice married: first to Cassandria Clelland, who
bore him four sons; John, who died in Kanawha County;
VVil1iam, Jr. ; Thomas, who died near Clarksburg, whose son
Rufus is a physician, and another son, Luther, cashier of a
bank at Clarksburg; and Daniel, who died in Ritchie County.
Major Haymond next married the widow Mary Powers, nee
Pettyjolin. They had one son, Cyrus, who died near Clarks—
burg; one of whose sons, Williani S., was a representative
in Congress, and another, Edward, is a Judge in Indiana.

* The following is a copy of an army discharge granted to Major Haymond in 1762:
B1; Colonel Adam Stephen, Commander of the V2‘ rg1'm' a Regi-mewt :

These are to certify that William Haymond, Sergeant in Capt. Byrd’s company, is
hereby discharged according to an act of the Assembly made for that purpose. He
has duly served three years, and has behaved like a good soldier, and a faithful subject.

Given under my hand at Fort Lewis, this 24th day of February, 1762. . ‘

ADAM STEPHEN, Colonel V. R.

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 353

Major Haymond had three daughters: 1. Sarah Bond; 2.
one who was married to Mr. Polsley, Whose son is Judge

A Daniel H. Polsley; 3. another who was married to a Mr.

Clark.

The second son, William Haymond, J r., was born in 1772,
near Montgomery Court—house, Maryland, and was engaged
in the latter part of the Indian Wars along the Monongalia
frontier. He married Cynthia Carroll, who was born near
the Bull Run battlefield, and was a relative of Charles
Carroll of Carrollton. They had seven sons, of whom but

three are living (Jonathan H., Augustus and Marcus): 1.’

Thomas S., the eldest, was a member of Congress and the
father of A. F. Haymond, of Fairmont, who recently
resigned the judgeship of the Supreme Court of Appeals of
this State; 2. William Calder, an attorney at law, whose
son Creed is a judge in California; 3. Hiram, a merchant;
4. J oiiathan H., engaged in commerce in Central America;
5. Octavius, who died in Marion County; 6. Augustus, the
subject of this sketch; 7. Marcus, now living at Fairmont.

Augustus, the subject of this sketch, was born at “Pala-
tine Hill,” Monongalia (now Marion) County, May 17, 1812;
in 1835 he came to Morgantown, and engaged in merchan—
dizing until 1856. In that year he was elected a.Justice of
the Peace, and was re-elected in 1860; was elected Presi-
dent of the County Court. One of the decisions made by
him and the two associate Justices was appealed from, and
was reversed by the Circuit Court, but on further appeal

. was sustained by the Supreme Court. He served as Coro-

ner from December 26, 1842 to 1856. Mr. Havmond was
elected Clerk of the Circuit Court, and on the day that
West Virginia became a State, June 20, 1863, Went into

ofiice. He was re-elected in 1866 and in 1872, and in 1878
23 _

354 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

for another full term of six years. He has been twice
married. His first wife was Rebecca Madera, who bore him
three children——VVilliam C. Haymond, a druggist at Ravens-
wood, VV. Va., and Mrs. Eunice M. Lemley and Mrs. Susan
M. Proctor, who also live at Ravenswood. He next
married Dorcas Thompson, and their children are, Francis
'11., an attorney at law,,and Greorge,a deputy in his father’s
office. Mr. Haymond is affable, kind, generous and obliging;
and some three years ago he was described in a newspaper
as follows: “ In person Mr. Haymond is spare and small
of stature, but of grave and venerable appearance.”

WILLIAM SANFORD COBUN was born March 12, 1838, near
Masontown, Preston County. He was the son of Samuel
VV. Cobun, who married Susan Guseman. They removed
to Fairfield, Barbour County, and thence, on the death of

his father, his mother came to Monongalia, about 1844. In.

a few years young Sanford became the main support of the
family. He was industrious, truthful and energetic. He
clerked, taught school, and attended Monongalia Academy,
until 1861, when, upon the breaking out of the late war, he
enlisted in Capt. Frank W. Thompson’s Company as a
private. He re-enlisted in 1864, and was promoted to First
Lieutenant, and was honorably discharged October 6, 1865.
After the close of the war he served in the West on the
Plains against the Indians, and returned home in June,
1866. Mr. Cobun resumed the work of clerking and

_ teaching until. 1870, when he was elected Recorder of the

county. In 1872, the was elected Clerk of the County
Court, and was re-electedin 1878 for another term ofsix
years. He married Delia Eckhart on the 3d of July, 1870.
He died o_n the 29th of October, 1882, of dropsical affection,

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 355

leaving a family of six small children——four girls and two
boys. ll

Lieutenant Cobun was of.-a genial and/obliging disposi-
tion ; energetic and earnest, what he did he did it with his
might. One intimately acquainted with him wrote in the
New Domimbn on his death: ' 

“ As a neighbor, kind and obliging ; as a friend, true as steel ; as-
a. soldier, brave and generous ; as an oflicer, capable and obliging ;;
as a citizen, honest and upright, and as a husband and father,
tender, true and devoted.”

WILLIAM G. PAYNE was a native of Virginia, and prac-
ticed law at Morgantown for many years. He was a large
land-holder and speculator. He went to Preston County,
where he died, and, it is said, lies buried in an unknown

grave on Cheat River.

JOHN K. MINES was the first lawyer whose professional
card appeared in a newspaper in Monongalia County. In
The rlfonongalia Ifcrald, in 1821, his card ‘was printed as
follows:

“ J. K. MINES, I Attorney and Counsellor at Law, I VVi1l practice
in the Superior and Inferior Courts of Monongalia and Preston;
also in the Superior Court of Chancery for the Clarksburg District.”

Mr. Mines remained at Morgantown but a few months.

CHARLES S. MORGAN was a son of Stephen Morgan, and
a grandson of the celebrated General Daniel Morgan. He
was born in What is now Marion County. He married Miss
Alcinda Moss, of Morgantown ; he was a member of both
houses of the Virginia Assembly, and Was for years the
Superintendent of the Penitentiary at Richmond. I

J. T. FOX ALDEN came from Pittsburgh to Morgantown,
but did not remain long. Returning to Pittsburgh, he after-
ward became the authornof a Work on criminal pleading.

1
._ f‘  ”’ it

:1

34 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The next advance of civilization was the Decker Creek
Colony. This is the first attempted settlement upon the
Thomas Decker and his little

colony came to, or just above, the site of Morgantown in

the fall of 1758, when it

“The first sharp frosts had fallen,
Leaving all the woodlands gay
\Vith the hues of su1nmer’s rainbow,
Or the meadow flowers of May.”

soil of Monongalia County.

This little band of bold adventurers were the first English
settlers who dared to enter the region west of the Allegheny
Moiintaiiis held by the French and Indians since Braddock’s
defeat—an act of daring that has never been fully appre-

ciated. True, Forbe’s army was marching on Ft. Duquesne;

but none could tell with what result. The capture of Ft.

Duquesne did not ensure their safety, for in the early spring
of 1759, ere the frosts of winter had fled the earth, the Red
‘Varriors of the forest swooped down upon the daring little
colony, and swept it from the face of the earth. The sad
story of their fearful fate is eloquently referred to by Mr.
John J. Brown in the following extract from his Centennial
historical address, delivered at Morgantown, July 4, 1876:

“Near the spot where we are now assembled, when the autumnal
frosts had tinged with gold and crimson the matured foliage of the
tall hickory and the wide-speading sugar trees, near six score years
ago, while George II. sat upon the throne of Great Britain, a few
adventurous pioneers penetrated the dense Wilderness and erected
their log cabins. Doubtless the giant oaks which then stoodupon
the hills around us were girdled or felled to make room for the
hoped-for harvest of the coming year. \Vhence they came we know
not. History records only their sad fate ; and the stream, near
whose banks we now stand, alone perpetuates the memory of
Thomas Decker. But one of their number escaped to tell of their
sudden surprise and destruction ere the flowers had bloomed and
the buds had opened in the following spring.”

VVithers, in his “ Chronicles,” says; “ In the fall of 1758,

, ‘ .5 P  , <' ‘= , x
i ' e9‘‘4’ : ' A ,1’- "I4; I
- __ 1 4; - - fly  3297‘:  _,a"=. 1  , ”.< *1
W $1‘; :‘......2;:....« *«.e~¢ 3* "’  3}? 7" " i “  .  if V‘
 *. _ -. , * . , 3 2 3‘ -" ’ .4? N4.
.          "'"  '7‘  ~  .  
  W»   A. 5;‘! 1’    :1:  ‘VD um  ti  ‘vi  ‘A’  ’7 " i

356 HlSTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

LYCURGUS STEPHEN» HOUGH, son of Robert B. and Sarah
C. Hough, is of English extraction. The Hough family
Was among the oldest settlers of Loudon County, Virginia.
From this county Mr. Hough came to Morgantown in 1842;
he studied law in the office of the Hon. Edgar C. Wilson,
and was admitted to the bar March 29, 1844. Mr. Hough
married Miss Anna Fairchild, daughter of the Rev. Dr.
Ashbel Fairchild, the noted Presbyterian divine and au-
thor. He was appointed by Governor Jacob, May 20,
1863, one of the Regents of the "West Virginia University.
He served several terms as School Director. From the
time of his admission to the bar to the present, he has
successfully devoted himself to the practice of his profes-
sion; he is a lover of books and pictures, has a fine library,
including some rare volumes, and is a gentleman of culti-
vated artistic and literary tastes.

ANDREW MCDONALD is a native of VVashington County,
Pennsylvania. He practiced law at Morgantown for
several years, and for some time as a partner of the Hon.
William G. Brown, of Preston County; served in the
Legislature of Virginia; married Jane V., a daughter of
Mathew Gay, and is now a resident of Orlando, Florida.

JOSEPH MORELAND, son of John Moreland, one of the
first coke operators, was born near Connellsville, Pennsyl-

vania, May 26, 1842. He attended the Monongalia Acad-- ,

emy, and was graduated from \Vashington and Jefferson
College in 1866. He read law with Brown & Hagans at
Morgantown, and was admitted to the bar February 10,
1869. He married Mary E., daughter of the late Thomas
Brown, of Kingwood, October 26,1875. Mr. Moreland is a
member of the Board of Regents of the ‘Vest Virginia.

JUDICIAL HISTORY. 357

University, and is the Chairman of the Executive Commit-
tee. He is still engaged in the practice of law at Mor-
gantown. A

OLIVER HAGANS DILLE is the eldest son of ex—Judge John
A. Dille. He was graduated from \Vest Virginia University
in 1871 ; read law with his father, and was admitted to the
bar September 9, 1872, and practiced, in 1873, as a mem-
ber of the law firm of Dille & Son. He resides near Mor-
gantown, and is engaged largely in the live-stock business.

THOMAS H. B. STAGGEBS, son of Harvey Staggers, was
admitted to the bar March 22, 1878, and soon after removed
to Fairmont, Where he is now engaged in the practice of
law. '

CLARENCE B. DILLE, son of ex-Judge John A. Dille, was
graduated from West Virginia University in 1877; read
law with his father, and was admitted to the bar March 20,
1879, and is now practicing as the partner of his father, the
firm-name being Dille & Son.

JOHN M. DAVIS was born December 1, 1847; took the
law course of West Virginia University in 1881-2; passed
examination before Judges Haymond, Fleming and Melvin;
Was admitted to the bar July 14, 1880, and is now practicing
at Morgantown.

FRANCIS T. HAYMOND, son of Augustus Haymond, took
the law course of the West Virginia University i11 1881-2;
passed examination before Judges Green, Johnson and
Snyder; was admitted to the bar October 23, 1882, and is
practicing at Morgantown.

FRANK COX, son of Henry L. Cox, took the ‘Vest Virginia
University law course in 1882; passed examination before
Judges Snyder, Johnson and VVood; was admitted to the
bar June 18, 1883, and has located at Morgantown.

Cl-IAPTLER xx.
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.

Early Schools and School-houses—I-low Furnished——Methods of
Teaching—The Subscription Schoo1s——The Free Schools——List
of Ofi'icers—Institutes—Statistics——Wa.de’s Graduating System
—Morgan’s Outline Course of Study—Monongalia Academy-
Morgantown Female Collegiate Institute——Woodbu1'n Female
Se1ninary—Morgantown Female Sen1inary—VVest Virginia
University.

“ We must educate! We must educate! or We must perish by‘0ur own prosperity.”
—.-Lzjmawn, Beeclm‘.

THE school-master was in Monongalia before the year 1780,

and schools were taught for eleven years before the Indians '

finally departed from the county; but now not even the
names of those old masters can be obtained, and the de-
scription of their school—houses only has come down to us.
The frontier school-house was beneath the trees, or inside
the stockade fort, or in the cabin of a settler close to the
fort, improvised into a school-room for a few hours each
day. Its successor was the backwoods school—l1ouse, in
which,’besides schools, were held the religious and the
general meetings of the neighborhood. This early school-
house was, generally, a single story, round log cabin,
built much after the fashion of the early dwelling-houses,
as described in chapter eight. ‘There were the huge stone
chimney and ample fire—place; thelaperture filled with a
few panes of glass or covered with greased paper, to admit

light; the puncheon floor and door, and the wood latch.

and leather string with which to raise it. _
The furniture of these early houses was as rude as the

EDUCATIONAL. HISTORY. 359

building itself. « The seats were made of split logs, with the
broad surface, hewn smooth, turned up. Into auger holes
bored through these pieces, wood pins were inserted for
legs. They had no back, and ‘generally the seats were so
high that the feet of the largestpupils only could reach
the floor; and the most of the children were compelled to~
sit perched upon these benches in a most unpleasant
position. The writing desk was a long slab, fastened on
pins driven into auger holes in the logs of the sides of the
house, and slanting downward from the wall. In later
years, when there were more saw-mills, these desks were
made of boards, and were hinged to the wall so as to be let
down against it, and thus give more room, when not in use.

7

The ‘‘master,’ as the teacher was then called, was, usu-

ally, a grim and stern personage, presiding with absolute

authority, and ruling by fear and not by love. He al-
ways had on hand a supply of rods, and punishment by
their use was very frequently inflicted.

The books were few. The United States Spelling-book,
the New Testament, the English Reader, and an arithmetic,
were the earlier books used.

The schools were not regulated by law then. A subscrip-‘
tion-paper, stating the price of -tuition per scholar for the
term or “quarter,” was circulated, and each person" aflixed
to his name the number of scholars he would send. If a
sufiicient number was obtained, the school would commence.
Teachers were often paid in produce, and they “boarded
’round ” among the parents of the scholars. The boarding
of the teacher was exclusive of the price of tuition, and he
was supposed to stay at the house of each patron such
number of days as the number of scholars “ signed” by him
bore to the whole number of scholars.

360 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

T The course of instruction was limited to the few pri-
mary branches of spelling, reading, Writing and arithmetic,
the last three constituting the three ]?’s——“ Reading, ’Riting
and ’Rithmetic.” And the qualifications of the masters to
teach even these properly were generally Wanting, though
there Were a few good teachers in these first schools. Only
the simpler parts of arithmetic were taught ; and the math-
ematical ambition of most pupils was satisfied when they
could “cipher” to the end of the “Single Rule of Three,”
called Proportion in modern arithmetics, and which in the
old arithmetics came before Fractions. A knowledge of
computing interest, which some parents thought their sons
might have occasion to practice, was sometimes taught.

Goose~qui1l pens were the only ones used, and the ink

was made by the scholars or their parents from maple bark.

W1*iting was not usually required to be done at any fixed
hour, nor by all at the same time. Many teachers even could
not make a good goose-quill pen. These, at best, required
frequent mending. Toymake and mend the pens, rule the
Writing paper, anc “set copies” for ten or twenty pupils,
took no small portion of a teacher’s time, and was often
done during spelling, reading and other exercises, in which
the worst mistakes of the pupils reciting escaped the ob-
servation and correction of the teacher. To avoid this,

some teachers made and mended pens and “set copies”

-before and after school hours. The metallic pen and

printed copy—book are valuable improvements of a com-
paratively late day.

Nor had the black—board yet come into use. Neither
were scholars taught arithmetic in classes. Each got the
assistance of the master as he could. Voices were heard
from difi'e1-enit parts of the room: “ Master, I can’t do this

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 361

sum ;” or, “ Please, master, show me how to do this sum ;”
and often the sum was solved by the teacher while a spell-
ing or reading class was reciting. Asking permission to
“go out,” or to “go and get a drink,” were “always in
order;” the teacher going about the room to “help” the
scholars, or to do their Work for them; and scholars run-
ning to him to get hard Words pronounced; the buzz of the
scholars learning their lessons—all these, and other things
that might be mentioned, kept up a continual confusion.
Wood, of course, was the fuel; and the noon hour, or part
of it, was often spent by teacher and pupils, in cutting it.

These first school-houses possessed the advantage of
good ventilation, being generally Very open and admitting
a great deal of fresh air. In Winter often it was impossible
to keep them comfortably warm, and scholars would take
turns in occupying the benches next to the fire. The ink
froze during the night, and was thawed in the morning by
setting the bottles onthe hearth before the great wood
fire; and later, on and under the stove.

The school history, for the purposes of this chapter, will
be divided into three periods: the Pioneer’ schools, the
Subscription schools, and the Free schools. VVhat has
been said will suflice for the first period; some of it will
apply to the Subscription schools also.

SUBSCRIPTION SCHOOLS.

As the country settled up,improvements were made in the
houses and in the methods of teaching. On the 10th of Feb-
ruary, 1810, an act was passed by the General Assembly crea-
ting the “ Literary Fund.” It was provided that all escheats,
confiscations, fines, penalties, and forfeitures, and all rights
in personal property, accruing to the Commonwealth, as der-

362 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

elict, and having no rightful proprietor, shall be appropri-
ated to the encouragement of learning; and the Auditor
was directed to open an account, to be designated the
“Literary Fund.” On February 21, 1818, an act was
passed for the annual appointment, by the court of every
county, of commissioners of schools. Each county was
to receive such proportion of $45,000 as its free white pop-4

ulation might hear to the whole free white population of

the State, for the education of poor children. This money
was appropriated from the Literary Fund. This was the
firsti provision made for the education of poor children,
and was the inauguration of what was known as the “poor”
or “primary” school system, attached to the subscription
system, and which existed until 1864, when it was suc-
ceeded by the present Free school system.

The act of 1818 provided for the appointment of school
commissioners by the county courts each year at their Oc-
tober sessions. The county court of 4Monongalia on October
25, 1819, appointed John Henthorne, Thomas Wilson, ‘Vil-
liam Haymond, Nathan Hall, William VVilley, David Mus-
grave, Boaz Burrows, Joseph Harrison and Samuel Minor,
School Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners re-
ceived the quota of the county from the Literary Fund
each year, and used it as far as it would go in paying the
tuition of indigent children whom they selected and sent
to the subscription schools taught in the county.

In 1842, the county court appointed as the Board Thomas
Meredith, John VVatts and 'William Robinson, Commission-
ers on the “East Side” of the Monongahela River, and
William Price, Aaron Barker and Morgan L. Boyers on the
“_VVest Side.” This division. of the East and West side
was kept up as long as the system continued.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 363

Under the act of March 5, 1846, amending the “Primary
School System,” the county court of Monongalia, October
25, 1846, divided the county into tWenty—seven districts,
and appointed a school commissioner for each, as follows:

Eastern District (east side of the Monongahela)—No. 1. Seth
Stafford; 2. Reuben Sensebaugh; 3. ‘William John; 4. James
Evans; 5. Rev. Peter T. Laishley; 6. E. C. VVilson; 7. John Han-

way; 8. Asby Pool; 9. Rawley Holland; 10. Leven Howell; 12.
Elijah Tarleton; 13. Thomas Meredith; 14. Thomas Tarleton.

lVestern 1)a'strz'ct (west side of the Monongahe1a)—No. 1. John H.
Bowlby; 2. M. L. Boyers; 3. Gideon Barb; 4. Caleb S. Price; 5.
John Stewart; 6. Michael Core; 7. William Price; 8. \Villiam
Lantz; 9. Alex \Vade; 10. James White; 11. VVi11ia1n Cotton,Jr.;
12. Enos Haught; 13. George Wilson.

The last board appointed (October 29, 1862) was as follows:

last Sz2dc——No. 1. John Bowers; 2. Thomas M. Jarrett; 3. Jacob
Miller; 4. John Mills; 5. VVi1liam ' Anderson; 6. A. S. Vance ; 7.
Charles VVatts; 8. Robert Mayfield; 9. .Ca1eb Beall; 10. Moses
Steel; 11. Isaac Reed; 12. W'illian1 Holland; 13. Henry VVats0n;
14. Thomas Tarleton.

Wlest‘ S/Ide—No. 1. \Vaitman Davis; 2. M. L. Boyers; 3. Peter
Fogle; 4. John N. Waters; 5. Dudley E. Miller; 6. Michael Core;
7. VVilliam Price; 8. David Lemley; 9. R. S. Thomas; 10. Alex.
VVade : 11. James G. VVhite: 12. Milton VVilson.

The rate of tuition, in 1859, was by the day; three and
one-fourth to three and one-half cents per day was about
the general average. A

The Assembly of 1845—6 provided for the appointment,
annually, by the Board of School Commissioners in each
county, of a Superintendent of Schools, among whose duties
was that of receiving the county’s quota from the Literary
Fund and paying it out for the teaching of indigent scholars
upon the orders of the Commissioners. Each teacher in-
structing indigent children made out his report of the same,

364 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

and had it certified by the Commissioner employing him, and
delivered it to the Superintendent, and received his pay.
J ohnWatts, it is said, was the first Superintendent. VVaitman
T. Willey’ was appointed by the Board, and filed his bond
November 27, 1848. He was appointed annually thereafter
until 1862, when, on the 29th of October, J. Marshall Ha-
gans was appointed, and served until the Free School sys-
tem of "West Virginia was created.

In the “poor system,” supported from the Literary Fund,
we see an advance by Virginia towards a free school system.
Another step forward was an act passed by the Assembly
of 1845-6, providing for an optional system of free schools,
which might be adopted by the “council of any city or
town having a corporation court,” or by the voters of any‘
county at a special election held for the purpose. Monon-

galia County, however, never voted upon the system, _

although a free school system similar to the present one
was agitated as early as 1850. In that year, the Rev. P.
T. Laishley, in his card as a candidate for a seat in the
Convention to amend the Constitution, said: “I am in
favor of having an item embraced in the Constitution,
establishing a general system of education, so that in our
primary schools the children of the rich and the poor may
meet on an equality, extending to all the opportunity of
acquiring knowledge.” In the period embraced between the
years 1856 and 1861, A. L. VVade lectured and wrote in
favor of a free school system; and Albert G. Davis, in
1857~9, made speeches in favor of free schools.

THE FREE SCHOOLS.

The patriotic men who, in the troublous times of sixty
and sixty-one, refusing to follow the State in secession,

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 365

stood steadfast by the Union, and who were driven by the
stern logic of events to advocate the formation of a new
State, and who were chosen by their fellow-citizens to
frame a Constitution for it, had seen the beneficial work-
ings of all uniform system of free schools in the adjoining
States of Pennsylvania and Ohio, as well as in other
States of the Union. Foreseeing the antagonisms that such
a system would encounter, and knowing the difiiculties that
would attend the introduction of such an innovation, they
placed the system beyond the reach of the passions and

prejudices and discontentments of the hour~——they put into .

the first Constitution of ‘Vest Virginia this injunction :

“The Legislature shall provide, as soon as practicable, for the
establishment of a thorough and efficient system of free schools.
They shall provide for the support of such schools by appropriating
thereto the interest of the invested school fund, the net proceeds
of all forfeitures, confiscat-ions and fines accruing to this State
under the laws thereof ; and by general taxation on persons and
property, or otherwise. They shall also provide for raising, in
each township [now district], by the authority of‘ the people
thereof, such a. proportion of the amount required for the support
of free schools therein as shall be prescribed by general laws.”

The first Legislature of West Virginia, on the 20th of
December, 1863, obeying the command of the organic law
above quoted, in both its letter and spirit, passed a long
act establishing the free school system. The voters of each
township were to elect a Board of Education consisting of
three commissioners, and the voters of the county, at the
same time, were to elect a County Superintendent of Free
Schools. The duties of the Board of Education combined
those which are now performed by the Boards and the
Trustees; they had the control and management of the
school property of the township; were to take the annual

MONONGALIA, UNDER ‘AUGUSTA. 35

Thomas Decker and some others commenced a settle-
ment on the Monongahela River, at the mouth of

what is now Decker’s Creek. In the ensuing Spring it was

entirely broken up by a party of Delawares and Mingoes;
and the greater part of its inhabitants murdered.” The
same authority further states that one of the Decker party
who escaped went to Redstone Fort (now Brownsville, Pa.)
and gave the news of the massacre, but the garrison was too

weak to attempt a pursuit, and Capt. Paul sent a runner to  ’

Fort Pitt, whose commandant, Capt. John Gibson, set out
with thirty men to intercept the Indians, but failed. ‘How-
ever, they came on to seven Mingoes (near the site of
Steubenville, Ohio) just after daylight one morning, lying
around a camp-fire. Three of the Indians were killed, the
others escaping. Capt. Gibson, with a single sweep of his
sword, cut off the head of the chief Kiskepila or Little
Eagle. Prisoners restored under the treaty of  told
that the Indians who escaped came in and reported that
Gibson cut the chief’s head off with a long Zvzycc. Several
white prisoners were then sacrificed, a war dance
ensued, with bitter denunciations of the Big If/u:fe Il?‘n'7"i07’.

The Virginia militia was soon called b the Indians the “Bi 
D .
Knife VVarriors,” and were known by the North-western In- 

dians ever afterward as the Iong IC1ziz°es or , Big ]f12'ij'e
]_Vwt2'()72.

A diligent search and an extended correspondence have

. failed to find anything further of Thomas Decker or his

comrades. , No record of any land can be found on the land-
books in his name nor in that of his heirs in after years.
There was a Nicholas Decker who entered land on the Mo-
nongahela Biver, on a settlement made eight years later, in
1766; but no account can be obtained even of him, nor of

- .4? £3‘ 2
‘ ’..—'\.,_.i

4%

366 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

enumeration of youth between the ages of 6 and 21 years;
divide the township into sub-districts; cause a suflicient
number of schools to be taught to accommodate all of the
proper age in the.township';« idirect"What books should be

used; buy lots and erect, buy or rent school—l1ouses, and’

supply them with fuel, etc.; appoint the teacl1ers and fix
their Wages; visit the schools, etc. The County Superin-
tendent, among other things, Was “to examine all candi-
dates for the profession of teacher,” and to those competent
grant certificates; to visit the schools “ at least three times
during every term of six months ;” to “encourage the for-
mation of county associations of teachers,” and teachers’
institutes; to “use all proper means to create and foster
among the people an interest i11 free schools, and for this
purpose, shall, as far as practicable, take advantage of such
public occasions as may present themselves, as the dedica-
tion of school-houses, public examinations, &c., to impress
upon the people the importance of public education, and
the duty of sustaining the system of free schools as es-
tablished by law ;” and “to secure, as far as practicable,
uniformity in the text—books used in the schools throughout
the county.” He was to receive an annual salary of from
one hundred to five hundred dollars, to be fixed by the
board of supervisors of the county.

The State Superintendent was elected by joint ballot of
the Legislature, for a term of two years. The first election
occurred on February 16, 1864, when the Rev. VV. R.
Wliite was chosen.

The first election of school oflicers occurred on the fourth
Thursday in April, 1864, in pursuance of anact passed by
the Legislature of that year.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. ’ 367

In 1865, honorably discharged Union soldiers were ad-
mitted to the privileges of free schools; and, in 1867, it
was provided that other persons over 21 years of age might
be admitted upon payment of tuition fees. In 1865, the
provision requiring the County Superintendent to visit
each school three times during each term, was repealed,
and he was required to visit them at least once.

The township levies, which were laid at the annual town-
ship meetings until the Code of 1868, and after that by the
Board of Education, were limited in 1865, to the maximum
of 25 cents on each one hundred dollars’ valuation for the
building fund, and to 20 cents for the teachers’ fund. In
1866, the maximum levy for building fund was fixed at 7
mills on the dollar; and for teachers’ fund at not less than

two nor more than five mills. The maximum, the next

year, was fixed at 50 cents on each one hundred dollars’
valuation for each fund, and the moneys of the two funds
were required to be kept separate.

It was enacted in 1865, that the State Superintendent
“may prescribe a series of class books to be used” in the
schools of the State. A uniform series does not appear to
have been prescribed by law until the Code of sixty-eight.

The Legislature of 1866 amended and re-enacted the
entire school law. In that year for the first time were
Trustees provided for. Before this, the Commissioners
performed the duties which now belong to them and the
Trustees. In this year it was enactedfithat the Board of
Education should appoint three trustees in each sub-dis-
trict. It Was also provided that the trustees, after the first
appointment, should be elected by the voters of each sub-
district;‘but, at the next Legislature, this provision was
repealed. Trustees were empowered to hire teachers and

368 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

fix their wages, and required to perform certain other
specified duties, such as visiting the schools in their sub-
district, etc.

In 1866, we find for the first time the provision that any
township failing to make the annual school levy, should
forfeit its proportion of the State fund; but it was also
provided that the voters of any sub-district in such town-
ship might make the levy on themselves, and thereby
receive their proportion of the State fund. This latter

. provision did not long remain law.

Up to the year 1867 the law had provided that schools
should be kept open six months in each year. The fixing
of the maximum levy, however, which might be laid for the
purpose, was a virtual repeal of this provision, at least in
most of the townships. In the said year, it was enacted
that the schools should be kept open at least four months,
and that no township which failed to lay a school levy in
any year, should receive any part of the State fund in such
year.

In the acts of 1867 appears for the first time the pro-
vision requiring the Boards of Education to elect one of
their number President. The Code of 1868 provided that
each Board should elect a Secretary; previous to this the
Township Clerk was the Secretary of the Board.

The Free School System was retained in the Constitution
of 1872, which enjoined upon the Legislature to “ provide,
by general law, for a thorough and eflicient system of free
schools.” The first Legislature which assembled after the
ratification of this Constitution, provided for the election of
a Board of Education in each district (formerly township),
composed of the President and two Commissioners, and
the election of one Trustee for each sub-district, at a poll

  

 
  
  

    
 
      
 
 
 

 

 

      
  

  

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3” Page 711.

0
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 369

held herein. The Board determined the number of months
of school to be taught, the number of teachers to be
employed, and fixed their wages according to the grades of
certificate. At the same election the voters of each dis-
trict voted on the question of authorizing the Board to lay
the district levy.

Heretofore the County Superintendent examined “can-
didates for the profession of teacher,” and granted them
certificates; but the Acts of 1872-3 provided that he should
be assisted by two Examiners, appointed by the Presidents
of the Boards of Education in the county. The County
Superintendent, who was President at oficio, and the two
Examiners constituted the Board of Examiners for the
county. This Board ‘examined the candidates and awarded
certificates to them.

The maximum levy for the building fund was fixed at 40
cents, and that for the teachers’ fund at 50 cents.

Schools were not to be kept open longer than four months,
unless authorized by a vote of the district.

The plan of holding elections in each sub-district, and of
electing Trustees, did not work satisfactorily; and, in 1877,
the law was amended in that particular, and provided for the
appointment of three Trustees for each sub-district, by the

Board of Education, and the holding of elections at the ’

usual places of voting in the district only.

The Legislature of 1879 made radical changes in the
law. It reduced the annual pay of the County Superin-
tendent to a maximum of $125; repealed the provision
requiring him to visit the schools, and made this ofiicer
little more than a mere clerk. It enacted that the district
Board of Education should consist of a President and four
Commissgpners, Who should appoint a trustee for each sub-

'370 ‘ HISTORY. OF MONBONGALI-A COUNTY.

district. The Board, however, not only fixed the wages of
the teachers, but also selected a teacher for each school in
the district. This method proving unsatisfactory, the
Legislature of 1881, in amending and re-enacting the

entire school law, again provided for a Board consisting of

a President and two commissioners, who appointed three
Trustees for each sub-district, and fixed the wages of the
teachers. The Trustees appoint the teachers. It restored
the office of County Superintendent to its former sphere,
required him to visit the schools, and provided that his
ahnual pay should be not less than $150‘ nor more than
$300. In 1882, it ivas provided that the two assistant ex-
aminers should be appointed by the Presidents of the
Boards of Education from the persons nominated to them
by the County Superintendent.

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS.
]?Ie(:[(e<l. Na me.

1864, April 28—Rev. .H. \V. Biggs.

1864, September 22-*Greorge C. Sturgiss.
1866, May 24—Greorge C. Sturgiss.

1867, October 24—Henry L. Cox.

1869, October 28——Henry L. Cox.

1871, / —-Henry L. Cox.
1873, August 8—‘rRev. J. L. Simpson. *
1873, —Henry L. Cox.

1875, August 13—Alexander L. Wade..
1877, August 7——A1eXander L. VVade.
1879, August 17——Bruce L. Keenan.
1881, May 17-—Benjan1in S. Morgan.
1883, May 15—Benjamin S. Morgan.

* The Rev. Mr. Biggs was elected the first County Superintendent at the first
election held in the State or West Virginia for School officers. But he removed from
the county, and never served. Mr. Sturglss was appointed by the Board or Super-
visors to the vacant office.

‘r Mr. Simpson did not serve, and Mr. Cox was appointed to the omce.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 371

VOTES FOR" COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.
1864-H. W. Biggs, 601; David VVied1nan 307; Rev. P. T. Laish-
ley, 140.

1866——Geo1-gie C. Sturgiss, 1402; Prof. O. W. Miller, 381.
1867——Henry L. Cox, 1023; Albert G. Davis, 396.

1869—In this year Mr. Cox was re-elected Without opposition.
1871———Henry L. Cox, 1187‘; L. s. Brock, 735.

1873-111 this election a poll was held at each schoo1—house in the
county, and no record has been preserved.

1875—Alexander L. \Vade was elected Without opposition.

1877——AleXander L. Wade, 1669; no opposition.

1879—Bruce L. Keenan, 663; Alexander L. ‘Wade, 646. (Of this
election, The Post said that Mr. VVade left the impression that he
did not Want the oflice, and refused to do anything to promote his
interests.)

1881—Benja1nin S. Morgan, 1032; T. I. McRa, 823.

1883—Benjaniin S. Morgan, 1436 ; no ‘opposition.

HENRY L. CoX"“ is the son of Moses Cox, and was born
near Morgantown; was educated at the Monongalia Acad-8
emy and VVaynesburg (Pa) College. He served eight years
as County Superintendent, and as such oflicer was labor-
ious, energetic, earnest and efficient. He was principal of
the Morgantown Graded School for six years. In his re-
port for 1876, County Superintendent VVade says: “Prof.
H. L. Cox has been principal of this [Morgantown Graded]
school for four years past, and under his supervision it has
been increasing in thoroughness, until I feel quite sure
that no more thorough Work is done in any school of like
character in this State.” Mr. Cox was elected a member of
the House of Delegates in 1880, and re-elected in 1882, and
served in the Legislatures of Eigl1ty—one, Eighty~two and
Eighty-three. A

ALEXANDER L. VVADE, eldest son of George and Anna
Wade, was born near Rushville, Indiana, February 1, 1832.

‘ For biographical sketch of George C. Sturgiss, see page 346.

372 HISTORY OF_ MONONGALIA COUNTY.

His father and mother were natives of Virginia, the former
of Monongalia County, and the latter of Washington
County. In 1839, the family moved from Indiana to Mon-
ongalia County, where, in 1846, the father died, leaving
the family no fortune save the force of a Christian example.
Alexander, being the eldest of five children, and at the time
of his father’s death but fourteen years of age, undertook
to aid his mother in maintaining the family, a work which
he continued till after he reached his majority. He had
early imbibed a love for reading and an earnest desire to be
a scholar. But schools were inferior and books were scarce,
and his time was divided between labor and study, while
his earnings went to buy bread for the family and books
for the library.

In 1848, being but sixteen years of age, he began teach-
ing school. The two succeeding years he worked in sum-
mer and taught in winter. From that time till the begin-
ning of the War, in 1861, he made teaching his vocation.
During all these years he was an earnest student, master-
ing, one by one, Without an instructor, most of the English
branches.

In 1852, he made a public profession of religion and
united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He received
license as a local preacher, in 1860; was constituted a dea-
con, by Bishop Clark, in 1866, and was ordained an elder,
in 1874, by Bishop Scott. 1

He married,iin 1854, Hettie Sanders, daughter of John
and Elizabeth Sanders, of Monongalia County. They have
six children—three sons and three daughters, named, in the
order of their ages, Clark C., Spencer S., Mary E., Anna B.,
Charles A. and Hattie L. .

In 1861, he was elected Clerk of the County Court of Mon~

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. , 373

ongalia County; and, in 1863, when tl1e new State of ‘Vest
Virginia was formed and the County Court was abolished,
he was elected County Recorder, which ofiicehe held, by
election, four successive terms of two years each. Upon
his retirement from the Recorder’s oflice, in January, 1871,
he was elected Clerk of the county Board of Supervisors;
and, in the summer of the same year, he became principal
of the public schools of Morgantown. Though his oflicial
duties had been fairly remunerative, and though he had
been buying and selling real estate with a good degree of
success, he had not felt satisfied since he left the scl1ool-
room. His duties as principal of the public schools were
to him so much more enjoyable than the recording of deeds,
the searching of records, and the buying and selling of real

estate, that he determined to devote himself entirely to the
educational work.

In the autumn of 1873, in order to Widen his work as an
educator, he engaged with Superintendent Cox, to visit the
schools of Monongalia County. Thiswork he continued
through the Superintendent’s term of two years. In 1875,
he was elected Superintendent of Monongalia County, to
which office heswas re-elected in 1877.

He had long entertained the belief that there is entirely
too much waste in country school work; and, while County
Superintendent, he saw this fact in a still clearer light. He
saw that average students in academies and colleges com-
plete more branches in a single year, than average pupils
in country schools complete in the entire school period.
After much careful study he became satisfied that the chief
cause of difference is foundtin the fact, that in all higher

schools there is a definite work to-do, a._definite time in -

which it ought to be done, and a test as to Whether it is

36 HISTORY OF MONONOALIA COUNTY.

Garret Decker, whose heir he was stated to be in another
entry of la11d. Whether they were relatives of Thomas
Decker we cannot tell.

This destruction of the Decker Creek Colony was the first
blood-stained page of the dark chapter of Indian murders
in Monongalia.

The next advance-of civilization after the destruction of
the Decker Creek Colony, was composed of a rebellious
element of society, being four deserters from Fort Pitt,
whose names were VVilliam Childers, Joseph Lindsey, John
Pringle a11d Samuel Pringle. They deserted in 1761, and
just missed the present territory of the county by leaving
the Monongahela River at Fort Burd (now Brownsville, Pa.),
crossing Chestnut Ridge by the old Braddock Road, and
camping for a while near the site of Mount Carmel (in Pres-
ton County) on territory once owned by Monongalia County.

The King of England on the 7tl1 of October, 1763, issued
a proclamation forbidding settlements to be made west of
the Alleghanies until the land was bought from the Indians,
and two years later ordered the Governors of Virginia and
Pennsylvania to remove all settlers west of these mountains
by force. Governor F auquier, of Virginia, issued three
proclamations, and troops were sent from Fort Pitt in 1766
and 1767 up the Monongahela, but all the settlers that left
returned as soon as the soldiers were gone. “Te have no
account of any person living on the present territory of
Monongalia being disturbed by these soldiers. The Indians’
title was purchased by Pennsylvania in 1768. .Vir§nia
never purchased any title from the Indians.

“Te come now to consider who were the first permanent

settlers on the territory of the county. The ‘‘ Chronicles of '

Border VVarfare” states that, in 1768, a party of emigrants,

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374 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

well done; while in country schools no such provisions
exist. He, therefore, determined to introduce into the
country schools of his county, a system of graduation, sim-
ilar to that of academics and colleges.

In the autumn of 1874, he began to organize graduating
classes in the country schools of his county; but the first
classes graduated and the first common school diplomas
were granted in the spring of 1876,——the centennial of
American Independence. The first common school cata-
logue was published in the autumn of the same year,
and alumni associations were formed the following year.
So wide-spread was the progress of the new plan, that
General Eaton, Chief of the National Bureau of Education
at Wasliington, in his annualreport for 1878, says:

“Ofiall the plans developed none has excited more attention
than that known as the ‘ Grraduating System for Country Schools.’
devised by A. L. VVade, County Superintendent of Monongalia, VV.
Va. . . . It has been reviewed by all the educational journals and
has excited the attention of the principal State Superintendents of
the Country.”

In July, 1879, by invitation, he read a paper on this sub-
ject before the National Educational Association at Phila-
delphia. The Association, after thoroughly discussing the
subject, adopted the following resolution :

“Resolved, That the attention of State Superintendents of Public
Instruction throughout the United States be called to the propriety
of adopting a Graduating System for Country Schools.”

Since the passage of the foregoing resolution, several States
have adopted the system entire, others are testing it in
single counties, and the plan bids fair to become universal.

Upon his retirement from the Superintendency, in 1879,
he entered upon the work of writing a book, entitled “A
Graduating System for Country Schools,” which he coin-

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. ’ 1375

pleted in 1881.‘ This book is published in Boston, but is"

sold also by leading houses in several of the larger cities;

VVishing to test new educational methods under circum-
stances presumably the least favorable, he asked, in 1880, to
be appointed principal of the Morgantown colored school.
His experiments proved not only the value of his methods,
but the capabilities of the colored people.

Though actively engaged, a part of his time, in _primary
teaching, his chief employment since 1881 has been that of
an Institute Instructor and Educational Lecturer. In this
field he has been intimately associated with such men as
State Superintendent Smart, of Indiana; State Commis-
sioner Burns, of Ohio; State Superintendent Butcher, of
‘Vest Virginia; State Superintendent Northrop, of Con-
necticut; State Superintendent Apgar, of New Jersey;
State Superintendent Newell, of Maryland; City Superin-
tendent Peaslee, of ‘Cincinnati; and Professor DeGraf1',
author of “School Room Guide.”

Possessing, in a fair degree, the ability to make money,
he turned away from business, in the prime of life, in order
that he might devote himself to the improvement of
primary schools. Few men of his attainments, have
devoted themselves so entirely to this Work.

Though his chief calling is that of an educator, he has
not confined himself entirely to school work. The Church,
the Sunday—school, the Bible cause, and the Temperance
movement, have each received a due portion of his time
and attention. He served, for several years, as agent and
distributor of the American Bible Society, and as a mem-
ber of the ‘Vest Virginia State Temperance Executive Com-
mittee.

376 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

He long since chose as his life-motto, and as his favorite
verse in the English language,-—

“ I live for those Who love me,

Whose hearts are kind and true,

For the heaven that smiles above me,
And awaits my spirit too;

For all human ties that bind me,

For the task my God assigned me,

For the bright hopes left behind me,
And. the good that I can do.”

He is ardently attached to teachers, and is proud of the
teacher’s calling. In an address to the teachers of his
county, he once said, “I love teachers better than I love
men and Women of any other calling or profession; and I
Want these teachers, when I die, to bear me to my last rest-
ing-place and inscribe upon my tomb-stone, ‘A. L. Wacle,
Teacher, and Author of A Graduating System for Country

9)’

Schools.

BRUCE L. KEENAN was born near Bowlby’s Mills, Cass
District, Monongalia County; graduated at West Virginia
University, in 1880; was County Superintendent in 1879-81 ;
was principal of the Piedmont (VV. Va.) schools 1881-3.

BENJAMIN S. MOBGAN was graduated from West ‘Virginia
University in 1878; took the law course of that school in
1881-2; was elected County Superintendent in 1881, and
was re—elected, Without opposition, in 1883. He was li-
censed to practice law by Judges Haymond, Johnson and
Snyder, and was admitted to the bar at Morgantown, Octo-
ber 18, 1882, and has located at Morgantown for the prac-
tice of his profession. Mr. Morgan is a son of Smallwood
Gr. Morgan, and is a descendant of the earliest settlers of
the county.‘’‘‘ 8

* Monongalia County has furnished two Superintendents for her daughter county of
Preston: W. S. Bayles, Superintendent of Preston County in 1879-81; and Joseph H.
Hawthorne, Superintendent in 1881-83.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. I ‘ '1 377

WADE’S GRADUATINGWSYSTEM FOR COUNTRY ‘SCHOOLS.

In visiting the schools of the county, in 1873, "under
engagement of Superintendent Cox, Alexander L. Wade
found that in most of the schools all the primary
branches established by law were not taught. He first
made the effort to have all these branches studied in every
school, and succeeded in having this done in thirty—one
schools that year. Next year he discovered that, while all
the branches were taught in many schools, yet no one pupil
studied all of them. His second ‘step, therefore, was to
organize in each school a volunteer class, to take up all
the branches. Mr. VVade found this had not accomplished
his object, for while all had taken up the branches, few had
any ideaiof completing them. His next step was to organ-
ize volunteer classes to take up and complete the branches.
The question was asked, How long will it take and who is
to judge when the branches are completed?‘ He proposed
no set time, and to trust to the honor of each pupil. Two
classes were organized upon this basis, but the result was
not satisfactory. Mr. VVade thought much on the problem,
when, one night, the thought came /into his mind, “If they
graduate pupils in /oigh schools, why not graduate them in
law schools?” Elected County Superintendent in 1875,
and having a plan of a graduating system matured, he at
once began to introduce it; and his fourth step was the or-
ganization of a volunteer graduating class in each school
to take up all the branches and complete them in a certain
time,when each member of the class who passed. a satisfactory
examination was to receive a diploma. Thus originated
what is now favorably and widely known as “ Wade’s
Graduating System for Country Schools.’.’ _

Mr. Wade’s own description of it is as follows :

378 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

“It is simply adopting as a course of study the free school
branches, organizing the more advanced pupils into four separate
classes according to their grades, fixing a time in which each pupil
is expected to complete the course, holding annual examinations
and commencement exercises in each district, granting diplomas to
those who, upon examination, are found to be worthy of them,’
forming alumni associations, and publishing annual catalogues, in
which the names of graduates and undergraduates appear in the
classes to which they respectively belong.”

The first class was formed in 1875, and was called the
Class of 1876. A Class of 1877 was also formed. The first
annual district examination was held February 25th, 1876,
and one was held each day after until March 11th. The
examiners were A. L. VVade, H. L. Cox, Prof. F. S. Lyon,
of the VVest Virginia University, and Prof. WV. R. \Vhite,
ex-State Superintendent. Two hundred and sixty-one ad-
vanced pupils entered the class, and 196 completed [the
course and received diplomas. Of the Class of 1877 there
were 110 who graduated; and of the Class of 1878 there
were 88 graduates. Mr. lVade retired from the County
Superintendency in 1879, to write his book now before the
public, entitled “A Graduating System for Country
Schools.” Since that year no classes have been graduated
in the county. Mr. VVade’s system was highly commended
by Gen. Eaton, Commissioner of Education, in his report
for 1878 (see p. 374), and has been recommended for
adoption by the State Superintendent of West Virginia, the
State Teachers’ Association of VVest Virginia, and put in
operation in Marshall, Marion and Tyler, and in fifteen
counties in Pennsylvania. In Maine it has been adopted.
It has been recommended and is being examined in coun-
ties in nearly every State of the Union with a view to

‘adoption. 88

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 379

Four Annual Catalogues were issued by Mr. VVade,
from 1875 to 1879, giving a list of all the schools and
teachers of the county, with the names of graduating class,
the number studying each branch, and much other useful
information. District Alumni Associations were formed in
1877; and Mr. VVade, in 1878, introduced a “banner sys-
tem” for the purpose of inducing better attendance. The
county banner is awarded annually to the district making
the highest percentage of attendance. This banner Union
District received in 1878, 79 and 82; Morgan in 1880 and
81. Seven district banners were provided, each banner to
be held annually, by the school in the district making the
highest percentage of attendance. _

MoRGAN’s OUTLINE COURSE OF STUDY 7
VVas prepared for the common schools of Monongalia County
in 1880, by County Superintendent B. S. Morgan, and has
been very highly spoken of wherever it has been seen and
examined. Its objects, as explained by Mr. Morgan, are—-

“- To secure uniform work throughout the county, a better classi-
fication of pupils, and the proper order of studies; to prevent
promotions to the higher grades of study before the child is pre~
pared profitably to pursue them, and the going over of the same
parts of any branch term after term until all hope and ambition

literally dies in the child; and to encourage pupils to complete

all of the elementary branches.”

It divides the school into five grades: the First and Sec-
ond grades requiring one year each; the Third, Fourth and
Fifth two years each.

Superintendent Morgan, in 1881, suggested and urged the
introduction of the county newspapers into the free schools
-—that a copy of each paper published in the county be
subscribed jor and placed in each school-room". The next
year he got Cup a blank form for registering the classification

380 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

of a school at its close for the use of the next teacher,
which was adopted by the State Superintendent, and is
Blank No. 25 now issued by the State. It is simple in form,
but very valuable, and was long needed. ’

BOARDS OF EXAMINERS.

1873—H. L. Cox, B. M. Jones, A. L. Wade.

1874—H. L. Cox, B. M. Jones, A. L. Wade.

1875——A. L. Wade. George W. Laishley, H. L. Cox.

1876—A. L. VVade, H. L. Cox, Ezekiel Trickett.

1877—A. L. Wade, H. L. Cox, Ezekiel Trickett.

1878-A. L. Wade, J. A. Tenant, B. S. Morgan.

1879-B. L. Keenan, H. L. Cox, B. S. Morgan.

1880——B. L. Keenan, A. L. Wade, B. S. Morgan.

1881—B. S. Morgan, A. L. Wade, W. S. Hillery.

1882——B. S. Morgan, A. L. Wade, VV. S. Hillery.

1883—B. S. Morgan, T. E. Hodges, VV. S. Hillery.

TEACHERS’ INSTITUTES.

The Teachers’ Association of Monongalia County was
organized by Superintendent Sturgiss on December 27,
1865, and continued to meet twice a year at Morgantown
until 1869. At its last meeting, held on the 16th of Octo-
ber in the last-named year, the State Superintendent was
present, and forty-two teachers attended.

On the 27th of December, 1870, a County Institute was

_held at Morgantown by appointment of the State Superin-

tendent. It was conducted by J. C. Gilchrist, R. Kidd and
Dr. Alexander Martin.
The annual meeting of the State Teachers’ Association
for 1881 was held at Morgantown in the month of July.
Since 1879 County Institutes have been held for one Week

in each year at Morgantown, as follows:

Began. Conductor. Began. Conductor.
1879, August 4—F. H. Crago. 1880, August 10——Ja1nes Fowler.
1881, August 22—~D. B. Purinton. 1882, August 7——F. H. Crago.
1883, July 25—U. S. Fleming.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 381

The attendance at the Institute in 1880 was but 53; but
the next year 107 teachers were enrolled, and the average
daily attendance was 95. Of these 107 teachers, ten had
taught 60 months or more, thirty hadtaught twelve and
less than sixty months, 42 had taught less than twelve
months, and 25 had never taught at all.

The enrollment at the Institute of 1882 was 112; average
daily attendance, 98; number who had taught ten /years or
more, 4 ; five and less than ten years, 8 ; one year and less than
five years, 56 9; less than one year, 23 ; never taught, 27.

In the exhibit of “Test Virginia at the Centennial Exhibi-

I tion at Philadelphia, 1876, were a “Pencil Drawing of Rev.

H. VV. Beecher, by Perry Morris; Pencil Drawing of H. L.
Cox, by W. C. Shafi'er”—from tl1e“Free School, Morgan-
town.”

During the school year of 1882-3, State Superintendent
Butcher offered a prize for the best drawn map of West
Virginia by a pupil of the free schools of the State. The
prize was won by Gilbert Stewart, son of S. C. Stewart.

STATISTICAL.

1830—The census reports for this year place one academy in
Monongalia, having 14 scholars; 28 primary and common schools,
having an attendance of 629; pupils educated at public charge, 169;
and there were in the county 2,132 persons over 20 years of age
who were unable to read or write.

1850——Eight public schools in the county, employing eight teach-
ers, having an attendance of 152 pupils, and an annual income of
$805. There were two academies, employing six teachers, having
109 pupils, and an annual income of $3,334. Number of pupils at-
tending all kinds of schools, 2,319 white, and 2 free colored. There
were 1,215 white persons (males, 350; females, 865) in the county
above the age of 10 years, who could neither read nor write. A
record is made of one school library of 150 volumes.

382 HISTORY ..OF MOHONGALIA COUNTY.

1860+—The returns of the census, this year, upon this subject, are
not given by counties. '

1870—Number of 10 years of age and over who cannot read, 679 ;
number of same who cannot write, 1554. These numbers include
the colored persons, who were excluded in the former reports, they
being slaves then.

Of the statistics of the “primary” school system, follow-
ing are such regarding Monongalia County .as Were ob-
tainable :

In 1847, there were in the county 84 schools; poor children in the
county, 800; number sent to school, 534; total number of days these

poor children attended school, 42,189, at a cost of  cents per day;
$1,013.76 due the county from the Literary Fund.

1848—Number of schools, '76; number of poor children 1,335, of
whom 725 were sent to school for a total of 46,076 days, at a cost of
2% cents per day; amount due the county from the Literary Fund,
$1,013.76. '

185-5—Nu1nber of poor children sent to school, 750; average num-
ber attending, 560; average number of days each attended, 75; av-
erage cost per pupil, $2.28; amount due from Literary Fund,
$1,080.48.

The statistics of the Free Schools, except such as are
elsewhere given, are presented in the table on the following
page. Few statistics for Monongalia. appear in the three
reports of the _State Superintendent previous to 1868.

TABLE OF FREE SCHOOL STATISTICS FOR

MONONGALIA COUNTY.

YEAR.

...——...

1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
1877

1878 '

1879
1880*
1881
1882

5
I

3 '°’ *3
4‘: E 3
.4 “‘ . 3
8 w '5

‘,3 g =1 3 >.

3 2 3 5 §

8 E3 E 3 9

In I-4 Q .

E .—4 O 0 E 3 $3 '
8 8 Ev? $3.5 "é §§
3% 3 3° 9” 6 2“
N0. N0. 8 N . ‘V .
53 37 13,924 4235 ‘ 0
77 57 44.607 4743 4776 2325
74 62 5'2,3‘22 4858 3186 2195
76 63 48. 236 4787 3715 26-10
80 80 56,838 481.8 3582 2587
81 78 64.1281 4818 3522 2371
30 79 011.510 4943 3479 2362
73 73 53.926 4943 3627 2472
79 78 53,833 5089 3798 2573
83 82 51. 763 0089 3845 2543
83 82 51.613 4984 4110 2804
36 35 48,567 5032 3951 2339
4391

90 39 51,013 4360 3336 2657
93 -J, 92 51.863 4852 3938 2508

. _.j.:. _____ ___-.._.__._-._.

Months Taught.

1 Average Age 01 Pupils.
I

Teachers employed.

97

40.00
' 34 70

100

Average Wages of Teach-
ers per month.

$

36 50

34.94
34 01
32.00
34 60
33.21,
33.001
30 25
27.73

26.60

‘Amount received Irom
I State.

5 339 30
4.12090
4.120 90
7.041 97
4.362 72
6515.73
 17.03
5,747 93
5,747.18:
5.281.595
4,721.17:
5777.00,
5 070.751
4,944.60
4,059.061

1

I
an 1 Total amount or District
‘ Levies.

15,113.47
21.87937
22,355.23
-115,636.92
19.13577
16.31255
3,533.45
3,369.43
10 672.41
13.11259
10304.24
10,633.14

10,751.71
11,464 65

I
| Total expenditures out or
1 Teachers’ Fund.

5. 1 Total expenditures out or

3
5,369 59
, 14,751.73

13 790.32
13.50-2.70
11739.70

3,565.53
11,644.00
13.26) .96
13,370.03
11,535.34
11,363.41
11,117.00

10,825 27
11.26889

. Building Fund. -
' Average Levies for both
I Funds on each 3100
'2111o.1;s1H 'IVN0I1LVOflCIE[

S
2»

6,962.67
13675.25
14264.91‘

5 437.61

7.26053
T3986 35

2,532.03

1,969 11

2,379.71

5,141.46,

2.369.70~21.7

4,355.11 26.3

3,358.97l23
3.933.641

* County Superintendent failed to send report 111 time for publication, except 0!! the items given. -7
' 7 Marked “incomplete ” in State Superintendenvs report.

988

MONONGALIA UNDER AUGUSTA. 37

one of whom Was David Morgan, came to the site of Mor-
gantown. The local tradition in the Morgan family is, that
David Morgan left the vicinity and went up the Mononga-
hela, leaving ZackWell* Morgan in possession of his
settlement right. Wliile VVithers gives 1768 as the time
David Morgan came, yet Morgan never entered any land on
settlement made in that year; nor neither did Zackwell
Morgan, Who, after 1781, received a certificate for 400 acres
at the mouth of Decker’s Creek, as ‘assignee of Isaac Le-
Inasters, who had made improvements on it in 1772.
Morgan also, as assignee of James Stockwell, received 400
acres more.‘ Zackwell Morgan took up no land in right of
his own settlement that can be found on the land—book of
the Commissioners appointed to adjust claims to unpatented
lands. Yet Col. VVilliam Crawford says in a deposition
sworn to by him at Pittsburgh: “Z-achel Morgan, James
Chew and Jacob Prickett came out in that year [1766], and
[he] was informed by them that they had settled up the
Monongahela; that he has since seen Zachel Morgan’s plan-
tation which is on the south side of the line run by Mason
and Dixon; and that he believes that to be the first settle-
ment made in this country.” This deposition was given in
volume one of the Calendar of Virginia State Papeis, issued
in 1875, by William Palmer, M. D., under authority of the

Legislature of Virginia.

There is a traditionaryaccount, that, about the year 1760,
John Snider, then a boy, was captured by the Indians, and
taken along Crooked Run; that he afterward came back and

settled at an early date. g

‘Morgans Christian name is spelled in different Ways’ on old records:—-Zncqm'l,
Zacquill, Zaoquinm and Zackrzcell. His own signature to 21 deed is “Zack.l1,”which
would authorize the spelling Zackwell, which is, perhaps, a corruption or Jacquelin.

I’

..

384 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

As regards the foregoing table of statistics, it is proper
to remark that it is compiled from the reports of the State
Superintendent for the several years named. That the
figures are only approximately correct is owing to several
facts. Some of these reports of the State Superintendent
seem to have had very careless proof—reading; and their
trustworthiness is thereby much impaired. They are, too,
made up from the scanty and almost always incomplete
reports of the minor school officers. Indeed, it is very
seldom, even now, that a County Superintendent receives a.
perfectly full and correct report from the district officers.
The failure of one of these minor officers to submit a full
report, or a mistake in such report, must impair, to a
greater or less extent, the statistical report for the entire
county. A standing complaint of’ the State Superintendent
and of the County Superintendents, in the earlier -years of
the system, was not only the incompleteness of the reports
received, but the failure to get such reports at all.

Perhaps the most untrustworthy column of figures in the
table is that under the heading of “Value of all School
Property.” For several years, an increase in the number of
houses, to say nothing of the necessary corresponding in-
crease in the lots of land, served only to make a decrease in
the value of school property. The value of this property
is greater in 1870 with sixty-two school—houses, than in
1882 with ninety-two buildings. The estimating. of this
value, we believe, is done by the Trustees ; and the system
is guess -work, and not very particular guess-work at that.
Besides, the same Trustee seldom guesses at the value of
the same property for two consecutive years. In the mul-
titude of guessers there must be great fluctuation. It is to
be considered, however, that the value of 1870 is given in

 

PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING, MORGANTOWN.

FORMERLY MONONGALIA ACADEMY.
SEE PAGE 893,

1
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 385

an inflated currency. In compiling the table the endeavor
has been to give much in little. Thus, the total expendi-
ture in the county for any given year may be had by adding
together the total expenditures out of the Teachers’ and
the Building fund. That sum divided by the number of
youth in the county, will give the cost per youth based on
the enumeration; divided by the number enrolled in school,
will give the cost per pupil; and divided by the average
daily attendance, the quotient will represent the costiper
pupil on that basis.

The Free School System did not go into general eifect in
Monongalia County until 1865. It is said that Grant
Township was the first to open free schools, and that Cass
and Clinton were the next to follow. The Want of school-
houses and competent teachers, the natural disinclination
to such radical change, the considerable taxation required
to build houses and pay teachers, the opposition “from

. notions of caste” (as the State Superintendent expresses it

in his second annual report), “a general apathy to intel-
lectual culture,” the sparseness of the population, the
distracting influences of the civil war and of the exciting
political questions arising out of and following it, and the
crudities of the free school 1aW,—all these operated in
Monongalia, as they did in almost all the other counties of
the State,-in retarding the uniform and smooth operation
of the system.

Monongalia County was and is divided into eight school
districts, namely, Battelle, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Grant, Mor-
gan, Union, and the Independent District ofMorga11town.
Notwithstanding her proud eminence in educational matters,

AJ

386 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

when the Free School system was adopted in 1863, there
was but one scl1ool—house in the country districts that the
school ofiicers deemed fit to remain siich. This one was at
Fort Martin, in Cass District. The first Superintendent did
not serve, and it was not till September, 1864, that another
was appointed. And after his appointment, Mr. Sturgiss
was kept from the duties of the office by acting as pay-
master’s clerk till after the school term of 1864—5 had
passed. But when he was released from these services, he
threw his whole being into the work; and, notwithstanding
the very considerable opposition, comparatively rapid

progress was made. Mr. Sturgiss went out among the

vpeople and addressed them, explaining the new system,‘

answering objections, pointing out the great good that must
result from a compliance with the spirit of the new institu-
tion. He was present, as far as possible, at the township
meetings, and urged the voters there assembled, to make
the necessary levies to build houses and pay teachers, in-
structed the officers in the discharge of their duties; and,
later when they had opened, he visited the schools of the
county and held educational meetings at night. No report,
statistical or other, appears in any of the printed reports
of the State Superintendent until 1868.

In 1865 Monongalia County received $54,330.72 from the .

State fund; her share of this fund for 1866 was $4,052.02;
and for 1867 it was $5,187.10. The pay of the County
Superintendent for the first of these years was $400; for
1867 it was $350.

Superintendent H. L. Cox, in his report for 1868, says,
“VVe are niaking much progress.” Fifteen school-houses
were built during the year; seven of which were in Cass
Township—“excellent houses, 263130 feet.” “The building

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 387

.formerly known as the [Monongalia] ‘Academy Building,’

in Morgantown, has been purchased by the district commis--

sioners at a cost of $13,500, for the purpose of a town or-

district school.” “Heretofore there has been a large oppo-
sition to the system, and, indeed, there are many yet who-
oppose it, but I am happy to say that such feelings are
giving ‘away, and a more liberal and appreciative spirit is
manifest. The school question is ceasing to be made a
party question.” Some of the opposition, we are told, came
from those who held that educational interests are best
promoted by private effort, and “that the State is not the
proper guardian of such interests. Others seem to be
shrouded in a kind of conservatism,” which, dreading“
changes, clings to the old system “because it is old.” The

number of certificates granted. was 24.-, of which four were:

grade number, one. Allowance to County Superintendent,
$300.

In his report for 1869, Mr. Cox says that Battelle Township
is divided into thirteen sub—districts, “in nine of which new
school-houses have been built,” and that the average length
of the schools was a “little over three months to each

7

district.” “Insuflicient salaries of teachers’ is one of
the “great barriers” named in this township, in which
502 youths attended school that year. In Clay there
were twelve schools taught, of an average length of 33}
months. Seven new houses had been built, “yet the
subject of schools has not been appreciative.” Attendance,
436; average daily attendance, 304. “Cass Township is
deserving of much praise for having supplied each of the
school districts with a good house.” Ten schools had been
in operation in Cass “for many years”; and numbers of

Pennsylvania teachers were employed; attendance, 382;

388 HISTORY, OF‘ MONONGALIA COUNTY.

average daily attendance, 263. In Grant Township, Mr.
Cox says, “the people in general are much attached to the
school cause.” Eight new school—houses had been built in
all; 12 schools were taught, of an average length of over 5
months, attended by 557 youths; average daily attendance,
331. * In Clinton “the people seemed anxious to embrace
the opportunity to‘ educate their child.ren,”'though the
levies were “quite burdensome” on the people in the
mountainous part of the township, “ the wealth being mainly
i11 a narrow’ strip on one side.” In Morgan there ‘were
seven school districts and six new houses ; attendance, 300 ;
average daily attendance, 245. Union is, says Mr. Cox,
“perhaps the banner township in the county in school
matters. Each of its nine districts has been supplied with

7

an excellent house’; schools of an average length of four
months, were ‘taught in each district; attendance, 594:;
average daily attendance, 405. “Why have we notta very
superior school” in Morgantown Independent District?
asks Mr. Cox in his report, and answers, because of the
want of eflicient and faithful teachers. The school was in
session 10 months, with an average daily attendance of 151.
The names of "59 teachers appear in Mr. Cox’s report, with
the grade of certificate granted each; five of which number
held number one certificates, 8 held certificates between
number one and two, 17 held number two,“ 17 between
number two and three; 6 held number three, one held a No.
3%, and one held a No. 4. Allowance to County Superin-
tendent, $300.

I11 closing his report, Mr. Cox says: “A county teachers’
association was organized in this county about three years
ago, and has since met semi-annually. The last meeting
was held on Saturday, October 16th, at which time you

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 389

[the State Superintendent] honored us with a visit. Forty-
two teachers were present at this meeting. . . . I believe
the teachers of Monongalia will compare favorably with
those in other counties. . . . VVe are taking steps to estab-
lish teachers’ institutes in each township. . . . I believe
more educational papers are taken and read by the teachers of
Monongalia than by those of any other county in the State.”

In his report for the year ended August 31, 1870, Super-
intendent H. L. Cox notes “a marked improvement in our
teachers”; commends the “promptness and energy with
which the school ofiicers are doing their Work,” remarks
that the levies are promptly made and that schools are
taught in nearly all the sub-districts, and declares that
“ our people, with some exceptions, are proud of our school
system.” The names of sixty-two teachers and the grade
of certificate granted each are given in the report, of which
six received No.1 certificates, 13 received certificates be-
tween one and two (1%, 13} and 1:3), 21 received No. 2, 10
received between two and three, 10 No. 3, and 2 received

No. 312».

Superinten dent Cox says in his report for 1871, that he
thinks the system is gaining favor with the people, though
“it is true that there is on the part of some a strong opposi-
tion to the main features of the free school law, and there
are others, no doubt, who seek its entire overthrow, yet in
general the opposition manifested is less violent than at
first, while the friends of the system are daily becoming
more firm and earnest in its support.” Mr. Cox 1'ema1‘l{S
that, “when We take into accountlthe radical difierence
between the present system and that which preceded
it, as well as the extremely unfavorable condition of public
affairs at the time of its introduction, it is, indeed, a matter

390 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

of surprise that so much has been done.” He refers
to “fears entertained that an attempt will be made in the
approaching State Convention [Constitutional Convention
of 1872] to abolish the free school system.” Sixty-two
teachers were granted certificates this year, as follows :

4 granted No. 1 ................. ..3 granted No. 1%-
17 “ No. 1% ................. ..4 “ V No. 1%
16‘ “ No. 2 ................. ..9‘ “ No. 2%
7 ‘S No. 3 ................. ..2 “ No. 4

“The year ending August 31, 1872, was one of unusual
success in the free schools of this county,” Writes Mr. Cox
in his report as County Superintendent. Better attendance,
more enthusiasm among the pupils, and more solid progress
by them; a growing appreciation of the people, and a more
general co—operation by them, and the improved qualifica-
tions and better Work of teachers, are noted. A school was
taught in every district, except one. Mr. Cox did not visit
the schools this year, because the Board of Supervisors
fixed his “ compensation so low that it almost amounted to
prohibition.” Forty—five certificates were granted, as fol-
lows: No. 1, 18; No. 2, 24; No. 3, 3.

The report for 1873, Superintendent Cox declares “that
there is no longer a question as to" whether the people de-
sire schools.” The attendance was small, and the school
term short, this year, in many parts of the county, owing
to the prevalence of the measles and other diseases.
Forty-eight teachers were granted certificates, as follows:

8 granted No. 1. ................ ..33 granted No. 2
6 “ No. 3 ................. .. 1 “ N0. 4

Allowance to the County Superintendent, $75.

In the year 1874, the total enumeration of the county
was 4,948, of whom 3,443 attended school; average daily
attendance, 2,337. Mr. Cox points out that the average

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 391

daily attendance was less than 50 per cent of the enumer-

ation, and declares that “here lies the great obstacle to-

our success.” ‘Being Principal of the Morgantown Gra-
ded School, Mr. Cox employed Alexander L. VVade
to visit the schools. He held some thirty—one ed-
ucational meetings, which were Well attended. This year
the Board of Examiners offered a copy of VVebster’s

Unabridged Dictionary as a prize to the shool which should‘

show the highest per cent of average attendance on the
enrollment. Forty-six teachers received certificates; 13
No. 1, and the rest No. 2. Paid to the County Superin-
tendent, $169.

“The school Work of Monongalia County for the year
ending August 31, 1875, has been, I thinl-I,” says Superin-
tendent Cox, “more successful than that of any other year
since the establishment of the system.” Mr. VVade again
visited the schools and held educational meetings, and the
dictionary prize was again ofifered. Tl1e result of the school
election in Clinton District not having been returned Within
the time prescribed by law, an act was passed on the 23d of
December, 1875, legalizing the election. Seve11ty—eigl1t
teachers were granted certificates—-49 No. 1, and 29 No. 2.
Salary of County Superintendent, $201.50.

The report of Superintendent A. L. Wlade for 1876 is
elaborate. He visited every school, and held forty—three
educational meetings at night, in which he was assisted by
“representative men, professors in the University, teachers,
ministers, physicians, i'ar1ners and ' mechanics.” Three
houses Were built, and one burned down. Certificates
,granted——63 No. 1’s, and 38 No. 2’s. In this year Mr. lVade
began his graduating system. Salary of County Superin-
tendent, $298.50. '

38 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Bruce Wo1*1ey, grandfather of Squire John I. VVorley, of
near Blacksville, came in 1766, with his brother Nathan, who
afterwards was killed by Indians.

The first Commissioners appointed to “adjust claims to
unpatented lands in the counties of Monongalia, Yougl1io—
gheny and Ohio,” were Francis Peyton, Philip Pendleton
1 They

and Joseph Holmes. Their clerk was James Chew.

met at B-edstone Old Fort in 1779, and at Coxe’s Fort in '

1780, in what is now Fayette County, Pemlie next

board of C<)ieiiniissione  Duval, James Neal
and VVilliam Haymond; clerk, \Villian1 McCleary. They
met at Col. John EV/'ans’s in 1781; at Clarksburg in April,
1781, and at Samuel LeWellin’s in October of the same year.
The last meetings were at Col. John Evans’s, as is shown by
the certi_ficates* issued, and also by the certificate book up
to where its leaves are missing. Upon these certificates the
patentsr were issued.

,__,a._ ,__.-... ___.___,

* The certificate to one who did not transfer his right, read as follow : “We the
undersigned commissioners [or adjusting claims to unpatented lands in the counties of
Monongalia, Yohogania and Ohio, do hereby certify that Charles Martin is entitled to
400 acres oi land in Monongalia County on the Monoagalia. River in right of residence
to include his improvements made thereon in the year 1769. Given under our hands at
.... . .this. . . .day oi. ... . .in the... .year or the Commonwealth.

1* Virginia gave to every Dona. flue settler who built a log cabin and raised a crop or
corn before 1778, a title to 400 acres 0! land and a pre—empt10n to 1000 acres more ad-
joining. These commissionexs were appointed to give certificates of these “ settlement
rights.’’. The certificate With the surveyor’s plat was sent to the land office at Rich-
mond, and in six months if no caveat was offered, the patent was issued, and the
title was complete. There was previous to the settlement right a right, which Was
no right in law, called the “ tomahawk right.” A hunter would deaden a few trees
about a spring and cut his name in the bark of others, and then claim the land in
after years. Some land-owners paid them voluntarily a trifle to get rid of them ; others
did not. The sett1ement~right to 400 acres was certified to and a certiiiicate issued
upon payment or ten shillings per one hundred acres. The cost of certificate was two
shillings and six pence.

s""L.9

392 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Of the eighty-seven teachers employed in 1877, six were
from Marion County, and five from Pennsylvania. Mr.
Wade argues in the report of this year, as also in that of
the preceding year, against the expediency of a compulsory
attendance law, and advocates the plan of making the
teachers’ wages “depend, in a large degree, upon the per
cent of attendance and progress of his pupils.” Eighty-
seven certificates were granted, of which eight were No. 1’s,
five No. 2’s, and the remainder were between those grades.
Besides these, there was one teacher who held a State
Certificate, and nine who held Normal Diplomas. Amount
allowed Superintendent, $300.

Mr. VVade, in his report for 1878, explains at length his
Graduating System. Of the 88 teachers employed, 66 were
males, 22 females; 13 married, 75 single; 84 were residents
of the county, and the rest were Pennsylvanians; four were
graduates of Morgantown Female Seminary and three of
Fairmont Normal School; 15 had never taught before.
The average per cent of attendance in the county was 60;
by districts, it was: Battelle, 61; Cass, 61 ; Clay, 55; Clin-
ton, 60; Grant, 61; Morgan, 53; Union, 67. Mr. Wade
held fifty educational meetings during the school—term.
One hundred" and eleven certificates were granted this year:
33 No. Is 73 No. 2’s, and 5 No. 3’s.' Salary of County
Superintendent, $450(?).

One hundred and sixty-two certificates were granted in
1879—50 No. 1’s, 105 No. 2’s, and 7 No. 3’s. Amount paid
County Superintendent, $300. I

In 1880, certificates were granted to 107 teachers; 18 No..

1’s,‘72 No. 2’s, and 17 No. 3’s. Allowance to County Su-
perintendent, $292.50. ‘

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 393

Certificates granted in 1881: No. 1, 31; No. 2, 66; N0. 3,
7 ; total, 104. The amount paid County Superintendent in
1881 was $125.

In 1882, thirty-two No. 1 certificates were granted, 65
No. 2, and three No. 3, a total of 100.

Such is the history of the establishment and progress of
the Free School System in Monongalia County. It is a
noble record. VVith but one school—house a score of years
ago now they stand to ‘greet us beside every highway.
This is a revolution that can not go backwards. It creates
its own momentum. It moves by a power within, which in-
creases as it moves, and which strikes out the light and heat
of its own vitality. An average of the estimates made by
many large operators, working many thousands of hands,
gives, as a result, that a knowledge of only the elements of
a primary education adds twenty-five per cent to the
value of man, as a simple laborer. This fact teachers that
to educate the rising generation is the most practical way to
utilize our resources. The wealth of our hills and valleys,
and the number of our population, will be but barren
blessings, if we add not the intelligence and the virtue
which make the true glory of a State.""’ “1Ve must edu-
cate! We must educate! or we must perish by our own
prosperity.”

MONONGALIA ACADEMY.

We come now to chronicle the introduction and history of
higher education in’ the county. It is said Colonel John
Evans brought a tutor from Loudon County to instruct his
sons in the higher branches. Before the year 1814 efibrts
were made to establish an academy, which was incorporated

* W. K. Pend1eton,1n the State Superintendents report for 1872, p. 37.

394 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

November 29, 1814, by the name of “ Monongalia Academy.”
Thomas VVilson, Augustus Weringer, John Evans, Jr.,
Ralph Berkshire, Dr. Enos Daugherty, John Shisler,
Rawley Evans, George Dorsey, Col. James Scott and
Col. Dudley Evans were appointed trustees, and one-sixth
of the fees received by the County’ Surveyor of Mon-
ongalia was ordered to be paid to the Academy. This
Academy building must have been finished by 1816, for in
that year Thomas V/Vilson advertised in the Jl[0.1z0ngalia
Spectator for a tutor."“

None of the proceedings of the trustees can be found
further back than 1827. The Academy stood on the site of
the residence of Thomas R. Evans, in l\Iorgantown. Fred—
erick A. Dering, the present Postmaster at Morgantown,
attended the school, and says it was along, one-story brick
building, divided into two school—rooms. Among the
earliest teachers he can recollect was a man by the name of
Campbell, who taught the small pupils (about 1810-12); one
VVoodrow, an assistant; Simeon Grlisson, who was educated
for a Catholic priest, a fine classical scholar, who was in
charge of the Academy, and who generally heard his Latin
classes without a book; one Marshall, who was principal,
and a Mr. Vanzant, an assistant; Dr. Ashbel Fairchild,
who was principal, and after him VV. G. Henry, Elijah Moss,
and Horatio Martin, whom, he thinks, were assistants.
The Rev. Dr. Fairchild was principal (or “tutor”) between
1822 and 1827. From the records it appears that VVilliam
Thompson was tutor in 1827 and that the Rev. John F.

“A TUTOR IN THE MONONGALIA ACADEMY WANTED.—The Tutor of said Academy
shall attend to the instruction of about twenty-five scholars in the several branches
usually taught in schools and Academies; for which the Trustees of said Academy
will pay said Tutor four hundred dollars per annum, by quarterly installments.”

The foregoing is an extract from the proceedings of the Trustees of said Academy.

March 9, 1816. T. WILSON, Sect’y.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 395

Russ taught in 1828. In this year, two lots in Spruce Street
were bought for $370, on which a new Academy (now, with
an addition built to it afterward, tl1e Morgantown Public
School building; see illustration) was erected between 1828
and 1831.

' On the 28tl1 of January, 1829, (principally through the
exertions of Thomas P. Ray,) an act of Legislature was
secured, allowing the trustees of Monongalia _Academy to
raise as much as $20,000, by lottery, for a part of the en-
dowment fund of the Academy.. Thomas P. Ray was ap-
pointed to secure lottery drawings under this act; and, on
J anuary 26, 1832, contracted with Yates & McIntyre, of New
York City. These drawings were held for several years.
The board of Trustees, when the new Academy opened in
1831, were Mathew Gray (president), the Rev. Joseph A.
Shackelford, Henry Lazier, Fielding Kiger, ‘William Griifey,
John Rogers, Nicholas B. Madera, Thomas P. Ray (treas-
urer), Alpheus P. Vfilson (.secretary) and Ralph Berkshire.

They divided the school into two departments and estab-

lished ten classes.*

PRINCIPALS or MONONGALIA ACADEMY, 1831-1867.

1831——Jonathan Paddock. 1852-Rev. James R. Moore.
1833—Thomas Martin. 1864—~A. W. Lorentz (acting pr-in.)
l841——P. S. Ruter. 1864——Rev. VV. W. Laverty.

- 1846—Rev. Silas Billings. _ 1866¥—Dr. John ‘V. Scott. \

The records of the Academy to be found (1827 to 1858)
do not give the appointments of the‘ assistant teachers.

Among them, however, we find were John S. Horner, 1831—- .

*1st class, Reading, Arithmetic, English Grammar and Geography. 2nd class,
Spelling, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic through Division. 3rd class, Spelling and
Reading. These were under assistant teachers. 4th class, Greek, Latin and French——

‘one class in each language. 5th class, Moral and Intellectual Philosophy. 6th class,

Logic, Rhetoric and History. 7th class, Natural Philosophy and Geography. 8th
class, Mathematics and English Grammar. 9th class, Surveying and Navigation.
10th class, Algebra. These classes were under the principal teacher. A

396 HISTORY_OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

35; John Mills, 1835445,; VVoods, 1845-47; —._’._
Stephenson, 1848; —— Purinton, 1850; —— Long and
Bolton, 1851; —— Jameson, 1852; A. W. Lorentz,
1856-64; C. H. Hassler, Thomas H. Hanbury and R. W.
Blue, 1861; W. P. VVilley, A. B. and F. M. VVOods, 1863; J.

P. Barron and Adam Staggers, 1865.

Monongalia Academy, for over half a century, was an
educational center in VVestern Virginia. It was during the
latter years of its long career of usefulness that it attained
its greatest prosperity and height of honorable fame, under
the administration of James R. Moore. Fourteen States
were represented by the students in its halls, who, in num-
bers, were always above 100, and once as high as 176.
The thoroughness of preparation of those who left its
portals for college was such, that Monongalia Academy,
every year, had an honor man in the college graduating
classes. No list of its graduates can be found, but among
them were Thomas Brown, of Kingwood, and some of the
Wilsons, of an early day. Later, were Chauncey F. Black,
Lieut.-Governor of Pennsylvania; the Hon. J. M. Hagans,
John J. Brown, Esq., Joseph Moreland, Esq., ‘Prof. A.‘ W.
Lorentz, Prof. W. P. VVilley, George C. Sturgiss, Esq., Col.

W. A. Hanway, Dudley Evans, E. M. Wilson, L. VV. Wilson, '

W. S. Cobun, L. S. Brook, and a great number of others.
In 1850, the trustees agitated the project of merging the
Academy into ,a college, but failed. But, in 1867, they
ofl'ered the State their entire possession of property and
money amounting to $50,000, if the State would locate the
West - Virginia Agricultural College on the lands of the
Woodburn Seminary, which they had just bought. The
offer was accepted, and Monongalia Academy passed away
that the University might come. But while the generosity

EDUCATIONAL .HISTORY. 397

of the trustees closed the halls of Monongalia Academy to
open the portals of the University, a spirit of commendable

. enterprise opened them again’in the establishment of the

first and so far the only graded school in the county. For

in 1868, the commissioners of Morgantown Independent‘

District bought of the State" the Monongalia Academy
building for the sum of $13,500, which has been known
since as Morgantown Graded School.

SCHOOLS FOR FEMALES.

Thosepublic spirited citizens who founded Monongalia
Academy for the education of their sons, were not
forgetful of the education of their daughters; and at the
same meeting (January 3, 1831), after selecting a teacher,
and ordering rules of government for the new Academy, it
was ordered, “tl1at Rev. Joseph A. Shackelford, John
Rogers, Henry Lazier and Alpheus P. Wilson be appointed
a committee to prepare a memorial to the Legislature for
authority to convey the old academy lot and apply the pro-
ceeds of the sale to the erection of a female academy.”

The Legislature, on the 23d of March, 1831, passed an
act granting the authority to the trustees to establish a

separate school for females. Thomas P. Ray and A. P.

VVilson, on the 5th of September, 1831, selected a part of
lot No. 113 as the site of the new building. On the 7th of
November, a proposition was made to the Baptists that if
they would give $350, lot No. 1 would be selected, and the
seminary built upon it, and the building would be allowed
the Baptists for church purposes when the school was not

in session. This proposition was not successful; and, in 1

January, 1832, the trustees contracted with John Rodgers
to build a female seminary on lot No. 113. The building,

398 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

which is now a part of the residence of Henry Hayes, on

Bumbo Lane and Long Alley, was finished in 1833, and the V

records show the letting of the upper room to Miss Louisa,
and the lower room to the Misses Green. In 1834, Sarah
Green was to have the upper room ; in 1836, Mary Thomp-
son was to have a room to teach in; and in 1838, Miss
Henderson seems to have been in charge of the institution.

The trustees of Monongalia .Aeademy,~on the 22d of
December, 1838, to give greater efficiency to the female
seminary, petitioned the Legislature to incorporate it as
the Morgantown Female Academy, and allow them to give
towards its endownment the lot, building and $2000. The
Legislature, the next year, granted their request, and incor-
porated the Female Academy, but as the “Morgantown
Female Collegiate Institute”; which, in later years, was
known as “VVhitehall Female Seminary,” on account of a
white coat of paint having been applied to the buildings.
The board of trustees appointed were William Lazier,
(president), Guy R. C. Allen, VV. T. Willey (secretary),
George Hill and Reuben B. Taylor. In 1843, an addition
was built to the Institute ; and, in 1852, the building, being
out of repair, the trustees proposed to erect a new building
and the contract was let to Harrison Hagans for $3500, and
the front portion of the present Morgantown Female
Seminary was erected. Monongalia Academy aided in the
construction with $1750. In 1858, an addition was ordered
built, and, when completed, it comprised the present
Seminary building. School was continued in the building
until about 1867. ' On June 22d, 1869, the last board of
trustees—VV. T. VVilley (president), R. L. Berkshire, John J.
Brown, George M. Hagans, A. L. VVade and IVillian1 ‘Vag-
ner (secretary)—n1et for the last time. They sold the

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 399

building to Mrs. Elizabeth 1. Moore for $5000, in pursuance
of an act of the Legislature passed March 14, 1868. A

PRINCIPALS—1839 TO 1867.

1839—Miss E. Doggett. 1844—No school.
1840-1’. S. Ruter. 1845——E. J. Meany.
1842—Miss Faris. 1846——Rev. Thomas McCune.

1851-Rev. Cephas Gregg.
[In the new buiidingz]

1854——H. VV. Emery. , 1857—Rev. A. S. Hank.
18-56——Peter Hayden. 1861—Dr. Thomas Daugherty.
18G5——ReV. Gr. VV. Arnold.

CLAEJSES OF.YOUNG LADIES GR-ADUATED.

1861. Belle Hennen. 1864.
Martha Brock. Emma Coombs. Mary L. Hennen.
Kate J. Martin. Jennie Daugherty. Virginia Cross.
Annie Reger. Harriett L. Dering. Virginia Reger.
J uiia E. Willey. Mary V. Layton. Josephine Trippett.

1862. 1863. Rebecca Mccuiiougii.
Maria L. Wagner. Annie E. Sawteil. Emma Foreman.
Belle Shay. Mary L. McCullough. Emma. Shay.
Annie Madera. Edith A. Martin. Lizzie Hitch.
Julia Galion. Matilda E. Kroger.

WOODBURN FEMALE SEMINARY.

The legislature incorporated, on the 4th of J anuary,
1858, the Wooclbu1*n Female Seminary Company. It Was
authorized to hold not exceeding tWenty—five acres of land,
and to have a capital not exceeding $50,000. The incorpa~
rators were the Rev. J. E. Moore, VV. A. Hanway, E. WV,
Tower, and others. The residence and grounds of Mrs.
Thomas P. Bay were purchased, and an additional building
erected, and school opened in May, 1858. The school
increased rapidly, and another building was added. The
Rev. J. R. Moore was the superintendent, and Mrs. E. I.
Moore the principal, with from three to four assistant
teachers. Upon Mr. Moore’s death in 1864, Dr. John WV,

~4OO HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Scott became superintendent. The institution closed in
1866. The property was bought by. the trustees of Monon-
galia Academy, and given to the State in 1867, and upon its
grounds the buildings of West Virginia University stand
to-day. The WVoodburn Seminary buildings (on the site of
the new University Hall) burned January 25, 1873.

CLASSES OF YOUNG LADIES GRADUATED.

1859. J. H. Hill. M. E. Smith.
E. H. Dever. L. H. Miller. C. G. Tower.
M. C. Dickson. M. S. Linn. 1864.

1860 S. H. Oliphant. Virginia F. Fortney.
A. E Davis V. Protzman. Rebecca 0. Oliphant.
E. R Dickson S. F. Roberts. 1865.
N. E Lovett. 1862. Amanda E. Camden.
M. S. Mcclintock. L. M. Clark. Sarah J. Hite.
E. M. Reed. 0. Cooper. Jennie M. Little.
M. B. Riddle A. G. McLean. E. v. McLane. '
M. A. V. Stuart.  D. Wilson. Ella B. Neil.
S. Sweeney. 1863. 1866.
M. A. Werninger. E. S. Bugshfiela. Dora V. Hill.

1861. B. Drabell. Edith M. Snider.
H. A. Coil. '

MORGANTOWN FEMALE SEMINARY.

Upon the transfer of the property of the Morgantown
Female Collegiate Institute to Mrs. E. I. Moore, in 1869,
she opened the present Morgantown" Female Seminary,
April 14th, 1869. Mrs. Moore has been its principal from
that year to the present time, with the number of assistant
teachers equal to the needs of the institution. And while
the University has come to do a part of the work mapped
out by old Monongalia Academy——the education of the
sons of VVestern Virginia———»The- Morgantown Female Semi-
inary—with an able, eflicient and experienced prinoipal——
proposes to perform the other part of the work mapped out
by that historic old academy——the thorough, elevated and
refined education of the daughters of Westerii Virginia;

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.‘ V p 401

CLASSES OF YOUNG LADIES GRADUATED.

1871. Lizzie B. Linn. Rose M. Sweeney.
Lida A. Dering. Anna Protzman. 1880.
Anna M. Linn. ~Anna Simpson. Etta Boyer.

1872. ‘ . Viola M. Lawhead.
Mattie Boughner. Mattie E. Protzman. 7 1883.
Lila Little. Emma C. Fordyce. Mary V. Hagans.

1873. Anna L. Hayes. Lily B. Hagans. .
Mary Chadwick. Lucinda White. Class or 1884.
Elia D. Fitch. 1876. Mary Oasselberry.
Ella Fordyce. Eva Boyer. Ollie Morris.
::‘~ue G. Hill.

In closing the history of academic education in Monon-

galia, it is proper to note that some of the men called as

principals of Monongalia Academy, were graudates of the
highest institutions of learning in the land. Prominent
among the distinguished principals was the Reverend

JAMES ROBERTSON Moons, who was born in Columbiana
County, Ohio, August 20, 1823. He was a descendant of
that Scotch—I_rish Presbyterian stock so noted for deter-
mination and so conspicuouscin the early religious and
educational history of VVashington County, Penn. His
grandfather, Augustine Moore, married Verlinda Dawson,
and settled near Uniontown, Penn., before 1767, supposing
he was settling in Monongalia County. His father, \Villiam
Moore, married Susana Maxwell. James B. Moore gradu-
ated at Wrashington College in 1847, a class-mate of the
Hon. James G. Blaine. He next spent some three years in
teaching with Dr. Scott at the Lindsley Institute in VVheel—
ing. He next qualified himself for the ministry in the
Presbyterian Church. Entering Princeton Theological
Seminary in the fall of 1849, he studied there three years.
An affection of his throat and lungs compelled him to quit
public speaking, and he then turned his attention to teach-
ing, and took charge of Monongalia Academy. In 1853, he
was married to Miss Elizabeth I. Moore, of ‘Wheeling,
who was a graduate of the Wlheeling Female Seminary; and

who is now the principal of the Morgantown Female Semi-
‘)6

H

MONONGALIA UNDER AUGUSTA. 39

\

This committee granted certificates for lands on which
improvements were made by the following named persons,

in the years named :

1766, Thomas Merrifield, Booth’s Creek ; Richard Merrifield, Lost
Run; Nicholas Decker, “Monongalia" River.

1767, no entries of improvements.

1768, David McNea1, east side Cheat.

1769, Samuel Owens, Monongahela River; Ephraim Richardson,
Cheat; John Downs, Hillin’s Run; Daniel Harris, Mononghela
River; VVil1iam Hannah, Forks of Cheat; Jesse Hollingsworth,
Crooked Run ; Charles Martin and Jonathan \V1-ight, Monongahela;
Richard Harrison, Crooked Run; 'l‘ho1nas Day, Crafts Run ; John
Collins, Cheat ; John Pierpont (near Easton).

1770, on the Monongahela River, \Vi1lia1n Robinson, Edward

Dorsey, John Burris, David Veach ; on Decker‘s Creek, John Burk,
-Alexander Burris, Samuel Burk, Conrad Crouse, Alex. Parker,

James Russel, Jonathan Cobun; on Cheat River, Samuel Sutton,
Francis \Varman, Thomas Craft, Robert Chalmbers, Philemon
Askins, John Scott, Williaiii Stewart; on Dunkard Creek, Jacob
Hoover, -George Hiley, David McMahon, John Statler, M. Core,
Simon Troy, Jacob Farmer, Roger Barton, Jacob Statler : on \Vest’s
Run, Francis Tibbs, VVil1iam Josephs, Lewis Rogers ; on Robinson’s
Run, John Pollock; on Indian Creek, \Vil1iam Martin, Edmund
VVest, Alexander Smith ; on Ruble‘s Run, Robert Lowther, Moses
Templin ; on Carter‘s Run, Owen Davis ; on Pedlar‘s Run, Zachariah
Piles.

1771, on Robinson’s Run, Augustus and \Vi1liam Smith, Moses
Hill; on \Vest’s Run, Benjamin Rogers; on Crooked Run, Adam
Shriver; on Cheat River, Joseph Barnett and Samuel Lewellin;
on Scott‘s Run, Jacob Scott; on Scottls Mill Run, Peter Popens.

1772, on the Monongahela, John Hoard, George VVilson, Samuel
Kinkade ;'on Cheat, VVillia1n Stewart, Job Sims, onathan Reese,

= Jacob Clark, George Parker, Thomas Evans, \Villiam Norris ; on

Dunkard, George and Nicholas Shinn, R. Hiley, George Snider,
Phineas Killem ; on Decker‘s Creek, Isaac Lemasters, James Te1np—

lin, Michael Kerns ; on Cobun’s Creek, Jacob Miller, John \Vood-

fin,'Richard Fields ; on Crooked Run, Christopher Gal-low ; on “White

402 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

nary. Mr. Moore was a man of rather striking appearance
and grave countenance—a man whose decision of charac-
ter, great executive ability, and remarkable knowledge of
human nature, won for him the respect and esteem of all
who came in contact with him. Under his administration
Monongalia Academybecame an educational power, and
students crowded its halls from many States of the Union.
Mr. Moore died on Monday, December 12, 1864. A beauti-
ful monument was placed over his grave, in 1868, as a trib-
ute of respect to his memory, by the students of Monongalia
Academy, who contributed the most of the funds to pur-
chase it. On the 4th of October, 1865, the Rev. H. WV.
Biggs delivered an address commemorative of Mr. Moore’s
life and labors, which, with a poem read at the Woodburn
Female Seminary Reunion at the same time, was published
in pamphlet form. '

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY.

Monongalia Academy was the culmination of academic
education in the county—the living embodiment of that
idea of higher education introduced into the county at so
early a period. This academy undoubtedly formed the
moving spring of that great educational progress in the
county which inspired its trustees to secure the establish-
ment of an institution of learning on its soil, which we hope,
in the future, may become the crowning glory, as well as
the head, of the educational superstructure of the State,

' and attract to its halls by its superior merits a following

from all over the Union. This institution is known to-day
as West Virginia University. Its buildings are located just
beyond the borough limits of Morgantown, on the right bank
of the Monongahela River. Its grounds are over twenty acres

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 403

in extent,* and from its splendid halls a beautiful picture
spreads out before the gaze--the broad sweeping river, the
quiet town, the long spanning bridge, the wide encircling
hills, and in the distance, away to the sunrise, the blue
mountains-—a picture where

“Not ivy-clad walls that are hoary with time,‘
But Grod’s touch of beauty makes the place sublime.”

West Virginia University is the outgrowth of the VVest
Virginia Agricultural College, established in 1867, by the
combined bounty of the United States Government, the
Legislature of VVest Virginia, and the trustees of Monon-
galia Academy.

Congress passed an act July 2, 1862, (before VVest Vir-
ginia became a State,) donating lands to the States and
Territories providing“ colleges for the benefit of Agricul-
ture and the Mechanic Arts.” On October 3d, 1863, the
Legislature of ‘Vest Virginin accepted the grant; and, on
January 30, 1864, asked Congress to extend all provisions
of this act to West Virginia, which was accordingly done
by act of Congress, April 14, 1864. ‘Vest Virginia received
under this act thirty thousand acres for each of her Sen-
ators and Representatives in Congress, amounting "to
150,000 acres. On January 24:, 1867, West Virginia asked
for 60,000 acres additional. The Legislature now took
action upon locating an agricultural college to be known
as the VVes_t Virginia Agricultural College. The claims of
Pt. Pleasant, Bethany, Frankford, Greenwood, Harrisville
and Morgantown were presented as suitable places for the

* The grounds once belonged to Squire Benjamin Reede1',Who lived on them,:in-ga
large White frame house, and Who lies buried not far from the present buildings.
Thomas P. Ray bought the grounds and named the place “Beech Hill.” In 1835, he
built What was then considered a magnificent brick residence on the site of. the
University Building. It became a part or Woodburn Seminary, and was destroyed by
fire in 1873.

404 HISTORY  MONONGALIA COUNTY.

location of the institution. On the 31st of anuary, 1867,
the fourth ballot was taken in tlie Legislature upon these
different places, and Morgantown won, receiving 17 out of
22 votescast in the Senate, and 32 out of 53 cast in the
House. The offer of the trustees of Monongalia Academy,
(made January 9, 1866), i.n case Morgantown should be
chosen for the seat of the Agricultural College, was as
follows (Acts of 1867, p. 12):

P/“0;0ertv;/. 1:‘stI:n,a£ed value.
1Voo.dburn Female Seminary. .............................................. ..$25,000
Monongalia Academy and dwelling ..................................... .. 15,000
Cash, bonds, bank stock, etc ............................................... .. 10,000
Library and other personal property.’ .................................. .. 1,000

Total .......................................................................... ..:§151,000

The land script donated 1Vest Virginia was sold for about
$80,000, and invested in Government bonds, the par value
of which was $90,000 in 1867. This amount was given as a

permanent endowment, and of which neither principal nor

1 interest was ever to be used for the purchase, erection or

repair of buildings. An act of Legislature was passed
February 29, 1868, for the insurance of the college, and on
the» 3d of March, 1868, an appropriation of $10,000 was
made to the endowment fund, wl1ich is about $110,000.

By an act of the Legislature passed February 7, 1867, the
Governor was instructed to appoint a Board of Visitors,
consisting of one person from each of the eleven Senatorial
districts, to establish and have the control of the Agricul-
tural College. This Board held its first meeting at Morgan-
town April 3, 1867, organized the school, and elected the
Rev. Alexander Martin, D.D., President. At its second
meeting, (at the close of the first term of the Preparatory
D_epart1nent,) on June 27th, the Hon. J. T. Hoke (now of

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 405

Kingwood) deliveredlan address, and made thelformal pre-
sentation to Dr. Martin of the college charter, keys, etc.
President Martin then delivered his inaugural address, and
the ceremonies closed. The College opened September 2,
1867, in the buildings of the Monongalia Academy, with five
departments-—Literary, Scientific, Agricultural, Military
and Preparatory. Governor A. I. Boreinan in a special
message of January 30, 1868, recomrnended, and the Legis-
lature, on the 4th of December following, passed an act,
changing the name and title from “Test Virginia Agricul-
tural College to VVest Virginia University.

From 1868 to 1882, the -departments varied in number
from four to six (Classical, Scientific, Agricultural, Engin-
eering, Military and Preparatory). In addition to these, a
United States Signal Station was established in 1872. V0-
cal music was added in 1874. In 1878, steps were taken
toward the creation of Departments of Law and Medicine ;
and, in 1882, the establishment of a school of Chemistry
was authorized.

The Board of Regents at their annual meeting in June,
1882, abolished the Curriculum (embracing the Freshman,
Sophomore, Junior and Senior Classes), and adopted the
Elective System, distributing thcpcourse of study into ten
Independent Scl1ools—_eigl1t academic and two professional.
In June, 1883. the Presidency was abolished or suspended,
and in its place a “Chairman of the Faculty” was ap-
pointed. '

The present ‘Vest Virginia University buildings “are
models of architectural beauty,” and are three in number:
g, and the Ar-
mory. The corner—stone of the Preparatory Hall was laid
June 16, 1869. It is 98x54 feet; four stories, with projec-

the Preparatory Hall, the Uniyersity Buildin

406 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

tions and verandas on the north and south fronts, the
corners of Wl1ich, with the corners of the building, are
quoins of neatly cut sandstone. The first story is sixteen
feet, of stone; second story is thirteen feet and the third
seventeen feet, of pressed bricks, openings recessed and
arches trimmed with keys and blocks of cut stone; fourth
story, 10 feet, mansard, and covered with alternate belts of
blue and green slate; cost, including furnishing, over $63,000.

The corner-stone of the University Building was laid
June 18, 1874. The central hall has been erected, and the
wings are yet to be added. It occupies the site of VVood—
burn Seminary, which was used as the University dining-
hall until destroyed by fire, Saturday evening, January 25,
1873. The dimensions of the central hall of the University
Building, as measured by D. U. O’Brien and E. Shisler, are
as follows: the square of the building, 104 feet long by 61
feet wide; first story, stone, 11 feet in the clear; second
story, 171} feet; and third story, 15 feet 8 inches, both of
pressed bricks; fourth story, 17 feet 10 inches, mansard,
containing University Hall, 55-§—X79 feet. The total height
of the building is ninety-six feet; cost, including furnishing,
over $47,000. ,

The Armory is a two-story brick. It is 46x28 feet, and
31 feet 9 inches high; cost, $3,800.

The campus is a large and almost a. natural park.

The library is placed by the last catalogue at 5,000
volumes, of which (the Librarian states) about 1,500 are
reports of the Department of Agriculture, Congressional
Globes, etc. The Legislature, of late years, has made
several appropriations, amounting in all to about $1,500, for
the purchase of books for the library.

5

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 407

“ The Museum contains extensive mineralogical, geological
and conchological cabinets, together with many specimens
in other departments of Natural History.” Two thousand
specimens of minerals and fossils, and 2,300 of recent
shells, have been collected.

In 1881, provision was made for the study of Practical’

Geology, by an annual exclir sion of four Weeks under Prof.
White, in West Virginia and adjoining States.

There are two literary societies——tl1e Parthenon and
Columbian. The Parthenon at first was known as the
Monongalia Literary Society. The present officers of the
Parthenon are: President, S. B. Brown; Vice President, R.
F. Fast; Secretaries, Matt S. Hughes and C. S. Bennett.
Officers of the Columbian: President, D. U. O’Brien ; Vice
President, H. Fleming; Secretaries, E. WV. Lawson and F.
Snider. A third society, the VVilley, Was organized, but ex-
isted but a short time.

_ The Laboratory of Practical Chemistry owes its existence
to Prof. L-atham, who was aided in its equipment by Dr. H.
B. Lazier and Jesse Fitch. These two gentlemen advanced
$500 each for the purchase of apparatus, with no assurance
that any appropriation would ever be made to repay them.
In 1882, an appropriation of $2,700 was made. Most of
the apparatus was purchased in Europe. In tl1e,kLaboratory
is a cliernical balance (made in Berlin) which is as fine
as any in the United States, and which is so sensitive
that it registers the -75155 part of a grain; and another from
Philadelphia, weighing the T3156 part of a grain; a colorim-
eter, by use of which certain analyses can be made with
marvelous quickness by simply observing diiferences of
color in solutions. There is also apparatus for the analysis

of soils and fertilizers, and apparatus specially designated

408 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

for mineral water analysis, a subject‘ of no small i1npo1't1111ce
to the State in the'futu1*e. V W
BOARDS OF REGENTSIX‘

PRESIDENTS.
VJ. E. Stevenson, 18671; T. H. Logan, 1870-3; 11). D. Johnson, 1873-84.

MEMBERS.

1867-73, '1‘. H. Logan. 1868-72, F. H. Pierpont.
1867-68, D. B. Dorsey. 1868-71, A. I. Boreman.
1867-72, Gr.'M. Hagans. 1869-72, J. S. VVi1kinson.
1867-73, Samuel Billingsley. ' 1879-73, Gr. M. Belt’/.11ooVer.
1867-68, VV. E. Stevenson. 1871-73, 1). H. Leonard.
1867-73, J. Loomis Gould. ‘ 1871-81, A. F. Mathews.
1867-73, VV. ‘W. Harper. 1872-77, Isaiah Bee.
1867-69, Mark Poor. 1872-73, James Morrow.
1867-71, Samuel Young. 1873-77, L. S. Hough.
1867-69, Joseph T. Hoke. 1873-77, Charles J. Faulkner.
1867-73, James Carskadon. . 1873-77, H. S. Carr.

1873- , ID. D. Johnson. 1877-82, H. VV. Brock,
1873-76, Gr. W. Franzheim. 1877- , 3‘,John A. Robinson.
1873-82, H. S. VVa1ker. 1877- , ID. B. Lucas.
1873-77,813‘. M. Chalfant. 1881- , IE. A. Bennett._
1877- , 3.‘Jau1es Morrow, Jr. 1881- , 10. L. Thompson.
1877-82, M. S. Hall. 1882- , IR. G. Linn.
1877-82, James B. Stewart. 1882- , 1W. I’. \Vi11ey.
1877-82, B. \V. Allen. 1882- , ID. C. Grallagher.
1877-81, H. C. Simms. 1882- , IJ. L. Armstrong.
1877- , IT. J. l<‘arnsworth. 1882'-— , i:Joseph E. Chilton.

1882-— , 1:Joseph Moreland.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, 1883.
Joseph Moreland, Chairman. Clarence B. Dille.
John J. Brown. 8 ' .\Vi11ia1n C. McG1'ew, Secretary.
E. Shisler.

* This board was established as the Board of V1s1t0rs1n1867, but the name was
changed to the Board of Regents. It consists of one member from each Senatorial
District.

1‘ No name or names for 1868 or 1869 appear in the catalogues.

’: Members of the present Board.

‘EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. I I 409

OFFICERS AND PROFESSORS OF THE UNIVERSITY.
Pres27dems. ,. 7 Vice ]’res2'.(7(mts.
186‘/-75, Rev. Alexander Martin, D.1). 1 1867-68, Rev. John W. Scott, D.D., LLD.
1875-76, *Rev. John W. Scott-, D.D., LL.D. 1868-70, 14‘. 8. Lyon, A.M.
1876-81, Rev. John R. Thompson, A.M. I 1870-13, S. G. Stevens, A.M. _
1881-82, *D. B. Purinton, A.M. I 1873-77, Rev. John W. Scott, D.D., LL.I).
I
1

1882-83, William L. Wilson, A.M. 1877-81, F. S. Lyon, A.M.
1881-83, D. B. Purlnton, A.M.

CHAIRIVIAN OF THE FACULTY.
\
1883-84, Robert C. Berkeley, M.A.

PBOFESSORS.

. Zlfcntal and 1110/ral iS’cicnce.——1867-73, 7'“A1eXander Martin; 1873-77.
John \V. Scott; 1877-81, John R. Thompson and I). B. Purinton.
After this year, distributed.

Lcmguaf/e.9.——1867-G8, John ‘V. Scott ; 1868-69, Rev. I-I. M.Ha.rman,
D.D. ; 1869-71, F. VV. VVood, A.M.,-Ph.D.

» Anciemf Languages cmcl 1Lz'te7"az‘m'c.—-1871-73, John \V. Scott;
1873-82, Robert C. Berkeley.

Jlfodern Lang/u-a_(/es and Lite;-cmu'c.—~1871-75, F. \'V. \Vood; 1875-82,
J. I. Harvey, A.M.

. E72;/Z'2,'slz L'it(*7°cctzn=e.—1867-70, F. S. Lyon ; 1870-71, J. H. McMechan,
A.M., and Rev. J. B. Solomon, A.M.; 1871-72, J. B. Solomon;
1872-73, J. B. Solomon and F. S. Lyon. Distributed.
= .I1i.s'z‘o7'y, I’0lz'z‘27cal Jr;‘con09‘ng/ and Belles I,c!z‘9'es.—1871-75, George H.
Grlover, A.M.; 1875-77, J. VV. V. Macbeth, A.M.; 1877-82, F. S.
Lyon.

C]l€’772'Z81‘)’;l/ amfl l\'az‘m'al ]11‘sz‘02;I/.——18G9-72, J. J. Stevenson, A.M.,
Ph.D.

A grieultzwe, (.’l2cmz7strg/ and l\'atz/ml IIi.s‘fm;I/.—18T2-77, \V. M.
Fontaine. M.A.

A_qr/iczzltiurc, ‘C’/ze9'22,zZ.9tr,y and I’l2g/.s~i(-.9.—1877-79, \V. M. Fontaine;
1879-80. distributed; 1880-82, Vvoodville Lathani.

Ast7'0n0mg/ andPIa,y.s*ics.—1869-74, S. Ur. Stevens; 1874-75, Alexander
Martin; 1875-77, distributed.

A.s'tr0n0m_y and ZVatu»ral1Iistory.—1877—81, I. C. \Vhite, A.M.

Geology and l\=’atural Ifistorg/.—1881-82, I. C. VVhite.

]l[athema',tz'c.s' and fl[2Ilita2'3/ iS’cz'en(:c.—1867—70, Col. J. R. \Veaver,

* Vice President, acting President.
T Titles of Pro1'esso1's will not be repeated after first printing or the name.

410 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

A. M.; 1870-75, Capt. H. H. Pierce, U. S. A.; 1875—77, Lt. E. T. C.
Richmond, U. S. A.; 1877-78, E. T. C. Richmond and J. M. Ingalls;
1878-79, Maj. T. F. Snyder.

]t[athcmatics.——1879-81, D. B. Purinton.

Jtlathemattcs and Asttronomg/.—1881-82, D. B. Purinton.

Natural Sciences.——1867-70, S. G. Stevens.

Law and Equtty.—The Hon. John A. Dille was Lecturer on Civil

and Constitutional LaW,1868—77 ; from the latter year tothe present, 8

St. George T. Brooke.

LogAic.——1878-82, D. B. Purinton.

Anatomy, P/2.;/siology and IIy_(/t'cnc.—Dr. H. \V. Brook was
Lecturer from 1868-77 ; and from the latter year till 1882, Professor.

PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT.

Principals. Assistants.
1867—69——F. S. Lyon. . . . . . 0. VV. Miller.
1869-70—F. S. Lyon . . 0. VV. Miller and D. B.Purinton.
1870-71——J. H. McMechan . . 0. WV. Miller, D. B. Purinton,

J. B. Solomon . . . . M. L. Temple.
1871-72--—J. B. Solomon . . . (No names in catalogue.)
1872—73—J. B. Solomon . ., . . B. W. Smith.

F. S. Lyon . . '

1873-74—F. S. Lyon . . D. B. Purinton and B. VV. Smith.
"1874-77~—F. S. Lyon . . D. B. Purinton and Frank Woods.
1877-79—A. VV. Lorentz, A.M. D. B. Purinton and J. S. Stewart.
1879-80——A. VV. Lorentz . . VV. 0. Ison and J. S. Stewart.
1880-82~—A. .VV Lorentz . . J ._ M. Lee and J. S. Stewart.
INSTRUCTORS.

Commandant of Cadets.-—1879—80, Maj. W. O. Ison, A. M.; 1880-82.
Maj. J. M. Lee, A.M.

Teacher of Etocutton.—-1868-73, A. Gr. Alcott, A. B.

Instructor of Vocal Ma3ic.—1874—82, D. B. Purinton.

SIGNAL SERVICE, U. s. ARMY.——1872-73, Sergt. T. L. Watson; 1873-
78, Sergt. L. Dunne; 1876-79, John J. McLean; 1879-80, John J.
McLean and John B. Merrill; 1880-82, Sergt. J. C. Sprigg, Jr.

After the curriculum was abolished and the University

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 411
divided into schools, the organization was and is as follows:

PROFESSORS.

I. School of Jlfetap/z,ys£c.9.—1882-3-W. L. Wilson; 1883-4—R. C.
Berkeley.

II School of Jllathematics.-1882-4-D. B. Purinton.

III. School of Ancient Languap/es.—1882-3—R. C. Berkeley.

I V School of Zlfodcrn Languages.——1882-4——John I. Harvey.

V. School of Englv?.s-h.~—1882-4——F. S. Lyon.

VI. School of Geology and Natrzlral Ifislorg/.—18824—John I.
Harvey.

VII School of IIlslory.—1882-3——A. W. Lorentz; 1883—4—W. P.
Willey, A.M. I

VIII School of Agrlcultm-c, Chem-islrg/, and Physics.-1882-84—
VVOodville Latham. '

IX. School of Law and Equity/.—l882«4—St. George T. Brooke.

X. School of Anatomy, 1’hg/siologg/ and IIygienc.—'1882-4——B. W.
Allen. A.M., M.D.

PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT.

1882-3—Instructors: J. M. Lee, A.M., and J. S. Stewart, M.S.;
18R3—4—A. VV. Lorentz, principal; J. M. Lee and J. S. Stewart,
assistants.

Insz‘.ructor  Vocal ]lIuslc.——1883-4-D. B. Purinton.

Ohaplain.—-18824-—Rev. Thomas B. Hughes.

Sccrcta7'ics.——1867—70——S. Gr. Stevens; 1870-2——J. B. Solomon;
1872-5--Gr. N. Glover; 1875—83—Robert 0. Berkeley; 1883-4—W. P.
VVil1ey.

Lvibrazians.~—1867—9-~—J. R. VVeaver, A.M.; 1869-75 -—Capt. H. H.
Pierce, 1875-8 ~eRobert C. Berkeley; }878—84—J. I. Harvey.

Superintendents of G’rounds.——1867—73—G‘reorge M. Hagans; 18T3—
79——E. Shisler; 1879-80—Major VV. 0. Ison; 1830-4——J. M. Lee.

Janitors--1867-72——Willia1n Pastorius ; 1872-84---William Danser.

MILITARY DEPARTMENT.

Five cadets may be appointed by the Regent in each
Senatorial District, who receive tuition, books and station-
ery free. The full course is four years. The oflicers of

40 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Day, Robinson Lucas; on Laurel R.un, Jere Tannahill; on Indian
Creek, George and \Villian1 Robinson ; on Scott’s Mill Run, David
Scott and Caleb Carter, undesignated.

177 3, on Scot't‘s Mill Run, George Grillaspie, John Murphy, Abram
Hardin, James Piles, Dennis Neville; on Scott‘s Meadow Run, now
Dent‘s Run, John Cochran, Jacob Barker ; on Dunkard, Bruce
Worleyr, Alexander Clegg‘, John Merrieal, Anthony Hornback; on

Indian Creek, \Villiam Stewart, Hezekiah Stout ; on \Vhite Day, I

Greorge \Vilson, Andrew Ice ; on Flag Meadow Run, Thomas Ping
dall; on Rubl-e’s Run, ‘Samuel Ruble; on Tub Run, John Sulsor;
on Camp Run, John John; on Crooked Run, Peter Crouse ; on
Robinson‘s Run, Thomas Russel.

1774, on the Monongahela, James Stockwell, 1).Rog:ers, Elijah
Burris, Arthur Trader, jr., on Scott’s Run, I)avid Frazee, Thomas
Chinath, jr., John Hardin, Philip Shively; on Decker-‘s Creek,
Peter Parker, John Large, Josiah Veach, Jacob Youngman,
Thomas Hurbert, Williaiii Haymond; on Indian Creek, James
Denny, Thomas Cunningham, Daniel Burchfield, VVilliam Hill;
on Dunkard, \Varman \Vade, Daniel Barton: on Cobunls Creek,
James Alison; on Robinson’s Run, Benjamin Archer; on Cheat,
Robert Curry, Jacob Rogers.

These settlements were nearly all made on 400—acre tracts ;
some few on less. In over one-half the cases, they were

transferred to other parties, who received the certificates for

them with pre-emption-right to 1000 acres adjoining from
1781 to 1783. A portion of the certificate—book is gone, and
some names with dates of settlement, are lost. No date is
given of the transfer of these tracts to the buyers who re-
ceived the certificates from 1779 to 1785. I t

The settlement at Morgantown in 17680 was made one year

before the settlement at Wlieeliiig. Col. John Evans was
here in 1774; and in that year gnost probably he purchased
the 1400 acres of Samuel Owens, settled in 1769, or else the
400 acres of Daniel Veach, settled in 1770, as between 1774
and 1781 he became owner of both tracts. The settlers

412 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

tl1e Cadet Corps now are J. M. Lee, Major and Commandant ;
D. U. O’Brien, Adjutant; C. N. Cooper, Sergeant Major;
S. P. VVells, Captain of Artillery; D. U. O’Brien, Chief of
Ordnance; Cr. C. Baker, Captain Company “A”; S. P.
VVells, CaptainCompany “B.” '

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ALEXANDER MA1i.'1‘IN, the first President of “rest Virginia
University, was born in Nairn, Scotland, i11 1824, and came
to this country with his father’s family in 1838; graduated
at Alleghany College in 1848, and was happily married, at
Clarksburg, Harrison County, to Miss Carrie C. Hursey.
In the fall of 1841-6, Dr. Martin passed through Morgantown,
having come by Way of Pittsburg, Brownsville, and Union-
town, en route to Kingwood, where he had engaged to teach
school in the then recently erected Kingwood Academy.
The old tavern in the rear of the court—house furnished him
a lodging place for the night, and the next morning he
passed over the mountain to Kingwood. After six months’
supervision of the first school in the Kingvvood Academy,
he accepted the position of assistant principal of the his-
toric Northwest Virginia Academy at Clarksburg. VVhen
the VVest Virginia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church was formed, in 1848, Dr. Martin resigned his place
in the academy, and was stationed at Charleston, where he
remained for the full term then allowed by his church, when
he was elected principal of the Academy at Clarksburg.
Here he labored very successfully for over ten years, when
he accepted a call to the Fourth Street Church, VVheeling,
where he remained three years. During the civil war he
was president of the VVest Virginia Branch of the Christian
Commission, and had charge of the hospital Work . from

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 413

Maryland to Tennessee, and from Harper’s Ferry to the
Ohio, laboring among the soldiers of both the Confederate
and Union armies. VVhen at Martinsburg, being apprised
of a determination on the part of certain Union soldiers to
burn the residence of the Hon. Charles James Faulkner, for
a fancied affront, he Went to the commander of the post,
and, by securing the appointment of additional guards, pre-
vented the carrying out of the design.

During his second year at VVheeling, the Legislature was
considering the question of the locations of the several
State institutions. Having Nathan Goff, Sr., of Harrison,
and VVilliam Price, of Monongalia, members of the Legis-
lature, at his house for dinner one day, Dr. Martin playfully
remarked to Mr. G-off, “Of course, you expect the Capital
located at Clarksburg, but I fear Squire Price will hardly
get anything for his constituents.” To this the company
assented, but were rather pleased at Dr. Martin’s next
remark, which was the suggestion that Monongalia should
at once quietly begin measures and send a delegation to the
next session prepared with liberal offers as an inducement
for the location of the chief school of the State at Morgan-
town. The suggestion was carried out, and the University
is at Morgantown.

The Board of Regents at their first meeting unanimously
elected Dr. Martin president, and instructed him to_ prepare
rules and regulations, courses of study, etc., and report to
theml at an adjourned meeting. This he did, as Well as the
names of suitable persons for the several professorships.
During Dr. l\Iartin’s term the school rose from nothing (it
may be said) to an attendance of 171 students; its graduates
rose from one to thirteen in a single year; liberal appropri-
ations were secured, and fine buildings erected. Dr. Mar-v

414 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

ti_n’s chief aim was to make the institution acceptable to all
parties and sects. The Board of Regents having deter-
mined on annual elections ofithe faculty, Dr. Martin, believ-
ing that this Wouldbe hurtful to the University, resigned
the presidency, and, at a much higher salary, accepted the
presidency of the Indiana Asbury University, which posi-
tion he still holds. Dr. Martin’s titles are, Doctor of Divin-
ity (D.D.), and Doctor of Laws (LL.D.).

JOHN RHEY THOMPs0N, the second president of the VVest
Virginia University, was born at Carrolltown, Ohio, March
14, 1852. Early apprenticeship to the printer’s trade stim-
ulated his disposition to read, and gave him a bent toward
journalism. He was graduated from Mount Union College,
Ohio, in July, 1871. Yielding to a call to the Christian
ministry, a short time before his graduation he was admitted
to the Pittsburgh Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and appointed to a pastoral charge. Though so
young, his ability and success won him immediate recogni-
tion among his brethren. In March, 1873, he married Miss
Mary V., daughter of the Rev. VVm. Cox, D.D., of the Pitts-
burgh Conference. A few days later he was transferred to
the VVest Virginia Conference, and stationed at the Chapline
Street Church in Wheeling. Here, within the brief space
of three years (the limit of the pastoral term of his denom-
ination,) he became one of the best known and most popu-
lar ministers of the city. In March, 1876, he was appointed
pastor at Morgantown. This church is one of great impor-
tance. The congregation is one of remarkable intelligence
and refinement. Here Mr. Thompson found a congenial
field for the exercise of all his rare qualities of mind and

heart.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 415

Since June, 1875, the University had been ‘without a
president. The attendance of students had greatly de-
creased; and the institution was still declining in January,
1877, when Mr. Thompson, without his solicitation, was
elected president, thus becoming the youngest college pres-
ident in America. Many doubts were expressed of the
Wisdom of putting one so young and without experience as
an educator in so important and difficult a position. He
entered upon the duties of president in March following his
election, and threw himself into the work with all his most
remarkable energy. Passing from town to town, often from
one country neighborhood to another, attending picnics,
Sunday—school conventions and church dedications, as well
as educational meetings and sessions of ecclesiastical bodies,
he preached, lectured, and visited from house to house,

becoming familiar with public men as Well as with the life

of the common people. The increased attendance on the A

University, in the darkest days of financial distress,
witnessed to the substantial success of his work. VVhen
popular sentiment had been awakened, he addressed himself
to the particular duties of his chair. Here he was very
successful also; and during his presidency the equipment
of the University was increased, the faculty enlarged, and
schools of law and medicine founded.

Convinced of the State’s great need of an educational
paper, he, i11 November, 1878, began the publication of the
T/Vest Virgivizia Journal of E¢Zzfca2fz'0n. The pressure of
various duties, in connection with declining health, obliged
him to give up his journalistic labors; and, after a success-
ful year, the paper‘ was merged into the A7620 ]fn,(/Zcmcl
Journal of ]i’cZucatz'on.

In 1880, Mr. Thompson represented his Conference in

416 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the General Conference at Cincinnati. Receiving an invi-
tation to become pastor of Hedding Methodist Episcopal
Church in Jersey City, New Jersey, he resigned the presi-
dency of the University in March, 1881, and accepted the
proffered appointment. Never enjoying the routine of the
recitation-room, and having early became convinced that
no success, however brilliant, in educational work could
compensate the sacrifice of his great opportunity as a
Christian minister, he accepted the unexpected call to a
large church in close proximity to New York City, as the
voice of Providence. The students and the Board of
Regents, in various Ways, testified their regard, and he was
banqueted by a number of the leading citizens of Morgan-
town, regardless of sect or party. He is a natural orator.
As a child he was fond of disputation, and was armed with
all the facts the newspapers furnished. At a War meeting
in his native town, during the dark days of our civil strife,
when the greatest possible effect was sought, he was chosen
to give a patriotic declamation with speeches by some of
the most eminent orators of Ohio. Mr. Thompson is now
pastor of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church in Brooklyn,
New York.

VVILLIAM LYNE WVILSON, the third and last president of the
University, was born May 3, 1843, in Jefferson County, (now)
‘Vest Virginia. His father died in 1847, and he was left
the only so11 of his mother; was educated at the Charles-

town Academy, Columbian College, D. C., where he was

-graduated BA. in 1860, and at the University of Virginia.

He served in the Confederate army. From 1865 to 1867
was assistant professor of Ancient Languages in Columbian
College, and from 1867 to 1871 professor of Latin;

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VVEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY.
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EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 4.17

studied law,‘ and graduated in the law department of that
institution in 1867. In 1871, he resigned his professorship,
and began the practice of law in Charlestown.\ Served as
County Superintendent of Free Schools, for three years.
In 1880, was a delegate to the National Democratic Con-
veiition at Cincinnati, and was chosen Elector-at-large on
the Hancock ticket in ‘Vest Virginia. In June, 1882, he
was elected president of the VVest Virginia University, and
entered upon the oliice September 6th, but on September
20th,’ he was nominated, by acclamation, as the Democratic
candidate for Congress, in the Second District, and elected
in October. Resigned the presidency, to take effect March
4, 1883; but, at the unanimous petition of the regents,
faculty and students, remained at the University until the
end of the session, in June, 1883, refusing to accept any

salary after his term as member of Congress began. Mr.

' VVilson received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws,

(LL.D.) from the Columbian University in 1883.

ROBERT C. BERKELEY, chairman of the Faculty of ‘Vest
Virginia University, was graduated at the University of
Virginia in 1861. He taught in VVashington College, Mary-
land, from 1867 to 1873, when he was elected professor of
Ancient Languages and Literature in VVest Virginia Uni-
versity, a position he has held for ten years. Prof. Berke-
ley served as Librarian and Secretary of the Faculty from
1875 to 1883. The Board of Regents, in June, 1883, abol-
ishing the presidency, established the office of chairman of
the Faculty, and elected Professor Berkeley thereto.

JOHN XV. SCo'r'r was born in York County, Pennsylvania,
in 1807, and graduated at Jeifersoii College in 1827. He
27

418. HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

served in the ministry, turned his attention to teaching, and
was president of VVashington College for twelve years. He
became principal of Wooclbu1‘n Seminary, and was the last
principal of Monongalia Academy. Dr. Scott was elected
the first vice president of West Virginia University; and,
in the fall of 1875, while serving as vice president, he be-
came acting president, and continued in that capacity until
March 28, 1877. Dr. Scott was a profound scholar, a min~
ister of the Presbyterian Church, and a man of great force
of character. His degrees Were, Doctor of Divinity and
Doctor of Laws. He died in North Carolina, July 25,1879,

having passed his three score and ten years.

FRANKLIN S. ,LT1’()N was born in Massachusetts in 1819,
but his parents removed to New York, and he graduated at

the University of Rochester in 1852. He taught in Albion P

Academy (New York) for eight consecutive years, being
principal one-hall’ of the time; and taught the the Male
Seminary in the Indian Territory for two and a half years.
Prof. Lyon came to Morgantown in 1867, and was a member
of the first faculty of the University, and the only one of it
now connected with the school. He went to Michigan 
1871, and was principal of Fenton Seminary, and thence
removed to the Indian Territory, and was United States
Indian Agent for the Creek Nation until 1873, when he re-
turned,4and again became connected with the University,
and served as vice president for five years, and is now pro-
fessor of the School of English.

SAMUEL G. STEVENS is a native of New England; was
educated at Dartmouth, and has followed teaching for

many years. After severing his connection with the Univer-

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 419'

sity, of which he was vice president for four years, he

went to Kentucky, and taught. He at present resides in
Louisville.

D. BOARDMAN PURINTON, as student, teacher, professor,
vice president and acting president, has been connected
with the University since it first opened. Under his ad1nin—
istration in 1881-2 the University enrolled the largest number
of students ever in attendance. He is the son of the Rev. J.
M. Purinton, D.D., and was born in Preston County, in 1850.
In 1866, he taught in the George’s Creek Academy (Smith-
field, Penn.), and, in 1867, entered the Preparatory depart-
ment of the University. He graduated in 1873, in the mean-
while having taught two years (1869-71) in the Preparatory
department. After his graduation he taught in this
department until 1877, when he became Professor of Logic,
and became vice president in 1881, and was acting
president from March, 1881, to June, 1882. He was the
last vice president of the institution. Mr. Purinton was
married in 1876 to Miss Florence A., daughter of Prof. F.
S. Lyon; and at present is the Professor of the School of
Pure and Applied Mathematics.

ADAM V17. LORENTZ was born in Lewis County in 1836.
He was a student from 1854-56, and .a teacher, from 1856
to 1864, in Monongalia Academy, being acting principal
the last year. His degree of A.M. was conferred by
VVashington College, Penn., in 1857. He was teller for a
year in the First National Bank of \Vheeling, and engaged
in the mercantile and drug business in Morgantown from
1866 to 1875; became principal of the Preparatory
department in 1877; Was elected Treasurer in 1871, and

MONONGALIA UNDER AUGUSTA. 41

were mostlyfrom eastern Virginia. Col. Zackwell Morgan,
Col. Charles Martin, Col. William Haymond, John Pierpont,
Thomas Pindall, David Scott, Richard Harrison, Jonathan
Cobun, VVilliam Stewart, John Statler and Michael Kerns
were among tl1e leading men of the infant settlements in the
year 1774.

VVilliam Haymond, J r., a son of Maj. "William Haymond,
in a letter dated February 18th, 1843, makes the following
statement about Monongalia in 1773:

“ In the year 1773, my father moved to this country. It is strongly
impressed upon my mind that we stopped in the Forks of Cheat
River at or near Roger-’s Fort (probably Dinwiddie). VVe may have
stayed here a year or two. The next I recollect, our family was
living in the Monongalia Glades, near Decker-’s Creek. It seems
very strange that any person should have settled there at that time
when the Whole country was almost Vacant. I have no recollection
how long we lived there, but I presume not long. As’ soon as War
broke out we had to leave the place and the Whole family went to
Kern's Fort, opposite Where Morgantown now stands. My father
then had eight negroes. \Ve planted and tended in corn the ground
where Morgantown now stands. This was a stockaded fort. At
one time I think there was a company of solders there.”

About 1773 or "74 occurred the murder of Bald Eagle, an
Indian friendly to the White men. The account in the
“Border WVarfare” says that he was killed by Jacob Scott,
Wifliam Hacker and Elijah Runner, and set afloat in a canoe
in the Monongahela, with a piece of J ohnny-cake thrust
into his mouth. The canoe floated down the river, and in
Pennsylvania Mrs. Sarah Provins observed the "canoe and
had it brought to the shore, and the old Indian decently
buried. Some accounts place this occurrence in 1773. * The
“Border \Varfare” places it in 1774. Tradition says Bald

420 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

has been annually re-elected since that time to the same
position.

JOHN I. 1’1ARVEY was born in Charlotte County, Virginia,
in 1840; graduated at Richmond College in 1859, and
attended the University of Virginia in 1859~60. From
1860 to 1865 he spent at Greottingen, Heidelburg and the
University of France. Since 1866, he has followed teach-
ing, and was principal of Graves College, Ky., for some
time.

ST. GEORGE TUCKER BROOKE was born in A Albemarle
County, Virginia, in 1844 ; studied law at the University of
Virginia in 1867-9; practiced law in Southwestern Virginia
in 1871, and then at Charlestovvn, Jefferson County, until
1877, when he was elected to the chair of Law and Equity
in the University, which he has held ever since. In 1882,
he made his permanent residence at Morgantown.

vvoonvxma LATHAM Was born in Mississippi, in 1837;
attended Columbian College (VVashington City) for five or
six years, and then graduated in several schools at the
University of Virginia. He has been teaching ever since,
except during the late war, when he was executive oflicer
and Superintendent of labratory in one of the largest
Southern arsenals; was the assistant of the celebrated Dr.
Gressner Harrison. He resided at Charleston, Kanawha
County, in 1880, when appointed Professor of Agricul-
ture, Chemistry and Physics; and, in 1883, was re-appointed
Professor in the School of Agriculture, Chemistry and
Physics.

13ENJ.\M:IN 1V. ALLEN was born at Kingvvood, Preston
County, in 1824; graduated at \Vashington College, Penn,

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 421

and at t11e University of Virginia, in which latter institution
of learning’ he was Demonstrator of Anatomy from 1853 to
1865. Dr. Allen removed to VVheeling; served as a 1nem-
ber of the Board of Regents; in June,‘ 1882, was elected
Professor in the school of Anatomy, Physiology and
Hygiene in the University. Dr. Allen’s medical drawings
are fine specimens of art in that line.

ISRAEL C. VVHITE was born November 1, 1848, in what is
now Battelle District, Monongalia County. He is of
English nationalty ; graduated at ‘Vest Virginia (University
in 1872; taught school in Pennsylvania and New Jersey,
and became connected with the Second Geological Survey
of Pennsylvania in 1875; took a post-graduate course of
Geology and Chemistry at Columbia College, New York.
In 1876, he worked along the Ohio line, and harmonized
the Pennsylvania and Ohio geological surveys. From 1875
to the present time, he has surveyed many of the important
counties of Pennsylvania. Prof. VVhite is the author of eight
Volumes of the Second Geological Survey of that State,
and his present work on Huntingdon, Snyder and Union
will constitute a ninth volume. He i.s a member of the
Academy of Natural Sciences  Y.), a member of the
American Philosophical Society, and Fellow of the Arner~
ican Association for the Advanceinent of Science. . He is a
contributor to The V3f7°g2'./arias, at Staunton. His geological
excursions, with the seniors of the University, through
‘Vest Virginia and Virginia, are of great value. In 1877,
he was elected a professor in tha ‘Vest Virginia I'7nivorsity,
where he now holds the chair of Geol<,)g_\j aml Natural
History. He is acknowledged tl11'o11gl1out the United

States as a leading geologist.

422 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

J. MOM. LEE came from Hancock County, WV. Va. He
graduated from the University in 1878; became an assist-
ant in the Preparatory department and commandant of
cadets in 1880, which position he now holds.

J AMES S. STEWART is a native of Wayne County, Ohio;
graduated in the scientific course in 1878, and in the clas-
sical in 1883; became an assistant in the Preparatory de-

partment in 1878, in which department he is at present an
instructor.

ALUMNI OF WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY.

1870. .
Marmaduke H. Dent, A.M.

1871.
Oliver I-I. Dille, M.S. ‘‘ ‘Vin. E. Jollifie, A.M.

1872. ‘
John H. Drabell, A.M. Benj. VV. Smith, A.M.
Allen E. McLane, A.M. I. C. \Vhite, A.M.

1873.
Chas. M. Babb, A.M. Taylor B. McClure, M.S.
Daniel VV. Border, A.M. 1 Thomas H. Price, M.S., M.D.
VVm. L. Bougner, M.S. VV111. T. Pritchard, M.S.
James F. Brown, A.M. Daniel B. Purinton, A.M.
Edmund T. Bullock, A.M. Marcellus L. Temple, A.M.
John '1‘. Harris, M.S. James T. \Vaters. A.M.

8 George P. Linch, M.S.

1874.
*’Richard V. Chadwick, A.M. Charles VV. Lynch, A.M.
John S. W. Dean, A.M. Ellsworth E. Moran, A.M.
\Villiam M. Howell, A.M. Frank \Voods, A. M.

Thomas P. Jacobs, A.M.

1875.
Samuel Shugert Adams, A.M. James V. Martin, A.M.
R. H. Dolliver, A.M. J. J. Peterson, A.M.
J. P. Dolliver, A.M. A. L. Purintou, A.M.

Franklin A. Golden, B.S.

* DBCGEISCCI.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 423

1876.
John C. Anderson, M.S. George Summers Laidley, M.S.
Luke H. Frasher, A.M. James Henry Nash, M.S.
Harry Dana Hubbard, M.S. Thomas C. Ramage, M.S.
Willey Owens Ison, A.M. Daniel Elliot Wetzel, A.M.

Howard Mason Kemp, B. S.

1877.
VVilliam Gray Brown, A. M. Everett C. Smith, M.S.
Clarence B. Dille, A.M. Harry J. Snively, A.M.
Joseph H. Hawthorne, A.M. John L. Steele, A.M.
Thomas M. Hood, A.M. James S. Stewart, M.S.

Daniel R. Rogers, A.M. ‘

1878.
*Alpheus F. Courtney, B.S. Benjamin S. Morgan, A.M.
Alston Gordon Dayton, A. M. Enoch Jasper Marsh, A.M. .
James Me Millen Lee, A.M. Daniel Rich, A. M.

1879.

George Dana Purinton, A. M. Spencer S. \Vade, M.S.
Williaiii A. Rogers, A. M.

1880.
Charles Edwin Grafton, B.S. Giaorge A. Pear-re, Jr., A.B.
B. L. Keenan, B.S. A. A. WV;-Lfers. A.B.

John Nelson Marsh, A.B.

1881.

Thomas E. Hodges, A.B. \Villia.m M.’ Hyland, A.B.
Howard N. Ozrden, A.B.

9882.
Thomas R. Boyd, A.B. ’_l,‘i1eophilus E. Hodges, A.B.
Zalmon Kent Brown, A.B. Elias D. Jeffries, A.B.
David Hall Courtney. A.B. James Henry Lawhead, B.S.
Arthur L. Cox, B.S. Gr. C. Lewis, A.B.

James Henry Stewart, A.B.

1883.
George C. Baker, A.B. Luther M. Boyers, A.B.
VVi1liam '1‘. Bland, B.S. Benjamin Brown, A.B.
S. B. Brown, A.B. J. F. Corke, A.B.
VValter Hough, A. B. John L. Johnson, B.S.
I. Gr. Lazzell, A.B. ‘ John E. Musgrave, A.B.
S. P. Wells, Jr., B.S. Gr. 0. Foster, A.B.

" D_€C€3.Se(1.

424 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The following is an exhibit of the number of students

enrolled annually from the beginning:

1867-8, total 124. 1872-3, total 141. 1877-8, total 118.
1868-9, total 154. 187 -4, total 138. 1878-9, total 135;
1869-70. total 161. 1871-5, total 125. 1879-80, total 182.
1870-1, total 166. 1875-6, total 96. 1880-1, total 162.
1871-2, total 159. 1876-7, total 93. 1881-2, total 177.

1882—3, total 1159.

Among the Monongalians graduating from other colleges,
the following have been procured: F. H. Pierpont, Alle-
gany College, Penn.; ‘vVait1nan T. VVilley, Madison College,
Penn.; E. M. and L. ‘V. VVilson, Jefferson College, Penn.;
W. A. Hanway, J. S. Reppert, Dudley Evans, 0. WV. Miller
and VVilliam Mills, VVashington College, Penn.; Vliilliam P.
Willey’, Dickinson College.

WEST VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY. ~

In acceptance of invitations issued by the faculty of ‘Vest
Virginia University, a preliminary meeting was held in the
hall of the Columbian Literary Society, Thursday evening,
September 30, 1869, with W’. T. VVilley, Chairman, and
John J. Brown, Secretary. Committees ‘\V8‘-T8 appointed on
Founders, Constitution and Charter, which reported at a
meeting held at Grafton, December 30, 1869, and a perma-
nent organization was effected. The Regents gave the
Society a room in the University, where its library and
collections are to be kept. Two regular meetings are held
annually——one at some designated point in the State, and
the other on the third \Vednesda.y of June at Morgantown.
The first President was Dr. Thomas H. Logan; the present
one is the Hon. Charles James Faulkner. The following
members have been elected from Monongalia: Alexander
Ma1'tin, W’. T. \Vil1ey, J. J. Stevenson, George M. Hagans,

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY. 425

S-. G. Stevens, H. H. Pierce, F. W. \Vood, F. S. Lyon, John
A. Dille, H. VV. Brock, R. L. Berkshire, George C. Sturgiss,
Joseph A. McLane, John J. Brown (the foregoing were the
Committe on Organization), VVi11iam A. Hanway, A. W’.
Lorentz, A. L. VVade, D. H. Chadwick, VVi11iam Wagner, J.
M. Hagans, L. S. Hough, James Evans, E. H. Coombs, O.
W. Miller, N. N. Hoffman, W. C. McGrew, J. L. Simpson,
J. B. Solomon, P. H. Keck, J. M. VVarden and A. G. Davis.

CHAPTER XXI.
JOURNALISTIC HISTORY.

Progress in Journa1is1n—List of the Newspapers Published in
Monongalia County—The First Paper in Virginia VVest of the
Alleghany Mountains——Particular Description of Each Paper
Published in Monongalia, with Extracts+~Ear1y Presses, Etc.

“ Were it left to me to decide Whether we should have a Government Without;
Newspapers, or Newspapers Without a Government, I should not hesitate a moment to
prefer the 1atter.”—’1'homas Jefl"erson.

“ In this age Newspapers are ‘ Popular Educators ’.”

THE progress of journalism in the United States within the
past few years has been truly wonderful. This advance-
ment has not been in the discovery of new fields, but in the
cultivation of those hitherto neglected. In local journalism
this development is best illustrated in the increased interest
taken in the collection of home news. The early journals
of Monongalia, as well as other country newspapers every-
where, filled their columns with news items of the Old
‘World, clippings, and the like. The happenings of home
had little or no space in them. Indeed, more history is
found among the advertisements of these old papers than
in their columns of “reading matter.” Editors of country
journals, however, were forced to learn that, with their limi-
ted space.and facilities, they could not compete with the
city Weeklies in the publication of the general news; but
that their energies must be confined principally to the
development of the field whose boundaries are commen-
surate with the geographical interests of their readers.
The country weekly and the city daily and weekly each has
a field of it own, and neither one covers both.

J OURNALISTIC HISTORY. 427

In this great journalistic advance, the newspapers of
Monongalia have not been behind. To-day better home
newspapers are nowhere to be found in the State than are
those of this county; nor do we know of country news-
papers of counties of equal population and wealth any-
where which surpass them in the full and complete chroni-
cling of the events of their territory.

The first paper published. in Monongalia County (1803)
was, also, the first published in the State west of the
Alleghany Mountains.

The following are the names of the papers which have

been published in Monongalia County:

Nmne of Paper. Date of lv‘irst Issue.
Monongalia Gazette and Morgantown Advertiser (probably) January, 1803
Monongalia Gazette . . . . . . ————, 1810
The Morgantown Spectator . . . . October, 1815
The Monongalia Herald . . . . . December 24, 1820
The Northwestern Journal . . . . , 1822
Monongalia Chronicle . . . . . . , 1825
The Monongalia Farmer . . . . . . --——, 1828
The Republican . . . . . . . March, 1829
The Monongalian . . . . . . January, 1831
Democratic Republican . . . . . . February, 1835
The Democratic Watchtower . . . . . . , 1842
The Virginia Shield . . . . . . ———, 1843
The Northwestern Journal . . . . . ————, 1843
The N[o'.intaineer . . . . . . ————. 1845
Western Virginia Standard ._ . . . February, 1846
The Monongalian . . . . . . , 1849
The Monongalia Mirror . . . V . . August, 1849
The Jeffersonian . . . . . . ——~——-, 1849
The Mountain Messenger . . . . . . -——, 1852
The Democratic Republican . . . . . August, 1852
The Album . . . . . . . . , 1854
American Union . . . . . . June, 1855
The Morgantown Telegraph . . . . . ——~——, 1855
Virginia. Weekly Star . . ' . . . August, 1856
West Virginia Herald ‘ . . . . . . ~ , 1862
The Morgantown Monitor . . . . - , 1863
The Morgantown Weekly Post . . . . . March, 1864
The Constitution . . . . . . April, 1868
University Bulletin . . . . . . , 1874
New Dominion . . . . . . . April, 1876
The West Virginia Journal or Education . . November, 18‘(8

The rlfonongalia Gzzzette, the first paper published in the

428 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

county, was a sheet 16x20 inches; four pages, with four
columns to the page. The oldest number found is of the
date of Saturday, June 23, 180-1, and is No. 25. It was
published by Campbell & Britton, at six cents per copy or
“ two dols. per am." The name at this time was Ilfonozzgczlia
Gazette and Jllorgcmtown Aclvertiser. No column rules were
used, and it was printed on the heavy‘, rough, all-rag news
paper of that day, which stands the touch of time so
admirably. The first page of No. 25 is filled with the news
(several weeks old) from France, England and Portugal.
The second page contains more news from Europe and items
from Asia, and an advertisement of a house of entertain-
ment, kept by 'William Price, on Dunkard Bottom (now in
Preston County). The space of the third page is wholly
taken up with advertisements, mostly legal, from Harrison
and Monongalia counties, with two notices warning persons
not to trade for certain promissory notes ; an advertisement
of John Thompson “opening the tailoring business in its
various branches in Morgantown;’’ a notice from John
Nicklin, M.D., to delinquent subscribers; a notice to the
1VIonongalia Troop of Cavalry; and an advertisement of
blank deeds and other conveyances and forthcoming bonds

3

“for sale at this office.’ The fourth page has a “Poet’s
1. <3
Corner,” in which appears a poem written “for the
(r'a2ette,” by “ X,” entitled the “ Calamities of St. Domingo.”
News from New Orleans other domestic news and some
7
foreign intellivence together with a re( uest to “ Gentlemen
C O 7 C
holding subscription papers for the fli’/teologzfcal .2l[cz,(/5525726”
to forward them to “this office as soon as possible,” fill the
rest of this page. The issue for January 17, 1806f“ is a

* It is “ V01. \'I.—‘.\T0. 155%.” The number is evidently the whole number, or number
of issues nude; and this would show that the paper must have been started In Jan-

J OURNALISTIC HISTORY. 429

sheet reduced in size to 12»;~x15§ inches, containing only 12
columns. It was published by J. Campbell, and the name
was T/ac fllononyalia G(l.2(£iZ6.\ The first and second pages
are taken up with an account of the debate in Congress on
the importation of slaves into the United States after 1807.
The third and fourth pages are filled with advertisements,
chiefly legal; and there appears a list of letters remaining
in the postoflice at Morgantown, January 1, 1807, and also a
list at Clarksburg, of the same date?“ The .1l[on0n_(/alia
1l[i7'7”07°, in an obituary notice of Joseph Campbell, says that
he came from Ireland, learned the printer’s trade in
Philadelphia, and, °with 'I*‘orbis Britten, published the
Jl[0n072_g/alia Gaszezfzfe ,' after serving as Sheriff and Coroner, he
removed to Marion County, and died there in 1850, at the
age of seventy. I

The J’()&‘., of November 19, 1870, contains a letter
describing a number of the Jlfonongalic/, Gazette, published
by John Osborn Laidley. The paper described was Vol. I.,
No. 21, and was of the issue of August 10,1810, Price
$2 per year, and the size was that of a sheet of brown
Wrapping paper.

'1 lie Jllénziozzgal/23¢; Spczczfczzfrw was the next paper started.
Its first issue was in October, 1815. It was published
every Saturday, by VVilliam M’Granahan & Co., and after-
wards by “ Wlilliam M’Granahan——Publisher of the Laws of
the Union.” The sheet was 18x23 inches; four pages, 16
columns. No column rules were used. The subscription

price was $2 per year in advance, anc “clean rags” were

uary, 1803; perhaps earlier, for it is most probable that there were interruptions of the
regular weekly issues. The volume must have consisted of 26 issues, and not 52, as is
now the case with all Weeklies.

* The copies of this paper referred to were kindly fu1'n'ished the author by E. L.
1\I.athers, of .M.oi'gant0\vn.

42 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Eagle was a frequent and Welcome visitor at Kern’s Fort.

- This, if true, rather strengthens the claim that he was killed

in 1774.

From 1764 to,1774 there had been unbroken peace along
thesfrontier between theiwhite men and the Indians, but in
April, 1774, it was rumored that the Indians had stolen sev-
eral horses from White men on the Ohio and Kanavvha.
rivers. This report, whether true or not, afibrded some rash
men a pretext to kill two Indians on the Ohio River, and a.
party crossed the river and destroyed an Indian encamp-
ment at the mouth of Yellow Creek. These unprovoked
murders roused the Indians to War, which is known in his-
tory as Dunmore’s ‘Var, Lord Dunmore then being Governor
of the Colony of Virginia. Logan, the great Cayuga chief,
“the friend of the white man,” whose family had been
murdered in cold blood, penetrated to the upper branches
of the Monongahela, marking his way with desolation and
death. Peace was concluded in November, 1774. VVe have
no account of any Monongalians in the campaign made by

Dunmore's forces i11 this war.

IVe have account of stockade forts and block-houses in

Monongalia during this year. Most likely this war caused

their erection, as We can find no mention of them previous

to this date.
opposite the site of Morgantown.

Kern’s stockade fort stood on Decker’s Creek,
Burris’ Fort was about
two miles from Morgantown on the east side of the Monon-
gahela. Cobun’s Fort was on Cobun’s Creek, two or three
miles from Kern’s. Pierpont’s Fort was on John Pierpont’s
land, some three or four miles West of Kern’s Fort, and Ft.
Dinwiddie was near Stewarttown. Crossing the Mononga-

hela River to the west side, (Which inthose days Was called

430 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

solicited in payment at four cents per pound. The first and
second pages of the issue of Saturday, April 17, 1819, are
occupied by the acts of the second session of the Fifteenth
Congress, “published by authority.” Each act is signed
by “H. Clay, Speaker of the House of Represent-
atives,” and “Jas. Barbour, President of the Senate,
pro tempgre.” Then’ follows the date of the passage,
and the words, “Approved. James Monroe.” 011 the
fourth page is nearly a column of humorous extracts;
a notice to pensioners from the Treasury Department;
three proclamations by President Monroe, concerning
the sale of public lands in the VVest ;’ notice to “the 1st
Battalion of the 76th Regiment, 10th Brigade, 3d Divis-
ion of Virginia Militia,” to attend a regimental muster at
Morgantown on May 6th, signed by “R. Scott, Major”;
two notices warning persons not to‘ trade for certain prom-
issory notes; two notices of “Marshal’s Sale,” signed by
“Rawley Evans, Deputy Marshal for Isaac Heiskel, Mar-
shal of the 4-th Chancery District, Virginia”; a long list of
letters remaining uncalled for in the Morgantown postoffice,
April 1, 1819, signed “A. Hawthorn, P. M.”; and an offer of
“$950 Reward,” by Henry Smith, of near Fredericktown,
Washington County, Penn., for the return of a dark bay
mare stolen from his stable. On the third page are some
election news; announcements of James Tibbs, Col. Dud-
ley Evans and Alpheus P. VVilson, candidates for the “next
general assembly of Virginia”; a letter from John lVagner,
giving his reason for opposing, in the House of Delegates,
the project of making a “wagon road over Laurel Hill for
near thirty miles,” and a savage review of the communica-
tion by the editor; some “steamboat news,” agricultu1°al

items, an article on the cruelties of slavery (from “the

J OURNALISTIC HISTORY. 431

sequel of Capt. Riley’s highly interesting‘ narrative”);
humorous items, a poem, and a notice from a man warning
all persons from “harboring or trusting” his wife, who
had left his bed and board “without any just cause or prov-
ocation,” followed by a notice from the same man, concern-
ing those “who have forged an advertisement in regard to

9

me and my wife, contrary to my orders.’ He declares, “I
shall make a public example of their conduct, and in doing
so I shall consider that I am doing justice to myself, in put-
ting an end to such outrage.”

Another copy of The Spectczto-7° contains the following
communication :

“ To all to whom these presents may come, G'7‘c(3t£ng.'

“KNOW YE, that by virtue of an act of the General Assembly,
passed at the last session of the Virginia Legislature, entitled ‘an
act further to prevent unlawful gaming,’ they have condenmed me
and Iny associates to banishment from this commonwealth, or to
the flames. Therefore, all who have any interest in the welfare of
captain Jack of Diamonds and his associates, will please to attend
at Morgan Town, the last week in April to amuse yourselves and
bid us a final adieu, inasmuch as the first of May is the day fixed
on for our departure. ACE OF SPADES.”

The publishers seem to have been lVilliam M’Granahan,*
Nicholas B. Madera and Ralph Berkshire. The paper did
not continue later than 1819. Its motto was, “VVilling to
Praise—But not afraid to Blame.”

The Jlfozzoizgdlia Ifemld “edited a11d printed by James

~ IVI. Barbour for VVII1. Barbour,” came next. The first issue

was on December 24, 1820. Size, 181128; $2 per annum;

{ * “ Regularly, once a week, on the day the paper was struck off, .Vl’Granahan called
on ‘ l'nc1e Nick’ [Nicholas B. Madera] for money to buy whiskey to thin the printing
ink. For a long time it was cheerfully furnished, until one day ‘Uncle Nick’
concluded to visit the office, and see how things were getting on, when his righteous
soul was greatly vexed within him, to find his working partner lying under the
printing press dead drunl;.”—Jo7m J. Brow9i’s Centemzial .iddress.

432 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

four pages, sixteen columns, and column rules used. Its
motto was, “Ours are the plans of fair, delightful peace———
unwarped by party rage, to live like brothers.” “VVheat,
rye, oats, corn, flax, linen, lindsey, wool, tow, bacon, sugar,
tallow, beeswax and rags” were received on subscriptions.
We have no copies later than July, 1821. The Ifemld con-
tained very little home news, except what is in the adver-
tisements, which are quaint in expression and make—up. VVe
copy two of these from the issue of May 5, 1821 :

“50 DOLLARS REWAB.D.——Ran away from the subscriber, living in
l\Iorgantown, on Thursday, the 8th of February, a negro girl named
Rachel, about nineteen years of age, stout and well made, tolerably
black, thick lips, flat nose, a Wild, roguish countenance, though not
a homely girl. Had on when she went away a new blue lindsey
dress, strong shoes and stockings—her other clothing not known.
The above reward will be given if taken out of the State of Vir~
ginia, and ten dollars if taken in the State aforesaid, and all rea-
sonable charges brought home. R. BERKSHIRE.

“ Morgantown, March 2, 1821.”

“\VEAVING.—Michael Courtney respectfully informs his friends
and the public in general, that he has commenced and intends car-
rying on the double and single Cover—led and Damask weaving, in
all its various branches, at Scott’s Ferry, 3 miles from Morgant-own.
From his experience in this business, he flatters himself that he
will be able to render general satisfaction to those who may favor
him with their custom, in terms suited to the times. A liberal
share of public patronage is respectfully solicited.

“March 313”

1730 .'N()rzf7zzz.'<3.sie2'2a. -f0’m'2zal.——Of this newspaper The Post,
i11 1881, gives a description of a copy furnished by Frank A.
Shean, as follows : It was 18x23 inches in size ; price, $2;
published by N. B. M-adera, and edited by James Barbour;
the number was dated May 11, 1822.

Tim illozzozzlr/alia C’/2,7"0m7cle was started in 1825, by Henry

    

    
  

 
 
    

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SHELBY PINDALL BARKER.
See Page 732.

J OURNALISTIC HISTORY. " 433

& Carpenter, at $2 per year, in advance; and flax, beeswax,
wool, feathers, tallowand corn were taken in payment of
subscriptions. It was continued by Carpenter and VVilliam
Thompson, whose first issue was volume one, number twen-
ty-four, and dated January 19, 1828. It was a four-page
sheet, 19x24, with four columns to the page. Its motto
was, ‘-‘ The freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks
of liberty.” On February 16, 1828, Carpenter went out of
the firm, and the paper was issued that day enlarged to
20x26, with five columns to the page, and its motto changed
to, “Internal improvements, domestic manufactu‘res.——Open

‘to all parties, influenced by none.” The last issue found is

that of September 25, 1828.

I The Jllonongalia Farmer was started about 1828, and
was run by Francis Madera and Enos D. Morgan. Morgan
bought out the press in 1834, and started the Democratzb
Republrican. '1'/z.eFcm7ze2° is said to have been a sheet about
20x30. No copies of it can be found.

T he Ifiepubliccm was started by Enos D. Morgan on
Saturday, March 28, 1829, at $1.75 per annum. It was a
four—page sheet, 19x24, sixteen columns. August 1, it was
enlarged to 19x26, twenty columns. On the 10th of October
its name was T/cw ]3e_pubZican and I’re.s=i02z and ]l[07z0ngalicL
AcZve7°i2'.s=e7°, and was issued by Enos D. Morgan and one
Dunnington. The last number to be found is July 10, 1830.
Enos D. Morgan was the son of Capt. Zackwell Morgan.

‘ He was born in 1807, and died in 1857.

A T/Le ]l[07zcmgalz'an was published by Elisha Moss, at $2‘
per annum. Its first issue was January 22, 1831. Its size
was 19x26 ; four pages, twenty columns. The last number
found is dated June 9, 1832.

The Democratic ]?e_7)u6Zz'ccm was started about "February,
28

434 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

1835, by Enos D. Morgan, and published at $2 per annum.
It was '20x30, four pages, 24.columns. Its motto was, “ Our
Country and our Country’s Friends.” The issue of June 3,‘
1837, was volume three, number ten; Whole number 114.
The last number found was published in the year 1839. In
1840, it is said, Morgan changed politics and became a
Wliig, and that the paper was VVhig until it ended in 1:942.

T/Le ZVO-rt/Lwestern Journal was started in the fall of 18'-L3,
by Enos D. Morgan, who had bought the press of the
Silk Oalturist at Brandonville (Preston County). Tire
paper was a four-page sheet, about 22x32, twenty—i‘<>ur
columns. It continued till 1845.

The Democratic Watchtower was the name of a p::;>e1'
projected about 1842, by Joseph H. Powell and a nizm by
the name of Treadwell. Treadwell got on a drunken .~:pi'ee
about the time the first number was ready to go to pmss,
and it was never issued.

The Virginia Shield was issued about 1843, and was aliout
20x30 in size. It was edited by Joseph H. Powell, and was
Democratic.

TILE Mountaineer was published in 1845, by Andrew Mc-
Donald and Boaz B. Tibbs. It was Democratic in politics,
and was a four-page sheet, about half the size of The Post.
It is said to have continued about a year, but no copy of
the paper can be found. The publishers rented the press
of the Nortliioestern Journal.

The IVestern Virginia Standard was a VVhig paper, pub-
lished by George S. Ray, at $1.50 per annum. Its first issue
was on Saturday, February 14, 1846. It was a four-page
paper, 22x32 inches, twenty-four columns. Its motto was,
“A people to be truly free must first be wise and good.”
The last number found was published in March, 1847. It

J OURNALISTIC HISTORY. 435

was printed on the press of the Northwestern Journal and
ran till about 1849. The Standard was a modern looking
sheet, and some attention was paid to local news, but
not to the extent, by any means, that it receives now.
The 1l[0n0ngaZia2z.——It seems this paper l1ad been run in

1849, by George S. Bay, as The Jlfirror offered to fill out.
r

its unexpired subscriptions.

The Jqfersoniczzz. was started in 1849, and but one issue
was made, it is said. John Beck was the proprietor. H

The Zlfonongalia Jllirror was published and edited by the
Rev. Simeon Siegfried at $1.50 per annum. The first num-
ber was issued Saturday, August 11, 1849, and the last one
June 23, 1855. It claimed to be independent in politics.
At first it was a folio, 20x32, with twenty-four columns; but
enlarged /afterward to 22x36, four pages, and twenty—eight
columns. The price was “$1.50 in advance, $2.00 after six
months, and $2.50 if never paid———without coercion.” It
was printed on the press of the Nort/Lzvestern Journal. Mr.
Siegfried was a minister in the Baptist Church, and had
followed printing thirty—three years before he came to Mor-
gantown. He was a great advocate of temperance. He
went back to Pennsylvania, where, it is said, he died but a
few years ago.

The Jlloumfain Jlfessenger, or Baptaet Recorder, (probably
it bore both names,) a religious paper, was published by
Mr. Siegfried in the interest of the Baptist denomination.
No number of it can be found. It is said to have been
started in 1852, and to have continued for a year or two.
It was about the size of the Jllir-ror.

The ])em0craZz'c Republiccm Was published and edited by
George M. Howard and B. F. Beall, at $1.50 per annum.
Its first issue was in August, 1852. It was a four-page

436 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

sheet, 24x37, with twenty-eigliticolumns. Its motto Was,
“States’ Rights—National Union.” It was a Democratic
paper, and is said to have continued till 1855. It was
printed .on the first iron press ever used in the county.

The American Union was published and edited by Sim-
eon Siegfried, J r., at $1.50 per annum. The first number
was issued Saturday, June 30, 1855. It was 24x36 inches
in size, four pages and twenty—eigl1t columns. In politics it
was American (Know Nothing). Its motto was, “Liberty
and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable.”

The Album (probable Odd Fellows’ Album) was issued
about 1854, by Simeon Siegfried, Jr., and, it is said, was a
siXteen—page monthly; was published for a short time, and
devoted to the interests of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows.

The Jl[07'_(/amfown Telegmp/z was published in 1855, by
John ‘V. VVoody and John M. Coil, and was a Democratic
paper. It continued but a few months, and was about 243137
inches in size, four pages and twenty-eight columns.

The Virgivzia lliree/sly Slim" was started under the name
of th-e Virgim'.a C’czmQz9aign Star. Its first issue was Sat-
urday, August 9, 1856; Marshall M. Dent, editor and pro-
prietor. A committee appointed by the Democratic party
solicited subscriptions for it. The sheet was 24x33 inches,
four pages, twenty—four columns. Its motto was, “Eternal
Vigilance is the Price of Liberty.” On November 15th,
1856, it dropped the Word “Ca'ny9aig2z” from its title, and
was issued at $1.50 per annum, as a Democratic paper. In
1860, it supported “the Douglass Wing of the Democratic
party. Its motto after December, 1860, Was, “The Federal’
Unionfit must and shall be preserved.” The last issue
was January 4, 1862. \

J OURNALISTIG HISTORY. _ y 437 .

T/ie West Virginia Ifemlcl was projected in 1862, by
Joseph H. Powell and ‘V. T. Mathers. Only a few issues
were made.

T/ze Jllorganzfown Jlfonitor was started in 1863 by George
C. Sturgiss and 'William P. Willey, as a conservative paper.
It was about the size of the New Dominion. It was under-
taken by Messrs. Sturgiss and VVilley, who were both young
men, at the request of prominent citizens of the county, who
gave such assurances of financial aid as to induce the pro-
prietors to promise its continuance for one year, at the end
of which its publication ceased.

T/2e Jlforganzfown Weekly Post, the first Republicanand
the oldest existing paper in the county, was established
Saturday, March 12, 1864, by Henry M. Morgan. It then
was a four-page sheet, 26x32 inches in size, with six columns
to the page. The subscription price then, as now, was $52
per year. Its motto was, “The Union right or wrong ;——right
well defend it, and wrong well right it.” It completed its
first volume March 25, 1865, and then suspended until May
20th, when it started again, Mr. Morgan having associated
with him Nelson N. Hoffman. To the title of the paper
was added Jlloieongalia cmd I’7*e5-ton U0umfg/ Gazette, which
was dropped June 2, 1866. The sheet was enlarged June
5, 1869, to its present size, 26x39, with twenty-four broad
columns. On June 8, 1867, the motto was changed to
“Firmness in the rigl1t, as God gives us to see the right.”

Henry M. Morgan, the senior editor (though junior in
years), is the son of Enos D. Morgan, and is a native of
Morgantown, and has for over twenty years been connected
with theiprtess of the county. Nelson N. Hoffman is the
son of Philip Hoffman, who married Alethe, daughter‘ of
the Rev. Alexander Summers. Philip Hoifman’s parents,

MONONGALIA UNDER AUGUSTA. 43

the “Indian Side,” as the river When high presented a
barrier to the Indians,) Martin’s Fort stood on Crooked Run,
and on the head-waters of this stream was Harrison’s Fort.
On Dunkard Creek was Statler’s Fort, and on the site of
Blacksville was BaldW_in’s Block-house. About two miles
from the site of Georgetown was SteWart’s Block—l1ouse.

Roads were now beginning to be cut out. They were
carried along as much as possible on the tops of the ridges,
to avoid Indian ambushes in the hollows. This practice
was continued‘ for years, and accountsfor so many of the
old roads running along the ridges.

438 HISTORY OF MONO'NGALlA COUNTY.

John and Sarah Hoffman, came from Berks "County, ‘Penn.,
in 1796, to the vicinty of Smithtown. Nelson ‘N. learned
the “art preservative of all arts” with Enos D. Morgan.
He was a soldier in the ‘Mexican War, and a Captain in the
late civil war ; was a member of the House of Delegates in
1866. Mr. Morgan has been employed on thirteen different
newspapers in Morgantown.

T [00 C’0n.s*tz'tuti0n.——The first number was issued Saturday,
April 4,1868. It was a folio, 25x32, having twenty-four
columnsjprice, $2; motto, “Eternal Vigilance is the price
of Liberty.” It was published by the Democratic and
Conservative County Club, and was edited by Joseph H.

‘Powell. September 12th, E. Shisler became editor and

proprietor, and, after passing out of his hands, soon went
down. '

The U;u've7“sit3/ Bulletin was a monthly, sixteen pages,
each 6x9, printed on brevier type, at 50 cents per year, by
William L. Jacobs and Julian E. Fleming. It ran from

. 1874 to 1876.

 The New ])0mi2zi0n,, the Democratic paper of the county,
was established April 11, 1876, by VVilliam L. Jacobs and
Julian E. Fleming. It was first issued as a quarto, 26x40,
forty columns, at $2 a year. In October, 1876, Mr. Fleming
became sole proprietor, and changed the form of the paper,
April 1, 1877, to a folio, 24x36, with twenty-‘eight columns,
and reduced. the price to $1.50. At Kansas City, in 1875,
Messrs. Jacobs and Fleming discussed the projection of a
Democratic paper at Morgantown ; and, in faith of a great
future for West Virginia, selected as the name of their pa-
per the title of “New Dominion,” reasoning as Virginia was
the “ Old Dominion,” why should not West Virginia become
the New Dominion. Julian E. Fleming was born in Mor-

J OURNALISTIC HISTORY. 439

gantown; attended the ‘Vest Virginia University, and en-
gaged in 1874 in publishing the _BuZZe2fz'n, and in 1876 em»
barked in publishing the ZVew Dominion.

In 1876, the Dominion (insize 13x20 inches, four pages
and twenty columns) was issued daily during commence-
ment-week. In 1880, it became the U72.iven9ity Daily,
24x36, four pages, twenty-eight columns, and since has
been issued under the editorial charge of the students.

1726 lVest V2'rgz'nz'a Journal of Education was started by
the Rev. J. R. Thompson. Size, 24x36, four pages, twenty-
four broad columns; price $1.50 per year. (See sketch of
Mr. Thompson, ante.)

VVooden presses (Mahogany) were used until 1852, when
the first iron press was brought into the county. The first
papers were published on the “trust” system——~so much if

paid in advance, or so much if not paid till the end of the .

year ; and they generally died by having too many “trust”
subscribers. Beginning with Enos D. Morgan, a great i_m~
provement in the papers of the county is apparent. In
1864, the “ cash ” system was adopted, which gave new life
to the papers and the means to make the local news full and
complete. The local correspondence was generally of _a
political character until in 1867, when The Post began to
establish a corps of regular local correspondents in the dif-
ferent parts of the county.

The Rev. Simeon Siegfried talked of starting a daily paper
in 1851, but the first daily was not issued until 1869, during
the county fair, when an edition of the Post was issued for

; two days. The Unizzorsity Dczily is issued during commenc-

ment week each, year.
The VVest Virginia Press Association held its ‘annual

meeting in 1880 at Morgantown, on the 9th of June.

CHAPTER XX11.
RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANCE HISTORY.

The First Church ‘West of the Alleghany Mountains in Virginia
Organized in Monongalia County—The Baptists—Methodist
Episcopal, with Extracts from Bishop Asbury’s Journal; and
List of Preachers from 1784 to 1833 ; Presiding Elders from 1786
to 1813; Statistics——Presbyterian—Evangelical Lutheran——Prot—
estant Episcopal——Methodist Protestant——Christian~——Catho1ic
——Church‘ Statistics—~ Missionai-ies—Sunday Schools——Mononga-
lia County Bible Society—Temperance Organizations—~1Vhis-
key License—Biographical Sketches.

“ Religion holds the Sceptre of the centuries. Other forces Weaken, other issues die,
other actors pass off the stage and are heard of no more; but religion remains
forever.”—-Act1'ng I’reside—7z€ D. 13. I’ur'£7zto71’s adtlress to the UIli'L78)‘SitZ/ Graduatmg
Ctass, June, 1882.

WITIIIN the present limits of Monongalia County was or-
ganized the first church West of the Alleghany Mountains

in What is now VVest Virginia. The pioneer settlers of 1766 —

but preceded by nine years the advent of the pioneer
preacher. Treating in the order of precedence the different
denominations in the county, we come first to

THE BAPTISTS.

The Rev. John Corbly (whose family was afterwards
murdered in Greene County, ‘Penn, by Indians) organized
the “Forks of Cheat” Baptist Church on the evening of
November 5, 1775. The church consisted of twelve mem-
bers, and was organized near Stewarttown. It was the
first church in the county, and the first one organized West
of the Alleghany Mountains in Virginia. Mr. Corbly and
others were dismissed by letter in September, 1775, from

RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANCE. ' 441 A '

i the Great Bethel Church at Uniontown, Penn., to form the

Forks of Cheat Church. There are now nine regular
Baptist churches in the county, namely, Forks of Cheat,
Morgantowvn, Pleasant Hill, Goshen, Zoar, Blacksville,
Miracle Run, West Warren, and Philadelphia. The first

five are in the Groshen Baptist Association, (organized in

1871), and in 1882 had a membership of 574. The other
four are all in the Judson Association, and contain a me1n—
bership of about 500. There ‘is an Anti-Mission Baptist
Church on Big Indian Creek, now numbering some twenty-
five or thirty members, and which was organized nearly one
hundred years ago, by the name of Mount Tabor. It
belongs to the Redstone Association.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

There are traditional accounts of Methodist Episcopal

ministers preaching as early as 1778 in the county, but the '

first authentic account We have of the denomination is in
1784, when John Cooper and Samuel Breeze were appointed
ministers on the Redstone Circuit, which embraced all of
the present county. It seems that in the following years
preaching places had been established at Morgantown and
at Col. Martin’s (now Fort Martin Church in Cass District),
for Bishop Asbury, in his Journal (vol. i, p. 497), says:

Sunday/, July 10, 1785.—“A long, dreary ride brought us to Mor-
gantown. I preached, baptized and was much spent.” _

Tlmrsday/, 14zfh.—-—“I preached at Col. Martin’s; afterward I went
on, in the night, and Very unwell, to Seaton’s.”

Bishop Asbury made a second trip, of which he makes
the following entry : '

Saturday, June 17, 1i’86.——“VVe had a heavy ride to Morgantown.

I was to have been there at 4 o’clock, but, missing my way, I made
it six” (page 513).

442 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The Bishop. made a. third visit in-1788, of whichvhe makes
the following lengthy entry in his Journal:

Friday, July 11, 1788.-—“ Arose at 4 o’clock and journeyed on
through devious lonely wilds where no food might be found except
what grew in the woods, or was carried with us. We met with two
women who were going to see their friends, and to attend the quar-
terly meeting at Clarksburg. Near midnight we stopped at A———-’s,
who hissed his dogs at us ; but the women were determined to get
to quarterly meeting, so we went in. Our supper was tea. Broth-
ers Phebus and Cook took to the woods. I lay along the floor on.a
few deer—skins with the fleas-that night our poor horses got no
corn ; and the next morning they had to swim across the Mononga-
hela. After a twenty miles’ ride we came to Clarksburg, and man
and beast were so outdone that it took us ten hours to accomplish
it.”

Here after preaching he says :

“We rode thirty miles to Father Haymond‘s (near Pricket’s
Fort in Marion County) after 3 o’clock Sunday afternoon, and
made nearly eleven before we came in.”

In speaking of some ‘places where he stopped, he wrote:

“ O 1 how glad should I be of a plain clean plank to lie on, as pref-
erable to most of the beds. . . . This country will require much
Work to make it tolerable. . . . The great landholders who are in-
dustrious will soon show the effects of the aristocracy of wealth, by
lording it over their poorer neighbors, and by securing to them-
selves all the offices of profit or honor. On the one hand savage
warfare teaches them to be cruel ; and on the other, the preaching
of Antinomians poisons them with error in doctrine; good moral-
ists they are not, good Christians they can not be, unless they are
better taught.”

Tuesday, 15th.———“ I had a lifeless, disorderly people to [hear me at
Morgantown, to whom I preached on ‘I will hear what God the
Lord will speak.’ It is a matter of grief to behold the excesses,
particularly in drinking, which abound here. I preached at a new
chapel near Colonel Martin’s, and felt much life, love and power.”

RELIGIOUS ‘AND TEMPERANCE. .443

Saturday, 24th.——-“Attended quarterly meeting at Morgantown.
On Sunday preached on Mathew xxv., 31 to end. Brother NV. also
gave us a sermon; and a Presbyterian xrlinister two; so We had it
in abundance.”

Under the Baltimore Conference Redstone Circuit was
formed, embracing a large portion of Southwestern Penn-
sylvania and Northwestern Virginia. Monongalia—County
Was included in its limits, and, in 1784, John Cooper and
Samuel Breeze were appointed ministers to travel this cir-
cuit. They were succeeded, in 1785, by Peter Moriarty,
John Fidler and VVilson Lee; 1786, John Smith, Robert

Ayers and Stephen Deakins. In 1787, Joseph Cromwell

was appointed Presiding Elder of a district composed of
Clarksburg, Ohio and Redstone circuits. During the
continuance of this district, the following ministers were

appointed, in the years named, to

REDSTONE CIRCUIT Z

1787-William Phoebus, John Wilson and E. Phelps.
1788——Jacob Lurton and Lashley Matthews.
1789—John Simmons and Nickolas Sebrell.
1’7.90—Amos Gr. Thompson and Thomas Haymond.
1791———Danie1 Fidler and James Coleman.
1793—-Thomas Bell and Seely Bunn.
1794-5—Daniel Hitt and John Philips.

1796~C. Conaway, T. Haymond and J. Fell.
1897—Ja.mes Smith and Solomon Harris.
1798-—Jacob Colbert and Edward VVayman.
1799—James Paynter and Charles Burgoon.
1800-Rezin Cash and Isaac Robbins.

REDSTONE CIRCUIT, PITTSBURGH DISTRICT.

1801——Jesse Stoneman and Asa. Shinn.
1802-——Lash1ey Matthews and —— \ .
1803—Jan1es Quinn and Thomas Budd.

444 HISTORY OF MONONGALIAW COUNTY. .,

REDSTONE CIRCUIT, MONONGAHELA DISTRICT.

1804-——James ‘Hunter and Simon Gillespie.
1805———VVil1iam Page and \Vi1liam Knox.
18O6——Ja1nes Hunter and Saul Henkle.
1807-William Page and Robert Bolton.
1808—John West and William G. Lownian.
1809-—Tho1nas Daughaday and Joseph Lanston.
1810—T. Fleming and Tobias Reiley.
1811——Jacob Young and James VVi1son.
1812—John Meek and Joshua Monroe.
1813-Simon Lank and Nathaniel B. Miils.

[It is said that the circuit was now. changed in naine—by one

_ account, to Monongahela Circuit, and by another, to “ Monongahela

and Randolph” Circuit; but as neither gives the name of the district,
it is likely it was not changed]

1815-Robert Boyd and Asbury Pool.
1817—John Connally and Thomas Jamison.
1821-—Tho1nas Jamison and VVi11iam Hank.
1822—Thornas Beeks and Shadrick Cheney.
1823-—Tho1nas Beeks and VV. H. Chapman.
]824—John \Vest and John Tolbert.

MONONGALIA CIRCUIT, PITTSBURGH CONFERENCE.
]825——S. R. Brockunier and —— .
1826——Wil1ian'1 Hank and Richard Armstrong.
]827——S. Cheney and George McKaskey.

1828 ——S. Cheney and John Spencer.

1829 -Robert Boyd and ——- Brown.
1830——Robert Boyd and Edmund Sehon.
1831—2—John West and Andrew Coleman.

About this time Morgantown became a station, and the
county was embraced in more than one circuit. These
circuits will be traced in the District History. The
Pittsburgh Conference embraced Monongalia County until
1848, when it was transferred to the West Virginia Con-
ference, formed in that year.

RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANGE. 445

PRESIDING ELDERS AND MEMBERS.

Year. Presiding Elder. Members?‘ Year. ’ Presiding Elder Members.‘
1787 Joseph Cromwell 756 0 1803 Thornton Fleming 371 8

1788-9 Richard Whatcoat 290 0 1804 “ “  ...
1790 Charles Conway 334 6 1805 James Hunter ' 555 21
1791' Amos Gr. Thompson 321 6 1806 Thornton Fleming 531 17
1793 Charles Conway 325 9 1807 " “ 622 22 /
1794'-5 “ " 278 7 1808 “ “ 666 19
1796 Daniel Hill: 315 5 1809 “ “ 660 18
1797 Valentine Cook 313 6  1810 Jacob Gruber 527 17
1798 Daniel Hill: 328 6 1.811 “ “ 620 32
1799 '5 “ 298 8 _ 1812 “ “ 847 33
1801 Thornton Fleming 355 7 1813 “ ‘ ‘ 812 33
1802 “ “ 306 9
STATISTICS FOR 1882.

       

‘ _ 04 _  3-1

71 Q3 ‘ (11 C

:2 :9 1 E § .,-2  :2?

U - : . 3,‘ D

CIRCUITS. ; 3 E 2 E 3 ggfi :

" "‘ "' 17.1 ' '5 H-1

-5 :6 ‘ N :6 ‘D _ 5 Q)‘; 43

D vi> -'34 > 2 V) 0940) D4
Morgantow-n Station...................... 1 $10,000 1 $1,500 232 1 194 $938
Morgantown Circuit ....  ....  9 5.000 ..  409 5 330 416
Monongalia Circuil;....,.  6 3.500 ..  816 7 444 371
Smithtown Circuit  5 5,000 1 300 336 4 328 310
Blacksville Circuit......................... 4 5,500 ..  344 4 317 265
Jollytown Circuit. ....  ....  ......  8 8.180 1 400 464 9 460 500
Arnettsville.Circuit.................;......' 6 2,800 ..  327 5 430 300

NOTE.-—~The four last circuits are but partly in Monongalia.
County.

Four times has Morgantown been the place of holding
the West "Virginia, Conference. In 1852, the fifth annual
session, beginning on June 10th, was held at Morgantown,
and presided over by Bishop Simpson, who was ordained a.
Bishop in that year. This was the first Conference over
which this distinguished episcopant presided. .Beginning
March 14, 1860, the 13th session was held at Morgantown,

* The first column of figures gives the number of white members, and the second
column the number of colored members.

v’

446» HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

by Bishop Scott; and at this place the 19th Conference, be-
ginning March»21‘, 1866, sat, presided over by Bishop Clark.

Bishop Simpson presided over the thirty—third session at

Morgantown, which began October 1, 1879. It is said that
the Pittsburgh Conference held its session at Morgantown,
in 1822, beginning April 7th.

In 1821, a camp-meeting of tl1is church was held, from
August 31st to September 4th, just beyond the present lim-
its of Durbannah. . During its continuance a terrible storm
arose. This meeting is said to have effected great good in

that early day.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Col. VVilliam McCleery, who came to Monongalia between
1780 and 1783, was, mostgprobably, the first Presbyterian
upon the soil of the county. By the year 1788, a small
band was gathered at Morgantown, to which the Rev.
Joseph Patterson preached as a supply; andiit is supposed
that the church was organized about 1790, by the Rev. Rob-
ert Finley, While on his yvay from East Virginia to Kentucky.
In 1806, the church had been decreased by death and emi-
gration to four members-—-Col. VVilliam McCleery and three
women. In 1830, Brown’s Church was built at Stewart-
town, to accommodate its following there. The present
churches are, Morgantown and Sugar Grove. These
churches were in the Redstone Presbytery, Pittsburgh
Synod, until October 6, 1863, when they became part of the
Presbytery of VVest Virginia, Wheeling Synod. VVhen the
Old School and New School united in 1870, the Synod of
Wlieeling was abolished, and the churches in Monongalia
came into the Synod of Pennsylvania. In 1882, the church
at Morgantown had eighty-four members, ninety Sunday'-

RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANCE. 447

school scholars, and contributed $1,258 for salary of pastor
and other congregational purposes, and $128 for benevolent
purposes. The church at Sugar Grove had forty-two mem-
bers, paid $92 for salary of pastor, etc., and $17 for benevo-
lent purposes.

The Presbytery of Redstone met in Morgantown on the

2d of October, 1838.
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.

Michael Kern, who settled in 1772, was a member of this
church. He built a church across Decker’s Creek from
Morgantown, for the use of all denominations; and, between
1788 and 1799, the Rev. John Stough came from Mount
Carmel (Preston County) and preached here. His members
were Kern, the Swishers, the Nuses, the Clouses and the
Smiths. T11e organization broke up after Stough’s ministry,
and we find no trace of it after 1804-5.

GPROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Among the earliest members of this denomination was
John Rodgers. From 1819 there were services of this
church held at Morgantown. VVe have account oj ‘Rev.
Mr. Page, who preached here as early as 1822.

The first regular organization of which We have account
is the Guy Allen Parish, Diocese of Virginia, which was
organized by the Rev. H. S. Kepler, October 16, 1860, at
the house of E. B. Swearingen, and included the county
Within its limits. The war came on and communication
with Virginia ceased, until February 12, 1876, when Trinity
Parish was organized at the house of Thomas Rodgers,
composed of Morgan, Grant and Union districts, and Was
received into the Diocese of Virginia in May, 1876. The
Rev. George A. Gibbons, Rector of Trinity Parish, now
preaches at Morgantown and Smithtown.

CHAPTER V.
MONONGALIA IN WEST AUGUSTA.

1774-1776.

Struggle of Virginia and Pennsylvania for the Northern portion
of its territory—Outbreak of the Revo1ution——'—VVest Augusta
Recognized—Nan1es of Settlers in 1775 and 17'76—Bound-aries
of ‘Vest Augusta Declared.

"FROM tl1e year 1763, settlements rapidly increased West of

tlie mountains in the territory claimed by Augusta County.
This territory embraced the larger part of south-Western
Pennsylvania, including Fort Pitt. Virginians spoke of all
the territory of Augusta West of the mountains as ‘Vest

Augusta, or the District of VVest Augusta. In 1773, Penn— .

sylvania established courts at Hanna’s—Town (near Greens-
burgh), and sought to exercise jurisdiction over the valley
of the south Monongahela. Virginia inaugurated measures
to resist this occupation on the part of her Quaker neighbor.
Lord Dunmore, then Governor of Virginia, commissioned
Dr. John Connolly as a captain and sent him to Fort Pitt.
Connolly called on the militia to meet and embody th_em-
selves as Virginia militia, which many of them did on the
25th of January, 1774.

The Pennsylvania authorities arrested Connolly, but re-
leased him. After his release he gathered a force, took pos-
session of Fort Pitt, in the name of Virginia, and called it
Fort Dunmore. On the 6th of December, 1774, Dunmore
issued a new commission of the peace, and adjourned the
courts of Augusta County from Staunton to Fort Dunmore.
The Justices appointed were forty-two in number, among
which were George Croghan, John Campbell, Dr. John Con-

448 « , HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH.

The first sermon preached in tlie county by a minister of
this denomination was by the Rev. George Brown, on
February 11, 1830, in Morgantown. ' Duringthe spring of
that year, the Rev. Corlenius Springer, assisted by the Rev.
W. N. Marshall, organized the Morgantown Church; and,
in the fall, they organized Zion Church. The county Was in
the Pittsburgh Conference, formed in 1834, until 1854,when
it was included in the VVest Virginia Conference, organized
in that year. Statistics for Monongalia County : Members,
912; local preachers, 4; church-houses 11; value $13,000.
The present circuits (in the county-and partly so) are Mor-
gantown, Palatine, Monongalia and Avery.

CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

This denomination is often called the Disciple or
Campbellite. I The first church in Monongalia was organized
by a minister named Garrison, about fifty years ago. Ten

years later, the old Doll’s Run Church was built. There

are now five churches in the county, all on the west side of
the Monongahela River, namely, Scott’s Run, with 30 mem-

..bers; Doll’s Run, 200 members; Mooresville, 60 members;

Antioch, 100 members, and Liming, with 50 members.

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

A "On Sunday, January 13', 1822, a Catholic priest preached —

"at Morgantown. Since that time several have held ser-
vices in the county. There is a small organization of the
church near Stewarttown.

Nearly half a century ‘ago a Mormon preached once or
twice in the court-house. He Was’ so derisively received
that he soon quitted the country, and neither he nor any of
his brethren ever visited Monongalia afterward.

     

   
         
  

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See Page 733.

I
RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANCE. 449
3 H" " STATISTICAL.
[Compiled from the U. S. Census Reports]

1850. I 1860. ‘ 1870.
33 l 3 3 3
:3 ,3 =3.» § :3 an’
DENOMINATIONS. -—- --— . '”  -~
2 2  2 2 3:." 2'2 2 E“
‘ '6 .13 ' '3 E S.‘ .5 "=8 E
5 :> to 6 > my 0 o > a
Methodist  19 $13,008 7,800 29 $27,350 9,600 36 Not 5,750
Baptist ................... .. 6 4.100 2,010 10 7.000 3,200 10  given 3,000
Presbyterian ......... .. 3 1,700 1,200 4 4,000 1,650 2  in 400
“Christian ............... .. 3 1 000 1,300 3 1,000 900 J  detail. 500
Total. ............. .. 31 $19,808 12,310 46 $39,350 15,350 49 39 353,400 0,550
MISSIONARIES.

The first missionary from Monongalia to heathen lands was

Mrs. Louisa Ann Lovvrie. She was the daughter of the Hon.
Thomas Wilson, of Morgantown, and Was born November
2, 1809. In 1833, she married the Rev. John C. Lovvrie,
eldest son of the Hon. VValter Lowrie, Secretary of the Sen-
ate of the United States. Mr. and Mrs. Lovvrie embarked
11 May, 1833, at Philadelphia, as missionaries to India.
Mrs. Lowrie but reached the chosen land of her labor to
find a grave. Threatening symptoms of consumption at the
time of her sailing developed rapidly during the voyage into
that fatal disease, that ended her life in Calcutta on the
evening of the 21st of November, 1833. She was laid to
rest in the Scotch burial-ground at Calcutta. Thus ended
the short but brilliant life of an eminent Christian and de-
voted missionary. Her memory is Well preserved in the
memoir of her life by the Rev. A. G. Fairchild, D.D.

Miss Sallie H. Moreland (sister of Joseph Moreland,
Esq.,) married the Rev. Stephen H. Hunter, M.D., in 1875.

* The figures in this line for 1850 are the statistics of “Union” churches 101' that year.
29

450 HISTORY OvF_M(')vN(,)N(_}A_LI,A COUNTY.

They sailed for China about 1878, as missionaries under the
Presbyterian, Board of Foreign Missions. They are at Che-
nan Foo, where, some time back, the students of a Chinese
institution tore down the Presbyterian station and howled
around their house all night, threatening their lives.

The first missionary sermon preached in the county, of
which any account can be found, was at Morgantown, by the
Rev. ‘Wm. J. VVilley, June 20, 1822.

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

The first schools in the county held on Sunday for the in-
struction of children, seem to have been held in the old M=)n—
ongalia Academy for a few years between 1814 and 
They were held to teach the slave children (Which was mn-
trary to law). Frederick A. Dering, then a boy, was one of

he first teachers; afterward Coleman Evans, Thomas G.
Taylor and Mr. Dering taught a school for a short time.
Mr. Dering’s recollection is that the Rev. Richard Armstrong
(who Was at Morgantown in 1826) organized the first Sunday-
school (union school) in 1826. In 1887, the Methodist
Episcopal and the Presbyterian Sunday-schools were
organized. '

The Goshen Baptist Sunday-school Convention was or-
ganized December 25, 1872, at Morgantown. Prof. D. B.
Purinton was elected president, and was annually re-elected
until 1875, when H. G. West was elected; 1877, J. C. Jor-
dan; 1879, D. B. Purinton; 1881, James Pixley; 1882, D.
VV. Rogers. The secretary is William I. Protzman.

MONONGALIA COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.

This Society, auxiliary to the American Bible Society,
was organized about February 20, 1823, by the Rev. Richard
D. Hall, a ,Protestant,Epi_scopal minister. On February 20,

RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANCE. 451

1823, an election for ofiicers and managers was held, with
thefollowing result : President, the Rev. Joseph A. Shack-
elford; vice presidents, Thos, Wilson and Mathew Gay;
treasurer, George McNeely; secretaries, E. M. Wilson and
John Rogers; managers, John Wagner, James Robinson,
Joseph Allen, Benj. Dorsey, Thos. Hall, J osliua. Jiickman,
Robert Robe, Jacob Pindall, Elias Bruen, Thomas P. Ray,
Isaac Guseman, Jacob Boyers, Samuel Brand,Thos. Barnes,
Caleb, Dorsey, Wm. Fleming, Samuel Patterson, Wm. M.
Dering, Zacquell Pairpoint [Pierpont] and Nathan Hall.
On the 19th of June, 1830, this society reported that six
hundred families in the county were destitute of Bibles.
The society still exists and vigorously prosecutes its benefi-
cent work.

A branch of the World’s Evangelical Alliance was formed
at Morgantown, July 15, 1870.

TEMPERANCE ORGANIZATIONS.

The Monongalia Temperance Society was organized by

the Rev. A. G. Fairchild and the Rev. ,Norval VVilson, on .

April 20, 1830. On the first Monday in May the following
oflicers and directors were elected: Mathew Gay, presi-

dent; A. P. Wilson, vice president; Thomas P. Ray, sec-

retary; and the Rev. J. A. Shackleford, William Fleming,
Nathan Golf, Henry Lazier and Thomas P. Ray, directors.
We have no further account of this society, unless it was
continued as the Temperance society of- which John
Rodgers was president and E. C. Wilson secretary, and
which met son the 4th of July, 1837, and formed itself into a
county central society, to be known as the Morgantown
Central Society. The county was divided into four dis-

_ tricts, one central and three auxiliary, namely: First Dis-

452. HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

trict-—Morgantown Central Society; Second District—-
Pisgah Society, between Booth’s and Prickett’s creeks;
Third District—Middletown Society; Fourth District——
Gilboa Society, south of Indian Creek.

After this society, the next temperance organization was
Monongalia Division, No. 84, Sons of Temperance, organ-
ized in’Mas'onic Hall at Morgantown, on Thursday evening,
January 6, 1848, by Joshua Mathiot, G. VV. P. of Ohio.
The organizing members were L. S. Hough, S. Billings
(chaplain), W. T. VVilley, E. P. Fitch (treasurer), G. S. Ray
(conductor), W. Carr  A.), H. E. Smith (R. S.), Guy R.
C. Allen (VV. 1).), H. Dering  S.), J. E. Tucker (A. C.), H-
Daugherty (I. S.), S. Merrifield (O. S.), and others.

In 1848-50, Granville Division, No. 194, and VVilley Sec-
tion, No. 37, Cadets of Temperance, were formed.

The Grand Division of Virginia held its third quarterly
session, beginning on the 24th of May, 1850,.in the court-
house hall. On the 26th, there was a parade, with VV. T.
VVilley chief marshal, and Col. James Evans and Capt.
Michael Shisler assistant marshals. Four hundred and
siXty—one persons marched in regalia. The music was
furnished by the Morgantown and Wlaynesburg brass bands.
The order has ceased to exist, at least in this part of the
counti’  .

In 1850, aTotal Abstinence Society was formed. The
Rev. Simeon Siegfried was president, Daniel Haldeman,
vice president, ‘V. T. VVilley, secretary, and W'illiam Dur-
bin, treasurer. It Was, in fact, a continuation of the \Vash-

. ingtonians.

* The Sons of Temperance were nicknamed “ Sonnles. ” The Monongalm Mirror. in
1850, spoke of whiskey barrels as “ blue-heads, ” and called them “ blue ruin ” to pro-
duce “red noses.” In another Issue it spoke of “ Prince Alcohol and his legion of
blue-heads. ” ‘

RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANCE. 453

The last temperance organization was the Independent
Order of Good Templars, which organized Redemption
Lodge, No. 14, in Morgantown, in January, 1867. The lodge
had nearly two hundred members during the few years of
its existence.

In 1867, the vote of the county upon the question of
granting license to sell intoxicating liquor, stood: for license,
847: against, 285. At the present, the county court grants
no license in the county.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

The Rev. AsHBEL GREEN FAIRCHILD, D.D., was born at

Hanover, N. J., May 1, 1795; graduated at Princeton Col- '

lege in 1813 ; was licensed to preach in 1816 ; and, in 1817,
commenced his labors in the Presbyterian Church in Mor-
gantown, as a stated supply, one-third of his time. The re-7
mainder of his time was devoted to the church of George’s
Creek, and the Tent church, in Fayette County, Pennsylva-
nia, until the year 1822, when he was installed as pastor of
the church at Morgantown, and so continued until the year
1827, when he removed to Fayette County, Pennsylvania,
and was installed as pastor of the George’s Creek and Tent
churches, and was acting as pastor of the last named church
at the time of his death. He married, in New Jersey, Miss
Eliza McDougall, May 12, 1820, who survived him, having
died October 21, 1873. He was the author of the memoirs
of “Mrs. Louisa A. Lowrie,” “The Great Supper,” of a
Work on Baptism, etc., etc. He was firm and decided in his
religious convictions, and presented his views in the pulpit
and elsewhere, on all proper occasions, in an eloquent, for-
cible, and pursuasive manner; and has many seals to his
ministry, “who rise up and call him blessed.” He was emi-

454 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

nently a_.poWe_r in Presbyterianism in ,Western Pennsylva-
‘nia_.,a.nd_ Virginia; was thorqughly..prepared',rand ,did at all
times—-Whleln he deemed it advisable -and proper—defend
the doctrines and polity of his branch of the church against.
all who would assail them, and never ceased the struggle
until the assailant was made his friend.

Physically he was delicate, and yet capable of great en-
durance, as his active ministry attests, his principal relaxa-
tion being in social intercourse with his family, and other
friends, and the superintendence of his farm near Smith-
field, Penn, where heresided at the time of his death, which
occurred onthe 30th of July, 1864. He was buried \ at the
Frame .meeting-house, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
Only two of his children survive him, namely, Annejthe
wife of L. S. Hough, Esq., and As-hbel Fairchild, who re-
sides at,Morgantown. i

The Rev. J ESSE MARTIN PURINTON, D.D., was aneminent
Baptist divine in Southwestern Pennsylvania and North-
western Virginia; was born at Colraine, Massachusetts,
August 12,1809. His father, the Rev. Thomas Purinton,
married Miss Sabrina Boardman, and Jesse. M. was their
third son. He was educated at Madison University, N. Y.,
but was compelled to quit school before taking his degree,
on account of ill health, brought on by hard study. . He
entered the Baptist ministry in 1829, and his early pastorates
were near the shores of Lake Erie, whose winds afl'ec,t_ed
his lungs. He came south for his health, in 184.8, and
settled in Preston County, eight milesi from __Rowlesbuijg.

‘Here he founded the Buffalo Creek Church, and servedags

pastor of three churches, besides, preaching at..m_a.ny p.oints
in and out of the county. He became pastor of the Mt.

.iRELiI.GiIOUS AND iTi3M1>ERAi+IcE. 5.1.55

iMofi.5.h olmrch at Smitlifield, Penn., in 1852, and served

three years. He returned to Preston ‘County, but iaccepted
a second call to the Mt. iMoriah Church in 1862. ‘In 1867,
he removed from Smithfield to Morgantoxvn, and became
pastor ‘of the Baptist Church at that place. He died at
Morgantown, June 17, 1869.

Dr. Purinton was twice married. His first wife was Miss
Roxea Buell,Whom he married in 1833, and Who died in
1845. In 1846, he married Miss Nancy A. Lyon, whose
maternal ancestor, John Alden, came over in the 1l1ayFZ0wc7°.
Their family consisted of four sons; Edward, of bright
promise, who died young; D. 13.. Purinton, of the West
Virginia University; Aaron L. Purinton, A.M., Superin-
tendent of the Parkersburg Schools, and G. Dana Purinton,
A.M., who is connected with Furman University, South
Carolina. He was of English nationality. A man of fine
personal appearance; calm, grave and dignified, he always
retained on acquaintanceship the respect which his appear-
ance involuntarily commanded. He was a zealous worker,
a hard student, an eloquent preacher  an able theologian.
His death was a severe loss to the church of which he was
so useful a servant and so bright an ornament. The degree
of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by Burritt
College, Tennessee.

The Rev. PETER THOMAS LAISHLEY, iM.D.,i was born in
Southampton, England, on ‘New Year’s day, 1798. His
grandparents belonged to the societies startedgby John
Wesley. A He had four brothers Wl10, like him, alllbecame
ministers. He emigrated to America, landing on the 28th
of August, 1818; and, in 1819, xvas converted at a'cainp—
meeting in Louden County, Virginia. He united with the

MONONGALIA IN WEST AUGUSTA. 45

nolly, Edward VVard, Thomas Smallman, Dorsey Pentecost,
John Gibson, VVil1iam Crawford, John Stephenson, John
McCullough, John Cannon, George Vallandgham (a lineal
ancestor of the late Clement L. Vallandigham, of Ohio),
Silas Hedge, David Shepherd and VVilliam ‘Goe. The first
court held at Fort Dunmore was on February 21, 1775. Its
first act was the admission of George Brent and George
Roots‘ as attorneys. On the next day, Simon Girty qualified
as lieutenant of the militia of Pittsburgh and its depend-
encies. A ducking—stool was ordered to be made.

VVhile this court"‘ was exercising civil and criminal juris-
diction over the Monongahela Valley, a like jurisdiction was
exercised over it by a Pennsylvania court at Hanna’s—Town.
Over the settlers were two governments, diiterent in princi-

* The first Virginia court held at Fort Dunmore, was on February 21, 1775. The rec-
ords, which are now before me, show that they continued to be held at that place, at
any rate up to April 18, 1776. 011 J line 29, 1776, the Convention at Richmond established
the new Constitution. Then was passed an ordinance, 9 Hening, 126, “ to en able thé
present magistrates and diiicers to continue the administration 01’. justice, &c.,” and it
was provided that the Justices in the District of West Augusta should have power to
hold a court in said district, the third Tuesday or every month “ at such place as they
may appoint,” 650. Then art er April 18, 1776, no court was held for West Augusta till
in August, when the name of Fort Dunmore Was dropped, the record reading, “At-2.
court held at Pittsburgh, for the District of West Augusta, the twentieth day of Au-
gust, 1776, present, ézc.” The court was then reorganized by a new qualification of the
Justices under the new order or things ; after which the first thing done was

“David Shepherd and John Cannon, gent., are appointed to Contract with some per-
son or persons to build a house 24 by 14 with a Petition in the middle to be used for a.
goal at Catiishes Camp Augusta Town.”

Observe, over the words “ Catfishes Camp” in the original record is drawn a black

_, line, indicating that “Augusta Town” had been substituted. The record follows with

several items of business and a list or persons recommended to be added to the com-
mission of the peace, and finally

“Ord that the court be adjourned until the third Tuesday in September next, to
Catfislies Camp Augusta Town.” "

Again is a line drawn over “ Catflshes Camp,” indicating that “Augusta Town” was
the second thought for the name of the new place or holding the court.

Then the records show that the Court for the District of West Augusta was held
September 17, 1776, and November 19, 1776, at AUGUSTA TOWN. '

On May 16, 1775, the first grand-jury was charged, consisting of the following persons ;
George McCullough, foreman; Oliver Miller, Bazil Brown, Richard Waller, Jacob Van-
metre, Abraham Teagarden, John Swan, Jesse Pigman, William Colvin, Josiah Wallace,
Moses Williamson, John Decker, Richard McMahon, Richard McLaughlin and Daniel
Cannon.—Boyd Crmn-r£~ne. *

456 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

O’Kelleyites oriEepublican Methodists, and was ordained a
minister in that church, August 20, 1820; ~Coming to Fay-
ette County, Penn., in 1821, he there married Sabina Ewing,
September 28th. He began the study of medicine in 1831,
and was graduated the next year. In the following year he
joined the Pittsburgh Conference of the Methodist Prot—
estant Church, and is justly entitled, from the magnitude
of his labors for it, to be considered one of the founders of
that church. He was three times chosen president of this
conference, and five times president of the VVest Virginia
Conference. He was sent four times as a representative to
the General Conference, and was elected also to the Union
Convention of the Methodist Protestant Church, in 1877.

His childern are: Elizabeth A., who married T. F. Con-
way (five of whose sons are ministers in the Methodist
Protestant Church); Richard J., who was killed September
27, 1848, by the bursting of the cylinder of a threshing
machine; John M., Martha J ., Hannah A., Harriet E. ;
George VV., who taught school for years, served on the
board of school. examiners, and has served as one of the
three county commissioners since 1882; and Letitia V.

Dr. Laishley was engaged for one year of his life in the
mercantile business, and practiced medicine five years. He
joined the Masonic fraternity in 1826, and was master of
Union Lodge, No. 93, in 1847. He was always a strong
advocate of temperance and free schools. He was at the
Wheeling convention of May 13, 1861. He is now living
near Easton, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. - One who
knows him well said of him-: “ As a preacher, Dr. Laishley
has stood in the front rank of the ministers of his day;
clear in statement, strong in argument and pathetic in man:

RELIGIOUS AND‘ TEMPERANCE. I 457

ner, he seldom failed to convince the judgment, and move,
the unprejudiced heart to Christ.” '

The Rev. GEORGE FREDERICK CHARLES CONN ‘was born in
Fayette County, Penn., July 25, 1809. His grandfather,
George Conn, who was a ship carpenter at West Point,
married Lydia Flintham, and came to George’s Creek," and
Was the first of the name west of the Alleghany Mountains.
His father was a Scotchman. The father (Jacob Conn) of
the subject of this sketch married Ellen, daughter of Capt.
George F. Hartman. Their family consisted of ten chil-
dren, of Whom George F. C. is the eldest. VVhen about ten
years of age, Mr. Conn moved with his father to the Forks
of Cheat, near Stewarttown, where he lived till’1854. ' V

In 1832, Mr. Conn married Susannah Robey, second
daughter of Lloyd Robeya In 1837, he professed conver-
sion, and on January 21st of that year was baptized by the
Rev. James VV. B. Tisdale, and united with the Forks of
Cheat church, of which Mr. Tisdale was then pastor. In
1846, the Goshen church called for his ordination, which
took place at Forks of Cheat in September of that year, by
the Rev. Cleon Keyes, the Rev. Leven Howell and the Rev.
Charles Parker. He immediately took the pastoral care of
the Goshen church, which he retained continuously for
twenty-two years. During this pastorate, 120 persons were
baptized, the church increased from 27 members to 100 or

more, and a comfortable brick house of worship Was built." 

In .1848, Mr. Conn received a commission from the Gen-
eral Association of Virginia to labor as missionary in Pres-
ton County. Under this commission he labored at the
Monongahela Glades, where a church was organized with

- six members and increased to forty; at Elliott’s Ridge,

458 Hrsroier or iMOi\IONGAL'IA ‘counrr.
where he baptized many; at the ‘place now called Glades-

ville, where a house of worship was built, and ‘the little
church grew from seven members to one hundred; at

Blacksville, where he organized the Mi11ersvillegiChurcl1, .

which built a house of worship and attained a membership
of forty during the three years of his pastorate; and at
Laurel Point, in the bounds of the old Anti-Mission Bap-
tist Clrurch, where, in 1852, he organized what is known as
the Zoar Baptist Church, with twelve constituent members.
In a very few years this church became self-sustaining,
whereupon Mr. Conn resigned his commission, and became
pastor of the church. His labors under this commission
were abundantly blessed of the Lord; and Mr. Conn
attributes any success he may have had as a Gospel min~
ister, largely to the divine blessing upon this aid extended
by the General Association of Virginia;

Mr. Conn was pastor of the Zoar church for twenty—iour
years. During this time a house of worship was built, con-
verts were added to the church every year without excep-
tion, and the membership was increased 130.250.

In addition to the above labors, Mr. Conn has preached
aspastor at3MorgantoWn eight years, at Taylortown, Penn.,
eight years,~at Pleasant Hill four years, where he organized
a church; at Forks of Cheat, two years, and at Palatine
four years, where he assisted in organizing a church of
seven members and left it with sixty. This was Mr. Conn’s
last regular pastorate.

At the advanced age of seventy he resigned the church, in
considerationiof the growing infirmities of his age. He
has also labored extensively at various places in "protracted
meetings. V _

Mr. Conn has baptized with his own hands more than

RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANCE; 459

1,200 persons. He is certainly one of the most successful
pioneer ministers that have labored in this section of the
country.

Mr. Conn is now in his seventy-fifth year, and resides on

"his farm, not fare from Laure1'Point, surrounded by all the

conveniences and. comforts of life. His estimable Wife,
with whom he . has .passed"more than half avcentury vinvthe
close companionship -of Wedded‘ -life, -is ‘still living, and’ both

' enjoy, to an eminentldegree,'the esteem and love of their

Wide circle of . acquaintances and A friends. Their only
son, Garrett, lives on a farm near his father’s, and -of their
three daughters, tWo—Mrs. John Alexander and Mrs. John
M. B1and—-—1ive in Monongalia, and the other lives inithe

West.

CHAPTER XXIII.
FINANCIAL HISTORY.

Money in Early Days———Tobacco as Currency-—Paper Money——Fur-
nace Script—Points of Exchange for State Bank Currency-
Former and Present Methods of Transmitting Money——Panics
of 1837, 1857, and 1873—Mononga1ia Farmers’ Bank——Merchants’
and Mechanics’ Bank——Merchants’ National Bank—J. H. Hoff-
man & Co.'—The Morgantown Bank—Second National Bank-~
Bank Presidents and Cashiers, Etc.

THE. MAIN use of money among the first settlers was to pur—
chase land and pay taxes. Their dealings were carried on
principally by exchange of products and property—-a sys-
tem of barter. Almost the only commodity which they
could sell for money was the furs of the wild beasts which
they hunted and trapped. There was no market for the
products of the field. As late as the year 1789, tobacco
seems to be used as a measure of value in the payment of

‘ fines to the State. An absent grand juror without lawful

excuse, was taxed 400 pounds of the weed.

As early as the year 1814, paper—money was in circula-
tion, and increased from year to year in quantity. It was
known as State bank money. After the breaking out of the
late civil war, Government legal tender paper-money, known
as “ Greenbacks,” came into circulation; and, a little later,
Was added National bank notes. To—day, the circulating
medium is National bank notes, greenbacks, and gold and
silver. Silver for “ change” has now entirely superseded the
fractional paper notes or “shinplasters,” issued by the
Government during the civil war.

FINANCIAL Hrsronr. 1 T 461

“Furnace, script” Was issued about 1840-2, at Cheat
River Iron Works, but was only good at the furnace stores.

Pittsburgh was the main point, up to 1853, for the ex-
change of State bank paper; and the means of conveying
any sum of money to the eastern cities was by private
messengers, as the mails were not safe. In 1853,, Fairmont
took the place of Pittsburgh, and money was sent by
express from there. Now Fairmont and Fairchance Fur-
nace (since 1875) are the nearest express offices. Besides
the use of the express, money is now transmitted by bank
checks, postal money—orders (obtainable at the Morgantown
postoflice), and registered letters. The postal note, for
sums less than five dollars, came into use September 3,
1883. i

The principal articles of export are live—stock and timber.
There is not suflicient data obtainable from which to ven-
ture any calculation as to the volume or amount of money
in the county.

The financial panics of 1837, 1857 and 1873 did not
affect Monongalia County so severely as many other parts
of the country.

MONONGALIA FARMERS, BANK.

This was the first bank in the county, and was organized
on the 1st of December, 1814, at the house of Capt. W. N.
Jarrett, in Morgantown, by “the Monongalia Farmers’ Com-
pany of Virginia.” It was a bank of exchange, discount
and deposit. Its first oflicers were Thomas Wilson, presi-
dent; C. Berkshire, clerk (cashier); John Evans, Jr., Enos
Daugherty, George S. Dering, Mathew Gay, Alexander
Hawthorne, Nimrod Evans and A. VVerninger, managers
(directors). This bank ran until 1840, when, in January,

462 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

it Wound up its business and appointed Mathew Gay to dis-
tribute equitably all money on hands among the stock-
holders. 1

MERCHANTS’ AND MECHANICS’ BANK.

This bank was the branch of “The Merchants’ and Me-
chanics’ Bank of Wheeling” at Morgantown. It was organ-
ized November 6, 1834, and was in existence until October
1, 1865. The capital stock was $50,000, which was in-
creased to $110,000 in 1857.

The presidents of this bank were:

Nov. 6, 1834, to Jan. 12, 1837, Thomas P. Ray.
Jan. 12, 1837, to Jan. 17, 1839, Mathew Gay.
Jan. 17, 1839, to Jan. 21, 1841, Thomas P. Ray.
Jan. 21, 1841, to Mar. 26, 1857, Mathew Gay.
Mar. 26, 1857, to Jan. 13, 1859, Edgar C. VVi1son.
Jan. 13, 1859, to Oct. 1, 1865, George M. Hagans.

The cashiers were James Robb, 1834-8; and W’il..lian1
Wagner, 1838-65. James Robb was born at Brownsville,
Penn., and came from Wheeling to Morgantown; went to
New Orleans in 1838, where he engaged in banking ; erected

gas works in Havana, Cuba; served in the legislature of ‘

Louisiana; embarked in railway business ; engaged in
banking in New York City, and died near Cincinnati.

MERCHANTS’ NATIONAL BANK.

The “Merchants’ National Bank of West Virginia at
Morgantown” was organized October 1, 1865. Its’ capital
stock is $110,000. The bank contains a fire-proof, vault, in
which is a double burglar-proof safe, the whole secured by
combination locks and a time—1ock. The vault doors are
burglar— and fire-proof.

The first president of this bank was George M. Hagans,
October 1, 1865, to January 15, 1874; the second,.D. H.

FINANCIAL .HIST,OBY,   463

Chadwick, January 15, 1874, to January 2, 1879; and the
present president is John J. Brown, January 2, 1879.’
William VVagner has been the one cashier. Mr.» VVagner
was born August 21, 1813, in Cumberland County, Penn.;
Went to Harrisburg when but fourteen, and clerked in a.
store till 1832, when he became assistant clerk (cashier) in
a bank. In 1836, he was corresponding clerk in the Grirard
Bank, Philadelphia.’ In 1838 he came to Morgantown, and,
on the 1st of October, became cashier of The Merchants’
and Mechanics’ Bank; and, on October 1, 1865, bG(.’.:i’:fl6
cashier of the Merchants’ National Bank, which p()sit;:3.o11
he holds to—day. ‘l‘«Ir. ‘Wagner has been engaged in the
banking business over half a century, of which time he has

V —" * ‘fear. in or a * .
s ent fort’ lne * s M g ntonn

In April, 1888, Hofifman & Co.——J. H. Hoffman and
Charles S. Finnell——-engaged in the banking business, lasting
till 1874.

THE IVIORGANTOWN BANK .
was chartered March 23, 1874. The presidents were ‘Wil-
liam Price, James Evans and G. VV. John ; cashier, J. H.
Hoffman.

SECOND NATIONAL BANK.

The Second National Bank of Morgantown was chartered
February 24, 1880; capital, $60,000, with privilege to in-
crease it to $100,000. The bank has lately built a vault
(6%x8 feet) of chilled iron, weighing five and one—half tons,
which is surrounded by an eighteen—inch cemented wall.
The vault has burglar-proof doors, with combination locks.
A burglar- and fire—proof safe, weighing 4,000 pounds, is in
the vault. This safe has two combination locks and atime—
lock. The vault and safe cost $2,800.

464   HISTORY O]'?.MONO19iGALIA COUNTY.

G.  John was the former president, and E. Shisler the
present. . J

J. H. Hoffman, the "cashier, was born in Frederick City,
Maryland, February 3, 1819; was raised in Baltimore, and
engaged in the mercantile business. He came to Frost-
burg, Md., in 1836, then to Bruceton Mills, Preston County,
in 1846, which place he named for his step-father, George
Bruce, of Frostburg, a descendant of Robert Bruce, of
Scotland. Mr. Hoffman did a large milling, mercantile and
general business at Bruceton, and, in 1851, engaged in the
claim agency business. He came to Morgantown, in 1860,
and was in the claim agency business here until he com-
menced banking in 1868. In 1874, he became cashier of
the Morgantown Bank, and in 1880 became cashier in its
successor, the Second National Bank, which position he
still holds.

John J. Brown, in his centennial address, says of these
banks, that they “have been throughout the past, and are
at the present time, conducted by officers distinguished for
superior business capacity and unswerving integrity.”

On the 20th of February, 1860, a charter Was procured
for a bank to be called “Monongalia Bank of Morgantown.”
January 10, 1862, a charter was procured for abank to be
known as the “Farmers’ and Drovers’ Bank of Morgan-
town.”

, /,
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ALPHA RALPHSNYDER.
See Page 735.

46 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

ple, with two sets of laws, and two sets of magistrates to
enforce them. In the struggle for power scenes of civil
strife were of daily occurrence. The Pennsylvania authori-
ties seized and imprisoned the Virginia magistrates, who, in
turn, seized the oflicers of the Pennsylvania government.
So far as we can find, none of the inhabitants on the present
territory of Monongalia were engaged in this struggle, which
every day was drawing nearer to their few and feeble settle-
ments.

.The Revolutionary VVar put an end to this bitter struggle
for a time. The partizans of both State governments were
Whigs and patriots, and entered the Continental army in
large numbers. On May 16, 1775, a meeting was held at
Fort Pitt, and VVest Augusta pledged men and arms to the
Continental army. On the same day the Pennsylvanians
met at Hanna’s—Town and made similar pledges.

The Virginia Convention in July, 1775, recognized the
District of VVest Augusta as politically separate from
Augusta County (but did not define its boundaries), in the
following language: “The land—holders of the District of
‘Vest Augusta shall be considered as a distinct county, and
have the liberty of sending two delegates to represent _them
in general convention.”*

During the years 1775 and 1776, the following named
persons made improvements on settlement-rights: V In the
year 177 5——On Scott’s Run (now Dent’s Run), John Dent,
James Wvells, George VVeaver, Josiah Haskins, Thomas
Cunningham and Benjamin VVilson; on Scott’s Mill Run,
David Rankins, James Sterling, John Ramsey, the lesser,
and David VVatkins; on Indian Creek, David Burchill,

* 9th Hening, p. 51.

CHAPTER xxiv.
MEDICAL HISTORY.

First Visiting Physicians——First— Resident Physician—-Schools of
Medicine Represented in the County—-Regular or .A1;1opathic~—
Eclectic—~Homeopathic——County Board of Hea1th—_—Medicina1
Plants and Waters——Statistics—Centenarians and _Nonagena-
rians———Biographica1 Sketches.

“The science of medicine is the theory of diseases and of ren1edies.”—C. Cre2'ghton,,
MAD.

IF NOW in tracing the medical history of the county we
could turn back “the sun-lit hemisphere of modern sci-
ence” to that position which it occupied at the time the
first physician came to Monongalia, we would find the med-
ical profession but poorly equipped indeed, compared to its
fitting out to-day, for the conquest of disease.

The pioneer openings of Monongalia in 1772, continually
raided by Indians, were not an inviting field for even a vis-
iting physician ; and that condition of society necessary to
exist in order to secure a resident physician, was years in
the future in the year 1772.

The earliest physicians visiting the county, it is said,
were from Washingtoii and Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
Who was the first physician that visited the county is a
question We have no means of determining. It is likely that
Dr. Absalom Baird, of Washington, is entitled to that dis-
tinction. He was a physician and surgeon in the Revolu-
tionary War, and settled, in the fall of 1786, at VVashington,
VVashington County, Penn. W’. G. Barnett, M.D., in a cen-
tennial address on the medical history of VVashington
County, ggelivered in 1881, says: “He soon became noted

466 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

as a physician and surgeon, and was called to great distances,
as far, for instance, as Morgantown.” Old Dr. Baird would
present a novel appearance to—day if seen as he went attired
when visiting Morgantown in 1786. Dr. Barnett describes

him as follows:

“He was about five feet eight inches high, and weighed about
150 pounds. To the end of his life he dressed in knee-breeches and
stockings, according to the custom of the times. He wore a queue,
and, when on horseback, a blue, military cloak lined with red ma-
terial. Blue eyes, dark brown hair, medium stature, military bear-
ing, affable demeanor, up to high water mark for knowledge and
skill in his profession.”

Dr. Thomas Bond came from Philadelphia, at an early
day, to Morgantown, as the agent of a large land company.
He_ was an accomplished physician, but we have no account
of his practicing. He died December 17, 1793, in Morgan-
town, and lies buried under the Presbyterian Church.

Dr. Enos Daugherty seems, from all accounts, to have
been the first resident physician. There is evidence of his
practicing in 1805; as he was a middle-aged man then, he
All traditional

None

must have been here before that date.
accounts make him the first resident physician.

of the old people know where he came from. They say he

_ - married Miss Sample, from about VVinchester, and had four

children: Joseph T., a lawyer; James, and two daughters,
Susan and Anna. He died in Morgantown on February 10,
1826. The first jailer of the county of Whom we know any-
thing was James Daugherty. In 1804, he left all his prop-
erty in Morgantown to his son Enos Daugherty, but whether
this was Dr. Enos Daugherty or not, can not be ascertained.

Dr. John Nicklin* was practicing in Monongalia in 1804.

*Tli‘e following is a, copy of an advertisement which appearedgingtlie Monongalia
Gazette in 1804:
“NoTIcE.—A11 thofe indebted to the Subscriber, on Open Account, are deflred to

MEDICAL HISTORY. 467

If Daugherty was not the first resident physician, then
Nicklin was.
Dr. Hersey was practicing at Morgantown in 1812.
Among the students of Dr. Enos Daugherty were Dr.

Byrne, who went to Missouri, and Dr. Marmaduke Dent,.

who, for more than a half century, was a practicing phy-
sician in Monongalia County.
-Dr. Daniel Marchant, of Uniontown, came and stayed

awhile after Daugherty commenced practicing. Dr. VVells..

was here awhile after Marchant.

Dr. Charles McLane came to Morgantown in 1823, and
until 1850 had a number of students to read with him,
among whom were Drs. Laidley, Billingsley, Joseph A.
McLane, Isaac Scott, and the late Dr. H. VV. Brock. After
McLane came, Dr. Dent commenced practicing at Gran-
ville. Drs. Thomas Brooke, Daniel Grettings, Colastian
Billingsley, and B. B. ‘C. O’Kelly were at Morgantown before
1840. Dr. Robert Travis was at Smithtown about 1828,
and Dr. Hugh McNemera was at Blacksville before 1840.
The practicing physicians of the county since that date
will be treated of in the District History.

When We come to speak of schools of medicine repre-
sented in the county, we find that nearly all the physicians
in the county practice a system of medicine which most of
its followers do not generally designate by any particular
name, ‘but call themselves “regular” physicians and all
others “irregular,” and claim that the name Allopathic is
given them by others and not recognized by themselves.

The first Eclecticphysician to practice in the county was

come forward and pay up, (or at leaft give their Notes,) and that within two weeks
from this dat£ ’i‘hote that have relteratedly promited caih, grain, or work and
have as often difappointed, may depend upon little longer indulgence.

20th. April, 1804. JOHN NICKLIN, M.D.”

468 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the late Dr. Gr. VV. John, in 1853, at Stewarttown. He
studied with Dr. U. L. Clemmer, of Smithfield, Penn., who
had been, some years before, at Granville, but who, it is
said, was not an Eclectic whenthere. The next of this
school was Dr. F. H. Yost, who practiced at Morgantown
in 1863—5. Dr. N. H. Triplett, at Laurel Iron Works P. 0.,
is the only Eclectic, practitioner now in the county.

Homeopathy was introduced, in 1854, by Dr. A. C. Miller,
who remained till 1859; succeeded by Dr. E. H. Coombs
and Dr. M. L. Casselberry, who are the only Homeopathic
physicians in the county to-day, and who live at Morgan-
town and practice in co-partnership.

Under act of Legislature passed March 15, 1882, creating
county boards of health, subject to the State board, the
county court recommended and the State board appointed
Drs. L. s. Brock, G. M. Fletcher and E. H. Coombs to
serve two years from July 1, 1883, as the county board.

MEDKHNAL PLANTS

The county is rich in medicinal plants, which, for con‘ve-
nience, will be divided into three classes—-—trees, herbs and
vines. The common name will be given first, followed by
the botanical term :

TREE&

. Dogwood, (hrnusflomida.

Tulip tree or poplar, Lirioclcrzclron ml/Zpvgfera.

VVhite pine, Pinus szfrobus.

. \Vild cherry, P1‘-uAn.us .s'crotina.

. Sassafras, Sassafras ofiicinalc.

. Prickly ash, Zantlzosztg,/lmn A7)lzcr/Tccmum,.

. Yellow elm, Ulmus.
. Oak, Qucrcus.

m-qc:wrA9opx4

HERBS

9. Milfoil, Acimillca milléfol/tum.
10. Sweet flag, Acowms Calamus.

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

")

21.
22.
23.
. Jamestown weed, 1)cu‘.m'a stra2nom'um.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
. Culvers root, V07-onrica. Virginica.
41.
. Black snakeroot, C’im7Ic;IZ_fu,(]a racemosa.
43.
. Curled dock. Rzmzex crispus.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.

MEDICAL HISTORY. 469
Smooth alder, Alnus serrulata.

Dog’s bane, Apocg/num androsacmifolium.
Dwarf elder, Aralia hispida.

Indian turnip, Arasiema tr‘:/ph,yllum.
Virginia snakeroct, Ar/istolochia se7-pentarzn.
\Vild ginger, Asarum Canadenoc.

Common milkweed, Asclepias cornati.
Pleurisy root, Aselcpias tuberosa.
Peppermint, flfentha pfperita.

\Vi1d indigo, Baptiisa tinctora.

Wild senna, Cassia Zllaryylandica.

Pipsissewa, Ohimdphila Umbellata.

Sweet fern, Comptomia asplemifolitzmz.

Boneset, Eupatomlum perjfol/iatum.
Liverwort, Ifepatvica t7~vZlobz'a.
Yellow-root, I13/drastus Canadensis.
Elecampane, Inula Ilelemium.
Sknnk cabbage, S3/mplocarpus foetidus.
Burdock. Lappa Ofiicinalis.

Indian tobacco, Lobelia vlnflata.
Horehound, Jllarubium vulgare.
Spearmint, Jllentha 'v1Irz'dis.
Horsemint, Jlfonarda pzmctata.
Ginseng, A7-cilia quinquefolia.
Pokeweed, Phytolaccha decancl/ra.
Seneca snakeroot, Poly/gala Senega.
May-apple, Podophg/llmn peltatum.
Bitter sweet, Solanum dulcamcra.

Dandelion, Dans Leonie.
Bloodroot, Sanguinaria Canadcnsis.

Crow-foot, Ifianiuvzcul/1.5.9 bulboses.

VVi1d- carrot, Daucus Oairota.

American centaury, Sctbbatia Angalaris.
Pennyroyal, Ifcdeoma. pule_r/zforidcs.
Mulleiu, Verbascuin tlzupsus.

Elder, Sambucus C/wnadenszis. .
Blackberry, Rubus villosus.

Small So101non"s seal, .I’ol3/gonatmn. Zr/'flo7°mn,.
Spicewood, .L<indera Benzoin.

Savin, Jumjperus Sabina.

VVitch-hazel, Ilamamelia Vi7'go72m,-a,
Unicorn, or cholic root, A letr:‘s.fzw'm0aat..

470 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

VINES.

57. Trailing Arbutus, Epigaca repens.

58. Creeping Wintergreen, Gaultheria proeumbus.
59. Ground Ivy, Nepeta Glechoma.

60. Sarsaparilla. A7-alia nudicaulfs.

Mineral waters are abundant in VVest Virginia. In
Monongalia only springs of the calg/beates have been found,
which are sometimes called fe7”mz,gz'n0'us. They are generally
known as “red sulphur” springs, and contain tonic proper-
ties. A large spring of this class is about one-half mile
West of Morgantown, near the road from that town to
Granville.

The subject of medical statistics has not received the
attention that its importance demands. Statistics of mor-
tality, beyond the numerical number of deaths, called the
“death figure,” should show the relative prevalence of dis-
eases and comparative salubrity of climate in difierent sec-
tions, and point out the best means for promoting health and
longevity. The annual death—rate doubled generally gives
the sick rate.

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.

Year. Birms. Maxrriages. Deaths. Yea-2'. B£rc71.s. 11Iarrziages. Deaths.
1850 ..... ..430 ......... ..168 .......... ..153 1868 ...... ..864 ......... .. 72 ........ .. 94
1854....... 204 ....... .... 65  .....129 l869........368 ......... ..  97
1855........243........... 72 .......... ..122 1870 ......  70 ......... ..112
1856 ...... ..244 ......... .. 59.... ......111 l871.....'...346  71 ......... ..129
1857........322........... 48............136 1872..... ..37O ......   94
1858. ......385 ......... .. 57 .......... ..122 1873 ...... ..329 ......... .. G1 ......... ..107
1859.. ....312 ......  42 .......... .. 53 1874 .... .._359 ........ .. 80 ......... ..111
1860 .... .. .450...........  62 1875... ...339 ......... .. 73 .......... .. 94
1861 ...... ..313 . ....... .. 62 .......... ..117 1876........379........... 70 .......... .. 95

186‘ ...... ..285 .......  58   76 1877........363 ......  64 .......... .. 95

1863 ...... ..202 ....  49  ......185 1878.... ...405 ......  66 .... .. ......109

1864. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 58 .......... .. 1879 .....356 .......  64 ......... ..109 1

1865 ..... ..216. ......  62 ......... ..137 1880 ..... ..382. ....... .. 73 ..... ..‘.....124

1866 ..... ..236 ....... ...108 ......... .. 70 1881 ..... .. 388 70 .......... ..127

1867 ..... ..369..........  99 1882 ,,,,  » ........ .. 69

o o u n o o n

MEDICAL HISTORY. 371

LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH IN MONONGALIA COUNTY.
Compiled frogn the Auditor’s’ Reports.

1
I
E
J

   

, _ 9- . - a
2 [g 2% 2 2.  2°
/ .8 as °‘5=5  535% .5§=~ 2..
2£.2@ §«E.2; §§K5%§°d5
‘M2 gisgpaefiaaéhéaasesgése
-«0...”1:1-1 .=S[Q«®:/2<1.>$-47,-3q_‘ as 260
assaseézaesbesgosssssn
41100000:-sQ!Q.Qgb=1h«mH on4::.:> B
————~————————————-————;——1—-1-——--——-—-—
1865 ....................... .. .. 4.... 4 5 .. 2%i..26i320‘2 1 2 1 2 3 ..
1866 ....................... .. 2 1.. .. :0 2 .. 3, 4 2..18,.. .. 5.. .. 1
1868 ....................... ..34....13.. 32g11i15;4 1 614187
1870 ....................... .. 1 133;141 ..  .5 1- 4 51.. 2 5 2 3 3 ..
1871 ....................... ..1.32212.. 182:3..{1 613.. 363 5..
1872 ....................... .. 3.. 31:21 2 2 1:1  9_ 1 2  3 2 1
1873 ....................... .. 1.. 1..g1o.. 1 9: 41 3;111' 3 .. 5.4 2 7 2
1874 ....................... .. .. 4 214.14 1: 2 1s1»..22 5 3 6: 2 2 2 8
1875 ....................... .. 12i3..;20 15 1 131.. 1 6: 1 .. 8 1:4 3 ..
1876 ....................... ..  314 2; 2 6,12” 2 7! 1 1 9..12 2 ..
1877 ......................... ..2,12;122.12u7:....162253421
1878 ....................... ..11§21}158f..12‘5;..28;6 3‘832 2 1
1879 ....................... ..22.29;?-38; 1.1:3;1I13I23;617 1..
1880 ...................... .. . 1;1315;3; 1 51 4«..{..;42,l2  1.. .. ..
1881 ...................... ..  1.19141. 3 34'.. 1725:5 311 2 2 2 2

1
7
I
r
1

One death from cholera is reported in 1875 ; and one from small-
pox in 1872.

In 1880, but one out of every 120 of the population of
Monongalia County, died, and but one of each 240 was sick
in the same year. In the United States, in this year, the
death—rate was 1.51 persons to each 100 of the population.
It is said that there never was but one cease of cholera in the
county, and that was a boy who was going through with
some movers. He died and was buried in thecounty.

The first marriages on record in the county are of the
year 1794, and were solemnized by James Fleming, as
follows: John Marble and Barbary VVeaver, November 11;
Joseph Hartley and Ann Holt, November 12. But nineteen
marriages are recorded in the year 1795.

VVe have record of three persons living in Monongalia
County to the age of 100 years. Evan T. Morgan, Wh_o
died in 1850, was 100 years of age; Syefax VVashington died
at Morgantown in 1861, aged 108 years. He was a negro,

472

HISTORY OF MONONGALIAL, COUNTY.

and said he was once the propertyof George _.\Vasl1ington’s
brother John. Mary Kenedy, Who died in 1869, was 105

years old.

Of nonagenarians, We have record of the following:

Year of Death. Name. Age at Depth. Year of Death. Name. Age at Death.
1854 .... ..Hannah Manlin ..... .;..92 1867 .... ..Catharine Wo1'k1nan.92
1854 .... ..Ce1ia Wade ...........  1869 .... ..Annie Collins .......... ..92

1855 .... ..Lucy A. Lanham ..... ..93
1856 .... ..Sarah Newbrough .... ..99

1872 .... ..Wm. R. Hopkins. .... ..98
1872 .... ..Joseph S. Tennant....9O

1857 .... ..F1-ancis Ross ........... ..90 1873 .... ..Susanna Piles .......... ..90

1858 .... ..Jacob Bankard ....... ..94 1873 .... ..George P. Wilson .... ..96

1860 .... ..Mary L. Henry. ....... ..91 1874 .... ..Enoch Evans ........... ..96

1861 .... ..Christopher Core .... ..93 1876 .... ..Martha. Brand ........ ..92

1865 .... ..Henry Pethal .......... ..99 1879 .... ..Wm. W. Price .......... ..92

1866 .... ..Jane Lough ............. ..96 1880 .... ..Elizabeth Semore .... ..90

1866 .... ..,Susan Mayfield ........ ..90 1882 .... ..Elizabeth John. ....... ..91

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Dr. CHARLES MCLANE, an eminent physician and citizen

' of Monongalia County, was born in Tyrone, Ireland, in 1790.

He came to New York City in 1805; read medicine with
Dr. Luther, at Lancaster, Penn., and attended lectures at
the University of Pennsylvania. He practiced medicine with
his brother, Dr. William McLane, at Connellsville, Penn.

Dr. McLane settled at Morgantown in 1823. His wife
was Eliza, dau;;l'1ter of John Kern, of Greensburg, Penn.
He was a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and Was the inventor of the liver pills known by his name,
and which have a great sale in America, and are known in
almost every civilized country on the globe.

Dr. McLane practiced medicine at Morgantown for a
half century, and died there in 1874. He was about five
feet eight inches in height, and had a round face, auburn
hair and blue eyes.

HUGH VV. BROOK, M.D., was born January 5, 1830, at
Blacksville, Monongalia County, and died April 24, 188 2, at

MEDICAL HISTORY. 473

his home in Morgantown. His father, the Hon. Fletcher
Brock, soon after the birth of the subject of this sketch,
removed his residence to the Pennsylvania side of Mason
and Dixon’s line, and was thenceforward connected with the
politics of that State, though his business——that of a mer-
chant——Was still conducted in Virginia. He was a man
whose sterling worth, unstinted benevolence, unaffected
piety, warm heart and active brain made him a leader in
the community in which he lived. Blessed, too, with a
a mother of rare excellence, Dr. Brock had the advantage
of a pure and pious parentage—-of a descent whose mingled
English and Scotch blood was, so far as the record shows,
untainted.

His boyish characteristics foreshadowed the playfulness
and seriousness, the freedom and dignity of his manhood.
One incident points out the incipient” physician. Scarlet
fever was in his uncle’s family. As the disease was malig-
nant, a nurse could not be found. He begged permission to
help nurse his’ little cousins—himself eleven years old,———
saying he was not afraid, and that he would not return
home until all danger of contagion was past. His earnest-
ness and bravery gained the permission.

At fourteen he began his academic training at Car-
michaels, Penn., and continued it at Monongalia Academy.
At sixteen he entered on his medical studies with the then
celebrated Dr. Charles McLane. In 1852, he received his
degree from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia.

From the time of his graduation till 1870, he was in part—
nership with Dr. Joseph A. McLane. This association was
amicably dissolved, and his brother, Luther S. Brock,
having received his degree, became the junior partner of the
firm of Brock Brothers.

MONONGALIA IN WEST AUGUSTA. 47

Joseph Barker and Levi Carter; on Dunkard, Thomas
Wade, George Wacle, Sen. and Valentine Cooper; on
Monongahela. River, Jacob Hall (opposite the falls) and
Philip Pindall; on Cobun’s Creek, Henry Haines and N.
Harris; on West’s Run, Jonathan Newland; on Flag
Meadow Run, ohn Dawson and James Walker; on Decker’s
Creek, WVillia1n Houghland; on Robinson's Run, Abram
Hendricks. In the year 1776——On Cheat River, John
McFarland and Charles‘ Donaldson; on Scott’s Mill Run,

William VVatkins ; on the Monongahela River, John Burris.

Usually, in the case of the erection or creation of any
civil or political division of territory by law, the creating
act declares its boundaries; but in the case of the District
of VVest Augusta its boundaries were not defined until the

‘ passage of an act dissolving it into three new counties.

This act was passed in October, 1776, by the General
Assembly of the Co1nn1oi ‘of Virginia, and is as

follows 2

AN ACT for ascertaining the boundary between the county of
Augusta, and the District of \Vest Augusta, and for dividing
the said district into three distinct counties.

WVHEREAS, it is expedient to ascertain. the boundary between the
the county of Augusta and the District of VVest Augusta, Be it
therefore enacted by the General Assemblg/ of Me (‘ommomvealm of
Virginia, and it is hereby en.ac2‘ed by the (mf}1()7'it_e/ of I/2e.s'a7n,e,
That the boundary between the said district and county shall be
as follows, to wit : Beginning on the Allegheny mountain between
the heads of Potowiuack, Cheat, and Greenbrier rivers,” (said to be
Haystack knob, now, at the north—east corner of Pocahontas County),
“thence along the ridge of mountains which divides the waters of
Cheat River from those of Greenbrier, a11d that branch of the
Monongahela River called the Tyger‘s (Tygart‘s) Valley River to
Monongahela River, thence up the said river and the West Fork
thereof, to Bingern1an‘s (Binganion) creek, on the north-west side

474 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

During the civil war, his fondness for surgery led him to
take the position of acting surgeon in Sl1eridan’s field hos-
pital at VVinchester, Va., where he remained several months.
With this exception, his life-work was done in Morgantown
and its vicinity.

May 29, 1878, he was married to Isabella J ., daughter of
the late Rev. Andrew Stevenson, D.D., of New York City.

Dr. Brock’s personal appearance was commanding. He
had much of What is called “presence,” but this he ‘owed
even less to his physique than to the quiet dignity which
marked his bearing. Nearly six feet in height, finely pro-
portioned, his grey eyes keen a11d expressive, his look direct,
the whole manner was suggestive of the nobility Within.

He was pre—eminentl:7 a man of one profession. An inde-
fatigable student, he made everything pay tribute to his
medical lore. "With a strong i3811(fe11Cy to specialization, he
was never one—sided nor narrow—minded. His judgment
was clear and decisive. lie was conservative on all ques-
tions, except where purity and honesty were involved. He
believed in physical, mental and soul culture. He had
studied the physical too well to ignore the psychical. His
ministry to the suffering was more than materia medica. In
the homes of the people, doubtless, there is a history
Written which, if it could be told, would be his highest trib-
ute. Through thirty years of professional toil, he counted
not his own life dear that he might be ,of service to others.

For the sublime a11d magnificent manifestations of nature
in our rugged country he had an intense admiration. His
Were the first appreciative eyes to rest upon many a now
famed view. He studied natural science by the roadside,
and was acquainted with our fauna and flora, and knew
the note of every forest songster.

MEDICAL HISTORY. 475

As a physician, he was wise and trustworthy. Firmness
and gentleness, wonderfully combined, made him an ideal
physician. But it was in surgery that he took most interest
and found most pleasure. Regarding anatomical knowledge
as the basis of all success and skill in this department, he
spared no pains to make himself familiar with the structure of
the human body by dissection. He never lost an opportunity
for an autopsical examination, to observe and study pathalog-
ical lesions. Living in a country where it is necessary to
be a general practitioner, he performed most of the so-
called capital operations, such as lithotomy, herniotomy,
ovariotomy, and all of the most important amputations,
except that of the hip joint, and many of the more delicate
operations, as that for cataract, etc., and with almost uni-

form success.

His courteous bearing toward his professional brethren,
and never-failing consideration for them ; his high sense of
honor and acknowledged ability, secured for him an ex-
tended consultation practice throughout , his own State,
and many counties of the contiguous State of Pennsylvania.
A medical friend in Pennsylvania pays the following tribute,
which is so true an index to his gentlemlanly treatment of
those whom he esteemed worthy, that we take the liberty of
quoting:

“VVhen I was a very young man, with limited training and no
experience, he always met me kindly and treated me encourage-—
ingly, guiding me into paths that are, in ripening years, proving
highways of professional pleasure and profit. I esteemed him the
most scholarly and thoroughly scientific physician and surgeon
among my acquaintances ; a man with whom I never associated an
hour without feeling more deeply impressed with the importance of

our profession, and the necessity. of more accurate and thorough
knowledge.”

476 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Dr. Brock was one of the charter members of the Medical
Society of West Virginia, and remained one of its most active
and industrious members. He was one of its early presidents,
and for several successive years, a member of its board of
censors. He made frequent contributions to the transac-
tions of the society, and his report of cases of strangulated
hernia was reprinted in the New York jV[ecZical Journal and
in the Richmond and Louisville Ilfedical Journal. His per-
sonal worth and professional attainments were recognized
by eminent representative medical men throughout the
nation.

In 1881, he attended the International Medical Congress
in London, as a delegate from the American Medical Asso-
ciation. Even in his limited sojourn in the Old World he
exemplified his accustomed devotion to his chosen work,
spending most of his time in visiting the hospitals of Lon-
don, Dublin, Edinburgh and Paris. He was a member of
the American Surgical Society, and, at its last meeting in
New York, read a paper of surgical interest on traumatic
aneurism. At the time of his death he was professor of
Anatomy, Physiology and Hygiene in ‘West Virginia Univer-
sity, and a member of the board of regents.

Memorial services were held at the University in connec-
tion with commencement exercises, at which ex—Senator
Willey, the Rev. J. R. Thompson, Col. D. D. Johnson, and
Dr. J. E. Reeves presented the various phases of his char-
acter.

It would seem unnecessary to add that Dr. Brock was a
Christian, but in this age of rationalism it is noteworthy
that he was not only a communicant in the Methodist Epis-
copal Church from boyhood, but that his religious faith
gave tone to his whole life.

MEDICAL HISTORY. 477

W’e cannot more appropriately close this sketch than
with a quotation from an editorial notice in a Wheeling
daily:

“There were few physicians more learned, more skilled, and
more highly esteemed, both among members of his profession and
his acquaintances than the deceased. No man was more ambi-
tious to master problems of his profession; none took greater
pains and studied more deeply; none was better posted or kept
pace more fully with the progress and development of medical sci-
ence. He was prominent in all movements for the elevation and
improvement of his profession in the State. Not only was he dis-
tinguished and esteemed as a physician, but as a man whose per-
sonal character and reputation were without spot or blemish. He
had the complete confidence of all who knew him. There was not
the slightest taint of hypocrisy or deceit in him. He abhorred all
shams. He was frank, straightforward, manly. and absolutely
incorruptible in all the relations of life. He did nothing for effect;
was sincere and upright in all his impulses; and there is perhaps
not a man of his acquaintance who would not have taken his Word
as willingly. as his bond. This is high praise, but those who knew
him, know also that it is justly due the character of the deceased.
He has dropped out of his place in the prime of manhood, with
capacity for great usefulness, and with the promise of great honor
and distinction in his profession. His death is a loss to his own
community, to the University, and the profession he so much
honored.” 1

Dr. GEORGE VV. JOHN was born February 4, 1827, in
Monongalia County. His father’s name was VVilliam John,
who died in 1855, and his mother was Mary McVicker, who
died in 1880. He received his education in the common
schools at Stewarttown and at Monongalia Academy.
August 31, 1849, he married Sisson, eldest daughter of the
late John S. Dorsey, of near Morgantown. His children
are: Alice, wife«of VVilliam Moorhead, of Morgantown;
Ellenora, wife of Joseph M. Wood, of Scottsdale, Penn.;

478 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

and George M. John, of Morgantown. Of his father's
family of eleven children, but two survived Dr. ohn,
namely: Permelia John and Elizabeth, the wife of E. W.
St. Clair.

About 1850, Dr. John began the study of medicine with
Dr. U. L. Clemmer, at Smithfield, Penn.; after one year, he
attended - lectures at the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical
Institute, and began the practice of his profession at
Stewarttown in 1852. In medicine he was an ardent advo-
cate of reform, and his efforts were devoted principally to
the elaboration and perfection of the mazferia medica. Such
was his love for his profession, that he continued to practice
it until a short time before his death.

In 1860, Dr. John opened a general store at Stewarttown,
and also had stores at New Geneva and Bosedale, in Penn-
sylvania. In 1871, he removed to Durbannah, and opened a
store in Morgantown. Three years later he bought the
property opposite the \Vallace House, and removed his
store to the store-room in that building, where he continued
the business until his death. He also had branch stores at
Morgantown, Uffington, and Reedsville, Preston County.
During this time, he was engaged also in the lumber and
timber trade. Prospering in his business pursuits, he left a
competence at his death. Though delicate in constitution,

 Dr. John possessed great capacity for business, and was

remarkably gifted with the power of endurance. He was
an indefatigable worker, and a man of great energy.

At the age of eighteen years, Dr. John joined the Meth-
odist Protestant Church, of which he remained a consistent
and conscientious member until the division of the church
into the North and South branches. He strongly opposed
what he considered the introduction of politics into the de-

MEDICAL HISTORY. 479

nomination. Since he withdrew from this church his relig-
ion vvas to try to live up to the Golden Rule. His favorite
passage of Scripture was the 27th verse of the first chapter
of James: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and
the:Father is this: to visit the fatherless and the widows in
their aflliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the
world.” Of the doctrines and teachings of Swedenborg he
was a great admirer. .

Upon his death, which occurred January 26, 1883, a
writer thus spoke of him in The New D0mz'm'0n .-

“In his death our community has sustained a great loss, for Dr.
John was one of Monongali.a’s most substantial citizens, ‘native
and to the manor born’ ; a man of large and extensive business, a
physician and philosopher. a Democrat and patriot. He was char-
itable and generous. He did not put 011' the needy with a tract,
nor when asked for bread give a stone ; but though not withhold-

ing his good counsel, he never failed to help the needy, to assist-

the wounded, and to visit the sick and afflicted. ‘While he sustained
a. fair degree of popularity with the people in general, still Dr.
J ohn’s real worth was only known to his family and very intimate
friends, for he fully carried out the injunction, ‘Let not thy right
hand know what thy left hand doeth.’ His conduct during his last
illness, and his faith in his future on the approach of death, fully
proved‘ that he died the death of a Christian.”

Dr. JAMES VANCE BOUGHNER was born at Clarksburg, Vir-
ginia, on the 9th of April, 1812. His father, Daniel Bough-
ner, married Mary, daughter of Alexander Vance, a man
remarkable for being wonderfully strict and upright. Dr.
Boughner, when only sixteen years of age, took charge of
the postfofiice at Greensboro, Penn., and it is said of him,
that, “possessed of an active and ambitious mind, he made
up for want of early opportunities by extensive and general
reading and study, and acquired a very thorough knowledge
of the standard English classics and of general history.”

480 HISTORY OF MONONGALlA COUNTY.

He read medicine with Dr. Stephenson, and attended
lectures at the Cincinnati Medical ‘College. He located at
Mt. Morris, on the line between Pennsylvania and Virginia

' (VVest Virginia), and practiced in Greene and Monongalia

counties. He represented Greene county in the legislatures
of Pennsylvania of 1845-6 and 1846-7.

Dr. Boughner married Miss Louisa J ., daughter of
Andrew Brown, on the 8th day of May, 1845, and soon
thereafter removed to Brown’s Mills (Andy post—oflice). In
1859, he retired from the practice of medicine, and removed
to Morgantown. ‘

He was a member of the committee which reported the
resolutions of April 17, 1861, (see p. 139,) and was elected
a delegate to the Wlieeling Convention of May 13th. He
was paymaster in the Federal army from 1864 to the close
of the war, and was afterward collector of internal revenue,
and was elected a member of the Legislature of "West
Virginia in 1867. _

Raised in the tenets of the Presbyterian faith and com-
ing of a family whose record was without blot or stain, Dr.
Boughner “was a warm friend,” and while he “could deal
heavy blows at his antagonist,” yet he “ carried no malice
in his heart.”

He died February 8, 1882, of cancer of the stomach, and
was laid, to rest in Oak Grove cemetery on the 10th of the
same month. His family consisted of six children : Rosalie,
Mary L., VVilliam L., Martha, Emma and Andrew Brown.
It is said that probably there was no other man in Monon-
galia or Greene County who had as large an acquaintance
as Dr. Boughner, nor none who knew more persons.

ABSALOM MORRIS J ARRETT, D.D.S., was born August 31,

MEDICAL HISTORY. 481

1840, in Monongalia County, Virginia, and is the second son
of William N. and Sarah Jarrett, ' a grandson of Absalom
Morris (for Whom he was named) who came to the southern
border of Fayette County, Penn., from Delaware, and built
the first house on the spot where the hotel now stands at
Morris’ Cross Roads, about eighty—five years ago; and a
grandson of John Jarrett, who came to Virginia from New
Jersey at an early day, and lived near Ice’s Ferry. He
was a millwright, and built the water-wheel to run the blast
of the “old furnace” at Quarry Run on the Brandonville
and Morgantown turnpike.-

Dr. Jarrett lived in Morgantown from boyhood, and was
educated at the Monongalia Academy during the time that
the Rev. J. R. Moore had charge of it. In 1865, he com-
menced the study of dentistry, and graduated with distinc-
tion at the Philadelphia Dental College, at Philadelphia.

He Married, in 1868, Linnie, the third daughter of Sam-
uel Howell, of Morgantown. In 1870 he located at Grafton,
Taylor County, and now lives at “ Oak Glen,” his country
home, one—half mile from the court-house in Grafton, on
the banks of the Tygart Valley River.

Dr. Jarrett has been very successful in his profession.
No dentist in the State has done more to elevate the
standard of the profession. In appreciation of this fact
Governor Jackson appointed him a member of the board of
censors of the Second Congressional District, whose duty it
is to examine applicants touching their qualifications as
dentists. He is strictly conscientious in all his dealings,
professional and otherwise, and enjoys the utmost confi-

dence of his numerous patrons.
31

482 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

DR. MARMADUKE DEN'1'.——In the history of Monongalia
the Dent family has played a prominent part, and bears an
honorable record in the county’s annals. The first of the
name upon the soil of the county was Captain John Dent,
who came from London County, Virginia, to Monongalia. in
the early spring of the historic year of 1776. He served in
the Broadhead and McIntosh campaigns onthe western
frontier, and was (almost beyond a doubt) the first sheriif of
Monongalia County. Mlle was a captain in the frontier
militia under Colonel John Evans, whose only daughter,
Margaret, he married. Captain Dent became possessed of
a large landed estate upon the waters of Dent’s Run‘(wl1‘ich
was named for him), and was a member of the Virginia.
Assembly, a justice ofutlie peace, and served a second term
as sheriff. He died September 20, 1840, aged eighty-five
years. His wife survived him, -she dying November 23,
1851, aged nearly eighty—eight years. Their children were
twelve, namely: 1. Elizabeth (Betsy), who was married to
Rawley Martin ; 2. John Evans Dent, who married Rebecca
Hamilton, and removed to Illinois; 3. George Dent, who
died at New Orleans in 1805; 4. Dudley Evans Dent, who
married Mahala Berkshire, aunt of ex—judge B-. L. Berk-
shire, and was drowned in the Kanawha River; 5. Nancy,
wife of Captain Felix Scott; 6. Nimrod Dent, who married
Susan Graham; 7. Pegg , wife of John Rochester; 8.
Enoch, who married Julia Gapin; 9. James Dent, who
married Dorcas Berkshire, sister to ex-judge R. L. Berk-
shire; 10. Marmaduke, the subject of this sketch; 11. Ann
Arah, the widow of the late Peter Fogle, the only survivor
of the twelve, and who lives at Cranberry, Preston County,
with her sons, Dr. James B. and R. Bruce Fogle ; 12. Raw-
ley Evans Dent, who married Maria Miller.

I

MEDICAL HISTORY. 48.?-

Dr. Marmaduke Dent was born at the old “Dent Home«
stead” on Dent’s Run (formerly Scott’s Meadow Run),
about six miles from Morgantown, in what is now Grant
District, Monongalia County, February 25, 1801. He at-
tended the subscription schools at Laurel Point, one mile
from his home, and received at them what was then regarded
as a good common school education. Being of delicate
health and afflicted with the asthma, upon arriving at his
majority, he determined upon the study of medicine, which
he prosecuted with Dr. Enos Daugherty at Morgantown,
remaining with him over three years, when, in 1825, he
settled at Kingwood, Preston County, and began the
practice of his profession. He was the first resident phy-
sician of that county, and, at that early day, had a very
extensive practice. Here, in 1827, he married Sarah, daugh-
ter of Colonel William Price, of Kingwood, and the next
year moved back to Monongalia, to Laurel Point,
where he and his brother Nimrod Dent engaged in
partnership in the business of milling, merchandising and
distilling, in the property purchased of their father, which
business he had carried on there since 1790. In 1830, Dr.
Dent sold out his business at Laurel Point to his brother
Nimrod, and removed to Granville, on the Monongahela
River, about two miles from Morgantown, where he was
post—master for many years, and where for several years he
continued the practice of medicine only. In 1839, he com-
menced merchandising again, which business he continued
with the practice of medicine, until shortly before his death.
In the early days of his practice here he was called to make
professional visits to every part of Monongalia, to Preston
County, and to parts of Greene and Fayette, Penn.

Dr. Dent raised eight children to adult years, who all

48 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

of said fork, thence up the said creek to the head thereof, thence in

a direct line to the head‘ of Middle Island Creek, a branch of the /

Ohio, and thence to the Ohio, including all the said waters of said
creek, in the aforesaid district of West Augusta, all that territory
lying to the northward of said boundary, and to the Westward of
the States of Pennsylvania and Maryland, shall be deemed, and is
hereby declared, to be within the District of VVest Augusta.”

On the Waters of the Youghioghenyhand territory which
afterward belonged to VVest Augusta, \Vashington opened
the War that led to the establishment of the American
Republic. In the Ohio River, on territory which had once
been a part of ‘West Augusta, Aaron Burr planned the first
great attempt at rebellion against that Republic, and
mapped out his ambitious dream of a mighty Western

empire.

484 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

survive him but one——namely: 1. Marshall Mortimer, born
May 2, 1828, who lives at Morgantown, and Who Was clerk
of the circuit court and of the county court, editor of the
Star, member of the Richmond Convention of 1861, and is
a member of the Morgantown bar; 2. William Marmaduke
Dent, M.D., born March 6, 1831, a prominent physician and
surgeon living at Newburg, Preston County, Where he
located in 1863, and who is a member of the American
Medical Association and of the West Virginia Medical
Society, of which he has been, successively, secretary, vice
president, and president, and I who now practices in
partnership with his son, Dr. Frank Mortimer Dent;
3. Margaret L., born May 2, 1833, wife of Frank
M. Chalfant, of Lewis County; 4. John Evans Dent,

born September 11, 1835, died at Marietta, Ohio,
of small—pox, March 14, 1863, where he Was engaged
as a clerk in the quartermaster’s department in the
Union army; 5.. Dr. George VVashington Dent, born
October 23, 1840, practicing at Arnettsville; 6. Dr. Felix
Jackson Dent, born November 5, 1842, practicing at Breck-
enridge, Missouri; 7. James Evans Dent, Esq., living at
Granville; 8. Sarah Virginia, born October 20, 1846, the
wife of Thomas P. Reay, of Morgantown.

Dr. Marmaduke Dent died at the old homestead, February
10, 1883, aged eighty—one years eleven months and fifteen
days. His wife, who was born June 22, 1809, survives him,
and resides with her son Squire James E. Dent at Granville.
Dr. Dent was stricken with paralysis in October, 1880, and
from that time till his death was an invalid. Though one
side of his body was paralyzed, he fully retained his mental
faculties almost to the hour of his death. His body was
buried in the graveyard near Granville, on the 12th, beside

MEDICAL HISTORY. 485

the remains of his son, John Evans Dent. The funeral
services were conducted by the Rev. Mr. Foster, Prof. Lyon
(ofthe University), the Rev. E. Price and the Rev. T. H.
Trainer. His four sons, Marshall M., Dr. William M., Dr.
George VV. and JameslE., agreeably to their father’s re-
quest, acted as the pall-bearers.

Many years before his death, Dr. Dent, with his wife,
joined the Baptist Church at Morgantown, of which he was
a consistent member, regular in attendance, and liberal in
its support. He met death calmly, declaring, “ I know
that my Redeemer liveth,” requesting that the family wear
no badges of mourning, and that the simple inscription, “A
Sinner Saved by Grace,” be placed on his tombstone.

Dr. Dent, even in his old age, was very quick and agile in
his movements, of tall and Well proportioned form, of com-
manding presence, and possessed of a clear, analytic mind
and remarkable memory. Of him a Writer said :

“ He was no ordinary man. Strong in intellect, and with a con-
science void of offense, he was brave as Julius Caesar. A physician
of excellent judgment, a true friend, an obliging neighbor, and full
of sympathy, the poor will miss him. He was a stern but a just
and kind father, a true and loving husband, a sincere patriot, an

intelligent citizen, and that noblest Work of God, ‘an honest man,’
Whose ‘word was as good as his bond’.”

CHAPTER» XXV.
MILITARY I-IISTORY.*

French and Indian VVar——I)unn1ore’s War——Revo1utionary VVar-—
VVar of 1812—Mexican VVar—-Oregon Frontier VVar———The Civil
VVar—Regular Arn1y——United States Navy——Mi1itia Regiments,
1796 to 1867—P1-ojected Monument to \Vashington—P1-ojected
Soldiers’ Monun1ent—So1diers’ Reunion, July 4, 1883—Bio-
graphical Sketches.

“ On fame’s eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And Glory guards, with solemn round,
The bivouac or the dead.”—0’IIm~a.

IN THE defense of Colonial rights, beneath the cross of St.
George, the early settlers of Monongalia fought in the
French and Indian war. In Braddock’s defeat, 1755, and
Forbes’ expedition, 1758, it is said David and Zackwell
Morgan served in /the Virginia forces. In Dunmore’s war,
1774, David Scott served as a captain, John Evansnas a
lieutenant, Richard Tennant as a drummer, and Peter
Haught as a private. .

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

John Evans served as a lieutenant-colonel, James Daugh-
erty served as a captain, Richard Tennant as drummer, and
Peter Haught and James Snodgrass as privates, in McIn-
tosh’s campaign, 1778. These names were secured from
affidavits made November 15, 1811, before the county court,

5

*For matter kindred to the subject of this chapter, general reference is here made
to chapters six, seven, eight and thirteen, of this volume.

MILITARY HISTORY. ~ 487

by John Evans and David Scott, and later, by Richard
Tennant and Peter Haught.

Of the company that must have gone from Monongalia,
and which tradition says did go, no muster roll can be
found. It is likely that it was destroyed in the burning of
the clerk’s office in 1796.

Nothing further can be found of any Monongalians serving
in the Continental armies, than What is given on pages 56
and 57, concerning the West Augusta regiments, and of
Zackwell Morgan and Jerry Archer, except that tradition
further says that Jerry Archer, of Monongalia, was the man
who shot General Frazer at Saratoga.

VVe have no account of them, although there must have
been Monongalians in General Clark’s campaign in 1781,
in VVilliamso11’s two campaigns in 1781—2, in CraWford’s
campaign in 1782, and in Harmor’s campaign in 1790. In
St. Clair’s campaign, 1791, were Levi, James and “Mod”

Morgan and James Pindall, of a company from Monongalia.

In VVayne’s campaign many of the same company, it is said,

served.
The following is a list of soldiers living in Monongalia
and pensioned under an act of Congress of March 18, 1818,

for military service in the Revolutionary war:

Stephen Archer Jesse Jaskins Zadoc Morris
Richard T. Atkinson Yonst Heck Tnomas Malone
Joseph Bunner Edward Raymond Joseph Sapp

Ezekiel Burrows Richard Johnson Gabriel Williams
Benjamin Cbesney Daniel Lee Stephen Watkins
Asaph Colegate Christian Madera Ebenezer Blaeksbira

Henry F. Floyd

The folloiving is a list of Revolutionary officers and sol-
diers in Monongalia in 1832, additional to the above, ar~
ranged in alphabetical order, and showing the nativity of
those born outside of Virginia: I

488 HISTORY OF MONONGALTA COUNTY.

Peter Bartrugg Jacob Holland (Pa.) John Stone

John Burdin (N. Y.) Peter Hammer (Pa'.) Charles Simpkins
Solomon Chaffin Peter I-Iaught Henry Stone
Elisha Clayton Purnell Houston Philip Snell (Pa.)
James Collins William Hall George Tucker
John Dent, Lieutenant George Keller James Tryon
Henry Dorton V Peter Miller James Troy
Samuel Dudley, Zackwell Morgan Richard Th rails
James Devers Amos Morris Henry Williams
Simeon Everly Evan Morgan George Wade
John Evans, Colonel Richard Price John Wills (Md.)
William Ford Zachariah Piles William Wilson
CalebFurbee Isaac Reed, (N. Y.) William Wilson (2nd)
Stephen Gapen (Pa.) James Scott Henry ‘Yoho

The following is a list of Revolutionary soldiers in Monon-
galia County, June 1, 1840 :

EOLste7'n, ]l[onongaZ2Ia.——Evan Morgan, aged 88; James Devars, 86;
Willia111;\Vilson, 84; Isaac Reed, 82 ; George Keller, 81.

W'eszfe7°n ]l[0n0n_qalia.—John Dent, aged 85; James Collins, 85;
Elisha Clayton, 83; Charles Simpkins, 82; Benjamin Chesney, 80;
Zadoc Morris, 79; Asaph M. Colgate, 77; Samuel Dudley, 77; Amos
Morris, 77; James Scott, 75; Robert Darrah, 71.

The last survivor of these Revolutionary heroes was Evan
Morgan, often called “Chunk” Morgan, from being a small
but heavy—set man, who died in 1850. His span of life

measured eighteen days over one hundred years.

WAR or 1812.

Col. Dudley Evansfs regiment of Virginia militia served
under General Harrison in the Northwest, at Fort Meigs,
from September, 1812, to some time in 1813. Great hard-
ships Were often experienced in their marches. At times
the men had to out bushes to lie on at night, to keep them-
selves out of the Water. The regiment from first to last
seems to have been composed of twenty-three companies,
which were raised in Monongalia, Harrison,f-Kanawha,
Hampshire, Hardy, Brooke, Randolph, \Vood, Ohio, Green-
brier, Cabell and Mason counties.

MILITARY HISTORY.

489

CAPTAIN JESSE IcE’s COMPANY.

Jesse Ice, Captain
Moses Cox, Lieutenant
Peter Bates, Ensign
James Kelley, Sergeant
Nathan Hall, "
Abram Cox, “

Samuel Aulton
Henry Ashton
Stephen Archer
John Brown
George Baird
James Brand
Benjamin Baldwin
John Brookhaui-*
Jacob Brookhaur
Jesse Coombs
Thomas Clayton
Jacob Claus1-
Aaron Foster
Alexander Hart
Benjamin Hayhust
Peter Hanght

Ofiicers.

Peter Haught, Sergeant
David Helmick, Corporal
Joseph Neely, “

Abner Hall, _

60

George Lough, “

Privates.

VVilliam Hayhust
John Harker
James Henderson
Nicholas I-Iaught
James Holbert
David Jenkins
Henry Jansen
John Jones

John Knox

John King
James Lough
Virgil Lancaster
Nimrod Lancaster
Philip Moore
John Morgan
Rawley Morgan

Henry Martin /"H
John Martin

John Mo)/[asters
Charles Martin
John Mcflallister
Richard F-ostlewaite
Daniel Bich

Philip Rutherford
Philip Sherman
William Stewart
Jacob Tennant
William Underwood
Joseph Varner
Daniel Varner

John Walton
Azariah Wilson

CAPTAIN JAMES MORGAN’S COMPANY.

Jam es l\lox-gan, Captain

Isaac Cooper, Lieutenant

Silas Stevens, Ensign
Henry VVatson, Sergean
Thomas McGee, “

Simeon Stevens, Fifer
Thos. Rose, Drummer
Joseph Banner
James Cobun

John Chipps

John Cobun

-Abraham Devault

Amos A. Deal
Thomas Franklin
William Ford

0ji¢:(ar.s*.

Joseph Lewis, Sergeant

Hopkins Rose, “

John Cobun, Corporal
t Thomas Leach, “

I’/2°ivazfes.
George Grim
George Gay‘
William Huggins
J. Jones
Luke Jane
Hezekiah Joseph
John Keller
Thomas Lewellen
Amos Powell
William Powers

John Powers
Tnmer Quick
Nathaniel Reed
Joseph Rader
John Rix

Job Springer
John Squires
Thomas Stafford
Thomas Stewart
Alex Wilson

* Now written Brookover.

T Now Written Clouse.

I 490 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

CAPT. SAMUEL WILSON’S COMPANY.

Officers.

Samuel Wilon. Captain Joseph Gusexnan, Corporal
Godfrey Guseman, Lieutenant Isaac Guseman, “
Robert Stewart, Sergeant William Allender “
Thomas Dunn, “ ' George Reese, “

John Howell, “ Francis Pierpont, Ensign
John Foster, “ John Sullivan, Drummer

]’rz'vates.

James Adair Asael Gifford George Norris
Joseph Austin William Hall Larkin Pierpont
John Atkison James Herrington Zackwell Pierpont
William Baldwin Vvilliam Hartley John Pride

John Baker Henry Henthorn John Robinson
Reuben Baker VVilliam Houston Thomas Robinson
I/Villiam Boyd George Hopkinson William Robe
Archibald Boyd Joseph D. Bill James Reed
Benjamin Bartlett Abram Hess George Randolph
George Cropp Levi Jenkins Philip Smell
James Donaldson Joseph Jones William Statford
Isaac Davis John Jenkins Peter Smell

Isaac Dean John Kern Clayton Swindler
John Dean Asa Lewellen Hezekiah Wells
William Davis Robert Lemon John Watts
William Darnell William May Clark" VVi‘sliams
John Foster, Jr. Job Magill Augustine Wells
Isaac Forxnan Eli Moore William Wisan
Philip D. Gordon Henry May William Watson
John Guseman James Marty John Magill

Colonel Henry Coiemarfs Virginia regiment served at
Norfolk, Virginia. Captain James Hurry raised a company
in Monongaiia and Brooke counties, which served in this
regiment from May to August, 1814:. The roll of this
company was as follows:

CAPT. JAMES HURRY’s COMPANY.

Qflice-rs.
James Hurry, Captain Peter Tennant, Sergeant
John Carothers, Lieutenant Lewis Turner, Corporal
Joseph Piokenpaugh, Ensign George Ashby, “
George McCrea, Sergeant Garden Burgess, “
Thomas S. Haymond, Sergeant, Lewis Smith, "
Samuel Brand, “ Isaac Cox, “

John Street, “ Morgan S. Morgan, Corporal

George Amos
Nelson Bolen
Jacob Brookover
David Bates
Thomas Bland
Jacob Brumagen
Joseph Barrett
John Bennett
George Buchannon
James Bnchannon
Willian Brown
Walter Brownlee
Edward Bozeman
James Collen
Turner Compton
Michael Conner
Morris Canada
Isaac Cohen
Thomas Clayton,
Jesse Cheshire
Henry Duzenberry
Elisha Dawson,
William Demoss
James Everly
Edward Evans
John Fisher
Peter Fox
Richard Fawcett
Richard Fields
Elisha Ford
Jacob Flanagan
Jacob Goff
Joseph Haught

Privates.

Harry Howard
Patrick Haney
Jacob Hickman
John Harris
William Hardesty
Silas Hedges
Eph. Johnson
Thomas Jones
Zachariah Jones
George Keller
John Lemasters,
Philip Lewellen
John Lipscomb
Andrew Luzader
George Low

Ed ward Matthews
Peter Myers
William Murphy
Uriah McDavitt
William McC-ants
James McGee
David Matthews
VVilliam McMillan
John Matthews
Aaron Mei)-aniels
Evan Morgan
Jomes Moorehead
Caleb Merriman
Abe McAtee
Richard iiuzurn
Robert Prefect
Samuel Pixly
William Pratt

MILITARY HISTORY. 491

James Price
Joel Rhodes
Aaron Riggs
Benjamin Reed

' Cyrus Riggs

Steve Ridenour
John Roberts
Edward Sanders
William Stewart
Patrick Shean
James Stoneking
David Swindler
Jacob Swisher
William Shaw
Samuel Sheppard
Jacob Stone
Philip Shewman
George Smith
William Strait
G60. B. Slulllh
John Townley
Garrett Thomas
Aaron Titchner
Abe Tennant
Joseph Tennant
Joseph Trickett
Alexander Winders
Joseph VVilliams
John Wiley
VVi1lian1 Vvyatt
James I. Vi/‘est
David West
John W'ood

Of the above company, the following died while in the

service :

Geo. Ashby, Corporal

Michael Conner

Joseph Trickett

Captain VVilloughby Morgan raised two companies for the
12th United States regulars, to serve from eighteen months

to five. years.

As the most of these men were from Monon-

galia County, we give the rolls of both companies.

492

HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

CAPTAIN WILLOUGHBY MORGAN,S FIRST COMPANY.

Qfiicers.

Willoughby Morgan, Captain
Matthew Hughes, Lieutenant
William Parker, “ '
Thomas Conyers, Sergeant
William Harrell, “

John Peters, Sergeant

James Watkins, Corporal (died)
George Hutchinson, “

John Thompson, "
Archibald McNeil, "

Benjamin Evans, “
John Hannah, “
Nathan Belford, “

William Applegate
Peter Ambler
Peter Bauzle
Robert Brown
Henry Butler
John Bloss
William Bellord
Samuel Bush
Joseph Baldwin
Jermiah Ball
Wisan Beck
David Bryan
Abram Bozart
James Bates
John Basnett
John Breedlove
George Braden
John Buckley
Jonathan Bell
John Brown
James Brown
John Beckwell
Samuel Bussey
Daniel Crossman
George Clouse
John Carmack
John O'Connor
John Cease
George B. Cralt
Charles Clark
Daniel Cook
William Day
Samuel Dowell

Caleb Trip pent, “
George Speck, “

]’7'tivates.

Thomas Davis
Jacob Davis
Richard Dunn
David Douglass
Gilfield Donnally
Richard Dycke
Benjamin Downing
Elias hldmonds
Martin Fisher
William Forth
Harrison Foster
John Ferguson
Robert Glass
Valentine Gumm
David Gilbert
Jesse Green
Elijah Hawk
Philip Huffman
Jacob Hufiman
Aaron Harness
Jacob Hulster
John Johnson
Samuel Isor
John Kent
Richard Lawrence
John Landsfelt
Thomas C. Ledderson
John Ledderson
Jacob Means
Abe. Millan
Elijah Morris
Samuel McElroy

Daniel McCarty
Daniel Martin (died)
William Meadows
Johnson Murrell
Jacob Miller
Thomas Moucure
William Ofmer
John Palmer
Joseph Parke
George Parke
Roger Parke
John Painter
James Reaves
Jonathan Reaves
David Hay
William Roberts
Wilson Sullivan
‘Willianl Stanley
Robert R. Smith

Ios.Severns(Sovereign*'l

James Scott
Giles Stevens
John Stover
Joseph Tonoy
Levi Tucker
Garrett Whitelock
William Woods
Joseph Watkins
Samuel Walker
Thomas Wills
Robert Warrick
James_Watson

MILITARY HISTORY.

493

CAPTAIN WILLOUGHBY MORGAN’S SECOND COMPANY.

Willongbby Morgan, Captain
Russel Harrison, Lieutenant

Amos J. Bruce. “
Geo. Eckridge, “
John Whaley, Sergeant
Joseph Lane, “
Thos. Conyers, “
James Carmor, “
Wm. Cohen, “

Thomas Wills, Corporal

Jonathan Bowman
VVilliam Beck
Benjamin Burnside
John Bradlove
Samuel Bush
Joseph Baldwin
Henry Butler
Evan Beck

James Bates
George Braden (died)
Robert Barr
Andrew Blair
James B. Brown
John Beckwell
Robert Beck

John Barber

John Bissell
James Bat:
Charles Clark
William Clark
Daniel Cook
Thomas Chatwood
Jonathan Collins
Isaac Davis
William Dawkins
Edward Daily
Samuel Dowell
William Day (died)
Richard Dunn
James G. Ferrell
Adam Fast
Conrad Garrett
William Green

Ojice-rs.

Jerry Ball, Corporal
Enoch Ferrel, “

Henry Gearing “
John Lewis, “
Wm. Price, Musician
John Mahaney, “
Alex. Carson, “
John McKinney, “
Chas. Alexander, “

1’7'2'vates.

James Glass
James E. Goode
Joseph Hensley
James Hunt
William Haywood
Andrew Hutchinson
Powell Hall
Michael Harris
Jacob Hall

William Henderson
Aaron Harness
Vliilliam Hurrald
John Hannah
Richard Johnson
John Jones

James Jones
Fleming Keysler
George Keysler
John Kingsolving
Thomas 0. Leader
Thomas Livingston
James Lavely

Abe Liven

Conrad Litchliter
Silas Lee

Henry Lane
James Lawrence
John Martin
Daniel Morgan
William McCarmick
Jacob Moore

Arch McNeal
Robert McClask_v

James Murphy, Ensign.

Jacob Mc.VIahon
John B. Moore
Thomas McLain
William Millburn
John McCoy
Thomas McLeggett
VVilliam McDonald
Joseph Miles
Henry Nicholas
Tlios. Nutton

C. S. Pryor
Thomas Pratt
Edward Roe
Benjamin Roberts
Enoch Roach

John Rice

Philip Russel
Dickinson Simpkins
Pat. Sullivan
John A. Smith

4 John Slagle

Isaac Smith
Vvilliam Scott
James Sikes
Nehemiah Slater
Henry Sneyd
Robert Stewart
John Stephens
Randolph Townly
Richard Tibbs
Matthew Teuton
Samuel Taylor
Thomas Turner

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494 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Lewis Williams
James Wilson

John Thomason
Francis Tuustell

John Williamson
John Walker

Thomas Toombs Jesse Wells Thomas Winn
James Trlppet: Joseph Wise Isaac H. Walker
Joseph Toney Daniel Wisner Thomas Wrose
James Thompson Robert Whaley Benjamin Wistar
Joseph Venable Samuel Williamson James Watkins
Thomas Watts

Captain Daniel Stewart raised a company for Colonel A.
VVood’s regiment, and marched for Norfolk, but only
reached Dunkard Bottom in Preston County, when the
news of peace arrived, and the men were discharged, having

served fr0m§February 20 to March 4, 1815.

CAPTAIN DANIEL STEWART’S COMPANY.

Daniel Stewart, Captain
Isaac Cooper, Lieutenant

Matthew Robinson,

Henry Furtney, Ensign

Simeon Woodruf, "
John Cobun,
James Neal, “

Jeremiah Abbott
\Villiam Astrow
William Bright
James Bell

James Baunon
Ezra Beals

Jacob Brittin
Jacob Bankert
Michael Bannon
Robert Bell

John Campbell
Henry Criss

John Clark

John Cox
Abraham Craxton
John Dawson
Peter Davis '
George Danly
Alexander Faulkner
George Gould
George Glendening

Sergeant

Oficers.

George McRea, Sergeant

John George, "

Levi Jenkins, Corporal

A bel Reese, “

William Woods, “

Edward Hartley
Thomas Hunt
Adam Hyrhew
William Houston
James Hutchinson
Joseph John
Michael Knight
John H. Klee
Benjamin Lewellen

Samuel Lewellen

Aaron Luzader
Charles Magill
Lawrence Mcl-Llenry
Isaac Marquess
John Martin
Robert McMul1en
John Miller

John Madden

John Abdon, “
I’ ivatcs.
David Grin John Macgill
Elijah Hawkins James Nesbitt
_ John Haskinson David Oliver

Charles O’Neal
Isaac Pearce
William Phillips
Thomas Porter
Samuel Pearce
Joseoh Read
Joseph Spencer
Henry Snyder
Johnshuttleworth’
J olm Squires
James Tillard
John Thompson
James \Vatklns
Boroick Watkins
Stephen Wilcox
Alpheus P. Wilson
Benjamin W hite
Alexander Zinn

MILITARY HISTORY. 495

Captain Samuel Kennecly’s company of artillery Was re-
cruited at Norfolk, from several companies. A number of
these men were from Monongalia County. The roll of this
company was as follows :

CAPTAIN SAMUEL KENNEDY’S COMPANY.

Ofiicers.

Samuel Kennedy, Captain Noah Ridgway, Sergeant
Michael Shively, Lieutenant Philip Shively, Corporal
Robert Courtney. “ James Hamilton, "

John Shively, Sergeant Levi Jones. “

George Bell, “ Abraham Hufiman "

Josiah Little 5‘ Fielding Ramsey, Drummer

I’7°z'vates.

‘ John Amon John Haught Jacob Rodaheaver
Amariah Augustine Jacob Haughtman Jacob Ringer
William Ayres Isaac Hunse Morgan Scott.
John Butler David Jackson Thomas Scott
Benjamin Button Samuel Jewell Gabe Speck _‘
William Burris John King George Steele
Harvey Barrios William Lawlis Eph. Shroyer
John Brumasin Job Lee . John Samuels
Matthew Campbell Samuel Lazzell Philip Short
John Clayton John Laidley Jesse Tucker
Anias Davis William Lemon Joel Tatler
John Davis George Lough ‘William Tennant
William Davis David Metheny Caleb Trippett
Eli Fanner David Michael Henry Wolfe
Thomas Glisson John Myers‘ Daniel Wolfe
Robert Guthrie James Mooreland William Woods
Edmund Guthrie Robert Means John Watts
Jacob Gilmore John Martin_ ‘ John Wheeler
Jesse Hanway Henry Pride John Young

For the above list of companies, and for many correc-
tions of the same, we arefindebted to John H. Hoffman and
Charles WV. Finnell.

Captain Zackwell Morgan was in the retreat from VVash—
ington to Bladensburgh, and died from the eflects of drink-
ing too much Water while overheated.

496 HISTORY or MONONCALIA COUNTY.

MEXICAN WAR.

In 1846, the 76th Regiment of Virginia militia, Colonel
James Evans, met on May 25th, and the 104th Regiment,
Lieut.-Colonel B. F. Tibbs, met in July, to ascertain how
many men of them would volunteer to go to Mexico as sol-
diers of the United States.

Kramer’s Monongalia Blues, with Captain FoWler’s Cheat
Invincibles and Captain Edison’s Cavalry, in all about 200
men, volunteered for one year ; but the Government refused

to receive any one-year men. Lieutenant, afterwards Cap-

tain, George W. Clutter recruited a squad of men in Mon-
ongalia County for Captain John Tyler, Jr.’s company at
Old Point Comfort, Virginia. This squad left Morgantown
May 21, 1817. The following are the ‘names of the men
composing this squad:

Levi L. Bryte George Hayes Ellis Mitchell
Williarn Black John VV. Hayes John McFadden (dis.)
‘ Jesse J. Carraco Richard Hall \Vi1lia1n Miller

Wm. Christy (died) Oakley Hopkins Amos Martin (died)
Henry Dean Aaron Hamilton (died)LeWis Povvelson
‘William Dean N. N. Hoffman VVil1iam Pixler (Pa)
VVi1son Dean Alex. Jenkins Felix Scott

George Exline John Keefover J efi'. Scott

J ac. Farr (Pa) Koontz Benj. Scott (died)
Oliver Guthrie \Vi1liam Miller Davis Toothman

Levi Hayes

OREGON WAR.

The Oregon war, called in official records the Yakama and
other wars, began in 1854-5 and continued nearly three
years. It was the result of a general outbreak of the In-
dians along the Oregon and VVashington frontiers. They
had over 3,500 warriors engaged in the contest. Colonel
Frank VV. Thompson, of Monongalia, commanded Company
A, 1st regiment Oregon mounted volunteers, which was

ANDREW BROWN.
See Page 753.

MILITARY HISTORY. 497

afterwards re-organized  Company C, Battalion Oregon
and "Washington mounted rangers. Dallas Price and
Oliver Price, two brothers who were descendants of the old
Indian-fighting Morgans, and who were born and reared in
Monongalia County, were in Thon1pson’s company.

Among the hottest contests of this war was a four—days’
fight on tl1e \Valla \Valla River, at the point where Fort
Bennett now sta11ds—which fort, it is said, was named in
honor of Captain Bennett, of l\Iarion County, who was
killed in that battle. The Indians were comn1an(led by
Peopeomoxmox, or Yellow Serpent, one of the most famous

. chiefs ever on the Pacific Coast. During the fight, Colonel

Thompson saw this chief killed by a Missouri soldier named

Sam \Va1'field, who knocked him in the head with his gun-

and afterwards scalped him, in retaliation for outrages com-
mitted by his warriors. After the chief had been scalped,
Oliver Price cut a piece of skin from his back, had it tanned,
and made a razor strop of it-—another illustration of the
savage hostility existing between the Morgan blood and the

Indian race.

THE CIVIL WAR.

VVe already have seen (in chapter thirteen) with what
promptness and earnestness the people of Monongalia deter-
mined to stand by the Union, and abide under the govern-
ment of the fathers. The various large meetings held, the
ringing resolutions adopted, and the intense earnestness of
feeling which pervaded all, evinced upon the part of the
citizens of the county an unwavering, undying loyalty to
the Union of the States. The call of President Lincoln of
April 15, 1861, for 75,000 troops, met a prompt response,

nor was the county behind any part of the loyal North in
32

498 HISTORY OF MONONGALIAV COUNTY.

the promptness and zeal of her responses to the subsequent
calls. During the four long and terrible years of this great
conflict, the men and WOH1611 of the county were profoundly
stirred, and never once did their loyal zeal flag nor their
devotion to their country waver. Deserving of lasting
honor and of perpetual remembrance are the sons of Monon-
galia who volunteered to fight their country’s battles in the
field. They went from every township, from every neigl1—
borhood, and almost from every home. And many of them
never came back any more. They wasted away with disease
in the hospital, died of wounds on the field, or met sudden
death in the terrible tide of bloody battle. The list of their
names is a list of heroes. The record of their glorious acts is
a history of which old Monongalia may well be perpetually
proud. in following pages may be found the result of a
patient attempt to present a list of these soldiers. That it
is not full and accurate is no fault of the author. Some
States have published a complete list, giving the name of
every volunteer furnished by them during the civil war,
with his county and residence. ‘Vest Virginia, however, is
not one of these.

VVest Virginia soldiers were among the very best of the
troops which fought for the Union. The soldiers from
Monongalia were among the very best of ‘Vest ‘Virginia
troops. Has any other regiment of the War, either Federal
or Confederate, a more heroic history than that of the
Seventh Infantry? In it was a company from Monongalia.
Said ex-Governor Pierpont, in his address at the Grafton
National Cemetery, on Decoration-day, 1883:

“During the winter of 1864-5. I was twice at the front on the

Peninsula before Richmond. VVest Virginia regiments were there ;
many Northern troops were also there. Desertion from picket

MILITARY HISTORY. ’ 499 _

duty had become common; I supposed, confined principally to
bounty jumpers, but the custom became so prevalent that the com-
manding general had to put a guard in the rear to catch the deser—»
ters. No guard was ever placed in the rear of ‘Vest Virginia sol-
diers. Some of the ofiicers complained of this. General 0rd, to
whom complaint was made, replied : ‘The VVest Virginia boys had
a. whole year to decide which army they would go into, and not
one of them was ever known to desert ’.”

Illustrating the high estimation in which lVest Virginia;
troops were held by the generals of the army, Governor
Pierpont said:

“ In 1865, at the front, at Hatchei-‘s Run, General Meade was in
command, General Turner next; Terry commanded the corps-
TwoVVest Virginia regiments had been sent forward on picket duty.
They had not gone far until they encountered a battalion of Con—
federate soldiers, and captured them’ and brought them within the
Federal lines. General Meade saw the regiments returning with
the prisoners, and, riding up to General Turner (who was a very
profane man), said: ‘General, you must take better care of your
soldiers, or they will get captured.’ Turner replied, ‘Captured,
h—l! these are lVest Virginia soldiers, and when they get into a
fight every d——d one of them is a general. They never will be cap—
tured’.”

COMPANY A, SIXTH \V. VA. C.

This company was recruited at Morgantown, and orig-
inally organized as Company A, 3d ‘Vest "Virginia Infantry.
It was mustered into the service of the United States at
Clarksburg, June 25, 1861. Frank VV. Thompson was
elected captain and acted as such until the organization of
the regiment was completed, when he was promoted to be
lieutenant—co10nel of the regiment. On August 13, 1864,
this compamy was re-organized, and became Company A,
6th West Virginia Cavalry. It had been doing duty as
mounted infantry for several months previous. On Septem-
ber 7, 1864, the non-veterans in the company were mustered

500

HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

out, their terin of service having expired, and it was again

1'e—organized, this time becoming

regiment.

Company F, of the same
Soon after the re-organization the company was

ordered VVest, and did duty on the plains until 1856, when,

on May

United States servi

James J. Thompson, Captain
A. C. PlCkeUpHl1:;'l], Lieutemmt

Nicholas B. Medara,

Oliver  Jones, Sergeant

65

George ‘W. Deholt,
VVilliani F. Cullen,

r‘

55

VVindsor Austin
Thomas L. Berry
Isaac W. Criss
Senl'oid Courtney
John A. Cox
Anthony Oonard
Garrett T. Fogle
VVilliam I-Iennen

Richard W. Blue
George VV. Collins
John Dancer

B. Jennewine

F. VV. Tlioinpsor1'*‘Capt.
J-as. F. Linn, Sergeant
John C. Davis, Lieut.

M. Berrv, Corporal
James R. Matthews

C 8 .
()17’i(,f6 Wes‘.

5:

2’2d, its 1118l11l)81'S were finally mustered out of the

Joseph J. Cline, Sergeant
Robert J. Fleming, Corporal
John M. Triplett, “
Jacob T. Shroyer, Bugler

John Smith, “

. ’/'iz,wz‘<3¢*.

George W. Harding
VVi1liam Hess

John D. Jenkins
Thomas M. Johnson
Titus Lemley
'I.‘homas I-I. i\InBee
Jas. M. MeVie-kers
Marshall Phillips

1?ec1=m't.s.
James W. MoKenny
John E. Price
Rezin L. Piles
Theodore Stone

])i.s*c//xzrg/ecl.

J. F. Ross

Charles A. Schiller
Solon Stone

Iohn M. Solomon
George Wright
James Watkins
Charles E. Watts

Henry Shisier
William A. Sehriver
William H. Tasker
Wilford Watkins

W.A.Widne_v,Sergeant' Geo. Garrison Corporal

D. E. Holmes Corp’l
E. F. Haskins “

T7°an.gj,7"e2°re(.Z.

65

John Powell
H. C. Spitsnagle “

SepheusJenkins,Corp’l William P. Goodwin

Drier].

William D. Minker
Salathiel Burke
William Cole

John J. F.-'e.i erick
Chas. M. V. Gould
William H. Guthrie

Thomas Harrington
Matthew Jenkins
James Kennedy

* Promoted to be lieutenant-colonel, and afterward, at Martinsburg, in the summer
of 1864, to the otfice of colonel.

MILITARY HISTORY.

John H. Mc.\'einar
I<‘rederi<‘k G. Haze

W.W. Hickman, Serg’t

VV. S. Cohun, “
David L. Davis “
E. H. Baird, “

Josiah Davis, Corporal
John T. Baily, “
Marshal Scott, “
David G. Casey, “
Win. Collins, “
George Smith, “
George Adams

Charles Martin
Vifilliam Doty

W’. R. Batson

COMPANY E, SEVE1\ITH_ W.

Heiir_v B. L-azier, Captain
_ Marcus Fetty . “
Isaac Hastings, Lieutenant

Anthony Jaequett, “

William -Piles
James Scott

VcZe2°m2.s'.

James F. Ashby
John E. Blany
John H. Cortney
John E. Caruthers
John H. Cole

John A. Doty

W. W. Fleming
Wm. Hawker
Stephen O.Lewe1len
James Mcifrraw
William McPecl:
John N. Maze
Ephriam Provance

()fiz'ce9".s*.

Jean. ’62

501

Jaines \Vonils
Martin Watkins

Joseph Provance
John Rogers
Henry Scott
David Simpson
Luther Sheats
Jackson Steele
Charles B. Shisler
Joseph Shisler
Leonard Shank
John L. \Vardman
Solomon VVright
Oliver P. VVidows
Jacob M. VVidows

YA. I.

Calvin Bell, Corporal
Wm. H. Cullison “
VVm. E. Cantliers “

Jos. VV. Conway “

Charles A. Calahan, Serg(ant. Geo. T. Bentheni “
‘William J. Roger “ Clark Kelley “
Cyrus B. Morgan “ Smith R. Irwin “
James P. Houston “ John A. Walters, Musician

Thos. E. Sullivan, Corporal

VVilliai’n ‘Adams
Aaron Austin
Isaiah Adams
James C. Beatty
Thomas S. Beatty
Jonah Bayles
Thoinas Bayles
VVilliam Bricker
John A. Butt-her
John Blaney
Lawrence Bl-aney
Bartholomew Bishop
John Cunningham
Enox H. Cleavinger
Thomas P. Conwell
Mark Carney

J’7°ivaz‘e.<=.

Thon as Colebank
Samuel H. Cobin
Calvin Cobun
Thomas J. Cole
George A. Cunimins
Alfred Dawson
Samuel Dnrnall
Jacob E1‘-khart

Jr hn P. Emmerson
Thomas V. Einersi n
William R. Fowler
David S. Houston
Ira M. Herrington
Benj. F. Herrington
Francis L. Hicks
Harvey Hoover

Jesse Poundstone “

Isaac P. Hopkins
James C. Hrstettler
Larkin Hall
Samuel Hall

John Holland

John J. Jenkins
\Villiam A. Jenkins
Aaron C. Jenkins
Jacob Jarrett

John Knife

John W’. Kennedy
Robert J. Linton
Samuel C‘. Lewellen
Zrid0( k Lanhain
Eugenins l\la_yfield
Joshua Ma) tie-hi

502 HISTORY
Enoch Manning
Fred. A. Merrifield
Rufus J. Morgan
Samuel McCann
John H. Manning
W. M. V. Mayfield
Edward Moody
Oliver Miller
Alph. S. McVicker
John Meckling
Thomas K. Moore
G. R. Pickenpaugh

Levi Bricker, Sep. ’62
John Connelly, Oct.’61

Aaron Austin
John Blaney

John A. Butcher
B. Bishop

Joseph W. Conway
Mark Carney

I

OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Oliver W’. Powell
William Robe
Philip M. Robinson
Martin E. Robinson
Edgar VV. Ruble
Henry M. Ruble
Nelson Shaffer
Solomon Staflbrd
Joseph E. Stafford
Elza Stafford

John F. Sparks
James M. Sangston

]3eCI‘uit.s*.

Jacob H. Summers
George W . Shoemaker
John J. Swindier '
Lucas Spencer
Lawrence Victor
George W. Widdons
David West

John Warman
William E. Wilkins
George W. Williamson
George R. Walker

A. G. Lewellen, Sep.’62 John Roby, Sep. ’62

S. McKenney, Aug. ’64

Jféllecl.
Isaac P. Hopkins
Aaron C. Jenkins

Died.

David S. Houston
Samuel C. Lewellen
"="‘Samuel ’ McCann
Oliver Miller

Alph. S. i\IcVicker

Solomon Stafford
Gro. W. Shoemaker
Lucas Spencer

COMPANY C, FOU1t'l‘EENTH VV. VA. I.

Oliver P. Jolliffe, Captain
John W. Bishop. Lieutenant

II

Isaac N. Holland,

Henry Baker, Se rgeant

Henry Howell, “
John A. Holland, “
James F. Jollitfa, “
William Craig, “

Eugenus Lanham, Corporal

Joseph Austin
Henry Austin
Daniel F. Ashcraft
John Boyd
William Carroll
Garrett Conn

0Zfi(,’6i"8.

Rawlay U. McKee, Corporal
Ashabel G. Devault, “
\Villiam H. Snowdon, “
William W. Hess, “

Elza L. Morgan, “
James '1‘. Darnell. “
William H. Austin, L “
J. B. Williamson, Fifer

Privates.
Lindsey Cox

Edward G. ldaglen
Jacob 1<‘redei-icks

Benjamin F. Fletcher

Samuel B. Frum

David C. Fetty

Samuel Mclfllroy, Drummer

John Grim

Thomas D. Harden
Morgan B. Hale
Henry W. Hardman
John H. Howell
Charles G. Howell

* Captain H. B. Lazier says Mccann is still living.

MILITARY HISTCRY. 503

William R. Jollilfe
John M. Jollitfe, Sr.
John M. Iollitfe, Jr.
Alpheus Jollitfe
Jacob Jacobs
Engenius Jenkins
Franklin C. Kidwell
Nathan Kerns
Henry H. King
George W. King
Jefferson Kisncr

Frederick VV. Cristy
John C. Freeburn
‘Samuel Gray

James VV. Lambert

G. Brown, Lieutenant
Henry Bell “

Joseph F. Lemons
Wm. L. McC1arman
Ezekiel Marple
Daniel McElroy
Nathaniel McCosh
Michael Price
William H. Prickett
Richard W. Prickett
Thomas P. Spencer
Caleb I). Spencer
Alpheus Steele

I3ecrm't8.
VVm. B. Lambert.

Jacob A. Prickett
John Pride

I)/isc/1. argccl.
George M. Grubb
Joseph A. Kincaid

Tran.sy"errecZ.

George W. Jollitfe
])£c(.7.

G. H. Harciinan, Lieut. Milton F. VValls
Solomon Holland,Corp.John J. 'J.‘rickett-

John W. ‘\/Inuser
William Gardner
Wm. Kisner
Isaac B. Powell

John W. Miller
Nelson Steele

H. Austin, Corporal
VVm. H. Smith

James A. Smith
Thomas H. Smith
Asa l). Springer
James H. Smell
Caleb Tarleton
James S. VVatson
James VV. Watson
Thomas W. Watkins
Caleb Watkins
George W. VVatkins

Thornton R. Rifle
George W. VVillis
Abraham C. Woolard

Ezekiel T1 ickett

1 Joseph Ru m hie

Archie C. McBee
David Mellon
Jacob T. Mouser
Christopher Russler
Thomas S. Jolliffe

COMPANY A, 1*‘IRST W. VA. C.

Company A, known locally as the “ Kelley Lancers,” was re-

cruited in Monongalia County, and niustered into the service
of the United States at l\Io1'ga.11to\vn, July 18, 1861, for three
years. The first captain was J. Lowrie McGee, who served
as such until March 25, 1862, when he was promoted to
1najo1'* of the third WV. Va. C. After McGee’s promotion,
lieutenant H. H. Hagans was conimissioned captain of the

_company, and served until July 3d, when he resigned; and

“- Major Mo:-Gee was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on July 18, 1863, and to Colone
on March 10, 1865. 

504 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Charles H. Capehart was assigned to tl1e command. After
the resignation of Colonel Annisansal, Hagans was re-
appointed, and again took command of the (-onipany,
September 3d. In November, 1864, Hagans was commis-
sioned as inajor of the regiment, and Lieutenant N. N.
Hoffman as captain of the compztny. Hagaiis declined the
jproinotion, and Hoffinan was never mustered in as captain.
The conipany took part in the engagenieiits at Romney,
Blne’s Gap, \Vincheste1', Port Republic, Orange O. H.,
Cedar Mountain, Kelley’s Ford, Second Bull Run, Droop
hlountain and Cloyd Mountain, and was in twenty—two
other battles, skirinislies and raids. It was mustered out at

VVheeling, July 8, 1865.
Qficem.

John I. Jarrett, Corporal
Edmund H. Selby, “
Andrew J. Hibbs, “
John W. Phillips “
Aaron Barker, “
Michael P. ‘Wells, “
Samuel Goodwin, “
George R. Able “
L. W. Flanders “
George D. Ridgway “

H. H. Hagans, Captain

N. N. Hoffman, Lieutenant
T. H. B. Leniley, "

Thomas D. I.’ug;h, Sergeant
Wm. H. Jones, Q. M. Sergeant
VVm. P. Merrill, Sergeant
Fleming Dudley, Com. Sergeant
Elias A. Dudley, Sergeant
Abram Hess, ‘*
Shelby P. Barker “

John Byer, Corporal

1’/"ivscztes.

Nimrod Austin
\Vm. E. Abbott
Wm. C. Anderson
Richard B. Berry
\Vm. Brown

Peter J. Bauer
Joseph F‘. Bausiman
Jonathan Bausimun
Francis M. Bird
James P. Carroli.
Moes W. Chesney
Thos. Collins
Daniel J. Carper

\Vm. J. Derrimer
John J. Dillworth
Jacob '1‘. Eaglen
Wm. H. Evans
Simeon Furman
Alonzo Finnell
Clark Gidley

Samuel Goliday (Val
Wm. H. Hagans (Pa)
Jas. Headland (Ohio)
Ed ward Hart
Arthur Hart

Jacob Hare (Pa)

Virgil S. Jones
John Lawlis

Job Lawlis

Leven Lawlis

Wm. E. Lynch
Thomas Manear
Festus H. .\icDongal
Andrew J. Morris
Rezin S. Michael
Garrett L. Mocauley
l\'imrod Neely

Isaac N. Phillips
Oliver P. Phillips

MILITARY HISTORY.

505

Hiram Piles F. Vanswartown (\Pa) James A.. Neal ,
Conrad C. Potter Oliver P. Wade James J. Page (Pa)
John E. Phillips David 'Wiedman John J. Popel

Daniel Rhodes (Pa) John Wells Wm. C. Riddle
Daniel C. Riddle R. I. J. Cleaver Sebastian Swink
Thomas Rose Jacob Blosser Alex. J. Swaney (Pa)
Beckwith H. Saer Caleb F. Conn Herman Koster
Lewis Sutton Daniel Cornell Edwin S. Wyatt
Sameul Sheets John Izenhart Clark Gidley

Jacob Sheets Wm. H. Fear James Warm-an
Charles Star (Ohio) John Goodwin Bartholomew Jenkins
Geo. VV. Smith VVm. H. Uuthrie Thomas H. Frost
John H. Snider Henry H. Hunter James Kid well

H. M. Tomlinson (Va) Thomas D. Hawker John H. Conn, Lieut.
John L. Tygart

])ic(Z '21:/rile in .s*e2'?,*{z.'c=.

Richard Lee Henry Henry Rumble Joseph Smith

E. VV. Murphy, bugler Calvin Sheets VVm. Sheridan
Thomas Robinson Geor<.!,e VV. Smith ;

.])2'sc/zm°ge(7.

Geo. H. King, Lieut. Thomas Griflith Samuel Merrifielcl
J. J. Jennewine, “ John E. Hoffman John W. McIntyre
G.W. Chandler, Serg’ t. Peter Hess John W. McCarty
J. L. McGee, Captain Wilson Jones VVilliam O’Reid
J.R.Donaldson, Corp’l. John W. Keller Charles Snider

Thos. J. Edwards

I

COMPANY Cl, THI1iD W. VA. C.

Wes organized at Bmricloliville, Preston County, October
1, 1861; 111-a1'cl1ed to C1a1'ksl.)urg, where it remained until
January 15, 1862, when it proceeded to New Creek; served
under Generals Freniont, Stolleman and Kelley; was at
Cha.neell01'svil1e, Gettysbiirg, and on many other llard-fouglit

fields. On its roll were the following men from Monongalia:

Michael Ferrell, Serg’t. VVm. Barthlow VVilli-am C. Myers
_ Syl. Ridgway, Serg’t. Levi Bricker Jacob Myers

Ulysses Davis, Corp’l. James Deets Edgar C. Piles
Wm. Deets. “ Jacob H. Hart H. R. Stansberry
F. C. Spencer, “ George Jenkins John Smith

Alfred Porter Thomas Stoker Lewis S. Stoneking

Eri Anderson VVm. G. Lazzel Samuel Tichnal

506 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.
William Fleming Middleton Roby Joshua Barthlow

*Wm. B. Shaw George W. Rude David Shaffer
"»»"Jonathan Stabl VV. E. Kines Jno. E. Hoffman, Lieut-
James S. Perry William Protzman Enos Myers

A. J. Statler B-alser Shaffer Geo. W. Deen

James P. St. Clair Jacob Hart

COMPANY D, '1‘HiII-ID W. VA. C.

Company D was formed at l\Iorgantown in August, 1862,
and, with two exceptions, consisted entirely of Monongalians.
It proceeded to "Wheeling, where, on October 21st, it was
mustered into service, and sent to New Creek. Its members
were engaged in scouting through the mountains near
Petersburg, and in less than four weeks after their-arrival
had, Without loss, captured a number of the enemy equal to
their own. They did good service as scouts, and were
engagaged in some of the hottest contests of the war. On
the organization of the company James R. Utt was elected
captain, and served as such until May 16, 1863, when he
was killed in action at Piedmont Station, Fauquier County,
Va. After Captain Utt’s death, Lieut. G. ‘V. McVicker was
commissioned as captain, July 18, 1868, and commanded
the company until it was finally mustered out, June 30,
1865, at 1Vl1ee1ing.

()[7‘z'c<221v.

George \V. McVicker, Captain Joseph F. Halfin, Corporal

McGill Clark, Lieutenant W. R. Richard “

Joseph Robbins “ 0. B. Lawless “

Jacob Sturgeon, Sergeant David E. Cordery “

Nelson Snodgrass, Com. Serg"t Joseph Hartley “

Charles E. Morris, Q. M. Serg’t James Boord, Bugler

John C. Reppert, Sergeant Allison S. Dilliner “

Neely Mahanah “

Thomas H. Lough “ VVillian1 Irvin, Farrier

William Rogers “ Jacob Lemons, Blacksmith

Albert G. Everly, Corporal Chas Johnson “

Joseph Doherty “ W. A. Lewellen, Teamster
C VVm. E. Garlow “ George W. Snider "

* Shaw and Stahl were both captains of the company, at different times. and both
resigned.

MILITARY. HISTORY. 507

Amos 0. Anderson
Thomas Boice
Isaac Boice

John F. Brand
Jonathan Brown
John P. Burbridge
\Villiam H. Bixler
Jacob Barracman
James B. Craig
Christopher Core
E. J. Clayton
'>i='John Clark, Serg’t
Nimrod Cole

John Core
Benjamin Core
Isaac N. F nrm an
Stephen G. Hess
James R. Hall
James Hayes

Asa Henderson
Silas Henderson
Marion Hawkins

I’/‘iterates.
William Harris
James M. Jones
John Keefover
Elery J. Lough
Elijah Lawson
Washington Martin
Silas McGraw
Azel ML-Curdy
James E. Myers
Warren Murphy
John S. Nuzum
Jacob Piles
Joseph Pride
Albert Plum
William Phillips
George W Robinson
Uriah Rider
Edgar F. Reece
George C. Shaffer
Dennis M. Shaffer
Alpheus Springer
David Stanton

James D. Springer
W. Thompson

' Chris Toothman

Calvin .Vandegraft
George W. Wilson
George VV. Weekly
Levi Weekly

Peter J. Wixiieg
George VV. West
Thomas Watton
John Wright
Joseph Bowers
Perry Arnett
Charles H. McLane
Jacob K. Kennedy
Josephus Muldrew
William S. Glasscock
Jacob Dehard

John W. Jester
George W. Wilson

])£6(.Z 20/tile in .S’¢32'2;/ice.

James R. Utt, Captain

Elza T. Lough

John W. Con well, Serg’tIsaac T. Lyons

Elza Hall “
John 0. Johnson “

James P. Arnett
Joseph W. Bowers
James A. Downey
John B. Gray
Burnett Haney

Eric Rinehart

])isc/z,cn'gc(Z.
William Harris
James M. Henry
William F. Lazzel
George  Laidley
Bernard F. Leonard

John J. Stewart
Ezra Tenent
Samuel Gardner, Serg’t

James Rogers
Isaiah Riggs
Riley H. Smith
Joseph Skentz
David \Veed man

COMPANY I, I<‘OUR'l‘EENTH W. VA. I.

Elias C. Finnell, Captain
James B, Fogle, Lieutenant

Qg7’ice2's.

George W’. Dawson, Corporal
Frederick A. Wells, “

Silas VV. Hare, Sergeant W. J. F. Martin. V“
Rezon Holland, “ Wm. L. Anderson, “
Thos. B. Wells, “ John W. Martin, “
Frederick Breakiron, “ Joseph J. VVeaver, “
Cyrus Courtney. “ John Saunders, “

Jackson R. Stoker, Corporal

*C0mmitted suicide at Camp Chase. 0., April 5, 1863.

508 HISTORY

VVilliam L. Abel
Bobert Brooks
Marshall Brand
William Beaty
John Beaty
Eugenius Bell

James A. Barnes

D. \V. Breakiron
Lawrence S. Blaney p
Mortimer Cade

John S. Cole

Francis 0. Chalfant
Benjamin F. Childers
Zac-quill Dunn

John P. Felty
Samuel Gould

Issac M00. Gallalier
William B. Heix
John Hnnterfi‘,
William Dawson
‘William S. Hoard

Iiggi Bolinger
'Williain D. Bouglier
Beth Boice

George C. Bowers
Nicholas V. Flum
Alpheus B. Fear

OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

]’2*2'z'(zZ€8.

John W. Haney
Daniel VV. Jones
Daniel R. Jackson
George W. Kelly
Joshua W’. Keener
John S. Lemon
Aaron B. Leweilen
Benson Mollisey
Arthur Murray
Perry M0-Lane
Alexander Mcfauley
John S. McMillen
Pevid Murphy
Vvilliam A. Morris
Charles H. Madera
George Nuce'
Abrram Nuce
James F. Porter
Michael Ric‘-e°_
Robert B. Reed
Williain A. Friend

James VV. Heix
Robert C. Jackson
Elias Martin
Josephus Neighbors
Abraham Piles
Israel Phillips

Disc]: my/cc7.

Jno. W. Martin, Corp’l. Alphens D. Lyons

G. Barrir-kman
Francis M. Fetty
Joseph S. Kelley

Draper Lawless
William L. Pool

Henry Robey

Jonah '1‘. Summers
Marion N. Slianes
Felix Scott

Imlah Scott

James L. Shroyer
George T. Turner
Napoleon B. Tibbs
Lebbens C. Vveltner
Jacob S. Shisler
George VV. Castle
VVilliam S. Morrison
A. D. Funclenburg
Thomas P. Knox
David B. Mullwain
William S. Morrison
Jos. R. Peck, Lieut.
Georgze Barb
VVillian1 P. Cole
Bnshrod W. Finnell
I. \V. Galligher

.D'Ze(7 'zI.']a,2'/6 in .«.=€7°'m,'c*e.

VVilliam A. Stewart
William Scott

Nicklin Rayres

Francis Thomas
Henry C. Thorn
Uriah Griifiib, Lieut.

Robert Powell
Lewis A. Sisley
John M. VVeltner

COMPANY E, SEVEN'l‘EEI\"1‘H W. VA. I.

Company E was recruited in Monongalia County in
August, 1864, and mustered into service at Wheeling, Sep-
tember 3d. Soon after its organization it was sent to
Bulltown, Braxton County, where its members engaged in
scouting and skirmishing until April 1865, when they were

0r(lere(l to Clarksburg, and later to “7heeling, where they

were mustered out, June 30th.

MILITARY HISTORY.

Frank L. Hicks, Captain
Harvey Staggers, Lieutenant
Alpheus Garrison, “
Harmon Trickett, Sergeant

Granville Brown, “
Clark Kelly, “
Nathan Jones, “

Leonard Selby, Corporal

Robert W. Altman
Samuel Albright
VVi11iam B. Brown
Daniel Brown
Henry H. Burgoine
Horatio Britten
John VV. Britten

R. D. Brookover
Henry Bell

Jolm Sole

Rush W. Dorsey
Solomon Dorton
James T. Eberhart
VVilliam A. Eberhart
Thomas Flumm
Thomas D. Field
Leonard Fisher
James Freeman
Martin V. B. Funk
Joseph Gwyn
Jeremiah Hare
Samuel W. Harden
William R. Hopkins
Erastus Kirkpatrick
Marshall J. Knox
Jacob Lyons
Thomas Lanham

()17’ica2u;.
Edgar

l\icRa, Corporal
VVm. J. Vandivert, “
John Brown, "
J. Milton Hartley “

James ‘-_\T. Davis, “
Isaac N. Litman, “
George C. Hayes, “

1’/'25 z:(,zzfe¢:.

Alex H. Lindsey
Adam Moore
Gilbert F. Moore
‘.VaiLxnan l\lercer
P. D. McKenney
Oliver P. Mefla
Z-adoc MeBee
Amnii Orr

Asa S. ()‘l'{ell_v

C. Puffenberger
Marion Protzman
VVilliam H. Phillips
Alpheus Pew
Henry F. P ew
VVilliam W. Pixler
Francis M. Powell
Elza Plum
Alexander Rumble
John Rice

Isaac H. Smith
Benjamin F. Selby
Columbus Summers
Hiram Springer
Adam Staggers
Jesse S. Severe
John A. Thompson
Zimi Tennant

Nimrod Protzman, M usician

Simon P. Tennant
Andrew Tennant
Jacob P. Tennant
Enoch Tennant
Joseph E. Watts
(a‘reor_<_§e W. Vvatson
Alpheus VVest
James VVilliams
Michael P. Williams
Jeremiah VVright
Walter Lewis
Elbert M. Arnett
Benjamin F. Davis
Joseph P. Davis
Asa Dillon

Martini L. Gar!
Nelson Male
William Minard
Jonathan Male
Henry Myers

S. B. McGreg0r
Jamas E. Bratt
Robert Ramsey
William Simonton ,
William T. Stewart
John Wryck

John W. Carrico

I)z'ecZ 1/:/tile in service.

Thos. A. Ryan, Serg’t.

Simeon Austin
Henry Conaway

George VV. Mole

William N. A rnett
])'£.s-c/oczrgecl.

James K. Phillips
Isaiah Robe

Peter Shafler

Wm. M. Tennant
Amon J. Tennant

BATTERY F, FIRST W. VA. L. A.,

VVas organized as Company 0, 6th Virginia Infantry, in

August, 1861, and in March, 1863, by order of the Secretary

510 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

of "War, permanently detached from the regiment and
transferred to the 1st WV. Va Light Artillery. In it served
the following Monongalians:

Jno. W’. Mason, Serg’t. Elisha C. Allender Albert B. Mason
Samuel Fetty Capell Holland Robert Robes
Jonathan Fast

In addition to the forewoin We have account of the
b 3 .

-following Monongalians as serving in the organizations

named :

Co. A, 3<1 VV. V. I.——John C. Davis, Lieutenant; John E. Car~
others, Corporal; VV111. H. Shriver, Charles Martin, F. M. Burns,
Marshall Scott, ‘Henry L. Scott, (';‘harles B. Schisler and Solomon
VVriglit, privates. _

Co. B, 3d ‘V. V. I.——John Bell, private.

Co. B, 6th \V. V. I.—Jan1es H. Arnett, private.

Co. N, 6th WV. V. I.—Jan1es Pettatal, private.

Co. K, 7th ‘V. V. I.—John M. Jones, Corporal.

Co. F, 12tl1 VV. V. I.—J0nathan. Arnett, private.

Co. E, 14th W’. V. I.—~VVillian1 J. Stewart, private.

Co. K, 14th ‘V. V. I.—S. WV. Gilniore, Sergeant; David. (I. l7ur-

man, private.

Co. B, 15th VV. V. I.——Joseph Jenkins, private.

Co. D, 17th "W. V. I.-—Isaac Gallagher, private.

Co. B, 1st WV. V. C.—David Shaw, private *

C0. G, 1st \V. V. C.—Jacob '1‘. Eaglen, Nimrod Neely, Thomas
Minear and Richard B. Berry, privates.

Co. H, 2d ‘V. V. C.-—Thomas VVarn1an, private.

Co. A, 3d VV. V. C.~Thomas H. McBee, private.

Co. B, 3d ‘V, V. C.—~VVi]lia1n I. Ervin, T. J. Woody and William
L. Simpson, privates.

Co. E, 3d VV. V. C.—~E. VV. Snider, private.

Co. B, 4th \V. V. C.——Sy1vanus Reppert and Samuel G. VVall.<',

privates.
Co. M, 4th VV. V. C.—VV. H. Phillips, private.
Co. E, 6th \V. V. C.——S. WV. Fleming and James A. Mayfield,

privates.
Co. G, 6th W. V. C.—John Been, private.

MILITARY HISTORY. 511

C0. H, 7th W. V. C.—Isaac Smith, private.

Co. C, 61st Penn.——(j'reorge \V. Smith, private.

Co. B, 62d Penn.——Josiah Frankenberry, private.

Co. —, 16th Ohio——VVilliam Simpson, private.

C0. Gr, U. S. Reg.—San1ue1 N. Stewart, private. _

Co. F, Gth IV. V. C., 'Veteran—Richard IV. Blue,* Lieutenant; ‘V.
W. Hickman, Lieutenant; Jacob M. \Viddows, IV. R, Batson, B.
J ennewine, James l\IC(,7tl'a,W, Henry Shisler, John Dancer, John A.
Doty, Oliver P. VViddows, William S. Cobun, VVillia1n Doty, John
E. Price, John P. Shively and Luther Sheets, privates.

Co. —,23th Ohio Volunteers, William Fogle.

Co. —, 45th Illinois Volunteers, Bruce Fogle.

Co. A, 6th,  v. 0., Grarrett T. Fogle. ’

7th W. V. I., E. I)‘. Fogle, Quartermaster.

~ —, Enoch Pluinnier Fitch, Quarterniaster, (lied.

Eight ‘Vest Virginia regiments, including inany men from
Monongalia County, were “in at the death” of the Confed-
eracy, in April, 1855, and Witessed the surrender of tho

commander-in—chief and his immediate Command.

MoNoNGAIiI.x’s QUOTAS AND CREDITS.

From the commencement of hostilities to December 31,
1864, Monongalia County had furnished 1,550 men for ser-
vice in the army of the United States. From January 1st
to August 31, 1865, the county was credited with 155 more,
making a total of 1,705. Besides these, a large number of
Monongalians enlisted in companies credited to other
counties, and, iii some cases, to other States; so that the
number of men from this county, who served in the Federal
army during the civil war, can not be less than two thous-
and, and, if the absolute facts could be known, might even
exceed these figures.

' Mr. Blue moved West atter the war, and is now a State Senator In Kansas, residing‘
at Pleasanton.

CHAPTER VI.
MONONGALIA COUNTY FORMATION.

1776.
Virginia in the ReVo1ution—.——Creation of Monongalia, Ohio and

Yohogania—Their Boundaries——The Name Mononga1ia——Se— ‘

\ lection of County—Seat—First Court—House Situated in Penn-
sy1vania—First Sherifi‘ and Clerk.

THE part played by Virginia in the Revolutionary struggle
is one of which her sons may,justly feelproud to the end
of time. It was the magnificent eloquence of the fiery
Patrick Henry, and the cry of the milder and more self-

possessed Lee, which inspired the Continental Congress to ’

action——action that “ shook the cliffs of England with the
thunders of the free,” and added" to the map of the world
Freedo'm’s grandest Republic, Whose immortal Charter was
traced by the pen of Jefferson, and whose liberty was Won
by the sword of VVashington. ’
VVhen the glory of Autumn crowned the brightness of
Summer, and the thunders of battle were rolling down
along the mountains and over the valleys of Virginia,
freighted with disasters to the Continental armies, Virginia’s
spartan band of legislators, presided over by Patrick Henry,
were gathered together in the old State House at ‘Villiams-
burg as the first General Assembly of the neWly—declared
Coiiinioiiwealtlfof Virginia. In October they passed the
act quoted in the preceding chapter, defining the boundaries
of the District of VVest Augusta and dividing it into the

512 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Previous to March 14, 1864, no quotas were ever assigned
to the difi'erent counties in the State. Monongalia’s quota.
under the call of that date was sixty-five men; under the
next call,‘ July 18tl1, it was 263 men. By December 31st,
these two quotas were filled, and the county had a surplus
of seven men to her credit. Under the call of December
19th, the county’s quota was 164 men,’and by August, 1865,
these were all furnished except two. Among the 257 men
drafted in ‘Vest Virginia were two from Monongalia——-Bailey
Shultz and
said, by reason of the quota being afterward filled by

——neither of whon1‘ever served, it is

volunteers.

In several counties independent companies of scouts,
called State G-uards, /were organized and in service.
Monongalia had no such organization, being some distance
from the seat of war and comparatively peaceful.

LOCAL BOUNTY. 3

In 1865, Adjutant General F.  Peirpont addressed
letters to the Boards of Supervisors in the various counties,
requesting an official statement of the amount of money
expended in each for the payment of local bounties to
soldiers. To this request the officials of’ this county replied
that Monongalia had raised-and paid the sum of $154,425
for this purpose. Nothing further than this can be learned,
as the records neither show the amount raised nor how
expended.

Arthur Murray of Company I, Fourteenth VV. Va. In-—
fantry, was wounded and taken prisoner at Cloyd Mountain.
He was treated by Dr. M. A. Montague, who pronounced
his outer jugular vein cut off. He lost a large" amount of
blood, but got Well. Over sixty Southern doctors came to

MILITARY HISTORY. 513

see him, and all pronounced his recovery a Wonder. Mr.
Murray now lives in Morgan District.

MONOXGALIANS IN CoNFEDE1«:A'rE SERVICE.

Three Monongalians were Colonels in the Confederate
armies, namely: Dudley Evans, J. M. Heck and Lowrie
lVilson. D. Boston Stewart was a major on Gen. ‘V. L.
Jaekson’s stafli Rawley Stewart was captain of Co. A, 31st
Virginia Infantry, and was killed. Laben Exeline was
captain of Co. A, 25th Virf_>;iI1ia Infantry, and Orlando Shay
was quartermaster. The following Monongalians were in
the 1st Brigade of the 2d Division of Stonewall Jackson’s
corps, and fought in all the battles of the army of Northern
Virginia from 1861 to April, 1865:

COMPANY A, TWENTIETH VA. C.
This company was composed mainly of men from Marion
and Monongalia counties, and was 107 strong.

0]7’Zcers.
David M. Camp, Captain ‘ P. L. Jamison. Sergeant
Stephen Franks, Sergeant George VV. Wilson, Corporal
]’rz'mtes.
Alfred Ammon L. B, Camp Elswortb Stewart;
Rezin Ammon U. S. Camp William Stewart.
Zimri Ammon A. J. Camp G. W. Smith
Edgar Barker Van Coombs George Shay
John T. Bell George Garrison Edward Trickett
Edward Bell William Garvis A. 0. VVi1son
David Bussey J. VV. Jamison

COMPANY D, TWENTIETI-I VA. (‘.

A. J. Jones, Sergeant; Miller Clark, Private
Frank Jones, “ William Fisher, “
Henry Wi1son,Corporal Andrew Tennant, “
Calvin Arnett, Private John Wilson, “
Edward Boer, “ George Wilson, “

TWENTY-SIX'l‘H 1).&'1"l‘.»\LION (IAVALRY.

H. A. Ferrel, Captain Charles Malot, Private
Asbury Toothman, Sergeant Jesse Thomas, “
33

514 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Ed Arnett, Private Zack. Vvest, Private
James Hurry, “ Joseph VViseman, “V
Wm. Malot, “

Alexander Randall was in the 17th Va. Cavalry; the
command in which George Dering was is unknown.

A. O. \Vi1son after the war went to Bates County,
Missouri, where he was elected constable, and was killed by
Hardy, a member of the James band of liighway robbers,
while attempting to arrest him.

Laben Exeline, with his arm shattered, led two charges
at South Mountain. A

A. Ammon and A. Toothman were killed in the War.

Gedrge WV. VVilson carried a dispatch from Gen. Breckin-
ridge to Gen.Rhodes, around Fort Lincoln, near VVashing—
ton City, after twelve men had been killed in the attempt.

U. s. REGULAR ARMY.

In the United States regular army several Monongalians
have served besides VS/lilloughby Morgan’s recruits. It
seems that Captain Zackwell Morgan, who died at Bladens-
burgh, was in the regular army. It is so stated on an old
county order-book. "We have mention also of a'Lieutenant
ll/Iilton Carr, from Morgantown, and of Samuel N. Stewart
of Company Gr, 17th United States Infantry.

In the Naval Service, besides Lieutenant Commander
Chadwick (see sketch, following), We have the name of
Thomas J. Meeks of the (7-rz'c7:et No. (3.

A THE MILITIA.

Col. John Evans was lieutenant commandant of Monon-
galia County in 1780 (the title of the oflice was “county
lieutenant”), having command of the militia and the'man-
agement of the military—fiscal affairs of the county. I11
1784, "William l\IcCleery was appointed colonel, and acted

MILITARY HISTORY. 515

under Col. Evans. Reference, in 1777, is made in old docu.-A
ments to Col. Zackxvell Morgan and 001. Charles Martin,
but nothing is given to show Why the title of colonel was
used. The first official mention of militia ofiicers ive have
is in 1796. In that year, John Dent was captain of an
artillery company, with Robert Scott and IVillian1 Tingle as
lieutenants. James Morgan, John Sovereigns, Jonathan
Brandon, Lemuel John and Elijah Burris were captains.
John Fairfax, George Martin and James VVebster were
lieutenants, and IVilliam Martin and Enoch Evans were
ensigns. No mention is made of the number of the
regiment, but most likely it was the 76th.

Capt. IV. N. Jarrett commanded. a cavalry company’ as
early as 1810, and later there was a volunteer company
called “ The Monongalia Blues.”

About 1824 or 25 it seems that the field ofiicers elected
their colonels, and the men of each company the oflicers
thereof, who were commissioned by the governor. Abook
of records was kept in each regiment from that time to
1863, but not one of them can be found in the county. J

Isaac Cooper was lieutenant—colonel of the 76th regiment,

and about 1840 James Evans was elected colonel and held

. the office until 1861. The 118th Regiment was broken up,

and the 140th and 178th were formed on the west side of
the Monongahela River. Boaz B. Tibbs and Thomas F.
Bankard Were lieutenant—colonels of the 140th.

In 1834, Monongalia, Preston, Brooke and Ohio counties
composed the 10th Brigade of the 3d Division. The 7th,
10th, 16th and 20th Brigades formed the 3d Division. Each
county was divided into regimental districts of not less than
300 men. Each regimental district was divided into two
battalion districts, which were sub-divided into four com-

0

p 516 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

pany districts, each company numbering from 50 to 100
men. Colonel, lieutenant—colonel and major were elected
by the officers of the several companies. A captian and four
lieutenants were elected by each company. Each captain
appointed five sergeants and six corporals. Every able-
bodied man between the ages of 18 and 45 was enrolled.

The following camp equippage was allowed for the 3d
Division,if called into service : one kettle for every six men,
one ax and spade for every twenty, and one Wagon for every
eighty. l

About the first Monday of May a well drilled ofiicer, who
was sent to each county, drilled all the county officers for
three days, and then each succeeding day assisted in
drilling a regiment, until all the regiments Were thus drilled.
About the first of October, each battalion drilled one day.
On the first Saturday in April and October each company
drilled in its own territory. After all these drills, and

about the last of October, the ofiicers of each regiment‘

met and held a court martial, and every man absent at one
of these drills had to present a lawful excuse, or he was
fined. The brigadier-generals elected by the Legislature
for the 10th Brigade, so far as we can obtain them, were
Evan Shelby iPindall a11d Buckner Fairfax (of Preston).
When the late war broke out, the militia was re-organized
by the Re-organized Government, and again by the “Test
Virginia Legislature in 1863. In March, 1864, we find that
Monongalia County was in the 3d Brigade, 1st Division,
commanded by Gen. Edward C. Bunker. The 76th Regi-
ment was changed to the 14th Regiment, commanded by
Col. Franklin E. Sinclair; the 140th to the 15th, Col.
Reuben Finnell; and the 178th to the 16th, Col. George

Price.

MILITARY HISTORY. 517

The militia of Monongalia was twice called out in 1864, to
repel threatened invasions. On Thursday, August 4th, Gen.
Bunker called out the 14th and the 16th regiments, which
marched, on the following Monday, from Morgantown to
the Runner farm, and Went i11to camp, awaiting further
orders to advance. On the 10th, orders arrived to return
home, as the danger was past. 011 the 30th of September,
1864, the militia of Monongalia, Marion, Taylor and
Preston, in all 6000 men, were called out. Tl1ey were
stationed at Fairmont, Fetterman and Grafton, but were
not attacked, a11d were ordered home in a few days.

On the 26th of February, 1867, the militia law was
repealed, so far as requiring service in time of peace, unless
called for by the governor; and thus the militia organiza-
tions went down.

TENTH BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION, VIRGINIA MILITIA.

The 76th Reginient, in 1800, embraced the territory of
Mbnongalia. In 1805, the territory of what is now Preston
County was embraced in a military district. VVe find
mention at this date of the 104th Regiment, which was a
regiment of Monongalia until 1818, and afterward of Pres-
ton County. In 1807, it seems that all that part of Monon-
galia west of the Monongahela River was embraced in the
bounds of the 118th iegiment, organized in that year. A.
company of cavalry was organized in 1807, and attached to
the 3d Regiment, 3d Division, and the company of artillery
mentioned in 1790 was in existence, and attached to the
same regiment. From 1796 to 1824 we have the following

data of these organizations:
sEvEN'I‘Y—sIXrn BEGIMENT.

The date of the organization of this regiment is unknown.

5.18 HISTORY‘ OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

It is probable that Col. John Evans commanded this
regiment, but the first mention is of Col. James McGee,
who died in 1820, and was succeeded by Ralph Berkshire.
Richard Wiatts was 1ieutenant—colonel in 1820.
Jlczjo-r.s*.—-Diiclley Evans, of 1st Battalion, 1800; James
Scott, 2nd Battalion, 1800 ; John Fairfax i11 1814.
C’a])ta=£ns.——Daniel Sayre, (1800); in 1802, Archibald
Moore, Joseph Kratzer, Ezekiel Cheny, Adam Brown,
David Scott, John ‘Vest, Samuel Minor, James Tibbs and
Anthony Smith. John Scott was captain of a grenadier
company attached to the 76th Regiment. In 1807, Thomas
Wilson and David Bayles were captains; in 1808, James
Hurry; 1812, Zackwell Morgan, Rawley Scott and Uriah
Morgan; 1815, Daniel Stewart; 1817, Jacob Smith, Benja-
min Leach, Archibald VVilson, Joseph Allen, Thomas Cain,
and Cornelius Berkshire; 1819, Owen John, Francis
McShane and Elisha Hoult ; 1822, Thomas S. Haymond.

ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTH REGIMEN1‘.

The date of organization is unknown, but mention of the
regiment  made in 1805, when Jacob Funk was a lieuten-
ant in it.

U0Z0nel.9.——Alexander Brandon, till 1806, when James
Clark succeeded him ; 1812, James McCrrew; John Fairfax.

_[1'2LC’(l:i(3}l(C'I’7Jt"00[07l(5Z:§i.**JZhmeS l\IcG-rew and \Villiam Price.

jl1aj07~.9.——1806, James Carroll and John Gribble; 1815,
Samuel Shaw.

Cit/.])tczi7a.s‘.—~180G, James McGrew, John Sovereigns and
Jacob Funk; 1812, Robert Clark, Jacob Mouser, Daniel
McCollmn, David Curry, John Trembly, James Cobun and
Charles Byrne; 1815, \Villian1 Sigler, Nathan Ashby and
John Rightmire. I

MILITARY HISTORY. 519

In 1818, Preston County was formed and the regiment fell
in its bounds. _ \

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN'1‘H REGIMENT.

This regiment was organized in 1807, when James Scott
was colonel, succeeded, in 1817, by Rawley Martin. The
lieutenant-Colonels were: 1819, Joseph Pickenpaugh; 1823,
Jesse Ice. Majors: David Scott and Simeon Everly; 1816,
Jesse Ice; 1817, John Lough.

Companies. (7apmh1.s. Lieutena-nos. 12'-nsigns.

1 John \Vest Andrew Arnett David Musgrave
2 John Lough Moses Cox George Barnes

3 James Barker Samuel Evans Zach. Barker

4 Samuel Basnett Jesse Ice George McCray ~
5 Samuel Everly John Shively John Fortney

6 Richard Price John Davis James Ballah

7 John Lantz \Vi11iam Biggs - \Vi1liam Stiles '

C’aptccZn.s'.—1808, Andrew Arnett, George Pickenpaugh;
1812, Jesse Ice, John Cox, Moses Cox, George Wlilson ; 1816,
Nathan Hall, John S. Barnes, Abram Cox; 1817, Daniel
Arnett; 1819, Joseph Collins; 1820, John H. Bowlby,
Matthew Fleming, James Dent, Richard ‘Wells; 1821,
Wlilliani J. VVilley, Josiah Vtlilcutt; 1822, Alexander Minor.

After the death of General Washington, at a session of
the county court held on the 10th of January, 1800, at
whiclf the following justices were present: John Dent,
Dudley Evans,Jol1n Fairfax, Edward Jones and Nathan
Springer, “on motion of Benjamin Reeder, it is ordered
that the inhabitants of Monongalia County he perniitted to
erect a stone monument upon the public ground in front
of the court-house, in honor to the memory of our late
illustrious fellow—citizen, General George \Vasl1ington,-with

the following inscription :

520 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

“ ‘In honor : to the memory of General George lVashington, who
died December 14th, 1799, aged 68; whose virtues are recorded by
history, and which need only be mentioned to make them exem-
plars to all mankind, this inscription is directed by a grateful
people.’ ”

“VVhereupon, the court ordered that Benj. Reeder, Jon. Davis,
Henry Dering and Hugh McNee]y be appointed to have the above
work carried into execution.”

The monument, however, was never erected.

On the 28th of June, 1867, the corner—stone of a soldiers’
monument was laid in Oak Grove Cemetery by the Masonic
fraternity. A great assemblage of people was present.
The oration was delivered by Dr. Alexander Martin. Sub—
scriptions were to be taken up to build it, but beyond the
laying of the corner-stone nothing further has ever been

done towards its erection.*

In June, 1883, a soldiers’ re-union was agitated, to be
held on the Fourth of July. On that (lay, upon the
University grounds, about 400 soldiers were present, and
steps were taken to effect a permanent soldiers’ organization
for the county.

N OC1.‘1«‘..——J1(?.'wZca.n U'ar.——On page 496 the name of \Villia.m Miller
is printed twice. Levi Jenkins, Charles Ball and McFarla.nd
belonged to the squad which, leaving l\Iorg;antown, May 21, 1847,
proceeded by Cumberland and Baltimore to Fortress Mpnroe;
sailed for Mexico June 9th, and arrived at Brazos Santiago, July
6th. The company marched to Mier. July 14th, with the thermome-

ter at 110° in the shade; drilled three months; was sent to Vera Cruz 1

and served under Gene} al Scott. Their regiment (the 13th) was in
two guerrilla battles~—one at the .Robber's Bridge, with 650 Mexi-

* The c0rner—stone is an eight-square stone. 5 feet 7 inches in diameter, and one foot
thick, and of about 4000 pounds’ Weight. It is brown sandstone, and was finished by
N. B. Madera. Each district of the county was to contribute one stone, upon which
the names 01' its dead soldiers were to be Inscribed.

MILITARY HISTORY. 521

cans, and the other at the National Bridge, Where Major Lally,
with about 2000 Americans, charged two forts and drove out about
2500 Mexicans. The 13th Regiment lost thirty men, of whom two
belonged to the company in which was the Monongalia squad.
This company suffered at different times for food, from sickness,
and sonietinies greatly for water.‘ The company shipped for home
on the 12th of June, 1848.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

COL. JOHN EVANs.———VVl1en Virginia was a Colony and
after she became a State, great encouragement was given to
emigration, and large inducements were offered to the
strong, the brave, and the adventurous, not only within her
own territory but from the other colonies and states, to form
settlements in the wild and unoccupied country West of the
Alleghany Mountains, then subject to the constant incur-
sions of hostile savages living beyond the Ohio River in the
Northwest Territory. “Toinahawk Rights” to Valuable
lands were confirined by subsequent legislation to those,
who, without a compass to guide them in the wilderness, or
to define the lines of the land upon which they desired to
make future settlement, had hastily hacked the timber on
the outer boundaries of the fertile. acres to which they were
attracted. So great was the danger in this early day, that
the stay of the settler upon his land a sufiicient time to
build a cabin and plant a corn—field, would have resulted in
his speedy destruction by his wily savage foes. Soon
after the formation of ‘the State government of Virginia,
the General Assembly passed an act granting a patent for
400 acres of land to any person not an alien, who had
theretofore or who might thereafter build a cabin and plant
a field of cor11 thereon, notwithstanding he might not be
able to occupy his cabin nor cultivate and gather his crop.

50 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

three distinct counties of Monongalia,* Ohio, and Yoho-
gania. The territory of Monongalia was defined in the
following language (9th Hening, pp. 262-3): “All that part
of the said district [of VVest Augusta] lying. to the north-
ward of the county of Augusta, to the westward of the
meridian of the head fountain of the Potowmack, to the
southward of the county of Yohoganiafr and to the
eastward of the county of Ohio shall be one other distinct
county, and shall be called and known by the name of the
county of MbNoNGALIA.”

Thus was ushered into existence, amid the storm of war,
one of the ‘two oldest counties of north-western Virginia;
and Monongalia has the proud distinction of beingione

*All attempts haveiailed to ascertain from the public records. which escaped
destruction at Richmond in 1865, who introduced the bill for the creation of the
County, and why it was named Monongalia. Monongalia, Ohio and Yohogania must
undoubtedly have been named for the Ohio, Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers,
In the earlier court records of the county which are preserved, even after 1800, the
name Monongahela applied to the river, is written “Monongalia.” The orthoepy and
orthography or that day »‘'were not perfect; and so it would seem that the incorrect
spelling and pronunciation of the name of the river would but naturally, at that
time, be given to the new county created and named after it. Monongahela shared a
Worse rate than its associate in orthographical mistortune—-Youghiogheny; tor
Yohogania is a misspelling but a proper pronunciation of Youghiogheny, while Monon-
galia is bothamisspelling and miss-pronunciation oi Monongahela. Various other
misspellings and miss-pronunciations of Monongahela were current in early days;
such as, “Monergehail,” “Monongahalia,” “Monegehail,”etc., etc.

The meaning of the Word Monongahela is somewhat obscured by different statements.
The Navigator, published in 1821, at Pittsburgh, says that it is an Indian word, mean-
jng “the river of the falling banks.” Another account makes it mean “ the river of
the sliding banks.” Between these two, however, there is little difference, and either
comes from the peculiarity otthe river in cutting under its banks and thus precipi-
tating them into the Water.

1‘ The boundaries of Ohio and Yohogania counties are given in 9th Hening, pp. 262-3,
as ifollows: “And to render the benefits of government, and the administration of
justice, more easy and convenient to the people within the said district [West Augusta] :
Be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the 8th day or
November [1776] next ensuing all that part of said district lying Within the following
lines, to wit: Beginning at the mouth of Cross Creek, thence up the same to the head
thereof, thence eastwardly to the nearest part of the ridge Which divides the Waters of
the Ohio trom those of the Monongahela, thence along the said ridge to the line which
divides the county of ‘Augusta from the said district, thence with the said boundary to
the Ohio, thence up the same to the beginning, shall be one distinct county, and be
called and known by the name of Ohio; and all that part of the said district lying to
the northward or the iollowing lines, viz. : beginning at the mouth or Cross Creek, and

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522 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

This was known as a “ Settlement Right,” and might be
reclaimed in the future—-when the deadly rifle and bloody
tomahawk had ceased their work of butcl1ery—and then a.
patent was issuedrto the settler upon proper proof of such
settlement. Very many of the most valuable lands in the
District of VVest Augusta and in the counties of Ohio,
Monongalia and Yohogania were secured by “Settlement
Biglits,” and the cabin and the corn-field were included in
the boundariesof the patents therefor.

Col. John Evans was born in London County, Virginia,
Whither his father emigrated from ‘Vales when a young
man, and settled in and married there. While he
was still a small boy and only child, his father died from
the bite of a rattlesnake. The widowed mother bestowed
upon her son a liberal education for those times. After
leaving school at Alexandria, he returned to his mother in
Loudon County, Where he subsequently married Ann
Martin.

Between 1762 or 1764, braving the dangers incident to
such an expedition, he crossed the mountains and SGCLIIW-?(l a
tomahawk right by hacking the outlines of a fertile tract of
land on the eastern side of the Monongahela River, about a

’ mile north of the mouth of Decl~:er’s Creek. David Morgan’S

farm, on which, in 1783, the county-seat of Monongalia was
located, lay immediately north of said. creek, and was after-
wards called Morgantown. In the year following (1765), he
again visited his land on the Monongahela, and built a cabin
and made an improvement on it. In the following year (1766),
he started from his home in London County with his family,
consisting of his mother, his wife, two children, and a family
of negroes, intending to take them to the new home he had
prepared for them west of the Alleghanies. Learning that

MILITARY HISTORY. .523

the Indians still made occasional invasions into northwest

yV'rginia, he left his family at Fort Cumberland (now Cum-

berland, Md), Where they remained until. 1769, and where
his son John was born. Col. Evans, in the meantime, oc-
casionally visited his new home. In 1769, he obtained a
patent on his tomahawli settlement for 400 acres of land,
including his improvement thereon, to which, in that year,
he removed his family, and upon which he settled and lived
until his death, and which he named “ VValnut Hill,” by
which name it is still known.

Col. Evans’s natural ability and education soon made him
a prominent man in the county, and caused him to be se—
lected to fill positions of trust and responsibility. He was
a colonel under Gen. Broadhead in the Revolutionary army.
As a member of the Convention of 1776, as military com-
mandant of the county in chargeof a frontier of 300 miles,
as a representative in the General Assembly, as clerk of the
County Court, he served his county aeceptably for nearly
the third of a century.

Col. John Evans’s family was composed of eiglit sons and
one daughter. One son died in infancy. He provided for
his sons even in this frontier settlement the opportunity for
a liberal education. He induced a gentleman well qualified
as a teacher to remove from London County and settle on
his farm for that purpose. His sons as well as himself were
all fine pensmen, as the records of the county will show of
most of them, and they were otherwise qualified to transact
business, and made useful and prominent citizens. Marga-
ret, the only daughter, was married to Capt. John Dent ( see
page 482). Each of Col. John Evans’s sons took an active
part in the defense of the frontier. They were well edu-

\

524 HISTORY OF MON-ONGALIA COUNTY.

cated and were known  polished gentlemen of culture and
ability.

Col. Dudley commanded a regiment under General Harri-
son in the VVar of 1812. He represented the county in the
General Assembly at various times with marked ability.

» He married in early life Arah lVilliams, and brought up a

family of four sons and four daughters. Enoch served for

years as justice of the peace, married Jenkins of this

county; removed to Missouri, Where he lived to an old age,
and raised a family of children.

John, generally called “ Captain Jack,” was born in 1768.
VVhen a young man, under anthority of the government, he
raised a company of men, called the “Rangers,” to guard
and protect the frontier. They were stationed for a con’-
siderable time at the fort on Pawpaw Creek (now in Marion
County), and, at a later period, at Zane’s Fort on the Ohio,
near the present site of. the city of \Vheeling. He after-
wards filled numerous offices of trust in the county; was
county coroner, for many years justice of the peace, mem-
ber of the county court, and also sheriff of the county. He
married, in 1800, Gilly Coleman Strother, of Culpepper
County, Va., and had a family of four daughters and six
sons. French Strother, h_is eldest son, born in 1801,
when less than two years old (and after the birth of the
second son of his parents), was adopted by his uncle, Nim-
rod Evans, and his wife (Who was a sister of his mother),
they having no children. French was brought up in all the
indulgence of his uncle’s refined and comfortable home;
was well educated, being sent to the eastern part of the
State for that purpose. His talents and accomplishments,
together with fine personal appearance, made him generally
popular. His uncle intended him for the profession of the

MILITARY HISTORY. 525

law, but at the age of nineteen he became religious and oined
the Methodist Church, and determined to become an itiner-
ant, which was altogether contrary to his uncle’s wishes, who
threatened him that if he did so he would disinherit him,
wl1icl1 threat he carried out. Notwithstanding this French
joined the Baltimore Conference, which then extended to
the Ohio River, in which he continued for many years, filling
with ability many important appointments, including stations
in Baltimore and. VVashington. He is still a local preacher
in the same conference, living in Washington, and known
and honored as a useful Christian gentleman.

John Coleman, the second son, was born 1803 ; was edu-
cated for the profession of law, and studied law With_ his
uncle, George F. Strother, i11 Missouri, but became interested
in steainboating, and while in command of a boat running
from Louisville to New Orleans, contracted yellow fever and
died in the latter place, September 17, 1827.

George S., born in 1804, engaged a larger part of his
life in mercantile business in Cumberland and Frostburg
(Md). He is now living with his son, Capt. ‘V. S. Evans, of
Alleghany City, Penn.

Daniel Strother,born in 1806, engaged in steamboating
on the Ohio a11d Mississippi rivers when quite a young
man. In 1832, while commanding a boat running from
Louisville to New Orleans, he too fell a Victim to yellow
fever.

Lucy Ann, born in 1808, and married to Nathan Golf, Sr.,
of Harrison County, died in 1870.

Thomas Clare, born September 3, 1812, was a merchant
in Morgantown and deputy sheriff of the county under his
father.

Elizabeth, born in 1815, died in infancy.

526 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Louisa S. was born in 1817, and was married to John H.
Hoffman, of Baltimore, of late years a citizen of Morgan-
town, and now cashier of tlie Second National Bank of that
place.

Margaret, born in 1821, was married to Daniel Clark
Chadwick, an estimable man and a successful merchant of
Morgantown, who died in early life, leaving his Wife and
four small children. ' She remains his Widow.

Col. John Evans, fourth son of Nimrod, was well edu-
cated, and known as a polished gentleman of ability. He
succeeded his father  clerk of the county court, which
office he held during his life. He married Elizabeth
Strother——a sister of the wife of Capt. Jack Evans——and
left no children.

Rawley was for many years a prominent merchant of
Morgantown. He married Maria Dering, of the same place.
Both lived to an advanced age, and reared a family of seven
daughters and three sons.

James studied law. A.t an early day, while Missouri was
still a territory, he went there and practiced law successfully
at Cape. From letters just found We find that he was there
in 1809. After some time, he was elected judge of the
court, which ofiice he held for many years. His Wife was a
sister of U. S. Senator Buckner, of Missouri. After her
death, he resigned the office of‘ judge and removed to a farm
near Louisville, Ky. Later in life, he returned to Monon-
galia, where he resided until his death at an advanced 

Marmaduke was a young man of fine ability; studied and

commenced practicing law. He died in early life, never
having been married.

Col. John Evans was made clerk of the County Court at
the time of the organization of the county, and for a time

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MILITARY HISTORY. 527

the courts were held at his house on his farm. He had the
clerk’s office in a building near his residence. The ofiice
after some years was burned, together with the records of
the county. The court after this required him to have his
oflice at the court—house. Rather than leave his farm and
come to town to live, he resigned the ofiice, and his son,
Nimrod Evans, was appointed to fill his place. The house
in which Col. John Evans lived at the time spoken of is still
standing, and is said to be the first shingle—roof house in

the county. The original floors and doors, made of pitch ~

pine, are in a good state of preservation. While the clerk’s
office was kept there, General Wrasliington came there for
the purpose of examining the land records of the county,
and remained and was the guest of Col. Evans during the
night. Owing to these facts, this house has been kept in
repair by Col. James Evans, to whom his father, Capt. Jack
Evans, in his will gave the “VValnut Hill” homestead, it
having been conveyed by Col. John to Capt. Jack by deed.

Qf Col. John Evans it may be truly said, that as a public
servant his integrity was never questioned, as a private citi--
zen his character was always above suspicion. On the 18th
of May, 1834, aged ninety-six years five months and nine
days, he sank peacefully to rest. His wife preceded him
only a few years, dying in her ninetieth year.

COL. J AMES EVANS, the fifth son of John Evans, J r.,
(generally known as Captain Jack Evans,) and grandson of
Col. John Evans, was born at “ lValnut Hill,” the old home-
stead. He represented the County of Monongalia as a dele-
gate to the General Assembly of Virginia in the session of
1839-40, and held a commission for many years as a justice
of the peace, and was a member of the county court. He

was a member of the lVheeling Convention which restored

528 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the government of Virginia in June, 1861. In July follow-
ing, Francis H. Pierpont, governor of Virginia, urged Col.
Evans to consent to raise a regiment to aid in putting down
the rebellion, to whicli end the governor gave him a colo-
nel’s commission. Col. Evans went actively to work and by
October following had raised a11d organized the Seventh Vir-
ginia Volunteer Regiment, whose conduct on many a Well-
contested field afterwards, gave it a character for valor and

thorough discipline second to no other Virginia or ‘Vest

' Virgina regiment in the service. The Regiment was organ-

ized at Grafton—-Gen. Kelley’s headquarters~—in November‘,
1861, and formed a part of Gen. Kelly’s corps, which drove
the Confederateforces back and took possession of Romney
during that month. The Seventh Virginia remained in win-
ter quarters at Romney, and in the spring of 1862 formed
part of Gen. Shields’s force which captured IVi11chester. In
the latter part of the summer of 1862, Col. Evans became
so broken in health that he was unable to discharge the ac-
tive duties of the field, and resigned his command. The
regiment then became a part of the Army of the Potomac.

In September, 1863, Col. Evans’s health having somewhat
improved, he was commissioned by President Lincoln pro-
vost marshal of the Second Congressional District of ‘Vest
Virginia, with headquarters at Grafton; the duties of which
office he faithfully discharged until the close of the war
and to the entire satisfaction of the Government and the
people of the district. The business of the office was
closed up, and he was mustered out of the service in Sep-
tember, 1865.

011 March 21, 1843, Col. Evans married Delia, eldest
daughter of the late Thomas P. Ray. Their children were
Lucy Strother, ‘Harvey Anna (deceased), Thomas Ray,

MILITARY HISTORY. 529

Gilly C., John G. and Delia Belle (the last two both de-
ceased). Col. James Evans, his son Thomas Ray Evans,
and his grandson, James Evans (son of Thomas R.), are
the only male descendants of Col. John Evans, bearing the
family name, now living in Monongalia County.

Col. Evans is known and recognized as among our most
intelligent and useful citizens. In early life he acquired a
practical and accurate knowledge of land surveying; and
from this knowledge, as the mutual friend of, or arbiter
for, his felloW—citizens, he has settled peaceably and Without
litigation many disputed land titles, and was very frequently
named in the orders of the courts a commissioner in suits
involving the assignment of dovver and the partition of real
estate.’ As a farmer, during his more active life, he was
regarded by his neighbors as worthy of imitation in pro-
gressive methods and successful management. He has
acquired a very considerable fortune, and is spending his
declining years in the society of a devoted wife and loving
children. The writer of this sketch desires to record of his
friend, Col. Evans, that, without which all wordly ambitions
and honors are but vanity, and the most successful lives are
without true inspiration and hope—he is an humble and
sincere disciple of tlie Lord Jesus Christ, and has been for
more than forty years past a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.

COL. FRANCIS W. THOMPSON was born in Morgantown,
January 7, 1828. He Went VVest in 1850, and crossed the
plains in 1852, when there was not a house between the
Missouri River and the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. In
the Yakama and other Wars, he was captain of Company A,
First gattalion of Oregon Mounted Volunteers. Col. Thomp-

MONONGALIA COUNTY FORMATION. 51

among the first counties created under a republican form of
government in the New World, and one whose age is equal
to that of the Republic.

The act creating the county further provided “that it
shall and may be lawful for the landholders of said county,
qualified to vote for representatives in the General Assem-
bly,* to meet at the house of Jonathan Coburn [Cobun] in
the said county, on the 8th of December following, then and
there to choose the most convenient place for holding courts
for the county in the future.” Notice of the time and place
of election was to be given to the landholders by the sheriff,
minister and readers. The sheriff was to conduct the elec-
tion. The places to be voted for were to be written down,
every one in a separate column, and the name of every
landholder voting Written under the place for which he
voted. The place receiving the most votes was to be thence-
forthythe place for holding courts. The poll attested by the
sheriff, was to be recorded in the clerk’s oflice of the county;
but as the clerk’s oflice was destroyed by fire in 1796, it is
impossible to say Whether such deposit, was made or not.
Most probably it was. The act contained a proviso, that if
the freeholders of the county should be prevented on the
8th of December from assembling, by rain, snow or acciden-

running up its several courses to the head thereof, thence south-eastwardly to the
nearest part of the aforesaid dividing ridge between the Waters of the Monogahela and
the Ohio, thence along the said ridge to the head of Ten-mile Creek, thence east to the
road leading from Cat Fish Camp to Redstone Old Fort, thence along the said road to
the Monongahela River, thence crossing the said river to the said tort, thence along
I)un1ap’s old road to Braddock’s road, and with the same to the meridian or the head
fountain of Potowmack, shall be one other distinct county, and be called and known
by the name or Yohogania County.”

* July, 1775, by act or convention it was declared that every free white man in the
District or West Augusta, “who shall have been for one year preceding in possession of
twenty-five acres or land with a house and plantation thereon, or one hundred acres
without a house or plantation, claiming an estate tor life at least in the said land, in
his own right, or in__right or his wife, shall have a vote.”

530 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

son learned several Ind.ian languages while on the plains,
and can yet speak some of them quite fluently. In 1861, he
raised the first company in the county for the Federal ser-
vice, which was probably the first three years’ men in the
service from ‘Vest Virginia. He was commissioned cap-
tain, June 5, 1861, (was commissioned 1st lieutenant in the
Seventy-sixth Militia, May 28, 1860,) was promoted and
commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Third Regiment
Virginia Volunteers, July 20, 1861, and was promoted and
commissioned colonel of the Sixth Cavalry, April 21, 1864.
In 1861, he commanded an expedition into the Kanawha
Valley, and defeating the Confederates at Big Bend, cleared

them out of the valley. He commanded Averill’s Brigade!

at the battle of Moorefield, and commanded a detachment
of three regiments at Droop Mountain. During this latter
engagement a charge was made by Colonel Thompson's
command which deserves to be placed among historic strug-
gles. His soldiers had fought their Way to within a short
distance of the Confederate fortifications, and could do
nothing further except to stand and be shot down or charge
the enemy’s works. Col. Thompson signaled the command-
ing general for permission to charge. VVhen it was given,
he asked that the artillery be directed to fire a few rounds
at the fortifications in front of his men, and signal him as
they ceased. The shots were fired and the signal came.
Immediately the order to charge was given, and the men
sprang forward with a wild huzza! Colonel Thompson was
in the front, and before the dust had cleared or the enemy
comprehended their intent, his men were pouring over the
walls with clubbed guns, and beating back their foes in a
hand-to—hand fight as determined and heroic as any con-
test of the war. The resistance was stubborn, but nothing

MILITARY HISTORY. 531

could avail against the impetuous onslaught of the Colonel’s
gallant boys, and their victory was signal and complete.

Col. Thompson since 1873 has been engaged in the mill-
ing business at Morgantown.

COL. JOSEPH SNIDER was born in Monongalia County, on

the 14th day of February, 1827, and is the son of Elisha
Snider, who was the son of the John Snider who was cap--

tured by Indians and kept a prisoner for nine years (p. 37)..

C01. Snider was raised on the farm, and was given what was.

then considered a fair education‘.

On coming to his majority, he was a Democrat in politics.
At the presidential election of 1860, he voted for Douglass.
\Vhen the war broke out, he took a decided stand against
secession. He was a member of the first mass convention
held in Wheeling, and also of that which passed the ordi-
nance for the formation of the State of West Virginia. Col.
Snider was a member of the Legislature of the Reorganized
Government of Virginia, which sat at Wheeling at the
same time the convention was in session which framed the
first constitution of ‘Vest Virginia. This legislature had
to appropriate money to pay the members of the convention.
As the constitution made by that body continued slavery in
the proposed new State, Col. Snider, of all the members of
the legislature, alone voted no upon the passage of the. bill
making the appropriation. He has always considered this
one of the proudest acts of his life. And he did not con-
tent himself with merely voting, but made a ringing speech
against the propriety of the legislature inclorsing even in-
directly the continuance of “the sum of all villainies” in
the new State.

Col. Snider was the gallant colonel of the gallant Seventh

VVest Virginia Infantry ; and as such commander, was in the

532 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

battle of South Mountain and of Antietam. In the latter
battle, he had his horse killed under him, the animal having
five bullets in its body. In the hard-fought battle of Fred-
ericksburg, Col. Snider’s regiment opened the fight on that
ever memorable 13th of December. VVl1ile leading l1is reg-
iment against tl1e fortifications of the enemy, which was
done under a most terrific fire from the Confederates, Col.
Snider received :1 bullet wound in the head. Col. Snider
was in the battle of Chancellorsville, vvliere, said the Colo-
nel, “ My regiment did as good fighting as ever was d.one on
earth.” He was also in numerous other engagements and
skirmishes. 4

The regiment having become almost depleted, it was con-
solidated into four companies in September, 1863; Col. Sni-
der, with other supernumerary officers, was mustered out.
He was then commissioned colonel of the Fourth VVest Vir-
ginia Cavalry, Which was a six months’ regiment. The term
of enlistment of the men expired April 14th, 1864,‘ and Col.

(Snider was out of the service.

Col. Snider was elected a member of the Constitutional
Convention of 1871, and was elected to the Legislature of
1872-3, and to the Legislature of 1875. As amember of
these bodies he was an active and influential participant.
Of excellent sense, fine judgment, rigidly adhering to princi-
ple, and watchful and diligent, he served his people ably
and with rare conscientiousness. Col. Snider is now serv-
ingdalsecond term as president of the Board of Education
of Union District, Monongalia County.

The portrait of Col. Snider, on another page of this book,
is a good likeness of him as he appeared in 1862-3. Always
true to his convictions of right, and of an energetic nature,
Col. Snider has lived an active and useful life. He is well

MILITARY HISTORY. V 533

known,‘ and highly esteemed. A record of his acts and of
the speeches he has delivered since the breaking out of the
War in 1861, would fill many pages of this book.

CAPT. JOHN EVANS HOFFMAN, son of John H. Hoffman,
was born October 7, 1842. He went out in Company C,
Third Cavalry, as first lieutenant, in 1863. He refused a
commission as major of the regiment. At Fredericksburg,
being outside the pickets and entering a house for a drink,
three guerrillas surrounded ‘the house. He killed their
leader, and by a call’ for his men (who were not near) fright-
ened the other two back till he escaped. On the 24th of
November, 1863, twenty of the Third VV. Va. Cavalry, who
were on a scout, were attacked and thirteen captured.
Lieut. I5/';'ofi"n1an headed the seven who came into camp, and
supported by seventy-five men of a New ‘York cavalry 1"eg'i—

Iment, made a daring attack to recover the thirteen men.

The NeWYork men did not support him in the attack, and he

and two of the seven men were killed On the day of his
death a captain’s commission was made out in VVl1eeling
for him by Gov. Pierpont. Young and’ brave and daring,
his loss was severely felt.

CAPT. JAMES R. UT*1‘was born on Decker’s, Creek. He
enlisted in Company C, Third WV. Va. Cavalry, and was
promoted to capt/ain, and was killed while bravely fighting
at Piedmont Station, on the 16th of May, 1863.

CAPT. NIMROD NELSON HoF1«‘MAN, one of the editors of_the
I’0.s=t, was born in 1827. He served in the Mexican war.
On the breaking out of the late civil war, he enlisted in
Company A, 1st West Virginia Cavalry, as a private, and

was promoted to second and to first lieutenant, and

commissioned captain in 1864, and served until January 1,

1865.  was wounded, April 15, 1863, on the Greenbrier

534 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

River. On August 21, 1862, he had his horse shot, and was
taken prisoner at Kel1ey’s Ford, but escaping, carried infor-
mation (obtained while but a few minutes a prisoner)‘ to
Gen. Buford, that his Brigade was in extreme danger of
capture by Longstreet. '

CAPT. HENRY BAYARD LAZIER, M.D., was born January 26,
1831; attended Monongalia Academy; graduated at the
Jefferson Medical College; He raised Company E, Seventh
W. Va. Infantry. His company fought at Malvern Hill,
and at Antietam. In the latter battle, Capt. Lazier com——
manded the left wing of the regiment, and was severely
Wounded. He resigned his commission in February, 1863,
was commissioned the next day assistant surgeon i.n the
Sixteenth Army Corps, and served until the end of the War.

Lieutenant Commander FRENCH ENZOR CHADWICK is the
first and oldest ofiicer in the naval service of the United
States from the State of ‘Vest Virginia. Lieutenant Chad-
Wick is the son of Daniel Clark and l\Ia‘rgaret Chadwick,
and was born February 29, 1844. He was educated at
Monongalia Academy until 1861, when he was appointed
(September 28th) a cadet from ‘Vest Virginia to the Naval
Academy, by the Hon. VWilliam G. Brown. He graduated
in November, 1864, and was attached to the Flagship
Susqrew.7¢mz2zcz, and served in this ship on the South Atlantic
(Brazil) station from May,.1865, till the spring of 1866, when
he was transferred to the Jemxiazfa, of the same squadron.
He was promoted to ensign and master in the latter part of
1866. In June, 1867, he returned to the United States, and
in October was promoted to lieutenant and ordered to the
training ship Saba’-ml (used for training boys). In April,
1868, he was ordered to the Te/.9ca7'07'a, fitting at Mare Island
navy yard, California. Lieut. Chadwick served in this

n

MILITARY HISTORY.

535

vessel on the west coast of South America, and on March
26, 1869, was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. In
June, 1869, the Twsc(.z7'om was ordered to the ‘Vest Indies,
and he served on this station until February, 1870, when he
was ordered home, and in March was sent to the torpedo
station at Newport, R. I., where he remained until Septem-

ber, and was then sent to the (}-ue7‘rie7'e, fitting for the.

European station. He served on this station until March,
1872, and was detached, in April, 1872, from this ship,

A after its arrival at New York, and was ordered to report in

October as assistant instructor in mathematics at the Naval
Academy. In this position he served until April, 1875,
when he was ordered as executive of the I ’0w72,atam, on
special service. It afterward became the flagship of the
North Atlantic (VVest Indian) squadron. On November 15,
1878, he was detached from this ship on a special duty in
Europe, with refe1'ence to foreign systems of training sea-
In December, 1879, he was ordered to the New York
navy yard, and in July, 1880, was made assistant light-house

men.
inspector of the 3d District. He was ordered on July 13,
1882, to England on special service, and was appointed
October 30, 1882, naval attache to the United States
Legation at London, which position he  now holding.
Lieut. Chadwick was married Novoniber 20, 1878, to Miss
Cornelia J. Miller, of New York. He
A report on Naval Train-
It is
favorably spoken of by those competent to judge of the

is the author of
several works on naval subjects.
ing, by him, was published by the government.
subject. Several small pamphlets, from time to time, have
come from his pen.

NOTE.--—Sketches of Captains Jolliffe, .\IcVieker and G-arrison
will be foundtin following chapters.

CHAPTER XXVI.
MISCELLANEOUS HISTO RY.

Roads—Ri.Vers, Ferries and Steamboats—Se1'Vitude—~Ea1-1y Taverns

-Posta1 History~—F1our Inspectors—1*‘irst Notary Pub1ic—‘

Early Coroners—Overseers of the Poor~—Secret Organizations—~

Literary Societies~—Mononga1ia Inventions~—Insurance History

~'—Telegraph History—Bui1ding Associations-—VVea1th, Debt
and TaXation—~Count_v Areas—Greog1'aphical Cente1'—Cente1' of
1’opu1ation——County Divisions: Constabulary, District and
Township.

THE first roads in the county were little more than mere
bridle paths. All record of the early roads up to 1796 is
lost, and tradition otfere but little to supply its loss. The first
road, it is said, was up Decker’s Creek, froin the site of
Morgantovsrn to Book Forge, and then ran with the location
of the present road, known as the old Kingwood road, past
the Dripping Spring. It was cut out, perhaps, between
1772 and 1776, and ran by the site of Kingvvood (Preston

L County), crossed Cheat River at the Dunkard Bottom, and

ran to the site of VVesternport (Md.), and then to “finches-
ter. Over this road the early settlers of the county
brought all their salt and iron from VVi11ehester. It was a
pack-horse road. After the Revolutionary war, it became

an emigrant road to the ‘Vest, and on the 10th of December, ‘

1791, an act of Assembly was passed for opening a road
from the State road to the mouth of Fishing Greek (New
Martinsville). This old road was a part of the proposed

road which, from 1VIorgantow11, ran with the present Fair-

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 537

mont turnpike to the “Red Bridge. From where the “Red
Bridge ” now stands, it turned off and ran by tl1e site of
McCurdysvil1e, thence beyond the county to Basnettsville
and on to the mouth of Fishing Creek. It now became a
Wagon road. On December 23, 1795, \Villiam McCleery,
Nicholas Cassey, Michael Kerns, and Edward McCarty were
appointed to repair that portion of it from VVesternport to

Morgantown, which was designated as “ a wagon road

from the mouth of Savage River to Morgantown.” A lot-

tery was authorized on December 2, 1796, to raise money to
repair this road from l\Iorgantown to VVinchester. The
lottery scheme, however, was never carried out. December
18, 1800, an Alleghany Turnpike Company was projected to
improve that part of the road from the mouth of Savage
River to thehead of western navigation. But the company
was never organized. January 2, 1806, Morgan Morgan,
Williaiii Haymond, Thomas Barnes, Stephen Morgan and
Augusta Ballah were authorized to raise two thousand
dollars by lottery to improve that part of the road from the
“Monongalia Glades” (in Preston) to the mouth of Fishing
Creek. Neither was this lottery scheme carried out. The
road was now called the old State road or the old lVinches—
ter road. In later years, after Kingwood was founded, that
part from Morgantown to Kingwood was called the King-
wood road, and to~day is known as the “old Kingwood
roac .”

The next road was the Monongalia Glades road in 18112,
which ran from the Monongalia Glades by the way of
Smithtown to Clarksburg.

The Brandonville and Fishing Creek Turnpike was agita-
ted in 1830, and was projected in 1832, as the Maryland and
Ohio Turnpike. In 1836, it received the first mentioned

538 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

name. It ran from the Maryland line, past Brandonville
(Preston County), to Ice’s Ferry, thence on the location of
the present road from the ferry to Morgantown ; thence on
the location of the Fairmont Pike, on the West side of the
river, to Fairmont, and on to the Ohio River at the mouth
of Fishing Creek. It was built between 1836 and 1839. In
1850, it was extensively repaired by VVm. J. \Villey, instead
of built, as stated, from wrong information, on page 125 of
this Work.

The next projected highway was the Morgantown and
Clarksburg Turnpike, located by Col. James Evans, from
Clarksburg, on the east side of the river, past Smithtown,
to Morgantown, and then using the Brandonville and Fish-
ing Creek Turnpike to Ice’s Ferry; thence to the Pennsylva-
nia State line. Nothing was done beyond the location. In
1849, the Morgantown and Bridgeport Turnpike was au-
thorized by the General Assembly, and it was built in Men-
ongalia on the location of the Morgantovvn and Clarksburg
road from Sinithtown, by Morgantown, to the Pennsylvania
State line beyond Ice’s Ferry, using a part of the road from
Morgantmvn to Iee’s Ferry.

The Pennsylvania, Beverly and Biorgantown T111'11pike
was incorporated in 1837; was revived in 1853, and was
constructed from the State line, near Fort Martin church;
crossed the Monongahela at Collins’s Ferry, came by Mor-
gantown, crossing the Morgantown and Bridgeport Pike,
and ran to Evansville, Preston County, and on to Beverly.
From Morgantown to Evansville this road is now generally
called the Evansville Pike. \

The Beverly and Fairmont Turnpike, in 1838, was partly
located by 001. James Evans. He located a road from a
point three or four miles east of Fetterman, by Fairmont,

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 539

to West Warren, and on towards Wheeling. His chain-
carriers were “Buffalo” Jim Morgan and “Big” John Cona~
Way; staff-bearer, ex-Gov. F. H. Pierpont, and Augustus
Haymond (present Circuit Clerk) was stakeman. In 1835,
this road was commenced from Fairmont to West War1'en
as an extension of the Beverly and Fairmont Turnpike.

The Kingwood, Morgantown and West Union Turnpike
was incorporated in 1848. It was located by a Mr. Kuy-
kendall, and partly re-located by Col. James Evans. Its
extension from Kingwood to Morgantown was authorized
in 1851, and when completed it was, as it is now, the best
road in the county. 5

The Dunkard Creek Turnpike was projected in 1839 ; and
revived in 1847. It was located by Col. James Evans from
Morgantown to Blacksville. A Dunkard Valley Turnpike
Company was projected in 1871, to operate this road, which
commences one mile west of Morgantown, and passes by
Granville, Randall, Cassville, Brown’s Mills, New Browns-
ville, Blacksville and on to Burton, on the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad.

The Masontown and Independence Turnpike, called the
Ice’s Ferry and Tunnelton Turnpike, was incorporated in
1856, and was built from a point on the read one mile West
of Ice’s Ferry, running to Masontown ; thence to Tunnelton,
Preston County. y

We find accounts of the following projected roads 2 The
Sznithtown Turnpike, incorporated in 1853; The Blacks-
ville and Worthington Turnpike, incorporated the same
year; and the Bivesville and New Brownsville Turnpike,
incorporated in 1854.

RIVERS.

By an  of the General Assembly of Virginia, passed

wwm 
‘ 
M

Iww\|uu
:-unn.:w~»
'Imm:‘wmw.
‘HA

52 'HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

tal rise of Water-courses, the sheriff was to put off the election
to that day week following, “ and so from week to Week so
often as the case may happen.” This act, as has been said
“ was both mandatory and optional.” As all the county
records were burned in 1796, we can not state positively that
any such meeting at Jonathan Cobun’s (which was about
two miles east of the site of Morgantown) ever took place;
but in all probability it did, as some action must have been
taken to establish the courts held soon afterward on the
plantation of Theophilus Phillips, near the site of New
Geneva, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Action must have
been taken by the freeholders of the county in some manner,
as no further action in the matter was had by the General
Assembly. And if the election was held at Cobun’s, we can
easily account for the establishment of courts at Phillips’s,
from the fact that the northern portion of the county then
(which is now in Fayette County, Pennsylvania) was the
most populous, and hence would cast the largest vote, and
thereby control the selection of the place, . which would

naturally be in that part of the county. Theophilus Phillips ’

lived in Springhill Township, Fayette County, about two
miles from where New Geneva now stands. His farm was
about two hundred yards to the left of the present road run-
ning from Morris’s Cross Roads to New Geneva. The site
of his quite extensive buildings for that day still remain
visible on a beautiful long knoll. There were the mansion,
many outbuildings, including the negro quarters, a still-
house, stables, and alarge shop near the mansion which de-
scendants of his family say was used for the court-house of
Monongalia County. Swearingen and Cox’s forts were
situated but three or four miles away. Here courts were
held as late as 1779, if not later; and tradition says that the

5&0 HISTORY OF 'MONONGALIA COUNTY.

January 20,, 1800, the Monongahela River was made ,.a pub;

lic highway. On March 3, 1870, Cheat River and its \_

branches were declared public highways by the legislature
of ‘Vest Virginia. \
EARLY FER-RIES.
The first ferry established by law within the county, so

‘far as known, was one across Cheat River at ‘Andrew Ice’s,

and was authorized by an act passed in 1785. It is still in

existence, and for nearly a century l1as been widely known
as Ice’s Ferry. On December 9, 1791, four ferries were
established across the Monongahela, within the bounds of

the county, as follows: One at David Scott’s, at the mouth

of Scott’s mill run (Randall); another “from the la11ds of
Dudley Evans to the lands of Reese Bullock”; the_third
from lands of George Hollinbaugh to those of Asa Hall,
and the fourth from John Collins’s, at the mouth of Rob-
inson’s run, to lands of Jesse Martin. It was enacted that
the charge at all these ferries should be three pence each
for man or horse.

In 1792, four ferries were authorized across the Monon-
gahela, viz.: At Thomas Evans’s, mouth of Decker’s creek;
from Jesse Martin’s lands to James Hoar-d’s ; from Jesse
ll/IiLI‘tlI1’S'lf1I3(lS to lands of David Scott, and from Samuel
Anglin’s to William Anglin’s. In the same year, a ferry
across Cheat was established, at James Clelland’s. In 1796,
one was authorized on the Monongahela, between lands of
Alexander McIntyre and Coleby Chew; in 1804, from
James Collins’s to Zackwell Morgan’s, and the rate at
Thomas E\’&11S,Si ferry, mouth of Decker’s creek, was in-
creased from four to six and one-fourth cents. January 2,
1805, a ferry was established across Cheat, between lands of
Charles Stewart and James Stafford; on January 18th, of

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 541

the next year, between Charles Magi1l’s and the forge of
Samuel Jackson; and on January 6, 1807, across the
Monongahela, below Morgantown, between Henry Dering’s
mill and lands of Noah Ridgway and 1Villiam Tingleix“
This was the last ferry ever authorized in the county by the
General Assembly. On the 17th of January, 1807, an act
was passed relegating the subject to the county courts.
This court established a ferry, in 1810, across the Monon-
gahela, from lands of "William Tingle to lands of H. Dering.
June 24, 1817, it established Thorn’s ferry, across the same
river, from the mouth of Indian creek to the mouth of
Wliite Day creek, and fixed rates as follows : man or horse,
6:} cents; cattle, each 6;}: cents; hogs or sheep, each 1;}
cents. The last ferry established in the county was across
the Monongahela, at the mouth of Crooked run, in Sep-1
tember, 1883. It was granted on the petition of Lewis
Stone, and the charges were fixed as follows: man or horse,‘
5 cents; horse and buggy", 15 cents; two-horse buggy, 20
cents; two—horse wagon, 25 cents; each additional horse, 5
cents ; cattle, 3 cents, and sheep or hogs, 1 cent each.
’ STEAMBOATS.

The first steamboat to come to the Port of Morgantown
was the ]2cin(Zec7*, on Sunday April 29, 1826. Tradition
says the people left the ministers in the midst of their ser-

mons and ran through the rain a mile below town to see “ a

live steamboat.” Tradition further says that the ministers
put on their hats and were at the boat nearly as soon as
their excited conorerrations.

C) D

The first steamboat built in the county was at Ice’s Ferry,
between 1845 and 1848. By most persons the date given is

* The ‘uniform charge on all these terries, with the exceptions noted, was fixed by
law at four cents for each man 01' horse.

G

542 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY./

1846. It was a small boat named The Lady Ellicott, but
did not prove a success. The next and last steamboat built
was the Jlfonongw/zclcz Belle, by David B. Lynch, and
launched November 4, 1853, at Morgantown, at Decker’s
Creek boat-yard. It ran some time, and was sold to run on
the “Lower Trade.” From diaries and newspapers the
names of the following steamboats have been secured as at
the Port of Morgantown. The dates given are the first
mention of them found :

Monongahela — April 22, 1828 Globe - - — ~ 1852
Odd Fellow — June 3, 1830 *Thomas P. Ray - - “
Tariff - - — March 6, 1831 R. H. Lindsey — — “
Yancey — - - Feb. 4, 1833 Tornado — — — - 1853
Shannon — - March , 1838 Luzerne - — - - “
Little Napoleon April 27, 1840 Col. Morgan - - — “
Wellsville — - April 19, 1341 Jesse Lazier — - — 1854
Isaac Walton - — May 1, “ Gray Fox - — - - 1857
Effort — - - “ 3, “ Telegraph — - - 18-58
Traveller — - Jan. 12, 1842 Jefferson - - - — “
Alpine ~ — - Dec. 10, “ Arab - - - - 1861
]Etna - - April 6, 1843 Argus - - - - — 1864
Rambler — - “ 18, “ Oil Exchange — — ~ “
Oella - — Dec. 25, “ Elector - — — - 1866
Harlem - - March '7, 1845 Fayette — - - — “
Massachusetts June 23, “ Chieftain - - — — “
Miner — - 'Nov. 11, “ Franklin — - - 1867
Motive — - - March 9, 1846 Tidioute - - - — "
Medium - - May 10, “ Active - — « — “
Danube - - Nov. 26. 1847 Alena May - — - - 1868
Star - — - May 10, 1848 Grexn - — - - 1879
Hope - - — “ 13, “ Harry — - Jan. 24, 1881
Venture - - - — 1852 Bennett - — - - ——
Eclipse — - - - “ M. Gr. Knox - — ~ 1882

February 3, 1806, an act was passed permitting dams to
be built across the Monongahela, with proper slopes and
Windlass, and lamps at night.

sEP..vITUDE.
There were never many slaves in Monongalia. The cli-

mate Was. not favorable to slavery, and the proximity of the
“Free States” offered superior facilities for the escape of

*The Thomas P. Ray was built at Brownsville, Penn., in 1852, and was named in
honor of Thomas P. Ray (t-hen deceased), of Monongalia.

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 543

slaves. Free negroes were allowed in the county, and sev-
eral slaves were emancipated, by permission of the county
court, who then could remain in the county. In 1796, John
Leatherberry a11d others coming in the county, had to swear
that their removal i.nto Virginia was not to evade laws pre-
venting the importation of slaves, that none of their slaves
had been brought from Africa si.nce 1778, and that they had
brought no slaves into the State to sell them.

Few slaves were ever sold in Monongalia. April 11, 1864,
witnessed the sale of the last slave ever disposed of in the
county. Two slaves——brotlier and sister,—the property of
A. C. Dorsey, deceased, were sold to liquidate a debt of
said Dorsey. The sale took place in the public square.
The man, Stephen Trimble, was sold to VVm. A. Hanway,
for $326; the woman, Elizabeth, was bought by Mrs. E. A.
Dorsey, widow of A. O. Dorsey, for the sum of $71. They
were of an age that left them slaves for life by the State
constitution; yet the unsettled state of afi'airs caused a low
price only. to be realized on them. An able-bodied male
slave generally sold for from $1,500 to $2,000. The Thir~
teenth Amendment to the constitution of the United States
set them free. They both live in Morgantown yet, and
Stephen is a deacon in A. M. E. church.

EARLY TAVERNS.

The first license to keep a house of entertainment in the
county, of which any record exists, was granted to VVilliam
Tingle, of Morgantown, March 14, 1796. In April of that
year, Elihu Horton was licensed. Both these licenses were
renewed in 1798. In 1797, thirteen tavern licenses were
granted in the county, as follows: To John Furguson,
Henry Hamilton, Hugh McNeely (Morgantown), Michael

544 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Hildebrand, Alexander McIntyre (Morgantown), John Mel-
rose, Fauquer McOra (Morgantown), Moses lVillian1s,
Philip Hulfman, Charles Stewart, VVillia1n Bills, Adley Ray
and Thomas Griggs. McNeely kept tavern until 1801, and
McCra and Stewart until 1802. Thomas Ohipps was
licensed in 1798, and kept for two years in Morgantown.
In 1799, Jacob Pindall succeeded Alexander McIntyre in
Morgantown, and Jacob Bowers, George McClelland (Bran-
donville, now Preston County) and Henry Dering, Morgan-
town, were licensed. Dering continued the business until
1807. In 1800, licenses were granted to Dudley Evans,
William Chipps, Samuel Swearingen and James McVicker;
in the following year, to Purnell Fowler and Daniel Stew-
art, and in 1802, to Bartholomew Clark (Morgantown), G.
B. Tingle (Morgantown) and VVillian1 Ashford. John Fort-
ney and Richard Smith were licensed in 1806.

The county court, at Various times, established schedules
to govern the charges of these early taverns. The follow-
ing from the record of May 25, 1824, will serve as an illus-
tration of the prices then current:

Madeira wine, per quart, 1.25 Dinner, - - ~ - - 25
Other “ “ “ ~ . 75 SI) pper, - - - - 25
Spirits, per half pint, - - 25 Lodging, per night, - - 6;}
French brandy, half pint, - 25 Oats, per gallon, - - - 12§
= Foreign srin. “ “ - 25 com. “ “ - - - - 12::
Domestic liquor “ “ - - :25 Hay or fodder, per night, - 12§
Breakfast, - - ~ — 2.3 Pasturage, - - - - 61:

POSTAL HISTORY.

The people of Monongalia were favored in 1793 with a post-

route from Pittsburgh to Morgantown, which was established '

by the I’z'tts?m'rg/2, Gasetzfe. Isaac Pearce was the post-rider.

The United States, in 1794, established a postoffice at
Morgantown, and appointed Peregrine Foster post-master.
For the next twenty-eight years we have no record of

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 545

the postal matters of the county. In 1822, the following
post-offices were in Monongalia County :

M 1' les from From
Post-Qzlices. }’a.stmasle1's. |Vasm"ngton.. I.‘£chmon(I.
Morgantown .......... ..AleX. Hawthorne...........20I .......... ..309
King’s Ferry .......... ..Davi(l Barker ................ ..244 .......... ..342
Barnes’s Mill .......... ..Thomas Barnes, Jr ........ ..327 .......... ..219
Pols1ey’s Mill .......... ..Jacob Polsley ................ ..245 .......... ..343
Swarp Settlement... John W. Corlin ............. ..211 .......... ..264
\Vhite Day ........... .. . John Jeffs ...................... ..210 .......... ..320

There were five post-oflices in the United States at that
time by the name of Morgantown, viz.: one in Berks Coun-
ty, Penn., one in Burke County, N. C., one in Butler County,
Ky., one in Blount County. Tenn., and Morgantown in Mon-
ongalia County.

In 1846, we have record of the following :

Morgantown — N. B. Madera Ice’s Ferry — John Bowers
Granville — - - . Dent J ake’s Run - — R. D. Tennant
Blacksville - E. B. Tygart ‘White Day - Joseph J ollifle

The following is a complete list of the post—ofiices and
postmasters in the county in 1851 :

Amettsville—-James Arnett, Jr. Laurel Point——Ed. G. Brooke.
Blacksville-—Robert S. Fletcher. Morgantown-—Nicliolas B. Madera.

Cassville—Peter A. Layton. Penn-ess—Cyrenus Cox.
Dornicktown~—William Hale. Stewarttown——-Sam’l VVitherow.
Granville-—Marmaduke Dent. Utfington-—W m. D. Smith.
Ice’s Ferry———Antbony Loftus. Wadestown—-Wm. Kenney.

Jake’s Ru'n—-Richard D. '1‘ennam. White Day———Jos. Jollilfe.
Jirntown—-Wm. P. Williams.

Below will be found 'a list of the post-offices now in the
county, with the date of establisliment, so far as known:

Andy Jake's Rain Pentress (1849)
Arnettsville (1851) Laurel Iron Works Randall

Uassville Laurel Point St. Cloud

Cedar Valley Lowesville Statler’s Run
Center Maidsville (1857) Stewarttowyn (1850)
Clinton Furnace (1857) Miracle llun (1854) Uflington (1850)
Cross Roads Mooresville Wadestown
Easton Morgantown (1794) White Day (1822)
Georgetown 0’Neal1833) Wise.

Halleck (1880) PedIar's Run

546 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

There are now five post—ofi‘ices in the United States by
the name of Morgantowna—located in Morgan County, Ind.,
Butler County, Ky., Pike County, Ohio, Berks County,
Penn., and Monongalia County, VV. Va.

The first United States mail in tlie county was a route
established in 1794, from Hagerstown, "via Hancock, Cum-

‘ berland, Morgantown, Uniontown and Brownsville, and was

said to have made weekly visits to Morgantown. Post-
offices increased and semi-weekly mails were secured. On
March 9, 1832, Col. John started a line of four-horse stages.
Tri—weekly mails came next. The late A. S. Vance started
the first daily mail about 1854.

FLOUR INSPECTORS.

All flour barreled and sent out of a county in Virginia
during the first part of the Nineteenth Century, had to be
inspected, and branded, if fit for market, “fine” or “ super-

9)

fine. The inspector for a county had a long hollow drill
with a point like a gimlet. He bored through the center of
the barrel, and inspected the flour brought up by the drill
(which was about one pound), and then marked the barrel.
This flour he kept, and received besides so many cents a
barrel for inspection. ‘
VVe have mention of the following flour inspectors for
Monongalia : 1807, Abram V/Voodrow; 1813, Cornelius Berk-
shire; l812, Rawley Evans; 1820, John Evans, Jr. The

county records show nothing further of flour inspectors.

NOTARY PUBLIC.
The first notary public in the county, of which we find

’ any account, is James McGee, who was sworn in on March

13, 1815.
EARLY conomms.

The first coroners whose names we can find are A. I’.

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 547
VVilson, 1815, and Joseph Campbell, 1816, and from this

down the records bear the names of no other coroners,

except that of Augustus Haymond, 1842 to 1856.

OYERSEERS OF THE POOR.

In 1806, the county was divided into three districts, with
voting places at Morgantown, John McClain’s (in Preston),
and John Dent’s, for the election of overseers.

1806.v—C'/teat 1)ist7*2'cZ.——John VVillitts, James Clark and
Robert Tannahill. Jlforgamtown I)z's!7°icZ.——-\Villian1 Mc-
Cleery, Calder Haymond and Nicholas Vandervort. lVest
Sz'cZc 1)ist7'ict.——Boaz Burrows, Richard Harrison and Asa
Hall.

1812.——Joshua Hickman, VVilliam Conner, Joseph Fore-
man, Peter Mason, Robert Abercrombie.

1816.—~Daniel McCollum, Frederick Hersh, Richard Fore-
man, Ralph Berkshire, James McGee, VVilliam Haymond,
J r., John S. Barnes, Samuel Minor and Rawley Martin.

In 1819, but two districts remained, as Preston was
struck oil’. No accurate record was kept after this.

SECRET ORGANIZATIONS.

Monongalia has had her share, with other counties of
‘Vest Virginia, of secret organizations. The following have
been established in'the county: _,

. Jllczsovzic I*’7°(zzfc7'nz't3/.——A Royal Arch Chapter was organ—
ized years ago, but went down. G-ill Commandery No. 4.-
was organized in 1867, and remained till 1874. Among its
members Were: Knights H. Reed, J. J. Fitch, IV. ‘V. Dering,
VVi11iam VVagner, ‘V. H. Houston, ‘V. A. Hanway, O. H.
Dille, E. J. Evans, A. L. Nye, \Villiam Dann and Charles
VV. Finnell.

l\Iorgantown Union Lodge No. 93, A.F. &A.M. was char-

548 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

tered December 15, 1812, by the Grand Lodge of Vir-
ginia, and on February 10, 1813, at its first meeting, Thomas
Irwin and Thompson McKain (of Union No. 92, of Penn.),
Simeon Wooclroxv and Willialll G. Payne, P.M.’s appointed
by the Grand Lodge of Virginia, installed the following offi-
cers: Ralph Berkshire, VV.M.; Rawley Scott, S.W.;
George S. Dering, J .W'.; William G. Payne, secretary;
Willlalll N. Jarrett, treasurer; Simeon \VoodroW, S.D.;
W. B. Linsey, J.D.; and Nathaniel VVe_bb, tyler. From
1819 to 1825, the Lodge was dormant, and in 1826, the
charter must have been returned. December 16, 1846, a
new charter was granted. January 24, 1867, a new charter
was received from the Grand Lodge of VVest Virginia, and
the number of the lodge was changed from No. 93 to No. 4.
The lodge has met regularly from 1846 to the present time
-—since 1852 in the “Commercial Building.” The present
membership is about fifty. Present ofiicers : VV. H. Hous-
ton, ‘W.l5Z[.; L. V7. Joseph, S.VV.; E. J. Evans, J.W.;, John J.
Brown, secretary; M. L. Casselberry, treasurer; E. C.
Allender, S.D.; J. E. Dent, J .D.; \Villiam VVagner, chap.,
and H. D. McGeorge, S. and T. Masters from 1812
to 1883: Ralph Berkshire, 1813-26; Peter T. Laishley,
1846-47. From 1847, two were elected each year : 1848, H.
Reed, A. B. McCans; 1849, J. E. Tucker, George S. Ray;
1850, J. Beck, E. G. Brooke; 1851, E. G. Brooke, J. E.
Tucker; 1852, J. E. Tucker, U. Grifiith; 1853, U. Griffith,
George S. Ray; 1855-57, H. S. Reed; 1857, Elijah Morgan,
H. Reed; 1858, U. Griffith, 1. Scott; 1859, J. M. Mickle;
1860, \Villiam Britt; 1861-4, D. C. Pickenpaugh; 1864, A.
L. Nye; 1865, E. C. Bunker, E. H. Coombsu; 1866 to May,
1867, W. A. Hanaway ; to December, 1869, E. H. Coombs;
1869, (Dec.),F. M. Durbin; 1871, W. VV. Dering; 1872, E.

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 54.9
H. Coombs; 1873-6, WV. H. Houston ; 1876, E. H. Coombs;

I 1877, E. C. Allender ; 1878, ‘V. H. Houston; 1879-80, E.

H. Coombs; 1880—4, VV. H. Houston.

Secretaries from 1812 to 1883: Wlilliam G. Payne, ‘Vil-
liam N. Jarrett, E. P. Fitch (18.1.7), John Beck, J. J. Fitch,
N. Gillespie, M. M. Dent, J. E. Tucker, Z. Morgan, E. C.
Bunker, U. Griffith, L. Wlilson, H. Reed, F. M. Durloin, E.
H. Coombs, "W. WV. Dering, C. W’. Finne ll (1868), and John
J. Brown from 1869 to the present time.

Indepenrlent 077,267‘ of Odd ]7eZZ0ws.—-Orplian Friend En-
campment No. 23 of Virginia was instituted at Morgantown,
June 25, 1850. Oflicers: D. R. Hoxie, C‘.P.; VV. Carr, H.
P.; Elijah Morgan, J.VV. ; F. J. Fleming, S.W'.; I’. R.
Mitchell, scribe, and J. Nimon, treasurer. Under the juris-
diction of ‘Vest Virginia, the encampment became No. 14,
on the 27th of April, 1870, and its oflicers were James A.
Davis, C.P.; David H. Stine, H.P.; Henry Reese, S.W.;
John C. Davis, J NV .; Manliff Hayes, scribe, and Daniel
Fordyce, treasurer. The encampment Went down a few
years ago.

Monongalia Lodge No. 62 1.0.0.F., of Virginia, was in-
stituted at Morgantown, January 27, 1848. C11-artcr mem-
bers: by card, P. R. Mitchell, N.G.; John Beck, rec. sec’y;
Rev. S. P. Dunlap, chaplain, J. ‘V. Bell and E. L. Stealy:
by initiation, George S. Ray, treasurer; R. B. Carr; cor.
sec’y; Thomas Evans, V.G.; WV. E. Grove. ‘.Villiam Hay-
mond, Jr., John G. Evans, W'illia1n S. Evans and \Vatson
Carr. Under the jurisdiction of ‘Vest Virginia, it became
Monongalia Lodge No. 10, and held its first meeting
February 17, 1866, when George C. Sturgiss was initiated a
member. Its present oificers are: Job S. Swindler, N.G.;

MONONGALIA COUNTY FORMATION. 53

present village of Woodbridgetown was laid out by its
founder with the view of securing for it the county—seat of
Monongalia County.

James Ross, in his account of Springhill Township in
E1lis’s History of Fayette County, Pa., says that Col. The-
ophilus Phillips came with his brother-in-law, the Rev.
James Dunlap, from New Jersey in 1767, and patented the
tract of land (/153% acres) on which the court-house stood,
December 12, 1786, called “Phillips’s Choice,” and that he
died in 1789, while en route from New Orleans to Philadelphia.

Owing to the destruction of the records in 1796, it is
impossible to state who were the first sheriff and the first
clerk of the county. Tradition in Monongalia and an ac-
count handed down in the Evans and Dent families state

that Capt. John Dent was the first sheriff, and Col. ohn,

Evans, the first clerk. In Fayette County a local traditional
account says that a man by the name of Joseph Coombs
was the first clerk. It is a fair presumption, however, that
prominent men like Capt. Dent and Col. Evans, would
have been selected at that day for these ofiices. Yet im-
partiality demands the submitting of both accounts.

550 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Joseph E. Watts, V.G.; David H. Stine, sec’y, and James
C. VVallace, treasurer. Its present membership is eighty-
four, and the total membership since 1848 is three hundred
and nine.

Lodge No. 80 of this order was organized, and is still in

existence at Blacksville.

Ifnig/its of IIono7'.——On September 10, 1879, Morgan
Lodge, No. 1762, of this order, was organized at Morgan-
town, by instituting-oflicer R. C. Dunnington, of Fairmont.
Its charter members and first officers were: J. I. Harvey,
dictator; lVilliam Moorhead, vice dictator; J. M. VVood,
assistant dictator; M. L. Casselberry, past dictator; E.
Shisler, treasurer; VV. C. Mc(}rew, reporter; R. C. Berke-
ley, financial reporter; G. W. Lazear, guide; J. C. Wallace,
sentinel; C. WV. Finnell, guard. The lodge now numbers
twenty-nine members, and its present officers are: ‘V. C.
McGrew, D.; .M. L. Casselberry, V.D.; S. 1?. Houston, A.D.;
J. S. Stewart, P.D.; E. Shisler, treas.; W. K. Hoffman, R.;
‘William Moorhead, F.R.; R. C. Berkeley, chaplain; John
I. Harvey, guide; 0. H. Dille, S.; C. Vandevort, guard.

Among other provisions of the order is one for the pay-
ment, upon the death of any member in good standing, of
a two—thousand dollar benefit to his family or heirs. During
the four years which have elapsed since this lodge was
organized, only one death has occurred among its members.
This was the death of WV. S. Cobun, clerk of the county
court, whose benefit of $2,000 was promptly paid to his
family. The average cost of these benefits is about $25 per
year for each member.

Pat-ron.s° of I[m;band7'3/.——I11 1874, White Day Grange, No.
331, was organized at Smithtown, and held regular meetings

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 551

for several years, but no records could be secured, and
nothing further can be stated. Another grange Was estab-
lished in the county, the name and number of which we
have been unable to procure.

Tcmpercmce S0cz'ezfic.s'.——’~See pages 451-2-3.

LITERARY SOCIETIES.

Sixty-nine years ago there was a library styled “The
Morgantown Circulating Library.” An act of Assembly
passed November 15, 1814, recites that the stockholders of
this society should have annual meetings and elect a presi-
dent and five directors. Here all record of it ends. Tra-
dition is silent, and the memory of the oldest inhabitant
can add nothing.

'Y7ze.s])z'an..——Tl1ere was a literary society at Morgantown
over fifty years ago, which was dramatic in its character,
and performed Shakespeare’s plays. Thomas 1?. Ray and
Eli B. Swearingen were members. It is said to have been
the Thespian Literary Society.

T/be Young 1l[en’.9 Society for the Pr0m02f2'on of Lite”/'atu7’e,
Sciwzce cmd Jlloralvfty was organized in 1843, at Morgantown.
No account can be found beyond the fact that VV. T. VVilley,
B. L. Berkshire and many other prominent men were mem-
bers. Henry Clay, George McDuffie, and several other
United States Senators, were elected honorary members,
who responded acknowledging their election. Judge Berk-
shire has these letters.

The 00lum7)ia7z Litem7*_2/ Society was started by the
students of Monongalia Academy after 1852. Becoming of
large membership, it divided, and a portion of its members
organized

T/we ZlloncmgaZicm.~—These two societies were revived by

552 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY’.

thestudents of the ‘Vest Virginia University in 1867. The
Monongaiian was afterward changed to the Parthenon,
The VVi11ey was organized by members of the Columbian,‘
but went down in a short time.

T/oe Uzmm, ,Z2'fe2*z49=y S0c2',c2Z3,r is as instituted January 1,
1857. The founders were E. H. Coombs, L. S. Layton,
John Thorn, ‘W. E. ‘Veils, A. C. Pickenpaugh, F. M. Dur-
bin and Thornton Pickenpaugh. Its membership was in—
creased by the addition of John Marshall Hagans, Dr. H.

WW. Brock,  C. Bunker, J. M. Heck, H. T. Martin and

many others. It met in one of the jury-rooins in the
court-house, and its records show that among other per-
formances, it discussed the live questions of the day. It
ran from 1857 to April, 1861.

MO‘.\'O1\'GALIA INVENTIONS AND INVENTOBS.

VVe have mention from various sources of the following
inventions in Monongalia County, with the names of the

\

inventors :

Inrrmtion. .[:memto2‘s. Year.
Corn planter ......................  .... ..]). Haldernian .......... ..1853
*Seed Sower ............................... ..Moses D. \Vells ........ .1852
Rubber wagon lock .................. .. “‘ “ .......... .. “
Sausage cutter .......................... ..Ja1nes Kern ............. .. “
\Vashing machine ...................... ..Elijah Morgan...... .  .1854
Breech loading gun ................... ..Lewis Evans ........... ..————
Automatic hand (printing) press feeder ed 1855
Corn sheller ............................. ..——— Nimons ............. .. “
\Vashing Machine ...................... ..J. M. Kerns ............. .. “
\Va.shing Machine .................... ...Daniel Haldenian .... .. “
Chu1'n..... ...............................  Boyers ................. .. “
Dish saw .................................. ..Ja1nes Kern ............. ..1S56
Churn .................................... ......Dr. H. N. Mackey .... .. “
i'Shingle machine ...................... “II. D. Mcffreorge ....... .. “
Grain sower ............................. ..James Kern.............. “

“ These sowers were sold at $5 each. Nearly five thousand or them were made, and
they were sent to all parts or the Ifnited States.
‘r The shingle machine was highly recommended in the papers or that day.

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. “ S5-53

INSURANCE HISTORY.

On the 29th of March," 1851, “The Monongalia County.
“Mutual Insurance Company” was incorporated by the

General Assembly of Virginia. Charles l\IcLane, Edgar C.
Wilson, George D. Evans, John E. Fleming, YVillia1n Lazier,
Addison S. Vance, Joseph A. McLane and Elza C." Lazier
were tl1e incorporators, and were named in the charter as
the first board of directors. These men are all dead now,
except Dr. Joseph A. McLane and Elza C. Lazier. The
company was to have its office at Morgantown, and insure
no property outside the county. Its organization, however,
was never perfected.

Some time during the civil war, another attempt was
made to form an insurance company in Morgantown. A
large amount of stock was subscribed, but the company
never organized for business. The stock was afterward
merged in a‘ Parkersburg insurance company, which did
business a few years and then wound up its affairs.

Among the earliest life insurance agents in the county was
Henry Robertsen, now of Baltimore, who, about 1865, rep-
resented the ZEtna Insurance Company, of Hartford, Conn.
T. P. Ray succeeded Robertson as the representative of
that company. About 1867, a Rev. Mr. Yard, of Baltimore,
and

Dix, of New York, were here, the former in the
interest of the Knickerbocker company of New York, and
the latter representing the Globe, of the same city. Pre-
vious to this,CR. T. Bowman, of Morgantown, had become
agent for the Home of Columbus, and the Continental of
New York. George M. Hagans was among the early insu-
rance agents here.

C. VV.Finne1l began the insurance business at Morgan-
town in 1863, and continued it until 1876, when he removed

554 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

to Pittsburgh. Returning in 1880, he resumed the business,
and now represents the following fire companies : American,
Continental, United States, New York Fire, and German
American, of New York; Manufacturers’ and American, of
Wheeling; American, of Boston; American, of Hartford;
Fire Assurance, of Philadelphia; Germania, of New Jersey;
City of London, London, Eng.; Liverpool, London and
Globe, of Manchester, Eng.; Metropole, of Paris, France.
In life insurance, Mr. Finnell represents the Maryland Life
Insurance Company, Baltimore; Travelers’ Life Association,
New York, and the Valley Mutual, of Staunton,Va. ‘ He is
also agent for the Emmetsburg (Md) Mutual Live Stock
Insurance Company.

Prof. A. ‘V. Lorentz began the fire and marine insurance
business in Morgantown in 1870, and has continued it to the
present time. He represents the Zlfltna of Hartford, Niag-
ara of New York, and Peabody, Franklin and German, of
Wheeling. ,

D. H. Chadwick, it is said, was the first man in the

county to insure his property against fire. He did this

while in the eastern cities purchasing goods. Before .

1860, there was little or no insurance in the county.
TELEGRAPH HISTORY.

Previous to 1866, Monongalia County ‘had no telegraphic
communication with the outside world. In that year the
Pacific and Atlantic Telegraph Company with headquar-
ters at Pittsburgh, erected a line through the county, run-
ning from Pittsburgh to Fairmont, and opened an office in
Morgantown. A considerable quantity of the stock of this
company was taken by citizens of the county, but we have
no data from which to ascertain or even estimate the
amount. Alexander L. VVade was the first operator in

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. _, 55"

Morgantown, and, being also county recorder, he established
the telegraph office in the court house. He was succeeded
as operator in 1870, by H. R. Dering, who moved the oflice
to his hardware store. On July 1, 1875, the Pacific and
Atlantic company leased this line, among others, to the
Western Union Telegraph Company for twenty years, the
latter assuming the payment of four per cent per annum on
two million dollars stock of the former company. This pay-
ment has always been promptly made. T. P. Reay was the
third operator, and was succeeded by George Kiger, Jr.,
who has had charge since September, 1880. Since that
year the office has been in Durr’s Commercial Hotel. The
telegraph service here has always been prompt and eflicient.
BUILDING ASSOCIATIONS.

The first building association in the county was formed in

March, 1872. It was the “Enterprise Building Association

‘of Morgantown,” and A. W. Lorentz, J. A. Davis, W. C.

McGrew, W, P, V\'illey and \V. W. Dering were the charter
members. The shares were $100 each, and by the terms of
its charter it was to “expire in seven years from the date of

- incorporation, or when a suificient amount had been 1'49,-

ceived by the association to make each share of stock \V0.i"fil1
one hundred dollars.” It did business for six years and
seven weeks, when its stock had increased to its par value,
and, according to the provisions of the charter, its business
was closed up and its stockholders were paid in full. At
the close of business, in May, 1878, the association had
about thirty members and its stock amounted to $27,000.
Not a cent was lost in any manner, it is said, during its
entire course of business.

While the affairs of the “Enterprise” were being wound
up, another building association was organized, and incor-

556 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

porated April 2, 1878, as the “Morgantown Building Asso-
ciation.” Its charter members were W. C. McGrew, E.
Shisler, M. L. Casselberry, George C. Sturgiss, J. C. \Vag—
ner, J. M. Hagans and Henry M. Morgan. Its shares were
$100 each, seven of which were taken by the charter mem-
bers, and it was empowered to increase its capital, by the
sale of additional shares, to $200,000 in all. Its object was
stated to be “ raising money to be used among the members
of such corporation in buying lots or houses, or in building
or repairing houses.” Its principal office was to be in
Morgantown, a11d its charter “is to expire on the first day
of" April, 1898.” The first officers of the Association were
as follows: Manliff Hays, president ; James A. Davis, vice
president; John C. Wagner, treasurer; E. H. Coombs,
secretary; J. M. Hagans, solicitor; M. L. Casselberry, VV.
C. McG1'ew, E. Shisler, VV. VV. Dering and William VVagner,
board of directors. Its present officers are: E. Shisler,
president; William VVagner, vice president; M. L. Cassel-
berry, treasurer; E H. Coombs, secretary; J. M. Hagans,
solicitor; A. WV. Lorentz, William Wagner, George Hall, S.
P. Huston and Nimrod N. Iloffinafu, directors. At present‘
there are seventy Inembers in the association, owning
$39,300 of stock, of which $f427,‘Zl5, or over sixty-nine per
cent, is paid in. A
WEALTH, DEBT AND TAXATION.

But little is to be gathered of the wealth or taxation of
Monongalia "for the one hundred and seven years of her
existence as a county. The first twenty years’ records were
burned. From 1796 to 1852 the land assessment books of
the commissioners of the revenue have no summaries, or
next to none, and no sheriifs’ settlements are to be found
from which to gather any data. Aportion of these books

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 557

are gone. The books from 1852 to 1863 are somewhat bet-
ter, but they are partly gone, and nothing can be done with
them to get accurate results, beyond. a few isolated cases.
From 1863 to 1873 a part of the books are gone, and some
that are left are in bad shape. With 1873 only can we com-

mence to give anything correct enough for use or benefit.
WEALTH or COUNTY—EASTERN DISTRICT."" 0

YEAR. 1 , CLINTON. MORGAN.
1 Real. 1 Pers’n’l 1 Total. Real. | Pers’n’1 1 Total.
1873..    $337,273 -15172 178 3509.451 $396 073.$176.280:$572.353
1874......  340 304 165 216 505,520 404,773 167.5I‘0 5'2,303
1875...     .. 367.865 160.391 534 256 399,380 162 857 562,237
1876..........    368 073 142,897 510,970 398.878 160.239 559.117
1877 ........................ .. 368.185 139,007 507.192 399.086 173 561 572 647
1878.........    365 241 144 526 509 767 396 237 163 427 559 664
1879.........   365.111 137 327 502.4258 397 672 163 284 560.956
1880 .....  ....... .. I 365 800 126.517 492.317 399 352 162,673 562,025
1881 ....................... .. . 367.214 140.286 507,510 398 509 172.014 570.523
1882 ................ ..  I 366,273 161 774 528 047 398.361 168 879 567.240
1883. .................... .. . 359,481 179 176 538 657 365,201 156,173, 521 374
YEAR. 1 UNION. MORGANTOWN.
1 Real. | Pers’n’1| Total. fllfieal. [ Pers’n’1| Total;
1873 ...........  ....   l$31i9,364=:$l71.528 $540,892 $205,427 ,1g250.198,$455,625
1874     372,082 176,081 548.163 205,327 316,073 521.400
1875......  ......... .. 384 013 165 608 549.6211 221,653 274 749 496,402
1876     384 341 135,656 579,997 222053 297.944 519,997
1877 ........................ .. 385,073 138.085 523.158 222.403 296.526 518,929
1878 ....... .. . ............ .. 383,869 129 905 513,774 2246031 283 459 508,062
1879  .............. .. 381,901} 109,323 494 224 223.683 273 668 497 351
1880 ........................ .. 384 2871 103,050 487 337 224.175 181,303 405 478
1881 ...........  ......... .. 384 319 126.746 511 0651 225.425 194.066 419,491.
1882 .....  .............. .. 384,201 130 484 514 685 224.975 199.724 424.699
1883 ....................... .. 374 651 136,436 511,087 217 720 ,, 195,990 413,710

   

"WEALTH OF COUN’I.‘Y—-WESTERN DISTRIC'1‘.1

YEAR. 1 CASS. 1| Giifir.
] Real. |Pers’n’l| Total. 11 Real. |Pers’n’11 Total.

1873...........  I$372,612 $191,281 $563 89311$549,453]$244,390‘z:s793,843 1

   
   
 

1874 ........................ .. | 372,891 159,988 5828791; 551,413‘ 227,220 778,633
1875 .......................  4:-32.371 153,221 485,592); 624,744. 231,123 855.867
1876  ................. .. ] 432.709 156.575 589,284}; 626,699; 208,261 834,960
 4 432.295 185,668 567,963;; 625,164: 211,994 837,158
1878.....   .. ..... .. 1 433,267 141.220 574.487,} 626,024 220,219 846,243
1879 ..............  1 432,466 142,768; 575,229,, 625,779 197,605 823,384
1880. .................  5 432.194 127,770 559.9653. 624,832! 190,067 814,899
1881-. . . . . . . . . .  ..... .. , 434,731! l32,230|_566.96l‘ 625,831‘ 196,003 821,834
1882 ......  ............... .7 431.785 141,491 573,276 626,110“ 199,681 825,791
1883...............  .1436,0291 139,432 575,4611 649,304 200,628 849,932

‘_’''‘-——nn

* The Eastern District is the first assessment district, and includes all that portion
of the county east or the Monongahela River.

1 The Western District is the second assessment district, and includes all that part
or the county lying west or the Monongahela River.

558 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

"WEALTH OF COUNTY——VVESTERN DISTRICT.

YE AR. I CLAY. H BATTELLE.

        
       

 

     

7 | Real. |Pers711_’1 1 Total. H Real. |Pers’n’1| T0631;
....... ... ........ $404,901 $242 528 $647.42!) $305,091 $173,251§$478.342
........................ .. 404,778 248,093 652 871 305,326 180,756 486,082

... 510 533! 241,485‘ 752,018‘ 397,627 167,116, 564,743

......................... .. 511,679 193.029 704,708; 397.670 148.255 545,925

.. 512,529 194.526 707,055; 398,498 131.612 530.110

................ .. 513,463 190.629 704,092} 398 5371 131,886, 530,423

..    514 975 179,951 6949261 398.681 125,412‘ 524,093

.. ................. .. 515.574 185.174 70(,748§ 398,439 1313,7441 534.183
......................... .. 517.481' 195.4091 712 8901 397,439 151,748 549.187

2. ............ .. . ........ .. ‘ 518,229 '204 844 723.0731 399,490’ 151,875 551,365

' . . . . . . . .. 556,577 222,308 778.8851 420,997 171,459 592.456

AGGREGATE VALUES IN ASSESSORS’ DISTRICTS.

'_‘" M1w5"'“_7*"”1“-757”1“MM;.A:§K§f17fi§"5isii1_ié1C~ I:I§‘IT}:1(?
"E51"  ,‘_1'1ea1. iPe1‘sonz11. ::1jl§a6.___;Pe1j§'gna1.

1873      ’5:1,:4114,1:17’$770,184 $1,632,057 1 1.»:851,450

1874     . 1 322,446
1875     1.372.911
1876    .    1,373,345

824 900 1,633,804 816,057
769,605 1,965,275 792,945
736.736 1.968 757 706.120

 

1877............IIIf...........   1 374 747 747.179 1,968,486 673.800
1878 ..........  ..............  .......... .. 1 369 950 721 319 1,971 291 633 954
1879.............   _l,37I.367 683.702 1971901 647.731

1880  1.373.514 573.543 19/1.039 638,756
 1.375.467 633,112 1975.482 675,390

1882............ . 1 373,810 660,861 1 973.6141 697,891
 . . . . 1.317.053 667,575 2,063 907 1 733.827

 

TOTAL VVEALTH OF COUNTY—REAL AND PERSONAL.

 

YEAR. 1 EASTERN DIST. WESTERN DIST. 'gAND'I‘0’I‘AL8
  ......  92,078,321 62.793507 $4,871,828
  2.147.346 2.449,861 3 4,597,207
1375  2,142,516 2.758220 ; 4,900,736
1876......  2,110.0s1 2.674377 ; 4,784,958
 2.122.026 2,642,286 1 4,764,312
l878.................. 2.091269 2.655.245 1 4,746,514.
 2.055.069 2,619,632 3 4,674,701
1880............... I 1,947,057 2,609,795 4,556,852
1.881. . . . .  ..  2.008.579 2,650,872 I 4,659,451
1382......., ....  .. .  2,034,671 2.671,505 , 4,706,176
1883 ......... ... .......................... .., 1,984,628 1 2,797,734 1 4,782,362

The county has never been in debt to any extent, so far
as we can find. On one 01' two census reports 3. trifling
amount, such as forty or fifty d0lla.1*s, appears.

COUNTY LEVIES.

Under the following order we find the following rates :
“Ordc7'od, That the sheriff of this county collect of each tithable

5

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 59
in this county the sum of —~ cents for the purpose of defraying the
expenses and allowances made at this term.” [These allowances
were for a year, and were always made at the May term].

In 1795, the rate was four shillings ; in 1796, three fshillings.

Year. Rate. Year. Rate. ‘Year. Rate. Year. Rate. Year. Rate.
1806  .25 1821 .... .. .40 1830 .... .. .50 1839...... .75 1851.....l.95
1810 .... .. .25 1822...... .20 1831.... .50 1840......1.37;~ 1852......125
1811...... .25 1823...... .371 1832...... .50 1841...... .75 1853 .... ..2.75
1812.... . .60 1824...... .46 1833...... .87 1842 .... .125 1854 .....2.25
18l3..... .50 1825...... .60 1834...... .31} 1843......1.25 1855 .... ..2 00
1815...... .50 1826...... .56 1835 .... . .371} 1844......1.()0 1856 .... ..2.25
1816. .43 1827...... .44 1836.  .50 1845......1 25 1857... ..2.00
1819... .40 1 1828...... .16 1837...... .625 1848..... 2.85 1863......1.50 .
1820. .43 1829.. .50 1838.. .85 1849.. ..2 00

State and Uomzzfy Zem'es.—From the year 1864 the levy-
ing orders read as follows: —— cents on each $100 of real
and personal estate ‘outside the Borough of Morgantown
for county purposes, including the support of the paupers
and keeping roads and bridges in repair.

The following table shows‘the annual levies laid by the
county authorities for the above purposes, and also those
laid by the legislature of the state for state and state school’
purposes:

In the table “S” stands for state, and the figures under it denote
the number of cents levied for State and State school purposes on
each $100 valuation ; “ C ” stands for county, and the figures under
it denote the number of cents levied on each $100 valuation for the
purposes named in the above order.

Year. 3'. 0. Year. 8'. C. Year. S. C‘. )'ea.r. N. (7.
1864 .... . .40 28 1869 .... . .30 50 1875 .... . .30 421; 1880 .... . .30 45
1865 .... ..40 100 1870 .... ..35 40 1876 .... ..30 45 1881 ..... ..30 35
1866 .... ..40 50 1871-2 . . .35 50 1877 .... ..30 44 1882 .... ..30 35
1867 .... ..40 40 1873 .... ..30 40 1878 .... ..30 35 1.883 .... ..35 35
1868 .... ..30 48 1874 .... ..30 50 1879 .... ..30 50

])2stv7*2.ct Levies.——Tl1e following table shows the levies in

the several districts of the county for the years named, for
road, school (teachers’ wages),an(l building (school—houses)
In the sub-head “ R” stands for roac , “ S” for
school, and “B ” for building, and the figures under them

purposes.

denote the number of cents levied on each $100 of valuation.

CHAPTER VII.
MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION.

1776-1783.

Patriotism of the Inhabitants——Virginia and Pennsylvania Recruit
Troops in Mononga1ia——Tory Revo1t——Indian Invasions——Attack
on Dunkard Creek—Kil1ing of Miller and VVoodfin——Slaughter
near Ft. Statler—Adventure of the Morgans—Attack on Mar-
tin’s Fort—Murder of the Scott Girls——Adventure of James
Scott—Correspondence of Col. Broadhead and Col. Evans~—-
Slaughter on Dol1’s Run—Kil1ing of Statler, Myers and Thomas
——Thrilling Escape of Smith and Mrs. Thomas—Murder of Craw-
ford, Wright and Elizabeth Pindall—~Unprotected State of the
Frontier——Capt. John Wetzel’s Con1pany——Re1niniscences of
Wm. Haymond.

A BRIGHT page in the history of the Monongahela Valley is
the patriotic course of its inhabitants in the Revolutionary
War. Its territory in dispute between Virginia and Penn-
sylvania, the one claiming it as part of her West Augusta
District, the other asserting ownership over it asra portion
of her county of VVestmoreland ; its inhabitants divided in
their allegiance, a part yielding obedience to the authority
of Virginia, and another portion supporting the jurisdiction
of Pennsylvania, and each arresting and re—arresting the
other before rival courts of justice established over this
same territory by Virginia‘ and Pennsylvania—in the midst
of this strange struggle, threatening to culminate in blood-
shed, came the news of Concord and Lexington. The
breaking thunders of the Revolutionary struggle, rolling
over the Chestnut Ridge and reverberating along the
Monongahela Valley ,aWakened in every heart a sentiment

560 _ HISTORY OF.MONONGALIA COUNTY.

EASTERN DISTRICT.

__._ \_

     

CI.lNTON. §[ MORGAN. 1| UNION. | [MORGANT’WN’
‘EAR R.  13. R.  13. 1 11.1 8 B. 1 s B.
.._-___> 1.... —~—- —— ———~— ——
:1873,,,  20 5   21 I  t1O 2 i 20 35
1874,, 15 10 5 15 10 5 l 10 6 6 27 8
1375,, 10 20 8 10 12 7 10 8 8 t 26 8
1876... 10 21 9 10 15 22 10 8 10 20 10
1377 _, 10 15 10 10 12 6 10 11 7 28 10.
137s.._ 12 11 7 10 1:; 7 10 11 10 22 
1579," 15 9 9 10 16 7 ' 10 9 6 22 6
1880... 10 15 15 10 10 20 10 16 3 24 12
1881... 6 17 18 6 16% 22 6 10 5 *1 25 15
1882.. 12 15 10 12 25 18 12 12 17 1 41.1 10
1888... 15 11 14 15 9 15 15 19 10 1 80 20
VVESTERN DISTRICT.
' CASS. GRANT. CLAY.‘ ' BATTELLE.
YEAR " “—""  ' —'* "-7- 7 ""7"" 7- .7‘ ' _ -"" "'
11 8 15. 11 s. 1 B. R. 8 B. R s. B
1873... 10  16 4  10 5  3
1874... 15 10  10 10 8 15 15 2 10 16 7
1875... 15 12 2 1o 20 4 15 16 2  12 7
1876... 10 10 4 10 18 I4 10 16 12 211 16 26
1877... 10 no 2 10 12 6 15 15 8 10 181 
1878... 15 10 15 10 9 4. 15 7 17 * 14 20 13
1879... 10 5 10 10 3 8 15 11 5 10 10 16
1880... 15 10 4 10 10 2 15 15 15 15 16 6
1881... 6 11) 5 6 10, 11» 6 8 9 6 20 8
1882... 12 14 8 12 18 16 12 5 7 12 7 80
1883... 15 ' 10 5 f 15 10 18 15 11 , 10 15 26 1o

COUNTY AREAS.

Monongalia, when created in 1776, embraced the present
territory. of the county, nearly the West half of Tucker, all
of Randolph east of Tygart’s Valley River (except along
eastern slip), all of Barbour and Taylor east of tl1e same
river, all of Marion except Grant District, and the present
territory of Preston County. It also included nearly all of
Greene and Fayette, and about one third of Wrasliington
County, Pennsylvania. ‘In 1779, the territory now in
Pennsylvania was yielded to that State. In 1779, an ad-
(litionwas made on the south, from Augusta County, and in
the next year, another addition from the same county. The
territory in these two additions embraced nine-tenths of
what is now VVood and Wirt, all of Calhoun and Gilmer,

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 561

three-fifths of Braxton and Webster, one—fourth of Poca-
hontas and Doddridge, one-half of Pleasants, all of Ritchie,
Lewis and Upshur, and the remainder of Taylor and Bar-
bour. In 1784, Ha.rrison was taken from Monongalia.

This left the county with its present territor ', all of
Marion and Preston, and half of Taylor. In 1800, about
one-fifth of Marion was taken from Monongalia and added
to Harrison, and in 1818, Preston County was taken off.
In 1841, a small slice east of the Chestnut Ridge Was added
to Preston. In 1842, nearly all of the remaining four-fifths
of Marion, and one-half of Taylor, were taken from Monon-
galia. The last diminution was in 1847, when the last
small portion of Marion was taken from Monongalia.

AREAS, POPULATION AND’ GROWTH-1776-1880.

Total Percent of Estimated l Number to Est. pop. 0:

     

 

YEAR Population. Increase. Increase. area sqr. mi. isquarc mile. .pres’nt area
1776.. ....     4,000 3 ! . . 
1779...  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2,400 1 ; ...... 
1780... ......  ................. .. 5,250 , ‘ ...... 
1784 ,, _ , . , , , . . . . . . . .  . ..... .. 1,380 3 - , ....... ..
1790... 4.768 ....... .. . ......  1,385  g 1,200
1800 . 8,540 3,772 79 1,325 = 1; ‘ 2,340
1810... 12,793 4,253 50 1,2153 E ‘Vi I 3,320
1818... ..... ..  . ....... .. 7 5 ...... .. 1 . .... 
1820. .. 1 1,060'* 1,7335‘ 1433-‘ 700 g 16 I 5,760
1830... 14,050 3,996 30 700 . 20 1 7,200
1840... 17,368 ' 3,312 2. 7_(7)0 3 2341: - 8,820
1841... .......... ..   ‘ 6 5 '   
1342... .......... ..   I  ° 370 I  § 
1847... ..   . . . . . . . . ... 360 1  1  .
1220 .. 12,38?‘ 4,98%... g 2% spg : 349;  
1 0... 13,048 00 ; 5 :-«s 5 .-:0 ,. 13,( .
18_70f..*. 13,547 ; 400 E 4 i 300 ; 3723 t 13,’ 7
1880... 14,985 1 1,438 ,1 1 1 300 1 41 5 ; 14,985

The first column gives the population each ten years, yet
until 1850 the county was becoming smaller all the time,
hence those numbers for the county at different sizes are
not the true figures of population based on its present area.
The area has been estimated at every loss of territory, and

' Decrease.
30

562 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

is given. The total population tlivided by tl1e area gives
the number of inhabitants to the square mile, and this
quotient multiplied by tl1e number of square miles in the
county (now 360) will give (approximately) the number of
inhabitants then living within the present limits of the
county. The county as composed of its present limits, has
never lost any population, which will be seen by inspecting
the last column.

The cost of the County government for the last decade is
shown in the following table:

eounrr RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.

   

 

   

4 . *'1"t1R -'r7"t'TT*1«: - C ‘ t s 1; Costot M
__ Fiscallea" c(-ieiiit-s.e. pgngiturgs __I?e1vily.y o?Ii’I()1(<))1i-.! B1'1dges__ R0“ Tax
1973-4 .............. .. $19 491.955 ......  518.32593$5._358.5511s1 755.0  . 
1574-5......... .. 32.157-55 21595 21 21,700.35 4915.53' 4,505.92 5,209.57
1575-5 ..........  34354.25 20.12403 ........... .. 345155 3.127 

      

I * .......a. -«no... v,1 ) . I , .‘ . . ' . ‘7 I), a ~ . . . . . nou-
1878—9..  32.397 55 20,454 93 15 135 35, 4.555 55 152509 
1879-80 ....  ...... .. 42,722.04 24,301.34 22.552 49 5,595.13 555.95 4,774.55
1350-1 .. .......  44,379,95 25,259.11 20,104 09 5,214.72 504 21 5.15025
1551-2...... ......... .. 15 71386 9,542.95 15 904.22 2192 59 1.400 53 2495.59
19s2—3................ 21,'o34.’07 19,909.24  41557.25 4,159.71 2144373

 

GEOGRAPHICAL CENTER.

As there are no surveyed boundary lines of the county,
and as its shape is irregular, We can only estimate the
Geographical Center to be in Grant, not far from the Cass
District line.

cEN'rI«:1:. or ro1.>ULA'r1oN.

From want of s11rveyecl boundaries of the county and the
districts, it is diflicult to (.letern1i11e the center of population,
but it seems that that point lies west or northwest of the
center of Grant District.

C()UN'I‘Y DIVISIONS.

The first division of the county was into nine constabu-

“’ Receipts Included county levy, back taxes, miscellaneous, and amount,- in treasury
at beginning 01'. fiscal year.

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 563

lary districts, established as follows by the county court on
June 8, 1807. :

First Dist7'z'ct.—-Up the \” onongahela River from where the Penn-
sylvania line crosses to the mouth of Booth’s creek, and up to
Sayer’s road and to John A1nbrose’s, then with Laurel Hill to
Cheat River, and across with Laurel Hill to the Pennsylvania, line,
and with it to the beginning. Constables, Daniel Cox, James Mc-
Vicker, George B. Hoskinson and John Cooper.

Second Dz'str~ict.——To begin at the mouth of Booth‘s creek and up
the Monongahela and Valley Rivers to the mouth of Sandy creek,
and up said creek to Randolph road, and with it to John Ambi-ose’s,
and thence with line of first district to the beginning. Constables,
Horatio Morgan, Isaac Powell and John Jones.

The Third, Fourth and Fifth comprised what is now the territory
of Preston County.

Sixtlz. Distrz‘ct.——Fro111 the Monongahela River up the Pennsylva-
nia line to the ridge between Dunkard creek and Crooked run,
then to Wade’s run, and down to Scott’s mill run, and down it to
the river, and with the river to the beginning. Constable, John
Ramsey.

Sercnt/2. Distm'cl.——Up the Pennsylvania line from the last men-
tioned point of beginning, to include all the Dunkard creek settle-
ment and its waters. Constables, John Stat-ler and Thomas
Baldwin.

Eighth D'istricz‘.———Fro111 the mouth of Indian creek up the main
left hand fork, and to extend to the bounds of the Sixth District.
Constables, Rawley Martin and Samuel Kennedy.

2V2'»nth DzTst7'2'ct.~And that the Ninth District shall be as follows,
to wit: All that part of the county above the Eighth District.
Constables, John VVest and Jasper “Test. ‘

On 1\I(>n(lay June .47, 1831, the county court of Monon-
galia divided the county into four constabula1'\j districts,
and constables were appointed,  follows :

“District Ab. i1.~—All that part of the county east of the Monon—

galiela River, and northeast of a line colnmencing at the mouth of
Cobun‘s cx'eek, and up the same to the head thereof at the

564 HISTORY or MONONGALIA ooumrv.

Preston County line." Constables, George ‘V. Dorsey, John ‘Watts.
Jeremiah Stillxvell, George Jenkins, Nelson Berkshire and Madison
McVicker.

“Dz'st7'73ct No. 2.——All that part of the county east of said river
and southwest of the above described line.” Constables, William
Meredith, William Swearingen, Amos J olliife, Amos Meeks, Horatio
Morgan and Benjamin Bradley.

“])z'strvZct No. 3.—-All that part of the county west of said river
and northeast of a line running up Indian creek to the head
thereof; thence to Peter Tennant’s xnill; thence down Day’s run
to Dunkard creek; thence with the creek to the Pennsylvania’.
line.” Constables, William M. ‘Harrison, John D. Martin, Benj.
‘H. Barker, Hosea \Vade, Andrew Brown and Caleb Tanzey.

“Di.s-t7'ict 1V0. 4.——Al1 that part of the county west of said river.
and southwest of the last above described line." Constables, John
Musgrave, Thomas Wade, Haze Parsons, George Dawson, Thomas
L. Boggess and W'il1ia1n Lantz.

DISTRICT DIVISIONS.

In 1852, the county was divided into seven Magisterial
Districts, designated by numbers, from one to seven, inclu-
sive. The commissioners"“ to lay the county out into these dis—
tricts was appointed by the General Assembly, April 2, 185?,
and made the following report of their Work:

“District 4V0. 1.—— Bounded and described as follows, to wit 2 Begin—
ning at the mouth of Booth’s creek, on the Monongahela River;
thence up said Booth‘s creek to the mouth of J ac0b’s saw—mil1 run:
thence up said run to where the road leading from said run by Ben-
jaxnin J acob’s smith shop to the Beverly turnpike comes into said
pike; thence a straight line to the ford where the Rock Forge road
crosses Cobun’s creek ; thence with said Rock Forge road to where
it intersects the Morgantown and ‘Vest Union turnpike road,
thence with sa id turnpike road to the Preston [Countyjvline ; tliencé-J
with the said Preston County line to the chestnut corner of Mon~
ongalia, Marion and Preston counties; thence with the Marion

' The commissioners were: William Lantz, N. Pickenpaugli, Gen. 1-‘. S. ;Pimla1:,
Thomas Meredith, Alpheus Stuart, William Ilaines and William Price.

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 565

County line to the Monongahela River, and thence down said river
to the beginning.

“.l)a'.s*zfrz‘ct 1V0. 2.—Bounded and described as follows, to wit:
Beginning at the mouth of Booth’s creek, the beginning of District
No. 1 ; thence down the Monongahela River to the mouth of VVest’s
run; thence up said run, near ‘by the house now occupied by
Joseph Cuinmins, and with said road by Davis VVeaver’s to the
Preston County line, and with said Preston County line to the
West Union and Morgantown turnpike; thence with lines and
boundaries of [District] No. 1, to the place of beginning.

“Dz'st7'z'ct 1V0. 3.—-Bounded and described as follows. to wit: Be-
ginning at the mouth of \Vest’s run, on the Monongahela River,

thence down said river to the Pennsylvania line, and with the

Pennsylvania line, crossing Cheat River, to the Preston line;
thence with the Preston County line, recrossing Cheat River, to
District N 0. 2, and thence with the adjacent boundaries and lines
of No. 2 back to the beginning at the mouth of lVest’s Run.

“Dz'st7'z‘ct ZVO. 4.—Bounded and described as follows, to wit: Be-
ginning at the mouth of widow Brook’s lane; thence with the
road leading through said lane to the Morgantown and Evansville
road; thence with said road to the Brandonville and Fishing
creek pike; thence with said pike to where the old State Road
leaves said pike, near Scott’s bridge; thence with the old State
Road by the old Capt. Dent place on to where it comes to the new
road leading by John Fetty’s, and with the said new road to the
line of N o. 6 hereinafter described ;‘ and with lines of No. 6, as here
inafter described, to the Pennsylvania line ; thence with the Penn-
sylvania line to the Monongahela River, and up said river to the
place of beginning.

“ l)2Tstr1Tct A70. 5.——Bounded and described  follows, to wit: Be-
ginning at the mouth of widow Brook’s lane on the Monongahela
River, the place of beginning for No. .4, and with the boundary
lines of N0. 4 to where said line strikes the boundary line of No. 6;
and thence with the line of No. 6 as liereinafter described to the
Marion County line; and thence with the Marion (jounty line to
the Monongahela river, and thence down flie Monongahela river
to the place of beginning. H ‘

“I)isl7'z'ct 2V0. 6.—-Bounded and described as follows, to wit:

566 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Beginning on the Pennsylvania line at David A. Worley’s stable ;
thence crossing Dunkard creek at the ford there and with the
Day’s run road, commonly called the “graded road,” by the route
for said road as surveyed and graded, to the Marion County line ;
thence with Marion County line to what is called the Kennedy
corner; thence a straight line to the mouth of the run on which

Mrs. Dorcas Riggs lives; thence up said run to its head and the A

top of the ridge separating the waters of Stewart’s run and the run
on which John Hawkins lives; thence with the top of the ridge
dividing the waters of Do1l’s run, Stewai-t’s run and Little Indian
creek. keeping the highest ridge between Doll’s run waters and
Dent’s run waters, and between Scott’s run waters and Dolls run
waters, until a knob not far from Smoky drain of Doll’s run is
reached; thence downa ridge in a nortn-east direction, including
the Postlewaite farm in No. 6, to the Jackson sch0ol—house on a run
which puts into Dunkard creek at Morristown; thence with the
road leading therefrom to Morristown, to the Pennsylvanialine,
and with said Pennsylvania line to the place of beginning.

“ Dlistrict No. 7.—Bounded and described as follows, to wit :
Beginning at David A. VVorley’s stable on the Pennsylvania line,
the place of beginning for No. 6, and with the line of No. 6 on the
Day’s run to the Marion County line; and thence with the Marion
County line to the \Vetzel County line; and thence with the \Vet—
zel County line to the Pennsylvania line, and with the Pennsylva-
nia line to the place of beginning.”

The Legislature of West Virginia, on the 31st day of
July, 1863, appointed VVi1liam Price, Reuben Finnell, James
T. McC1askey, Thomas Tarleton, Philemon LL Rice, Jesse
Mercer and Jesse J. Fitch commissioners to divide Monon-
galia County into townships, and designate them by names.
Messrs. Price and Fitch did not serve, and Michael "White
and Harvey Staggers were appointed in their places. They
marked ofi' the magisterial districts, with but little variation,
into townships, and gave them names. ‘The First District
became Clinton Township, the Second became Morgan, the

MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY. 567

Third Union, the Fourth Cass, the Fifth Grant, the Sixth
Clay, and the Seventh Battelle Township. Squire William
Price,Who made the survey, is dead, and nothing of it could
be found after a laborious search among the county records.

In 1872, by the constitution adopted in that year, the
“townships” were changed to “districts.” VVe come now
to the consideration of their individual history in the DIS-
TRICT HISTORY of the county, which will commence with
the next chapter.

BOROUGH AND DISTRICT HISTORY.

CHAPTER XXVII.
MORGANTOWN BOROUGrH."“

General Description——Theoryi of the Morgantown or Monongahela
Valley Terraees—‘Early Settlers—-Traditional Blockhouse-
County Buildings——Town Estab1ished—Trustees—-—Incorpora-
tion——Officers~— Mills —~ Postmaster-s——Stores——Physieians—Mor-
gantown Suspension Bridge——Gy1nnasium——Lecture Association
——Re1igious Denomina-tions——Schoo1s and Olfieers-—Growth of
the Town——Suburbs——Statistics.

MORGANTO\VN is situated where the Monongahela. breaks
through the foot-hills of the Alleghanies with majestic
sweep, and was named for the adventure-loving and Indian-
fighting pioneer, Zackwell Morgan. The borough stands on
the eastern bank of the river, and on the north side of
Decl{er’s Creek. It occupies the broken surface of the
second terrace of the Monongahela Valley. This terrace is
one of a series of five along the Monongahela Valley,
through which the river has re-cut its channel down to its
present bed.

A Well supported geological hypothesis now teaches that
away back——hundreds or thousands of years--—the Monon-
gahela and its tributaries had cut down their channels
nearly to their present beds; that then, two great ice

*Morgantown is new the only borough In the county. There never was but one
other borough in the county. This was Granville, which was Incorporated in 1819,
but soon went down.

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 569 -

g1aciers——-one from the northwest and one from the north-
eastwcame together near Cincinnati, and formed a great

ice—sheet 600 feet high, Whose southern rim crossed the.

Ohio and dammed up its Waters into a vast glacial lake, whose
outlet was through Kentucky, over the Licking River ridges.
This lake backed its waters 300 feet above the site of
Pittsburgh, and back—Water extended from 250 to 275 feet
high in the Monongahela. and Cheat river valleys. The
Rev. G. F. WVright, an eminent glacialist, has established
the ice-dam, and Prof. I. C. VVhite has shown that this
glacial dam caused the Monongahela and Cheat to fill up
for 275 feet above their present beds, with trash, clay, sand,
gravel, drifted logs, boulders &c., &c., and that these ter-
races are remnants of this great trash deposit. VVhen the
ice-barrier disappeared, Prof. VVl1ite says, “the rivers re-
out their channels through the silt deposits, probably by
spasmodic lowering of the dam, in such a manner as to
leave the deposits in a series of more or less regular ter-
races which in favored localities subsequent erosion has
failed to obliterate, though from steep slopes it has removed

their every trace.  "“ * ”" *

In -the vicinitv of
\ ,

Mordantoxxrii, terraces of transported 111:tte1'i:1locci11* at the

following approximate (measured by barornetcr) elevations :

Iv'0e£ above 'rz’1=m'. 1-‘wet above tide.

First terrace ........................................... .. 30 ............... .. 820
Second terrace ........................................ .. 75 .............. .. 865
Third terrace ........................................... ..1'75 .............. .. 965
Fourth terrace ........................................ ..20O .............. .. 990

Fifth terrace ............. .‘. ............................ ..275 .............. ..1065

\

From this measurment of Prof. White, we see the first
terrace is 30 feet, second 45, third 100, fourth 25 and fifth
'75 feet.

The first terrace is principally fine sand, gravel and mud.

MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION. 55

of patriotism. The partizans of Virginia and Pennsylvania
met the same day——May 16, 1775§—at Fort Pitt and Han-
na’s—ToWn, and pledged their support to the Continental
Congress, in men and arms, against the tyranny of the
mother country. ‘V6 can appreciate the‘ high and lofty
spirit of patriotism that actuated them when We consider
the circumstances by which they were surrounded. In the
midst of a bitter struggle for the civil supremacy of the terri-
tory on which they lived; surrounded by an Indian foe ever
threatening them and their families with .deatl1 by torture
Whose horrors would make the boldest heart to quail, to

support the cause of the Colonies Wasto leave their homes,

exposed to all the savage fury of the Indians, and dare cold, '

hunger, thirst and death in fighting the overwhelming num-
bers of the greatest nation in the World. They decided, and
Without hesitation, to cast in their lot with their country-
men, and that decision was an act of patriotism as lofty and
noble as that of .Massachusetts’ minute men, as glorious and
self—sacrificing as that of the VVhigs of Caro'lina——an act of
patriotism that was well Worthy of its distinguished recog-
nition by \Vashington, who, in a dark and trying hour,
declared that if the cause of American Independence Went
down upon the eastern sea—sl1ore, he Would retreat to the
mountains of “rest Augusta, and there rally his shattered
columns in defense of the liberties of his beloved country.
It was a11 act of patriotism which has never been fitly
chronicled upon the page of history, nor - received the full
measure of public admiration to which it is justly entitled.
At the meeting held at Fort Pitt or Pittsburgh for “ that
part of Augusta County that lies on the West side of Laurel
Hill,” a committee was appointed to carry out the recom-
mendation of the Richmond Convention of March 20th,

570 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Prof. \Vhite says it “seems to possess some respectable
antiquity, however, since Mr. Walter Hough, one of my
students, dug some teeth and bones from five feet below its
top, which were identified by Prof. O. C. Marsh, as the
remains of'a species of peccary, an amimal that has not
inhabited the region in question within the American
historic epoch. All of the other terraces have thick do-
posits of transported material. * * ”"‘ The fifth terrace
of this Morgantown series marks the height to which the
pre-glacial valley of the Monongahela was silted up, par-
tially or entirely during the existence of the glacial dam at
Cincinnati.”

Morgantown is situated in North latitude 30° 37’ 57"
from Greenwich, Eng, and in 44’ 5" North latitude from
VVashington, and in 2° 39' 30" VVest longitude from Washing-
ton. It is 792 feet above sea level at the wharf. Its
streets run at right angles. Front Street is 66 feet Wide,
next High Street, 66 feet, and then Spruce Street, 40 feet.
These streets are crossed by North Boundary Street, 33
feet, Walnut, 66 feet, Pleasant, 49% feet, and Foundry Street,
40 feet. Its alleys are Long, Poplar, Court, Cherry, Kirk,
Plum, and South, each 12 feet wide ; Maiden, 13 feet, and
Bumbo Lane, 20 feet.

EARLY ts]-:'r1‘LEr.s.

The Deckers were undoubtedly the first white men who
visited the site of Morgantown. See page 35. The Bor-

der VVarfare says: “In the fall of 1758, Thomas Decker

and some others commenced a settlement on the Mononga~
hela River at the mouth of what is now Decker’s Creek.”
This account would make their settlement on the site of
Morgantown. A tradition, current among old people,

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 571

makes Decker, escaping from the massacre of his colony by
Indians, in 1759, to jump into a rattlesnake den, where he
was bitten to death, and locates the affair at the Harrier
place, some miles up Decker’s Creek.

Frontier history and tradition agree in making David and
Zackwell Morgan the next settlers after the Deckers, on the
site of Morgantown, in 1768, and the first owners ; but sur-
vey book No. 1 in the Court house makes Isaac Lemasters

the first owner,"" settling in 1772, and selling to Zackwell '

Morgan the site of Morgantown.

Zackwell Morgan, supposed to be a relative of Gen. Dan-
iel Morgan, was here in 1766, by Colonel Crawford’s sworn
statement. VVither’s Border 'Warfare makes David Mor-
gan to have come in 1768, and also Zackwell. The tradition
in the Morgan family makes David to have come first, and
Zackwell, his brother, to have followed in 1772 or 73,
when David Morgan left Zackwell in possession of the
place and removed to the vicinity of Prickett’s Fort
(Marion County), Where, when sixty years of age, he had

* “April 29th. 1781. Surveyed for Zackquil Morgan, asslgnee or Isaac Lemasters, 220
acres orland in Monongalia County, on I)ecker’s Creek and the river Monongalia, in-
cluding his settlement made thereon in the year 1772, agreeable to and in part or a oer»
tiflcate for 400 acres from the commissioners for adjusting claims to unpatented lands
in Monongalia ' * * * ' * ' * James Chew asst to ” [John Madison, surveyor].
This certificate was issued to Lemasters Feb. 26, 1780.

Grants of waste and unappropriated lands in 1705 in Virginia, were, ilrst upon lin-
portation Rights, second Treasury Rights, third lapsed and escheated lands. Grants
were made to the Ohio Company, in 1748. the Loyal Company in 1749, and the Green-

»brier Company in 1761 : but they never granted any lands in Monongalia, neither were

any military grants or 1754 laid in the county. Proof or residence before 1778 gave a
right to 400 acres in Monongalia. Now, Morgan W8.S‘1lVlI1g here before 1772, by Col.
Crawtord, when Lemasters came; then why did he not put in his own claim insteaxl
of getting the land through Lemastez s’ claim ? Was Lemasters here as 9. tenant for
Morgan in i772, while Morgan may have been away, and then did Morgan, to prevent‘.
any claim or Lemasters, have him (Lemasters) assign the land to him (Morgan)? No
one knows. Morgan is not the only instance or this kind. Col. John Evans (by relia-
ble evidence) was here before 1765 and made improvements like Morgan did, and then
went back tor his family and came back about 1770 or 72; yet he acquires the title for
his land as the assignee of Samuel Owens. Numerous cases like Morgan and Evans
are to be round in the county. ‘

572 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

his celebrated fight with the Indians. He married Sallie
Stephen, and among his children were Stephen (father of
Hon. IV. S. Morgan and Col. Chas. Morgan), James, “Mod,"
Evan T. (the last Revolutionary soldier in the county),

Zackwell (the grandfather of Smallwood G. Morgan), and.

Sallie Burris. Zackwell Morgan was of Welsh descent,
came from Berkeley County, Virginia, settled for a time on
Georgefs Creek, in Pennsylvania, and then came to the site
of Morgantown. His first wife was a Paxton. They had
three daughters--Nancy Pierpont, Temperance Cochran and
Catharine Scott. His second Wife was Drusilla Springer
(said to have been a sister of Col. Zadoc Springer, of Penn-
sylvania). Their children were: Levi, the noted border
scout, who died in Kentucky; Uriah, who was in Indian

Warfare and died in Tyler County; James, an Indian fighter. e

and soldier on the frontier; Zadoc, who died young; Mor-
gan Morgan,.or “ Mod,” of Indian fame, who died in Tyler
County; Capt. Zackwell, who was the largest of the family,
and died at Bladensburg, in the War of 1812; Hannah,
who married David Barker; Sally, who married James
Clelland ; Rachel, and Drusilla, who married Jacob Swisher.

Isaac Lem-asters and James Templin were here as early
as 1772, but of them We have no further account.

Michael Kerns was a small, heavy set man, Weighing
about 170 pounds. He came from Holland and was at the
site of Morgantown in 1772. He married Susan Weatl1er—
holt, a widow, in _Westmoreland County, Penn. Their
children were : Michael, J r., who married Catharine Criss ;
Christina Jones, Susan Stealy and John. After the death
of his wife, Michael Kerns married a Widow Biffie. Kerns’s
Fort was on his land. He built the first mill in the county,
and had a boat-yard at the mouth of Decker’s creek, to

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 573

accommodate emigration to Kentucky. His remains lie
buried back of the fair ground. =

I

TRADITIONAL BLOCKHOUSE.

A tradition among some of the older people, is to the
effect that on the site of Thornton Pickenpauglfs livery
stable, 2:, small log block-house was built by the early set-
tlers, on account of a splendid spring of water being there.
This spring has lately been deepened into a well.

COUNTY BUILDINGS.

After the improvised court house of Phillip’s carpenter
shop had been surrendered to Pennsylvania, courts had
been held at Col. John Evans’s and other points until 1782,
when the house of Zackwell Morgan was to be used until a
court house was built. Some time between 1782 and 1789,
a. frame court house* was built. Its timbers are said by F.
A. Dering to be in the stable of the Franklin House. This
court house stood somewhere between Laishley WeaV*er’s
store and the present court house. Between 1800 and 1802,
a two-story brick court house, about 40x30, was built on
the site of the present one. The court room and two clerk’s
offices were on the first floor, and a broad flight of steps led
to the second story, which was divided into three jury
rooms. Its successor was the present court house, built
between 1846 and 1848. It is a two-story brick, with two
clerks’ oflices, and an unused court room on the first floor,
and a broad flight of stairs leading to the second story,
occupied by the court room and two jury rooms. The con-—
tract was let to build it August 24, 1846, to Joshua H. Zinn,
for $5,695, and $300 extra for a pediment by Martin Galleri-

‘ Tl11_SCO1lI‘t3 house and a jail cost about 50 pounds or $250. and were standing in
1784, These tacts are established by the record or the suit 0! Harrison County vs.
Monongalm Country. See page 320.

f’

e74 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

dine, VVilson Crowl and ‘V. T. VVil1ey. Extra allowances
were afterwards made.

On August 20, 1851, the statue of Patrick Henry was
placed on the dome of the court house. The statue was
proposed by L. S. Hough, who raised by subscription the
neccessary funds, and E. Mathers did the work.

Ja2'Zs.——Tl1e jail used in 1789,* of which James Daugherty
was appointed jailer, has faded from record, memory and
tradition, as to nature and location. In May, 1793, Thomas
Butler advertised in the I ’itZ.s'bu7"g71.‘ Gazette to sell out, in
June, the building of a stone jail, to be 44x20, and 13 feet
high, to be completed in a year. This is likely the stone
jail the old people remember, standing on the site of
Laishley \Veaver’s store, corner of VValnut and High
Streets. This jail was succeeded by the “Old Log Jail,”
which was built, probably, about 1820 or 25. It was a two-
story log house, composed of blocks of wood, sawed about
2x4 feet, and put together with iron bolts. It was about
25x35 feet. The lower part, divided into two rooms, was
used to accommodate the prisoners. The jailer and his
family occupied the upper part. This jail stood on a por-
tion of the site of the present one. Between 1848 and
1850, a two—story brick jail was built on the corner of Wal-
nut Street and Long Alley. It is said to have been
modelled after the \Vincl1ester jail. It was used till 1881» as

' Prison rules ordered Iiiay 4, 1789: “ Beginning on the Monongahela ‘River, at the
end of Pleasant Street, in Morgans-Town, and running with and including the same
south 58 east 100 poles into Decker’s Creek, and up the said creek N. 32 east 3 poles, N.
53 W. 29 poles to Spruce Street, and along and including said Spruce Street N. 32 E. 1.’.
poles to Walnut Street, along and including Walnut Street N. 58 W. 15 poles to High
Street, along and including said High Street N. 32 E. 33 poles N. 58 W. 20 poles
crossing Middle Alley and along and including it 8. 32 W. 33 poles to Court Alley
along and including it N. 58 W. 36 poles into the said river and up the said river to
the beginning.” These bounds were for persons confined for debt. They dared not
go beyond them.

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. ‘ 575
21. receptacle for prisoners~—severa1 of whom escaped. It is
now used as a dwelling house. Fielding Kiger and George
Kramer superintended its building, The county records
show nothing definite as to the time of the completion of
these jails or court houses, nor of their cost. A
The -present fine and splendid stone jail was built in 1881.
It is said to be as fine a jail as can be found in VVest Vir-
ginia. A fine two—story brick is attached for a jai1er’s resi-
dence. The jail is a two-story structure. Iron cells are on
the first floor for dangerous criminals, and strong and secure
rooms are fitted up in the second story, for the reception of
other prisoners. The present jailer is Charles Merrifield,
succeeding lVilliam I. Protzman. The cost of the jail,
when completed and furnished, was estimated at $18,000.

'l‘O\YN ESTABLISHED.

The General Assembly, in October, 1785, established
l\vIorgans—Town by an act reading as follows :

“ Be it enacted by the General Assembly that fifty acres of land.
the property of Zackquell Morgan, lying in the county of Monon-
galia, shall be, and they are hereby, vested in Samuel Hamvay,
John Evans, David Scott, Michael Kerns and James Daugherty,
gentlemen, trustees, to be by them or any three of them laid out in
lots of half an acre each, with convenient streets, which shall be,

and the same are hereby,‘ established a town by name of Morgans--

town.”

The lots were to be sold at a public auction, which was to
be advertised two months previous in the Vi'rg£m'(z. (fuzette.
The purchaser of each lot was to build upon it within four

years, a house eighteen feet square, with a brick or stone‘

chimney. Any lot already sold or conveyed by Morgan was
not to be re-sold. On December 4, 1789, the General As-
sembly, in View of representations’ “ that Indian hostilities
and other causes” prevented housc—building, extended the

576 " HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

time three years ; and, on November 2, 1792, five years
longer time was granted the lot—holders to build, “from the
difiiculty of procuring materials.” 1

Trustees for Morgantown were provided for by act of As-
sembly, passed February 7, 1810. These trustees were to
be five in number, and elected by the freeholders. This act
was amended, January 6, 1816, and January 4, 1822.’ These
trustees had the right to levy a tax not to exceed a fixed
rate.

In.c07y707'aZion.»-—l\Iorgantown was incorporated on the 3d
of February, 1838, as “The Borough of Morgantown,” and
seven trustees, to be elected annually, were to administer its
municipal affairs. March 20, 1860, an amended charter was
secured from the Legislature of Virginia, providing for
the election of a mayor, sergeant, five councilmen and a
recorder. The boundaries of the borough were declared to
be as follows: “Beginning at the mouth of Decker’s creek
and running down the Monongahela River with its mean-
ders 96 poles, to where a Spanish oak and sugar tree [stood],

the lower corner of Morgan’s survey; thence with a line of the —
same, N. 77:}°, E. 48% poles to where a black oak"“ stands,

now in the North Boundary street; thence along said street
S. 57?}°, E. 92 poles, crossing the Deep Hollow run, to said
Morgan’s line, and with same S. 354?, WV. 4 4—1O poles to a
White oak, his corner, and corner to Michael Kern’s; and
with their lines 8. 89° 7’, W. 31 poles to a white oak on a
point S. 15°, ‘V. 16 poles to the mouth of the aforesaid
Deep Hollow’ run at a high rock; thence down Decl-:er”’s
creek with its meanders, and binding therewith, 200 poles to
the beginning.”

' In the old recorded survey It reads “ to where a black stood,” &C.

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 577

OFFICERS.

No borough records can be found until 1860, so no full
list can be given until that year.

1816.
J. A. Shackleford
Rawley Evans
A. Werninger
John Shisler
N. B. Madera.
1828.
Mathew Gay
J. H. McGee
E. M. Wilson
J. A. Shackelford
N. B. Madera
1851.
Elias Stillwell
J. E. Fleming
James Shay
H. Daugherty
J . R. Drabell
D. R. Lynch
R. L. Berkshire
1853.
1. Scott

TRUSTEES.

J. E. Fleming
J. R. Drabell

D. H. Chadwick
E. P. Fitch

Alex. Hayes
Michael Shisler
I. Scott

Daniel Fordyce
Jacob Kiger
James Odbert
E. P. Fitch

1856.
I.Scott
E. 1‘-‘. Fitch
P. Rogers
R. P. Hennen
James Od bert
Daniel Fordyce
Jacob Kiger

1857.
I. Scott
D. Fordyce
D. H Chadwick
H. Dering
E. P. Fitch
John W'a1lace

1858.
C. W. Finnell
L. S. Hough
Manlifl‘ Bayes
A. C. Dorsey
F. Madera
R. L. Berkshire

1859.
M. Callendine
F. A. Dering
Alex. Hayes
D. H. Chadwick
W. A. Hanway
R. L. Berkshire
M. M. Dent

BOROUGH oFF1oERs—186O-1883.

1860. Philip Rogers

1861. Isaac Scott

1862-3-4. John G. Gay
J. J. Fitch

1865. Wm. Lazier

1866. J. M. Hagan:

MAYOR-‘S.

1867. John C. Wagner 1876-77. W. C. McGrew
1868. F. W. Thompson 1878-79. Jos. Moreland.
1869-70. J. M. Hagans 1880. Jesse J. Fitch
1871. John H. Hoffman 1881-82. Manlifl’ Hayes
1872-3-4. J os. Moreland 1883. Manlitf Hayes

1875. E. Shisler _
RECORDERS.

1860—1—2.Manlifi' Hayes 1869. G. W. McVicker ‘1875-6. W. VV. Dering

1363-4—5.Manlifl' Hayes 1870-1. F. A. Derring
1866-7. Manlitf Hayes 1872-3. Chas. MaLane

1868-James A. Davis 1874. C. W. Finnell,Jr.

1860. A.C. Pickenpaugh 1868.
1861. John S. Dering
1862. James Johnson
1863. James F. Snyder 1870. J

F. K. O’Kell

SERGEANTS.

John Watts

1864. James F. Snyder 1871. Jacob Kiger

1865. N. S. Evans

James Odbert
1866. James M. Shank 1872-3. James Odbert

1867.- John W. Madera 1874. Jacob Kiger

1870-,1. F. M. Durbin

1874. E. . Shisier
37

TREABURERS.

1868. T.F.Plckenpaugh 1875. Geo. C. Stnrgiss

1869. Wm. N. Jarrett 1876. Jos. Moreland

Alph. Jenkins

1869. Alonzo Finneil
‘Joseph Dawson

acob S. Shisler

1877-8-9-80. J . W. Mad era
1881-2. Wm. Moorehead.
1883. Wm. Moorehead

1875. Uriah Rider
1876. Chas. Chalfant

‘ 1877. Wm. N. Bricker

1878-9. C. A. Madera
1880. C. M. Chalfant
1881-2. Alfrey Carraco
1883. _Jas. R. Hopkins
Ass’t Chas. Shisler

1881. N. N. Hoffman
1882. N. N. Hoffman

1877. F. W. Thompson 1883. N. N. Hoffman

1878. George W. John

578 HISTORY

1860
David H. Chadwick
VVrn. H. Hanway
Robt. P. Hennen
Matthew Gay
George Kiger

1861.
David H. Chadwick
Wm. H. Hanway
Robt. P. Hennen

"Frederick A. Dering

George Kigrer
1862.
S. Pickenpaugh=‘i°
Wm. A. Hanway
Robt. P. Hennen
Frederick A. Dering
George R. Dering
1863

David H. Chadwick
Wm. A. Hanway
Robt. P. Hennen
Frederick A. Daring
Jacob Kiger
1864.
James C. VVa11ace1'
F. S. Dawson
F. M. Durbin
Henry M. Morgan
George VV. Johnson
1865.

George M. Hagansj:
Wm. H. Staggers

Jacob Kiger
Henry D. McGeorge
1866.

Henry M. Morgan
George C. Sturgiss
N. B. Madera
L. S. Hayes
John C. Waszner
1867.
Frank W. Thompson
Jacob Kiger
Danie1Fordyce
James A. Davis
James M. Shank

From 1785 to 1873, Morgantown depended‘ upon the
Rogers mill for grindinrr. This mill, just beyond the bor-

OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

COUNCILMEN.

1868.
Frederick A. Dering
Wm. N. Jarrett
John Protzman
Robt. P. Hennen

Thornton Pickenpaugh H. W. Brock
1869.

Jacob Kiger

Lewis S. Hayes
James Shanks

W111. N. Jarrett
James C. Waliaceg

1870.

Frank VV. Thompson
L. S. Hough

J. J. Fitch

George C. Sturgtss
F. M. Durbin

1871.

Frank VV. Thompson
L. S. Hough

F. M. Durbin

Henry M. Morgan
David H. Chadwick

. 1872

David H. Chadwick
L. S. Hough
F. M. Durbin
Frank W. Thompson
Wm. N. Jarrett

. 1873. ‘
David H. Chadwick
L. S. Hough
Wm. N. Jarrett
Ed. Shisler
Geo. W. Me-Vicker

1874.
David H. Chadwick
L. S. Hough
Matthew Hennen
Ed. Shisler
H. W. Brock
1875.

L. S. Hough
E. H. Coombsfl
VV. A. Robison
George C. Sturgiss
H. W. Brock

MILLS.

1876.
L. S. Hough
W. A. Robison
Frank W. Thompson
Joseph Moreland

1877.
Frank XV. Thompson
Henry S. Hayes.
Albert Madera
Samuel Sears

1878
Geo. W. John
George VV. McVicker
F. K. O’Ke1iey
N. N. Hofiman
Benj. M. Dorsey
1879.

Geo. W. John

Geo. W. McVi-cker
F. K. O’Ke1ley

N. N. Hoffman
Benj. M. Dorsey

1880.
F. K. O’Keiiy
Frank W. Thompson
Benj. M. Dorsey
Henry S. Hayes
Manlifl‘ Hayes
1881.

Thornton Pickenpaugh

Benj. M. Dorsey
E. W. S. Dering
N. N. Hoffman

1882.

Joseph A. McLane
Benj. M. Dorsey
Thornton Pickenpaugh
E. W. S. Dering

N. N. Hoffman

883.
Joseph A. McLane

Thornton Pickenpaugh

E. VV. S. Dering
N. N. Hoifman
F. A. Hennen

* In place 0:1). H. Chadwick, who declined to serve.
T In place of D. H. Chadwick, who declined, 1 In place of J. P. Sharer.
i'In place of Matthew Hennen.

§ In place of E. W. Dering".
In 1877, there was a tie between E. H. Coombs and '1‘. Plckenpaugh; In 1881, between

J. A. Mchane and Joseph Allender.

\

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 579

ough, on Decker’s Creek, was bought by H. N. Mackey in
1867, and is known as the “Morgantown Mills.” The first
mill ever in the borough was the “Eureka Mills.” This
steam flouring mill was started by Col. Francis Thompson
in the fall of 1873, at the river Wharf, at the foot of VValnut
Street. It is run by an engine of 56 horse—power, and its
grinding capacity is nine bushels of grain per hour. During
the summer of 1883, E. C. Allender (Who was born in ;:Mor-
gan County) built the “Victor Mills.” The building is
three stories high, 50x34, with an engine house 20x34. It
is equipped with the latest improved milling machinery,
and is run by an engine of 60 horse-power. It uses the
gradual reduction system of making flour. Estimated cost
of building and machinery, $10,000.

POSTMASTERS.
The following list of postmasters from 1794 to 1864, and
the dates of their appointment, was compiled at VVashing-

ton, in 1876, by R. H. Chinn, for the Post .-

Peregrine Foster, 1794 James Shay, April 6, 1853

Hugh McNeely, 1795 Charles Wallace, June 16, 1860

Enos Daugherty, April 8, 1803 Francis Madera, May 13, 1861

Alex. Hawthorne, Nov. 10, 1817 Frederick A. Daring, Feb. 11, 1864
Nicholas B. Madera, Mar. 6, 1822 Charles Shank, Deputy, July 6, 1882

STORES.

The first store in Morgantown, it seems, was in 1783 or
84, according to one of a series of letters written in 1842 by
Wm. Haymond, Jr., to his nephew, Luther Haymond. In
this letter, describing early times when he was aboy, he says:

“Thomas Laidley had brought (1783 or 84) a store to Morgan-
town. My father bought a bear skin coat, as he had to go to Wil-

liamsburg to be examined [for surveyor of Harrison County]. The
morning before he started, Laidley and Means, his storekeeper,

"came to our house, and with, I believe, twenty half J oes, in all

$200 in gold, to send to Richmond to buy land warrants.”

56 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

which was to collect “so much money, as shall be sufficient
to purchase half a pound of gunpowder and one pound of
lead, flints, and cartridge paper for every tithable person.”
The amount was set at two shillings and Sixpence for each
tithable. It was also resolved that friendship with the In-
dians be cultivated, and that fifteen pounds be raised for the
use of John Harvie and George Rootes, deputies to the
Continental Congress to represent the people on the west
side of the Laurel Hill.

In June, 1775, about twenty men were recruited at Red-
stone Old Fort for Capt. Michael Cresap’s Maryland Com-

. pany, which numbered about 130 men, and joined Washing-

ton’s forces near Boston. No roll of this company can be
now obtained. Of the twenty men recruited at R-edstone Old
Fort, so near the present territory of Monongalia, it would
not be‘ unlikely that one or more may have been from what

is now Monongalia.

Tradition says that Col. Zackwell Morgan and Jerry
Archerpserved under Gates at Saratoga in Gen.‘ Daniel Mor-
gan’s Rifle Corps, and that they enlisted in a Berkeley
County Company.

Col. VVilliam Crawford,* in the fall of 1775, raised the
Seventh ‘Virginia in the VVest Augusta District, which
fought in the battle of Long Island, was at Trenton, and

was finally transferred to the VVestern Department, and did

* Col. William Crawford lived on the site of New Haven, opposite Connellsville,
Fayette County, Pennsylvania, on the Youghiogheny River. He was born in 1732 in
what is now Berkeley County, and came West of the mountains in 1765. He was ap-
pointed a justice of the peace by Pennsylvania, but in the boundary line dispute be-
tween Virginia and Pennsylvania he went with Virginia. After raising the Seventh he
Was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the ‘Fifth, and then*Co1one1 oi’ the Seventh.
In 1778, he held a command at Ft. Pitt. In 1782, the Sandusky expedition was projected
against the Indians and the volunteers composing it elected Crawford commander of
the expedition. He was captured by the Indians, and burned at the stake on the
11th or June, 1782. .

HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The next account of any store is in 1810——N. Webb & Co.,
boots and shoes. In 1815, Ralph Berkshire and Eli B.
They also had
a store at Wheeling. Evans & Dering, Henry Lazier and
Scott & Daugherty had stores before 1815. ‘In 1816, Jo-
seph Lowry succeeded Scott & Daugherty. In 1815, a store

580

Swearingen had a store, which ran till 1821.

was kept by some one in‘ what is now the Franklin House.
In 1820, R. Berkshire and J. Rogers & Co. were keeping,
and Alex. Hawthorne, then postmaster, had a stock of goods.
In 1821, Somerville & Moore had a store.

- The following list of merchants between 1821 and 1847,
and the length of time they were engaged in mercantile
business, has been carefully and painstakingly compiled
from diaries, newspapers and personal information:

MERCHANTS FROM. 1821 To 1847.

Somerville & Moore............1821-22
Goff dz Chadwick ......  ....... "1823-25
George McNeely......... .........1825-35
McGee dz Griffey......... .........11826—29
Massie .52 Boyers .....  .... ......1828-29

Nathan Gofl‘......   ..182S)—31i

C. & F. Madera.  
McNeelv (St Daring .....  .... "1835-37
Chadwick (St Sons.................1835—37
Chadwick & Son .......  ...... ..1837-39
H. & F. A. Dering....... ...... ..1837-47
Haymond & Perry......... .....1837-39

Wm. Lazier & Co......... ...... "1829-31 George Kramer....................1837-42
John H. McGee....................1829—32 I. &J. F. Cooper......  .1837-40
Henry Gr. Morgan.................1829-33 Wm. Lazier ................. ........1737—39
John W. Thompson .... ........1829-31 James Chadwick 6: Co .... .....1840-42

Wm. Grifl°e_v........................1829-33
Thomas J. Massie..,....., ........1830-31

Chadwick & Pickenpaugh...1840-42
Perry & Billings1ey............1840-41

Baker 6; Glasscock ............. ..1830-31 Isaac Cooper ......  ........... ....1840_—41
R. & W. Berkshire...........'...1830—31 I. & J. F. Cooper ........... ...1841-44
Chadwick (36 Watts...... 1830-32 Postlewaite, Cragan dr Co....1841-42
Elisha Moss.......... . 1830-33 Madera 6: Watts ....  ...1841-42

  
 

   
    
   

Bayard 6: Lamb... 831-33 Haymond dz Madexa .. ...1842—47
Maasie & McGee... ...1832-33 Richard Serpell ........... .. ...1842..44
Martin Calendine ....... ..........1832-47 George Kramer & Son .........1842-46
Moore 65 Buckingham ....... "1832-33 D. C. & J. C. Chadwick ...... "1842-47
J. H. McGee & Son..............1832—35 N. Pickenpaugh..... ............1842—43
Chadwick rt Alexander..... ..1832-39 W. & E. C. Lazier ........... ..1842—46
Henry S. Wilkins ...... .........1833-35 George D. Evans dz Co ....... ..1844-47
Edward Billingsley ...... .......1833-35 George M. Hagans & Co .... "1845-47
L. H. Dorsey.......................1833-44 Lazier, McLane & Co...........1846—-17

E. as U. Bi1lingsiey..............1835—38

Though strange it may seem, yet it has been found im-
possible to continue this list from 1847 to 83, so as to‘ pre-

sent it accurate and complete.

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 581

The Johns building, on lot No. 87, corner of High Street
and Maiden Alley, was built by Ralph Berkshire, and among
the merchants occupying it have been Berkshire, Nathan
Goff, VVilliam 'Lazier, the Chadwicks, Carraco’s grocery,
Thornton Pickenpaugh (1868-74), G. VV. John & Co. (1874-
82), and since Dr. John’s death, in 1882, his son, George

, John, and his son—in-law, VVi1liam Moorhead, have conduc-

ted the business. The building occupied by Shisler and
Hayes was built by E. W. Tower, about 1849. Shisler’s
room was occupied by F. H. Oliphant, as an iron store, suc-
ceeded by L. S; Layton (1865-68), Coombs and Dering
(1868-73), W. VV. Dering (1873-80), and in 1880, E. Shis~

ler, the present occupant, bought it. His salesman is W. T. I

Kern, and it has always been a hardware store. Hayes’
room was occupied by E. W. Tower, Fitch & Chalfant,
Bunker & Finnell and J. J. Fitch, as a drug store. Since
1872, it has been Henry H. Hayes’ grocery and jewelry
store. The “Commercial Building," on lot No. 88, corner
of High and Walnut Street, was built by George M. Hagans
in 1852, and has been occupied by George M. Hagans &
Co., Hagans & Rude, Jonathan Stahl, George M. Hagans,

' and since 1874, by W. C. McGrew, whose salesman is U. J.

Sheets. Weaverls store room, corner of High and Walnut,
was built by George McNeely, and among its occupant-
merchants have been George Kramer, Leeroy Kramer
(1850), A. Haymond & Co. (1850-51), Haymond & Pick-
enpaugh (1851-53), A. Haymond, Rogers & Fogle,
Hughes, A. J. Clark (clothing), T. J. Meeks & Co. (1874),
Ray Willey (grocery), and by Laishley “(saver since 1881
(grocery). A. E. Lazier’s room, on lot No. 26, corner of
High Street and Court Alley, was built by George D. Evans,
about 1845. McLane’s Liver Pills were manufactured

582 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

6 here. In 1869, EC. -Lazier opened as a merchant, followed

by E. C. Lazier & Co., E. C. Lazier (1873), and A. E. Lazier
since 1880; salesman, Ira Gregg. H. F. Rice's room has
been used as a grocery by R. & N. Berkshire, Lewis Hayes,
Carraco, George Hayes (1869), Basnett, James Low,
Debolt & Mackey, Shean & Rice (1877), and H. F. Rice
(1883). The Wallace store room, on lot 81, was built by
J. Hanway, and occupied by Carr, Smith & 00., Carr, Han-
way & Co. (1853-57), Callendine & Nye (1857), Carr, Han-
way, Nye & Go..(1860), Hanway & Lorentz (1865), W. C.
McGrew (1870-74), Lazier, Finnell & Co. (1879), and by E.
J. Rinehart since 1882 ; salesman, Richard Hayes.

The Morris building, corner of High and 1Valnut, on lot
No. 80, was built and occupied by Martin Callendine, suc-
ceeded by Rogers & Fogle, A. L. Nye & 00. (1861-2), Jona-
than Stahl, Nye & Chadwick (1869-71), Hall & Basnett, and
groceries by Ray Willey, L. Weaver (1879-81), and A. L.
Wright & Co. since 1882. The Dering building, corner of
High and Walnut, on lot No. 37, and now owned by Carraco,
was used by Derings for a hotel and store. Carraco, since
1873, has used one of the rooms as a grocery, and the other
room, used by Derings for a store room until 1856, is now
occupied by D. H. Chadwick & Co. The Durr building was
built by J. K. Durr, on lot No. 38, and the frame part has
been occupied for mercantile purposes. Hirshn1an’s room
was used by Dr. John, for a store, by H. F. Rice and -G.
W. McVicker, for groceries, by J. M. ‘Wood as a store and
by S. D. Hirshman as a clothing store since 1879. Reed’s
room was used by J. J. Fitch as a book and drug store, who
sold. to J. M. Reed,.tl1e present occupant, in 1881, who pre-
vious to that time was with Dr. H. B. Lazier. Pickenpauglfs
building, corner Walnut Street and Long Alley, was built

MORGA-Nrown BOROUGH. 583

by Frank Demain and opened as a store by Thornton Pick-
enpaugh, in "1874. His salesmen are : A. L. Nye, J. S.
Swindler, George C. Steele and Clark McVicker. Judge
Dille’s building, on the same lot, has been used for a gro-
cery by John Good, and at present by Barringer & Shaw.
Hayes’ jewelry and grocery store, corner Walnut Street and
Long Alley, on lot No. 25, was built by Frank Deniain, and
used for a grocery by him and L. S. Hayes and J. S. Picken-
paugh. In 1870, it W as occupied by George C. Hayes & Co.,
jewelry, notions and groceries; clerk, H. A. Christy.

The following merchants and firms have been here besides
the ones above given:

‘William Lazier 8: Co ........... ..1849 11 D. C. 85 J. Chadwick.......1842—4S
Fleming & Guseman .......... ..1849 1 Chadwick & Brother ..... ..1848~51
Lazier, McLane & Co .......... ..1849  D. H. Chadwick & Co .... ..1851—53
E. C. Lazier. ...................... ..1850 ;D. H. Chadwick ........... ..1853—5G
W. A. Gusenian 65 Co .......... ..18-50 1‘ Chadwick 85 Nephew ..... . .1856”/3
J. A. Rogers ....................... ..1866 \Villian1 Lazier ............. .. .1858-G2
W. Basnett 85 Son. ............. ..1869 Chadwick & Son ........... . .18'73—”/'8
Bowman & Basnett ............. ..1871 :1). Chadwick & Co ........ ..1878—Q4

Grocemes. Susan Chalfant, 1842; Frank Domain, John

K. Shean, Shean & Rice, James Shay and VVilliam Durbin,
1852; F. L. Hix, Henry Reed, 1865; Robert Powell, 1869.
H. H. Hayes was on VValnut Street from 1866-7, on Court

House Square from 1867 to 1872, and from that time in his ‘

present establishment. G. ‘V. McVicker was in the grocery
business from 1868 to 1871.

About 1848 or 49, Thomas Purinton kept a book store.
Since then, among the book and drug stores have been:
John E. Fleming, H. N. Carr & Co., E. WV. Tower, Fitch &
Chalfant, Carr, Hanway & Co., Reuben Finnell, F. M. Chal-
fant, H. B. Lazier, J. J. Fitch and J. M. Reed. Dr. Henry
B. Lazier’s book and drug store is on Court House Square,
and has been occupied by him since 1866; clerk, George
Morgan. '

I

584 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.
Clothing stores: D. H. Stine. 1854-61, Isaac Hollander, A. J.
Clark, S. Freudenberger, and S. D. Hirshman. . ' 5
PHYSICIANS.

The first visiting physician seems to have been Dr. Absalom’
Baird, from Washington, Penn:, and the first resident physician

‘seems almost beyond doubt to have been Dr. Enos Daugherty,

who was postmaster in 1803, and is mentioned as a physicianin
1805. '

"We have found the following physicians to have been at Mor-

gantown between 1785 and the present:

Absalom Baird, 1785 *H. W. Brock, 1852-82
- —— Lord H. N. Mackey, 1852-84

“Enos Daugherty, 1803-26 A. C. Miller, 1854

John Nicklin, 1804 L. F. Campbell, 1855
Daniel Marchant B. C. Brooke

Thomas Hersey, 1810-12 M. L. Casselberrv, 2855-S4
---—- Wells G. ‘VI. Dorsey, 1856
*'Charles McLane, 1823-78 W. H. Ravenscraft, 1857-58
*3. R. C. O’Kelle_V, 1824-48 E. H. Coombs, 1859-84
Thomas Laidley Samuel Kelley, 1859-65
Daniel Gettings F. H. Yost, 1863-65
Colostian Billingsley P. D. Yost, 1864-5
Thomas Brooke E. E. Cobun, 1865-6
*Caleb Dorsey, 1833-55 James Way,

S. T. Taylor L. S. Brock, 1870-84
Joseph A. McLane, 1841-81 *G, W. John, 1871-83
Isaac Scott Thomas H. Price, 1876-81
Watson Carr, 1849 F. G. Howell, 1877-79
*'Joseph Eidson, 1849 i R. E. Brock, 1879-80

A. J. Bowman, 1849 W. C. Kelley. 1882-84
*M. Y. Willey, 1849 J. J. Hall, 1882-84
Thomas Dunn James P. Fitch, 1882-84
J. Sigsworth Guyer, 1850-51 Dorsey P. Fitch, 1882-84
John Lacey

Dr. O’Kel1ey was educated in and came from Ireland. Dr. F.
H. Yost came from Fairview, Marion County, where he died in
1872. P. D. Yost, his nephew, is a lecturer in the American Med-
ical College, St. Louis. Dr. Samuel Kelley died at Grafton, a sur-
geon in the army. ‘

J osnpn A. MCLANE, M.D., read medicine with his father, attend-
ed Jelferson and graduated at the Pennsylvania Medical College
at Philadelphia, in 1841, since which year he has practiced in Mor-

I

gantown.

* Dled at Morgantown.

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 585

D12. Homrro N. MACKEY read medicine with Dr. Smith Fuller,
of Uniontown, Penn.; attended J eiferson College in 1852, and
came to Morgantown; was 1st Lieutenant and Surgeon in the
First West Virginia Cavalry in 1861-2: graduated at Rush Medi-
cal College, Chicago, in 1872, and at Bellvue Medical College,
New York, in 1879-80.

DR. MELVILLE L. CASSELBERRY, a graduate of a medical college,
came from Pennsylvania, where he practiced, and associated him-
self with Dr. A. C. Miller; he became a partner of the present
firm of Casselberry and Coombs in 1871.

DR. Emsm H. COOMBS was born in Maryland, attended the
Homeopathic College of Pennsylvania in 1857, and graduated in
1860 ; came to Morgantown in 1859, and became a partner of Dr.
Casse1berry’s in 1871. _ C

DE. Lurzmn S. Bnoox read medicine with his brother, L. S.
Brock ; graduated at Jefierson Medical College, 1874; practiced
at Arnettsville, 1868-70, and at Morgantown since 1870.

DR. W. C. KELLEY, son of Dr. Samuel Kelley, was born in West-
moreland County, Penn.; read medicine with Dr. T. H. Price;
graduated at the University of New York in 1882, since which
time he has practiced in Morgantown.

DR. JESSE J. HALL read medicine with Dr. John D. Hall, of
Kingwood ; graduated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons
at Baltimore, in 1882, and began practicing with Dr.,Mackey in 1882.

DR. JAMES P. Frron‘ read medicine with Dr. H. N. Mackey;
graduated at Bellvue Hospital College in 1881, was with Dr.
Mackey in 1879-80, and opened his present oflice in 1881.

DR. Donsmz P._ FITCH read medicine with Brock Bros. ; attended
lectures at Jefferson College in 1879-80, holds a certificate from
the State Board, and has been with Dr. L. S. Brock since 1880.

Medical Students.-——S_pencer S. Wade, attending J eiferson
College, and J. H. Lawhead and D. H. Courtney reading
medicine.

586. HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

HOTELS.

In 1783, Zackwell Morgan was returned on an assessor’s list for
that year as having license to keep an ordinary (the name for a
tavern). From 1783 to 1796, we have nothing to show who ad-
ministered to the hunger and thirst of the public. In 1796,
William Tingle received license to keep an ordinary in Morgans-
Town. He kept till 1799. Hugh McNeely kept from 1897 to

.1801. Alexander McIntyre, 1797 to 1799; Thomas Chipps, 1798 ;

Jacob Pindall, 1799 to 1802, succeeding McIntyre; Samuel Swear-
ingen, 1800 to 1802, succeeding William Tingle. In 1802, Bar-
tholomew Clark and George R. Tingle kept ordinaries.

On the site of the “Commercial” stood the old “National,”
built 111 1798, by Isaac Hite Williams (who came from Eastern
Virginia, and returned and died there in 1828). It was a large
frame, and the county court once viewed it while building with an
intention to purchase it for a court house. It is said Hugh
McNeely and Elihu Horton kept tavern in it. Nimrod Evans
bought it in 1807, and lived in it until he died. John Addison
opened a tavern in it, and named it the “Old Dominion,” and was
succeeded by Jesse Holland in 1844, Adam Myers in 1846, and
Addison S. Vance in 1847, who called it the “National.” In 1851,
John VVallace succeeded him and kept till 1867. George C.
Hayes kept in 1869, J. P. and F. H. St. Clair in 1870-73, and
Benjamin Ryan in 1874. J. Keener Durr bought the building,
tore it down and erected the “ Commercial,” which he opened
March 9, 1878. He rented it to Dr. G. VV. John in 1879, and re-
sumed possession in 1880. Henry Dering kept in a log building
on the site of Carraco’s, which burned in 1796 ; then he built the
present building and kept until his death in 1807. He was suc-
ceeded by his widow, Rebecca Dering, until her death in 1846.
John Derring kept a short ‘time, and the house was closed upon
F. A. Dering coming into possession. ‘ ' ~

Capt. William N. Jarrett was keeping a tavern in 1805, in a

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 587

frame building on the site of the Wallace House (lot No. 71).
After his death in 1828, the house was kept by his Widow, Mary
J arrett,* until her death in 1849. John Hanway bought the prop-
erty, tore down the house and erected the present brick building,
which was bought in 1866, by John Wallace, whose son James C.
Wallace opened the present “Wallace House” in 1871. The
Franklin House was built by Fauquier McRa, and in 1797, We find
record of his keeping in it for many years. Francis Billingsley
bought it and lived in it. Alex. Hayes bought the property in
184-1, and kept tavern in it until 1853. Finnell next suc—
ceeded, and kept from 1855 until 1876, when James Hopkins, a
native of Eastern Virginia, came from Southern West Virginia
and purchased the property and opened the present “Franklin
House,” which was so named by Alex. Hayes. The St. Clair House,
on lot No. 23, was built by Nicholas B. Madera. It was opened
and kept by J. W. Saer. He was succeeded by David F. Camp-
bell, John J. Pierpont, John Devore, Samuel Darnell, N. N. Hoff-
man (1866-69), and Stephen Snyder in 1869, when it was
known as the “Virginia House.” In 1873, F. H. St. Clairiopened
the present “St. Clair House.” Susan Chalfant kept, in 1842,
where Mrs. Kelley lives on Front Street, and about 1852, Thomas

 

‘Evans kept Where John H. Hofl'man’s residence stands. Isaac

' following quaint entry appears on one page : V“ -—

Cooper kept where Chancery Row is, on Court Alley, in a frame.
He called his house the “ Cross Keys.” In 1840, John Addison
kept where George C. Sturgiss lives. John kept once close to N.
N. Hofl'man’s. Michael Kerns, J r., kept next to Isaac Franks’, on
Front Street, about 1833, and was succeeded by Enos D. Morgan
about 1836, Charles Wolverton and ‘William N. Jarrett, when the
house burnt.

* From a day book of Captain Jarrett, now in possession 0! John H. Smith, We find
that from 1805 to 1810, in Morgantown they sold whiskey, bounce, wine bitters, peach
and apple brandy, at 25 cents a pint, while gin and French brandy brought 50 cents;
porter was Worth 58% cents a bottle; a bowl of punch or a glass of teddy was halt a.
dollar. Entries are made of Whiskey lost at Wliist, on foot races, on bets, etc. The
, Dr. 1 gallon bottle broke

 

in the bar, so the wife says, 4-6.”

588 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

MOBGANTOWN SUSPENSION BRIDGE.

This splendid structure, 610 feet in length, spans the river be-
tween the foot of Pleasant Street and West Morgantown. The
Morgantown Bridge Company was incorporated March 11, 1850,*
With a capital of $18,000. On March 5, 1851, this was in-
creased to $28,000. The company met and organized July
5, 1851. The State took three-fifths or 672 shares of the stock,
and individuals 448 shares. Each share was $25. At a meeting
held on May 2, 1853, the contract for building the bridge was
awarded to Morgan Kelley and William Kennett, of Fairmont.
E. W. Tower was appointed superintendent. On February 28,
1854, the State subscribed $8,000 worth of additional stock, which
was to be six per cent preferred stock of‘ the total stock, now
$36,000 in amount. Money in addition to this was borrowed, and
on the 16th of December, 1854, the bridge was finished, at a cost
of $43,000, which included $2,600 paid to Mercer for his ferry
franchise and land on the west side. The cost of repairs on the
bridge from 1854 to 1880, was $24,000. On December 15, 1881,
the company contracted with J. VV. Shipman, of Bufialo, New
York, for repairs which cost $12,000, and, in addition to this, put
$4,000 more in repairs upon the bridge. The total cost of the
bridge building and repairing is but little short of $90,000. The
first board of directors were: E. C. Wilson, W. T. Willey and
James Davis, and John Rogers, Nicholas Pickenpaugh and Guy
R. C. Allen appointed by the State. The present board is:
George C. Sturgiss, A. W. Lorentz, J. M. Hagans, L. S. Hough,
S. G. Chadwick and W. C. McGrew. The presidents have been:
E. C. Wilson, E. W. Tower, D. H. Chadwick and George C.
Sturgiss. The first toll collector was M. L. Chalfant ; the present
one is Charles Chalfant. Samuel Sears was for many years toll
collector. I I ’ A

' This date, and the amount or cost, $43,000, diners from the date, March 5th, and
$30,000 cost, glven on page 133 or this work, which were taken trom a newspaper
account published In 1854. The bridge company’s record is as above given.

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 589

MOB-GANTOWN GYMNASIUM.

The Gymnasium was organized in 1859, and met over T. Pick-
enpaugh’s store room ; lasted about two years. It had a member~
ship of about thirty, among Whom were the Hon. J. M. Hagans,
Maj. Lowrie McGee, J. M. Heck and A. C. Pickenpaugh. It gave
a couple of creditable public exhibitions.

MORGANTOWN LECTURE ASSOCIATION.

This association was formed in December, 1867, and lasted two
years. The first series of lectures was delivered in 1868, by Alex.
Martin, J. M. Purinton, S. G. Stevens, J. W. Scott, Alex. Patton,
F. S. Lyon, H. W. Brock, J. R. Weaver, 0. W. Miller, ohn A.
Dille and J. B. Blakeney. The next series was in 1869, of which
we have obtained no account.

On September 11, 1883, a meeting was held to organize another

lecture association. William P. Willey was elected president, T."

E. Hodges secretary, and J. M. Lee corresponding secretary.
This association arranged with Melville D. Landon--Eli Perkins——
to open the course on October 24, 1883.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

In order of age the Methodists seem to have been first at Mor-
gantown. As early as 1785, they had preaching. In an early day
Michael Kerns built a. small church for all denominations. The
next church built, and the first Methodist Church (as recollected
by the oldest citizens), stood in the oldflM. E. graveyard, It was a
frame church.

In 1819, Joseph A. Shackelford, Rawley Evans, John Stealey,
Henry Lazier, Elias. Bruin, Nicholas B. Madera and William
Berkshire were trustees of the church, and bought lot No. 27,
upon which a brick church was erected. It burned in 1849, and
on its site the present large and commodious brick church was
erected. It is 48172, and was dedicated by Bishop J anes, October
1, 1850. Estimated cost, $7,000. No records of the church can

MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION. A 57

garrison duty at Fort Pitt. No roll of this regiment can be
obtained, but most likely some out of all the men in it were
from the present territory of Monongalia.

After the erection of Monongalia, Col. Crawford raised a
second regiment, the Thirteenth Virginia, which he com-
manded. It was generally known as the"‘VVest Augusta

Regiment.” It was over 500 strong, and was raised to serve.

on the western border in the event Indian troubles continued;
if they ceased, to go wherever needed. Its service was en-
tirely in the West, doing duty in detachments at Forts Pitt
and McIntosh and along the Ohio and Allegheny rivers.
Neither can airoll of this regiment be found, nor anthing

in authentic to show how many men were in it from Mononga-

lia County. Tradition says several.

VVhile these two regiments were being raised by Virginia,
Pennsylvania raised in the Monongahela Valley the Eight
Regiment of the Pennsylvania Line, 684 strong. On the
1nuster—rolls of the Regiment appear the names of Robert
and Godfrey Kern, George Martin and Anthony Evans, but
whether of Monongalia or somewhere in Pennsylvania, there
is nothing to show.

Monongalia had but few settlers in 1776, and they were
required to man their feeble stockade forts against attacks
from Indians, and thus her militia was employed in resisting
Great Britain in contending with her hired Indian allies,
and as eflectually as if in the Continental armies on the
seaboard. “

The General Assembly ordered, in June, 1776, that
Monongalia furnish three captains, three first lieutenants,
three second lieutenants and three ensigns, each captain

recruiting twenty-eight men, each first lieutenant twenty,

each second lieutenant sixteen and each ensignten; and in

590 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

be found back of 1837. In that year, Hugh Austin, J. ‘V.
Tucker, Lydia A. Mathers, Nancy VVatts, Nancy Durbin, Agnes
Durbin, Drusilla Morgan, Elizabeth Griffith and Susanna Kern
Were received as members. In 1847, large accessions were made
to the church, and, in 1868-9, ‘an extensive revival occurred. The
parsonage is situated on Spruce Street. The board of stewards
are, John J. Brown (recording steward), VVillia1n Wagner, George
C. Sturgiss, D. C. Hoffman, D. G. Chadwick, A. W. Lorentz, E.
Shisler, Cephas Jacobs and S. P. Huston.

Morgantown is in the Morgantown District, which is one of
the nine districts into which the State is divided. The following
are the presiding elders of this district since 1847:

PRESIDING ELDERS—MORGAN'I‘OWN DISTRICT.

1846-78. Simon Elliott 1859-62. Jas. Drummond 1874-77. Sam’l Steele
1848-51. W. D. Lemon 1862-66. G. W. Arnold 1877-81. J .W.W.Bolton
1848-55. H. Z. Adams 1866-70. J. B. Blakeney 1881-84. D. H. K. Dix
1855-59. Gideon Martin 1870-74. J. W. Webb

The elders from 1787 to 1813 are given on page 445, but from
1813 to 1847 no list could bejsecured. The ministers from 1787 to
1833, when Morgantown became a station, are given on page 443.
Since 1833, the following have been_the ministers:

LIINISTERS-—1\vIOR‘GANTO'VVN STATION.
1833. Jas. Drummond 1649-51. J. S. Patterson 1868, Oct. E. T. Pitcher

 

1834. Mills 1851-3.S.G.Worthington 1868-70. E. T. Pitcher
1835-37. Wm. Holmes 1853-55. Wm. Hunter 1870-73. W.M.Mullenix
1837. H. Gilmore 1855-57. T. H.'Monroe 1873-76. E. W. Ryan
1841. W. D. Lemon 1857-59. Jas.Drummond 1876. J. R. Thompson
1843-44. J. R. Coil 1859-61. G. Martin 1877. W. B. White

1844-46. Edw’d Burkett1861—63. J. B. Blakeney 1877-78. Samuel Steele
1846-47. 8. B. Dunlap 1863-64. D.T.Daugherty 1878-81. W.C.Snodgrass
1847-48. I. McClaskey 1864-67. Benj. Ison 1881-83. T. B. Hughes
1848-49. J. D. Cranier 1867-68. J. D. Onins

Thomas B. Hughes was born in 1836, in Fayette County, Va.
(now W. Va.) His father was a relative of Jesse and Elias
Hughes. The Rev. T. B. Hughes is closing his twenty-sixth year
in the ministry——a. portion of which time was spent in Wheeling.

In 1876, he was presiding elder of the Buckhannon District.

§

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 591

The Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school was organized May 17,
1837, and the following have been the superintendents:
ZMC. E. SUNDAY-SCHOOL SUPIlRINTENDENTS-

1837-47. W. T. Willey 1858. Ed. 0. Bunker, 1870. Adam W. Lorentz
1847-51. Wm. Wagner 1859-61. Wm. Lazier 1871-74. G. M. Hagans
1851-54. VVm. Lazier 1862. Thos. Daugherty 1875-78. Geo. C. Sturgiss
1854. Geo. M. Hagans 1863. William VVagner 1878. William VVagner \
1855. William Vlfagner 1864-7. Wm. Lazier 1879-82. Geo. C. Sturgiss
1856. William Lazier 1867. John J. Brown 1882-84. Ed. Shisler
1857. Henry Dering 1868-70. G. C. Sturgiss

The ‘school numbers 175 scholars. The infant department is
under D. C. Hoffman and Miss Hattie J. Hagans. The treasurer
is William Wagner; librarian, Samuel Pickenpaugh ; secretary,
U. J. Sheets.

Presbg/terian 0/zm~ch.——There was Presbyterian preaching in
1788, and the church was organized in 1790 (see page 446). In
1819, the members of this church, in connection with the members
of the Protestant Episcopal denomination. began to build a church.
When the walls were up and the roof on, they became discour-
aged. The women took up the enterprise and worked up wool
and flax into cloth, and from its sale realized a thousand dollars,
which, with a gift of $100 from a kind friend in the cast, was suffi-
cient to finish the church. Mrs. Phebe Hayes (then Miss Phebe
Davis), who is still living, was one of the little band that worked
and wove this cloth.

The trustees appointed (by common consent) to erect this
church in 1819, on “Sepulchre lot, ” were Thomas Wilson, John
Stealey, Samuel Hanway, Nimrod Evans, Augustus Weringer,
John Rogers, Mathew Gay, Michael Kern, J r., and Ralph Berk-
shire. They received $1,863.93 subscriptions, as shown on the
trustees’ book now in posession of Thomas Rogers. Esther
McCleery gave “in behalf of the Female Society” $150; Rebecca
Dering gave $25; Grasper Orth, two stoves, and Andrew Oliphant,
of Pennsylvania, “$40 in iron for erecting pulpit.” On the 29th
of March, 1822, the church, 45x55, was completed, and the pews

592. HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

were sold from $4 to $10 each per year. The first members are
unknown. In 1819, Lucy Hite, Eliza McNeely and Mary Conner
were examined, and Jonathan Prentice was a member. In 1820,
Mrs. Fanny Cox was received; in 1822, Margaret Gay, J ennett
Ray and Sarah Hanway; in 1827, Moses Cox; in 1829, Ann E.
Prentice (now Parsons, of Kingwood), Elizabeth Robinson and
Jane J. Martin. In 1867, the Presbyterians commenced their pres-
ent fine church edifice, which was dedicated November 8, 1868.
Its estimatedcost was $10,000. The membership at the present
time is sixty-eight, and the following are the ministers and Elders:

MINISTERS ' IN CHARGE.

1788—9—Joseph Patterson* 1832—3——James McDouga1
1790—1—-Robert Finley 1837—55—-James Davis
1804—6——Janies Adams“ 1855—65——Henry N. Biggs
1816—Ja.cob Green? 1'805—68—W. A. Hooper
1817—27——Ashbel Fairchi1d* 1868—J0hn C1-eath*
1830—31——Joe1 Stoneroad* 1869—71—I_{obe1't White
1831-Rezin Brown* 1S71—78—A. A. J iineson
1832-'I"hon1as Martin* A 1878-83-J. R. Dickey

1883-8. L. Finney*

BULING ELDERS.

1790. 1834. 1860.
William Robe ‘ George D. Hill Jesse Duncan
Robert Hill v 1837. Byrne
Absalom Little Edgar C. Wilson ——-—— Smith
1804. 1842. 1868.
Wm. McCleery Robert Robe, Jr John Hare
Josiah Robe 1845. Wm. K. Fear
Robert Knox James Caldwell‘ S. G. Stevens
Robert Robe, Sr James McGlaughlin 1870.
1822. 1848. Isaac J. Newkirk
Gasper Orth Edwin W. Tower 1872.
James Robieon John McFarland John A. Dille
E. M. Wilson Aaron Baird 1878.
1832. James S. Stewart
Samuel Brand 1858. J. E. Brand
1833. Leeroy Kramer 1881.
Moses Cox Jaseph Sandusky Joseph Rainer

Deacons: 1878, A. L. Nye and H. B. Lazier.

“ These ministers served as stated supplies.
*1 Jacob Green was a missionary and Dr. Fairchild was pastor installed tor the last
five years. ’

MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 593

The Presbyterian Sunday-school was organized in 1837, but no
records are to be found. Among the superintendents have been
E. W. Tower, W. A. Hanway, A. A. Jimeson, John A. Dille, J. S.
Stewart and J. MCM. Lee,(1883). Librarian, A. L. Nye; {reas-
urer and secretary, VValter Hough. There are about siXty—five
scholars, and the average attendance for years hasfibeen remark-
ably good.

.ZlI07'g/cmtown Pa'0testcm.t Episcopal (J/mrc/L.-Me1nbe1's of this
church were in Morgantown before 1819. In that year, John
Rodgers and other members united with the Presbyterians in
building the church that stood on the site of the present Presby-

terian Church. Morgantown was embraced in Guy Allen Parish. _

in 1860, and on February 12, 1876, became a part of Trinity
Parish (see page 447). Services of the church are held in the old
Monongalia Academy. In 1860, the Rev. H. S. Kepler was Rec~
tor, and from 1876-84, the Rev. George A. Gibbon.

The following vestrymen were elected in 1876: Thomas Rog-
ers, Robert C. Berkeley, D. R. Rogers, Augustus Haymond, John
I. Harvey and C. N. Hayes.

.Morgam‘own Metlaodist Protestant C/zm'c/L.-This church was
organized in the spring of 1830, by Revs. Cornelius Springer and
‘V. N. Marshall. The organizing members were the Rev. Joseph
A. Shackelford and Nancy, his wife; Rev. Asby Pool* and Chris-
tina, his wife; William Lazzell and wife, and Mrs. Sarah Miller.
In 1841-2, a brick church, 35x50, costing $2,500, was erected on
Long Alley, which burned down in 1874. The present handsome
brick church on Walnut Street, rapidly nearing completion, was be-
gun in 1879. It is 36x56; estimated cost, $4,000. Of the sixty—five
members belonging in 1842-3, only the following are known to be
living: George M. Reay, Peter Davis, Anne Pool, Rebecca Hurry,
Caroline Stewart, J eptha Tucker, Elizabeth O’Kelley, Eliz-

' Rev. Asby Pool, born in Hampshire County, 1787, was an itinerant M. E. minister
in 1810; joined M. P. Church, 1830; died, 1867. He had three sons who were ministers :
W. L., or the M. P. Church; George A., who died a Presbyterian minister, and John, a
Baptist minister.

38

594 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

abeth A. Watts, Elisha Swisher, Julia A. Rice, Bexy Gray,
Elizabeth Cox, Alcinda Shay, Mary J. Cox, Henrietta
Kines, Evaline Howell, Hannah Reynolds, Jane Ricketts,
Elizabeth Reay and Greenbury A. Compton. The present
membership is stated to be seventy. The present trustees
are : George M. Reay, H. D. McGeorge, James Wallace, E.
0. Bright, George Hall, James Wright and J. L. Robe.
Stewards: George M. Reay and W. C. Kelly.

The Morgantown church in 1842, was a part of the Mor-
gaiitown circuit, which embraced the followed organiza-

t1ons:

Name. No. Jifembers. Name. No. Members.
New Frame (Penn.) ..... .. .... .. .110 Henry Clay (Furnace) .......... .. 35
'\Voo(lgrove .........................  30 Ore Banks ............................ .. 30
Pierpont’s ............................. .. 90 Ochiltrees (Preston) ............. .. 15
Rock Forge ......................... .. 70 Smithfield (Penn.) .............. .. 16
Zion ..................................... .. 75 Stewarttown ........................ .. 30
Morgantown ...............  ...... .. 50 Burgess’s ............................  25
Fru1n’s .................................. .. 11

There is no record to be found of the M. P. ministers
serving at Morgantown. The following list is furnished by
George M. Reay, from recollection:

METHODIST PROTESTANT MINISTERS.

1829. Wm. Marshall 1836. Wm. Dunlap 1861. Samuel Young
1830. J onn Lucas 1840-42. Samuel Clawson--— Wm. Wragg
VVm. Dunlavy Jacob Bisher 1864-65. Daniel Davis
1831. Wm. Collins 1844-46. Noble Gillespie —~- Martin Stewart
1832. Israel Throp 1847. Sam] R. Porter -— Eli Westfall
Daniel Kinney 1849. P. T. Laishley —— Geo. G. Westtall
1833. James Piper 1851. Simeon Laisbley -———— H. G. West

Wm. Menball 1852. Henry Layton —— Simpson
1834. James Hopwood 1854-56. Robert Sutton 1876-77. John Cowan
1835. Zachariah Regan 1857. P. T. Laishley 1878-81. A. T. Crolle
1836. Jas. Palfreyman 1859-60. D. B. Dorsey 1882-83. D. G. Helmick

The present minister is the Rev. Daniel G. Helmick, born
in Lewis County. He has been in the ministry about thir-
teen years, and came to Morgantown in 1882.

The M. P. Sunday-school was running in 1849. Its
superintendent was Jesse Bell. Among his successors were :

MORGAN TOWN BOROUGH. 595

George M. Reay, William Durbin, Levi Hennen and F. M.
Durbin. In the new building : Samuel Morris, E. C. Allen-
der and E. C. Protzman (1883). John M. Davis is the
present secretary, and the school numbers about sixty.
Jlforgamfown Baptist (7/mm/L.—On the 1st day of Feb-
ruary, 1842, the Revs. John Thomas, J. W. B. Tisdale,
Williain Wood and A. J. Garrett organized the Morgantown
Baptist Church, with the following tWenty—two members :

Jacob H. Shaifer Mary A. Shuff Mathias Tilton
Ann Shaffer Mary Evans Elizabeth Tilton
Jane Chadwick Elizabeth John Martin Callendine
Gideon \Vay Malinda St. Clair Anna Callendine
Jane \Vay Abigail Houston Mary A. VVay
John Murphy. VVi11ia1n Haney VVilson Crowl
John Joseph Martha Evans Anne C1-owl
Sarah Joseph ~

The church stands on lot No. 101, and was finished and
dedicated October 18, 1846. The following pastors have
served the church:

1842-48. A. J. Garrett 1864—67.A.B.Pend1eton 1874. F. E. Bowers
1848-54. W-m. Wood 1867~69. J.M.Purint-on 1877~80. J. C. Jordon
1854-57. G.F.C. Conn 1871. J.fB. Solomon 1881-83. Gr. B. Foster
1857. Simeon Siegfried LeeRoy Stephens O. M. Miller
1858-61. Gr.F.C. Conn 1873. Simpson 1883. G. B. Foster
1861-64. Gr.W. Hertzog

We find mention of the following deacons : Gideon Way,
Martin Calleindine, Jacob H. Shafer, 1842; James T. Hess,
1856; S. Roderick, A. Yeager, J. P. Shafer, W. A. Robin-
son and F. R. Sinclair, 1866. The Rev. Edward Price
became a member of this church by letter in 1845, and was

afterward ordained a minister of the Gospel.
The Baptist Sabbath—school was organized July 1st 1853.

sUP1i;RINT1<.-NI)E1\"1‘s.
1853. Rev. S. Siegfried 1870. D. B. Purinton 1879. VV. 1. Pzfotzman

1857. M. Callendine 1871. J. P. Shafer 1880-84 W. I. Protzman
1865. J. P. Shafer /

It now numbers about seventy-five scholars.

596 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

A. M. E. 0/ou7'c7L.———An old log house stood‘ on Long
Alley, where the colored people worshiped. It was torn
down, and the present church there was erected under the
Rev. Tittle, of Fairmont. Some trouble arose, and Tittle
and a part of the congregation left and erected the church
on Hoffman’s Addition, over which the Rev. David Lewis,
of Way*nesburg, Penn., now has charge. It has about
forty members, while the church on- Long Alley has no
pastor, and its membership is said to be about fifteen.

SCHOOLS.

‘We know not the first schoolmaster in Morgantown.
Monongalia Academy partly supplied the place of private
subscription schools.

On February 24, 1868, the Legislature passed an act crea-
ting the Morgantown school district. Its boundaries were :

“Beginning at the mouth of Falling run,‘_an_d up said run with
its meanderings to the northeastern line of the lands of the Kiger
heirs ; thence with said line to the old road ; thence across the hill
to and including the house no-woccupied by B. H. Sear; thence
in a straight line to the Decker’s Creek bridge, near the old paper
mill ; thence to and including the Guseman property on the King-
Wood Pike; thenceto the Morgantown and Beverly road, including
the property now owned by L. H. J enkens; thence with said road
to and including the county poor-house; thence to the Mononga—
hela River, and down the same to the southern line of the property
of Joseph Kinkaid, on the west side of the river; thence with said
line to its western terminus; thence in a straight line to the first
n1ile—post on the Fairxnont pike; thence down an old road to the
river, and up the same to the place of beginning.”

Steps were taken to build a large school building, but it
was abandoned and the old Monongalia Academy was
bought. In 1870, a school was established for the colored
pupils, which is conducted in one of the A. M. E. churches.

MORGAN TOWN BOROUGH. 597

In 1882, the State appropriation to the district was $431.-
54; levy on real and personal estate was $2,465.20 for
teachers, and $1,071.85 for building fund. The following is
the enumeration of the district in 1883 :

VVhites—Ma1es 145 ............. ..Females 165 ............. ..Total 310.
Colored—- “ 27 ............. .. “  ....... .. “ 55.

Free schools* were agitated as early 1848 or 50 in Mor-
gantown. The following are the

PRINCIPALS OF MORGANTOVVN GRADED SCHOOL.

1868-70. Adam Staggers 1872-78. Henry L. Cox 1881-84. T.E. Hodges
1870-72. A1eX.L.Wade 1878—81.Benj.S.Morgan

Teachers for 1883-84: Principal-—T. E. Hodges; assist-
ant to principal—-Miss Ettie Boyers ; Division A.——Miss S.
R. Coyle; B.—-Miss Laura Shisler; C.—-Miss Dora'Dorsey;
D.——Miss Anna Campbell. 1

SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS.

1868-71. 1875-77. 1879-81.
D. H. Chadwick,1' pres VV111. C. McGrrew John J. Brown
Manliff Hayes,'I’ sec L. S. Hough L.TtS. Hough
Samuel Sea.rs,1‘ treas Samuel Sears D. B. Purinton
Ashbel Fairchild Ashbe1[Fairchild Samuel Sears
Wm. A. Hanway Henry, S. Hayes Henry B. Lazier
1871. 1877. 1881-83.
D. H. Chadwick Henry S. Hayes Wm. S. Cobuni
L. S. Hough A. ‘W. Lorentz Ashbel Fairchild
Samuel Sears ‘Vin. C. McG‘rrew '1‘. Pickenpaugh
Ashbel Fairchild Samue1}Sears Samue1‘!Hackney
A. L. \Vade Wm. Hoge E. C. Allender
1872-75. 1878. 1883.

D. H. Chadwick John J. Brown Henryf,B. Lazier
L. S. Hough L. S. Hough Ashbel Fairchild
Samuel Sears J. P. Shafer T. Pickenpaugh
Ashbel Fairchild Sa1nue1‘Sears Samue13Hackney
Thomas Rogers VV1n.—Hoge E. C. Allender

* Henry A. Wise, when in Morgantown during the Know Nothing Campaign, stopped
at the “National” Hotel, and in conversation made use or the toilowing language in
regard to tree schools: “I do despise your Peter-Parley, single-rule-or-three Ycmlcee
education. ‘Drink deep or the Pierian spring or taste not at ail. ’ ”

r The first commissioner given after each year is president; the next, secretary ;
and the next, treasurer, until 1881, when the office of treasurer was dropped.

1 December 16, 1882, on death or Cobun, Fairchild was appointed secretary, and
Pickenpaugh appointed commissioner.

598_ HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

SUBURBS.

On the south side of Decker’s Creek lies South Morgan-
town, or the South Side, generally called “Durbannali.” It
stands on land patented by Michael Kern in 1772. Edgar
C. Wilson laid it out into fifteen lots as Wilson’s Addition,
with the Kingwood Pike as Bridge Street, and Clay Street,
45 feet wide; Water, 35, Wharf, 40; VVilson, 40, and Ray
and Oliphant alleys, 12 feet wide. Fairchild, Lawhead &
Co. have made an addition, consisting of eleven lots, witha
street 30 feet wide and an alley 20 feet.

George M. Reay* built the first house in 1843 (now occu-
pied by Lawhead). F. M. Durbin began building several
houses, and George Kramer gave it the name “Durbannah.”
In it are located the carriage factory of Fairchild, Lawhead
& Co., Reay’s foundry, James Blair’s..«blacksmitl1 shop, and
Demain & I-Iuston’s carpenter shop. In 1883, A. M. Kra-
mer, D.D.S., (a son of Dr. P. L. Kramer, of Greensboro,
Penn.), located here. 'I‘_he population, in 1880, was 127.

0/oayrzcery Ifill is thelhill above the South Side, and con-
sists of the private residences of the Hon. W. T. Willey,
Francis Demain, John J. Brown and Alex. L. VVade.

Greenmont consists of private dwellings, and was so
named by George M. Hagans. It includes the Morgantown
Mills, the old Kern’s Fort site and the fair ground. It was
never laid out in regular streets, beyond the projection of
one called Prairie, but never opened. Its population, in
1883, is ninety. A

lVest xlforgamtown is on the west side of the river, in
Grant District, and is on a part of the Zackwell Morgan

‘ George M. Reay (a son or John Otho Reay who married Elizabeth. granddaughter of
Gen. Neville, or Hardy County, who was a brother 01‘. Gen. Neville, of Pittsburgh)
came to Morgantown in 1838, and, since 1843, has resided in South Morgantowu.

MORGANTOWN ‘BOROUGH. 599

tract purchased of Isaac Lemasters in 1772.7 The first
house was built by Jesse Mercer. The building of the
bridge helped its growth. The building now occupied by
Mrs. Weaver as a hotel has served for a hotel and store.
As a hotel Jesse Mercer, Westly Finnell, William Fear and
Marion Arnett have kept, while VVilliam Basnett & Son, and
others, have kept store there. L. J. Holland (barber) at
present keeps a public house. The population, in 1880,
was fifty-two. ,

II0j"7nan’.s‘ Additioiz, or North Morgantown, lies-between
the borough and the University grounds. It was laid out
by John H. Hoffman. The streets are Front and Hough ;
alleys, Church and Lewis. Its population, in 1880, was
ninety-six.

_ZV0rz,‘/¢—ea.s-tern rllorgamfown lies north—east of North Boun-
dary Street, and has been so fortunate as never yet to
receive a name. It has been given the sobriguezfs of “ Sally-
town” and “Quality Hill.” Four professors reside in it,

which might suggest a classical title for this pleasant.

suburb.
GROWTH or THE TOWN.

Morgantown was established in 1785, yet tradition states
that it was laid out in 1783, for Zackwell Morgan, by Major
William Haymond, grandfather of Augustus Haymond, de-
ceased. In 1796, the deeds were all burned and we can
give no list of the first lot-holders. From an old paper
signed by John Evans is given the following list of convey-
ances from Zackwell Morgan, and Drusilla his wife, from
December 1, 1785, to October, 1786, for lots in Morgans-
Town: W. A. Smith, No. 37 and 52 ; Michael Kern, No. 39
and 40; John Pierpont, Nos. 107, 108, 119, and —-—; David
Bradford, No. 28 and 29; Hugh McNeely, No. 89 and 106;

58 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY. ‘
October, 1777, it ordered a draft of forty single men from
Monongalia. As bounties were offered for enlistrnents, and
as previous enlistments from the county, in the militia on
the Ohio, were to be credited to the county, and as We find
that the 'West Augusta" regiments were recruited in the
Monongahela Valley, it is probable that no such draft in

‘either case was ever made.

Though frequent alarms of Indian incursions caused the
settlers to seek safety in the forts during the years 1775 and
1776, yet there is no account of any Indian force attempting
to enter the county during those years.

It seems that in the year 1777 a Tory* revolt was planned
in the Monongahela Valley, and tradition has it that several
persons engaged in it were arrested and taken to Richmond.
The General Assembly, in October, 1777, empowered the
commissioners‘r sent by Congress to Fort Pitt to investigate
the plot, to apprehend any inhabitant of Monongalia, Ohio
or Yohogania engaged in it, and it is said that a Tory

was arrested and ordered to Richmond under guard of a trio

, of the Morgans, and that he was drowned in Cheat River,

near the Dunkard Bottom, by the upsetting of the boat in

- which the party was crossing this stream. The settlers,

according to the tradition, neither supposed the upsetting
to have been accidental nor considered this disposition of

the traitor wrong, as they were loath to spare able—bodied

_ and brave men from home, With the Indians swarming on

the border.

‘A Tory Was one Who, during the Revolutionary struggle, favored the claims of
Great Britain against the Colonies, and hence was considered a traitor by the Colonists.

1‘ Samuel Washington, Gabriel Jones and Joseph Reed.

600 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA-‘~COUNTY.

Benjamin Jennings, No. 80, 92 and 93; Jacob Pindall, No.
102; Thomas Laidley* six lots, numbers not given. Wm.
J olliffe, Benj. Sutton, George Hollenbaugh, David Hanway,
George Jackson, Henry Barnes, Baptist Society and Thomas
Pindall, each bought one half~acre lot, number not given.

The growth of the town was slow until the close of the
Indian wars, in 1791. John VVood Thompson’s'l‘ recollec-
tions of Morgantown before 1791, were that there were only
four log houses——one at the mouth of Decker’s Creek, one
close to Isaac Frank’s, one opposite the hay scales, and one
where Dr. McLane lives. His father built the fifth house,
at the head of Front Street.

Henry Deringgt and John Shisler§ were here before 1800,
and about that year Capt. William N. Jarrett 1| came.
Among those who came before the 19th century, was
Christian Madera. ‘fl ' During the VVar of 1812, George
Murphy states that Spruce Street was the drill ground, and

*Thomas Laidley came from Scotland to New York in 1774, and was induced by
Albert Gallatin to come out on the Monongahela River and engage in business. He
opened the flrst store at Morgantown, in 1784; represented the county in 1797-8 and
1800-1. He removed trom the county and the Laidleys of Kanawha County are his de-
scendants.

1“ John Wood Thompson was the son of James and Dorcas Thompson, who came be-
fore 1790. Their children Were: George, James 11., Francis M., Maria Huggins, Jane
Greenland and Harriet Lees, and John Wood Thompson, father of Col. F. W. Thompson,
who married Deborah Vance, a cousin oi Gov. Vance, of North Carolina.

1 Henry Dering Was born in 1759; came from Lancaster to Hagerstown, and from
thence to Morgantown in 1787, and opened a hotel which he kept until 1807, when he
died. His widow, Rebecca, kept then until 1846, when she died. One of his sons is F.
A. Dering, the postmaster.

§ John Shisler married Elizabeth Criss and came to Morgantown, from Winchester,
in 1796. He was a wagon maker, and died in 1856. Their children were Maria Rude,
Michael (father of E. Shisler, hardware merchant), Frederick, Catherine Kern, John
and Edmund. .

ll Capt. William N. Jarrett married Mary, Widow 01! Hugh. Mcxeely. He was born in
1776 and died in 1829. His tombstone bears this inscription: “Maryland gave him
birth; Virginia, a grave.”

if Christian Madera Was born 1759; died 1822. He was in the War of 1812. One or
his sons was Nicholas B. Madera, who Was one of the owners of the Mongmgalia.
Gazette. and was postmaster from 1822 to 1853, and Whose son, Francis, was post-
master irom 1861 to 1864. Francis Madera married Julia Ann Watts, and their
daughter, Mary 13., married Col. M. A. Mccallum (01. Chicago), a son of Gen. D. C.
Mccauum. V » .

. MORGANTOWN BOROUGH. 601

Capt. Zackwell Morgan* was a drill-master. Although the
War of 1812 called away a good many men, yet the town
was growing. At this time Thomas Wilson,t of Morgan-
town, was in Congress. Col. Samuel Hanway, with his
nephew John Hanway (father of Col. VVilliam A. Hanway)‘,
were now at Morgantown as surveyors. Col. Hanway was a
Revolutionary oflicer, and died in 1834, at the age of ninety-
one. He was said to have been a relative of Jonas Han-
way, the man who first carried an umbrella in London.
James Chadwick came about 1812, from Fayette County,
Penn., and engaged in store-keeping. He was the father of
D. H. Chadwick, and died in 1848

From 1812 to 1830, Morgantown improved rapidly. From
what is now Preston and Marion and Barbour and Taylor,
people came to Morgantown to trade and buy salt, iron,
goods and groceries. Some time after the VVar of 1812,
William and Henry Lazier came to Morgantown. VVilliam
Lazier (the father of H. B. Lazier) came from Bedford,
Penn., to VVheeling and then with E. B. Swearingen to Mor-
gantown. He married Mary A. McClure; ran Cheat Iron
Wo1'ks before 1830; died in 1872.

From 1825 to 1833, Francis Billingsley and Col. Richard
Watts,i both living in Morgantown, represented the county.

1

*' Capt. Zackwell Morgan lett Morgantown July 26, and died August 26, in the
retreat from Washington City under Gen. Winder. He was acting mojor or his regi-
ment. He was a son of Col. Zackwell Morgan, and married Elizabeth Madera,
daughter of Christian Madera. Their children were: Enos. D., Zadoc, Nimood, Mary
8. (wire of H. D. MeGeorge), Zackwell and Drusilla.

f Thomas Wilson ‘was born in Eastern Virginia in 1766; married Mary Poage; died,
1826. Their children Were: Eugenius M., Edgar Campbell (Who married an Oliphant),
Norvllle (an M. E. minister, and father 01 Bishop A. P. Wilson), Alpheus P., Agnes P.
(Wire of Rev. Homer J. Clark), George Washington (Who died a merchant in New
Orleans), Louisa Ann Lowrie and Julia, wire or Rev. Lock.

1 Col. Richard Watts was born in Maryland in 1788; died 1836. Two brothers came
with him—John and Eamon Y. The latter had a son, Harmon 11., ‘leaving in 1850,
and never heard or.

602 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The building of the Northwestern Turnpike, in 1838, hurt
Morgantown some before 1840.

In 1842, Marion County being stricken off, was a loss of
trade and source of income from those coming from there
to attend court. The B. & O. R. R. came next, in 1853,
and the great trade from the interior was lost to Morgan-

. town. Her streets were now to be deserted by the great

number of wagons that formerly were daily to be seen.
The town henceforth was to depend upon the local trade of
the county, until slackwater or an iron pathway should
come to give it renewed life and awakened energy. In 1850,
A. S. Vance* secured a daily mail.

About 1850, we find some strange advertising of mer-
chants, as “The sign of the Red Post,” “two Big Doors,”
“three Big Doors,” “ Big Window” and “Hole in the VVall.”
The establishment of the West Virginia University, in 1867,
had a,,beneficial.influence on the town.

.Dentists.——Amo11g the earliest resident ones was J. Lowry
McGee. In 1861, George B. Morris came. He was born
at Woodgrove Furnace in 1832. He is the first dental grad-
uate in the State (1866), and one of only thirteen now in the
State. He now travels over 200 square miles of territory
and visits eight towns. He first made an obdurator (or arti-
ficial palate), also a mask for Elias Courtwright, of Marshall
County. He has followed his profession for twenty-nine
years.

Tradiesmen.-—Tailors : Sandford Pickenpaugh, since 1827;
F. K. O’Kelley, 1862; Charles M. Chalfant ; 1863; John H.
Sm th, 1852. Boot, and shoe makers : John Protzrnan
1826; G. L. Samsel; 1851 ; Jacob Protzman, Nimrod Protz-

* Addison S. Vance was born in 1812, in Frederick County, Virginia; died, April 22, f

1883; came to Morgantown in 1835, and was the Whig candidate tor Congress once.
After Vance we find Alex. Hayes to be very active in mail matters.

MORGAN TOWN BOROUGH. 603

man, W. H. Bricker, Uriah Moore, William Watts. Black-
smiths: Dawson & Wells, J. N. Pickenpaugh. Tinners:
George A. Lees (son of Thomas J. Lees, the poet); 1. Scott
Reed (son of Henry Reed, first coppersmith), 1876, tinner,
coppersmith, and tin roofing and spouting. Jewelers: H.
H. Hayes, George C. Hayes, John H. Madera. Millinery
establishment: Mrs. McVicker. Saddlers: E. W. S. Der-
ing, VVilliam Pride, Henry Cooper. Butchers: Hackney &
Baker, Hess & Madigan, Fisher & Shean. Marble cutters :
The first one was Foster, about fifty-five years ago;
present shops——J. E. Watts & Co., Joseph E. Watts, and
Nelson W. Protzman, since 1867. Photograph gallery: E.
C. Protzman, 1880. Tanners: Kiger Bros. Barbers: L.
J. Holland, Amos Harris, Matt Harris. Livery: The first
one was James Protzm‘an’s, thirty years ago ; present ones

——Manlifi' Hayes and Carraco. Sewing Machine Agency:

William I. Protzman. Oyster saloons: G. W. Debolt, D. I

H. Stine and N. Kiger.

STATISTICS OF BOROUGH.

 

V ‘U
Q VOTERS
3 w” 8 E8 '5'
run. $5 :9: 5;, g gé gg §'§ § 
as Q) — .—-1 --1 ,3
=1 5 -a m as £5 5% 8 a
18 .............................. .. 89 105 ..... .. 101 47 218 25 10 162
1872 ........................................................ -. - ......................... --
1873 ............................... .. 107 78 ..... .. 49 52 215 31 1 152
1874 ............................... .. 89 72 ..... .. 45 46 192 1 149
1875 80 54 75 42 205 33 4 153
1876 ............................. .. 86 45 ..... . . 55 43 197 35 2 153
1877 .............................. .. 82 47 ..... . . 80 44 182 31 159
 Q | u I I D C O O O O ~ I O 9 I O I I I I O Q l I O I O O O OI  46 ‘"3! I m    
1879 ............................. .. 8-3 62 ..... .. 46 45 180 37 1 163
1880 .............................. .. 84 117 3 45 50 173 37 2 170
1881... ..   78 131 ..... .. 26 57 213 50 3 179
1882...... ...... .........  79 86 23 25 59 217 49 5 159
1883 .............................. .. 103 125 ..... .. 19 76l 186 46 3 166

0'emeterz'e.s'.--The one Where the Presbyterian Church
stands is the oldest; next, the Methodist; then the Presby-

604 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

terian ; then where the Baptist Church stands ;‘ and last,
“ Oak Grove Cemetery,” beyond the limits of the town. It
will be described in Morgan District.

H. D. McGeorge invented a shingle machine which was
patented Marcl1 3, 1857, No.16,742; also a hemp brake,
patented Septemberll, 1858, No. 21,513.

James Odbert came from Washington County, Penn., in
1844; was a saddler; served two terms as sheriff, and is
now acting as a special constable. '

George Kramer came from Greensboro, Penn., in 1836,
and died in 1848; was a merchant. Col. Lee Roy Cramer
is his son.

Alex. Hayes married Phebe Davis and came to Morgan-
town in 1841. He followed _tl1e hotel and stage business,
and died in 1866, aged 67. He was born in Kent County,
Delaware. Their family consisted of Henry S., George C.
and L. S., jewelers; Manlifi”, Justice and mail agent; Jane
V. and Louisa, wife of Prof. Stewart. Mrs. Hayes was
born in 1804, and is still living.

George Pickenpaugh came from Germany; settled before
1820, on Scott’s run, and his sons, Sandford, Rezin, Nicho-
las (father of Thornton), and John came to Morgantown
before 1830.

John Rogers and Martin Callendine were prominent men
in Morgantown.

0 A one—story long frame market-house stood, before 1812,
on the site of‘ the old jail. ‘

CHAPTER XXVIII.
CLINTON DISTRICT.*

Geographical Boundaries and General Desci-iption—Indian Oc-
cupation—Early Settlers—-Indian Murders: Miller, VVoodfin,
Stone, Booth, etc.—Voting Places—Civi1 List—Towns: Smith-
town, Clinton Furnace, Halleck, Uffiing‘ton——Post—Ofiices—
Roads——Oil ‘vVells—Noted Places: Pictured Rock, Caves,
Raven Rocks, Ferrell Rock——Jones’ Raid——Church History--
Sunday—Schools——School History——Statist-ics—Stores~—F1ouring
Mi1ls—Saw—Mi11s—B1acks1niths———General Notes—Biographical
Sketches and Notes.

CLINTON is the first of the seven magisterial districts into
which Monongalia County was divided in 1852. Soon after
the organization of VVest Virginia, in 1863, the county was
divided into townships, and this district became Clinton
Township, being thus named for Clinton Furnace. Ten
years later, by a change of designation merely, it became
Clinton District. It lies in the south-eastern part of the
county, and is bounded on the north-east by Morgan District,
on the east by Preston County, from which it is divided by
Chestnut Ridge; 011‘ the south by Taylor and Marion coun-
ties, and on the West and north-west it is separated from
Grant District by the Monongahela River.

This is, perhaps, the largest district in the county, and
contains, according to the assessor’s books, 40,059 acres.
Among the seven districts of the county, it ranks fifth in
order of population, having 2,126 inhabitants in 1880—a

‘This chapter is written by W. Scott Garner,ot Preston County, from information
obtained by a canvass or the district and 3. Search of the public records at Morgantown.

606 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

gain of 226 since 1870. In point of wealth, it also takes the
fifth place, with a total valuation of $539,657.

The district is drained by’ the Monongahela. and its trib-
utaries, Oobun’s creek, Booth’s creek, To1n’s run, J oe’s run
and Wliite Day* creek ; and in the southern part by Laurel
run. Good springs are abundant. The surface is generally
hilly, with belts of level land along the river and creek bot-
toms. Occasional level tracts occur between the hills, and
on the broad tops of some of them lie considerable stretches
of undulating surface, well situated for farming and excel-
lent as grazing lands. The soil is very productive when
well tilled and properly cared for. It is generally a. clayey
loam on the hillsides, varying from five to fifteen inches,
and a sandy loam on the levels, from one to two feet in
depth. All the cereals grown in our climate do well here,
but the greater attention is given to wheat, corn and oats.
Potatoes, other vegetables, and small fruits do well. Cher-

'ries, pears and quinces are grown, and some peaches; but

apples are the leading fruit, there being an apple orchard
on nearly every farm. Of late years, new and better varie-
tiest of this fruit are being introduced. _

Originally, heavy forests covered large portions of the
district, but the farmer and the lumberman have wrought
great changes here. For years the very prime of the oak
has been taken for ship timber, but oak is still the leading
variety, with fair quantities of chestnut, poplar and hickory,
and some maple, black walnut, ash, beech, locust, linn, syc-
amore, buckeye and pine.

* This creek is said to have been so named after an Indian chief, Opekiska or White
Day, who used to camp and hunt on its borders.

1‘ Robert 0. Austin says that three varieties of apples, of great local popularity, have
originated in this district: the “ Morgan Reds,” named after the Indian fighters; the
“ Granny Sweets,” named for Polly Miller, wife of Thomas Miller; and the “ Grubb Cab-
in ” apple, which originated at the log cabin or an early settler named Grubb.

CLINTON DISTRICT. | 607

In early days many deer roamed through the forests of
Clinton, and bruin made l1is home among her hills. The

' wolf howled here by day, and the panther screamed by

night. VVolves were still here in 1825, about which time,
it is said, the last bear ever killed in the district was shot
by Samuel Brown. Along with the bears and wolves and
deer of early times, were catamounts and lesser animals in
abundance. But year by year the settle’s rifle thinned
their ranks, and his mattock cleared away their haunts.
To—day, the inhabitants of the wood are foxes, squirrels and
quail, or pheasants; and there only remains an occasional
deer or wild cat to test the marksmanship of a people who
are fast losing the arts of the trained hunter.

The track of the wild animal, however, was scarcely
obliterated ere the domestic animal occupied its place.
Wlherever man penetrated, accompanied by his faithful dog,
there was soon found the horse, cow, sheep and hog. These
animals did, and still do, well here, as the land when cleared
is finely adapted to grazing and grass-growing. Of late
years, blooded stock is being introduced in some neighbor-
hoods, especially the finer grades of cattle and sheep. The
importance of this movement can not be too strongly
stated, and when once realized by the farmers of Clinton,
the stock interests of the district will largely increase.

INDIAN OCCUPATION.

For unknown centuries the Indian’s ownership of this
country was undisputed. In that misty labyrinth of years,
red men hunted among the Clinton hills and fished in these
quiet waters. It is not supposed their residence here was
permanent, but the accumulations of shells and debris
which marked their camps, indicate a lengthened stay or oft

‘608 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

repeated visits. The sites of some of these camps, called
“fort fields,” are still pointed out. Among other places,
they are found on lands of VV. G. Watson, 13. H. Griffith,
Samuel Shuttlesworth, Ann Robe, and on the VVeaver farm,
owned by T. H. "Watsorfs heirs. Near Smithtown, on lands
of John C. Malone, is an Indian burying-place, located
under an overhanging rock, close White‘ Day creek. A
number of bones and skeletons have been taken from this
ancient cemetery, by Dr. Kramer and others. In Septem-
ber, 1882, a large skeleton was unearthed in the district by
F. M. Fetty and wife. It was in a sitting position, in a
rock grave, walled up with loose stones. In the summer of
1883, James A. Faulkner and others found an unusually
large skeleton in the district. It is said to be that of a
man whose stature was not less than seven feet, and who
evidently belonged to pre—historic times. An Indian war-
path—-known as the “Eastern Trail”—crossed the district,
passing by Smithtown and Halleck (see page 25-6).
EARLY SETTLERS.

It is impossible to state, from the information obtained,
who were the first settlers in the district. The better tracts
of land, along the river and elsewhere, were early taken by
anventurous pioneers, and settlements sprang up along

9 Booth’s creek and in other parts of the district. The hardy

generation whose active labor first subdued these wilds,
however, passed away and left little record of themselves,
beyond the improvements they made. VVhat has been
gathered in regard to them, and the time of their coming, is
stated in the history of the difierent townsor settlement
centers, and in the notes which follow. *
Capel Holland came at a very early day, and settled near
Where Goshen Baptist church now stands. His son, Rezin

CLINTON DISTRICT. 609

Holland, was born in 1776 and died in 1851. He was the
father of Mrs. H. G. VVest. It is said he built the first
wind-mill in the county. ’

James and Josiah \Vilson, two bachelor brothers, took up
land here before 1777, and lived and died in the district."
The Sears family settled here about 1778.

Jacob Holland, who served four years as a non—commis—
sioned officer in the Revolutionary war, came from Berke-
ley to this county in 1801,_and settled near Morgantown.
Two years later he moved to this district, where he died in
1838. He raised a family of seven sons and one daughter.
VVilliam Holland, the sixth child, is the only one of these
now living. He was born in 1797, and just sixty years ago
married Susan Tarleton (born in 1802), who is still living.
They raised a family of four sons and three daughters, and

‘four adopted children. Mr. Holland remembers being

chased by a bear when thirteen years old, a11d tells some
very interesting stories in regard to his hunting experience
in early days. ’
John Austin came about 1806, and settled on the farm
now owned by Jesse Shuttlesworth. Robert and William
Robe settled at an early day between Ufiington and Clin-
ton Furnace. About 1817, B. H. Griffith came, with his
father, from Poplar Springs, near Baltimore, and settled
near Ufiington. Isaac Reed was among the early settlers.
Thomas Steele was an early settler and hunter, near Clin-
ton Furnace. He habitually wore a blue hunting shirt,

1 with red fringe. On one occasion he shot a bear on his

own land which it is said weighed over 400 pounds after
being dressed.

George Hayes, formerly of this district, but now living in
Harrison39County, was a soldier in the war with Mexico and

MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION. 59

In July, 1777, Indians appeared in force on Dunkardi

Creek in the north-western part of the county. Capt. John
Minor, on the 14th of that month at 8 o’clock, writes as
follows from Fort Statler to C01. Zackwell Morgan :

“ This minute Alexander Clegg came in great haste, who escaped
the shot of a number of Indians. \Vhile we were getting ready to
go after them John March and Jacob Jones came in, and say that
they think they saw at least twenty, and followed them, but they
escaped. The Indians fired at Jacob Farn1er’s house. Two men
and a boy were killed, a young woman and two children missing.
It is supposed that he [she ?] is killed, and Nathan Wirley [Worley]
and two of Jacob J ones‘s children,* and a daughter ‘of Farmer’s.
‘We shall march after them in less than an hour. The truth may be
relied on.“ 7

The pursuit was fruitless.

On the 19th of July, 1777, Richard Ashcraft and Thomas
Carr, two of a company of spies, made oath before James
Chew, a magistrate, that they discovered, on the evening of
the 17th, the tracks of seven or eight Indians on the head
waters of Buifalo Creek, apparently going toward the
“Monongahalia” A River. There is no account of these
Indians having done any mischief.

On the 20th of the same month, VVilliam Cross and the
Rev. John Corbly wrote from Corbly’s Fort (Greene County,
Pa.) to C01. Morgan, for amunition and an orderfor flour to
VVilson’s or Hardin’s mill.

During the summer of 1778, a large body of Indians pen-
etrated to Cobun’s Creek, “and were,” says the “Border
Wa1‘fare,” “making their way, as was generally supposed, to

* The names of the Jones children, it is asserted upon good authority, were William
and Nancy. They were kept by the Indians tlve years. William came back and died,
at the age of nearly 100 years, near Grafton. Nancy married in Canada. William
Jones said two 0: the stoutest Indians in the tribe, on learning or David Morgan’s fight
with and killing or the two Indians, near Prickett’s Fort, swore an oath to kill Morgan
or never return. They went on a trip to mid Morgan, but as they never came back, the

Indians supposed they were lgilled by the Morgans.

610 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

in the last war. “He went out first and came in last.” Silas
Stevens was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died several
years since.

Stephen Stansberry was born in 1803, married Sarah

' Sapp in 1826, and raised a family of fifteen children, eleven

of whom are still living. Mrs. Stansberry and two of her
sisters—Mary Pride and Elizabeth Trippett—-—had families
wl1icl1 aggregated forty-five children.

Henry Dolton, a colored man, who had fought in the
Revolutionary war, was among the early settlers in this dis-
trict. He raised three sons—Bethuel, Levi and John. His
remains lie buried in the woods a mile from Clinton Fur-
nace, and an oak tree over a foot in diameter grows on his

grave.
INDIAN V MURDERS.

In the Indian raids which occurred during the Revolu-

tionary war, several settlers were murdered by the re’d war— ‘

riors in what is now Clinton District. Among these victims
of savage hostility were Thomas Miller and John VVoodfin,
killed in the vicinity of Cobu11’s creek (pages 60-1), and
Thomas Stone, killed near Smithtown (page 62). Captain

James Booth was another victim of savage hatred, and’

although not killed in the district, yet the nearness of the
tragedy, and the circumstances connected with his death,‘
andthat of his co-settlers, seem to be of sufiicient interest
to excuse the introduction of the following account, taken
from the Border Warfare:

“On the 16th of June [1778], as Capt. James Booth and Nathaniel

. Cochran, were at work in a field on Booth’s creek [in Marion C0,],

they were fired at by the Indians. Booth _fe1l, but Cochran, being
very slightly wounded‘, took to flight. He was, however, overtaken
and carried into captivity to their towns. From thence he was
taken to Detroit, where he remained some time ; and endeavoring to

CLINTON DISTRICT. 611

escape from that place, unfortunately took a. path which led him
iinmediately to the Maumee old towns. Here he was detained
awhile, and then sent back to Detroit, where he was exchanged,
and from whence he made his way home, after having had to
endure much suifering and many hardships. The loss of Booth
was severely felt by the inhabitants in that settlement. He was
not only an active and enterprising man, but was endowed with
superior talents, and a better education than most of those who
had settled in the country; and on these accounts was very much.
missed.

“In a few days after this transaction, Benjamin Shinn, ‘Vin.
Grundy and Benjamin \Vashburn, returning from a lick on the
head of Booth’s creek, were fired on by the Indians, when near to
BaXter’s run. \Vasl1burn and Shinn escaped unhurt, but Grundy
was killed: he was brother to Felix Grundy, of Tennessee, whose
father was then residing at Si1npson’s creek, at a farm afterwards
owned by Colonel Benjamin W'ilson, Sr.

“This party of Indians continued for sdme days to prowl about
the neighborhood, seeking opportunities of committing murder on
the inhabitants. James Owens, a youth of sixteen years of age,
was the only one whom they succeeded in killing after the murder
of Grundy. Going from Powers’ fort on Sin1pson’s creek, to
Booth’s creek, his saddle girth gave away, and while he was down
mending it, a ball was discharged at him, which killed both him
and the horse.”

VOTING PLACES.

From 1852 to 1863, the voting places in Clinton District
were at Nicholas Osborn’s and John J ones’s. Previous to
that, there had been a voting place at Smithtown, called
Smithfield. From the formation of VVest Virginia until
1883, the polls were at Smithtown and Clinton Furnace. In
the latter year, Clinton Furnace was dropped and voting
places were established at Halleck and J. B. Bix1er’s, so
that there are now three in the district—Smitl1town, Halleck
and Bixler’s.

612 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

CIVIL LIST.

Prior to 1852, the territory of the district was not recog-
nized as a distinct part of the county. Isaac Powell, Sr., of
Smithtown, was a magistrate for several years, about 1808,
and, it is said, John J efifs was also a .magistrate for several
years. In 1852, commissioners appointed for that purpose
laid off the county into districts, and established this as the
First Magisterial District, with boundaries as found on

page 564.

1852.
Isaac Powell
Thomas Meredith
Isaac Reed
Capel Holland

1856.
Jon. M. Heck
John Meredith
Isaac Reed
Moses Steele

1860.
Moses Steele.

1852.
Thomas Tarleton
1856.
VVilliam \Vilson
Samuel Hardin
1860.
Samuel Hardin
Jesse Austin
1865.
J. \V. Phillips
C. P. Devault

1864-0. B. Johnson
1865-Jos. Grubb, Jr.
1866-0. B. Johnson

1864-5—T. P. Selby
1866-14‘. D. Hardman

JUSTICES.

Alpheus Holland

Hamilton Gr. \Vest

Thomas Tarleton
1865.

Chas. Cornwell
1867.

0. B. Johnson.

Joseph Haldeman
1871.

S. T. Shuttleworth

Thomas McBee

CONSTABLES.

1866.
Jesse Austin.

1867.
J. M. J ollifle
Isaac Reed

1868.
A. J. Frum

1869.
O. P. J ollilfe

1871.
George Bell

SUPERVISORS.

1867—'1‘hos. Tarleton

1872.
J. A. Holland
Moses Steele

1876.
John Howell
‘Vin. C. \Vilson

1880.
John Howell
Henry Austin

M. H. Steele
1872.
Thomas Howell
J. \V. Phillips
1876.
John R. Steele
S. Frum

1880.

Robert Robe
B. F. M. Fletcher

1869-S. T.Shutt1ewortb

1863—Oliver P. Jollitfe 1870-—J. A. Faulkrier

TOWNSHIP OLE RKS.

1867-8-'1‘. D. Harden
1869-L. C. Beals

1870—1—H. Stansberry

CLINTON DISTRICT. 613

TOWNSHIP TREASURER5.

1864-E. Hall 1866—7——R. H. Jones 1868~9—-J. M. Jollifi"e
1865—T. E. Holland '
ovnnsmsns or‘ POOR.

1864—Johu R. Steele 1867—S.'I‘.Shuttleworth 1870—John Howell
1865-Jon. Stansbexry 1868—9——-John R. Steele 1871--Capel Holland
]866—John R. Steele

INSPECTORS OF ELECTION.

1864—L. Selby 1867--A. G.Devanlt 1870-Leonard Selby
L. Howell Joseph Triclzett J.C.D.Cartrigl1t
1865-I..eonard Selby 1868—L. Selby
J. Trickett Chas. Cornwell 1871-Leonard Selby
1S66———Josepl1 Trickett 1869—Ezra Stevens J. C. Cartright
J. M. Mason Leonard Selby
SMITHTOWN.

This town is situated in the western part of the district,
in a beautiful little valley on the waters of I;Vhite Day
creek. It is twelve miles south-west from Morgantown, on
the Morgantown and Bridgeport Turnpike.

The first settlement in this vicinity, of which there is any
account, was made in 1772, by Robinson Lucas, and, it is
said, Peter Parker. On February 18, 1780, Lucas received
a certificate from the land commissioners for 400 acres,
“including his settlement made thereon in 1772,” and on
August 1, 1785, it was surveyed for him. In 1773, George
Wilson and Andrew Ice received certificates for lands on
White Day creek. On February 12, 1798, Richard Smith
bought 189; acres"“ (part of a 400-acre tract) on VVhite Day
creek, from Simeon Riggs,'l‘ and Amassa, his wife, paying
therefor the sum of fifty pounds.

* One account says part or this land was that on which Smithtown was a1'terwa17d
built. Another account says Richard Smith bought the land on which the town stands
“ of. Timothy Smith, who came by it from Peter Parker, who settled it in 1772.”

T Simeon Riggs settled here about 1785, and reared a family of nine children, among
Whom were Isaac and Aaron Riggs. Isaac Riggs ran a line of stages from Clarksburg
to Morgantown, and from the latter place to Unlontown, Penn., about thirty~Iive
years ago. He built the old brick house still standing on the left bank 01'. White Day
creek, and now owned by Watson. Aaron, Simeon’s youngest son, was the father or
Mrs. Susan Smith, of Halleck, who was born in 1811. 1

614 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Richard Smith* laid out, Smithtown, with two streets,
called First and Second streets’, and on June 9, 1806, sold
to Asher Lewis, lots No. 8 and 15 for $100; to Timothy

Wa1'den, No. 16 for $24; to Abram Owens, Nos. 1 and 13 V

for $52 ; and all the balance of the lots on First Street. In
1807, he sold to James J effs lots No. 14 and 26, on Second
Street, for $72. Smith’s house, built of stone, stood where
VVatson’s now stands. It is said Seeley Sears built the
second or third house in Smithtown. Smith built a corn
mill on \Vhite Day creek, a short distance below where now
stands the mill owned by J ollifl'e’s heirs. James J eifs
bought the mill, and his son, John J efi's carried on the
milling and tanning business here in 1826. Some years
later, Joseph J olliffe bought the property, and, in 1831,
built the present mill, and a saw-mill.

In 1804, James G. \Vatson't came from Maryland and set-
tled in this county.. Three years later, he bought the farm

now owned by J. C. Malone and moved there. He raised

9

a family of three sons and two daughters. Two of his sons’

——Henry and Thomas——were magistrates. James D., the
youngest son, married Ann M. Haymond, a sister of Judge
Haymond’s father, and raised a family of four children, of
whom only VVilliam  and Thomas F. \Vatson survive.
James D. \Vatson died November 2, 1865, aged seventy-one
years.

Among other early settlers and land owners here, were
Robert Ferrell, who owned 936 acres, 90 of which now‘ be-

‘Richard Smith was a Quaker, who came from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, and
from that State to this county. He was twice married: first, to Gracie Moore, and
atter her death, to Elizabeth Walker, both or Pennsylvania. He raised a family or
ten or eleven children, among whom was Anthony Smith.

+ James G. Watson was a famous hunter in his day, and kept a large pack ot hounds,
and a hunting horse named “Steamboat.” He used a hunter’s horn to call his dogs,
devoted much time to the pleasures of the chase, was large hearted, liberal and 1108--
pitable, and was a fine specimen or the old Virginia gentleman.

CLINTON DISTRICT. 615 '

long to John C. Malone; VVilliam Morris, who had a still-
house here fifty years ago ; Barnabas Johnson, Adam Fast,
Dorsey and \Villiam Powell, the lat-
ter coming from VVashington County, Penn.

Anthony Smith,

. In 1822 a post—office was established here, with John
Jelfs as postmaster. It was called VVhite Day, after the
name of the creek. J effs was succeeded by Joseph J olliffe,
who kept the office until about 1840, when James D. ‘Vat-
son was postmaster four years. After this, J olliffe was
again appointed, and continued to occupy the position un-
til 1866, when he resigned and was succeded by W. C. Wil-
son. VVilson held the oflice about fourteen years, and was
succeeded, in 1880, by Charles D. Malone, the present in-
cumbent. .

The first store was kept by Dr. Robert Travis, about 1826,
who was succeeded by Travis & Meredith. Thomas Meredith
continued the business until his death, about 1852. Hutch-
inson & VVatson started a grocery about 1850. J. J. Hutch-
inson soon bought out VVatson and added dry goods. He
was popular and successful. Among other merchants here
have been J. M. Heck, John \Vilson, G. IV. J olliffe, S. Har-
den, Frank Miller and
are: M. L. Hutchinson (son of J. J. Hutchinson), who be-
gan business in 1879; IV. C. Wilson, 1854; M. J. Jones,
1878.

The first physician was Dr. Travis, who practiced until

Brock. The present merchants

his death in 1847. Among his successors have been Drs.
A. S. Warclwell, G. W. Finfrock, Joseph Irwin, IV. H.
Campbell. Dr. E. B. Kra-
mer is the present physician, and the only one in the dis-
trict.

Sharps, I. C. Newman and

. The first tavern was kept by John Malone, who came

616 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

from Martinsburg. He was succeeded by Joseph J olliffe,
who kept nearly thirty years. Isaac Powell opened a hotel
about 1858, and continued it about four years, since which
time there has been no licensed hotel in Smithtown.

The first blacksmith shop was opened by Joseph J olliffe.
John M. Mason worked at the business here for thirty years.
The present blacksmiths are E. J. Michael and E. VV. S.
Mundell. V

The present shoemakers are Charles D. Malone and
Cornelius Heston. J. C. Malone worked at this business
here for thirty years, and VVesley Malone for nearly twenty.

In 1816, Stephen lVilson taught school i11 Smithtown. 8

For churches, see Church History.

From a diary kept by Mrs. Harriet J olliffe, we learn that
there were high waters here on the 2d and 10th, of March,
1824; June 2, 1845; April 10, 1852; April 11th and August
20, 1860; February 16, 1873 ; August 5, 1875. At the time
of the fight at Fairmont, April 29, 1863, the Confederates
came within three miles of Smithtown, and a considerable
panic was created here.

CLINTON FURNACE.

This place is located on Booth’s creek, six miles above
its mouth, and nearly in the center of the district. Since
the furnace quit operations, about 1858, the only business
carried on here has been a store, mill and post—ofiice. The

land on which these buildings stand was patented Septem- 5

ber 19, 1799. Henry Banks, John Phillips, David Sayer,
Thomas Evans, and others, owned lands in the immediate
vicinity before that. In 1810, James J effs settled here,
buying the land now owned by O. B. Johnson from “William
Buchannon and Jacob Foulk. In 1803, Benjamin Thorn

CLINTON DISTRICT. . 617

erected the first mill here, and he sold his interest to J effs.
About 1813, John J effs, a son of James, built and operated
a. tannery* here. About 1819, another and better mill was
built, and a carding machine added. There was also a saw-
mill. The place was then called J efi'stown—a name it con-
tinued to bear until the erection of the furnace.

In 1829, Hadley J ohnsom“ came from Washington County,
Penn., purchased the Jeffs property, and carried on the
various business enterprises begun by J efi's. About 1832,
Abraham Pearl opened a grocery here, but did business
only a short time. About 1846, William Salyards came
from Taylor County, where he had been connected with a
furnace, bought land of John Frederick, Sr., and com-
menced building a furnace here. The history of this enter-
prise is given on page 258. In 1852, O. B. Johnson opened
a general store here, and has continued the business to the.
present time. A post-office was established about 1854,
with George Hardman as postmaster. Two years later he
was succeeded by O. B. Johnson, the present postmaster.
About 1859, Mr. J ohnsoii built the present saw- and grist-
mill, and abandoned the tannery and carding business. In
1858, a church was built here, principally by the Methodist
Protestants, but its doors were open to all denominations.
It was used for religious purposes until 1870. The school-
house—-No. 6——stands a short distance above the ruins of
the furnace. For twenty years, commencing with 1863,
Clinton Furnace was one of the two voting places in the
district. Near here are two red sulphur springs.

‘John Jeils ran this tannc ry some years. when he removed to the mouth or Pawpaw
creek, near Where Rivesville now stands, and bought the Merrill tannery. From
there he went to Smitlitown, where he engaged in milling and also run a tannery.
He is spoken or as a man or unusual business capacity.

1* Hadley Jolmson died July 31, 1863, aged 83 years; his wife, Rachel, died April 29,
1874, aged 86 years. Both lie buried in the Fairvlew cemetery.

618 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

HALLECK.
This place is situated in tlie southern part of the district,
between Smithtown and Gladesville (Preston County), and
was so named by James S. \Vatson, in honor of Gen. H. ‘V.

‘ Halleck. The location is both pleasant and healthy, being

on the range of hills that form the dividing line between
the head-waters‘ of Booth’s creek and Laurel run. There is
a store, post-office, blacksmith shop, church and school-
house here, and the people of the neighborhood are ener-
getic and progressive. _

The first settlement in this vicinity, it is saidfiwas made
by a man named Maxwell, on the farm now owned by James
Miller. James Downey settled on the farm now owned by
Joseph Smith, and George Reed on that owned by Nathan
Kerns. A man named Betts lived for a while on the Cart-

right farm. These were all squatters, and lost their claims‘

by reason of their being included in older surveys. Among

the settlers here previous to 1830, were Philip Holland,’

Hugh Bean, Andrew Key, James Trickett, Michael Trickett
and Moses Kinkaid. Joseph Sniith came in 1830, and
among those who settled here soon after, were Asa Harris,
Jacob Cartright, John G. Smith, James VVatson,*" Hugh
Austin, VVilliam Golliher, Asa Fletcher and Oliver P. McB~a.

Several years ago a stock of goods was brought here by
James S. Watson, and at first these goods were kept in a.

' room at C. H. Duncan’s, but later Mr. \Vatson built a good

store—house. A post-ofiice was established in 1880, with

Charles H. Duncan, the present incumbent, as postmaster.
An Indian wa1‘—patl1, called the Eastern Trail, passed

where Halleck now stands. It is said that the Indians

' James Watson died January 10, 1870, aged 64 years; Chrlstlanne, his wlte, died
December5, 1836. aged 23 years; buried at Fnirvlew church.

CLINTON DISTRICT. 619

stopped and camped here, at a large rock in Joseph Smith’s
field, on tl1e first night of their retreat from Snowy Creek
Glades (Preston County), where they had killed James
Brain and captured his sons Isaac and Benjamin, in April,
1778. ’ J
UFFINGTON.

The first house (now gone) was built by Joseph J olliffe,
who carried on blacksmithing here. The house stood on
the right bank of Booth’s creek, a short distance above
where the Fairmont pike crosses that stream. In 1850,
\Villian1 D. Smith, from Pittsburgh, opened a store here, and,
in July of that year, secured the establishment of a post-
office, which he named Ufiington, after his wife’s maiden
name. Smith was a music teacher, and probably sold the
first piano ever brought into the county. He left here about

1862, and the post—ofiice was moved to Kerns’s mill, a short 

distance away, with Charles Kerns as postmaster. It was
afterward kept at Alexander Osborn’s and at Fleming J 01-
1ifl'e’s. For some years, the ofi‘ice was discontinued; but it
was re-established in 1873, with James S. WVatson postmas-
ter, who still holds that position. In 1859, and for several
years thereafter, Charles Kerns kept a store here. Dr. John
had a store here for some time. ‘V. C. McGrew started a
branch store here, and was succeeded by \Vatson & J olliffe,
who continue the business. There are now two stores and a
blacksmith shop. For many years a hermit, known as
“ Doctor Alsoop,” has dwelt on the hillside near Ufiington.
He exercises ownership over a small island in the Monon-
gahela River, where he raises vegetables and grain for his
sustenance. Very little else is known of him.

The iron bridge here was built about 1878, and cost over
$1,500.

60 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

a fort not far from Morgantown, when they fell in with a
party of whites, returning from the labors of tl1e corn-field,
and then about a mile from 'Coburn’s Fort. The Indians
had placed themselves upon each side of the road leading to
the fort, and from their covert fired on the whites, before
they were aware of danger. John VVoodfin being on horse-
back, had his thigh broken by a ball, which killed his
horse and enabled them to catch him easily. Jacob Miller
was shot through the abdomen, and soon overtaken, toma-
hawked and scalped. The otl1ers escaped to the fort.
Wooclfin was afterwards found on a considerable eminence
overlooking the fort, toma_l1awked and sc-alped.”

William Haymond, Jr., in a letter written in 1843, says:
“While living there [Kern’s Fort] Cobun’s Fort was burnt
by the Indians. I Was at it while on fire. How it happened
that I was suffered to go, I can not tell.’ Miller and VVood—
fin were killed on Miller’s place, three miles from Kern’s

. Fort. iWhile we were there they were brought into the fort

on poles, having their feet and hands tied, the poles running
between them. I remember this perfectly-.” _

There are other accounts of this sad affair, differing in the
details. Mrs. Matilda Hall, a grand-daughter of Thomas
Miller and a daughter of Thomas Miller, J r., who is now an
aged woman,‘ says that Thomas Miller was plowing, and had
set his gun down. An Indian crept up and shot Miller with
it, who ran into the woods, but was overtaken and killed.
Milleriwas accompanied from Cobun’s Fort by his brother-
in-law, John Woodfielcl, and his son, Thomas Miller, J r., who
escaped to the woods and hid ‘ in a pile of brush. The
Indians pursuing them turned back wl1en the others raised
a yell upon overtaking Miller. They thus escaped. VVood—
field was killed some years afterward by the Indians. Capt.

620 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

About 1827, a party of five Indians passed through here
and stayed a night or two at Ufiington. During this time
they got into a row among themselves, and one of them was
dangerously stabbed.

POST—0FFICES.

There are now four post-offices in the district. Following
are the names, dates of establishment and present post-

masters:
VVhite Day, 1822 .................................. ..Charles D. Malone
Uffington, 1850 ..................................... ..James S. VVatson
Clinton Furnace, 1854 .................................. ..O. B. Johnson
Halleck, 1880 ...................................... ..Charles H. Duncan

There was a post-oflice at Pleasant Valley for many
years, with Moses Steele postmaster, and one at Ezekiel
Trickett’s for two years, with Trickett as postmaster. The
former was discontinued about 1879, and the latter in 1882,
each on account of the postmaster’s resignation.

ROADS.

The western part of the district is traversed by the Mor-
gantown and Bridgeport Turnpike, locally called the Fair-
mont pike, and through the eastern part passes the Beverly
and Morgantown Turnpike, locally known as the Evansville
pike. Besides these, the district has a complete net-work of
country roads, affording communication with every part and
with the surrounding country. / Among these latter are
roads from Smithtown , to I-Ialleck, from Uflington past
Clinton Furnace to Halleck, from Pleasant Valley to Clinton
Furnace, and many others.

OIL WELLS.

In 1865, parties from Wheeling began boring an oil well
on the Clinton Furnace property. VVhen about 180 feet
down, they struck a vein of sulphur water, which spouted

CLINTON DISTRICT. 621

-up in the_ air twenty feet. They continued boring until

they reached a depth of 283 feet, when the auger broke off
in the rock, and the well was abandoned. Jerry VVhite su-
perintended the work. The sulphur water has continued to
flow ever since, and is of uniform temperature winter and
summer, being 56° Fah. A well was sunk for oil at Round
Bottom, 011 the Monongahela River, near Uflington. Two
holes were bored, but without success, and the enterprise
was abandoned.
NOTED PLACES.

The famous “ Pictured Rock” is located in this district,
on the Morgantown and Bridgeport Turnpike, locally known
as the Evansville pike. A description of this rock will be
found on page 27. B. H. Griffith, now living in the district,
says that half a century '_ago, when he was a young man,
living with and working for Henry Hamilton, he plowed
the dirt off the large flat rock now known as the Pictured
Rock, and first discovered the figures. There were human
forms, moccasin tracks, turkeys, deer, bears and other wild
animal forms, deeply cut in the solid stone. VVl1en the
pike was located, it ran by this rock, which was then
cleaned off so as to show all the pictures. For a time,
hundreds of people visited it every year. After exposure
to the air and rain, however, the figures began gradually to

Wear away, and many of them are now entirely obliterated-

At various times, ambitious youths have evidently added a.
number of designs, with the intention of supplying the
loss of the originals. Some of these additions, now moss-
grown and ancient in appearance, bear dates within the last
two decades.

O'a.ves.—-Two caves are found in this district. One, on
the land of Elizabeth Chipps, not far from the mouth of

622 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Booth’s creek, has been known for half a century. It con-

sists of two rooms, so far as explored, and when first dis- '

‘ covered is said to have contained wood, leaves, and other

evidences of having been known and used by the Indians.
Another is in a clifi? of rocks above Clinton Furnace, on
land of David Mellon’s heirs. It is said to be twenty-five
feet in length, cone-shaped, and covered by solid rock.
The sides bear the names of many visitors, who at various
times have used chisel and hammer to record their presence
here. ,

Bcwen ]30cZ:5.—A111011g the natural curiosities of the dis-
trict are the widely known Raven Rocks, situated near the
mouth of Booth’s creek, on lands owned by F. M. Johnson.
These rocks belong to the strata known as Mahoning sand-
stone, and show a fine exposure, in an almost perpendicular
wall of great height. Between the base of this wall and
Booth’s creek, the public road winds its way, in too close
proximity to afford a good view of the curiosities above.
In places, the sandstone is pierced by flinty veins; in
others, it isquite soft. The disintegrating influence of the

. air, playing around its exposed surface for centuries, has

gradually weathered away the softer parts, while the harder
veins have greatly resisted atmospheric action, and now
stand out in bold relief. The result is, great groups of
curious cavities in the solid rock, of nearly every size and
many fantastic shapes.

The following story is told in connection with these rocks :
About the year 1818, a party of young men were at the
Raven Rocks, and began bantering each other as to who
could go nearest the outer edge of the topmost rock, over-
hanging the precipice. One of the number, named Joseph
Brooks, worked his way to the very brink, and sat down

CLINTON DISTRICT. 623

with his feet hanging over the edge. He steadied himself
by a small bush growing near. He had been seated but a
moment when it was noticed that the bush, rooted only in
the thin soil covering the rocks, was slowly loosening and
giving way. Brooks saw his danger, turned white as a
sheet, and seemed paralyzed. Some of his companions,
among wl1o1n was lVillian'1 Austin, reached him and dragged
him from his perilous seat just in time to prevent a horrible
death.

Femflell I300/v.——Acljoining Smithtown on the south-west, is
an imposing sandstone wall of immense height, with VVhite
Day creek flowing at’ its base. At its top is a beautiful
grove of stately pine trees, situated on level land, which,
breaking into gentle undulations, stretches far away toward
the west. From the town, and from the pike running
through it to Fairmont, a fine view of the rock and grove is
obtained. For striking effect, this view is hardly surpassed
by anything found in the district. Curiously enough, this
scenic gem has never received a name, and, as it is situated
on land said to have been originally owned by Robert
Ferrell, the writer has taken the liberty of calling it Ferrell
Rock. The land is now owned by John C. Malone.

Indian ]{‘0c/;:s.———Tl1ese rocks are a part of the great cliffs
on VVhite Day creek, below Smithtown, and are situated
a quarter of a mile, perhaps, from Ferrell Rock. They have
been described as follows by Richard E. Fast 2

“They are perhaps two hundred feet high. The upper portion
of this cliff hangs far out over the base, making a vast area, pro-
tected from inclement weather, partly by overhanging cliffs, and
partly by huge boulders which have fallen from the ‘heights above.

As one enters this cavern, he is treading on the ancient burial
ground of the Indian warrior. Many of the skeletons, “with their

bows, arrowsand tomakawks, have been exumed. The corpses ‘

624 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

were buried with their faces to the east, and a covering of birch
bark served for a coffin. The most extraordinary skeleton that
has been found there is said, by good authority, to have measured
over seven feet.”

The names of numerous visitors are cut on these rocks.

THE JONES RAID.

In April, 1863, occurred what is known as tl1e “Jones
raic.” On their way from Kingwood to Morgantown the
Confederate soldiers passed through this district, and on
the pike, not far from VVillia1n Howell’s, were fired at by
bush-whackers. The Confederates gave quick chase to the
men who had dared to fire at them in open daylight, and
soon captured Lloyd Beall*. and Andrew Johnson, both
belonging to this district. They brought the two men back
within sight of Howell’s house, and there shot them. At
the first fire, Johnson fell dead, but Beall was only wounded.
He stood still, coolly took a handkerchief from his pocket
and wiped away the blood from his forehead, where the ball
had struck him. The second shot was more effective, and
the brave man fell, pierced through the heart. About the
same time the Confederates captured Albert Robey, who
was returning from the blacksmith shop, it is said; and sup»
posing that he also had been engaged in the attack 011 them,
they shot him. \Vhen the gun cracked, Robey fell to the
ground with aball in his shoulder. He was left for dead,
but while the enemy were seeking, it is said, for some one
to identify the men they had killed, he managed to crawl
away unobserved, and so escaped. He had received a dan-
gerous wound, but finally recovered and is still living. Beall

' W. E. Watson says he learned from Hon. G. H. Motfet, or Pocahontas County, that
one of the Contederate soldiers was shot. in the leg by Lloyd Beall, and that the man
retused to be left behind tor treatment, but clung to his saddle until atter they had
passed Clarksburg, when he died from the effects or the wound.

CLINTON DISTRICT. 625

was first buried on his father’s farm, and afterward removed
to Oak Grove Cemetery at Morgantown. Johnson '1‘ lies
buried in the cemetery at Fairview church.

it CHURCH HISTORY.

There are eight church buildings iii the district, of which
four——Pisgah, Eairview, Fairmount and Smith's Ch-apel——
belong to tl1e Methodist Episcopal Church; two——Hope-
Well and Mount Calvary-—-to the Methodist Protestant
Church; and tWo—Goshen snd Sn1ithtoWn—to the Bap-
tist Church. Beside these, there is a Methodist Episcopal
cl1urch——South Point——standing just across the line in Tay-
lor County, where many persons from this district regularly
worship.

The old Presbyterian church at Smithtown was built
about 1833, by members of that church and Episcopalians.
Williaiii Morris, a liberal WVelshman, did much toward its
erection. The Rev Cyrus Beecher Bristol preached here
then. The last services in the building were held about
1878. For many years it was used by all denominations.

A few members of the Protestant Episcpal church live at
Smithtown, where services were held half a century ago.
Williani Mead, now Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia, used
to visit and preach at Smithtown. The Rev. George A.
Gibbons now preaches here.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The old Pisgah Methodist Episcopal church was built in
1813, and was the first house of worship owned by that de-
nomination in the district. The old building was torn
down, and on August 18, 1871, the corner-stone of the pres-
ent handsome church was laid by Dr. Martin, assisted by

1‘ The marble which marks his resting place bears this inscription: “ To the memory
of Andrew Johnson, killed by rebels under Gen. Jones, on their raid through this
county, April 30, 1863, aged 31 years, 4 months.”

40

626 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the Rev. ‘V. 'M. Mullenix. Father Summers, who helped
buildthe first church here, was present on this occasion.
From 1813 to 1830, the pastors given on .page 444 preached
here. In 1815, the circuit extended from ten miles below
Morgantown to fifteen miles above Beverly, and embraced
twenty-four appointments.

The Smithtown Circuit was organized in 1866. It em-
braces nine appointments. The parsonage is situated near
Pisgah church. Following are the preachers who have had

charge since this circuit was formed, and the time served

by each:

W. D. Carrico ................. ..1866—68 N. 13. Johnson .............. ..1s76—‘78
J. VV. Hess ...................... "1868-71 J. T. Eichelberger ........ ..1879—80
J. F. Snodgrass .............. ..18’7l—72 L. VV. Roberts .............. ..1880—83
WV. C. Snodgrass ............. ..18’72—73 Asby Stevens .............. ..1883—84
F. Gr. NV. Ford ................ ..1873—76

Joseph Grubb, now in his sixtieth year, has been a local
preacher for thirty years.

BAPTIST CHURCH.

The Groshen Baptist Church was organized August 2,
1837, by the Revs. J. W. B. Tisdale and John Curry. The
first members were Bezin Holland, Sr., and wife, Leven
Howell and wife, John Huffman and wife, Elizabeth Flem-
ing, Nancy Howell, Joanna Holland, and Rebecca Jones.
The church now has 132 members. The church building
was begun in 1847, and dedicated on June 24, 1848. The
following is a list of pastors since its organization:

J. W’. B. Tisdale Charles Parker Robert Miller
Leven Howell Gr. F. C. Conn E. P. Brand
VVil1ian1 Davidson James Miller J. L. McCutchin
Cleon Keyes David Rogers

The Baptist church building at Smithtown was begun
about 1853, one of its chief promoters being Daniel Harris.
In 1872, the house was repaired or finished, and dedicated.

CLINTON DISTRICT. 627

There are now but few Baptists there, and the building is
principally used by the Methodist Episcopal, Methodist
Protestant and Protestant Episcopal churches.

METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH.

The first organization of the Methodist Protestant
Church in this district, it is said, was at the Holland school-
house, about 1844. The pastor was the Rev. John Clark;
the leader, Richard Holland, and the first members were:
Philip Gordon, J uda A. Gordon, James Austin,§ Mary Aus-

.tin, Garret Brown, Mary Brown, Louisa Holland, Moses

Steel, John Steele and Hannah Austin.

The Mount Calvary Church was built i11 1870-1, a11d ded-
icated October 29th of the latter year, under the pastorate
of the Revs. Daniel Helmiclz, Sr., and P. T. Conway. In
1877, this appointment was taken from the Palatine Circuit
andladded to the Morgantovvii Circuit. The Rev. Daniel
Helmick, Jr., is the present pastor. There has been a
Sabbath School in connection with the Church for many
years. Among the former pastors were Revs. John Clark,

Haslett, J. L. Simpson, ——-— Garmore, George ‘Vest-

I

fall, Thomas Lancaster, Jacob McCormick, P. T. Conway,

George Conway, ———- Palmer and Davis. Robert C.

Austin is a local preacher.

Hopewell Church was built about 1848. In 1883, it was
repaired, painted, a fine bell put up, and the house re—dedi-
cated.

SUNDAY-SCHOOLS.

VVe have account of Sunday-schools held regularly at
Smithtown, Mount Calvary, Pisgah, Fairmount, Smith’s
Chapel, South Point, Martin’s school-house, Brown’s school-
house and Clinton school-house. Most of these schools
close during the inclement weather of the ivinter season. 7

628 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

SCHOOL HISTORY.

Prior to 1863, it is said, there were only seven or eight

school-houses in the district, and they were all small and‘

indifferent buildings. One of, these stood near Clinton
Furnace, one near Wlilliani HoWell’s, one 11ear Smell’s, one
near Uflington, o11e near Pleasant Valley, one near Kin-
kaid’s and another near Joseph Smith’s.

Clinton school—district now embraces fifteen sub-districts,
each provided with a neat and substantial school—l1ouse.
Five of these houses were built previous to 1868, and
nearly all the others before 1872. The school—houses in the
various sub-districts are locally known by the following
names :

No. 1—\Vatson’s or Pine Grove. No. 9—\Vood1and.

“ 2——Sn1ithtown. “ 10-—Price’s. .

“ 3~—Kinkaid’s. “ 10—McBee’s or Stony Point.
“ 4——Smith’s or Halleck. “ 12—S1nell’s.

“ 5—Brown’s. “ 13—Martin’s or Laurel Run.
“ 6—Clinton. “ 14—Carro11’s or UnionGrrove.
“ 7—P1ea.sant Valley. “ 15——Grum Spring.

“ 8-Frun1’s.

The first enumeration of youths, under the free school
law, was made in July, 1864, and showed a total of 631
children of school age in the district. The enumeration for
1883, shows a total of 722, being 91 more than in 1864.

SCHOOL ENUMERATION BY YEARS.

°'° L

0,.  3 . Fad; ,

YEAR.    g2 §

 E3 8% 83 5
1864...::......    297 2511 11 12 631
  .. ..................  309 341 12 12 674
18» .....  .......................  ................. .. 2’18 346 17 10 691
1867   £41 35.; 8 9 711
1868 ....  ........  ....  ...... ..  330 315 9 9 663
1869.........    315 318 8 13 654
 318 310 20 13 666
1876   :-:79 364 4 13 760
 . 373 345 3 1 722

CLINTON DISTRICT. ‘ 629

A number of young men from Clinton district have
attended the VVest Virginia University at Morgantown,
and tWo-—VVilliam E. Jolliffe, class of ’71, and Samuel B.
Brown, class of ’83——have graduated there. Lee P. Wat-
son, now practicing law at Fairmont, graduated. at the Uni-
versity of Virginia.

SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS.

1864~Thonias McBee, Jr. 1867—Theophilus Devault
W'il1ian1 Holland 1868——Grranville Brown
James A. Johnson 1869-Thomas Lanhani

1865-—Jan1es S. \Vatson Peter Price

1866——Stephen Stansberry 1870—Tin1othy Bennett
0. P. l\IcRa 1871——Tho1nas P. Selby

1867-—Alexander Rumble
\Villian1 Holland, Thomas McBee, O. P. l\:IcRa, Peter

,Price a11d Thomas Lanham were the presidents of the

boards of education prior to 1873. The secretaries were
T. P. Selby, Thomas D. Harden, L. ‘C. Beals and Hosea

'Stansberry. Morgan B. Hale and J. VV. Phillips were
commissioners in 1865.

BOARDS or EDUCATION srxcn 1873.

1873—N. C. Vandevert, president ; S. T. Shuttleworth, Isaac
Reed; secretary, Hosea Stansberry.

*l875—Jan1es S. Watson, president; Morgan B. Hale, John ‘V.

_ Phillips; secretary, Ezekiel Trickett.

1877—Jan1es S. VVatson, president ; Henry Austin, A. J. Frunif;
secretary, Ezekiel Trickett.

1879——James S. Watson, president; J. A. Faulkner, A. J. Jones,
J. C. Cartright, ‘V111. B. Holt ; secretary, ‘V111. H. Phillips.

1881—Jan1e_s S. \Vatson, president ; James A. Faulkner, A. J.
Jones ; secretary, Benson Jacobs.

1883-James S. ‘Watson, president; A. J. Jones, Solomon ]."1'uni;
secretary, Charles E. J ollilfe.

* In 1875, an injunction was filed against the board or education, by fourteen tax-
payers in the district, to restrain the board from collecting the school tax. It was
alleged that the board was not legally constituted, and therefore not competent to
collect taxes. Judge Lewisheard the case and dissolved the injunction. The case
was then appealed to the Supreme Court. and after dragging along nearly rlve years,
Judge Lewis's decision was sustained.

MONONGALIA IN THE REIIOLUTION. 61

O. P. J ollifl'e says that Thomas Miller (who was his maternal
grandfather) and two of his children were attacked by the
Indians. To secure him they allowed the children to
escape. They caught Miller and tomahawked and scalped
him, propping the body up by forks against a large beech
tree, said to be still standing with Miller’s initials and the
date of his death cut in the bark. J

The next appearance of the savages was on Dunkand
Creek, and near to Statler’s Fort. The “ Border VVarfare’s”

description of it is as follows:

“They [the Indians] lay in ambush {on the road-side, awaiting
the return of the men who were engaged at work, in some of the
neighboring fields. Towards evening the men came on, carrying
with them some hogs which they had killed for the use of the fort
people, and on approaching Where the Indians lay concealed were
fired on and several fell. Those‘ who escaped injury from the first
fire, returned the shot, and a severe action ensued. But so many
of the whites had been killed before the savages exposed them-
selves to view, that the remainder were unable long to sustain the
unequal contest. Overpowered by numbers, the few who were
still unhurt, fied precipitately to the fort, leaving eighteen of their
companions dead in the road. These were scalped and mangled
by the Indians in a most shocking manner, and lay some time
before the men in the fort, assured of the departure of the enemy,
went out and buried them.”

This brief account is all that we have been able to find of

this arnbuscade and terrible slaughter.

There was published in the Zlfonozzgalia ]l1'i7*7*07*, in 1855,
by Joseph H. Powell, an account of an Indian adventure by
the Morgans, which he states was related to him by James
Morgan, one of the actors. It was as follows: James Mor-
gan, a boy 10 years old, and Levi his brother, aged 15, set
out from the site of Morgantown to visit Prickett’s Fort.

630 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

STATISTICS OF CLINTON DISTRICT.

’&c.

 

 

E av, vomns.
YEAR. 15 - . fig §,,3 §§ '5 -
8 1% 8 , =‘§§g :38 88 § 8

p-1 ' U2 r-1 ' A '
1871 .... .. 672 1.6691,308 199 17 303  10 389
1872..........  669 1,640 1.575‘ 183 25 276  9 389
1873 .........  ....  ..... .. 688 1,5251.877i 213 151 287  4 381
 665 1,4971,512[131 27 228  2 357
1875..... ....  .... .. 696 1,4291,401 144 23 316 2 2 385
1876... 665 1,1361,-125 125 23 270; 4 3 396
1877 .................... .. 655 1.242‘1.154 157 29 282, 4 6 399
1878 ................ .. . 644 1,311;1,520§-132 33 2521 5 3 424
1879 ....................   58511,4981,424 96 38 243; 4 3 409
1880... ...................  .... .. 555 ;1,438!1,737 100 43 2251 6 3 412
1881 .......................... .. 502 .1,529;2,4o0 144 77 298; 8 1 430
1882...... 580 }1,845;2,382 109 140 3261 8 3 436
1883............... 57811,710;2,357 143 139 293% 8 3 .444

St0re.s'.—M. L. Hutchinson, ‘V. C. VVilson, M. J . Jones,
Smithtown; Watson & J olliffe, Robert Robe, Uffington ; O.
B. Johnson, Clinton Furnace ; E. Garlow; James S. \Vatson,
Halleck.

F[0m'z'n_(/ flliZZ8.—Jol111 Haigh (steam), WV. C. Martin, O.
B. Johnson, L. L. Selby, Ed. S. VVatson, Charles Morgan,
Bunner & Phillips, C. P. Devault.

Morgan’s mill, half a mile below Ulfington, was built by
Michael Kern, over fifty years ago. James Kern owned
the mill after Michael, a11d was succeeded by James Allen-
der. Charles Morgan has owned it about six years. De-
vault’s mill on VVhite Day was known as the “Fast Mill.”

Saw-1l[iZl8.—Jol1n Haigh (steam), Leander Miller (steam),
Edgar S. Wlatson, B1111ner & Phillips, Charles Morgan, E.
Garlow, L. L. Selby, O.  Johnson, James Hamiliton.
Oliver Travis erected a saw-mill on \Vhite Day creek in
1875, and is the present owner.

Blac/u87m't/18.——Alexander Rumble, L. J. Michael, E. ‘V.
S. Mundell, J. ‘V. Phillips, Caleb Tarleton, L. B. Kerns, J.
C. Michael, B. Jenkens, O. B. J enkens, Lowrie Jenkins,
Caleb Jenkins, Braddock Hall.

CLINTON DISTRICT. 631

Tanneries.—Tl1e Andy Hole tannery, on White Day
creek, was built by Theophilus Devault in 1858. He is the
present proprietor. It is neatly constructed and the leather
tanned here is of a good quality. Carother’s tannery stands
on the pike about two miles from Smithtown.

GENERAL NOTES.

Ecl/it02’s.——Clinton District has been the birth-place of

V two journalists, viz: Joseph H. Powell, son of Chalfant

and Rebecca “Test Powell, and grandson of Squire Isaac
Powell, who came from London County, Va., in 1800, and
N. N. Hoffman, one of the Morgantown Post editors. Lamar
C. Powell, son of Joseph H. Powell, is one of the editors of
the Fairmont What Vi’/'g’£n,im2,.

In 1882, Clinton District was divided i11to eleven road
precincts, by N. C. Vandervort, C. H. Duncan and A. J.
Jones, commissioners appointed for that purpose. The

court appointed the following supervisors:

I‘rec£nc£. .S'u.pm'm'-sars. 1’1'eci~nct. .S'upe)'<a:i.~*ar::.

No. 1 .............. ..Isaac N. Fletcher No. 7 ................ ..Caleb Tarleton
“ 2 .............. ..B. F. Malone “ 8 ................ ..John (J. Frlun
“ 3 ............. . .‘Wait1nan Fast “ 9 ............... ..Thomas McBee
“ 4 .............. ..Sy1Vanus Reppart “ 10 ................ ..B1-nee Riggs
“ 5 .............. ..James Miller “ 11 ................ ..Emery Robe
“ 6 .............. ..A1na'/.ial1 Shahan

Iron ore is abundant in the district, and is of fine quality.
There is a fine vein of red hematite ore under the creek bed
at Smithtown. Fire—clay is said to exist in limited quan-
tities, but has never been fully developed. , Good building
rock and brick-clay is abundant.

Freeport coal exists in considerable quantities through-
out the district. The veins vary from eighteen inches to
five feet, and are six to nine feet along the river in the
southern part of the district. Limestone of good quality is
found, and exists in large quantities in the eastern part.

632 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The Great Falls in the Monongahela River would aiford
water-power for large factories, or other industrial and man-
ufacturing purposes. The various creeks, also, are capable
of furnishing immense water—power for mills and factories,
very little of which has yet been utilized.

In the list of persons drawing pensions from the United
States, published in 1883,we find the names of the following
pensioners in this district:

Clinton Furnace: John M. Jolliffe, Sarah Powell, Permelia
Brown, Mary Stephens, Sarah I-Ioldei-—the last three being widows
of 1812. Halleck: Robert Robe. Ufllngton: John H. Howell;
Elizabeth Trippett, Mary Ann \Viser (widows 1812). VVhite Day:
Thomas Gr. Holland, Nancy Sunnners, Elizabeth Miller, Julia C.
Holland, \Villiam H. Snowden, Benjamin Phillips, Lucinda Kisner,
Thomas C. Boggess and Ezekiel Trickett. '

The pension list for Monongalia County contains the name
of only one survivor of the war of 1812—that of Joseph Aus-
tin, now residing in this district.

S. C. Malone, son of J. C. Malone, of this district, has
Won considerable distinction as a penman and for fine pen-
drawing. In 1880, he designed and executed a handsome
picture entitled “From the Log Cabin to the IVhite House.”
It portrayed Garfield and the leading events of his life. A It
was lithographed in New York and a large edition published.
The original was presented to President Garfield, and after
his death it was returned to Mr. Malone, and is now in his
possession. .

Mary, daughter of Evan Morgan, and wife of Amos Powell,
related that Levi Morgan had a hollow chestnut tree on the
Round Bottom, where he often sheltered. Once, while hid
in it, he saw an Indian across the river, with his foot up on
a log, fixing his moccasin. Levi could not resist the tempta-
tion, and fired. The Indian got his moccasin fixed. An-

CLINTON DISTRICT. 633

other time, when hiding in the tree, an Indian came up and
looked in. Levi drew his knife, and that Indian never
looked into any Inore hollow trees.

In April, 1853, a little girl named Columbia Mouser Wan-
dered away from her home, on the farm now owned by J. C.
Cartright, and was lost in the Woods. Friends hunted for
her nearly two days Without success, when the entire neigh-
borhood joined in the search. Jesse Sypolt was fortunate
enough to find the missing child, who was nearly dead from
hunger and fatigue, and on the signal that she was found,
all the searchers gathered at her father’s house to join in
the rejoicing that followed. Here they were counted by
VVillian1 Squires and found to number 240 persons. Colu1n-
bia Mouser is still living, with relatives at Grafton.

In the cemetery"“‘ at Fairview M. E. church he the re-
mains of Evan Morgan, who died March 18, 1850, aged
one hundred years and eighteen days. His wife, Camilla,
died June 2, 1838, aged seventy-one years.

Thirty years ago a woman died near Clinton Furnace
under circumstances indicating murder. Her husband was
suspicioned, arrested, and committed suicide. About 1863,
Philip Shuttleworth was shot and killed near Uflington, by
a hermit living in that vicinity. In October, 1865, J. J.
Hutchinson was mysteriously murdered, in his store at
Sinithtown. In May, 1881, John Kerns, of near Halleck,
was found dead in the road. A coroner’s jury decided that
he had accidentally fallen in such a Way as to dislocate his
neck.

*0tl1e1' tablets here bear the following names: Col. Amos Jollitfe, died February 7,
1867, aged 76 years; Amelia, his wife, died February 27, 1859, aged 63. Joseph Hender-
son, born May, 1777; died July 17, 1855; Ann H., his wife, died February 23, 1850, aged
72. Nancy Miller died June 20, ‘.829, aged 92. Samuel Johnson died April 9, 1875, aged
74; Mary, his wife, died June 2, 1875, aged 65. Margaret Cunningham died March 3,
1874, aged about 70. John J. Pierpont died December 31, 1872, aged 69.

634 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

When the road from Clinton Furnace to Halleck was
made, about 1873, a beech tree was found bearing the ini-
tials and date, “S. N. 1818,” cut in the bark. It was after-
wards learned that Samuel Newman had killed a deer at
that spot sixty years ago, and cut his initials to mark the
place. Newman died in Ohio in 1879, aged 80.

There are no temperance societies nor secret organiza-
tions of any kind within the district. A few men belong
to lodges elsewhere, but probably fewer than in any other
district in the county. In the matter of temperance there
is no necessity for combination-—each man is his own tem-
perance society.

There is a sassafras tree standing a few hundred yards
from James C. Austin’s house, near Uffington, which meas-

ures five feet and ten inches in circumference, three feet
above the ground.

Rattlesnakes used to be numerous, it is said, but are
growing rare of late years. Blacksnakes and copperheads
still abound, with smaller varieties, in many localities.

WILLIAM EDMUND WATSON.

The subject of this sketch was born on the 20th day of
May, 1828. He is one of the older representatives of a fam-
ily which has been identified with the history and progress
of Monongalia County from an early period of her existence,
and particularly of Clinton District, for two or three genera-
tions past the residence of his family. The ‘family is of
English or Scotch origin, probably the latter. The ancestor
who came to this country settled in Maryland, where he was
twice married, and was the father of several sons, among
whom were Joseph, James G. and Henry, some of whose
descendants are still in Maryland and Virginia.

About the year 1804, James G. VVatson removed from

CLINTON DISTRICT. 635

V Charles County, Maryland, and settled near the mouth of

Cheat River, on what is known as the “ Saddler farm.” He
lived there three years, when he purchased at public sale
and moved to a farm on White Day creek, near Smithtown,
which had formerly belonged to Robert Ferrell, an ex—
Sherif1" of this county. He lived here until his death in
1834. He was the father of three sons-Thomas, Henry
and James D.~—all of whom settled near him (the first in
wnat is now_ Marion County), and contributed largely to the
development of this then almost unbroken territory of the
county. The two daughters were: Margaret, who married
John Cox and settled in Hopkins County, Kentucky, and
Mary G., who lived 11ear Smitlitown until her death in 1868.

Thomas had ten children, the oldest being James O.
lVatson, now of eFairmont. Henry had also ten children,
all of whom died i11 early life except Thowas H., who died
in 1880. James 1)., the third son, married Ann Marie,
daughter of Williani and Cynthia A. Haymond, who died in
1844. (Mrs. Haymond was a descendant of Charles Carroll
of Carrollton, of Revolutionary fame). Their union was
blessed with four children: Helen the eldest, who died at
the age of twenty; James G. Heath, who died a few years
later; and Williarri E. and Thomas F.,who now reside at
Smithtown (Wliite Day P. 0.)

William E. VVatson was born on Bunner’s run, one mile
north of Sniithtown, and spent his early years upon his
father’s farm. Upon reaching a proper age, he attended
the subscription schools of that day, making the most of
the meager advantages offered. At the age of sixteen he
entered Monongalia Academy at Morgantown, (presided
over by P. S. Ruter) where he remained three months. In
the same year he became a student at the North-west Vir-

636 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

ginia Academy at Clarksburg, the principal of which was
Gordon A. Battelle, and after remaining there two terms,
returned to the farm. In 1854 he married Caroline l\I.,
daughter of Nathan Davisson, of Harrison County. His
father having long since removed to Smithtown, he settled
on the old homestead on Bunner’s run. There for ten
years he lived, a quiet, prosperous farmer. During this
time, there was born to him three children—-——two daughters
and one son, Lee P. lVatson, who is engaged in the practice
of the law at Fairmont. In 1864, he lost his wife, and soon
after removed to Smithtown, to be with his father, who was
then alone, and who died in November of the following year.
Since then, together with his daughters and brother Thomas
F., he has resided at their father’s house in Smithtown.

In politics, he holds to the principles of the Democrtic
party, but has never been elected to an office nor of him-
self sought one. I11 1878, he was nominated for the State
Senate for the 10th (now 11th) senatorial district, compris-
ing the counties of Monongalia and Preston. He was
defeated by a small majority (nineteen Votes) in the district,
which was Republican by 1,200 majority. Four years later
he was nominated again by acclamation for the same posi-
tion, but was again defeated. V

Although occupying no public position, his public spirit
is well known. He has always been the friend of liberal
education, a cheerful supporter of the free schools, and as
opportunity offered, aided in whatever was calculated to
better, morally or intellectually, the community in which
he lived. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal
Church. In forming opinions he is cautious, even slow; but
when formed, does not shrink from defending them.,

He belives that railroads are a necessity in the develop-

CLINTON DISTRICT. 637

ment of our State and county, and that this county could
well afford a subscription to aid in building a railroad
through it; and when that question was submitted to the
voters of the county, in 1882, he used his influence in its
behalf, inakiiig a personal canvass of the county, and per-
forming more labor in its behalf, and in the face of bitter
opposition, than any other citizen of the county or member
of the corporation.

He has been actively engaged all his life in the business
of farming and grazing———which he regards as the “most
honorable and enriching pursuit that a people can follow.”
To this occupation he brings the experience of attentive
and advanced years, mature business judgment, and admi-
rable integrity of character, which entitles him to honorable
mention in a history of this county. ‘

JAMES s. WATSON.

James S. \Vatson was born in this district, April 17, 1842.
In August, 1862, at the age of nineteen, he enlisted in Co.
C, 14th WV. Va. I., a11d served until June 1865, when he was
discharged. In 1867, he married Mary L. Powell, who
died four years afterward, leaving two chi1dren—George C.
and VVilliam S. In January, 1873, Mr. VVatson married
Sisson H. J olliffe, and they have two children—Mary B.
and Stanley 0. In the same year he began merchandising
at Uffington, and was appointed postmaster there, which
office he still holds. In 1875 he was elected president of the
board of education in this district, and has been regularly
re-elected ever since. In 1880, he was elected to represent
the county in the House of Delegates, and served two years,
being on the committees on Military Affairs, Immigration
and Agriculture. In 1881, he was commissioned a notary
public by Governor Matthews.

638 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

Charles H. Duncan was born in Ohio County, in 1831. In 1854, he
went to California and spent several years there, mining and trading ;
was among the first on the Frazier River, in British America, when the
gold excitement occurred there. He enlisted in Co. E, 2d California.
volunteer cavalry in 1861, and served three years; was employed as
scout much of the time, by reason of his familiarity with the customs
and language of the Indians. After being discharged, he returned to
West Virginia, and, in January, 1868, married Hannah Cornelia Smith,
of this district. They have three children—James Ross, Sallie Kimball
and Charles Smith. Mr. Duncan is postmaster at Halleck, and has
been a school officer. Heis an intelligent and public-spirited gentleman.

Samuel E. B. Kramer, M.D., was born in Fayette County, Penn.,
1838; read medicine with Dr. John A. Stone, and graduated at Jeffer-
son Medical College in 1857; married Harriet Jolliffe in 1861, and loca-
ted at Smithtown, where he has since practiced; has eight children-
George E., Joseph T., Charles C. D. M., VVilliam A., Marv E., Roy,
Baltzer and John P.; was a sergeant in Co. C, 17th VV. Va. 1.

Andrew J. Jones was born September 16, 1835; is of Welch—Sc0tch
descent; entered Confederate army in 1862, and served till the war
closed; was Wounded at the battle of Droop Mountain, November 6,
1863; married Mary Gallahue, of Marion County, October 10, 1867; has
been a member of the Board of Education for three consecutive terms
and is a good surveyor. .

George N. King was born in Frederick County, Md., 1827; in 1851 he
married Mary Wadsworth and removed to this county; have five chil-
dren living--Susannah E., William J., Henry 1., Mary E. and Rebecca
J. Two are dead——George C. and John N. Mr. King hasbeen a school
and road oflicer in the district, and several of his children are teachers.

J. C. Cartright was born in 1842. In 1862. he married B. E. Kinkaid ;
they have two children—Ida L. and Isa"5* B. Mr. Cartright’s father
came from Delaware and settled in this county about 1822, where he
lived until his death, in 1867, aged eighty-five. His widow, Rebecca
Cartright, is still living at the old homestead, aged eighty—two.

Thomas H. McBee, son of Z. T. and Sarah McBee, was born in 1838;
enlisted in the army in 1861, and served three years; in 1864, married
Permelia Cartright; they have had ten children, only five of whom are
living——Charley L., Perry C‘-., Sarepta S., Claud I. and Thomas Judson;
deceased——Lydia Z. J., Maud Kate, Sally R., Rutherford and Hattie D.

Joseph Smith was born in 1807; in 1828, married Susan Riggs; settled
where he now lives two years later; has raised a family of seven
children to manhood and womanhood, all of whom are married.

E. M. Bayles, son of William and Nancy Bayles, was born in Union
District in 1851; married in 1875, to M. E. Haldeman; have two chil-
dx'en—Willie H. and Minnie M.

*This name comes from the Spanish, and its correct spelling is Isa, though often
corrupted into Icy, Icey or Issie.

CLINTON DISTRICT. 639

Joseph B. Smith was born in Fayette County, Penn., in 1828; married
Adaline Ford in April, 1859, and moved to this district; have had eight
children, only five of whom are living, viz: Celesta A., Mollie A.,
Album K., Ulysses F. and Annie E.

John D. Moss was born in what is now Taylor County, in 1820; about
1853, married Rachel Bunner, of Marion; have had seven children-
James K.,Adolphus, Mary E.,Amos L., and Melvina, living, and
Sarah and Surilda, deceased.

J. V. F. Rogers was born in Taylor County in 1843; enlisted in bat~
tery F, lst VV. Va. Light Artillery, in 1861, and served three years and
six months; married Mary Koontz, of Palatine, in 1865, and moved to
this district the following year. They have had six cl\ildren—Cl-ara J.,
Elizabeth S., Charles S., Jared E., Mary A., living, and Matthias F.,
deceased. Mrs. Rogers’ great-grandfather, Jacob Koontz, came from
Germany when only thirteen years of age, and was a waiter boy and
later an orderly for General VVashington. After the Revolutionary
war, he settled at Frostburg, Md., and raised a family of three sons
and a daughter.

G. T. Loar was born near Oakland, Md., in 1830, and when twenty-—
two, married Ann Brown, of this district, and settled on the tarm he
now owns. She died in 1857, leaving two children, and he has been
married twice since, first to Mary E. Rodreick, who died in 1877, leav-
ing seven children, and since to M. A. E. Thomas; is an exhorter in
the M. E. Church and a prominent Sunday—schoo1 worker.

Jabez A. Brown, son of Jabez and Elizabeth Brown, was born in 1844;
married Mary V. Galliher in 1865; have seven children—Martin Luther,
Milton Harvey, Rezin Holland, Ulysses Benson, George Herbert:
Hattie Luella and Lillie May. Mr. Brown’s father came to this county
from Harrison, in 1827, and married Elizabeth Steele.

James ‘W. McGowan was born in 1860; spent two years in the ‘West,
and taught school several terms. His father, Hugh McGowan, came
from Ireland, and settled here in 1849; married Beersheba Williams,
of Taylor; have had six children, of whom only James and Mary L.
are living.

Henry Austin was born in 1847; enlisted in Co. C, 14th W. Va. I.; cap-
tured at Cloyd Mountain, and spent five months in Libby prison; in
1869, married Amanda Starkey; they have four children living-—Lucy
A., Louisa P., Samantha E. and Jesse A.; deceased, John P. In 1881,
Mr. Austin was elected a J ustlce of the Peace. '

Nathan Kerns, born in 1829;. married Louisa Trickett in 1854; chil-
dren-Jacob, Leander, Coleman, Nancy, Elvia A., John E., Mary A.,
Ellen, Luvina, living, and Charlie and Isa Bell, deceased. In 1863, he
enlisted in 00. C, 14th W. Va. I. and served three years.

Freeman Kelley, Jr., born in 1848; married Nancy C. Snyder in 1870;
children——Dora B., Hiram V., Edgar C. W., Clara D., Benjamin F.
and Susan, living, and Alva Judson, dead.

Joseph Kelley, born in Pennsyivania, 1836; married Eliza A. Lewis,

HISTORY

OF

MONONGALIA COUNTY,

WEST VIRGINIA,

FROM VITS FIRST SETTLEMENTS TO THE I’I’.ESIi}?"I’ TIME;
WITH NUMEROUS

BIOGRAPHICAL AND FAMILY SKETCEIES.

 

BY SAMUEL T. WILEY,

Aumon OF THE “HISTORY OF PRESTON COIINTY, WEST \'II—:-<;I:<IA," ETC. ‘
I.ZI US TBA TED.

‘KINGWOOD, w. VA.:
-PRESTON PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1883.

62 HISTORY ’OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Their father, Col. Zackwell Morgan, accompanied them a
part of the way.- Tyingihis horse near Booth’s Creek, he
helped the boys across the stream. Looking back he saw an
Indian standing by his horse. Levi shot the Indian, but
the discharge of the gun frightened the horse, which broke
loose and ran home. Col. Morgan made a raft and de-
scended the Monongahela B-iver as the quickest way of
getting home. He was fired at by an Indian while on his
way, but was not struck. The boys pushed on till near the
site of Smithtown, where they came on the body of Thomas
Stone, .who had been shot and scalped that day. He had
come from Redstone Old Fort witl1 Robert Ferrill and
James West, to look out lands. On‘Wl1ite Day Creek Levi
shot a Wyandotte Indian who was in the act of crossing
that stream on a log. The boys were now afraid to cross
the stream, and worked their way down to the mouth of the
creek, wl1ere they discovered a canoe with three Indians
and two white Women and a child in it. They would have
fired on the Indians, but their guns had gotten wet in a rain-
storm which had been raging for two hours, and would not
go off. The Indians afterward took shelter under the clifi's
of the creek on the Marion County side, and after inhu-
manly abusing their prisoners, lay down to sleep. In the
night a large rock over them gave way and fell, crushing into
a shapeless mass alike the red demons and their tortured
victims. T

The next Indian attack of which there is any account,
was made in June, 1779, at Ma.rtin’s Fort on Crooked Run,
in ~ the northern part of the county, and on the westside of
the Monongahela River. It is related in the “ Border
Warfare” as follows :

610 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

of Mergantown, 185%; chlldren——Delia B. (married John Kerns), Ben-
jamin A., Freeman 8., Mary E., Martha, Morgan A., Jesse 0., Ewart
S. and “Elg” R. Mr. Kelley was a captain in the 14th regiment
militia, and served in Co. B, 4th W. Va. 0.

Charles A. Brown, son of E. Jonathan Brown, was born in 186-'1. His
father moved from Pennsylvania, about 1840, to this county, and was
twice married, first to Elizabeth Shackleford, who died in 1858, and
then to Mrs. Margaret A. Smith; they have five children——~Williain S.,
Martha E., Charles A., Mary E. and George W.

John Snider, born in Preston. 1809; has been twice married, first to
Matilda Gandy. who died in 1850, leaving ten children, and then to
Sarah Noes; they have had seven children, five still living; his son,
John V. Snider, belonged to the 6th» W. Va. C., was taken prisoner at
Rocky Ga;-, and died in Andersonville priscn. Mr. Snider has been a
practical surveyor for fifty years. and held several oflices.

Mahala Zinn, widow of Sailor M. Zinn, was born 1838, married July,
1858. Her husband belonged to Co. B, 14th W. Va. 1., was captured at
Cloyd Mountain and died at Andersonville prison, September 25, 1864.

Sampson Brown, born 1851; married Mary E. Hawkins in 1872; chil-
dren—-Ollie 15., Thomas A., Addie M., Virgil A., living, and Annie L.,
deceased. Mr. Brown has been a school ofiicer.

Harrison Brown, born 1836 ; married Joanna Sharps, of Preston, in
1858; children—-Waitman T. W., Jabez E.. Laura B. Martin L., Ida M.,
James F., Minty J., Elias M., living, and John E., deceased.

John C. Englehart, born in Germany, 1831; came to America when
fifteen, and to this State in 1852; two years later he married Mary J.
Snider; children——.lohn W., Charles ]3‘.. Annie V., Edward G., Katie 1.,
Freddie C., living, and Mary A., Walter A. and Lena Leotta, deceased.
Mr. Englehart began running an engine on the B. dz 0. R. R. in 1854,
and is still railroading.

B. F. M. Fletcher, born in Marion County, 1844; enlisted in Co. C,
14th W. Va. I. and served till the war closed ; married Louisa Hawkins,
who died in 1869; three years later married Mary A. Jennings; chil-
dren——Malancthon, Melvin, Estella and Nancy A. Three years ago he
was elected constable, but soon resigned. . 4

L. L. VVatson, born in Preston, 1855, came to Monongalia just after
the war; has taught two terms of school; his father, Charles B. Watson,
and two of his brothers were soldiers in the late war.

Joseph Gwyn, born in Greene County, Penn., 1826; married Bath-—
sheba Rumble in 1849; children—AnnS., Samantha J., Marion M.,
William H., Mary A., Joseph E., James A. and Rosel S.; five of these
are married. Mr. Gwyn belonged to Co. E, 17th W. Va. I.

Alexander Rumble, born in Fayette County, Penn., 1830; in 1854,
married Rebecca Kennison, of Morgantown, and located in Monongalia;
Children—Benton, Susan J., Jacob, Grant. Clarence, Cora, living, and
Bruce, dead ; belonged to Co. E, 17th W. Va. 1., and was a member of
the board of education.

CLINTON DISTRICT. 641

George R. Kisner, born 1849; married Elizabeth H. Summers in 1870;
children—Emrna, Mahala and Cora. In 1877, he was badly crippled
while chopping timber, since which he became a shoemaker‘.

J. VV. Phillips, born in Taylor County, 1837; came here when ten
years old; when twenty, married Mary A. Burk; children——Alvira,
Mary E., James W., living, and Luretta, Mary A. and Joseph, deceased;
has been a constable and member board of education.

E. Trickett, born 1844; enlisted in Co. C, 14th W. Va. I.; at Cedar
Creek was shot in the knee, and had his leg amputated in field hos-
pital ; married Rhoda Galliher in 1877; have one child—Laura E.; has
been assessor, registrar and member of board of education.

VV. C. Martin, born in Preston County, 1835; came to this county
with his father at the age of twelve; belonged to Co. M, 4th W. Va. C.,
and was lieutenant in Co. D, 14th militia; built and operates a flour
mill on Laurel run.

C. D. Malone, son 01 John C. and Sarah J. Malone, was born in 1847;
served three years in Battery A, 1st VV. Va. L. A.; married Lou A.
Powell in 1869; was appointed postmaster at Srnithtown (White Day)
in 1880.

W. G. Watson, born in 1859; his parents were Thomas H. and
Rebecca E. Watson; the grandfal her of VV. G.-—Henr_v Watson——was A
soldier in the war of 1812.

J. Marshall Jacobs, born in 1860; has been a teacher, and is now
selling goods at Smithtown ; his parents, Jacob and Mary Jacobs, were
both descended from early settlers here.

George H. Satterfield, born in Marion County, 1865; came with his
parents—Wil1iam H. and Anna Satterfield—to this county in 1867.

Creed A. Powell, son of Silas S. and Mary L. Powell, was born in
1861 ; Silas S. has been a road and school olficer. and timber dealer.

J. E. Stansberry, born in 1834; married Mary E. Bell in 1857; chil-
dren—Mary Inda, Columbia. A., Sarah 1., John L., Arkadelphia J..
Willie C., Melvin Clyde, living, and Francis S., deceased. Mr. Stans—
berry now lives in Grant District; his grand lather, Francis Stansberry,
came from New Jersey about 1780. C

L. L. Hildebrand, born in Greene County, Penn., 1816; married 0.
Mabaney in 1840; raised a family of twelve children, eleven yet living,
seven married, and most of them in this county; he has thirty-four
grand-children.

Jesse Shuttlesworth, born in. 1827; married Nancy Stansherry in
1863; his grandfather came over from England as a cabin boy, settled
here in 1777, and raised a family of eight children.

Rev. Joseph Grubb, born in 1820; member of M. E. Church for forty
years, and a local preacher for nearly thirty; ordained deacon in 1869,
and Elder ten years later; his father, Josph Grubb, Sr., came from
Pennsylvania in 1812, and married Sarah May, of this county; he died
in 1866, agig seventy-th ree years.

642 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

T. P. Selby, born in 1835; married Selina E. Steele, of Pennsylvania,
in 1861; children-—-Jennie F., Charles E., Mollie A., Florence W.,
Howard '1‘. and Freddie L.; has been a school teacher eight terms and
member board of education.

John Haigh, born in Greene County, Penn., 1818; came to this
county when eighteen, and ten years later married Rachel Hunt; chil-
dren——Joshua, John, Matilda, Sarah E., Jesse, Lizzie, Joseph, and
Clark, living. and John, dead. Owns and operates a large steam mill;
been in the business forty years. '

O. C. Johnson, son of O. B. and Mary J. Johnson, born in 1856; his
grandfather, Hadley Johnson, came in 1829, from Washington County,
Penn.; 0. B. has been constable,justice of the peace and supervisor ; O.
C. is merchandising with his father.

John M. Ross, born in Marion County, 1850; married Margaret E.
Steele in 1 75,- children—Rufus M. and Mary C.; his grandfather,
Henry Ross, came at an early day; is remotely descended irom the
Indian-fighting Morgans.

Mary E. Arnett is the daughter of Judson and Lucinda Arnett; her
father was clerk of the board of education in Cass District; he died in
November, 1872, aged thirty-six.

VVilliam H. Snowden, born in England, 1844; came to this country
when a boy: married Mary V. Gaskins, ofMarion, in 1868; children-
John W., Maggie E., Lenora, Goldie M. and George. In 1862, enlisted
in Co. C, 14th W. Va. I., and was wounded at Carter’s Farm; promoted
to corporal; has been a constable and a school ofiicer.

Elizabeth Miller is the widow of Oliver Miller, who enlisted in Co, B,
7th W. Va. 1., and died of typhoid fever at Harrison’s Landing, Va., in
1862; were married in 1849; chi1dren—Isabel F., Waitman T., Saman-
tha A., Susan R. C., Mary F., living, and Luther H., deceased.

John H. Steele; born in 1855; married Delia Jacobs in 1879; children
-——Lessie L. and Mary L. '

Virginia A. McRa is the daughter of O. P. and Jemima McRa; their
other children are Edgar, Elijah, Susan. Thomas I., Duncan, living,
and Waitman, Sylvester and Mary, deceased. Mr. McRa belonged to
Co. E, 17th W. Va. I., and was a member of the board of education ; has
been a teacher, as have five ol his children.

Coleman Trickett, born in 1837; married Sarah Steele in 1859; chil-
dren—-Virginia, Edson, Helen, Harmon, Delia, James, Elizabeth,
Charlotte. Sarah, Perry, living; John T., Milroy, Joseph, Anna, Cole-
man, deceased ; belonged to Co. B, 4th W. Va. 0.

M. C. Stevens, born 1844; teamster in the war; married Rebecca A.
Hileman, 1878; his parents, Malone and Rebecca Stevens, came in 1803.

William H. Sypolt, born in Preston County, 1842; enlisted in Co. B.
3d W.Va.C., and served three years; married Elizabeth J. Frederick in
1867; children—-Jacob E., John E., Martha M., Charles~M., Mary R.,
Donnie Iola, Allie, living; Cora Lee and Linnie Iota, dead.

CLINTON DISTRICT. 4 643

Granville Brown, born in Preston County; 1832; married Elizabeth
Watson in 1858; chi1dren—-Samuel B. (graduated in the W. V. Univer-
sity, Class of ’83), James E., Mary L., Laura B., L. Judson, George
M., Adaline, Virgil, Ellery C., living; Ashford E.. dead. Mr. Brown
served in three different companies during the war; was com-
missioned lieutenant in each; served as such in 4th cavalry and 17th
infantry; has been member board of education, and a road officer six
years; ‘his grandfather came in 1805, and was a soldier in George R.
Davidson’s (Harrison Co.) company in the war of 1812; died in Preston
County in 1859; widow still living and draws a pension.

John Farrell, born in 1856; married Adeline Brown, of Preston, 1880;
children—-Mary Agnes and James Charles; his father, John Ferrell,
Sr., came from Ireland many years ago.

Isaac E. Powell, born in 1861; married Elvia A. Kerns in 1882; have
one child--Gracie; his brother, John C., was born in 1853; married Jen-
nie B. Conley, of Preston ; had one child--Laura A. J., now deceased.

C. C. Howell, born 1845; married Nancy J. Jol1ifl“e; chi/ldren—Ella
M., Virginia L., Esther A., Ida B., Francis E., Claude, living; is a
school oflicer in the district.

John Kinsley, born in Ireland, 1827; came to this country with his
father’s family; married Elizabeth J. Frum in 1858; children——James
A., John A., E. S., George H., Samuel A., Ida M., Margaret M. and
Elizabeth; went to California in ’49, traveled much, returned,and,
with his father, bought Valley Furnace, 1854; ran it four years, since
which it has been idle.

George W. Bell, born in 1851 ; parents were Henry and Louisa Bell ;
grandfather, Samuel C., came from Ireland and settled in New York ;
later he moved to Pennsylvania and then to this State.

T. M. Boyd, born 1856; married Lou M. Bayles; children—Lennie
Ethel and Edna S.; has taught school, sold books, etc.

David Shaw, born in Fayette County, Penn., 1841; soldier in late
war; married Malissie J. Devault; children——Clark M., Maggie M.,
Lizzie E., Annie C., James C., Emma M.and John Clarence.

J. B. Hamilton, born in Fayette County Penn., 1853; came in 1872;
married Fannie E. Durr, of Greene County; children—-Lewis W.,
Viola M. and Nancy Leona.

James A. Faulkner, born 1834; enlisted in Co. A, 3d W. Va. C. and
served through the war ; married Mary A. Miller in 1857; they had
seven children, six of whom are living. Mrs. Faulkner died in 1872,
and two years later he married Margaret Hamilton ; they have had six
children, only two ofwhom are living; he was Supervisor two terms,
and member of board ofeducatlon four years.

H. G. West, born in Taylor County, 1825 ; married Elizabeth Hol-
land; children—Wil1iam H., Lancelot J., Johanna H., Esther H., Sallie
J., Hamilton Gr., James H., living ; Sarah and Jane deceased; was
Justice of the Peace, overseer of the poor and school oflicer ; a captain
and major in the militia, and prominent member of the Baptist church.

644 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA. COUNTY.

Thomas Jackson, Sr., born in Yorkshire, England ; came about 1853
to this district ; died in 1883 ; son Thomas born, 1847 ; married Mary
Hugill ; children—Byron Thomas, Herbert Elliott, Arthur Garfield,
living ; Ann Ellen, deceased ; was a teamster during the war ; refuses
to be elected to any oflice.

Peter McMahon, born in Ireland, 1839; when fifteen, came to this
country and settled here ; married Mary Monaghan ; they had two
children ; in 1861, his house was accidentally burned, and wife and
children perished in the flames—-the woman, while trying to rescue her
children. Since then he has traveled through fifteen States and worked
on public works, but has kept the old farm and never married again.

Amaziah Shahaniw‘ was ensign in Company A, 1st W. Va. C., and still
has the flag he carried for three years at the head of his company. He
also has a medal voted by Congress, the State medal and corps badge.
It is said there is only one other medal from Congress in the county-——-
belonging to Levi Shumaker.

M. H. Steele, born 1848 ; teamster during the war; married Mrs. Re-
becca A. Bixler ; children——EI‘fie Belle, Jasper, Laurence 11., Bessie.

Fielding Kiger came from Winchester to this county in 1807 ;, chil-
dren-—George, Jacob, Leroy, Sarah, Mary A., Eliza, Amanda and C‘-aro-
line. Leroy married May Wells and Jacob married Elizabeth Wells,
and both now live in Clinton.

Asaph C. Fletcher moved here from Marion County in 1851 ; married
Mary A. Campbell on March 12, 1829; died November 28, 1876 ;
children—Polly, John, Nancy, Nimrod. Hannah, David, Anson, Re-
becca, Benjamin and Isaac 0., who is a surveyor of roads in the district.

Joseph Travis came from Europe about 100 years ago and settled in
Virginia. His son Robert removed to Monongalia County in 1803;
married Mary Trickett.

Francis Stansberry came from New York about 100 years ago. His
son Stephen settled in Clinton District about 57 years ago, and married
Sarah Sapp ; children——J0seph, Mary, Francis, Sarah, Henry, Jona-
than, Stephen, VVilliam, Elijah, Samuel, Ellen, Nathan, Jona, Delia and
Maria L. Joseph, Joua, Francis and Maria L. now reside in the dis-—
trict. . 8

John F. Starritt, son of William Starritt, was one of the old settlers of
the district. He married Elizabeth Bell; chi1dren——Cordelia, J. Wes-
ley and Lucian L.

Jacob Davault came from Virginia about ninety years ago and settled
in Clinton District. He had two children—Abraham and Phebe. Abra-
ham was in the war of 1812. He married Mary Steele soon after the

close ofthat war. Nine children was the result or this union-—Sarah, ,

Oliver, Eliza, Edgar, Ashford, Margaret, Theophilus, C. P., and
Thornton.

‘ By a mistake or an officer Mr. Shal1an’s name was spelled “ Emeslre ” on the mus-
tcr rolls, and is consequently so spelled in the war records and on his medals.

CLINTON DISTRICT. 645

James Steele was one of the early settlers of the district. His son
John. who married Margaret Robinson, settled on Toms run about
90 years ago. His son John R. now resides on the old homestead.

Reason Jones, sou of John R. Jones, lives in the district; married
Rebecca Summers; children—Elizabeth, Joseph, John, Millard, Mar-
cillla, Malinda (married Robert Steele), Ella, Emma. and Mollie.

Isaac Holland was one of the pioneer settlers of the district. His
son Alphens married Sarah A. Devault; children——James E., John M.,
Elmus, Samantha and Mary E. James E. married Josephine John in
1876.

CHAPTER XXIX.
MORGAN DISTRICT.

Geographical Boundaries and General Description——Indian Occu-
pation——Destruction of the Decker’s Creek Co1ony—Early Set-
t1ers——Settlers’ Forts: Ker-n’s, Cobun’s and Burris’—G‘rrowth of
the District——Civi1 List——~Towns and Post-Ofi"1ces—Roads—Mi11s
—“Rock Forge ”—Iron Valley & Morgantown Rai1way——Note(1
Points: Dorsey’s Knob, McKinney Rocks, Dripping Spring——
Religious Denominations——Ce1neteries2 Oak Grove Cemetery-
Schools—Statistics———Biographical.

MORGAN DISTRICT is bounded on the north and north-east
by Union District, from which it is partly separated by
VVest run; on the south-east Chestnut Ridge forms its
boundary against Preston County; on the south and south-
west it is bounded by Clinton District, and on the West and
north-west it is separated from Grant and Cass districts by
the Monongehala River. In shape, the district is long and
narrow—extending from nortl1—west to south—east.

Morgan District was the southern part of the first con-
stabulary district in 1807, when the county was divided into
nine such districts. In 1831, Monongalia was divided into
four constabulary districts, and all of Morgan north of Co-
bun’s creek was in District No. 1, while all south of that
stream lay in District No. 2. In 1852, the territory of the
district was comprised in the second magisterial district of
the seven such districts into which the county was divided.
The second district included besides the territory of Morgan,
all that northern portion of Clinton between Booth’s creek

and Morgan District line. In 1863, Morgan Township was

MORGAN DISTRICT. 647

established, embracing the territory of the present district,
and named in honor of Zackwell Morgan. In 1873, Morgan
Township, by a change of designation merely, became the
present Morgan District.

The slope of the district is to the north-west, in the di-
rection of its streams. The surface is 11illy and broken.
The south-eastern part is comprised in the western slope of
Chestnut Ridge. Through it Decker’s creek breaks, cutting
a gorge but little less than a canon, whose wild and pictur-
esque scenery is only surpassed by the Cheat River Canon.
In the extreme north-western part are the celebrated
“Flats.” They are formed by the fifth Morgantown terrace
(see page 568). Of them Prof. lVhite says :

“ Owing to the considerab1e—275 feet—of t-he fifth terrace above
the river bed, its deposits are frequently found far inland from the
Monongahela, on tributary streams. A very extensive deposit of
this kind occurs on a tributary one mile and a half north—east of
Morgantown, and the region, which includes three or four square
miles, is significantly known as the ‘flats.’ The elevation of the
‘flats ’ is 275 feet above the river or 1,065 feet above tide. The de-
posits on this area consist almost entirely of clays and fine sandy
material, there being very few boulders intermingled. The depth
of this deposit is unknown, sincea well sunk on the land of Mr.
Baker passed through alternate beds of clay, fine sand and muddy
trash to a depth of sixty-five feet without reaching bed-rock.”

The district is drained by the Monongahela and its trib-
utaries, Cobun’s creek, Decker’s creek and ‘Vest run. Good
springs are to be found everywhere. The soil is good, and
with fair attention yields very respectable crops. lVheat is
said to average from 7 to 15 bushels per acre ; corn_, 20 to
50; oats, 15 to 30; potatoes, 70 and 90. Vegetables and
small fruits do well. Apples, pears, cherries, plums, and
some peaches, are grown. Apples are the main crop.

648 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA. COUNTY.

Heavy forests once existed in the district, but they have
largely been used, yet sufficient timber remains for all
needed purposes. Oak, poplar and chestnut were the lead-
ing kinds. Large quantities of pine still remain on the
head—waters of Decker’s creek, where a considerable por-
tion of land remains unsettled. x

The mineral wealth of the district—its coal, iron ore and
limestone—-—will be found fully described by Prof. Steven-
son, commencing on page 223 of this book.

Of wild animals in the district, in a very early day, the
buffalo roamed in some numbers. - As late as 1823, wolves
have howled, and in 1800, bears, deer, elk and panthers
were to be seen. Now, a fox or wild cat is to be seen once
in a while, in the south-eastern part and a few copperheads
and rattlesnakes are still to be found on the mountain side.

The wild animal has been succeeded by the domestic an-
imal, and herds of cattle, flocks of sheep and droves of
hogs are seen upon the hills of Morgan, which are finely
adapted to grazing and stock-raising.

INDIAN OCCUITATION.

To hunt and fish were the objects that brought the In-
dians from the Ohio to the hills and streams of .Morgan
District. They had temporary hunting camps and villages,
at the mouth of Cobun’s creek and other places, where
mussel shells, arrow heads, etc., are to be found to-day.

DESTRUCTION OF THE DECKEIi,S CREEK COLONY.

lVithers makes their destruction to have ‘taken place at
the mouth of Decker’s creek, while tradition makes that sad
event to have been two miles up the creek at Philip Har-
ner’s. Tradition also has it Decker (meaning a Decker, as
there was more than one) was bitten by rattlesnakes, by

MORGAN DISTRICT. 649

one account, and killed while escaping from Indians. An-
other tradition makes him throw his scythe over a fence in
some grass and ‘jump over to cut grass for his horses. He
lit in a bunch of copper snakes, and Was bitten to deatl1.
This last tradition needs the omission of the scythe, be-
cause scythes did not come into use till long after the last
trace of a Decker in the county. (See page 35.)

EARLY SETTLERS.

The following are among the pioneer settlers of Morgan
District :

1758—Thomas Decker 1770-Alex Parker 1773—VVm. Haymond
1765-001. John Evans 1770—J-ames Russell 1774-—Peter Parker
-—————Garrett Decker 1770—A1ex Burris 1T74—Jolm Large
1766—Nicbolas Decker 1770—Jonat'nan Cobun 1774—Josiah Veacb
—--——David Morgan 1770—Francis Tibbs 1774——Tbomas Hurbert
1766--Zackwell Morgan 1770——Lewis Rogers 1774-Elijah Burris
1769—Samue1 Owens 1772-Michael Kern 1774—Art.hur '1‘rader,Jr

1770-Wm. Joseph 1772--James Templin 1775—Henry Haines
1770-Edward Dorsey 1772——Isaac Lemasters 1775—N. Harris
1770—Jolm Burris 17T2—Jacob Miller 1775-—-Jonath. Newland
1770-—John Burke 1772—John Woodfin 1775——W1n. Houghland

1770——Conrad Grouse 177‘.’.—Ricbard. Fields 1775-—James Stockwell

SETTLERS’ roars.

From 1774 to 1776, all the settlers’ forts and block—houses
Were built by the whites for protection against the Indians.

]fe7*n’s _F07°t.——It was a stockaded fort, built on the lands
of Michael Kern, just back of the present Fair Ground,
and between the old Kern’s house (now occupied by James
Reay) and Decker’s creek. It had a command of the sur-
rounding country. It was among the largest forts in the
county, and was the general rallying ground, in times of
more than usual danger, for the west side. Nothing re-
mains to mark its dimensions or site, and neither record,
tradition or human memory offers anything further of it.

C/’obun.’.§ F0rt.—It was two miles from Kern’s Fort, on

MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION. 63

“The greater part of the men having gone forth early to their
farms, the women were engaged in milking the cows outside the
gate, and the men who had been left behind were loitering around.
The Indians (who were lying hid around the fort) rushed forward,
and killed and made prisoners of ten of them. James Stewart,
James Smalley and Peter Crouse were the only persons who fell, and
John Shiver and his wife, two sons of Stewart, two sons of Smalley
and a son of Crouse were carried into captivity. According to
their statement upon their return, there were thirteen Indians in
the party which surprised them. Instead of retreating with their
prisoners, they remained at a little distance from the fort till night,
when they put the captives in a waste house near, under custody
of two of the savages,’while the remaining eleven went to see if
they could not succeed in forcing -an entrance at the gate. The
dogs were shut out at night, and the approach of the Indians
exciting them to bark freely, gave notice of impendi_ng danger, in
time for them to avert it. The savages returned to the house in
which the prisoners were confined, and moved oif with them to
their towns.” ’

In August, 1779, some men were mowing for Capt. David
Scott, near the site of Granville. Two of his daughters,
Phebe and Fanny, started from where he lived, at the" mouth
of Pike Run, to carry dinner to the men. Capt. Scott had
intended to accompany them, but a man came and detained
him longer than he expected. He had told the girls to go
on, and he would overtake them. Presently he heard the
report of a gun. Hastening across the river in the direction
whence the sound came, he proceeded rapidly up the path
toward the meadow, and when he arrived near where James
Hawthorn now lives, about a mile below Hamilton, he found
Phebe, not far from the path, murdered and scalped, but

Fanny could not be found. The Captain, hoping that she ‘

was a prisoner, went to Fort Pitt and engaged a friendly
Indian to ascertain where she was and to prevail on the

650 HISTORY OF MONONGALIACOUNTY.

lands of Jonathan Cobun, and was near Dorsey’s Knob.
Not even its exact location can be determined. It was
either on the lands of Richard M. Dorsey or Clark Everly.

BMW's’ F07°zf.——It was on the “Flats” on the Burris land,
but nothing of it comes down from the past to the present
but its name. Its location can not be determined, beyond
what is above given.

GROWTH or THE DISTRICT.

The growth of Morgan District, like the balance of the
county, has been slow; yet it has been sure, until to-day the
district stands with 25,615 acres of area, the sixth district in
size, of the seve11 present districts into which the county is
divided.

In 1880, with 2,772 inhabitants, it is the most populous
district in the county. In 1883, with $935,084 of wealth, it
is the wealthiest district in the county.

At this late date it is impossible to trace all the men who
have been instrumental in settling, in building up and im-
proving the territory of the district. William Joseph (orig-
inally written Josephs) came here from Delaware in 1770.
He married Sarah Stafford and settled where E. Jackson
Evans lives. They had four daughters and five sons : Lem-
uel, Jerry, Nathan, Hezekiah and John (father of Jerry
Joseph, the miller).

Jacob Nuse and his wife, Eve Ann, came from Germany
and settled on the old homestead, above Rock Forge, at an
early day. They had two sons; one died, and the other,
Michael, married Susan Harner. Their children were Jacob,
Mary, George, Phebe Ann, Philip, Henry, IVilliam, 'Abra—
ham and Michael.

Of the Burris and other pioneer families we can get no
account.

MORGAN DISTRICT. 651

George Dorsey, of Elk Ridge, Maryland, came in 1807,
and bought the Cobun farm. He married Sisson, sister of
Dr. Stevens, of Fayette County, Penn. His son Benjamin
was the father of Benjamin M. Dorsey, of Morgantown.

Charles Bennett came into the district about 1778. He
next settled on the “Runner Farm,” five miles from Mor-
gantown, on the Kingwood pike, where he remained until
1806, when he moved to Scioto County, Ohio, and died in
1825, at the remarkable age of 116 years.* He had several

L daughters, and four sons : Charles, Robert, Caleb and John

H. John H.’_r raised a family of twelve children. His
oldest son, George Bennett (born July 12, 1794), married a
Miss Williams, of New Jersey, and lived on Decker’s creek
until 1856. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He had
two daughters, Mrs. Samuel Tibbs and Mrs. William
Molsey; and two sons, John H. and Allen. The eldest son
settled in Kingwood, and one of his sons is the Hon. BE. A.
Bennett, of Cabell County, who was a major of volunteers
in the late War, serving four years, and who was State
Auditor from 1871 to 1877.

Abram Guseman came from Martinsburg in 1779, and
settled on Decker’s creek, and built the Hagedorn mill.
His son, John WV. Guseman, lives at Reedsville, Preston
County. Henry Runner married Elizabeth Thomas, and
came from Maryland. Their sons were Michael, William,
Daniel and Lewis W., who lives one mile above Morgan-

* It is related or him that on the day he was 116 years old, he was called on gener-
ally by his neighbors and friends, who brought congratulatory messages. One of
these said: “Uncle Charles, you have now reached your sixteenth yearasecond time,
and I suppose you ought to be again enrolled in the militia” (sixteen being the age
fixed by law). “ Oh, no,” said he, “ I have served a tour or one hundred years and am
now rather expecting an honorable discharge.” Sure enough, this came a Iew Weeks
later, and the aged militiaman was mustered out. ‘

‘r The ages or John H., his mile and twelve children, aggregated 1,(L37 years, or 74
years each, and two are still living.

652 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

town. John Kennedy came from Maryland, and married
Mary Runner, at an early day.

CIVIL LIST-——MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT OFFICERS, 18524863.

 

JUSTICES.
1852. 1856. 1860.

Henry Kennedy Manliff Hayes Augustus Haymond
Daniel Haldeman Francis»Madera George M. Reay
Henry Dougherty James Hawthorne —- -

Lee Roy Kramer Lee Roy Kramer —-— ——--

CONSTABLES.

1852—Henry Swindler, T. F. Hurry 1856--Edwin Clear, Elias Stillwell
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS--1863-1873.

JUSTICES.
1863. 1867. 1871.
J. J. Fitch B. F. Baldwin James A. Davis
J. R. Fleming Man1if1“ Hayes Manlifi Hayes
CONSTABLES.

1863—Harvey Staggers, Kinsey Fife 1869——Uriah Rider, Kinsey Fife ,
1865--S. G. Chadwick, Kinsey Fife 1871-—Uriah Rider, James Odberl:
1867-——Thos. M. Johnson, Kinsey Fife
INSPECTORS 02‘ ELECTIONS.
1863--Manlifl‘ Hayes, D.H.Chadwick 1868-—E.C.I<‘innell, W.R.Pas‘.orius
1864—Manlifl“ Hayes, D.H.Chadwick 1869———G. M. Reay, J. W. Guseman
1865—Manlifi‘ Hayes, D.H.Chadwick 1870-F.W.Thompson,J.C.W'allace
1866-J. A. Davis, F. W. Thompson 1871-F.VV.'I‘hompson, Ed.Shisler
1867--F.W. Thompson, L. S. Layton
SUPERVISORS. TREASURER8. ovsnsmms 01-‘ POOR.

1863——F. R. Sinclair 1863--F. K. O’Kelley 1863--Asa Hall
1866-—Manlifi"Hayes 1864——William Lazier 1867——-Eph. Choeus

1867——James Evans 1865--J. A. Davis 1868-—Asa Hall
1868-—F. R. Sinclair 1866——J. C. Wagner CLERK.
1870-—-S. B. Mcvicker 1867‘--J. A. Davis 1863-73-—E. I‘I. Coombs

DISTRICT oFFICERs——1872—1884.

JUSTICES.

1872-James A. Davis ‘1876--F. VV. Thompson 1880——William Jackson

Harvey Staggers Harvey Staggers Harvey Staggers
CoNsTABL1:s.

1872-- U. Rider 1876~—John S. Dering 1880~—W. I. Protzman

James Odbert James Odbert _ Levi Shumaker

TOWNS AND POST-OFFICES.

‘The only town and post-office in the district is Morgan-

MORGAN DISTRICT. 653

town, while Uflington is close to one border and Easton is
on another boundary.

ROADS.

The old Kingwood road—the oldest road in tlie county,
described on page 536——runs through Morgan District.
The Morgantown and Bridgeport Turnpike, or river road,
runs along the river in the west and north-west of the dis-
trict. The Kingwood, Morgantown and West Union Turn-
pike passes through the district to the south—east, and the
Pennsylvania, Beverly and Morgantown Turnpike runs
through the district from Collins’s Ferry to Morgantown,
and thence to Evansville, Preston County. Besides these
pikes, there are several county roads. In 1882, the district
was divided into seven road districts, and the following per-
sons were appointed supervisors in them :

District N o. 1, Jonah McMillan; N0. 2, VV111. Peterson ; N o. 3, J.
B. Kennedy ; No.5, Garrison McClure; No. 6, Samuel B. McVicker;
N0. 7, Joseph A. McClarnan.

MILLS.
The first mill in the district (and with Ruble’s mill the

first two in the county) was a log mill erected by Michael

'Kern just above the site of the present Morgantown mill.

Some years later Kern erected a better mill on the site of
the present Morgantown mill, which was erected by John
Rogers in 1826, and passed into the possession of Dr.
Mackey in 1867. Jerry Joseph & Son at present are in
charge of this mill.

Michael Kern, Jr., built a mill one mile below Morgan-
town, on the river, which did a large business. In 1867, it
passed to James Allender, who sold, in 1872, to Jacobs. A
saw-mill and carding machine was attached to it. The
slacking of the river destroyed the dam and the mill was

654 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

torn down. Thirty years ago, it did a wonderfully large
business. Hagedorn’s Mill was built about 1807, by Abram

— Guseman, and was in the possession of the Guseman family

until 1869, in which year it was bought by Lewis Hage-
dorn and Peter J. VVeinig. Mr. Hagedorn came from Han-
over, in 1853, and has the reputation of being wellread and
a firm friend of free schools. He and Mr. Weinig still own
and operate the mill. _

Henry Molisee has a small grist mill and blacksmith shop
seven miles above “Rock Forge,” on Decker’s creek.

ROCK FORGE.

This place is three miles above Morgantown, on Decker’s
creek. A forge, company store, stone mill, blacksmith shop
and other buildings were erected. A second forge was on
the creek above it, and Valley Furnace (a quarter stock—
capacity 3 tons in 24 hours) stood two and one—half miles
from the first forge. In addition to what is given in the
Industrial History, we have gleaned the following: The
Decker Creek Iron VVorks were not always under control of
one management. In 1856 or 57 James H. Crane took
charge of one forge and a furnace, and ran it about four
years. Robert Bendall, and after him James Kinsley, ran
the furnace. In 1843, Joshua Crowther and the Rev.
Edward Price came from England and inspected the ores on
Decker’s creek. In 1844, Crowther & Co. bought the
works. The Crowthers were Joshua, Joseph and Benjamin,
sons of a great iron manager in lVolverhampton, Stafford-
shire, England. They ran awhile, but ceased for Want of
transportation to market, and left, pronouncing the ores
and coals abundant and sufficient, when transportation
could be secured to market. Joshua located the iron works

MORGAN DISTRICT. 655
at South Pueblo, Col., for Jay Gould & Co., and managed

‘_ them until his death, one year ago. The forges and furnace

are gone, scarcely a vestige being left. The mill lies in
ruins and but a few houses remain. Charles J. Johnson,
since 1873,. has ran a wagon-making and blacksmith shop at
the site of the lower forge.

IRON VALLEY 3; MORGANTOWN RAILWAY.

This road is projected to run’ up Decker’s creek. On the
1st of April, 1881, T. M. J ackson,* Chief Engineer, with J.
C. Meredith and C. E. Grafton, assistant engineers, com-
menced at the Preston County line and ran down Decker’s
creek to Morgantown, and down the east side of the river,
a route for this railway. On the 18th of July, 1882, they
located fourteen and one-half miles" of this route, from
Morgantown up Decker’s creek to Masontown in Preston

County. .
NOTED POINTS.

On the Dorsey homestead, on land owned by Wlarren C.
Dorsey, is a hill terminating in a high point, from which a
grand view of the country can be obtained. It is said for
thirty miles the country can be seen in every direction.
This hill has been known for years as “ Dorsey’s Knob.”

1lIc.7fz'a7ze3/ I300/cs.-—-On the south side of Decker’s Creek,
one mile below the Big Falls, is a ledge of rocks 300 feet
high, honey-combed and in curious shapes. They are on
lands of Harrison McKinney.+

Z7ce Dripping Spring is five miles from Hagedorn’s Mill,
on the old Kingwood road. Over a rock ledge, for some

‘T. M. Jackson is from C1a11:sburg—a graduate from Washington and Lee Univer-
sity, and present county surveyor ot Harrison County. J. C. Meredith is from Win-
chester, Virginia. 0. E. Gratton is from New Cumberland, Hancock County, and is a.
graduate or the West Virginia University.

f Harrison McKinney and Joseph, his brother, are sons of Luke McKinney, who came
from Hampshire County, seventy-three years ago to Rock Forge.

656 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

twelve or fifteen feet, water drips and collects in a spring at

the base, which has been known for over 100 years as the

“ Dripping Spring.”

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

The Methodist Episcopal denomination seems to have
been in at an early day. This district is in the Morgantown
Circuit, which embraces Morgan and Union, with nine ap-
pointments. There are three M. E. churches: Mellon’s
Chapel, Rock Forge, on Decker’s creek, and Drummond’s
Chapel, on the “Flats." VVoodland church is a union
church, but is used by the M. E. denomination. A class
meets at the Dorsey school—house. No records of these
churches can be found, and tradition supplies nothing
definite. The ministers serving on the circuit will be under
religious denominations in Union. The present minister
in charge of the circuit is the Rev. VV. J. Sharps, a native
of Taylor County, who has been in the ministry fourteen
years and is now serving his third year here.

The Baptists have one cl1urch——Pleasant Hi1l——whose
pastors will be given in the appendix if they can be yet

obtained.
CEMETERIES.

One of the oldest cemeteries in the district was the old
Kern’s graveyard, near the site of Kern’s Fort, and likely
commenced in the forting days of 1774. The old sand
tombstones, it is said, were torn up, and the graves of the
dead were leveled down by the plow. Human greed for
gain had no respect for the sleep of the honored Revolu-

tionary dead.
on: GROVE cEME'rEnY.*

Between the Evansville and Fairmont pikes, a few minutes’

' The certmcate of incorporation was filed August 1, 1865. in the clerk’s omce ot the
county court. The mcorporators were Martin Callendlne, W. T. Willey, John J.

MORGAN DISTRICT. 657‘

Walk from Morgantownis “Oak Grove Cemetery” which
was laid out in 1865. Ample grounds, neatly laid out and
tastefully adornecl, greet the eye, where fitting marble
appropriately marks the sleep of the dead.

' SCHOOLS.

Of the subscription schools of early days but little is
known. A school was taught in early days at the Popinaw
Spring, near 0. H. Dille’s.

Morgan school-district is divided into nine sub—districts.

SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS———l865—1873.

1865—John Mills 1869--A. 0. Woods
Lewis W. Runner 1870--John Mills, president
William Lazier A. 0. Woods
1866—67-—John Mills J. R. Fleming
N. C. Vandervort 1871--A. 0. Woods
George M. Reay John D. Robinson
1868——John Mills John R. Fleming
—— Vandervort 1872--John R. Fleming, president
——- Kennedy John W. Guseman
1869—-John Mills ‘ Frederick Breakiron
——_ Vandervort

BOARDS OF EDUGATION——1873—~1884.

1873--John R. Fleming, president; John W. Guseman and Frederick
Breakiron. V

1875——Frederiok Breakiron, president; W. C. Dorsey and James
Pixler. A

1877-—Coleman Vandervort, president; J. G. Davis and Leonard
Selby. M

1879--Lewis Hagedorn, president; Leonard Selby, Joseph Harner,
Warren G. Dorsey and Henry C. Baker.

1881--J. W. Pixler, president: E-. J. Evans and John Choen.

1883--J. 0. Vangilder, president ; E. J. Evans and Wm. J. Wells.

SECRETARIES——1865—1884.

1869—72—E. H. Coombs 187.3——F. J. Kern - 1881—Clark W. Pixler
1872—W. S. Cobun 1877—Jas. N. Davis l883—Geo E. Vangilder

Brown, E. C. Bunker, Richard B. Carry, J. V. Boughner, Jacob P. Sharer, H. W.
Brock and George M. Hagans. On the 5th or August, 1865, they bought 8,’-5 ‘acres 015
land for $9004trom W. T. Willey and laid out Oak Grove Cemetery.

2

658 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

SCHOOL ENUMLERATION BY YEARS.

   

:9. .., .

nun: §§ if g E 3‘

§:a §a 8 8
1869 .................................................... .. » ........ .. 242 213 1 456
1374 ...................... ..: ........................... .. ......... .. 26 5 242 4 511
137 5 .............................................................. .. 281 226 ....... .. 507
1876 ............................................................ .. 291 241 ....... .. 541
187 7 ........................................................... .. 269 244 10 523
1378 ............................................................. .. . 267 242 7 516
1879 ............................................................. .. .. 263 229 ....... .. 492

Nothing further than these few years can be found on the ‘

school records.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

CAPT. GEORGE WAsHn~ze'.roN McVIcKEB.——His great-grand~
father Duncan McVicker, came from Scotland to New Jersey,
and was a. paymaster in the Revolutionary army under Wash-
ington. He married Nancy McCollum, and removed to
Bedford, Penn. From this place James McVicker, one
of his sons, went to the South Branch (of the Potomac
River), and there married Permelia McNamar. They re-
moved to near Brownsville, Penn, and after a short time

started to—Randolph County, but stopped in Monongalia’

County about ninety ‘years ago. James McVicker kept a
tavern stand Where T. J. Meeks resides, in 1800. His chil-
dren were: Elizabeth, Wife of Owen John; Mary, Wife of
VVilliam John; Sarah, wife of Purnell Houston; Matilda
Buck, James Madison, Maria Costolo and George VV.
James Madison McVicker married Catharine Costolo, and
their children were: Permelia, who married William Reed
(father of J. M. Reed); George VVashington, the subject of
this sketch; Samuel B.; Rebecca, Wife of VVilliam Vander-

vort ; Amanda, wife of Coleman Vandervort.

George Vllashington McVicker was born on the 20th of ., .

October, 1831. He was raised on a farm, and married Alcin-
da Rude. His second and present wife is Mattie'M., daugh-

MORGAN DISTRICT. 659

ter of Eben Clear. Their children are : Ella, wife of Charles
A. Reed; J. C. McVicker, dental student at Philadelphia;
Clark 0., salesman with Thornton F. Pickenpaugh; Maude
and Bertie C. _

In 1857, G. W. McVicker was elected Road Surveyor for
the east side of the river, and served two terms. He was
elected Sheriff in 1866, and served till 1870, In 1872, he
was re—elected for four years, and, in 1880, was again elected
for a term of four years. So far, Capt. McVicker has been
the only one ever elected for three terms of the sheriffalty
in the county.

He helped raise Co. D, 3d W. Va. C., in August, 1862, in
which he was commissioned Lieutenant, and upon the
death of Capt. Utt, he was commissioned. as Captain, July
18, 1863, and served as such until the close of the war, being
mustered out June 30, 1865.

Capt. McVicker, with Co. D, participated" in sixty-five
battles, engagements and skirmishes. Among the battles
and engagements were lVinchester, Wytheville, Blacksburg,
Lynchburg, second1Vinchester, Boonesboro’, heavybattle at
VVinchester, Fisher’s Hill, Dinwiddie Court-house and
Moorefield. For several days prior to Lee’s surrender, the
Company was engaged every day in one or more skirmishes
and engagements. Capt McVicker, with his company, was
present on the 9th of April, 1865, at Appomattox, when the
civil war ended by the surrender of the Army of Northern
Virginia to Gen. Grant.

JOHN ROBINSON came from England in 1815, and settled at Valley
Furnace, Preston County.‘ He moved to this county in -1835. His
son John D. is the only survivor of the family. He married Eliz-
abeth Hill in 1849; children—F. M.. J. H., M. E., E. L., J. 0., VV.
R., VV. S. and Margaret, who married I’. F. Harner.

64 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Indians to ransom her. Before his return some of his
neighbors were drawn to a spot some distance from the path
where the girls were attacked, by buzzards hovering over it,
and found the body of Fanny half eaten and too much
decayed to be removed; so a grave was dug and she was
buried Where she was killed.

The “ Border VVarfare ” states that the girls were captured
on the path, but descendants of the family say they fled
into the woods and were taken where they were killed.

Not long after this occurrence, James Scott, a son of
Capt. David Scott, a boy fifteen or sixteen years old, after
trimming some apple trees near the site of Granville, started
home on a road or path. When on the top of the steep hill
where the Hamilton or “Jinitown” school-house stands,
three or four Indians sprang out and grasped the rein of
his horse. The horse sprang forward and tore loose, and
ran down the hill to the river. The Indians fired at the
retreating boy.  Several shot (or a bullet according to an—
other account) went. through his hat and cut the skinoff the
back of his head. He fell on his horse’s neck. The horse
swam the river and carried him safely home. In addition

-to this account by the descendants of the Scott family of

James Scott’s adventure, VVillia1n I-Iaymond says:

“Brother John and a man named Lough, with ‘some others, fol-
lowed the Indians, probably on Indian Creek above Morgantown.

Lost the trail. They returned home, except Lough who went ~fur— .

ther in search of a horse he had lost. Some time after, while. on
his horse, he saw an Indian on horse-back riding towards him. He
raised his gun and presented it. Another Indian shot at him and
passed a ball through his arm between the wrist and elbow and
through the arm between the elbow and shoulder and in the side.
The bullet lodged in the skin back of the side. Lough dropped his.
gun, wheeled his horse, and got safe home.”

CHAPTER xxx.
UNION DISTRICT.

Geographical Boundaries and General Description—Geology of
Cheat River Canon—Hanging Cliff—Brock’s View—Eagle Cave
—l\Iound Bui1ders—Indian Occupation : Buffalo Pound,Cataw—
ba \Var-path—White Pioneers and Early Settlements-—-Fort
1)inwiddie—Peirpont’s Fort—Growth from 1770 to 1884-Civil
List—Polling P1aces—Towns: Stewarttown, East-on—Roads——
Mi1ls——Mail Service——Jackson’s Iron W'orks—Summer Resorts-
Camp Eden—The Lock—Projected Rai1ways—Re1igious De~
nominations'—Ce1neteries——Schools.

UNION DISTRICT is bounded on the north by the State of
Pennsylvania, from which it is separated by the Mason and
Dixon lin-e; on the east Chestnut Ridge separates it from
Preston County; on the south and south—east it is bounded
by Morgan District, from which it is partly separated by
West’s run; and on the West the Monongahela. River sepa-
rates it from Cass District.

The territory comprised in Union District in 1807 consti-
tuted the northern portion of the First (constabulary) Dis-
trict, of the nine established that year. In 1831, when the
county was divided into four such districts, it again con-
stituted the northern portion of the First District. In 1852,
its territory became the larger part of the First Magisterial
District of the seven such into which the county was divi-
ded. In 1863, Union Township was established embracing
the territory of the present district. In 1873, Union Town-
ship, by a change of designation merely, became the present
Union District.

UNION DISTRICT. 661

The district is drained by the Monongahela and Cheat
and its branches, affording water power for machinery.
Good springs abound. The surface is broken and hilly.
The soil is productive when properly cared for. The hills
carry a clay loam, while chestnut lands and the bottoms are
more of a sand loam.

Heavy bodies of timber one day covered the hills, but
the lumberman and the charcoal-burner have used large
quantities; yet enough remains for all needed uses. Oak
and chestnut remain in largest quantities, with a fair repre-
sentation of poplar and hickory, and some sugar, sycamore,
ash and locust.

Fruit does well, excepting peaches. The cereal produc-
tions are fair, with attention and culture. Wlieat averages
from 7 to 10 bushels to the acre; corn, 20 to 50; oats, 15 to
40. Rye, buckwheat and barley are not much cultivated.
Potatoes do well, yielding from 50 to 75 bushels per acre.
Grasses yield well. Stock-raising should be a profitable
business, as stock thrives and does well._

The wild animals have left: the panther, bear, and wolf
have not been seen for nearly fifty years. A few wild cats
remain in mountain fastnesses, Where a rattlesnake or cop-
perhead sometimes is encountered. An occasional wild
turkey, and now and then a deer, is seen along the moun-
tain side.

Iron ore seems abundant throughout the district ; espec-
ially in the eastern or south-western part, it exists in large
quantities.

Limestone of good quality is to be found in different
veins, varying in thickness from two to eighty-five or ninety
feet.

Several veins of coal are found, of different thicknesses.

662 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

From theiriver past Stewarttown to near Easton, a large
bed of the Connellsville coking coal is found, which, tested
by actual experiment,yielded a good coke.*

GEOLOGY OF CHEAT RIVER CANON.

The following description of the geology of Cheat River
Canon is taken from a paper read by Prof. I. C. Wliite be-
fore the American Philosophical Society, and afterward
published in pamphlet form under the title of “Notes on
the Geology of ‘Vest Virginia.” Prof. Wliite traces the
canon from Ice’s Ferry to Albrights, in Preston County, but
only so much of his paper is here reproduced as refers to
the canon in this county :

“At this [Ice’s] ferry the road leading from Morgantown, WV.
Va., to Uniontown, Pa., crosses the river which, emerging from
the canon of No. XII, one mile above, now flows between low
hills of the Barren measures with the Jlla/toning sandstone making
bold cliifs along the immediate banks. About one-fourth of a mile
above the ferry, a small steam puts into the west bank of Cheat
over the Mahoning sandstone cliffs, and descending it from the
Morgantown road near Mr. Bayles, the following succession may
be seen (Sec. 1) :

1. Coal (erinoidal) .................................................. .. 1’
2. Shales, gray ........................................................ ..10’
3. S/tales, red .......................................................... ..25'
4." Shales and concealed .................................. .; ..... ..45’
5. Shales, brown, sandy ...................  ................... ..10’
6. Coal, Balcerstown ............................................... .. 2%
7. Sandy shales and shaly sandstone ...................... ..50’
8. L’1{)p(;r Jllalzontng sandstone, very massive and peb-
' _v....., ............................................................ ..3
9. Shaly sandstone, intermingled with slaty coal
and representing Brush Creek coat of Pa. ....... .. 3’
10. Sandy shales ...................................................... .. 7’
11. Lower Mahoning sandstone, visible ................... ..85’
12. Concealed to level of Cheat River ...................... ..10’

“ The Upper Jlfahoning sandstone, No. 8, is very conglomerate at
this locality, so much so that it was once extensively quarried for
mill stones on the opposite (east) side of the river. The Upper

* Ninety bushels were hauled to Fairchance Furnace, where it was coked under
direction or the Superintendent, R, L. Martin, who pronounced it a rair grade of coke.

UNION DISTRICT. 663

Frecpori coal lies about 10 ft. below the level of Cheat River at the
mouth of Bayles’ run, where our section ends. .

“ In passing up the river south-eastward from the ferry, the rocks

rise very_ rapidly toward the Chestnut Ridge axis, and the top of
No. XII makes its appearance above river level in a massive dam-
like Wall just below Mr. Ley’s, and not quite a mile above the ferry.
The intervening Lower Coal Jlfeasures are not well exposed [thick-
ness about 250 ft.]. The only coals in these measures here are the
Upper Freeporz‘, and one that comes about 160 ft. below it, being
1§—2 ft. thick, and very excellent coal. It is either the Middle or
Lower Kitzfa7zn£22g, most probably the latter. Above Mr. Ley’s, the
rocks rise about 400 ft.~4-50 ft. to the mile, and bring the top of the
Maztcli Chunk shales (No. XI)’above river level at the mouth of
Quarry run, a small stream that empties into the east bank of
Cheat, one mile and a half above Iee’s Ferry. It cuts a fine ex-
posure t-hrough No. XII, and in descending to the river along
its right bank this section was got (Sec. 2) :

1. Sandstone, massive, Ifomcwood, top of “ *1.‘
XII ............................................... . ..  E;
2. "Concealed ........................................ .. 40’ 
3. Very massive pebbly sandstone ........ .. '75’ 
I coal 0'10”) 5‘
4. Coal \ sandstone O’ 3”} Qua/ccrtozvn c0al?1’4” Llwpuz
, coal 0’ 3" . “
5. Black, slaty shale ...........................  10' 3
6. Sandstone, gray, massive ................ .. 20’ 3 :
7. Shale with streaks of coal ................ .. 1’ 303
8. Sandstone, gra_Vish—white, massive, 9%’
base of No. XII ............................. .. 15’ _ “T
9. Shales. green, containing I. ().,.top of “ $35
No.  20’ EE
10. Rod shales ........................................ .. 10’ 5 $3,
11. Grreenish sandy shales and flaggy sand— . W "
stone ............................................. .. 60’ , 300’
12. Concealed to mouth of old oil well g
boring .......................................... .. 25’ go
13. Flaggy sandstone and shales (Mr. Ley‘s 5'?
authority) in oil boring ...............  185’ J -‘
14. I/z7m,esto-ne, Umbral, Z|[0unta2772., &'c.... .. 85’
15. Sandstone, ( Vespertinc, No. X) to bot-
tom of  700’

“Immediately below this last stratum [No. 3], there comes a very
interesting little bed of coal which is quite persistent for many
miles along Cheat River, being generally separated into two lay-
ers by a. thin sandstone or shale. It [this vein] never gets thicker
than 2 ft. and seems to be quite pure, simulating the ‘block’ coals

664 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

in physical aspect. Since it appears to come at the same geological
horizon as the Qurakcsrto/wn coal of Lawence County, Penn., I have
doubtfully referred it to that bed. At the horizon of No. 9 occur val-
uable deposits of iron ore all along the Cheat river mountains on
each side of Chestnut Ridge, and they were formerly extensively
mined and used at the Henry Clay, Laurel, Green Spring and other
furnaces. It is known as the ‘Swislzer,’ and ‘lllountain’ Ore, and
was mined by both drifting and stripping, the bed sometimes at-
taining a thickness of two feet.

“No. 15 is very probably not all No. X, but the lower portion
doubtless penetrates the Caislcill or C'hcmung, if the former be ab-
sent as Prof. Stevenson claims.”

“ In passing up Cheat River from the mouth of Quarry run, the
rocks rise quite rapidly, and at one-half mile south-east from the
locality of the last section, all of the", Jlfauch Chunk shale, and
nearly half of the Jlfounmin Leimestonc have appeared above Water-
level, where on the left bank of Cheat, theyreveal. this succession
(Sec. 3) :

1. Sandstone, current-bedded . . . 10'} 5
2. Concealed . . . . . 15' mg
3. Red Shale . . . . . 10’ ED‘
4. Limestone, fossiliferous, impure . 8' I69
5. Shales, red and green . . . 15’ “
6. Shales, Inarly . . . . 5’ E‘
7. Limestone, grayish-white, massive . . 25’ E2
8. Shale, calcareous, very fossiliferous . 1’ mg
9. Limestone, massive, gray, to level of Cheat 

River (850’ A. T. by Bar) . I . 15'J 5:;

“Continuing south-eastwards up the river, the rocks still rise
with great rapidity, and at one mile and a half above the last
locality, only 25- miles from where the top of No. -XII first emerges
from the bed of Cheat, we get the following succession in descend-
ing the almost vertical wall on the right bank of the river (Sec. 4) :

1. Very massive pebbly sandstone 20']
2. Concealed . . . . . 80' $N0. XII.
3. Sandstone, massive, coarse . 20’ 165’
4. Concealed . . . . . 45' Q3
5. Shales and concealed . . 20' D‘;
6. Red shale . . . . . 10' Sg
7. Sandstone, greenish, current-bedded 165' W".:‘
8. Red, and green shales and concealed 50’ 295’
9. Limestone, impure . . . 10’ g.
10. Shales, green and red . . . 25: g>_
11. Flaggy sandstone and shales . 15 CD

12. Jlfozmtain limestone, in layers 1’—l0'
thick, separated by thin calcareous
shales . . . . A. 95'

UNION DISTRICT. 665

13. Sandstone, finely laminated. and con-

taining pebbles of limestone . 10’
14. ‘Silicious limestone,’ grayish-white 5’

15. Sandstone, flaggy . . . 10' N X
16. Sandstone, massive, pebbly, current- _ 0%‘, '
beddéd . . . . 80’ "‘

17. Concealed to level of Cheat River
(875 A. T.) . . . . 20

“About one-fourth mile above the last locality, another section
taken on the same (east) bank of Cheat River reveals the follow-
ing structure (Sec. 5):

1. Massive sandstone, and conglomerate,

making lower half of No. XII . 100’ CE
2. Concealed . . . . 50’ Es;
3. Sandstone, flaggy, and current-bedded 160' :3 o
4. Layers of breccia . . . . 2’ W?
5. Concealed and red shale 40’ 232 X1-
6. Limestone, impure . . . 5: :3‘
7. Red shale,-and concealed . . 35, 93
8. Jlfountam Limestone, visible . . 85 G’
9. Concealed . . . . 25'
10. ‘Silie/iou.9 Zaimestone,’ . . . 10'
11. Sandstone, massive, pebbly . 100’ NO_ X_
12. Concealed with flaggy sandstone at base .35’

13. Concealed to Cheat River (885’ A. T.) 150’

“It [Silicious Limestone, No. 10] is a light gray rock, containing
possibly 40-50 per cent of lime, and would make as good pavement
blocks as that from \Vestmorelan_d County, Penn., so extensively
used in Pittsburgh and vicinity. .

“ The rocks still rise quite rapidly south-eastwards as we approach
the Chestnut Ridge axis which crosses Cheat River about one mile
and a quarter above the locality of Sec. 5.

“About one-half mile south-east from the locality of the last sec-
tion, a small rivulet falls over the base of N o. XII. and completely
exposes the beds at the junction of No. XI. with the,.former, exhib-
iting the following in descending the steep east bluff of the river
(Sec. 6): '

1. Conglomerate, very massive . . 100’ _
2. Sandstone, coarse, few pebbles . 50' No. XII.
3. Sha1es.sandy,buff, contains some 1.0 20' 180’
4. Sandstone, massive, buff . . _ 10/ Q2
5. Shales,yellow,and g1'een,contains I.O 30' 3 g
6. Sandstone,greenish,soInewhatflaggy 140’ E c:
7. Layer of breccia. calcareous . 2’ "‘ 73'
8. Sandstone, green, flaggy . . 20' 293’
9. Layer of breccia, calcareous . 1’
10. Shales, red and green . . 45r ;
11. Limestone, impure . . . 10' 9;
12. Red .5-Ihzales, and flaggy sandstone . 45' <9"

666 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.
13. Mountain Limestone V 100'

14. ‘Silicious limestone’ and Pocono
sandstone . . . . 125' ‘No. X
15. Concealed to level of Cheat River 450' 575’

“Afew rods farther south from the last locality another meas-
urement of the beds gave this result (Sec. 7): .

1. Massive, pebbly sandstone . _ . 150' No. XII.
2. Shales and shaly sandstone, buff . 35" 185'
3. Shales, greenish, sandy . . . 30'
4. Sandstone, greenish-gray, flaggy . , 90’ OE
6. Red and green shales . . . 12’ Egg
6. Sandstone, greenish, massive at top, , :3 ca
flaggy and shaly below . . , 65' W?‘
7. B9-eceialed limestone . . 2’ ’299
8. Red and green shales . . . 25' m
9. Blue sandy shales, and green flaggy SS . 25' g

10. Limestone, impure, fossiliferous . 10' 5:

11, Red and green shales and sandstone . 40'; °

12. Mountain Limestone . . .

(a.) Massive limestone in layers 1’—5’ thick, ‘
sparingly fossiliferous . . 25’

(b.) Shaly limestone and calcareous shales, ,
very fossiliferous, especially rich in 11,
Productus, Spir2;fe7', At/Lg/7'£s, Lopho— ‘ "
phg/llum and Orvlnoidal columns . 5’

(c.) .Lz'm,es-tone, gray, good, few fossils . 45’

(d.) Shales and limestone . . . 35’

13. ‘lS'llic'£ou.s limestone,’ passing gradually

into sandstone below . . . 30’ No. X.

14. Sandstone, massive, pebbly, current- 605’

bedded, making cliffs . . . 100’ .
15. Concealed to level of Cheat River . 475'

“Here the ‘Silicious limestone ’ runs down into thevunderlying
sandstone to a depth of 30 feet and finally fades into sandstone so
imperceptibly that it is impossible to fix the line between the two.

“Just above this locality, about one-fourth mile, the Chestnut
Ridge Axis crosses Cheat River, four and a half miles from Ice’s
Ferry. At the latter locality, the top of N o. XII. is 300 feet under
the river, while here at its axis its top comes about 1,300 feet above
Cheat River, or 1,409 feet higher than at Ice’s Ferry, since the
stream falls nearly 100 feet between the two points.

“ Here at the crest of the axis, the Great Conglomerate makes a.
broad and gentle arch, being almost horizontal for nearly a mile
and a half. Its outcrop is traversed as usual by great intersecting
fissures, which are often 3 -to‘ 4 feet wide, and separate the stratum
into immense blocks, some of which, 50 feet on a side, have toppled
over into the steeplysloping edge of the canon, and look from a.

’ distance as though a slight push would dislodge them into the

great chasm beneath.”

UNION DISTRICT. _ 667

Within the bounds of this district is situated some his-
toric scenery, so beautiful and sublime as to instantly kindle
the artistic eye and fill with enthusiam every sympathetic
beholder. Prof. White gives a fine description of this at-
tractive region in his Notes, as follows :

“The scenery along the crest of this great arcl1 is the
grandest and most picturesque to be found on this river,
famous for its wildness for a distance of nearly 200 miles.
There are two points from which the outlook is especially
fine. One of these, known as

HANGING CLIFF VIEW,

is on the east side of the river and about one mile above

the locality of the last section. Here the river bends
sharply westward and a long, narrow ledge of No. XII.

sandstone, extends in a bold cliff far out into the main ‘

course of the canon. From this elevated point, the eye
takes in a radius of 25 to 30 miles for nearly three—quarters
of the horizon ; to the south-east one looks up through the
great gorges carved by the river out of Laurel Hill and
Briery mountain, to the vicinity of Rowlesburg (30 miles
distant), where on a clear day, the white puffs of steam and
smoke from the B. & O. R. R. engines may be distinctly
seen, as the heavily laden trains wind up the steep slopes
of the Alleghanies to Cranberry Summit, the lofty peaks of
whose surrounding mountains loom proudly against the
horizon ; to the west and north, the eye has an unobstructed
view down the canon and out over its fast receding”walls,
to the great plateau of the Coal Measures, whic«h"_sculptured
into endless forms of hill and dale stretches away to the
limit of vision, in delightful contrast to the rugged moun-
tains onthe east. Add to this the wild dash of the river
as it rushes along over its rocky bed more than a thousand

668 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

feet almost vertically below, disappearing in a silver thread
far up and down the canon, and we have a picture enchant-
ing in the extreme. The other point is

BRocK’s VIEW,

named in honor of the late Dr. H. VV. Brock, of the W. Va.
University, who first discovered the beauties of this portion
of the canon. It is on the opposite side of the river from
the Hanging Cliff, nearly one mile below, and is scarcely
inferior in grandeur to the latter.

“In descending from Hanging Cliff View to the river the
following structure is visible (Sec. 8):

. Concealed, with occasional showing
of limestone and shales . 6
. Concealed to level of Cheat river . 425'

1. Massive conglomerate . . 75'}_ No. XII.
2. Concealed to base of XII . 110'} 185’
I3. Concealed . . . . 190’) Mauch
4. Shales, red, green, 850., containing an Chunk
impure limestone just below centre 100’ 300'
5. Sandstone, greenish-gray, current- Shale
bedded . . . . 10'
3. Jlfountain Limestone 95’
8

“In descending from the same Hanging Cliff to a point
one-half mile further up the river, and just below the ‘Bea-
ver Hole,’ the following succession was observed (Sec. 9):

1. Massive conglomerate, visible . 65’ No. XII
2. Concealed to base of No. XII . . 120’ 185’
3. Concealed . . . . 60’
4. Sandstone, green, fiaggy . . 25’ Mauch
5. Concealed, but showing frequent out— Chunk
crops of green, flaggy sandstone . 195' 295'
6. Sandstone, green, massive, visible 5’ Shale.
7. Concealed, . . . . 10’
8. Mountain Limestone . . . 120'
9. ‘ Sclicious Limestone ’ . . 39’
10. Pocono sandstone, Inassive and pebbly

at top, hard and flaggy below to the
level of Cheat river . . .

425’
“The lllounzfain Limeszfone contains some extensive cav-
erns along Cheat river, and one not far from the locality of

this section has been named the

UNION DISTRICT. 669

' EAGLE CAVE,
from the fancied resemblance of one of its stalagrnitic accu-
mulations to the outspread of an eagle. It has been fol-
lowed into the mountain side for several hundred yards,
and those who have explored it, report some extensive
rooms in this cavern.”

At this point in the Notes the.Preston County line is
reached, and further descriptions are omitted as being for-
eign to the purpose of this work.

MOUND BUILDERS.

Some bones found on Cheat River, it is reported, would
indicate the presence of this race in Union, but beyond this
and the fact of their being on Cheat River, nothing definite
can be given or found.

INDIAN OCCUPATION.

The Indians used the district, like the rest of the county,
for a hunting ground. Stone—pile graves were once numer-
ous in the district. A very large and peculiar one is still
remaining on the lands of James P. McClaskey.

PIONEERS AND EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

From 1769 to 1777, we find the following persons making

settlements in Union 2

PIONEERS.

1768——David McNeal 1770-Wm. Stewart 1772-John Hoard
1769--Eph. Richardson 1770-Robert Lowther 1773——Samuel Ruble
1869--John Collins 1770--Moses Templin 1773—John Sulsor
1769--John Pierpont 1771—Joseph Barnett 1773——Thomas John
1770——Samue1 Sutton 177l—SamuelLevvel1in 1773—Roberl: Galloway

1770—Francis Warman 1772.~J ob Sims 1774—Robert Curry
1770-Thomas Craft 1772-J on. Reese 1774—Jacob Rogers
1770--Robt. Chalmbers 1772-—Jacob Clark 1776-—John McFarland
1770—Philemon Askins 1772—George Parker 1776-—Chas. Donaldson
1770—John Scott 1772——Thomas Evans 1776-John Daugherty

1770-Edmond ‘West 1772-William Norris
William Stewart and Thomas John settled near Stewart-

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WILLIAM PRICE.
See Page 287.

670 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

town; ‘John Pierpont one mile from Easton; Chalmbers
settled at Ice’s Ferry and sold to John Ramsey. The
early settlers called all of Union east of Cheat “Cheat
Neck,” on account of its great bend ; and all of Union west
of Cheat was called “Forks of Cheat.”

FORT DINWIDDIE.

This fort stood just beyond Major W. W. J ohn’s resi-
dence, and is supposed to have been sometimes called

Bogers’s Fort. It commanded a fine view, and was of some ’

size. Why it was called Dinwiddie no one knows. Tra-
dition has it that Indians once came to attack it from the
east side of Cheat, but that the river was so high that they
could not cross it. _

PIERPONT’S roar.

This fort was b.uilt on the Pierpont farm, and stood on
some spot between the residence of the Anderson heirs and
Pierpont’s church. One or two spots have been pointed
out as the site of the fort.

GROWTH FROM 1770 TO 1884.

From 1770 to 1808, the growth of‘ the territory of the
district was very slow. In the latter year, J ackson’s Iron
W'orl<s were commenced ; and, until 1850, the iron industry
accelerated the development of the district. Since 1850,
the grovvtli of the district has been gradual but slow, want
‘of transportation killing the iron industry.

Of the seven districts into which the county is divided,
Union is the third in size, and contains 38,590 acres; sixth
in population, containing 1,707 in 1880 ; seventh in wealth,
containing $511,087"Wortl1 of real and personal property
in 1883.

UNION DISTRICT. 671

CIVIL LIST-—-—MAG~ISTERIAL DISTRICT OFFICERS, 18524863.

JUsTIcIr.s.

1852. 1856. 1860;
Charles H. Burgess Charles H. Burgess William W. John
John M. Cobun . John Rude John Bowers
William Robinson William Donaldson William Donaldson
Seth Stafford James T. Mcclaskey James T. Moclaskey.

CONSTABLES.

1852‘. 1856. 1860.
Henry S. Coombs Isaac ‘F. Roby William Robinson
John Bly John Bly Thomas D. Hawker

TOWNSHIP OFFICERS, 1863-1873.

 

.nIsTIcEs.* M

1863. 1867 . 1871.
James T. McClaskey Elihu H. Ridgeway Elihu H. Ridgeway
Leonard Warman John N. Dawson John N. Dawson

coNsTAnLEs.1'

1863. 1867. 1871.
Joseph Hartman J . I. Swindler G. F. Moore
E. C. Donaldson A. D. Lyons —-

1865. 1869,
J . D. Colebank W. L. J aco
James Ferrell F. L. Stafford

svrnnvxsons.

1863——Greo. V.7Coombs 1866——Wm. Donaldson 1869—G. D. Ridgeway
1864-James Hare 1867--Wm. Donaldson 1870—VV. I. Vandervort

1865-Geo. V. Coombs 1868——G. D. Ridgeway 1871—I:Ienry S. Coombs

INSPECTORS OF ELECTIONS.
1863-—Joseph Smell l866—Jacob Newman 1869——Jacob Newman

Jesse Lewellen Jesse Lewellen Thos. M. Jarrett
1864——-Joseph Smell 1867——Jacob Newman 1870—Jacob Newman

Jesse Lewellen Jesse Lewellen Thos. M. Jarrett
1865—Joseph Smell 18G8—Jacob Newman 1871- Jacob Newman

Thos. M. Jarrett Jesse Lewellen Thos. M. Jarrett

OVERSEERS OF POOR.
1863—67'—John N. Baker 1867-72——Wi1liam‘ H. Stewart

TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1863-65——F. A. Coombs 1867—69—F. A. Coombs 1869-72—A. C. Rude
1865-67——-J. N. Dawson

‘Q

* 1865, E. H. Ridgeway, to I111 vacancy.
1 To fill vacancies: ‘.864, Owen Dunn and John Sheets; 1866, John Sheets and J. I.
Swlndler; 1868, W. L. Jaco; 1870, W. Fowler and J. L. Conn.

672 HISTORY OF .MO.'NONGALI‘A COUNTY.

TOWNSHIP rnzhsunnns.

1863-65—John Rude 1866——Joseph Smell 1869-—Wm. Donaldsiin
1865——-Enoch Moore 1867-69—A. C. Rude

DISTRICT OFFICERS, 1873—1884. ‘
JUSTICES. V A v ~;

*1872-—Johr N. Dawson 1876-Albert C.‘Rude V1880-—Geo. W. Laishleyl
Albert C. Rude Oliver {B-ayies E. H. Ridgeway
V ooNs'rABLE=i.
=‘-'~‘1872——W'm. E. Houston 1876—George  Moore 18S0—Wi11iarn Mack

 

. J. G." Phillips

V" F. L. Staflord ——
8 POLLING PLACES.

It seems the Court—house was the voting place until 1833,
when Ross’s and Jarrett’s were established as polls. ar-
rett’s was near John N. Baker’s,'l“ and was a poll until about
1852, when Loftus (now Dr. N. H. Tripplet’s) was estab-
lished in its place till 1864, when we find the poll at Bur-
gess’s; about 1865, it was moved to Bowers"i; store where.
it now is—seven and three-fourth miles nortl1—east from
Morgantown. 8

The poll - at Ross’s§ continued from 1833. till__1868, when

we find. it at Easton, where it now is.
STEWARTTOWN.”

Stewarttown lies along the west base of a high cone-like
hill surmounting along high ridge. It is seven miles north-
east from the ‘county-seat. The town was laid out by

‘Elected August 22, 1872, to take offlce January 1. 1873. .

’rJohn N. Baker is a. son or George Baker. 21 gunsmith, who came trom Lancaster,
Penn., to Morgantown about a hundred years ago. He owned and lived in a log house
where John H. Hoffmarrs residence is. He married Elizabeth Norris and had ten
daughters and two sons—-George and John N. John N. married Nancy, daughter 0:
George Norris. Their chiidren are: Frances -E., wife or Dr. Geo. B. Morris; Levarah
G., wife of Dr N. H. Tripplett; Harriet, wife of John H. Bowers; Andrew C. and John
Henry.

ItJohn H. Bowers came from near New Geneva, Penn., in 1840, and married Levarah 4

G. Baker. He started his present store in 1862.

§ Enoch Rom came about 1813, and married Elizabeth Miller. Their ‘son, Robert 0'.
Ross, lives on-the home farm, about tour miles from Morgantown.

I It seems that Mldd18t0WI1 at fiI‘Sl3 was intended for the name Of the ISOWII.

UNION DISTRICT. 673

Charles Stuart * (now written Stewart) soinetinie before
1815. On May 8th of that year, he sold lots Nos. 8, 9, 10
and 11 on the west side of the main road _in the new town,
to John Rhodes for the sum of $300. On I*‘el>1'ua1'Q' 27,
1816, he sold lot No. 7 to Daniel Stewart for $100 ; and on
the 11th of March, Charles Stuart and J ane his wife sold to
Christian Pixler for  “three half-acre lots, on the town
called l\Iiddletown (by some called Stuarts Town)”. They
were lots Nos. 2, 3 and 4. .

In May, 1819, Lemuel John (f-a.ther of Lancelot John)

opened the first store, and Joeeph Victor sold goods for hiin.

From the store day-book we quote the following prices :

()oi’1”ee, 50 eerits 1b.; calico, 62,‘: cents a y-a,rd; it twist of tobacco,

6% cents; fine conib, 31%; sugar, 18} per 11).; muslin, 75 (-ents per
yd..: il Seytlie, $2.50 ; a iiiitiiieg cost 12 cents, while ('<)p1)e1.'-as‘ aiul
indigo sold at $4 per lb. 0 '
Afterward He111*y1lVise brought a stock of goods to the
town. ‘About 1836, John ‘V. Sturgis kept a store; aliout
1839, J ohns &" Evans, whose store burnt. John Evans and
one \Vithe1'0w were storekeepers in the place. In 1854, A. J.
Stewart kept a store, followed, i11 11855, by A.  Stewart,
whose store burnt. Then came H. S. Coombs, John
Hogans, one \Vegley, John I. Conn, — Coombs, Dr. G. ‘V.
John, E. ‘V. St. Clair, and, in . 1876, Snyder & St. Clair (E.
M. Snyder and E. W’. St. Clair).

' Charles Stuart was the son or 'Williani Stuart, who was born in County Cork, Ire-
land, in 1727, and came, in 1745, to Lancaster County, Penn., and, in 1750, married
Elizabeth Givens. They came out to Monongalia about 1770, with their family of three
children: 1. John, who settled on Stewart’s run, Grant District; 2. Nancy, who mar-
ried Robert Parks and Went to Ohio; 3. Charles, who rode a yearling calt across the
mountains. They had five more children: 4. Robert, who went to Kentucky, and was
a scout and hunter under Boone; he married a Miss Dunlavy, sister of Louis Dunlavy,
the head of the Shaker Society of Kentucky; Daniel and Alexander, who were twins ;
5. Daniel was a captain in the War of 1812, and married Ann Kelso; 6. Alexander‘, in
1794, married Rachel Brown, and went to Fayette County, Penn., and one of their sons,
William, inarried Belinda John, and one or their sons is A. J. Stewart, oi’ Sniitlilleld,
Penn; 7. Elizabeth, who married Jaines Bennett; 8. Sarah, who married 'l‘homa.~3 Mc-
Kinley.

43

674 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Among the physicians here we have account of Spencer
Morris, Daniel Wacle, G. VV. John, A. P. Stewart, one Has-
son, Hugh Davenport and Frank John.

The postinasters have been Daniel VVitherow (1850),
Amanda John, G. W. John, Nicholas Blosser, Amanda
John, E. TV. St. Clair (1869), E. M. Snider (1876).

Owen John kept a tavern for years, followed by H. S.
Coombs and others. In 1849, Col. L. H. Jenkins carried on
tailoring. .

\Vant of an outlet to market has caused Charles Stua.rt’s*
town to improve slowly.

E. A. Haldeman established his wagon and buggy factory
in March, 1877. He is a native of Fayette County, Penn.
The capacity of his shop is fifty vehicles per year. Mr.
Haldeman is a good workman and an energetic man.

Robison’s tannery was built, over sixty years ago, by
Casper Orth, who sold it, in 1831, to William Robison (the
son of James Robison), who married Miss McCra. James
Robison came from Grant District. His wife was Elizabeth
O’Neal. He died in 1877, and his son, W. ‘V. Robison, en-
larged the tannery, which now consists of two tWo—story
buildings——one 40x20 feet and the other 40x28 feet; capac-
ity, 1000 hides per year. ‘

The town contains the following residents: Mrs. Susan
Lewellin, John Cunningham, E. M. Snyder, postmaster,

Daniel O’Grady,' stone mason, E. A. Haldeman, wagon '

*Charles Stuart married his cousin Jane. Their children Were: William, Robert, ,

John, Nancy, Montgomery, Isabel Blosser, Sallie Kilwine, and Elizabeth. Charles
Stuart finally sold his property, and Went to the region or the Little Kanawha River,
where he died at the age of 83. Soon after the Revolution, Charles Stuart had two
uncles (brothers of his 1‘ather—Cl1ar1es and Robert) who came out. Char1es’s children
Were: William, Robert, John, Charles, Rebecca, Jane and Mary. Robert Was an
English grenadier in'Cana"tla.’ His children were: George, John, Robert, Samuel. and
three aaughteis, all of whom Went to Indiana.

UNION DISTRICT. 675

maker, Nicholas Blosser, blacksmith, and A. Dilliner, who
resides in the old Owen John""‘ house, and is a lumber

dealer.
EASTON.

This village is three miles east of Morgantown on the edge
of Union District. It consists of a store, a mill and several

* Thomas and Sibilla John came irom Wales to Chester County, Penn., about 1745.
They had eight children: 1. William; 2. Catharine, who married Jeremiah Stillwell
and died in Bediord, Penn. Her children were : Nancy, John, Obadiah, Elias, Thomas,
James, Jeremiah, Sibllla, Rachel, Catharine and Marion; 3. David; 4. Thomas, who
remained in Chester. His children Were: Sarah, John, Priscilla, Mary, James,
Catharine, Thomas, Lemuel, William, Elizabeth, and Jeremiah; 5. One who died
while crossing the Atlantic; 6. John; 7. James; 8. Lemuel.

John John, the sixth child, William, the first, James, the seventh, and Lemuel, the
eighth, came out to Monongalia about 1771 or 72. Afterward David, the third son,

,~ca1ne out also. John John took up and purchased 2000 acres or land in 1772. He was

unmarried, went into the Revolutionary War, and was never heard or afterward.
William became heir-at-law to 1000 acres or his land, and James, Lemuel and David to
the other thousand. David, the third, died young. His children were: Sabilla,
Catharine, Lemuel, Mary, Elizabeth and Fanny, who are all gone from the county or
dead.

Lemuel John, the eighth son, married iihehama Kirkhart and settled near where
Joseph Smell lives, in 1772. They had no children.

James, the seventh son, settled on the head-waters of Camp’s run (on land now
owned by Lancelot John). He married Mary Williams. Their children were: Thomas,
Sibilla, John, Mary, William, David, James and Lemuel. James remained from 1772
till 1788, when he built a boat and went down the Ohio to the mouth or the Miama.
River and settled. Ills descendants are about Dayton, Ohio.

William John, the Ilrst son, married Mary Davies (when they were both children
they came over on the same ship from Wales). He settled on the head of Kane’s run.
Their children were : Jane, Miller, who went to Ohio ; Thomas, who went to Missouri;
Lewis, who married a Weltner; Lemuel, Owen, Rebecca, who married Reuben Brown;
Mary, and William, who married Mary l\'lc\'icl<er and died here. \\‘illiam’s children
were : Owen, Mary A. Evans, Dr. G. W. John, Amelia, Elizabeth St. Clair, Jane Franks
and J. Madison.

Mary married Enoch Evans who came from Greene County, Penn., about 1805. Their
children Were: William, Sarah Ross, Mary Cobun, George W., Caroline Harris, Eliza
Reppart, Enoch J. (generally called “Jack Evans,” and who now resides on the home-
stead farm), and Eugenius.

Owen married Elizabeth McVicker; children: Belinda Stewart, Mary .Vliller, Caro-
line Miller, Major W. W. John (oi! near Stewart-town), Eliza Stewart, B. Franklin,
Amanda Dilliner and Virginia l)i1liner.

Lemuel John (who had the first store at Stewarttown) married Susannah Fretwell,
oi‘. Fauquler County, Va. Their children were: William F., Thomas J., Lancelot (of
near Stewarttown), Lemuel N., Agnes, Chapman, Pascal, Asbuiy and Christy Ann.

In the old Baptist ‘purying-ground, near Lancelot John’s, are buried the following
persons of the John family and their kin, remarkable for longevity 2

William John, died 1814; aged 71 Owen John, died 1808; aged 8)
Jeremiah St-illwell, “ 1821; “ 80 Enoch Evans, “ 1874; “ 96
Elizabeth Weltner, “ 1835; “ 84 Mary Evans, “ 1880; “ 89
John McFarland, “ 1839; “ 90 Elizabeth John, “ 1883; *‘ 92

Mary John, “ 1846; “ 94 Elizabeth Stewart, “ 1883; “ 84

676 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

dWelli11g—houses. A post—oflice was established July 9, 1860,
at Charles Lewelle11’s; was moved, in 1863, to James
House’s,”“' and then to the store at Easton, built and owned.
by Thomas ‘V. Anderson, who became and is still postmas-
ter; assistant postmaster, E. S. Stewart. ‘Dr. Charles
McLane s11ggeste(l the name Easton for the post-oflice
because it is east of Morgantown.

The store after An<:lerson, was kept by Charles Franks,
about 1876 ; then St. Clair & Snyder ; Moser & Lynch,
1878; Shay & Bayles, 1879 ; Rock Forge & Easton Grange
Association, 1880-83; April, 1883, ‘V. I. Vandervort & Co.,
a farmers’ store; salesmen, E. S. Stewart and Elza Stewart.

The mill was built by Henry Koontz, in 1874, and then
came in the possession of ‘VIII. Andersonxl‘ David Savage
was miller in 1882. The present miller is B. M. Lee. It is
a large steam mill ; capacity, 120 bushels a day.

Samuel F. Kelley is the proprietor of the blacksmith shop
in Easton. He corninenced business in April, 1880.

The residents of the town are: Jackson Blaney, M. F.
Conwell, Lock Stewart (cooper), V. Fleming, VVilliam Mack,
S. F. Kelley (blacksmith), Mrs. Hart-man, Robert Holyfield,
\Villiam Johnson and 1V. R. Staflbrd.

Easton Grange, No. 390, Patrons of Husbandry, was or-
ganized here in 1878, with about twenty-five members and
held meetings in the upper part of the store-room till 1882.

R 0 A I) s.

The main road is the Morgantown and Bridgeport Turn-

 

* J nines House came from Springhill Township, Fayette Co., Penn., in 1842. He mar-
ried Dianna Ross.

1‘ Wm. Anderson came from County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1818, to Maryland; then to
near Easton, in 1852. He 1narr1e<l Ellen Wright, and after her death, Elizabeth
Coombs. One of his sons, Thomas W., is postmaster; another, John C., is secretary oi
the Board or 'Er111catioi1 of Union District. They are sons by his second wife.

UNION DISTRICT. 677

pike (generally called the Morgantown and Uniontown pike),
entering the district at Easton and running to the Pennsyl-
vania line. It is located Very near an old road used seventy-
five years ago. The Masontown‘ and Independence Turn-
pike, called the Ice’s Ferry and Tunnelton Turnpike, runs
from the first named road into Clinton District. A county
road runs from Morgantown, 2.‘z'r.z Stewarttown, to the Penn-
sylvania line on Cheat. A road from Ross’s of one mile con-
nects this road with the pike at Easton. Besides these
roads Various district roads run in every direction. In 1882,
Union District was divided into five road precincts. The

court appointed the following surveyors:

P2'eczT)z.c!. .S’zu'2>e_2/(Jr. , I’rcc1'nct. . Szuweg/01'
No. 1 .......... ..James Robison No. 4 .......... ..‘»V. E. Houston.
“ 2 .......... ..M. F. St. Clair “ 5 .......... ..James Beatty
“ 3 .......... ..Gr. F. C. Hartman
M I L L S .

The first mill in the district was built by Samuel Ruble,*
who came in 1773. It was a tub—1nill. His son Jacob tore
down this mill and built an overshot mill, attaching a card-
ing machine. It burnt down in .1822, and he built again;
and into this mill, in 1840, burrs were placed. In 1823, an
attempt was made to rob and murder Jacob Ruble by Ned
Casedy, Isaac Rodgers, and Black Nick (a negro Hercules),
which caused great excitement at the time. The following
account of it was given the Writer by Jacob Ruble, Jr.:

On a. Deceniber day, toward evening, whilst Jacob Ruble was at
work on his mill, a few _V‘rL1‘(l:3 from his dwelling—house, and while
Ruth Ruble was leaving the house, Isaac Rodgers came to buy
whiskey. Ruth told him to go to Ruble at the mill. Not lieeding
her, he kept on, goingj into tl1e liouse. Ruth followed him, and

* Samuel Ruble Inarrled a Jennings, of Turkey Foot (now Confluence, Penn.). His
only son who reached manhood was Jacob Ruble whoin:11'1'ie(1 Ruth Rhodes. They
had eight children : Joshua, Samuel, William, J zxcob, .\Iary, ‘Ruth and Samli Jane the
wire or John Q‘. Saddler. ‘

678 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

gave him the whiskey. He watched where she put the money he
paid her. As he went out the children noticed him feel up and
‘down the door to see if there was a lock on it, which they told their
mother. The house contained a large room running clear across it,
and two bed-rooms back of it, a door opening into each from the
front room. In one of these the children slept ; in the other, Ruble
and his wife, and in which stood a case of drawers, into one of
which Ruth threw the money Rodgers paid her among some other
coi.ns and some watch chains, making considerable rattling. In
some smaller drawers above were one thousand dollars in silver.
The whiskey also was kept in this room. R

At night, some of the children being sick, Ruth Ruble went in to
sleep with them. Ruble was sleeping by himself in the room where
the money was kept. About 12 o’clock, Ruth, on awakening,
beheld three men in the room. One of them in a whisper told her
to keep still or they would kill her. Leaving the room (which they
had entered by mistake), they left the negro to guard her. Casedy
and Rodgers entered the room where Ruble was sleeping. Ruble
was a resolute, fearless man ; tall, powerful and we1l—propo1-tioned,
and would weigh over 200 pounds. They proceeded to the drawer,
and, grappling in the dark for the money, rattled the chains, which
awakened Ruble. Rodgers grasped him by the throat, saying to
Casedy, “ Shoot hi1n—why don’t ye shoot him! ” Casedy snapped
a horse-pistol twice at his head. Ruble broke Rodgers‘s hold and
rose up, when Casedy hit him on the head with the butt of the pis-
tol, cutting his head badly and partly stunning him. Ruble threw
up one hand to his head, and then against the wall, where the
bloody print may yet be seen. Both villains instantly grabbed
him. They struggled into the outer room, across it to the open
door, and into the yard. Ruble had recovered from the stunning
effect of the blow, and they could not throw him. The negro left
ofi' watching Ruth while the men were scuffling, and ran up and

A grasped Ruble. Rodgers said, “Stab him!” Casedy drew a long

knife from his coat, which he had borrowed from Morg G-askill a
few days before. tuble, standing quiet in the grasp of Rodgers and
Black Nick, with a quick kick sent the knife out of Casedy‘s hands,
and, with a surge, fell on a table standing in front of him. The
table t11rned over with him and Rodgers and Black Nick, which

UNION DISTRICT. 679

broke their grasp of Ruble, who sprang up and ran toward the mill
for a handspike. As Ruble went over the table, Ruth came run-
ning out the door with an axe, which she had seized the moment
Black Nick left her bedside. She struck Casedy with it in the back,
and Rodgers, who gained his feet  she struck Casedy, seized it out
of her hand, and, swinging it, aimed a murderous blow at her
head. Ruble’s dog came up barking from an out-house and sank
his teeth into Rodgers’s leg, causing him to let the axe fly wide off
its mark and out of his hands. Ruth ran back into the house and
commenced blowing a couch shell, which she grasped from the
wall. Black Nick and Rodgers grabbed Casedy, who had stag-
gered to his feet, and, half dragging and half carrying him, hurried
around the corner of the house in retreat, just as Ruble was return-
ing with the handspike from the mill. The whole struggle from
the time Rodgers grasped Ruble in bed until they took to flight
lasted not over four minutes. Ruble never uttered any cry for
help. He found the knife the next morning in the yard. Gaskill
identified it and told to whom he had loaned it. Rodgers was gone
the next morning, and was never seen in the country again.
Black Nick confessed, but was not arrested, as he had been led on
by Casedy and Rodgers.

Tradition has it that John Ramsey had a mill on the site

of Samuel J ackson’s log mill, which, with a log dam, VVilliam
Donaldson”"‘ thinks was built about 1800.

Samuel Jackson’s son Josiah built the stone mill (still
standing, but not used) on the site of the log mill. I In 1820,
he built a frame dam costing $7000, which went out in 1859
for want of repairs. Below this mill about seventy-five
yards, the Pridevale Company built a frame mill which
burned. The present mill was built by Smyth, Chess & Co.
The present log dam was built by David Chess, in 1860, and,
with repairs to the mill, cost $22,023.()8.

Harrison Staffoiwl, some forty years ago, built a mill for

" William Donaldson is a son of Jzunes Donaldson, who was a son of (7l1z1l‘lPS Donald-
son who settled in 1776. He killed a wolf over 60 years ago in Ifnion, and received $2.50
for its scalp.

680 HIS'I‘OItY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

grinding corn, at the mouth of Quarry run. Rode’s flouring

mill was built between Ice’s and Stafi’ord’s ferries. Jacob

Ruble, J 1'., built a mill on Cheat, now gone.

MAIL SEI’»VI(?E.

There are two mail routes through the district: one from
Morgaiitowii to Fairchance, Penn., with Easton and Laurel
Iron 1Vorks post-offices on it; and the other from Morgan;
town to Smithfield, Penn, with Stewarttown post-office on
it. The postmasters at these offices are given under Stew-
arttown, Easton and J acl:son’s Iron 1Vorks.

F E 121: I E s.

The liigliest ferry on Cheat was the upper Stafibrd Ferry
at the mouth of Quarry run, kept by Harrison Stafford,
forty years ago. The next is Ice’s Ferry, established in
1785, with Andrew Ice* proprietor, and through a t_ypo—
graphical error recorded “Andrew J ee’s ferry.” 7 Ice, in
1799, leased the ferry for five years to John Henthorne.
Nicholas Vandervort and Cornelius McShane had it before
1852; George James, 1853; Thomas M. Jarrett, Thomas
Hawkins, 1855; Samuel James, 1859 ; James Hoard, 1863',
Rufus E. Weaver’, 1865; ——- Benson, 1866 ; George ‘V. Rob-
inson ; and from 1877 to the present, Isaac Hastings.

The next ferry was Charles Magill’s (the maternal grand-
father of Isaac Hastings) at J ackson’s Iron \Vorks, estab-
lished in 1806. Below this came Stafl'ord’s Ferrxf, established

* Tradition states that Frederick Ice was the fatlier of Andrew Ice and of Adam Ice,
born in 1769, and said to liave been the iirst white child born west of the Alleghany
Mountains; and that when Washington, in 1784, was on the Monongahela examining"
the Country to see if a canal could be made from the Potomac to the Mononga-
hela, the party one day came across Andrew Ice. Wasliington asked Ice it a canal
could he cut from the head waters of the Potomac to the head waters of Cheat. Ice,
who did not know Wasliingtoii, answered, No. Washington repeated the question,
and Ice. siirveyingr him, replied with an oath, “ Stranger. you ’re a mighty tine looking
man. but you or no other man is a fine enough looking to do such a thing.”

UNION DISTRICT. 681

in 1805. The next was James Clelland’s, established in
1792. Clelland had a large family. His sons were : Fran-
cis, Alexander, James Larkin and John; daughters: Sally
Robison, Peggy, Drusilla, Nancy, Rhoda, Mary Collins,
Susanna Hall and Ann Hall. '

The last ferry on Cheat in the county is the “Lime
Ferry,” or Lewellin’s Ferry, situated where the I’ennsyl-
Vania line crosses Cheat. It was opened by Samuel Lew-
ellin""‘ at an early day—~probably in 1785 or 90, but there is
no record. The ferry has been kept by Samuel Lewellin,
the Sulsors, Jonathan Jordan, Aaron Brooks, IVilson Jen-
kins, Jesse Lewellin (1851-71), and by Jacob Conn, from
1871 to the present time. Just by this ferry is a Very deep
hole, called “Sulsor’s Hole,” from a Sulsor being drowned
in it in an attempt to touch its bottom by divingxl‘

On the Monongahela River is Lewis Stone’s Ferry at the
mouth of Crooked run, established in 1883, a11d Collins’s
Ferry at the mouth of Robinson’s run, established in 1791,
which will be described in Cass District. Near this ferry,
in Union District, stands an old log house (now owned and
occupied by Amos Gapen), which, tradition says, is the
oldest house in the county,—that it was built by Col. Scott
in 1776, and that on the (lay the house was raised the
news of the Declaration of Independence was received.

* Samuel Lewellin (the name is written Lewellen by some of the family, and probably
was originally Llewellyn) was here before 1770. or his children we have no account
further than his eighth son, called Doctor (from, being the eightli son). Doctor’s
children were Asa, father of Jesse Lewellln; Jesse, Zadoc, '.l‘hom:1s, Joseph, Benjamin,
Alexander, Patty, Ruth, Mary, "Matilda, Louisa and Julia.

1‘ In this same hole a negro named “ Glasglow,” who weighed less than 100 pounds,
was drowned. He was supposed to be over 100 years old. Tradition says that he
could (live under water with a. large kettle over his head and eat six roasting ears
before coming up to the top of the water; and also that he could (live on one bank of
Cheat, at lce’s Ferry and come up on the other bank.

682 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

JAcKsoN’s IRON wonus.

In addition to the account given on pages 255-258, we
have secured the following: Samuel J ackson,”“‘ as early as
May 17, 1804, advertised bar iron for cash, “Wheat, rye,
corn, beef, pork, tallow, beeswax, country linen, flax and
hemp, at a generous price.” So far as we can gather, the
following have been the names of the owners and operators
of these Works:

CHEAT IRON \VORKS.——1804, Samuel J ackson; then Josiah J ack-
son; May 22, 1828, Lazier, Byard 8: C0. (rented); Huston (rented);

. and then Josiah Jackson again; Nov. 16, 1835, Tassey, Morrison 85

Sainrile ; April 22, 1839, Evan T. Ellicott & Brothers.

TAIIXTON IRON \VoRKs.~1849, J. Tassey 8: Co.

M0.\'ONGrALIA IRON \VORKS.—-Jan. 23, 1851, Rutherford, Hersey,
Tassey & Gray; Dec. 29, 1852, McKay & Kelvey.

PRIDEVALE IRON \VORKs.——Marc11 5. 1854, “Pridevale Iron Coin-
pan_V,’”r chartered; June 30, 1856, D. J. Perry, assignee selling of
stock.

LAUREL IRON WoRKs.—1~‘eb. 13, 1858, “The Laurel Iron and Coal
Coinpany,”3§ chartered; Dec. 23, 1863, sold to Robert Smith for
Syinth & Chess; 1863, John Kelley (rented); 1867’, Loyd 8: Lawson
rented the furnace; 1868, David Chess made the last iron; 1876-84,
J olwn N. Dawson, superintendent.

From December 23, 1863, the firm of Sinyth & Chess
have owned the Works. B. F. §1nyth, Sin, and David Chess
are dead, but their heirs own the works, and the firm name

is still Sinyth & Chess.

* Samuel Jackson and his Wife Rebecca lived at the mouth of Redstone creek in
Pennsylvania. Their children were: John, Samuel, Rebecca, Jesse, Susannah (Wife 01!
James Updeginff), Ruth (wife of Henry Dixon) and Josiah.

T “ Pridevale Iron Company ”—Samuel Mclielvcy, John G. Holbrook, Ira Hersey and
others, to manufacture iron and other articles; capital stock, $100,000 to $1,000,000;
shares, $100; lands limited to 20,000 acres in Moiioiigalia and Preston counties.

i “ The Laurel Iron and Coal Company ”—Mere<litl1 Clymer, John W. Seymour, R. C.
Winterhoff and others, to mine coal and minerals; capital stock, $100,000 to $1,000,000 ;
shares, $50; Charles Carville and John A. Winterhoff to receive subscriptions ; lands
Limited to 15,000 acres in Monongalia and Preston counties. ‘

UNION DISTRICT. 683

John N. Dawson,”"‘ superintendent of the works, furnishes
the following section of minerals on the lands of the com-
pany, the distances being mostly approximated : '

1. Pittsburgh Coal . 9 feet. 12. Coal . . . 25 feet.
Space of about 4 feet. Space of about2 feet.

2. Clippart Iron Ore 2 “ 13. Iron Ore . . . — “
Space of about 25 feet.

3. Iron Ore . . 2 “ 14.“ Limestone . . — “
Space of about 40 feet. Space of about 25 feet.

4. Iron Ore . . —— “ 15. Ice’s Ferrv Fire Clay —— “
Space of about 20 feet. Space of about 25 feet.

5. Limestone . . . 8 “ 16. Kirke Coal . . 2% ‘
Space of about 30 feet Space of about 2 feet.
containing coal Vein.

6. Hastings Iron Ore . 1%} “ 17. Iron Ore . . 2 ‘
Space of about 40 feet. Space of about 50 feet.

7. Buck Coal . . 3 “ 18. Stratford Iron Ore . — “
Space of about 11 feet. Space of about 75 feet.

8. Snake ])en Iron Ore — “ 19. Darnell Iron Ore . 3 “
Space of about 50 feet. Space of about 40 feet.

9. Fire Clay . . 8 “ 20. Martin Iron Ore . 1% ‘
Space of about 50 feet. Space of about 75 feet.

10. Haines Iron Ore . 2 “ 21. Red Belt Iron Ore . 1
Space of about 30 feet. _ Space of about 100 feet.
11. Coal 4 “ 22. Big Vein Limestone '75 “

Spaceiof about 25 feet.

All the above minerals have been worked. The Olippart
ore, No. 2, is known as the “Oliphant ” or “Blue Lump
Ore.” It occupies a space of about five feet in three dis-
tinct layers. The miners call the top layer the “Big Blue
Lump,” the middle layer the “Condemned Flag,” and the
lower layer the “Big Bottom.” Between No. 5 and No. 6 is
a small vein of coal, varying from 6 inches to 3 feet. No.
10 is known as the “Hardman Ore.” Nos. 12, 13 and 14
occupy a space of about 11 feet, and are often worked
together. No. 15, “Ice’s Ferry Fire Clay,” made a brick
that brought five dollars more on the thousand than the
celebrated Mt. Savage fire-clay brick. No. 19 is known as
the “BigVHoney-comb Ore,” a11d No. 20 as the “Little
Honey—comb Ore.” All of these ores, coals, limestone and
fire-clay can be Worked on a single hill side, and all come
down one incline.

* John N. Dawson was born nea1'OFrostburg, Md. 7; came to Freston County in 1847,
and removed to Monongalia in 1854; served four years as justice of the peace; became
superintendent Laurel Iron Works In 1876.

684 HISTORY» OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The strata in Monongalia here seem to rise to the south
and south-east, while just across the ridge in Preston
County the rise is to the north and north-east. Specimens
of the Darnell and Martin ores have analyzed 60 per cent ;
and 2% tons of the Martin and Clippart ores at Springhill
Furnace, Pennsylvania, made one ton of metal.

LAUREL IRON WORKS POST-OFFICE.

This post-ofiice was established before 1846, by the name
of the Ice’s Ferry P. 0., and Evan T. Ellicott is said to have
been the first postmaster. In 1846, John Bowers kept it,
then Calvin Holmes (1850). It was then moved from the
Works to Thomas J. Duvall’s, who kept it; in 1851, it was
kept by Anthony Loftus 011 the site of the present oifice.
He was succeeded by Duvall, and Duvall by John Conn.
In 1857-8, the name was changed to Laurel Iron Wbrks P.
0., and John G. Kelley is said to have been postmaster.
Conn succeeded Kelley; and, on December 25, 1865, Dr. N.

i H. Tri.plett,""‘ the present post-master, took charge.

SUMMER RESORTS.

The waters of Cheat for several years have attracted large
numbers of people from the cities every summer. Large
parties often come out and camp during the heated term,
for three or four Weeks:

Caazzj) Erlezz, is a favorite camping place, about half a

1

mile above C. S. Ley’s, at the mouth of Quarry run.

TH E L o C K .
Lock and Dam No. 9 was completed September 29, 1879,

*Nathaniel Hoffman Tripiett was born in Allegheny County, Md.,1n 1822; read
medicine with Dr. L’. L. Clemmer; married Levarah G. Baker, and is practicing under
a State certificate. He is the only Eclectic physician in the county.

UNIoN DISTRICT. 1 685

at Hoztrd’s* Books on the Monongahela River, and when
No. 7 and No. 8 are completed below it, the river will be
slackecl‘ to Morgantoxvn.

PROJECTED RAILWAYS.

“The Uniontown &' ‘Vest Virginia l?tztil1'oa<l” was char~
terecl in 1869, to pass by Ice’s Ferry to Morgztntown (see
page 110). “The Pennsylvanizt & ‘Vest Va. Railway” was
chartered in 1870, to run from where Rnble’s run crosses
the State line to Morgztntown (see page 111). Several
railways have bee11 projected. up the Monongahela River, on
the east side, through Union District (see pages 110 to 124).

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

The oldest church in 1VestVirginia west of the Alleghany
Mountains is the it

F07"/as of (7/wzuf ])’(Z]72fi..\'t (7/4/urn/z.—At a monthly meeting
held in September, 1775, by the Great Bethel Church at
Uniontown, Penn., it was

“1.’cs0Zvcd, That our Brethren in the Forks of Cheat be granted
their request of a constitution.” _

The church was constituted by the Rev. John Corbly,
November 5, 1775, with twelve members. 4 VVe quote the
old church record (now in possession of Lancelot John):

“The Constitution of the Church, Nov. 5, 1775, Consisting of
Twelve Members, Namely, Sam. Lewellen (Chosen Elder), John
McFarland (Deacon), Thos. Mills, Thos. Evans, Joseph Bolting—
house, Hannah Lewellen, Susannah McFarland, Martha Mills_
Catharine Evans, Elizabeth Jackson, \Vn1. John and —— ,
\Vhich gave themselves to the Lord" and to one another by the
will of God and the care of the Church.”

* John Hoard came from Fauquler County, \'a., between 1760 and 70; bought land
here which had been taken up by one Everly; married 3, Snyder; died of small pox ;
had four children: Margaret Everly, Elizabeth A. Martin, Sarah, and James the
father of John, J nines, William and Aaron B.

686 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY

In 1778, Rachel Pindall, Dawson and Mrs. Dawson, Mas-
sie Kazad, David Scott and Stephen Hardin became mem-
bers; 1781, Samuel Bowen, Owen Davis, William John,
VVilliam Stewart, Philip Rogers, Sarah Bowen, Letitia Davis,
Jacob Jacobs, Ann Teabaugh A and Hannah Jacobs joined;
1782, Charles Bennet, Richard Cain, Jane Cain, James John,
Mary John, Elizabeth Stewart and Elizabeth Scott were
added to the church.

The first church building was a log cabin, which was
built before 1781, at the old Baptist burying-ground above
Lancelot J 0hn’s, on the Morgantown and Stewarttown road.
In 1803, \Villiam John, Samuel Bowen, Richard Cain and
John McFarland agreed to hew the logs for a new church
building, 26x22 feet and 12 rounds high. It stood near the
old" church, and was used until 1832, when the present
brick church (40x30 feet) was commenced. The two log

churches were used for school purposes.

From 1775* to 1883 the church has attained a total mem-
bership of nearly 500; present membership, about 100.
LIST or MINISTERS, 1775-1884.
1775. John Corbly 1843. Anthony Garrett 1867. 1). WV. Rogers

1788 to 1804. no record Gr. F. C. Conn 1871. \Vm. Fourtney
1808. John Hickman Garrett Patton 1872. J no. A. Simpson
1811. John Patton 1845. Charles Parker 1874. D. \V. Rogers
1824. ~——- Mellet 1848. Samuel Kendall 1874. S. N. Rogers
1830. John Thomas 1849. Gr. F. C. Conn 1876. Robert Miller
1833. ——~ Griffith 1854. S. L. Parcel 1878. M. D. Lee

1837. J. B. Tisdale 1859-61. Gr. VV. Hertzog 1879. J. C. Jordan
1842. William \V0od 1864. A. B. Pendleton 1880. E. P. Brand

In 1830, John McFarland and Daniel Medsear were cho-
sen deacons; 1833, John Pixler, VVillian1 Bennett and

" There is nothing on the records of the Great Bethe] Church, now in possession of D.
M. Hertzog, at Unlontown, Penn., to show who were the members dismissed to form this
church. From these records we find that in October, 1772, Hannah Lewellen, Martha
Mills, Thomas M1115, Richard Cain and ‘Jane Cain were received by baptism into that
church.

‘ UNION DISTRICT. 687

Alexander Clelland elected deacons. Church clerk since
1851, Lancelot John. In conclusion, of this church we
quote from Lancelot J olin’s sketch of it in 1873 :

“Her ‘records’ written here and written in -Heaven, tell of dark
trials and persecutions, but her hope looks out to the brightening
future with trustful faith in Him who has been her help and her
strong deliverer.”

Jlet/zodist Episcopal C’/mrc/:.——Union District is in the
Morgantown Circuit. There are two M. E. Churches: Pier-
pont’s* and the Fletcher near Woodg1'o\'e Furnace. Zion
church is a Union church, used by the M. E. and M. P. de-
nominations. Of these churches, like those in Morgan, it
seems for want of records, almost impossible to get any-
thing beyond conflicting traditions.

P/°esI2_7/terian C'7m7°c:/z..——In 1830, Brown’s Church was built

at Stewarttown. It was named for the Rev. Rezin BroWn._

The church is not used now  a regular preaching place.
Among the first members of this church were Casper Orth

* The original ancestor of the Pierpont family Was a distinguished Norman robber
named Robert, who came into England with William the Conqueror. William placed
him on a manor (formed of several farms) and gave him the title of Duke Pierpont,
from a Pierrepoaas or stone bridge on the land; but a number of years ago, the last
male dying, the estate went into the female line. James Pierpont, an Episcopal min-
ister, and his brother—descendants or Robert—were among the flrst settlers of Massa-
chusetts. John Pierpont, a descendant of one of these brothers, came from New York
or New Jersey, in 1769, and took up the Pierpont farm near the site of the Pierpont
church. On it was built the settlers’ fort called Pierpont’s Fort. He had three
brothers who Went to Kentucky. I

John Pierpont married Mary, daughter of C01. Zackvvell Morgan. They had eight
children: Larkin, Zackquil, Francis, John, Jr., Sarah Watson, Nancy Baker, and Tem-
perance Dunn still living. John Pierpont died about 1795.

Francis married Catharine Weaver, and their third son is ex-Gov. Francis II.
Pierpont.

John Pierpont had two slaves, “Uncle Zadoc” and “Granny Tamer.” “Uncle .

Zadoc ”Was the prophet, sooth-sayer, witch doctor and wizard of the neighborhood.
Tradition says the witches killed the pigs, spoiled the butter or kept it from coming,
and bewitched horses and people. “Uncle Zadoc,” or “Zaid,” was often called in
such cases, and punished the witches by heating horse-shoes. He was sharp and
shrewd, and claimed to see ghosts. When some one was sick, he would talk ambigu-
ously, and they got better or Worse, got well or died, he then interpreted his flrst am-
biguous predictions to suit the case. “Granny Tamer ” was noted for being the
special friend or every child she met or came about.

688 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY

generally called Ott), the Frankinberrys, Sergeants, and
Pixlers.

J[ci/zorlist 1’/*0tc.s°tcuuf (/71.?!/‘(.‘/r...—Tl1iS church was organized
in 1833, in Jacob S1nith’s dwelling-house, one-half mile east
of \Villiam Donaldson’s, by the Rev. John Lucas, \Vi1liam
Dunlavy, Asby Pool and Joseph Shackelforcl. The class
organized were \Vi11iam Donaldson (class leader), and Lew-
ranah his wife, lVilliam Norris and Rheuhama his wife,
John N. Baker and Nancy his wife, Aaron Hamilton and
Mary _his wife, Thomas Burch and wife, Jacob Breakiron
and Wife, Mrs. Amelia Norris, Mrs. Hannah Smith, Wlilliam
and Matthew McConnel, \Vi1lia1n Lewellin, Jacob Smith,
Elizabeth, Eleanor, Mary, Eliza and Sarah Norris, and
Elizabeth Baker. About 1839, this class, with the 1\Ietho-
(lists, built Zion church. \Villiam Donaldson from memory

furnishes the following

LIST OF MINISTERS.

1833, \Villiam Dunlavy and John Lucas; 1834, Zachariah Regan;
1835, Peter T. Laishley ; then till 1841, James Palfreyman, one Beatty
and James Piper, one Ray,John Cowell and Daniel Kinney, \Vi11iam
Dunlap, Daniel Gibbons, Peter T. Laishley, one Gibbens and one
Cowl, Samuel Clawson, John Fordyce, one VVillia1ns and one Cul-
len; 1841, Samuel Clawson, then John Bisher, John I. Stillan, one
Porter, one Burgess, one Lester; 1850, Samuel Clawson; 1851, Isaac
Francis; 1852, ‘V. R. \Vragg; 1853, P. T. Laishley; 1855, Jerry
Simpson; 1856, ‘V. R. \Vragg; 18-57-8, Geo. Westfallg 1859-60, D. R.
Helmiok.

Union District is embraced in Avery Circuit, and has four
churches and one school-house class : Zion Church (union),
Avery Chapel, Eden Church (at Stewarttown), and Calvary
Church. Calvary Church was dedicated by the Rev. Peter
T. Laishley in 1860. The first members were:

UNION DISTRICT. 689

\Villiam Donaldson, Charles E. Donaldson, Thoinas Irvin,
Lewranah Donaldson, Charity Donaldson, Catharine Irvin.
\Villiam Lewellin, Ruth Cleaver, James McGee,
Mary Lewellin, Amy A. Costolo, E. O. Hickle,
James Donaldson, John Q. Saddler, Mary J. Rankin.
Mary E. Donaldson, Sarah J. Saddler, J oab R. Donaldson.

Class Leaders : \Vi1lian1 Donaldson, \Villiam Lewellin and James
Donaldson.
The church has now a membership of sixty—five. The
house cost over $1000, including repairs in 1882. It -is
beautifully situated. The following list of ministers for
Avery Circuit has been compiled from the recollections of
the members :

MINISTERS OF AVERY CIRCUIT.

1860. D. R. Helmick 1871. Peter 'I‘.C0nway 1877. Chas. M. Conway
1860-2. I.B.McCormack 1872. John G. McCarty 1878. Eli J. VVilson
1862-4. G. G. Westfall 1873. Leonard Warman 1879-80. D. H. Davis
1865. VVilliam Blake 1874-5. William West 1881-2. Eli Westfall ’
1868-9. J. L. Simpson 1875-6. Eli J. VVilson 1883. —- Young
1869-70. P. T. Laishley

In 1870, Zion Church was served by John Clark instead
of Peter T. Laishley. I

(fermcm I>’a])tist C’/mm‘/z..——Mt. Union German Baptist
Church was built, near Ross’s, some four and one-half miles
from Morgantown on the Stewarttown road, in 1883. It is
a frame structure, 321154 feet, and cost $1200; membership,
fifty.

CEMETERIES.

A great many of the early settlers laid out a family bury-
ing-ground on their own farms. The old Pierpont grave-
yard and the old Baptist burying-ground near Stewarttown,
are, perhaps, the oldest in the district.

Jl[t. Umfon Ucmeterg/, incorporated in 1882, is hard by the
Mt. Union German Baptist Church, and is beautifully loca-

ted and tastefully laid out and enclosed.
44

MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION. ‘65

In 1779, from a letter from Col. Daniel Broadhead at
Fort Pitt to Col. John Evans, it appears that Col. Broad-
head had made a requisition for militia from Monongalia to
go on a tour to Fort Lauren’s on tl1e Tuscarawas, a branch
of "the Muskingum River, but countermanded the order for
Want of provisions and because of Col. Evans’s statement
that the Monongalia frontier was daily threatened by In-
dians. On the 11th of March, 1780, Col. Broadhead Wrote
to C01. Evans that he could furnish him no aid in subsisting
or paying the men to be ordered to the stations on the
Monongalia frontier by Col. Evans. Col. Broadhead, in a
letter of the 9th of May, Wrote Col. Evans to hasten “plant-
ing and sowing the summer crop,” to draft the militia for
two months, and have them at Fort Henry by the 4th of
June. On the 20th of May he wrote that he could not
secure sufiicient provisions to subsist the troops, and for the
Monongalia militia not ‘to march until further notice. On
July 31st, he Wrote again postponing his expedition and
requesting Col. Evans to meet the lieutenants of the other
counties at his quarters on the 16th of August, to consult on
measures to be adopted for the defense of the frontier set-

tlements.

The Indians again appeared in August, 1780, and Col.
Daniel Broadhead, in a letter dated August 18th, wgrote to
Gen. George Wasliington, that “the Lieutenant of Monon-
galia County informs me that ten men were killed on Friday

last above the Forks of Cheat; They were quite off their '

guard when the Indians attacked them, and made no resis-
tance.” The “ Forks of Cheat” was a term used to designate
the junction of Cheat with the Monongahela, and. also the
country betweep them for some distance from the junction.

690 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

S T O R E S .

Besides the stores enumerated in the towns, there were
always one or more stores kept by the Cheat Iron VVorks
for their hands. Anthony Loftus kept a store where La1u'el
Iron \Vorks post-oifice is. John Bowers opened his store
just west of it, in 1862. East of ‘the post-office, about one-
fourth of a mile, John T. Bates opened a store about
fourteen years ago, and sold out to WV. J. Donaldson in
1883, and removed to the west. Here William H. Dickin-
son has had a blacksmith shop for twenty—one years.

OIL WELL BORINGS.

A well was bored at C. S. Ley’s, just above Ice’s Ferry,
and another at the mouth of Quarry run. One was bored
at Costolo’s, on the east side of Cheat. It threw up (and
does yet) gas, which took fire and burnt up the derrick, a
house and a blacksniith shop. A well was bored at the
Clelland Ferry, one at the Lewellin Ferry; and, in 1865, a
New York company put a Well down 600 feet on Major ‘V.
‘V. J ohn’s farm.

8'.:zZ£.——In the well bored for oil at the mouth of Quarry
run, a Very rich stream of salt water was struck. Some of
the Water was boiled down by Jonah Bayles"“ and others,
and a fine article of salt was obtained.

The followiiig citizens of Union District have served i11
the legislatures of Virginia - and ‘Vest Virginia: Francis
VVarn1a11_.i‘ 1850; Henry S. Coombs, 1853, 1865; Joseph
F“  came from'iMary1and about 1780; married Mary Vandervort, set-
tled one mile west of ICe’s Ferry, and founded the Bayles settlement, which consists
of seven families of the Bayleses at this time. His children W€l‘O: John, Margaret
Selby, l)i.nanah Cole, Elizabeth, Jesse, Paul, Mary Rude, Jonah, Phebe, Aden, and
William, father of D. W. and W. Scott Bayles, ex-County Superintenrient of Preston
County. . 

1‘ Stephen and Francis Wariny-an came to Frede1'icksb1u'g'l1 from England, at an early
day. Francis settled in Cheat Neck, and was Sheriff of Monongalia, and, it is said,

was in the legislature. He was the g1'andfathe1'of the Francis Warinan who was in
the 1e{.§is1ature in 1850. Stephen Warman married Yerlinda Roby.

UNION DISTRICT. 691

Snider, 1861-2, 1871; James T. McClaskey, 1867~68, 1876 ;
James Hare,* 1878.
CUBIOSITIES.

The Bemfizlo Pond, near Stewarttown, and the (l’a.tawba _

lVa1'-I’at/L, are described on page 25.

The Alum Books are near Stafi'ord’s Ferry, and are a
great clifi' of rocks, honey-combed, from which copperas
and alum exude.

The Sqm'7'rel’]20c/c is a vast boulder, which, at one day,
loosened from a heavy cliff and fell into Cheat River, above
Ice’s Ferry, Where it lies to-day. From its fancied shape
to a squirrel has arisen its name.

A Glretncz Cr’-7'een.—Just beyond the State line, at Thomas
Pugh’s, is a small oak tree on the roadside, under Wl1OS6
branches the Rev. Leonard llrarman and other ministers
have united many couples.

s C H 0 0 L s .

The old Baptist Church, near Stewarttown in 1781 was
used for school purposes. One Landfarer kept a school, at
an early day, in a log cabin on the Norris!‘ farm, while the
spring was on the Donaldson farm.

* James Hare came from near New Geneva, Fayette County, Penn., in 1840, to Mon-
ongalia County and engaged in farming. He Was elected to the legislature in ‘.878,
and he and Col. Richard Poundstone, from Upshur County, (Who was also born in
Fayette County,) were the only members in that body who were natives of Pennsyl-
vania. Mr. Hare married Mary Vandervort.

The ancestor of the Vandervort family, Nicholas Vandervort, married Martha Reed,
and came from Morgan County, about 1788. Their children were: Jonah (rather of
Wm. I. Vandervort), Nicholas J., Paul, John, Joseph, James, William, Mary, Abigail,
and Sarah. who married a Cobun.

'l‘he Cobun family seems to have sprung from two brothers: James, who married
Saborah Trader, and reinovedto Preston County about 179.); and Jonathan, who set-
tled on the Dorsey farm in Morgan District, in 1770. They were of English origin.

T William Norris owned a portion of the land on which Washington City stands.
He sold it, and came out in 1772 and tool: up the Norris farm of 400 acres Where a man
by the name of Scavey had squatted. He married Prunellopa Middleton, and, after
her death, Lewranali Collier. Ills children: Elizabeth (who married George Baker),
Mary Hayes, Vilinda Neighbors, Martha Devault, and Cliarity, who inarrled Enoch
Jenkins.

692 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Union District now embraces ten sub-districts. In 1877,
we find from TVade’s Annual Catalogue that there were the
following named schools :

Ba.ker’s, Bush’s, Oak Grove, J ennewine, * Pier-pont’s, Pleasant Hill,
Sugar Grove, \Vood Grove.

BOARDS OF EDUCATION.

The records in the hands of the secretary of the board of
education, go back to 1876 only, and do not give the names
of the board for the year 1879. From the supervisors
order—book at the court—l1ouse,’we find that the following
school commissioners were elected irom 1864 to 1872 :

1864, \V. S. Swindler, 3 years; Jacob Miller, 2 years; Robert
Beat-ty, 1 year. 1865, C. S. Ley. 1866, Leonard \Varn1an.

1867, \Vi11ian1 Vandervort, 3 years. 1868, Thomas J aeo.

1869, Leonard \Varman, 3 years. 1870, F. A. Coombs.
1871, John I. Swindler.

From 1871 to 1877, no election returns can be found.

1 '7, James Hare, president ; Leonard \Varman and Jesse LeweI—
lin, commissioners : ‘V. L. Coombs, secretary.

1879, James Hare, president; J. T. Eckard, Leonard \Varman,
commissioners.

1881, Joseph Snider, president; \V. \V. John and J. H. Baker,
commissioners; John C. Anderson, secretary.

1883, Joseph Snider, president: ‘V. W’. John and Leonard VVar—
man, commissioners ; John C. Anderson, secretary.

SCHOOL ENUMERATION BY YEARS.

:13

YEAR. §§  23

31% §§ E
1873...................................................... .............. ....... 343 283 631
1879 ...... .......................-........................................u... 339 276 615
1830 .................... ......... ................................... .......... 321 260 581
1381 ..................... ..........................-......................... 307 245 552
 I I I I IIQCI I I I I 0.0.. I O C I I IO. I O I C O CI CFC... COOIOI IOU... IIOCIDIOI CIIICCUUUIIIO   
1883 ......  ....  ................  .........  ................... .. 289 285 574

*1\'amed for Christian Jennewlne, who came from Prussia, in 1854, and married :1.
daughter or George B. Jar1'ett.

UNION DISTRICT. 693

ITATISTICS OF‘ UNION DIS'1‘RIC’I‘.

  

5 g _
“Q as 6 . VOTERS.
. 3.3 3 5g .
YIL‘. 3 2 an Oi    Q3 '8
g :2 8 39 E3. +53 5% § §
, :1 3 3 1»: 8:3‘ as 1:: 3 8
 549 1,714 2.445 755 15 *30 1 24? 
1333.... .....  447 3312339 119 15 35 1 232 1
 420 1,757 4,914 339 19 35  293 3
 509 1,188 3,787 106 22 64 9 350 5
1339..  492 1,243 2,593 137 13 71 4 313 
1870 .....  526 1,3201,744 140 25 239 3 322 1
1372 ....  .....  ............... .. 531 1,4731,:-379 171 31 253 4 334 1 '
1873. . .   541 1,5091,529 158 136 264 6 313 1
1374... ..  .. 524 1,2491,239 99 52 214 7 301 1
1375 .....  . . 553 1,1741.1o9 154 30 223 13 329 
1373 ..  . .. . 523 1,o531,023 99 34 247 12 339
1377. .. ..  . 513 1,115 751 117 39 233 13 342
1878 .... .. ............ .. 521 1,047 832 90 70 214 10 346
1379 .. . .. . 79 1225 393 91 7 293 12 343 .
1339... ............................ .. 431 1,253 993 77 33 214 12 332
1881..... ....................  438 1,296 1,202 111 136 236 12 323
 418 1,20‘.1,28O 70 169 233 13 329
1883 ....................  ........ .. 422 1,211 1.202 96 132 169 17 338

BIOGRAPHICAL NO'1‘ES.

Gr. VV. Sisler was born in Preston County, in 1830 ; moved to
Union District in 1850 ; married J ulia A. Robinson in 1853 ; children
—‘-Lavara A., who married R. B. Rumble, in 1876; B. F., who died
in Colorado in 1879; ‘William C., who (lied in 1861 ; J. L., Annie E.,
who married Joseph G. Francis; Gr. VV., J12, Ida M., Millard T. and
Charles B.

James T. Pixler was a son of John Pixler; born in Stewarttown
in 1826 ; married Hulda \VeaVer in 1847 ; children—C1ark, who mar-
ried Mary Fortneyz Susan ; Lavara, who married Ervin Fortney;
John M., Arlington. He (lied April 23, 1882; was a nleniber of the
Pleasant Hill Baptist Church; was a local preacher in that church
for fifteen years.

Garrett F. Lee came from Maryland ; niarried Mrs. Mary 0‘])ean ;

\ chi1dren—VVillian1, David, Matilda, (1‘rarrett, Catharine. IVilliam

married Mary A. Eberhart in 1847 ; he farms in Union Dist1'ict.

NO’1‘E.—FO1' several facts in this chapter the author is indebted
to A. \V. Frederick, Esq., the County Supei-intendent of Preston
County.

‘From 1864 to 1870, the numbers given are tor Watches only.

CHAPTER XXXI.
CASS DISTRICT.

Geographical Boundaries and General Description-—Indian Occupa-
tion——Ear1y Settlei-s—Sett1erS’ F01-ts——Martin’S For-t——HarriSon’s
F01-t——Indian Murders—Adventure of John Snider—Grrowth of
the DiStrict—Civil List——Election Pol1s—Towns : Cassville, Ham-
ilton, Maidsville, Stumptown—Mai1 Sci-Vice—Roads——l\Ii11s——
FerrieS—Monongalia Salt \Vorks—Salt Borings——Oi1BoringS—-
Religious Denon1inations—Schoo1s and School Ofiicers——Statis—
ticS——Biographical Sketches.

CASS DISTRICT is bounded on the north by the State of
Pennsylvania ; on the east it is Separated by the Mononga-

hela River from Union and Morgan districts; on the South

by Grant District; and on the West by Clay District. In
shape the district is wide at the north and narrowing to the
south. Its width is from north to south and its length
from east to West. ‘

Cass District was embraced in the First Constabulary
District in 1807; and, in 1831, constituted the north-east
portion of the Third Constabulary District. In 1852, the
territory of the district was comprised in the Second
Magisterial District, which took in, besides, a small portion
of the northern part of Grant, including the town of Gran-
ville. In 1863, Cass Township was created, embracing the
territory of the present district, and named in honor of
Lewis Cass. In 1873, Cass Township, by a cl1a11§2;e of desig-
nation nierely, became the present Cass District.

The Slope of the district is to the east and south-east in
the direction of its streams. Scott’s and Robinson’s~ runs

. CASS DISTRICT. , 695

cut down deep channels, forming heavy ridges, making the
district broken and hilly, except in the north-east where
Crooked run widens into a beautiful valley, and a consider-
able amount of level land stretches back from it.

The district is drained by the Monongahela and its tribu-
taries, Scott’s run, Robinson’s run and Crooked run, affording

sites for mills and machinery The soil is rich, and, with

good attention, yields fair crops. VVheat is said to average
from 7 to 18 bushels per acre; corn, 25 to 70; oats, 20 to
40; potatoes, 70 to 110. Small fruits and vegetables do
well. Pears, plums, cherries andvapples are grown. Apples
are the chief crop; and peaches, some years, do well.
Grass yields from 1 to 2 tons per acre. Timothy for mea-
dows and blue grass for pastures, do well.

Extensive forests once existed on the hills, but are mostly
cut away, though considerable timber yet remains. Oak
and poplar were the leading varieties, with a fair represen-
tation of other kinds.

The mineral wealth of the district—its coal, iron ore and
limestone——will be found fully described in Chapter XV,

commencing on page 222. ‘

In a very early day, the buffalo was here; and at the
advent of the white man, the panther, bear and wolf were
here. Deer were plenty. But a few years, and the rifle of
the hunter had driven them away. Now horses, cattle,

sheep and hogs in large numbers supply their place.

INDIAN OCCUPATION.

The Indians occupied Cass, like every ther part of the
count ' for huntinw 3111‘ oses. Their cam )s were on man
2 o 1
a hill‘ and at the mouth of Robinson’s run and below
3

696 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY °

Hamilton on the river, is a black earth full of charcoal and
pieces of pottery ware, showing that probably villages were
at these places. Stone-piled graves were found all over the
district by the Whites, and some remained till butla few
years ago. Back of John Garlow’s barn, on the Waters of
Crooked run, is a level piece of land where once was a
large stone circle. It seems that the Indians gathered for

sports inside this circle. A camp was near.

1 EARLY SE'I"I‘LERS.

The following are among the pioneer settlers of Cass Dis-
trict, from 1769 to 1776:

17G9——John Snider 1771-Adam Shriver 1774—Thos. Climath, Jr
1769—Charles Martin 177l——Peter Poppens 1774—Benj. Archer
1769——Jonathan Wright 1772—C. Garlow 1774——John Hardin

1769—J. Hollingsworth 1772--John McMahon 1774——Philip Shively
1769-Richard Harrison 1773—Geo. Gillaspie 1775-Thos. Harrison
1T70—John Pollock 1773-John Murphy 1775--David Rankin
1770—Wm. Robinson 1773——Abram Hardin 1775-Philip Pindall

770-David Scott 1773—James Piles I 1775-James Sterling
1771-Augustus Smith 1773-—Dei:nis Neville 1775—John Ramsey
1771—Wm. Smith 1773——Peter Grouse 1775-David Watkins
1771-Moses Hill 1773——'1‘hos. Russell 1775-—Abram Hendricks

177l——John Shriver 1773——Jarnes Pindall 1776-—’Wm. Watkins

SETTLEBS’ FORTS.

Sometime after 1773, Col. Charles Martin ”“ built a fort on
his land on Crooked run, not far from the site of the
present Fort l\Ia.rtin Church. Every Vestige of the fort is
now gone, only a pile of stones remaining, which, is said,
are of a chimney of a house in the fort. This fort was
attacked by Indians in June, 1779, (see page 63,) and ten
whites were killed and captured.

* C01. Charles Martin is said to have been over six feet high, of dark complexion.
with a keen, piercing black eye. It is said he came from Eastern Virginia, and Was
first in Union District at Collinshs terry. His wlte’s name was Mary, and his children
were: Jesse, George, Wllliain, Elizabeth Randall, Ann Harrison, Presley and Spencer.
His sons, It is said, all left-, and tlmt Presley rounded New Martlnsiille.

I

' oass DISTRICT. 697

HAnnIsoN’s FORT.

This fort -was built by Richard Harrison.* It  a two- ’

story hewed log building, about 22x30 feet, with a large
yard enclosed by a strong stockade. A well was in this
yard, and a spring is just outside. It stood almost north
and south, with the north front on what is now the Lazelle
road leading to L. N. J ohn’s, on the land of Aaron J. Gar-
low. It is on the head waters of Crooked run, and not a
mile from Martin’s Fort. The well is in the road, and is
filled. A decayed log or so remains of the fort building.
Two old pear trees still stand that were planted by those
forting. The spring is still strong, and there the vats are
still to be seen of a tannery built there many years ago by
Jacob Seese, who married Joseph I-Iarrison’s daughter.

INDIAN MURDERS.

John Snider!‘ was captured when a boy by Indians, about
1760 or later, and taken along Crooked run as the Red
Skins retreated to their towns in Ohio. In June, 1779, the
Indians attacked Martin’s Fort (see page 63); and, in Au~

* Richard Harrison came from Eastern Virginia. Among his children were: Jesse,
Jehu, John, Joseph, Richard, and Elizabeth, wife 01’. Tlioin-as Pindall. She was killed
by Indians, almost in sight or the fort.

7‘ John Snider, it is said, was induced to come out from Richmond, Va., by a Minor,
into Greene County, Penn., to hunt for him. While out hunting he was captured by
Indians, taken through Cass District, and kept eight or nine years before exchanged.
He came back and piloted out a company to Crooked run showing where the Indians
camped with him over night, some 400 yards from where Thomas Maple now lives.

John Snider married an Evans (tradition says her name was Darcus). He took up
a tract of land now owned by Thomas Maple and John Garlow.

His children were: Joseph, who. located at Farmington; David, who settled on
Big Indian creek; Joshua; Amos; Thomas, who went to Trumbull County, Ohio:
Rebecca, who married Stephen Gapen; Elizabeth, who married a Billingsley, and
Elisha, who married Edith, daughter ot.Wilson Brltton.

Elisha died in 1838, and his only son is Col. Joseph Snider, born February 14, 1827, in
Cass District (see page 531). He removed to Union District. He married Margaretta.
Miller, and their children were: Oliva and Edith, deceased, and Frank and Elisha,
living. After his wife’s death, he married Laura H., daughter of Jacob Miller, Whose
wife, Mary Gans, is a descendant of the Rev. Baltzer Gans, one of the first German
Baptist ministers in America. ‘

698 HISTORY OF MONONGAL'IA COUNTY.

gust, 1779, killed Capt. David Scott’s daughters (see page
63). About 1780, they chased Capt. Scott’s son James (see
page 64). In 1781, they ambuscaded Thomas Pindall’s
house, and killed his wife Elizabeth, and the surveyors
Wriglit and Crawford (see page 68). This is the last mur-
der of which we have any account. Tradition says that a
man named Smalley was killed, and a man named Stewart
was captured, by Indians, at Christopher Garlow’s house.
About 1785 or 86, lVilliam Dawson, a boy, was captured
near Cassville (see page 78).

GROWTH OF THE DISTRICT.

Agriculture having been the main pursuit of the people

. of the district from the time it was iirst settled, hence the

growth could not be rapid like that of a manufacturing dis-
trict. No great thoroughfares of travel passed through it,
therefore its great mineral wealth has never been touched
and its agricultural capacity has never been fully developed.
The growth of the district has been slow but steady, from
1791 to the present time. The pioneer immigration which
was rapidly populating it, was arrested by the Revolu-
tionary war; and after its close, an immigration commenced_
from Delaware which partly tool: the place of that which
preceded it from Eastern Virginia. Among the Delaware
immigrants were.th'e lVil1eys,"“ the Davises, the Flemings
and others.

* The Willeys emigrated from England prior to the Revolutionary War, and settled
in the then province of Delaware. William Willey came from Delaware, in 1781, to
Union District, near Co11ins’s Ferry; but soon moved near the site of Cassville, and
bought the farm now owned by John T. Fleming. His children, who were all born in
Delaware, were: Waitman, a farmer; John, a farmer and local preacher; Betsey,
who intermarried with Nathan Johnson; Bridget, Who interinarried with Booz Bur-
rows, and Wm. Willey. Waitman and John went to Ohio. William Willey was born
in 1766; came with his father in 1781, and was in Wayne’s campaign against the In-
dians. He was married three times. His first wife was Mollie J ohnson ; they had one
child, William J. Willey, who -was in the House or Delegates and the Senate oi Virgin.

CASS DISTRICT. ‘ 699

‘The district stands to—day with 21,416 acres of land, in
areait is the smallest of the seven present districts
of the county. In 1880, in population it was seventh,
having 1459, an increase of 10 only over 1870. In 1883,
its total wealth was $575,461, being in order of wealth the
fifth of the seven districts.

CIVIL LIST——MAGISTERIAL OFFICERS, 1852-1863.

' JUSTICES. _

1852 1856 1860
George Alexander Joshua M. Davis Daniel Duzenberry
James T. Davis \Vm. XV. Lazzell J. K. Barrickinan
Daniel I)uzenberry J. K. Barricknian Purnel Simpson
Purnel Simpson Purnel Simpson

CONSTABLES.

1852 1 1856 ' 1860
Thos. Lazzell, Jr. Thos. Lazzell, Jr. Geo. VV. Sample
-— Reuben Finnell Reuben Finnell

TOWNSHIP ‘OFFICERS, 1863—1873.

JUS'l‘ICES.*
1863 1867 1871
J. K. Barrickinan J. N. \Vaters J. K. Barricknian

Daniel Dusenberry J. VV. Tucker -
CONSTABLES.'l’

1863 1867 1871
J. B. Dusenberry Denune \Vade T. M. Scott
G. ‘V. Sample J. S. Conway A. Gr. Halfin

. 1865 V 1869
Thomas Lazzell Eli Clark
C. VV. Lawlis J. F. Halfin
SUPERVISORS.

1863——Sa1n’l Hackney 1866——Sa1n’l Hackney 18G9——N. L. South
186f1—Sa1n"l Hackney 1867-—Satn’l Hackney 1870—N. L. South
1865—Allen Dilliner 1868~—J. H. Bowlby 1871—Jan1es Sanders

ia, and who removed to Missouri, in 1865, and died there. William Wi1iey’s second
wife was Sarah Barnes. They had one child, ex-United States Senator Waitinan T.
Willey (see page 163 et seq.). William Wii1ey’s third Wife was Mary Shields. He died
at Farmington, in 1861, in the 95th year of his age.

* To fill vacancy: 1866, John N. Waters. 1
1‘ To fill vacancies: 1869, Benton Pride and Joshua Hess.

66 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

As there is no account of any such slaughter on the east
side of the Monongahela, this must have occurred on the
West side. The only account that we have of any Indian
slaughter near the f‘I*‘orks of Cheat” on the west side is
that of a party of men which was attacked at the mouth ‘of
Doll’s Run.‘ Several were taken prisoners and four killed
by Indians, over thirty strong. John Statler and James
Piles were two of the four men killed. All accounts agree
in this, but then Widely diverge. Zachariah Piles, a boy of
16, swam Doll’s Run after being shot in the heel, and
escaped. ' His son, Riley, and his daughter, Mrs. Hannah
Sines, say that the white men were engaged in moving some
people into Fort Statler, or Were on their Way to do so,
when the Indians captured James Troy and one I-Iiley and
one Shoemaker. Another version of the affair, from trust-
worthy persons, is to the effect that the party of White men
W ere going for corn Which had been raised up Doll’s Run.

That they Were going for hogs, that they were engaged in,

making a trough, and that six men were killed instead of.

four, is the effect of three other accounts. VVhile all the
accounts are conflicting as to the numberof white men and
the object of their trip, they agree upon the locality, and
that from four to six were killed and some captured, by
tWenty—five or thirty Indians, who had surprised them. The
“Bordei' Warfare” is silent about this occurrence. It is
most likely that this Was the fatal surprise that Col. Evans.
reported to C01. Broadhead, just as he heard it from the
first runner who came in from Ft. Statler. Ten men likely
being missing when those of the company that egcaped got.
back to the fort, they would report them all killed. Each
account of the affair stated is claimed to have been given.
by one or more of the survivors ofthe affair.

700 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

INSPECTORS OF ELECTIONS.

1863-J. D. Cunning- 1866-Jos. Guthrie 1869-~ J. M. Miller
ham] A. S. Courtney S. L. Boyers
R. VV. Courtney 1867-—W1n. Simpson 1870—Z. P. Ridgeway
1864——Jos. Guthrie Lozenzo Davis A. S. Courtney
R. WV. Courtney 1868——VVm. Simpson 1871—J acksonEve1-ly
1865——Jos. Guthrie Jackson Everly A. S. Courtney
R. WV. Courtney

OVERSEERS OF POOR.

1863-65——J.W.Higgins 1867—Joseph Higgins 1869-71—-—F. H. Tapp
1865—VV. W. Berry 1868-——Joseph Guthrie 1871—N. N. Berry
1866-—N.H.Critchfie1d

TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1863-65-—E. J. Arnett 1866———E. J. Arnett 1868-71—A. G. Halfiu
1865——Jan1es Dean 1867-David Simpson 1871-72——A. E.Cush1nan

TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.

1863-66-—Alph. Morris 1767—T. E. Berry 1869~70—~Josh. Hess
.1866——J. Sanders, Jr 1868-——J.K.Barrickn1an

DISTRICT OFHCERS, 1873-1884.

JUS'l‘ICES.*

1872—John K. Barrackman John W’. Tucker
CONSTABLES.*

1872.——Thomas Lazzell Joseph F. Halfin

1 ,. ELECTION POLLS.

The first poll We find mention of is Jacksonville, in 1840.
It continued until 1852, when the name of the town was
changed to Cassville, and also the name of the poll. In
1864, the poll was removed to Stumptown; but, in 1868,
was restored, and has been a poll ever since. In 1852,
Cusl1man’s was made a poll; and, in 1864, we find Stump-
town as a poll in its place. It was restored in 1872.
Stumptown continued a poll but one election——1864. The
polls now are Cassville and Maidsville. The elections re—
ferred to here are presidential elections. The following has

* These just-ices and constables were elected on August 22, 1872, and Went into oflice
January 1, 1873. .

CASS DISTRICT. 701

been tl1e vote cast in Cass for president since 1840,

excepting 1848 and 1860 :

1840, VanBuren, 115 1868, Seymour, 152
Harrison, 11 Grant, 136
1844, Polk, 1'70 1872, Greeley, 111
Clay, 13 Grant, 135
1852, Pierce, 220 +1876, Tilden, 146
Scott, 30. Hayes, 143
*1856, Buchannan, 210 I1880,.Hancock, 191
Fillmore, 27 Garfield, 156

1864, McClellan, 124
Lincoln, 126

CASSVILLE,

The largest town in Cass District, is situated on the
forks of Scott’s run, eight miles west of Morgantown, at
a junction of the Morgantown and Burton pike with the
Laurel Point and Morristown road. The first house was a
school—l1ouse on the site of Calvin Cordray’s house. It was
used seventy—five years ago for school, masonic and religious
purposes. The first dwelling-house vvas built by Caleb
Hurley on the site of Milligan’s dwelling-house. Then
Peter A. Layton, about 1827, built the second house, where
J. K. Barrickman lives, and started the tannery, now owned
and operated by Barrickman. Layton soon after this laid
out the town (on lands of Caleb Hurley and Leven Fleming)
and called it Jacksonville. About 1840, a post-oflice was
agitated, but there was one post-oflice by the name of
Jacksonville in the State, and Nicholas B. Madera suggested
Cassville, which was adopted, and, some time after, the
name of the town was changed to Cassville, and a post-
ofiice was obtained. The first postmaster was Peter A.
Layton, who served until 1862. He was succeeded by Dr.
James VVa_y, who served until March 21, 1867, when Squire

,_.._. ..__

* In 1856, one vote for Fremont. 1* In 1876, two votes were cast for Cooper. t‘ In 1880,
one vote tor Weaver.

702 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

John W. Tucker, the present postmaster, was appointed;
Richard H. Poynter is deputy.

Plug/sicians.—Over fifty years ago William Slater taught
school and doctored the people. The first physician was
Dr. James \Vay, about 1848. Dr. William M. Dent (of
Newburg, Preston County) was here in 1856. Dr. Charles
H. McLane (son of Dr. Joseph McLane, of Morgantown)
came in September, 1867, and remained until October,
1882, when he removed to Zanesville, Ohio, and was suc-
ceeded by Dr. Thomas M. Hood, the present physician.
Dr. Hood is a graduate of the West Virginia University.
He graduated at Jefferson Medical College in 1880; prac-
ticed at Shinston before coming here.

Jllerc/oa72,ts.——Tlie first store was kept by Evan Stewart;

followed by Lough 8.: Layton, Lemley & Brothers, who then

‘built the Sutton building, and were succeeded by Benj.

Chestney & Son, Sutton & Co., Milligan & Brother, and
John Sutton, the present proprietor. Furman kept in the
Pickenpaugh building. He died and was succeeded by J.
S. Pickenpaugh, in 1878, who is still keeping. In J. K.
Barrickman’s house James Kelley kept, succeeded by Kel-
ley & Mercer, and John ‘V. Regain Sloan & Hobbs also
kept many years ago.

The residents of the town are Mrs. Jane Layton, J. K.
Barrickman (tanner and miller), Robert Milligan, Calvin
Cordray (blacksmith), Mrs. Henderson, John WV. Tucker
(P. M.), ‘V111. C. Lough (wagon and carriage maker), James
Kelley (blacksmith), Jacob Barrickman (carpenter), J. S.
Pickenpaugh (merchant), Mrs. Furman, Dr. T. M. Hood,
Richard H. Poynter (hotel keeper), Benjamin Cliestneyf“

* Benjamin Chestney is a son of Wm. Chestney, Whose father, Beiljamili Chestney
was a Revo1u1:iona1'y soldier in the South, and came from Rocklngham County, V'a.,
and settled on Gustin run, a branch of Scott-’s run, and lived and died there.

CASS DISTRICT. A 703

David Chestney, Zeri Ramsey, Thomas Berry (miller),
Joseph Higgins (shoemaker), Wm. Higgins and John Sut-
ton (merchant). *

A licensed house was attempted a good many years ago
in Cassville, but public opinion was such that it Went down.
John TV. Tucker* kept an unlicensed house in 1867, and
was succeeded by Ricliard H. Poynter.

HAMILTON.

Hamilton is on the west side of the Monongahela River
at the mouth of Scott’s run, three miles below Morgantown.
It seems to have been named for James Hamilton, who
afterwards went to Indiana and died there. It is often
nicknamed, from the name of the post—oflice,“Jimtown,” es-
tablished here in 1850 or 51. Hamilton built and kept the
Hamilton house, succeeded by one Savage, Layton, Penn
lVillian1s, VVolverton and others. It is now kept by
Thomas Lazzell.i‘ The Randall house was kept by John
Dawson, Britten McVicker, John Baer, John Arnett,
“7illian1 Hood, Joseph Kiger, S. S. Yeager and others.
Mrs. Alice Carothers is the present proprietress. Morgan L.
Boyers It and John Hood & Co. started a store December 5,
1837. They were succeeded by John B. Arnett, Alf. Yeager
and Dunliam, Fleming & Brooks, S. L. Boyers, S. S. Yeager,
N. L. Furin-an, and M. C. Courtney, who is now keepinv.

7T M... .. ....... . “A __ . _ . .._ .4" .,_._._.____ __, ,_ ,, ,.,_.._ _.. ,..._... _, .,._.., ___ __..___._ _. ..,_ . .,.,____,

'* George Tucker married Vary Hutchinson, Whom he rescued from the Indians (page
79). She is buried at Stumptown. Their children were: James, Thomas, Andrew,
Jesse, William (Who had a daughter who sang in Europe), Nancy Thompson, Levi,
Morgan and Aaron. Levi married Mary Glisson, and they have three children living:
Thomas, James, and Squire John W. Tucker, who married Mary A. Thomas. Their
children are Sarah Poynter, Lucy Lemley, Nancy Chestney and William A.

1‘ Thomas Lazzell was elected constable in 1844, and has served several times since.
He is proprietor of the Hamilton house and the present postmaster.

at Morgan L. Boyers is a son of Jacob Boyers who married Elizabeth Lauk. He
studied medicine, was licensed as a local preacher in the M. E. Church; and served,
before 1863, for many years as a justice of the peace.

704 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY

M. Runnell and J. R. Donnelly were said to have kept
before Hood, Boyers & Co. Mrs. Ann Brown came from
Granville and opened a grocery in 1883.

The postmasters have been: for Jimtown P. O.——~Is-aac
P. Williams and Basnett; for Randall, the present P. O.——
S. S. Yeager, I. N. Furman, and Thomas Lazzell (1882),
with M. C. Courtney as deputy.

The present residents are Thomas Lazzell (hotel keeper),
Mrs. Alice Carothers (hotel keeper), S. L. Boyer, Morgan
L. Boyers, I. N. Furman, Squire Hackney (blacksmith),
Mrs. Startzman and M. D. Boyers.

MAIDSVILLE.

Maidsville is  miles from Morgantown, at the junction
of Craft’s with Robinson’s run. Cushman and Basnett
kept stores, succeeded by Sanders & Davis, J. Sanders,
Davis & Sanders, and the present firm of D. B. \Vaters and
Elza Davis. Here, or near, was the Cushman post—oflice.
It is of the same name as the town, and is kept in the store.
The blacksmith is Mr. Arnett. No one rightly knows how
the town came by its name. Different accounts are given.
Daniel ‘V. Darling has a shoe-shop one mile east of town.

STUMPTOWN.

Stumptown is situated at the junction of VVade’s run
with Scott’s run. Cornelius VanZant built Z. P. Ridg-
way’s* house. Michael Courtney (a coverlet weaver)
built the house opposite Ridgway’s, and in it, about
1854, Hosea M. \Vade kept a store. The following are the

residents of the place: Z. P. Ridgway, lVm. Deats, Edsley

* L0ttR1dgwaymarr1e(1 Catharine Frazer. He came from Richmond. Their chil-
dren Were: Noah, Joel, Lott, Rachel Hanway, Sarah Henthorne, Mary Watson, Phebe
Moore and Dorcus Plerpont. Noah was the father of Z. P. Rldgway, and owned 250
acres of land just opposite Morgantown.

ALPHEUS GARRISON.
See Page 754.

CASS DISTRICT. 705

Weaver, John Bailey, Mark Weaver, Christian Core, Jacob
Lemley and Samuel Lemley. John Courtney and Annias

Davis owned the land the place is on. WVhen the first house ‘

was built a large stump stood near, and from this the place

‘received its name.

OSAGEVILLE.

Osageville is on Scott’s run, 4;} miles south-east of Mor-
gantown, at the junction of the Laurel Point road with the
Morgantown and Burton‘ pike. It  about ten or twelve
years old, and, for its size, is quite a business place. a The
following are the residents: J. J. Wl1a1‘to11* (mill owner),
David VViedman (Storekeeper), Mrs. Shively, Wm. Robbins,
John Kussart (blacksmith) and Joseph Berry (wagon-
maker).

“ DORNICKTOWN.”

Near the Fort Martin Church, a paper town was once

started. A man by the name of Cartwright kept a black-

smith shop and sold Whiskey. Crowds would gather and

throw stones at a mark 011 a tree for the Whiskey. Thereby
the trees were all scarred; hence, the place received the
name of “Dornicktown.” A post—oflice was established by
that name. Joseph Snider was the postmaster. The name
of the ofiice was soon changed to Fort Martin, and David
Rich became postmaster. Then the office was moved just
across the line into Greene County, Penn., and the name was
changed to Rosedale, and Daniel Miller became postmaster.
Rumor says now the re-running of the State line throws
Rosedale into Monongalia County.
MAIL SERVICE.

The mails are bi—Weekly, running from l\Iorga1.1toW1‘1 to

* Isaac Wharton came from Greene County, Penn., and his son, J. J. Wharton, inur-

riedliebecca, daug*ht0r of Jacob Lemlcy. Their children are: Wm. L., Jacob T... Ruth,
Mar)’, Asa N., Jesse L., J oscph IL, Laura and 15121110119.

;

4»)

706 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY

Randall. ‘One mail goes by Cassville, and on to Burton,
while the other goes from Randall by Maidsville to Rose-
dale in Greene County, Penn. The post-ofiices are: Ran-
dall, Cassville, and Maidsville.

ROADS.

The Dunkard Creek turnpike comes from Morgantown
and enters the district through Hamilton, and runs up
Scott’s run and out of the district. The Pennsylvania,
Beverly and Morgantown turnpike runs from the State line
past Fort Martin Church, and leaves the district at Collins’s
Perry. A road leads through Cass from Laurel Point to
Morristown, Penn. Another road from Laurel Point leads
to Wharton’s mill; and another from the same point,
to Boyers’s mill. A road leads from the mouth of Rob-
inson’s run, through Maidsville and past Bowlby’s mill,
to Pennsylvania. Besides these, district roads lead from
point to point.

In 1882, the district was divided into eight road pre-
cincts, With surveyors, as follows : I

1’1'(>c4'.nct‘. Surveyor. I’rec1T-net. .S'm"ve3/02'.
N o. 1 .......... ..Jackson Everly N o. 5. ......... ..Justus Brewer .
“ 2 .......... ..Jas. A. Hawthorne “ 6 .......... ..Joe1Bow1by
“ 3 .......... ..Mark "Weaver v “ 7 .......... ..John L. Jones
“ 4 ..........  C. Lazzell “ 8 .......... ..Zi1nri Axmnons
M I L L S .

Perhaps the oldest mill in the district was a horsie-mill,
near the site of the school-house. One account says Davis
Shockley built it, another says James Lemasters. It had
a carding machine attached. sAbout 1845, John Lemley
built a Water-mill below Cassville. Barrickman & Layton
bouglit him out, and then Barrickman"“ ran it. About 1867,

* John K. Barrlckman married Susan, a daughter of Peter A. Layton. lie was a jus-
tice of the peace for years, and 1s now engaged In tanning and milling.

CASS DISTRICT. 707

he tore it down and built his present large steam flouring-
mill. David Scott built a mill about 300 yards below Ham-
ilton. The hill above it slipped, and pushed the mill into
the river. Boyers’s mill is said to ‘have been built by a
Scott. Another account says by Jones and Black. It is
north-west of Morgantown 31} miles. Jacob Boyers sold it
to his son, H. J. Boyers, the father of the present miller, S.
W. Boyers. Wharton’s steam flouring—mi1l at Osageville is
a three-s.tory frame; 30-horse-power engine; capacity, 100
bushels a day. A steam saw-mill attached is run by a 16-
l1orse—poWer engine and cuts 5000 feet of lumber per day.

BoWlby’s large steam flouring-mill is at the head of Rob-
inson’s run, and was built about 1856. The Critchfield mill
Was built about 16 years ago, on R-obinson’s run. R. F.
Tapp operated it for several years. In 1882, Smyth Broth-
ers used it to manufacture furniture. A steam saw-mill is
near.

Ta7me7°ies.——Jol111 K. Barrickman’s at Cassville; and one

above Maidsville was built by Andrew Kirkhart. It was
torn dorn. Joseph R. Everly built one about thirty-five

years ago, and sold it to James Sanders in 1867.
F E R 1: I E s .

John Dawson chartered a ferry at Hamilton, but it Went
down. Collins’s Ferry is an old one. VVithin forty years
among its keepers have been: one Conwell, Jonathan Co-
bun, John Messer, Isaac Dean, George Smith, and Perry
St. Clair, the present ferryman. It is from the mouth of

R0binson’s run across the Monongahela River. Sto11e’s ,

Ferry is from the mouth of Crooked run across the river.
MONONGALIA SALT WORKS.

Salt-Water was struck in an oil—Well boring at Stuniptown,

MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION. 67

On VVashington’s Birthday, some time between 1830 and
1840, two volunteer military companies——one from Greene
County, Pa., and the other from Monongalia County—took
up the bones of the murdered men* where they were buried
on the run, and re-interred them in Core’s graveyard with
the honors of war.

A traditional account says that Joseph Statler and a man
by the name of Myers were out one day from Statler’s Fort,
on J ake’s Run, and heard a‘ noise which they supposed to
be the gobble of a turkey. Some old men with them said
the noise proceeded from Indians. -Notwithstanding this
warning, they determined to go in pursuit, and were shot
and scalped.

About this time, William'Thomas and another man by
the name ofVSmith were drawing rails on a branch of Dun-
kard Creek, when Indians fired on them. Thomas was
struck and ran and hid in some bushes, where he was found
dead two or three days afterward. Smith ran to the house
and called Mrs. Thomas ; and they had fled but a few yards
when she thought of her baby in the cradle. Smith ran
back to the house and secured it, and they escaped.

During 1780 and 1781, the commander at Fort Pitt sent
parties up the Monongahela Valley to buy, if possible, and
if not, to take, cattle and supplies for the army.+

* Still other accounts of this fatal surprise are in existence, besides the ones given.
Of these accounts not mentioned at all in the above description, some are mixed with
the attack on Ft. Martin, and others bear in their statement the stamp 01 the impossi-
bility of their correctness, and others again did not stand the test of a careful exami-
nation ot being probable or even possible. «

1‘ The following receipt was found among the papers of Col. Wm. Mcolearyz “ Rec’d,
March the 22d, 1780, of William Mccleery, Three thousand Dollars by the Order of
Colo. John Evans, which sum was deposited in his hands for Purchasing Provisions for
the use of the militia in actual service on the Frontiers of Monongalia County, WM.
MINOR.” Minor was the commander or Ft. Statler. ‘

708 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

and Works by the above name were erected, and a fair
quality of salt was made. The salt-water, it isisaid, was
struck at 260 feet. Peter A.

Layton and Andrew Brown sank a salt-well about 1824,

The works were abandoned.

on Scott’s run, but did not carry out their idea of making
salt.
OIL BORINGS.

An oil-well was sunk at Stumptown, between 700 and 800
feet deep.
about 600 feet,‘ below Maidsville on Robinson’s run. ‘It is
said they went through a 14-foot vein of coal.

A Maidsville oil company put down a hole

COUNTY POOR HOUSE

Is situated one-half mile below Cassville, a11d is a fine
two-story brick building, 30x40 feet.
dwelling—house, not including the poor—house, cost $2000.

The property and

The building committee—E1nrod Tennant, Alph. Yeager
and Barton Core——let out the building of the poor-house
to a' Mr. Haines for $4200, in 1874. Mrs. "Alice Carothers
kept it first; then John L. Jones; and, in April, 1883, W.
P. Barker came in charge.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

All the churches in Cass are either of the Methodist
Episcopal or the Methodist Protestant denomination.

The Methodist Episcopal are: 1. Bethel, which burnt
down a few years ago and was rebuilt. It stands one mile
west of Maidsville; 2. Fort Martin; 3. Cassville, where
John \Villey was a local preacher over seventy-five years
ago; 4. \Vade’s Church.

The Methodist Protestant has three churches in the dis-
trict: one at Maidsville, one at Cassville, and the other /on

Gustin run (a branch of Scott’s run), near Stumptown.

I

CASS DISTRICT. 709

S C H O O L S . .
Over seventy-five years ago Davis Shockley and William
Slater taught school on the site of Cassville.
, SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS ELECTED.
1864, Lorenzo Davis, 3 years; George Alexander, 2 years: S. S.
Lemley, 1 year.
1865, James Lazzell and Alexander Davis. 1866, Benjamin Chest-p
nev. - . ‘
1867, A. S‘. Courtney, president; Benjamin Chestney and James
Lazzell.
1868-9, A. S. Courtney, president; Benjamin Chestney and Alex-
ander Evans.
1870, A. S. Courtney, president; Alexander Evans and James S.
Miller.
1871, Alexander Evans, President; James S. Miller and A. S.
Courtney. -
1872, A. J. Maple, president; James S. Miller and S. L. Bovers.
BOARDS OF EDUCATION, 1873 TO 1884.
1873, A. J. Maple, president; N. L. South and Z. P. Ridgway.
1874, James Sanders, president; N. L. South and Z. P. Ridgway.
1875—6, James Sanders, president; John T. Fleming and J. F.
Wade. ‘
1877, James Sanders, president ; John T. Fleming and J. J.
Wharton.
1879, James Sanders, president; Barton Core and J. J. Wharton.
1881, James Sanders, president; VV. H. Smythe and Isaac ‘Weaver.
1883, James Sanders, president; ‘V. H. Smythe and Barton Core.
, SECRETARIES OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION.
1868——S. S. Courtney 1_876—David \Viedman 1881——J. J. \Vhartonl‘
1869—-A. Gr. Halfin

Cass school district is now divided into ten sub-districts,

as follows :

No. 1, Fort Martin No. 5, Mountain Tea No. 8, Buckeye
“ 2, Maidsville “ 6, Stumptown “ 9, Osageville
“ 3, Lazzell “ 7, Laurel Hill “ 10, Cassville

I‘

4, J imtown

Osageville, No. 9, was formed, in 1878, from Jimtown,

710

7

HISTORY OF MON0NGrA1JIA COUNTY.

No. 4; Cassville, No. 10, was formed from Laurel Hill, No.
7, in 1879. The Fort Martin school-house was the only
subscription school-house accepted in the cohnty, in 1865,

for a free school building.

SCHOOL ENUMERATION BY YEARS.

\

   

SUB~-DISTRIO'I‘S , DISTRICT.
YEAR.  ‘ _.____.*.__.._._._.
No.1 No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 ’ No.7 ’.NO.8 No.9 No.10 Males F’m’1es Total
1868. . . . . S6 83 55 00 75 00 86 24 . . .. . . . . . 197 182 379
1869..... 54 79 56 76 63 65 97 24   270 249 514
1870. . . . . 63 82 06 85 49 7 92 24 . . . . . . . . . 293 247 540
1871. . . . . 59 85 73 67 54 74 93 39 . . . . . . . . . 294 238 532
1872. . . . . 56 89 73 67 56 | 7'0 97 29 . . . . . . . . . 2'5 262 537
1873 . . . .. 50 86 71 82 59 ' 67 89 27 . . . . . . . . . 303 228 531
1874. . . . . 55 89 75 75 53 61 89 28 . . . . . . . . . 279 246 525
1875. . . .. 54 81 74 79 61 68 81 28 . . . . . . . . . 286 250 536
1876... . . 47 75 82 78 50 66 88 21 . . . . . . . . . 264 243 507
1877. . . . . 45 66 80 76 40  61 104 31 . . . . . . . . . 267 236 503
1878, . . . . 53 62 89 42 53 50 102 37 43 . . . . 267 236 503
187 9. . . . . 45 56 84 38 59 55 — 43 27 47 53 261 238 507
1880. . . . . 47 53 69 35 55 59 46 32 . 48 50 255 239 494
1881 . . . . . 23 37 55 25 56 41 27 43 42 48 223 17 4 397
1882. . . . . 32 48 49 26 52 7 48 30 26 30 38 . . . .. 164 . . . . .
           230 194 424

PRIZE FIGHT.——It was in Cass, at the mouth of Crooked
run, that the pugilists, 1Va11ing and Campbell, who came

from Colorado to Pittsburgh, and from that city by boat up

the Monongahela River, fought in 1881.
‘ STATISTICS or CASS DISTRICT.

8
YEAR.  Q3
0 1
:4 8
1866 .......................... .. 504 1,016
1867 .............................. .. 488 1,364
1868 ..............................  492 1, 27
1860..  470 1,320
1870.. .  . 498 1,552
1871 .............  ............. .. 512 1,640
187‘ ................  ......... ..  
1873 ..................  .......... .. 557 1,640
1874 .....  ................  .... .. 566 1,406
1875. ............ .. 573 1,565
1876. . 545 1,073
1877 . 535 1,293
1878 ............................. .. 523 1,500
1879 ........................ .. 488 1,534
1880 ............................. .. 446 1,219
1881.... . 435 1,407
1882.... .  441 1,338
1883 ...........  .  484 1,811!

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cu
as
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2786
2,932

o o . - . no

946

1,922
2,744
2,981
2L803

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. E52
5% "528
O «D
E c>m
216 20
161 124
160 129
139 131
187 26
103 22
186 37
208 39
180 40
180 43
220 53
208 48
186 53
143 59
165 80
195 184
187 199

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54425 -oo{2%$£§

8
.1:
B
273
272
296
292
306
303
290
299
304

308
323
317
314
318
309

312

VOTERS.

{ Colored.

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CASS DISTRICT. 711

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JOHN H. BOWLBY.——The grandfather of the subject of this
sketch, John Bowlby, came from Nottinghamshire,‘England, where
the family is still numerous. He was one of the twenty—four pro-
prietaries of New Jersey, and owned there the twenty-fourth part
of that State. James Bowlby, John’s son, was educated as a
lawyer in New Jersey, and married Lydia Carhart in that State.
In 1797, he came with his family to the Forks cf Cheat, and re-
mained there until 1798, when he crossed Bald Hill in the first
wagon ever driven across that country, and settled on the land
which he had previously bought of James Polloc, on the head—
waters of Robinson’s run. Here he raised a family of seven chil-
dren, vi7..: 1. Samuel C., who moved to Ohio in 1835; 2. Rebecca,
who married Thomas Lazzell, J13;  \Villiampe (3., who married a.
man named Smith and moved to Ohio ; 4. Robert L, who married
Margaret Smith and lived and died in this county ; 5. John H., the
subject of this sketch, who was born in this county, a few days
after the arrivallof the family; 6. Catey who married Hynson
Smith; 7. James, who never was married, and who died in 1823,
aged nineteen years.

John H. Bowlby was born February 21, 1798. He obtained his
education in the rude schools of that day. In 1819, he was com-
missioned as first lieutenant in the Virginia militia, and, some
years later, as a captain of the same company, serving in that ca-
pacity for several years. About 1840, he was elected and commis-
sioned colonel of 140th Regt. Va. militia; resigned about 1850. He
was one of the seven of his regiment who volunteered for service
in the Mexican “far, but being advanced in life he never entered
active service. About 1886, he was appointed justice of the peace,
and held that office for about ten years, when he resigned. In
1843, he was elected to represent Monongalia in the Virginia legis-
lature, serving one year in that body. He was a school commis-
sioner for many years before the Civil ‘Var. J

On October 23,1823, he married Elizabeth Stevens, (a distant
relative of Thaddeus Stevens,) of Grreene County, Penn., whose

- parents had come from New Jersey about the same time that the

Bowlbys came. They had eight children: 1. Samuel C., who died
in 1841. unmarried, aged seventeen years, of typhoid fever—the

712 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

first case in the county; 2. Edward J., who married Emeleen
Boyles in 1845, and has had six children, two of w hom are dead and
four living, viz.: Charles J., a lawyer, practicing at Crete City,
Nebraska ; Lucinda, who married Simon McClure and lives in this
county; Phebe M., who married \Villiam Steele, of this county;
Nancy C., who married VVil1iam B. Holbert; the deceased were
Elizabeth S. and Joseph E. His third child was James P., who
married, first, Irene Boyles, by whom he had six children, and,
second, Susan Donley, by whom he has had nine children; 4. John
W., who died in 1882, unmarried, aged eighty-two years ; 5. Belinda
A., who married Spencer Morris, M.D.,Ph.D., of the Jefferson Medi-
cal College, Philadelphia, Penn.; 6. Benson F., who died in 1863,
aged twenty—three, and unmarried; 7. Alcinda L.,who married John
M. Boyles, of Clinton District ; 8. Joseph M., who died in 1836, aged
about two years.

John H. Bowlby was a Jacksonian Democrat all his life, and
voted for every Democratic nominee for president from James
Madison to W. S. Hancock. He is still living, and hopes to live to
vote for the nominee in 1884. He has been in the cattle business
for sixty years. “He is the first man in this county who ever gave
$100 for a yoke of oxen.” In 1856, he built the steam-1nill,30x3O
feet, three stories high, and a saw-mill, 18x45. Two run of buhrs
were put in at first—same yet. John H. and his son James P. run
the business until 1860, when E. J. became a partner and James I’.
retired. About 1869, the mill passed entirely into the hands of E.J.
About this time John H. distributed his property amounting to
about $40,000, among‘ his four children. In 1877, he made a fur—
ther division among the four children, amounting to about $1,000
each. By the death of his son, John \V., without heirs, the “home
place” again passed to John H., and, in 1882, he sold this to his
two sons.

John H. Bowlby has been a member of the Methodist Protestant
Church for many years, and has been a class-leader and a steward.
H e was one of the charter members of Morgantown Lodge, No. 93,
A. F. and A. M.

Thomas and Richard Bowlby, brothers, and John (grandfather
of the subject of this sketch) went from New Jersey to Nova Scotia

CASS DISTRICT. ‘ 713

about the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, being Loyalists,

and afterward to Upper Canada, where their descendants are nu-
merous and have enjoyed many distinctions under the Canadian
government

JOHN T. FLEMING, youngest son of Levin Fleming and Mary \Vil~
ley, was born June 8, 1827, near Cassville. He worked on the farm
until the age of twenty-one, about which time his health failing,
he began teaching, which he followed for six years. He married
Willimpe T. Smyth, daughter of Hynson Smyth, December 27, 1853.
He was elected, in 1854, to the sheriflalty of the county, and was
the first Democrat‘ to hold that oflice in Monongalia. His success
and efliciency was evidenced by a re-election the following term
with 1000 majority, he serving as sheriff and deputy until 1860.

In 1865,‘ he removed back to his farm near Cassville. Although
his education was only that of the connnon schools, yet he has
collected a considerable library, and is a man of extensive knowl-
edge for his advantages.

"He never had a lawsuit while sherifi, and retired from the office
with honor to himself and with the personal good-will of the whole
people. He was repeatedly complimented by State ofilcials, for
his promptness and kindness as a public servant.

CHRISTOPHER GARLOW came from Maryland, and married a
Miss Snively. His children were: Andrew, father of John, who
lives on Snider’s Indian camp farm; Joseph, who was killed in
the VVar of 1812; John; Motta Partness; Tina Fortney; Mary
Barmore ; Elizabeth Muzzy, and Daniel.

PHILIP SHIVELY, grandfather of Michael Shively, when 93 years
of age, split ahundred rails in a day. He used to say that his
father was his “his own man for 100 years,” he having been 121
years of age at his death.

JOHN DAVIS married a Furbee. iHe‘ died at 97 years of age. Of
his sons, Robert went to Tyler County ; Mathias remained in Mon-
ongalia, while Thomas went to Kentucky.

Among the immigrants who came into Cass from Delaware,
beside the \Vil1eys, the Davises and the Flemings mentioned on

714 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

page 698, were the iohnsons. the Lawlises, the Coles, the Prides,
the Hayses, the Wades, the Barkers and the Conways.

ELIAS SIMPSON married Elizabeth Murray and came from Dela-
ware and settled on William VVag1kin’s place on Sc0tt’s run, about
1794. One of his sons is Squire Purnell Simpson, now living in
Morgantown. Elias had two brothers, William and David, who
came out but who went West.

THOMAS HACKNEY came from Delaware. He married Elizabeth
Hart. He was the father of ex-Sheriff Samuel Hackney, of_ Mor-
gantown.

FORTNEY FAMILY.—The ancestor of the Fortney family came
from France ; fought inthe Revolution ; then returned andbrought
his family. His son Henry came from Frederick County, Md., to
Greene County, Penn., and to Monongalia in 1808. Among Henry’s
sons were Daniel, Peter, and John. .Tohn’s children were Daniel
J ., Eli (of Kentucky), Joseph, John G. (of Preston County), Levi,
and Barbara Clark.

CHAPTER XXXII.
GRANT DISTRICT.

Geographical Boundaries and General Description—Indian Occu~
pation——Indian Mill Rock——Pioneers and Early Settlers—SteW-
art’s Block House—¥Growth of the District—Civi1 List-—Po1ling
Places and Presidential Votes—Towns : Granville, Laurel Point,
Arnettsville, Lowesville, Georgetown, Flickersvil1e——Mai1
Service ~—- Roads —— Mills —- Religious Denominations —— Sabbath
Schools——Schools and School Ofiicers——Statistics—Biographica1
Sketches.

GRANT DISTRICT is bounded on the north and north—east by
Cass District ; on the east and south-east it is separated by
the Monongahela River from Morgan and Clinton districts;
on the south and south—east it is bounded by 1 Marion
County and on the west and north-West it is bounded by
Clay District.

Grant District, in 1807, ‘comprised the Eighth (constab-

ulary) District, except that portion of the present district

south of Big Indian creek, which was in the Ninth. The
Eighth also embraced all of Cass south of ‘Scott’s run. In
1831, it was the south-eastern part of the Third (constab-
ulary) District, which comprised nearly the present terri-
tory of Clay, Cass and Grant. In 1852, the present terri-
tory of the district became the Fifth Magisterial District
(p. 565). In.1863, Grant Township was established, em-
bracing the territory of the present district, and named in
honor of Gen. U. S. Grant. In 1873, Grant Township, by a
change of designation merely, became the present Grant
District.

716 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

The slope of the main portion of the district is to the
north-east and east in the direction of its main streams,
Dent’s run and ‘the Monongahela River. In the southern
part the slope is to the south-east in the direction of Big
Indian creek.

The surface is broken and hilly; the soil is clay and sand
loam, very rich and productive. Wheat is said to average
from 8 to 18 bushels per acre ; corn, 25 to 60; oats, 16 to

. 40, and potatoes, 75 to 125. All small fruits and vegetables

do well. Apples are the main fruit crop; pears, cherries
and plums are raised, and, some years, a crop of peaches.
The district was once heavily timbered, but a. great portion
of it has been cleared... Oak (of difi'erent varieties) was the
main timber, with sugar, poplar, chestnut, hickory and
walnut. Its mineral Wealth—coal, iron. ore and limestone—-
has never been fully developed, but is similar in many re-
spects to the mineral wealth of Cass District, as described,
commencing at page 223.-

The wild animals common in the district in an early day
were the same as were found all over the county: the buf-
falo, deer, panther, wolf, bear and wild eat, all of which
have given away to the advance of civilization, whose ring-
ing ax-blows cleared out their haunts for the domestic
animals of to-day. Sheep, hogs, cattle and horses do well

and thrive.
INDIAN OCCUPATION.

The Indians sought the hills and streams of Grant for
the same purposes that they visited all other portions of
the county, which were to hunt and fish.

INDIAN MILL ROCK.

On the waters of SteWart’s run, on the farm of S. C.

Stewart, is a large rock in which there are several holes

GRAN T DISTRICT. ‘ 717

about 6 inches in diameter, varying in depth from 12 inches
to 2% feet. They were said, by the early settlers, to have
been used by the Indians to pound their corn in. A care-
ful examination of the rock shows that they were not worn
by the action of" water, and likely were used by the Indians
for pounding corn or for keeping fire, or for both purposes.
In the latter case, ashes were put in, then fire, then more
ashes, then a ‘stone lid or cover. Just below this rock are
unmistakable evidences of an Indian encampment.

PIONEERS AND EARLY SETTLERS.

The following are among the pioneensettlers of Grant
District from 1770 to 1779: A

1770-Alex Smith 1774—James Denny 1775-George Weaver
177l.—Jacob Scott 1774——T. Cunningham -1775’——Josiah Haskins
1772——Wm. Robinson .1774_.na:'r1 Burchill ]775——Benjamin Wilson
1772——George Robinson 1774—William Hill 1775-David Burchill
1773——James Piles ]774—Abe. Lemasters 1775——Joseph Barker
1773——John Cochran 1774——Samuel Osborn 1775—Iohn Barker
1773-Jacob Barker 1775—John McDonald l775—James Barker
1773-John Stewart 1775—John Dent 1775—Levi Carter
1773-—Hezekiah Stout 1775—James Wells 1778— —-— Lough

sTEwAnr’s BLOCK HOUSE.

John Stewart * built a block house on his lands on
Stewart’s run about one mile down from its head. It stdod
on a small ridge betwee’1i‘tw6~ravin'es‘on theright hand side
of the run, and was standing as late as 1796. “It was“
some time after 1773. Henry Michael now owns the land
the fort was on, and it was not far from his house where it
stood.

The Indians never killed any one in Grant of whom we

have any account. It is said that VVillian1 Stewart, son of

’*Jol111Stowa1't. son of William Stewart mentioned on page 81, came from Stewart-
town and took up 1115 acres of land along the run now bearlnglils name. He mar-
l'lC(l a Miss Robe. 'l‘l1el1' children were: William, David, Samuel, Sarah, Elizabeth
Hall, Nallcy and Mary.

I

68 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

In the spring of "1781, Thomas Pindall, who lived a mile
or so from Harrison’s Fort, went to the fort one day at a
time when the larger part of the immediate neighborhood
had gathered there for safety, and induced his brother-in-
law, John Harrison, and two young surveyors from Eastern
Virginia, named Crawford and VVright,_to return home with
him. Some time after going to bed, the women waked Pin-
dall and told him they had heard a noise several times like
some one whistling on a charger, and being apprehensive of
The men listened but
heard nothing, and concluded that the women had heard

Indians, Wanted to go to the fort.

nothing but the blowing of the wind. Nothing more was
heard until morning, when the men arose and Pindall went
to the woods in search of his horses, and John Harrison
and the surveyors went to the‘ spring above the house to
Indians concealed behind a pile of logs, fired
Crawford and I-Vright fell dead, and

Harrison, who was standing between them, fled and suc-

wash.

hree shots at them.

ceeded in reaching the fort. The Women, hearing the crack
of the guns, sprang out of bed and fled toward the fort.
The Indians pursued them, and just a few yards from
where John M. Garlow’s dwelling—house now stands they
overtook Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Pindall, a very beautiful
woman possessing a very long and luxurious suit of hair.
No plea for mercy was entertained, and she was murdered
Her companion in flight,
The

Indians immediately retreated, and when Thomas Pindall

and soalped upon the spot.
Rachel Pindall, succeeded in reaching the fort.

came in with his h.orses and saw the two surveyors lying by
the spring he thought they had tied red handkerchiefs
around their heads and Were trying to play a trick on him.

/

718 HISTORY. OF MONONGALIA COUNTY

John Stewart, was chased by Indians while returning from
a mill that stood Where Boyers’s mill now is in Cass District.
‘GROWTH or THE DISTRICT.

Being,an agricultural district, its growth has been neces-
sarily slow. The building of the pike through the district,
to some extent, for a time, gave an impetus to the produc-
tion of grain and the raising of horses and cattle. With a
rich soil, the district is capable of a development that would
make it one of the best.

The district, with 29,811 acres of area, stands fifth in
order of size. In 1880, with 2,156 inhabitants, it is fourth
in order of population ; and, in 1883, with $849,932 of
Wealth, it stands first of the seven districts of the county in
order of Wealth.

CIVIL LIST——MAGISTERIAL OFFICERS, 1852-1863.

_JUS'1‘ICEs.
1852. 1856 » 1860
John B. Lough John B. Lough John B. Lough
Gideon Barb Jesse Mercer Jesse Mercer
John B. Yeager James Steele ———-
Philip Rogers Ulysses Camp ' —— —----
CONSTABLES.
1852 1856 -. 1860
Ulysses Camp Jacob Barker F. M. Arnett
—— -—-—-— William Smith G. W. Gilmore
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS, 1863-1873.
.IUsTIcEs."*“
1863 1867 1871
J. A. Waters I. C. Rich E. W. Brand
Isaac Cordray James Steele J. H. Coogle
CONSTABLES.
1863 1867 1871
R. B. Fogle R. B. Fogle R. B. Fogle
C. W. Miller J. S. Thorn J. B. Lynch.
1865 1869
R. B. Fogle R. B. Fogle
J. S. Thorn J. S. Thorn

* ’1'o fill vacancy: 1866, I. 0. Rich.

GRANT DISTRICT. 719

SUPERVISORS.

1863-Matthew Lough 1866-—Reuben Finnell 1869—Wm. Fear
1864--Reuben Finnall 18o7—J. E. Arnett 1870-Wm. Fear

1865-Danie1GIasscock 1868--Wm. Fear 1871-J. M. Taylor
, mspx-zorons or ELECTIONS. '

1868-Henry Potter 1866-—S. J. Cale 1369-—Owen Hawker

J. P. Thorn J. P. Thorn J. P. Thorn
1864-—Henry Potter 1867-A. Glasscock 1370—J. S. Lough

‘J. P. Thorn J. P. Thorn Eugenius Stumn
1865—Henry Potter 1868—James Steele 1871—J. P. Thorn

J. P. Thorn J. P. Thorn Eugenius Stumn

OVERSEIIS OF POOR.

1863-65-J. Mcclarnan 1868-70-Reufien Finnel 1871—J. A. Thompson
1865-6s'—Wm. Fear 1870-—J. W. Smith

TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1863-65--M. Shanks 1866——John Johnson 1870-72—~Garrett Conn
1865-D. C. Shafler 1867—70—George Barb

TOWNSHIP TREASUBEBS.

1863-66-Peter Fogle 1867—Robison Hare 1868-70—Curtis Arnett
1866-13‘. M. Arnett.

DISTRICT ‘OFFICERS, 1873-1884.

Jtwrxcns.

'*='1872—-—E. W. Brand 1876-—E. W. Brand 1880——M. J. Knox

Shelby P, Barker James E. Dent J . P. Thorn
CONSTABLESJ 1 V

9-'=‘1872—J. A. Thompson 1876—J. M.Hildebrand 1880-D. Y. McElroy

J. B. Lynch Sam’l McElroy Taylor Hess

POLLING PLACES.

1n 1832, Middletown (now Fairmont) and Morgantown
seem to have been the neaazestpolling places. In 1852,
Laurel Point and Cox’s were established in the district. In
1864, Laurel Point and Arnettsville were established, and
have been the polls since.

. TPRESIDENTIAL VOTE, 1852-1880.

1852, Pierce, 183; 1864, Lincoln, 205;
Scott, 33. McClellan, 138.

1856, Buchanan, 169; 1868, Grant, 258;
Filmore, 12. Seymour, 146.

* Elected August 22, 1872, and Went into office January 1, 
T There is no record of 1860. The votes given are the sum total of votes cast at the
polling places in the district.

720 HISTORY  MONONGALIA COUNTY.

1872, Grant, 240;
Greeley, 133; O’Connor, 5.
1876, Hayes, 228;
Tilden, 169.

. 1880, Garfield, 227;
Hancock, 171.

TOWNS.

The oldest and largest town in the district is Granville.
It was laid out by Capt. Felix Scott, and named Grand-
ville. It was established by an act of Assembly passed
January 22, 1814, which recited “that the lots and streets
as already laid off on the Monongahela River, be established
a town by the name of Grandville; and that John Bouslog,
Robert C. Scott, James Tibbs, Thomas Wade, J r., Joseph
Dunlap, Thomas Hess and Felix Scott” be appointed trus-
tees. The houses were to be at least twelve feet square,
with. brick or stone chimneys, and seven years were allowed
lot-holders in which to improve and build on their lots.
On December 31, 1819, an act was passed allowing lot-
holders seven years longer in which to build on their lots.
On June 6, 1814, we find Capt. Felix Scott making his first
sale of lots. The town was laid out into forty-three lots,
and sold as follows, by Capt. Scott : ""

A Pm'cha.scr. N0.

N0. Purchaser. N0. I’zu‘chase r.

1. Robert C. Scot.t
2. John Bouslog
3. John Bouslogl
4. John Bouslog
5. John Bouslog:

10. Robert C. Scott
11. David Scott
12. David Scott
13. Robert C. Scott
14. Joseph Dunlap

19. Robert C. Scott
20. Robert C. Scott
21, Robert C. Scott
22. Robert C. Scott
23. Philip Shively

6. John Bouslog 15. George Barrick 24. Philip Shively
7. Thomas Hess 16. Robert C. Scott 25. Philip Shively
8. Thomas Hess 17. Robert C. Scott 26. Jacob Barrick

9. Benjamin Stephens 18. Robert C. Scott 27. Robert C. Scott

 Capt. Felix. Scott was a son of Capt. David Scott who came from the South Branch.
His wife, it is said, was a Cunningham. Their children were: 1. and 2. Phebe and
1«‘anny, killed by Indians (pp. 63-64); 3. Hannah, who married Jesse, son of Col. Chas.
Martin; 4. Col. Jaines,'who married Amelia Daugherty; 5." Robert, who married 3.
Cunningham; G. Capt. Felix, who married Nancy, (laug'l1te1' of Capt. John Dent; 7'.
Sally, who married a Gapen. Capt. David Scott lived most of the time across the
river from Hamilton in Union District. Major David Scott, of Grant, was said to have
been a nephew of Capt. David Scott; and Jacob Scott, who lived at the “ Red Bridge,”

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OLIVER P
See AD;:(n)(]i:i4LIFFE
X. .

GRANT DISTRICT. 721

N0. Purchaser. No. 1’zu'cha.s'er. No. PurcIm.<-er.

28. Michael Shively 34. Joseph Dunlap 39. Philip Shively
29. John Fortney 35. Joseph Dunlap 40. Robert C. Scott
30. John Furbee 36. Samuel Everly . 41. George Baremore
31. Daniel Thompson 37. Morgan Scott. 42. George Bax-rick
 Daniel Thompson 38. Philip Shively 43. Robert C. Scott

33. Robert C. soon;

On June 6, 1814, Robert C. Scott bought Nos. 1, 10, 16 to
22, 27, 33, 40 and 43 for 3500. On the same day, Philip
Shively bought Nos. 23 to 25, 38 and 39 for $80; John
Bouslog, Nos. 2, 3, 6 and 45 for $500 ; Joseph Dunlap, Nos.
14,34 and 35 $500; ’l_‘hon1as Hess, Nos. 7 and 8 for $100;
George Barrack, Nos. 15 and 42 for $20 ; John Fortney, No.
29 for $30; Jacob Barrack, No.26 for $20; George Bare-
more, No. 41 for $10; Benjamin Stephens No. 9 for $20;
Michael Shively No. 28 for $30; Daniel Thompson, Nos. 31
and 32 for $40 ; Samuel Everly, No. 36 for $56, and Morgan
Scott N0. 37 for $20. On June 10, 1816, Robert C. Scott
bought No. 13 for $30. March 6, 1819, David Scott bought
Nos. 11 and 12 for $80, and John Fnrbee No. 30 for $80.

It is said that Capt. Scott named the town from the
island in the river opposite it, and also that he had the
first house built, in 1812, where Mr. Lewellin lives. The
first store was kept by Felix Scott, between 1812 and 1815.
Dr. Dent kept a store for a long‘ time. Several others have
kept, and the last was the grocery of Mrs. Brown, who re-
moVed,i11 1883, to Hamilton. Dr. Marmaduke Dent located
as a physician here in 1830, and practiced for about 50 years.
Dr. U. L. Clemmer was with him for awhile. About 1830,
a post—oflice was established. On account of their being
a post-office by the name of Grandville in the State, the
name of the town was clianged from Grandville to Gran-

{vas s.»aa7o'i1;'»¥e been eii-.1ie".~’..’i.1-331131-'31-‘ 3 C0\1Sll1 oi Capt.vDavi(i cm... "L: LlC()1)
died from exposure in the Indian wars, as a spy. Among his cliildren wore: Jmncs,
Sarah Barker, and Phebe, wife of Benjamin Hamilton.

46

‘:22 Hrsronr or MONONGALIA coUNrr.

ville. In 1880, the population was 122. The town is on
the Monongahela River, two miles north-West of Morgan-
town. There is now no post-ofiice here. The only hotel is
the Dent House, kept by ‘Squire James E. Dent.

LAUREL POINT.

Capt. John Dent had a mill at Laurel Point, which burnt
in 1800. A stone mill was built innit-s place, and it was suc-
ceeded by the present steam mill, which was built in 1841
or 42, by Nimrod Dent. Between 1846 and 1851, the post-
oflice was established. In 1851, E. G. Brooke was post-
master. Milling, merchandising and distilling was com-
menced in 1790 at this place by Capt. John Dent; in 1828,
Nimrod and Dr. Marmaduke, his sons, succeeded him. In
1830, the Doctor sold out to Nimrod. Since Nimrod quit,
several stores have been kept. The first physician here was
Dr. Dent, from 1828 to 1831.

A A1:NE'1"rsvILLr.*

Arnettsville stands on ground formerly owned by James
Arnett, Jr. The first lot was sold to John Hess, about1853 ;
the first house had been built in 1846, by James Arnett, Jr.
About 1858, a‘ regular plat of the town was made and lots
offered for sale. About twenty-five years ago, a post-
ofiice was established here by the town name, and the
name has never been changed. The present postmaster is
A. M. Arnett,'l' who succeeded C. WV. Miller. James S.
Thorn was assistant postmaster. Among the previous
postmasters were James Arnett, J r., A. N. Miller, F. M.

. ...;.....;.c ....;..;.;.:.e.;;.;.......;...;..7.;:;..sg..:;.‘;.;;c..;....      ‘ so

1‘ A. M. Arnett was born in 1823. His grandfather, Andrew Arnett, cmnc here from
the “ Eastern Sl1orc’.’ In Virginia. about 1785. He owned 600 acres of land ad jOll11Dg'
Ariiettsville. A. M. Arnett married,1n 1843, Lavina Price. ',1‘hey have had eleven

cl.xi.1<1ren,fl\'e or Wl10H1 are still llvlng. Mr. Arnett was a constable before the civil
war; has been postrnaster since 1879, and £1 Il0liU‘_\‘})l1l)llC since 1881.

GRANT DISTRICT. 723

Arnett,* Joseph H. Coogle. . The first store was kept by
George G. Gregg. Dr. James M. Price was the first phy-
sician, about 1856 ; the present physician is Dr. George WV.
Dent. Among the other physicians who have practiced
here were L. S. Brock, J.. H. Stumm, F. Howell, J. P.
Clayton, C. C. Jacobs. Among the merchants were A. N.
Miller, Coogle & Brother, Thorn & Miller, Charles Billings-
ley, S. A. Posten. The present merchants are Price
Brothers and Hood & Clayton. Miss Irene Smith has a
millinery store, Mrs. Martha E. Miller keeps the hotel;
Eddy & Floyd own a portable steam saw—mill which is
located here at present. The population of the town in
1880 Was given at fifty—four. It is situated on Big Indian
creek, on the Morgantown and Fairmont pike, 11 miles
south-West of the county—seat.
LOWESVILLE.

Lowesvilleis situated at the confluence of Big Indian
creek with the Monongahela River, 12 miles south of Mor-
gantown. It derives its name from Levi Lowe, who built a
mill at this place before 1850. Jonathan M. Heck pur-
chased the little town about 1852, and was to give $10,000
for it. Among the earlier merchants was J ehu Stevens,
succeeded by James Hood,'l' Calvin Hood, John Hood, and
Joseph A. Hood, the present nierchant. VVe have no ac-
count of any physician ever locating here. The post-office

is named after the town, and Joseph A. Hood is the present

-, M.

Ii * Capt. Francis M. Arnett went to M arkleysburgll, Fayette County, Penn., and kept

a store; in 1870, kept Chalk Hill tavern; 1876, kept Arnctt House, West Morgantown ;
and now has removed back to Markleysburgh and opened a store.

Jr John Hood came with his father, Archie Hood, from White Thorn, Scotland, to
Washington County, Penn. John married Letitia. Smith. Their children were: John
S., W1n., James, Joseph, Maria Trippett and Letitia Hotfman. J olin Hooci was with
Launtr/. in the mercantile business in Biacksviiie in 1839; then at Hamilton ; and,
about, 1850, came to the viciiiity of Lowesviiie.

724 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

postmaster. The residents of the town are: Joseph A.
Hood, R. B. Tibbs, John Hood, James McElroy (black-
smith), Jacob Phillips (shoemaker), James Hood (farmer),
Mrs. Letitia Hood, Jacob Hoffman (carpenter), David
Clayton (nursery agent), and the miller. C
GEORGETOWN.

Many years ago the old log meeting—house was built, and
was called Snyder’s Church, the Snyder’s Temple, and an
eifort was made to start a town by the name of Snydersville,
but it failed. In 1881,  C. Miller ope_ned a store here

and obtained the removal of Cedar Valley post—office to»

this point and the change of its name to Georgetown. John
Snyder was the patentee of the land the town stands on.
It is situated 91} miles south—west of Morgantown, on the
Fishing Creek, Morgantown and Brandonville turnpike,
generally called the Morgantown and Fairmont pike. The
residents are: S. P. Barker (mil1—owner), George Pratt,
Emory Hill (blacksmith), B. S. Michael (blacksmith), H. C.
Miller* (merchant), Thomas VVells (shoemaker), Isaac E.
Arnett, Daniel Y. McElroy and Alpheus Rice.
FLIcKERsVILLE.'l‘

In an early day, probably 1790 or 1800, John Coombs
came from Pennsylvania and erected a saw—mill, and after-
ward a tub-mill for grinding corn. In 1833, a fiouring—mill
of two set of stones (one set were buhrs) was built here
by Caleb P. Price. It was in operation until February,
1877, when it Was destroyed by fire. There had been a.
lodge of Grangers organized here in 1876 (Lodge N o. 30),

* H. Clay Miller was born at Morgantown In 1814; in mercantile business at Morgan-
town; at Laurel Point, 1863-81 ; at Georgetown, 1881-4; was postmaster at Laurel Point,
and now at Georgetown; Was school commissioner, 1881-3; married, in 1876, Jennie
'1‘. Barker. Their children are: Lloyd, '1‘. Ray, and Sarah A. .

fr By W. Scott Garner.

GRANT DISTRICT. 725

which had held a meeting in a room of the mill build~
ing on Saturday night, and tl1e mill burned on Sunday—~
supposed to have caught from their fire. The first store
here was a grocery, owned by J. B. Price, in 1853. Wm.
Fear (1854) and J. W. Stansberry had stores. In 1876, tl1e
Grangers established a store, and, in two years, sold to J.
P. Snider, who, in November, 1881, sold to the present pro-
prietor, J. B. Price. J. B. Price started :1 blacksmith shop
here in 1837, and carried it on until some four years ago.

-Lewis Chisler came here in 1882, and began wag0n—making.

Caleb P. Price came to Grant District in 1806, from New
Jersey. The property here was sold to the Prices about
1820. John Coombs returned to Pennsylvania and died
there. The town is on a small run emptying into the Mon—
ongahela River, about two miles from Lowesville.

MAIL SERVICE.

A daily mail runs from Morgantown to Fairmont. On
this route in Grant are Laurel Point, Georgetown and _Ar-
nettsville post-ofiices. Lowesville, on another route, re-
ceives a bi-weekly mail. The office at Granville has been
discontinued. Cedar Valley was established at the Rev.
‘V111. N. Stewart’s with Stewart as postmaster; in 1881, it
was moved one-half mile to Georgetown, and the name of
the oflice changed to Georgetown.

ROADS.

The main road through the district  the Brandonville
and Fishing Creek Turnpike, generally called the Morgan-
town and Fairmont pike. It runs from l\Iorgant-own by the
“ Bed Bridge,” Laurel Point, Georgetown and Arnettsville.
The old State road runs with this pike to the “ Red Bridge,”

where it turns off to the right and runs past Zoar Baptist

MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION. 69

He spoke to them, saying, “ Boys, you can’t fool me;T’ but
coming nearer, he saw their heads were red with their life-
blood.*

William Davies, Secretary of War of Virginia, in a letter
Written April 12, 1782,to Gren. Irvine at Fort Pitt, asks the

' loan of 200 or 300 pounds of amunition for the people of

Monongalia, and said: “The incursions of the Indians into

the county of Monongalia and the number of inhabitants
theyhave killed, have induced the government [Virginia] to
order a company from Hampshire [County] to march to
their relief. The defense of these people being a Conti-
nental as Wellas a State object, I have desired Col. Evans
to maintain a correspondence With you.” Gen. Irvine’s
letter of April 20th to Gov. Harrison of Virginia, stated
that he was unable to detach Continental troops to protect
the Virginia border, and that CO1. Evans had Written him
that he had only 300 e:ffectiV*e‘1ne11 to guard a frontier of
eighty miles, and asked-assistance in men, arms and ammu-
nition. Gov. Harrison ordered a company of militia from
Hampshire to march to Monongalia. They were to be
relieved by ‘a company formed in Rocl-Iingham and Augiusta.
These, with some other troops ordered to Tygart’s Valley,
in all seventy men, were to be under Col. Evans’s direction,
and all the Virginia militia on the Vfestern border were to
be under Gen. Irvine. Col. Evans reported to Gen. Irvine
on June 30th, as follows:

“The enemy are frequently in our settlements, murdering; and
We are situated in so scattering a manner that we are not able to
assist one another in time of need. There are the Horse—shoe, Ty-
ger’s Valley, West Fork. Dunker’s bottom and Where I live (near

*The above description of this murder was given the miter by Mrs. Rebecca John,
a niece of Mrs. Elizabeth Pmdall.

726 HISTORY OF MON ON GALIA COUNTY.

church, John B. Lough’s,* and across the head of Stewart’s
run, in the direction of McCurdysville. A road runs
along the river, and three roads run from Laurel Point into
Cass District, while other roads run in every direction in
the district. In 1882, Grant was divided into ten road pre-
cincts, and the county court appointed the following sur-

veyors:
No. 1.. Matthew Larkin N0. 6. Alpheus Rice
“ 2. Eugene Snider “ 7. R. B. Tibbs
“ 3. A. L. Eddy “ 8. J. A. Thompson
“ 4. Z. M. Barker “ 9. J. E. Stansberry
“ 5. Jacob Eddy “ 10. 'William Camp

M 1 L L s .

The first mill of which we have any account was Capt.
John Dent’s mill at Laurel Point, about 1790. Coombs’s
mill at Flickersville was likely the next. Levi Lowe built
his mill at Lowesville before 1850, and it burnt down about
fifteen years ago. His youngest son was in the mill when
it burned and perished. He then built the present mill, a
three-story, frame, with a stone dam across the river giving
water power all the year. The mill is valued at $8000. He
sold to Hood, Wisiiian & Fisher, who were succeeded by
Hood & \Vis.man, and they by the present firm of Hood &
Son. Shelby P. Barker came to the site of Georgetown in

* A Lough whose iirst name is lost came from the north of Ireland to this district.
His sons, John, Joseph and James, came with him. Joseph settled where Eugene
Snider lives. He married J zine Wiley. Among their children were Mat-thew, Andrew,
Joseph, David, Nancy, Jane, Anna and Mary.

John Lough married for his second wife Annie Clelland, and settled where Curtis
Arnett lives. Their children were Sarah Cordray, Julia Arnett, Mary J ones and
Matthew.

James niarried Sarah Basnett; their children were John B. Lough, Nancy Neely,
Marian Wilson, Mary A. Wells and Samuel, now in Marion County.

.lolm B. Lough married Rhoda Lynch; their children are: Sarah J. Michael, J amcs
8., Samuel 0., Maggie M. Toothm-an, Nancy E. Boice, William E., Belle Hess, Mattie (a
medical student at Philadelphia), and Newton '1‘. John B. Lough served as justice
from 1852 to 1864; was in the legislature in 1853, 63, 64, 70, 71 and 74, and satin five
dit‘fe1'ent St-ate-houses; was recording‘ Stewart of. the (:ran\'llle and Monongalia cir.
cults, M. E. church, from 1847' to 1882.

GRANT DISTRICT. 727

1876, and built _his present steam flouring-mill which he

“named the “Wagner Mill” for William Wagner, of Mor-

gantown. —
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

Zoar Baptist church was organized in 1852, with twelve
members, by the Rev. G. F. C. Conn, who served it as pas-
tor for twenty-four years. Of the first twelve members
were: Garrett Lynch, Wilson Crowl and wife, Nancy Dent,
Amelia Barker, Ann A. Barker, Ann Martin, James Arnett
and wife and Ann Arah Arnett. The Rev{ Conn baptized
about 300 persons here. An Anti-Mission Baptist church
is on Big Indian creek; it is called Mt. Tabor ; was organ-
ized nearly a hundred years ago, and has about “twenty-five
or thirty niembers.

Jlét/10:?/Mt ]:})z'.s'«;:0[)aZ.—~Tl1e territory of Grant was eni-
braced in Monongalia and Marion circuit, which was formed
some time between 1830 and 1840, and continued until 1847.
Grandville circuit was formed August 21, 1847, embracing
Grant, Cass and the southern part of Clay. Ricliard Jor-
dan was minister in charge. Morgan L. Boyers was a local
preacher. Henry Jones and James Arnett were exhorters.
Class leaders: John B. Lough at Cold Spring, Morgan
Tucker at Huggins’s (now Mt. Hermon i11 Clay), Joseph \V.
Snider at Snider’s now Georgetown), Elijah Snider at Lau-
rel Point, Sanford S. Scott at Grandville. Besides these
cliarges were four others; Union (at Flickersville), Bend of
the River, Arnett’s (at Arnettsville), and Bethel. From this
circuit Monongalia circuit was fomnerl, August 19, 1.848.

The charges were :

Mt. Hermon Hawkins ffassville
Bethe] 1'-frra.ndville \Vade‘s school—hm2se
Ft. Martin Cold Spring .l.a.urel 1<‘lut (1831)

Peter‘s Temple (1855) Sugar Grove (1853)

728 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COTINTY

The preachers in charge were :

1848—~J. WV. Regal‘ 1852——J. L. Clark 1855——'l‘. H. Trainer
\V. Fribley Philip Green T. C. Hatfield -
1849——Thos. H. Monroe 1853—Gr. J. Nixon 1856—T. H. Trainer
1850—T. H. Monroe A. Loughridge Nixon Potts
S. King 18-54—G. J. Nixon 1857-——R. M. \Val1a.ce
1851——J. L. Clark Chas. McLane T. R. \Vil5on

1858——R. M. Wallace, J. Sharp
About three years ago Monongztlia, circuit was divided,
and A.1-nettsville circuit was formed fromit; The charges

are as follows :

Monongalia Circu1'{. A9'ne(tsv'c'lle C'z‘rcm't.
Granville Laurel Point Arnetsville Union
Cassville \Va(le's ()’Neal’s (Bend of River)
Ft. Martin Bet-hel Cold Spring Mt. Hermon

Pt. Pleasant (Hawkins’s)

The ministers on the Arnettsville circuit l1-ave been:

1880~Jatcob T. Eichelberger“ 1,s81—2—<-1 J. l\Iartin
1883——Jol1n Conwell

Cold Spring church was organized in 1849. The first
class was John B. Lough (leader), Charles and Siyrah A.
Bayles, Allen and l\Iztlinda Stevens, Aaron and Marion
Bn,1'l;er, Williani N. Stewart ; Thos. Pu, Leander B., Sft1‘€Ll1
A., Jzunes G. and Isabella \Vil'son; Dudley and Nztncy
Miller; Chztrlotte F., Christina, Isazuc S. and Joseph N. Cox;
David Herrington, John J. Kern, Ilzlllllztll ‘Vince, Stephen
G. an(l_l\Iu,1*y A. Snyder, Felix E. Bayles, Sarah Youst,
Joseph and Adaline Lough——totzLl, 27. Present member-
ship, 35. They first met in the school-liouse, which con-
tinued the place of meeting until it burnt. The present
frsune church was erected a.bout18G4. The class-leaders

have been: John B. Lough, Aaron Barker, Cl1a,1'les'Ba,yles

* Rev. Jacob '1‘. .E1cne1be1'ge1' is now on the J ollytown (.Pem1.) circuit. He is well ac-
qua1nt.edw1t11t.11e l1lSl30l‘_V of the M. E. c1un'(-11, and also is very nuniliar with the
early llistory of I\'o1‘tl1weste1'n Virginia.

GRANT, DISTRICT. 729

(for a short time) and John B. Lough again, who is still
serving. I

I’7'e.9?)_7/Zerzmz C’/mrc/at.*———Stewart’s Bun church, now called
Sugar Grove, was organized August 1, 1835. The members
VVGTG I .

\Villiam Stewart and Elizabeth his wife, Evan Stewart and J ane
his wife, John Stewart and Elizabeth his wife, John Lough, Isaac
Cordray, John Pratt and Hannah his wife, Isaac Cox, Mary Kelley,
Areli Stewart, Malinda Cordray, Elizabeth Lough, Nancy Barrack-
man, and Asa Hall and Elizabeth his wife.

The Rev. C. B. Bristol was the first pastor, and VVillian1
Stewart, John Lough and John Stewart were the first ruling
elders.

Abstract from the session book:

“ The Rev. Cyrus Beecher Bristol, a missionary under the Assem-
bly’s Board, commenced preaching on Stewartls run in December,
1831. From time to time a few members were added to the church
of Middletown. In 1835, a church was organized, as may be seen
from the sessional records.”

This organization worshiped alternately at VVilliam Stew-
art’s and Major John Lough’s. Their communion services
were generally held in the grove on Stewart’s run and in
Major Lougl1’s barn—~now Curtis Arnett’s. lVilliam 1’.
Harshc, of Fairmont, succeeded the Rev. Mr. Bristol as
pastor, in 1845 or 46. The Rev. James Davis, of Morgan-
town, became pastor in 1846, since which time -it has been
under the care of the pastors of the Morgantown church in
the order named 2 '

1856—64—H. IV. Biggs 1870—Robert White 18'/'9——J. B. Dickey
186G~—\V. A. Hooper 1872——A. A. Jeniison 1883—S. L. Finney
Sugar Grove n1eeting—house was built about 1848 or 49. The
ruling elders elected since 1886 are: Isaac Cordray‘, Matthew
Lough. Charles I. Brand and J. Marshall Lough. T111-ee of the

* By S. C. Stewart.

730 HISTORY OF MCNONGALIA COUNTY.

original members are still living, namely : Isaac Cordray, Malinda.

Lough (nee Cordray) and Mary Kelley, The church now has
about forty members.

SABBATH SCHOOLS.

In 1850, six Sunday-schools were organized by the Rev.
T. H. Monroe on Monongalia circuit. One of these was at
Cassville, and another at Fort Martin church. In 1854,
they had increased to nine, with 350 scholars.

SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL OFFICERS.

Of the subscription schools we have but little account

beyond what is given in Chapter XX.

scnoor. COMMISSIONERS’ 18644873.
1S64—G. F. C. Conn 1868-S. P. Barker 1871-S. W. Fleming

Eugenius Shafer J. S. Coogle J. L. Jones

D. E. Miller; J. H. Hotfman Wm. H. A1-nett
1866—John B. Lough 1869-8. P. Barker 1872—J. L. Jones

J. H. Hoffman J. S. Coogle S. W. Fleming

G. F. C. Conn J. L. Jones J. W. Stevens
1S67———J. S. Coogle - . 1870-8. P. Barker

J. L. Jones J. S. Coogle

J‘. H. Hoffman J. L. Jones

BOARDS on EDUCATION, 1873-1884.

l873—*5*John_ L. Jones, S. W. Fleming, J. VV. Stevens.

1875——Ulysses Camp, E. W. Brand, Curtis Arnett.

]S77——Ulysses Ca-mp, I. 0. Rich, Ambrose Walters.

]879—Ulysses Camp, S. C. Stewart. S. P. Barker, I. 0. Rich, S. \V. Hare.
1881—E. W. Brand, J. S. Lough, H. C. Miller.

1883——J. A. Thompson, A. S. Wisman, J. P. Thorn.

SECRETARIES OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION.

1864-Michael Shank 1866-D. C. Sbafer 1871—84—Grarrett Conn
1865-Jeremiah Barb 1867-—George Barb

Grant District is divided into fourteen sul)—districts, viz;

No. Name. lstablisherl. No. Xanw. ‘ I-?stubIi.~'7mI.
1. Granville. ........  ................. ..1864 8. Union .... .. 
2. Stony Point ...................  “ 9. Bend of the River .......... .. "
3. Sugar Grove ............   “ 10. Laurel Point.................... “
4. Cool Spring ......  ....  .... .. “ 11. Harmony Grove ............. .. “
5. Peter’s Temple........... ....... .. " 12. Barb’s ........................... .. “
6. Arnettsville. " 13. Stewart‘s..........................187I

7. Laurel Fls.t.. .........  ......  “ 14. Georgetown. .................. ..1882

’ The first named member of the board for each year was the president.

SCHOOL ENL'MERA'1‘I0.\I BY YEARS.
The Iollowlng table exhibits the euuincr-.1tion in each suli-district (except No. 14, established in 188:3, and for which no statistics could be had)
{mm 1864 to 1883; and the enrollment _-and average daily attendance in the schools in contrast with the enumeration of the sub-districts, tor cer-
tain selected years. ‘

               

           

’ 1 W_>_ ____H__ __ _SUB-DISTRI_C:l‘_S__._ nxsnucr.
‘E-“*- *1 No.1'N0.2 No.3 1\‘o.4gNo.5 I\'o.6:N0.7{No.8_No.9_N0.10 1\*o.11i1\'o.12£1~:o.13 iMales'F’m’les ; Total
1664..  ..   ...... .. . L 57 47' 63 69' 45 -467 79 31_7"7‘;"';,TfN 62 76  30  '   ; 707
1666 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..; ‘ 67 65 65 61 66 67; 971 70: 391 65 76 1 52  410 413 = 823

1667. ....................  . . . . . . . . . . i . .. 64 65 61 72 61 67’ 871 62‘ 611 76 75 1 39  362 400 I 762

1868 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . .. 59 51 61 95 67 51 3 7'7 3 45 ‘ 36 1 72 51 2 54  331 333 715

1669 . . . . . . . . . . . . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 49 55 69 63 63 52: 76‘ 45; 319" 72 52     1 

1670 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ . . . . . . . . .. 59 52 64 9: 69 72! 96 49; 491 70 60 | 46    E 

1841 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ . . . . . . . , .  66 67 46 64 55 82; 64 52= 44, 65 56 , 45 46   5 

187 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7 43 49  51 7 1 7- 5: 2 1 65 56 . 53 34 401  1 

167 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 66 50 54 74 51 76 66 r I 465 56 63 i 40 43 410 348 ; 756

1677 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 66 46 54 74 51 76 66 50 , 46 56 63 ‘ 40 43 413  . .

187‘ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 71 36' 46 7 47 69; .5 42 57 65 54 7 41 44 412 316 7-

1679 - . . _ . . . . . . . . . . . _ . . . . . .  71 36 46 7 47 69; 75 42 57 65 54 ~ 41 44 402  725

18.’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..1 67 36 50 67 4.3 63 1 70 50 54 72 49 Q 2. 37 346 274 666

1661 . . . . . . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..:   .. 1 I 367 341 706

1663 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _.    | ‘ .. 1 ' 379 325 704
70 43 49 65 51 74f 72 51 1 66 65 56 1 5.; 34 401  

*l872 ....................................... .. 47 33 44 71 47 57; 56 36: 64 4' 42 1 40 27   
. 35 26' 35 51 36 45 1 44 30 1 :5 63 2 1 23   

66 50 54 74 51 71 I 66 56 E 46  63 40 43 410 E 346 7'

‘I876 ....................................... .. 46 40 46 71 42 A 7 i 62 60.: 47  35 47 36   667
24 24 32 38 31 423 46 32 i 65 29 23 27 27   7

67 36 50 67 43 63 70  54 72 49 29 37 346 274 666

*l8té0 ................................  64 36 44 39 42 62 45 321 46 60 45 27    600
3.) E 36 30 36 51 32 26 ; 32 36 26 19 29 239 175 424

* The first line or figures gives the enumeration; the seeond, the enrollment in the schools; the third, the average attendance in the schools.

18L '{LOI“cIJ1SIC[ CLNC-Vilf)

732 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY

School district No. 2 was first called Battle Ground ; No.
12 was first called Half District, and next/denominated New
District, and then Barh’s. At Georgetown, in 1882, Richard
E. Fast introduced'~.‘the county and other newspape;1§s_. in the
school, which is said to have been their first introduction
into the schools of the county.

COST ‘OF TUITI.ON‘_PER PUPIL.
1868—$3.92 1875—$5.54 1876——$4.24 1877-—$4.67 1880——$2.23
In 1866, there was hit one school-house in the district
which was fit to keep school in; now there are fourteen

frame houses. V _ ,. ,  .
STA'I‘ISTIC’S'OF GRANT DISTRICT.

   

 
 

‘ it ', :5 <3
; § 3; g .5 U, worms

_ " L. ’ s § as‘ 3 54 § .
YEAR.  3- :5‘  '   S E
H 4? Q 5" 59 -H 0 Q2 «-4 O
o 1-? 3 E 2 :1 2 S 3 F4 6‘
O (/2 O :2: :3 O 94 A $ 0

1 621 5,470 28 91 3 412 4
4.817 165 101  ’ 416 3

4.109 182 105 3 429 5

' 181 103 4 432 7

35 ‘ 2 2 453 10

38 116 2 461 14

50 396 20 461 10

53 127 7 457 E

60 109 6 469 1 1

62 109 10 481 10

75 100 1 1 490 9

77 102 12 497 10

, 90 97 10 490 6
2,089 ' '  96 88 15 462 8
2,223 3,277 345 117 177 18 474 7
2,447 3,302 348 294 408 21 485 5
1883 2,691‘ 3,308 327 315 102 20 484 3

_. __ _........_..._.._n..___.,_.__-___.. . _..._.-. .. .._._.,j___.__..___.._. W..-‘ .. _-

BIOGRAPHICAL SK]<7'l‘CHES.

SHELBY PINDALL BARKER is the gr-eat-g1-andson of Joseph
Barker who came with his two brothers, John and James, from
Delaware to Redstone, Penn., and, in 1775, they came to Monon~
galia. John died here and oJaJnes died on Buffalo creek. Joseph
married Catharine Carpenter. Their children were : Aaron, David,
Joseph,‘ James, Moses, Catharine wife of James Scott, and a
daughter who married Morgan Scott. Of these children, all left the

GRANT DISTRICT. ‘ 733

county, except Aaron, who bought the homestead where Alfred C.
Barker lives. Aaron married Sarah, daughter of Jacob Scott,
whose wife was a daughter of Zackwell Morgan. Their children

were : Jacob, Joseph, Drusilla wife of Gen. E. S. Pindall, Benjamin «

H., and Alfred C., the only one now living. Benjamin H. married

‘Rebecca, daughter of Zackwell Morgan, who was a son of David

Morgan. Their children were: Catharine wife of Ira Hall, Shelby
P., Zackwell M., Sarah, Drusilla Ralphsnyder, Aaron, and Linah
M. McElroy.

Shelby P. Barker, son of Benjamin H. Barker, was born July 8,
1835, and was raised on a farm with but little advantages of
schools. When a young man he visited the VVest, and traveled
over several States. He returned and, in 1859, married Mary,
daughter of Philip_Lowe. Their children are Rebecca, Ida J.,
Laura 0., Charles, Lula M., Sarah, Aaron, Benjamin H. and Hugh
M. 011 July 18,1861, he enlisted in Co. A, 1st ‘V. Va. C. He was
captured at the second battle of Bull Run and taken to Richmond,
where he was kept in Libby Prison two days, and then removed to
Belle Island and kept thirteen days. He was then paroled and
was soon exchanged. He was in the battles of Romney, Winches-
ter and second Bull Run ; was in Av'eri1l’s raids, an(l was mustered
out of the service July 16, 1865.

In 1876, he came to the site of Georgetown and erected his
steam mill, naming it the “Vfagner Mill,” for \Villiam \Vagner, of
Morgantown. Mr. Barker served as school commissioner in 1868~70

and 1879; as justice of the peace in 1873-6 : as county commissioner, .

and at the expiration of his term as such in 1882, he was re—elected
for another term of six years. Mr. Barker is plain and unassuming,
yet of good judgment and firm and decisive in doing what he
thinks is right. He is a great reader, and has collected quite a
store of information in the time he has been able to devote to
books from his business.

SAMUEL CALVIN S’1‘EWAR’1‘, youngest son of VVi1liam and Elizabetll
Stewart, was born on the farm where he now resides, on Stewart’s
run, in Monongalia County, J ulv 1, 1832. He is a descendant of the
old Stewart family at Stewarttown described on page 673. He was
brought up to farm work, and enjoyed only the limi.ted advantages
furnislied by the subscription schools of that period. He was by

734 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

no means satisfied with his school facilities, but having no better
within his reach, he applied himself to reading and study——a habit
which he has continued to the present time. Having a taste for
surveying, he applied himself to the study of this subject, and
made himself an expert in the practice of this art. Few men of
his age, in this State, have so extensive a practice in surveying
and in executing decrees for the partition of lands. In 1869, he
received a commission from Governor Boreman, as Notary Public;
and, being an expert penman, he has done an extensive business in

the writing and executing of agreements and deeds and in other
duties pertaining to said office.

In religion Mr. Stewart is a Presbyterian, in politics a conserva-
tive Democrat, and in education an ardent friend of free schools.
He is a prominent member of the church of his choice; served for
some time as a member of the board of education ; was ten years a
member of the Democratic executive committee for Grant Dis-
trict ; was chairman of the county delegation at the State conven-
tion at Martinsburg, in 1880 ; was a member of the committee on
basis of representation for this senatorial district; and acted as
commissioner to re-assess the real estate, of the second district of
Monongalia County, in 1882. '

Mr. Stewart has been twice married. In 1860, he married Mary
E., daughter of J ames_’.l‘. Hess, deceased. She died in 1865, without
"issue. He married, in 1866, Emeline Cox, daughter of Dr. B. B. Cox,
deceased, a woman of considerable culture. They ha.ve four
children, named, in the order of their ages, Olney B., Gilbert \V.,
Mary E., and Edwin Ray. The writer of this sketch is responsible
for the assertion, that Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are healthful and
temperate, and. as a result, their offspring are sound in both body
and brain.

Mr. Stewart has long been a liberal supporter of newspapers,
and was among the first in this county to declare himself in favor
of newspapers as educators. His contributions to local and State
papers and agricultural journals, prove that he wields a ready pen.

Ben Adham wished to be remembered as one who loved
his fellow men; Thomas Jefferson wished posterity to know him
as the author of the Declaration of Independence and the founder
of the University of Virginia; but Mr. Stewart desires to be espe-
cially regarded as the patron of the press.

GRANT DISTRICT. 735

ALPHA RALPHSNYDER.—Tl1e Ralphsnyder family made its ap-
pearance in America about the beginning of the Seventeeth Cen-
tury, emigrating from Germany to South-eastern Pennsylvania.
The family, excepting an infant named Aaron, were lost in a river

while attempting to cross it to attend worship. Aaron was left

with an aunt, and was reared among his friends, and thus the name
was perpetuated. He married‘ and settled at Martinsburg, Va.,
and had two sons and nine daughters, namely: Elizabeth, who
married Abraham Guseman, and after his death she married
John Foster; Christina, the wife of Jacob Snider; Catharine,
wife of Michael Sme1l;'Magdalene, who died unmarried; Mary,
wife of Michael Ache; Rachel, wife of Jacob Kline; Sarah, who
died in infancy; Susan, wife of Frederick Brenner; Sallie, wife of
Joseph Debolt, and, after his death, married John Stine; Peter,
the elder son, never married; John M.. the younger son, came to
Monongalia and purchased land on Indian creek, and became one
of the most extensive farmers of his day in that section. He mar-
ried Elizabeth Rifile, of Pennsylvania, and had eight children——four
sons and four daughters. Aaron, the eldest son, received the ad-
vantages of a good education, attending old Monongalia Academy
and at a select school in Pennsylvania. He acquired considerable
property and died unmarried, and with the reputation of being
one of the best scholars in the county. \Villiam and Alpha are
leading farmers and stockmen in Monongalia, handling some of
the finest blooded stock in the county. Franklin is a prominent
farmer in Marion County. The four daughters are: Jemima
Brand, Elizabeth Yost, Catharine, and Mary Ann, who died in
infancy.

Alpha. the subject of this sketch, was born April 26, ‘1821, and
received a common-school education, and spent the early part of
his life as a farmer. In later years he turned his attention largely
to stockgrowing. He married Christena, daughter of the late
"Isaac Cox, Esq., and sister to Capt. Joseph F. Cox, of Kansas.
He has three sons dead: John l\I., Marion A. and Richard
L. Mr. Ralphsnyder has three sons living, namely: Isaac Cox.
who mastered the normal course at Fairmont, and then completed
the post—gra(luate course under Dr. Blair. He stood very high in
the literary society; in 1879, was elected principal of the Kingwood

\

COPYRIGHT BY
WM. M. O. DAWSON & B. M. Soumes
1883

Pneas OF

‘ JOURNAL PRSNTING House

_Kmewooo, W. VA.

4

70 HISTORY (JF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Morgantown) to defend ; and in the Whole We have not more than
300 militia fit for duty. Those settlements are avery great distance
apart, and no one settlement able topfurnish men to the relief of
the others. And another article we are destitute of is provision.
VVe have it not amongst us. The company from Hampshire I have
stationed at Tyger’s Valley, Horse—shoe and VVest Fork. I have

got a small supply of ammunition from the government.”

Gen. Irvine in his reply, July 16th, stated that he was
then “straiglitened in all respects. As to provision it is
not in the country;” but that all provision for the army
was furnislied by contractors, and that if Col. Evans could
find a responsible person willing to supply provisions he
(Gen. Irvine) would contract with him. There is nothing
to show whether such contrac.t was ever made or not, but
the military outposts were kept up for several succeeding
years, and Ranger companies and companies of scouts were
continually on the frontiers of Monongalia, but the burning
of the county records in 1796 destroyed all the muster—rolls
of these companies.*

In 1782, in Monongalia 100 pounds of tobacco was paid
for the scalp of a wolf under six months old, and 200
pounds for one over that age.

* The following paper is in the possession of the West Virginia Historical Society:
“A pay abstract of Capt. John Whit.zel1’s [Wetze1] company or Rangers Mononga-
hala County under command of C01. Daniel McFarland. Ranging in Monongahala.

and Ohio counties from the 22nd day Of April to the 251311 July 1778 both days included : ‘

“ ‘John Whitzell, Capt.; Wm. Crawford, lieut.; John Madison, ensign; Peter Miller,
sergeant; Christian Copley, sergeant.

“ ‘ John Six, Sam’1 Brown, Lewis Bonnell, Jacob Teusbaugh, Joseph, Morris, Benj.
Wright, Wm. Hall, Phil. Nicholas, John Nicholas, Henry Yoho, John Duncan, Thos.
Hargis, John Province, J r., Henry Franks, Nicholas Crousber, Jacob Teusbaugh, John
Six, Abram Eastwood, Conrad Hur, Martin Whitzell, Enoch Enochs, Jacob Rifrie, Val-
entine Lawrence, John Andreuer, John Smith, Wm. Gardiner, David Casto, Joseph
Yeager, Phil. Catt, Geo. Catt, Joseph Coone, Matthias Riifle, Jacob Spangler, Peter
Goosey, Philip Barker.’ ”

This company was raised in what is new Washington County, Pennsylvania. In
What part; of Monongalia they served can not be ascertained.

736, HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

school; was re-elected in 1880, teaching a normal school between
the two terms; read law with James ‘Morrow, J r., of Fairmont;
wasexamined by Judge Brannon, and by Judges Haymond and
Fleming of the Supreme Court of Appeals of the State; and was
admitted to the bar at Kingwood, October 8, 1880, and has been
practicing law there since that time. George M. and William,
the other two sons living, entered the normal school at Fairmont,
and left there to enter the West Virginia University, to receive the
full benefit of the best education the State can bestow. '

Alpha Ralphsnyder, during the civil war, was a member of a
company that did an extensive-business.in shipping hogs, sheep
and cattle to eastern markets. He also dealt in land and wool,
and, from 1867 to 1871, was engaged in the ship-timber business.
He is now completing a fine dwelling-house in Grant, in which he
hopes to spend his days in quiet. In religious belief he is a Meth-
odist; politically, he is aDemocrat. He is ever alive to and always
aids every enterprise calculated to benefit his‘count-y or his State.

JOHN J AMISON came from Greene County. Penn., and engaged
in stock business. Two of his sons are practicing physicians at
B1-uceton, Preston County: Dr. \V. C. Jamison, a graduate of J ef-
ferson.Medical'College, and Dr. J. A. Jamison, a graduate of the
Baltimore College of Physicians and Surgeons.

PETER FOGLE (name originally was Vogel) came from Ohio, and)
was a stone-mason and brick-layer. He built the old stone jail at
Kingwood. He married Ann Arah, daughter of Capt. John Dent.
Of their children, Dr. Garrett T. graduated at Starling Medical
College, and is a druggist at Alliance, Ohio ; Dr. G. D. is at Grays—
ville, Ohio; Dr. James B. graduated at Starling Medical College,
and is located at Terra Alta (Cranberry), Preston County; R.
Bruce is a druggist at the same place; John '1‘. died while mayor
of Henry City, Illinois; Imlah M. is a merchant at Bridgeport,
Ohio; VVilliam \V. is a farmer in Calhoun County; Evan 1). read
medicine, but died. Five of them were in the Federal army, v1'7..:
G. 'l.‘., lVilliam \V., R. B., J. B., and Evan D. Of these five, R.
Bruce was taken prisoner after being in the battles of Ft. l)onal<l—
son and Pittsburgh Landing.

MARSIIALL J. KNOX, born in 1846; enlisted in Co. E, 17th \V. Ya.
‘I. and served througli the war; eleoterl justice of the peace i 11 1881);

GRANT DISTRICT. . _ 737

parents were James P., who died in 1856, and Sabina A., still living,
aged 73.

JAMES GALLAGHER. born at Uniontown. Penn., 1797; moved to
this county about 1839; died in 1864, aged 66; his wife is still living,
aged '74. - '

WILLIAM A. JENKINS, born 1837; married Sarah J. Gallagher;
enlisted in Co. A, 7th VV. Va. 1. and died Nov. 2, 1864, from wound
received at Hatchet run. '

WILLIAM VVALLACE was born in \Vashington County, Penn., in
1848:, was twice married; had six children by first wife and one by
last; was in Co. D, 79th Penn. Vol. Infantry.

E. E. STEWART, born 1844; was a teamster during the war; mar-
ried twice, first to Caroline M. Tichnor, then to Eliza E. \Vaters;
his grandfather, Wflliani, came to this county in Indian days.

I. J MCELROY, born 1861; parents were \Villiam and Ellen McEl—”
my; the family was among the early settlers. '

JOHN-ALEXANDER, born 1842; married Caroline Conn in 1867;
chi1dren——George M. and Clyde; elected justice of the peace 1876,
and again in 1880, for the term ending in 1884.

JOHN M. BRAND, born 1826; married Sarah Conn in 1855; children
—WiJ1iaxn C., George C. and Harvey, living, and'Alice, dead. Mr.
Brand was elected sheriff of this county in 1863, and served four
years; was a constable before the war.

JONATHAN FRUM, born in 1848; married Iantha Wriglit in 1867;
children——Al1enia May, Frank, James, Lillie, Earnest, Annie and
Harry; was a teamster during the war. I

BENJAMIN CHESNEY, born in 1820; married Linda E. Barb, of
Upshur County, in 1845; children-—Moses \V., (who belonged to Co.
Gr. 1st WV. Va. C., and died in 1866, from disease contracted in the
army), and David; has been a memberof board of education, and
merchandised at Cassville for several years.

EZEKIEL COX came from Maryland and settled on Little Indian
creek.

7. GENERAL .\'o'r1«:s.

George IV. \Vi|lfong for ten. years has been in cliarge of the Vflilte

Day ferryagvhicli was originally Tl1orn‘s ferry.

738 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY;

I
Three attorneys have gone from the district—Isaac C. and

George M. Ralphsnyder and Ledrew M. VVade.“

On Stewa.rt’s run, (which is one of the finest farming sections in
the county,) about 70 years ago, Robert Cunningham had a small
store. It was about 200 yards across the run from where S. C.
Stewai-t’s residence now is. He also manufactured bowls from
poplar wood.

On July 5, 1877, in the afternoon, a terrible hailstorm passed
over the head-waters of Stewart’s run, and broke into two
water-spouts, one on the head-waters of Stewart’s run and the
other on Indian creek, where the storm hurled logs against Silas
Hawkins’s house and damaged it greatly.

In Grant District -lives Smallwood G. Morgan, who is a grandson
of David Morgan whose desperate fight with two Indians, (just
beyond the county line in Marion County,) near Prickett’s Fort,
has passed into history. But the historians are undoubtedly in
error in stating that David Morgan skinned the two Indians whom
he killed. \Vith that he had nothing to do.

' The ancestor or the Wade family was George Wade, who married Nancy Howard,
and settled in Cass, on Sm1th’s Mill run near where it empties into Dunkard. Among
their children were: George, Jr., Thomas, Hezekiah and Wennen. George, J 12,
married Annie Luark; their children‘ were: J ane Wilson, Joseph, Selby, George
(father or A. L. Wade, and or L1eut.’Elijah I... Wade, an ex-sheriff, now in Washington
Ierritory), John, Thomas, and Denune, grandfather of Ledrew M. Wade who is now
pract-icing law in Braxton Count)‘.

CHAPTER XXXIII.
CLAY DISTRICT.

Geographical Boundaries and General Description——Indian Occu-
pation—Pioneers and Early Settlers——Indian Invasions and
Murders——Settlers’ Forts—-Statler’s For-t——(j‘rrowtl1 of District
~—Civil List-—ToWns: Blacksville, New Brownsville, Brown's

Mills, Mooresville, McCurdysville, I’onetown—-Mills—Roads—— .

Mail Sex-vice—Religious Denominations——-Oil Borings——Schools
and School Oflice-rs——Statistics—Biographical Sketches.

CLAY DISTRICT is bounded on the north by Pennsylvania,
from which it is separated by the Mason and Dixon line;
on the east it is bounded by Cass District, and on the
south-east by Grant District; on the south it is bounded
by Marion County, and on the west by Battelle. In shape
the district is rather long, extending from east to west.
Clay constituted the eastern part of the Seventh and the
north-Western part of the Eiglrtli (Constabulary) District as
established in 1807. In 1831, Clay comprised the western
and north-western part of the Third and a small part of the
'Fourth (Constabulary) District. In I852, Clay District
comprised about all of the Sixth (magisterial) District,
excepting a strip upon which Blacksville is situated, and
which was in the Seventh District. In 1863, Clay Township
was established, embracing the territory of the present

district, and named in honor of Henry Clay. In 1873,

740 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Clay Township, by a change of designation merely, became
the present Clay District.

The slope of the district is principally to the north, in the
direction of its main streams, Day’s, J ake’s and Doll's runs,
which empty into Dunkard creek; while in the south-west
the head-waters of ‘Little Paw Paw drain it, and in the
south-east Big Indian rises. Dunkard creek runs from
west to east through the district in the extreme north. So
many streams separated by ‘high dividing ridges, make the

surface very broken and hilly,‘ yet the soil is rich and very

productive. It is, principally, a heavy clay loam, with a.
rich sand loam in some of the creek valleys and on some
chestnut ridges. Wheat is said to average from 7 to 20
bushels per acre; com, 20 to 75; oats, 20 to 40; potatoes,
75 and 150. Small fruits and vegetables do very well, but
apples——especially winter varieties———are the main crop.
Pears, cherries and plums are raised, while peaches are
sometimes raised, but not relied on as a regular crop.
Hay yields from one to two tons per acre.

Heavy forests once clothed the hills and grew along the
the streams. A large amount has been cut away, yet a
large body of very fine timber extends from J ake’s to Day’s
run. Oak and poplar are still abundant, with some chest-
nut, some walnut, much hickory, some ash, but little pine,
and plenty of beech and sycamore.

The great seam of coal seems to sink in a great downward _

Wave beneath nearly all of Clay District. It is said this 11-
foot vein is only 60 feet down at the mouth of Doll’s run
and 160 feet at Blacksville. There is a 4-foot vein in Clay on
the farm of William Price’s heirs, at Brown’s mill, and at
Benjamin Core’s on Doll’s run. The iron ore and limestone:

whatever there may be, have never been developed.

CLAY DISTRICT. 741

The Wild animals which the Indian left to the rifle of the
white man——the bear, panther, buffalo, deer and wolf-——dis—
appeared over half a century ago. Grazing herds and pas-
turing flocks have taken their place. ‘

INDIAN OCCUPATION.

The high hills and deep valleys of Clay were favorite
hunting-grounds for "the red Warrior of the forest. The
stone~piIe grave, and the arrow—points and spear-heads so
abundantly found years ago, attest their once presence here
in large numbers.

PIONEERS AND EARLY SETTLERS.

The following are among the pioneer settlers of Clay '

District :

1766—Brice Worley 1770--Michael Core 1772—~George Snider
1766—Nathan Worley 1770-—Jacob Farmer 1774-Warman Wade
1770—Jacob Hoover 1770—Jacob Statler 1774—Danie1 Barton
17'70—George Hiley 1770-—-Roger Barton 1775—Valentine Cooper
1770-—-Daniel McMahon 1771——Jacob Jones 1775—Richard Tennant

770-——John Statler 1772-R. Hiley 1775—Peter Haught
1770-—Simon Troy 1772—James Troy 1778-—Abram Shriver
1770- —— Core

INDIAN INVASIONS AND MURDERS.

In July, 1777, Nathan Worley Waslkilled (p. 59). About
1778, a large party of Indians ambuscaded the whites near
Stat_1er’s Fort, and killed eighteen (p. 61). In August, 1780,
the whites were again ambushed at the mouth of Dol1’s
run (p. 65-6). Tradition says Joseph Statler and one Myers
were killed on J ake’s run (p. 67).

SETTLERS’ FORTS.
BaldWin’s Block-house was the last westward fort of the

white man in Monongalia. It stood on the site of Blacks-
ville, near where the Methodist Episcopal church stands.

742 ‘HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Statlefs F0rt.———This fort has been located at difi'erent
points along Dunkark creek. It was on lands now owned
by Isaac Shriver. The writer, on visiting the place, found
the fort to have stood on the bottom below the graveyard,
on a slight elevation above the Dunkard creek bottom. Mrs.
Shriver was positive that this was the location, she having
heard Mrs. Brown (who was a Statler) tell of being in the
fort when twelve years old, and said that this was the spot
where it stood. It was but a short distance below Brown's
mills.

GROWTH OF THE DISTRICT.

Some distance away from the county—seat, it could not
make those rapid strides of progress that more favorable lo-
calities have made. Its distance west in an early day made
it, with Battelle, the frontier for a time, and until the tide
of immigration came up with it, and then passed it, going
into Ohio. Grain and stock—raising have been the occupa-
tion of its inhabitants, and these interests are yearly in-
creasing in importance. With such soil, and a spirit of en-
terprise, the people of the district have great opportunities
before them for the future. Their wealth, frugality, econ-
omy a11d generosity are now almost proverbial. A railroad
would develop the district wonderfully. It is to be hoped
this impetus to her progress will soon be added.

CIVIL LIST MAGISTERIAL OFFICERS, 1852—63.
JUSTIOES.

1852. 1856. 1860.
William Price John Wiieman John Wileman
Enos Tennant Nimrod Tennant Nimrod Tennant
William Sine E. B. Tygart E. B. Tygart
John B. Lough Noah Morris Noah Morris

coxsrannns.

1856—60——Alpheus Garrison and Asa/Tennant

CLAY DISTRICT. 743

OVERSI-licks or roon.
1863. Asa Tennant 1866. Asa Lemley 1868. George Wilson
1865. George Wilson 1867. J. W. Tennant 1871. Eli Youst
TOWNSHIP omzmzs.
1863. Alpheus Garrison 1866. John E. Price 1868. C. E. Johnson
1865. Titus Lemley 1867. S. J. Kennedy ~
TOWNSHIP TBEASUREBS.

1863. I. N.Litman 1867. Wm. 0. Bowen 1868-70. P. W. Moore
, 1865. S. P. Tennant _ '

'1'OW.\'SHI1‘ OFFICERS, 1863-1873.

- JUSTICES.
1863. R. B. Tennant 1867. Wm. N. Sine - 1871. S. P. Tennant
John Shriver Nimrod Tennant C. W’illi-ams
CNSTABLES.
1863. R. C. Shriver 1867. John Henderson 1871. Eugene Moore
- A. J. Statler Malin Tennant Thos. Williams
.1865. Ira Baily 1869. \Vash. Tennant —
Thos. Williams Milton Minor
svrnnvxsons.

1863. A. W. Brown 1866. Emrod Tennant 1869. David Lemley
1864. A. W. Brown 1867. A. W.Tennant 1870. A. \V. Brown

1865. A. W. Brown 1868. E. Morris 1871. S. Barrickman
INSPECTORS OF ELECTIONS. ; 

1863. Milton Minor; 1866. \Vm. Barrickman 1869. Ira Bailey

J. A. Tennant R. Brookover Ivey Tennant
1864. J. Wright _ {1867. P. B. Tennant :1870. P. W. Moore

J. A. Tennant , P. W. Moore A. W. Tennann
1865. A. Henderson 1868. Ira Baily 1871. John C. Sine

P. B. Tennant P. L. Tygart Morgan Conner

DI8'1‘P.I()"l‘ OFFICERS, 1873-1884.
JUSTICES.

“H872. Simon P. Tennant 1876. Simon P. Tennant 1880. Simon P. ‘Pennant
Coverdille Williams Coverdille Williams Andrew J. Morris

_ CONSTABLES.
H872. Thos. Williams 1876. E. M. Moore 1880. Richard Wright
E. Moore Wm. M. Varner \Vm. M. Varner

T 0 W N S .

Blzicksville is the largest town in the di.s'tri<-t. t was
laid out by David Black,Wlio disposed of the town lots by a.

8' Elected August 22, 1872, and went Into offioe January 1, 1873.

‘I

744 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

lottery drawing.* The lottery was put off once or twice,

and then drawn. Black after this went to Confluence,
Penn. Emerson and Gregg were the first merchants, and
kept in the first house on the site of A. ‘I. Stl'osnider’s
They were followed by John Hood & Launtz,
Brown & "Worley, Mathias Lyons, J olln D. Hawkins, Lyons
do Ingraham, James Goldwin, Willianl Launtz and R. S.
Launtz. On April 10,. 1855, a fire started in daytime in

house.

William Launtz's house and burnt twenty-four houses.

Three coal-boats were built here for the coal-trade.

Emer-

"rhe following is acopy or a large and liberally displayed advertisement which
appeared in The Republican, published at Morgantown:

SPLENDID DISTRIBUTION OF REAL ESTATE.

‘The subscriber has lately laid out a town’

on his farm, on Dunkard Creek Mononva.
lia County, Virginia, called lacksvifle,
and which will be incorporated during tht-9
winter; it is situated on the State road
from Morgantown to Wheeling, and on
the road from Clarksburg to Pittsburgh
and Waynesburg :—the distance from
Morgantown 20 miles, 45 from Wheeling,
1-1 from Waynesburg and 35 from Clarks-
burg—tlle town will be surrounded by a
large population, and is a very healthy
situation. ~

The town is divided into 300 Lots, of 58
feet front, and lie feet deep, and so ar-
ranged, that every lot is bounded on one
side by a street, and on the other an alley.

For the purpose of disposing of the lots,
the subscriber will, on Monday the 18th
day of January next, lh‘30,at a house adjoin-
ing the said town, have drawn under the
direction, and superintendence of two
intelligent gentlemen, three hundred tick-
ets, each one of which, will have the num-
ber of one of the said lots on it.

[poll one or the lots so to be drawn for,
the subscriber binds himself to erect a
store house and put therein one thousand
dollars worth of store goods, at retail pri-
ces so that the lot, house and goods may
be estimated at $1500.

By paying the sum of fltteen dollars a
certificate will be given, that the hol er
will be entitled to such lot as maybe
drawn to its number; and as-there are no
blanks every person who holds a certifi-
cate will obtain a good general warrantee
deed for the same, on the day of the draw-
ing or as soon thereafter as possible.

As an inducement for persons to remove
to said town, the subscriber binds himself
to pay to the rlr.~lt- physician, 40 dollars; to
the Iirst Innkeeper, in dollars; to the ilrst
mechanic, 50 dollars; to the second me-
chanic. ~10 dollars; to the third mechanic,
86 dollars; to the fourth mechanic, 30 dol-

lars; to the iifth mechanic, 25 dollars, who
shall settle in said town, and within one
year from the day of the distribution of
prizes, erect and Iinish a two-story brick
or frame house, 20 by’ 30 feet, with privi-
lege to use the necessary timber tor such
building.

And as a further inducement for persons
to build insaid town the subscriber will

ay to the owner or the first house that is

uilt, 40 dollars; the second house that is
built, 3.2’) dollars; the third house that is
built, 30 dollars ' the fourth house built,
25 dollars; the fifth house built, 25 dollars,
provided the said houses are of brick or
frame, and finished within the year.’ '

He will also convey a lot to the trustees
of any Methodist Congre ation and pay
the sum of 75 dollars in a dition provided
a house is erected thereon of brick or
frame within a year, suitable for a church.
He will also convey a lot to the Trustees
of any School provided a house is erected
thereon within six months.

- Also, at the same time and place, 125 out
lots adjoining to said town, containing not
less than one quarter of an acre. nor more
than four acres, will be disposed of in like
manner, and on the same terms as the lots
in town. one or these contains four acres,
and there is now situated on it a farm-
house and a large and splendid Steam
Dlstllfery, in full operation, with two
springs of excellent water. This Lot is
valued at 1200 dollars, possession of which
will be given to the person who may draw
it on the first of June next.

The subscriber pledges himself to have
the drawing fairly and properly conducted
and hopes that the public will feel an in-
terest in raising up a village that will
hereafter prove to be of general benefit to
the surrounding country. '

October 10, 18:29.

DAVID BLACK.

CLAY DISTRICT. 745

son, Gregg and Strosnider started a potash factory, some
years ago. The first postmaster was Dr. Anthony Coonrod,
who carried the few letters that came, in the top of his
high-crowned hat. His successors have been E. B. Tygart
(1846), Thomas Brock, Robert Fletcher, N. P. Kygley, A.
13. Pratt, William ’Launtz, J. M. Headley and A. I. Stro-

snider (September 15, 1882). The physicians have been»
Dr. Hugh McNema.ra (a Yankee),———'Vanderbrook, Anthony

Coonrod, —— Bullard, William Faulkner, Demick,
Thomas E. Hall, and J. M. Lazelle. The present physi-
cians are Thompson Strosnider, George M. Fletcher and

I Dr. Calvert. Moses Strosnider came from Greene County,

in 1841, and kept where Ingraham is; in 1844, he- built the
present Strosnider House. A. I. Stosnider, boot and shoe
shop, since 1865; G.  Burke, wagon—making, since 1854,
and run by steam since 1879. Michael Strosnider and John
Fordyce laid out the town, a small part of which is in
Pennsylvania. ‘Huston Stewart has had a marble shop
here for 35 years. Jesse Worley opened the first hotel;
succeeded by Mrs. Fletcher, A. B. Brookholder and others.
The present hotel is the Strosnider House.
NEW BROWNSVILLE.

This town was laid out by Emanuel Brown, in 1847 or48.
Squire Andrew Brown built the first house where Titus
Lemley lives. Alexander Clegg first owned the land, which
passed to Abraham and Andrew Brown. Alexander Weg-
ley, it is said, had the first store where Lemley lives. Cyre—
nus Cox built the present store-house and put a store in it.
Sedwick succeeded him, then Carpenter, who was fol-
lowed by Emrod Tennant* the present merchant. The post-

* Emrod Tennant is the son of Adam Tennant, whose father was Richard Tennant.
a Revolutionary soldier. Emroa Tennant has served for many years as constable and
deputy slierlrf. ’ ‘

MONONGALIA IN THE REVOLUTION. 71

William Haymoncl, in his letters* written in 1846, says
his father “was preparing to go into the Revolutionary
Army when‘ news came that peace was made. They hadpa
great rejoicing meeting on the occasio11- in Morgantown.”
But peace on the seaboard, While it gave them political
freedom, was not peace on the western frontier, still men-

aced by ‘Indian War—parties..

* We extract from these letters the following‘ :

“ I recollect brother John and myself, with Prince and Slider [horses] Went to Ruble’s
mill in Pennsylvania, eleven miles; stayed all night. Next morning when on our
horses to start for home, Ruble or some other person brought each of us a piece of
light bread spread with butter. This I thought such a great feast that I have it in my
mind to this day.”

“While living in said fort [Kern’s] We had the smallpox in the natural Way. TWO
children I think were all that died. However, my father lost six or seven negroes
there. It is said they were poisoned. We boys would go on What was called the hog.
back near the fort to hunt. We used the bow and arrow , and were very good at
shooting with them. Once all in the [fort] yard, one shot up an arrow nearly straight.
It fell and struck through the Wrist of either Capt. John Evans or one of the Wilsons.

_ It Was hard to draw it out.”

Indian alarms were frequent after his father had left the tort. One he describes as
follows: “ A man reported seeing an Indian; the men ran out [of a house] with their
guns, but no Indian. On examining, it Was found that he had seen a dogwood which
some person had cut, and a red substance had oozed out of it. Often the Indians
killed or took prisoners in three or four miles of us.” ' «

746 HISTORY OF MONQNGALIA COUNTY.

masters have been Cyrenus Cox, A. W. Tennant, N. B.
Johnson. The post-oflice was discontinued two years; then
established again, with John Ruse postmaster. He was
followed by Titus Lemley. In 1855, a tannery was built
here by Andrew Brown; in 1857, it was run by S. G. Sni-
der, and was soon after torn down. ust above the store
is an old building or two, where, years ago, a town was
attempted to be started by the name of Statlertown. Just
beyond the town is A. IV. Tennant’s store, opposite Olive
M. E. Church. The residents of the town are: Emrod
Tennant, Titus Lemley, 'William Davis and son (black-
smiths), Mrs. Piles, N. B.*Johnson, P. M. Johnson, George
W. Johnson and J. G. Downey. *

BROWN'S MILLS.

Alman by the name of ‘Meyers ‘had a horse-mill at this
point, which Adam Brown bought in 1801, and he built a
water-mill and saw-mill. In 1840, his son Andrew refitted
the mill, and, some years after, attached steam to it. The
mill was now a very‘ extensive one, embracing, besides the
grist-mill, a large saw-mill and a carding machine. In 1864,
the entire works, with a large quantity of grain, w-ere de-
stroyed by fire, which, it has always been believed, was the
act of incendiaries who were prompted by political motives,
and who had, in common with many persons, a strong dis-
like of Mr. Brown because of his intense loyalty to the
Union. There were many persons in the neighborhood,
especially across the line in Greene County, Penn., who
were warm sympathizers of the South. The loss by the
fire was large‘, aggregating more than twenty—five thousand
dollars. The mills were soon after rebuilt by Andrew and
his son Alpheus. The building is 343173 feet, and the
machinery is driven by a 40-horse—power engine.

CLAY DISTRICT. 747

Seyeral houses were built after Andrew Brown came into
possession, and the place can now be properly A called ‘a
town. The name of the post-oifice is Andy. It was estab-
lished in May, 1862, and was so named by the H011. Wm. G.
Brown, who wished it to be known as Brown’s Mills, but,
there being an ofiice by that name in the State, he called it
Andy, for Andrew Brown. R. M. Hill succeeded Brown as
postmaster in 1864, and he was succeeded by Dr. A. W.
Brown, the present postmaster. A store was opened in
1857, by Dr. A. W. Brown, who was succeeded, in 1876, by
D. T. Miller, whose successor, in 18781, was S. J. Acklin.

. MOORESVILLE. ‘ A

This town is on the New Brownsville and Cassville road,
12 miles north-west of the county-seat. About 18,40 or 43,
Rawley Moore,* who owned the land, had "Squire William
Price lay out a town along J ake’s (Statler’s) run. He sold
lots to \Villiam Price, Jacob Moore, R. B.VTennant, John
Piles, William Sines and others. John ‘Piles, it is said,
built the first house. A tavern or two were opened, and it
became a place notorious for liquor-drinking. R. B. Ten-
nant, whose land adjoined the town, becoming tired of the
continual carousing and drinking, bought up the town, lot
by lot. He tore the houses all down but one, which he
moved back from the creek to the present site of the town.
This house~is now Campbell’s store. ‘William Sines had a
store in the present Sines House in 1852, succeeded by
Simeon Furman, J. F. Headly, Marion Tennant, Isaac N.
Litman, 1Villiam Sines and William ‘Piles. The present
stores are those of Tennant and Price and A. A. Campbell.
The Sines House is kept by William N. Sines (whose father,

Ttllawley Moore was the son of Philip Moore, who lived Where 001. George Price’s
Iamily now lives. Rawley married Elizabeth J ., daughter or Richard B. Tennant. He
went to Buckhannon, and then to Kansas. A

748 HISTORY ‘OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Moses Sines, came from Maryland). ‘The residents of the
town are: J. B. Furman (saddler), A. A. Campbell, 0. S.
Tennant, Mrs. Rogers, William N. Sines, Luther Sines, son
of William N. (a cabinet-maker), J. B. -Furman, S. P.
Tennant (postmaster), and Christopher Wright. The first

postmaster was ‘Isaac N. Litman, succeeded by S. P. Ten- '

nant, the present incumbent.
M’cImDrsvILLn

Is situated in the south-western part of Clay District, 15'

miles west of the county-seat, near the old State road. It
is on the head-waters of Little Paw Paw, at the junction of
the Mooresville with the Blacksville road. It consists of a
mill, a store, a church, post-office (called “Centre”), and
several dwelling houses.
PONETOWN.

At J ake’s Run post-ofiice on Day’s run, are several houses
and a church. There is a mill just below it. From some
cause this small place has been given the nick-name of
Ponetown, and so far has retained it-

p - MILLS. .

S Meyers’s horse-mill at BroWn’s Mills was, probably, the
first mill in the district. On Dunkard are Core’s mill, then

Brown’s Mills, and the Strosnider mill, all steam-mills. Asa '

Wilson had a corn mill at Ponetown, which was succeeded
by Cannon & Shriver’s flouring-mill, one mile below that
place.

ROADS.

The old State road passed through the Southern part of
Clay, near McCurdysville. The Dunkard creek "turnpike,

‘commonly called the Morgantown and Burton pike, passes

along Dunkard creek, in the northern part. The Morgan~
town and Fairmont pike passes through the western ' part

CLAY DISTRICT. 749

of the district; and beside these, various roads run from
town to town throughout the district.
, MAIL SERVICE.

Pedlar’s Run, Mooresville, Andy, Pentress (at New
Brownsville) and Blacksville post-ofiices-are on the Morgan-
t.own and Burton inail-route, having a bi-weekly mail car-
ried on horseback. Centre post-ofiice is at McCurdysville;
Statler’s Run post-oflice is on Jake's run, and Jake’s Run
post-office is on Day's run at Ponletown. It is said the
man (Richard Tennant) who first kept J ake’s Run post-oflice
lived on J ake’s run, that his successor, Solomon Wagoner,
lived on Day"s run, and moved the oflice there. His suc-
cessors have been Robert Berry, A. Lemley, C. Shriver and
David Wilson. After a time the people on J ahe’s run
(which was named for Jacob Statler) Wanted an ofiice again,
andgot one established by the name of Stat1er’s Run post—
oflice, with Joseph Tennant postmaster (about 12 years ago).
He was succeeded by the present postmaster, Nimrod Ten~
nant, son of Asa Tennant.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

The Methodist Episcopal denomination has two churches
——-Point Pleasant and Mt. Hermon—in the south-eastern
part of the district, which are described, as to circuit and
ministers, in the history of that denomination in Grant
District. There are no more M. E. churches until you
reach the north-eastern part of the district, where are
Olive, at New Brownsville, and the Blacksville Church. . We
have of the churches the following from persons’ recollec-
tions : .

At Blacksville the old M. E. Church was near the present
frame M. 13. Church, built in 1851 or 52. The following
ministers served at Blacksville after 1852: Paul Vandervort,

750 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

B. Laughlin, L. D. Casto; assistants, WV. W. Kelley, and
the next year John Woodruff. After this the circuit was
divided, and Laban Tollman served two years, succeeded by
Charles C. Conway. Then the circuit was restored as before,
and Jesse Snodgrass served two years; then the circuit was
divided, and J. P, Varner, Mercer (2 years),————Curtis
(1 year), and W. B. Treevy in 1882.

Olive JL J2’. C7/Lu7‘L‘]I«, a large brick house, was built about
five years ago at New Brownsville, and took the place of
the old frame church in that portion of New Brownsville
called Statlerstown, which was built in 1851. The first
class at the old church were: Robert Chaiiin and wife,
Abram Brown and Elizabeth his wife, Andrew Brown and
wife, Peter Hinkins, and others. i

The first cllurch in the district is said to have ‘been a free
meeting-house at the mouth of Miracle run in the north-
western part of the district, built by a man by the name of
Cone, about 1815.

Bdpt2'st.—There is a Baptist church at McCurdysville,
and one at Blacksville. Among the latter’s first members
were the Tiltons, Washington Stewart, Israel Stewart and
Mrs. Pettit.

Oimistian Ulmrc/:,.——About 50 years ago a minister of the
Christian or Disciple church (often "called Campbellite)
preached through this section. His name was Garrison.
He was coldly received at the start. On several occasions
a man in the congregation called him a liar. Garrison
ended these interruptions, one day, by taking the fellow up
and throwing him through a window. About 40 years ago,
a frame churcli was built 011 Doll’s run. In 1877, it was
succeeded by the present brick church, called the Core or

CLAY DISTRICT. . 751

Doll’s run church. The Pleasant Valley or Mooresville
church was built in 1871; and Antioch, at Ponetown, about

1879. .
on. BORINGS.

A boring in the earth for oil was made at the bridge '

above Brown's Mills, which was put down 680 feet, and
passed through the big vein of coal at 160 feet. A boring
was made at the mouth of Pedlar’s run, one at John S.
Brown’s, and one a half-mile below Mooresville.

SCHUOLS AND SCHOOL OFFICERS.

scrroox. COMMISSIONERS, 1865-1873.
1865—~William Price 1867——Wi11iam Parks. 1869--Benj. Mccurdy

Christopher Core Joseph Tennant 1870--Eli Morris
Emrod Tennant 1868»-G. W. Sznith 1871-—Cennon Shriver
186G——Noah Morris Benj. Chestney

nomzns on EDUCATION, 1873-1884.
1873-A. W. Brown 1877-A. W. Tennant 1881-G. W. Johnson

Noah Moore Malin Tennant Asa Tennant

P. W. Moore 1879——Simeon Furman E. Moore
1875—~A. W. Brown ~ S. Barrickman 1883-—G. W. Johnson

A. W. Tennant L. Blaker Asa Tennant

Marion Tennant; Morgan Conner E. Moore
1877-—A. W. Brown Henry Wilson

SECRETARIES OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION.

1864—J. E. Price 1873——E. J. Tennant 1879——Titus Lemley
1868--S. J. Kennedy 1875-— G. W. Johnson 1882-W. Evans Price
1869-C. E. Johnson

Clay District is divided into seventeen sub-districts,

whose numbers and ‘names are as follows:

N0. 1. Point Pleasant No. 10. Sugar Valley

“ 2. Doll’s Run “ 11. Emrod Te11nant‘s
“ 3. Pedlar's Run “ 1.2. New Brownsville
“ 4. Price’s “ 13. Blacksville

“ 5. Mooresville “ 14. Varnens

“ 6. Democrat “ 15. Union

“ '7. McCurdysVille “ 16. Garfield

“ 8. Head of ])zL_v’s Run “ 17. Bellaiye

“ 9. Wils011’s

No. 1 is on the liead-waters of Big Indian creek. No. 4 is at the mouth of St-atler‘s or Ja.ke‘s run, and N o.
6 is on the same run. N o. 9 is at Ponetown. No. 10, when established the second time, was formed from Nos. 2,
3 and 4. No. 11 is on Day’s run; N o. 14 is on Miracle run; No. 15 is on Day’s run, and was formed from Nos.
8 and 9. No. 16 is below Mooresville, and was formed from No. 5. No. 17 was formed from Nos. 6, 7 and15,
and is on Statler‘s or J ake’s run. For much information concerning the location of these schools, the writer is
indebted to Richard B. Price, of Mooresville.

SCHOOL ENUMERATION BY YEARS.

                 

i SUB-DISTRICTS. DISTF 101'-
‘E“" ; No.1 No.2 No.31No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 No.3 No.9 No.10 No.11 No.12 No.13 No.14 No.15 No.16 No.17 Males'F’m’les Total
64 ............... ..$ 53 44 41 I, 47 44 55 58 47 39 46 . 45 49 51. 36 .. .. .. 326 334 660
1366 .............. . . 1 64 33 43 50 50 53 46 45 24 29 33 1 4 57 37 .. .. . 312 314 626
1367 ............... . . 1 63 37 41 43 53 62 43 49 34 41 45 60 39 39 . . .. . . 365 310 615
.............. . .. 67 27 36 51 51 56 53 53 57 . . 41 57 66 45 .. .. . . 347 303 655
1869... .......... ....i 31 44 40 54 42 76 51 51 51 .. 54 45 63 37 .. .. ..  335 688
1370 ............... . . 1 33 45 39 46 55 74 54 67 44 . 4': 33 53 . . . . . . 34.3 327 672
1371 ............... . . 79 43 37 43 54 76 43 67 54 . 42 41 59 36 .. . . . . 369 315 634
137- ......... ... .. 65 59 46 45 69 71 61 57 .. 46 51 -63 29 .. .. .. 347 711
1373 ............... . . 62 45 45 41 - 73 59 73 61 . 43 42 73 30 . . . . .. ' -  766
137 ................ . , 60 49 42 45 67 66 47 66 53 . 52 43 73 35 . . .. .. 355 373 723
1371 .........  56 41 51 35 66 s2 53 71 70 .. 60 33 57 42 .. .. . 363 7 722
1376 ............... . . I 54 60 51 43 71 50 74 66 .. 33 64 36 .. . . .. 366 369 737
1377 ............... . . 57 26 43 33 33 77 61 75 31 43 67 44 59 31 . . .. . 333 363 7'
1376 ............... . . 50 31 52 31 75 74 63 79 33 42 75 44 66 37 .. . . . 413 396
1379 ............... .. 57 40 42 1 45 63 31 66 74 55 44 73 44 61 40 43 . . 436 422 553
1330 ...............  57 1 33 44 I 34 35 34 70 73 61 43 71 55 65 40 45 .. .. 429 436 665
1333 ............... .. 64 1 36 33 31 37 61 74 53 75 39 71 71 32 33 51 49 49 455 453 . 903.

No. 10, in 1867, was divided between Nos. 9 and 11, and 3 new district was established in 1877.
No. 15 was formed in 1879; No. 16, in 1881; and No. 17, in 1882.

Z92.

'LLNi1OO VITVDNONON J0 KEIOILSIH

CLAY DISTRICT. 753

STATISTICS OF CLAY DISTRICT.

 

1
1
8
J

I l 5 £3115 5,_.,T.§ NOT]-IRS.

* 1 1 cu.» w #551 —~—~--

YEAR. ‘ I  I .- , . icfi 2.; 7:3. ~::'

.8 :2 . §  '3‘

  825 $1,757 4,914 :;:-;9f 10, 85;‘ o .T;§;f—1—
18q7............  8(i9,‘1,9'1'SI,4.60(_) 353‘ 148, 79; 0 £404 2
 859 ,2,o.7v4,33.» 282.  so; 0 ;392 2
18g9........  84; .2211 4,228 288, 1:19; ‘Si; 1 If 405 2
1810..  3:134 ll,-1_iZ 3142 5424 2,4; 322, 1 , 433 1
 is/7 12,011 2374 484 12'  2 ! :3;;i 1
1873............ ....  879 _:2,5m;,2.714 :>,7o= 35? 31: 3 1431' 2,
 sr5o.2.38:§!2.s7i 897; 34., 83 g. ;435‘ 1
189,...  s).3a;2,4oo_.-;.‘~_39‘1 .392, 31, go, .»_. 444, 1
 mo;1_.8o2,2,a1.3 080- 37, .6 4 449, 1
1817...... 9i4i2,o82,2,o9J5 5931 t‘, 84 10 454 0
1848...... 8,ol2,29:,..«3,44o 54,11 3b§ 81 10 :475, 0
  8'22§2,450§,850 303 :3 1 6 8 1478;‘ 2
1880............  79122.192o.8l3 3,4 4.3, 83 10 48: 3 1
1881... ..  82932.2-1-:lg8,26.‘% 426 75; 1:26 12 i476: 2
1882...... 792;2,180|7,631 403 289; 331 12 ;475-; 0
B8 272, 16 2503, 4

1883...............  S50 f2,376f7.li11

i

BIOGRAPHICAL SKE'i‘CH}<‘.S.

ANDREW BROWN was the fourth son of Adam Brown who mar-
ried Christina. Statler (a sister of Jacob Statler), in 1784, and came
from Fayette County, Penn., in 1796, to near the site of Brown’s
Mills in Clay District. Adam Brown was a grandson of Manus
Brown, who, with his father, \Vende11 Brown, Judge Veeeh says in
his history of the Monongahela Valley, were the first two white
settlers west of the Alleghany Mountains. Adam Browifseliildren
were: John, Abraham, Emanuel, Andrew, Terissa Anderson,
Sarah Anderson, Catharine Tennant, Eve Minor, Elizabetli Hin-
kins, Mary and Margaret.

Andrew Brown was born March 9, 1796, and was raised on a farm ;
married, July 5, 1821, Miss Martha \Vorley;* their children were:

.-. -. ,_. __ ....___- ._..

* Martha Worley was :1. daughter or David Worley, of Greene County, Penn, and
sister of Squire John Ingraham Worley, of Blacksvllie. David Worley was a son 0!
Brice Worley (not Bruce, as written in the early land records of the county, and as
printed on p. 38). Brice and his brother Nathan came to Blacksville from Philadeh
phia, in 1766, when David was a little boy, and settled on lands, a part of winch has
descended in the family and is now owned by Squire John I. Worley. B1'ice1nar1-ied a.
Johnson, of .VIaryland. Nathan, who was unmarried, was killed soon after by the
Indians, and was buried under a walnut tree a mile south-west of Blacksville, on the
bank of Dunkard creek. David’s children were: Brice; Martha, wife -of Andrew
Brown; Elizzlsieth, wife of John Wells; William, who lives in Wood County; Jesse,

751 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Dr. Alpheus ‘V. (now president of the county court), Louisa J.
Boughner (widow of the late Dr. J. V. Boughner), Melissa A.,
Albert and Lee Roy J.; all deceased except Alpheus and Mrs.
Boughner. Mr. Brown was a farmer and a miller. In 1832, he was
appointed justice of the peace and served until 1851. In 1846, he
was nominated by the \Vhig party as a candidate for the House of
Delegates in the then strong Democratic county of Monongalia,
and was elected. He was again nominated in 1859 against the ma-
jority party, and was again elected. He died October 11, 1874. Mr.
Brown was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
In politics he was an ardent \Vhig; and, upon the breaking out of
the Civil war, he took a strong stand against secession, and during
the struggle was a firm and uncompromising supporter of the
Union. He was a man of great industry and energy, and accu1nu-
lateda considerable fortune. Of strict integrity, possessing much
natural talent and strong common-sense, always taking an active
part in public questions and enterprises, a reader and thinker, one
of the leading men of his neighborhood. he was an eminently use-
ful man to the community and the countv, was known and esteemed
throughout Monongalia, and died regretted by a large circle of
acquaintances.

CA1”i‘. AL1’H}<‘.lIS (1'rARRIS().\' is the gradson of Leonard Garrison.
who came to Greene County, Penn., in Indian times. Leonard
Grarrison‘s son David married in Greene County, Penn., and his
-son Capt. Alpheus Garrison was born there on February 26, 1833.
His parents moved to Guernsey County, Ohio, when he was small.
He came to Monongalia County in the year 1842 : was elected con-
stable in 1856: deputy sheriff in 1859-61 3 recruiting agent and pro-
vost marshal 1862-63; and was interna1—reyenue assessor in 1864..
He enlisted in Co. E, 17th \V. Va. Inf., and was made second lieu-
tenant, and soon after promoted to captain. In 1866, he was ap-

who moved to Ohio, then to Wlrt County, where he (lied; Robert, who moved to
Illinois, and died; David, who moved to Wuynesbuig, and was sheriff of Greene
County, Penn., and is deceased; Dr. Asbur *, who llves at Washington C. 11., Ohio;
and John Ingraham, who lives on the home farm, and who inarried Miss Maria Gor-
don. Their children are: Sarah Ann, wife or. Robert W. Dougan, of Waynesburg;
William Gordon, an attorney at law at Klngwood, Preston County, and ex-prosecuting
attorney of that county; Da.VI(l Robert, living in Kansas; Dr. Jesse Lee, or Washing-
ton C. 11., Ohio; Alpheus Brown, of lllacksville, and fE1i7.z\betl1 Dora, wife of the Rev.
James 12. '.\le1‘eer, of Clifton, Illinois. .

CLAY DISTRICT. 75'

pointed assessor of the \Vestern District of Monongalia County,
and was elected at the end of that term for another. He was
elected to the legislature in 1868; and, in 1870, was elected sheriff
for the term of four years, but served two years only, the term hav-
ing been thus shortened by the adoption of the new constitution in
1872. On October 27, 1873, he started his store on Pedlar’s run ; and,
in 1874, a post—oflice by the name of Pedlar’s Run was established
at his store, and he was commissioned postmaster, which position
he still holds. In 1866, he brought what is believed to have been
the first portable steam saw-mill ever in the county.

Capt. Garrison is aifable, courteous and well-read, and always
ready to impart any knowledge he possesses. In his many public
positions he has formed the acquaintance of a great number of
persons, and hence possesses a large circle. of friends.

ASA TENNANT is a son of Richard Tennant, J r., and a grandson
of Richard Tennant, Sr. (the ancestor of the Tennant famil_v.)
He was commissioned a captain in the 178th Regt. Va. Militia, Au-
gust 24, 1848; and, June 11, 1852, was commissioned lieutenant-
colonel, to rank as such in the 178th Regt, from November 29, 185].
He was acting colonel of the regiment when the Civil war broke
out. Gov. Letcher wrote him to organize the regiment for service

in the Southern army, which instructions he did not obey, being

loyal to the general government. Mr. Tennant has been constable,
an overseer of the poor, and a school commissioner. He is the
father of Nimrod Tennant. '

RICHARD TENNANT came from Glasgow, Scotland, about 1760,
selling his time’ for seven years to pay his passage. About 1769, he
lnarried Elizabeth Haught, who was of (frernian descent, at Moore-
field, Hardy County, Va. He served as a drummer in I)unmore‘s
VVar in 1774. Returning through Clay District, he was pleased
with the country, and, after serving in, the ltevoluti.onary war for
a time, came and settled on Jake‘s run. His brother-in—law, Peter
Haught,*can1e with him. He raised a family of nine boys and
four girls, viz.: Elizabeth, Peter, Mary, ‘Richard (father of Asa).
VVilliam, Alexander, John, ‘Adam (father of Emrod), Abraham.
Jacob, Catharine, Margaret and Joseph. From these nine sons

 Tliere is a[t,1‘adit.i011 that Tobias Hilllgllt was killed by Indians on J21l;e‘s run in an
early day. '

CHAPTER VIII.

cLosE' on THE INDIAN WARS.

. 1783-1792.

The Frontier Cabin—The Early Settlers—A Co'Ward’s Courage
Tested—VVashington’s Visit——Capture of DaWson——An Indian
Party Ki11ed~Attaok on the Cleggs and Murder of the Hand-
suckers—Adventures of two Boys and of Col. John Evans~
Indian Ca1npaigns—Monongalians in The1n—LeVi Morgan——
List of Taxable Persons in 1786—Murder of the First County
Surveyor.

VVE come now to consider the closing of the Indian Wars
with the whites. Before doing this, however, let a glance
be taken at the life, habits, customs and manners of the
early settlers. ’ I l

The settlers usually came bringing all their Worldly store
—consisting of the bare necessities of lifeéon pack,horse's.
After arriving at their destination, the first thing did Was
the selection of a cabin-site. This selection was always
determined by a good spring ofwater; and hence the cabin
Was almost always found in a hollow.» Now trees were
_felled and cut into logs to build the cabin. This done, a
day was set for the “raising,” and every one Within five or

six miles was notified. The neighbors turned out en masse,'

and the round logs (sometimes they were hewn) were
rapidly placed in position. At each corner was an expert
hand with an ax to saddle and notch down the logs so low
that they would come nearly together. The usual height
was one story—so1netimes a story and a half. The gable
was made with logs gradually shortened up to the top.
The roof of _ clap—boards was now placed on and secured by

C

756 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

sprang all the Tennants in Monongalia County and VVest Virginia.
and, so far as is known, all the Tennants in the United States. By
the census reports of 1880 for Monongalia County, there was one
Tennant family in Grant District numbering five persons, one in
Morgan numbering three, one in Cass numbering eight ; there
were twenty-six Tennants in Battelle, and two hundred and ninety-
six Tennants in Clay, making a total of three hundred and thirty
in Monongalia County. By the land-books of Monongalia for
1883, over one hundred tracts of land are owned by Tennants.
Seven of Richard Tennant’s sons were out in the War of 1812; and
two, John and Adam, sent substitutes. Richard Tennant‘s father,
whose name was Richard, was killed at Quebec under Gen. \Vo1fe.

STEPHEN ARCHER, a Revolutionary soldier, settled in Clay, and
was buried, in 1825, on J ake‘s run, by soldiers in the War of ’12.

MICHAEL CORE’S father (tradition says his name was John) was
killed at the D011 run slaughter by Indians (pp. 65-67). Michael
and his brother Christopher settled in Clay. Christopher married
Hannah, (laughter of Rudolph Snider (after whom Doll’s run was
named). One of their sons is Barton Core.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
BATTELLE DISTRICT.

Greographical Boundaries and Greneral De-scription—Indian Occu-
pation—Ea1-ly Sett1ers——Murder of \Vi11ian1 Thomas and the

Handsucker Family by Indians-—Gr1'owt11 of the District-—-Civil '

List—\Vest VVar1-en ToWn—~Mail Service-R0ads——Mi11s—Re1ig-
ious Denon1inati.ons——Schoo1s and School Officers——Statistics
—A Venerable Couple.

BATTELLE DI/STRICT is bounded 011 the north by Pennsyl-
vania, on the east by Clay District, on tl1e south by Marion
County, and on the West by VVetzel County. In shape the
district is nearly square. It Was embraced in the Western
part of the Seventh (constabulary) District in 1801; and, in
1831, was the northern and north-Western part of the Fourth
District. In 1852, it was included in the Seventh (magis-

terial) District, which took in Blacksville. In 1863, Bat- ,

telle Township was created, and named for the Rev. Gor-
don A. Battelle. In 1873, Battelle Township, by change of
designation merely, became the present Battelle District.
The slope of the main portion of the district is to the
north and north—east in the direction of its principal streams,
Miracle run and other head-yvaters of Dunkard creek. Big
Paw Paw rises in the south-Western part of the district.
The soil is rich and, with good culture, returns large crops.
Wheat is said to average from 8 to 20 bushels per acre ;
corn, 30 to 85 ; cats, 20 to 45; potatoes, 80 to 150. Vege-
tables and small fruits do well, but apples are the leading
crop of fruit. Plums, pears and cherries are raised. Grass

I‘
758 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

yields from 1% to 2}; tons per acre. Timothy for meadows
and blue grass for pastures do exceedingly well.

The heavy forests of timber which once covered the dis-
trict, are mostly cut away. Oak, poplar and chestnut were
most abundant, with hickory, walnut, ash, beech and other
woods in less quantity. The heavy seam of coal passes
under the district, but at what depth remains yet to be

ascertained.

D

In an early day, the buffalo roamed here, and the bear,
panther, deer and wild cat were enemies of the early set-

tlers as well of the Indian.

INDIAN OCCUPATION.

The Indians occupied the district for hunting purposes,
and they left on many a hill and by many a spring and
stream indisputable evidences of their presence here, in
broken pieces of pottery, arrow heads, polished stones and
mussel shells.

EARLY PIONEERS.

The following are among the pioneer settlers of Battelle
District, from 1771 to 1775 :

1771-John March. 1773—A1ex. Clegg 1773—A. Hombuck
1772—Phineas Killem 1773-— -—- Honsaker 1774~VVi1liam Thomas
1772—Nichola.s Shinn 1773- -—- Minor . 1774- —-—Smith ‘

1772——George Shiun » 1773——John Merical
INDIAN MURDERS.

Battelle settled up a little later than the other parts of
the county, on account of its being nearer than the rest of
the county to the Indian Villages in Ohio. About 1780,
VVilliam Thomas was killed by Indians in this district
(p. 67). The last Indian raid in the county was into_ this
district, in 1791, and on its western border, it is Said, the
Handsucker or Honsaker family was murdered (1>P- 79—80)-

BATTELLE DISTRICT. 759

GROWTH OF THE DIs'r1:IC'1‘.

Battelle’s territory being the last of the county in settling
up, lying a long distance from the county—seat, and, like
the other parts of the county, depending chiefly on agricul-
tural pursuits, for many years it naturally fell behind the
other parts of the county. The building of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad almost upon the Western border, brought
an outlet to market very near to it. If a railway connect~
ing with the above named railroad, were built through the
district to the east, Battelle would make a great stride
forward in the increase of her wealth and population.

\Vith 2293 inliabitants in 1880, it was the third district in
population; and is third also in Wealth, its assessed valua-
tion being $E592,496 in 1883.

CIVIL LIS'1‘——l\IAGIS’l.‘ERI.lL OFFICERS, 1852-63.

JUSTICES.
1852. 1856. « » 1860.

1 James Wise John Anderson S. H. Shriver
W. S. Fletcher Justus Garrard John A. Wiley
Justus Garrard Josephus Eakin P. L. Rice
John Anderson Philemon Rice Justus Garrard

CONSTABLES. ' .
1852. ' 1856. 1860.
John S. Lemley John S. Lemley Frederick Gump
Eugenius Harker Eugenius Barker John S. Lemley

TOWNSHIP ormcrns, 1863~73.

A JUs'r1c1=:'s.*=-

1863. 1867. 1871.
James 'VVise Asbury Hough William Woodruff
William Haines William Minor, Sr. I. 0. Wise

CONSTABLES.

1863. 1867. 1871.
A. S. Core A. 8. Core Silas Haught
A. Harker A. Harker Isaac Lemley

' 1865. 1869.

A. S. Core J. H. Six .
Kinsey Garrard A. I-Iarker

* To fill vacancy: 1865, A‘. J. Santee.

769 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

SUPERVISORS.
1863——A. D, 1-I-aines - 1866-8. H. Shriver 1869--James McKee
1864—J. S. Lemley 1867-—A. J. More 1870—S. H. Shriver

1865-8. H. Shriver l868—James McKee 1871—E. J. Eddy
INSPECTORS OF ELECTIONS.
1863-—Thomas Wise 1866-——Thomas Wise 1869-Thomas Wise

David Lough R. A. VVhite Michael Shriver
1864-J. E. Hilery 1867-——Thomas Wise 1870——A. Phillips

Thomas Wise R. A. White Michael Shriver
1865-Thomas VVise 1868--Thomas \Vise 1871--A. Phillips

R. A. White J. G. White Joseph G. White

OVERSEERS OF POOR.
1863——A. B. Tennant 1S65———Peter Eakin 1867-71——A. B. Tennant
18G4——T. Phillips 1866—J.AS. Lemley
frow.NsH1P CLERKS.

1803-143. Harker 1866-George Keefover 1870-—S. White

1865--2--Wm. Kinney 1869——Geo. Anderson 18T1——J. M. John
TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.

18(3:3~—John .\IcCoil 1865——P. L. Rice 186T—E. J. Eddy
1864-—-Jesse Stewart 1866———Jos. S. White 1869-—-J. H. Spragg

DISTRICT OFFICERS, 18784884.

JUSTICES.
*1873——:P. A. Tennant 1876——Peter A. Tennant 1880—W. O. Hennen
Perry Hennen Silas Hanght J. Anderson
CONSTABLES.
*187f3—Silas Haught 1876--J. G. Haught 1880-—J. G. Haught
Fred (jrump S. Barnard S. Russell
PIIESIDENTIAL VOTES, 1844-1884.
1844. Polk, 82 81868. Seymour, 16'?
Clay, 29 Grrant, 118 ~
1852. .Pierce, 205 1872. Grreeley, 183
Scott, 58 \ - Grant, 146
1850. Buchanan, 268 . 1876. Tilden, 222
. Filmore, 23 V Hayes, 149 .
1864. McClellan, 142 1880. Hancock, 259
Lincoln, 100 ' Garfield, 211 ; \Ve-aver, 2

WEST WARREN TOWN.
The only town in the district is ‘Vest VVa.1*1'en, which is
situated north of the center of the district, on the head-
waters of Dunkard creek. It is on the Morgantown and

' Elected August 22, 1872, to take office January 1, 1873.

BATTELLE DISTRICT. 761

Burton pike, about six miles northeast of Burton, a station
in VVetzel County on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
‘Vest \Varren consists of a store, post-ofiice (called \Vades-
town), a church and several houses.

MAIL SERVICE.

A bi—weekly mail runs from Morgantown to Miracle Run
post-office, and then by VVadestown post—oflice (VVest ‘Var-
Ien) to Burto11 station in \Vetzel County. St. Cloud post-
office is in the extreme north-western part of the district;
‘Vise post—ofiice is on Dunkard creek, about three miles
south of ‘Vest "Warren. Other post-ofiices are Cross Roads
and J ob.

ROADS.

The Dunkard Valley turnpike, generally called the Mor-
gantown a11d Burton pike, runs through the northern part
of the district. The Fairmont pike runs from ‘Vest W'arren
south, through the district into Clay District, and on into

Marion County.
MILLs.

The old Morris mill is below ‘Vest W/Varren. It passed

into the hands of Shriver and Santee, then to \Voodruff,
who contemplated putting steam to it. Lewis Fox’s mill is
on Miracle run,”“ and the Thomas mill is near Job post-
oflice.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

Parks Methodist Episcopal church is at Miracle run
post-ofiice. Another M. E. church is at St. Cloud post-
office, and another near VVest VVarren. Highland M. E.
church is in the south-western part of the district.

A Baptist church is at VVest VVarren, and another is near

* Miracle run is said to get its name {mm a man by the name of Maracle or 1\i1e1‘1ca1e,
an early settler.

762 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

St. Cloud post-office. Liming church belongs to the Dis-

ciple or Christian denomination.
scHooL ITEMS.

Of the subscription-schools of the early (lays 11ot anything
could be obtained whatever. Nor have our efforts to get
information of the schools of later years met with a much
larger degree of success. A request made to the custodian
of the records of the district, for the enumeration, names of
school boards, etc., has elicited no response, and we are
compelled to allow these pages to go to press Without this
data.

The names of the school cominissioners of this district,
from the beginning of the free—school system up to the year
1872, are subjoined:

1864—S. H. Shriver 1866——J0hn Anderson 1868—Levi Stiles

Jacob \Viley J. Gr. \Vhite 1870-3. 8. Lemley
J. Gr. VVhite‘ 1867-J. S. Lemley 1871—Levi Stiles
1865—~J. Gr. lVl1it-e 1868-Ami Tennant Michael Barr

The enumeration of Battelle District in 1883, as furnished
by County Superintendent Morgan, is as follows: VVl1ite
youth——males, 369; females, 350: colored youth-——males,
8; females, 5. Total youth, 732.

Paw Paw school—house was destroyed by fire on the night
of December 17, 1875—“ supposed by many to be the Work
of an incendiary,” said Superintendent A. L. VVade in his
report for the year 1876. A private house Was secured,
and the school was again opened one Week after the fire.
A new school-house was erected before the next school-
term, upon the foundation of the former one.‘

BATTELLE DISTRICT. 763

STATISTICS OF BATTELLE DISTRICT.

   

I ' '5 E E

@323; 5: I -:5 75 3% E3

, V, :1 q o o

YEAR tr ' E95 grfi :8 :9 :2:

' § § 6 gé, . Egg 3%: 83 :2 2.

o as 2 :2 cw :22 W F‘ 15

n O to .... on .20 ES F3 0

1873.................. 719 1,97 2,813 288 16 335 1 363 
1874....... .................. 862 1,954 3,014 274 15 37 1 393 ...
1875.........   837 1,774 3.915 301 20 52' 2 401 
1876.................. ......... ......... 810 1,504 3,675 318 16 56 21 413 
1877.................................... 792 1,616 3,401 450 19 54 2 418 ...
1878......... . . . . . . . . . ... ......  779 1,680 4,244 373 27 59 2 442 ...
1879......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 709 2.0531-1,627 333 35. 59 3 434 
1880.... ................. ... ........  703 2.161 4,617 249 37 59 4 462 
 .....  7l5'2,l81 6,264 334 73 76 8 480 ...
1882 ..................... .. 70612135 6249 358 196 206 11 462 1
1883 .....................  .......  729f2,098 6,365 278‘ 205 51 10 482 ...

A VENERABLE COU1’LE.——T11e1'e is living in Battelle Dis-
trict, on Miracle run, five miles from Blacksville, perhaps
t11e oldest married couple in Monongztlia County. “William
Minor, who was born in 1797, married Ma1'garetLantz in
J anuary, 1818. Almost sixty—fiVe years have they beenV1iv-
ing together as husband and wife. ’

NOTE——Of the efforts which have been made to annex Tiattelle
District to Marion County, reference is Inade on pp. 101 and 102.

APPENDIX.

This Appendix contains matter supplemental to that
given in the several chapters of this book. The facts herein
recorded are such as were obtained after the printing of
those portions of the book wherein they would have been
inserted, was completed.

CHAP. XII.-———-INTEI‘»NAL IMPROVEMENTS.

The “Morgantown Gas and “Tater Company” was
formed, October 19, 1883, for the purpose of supplying the
town of MorgantoW1rWitl1 gas and Water. The incorpora-
tors Were: 1Villis J. Hulings, ‘V. J. Young, Seth Hulings,
Charles H. Duncan, VV. H. Longwell and S. H. Lamberton,
of Oil City, Penn; capital stock, $20,000 ; shares, $50 each;
certificate filed at \Vheeling, November 3, 1883, and re-
corded in the county clerk’s office of Monongalia County,
November 5, 1883.

CHAPTER XVI..—-AGRICULTURAL HISTORY.

VVilliam E. W’atson is the statistical correspondent ap—
pointed by the Department of Agriculture for Monongalia.
His assistants are Shelby P. Barker, W. F. De Garmo and
;H. C. Baker. On the 1st of November, 1883, Mr. Watson
reported the average crops of the county for 1883, as follows :

Corn, average to the acre, 23 bushels; Irish pototoes, 80; sweet
potatoes, 70; hay, 1% tons.

CHAPTER X\'III.—PoLITIoA.L HISTORY.

CnNsUs ENUMEP.A'l‘0RS.————Tl1e nameslof the men who were
appointed to take the Federal census in Monongalia County,
in 1880, are  follows :

APPENDIX. 765

iaftcllc Dgish-ict, Dr. A. B. Mason, except sub—districts Nos. 7 and
10, which were taken by J. H. Showalter; Cass, G. C. Cole; Clay/,
M. S. Garrison ; Clinton, Joseph H. Powell ; Grant, J. A. Thomp-
son; fllorgan, W’. \V. Houston; ]|[or_r/antown, James H. ‘Winger;
Un/‘on, J. T. McC1askey. ' C
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AND REPRESEN'1‘ATIV}CS.
Under this heading is given the Congressional districts of
which Monongalia has formed a part, and the names of the

men who have represented such districts in the House of

Representatives of the United. States Congress, from’ the‘

adoption of the Federal Constitution until the present time:

1789 TO 1792.——The first census of the United States was taken in
1790. Until “such enumeration should be made,” the Federal
Constitution provided (art. 1, sec. 2) that Virginia should have ten
members of the House of Representatives. The General Assembly,
accordingly, laid off the State into ten districts, the counties of
Berkeley, Hampshire, Shenandoah, Hardy, Monongalia, Ohio,
Randolph and Frederick constituting the First District._

1792 TO 1802.—-After the first census, and after Congress had fixed
the ratio of representation, allotting to Virginia nineteen Repre-
sentatives, the Greneral Assembly divided the State into nineteen
districts; and Monongalia, Hampshire, Hardy, Pendleton, Harri-
son, Randolph and Ohio constituted the Third District.

1802 TO 1813.’-—The second apportionment was 111ade January 30.
1802, when the State was laid off into twenty-two districts. Monon-
galia, Brooke, Ohio, Harrison, ‘Wood and Randolph made 11.1) the
First District. ‘

1813 TO 1823.——Virginia’s Representatives were increased to twen-
ty-three by the census of 1810. Monongalia, Brooke, Ohio and
Harrison constituted the First District ; to which were added, Ty-
ler (1814), Lewis (1816) and Preston (1818).

1823 TO 1833.-—Fourth apportionment : Monongalia, Brooke, Ohio,
Harrison, Tyler and Preston, the Eighteenth District. The State’s
representation went back to twenty—two members.

1833 T0 1843.——The fifth apportionment, made in 1833, divided the
State into twenty-one districts, Monongalia, Preston, Tyler, Ohio
and Brooke constituting the Twenty-first District; to which were
added, Marshall (1835), Marion (1843).

. CLOSE OF THE INDIAN WARS! 73

heavy weight-poles. The puncheon door was swung '

on wooden hinges, and a puncheon floor laid of slabs
placed down with the hewed side up, and fastened with
wooden pins driven through holes bored at each end and
down into the heavy sleepers. At a convenient height in

the side of the cabin, an aperture was made by leaving out

part of a log, and this space was filled with a few panes of ' a

glass placed lengthwise, or paper greased with hog’s lard
was substituted, to let in the light, while here and there a
loop—hole was made so that the cabin might be converted

_into a fort in case of attack by Indians. A door-way was

cut through one of the walls, and split or hewed pieces
called door-cheeks, reaching from the bottom to the top of
the opening, were pinned to the ends of the logs with
wooden pins. Atwood latch was placed on the inside of
the door. To this latch was attached a leather string,

.which was placed through a hole in the door four or five

inches above the latch. By pulling on this string fromithe
outside, and thus lifting the latch, admittance was gained
tq, the cabin. The inmates made themselves secure in the
night season by pulling in the string. The interstices or
cracks between the logs were closed with mud. The

larger cracks or chinks were first partly closed with split

’ sticks before the mud was applied. The building was

generally completed without the use of a single nail. To
the cabin was added a stone-chimney, ‘extending nearly
across one end of the house, with a hearth of such ample
dimensions as to accommodate a back—log of such" size, that
a horse was often required to draw it into the cabin in front
of the fire-place, into which it would be rolled with hand-
spikes. The cabin up and floored, the crowd at the
“raising” would assemble before the door and while away

766 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

1843 TO 1852.-—-The sixth apportionment was made in 1843, when
the State was laid oif into fifteen districts. Monongalia, Brooke,
Ohio, Marshall, Tyler, Marion, Randolph and Preston formed the
Fifteenth District; to which were added, that part of Barbour
which was taken from Randolph, that part of Taylor which was
taken from Marion, that part of Doddridge taken from Tyler, and
the counties of Wetzel and Hancock.

For the subsequent apportiomnents and districts, see pp. 274-5.

TERMS OF SERVICE, NAMES AND RESIDENCES OF THE REPRESENTATIVES.

1789-93-*A1exander White, Berkeley l84»5—49—-William G. Brown, Preston
1793-95—tJoscph Neville, Hardy 1_849—51—l!'i‘homas S. Haymond, Marion
1795—9T—-JOIIITG. Jackson, Harrison i851—52—-T,iGeorge W. Thompson, Ohio
1797-99-4 James Machir 1852—53—Sherrard Clemens, Ohio
1799-i0—John G. Jackson, Harrison 1853-57—Zedekiah Kidwell, Marion
1810-11—William McKinley, Ohio 1857—60—-Sherrard Clemens, Ohio
1811—13—THO.-MAS WILSON, Monongalia 1861—63—Wi1liam G. Brown, Preston
1813-17—J0hn G. Jackson, Harrison [West V£rgt'n,z'a.]
1817-20-V-James Pindall, Harrison 1863—65——Wil1iam G. Brown, Preston
1820-23—EdWard B. Jackson, Harrison 1865-67—George R. Latham. Upshur
1823—27—Joseph Johnson, Harrison 1867—68—B. M. Kitchen, Berkeley
1827—29—Isaac Leffler, Ohio 1868-72-James C. McGreW, Preston
1829-32/—§Phi1ip Doddridge, Brooke 1872-74—J. MARSHALL HAGANS, Monongalia
18:-53-33——Joseph Johnson, Harrison 1874-76—Chas. J as. Faulkner, Berkeley
1833-3-5—EDGAR C. WILSON, Monongalia l876—81—-Ben]. F. Martin, Taylor
1835-39—WM. S. MORGAN, Monongalia l881—83— I olm Blair Hoge, Berkeley
1839-45——Lewis Steenrod, Ohio 1883- ——Wi1liam L. Wilson, Jefferson

*The first election for Representatives occurred February 2, 1789; and ‘at that
election Alexander White was chosen to represent the district ‘composed oi’. the
counties of Berkeley, Hampshire, Shenandoah, Hardy, Monongalia, Ohio, Randolph
and Frederick. He was re-elected from the same district in February, 1791, defeating
Gen. William Darke and Gen. James Wood. 013 him, the Hon. Charles James Faulk-
ner Wrote in an historical sketch printed in the Jvrzwttnsbui-g (W. Va.) I/zdcpendelrzl,
April 14, 1883: “ He was a man of marked punctuality and system, and a slight evi-
dence ot this may be seen in the fact that he was the only member of Congress from
Virginia who was present on the iirst day of its session. . . . Mr. White took a promi-
nent part in all the debates of that [the first term of] Congress. . . . He bore the
reputation of a man of learning, 01? great ability and of ardent patriotism.”

1‘ The name is spelled Xevell in Lanman’s Dictionary of Congress, lferel in Howe’s
Historical Collections of Virginia, but Xevillte in the Annals of Congress. He died in
Hardy County, March 4, 1819. He is believed to be the same Joseph Neville who, with
Alexander Mcclean of Pennsylvania, ran the “temporary line ” or 1782 (p. 92; see,
also, Proceedings W. Va. Historical Society, vol. 1. part 1., pp. 110, 134).

1 No information of Machir can be obtained, except that he was a Representative
from Virginia, for the period named, and that he died June 25,1827. As John G.
Jackson represented the district in 1795-7, and again in 1799-10, it was needed to find

APPENDIX. C 757

VOTES OF THE COUNTY.

covmmon.
1851——Johnson, 1035 1868——~Repub1ican majority, 469
Suimners, 494 , 1876--*Nathan Goff, J r., 1568
1855-‘Vise, 1325 THenry M. Mathews, 1046
Flournoy, 662 . 1880~——*G'reo. C. Sturgiss, 1712
1866-*A. I. Borelnan, 1211 ’rJacob B. Jackson, 1257
’rBenjaInin H. Sinith, 734 1’Napoleon B. French, 126
CONGRESSIONAL.
1823—Joseph Johnson, 580 §1833—Johnson, 272
Philip Doddridge, 257 Hayniond, 788
1825;—Joseph Johnson, 545 - Jackson, 18
Philip Doddridge, 413 Chapline, 4
1827——Isaac Leflier, 687 [l1833~Edgar C. VVi1son, 833
Joseph Johnson, 194 ‘V. S. Morgan, 568
1829—~Phi1ip Doddridge, 552 1837—\V. S. Morgan, hadno op-
Joseph Johnson, 260 position in the county.

the name or a Virginia Representative, to fill the interval, whose term began in 1797
and ended in ’99. There are but three such in the list: Walter Jones, James Machir
and Gen. Daniel Morgan. Jones lived in another part or the State; Gen. Morgan rep-
resented the Nineteenth District, Berkeley and Frederick counties; so, Macliir, it
would seem, must have been the Representative of the Monongalla district in the
Fifth Congress. '

§Phi1ip Doddridge died November 1!), 1832, at Washington, D. 0., whither he had
gone to meet his colleagues of a special committee, which was to prepare a report to
present to the second and final session of the Twenty-second Congress which convened
December 3, 1832. In January, 1833, an election was held to ml the vacancy made by
M1‘. I)oddridge’s death. Votes were thrown in M onongalia County at this election, for
Jackson, Chapline, Haymond and Johnson. The Christian names of these men are not

given; and it is difficult to say who was elected to serve the rest of this Congress, ,

which expired March 3, 1833. In a letter Written by eX—Gov. Joseph Johnson, of
Harrison, which was published in the li'vston. (Lewis County) I)P’IIt0(?)'(1l‘, 1\'ove1nber 2,
1882, Mr. Johnson  he served in 1823-27, 1832-53, 18:5-41, and 1845-47‘. Neither Lan-
man’s Dictionary nor lIowe’s History mention the term of Mr. Johnson in lS32—:l. As
a Johnson was voted for in the election, and as neither of the other three persons
named was in Congress at this period, it would seem that Joseph Johnson was the
one elected to flll the vacancy, and served till March 3, 183.‘). Before another election
for Representatives was held I-Iarrison ceased to be of the same district with
Monongalia.

I! Dr. Alexander Newman was elected, but diedbefore taking his seat; and Mr. Hay-
mond was chosen.

fl Mr. Thompson resigned to go upon the bench, and Clemens was elected to fill the
unexpired term, serving from December, 1852, to the 3d of the following March.

*Republican. 1“ Democrat. : Greenbacl<.
§ To fill vacancy by death of Philip Doddridge.
ii Regular election. 4

768 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

1S51—Haymond, 502 1866——-=5=-B. M. Kitch en, 920
Thompson, 564 TE. W. Andrews, 546

:jt185:2—Sherrard Clemens, 1209 1868-—*James C. McGrew, 1435
W. T. Willey, 767 TWilliam G. Brown, 984

1‘853—Zedekiah Kidwell, 961 @1872, Aug.——J. M. Hagans, 1443
A. S. Vance, 48 ~

1855—Kidwell, 1255 1872, 0ct.——TBenj. F. Martin, 380
Pendleton, 636 J. N. Wisner, 33

1856—Clemens, 844 ]876—"='='Ward H. Lamon, 1572
Dunnington, 105 ]“Benj. F. Martin, 1145

186~1——*='r"George R. Latham, 908 1882—‘*‘John W. Mason, 1248
Wm. B. Zinn, 74 TVVilliam L. Wilson, 731

JUDICIAL. -

1832-For Judge of Court of Appeals: George H. Lee, 1268; W. A.
Harrison, 609.

Judge of Circuit Court: Geo. W. Thompson, 1189; Joseph L. Fry, 695.

Clark Circuit Court: R. P. Davis, 724; George S. Ray, 113-1.

Clerk County Court: W. T. Willey, 893; M. M. Dent. 980.

1872—Judge Circuit Court: Thomas W. Harrison, 1457; Charles S.
Lewis, 910.

1878——Judge Circuit Court: Thomas W. Harrison, 1219; A. Brooks
Fleming, 1255.

l880—Judge Circuit Court: J. Marshall Hagans, 1676; A. Brooks
Fleming, 1435.

1882—Ju.ige Supreme Court of Appeals: Frank A. Guthrie, 1020;

Adam C. Snyder, 775. .
STATE snxxrs.

1851-Wade 1158 1878——'=5=-Wm. C. McGrew 1188
Fairfax 341 TWm. E. Watson 1265
1871—**Jesse H. Gather 1331 l880——‘=*Wm. M. O. Dawson 1682
TG. E. Jarvis 891 Tlohn W. Guseman 1368
1874-‘-'~’~'R. L. Berkshire 804 1882-3-Wm. C. McGrew 1053
1876-*John P. Jones 1551 TWm. E. Watson 668

TJ. 0. Kemble 1066
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

1851-——McDona1d 772 1851——Hughes 91
Lemley 709 211871-91‘-‘John B. Lough 1306
Hurry 497 =‘*iGeorge C. Sturgiss 1311
Finnell 268 TL. S. Lough 903
Price 351 TN. L. South 894

Barkert 56

* Republican. ‘r Democrat.
1 Election in November, to elect successor to George W. Thompson, who resigned.

§ In 1872, there was a controversy as to the proper time for the Congressional
election: whether in August, when the new Constitution was submitt ea, or in October.
Mr. Hagans ran in August, and was admitted to the seat in the House of Represen-
tatives.

l']‘l1e vote under this year on page 303, for “House of Delegates ” should read for
“County Delegates to Constitutional Convention.”

APPENDIX. 8 769

1874——*J oseph -Snider 773 ' 1878—j;Noah Henderson 1184
*John B. Lough 734 A iJames Hare 1225
“(Lorenzo Davis 562 1880--*Henry L. Cox 1750 1
TJ. A. B. Martin 146 Names S. Watson 1679

1876——*J. '1‘. McClaskey 1386 TS. G. Morgan 1218
'*John B. Gray 1429 Albert Tennant 223
1*James Hare 1210 ‘ 1882—*Henry L. Cox 996

l878—*J. Marshall Hagans 1212 ’rJ.ohn B. Gray 618

*Henry L. Cox 1208

In 1877, the vote of the county upon the question of the location
of the State Capital, was :’ Charleston,‘ 626; (llarksburg, 1188 :.
Martinsburg, 4. I '

The votes of the county upon the question of taxing dogs, were :
in 1878——for the tax, 698: against, 14,16: in‘1880-for the tax, 1154 7

against, 1465. .
RAILROAD sUBsCRIP'1‘I0-N.

 

' Mary 17, 188TI1‘Juue 10, 18821 1«'eo.“17;’18s§'E1TaTji5, 
POLLS. 1 ‘
For 1 Ag’t. 1 For Ag’t. ‘ For 1 Ag’t. For Ag’t..
1. Morgantown .....  412  5 582 13 [467  13  ..._....
Hagedol-n‘s ..........  66 0 ; 51 0 1 8: 8 ..... .. 
2. Slnithtown ...........   93 25 ‘g 57 44 ....... 
Clinton Mills .......... ..   119 47 f 147 92  .......
3. Easton .................. ..   85 34 ‘ 86 26 . .......... ...
Bo\vers’.s:, ................ ..  1 54 25 1 49 44 ........... ..-
b‘tewarttoWn .......... ..    27 I 58   .
4. (lassville ................ ..  80 61 Z 61 1° 76 5 28 74
Maidsville ............................ .. 85 34 1, 15 107 1 23 69
5. Laurel Point ..........  ............ .. 153 1 41 3 51 132 ‘ 23 129
Ar11ettsVi11e   122 , 3 ’ 86 90 26 86
\Vest 1\Iorg'zmto\v11...‘ ............ ..J  .....  58 28 14 29
6. Mooresville..............  27 5 285  155 187  
McO11rdysvi11e..........'.......{,...... 31 46 1 17 1 110 f. .... .. 
7. “Test \Varren .........  .....  ..... .. 4 400   . . . . . . ..
\V=L(lest0wn..............}.......;.......   F  414 1 ..... .. .. ...
 ............  19; 50  .... 
' Totals ..................  478 1 5 1486 1045 31383 11479 W114 387
‘See page 117. tP:1ge 119. tPage 120. §Pp. 121-22.

A. LIST OF ]CXF.CU'J.‘IV}<‘.S
having jurisdiction over the present territory of Monongalia.

County, from 1606 to 1884 :
(1'0\'ERNORS—I'R0VINCE OF VIRGINIA.

1606—S1r Tllomas Smith’ 1628—John Pott; 1641—S1r Wlllmm Berkeley
1618-811‘ George Yeardley 1629—S1r John Harvey 1644-—R1chnrd Kempe I
162l—S1r Francis Wyatt 1635-—Capt. John West; 1645—S1r William Berkeley
1622-—S1r George Yeardley l636——S1r John Harvey 1652—R1chard Bennett
1627—I~‘ranc1s West 1639-Sir Francis Wyatt 1656—~E(1ward Dxgges

' Renuh11can. '6  1}emocrat. 7 mt Supportetl hy Dcnrocrnté‘1u1(1_(1reenhzIckers.

770 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

1659—-Samuel Matthews 1690-—Francis Nicholson 1727—William Gooch
l&')9-—Sir William Berkeley 1692~Sir Edmund Andros 1752—Robert,DinW1ddle

1661-—Francis Moryson 1698-Francis Nicholson 1758—Francis Fauquier
1662—Sir William Berkeley" 1705-Edward Nott 1768—~John Blair
1677-——IIerbert J etl’ ries l706——EdWard Jennings [President]
[Lieutenant Governor] 171.’)—A1ex. Spotswood 1769—Lord Bottetourt

l678—Sir Henry Chickerley [Lieutenant Governor] 1770-—William Nelson
1680—Lord Culpeper l722—Hugh Drysdale [President] -
l683—1\’ieholas Spencer 1726-001. Robert Carter 1772-Earl Dunmore
16S4—Lord Howard [President]

l687—Nathaniel Bacon

[President]
l’l{ESIDEN'l‘S or CONVENTION.
1T75——I’eter Randolph 1776——Edmund Pendleton
<:ovEr.NoRs——s'rArE or VIRGINIA.

l77t3—l’atrick Henry i8l1—-—JanIes Monroe 1S37—David Campbell
177’9——’l‘homas Jefferson 1811——George W. Smith 1840-—'l‘hoInas W. Gilmer
17‘81—’l‘11on1as Nelson 1812—James Barbour 184l—J‘ohn Rutherford
l7‘81—Benjamin Harrison 18l4——Wilson 0. Nicholas [Lieutenant Governor]
1784-Patrick Henry 1816—James P. Preston 1842—-John M. Gregory _
178o—Edmund Randolph 1819--Thomas M. Randolph [Lieutenant Governor]
l788—Bever1y Randolph 1822-—James Pleasants 1843—James McDowell
1791-Henry Lee .1825—-John Tyler 184G—«Wi11iam Smith
1794—Robert Brooke 1827~—Wil1iaIn B. Giles 1849——John B. Floyd
l79(i—JaInes Wood 1830—-John Floyd ]852—JoseplI Johnson
lT99—James Monroe ' l834—Litt1eton W. Tazewell l856—IIenry A. Wise
1802—J'ohn Page 1836—WyndlIam Robertson 1SGO——John Letcher
l805—\'\~"illiam H. Cabell [Lieutenant Governor]

l:~?0S_John Tyler
G0\'ERNOR——REOl{GANIZED GOVERNMENT.
l8G1——Francis ll. Pierpont.
(iOVE1{NORS—-WEST VIRGINIA.

1852--nm1n11~ 1. Boreiman l8Tl—Jo1In J. Jacob l8?s‘1—Jacob B. Jackson
18Ii9—Wi1liaIn E. Stevenson 187‘/—Henry M. Mathews
CHAPTER XXI.——JOURNALISTIC HISTORY.

The first number of the second paper published in the
county by the name of '1’/re 1l[on0ngalian,'t is dated Satur-
day, February 3, 1849. George S. Bay was the editor and
proprietor (see p. 435). It is a 4—page sheet, with six col-
umns to the page——“A Family Newspaper——Neutral in pol-
itics and Religion.” Terms of subscription: “$1.25 cash

* Gov. Boreman having been elected to the U. S. Senate, resigned February 26, 1869,
and D. D. T. Farnsworth, president of the Senate, was qualified as governor and
served till March 4th.

1‘ See list or papers on page 427.

APPENDIX. 771

in advance; $1.50 paid in six months; $2.00 after six
months is delayed.” It contains but little ‘local news.
“Reports in circulation through the country,” that the
small-pox and cholera were prevailing in Morgantown, are
declared to be Without foundation. “Senator Carlile” is
thanked for sending the editor a copy of the second au-
ditor’s report.

Number 37 of volume one of the JlI‘07°ganZ07/:72. Yérlcgraj)/e,
(p. 436) is dated Thursday, September 13, 1855. The pub-
lishers now were Wooddy & Lucas, and the terms of sub-
scription were “$1.25 per annum, invariably in advance.”
The motto is a quotation from Franklin Pierce«—«“ To Pre-
serve Sacred from all Touch of Usurpation, as the very
Palladium of our Political Salvation, the Reserved Powers
of the Several States and of the People.” It has no local
news, a good deal of political, a11d a page and a half of ad—
vertisements.

CHAPTER XXII.—-—RELIGIOUS AND TEMPERANCE HISTORY.

The Monongalia County Temperance Law and Order
Society was organized in the Methodist Episcopal Church
at Morgantown, October 2, 1883. President, Prof. D. B.
Purinton ; vice-president, Rev. S. L. Finney; secretary,
Prof. J. S. Stewart; treasurer, Alexander L. Wlade. Execu-
tive committee appointed October 21: Hon. WV. T. Willey,

Prof. F. S. Lyon, Prof. J. M. Lee, W. W. Houston, George

M. Reay, and Alexander L. VVade. I

CHAPTER XXVIII——-CLINTON DISTRICT.

The following table is additional to that givenon page
630: i

7721 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

1
I
I
i
1
1

     
   

 
 

 
 

  

1 1 . ...  16;
1 6 gas 33 i9

YEAR.  Q: Q “E E“ 5% 33 Z, .2

tn 3 <1: =- '''‘.a| ;: 3: “o

‘s g; 3 1 8° :3 §.°=1 a e: 3

F: O <12 l I: 0 US ‘I :14 :5 lo

 584;_1,634|3,301‘ 793 7| 41 11282; 7
1866 .....   5191 607 2,273; 147 4 } 19} 033381 7
1868  ..  661;1.3522,626; 162 98 1-7:; 1 0 372: 11
1869 ......  .......  .... .. 57311480 2.1631129 10! 81_l>T_1M|?»b[0:_ 7

CHAPTER XXIX.——Iv_IORGAN DISTRICT.
STATISTICS O11‘ MORGAN DISTRICT.

g_,-.,. .-..-_.... __.,fi._.. .. ,.. . _ ,- ..______ ' . '3 ,a).__.__.._.
-; ‘ 11% ! 6   §

cs 0,; ‘ In ‘:55! 1 1° 9

Ym- $1‘ 63 5.‘ 2°;-22:21: 6212 2;

gs; 13 cu gin"-.'J§g;B"" §§i:b

o: ‘:1 3 o 2-a:.~1:=§|.=.=<»;.= 3

. ‘£25. 0 :72»?-'-«‘vOm§‘$:)i.‘-423%’; O

 ....  ..... .. 4721,212 2,904 4703 48,‘ 115, 01325 4
  347 66§;1,551 1111 19; 411 6 ‘260 7
1668 ......  ....   361 6762294 113. 1061 M» 31213 11
 .... .. 38f3[ 9791.964 130 44: 8o}1o‘284 15
 4961.234 671 193 98‘ 504 41.466 2*

...€)
 42711168. 944 180 127: 285 16 9325 1::

   

1874». ....... ... ......................... .. 517 802 857 183:  252 17  .)
187. ....   457, 9491 759 1861 51: 269 16 1323; 16
1876. . ...  ...  443 786] 718 1291 551 27-} 2] i326; 17
1877 ..........................  ...... ..l 488 8221 658 168. 55 256 24 ;333;1a5
1878,..... 451 893, 786 137; 67‘ 253 201360518
1379. .. .. ... ... . . O0‘ 396% 843 982  61}  21 13349.12
1880.. . . ............ ....... ..... 379 8(i1»1.155  (3-1 21 21 L344 10
1881 .....................................  3611 897115399 90; 98: 244 2943143 12
1882..... ......................... ...} 380} 979;l.867 805 145‘ 258 30 13349 11
l883....;...........-......... . . . . .  379; 89'/51,709 S7! 1121 216 3593-14 12
CHAPTER XXXI.-—CASS DISTRICT.
Additional to Civil List on pp. 699 and 700:
' JUSTICES.
1876—J. Alexander. F. R. Sinclair 1880—«J. Alexander, L.  John
CO1\'S’.l‘ABLES.

1876——T. Lazzell, Jonathan Frunl 1880——\V. T. Ryan, J. Halfin

CHAPTER‘ XXXII.——-GRANT DIS'I‘I‘.AIC/I‘.

The following list of preachers of l\Iononga1i9..Ci1'cuit,

additional to that at the top of page 728, was kindly fur-

APPENDIX. 77}:

nished by Mr. Sylvester Arnett. The first nanied eacli
year is the pastor in cl1-.trge, and the second nzuned is the

assistant. V
1860———G. NV. Arnold 18G6——J. VV. VVebb 1873—J. M. VV-ctrden
1861—]). 0. Stewart '1‘. .1’. Bracken ])-avid 'J‘a.sker
1862—}). (J). Stewart 1867——J. VV. \Vebb 1874'—J. A. F1llle1'to11
J. B. Pincllen 18G8—9—J. J. Dolliver J. ‘V. Szttterfield
1863~J. B. Feather J. 1). Hunter 18’7’——J. F. Snodgrass
A. Stephens 18'70—J. J. Dolliver ‘V. N. Stewart
1864——J. B. Fezither 1871——J. M. \Val1'den. 1870——J. F. Sriodgrass
(fr. VV. Metheny (3. J. Trippett 1877—~J. E. \Va.sson
1865-—J. WV. \Vebb 18'7.‘2-~J. M. \V:Lr<len V C. J. Price
J. \V. Swartz J. \V. Huggans

In 1877, the month of the annual meeting of Conference was
cha11;.>;e(l from March to October; and there were, consequently,
two confereliees and two appointments made in that year
1877—J. E. \Vasson .1878.«9¥.I. E. \Vasson

(7. S. Harrison (J. S. Harrison

In 1880, Arnettsville circuit was fornied from Monongalizi
circuit. The D1'€iLC11e1’S of the latter circuit since the divis-
‘ion lizwe been :

1880——\V. 1*‘. (l‘/zmnon 1881-2-—J. T. .I*li(-.hell)erge1' l8823——T. H. Trainer

sTA'.r1sTICAL. V
VALUA'1‘I()i\' or P1>.o1>E1:'ry.—T1ie value of the property of
the county in 1860, 1870 and 1880, as given in the Ferleral
census reports, is exhibited in the following table (see, also,

I

pp. 557-8) :

Year. ' Real Estate. 1'er.-omzi 1’ropertz/. Total.

1860 . ~ . $3,535,232 . . $1,360,800 . . $4,896,032
1870 . 2,917,204 . . . 1,528,433 . . . 4,445,727
1880 , . 3,344,553 . . 1,212,299 . . 4,556,852

AMOUNT TAXES PAID.—The :1.mount paid in taxes by the
people of the county for State, county, town, villagepand
school purposes, in 1870 and 1880, (not given for 1860,) as
stated in the census reports, is as follows (see, also. pp 559 -

60, 562):

774 HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

Yam‘. .\’r«(('-. Com:/IJ. ‘ *’I'O'lL')l, Villag/c,etc. ’1’u(uI.
1370 . $18,695 . $48,038? . $11,000 . . 77,723‘
1880. . 17,435 . . 23,174 . . 11,473 . . . 52,082

VALUE or TOWN LoTs.——Assessed value of town lots with‘

buildings, in the places named, including only lots (and the
buildings thereon) laid out and numbered when theitowns
were -founded 2
Arnettsville . $950 Granville . $4,935 Stewarttown . $2,195
Blacksville . 10,387 Hamilton . . 1,375 ‘Vest Morgantown 1,700
Cassville . . 3,490 Lowesville . 400 ‘West \Varren . 3.360
Durbannah . 21,275 ‘
13IOGr.ArHICAL. ‘

AUGL's'rL7s Huiioxn, whose sketch begins on page 352,
died at Morgantown, on the 9th of October, 1883. His re-
mains were interred on the 10th, by the Masonic fraternity.

ALEXANDER l\IA11T1x.—T11e writer of the sketch of Doctor
Martin, which 1na'y be found on page 412, desires to have it
stated that the Doctor resigned the principalship of the
Clarksburg academy to accept the professorship of the
Greek language and literature in Allegheny College, which
place he occupied for one term, when he accepted the call
to the church in V\7heeling.

JAMES S. STEWAR'1‘ was born 011 January 5, 1854, at Mc-
Coy’s Station, Jeiferson County, Ohio. His parents were
James R. M. and Cordelia K. Stewart, hoth born in Lon-
don, Eng., of Scotch parents. He first came to Morgan-
town August 29, 1873; graduated at West Virginia Univer-
sity, June, 28, 1877, and began to teach in the University in
September, 1877; is assistant professor in the school of

* This is “city, town, etc..” In 1870; “city, town, vlllage, and sc1xoo1d1str1ct.”1n
1880.

T This sum a1)pears too large, and must include other than the levy for country pur-
poses proper.

APPENDIX. 775
niatheniatics, i11stead of in the preparator_\h, as stated on

page 422, from wrong information.

CA1"1‘AI1\T OLIVER P. J OLLIFFE was born in Clinton District,
this county, December 20, 1827 ; attended the Monongalia

Academy while that institution was under the control of.

Prof. Billings. Mr. Jollifle married Sarah Selby, daughter
of Leonard Selby, of this county, in 1856, and pursued the
occupation of farmer and school teacher. Their children
(all living) are : 1. E. 0., 2. Charles E.,  Einina Jane, 4.
Thayer M., 5. \Villiam S., 6. George C., 7. Joseph A., 8.
Frank C.

Mr. J olliife enlisted in company C, 14th VF. ‘Va. 1., August
14,1862 ; was elected captain of that company, com2nis~
sioned as such by Governor Pierpont, and mustered into
the service on the 25th of that month. The 14th VV. Va. 1.
was assigned to the 5th Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Army
Corps, and Captain J ollifi'e’s company (p. 502) was in many
of the fiercest contests of the war. The regiment fought at
Greenland Gap; in McDoWell’s expedition in December,
1863; in Gen. Crook’s expedition; at Cloyd Mountain, New
River Bridge, Lynchburg and Carter’s Farm. It was in
the Whole of Gen. Sl1eridan’s campaign in the Shenandoah
Valley, including the battles of Kearnestown, Wlincliester,
Martinsburg, Halltown, Opequan, Fisher’s Hill and Cedar
Creek, beside many other engagements and skirmishes.
Capt. Jolliffe continued in the service, stoutly and bravely
encountering and surmounting all the hardships and dan-
gers to which his command was subject, until the close of
the war. He was/never wounded or disabled or absent
from duty. At Cedar Creek he rendered great service in
rallying the men and aiding in the grand charge there made

74’ HISTORY or MONONGALIA COUNTY.

the time till supper, by indulging in feats of strength and

dexterity. Supper would consist of corn—bread and a fined

array of venison, bear-meat and wild turkey. The remain-

der of the day till nightfall would be passed away with
foot—races, trials of’skill with the rifle, lifting at a great"
rock, friendly wrestles, etc. At dusk the settlers would
scatter to their homes, carrying with them their trusty
rifles—inseparable companions in those days of lurking and
blood-thirsty Indians. The furnishing of the cabin was

a quickly accomplished. Blocks with legs inserted,-answered '

for stools and chairs; and for wash—tubs, soap—barrels and
thelike, troughs were used. The table was often two slabs
securely fastened on stout pieces driven into the wall, and
supported at their other ends by rude legs. ‘Wood plates
were to be seen; and the table that could afford a full set of

I pewter plates and spoons was thought to be something

elegant. Their bedstead in many cases was but “rails or
poles kept up by forked sticks and cross sticks in the wall.”
Over the door-Way laid the indispensable ‘rifle on two
wooden hooks, probably taken from a dogwood bush, and

pinned to a log of the wall. Along the wall would hang V

divers garments. Entering the house, often the first thing
that greeted your gaze was the loom upon which the women
wove the home-made clothing of that day, called linsey——a
warm and lasting cloth made of flax and wool. Beside the
loom stood the spinning-wheel. During the day the door
of the cabin stood open to afford light; and at night,
through the winter, light was emitted from the fire—place,
where huge logs were kept burning. Candles and lamps
of rude manufacture were used. The candles were usually
made of tallow, but sometimes of beeswax and tallow,- and
occasionally lard was added to the compound. These can-

776 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

on the enemy’s lilies. He was mustered out at lVheeling,
June 25, 1865, and returned to his family and friends with
an envi.able record as a soldier.

Capt. Jollifl'e was elected supervisor in 1868, which
position he filled with much ability.

He owns a fine farln in Clinton District, and pays special
attention to agriculture and stock-raising. He is public-
spirited and foremost in all matters pertaining to the (level-
opment of his district and county.

No'1‘}<:.—-1x’q)rcsmtm‘i I'(’-\‘- in (7on_r/rrtss.-I1'1 the list of. Congressional
Representatives, on page 766, it is stated that John Gr. Jackson
served in 1795-7, and in 1799-10. So say both Lann1an‘s Dictionary
of C‘ongress and Ho5,_ve’s History of ‘Virginia; but it is an error.
(teorge Jackson, of Harrison County, who is mentioned neither by
Lannian nor Howe, was the Representative in 1795-7, and in 1801-3.
He was the father of John Gr. and Dr. Edward B. Jackson. "John
(fr. Jackson was the Representative" in 1803-10, and in 1813-17. It is,

indeed, strange that both Howe and Lanman should have missed .

so prominent a nrelnber as (-:‘reorg'e Jackson, but the Annals of
Congress show that he served in the years named above. Our
attention having been called to the error of Howe and Lannran by
ex—Judge John Brannon, of Weston, we consulted the Annals
covering the period from 1789 to 1817, which we did not do before
because of the statement of Howe and Lanman. And Lanman
has no mention, also, of David Holmes, another early Congressman
from Virginia.

CLOSE OF THE INDIAN WARS. 75

dles were called “dips,” being made without molds, by siin— '

ply dipping the wicks of twisted rags or flax into the melted
tallow. Several wicks would be attached to a stick and thus
simultaneously immersed, then lifted and placed where the
adhering tallow would quickly cool. While these cooled
others were dipped, and this process had to be repeated
many times before the candles were large enough for use.
The melted tallow was usually poured into a kettle of boil-
ing water, on top of which it floated, and this gave the
depth necessary for forming the candles. The Germans
from Pennsylvania brought with them a curious iron lamp
in which lard was used. A very common substitute for a
lamp in those early days was a saucer filled with lard, in
which a twisted rag wick was placed. Sometimes a broken
tea cup was used, or a large turnip scraped out and filled
with lard. In some localities pine knots were used.

A single room generally served the purposes of kitchen,
dining—room, sitting—room, bed—room and parlor. In most
families there were from six to ten children, who, with their
parents, were crowded into this one room. In one corner
‘was the father and mother’s bed, and under it the trundle-
bed for the smaller children. The larger children lodged
in the loft, which they reached by a ladder in another
corner; and sometimes they made tracks to and from their
beds in the snow driven through the crevices by the wind.
Often in the winter would they awake to find their beds
covered with snow. Sometimes, as the family increased, an
addition was built to the cabin, and another room added.

The settler cleared out a patch for corn, planted it, built
his bear pens, and spent every spare moment in the forest
hunting, as meat was to be his principal food, until he could
clear out his patch into a field large enough to provide him

76 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

with a crop sufficient to supply his needs. A harrow with
Wooden teeth, and a rude plow roughly fashioned, were
used for the cultivation of this field, and no thought given
to any means for the preservation of its fertility. It "was
countedfor so many crops; and, by the time exhausted,
anotl1er'would be cleared out to take its place. ‘When the
corn was raised (for wheat was not thought of), it was nec-
essary to prepare it for the table. There were no mills, and
it was placed in the hominy block and pounded with a

_ pestle. When too soft for this, the ears were rubbed over a

tin grater of a concave form, nailed to a block or board, on
which the meal fell. This was improved by the introduc-
tion of the hand mill, which consisted of two stones placed

in a hoop provided with a spout for the discharge of the

'meal. A beam was attached to an upright piece fastened

into the upper stone, and two persons could labor at the
same time, in turning the mill. Persons came from a dis-
tance to grind on them. They tanned the hides of animals
with the brains of the animals; and had a trough sunk in
the ‘ground for tanning their leather, jvhich was efiected by
the use of bark, ashes and tallow. This made a very course
though very substantial article. Every man had to be his
own blacksmith, carpenter and shoemaker. ,
These settlers were a hardy, fearless folk. Their manners,
though not polished, were open and frank. Jealous of
their honor and proud of their word, he who impugned the
one, or doubted the other, had to answer for his temerity at
the point of blows. A fight was the arbitrament of any
trouble that could not easily be settled. No unfair advan-
tage was suffered to be taken by either party, and the fight
continued till one of the contestants being satisfied with the
hammering he was receiving from his adversary, would cry

CLOSE OF THE INDIAN WARS. 77

out “Enough,” when his assailant would desist, and the
matter ended. There was no after—talk of knives, pistols
and slungshots, or planning of a cowardly attack by the
beaten party upon his opponent. To “receive the lie,”
without giving a blow in exchange, was to be looked upon
as a coward by every one. They used no flattery, practiced
no deceit, and were kind, generous and hospitable. Cross-
ing his threshold, the settler gave you a cordial welcome,
standing before you with his tastefully fringed hunting
shirt, deer—skin breeches, substantial moccasins, and coon-
skin cap, tall and well proportioned in form, with a sun-
tanned but honest and intelligent face, and a fearless eye.
During this early period, the settlers had nothing but furs
with which to procure iron and salt. Leaving home with a
pack horse heavily laden, they crossed the mountains by
bridle—paths to the South Branch and Wincheste1', to
dispose of their furs. It took several days to perform the
journey there and back. They encamped at night in the
mountains with their pack—saddles for pillows, and- sank to
sleep amid the howling of the wolves around and the scream
of the panther in the distance. On their return, when
approaching their homes, they dreaded to look towards
them, lest a pile of ashes might greet their gaze, showing
that the Indians had been there, and murdered their families

and burned their cabins.

Capt. John Evans, generally called Capt. Jack Evans,
about the year 1783, was in command of a company at the
Old Station Spring. A coward in the company was tried
by a pretended Indian attack, made by four or five of the
company. He broke and ran back into the settlements and
gave an alarm, that alarge force of Indians were coming,

\

78 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

and had killed every one at the Station. The settlers on
the west side of the Monongahela River crossed over at

v different places. Margaret, wife of Capt. John Dent, being

alone, left home on the alarm and rode to the river. Find-
ing no one there, she swam her horse across in the night to
give the alarm at her father’s, Col. John Evans’s.

Gren.. George Washington, in 1784, when on the Monon-
gahela River examining the country to ascertain the feasi-
bility of cutting a canal from the Potomac across to any of
the tributary waters of the Monongahela, passed up the
river to Col. John Evans’s, and thence rode out into the
vicinity of the Pierpont Church, to where Col. Samuel
Hanway kept the land office of the county. After examin-

ing the land—books he rode back to Col. Evans’s and stayed _

all night in a house still standing, and which is preserved
by the Evans family on account of VVashington’s staying
over night in .it. Probably, if some of the choicest tracts
of land had not been patented at that time, Vllashington
migl1t have taken them up and became a landholder in
Monongalia_. '

About 1785 or 1786, one mile north of the site of Cass-
ville, a boy by the name of William Dawson was captured
by Indians while harrowing in a field. He wore a long linen
gown. An‘ old Indian and two Indian boys about Dawson’s
age, came along. The Indian sent the boys over to take
Dawson, and laughed at the hard fight they had in doing
it. They took the mare Dawson was harrowing with, and
above where Brown’s mill is, shot her because she neighed
so loudly for her colt. Dawson was a prisoner till Wayne’s
treaty, when he was given up, and came back. This is the

CLOSE on THE INDIAN WARS. 79

account given by Elizabeth,.the wife of Nathan Johnson, to
eX—Sherifi" John T. Fleming. Mrs. Johnson, who was an
intelligentwoman, was well acquainted with Dawson. There
is a traditional account which differs somewhat from the
above, in some of the particulars, claimed to have been
derived from Dawson.

There is alsoa traditional account of George Tucker and
James O’Neil pursuing and killing a party of Indians who
had murdered a family by thelname of Hutchinson. ‘All
the family .were killed except a young woInan,wl1om they

were_ carrying off into captivity. The last‘ of this Indian,

party was killed on the headwaters of Dunkard Creek, and
the young woman rescued. The white men were aided by
a dog which was trained to seize an Indian by the throat
and kill him. ' '

The final struggle between the Indian and the white man a

for the territory of Monongalia County as now bounded,
occurred towards the close of the ‘month of June in 1791.
The “Chronicles of Border ‘Warfare ” says :

“Early in the morning, as Mr. Clegg, Mr. Handsucker, and two
of Handsuc'ker’s sons were engaged at Work in a corn field near
the house, they were shot at by some concealed savages, and
Handsucker was wounded and soon overtaken. Clegg and Hand-
sucker’s sons ran toward the house, and the former entering it,
defended it for a while; but confident that he would soon be
driven out by fire, he surrendered on condition that they would
spare his life and that of his little daughter with him. The boys
passed the house, but were taken by some of the savages who were
also ‘concealed in the direction in which they ran, and who had
just made captive Mrs. Handsucker and her infant. They then
plundered and set fire to the house, caught the horses and made off
with the prisoners, leaving one of their company, as usual, to
Watch after their retreat.

“When the firing was first heard, Mrs. Clegg being some distance

PREFAcEg.

No TIME has been spared, nor labor or expense avoided,
in preparing this History of Monongalia County. UneX~
pected difficulties in the way of obtaining some information
essential to the book, and a spell of sickness, has prevented
its completion at the time contemplated by the author.

The Biographical Sketches have been principally Written
by friends. of the subjects of the sketches. The author is
indebted to others for the general history of the Mound
Builders and the Indians, the latter part of the chapter
on Political History, and that section of the Military
History entitled “ JV/I/6 Civvfl llda-7°.” T

Thanks are returned to all Who have furnished infor--

mation, but the number is too la1'ge to receive individual

mention.
, S. T. VV.
Ilforgazztozlm, l)ecem7)e;' 1, 1883.

80 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

from the house, concealed herself in the creek, under some project-
ing bushes, until everything became quiet. She then crept out,
but perceiving the Indian who had remained near the burning
house, she took to flight; and he having at the same time discov-
ered her, ran in pursuit. She was so far iniadvance, and ran so
well, that the savage despairing of overtaking her, raised his gun
and fired as she ran. The ball just grazed the top of her shoulder,
but not impeding her flight, she got safely off. Mr.'Handsucker,
his wife and child, were murdered on the dividing ridge between
Dunkard and Fish creeks. Mr. Clegg, after some time, got back,
and upon the close of the Indian war, ransomed his two daughters.”

- William Minor, a man eighty—five years old in 1882, stated
to the writer that his maternal grandfather, Alexander Clegg,
after surrendering to the Indians, told them there were sixty
dollars in silver in the burning house, and they sent one of
their number back to get it; that this Indian perceived Mar-
garet Clegg and gave chase, firing and wounding her slightly
in the shoulder; that she escaped to Baldwin’s Block—house,
which stood near the site of the Methodist Episcopal
Church in Blacksville; that Alexander Clegg, through the
intercession of ‘Simon Girty, was allowed to come home and
bring his oldest daughter, Peggy, but had to leave Susan
(afterwards wife of Samuel Minor and mother of ‘Wm.
Minor); that Clegg sent back to Girty for the Indians, as
he had promised, a rifled gun and a sum of money, and
Susan was sent home. The Handsuckers, it is said, were
taken by the Indians some distance into what is now Wetzel
County, and there killed. .

Thus, in the Dunkard Valley, was shed the last blood of
the white man in Winning the soil of Monongalia County
from the dominion of the Indian, after a bloody struggle of
many long and perilous years.*

. * As late as 1801 We find that munitions of War, for use against the Indians, were in
Monongalia. On the 11th of July the following letter was written to C01. William

  
    

  
  

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SEE PAGE 347.

CLOSE OF THE INDIAN WARS. 81

There is an account handed down on Stewart’s Run, that
about 1790, or later, William, a son of John Stewart, and
another boy, both about fourteen years of age, were pur-
sued by Indians while they were returning from mill on
Scott’s Mill Run. The militia turned out, among whom
were Joseph Barker, and Peter Hess, and went in pursuit
of the Indians, finding their camp fires on the head of
Sco_tt’s Mill Run, but failing to overtake them. The Indians
made good their retreat, with two prisoners captured on
Scott’s Mill Run?‘ _

Campaigns were projected by the whites against the In-
dians, to protect the frontier from their ravages; and in
1781, Gen. George Rodgers Clark, who had his headquar-
ters at Wheeling, visited the Monongahela Valley to raise
troops for an Indian campaign, a part of which was the ill-
fated Col. Lochreycommand. In 1781-2, Col. David VVill—
iamson led two campaigns; and later in 1782, Col. Craw-
ford’s disastrous expedition occurred. Gen. Harmar, in
1790, led another expedition, and was defeated. In all
these campaigns we have no account of any Monongalia
militia or soldiers, but undoubtedly there were some of her
adventurous spirits in them, as her spies and scouts were
doing duty across the Ohio River.

Mccleary from the War Department: “ I thank you for your favor of the 1st inst.,
and request that you will have the lead, the property of the United States in your
possession, sent to Isaac Craig, Esq., Store-keeper at Pittsburgh, by the first safe
opportunity, and transmit his receipt therefor to this Department.
“Your obedient servant, H. DEARBORN.”

* Capt. (“Jack ”) John Evans used to relate an adventure with Indians when he was
a boy eight or ten years old. His father’s cabin was stockaded, and a family by the
name of Johnson, living near the Monongahela River, during an alarm of Indians,
came to Evans’s for safety. Capt. John was sent down to J 0hnson’s to get a horse left
behind. He found some eggs there, which he placed in a smouldering log-heap, and
Went around a high cleared knoll to look for the horse. Coming back to the log-heap
he saw Indian tracks in the ashes, and knew that they were on his trail coming round
the knob. He ran and succeeded in getting away. The Indians took the horse, and
tying a prisoner by the name of Walls on its back, made it swim the river at Granville.
The Indians crossed on a raft. Walls escaped afterwards, and told how the Indians’
found the eggs and followed the boy’s track.

82 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

In 1791, Gen. St. Clair organized the expedition which
met with such signal defeat on the 4th of November, 1791.
In this expedition as scouts were Levi Morgan and James
Pindall, while in the ranks as regular soldiers were James
and “Mod” Morgan, with others of Monongalia whose
names are lost. Levi Morgan shot an Indian while in the
act of shooting “Mod; ” and in the retreat, when his brother
James gave out, “Mod” declared that no Indian should
ever kill a brother of his, and drew his tomahawk over
James as though he would kill him, which had the desired

- efi"ect of rousing James to another effort to flee. The next

day after the retreat, when all the men were stiff and sore,
Levi engaged in various feats of dexterity to show how little
effect the terrible retreat had had on him. In Wayne’s
campaign Levi Morgan was again with the army as a scout
and spy, and others from Monongalia were in that army.

Levi Morgan was a leading spirit among the many bold
and adventurous scouts and Indian fighters of Monongalia.
Small in stature for that day, he was possessed of wonders-
ful muscular strength, and though cool and cautious in
wood-craft and war-craft, yet he was fearless of all danger
in time of battle. From his reticence and utter disregard
of fame, he has never occupied the place in frontier history
to which his feats of daring entitle him.

The following list of persons having taxable property in
Monongalia County in 1786, consisting of tithables, horses
and cattle, as attested by John Evans, Clerk, and J. Pendle-
ton, Auditor, was found among the papers of Col. William
McCleary, and furnished us by Mr. John J. Brown:

lJa11,1_e,s Dunn, James Snodgrass, Benj. VVhitson,

Zacquill Morgan, J 12, Jacob Pritchet, Jr., Calder Haymond,
Thomas Haymond, Edward Haymond, Nath. Springer,

‘James Barnes,

CLOSE OF THE INDIAN WARS. 83

Elias Prince,
Josiah Pritchet,
Robison Lucas,

William Bryan,
James Morgan,
David Fancher,
David Morgan, Stephen Morgan,
Uz Barnes,
Elisha Bratton,
Thomas Griggs,
Nath. Reeves,
John Miller,
Jonathan Lams,

Henry Barnes,
Stokely Little,
Jacob Pritchet, Sr.,
Abram Lowe,
James VVest,

Morgan Morgan, Williain Snodgrass,

John Holt,
Reuben Bunner,
Francis Burr-ell,
VVilliam Barnes,
Thomas Barnes,
Win. Pettyjohn, Srz,
John Pettyj ohn,
Isaac Pritchet,
Abner Harper,
John Beesley,
VVilliam Graham.

JOHN DENT’s RETURN.

Joseph Barker, Edward Evans,
Aaron Hiney,

Williani Dawson,

James Barker,
Jacob Harrow,

George Snider, Michael Core,

John Carberry, Isaac Camp,

Jacob Scott, William Lamasters,
Thomas Harrison, John Little,

James Denny, John Golding,

John Callihan, Thomas Brown,
Thomas Pindall, Sr., Gordon Hallon,
Elijah Piles, Gilbert Butler,
William Martin, John Barker,

Thomas Dawson,
Roger Parks,

Azariah Haskins,

Garrard Evans,
Isaac Lamasters,
David Watkins,
John Stuart,
Isaiah Haskins,
John Lowe,
Henry Batton,
John Cochran,
Philip Pindall,
Peter Kess,
Joseph Dawson,
Thomas Lamasters,
John Hamilton.

FRANCIS wARMAN”s RETURN.

Anthony Abell, James Anderson,
Ignatus Butler, Clifiord Butler,
Josiah Ball, Joseph Downing,
Charles Griggsbey, Michael Henry,
Adam Helmick, William Hamilton,
Patrick Johnson, John Scott,
Martha Jenkins, Joshua Lowe,
Samuel Lewellin, Jacob Lewellin,
Thomas Malott, Joseph Martin,

Robert Brown,
VVilliam Beall,
Charles Donaldson,
Isaac Hall,
Frederick Ice,
Enoch Jenkins,
Doctor Lewellin,
John Leath,
VVi11ia1n Neighbors,

84 HISTORY OF MONONGALIA COUNTY.

\Vi1liam Norris, John Ramsey, Sr., John Ramsey, J r.,
Samuel Ruble, James Ross, Jeremiah Tannehill,
‘William Tannehill, Stephen Warman, Andrew Park,
Arthur Trader, Sr., Moses Trader, Francis VVarman.
JAMES COCHRAN’S RETURN.

Henry Banks, John Evans, Marg’t Cunningham,
John Tibbs, James Spurgin, David. Gray,

John Downer, Jarvis Brumegin, Pritchard Merrefield,
George Keller, John Burk, Henry Smith,

John \Vade, Simon Troy, Boaz Burris,
Benjamin Jennings, Joseph acobs, Daniel Sayre,
Nehemiah Harper, Robert Bennett, David Sayre,

John Pierpont, Josiah VVilson, ‘ Evan Morgan,
John Ferguson, Charles Hanyman, VVilliam Robe, Sr.,
VVil1ia1n Robe, J r., Samuel Hanway, \Villiam Joseph,
Elijah Burris, Joseph VVilson, ~ Jacob Jacobs,
Joshua Jenkins, Hugh McNeely, Philemon Askins,
John Finch, ' Jacob Nuse, Thomas Pindall.
Samuel Gribb, David Patterson,

JOSEPH J ENKINS,S RETURN.

Jacob Langston, Michael Kerns, James Cobun,
Jacob Pindall, VVilliam J ollifi‘ e, John Plum,

David Croll, Ann Miller, Henry Tucker,
Thomas Ryan, James Cochran, Aug’t Friend,
James Read, , Joseph Trickettf _ Jacob Youngman,
Henry Croll, Michael Lawrence, Sarah Frakes,
Andrew Jones, James S. \Vilson, James Tibbs, redhead,
Philip Shuttlesworth, John Hall, Robert Ferrell,
Peter Switcher, David Calmire, James Daugherty,
John Smith, Benjamin VVilson, Robert Severe,
Hiram Mitchell, Francis Bennett, Sr., William Chapman,
Martin Zornes, George Hollenback, Benjamin Sutton,
James Johnson, Thomas Laidley, Zebulon Hoge.
Joseph Cox, R

DAVID scorafs RETURN.
Daniel Burchill, Charles Martin, Charles Ramsey,

CLOSE OF THE INDIAN WARS. 85

Peter Bruner, Simeon Everly, Casper Everly,

Richard Harrison, Elisha Scott, J Amos Smith,
Thomas Azel, Philip Crose, James Johnson,
John Ramsey, Jesse Martin, James Ruggles,
Lafe Hardin, John McNea1, Thomas Ruggles,
James Benefield, William Holson, James Kelley,
William Moore, William Owens, George Martin,
Chris. Grarlow, Thomas VVade, George VVade,
George VVeaver, George Hiley, David Piles,
John Troy, John Snider, .David Scott.

Daniel McCollum made a retura, but the persons named
in his list, fifty—five in number, all lived in what is now
Preston County, except Elihu Horton, Joseph Stuart,
John Jenkins and Arthur Trader. In searching old records
we find the names of a few persons—the Willeys, some of
the Davises and others—omitted or overlooked, who were
living in the county and owning property at that time.
Charles Bennett, the ancestor of the Bennett families of
Ohio and V/Vest Virginia, came to Monongalia between 1780
and 1783. - ‘

John Madison, the first County Surveyor of Monongalia,
was killed while surveying, it is stated. Col. Samuel Han-
Way, his successor, was in the surveying party, which
divided, and Hanway and his part of the company toolc one
road, and Madison the other. Madison was ambushed and
killed, and thus .Col. Hanway escaped.

CHAPTER IX.

MASON AND DIXON’S LINE.

History and Importance of the Great Boundary Line—the Virginia.
' Charter——Grant to Lord Ba1timore——VVi11iam Penn’s Charter——
Boundary Controversies of Penn and Ba1timore-Mason and
Dixon’s ‘»Vork—Boundary Controversy between Virginia. and
Pennsy1vania——Futi1e ifitempts at Sett1ement—Fina1 Settle-
inent.

WE come now to make record of a geographical line whose

establishment, as made in 1779, lost to Monongalia some of
the finest territory ever possessed by a county. ’ This line,
the southern boundary of Pennsylvania against Maryland
and Virginia (now West Virginia), attained political signifi-
cance in-a State war over its establishment, and came to
be known, from the names of its surveyors, as the Mason*
and Dixoni‘ Line. Later, this line came into national prom-
inence in the slavery agitation, as the dividing line between
the free and the slave states; and the names of Mason and
Dixon were thereby inseparably connected with the history
of the American Republic.

To trace the history of this line of National fame and
World—vvide repute, We must go back to theyear 1609, when

*C11a1'1es Mason, a “London astronomer and surveyor,” Was an assistant of Dr.
Bradley at the Greenwich Royal Observatory. He corrected Meyers‘ lunar tables,
and after returning from America (Where he Was elected, March 27, 1767, a member of
the American Philosophical Society), he Was sent, together With Dixon, by the Royal
Society to observe the transit of Venus in 1769 at the Cape oi‘ Good Hope. He died in
Pennsylvania, February, 1787. 4

+Jeremia1i Dixon, a “ London astronomer and surveyor,” was Masonfs co-laborer.
He Was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society, April 1, 1768, and
was again Mason’s co,-laberer at the Cape of Good Hope in 1769. He died in 1777, at
Durham, England.

MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 87

King James I. of England, by right of discovery, granted
to the Virginia Company 400 miles of coast line reaching
“West and North-west” from sea to sea. Old Point Com-
fort was designated as the central point of this grant. At
sixty—nine and a half miles to the degree, this carried the
grant by the coast line to about the fortieth degree of north
latitude. In‘1624, the Company’s charter was revoked, and
never was restored. 1

Charles I., June 20, 1632, granted to Cecilius Calvert, the
second Lord Baltimore, all that‘ scope of territory between
the fortieth degree of north latitude and the Potomac River.*
Charles II., i11 1681, granted a charter to VVilliam Penn for
Pennsylvania,'l' extending northward from the beginning‘ of
the fortieth degree of north latitude.

The half~century from 1682 to 1732 was distinguished by
a continuous struggle to establish the line between Penn
a_nd Baltimore. Capt. John Smith’s map erroneously fixed

the parallel of forty degrees north latitude a little below

New Castle, and Penn claimed this as the line. Baltimore
appealed to the King against this and also Penn’s occu-
pancy of the present territory between Delaware and
Chesapeake bays. It was referred to the committee fo trade
and plantations, which decided against Baltimore, and
divided the contested territory between the bays between

* “ That region bounded by a line from Watkins Point on the Chesapeake Bay on the
east, thence to that part of the estuary of the Delaware on the north which lieth
under the 40th degree where, New England is terminated.” -

1‘ The boundaries of this charter, an old parchment document now hanging in the
Executive Chamber at Harrisburg‘, are as follows: “Bounded on the east by the
Delaware River from 12 miles distant northward of New Castle town, unto the three
and fortieth degree of northern latitude ; the said land to extend westward five
degrees in longitude, to‘be computed from the said eastern bounds, and the said land
to be bounded on the north by the beginning of the three and fortieth degree of north
latitude, and on the south by a circle drawn at 12 miles distance from New Castle,
northward and westward, unto the beginning of the tortieth degree of north latitude,
and then by a straight line Westward to the limits of longitude above mentioned.”

I