\ ! 't>JO HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA FROM THE EARUEST SETTLEMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME 0 7 HISTORY OF SUMMERSCOUNTY 1908 E^ROM THE EARLIEST r SETTLEMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME By JAMES H. MILLER HINTON, WEST VIRGINIA COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY JAMES H. MILLER HINTON,' W. VA. - This book is dedicated to the people of Summers ¦County, who have, for thirty years, so loyally showed their faith in a penniless youth of their ovjn soil, and to whom he is indebted for whatever of success or honor 'he has attained in their midst. —THE AUTHOR. • PREFACE The people of this county have not heretofore taken the interest in their past ancestry to which that ancestry was entitled, or the interest that should exist in all men of the present for the past. Local history and tradition is to many of the greatest interest and value, and no man should fail to feel some pride in the place of his nativity, or the ancestor from whom he sprang, however humble they may have been. All helped to build up and create this nation and its civilization, now becoming more populous than are the stars in the heavens, and whose people are as numerous as the sand of the sea. Those pioneers who spent their lives in clearing the forests, preparing and laying the foundations for the happiness of myriads to follow, deserve not oblivion, although many of the incidents and facts of a local value are lost to history, and no history of a local community can be complete without them ; it is to be hoped this imperfect chronicle may at least create a greater interest for the future. Each citizen should remember that he is not the beginning nor the end of his family. He only counts one in the census. As he reveres his father, so will his children revere him ; as he honors his father, so will his children honor him, and so sure as he forgets his ancestry, so sure will posterity forget him, and his name will pass from this world into the same oblivion that forever enshrouds the Hottentot, the Hindoo and the heathen. People will look for ward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestry, and in a crude way we have undertaken to preserve to posterity some of those events which have not yet passed into oblivion. The leading incidents of the life of a small and weak munic ipality will be chronicled, of one only, which goes to make up a small integral part, and influences of the destinies of the great viii PREFACE. republic (it will be simply, "the short and simple annals of the poor"), which may be thus preserved to future posterity, chronicled at a time "whereof the memory of man runneth not to the con trary" — at a time when the Republic is on the high road to greater achievements and glory, and at a time when we are proud that we are the direct descendants of the hardy pioneers, one of whose chief glories was in his priceless honor and patriotism and in his aiding in making this land the land of the "free and the home of the brave." Our readers will appreciate that this book is aimed to be and is exclusively a chronicle of our own and of prescribed territory, and not of adjoining and contiguous territory, and also that it is fragmentary, prepared at odd moments. I am under obligations to numerous friends for aid rendered in providing me data in regard to family history, especially to Prof. George W. Lilly, relating to the Lilly, Farley and Cook fami lies ; J. Lee Barker as to the Barker ancestry; David Graham in re the Graham family and ancient incidents ; Reverends W. F. Hank, G. W. Hollandsworth and L. L. Lloyd, and G. W. Leftwich, James Gwinn, Harrison Gwinn, Esqrs., in regard to church history; to W. W. Jones, Evan B. Neely, I. G. Carden, J. E. C. L. Hatcher for information as to the enlisted Confederate soldiers; Hon. B. P. Shumate, Hon. S. W. Willey and Andrew L. Campbell, Esq., J. M. Meador and W. H. Boude for court records and other courtesies. The lineage of numerous families would have been more complete had I received the response and aid of those from whom informa tion was requested. James H. Miller. December i, 1907. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. page Territorial Lineage 1 Lord Fairfax 4 CHAPTER II. Fragments of Ancient History 15 First Declaration of Independence 25 CHAPTER III. Aboriginal and Ancient 31 Diagram of Fort: _ 42 CHAPTER IV. In the Early Days 47 i CHAPTER V. Topography, Geography, etc 66 CHAPTER VI. First Settlers and Pioneers 85 CHAPTER VII. First Settlers of Hinton 103 CHAPTER VIII. Formation of Summers County 114 Act establishing Summers. County 116 ix x TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. page. First County Officials and Organization 124 Elections— 1871 134 1872 139 1874 163 1875 166 1876 169 1877 , 166 1878 177 1880 178 1882 184 1883 '. 191 1884 194-197 Capitol Election 171 Miscellaneous information, 1871-1890, see Chapter IX. CHAPTER X. Some Chronological Data 150 Ayers, Jas. M facing 184 Breen, M. N ' facing 184 CHAPTER XI. Changes 198 CHAPTER XII. In War. Times 202 Camp Allen Woodrum 217 Harrison, Nathaniel 228 Prices During the War 226 Rebellion, Last Fight of 228 Results of War 226 Soldiers 210 Soldiers, Federal 218 Soldiers, Spanish- American War 219 Session Acts of West Virginia Legislature, 1866 227 Woodrum, Allen, Death of 208 f CHAPTER XIII. Bank of Hinton 245- Hinton, Distances from 246 Hinton Hardware Co 247 National Bank of Summers 244 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIV. page. Land Titles , 249 West, John, Lands ." 264 CHAPTER XV. Elections 266 1884 272 1888 272 1890 273 1892 273 1894 274 1896 275 1898 277 1900 278 1902 281 1904 281 Elections, prior, see Chapter IX. CHAPTER XVI. Schools '. 290 Graded Schools '. 300 History of Education in Summers County 295 CHAPTER XVII. Churches 302 Baptist, Bluestone 323 Baptist, Central 321 Baptist, Fairview 316 Baptist, Indian Mills ,.304 Baptist, Lick Creek 308 Baptist, Rollinsburg 306 Christian, Indian Mills 320 Methodist Episcopal South, Forest Hill 319 Methodist Episcopal South, Hinton 303 Methodist Episcopal South, Talcott 318 Oak' Grove Church 322 Presbyterian, Green Sulphur 315 Presbyterian, Hinton 305 Presbyterian, Keller 312 Saint Patrick's Church 317 CHAPTER XVIII. Hotels 325 Hotel McCreery 327 xii TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIX. page. Political 329 Graham, C. H : 344 CHAPTER XX. Roads ' 344 CHAPTER XXI. Names 351 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS facing page Adams, Hon. W. W '. 684 Alley, W. S 724 Ayres, James M 184 Bowling, Walter P 496 Baber, C. A 512 Bolton, Jas. D 534 Brightwell, W. J > 418 Bolton, H. A _ 423 Bolton, Rev. A. D '. 280 Bacon, Nathaniel 672 Barker, J. Lee 678 Boude, Walter H 702 Breen, Captain M. N ' 184 Barksdale, Wm. Leigh 572 Ballangee, David Graham 710 Campbell, A. N 624 Campbell, Jas. P 624 Campbell, A. L 654 Clark, Chas 478 Compton Family 490 Capeller, John 452 Codle, James E 434 Daly, A. D 488 Dunn, Hon. E. L ¦ 576 Dunn, L. M 604 Ewart, F 568 Ewart-Miller Building 832 Ford, Hon. A 592 Flanagan, A. G 612 Flanagan, Robt. R 618 Foss Bridge 738 Fowler, Elbert 460 Fox, Dr. J. A ' 712 xiii xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. facing page Gallagher, F. M 654 Gwinn, M 660 Gwinn, Andrew 660 Garnett, W. H '. 734 George, Jas. H 518 Graham, Chas. H 344 Garden, Chas., Sr 526 Graham, David 364 Graham, R. Hunter 364 Graham, John 370 Graham, J. A 370 Gooch, Benjamin P '. 418 Gwinn, H 508 Gerow, Henry S 234 Harrison, J. C 592 • Heflin, Archie Roy 606 Harvey, John E 618 Hoge, B. L : 724 Hutchinson, A. M ¦ . . 508 Hobbs, Jas. A 526 Hinton, John 534 Haynes, Wm 560 Hutchinson, Michael, and Wife 560 Higginbotham, Upshur 428 Hatfield, Captain 444 Hinton, Joseph 408 Hinton, Mrs. Avis • 664 Hedrick, Wm. C 544 Johnston, Albert Sydney 606 James, J. C. 502 Jordan, G. L and J. H 380 Jones, W. W 423 Jones, W. W , 280 Keatley, A. J T 496 Kesler, O. T 568 Keadle, J. E 435 Lilly, Geo. W 464 Lilly, Greenlee 464 Lilly, T. H '.'.' 472 Lavender, J. B 472 Lilly, G. L 390 Litsinger," P. K 794 McCneery, Jas. T 580 Manning, M. A '. 604 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FACING page Mann, Thos. G 672 McLaughlin, Nannie B ' ,. 478 Miller, Four Generations 386 Miller, Geo. A 390 Miller, Wm. E : : 394 Miller, James H Frontispiece Miller, James H. 400 Miller, C. L 394 Meador, Joe M 404 Meador, D. M 404 Meadows, A. G .". 408 Maxwell, Robert H.. . , 434 Neeley, L. M., Sr 696 Neeley, L. M., Jr 696 Noell, N. W 512 Pack, Rebecca 448 Pack, Josephus '. 452 Pence, A. P 720 Peck, Shannon P. 484 Read, Thos. Nash 484 Ryan, W. G 550 Richmond, John A 412 Smith, Jas. F 670 Shumate, B. P 460 Sawyers, Wm. H < 488 Swope, J. J 444 Taylor, S. F 656 Thompson, Benj . S ." 702 Thompson, Hon. Wm. R 634 Woodrum, Major Richard 656 West Virginia Colony '. 812 Withrow, C. Wran 412 Warren, M. M 416 Warren, W. H 416 Wiseman, John W 550 Willey, S. W 502 Walsh, Father David 576 Walker, Lee 794 History of Summers County CHAPTER I. TERRITORIAL LINEAGE. This continent was claimed to have been discovered by the Icelanders, by the Welsh and the Norwegians, and no doubts exist but that there are reasons and foundations for these claims ; but the discoveries, whatever were made, were accidental, and were not from a preconceived effort to discover a new world by the applica tion of scientific principles, and the discoveries were useless to civili zation or mankind. The merit of all is due to the native of Genoa, and it has for ages, by universal consent, been properly conceded to him. Of the existence of this world Columbus only knew from his science, and his adventurous daring led him to seek for it and to find it. He it is to whom we are entitled to give all the undivided glory for an exploit, and for which he only received the ignoring of his sovereign and of his contemporaries; and to Italy the glory of being the birthplace of this illustrious man, from whose great and brilliant achievements a new world has arisen from the wil derness inhabited by a savage people, and on whose soil great nations have grown, as well as the most splendid civilization, as well as an example of the glorious liberties intended by the Creator. This discovery was on the 14th day of October, 1492, nearly 300 years before any white settlements were made permanent west of the Allegheny Mountains. The first attempt to settle the Virginia country was made by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584, but this settlement failed. The settlers became discouraged, and, on being visited by the famous Sir Fran cis Drake, pulled up and sailed back for England, just as supplies and aid were coming to their relief. Later, Raleigh sent other sup plies, never forgetting his colonists, but all met with disaster, and thus failed the first attempt at a settlement, which was on the island 2 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. of Roanoke, North Carolina, but then known as Virginia. These settlers had fatal experiences with the Indians, who were savage and barbarous towards their enemies, but kind and helpful towards their friends. Raleigh was a gallant nobleman, imprisoned and beheaded by his sovereign, Queen Elizabeth. The next effort for a settlement was that at Jamestown, on the James River, in 1606, under a charter granted by King James the First. This charter included the present territory of West Vir ginia, and this settlement was to be a permanent one, and was the first on the new continent and world discovered by Columbus. Capt. John Smith was appointed governor, but his associates were jealous, and deposed him before his investment; but he was the leading spirit, and soon all matters concerning the government of the colonists were referred to him. The settlements were confined . to the region east of the Blue Ridge for the first one hundred years after the Smith settlement at Jamstown, when Alex. Spottswood, in 1710, was made governor, and soon after, with a troop of thirty horse, explored the valley beyond the top of the Blue Ridge, for which notable, daring event he was knighted by the King of Eng land, and these adventurers were known to history as the Horseshoe Knights by reason of the gift of the king to Spottswood of a minia ture golden horseshoe, with the motto inscribed, "Sic jurat trans cen- dere monies," after the Smith settlement at Jamestown, when Alex. Spottswood was succeeded by Gooch as governor, a general of the British army, who has descendants now in this and Mercer Coun ties ; Dr. Carl Gooch and Mr. Thomas Gooch. After this notable event the valley was settled, and a lunatic ventured across the Al- leghenies, and wandered into the Greenbrier region, and, on wan dering back to his old habitations, he reported in the country quanti ties of game, after which the adventurer, the hunter and the trapper came and went, reporting the country, and finally came the pioneer and the settler. The government of the country was altogether under the British Crown until. 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was written, and after that glorious event the juris diction passed to the Commonwealth of Virginia, under which it continued until the twenty-third day of June, 1863, at which date West Virginia was admitted into the Union, and since that date under the jurisdiction of that Commonwealth. This territory was a part of the original thirteen States named in honor of Elizabeth, the virgin Queen of England, and comprised all of the territory north of Florida extending from ocean to ocean across this continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and when the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 6 charter was granted by the Crown of England creating the South Virginia Company, usually known as the London Company, prac tically the whole of North America was called Virginia, and in cluded the territory between thirty-four degrees and forty-five de grees north latitude, and the London Company's charter in Vir ginia was between thirty-four and forty-one degrees north latitude, it being conceded that south of what was known as Florida belonged to Spain, and that the northern region was .conceded to France, but much of the territory within the London Company's charter, or Virginia territory, was claimed as within the dominion of the French Kings. The session of territory from the State of Vir ginia to the United States was made March 1, 1784, and the gift from Virginia to the general government was 195,431,680 acres, the most valuable gift to the nation ever bestowed upon it. The ter ritory of Virginia now, after all its sessions and mutilations, is about 40,000 square miles, after the last slice was taken therefrom of 23,000 square miles and formed into West Virginia. Virginia was divided into eight original counties in 1634, ihe^-'ffrst division of the kind recorded in history, and in one of these eight counties our territory was included as a part of Accomack County, later Northampton, after the Earl of North umberland. To show the recklessness with which the British Kings gave away their dominions in Virginia, and what little value they attached thereto, we mention the grant by Charles II. in 1661 to Lord Hopton, which included all of the territory lying in Amer ica, bounded by and within the headwaters of the Rappahannock, the Potomac and the Chesapeake Bay. It was sold by the patentee to Lord Culpepper in 1683, and was confirmed by further patents from James II., and is known as the famous Fairfax Domin ions. The elder Lord Fairfax, who was the fifth of the line, married the only daughter of Lord Culpepper. These lands ' descended to the son of this marriage, Lord Thomas Fairfax, the sixth Baron of Cambridge. He came to Virginia in 1739 to look after his estate. This estate included the territory comprised within the counties of Fincastle, Northumberland, Richmond, Westmore land, King George, Stafford, Prince William, Fauquier, Fairfax, Louden, Culpepper, Clark, Madison, Page, Shenandoah and Fred erick, which were within the present limits of Virginia, and Hardy, Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson within the State of West Virginia, in all aggregating 6,000,000 acres; and it was this Fairfax that discovered that the Potomac River headed in the Al legheny Mountains, and the innumerable law suits growing out of 4 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the same created the commissions and the planting of the famous Fairfax Stone. Augusta County, formed in 1738 from Orange, was named in honor of Princess Augusta. West Augusta was never a county or a political or municipal division, but was a great expanse of all the territory west of the top of the Alleghenies, and was called West Augusta, but was never recognized by legislative or other enactments. LORD FAIRFAX. This English lord, with all his dominion, equal to a great com monwealth, lived and died in a single story-and-a-half house. He owned 150 negro servants, who lived in log huts scattered about in the woods. Fairfax's house was destroyed by fire in 1834. Lord Dunmore brought his forces to this place in 1784, when he was marching after the Indians toward Point Pleasant. They dug a deep well at this place and erected a magazine for war purposes. Fairfax was a dark, swarthy man, several inches over six feet, of gigantic frame and of great strength. He was a bachelor, and lived on the coarse fare of the country, the same as that of the peasantry around him. When in a humor he was generous, giving away whole farms and requiring nothing in return. He would give away a farm in exchange for the courtesy of a turkey killed for him for dinner. Fairfax County was named after him. Our territory was within the boundaries of that Commonwealth which furnished an example to the world by adopting a perfectly independent Constitution ; the first to recommend the Declaration of Independence ; the first to declare for "religious freedom" ; it furnished her great son, first among the leaders of the army of the nation ; and her officers and soldiers, whether in the shock of battle or marching, half-clad, ill-fed and barefooted, amid the snows of the North, through pestilential marshes and under burning suns in the far South, evinced a bravery and fortitude unsurpassed. The War of the Revolution was practically extinguished in 1780 at the surrender at Yorktown of Lord Cornwallis, and then began the great impetus to the development and settlement of the territory to the west of the Alleghenies by the pioneers, the ancestors of the present generation in the land ; and it was within the territory which produced Jefferson, Marshall, Madison, Monroe, Masons, Nicholas, Henry, Randolph, Pendleton, Lees, Wythe, Harrison, Bland, Tay lor, Grayson, and a host of others who met and formed the glorious Constitution of 1788, under which we live, and within the territory of the Commonwealth which so loyally supported her President. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 5 Madison, in the second war with England in 1812, furnishing sol diers whose descendants still inhabit this territory. This territory is within the boundary of the commonwealth which first introduced religious liberty to the world. The most of . the institutions of this country have grown by evolution from be ginnings made by the early settlers and brought by the aboriginal ancestors from their homes across the seas. We have no stories of royal dynasties, or orders of nobility, or ancient castles. They are wanting in our American history, but we have much to com pensate us for all we lack of the more ancient days — the story of marvelous development and unprecedented growth of our peoples and institutions. We have the personal story of barefoot boys, born among the lowly, but untrammeled by the iron fetters of caste, rising by the force of their own genius to the highest ranks of the political and industrial world. The greatest states men of this land, the commanders of armies and captains of indus try, have practically all arisen from the commonest walks, and the true stories of this countr)' are more fascinating than any history of the ancients. It also recites the removal of an ancient race from the soil upon which has been transplanted another. We see the wild man of the forest in his native haunts, where he chases the wild animals, the deer and buffalo, or where he strives with his enemies in battle. His life was full of tragedy and wrongs — -of rivalry, hatred and love. He was living in the vast solitudes of nature, in appearance content with his family and kindred who made the crude surroundings, and in a few short years you follow a stronger race coming from across the seas, and the long warfare between civilization and barbarian began. The wild man yielded or fled before the forces of a modern life, or died in the struggle with civilized forces. Then followed the' pioneer with his axe, his cattle and his plow, and then began the development of a conti nent. The new world became the home of the oppressed from every land. Towns rise where the forest waved over the wild man's home, and our hills and valleys resound with the teeming life of an industrious and ambitious people. Summers County was originally a part of the territory of Vir ginia, settled by the English in 1607, by Capt. John Smith, a sol dier of fortune, who had in the wars between the Turks and the Austrians, as a soldier of the Austrian Army, been wounded, cap tured and sold into slavery in the Crimea, later killing his master with a flail while threshing wheat. He wandered through Ger many and France, and finally landed in England as a colony was 6 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. being made up, which sailed and settled at Jamestown three hun dred years ago. He was a man of great capacity for adventure, and his life was saved by the Indian princess Pocahontas. He was the founder of Virginia, the first commonwealth in the world to be composed of county political subdivisions, based on universal suf frage. In 1634 Virginia was divided into eight counties. The first hundred year's settlements were in the Piedmont and Tidewater regions. The solitudes west of the Blue Ridge were not pene trated until one hundred years after the Jamestown settlement. Alexander Spottswood, whose descendants owned twenty-eight thousand acres of land in Summers County until about 1884, led the first band of adventurers to the summit of the Blue Ridge. He was born in 1676, in Tangiers, Africa. His father had been a sol dier under Marlborough, and was dangerously wounded by the French, at the battle of Blenheim. He landed in Virginia June 23, 1710. As Lieutenant Governor Spottswood, with thirty cavalier horsemen, left Williamsburg June 20, 1716, passing through King William, Middlesex, thence to the Rappahannock, the Rapidan, Green County; Blue Ridge, at Swift Run Gaps, crossing the Shenandoah ten miles below Port Republic in Rockingham County, until, on the 5th of September, 1716, they arrived at one of the loftiest peaks of the Appalachian Range, in Pendleton County, W. Va. veyor, made the first scientific observations ever made upon the Allegheny Mountains. Said Spottswood was born, as stated, in Tangiers, in Africa, a colony of the English Crown, in 1676, and seems to have been some thing of a soldier of fortune. He served with the famous dissolute Duke of Marlborough, and was wounded at Blenheim. After his good fortune in becoming a ruler in Virginia, he determined to explore the territory west of the Allegheny Mountains, and learn more of the western region ; and with that end in view organized a party of thirty horsemen at Williamsburg, and left that town on the 20th of June, 1716, and reached the highest peak of the Alleghenies, which is in Pendleton County. West Virginia, on the 5th day of Septem ber, 1716; and there Robert Brook, the King's surveyor, made the first scientific observation ever made in the Allegheny Mountains.' To induce western settlements, Spottswood instituted the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe, the insignia of the order being a minia ture horseshoe, with the inscription thereon, "Sic jurat trans cen- dere monies' — "Thus he swears to cross the mountain." These were given by Spottswood to any one who would comply with the inscription, and carry out his project to secure exploration of this OLD TIME TOBACCO BARN In Talcott, Forest Hill and Pipestem Districts in the Days of Tobacco Growing. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 7 western country, and secure emigration thereto. The Shenandoah Valley, through which runs the Shenandoah River — "The Daugh ter of the Stars" — had not then been settled. The close of the Revolution, followed by the victory of Wayne at Fallen Timbers over the Indians, crushing their power, finally opened the way for the pioneer and settler west of the Alleghenies. In 1776 Thomas Jefferson, within three days after he took his seat in the Legislature, introduced a bill for the establishment' of courts of justice, and three days later a bill to convert estates — tail into fee simple. This was a blow to the aristocracy of Virginia. In the early days of the colony of Virginia large grants of land had been obtained from the Crown of England by a favored few individuals, which had been preserved in their families by means of entails, so as to form by degrees a political class among the colonists, and the same class monopolized the civil honors. Mr. Jefferson's reason for destroying this condition is given in his own words : "To annul this privilege, and, instead of an aristocracy of wealth of more harm and danger than benefit to society, to make an opening for the aristocracy of virtue and talent, which nature his wisely provided, for the direction of the interests of society, and scattered with an equal hand through all its conditions, was deemed essential to a well-ordered republic." Mr. Jefferson also intro duced the law about this time to abolish the preferences given to the male sex and the first born, as provided by the English common law. The effects of these changes in the distribution of estates are very visible at this day in our country. Mr. Jefferson also about the same time had passed the law abolishing the church establishment, and put all religious sects on the same footing. The Church of England was the legally estab lished religion of the territory of all Virginia up to this date. The Bill of Rights, drawn by George Mason on the 12th of June, 1776, distinctly provided for religious freedom; but the Constitution, passed on the 29th, was silent on the subject. The territory credited to this county is 400 square miles, the constitutional minimum now and at the date of its formation; but, -thanks to legal hocus pocus and fictions, we have not the consti tutional territory, but we have the county as a municipality, and have managed to live, thrive, increase and grow, and will do so until the end of time, or until it shall have the calamity to fall into the wicked hands of the political ringster, grafter and buc caneer. Its healthy thrift and growth, as exhibited in the thirty- 8 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. six years of its life, is by reason of the strong, honest and fearless good government which has controlled its destinies. It is not to be assumed that its strongest, ablest, or wisest men have always been in the saddle, but we assert that honesty and fair and just principles have always guided the representatives of this little mountain municipality; and, so long as honor continues to prevail in the councils of its people, they will have no cause for shame, and will continue as free and independent as the followers of William Tell. Summers County was formed by an Act of the Legislature of West Virginia in 1871, introduced by Hon. Sylvester Upton, Repub lican representative from Mercer County, residing in Jumping Branch Township, on New River Hills, and a most honorable, intelligent and fearless man. His actions at that day, when ostra cism, "test oathism" and "carpet baggism" were rank in the land, stamped him as a noble man, and one of God's best on the earth. Its boundary lines, as set forth by the formative act, includes the two districts, Jumping Branch and Pipestem, that part of the county west of New River, taken from Mercer County, which was created by an act of the General Assembly of Virginia, on the 17th day of March, 1837, and was named after the Revolutionary General, Hugh Mercer, who was killed in the Revolutionary War of 1776, at the battle of Princeton. The county seat was named Princeton because it was the place of the tragic termination of the life of this great soldier, who was, at the beginning of the Revolution, a practicing physician at Fredericksburg. The boundaries of Mercer County, by the Act creating it, were as follows : "Beginning at the mouth of East River, in Giles County, and following the meanders thereof up to Toney's Mill Dam ; thence along the top of the mountain to a point opposite the upper end of the plantation of Jessie Belcher, deceased ; thence a straight line to Peery's Mill Dam, near the mouth of Alp's (Abb's) Valley; thence to a point well known by the name of Peeled (Pealed) Chestnuts; thence to the top of Flat Top Mountain; thence along said mountain to New River; thence up and along the various meanders of the same to the beginning." "It shall form one distinct and new county, and be known and called by the name of Mercer County, in memory of Gen. Hugh Mercer, who fell at Princeton." The governor was authorized to appoint jus tices for the new county, and among those who were thus first commissioned who were from the territory cut off later to Sum mers, were Robert Lilly and Robert Gore (the ancestors of the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. \) great Lilh- generation and of the gallant Capt. Robert Gore, the first president of a count}- court in the new county). The first meeting of the justices for organization was at the house of James Calfee, one mile from Princeton, on the second Monday of April, 1837. John H. Vawter, of Monroe, and John B. George, of Tazewell, were appointed commissioners to run and mark the county line. Moses E. Kerr was the first clerk and Wm. Smith the first sheriff, and Robert Hall surveyor. The first Circuit Court was held May 1, 1837, by Judge James E. Brown, of Wythe County. who appointed John M. Cunningham clerk and Thos. J- Boyd, at torney for the Commonwealth. Among the first grand jurors for this term were Green W Meadows and Thomas Maxwell, whose descendants still inhabit the present territory of our county, Mercer being formed from Tazewell and Giles. Before the war there were two voting places in Mercer County, one at Princeton and one at Pipestem. The two townships cut off to Summers had formed a part of Giles prior to the date of the establishment of Mercer. Giles County- was created by an Act of the General Assembly of Virginia, passed in January. 1806, and named for Hon. Wm. B. Giles, a Virginia statesman of note. The boundaries of Giles were as follows : "Beginning at the end of the Gauley Mountain on New River, where the counties of Greenbrier and Kanawha intersect; thence up the (New) River with the Greenbrier and Montgomery County line to the upper end of Pine's Plantation ; thence a straight line to the mouth of Rich Creek; thence with the Montgomery and Monroe line to the inter section of Botetourt County line and with the line of Montgomerv and Botetourt to the top of Gap Mountain; thence along the top of said mountain to New River, crossing the same to the end of Walker's Creek Mountain: thence along the top of said mountain to the intersection of Wythe County line; thence northeastward and with said line to the intersection of Tazewell Count}- line, and with Tazewell and Montgomery County lines to the top of Wolf ¦ Creek Mountain to a path leading from Round Bottom to Harman's Mills, about three miles below the mouth of Clear Fork to Wolf Creek ; thence a straight line to the mouth of Milton's Fork ; thence a direct line from Crane Creek to the top of Flat Top Mountain ; thence a direct line to the three forks of the Guyandotte; thence down said river until it intersects the Kanawha Countv line : thence with said line to the beginning." Christian Snidow and John Peck, who were named as first jus tices of the peace, have direct descendants living in Summers, and 10 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. at a much later date there have immigrated into our county from Giles a number of our best and most substantial citizens, among them Absolem D. Bolton, David Leftwich, William J. Tabor, of Bargers Springs, and Wm. T. Gitt, one of the early lot owners in Upper Hinton ; C. R. Price, Frank, M. C. and M. Puckett and J. J. Christian. Giles County was formed from Montgomery, and Montgomery from Fincastle, by an Act of the General Assembly of Virginia, passed in October, 1776, the year of the Declaration of Indepen dence. By this act Fincastle County was abolished, its territory being partitioned into three counties, Kentucky, Washington and Montgomery, Pipestem and Jumping Branch being assigned and made a part of the latter. Fincastle County was created by an Act of the Virginia As sembly in February, 1772, to take effect December 1st following. It was formed by a division of Botetourt County. Fincastle County thus included all that territory within a line running up the east side of New River to the south of Culbertson's Creek, then a direct line to the Catawba Road, where it crosses the dividing ridge between the north of the Roanoke and the waters of New River; thence with the top of the ridge to the Bent (Mountain), where it turns eastwardly; thence a southward course to the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains, to be established as a distinct county. Botetourt County was created by an Act of the Virginia Gen eral Assembly, passed in November, 1769, to take effect January 31, 1769. Prior to that date all the region included in Botetourt County was a part of Augusta County. Botetourt was named after a colonial governor of Virginia, Lord Botetourt, and Montgomery County after Gen. Richard Montgomery, the Irish patriot who fell at Quebec. The territory of Botetourt County before the division covered a vast region. The Act creating and partitioning Augusta County was as follows : "That from and after the 31st day of January next ensuing the said parish or county of Augusta be divided into two* counties and parishes by a line beginning at the Blue Ridge, run ning north 55 degrees, west to the confluence of Mong's Creek (or of the South River) , with the north branch of the James River ; thence up the same to the south of Kerr's Creek (Carr's) ; thence up said creek to the mountain ; thence north 45 degrees ; west as far as the courts of the two counties shall extend it. This line strikes the Ohio near Wheeling. "From the time of the partition of Virginia into counties, being PIONEER COTTAGE NEAR HINTON. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 11 divided into eight, which was the first division of the territory of that great Commonwealth, and the first division of the character in the history of the world, all of the territory of Augusta, in fact, all of the territory of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, was included in the county of Orange, which was organized in 1738 by an Act of the General Assembly of Virginia, at which date the territory west of the Blue Ridge was divided into Frederick and Augusta counties. Thus it will be seen Jumping Branch and Pipestem Districts first were a part of the great territory of Virginia, extending from the Atlantic, and in cluding Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky and the Northwest territory; then included in Orange County, then in Augusta, then in Bote tourt, then in Fincastle, then Montgomery, then Giles, then Mercer, and now Summers County, so that it is within the territory of one of the first counties ever laid out on the face of the earth as a political municipality. While Orange was not one of the original counties of Virginia, it fared in the divisions in a comparatively short time after the first division of Virginia, which was into eight distinct counties. These two districts, Pipestem and Jumping Branch, came from this root, while the remainder of the county came through the Greenbrier source. Forest Hill and Talcott Dis tricts were taken from Monroe County, which included the territory from the Lane Bottoms below Alderson near the mouth of Grif fith's Creek, on the opposite side to the top of Keeney's Knob, and down the ridge of that mountain to New River at the present site of the new school building now in the course of construction in Avis; up New River to Round Bottom; thence back to Greenbrier River, including both Alderson and North Alderson. (See History of the County Line Controversy.) This territory was included in- Monroe, which was cut off from Greenbrier by an Act of the Gen eral Assembly of Virginia, January 14, 1799, Greenbrier being taken from Botetourt in October, 1777; by an Act of the General Assembly Green Sulphur District was cut from Greenbrier and Fayette. Fayette was created by an Act of the General Assembly of Vir ginia in 1831, and was carved out of Greenbrier, Nicholas, Kan awha and Logan." The original act creating Greenbrier County was as follows: "That from and after the first day of March next ensuing said county and parish of Botetourt shall be divided by a line beginning on the top of the ridge dividing the eastern from the western waters, where the line between Augusta and Botetourt crosses the same, and running thence the same course continued, north 55 and 12 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. west to the Ohio River; thence at the ridge of the said line of Botetourt and Augusta, running along the top of said ridge, passing the Sweet Springs to the top of Peters Mountain ; thence along the said mountain to the line of Montgomery County; thence along the same line to the Kanawha or New River ; thence down the said river to the Ohio." After all its decapitations, Greenbrier is still one of the largest counties in area in the State, having 1,000 square miles; Randolph having 1,080, being the largest, and Greenbrier the next. Only a small part of our territory is from Fayette, being a part of Green Sulphur District, which had been a part of Greenbrier from 1778 until 1831, the first division of Greenbrier being made in 1799 by the creation of Monroe. Thus it will be seen that our little municipality traces its terri- ton'sl organization back to the colonization of Virginia and the days of Jamestown, Captain John Smith, and the romances of the Indian princess, Pocahontas. Its territorial lineage is thus ancient, but for much the greater part of the century succeeding the first settlements of Virginia, it was only a habitation- for savage men, wild animals, birds and the reptiles of the forest. The districts of Pipestem and Jumping Branch were within Giles County at its formation in 1806, and the people therein had to attend court at Pearisburg. The- first court was held May 13, 1806, in a house adjoining the dwelling-house of Capt. George Pearis on New River, where Pearisburg Station is now located. The first justices of the peace in the county were appoined by the governor, William H. Cabell, and were George Pearis, Thomas Shannon, Christian Snidow, David French, David Johnston, Ed ward McDonald, Isaac Chapman, John Kirk, John Peck, Curtis Champ, John Burke and James Bane. David Johnston was com missioned the first sheriff. His bond was $7,000, with Isaac Chap man and Christian Snidow as sureties. James Hoge, deputy ; David French and John McTaylor, deputies. George Pearis was ¦ elected presiding justice and commissioner of the revenue ; Philip Lybrook, county surveyor, and his bond fixed at $3,000, with John Lybrook as surety. Isaac Chapman was the first lawyer admitted to prac tice in the courts of Giles County. FIRST DIVISION OF GREENBRIER COUNTY. An act of the General Assembly of Virginia, passed January 13, 1799, dividing Greenbrier County, and by which Monroe County was formed, and from which Forest Hill, Talcott and a part of HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 13 Greenbrier District were taken by the Act forming Summers County. The beginning line as shown by this Act was where the ridge dividing eastern and western waters joins Peters Mountain, and with a ridge which divides Howard and Second Creek ; thence to Alderson; thence to the mouth of Muddy Creek to the divide between the waters of Muddy Creek and Griffith's Run, and with said divide to Keeney's Knobs, and with said Knobs, including the waters flowing into Greenbrier River to New River, and up the same to where it breaks through Peters Mountain. Greenbrier County, which was formed in 1777, has been, as else where stated, like the old State, partitioned many times. The counties which have been taken therefrom in whole or in part are as follows: Monroe, Summers, Kanawha, Nicholas, Bath and Fay ette. Logan was formed in 1824 from Giles, Kanawha, Cabell and Tazewell; Fayette in 1831 from Logan, . Greenbrier, Nicholas and Kanawha; Pocahontas in 1821 from Bath, Pendleton and Randolph; Nicholas in 1818 from Kanawha, Greenbrier and Randolph, and was named after Governor Nicholas. Mason was formed from Kanawha in 1804, and was named after George Mason; Giles was formed in 1806 from Monroe and Tazewell ; Bath was formed in 1791 from Augusta, Botetourt and Greenbrier ; Kanawha was formed in 1789 from Greenbrier and Montgomery. It is in Giles County where the Salt Pond is situated, on top of the Salt Pond Mountain. It is a beautiful natural lake of pure, fresh water on the summit of one of the highest spurs of the Alleghenies. It is three miles long and a third of a mile wide. At its termination it is damned by a huge pile of rocks over which it runs, but which once passed through the fissures only. In the spring and summer of 1804 an immense quantity of leaves and other rubbish washed in and filled up the fissures, since which it has risen twenty-five feet. Previous to that time it was fed by a large spring. That finally disappeared, and many small springs now flow into it at its upper end. When first known it was the resort of vast numbers of elk, buffalo, deer and other animals for drink. Before it filled up it was said to have been a place for salting cattle, and it is said that trees of full size are standing in its bottom, at this day the water being higher than the trees, and at this time it is said to be receding, and at the pres ent rate within a few years will entirely disappear. This is said to have occurred before in an intermittent manner with many years in the interim. This lake was discovered by Christopher Gist, the friend of Washington. The water is as clear as crystal. Trees are seen 14 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. standing erect and preserved as they grew. It is tradition that the source of overflow became filled by the tramping of cattle and animals, and by reason of which the water accumulated in a basin. It is now a popular summer resort. Montgomery County was formed in 1776 from Fincastle, and named for General Richard Montgomery. Part of our territory is thus derived from the Montgomery-Fincastle-Botetourt source, and the other part from the Greenbrier-Augusta route. CHAPTER II. FRAGMENTS OF ANCIENT HISTORY. The outposts of civilization moved west yearly, at an estimate of seventeen miles pet year. New River was discovered in the year 1670. In 1671, explorers spent considerable time in the valley of New River, but it is not known that they came as far west as West Virginia territory. In 1716, Governor Spotswood arrived at the summit of the Alleghenies, in Pendleton County. About 1748, the lands on Greenbrier River began to attract great attention, and a large grant of 100,000 acres was made to the Greenbrier Company in 1749. These lands, as well as that region, were surveyed by John Lewis, and settlements began to be made soon after, or within twenty years, and the frontiers extended to the Ohio River. It was in 1751 that Christopher Gist surveyed up Kanawha and New Rivers, and climbed to the top of the Hawk's Nest, known in history as "Marshall's Pillar." The great chief justice of the United States, John Marshall, for whom it was named, having climbed to the top of that picturesque rock. The French surveyed the Ohio River in 1749, but they made no settlements in the West Virginia territory, although they claimed dominion to the top of the Allegheny Mountains. In 1763, the King of England issued a proclamation forbidding any settle ments west of the Allegheny Mountains, for the purpose of mol lifying the Indians in that territory, but no attention was paid to this proclamation by the adventurous settlers. In 1765, the gov ernor of Virginia ordered all settlers west of the Alleghenies to be removed from that territory by force. The territory of Monroe County was reclaimed from the wilderness fifteen years before the Revolutionary War. There were whites in Pocahontas County as early as 1749. There were two white settlers who settled at what is now known as Marlinton, at the mouth of Knapp's Creek, by the name of Stephen Sewell and Peter Marlin. These two gentle men could not agree, and one of them moved into a large hollow tree. They would get out in the morning, raise their hats to each 16 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. other, and each go about his business; the associations not being pleasant, however, Sewell moved farther west into what is now Fayette County, and it was after him that the Sewell Mountain and Sewell Creek were named. He was finally killed by the Indians. Christopher Gist, in 1750, made an exploration for the Ohio Company west of New River, and, on his return, he passed through a part of the territory of what is now Summers County. He came through Pipestem District, down Bluestone River and up New River, and crossed it at Cujbertson's Bottom, now known as Crump's or Harmon's Bottom. He went on east, and discovered a lake on the top of a high mountain three-fourths of a mile long by one-fourth of a mile wide; no doubt Salt Pond, or now known as Mountain Lake, a famous summer resort on top of the Salt Pond Mountain in Giles County, Virginia. Col. Abraham Wood is supposed to have been the first white man to have entered the New River Valley, which was in 1654. He crossed the Alleghenies at a place in Floyd County, Virginia, known to this day as Wood's Gap, and passed down Little River to New River, and, supposing it to be a newly discovered stream, called it Wood's River, but it did not retain this name, and was at one time known as the "Kanawhy," after a tribe of Indians of that name, which at one time inhabited the New River Valley. This river did not. appear on the map of Thomas Jefferson which he had engraved in France in 1755. The first settlement on New River was probably at the mouth of East River, by a man by the name of Porter; when, in 1748, John Toney came into that region, he found evidence of a former habi tation — a cabin and a grave and stone with an engraving as follows thereon: "Mary Porter was killed by the Indians, May 28, 1742." It was on the second excursion of Dr. Walker across New River in southwest Virginia that coal deposits were discovered by him. The Flat Top coal deposits, Culbertson's Bottom, the cele brated Crump's Bottom, on which George W. Harman, Esq., now lives' on New River, was settled by Andrew Culbertson in 1753. This is beyond question the first settlement within any part of the territory of Summers County. Andrew Culbertson was from Penn sylvania ; and, on the breaking out of the French and Indian War, he had to abandon this land, so he sold his claim to his brother, Samuel Culbertson, but a patent was not procured, and in 1775 Thomas Farely had a survey made, and assigned his claim to James Byrnsides. Long litigation followed over the right of' ownership between HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 17 the Culbertsons, Reed and Byrnside. (See Wyth's Chancery Re ports, 150.) Thos. Farley, one of the ancestors of the Farley generation, was from Albemarle County, Virginia, and immediately, on locating on this land, built the Farley Fort on the bank of the river at lower end of the bottom at Warford. It was in the fort that James Ellison, whose father was from New Jersey, was born in May, 1778. The father of James Ellison was in the Battle of Point Pleasant, and, after his return home on Culbertson's Bottom, which was on October 19th, 1780, while at work in the corn crib, he was attacked by a party of seven or eight Indians, wounded in the shoulder and carried fifteen miles, escaping on the day of his capture over in what is now Jumping Branch District, by hiding under a cliff and wearing out the rawhide thongs which bound his hands by rubbing them on a rock. In 1774, a woman was killed on Culbertson's Bottom by In dians, and a man by the name of Shockley on the mountain there, which has from that day been known as Shockley's Hill. The James Ellison referred to became an able missionary Bap tist preacher and a pioneer in planting that church in all the region. It was he who established the Baptist Church at Oceana, in Wy oming County in 1812, and he was the father of the late Mathew Ellison. Another fort was built at the mouth of Joshua Run on Culbert son's Bottom on the breaking out of Dunsmore's War in 1774. It was General Braddock who sent Captain Thomas Lewis across the Alleghenies in 1755 to establish a stockade fort to enable the white settlers in the region to successfully defend themselves against the Indians. This was Field's Fort, built by orders of Gen. Braddock on Crump's Bottom. Braddock's defeat soon after left the whole of the West Virginia country open to the Indian ravages. Pitman, Pack and Swope were trappers and hunters on New River in 1763, when fifty Indians came up Big Sandy River, passed through Mercer County territory to New River, forming in two squads, one going for the Roanoke settlements, and the other to the Jackson River settlements, up Indian Creek. These trappers discovered them and the route they had followed, and, divining their proposed destinations and that they would attack those set tlements, Pitman set put to warn the Jackson River settlements, and Pack and Swope to warn the Roanoke people. This was Samuel Pack, the ancestor of our Pack generation, and Swope, the ancestor of our late fellow citizen, the attorney, J. J. Swope, 18 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. formerly of Pineville, W. Va., and publisher of the Wyoming Moun taineer newspaper. But the trappers were too late ; the Indians were ahead and had sacked the settlements, killing a number of people and taking others prisoners, after which they retreated to the Ohio country, pursued by Capt. Audley Paul, with a company of twenty men. They followed the Indians over Dunlap's Creek, down Indian Creek to its mouth, to New River, and on to the mouth of Piney, in Raleigh County, but failed to overtake them, so they proceeded to retrace their steps ; and when they had proceeded on the return trip to the mouth of Indian Creek, a point opposite Culbertson's Bottom, opposite an island, on the night of October 12th, Capt. Paul at midnight discovered the Indians on the island at the mouth of the creek where C. A. Baber now lives. Paul's men fired on them, and killed three and wounded several others, one of whom jumped into the river to prevent Paul's men from taking his scalp. The remainder fled down the river. This was the squad which had attacked the Roanoke settlements and were being pursued by Capt. Wm. Ingles and Capt. Henry Harman from the upper New River country. The fort at Lewisburg, known as Fort Union, was built in 1770. The Cooks settled on Indian Creek in 1769 or 1770, and John was killed by Indians at Cook's Fort on this creek some three miles from its mouth. The Grahams, Kellers, Hinchmans and Van Bibbers and others came on to the grounds about the same time. There is recorded another Indian killing at Culbertson's Bottom in 1774, and I take from Judge Johnston's "Middle New River Settlements" the account of the affair, the principal events of which were without the borders of our county. Philip Lybrook and a man by the name of McGriff had built their colonies in a little bottom just below the mouth of Sinking Creek, on the farm lately known as that of Craft or Hall, and were engaged in the cultivation of a small crop of corn on the bottom lands. Mr. Lybrook had built a small mill on a branch. It was the custom in that day when people were few in the country, for young people to assemble or get together on Sunday, and it so happened that on the 7th day of August, 1774, that some of the children of Mrs. Elizabeth Snidow, with a woman by the name of Scott, went on a visit from the fort to Lybrooks and McGriffs. Lybrook was busy about his mill; McGriff was in the house, and the young people and the smaller children were at the river. Two of the young men, Snidow and Lybrook, were out in HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 19 the river some distance bathing, and three or four of the little boys were in the river near the bank, and a young woman, a daughter of Lybrook, was out in the river in a canoe with some of the smaller children therein, when an Indian was discovered on a high bank on the brink of the river. An alarm was given. The two young men in the river made for the opposite shore. The Indians, in the meantime, began to shoot at them. Being expert swimmers, they turned and swam on their backs, their faces being turned to the Indians, which enabled them to watch their movements. The four small boys playing in the edge of the river were, viz., Theop- hilus Snidow, Jacob Snidow, Thomas McGriff and John Lybrook. There were some deep gullies washed down through the banks of the river, by way of which wild animals had made their way to the river to get water. When the little boys discovered the Indians, they attempted to escape by way of these breaks in the banks, and, as they did so, the Indians would head them off. Finally one Indian stooped down and placed one hand on his knee as a rest for his gun, and attempted to shoot one of the young men in the river, and at this moment John Lybrook, a boy of eleven years, ran under the muzzle of the gun, and made for the house. So soon as the Indian fired he pursued John, and, coming to one of the gullies which had washed out about twelve feet wide, the Indian close after him, John leaped the gully, and the Indian, finding that he could not, threw his lariat at him, striking him on the back of the head, at the same time tumbling into the gully. By this time the two young men in the river had reached the opposite bank and were hidden behind the trees; and, finding £hat John had safely crossed the gully, they cried out to him, "Run, John, run !" and John ran and safely reached the house. While this was transpiring, Miss Lybrook, who was standing in the rear end of the canoe, was pushing the same to the shore, when an Indian, who was hidden in the weeds on the bank of the river, came to the water's edge, and reached out as the canoe reached the bank and pulled the front end of it to the bank, and, stepping therein, with his war club began striking the little children over their heads and taking their scalps. The rear end of the canoe being down stream and having floated near to the bank, Miss Lybrook sprang out and started for the house, the Indian pursuing her. Her cries brought to her assistance a large dog, which seized the Indian and finally threw him, but the Indian succeeded in getting to his feet and striking the dog with his club, but in the meantime the young lady made her escape. While a part of the 20 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Indians were on the bank of the river shooting at the young men in the river, capturing the boys and killing the children, a part of them had gone to the house. One shot Mr. Lybrook, breaking his arm ; and Mr. McGriff shot and mortally wounded one of the Indians, whose remains were years afterwards found under a cliff of rocks not far from the scene of the tragedy. Three of the little boys, Theophilus Snidow, Thomas McGrif and Jacob Snidow, were cap tured by the Indians and carried away by them, and, after traveling with them a day or two, they formed a plan of escape, and that was to slip away at night. They reached Pipestem Knob, now in Summers County, and there camped for the night. During the night, and after all things were quiet, two of the boys, Thomas McGriff and Jacob Snidow, slipped away from the camp, not being able to rouse the third boy without waking the Indians, and thus they were compelled to go away without him. After they had gone a few hundred yards from the camp, knowing they would be pursued, they crawled into a hollow log. In a few minutes after, the Indians discovering their absence, raised an alarm and went in search of the runaways, and even stood on the log in which the boys were hid, and in broken English called, "Come back. Get lost." Not being able to find the boys, they gave up the hunt and returned to camp. So soon as everything was quiet, the boys came out of their hiding-place, struck through the woods, and came to Crump's Bottoms on New River, where they were afterwards1 found by some of the scouts from the settlement, and who were in pursuit of the Indians. In this attack Philip Lybrook was wounded, three of his chil dren and a young woman by the name of Scott, two of the children, small girls, of Mrs. Snidow's, were killed, and three boys captured. The two young men who were in the river when the attack began, and who had reached the farther bank, ran across the ridge to the Gunpowder Spring, Harman's Fort, and halloed across the river at the people in the fort to bring a canoe and take them over, but the people, being afraid they were Indians, refused to go. After waiting for some time, the young men being afraid of pursuit by the Indians, plunged into the river, and a young woman, seeing this, insisted that they were white men, and ran to the river, jumped into a canoe, and pushed into the river to meet the swimmers. She was just in time to save one of them from sinking the third time, and who, no doubt, had taken the cramp by reason of the exertion and overheating in his run over the ridges. She carried them safely to the fort. There were six Indians in this raid. They were pur- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 21 sued by Capt. Clendennin, but never overtaken. Mrs. Rebecca Pack, now of Burden, Kansas, and the widow of Anderson Pack of this county, is a descendant of these Snidows, and there are numerous other descendants in Giles and other counties. Theoph ilus Snidow, the other captive, was carried down New River, across the Ohio, and, after he had grown to manhood, returned to his people. This Mrs. Snidow was a widow, her husband having died suddenly while emigrating to the Upper New River country. The Clover Bottoms, on Bluestone River in Mercer County, near the Summers line, was granted by Lord Dunsmore on the 5th day of April, 1774, to Mitchell Clay, assignee of John Draper. There are many of his descendants now in Wyoming and Raleigh, and recently two of the Clay families of Wyoming purchased the Maddy lands on Lick Creek and removed into that community near Green Sulphur Springs. This tract was then and is still known as. Clover Bottoms, and was owned for many years by Benjamin Peck, the father of Messrs. C. L. Peck, Pembroke P. Peck and E. H. Peck, of this county, and was inherited by them. The grantee was required to take possession within three years from its date. Mitchell Clay was a native of Franklin County, Virginia, and he gave John Draper a negro woman and her children for the land, which is very fertile and valuable. The land warrant or script to Draper for this land was for services by him in the French and Indian War. Mitchell Clay settled in this bottom in 1775. This was the second white settler in Mercer County territory and the first in its present territory. The settlement on Culbertson's Bot toms (now Crump's) having been made by. Andrew Culbertson twenty-seven years before, so the first settlement in Mercer County by white men was in territory now a part of Summers. Clay was not molested by the Indians on "Clover Bottoms" for eight years, but was finally attacked by them and a part of his family killed. SOME OLD LAWS. If a person unlawfully kill a hog or steal one not his own, he should pay a fine of 1,000 pounds of tobacco; and, if unable to do so, he was required to work one year for the informer and one year for the owner of the property. No person could get married except by a minister of England, and then on a license from the governor. Any minister doing so was fined 10,000 pounds of tobacco. All persons keeping tippling houses without a license were 22 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. fined 2,000 pounds of tobacco, one-half to go to the informer and the other to the county. The court in every county shall cause to be set up a pillory, a pair of stocks, a whipping post and a ducking stool in a conve nient place, and, if not done, the court was fined 5,000 pounds of tobacco. In actions for slander occasioned by the wife, after judgment for damages, the woman shall be punished by ducking, and an additional ducking for every 500 pounds of tobacco fine imposed against her husband if he refused to pay. The Lord's Day was to be kept holy, and no journey made on that day unless necessary, and everybody who were inhabitants were required to attend church at some parish church or chapel, and then abide orderly during preaching, or be fined fifty pounds of tobacco. Every Quaker who congregated in unlawful places was liable to a fine of 200 pounds of tobacco for every such meeting. All preachers of the Church of England officiating and six of his family were exempt from taxes. If any Quakers over sixteen years of age assemble, five in number, for the pretense of joining in a religious worship, were liable to a fine of 200 pounds of tobacco for each offense. Any master of a ship who shall bring into the colony any Quaker to reside hereafter, 1st July, 1663, shall be fined 5,000 pounds of tobacco, and every person inhabiting the country who shall en tertain in or near his house a Quaker to teach or preach, shall be fined 5,000 pounds of tobacco. If any person be found laboring, drinking, gaming or working on the 27th day of August, upon presentment by the church warden, shall be fined 100 pounds of tobacco, one-half to the informer and one-half to the parish. None but freeholders or housekeepers shall have any voice in the election of burgesses, and every county not sending two bur gesses to the General Assembly shall be fined 10,000 pounds of tobacco, for the use of the public. Every" member of the House of Burgesses shall be allowed 150 pounds of tobacco for each day, beginning two days before each Assembly, and continuing for two days after; and for traveling expenses, those that come by land, ten pounds of tobacco for each day for each horse used and for water transportation proportion ately. 1679. For hog stealing, first offense, according to former laws ; for the second offense the offender shall stand two hours in the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 23 ¦jtillory and lose his ears; and for the third offense he shall be tried by the laws of England for a felony. 1680. No licensed attorney shall demand or receive for bring ing any cause to judgment in the general court more than fifty pounds of tobacco and cask; and in the county court, 150 pounds of tobacco and cask, which fees are allowed without any prejudgment. If any attorney shall refuse to plead any cause in respective courts aforesaid, for the aforesaid fees, he shall forfeit as much as his fees should have been. Every person who failed to have his child baptized by a lawful minister was liable to a fine of 2,000 pounds of tobacco, one-half to go to the parish and the other to the informer. These laws and many similar ones once applied to our terri tory, but before it was settled by the white man. In 1621 "sixty young and handsome maidens" were sent to Virginia, each with a recommendation and testimonial. They were to be purchased by an equal number of the boys who were sent to become apprentices. It was stipulated that these maidens should be married with their own consent, and to such free men only as could support them. It was also stipulated that they were to be well used, and they were forbidden from marrying servants. The land owners granted to those who subscribed to the costs ofi shipping the maidens and boys a rateable proportion of land, all to be laid off together and form a town to be called Maidtown. The price of the wives was fixed at 100 pounds of tobacco, and after wards advanced to 150 pounds, and proportionately more if any of them should happen to die in the passage to Virginia. A debtor for a wife was of higher dignity than other debtors, and would be paid first. As an inducement to marriage, married men were pre ferred in the selection of officers for the colony. Contentment followed this introduction of wives into Virginia, and soon there after whole families, including wives, daughters and sons, came, and the necessity for shipping maids no longer existed, and the seeker for a wife no longer lugged his tobacco crop to the matri monial market, but, instead, resorted to the customs of his fore fathers, and which followed with our forefathers across the moun tains, who planned a siege of the old-fashioned courtship in the old-fashioned manner to win his partner for life. In the pioneer days of this region, when any of the forefathers married, the marriage ceremony was followed by the wedding dinner and then dancing, which consisted of the four-handed reel, square sets and jigs. The commencement was always a "square 24 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. four," followed by what was called "jigging it off"; that is, two or four would single out for a jig, followed by the remaining couples. Among the old-time tunes were "Little Breeches," "Will You Come Out To-night?" "The Devil's Dream," "Mississippi Sawyer," Arkansas Traveler" and "Clear the Track." These after- marriage dances always brought out big crowds. As soon as the wedding was over, a house was built for the newly married couple on the lands of either the bride's or bridegroom's parents, and when it was ready for occupancy, the friends and neighbors who as sisted in its building were invited to what was called the "house warming," consisting of a dinner and dances. The seat of government for all this region was Jamestown in 1607 until 1698, after which it was removed to Williamsburg. When the town of Jamestown was settled, the only other places in the United States settled by white people were St. Augustine, Florida, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, settled in 1582. St. Augustine was founded in 1655. We are within the territory where the white man first exercised the right of suffrage in the new world, and where a trial by jury was first granted. The first free school on this continent was started within the same territory, and our territory is within the domain which has produced more illustrious men of America than any other within the nation. At one time and at the opening of the seventeenth century, our territory was in the country governed under conditions existing to a large extent in ancient Europe. Women were dragged about in public or ducked in ponds or rivers because they scolded; men were imprisoned for debts which they could not pay, or condemned to death for their refusal or neglect to profess a religion in which they did not believe. Hell's fire was constantly kept in the mind's view of young and old, while the pure love of God and of man were trampled into the mire by superstitious teachers and preach ers. Insane men were believed to be possessed of devils, and were chained to the floor in the garrets. Stocks for punishment were in evidence wherever courts of law were held, and men were nailed to these instruments of torture within the public gaze to add to their punishment by becoming the laughing stock of the people. Men's ears were cropped from their heads, thereby fastening upon them marks of disgrace which they carried with them to their graves. Such punishments were inflicted for alleged offenses which at the present day are so trivial that no provision of law is deemed necessary for their prevention. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 25 FIRST DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. The first Declaration of Independence proclaimed in America was on the 20th of January, 4775, by the representatives of Fin castle County, of which Summers territory, a part, if not all, is a part. It was eighteen months prior to the famous Declaration of July 4, 1776, and it is full of the independence then breathed throughout the country, and we give the declaration of the Fincastle men in full. While it breathes the spirit of independence, it is respectful, without supplication in its terms. "In obedience to the resolves of a the Continental Congress, a meeting of the freeholders of Fincastle County in Virginia was held on the 20th day of January, 1775, and who, after approving the association formed by that august body in behalf of all the colonies, and subscribing thereto, proceeds to the election of a committee to see the same carried punctually into execution, when the following men were nominated : "Rev. Charles Cummings, Col. Wm. Preston, Col. Wm. Chris tian, Steven Trigg, Major Arthur Campbell, Major Wm. Ingles, Captain Walter Crockett, Capt. John Montgomery, Capt. James McGavoch, Capt: William Campbell, Capt. Thomas Madison, Capt. Evan Shelby and Lieutenant William Edmondson. Colonel Wil liam Christian was made chairman, and David Campbell, clerk. "Their declaration is as follows : "To the Honorable Peyton Randolph, Esquire, Richard Henry Lee, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Junior, Richard Bland, Benjamin Harrison and Edmund Pendleton, Esquires, the delegates from this colony who attended the Continental Congress had at Philadelphia. Gentlemen: Had it not been for our remote situ ation and the Indian War which we were engaged in to chastise these cruel and savage people for the many murders and depreda tions they have committed amongst us, now happily terminated under the auspices of our present worthy Governor, His Excellency, The Right Honorable Earl Dunmore, we should before this time have made known to you our thankfulness for the very important services you have rendered to our country in conjunction with the worthy delegates from other provinces. Your noble efforts for reconciling the mother country and colonies on rational and con stitutional principle's and your pacific, steady and uniform conduct in that arduous work immortalize you in the annals of your country. We heartily concur in your resolutions, and shall in every instance strictly and invariably adhere thereto. 26 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. "We assure you, gentlemen, and all our countrymen, that we are a people whose hearts overflow with love and duty to our lawful sovereign, George the Third, whose illustrious house for several successive reigns has been -the guardian of the civil and religious rights and liberties of British subjects as settled at the glorious Revolution; that we are willing- to risk our lives in the service of His Majesty for the support of the Protestant religion and the rights and liberties of his subjects as they have been estab lished by the compact law and ancient charters. We are heartily disturbed at the differences which now subsist between the parent state and the colonies, and "most urgently wish to see harmony restored on an equitable basis and by the most lenient measures that ,can be devised by the heart of man. Many of us and our fore fathers left our native land, considering it as a kingdom subjected to inordinate power. We crossed the Atlantic and explored this then wilderness, and surrounded by mountains almost inaccessible to any but those various savages who have insistently been com mitting depredations on us since our first settling in the country. These fatigues and dangers were patiently endured, supported by the pleasing hope of enjoying these rights and liberties which had been granted to Virginians and denied us in our native country, and of transmitting them inviolate to our posterity; but even to this remote region the hand of enmity and unconstitutional power hath preceded us to strip us of that liberty and property with which God, nature and the rights of humanity have visited us. We are ready and willing to contribute all in our power for His Majesty's government if applied considerately and when grants are made by our own representatives, but can not think of submitting our liberty or property to the power of a venal British Government or the will of a greedy ministry. We by no means desire to shake off our duty or allegiance to our lawful sovereign, but, on the contrary, shall ever glory in being the loyal subjects, of the Protestant prince descended from such illustrious progenitors, so long as we can enjoy the free exercise of our religion as Protestants and our lib erties and properties as British subjects; but no pacific measures shall be proposed or adopted by Great Britain, and our enemies will attempt to dragoon us out of these inestimable privileges which we are entitled to as subjects and to reduce us to a state of slavery; we declare that we are deliberately determined never to surrender them to any power upon earth but at the expense of our lives. "These are real, though unpolished, sentiments of liberty, and in them we are resolved to live or die. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 27 "We are, gentlemen, with the most perfect esteem and regard, your most obedient servants." (See American Archives, 1st Vol., page 166, 4th Series. Johnston's New River Settlements). The territory of Summers County, then Fincastle County, was represented in the convention which formed and adopted the first Republican Constitution ever adopted in America, which assembled in Williamsburg, Va., in 1775. Arthur Campbell and William Rus sell were the representatives. The delegate from Fincastle County in 1776, when it was abolished, was Col. Wm. Christian. There were then sparse settlements in our territory, then in cluded in Fincastle County; among them the Grahams, Kellers, Ferrells, Slaters, Culbertsons, Cooks, Farleys and Gwinns located in this section. In October, 1776, the county of Fincastle, like Poland, was parceled out into three counties, and it ceased to exist, and out of its territory Washington, Kentucky and Mont gomery Counties were created, and a portion of the territory of this county came within the jurisdiction of Montgomery. The representatives from Fincastle County who met at the Wil liamsburg Convention, which adopted the first Republican Con stitution, were -Arthur Campbell and William Russell. Fincastle County was named for one of the castles of the Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore, "Finn Castle," and the distaste among the colonies for Dunmore had become so great and just that the name was eliminated from the political divisions. Dunmore County was, also, for a like cause, abolished, and the name changed to Shenandoah. The outrages by the Indians about 1777 were very numerous against the white settlers in all this section of the country, and the people were obliged to gather into the forts, where they were com pelled to remain during the whole of the summer. From Barger's Fort on the upper New River on Tom's Creek, to Fort D'onnally and Union in the Greenbrier country, the men, women and children fled to the forts. Fields on Crump's Bottoms and Cook's on Indian Creek, were filled with the settlers in that region, as was the fort below Alderson. Scouts under Capt. John Lucas penetrated the region round about Cook's and Field's, on Crump's Bottoms and Indian Creek, as well as Farley's Fort, five miles below Fields at the lower end of the bottom. We give some account of the attack of the Indians on Fort Donnally, ten miles west of Lewisburg towards the Muddy Creek country, as it was in the region of a part of our territory for many 28 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. years, and was under the jurisdiction of Greenbrier County after its formation in 1777. Two scouts informed the settlements of the danger apprehended from a band of marauding Indians from west of the Ohio, who advanced up the Kanawha, across the War Ridge and into the Greenbrier country. After being advised by the scouts the settlers gathered into the fort, consisting of twenty men. Capt. Donnally sent a messenger to Fort Union to Col. John Stuart, advising him of the advance of the Indians (Injuns). The best arrangements possible to resist an attack were made, and the attack began the next morning early. Col. Stuart had sent Col. Sam Lewis with sixty men to the relief of Donnally, and they entered the fort without damage. Four whites were killed in this attack — Pritcher, James Burns, Alex. Ochiltree and James Graham, who was killed in the fort, the other three being killed outside. The Grahams of Summers County are direct kin of this Indian fighter. Seventeen of the Indians were killed in the yard outside of the fort, who remained lying on the ground. Other slain Indians were carried off by the survivors. There were engaged in this fight more than two hundred Indians, and in all eighty-seven whites. The Indians, failing, retreated. During, the Indian attack on Donnally's Fort a number of men gathered in at Jarrett's Fort on Wolf Creek and Keeney's Fort, a number of whom were members of Captain Joseph Renfrew's company who were from Bedford County, Virginia, and among them was Josiah Meadows, the ancestor of A. G. Meadows, assis tant postmaster at Hinton, and James E. Meadows, present mayor of Avis, and of J. M. Meador, clerk of the County Court of Summers County. Josiah Meadows applied for a pension to the County Court of Giles County in 1832. In his application he gives a full account of his Indian warfare. This Josiah Meadows was a great grandfather of Hon. I. G. Meador, of Athens, Mercer County, West Virginia. He was with the expedition of George Rogers Clark into the Illinois country in 1778. Mrs. Margaret Pauley, with her husband, John Pauley, and James Pauley, wife and child; Robert Wallace and wife, and Brice Miller, on September 23, 1779, set out from the Greenbrier region to go to Kentucky. They crossed New River at the horse ford near the mouth of Rich Creek, then went down New River by the nearest route to Cumberland Gap. Each man in the party was armed with a rifle. The women were on horseback, on which they carried all their household plunder. They were in front and the men in the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 29 rear, driving the cattle. About noon, after they- had arrived at a point on East River one mile below the mouth of Five Mile Fork, they were attacked by five Indians and a white man by the name of Morgan. The women were knocked from their horses by the Indians with their clubs; Wallace and his two children killed and scalped. John Pauley was fatally wounded, but escaped to Wood's Fort on Rich Creek, where he shortly afterwards died. Mrs. James and John Pauley were taken prisoners and carried to the Indian town on the Miami River, where they remained prisoners for two years. Shortly after they arrived Margaret Pauley gave birth to a son. Mrs. James Pauley made her escape and Margaret and her child were ransomed. Margaret Pauley's name was Handley. After she returned she married a man by the name of Erskine, and by whom she had a daughter who married Hugh Caperton, who was a distinguished gentleman and who was the father of Allen T. Caperton, of Monroe County, the United States Senator from West Virginia at the date of his death. Adam Caperton, the father of Hugh Caperton, was killed at Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, by the In dians at the battle of Little Mountain. Samuel Richmond, who lived at New River Falls, married Sallie Caperton, a descendant of Adam Caperton. A full account of this killing of Pauley and capture was dictated by Margaret Pauley many years afterwards to Senator Allen T. Caperton, and the full history as so written will be found in Lewis' History of West Virginia. Capt. Hugh Caperton, the father of Sallie Richmond, lived on New River, and was an uncle of Hugh Caperton, of Monroe County. Capt. Caperton was ordered to form a company of men from the New River Company to fight the Indian marauders and prowling bands who were active in the country in 1793. He marched and camped at the mouth of Elk. Overton Caperton resided at the mouth of Island Creek in Summers County, where he owned a valuable farm. He fell in a deep culvert on the C. & O. Railroad and killed himself, a few years ago, between Avis and Hinton. He left a son, Adam, who resides now in Mercer County. Another descendant of Capt. Hugh Caperton is Allen Caperton, of Princeton, having been postmaster of that town, and is a prominent capitalist. Daniel Boone was the "commissary" of that company referred to of Capt. Hugh Caperton, and there were but few settlers in the Kanawha — among them Leonard Morriss — whose descendants still live in that valley. Leonard Morriss, a descendant, is an aged man, now eighty-seven years old, but strong mentally. He remembers seeing the Indians passing up the valley tin their way to see the 30 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. President. He tells many interesting incidents to the writer, of these aborigines. He says they still carried the bow and arrow, but that their arrows had no stone points. He visited Barger's Springs in 1907. Some of the men who belonged to this company of Caperton's Indian fighters, whose descendants live in this region, are: Edward Farley, John Cook, William Graham, Francis Farley, Drewry Far ley, John Barton, Thomas Cook, Mathew Farley, David Johnston, James Stuart, James Abbott, Joseph Abbott, Moses Massey, James Graham, David Graham, James Sweeney and Isaiah Calloway. This company was disbanded after General Wayne's victory at Fallen Timbers. The Christian family came from the Isle of Man, settling in Pennsylvania, where they lived in 1726, whence Gilbert Christian came to where Staunton now stands. He had a family of three sons, John, Robert and William, and one daughter, Mary. Capt. Israel Christian settled in the valley, and removed into the territory of Botetourt County in 1740 at Fincastle. He gave the site for that town. Later he crossed the Allegheny Mountains and settled on New River at Ingle's Ferry. Christiansburg was named for him. Colonel William Christian was his son, and married a sister of Patrick Henry — Anne. He was a prominent man and was once a member of the State Senate of Virginia in 1781, and commanded a regiment at the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774. He was killed while fighting the Indians in Ohio in 1786 at Jeffersonville, in Indiana. Joseph J. Christian, of the upper end of this county, is a direct descendant of Col. Israel Christian. THE ANCTENT SWOPE HOME, (Bis Wolf Creek.) CHAPTER III. ABORIGINAL AND ANCIENT. In regard to the inhabitants of this territory immediately pre ceding the English settlers, we are unable to get any definite information as to what particular tribes resided here, or whether there were any regular inhabitants of these mountain regions at all we do not know; but there is plenty of information on the subject, especially of a circumstantial character, showing that this region had been inhabited. When I say regular inhabitants, I mean whether or not there were any villages of encampments of Indians, or whether they ever cultivated any of the soil in what is the ter ritory of the county. Of course, they hunted over these mountains, fished in our streams, traveled through our valleys and territories. The so-called Indian Mounds and Indian relics in the shape of arrow points, spear points, stone hammers, axes, tomahawks, pot tery, etc., were found in abundance along the rivers and in the mountains of this region, were not, in the opinion of scientists, made by the Indians. There is positive evidence to show that the first inhabitants of the Mississippi Valley and of the Apalachian region and the Atlantic Coast came from the south. They may have crossed the Continent of Atlantis, which once existed where the Atlantic Ocean now is, from Southern Europe, and Southern Asia to South America and Mexico, and from thence into the Mississippi Valley and the mountains on either side. The Incas of Peru, the Aztecs and Toltecs of Mexico, the Mound Builders of the Missis sippi Valley had many similar customs and left somewhat similar remains. They were all descendants of these people who came from Southern Asia, perhaps in the time of Abraham, The modern Indians probably came from Northern Asia and crossed Behring Strait. Those who wandered towards the North became small in stature and acquired the characters of the modern .Esquimo. Those who came farther north probably drove out the Mound Builder after much fighting, and took possession of the country. The Mound Builders went south, and, possibly, the Zuni Indians of to-day are their degenerate descendants. \ 32 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The Mound Builders had no iron instruments nor any sub stitute, and could not contend against the growth of timber the country was completely covered with. They, possibly cul tivated the soil. The more substantial theory, in my opinion, is that the Mound Builders were driven out after a desperate fight with the Indians, who, like the Goths and the Vandals of Europe, descended on the Roman people. This is the opinion of Dr. G. D. Lind, of New Richmond, in this county, a learned physician,- and who has given these subjects very intelligent study, and to whom I am indebted for an opinion. There are no mounds or evidence of monuments built by the Mound Builders in the territory of this county. We have, however, numerous small mounds, known as Indian graves, scattered throughout the county in the valleys ; and, while there were no Indian settlements within the territory between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio when the country was first visited by civilized man, there are ample evidences at this day of the territory of this country having at an early day been inhabited by the Indian savages in considerable numbers, but we doubt if the Indians ever used the flints or arrow heads. People who re member seeing them with their bows and arrows say they did not have such heads to their arrows, but that the arrow was one piece of wood. The Hurons are supposed by some to have possessed this territory, but the white man did not dispossess this region of the Indians. It had been depopulated of Indian settlements before the white man entered. The true, very ancient history of this land has never been writ ten ; and, if it is ever done, it will be from geological research, and not from ordinary historical sources. It is more ancient than any historical records that exist of any times. This territory was probably first inhabited by the Mound Build ers, then by the Indians, one tribe after another, and then by the Europeans, following the Jamestown Settlement bv Capt. John Smith in 1607. The Indians are a remarkable race of people. Their contrasts of character and the make-up of their mental characteristics are unfathomable — sometimes very rare and exceptional. You read of one of these savage people with human sympathy and instincts, but in the great and preponderating number -of cases they have the savage character and characteristics. This seems to have been intensified as time passed after the first intermingling between them and the white races of Europe. Immediately after the discovery of America, we read that in HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 33 the early associations there were many examples of humanity and of human kindness emanating from a human brain. A disposition to return kindness for kindness, as do some of the domestic animals, but the avariciousness of the first discoverers and explorers of the American continent, especially of the Spaniards, even though under the guise of the Christian spirit ; but with treachery so instilled into the minds of the Indian savage an internal hatred, it grew and hard ened and expanded as the generations passed; and, as generation after generation followed, their cruelty was instilled into and became a part of their nature, one of inheritance. To hate the white race, from whence or where he came, or for whatever his purpose might be, so that from the first generation to the present there has been no relaxation in the disposition of the race to inflict on all the whites all of the barbarities to be imagined by human ingenuity; and when we now read of and learn by tradition and history of the brutal savagery of these treacherous inhabitants who occupied all of this country, we may well believe the hardships endured by the original and pioneer settlers of all this region from an ever-present savage foe, hating and despising all progress advanced by the whites with whom they came in contact. It matters not how gen erous the disposition of the exceptional white may have been— whether his advancements into the wilderness into the West were for civilization or Christian purposes — the Indian knew no mercy, pity, magnanimity. They were words unknown in his nature, and the doctrines of mercy, pity, magnanimity and Christian forbear ance became unknown entirely to the Indian character. This, no doubt, grew largely from the action and brutal treatment in many instances of the white adventurer, whose only object was to secure pecuniary advantage; so that, as time passed, the natures of both races, the white and the red, became actions of retaliation, so that the white settler, like Jim Wiley, who could cut a razor strap out of the hide of an Indian with as little qualms as out of the hide of an ox. The. Spanish robbed and slaughtered them by the sword; the English robbed and murdered them under the guise of a pretense at commercialism, trading with them, dealing for their furs, and throwing in civilization, Christianity and whiskey; the French seemed to have been more generous in their treatment with the Indians than any other white European race, and for that reason their diplomatic relations with them were more friendly, and they received more results and benefits from the coalitions than any other nation undertaking to colonize or civilize the continent. 34 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The Indians had no written laws. Their customs were handed down from generation to generation and from age to age by the old men, and had all the force of well-defined and positive statutes, more so than the "common law." The aborigines of this country enjoyed absolute freedom. Their sachems made their own tools for war and husbandry. They worked the grounds in common with other tribes. They entered into no great war or scheme with out the consent of the whole people or movement of a public nature. If their council declared in favor of war, their warriors declared their approbation by painting themselves with various colors, rend ering themselves horrid in the extreme to their enemies. In this shape they would rush furiously into the council and begin the war dance, accompanying their steps with fierce gestures expres sive of their thirst for vengeance, and describing the manner in which they would wound, kill and scalp their victims; after which they would sing their own glories, exploit the glories of their an cestors and of the nation in the ancient times. Their festivals consisted of dancing around in a circle of curved posts .or a fire built in a convenient part of the town, each having his rattle in his hand, or his bow and arrow or tomahawk. They dressed themselves in branches of trees or other strange accoutrement. They had no idea of distinct or exclusive property. Every man could cultivate and abandon whatever land he pleased. They reckoned their years by the coming and going of the wild geese — "cohunks" they called them — a noise made by these birds. This coming was once a year. They distinguished the parts of the year by five seasons, viz.: The budding or blossoming of the spring; the earing of the corn, or roasting-ear time ; the summer, or high sun ; the corn gathering, or fall of the leaf; and the winter, or the "cohunks." They counted the months by the moons, though not with so many in the year as we do, but they made them return again as the Corn Moon, the First and the Second Moon of Cohunks. They had no distinctions of the hour of the day, but divided them into three parts — the rise, power and lowering of the sun. They kept their accounts by knots on strings, or notches on sticks. They were grossly superstitious and idolatrous. He was the most improvident animal existing ; his present necessities satisfied, and he was happy. He wasted no thought on the morrow. A man could have as many wives as he could support. He could abandon one and seek another when he pleased, and the wife could do the same, except she could have but one husband at a time, and she could not marry for a year after separation. THE ISAAC BALLENGER HOUSE, Which Stood on Hinton Railway Yards. Frank Cundiff in front. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 35 Courtship, like marriage, was short. If the squaw accepted the presents of the man, it was understood she agreed; and, without further ceremony, she went and joined him in his hut, not even notifying her people. The principles which were to regulate their future conduct were well understood. He was to assume the more laborious labor — fighting the enemies of his tribe, hunting, fishing, felling the trees and building the hut. She looked after raising the children, providing food and domestic duties. It was her duty to plant the corn and do all the agricultural work, as well as trans port on her back the children (papooses), but the labor of agricul ture was trifling. In the event of separation, the children all be longed to the women. The warrior was considered a visitor, and, if any differences arose, the warrior picked up his gun and walked off, and that ended it. This separation entailed no quarrel or disgrace. They acted according to the dictates of nature and the customs of their country. Every object inspired happiness and content, and their only care was to crowd as much pleasure as possible into a short life. They were a rawboned, muscular, red- skinned people, with high cheek bones; with a bow and arrow for their weapons until the whites introduced firearms. The territory of which Summers County is included was origi nally a howling wilderness, inhabited, no doubt, by the ancient Indian tribes, and there are many evidences yet remaining in some parts of the county of the habitations of these people. After the Mound Builders the county was inhabited by Indians, supposed to be a tribe, a section, or part of the powerful confederacy known as the Six Nations. There are yet remaining in different localities many evidences of the ancient habitations — flints, arrow-heads, stone tomahawks and other stone implements are found scattered on and under the surface, and are plowed up from beneath the surface in the cultivation of the soil. At the time West Virginia first became known to civilized people there were no Indian settlements of any importance within its territory which were in actual possession by any tribe or nation of Indians, but there is evidence everywhere that Indians in great numbers had occupied this territory. Two years ago I was presented with a stone pipe, all of one solid piece, nicely finished, the bowl nicely hollowed out, with the stem about three inches long, by J. Frank Smith, who had found the same in his explorations for mineral on Suck Creek, a tributary of Little Blue Stone River in Jumping Branch District, evidently of very ancient make, but complete in all its parts. Mr. Allen 36 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Bragg, several years ago, presented us with a piece of ancient clay utensil of some character impossible to determine, but very nicely finished, either a part of an ornament, or of some useful utensil, being of oval and pointed shape at the top, or in the shape of a half-crown with pointed top. Some four or five years ago an extraordinary flood of New River occurred. The river banks were overflowed west of the Warford in New River, and along "Barker's Bottom," and many evidences of ancient habitations were washed up from the earth, including skulls, stone implements, human bones, etc. One im plement of a peculiar make, made from very hard stone an inch and a half thick, perfectly finished, as large as the hollow of a man's hand, was presented to the writer, and of which I now have pos session. But there is no tradition of Indian or other habitation in this region since the early settlements east of the Allegheny Mountains. There is authentic history of Indian excursions through the territory of the county, and there were three great war trails of the Indians, which were followed by them in their excursions from west of the Ohio River into Western Virginia, after the Indians had been forced west of that stream. One was up the Great Kanawha River, across the Sewell Mountain, up Lick Creek, and across the Keeney's Knob, down Griffith's Creek to Greenbrier River, near where the town of Alderson is now located. Another trail was up the Big Sandy River, down Bluestone; thence across to East River and down Bluestone up New River and Indian Creek and through Monroe County. The thiyl was up the Little Kana wha River. LAST INDIAN EXCURSIONS. The last Indian excursion of which I have any information through this territory was of a party of Indians from west of the Ohio, who proceeded into the Greenbrier country, attacking Capt. McClung and his settlement on Muddy Creek; thence passing over the Keeney's Knob, after having captured a Mrs. Clendennin. The prisoners were all taken over to Muddy Creek, and a number of the Indians retained them there until the return of the others from Carr's Creek. On the day they started from the foot of Keeney's Knob, going over the mountain, Mrs. Clendennin gave her infant child to a prisoner woman to carry, as the prisoners were in the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 37 center of the line and the Indians in the front and rear, she escaped into a thicket and concealed herself until they passed by. The cries of the child soon caused the Indians to inquire for the mother, who was missing, and one of them said he "would soon bring the cow to her calf," and, taking the child by the heels, he beat its brains out against a tree, and, throwing the body down into the path, all marched over it until its entrails were trampled out by the horses. She returned that night in the dark to her house, a distance of more than ten miles, and covered her husband's corpse with rails, .vhich lay in the yard where he was killed in endeavoring to escape over the fence with one of his children in his arms. This occur rence is taken from the memorandum of Col. John Stuart, of Green brier County, made 1798, who was then clerk of the county, and made this memorandum" in one of his deed books. The Indian warfare at this time resulted in the entire destruction of the set tlers in the Greenbrier Valley and. within what is now Greenbrier and Summers Counties, which was in the year 1780. Their last excursion was into the Greenbrier region in this county, in which they killed Thomas Griffith near the mouth of Griffith's Creek, which empties into the Greenbrier River about a mile west of the town of Alderson, and whose name said creek still bears, which was in the year_1780. At the same time they captured Griffith, his son, and immediately started for the West, pursued by a party of white settlers. The Indians camped the first night under a cliff on Lick Creek, about a rriile from the foot of Keeney's Knob, just by the rear of the side of the brick residence erected by Capt. A. A. Miller in 1868, where he resided at the time of his death. The pursuing party camped about three-quarters of a mile east, just below the foot of Keeney's Mountain, on Lick Creek, at the old Curtis Alderson place, about half a mile above the place where the writer was born and raised (the old Miller place). Griffith had settled at the mouth of Grif fith's Creek, near Greenbrier River, on the John and Enos Ellis place, and an alarm had been made that the Indians were in the neighborhood, there being a fort almost opposite on the Lane Bot toms, but Griffith, being a very brave man, declined to go into the fort. There were several Indians and one white man; they watched Griffith's house for some days for their opportunity. When "the attack was made, Griffith was shot dead, and the Indians rushed for his scalp, but his wife, in order to save her husband's scalp, 38 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. turned over a bee gum, and the Indians, being afraid of the bees, ran off without the scalp, taking the boy along. The Indians went on to where Green Sulphur Springs is now located, and where there was then a buffalo lick. They watched the lick until they killed a young buffalo, then they tied the boy in the pines on the opposite side of the creek, where they left him for two days and nights. They then returned, having their shot pouches filled with lead and bullets, which they somewhere secured during their absence. Securing their captive, they proceeded to the Kanawha River at the Ben Morris place. In the meantime the whites in the fort on the Greenbrier in the Griffith neighborhood organized a pursuing party composed of ten persons, who proceeded to follow the Indians, overtaking them at the Morris farm, where they had encamped. All the Indians and the white man had left the camp, except two who remained to guard the boy. The pur suers arranged for two of them to shoot at each of the Indians and two at the boy, he also being taken at a distance for an Indian. Both Indians were shot dead, but neither shot hit the boy, who escaped without a scratch. The legs of a deerskin which were sticking out by his side were hit, and in this miraculous manner he was saved from death. Capt. Ben Morris, who was in command of the pursuers, always claimed it was Providence that was instru mental in saving the boy's life, as the men who shot at him were ordinarily dead shots. The said Morris told this narrative to Jas. H. Miller, Sr., of Gauley Bridge, and it was he that shot at the boy, and ordinarily and invariably he could hit a dollar in silver at that distance. The Griffith boy returned to his friends. This is the last Indian excursion of which we have any historical or traditional account of the savages in this county. The night the Indians slept under the cliff on Lick Creek the whites camped a half-mile above at the Curtis Alderson place, and returned home next day for reinforcements, not knowing of the close proximity of the Indians. Keeney's Mountain, over which the Indians passed in their last raid into the Muddy Creek country, is still known by that name, and was named for one of the first settlers within the ter ritory of this county, by the name of David Keeney, who settled near the foot of the Greenbrier County side in 1787. The Ohio Company, through Christopher Gist, explored a large part of what is now West Virginia, and in 1752 Gist sent his petition, "Beyond Sea," to His Most Excellent Majesty, the King of Eng- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 39 land, praying for a grant of the lands he had explored, and for a new government in the region between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio River. The proposed province intended to be or ganized by Gist was to be called "Vandalia," with Samuel Watson for Governor, and the capital to be at the mouth of the Great Kanawha River at what is now the town of Point Pleasant, in the county of Mason. The Revolutionary War was coming on, and this prospect was shattered thereby. This territory, surveys and explorations evidently included a part, if not all, of Summers County, and would have included Summers County. In the year 1750 Dr. Thomas Walker, with five companies from Virginia, explored into the Kentucky wilderness ; from thence they journeyed northward, crossed the Big Sandy River, and on the 28th day of January, 1750, reached the mouth of the Greenbrier River. Christopher Gist was an eminent surveyor and explorer from the Yadkin in North Carolina, and a friend of Washington's, who was with him when he delivered the famous message to the French commandant, and had his feet and hands frozen on that exploit. In 1742 John Sally, Chas. St. Clair, John Howard and his son, Joshua Howard, and others, explored into the southern portion of what is now West Virginia. They left their homes at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in Augusta County, Virginia, and proceeded across the Allegheny Mountains down the Greenbrier River to its mouth, reached New River, which they descended to Richmond's Falls, at what is now New Richmond, ten miles west of Hinton on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad; thence across through Raleigh County to the Coal River, and down same#to the Great Kanawha, arriving there on May 6, 1742. We are not able to ascertain whether the old Greenbrier land grant of 100,000 acres, granted about 1751, included any part of Summers County or not, but it appears not. The first settlement in the state of West Virginia was in 1727, by Morgan, a Welshman, at Morgan in Berkeley County. The Conoys, a tribe or organization of the Delaware Nation, were early on New River. A band of Mohicans were at Kanawha Falls in 1670. The first white man at Kanawha Falls was on the 17th day of September, 1671, and was an expedition sent out by Gov ernor Berkeley of Virginia, who was endeavoring to obtain infor mation regarding the vast trans montane region, and in 1670 issued his commission to Major General Wood, "For ye finding out the ebbing and flowing of the waters on ye other side of ye mountains." 40 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. General Wood would not personally go on this expedition, but sent out a party, consisting of Thomas Batts, Thomas Wood, Robert Fallam, Jack Neasam, the latter being a servant of General Wood; and Perchute, a chief of the Appomattox Indians, as guide. They left Appomattox town, now Petersburg (the Cockade City of Vir ginia), on the first day of September, 1671. On the seventh day they were at Blue Ridge; on the 13th on "Swope's Knob," near Union in Monroe County, and the next day on the high cliffs which crown New River, which flows thirty-five miles through the county; and on the evening of the 16th they reached Kanawha Falls, where they had the sight of a stream like the Thames of Chelsea, but had a fall that made a great noise, as reported on their return. This was 233 years ago. The next West Virginia exploration was forty-five years after wards, of which we have no information that it reached this section of the country, and was sent out by Governor Spottswood. For many years the first settlers were confined to the east of the Allegheny Mountains. Governor Spottswood had a descendant in the person of John B. Spottswood, who was the editor of a Democratic newspaper at Kenton, Newton County, Indiana, until within the last ten years. Mr. Spottswood, through his mother, Eliza Schermerhorn, inher ited what has been known as the Schermerhorn tract of land, on the headwaters of Lick Creek, Flag Fork, Slater's Creek, Mill Creek and Meadow River, being originally a patent or grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia of 28,000 acres. This large survey was reduced from generation to generation, until there remained only about 3,000 acres, it having been forfeited for the non-pay ment of taxes and but little attention paid to 'it, Mr. Spottswood having acquired ownership by inheritance from his mother, who was a Spottswood. The land not being considered of value, about 1881 or 1882 Spottswood sold his entire interest to a Mr. F. E. Crosby, who cut the timber therefrom, and then sold it to M. and H. Gwinn, who are the present owners. Mr. Spottswood was a direct descendant of Governor Spottswood, the colonial governor and a very honorable gentleman. This was the Banks Patent which descended to a Mrs. Eliza Shermerhorn, whose first husband was a direct descendant of the governor, and John B. was her son and inherited this land. The tract was divided among the heirs of Eliza Schermerhorn, one-half — that in Summers County — going to Spottswood, and the other half to the heirs by her last husband, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 41 Schermerhorn. The Greenbrier half was acquired by James Jar- rett and Joseph Stevens at a tax sale. The territory of Summers County was once claimed under the jurisdiction of the French Dominions, the French claiming all of the territory west of the Allegheny Mountains, and the English were not for many years aggressive in posting settlements beyond the Alleghenies after the destruction of the Greenbrier settlements by the Indians, as it was deemed the part of wisdom not to imitate them and force them into combinations with the alert and active French. Thus discouraged, and without the protection of the strong arm of British law and British arms, the settlements beyond these mountains were not encouraged, and only the restless and hardy adventurer advanced for several years, but about from 1775 to 1780 the settlers began to come into these regions in greater numbers. There was a fort on the first farm below the town of Alderson on Greenbrier River, which was captured by the Indians about the year 1763, or earlier. The people of this fort were all killed or captured, except one small girl, who escaped, but so young she could not tell who her people were. She married a gentleman in Greenbrier County. This fort was located where the dwelling house on said farm was located, and was occupied for many years by James Hill. Seventy years ago some of the bounds of the fort were clearly indicated, and the shape of the fort by the marks or creases or depressions in the ground. This place was visited by David Graham about seventy years ago, and he could plainly see the shape and position of the fort, as the ground had probably never been plowed, there being a grave at the site, nicely preserved. This fort was built by digging a trench along the bounds where it was to be located, and then split trees, or puncheons were set on ends, which made the creases in the ground. I insert a diagram of this fort, as shown on the ground in the days of Mr. Graham. The fort at Lewisburg was built in 1770. known as Fort Union. Donnally's Fort was about eight miles from Fort Union. Barger's Fort was on Tom's Creek in the now county of Montgomery. Col. Andrew Donnally built Donnally's Fort, and Col. John Stuart built Fort Spring, and Capt. Jarrett. whose descendants now live in Greenbrier — -Hon. Hickman Jarrett being one of them, now living at Blue Sulphur Springs — built the fort on Wolf Creek known as the Wolf Creek, or Jarrett's Fort. Jarrett's Fort is reported to have been on the Greenbrier side of Greenbrier River, and was therefore in Summers County at Newman's Ferry. 42 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. These loop corners are where the men stood to fire along the side of the fort when the In dians were trying to cut down the fort or scale it. Four men with others to load the guns could guard all sides of the fort. I remember seeing those loop holes. D. Graham. Plinton, West Virginia, November 13, 1905. Mr. James H. Miller. Dear Sir: — Your letter of November 11th to hand and contents noted. There was a fort on the first farm below Alderson on the Greenbrier River. I have heard my father say it was captured by the Indians, likely about 1763, or earlier. The people of the fort were all killed or captured, except one small girl, who escaped, but so young she couldn't tell who her people were. She married a gentleman in Greenbrier County. This house was located where the dwelling house of said farm was located. It was occupied for a long time by Mr. James Hill. I recollect of being at Mr. Hill's about seventy years ago, and was shown some of the bounds of the old fort. I don't suppose that the old fort site had at that time ever been plowed, as there was a nice grove there at that time. There were indications of the shape of the fort by the creases and- depressions in the ground. Forts in early days were built by dig ging a trench along the bounds where the fort was to be located, and then set up split puncheons, and this is why these creases were made. I will give a cut of the shape of said fort. The Indians killed an old lady by the name of Butler. She was killed on the Mathews farm just across Greenbrier from Talcott, West Virginia, likely about 1778 or 1779. Two Indians were passing there. That was all the mischief they did. Thomas Griffith was killed at the mouth of Griffith's Creek in the year 1780. They captured his son, and they were followed and the son recaptured on Kanawha River. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 43 Isaac Ballengee, Evi's grandfather, settled at the Evi Ballengee farm about 1780. A man by the name of Brooks settled at Brooks. The Fox folks can tell more than I can about that. DAVID GRAHAM. INDIAN ATTACK ON GRAHAM. In the spring of 1777 an Indian alarm was given in the settle ment at Lowell on Greenbrier River, where Colonel James Graham had founded a settlement, and his plantation was assaulted one night before daybreak. Graham, being unwell on this night, had lain down on a bench against the door, with his clothes on. The Indians made the assault by trying to force the door open, which they partially succeeded in doing, thus arousing Graham and his men. They placed the heavy bench and a tub of water against the door, and in this way prevented the Indians from gaining an en trance. A man by the name of McDonald, who was assisting in placing the table against the door, in reaching above the door for a gun, was shot and killed, the ball passing through the door. Thwarted in their efforts in effecting an entrance into the house, the Indians turned the assault on an outhouse standing near the main dwelling. In this outbuilding slept a young negro man and two Graham children. The negro, whose name was Sharp, tried to escape by climbing up the chimney. Chimneys in those days were large and roomy, and a man could easily pass from the fire place to the top. But when he was discovered, he was hauled down, tomahawked and scalped. There were two children in the loft above, who began to cry, and that directed the attention of the Indians to that quarter! They shot up through the floor, wounded the eldest of the two boys, named John, in the knee, dragged him and his brother down into the yard, John being wounded so badly that he could not stand on his foot, and, thinking that he would be a burdensome prisoner, they tomahawked him and carried off his scalp. While this was going on in the kitchen, Col. Graham had gone upstairs, and was shooting through a port-hole at the Indians in the yard, and one Indian was thought to have been killed, and others possibly wounded. An Indian skeleton was found on Indian Draft a few years afterwards, near where E. D. Alderson now resides, and his jaw bones were used by Col. Graham for many years as a gun-rack. When morning came it was found that Col. Graham's ten- 44 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. year-old boy, their neighbor, McDonald, and- their servant, Sharp, were dead, and their seven-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, was miss ing. Col. Graham, with a number of neighbors, followed, and, after eight years, recovered the possession of his daughter, and for her ransom paid thirty saddles, a lot of beads and other trinkets, in all of the value of $300.00 in silver. The recovery was made at Limestone Creek, where Maysville, Kentucky, now is situated. Col. Graham made several expeditions to secure the possession of his daughter, and had negotiated for her possession on more than one occasion, but the treachery of the Indians prevented his carry ing them into effect until this final ransom. After the exchange was made the shoes of the horses of the rescuing party were re versed, so that, if pursued by the Indians, the horses' tracks would seem to be traveling in an opposite direction. This young lady was retained by the Indians for eight years, and, upon her return to civilization, the customs she met with seemed new and strange. On one occasion her mother asked her to soak the bread, and afterwards asked her how it was getting on. She replied, "Very well," that she had "taken two loaves and thrown them into the river and put a rock on them." She threat ened frequently to return to the Indians. She afterwards married Joel Stodgill, in the year 1792, and settled on Han's Creek, in Monroe County, and reared five sons and four daughters. She died March 22, 1858. She was the grandmother of Mr. Andrew P. Pence, of Pence Springs ; also of Mrs. Richard McNeer, and the grandmother of Mrs. Rebecca McNeer, the wife of Caperton Mc Neer, who was a Stodgill, and uncle and aunt of the writer, now residing at Linside, in Monroe County. The occurrence of this Indian tragedy was at what is now Lowell, where the ancestors of the present Graham family formed a settlement about the year 1770 or 1780, and was the first Der mal) ent seitlement in this county of which we have any positive record, except on Crump's Bottom in 1750. They afterwards located at what is now Clayton Post Office, at the foot of Keeney's Knob, which lands are still held by the immediate descendants, Mr. Charles H. Graham, David Graham Ballangee, James Gra ham's widow, Rebecca, who, after his death, married W. W. Wal- ton, and other descendants. I am indebted for the account of this Indian capture of Eliza beth (Graham) Stodhill to Mr. David Graham's book (History of the Graham Family), and from the immediate descendants of Mrs. Stodgill, many of whom are now living in Monroe, Summers and HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 45 Fayette Counties. While the real and proper name of Mrs. Stod gill is "Stodgill," the name of Sturgeon is very commonly used, and as such they are known. Mrs. Margaret Miller, of Gauley Bridge, in Fayette County, being one of the descendants of this lady and, until recent investigations, was under the impression that her descendants' proper name was "Sturgeon." The settlements of the Gwinns, Kellars, Kincaids and others were made about this time on the Greenbrier River, in the Lowell neighborhood, and with the permission of Mr. David Graham, the historian of the Graham family, I have secured and used much information and data in regard to the early settlement of the Lowell section. The Indians killed an old lady by the name of Massey on the Mathews farm, just across Greenbrier River from Talcott, West Virginia, about 1778 or 1779. Two Indians were passing there, and they did no other mischief except to kill this lady. Isaac Bal langee, the grandfather of LaFayette Ballangee, now eighty years old, residing near the mouth of Greenbrier River, settled at the mouth of Greenbrier, on the old Evi Ballangee place, in 1780, and a man by the name of Brooks at the same time settled at Brooks' Post Office, four miles west of Hinton, in the Fox neighborhood, and it was after him that Brooks' Creek, Brooks' Falls, on New River, and Post Office, were named. Ballangee first settled on the island to more easily protect themselves from the savage n.cn and beasts of the wilderness. The New River country was visited by Chief Justice John Mar shall, the great chief justice of the United States, with other com missioners, who explored that stream in 1812. The report of these commissioners is a most interesting document. An exploration was also made by Loami Baldwin and party in 1817, in a boat fifty feet long, from the mouth of Howard's Creek in Greenbrier County, and down the Greenbrier River to its mouth at Foss, a mile east of Summers' court house ; thence they turned up New River and proceeded to the mouth of Indian Creek; thence they returned ¦down the river to the present site of Hinton, and thence on down New River to its mouth. These are said by Prof. Virgil A. Lewis to be the most inter esting narratives of our state. Chief Justice Marshall on this exploration climbed to the top of what is commonly known as "Hawk's Nest," some six miles from the mouth of Gaully, a great cliff in the New River gorge or canyon, and from this visit it took the name of Marshall's Pillar, a -wonderful natural curiosity, and is viewed and visited by many tour- 46 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ists at this day. The accounts of these explorations are now on file in the department of Archives and History, at Charleston, of which Prof. Lewis is state historian and archivist. He is a direct descendant of Gen. Charles Lewis, of Point Pleasant fame, and whose ancestors first surveyed the Greenbrier country and named the Greenbrier River. He was for a term the State Superintendent of Schools of West Virginia, resides at Raymond City, in Mason County, and is the celebrated historian of the state, and has done more to preserve the ancient history of the state to posterity than any and all other persons. Chief Justice Marshall and other commissioners were sent out to explore this New River in 1812. Laomi Baldwin and party came on a similar voyage in 1817. They again visited and passed by the site of Hinton, and explored a great part of our country. CHAPTER IV. IN THE EARLY DAYS. John Hite was the name of the first man to plant the stand ard of civilization west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. John Lewis, an expert surveyor, first made a survey of the Greenbrier region, surveying the Greenbrier Land Company's grants in the years 1749 and 1750, and it was he, while making this survey, who named the Greenbrier River and proclaimed it the most beautiful river in America, calling it the "Lady of the Mountains," giving it the name of Greenbrier by reason of the great numbers of green briers, a thorny vine-appearing growth, perfectly green, which spontaneously grew along the banks of that river, and which grows there the same this day. The land was so cheap in those days that Governor Gooch, of Virginia, was so well pleased that he issued a grant to Benj. Borden, or Burden, for four hundred thousand acres of land in consideration of Borden having deliv ered to him a white buffalo calf. This man Burden was a native of England who settled in the valley of Virginia. He was the possessor of a great estate in lands, a man of great experience arid of great character. His word or his scrip went as good as those of the nation's banks, and it was from this character which he bore over great regions of the country that brought about the saying, "As good as Ben. Burden's bill." The ancient Peck family were allied by marriage with this character istic Englishman, and the name Benj. Burden Peck is a common name in the Peck family of this day. Monroe County, as heretofore stated, was formed from Green brier on the 14th day of January, 1799. The first term of court for that county was held at the house and in the barn of George King, and then by adjournment therefrom to his barn after the noon hour, for convenience, as stated by the records. On the second day of the term James Graham was recommended to the governor as a person well qualified for colonel ; William Graham and Mat Farley for captains ; William Maddy, David 48 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Graham and Tollison Shumate for lieutenants, and James Gwinn and John Harvey for ensigns ; Joseph Alderson for second lieuten ant. The James Graham mentioned was the same Colonel Graham who made the settlement at Lowell, where the old ferry across Greenbrier River is known to this day as Graham's Ferry. James Graham was at this term also recommended as a suitable person for coroner. There are descendants of all these people living in this region at this day, no doubt. They are persons of the same name, and there is no question but what they are direct descend ants of these old settlers. Thomas Lowe, Robert Dunbar, John Cottle, George Foster and Enos Halstead are mentioned in the first records of this court, and are names familiar to Summers County citizens at the present gen eration. Jacob Persinger and John Peck were members of the first grand jury of that county. Greenbrier County, as before stated, was formed in October, 1777, and extended from the top of the Allegheny Mountains to the Ohio River. Col. James Gra ham,, who is frequently mentioned in this story, was in Donnally's Fort, eight miles from Lewisburg, when that place was last at tacked by the Indians in 1778, and assisted in its defense against these marauders. Rev. John McElheny was the second Presbyterian minister of whom we have any record in the Greenbrier region. He came to Lewisburg in 1798, and was in the active ministry until 1871, Lick Creek being within his territory, visiting that region at John Mil ler's, Si-., and his brother, Robert's, once a month, Robert Miller having settled about a mile and a half below John on Lick Creek. John Alderson was the founder of the Baptist Church at Aider- son, near the Summers County line, about the year 1775. These pioneers ministered to the spiritual wants of our grandparents, their parishioners, and Rev. McElheney, who was well-known and remembered by my father, was not averse to some of the internal physical comforts of the body, as well as ministering to the spir itual welfare of his parishioners. The last exercise before break fast on each morning was for the two old gentlemen, John Miller and the reverend, to take their morning toddy of sugar, warm water and apple brandy. Mr. McElheny afterwards became a Doctor of Divinity and was a patriarch of the Presbyterian Church, and was a very saintly, pious and devout man. In those days every farmer who- had an apple or other orchard manufactured what fruit he had or desired into brandy. If he had HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 49 a good plum crop he made it into brandy; or, if it was a peach crop or apple crop, it was peach or apple brandy. George W. Summers, after whom Summers County was named, was born in Fayette County in 1804, settled in Kanawha County while a boy, graduated at the Ohio University, elected to the Gen eral Assembly of Virginia for ten years, elected to Congress and took his seat in 1842, re-elected in 1845 ; was a member of the Con- stitutonal Convention of 1850, and a Whig condidate for governor in 1851. In 1852 he was elected judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Virginia, but resigned in 1858. In 1861 was a member of the convention which passed the Ordinance of Secession, which action on the part of the convention he earnestly opposed. The town of Hinton was incorporated September 21, 1880. We are unable frorri history or from tradition to give any detailed state ment of the different sections of the county. The most reliable in formation we have is as to the two sections of this county now included in Green Sulphur and Talcott Districts. That section near and around Lowell was one of the earliest settled sections of the county. About the year 1770, or, possibly, a little later, James Graham, with his family, moved to Greenbrier and settled on the opposite side of the river from where the village of Lowell now stands. He erected on his own land a farmhouse, two stories, built of hewn logs, of which we are enabled to repro duce a cut, as the house is still standing, well preserved, now occupied by B. L. Kesler. This house was built a century and a quarter, or more, ago. It is in size 24 x 30 feet, two stories high ; the sills of walnut, with two large stone chimneys ; the fireplace in the front room is six feet wide, and has a wooden arch five feet high. The hardware consisted of wrought iron nails, made from a blacksmith shop; the lumber was sawed by hand by an old-fash ioned whip-saw. This house at the time of its construction was considered one of the finest in all that region. There was a fort erected on the opposite side of the river, where Spott's Hotel now stands, known as Graham's Fort. It will be remembered that, after the destruction of the white settlements on Muddy Creek and in Greenbrier County by the Indians, about 1760, all the settlers were killed, captured or fled, and no further attempts were made towards again settling the Greenbrier country until about 1770. It is generally believed that this settlement, when made by Col. Graham, was one of the first made in this immediate region, if not the very first. A Mr. Van Vibber located on the opposite side of the river on the George Keller place about the same time that Col. Graham 50 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. located at the Bun Kesler place. The name of Van Vibber is familiar in the settlement of the Great Kanawha region, and it is believed that the name comes from the same man who early settled on Greenbrier. About the same time that Graham settled near Lowell, Samuel and James Gwinn, two brothers, settled in the same section. The Grahams and Gwinns were neighbors on the Calf Pasture River in Virginia before . they emigrated, and had both sailed from Ireland together. Samuel Gwinn, Sr., moved from the Lowell settlement to Lick Creek, where Green Sulphur Springs is now located, about the year 1800, and died there March 25, 1839, in the ninety-fourth year of his age. Hon. M. Gwinn and Sheriff H. Gwinn, whose names are fre quently mentioned in this narrative, now own the farm settled on by him. He is reported to have accumulated considerable prop erty, and that at one time he had $12,000.00 in silver, which he divided among his sons some years before his death. His sons were named Samuel and Andrew, and Mr. David Graham, the author of the "History of the Graham Family," now well advanced in the eighties, remembers seeing them take their part of the silver by his father's house in common grain bags, and about a half bushel in bulk in each. They carried this money from Green Sul phur Springs up Lick Creek, over Keeney's Knob to their home at Lowell, they having $2,500.00 each. It is told of this Mr. Gwinn that, while he was attending to some business at Lewisburg, he fell in with some gamblers who induced him to enter a game of cards. Knowing that he had plenty of money, they permitted him to win the first few games, then proceeded to double the bet, to which he replied that his mother had always told him that it was a wise man who knew when to quit; so saying, he arose from the table and bade the gamblers "good day." The descendants of this Samuel Gwinn are many, and are lo cated over different parts of the United States. He was the grand father of Andrew Gwinn, now residing at Lowell, more than eighty-five years of age ,and of Samuel, who died over the age of ninety, within the last twelve months. Andrew, better known as "Long Andy," on account of his great height, is living on almost the identical spot where their grandfather located more than 125 years ago. James Gwinn, who located near the same place on Keller's Creek and on what is now known as the Laban Gwinn HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 51 place. It was his son who was appointed ensign at the first court ever held in Monroe County. Conrad Keller was one of the early settlers of the Lowell set tlement, and it was his daughter that married Ephraim J. Gwinn, the youngest son of Samuel Gwinn, Sr., and the father of M. and H. Gwinn, and it was his daughter who married James Ferrel, who lived in the big bend of Greenbrier River back of the Big Bend Tunnel, where E. D. Ferrell and William Ferrell now reside. George and Henry Keller, of Lowell, are descendants of Conrad Keller, as is also Robert A. Keller, cashier of bank of Pineville. The property at Lowell settled on by the Kellers in these early times still remains in the Keller family, and has come down from one generation to another until the present time; George Keller, an aged and respected citizen residing at Lowell Station, and Henry Keller, a nephew, a short distance up Keller's Creek. The Keller homestead, as suggested by Mr. Graham, is on a beautiful eleva tion overlooking. Greenbrier River. Mr. George Keller is about eighty-five years old, and one of the most respected citizens of this county, as is Mr. Henry Keller, who is very much younger in years. Among the early settlers in this vicinity -was a man by the name of See, who lived on the land originally occupied by David Keller. The date of his settling can not be stated, but supposed to be about the time of the Graham settlement. See sold his claim to Conrad Keller, and went farther west. He finally permanently located on the Big Sandy River, where his descendants reside to this day. To these primeval settlers might also be added the name of Xotliff Taylor, who settled at the Henry Milburn place, eight or nine miles west of the Graham settlement on the Greenbrier River. His daughter, Ann, married Isaac Milburn, the grandfather of our present county man, Henry Milburn, Jr., and the father of the late Henry Milburn, deceased. Elizabeth married Samuel Gwinn. William Kincaid settled on the Jesse Beard place, now owned by Messrs. A. P. Pence and George N. Davis, on which the cele brated Pence's Spring is situated, along about this time. This spring was then celebrated only as a buffalo lick, and the marks of the old buffalo traces. may still be seen leading across Keeney's Knob from the Buffalo Spring (head of Lick Creek) to the Buffalo Lick, they being located about fifteen miles apart, where Green Sulphur is located. Kincaid left that settlement about the year 1800, and left no descendants in this county so far as known. Wil liam Hinchman, an Englishman, settled in this county east of 52 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Lowell, close to the Summers line, in what is now Monroe County, about the time of the Revolutionary War, and of whom the present William Hinchman's family are descendants; Capt. A. A. Miller, of Lick Creek, having married a daughter of William Hinchman, and a sister of. the late John Hinchman. William Hinchman first settled on the river below the mouth of Gwinn's Branch, just below Lowell, under a lease from Samuel Gwinn, Sr., and shortly after wards left and permanently settled on the present Hinchman prop erty. William Hinchman was born in the year 1770. He was the father of twenty-four children. This William Hinchman was the grandfather of the late Hon.. John Plinchman, whose death oc curred in 1896, and on whose tombstone at the old Riverview Church is inscribed, "He died as he lived — a Christian." The Grahams left the Lowell settlement and located at the foot of Keeney's Knob on the ground now occupied by Mr. David Graham Ballangee, the postmaster. On the spot where Joseph Graham first located, near Clayton, had been a hunter's cabin, previously occupied by a man by the name of Stevenson, or "Stin- son," from which a spur of Keeney's Knob overlooking the Graham farm is to this day called "Stinson's Knob." After the termination of the French and Indian War the French maintained no further claims or supremacy over any of the terri tory of West Virginia. It may be possible that some of the Indian depredations made on the English settlers after that time were instigated by unauthorized French adventurers without authority from the government, as the English and' French were at war almost continually during the settlement period of this dominion. It was no doubt within the French dominion proper at one time, but was claimed by the English as a part of the discoveries of John and Sebastian Cabot, who sailed along a part of the Atlantic Coast in 1498, after the discoveries of Columbus, the Spanish admiral and discoverer. The Six Nations, the most powerful Indian confederacy ever on the American continent, held dominion of the territory of West Virginia at one time, but its entire authority, whatever it was, was relinquished to King George of Great Britain by the treaty signed on the 24th of August, 1768. Abram Keller, a descendant of Konrad Keller, possibly his son, removed to Ironton, Ohio, and formed a Keller settlement, and one of his descendants, R. A. Keller, the courteous cashier of the Citizens' National Bank of Pineville, is his descendant, and Konrad Keller, of the Lowell settlement, his ancestor. Ben D. Keller, the efficient stenographer, who has given great aid in this work, is his HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 53 son. R. A. Keller married a direct descendant of Peter Wright, the hunter and pioneer, who first explored and hunted over Peters Mountain, and after whom it is named. The farm known as Barker's Bottom on New River, now owned by Mrs. John Webb and Mrs. Rosa Bradbury, daughters of the late M. C. Barker, was originally granted by the Commonwealth of Virginia to Thomas Gatliff ; was conveyed by his heirs to Anderson Pack, and by Pack to M. C. Barker. It is one of the richest and most desirable tracts of land in Summers County. In 1891, during a freshet in New River, it overflowed its banks, washing off the top of the soil a depth of over eighteen inches, covering a consid- rable strip of this land, uncovering and exposing a prehistoric grave yard entirely unknown to any person then living prior to this freshet. This graveyard covers at least forty acres of that bottom, and was evidently the burying-place of some prehistoric race of people. Whole skeletons of human bodies were uncovered, human teeth were found well preserved, skulls, bones, and skeletons of entire human bodies. In nearly all of the graves were found a knife-shaped bone, which had evidently been dressed and used as a weapon and buried with the owner. A peculiar pot made from clay was discovered, and in one place as many as two hundred human teeth found in a pile, apparently the teeth of children: A stone turtle was found on this ground several years previous by Jonathan Lee Barker, and at the request of John West, who resided in Alexandria, Virginia, and the owner of a large tract of land in the Pipestem District, the possession of this stone relic was transferred to him and he delivered the same to the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, D. C, where it may be seen at this day by persons visiting that interesting institution, but Mr. West gives credit to himself and to Virginia as the con-. tributors, and not to Summers County and Mr. Barker. I am under obligations to Mr. William Remly Mann for infor mation regarding this prehistoric graveyard, Mr. J. L. Barker and others. Mr. Mann now resides in this neighborhood. He is a son of Jacob Mann, who removed from Monroe County many years ago, and settled in the Ellisons' neighorhood in Jumping Branch District. His father, now deceased, was a member of the first Grand Jury sitting in Summers County, at the old log church on New River. The old graveyard referred to has been plowed over and cultivated for hundreds of years no doubt. The skeletons were buried in a cramped and upright position. No metals of any kind were discovered. The bodies were placed in the ground three or 54 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. four feet apart and in an irregular formation. All kinds of animal bodies were also found, in these graves, as well as mussel and other shells. Neely Cook, one hundred years ago, built a cabin on this bot tom, which was immediately on the grounds of these graves, but they were unknown and undiscovered by him until revealed as herein stated. The same freshet washed out the Harvey Bottoms further up the river, and also Crump's Bottoms, where the same evidences of ancient burying-grounds were exposed in each in stance, and the bones of animals and many skeletons of human beings, no doubt of a prehistoric race, whose fate and whose history is lost forever. The Harvey place is some ten miles above the Gatliff or Barkers, and the Crumps about half way between. Many relics, skulls, stones, pottery,, etc., are preserved, too numerous to undertake to describe further. When the county was first formed everything was primitive as late as 1871. It was the ragged end of four old counties. Every farmer raised all of his own grain, and bought what he was short from his more thrifty neighbor ; raised and preserved all his own meat; raised sheep, from the wool of which he manufactured his clothing, weaving the cloth for wearing apparel, the cloth being jeans and flannel, and tow from flax; raised, "skutched" and spun on the old-fashioned spinning-wheel, and woven into cloth on the looms, all well-regulated farms having all the necessary apparatus for this character of manufacture. The leather for the shoes, boots and harness was made from the beeves killed for meat on the farm. All clothing, after the cloth had been woven by the women of the household, was by them cut, patterned and made into clothes for both the male and female members of the family ; some of the cloth for the ladies' wearing apparel being secured at the store, but the stores were few and far between and the prices exorbitant. All sugar was manufactured from the sugar tree, and the country blacksmith made nearly all the farming implements, including wagons, of which there were but few;. and the reap hook and sickle were still in use, with the cradle and scythe for cutting wheat and grass. There were but two mowing machines in the country, and no harvesters ; fertilizers being unheard of in farming except what was gathered from the barn. Skiffs and boats were hardly known on the rivers, the canoe being still dexterously handled by the hardy river men. Kerosene oil lamps were not introduced until 1865, the pine knot, old "tallow dip," candle and sycamore ball rolled in grease being still in use. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 55 There was one store in the Green Sulphur District at the old log storehouse, kept by James Bledsoe, once maintained by John and Alex. Miller; one in Talcott, kept by J. W. and Wm. Jones; one in Jumping Branch, kept by Wm. T. Meador ; and one at Forest Hill, then known as the Farms. They were all the stores in the county at the date of its formation, and the goods were hauled over land from Lynchburg, Jackson's River and Cannelton, the head of navigation on the Kanawha River. There had once been a store at Elton in a log house, one kept by David M. Riffe on the Riffe's Bottom, where M. M. Warren now lives on the old Red Sulphur Turnpike. All salt was hauled from the Kanawha River, and cost $9.00 per barrel. The flint-lock rifle was still used, and the "deer- lick" was watched by night. The "log-rollings," "grubbings," "skutchings," "quiltings" and "fencings" were still in vogue, when a man's neighbors, both men arid women, would be invited, and spend the day in aiding in whatever work was desired. The "corn huskings" were usually at night, when both men and women would gather in and shuck out a neighbor's cornfield. Elections were holidays. The woods were still full of deer and all small game, and the rivers filled with fish. The people were not poor, nor were they rich, but they were happy. Crime was not general ; little use was had for locks; the principal subject for. larceny was the horse. Horse stealing was not uncommon, but the thieves were from with out the borders of the county. A wedding in the neighborhood was a notable event, and everybody w-ent to church and the funeral. The coming of the railway, the steam sawmill and allied industries have changed the face of the civilization of this territory. Thirty years ago, before the railway came and the public works, the employment was on the farm. A young man would engage to do farm work for a whole year for a horse. This work was in clearing up the wild lands, grubbing, fence building, log rolling, brush burning, etc., and in raising a crop. There were no markets except what could be sold to the country produce store for merchandise. Fifty cents a day was the usual wages for "straight time" — no allow ance for wet days or time not actually at labor, and the hours were from daylight to dark. The principal income was from the stock raised and tobacco grown. A few made money by hunting the wild game still in the mountains. Hugh Boone still made $10.00 a day. The first store on Lick Creek after the Civil War was by S. Williams & Co.. the company being John A., James W. and Wm. E. Miller. They bought their goods from Jas. H. Miller at Gauley Bridge and hauled them over Sewell Mountain, sixty miles. 56 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The advancements of industry and wealth of the county since its formation have been steady and upward. There have been no booms in realty, nor were we in the boom sections at any time during their history. Our towns, villages, lots, farms and prop erties have steadily enhanced with a regular financial growth. Being exclusively an agricultural territory, among great mountains and hills, with narrow valleys, there have been no sudden advancing prices of real property, but much more of the lands have come into the market and become salable, which were not marketable at the date of the establishment of the county. Great portions of the lands which were in forests and a wilderness, have been cleared up, and are now under cultivation. Real estate, which was scarcely worth paying the taxes on then, is now supporting thrifty inhab itants. The population has . grown from some 8,000 in 1880, the date of our first census since the formation of the county, to 16,000, as shown by the census of 1900. The increase in population in the interim of twenty years being about 8,000. The voting popu lation was then 750 votes; in 1904, 3,600 votes. We doubt if there is in the state a county in which there is a greater per cent, of the inhabitants who own their own homes and are freeholders. Many of them rough, hilly, steep and small in territory, but the owner is independent and the owner of his own castle. Nothing tends more to the honesty and general well-being of a community than the independence of its inhabitants, and noth ing tends to make those inhabitants independent, free, honest and upright than their ability to own their own homes, which he feels is his castle, be it ever so small or humble, or however prescribed its territorial limits may be. The price of lands being so reasonable, the poorest laborer, if he had any thrift, was able to buy and pay for a home for himself and his children. There has been of late years a tendency of many of our young men to abandon the farm, with its quiet, and seek the more exciting life and surroundings of the public works; but, as a general rule, we doubt "if the exchange from the farm to the shop has been for the betterment of the general condition of the majority of those who have sought the change. There has been a steady increase in the wealth of the population, as is shown by the com parison of the various re-assessments of the realty and the annual assessment of the personalty. The great apparent advancement for the year 1905 is accounted for from the fact that, prior to 1904, in making the assessments, the assessor, under the prior laws, fixed the values at approximately HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 57 from one-half to two-thirds of what property would bring if sold at public auction for cash under the hammer, or what property would bring if placed on the block, but in 1904, by an Act passed by an extraordinary session of the Legislature, the valuations were required to be fixed at "their true and actual value" — what the property would bring if sold, or, in the ordinary methods of trade, whether for cash or on a credit. There is much more wealth now within the borders of the county than there was at its formation. Many of the farmers have accumulated and saved up money, in addition to improving, clear ing up and enhancing the values of their farms. It is not infrequent to find a thrifty farmer with a snug bank account to his credit, in the meantime building new, comfortable and modern dwellings, outbuildings, placing plank and wire fences around his lands, re moving the rocks, clearing up and draining the soil. The price of labor, especially of skilled labor, has increased, as well as the cost of living. Skilled labor has increased largely, and many have saved snug fortunes, secured handsome and comfor table residences, as well as placing a' nice bank account to their credit. Great and material advancements along these lines have been m^r'e. The old-fashioned log house is disappearing. The man who was able to construct and own a two-story hewn log house in the early days was considered prosperous, and was gen erally considered getting along better than his neighbor who still adhered to the round log house, but few of the "best-to-do," or aristocrats, if I may apply that term to any of the former inhabit ants, had better than a double story hewed log house, covered with shingles and ceiled on the inside, but usually daubed with mortar and chinks by filling the cracks between the logs with split sticks or chinking, and then filling the remainder of the space and cover ing the chinks with mortar. . Every enterprising or well-to-do farmer had a mortar hole on his farm, and every fall, before the coming on of winter, "daubed" his house by filling up the cracks, or holes where the chinking had come loose, or the daubing had fallen out during the previous season. At the date of the formation of Summers County there were but two brick houses and no frame houses in Green Sulphur Dis trict — that of Capt. A. A. Miller on Lick Creek, built in 1868 by Capt. Silas F. Taylor, and that of Sheriff H. Gwinn, built also by Mr. Taylor, at Green Sulphur Springs, for his father, Ephraim J. Gwinn. In Jumping Branch District there was only one brick house and no frame houses. That one brick house is now owed by 58 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Mr. W. D. R. Deeds, near Jumping Branch. In Pipestem District there was but one brick house, that of Wm. B. Crump, on Crump's Bottom, and a two-story, unpainted frame house on the land of Anderson Shumate on the old Mercer Salt Works property. In Forest Hill District there was but one brick house, that of Mr. Isaac Young, on New River, which later fell down and has been destroyed. Not a single frame house was in that district (in Greenbrier District there was not a single brick house nor any frame dwellings; Talcott was then a part of Greenbrier), not even where the city of Hinton now stands, the only buildings in the territory of the two cities being two two-story hewed log houses. There were then no frame or plank stables, barns or fences, all being log, and the fences all old split rail worm fence, many of the rails being of popular and walnut timber. There was in the early days quite a profitable industry from which the farmers and merchants derived a considerable income — that of raising and transporting tobacco, which was cultivated quite extensively and successfully in Forest Hill and Pipestem and a part of Talcott Districts, there being one good tobacco factory in the county, at Forest Hill, owned by the late James Mann, an enter prising citizen, farmer and cattle-raiser of Monroe and Greenbrier Counties. The tobacco was raised and cured in log barns- built for that purpose, and then transported to market by wagons, usu ally to Danville, Lynchburg and Richmond, in Virginia. In Pipe- stem District the soil was peculiarly adapted to raising a very fine quality of merchantable tobaccos, used largely for wrapper, which brought fancy prices, but this industry has since been abandoned, and many of the tobacco barns now permitted to become unpic- turesque ruins. It was a somewhat uncertain crop, and frequently, after the farmer had his crop almost ready for the market, he- would lose it by fire in concluding its cure. There is now no tobacco raised in the county for market. Maj. Anderson McNeer, of Monroe County, in 1878, established, in connection with his son, A. A. McNeer, now a resident of Green ville, in that county, a factory for the manufacture of plug tobacco in the town of Hinton, which he followed with some success for a few years, but finally, on account of the failure of the farmers to produce a sufficient crop to justify it, he abandoned the enterprise and sold the outfit. Geo. W. Chattin, at Talcott, also had a tobacco factory at Rollinsburg on his farm on Greenbrier River, now in ruins. FIRST JAIL OF SUMMERS COUNTY, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 59 It is true the poverty of the early days of this country which the pioneers felt was, as said by the late Hon. James G. Blaine, "Indeed no poverty ; it was but the beginning of wealth, and it has the boundless possibilities of the future always open before it." In those days the "house-raising," "corn-husking," "log-roll ing," and the "fence-buiidings," "flax scutchings" and "quiltings" were matters of common interest in the neighborhood, as well as helpfulness, and those who have grown up in this independent agri cultural region can have no other quality than that of broadness, generousness and independence. This honorable independence marks the history of the inhabitants of this good county, and may it ever continue, for it marks the rank of millions of the best blood and brain of the present citizenship and future government of the repub lic. The boy who was born heir to land and the man who acquires it and who holds title to that of freeholder has the patent to and passport of independerice, as well as self-respect. The people of Summers County should be proud of their log cabins and of their aristocratic log mansions. They are passing away, and, possibly before another generation has passed, will be as much of a curiosity among our hills as the old Revolutionary flint-lock musket is at the present day, and our independent pro genitors will be as proud as Daniel Webster when he proclaimed before a great multitude his testimony, that "It did not happen for me to be born in a log cabin, but my elder brothers and sisters were born in a log cabin, raised among the snowdrifts of New Hampshire in a period so early that, when the smoke rose first from its rude chimney and curled over the frozen hills, there was no similar evidence of a white man's habitation between it and the settlements on the rivers of Canada. Its remains still exist. I make it an annual visit. I carry my children to it to teach them the hardships endured by the generations which have gone before them. I love to dwell on the tender recollections, the kindred ties, the early affections and the touching narratives and incidents which mingle with all I know in this primitive family abode." BATTLE OF POINT PLEASANT. This battle occurred on the 10th of October, 1774, and was the termination of "Dunmore's War." At that time Fincastle County included all the present state of Kentucky and a large part of West Virginia, a«d especially the section of the state of which Summers is a part. The Indians were in command of one of the greatest of 60 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. their race — Cornstalk-— who was not unfriendly to the whites, and who was afterwards murdered in cold blood by mutinous troops, and in whose honor a monument stands in the court house yard at Point Pleasant, Mason County ; and Logan, the famous Mingo chief, was also in this battle. Logan's mother was a Cayuga In dian ; his father was a French child captured and adopted into the Oneida tribe. For many years he lived at Shamokin, Pa., and was known as John Shikellimo. His appellation of Logan was in honor of James Logan, the secretary of the province. His Indian name was Tachenechdonis (Branching Oak of the Forest). During the French and Indian War he maintained strict neutrality, seeking refuge in Philadelphia. Tradition tells of his kindness and friend ship to the whites, good will and generosity, except when under the influence of liquor. In 1772 he removed to Yellow Creek, where, on April 30, 1774, occurred an incident' which led to "Dun- more's War" and the Battle of Point Pleasant. Having glutted his vengeance by five prolonged raids during the summer and autumn, he returned during Lord Dunmore's negotiations with the Indians. Failing to appear, Dunmore sent his interpreter, Gibson, to bring him to the conference. Logan refused to go, and upon that occa sion delivered the famous speech, generally quoted as an example of Indian eloquence, to which Jefferson paid the high tribute in his "Notes on Virginia." There has long been a great controversy concerning the genuineness of this speech and its attribution to the murder of Logan's people by Cressap and Greathouse. It is established beyond a reasonable doubt that this speech was delivered in substance as it has come down to us by Logan, but he was mistaken in attributing the murder of his family to Cresap. (See Jacob's "Life of Cresap and Meyers.") After this time he removed to Mud River in Logan County, and, later, to Detroit. He saved Simon Kenton from the stake in 1778, and the next year was leading savage Indians in Southwest Virginia. He was killed by one of his relatives in 1778 on his return to Detroit. He said he had two souls — one bad and one good. When the good soul ruled, he was kind and humane ; when the bad ruled, he was perfectly savage, and delighted in nothing but blood and carnage. He was half white French and half Indian. The Mingoes refused the Dunmore Treaty. Logan County is named for this chief and Mingo for his tribe. Logan's family had been killed in his absence without provocation. There is no doubt in my mind of the genuineness of this speech. The Virginia forces were commanded by General Charles Lewis, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 61 whose descendants from that day to this have been prominent peo ple in affairs of the state, including Hon. Virgil A. Lewis, of Point Pleasant, the author of a history of West Virginia; C. C. Lewis, of Charleston; Major B. S. Thompson, of Huntington. General Lewis was killed in an open fight, while leading his men at Point Pleasant, in 1774, October 10th. This battle was two years before the Declaration of Indepen dence, and was an American victory, being fought by American pioneers, and not aided by British. While it was in no way related to the Revolution, the experience and training obtained was of great advantage. The men who fought in the Point Pleasant cam paign fought in the Revolutionary War.. Col. Andrew Lewis, who was also at this battle, drove Lord Dunmore from Virginia soil when the Revolution began. Ten of the captains in the Battle of Point Pleasant were officers in the American Army of the Revolution. In this enterprise was also General Daniel Morgan, the hero of Quebec, and the Cowpens, 1781. In this battle and in Dunmore's War were gathered the men who carried American institutions west of the Appalachian Moun tains. They met at this battle and conquered about an equal num ber of the most redoubtable of all savage foes, and infused new vigor into the twp chief forces of future history — American expan sion and nationalism. The army which fought the battle congregated at Lewisburg, then Fort Union. The crushing of New France, of which this ter ritory west of the Alleghenies was claimed to be a part, had not resulted in rest or safety to the pioneers who were restlessly push ing westward. The aboriginal hunting grounds were, after this battle, and especially after the Revolution, converted first into their own game walks and then into farms. These frontiers were the line of contact of two irreconcilable races; real and lasting peace could not come until one had forever vanquished the other. The Indian titles or claims to titles between the Alleghenies dis appeared with the Indian treaties of about the date of Stanwix and Lochabar of 1770, which fixed their boundaries at the Ken tucky River. This battle was fought and terminated Dunmore's War,- which preceded the Revolution by two years. Logan charged Captain Cresap with the murder of his kin at Yellow Creek. Daniel Great- house had killed some Indians at the mouth of Yellow Creek, near Baker's house, after plying them with whiskey. They were nearly all murdered. The Indians that Cresap had killed were above 62 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Wheeling Creek near Wheeling, or at Captina. Cresap was respon sible foi the Yellow Creek killing, but not for the Yellow Creek massacre. The Indians were terribly exasperated by these kill ings by Cresap, Greathouse, and other frontier murders, and it seemed that they were determined on a general border war. The facts were all communicated to the Governor of Virginia, who sent Andrew Lewis, then a member of the House of Burgesses from Botetourt County, to consult about a plan of campaign. It was decided that an army of two divisions should be organized : one to be commanded by Lewis, the other, by Lord Dunmore in person. General Andrew Lewis and his brother, Colonel Charles Lewis, then also a member of the House of Burgesses from Augusta County, started at once to the Valley of Virginia to get together their armies from the counties of Augusta, Botetourt and Fincastle, this territory being then included in Fincastle County, and the forces of Dunmore were to'be raised in Frederick and Dunmore Counties, now Shenandoah, and adjacent territory. The governor despatched Daniel Boone and Mile Stoner to Kentucky to notify all the people in that section. Captain John Stuart, from the Greenbrier, des patched two runners, Philip Hammond and John Pryor. Lewis' army congregated at Lewisburg, then Fort Union, and was to march from thence , to the Kanawha, while Dunmore went over Braddock's Trail by way of Fort Pitt down the Ohio River, and was to form a junction with Lewis at the mouth of the Kanawha, which junction was never formed, and Dunmore and his army did not participate in that fight. The army of Lewis was made up as follows : First, a regiment of Augusta troops under Colonel Charles Lewis, the captains being Geo. Mathias, Alexander McClanahan, John Dickinson, John Lewis, Benjamin Harrison, William Paul, Joseph Haynes and Samuel Wilson. Not a man in that company was under six feet in height. Second, the Botetourt regiment was under Colonel William Fleming. The captains were Mathew Ar- buckle, John Murray, John Lewis, James Robertson, Robert Mc Clanahan, James Ward and John Stuart. Third, an independent company of seventy men under Colonel John Field, raised in Cul pepper County. Fourth, the force under Colonel William Christian consisted of three independent companies under Captains Evan Shelby, William Russell and Herbert from the Holstine, Clinch and New River settlements, then Fincastle County. A company of scouts, under Captain John Draper, of Draper's Valley, and an independent company of Captain Thomas Buford, of Bedford County. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 63 The aggregate strength of Lewis' army was 1,100. The strength of Dunmore's division was 1,500. General Lewis left Lewisburg on the 11th of September with Captain Mathew Arbuckle, a great frontiersman, as pilot, and marched through the boundless wilder ness, making such roads as was necessary for their pack horses, ammunition and provisions and their beef cattle. Their route was by Muddy Creek, Keeney's Knob, Rich Creek, Gauley Bridge, Twenty Mile, Bell. Creek and Kelley's Creek to the Kanawha, and down the Kanawha to its mouth, following the Indian trail at the base of the hills instead of along the river bank. They reached Point Pleasant on the 30th of September, after a march of nineteen days. At the mouth of Elk River the army stopped long enough to build some canoes by which to transport their packs, and took the remainder of the way from there by river. Four men who had made a daylight hunting excursion up the Ohio River bank from the Point on the morning of the 10th were attacked by the Indians, one of whom, Hickman, was killed. They were members of Captain Russell's and Shelby's companies, and Captain Buford was present and wounded during the day. The army was not abundantly fed; it was gotten together in great haste, and was not well clad. They had no spirits, no rations, and neither tea nor coffee, but they were in good health and spirits, though tired and worn by the hard march through the wilderness. Lewis waited several days for Dunmore to join him, but that gentleman seemed to be indisposed to render aid to the American soldiers under Lewis, and had camped on the other side of the Ohio in front of the Indian towns there. The messengers and scouts of Dunmore were McCullock, Kenton and Girty. Lewis received no communication from Dunmore, and fought this battle without any aid from him whatever. It has been suspected that Dunmore, whose sympathy was with the English, being a titled nobleman, was not anxious to see the success of Lewis' troops. There were eight hundred Indian braves in the army which attacked Lewis. They were in command of Cornstalk, Red Hawk, Blue Jacket and Elinipsico, and, some claim, by Logan, also. It was a desperately contested fight. No official report of this battle was probably ever given. The fight continued all day. Many of the officers were killed, including Colonel Charles Lewis, John Field, John Murray, R. McClanahan, Samuel Wilson, James Ward ; Lieutenant Hugh Allen, Ensigns Cantiff, Bracken, and forty-four privates. Total Americans killed, fifty-three. There were eighty- three of the Americans wounded, including Col. William Fleming, 64 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Captain John Dickinson, Thos. Buford, Skidman; Lieutenants Goldman, Robertson; Lard and Vance, and seventy-nine privates. Total wounded and killed, 140 Americans. The Indians -fought with great bravery, and their loss was never fully' known. The battle terminated at night. I do not undertake to go into the details of this very important battle. Those desiring a full detail of this fight would do well to consult Professor Virgil Lewis' His tory of West Virginia, Dr. Hale's Trans-Allegheny Pioneers, Judge Johnston's Middle New River Settlements and Dunmore's War, published by the Wisconsin Historical Society; also Colonel Pey ton's valuable History of Augusta County. Colonel Stuart, who was a captain in this fight, wrote a detailed account of the same ten years afterwards. There are many different accounts of this battle. Probably the most authentic is that of Captain Arbuckle, who was left in command after the army broke camp. All writers claim the loss of the Indians was more than that of the whites, but this is doubtful. The Indians who were not buried were left on the field to pollute the air until the birds and animals disposed of them. Not one of the Indian leaders was killed, although they fought with great bravery. This fight terminated the Dunmore War and gave the settlers in all this region greater security from the Indian savages. THE NAMES OF SOME WHO HAVE DESCENDANTS IN THIS SECTION. Jacob Pence was an ensign in Captain Paul's Company of Augusta Volunteers in the Battle of Point Pleasant. Members: Israel Meador, John Grigsby, John Goodall, James Alexander, James Miller, Geo. Harmon, Henry Cook. Thomas Maxwell was a scout in 1774 for ten days with Point Pleasant; John Kincaide, seven days scout; William Ferrell was at Glade Hollow Fort. Michael Wood, in making his report to Colonel Preston in 1774, after giving a list of those within the bounds of Lick Creek for muster, says: "Also there is a few men that lives in a String on the other side of the River that ever will be unconvenient to any other place to Muster at for they would not have above 7 or 8 Miles to a Muster here ; and if they must go Elsewhere they Most of them Must Go 15 or 20 Miles to Muster and the names of these is Charles Cava- nough, Philimon Cavanough, James Odear, Wm. Cavanough, Senr., HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 65 Samuel Pack, George Pack, Charles Hays, Thos. Farlor, Francis Farlor, John Farlor, Mitchle Clay, and some others that I do not know their names. "Also I must acquaint you that the most of these men is bad off for arms and ammunition and I believe Cannot get them." Dunmore's War, page 397. From report of Michael Wood, 29th February, 1774. The muster rolls of 1774 show names familiar to-day, and who have descendants in this region, and none others are attempted to be chronicled herein. Daniel Smith's Company, Fincastle County: John Kinkeid (Kincaide), David Ward, Jas. Scott, Anchelaus Scott, David Kin- caide, Benj. Jones, Wm. Neal. Michael Wood's Company: Squire Gatliff, Geo. Sabe, Robert Willey, Thomas Willey, Thos. Farley, Francis Farley, John Farley, Mitchel Clay. Bank's Company, May 30, 1774: Wellington Adams, Parker Adams, John McCartney, Robt. Doceks. June 2, 1774 — Wm. Ward, John Maxwell. September 10, 1774 — Capt. Lewis, John Swope, James Ellison, James Charlton, Isaac Wichels, Robt. Bowles, Adam Caperton, Hugh Caperton, Mathias Kessinger, Wm. Mann. Buford's Company, Volunteers, Bedford County: James Boyd, John Cook. Stuart's Company: James Pauly, James Kincaide. Pauley's Company: Dudley Calloway, Robt. Ferrell, Charles Ellison. Shelley's Company: Wm. Brice, wounded. CHAPTER V. TOPOGRAPHY, GEOGRAPHY, ETC. The county lines as laid down by the original act of the Legis lature, and set out in a former chapter. There being some question as to the line between Monroe and Summers, in 1887 the county court, in an irregular manner, undertook to dispose of -the same, and appointed a commission, composed of William Haynes on the part of Summers County, and Monroe County appointed John Hinchman its commissioner, who selected James Mann, of Green brier, as an umpire. While these proceedings were irregular, the lines as laid out by these commissioners have been adjudicated, and are now recognized at this day as the legal lines between those two counties. The result of these proceedings was to establish the lines as now existing. The action of this commission only applied to Monroe County. In the year 1894 there was complaint in regard to the uncertainty of the county line between Greenbrier and Summers, and John E. Harvey, then county surveyor of Summers County, was directed by an order of the county court, to run the line between Greenbrier and Summers, which he did, and from which it was ascertained that the lines laid down by the act of the Legislature were not those which were recognized between the two counties ; Summers not exercising full jurisdiction over all the territory included in the formative act. The county court thereupon took steps to have the lines between this county and between Monroe and Summers settled in the manner provided by statute, and entered an order directing the prosecuting attorney, who was the writer at that time, to take legal action under the law to have the dispute then exist ing in regard to the location of said lines settled between those counties, as well as to have a correct line established. No survey of the line having been made since the formation of the county, it is doubtful if the line now established as the Summers County line between it and Greenbrier had ever been run; but it was adopted by protraction by Mr. Hinton, John Cole and Judge Fur- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. , 67 geson, during the session of the Legislature when the Act was passed creating Summers County. The lines as laid down in the old Legislature included the town of Alderson, in Monroe County, a thriving town of some 1,200 people, and the town of North Aider- son, Greebrier County, a village of some 500 people; and had Sum mers County succeeded in holding to the territorial limits of the Act of the Legislature creating the county, it would now include and have jurisdiction over the people of those two towns, as well as a considerable territory extending over into the Meadows and near the Muddy Creek settlement. The claim set up by Summers County stirred up the people of the counties of Greenbrier and Monroe, especially those parts in the disputed territory and in the immediate region thereof, to a high degree. Some of the people, however, within the disputed territory, and a very considerable proportion, desiring to have their allegiance transferred to Summers, by reason of its fair and ju dicious, as well as its economical conduct of municipal affairs, and the convenience of getting to the Court House by rail. Others opposed the transfer very vigorously, one ground of opposition being a matter of pride in their old counties, in which they had been born and reared, and that the municipal affairs of those counties were honestly and judiciously administered, all of which were matters of just pride. Those outside of the disputed lines, of course, objected, as it would decrease the taxable values and in crease the burdens of taxation as to the remaining taxpayers. Jas. H. Miller, then prosecuting attorney, on the 20th day of February, 1894, filed a petition and instituted proceedings in the County Court of Monroe County, for the settlement of the dispute and for the appointment of commissioners, and in 1894 proceeded likewise in the Circuit Court of Greenbrier County. Hon. A. N. Campbell was then Judge of this Circuit and of those counties, as well as Summers. Messrs. M. Gwinn, J. B. Lavender and M. A. Manning were appointed for Summers to settle the line between Summers and Greenbrier ; and M. Gwinn, J. B. Lavender and S. K. Boude (who died, and M. A. Manning was substituted), as com missioners to adjust the disputes between Summers and Monroe. On the part of Monroe, Cornelius Leach and Surveyor McPherson were appointed as commissioners, and on the part of Greenbrier, Wm. M. Tyree and Samuel Gilmer and Austin Burr were ap pointed. When it came to the matter of a hearing, Judge Campbell de clined to sit in the cases, as he was interested as a taxpayer of Mon- 68 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. roe County, and at his request Hon. A. F. Guthrie, then Judge of the Kanawha Circuit, was secured to act in his place. The hearing in both cases came on by agreement to be heard at Lewis burg, at which time the petition as to Monroe County was dis missed by the court, and also as to Greenbrier County; but an ap peal was taken to the Supreme Court of Appeals, which was de cided favorable to Greenbrier and Monroe as to holding that the appeal was improperly taken as on points reversing the Circuit Court, or rather deciding the case on matters not raised before the Circuit Court, or in any of the proceedings, and that commis sioners should be appointed, the Circuit Court having refused to appoint commissioners to operate with the commissioners selected from Summers. • Hon. A. B. Fleming, ex-Governor of the State, was agreed upon as umpire, and he agreed to serve ; but after waiting for several months, his business engagements being such that he had been unable to act, an agreement was finally reached between the va rious commissioners and attorneys, by which the Hon. George E. Price, an excellent and accomplished attorney of -Charleston, West Virginia, was agreed upon. And the commissioners finally meet ing at Alderson, the trial of the matters and disputes came on to be heard at Alderson in April, 1897. The hearing took several days, a number of witnesses being summoned on each side. The attorneys representing Summers County in these cases were the writer and Mr. T. N. Read, Assistant Prosecuting At torney. The attorneys representing Monroe County were John Osborne and Gilmer Patton, Prosecuting Attorney of that county; for Greenbrier County, Henry Gilmer, who was Prosecuting At torney at the time of the institution of the proceedings, and had associated with him Hon. L. J. Williams, of Lewisburg. Mr. Gil mer having retired from office before the final trial, and being suc ceeded by Hon. J. A. Preston, of Lewisburg, he and Mr. Williams represented the interests of Greenbrier County. The Prosecuting Attorney of Summers County had, prior to his death, received from P. B. Stanard, a young lawyer of Hinton, who had volun teered his services, some assistance. Mr. Read never had thor ough confidence in the success of the undertaking, by reason of the long lapse of time; the writer had great confidence therein, and believed that Summers County was entitled to the territorial lim its according to the solemn Act of the Legislature establishing the county. After several days occupied in this trial a decision was reached, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 69 each of the attorneys having argued the case at length. Each of the commissioners of Summers County voted in favor of its con tention, and each of the commissioners of Greenbrier County vot ing in favor of its retaining possession of the disputed territory. The umpire decided in favor of Greenbrier County, and held that Greenbrier County should retain possession of the disputed ter ritory, and that the line which had been recognized since the for mation of the county, although entirely different from the one laid down in the Act of the Legislature, should be and remain as the county line between those counties. No further action was taken in the Monroe County case, as the decision in the Greenbrier County case practically settled both disputes, and there was no appeal from the decision of the commissioners. This decision may be law, but it is inequitable and unjust. The commissioners voted for their respective counties, and the umpire decided it. So that Summers County to-day is not occupying all of the territory granted to it from Monroe and Greenbrier Coun ties in the Act which created it. However, in running the recog nized line, Summers ganed a narrow strip of additional territory between the point at "Wallowhole Mountain" and Greenbrier River, and a few residences were cut off to Summers which had theretofo. e been recognized as located in Greenbrier County. So that Summers, by the loss of this territory, has not now within its limits the 400 square miles required by the Constitution; but it has no remedy, as it slept on its rights by permitting the lapse of a long period of time between the date of its formation and the date of calling the matter in question. Summers County was de feated upon the grounds, as announced by Mr. Price, the final ar bitrator, that the old line having been acquiesced in for a great many years, Summers County could not, after this lapse of more than twenty years after its formation to the date of the institu tion of the proceedings, come in and take a disputed territory. It having recognized the present lines during all those years, could not come in and disturb the existing conditions, although the stat ute of limitations was not applicable to the case. There was no appeal from this decision, and the matter thus ended. The long lapse of time was the one question of which the at torneys for Summers were fearful, and this only defeated us. It was only by accident that it was discovered that we did not have jurisdiction over our full territory, and this grew out of the un certainty as to where the people in the adjacent recognized lines should send their children to school; and it was for that reason 70 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. that Mr. Harvey, the Surveyor, was authorized by the County Court to survey the line between Greenbrier and Summers; and in order to locate that line properly, it was necessary for him to run from New River, on the Fayette County line, to the top of the Wallowhole Mountain; thence to Greenbrier River, and thence the line between Monroe and Summers, to the Round Bottom, on New River. Having gone on a tangent, we will now proceed with the sub ject of this chapter, however, in an irregular and divergent man ner. Summers is almost exclusively an agricultural county; its sur face is mountainous and table-land. The bottom land is largely confined to the New River and Greenbrier River valleys, with some flat land on the large creeks, there being some very fertile and good, productive bottom lands on Lick Creek, in the Green Sulphur Springs neighborhood ; also, in the Wolf Creek valley, Bradshaw's Run, Indian Creek and Bluestone. The valleys are narrow, the soil underlaid with sandstone ; there being very little limestone in the county, although there is some in the hills near Hinton — "bastard" limestone — and some in the Talcott district, adjacent to the Monroe County line, and possibly a little in For est Hill. No part of the county can be designated as blue grass or limestone territory. There is a very fine quarry of sandstone at New Richmond, on the John A. Richmond homestead farm, which was developed and used by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company for a num ber of years, for which they paid $50.00 per annum royalty to Mr. Richmond. The stone was secured from this quarry through Dr. Samuel Williams and W. K. Pendleton, which was placed in the Washington Monument at Washington, D. C, and which is known as the West Virginia stone, upon which is inscribed the following patriotic inscription : "Tuum nos sumus monumentum." - The stone from this quarry was used in the construction of the extensive grain elevators at Newport News ; but the quarry has been abandoned for the last few years. Two quarries of very fine brownstone have been developed in the county, opened up, and a considerable amount of stone shipped to foreign markets for com mercial purposes. The stone is very substantial, and is of a beau tiful red brown color. The basement of the brick Methodist Church in Hinton, as well as the foundation for the Kanawha Val ley Bank at Charleston, are built of this stone, secured from the quarry at Tug Creek. One of these quarries is located on Grif- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 71 fith's Creek, in the upper end of Talcott district, about two and a half or three miles from the town of Alderson, and is owned by the Alderson Brownstone Company, a joint stock company, composed principally of capitalists residing at Richmond, Virginia. Dr. W. L. Barksdale, now of Hinton, then of Alderson, was one of the principal promoters of this enterprise, and is still one of the principal stockholders and an officer of the company, and largely through his and Judge W. G. Hudgins' enterprise the com pany was formed. The stone was transported from the quarry to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad by means of a narrow-gauge railroad, laid with steel rails, crossing Greenbrier River by boat, on which the cars were run. No business in the way of quarrying and shipping stone from this plant has been conducted for sev eral years, the work having been abandoned by reason of the ex pensive transportation facilities. J. D. Crump, Esq., of Richmond, Va., was the president of the company, and Mr. Wm. Houseby, who still resides on the premises, general manager. T. N. Read, Esq., the Hinton attorney, was at one time a clerk for this com pany on Griffith's Creek. The other quarry is located about a mile and a half below Hin ton, on the hill above Tug Creek, and is now owned by Mr. M. N. Breen. The company which operated it a few years ago was a Kentucky joint stock corporation, of which Mr. Charles McDon ald, of Covington, Ky., and Mr. Scanlon, of Indiana, and one Mr. Thornton, also of Indiana, were the chief owners and promoters. They placed in the plant very extensive and expensive machinery for quarrying and manufacturing the stone. They operated a saw, by which the rough stone was sawed into any desired sizes and shapes. The stone was used for building, ornamental sidewalk, paving and other purposes in Hinton, but not extensively; the principal part of the product being shipped, by way of the Chesa peake & Ohio Railway, to foreign markets in the large cities of the United. States. The stone was quarried in the rough near the top of the hill, and let down Tug Creek by steel tramway or incline several hundred yards long, by wire cables operated by steam en gines and drums. Mr. Charles McDonald, of Covington, Ky., the principal owner, becoming financially involved, the plant having cost about $75,000, the property was sold under legal process for debt and taxes, and the lands, consisting of about 100 acres, were purchased by Mr. Breen for the nominal sum of $50, and he is now the owner. Mr. R. R. Flanagan, of the city of Hinton, lost about $1,500 by the 72 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. collapse of this enterprise, having become an accommodation en dorser for Mr. McDonald. The county is naturally a very rough and broken country, mountainous, with high and rocky hills and deep and rough ra vines, with considerable uplands or plateaus; and while the county is rough and broken, mountainous and rocky, a very large proportion of it is in cultivation, and the inhabitants are scattered all over the mountains and hills, steep mountains and hillsides being in cultivation, which, to a Western farmer, would seem en tirely impracticable and unprofitable. The principal products of the soil are Indian corn, wheat, some rye, some buckwheat, potatoes, oats and grass. There are no developed mines in the county at this time, and no minerals of value have been discovered. There is no coal opening in the county except on the Flat Top region and on the White Oak Mountain, and in proximity to the Raleigh and Mercer County lines. There is evidence of coal in this section, and some veins have been opened, but not worked. The nearest coal mine in oper ation is at Quinimont, in Fayette County, a distance of some twenty-one miles. There is also some coal on the Hump Mountain, very high up, near the top. There have been two wells drilled in the county prospecting for gas and oil — one on Crump's Bottom, which was drilled, to a depth of about 3,000 feet, and in which gas was found in consid erable quantities. The well was drilled by Philadelphia and Penn sylvania capitalists, who owned it, and it has been plugged ever since its completion, which was some fifteen years ago. The other well was drilled on Rifle's Bottom, on the farm of the Hon. M. M. Warren, to a depth of 2,100 feet. This well was drilled by a local joint stock company, of which Mr. Warren was the president, and Jas. H. Miller was secretary and treasurer. A contract was made with a man by the name of Caverly to place the well at $1.45 a foot. Caverly went down to the depth of about 2,000 feet, and becoming dissatisfied with his contract, although he had been paid all that was due him, he surreptitiously filled the hole with scrap iron and left the country, and has never been heard of from that time. It was the intention of the projectors to drill the well 3,000 feet. Additional money was raised and a new contractor se cured, who spent some $2,000 in attempting to clear out the whole so as to proceed with the work. He never succeeded, and the hole was abandoned and the machinery sold out under a deed of trust. In drilling this well, fine sulphur water, similar to the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 73 Pence's Spring sulphur water, was discovered, and also some gas ; but, so far as the interested parties know, there were no indications of oil. This sulphur spring is intermittent, flowing between cer tain hours each day. There is what is called a "burning spring" on Madam's Creek, about two miles from Hinton, and also one on Beach Run, about one mile from Hinton. Experts claim that the indications are fa vorable for the discovery of oil and gas in this county, but none has to this time been found for utility purposes. At these two burning springs, when the water is cleaned out, the gas will burn by igniting it with a lighted match. One of the burning springs is now owned by Dr. J. F. Bigony — -that on Madam's Creek. It is located near the old J. J. Charlton Mill ; and the other is on the land of Benton and John W. Parker. The principal mountains of Summers County are Keeney's Knob, which is a spur of the Allegheny Mountains, and was named after David Keeney, who settled at its base, and its top was the countv line between Greenbrier and Monroe before the separation. The highest point on this mountain is on the county line between Summers and Greenbrier, and known as "Stinson's Knob" (the correct name being Stevenson's Knob, it being thus named after an early settler near Clayton, by the name of Stevenson). The next highest point is known as the Elk Knob, about nine miles from Hinton Court House, and is 2,500 feet above the level of the sea. Here lives Peter Wyant, a prosperous farmer. New River was a few years ago a fine fishing stream, and was celebrated for its "New River cat," of which there are none better, and the water therein was clear; but for the past ten years it has lost its prestige as a fishing stream by reason of its waters becom ing always of a muddy, murky color, caused by the washing of iron ore in its waters or tributaries in Virginia, and without the jurisdiction of this commonwealth. State legislative action has been taken to enjoin the destruction of this stream, as well as Congressional; but no efforts have been successful, so far, and its waters remain unrestored to their original purity. Large catfish are yet occasionally caught weighing thirty to forty pounds. Greenbrier River was named by John Lewis, the father of Gen eral Andrew Lewis, who, in company with his son Andrew, while exploring the country in 1751, entangled himself in a bunch of green briers on the river margin, and he then decided that he would ever after call the stream "Greenbrier River." Greenbrier River runs through the county from the Monroe and Greenbrier lines 74 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. below Alderson to Hinton, a distance of eighteen miles. The prin cipal town on this river in this county is Talcott, a village of about 300 population. Big Bluestone is the next largest stream, which flows into New River six miles south of Hinton. It is a rough mountain stream of considerable size, large enough for floating logs during fresh ets, but not more than half the size of Greenbrier. On this stream was located the famous old water mill of Mr. Levi M.' Neely, once owned by the Crumps. It is a burrh mill, with old-fashioned bolting clothes, and grinds the year around. Mr. Neely has been the miller for many years, and before he became the half-owner with ex-Sheriff W. S. Lilly, and is very popular with the people in that region. The mill has a large custom, by reason of its being able to run and grind the year around, the dry season not affecting it. We are unable to give the date of the construction of this old land mark, but it was many years before the war. At the head of this river are great coal deposits and operations in Mercer County. Bluestone runs from the Mercer County line through the county to New River, probably fifteen or twenty miles. A railroad was about thirty years ago surveyed up this river, but abandoned. There is some talk of a branch of the Deepwater coming down that stream, but no surveys have been made to its mouth. About 1876, William James, of Pennsylvania, who afterwards became a citizen of this county, constructed an extensive boom and dam at the Charles Clark place, just above the mouth of Blue- stone. After using them for a number of years they were aban doned and permitted to decay, as they moved their works down the river, and no indications now exist to show of the once enterprises being conducted there. A thriving industry at one time was car ried on at the mouth of Bluestone, in the shipment of lumber, to bacco, etc., all of which have been abandoned. Tom's Run empties into New River at the west end of Crump's Bottom, at the foot of Shockley^s Hill. Lick Creek and Island Creek are the two principal streams in the upper end of Pipestem district, on which there are located good farms. The mouth of Lick Creek has been the site of mercantile establishments for forty or fifty years, principally conddcted by Anderson Shumate, the fa ther of the Hon. B. P. Shumate, then by his son Rufus H., and later by another son, Hon. B. P. Shumate, who owns the property and conducts a business at that point. Squire J. C. Peters con ducted a store for the Shumates at that point for a number of years, and Jos. M. Meador, the present clerk of the County Court, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 75 was merchandising at that place at the time of the election of J. M. Ayres as clerk of the County Court, when he became his dep uty. He was merchandising in partnership with his uncle, B. P. Shumate. The name of the postoffice is Mercer Salt Works, named after the old salt-producing works of that name, a short distance from the river, which were destroyed and abandoned soon after "the war of the rebellion." Another postoffice was established some few years ago, some three miles from Mercer Salt Works, on the Lick Creek Hills, by the name of Tophet, which name would indicate a hot country. The Pipestem Creek empties into Blue- stone at its mouth, and extends back into -the district, the head being a short distance from Pipestem Postoffice, the residence of Hon. B. P. Shumate. The principal streams in Forest Hill district are Indian Creek and Bradshaw's Run. Indian Creek runs into Xew River oppo site Crump's Bottom, and on which are situated Indian Mills Post- office and Junta, Junta being at the mouth, and Indian Mills two miles and a half therefrom, at which are located two fine mer chant grist mills. Bradshaw's Run empties into Indian Creek at Indian Mills Postoffice. Wolf Creek empties into Greenbrier River, and forms the district lines between -Forest Hill and Greenbrier. Tom's Run also empties into the Greenbrier below the present resi dence of the county surveyor. Andrew L. Campbell, as does also "Dog Trot." In Green Sulphur district the principal streams are Lick Creek, which heads in Keeney's Mountain, at a great spring, and is about fifteen miles long, and on which are located some of the best farms in the county, and the Green Sulphur Springs, Eleber Spring, which was once a famous buffalo lick. This section was entirely settled by the Millers, Duncans, Withrows and Gwinns, more than 100 years ago. Its principal tributaries are Mill Creek, on which the Hutchinson Mill is situated, and Slater's Fork and Flag Fork, these two latter emptying into Lick Creek at the old John Miller homestead. Slater's Creek is named after a man by the name of Slater, who settled in that region more than 100 years ago, but left no descendants, nor have we any traditions regarding him. Meadow Creek empties into Xew River about a half a mile above the Fayette County line. The Fayette line is now marked by a post painted white, the county line there calling to run from New River through the Goddard house. The old Goddard house has long since been destroyed, but the remains of a stone chimney 76 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. designate its location. Laurel Creek empties into New River a mile below the falls, and has its source in Keeney's Knob. Summers County territory includes the whole of New River, and extends to the banks on the opposite or. Raleigh side. Big Creek and Powley's Creek are tributaries of the Greenbrier, and empty into it about five miles above its mouth. Little Bluestone River is a tributary of Big Bluestone, and heads in the Flat Top Mountains. It empties into Big Bluestone some four miles from its mouth, and is a small stream, about the size of Lick Creek. Laurel Creek is in Green Sulphur district, and heads near the top of Keeney's Mountain. It is a very rough, turbulent stream, nearly equal in size to Lick Creek. The Laurel Creek valley is a narrow valley, settled by farmers, the Dicks being the earliest settlers. The principal incident of historical importance was the drowning therein of a man during the war by the name of Adkins. Captain Lorenzo D. Garten's company of Home Guards, an irregular organization of State troops, made an excursion during the war into the Chestnut Mountain country, ransacked the farm of Mr. L. M. Alderson, and others who lived on the mountain be tween Lick Creek and Laurel Creek, in a low gap, carried away his horses, grain, bacon, bed clothes, overcoat, etc., as well as that of other farmers — Mr. Alderson being a rebel sympathizer. And on the return of these warriors, this man got on a horse behind 'Squire John Buckland, and undertook to ford Laurel Creek, the creek being out of its banks and unusually high from hard rains. The load being too much for the horse, he went down, and when he re appeared one of the riders had washed off and was drowned. There is situate within this county numerous sulphur springs and mineral springs. On Beech Run, near Hinton, is a fine alum spring, from which water has been taken for many miles, and is used for medicinal purposes. There is situate on the Elk Knob Mountain, on the farrn of Clark Grimmett, a fine alum spring, from which he carries water to Hinton for the market. The celebrated Green Sulphur Spring is situated on Lick Creek, at the junction of Mill Creek Fork with that stream, and is owned by Mr. Harrison Gwinn. In the first settlement of that section, more than 100 years ago, the place where that spring is located was celebrated as a lick for deer, buffalo and elk. After the prop erty came into the ownership of Ephraim J. Gwinn, the father of Harrison Gwinn, he undertook to drill for salt, believing that there was salt under the surface, which he proceeded to do with an old- fashioned process about eighty years ago, using what is known as a HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 77 windlass. The process was very slow, but after proceeding indus triously and persistently for a number of months, instead of strik ing salt, he struck a fine stream of sulphur water, sixty-five feet below the surface. About twenty feet was through the soil, after which he struck, in drilling, hard sandstone. Into this hole, which was made some three feet in diameter, he sunk a large hollow syca more tree, connecting with the hole through the rock, and the water comes through that tree to the surface, over which a stone basin has been erected. This tree has remained intact to the pres ent time, and no doubt will remain until eternity. A piece of the timber taken from the bottom of this well in 1907 shows it to be as sound and harder than when placed there eighty years ago. Kesler's Sulphur Spring is a late discovery by B. L. Kesler, who secured fine sulphur water by drilling sixty feet at Lowell,. on the old Wilson Lively place, near the C. & O. Ry. It is very strong of sulphur, and is celebrated wherever it has been intro duced, quite a quantity now being shipped in bottles, and is being drank for medicinal benefits. The place has never been exploited, and no effort made to introduce it. The most celebrated spring in the county is the sulphur spring known as Pence's Spring, formerly Buffalo Spring, which is a fine sulphur water; and a great number of guests visit the place each year for pleasure, recreation and recuperative purposes. This spring was known from the first settlement of that region, more than 100 years ago, and was then the resort for wild animals — b'uffalos, elk and deer — no attempt being made to advertise it until it came into the possession of Mr. A. P. Pence, who built, a few years ago, a commodious hotel, which is crowded every summer to its utmost capacity. This spring is owned by Mr. A. P. Pence. The tract of land on which it is situate contains 283 acres. Another hotel was erected in 1904, in the immediate neighborhood, by Messrs. Car ney & Blair, two Charleston gentlemen, who drilled wells, which interfered with the flow of the water into the spring of Mr. Pence. Legal proceedings were resorted to, an injunction secured, which was recently determined by the Supreme Court of West Virginia, that the waters of that spring are waters percolating through the soil, and that adjacent land-owners have the right to drill wells on their own land and use the water therefrom for ordi nary use and purposes, but not to interfere with the flow of the Pence Springs by extraordinary use of the water, or its use for unnecessary purposes. A second injunction was secured by Mr. Pence in 1907, and the suit is now pending. 78 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Large quantities of this water are now being shipped to foreign cities and markets, it having peculiar curative powers for certain diseases, especially of the stomach and kidneys. It is situate about a quarter of a mile from Greenbrier River, near Pence Springs Sta tion, on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, three miles from Lowell, and from the old settlement of Col. James Graham, made about the year 1770. The next most celebrated spring is that formerly known as Barger's Spring, after a former owner, Wm. H. Barger, the father of our townsman, the merchant, W. A. Barger. It is now owned by a joint stock company, incorporated as the Greenbrier Springs Company, purchased in 1903. In 1904 they constructed a 25-room, three-story frame hotel, which during the season of 1904 was well filled. A number of the stockholders, including Messrs. J. H. Jor dan, H. Ewart, Jas. H. Miller, A. E. Miller, T. N. Read, R. R. Flanagan, A. G. Flanagan, W. J. Brightwell, E. W. Taylor and W. L. Barksdale, have erected cottages on lots purchased by them, where they spend a portion of the summer. Thirty-two lots have been sold, to this time, to individuals. It is a beautiful location, immediately on Greenbrier River, near the famous Stony Creek Gorge, where Little and Big Stony Creeks empty into Greenbrier River, near the turn immediately in the rear of the Big Bend Tunnel, and at the base of the Big Bend Tunnel Mountain, and on which is situate the celebrated Turnhole. Stony Creek Gorge can not be excelled for the wildness of its natu ral scenery. There is located a very high, steep, perpendicular cliff at the point between Stony Creek and the river ; at the point of the cliff has grown a rugged, knotty pine tree. Many years ago a horse-thief, whose name has escaped the memory of the writer, had stolen a horse from some one in the region, and on being pur sued by the neighbors, came to the mouth of Stony Creek, and being in great apprehension of capture, abandoned his horse, climbed up this tree, scaled the cliff, and, reaching its top, made his escape. The pursuers recovered the horse, but were unable to overtake the thief, not being so agile as to undertake to scale the perpendicular cliff by so dangerous and precipitous a route. There is at this spring a beautiful stretch of water for boating, with two islands in midstream and a natural cave, which has been explored for some distance. This will in a few years, no doubt, be one of the celebrated pleasure resorts of this section of the country. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 79 This property was the home of the Cardens, the father of Messrs. John M., I. G. and Allen Carden having owned the prop erty many years ago, and upon which they were raised, it passing from the hands of these gentlemen into the hands of Wm. H. Bar ger, then into the hands of the present owner. There is situate on the premises an old residence building — a log house — which is more than 1Q7 years old. It is two-story, with an old-fashioned stone chimney at least eight feet wide, with a fireplace in the up per story, and a wooden log arch of hickory wood. There is another sulphur spring within two miles of the Green brier Springs, known as the Lindeman Spring, formerly owned by Dr. Eber W. Maddy, an old-fashioned dentist. The property is unimproved. There is also a sulphur spring in the upper end of the county, in Pipestem district, near the mouth of Island Creek, on the old Reed plantation. The Richmond Falls, situate sixteen miles west of Hinton, on New River, is one of the famous natural scenes of this country. The perpendicular fall of New River over these rocks is fifteen feet, and is immediately on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. The Raleigh side, with sixty acres of ground, was purchased by a gen tleman residing in Philadelphia in 1872, for which he paid Mrs. Richmond, the widow of Samuel Richmond, deceased, and her two sons, Allen and "Tuck," the sum of $15,000 in gold. At that time there was located on the property an old water mill, the house of which was built of hewn logs, and the log farm house. All the property has gone into disuse, and the gentleman who owns it has made no improvements thereon since his purchase, nor has he been disposed to part with the property, being a man of much wealth. The opposite shore or part of the falls is now owned by the same company which is operating the electric manufacturing plant at the Kanawha Falls, utilizing the water power therefrom, headed by Mr. J. Motley Morehead, a capitalist from North Carolina. These gentlemen purchased this property some three or four years ago, with the view of establishing a manufacturing plant ; but being unable to secure satisfactory transportation facilities, and not being able to acquire the opposite shore, they abandoned the project and went to Kanawha Falls. In constructing the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, materials were brought down Greenbrier River from the nearest accessible point on the river, from White Sulphur Springs, in batteaux, a channel 80 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. having been made down the Greenbrier River. These batteaux also plied down New River, the materials having to be unloaded from the boats above the falls, and re-loaded below. Before the construction of this great railroad, all merchandise was hauled by wagons and teams from the head of navigation oh the Kanawha River, or from the Eastern markets from Buchannon, after the completion of the James River and Kanawha Canal, or from Staun ton, Virginia. The writer can remember when the goods brought into Lick Creek or Green Sulphur Springs were hauled first from Kanawha Falls, a distance of seventy-five miles ; and later when the railroad was completed to White Sulphur, they were hauled by wagons from that point, a distance of thirty-five miles. A small box of matches of about 100, in those days, which was about 1870, would cost ten cents; now you can get double the number of matches for a penny. A barrel of salt cost $9.00; now, $2.50 is a good price. Nearly all of the wearing apparel was manu factured on the farms. The old-fashioned looms for weaving cloth, and spinning wheels for spinning the thread were still in use ; the flax being skutched with skutching knives made from wood, some what in the shape of a two-edged sword, with a board driven into the ground and the wool carded by wooden pads, with wires fas tened into them. All meal and flour was ground by water grist mills, usually one- story log houses, with large overshot or undershot wheels, run al together by water conveyed by a mill-race from a log dam con structed across some stream. For many years after the settlement of this region there were no sawmills. All lumber and building material was sawed with a "whipsaw" or hewed with the broad axe. Later, water sawmills were built with the upright saw, and not until about 1874 or 1875 was there such a thing known in all the region as a steam saw or steam grist mill. There were in the early days but two mills in the Green Sulphur District; one, the old A. J. Smith mill, which later was known as Hutchinson's Mill, which ground corn and wheat and had a bolting cloth — a two-story house on Mill Fork of Lick Creek. The other was that of Samuel H. Withrow, a one-story log house, and ground only corn when the creek was not low in water, and the people for miles around came to these mills. The carding machines and water mills are things of the past. There is on Hunghart's Creek a perpendicular fall of thirty feet ; near its head, not far from what is known as Spice Spring, a fine HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 81 spring of chalybeate water, which is visited by many people anxious to see natural curiosities. There was a fort on Wolf Creek, known as Jarrett Fort, in which John Alderson, the pioneer Baptist preacher of this state, sheltered himself from the Indians when he first visited this country. At the falls of Griffith's Creek, which are fourteen feet perpen dicular, there is a petrified root, which is a curiosity in that neigh borhood. The shale has worn out by the fall of the water, expos ing this apparently at one time the root of a tree. There are at different parts of it many pieces of glistening stone which have the appearance of eyes. John H. Ballangee, a few years ago, found a large vessel on Keeney's Knob made of some kind of earth and hardened, which was evidently used by some ancient race. It is something like a basin eight or ten inches in diameter, now in the hands of Luther S. Graham, of Hinton. Postage in the early days, and within the recollection of men now living, was twenty-five cents for a single letter, and all postage was paid at the receiving office by the person receiving the letter. The nearest post office from Green Sulphur and Lick Creek was Lewisburg, a distance of twenty-five miles; afterwards, and until about the time of the war, the nearest post office for that region was Blue Sulphur Springs, some fifteen miles. The nearest post office to the Clayton neighborhood, where the Grahams settled, was Union, a distance of about twenty-five miles. Afterwards the post office at Palestine, on Muddy Creek, was established, some six or seven miles away, which remained the post office until the establishment of Alderson, and, finally, a post office at Clayton. David Graham, in the year 1843, made a trip on horseback to the Big Sandy country, in Kentucky, to visit his cousin. There were no roads, and only bridle paths to follow. He went by the way of Beckley, through Wyoming and Logan, staying all night with William Hinchman, a son of the English settler at Lowell, who was born in 1770, and who was then the assessor for the region of country west , of the New River, his territory extending from Logan to New River. It took Mr. Graham five days to make the trip, passing down Pigeon Creek to Tug River, and visiting his aunt on that stream. Another stream of historical importance- is Joshua's Run, a small stream flowing into New River at Culbertson's Bottoms. It is mentioned in the early history of the New River settlements as 82 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. where one of the forts was erected, and which was attacked by Indian savages. Bradshaw's Run, in Forest Hill District, which empties into Indian Creek at Indian Mills, was named after the Englishman who settled in a cabin on the present site of Thomas G. Lowe's residence. He was killed by the Indians near where he lived. Cave Ridge, in Jumping Branch District, received its name from the making of salt petre in a cave in said ridge in the early days. The cave passes from one side through the ridge, and the smoke made at one end of the cave would pass out at the other end, passing entirely through the mountain. Bull Falls, the rapids at the lower end of Crump's Bottom, re ceived its name from a bull swimming over the falls without being drowned. This falls has valuable water power, and has recently been purchased by Dr. J. A. Fox, of Hinton, for water power pro ducing purposes, it being expected to utilize this power in the pro duction of electricity for the operation of an electric railway be tween Hinton and the Norfolk & Western Railway. James Gwinn was the first white child born in Monroe County, and in what is now Summers, after the massacre at the Levels. He died in sight of where his wife was born, on Lick Creek, Janu ary 17, 1804. He raised twelve children. Ephraim J. Gwinn and wife, Rachel Keller, were born at Gra ham's Ferry (at Lowell). He was born January 14, 1799. She was born August 13, 1803. They were' married April 11, 1822. He traveled overland to Wayne County, Iowa, and purchased land for his children to settle on, except two— H. and M.— who retained the Lick Creek farm, and one daughter, who married Wm. T. Meador, the first president of the County Court of Summers County elected by the people. On Kishner's Run is situated the famous Chimney Rock, some twenty feet high. On Suck Creek, in Jumping Branch District, there are two of these famous rocks known as the Chimney Rocks. THE ICE CAVE ON JUMPING BRANCH. The ice cave on Jumping Branch Creek is one of the wonders of Summers County. It is situated in a dense pine forest on Tump ing Branch, between that village and Little Blue Stone. The per sons who were familiar with it in earlier days of the county report that ice was found in abundance in mid-summer in the hot days, and the atmosphere cold. It was visited by numerous picnic par- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 83 ties, and was a place of celebrity, but in later years the pine forests were destroyed, and with it the ice cave. It did not seem to be a cave really, but was at the rapids and roughs of the branch in the dense forest where the sun never penetrated, and ice accumulated there in the winter time and remained there in the summer. Near the head of Hungart's Creek, at a place known as the "Bear Hole," flat, there are indications of great natural convulsions ages ago ; the solid rocks were severed 300 feet long and fifty feet perpendicular. The rocks stand thus ajar and apart with a space of two feet between them. The Stony Creek Gorge shows like evidence of great natural convulsions, as do a great many other places on the surface of the rough and mountainous territory of the county, occurring ages in the past, in the formation of the surface of the earth. Evidence of these convulsions is at the mouth of Laurel Creek and near the mouth of Lick Creek, showing the parting of the great cliffs, as do places at different points on New and Greenbrier Rivers and in the mountains and great hills by which the county is largely cov ered. Hungart's Creek was named for the first settler whose identity, like others of the oldest pioneers, has been lost. Among the first settlers in that region was Mathew Kincaid, Moses Hedrick and James Boon, descendants of whom are still living, scattered throughout that region. Kincaid owned the lands where Green L. Scott now lives; also the John Willy farm and the Z. A. Woodson farm at the mouth of Hungart's Creek. Moses Hedrick sold and purchased from Kincaid the Scott place, and James K. Scott from Hedrick. The Miller farm was purchased from Kincaid by Mathew Lowe, and by him sold to A. J. Miller, and through him acquired by Mr. Willy. The Woodson place, a part of which Talcott is located on, and involved in the great "Talcott-Karnes' Case," was purchased from Kincaid, and James Boon occupied the upper left hand fork of the creek (Boon). John Boon, Andy Boon and Floyd Boon, sons of James, still live around there. James M. Boon and Hugh Boon are half brothers of John and the other boys. J. M. Boon now lives at "Woodrum Town," near Wiggins. He was one of the pioneer saloonkeepers at Talcott, but quit the business a long time ago. Hugh Boon was, in his younger days, a great hunter, and in the "days of the deer" in this region, killed them in great numbers, killing four in a day. He still hunted with an old-fash ioned mountain rifle, dressed himself in a white suit, or fastened a sheet of white cloth over his body and walked through the moun- 84 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. tains, dressed in white like the snow, so that he could get in good range of the deer, and in this way killed them in great numbers, until they were all destroyed. Taylor's Ridge, which runs down to the fork of Hungart's Creek, is named after a pioneer settler thereon by the name of Taylor, of whom now there is no detailed tradition. Another old family on that mountain was Chris Dubois, of French descent, who lived at the top of the Ridge. This was probably Natliff Taylor who first settled on the Milburn Bottoms on Greenbrier River. Between the years 1769 and 1774 settlements were made by the Cooks in the "Valley of Virginia on Indian Creek, one of their num ber, John, being killed by the Indians; the Woods, on Rich Creek; the Grahams, on the Greenbrier; Keeneys, near Keeney's Knob. Wood's Fort was on Rich Creek on the farm owned by the family of John W. Karnes, four miles east of the present town of Peters- town in the county of Monroe. Snidow's Fort was in the upper .end of the Horseshoe Farm on New River in what is now Giles County. The Hatfields built Hatfield's Fort on Big Stony Creek in the now county of Giles on the farm of J. L. Snidow. Richard Bailey, the son of the settler, in 1790, made the first settlement at the mouth of Widemouth Creek, on the Bluestone, a few miles above the Clay settlement, made in 1775. These men who first settled west of the Allegheny Mountains gave up the hope of wealth and abandoned ambition. They aban doned the pomp and circumstance of other conceivable fame. There was no evidence in that day of the great business concerns, the exposure of so much meanness and unfairness among the corpora tions and captains of industry, the bitterness and woe of oppres sion, the desperation of despair wrought by untrue methods of business. It is restful and good to turn from all of that and con template the career of these people. AN EARLY VIEW OF HINTON. CHAPTER VI. FIRST SETTLERS AND PIONEERS. The men who first settled this region came from the East, be yond the Allegheny Mountains. They are among those who head the list for civilization, defiant of all the terrors, hardships and dangers that savage men and savage conditions could send against them, and never a helping hand did they ask from the federal government. Now the great barons of finance and civilization rely upon, depend upon and secure their support and protection by a constant appeal to government. Traders, trappers and hunters came and went ; individual daring, the spirit of adventure, the craving for excitement and the greed for gain forced the secrets of the wilderness, and gradually they spread among the people of the eastern and older communities a knowledge of the wonderful country west of the Alleghenies. The Horseshoe Knights of Virginia, who rode gallantly in the train of the imperial Governor Spottswood to the summit of the Alleghenies, and gazed from those heights westward upon the un explored wilderness beyond, were thought to have done a notable deed. It was boasted of as the mariner of ancient times boasted of having carried his ship beyond the Pillars of Hercules, and for which he was rewarded by knighthood by his royal sovereign. The passes over the Blue Ridge and the Alleghenies are as prosaic nowadays as are the Straits of Gibraltar, but for many years after the golden spires of the Virginia-Carolinas had grown old, a veil of mystery and the spell of danger hung over the mountain ranges which separated the seaboard colonies from these western lands. The adventurers and pioneers were usually of that hardy stock who had emigrated from foreign lands beyond the sea, seek ing personal and religious liberty. In those days it was the build ing of a republic by the lovers of liberty. Congress had not then broken through the bands of the Constitution ; the miners and sappers of that Constitution had not then begun their work ; monop olies had not then been fostered ; personal liberty had not then been 86 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. curtailed; "government by injunction" had not been invented; the Philippine Islands had not been seized; crown dependencies had not been secured, such as Porto Rico, and their subjection patterned after the laws that ruled the American colonies by Great Britain, prior to 1776; even sporadic assaults upon the principles of liberty had not then begun. The federal courts had not then commenced the incessant and silent deposits about the foundations of liberty, the bloody soil of monarchy, as now claimed by those who say they are building spires and minarets upon the Grecian temples of the Republic — that its walls have been disfigured, and that a moat has been dug about its entrances and fitted with secret passages and traps, and constructed cells below ground to complete its terrors. Our forefathers dreamed a practical, real Utopian dream of liberty and equality, when all men should have an equal chance in life, and for that the pioneers laid the foundations of an unequaled civi lization on the face of the earth. They dreamed not of the coming of the trusts, of the soulless corporations, the monopolies, of their aggressions by a fostering government, which, if permission be continued, will eventually invest all of the "reserve powers" of the government in the President. They believed that with liberty and equality the common man could live, and the able man could grow honestly rich. They treated liberty not as a formula, but as an actual thing; they treated the laws to be obeyed, and not to be evaded. The pioneers of this region were honest, God-fearing settlers, as is evidenced from all history, tradition and knowledge obtain able, teaching those who followed them to follow in their own footsteps. There is scarcely a section or a neighborhood in this county wherein there are not descendants of these pioneers, and stronger or more loyal minds do not exist on the earth. It is impossible at this date and time to procure the names, his tory or tradition of all, and possibly not nearly all of the frontiers men who first located and settled in the sections of the territory now included in this municipality. The best that can be done is to preserve to posterity the names of such as are ascertainable at this late day, more than one hundred years having intervened since the foundations were laid by civilized men in this part of the country west of the Alleghenj Mountains. On Lick Creek, in Green Sulphur District, Curtis Alderson, Samuel and Robert Withrow, John and Robert Miller, Samuel Gwinn, John Duncan and John Hicks were among the earliest. On Laurel Creek, David, Joseph and John Dick, Joseph Bragg and James Cales. The HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 87 Dicks, who settled on the immediate head of Laurel Creek, were from W'oli Creek Mountain, and were brothers of the wife of James Cales. There are descendants of each of these pioneers still re siding on these creeks, though many have gone on west as civili zation has advanced in that direction. On Griffith Creek and in Talcott District, Thomas Griffith, Joseph Graham and Stevenson were among the pioneers. On the Greenbrier River, Isaac Bal lengee, Wm. Ferrell, Conrad Keller, James Graham, Samuel Gwinn, Jessie Beard, Jeptha Massey, Wm. Hinchman, Kincaid, Meadows, Rollyson and Fluke. On Little Wolf Creek Richard Woodrum early located. His son John married a daughter of Green Meador, of Bluestone. The descendants of the first settlers on Little Wolf Creek were John Woodrum, the father of Maj. Richard Woodrum and Harrison AVoodrum, and the grandfather of C. L. and John > Woodrum. On the Wolf Creek Mountain James Cales, a Virginian, located. His wife was a Dick, and he was the father of Archibald and James Cales and the grandfather of James and Archibald Cales, two of the worthy citizens now residing in that section. The Cooks, Farleys, Hughes and Ellisons, of Pipestem ; the Lillys and Mead ows, of Jumping Branch ; Ellisons and Packs, of New River region. The earliest land grant of which we have knowledge was for a tract of land in this neighborhood, which was issued by Thomas Jefferson in 1781. The claim for this patent was laid in 1772, four years before the date of the Declaration of Independence. The first settlers of the Pipestem in New River country were the Cooks, Farleys, Packs and Bartons; in the Bluestone and Jumping Branch country, the Meadows, the Lillys, the Hughes and Ellisons are the first known to history. William Graham, an uncle of David Graham, first settled on what is now known as Riffe's Bottoms, Colonel James Graham hav ing first obtained patent for 400 acres. This fine bottom was acquired many years ago by David M. Riffe, a well-to-do farmer, one of his sons, Thomas Riffe, still owning a part of it, on which he resides. Another son of D. M. Riffe resides in Hinton — Jake A. Riffe, the founder, principal stockholder and general manager of the Hinton Department Company. He has been a merchant in Hinton for twenty-five years, and is one of the enterprising citizens of that town. M. A. Riffe, another brother, resides at Roanoke, Virginia, as does also Dr. A. L. Riffe, another brother. Another brother, Dr. J. W. Riffe, resides in Greenfield, Indiana. The town of Talcott is built on land at one time owned by Mathew Kincaid, whose wife inherited it as a descendant of the 88 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Grahams. Griffith Meadows married one of his daughters. The Kincaid tract included a large boundary extending to the Graham settlement at Lowell. C. S. Rollyson owned a large boundary of land on the Big Bend Tunnel Mountain. Another of the old settlers was Michael Kaylor, on the Hump Mountain, which included a large boundary of the valuable land in that region where located. William and Lewis Gwinn owned large and valuable boundaries of land on New River, between Lick Creek and Meadow Creek. David Bowles also owned land on Hump Mountain. John B. Walker and William Dunbar early settled on the top of Swell Mountain, be tween Laurel and Lick Creeks. Isaac Milburn early took up the valuable lands on the Greenbrier River, having married a daughter of Nortliff Taylor, below the mouth of Little Wolf Creek, where his descendants, Henry and Isaac, still reside. James Boyd owned land on Greenbrier River once owned by Charles and John Maddy, at the west portal of the Big Bend Tunnel, where his son, Benjamin Boyd, now resides. James Boyd was of a Monroe family, and married a daughter of William Pack. Thomas and Charles Gatliff, Frenchmen, were early settlers on New River. The Crump's Bot tom was owned by a man by the name of Culbertson, and then by a man by the name of Reed, prior to the Crumps, Pattersons on Patterson Mountain ; Bradshaws on Bradshaw's Run, in Forest Hill ; Richmonds at New River Falls ; Gardens at Barger Springs ; Grimmetts on Grimmett's Mountain ; Bucklands on Big Creek and Powley's Creek. There were in the very earliest days families of Gills and Adkins, who inhabited the Laurel Creek, Chestnut Mountain, and around the mouth of Greenbrier, whose descendants still inhabit that country, who thrived and lived principally from natural sources, and are principally known for inoffensive thriftlessness. Life has be come harder as civilization progresses, and the livelihood not obtainable from the forests and streams, the resources now requiring manual labor and intellectual activity. They seem to have mar ried and inter-married without advancement — a harmless, shiftless race of people, with plenty of intellect unexerted and but little advancement has been made for generations. The old patriarch, John Gill, aged about ninety years, died some three years ago, a county charge. Mathew Lowe married Elizabeth Kincaide (the name was for merly spelled Kinkaid), the father of John Lowe and J. Granville Lowe, enterprising farmers of Jumping Branch District, and the grandfather of the furniture merchants in Hinton, C. E. Lowe and HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 89 Clifford Lowe. Mathew Lowe owned and lived on the fine farm on Hungart's Creek, now owned by John Willey and once owned by A: J. Miller, a son of Brice Miller. He had three daughters, Eliza A., who married Anderson Wheeler. J. C. Wheeler and Rob ert Wheeler were her sons, and Mrs. Waddell, of Madam's Creek, her daughter. Her second husband was Hon. Sylvester Upton. Another daughter of Mathew Lowe was Agnes, who married Peter Wyant, of Big Bend Tunnel, and another daughter, Rebecca, mar ried Jordan Grimmet. Kincaide was a prominent man in the settlement of the country. Mathew reared a large family, having lived at the mouth of Hun gart's Creek. Jane married Moses Hedrick, the father of Wm. C, Geo. W., John, Mathew and George, and his daughter Mary mar ried William Wyant, of Pisgah Church. Susan married John Allen, son of Nathaniel Allen, who now lives in Mercer County. Moses Hedrick and his wife lived to a very old age, dying some eleven years ago. Florence Graham Kincaide married Isaac Tincher, and, after his death, married Thomas Holstein, who still lives on the Big Bend Mountain near Pisgah Church, and he is one of the solid, substantial farmers of this county. Mrs. Holstein is one of the few of Mathew Kincaide's children still living. It was out of the title to this land at Talcott the great suit of Karns vs. the Citizens of the Town of Talcott grew. The land was inherited by Kincaide's wife, and he made conveyances in which she did not join. After his death the Carnes heirs sued, one of his (Kincaide's) children, Rebecca, having married Henry Karns, of Mercer County, whose heirs brought the suit. Lanty Graham Kincaide married Eliza Keller, a sister of George Keller, of Lowell, on the old Konrad Keller place. Emma, a daughter of Lanty Graham Kincaide, married Col. Wilson Lively, of Lowell. Nancy Kincaide and Susan married Griffith and William Meadows. Griffith Meadows once owned a lot of this land at Talcott, and it was he who took the deed from Mathew Kincaide without having the wife join. He was a prominent man in that region about the day of the formation of the county, was a justice of the peace, and now lives in Monroe County, an old man. His sons, Lanty and Rufus, live at Talcott, are well-to-do citizens, both employees of the C. & O. Railroad; one, chief of the carpenter force; the other, Rufus H-, the chief of iron bridge construction, one of the best in the land. Lanty Kincaide, a brother of Mathew, married a Scott and 90 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. settled on Muddy Creek, but later moved to Lick Creek, in Sum mers, where he died in 1850. John, a son of Lanty, lived and died on Lick Creek, on a farm now owned by James Sedley Duncan, a part of the old Banks-Schermerhorn patent. Two of his sons, Charley and Lewis, were Baptist preachers, and died in recent years. St. Clair Burdette, who lived to the age of 105 years, dying in 1906, married the daughter of John Kincaide, Octavia. Lanty Kincaide, Sr.'s, daughter, Rebecca, married William Gra ham, a grandson of Col. William Graham. James Graham, the famous hunter and blacksmith, was her son. David, the youngest son of Joseph Graham, married Sarah J. Alderson, a daughter of James Alderson, a descendant of the pioneer Baptist minister west of the Alleghenies. E. D. Alderson, another of the descendants, is one of the best farmers in Talcott District, residing near the mouth of Hungart's Creek. He was a brave soldier in the Confederate Army, a Baptist and a Democrat. James Boon and James K. Scott on Boon's and Hungart's Creek; Culbertsons, Farleys and Packs on New River; the Meadows, Lillys, Neeleys, Hughes and Cooks in Jumping Branch and Pipe- stem ; Brooks and Foxes, Bowles and Kalors on the Hump Moun tain. The first school taught in Monroe County was in a round log house, the roof made of clapboards held down by ridge poles, with a puncheon floor. And those holding official positions have nearly invariably been the descendants of the old settlers, or the excep tions, which are few, those who became permanent inhabitants, and not those people who landed on our soil, running for office. Those gentry were usually voted to take a back seat, and at least to get the dust of other regions shaken from their feet before enter ing the lists for official spoils. This county has not had to go beyond its borders to seek for honest timber from whom to elect its officials, and in nearly each case the offices have been held by the descendants of the pioneer and natives of its soil, or from those who have become such, and it is none the worse off by its so being. C. R. Price is a native of Giles County, Virginia, and an "old Virginia gentleman," descended from an old and honorable family of Newport, Giles County, Virginia. He purchased Wildwood, the Dr. Fowler place, at the mouth of Indian, where he resided for several years, later locating on the John W. Wiseman farm on the New River Hills, between Wolf Creek and the mouth of Greenbrier. He was a brave Confederate soldier and fought through the Civil War, being wounded severely,- which wound he carries to this day. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 91 He represented Giles County for several terms in the House of Delegates of Virginia, and is now a patriotic citizen of the county. His sons, Wm. H. Price, the jeweler, and Thomas, the wholesale grocer, are citizens of Hinton, and Dr. Malcolm Price, another son, lives in Charleston. Mr. Price was a captain in the Civil War and made a brave and honorable record. Vanbibber settled at Lowell about 1775 or 1780, but sold his claim to Konrad Keller and moved on west. He was evidently a hunter seeking adventure, and later reached the Kana wha. George Keller, a direct descendant, still owns and lives on this land. His only son, the Rev. Wallace Keller, lives in the same neighborhood, and his grandson, David Wallace Keller, is a mer chant at Lowell. Samuel and James Gwinn came about 1780. They were from the Calf Pasture River. Samuel Gwinn married the widow Eliza beth Graham, who was a Miss Lockridge, hence the name of Lock- ridge Gwinn, a son of "Squire" John Gwinn. Samuel Gwinn had five sons, Moses, Andrew, Samuel, John, Ephraim, and two daughters — Ruth, who married James Jarrett, Sr., the mother of the late Joseph and James Jarrett, two of the wealthiest men in Greenbrier County at their days. Samuel Gwinn moved from Lowell to Lick Creek in 1800, and died March 25, 1837, in the ninety-fourth year of his age. Hon. Marion and Harrison are his grandsons. He divided $12,000.00 between his sons in silver before his death. Two of his sons, Samuel and Andrew, carried their distribution home across Keen ey's Knobs in grain sacks, in bulk about half a bushel. He invited all his sons in on a certain day and made the division. The two named lived at Lowell and carried theirs to their homes as above stated, on a pack-horse through the mountains fifteen miles, when there were no roads, only a trail. Andrew Gwinn, of Lowell, is the grandson of this Samuel. James Gwinn, the other brother, settled on Keller's Creek on what is known as the Laben Gwinn farm. He died many years ago, before his brother. He left four sons, Robert, James, Joseph and Samuel. His son was appointed ensign by the first county court of Monroe. Joseph settled a mile above his father, and left John, Sylvester, James, Augustus and Joseph. J. Clark Gwinn and Geo. K. Gwinn, the merchants of Alderson, are sons of Augustus. Miriam Gwinn married J. W. P. Stevens, who was a very noted man, being a "schoolmaster." He wrote all the wills, deeds and 92 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. legal papers of the region. He was called upon to count the $12,- 000.00 which Samuel Gwinn divided among his sons, and to see that each son got his part. Three of his descendants still live, John and Joseph in Greenbrier, and Mrs. Geo. Alderson, wife of Hon. Geo. Alderson, at Alderson. Robert, son of James, Sr., settled at River View Church, and his son James, and his grandsons, Oliver, Ed (who was a very large man, full of fun and wit, who was never married, and was killed by a falling tree), and William lived there after him. Also Addison R., of Wolf Creek. Samuel Gwinn, son of James, Sr., married Magdalene Johnson and settled on the James Boyd farm at Little Bend Tunnel, later owned by William and Charles Maddy, and later by James Boyd, and then by his sons, Richard and Ben R. Konrad Keller had four sons, Philip, John, Henry and David. Elizabeth married James Ferrell; Rachel married Ephraim Gwinn, youngest son of Samuel. She died May 8, 1889, eighty-six years of age. Philip moved to Indiana. He and Madison married daugh ters of Enos Ellis. David Keller, Sr., lived and died at Lowell. Henry was the father of George, who now lives on the old planta tion. He died about eighty years ago, dropping dead in the harvest field while cradling wheat. Geo. Keller is now over eighty years of age, but remembers his father's tragic death. One took up a claim also at this place, but sold to Konrad Keller and moved on west, locating on the Big Sandy in 1818. Notliffe Taylor settled on the Greenbrier, where Henry Milburn now lives, and Isaac Milburn, the ancestor, married his daughter. Nancy, another daughter, married William Johnson, of Johnson's Cross Roads, Monroe County. Elizabeth married Samuel Gwinn, Sr. Notliffe Taylor also owned land on Hungart's Creek, and no doubt Taylor's Ridge is named for him. William Kincaide first located and settled on the Jessie Beard place, Pence Springs. William Hinchman, about the close of the Revolution, settled near Greenbrier River. He was an Englishman, and is supposed to have been a British soldier, who, like many others, were tired of British rule, and after the Revolution determined and did locate in this country. His first location was below Gwinn's Branch, then he removed to the present Hinchman plantation across the present county line in Monroe, where his son and grandson, Wil liam, lived and died. His great grandson likewise, and his great great-grandsons, John and Luther, now reside. It was his great HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 93 granddaughters, Elizabeth, who married Capt. A. A. Miller, and Mary, who married Thomas Allen George, of Lick Creek. One son, William, of this pioneer, moved to Logan, whose descendants still live there, the Logan pioneers. He raised a family of twenty- four children, and they live there yet. The Hinchmans are promi nent people. The inscription on the monument of the late John Hinchman at River View Church is as follows : "He died as he lived, a Christian." John Hinchman was a representative in the Legislature from Monroe County, a commissioner of the county court and a prominent man. His son, John, is president of the county court of that county. William Hinchman, the ancestor, was a justice of the peace and a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church. The Ellis settlement at the mouth of Griffith Creek, known as the Enos Ellis place, is one of the oldest in the country, and is pos sibly older than the Graham. It was near this place where Thomas Griffith was killed by Indians. Baily Wood had a cabin near the foot of Keeney's Knob, and also Martin McGraw, where A. H. Honaker now lives, but they never acquired title; or, if so, sold out their claims before they had ripened into patent. William Withrow, the first known settler settled on what is now the Eades farm, a mile southeast of the Clayton post office. but moved away after a short residence. Peter Eades soon after acquired the property. He came from Albemarle County, Vir ginia, and his descendants are still in the county. Mr. Al. Eades, a section master at Talcott; Mrs. Lant Meadows, of the same place, and W. K. Eades, the merchant of Lowell, are descendants of this first settler, as was Joshua Eades, the carpenter, and Eades, the great bridge architect and engineer, who constructed the great iron bridge across the Mississippi at St. Louis, and the jetty improve ments at the mouth of that river. A family of McGraw's also settled on Griffith's Creek at a place known as the Nowlan place. It is tradition that the first settler on the Flag Fork of Lick Creek, either James Butler or a man by the name of Sims, came into the region, planted out a "patch" of corn and went back across the mountains to bring his family ; and, on his return, the buffaloes had destroyed the corn, and he evidently had to begin over again, as his object was to secure a corn title. Thus Sims' Ridge, where John Hoke lives, gets its name. One of the oldest houses in all that region was a round log house two stories high, with 94 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. wooden hinges to the doors and roof tied down by ridge poles, with a block between them, with a puncheon floor and chimney with a fireplace in which logs of a large size could be burned, ten feet long. This was the largest chimney ever known of in the country, but built out of small and thin rocks, evidently picked up in the branch. This house was lived in by a renter by the name of John Ellis with his mother, Peggy Ellis, a widow of a soldier in the War of 1812. They were from Monroe County. After it was vacated by them the house was so dilapidated that W. E. Miller, thirty-five or forty years ago, who owned it, pulled it down and burned the logs for firewood, but the chimney stood for many years after as a monument of the long past. It was a matter of general tradition that this chimney was built by a man and woman, the woman carrying the great mass of stone in her apron and the man placing them. Uriah Garten was one of the first settlers in the "Farms," and there is one of his descendants by the name of Elijah Garten living on the headwaters of Bradshaw's Run. He first settled in Spice Hollow, where Elijah now lives. Steven Davidson lives on a part of the plantation, having married one of his descendants. Alexander Hutchinson, the father of Major James Hutchinson and J. Mastin Hutchinson, settled on the place now owned by John Lowe on Bradshaw's Run, and he and his wife are buried on that farm. He was the grandfather of A. M. and Wellington. Hutch inson settled there about 1790. The mouth of Hungart's Creek was settled in 1795 by David Graham, who married Mary Stodgill, on what is now known as the Woodson farm, which is owned by a Mr. Dickinson, who mar ried a daughter of the late Zachariah Woodson. James Graham, Jr., settled in the Riffe Bottom in the year 1800, a part of which farm is now owned and occupied by the Honorable M. M. Warren, which property afterwards passed into the owner ship of Mr. D. M. Riffe, and descended to his childreri, one of which is Mr. J. A. Riffe, now president and general manager of the Hin ton Department Company. William Taylor, son of Notliff Taylor, mentioned before, set tled on Hungart's Creek, a mile north of Pence's Spring Station, on what is now known as the Bush place, the dwelling-house now occupied on this farm by Mr. C. E. Mann was built by William Taylor nearly 100 years ago. The settlement by the Grahams at the present Clayton settle ment was in the year 1783, which is on the waters of Hungart's HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 95 Creek, where the said David G. Ballangee now lives. Early settlers in that community were also Bailey Wood and Martin McGraw, the location being on the farm now owned by Mr. Charles H. Graham-. Wm. Withrow lived about a mile southeast of the Gra ham place, which was afterwards occupied by Peter Eades and family, from Albemarle County, Virginia, and came there about the year' 1830. About three miles from Clayton Post Office at this time lived a family by the name of Griffith, Thomas, the head of the family, having been killed by the Indians in 1780, and is the last recorded victim of the savages in this county. This place is now known as the Ellis place, and is occupied by the Ellis descendants. This set tlement was probably before the Graham settlement at Lowell. The first settler on Wolf Creek was Richard Woodrum, the grandfather of Major "Dick" Woodrum and the father of John Woodrum and Armstrong Woodrum, who was the father of Rich ard M. Woodrum, the merchant of Woodrumtown. Richard Wood rum was the grandfather of the venerable Charles Garten, of For est Hill District. Richard Woodrum, the grandfather of Major Dick Wood rum, first settled on the "Turner Place," now owned by Oscar Hutchinson. Mr. Woodrum first made improvement on that grant. He was the father of John Woodrum, the father of Major Dick Woodrum. Armstrong Woodrnm, the father of Richard M. Wood- rumat Wiggins, was a son of Richard the first, as was also Bud Woodrum, who emigated West; also W. C. Woodrum was a son of Armstrong. "Item" John Lilly, the assessor, sometimes men tioned as "Gentleman John," married Ida Woodrum, a daughter of Richard Woodrum the first. One daughter, Polly, married William Campbell Hutchinson, who settled at Forest Hill, but early in the Civil War emigrated to Ohio. Another daughter, Lilly, married John Mastin Hutchinson. Another, Rhoda Lilly, married Fleming Sanders, who lived near Forest Hill, and was broken up by reason of his suretyship for Joseph Ellis, deputy sheriff, for Evan Hinton. Fleming Sanders was a brother of Capt. "Bob" Sanders. Lydia Woodrum married George Allen, who lived on Indian Draft near Greenville. A man by the name of Massey, possibly Peter Massey, settled and lived on the John M. Hutchinson place near Forest Hill, and it is known to this day as the Massey place. These people were all old settlers around Forest Hill and in that region. Nathaniel Roberts built the first storehouse at Forest Hill. He 96 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. married a sister of Judge A. N. Campbell. This storehouse was built fifty years ago, and is now occupied by Crawford & McNeer, merchants, and this house was occupied at the beginning of '.he Civil War. The present postmaster at Forest Hill is Thomas Marshall Hutchinson, and he has had the office for the past twelve years. He is a merchant at that place, and was also postmaster before the Cleveland administration. The first postmaster at Forest Hill was J. M. Hutchinson, there being no post office at that place before the War, and the people of that region got their mail at Red Sul phur Springs. The people of the neighborhood would take it in turn and go to the "Red" once a week for the mail, and sometimes make up a purse and hired a boy to go after it, as they did A. M. Hutchinson when a boy. A tobacco factory was built at Forest Hill, then known as "Farms," fifty years ago, by a man by the name of Hogleman, but the manufacturers, Roberts & Hogleman, was probably the first firm. They manufactured chewing and smoking tobacco. It was a flourishing business, the latest firm being the late James Mann and J. Cary Woodson. There were three old settlers at Forest Hill by the name of Vass. One was Major Vass, a bachelor, who settled on the J. D. Bolton farm. Another was Baswell, a brother of the Major, who sold out before the War and went to Raleigh County. Two of his sons, one of whom is James L., are Baptist ministers in South Carolina. The other brother was James Vass, who settled on an adjoining place with his brother, known as the Lewis C. Symms place, on Bradshaw's Run. They were not brothers of the late Philip Vass, the father of Squire Cary Vass, of Marie, who was a native of Giles County, Virginia. Edwin Woodson, who early settled in Forest Hill on the head of Bradshaw's, was an eminent missionary Baptist preacher and was the father of J. Cary Woodson and John N. B. Woodson, who now live in Alderson, West Virginia ; Wm. W. Woodson, who married a daughter of John H. Dunn, and Edwin C. Woodson, who is the youngest, and he is now over sixty years old. Eliza Woodson married I. J. Cox, and Jane married Stewart Mann. The Woodsons were among the earliest settlers in the New River Valley, and the settlers were among the pioneer Indian fighters and defenders of pioneer civilization in the New River Valley region, and there are descendants of the pioneer Woodsons HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 97 throughout all the county in those valleys west of the Alleghenies. Stonewall Jackson's mother married a Woodson as her second hus band, and she is buried at Ansted, in Fayette County. One of the first settlers in the Forest Hill country was Peter Miner, who settled on the farm where that excellent citizen, Allen Ellison, now lives. His direct descendant, Peter Miner, of that district, still owns and lives on a part of the original Miner lands, and is an excellent citizen. Richard McNeer married his sister, and the mother of Squire John P. McNeer of that district. They have had a long controversy over the ti'tle to a part of this prop erty with Mr. Allen F. Brown. Another of the oldest and most enterprising farmers of Forest Hill District, as well as most respected, is Thomas G. Lowe, who lives on Bradshaw's Run, where Bradshaw, the settler, was slain by the Indians. He was a brave and honorable Confederate soldier during the Civil War. He is a brother of L G. Lowe, the ex-justice and politician, but a loyal Democrat, and his brother a loyal Re publican. His son, William G. Lowe, is the efficient postmaster at Indian Mills, and another son, Robert E. Lowe, fills an important ¦position in Government service at Washington, D. C. Another of the best citizens of that country is Wm. Redmond, a southwest Vir ginian, who settled many years ago near the Indian Mills. Frank Meadows was a soldier under General Anthony Wayne (Mad Anthony) from Culpepper County, Virginia, and after the battle of Fallen Timbers and the end of the war came to Wolf Creek and settled. He drew a pension, and after his death it was drawn by his wife from the United States Government. He raised a family of two sons ; one was named St. Clair (Sinclair) after Gen eral St. Clair, and another after General Anthony Wayne. G. C. Meadows and J. J. Meadows, of Barger Springs, are sons of St. Clair. This generation of Meadows settled on Greenbrier River in the region of the Wiggins country. G. C. Meadows, son of St. Clair Meadows, now living at Barger's Springs, was a soldier throughout the Civil War. He was a member of Capt. Morton's company and was captured and taken as a prisoner of war at Camp Chase, where he was confined for many months. While there he made with his pen-knife a handsome cane from a piece of hickory stove wood, on which he cut, "G. C. Meadows, Camp Chase, Ohio." It is a beau tiful piece of workmanship, done to aid in killing time. He pre sented this souvenir to the writer in 1907. The William C. Richmond Bottom below Hinton was first 98 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. settled by J. Meadows and Peter Davis. Meadows built his house at the upper end and Davis at the lower end. Jerry Davis was the father of William Davis, who died on the waters of Madam's Creek a few years ago, and the grandfather of John, Hortan and Garfield Davis. Abraham, Isaac and Rufus were the sons of Jerry above named. The people of this county have always practiced those traits of honorable character, in their dealing with one another and with strangers within their borders, which approach as nearly to that of the Golden Rule as those of any community in any land, and especially in any region of territory within the United States. We may travel all over this county during the darkest nights, over the lonely roads and highways, notwithstanding the great and innu merable spots within dense forests and among great mountains, hills, cliffs and rocks which are suitable for the commission of dark deeds, free from the sight of criminals and their victims and without danger. No one is required to carry arms for his own protection or that of his property ; neither is the farmer required to lock up or fasten his house or his home to prevent invading marauders. Crime has never been prevalent in the country dis tricts of this territory, and the people are courteous to each other and also to strangers. The abrupt and often insolent manners frequent to many sections of this country, and especially to the densely populated cities and communities, is not in evidence in Summers County. When the people meet, they take time to greet each other, ask about the health of their families and how they are prospering, as well as to inquire into the welfare pf their neigh bors, always giving and receiving sociable answers to personal in quiries, and with a grace and asperity not imitated in many sec tions. It is acquired by descent, and is devoid of profuseness. If a person is accepted as a guest, he is expected to be at home dur ing the visit, whether it be in a log cabin, or a mansion on the shores of the rivers. The social life of these people has always been most agreeable, without style, formality, or ostentation. In vitations to come and dine and spend the day are usual among the neighbors, and are accepted. The custom of spending the day is, and has been for generations, a common occurrence among these people. One of the old customs which has descended to the pres ent generation, among the ladies of a community, is to invite each other to come and spend the day and bring their knitting along, and invitations to a quilting, or some gathering of that character of a social nature. The knitting has gone out of fashion, because HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 99 it has become one of the lost arts since the Civil War. The quilt ing was one of the many features of country life in this regiori in which young and old patricipated. A home-made quilt, in which the neighbors joined in making, was a work of art as well as of patience. The quilt is composed of scraps from wedding gowns and other garments, and rare fabrics, cut in all manner of shapes and devices. Each scrap has its history in connection with the wearer or the owner of the original from which it was cut. Some patches in the quilt are cut to represent hearts, birds, animals and monograms artfully made with selected threads. From such a quilt, of which there are many in this good county, is built up a history of good neighbors and good friends. At one of these quilt- ings the male members attended in the evening, partaking of the bounteous meals and of the dances which followed. The inter course among our people, as it has been for generations, is frequent and genteel. They meet in public, political meetings and religious services, and have kept bright the dull and rough edges of human life in a country of this character, and which naturally grows up in an isolated mountain community. There has never been envy or jealousy between the classes of rich and poor, They mingle on an equality during public occasions. The individual is respected because of his good qualities, and not because of his earthly pos sessions. The learned official carries his head no higher in dis dain of the private citizen than does the farmer and the mountain eer, who can neither read nor write his name, but is a decent and respectable citizen. Neither has disdain for his fellow, unless the individual has forfeited his self-respect by his own acts. The peo ple of this county have always been on an equality. There have been no rich people, and the extremely poor have been few, com paratively. They were all educated in the same schools, and were brought up in the same surroundings, the majority, possibly, of our people being possessed of property of less than one thousand dol lars ; nevertheless, such persons, regardless of their worldly goods, have been enabled to live upon the lands, and receive many more comforts from that meager possession than are. received in other regions, where possessions are much less meager and the proper ties are much greater in value. The majority of the people own their own lands. They are all reared to work with their own hands, and clasp the plow-handle or other implements of honest toil, which give Assurance of prosperity without shame. The early settlers sought this region for an independent life. They preferred it, and they secured it, and that independence has descended to 100 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the present generation, and every inhabitant of the county should be proud of his native State, as well as of his county, who was born within its territory or reared upon its soil, or where it has become his home by adoption. The first Constitution which governed this territory was adopted on the 29th day of June, 1776, five days before the famous Dec laration of Independence was adopted, and on the 30th of June the first Governor was selected by the inhabitants from their own ranks, which was Patrick Henry. It was under this Constitution that religious freedom was made an existing fact, and the Church of England was disestablished. At practically the same time primo geniture and the entail systems were abolished, by which lands were handed down from father to the oldest son in succession. The question of suffrage was an agitated one from 1780 to 1850, and till this date. Under the Constitution of 1776 no man could vote who did not possess as much as twenty-five acres of land, with a house on it, or fifty acres of unimproved land. After a long fight, suffrage was extended in 1830 to certain lease-holders and house-holders; but not until the famous Reform Convention of 1850 was every free white man allowed to vote, and during all the time of the strenuous suffrage agitation there was an agitation be tween the Eastern and Western sections of Virginia. It was in 1850 that the people were given the right to elect the Governor, justices and all local officers, including members of the Legisla ture, by a direct vote. Prior to that they were elected by the Gen eral Assembly, which corresponds with our Legislature, and dur ing all this period the people voted by the viva voce system. The secret ballot was never introduced until after the Civil War. Dur ing the time our territory was within the territory of Virginia, it furnished seven Presidents to the United States. It gave the ter ritory from which six States were carved, so that she was the "Mother of States" as well as the "Mother of Statesmen and Presi dents." When the ancient pioneers came into this land, they found a home in the wilderness, and they betook themselves to building houses, clearing the forests, planting orchards and cultivating the arts of civilized life. Few of them ran wild in the forests, and few of them became speculators or engaged in trafficking or speculat ing in hazardous enterprises. They were sober and thoughtful. They were far remote from the seat of justice. Neither the pio neer, as well as his ancestor, would submit to ecclesiastical domi nation. As they detested civil tyranny, so did they detest eccle- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 101 siastical. The great majority of the ancient settlers were Whigs of the firmest type. They were brave, and the great majority in this region descended from emigrants from the Valley of Virginia, of Scotch-Irish and of German descent, and as that country settled up and became populated, the same descendants of the pioneers gradually went Westward, as they have continued to do in the century following. It was of these pioneer settlers and ancient yeomanry that Washington signified an opinion when, in the darkest days of the Revolution, when it looked as though the patriots might fail in that eight years' struggle, he said "that if all other sources should fail, he might yet repair with a single standard from West Augusta, which included that region west of the top of the Allegheny Mountains, and there rally a band of patriots who would meet the enemy at the Blue Ridge, and there establish the foundation of a free empire in the West," thus indi cating that it was his belief that, as a last resource, he could yet gather a force in Western Virginia which ,the great armies of Eng land could not subdue. It was the descendants of these sires of which Washington spoke who settled in the fastnesses of this mountain region, and the spirit of those sires still reigns in their descendants, as the day of trial will disclose if it may ever become necessary to put it to the test. As stated in other parts of this book, the first houses erected by these primitive settlers, beginning about 1760, were the log cabins, covered with split clapboards, Weighted down by poles to hold them in place. Frequently these cabins had no floors except the earth. Where they had floors, they were of split puncheons, smoothed down with a broad-axe. There were, however, a few hewed log houses, and later many more, as the people advanced in prosperity and the country developed in poulation and wealth. As the improvements came and advancement followed, hewed log houses became common, with shingle roof and plank floor, sawed with the whip-saw. There were no saw-mills. The dress of these early settlers was of the plainest materials, always home-made. Before the Revolutionary War, the married men shaved their heads and wore wigs or linen caps. Men's coats were made with broad backs and straight, short skirts, with pock ets on the outside, having large flaps. The breeches were so short as to barely reach the knee, with a band around the knee, fastened at either end with a silver buckle. The stocking was drawn up under the knee-band and tied with a garter, red or blue, below the knee, so that it might be seen. The shoes were of leather or moc- 102 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. casins. If shoes, they were fastened with a brass or silver buckle. The hat was wool or fur — usually wool — manufactured by rude home processes. The dress for the neck was a narrow collar to the shirt. There were none of the more wealthy or fashionable in this region who could afford the stock, knee and shoe buckles, set in gold or silver, with brilliant stones. Those who did that in the East were considered great folk, of which we had none. The female dress was generally the short gown and petticoat, made of plain material. The German women mostly wore tight calico caps on their heads. In hay and harvest times they joined the men in the labor in the fields and meadows, and it was not common only as a German practice, but was common to all. Many of the females were expert mowers, choppers and reapers. The furniture was of the plainest imaginable ; a piece brought from the East was a curi osity. The custom of housing stock was not at all frequent. The "Dutch" or German descendants alone brought with them the fashion of housing their stock to better comforts than the members of the household. There was thrift and money in it. John Alderson, Sr., was born in England, came to New Jersey in 1737, and married a Miss Curtis, a daughter of his captain. He became a Baptist minister, finally removing to Rockingham County, Virginia. He had a son John, who also became a Baptist minister, and who married a Miss Carroll, of Rockingham County. It was John Alderson, Sr., who came to the Greenbrier region in 1775, ' and founded the Alderson generation. He was a man of great in telligence, and of indomitable will and energy. He was the first Baptist minister who carried the Baptist doctrine into all this re gion west of the Alleghenies. He organized the old Greenbrier Baptist Church in 1781. Capt. Hugh Caperton, who is mentioned in these pages, was associated with Daniel Boone, and was his commissariat. Boone fell out with Captain Caperton on an expedition to the mountains of Kanawha River, and left the camp. When Boone heard of the necessities of the company for food, and was asked why he left the company, he replied, "Caperton didn't do to my likin'." Captain Caperton operated with his company in 1793. Among the men in that company, whose descendants live in this country, were Madi son Meadows, Edward Farley, William Graham, James Montgom ery, Francis Farley, Drury Farley, Thomas Cook, Andrew John son, Jonas Hatfield, David French, Henry Massie, James Abbott, the descendants of whose family live in' Pipestem district; Moses Massie, James Graham, David Graham, James Sweeney, whose GREENBRIER RIVER Scene on C. & O. Railway From Top Gwinn's Mountain at Lowell. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 103 descendant is the ancient Baptist minister at Beckley; Isaiah Cal loway, whose descendant is Matthew Vincent Calloway, the cour teous ex-sheriff of this county, now residing in Washington City; and George Abbott. The pioneer, when he came to this land, carried with him all his belongings — all his earthly goods — which usually consisted of a rifle gun; if married, his wife, and such plunder as could be car ried on a pack-saddle. If the emigrant was so fortunate as to own a horse (or beast, as this animal was generally known) — some times he would, if extra well-to-do — a negro slave would be a part of his inheritance. Every settler at once became a hunter, a trap per, a farmer and a soldier. The men and boys, and in many in stances the women, worked with the hoe, axe and mattock in the clearing of the field. The hides of wild animals were dressed The usual footwear was the moccasin, made from the dressed deer skin, which was fashioned without thread, tacks or soles — fastened together with strings cut from the deer-hide. Shoes were a curios ity ; and when they came into use, made from the tanned cow-hide, they were made altogether by the neighborhood shoemaker (dog wood pegs held the soles to the uppers), who made his own pegs, shoe thread and lasts on which to fashion them. The cradle for the baby was usually a sugar-trough, or a rough box constructed by the master of the place. Plow shoes were made of wood; beds, of chaff, if wheat had been raised; if not, from leaves. The floors were rriade of oak or poplar logs split in the middle, and laid on the ground with the flat side up, sometimes hewn with a pole-axe, and later with the broad-axe. Wooden pegs were used instead of iron nails in all framing, and in fastening on the rafters and wall-plates. Later, when iron could be had and blacksmith shops came, the "wrought iron" nails, made by the blacksmith, were used, and took the place of the locust or hickory pin ; and later the four-sided fac tory nail succeeded the smith-made hammered or wrou'ght nail; and now the wire nail is used exclusively. There still exist in this country some remains of the old buildings wherein there was not a piece of iron used in construction ; and in others the remains of the shop-made, hammered nails. Leather straps were used for door hinges, or blocks of wood dressed down and shaped to enter an augur-hole, nailed to the door facing with another piece with a hole in it, and nailed to the door. Two sets of these, and the door was ready to hang. No iron latches or locks, but a wooden door- latch — a strip of thin wood and a wooden "ketch," and a string attached to the latch and passing out through a hole in the door — 104 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. completed the fastenings. Not a nail or a piece of iron in the whole building! Such a large log building was on the W. E. Miller farm, on Lick Creek, in the Ellis Hollow, with a chimney ten feet wide. This was only one of the many of the pioneer residences erected in this land in its first settlements. The hand mill and the hominy block, with a hole made in the top, in which the corn was made into meal with a pestle, came first; after this came the pounding mill, but few and far between; later came the water grist mill. At first all lumber was sawed by the whip-saw. A log would be hewed square, then hoisted on trestles so that a man could stand under it. One man would stand on top, one underneath, and with a long saw, something like the cross cut, with one man hold of each end, they would manufacture the log into plank, the man below fighting the dust out of his eyes. Then came the upright water saw-mill, the remains of which may yet be seen in very rare instances. Many a good housewife had the ancient loom and spinning-wheels. The table-ware was of the rudest character — tin plates, wooden bowls and dough trays. Salt could not be had in the backwoods ; but the ginseng, furs, cured venison hams and bear meats to be transported to the far-off towns were gathered in, and a far-off journey prepared for, and an ex change made for salt, and later iron, which were transported by the pack-horse, with an old home-made wooden pack-saddle. The horses went unshod. These pioneers were a hardy race. They felled forests ; they battled against the wild beasts — bears, wolves, panthers, and rat tlesnakes, copperheads, and other vicious wild beasts and venom ous reptiles with which the forests were crowded and were warring with each other; and there were forests full of deer, buffalo, elk, pigeons and turkeys, and other birds useful for sustenance. The emigrants from the Old World were not of this hardy stock. They sought, however thrifty, the protection of the pio neer settler from the Indian savage, as well as the wild beasts of the wilderness. Every pioneer was a defender of himself and his neighbor. The boys and girls and the women could ride, swim, shoot, hunt and kill. They could aid in the defense of the fort or the blockhouse. There was no end of war with the savages; it mattered not whether during a so-called peace, or when a war was in progress. The Indian was always at war until driven out of the land, and this continued for a generation. The coat usually worn was the hunting-shirt, made of home-made jeans or the skins of wild animals. It came to the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 105 knees, with a belt buttoned around the waist. The arms for de fensive purposes, as well as for hunting, were the old flint-lock rifles, musket or flint-lock smooth-bore, and large hunting knives; and only in later years did the percussion lock and cap-rifled gun follow. The weddings were not frequent, but were great events. There were no schools for a long time after the pioneer first began reclaiming the wilderness, and it was only the fortunate boy or girl who had the opportunity to learn to read or write. Both were, in the early days, great accomplishments ; and to know how to figure beyond vulgar fractions was a wonder. When the school teacher came in, he would board around with the various families who sent their children to him. He taught in the log-cabin school house with board covering held on by ridge poles, there being no nails to be secured with which to fasten the roof, and with dirt floors; the poles or walls were sometimes daubed with mud, or chinked only and not hewn, with a rock chimney, and a fireplace big enough to burn a log-heap at one time. Even these houses were few and far between. The seats were split logs or fence rails, with holes bored in one side and pegs stuck in for legs, without backs or comfort. One log was cut out and a hole made for light, and no desks. The ink with which the youth learned to write was frequently "poke-berry juice"; and after all, when a school house was built and a teacher secured — which was after the neighborhod began to settle up — it was only the few who learned to read and write. There were no college-bred gents, kid- glove or patent-leather shoe gentlemen in those days. No churches, but soon came the pioneer missionary Baptists, Methodists, Pres byterians and Primitive Baptists, with the pioneer preacher, In dian fighter and man of God; and the influence of those pioneer ministers of the gospel will be felt to the remotest ends of the earth, among the generations who still and will inhabit the land. No churches were there, but for miles around they would gather in the groves and in the cabin and dwelling, once in a while, to worship according to the dictates of their conscience. Later came the rude log church and the old-fashioned school house, which an swered also for church purposes. The Primitive (Hardshell) Bap tists were confined to Pipestem and Jumping Branch districts. Wm. Crump and the Neelys and Meadors were its chief support ers. They did not believe in an educated ministry or in paying their preachers; but are a conscientious, honest and God-fearing people, and good citizens. The spinning-wheel, now a relic of the past, was a useful piece 106 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. of furniture to the household of every thrifty settler. The large wheel was used for spinning the wool into long rolls, and then into thread, and then woven into cloth by the old loom which stood in the kitchen "loom-house." The small wheel (distaff) was used for spinning the flax fibers, or hemp, which was made into thread and made ready for the weaver, to be made into linen or "tow" cloth, for the men and women's clothing. "Breathes there a man with soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said, 'This is my own, my native land?' Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned As home his footsteps he hath turned From wanderings on a foreign strand? If such there be, go mark him well ; In him no minstrel raptures swell. High though his title, proud his name, Boundless his wealth as wish can claim, — Despite those titles, power and pelf, The wretch concentrates all in self. Living, shall forfeit fair renown, And doubly dying, shall go down To the vile dust, from whence he sprung, Unwept, unhonored and unsung." CHAPTER VII. FIRST SETTLERS OF HINTON. In 1871, the family of Isaac Ballengee lived in the log house about the middle of the present railroad yards about the round house. The family of John Hinton lived in a log house by the side of the main track just above the railroad and street crossing at the foot of the hill in the city of Avis. Then came Mathew Vincent Calloway, who built a frame resi dence on the lot now owned by R. H. Maxwell at the east end of the foot bridge, which washed away in the flood of 1878; Dr. Benj. P. Gooch, for the practice of his profession, built the residence on the "island," now owned by Bowman. Both of these gentlemen were from Mercer. Luther M. Dunn, who did busiriess near the Avis crossing, from Albemarle County, Virginia ; Carl Alexander Fredeking, Lee Fredeking and Charles, the native Germans, who came directly from Southwest Virginia; Robert R. Flannagan and A. G. and Richard A., three brothers from Fayette County ; Burke Prince and E. O., his brother, from Raleigh County; William W. Adams, attorney, from Petersburg, Virginia; Nelson M. Lowry, attorney, from Nelson County, Virginia ; Cameron L., William R., J. S. and Major Benj. S. Thompson, father and three sons, native West Virginians: Archie B. Perkins and William B. Sprowl, of Virginia ; M. A. Riffe and Jake A. Riffe, of Riffe's Crossing County ; Archie Butt, printet, Lewisburg; W. Frank McClung, Lewisburg; Carlos A. Sperry, attorney, Lewisburg; Raymond Dunn, Virginia; James Wimmer, railway engineer, Virginia; George Glass, carpen ter, Virginia, whose family still resides therein, his widow now being eighty odd years old ; Phil Cason, railroad conductor ; Childes Talley, railroad conductor, Walker Tyler, railroad foreman, who died in 1907, his family still residing in the city; James Briers, round-house foreman, of Virginia, and whose sons still reside here in; James Prince, merchant, Raleigh County; Wm. T. Gitt, hotel keeper, of Giles County, Virginia; H. S. Gerow, New York; Wm. James, lumberman, of Pennsylvania; Dr. John G. Manser, County; Dr. Shannon P. Peck, County; W. B. Talliaferro, railway employe, Virginia; John P. Mills, lumberman, New York; John R. Gott, undertaker, Mercer County; John H. Pack, merchant, County; B. 108 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. L. Hoge, clerk, Mercer County; John M, Carden, hotel, County; John H. Gunther, the first depot agent and agent for the Central Land Company at Hinton; E. H. Peck, clerk, Mercer County; D. R. Swisher, master machinist, Virginia; W. D. Tompkies, merchant, Virginia; W. C. Ridgeway, hotel; John Finn, Virginia; Robert Elliott, lumberman, Canada; James W. Malcolm, attorney, Green brier ; James P. Pack, salesman, County.; C. A. Thomas, merchant, Ohio; W. C. Burns, railway employee, Virginia; George W. Gib son, carpenter; James Johnson (colored), boatman; A. A. McNeer, tobacco manufacturer, Monroe County; D. H. Peck, railway en gineer, County; P. P. Peck, clerk, County; O. McGee, butcher, Virginia; John McGee, butcher, Virginia; P. K. Litsinger, ma chinist, Pennsylvania; R. D. Rose, carpenter, Monroe County; Capt. Frank H. Dennis, a sailor, Maryland (he was a brother of U. S. Senator George Dennis, of Maryland) ; M. A. W. Young, preacher, County; M. Bibb, minister, Fayette County; Wm. Wood (colored), watchmaker, Virginia; Jacob Pyles, blacksmith, Monroe County; John Cooper, merchant, Mercer County; C. B. Mahon, railway conductor, Virginia; R. A. McGinity, shoemaker, Virginia; John W. Flanagan, railway engineer, Virginia; W. R. Duerson, merchant, Virginia; G. O. Blubaugh, lumberman, Virginia; C. B. Blubaugh, M. D., Virginia; T. P Snow, lumberman, Virginia; Cook Brothers, butchers, Ohio; Ferguson Brothers, hotel, Raleigh; John A. Douglas, attorney, Mercer; F. W. Mahood, attorney, Giles County, Virginia, and who had represented both Giles County and Mercer County in the Legislature of both Virginia and West Vir ginia. M. V. Calloway was the first merchant, with Wm. Holroyd, the Englishman, as his partner; Hal McCue, attorney, Stanton. James H. Hobbs, a native of Roan County, was one of the first settlers in Hinton. He was a carpenter, and built some of the first buildings. He was also a constable (elected), and a school teacher. The first barber in Hinton was John Woodson, a colored man. The first white barber was Chris. Rau, from Ohio; then came L. E. Dyke, Chris. Hetzel, the politician, J. A. Fox and others, and Wm. A. French, Mercer Salt Works. M. A. Riffe, W. C. Ridge way, A. B. Perkins and Jake Ridisill were among the first saloon- ists. W. C. Ridgeway, Perkins & Sprowl, Ferguson Brothers, M. A. Riffe, Hiram Scott and Mrs. M. S. Gentry were the first hotel proprietors. Mrs. Gentry kept the first boarding-house in the cities of Hinton and Avis, which was in the old log Hin ton residence, near the railroad crossing. George W. Gibson, John R. Gott and R. D. Rose, among the first carpenters; J. H. Gunther, first depot agent. Afterwards followed A. G. Flanagan, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 109 L. M. Peck, J. Hugh Miller and R. A. Young. Among the first merchants were C. A. Fredeking & Brothers, A. B. Perkins, Jake A. Riffe, Joseph Hinton & Brother and Frank W. McClung. W. C. Ridgeway, M. D.'Tomkies and W. A. Stewart were also among the first merchants; later came John Cooper. The first jeweler was A. T. Maupin, followed by William L. Fredeking, R. H. Smith, John D. McCorkle and E. M. Pack. The first drug store in the town was that of Dr. Wills, who also erected one of the first ho tels, on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Front Street, which is now owned by Miss Maggie Atkinson. F. W. Benedict was also one of the original merchants. The next drug store was opened by Dr. Patterson, who was succeeded by W. A. Stewart; then came L. W. Bruce, an enterprising citizen, who established the first and only female seminary or school ever established in the city. He con structed and used as a young ladies' school the present building occupied by the Miller hotel proprietor, and the four buildings by the side, facing the Court House Square. Later on came E. N. Falconer, followed by Puckett Brothers and the Hinton Drug Co. One of the pioneer carpenters and builders of the town was Cap tain Falconer, the brave Confederate soldier, who resided for a number of years at Alderson ; B. L. Moorefield, the merchant tailor, and Mr. Tinder married his daughter. The first three-story brick ¦ building constructed in the town was by J. H. Gunther, on the site of Dr. Peck's brick business block, on Third Avenue, which burned down. The second was Ferguson Bros.' Central Hotel; the third, Dunn & Humes' Building, on Second Avenue ; the fourth was R. D. Rose's brick corner on Temple Street and Third Avenue, and the Bank of Hinton, on the opposite corner, followed by R. R. Flana gan's brick block. The pioneer brick masons and builders were two brothers, Samuel E. and William P. Phillips, who reside in Avis, and who built a number of pioneer brick buildings in the city. The first opera house after the Thespian Society's project was Col. J. A. Parker's, corner of Summers Street and Third Avenue. The first Methodist preacher was V. M. Wheeler; Presbyterian, Rev. Laird; Catholic, D. P. Walsh; Baptist, M. Bibb. Richard Gayer was one of the early railway men here. He was foreman in the yards, and was accidentally killed by an engine while in the performance of his duties. He left a widow, who died in recent years ; a son, John, an engineer on the Norfolk & Western Railway ; a daughter, Miss Maggie, who married Mayor J. F. Smith ; and another, Miss Mamie, who married Hamilton Bruce, of Virginia. R. A. McGinity was the first shoemaker ; and James Bishop, the second, operated on Front Street. 110 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Hon. T. S. Scanlon was one of the early locomotive engineers who came to Hinton and made it his home. He is now a resident of Huntington, one of the leading merchants, bankers and Democratic leaders, and a fine orator — one of the best "stumpers" of the Demo cratic faith. He is a brother of Mrs. Richard Gayer. The Gores, of which there have been a number in this county, including Henry Gore and his brother, Capt. Robert Gore, the father of Charles W. Gore, of Athens, Henry being the father of our present county citizen, a merchant on Lick Creek, James H. Gore, was originally a family from Loudon County. Capt. Robert Gore was a brave Confederate soldier, a captain in its armies ; was at the battle of Gettysburg, and captured, by his daring, one hundred Federal soldiers. This daring enterprise, suc cessfully carried to a conclusion, was witnessed by William Brown, a brave soldier in that war, and now a respected citizen of Pipestem district, who remembers and relates very distinctly the details of the occurrence, and the incident is a" true historical fact. The Frenches first came to Westmoreland Co., Virginia; then to Hampshire County, West Virginia ; thence to Giles and Mercer. The Gotts came directly from Ireland, John R. Gott being the representative of that family in this county. The Ellisons and Carnes came from Monroe County, and were pioneers in the settlements. The Bowlings and Woods came from Patrick County, Virginia. The Gooches were originally from Albe marle County; the Shumates from Fauquier County. The Coopers were from Grayson. The Pendletons were from Campbell Co. ; the Campbells from Patrick Co. ; the Meadows from Rockingham. Josiah Meadows, immediately after the close of the Revolution ary War, first settled on Mountain Creek. He was the first Primi tive Baptist (or Hardshell) preacher that came to Mercer and Sum mers counties. His sons were Turner, AVilliam, John and Josiah, Jr. The Walkers were from Giles County. Charles Walker lived most of his life in Raleigh County. He had the honor of bringing the first grain cradle into that county. Sallie Walker married John Bowling in 1820 ; Nancy married Edmund Hatcher ; Peggie married Andrew Lilly; Zula married Jonathan Bailey; Polly married Sam Bailey, in 1816; Marinda married Green Meador; Narcissa married Josiah Cooper ; Valeria married William Lilly ; Neuma married a Sizemore; Underwood married a Bailey; Council first married a Bailey and then a Wood. These were children of Crispianis Walk er, one of the men whose influence resulted in locating the county- seat at Princeton, in 1837. CHAPTER VIII. FORMATION OF WEST VIRGINIA. Judge John Marshal Hagans, one of the most careful and con servative historians, of the formation of the State, says that the people of West Virginia suffered in bondage to the people of East ern Virginia, which was no less galling, when the animus of the age is considered, than that of the ancient Israelites in Egypt. This we think is true as to the larger portion of the State, but not as to the section wherein our county is situate. The first meeting that was held to oppose secession in this State was in Preston County, November 12, 1860. Resolutions were adopted opposing secession, without a dissenting voice. Simi lar meetings were held in Harrison County, on November 24th; Monongalia, November 26th; in Taylor, December 3d, and in Wheeling, December 14th. On the 22d day of April, 1864, a large meeting was held at Clarksburg. It was attended by no less than 1,200 men. After a long preamble, declaring that the means resorted to by the se cessionists to transfer the allegiance of the State from the Fed eral Government were illegal and unjustifiable, they called upon each of the northwestern counties to select not less than five of its best, wisest and discreetest men to meet in conventiori at Wheel ing, on the 13th day of May, 1861, to consult and determine upon such action as the people of Northwestern Virginia would take in the fearful emergency. The country was in confusion far greater than the sections that acknowledged the Confederate Government. Here there were no courts which dared to act. Armed bands of men traversed the country, requiring citizens to swear allegiance to the United States, and the sentiment of the people was so set against the State gov ernment that these bands could not be restrained. They did much to promote the confusion, and all business practically stopped. This caused the convention of May 13th to be looked forward to 112 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. by the better people, in hope that some relief would be afforded them. At this time no Federal troops had penetrated into Virginia. A regiment was hastily formed on Wheeling Island, but it was so new and raw that it inspired but little confidence. Delegates ap peared from twenty-six counties. The more radical of the num ber were for forming New Virginia. John S. Carlisle headed this element, which was in the majority. His plan was to adopt a constitution and appoint officers, and form a State government of the counties represented. W. T. Willey, of Morgantown, opposed this, on the grounds that no vote had been taken on the question of secession, and that such action would not be recognized by the Federal Government, being contrary to the mode prescribed for the formation of new States by the Constitution. The result was that the convention adjourned, after having de termined that, if the ordinance of secession was adopted, to re assemble on June 11th, together with such other counties not rep resented at the first meeting as desired to join. About five hun dred men composed this convention. May 23d was election day, and out of forty-four thousand votes cast in the northwest counties, forty thousand were against seces sion. On the 11th of June, the delegates met in Wheeling again. Thirty-seven counties were represented at this time. Arthur I. Boreman was unanimously chosen chairman of the convention. The convention adopted a declaration of grievances, and re organized the government of Virginia. Francis H. Pierpont, of Marion County, was elected Governor, and took the oath of office. Other offices were filled. The Legislature convened in Wheeling, and elected United States Senators, who took their seats in Wash ington as Senators from Virginia. The convention reassembled on the 6th of August, and pro vided for an election upon an ordinance, the State of Kanawha, of thirty-nine counties, providing for the admission of Pocahontas and Greenbrier, if the next convention so decided. This election took place on the day specified, resulting in a vote of 18,408 for the new State, and 781 against it. It was provided that the new State should take upon itself a just proportion of the public debt of the commonwealth, charging itself with all State expenditures within its bounds, and deducting therefrom the amount of money paid into the State treasury by the counties during the same period. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 113 The new convention assembled in Wheeling, November 26th. Most of the time was devoted to the discussing of the slavery question, and the proposition to make the new State a slave State was defeated by a majority of one. The convention adjourned February 18, 1862, having framed a Constitution, to be submitted to the people April 3d. The name of the State of West Virginia was adopted. The Constitution, among a great many things, provided most liberally for free schools. On April 3d it was voted upon, and adopted by a vote of 18,862 in favor and 514 against. The Legislature assembled on the 6th of May, and memorialized Congress for admission as a State. On December 31st an Act was passed by Congress admitting the State, on the proviso that it adopt a slavery clause, providing for the gradual emancipation of slaves. This was adopted by the new State on the 26th day of March, 1863, by a majority of about 17,000. The result having been certi fied to the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, the sixty-days' proclamation was made, and' on the 20th day of June, 1863, the new State came into existerice, and on that day Governor Boreman, the first Governor, was inaugurated at Wheeling. At the first election held in the State, which was in 1861, 19,891 votes were cast. (See 1st W. Va. Report of Supreme Court of Appeals.) There was no such county then as ours ; and while the territory of Summers was within the territorial limits of the State, it did not come into existence until some years after the formation by a special Act of the Legislature creating it, as was done in the similar cases of Lincoln, Mingo and Grant. Had not the new State been formed, no doubt the county of Summers would not have existed ; and had not the war between the States been fought, the State of West Virginia would have had no place in history, and many names now familiar to West Virginians would have remained in obscu rity, in so far as the creation of a commonwealth brought them forth as history-makers. The secession feeling was specially strong in the northern part of the State — that is, the secession from the mother State, and as strongly opposed to secession from the Union. The great majority of the people of the State, regardless of section or locality, opposed secession from the Union. While the western part of the State of Virginia was opposed to secession, the eastern part was largely in favor of the secession. The slave-holding por tion of the Commonwealth was in the eastern counties. 114 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. FORMATION OF SUMMERS COUNTY. Summers County was formed by an Act of the Legislature of West Virginia, passed on the 27th day of February, 1871, and in the seventh year of the State, from the counties of Greenbrier (which was originally carved out of Botetourt in the year 1777) ; Monroe, which was formed from Greenbrier on the 14th of Janu ary, 1799, by Act of the General Assembly of Virginia; from Mer cer, which was created March 17, 1837, and which was formerly a part of Giles; and Giles, which was a part of Montgomery; and from Fayette, which was formed from Greenbrier, Kanawha, Nich olas and Logan, in 1831. No part of Raleigh was included in Sum mers, although the original intention was to include Richmond district of that county, and the Raleigh county line then and is now almost within a stone's throw from the Court House at Hinton. The reason for no part of Raleigh having been included was that, at the date of the passage of the Act, the population of that county was exceedingly sparse, and the valuation of the taxable property was very inconsiderable, although its territory was then and is now sufficient to have permitted one district to have been severed and still have retained the constitutional territory of 400 square miles, and the Court House, and the Court House removal agi tation, to change the location to Trap Hill, twelve miles beyond Beckley. That county is now developing into one of the richest and most populous of the State, by reason of its extensive forests of merchantable timber and deposits of Red Ash, or Pocahontas soft coal. Then it had no railroads or mines ; now it has one rail road, the Piney Branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio ; the Deepwater building, the Piney & Prosperity almost completed, and the Boone & Raleigh chartered and organizing. So strenuous was the opposition to any part of that county being formed into Summers, that the Hon. Moses Scott, who was a member of the Legislature from Raleigh at the time of the pas sage of the Act forming Summers, required a clause to be inserted in the Act providing that no part of Raleigh County should ever be included in the County of Summers, before he would vote for the establishment of the county. Mr. Scott has a number of the de scendants now residing in Hinton, including a daughter, who mar ried the merchant, Marion M. Meadows, Mrs. David Marshall, a granddaughter, and others. The original surveys, made through the efforts of Mr. Evan Hinton, the original promoter of Summers County, showed that it was his intention to include Richmond dis- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 115 trict as a part of the new county ; and the survey as first made was to include from Greenbrier County only the territory east of Lick Creek; but when Richmond district had to be taken out by reason of the opposition of Raleigh County, the line was protracted so as to include more of the Greenbrier territory by going across the Pat terson Mountain into the Meadows. Evan Hinton, a resident of Madam's Creek, in Jumping Branch district of Mercer County, may justly be entitled to the designation of "the Father of Summers County." When Mr. Hinton repaired to the Legislature, then in session at Charleston, his first move ment was to employ the services of Hon. Jas. H. Furgeson, an as tute lawyer, statesman and legislator of considerable experience in Virginia and in this State; and with his surveys showing the requisite area of 400 square miles, and the determined opposition to the passage of the Act developed, Mr. Hinton found that it would be impossible to secure the enactment without relinquish ing the territory from Raleigh County; so he and Judge Furgeson secured the services of John Cole, an accomplished surveyor and engineer of Kanawha County, who met in Mr. Hinton's room at the hotel and there made the present boundary lines for Summers County bi- a protraction, leaving out the Raleigh territory and ex tending oJier lines, especially between Greenbrier and Monroe, so as to apparently have the required constitutional area, when, in fact, at this day there is not 400 square miles in the territorial lim its of Summers County by a large acreage. As will be later explained, and as was determined in the litiga tion growing out of a legal dispute over the territory and boundary lines between Summers and Greenbrier, and Monroe and Sum mers, which arose in the year 1894, the agitation for this new county sprang up about the time of the building of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, developing this region of the State. The citi zens of the lower end of Mercer, Monroe, and the upper end of Blue Sulphur district of Greenbrier County, agitated the new coun ty, one of the principal reasons advanced being the inconvenience of reaching the court house of each of the respective counties, as well as the desire for more offices, as political aspirants for official jobs were then abroad in the land, as well as now. Evan Hinton took charge of the fight; had the surveys made; went to' Charleston, employed lobbyists, attended the sessions of the Legislature, and lobbied the necessary legislation into the en actment, which is here inserted. 116 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. CHAPTER 134.— AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE COUNTY OF SUMMERS OUT OF PARTS OF THE COUNTIES OF MERCER, MONROE, GREENBRIER AND FAYETTE. PASSED FEBRUARY 27, 1871. Be it Enacted by the Legislature of West A^irginia: 1. That so much of the counties of Monroe, Mercer, Green brier and Fayette as is included within the following boundary lines, to-wit, beginning at the mouth of Round Bottom Branch, on New River, in, Monroe County; thence crossing said river and running N. A7y2° W., 5,430 poles, through the county of Mercer, to a point known as "Brammer's Gate," on the line dividing the counties of Mercer and Raleigh ; thence with said county line in an easterly direction to New River; thence with the line between the counties of Raleigh and Greenbrier, down New River, .to the line of Fayette County; thence with the line dividing Raleigh and Fay ette counties, down said river to a station opposite- Goddard's house; thence leaving the line of Raleigh County, crossing New River, passing through said Goddard's house, N. 67j4° E. 3,280 poles, through said county of Fayette to a station on "Wallow Hole" Mountain, in Greenbrier County; thence S. 55° E. 3,140 poles, to a station east of Keeney's Knob, in Monroe County; thence S. 9° E. 1,320 poles, to a station near Greenbrier River, and running thence S. 32° W. 7,740 poles, to the beginning, shall form one distinct and new county, which shall be called and known by the name of Summers County; and it is expressly understood and agreed by the applicants therefor that no part of the territory of the county of Raleigh shall ever be attached to the county created by this act. 2. The said new county shall be attached to the same judicial circuit and Congressional and Senatorial districts that the county of Monroe belongs to. , 3. The judge of the Circuit Court of the new county shall, as soon after the passage of this Act as practicable, appoint a clerk for said court, a prosecuting attorney, recorder, surveyor, county superintendent of free schools, and sheriff of said county, who shall hold said offices until their successors are elected and qualified ac cording to law. 4. All township officers within the bounds of the new county, at the date of the passage of this Act, shall remain in office for the term for which they were elected, and until their successors are elected and qualified according to law. The supervisors of the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 117 several townships within said new county, with William Haynes and Ephraim Gwinn, shall constitute the board of supervisors of said county of Summers until their successors are elected and quali fied as aforesaid, and shall have all the powers and perform all the duties vested in and imposed by law upon other boards of super visors. 5. The county-seat of said new county shall be at the mouth of Greenbrier River, and the board of supervisors of said new county shall proceed as soon as practicable after the passage of this Act to provide a suitable court house and other public buildings for said new county in the manner required by law. 6. The said new county shall be added to the delegate district composed of the counties of Greenbrier and Monroe, and the said -counties of Greenbrier, Monroe and Summers shall together elect three delegates, until a new apportionment shall be made as pro vided by the Constitution of this State, of which, at the election held in 1871, one shall be a resident of the county of Greenbrier, one of the county of Monroe, and one of the county of Summers ; at the election in 1872, one shall be a resident of the county of Monroe, and two of the county of Greenbrier; at the election in 1873, one shall be a resident of the county of Greenbrier, and two of the county of Monroe ; and so in rotation. 7. Ail process issued in the said counties of Monroe, Mercer, Greenbrier and Fayette, before the organization of the said new county, and all public dues and officer's fees which may remain unpaid by citizens of the said new county, shall be executed and returned, collected and accounted for by the sheriff or other officer in whose hands the same may have been placed, in the same man ner as if this Act had not been passed. 8. The courts of said counties of Monroe, Mercer, Greenbrier and Fayette shall retain jurisdiction over all actions, suits and proceedings therein pending at the passage of this Act, and shall try and determine the same, and award execution or other process therein', except in cases in which both parties reside in said new county, which last mentioned cases, together with the papers and a transcript of the record of the proceedings therein had, shall, after that day, if either party so desire, be removed to the courts of the said new county, and there tried and determined as other cases. 9. The board of supervisors of said new county may create an additional number of townships therein, not exceeding five in all, without submitting their action in the matter to a vote of the peo- 118 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. pie. Said board shall also provide a place for holding courts in said new county until a court house shall be erected, as hereinbefore provided. 10. The Circuit Court of the said county of Summers shall be held on the 29th day of April, the 1st day of July, and the 25th day of September, in each year. Prior to the formation of the county, the Greenbrier line ran with the top of Keeney's Knob, down the top of Elk Knob to New River, a few hundred feet east of the present court house location, and cornered with Monroe, Mercer and Raleigh ; thence down New River, on the opposite side from the court house, to the Fayette County line. The Monroe County line ran with the Greenbrier County line down Keeney's Knob ; thence up New River with the Mercer County line ; and the Mercer County line ran with the Mon roe and Raleigh, all cornering together at the point named, which was at the late residence of Mr. C. L. Thompson, near the court house, on the hill in Middle Hinton, and within what is now incor porated as the city of Avis, and where Dwight W. James has con structed a handsome residence and now resides, and by the side of the new school building in Avis. Summers County lies between 37 degrees of latitude north and 80 degrees of longitude west, and is at the base of the Allegheny Mountains, and throughout its territory the mountains extend in detached spurs, peaks and ridges. Its territory is cut up and di versified by narrow streams and valleys, great mountains, hills and plateaus. Some time before its creation, John Hinton, the father of Evan, Joseph, Silas, John and William, advocated the formation of a new county, to be created from Fayette, Greenbrier,. Monroe, Mercer and Raleigh, with the county-seat to- be located on the Isaac Ballengee place, where the present court house is located, and had bills introduced in succeeding Legislatures, resulting in failure; and his efforts were taken up after his death by his son Evan. At the date of its formation, and for some years before, there had been a court house removal agitation on in Monroe County. The lower end of the county desired its removal from Union to Centerville, now Greeneville, which was claimed to be nearer the center, and by cutting out the lower end, Forest Hill and the Tal cott sections, it would settle the matter for Union for all time; and, with that end in mind, Senator Allen T. Caperton, a citizen and friend of Union, went to Charleston at the session of the Leg- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 119 islature of 1871, and vigorously enlisted his great influence in aid ing Evan Hinton in securing the passage of his bill to found the new county, and the delegate from Monroe, B. F. Ballard, voted for it. Fayette County had then, and for many years afterward had, a like agitation for court house removal, and her delegate, Hon. Edward Allen Flanagan, voted to lop off a small slice of the ter ritory of that county" to weaken the upper end. Mercer was in the throes of a court house fight between Con cord Church (Athens) and Princeton, with Jumping Branch and Pipestem districts solid for the former place. It was also in a life- and-death struggle for the overthrow of the test oath government and for home rule, carpet-bag government being in the saddle, led by George Evans, Benj. White and others; and her delegate, Syl vester Upton, voted for the creation of the new county. In this connection we will state; to show the situation at that time, that out of a vote of eleven hundred legal voters, less than one hundred and fifty were permitted to cast their votes. A Committee of Pub lic Safety was organized at Princeton by those gallant lawyers, soldiers and patriots, Capt. John A. Douglas, Judge David E. John son, H. W. Straley, Napoleon B. French and C. D. Straley, and others, for the preservation of the people from grafters in high places, and to settle the court house location forever. The board of supervisors were meeting one day at Princeton, and the next at Concord ; the public records were being hauled back and forth from Princeton to Concord ; public revenues were being squandered at 'large, a court house to the second brace having been built and a jail completed, all in the forest, at Concord, the court house, as well as the town of Princeton, having been burned by the notorious and cowardly Confederate general, Jenifer. The Confederate soldiers, brave and able men, of which there were several companies from that county, having been disfran chised and ostracised, the Committee of Safety, in order to secure the desired ends, joined with such men as Hon. Sylvester Upton, of Jumping Branch, elected him to the Legislature at the session of 1871, and he voted for the new county, giving it the two dis tricts, which destroyed forever the hopes and aspirations of Con cord Church to become a court house town. Later they secured the Normal School for that place, to mollify the people in that section. A court house agitation was on in Raleigh for the removal of the temple of justice to Trap Hill, and without Richmond district, Beckley would be lost ; therefore to secure the vote of Hon. Moses 120 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Scott, his clause was inserted providing that no part of that good county should ever be included within the territory of Summers County. By retaining Richmond district, Beckley strengthened herself and permanently secured the court house. By cutting off a part of Fayette, Monroe and Mercer, it settled the fights in those counties ; and Greenbrier had more territory remaining that it knew what to do with, and was glad to get rid of what it considered an isolated, bare piece of territory, forty miles from the court house, not worth while for the officeholders' visiting to collect the revenue, assess the taxes, or to enforce the laws. Thus, the influence of all the adjacent counties being secured, and those losing terrritory, the necessary votes were easily secured from those counties not interested ; and it was thus our municipal, political division was created, not by the wishes of her people, or from the requirements of government, but- to settle selfish disputes rending the partisans and disturbing the equilibrium of other old- established communities; and from the date of its creation, al though opposed by a large majority of its own citizens, the weak ling has grown and prospered and flourished, until no son or daugh ter within her territory is ashamed that he is a native of Summers County. It is truly a child of necessity. Upon the organization of the new county, it was divided into five townships, now designated as districts, which were named Jumping Branch, Pipestem, Greenbrier, Green Sulphur and Forest Hill, Jumping Branch and Pipestem being formed from the terri tory taken from Mercer, Forest Hill and a part of Greenbrier from Monroe, and Green Sulphur from Fayette and Greenbrier, and Greenbrier Township from Monroe and Greenbrier counties. Jump ing Branch was the name of that township before it was cut off from Mercer County ; afterwards, in the year 1877, Greenbrier Township was divided and Talcott District formed therefrom ; and the territorial divisions of the county thus remain to this day. At the date of< the formation of the county, the designation of townships was the legal title ; but they were afterward, by statute, changed to districts, and the territorial divisions of the county are now known as the Magisterial Districts. When Evan Hinton and his associates began the agitation for a new county, others undertook a counter movement, and an at tempt was made to head off Hinton's enterprise and secure a new county out of practically the same territory, with New Richmond for the county-seat. This movement was headed and promoted by the late Dr. Samuel Williams, a distinguished physician and HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 121 surgeon, then located at New Richmond, ten miles west of Hinton. The advocates of this proposed county organized, selected and sent Mr. Andrew P. Pence, now of Pence's Springs, and Harrison Gwinn, now of Green Sulphur Springs, to Charleston to lobby for the proposed new county, and to defeat Hinton's project; but met with disastrous failure, as the results show. A number of surveys were made, Joseph Keaton, a surveyor of Pipestem District, and Hon. Wm. Haynes, of Talcott District, doing the greater part of the work ; and the first, and probably the only official map of the county, so far as the writer is informed, wasv made by Joseph Keaton, who died several years ago, and who was the first county surveyor of the county, appointed on its for mation, and who held until the first election for county officers in the county, when the late Michael Smith was elected to that office. Senator Wm. Haynes, referred to, now deceased, was the father of our present townsman of the Hinton Department Co., and of Harry Haynes, a commissioner of the County Court of the county. The Act of the Legislature creating the county provides that the county-seat shall be located at the mouth of Greenbrier River, from which uncertain wording grew lengthy and hard-fought liti gation. It was claimed by the advocates above Greenbrier River that what is now Foss Postoffice, or near that point, was the mouth of Greenbrier River; and by those below the river, that the mouth was near the present Upper Hinton Ferry, at or near the point of the Hinton Island. In the meantime, the old log Baptist Church, situated about two miles up TSTew River from Foss, was proclaimed as the court house, and there a number of the courts of the county were held. Afterwards, the court house was removed and estab lished over the printing office of Mr. C. L. Thompson, on the side of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway track, near the railroad cross ing, in what is now the city of Avis. This building was burned down in the year 1875, and the storehouse building of John H. Pack, about opposite the point of the Hinton Island, was adopted as the court house — that is, the upper story thereof. The house was a one-story frame, and was ceiled under the rafters and seated with rough wooden benches, and there the courts were held for some time, until the old brick court house on the present site was built. The circuit and county clerks' offices were both first located at what is now Foss, near the ferry at the mouth of Greenbrier, in an old one-story log house, a mile and a quarter from the present 122 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. court house, later used as a storehouse, and now used for storage of junk. When it came to permanently locating the court house and letting its construction to contract, then began the legal conflicts which waged vigorously for a number of years. Dr. John G. Man ser and E. B. Meador, Esq., both now deceased, were the princi pal champions for the location at Foss, and Evan Hinton and oth ers for the opposite side of Greenbrier River, in what is now Avis. At one time the erection of the court house was let to contract and the work begun, at a location on the island where Dr. B. P. Gooch afterwards built his residence, and where the late John S. Ewart resided at the time of~his death. The brick were burned on that ground; but the inevitable injunction came, and the hopes of the islanders were shattered. Finally the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company took hold of the situation, and proposed to the county court to give to the county three acres of land for county purposes, which included Square "U," on the hill and what is now within the territorial lim its of the city of Hinton, where the present court house is now situated, if the court would permanently locate the court house on that property, which proposition was accepted; and in 1874 Hon. Wm. Haynes and were appointed by the County Court a committee to draft plans for a new court house, and in 1875 a contract was made between the county authorities and Colonel John C. McDonald, of Fayetteville, West Virginia, for the construc tion of the first court house on the present site, which was completed about the year 1876, and occupied in 1877. Out of this contract grew considerable litigation, the contractor not having built the house according to plans, specifications and agreement, for the con tract price agreed upon was $14,000. The acceptance of this prop osition by the county authorities terminated the litigation over the location of the county-seat and court house, and the same has re mained undisturbed up to the present time. The legal location of the "mouth of the Greenbrier River" thus remains undetermined by the courts until this day and time. Very few of the public records were destroyed by the court house fire ; but we find some missing, which prevents us from giv ing the exact date of a very few of the transactions of those times. The Pack storehouse, in the garret of which the court house was located, was afterwards washed off by the great flood of 1878, which destroyed about fifteen houses, and that part of what was then known as the town of Hinton. AT THE MOUTH OF GREENBRIER, (Old Pack Mansion House.) HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 123 The first court house built by the county was a two-story, prac tically square structure, fifty feet square. At the passage of the formation Act, Hon. Moses Scott was the delegate from Raleigh County ; Hon. Richard Allen Flanagan, from Fayette; Hon. B. F. Ballard, from Monroe; Hon. Sylvester Upton, from Mercer, and Capt. A. W. Mann, from Greenbrier. CHAPTER IX. FIRST COUNTY OFFICIALS AND ORGANIZATION. At the date of the formation of Summers County, under the laws then existing, the county affairs were conducted by a board of supervisors, which transacted the fiscal and road matters, and performed practically the same duties which are now performed by the commissioners of the County Court. The first supervisors of the county were: William Haynes, of Greenbrier Township; Ephraim J. Gwinn, of Green Sulphur Township ; Samuel Allen, of Forest Hill Township ; James Houchins, of Pipestem Township, and Joseph Cox, of Jumping Branch Township, all of whom are now dead, Mr. Cox and Mr. Haynes being the last survivors. The Hon. J. M. McWhorter was the first judge of the Circuit Court of the county, filling the office for something over two years after its formation, by appointment, to fill a vacancy in the then circuit of which this county was a part, which vacancy was caused by the impeachment of Nathaniel Harrison for corruption in office, and for what in modern times is appropriately termed "graft." Under the law, the judge of the Circuit Court appointed all county officers, to hold until the next general election, which was in the year 1872, following the establishment of the county. Evan Hinton, the "Father of the County," was appointed the first sheriff, and gave bond in the penalty of $30,000, with Andrew L. Lilly, Wm. I. Lilly, Avis Hinton, Wm. T. Meador, John Hinton, Joseph Hinton and Silas Hinton as the sureties on the first bond; and Jo seph Hinton, Richard Woodrum, Joseph Ellis, Wm. Hinton, AVm. T. Meador, Avis Hinton and John Hinton, as sureties on the sec ond of said bonds, one being for the general purposes, and the other to cover school funds. These appointments were made about the last of April, 1871, and the appointments continued until the first of January, 1873. Joseph Keaton was appointed the first sur veyor, and executed bond, with Wm. Hughes and A. L. Harvey as his sureties. Josephus B. Pack was appointed recorder, there being no clerk of the County Court at that time, and gave bond, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 125 with John H. Dunn, Joseph N. Haynes and Goodall Garten as his sureties. P. P. Peck was appointed commissioner of school lands, on the 9th day of September, 1873, and gave bond, with M. Smith, M. A. Manning and E. H. Peck as his sureties. Erastus H. Peck was appointed a commissioner in chancery, on the 10th day of September, 1875, and executed bond, with M. Smith, George W. Chatting and Elbert Fowler as his sureties. A. H. Meador was appointed the first clerk of the Circuit Court. Nelson M. Lowry was the first notary appointed for the county, and executed bond on the 25th day of September, 1871, with Thomas B. Gwinn as his surety. B. L. Hoge was appointed the first general receiver of the Circuit Court, and gave bond on the 12th day of September, 1877, with B. P. Gooch, Evan Hinton, M. A. Manning and M.' Smith as his sureties. Josephus B. Pack, the first elected clerk of the county, died in office, and was succeeded by his deputy, E. H. Peck. The first record made in the County Court, so far as I am able to find, was by Josephus B. Pack, recorder, which is as follows : "State of West Virginia. At Rules held in the recorder's office, in Summers County, on Monday, the 8th day of May, 1871, in the eighth year of the State." The first record of a conveyance of land is as follows: "A deed of bargain and sale from Griffith Meadows and wife to Sarah Woodson, bearing date the 9th day of December, 1870, conveying four-ninths of all the lands of Mathew Kincaid, de ceased (except the widow's dower while she lives), lying on the north side of Greenbrier River, and on Hunghart's Creek. Admit ted April 27, 1871. J. P. Pack, R., S. Co." The next entry is 1871, April 29th, and is a conveyance by William Crump to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company, for a one-ninth undivided interest in the Isaac Ballangee land for a double track railway. Griffith Meadows is still living, and resides in Monroe County, West Virginia. William Crump has long since died. The first record of a county court held in the county that I have been able to find from the records, is January 21, 1873. On January 1, 1873, the new law took effect by which the Board of Supervisors was abolished, and the law establishing the county courts took effect. The record of January 21, 1873, shows "present, Wm. T. Meador, C. R. Hines, A. L. Harvey, Robert Gore, J. A. Parker, Henry Milburn, gentlemen justices." The county court was then composed of the justices of the peace of each district of 126 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the county, except the president of the court, who was elected as such. At this term of the court the bonds of J. B. Pack, as clerk; Evan Hinton, as sheriff; Michael Smith, as surveyor; Wellington Cox, as assessor, J. S. Lilly, as constable of Jumping Branch Dis trict, and Jacob C. Allen, constable of Forest Hill District, were approved, and at this session the Rev. John Bragg was appointed and qualified as deputy clerk of the county court, and Joseph Ellis and B. P. Shumate were appointed deputy sheriffs. William H. Lilly was appointed deputy assessor for Wellington Cox. J. M. McWhorter and N. M. Lowry were qualified to practice law in the courts on the motion of W. G. Ryan. S. W. AVilley, the present postmaster at Hinton, was appointed constable for Greenbrier Dis trict. At this term of the court a motion 'was made by R. A. Vincent, who resided one mile and a half from New Richmond, on Lick Creek, in Green Sulphur District, for the appointment of justice of the peace, which was rejected. Said A^incent claimed that the district was entitled to two justices, by reason of the population at that time being sufficient therefor, and submitted his motion to the old Board of Supervisors for his appointment: W. P. Hinton was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to make a census of the population of Green Sulphur District, and report. His report was made to the county court (as the Board of Supervisors had been abolished), and was then rejected, and said Vincent took his bill of exceptions from the action of the county court, which is the first record of any appeal from the action of any court in the county, and which apeal was lost to Mr. Vincent. Albert J. Austin, at this term, was appointed constable for Pipe- stem District on the motion of Robert Gore. On the 21st day of January, 1873, Robert Gore, E. B. Meador and AVm, Haynes were appointed by the county court commissioners for the purpose of drafting a plan for the court house and other public buildings. On motion of C. R. Hines, W. G. Ryan,' N. M. Lowry and E. H. Peck were appointed commissioners in chancery of the county court, and they were the first commissioners in chancery of the county court, and on this date the following motion was recorded: "On motion, the Baptist Church heretofore used as a court house is hereby adopted as the court house of the county." The March and July Terms were designated as the levy terms of the court and for transacting the fiscal affairs. Henry Milburn and J. A. Parker were selected as associate HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 127 justices to hold the January Term of the court, and C. R. Hines and Robert Gore were selected as associate justices to hold the May Term of the court, and A. L. Harvey and Marion Gwinn as associate justices to hold the November Term. The May and No vember Terms were designated as Grand Jury Terms. From the foregoing proceedings it will be observed that there was a great contrast between the judicial machinery of the courts then and at the present time, and that great advancement for the better and improvements have been made in the operation of the machinery of justice and in legal affairs. This court was composed solely of justices of the peace, except the president, neither of whom was required to be a lawyer or a person learned in law, and had jurisdiction to try actions at law and suits in chancery, with grand juries to indict persons accused of crime, and petit juries to try indictments and all character of criminal offenses, as well as civil actions. In the absence of the president, a justice of the peace acted as president pro tern. The next term of this court was held on the 18th day of Oc tober, 1873. At this term Erastus C. Stevens was granted a license to keep a house of entertainment, and Erastus H. Peck was ap pointed and qualified as deputy clerk of the county court. David G. Ballangee, of Clayton, was appointed a road surveyor, also Andrew Gwinn and Osborne Kesler, of Lowell, were appointed road surveyors, and Robert Gore, a member of the court, qualified as administrator of the personal estate of Nancy Dwiggins, de ceased, and two of the other "gentlemen justices of the court," Allen L. Harvey and C. R. Hines, became his surety on his bond in the penalty of sixteen dollars ($16.00), according to the record; evidently intended for sixteen hundred dollars ($1,600.00). Hon. A. N. Campbell, who was afterwards judge of the circuit court of this county, was admitted to the practice of the law in this court; at this term, on the motion of W. G. Ryan. The first jail occupied in the county was a small, one-story, hewed log house, located near the railroad crossing in the city of Avis. It was entirely insecure, and was principally used for pris oners charged with misdemeanors. The jails at Lewisburg, Beck- ley "and Monroe being adapted and used from time to time, until the present jail was built, about the year 1884, from bonds issued by the county after the question of bonding the county had been submitted to a vote and adopted. The present jail and only one built by the county is two-story, of brick, with modern steel cells, there being two cells in the upper story used for female and mis- 128 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. demeanor prisoners. These were not placed until within the last four or five years as demand for more room, the upper part of the jail building being originally occupied by the jailer's family. The old log jail house is owned by Joseph Hinton, and is about twelve feet square. The present brick jail house is about 20 x 30 feet, and is heated by steam. The first session of any judicial body in the county was of the Board of Supervisors, who met in the old log residence of Avis Hinton, on the railway track (later torn down for double track room), at the foot of the hill near the railway and street crossing, but nothing seems to have been done and no record made. A con sultation. West Virginia. In Summers Circuit Court, September 8, 1874. Present, His Honor, Homer A. Holt, Judge. The following are the names of the first grand jury that was impanneled in the circuit court that we have a record of in the county, a portion of the first records of the county having been destroyed by fire: Maj. James A, Hutchison, foreman, dead; A. A. Miller, dead; A. P. Pence, living; James Cales, dead; Charles Gar ten, living; Lockridge Gwinn, dead; James Ferrell, dead; Robert W. Meadows, dead; J. S. Dodd, dead; O. H. Caperton, dead; G. L. Jordan, dead; Jacob Mann, living; Henry Gore, dead; Robert W. Lilly, living (Shooting Bob). Since writing the previous chapter, we have fortunately been able to resurrect the record book of the Board of Supervisors, which was preserved from the fire which destroyed the first court room in Hinton, and also the Mountain Herald printing office, situated near the railway crossing at the foot of the hill. The first recorded meeting of the Board of Supervisors for the county was held at the mouth of Greenbrier, in the old log store house (one-story) which is still standing and used by Miller Brothers as a storage place for junk, etc. The first order of record ever entered in and for the county was by the Hon. Marion Gwinn, a son of Ephraim and Rachel Gwinn, of Green Sulphur Springs, as clerk of the Board of Super visors, which we give below : "State of West Virginia, mouth of Greenbrier River, March 28, 1871. This day, in pursuance of an act of the Legislature of West Virginia, passed on February 27, 1871, the Board of Super- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 129 visors, composed of Samuel Allen, Joseph Cox, E. J. Gwinn and William Haynes, met at the mouth of Greenbrier River for the purpose of organizing the county of Summers, and, after being qualified by a justice of the peace, Samuel Allen was chosen presi dent, and Marion Gwinn was elected and qualified as clerk of said board." The board then proceeded to divide the county into five town ships — Forest Hill, Greenbrier, Jumping Branch, Pipestem and Green Sulphur. Then this board proceeded to give the boundary lines of each township, all of which boundaries remain the same to this day, except Greenbrier, which was afterwards divided, and Talcott District formed therefrom in 1877. The place of voting at Forest Hill Township was fixed at James Keatley's, at the mouth of Indian Creek ; Green Sulphur Springs was fixed as the voting place of Green Sulphur Township ; Jumping Branch for Jumping Branch Township, and the court house for Greenbrier Township. Michael Smith was appointed constable for Forest Hill. Of this Board of Supervisors appointed by Judge McWhorter, two were Republicans, Samuel Allen and Joseph Cox, and two were Democrats, William Haynes and E. J. Gwinn. Joseph Cox resided near Jumping Branch, at which place he continued to reside until the date of his death a few years ago. He was the Republican party's candidate for commissioner of the county court at the elec tion in 190 — . Samuel Allen was a resident of Wolf Creek in Forest Hill District, where he continued to reside until his death a few years ago. William Haynes resided at Haynes' Ferry, on Green brier River, in Talcott District, and E. J. Gwinn resided at Green Sulphur Springs in Green Sulphur District, at which places they resided until their deaths. James Boyd was appointed by the board as assessor for the county, and gave bond on the 28th day of March, 1871, and was the first assessor of the county. He resided on Greenbrier River, near the "Little Ben Tunnel," where his son, Benjamin Boyd, now re sides, he being the owner of the old Boyd homestead, and is a respectable and intelligent citizen of the county. The board then proceeded to appoint the various overseers of roads for the entire county, designating the respective hands to work on each road. The public roads were then maintained by public labor of as many days as might be fixed by the Board of Supervisors, each person between the ages of twenty-one and forty- five years being required, for the first year in the life of the 130 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. county, to work six days himself, or provide a legal substitute. Andrew Gwinn was appointed a justice of the peace for Greenbrier District. This is the gentleman known as "Long Andy," who still resides at Lowell with his son, James Gwinn, being one of the best-known farmers and citizens in this section of the state. He is now about eighty years of age, but is hale and hearty. Soon after his appointment he resigned his office as justice,- and we notice at this session of the court he was directed to turn over his papers to Joseph Grimmett, a justice of the county. Reverend Rufus Pack, on the 28th day of January, 1871, was authorized by the board to procure the necessary material and have built a plank building sixteen feet wide; height, one-story, the width of the church, the same to be divided by plank partition in the middle, to be used for jury rooms for the use of the jurors, and to have same in readiness by the 29th day of April ; also to make three tables, one three feet square, and two 3x8 feet, of poplar. The second meeting of the Board of Supervisors was held on the 15th day of April, 1871. I notice the order book of the pro ceedings of the board was signed by Samuel Allen, president; by M. Gwinn, clerk. At this April meeting the members of the board present were Samuel, Allen, president ; Joseph Cox, James Houch- in,s, William Haynes and E. J. Gwinn ; James Houchins having been appointed for Pipestem District. E. J. Gwinn resigned at this meeting as a member, and Harrison Gwinn, his son, was elected by the board in his stead to fill the vacancy until the next election by the people. Littlebury Noble, who still lives in this county and is well known as Berry Noble, was at this term of the board exempted from working on the roads. The following order was entered : "Be it ordained by the board that Rufus Pack be, and he is hereby granted a license to keep a house of private entertainment at his present place of residence." Mr. Pack was a minister of the Missionary Baptist Church, and resided about two miles up New River from the mouth of Green brier River, on what is known as the Plumley farm, he owning that place at that time. Josephus Pack was authorized to purchase books, stationery, etc., necessary for the offices of the clerks of the circuit and county courts and recorder, and to rent a house to be used as clerk's and recorder's offices, at the sum of $25.00 per year. The board seems to have been an economical set of officials, and I doubt if one of them knew what the word "graft" meant as to its modern political signification. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 131 The question of the location of the court house began to be agitated at this time, and the board entered the following order, which is the first mention of this matter of record : "Be it ordained that the 4th day of May be and is hereby set apart for the selection by the board of a site for the court house." The first election held in the new county for any purpose seems to have been held only in Pipestem District, on the 27th day of April, 1871. We are unable to ascertain from the records, which are very meager, for what purpose this township election was held. The only record is as follows : "In the township of Pipestem 255 votes were cast for ratification and ten votes for rejection." This may have been an election for the adoption of a new road law, the ratification of the Act of the Legislature forming Summers County, the amendment of the Constitution, or for any other pur pose, so far as the records disclose. Hon. William Haynes resigned as a member of the board for Greenbrier District, and Archie Allen was elected to fill the va cancy. James Boyd, assessor, resigned his office as such at this term of the board (May 3, 1871). Allen H. Meador, afterwards clerk Of the circuit court for six years and president of the county court for six years, and an uncle of the present county clerk of this county, Jos. M. Meador, was appointed in the stead of Mr. Boyd. Jacob C. Allen was the first constable of Forest Hill District, and was the first in the county, being appointed on the third day of May, 1871. And on this day James Keatley was granted license to keep a hotel and sell "ardent" liquors at the mouth of Indian Creek. This was the first liquor license ever granted in the county. Mr. Keatley, several years afterwards, again applied to the county court for license to retail spirituous liquors at the same place, being represented in making the application by the late Col. James W. Davis, an attorney of Greenbrier County, which application was refused, at which action of the court he was very much disgusted, took a bill of exceptions for an appeal to the circuit court, but, of course, was defeated, as the action of the county court was final in such matters. John Richmond was granted a license to keep a house of private entertainment at the mouth of Lick Creek, and John Richmond & Company to sell "ardent" spirits at the same place; D. J. Cogbill to sell the "ardent" between Capt. Menifee's and the "Big Ben Tunnel," and Thos. F. Park to keep a hotel and sell the "ardent" on "Big Ben Tunnel" Mountain. At this date the board ordained that the former order, in re the 132 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY,. WEST VIRGINIA. location of the court house be rescinded, and the location of the court house be postponed until the location of the depot of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad is determined. The-next meeting of this board, was held at the mouth of Green brier River on the third Monday in May in the one-story log store house still standing. Rev. Rufus Pack was allowed $63.00 for labor, etc., for erecting jury rooms. Samuel Huffman, one of the most substantial citizens of the county, and who still resides on Wolf Creek, an aged and respected Christian gentleman, and Samuel K. Boude, the father of our present genial clerk of the circuit court, and Major Richard Woodrum, were each appointed road surveyors. We take it that the law at that time authorized the Board of Super visors to "appoint" the jurors for the county, and each juror, both petit and grand, was elected by the Board of Supervisors and summoned by the sheriff. The board at this meeting made an order that it should meet once in each month. The first record of any ferry established by the new county was made by the Board of Supervisors on the 9th day of June, 1871, by an order granted to Nathan Meadows for a ferry across Greenbrier River. This ferry was located at Foss, across Greenbrier River at its mouth, now owned by A. E. and Charles Lewis Miller, and the rates of ferriage were fixed as follows : Foot passengers $ .05" Horse and rider 10 Two horses and wagon 25 And for every additional horse 05 No provision being made for transportation of any other property. At the June Term, Andrew L. Lilly, was appointed overseer of the poor for Jumping Branch Township, and was the first overseer of the poor of the county. The keeping of the paupers in those days for the county was sold out to the lowest bidder at the court house. The county was not the owner of any pauper farm or regular place for maintenance of the poor, and at that time and most of the time to the present, the keeping of the paupers was sold out to the lowest bidder annually. The Board seemed to be pestered with the question of the court house site, and on the 19th day of June, 1871, entered the following order : "Be it ordained by the board that the order postponing the time for the location of the site of the court house until the location of the depot of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad is hereby rescinded, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 133 and the following order is made: 'Be it ordained by the Board of Supervisors of the county of Summers that the board determine, by vote of same, whether the site of the court house and other pub lic buildings shall be on the north bank of Greenbrier River on the land of Messrs. Hinton, immediately on the line between Hinton and Bolinges (intended for Ballangee), or whether the same shall be located on the north bank of Greenbrier River immediately above the residence and orchard of Evi Ballangee.' " The vote was then taken and resulted as follows : Supervisors Joseph Cox and Harrison Gwinn voting to locate said site on the lands of the Messrs. Hinton, immediately on the line between Hin ton and Ballangee, and Supervisors Samuel Allen, Archie Allen and James Houchins voting to locate said site on the north bank of Greenbrier River, immediately above the residence and orchard of Evi Ballangee. And the board this day selected 1J4 acres of land lying on the north bank of Greenbrier, above the residence of said Ballangee, upon which to locate the court house and other public buildings of the county. Said lj^ acres of land was described by metes and bounds. On the 17th day of July, the following order was entered, in re court house site : "Be it ordained by the Board of Supervisors that the word 'Greenbrier' be erased from the order designating the site of the location for the court house and other public buildings." Evidently the location of these buildings was waxing warm in those days. The place of voting at New Richmond in Green Sul phur Township was established on the 17th day of July, 1871, by the Board of Supervisors. Robert A. Vincent, heretofore men tioned, was, on July 17th, appointed overseer of the poor for Green Sulphur Township, and was the first to ever hold that office in that district. It would seem that Mr. Vincent was bound to have an office, and the court, in order to dispose of the matter, not being able to make him a "squire," made him an overseer of the poor, and that, for the time being, satisfied his official ambition. The first disbursement of public money of the county was by an order entered on the 17th day of July, 1871, and was the authority for the payment of $63.00 allowed to Rufus Pack ; the second was to M. A. Manning for five dollars for services rendered in securing books, stationery, etc. The third Monday in August, 1871, an allowance was made of $336.53 to Thomas F. Park & Company, for books, paper, etc. The keeping of the paupers for the first year of the history of 134 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the county was let to R. C. Lilly, the lowest bidder, for $600.00. The ferry at Talcott was established for Griffith Meadows on the third Monday in August, 1871, and the rates of ferriage were fixed as follows: Two horses and wagon $ .25 One way for every additional horse 05 Horse and rider 10 Foot passengers 05 This ferry is still in existence, never having been discontinued. This ferry was established at what was known then as Rollinsburg, now Talcott, Rollinsburg being the name of the post office at that place up to the time of the building of the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail road through this county in 1872. An allowance of $20.00 rent was made at this term to the trus tees of the Greenbrier Baptist Church for its use as a court house for one year. The first assessment of land and property of the county was made by Allen H. "Meador, who was appointed, as stated before, to succeed James Boyd, resigned, for which services Mr. Meador was allowed at this term of the court the sum of $225.00. Marion Gwinn was allowed the sum of $200.00 for clerking for the Board of Supervisors, and the following is the first order for taxation made in the county : "Be it ordained by the board that a levy of eighty-five cents per one hundred dollars assessed valuation be and is hereby made upon the land and property of the county of Summers, to defray the expenses of same." Rufus H. Shumate was granted a license to retail "ardent" spirits at Mercer Salt Works, which was near the mouth of Lick Creek in the upper end of Pipestem Township, and about twenty- five miles from the court house. On the third day of September, 1871, the board entered an order directing Joseph Keaton, surveyor of the county, to make a complete map of the county, which map was made by Mr. Keaton, and is the only map ever made or authorized by the county au thorities. The first election held in the county seems to have been on the 26th day of October, 1871, and was for the election of senators . and delegates to the Legislature. Summers, at that time was in the delegate district, composed of Monroe, Greenbrier and Sum mers, from which three members of the Legislature were elected. At this election also a member of the constitutional convention HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 135 was elected from the senatorial district. The Board of Supervisors met at the mouth of Greenbrier to canvass the vote. The following county and other officers were elected: John Sims, for supervisor of Greenbrier Township; James Hutchinson, for supervisor of Forest Hill Township ; James Houch- ins, for supervisor of Pipestem Township ; Levi Neely, for super visor of Jumping Branch Township; A. A. Miller, for supervisor of Green Sulphur Township. The following township officers were elected: For Greenbrier Township, Henry Milburn and C. R. Hines, justices of the peace; James Boyd and George W. Chattin, inspectors of election; con stables, S. W. Willey and C. A. Miller; school commissioners, William H. Barger and A. C. Kesler; overseer of the poor, C. K. Rollyson ; township clerk, Henry F. Kesler. For Forest Hill the following township officers were elected: Township clerk, A. E. Cotton; justice of the peace, Samuel K. Boude; inspectors of election, L. D. Garten and S. Simms; con stable, J. C. Allen ; school commissioners, J. K. Sanders and Richard Woodrum; overseer of the poor, Goodall Garten. For Pipestem Township the following .officers were elected: Township clerk, Joseph Keaton; justice of the peace, James Farley; inspectors of election, Ellison and William Hughes; constable, Reuben Hopkins; overseer of the poor, William Crump; overseer of roads, Evan B. Neely. For Jumping Branch the following township officers were elected: Township clerk, John H. Lilly; justice of the peace, John F. Deeds; inspectors of election, John A. Lilly and W. P. Lilly; constable, Mathias Crook; school commissioners, Robert P. Lilly and William C. Dobbins ; overseer of the poor, Preston Pack. For Green Sulphur Township the following officers were elected : For supervisor, A. A. Miller ; township clerk, G. W. Goddard ; jus tice of the peace, M. Gwinn ; inspectors of election, John Hix and S. F. Taylor; constable, William R. Taylor; school commissioners, M. Hutchinson, T. A. George and C. W. Withrow ; overseer of the poor, R. A. Vincent ; surveyor of roads, J. H. Martin, M. Dunbar and James Cales. These names are nearly all familiar, many of them still being residents of the county, but some have gone to their great ac counting and some have gone to foreign parts. They were nearly all personally known to the writer. Those mentioned from Green Sulphur Township, I notice, are all dead, except Hon. M. Gwinn, C. W. Withrow and Thomas A. George. 136 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The supervisors or commissioners of election in those days seem to have been elected as well as road surveyors by the vote of the people. At this meeting of the board, which was for the pur pose of canvassing the vote, a license was granted to William Gwinn to sell "ardent" spirits at the mouth of Meadow Cre'ek. The records do not give the. vote for county or district officers. It sets forth simply the names of those who received a majority and were elected. We find for other offices, however, the vote' set out in full, and we find the results as follows : "The Board of Supervisors of the county of Summers, having carefully and impartially examined the returns of the election held on the 26th day of October, do hereby certify that in said county for the office of representative for the Senatorial district in the State Constitutional Convention, Samuel Price received 509 votes and William McCreery received 205 votes; and for the office of representative for the delegate district in the state constitutional convention, Henry M. Mathews received 520 votes, James M. Burn- side received 474 votes, and William Haynes received 613 votes." Samuel Price was ex-Lieutenant Governor of the State of Vir ginia; William McCreery was the father of our townsman, Mr. James T. McCreery, and resided in Raleigh County. Henry M. Mathews was afterwards Attorney-General and Governor of the State. William Haynes was elected to the Constitutional Conven tion, and was also elected to the State Senate later. At the first meeting of the Board of Supervisors held after the election, which was January 2, 1872, James A. Hutchinson, of Forest Hill Township, was elected president; M. Gwinn was again ap pointed clerk, and the newly elected members, A. A. Miller, Levi Neely and John Simms, took their seats and composed the board until that office was abolished under the new Constitution, which took effect January 1, 1873. Mr. James A. Hutchinson, elected president of the board, was a resident of Forest Hill Township, and died in the year 18 — . He was a Republican in politics, having been a Whig before the AVar. His children and descendants reside in the county.' A more detailed family history will be given later in this work. At this time a controversy arose, the effects of which are Still felt by a large part of the citizens of the county, in regard to the destruction of the county road by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company, between Hinton and New Richmond. The railroad com pany was constructing its track and destroying the road which foi- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 137 lowed the river between those points, it being impossible to build a railroad without obstructing or destroying the county road, by reason of the hills coming down to the margin of the river. An agreement was entered into between the board and the vice-presi dent of the road, W. T. Wickam, by the terms of which the board agreed that the railroad company should proceed with its work until the grading was completed, at which time the company should replace the county road in as good repair as it was before the obstructions. The railroad company went on and completed its road, and, when it came to replacing the county road, as railway companies and some corporations frequently do, disregarded their contracts, agreements and moral obligations. The county court, from the orders entered, showed that they were unable to get the county road replaced. The railway company was likely to go into the hands of a receiver in bankruptcy in order to pay for its con struction. The county court appointed M. Gwinn as commissioner to make a settlement, which was done by the acceptance of $3,000.00; the court and Mr. Gwinn going on the hypothesis that something was better than nothing. This is an instance of the infidelity of foreign corporations to promises of which they can squirm out. Having taken the county road bed, it was a matter of very considerable cost to replace the county road, and it may be years before the people in that part of the county will have a practical county road, upon which they can travel from Green Sulphur to the court house. The road was of no consequence, but the loss of the road bed and right of way was wherein the people suffered. The Board of Supervisors seems to have been an economical and provident body, and required full time to be given by those engaged in the public service, as will be observed from an order made at the January Term, 1872, in which it "appointed the as sessor, surveyor, sheriff and recorder a committee to correct the land books of the county," and required them to meet at the clerk's office on the third Monday in March, at nine o'clock a. m., 1872, for that purpose, and that they adjourn on the following Wed nesday at four o'clock p. m. We note that on the third Monday in February, 1872, James Houchins voted against approving the record of the last prior meeting. It seems that they had obstreperous members in those days, as well as at the present time. John K. Withrow, of Green Sulphur District, was appointed 138 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. at that term of the court as constable. James A. Houchins, the president, was appointed to visit the paupers, and he was also directed to visit Reuben Johnson and try to procure for him a bounty from "Uncle Sam" for some kind of public services rendered some time in the past. Our old friend, I. G. Carden, was appointed an auctioneer at that time, and holds the appointment to this day. License to retail "ardent" spirits was granted to Dr. J. G. Manser at the mouth of Greenbrier. There seems to have been wolves and varmints in the county in those days, which were not desirable in the development of the country, and we find the following order recorded at the February Term, 1872 : "Be it ordained by the board that an allowance of $35.00 be and is hereby allowed for the killing of grown wolves, and half price for all under six months of age. Said wolves to be killed within the bounds of the county." I do not find but one record of an allowance having been made under this order, which was to James R. Wheeler, and is as follows : "James R. Wheeler was allowed for one grown wolf killed, $35.00; three half-grown wolves, $52.50." It seems that the board must have had some unruly litigants and advocates from the order entered at this sitting, from which the following order grew, in order to improve the manners of those in attendance : "No person shall be allowed to interrupt another while address ing the board in regard to any matter in which the speaker may be concerned, and, further, that any insult offered any member while engaged in the business of the board, will be proceeded against according to law." The question of the purchase of a poor farm began to agitate the county authorities from the beginning, and on the 20th day of May, 1872, James Houchins and James Roles, who then resided near the mouth of Bluestone River, where Jonathan Lee Barker now resides, were appointed a committee to inquire into the expe diency of purchasing a poor farm. It seems that the circuit court at that time also had to stir up these authorities in regard to seating the court room, as we do at this time, and an order was entered requiring the same to be pro vided. I find the delinquent taxes for the year ending the first Wed- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 139 nesday in August, 1872, were as follows, and were allowed to Evan Hinton, then sheriff: Green Sulphur Township $248.41 Greenbrier Township 135.93 Pipestem Township 49.08 Jumping Branch Township 22.13 Forest Hill Township. 95.30 For the year 1905 I find the delinquent tax allowed to H. Ewart, sheriff, as follows: Greenbrier $238.18 Green Sulphur 161.19 Forest Hill 19.97 Pipestem 35.19 Jumping Branch. 187.85 Talcott 173.41 The amount of the tax tickets coming into the hands of the sheriff in 1904 being $5f),Q00 approximately,' and not including rail way taxes, which is a remarkable showing, considering the increase in taxable property and funds coming into the sheriff's hands, and, a better showing for no sheriff in any county can be had, we will warrant, in the United States, than the showing for the sheriff of this county, Mr. H. Ewart. M. Gwinn was appointed the first com missioner to settle with the sheriff, which was on May 20, 1872. R. C. Lilly was allowed at this date $900.00 for pauper allow ance, which was for maintaining the paupers from June 20, 1872, to June 20, 1873. Ellison's voting precinct in Jumping Branch District was es tablished at Francis Ellison's house on the 20th day of May, 1872, and also the voting precinct at the clerk's office was established. -The amount of the county levy coming into the hands of Evan Hinton, sheriff during the first year's existence of the county as a municipality was $6,454.20, of which he owed on settlement $3,378.69, after all allowances. I find the amount of funds coming into the hands of the sheriff for the year 1904, the last sheriff's settlement preceding this date, was $ . The next general election held in the county was on the adop tion of the ratification or rejection of the new and present Consti tution, now in force in this State, subject to the more recent amend- 140 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ments, and also for State officers. The result in this county, so far as is disclosed by the records, is as follows : For ratification of the Constitution and Schedule 451 votes For rejection 262 Total vote in the county 713 For Governor: J. N. Camden, Democrat 480 J. J. Jacobs, Independent 290 For Attorney-General : H. M. Mathews, Democrat : 516 G. Cresap, Republican For Treasurer: John S. Burdette, Democrat 517 W. P. Rathburne, Republican 191 For Auditor: E. A. Bennett, Democrat : 490 A. M. Jacobs, Republican 199 For Superintendent of Schools : B. W. Byrne, Democrat 483 J. B. Hardwick, Republican 213 For Judges Supreme Court of Appeals : A. F. Haymond 496 James Paull 495 J. S. Huffman 677 R. L. Berkshire 162 M. Edmiston , . . . 162 E. Maxwell 162 For House of Delegates: M. Gwinn, Democrat 637 D. Fox 20 And the following order was entered : "Be it ordained by the board that the following persons are declared elected for the following county offices: For State's at torney, W. G. Ryan; for president county court, Wm. T. Meador; for sheriff, Evan Hinton ; for clerk of circuit court, A. H. Meador ; HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 141 for clerk of the county court, J. B. Pack; for surveyor, M. Smith; for assessor, Wellington Cox. "Be it ordained that the following township officers are declared elected: Forest Hill Township: for justice of the peace, A. L. Harvey; for constable, J. C. Allen. Jumping Branch Township: for justice of the peace, A. Parker (which was intended for J. A. Parker) ; for constable, J. S. Lilly. Pipestem Township : for justice of the peace, Robert Gore; for constable, C. M. D. Spraddling, Greenbrier Township; for justice of the peace, C. R. Hines and Henry Milburn'; for constable, Alma Willey and J. P. Rollyson. For judge of the circuit court R. F. Dennis received 388 votes, and Homer A. Holt 241 votes, and J. W. Davis 78 votes, making a total of 607 votes cast in the county." This election was a general election for State and county offices, to be elected under the new Constitution in the event of its rati fication. It was ratified in the State, and the officers elected at that election and those which were not vacated by the new Con stitution took office on the first day of January, 1873, and under which the Board of Supervisors retired, and the county courts, as hereinafter shown, were composed of the respective justices of the peace, as elected at this election. At the Presidential election held on the 5th day of November, 1872, Horace Greely, Independent Republican, received 290 votes, and U. S. Grant. 206 votes. The candidate for Vice-President at this election on the Independent Republican ticket was B. Gratz Brown. The Presidential electors on the Greeley ticket are familiar to.many of the present citizens of Summers County, being Joseph Spriggs, Okey Johnson, Wm. P. Hubbard, Daniel B. Lucas and Edmund Sehon. The electors on the Grant ticket were W. E. Stevens, Thomas B. Swan, Charles F. Scott, Thomas R. Carkscadon and Romeo H. Frier. Henry Wilson was the Republican voted for for Vice-President. Charles O'Connor, Democrat, for President, received eighteen votes; John Quincy Adams, for Vice-President, seventeen votes. The electors on this ticket were Thomas O'Brien, Alex White, A. E. Duncan, William T. Ice and John S. Swan. Horace Greeley was the Independent Republican candidate, and was generally sup ported by the Democrats. General U. S. Grant was the Republican candidate, and a number of Democrats voted for General Grant. Not being satisfied with the action of the Democratic Conven tion in ratifying the nominee, Horace Greeley, Charles O'Connor was nominated by a faction of the Democratic Party as the straight- 142 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. out Democratic nominee by a convention held in Baltimore. Greeley was the great editor of the New York Tribune, and had shown a liberal disposition towards Confederate leaders after the close of hostilities, having, with August Belmont, gone on the bail bond of Jefferson Davis, the"president of the Confederacy. General U. S. Grant was the great Federal general to whom General Lee sur rendered at Appomattox, and was generally beloved in this country by reason of his magnanimous action towards General Lee and his Confederate soldiers after the collapse of the Rebellion. Charles O'Connor was an eminent Democratic lawyer in the city of New York. Frank Hereford, who was elected to Congress, was a prominent attorney in Union, Monroe County, who after wards served a term in the Senate of the United States at the same time that the Honorable Henry G. Davis, of this State, late Demo cratic candidate for Vice-President, was in the Senate. Captain R. F. Dennis was the regular nominee for judge of the circuit court, and was defeated by Homer A. Holt, an independent candi date. J. W. Davis was the Republican nominee. Captain Dennis was an officer in the Confederate Army and a distinguished lawyer at Lewisburg; afterwards served several years in the State Senate, and was a candidate for Congress, and defeated by C. P. Snyder for the nomination. Homer A. Holt, who was elected judge, was a Democrat, and was elected for a second term, and served as judge of the circuit court of this county and circuit for sixteen full years, and was afterwards elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals of the State, and served a term. J. W. Davis was a militia colonel at the beginning of the war and was a lawyer of great prominence in Greenbrier County, and only died recently at a very advanced age. After the war he was a Republican in politics, and- so continued, but in 1896 was an ardent free silver advocate, and earnestly supported William J. Bryan, the Democratic candidate, for President, and at one time was the nominee of the Populist Party for Congress, and was the Republican nominee at one time for judge of the Supreme court of Appeals on the Republican ticket, and the Republican nominee for Congress at one or two elections in the Third District, of which this county was a part when the district was largely Democratic. I omitted to give in the foregoing statement of election the election returns for the county, which were as follows : For county superintendent of schools for the election held on the 26th day of October, 1871, John H. Pack received 493 votes, and he seems to have had no opposition for said office. For the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 143 office of representative in the House of Delegates for the delegate district of Monroe, Summers and Greenbrier, for the election held on the 26th day of October, 1871, George Williams received 514 votes ; Gordon L. Jordan, 504 votes ; A. Nelson Campbell, 511 votes ; Robert Lilly, 84 votes ; S. W. Nickell, 58 votes, and H. P. Brown, 63 votes. Hon Gordon L. Jordan was elected in the county, and was the first representative in. the Legislature from Summers County. He resided in Pipestem District, and was the father of John H. Jordan, the present cashier of the Bank of Summers. C. A. Sperry for State Senate, at that election, received 475 votes; S. C. Luddington, 123 votes. The elections seem to have been held frequently in that period of our history, the first being held on October 26, 1871 ; the second, August 22, 1872 ; the third on November 5, 1872. Those were stir ring times in this region. The war having closed in April, 1865, reconstruction was still in progress, and under the first Constitution and legislation in the State a large part of the people were dis franchised by reason of their either having been in the active service of the Confederacy, or having been sympathizers therewith. All those persons, which consisted of the majority and the most substantial class of citizens in the territory of this county, were in cluded ^under this ban, and not permitted to vote. A strict registra tion law was then in force, and every voter had to register before a board of registration, composed of three registrars, who were ap pointed as strict partisans of the party then in power, and no person was permitted to register or vote unless he could subscribe to a certain test oath, which was in effect, "that the voter had not aided or abetted in the late Rebellion, or had sympathized therewith." This, of course, excluded all ex-Confederates and voters who sym pathized with' the Southern cause in any way. Every voter was required to register at his precinct, and if a liberal registrar saw proper to permit persons to register who had been in sympathy with the Confederate cause, when the returns were sent in to the county seat to the board of registrars, they deliberately threw out all necessary votes to make the results of the election satisfactory to themselves. For instance, in Greenbrier County, directly after the war, about 113 voters were permitted to vote out of a vote of probably 1,500 or 2,000. This statement is given from information, and I give it to show the feeling existing in those days soon after the war and during the stirring political times in that era. When the adoption of the new Constitution for ratification or 144 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. rejection, and the first Democratic State officers were elected since the formation of the State, the elective franchise had been extended largely by reason of the Flick amendment to the Constitution, which amendment took its name from its author, Honorable Wm. H. H. Flick, a broad-minded Republican of considerable influence in the Legislature, and the vote at the elections taken in 1872 were after the adoption of this amendment, which entitled many more voters to participate in the elections than had heretofore been permitted, the restrictions in franchise and the abominations perpetrated upon the people of this section from the close of the war until the adoption of the new Constitution were not chargeable to the broad-minded and liberal statesmen and members of the Republican Party, but to those narrow-minded partisans, illiterate and bigoted, as well as carpet-baggers who came into the country as jackals follow their prey — who had not been accustomed to power or authority, and who did not have either the sense, honor or broadness of character to exercise the power which was thrust upon them, by reason of the conflicts, agitations and unsettled con ditions resulting and growing out of the Civil AVar, and the people in authority undertook to exercise that authority in many instances in the suppression of justice, but as time went on more liberal, broad-minded and patriotic persons came into control, and matters soon righted themselves. The feeling between the parties from 1865 to 1875 was exceed ingly bitter, and the Republican Party in those days was obnoxious to a large class of the citizens, so-called Republican "Radicals." I give an instance as the result upon registration and election at Green Sulphur precinct, some time after the war, when I was a boy, and I remember distinctly upon hearing of the occurrences: John Gwinn was one of the respected citizens of that district, a brother of E. J. Gwinn, the owner of Green Sulphur Springs, who had been a strong Democrat before the war, but was a Union man and a Republican after the war, and a man of broad information and liberal towards his section. Mr. Gwinn was registrar for that precinct, which was then in Blue Sulphur District, Greenbrier County. When registration day came, he permitted every person to register — Democrat, Republican, Confederate, Union and Yankee, all voters He sent his returns into the court house, where there was a board of registration, or supervisors of election, or something of that kind, consisting of Joe Caldwell, who was nicknamed "Old Scratch," and two others whose names I have forgotten. They threw out the registration of Mr. Gwinn, although Mr. Gwinn was HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 145 one of their own party, and none, or but few, of the votes of that precinct were counted. The first division of the county roads of the county were laid off into precincts by a committee appointed by the Board of Super visors on the third Monday in Jaauary, 1872. The committee of Pipestem Township consisted of James Rolls, N. H. Neely and Robert Gore; for Jumping Branch Township, David Lilly, Sylvester Upton and Michael Harvey; for Forest Hill Township, Lewis Shanklin, Lewis Simms and Joseph Ellis; for Green Sulphur Township, John B. Walker, Harrison Gwinn and David Bowles; for Greenbrier Township, Isaac G. Carden, James P. Rollyson and James AV. Meadows, who made the report and division of the county roads into precincts at the March Term. On the 21st day of October, 1872, the board entered the following order : "Ordered : That the clerk of this court be and is hereby required to communicate with Judge McWhorter, requesting him to hold a special term of court for Summers County for the trial of the criminals of the said county, now in the jail of Monroe County." Carlos A. Sperry was the first prosecuting attorney of Sum mers Cointy by appointment of Judge McWhorter. W. G. Ryan was the first elected prosecuting attorney of this county, elected in 1872, arid took office January 1, 1873, under the new Constitution. J. Speed Thompson, Esq., one of the first lawyers who located in the county, qualified as the assistant of Mr. Ryan. On the 21st day of October, 1872, the following order was entered : "Ordered : That William H. Lilly, son of 'Barwallow Bob Lilly,' be appointed a road surveyor." The election records up to this date were very imperfectly kept, though, no doubt, entirely correct. The vote for the county officers is not given except in a few instances, the Board of Supervisors simply declaring the result, showing who were elected. About this time the roads up New River from the mouth of Greenbrier were beginning to be agitated, and the following order was entered : "Be it ordained by the board that Rufus Pack, E. B. Meador and John G. Manser be and are hereby appointed viewers for the purpose of locating a road from the Baptist Church to the mouth of James W. Pack's lane, and that they report to this board the advantages and disadvantages, etc., attending the location of same." At the formation of this county there was but one piano or musical instrument of that character in the territory of Summers 146 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. County, and that was owned by William B. Crump, then the owner of Crump's Bottom, and resided at the place where Mr. George W. Harmon now resides, and who is the present owner of that mag nificent plantation. The last order entered by the Board of Supervisors before it went out of existence was one directing a census of Green Sulphur District, to ascertain the population and for the purpose of inform ing the authorities as to whether or not that district was entitled to two justices of the peace. Wm. P. Hinton was appointed to take the census and report to the new county court, which came in office January 1, 1873. This order was made on the 22d day of August, 1872, and on that date the following and final order by the board was made, which is as follows : "Ordered: That this board adjourn sine die. (Signed), James A. Hutchinson, president; J. B. Pack, Deputy clerk, for M. Gwinn, clerk." From this date on the affairs of the county were conducted by the county court, composed of the justices of the peace elected in 1872, until an amendment to the Constitution about 1881, which abolished these county courts. After the fire which destroyed the court room occupied in Hin ton, a small paper-backed book of 232 pages was used as the order book of the circuit court, which would cost about fifty cents, such as a shoemaker would keep his accounts in. The first circuit court after the fire was on September 8, 1874, Judge Homer A. Holt being the new judge, elected in 1872, to succeed Judge McWhorter. Judge Holt was the father of Honor able John H. Holt, who is a warm personal friend of the writer, now practicing law at Huntington, West Virginia, and is one of the most celebrated lawyers of the State. He and the writer ran together on the Democratic ticket in 1900, Mr. Holt being the nominee for governor, and the writer was chairman of the Demo cratic State Executive Committee and nominee for auditor. At the time of the above-named term of the court, ex-Governor Samuel Price, of Lewisburg, and Hon. John AV. Harris and F. P. Snyder of Pocahontas, a brother of Judge Adam Snyder, were admitted to practice in this circuit, and the following order was entered: "Samuel Price, John W. Harris and C. P. Snyder, gentlemen who are regularly licensed attorneys to practice law in the courts of this State, on their several motions, have leave to practice in this court, whereupon they took the oath prescribed by law." HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 147 James A. Hutchinson and twelve other gentlemen composed the grand jury, one of whom was honorable Gordan L. Gordan ; another was Capt. A. A. Miller, A. P. Pence and James Cales. Only two days' proceedings being recorded in this book, covering about six pages, the orders being signed by Judge Holt. Charles H. Graham was appointed and qualified as notary pub lic, and executed bond before the county court on the 10th day of September, 1878, with John Graham as security. E. H. Peck was elected clerk of the county court on the 30th day of August, 1873, and on the 8th day of September of that year, executed bond before the judge of the circuit court, with Elbert Fowler, T. R. Wiseman, C. R. Hines and Joseph Ellis as his sureties. Mr. Peck was ap pointed commissioner in chancery of the circuit court on the 12th day of April, 1875, and gave bond, with M. Smith, G. W. Chattin and Elbert Fowler as his security. The circuit court then had authority to appoint administrators and qualify personal representatives. M. Smith was appointed commissioner of school lands on the 10th day of September, 1878, and held that office until his death, about twenty-five years. John K. Withrow was appointed constable on the 15th day of September, 1879, with S. F. Taylor as his surety. M. Gwinn gave bond as clerk of the Board of Supervisors on the 28th day of March, 1871. Wil liam Hughes was appointed justice of Pipestem Township on the 29th day of April, 1871. Revenue stamps were required on all legal documents at the time of the formation of the county, and were continued for a number of years, in order to pay off or reduce the debt of the gen eral government contracted in prosecution of the Rebellion. John H. Pack was appointed by Judge McWhorter as the first superintendent of schools for the county, and gave bond on May 3, 1871, in the sum of $500.00, with C. E. Stevenson, Allen H. Meador and William T. Meador as his sureties. Allen H. Meador gave bond as assessor on the 3rd day of May, 1871, with David Lilly and Wm. H. Meador as his surety; penalty, $3,000. Jacob C. Allen was the first constable in Forest Hill District, and gave bond May 4, 1871, with Samuel Allen as his surety; penalty, $1,000. John Graham, the first commissioner of school lands for the county, qualified and gave bond on the 26th day of September, 1871 ; $2,000 penalty, with David Graham and Joseph Grimmett as sureties. John F. Deeds gave bond as justice of the peace November 29, 1871, to hold until January 1, 1876; Levi M. Neely, W. T. Meador and A. J. Martin, sureties ; penalty, $3,000. M. Gwinn gave bond as 148 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. justice of the peace of Green Sulphur District; penalty, $3,000, with H. Gwinn as surety, on January 1, 1872. Mathias Cook gave bond as constable in Jumping Branch District, with W. T. Meador and G. W. Crook, as sureties ; Charles N. Miller gave bond on the 27th day of December, 1871, as constable of Greenbrier District, with John Buckland as surety; S. W. Willey gave bond as con stable of Greenbrier District on December , 1871, in the pen alty of $3,000; Samuel K. Boude gave bond in December, 1871, as justice of the Forest Hill District, with I. G. Carden and James A. Hutchinson, sureties; penalty, $2,000; Henry Milburn gave bond as justice of the peace of Greenbrier Township, with S. W. Willey, surety, on December , 1871; penalty, $4,000; Reuben Hop kins gave bond as constable of Pipestem District, December 30, 1871; penalty, $2,000, with James Cook and Milburn Farley, sureties. Evan Hinton, sheriff, was required to give an additional bond on the 10th day of December, 1872, in the penalty of $8,000, with Silas Hinton,' John Hinton and Avis Hinton as sureties, which was approved by J. M. McWhorter, judge. James Farley gave bond as justice of the peace of Pipestem District July 1, 1871, with T. R. Thrasher and James Roles as sureties. Allen H. Meador executed bond as clerk of the circuit court on the 25th day of September, 1872, with Wm. T. Meador and John A. Lilly as sureties. M. Smith as surveyor gave bond on the 25th day of September, 1872, with A. L. Harvey as surety, in the penalty of $1,000. Alma Willey gave bond as constable, with S. W. Willey, surety, on the 22d day of October, 1871, as constable of Greenbrier Township. Evan Hinton was elected first sheriff of the county on the 22d day of August, 1872. J. H. Harvey was appointed deputy assessor for Wellington Cox on the 8th day of April, 1873, and gave bond, with Wellington Cox and R. C. Lilly as his sureties, in the penalty of $1,500.00. Wellington Cox was the first elected assessor, and executed bond, with John Lilly and AV. T. Meador as sureties ; John Lilly, constable of Jumping Branch District, gave bond, with Andrew J. Lilly, surety, on the 19th day of October, 1872 ; Robert Gore qualified as justice of the peace of Pipestem District, De cember 20, 1872, with E. B. Meador as surety, in the penalty of $2,000; John H. Pack executed bond as elected school superinten dent, December, 1872, with Rufus Pack, surety, in the penalty of $500.00; M. Gwinn gave bond as clerk of the Board of Supervisors, with A. A. Miller as surety, on the second day of January, 1872; T. R. Maddy was elected constable of Greenbrier District, and gave HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 149 bond on the 31st day of December, 1876; C. L. Ellison was the second elected superintendent of free schools, and gave bond, with I. G. Carden, surety, taking office on the first day of January, 1874. Superintendent of schools, under the law in those days, held office for two years. M. A. Manning qualified as a notary public at the September Term, 1873, with S. AAr. Willey as surety ; Joseph F. Wood executed bond as constable of Pipestem District on the 30th day of August, 1873; S. W. AVilley was elected constable on the 30th day of Au gust, 1873 ; C. L. Thompson qualified as a notary public on the 4th day of December, 1873, by giving bond, with AV. G. Ryan, surety ; W. G. Ryan qualified as a notary public on the 24th day of Oc tober, 1873, with C.'L. Thompson, surety. The first appropriation for the building of the bridge across Indian Creek, at its mouth, was made at the March Term, 1873, and placed in the hands of James Keatley and Joseph J. Christian, afterwards president of the county court. At the March Term, 1873, an order was entered, directing the prosecuting attorney to condemn an acre and a half of the land of Evi Ballangee for a court house and other public buildings at the mouth of Greenbrier River, it having been decided to construct the court buildings on the Ballangee place just below the ford and ferry at the mouth of the river, but this order of the court was never carried into effect. In 1874 the round-house in Hinton was under construction. It was 900 feet in circumference. A large portion of the foundation was made by excavation in the cliffs. The work was done by Alexander Atkinson, a native of Ireland, and who, with his brother, Frank Atkinson, of White Sulphur Springs, built the "Stretchers' Neck" Tunnel on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. CHAPTER X. SOME CHRONOLOGICAL DATA. Colonel Abraham Wood was the first to cross the Blue Ridge and to discover New River, and to call it Wood's River, in 1654. In 1666 Captain Henry Batte was the next to cross the Blue Ridge. 1716 — Governor Spottswood crossed the Blue Ridge, and claimed the honor of being the first, and for which he was knighted. He crossed at the Swift Run Gap. 1726 — Morgan Morgan, a Welshman, was the first man to build a house west of the Blue Ridge and south of the Potomac. 1727 — Cornstalk was born in the New River Valley, within the limits of Greenbrier County, and it is possible that it was within the territory of Summers County. 1737 — John Sailing, captured on the James River, crossed New River en route for the Cherokee towns. He was probably the first white man to cross New River. 1734 — Orange County was formed, which embraced all of the territory west of the Blue Ridge. 1735 — Christian, Beverly, Patton, Preston and Borden settlements in the New River Valley of Virginia. 1736 — John Sailing, mentioned heretofore, who was six years in captivity, made a setlement on the James River below the Natural Bridge, which was the first settlement on the James River west of that mountain. 1738 — Augusta County formed; organized in 1745. Staunton was laid out in this year, and Winchester had two houses therein. 1744 — Rapin De Thoyer's map issued, giving wild guesses at the geography of the great AVest. 1748 — Dr. Thomas Walker crossed New River in the direction of Kentucky. In the same year the Draper-Meadows settlement was made by Ingles and Draper. 1749 — the Loyal Land Company organized by Walker, Patton and others, based on a grant of 800,000 acres of land lying north of the North Carolina line and west of the moun tains. In April occurred the first Indian depredations west of the Alleghenies, upon Adam Harman, at the Draper-Meadows settle ment. It was in this year that a lunatic from AA^inchester wan dered across the mountains westward ; found the waters flowing HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 151 in an opposite direction, and reported same on his return. He also reported the fine hunting and fine lands in the Greenbrier Valley, from which report adventurers began to make their way into this region. In the same year De Celeron, the French engineer, planted the leaden plate at the mouth of the Kanawha, claiming all of the territory drained by that river for the French crown. 1750— ^Jacob Marlin and Steven Sewell, influenced by the ac counts of the lunatic, came out and settled at Marlin's Bottom, at the mouth of Knapp's Creek, in Pocahontas County. One of them was a Catholic and the other was a Protestant, and they quarreled over their religion and separated, one locating in a hollow tree in speaking distance of the other. They would get up iri the morn ing and salute each other, and that was all the communication they would have during the day. It was Colonel John Lewis, who came to survey the Greenbrier grants, and there discovered them, and it was this same year Dr. Thos. Walker crossed New River, Holstine and Clinch by way of Culbertson's (Crump's) Bottom, returning along Flat Top Mountain by the present site of Pocahontas (town), down Bluestone to New River; down New River to the mouth of Greenbrier; up Greenbrier and Anthony's Creek, and over the mountain by the Hot and Warm Springs. 1751 — Thos. Ingles was born at Draper-Meadows, being the first white child born west of the Allegheny Mountains. 1751 — Greenbrier River re ceived its name by Colonel John Lewis. 1752 — Peter Fontain, a surveyor, made a map, which is a very crude affair, a copy of which will be found with Hale's Trans-Allegheny Pioneers. 1753 — George Washington, accompanied by Christopher Gist, was the bearer of communications to the commander of the French, and he says that Frazier's Cabin, on Peak Creek, in Burke's Garden, was then the ultima thule of Western settlement. 1754 — George Washington surprises a party of French near the Great Meadows, killing Captain Joumonville, the French commander. He captured or killed every man of the French. It was the first blood shed in the French and Indian war, and resulted in the loss of Can ada to the French. In the same" year Washington was compelled to capitulate to the French at Fort Necessity. In the same year Pack's Ferry was located and settlement begun. James Burke set tles in Burke's Garden; and is murdered by the Indians. In the same year Joseph Reed settles at Dublin; a McCorkle family set tles at Dunkard's Bottom, near Ingle's Ferry. 1755 — Simon Girty and his brothers, George and James, were captured at Gir- ty's Run, not far from Pittsburg. In this year the Draper-Mead- 152 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ows settlement was attacked, and all of the settlers massacred. 1755 — Braddock's defeat at Fort Duquesne. Mary Ingles and Betty Draper were the first white women in the Kanawha Valley, and they helped to make the first salt ever made by white persons in the Kanawha, or elsewhere west of the Alleghenies. 1756 — Settle ments again made west of New River. Vass' Fort built under the direction of Captain Hogg, by the advice of George Washington, in the Middle New River country. Vass' Fort captured by a party of Indians and French, and all the inmates murdered or taken prisoners. Big Sandy expedition under Major Andrew Lewis was made the same year. 1757 — New River lead mines were discov ered by Colonel Chiswell, and operations begun to develop the same. Daniel Boone was married in this year on the Yadkin, in North Carolina. 1758 — Fort Duquesne captured by General For bes and named Fort Pitt. Fort Chiswell, in Wythe County, was built under the direction of Colonel William Byrd. 1759 — The Decker settlement on the Monongalia destroyed, and every one killed except one. 1760 — An Indian raiding party surprised Wil liam Ingles near Ingles' Ferry, and seven Indians killed and one white man. Selim, the Algerine of remarkable history, passed up the Kanawha Valley in seach of white settlements. He was a wealthy and educated Arab ; was captured in the Mediterranean Sea by Spanish pirates ; was sold to' a Louisville planter, escaped, made his way to the Mississippi and up the Ohio. Somewhere be low the Kanawha he met with some white persons, and a woman among them told him, as best she could in sign language, to go toward the rising sun and he would find white settlements. It was just about this time that the Indian raid had been made through this valley, after the Jackson's River settlements, when the Renic family and Hannah Dennis were made prisoners, and it was probably these that he met who told him of the Eastern settlements. He turned up the Kanawha Valley, up New River to the mouth of the Greenbrier, and was finally discovered almost naked and nearly starved, when he had passed up the Greenbrier, through Monroe to near the Warm Springs, in the Allegheny Mountains. He was taken care of. Through a Greek testament which he had on his person, some ministers who saw him discov ered that he was a good Greek scholar, and communication was thus opened up between him and the ministers, who were profi cient in Greek. Selim studied English, became a Christian, and returned to his home in Algiers, where he was repudiated by his parents because he had given up the Moslem for the Christian re- JAS. H. MILLER'S RESIDENCE, Hinton, 1905. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 153 ligion. He returned to America heart-broken, and finally died in an insane hospital. He passed over in these wanderings almost forty miles of the territory of Summers County, by where Hin ton and Talcott are now located. This was before there was a white settlement within the county or in all this region, even in the Kanawha Valley. 1761 — The Cherokee AA7ar was terminated. 1762 — Archibald Clendennin and others settled on Muddy Creek and Big Levels, now Greenbrier County, about eight or ten miles from the Summers line. Ingle's Ferry established by . law this year, the first Ferry established west of the Allegheny Mountains. 1763 — Hannah Dennis escaped from the Indian captivity, making her way through this valley, and after great suffering reached the Muddy Creek setlement. In the same year Cornstalk made his raid with the Indians, passed up the Greenbrier Valley, and ex terminated the Muddy Creek and Big Levels settlements. 1763 — The final treaty of peace between the French and English at Paris (Treaty of Paris). 1764 — Captain Paul's Indian fight at the mouth of Indian Creek. In the same year Matthew Arbuckle, the ances tor of that honorable family in Greenbrier County, of which Sena tor John W. Arbuckle is the most prominent descendant at this day, a hunter and trapper from the Greenbrier region, passed down the Kanawha A^alley with furs for a trading post at Point Pleasant and returned, being the first man to perform so formidable a feat. Three hundred prisoners were recovered this year by Colonel Boquet, in Ohio, he being the French commander. 1765 — Sir William John son's treaty of peace with the Indians, the result of Boquet's cam paign. Michael Cresap owned. 300 acres of land and settled the same in 1763, on Redstone. 1766 — Butler and Carr hunted and trapped about the heads of Bluestone and Clinch Rivers. 1767 — Butler, Carr and others settled families at the head of Bluestone River. 1768 — George AATashington, R. H. Lee, F. L. Lee and Ar thur Lee petitioned King George for two and one-half million acres of AA'estern lands in the Mississippi country. 1769 — Eben- ezer, Silas and Jonathan Zane located lands at Wheeling Creek, in Ohio County. In that year a man by the name of Tygart was the solitary owner of a cabin on the Ohio River below Wheeling, pos sibly the same man who settled Tygart's Valley in 1754. John Stewart, Robert McClanahan, Thomas Renic and AVilliam Hamil ton settled in the Greenbrier country where Frankfort is now situ ated. In this year George Washington surveyed for John Frye 2,084 acres of land at the forks of Big Sandy, at the present site of Louisa. Washington was at the mouth of the Great Kanawha 154 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the same year, looking over his own lands, and his agent, Colonel Crawford, was with him. Camp Union, now Lewisburg, was built 1770. 1771 — Simon, Keaton, Yager and Strater were the first white men to camp in the Kanawha Valley. They settled about the mouth of Two-Mile Creek, on Elk River. Colonel Andrew Don- ally built Donally's Fort; Colonel John Stewart built Fort Spring, and Captain Jarrett built Jarrett's Fort, at the mouth of Wolf Creek. 1772 — Clarksburg was built. The mineral virtue of the Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs was first tested by the whites. It had long been a famous elk and deer lick among the Indians. A German named Stroud settled on the glades. His family was murdered by the Indians, for which Captain Bull and five families of Indians living at Bulltown were murdered by William White and William Hacker in retaliation for the massa cre of the Stroud family. In 1773 the highest water, .according to tradition, that was ever known in the New River Valley or the Kanawha. This tradition comes through Ballenger, the recluse. In this year Walter Kelley, a refugee from South Carolina, settled at Kelley's Creek, nineteen miles above Charleston. In 1772 the McAfee brothers, McCown, Adams and others, including Colonel Bullit and Hancock Taylor, from the New River settlements, went to Kentucky to locate and survey lands. They located and sur veyed Big Bone Lick, July 5th. They located the city of Frank fort on July 15th, and Louisville on August 5th. John and Peter Van Bibber, Rev. Joseph Alderson and Matthew Arbuckle, passed from Jarrett's Fort down Greenbrier, New River and Kanawha, and they discovered the Burning Spring on the Kanawha in this year. The Van Bibbers had an exciting time with the Indians at Kanawha Falls, where the Van Bibber Cut of the C. & O. is lo cated. The Indians pursued them, and they jumped from the top of that embankment and escaped by swimming across. 1774 — William Morris settled at the mouth of Kelley's Creek, Leonard Morris at the mouth of Slaughter's Creek, and John F. Flynn at Cabin Creek. In this year John Lybrook, on Sinking Creek, in Giles County, was attacked by the Indians and five of his children were killed. He secreted himself by hiding in a cave. Wheeling was first called Fort Fincastle, afterwards Fort Henry. It was planned by George Rogers Clark. On the 11th of September Lewis' army of 1,100 soldiers left Lewisburg for Point Pleasant to fight that famous battle. Daniel Boone was commander at the time of Camp Union (Lewisburg), Donally's Fort and Jarrett's Fort. Lewis' army was nineteen days in passing from Lewisburg HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 155 to Point Pleasant, and that battle was fought on the 10th of Octo ber. 1774-5 — The courts in Augusta County were held alternately at Staunton and Pittsburg, which was then situated in a part of Augusta County. In 1775 Daniel Boone cut Boone's Trail, or the Wilderness Road, from Long Island, in the Holstine country, into Kentucky. In 1775 General George Washington and General Lewis located and took up 250 acres of land, which included the famous Burning Springs 'in Kanawha County, east of Charleston. In this year Rev. Joseph Alderson cut out the first wagon road across the mountains as far west as Greenbrier River. In 1776 Augusta was divided into three counties — Ohio, Monongalia and Youghiogheny, which latter county was abolished, and the entire territory in cluded in the two former. In this year General Andrew Lewis, who was in command of the Virginia soldiers, drove Lord Dun more and his fleet and rabble from Gwinn's Island, on the Chesa peake Bay, by reason of which Dunmore left the country forever. In 1777 the first forts were established in the Mississippi Valley. 1777 — Cornstalk, and his son Elinipsico, and Red Hawk, were mur dered at Point Pleasant. In this year the Augusta, Botetourt and Greenbrier volunteers under Colonel Skillem marched to Point Pleasant to join forces under General Hand, who did not arrive. 1780 — In an Indian raid into Greenbrier, Donally's Fort was at tacked, but was forewarned by Hammond and Pryor, and rein forced by volunters from Lewisburg under Colonel Stewart. The Indians were driven off; and during an Indian raid this year John Pryor, the famous scout and brave messenger, was killed. William Griffith, his wife and daughter were murdered, and his son, a lad, taken prisoner, an account of which is given in this book ; and it was the last Indian raid made or murder committed in the Green brier country. This was on the old Ellis place, near the mouth of Griffith's Creek. The Indians were followed down the creek and on to the Kanawha, and the lad recaptured. A man by the name of Carr and two children were murdered near the mouth of Bluestone, and a woman at Culbertson's Bottom, all in this county ; but no details can be secured. In 1782 Lewisburg was established as a town. 1784 — Mason and Dixon's Line established as the interstate line between Penn sylvania and Virginia. 1786 — The first wagon road, called Koontz's New Road, was opened from Lewisburg to the Kanawha River. Its route was by Muddy Creek, Keeney's Knob, Rich Creek, Gau ley River, Twenty-Mile, Bell Creek, Campbell's Creek, with side trails down Kelley's Creek and Hughes' Creek to Charleston. 1787 156 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. — Maysville, one time called Limestone, was established as a town on the land of John May and Simon Kenton, and organized De cember 11th. This year the State of Virginia ordered the construc tion of a wagon road from Kanawha Falls to Lexington, Kentucky. In 1788 the first house was built in Charleston, by George Clen-- dennin. This year James Rumsey, the real original inventor of the steamboat, exhibited his working model to General George Wash ington and others in the waters of the Potomac River, near Berke ley Springs. 1788 — Daniel Boone and Paddy Huddleston caught the first beavers in the Kanawha Valley. 1789 — Mad Ann Bailey made her solitary ride from Lewisburg to North Clendennin (Charleston). 1791 — Daniel Boone was elected as one of the mem bers of the Virginia Legislature from Kanawha County. 1792 — Kentucky County was organized as a State and admitted to the Union, and was the first child of Virginia, the mother of States, and it was the first State admitted into the Union after the original thirteen. The Battle of Fallen Timbers was fought by General Anthony Wayne, August 20, 1794. It gave peace and security to all of this region. In 1796 Volney, the distinguished French infi del and author, was in this valley. In 1798 Peter Bowyer made the first settlement in the New River Gorge, and established a Ferry at Sewall, which is known to this day as Bowyer's Ferry. The first salt well bored in the Kanawha Valley was in 1808. In 1810-12, Audubon, the great naturalist, was in the New and Kana wha valleys. The first natural gas well ever bored in America was in 1815, in the Kanawha Valley. The last buffalo killed in that valley was in that year. Coal was first discovered and used in that valley in 1817. The last elk killed in this valley was in 1820. The first bridge ever built across New River was at Ingles' Ferry, in 1838. The first person to use natural gas as a fuel was William Tompkins, in 1841, in the New River Valley. He was the first person in America to utilize gas for manufacturing purposes. The first cannel coal discovered in America was in the Kanawha Val ley, in 1846. The first railroad across New River was in 1855 — the Virginia & Tennessee, now the Norfolk & Western. The first coal works in all this valley were erected in 1855. In 1861 New River was higher than ever known, so far as we have any authentic history. The Chesapeake & Ohio was operled for traffic in 1873, and in this year the Quinnimont Company established the first iron furnace and coke works on New River. William Wyant es tablished the first coke works in the Kanawha Valley in 1883. The State capital of West Virginia was permanently established HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 157 at Charleston, and the new capitol building occupied, in 1885. Crump's Bottom was settled by Culbertson in 1755, and was the first settlement in Summers County. In 1763 there were but two settlements in Greenbrier County. One was on Muddy Creek, the other in the Big Levels, and the two together only contained about twenty families, of one hundred souls. The Muddy Creek settlement was visited by about sixty Indians under Cornstalk, the distinguished chief, and probably the greatest of his race. They pretended to be friendly, and there be ing no war between the Indians, French and the English, the set tlers took it for granted that they were kindly disposed. Having thus deceived the settlers, they fell upon the whites and killed every man, and killed or made prisoners of every woman and child. They then hurried on to the Big Levels, which was about fifteen miles distant, and there resorted to the same treacherous and in famous tactics. Archibald Clendennin had just returned from a hunt, bringing three elks, from which they had a great feast. Im mediately after, at a signal given by the Indians, the whites were thus, within a few hours, in two entire prosperous settlements, ex terminated. Conrad Yokum — the name now being Holcomb — -out of the one hundred persons in both settlements, escaped death. He escaped by flight. Mrs. Clendennin also escaped from captiv ity. A negro woman was endeavoring to escape from Clendennin, and was followed by her child, crying. To enable herself to make better progress, she stopped and instantly killed her own child. Mrs. Clendennin was a brave woman. She denounced the Indians, which so enraged them that they slapped her in the face with the fresh scalp from her husband's head. They then undertook to in timidate her by raising a tomahawk over her head, but she refused to be silenced. These Indians passed over Keeney's Knob on their retreat, and it was while making this passage that she passed her child to another woman to hold, and she slipped into the brush and made her escape, returning to her home, where she remained all night, as detailed in another section ; and it was on Keeney's Knob, when the Indians discovered her absence, one of them took her child, and said he would bring the cow to its calf. Taking it by the heels, he beat its brains out against a tree. Mrs. Clendennin finally, after great dangers and privations, and after she had re- NOTE. — I am indebted to "Hale's Trans-Allegheny Pioneers" for many of the chronological items hereinbefore given, and I have liberally referred to that interesting book. 158 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. turned to her old home, covered the body of her dead husband with brush, weeds and fence-rails to protect it from wild beasts, and made her flight, crossing the Allegheny Mountains, and reached the Jackson's River settlement in safely. Hinton, within nine months, from a single log hut, increased in population 300 souls. It was on January 15, 1874, that C. L. Thompson said in the "Mountain Herald" : "If we would have a big city, we must have factories. It is an age of development. Let us not stand gazing idly about, but be up and doing. Manufactories will only go up under the fostering care and intelligence of our enterprising people." What was true then is still true. We now have a population of 6,000 souls. It was on the 16th of January, 1874, that Dr. Thrasher gave the Hon. Elbert Fowler the lie, and Fowler then struck him in the face with a large law book, during the trial of a case in court. Bystand ers intervened and prevented a rough time. Affairs seemed to have quieted down, but at nine o'clock the same evening, at the Wickem House, Fowler was again attacked' by Thrasher, who drew a pistol, when Fowler struck him, and the fight ensued. Thrasher shot Fowler in the arm, the bullet lodging in the lining of his coat just over the left breast. They were then separated. Thrasher after wards died, supposed from poison taken from his own hand, at his home near Red Sulphur Springs. It was on the 20th of January, 1874, that the famous fist fight occurred between John A. Richmond and Thomas Bragg at New Richmond. They fell out over some trespassing hogs. They were two of the most powerful men, physically, in Summers County. After fighting for some time, Richmond got Bragg down, and made him holler "Enough." Richmond was a merchant at the mouth of Lick Creek; Bragg was a farmer residing on the Hump Moun tain, afterwards removing to the West. After the fight was over, as was the fashion in those days, they shook hands and made friends, and remained so ever afterwards. In 1874, a company, composed of General J. D. Bernard, General Q. A. Gilmore, Colonel William P. Craighill and Benjamine La- trobe, were appointed by the Secretary of AVar to report upon the practicability and commercial value of a continued water line from the Ohio River to the Chesapeake Bay, known as the James River and Kanawha Canal. They were to report in March. It was in contemplation to construct a tunnel eight miles long through the Allegheny Mountains, with locks 120 feet in length, 20 feet wide and 7 feet deep. The terminus at that time of the James River Canal was HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 159 Buchannon. The project was to continue from Buchannon west, passing through the Allegheny Mountains by an eight-mile tunnel ; thence westward by slack water and sluice dams navigation, by way of Greenbrier River and Kanawha River to the Ohio. This connection between the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico had been projected for a generation before, and this last action was the last ever taken, as the construction of the Chesa peake & Ohio Railroad destroyed the James River Canal, and any possibility of navigation between those waters was destroyed for ever. At one time it was proposed to run this canal from Alderson through Keeney's Knobs by tunnel by Lick Creek to New River, and the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company projected its route over the same course and made its survey, but abandoned it as impractical for the route now being occupied by that great railroad. This canal project connecting the James and Kanawha Rivers had been agitated for forty years. We had, back in 1874 poetical genius within our borders, as is in evidence from a stanza taken from a poem by a Pipestem poet, who is supposed to be Mr. Gorden C. Hughes, now of Arkansas, which is as* follows : "Our constable, Mr. Wood, Is seemingly very good ; He attends to monthly rules With a handsome roll of schedules." John G. Crockett was appointed postmaster at Indian Mills and James Keatly removed February 26, 1874. The first large milling company in Hinton was begun on Feb ruary 26, 1876, by E. A. Weeks. This mill was located on a point by the present light plant, and was destroyed by the flood of 1878. The first Sunday-school ever established in Hinton was through the efforts of Rev. W. M. Hiner, of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, in February, 1874. The committee secured to organize it was C. L. Thompson, W. W. Adams, J. H. Pack, E. A. Weeks and W. W. Baker. The voting precinct at Pisgah, on top of the Big Ben Tunnel, was removed to Talcott Station at the March Term of court, 1874. Mercer Salt Works was established as a voting precinct also at the March Term of court, 1874. Gas was discovered at the place of Robert Gore, on Island Creek, sixteen miles south of Hinton, in 1874. It was in 1874 that Austin Cummings, the famous horse-thief, 160 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. secured his release from the penitentiary of this State. This release was secured by Cummings forging a very large petition of the citizens of Summers County to the Governor. It had also attached a recommendation of the prosecuting attorney, the trial judge and other officials. It was a forgery throughout, made by Cummings in the penitentiary, sent to the Governor, Hon. Henry Mason Mathews, who, acting thereon in good faith, issued his pardon and set Cummings at liberty before the deception was dis covered. Cummings made his escape, and was never afterwards- apprehended. He was serving a term in the penitentiary for horse stealing, a crime then very common in this country in those days, and was sentenced from this county. The railroad switch in Avis at the light plant was first built in 1874. In April, 1874, butter at Hinton was quoted at thirty cents per pound. There were twenty-five indictments on the court docket for 1874. It was at a term of this court that the famous certificate was filed on presentation of a petition of a gentleman desiring to be removed from road labor service, as follows : "Raleigh Court House, March 20, 1874. "This is to sertify that i examnd , and find a rupetur jist above the umblicus rending him holy un fit manuell labor "Giving under my hand the dait above riten. "(Signed), , M. D." In 1874 the colored folks of Hinton were entering theatrical enterprises. They gave their first performance at the Thespian Hall. The play selected was "Richard III." All seemed to go pretty well until the shooting business came around. The pistol furnished was, of course, only to have a cap on it. AA^hen the ex plosion took place, Duke Buckingham going "incontinently" from the stage, said he "didn't cum thar fur no sich foolishness." The pis tol happened to be loaded with a paper wad, which struck him pretty hard in the "bread basket," and the play was thus aban doned ; and from that day to this the great plays of Shakespeare have been neglected by the colored population of this county. The court dockets of the 12th of May, 1874, showed twelve state cases, fifteen motions and appeals, four cases at issue, thirteen writs of enquiry, three office judgments ; and only two indictments were found at that time by the grand jury. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 161 The first action towards securing a school house for Hinton was on the 19th of May, 1874, at a meeting of the citizens, when C. L. Thompson, W. B. Tallioferrio and C. A. Fredeking were ap pointed a committee to prepare plans. It was at the May term of the county court, 1874, that Avis Hinton tendered and the court accepted a lot for the court house of one acre of land on the island, where the Ewart residence was afterwards constructed by Dr. Gooch. M. Gwinn, A. L. Harvey and C. R. Hines voted for that location. Manser and Robt. Gore opposed the location. In 1874 the pin factory was established at New Richmond, which was operated for some time ; and an iron furnace was also pro posed to be established at the same place. This furnace was after wards built at Quinnimont. New Richmond in those days threat ened to rival Hinton. The burning springs, on Madam's Creek, two miles from Hin ton, were attracting attention in 1874. These springs at one time were owned by the famous Evan Hinton. A large quantity of gas was escaping, which would ignite and burn when a match was lighted and placed in contact. At that time it was claimed that these springs produced a sufficient supply to provide for a large town. The water in the spring looked then like that of the Green brier White Sulphur Springs, but there was no sulphur in it. From that day to this, this spring, as well as the one on Beech Run, have attracted attention ; but nothing practical has ever come of it. The Madam's Creek Spring is now the property of Dr. J. F. Bigony. A company was formed in 1906 to develop the oil and gas territory around Hinton, with Jas. H. Miller as president; but nothing has come of it, as the land-owners decliried to lease their property. The New River Railroad and Manufacturing Company was or ganized at Pearisburg on June 4, 1874, by Elbert Fowler, J. D. Sergent, who was president; Gen. C. C. Whorten, Henry Beckwith, John T. Corwin and Jed Hotchkiss. This railroad company was afterwards, by an Act of the Legislature, consolidated with the Norfolk & Western, and the rights of way secured by it are still held by that company. It was projected to run from Hinton to the mouth of East River. After several years it was taken over by the N. & W. R. R. Co., which still owns its rights of way. The Presbyterian Church was organized in June, 1874, by Dr. J. C. Bar, of Charleston. Hiram Scott, E. A. Weeks and C. A. Fredeking were made the ruling elders. 162 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The "Mountain Herald" newspaper began the agitation for the High School in Hinton as early as 1875, and the Stonewall High School was then established by Prof. John I. Harvey, a son-in- law of Major B. S. Thompson, a distinguished educator, prepared for school work in Germany and the United States. Major Thomp son operated the boarding department. This school, however, was not successful, and was finally abandoned, Professor Harvey going to the University of West Virginia, where he remained for many years. The ferry at Lower Hinton was established in 1875, by Evan Hinton. He had quite a celebrated fight over its establishment, as there was a ferry at Upper Hinton, about a half-mile above. One side of this Lower Hinton ferry was in Raleigh County and the other in Summers. It continued in active operation until the fall of 1906, when the Hinton bridge across New River was built and practically destroyed the ferry, which is now owned by Martin Nee, of Raleigh County, and H. Ewart, of Summers. The personal property assessment in 1875 amounted to $203,- 526: In Greenbrier District, $69,217; in Green Sulphur District, $36,693; in Pipestem District, $37,380; Jumping Branch District, $32,732 ; Forest Hill District, $27,532. There were in the county in that year assessed 134 horses, 240 wagons, 3,202 cattle, 3,816 sheep and 640 hogs. The original court house cost $10,500, according to contract, all of which was paid in 1875 before a lick was struck or a brick burned. S. W. Willy, who reassessed the lands for 1875, received for the services $250. Rev. Rufus Pack, in 1875, had a vineyard of two acres growing on his farm on New River, below the mouth of Bluestone, now owned by A. E. and C. L. Miller. In 1874 a petition was circulated asking the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company to resume the running of mail trains to Hinton. It was claimed that it did not pay at that time, but that it would eventually pay by gradual increase, and thereby build up the trade of the road. The real estate assessment for 1875 was the first made after the formation of the county, and was as follows : Greenbrier Dis trict, $233,277.36^; Green Sulphur District, $97,905.33^; Jump ing Branch District, $77,260.35; Forest Hill District, $92,838.20; Pipestem District, $98,138.50; total, $599,409.75. The total assess ment prior to this reassessment was $549,806, the increase made by Mr. Willy being $49,603.75. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 163 At the October election, 1874, Robert Gore was elected presiding justice, which created a vacancy in the office of justice of the peace, and the people voted for and elected Gordon L. Jordan to fill the vacancy. Election of 1876 for Governor: Mathews (Dem.) Golf (Rep.) Greenbrier District 299 240 Pipestem District 150 39 Forest Hill District 160 25 Green Sulphur District 159 69 Jumping Branch District 158 63 Total 926 436 W. W. Adams for State Senate received 768 votes ; William Prince, 501 votes. Dr. B. P. Gooch (D:), for Legislature, 594 votes; Jonathan Lilly (R.), 576 votes; Lewis S. Shanklin (I.), 133 votes. Elbert Fowler, for prosecuting attorney, 888 votes ; W. G. Ryan, 360 votes. For president of the county court, M. C. Barker, 904; Mann, 224; William Hutchison, 166.- For sheriff, William S. Lilly ("Shoemaker Bill"), 618; S. W. AVilly, 517; James H. Bledsoe, 163. For assessor, Charles Clark, 189; John Lilly (Item), 219; John Edds, 25; William Houchins, 126; A. P. Pence, 70; James K. Scott, 46 ; A. A. Allen, 168 ; P. M. Grimmett, 163 ; Farley, 83 ; Joseph Ellis, 90 ; Caleb Noel, 62. The Baptist Church in Hinton was completed November 2, 1876. The cupola was covered with tin by O. P. Hoover, the father of Thomas Hoover. The powder mill at New Richmond was built in 1876. In 1875 the walnut timber from Lick Creek, in Green Sulphur District, was being shipped out by Sam Smith, who sent it direct to England. That country was very heavily timbered with this valu able timber, but the owners of it received but very little benefit, Smith "beating" them out of the value by failing to pay. This timber was so plentiful in that region in those days that fencing was made largely of walnut trees. At the school election, in 1875, F. W. Mahood, A. P. Pence and M. A. Manning were elected as the Board of Education of Greenbrier District, which at that time included Talcott District. The round house in Hinton was built in 1875, by G. W. Gleason. In 1875 a railroad was surveyed up Madam's Creek, by Captain 164 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. B. R. Dunn to Evan Hinton's coal bank. The average grade was 2\7y2 feet to the field, making a grade line 4 12-100 feet per hundred feet, being 1 18-100 feet less per hundred feet than at Hawk's Nest short line. This reached coal in three and a half miles from Hin ton, starting at the mouth of Madam's Creek, and is 1,400 feet, at that point, above sea level. Here they ran up the creek three- fourths of a mile, thence up White Oak Branch. This coal bank of Evan Hinton's was on a 1,500-acre tract of land, and has been talked about from that day to this. Evan Hinton worked hard to have it developed in his lifetime. The land now belongs to Joseph Hinton, Silas Hinton's heirs and William Hinton, Jr. Fireman Roadcap was killed at Big Ben Tunnel, by a freight train running into a mass of debris, which came down from the roof, burying Engineer Wilkinson and Fireman Roadcap. The lat ter was sitting up in his box when found at daylight, stone dead, and Wilkinson was badly hurt. This was Alex. Wilkinson, who continued an engineer on the road until 1905, when he was acci dentally killed in the yard at Hinton. He was the father of Pres ton Wilkinson, the energetic young business man of Hinton, and one of the managers of the Hinton foundry, machine and plumbing establishment. The first census of Hinton was made in August, 1875, by Thomas Cooper, with the view to the incorporation of the town. It was then two years old, and the enumeration showed a population of six hundred. It was on September 1, 1875, that L. C. Thrasher was murdered by Woodson Harvey. Thrasher was shot and instantly killed by Harvey, who was tried afterwards and sentenced to the peniten tiary for a few years. C. L. Ellison was elected superintendent of schools in 1875, by a majority of 418, over Dr. William H. Tally. The- Board of Education for Forest Hill District, 1875, was: Elbert Fowler, president; J. N. Haynes and L. G. Lowe, commis sioners. The two latter gentlemen still reside in- the county. The enumeration of youths for 1875 showed: For Greenbrier District, 707; Green Sulphur District, 433; Forest Hill District, 345; Pipestem District, 361; Jumping Branch District, 408; total, 2,254, of which 176 were colored. The stock pens were constructed in 1875 at Pence's Springs Station, which was then known as Stock Yards, and for twenty odd years afterwards. In 1900 they were removed to Hinton. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 165 The circuit court dockets for Summers County in 1875 showed twelve misdemeanors and one felony. It was on September 23, 1875, that J. Wash. Jones, the mer chant at Talcott, a brother of W. W. Jones, was killed, accidentally shooting himself. In 1875 Wm. Gayer, a railroad man, was accidentally killed in the yards at Hinton. His family still reside at, and are prominent in Hinton, consisting of Mrs. Jas. F. Smith, Mrs. Minnie Bruce, John Gayer, and Mrs. Nannie Shifflet. - • The county examiners of teachers in 1875 were W. W. Adams and J. M. Carden. It was in 1875 the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad was sold under foreclosure of mortgage in Richmond and Parkersburg simulta neously, and taken over by the C. & O. Railway Co. On October 18, 1875, a large deer was killed in the river at Hin ton by Joseph Hinton and William Wimmer. In 1875 the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad was paying its em ployes in scrip. It was below par. C. L. Miller quit the county clerk's office as deputy for E. H. Peck, on November 5, 1875. The last wolves killed in Summers County was on the 8th of November, 1875, by Elias Wheeler, on Keeney's Knob. M. N, Brean saw two large wolves in the woods in that year, but they were never known to have been killed. Dr. John G. Manser was a Centennial Commissioner for the Exposition at Yorktown, in 1876. Rev. Cobbs was the Episcopal minister in 1876. Captain William McClandish was the first master machinist at the round house. Robert Gore died in April, 1876. He was then president of the county court; and "the bravest of the brave" in the Civil War, on either side. His son, C. W. Gore, now lives at Athens, W. Va. Major Cyrus Newlyn died on the 20th of April, 1876, at the Wickham House. He was a New Yorker, then residing at Union, and came to Hinton to attend court, and died very suddenly. He was buried in the old cemetery, but there is no mark to indicate his last resting-place. He was a brilliant lawyer. He came from the North in Reconstruction days to practice his profession at a time when the lawyer in this region of the South could not prac tice by reason of the test oaths. In 1876 a poplar tree was cut on New River which manufactured 166 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 4,150 feet of lumber. This is a sample of the character of timber that grows in this region. This lumber was clear and sound. Henry Milburn was elected president of the county court in May, 1876, to take the place of Robert Gore, deceased. Wellington Cox, the first assessor of the county, died in 1876, and (Item) John Lilly was appointed in his place. M. C- Barker raised 700 bushels of wheat on his New River farm in 1876. In 1877 there located in the town of Hinton, for the practice of law, an Englishman by the name of A. Neville C. Leveson- Gower. He executed bonds as notary public, with E. H. Peck, W. W. Adams, N. M. Lowry, B. L. Hogue and W. R. Thompson as security. He cut a great figure, having come with a flourish of trumpets, claiming to be a counsellor from the courts of London, but proved to be a complete fake. He afterwards vanished from off the face of the earth, leaving the people of Hinton none the better for his having located among them. D. G. Lilly was the oldest son of R. C. ("Miller Bob") Lilly, and a brother of Hon. A. A. Lilly, now practicing law at Beckley, and the prosecuting attorney of that county. D. G. Lilly was elected county superintendent of free schools, August 7, 1877, and was re-elected, holding the office for two terms. He at one time owned the fine Lilly farm on the Bluestone River, now- owned by his brother, John A. Lilly. Later he removed to Bluefield, and is now a resident of that town, engaged in the mercantile business. At one time he was the deputy sheriff of Mercer County, and was a prominent citizen. 1. G. Carden was appointed notary public May 15, 1877, which office he holds to this day. R. C. Lilly was overseer of the poor under contract in 1877, and received $950 for maintaining the paupers in the county. Patrick Nowland, a brother of Joseph Nowland and a great grandson of James Graham, was drowned in the Greenbrier River, at Haynes' Ferry, in the fall of 18.78. He had been at Alderson, and was returning to his home near Clayton, and undertook to ford Greenbrier River, which was too full for fording at that time, and he was carried down by the rapid current. The mule which he was riding escaped by swimming to the shore. About the same time Jack Garten, a son of Charles Garten, of Forest Hill District, was drowned at the mouth of Greenbrier. He had been at Hinton, and undertook to ford Greenbrier; but being under the influence of whisky, missed the ford by going up above HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 167 same, just under the shoals. Out of this drowning grew the famous suit of Charles Garten, plaintiff, against Dunn & Goldsmith, which firm was composed of Luther Dunn and a little Jew, by the name of Goldsmith, who were then engaged in the saloon business in Upper Hinton. They sold Garten the liquor which intoxicated him, and it was in that condition that he undertook to ford Green brier River and was drowned. His father, Charles Garten, sued these saloon people for damages ; but the suit never came to trial, as the firm of Dunn & Goldsmith failed, and the recovery would have been worthless. The suit attracted wide attention at that time, and was the first, and possibly the only suit ever prosecuted for anything of that character until the last six months prior hereto, when Mrs. W. E. Gwinn brought action for the sale of liquor to her son, a minor under twenty-one years of age, against practically all the saloon people of Hinton, which suits are set for trial at the time of this writing, March, 1907. John B. Garvey was appointed notary public, March 18, 1878, which position he still holds. Gordon L. Jordan was appointed notary public May 21, 1878. D. G. Lilly kept the paupers of the county for $619, for the year 1878. C. H. Payne, the noted colored Baptist preacher, politician and lawyer, was granted license to perform the rites of matrimony, July 16, 1878. He was a native of Summers County, having been reared on the Wilson Sweeney place, on New River, at Crump's Bottom. He is one of the most celebrated colored citizens in the United States. He is a Doctor of Divinity in the Colored Mission ary Baptist ministry, and licensed to practice law, and now holds an appointment as a foreign minister under the administration of President Roosevelt, in Liberia, having been formerly appointed by President McKinley. He returns to this country and addresses the colored population at each election. He is a forceful speaker, and has great influence with the colored population, they usually following his advice in all elections and voting the Republican ticket. B. L. Hogue was first elected clerk of the county court on the 8th of October, 1878, taking office January 1, 1879. He succeeded Allen H. Meador, the first clerk, having been' deputy under Mr. Meador. Harrison Gwinn was appointed notary public November 18, 1878, which office he holds to this day. J. K. Scott, of Hungart's Creek, was appointed notary public September 17, 1878, which office he held until his death. 168 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. John Prichard, one of the first citizens of Hinton, along with George Anderson, came to this city with the coming of the rail road. They were both old Confederate soldiers, having fought throughout the Civil War. They were both killed by the trains of the railroad, for which they had worked faithfully for many years. E. H. Peck was appointed notary public March 16, 1880. W C. Dobins was elected assessor at the October election, 1880, and held the office for four years, having defeated Walter H. Boude, who afterwards held the office for eight years. Mr. Dobins, at the time of his election, was a Primitive Baptist preacher, nicknamed the "Hardshells." He still resides in Summers County, and is now a minister in the Missionary Baptist Church. At the time of his election he was an Independent in politics, but has since identified himself with the Republican party. In 1888 he was a candidate and a Republican nominee for the Legislature ; Hon. John W. Johnson was the Democratic nominee. The county went Democratic, and of course Mr. Dobins was de feated. He resides in Jumping Branch District. He has a number of sons, all of whom are among the good citizens of the county. J. D. K. Foster was elected constable of Green Sulphur Dis trict at the election in October, 1880. W. R. Taylor, at the same election, was elected justice of the peace for that district as a Re publican ; Griffith Meadows, of Talcott District, with J. H. Ballen- ger, constable, as Democrats. J. E. Meadows was at that election — October 12, 1880 — elected justice of the peace of Greenbrier Dis trict as a Republican; Wm. Hughes and A. G. Austin, for Pipe- stem District, and M. Gwinn, for Green Sulphur, as Democrats; L. M. Dunn, for Greenbrier, also as a Republican. James H. Miller was qualified as superintendent of free schools, June 4, 1881, term beginning September 1st, as a Democrat. E. C. Flint was appointed justice of the peace for Talcott Dis trict on May 13, 1881. L. G. Lowe was appointed justice of the peace for Forest Hill District May 12, 1881. AV. H. Manser was appointed constable for Greenbrier District May 13, 1881. E. L. Dunn was appointed justice of the peace for Forest Hill District May 13, 1881. Dr. J. G. Manser was appointed notary public Sep tember 1, 1881. Dr. W. H. Bray was appointed justice of the peace December 31, 1881. James H. Crawford was appointed con stable for Greenbrier District January 17, 1882. The number of free schools taught in Summers County in 1876 was 66. The number of pupils attending free schools for that year was 1,583; average daily attendance, 1,130. The total funds for all HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 169 school purposes for the county for that year was $7,698.28. The total value of all school property for that year was $10,058.50. The water gauge was placed in New River at the lower ferry at Hinton in January, 1877, by which the Government is enabled to correctly ascertain the rise and fall of the river for each day in the year. A. G. Flannagan was the first operator, and has contin ued from that date to the present, representing the Government as the agent for the AVeather Bureau in connection therewith. Mr. Flannagan is the oldest United States Government employe, in point of time, within the county. The winter of 1876 was one of the cotdest remembered. When the ice west out of New River, Jerry Meadows picked up below Hinton forty-three fine catfish, which he disposed of in town. It was in 1876 or 1877 that the celebrated purchase of the old "Neeley" grist mill, on Bluestone, was made of W. B. Crump, by B. F. H. Sheppard, who was afterwards convicted and sent to the penitentiary. He used in the transaction notes forged for the pur pose, for which he was convicted, having forged the name of Wil liam Campbell, of Franklin County, Va. He transferred these notes to William B. Crump in payment for this valuable mill prop erty, and took deed for the property. The notes came due, his forgery was detected, and his conviction followed. The first attempt made for the benefit of theater-goers in the county was by local playwrights, when the Thespian Society was organized on the 15th of February, 1877. A large frame hall was erected on the corner opposite the hospital of Dr. J. F. Bigony, in Middle Hinton. It was one story, with a stage, gallery, and ar ranged as an opera house. Charles Fredeking was the chief pro moter, painted the scenery, and had charge. The actors were local, and quite a number of entertainments gotten off. As a financial proposition it was a failure ; and after a few years of intermittent life it was abandoned, and the promoters were financial losers. The first sailing craft on New River was constructed at Hin ton by Captain Frank Dennis, and named by him the "Black Hawk." It plied around in the basin at Upper Hinton. It was quit a novelty and curiosity in those days. Captain Dennis was a remarkable and eccentric gentleman. He was a brother of United States Senator George Dennis, of Maryland, and adopted the sail or's occupation in his boyhood, and had made his tracks in every country on the face of the globe. He was a man of considerable means, and bought out the Manser property at the mouth of the Greenbrier, which he afterwards sold to A. E., C. L. and J. H. 170 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Miller. He purchased a lot on the bank of New River, at Upper Hinton, and constructed thereon the most substantial dwelling ever erected in the county. To protect it from the floods of the New and Greenbrier rivers, he erected three large dressed stone chimneys, and tied the hewed logs of the walls together by iron rods running from cellar to garret. When the tremendous flood of 1878 came, it made no impression on this building, although the water was about half way to the ceiling on the first floor, and the "ell" from the house of Silas Hinton washed down and lodged against it. Captain Dennis was a rover and a sailor, and later sold out all of his properties, married in his old age, and moved on westward. It was in 1877 the excitement ran high over the controverted . election of General R. B. Hayes over Governor S. J. Tilden for President, and Preacher Andy Bennett, in his enthusiasm and pa triotic Democracy, enlisted a company of 100 men, as he claimed, and favored moving on to Washington to seat his candidate, Til den. Of course, Andy was dissuaded from his enthusiastic enter prise. The court docket in 1877 represented 48 law cases and 50 chan cery suits. In the summer of this year W. L. Ellison killed a rattlesnake, the largest reported in the county, which was four and one-half feet long, eight inches in circumference, with eighteen rattlers. On July 5, 1877, H. H. Martin, of Pipestem, killed a hawk which measured five feet from tip to tip. The Missionary Baptist Church of Hinton was dedicated July 15, 1877, by Dr. Dickinson and Dr. Curry, of Richmond. Over $500 was raised on the day of dedication towards defraying the cost of the building. It was in the year 1877 that Greenbrier District was divided and Talcott District formed. The name of Tilden was first pro posed, but this was finally dropped and Talcott adopted, the name being for Captain Talcott, a civil engineer, who had charge of the construction of the Big Bend Tunnel. WM. CRUMP DIED. Major Wm. Crump, the owner of Crump's Bottom, died March 6, 1877. He was a native of Virginia, born September 11, 1793, married Miss Gillie Law in 1816, and removed to Summers County, in that part then Mercer, in 1855. He purchased the famous HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 171 Crump's Bottom, on New River, opposite the mouth of Indian, which was first known as Culbertson's Bottom, then Reed's Bot tom, then Crump's Bottom, and is now partly owned by Geo. W. Harmon and by the heirs of John T. Shumate, deceased. This magnificent plantation is the finest estate in the county. It is six miles long. The large- brick residence was constructed by Major Crump many years ago, on an eminence in the bend of the New River, overlooking same. Major Crump was a Primitive Baptist in religious matters, having connected himself with that church in 1805. He was a gentleman by birth and a nobleman by nature. So genial was his nature and so generous- his hospitality that neither in peace nor in war was a stranger turned hungry from his door. He belonged to that old class of plain Virginia gentleman rapidly passing away, and no doubt in a few years will be known only in legendary history of the land. He was succeeded by his son, William B. Crump, who died some twenty years ago, having divided his estate between his daughters and their husbands, Col. John G. Crockett and his wife Ella, and W. C. Crockett and his wife Mary, who resided on the plantation for a number of years, and from them the title and possession passed to the present own ers. Col. John G. Crockett was a A^irginia gentleman of generous impulses. He represented the county in the Legislature two terms. Wm. C. Crockett later became a preacher in the M. E. Church South. He is a warm-hearted Christian gentleman, and now resides in Southwest Virginia. Col. John G. Crockett, who was an afficer in the Confederate Army during the war, died in California in 1906. It was in 1877 the vote was taken throughout the State on the permanent location of the capital. In this county Charleston re ceived 1,410 votes; Clarksburg, 3; Martinsburg, 1. This vote was taken at the school election. The candidates for county superintend ent were D. G. Lilly, who received 515 votes; Charles L. Ellison, who received 318 votes; Rufus Deeds, 481 votes; Rev. H. C. Tins- ley, 6 votes. No political nominations were made. This election was held August 18, 1877. The first first-class hotel of any consequence opened in Hinton was the Hotchkiss House, erected and conducted by John M. Car den, the present efficient, assistant deputy clerk of the county court. The building is still standing, opposite the court house, and is now occupied by Mr. Carden as a private residence. It was opened as a hotel August 23, 1877. It was named for Jed. Hotchkiss, the cele brated promoter, soldier and civil engineer. It was on the 20th of July, 1877, that Captain Dolittle, the Dep- 172 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. uty United States Marshal, was shot in Jumping Branch District, on the Giles and Fayette turnpike. He was shot in the leg and arm by moonshiners, while making a raid on these alleged violators of the internal revenue laws, which were claimed to infest the west side of New River in those days. The shooting caused a great furor through the press at that time, and much criticism was brought out for and against the action of the Government officials. The number of children enumerated, that were entitled to at tend the free schools in the county this year, was 2,357. It was in 1877 that the Hereford Guards, the first military or ganization in the county, was organized. It was a fine company of men, not connected, however, with the army of the Republic, but was a State organization. The election of officers took place on August 30. N. M. Lowry was elected captain; L. M. Dunn, first lieutenant; W. H. Thompson, second lieutenant; R. A. McGinnity, first sergeant; AV. C. Ridgeway, second sergeant; B. L. Hoge, third sergeant; Jas. H. Hobbs, fourth sergeant; M. M. Breen, first cor poral ; W. H. Pemberton, second corporal. In those days squirrel hunts were a favorite pastime. One was held at Shumate's, in Pipestem, at which 115 were killed with rifles. In 1877, 110 freight cars were shipped out from the yards per week, which was considered a large business. The county levy for 1877 was 85 cents, and an additional levy of ten cents to pay on old drafts. At the September term of the court in 1877, Ed. Kelley, the afterwards famous old darkey of Scrapper's Corners, was sentenced to the penitentiary for eighteen months for assault at the round house ; and James Fisher, of Forest Hill District, sentenced to five years for horse-stealing. It was in October of this year that M. Bibb was called to the pastorate of the First Baptist Church, which continued until he resigned on account of ill health. John McGee, the present chief of police of the city of Hinton, with his father, O. McGee, were the first butchers who ever estab lished the butcher business in Summers County. Their slaughter- pens were near the present residence of A. G. Fredeking, in the lower part of Hinton. They were from Spottsylvania, Virginia. The county levy for 1877 amounted to $7,952.19. The amount expended during that year was $6,706.50'. On October 11, 1877, W. A.'Quarrier, then fish commissioner, placed 5,000 black bass in Greenbrier River at Caldwell. This was HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 173 the first stock of these fish placed in that river, which was done at the request of Major John AV. Harris. The first photograph gallery that was established in the county was in October, 1877, by F. M. Starbuck, in Avis. The first drug store ever established in the county was at New Richmond, by Dr. Samuel Williams and Dr. N. W. Noel, during the construction of the C. & O. Railway, in 1872. The first drug store established in Hinton was by Dr. Patterson, on the corner of Third and Summers Streets, in the present Peck Building. The volume of business done at Talcott Station, shown by C. E. Lacy, the first agent at that place, in 1877, showed: Tobacco, 210,322 pounds; other freight, 1,558,312 pounds. The freight at Lowell in 1877 was 2,625 cattle, 815 hogs, 2,375 sheep, 10,400 pounds of tobacco. It was then only a flag station. The famous Tom Quinn had some time before this established, during 1877 and 1878, and was operating, his fleet of batteaux boats on New River, from Shanklin's Ferry to Hinton. His wharf was at Upper Hinton, and the freight carried consisted largely of tobacco, farm products and lumber, tobacco largely predominating. Pipestem and Forest Hill, in those days, were large tobacco producing districts, an industry which has long since been entirely suspended. The freight shipped from New Richmond depot in 1877 amount ed 'to 4,010,307 pounds. The West Virginia powder mills were completed at New Richmond in 1877, and the manufactured prod uct amounted to 600 pounds per day. The falls of Lick Creek, one-half mile above its mouth, were utilized for water power. A substantial dam was constructed on top of these falls. The powder factory was built about three hundred yards below, and the water conveyed by a race thereto. The building was a two-story frame, with a large overshot water-wheel. The company was organized by Eastern capitalists, General AVilliams and Jos. L. Beury, the celebrated coal operator of Fayette, being interested; but the con cern was not substantially backed financially, and was later aban doned. Finally the plant was burned by incendiaries, and the dam went to destruction from the elements. Before its destruction, however, it went into the hands of a receiver, and was sold under the hammer. In April, 1878, Captain N. M. Lowery placed another supply of black bass at Wiggins, four miles from its mouth. Captain Orberson was also operating a fleet of boats up and down New River, consisting of the Black Swan, Lilly Dale, Black Maria and Wild Goose. 174 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Barger's Springs Postoffice was established in May, 1878, with William H. Barger the first postmaster. The postmasters since have been: W. G. Barger, Andrew L. Campbell and E. L. Dunn. Jas. H. Bledsoe died in 1878. He was the first successful mer chant who engaged in the mercantile business on Lick Creek, in Green Sulphur District, after the war. In those days he hauled his goods from Charleston, Jackson's River, and later from White Sulphur Springs. A little box of matches, containing 100, sold at ten cents; straw hats, sewed together with flax thread, for $1.00; a barrel of Kanawha salt sold at $9.00. It was in 1878 that the first Catholic Church was completed, which was located in Hinton, and is the building now occupied for the Catholic rectory, on the lot upon which is now situated a hand some brick Catholic church. This church was erected through the efforts of Father David P. Walsh. In May, 1878, Adam Poff, from Jumping Branch District, killed a catamount three feet long and twenty inches high, the largest known to have been killed within the county. The contract for keeping the paupers for 1878 was awarded to D. G. Lilly, at $619. In 1877 it had been awarded to the same gen tleman for $1,000. In 1878 a great storm visited the flat top country. John Vest's house was unroofed, and a pine tree was torn up and carried sev eral miles and deposited in his field. A heavy iron kettle was blown away and never found. In 1878 the construction of a steamboat was undertaken by a number of enterprising citizens of the county, and on the 15th of June a great excursion was pulled off from Hinton to the mouth of Bluestone, consisting of boats in the river and vehicles by land, practically all of the population turning out. Speeches were made, a large amount of subscriptions to the enterprise being secured. The boat was afterwards completed, and known as the "Cecilia." It made a few trips between Hinton and Bull Falls, but proved to be a failure, being too large for the rough waters through which it had to pass. The promoters of the enterprise lost largely. The Methodist Episcopal Church South was formally dedicated in June, 1878 ; Vincent W. Wheeler, pastor ; Rev. Dr. J. J. Lafferty preaching the dedication sermon. Whitcomb Lodge, No. 62, A. F. & A. M., was installed in 1878; and it was during this year that the first appropriation made by the Government for improving New River was made by Congress. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 175 The Hinton postoffice was not made a postoffice money-order office until June, 1878. Bears were still occasionally seen in this section of the country as late as 1878. In July of that year a large black bear was seen crossing the field of L. Ballengee, just above Hinton. In 1878 Jos. Keaton, at Pipestem, found a rifle ball in a tree near its heart, while riveing boards. Thig rifle ball had been fired into this tree 135 years before. He counted the growths, and found, according to this count, that the ball was fired 135 years before. Summers County was yet without a jail, having used the Ra leigh jail, and in August, 1878, the county court adopted the jail of Greenbrier County, which was continued until the jail now in use was constructed. The first jail, however, used for the county, was the one-story, one-room log house still standing in Avis. But one justice of the peace had been elected in Pipestem Dis trict prior to 1878; but the population having increased over 1,200, the second justice was first elected for that district, in this year. The first colored Baptist Church in the county was begun in Hinton in August, 1878. Shan. Rollison, a son of Chas. Rollison, the founder of Rollins burg, was an independent candidate for the Legislature in 1878, hut withdrew before the election in a strong letter to the people advocating the election of the Democratic nominee; and he is still a Bryan Democrat. B. S. Thompson was candidate for clerk of the county court against E. H. Peck; M. Gwinn, for the Legislature. R. F. Dennis, of Lewisburg, was nominated August 6, 1878, for State Senate, to represent the Eighth Senatorial District. J. M. Carden was also a candidate for clerk of the county court, E. H. Peck being elected. On August 22, 1878, a public meeting of the citizens of Hinton was held at the court house, for the purpose of taking action to wards securing a graded school for Hinton, to be taught ten months. This was the first action towards a high school in Summers County. James Johnson, the venerable colored citizen of Avis, was dur ing this time in his palmy days. He was captain of Captain Tom Quinn's "Black Swan," plying between Hinton and the salt work* "Uncle Jim," as he is usually known, is now nearly ninety years of age, still hale and hearty, independent, votes for whom he pleases, and is the oldest river man in the county. The. Covington & Ohio Railway was originally incorporated in March, 1866, by an Act of the Legislature, which provided that no 176 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. taxation should be imposed until the profits were ten per cent, on capital ; and another Act, of February, 1867, provided for the com pletion of this road and consolidation with the Virginia Central; the West Virginia Central, the South Side, with the Norfolk & Petersburg R. R. Company, and for completion of the work of the Chesapeake Railway to the Ohio River; and on consolidation the new company became vested with all the property rights, privileges and franchises which may have vested in either of the other companies prior to the acts of the consolidation ; the consoli dated roads thereafter taken to be known as the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company; and the charter of the C. & O. Railroad Company was confirmed January 26, 1870. It was by virtue of these acts of the Legislature that the C. & O. Railway Co. claimed indemnity for many years from the burdens of taxation, and not the Act of 1875. Long litigation eventually followed, resulting finally in a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States requiring payment of taxes the same as individuals. Afterwards the C. & O. Railroad Co. went into the hands of a receiver, was sold, reorganization took place, and was succeeded by the Chesa peake & Ohio Railway Company. The Newport News & Missis sippi Valley Co. was organized, and took over the entire system, under which name it was operated for a year or two, but after wards reverted to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. The markets of November 27, 1877, showed eggs at \2y2 cents per dozen; good butter, 20 cents; chickens, $1.50 per dozen; tur keys, 15 cents per pound; corn, 50 cents per bushel; oats, 30 cents per bushel; wheat, $1.10; rye, 60 cents; meal, 50 cents; and beef, 7 and 8 cents per pound. A. Williams, the courteous proprietor of the hotel at Beckley, began operating a hotel in Hinton in 1878, and continued for sev eral years. The improvements by the United States Government, with J. Proctor §mith in charge, began September 18, 1878, and contin ued for some time. Large channels were cut through the shoals and shallow places, aiding the batteaux in passage; but otherwise no practical benefits have been derived. The operations were se cured by the energy of Frank Hereford, a lawyer of Union, then in Congress. It was on the 9th of September, 1878, that the great greenback speech of Plenry S. Walker was delivered at Hinton. He was the greatest orator ever produced by the State, and one of the greatest HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 177 ever produced by any country. He was replied to on this occasion by Hon. Robt. Dennis, of Lewisburg, and Captain Elbert Fowler, of this county; and on the same day Dr. B. P. Gooch was nominated for delegate to the Legislature over Hon. M. Gwinn. The Green- backers at this election nominated a ticket. John Graham was an independent candidate for the Legislature at this election. The lumber mills of AA'illiam James & Sons were built in the fall of 1878. The August election for 1878 showed the following results: John E. Kenna, Demorcat, for Congress, 748 votes; Walker, Green back-Fusion, 205 votes: R. F. Dennis, State Senate, 646; Alex. Knight, Rep., 505 ; B. P. Gooch, Legislature, 585 ; J. C. AVoodson, Greenback- Fusion, 503; John Graham, Independent, 289; B. L. Hoge, for circuit clerk, no opposition ; E. H. Peck, Democrat, 737 ; B. S. Thompson, Democrat, 484; J. M. Carden, Democrat, 176. No nominations were made for county officers, except for House of Delegates. The State school fund in 1878 was distributed as follows : For est Hill District, $466.20; Greenbrier, $876.90; Green Sulphur Dis trict, $523.90; Jumping Branch District, $545.60; Pipestem Dis trict, $467.35 ; total, $2,879.75. William Hughes and W. C. Crockett were elected justices of the peace for Pipestem. In October, 1878, Josiah Lilly, of Jumping Branch District, was shot by Geo. W. Solesberry, with intent to kill. Lilly offered a reward of $25 for the apprehension of Solesberry. Solesberry was never apprehended, but was indicted about twenty years after wards and acquitted. The steamboat "Cecilia" was launched on the 7th of Novem ber, 1878, and made its trial trip December 19th. Its length was 120 feet; 20 feet wide at beam, 124 feet boiler, carrying 175 pounds of steam; 28-inch cylinders, 30-inch stroke, with powerful dummy engine. It was named after Mrs. Cecilia Miller, wife of William J. Miller, a locomotive engineer, who first suggested the steamboat scheme. J. H. Gunther, then railway agent at Hinton, was active in its promotion. R. R. Flannagan was also a large stockholder. The boat was entirely too large, and was, after a few trips, aban doned, and the loss was practically total. It was scheduled to make three trips a week. The first brick school building was constructed in 1879. The citizens held a mass-meeting at the Baptist Church, and began an 178 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. agitation, which resulted in the construction of what was then considered a fine building. It was two stories, with four rooms, and. was located where the present modern building is now situ ated. On January 5, 1879, Captain Wm. A. Reid died on his farm in the extreme upper end of the county. He was. a gallant soldier in the Confederate Army, and returned to his farm after the war, and was elected justice of the peace, which office he held at the date of his death. Prof. John D. Swinney, now of Pittsburg, Pa., married his daughter. W. C. Crockett was appointed justice of the peace for Pipestem District as his successor. The appropriations made for New River improvements in 1879 amounted to $12,000. J. H- Barger, a prominent farmer of Forest Hill District, also engaged in the manufacture of tobacco, died in March, 1879, at his residence in that district. He was an intelligent and enterpris ing citizen, and an uncle of W. A. Barger, the present member of the county court. The public school in the city of Hinton was taught in 1879 by Dr. AV. H. Manser and Miss Anna Hoge. The terms in those days were four months. In 1880 the school was taught by Chas. A. Clark and Jas. H. Miller. The county court for this year fixed the number of days' work on the public roads at six days for each man over twenty-one years and under fifty. The first agitation for oil and salt in this region, after the con struction of the railroad, was in 1879, when the Hinton Oil, Salt & Mineral Co. was organized in March, the purpose being to bore for oil, salt and other valuables. J. W. Fuller was president, and M. A. Riffe, treasurer. Considerable prospecting was done, and finally a well put down 600 feet, just beyond Stretcher's Neck tun nel, at McKendree ; but nothing came of it. Considerable talk was indulged in that there was salt at Meadow Creek, by reason of the cattle congregating at a certain point near that place and using it for a lick. They came from all the region round about. When a farmer lost his stock, he usually found that they had strayed off to this point in search of salt water. The first trial for murder in this county was that of Page Ed wards, a colored man, for killing his wife, on March 15, 1879. About the same time Hugh J. Wilburn killed Geo. W. Farley at Pipestem. Wilburn being suspicious of Farley, prepared himself HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 179 with a shotgun, found Farley at his house, and, when he under took to run away, shot him deliberately, however, having serious provocation therefor. Wilburn left the country, and has never re turned from that day to this. He was closely pursued by G. L. Lilly, deputy sheriff, but succeeded in making' his final escape Edwards killed his wife at Talcott, and was tried at the April term, 1879, by the circuit court. He was defended by Mark Jarrett, a young lawyer of Greenbier County, a son of James Jarrett, who had recently graduated, and was an orator of growing reputation, and who died several years afterwards in Portland, Oregon. The population of Hinton, including Avis, on June 12, 1879, from a census taken at that time, showed 775 whites and 225 blacks, a total population of 1,000. The number of youths between six and twenty-one years was 170 whites and 70 blacks. This was quite an increase, without a boom, as there were in the spring of 1873 only six houses in the town, and two years before but two. The assessment in 1879 showed the number of horses and mules in the county to be 1,539, valued at $51,921 ; number of cattle, 3,- 596, valued at $41,078; number of sheep, 4,426, valued at $4,426 — one dollar a head; number of hogs, 862, valued at $1,886; total value of personal and real estate for that year being $793,295, a de crease of $41,000 from 1878. There were 1,449 white male inhab itants over twenty-one years of age, and 128 colored, making a total population of male inhabitants between those ages within the county for 1879 of 1,577. It was on the 17th day of January, 1879, the famous negro riot began in Hinton. A fight occurred between Lon M. Peck, then a telegraph operator, and Pointdexter, a negro, after which the ne groes undertook to mob Peck, and a riot ensued, the whites turn ing out in full force, and for some time a young rebellion was in operation. The miners came up from New River coal regions and whipped a number of negroes, among them being Jim Nickell, Cary Lewis and Dick America, the leaders, who were driven from town. In July of this year James Johnson, colored, caught a catfish at the mouth of Bluestone River which weighed thirty-nine pounds — one of the largest ever caught in the county. The Hinton Milling Co. was organized July 25, 1879, in which Captain R. H. Maxwell and some gentlemen from Cleveland were interested, including J. R. Carmack, who operated in this section for some years, building a large steam mill on the bank of New River, from where the old Mills mansion had been washed away. 180 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Col. J. J. Swope afterwards acquired the property, which later passed into the hands of J. A. Graham and D. M. Meador, and was finally destroyed by fire about five years ago. A school election was held on August 5, 1879. The candidates were D. G. Lilly and Jas. Prince. Lilly received 472 votes, and Prince 322. J. C. James was elected president of the Board of Ed ucation of Greenbrier District; Henry Milburn, member of the board. The first attempt made to incorporate the territory now in cluded in Avis and Hinton into a town was *made on the 12th of August, 1879, the vote being against incorporation. A year after wards Hinton voted to incorporate its present territorial limits, leaving Avis in the country. It was in July of this year that the Red Sulphur Springs, in Monroe County, near the Summers County line, was sold to Morton, Bliss & Co.1, of New York, for $9,000. A well was drilled at the mouth of Piney about this time for oil. Gas was discovered at a depth of 300 feet. Captain N. M. Lowery, a Hinton lawyer, was appointed fish commissioner in 1879. " The financial statement for that year showed : Receipts, $6,- 531.85; disbursements, $5,580.79. It was in this year also that the Hinton "Banner," a Greenback paper, suspended publication. The State fund for this year was distributed as follows : Forest Hill District, $436.76; Greenbrier, $889.53; Green Sulphur, $446; Jumping Branch, $491.14; Pipestem, $419.14; total for the. county, $2,683.15. Col. AV. B. Sprowl, the veteran hotel man, of the firm of Sprowl & Perkins, proprietors of the New River Hotel, one of the first hotels established in the town, died October 9, 1879. The postoffice at Clayton was established in November of this year; and in the same month a second telegraph wire was strung between White Sulphur and Hinton, there being but one line prior to that time. It was on November 13, 1879, that the celebrated house robbery of Crockett's store was done, by Jarrett Ballard, Henry Clark, Jas per Wiseman and Green Evans, by which they secured $675 in cash and a large amount of merchandise. They went under the house and cut through the floor. Through the energy and activity of Captain Fowler one confessed, and the whole gang was captured and sentenced to the penitentiary. %tp#i>*'"wm&33sjiaw*i ^-mjew^^. THE OLD GAULET HOMESTEAD Of the Millers, Built One Hundred Years Ago. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 181 BIG CREEK DISASTER. In the construction originally of the C. & O. R. R., wooden trestles were erected across Big Creek and Powley's Creek, be tween Hinton and the Big Bend tunnel ; that across Big Creek being seventy feet high. They have each been taken out, and fills and culverts placed in their stead. On March 25, 1881, a terrible railroad disaster occurred at the Big Creek trestle. A freight train was coming west over it, with a Mr. Nagle in charge of the en gine; the trestle gave way near the west embankment, throwing the engine crew and train all into the bottom below. The timbers, being as dry as powder, immediately took fire. The wrecking crew of Captain Brightwell was hurried to the scene. Great crowds of people gathered. It was a sight never to be forgotten — the timbers and train burning, the dead and wounded lying around, the wrecked engine and machinery scattered, and a great gap in the line of road. Mr. Nagle, the engineer, was badly injured; Thomas McWilliams, killed outright; also, Heslip, and others, whose names are not now remembered, injured. Twenty-four cars went down, and several were burned. This resulted in the present crossing being made. Later on a wreck of the "Fast Flying Virginian" passenger train occurred by running into a rock, which had slid from the cliffs above, at a point a short distance above the mouth of Greenbrier, opposite Lafayette Ballengee's residence, throwing the mail and baggage cars over the embankment, one end at the water's edge, the other pointing to the track ; the engine being thrown on the upper side and wrecked, and great damage done. No passengers were injured, but the engineer was badly hurt. The enumeration of the youths for 1882 showed as follows : Greenbrier, 286 males, 263 females ; Jumping Branch, 268 males, 267 females; Talcott, 234 males, 272 females; Pipestem, 266 males, 222 females; Green Sulphur, 235 males, 264 females; Forest Hill, 241 males, 265 females; total in the county, 1,650 males, 1,503 fe males; whole total, 3,750. ELECTION OF 1880. J. B. Jackson, Democrat 958 Geo. C. Sturgis, Republican 590 N. B. French, Greenback 188 182 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. N. M. Lowery, Democrat, House. of Delegates: Hinton 240 Talcott 124 Green Sulphur 60 Griffith's Creek ". 26 Forest Hill 51 Keatley's 33 Salt Works : 25 Pipestem 90 Ellison's 40 Jumping Branch 71 New Richmond 58 Total 818 Jonathan Lilly, Greenback-Republican Fusion : Hinton 204 Talcott 83 Griffith's Creek 45 Forest Hill -. 45 Keatley's 78 Salt Works 45 Pipestem 23 Ellison's 39 Jumping Branch 84 New Richmond 78 Green Sulphur 59 Total 813 For prosecuting attorney, Elbert Fowler, Democrat, received 673 votes; William R. Thompson, Democrat, 679; J. W. Malcolm, Greenback, 387. For sheriff, H. Gwinn, Democrat, 926; S. W. Willey, 766. For president of county court, M. C. Parker, 840 ; A. L. Harvey, 724. For commisioner county court, Jos. Hinton, Democrat, 605 ; B- P. Shumate, Democrat, 643; J. C. McNeer, Democrat, 573; John Graham, Republican, 514; L. A. Shanklin, Greenback, 469; J. H. Duncan, Greenback, 469; Z. A. Woodson, Independent, 119. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 183 For assessor, James O'Meara, 137; Levi Neeley, Sr., 415; T. R. Maddy, 365 ; W. C. Dobbins, 594. For surveyor, William Houchins, Jr., 382; M. Smith, 780; Zach Martin, 403. No nominations except for House of Delegates were made. The first mayor of Hinton was W. Q. Benedict, elected without contest. James Prince, first recorder; R. R. Flannagin, James Coast, B. Prince, W. F. McClung, J. H. Gunther composed the first council elected in 1880. The justices for Greenbrier District elected at this election were L. M. Dunn and Jas. E. Meadows; Green Sulphur District, M. Gwinn and Wm. R. Taylor ; Talcott, Griffith Meadows and E. C. Flint; Forest Hill, E. L. Dunn and L. G. Lowe; Jumping Branch, J. A. Parker and John W. Harvey; Pipestem, William Hughes and A. G. Austin. The State school fund for 1880 was distributed as follows : Forest Hill $414.77 Greenbrier 497.90 Green Sulphur 451.93 Jumping Branch 486.18 Pipestem 422.80 Talcott 418.68 Total $2,692.06 Thos. W. Townsley was elected constable of Forest Hill Dis trict in this year for a term of four years. The first town sergeant for the town of Hinton was Matthew Vincent Calloway, afterwards deputy sheriff under W. S. Lilly, and high sheriff for four years, elected in 1884 over said W. S. Lilly, and is now holding an honorable position in the Internal Revenue De partment in Washington. Mr. Calloway was a most efficient official and genial gentleman. He married a Miss Callahan, of Lynchburg, Va. His son, Robert Lowry, is now engaged with the Hinton Hard ware Co., in Hinton. He was one of the first three settlers in Hinton, and is one of the pioneers. Election of county superintendent May, 17, 1881. There were but two candidates, Hon. David Green Lilly, now deputy sheriff of Mercer County, and a resident of Bluefield, who had held the office for two full terms of two years by election, and James H. Miller. No nominations were made, both parties running without the sup- 184 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. port of the organization of any political party. The vote stood as follows : Miller. Lilly. Talcott 98 H Hinton 106 148 Griffith's Creek 31 0 Green Sulphur 84 18 Jumping Branch 57 42 New Richmond 30 3 Ellison's 24 36 Pipestem 48 14 Salt Works 22 35 Forest Hili • 33 35 Keatleys ....23 48 Total 556 390 The board of education for Greenbrier District elected was J. C. James, president; T. G. Swatts and Peter M. Grimmett; Talcott District, Jas. K. Scott, president, and A. J. Wallace and William C. Hedrick; Forest Hill, James Keatley, president, and J, F. Barton and W. C. Woodrum ; Pipestem, A. T. Clark, president, and James Cook and Andrew Williams; Jumping Branch, Levi M. Neely, Sr., president, and A^andalia B. Harvey and F. W Atkinson, members; Green Sulphur, W. J. Harris, Republican, president, and Rev. H. N. Fink and J. S. Duncan. A street railway for Hinton was agitated as far back as 1881, but none has as yet arrived. It was on the 15th of June, 1881, that H. AV. Fuller was appointed general passenger agent of the C. & O. Railway. It was in June, 1881, that A. B. Perkins, J. Prince and John P. Mills were elected ruling elders of the Presbyterian Church -of Hinton. In 1838, Wm. E. Miller caught a tortoise on his farm and cut the date of capture and initials on its shell and turned it loose. In June, 1881, he caught it again, and found the date and initials dis tinctly on its shell. The only strike of the C. & O. employees that we have infor mation of was on December 15, 1881, when the rules required each conductor to keep two brakemen at the wheel constantly. This was strenuous, in winter especially, and a strike was ordered, but was shortly adjusted and assumed no great proportions. James Prince was appointed by President Harrison postmaster CAPTAIN M. N. BREEN, The Irish Soldier, Farmer and Democrat. JAMES M. AYRES, Soldier and Ex-Clerk County Court. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 185 at Hinton, and held a full term of four years. L. M. Dunn had held the office from its organization as a fourth-class post office until this date, when it had grown some years before into a Presi dential office. On June 12th of this year Captain T. O. Sharp, division super intendent, one of the first and most widely known railway men, died. He had some time previously lost a leg in a railroad accident. Captain Sharp was much beloved, was a Virginia gentleman and one of the first settlers of Hinton. His son, Lee, now lives in Hunt ington. His daughters, Mrs. M. J. Cook and Mrs. Prof. Kounse, still reside in Hinton, and one other daughter, Mrs. Wall, and the widow reside in Huntington. James F. Meadows this year cut from his farm near the mouth of Greenbrier an oak tree, from which he split 3,750 pipe staves. These monarchs of the woods are now all gone and are things of the past in this county. In June, 1881, Richard Burke and S. F. McBride founded the first Republican paper in the county, "The Hinton Republican." Mr. Burke removed his "Monroe County Register" from Union and started this paper as a weekly local. In Jure of this year Mrs. Elizabeth Cales, one of the aboriginal settlers, died, over 100 years old. She died at the residence of Eber AVilley, in Greenbrier District. The court docket of the February Term of the circuit court showed 100 State cases ; 136 chancery, and 60 law cases ; 30 new chancery suits being brought to that term. It was at this term that Judge Ira McGinnis, of the Cabbell Cir cuit, held court for Judge Holt, and gave the sheriff, clerk and attorneys a round shaking up. He fined Sheriff Gwinn twenty-five dollars, fined the clerk, and threatened the attorneys, but remitted his fines before his adjournment. The fine quarry at New Richmond was being operated at that place on the lands of J. A. Richmond, fifty men being engaged in labor on getting out the stone in 1881. The first hardware store in the county was opened by B. Prince in Hinton in 1881. The survey for the Atlantic & Northwestern Railroad was com pleted through the county this year. This was the road in which the great statesman, James G. Blaine, was interested, and which built its line from Richmond, Va., to Clifton Forge, Va., and then sold out all its holdings to the C. & O. It was in 1881 that the dwelling of a Mr. Hall, a farmer at the 186 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. mouth of Tom's Run, in Pipestem, was robbed in daylight, the fam ily being absent at church on Sunday. One Ballard and others en tered and took the proceeds of Mr. Hall's tobacco crop from a trunk, he having just shipped it and secured the returns from its sale. A posse was organized, guards placed at the river crossing, and on the following night Allen Ballard and his confederate, who was sup posed to be Henry Keatly, of Stinking Lick, came to one of the crossings. Ballard was shot in the thigh and captured, tried later, and convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary. The proof was not sufficient against Keatly, who was afterwards captured and discharged. The money was never recovered. Allen Ballard was a son of Baldwin Ballard, one of the richest and most sensible men of Monroe County. T. G. Swatts was elected mayor of Hinton in 1881. The grove of trees now flourishing in the court house park were planted in 1882 by M. V. Calloway and B. Brice. The census bulletin of 1880 showed the population of Hinton to be 1,031. The State school fund for 1881 was $2,565.88. It was in 1881 that Captain Alex Atkinson, one of the builders of the round-house in Hinton, and who made the excavation there for, was killed by a train on the C. & O. He was the father of Miss Maggie Atkinson, of Hinton, Captain Frank Atkinson, of the C. & O., and of Charles, Alex and James Atkinson, all railway em ployees. Captain Alex Atkinson was a noted railway contractor, and had aided largely in building the C. & O. Railway, both before and after the war. He was a native of Ireland and a man of fine judgment and enterprise. The number of dogs in 1881 in Forest- Hill District was 218; Jumping Branch, 235; Pipestem, 181. The tax was $328.00. The channel cut by the government in New River was opened to mouth of Lick Creek in Pipestem District, May 1, 1881. The county levy for this year was ninety-five cents on the $100.00. An oak tree cut from the lands of J. E. Meadows this year pro duced 2,500 pipe staves. The receipts for the county treasury for 1881 was $7,845.87; disbursements, $5,788.15, leaving $2,057.72 to pay on the debt of the county. In 1881, Captain R. H. Maxwell built the largest row-boat for plying on New River, to be operated on New River, ever constructed in these parts. It was used especially in his lumber and stave busi- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 187 ness in the upper parts of the county. He was then largely operat ing in the stave trade on Lick Creek in Pipestem, and it was out of this business and his contract with Joseph Thompson that the famous law actions and suits grew which filled the court records for many years, resulting in his success eventually. In 1881 the Hereford Guards were ordered by the governor to Montgomery to quell a strike of the miners at Crescent. The State school fund for this year was distributed as follows: Forest Hill, $380.09 ; Greenbrier, $478.86 ; Green Sulphur, $466.42 ; Pipestem, $367.64 ; Talcott, $420.76. W. F. Benedict was the first mayor of Hinton, elected January 5, 1881, and served several terms. Upon the resignation of M. V. Calloway as sergeant, J. W. Malcolm, an attorney, now living in Charleston, was appointed sergeant. Mr. Calloway had a handsome residence and was pleasantly situated near the bridge across the branch of the river where R. H. Maxwell's house is now situated, all of which was destroyed in the great flood of 1878. The first session of the county court under the present system was held January 18, 1881. F. W. Mahood, a very brilliant lawyer and one of the first who settled in the county and associated himself with Hon. W. W. Adams, died in February, 1881. Preston Rives Sherred was an independent candidate for county superintendent in 1881. He was a crank who had been over-edu cated, a good man and harmless. He did not make the race to the end. The older teachers will remember him, as well as his great eccentricities and quaint and original demeanor. James H. Miller was a candidate for his first office this year against David G. Lilly, defeating him by 166 votes, neither party being the nominee of any party — a "scrub race." The town of Hintori began passing ordinances against animals running at large this year, and have kept it up ever since. There was a great scarcity of feed for cattle in the spring of 1881, and many died for the want of same. One of the largest oak trees was cut this year from the lands of Lafayette Ballengee, near Hinton, from which he split 2,000 pipe staves from the one tree. The neatest hotel in the town was the Hinton House, owned by William C. Ridgeway, located on the corner of Third Avenue and Front Street. It was destroyed by fire May 5, 1881. 188 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Captain W. C. Ridgeway, one of the first settlers of Hinton, was appointed to assess the real estate in 1880, but resigned and refused appointment, something unusual. Captain Ridgeway was from Southwest Virginia, a very warm-hearted, generous man, a veteran in the Confederate Army, and owned the Hinton Hotel, on the corner of Third Avenue and Front Street. He was charged at one time with manufacturing his own ardent spirits for use in his bar-room, with still, etc., in the basement of his hotel, and that, when same was burned, a lot of "paraphernalia" for producing the "ardent" was destroyed in the fire. It was never known whether these rumors were true or false. He sold liquor, license or no license, and was understood to run his "blind tiger." He had his faults and his friends. He died several years ago, leaving no relatives in this country, and was buried in the Hill Top Cemetery and his faults forgotten and his good actions remembered. The Episcopal congregation was organized in Hinton about 1882, the vestrymen elected at the time being Major Benj. S. Thompson, Hon. Wm. W. Adams, Hon. Cameron L. Thompson, Dr. C. B. Blubaugh and W. J. Garner. The report of assessment for personalty, as reported by Alonzo M. Hutchinson, who was deputy assessor for 1882, showed as fol lows : Forest Hill, $4,863, increase over 1881 ; Green Sulphur, in crease $1,909; Greenbrier, $8,000, increase; Jumping Branch, $987, increase; Pipestem, $4,625, increase; Talcott, $8,131, increase. The residence of Hon. Wm. Haynes at Oak Lawn was struck by lightning in June, 1882. It struck a small tree near the kitchen, demolished the stove, killed a number of chickens, destroyed all his dishes, one chair and the dining table, around which Mr. Haynes and his family were seated for dinner, but no one was injured. The State school fund for 1882 was distributed as follows : Forest Hill, $538.50; Talcott, $644.00; Greenbrier, $670.00; Pipestem, $574.07'; Jumping Branch, $642.00; Green Sulphur, $718.04, a total of $3,788.07, quite an increase over 1881, which was $2,555.00. Thos. E. Ball and (Curly) Joe Lilly elected in 1882 for justices in Jumping Branch District. Results of election in 1882 as follows: Kenna, Democrat, 870; Butrick, Republican, 624; Reynolds, Prohibition, 69; A. C. Snyder, Democrat, for judge of Supreme Court, 928; F. A. Guthrie, Green back Republican, 640; J. G. Lobban, State Senate, Democrat, 832; Jas. Mann, 646; A. A. Miller, House of Delegates, 904; S. W. Willey, 683; B. P. Shumate, commissioner county court, 872; Syl- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 189 vester Upton, 711. For issue of bonds to build jail, 949, against 396. Republican vote in 1880 was 590; iri 1882, 683. There were 1,700 votes cast' at the election in 1882. This was one of the liveliest campaigns ever conducted in Summers County. In 1882 there were 239 whites and twelve colored inhabitants assessed for capitation in Forest Hill District ; 267 horses and mules, 581 cattle, 1,047 sheep, 38 hogs, 75 wagons. Farming utensils as sessed at $1,275.00; total personal property, $30,555.00. This was for Forest Hill District. Greenbrier District, 467 whites and fifty- six colored capitations; 191 horees and mules, 343 sheep, 356 hogs, 30 wagons ; value of farm utensils, $779.00 ; total personal property assessment, $83,892.00. Green Sulphur District, 363 whites and ten colored assessed for capitation ; 306 horses and mules, 961 cattle, 1,028 sheep, 142 hogs, 61 wagons; farming utensils valued at $1,852,00; total, $68,755.00. Jumping Branch District, 316 whites, nine colored capitations; 271 horses and mules, 769 cattle, 754 sheep, 202 hogs, 48 wagons; farming utensils, $1,208.00; total personal property, $32,320.00. Pipestem District, 262 whites and forty-four colored capitations ; 263 horses and mules, 615 cattle, 748 sheep, 101 hogs, 52 wagons; value of farming utensils, $1,032.00; total valu ation, $33,075.00. Talcott District, 272 whites, forty-one colored capitations; 287 horses and mules, 703 cattle, 79 hogs, 78 wagons; value of farming utensils, $1,463.00; total personal property valu ation, $64,903.00. Total white males over twenty-one years of age, 1,808; colored, 173; voting population, 1,980; total personal property valuation in county, $313,400.00. In 1881 it was $255,323, an increase of $58,143. AVilliam Davis one of the oldest farmers in the county, residing on the waters of Madam's Creek, raised a beet in 1882 weighing fourteen pounds. James Boyd raised a potato near Wiggins which weighed two and one-half pounds. The stockyards were completed at Pence Springs, on the old Samuel Gwinn farm, in 1882, with a capacity to accommodate 800 cattle. These stockyards were, some twenty years afterwards, removed to the city of Avis. On December 8, 1882, a fearful wreck occurred at Stretcher's Neck Tunnel, caused by a head-end collision in that tunnel, by which Henry Ancarrow, engineer, and Patrick Goheen, fireman, of Hinton, were instantly killed, the trains being burned up. Frank Kennedy, conductor on the Pullman, had both legs broken. Benton Thomp son, baggageman, back and arm broken ; John J. Madden, engineer 190 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. on No. 4 passenger train, killed. The collision was caused by No. 4, a passenger train, and a freight colliding. Andrew Cash, a news boy, had his ankle broken; Robert Dickinson, brakeman, slightly hurt; Stephen Coleman, porter, slightly injured. The Hinton Republican newspaper suspended after the election in 1882, Richard Burk, editor and publisher. The real estate valuation, as completed by J. M. Allen in 1882, amounted to $682,370.00 for the county, an increase of $76,685.00 over 1875. In 1875 the valuation made by S. W. Willey amounted to $605,648.00. In 1882, Hiram Scott, the veteran hotel-keeper died, who early in the settlement of the town of Hinton opened the New River Hotel-on the site where the Chesapeake Plotel is now situated. He was the father of Mrs. C. B. Mahon, Mrs. R. T. Dolin, and Mrs. Wm. Browing. He was born June 24, 1812, his death occurring June 28, . The contract for the present brick jail was let in 1883. Under the old law and Constitution prior to 1881, the county courts were composed of justices of the peace, and classifica tion was made amongst the various justices. On May 21, 1877, this classification was made for Summers County — May Term, M. A. Manning and M. Gwinn, and November Term, L. M. Dunn and J. A. Parker. William R. Thompson admitted to practice law March 20, 1877. The rates of toll for the Hinton Ferry, established in 1877, were as follows : Six-horse wagon and driver, 60 cents ; four-horse wagon and driver, 50 dents ; two-horse wagon and driver, 40 cents ; three- horse wagon and driver, 35 cents ; two-horse carriage and driver, 25 cents; horse and rider, 10 cents; cattlf:, 5 cents each; each foot passenger, 5 cents ; hogs and sheep, per score, 20 cents ; each 100 pounds of freight, 5 cents. Judge David E. Johnson was admitted to practice law in this county June 17, 1877. Erastus Preston Lowe was drowned at Lowell, March 4, 1875. Body recovered April 30th, down at the island at Talcott, Wood son's Island. In 1896 a new cable was put across the river at the ferry. It was in March, 1883, the Big Bend Tunnel caved in. The wooden arching, having become decayed, gave way, and filled up the tunnel with stone and debris. A freight train was passing through at the time, the engineer and one or two others being killed. The passengers had to walk over the Big Bend Mountain, a distance of some three miles, and baggage had to be transferred HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 191 by wagon until the tunnel could be opened. This continued for several days. A coroner's inquest was held at the instance- of Captain Elbert Fowler, who was then prosecuting attorney, the tunnel condemned, and the railroad company forced to arch the tunnel with brick, which took several years to complete, and cost an immense sum of money. The work was done without the sus pension of traffic day or night. The value of school property in 1883 in the county was $9,521.00. There were forty-two log houses and twenty-four frame houses; 4,152 children of school age, the total enrollment being only 2,433. Total number of teachers for this year was 81 ; 65 white male teachers, 10 white female teachers and six colored teachers. The receipts for the year were $8,415.18; disbursements, $6,389.32; the building fund was $3,855.00. AAr. R. Duerson was elected mayor of Hinton in 1883. D. L. Reid was pastor of the M. E. Church South, and T. H. Lacy, rector of the Episcopal Church. The election results in 1883 were as follows : C. P. Snyder, for Congress, Democrat, 163; J. H. Brown, Republican, 202, at Hin ton; H. F. Kesler, Democrat, for superintendent of schools, 168; Albert Cotton, Republican, 193; Snyder's total vote in the county was 690; Brown's, 637; Kesler's, 681; Cotton's, 641. J. C. James was elected president, of the Board of Education of Greenbrier District, and T. C. Maddy, member of the board. In Talcott Dis trict, A. C. Lowe, president, and A. A. Allen and George A. Boyd, members. Forest Hill, W. C. Woodrum, president; J. F. Barton and J. H. Manville, members. Green Sulphur, John Hicks, presi dent; J. S. Duncan and W. N. Fink, members. Pipestem, H. H. Martin, president; Jas. Cook and Chapman Farley, members. Jumping Branch District, F. W. Atkinson, president; John W. Hin ton and John F. Ellison, members. The first cornet band was organized in Hinton in 1883 by W. B. Riley, leader; C. W. Bocock, president. Caleb Noel, an honored soldier of the War of 1812, died this year at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. L. M. Meadows, at the mouth of Bluestone. J. H. Jordan and Peter F. Grimmett were the examining board for this year, and E. H. Peck was the Worthy Master of Whitcomb Lodge, No. 62, of the Masonic fraternity. County bonds were this year voted for $3,200.00 to pay for the construction of the county jail. 192 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The county levy for 1883 was sixty-five cents on the $100.00. C. L. Thompson was favorably spoken of for State auditor on the Democratic ticket. He was then editor and proprietor of the Mountain Herald newspaper. The total amount of State school fund for this year was $3,655.70. It was during this year that the fatal epidemic of smallpox in fested the county. Dr. Gooch had charge of the management for the Board of Health, which was done in a most capable and ef ficient manner. The disease appeared in a malignant form, and much suffering and a number of deaths resulted therefrom. The cost to the county was considerable, but I am unable to state the amount. It was during this year that John McGee, town sergeant, was knocked down and robbed. The assessments for this county for this year were increased by the assessors to the extent of $90,000.00. The court docket for the September Term of 1883 showed 71 State cases, 34 common law cases, and 146 chancery cases. W. B. Ryder was made general superintendent of the Hunting ton Division of the C. & O. Railway in 1883, succeeding W. P. Harris. Raymond Dunn resigned during this year as foreman of the roundhouse, and was succeeded by C. L. Robinson. Mr. Ryder was exceedingly unpopular. He undertook, as superintendent of the railway, to control the elections of the county, especially that of prosecuting attorney, by reason of the action of Mr. Fowler in compelling the company to place the Big Bend Tunnel in a con dition of safety to the public, as well as the railroad employees. The arching of this tunnel will remain as a monument forever to the fearlessness of Captain Fowler as a public official. Mr. Ryder's services were soon after dispensed with. John N. Woodson, a colored man, opened a barber shop in Hinton directly after the formation of the county. He accumulated considerable property. Being made to believe by a coal miner that the mountain was full of coal on the opposite side of the river from the railway station, he, some time prior to 1883, purchased that mountain side beyond the county road at the lower ferry landing in Raleigh County, and drove his entry for a coal mine several hundred feet into the mountain, spending all of his property and bankrupting himself at the enterprise. He abandoned his opera tions in 1883, leaving nothing to show for his enterprise except a HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 193 long tunnel into the mountain, which remains until this day as a monument to his industry and bad judgment. J. Maston Hutchinson, one of the most esteemed citizens of Forest Hill District, died on the 16th day of October, 1883, aged sixty-eight years. He was a Methodist in his religious opinions and a Republican in politics, but was revered by all persons and all classes, and left an honored name to his posterity. The establishment of a bank in Hinton was first discussed in November, 1883, but the enterprise was not established for several years afterwards. A new frame missionary Baptist Church, 34 x 50 feet, was built this year at Jumping Branch, which cost $1,000.00, R. H. Stewart being its first pastor. It was on December 8, 1883, that the Republican party in the county was re-organized, and Squire Jack Buckland made his famous speech, in which he proposed to make the "furriners" take a back seat and to relegate them to the rear. C. W. Bocock was elected mayor of Hinton for 1884; B. L. Hoge, recorder ; Robt. Elliott, T. G. Swatts, J. C. McDonald, J. A. Riffe, W. F. Galloway, councilmen. Foss Post Office was established in June, 1884, with W. L. Raines as first postmaster. Hon. C. L. Thompson was endorsed by the Democratic party for State Auditor by the County Democratic Convention, April 12, 1884. Summers County then had ten votes in the Democratic State Convention. Buck Post Office was established in May, 1884, with Jordan Grimmett as its first postmaster. C. W. Bocock, a descendant of the celebrated Virginia Bocock family, one of whom had been Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, located in Hin ton in 1882 for the practice of the law, forming a co-partnership with Nelson M. Lowry, which continued for a year or two. Later, he was elected mayor of the town, but finally removed to Texas. John W. Harvey was elected justice of the peace of Jumping Branch District May 13, 1881, Joseph A. Parker being the other justice for the district. James H. Hobbs was elected constable of Greenbrier District at the October election, 1881. The court house yard was first enclosed in by a fence under contract between the county court and G. C. Hughes, on June 26, 1884. It was a plain, rough-sawed plank and post fence, and cost $1.50 per rod. 194 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The levy for county purposes in 1884 was fifty cents on the $100.00 valuation. The State school fund for this year amounted to $3,656.70. The Teachers' Institute for the county for this year — 1884 — was conducted by Prof. J. W. Hinkle, of Greenbrier County, a graduate of the Concord Normal School, and a self-made man who had arisen high in his profession and had been several terms county "* superintendent of free schools of Greenbrier County — a Christian gentleman and a magnificent man. He was afterwards elected prin cipal of the Hinton High School, and, while conducting that school, died from typhoid fever under forty years of age. The first colored Methodist Church was begun in 1884. It was in 1884 that the West Virginia stone for the Washington Monument was secured. This stone came from the quarry at New Richmond, through Drs. Samuel Williams and Gooch, and is now in that great monument, a representative of the State and a monu ment to Summers County. S. F. McBride began the publication of the "Hinton Headlight" August 26, 1884, a Republican newspaper. Col. John G. Crockett was elected as a Democrat to the House of Delegates in 1884; E. H. Peck, clerk of the county court; B. L. Hoge, clerk of the circuit court ; and W. H. Bande, assessor ; James H. Miller, prosecuting attorney, and M. V. Calloway, sheriff. M. C. Barker threshed 800 bushels of wheat on his Gatliff Bot tom this year. Frank Ellison, the father of Rev. M. Ellison, died December 14, 1880, aged ninety years. The Hinton post office was robbed December 26, 1879, the robber securing $13,00. Agitation for a bridge across New River was first begun in 1880, but nothing was accomplished until 1906, when the new iron bridge was completed. The court house bell was purchased in January, 1880. Jarrett Ballard was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary; Clark, five years, and Green Evans four years in the February Term, 1880, for breaking into the storehouse of Colonel Crockett. John L. Gilbert, a noted Methodist preacher well known in the county, died in February, 1880. To illustrate the general character of the late L. M. Dunn, we give the story of Mary Eliza Boon, who was the daughter of a poor woman of the county. She, while only a small child, was HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 195 carried into captivity in 1874, and her return to her mother was by the efforts and at the expense of Mr. Dunn. Her mother's name was Minerva Staten, and married a Boon. A man by the name of Newell stole the child and carried her to Kentucky. Squire Dunn, learning of the circumstances, put out inquiries and had detectives put to work. After several years the child was located, but the woman was too poor to take any action. Mr. Dunn sent and had the man Newell arrested, who denied strenuously the authenticity of the claim; but, from what the child could detail, there was no doubt, and, in order to prevent imprisonment, Newell finally con fessed, and the child returned to its mother after an absence of six years. Newell was an adventurer who was temporarily in the Boon neighborhood. The fare on the C. & O. Railway was reduced from five cents per mile to 2>y2 cents on March 1, 1880. The receipts from the Hinton post office amounted to $2,197.00 from March 1, 1879, to the close of 1880, after being established as a money order office, which was on the former date. Six years before it paid $3.00 a quarter. The keeping of the- paupers was sold to R. C. Lilly for 1880 at $446.00. Captain William McClandish, the first foreman at the round house, a prominent and gentlemanly citizen and. one of the first settlers in Hinton after the railroad was built, died in 1880. He was the father of the locomotive engineer, Eugene McClandish, the largest resident of Hinton at this date, weighing 350 pounds, and was a jolly, sensible gentleman, and also the father of Mrs. T. G. Swatts. In Forest Hill District in 1880 there was a population of 1,300, 132 farms, 247 horses, 25 mules, 1,511 sheep, 757 hogs, 7,048 pounds of tobacco. In Jumping Branch District, 1,496 inhabitants, 320 horses, 38 mules, 123 cattle, 1,192 sheep, 1,876 hogs. In Pipestem District, 1,307 inhabitants; Talcott, 1,394 inhabi tants; Greenbrier, 2,048. The population of Hinton in 1800 was 1,183. The Democratic Convention was held in Hinton on August 4, 1880, for the Third Congressional District. The candidates were Chas. E. Hogg, now the Dean of the Law School at the University of West Virginia; Eustace Gibson, of Huntington, and John E. 196 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Kenna. The latter was nominated and Captain Gibson nominated for Presidential elector. The population of the county in 1880 was 9,192. The county levy for 1880 was $1.00 on the $100.00 valuation. F. D. Lee was rector of the Episcopal Church in 1880. There was a Hancock and English Club organized at Green Sul phur in September, 1880, by Dr. Samuel Williams, with Captain A. A. Miller, president; James H. Miller, secretary; John K. With row, treasurer, and W. J. Kink, vice-president.. Two Hancock and English flags were raised, one presented by Hon. C. L. Thompson, of Hinton, and the other by the Democratic ladies of Green Sulphur. The latter was sent to the breeze on the tallest pole ever hoisted in the county. Hon. George C. Sturgiss, Republican candidate for Governor, addressed the citizens at the court house on the 15th of August, 1880. He is now a member of Congress from the Second West Virginia District, elected in 1905. Judge Homer A. Holt was re-elected judge of the circuit court in 1880 without opposition, the salary then paid being $1,800.00 per year. Henry Still, a prominent and aged farmer of Griffith's Creek, attempted to commit suicide by cutting his throat in 1880. William Allen committed suicide by hanging himself by the neck near Pack's Ferry on the mountain, by reason of temporary insanity, all of the family being absent. The C. & O. valuation in 1882 was fixed at $342,625.63, as fol lows: In Green Sulphur District, $104,11.8.20; Greenbrier, $129,120, and Talcott, $109,380.43. The justices elected in 1884 were, for Greenbrier District, L. M. Dunn, John Buckland, both Republicans ; for Jumping Branch, T. E. Ball and James M. Pack, both Democrats. For Talcott, Charles H. Graham, Republican, and M. A. Manning, Democrat; for Green Sulphur, M. Gwinn, Democrat, and J. A. Graham, Republican ; for Pipestem, R. W. Clark and J. C. Peters, Democrats ; for Forest Hill, L. G. Lowe, Republican, and L. A. Shanklin, Democrat. For constables, Greenbrier, J. H. Hobbs and J. E. Foster, Republicans; Jumping Branch, M. Cochran and John W. Harvey, Democrats; Talcott, A. P. Wheeler, Republican, and AAr. R. Taylor, Democrat; Green Sulphur, J. D. K. Foster and Robert Hix, Democrats; Pipe- stem, J. H. Dove, Democrat, and Robert A. Wood, Republican; Forest Hill, J. M. Anderson and J. AV. Allen, Democrats. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 197 The total vote cast in 1884 was 2,132. The vote on the President was as follows : Cleveland. Blaine. Hinton 261 268 Talcott 114 87 Griffith's Creek . /. 23 59 Green Sulphur 103 54 Brooks 26 29 New Richmond 44 100 Jumping Branch 165 59 Ellison's 35 38 Pipestem 104 35 Salt Works 54 48 Forest Hill 57 46 Keatley's 42 48 Total 1,058 872 Cleveland's majority, 186. In 1896 a new cable was placed across the river at the ferry by Captain T. C. Maddy at Talcott. Wilson Wheeler and another young man by the name of AVheeler, Henry Hedrick and Pat Rollyson were being ferried across the river by T. C. Maddy, using the new cable, to which they had not been accustomed. The boat was permitted to get square across the current, and was capsized and turned over, and each of the party thrown overboard. The river was high, and the two Wheelers were drowned. Their bodies were afterwards recovered down at Bacon's Hill, two miles below. The other parties were finally rescued, but had a narrow escape from death. CHAPTER XI. CHANGES. It is wonderful to conceive and reflect upon the changes made within a developing country within the span of one ordinary hu man life, or even within the life of this municipality, now thirty- six years of age. A retrospective glance over so short a period will astonish and interest, as well as instruct us, when we have not given the matter special consideration. The female members of almost every household were taught to sew, spin, knit, and many to weave clothing from wool, hemp, flax or cotton, and others even working in the fields. Shoemaker shops were in every section; every well-regulated farm had its loom-house, the barn and crib. The bed-clothing was made at home. They dyed their own woolen goods; jeans was woven for the men; the farmer raised his own hogs and cured his own bacon. All of this section made its own beef, poultry, butter and cheese; raised its own fruit, milk and honey and vegetables. Green groceries were never thought of being bought ; they never sold their fruit and vegetables to their neighbors, but divided them with those who had not a supply of their own. Every fall the farmer would send his team to the salt works. No such thing as fertilizer was known. In the fall the winter's wood was secured; a supply of apples, dried fruits, cider, apple butter and honey were secured for the winter months. They made their own soap from the kitchen greases. They made their own hominy from the whole grain steeped in alkali. They made cracked hominy with the mortar and pestle. They raised their own hemp, spun their own twine and made their own ropes. They raised their own sheep, from which they took the wool, carded the same, wove it, and dyed it with such colors as they saw proper from their own dyes. Tomatoes were a rarity, and known as "love apples," and were chiefly grown as curiosities. Canned fruit, canned and preserved meats and fish were unknown; neither were the substitutes for butter, the cow still having a monopoly. Horse shoes and horse-shoe nails were made at the shop. Patent plows, NATIONAL BANK OF SUMMERS, IN 1905, Cor. Temple Street and Third Avenue. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 199 as well as steam, were unheard of. Patent mowers, reapers, thresh ers, planters, corn-shellers, and many other farming implements, were unheard of. Travel throughout these regions was by horse back or by stage. There were no railroads, and no telephones; modern buggies, bicycles, automobiles, or modern carriages and buggies, were things unknown. There were no illustrated daily papers, and no other kind of daily papers in this region; neither were there weeklies. Percussion cap guns, as well as the flint-lock, were still in use ; breech-loaders, Gatlings and the modern revolver were things of the imagination. The shot-pouch was made from the skin of some small animal; bullet moulds, powder horns, leather belt and butcher knife, were still in use as small arms. Lard oil was not known. No diamond drills were heard of. Geol ogy and chemistry have made fast progress. They were unheard of in the curriculum of those who secured any part of an educa tion. Grammars were not in use in the schools; neither were al gebra, geometry or scientific mathematics. The steam engines were still fired with wood. There was no pulp or paper twine, paper bags, paper collars, paper car-wheels, wall-paper, and very little paper of any character. The first paper mill erected west of the Alleghenies and south of Mason and Dixon's Line was located in "Possum Hollow," in the New River Valley of Virginia. There were no circular saws, no steam-made brick, no wire fencing, no gimlet-pointed screws or coal-digging machines. There were no postage stamps, postal cards, money orders or envelopes, and blot ting paper was unheard of. The letters fifty years ago were folded, tucked in and stuck fast with sealing-wax. Ink was dried with ashes or sand. AA'riting was done with the goose-quill pen. Gold pens were unheard of in this then new country. There were no fountain pens, no indelible pencils, no typewriters. Postage was twenty-five cents for a common letter, paid by the receiver. Gen tlemen who smoked carried sun-glasses in their vest pockets, by which they concentrated the light from the sun, thereby firing their smoking machines. AA'hen there was no sun, they used the flint and steel; a jack-knife and gun flint and a piece of punk, which was rotten wood, dried. Sanitation was unheard of. The light in the household by night was produced by the home-made tallow- dips, with candlesticks and snuffers. Gas lights were unheard of, the first used even in Xew York for lighting purposes being in 1827. Cook stoves and ice machines were unknown. Patent churns and washing-machines were undreamed of. No beet sugar or sorghum molasses. AArood was the entire fuel. Iron was melted 200 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. with charcoal; coke was unheard of. The taste of lager beer was unknown; wooden shoemaker's pegs, even, were a novelty. Great changes have been made in the dress of both ladies and gentle men, and especially as to the former. Pantaloons were then made with a square flap in front, instead of the up-and-down seam. Pins and needles were a rarity. All has changed from the crudity of fifty years ago in this then isolated but happy region within the mountains. The first election of a legislative body on the American conti nent was held in Virginia in 1619, which was the election of the House of Burgesses, the lower House of the Assembly. The office of justice of the peace was created in 1661. In 1810 the marshal who took the census, which was 203 years after the Jamestown settlement, reported that, with few exceptions, every household employed a weaving loom, and almost without ex ception every family tanned its own leather. The materials for clothing were raised and manufactured by the inhabitants. The quantity was estimated to be twenty-six yards for each person. The weaving was done by the females, there being about three fe male weavers for every loom. The establishment of stills was an invention of those days, They manufactured fifty or sixty gallons of whisky a day, and sold it for fifty cents a gallon. Barter was a common method of trading, the merchant taking everything he could find a. market for in trade. LAND ASSESSMENTS. There have been five land assessments for the county, usually these assessments being made each ten years, but not always, this being regulated by statute. Honorable S. W. Willy, the present postmaster of the city of Hinton, being the first, and made his re assessment in the year 1875. The total valuation at that time, as made by him, was increased by $94,338.76. It was at that time all made as farm land, there being then no town lots within the borders of the county. The second reassessment of real estate of the county was made by James M. Allen, a son of Nathaniel Allen, in the year 1880, and the total valuation, as made by him at that date, was $817,240. The third reassessment was made in the year 1890, by Charles L. Peck, and the total valuation, as made by him, was $846,395. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 201 The fourth reassessment was made by B. L. Kessler, in the year 1900, and the total valuation, as made by him, was $1,225,190. The fifth and last reassessment was made in the year 1905, by Jonathan Lee Barker, with James B. Lavender as his assistant, and the total valuation, as made by them, was $2,329,545. This assessment was made under the new tax system provided by the Act of the Legislature at the session of 1905, known as the "Dawson Reform Tax Laws," named after the present Governor, Hon. Wm. O. Dawson, who is given the credit of being the father of the present tax system of this State. Great opposition has de veloped to the new system, and it remains yet to be seen whether or not it operates satisfactory for the purpose intended — that is, to create a uniform system of taxation, and provide for the equal distribution of the burdens thereof by all persons. By this sys tem all property is required to be assessed at its true and actual value. Numerous amendments have been made already to organ ize tax reform legislation. The large and powerful corporations, and especially those interested in coal lands and leases, are gen erally opposed to the new system. In the campaign of 1904 a very vigorous fight was made against Governor Dawson, in his race for Governor, by reason of his strong advocacy of this new tax law. He ran largely behind his ticket in this State, something like 20,000 short of the vote cast for President Roosevelt. The valuation in 1871, at the formation of the county, was $527,989.40, and remained at that until the reassessment by Mr. Willy, in 1875. CHAPTER XII. IN WAR TIMES. The only war from which this territory has in any way been directly affected, or participated in, was that of' the Civil War, from '61 to '65. It was not the scene of any great conflicts. It was inaccessible, there being no great highways or railroads through its confines; but, by reason of its inaccessibility and broken character, it was the joy of the bushwhacker, home guards and guerrillas. The two Thurmond companies were the principal Confederate retainers, those of Captain William Thurmond and Captain Phil. Thurmond, both residents, of Fayette County, and who had organized, at the breaking out of the war, these companies. A number of the citizens of this county were members of these or ganizations, known as Thurmonds' Rangers. Lorenzo D. Garten was the captain of a company of Federal retainers, known better as "Home Guards." They were never rec ognized as Union troops, but were what was known as State troops. Thurmonds' companies were regularly attached to the regular armies of the Confederacy. There were no battles of any consequence fought in this county. Floyd's army of Confederates passed through Green Sulphur District in 1863, camping at Green Sulphur Springs. General Hayes' Brigade also passed through the county, passing down New River, out the Red Sulphur and Kana wha turnpike, through Jumping Branch to Raleigh Court House; with which Major William McKinley, afterwards President of the United States, was attached, both he and General Hayes succeed ing to this high office. William Woodrum was killed in the fall of 1864, at the east end of the Big Ben Tunnel. He was not at that time a member of any army, as we are informed. A part of Thurmond's company had been detailed to cut off and capture a party of. Union sympathizers under Captain L. D. Garten, who had returned from Ohio to organize and carry some HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 203 Union sympathizers through the lines. Thurmond's company hav ing been informed of the intention of Captain Garten and his pro ceedings, supposedly, and his brother Henderson Garten, who was a member of Thurmond's company, a portion of both Phil, and William Thurmond's companies, of about seventy-five men, were detailed to intercept Captain Garten's proceedings. They proceeded to the mouth of Hungart's Creek, Garten's people having no in formation of their presence, and prepared an ambuscade in the darkness. Garten and ten men, being Elias AA'heeler, Ewell Garten, Goodall Garten, Lewis Meadows, Jackson Grimmett, Clark Grim mett, Alexander Meadows, Hugh Boone, and, possibly, Davis Bragg, under the command of Captain Garten, proceeded down Hungart's Creek, and, before they knew of the proximity of the rebels, were almost surrounded. William Woodrum, who was a brother of Major Richard Wood rum, of Wolf Creek, having joined Thurmond's men en route, got into the melee, and in close quarters with Captain Garten, at which time firing commenced, and Mr. Woodrum was killed, having died in his tracks. Garten's men were scattered, but all made their escape. Later on, the same fall, Captain Garten and a small party of his followers were undertaking to pass down Laurel Creek and . cross New River at Richmond Falls, thence to pass out through Raleigh, down the Kanawha and into the Ohio. On arriving at Samuel Richmond's, where the boys were shucking corn, they were attacked by a party of Witcher's Cavalry, who had gone out with Thurmond's men on a scout, Thurmonds' companies being infantry soldiet s. No one was killed or wounded. The Confederate cav alry was compelled to swim its horses across New River, using canoes and swimming the horses at Richmond's Falls. Thur mond's men proceeded on this raid along as far as Weston, in Lewis County, in what was known as the "Weston raid." In the fall of 1864, Thurmond's men were coming down Green brier River, some in a large canoe and some on the banks, with the view to coming to the mouth of Greenbrier and going up New River. They were attacked by Captain Garten's company, near a large rock just below Powley's Creek. No one, however, was wounded or killed, but both companies took to their heels and ran off. Joseph Hinton, president of the county court at this time, was in this skirmish, as also was Squire Bob Saunders, of Forest Hill, These are the only two names we have been able to ascer tain. 204 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Henderson Garten, a brother of L. D. Garten, before men tioned, was sent out with Asbury Tincher, by Capt. Phil. Thur mond, to bring him recruits and delinquents who had failed to perform army services. They proceeded to arrest Henry Martin, son of Nick Martin, and were proceeding towards camp with him, but never arrived. When on Keeney's Knob, near Stone Lick Knob, Martin was killed, and it was claimed that other outrages were perpetrated on his person. The war closing soon afterwards, Garten and Tincher were arrested and tried at Union for the mur der of young Martin, who was a boy of age fox military services. Garten was tried, convicted and sentenced to confinement in the penitentiary for sixteen years. He served some nine or ten years, was then pardoned, and lived on the mountain near Hinton until about ten years ago, when he sold out his farm to Jack Notting ham, and with all of his family removed to Missouri, where he is still residing, so far as we are informed. While in the penitentiary Mr. Garten learned the trade of gun smith, and became celebrated throughout this region for the fine rifle guns which he manufactured at his shop. Nick Martin secured a continuance of his case, and was finally acquitted. After the war the Home Guards were disbanded in 1865. For some time, immediately after the surrender of the Southern ar mies and the close of the war, Captain Garten and his Home Guards proceeded throughout the county to gather up what was called "Government property." The horses and material which the Southern soldiers had brought home from the army, whether United States property or not, were taken charge of, turned over to the Federal authorities and sold. These soldiers have never received any pay for their services. They have made numerous attempts to secure pensions from the general Government, but, being only what was known as State troops, pensions have, up to this time, been refused. Efforts have been made to secure pay from the' State government, and it was understood that in 1901 a bill had been passed by the Legislature providing for pay; but for some reason they have not secured pay. Squire John Buckland, who lived on Big Creek, about eight miles from Hinton, was the corporal of this company, and kept the records. A few years ago, about 1893, it was claimed that Squire Buckland had drawn the pay for a number of these soldiers and failed to distribute it to the individual members. Upon this discovery being made, some of his old comrades instituted an ac tion before a justice of the peace, and the trial came on to be HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 205 heard before L. M. Dunn. The trial lasted the entire day, and was held at Hinton. The plaintiff, Wm. H. Cales, was present, and had a large number of the company as witnesses; they claim ing that Squire Buckland had gone to the Quartermaster Gener al's, drawn their pay, signed their names and kept the money. Squire Buckland, of course, was present with his retainers, claim ing that he had fully disbursed all of the money and producing re ceipts, most of the receipts being signed by mark, he claiming that the soldiers were not educated sufficiently to sign their names. These receipts were repudiated. Judgment was given in favor of the plaintiff, which included many years' interest, the claims being ordinarily barred by the statute of limitations. Squire Buckland took an appeal to the circuit court, where judgment was rendered in his favor, Judge Campbell deciding that the plaintiffs had slept on their rights. Hon. Wm. R. Thompson represented the plaintiff in this liti gation, and Jas. H. Miller and Colonel J. W. Davis defended Squire Buckland. The trial continued after dark. The plaintiffs' retain ers, of which there were a large number, hitched their horses in the alley back of where the Hinton Department Company store fe now located, between Second and Third avenues. When they went to get on their horses that night to ride home, they found their saddles were all cut to pieces, as well as the bridles, and some of them carried off and scattered to the four winds of the heavens. Squire Buckland in this trial produced his records, showing his accounts as disbursing officer, which he claimed was a distribution of the proceeds of each raid made by the company. When they would make a raid and gather in some property, they would then meet and distribute the same. One man would get a dun horse ; another would get bed clothes; another saddle blankets and sad dles; and so on, according to his book of distribution. W. G. Ryan, the first elected prosecuting attorney of this coun ty, was the captain of a Confederate company of brave soldiers, who fought throughout the war, being a part of Vir ginia regiment. A. A. Miller was not in the army, being over the army age provided for military services, but was a captain of the militia before the war, as was also Captain Robert Sanders. There were but two voters in favor of secession, who voted for that ordinance on Lick Creek, when voted on by the State of Vir ginia, in what is now Green Sulphur District. They were John Richmond ("Sprightly John"), who lived on Hump Mountain, and Jefferson Bennett. John Richmond, with pride, said "he was the 206 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. first man in Virginia who favored 'succeedin' ' outen the Union." This shows the almost unanimous sentiment and love for the flag in those days of bitterness and strife in the county, although it provided many of the bravest soldiers who ever fought in the his tory of the world. After secession was determined upon, they were true and loyal to their commonwealth, as was Lee, and as Charles Francis Adams, of Massachusetts, said he would have done in a similar situation, in his speech at the one hundredth anniversary of that great soldier's birth, delivered at Lexington, in 1906. Though opposed to the secession of the South, they were loyal to their State, and their glory is none the less because they were so. And they are just as loyal to that Union to-day as those who took the opposite position and remained loyal throughout. Each had the right to hold and stand for his opinion. The war times for four years were distressing to the people. The men were in the army, and the women and children had to raise the crops and provide raiment and maintenance, being in per petual fear of the scouts, bushwhackers and guerrillas, more than the regular armies. They manufactured all their clothing from wool and flax; carried salt on horseback from Mercer Salt Works; wove wearing apparel from flax; wore "tow" suits and dresses woven and spun on the old-fashioned wheel and loom ; manufac tured all their sugar, and hid their grain, cattle, horses and house hold goods in the mountains, to prevent their being carried away. The women and children made, with their own hands, their support for four years, and aided for years after in the labor of recupera tion, living in constant and incessant fear during all this period. Up to the beginning of the war there was an organized militia in each county, and they mustered and practiced soldiery once a month, meeting at a public place in the neighborhood. There was a company of scouts or guerrillas connected with the Federal Army during the war, known as Blazer's Company, which made frequent incursions into the lower end of this county during the Civil War. A man by the name of Blazer, from Gallipolis, Ohio, was the captain. This company was the terror of the Lick Creek region of country, and Captain Blazer was a cruel, relentless soldier, not disposed to ameliorate the necessary hardships always incident to war. On one of these raids into the Lick Creek coun try, his men surrounded the house of William Holcomb, who lived just below Hutchinson's Mill, in the property afterwards acquired by the late Dr. N. W. Noel. Holcomb belonged to the Confederate Army, and had come home the evening before on a furlough, to HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 207 visit his family. He was arrested in bed and taken from his house, in the presence of his family, and was shot in the neck by orders of the commander, and without provocation, except that he was a Confederate soldier. The first shot not killing him, he was taken a few hundred yards down the road to the dwelling house of Zech- ariah Wood, and there shot in the back and killed, no pleadings or supplications of his helpless wife making any impression on the raiders and merciless men. Mr. Holcomb's widow survived, him, and resided in that country for many years after the war. She was a Hix, a well-known family of that community — daughter of Wm. Hix. Blazer's company, on another raid into the Mill Creek neighbor hood of Green Sulphur District, met a squad of Thurmond's men on the creek, who were temporarily encamped at the residence of the Widow Crotty, at the Long Bridge, about a mile below Hutch inson's Mill, when a skirmish ensued. Neither party expected the other; neither party, whipping the other. Green Rodes, a member of Captain Wm. Thurmond's company, was dangerously wounded ; M. Gwinn had his belt shot in twain at the waist ; but no one was killed. Blazer and his men escaped. It was reported that one "Yankee" was killed at the bridge, and for years it was understood that that place was "haunted," and boys, as well as grown people, were fearful to go along that road after night. J. Houston Miller, a son of Captain A. A. Mil ler, now residing in Texas, being of a venturesome disposition, accepted a wager that he would not remain at that bridge the whole of one night on account of ghosts, which were reported to frequent this spot. Miller accepted the wager, went to the bridge, and re mained there from dark to daylight in order to show his pluck, which required a good deal of stamina for a boy of his size and age to remain, as a lone sentinel in a pine forest and on a lonely road, through the entire dark hours of a dark night, when ghosts were holding nightly, as well as knightly, revels. J. Houston Mil ler is now president of the Watahachie National Bank, of Texas. Another raid was made by Blazer into the Lick Creek country, going as far up the main creek as Wm. E. Miller's house, from which they carried all the sugar, flour, meal, bacon and substance - the family had accumulated for subsistence, and shot at a boy, Jehu McNeer, a son of James McNeer, deceased, who was on a ridge in the woods, but missed him. They carried all the plunder they could find along the creek to Gwinn's storehouse, at Green Sulphur, where they heard Thurmond's Rangers were after them, 208 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. whereupon they unloaded themselves of their plunder- and "ske daddled" out of the country, and the people thus regained their property. THE DEATH OF ALLEN WOODRUM. One of the interesting reminiscences and true accounts of valor and heroism is related by the old comrades of Allen Woodrum, who was killed at Cold Harbor, in 1864. He was a member of Edgar's Battalion, and some account of his death is related in other pages. He was a member of Company D and its color- bearer. He was born and raised on Wolf Creek, then Monroe, but now Summers. Colonel George M. Edgar, the gallant commander of the famous Edgar's Battalion, relates that on the morning of the 2d of June, 1864, at the second Battle of Cold Harbor, that part of Lee's line held by this line was desperately charged by the Fed eral Army. The carnage was dradful. The Battle of the Wilder ness had just preceded, and those awful days were telling upon the Army of Northern Virginia. The soldiers on both sides were as dauntless and devoted as the armies which followed Napoleon at Austerlitz, Wagram and Lodi. The Confederate lines had been thinned, and it was not possible for Edgar to concentrate upon the charging Federals a fire sufficiently strong to repulse them before they reached the breastworks. The Federals struck the intrench- ments, and the conflict became a hand-to-hand affair. The Feder als swept over and seemed to engulf the few defenders, and a num ber of Confederates were taken prisoners, among them Colonel Edgar himself, who had received a bayonet wound in the shoul der; but before this, as related by him, he saw Allen Woodrum fighting desperately with the Federals on the breastworks above him, thrusting at them with the sharp lance point of the staff of his flag. In a few moments, just as the Federal line surged over the Confederates' defense, Woodrum was pierced by several bul lets, having thrust, however, as he fell, the point of his flag-staff clean through the body of one of his assailants, thus giving him a mortal blow. Woodrum, as he fell, tore from the staff his battle- flag, and attempted to thrust it beneath his clothing, out of sight; then falling, in death he lay upon it, interposing his body between it and his enemies. In a few moments a counter-charge of the Confederates repulsed the Federals, driving them back with heavy slaughter to their own lines, and recapturing most of the Confed erates who had a few moments before been taken prisoners, among those recaptured being Colonel Edgar himself. Later Allen Wood- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 209 rum was found lying in the intrenchments dead, but even in death still protecting his flag, which was hidden beneath him. Faithful was he until death — a modest, big-hearted country boy, who lived and died a hero. General Gordon was deeply moved by this inci dent. This is the account as given by Colonel Edgar; but the Feder als claimed to have secured the flag from Woodrum after he fell, and to have preserved it among their trophies. Allen Woodrum was a brother of the late W. C. Woodrum, of Forest Hill ; of Phil. Woodrum, now living at Foss, and of Richard M. Woodrum{ the merchant at Wiggins. W. C. Woodrum was also a brave soldier, serving in Company T, under Captain Morton, Edgar's Battalion. He was also a nephew of Major Richard Woodrum and a cousin, of Charles L. Woodrum, the enterprising engineer, farmer and school teacher of Wolf Creek; and John Woodrum, the other son of Major Wood rum — a soldier of the Spanish- American War — now resides in Avis. Another incident of the heroism of a son of Surrimers County in that war is told of Peter M. Skaggs, now a shoemaker of Hinton, and who lived for many years in the upper end' of Forest Hill Dis trict. Skaggs; in an attack upon the Union forces, became so en thusiastic that he abandoned his command, rushing on in front some ten paces. Reaching the guns of the Federals, he mounted on top of a cannon, placed himself astride of the same, and hallowed to the boys to come on ; that he had his gun and intended to hold it. Another incident of the heroism of another son of Summers was that of Captain Robert Gore, who alone captured one hundred Federal soldiers on the field of Gettysburg, which is recited in an other section of this book, and the story is authentic history, and was detailed to the writer by Mr. William Brown, a most truthful and reliable citizen, now living in Pipestem District, who was pres ent in person and saw the daring enterprise successfully carried out with his own eyes, and it is from his own lips that the incident is recited as authentic history. There is one other truthful incident we mention, that of the capture by M. M. Warren and his brother, W. W. Warren, of Riffe's Crossing and Jumping Branch, of the famous Federal spy, near the Greenbrier County line, during the war. These two soldiers were mere boys, and had stopped late in the evening to stay all night with their aunt. Later this spy called to secure lodg ing with this widow, who was noted for her generosity and kind- 210 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ness to all people. He claimed to be on a search for laborers to work in the saltpeter mines, for the purpose of securing material to manufacture powder for the Southern Confederacy. These boys pretended that they 'would like to join him, but when he retired to bed that night, they stood guard at the foot of the stairs all night. In the morning they pretended to have agreed to go with him, and when they had gone some distance, he not being able to shake them off, suddenly seemed to arrive at the determination to return to the house and secure a large bowie-knife which he claimed to have left under his pillow. They proposed to return with him against his desires, as he directed that they proceed and he would overtake them. This they declined to do, and when they had arrived at the yard fence, he suddenly attacked them, and a desperate fight ensued. The ground being covered several inches with snow, the gun of one of the brothers fell into the snow, and the other brother could not shoot, as the spy kept one of the broth ers at all times between him and the other. Finally, by sticking the muzzle of the gun into his face, he was subdued, thrown to the ground, and his hands tied behind him. No' bowie-knife was to be discovered, and it was only a ruse to escape. They carried him before their commander, on Monroe draft, where he was ques tioned and finally sent on to Richmond, but before his arrival he jumped from the train and made his escape, and he was never re captured. Lack of space prevents the detailing of many other interesting incidents of this character on our soil. The incidents detailed are only a few of the many recited to the writer by brave soldiers of both armies from this region, whose tales of war are more inter esting than those of which we read concerning the great battles of the greatest warriors of Europe. SOLDIERS. The territory of Summers County, though sparsely populated in 1861, furnished a number of the brave soldiers who fought in the Confederate ranks, and a number also who fought for the main tenance of the Union. These Confederate soldiers from this re gion were generally violently opposed to the secession of the States; were usually Democrats of the old school, that held to the ideals of a self-balanced and self-governed State, where every man stands erect in the fullness of his rights and in the pride of his manhood, neither cringing nor overbearing, owing no allegiance HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 211 but to duty, claiming none but from the heart, fulfilling every ser vice, and exercising every right of a citizen ; a government founded not on the traditions of remote ages, nor of usurpations, nor of conquests, but on things older and firmer than all — the equality and brotherhood of man. The lists I am able to give are not per fect, but are as near so as I am able to make them more than forty years after the termination of that great war. No soldier of the South from the territory of Summers County ever went to jail for theft. Confederate soldiers in Talcott District: W. W. Jones, Co. B, 26th Virginia, Battalion, Edgars. John B. Thompson, Co. H, 26th Virginia, Battalion, Edgars. T. C. Maddy, Co. F, 26th Virginia, Battalion, Edgars. C. R. Crawford, Co. F, 26th Virginia, Battalion, Edgars. T. J. Holstine, Co. F, 26th Virginia, Battalion, Edgars. - Wilk Meadows, Co. F, 26th Virginia, Battalion, Edgars. Calvin Meadows, Co. F, 26th Virginia, Battalion, Edgars. Mason Altair, Co. B, 26th Virginia, Battalion, Edgars. A. P. Lowry, Co. B, 26th Virginia, Battalion, near the close of the war. E. D. Alderson, Co. Lowry 's Battery. W. C. Hedrick, Co. Lowry's Battery. A- P- Pence, Co. Lowry's Battery. John C. Mann, Co. Chapman's Battery. James Kirby, Co. Chapman's Battery. John Coiner, Co. Chapman's Battery. A. J. Wallace, connected with no company ; on detailed service. J. C. Burnes, Co. C, 17th Virginia Cavalry. H. J. Davis, Co. G, 23d Virginia Battalion. James Cooper, Co. H, 60th Virginia Regiment. A. C. Kesler, Thurmond's Company. J. B. Hedrick, Thurmond's Company. Wallace Keller, Thurmond's Company. George Keller, Thurmond's Company. Lewis B. Meadows, Thurmond's Company. M. M. Warren, Thurmond's Company. Joseph Huffman, Thurmond's Company, and afterwards cap tain of his company. D. D. Rhodes, Thurmond's Company. 212 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. E. P. Huston, Co. A, 62d Virginia Regiment. Wm G. McCorkle, Co. A, 22d Virginia Regiment. David Washington, Co. D, 51st Virginia Regiment. A. J. Blake, Co. A, Virginia (McCausland's) Regiment. J. A. Houchins, Co. I, 50th Virginia Regiment. Thomas Shoemaker, Co. G, 17th Virginia Cavalry (Jenkins'). David W. Leftwich, Vawter's Co., Clark's Battalion. Conrad B. Pack, Co. A, 60th Virginia Regiment; now dead; died in Kansas. Samuel D. Pack, Co. H, 27th Virginia Cavalry; died in Kansas. John A. Pack, Co. H, 27th Virginia Cavalry; lives in Oklahoma. Allen C. Pack, Co. A, 60th Virginia ; lives now in Kansas. These Packs were sons of Anderson Pack, and born and raised on New River. Their grandfather was Captain Mat. Farley, a scout in General George Washington's Army. Confederate soldier's of Jumping Branch District: J. E. C. L. Hatcher, 23d Va. Cav., Breckingbridge's Div. Jack Vest, 23d Va. Cav., Breckingbridge's Div. Josiah Lilly, 23d Va. Cav., Breckingbridge's Div. John W. Moye, 23d Va. Cav., Breckingbridge's Div. Mathew Adkins, 23d Va. Cav., Breckingbridge's Div. R. W. Lilly, Sr., 23d Va. Cav., Breckingbridge's Div. Joshua Harvey, Capt. George, Gen. McCausland's Div. Wm. Basham, Capt. George, Gen. McCausland's Div. Isaac Mann, Capt. George, Gen. McCausland's Div. Austin Harvey, Capt. George, Gen. McCausland's Div. J. Calvin Harvey, Capt. George, Gen. McCausland's Div. Ab. Birchfield, Thurmond's Rangers. John Hinton, Sr., Thurmond's Rangers. John Wayne Hinton, Thurmond's Rangers. Wm. Hinton, Jr., Thurmond's Rangers. Capt. White G. Ryan, James W. Pack, AA^m. Hinton, Wm. Lilly ("One-arm Bill"), Joseph Lilly, Mathew A. Hedrick, M. A. W. Young, Allen H. Meador, Geo. AV. Plumley, Simeon Lilly, Louis Lilly, Andy Lewis Lilly, Granville C. Lowe, Thomas E. Ball, Levi M. Neely, Sr., Wm. T. Meador, J. J. Charlton. White G. Ryan, Captain of Co. I, 60th Virginia. Thos. E. Ball, wounded. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 213 Confederate soldiers of Pipestem District : E. V. Neely, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. R. Hopkin's, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. Joel Farley, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. J. R. Farley, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th A^a. Inft., Harton's Div. Crawford Wood, Co. I, Smith's Br. 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. Squire Meador, Co. I, Smith's Br. 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. Ballard Houchins, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. J. J. Vest, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. A. P. Farley, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. J. W. Ryan, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. John Petry, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. John Anderson, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. A. T. Clark, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. James Clark, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. W. R. Neely, Co. I, Smith's Br., 60th A'a. Inft., Harton's Div. A. G. P. Farley, Co. B, Echols' Br., 23d Va. Batl. Inft. H. C. Farley, Co. B, Echols' Br., 23d Va. Inft. M. Cook, Co. B, Echols' Br., 23d Va. Inft. J. A. Martin, Co. B, Echols' Br., 23d Va. Inft. R. A. Wood, Co. B, Echols' Br., 23d A^a. Inft. J. A. Williams, Co. H, Smith's Br., 36th Va. Inft., Harton's Div. Ben Becket, Co. H, Marshall's Br., 4th Va. Inft. Jackson Farley, 17th Va. Cav., McCausland's Br. A. J. Williams, 17th Va. Cav., McCausland's Br. S. D. Hopkins, 17th Va. Cav., McCausland's Br. W.-C. Keaton, 17th Va. Cav., McCausland's Br. J. D. Anderson, 17th Va. Cav., McCausland's Br. Wm. Brown, 17th Va. Cav., McCausland's Br. J. F. Wood, 17th Va. Cav., McCausland's Br. Jas. Butler, 17th Va. Cav., McCausland's Br. J. R. Newkirk, 17th Va. Cav., McCausland's Br. S. A. Meador and A. G. Lilly belonged to Jonathan Lilly's Co., and John Dore was wagoner. Robert Gore, Capt. Co. D, 17th Va. Cav. Gordon L. Wilburn was a member of McComas' Battery, from Giles County. He was for many years a citizen of Pipestem, and now resides at Beckley, in Raleigh County. 214 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Confederate soldiers of Greenbrier District: M. N. Breen, gunner; J. M. Ayres, Wm. M. Cottle, Carl A. Fredeking, Joseph Hinton, W. D. Thurmond's Co., Echols' Brig ade; Wm. Hinton, W. D. Thurmond's Co., Echols' Brigade; Thos. W. Townsley, C. P. Browning, Samuel Pack (son of Wm.), Evi Ballengee, Dr. Wm. L. Barksdale, B. B. Burks, Lafayette Ballen gee, Wm: Hinton, Sr., Erastus H. Peck, Henderson Garten, Andy Bennett, Parker J. Bennett, John F. George, John M. Carden, James W. Miller, R. T. Dolin. "Jack" Hinton, the founder of the family in this county, was before the war a captain of the Monroe Guards, and Eber Willey was first lieutenant. Thomas Mustain, Co. I, 60th Virginia. Wm. Mustain, Co. I, 60th Virginia. Confederate soldiers of Green Sulphur District: John Cox was one of the brave men who received a saber wound in the head in the Battle of the Wilderness ; captured and sent on to Fort Delaware as a prisoner of war. James Walker, Co. B, 60th Va. Regiment, was a corporal of his company, and a son of Joel AValker. William Duncan, a son of Nathan L. Duncan, -Co. B, 60th Va. Regiment, died of fever on being brought home from Monroe draft by his father. Marion Fink, son of Joseph Fink, also died of fever, being brought home by his father from Monroe draft, Co. B, 60th Va. Regiment. James Sedley Duncan, Co. B, 60th Va., under Captain Baxter, fought under Generals Hill and Pemberton ; was guard of General R. E. Lee's headquarters on Sewell Mountain and at other points; was shot through the shoulder, and, after lying two months in the hospital, started for home. He was wounded at Game's Farm, in the Seven Days' Fight. It took him thirteen days to reach home from Richmond. John L. Duncan was in Co. B, 60th Va. Regiment, and later with Thurmond's Rangers. Nathan A. Duncan was a son of Charles Duncan; first eighteen months in Co. B, 60th Va. Regiment, and later first lieutenant in Phil. Thurmond's Rangers. John Hunter Duncan, son of John Duncan ; Phil. Thurmond's Rangers. WHERE ULRICH SWOPE HID IN A POPLAR TREE FROM INDIANS. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 215 Andrew Hix, 60th Va., and later Edgar's Battalion; badly wounded at Battle of Lewisburg. Henry Logan Miller, son of Ervin Miller, Co. B, 60th Va. Regi ment, died at Brook Church from fever. Sam Henry Fox, Phil. Thurmond's Rangers and 60th Va. Perry Fox, Thurmond's Co., died a prisoner of war in Camp Chase. Joseph Martin, son of Shadrach Martin, in Co. K, 22d Va. Regi ment, was shot at Cedar Creek; bomb exploded, and a piece struck him on the left side of the face. He still lives on his farm in Green Sulphur District. He was shot on the 19th of October, 1864. Daniel L. Keeler, in Lowry's Battery; now lives on Laurel Creek, in Green Sulphur District. Harrison Gwinn, Co. B, 26th Va. Regiment, Edgar's Battalion. Augustus Gwinn, Thurmond's Rangers. M. Gwinn, Thurmond's Rangers. William E. Miller, James W. Miller, John A. Miller, Thurmond's Rangers. Logan Miller, 26th Va. Regiment. Charles R. Fox, Thurmond's Rangers. John L. Duncan, Thurmond's Rangers. James M. Hix, Thurmond's Rangers. James H. Martin, Thurmond's Rangers. Irvin Bowles, Thurmond's Rangers. Andrew A. Foster, Thurmond's Rangers. John K. Withrow, Thurmond's Rangers. Michael Hix, Thurmond's Rangers. Thos. D. Lusher, Thurmond's Rangers. John Ellis, Thurmond's Rangers. John L. Duncan ("Curly Jim"), Thurmond's Rangers. John H. Dunbar, Thurmond's Rangers. Samuel Gwinn, Thurmond's Rangers. Jas. S. Duncan, 22d Va. Regiment, Col. Patton, commanding. Perry Fox, died a prisoner of war in Camp Chase, Ohio. Thomas Fox is a son of Perry Fox, and resides on Lick Creek. Joseph Martin, 2d Va. Regiment, shot wound. J. S. Hite, under General Floyd. Thomas A. George and John A. George, Edgar's Battalion. Peter Maddy, who died in the army at Union. William Patterson died a prisoner of war in Camp Chase, Ohio, during the Civil War. Before his death and during his last illness in the war prison, he executed his last will within the prison walls. 216 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The witnesses to that will were George W. Wetsel, another Con federate soldier from Lewisburg, who died a few years ago at Gau ley Bridge, having married a daughter of Colonel Muncie, an old sheriff of that county, and Hon. Benj. F. Harlow, the founder and veteran editor of the Greenbrier "Independent." This will was, after the war, admitted to probate in Greenbrier County and proven by these witnesses. William Patterson, by this will, devised his- in terest in the lands on the waters of Meadow River and Slater's Fork of Lick Creek, at the top of Patterson's Mountain. He left a family of very small children, who grew to maturity on this farm. A. G. Patterson, who still owns the Patterson plantation at the foot of this mountain on the Meadow side, and a very intelligent citizen, resides thereon. Confederate soldiers of Forest Hill District: Lewis A. Ellison^ Co. A, 60th Va. Regiment. S. T. Shumate, Co. A, 60th Va. Regiment. W. M. Foster, Co. A, 60th Va. Regiment. G. C. Meadows, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. E. H. Michel, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. James M. Allen, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. J. R. Webb, Co. F. Edgar's' Battalion. Thos. G. Lowe, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. Jos. J. Christian, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. Thos. Frazier, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. Harvey Young, Co. F, Edgar's Battalion. M. M. Meadows, Co. C, Edgar's Battalion. B. F. Wesley, Co. C, 45th Va. Regiment. J. D. Martin, Co. G, 51st Va. Regiment. R. S. Rudd, Mosby's Command. Hugh M. Hill, 28th Va., Pickett's Div. Ferdinand Hoback, Co. G, 21st Va. Cavalry. Wm. L. Redmond, 17th Va. Cavalry. Richard Mowry, 17th Va. Cavalry. John Roles, Co. C, 36th Va. Regiment. Stephen Davidson, 22d Va: Regiment. A. P. Bonham, Co. D, 30th Va. Battalion. G. B. Mann, Co. D, 30th Va. Battalion. "A. Newton Mann, Co. D, 30th Va. Battalion. A. F. Brown, Thurmond's Rangers. Jos. N. Haynes, Thurmond's Rangers. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 217 Richard McNeer, Lowry's Battery. E. C. Woodson, Lowry's Battery. Henry Smith, Lowry's Battery. A. M. Hutchinson, Lowry's Battery. I. G. Carden, Lowry's Battery. Richard Woodrum, Major in Edgar's Battalion. Elbert Fowler, Va. Cavalry. John M. Carden, Lowry's Battery. Allen A. Carden, Lowry's Battery. Dr. Thomas Bray, who died at Talcott in 1880, was in Co. F, 59th Va. Regiment, from Mercer County. M. A. Manning, who died at Talcott in 1901, was a soldier throughout the war in a company from Nicholas County. These lists of the soldiers from Summers County are practically correct, of those living; but there is no doubt a number of those dead whose names we have not been able to secure. A complete list of all soldiers from the territory of the county is now being se cured by Camp Allen Woodrum, for preservation to posterity. CONFEDERATE CAMP. A movement for the organization of a camp of Sons of Confed erate Veterans was started in October, 1907, in Summers County, and is in the hands of C. L. Miller. A. D. Smith, Jr., of Fayetteville, is the commandant for his sec tion; Mr. Miller has the matter in charge. This is a worthy movement, and will be taken hold of with enthusiasm by the younger generation. In 1907 steps- are being taken to organize a camp of Confeder ate Veterans in Hinton, Summers County, to be named "Camp Allen Woodrum," - for that humble but gallant and patriotic sol dier, Allen Woodrum, who so gloriously fought and died for a "lost cause." He was a native of our soil, and his memory should always be green and his -name remembered by future generations for his greatness, bravery and heroism. The children of future gen erations should be taught to revere his heroic, honorable though humble career. This movement was put on foot, by that patriotic citizen who was a corporal in Thurmond's Rangers, Hon. M. M. Warren. The first and preliminary meeting was held at the court house on the 7th day of October, 1907, on a call published by Mr. Warren in the 218 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. "Independent Herald" newspaper. About fifty of the old veterans met and perfected a temporary organization, with Andrew P. Pence as chairman. They adjourned to meet again on the 21st of Octo ber, to perfect the camp and elect officers. FEDERAL SOLDIERS. Robert Atkins was a member of Co. G, 2d Regiment, West Vir ginia Cavalry, and was under the command of Captain Joseph Ankrum, the chivalrous army officer of Fayetteville. He was shot in the right shoulder and his eye put out by the explosion of a caisson in a fight at Dinwiddie Court House. Some time after the war he undertook to secure a pension, which required him about ten years to accomplish. When he did succeed, he drew fifteen hundred dollars. Eber Willey was a member of Co. G, 2d West Virginia Cav alry, and was present at the battle when Robert Atkins was shot and wounded. When the gun fell from Atkins' hands, it was picked up by Mr. Willey. William Crook was a member of the 9th Va. Infantry. Creed Meadows was also a member of Co. G, 2d W. Va. Cav alry. David Harris was a member of Co. G, 2d W. Va. Cavalry. Pleasant Lilly, 2d W. Va. Cavalry. Thomas F. Ratliff, Co. G, 6th W. Va. Cavalry. Isaac Siers was at one time a member of this same company, but deserted and joined the rebels. William Meadows was a member of the same company; also John Lane. R. H. Maxwell, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook. J. A. Maxwell, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook. Green Wadle, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook. John Upton, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook. James Upton, 11th W. Va. Infantry, General Crook. Peter Cales, Co. H, 7th W. Va. Cavalry. James Cales, Co. H, 7th W. Va. Cavalry. John Rudisill, Co. H, 7th W. Va. Cavalry. James Beasley, Co. H, 7th W. Va. Cavalry. Alma Willey, Co. F, 91st Ohio Infantry. John Dawson, Co. F, 91st Ohio Infantry. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 219 SOLDIERS IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR FROM SUMMERS COUNTY. Co. C, First Brigade, Second Division, Second Army Corps: Captain — E. F. Smith. First Lieutenant — James R. Dolan. First Sergeant — Charles A. Price. Quartermaster Sergeant — Charles W. Parr. Sergeant — Richard A. Dameron. Corporal — Malcolm R. Price. Alfred C. Afkins was company cook. William L. Barksdale, John Henry Field, Robert M. Ormdorff, Charles F. Heyes, Edward G. Dameron, H. B. Campbell. Artificer — James Garten. Wagoner — William E. Lynch. Company Clerk — John B. Gayer. Thomas M. Harrington, Samuel B. Bazarea, James W. Burger, John H. Caldwell, Marvin H. Chambers, Peter B. DeLung, James J. Eary, Geo. Gast, John C. Huddleston, Dexter W. Keadle, Samuel W. Meador, Alfred F. Meadows, John S. Meadows, Alfred M. Moore, Jas. J. Roach, Samuel Shuff, Jr., Bert T. Snead, Edgar Thomas, Luke Tigret, Ras Turner, Garrett G. Wise, Henry D. Wise. This company was organized at Hinton and mustered into the United States service at Camp Atkinson, Charleston, West Vir ginia, June 29, 1898. We give the names of only those men and officers who were from this county. Others soldiers from the county in other companies and commands were Cyrus C. Hobbs, William Fisher, Cleve Prince, Jack Stover, Harrison Lawrence. These were in the First Regiment. Other soldiers in the Spanish-American War from this county were: Chas. B. Armstrong, a son of Riley Armstrong; William Fisher, Harry Lawrence. They were all members of the same company with Sergeant Hobbs, Company A, First Regiment. After the war, when the Southern soldier surrendered and ac cepted the result in good faith, came the times which "tried men's souls," the days of "radical carpet bag government," extending from the surrender of the Confederate Armies in 1865 to 1870, when the carpet bagger's rule was overthrown, and the owners of the 220 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. soil and freemen began to hold up their heads and again see liberty and equality before the law. The night hawks and political buz zards who had come forth upon the disfranchisement of the "rebel" soldier, the Southern sympathizer, and all who had aided or abetted the Southern soldier, or those in sympathy with the cause of the South, like those beasts of prey who take to the forest during the day and prey during the dark hours of the night. This dissolute period was during the reconstruction times immediately following the war. Much the largest part of the territory of the country was in sympathy with the South, but there were numbers of our citizens who remained loyal to the Union throughout the war, and some of them fought in its armies, and they were of the truest and most loyal blood of the land. This condition was not brought about by the character of conditions existing. There was another set who were pretended loyalists to the Union cause who used their loyalty as a shield for marauding and invading the homes and property of private citizens and despoiling them. They were gen erally men who had no prominence, influence or property before the war. They had not the courage of loyal soldiers who fight in honest war and battle, but who skulk, bushwhack, remaining inde pendent of army organizations, and men and women and children lived in daily fear of them. When the war closed, and after the great soldier and patriot, General Grant, had said, "Let us have peace," the affairs were placed in the hands of the dissolute and ignorant, bigoted and radi cal. A board of registration for each county was instituted, as well as a Board of Supervisors. These grafters' principal purpose was to keep themselves in power. Seventy-five per cent, of the people being disfranchised and decitizenized; the courts were not fair, and civil liberty was a farce. The proscribed could not bring a law suit, collect an honest and undenied debt, serve on a jury, practice a profession, teach school — nothing near fair except the air outside of the temple of justice, water, payment of taxes and death. The good and conservative men who were loyal could not get an appoint ment to office. There were so few who could get office that were qualified that it became necessary to give two or three offices' to one man ; in some instances one man would hold as many as five offices. This condition brought to the community swarms of vaga bond lawyers from the North, who had no occupation at home, as those lawyers who had Southern sympathies could not practice their profession without taking the test oath. A large number of these office-holders could not read and write, being ignorant and HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 221 bigoted. Ignorance and bigotry disqualifies any man for a position of trust' or honor. There were some attorneys yet that could prac tice — Hon. Frank Hereford, Judge Gillespie and James H. McGin- nis, who aided in the overthrow of this saturnalia of debauchery, which will never exist again, and its like will never be known in this land. Its overthrow is due, not to Democrats alone, but to the patriotic citizens of both parties. Only such as were permitted to vote could hold office, and there were so few that could read and write that frequently one man held from three to five offices. By reason of the obnoxious regis tration laws growing out of these conditions, when the Constitu tional Convention met in 1870 to enact a new Constitution, a clause was inserted providing that no registration laws should ever be enacted. The lawyer's test oath and the teacher's test oath, the suitor's test oath and the voter's test oath all followed. The lawyers of the counties in whom the people had confidence, and in whom the people were willing to trust their lives, liberty and property and honor were not permitted to practice. Col. James AV. Davis, of Greenbrier, was an exception. He went into the war a radical "secesh," and was wounded in battle. He persuaded the Legisla ture that he was not such a dangerous "Confed.," and therefore it passed a special act removing his disabilities. No one could vote unless he was registered. Registrars were selected who would register no one who would not vote to sustain the existing conditions, and these corrupt registrars were sustained by Judge Harrison. A party desiring to win his cause in his court would walk up on the bench, slip into his "itching palm" a gold or other coin, and that invariably won his case. It has been said that he would sit on the bench by the side of a jug of whiskey. Joel McPherson was elected clerk in Greenbrier County. He was not of the Harrison kelter. The time came for him to qualify. The^e was no question of his election ; it was not contested or con troverted. He was a man of powerful physique, and when Harrison refused to permit him to qualify in open court, he walked up behind the judge's desk, took him in his arms and started to pitch him out of the window, which was twenty or thirty feet from the ground; then the judge consented to permit Mr. McPherson to qualify, and he held the office for many years. The better and more conservative of the dominant party then in power — the Republican party — became disgusted, and fell in with 222 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. their neighbors, and eventually conditions righted themselves. The conditions existing in the counties of which Summers was formed existed very generally in other counties and sections, where there was a strong Confederate sentiment. Harrison would get his ill-gotten accumulations together after a term of court, go to Washington, or some other city, and dissipate it between terms ; then return, hold a term of court, and replenish his depleted treasury. His wife, who was a most estimable lady, abandoned him. Being forced to resign his office; being loathed by all honest and decent people — as much so "as the infamous and cruel Jeffries — he abandoned his country, emigrated to Denver, Colorado, and died several years ago. When seen in Denver a few years after he left this country^ he presented the appearance of a run-down, ragged and abandoned man. Shunned by his fellowmen, he died, disappointed and in poverty, an example to the future. An instance of the actions of these registrars may be of interest to future generations. When seventy-five per cent, of the people were proscribed and disfranchised by this obnoxious amended Con stitution and laws placed on the statute books, and by which honest people could not collect their debts, teach school, etc., these laws were rigidly enforced for five years, when they were thrown off by the liberal and honest people of the land, Republicans and Democrats. This board of registration was appointed by the Governor, con sisting of three members, removable by him when he saw fit. Its powers were equal to that of the Spanish Inquisition, says Judge David E. Johnson; they had power to send for persons and papers — to say who should vote and who should not. They could erase any and all names that he did not consider loyal to the gang and vote to perpetuate them in power by a stroke of his pen (that is, such of these registrars as could write), or they would place on the list such names as he wished, and in this the law protected them, too, they being exempt by law from prosecution or by civil suits. These registrars reported to the district registrars, and there was where the greater shame and outrage was perpetrated. They were usually foul birds, the most unclean that could be found. Any man who would promise to vote the Republican ticket, or for a selected candidate, could get his name retained on the lists as a voter. If a party was suspected of not being loyal and voting right, he was summoned before this board to prove his loyalty to his party. No charges were proven, none preferred, but he must prove his innocence — that is, that he was true to the Republican party, and HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 223 still intended to vote for it. If he did not show up satisfactorily, his name was scratched off and he was disfranchised. A gentleman of the legal profession, being under suspicion of disloyalty, was summoned before the county board of registrars to show and prove that he was true to the grand old party. Appearing before the board, he inquired what it wanted, and, being told that he must prove his loyalty, he thereupon became very indignant, using some uncouth language, rash and approbrious epithets to wards the board for their baseness and meanness and ignorance. When. he had finished his speech, one of the members of the board raised his spectacles upon his brow, and, lifting his eyes to heaven, said, "Well, sir, I am like the apostle of old. I thank God I am what I am," to which the attorney replied, "Yes, and you are thank ful for damned small favors." Much credit is everlastingly due to Major James H. McGinnis, of Beckley, Hon. Allen T. Caperton, of Union, and Hon. Frank Hereford, of the same place, for the services rendered by them to this section in protecting the people after the war against these piratical policies against human rights and human liberties. Mr. Caperton could not practice law, as he was a Confederate, but he stood by the old soldiers to the last in their days of trial and adversity. When Hon. Marion Gwinn, Wm. E. Miller, J. W. Miller, John A. Miller and the men of Lick Creek were all sued after the war for trespasses never committed (or, if committed, it was before they entered the army), it was Caperton and McGinnis who stood by them and saved them from bankruptcy and the poor house. Many suits of this character were brought before Judge Har rison, and many good and honest men despoiled of their property and rights under the guise of law. Green F. Meador, of Jumping Branch, as well as M. A. W. Young, now of Hinton, were members of Company I, 60th Vir ginia Regiment. C. E. Stevenson, of Madam's Creek, was a lieu tenant in this company and Mr. Young a sergeant. John L. Per- singer, of Foss, was the driver of cannons and war material, or teamster, in Lowry's Battery. Bob Christian was, during the war, a citizen, of Pipestem District, and was a member of Company I, 60th Virginia, and was a very brave private in the infantry service. He was wounded at the Seven Days' Fight at Richmond, in 1862, fought by Lee on one side and McClellan on the other. In a charge with the bayonet rriade by the Confederates he was wounded 224 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.- five times by the Federals, and as he fell one way his antagonist fell the other, and as he fell an attempt was made by the Union soldiers to end him by shooting him, but as the attempt was being made the Southerners fired, killing his assailant, and thereby sav ing his life. The bravery of Bob Christian will go down in his tory with that of Mike Foster and Allen Woodrum. M. A. W. Young was a witness, and took part in this famous bayonet charge. A gap was made in the Union ranks, by which his company, com manded then by Captain George, passed through, it being an hour after dark. The cry was raised, "Who are you?" Captain George replied, "Friends," and told them not to shoot. Discovering the predicament they were in, they made their escape back through the gap before it closed up, by which they would have been sur rounded. M. A. W. Young was wounded three times, once at Cedar Creek, at which he was wounded in the arm; at Lynchburg he re ceived two wounds, losing the little finger from his left hand, and receiving a gunshot wound in the thigh ; but he was never captured. He was attended by the surgeon, Dr. Noel, of Lick Creek. Bob Christian survived the war, and lived in Pipestem District until his death several years afterwards from his wounds. He was a. brother of our countyman, Joseph J. Christian, now living near Indian Mills, and A. J. Christian, a citizen of the county, now temporarily lo cated in Raleigh County; of Eli Christian, and another brother, whose name I can not recall, there being five of the brothers in the Southern Army. These Christians were descendants of the ancient settlers in the Middle New River Valley. J. Floyd Young, a brother of M. A. W. Young, was shot di rectly through the head, the ball entering one temple and passing out of the other. He is still living to this day near Jumping Branch, on the Raleigh side of the county line. He was a member of Company A, 17th Virginia Cavalry. Company I was first organized and commanded by Captain White G. Ryan, and, after his being wounded, by Albert G. P. George. Sergeant Young, above referred to, was present at the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain, when the brave General Jenkins was slain. Ed. Ryan, a son of Captain Ryan, and a brother of Joseph, was fighting by the side of Mr. Young, when he was shot in the breast and instantly killed. Joseph Ryan, a son of Captain Ryan, was a lieutenant in this company, and Erastus C. Stevens was the first lieutenant. M. A. W. Young was also in the battles of Cold Harbor, Gaines' Mill, Bull Run, or Manassas ; in the famous Valley of Virginia campaigns with Stonewall Jackson, and with Loring HISTORY OF. SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 225 in the Valley of the Kanawha. He was a Methodist preacher after the war for a number of years, and is now a salesman, located in Hinton. About the time of the close of the war bands of men went through the county, gathering up what they called "government property." They were nothing more than marauders, and took advantage of conditions to invest private property and divest pri vate owners of what little they had left remaining from the depre dations and necessities and conditions of a state of war. One of these bands visited the Lick Creek country, and went through the Laurel Creek neighborhood, carrying off the horses of A. J. Miller and Mr. Foster, who had not been engaged in the war by reason of over age. They wore masks or false faces to conceal their iden tity, not only taking the horses, which they claimed belonged to the government, but they carried off the clothing, wearing apparel and ornaments and jewelry of the ladies, taking off from the house of Mr. Alderson everything they could lay their hands on, stuffing their pockets full of trinkets, including what eatables they could find on the premises. One Hen Atkins wore as many as three overcoats, one of which was Mr. Alderson's. After sacking the country, they started back to the Big Creek country. In crossing the Laurel Creek, Atkins was riding a large horse of A. J. Miller's. The creek had become swollen, and, in making the passage, he was stripped off his horse, drowned, and found several days after ward in a rack heap down the creek some distance, with the three overcoats on and the pockets filled with jewelry and trinkets which he had captured. He was dressed in the wedding suit of broad cloth of Mr. Alderson's, which he had secured as contraband of war. Squire Jack Buckland had captured Andrew A. Foster, and took him on behind him to ride across the swollen creek. The horses waslied down and washed Foster and Buckland both into the swollen stream. Foster managed to get out down the stream some 'distance, and caught Buckland as he was drowning, and saved his life, after which they took pity on Foster and discharged him. The captured men included John B. Walker, Alderson, Fos ter and Miller, who were all discharged by reason of the waters making it inconvenient to carry them farther. After the raids these pretended soldiers would meet and divide up the spoils, which were taken in the name of the government and as govern ment property. This is only an instance of the conditions existing on this border at the close of the Civil War. Squire Buckland was a large land owner and was a justice for eight years. 226 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. SOME PRICES DURING THE WAR. Yoke of oxen, $1,000.00; each horse or mule $1,000.00; candles, $8.75 per pound; beef, $1.00 a pound; pepper, $3.00 per lb.; axes, $12.00 each; salt, per bushel, $35.00; coffee, Rio, $4.00 per lb.; flour, $45.00 per bbl. ; pig iron, $350.00 per ton ; lard, $2.75 per lb. ; sole leather, $6.00 per lb.; nails, per keg, $100.00; onions, $8.00 per bushel ; sweet potatoes, $4.00 ; fresh pork, $2.25 per lb. ; cotton cloth, per yard, $1.30; Castile, $8.00 per lb.; shoes, $15.00 per pair; soap, $1.00 per lb.; sugar, $3.00 per lb.; tea, $8.00 per lb.; tobacco, $3.00; duck, $1.50 per yard; whiskey, $10.00 per gal.; wheat, per bushel, . $7.50; wool, per lb., $8.00; quinine, $56.00 an ounce; sorghum, $3.50 per gal. These prices were undertaken to be enforced by a statute passed by the Confederate States in 1864. The hardships of the soldiers are beyond belief. The Federals fared better than the Confederates because their supplies were better. The Federal Government had the outside world to draw from. The Confed eracy had to depend upon home products. The daily rations of the Confederate soldier when marching or fighting was a pint of corn- meal and one-fourth of a pound of bacon. If camping, in addition to this, he would receive a quarter of a pound of sugar, one pint of molasses, three-fourths of a pound of black pease, one ounce of salt, one-eighth of a pound of soap, and on Christmas Day a charger of pine top whiskey, but some days they would start on ten days' march with rations which would be used up by the end of the sixth day. The general would buy whole fields of corn and let the sol diers help themselves. On many occasions the daily rations would be one ear of corn for one man and three for his horse during the day. When the Confederate soldier reached his home after the war, he was angry as well as hungry, but he soon banished this feeling, and discovered there were victories to be won in peace as glorious as any he had participated in as a soldier. SOME RESULTS OF WAR. The Federal troops killed in battle were 67,059 ; died of wounds, 43,012 ; died of disease, 199,720. Other casualties, such as accidents, etc., and in the Confederate prisons, 4,015. Total, 349,994; Federals deserted, 199,105 ; number of Federal troops captured during the war, 412,608; Confederate troops captured during the war, 476,169. Number of Federal troops paroled on field, 16,431 ; Confederate, 248,599; number of Federal troops who died in prison, 30,136; Con- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 227 federate troops dying in prison, 30,153, a difference of only three men in at total of 60,309. Aggregate number of soldiers in Federal Army and Navy, 2,656,553; in the Confederate States (estimated), 700,000. There were mustered out of the Federal service in 1865 186,000 officers and men. There were 1,882 battles fought, being an average of more than one for each day of the war. One-half were fought in Virginia. Of this number in 112 battles there were more than 500 men killed in each battle. The killed in battle would average more than 1,400 men each month of the war, from the beginning to the end. The estimated cost of the Civil War to the Union and to the South both together, regardless of value of slaves, is estimated at $11,000,000,000.00. The Revolutionary War cost $135,193,703.00, and the lives of 30,000 American soldiers. The War of 1812 cost $107,150,000.00 and 2,000 American lives. The Mexican War cost $74,000,000.00 and 2,000 American lives. Indian wars and other minor wars cost $1,000,000 and 49,000 American lives. The estimates above given in regard to number of soldiers, captures, etc., in the Civil War are largely made from estimates. There were 292,627 slaves in Virginia and 12,866 free negroes. That is, according to the census of 1790. In 1860 there were 490,856 slaves in Virginia, freed by President Lincoln's proclamation, and 58,042 free negroes. SESSION ACTS, 1866, WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE. Be it Enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia : 1. That no interest upon any debt contracted or liability in curred prior to the first day of April, eighteen hundred and sixty- five, shall hereafter be recoverable in any action or suit in any of the following cases: I. Where, during the late rebellion, the real owner or holder of such debt Or liability, while he was such owner or holder, was engaged in armed hostility against the United States, or this State, for the time he was so engaged. II. Where, during said rebellion, such real owner or holder of such debt or liability, while he was such owner or holder, in any way gave voluntary aid to said rebellion, during the time he was so aiding the said rebellion. III. Where, during the said rebellion, such real owner or holder of such debt or liability, while he was such owner or holder, was a voluntary resident within the military lines of the so-called Con- 228 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. federate States of America, beyond the boundaries of this State ; during the time of such residence. IV. Where, during the said rebellion, such real owner or holder of such debt or liability, while he was such owner or holder, was in sympathy with the said rebellion, and voluntarily left his home and went within the military lines of the so-called Confederate States of America ; for the time he remained within said lines. THE LAST FIGHT OF THE REBELLION. One of the last, if not the very last, fights of the Rebellion was fought on Greenbrier River, seven miles east of Hinton, at what is known as the Big Rock. Thurmond's Rangers were coming down Greenbrier River in a large canoe made from a big poplar tree; others coming down the road, when a squad of Union men fired on them from the bluff above the big road. They shot bullet holes through the big canoe and buttons off of the coats of the Rebels, but no blood was shed ; it was a bloodless fight. Both parties es caped without anybody being killed or wounded. Jackson Grim mett and Rufus Grimmett, John Bucklen and Clark Grimmett and others of this county were on the Union side ; Joseph Hinton, George Surber and others were on the Rebel side. This battle was in the latter part of April, 1865, after Lee's surrender at Appomat tox on the 9th of April, 1865. The "Pet Lamb" was a famous spy in the United States service during the Civil War. He visited the Flat Top Mountain region, and was at Griff Miller's house along with a few Federal soliders. Eight of them hid behind a fence, and Miller went out and ran the whole gang off by having his negroes behind his yard fence yelling like fury, as though the whole Confederate Army was on hand. NATHANIEL HARRISON. This man was living in Monroe County before the war. He had married into the William Erskine family, which owned the Salt Sulphur Springs. He was a brilliant man, and had been prose cuting attorney. Immediately after the close of the war he was made judge of Greenbrier, Monroe and Mercer Counties. He ap pointed Benj. White sheriff of Mercer, and George Evans, clerk. White had been a violent secessionist at the beginning of the war, but at the close changed his principles, if he ever had any. George Evans was a Northern man and a Union man, and not a degraded HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 229 citizen. Judge Harrison had been a- Confederate as late as 1862, and had applied for a staff position under General A. A. Chapman. He suddenly changed his views for office sake. He was for the side that was in the saddle. There was more than one, Judge Harrison and Benj. White, affected with an easy character and an easy political virtue. They start out with the party in power, but desert when adversity comes ; they abandon their friends in ad versity — floppers for office they become — as detestable as those who take the oath to support a cause, and desert to the enemy. Their characters are detested in all history. There were a good many of this kind at the close of the war when fortune had deserted the Southern cause. Judge Harrison went to Princeton to hold his first court in the fall of 1865. He was held in such detestation that not a soul spoke to him or asked him to alight from his horse ; therefore he turned round about, without alighting, rode back to Concord Church, and held, in the old Methodist church at that place, the first term of the court for that county held after the war. The ex-Confederates who had been elected that fall in each of the counties were by Harrison arbi trarily turned out and refused permission to qualify, and no man who would not swear he had not aided, abetted or sympathized with the Southern cause was permitted to hold any office. This extended to school trustees, as well as to any young lady who de sired to teach free school. This judge was a. very corrupt and venal man, and, of course, the political lease of his official life was numbered. No free people, regardless of political differences, will long permit themselves to be ruled by corrupt or venal officials. Articles of impeachment were preferred against this corrupt judge in 1866 by a Republican Legis lature, of which party he was then an adherent, and thereby he was forced to resign. He was arbitrary and corrupt, as well as dissipated. A great many ex-Confederate soldiers were sued in his court for acts done during the war. The defendants could not defend before him be cause they could not take the oath. The juries were selected of the same character as the court. Many could not read or write, and had never been at a court house before. The judgments neces sarily went in large amounts against the defendants, and the only result was utter bankruptcy. A number of these old judgments still stand uncollected, as things were changed by reason of an amendment to the Constitution introduced by Hon. W. H. H. Flick, a liberal man and lawyer from Martinsburg, Berkeley County. The 230 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. judgments stand as monuments to the ignorance and fallacy of people gone mad with greed, political folly and power thrust on them, without the intelligence, education or intellect to use that power with justice, sense or principle. (See Second West Virginia Reports, page 496, Lewis Ballard v. Christopher Lively, as an ex ample. This judgment was for $2,779.70.) This vicious situation was to be voted on for perpetuation by the people by reason of the joint resolution passed by the two houses of the Legislature, submitting the amendment to the Constitution in 1866, which would have had the effect of decitizenizing all ex- Confederates or their sympathizers. No one was permitted to vote execpt those who would take the infamous "test oath," which pro vided that — - "No person who, since the first day of June, 1861, has given or shall give voluntary aid or assistance to the rebel lion against the United States, shall be a citizen of this State, or be allowed to vote at any election held therein, unless he has volunteered in the military or naval service of the United States, and has been or shall be honorably discharged therefrom." Thus the Legislature of West Virginia intentionally and plainly subverted the Constitution of the State, and openly violated the Constitution and the oaths of those who perpetrated the act. It was an open perversion of the Constitution in this. The Constitu tion then provided, "That white male citizens of the State shall be entitled to vote at all elections held within the election districts in which they respectively reside." At the election at which this amendment was voted on, which was held on the 24th day of May, 1866, and was ratified by a vote of 22,224 votes to 15,302 against it, only seventy-five votes were permitted to be cast in Mercer County, of which Jumping Branch and Pipestem were then parts and par ticipated, sixty-one for ratification and fourteen for rejection, al though the voting population of that county under the Constitution as it was then in force and effect was 1,000. Is not this a com mentary? Out of a thousand legal voters in the county of Mercer, only seventy-five were of sufficient loyalty under the Nat Harrison regime to be allowed the elective franchise. Col. Thomas Little was a member of the Legislature from Mercer, which passed the resolution submitting this amendment, and a Republican; and to his eternal honor be it said he is recorded as voting against this iniquity, which meant to disfranchise and decitizenize his neigh- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 231 bors; also David Lilly, Hon. Sylvester Upton, Russell G. French, the latter being classed as an ex-Confederate soldier. These men recorded their votes against this iniquity. In Greenbrier County there were about 117 votes permitted to be cast, out of 1,300 votes in the county; and in Monroe County, about 300 votes were allowed to be cast and counted, and these three counties then included practically all of the territory of the unformed county of Summers. Nathaniel Harrison was a native of Virginia, connected by descent with the family of that ancient and honorable title, which has produced Presidents of the United States, generals of its ar mies and statesmen of great sagacity, loyalty, honor and renown. He was educated at the University of Virginia ; a lawyer of accom plishment; a most polished and ornate orator, distinguished and even handsome in appearance, but Satan had set his mark upon him. After failing to secure a place on the staff of General Chap man during the war, he went to Richmond, squandered his patri mony in tobacco speculation and dissipation, and when the result of the Civil War could be plainly seen and the life of the Confed eracy was drawing to a close and trembling in defeat, he was an adventure- of fortune ; returning to Monroe County, a dangerous and embittered man, he secured the circuit judgeship by protesta tions of loyalty to the Federal cause, and administered the duties of that h.gh office in the manner herein described, a description of which we are unable in language to do justice. It was he who went to Philadelphia, selected and induced an educated and finished lawyer, Major Cyrus Newlin, who was then living in that town, to come to his circuit, locate at Union and enter the practice of his profession. Newlin was a thoroughly educated, smart, bright lawyer, without principle or honor — a typical carpet-bagger. His family were of the wealthiest in the country, his mother having died while traveling on the continent of Europe. He located at Union, and at once entered into a co partnership with the judge (Harrison) in Mercer, Monroe and Greenbrier Counties. He instituted and prosecuted suits for dam ages against the old soldiers of the Confederacy and others who had taken no part therein, for offenses alleged to have been com mitted during hostilities. Harrison, as judge, tried the cases, determining arbitrarily in favor of Newlin and his clients and against those in opposition. It was currently reported that the income of Harrison at one time was $20,000.00 a year from this source. 232 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Newlin was also dissipated and dissolute,- and his ill-gotten fees passed through his hands as sands through a sieve. He took an active part in politics, and stopped at nothing to further and secure his purposes and ends and to further the interests of his party and to retain it in power, and his influence was very great over the ignorant and uneducated, many of whom had been thrust into power during the days of the reconstruction. He continued to practice after the overthrow and disappearance of his corrupt ally, until soon after the formation of Summers County, while at Hinton for the purpose of attending court, he was stricken with paralysis one evening, carried to his room in the Wickham House, and there died the next day at two o'clock, and was buried in the old thicket on the hillside near where the old peddler had been murdered, and which was converted into a graveyard, the first in Hinton, but which is now open to the commons and generally desecrated, although there are many people buried at that place. There is nothing to mark the grave of this brilliant, though mis guided man, and there is not a human being at this day can point out his grave, and no mortal eye to tell in what spot of the earth his remains rest. Forgotten and neglected, he has passed from the affairs of men. Augustus Gwinn was sued as a defendant in the Circuit Court of Monroe County before Judge Harrison for one of those trespass and harrassing actions, by James T. Dempsey, of Possum Hollow. He went to Union for trial, desiring a continuance, being one of the few who still possessed a twenty-dollar gold piece, carried throughout the four years of the war. He saw Judge Harrison coming out of the court room, walked over, met the judge on the street, and began a conversation, in the meantime throwing the gold coin up and catching it in his hand in the presence of the judge. He finally told Harrison that he wanted a continuance of that suit. The judge asked some questions, and finally said, "AVhat is that you have in your hand?" Gwinn gave it to him. After talking a moment, he looked at it, turned it over a few times in his palm, finally stuck it in his pocket, winked at Gwinn, Gwinn did likewise at him, and turned and walked away, and Gwinn never afterwards heard of that suit in that or any other court, and Brother Dempsey, who still lives, is none the wiser to this day. After Harrison had been deposed, J. M. McWhorter was ap pointed to fill the unexpired term of about two years, and was therefore the judge at the time Summers County was formed, and held that office at the time of its formation, and therefore HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 233 appointed the first official in the organization of the new county. He was defeated for re-election by Judge Holt. Judge McAVhorter was regarded as an honorable man and a just judge, though strongly partisan in his politics. CHAPTER XIII. HINTON. Hinton was founded in 1874, the first town lot being sold on the 18th day of May, 1874. It is ninety-six miles from Charleston, fifty miles from Bluefield, sixty from Lewisburg; it is now the chief city in population between Staunton, Va., on the east, and Charles ton, W. Va., on the west. It is the most accessible point from all directions in the Bluestone, New River and Greenbrier Valleys, and for all the mountainous and plateau regions of the counties of Greenbrier, Mercer, Fayette, Raleigh and AVyoming. It is the natural location for the center of population for all this section of the State; there are now six country postal routes into the city. It is the end of the railway mail division between Cincinnati and AVashington, it being the half-way point between those cities. There are now twenty railway postal clerks, who make their head quarters in Hinton, a postmaster, assistant postmaster and five clerks ; the income from the post office at this time is over $10,000 per annum ; there is building a new public school building at a cost of $30,000, two large wholesale establishments, the New River Grocery Company, and the Hinton Hardware Company, whose busi ness aggregates over $400,000 per year. At this time there is a two-story brick passenger depot, valued at $50,000, brick freight depot, valued at $10,000, and railway round-house and machine shops, valued at $100,000. The C. & O. Railway Company has more than $1,000,000 invested in tracks, yards and property in this city. There are three well-established banking institutions, the Na tional Bank of Summers, capitalized at $100,000.00 ; First National Bank of Hinton, capitalized at $50,000.00, and the Citizens, capital ized at $50,000.00. Three modern hospitals, Cooper's, Bigony's and Holly's; a $50,000 bridge now spanning the New River, con necting Hinton with Brooklyn on the Raleigh side ; three large lumber and planing mills, ninety mercantile establishments, and numerous other business institutions. There are twelve public .roads running into Hinton from the surrounding country, with four HENRY S. GER0W, The First Quaker to Settle in Hinton. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 235 public ferries and a bridge now building by The Foss Bridge Com pany across Greenbrier River. More than 6,000 cars pass over the railway yards, east and west, each month, handling more than 7,000,000 pounds of freight. The railway company employs about 1,000 men in Hinton, with a payroll of $55,000.00 per month. There is now on deposit in the Hinton banks nearly $1,000,000. The new McCreery Hotel is now nearing completion, at a cost of $105,000.00. There are fourteen lawyers located at Hinton in active practice, and twelve surgeons and physicians; there are now three weekly newspapers, "The Independent Herald," Democratic, "The Hinton Leader," Republican, "Summers Republican," and two dailies, "The Hinton News," Independent, and "The Daily Herald," Democratic. "The News" is published by The Franklin Publishing Company, and "The Herald" by The Herald Publishing Company, with the Hon. William H. Sawyers as general manager and editor. The people of Hinton are enterprising, progressive and industrious, educated, intellectual and patriotic, and the general morals good. There has been an active effort made within the past two years to secure for this city a modern government building, to be con structed by the United States in Hinton. Through the efforts of the Hon. Joseph H. Gaines, a member of Congress, and Senat°r N. B. Scott, an appropriation of $10,000.00 was secured in 1906 for the purchase of a lot, on which this building is to be constructed. A very aggressive and somewhat acrimonious fight grew out of the location to be secured for this building, a large majority of the people of the county favoring the location on the public square, and that site was selected. The fight grew largely out of selfish interest of persons desiring the location near their private prop erties. The contest became so aggressive that a number of our citizens desired to defeat the establishment of a government build ing in the city, rather than not secure their personal preferences. The principal of these gentlemen were W. H. Garnett, R. F. Dun- lap, R. H. Graham, R. D. Rose, R. R. Flannagan, C. H. Hetzel, Dr. O. O. Cooper and L. E. Dyke and others, who opposed the location selected, claiming, as their reason, that no part of the court house square should be used for any purpose, except for a public park, desiring a location on Third Avenue, or below. Those citi zens principally making a fight for a government building and its location in a central place, the court house square, were Sira W. Willy, Upsher Higginbothem, E. C. Eagle, T. N. Reed, A. R. Heflin, Harvey Ewart, T. G. Mann, Jas. H. Miller, A. D. Dailey, John M. Carden, T. H. Lilly, J. D. Humphries, William Plumley 236 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. and others. Delegations representing each interest visited Wash ington, and the advocated location of the court house square loca tion finally succeeded, the government having adopted that lo cation at a cost of $5,000. The county court offered the government a lot, the southeastern corner of the court house square, for the erection of this great public and beneficial enterprise, at $5,000. Free delivery of the mails is inaugurated in the cities of Avis and Hinton in 1907. Much of the credit for the establishment of the government building at this place is due to Hon. Sira W. Willy, Upsher Higginbotham, E. C. Eagle and H. Ewart. The first train which was made up of flat cars that ever ran into Hinton was in 1872, carrying material for construction. This train was in charge of George Thomasson, conductor, and Seth Mack, engineer. The first person to die in Hinton was a child of Captain N. M. Lowry; the first person born was John Orndorff, son of the railroad conductor, John Orndorff. The second child born in Hin ton was Dr. J. A. Gooch; the first telegraph operator was a Mr. Baird, who had his office and residence in a box car. In 1872, Joseph and Silas Hinton started a moderate mercantile venture near the Upper Hinton ferry, which marks the commencement of commercial industry in Hintqn. The first divine edifice erected in Hinton was the little Catholic chapel, erected by Father Walsh, in 1874, where the present imposing Catholic Church now stands. Rev. V. M. Wheeler was the first Methodist pastor sent to Hinton. The first person to operate a saloon in Hinton was W. C. Ridge way, whose establishment was at the railroad crossing in Upper Hinton. The Y. M. C. A. building of Hinton is located near the passenger depot, and was constructed by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company, the citizens providing the ground for its loca tion at their own expense. THE CITIES OF HINTON AND AVIS. The history of these two municipalities is so intertwined as to make it proper to write them in conjunction. While there are two separate city governments, there is but one town and no natural division line. At the time of the formation of this county there were but two houses within the corporate limits of the two corpo rations. One was the old "Jack" Hinton residence, a hewed log building situate near the railroad crossing at the foot of the hill in Avis on the railroad right of way ; the other was in the center of the yard near the round-house ; the former was occupied as the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 237 Hinton residence, and the latter as the Ballangee residence, Avis Hinton and her family residing in the former, and the family of Isaac Ballangee, deceased, in the latter. We are enabled, by the courtesy of Mr. Frank Cundiff, to produce a cut of the Ballangee residence, and by the courtesy of Mr. Howard Hinton to produce a cut of the old Hinton homestead. The Hinton homestead was occupied as a boarding house for a number of years after the com pletion of the railroad, Mrs. M. S. Gentry being the proprietress for a number of years, and the first night ever spent in that town by the writer, thirty years ago, was in this boarding house of Mrs. Gentry, at which time Captain Phil. Cason, the oldest passenger railroad conductor then on the road, was then boarding. This house was finally torn down by the railroad company to make room for its double track. It was an old two-story log house, with an old- fashioned stone chimney, large fireplaces covered with shingles, the kitchen being at the end of the "big house." The Ballangee. house was also of hewed logs, the "big house" being two stories, and the kitchen one story, with the same char acter of chimneys and fireplaces, with a double porch fronting the mountain. This building was used by the railroad company for round-house, offices, and storage place for junk and rubbish for many years, but in the construction of the new yard tracks some eight or ten years ago, was pulled down. The lands on which Avis was built was, at the time of the found ing of the cities, the property of Avis Hinton, the widow of John Hinton, to which she retained title until her death, except as she disposed of the same in lots. The Isaac. Ballangee tract, on which the city of Hinton stands, was owned by the heirs of Isaac Ballangee, and consisted of 165 acres. Some of these heirs being infants at the date when the rail road was projected, Rufus Pack being guardian, took proceedings in the Circuit Court of Summers County to secure a decree for sale, by which the title was conveyed to the C. & O. Railroad Com pany, in consideration of the sum of $3,500.00. Afterwards, the C. & O. Railroad Company conveyed all of the property except what it desired for railroad purposes and some five lots on which it had built tenement buildings, to the Central Land Company of AVest Virginia, a corporation, of which C. P. Huntington, the pro moter and builder of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, was the president, and continued in ownership, selling off lots from time to time, until the company was placed in the hands of a receiver of the United States Court forWVest Virginia, who continued to sell 238 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. lots and exercise dominion over the property until the death of C. P. Huntington, in 1903, when the remaining unsold portions, amount ing to some eighty acres, mostly the hill land, was sold to Wm. Plumley, Jr., and E. H. Peck, of Hinton, for the sum of $11,000, and they have continued to sell off lots and small boundaries. The Hinton tract originally belonged to Henry Ballangee, having been patented by him and conveyed afterwards to John Hinton, who, becoming involved in debt, the land was sold by a decree of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, and purchased by Charles Maddy, John Maddy and David Hinton, three of his brothers-in-law, who lived in Monroe County, who held the title for some time, and then conveyed the same to Avis Hinton, who had succeeded in paying out the purchase money. What is now included in the territorial boundary of the city of Hinton was laid off into town lots, and a map made thereof in the year 1873, by B. R. Dunn, a civil engineer, and a brother of the late L. M. Dunn. This map is of record in the county clerk's office of this county, in Deed Book "A," page 540. Stones were- placed at the corner of each street, and they were sold by the railroad company and the Central Land Company at the price of $300.00 for corner lots, each inside lot being sold for $250.00; lots which orig inally cost $300.00 are now selling and worth from $8,000.00 to $10,000.00. The first buildings erected in the town were principally on Front Street, one of the oldest buildings being the four-cornered, two- story square frame residence now owned by Miss Maggie Atkin son; another one was the D. H. Peck building, recently pur chased by Dr. S. P. Peck and transformed into a business and tenement building, with three stories. The court house and all of the flat remained an open common and was used principally as a pasture for cows, hogs and horses. The first business and residence building on the flat was that of John M. Carden opposite the court house, in which he established the Hotchkiss House (Hotel), and operated the same for a number of years. The next building was on the corner of Second Avenue and Ballangee Streets, near the court house square, built by Carl A. Fredeking, in which he operated a mercantile business with Mr. A. G. Flanagan ; afterwards his son-in-law was manager. This house and half the lot is now owned by Dr. J. A. Fox, recently purchased for $5,200.00. Another one of the early buildings was a one-story, two-roomed HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 239 frame near the present brick Methodist Church, built by B. L. Hoge, directly after the flood of 1878, when his residence was washed off in that distressing calamity. This was used by Mr. Hoge for a number of years, when he built an addition in front, and afterwards sold to the present owner, T. H. Lilly, the lumberman. In 1878, John Robinson's show gave a performance in a two- ringed circus on the square between 'Ballangee Street and Temple Street, on the lots occupied by the Central Baptist Church, J. H. Miller and J. T. McCreery's residences. Another one of the first buildings was the old Thespian Hall, built in what was known as Middle Hinton, opposite where Dr. Bigony's Hospital is now situ ated. This building was an amateur theatrical arrangement, in which home talent furnished the actors and amusement for the town for some time, but, not being well supported financially, on account of the small population, was finally torn down. The first brick house erected in Hinton was by John Finn, an Irishman, on the corner of Third and Summers Streets. He purchased the lot January 27, 1874. The building is now owned by the city, and occupied by the city as its administration building. W. C. Ridgeway, early in the history of the city, built what was at that time considered a modern hotel on the corner of Third and Front Streets, now known, as "Scrapper's Corner," and now owned by Mrs. R. S. Tyree. This building was afterwards burned down in one of the numerous conflagrations which visited this city. The buildings in the lower town are much more regular than in the upper, they being on the island and scattered. The upper town, however, was building up more rapidly than the lower until the great flood in 1878, which practically destroyed the upper part of that then flourishing village. Seventeen houses were washed away "and a great deal of real and personal property destroyed, but no lives were lost. The storehouse building, which had been occupied as a court house, B. L. Hoge, the clerk's residence, J. P. Mill's fine residence and others, whose names I am not now able to ascertain, were entirely swept away. This flood was the highest ever known within the memory of man of New River, and came without warn ing and without opportunity for the residents to barely escape with their lives, without saving their property. Heaps of driftwood below, especially at New Richmond, were piled along the river banks on the shores, containing all manner of household goods, sewing machines, cook stoves, etc. Many daring acts were performed by the citizens in saving prop erty from destruction, as well as the lives of the people. Hon. Wm. 240 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. R. Thompson, then a young lawyer in the city, with the assistance of another party — Vanwinkle — secured a skiff, and, at great risk of their own lives, rowed to the residence of J. P. Mills, on the island near the present waterworks power house on the river bank, and saved the lives of that family. The water was up high into the building, and it was threatening to leave its foundation at any moment, when these gentlemen succeeded in reaching the building from the railroad with their boat across the tremendous torrent which was running between the hill and the main river. It has been related to me by persons who witnessed the act in the darkness of the night as one of the most daring acts recorded in the annals of adventure. After these gentlemen had secured from danger these families they went to the Evi Ballangee place, about half a mile above, and where the old house is still standing; the water was then running direct from the ferry down the side of the railroad track and over the railroad track a depth of some eight or ten inches ; at great risk they rowed across the track, the boat lodging on a rail, to the house of Mr. Ballangee, which was entirely surrounded, and solic ited them to be permitted to be carried to safety, but were re fused by Mr. Ballangee and his sister, who preferred not to give up the house. The first citizens to locate in Hinton were Dr. Benjamin P. Gooch and M. V. Calloway — Dr. Gooch, from our best information, being the very first. Among the old inhabitants who settled in the town, now still living, are Messrs. R. R. Flanagan, A. G. Flanagan, his brother; C. A. Fredeking, Charles and Lee Frede king, L. M. Dunn, Walker Tyler and W. C. Ridgeway. An effort was made in the year 1879 to incorporate the two towns as one, under the State law. A vote was taken, but the upper town, which is now Avis, being bitterly opposed, incorpo ration was voted down ; the lower town then proceeded to take a vote on its own account, which vote carried, and on the 21st day of September, 1880, the Town of Hinton was incorporated under the State law by the circuit court of this county. After wards, the upper town, becoming satisfied of the necessity and advantages of incorporation, took a vote, and on the 4th of Septem ber, 1890, was incorporated by the circuit court as the Town of Upper Plinton. Jacob Pyles was the first mayor, elected October 14, 1890. The first meeting of the council was held at Graham's shoe shop. These two towns continued in existence until 1897, B. F. Thompson being the last mayor, when Colonel Swope, an HINTON IN 1880. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 241 active politician, who had emigrated into our midst from Monroe County, believing that he could advance the interests of the Re publican party, proceeded to secure the passage of an Act of the Legislature incorporating the two towns into one, under the title of the City of Hinton, by special charter. An election was held soon after the passage of this act ; but instead of aiding the Re publican party, it seemed to have the reverse effect, every ward in the city electing Democratic councilmen, and an entire Demo cratic administration. Colonel Swope then not being satisfied with the political situation, proceeded to have the two towns "di vorced," and at the session of 1899 the Legislature divided the two towns, leaving Hinton a separate corporation, and leaving Up per Hinton without any municipal government whatever, the Colo nel's idea being that if he could get Upper Hinton into a separate town, he could control its political destinies. After some time he had the upper town incorporated again under the State law as the City of Avis, and which incorporation remains operative to the present time ; the city of Hinton operating under the spe cial charter granted by the Act of the Legislature as modified by the second act dividing the town into the two municipalities. In addition to Col. Swope's political philosophy, he and a number of the upper Hinton people were dissatisfied with the administration of the municipal government. The fi-st mayor of the town of Hinton was W. R. Benedict, who held for three terms. W. R. Duerson was mayor for three terms, and afterwards removed to Clifton Forge, Virginia, where he still resides, having been treasurer of that town for some ten years. I give below in succession the various mayors and re corders of the town of Hinton, and also of the town of Upper Hin ton and the city of Avis. The present mayor of the former is Hon. James F. Smith, who was re-elected for the third term on De cember 5, 1905 ; and of the latter Mr. A. G. Meadows, who has been elected for the third term. R. H. Maxwell was the first mayor, R. W. Ervin the second,, A. G. Meadows the third, and Jas. E. Meadows the fourth. J. H. Allen was the first recorder, and held that office for several terms. The members of the first cpuncil were: A. G. Meadows, R. H. Maxwell, AV. A. Charlton, Dr. J. F. Bigony and Geo. W. Pyles, with J. L. Ramsay, town sergeant. The city of Hinton was named for Evan Hinton, the father of Summers County, and the city of Avis was named for Mrs. Avis 242 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Hinton, an aged lady who owned the property on which it now stands. Until the year 1890 there was no water service for either town.. In that year a joint stock company' was organized through the efforts of a number of public-spirited citizens, under the title of the Hinton Water Works Company, which proceeded to put in a first-class system of water works for both towns, building a res ervoir near the top of the hill, in close proximity to Hill Top Cemetery. This reservoir is not now in use, a new reservoir hav ing been built in 1903, some 360 feet below the old reservoir. The original Hinton Water Works Company continued to own and operate the business until 1904, when it sold out its entire plant, franchises and property to the Hinton Water, Light & Supply Company, a West Virginia corporation, composed of stockhold ers residing in the city of Wilkesbarre, Pa., of which O. M. Leiner is president and general manager. The first superintendent un- • der the new company was R. H. Peterson, who held the position. until the summer of 1905, when he resigned, and was succeeded by A. G. Flanagan, who held the position for one month, and then resigned on account of ill-health ; he was succeeded by 'H. W. Piatt, who held the position until January 1, 1906, when he was succeeded by A. A. Miller, the present superintendent. The first lights for the town were the old-fashioned street lamps, which burned kerosene oil. These were continued until F. M. Starbuck, an enterprising machinist, and Dr. S. P. Peck, con structed a lighting plant for the city, contracting with the authori ties for lighting the town and private residences and business houses with up-to-date electric lights. This plant was operated by Dr. Peck as owner until 1901, when he sold to the same gentle men who purchased the Hinton Water AA^orks properties, and they were consolidated into one establishment, the light and water service for the two cities now being provided by this company. A sewerage system was established in the year , at a cost of $10,000. Twenty-year bonds for the town of Hinton were voted to be used for that purpose. These bonds remain unpaid. The only indebtedness against the city of Hinton being the $10,000 bonded indebtedness for sewerage purposes, and liability by reason Of the $12,000 in bonds voted by the school district for high school purposes. The streets in the city of Hinton were named by the engineer, Dunn, Front Street taking its name by reason of its fronting on the railway track and the river; the next street above being Sum- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 243 mers, named for the county; the next street above being Temple Street, named after Major Temple, one of the chief engineers who built the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, and who had his headquar ters in the building constructed by him at New Richmond; Bal langee Street, the next street above, was named after > the old set tlers of that name; James Street was named for William James, the lumberman, who early settled in the town. The cross streets were originally called 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc., streets, but are now called by the more modern name of avenues. The religious history of the town will be found under the va rious church titles in a separate chapter, to which the reader is referred for details. The reader is also referred, for educational history of the towns, to the chapter on Schools. The first professional man to locate in the town was Dr. Benj. P. Gooch, as above stated ; then Dr. Jno. G. Manser, and Dr. S. P. Peck, then a young man, who graduated and located in the city, and has since that time cast his destiny with the towns and made them his home. N. M. Lowry, W. W. Adams and J. S. Thorne were probably the first lawyers. The first bank established in Hinton was the Bank of Hinton, promoted by Hon. Azel Ford as president, Edwin Prince, Esq., a capitalist of Raleigh County; and M. A. Riffe, then of Hinton, as cashier. This bank was afterwards converted into the First Na tional Bank of Hinton. The second bank established was that of the Bank of Summers, in 1893, the principal promoters being the present and only cashier, Mr. J. H. Jordan, Jas. H. Miller, H. Gwinn, its president, and ex-Sheriff H. Ewart and W. J. Bright- well. The latest banking establishment has only recently been or ganized—that of the Citizens' Bank, a State institution, promoted by L. P. Graham, the cashier; W. H. Warren, its president, and J. Donald Humphries, one of the largest stockholders. These financial institutions are a pride and an honor to the town, and should be to any town. They are operated under honest, legitimate business management, and the people are as safe in intrusting their funds with them as with any government — at least, while under the present conservative management. The second attempt at a town hall was that built by J. H. Gunther, in the third story of a large brick building constructed in the year 1885, on the grounds now occupied by Dr. S. P. Peck's brick flats. This building was considered dangerous and was never successful, and was burned down a few years later. The next was 244 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the present opera house, which was originally built by Colonel J. A. Parker and Dr. S. P. Peck, the entire second floor being used for opera house and theatrical purposes. Some differences having arisen between these gentlemen, the hall was divided, Dr, Peck discontinuing; and Colonel Parker has for many years operated the present Parker Opera House, which is the only institution of that character in the city. A new opera house is now under projection, to be built in the Masonic Temple, of which Hon. P. K. Litsinger is the promoter. R. R. Flanagan, in the year 1900, built a three-story brick busi ness house adjoining the Bank of Hinton, on Third Avenue, the third story being used as a hall, and has been the Knights Tem plars hall since the organization of that order in the city. The Ewart-Miller Company completed in 1905 their new three- story brick building, the third story of which is devoted to hall purposes. The Hinton Toll Bridge is now under construction, being an iron bridge across New River, at the head of Temple Street, land ing near the mouth of Madam's Creek. This enterprise was largely promoted by Dr. J. A. Fox, and when completed will be a valuable enterprise for the upbuilding of the lower town. THE NATIONAL BANK OF SUMMERS. This financial institution first opened for business June 3, 1895, under a charter issued by the Secretary of State of AVest Virginia, as a State bank, with an authorized capital of $50,000.00, and with a paid-up capital of only $27,800.00. Its first officials were H. Gwin, president; C. B. Mahon, vice-president; H. Ewart, James H. Miller and W. J. Brightwell, directors, with J. H. Jordan, cashier. These officers continued as long as the Bank of Summers was in existence. About the 1st of January, 1906, it was converted into a national bank, with the same directors, Captain Charles Faulkner, T. H. Lilly, James T. McCreery and Colonel J. A. Parker being added to the directorate, J. H. Jordan continued as cashier, H. Gwinn resigning as president, and James T. McCreery made presi dent to fill the vacancy. The advancement of this bank has been phenomenal ; it numbers among its stockholders a large number of the most prominent and safest business men of Summers County, the volume of its business now amounting to over $700,000.00, and occupies handsome bank quarters on the corner of Third Avenue and Temple Streets, in Hinton, the book value of its stock being HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 245 $160.00 per share, and is the strongest bank in the New or Green brier River Valleys. BANK OF HINTON. This is the oldest banking institution in Summers County; it opened for business in 1887, and was capitalized at $25,000.00. Hon. Azel Ford was its promoter, with Edwin Prince. The first officials were Azel Ford, president; Edwin Prince, vice-president; M. A. Riffe, cashier ; E. O. Prince, assistant cashier, and James Kay. They constituted also the board of directors. On the 29th of August, 1900, the Bank of Hinton was converted into a national bank, under the title of the First National Bank of Hinton, and its capital in creased to $50,000.00. The first dividend was declared on June 30, 1901, of three per cent., and since that time it has been one of the most successful business enterprises in the county, the book value of its capital stock being about $125.00 per share. The present officials of the bank are Azel Ford, president; O. O. Cooper, vice- president; W. H. Garnet, cashier; Joseph Hinton, R. R. Flannagan, William Plumley, Jr., M. J. Cook and J. A. Graham, directors. Hon. Azel Ford has been president of the institution since 1887, and the successive cashiers have been M. A. Riffe, E. O. Prince, F. R. Van Antwerp, W. M. Puckett and W. H. Garnet, its volume of business now amounting to practically $500,000.00. It occupies a commo dious, substantial three-story brick and stone building, erected for its especial occupancy, and is a modern banking institution in every particular, and includes among its stockholders many of the promi nent financial men of Summers County. THE CITIZENS BANK. This bank was founded in November, 1905, by Luther P. Gra ham, William H. Warren and J. Donald Humphries. The president is William H. Warren; L. P. Graham, cashier; and the directors are W. H. Waren, M. J. Cook, J. A. Graham, O. S. Fredeking, J. D. Humphries and John Lang. This is the youngest banking institution in the county and is a safe and substantial institution. The volume of its first year's business amounted to $100,000.00, and the book value of its stock is $110.00 per share. The Hinton Hospital was founded by Dr. O. O. Cooper in 1900, and from a modest enterprise of a two-story building, it has grown into a large four-story establishment, with a staff of five surgeons, 246 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. and has a reputation throughout the State, O. O. Cooper, the owner and chief surgeon, having a reputation as one of the finest surgeons in the country. HINTON— DISTANCES FROM THE PRINCIPAL CITIES. Two hundred and ninety miles from Washington; 518 miles from New York ; 428 miles from Philadelphia ;' 332 miles from Bal timore ; 270 miles from Richmond ; 347 miles from Newport News ; 357 miles from Norfolk; 307.9 miles from Cincinnati; 613.5 miles from Chicago ; 683.2 miles from St. Louis ; 96.6 miles from Charles ton, the State Capitol. The post office at Hinton now distributes mail' to 7,000 people. It is the most accessible and central point for operations in the New River, Bluestone and Greenbrier Valleys, and most of the moun tainous and plateau regions of the counties of Greenbrier, Poca hontas, Mercer, Fayette, Raleigh, Monroe and Wyoming, connected directly with each of these counties, except the latter. It is the natural location for the center of population for all this region of the State. It is situate on the main line of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, and is a central point for the distribution of the United States mails for this region. There are now six country postal routes into the city — one to Princeton, one to Jumping Branch, one to Beckley, one to Elk Knob and Clayton, one, to Talcott and Al derson, one to Forest Hill and Pack's Ferry, War Ford and Crump's Bottom, besides the railway mail service. It is the end of the rail way mail service division between Washington and Cincinnati, the half-way point between those two cities. There are now ten daily mails delivered into Hinton by the railway service, and the number of pieces of mail received into this office and distributed therefrom daily is enormous. This postoffice is now open from 4:30 a. m. to 12 :00 at night, eighteen hours out of the day. The United States marshal has headquarters here, with one deputy, and it is a central point from which to operate that depart ment of justice in this whole region of the State, a territory of more than 5,000 square miles. The railway company has more than a millon dollars invested in the Hinton yards, tracks, etc. There are twelve public roads running into Hinton from the surrounding country, with four public ferries. There have been located the roads for two railways leading from Hinton up New River to the mouth of East River, at the junction of the county lines for Mercer, Monroe and Summers, West Virginia, and Giles HISTORY OF -SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 247 County, Virginia, a distance of thirty-five miles, and the right-of- way secured and paid for by the Norfolk & Western and the Hin ton & Northwestern Railroad Companies; and it is also the central point for the large commercial interests in the New River Valley, and a large amount of lumber, staves and merchandise are trans ported down that river to this place. More than 6,000 freight cars pass over the yards, both east and west each month, handling more than 700,000,000 pounds of freight. The company employs a thou sand men at this point, with a monthly pay-roll of more than $50,000.00. There is now on deposit in the Hinton. banks about $1,000,000, showing the thrift, saving and economy of the citizens of this county. There are now twelve lawyers located here, three weekly newspapers and two daily newspapers — "The Independent Herald," weekly and daily; "Hinton Leader," weekly; "Daily News," and the "Summers Republican," weekly. To show the en terprise and public spirit of the county court and its citizens, we reproduce a copy of an order entered concerning the location of a government building at this place. A few facts about the city were gotten out in pamphlet form, with a view to securing the erection of a United States Custom House at this point in 1906, by Messrs. E. C. Eagle, chairman ; A. R. Heflin and James PL Miller, committee. HINTON HARDWARE COMPANY. The Hinton Hardware Company is the second pioneer whole sale and jobbing establishment organized in Summers County. It is a joint stock company, chartered under the laws of the State of West Virginia, on December 26, 1901. Its first officers were, James H. Miller, president; James H. George, vice-president; A. G. Flanagan, secretary'; H. Ewart, treasurer. The first board of directors consisted of James H. Miller, L. E. Johnson, A. G. Flan agan, H. Ewart and J. C. James. The present officers are, James H. Miller, president; J. W. Ruff, vice-president ; James H. George having resigned and re moved to Wyoming County; A. G. Flanagan, secretary, and H. Ewart, treasurer. The present board of directors are, James H. Miller, J. W. Ruff, L. E. Johnson, A. G. Flanagan, H. Ewart, J. C. James and W. J. Nelson. The first general manager was L. P. Graham, who took charge of the business at its organization, March 1, 1902, with Fenton H. Miller in charge of retail department. Mr. Graham, retained 248 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the management until January 1, 1903, at which date he declined further election, and Fenton H. Miller, of Gauley Bridge, was made general manager, retaining the management until January 1, 1905, at which date he resigned to become the cashier of the Bank of Gauley, at Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, and at which time W. J. Nelson, the present manager, was elected. The salary paid the first manager was $100 per month, the second manager, $100 per month, and the present manager, $150 per month. The business has steadily grown. At its organization it bought out the retail establishment of L. P. Graham, and operated it until during the year 1904, both a retail and jobbing department. In 1905 it disposed of its retail establishment to the Summers Hard ware Company. In 1905, it constructed its first warehouse, an iron building, four stories, 45 feet in width by 190 feet in length, and carries a stock of about $30,000 in goods. The prospects for the future of this establishment are encouraging, it having passed the breakers in its financial existence. W. J. Nelson, of Roanoke, Virginia, is the present general manager; its bookkeeper being H. L. Johnson; first salesman; Joseph Roles, Ira Leftwich, Brent Dabney and John Lilly ; first bookkeeper James Johnson. It first occupied rooms on Third Avenue, before the erection of its present handsome quarters. It deals in all character of hard ware and merchandise incident to the hardware trade. Its terri tory is now principally Summers and parts of Raleigh, Monroe, Greenbrier and Pocahontas. CHAPTER XIV. LAND TITLES. Land was abundant and cheap in the early days of Summers County, and the commonwe_alth was originally generous in land grants to settlers, and unwisely generous as to companies. There was little formality. As before stated, the pioneer located on such land as suited him, and looked after the title later. They simply took up what was called the "Tomahawk Right," or "Corn Title," which was in law no legal title whatever, but, by proper attention, these rights could be converted into legal titles, as herein shown, and the settler was given a grant. Frequently the pioneer took up his claim near a spring, and would deaden some trees, and with his tomahawk place his initials on the skin of a tree. This done, the commissioners of the government would come along later, see who claimed the land, and these evidences of the settler's rights were respected unless he claimed title to too much. After laying his claim thus, he would plant a patch of corn, and thus grew up the fashion of claiming land under what was known as the "corn title." Under these arrangements as much as 400 acres could be taken up, and a claim by pre-emption to 1,000 acres more adjacent. The certificate given to the settler by the government representative would be sent in to Richmond, and if there was no other claim in six months, he would be given his grant, the good locations always being secured first, the land being so cheap the pioneer was more of a hunter than a farmer, and the foundation of much litigation was laid in the early days, and from which later a rich harvest fell to the part of the counsellor at law. In many instances the settler, having secured a claim, would sell his rights and the grant would be issued to the assignee, as will be noted from many of the old patents. They were granted, not to the original settler, but to his assignee. After the Revolutionary AVar what were known as Land Warrants were issued for a given num ber of acres, and the party holding this warrant could go and locate it wherever he pleased, and they were frequently sold and assigned a number of times before a grant would be issued. 250 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Persons grew wealthy trading in land warrants, for large tracts from twenty to many hundred thousand acres, and then selling these rights at speculative prices. The most of the land east of the Alleghenies was granted by the King of England, which were known as "Crown Grants." There are a very few crown grants west of the Alleghenies, and none of which we have any evidence within the territorial limits of Summers County. The United States Government never held any title to a foot of ground therein. Lands in all this region were very cheap at the time of the early settlers ; any adventurer could secure a title to a large or small boundary, as he saw proper. The first settlers usually took up and located the fertile bottoms and level lands along the streams, which they considered worth paying taxes on. No formalities were re quired ; the pioneer squatted on what he desired, and procured title at his convenience afterwards. The "tomahawk" or "corn title" was considered the best, although it amounted to no title at law, but usually grew into a good title in time. The man who located on his selection cleared out a patch of ground, and immediately raised some corn, after deadening a few trees. The man who raised the first hill of corn on a given tract was understood to be the owner of the ground, so he did not claim too much — the maximum being 400 acres by the "corn title" — and he might be entitled to 1,000 acres adjoining, provided he proved his "corn title" claim by build ing a residence and proceeding to farm it. The residence was usu ally a log cabin. The representative of the government visited the different settlements once in awhile, secured proof of the "corn title," issued his certificates to the squatters. These certificates were later sent in to the governor at Richmond, who issued his "grant" or "patent" from the Commonwealth. It will therefore be observed that the pioneer easily secured his "squatter's rights" ; the same then merged into a settler's claim, and later a grant from the Commonwealth by its governor, under the great seal of the State. These were always written on parchment made from the dressed skins of some small animal. The poor land was always refused until the fertile land had all been taken up; and, observing the dates of the various patents as they were issued from the Common wealth, all of the bottom lands and level lands in this region were taken up first, as they bear the most ancient dates, the patents of which bear an earlier date than the high, hilly, rough and barren lands. The surveys in the early days were irregular, and made in a crude, and, frequently, inaccurate, manner, and the old patents nearly all contain more acres than the grants called for. Frequently HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 251 the surveys would interlock. Later, lands were taken up by land office warrants : after these had remained on file a certain time a grant would be issued; later, many patents were secured without any actual survey. The land-grabber or speculator would get an engineer to lay down on a piece of property without any actual survey, a tract of land sometimes containing thousands of acres, without ever going on the grounds. In this way sometimes these land titles would cover the same property, but usually the man secured actual possession and retained it — had nine points of law in his favor. There were a few, however, of the larger grants in Summers County.. There were some, however, including the Henry Banks, in Green Sulphur District ; Welch, in Pipestem ; McCraw's and Hollinsworth, Pollard's, and others which contained thousands of acres, but the great proportion of the territory of Summers County was taken up in comparatively small patents. We give a few instances of litigation that has grown out of the conflicting land titles in this county; but' comparatively little liti gation has arisen. All of the titles of land in this county are de rived from the Commonwealth since it became a member of the United States. Prior to that time the grants to land titles within the territory of Virginia were from the Crown of England. After the Revolution a man bought his land warrant, located his land wherever he could find it, and frequently sold and assigned his warrant, and the patent would be issued to the assignee. The titles to the land west of the Alleghenies runs back to the Common wealth ; the titles to the land east of those mountains were granted by the Crown of England. We know of no land in Summers County or in this region which was a Crown grant, unless a part thereof was derived from that source through the Greenbrier Com pany, which had a grant for 100,000 acres, through John Lewis. While many of the conveyances of land titles in this county are loosely thrown together, they are usually sufficient to be readily cured, and the titles are practically perfect. No part of the lands of Summers County at any time ever vested in the United States Government. There were a few patents issued by the State of West Virginia, after its formation in 1863, but a very small and insignificant proportion, if any tract of land, could now be found va cant in Summers County, with no one claiming the title. No grant could be secured, but it is reported as vacant and unappropriated, sold by authority of law, and the proceeds passed to the credit of the general school fund. There are also a number of other titles in the county known as tax titles. Where the owner of real estate 252 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. fails to pay the tax thereon, it is returned as delinquent for non payment of taxes, sold by the sheriff, and the proceeds credited to the general school fund. The clerk executed to the purchaser a deed conveying the title vested in the party in whose name the land was forfeited for the non-payment of the taxes thereon. The lands at the mouth of Bluestone were patented to the same Thomas Gatliff, as assignee of David Frazier, by grant from Robert Brook, Governor of Virginia, on the 30th day of July, 1796. J. L. Barker now resides on a portion of this grant, which consisted of 370 acres ; John W. Barker on another portion ; the old Charles Clark homestead and L. M. Meador's . family on another portion. Thomas Meador, the father of Samuel H. Meador, at one time, and at his death owned a portion of this valuable property. He was a relative of the Packs. The earliest land grant of which we have knowledge is for a tract of land on the mountain between the mouth of Greenbrier River and Wolf Creek. It was issued by Thomas Jefferson in 1779. The claim for the land was laid in 1772, four years before the Decla ration of Independence. On the seventh day of May, 1869, David Keller and wife con veyed three of these ancient surveys to Andrew Gwinn, David Keller having derived title under the will of Conrad Keller. All of these old papers are very ancient, and are something of curiosi ties by reason thereof. The land titles of the whole of the county were derived from the Commonwealth by these grants, commonly known as "patents," issued by the governor. Prior to the date of the Revolutionary War the titles were derived from the Crown of England by grants from the king, but there are no Crown grants in Summers County, unless the 100,000 acres granted to the Greenbrier Company lies in this county. This grant was prior to 1776. The "West Survey" Welch patent, of some 29,000 acres in Pipe- stem, was granted in 1795. There is now less than 5,000 acres of it intact. The Isaac Ballengee land (Avis) was granted October 18, 1787; patent to Jean Ballengee, 13 acres, in November 22, 1800. Rufus Pack," executor, sold to the C. & O. Railroad, December 6, 1871, for $3,600.00, the land on which Hinton is now built, at auction, and the C. & O. Railroad Company to Central Land Com pany, January 20, 1875; Central Land Company to Wm. Plumley and E. H. Peck; and E. H. Peck and AVm. Plumley to J. A. Parker, the various owners continuing to sell off town lots during their HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 253 ownership within the city of Hinton, and Avis Hinton to do the same in the town of Avis. John M. Gregory issued his patent to Ephraim and J. Gwinn August 30, 1842, for twenty-one acres. On the 31st of July, 1779, John Osborne sold to Samuel Gwinn, for five shillings, 245 acres at Green Sulphur. Samuel Gwinn con veyed these lands to his son, E. J. Gwinn, as a gift on the 20th of October, 1829. Robert Withrow, who seems to have been the founder of the ancient Lick Creek family of that name, of whom John K. and Columbus Wran are now the oldest representatives living in that region, resided on and owned the farm back of the old Miller grave yard on. Lick Creek, owned by A. A. Miller at his death, and now by his son-in-law, John A. George. He purchased from one Strick land. Robert Withrow also owned the place where John Dunbar lives, these lands having passed through the hands of Jack Smith, one of the most ancient merchants and the first who kept a store at Elton. James Wood, Governor of Virginia, issued his letters pat ent to James Claypool for 285 acres of land at Green Sulphur Springs on the 17th day of March, 1798. The same governor, in 1795, issued a patent to Samuel Hollandsworth for 480 acres. Hol- landsworth was assignee of John Osborne, Henry Stockwell and James Claypool, and adjoined the John Farris patent. In 1799, John Osborne and wife conveyed, for fifty-eight shillings, to Sam uel Gwinn, of Monroe County, 250 acres, patented of the 30th of October, 1793, witnessed by John Ball. Samuel Gwinn was the founder of the Gwinn family, and was a Revolutionary soldier, and on this land was settled Ephraim J. Gwinn, who married Rachel Keller. He is the discoverer of the Green Sulphur Springs and father of M. and H. Gwinn. Thomas Randolph, Governor of Virginia, issued patent' to Samuel Gwinn the 1st of November, 1821, for thirty-one acres of land on Lick Creek. James Preston, Governor of Virginia, issued patent to John Duncan on the 17th of August, 1816, for 19y2 acres of land on Mill Creek, near its mouth at Green Sulphur. James Monroe, Governor of Virginia, issued his patent to Sam uel Gwinn for five acres of land on the 2d of December, 1800. Henry Lee, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, granted by his patent 380 acres of land to Jeptha Massey on the 15th day of August, 1794. The date of survey was the 2d of February, 1791, 254 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. on Greenbrier River, below the lands of Samuel Gwinn at the lower end of a small island. This included the George W. Chattin place opposite Talcott, and a part of the 380 acres is now held by N. Bacon, Esq. On the 8th day of September, 1824, James Pleasants, Jr., Gov ernor of Virginia, granted to Sallie Graham, by patent, eighteen acres in Monroe County, on Greenbrier River, adjoining the lands of Jonathan Matthews. This is the identical land at the falls of Greenbrier River on which Bacon's Mills are now situated and on which Fluke's mill and carding machine was burned, and was evi dently secured for the valuable water power thereon. A mill-race was on the ground at the time the patent was issued, and is men tioned in the description thereof. These two ancient land papers are in the hands of Mr. N. Bacon. On May 13, 1813, William Cary Nicholas issued his patent to John Miller for thirty-seven acres on main Flag Fork of Lick Creek on the waters of New River ; Land Office Treasury AVarrant No. 1936, issued 15th of January, 1808, adjoining Samuel Withrow, John Stuart and his own land. John Tyler, Governor of Virginia, and afterwards President of the United States, issued his patent to James Butler for 130 acres of land, which is the same tract of land granted to John Griffith for 134 acres by patent of July 30, 18 — , and by Griffith conveyed by deed to James Butler, dated December 11, 1802, as 135 acres on Flag Fork and Fisher's Branch. This is the land known as the Simms' Ridge Farm, where John Hoke now lives, in Green Sulphur District. Edmund Randolph, Governor of A^irginia, issued his patent on the 19th day of April, 1788, to Benjamin Pollard, assignee of Henry Banks, for 1,390 acres on "Bradshaw's River," a branch of Indian Creek, by virtue of Land Office Warrant issued as No. 21,563, dated 23d of December, 1783; surveyed March 8, 1786. This large grant is now cut up into many small farms, and is in Forest Hill District, and includes the A. M. Hutchinson farm and many others adjoining. In 1794, General Wayne won his great fight with the Indians at Fallen Timbers, which broke completely their power and terminated their depredations east of the Ohio River. The Crown of England had made large grants of land in order to secure possession of the territory west of the Allegheny Mountains, which was claimed under the dominion of the French kings, and at one time France, no doubt, had the best title, and, in order to secure its claims, the King of England granted the Ohio Company 500,000 acres between HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 255 the Monongahela, Kanawha and Ohio Rivers; to the Greenbrier Company 100,000 acres on the Greenbrier and its waters; to the Loyal Land Company, 800,000 acres north from the North Carolina line. It was in 1751 that John Lewis, while proceeding to locate the Greenbrier grant, found Steven Sewall and Jacob Marlin, at where Marlington is now located, in Pocahontas County. The Loyal Land Company proceeded to locate its grant on the upper New River, in Giles and adjacent territory. The French were watching these transactions, and undertook to thwart the inten tions of the British Government, and sent out its soldiers from Lake Champlain, who came on to the forts at the Miami, and a number of Indians and traders were killed, and thus began the French and Indian War, the termination of which forever ended all claims of the French dominion over these territories. Imme diately after the destruction of the power of the Indians by General Wayne, in 1794, the country in all this region rapidly settled. Land grants were taken out as rapidly as located, and a great majority of these grants or patents were by reason of this celebrated victory. Robert Morris, the American patriot financier, who financed the Revolution in Philadelphia, and who died in poverty, secured grants of 8,000,000 acres, some of which was within the territory of our county, and largely in Raleigh, Fayette, McDowell, Wyoming, Boone, Logan, Mingo, Wayne, Cabell, Lincoln, Kanawha, Mercer and Putnam Counties. There were two of the Robert Morris pat ents of 50,000 and 75,000 acres which lapped over in to the territory of this county, one in Forest Hill and one in Jumping Branch ; 80,000 acres were granted to Samuel Hopkins ; 17,000 to Moore and Beckley, a considerable part of which was in this county; 90,000 acres in one patent to James Welch, later known as the West Lands ; another Welch patent of 28,000 acres ; originally part of this patent is in Pipestem District. John West lived in Alexandria, Va. His descendants sold to John E. Reubsam. The land is now owned by Kelso Dickey and others, and there is no more than 4,000 or 5,000 acres remaining, in detached and small tracts, mostly on the waters of Pipestem and Bluestone; 50,000 acres were granted to DeWitt Clinton; another grant to Robert Morris of 500,000 acres; to Dr. John Dillon, 480,000 acres, and so on. These large grants were in this region, but only a small proportion of them in this county. Fre quently they lapped over each other, or there were junior and smaller patents within them, and from which source great harvests have been reaped from litigation to the attorneys-at-law. John West, who is known from his connection with the large survey of 256 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. land in Pipestem District, and of another 10,000 acres in Raleigh and Wyoming, was a natural son, his residence being in Alexan dria, Va. Edmond Randolph, Governor of Virginia, issued his warrant to James Gwinn on the 8th day of November, 1787, and in the twelfth year of that Commonwealth, for 400 acres on Little Wolf Creek, adjoining John Dixon. Beverly Randolph, Governor of Virginia, on the 30th day of January, 1790, issued his grant to James Gwinn for sixty acres on Keller's Creek, and Peter V. Daniel, Lieutenant-Governor of Vir ginia, on the 1st day of July, 1819, issued his warrant to Joseph Gwinn for twenty-five acres on Keller's Creek. Edmond Randolph, Governor of said State, on the 10th of De cember, 1787, issued his patent unto Samuel Gwinn for 400 acres by virtue of survey made on the 1st of June, 1784, on the south side of" Greenbrier River adjoining Henry Jones and John Van Bibber. This is the land on which O. T. Kesler now resides, which has recently been purchased by the Summers Food & Dairy Company. James Wood, Governor of said Commonwealth, on the 20th day of January, 1798, issued his grant unto Samuel Gwinn for 220 acres adjoining William Graham. Edmond Randolph, issued his patent unto John Lee, assignee of Peter Van Bibber, fof 180 acres on Greenbrier River, adjoining John Van Bibber, on the 18th day of October, 1787. James Monroe, then Governor of Virginia, afterwards President of the United States, and the author of the famous "Monroe Doc trine," on the 5th day of August, 1782, granted unto William and David Graham, forty-three acres adjoining Conrad Keller, Samuel Gwinn and John Perry. These lands are now principally, if not altogether, owned by Andrew Gwinn, of Lowell, and these grants are all written in long hand on the old parchment made from sheepskin. We have an old deed between Samuel Gwinn, Sr., and Samuel Gwinn, Jr., dated on the 26th day of October, 1807, by which is conveyed three different tracts of land on Greenbrier River near Lowell. The signature of Samuel Gwinn is witnessed by O. Tolles, Joseph Alderson, John Gwinn and George Alderson ; was admitted to record at the Decem ber court of Monroe County, 1807; attested by Isaac Hutchinson, C. T. M. C. Barker purchased of Alfred Beckley on the 7th day of June, 1850, a part of the Moore and Beckley Survey in Jumping Branch District, on the Cottle Ridge, containing 545 acres, for the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 257 sum of $500. The deed to this property is written in the beautiful handwriting of General Alfred Beckley, the famous scrivener, sur veyor and graduate of West Point, whose father was the first clerk of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, and whose son, John Beckley, was for many years the accomplished clerk of the County Court of Raleigh County, and is still an hon ored citizen residing at Beckley. AVe find here and there throughout the county a few of the original land grants or patents from the State of Virginia to various of the early settlers. Among these we have run across the original granted by William- Smith, Governor, to Edwin W. Woodson and Jacob Campbell, bearing date of the 14th day of March, 1845, for 259 acres on Bradshaw's Run. A second grant by said William Smith, Governor, to John Woodrum and Bird Woodrum for 231 acres on Spruce Run in Forest Hill District, granted on the 20th day of November, 1846. John Tyler, Governor of Virginia, granted unto William Gra ham, on the 10th day of January, 1810, and in the 34th year of the Commonwealth, 200 acres. The original survey for this grant was on the 12th day of July, 1803. This land is situated on Greenbrier River at Lowell, and is now owned by Andrew Gwinn. Joseph Pierson secured a grant in the same neighborhood on the 10th day of July, 1797, which was conveyed by deed afterward to said Wil liam Graham, and is described as being on Keller's Creek, a branch of Greenbrier River, adjoining Conrad Keller, Samuel Gwinn, John DeBoy and David Jarred. A patent was issued to Henry Banks, adjoining and below Captain James Graham, of 2,070 acres; also another for 1,000 acres, by virtue of Treasury Warrants Nos. 16,854 and 16,865, dated on the 2d of June, 1773, said Banks being the assignee of Malcolm Hart. Date of patent, April 24, 1786. These lands were on Green brier River. Thomas M. Gregory, Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia, issued patent to Francis Tyree on the 13th of August, 1842, for eighty- nine acres on Hump Mountain, adjoining the Michael Kaylor, John Gwinn and William DeQuasie land. This land is the David Bowles land, a part of which is now owned by W. W. Richmond. The land had been taken up long before the war by Land Office Treasury Warrant No. 14,032. James Johnson, Governor of Virginia, issued his patent to Rob ert Hurt for forty-five acres on Tom's Run, in Pipestem District, on the 11th day of December, 1850, now belonging to Henry N. — . 258 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. James Johnson, Governor, issued his patent also to Andrew Farley, Jr., October 21, 1851, for 110 acres, now owned by O. J. Farley, in Pipestem District. John B. Floyd, Governor, issued his patent to Robert Hurt, on the 29th of June, 1850, in Pipestem. John B. Floyd, Governor of Virginia, also issued to Albert G. Pendleton and Allen Brown a patent for 320 acres in Pipestem Dis trict, on the 20th of May, 1850. John Letcher, who was Governor of Virginia when the Civil War began, issued his patent to James Ellis on June 3, 1859, for 150 acres on Three Mile Branch of Tom's Run, in Pipestem Dis trict of Mercer County, by virtue of Land Office Treasury Warrant No. 22,577. Said Joseph Johnson, Governor, also issued his patent to Robert Pine for 200 acres on the head of Tom's Run, on the 10th of June, Harry A. Wise, Governor of Virginia, issued his patent to Park- erson Pennington on the 13th of June, 1844, for sixty-five acres on Three Mile Branch of Tom's Run. On the 12th of May, 1858, said Governor of Virginia, Henry A. Wise, issued his patent to David Martin for seventy-four acres on Tom's Run, Warrant No. 22,7-57. Governor John B. Floyd also, on the 24th of June, 1850, issued his patent to Hugh Means for six acres between Dry Fork and Tom's Run. Hugh Means was the father of Charles Means, who lived many years on Lick Creek, and was a character in his day. On the 8th day of June, 1855, Governor Henry A. AVise issued his patent to Gideon Farley, by virtue of AVarrant No. 21,724, for 100 acres, on Clay Branch. On the 23d day of March, 1856, Alexander H. H. Stuart, who once owned the AVhite Sulphur Springs, conveyed to William Brown 100 acres in St. Clair Abbott tract. This deed was recorded in Mercer County. Henry A. Wise, Governor, also, on the 18th day of June, 1856, granted to John Cawley, at Symmon's Fork of Pipestem, 200 acres, 270 acres, and sixty-five acres, surveyed for Brown and Pennington. James Pleasants, Governor of Virginia, issued his patent to Asa Ellison, by virtue of Land Office Warrant No. 6,802, on the 23d of September, 1822, for forty-six acres of land on Tom's Run, then Giles County. On the 24th day of May, 1850, John B. Floyd, Governor of Vir ginia, issued a patent to Larkin T. Ellison for 150 acres in Mercer HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 259 County on Tom's Run, the waters of New River, which Ellison conveyed to William Hughes and D. R. B. Greenelee, October 10, 1853. And Henry A. Wise, Governor, issued a patent on the 12th day of May, 1858, for seventy-four acres to David Martin in Pipestem. And the said .Henry A. Wise, as Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, on the 29th of June, 1845, issued his patent to William Phillips, for sixty-five acres on the waters of Two Mile Branch. Each of the fifteen last-named patents or grants were involved in the suit in' equity of Sarah A. A. Gerow, plaintiff, against John R. Newkirk and others. They were each junior grants to the grant to a large tract of 2,050 acres, which she claimed. Her title came from the grant known as the Samuel McCraw patent. Mrs. Gerow was a descendant of Abram Owen, who made his last will in 1811, November 13th, by which he devised this tract to John and Ebenezer Owen, his two sons. Abram Owen was a New Yorker. John Owen died intestate and without issue, and the property came to Ebenezer and a sister, Mary Ann, who married Steven Newkirk. Ebenezer Owen died, leaving as his only children, Sarah A. A. and John, who conveyed his interest to his said sister, who married H. S. Gerow. Steven Newkirk died, leaving two children, John R. and William H., as his only heirs, and inherited one-fourth of said lands, and Mrs. Gerow the other three-fourths. Steven Newkirk moved on the land and took possession. He and his children sold off a large amount and made deeds to more than one-fourth of their interest. Mrs. Gerow and her ancestors lived in the East, and depended on them to look after it for their joint benefit. A large part of it was entered on by junior patentees, who took actual possession. Finally, John R. Newkirk had the land sold for the non-payment of taxes, and bought it in for his own benefit and for his brother, Wm. H., who took deed thereto, which was in March, 1875. In 1883, Mrs. Gerow and her husband came to this country to look after their inheritance, and discovered that it had apparently disappeared. A large part had been sold by the Newkirks, and another large part had been entered by. junior patents, and the remainder of her title sold for taxes, and purchased by the New kirks. She employed an attorney, James M. Malcolm, then prac ticing law in Hinton, to institute and prosecute a suit for its re covery. Every person who had title to any part of the land was made a party defendant, including W. D. Wyrick, Isaiah Rogers, John Cawley, Mary Blunt, Josephus Anderson, Joseph Heslip, John 260 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Williams, Henry Noble, O. J. Farley, H. W. Straley, L. W. Farley, Ira Hall, John A. Douglas, W. P. Rogers, Robert Elliott, Ellen Farley, wife of James Farley, James R. Farley, Chas. A. Farley, Richard Campbell, Joseph E. Farley, Rufus Clark, Wm. D. Wyrick, David Martin, Henry Lilly, A. J. Bragg and others, who employed an attorney to defend them. Long litigation followed; additional attorneys were employed by Mrs. Gerow, including E. W. Knight, of Charleston, and Col. J. W. Davis, of Greenbrier County. Finally a decree was entered, by which Mrs. Gerow recovered her three-fourths, less those lands which had been entered by junior patents. The tax deed was set aside and held void, and the lands sold to the extent of one-fourth of the Newkirk's interest. Commis sioners were appointed to make partition, composed of Wm. B. Wiggins, John P. Duncan, and Lewis A. Shanklin, who filed their report, and out of the whole 2,500 acre patent she recovered 800, largely in small and detached tracts. Only one or two of the de fendants lost, John A. Williams being the only one except one of the Halls. Mrs. Gerow still resides in Hinton, and has not sold any of the land. She is a lady of accomplishments and of fine business attain ments, and has accumulated a handsome fortune, in some of the best real estate in the city. Her husband, Henry S. Gerow, a very worthy gentleman, died several years ago. When the yards were about to be removed from Hinton, Mrs. Gerow contributed $100.00 towards purchasing the upper Hinton land, which shows her patri otism towards the town. James Wood, Governor of Virginia, granted to Mathias Kis singer, on the 8th day of August, 1799, 350 acres of land on Green brier River, just below Greenbrier Springs (Barger's), where An drew L. Campbell now lives. Kissinger's Run, which runs through the lower end of this place, was named after this grantee. A part of the second house ever built on this land is still standing, and is a hewed poplar log house, with a stone chimney 7 x 10 feet, and wood can be burned in it seven feet long. The house is known to be over 100 years old. But three corner trees are standing on this grant; one large oak on. the bank of the river was cut by A. L. Campbell in January, 1905, and the growths, which he counted care fully, showed the tree to be over 320 years old. The tree was entirely dead, but perfectly sound, and had been for several years, and was cut by Mr. Campbell to save the stump for a corner. John Page, Esquire, Governor of the Commonwealth of Vir ginia, issued his patent to David Graham and William Graham for HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 261 284 acres, by survey bearing date the 19th day of November, 1798, and the patent issued on the 19th of January, 1800, and is for a tract of land lying and being in the county of Greenbrier on the south side of the Greenbrier River on Blue Lick Run, joining the lands of William Graham, John Lockridge and John Canterberry. This is the Blue Lick that now runs by Greenbrier Springs, and the land therein described is now owned by Mrs. N. M. Bacon. This, with a number of other old patents, including the "Chattin" or "Mathews" place at Talcott, are in her possession in a fine state of preservation. She also has the Polly Graham patent, at which Bacon's Mill is situate, all preserved by Mr. Robert C. Bacon, who seems to have been scrupulously careful in the collection and pres ervation of his land title papers, an example followed by his son, Nathaniel, and which might, with profit, be followed by a great many others at this day and time. On the 22d day of April, 1788, Edmund Rudolph, Governor, also issued his grant by patent to Benjamin Pollard, assignee of Henry Banks, for 2,500 acres, by survey bearing date of the 8th day of March, 1786, and in the twelfth year of the Commonwealth of Virginia, by virtue of Land Office Treasury AVarrants No. 21,563 and No. 16,055, of the 8th day of May, 1783. This is described as being in Greenbrier County on Bradshaw's Run, a branch of Indian Creek, which is a branch of New River, and adjoining a survey made for William Bradshaw. This survey is in Forest Hill District and is cut up and now occupied by innumerable little farms, by thrifty, independent and well-to-do citizens. The noted ejectment case of Turner vs. Hutchinson- was over lands included in these Pollard patents, the Turners claiming under the 1,390-acre patent, and the Hutchinsons under the 2,500-acre patent. One trial was had and a hung jury resulted, and later a compromise was effected, each party paying his own costs. There is one long line between the surveys of four miles. A fine map of these surveys was made by Hon. William - Haynes, who was ap pointed to execute an order of survey. It is a very handsome piece of draftsmanship. It is now in the hands of Mr. A. M. Hutchinson, of Forest Hill. There is also in the hands of the M. E. Church trustees at Forest Hill a deed dated the 19th day of October, 1835, from John H. Vaw- ter and Clara S., his wife, and Allen T. Caperton and Harriet, his wife, to George W. Hutchinson, Alexander Byrneside and Peter Minner, Henry Maggart, John Thomas, Richard McNeer, William Arnett, David Pancoast and Jacob Cook, trustees for the uses and 262 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. trust, conveying to them one acre of ground between Spruce Run, a branch of Greenbrier River, and Bradshaw's Run, a branch of Indian Creek, on which was to be erected a house of worship to be held according to the uses of the members, ministers and conference of the Methodist Church of the United States of America, and it provided for the selection of a new trustee when one shall die, by vote of the members, after being nominated by the preacher in charge, each voter to be twenty-one years of age, and nine trustees to be maintained forever, the preacher to cast the deciding vote in all cases of a tie of the votes. This is an ancient and interesting document. The Pollard survey had been sold and one-half con veyed to said Caperton and Vawter, who were then owners, under a decree of the court of Petersburg, Va., where it seems the Pollard heirs resided, and had a decree entered directing a sale of the prop erty. This is an ancient deed for church property, and there is a Methodist Church still maintained on this lot — probably the first frame church built in the territory of the county. There is also an ancient graveyard on this grant, and a monument to the gallant Confederate soldier, Mike Foster, will soon be erected nearby by the old comrades of this brave man, who have formed the Mike Foster Monument Association, of which Allen Ellison is treasurer; I. G. Carden, Richard McNeer, Theodore Webb, W. L. Foster and others are interested. This deed was acknowledged before two justices of the peacet Robert Coalter and Conrad Peters, without dates. There is another old land grant of a large boundary of land in that district granted to Watkins, and which is also divided up into small boundaries owned by independent citizen farmers. Allen F. Brown lives on this patented land. The Bradshaw claim included the lands where Thomas G. Lowe, O. C. Fleshman, Albert Bolton and others now live. Brad shaw built a cabin near where Thomas G. Lowe now lives, and was killed by the Indians. The Boardman patent covered all the region of the Little Wolf Creek country, and contained 9,800 acres, all of which, like all other patents of any size, has been divided up and is owned by great numbers of farmers. The Boardman patent, the Watkins patent and the Pollard patent have a common corner, as shown on the Haynes map, at a white oak and a chestnut, and the Pollard and Boardman patents run from that point to "Wikel's" peach orchard, four miles together as a common line to two poplars. The oldest land paper I have been able to see is dated February HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 263 1, 1781, issued by Thomas Jefferson, who was then Governor of Virginia, by virtue of a survey of the 6th day of May, 1772, and was for sixty-five acres in Botetourt County. The land on the opposite side of Greenbrier River at Talcott, the Chatting and Bacon farms, was owned by Jeptha Massy, the patent bearing date August 15, 1794, and was issued by Henry Lee, then Governor of Virginia. Jeptha Massy and his wife moved from the eastern shore of Maryland to Keezletown, Virginia, and from there to Greenbrier County, and from thence to lands above men tioned, and raised the following named children : Reuben, Moses, Jeptha, Henry, John and Jonathan, and Hanna, Lana and Navagal, girls. Moses Massy was one of the scouts who, on foot with General Lewis, made the trip from Point Pleasant through the wilderness to notify the people of the Indian marauders, and that they should go into the forts at Lewisburg. Later, this land passed to David Mathews, the father-in-law of Chas. K. Rollyson. The scouts ar rived at Lewisburg only a few hours before the Indians, and were so exhausted from traveling night and day that, arriving at the fort, they dropped on the first beds they came to. Jeptha Massy built the house now resided in by Mrs. George W. Chattin. He and his wife resided there, and at their death were buried in the cemetery at Barger's Springs. Jonathan Massy came from Philadelphia to Greenbrier County, on Muddy Creek, to the Jarretts, to whom he was related. He married Hanna Massy, a daughter of Jeptha, and lived and died in the present Chattin house, leaving three boys, David, George and Alfred, and the following named girls: Margaret, Sarah, Susan, Nancy, Laney, Eliza and Miriam J. Miriam J. Massy was the grandmother of Nat. Bacon, who now lives near Talcott. She married Jacob Fluke, who came to that county from Botetourt County, Virginia. He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland. They raised four children, William Campbell Fluke, who was killed in the fight at Fisher's Hill, Virginia, and was buried at Newmarket, Virginia ; George Abraham Fluke, who died from typhoid pneu monia, contracted in the army; John Shanon Fluke, who died of consumption, and both were buried at Barger's Springs. Jacob Fluke and his wife are also buried at Barger's Springs. Miss Nancy Mathews Fluke was the only daughter of Jacob Fluke, and she married Robert Carter Bacon, who came to that region on the 23d of November, 1853. They were married June 8, 1858. They raised two children, Nathaniel Bacon and Mary Jane Bacon. The latter 264 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. died at maturity in New Mexico, where she had gone for her health. Robert C. Bacon is buried at Barger's Springs. He was a man of strong intellect and personality, enterprising and farseeing. He built the present Bacon's Mill. At the time of the. agitation of the question of secession of the Southern States he was a strong seces sionist and a violent partisan of the South, believing in the rights of secession under the Constitution. JOHN WEST LANDS. James Welch patented many thousand acres of land in the lower end of Mercer and in Pipestem District. This land was acquired by Joseph Mandeville by purchase. Mandeville devised by will this tract to John West. John West was a bastard son of Joseph Mandeville. He lived all of his life in Alexandria, Vir ginia, and died there. He, once in a while, came out and looked over his lands in Pipestem, which have been known for many years as the West lands. He died, devising the land to Vandalia West, and H. O. Cloughton, trustee, held the title for a number of years. He was a lawyer in Washington City. Finally he died, and the land was conveyed to John E. Reubsam, a doctor in Wash ington, who was unable to keep the taxes paid, and about 1902 ' the' land was sold and purchased by Kelsoe & Dickey and Robert Jenkins, Jr., of Pittsburg. It amounted to about 4,500 acres when last sold, consisting of many small tracts, the original patent of 28,000 acres having been reduced by sale of small tracts until about 4,500 acres was the remainder, scattered over a large part of the district. AVelch also had a patent in Raleigh and Wyoming of 90,000 acres. He devised 10,000 acres to Ellen Mandeville, a natu ral daughter, who afterwards married a Smith, and 10,000 acres to Joseph Mandeville, his nephew, and the balance to the said natural son, John West. Joseph Mandeville was said to have been a direct descendant of Lord Chief Justice Mandeville, of England. His nephew, Joseph, lived in Wyoming County on Clear Fork. His descendants were unable to maintain the taxes, a considerable part of the tract was sold in small parcels, and his descendants finally removed to Forest Hill District, where Cleo Mandeville died in 1906, nearly one hundred years old. She received a pen sion from the United States Government as a widow of a soldier of 1812, her husband having been a soldier in that war. Her son, J. W. Mandeville, still lives at Mandeville Post Office. John West HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 265 lived to be an old man and was a wealthy man, especially in real estate and wild lands. West sold his Raleigh lands in 1868, and the land is now known as the Maben and Hotchkiss tract, now owned by the Western Pocahontas Coal & Lumber Company. West died in 1872. CHAPTER XV. ELECTIONS. In other chapters of this narrative I have given the result of elections in this county from its organization to the 1st of January, 1873. I shall, therefore, not in this chapter repeat those results, but shall proceed with the next succeeding election, which was held on the 13th day of August, 1875, and coming down to the present time, with such details as are material and of public no toriety as they may occur to us. Conventions and elections in the county have generally been fair and without fraud. The election officers have always been universally and scrupulously honest and fair, with the exceptions detailed. In the first elections in the county the pernicious and corrupting influence of the dollar was unknown. Its use and in fluence in this county can easily be remembered by citizens now living who have taken an interest in public affairs. When the writer made his first race for election of county superintendent of free schools, in the year 1882, his actual outlay in cash was $2.50, paid for horse hire, and no money was used on behalf of either can didate. One of the writer's friends, ex-Sheriff Wm. S. Lilly, told him after the election of having given a constituent a peck of seed potatoes to pay for his time to induce him to go to the polls. The use of money first began in the payment of incidental nec essary expenses, and they were originally economical, and such a thing as campaign funds was unknown, but at this day an election is not expected to be held without a campaign fund, and out of the application of this fund by the parties controlling it have grown some strenuous charges and counter allegations by some of our politicians of the present generation. The use of money and campaign funds in elections is an East ern innovatiori more dangerous to the welfare and perpetuity of the republic and purity of the government and the liberties of the great masses of people than any other dangers conceived that may threaten or are likely to threaten the existence of the OLD BROAD RUN Baptist Church. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 267 present Republican Government of this country — more so than the Ku Klux Klans, Force Bills or military supervision. Without it bossism would not be possible. Leaders are necessary for all polit ical parties, but the difference between the leaders and the legitimate application and the boss is as wide as the pirate of the sea is from the legitimate merchantman. The campaign funds in this county for the Democratic party are practically all provided by the local candidates, and for the Republican party by the State Committee. This county has never been corrupted nor felt the corrupting influence of money, as is charged, and, no doubt, truthfully, in other counties and sections ; but in the last few carnpaigns the candidates and committees have learned that the boodler is in the land, and it is a surprising fact that there are many men now in this county who swarm after can didates for money as a buzzard after a dead carcass. The thirst for the "boodle money" with a certain class of our citizens has grown and developed in individuals as a disease grows into the animal system. But it is not the majority, and it is not our intelli gent or influential citizens or better class of the citizens who are out for "boodle" or sale, and the better or influential citizens, of both parties look down on the "boodler" as dangerous to his neigh bor and his property, as well as dangerous to his country and his government, and is despised as a "varmint" that has to be borne. If the "boodler" and the "grafter" could feel the utter contempt in which they are held by their neighbors and the public ; if they had the respect of a degenerate, they would hide themselves in shame. It is also a remarkable fact that there are a number of voters who will dog a candidate, demand money and pay for his vote and influence. They do not appreciate the dishonor and degradation of his acts, and the candidate can not spurn them, because he needs their aid. They do not appreciate the moral degeneracy involved in the sale of their suffrage. Men will demand money for their vote and influence who have property, who are above want, and who are in ordinary business affairs honest and responsible for' their debts, and pay their liabilities. There is another class who take the money from both candi dates and from both parties, violate all promises, and still hold up their hands in holy horror at ordinary violations of the criminal law — pretending to be Christians, moralists, members of the Chris tian Church, and claim their neighbor is not so good as themselves. These boodlers and .this class of citizens are a stigma and a dis- 268 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. grace to any community, and are dangerous to the. government, as much so as the highwayman, and more so, for they make no claim to morality. Fortunately, this county has been infested with only a small proportion of this class of venal and corrupt citizens, and the use of money has had but little influence in the general result, although it has been so charged and accredited to a much greater extent than true; no doubt the charges being made in good faith under such honest belief of the parties making the assertions, but the writer has for the last twenty years been in a position to know, having been more or less actually engaged in all political fights for himself or his friends, and he knows whereof and doth write truth fully. The life of the candidate, however, under existing conditions at this time in this county is made miserable, as well as the parties in charge of the respective organizations. The legitimate' expenses of the campaigns have greatly increased — the employment of speak ers, "spellbinders," conveyances, brass bands, hiring halls, buying badges, literature, etc., so that the party managers are kept buSy try ing to make both ends meet without the application of funds to the corruption of the voters and the elections. The voter who will sell his vote or his influence should be disfranchised ; and the time will come when public sentiment will become so strong that that char acter of legislation will be enacted, and the hunter for "boodle money" will hide himself in shame from the face of the earth. The first election held in the county not heretofore detailed was en the 13th day of August, 1875, which was for school officers. C. L. Ellison, of Forest Hill District, was elected superintendent of free schools, and held that position for two years, that being the term of that office at that time. He executed bond, with James Boyd as surety, and took office on the first day of January, 1876. The next general election was the historical campaign of 1876, in which Samuel J. Tilden was the Democratic candidate for Presi dent, and is claimed to this day to have been elected by the Demo crats, and Rutherford B. Hayes, the Republican candidate, who was declared elected, and held the office for four years. Elbert Fowler was elected prosecuting attorney ; Wm. S. Lilly was elected sheriff, with I. G. Carden as his deputy. Mr. Lilly executed bond, with R. C. Lilly, Joseph Lilly, Wm. H. Lilly, James E. Foster, James Graham and John G. Crockett for the general fund, in the penalty of $40,000. To cover the school fund he gave bond in the penalty of HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 269 $25,000, with J, A. Parker, R. C. Lilly and I. G. Carden as sureties. John Lilly, known as "Item John," or "Gentleman John," was elected assessor; Dr. Benj. P. Gooch, of Hinton, was elected to the Legislature. We are unable to give the results from this election from the fact that no records were made. The returns, along with the bal lots, were required to be sealed up and held by the clerks for one year, and then destroyed. No nominations were made, or, if any, it was only for a candidate for the Legislature. The opposition to Wm. -S. Lilly for sheriff was composed of James H. Bledsoe, of Green Sulphur Springs, who ran for that office at this election, with Wm. P. Hinton for his deputy. S. W. AA^illey was also a- candidate, with C. L. Miller for his deputy, each candidate running independently. At the preceding election, when Evan Hinton was a candidate for sheriff, Joseph Ellis ran with him for deputy ; S. W. Willey was the opposing candidate, who ran with John K. AVithrow for his deputy. The next election was in the year 1877, for county superintend ent of free schools again. The candidates were D. G. Lilly, of Jumping Branch, and Rufus Deeds, and possibly some one else, whose name at this time I am unable to ascertain. Mr. Lilly was elected and took office for two years, on the first day of January, 1878. The next regular and general election was in 1880, and, so far as I am able to ascertain, there were no nominations except for the Legislature. Dr. B. P. Gooch was again elected in 1878 for the Legislature, being elected for two successive terms as a Democrat. In 1880, the Democratic candidate for President was W. S. Han cock against U. S. Grant, Republican, and the results of this elec tion, as stated for those previous, we are unable to ascertain. The following named gentlemen were elected : AVm. R. Thompson, for prosecuting attorney; the majority I am unable to state. He and Elbert Fowler were the respective candidates, neither being nomi nated. The campaign was active and vigorous and the result very close, the returns showing Mr. Thompson elected by a small ma jority. A contest was instituted by Mr. Fowler before the county court, which decided against him. He appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals, Judge James H. Ferguson representing him in that court, Mr. Thompson being represented by Judge Adam C. Snyder. The Supreme Court of Appeals reversed the judgment of the county court, and required it to canvass the votes, open the 270 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ballots and proceed to determine the results by hearing the evi dence as to any frauds or irregularities alleged. The court proceeded to open the ballots and re-count the vote at New Richmond, in which a change of six or seven votes were made in favor of Fowler, also the vote from Jumping Branch re counted, the result in that district remaining unchanged, except as to one or two votes. The court adjourned, took a recess, and, during the noon hour, the friends of the contestants got together and compromised, with the agreement that, Mr. Thompson should hold the office for the remainder of the term, about half of the term having already expired, and he pay Mr. Fowler $500.00 and the costs of the contest. As I remember, it was- not expected by the parties, after they got into the contest, to go into the vote at Tal cott precinct — not that it would change the result between Thomp son and Fowler, but because there were possible irregularities at that voting place which would change the result as to the member of the Legislature, the face of the returns showing N. M. Lowry elected by less than ten votes, which was claimed and is possibly true, that if the facts had been known, there were sufficient irregu larities to have changed the result, and shown the election of Jona than Lillv. THE AGREEMENT. This agreement, made and entered into" this 20th day of Sep tember, 1883, by and between Elbert Fowler, of the first part, and W. R. Thompson and B. Prince, his surety, of the second part, witnesseth, That whereas, there is now pending in tlie County Court of Summers County, State of West Virginia, a case contest ing the election for the office of prosecuting attorney for said county, for the term commencing on the 1st day of January, 1881, to which said Fowler is plaintiff and contestant, and said Thomp son is defendant and contestor. Now, therefore, the said Fowler hereby agrees and binds himself to dismiss and discontinue said case and disclaim any further right, title or interest to said office or to the salary, fees or emoluments thereof for the term aforesaid. In consideration whereof, the parties of the second, as principal and surety aforesaid, hereby agree and bind themselves to pay to said Fowler, on or before the 1st day of July, 1882 the sum of five hundred dollars, which sum, however, shall be liable to the extent of and there shall be deducted therefrom all payments made, or HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 271 that may hereafter be made by said Thompson, of costs and dam ages in the prosecution of said case, in the county and circuit court of said county and the Supreme Court of Appeals of said State. Witness the following signatures and seals, the day and year aforesaid. ELBERT FOWLER, WM. R. THOMPSON, B. PRINCE. No contest was made as to any office, however, except as to prosecuting attorney, and it was impossible to go behind the returns as to the vote on candidates for House of Delegates, unless there had been a contest. Mr. Lilly was urged to make a contest, but declined to do so, and from the information I have received from reliable sources, I have no doubt that Jonathan Lilly was honestly elected to that office, although filled by N. M. Lowry, his opponent. Lowry was the Democratic candidate, and Lilly was the Independent Greenback candidate. I was not a voter at that time, but I remember very distinctly the charges of fraud. In the campaign of 1882 for House of Delegates between Hon. S. W. Willey and Captain A. A. Miller, a strong effort was made to prove that Mr. Willey was not in good, faith a Republican, E. H. Peck, W. W. Adams and Dr. B. P. Gooch filing statements and affidavits that he was in the convention that nominated Dr. Gooch for House of Delegates, and took a part and voted therein. Mr. Peck also gave a statement that he took part in the Democratic Convention of 1876; that he attended the Congressional convention .of 1876 as a Democrat. Politics were hot in those days, and each partisan contested vigorously his party interests, Mr. Willey deny ing that he was ever a Democrat. Personalities were not indulged in, and after the elections the candidates were usually friends. Mr. Willey had been a very active, energetic man, was a fine cam paigner, and when he became a candidate, it was generally recog nized that a fight was on. He was then, as now, an astute and ingenious politician. It was charged as one of the grounds against his receiving Republican support that Mr. Willey took part in the organization of the Democratic party in 1871 at Pisgah Church with N. M. Lowery, and that he was duly elected a delegate to the Con gressional Convention at the old church on New River, and it was charged by these partisans that he was secretary of the last Demo cratic Convention prior to 1882, all of which was vigorously denied 272 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. and repudiated by Mr. Willey and his friends, who ran ahead of his ticket in this race and always, which demonstrates the folly of personalities in politics, and he was never, except in two instances, defeated by as many as 100 votes. ELECTION OF 1884. I am unable to give the entire results of this election. There were party nominations made for the first time for all county offices, except for prosecuting attorney. J. G. Crockett was the Democratic nominee for House of Dele gates, and J. C. James, Republican -candidate. Crockett received 964 votes; James, 864; W. S. Lilly, the Democratic candidate for sheriff, received 967 votes ; M. V. Calloway, Independent candidate for sheriff, received 1,118 votes; B. L. Hoge, Democratic nominee for clerk of the circuit court, received 1,276 votes; Wm. B. Wig gins, 784; E. H. Peck, Democratic candidate for county clerk, received 1,231 votes ; J. C. Woodson, 871 ; W. H. Boude, Demo cratic candidate for assessor, 981 votes ; AV. C. Dobbins, Republi can, 1,097; M. Smith, Democratic candidate for surveyer, received 1,130 votes; Joseph Keaton, Republican, 946. There was no nomi nation for the office of prosecuting attorney, there being no Repub lican lawyer in the county. Wm. R. Thompson and James H. Miller made a scrub race, Miller receiving 993 votes ; Thompson, 964 votes, Miller's majority being 29. THE ELECTION OF 1888. Cleveland was the Democratic candidate for President; Har rison was the Republican candidate for President. Cleveland's vote was 1,353 ; Harrison's, 1,272, making a Democratic majority for President of 81. A. N. Campbell was elected judge of the circuit court, his vote being 1,367, vs. J. M. McWhorter, Republican, whose vote was 1,267. J. W. Johnson was the Democratic nominee for the Legislature, and received 1,347 votes; W. C. Dobbins, the Republican nominee, received 1,259 votes; James H- Miller, Demo cratic nominee for prosecuting attorney, received 1,613 votes; T. G. Mann, Republican nominee, received 993 votes; O. T. Kesler, Democratic nominee for sheriff, received 1,344 votes; S. W. Willey, 1,265; W. H. Boude, Democratic nominee for assessor, 1,337; J. F. Ellison, Republican, 1,279; J. E. Harvey, Democratic nominee for assessor, 1,341 ; Joseph Cox, Republican, 1,237. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 273 THE ELECTION OF 1890. The election, of 1890 was an off year. The Democrats nomi nated E. H. Peck for clerk of the county court; B. L. Hoge, clerk of the circuit court; G. W. Hedrick-, commissioner of the county court; W. R. Thompson, delegate to the Legislature. The Repub licans nominated M. V. Calloway for the Legislature ; E. L. Dunn for clerk of the county court; J. C. Woodson for clerk of the circuit court, and Joseph Nowlin- for commissioner of the county court. The Democrats carried the county. Wm. R. Thompson received a majority of 443; E. H. Peck, a majority of 350; B. L. Hoge, 397; George W. Hedrick, 337. The question of wet and dry cut some figure in the election of commissioner of the county court, Mr. Nowlin being understood to be against license, while Mr. Hedrick was for license. It was quite an aggressive campaign, both parties making a vigorous fight, and circulars and correspondence in the newspapers were resorted to. THE ELECTION OF 1892. This was an exceedingly active campaign. Grover Cleveland made his third race for President on the Democratic ticket, re ceiving 1,632 votes; Benjamin Plarrison was the Republican candi date, and received 1,273 votes; James B. AVeaver was the Populist candidate for President, receiving 38 votes; Bidwell was the Pro hibition candidate, receiving 23 votes ; Wm. A. McCorkle was the Democratic nominee- for Governor, and received 1,639 votes; Thos. E. Davis was the Republican candidate, and received 1,239 votes; B. P. Shumate was the Democratic candidate for House of Dele gates, he receiving 1,631 votes ; L. G. Lowe was the Republican candidate, and received 1,126 votes ; J. J. Christian was the Demo cratic candidate for commissioner of the county court, and received 1,532 votes; John W. Allen was the Republican candidate, and received 1,356 votes; Harrison Gwinn was the Democratic candi date for sheriff, and received 1,624 votes ; Jos. Nowlin was the Republican candidate for sheriff, and received 1,286 votes; James H. Miller was the Democratic candidate for prosecuting attorney, and received 1,698 votes; Thos. G. Mann was the Republican can didate for that office, and received 1,187 votes; John E. Harvey was the Democratic candidate for surveyor, receiving 1,639 votes, and James B. Lavender, Republican candidate, received 1,263 votes; 274 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Walter H. Boude, Democratic candidate for assessor, received 1,638 votes; and Wm. H. DeQuaisie, Republican candidate, re ceived 1,279 votes. There was in this year a very strenuous race between Wm. R. Thompson, for the Democratic nomination for prosecuting attor ney, and Jarries H. Miller. On the day conventions were held by district meetings called at one place in each district, where the voters assembled, and the choice of the voters taken by vote, usu ally by division. Miller received in the primaries throughout the county, outside of Greenbrier District, 250 majority. At the court house there was great excitement, the brass bands being out, the partisan spirit running high, with very decided aggressiveness amongst the friends of both candidates. Thompson and Miller held a conference, and agreed to divide the vote equally in the district, which was accordingly done; they also agreed to select delegates to the various other conventions themselves, each select ing an equal number, so that the matters were amicably adjusted between the two factions. THE ELECTION OF 1894. In the campaign of this year Hon. B. P. Shumate was the Demo cratic candidate for Legislature again, and received 1,352 votes; M. J. Cook was the Republican candidate, and received 1,393 votes; W. W. Withrow was the Democratic candidate for superintendent of free schools, and received 1,348 votes ; Geo. W. Leftwich was the Republican candidate, and received 1,427 votes; James A. Graham was the Republican candidate for the commissioner of the county -court, receiving 1,511 votes, and J. A. Parker, the Democratic can didate, receiving 1,213 votes; Jos. L. Witt, Populist candidate for Legislature, receiving 41 votes; John D. Alderson being the Demo cratic candidate for Congress voted for at this election, and re ceiving 1,383 votes; James H. tluling being the Republican can didate, and receiving 1,366 votes; Samuel A. Houston, Populist, receiving 48 votes ; Jos. D. Logan, Democratic candidate for State Senate, 1,378; Thos. P. Davis, Republican, 1,374 votes. The Republicans elected each of 'its candidates and carried the county Republican for the first time, as well as the last time in its history, and was a great surprise and astonishment to the Demo crats, who had two years previously carried the county by some thing like 400 majority. The dissatisfaction at the Cleveland second administration and the good-sized campaign fund furnished to the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 275 Republicans by Senator S. B. Elkins contributed to the overthrow of the Democratic party at this election. A good deal of amusement and some practical jokes were de rived from this campaign. J. J. Swope, now editor of the "Wyo ming Mountaineer," a newspaper, was very active on behalf of the Republican ticket. Signs were found posted around town on the morning of the election, caricaturing Mr. Swope, and on one occasion his office was invaded, a dummy prepared and set up at his table, representing the judge preparing an important legal docu ment, with pen in its hand, in deep study. A box of campaign liquor was eliminated therefrom, and disposed of by the Democratic campaigners. Col. Swope secured a large box of long-bottled spirits from his protege, Hon. T. P. Davis, the Republican candi date for State Senate, who was elected in the district, largely due to Col. Swope's persistent and energetic efforts in his behalf. THE ELECTION OF 1896. W. J. Bryan, the Democratic candidate for President, received 1,739 votes; Wm. McKinley, Republican, received 1,600 votes; Weaver, on the Populist ticket, received eight votes ; Levering, Prohibitionist, received sixteen votes ; C. C. AVatts, Democratic candidate for Governor, 1,743 votes ; G. W. Atkinson, Republican candidate for Governor, 1,600 votes; A. N. Campbell, for judge of the circuit court, 1,728 votes; J. M. McWhorter, 1,620 votes; Dr. J. T. Hume, for Legislature, received 1,713 votes; Jonathan Lilly, 1,699, Mr. Lilly being the same candidate who ran for the Legis lature against N. M. Lowry many years before, and, as Greenback candidate, receiving the Republican and Greenback vote ; James H. George, for sheriff, received 1,736 votes; S. AV. Willey, Repub lican candidate for sheriff, received 1,610; W. H. Boude, Demo cratic candidate for clerk of the circuit court, received 1,750 votes; L. M. Peck, Republican candidate, 1,588;. J. M. Ayres, Democratic candidate for clerk of the county court, received 1,810 votes; M. V. Calloway, Republican candidate for clerk of the county court, received 1,544 votes ; James H. Miller, Democratic candidate for prosecuting attorney, received 1,828 votes; J. A. Oldfield, Repub lican candidate for prosecuting attorney, received 1,578 votes; J. H. Maddy, Democratic candidate for assessor, received 1,735 votes ; C. L. Woodrum, Republican candidate for assessor, received 1,603 votes; A. L. Campbell, Democratic candidate for surveyor, received 1,730 votes; J. B. Lavender, Republican candidate for 276 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. surveyor, received 1,599 votes; Joseph Lilly, Democratic candidate for commissioner of the county court, received 1,787 votes; W. G. Barger, Republican candidate, received 1,559 votes; thus the county came back to its Democratic moorings, electing each of its candi dates by small majorities, as will be observed. J. A. Oldfield, the Republican candidate for prosecuting attor ney, was a young lawyer who had located in the county about two years before, and was editor of the "Hinton Republican." He was supported in this race by" Mr. Frank Lively, who was then aligned with the Democratic party. The question of "wet and dry" again was an issue between the candidates for commissioner of the county court. The campaign was an extremely active one by all candi dates, as well as the respective committees, one of the features of the campaign being the Republican candidates for county offices, consisting of Messrs. Jonathan Lilly, L. M. Peck, J. B. Lavender and J. A. Oldfield, who got together and went throughout the county, holding meetings, advertised in advance. They would go from schoolhouse to schoolhouse, and at the meetings at night would each make speeches, have a revival, and then proceed the next day to the next appointment. Some amusing incidents have been told the writer by these candidates concerning their cam paign tour. It was especially novel to L. M. Peck, it being his first campaign experience. This was the great campaign of the Free Silver and the Gold standard, the special feature being the great fight made by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company for the Republican ticket, from president to constable, led in this county by Mr. J. W. Knapp, division superintendent, who had, prior to that time, claimed to have been a Democrat. The president of the road, Mr. M. E. In- galls, was brought here on two occasions, made speeches to the employees at the opera house, and one on the baseball campus; was driven through the town in a chariot and four, followed by ' many horsemen and footmen, carrying banners and flags, an ex ceedingly strenuous effort being made to carry this county for the Republican or Gold Standard ticket. The Democrats were ex ceedingly patriotic, enthusiastic, and especially those of the railway laborers, who believed in the Democratic cause, and that of Free Silver; who stood to their guns regardless of the great pressure brought by the head of the railway company. While the country went Republican, largely, securing the election of Major McKinley, it was a matter of great pride and rejoicing to the local Democracy that they saved Summers County from the wreck, under the cir- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 277 cumstances. Delegations of voters were furnished free transpor tation and, a great number of them visited Major McKinley, the Republican candidate, at Canton, Ohio, without money or pay. THE ELECTION OF 1898. This was another off year. Judge David E. Johnston, the Demo cratic candidate for Congress, received 1,572 votes; Wm. Seymour Edwards, Republican, 1,276; Hon. C. W. Osenton, Democratic candidate for State Senate, received 1,574 votes; C. J. Andrews, Republican, 1,278 votes B. P. Shumate, Democratic candidate for House of Delegates, 1,584 votes; M. J. Cook, Republican, 1,258; J. J. Christian, Democratic candidate for commissioner of the county court, 1,552 votes ; Joseph Nowlin, Republican, 1,253 votes ; H; F. Kesler, Democratic candidate for county superintendent of free schools, 1,598 votes; D. G. Wiseman, Republican, 1,241 votes. This was the second race made by Hon. B. P. Shumate against Hon. M. J. Cook, Mr. Cook having defeated Mr. Shumate in 1894. -They again made the race in 1898, in which Mr. Shumate defeated Mr. Cook, this being the third race Mr. Shumate had made for the office, and which position he filled for two terms acceptably to his constituents. Judge David E. Johnston was elected to Congress over Mr, Edwards, although the district was largely Republican. This Congressional campaign was conducted by James H. Miller, as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Committee, and for the success of Judge Johnston, and he received many compliments from his political associates and from the Democratic press throughout the State, which, no doubt, largely contributed to his nomination for Auditor of the State at a later .date. At this election, C. W. Garten, Democrat, was elected president of the Board of Education of Forest Hill District, over J. A. Wood rum, Republican, by 34 majority; M. R. AVickline, Republican, for member of the Board of Education from that district, was elected over Rev. W. F. Hank, Democrat, by a majority of three. In Green brier District, Howard Templeton, editor of the "Independent Her ald," Democrat, received 548 votes, over William M. Puckett, Re publican, who received 421 votes; for member of the Board of Edu cation of that district, A. E. Miller, Democrat, received 567 votes, over James E. Meadows, Republican, who received 395 votes, Mil ler's majority being 172. In Green Sulphur District, for president of the Board of Education, John H. Tincher, Republican candidate, received 224 votes, against 175 for E. W. Duncan, Democrat, Tinch- 278 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. er's majority being 49. For member of the Board of Education, John A. Cales, Republican, received 211 votes to 190, by John A. George, Democrat, Cales's majority being 21. This district has been in the habit of giving a large Republican majority for many years. New Richmond, Brooks and Meadow Creek precincts are Re publican, while Green Sulphur precinct is always Democratic, Brooks precinct being very close, sometimes a tie, and sometimes one or two majority for the Democrats, and sometimes one or two majority for the Republicans. In Pipestem District, for president of the Board of Education, B. D. Trail, Democrat, received 206 votes, and had no opposition for member of the Board of Education; E. E. Angell, Democrat, received 199 votes, to 101 for J. I. Farley, Republican, Angell's majority being 98; there being a vacancy in the office of justice of the peace in that district, C. W. Holdren, Democrat, received 210 votes; for constable, S. P. Weatherford, Democrat, received 203 votes over C. M. Vest, Republican, who received 95 votes. In Talcott District, for president of Board of Education, Dr. J. W. Ford, Democrat, received 257 votes, and G. P. Meadows, Repub lican, 148 votes ; Ford's majority, 109. For member of the Board of Education, A. P. Pence, Democrat, received 227 votes; 176 votes received by Charles H. Graham, Republican; Pence's ma jority being 51. In Jumping Branch District, A. H. Mann, Democrat, received 238 votes, while Thomas M. Cooper received 203 votes for president of the Board of Education, Mann's majority being 35. For member of the board, L. A. Meador, who was the son of ex-Clerk Allen H. Meador, received 238 votes, and S. D. Lilly, Republican, 199, giving Meador a majority of 39 votes. This Mr. Lewis Meador was a most excellent citizen, residing on Madam's Creek, and was elected justice of the peace for that district at the election of 1904, but before a single case had been tried by him, he was taken sick, from which illness he died, while quite a young and useful man. THE ELECTION OF 1900. The second race between Wm. J. Bryan and Wm. McKinley was fought out in 1900, the Republicans carrying the elections throughout the country, and especially in West Virginia by an increased majority. James H. Miller, of this county, having been nominated at the Parkersburg Convention in June for auditor, be- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 279 came the candidate of the Democratic party against Hon. Arnold C. Scherr, of Mineral County. He was also elected chairman of the State Democratic Committee, which required practically all of his time from the first day of July until the election, at headquar ters in Charleston, giving but very little, if any, more time to Sum mers County than he did to each of the other counties of the State. The results of that election are as follows : Bryan, Democratic candidate for McKinley, Republican Gaines, Republican Johnston, Democratic White, Republican Holt, Democratic Scherr, Republican Miller, Democratic McClung, Democratic Miller, Republican Eubanks, Republican Bryant, Democratic Graham, Republican Ewart, Democratic Lively, Republican Read, Democratic Lilly, Republican Ferrell, Democratic Barker, Republican Campbell, Democratic Grimmett, Republican Hinton, Democratic President, received 1,822 votes n tt 1,750 " Congress, tt 1,751 " n a 1,826 " Governor, tt 1,748 " (( a 1,831 " Auditor, tt 1,637 " n tt 1,930 " State Senate, tt 1,832 " (< tt 1,740 " House of Del. a 1,768 " a tt tt 1,805 " Sheriff, a 1,751 " t( tt 1,794 " Pros. Atty., it 1,785 " a tt 1,765 " Assessor, tt 1,737 " a a 1,880 " Surveyor, tt 1,747 " (* tt ,1,819 " Com. Co. Ct., tt 1,735 " a k a it 1,835 " In this campaign there was a very active contest for the Demo cratic nomination for sheriff, the fight being between H. Ewart, with J. D. Bolton, W. R. Neely, W. W. Gwinn, E. E. Angell and I. G. Carden, as his deputies, against Chas. H. Lilly, with Jordan Keatly, Geo. W. Hedrick, E. B. Lilly and W. E. Burdette his deputies. The contest was a hard-fought one, Mr. Ewart winning by a creditable majority. For prosecuting attorney, the race for the nomination was made between C. A. Clark and T. N. Read, which was also a very active contest, Mr. Read winning by a con siderable majority. The fight, however, within the party did not result in desertion from its ranks, the defeated candidates not bolt- 280 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ing the nominations, although there was considerable soreness exhibited, and the results of an unfortunate conflict within the party lines was felt throughout the campaign and showed in the results at the polls. The Republicans had no contest for nominations, and in this election were as a unit practically in support of their respec tive candidates. The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company did not take a de cided stand in this campaign. The city of Hinton was visited dur ing the campaign by Wm. J. Bryan,- the Democratic candidate for President, and by Theodore Roosevelt, the Republican candidate for Vice-President. The visit of Mr. Bryan to the city of Hin ton was one of the events of its history. Never before or since has there been a congregation of people within its borders to in any way compare to the crowd assembled to hear Mr. Bryan. Voters came from all of the adjoining counties. Two voters, Messrs. George Canterbury and Brooks, a blacksmith, rode through the country from Oceana, in Wyoming County, a distance of eighty miles, taking them four days to come and return. A great number came from Greenbrier, Raleigh and Fayette Counties ; some from as far west as Charleston and Huntington. Mr. Bryan came on a special train arranged for by the chairman of the Democratic State Committee, and was to have arrived early in the afternoon, but leaving Huntington at eight o'clock, where Mr. Bryan made his first speech, stops were made all along the railroad, so that Mr. Bryan had made twelve speeches before he arrived at Hinton, about six o'clock, speaking an hour; he then went on to Ronceverte the same evening and made the fourteenth speech. The crowd waited persistently and patiently ; the streets were filled with an immense crowd, it being estimated that not less than 10,000 people were in the city. The eating-houses, hotels and gro ceries enjoyed the largest custom ever had on a day. The crowd to hear President Roosevelt, then candidate for A-^ice- President on the ticket with Major McKinley, was not so immense, there being an estimated crowd of 2,000 people, his meeting not having been advertised so well, and there not being such a desire to see or hear him at that time. Early in this campaign, Hon. J. A. DeArmand, the distinguished Democratic Congressman from Missouri, addressed the people at the court house. In the campaign of 1898, the Hon. Joseph Bailey, now the distinguished Senator from Texas, addressed the people at the instance of the Democratic leaders at the opera house in Hinton. REV. A. D. BOLTON, Pioneer Missionary Baptist Minister. WM. W. JONES, Ancient Merchant of Talcott. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 281 THE ELECTION OF 1902. In 1902, James H. Miller, Democrat, of this county, was the nominee of the Democratic party for Congress, having been nomi nated by acclamation, and, at the earnest request of his party asso ciates, having accepted it, received 1955 votes. Hon. Joseph H. Gaines, the Republican nominee, received 1318 votes; Wm. H. McGinnis, DemQ.cratic nominee for State Senate, received 1759 votes; John M. McGrath, Democrat, received 1,763 votes; M. F. Matheney, Republican, received 1,522 votes; Alt Ballard, Repub lican, received 1,519 votes, there being two Senators under the re- districting of the State to be elected for State Senate, one for the ¦short term of two years, and one for the full term of four years. Messrs. McGinnis and Matheney, both of Raleigh County, were declared elected, Mr. McGinnis, the son of Hon. James H. McGin nis, drawing the long term, and Mr. Matheney drawing the short term ; M. M. Warren, Democrat, for House of Delegates, received 1,690 votes; Geo. Wiseman, Republican, for House of Delegates, received 1,595 votes ; Walter H. Boude, for clerk of the circuit court, received 1,821 votes; Robert Lilly, Republican, 1,439; Joseph M. Meador, Democrat, for clerk of the county court, received 1,826 votes ; E. H. Peck, Republican, 1,433 votes ; George W. Lilly, Demo crat for superintendent of free schools, received 1,778 votes against Wm. M. Jones, who received 1,467 votes ; Harry Haynes, Democrat, for commissioner of the county court, received 1,747 votes, and L. W. Farley, Republican, received 1,530 votes, the Democrats electing each of their candidates by the following majorities: Miller, for Congress, carried the county by 637; McGinnis, 240; McGrath, 241 , Warren, 95; Boude, 382; Meador, 393; Lilly, 311 ; Haynes, 217. Hon. Joseph H. Gaines, however, was elected to Congress by a majority of about 2,500, the district being largely Republican. THE ELECTION OF 1904. The Democratic candidate for President, Alton B. Parker, re ceived 1,937 votes; Roosevelt, Republican, 1,702 votes; for Con gress, Henry B. Davenport, Democrat, 2,010; J. H. Gaines, Repub lican, 1,622; John J. Cornwell, Democratic candidate for Governor, 2,062; Wm. M. O. Dawson, Republican, 1,558; A. C. Harrison, Democrat, for State Senate, 2,026; Ballard, Republican, 1,611; Frank Lively, Republican, for judge of the circuit court, 1,237; Jas. 282 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. H. Miller, Democrat, 2,430; D. C. Gallagher, Democrat, for House of Delegates, 2,011; Charles Tinder, Republican, 1,628; A. J. Keatly, Democrat, for sheriff, 2,138; P. H. Brown, Republican, 1,506; R. F. Dunlap, Democrat, for prosecuting attorney, 2,043; A. R. Heflin, Republican, 1,596; L. M. Neely, Jr., for assessor, Dem ocrat, 1,978; Anderson, Republican, 1,523; AV. O. Farley, Democrat, for commissioner of the county court, 2,020 ; — Harvey, Re publican, 1,618; A. L. Campbell, Democrat, surveyor, 1,976; J. L. Barker, Republican, 1,621. This was a very hard-fought campaign, especially for the office of circuit judge, the Democratic candidate having no opposition for the nomination, the other Democrats who had been, spoken of in connection with the position having generously withdrawn, leaving a clear field for him. For the Republican nomination, Major James H. McGinnis, of Raleigh; I. C. Christian, of Wyoming; Messrs. T. G. Mann and Frank Lively, of the same city (Hinton), were spoken of for the nomination, but as the campaign progressed the candidates all dropped out, except Messrs. Lively and Mann, and the race became personal, aggressive and determined. The faction known as the Graham faction, or "old-timers," taking the part of Mr. Mann, and the "Blue Pencil Brigade," or Willey faction, taking the part of Mr. Lively. Before the date, for the nomination Mr. Mann with drew his name as a candidate, and Mr. Lively was nominated by acclamation, and went before the people with a large faction of the party opposed to him, with disastrous results, as the returns show. There have been many political and other meetings of the people in the county, at which distinguished speakers and orators have addressed the people. Before the formation of the county the custom of political meet ings to discuss the leading issues of the day had begun to be held, directly before and during the political campaign, but within the territory of the county, prior to 1870, but few meetings of this character had been held, even during the agitation of secession, there were but few public discussions and but little public speechmaking, the question of public interest being usually discussed at religious meetings held at the churches once or twice a month, on Saturdays and Sundays. At the "log-rollings," "fence- buildings," "corn-shuckings," the former being occasions when the people of the neighborhood would meet on a day invited, all the neighbors coming in to aid in grubbing out and fencing a piece of "new land," or rolling the logs thereon into piles convenient for HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 283 burning; in the spring time preparing it for a cornfield, or in the fall to shuck out the season's corn crop before snowfall, after which the young ladies and gentlemen would secure a "fiddler" in the neighborhood, and "trip the .light fantastic toe" until a late hour in the night. Each farmer in the community was expected to have one of these gatherings once in a year, and in one day prepare a field for crop. And this was greatly in vogue in the early settle ment' of the country, and the men for miles would come in to the "gathering," and a. large part of the wilderness- was cleared in this way. Frequently, the women folks would meet at the same time to do sewing, have a "quilting" or a "skutching," and aid the house wife, while the men were -aiding the men in the fields and the woods. Those were good old times, when neighbors were neighbors, indeed, and there was not the modern disposition to selfishness now in many cases exhibited. This continued up to the present, but is very largely a custom of the past. The writer, when a boy, attended many of these good neighborly affairs, and grubbed all day, or "log-rolled" to help his father's good neighbor. The "musters" were once a month, when the men within the age fixed by statute for military service were required to meet once a month to receive military training, prepare themselves for service in the army in the event of being called upon by their country. Every man physically able within the military age being prepared for a soldier, and, no doubt, this preparation tended to make the soldiers of the Civil War of four years between the States, aided materially in giving the country the best armies that ever went to war. Universal militia service ended with this war. After the war political meetings began to be held in this region, and at which times some speakers of note would be produced to discuss the "issues of the day." The first meeting of this character held in the county of which I have any information was at Green Sulphur Springs, in 1868, during the Grant and Seymour campaign. A barbecue was held in the bottom, on the exact ground were Dr. E. E. Noel's fine residence is now located, the plan originating with the distinguished phy sician and surgeon, Dr. Samuel Williams, an ardent Southerner and Democrat, and, after advertising the meeting for thirty days, a beef was provided by Sheriff H. Gwinn, and the meeting held, the greatest event in the history of this section. A large United States flag was made by the ladies ; everybody came, men, women and children, for miles and miles around. Tables were set' out in the grove, people bringing in baskets of food, and a regular holiday 284 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. celebrated. Captain R. F. Dennis, then practicing law at Lewis burg, and in his prime; Colonel B. H. Jones, another soldier and lawyer of Lewisburg, and Hon. Edmund Sehon, a young attorney then located in-the same town, were the orators of the occasion, and they occupied the larger part of the day, the meeting breaking up just in time for the people to return to their abodes. The meeting was Democratic, and the orators advocated the election of the Dem ocratic candidate for President, Horatio Seymour, then Governor of New York State, and B. Grats Brown, of Missouri, for Vice- President. It was a great occasion. After this there was no polit ical campaign without political discussions, and sometimes, but not frequently, joint discussions. The city of Hinton has had some noted speakers and some famous meetings, including the wonderful Bryan meeting of the campaign of 1906. In October he passed over the C. & O. Railway by special train provided by the chairman of the Democratic State Executive Committee of West Virginia. The train of five cars left Huntington between eight and nine o'clock, after Mr. Bryan had delivered an address to a great crowd. The train stopped, and Mr. Bryan spoke at Hurricane, St. Albans, Charleston, East Bank, Handley, Montgomery, Hawk's Nest, Thurmond and Hinton, all short speeches from the rear platform of the rear car, except at Huntington, Thurmond and Hinton and other points, when he left the train, making set speeches from platforms improvised for the occasion. After his speech at Hinton, his train passed on to Washington, the only other speaking stop being at Ronceverte. At Hinton, people came for 100 miles on horseback, in wagons and by foot; one gentleman, Mat Belcher, came from Bluefield, a horseback ride of two days, in going and re turning, in order to hear their leader proclaim the doctrines of Free Silver. The city was crowded with such a mass of hu manity as was never seen before,' and, likely, never again. The streets were crowded. It was impractical to move from one section of the town to another. The train, of course, was belated by reason of the numerous stops. The town was literally eaten out; the groceries, bakeries, hotels, restaurants and eating-houses were "cleaned out" of eatables until it was a matter of impossibility to get a square meal, by reason of the long delay. Many came in the night before, which required food for three meals on the noted day. A wonderful congestion of people was witnessed at the rail way station when the train arrived, by reason of the great desire to see the "orator of the Platte." He had to be practically -carried HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 285 through the crowd to a carriage, where a procession was formed, with brass bands, flags, etc., and made a short march out the prin cipal street to the public school building, and thence to the court house park, where the great commoner proclaimed the faith of his party, which required an even hour for its delivery, and where a platform was constructed under^ the supervision of Hon. Charles A. Clark, chairman of the County Democratic Executive Com mittee. There were various estimates of the number composing the great crowd. It is impossible to make an approximately correct estimate, but 10,000 souls would not be an overestimate, we firmly believe. During the same campaign, President Roosevelt, then the Re publican nominee and candidate for Vice-President, visited the county, passing through on a special train. His meeting was not well advertised, it not being generally known that he would speak in Hinton. The Democrats tendered him the use of their platform, and a large meeting was held, however, regardless of the want of notice, and the town will ever be proud of having had the honor of a visit from so great and distinguished a citizen, the greatest and best President of the United States since the death of Abraham Lincoln. During the campaign of 1900, the Honorable Charles Emory Smith, a member of President McKinley's cabinet, spoke at the court house in Hinton. In the campaign of 1904, Hon. Heriry Gassaway Davis, the Democratic candidate for Vice-President on the ticket with Judge Alton B. Parker, spoke from the front porch of the Y. M. C. A., in Hinton, after dark, to an immense crowd of the people when passing through the county by special train, campaigning. Hon. John T. McGraw, then chairman of the Democratic State Executive Committee, the brilliant Democratic leader, accompanied Mr. Davis, and also addressed the people. Hon. Steven B. Elkins, United States Senator, and a son-in-law of Hon. Henry G. Davis, and a distinguished citizen, spoke to an immense crowd in Parker's Opera House, in 1896, as did also M. E. Ingalls, the president of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company, claiming to be a Democrat, but to be a "Gold Democrat," was sup porting Hon. Wm. McKinley. He spoke on one occasion at the Parker Opera House, and on another at the baseball park, on the old Ballangee place. The Republican Committee took him in charge, secured a carriage and four horses, and conveyed him over the town as a conquering hero. Mr. Ingalls was exceedingly popu- 286 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. lar with our people by reason of his apparent friendliness toward the city, but they did not go to the extent of following his appeals to vote against their convictions. A very interesting joint discussion was had during the campaign of 1896 between Gen. J. W. St. Clair, the brilliant attorney of the neighboring county of Fayette, and Hon. Pat McCall, the latter, in some respects, having the better of the meeting by reason of mis information had by Gen. St. Clair in regard to the character of bonds issued and secured by the mortgage of the C. & O. Railway Company. This great meeting was held under a tent spread in the jail yard by the Republicans for use during the campaign. Another distinguished joint debate on political issues was held in the court house, and was had between Hon. John A. Preston, the Lewisburg attorney and Democrat, and Hon. Samuel C. Burdette, attorney and Republican, of Charleston, W. Va., and now judge of the Kanawha Circuit. Judge David E. Johnston, of Mercer County, as candidate for Congress, spoke, during his canvass for Congress in 1898, at Park er's Opera House, as did also Hon. Wm. Seymour Edwards, his Republican opponent, and Hon. Joseph H. Gaines in the second canvass in 1900, of Judge Johnston for that office. We doubt if a more brilliant orator ever honored the county with his presence than the Hon. Henry S. Walker, native West Virginian, now dead, not excepting Mr. Bryan. His services were secured by the Democrats, when available, during each political campaign. I have heard him on numerous occasions, and his elo quence never became stale and was not surpassed. Had he had the opportunities, he would, in the opinion of many, have gone down in history and to posterity as one of the greatest orators of this whole land. Hon. John Edward Kenna, the last Democratic United States Senator elected in this State, and who died in office, was a favorite campaign speaker to Summers County citizens, although he lost a large part of his popularity in the county prior to his death by reason of the position taken by him in that most unfortunate case of The State vs. J. S. Thompson, tried on an indictment for the killing of Elbert Fowler, but he was only performing an entirely legitimate and honorable duty in defending his client, as well as kinsman. Col. James W. Davis was a familiar speaker in the Republican cause, as was also Col. T. G. Mann, a lawyer of the county, and a native of the good old mother of counties — Greenbrier. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 287 One of the most enterprising political speeches ever delivered in the county was in the Parker Opera House in 1898, by the great Democratic Senator from Texas, Hon. Joseph Weldon Bailey, then a member of Congress from that State, and who has recently made a history-making speech on the Railway Rate bill, now pending in Congress. Hon. J. W. Ball, a member of Congress, also from Texas, spoke at the new court house in 1902, from the Democratic standpoint. Hon. Wm. DeArmand, of Missouri; Turner, the iceman, of New York; Senator Butler, of South Carolina, have all spoken at Hinton. Hon. Wm. M. O. Dawson, the present Governor of the State, delivered a speech in the court house in 1904, he then being the Republican candidate for that office. Hon. John J. Cornwell, the Democratic candidate for Governor in 1904, also spoke at the court house during that memorable cam paign in which the tax reform was then agitated, Mr. Dawson being a great and sincere advocate of tax reform along the lines adopted by the Republican party of the State. Hon. Chas. W. Osenton, of Fayette County, has frequently come to the aid of the Democracy, and has been heard from the forum in its behalf on many occasions. Hon. Joseph Holt Gaines, who has been the Republican member of Congress from this district for the last six years, and an able champion of the doctrines of that party, has been frequently heard throughout the county. Dr. John J. Lafferty, the eminent Christian editor, preacher and lecturer, delivered one of his famous lectures in the old Methodist Church in Hinton. Hon. C. Wood Dailey, one of the leading lawyers and orators of the State, has made political speeches on behalf of the Democratic party at Talcott and Hinton, in the campaigns of 1892 and 1896. Judge James H. Brown, of the Charleston Bar, when a candi date for Congress in the Third District, and Hon. Wm. P. Hupbard and Geo. C. Sturgis, able representatives of the Republican doc trines, have argued their cause before the people in the old court house, as well as Hon. A. B. Fleming, in his memorable contest as the Democratic nominee for the governorship in 1888, with the ablest exponent of Republican principles ever produced in the State, General Nathan Goff, Jr., now judge of the United States Court. It was over this election there grew the famous contest for that office before the Legislature of 1889, in which the vote of this county was to some extent brought in question. The majority on 288 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the returns was very small for General Goff, and Judge Fleming contested before the Legislature. A number of illegal votes were alleged to have been cast in this county by both parties, and they were included in the contest notices. Proof was taken by Colonel T. G. Mann, as attorney on behalf of the Republican candidate, General Goff, and James H. Miller, as attorney for the Democratic candidate, Judge Fleming. Depositions were taken as to some votes at New Richmond, Meadow Creek, and two or three at Hin ton, practically all of them being Republican votes who were colored construction laborers on the C. & O. Railway. All the depositions and proofs taken were on behalf of the Democrats. When it came to the proofs by the Republicans, no evidence was taken by them to show any illegal Democratic votes. It was clearly proven that some few illegal colored votes were cast at Meadow Creek and New Richmond, and that they voted for General Goff. These votes were so clearly proven illegal that no question was raised as to their illegality, and they were voted to be thrown out and not counted for General Goff by the Republican as well as the Demo cratic members of the committee and Legislature. Hon. John Duffy Alderson, of Nicholas County, six years a mem ber of Congress as a Democrat from the Third District, frequently, during his Congressional career, addressed the people of the county, as did also C. P. Snydor, who was a member of Congress for two terms before Mr. Alderson. There have been conventions held in Hinton for the nomination of candidates for Congress. Hon. Joseph H. Gaines has been twice nominated in Hinton; Hon. John D. Alderson twice nominated there ; Hon. Wm. Seymour Edwards once, and at the same time that Mr. Gaines was nominated, there being two Republican Conventions, with two sets of delegates and two sets of spellbinders, but Mr. Edwards afterwards with drew, and gave Mr. Gaines a clear field, who was elected over Hon. Henry B. Davenport, the Democratic candidate. This was in 1904. Hon. A. N. Campbell was twice nominated at Hinton as the Democratic candidate for judge of the circuit court. Hon. Wm. H. McGinnis and John McGrath were nominated as the Democratic candidates for the State Senate in 1902 and Honorables Alt. Bal lard and M. F. Matheney, the Republican candidates for the same office at the same election, were also nominated at the same place, in the court house at Hinton, as were Captain A. C. Harrison, the Democratic candidate in 1904, and Hon. Alt. Ballard in the same year. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 289 The convention was held in Hinton at the Parker Opera House in 1896, to send delegates to the Democratic National Convention at Chicago, when General J. W. St. Clair, of Fayette County; Major James A. Nighbert, of Logan, and James H. Miller, of Summers, were elected delegates to that convention that nominated Wm. J. Bryan for the Democratic candidate for President in 1896. The first convention for the nomination for candidates for office to be voted for outside of the county was a Democratic Congres sional Convention held at the court house, to nominate a candidate for the Third West Virginia District, when it extended to the Ohio River. The candidates were John Edward Kenna, of Charleston, Charles Edward Hogg, of Point Pleasant, and Eustace Gibson, of Huntington. Each of the candidates withdrew, and Mr. Kenna was nominated and Mr. Hogg was nominated for Presidential elector. One of the first political speeches ever made in the county was by Hon. Romeo H. Freer, then of Charleston, supporting the Re publican candidates, at the court house. He was afterwards elected judge of his circuit, to Congress, and Attorney-General of the State. This was back in the seventies. Hon. Henry G. Davis spoke in the court house in 1877, soon after its completion, and when a candidate for the United States Senate. Hon, Frank Hereford, of Monroe County, was also a familiar - speaker in the county during his political career in Congress and the United States Senate. Hon. John W. Arbuckle, of Greenbrier County, has frequently addressed the people of the county in support of the Democratic candidates, and never failed to respond to their call. He is of the ancient Greenbrier family of the name, whose ancestor was the great pioneer and scout at Point Pleasant in 1774. During aggressive political campaigns, it has been the practice of both the leading political parties, Democratic and Republican, to have political speakings by either local or imported orators, at practically all of the schoolhouses and voting places in the counties, posting notices in advance, and on the dates advertised; the local candidates and the speakers attend and discuss the issues as well as the merits of the various candidates. These meetings are held under the auspices of the county executive committees of the re spective parties, and are usually held in the afternoons and even ings. This custom has largely come into vogue within the last ten years. President Wm. McKinley visited the city once while President, but only stopped a few minutes on the platform of his train, when he was greeted by a great concourse of people. CHAPTER XVI. SCHOOLS. The free school system was in operation in this State at the date of the formation of this county, although in a crude form; but very material advancements and improvements have been made. Prior to the date of the formation of the State, and for some time after the war, the only educational system, or means of securing an education, was by private or "pay" schools. Those who desired could attend, or those who were able to pay the tui tion, usually $1 per month per pupil. The schools were few and far between, and the old schoolmaster was a "power in the land," he being the scrivener and legal adviser for the entire section of the country in which he was located. He would go into a neigh borhood, secure subscribers sufficient for a school for a few months — usually during the winter, when the farmers could not be at work on their farms — then "board around" with the pupils. One school answered for an entire district, for a neighborhood in a ra dius of ten miles. There were at the time this county was formed very few free schools, and fewer free school houses in the county, and they were all of rough hewn logs. As I recollect at this time, there was but one free school house in Green Sulphur Township ; it was the old "Gum School House" at the ford of Lick Creek, at the foot of Keeney's Knob, about a half a mile above the old "Miller Home stead." This house was built under the supervision of Samuel H. Withrow, by Mr. Nathan Duncan, and was of hewn logs, with dressed ceiling and floors, and cost $400. S. H. AA^ithrow was at that time one of the school officers under the "system" then in power, and it was through his influence the house and school were secured. This house was built about the year 1867 or 1868, while the district was still in Greenbrier County, a part of Blue Sulphur Township. The children for all that region around, from six years of age to twenty-one, -around from the top of Keeney's Knob to the head of Lick Creek, and to the top of Sewell Mountain, the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 291 Andrew Foster place, the Hurley place, the Slater's Creek and Duncan settlements, a radius of six miles or more, attended, and there was no complaint in those days of that distance to travel. The war having suspended education for several years, the schools, when they began to open up after its conclusion, were filled with a large number of boys and girls more than twenty-one years of age, and of boys who had fought under the stars and bars. The first free school at this house was taught by a young man by the name of A. M. Matics, who was very much disliked by both pupils and patrons, and before the close of the term all had quit the school except a very few. No one could teach school in those days without first subscribing to some kind of a teacher's test- oath, testifying to his loyalty to the Government during the war. The first school house erected on Lick Creek, of which I can secure any information, was an old log house on the farm of Wil liam B. McNeer, on the bank of Slater's Creek, near the forks of the creek, and the first school taught there after the war was by John P. Duncan, and was attended by a number of the old soldiers of the Confederacy, including Jno. C. McNeer, James W. Miller, James S. Duncan, John L. Duncan, Nathan Duncan, and others whose names I do not remember, who had all been in the army. The first school, however, taught on Lick Creek after the war was by Major Jno. S. Rudd, was a large subscription school, and was attended by a great many in that region. It was the first school ever attended by many of us, walking a distance of two miles and a half to and from each day. As stated before, school teachers then and now were people of importance in the country. They wrote wills, and prepared deeds and legal documents con veying land. Major Rudd was a West Point graduate, and a fin ished scholar and teacher, as well as lawyer ; but not a man of high character. At that time he still wore his officer's uniform, with his epaulets. His wife, Mrs. Rudd, was a fine lady, cultured and womanly, of the finest sensibilities. He died a few years ago at Montgomery, and she still resides at Union, Monroe County. One of the oldest teachers known to the country was Colonel George Henry, who lived in the meadows in Greenbrier County. He was a descendant of Patrick Henry, of Revolutionary fame, being a grandson, and was a West Point graduate. He would re ceive all kinds of products, raiment and wearing apparel, for tui tion, and "boarded around," spending a night alternately with his pupils, and for which he was not expected to pay. Colonel Henry, while an accomplished scholar, was celebrated for his slovenly hab- 292 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. its, it being understood that he bathed his face only when it could not be well avoided. William Lewis, of Muddy Creek, was the second teacher at the "Gum School House." This school house, which was famous in its day, after many years of usefulness, was abandoned, the school district divided, and numerous other school houses built around in the neighborhood. After the free schools came in vogue, the teachers all had to go to the home of the county superintend ent for examination by him, and the grade of the certificates were numbered from one to five, one being the highest and five the lowest. Only the elementary English branches were required to be taught. There was at the beginning, as above stated, one free school house built in Green Sulphur District. Z. A. Trueblood was the first county superintendent of Greenbrier County, of which we have any information. Mr. T. J. Jones was an old gentleman, and one of the few who could hold office just after the war, and was a justice of the peace, as well as school commissioner, and took acknowledgments to deeds, and usually, when he signed his name officially, he did so by signing "T. J. Jones, Justice, J. P." This gentleman undertook to be examined to teach in the free schools, as he was qualified to teach by being in a position to take the test-oath. He applied to Mr. Trueblood for a certificate, and returned rejoicing greatly, car rying in his pocket a TSTo. 5 certificate. On being questioned as to > his success, he joyfully announced "that he had come out at the top ; that he had gotten the highest, a No. 5, and could have got ten a No. 6 if the law allowed it !" The school houses, teachers and systems have greatly improved since those days, there being now scarcely a log school house in the county, they being now built of frame, with active and intelli gent young gentlemen and ladies for teachers. The curriculum has been enlarged, including most of the modern branches of study for a fair business education. The school houses are furnished with modern desks, seats and other school furniture and fixtures. At the time of the founding of the county three months was the term ; now we have five, with one graded or high school, employing twenty teachers and a principal and assistant, in the cities of Hin ton and Avis. The funds for maintaining the free schools were then secured, as now, by direct tax levied against the personal and real property assessments of the county, and were divided into a Building and ' HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 293 Teachers' Fund. Originally they were collected and paid out by a treasurer of the county; but for the last number of years, since the adoption of the amendments to the Constitution, by the sheriff as ex-officio treasurer, on drafts issued to the teachers by the presi dent and secretary of the Boards of Education of the respective districts. Each teacher at the founding of the county was required then, as now, to make monthly reports to the Board of Education, endorsed by the trustees. Each district, through its trustees, con tracts for the respective teachers for the sub-districts into which the magisterial districts are divided, there usually being a free school for each sub-district. The Board of Education is composed of three members, one the president and the other two members of the Board, and a secretary. The president and members of the Board are elected for four years, and they elect the secretary; all of the school officers being under the general supervision of the superintendent of free schools for the county, and under a State Superintendent of Free Schools. Their authorities are not materially changed at the present time from what they were originally. George W. Lilly is the present superintendent, serving out his second term of four years, and is a very excellent and up-to-date school man and educator. The business of the Board of Education is "to let out," construct and repair school buildings. The trustees employ the teachers, look after keeping the houses in repair, fire, water, etc. Originally the girls swept out the houses and the boys pro vided the wood and made the fires from fagots gathered from the forests, they taking their turns alternately in the performance of these duties. . At the present time all of this is changed, and all provided to order and paid for from the public finances — the build ing fund. Originally the parent did as he pleased about sending his children to school, and a great many for whom the free schools were intended secured little or no benefits therefrom. Now, un der the law, each pupil under the school age is required by com pulsory statute to attend school, unless prevented by sickness or a legal excuse, and a parent failing in this is subject to a prosecution and fine, there being a truant officer in each district, appointed by the Board of Education, to enforce this law. The county super intendent's record shows that there were 16 free schools in the county at its formation, with 16 log school houses, each of which were log structures, and the number of teachers was 16. For a num ber of years there was a great demand for schools by teachers ; now the demand is for teachers. The low wages paid, the increased ex- 294 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. penses of living, the short terms for which the schools are kept open during the year, have made teaching unattractive as a pro fession, and the teachers of the present day, in the majority of such cases, are teachers only until something better turns up, the schools being used as stepping stones to a more profitable career. The first free school teacher in Pipestem District was Mr. Albert Pendleton Gallatin Farley, who taught in that region di rectly after the inauguration of the free school system. Mr. Far ley still resides in that district, is an honorable gentleman and well- to-do farmer, having been educated at Henry and Emory College, in South West Virginia. A. E. Cotton, who now resides at Ad- kinsville, in Raleigh County, was one of the first free school teach ers in the county, teaching in Forest Hill District especially. His brother, Thomas J. Cotton, was also one of the old-time free school teachers. Archie Allen, who resides on top of the Big Ben Tun nel Mountain, is one of the oldest teachers in the county, and taught from the time of the establishment of the system until within recent years, and is known throughout the county as one of its best educators. His father, Nathaniel Allen, was an old pioneer set tler of that region, and died in the year 1903 at the very advanced age of near ninety years. He was known throughout the country as a very devout Southern Mehtodist, and attended all of the quar terly and other meetings of that church for miles around. The old school houses in what is now Summers, before the establishment of the free school system, were frequently without other than dirt floors. George W. Lilly, present superintendent of free schools, attended school when a lad in a log house, which had no floor except mother earth. The roofs of these houses were of clapboards, held down by poles laid from one end of the house to the other, with a stick between them to hold them separate. There are 160 free schools in this county, with 160 teachers. William H. Lilly, father of E. B. Lilly, of Leatherwood, was an old-time teacher, and taught at the old Apple Place School House, forty years ago. Preston Rives Shirard deserves mention in this story as one of the pioneer free school teachers, as well as "subscription teacher." He educated principally two of the superintendents of this county, David G. Lilly and Jonathan F. Lilly, who were brothers-in-law. He was an over-educated gentleman ; had more education than he had practical sense; was very peculiar in his manners; had long hair down over his shoulders, with a cap without any bill pulled down over his ears, with untrimmed beard, and wore shabby clothes. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ' 295 What money he earned he spent for the good of the cause of edu cation, and distributed among the poor children of the territory. After teaching in this -county for a number of years, he went to Kanawha County, where he died some five or six years ago. George W. Leftwich is another of the older teachers, and later county superintendent for four years from Forest Hill District. Also Wm. J. Kirk, of Green Sulphur District, who was also a com missioner of the county court for six years. HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN SUMMERS COUNTY. By GEO. W. LILLY, SUPERINTENDENT. Summers County lies in the southern part of West Virginia, in longitude 81° west and latitude 37° north. The close of the war found the territory now embraced in the county practically without both schools and churches, and it was not until about the year 1868 that any interest was manifested in either schools or churches. That portion of the county taken from Fayette had not a single school. From Greenbrier County's territory we received, as nearly as I can learn, not more than four schools ; from Mercer County, six, and from Monroe County, six, making a total of sixteen in the county at its formation ; and immediately after the adoption of the Constitution of 1872, which prescribed that the Legislature should provide for a "thorough and efficient system of free schools," our people awoke from their lethargy and made rapid strides, until our system to-day is as good as can possibly be made under the existing circumstances. The primitive school buildings (a few of which are still stand ing) were very rude structures, being built by the public-spirited citizens without cost to .the county or district.' These houses were only sixteen feet square, without any chimney (one end of the house being left uncovered for the space of five feet to afford a passage for the smoke), the whole end being used as a place in which to build fires. The furniture consisted of small logs split into halves and "pegs" used as legs. These houses were all "cabined off," covered with boards held down by "weight poles," and only a very few floored with "puncheons," the others having the bare earth for floors. Windows were unknown, and a rough board was used as a "writing desk." The teachers were scarce; none trained in colleges, normals or high schools, and teachers that were pro- 296 , HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ficient in the three R's, Reading, " 'Riting" and " 'Rithmetic," were in constant demand, at salaries ranging from fourteen to twenty dollars per month, and when such teachers could be secured, they were considered quite a luxury. During the ten years extending from 1890 to 1900, there was the greatest possible activity among the friends of education. Boards of education throughout the county were then discarding the old log buildings, and erecting new frame cottages, supplying them with ample light, blackboards and the best of modern school furniture, and many of them, apparatus. In 1890, the schools of Summers County had increased from sixteen at its organization to 120 primary schools, two graded and one high school. But at no time in the history of Summers County has the zeal for education been greater than at the present. All the old build ings have been replaced by modern ones, with ample room, light and modern furniture, cloak room and everything for the conve nience and health of both teachers and pupils. These buildings are 24 x 36 feet, fourteen feet from floor to ceiling; eight large windows, and well equipped with modern furnishings, at a cost of $850.00 to $1,000.00 each. In 1903, a system of examination known as the "uniform sys tem" went into effect. This system raised the standard of the teachers, and this, together with the material development of the State, has produced a shortage of teachers, from which our schools are now suffering. The material development of the State has opened many positions to teachers at salaries far above that offered by boards of education, and, consequently, our schools have lost many of their efficient teachers. Such has been the zeal of Summers County's citizenship that every obstacle has been gallantly met and overcome, and school property is guarded as a treasure, the value of which can not be computed. Summers County, at its organization, could not boast property worth one cent, and now, at the opening of 1907, she has to her credit property worth $200,000. Summers County now has 161 schools, in which are employed 175 well-equipped teachers, at an average salary of $33.00 per month; has enrolled 5,000 pupils from a total enumeration of 6,800, and has an average daily attendance of 3,850, at an annual cost per capita of $12.35, based on attendance ; $8.70 based on enrollment, and $6.54 based on the enumeration. At its organization, and for several years thereafter, Summers County had only one lady teacher, Miss Mollie Jordan, daughter HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 297 of Gordon L. Jordan, Summers County's first representative in the West Virginia Legislature. But the gentle zephyrs which pass through its beautiful valleys and waft the sweet-scented smell of delicious fruits, blooming flowers, and the glad song of ever-sing ing birds up the mountain sides, towering from 1,500 to 2,500 feet above the sea, have awakened in the bosoms of the Summers County maidens an enthusiasm' for education which will not abate, and is the wonder and admiration of our stalwart sons, who have been- giving place to the ladies, until now seventy-five per cent, of our noble and true-hearted teachers are ladies. The upbuilding of the present system in the county has been materially aided by her efficient county superintendents, viz. : John Pack, from the formation of the county to 1873. C. L. Ellison, Forest Hill District, 1873 to 1877. Two terms. D. G. Lilly, Jumping Branch District, 1877 to 1881. Two terms. Jas. H. Miller, Green Sulphur District, 1881 to 1883. One term. H. F. Kesler, Talcott District, 1883 to 1885. One term. C. A. Clark, Pipestem District, 1885 to 1887. One term. V. V. Austin, Pipestem District, 1887 to 1889. One term. J. F. Lilly, Jumping Branch District, 1889 to 1891. One term. Geo. W. Lilly, Jumping Branch District, 1891 to 1893. One term. J. M. Parker, Jumping Branch District, 1893 to 1895. One term. Geo. W. Leftwich, Forest Hill District, 1895 to 1899. One term. H. F. Kesler, Talcott District, 1899 to 1903. One term. Geo. W. Lilly, Jumping Branch District, 1903 to 1907. One term. J. E. Keadle, 1907. Term beginning July 1st. THE HINTON HIGH SCHOOL. At the formation of Summers County the territory embraced in the districts of Greenbrier and Talcott formed only one district, Greenbrier, and supported only six schools. In the year 1874, the number had increased to thirteen, and in that year a building committee, consisting of AAr. AV. Adams, C. A. Fredeking, M. V. Calloway and C. A. Sperry, was appointed to provide suitable specifications and let to contract a schoolhouse in subdistrict No. 13, which house was erected by E. A. Weeks at the price of $675.00, and is the foundation of the Hinton High School. The first teacher in this new building was Wr. R. Thompson, and was opened in the fall of 1875, with Miss Anna Hoge as as sistant. Mrs. W. W. Adams had previously taught in a rented 298 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. building. W. R. Thompson was succeeded by Harvev Ewart and Miss Lida French as assistant. Next was Rufus Alderson and Miss Hoge, who were followed by John J. Cabell, Major J. S. Rudd and J. H. Jordan, with Misses Anna Hoge, Jennie Hamer and Nannie McCreery. His Honor, James H. Miller, taught in this school in 1877, fol lowing H. Ewart. Miss Anna Hoge was his assistant. He again took charge of the school in 1880, with Miss Mariah Beasly as his assistant, and in 1881, with C. A. Clark as assistant. Prof. J. F. Holroyd opened the first school in what is known as the city of Avis the same year, which school has since grown suc cessively to two, three and four rooms, and has recently been made a branch of the Hinton High School. In 1887, our people determined that their children should have better educational facilities, and, tiring of sending them away to other schools, they filed a petition with the School Board, con sisting of J. C. James, president ; S. W. AVilley and James Briers, commissioners, and J. M. Carden, secretary, asking for the estab lishing of a district high school. The proposition was submitted to a vote of the people, and carried by a large majority. In accord ance with the expressed wish of the people, a high school was es tablished, with four teachers, viz., J. H. Jordan, principal; V V. Austin, Miss Mary Ewart and Miss Nannie McCreery, assistants. The grounds cover eight full size city building lots, four of which were donated to the Board of Education by the Central Land Co. of West Virginia, and the remaining four were purchased. These grounds alone are now worth about $60,000. The first building was a brick structure containing four rooms, but soon after the board found it necessary to add two rooms, which, with this addition, was sufficient to accommodate the pupils until 1895, and in which year it was determined to build a more spacious building and equip it with all modern appliances for the continually growing enrollment. The building was supposed to cost about $20,000, and the board was forced to borrow $12,000, and, with this amount, the board could raise a sufficient amount to build the house. Accordingly, an election was ordered to be held December 31, 1895, which resulted in a majority of 301 to 16 in its favor. Work was immediately commenced on the structure, and the fall of 1896 marked its completion in time for the opening of the school. New branches have been added from time to time and additional teachers employed, until now, at the opening of 1907, finds it second to no school in Southern AVest Virginia. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 299 The first Board of Education of Greenbrier District consisted of- Robert H. Wikel, president; James Boyd and M. A. Manning, com missioners, and S. W. Willey, secretary. Under this board the first election- for authorizing a school levy was held. There were cast 187 votes; 186 were cast in- favor of the levy, and one against it. The following is a copy of one of the certificates of one of the first assessors of Summers County: "I hereby certify to the Board of Education of Greenbrier Dis trict, Summers County, West Virginia, the assessed value of the property in your district as shown this year on the commissioners' books, which will be your guide for making levy, viz. : Real estate, $142,583.18; personal property, $56,621.00; total, $199,204.18. "(Signed), JOHN LILLY, Assessor of Summers County." J. T. Huffman, president; S. W. Willey and James Sims, com missioners, and J. B. Lavender, secretary, comprised the Board of Education under which the new building was erected on Temple Street. The present board, Wm. H. Sawyers, president ; R. E. Noel and J. D. Roles, commissioners, and W. E. Price, secretary, have been untiring in their efforts to make this the best school in the State. Especial care has been taken to make the sanitary conditions good ; much new furniture and apparatus have been recently added, until now the buildings and grounds and appointments are valued at $150,000. The enrollment is now 825, with an average daily attendance of 700. The school consists of the primary grade and the high school department. John D. Sweeney was appointed as the first superintendent of Hinton Schools in the fall of 1900; H. F. Fleshman, who held the position for a period of four years, during which time the school made rapid progress. Mr. Fleshman was succeeded by I. B. Bush in the fall of 1904, who is now in charge of the city schools, with a corps of twenty-one well-equipped teachers, four of which number are in the high school department. The high school course consists of four full years' work, and graduates are admitted to a number of our leading universities and colleges without examination. Scholarships have been awarded to its graduates by Washington, Lee and Tulane Universities. The following schools are represented by their graduates in the high school corps of teachers : West Virginia- University, Vanderbilt University, Dickinson College, Randolph-Macon Woman's College and Woman's College at Richmond. 300 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The grades are taught by eighteen well-equipped teachers, grad uates of seminaries, high and normal schools. Music and drawing were introduced in the fall of 1906, and great progress has been shown under competent supervisors who are in charge of these subjects. Prof. Bush is a ripe scholar, a genial gentleman, and to his un tiring energy is due the fact that, in the spring of 1906, the Board of Education submitted a proposition to issue bonds for $25,000 for the erection of an additional high school building, which bond issue carried by an overwhelming majority, and the board has now under process of construction a new building on a site costing $10,000, which, when completed and furnished will add $75,000 to the value of the high school property. GRADED SCHOOLS. Graded schools have been established as follows : In the town of Avis, in 1891, with two teachers, to which has since been added two more; and in 1905 this school was made a branch of the high school. Prof. H. O. Curry is now principal, with three well- equipped teachers as assistants. Prof. Curry is a ripe scholar, and to him is due the present high standing of this school. At Green Sulphur Springs, with Miss Ella George, a lady of splendid attainments, as principal, with one assistant teacher. At New Richmond, with Miss Irene Hoke as principal, with one assistant teacher. At Talcott, Prof. M. E. Carden as principal, with, at the present time, only one associate teacher, but the growing interest will, in the near future, make necessary the employment of two more. At Jumping Branch, with Mr. Lee Harper, a teacher of several years' experience, as principal, with one assistant. This school has been, since its establishment, doing good work, and the citizens are very proud, and ere long the increasing enrollment will make nec essary additional teachers. The Hinton Colored School, established as a graded school in 1897, employing four teachers. This school is well appointed and affords a means by which the colored youth are acquiring a splen did education. Graduates from this school are admitted in the leading colored schools of the country. The school building, grounds, furniture and apparatus are valued at $10,000. These schools are all doing good work, and in the near future it will be necessary to establish other graded schools in the county. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 301 A new high school building is now in course of construction in Avis, at a cost of $30,000, Greenbrier District having voted $25,000 in bonds in 1906 for its erection. It is of brick, with latest heating and sanitary equipments. The lot was purchased from the James Brothers for $8,200,00. Theodore S. Webb was also one of the later teachers, as were also J. Houston Miller, now president of the Waxahachie National Bank in Texas, Miss Mary B. Miller, C. L. Miller, W. N. McNeer, R. W. Clark, later a member of the Board of Examiners and a jus tice of the peace, George P. Scott, David Bowles, Jr., and H. F. Kesler, twice county superintendent. CHAPTER XVII. CHURCHES. The first church in all the region of the Talcott country was a log church which stood within 200 yards of where the residence of Ben R. Boyd now stands, on top of the Little Bend Tunnel. It was a Union Church, worshiped in by all denominations; built of logs, covered with boards, and was burned prior to the Civil War and never rebuilt, but a new church — Pisgah — a Methodist house of worship, was built on top of the Big Bend Tunnel, where the pres ent Pisgah Church now stands. All the original churches were log buildings and of the most primitive character, covered with clapboards, built from the trees of the forest by the people of the community, who joined in aiding for miles around. The first frame church built in the county was the Methodist Church at Pipestem — Jordan's Chapel — built before the war, and named for the family of Hon. Gordan L. Jordan. The first missionary Baptist Church in the New River or Green- brier Valleys was established about one mile above the mouth of Muddy Creek, and is known as the Old Greenbrier Baptist Church, in what is now North Alderson, founded by John Alderson, the pioneer missionary Baptist minister, west of the Allegheny Moun tains. He was the pastor of the Lynnville Baptist Church of Rock ingham County, Virginia, from 1775 to 1777. Rev. Alderson made three visits into the regions west of the Alleghenies and baptized three persons, John Griffith, who was killed afterwards by the In dians, and Mrs. Keeney. We are unable to secure the name of the third. They were the first persons ever baptized by immersion in the Greenbrier River. He brought his family and settled in 1777. When he had gotten as far as Jackson's River on his way, he learned of an Indian attack on the Colonel James Graham settlement, where Lowell now stands, and that one of Colonel Graham's family had been killed, so he delayed until October. He first located on Wolf Creek, at Jarret's Fort, but shortly after built his cabin where the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 303 Alderson Hotel now stands, and which is occupied by one of his descendants, John W. Alderson. In two years he had gathered a congregation of twelve ¦ members, and called his organization a branch of the Lynnville Church. He thus operated until the 22d of October, when he established the old Greenbrier Baptist Church, and the next year he had it admitted to the Ketocton Association. Measures were taken to build the first church in 1783, and in July following the building was occupied for public worship. Members joined for thirty miles around, and regularly attended the monthly meeting held on Saturday and Sunday of each month. This church and the whole of the town of Alderson and North Alderson are within the territorial limits of Summers County, but it has not oc cupied it and never exercised dominion or jurisdicton over it be cause it was not known to be within the county lines establishing the county until the time had elapsed in which it could assume or assert dominion by reason of its legislative-created authority. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH, HINTON. The Hinton Circuit was formed 1872, and is a part of and within the Baltimore Conference. The preachers in charge were as fol lows : H. M. Leslie, 1872 and 1873 ; W. M. Hiner, 1873 and 1874 Vincent M. Wheeler, 1874 and 1875 ; O. F. Burgess, 1875 and 1876 Alfred Gearhart, 1876 and 1877; O. F. Burgess, 1877 and 1878 Henry S. Coe, 1878 and 1880; Henry D. Bishop, 1880 and 1881 John A. Anderson, 1881 and 1883 ; David L. Reid, 1883 and 1885 J. L. Follansbee, 1885 and 1887. In 1887 Hinton was made a sta tion, Presley V. Smith, 1887 and 1888; J. Lester Shipley, 1888 and 1891; Charles L. Dameron, 1891 and 1892; O. C. Beale, 1892 and 1896; Henry A. Brown, 1896 and 1900; J. R. Van Horn, 1900 and 1903; L. L. Lloyd, 1903, and is still in charge in 1907. The first house used was the old frame public school building situated where Dr. Holley's hospital is now located, which was occupied until the First Baptist Church was erected in 1876, after which it was used jointly with the other denominations until the First Meth odist Church was built in 1880, .which was a one-story frame build ing about 30 by 50 feet, and which has, since it was abandoned as a church, been used as a printing office by the Independent Herald and for school purposes. About 1890 the large modern brick build- 304 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ing was completed and has since been used as the house of worship by this denomination. It is a large modern building, heated by steam, with a basement for social gatherings, the costliest church in the county. The General Conference of the church was held in this building in March, 1895, presided over by Bishop Wilson. The present pastor, Rev. L. L. Lloyd, with the completion of the pres ent year will have been located at this church for his full term of four years. He is one of the best pastors ever provided for this or any other congregation. The cornerstone for the first Methodist Episcopal Church, South. church building was laid by the Masons on the 18th of December, 1876, by Ex-Gov. Judge Geo. W. Atkinson, Grand Secretary of West Virginia. The corner-stone of the present brick edifice was also laid with imposing Masonic ceremonies and a number of valu able coin, papers, etc., deposited. INDIAN MILLS BAPTIST CHURCH. This organization was effected September 3, 1887. T. H. Fitz gerald was the first moderator of the council. Absolem D. Bolton was chosen first pastor, and served the church for a long term, until November 4, 1899, when he resigned by reason of the failure of his health. George W. Leftwich was elected first clerk of the church, which position he has very ably filled from the date of its organization September 3, 1887, until the present time. Rev. A. A. McClelland was the second pastor, and addressed the spiritual affairs of that organization from December 2, 1899 to May 4, 1901, after which Rev. H. McLaughlin was elected pastor from January 1, 1901, to May 6, 1905, at which time his resignation was accepted, and the church then accepted the Rev. J. B. Cham bers, who is the present moderator, pastor, and in full charge of the church. Rev. Chambers is not only in charge of this church, but minis ters to several other churches ; he is a man of fine ability and Chris tian character, and is now residing at the mouth of Greenbrier River. We are in receipt of the data of this church through the cour tesy of Mr. George W. Leftwich, who is one of the oldest school teachers of the state, and an ex-county superintendent of free schools of this county. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 305 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HINTON. This church was organized in the month of June, 1874, by a commission appointed by the old Greenbrier Presbytery, which consisted of Rev. J. C. Barr, D. D., of Charleston, W. Va. ; Ruling Elder James Withrow, of Lewisburg, and Messrs. Carl A. Frede king, E. A. Weeks and Hiram Scott, of Hinton, who constituted the first actual session, with the following members: Mrs. Hiram Scott, Mrs. Wills and Mrs. C. A. Sperry. The congregation owned no church property at the date of the organization of the church, but occupied one Sunday out of the month at the First Baptist Church. During the first year of the church history it was supplied monthly by ministers appointed by the Presbytery. In 1875, Rev. P. E. Brown, a student of the Pres byterian Theological Seminary, supplied the pulpit for four months. In 1876, the first regular pastor was called, Rev. H. R. Laird, remaining until September, 1878. Mr. Laird was a very scholarly gentleman and a good theologian, but like many other eminent men, was somewhat forgetful. One Sunday evening, he preached from a certain text, and at his next meeting, the month following, preached the sermon from the same text, having forgotten that he had previously used that text. Following Rev. Laird, Rev. L. A. McLain became the pastor in June, 1880, and continued until August, 1884. Rev. J. W. Wightman, D. D., was called in 1884, and remained pastor until the date of his death, in June, 1889. Dr. Wightman was the father of our townsman, Mr. Henry Wightman, and of Mrs. John Haynes. The family of Dr. Wightman still resides in this city. Rev. J. W. Holt was called on December 20, 1889, and continued pastor until September, 1900, at which date he resigned, accept ing a call at Alderson, West Virginia, where he still resides. After the resignation of Mr. Holt, Rev. D. R. Frierson was called in May, 1901, and continued as pastor until Septeinber, 1903, at which date he resigned, and in August following, in 1904, Rev. D. W. Hol- lingsworth was called and is the present pastor of that church. The official boards of the church are, at this writing, as follows : Session: C. A. Fredeking-, Clerk; R. F. Dunlap, R. T. Dolin, J. W. Miller, Hi T. Smith. Board of Deacons: J. D. Humphries, Treasurer; C. B. Mahon, E. L. Briers, A. M. Erwin and P. W. Boggess. The church was organized with a membership of six; the pres- 306 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ent membership is 235. The Presbyterians were pioneers in church building and church organization in the city of Hinton. A lot was acquired for church purposes on Temple Street, on which a neat frame church was erected in 1882. C. A. Fredeking, the clerk of the session, is an ex-justice of the peace and retired merchant; R. F. Dunlap is an attorney-at-law ; R. T. Dolin an ex-employee of the C. & O. Railway and city ser geant for three consecutive terms, filling that position at this date; James W. Miller, proprietor of the Hotel Miller; H. T. Smith, a railway locomotive engineer. Of the Board of Deacons, J. D. Humphries, treasurer, is en gaged in the mercantile business; also Capt. C. B. Mahon, who is not only one of the leading merchants, but a vice-president and leading director in the Bank of Summers, and an ex-railroad con ductor ; E. L. Briers, merchant ; A. M. Erwin, clerk in the store of. C. B. Mahon; P. W. Boggess, a practicing attorney and insur ance agent. ROLLINSBURG BAPTIST CHURCH. This church was organized on August 29, 1868, by Rev. Martin Bibb, assisted by Rev. Rufus Pack and Rev. Henry C. Tinsley, three of the pioneer Baptist ministers of this section. On Sunday, August 30, 1868, the first pastor, Rev. H. C. Tinsley, was elected as pastor of the church, and served as such until Sep tember, 1870. On March 14, 1871, Rev. John Bragg was elected pastor, and served the church until April, 1873. On May 10, 1873, Rev. W. R. Williams was elected pastor, and served as such until Judy 19, 1874. Rev. James Sweeney was elected pastor Sun day, February 6, 1876, having preached and supplied that pulpit for some time before he was elected pastor. Rev. Sweeney served the church as pastor until September, 1877. Rev. Sweeney still survives, being now a resident of Beckley, and a remarkable man of the times, being now nearly eighty years old, but active, physi cally, and retaining his mental powers to a wonderful degree. Rev. M. Bibb preached for this church from February 10, 1878, until Oc tober 13, 1878. Rev. A. D. Bolton was appointed pastor April 27, 1879, and served as such until June 8, 1884. Shortly after this date, Rev. G. W. Wesley was called as pastor by a few members, and preached for the church until December 20, 1885. This is the same G. W. Wesley who at one time resided at the mouth of Greenbrier, and who for several years was pastor HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 307 of a number of churches in this region, including the Greenbrier Baptist Church, the Griffith's Creek Church and others. He was a native of Wyoming County, was noted for his rascality, and after wards served a term in the Kentucky penitentiary for bigamy. On Saturday, May 28, 1887, Rev. C. D. Kincaid was elected pastor, and served until December, 1892. Rev. Kincaid was a native of Lick Creek, and without any educational opportunities, became a very intelligent and conscientious minister of this church, serving a number of congregations faithfully until his death a few years ago. Shortly after Mr. Kincaid severed his connection with the church, Rev. G. W. Parker was appointed pastor, and served until May 7, 1893. Rev. AV. F. Hank was elected pastor August 6, 1893, and served as such until March 3, 1895. Mr. Hank is still a citizen of Summers County, owning and residing on an attractive home stead at Pack's Ferry. Rev. C. T. Kirtner was elected pastor March 22, 1896, preaching for the church, however, but a short time. On August 16, 1896, Rev. Walter Crawford, of Forest Hill District, was elected pastor, and continued and served as such until August, 1903, at which time Rev. A. D. McClelland was elected on February 12, 1905, and is the present pastor for that congregation. This is known as the Rollinsburg Baptist Church, having been founded when that was the name of the post office at that place and before the construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, and before the founding of the present thriving village of Talcott. ¦ This congregation now occupies a comfortable frame church building. I am under obligations to W. W. Jones, Esq., of Talcott, for the facts concerning the organization of this church, who was one of the pioneer settlers of that place. His brother, J. W. Jones, was the first clerk of that church, having been elected at its organiza tion, and served as such until September, 1875. On September 17, 1875, Mr. Jones was accidentally killed by a pistol shot, fired by himself in his storeroom at that place. He was a very enterprising and thrifty merchant. He, with his brother, W. W. Jones, estab lished the mercantile business on the opposite side of the river from the railroad at the old Rollinsburg storehouse, where they con tinued the business until the building of the railroad, when they removed to the present site of W. W. Jones, near the end of the new iron toll bridge, constructed at that point across Greenbrier River. W. W. Jones is one of the active members of this church congregation, and its advancement and success is greatly due to 308 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. his consistent enterprise. He is a good, conscientious, enterprising citizen. In 1907 the church was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, and the members are now securing funds to rebuild. LICK CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH. This church was organized by a few faithful Christian people at the residence of Mrs. Elizabeth Duncan, at the old Duncan place, on the Duncan Branch of Lick Creek, about half a mile from Green Sulphur Springs, on the 21st of August, 1832. This place is within a few hundred yards of the residence of Dr. Edgar E. Noel, and is owned by Messrs. J. P. and AV. T. Maddy. The church was organized by Elder William C. Ligon, and I get a somewhat full record of this old church, having been placed in possession of the church record, kept by Mr. Ephraim J. Gwinn, the father of M. and H. Gwinn, who was clerk of the church from June 14, 1848, until the 11th day of June, 1868, being succeeded by the late John Hix, and it is a pleasure, as well as a matter of interest, to show the character of this devout and Christian people, who were then settling in the vastness of almost a forest wilder ness. The members of this church at that time were regularly dismissed from the Amwell, Greenbrier and Cotton Hill churehes. "Church covenant made and entered into Tuesday, the 21st day of August, 1832, between the members of the Baptist Church of Christ, called Lick Creek. All whose names are enrolled in the record have been duly baptized on a profession of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, do hereby most solemnly and in fear of God, give ourselves unto the Lord and to each other, to be gov erned and regulated as a religious body in the manner following: "Art. I. We believe that the Church of Christ is not national but congregational, it being a body of faithful men and women quickened and called by the holy spirit of the world of the unre- generated,. and united together in love and mutual consent for comfort, support and edification of each other ; that our Lord Christ is the supreme head and law giver of his church, and his word their immediate rule or key, by which they can open and none can shut, or, shut and none can open, therefore, they have the sole right and privilege to govern themselves according to the holy Scriptures, and that no man or set of men, whether bishop synods, associations, or assemblies of ministers, have any right or power to impose church laws upon, or intermeddle with the privi leges of any particular church, such exercises of power, sayings of HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 309 anti-Christians, priest craft, and papal corruption, yet we have such assemblies, not only as lawful, but very useful when acting as advisory counsels, according to the Word of God. We shall therefore esteem it our 'hyest' privilege, as well as our duty, to fill our places in the Baptist Association. "Art. II. We hold it to be our indispensable duty to watch over each other; to keep up a regular gospel description; to sup port and hold as far as in us lies the light or glorious gospel of Christ before a dark and benighted world, and to this end, we do solemnly agree and promise, and in the presence of the living and heart-searching God, to endeavor to suppress every species of vicious immorality, and, especially, in our own families. "Art. III. As we acknowledge only one faith, one Lord and one Baptism, we ourselves bound by most solemn obligations to main tain, as far as we possibly can, the pure ordinance of the gospel church regarding the commands and examples of our glorious Redeemer, as the only lawful pattern, not turing aside from these to the right or the left, neither teaching for doctrines the vain tra ditions nor commandments of men." Elder (Rev.) William C. Ligon was the first pastor of this church. On June 17, 1848, Elder (Rev.) John Bragg was elected pastor, who ministered for many years to the spiritual wants of the people at a salary of $40.00 per annum. This was the same Rev. John Bragg who was elected deputy clerk of the county court, with Josephus Pack, the first clerk of the county. He moved to the west several years ago, when quite an old man, and was the father of Judson Bragg, who still resides near Pipestem post office. Rev. Bragg was a saintly man and did much for the cause of morality in this region of the country and for the Missionary Baptist Church. The contributions to the church for the associa tion for this year was $1.31. I notice that for a number of years this contribution was $1.25. Brother Joel Walker, a great hunter of that region, seems to have given the church trouble about these times on account of his thirst for strong drink, but with the patience and goodness of these devout people, his weakness was overlooked, and efforts made for his reformation. At the September meeting, 1849, this Brother Walker was charged with intoxication, preferred by Brother J. M. Hix. Shadrick Martin, the father of James H. Martin, Joseph Mar tin and Aiken Martin, who still'live in that community, and E. J. Gwinn were appointed a committee to expostulate and show Brother 310 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Walker the errors of his way and report on him. This committee, at a following session of the church, reported as follows : "Your committee have seen Brother Walker, and conferred with him concerning the charge of his being intoxicated. He acknowl edged the charge in tears and much apparent sorrow, and said he hoped the church would not turn him out; that he was determined to do better in the future to come, and that if they heard he was drunk again, it would be a false report." Whereupon, Mr. Walker was acquitted, but we find again at a later date, the brother confessed to a later similar charge, and was excommunicated. He and family left that region and settled in Braxton County, where his son, S. A. Sylvanus, is a minister of the gospel. On the 17th day of March, 1848, I find the following order en tered : "No attendance at church, neither by parson or members ; the measles raging in the neighborhood." The next pastor after Mr. Bragg was Rev. James Lewis Marshal, who retained his pastorate for a number of years, and throughout the period of the war, from 1861 to 1865, he also being a chaplain in the Confederate Army. After his resignation of his pastorate after the war, he removed into Wyoming County, where he died, my good friend, Dan Gunnoe, of Craney, having married one of his daughters, Miss Hettie. The first house of worship was a one-story log building on Lick Creek, near the residence of E. J. Gwinn, close to the Green Sulphur Springs, in 1850. This was the first church building ever erected in Green Sulphur District. It was about 30 x 50 feet, of hewn logs, with an aisle in the center. The ladies always sat on one side of the aisle and the gentlemen on the other during services. This old church was replaced by a neat frame structure in the year 1881, on the same site, E. J. Gwinn having donated a church lot to the Bap tists, and his son, H. Gwinn, having donated a lot to the Presby terian congregation. The next pastor was the' Rev. M. Bibb, well known to many citizens still residing in this county as one of the most learned and able preachers of the missionary Baptist denomination, being a scholar of fine attainments, learned in the Greek language, having taken up and mastered this language himself without a tutor. Rev. Bibb's last services before his death were for the congregation of the First Baptist Church in the city of Hinton. He married a daughter of Rev. Mathew Ellison, one of the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 311 pioneer Baptist preachers of West Virginia, who was a learned au thority in its doctrines. He died at a very advanced age at Aider- son, a few years ago. Rev. Mathew Ellison just referred to was the fourth pastor of this church, having been elected in 1866, and retained the same for many years at a salary of $100.00 per year, Mr. Bibb having been the pastor in 1855, at a salary of, first, $50.00, and then $75.00 a year. I notice that on the 27th day of June, 1855, C. B. Martin was expelled for lying; and another note was made by the clerk, show ing that about that time the highest waters on Lick Creek ever known, and for that reason no meetings were held at the regular appointments, which was in the spring of 1852. I also find that a charge of grievance was brought up against Sister Susan Allen, by Brother N. W. Nowel, in 1860, "for having her infant children sprinkled, sprinkling being against Baptist faith, practice" and order. Therefore, on motion, a committee of three brethren, to-wit: N. W. Nowel, John Hix and C. D. Kincaid, were appointed to go and see Sister Allen, and learn her reasons, if any she has, for so doing, and report the same to the church at their monthly session in November, next month." At the next meeting the committee reported as follows : "Reference case of Sister Allen was then brought before the church; the report of the committee being heard, they are dismissed." Ayes and nays were then called for by the moderator, which resulted, by a unanimous vote, in ex cluding Sister Susan Allen from the fellowship of the church for having her infant children sprinkled against Baptist faith and prac tice, and the order excommunicating Mrs. Allen, stating that she didn't regret what she had done, and would do the same again when the circumstances required it. I notice a number of the records are written by Rev. Lewis Marshal, one of which I take the liberty of quoting, as follows: "Resolved, That all persons resting under heavy charges of im morality are hereby against the November session to come up and- prove themselves clear, otherwise lay themselves liable to excom munication." C. B. Martin, on June 27, 1855, was expelled from the church by the congregation for lying. There have been numerous pastors of the church from time to time, and the church organization remains in continuation to the present time, Rev. Chambers being the present pastor. The names of many of the old citizens of that section, amongst thenT being, in addition to those named, Lewis Kincaid, John Duncan, 312 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Joseph Fink, Anderson Miller, L. M. Alderson, who was one of the chief stays of the organization and a very excellent citizen. These good people undertook to settle all differences between their mem bers, and I notice at one time there was a trial between Anderson Miller and Joseph Fink concerning a liability claimed by the former from the latter on account of a colt, in which a committee was appointed, heard the evidence, and decided the case in favor of Mr. Fink. Rev. H. N. Fink, of New Richmond, an excellent citizen and pastor of the Baptist Church, was the son of Joseph Fink, who has long since died. About 1875, the Presbyterian congregation erected a handsome and comfortable frame church near the Baptist Church on that creek, of which Rev. Parker is now the pastor, and has been for several years. One of the first pastors of that church was Rev. Jacob H. Lewis, of Muddy Creek, one of the oldest and best Chris tian characters ever known to any people. No other denominations have ever had any church organizations in that community except the Southern Methodists, who have never built a house of worship, they occupying the Presbyterian Church. The largest number of the citizens by very considerable being of the missionary Baptist faith. At one time, a few years ago, a Mormon elder, claiming to oper ate under the title of the Church of God, created an organization between Green Sulphur and New Richmond, occupying a public schoolhouse, which flourished for a number of years, having a number of converts, but which organization has long since gone down and disappeared. KELLER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. This church is located at Lowell Depot, on Greenbrier River, near the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, and is named after the old settlers of that community, the first being Conrad Keller. This church was organized December 1, 1887, by a committee of the Greenbrier Presbytery, and was at that time within the bounds of Centerville Presbyterian Church. The committee organizing this church was composed of Rev. Dr. Wightman, of Hinton, then pastor of the Presbyterian Church of that town, Rev. Jacob H. Lewis, of Muddy Creek', Greenbrier County, and Elder James Mann, of Alderson, Dr. Wightman being the moderator. There were twenty-six names enrolled at the organization. The first records of that church are made in HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 313 what I take to be the handwriting of the Hon. Wm. Haynes, the name of the church being selected as "Keller Church" at that time, and the following officers were elected, to-wit : elders, John Hinch man and William Haynes; deacon, Henry F. Kesler; Rev. Jacob H. Lewis was unanimously selected as the first pastor of that church, it being arranged that he should preach at Keller's Church and Riverview on the same Sunday, preaching twice a month, beginning on the 25th day of December, 1887. William Haynes was the clerk of the organization, and was afterwards made clerk of the church. William Haynes was the first representative from the church to the Presbytery, and was appointed on the 16th day of Septem ber, 1888. The second pastor was Rev. E. D. Jeffries, and the Lowell and Alderson Churches were grouped together. The first financial statement made by Deacon H. F. Kesler, who reported for the benevolent boards, $24.49. Home missions, $8.00; educa tion, $8.00; foreign missions, $6.00; publication, $2.50. The amount paid the first pastor, Mr. Lewis, for his services was $37.00. On the third day of March, 1889, George Keller was elected an elder, and J. Wm. Gwinn and James Gwinn, deacons. The first administration of the Lord's Supper was administered on this date. George Keller was the next representative to the Presbytery, with William Haynes, alternate. Wm. Haynes was appointed by the meeting delegate to the Synod, and John Hinchman, alternate. Rev. Geo. T. Lyle was the third pastor of this church, and served the same one Sunday of each month, preaching the same date at Riverview, for which he was paid the salary of $125.00. On the 19th day of July, the following testimonial was entered on the records of the church in regard to the death of Mr. John Hinchman : "Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God, in His infinite love and wisdom, to remove from the church militant to the church triumphant our friend and fellow member, John Hinchman ; and "Whereas, Our brother has been identified with the Presby terian Church as a member, deacon and ruling elder for more than fifty years ; therefore, resolved, "First. That our church has lost one of its chief supporters and brother, who, by his upright and consistent life of sixty-nine years, has stamped his impress upon this community, and of whom we believe it can be verily said, 'He walked with God.' "Second. That' a copy of these resolutions be sent to the be- 314 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. reaved family, and that they be spread on the church records and published in the 'Central Presbyterian and Monroe Watchman,' by order of the session. (Signed) : WM. HAYNES, Clerk." On the 11th day of August, 1896, Henry F. Kesler and James Gwinn, who was a son of Andrew Gwinn, were each elected elders, and John Hinchman and Andrew Campbell were each elected deacons, and they were duly ordained by Pastor G. T. Lyle, on the 17th day of October, 1896. At this date the minister's salary was $14.00 short, for the payment of which the officers proceeded im mediately to arrange. We give below the resolution of this church on the death of the Hon. Wm. Haynes, who -had been its clerk from its foundation to the 17th day of April, 1897: "Whereas, It has pleased the Lord Jesus Christ, the great head of the church, to take to Himself our beloved brother, William Haynes, and member of the session of this church and its only clerk since its organization. "Resolved, That what has been Brother Haynes's gain has been, as far as we can see, a severe loss to our church and session. Second. That we hereby give testimony to the faithfulness of Brother Haynes in the discharge of all duties, and our high appre ciation of him as a gentleman and a counselor in affairs, and as a follower of Christ. "Third. That we extend our sympathies to his bereaved family and forward them a copy of these resolutions, that they may have evidence of our high appreciation of the husband and father they have lost." Henry F. Kesler was elected at this date clerk of the church, and remains such to this day. The organ for this church was purchased during the year 1897. The Greenbrier Presbytery was entertained by this church at its session in 1898, and on the 19th day of February of that year James Gwinn, Andrew L. Campbell, John Hinchman, Jr., and H. F. Kes ler were selected as the trustees of the church, and certified to the circuit court for appointment. Rev. Geo. T. Lyle remained pastor of this church until his resignation on account of ill health, on December 16, 1899, and Rev. J. H. Lewis was again selected as pastor, which he accepted, afterwards resigning, and F. P. Syden- stricker was engaged as the present pastor of this church, who is still the pastor. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 315 The church edifice at this time consists of a neat frame build ing, which was built and completed just prior to the organization of the church in 1887, and was dedicated on June 26, 1887, the dedication sermon being preached by Rev. John Brown, then of Maiden, and now of Lewisburg. I am enabled to give the history of this church by the courtesy of Mr. James Gwinn, who kindly furnished me the records of the session ending January 20, 1900. Marshall Johnson has also been elected as an elder of the church. While this church building was owned by the Presbyterian denomination, they permitted its use once a month, when desired by the Methodists and other denominations, being an instance of the growing liberty and generosity of one Christian denomination towards another in these modern times. A church parsonage lot has been given by Mr. George Keller to the church as a donation, but no building has as yet been erected thereon. GREEN SULPHUR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. The Presbyterian Church at Green Sulphur Springs was organ ized June 19, 1881, with about twenty-six members, most, if not all, of whom were transferred from the McElhenney Presbyterian Church at Grassy Meadows, Greenbrier County. The first ruling elders were A. A. Miller, Michael Hutchinson and Dr. N. W. Noel, the last being clerk of session. Thos. A. George was deacon. He still holds that office. The church building was erected in 1880, and was dedicated October 16th of the same year, Rev. John C. Brown preaching the sermon. Long before the organization, Rev. John McElhenney, of Lewis burg, would occasionally preach to the people in a private house. Later, services were more regularly maintained in the Baptist church building by Rev. James Haynes, Rev. David S. Syden- stricker (now D. D.) and Rev. Jacob H. Lewis. Since organization the church has been served by the following ministers : Rev. Jacob H. Lewis 1881—1884 Rev. J. W. Wightman, D. D 1884—1889 Rev. Jacob H. Lewis 1889—1894 Rev. George T. Lyle 1894—1899 Rev. F. P. Sydenstricker 1899—1903 Rev. N. A. Parker 1904 — present 316 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. FAIRVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH. The Fairview Baptist Church at Forest Hill, Summers County, West Virginia, was organized under the name of "Little Wolf Creek Baptist Church" on the 21st day of May, 1859. Rev. W. G. Margrave, Rev. M. Ellison, Rev. John Bragg and Rev. Rufus Pack composed the Presbytery, with Rufus Pack as chairman and G. W. Peters, secretary. This church was organized with twenty-five members, with John Bragg as pastor and James A. Hutchinson, church clerk; John Woodrum, James Ferell and James K. Scott, deacons. The pastorate of Rev. John Bragg continued from the organi zation to January, 1862. The Civil War being in progress, the church had no pastor from January, 1862, till May, 1863, when Rev. Rufus Pack was elected pastor, preaching only on Sundays, and only occasionally on account of the war. Beginning with August 3, 1866, the church held reguiar services, with Rev. Rufus Pack as pastor, who con fined in this capacity till January, 1873. At the February meeting in 1873, Rev. James Sweeney was chosen pastor, and he served the church faithfully till September, 1875. In December, 1875, Rev. A. D. Bolton was elected pastor, serv ing the church regularly till December, 1882. Rev. G. W. Wesley was the pastor from October, 188.3, till August, 1885. Rev. W. F. Hank was called to the pastorate, and served in this capacity from August, 1885, till July, 1893. Rev. J. B. Chambers began his work as pastor June, 1894, and was succeeded in 1897 by Rev. J. W. Crawford, who continued as pastor till September, 1903. The pastorate of Rev. H. McLaughlin began January, 1904, and ended with the year. The church then called Rev. J. B. Chambers for the second time, and who is now the pastor. A. Mr Hutchinson, church clerk, to whom I am indebted for information. Charles Garten, Sen. A. M. Hutchinson, Major James Hutch inson, J. C. Woodson, H. A. and J. D. Bolton and others were members and strong supporters of this church. A substantial frame church was erected at Forest Hill some twenty years ago by the efforts of these and other members. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 317 ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH. This church was organized on the 25th day of April, 1874, by Father D. P. Walsh, who remained its pastor for more than twenty- five years. He proceeded, in the early days of the town, to select with excellent judgment the lot, 50 x 140 feet, and procured from the C. & O. Railroad a deed on the 26th of May, 1874, for which he paid $100.00, and the lot was conveyed for church purposes, B. R. Dunn being the negotiator, "for what has eventually become one of the best and most desirable lots in the city of Hinton, for his church buildings, and Father Walsh proceeded in 1878 to erect thereon a one-story frame house of worship, with rooms for the pastor connected therewith. (The same has recently been remod eled, and is now occupied by the present pastor, and Heflin, Lively & Higginbotham, as law offices.) This church building was occupied until 1898, when a new, modern brick church was erected, with basement, the construction being superintended by Father Werniger. The pastors since the resignation- of Father Walsh have been Fathers Gormerly, Sulli van and Swint, the present pastor in charge, and who has been in charge since the first of the year 1905. The bell was placed in the church in the fall of that year. This was the first Catholic organi zation in all this region of the State. Father Walsh, as he is familiarly known, is still a resident of this city, and is one of the old pioneers of the town and the Catholic organizer throughout this section. He ministered to all Catholics from Alderson west to Kanawha Falls, and from Beckley to Spring- dale. And it was under Father Walsh and his supervision that the Catholic Church of St. Kerrens, at Springdale, Fayette County, was erected, and the Church of St. Coleman, on Irish Mountain, in Raleigh County, was constructed. He is a native of Ireland, emi grating to this country in his younger days ; was educated for the priesthood at St. Vincent's College, AA^heeling. He was the mis sionary Catholic pastor for all this region above mentioned, from the 29th day of April, 1874, until his acceptance of a pastorate in another mission in 1897, having been installed by Bishop Whalan, the first Bishop of Wheeling, and he is justly entitled to the name of the "Father of Catholicism" in all this region of the State, travel ing over mountains, ministering to the spiritual wants and welfare of the Catholics wherever they may be found, whether in congre gations or in separate families, situated in isolated locations in the mountains and what was then a practical wilderness. 318 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. After his change of location, he for a short time was transferred to a church at RoUesburg, Preston County, but soon afterwards returned to Hinton, being attached to his old town, and is now and has remained a citizen of this city, much beloved by his old parishioners and those friends who know him best. One of the first, if not the first, Catholic families to settle within the limits of the county was James Hurley, a native of Ireland, who bought 400 acres of land on the Lick Creek side of the high est part of Keeney's Knob, where he raised a family of six children — Morris L., who emigrated to Kansas and died ; William, who now lives in Kansas, and Michael, who lives in Raleigh County, arid Nora, Mary and Bridget, who married Joseph Dick. They were thrifty and devout people. Another Catholic settlement was made by Irish emigrants on the. mountain above Elton, consisting of the Hurleys, Twohigs, Connellys and McGuires. These pioneer Catholic settlers were visited by Father Wallace, an itinerant priest from White Sulphur and Lewisburg. The only Catholic Church in the county or ever organized therein, is that of St. Patrick's in Hinton, founded by Father AValsh. TALCOTT M. E. CHURCH SOUTH. This charge was organized in 1883. The first preacher in charge was Rufus M.Wheeler, who remained for one year, and those preach ers in charge since that date are as follows : J. L. Hendersen, three years; S. S. Troy, one year; T. J. Miller, two years; I. J. Michael, one year ; J. J. Crickenberger, three years ; J. G. May, four years ; H. A. Wilson, four years; C. B. LeFew, one year; H. Lawson, one year; S. R. Snead,. three years, and is the present pastor. A comfortable parsonage has been acquired, the title to which is held by B. L. Kessler, J. F. Leftwich, Granger Holstine, Richard McNeer and Jas. M. Allen, trustees, confirmed by the circuit court February 2, 1895. All of these trustees are the descendants of pioneer settlers in this section. B. L. Kessler is a son of Abraham C. Kessler; J. F. Leftwich, a son of David Leftwich; Granger Holstine, the son of Thomas Holstine, who has for many years been one of the mainstays and principal retainers of the Methodist Episcopal Church South in this county. He married a Kincaid, one of the descendants of the old settler, and whose wife inherited one of the interests in the town upon which Talcott is located, and was a party to the famous Carnes case, but had no interest therein at that time by reason of her having aliened her title long HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 319 before. Richard McNeer, a citizen of Forest Hill, is a descendant of the ancient McNeer family of Monroe. Jas. M. Allen is a son of the old Methodist patriarch, Nathaniel Allen, of Pisgah. A neat frame house of worship was erected soon after the or ganization of the church on the bank of the Greenbrier. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT FOREST HILL. This church was organized a number of years before the war. The first church building was a log house on the site where the present frame house stands. The frame church was dedicated in 1860 by Rev. Phelps, a famous Methodist presiding elder who lived at Lewisburg. It was then in Peterstown Circuit and a part of the Baltimore Conference. The church building was one of the very first frame churches ever built in the county, and it was part of the property over which there was strenuous litigation after the war, it being claimed by the southern branch of the church, but the title was in the mother church. In 1867 the southern church was or ganized at Forest Hill by Rev. Caddin Wiseman, who was the first preacher. He was on the circuit for one year, and was succeeded by Rev. Snapp, then by Rev. Troy, Rev. John Canter, Rev. Rufus M. Wheeler, who served five years, in the Peterstown Circuit four, and Talcott Circuit, one, which latter circuit was constructed at the time and Forest Hill included therein. Reverends J. Kyle Gilbert, J. L. Henderson, Michael, G. S. Mayes, La Few, and Rev. Snead being the present pastor. This church was used for many years by justices of the peace to hold their courts and by public speakers for political meetings and other public purposes. Celebrated ora tors, such as Senator Frank Hereford, Captain R. F. Dennis, Henry Mason Matthews, and other noted statesmen have ad dressed the people therein. In the church lot is located one of the oldest graveyards in the county, and many of the pioneer settlers are buried there. This graveyard is at least seventy-five years old. Rev. Adam P. Boude, the eloquent minister, preached his first sermon in this church. As stated above, the church property belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church before the Civil War and before the split in that church by which the M. E. Church South was created. The old organization after the war took pos session, locked the building against ministers and people of the new organization, which was formed about 1867, but these radical members moved off to Ohio, and those remaining being of a more liberal, tolerant and conservative disposition, the doors were later 320 HISTORY OF SUMMERS. COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. thrown open in a true Christian spirit, and the Church South has for many years had full use of the building, controlling the same, the legal title remaining in the northern branch of the church, of which members are very few at this time, some twelve in number. The Church South at that place has a membership of seventy. The church building is one of the best in the county. It was used for many years as a place for holding the elections. At that time the voters for many miles around went to Forest Hill to vote. It was then known as the "Farms." The Bucklands and Grimmetts from Big Creek, the voters to the mouth of Greenbrier, and ex tending to the Red Sulphur Springs, came to Forest Hill to vote. Later, Indian Mills precinct was established, the large grist mill now owned by C. A. Baber and others was built, and it divided the honors with Forest Hill. At Forest Hill there has been as many as two stores for many years. It had a large tobacco fac tory at one time, and there is a strong Missionary Baptist Church congregation at that place, also at which there is a cemetery, and in the yard of which is the monument to Mike Foster, the brave Confederate soldier, was unveiled in 1907. INDIAN MILLS CHRISTIAN CRURCH. I am unable to give as complete a record of this church as it is entitled to, but give the best information which I am able to ascer tain. I am under obligations to Rev. G. AV. Ogden, a very promi nent citizen of Raleigh County and an able minister of the Christian Church, and to Mr. Wm. A. Lowe, of Indian Mills, for facts we are enabled to present. This church was organized at Indian Mills in the year 1865, by Messrs. Ballard and Cowgill, with an original membership of fifteen communicants. There has been during the intervening years as many as 200 members added from time to time, many of whom have died, while others have removed and sought new homes in other sections of the country, and are not now residents of the county and State. Church property of the value of $800 has been acquired, and the congregation now occupies a neat, comfortable frame church at the Mills, mouth of Bradshaw's Run, and the title is held by deed to the trustees. Among the regular pastors were Rev. Pow hatan B. Baber, the father of Charles A. Baber; Rev. James D. Johnston, Rev. A. T. Maupin and Rev. C. H. Poage. Many protracted meetings have been held at this church, some HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 321 by the regular pastors and others by evangelists, including Rev erends J. D. Hamaker, Arthur Thorns, R. W. Lilly and J. C. Reynolds. CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH. Rev. Wilbur F. Hank, who is mentioned in this narrative, is a native of Monroe County, now living at Land Crafts Ferry. He is a son of an ancient Monroe family, the son of Rev. Jehu Hank, a Methodist (E. South), who was known far and wide for his great ability as a singer and musician, and his son is endowed with the same accomplishment ; besides, he is an eloquent and practical missionary Baptist minister. He owns a handsome residence and has reared an accomplished family, one son being a Baptist min ister at Kenova, and who married Miss Haynes, a daughter of Joseph N. Haynes; another son is an employee of the C. & O. Railway as agent at Belva, AV. Va. Mr. Hank has many times been urged to becofne a candidate for the Legislature by his Demo cratic friends, but has declined. He is a prominent and useful citizen. The Central Baptist Church of Hinton was organized in the old Bruce Hall, which was afterwards remodeled, and is now known as Hotel Miller, in 1894. The first pastor was Rev. Mullaney, a minister from Pennsylvania. After using the old Bruce Hall for some time, the Opera House of Col. J. A. Parker was rented, which was occupied as a church for six months, at which time the church purchased the building on the corner of Second and Ballangee Streets, now occupied by Charlton & Grimmett as a storeroom, which was fitted up and occupied as a church for some time. Later, this property was sold, and a lot 48 x 70 feet purchased from James H. Miller on Ballangee Street, on which a modern frame church building was erected. Mr. Mullaney undertook to operate the politics of the city of Hinton, and became quite unpopular, although a very interesting and eloquent preacher, so that his pastorate continued for only about one year. The next pastor was Rev. C. T. Kirtner, a native of Mercer County, who married a daughter of Mr. Joseph Nowlin, of Pence's Springs. He was the first pastor to occupy the pulpit of the new church building, and did excellent work for- his congre gation while pastor. The third pastor was Rev. George Spencer, of Philadelphia, who remained with the church about two years, and then resigned. After his resignation Rev. A. A. McClelland was called by the 322 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. congregation, and served them satisfactorily for two years, resign ing of his own accord, after which the present pastor, Rev. H. W. Stoneham, was called, and took charge. Rev. Stoneham resigned in 1905, to accept a more advantageous call at the old Sweet Springs Church, in Monroe County. The church, from the date of its organization, has continually grown. It encumbered its property with a large debt upon its organization, which it has been gradually decreasing. George W. Thomas, J. A. Graham, Joseph Grady, of the gentlemen, and Mrs. E. A. Gooch, Mrs. Julia Huddleston, Mrs. A. H. Phillips and Mrs. G. W. Thomas, of the ladies, are active and leading members of this congregation and in the church work. The first trustees were : Geo. W. Thomas, J. A. Graham and Joseph Grady. This church organization originatel from a "split" in the First Baptist Church, by reason of dissensions growing out of the calling of Rev. W. W. Smith, an evangelist who had formerly held a great revival in the city of Hinton. A portion of the congregation of the First Baptist Church were dissatisfied with the calling of Mr. Smith, whose call, however, was regular and by a majority of the church members. The minority, however, refused to accede to the action of the majority, and formed a separate organization, having au thority as provided under the rules and regulations of the Mission ary Baptist Church. The baptistry for this church was erected in 1907, through the enterprise of its lady members, and the church debt eliminated, which was also largely due to those devout lady members. Rev. Hall is the present pastor by recent election in 1907. OAK GROVE M. E. CHURCH SOUTH. This church is about three miles from Talcott, and is a neat frame church, which has been built in recent years to take the place of the old log church which was one of the first built in the county. The trustees are Thomas J. Holstine and AVilson Maddy, confirmed in 1880. Both are descendants of old settlers. Mr. Thomas J. Hol stine is one of the pillars of the Methodist Church in this county, and one of the. county's best citizens. He married a Miss Kincaid, a descendant of the old settler at Talcott. He resides on the Big Bend Mountain, near the Pisgah Church, of which he is one of the principal retainers. Richard McNeer is a direct descendant of the old settler of Monroe of that name. This county had within its HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 323 borders, and has to this day, as pure a type of Americanism as any county within the Commonwealth. There are a few that even to this day might be deemed foreigners — that is, those who came direct from foreign lands — as will be noticed from the names of persons holding important positions, as in this case of MeNeer and Holstine. Rev. Sneed is the present pastor. Squire W. C. Hedrick and J. F. Leftwich are active officers of the church, which is situated at Ballengee Post Office. BLUESTONE BAPTIST CHURCH. The Bluestone Baptist Church, now located at Jumping Branch, was organized in the year 1798, in the house of Rev. Josiah Meador, on Little Bluestone River. The house was a double log cabin, with a dirt floor, where the people met to worship for several years. Eventually a rude log house was built. It had but one door and no windows. In this building they worshiped for many years. The membership was small and scattered from the mouth of East River, in Giles County, Virginia, to the marshes of Coal, in Raleigh County. Although living so far from the place of wor ship, these people gathered on Friday evening before their regu lar appointment and stayed until Monday, having preaching twice on Saturday and twice on Sunday. Monday morning at an early hour they started for their homes, thankful for the privilege of meeting each other and worshiping the God of their fathers. Rev. Josiah Meador was their first pastor, who served them for several years. He was succeeded by Rev. Rev. Jackson Keaton. After a long, successful pastorate Rev. James Ellison became their pastor. He was the father of the late Matthew Ellison, and his pastorate was a successful one. As the country was being settled the membership seemed to drift towards Jumping Branch, and a log house was built near that place, which was burned. The people came together and built another on the same foundation. In after years they built a log house on the hill near the old Lilly farm, which was burned by the Federal troops in time of the war. In the burning of this house all of the old records were destroyed. Rev. Matthew Ellison became its pastor. He was succeedeed by Rev Rufus Pack, who served them until he moved West. Rev. John Bragg also served the church as pastor, perhaps before Rev. Rufus Pack. After Rev. Rufus Pack, Rev. Lewis Kincaid was pastor, and served the church until his death. He preached his last sermon in the church that now stands at Jumping Branch. 324 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. He complained of not being well? and after preaching Sunday morn ing, he mounted his horse and rode to the home of Allen Mead ows, on New River, and was not able to go home, and after a week or more of suffering he died. Rev. R. H. Stuart then became the pastor. His pastorate was short. He was succeeded by Rev. A. D. Bolton. In the spring of 1890, W. F. Hank was called to the pastorate, and served them until January, 1906, and to his cour tesy I am indebted for information concerning this church. A new, neat and comfortable frame church is now in use by this congregation. Mr. G. F. Meadows, the merchant, is one of the "pillars" of that church. He devotes much of his best energies for its progress and advancement, and occasionally fills the pulpit acceptably to the congregation, being a good minister, as well as a good merchant. CHAPTER XVIII. HOTELS. At the beginning there were, of course, no hotels in the county, nor what may be termed boarding houses. A number of the citizens took out licenses for what was called private entertainment, as Hon. Gordon Jordan, of Pipestem, did, and entertained a great number of persons passing through to Princeton and Mercer County. The attorneys from Monroe and Greenbrier who attended the Mercer courts almost universally "stopped with" Mr. Jordan. Among these were U. S. Senator Frank Hereford, of Union; Col. Jas. W. Davis, of Lewisburg; Senator John E. Kenna, of Charles ton, as well as, frequently, the judges. Mr. Jordan kept "open house" on his farm near Pipestem, a kind of half-way point. Rev. Rufus Pack, who lived on the Plumley farm, at the lower end of which was the old log house, the first court house ; James Keatley, at mouth of Indian ; John A. Richmond, at mouth of Lick Creek ; Dr. John G. Manser, at mouth of Greenbrier; Nick Deeds (C. B.), at Jumping Branch. Each kept houses of entertainment, for which they had license from the county court now corresponding to our modern hotels. Also C. E. Stevenson at the brick house near Jump ing Branch. .] Mrs. M. S. Gentry opened' up the first boarding house in Hin ton in the old Hinton log house, where Joe and Silas were born. The first hotel was built by W. C. Ridgeway, one of the first set tlers, who erected a three-story frame hotel on the site of the corner of Third Avenue and Front Street, now familiarly known as "Scrap per's Corner," owned by Mrs. R. S. Tyree. Mr. Ridgeway was something of a notorious character, being a Democrat, without religious connections; warm and generous of heart; a liquor seller, whether license was granted or not, and indicted many times. It was, without confirmation, claimed that Mr. Ridgeway vended his own spirits in the basement of his hotel, and that he therein oper ated a moonshine distillery. Several years after the erection of this building it was destroyed by fire, and in the basement were a lot 326 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. of irons and pipes which may have been a distillery. If so, it was not discovered by the lynx-eyed officers of Uncle Sam. About the same time that this building was constructed the Wickham House was built on the opposite corner by M. A. Riffe, now owned by Col. J. A. Parker. This was owned and operated a number of years by M. A. Riffe, a son of D. M. Riffe,- and was considered a fine hotel in those days. Perkins & Sprowel, about the same time, built the New River Hotel, lower down on Front Street, where the Perkins Hotel is now standing (now owned by H. Ewart), and which is operated and known as the Chesapeake Hotel, being a three-story brick, with an "L" on Fourth Avenue, having about forty rooms. The old Sprowel & Perkins building was a long two-story building. A. B. Perkins, one of the first settlers of Hinton, and now residing in the city of Parkersburg, was the builder of this old hotel, and, later, the Chesapeake on the same site and he also built the brick hotel at the ferry opposite the present old frame freight depot, about 1885. Furgeson Brothers, early in the eighties, built a three-story brick hotel on Third Avenue, across the alley from the D. H. Peck property, where the "Hinton Leader" office is now operated. How ever, one of the first, if not the very first, hotels in the city of Hinton was the building of J. M. Carden, now occupied as an apartment house, opposite the court house. This was known as the Hotel Hotchkiss, and was operated for some time by John M. Carden as proprietor. The only hotel ever operated in Upper Hinton or Avis was the old Sperry House, which was one of the first, and is the house long since abandoned as a hotel and used as a residence, owned by the Wm. James Sons Co., above the Silas Hinton home stead at the Upper Ferry. This house was entirely surrounded by the flood of 1878, but little damage^ however, was done to it. The Brunswick Inn, a frame structure near the present passen ger depot, was erected by H. Ewart. All of the original hotels were wooden houses. Wickham House (Riffe's), the Hinton Hotel (Ridgeway's) , Central Hotel (Furgeson's), New River Hotel (Per- kin's), were all destroyed by fire at different times. The Hotel Miller was opened by James W. Miller about 1894, opposite the court house square, a two-story frame building, and is still operated by him; the Brunswick is still being operated by John Orndoff; the Chesapeake Hotel by E. N. Faulconer, and the Riverside by Col. J. A. Parker. This is a frame three-story house built by Col. J. A. Parker some eight years ago. The city of Hinton has never had an up-to-date, modern hotel. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 327 * The Hinton Hotel Co. is now constructing a new building of brick and concreate opposite the corner of the court house square, with 100 rooms for guests, which is expected to be an all-around, up-to-date hostelry, and will be, if completed according to present plans, a monument to the enterprise of the city, and at this time no name has been selected for it. Messrs. Wm. Plumley, W. H. Warren, J. T. McCreery, H. Ewart, Jas. H. Miller and T. H. Lilly are the chief promoters of the enterprise. It will likely be named Hotel McCreery. A new frame hotel of thirty-two rooms is now being built at Talcott by Messrs. Dunn & Willey, enterprising merchants of that town. There has been a two-story frame hotel operated at Lowell for some twenty years, built by A. C. Lowe, and now operated by the estate of C. W. Spotts, deceased. The Greenbrier Springs Com pany, in 1905, erected a twenty-five-room, three-story frame hotel at Greenbrier Springs, known as the Greenbrier Springs Hotel. HOTEL McCREERY. The new hotel in Hinton has been completed since this chapter was begun. It has been named the McCreery Hotel, for Thomas J. McCreery, the president of the company which constructed it. It is six stories, with 100 rooms. The building cost $90,000. the lot, $12,500, and the furniture, $12,000. It is a modern hotel com plete in all its equipments — baths, electric lights, electric elevators, baths in the rooms, a telephone system complete, by which a person in any room can talk to a person in New York, Chicago or San Francisco. It is a monument to the town and to the enterprise of the men who built it, especially to T. J. McCreery, the president ; H. Ewart, secretary ; T. H. Lilly, J. H. Jordan, Jas. H. Miller and William H. Warren, the board of directors, upon whom the burdens fell; the greater part, however, on the building committee, composed of T. H. Lilly, J. T. McCreery and H. Ewart. Frank N. Milburn was the chief architect, and for making the plans received $1,000.00. The lot was purchased of A. E. and James H. Miller in May, 1905. The building was completed September 1, 1907, and thrown open to the public. A. E. Kelly, of Sparta, Kentucky, was elected man ager. The building is 90 x 100 feet, fronting on Second Avenue and Ballangee Street, opposite the court house park. Among the enterprising citizen stockholders, and in addition to those named, are Frank Puckett, C. B. Mahon, R. R. Flanagan, 328 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. M. M. Meador, J. C. James, W. L. Fredeking, John Haynes, Wm. Plumley, Jr., Lee Walker, Mayor Litsinger, R. L. Jones, Wm. H. Sawyers, J. Donald Humphries, M. M. Meador and J. B. Douglas. There were some others who entered into the enterprise, but their nerve gave way, and they undertook to throw down and defeat the enterprise for selfish motives, who deserve no glory or credit. The building is supplied with heat by steam. The dining-room is on the second floor. The street floor contains the lobby and five store or business rooms. It is the greatest and costliest structure constructed to this time in the county, and, as are all the other enterprises of Hinton, is due to the enterprise of Hinton citizens, and was built with their money. CHAPTER XIX. POLITICAL. The county was created seven years after the close of the Civil War, generally known as the Rebellion in history. The larger part of the people in the territory of the county were sympathizers with the Southern cause, with a respectable minority, however, who favored the Union cause. A large number and majority were fa vorable to the maintenance of the Arrierican Union, and opposed secession, but after their State had adopted that course, they con sidered their loyalty to their State first, and followed the Confed erate flag. The larger number of those who took part as soldiers volunteered or were drafted into the Confederate Army. Those opposed to dissolution of the Union were known as Union men, and those who sustained its action in seceding, believing in the doctrine of State rights under the Federal Constitution, and that that instrument gave each State the authority to secede at its pleasure, were called Confederates. There was another class of Union men who adopted the other course, and adhered to the Government of the United States, and remained loyal to that government during the four years of hostilities. This class was in a considerable minority in the territory of this county, as the great majority had either allied themselves as active participants or as sympathizers with the Con federate cause, so that directly after the war the party known as the Confederate Conservative Party sprang up, which soon after wards evolved into the Democratic party, while the Northern, or Union, or Federal sympathizers generally went to the Republican party. The anti-war party affiliations being generally severed, the life of the Whig party had become extinct. Many former Whigs became Democrats, and many former Democrats became Republicans, then a comparatively new party which had come into power in 1861, on the election of Abraham Lincoln as President. Generally, at that time, the ex-Confederate soldiers allied themselves with the Conservative or Democratic party, as then called, although there were some loyal Confederate soldiers who believed in the 330 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Republican doctrine of the tariff, and voted for Republican policies from the beginning. The party prejudices from the suspension of hostilities- and at the time of the formation of Summers County, were rank and bitter, and party lines in national affairs and State politics closely drawn, but in local affairs the strictest • partisanship was not exhibited. Party conventions and nominations were not customary in those days, except for political offices, nor even for members of the House of Delegates for a number of years after the formation of the county, but for State Senate and the higher offices conventions were op erative. The Democratic party was largely in the ascendency in the county at the date and after its formation; or, rather, after the adoption of the "Flick amendment" to the Constitution of the State had been accepted. The colored vote was then and has always been since, entirely and solidly Republican ; the white vote divided, with a very considerable preponderance to the Democratic side. The colored vote at the date of the formation of the county was small, there having been few slaves within its borders, and did not exceed 100 in number. Dr. Thomas Fowler, of "Wildwood," at the mouth of Indian Creek ; William Crump, of Crump's Bottom ; the Gwinns and the Grahams and Anderson Pack were the only slave owners, and they generally held. but few. John Miller, Sr., the grandfather of the writer, had owned three slaves, one man and two women, but they had been liberated before his death and before the war and set free, and provision made for their comfortable maintenance. The first political nomination or convention of which we are able to learn within the county was a mass-meeting called and held in the grove on the hill in what is- now within the confines of the city of Avis, at the place where Dwight James now resides, at the new high school, and out of this meeting grew dissatisfaction and fac tional differences, which continued and existed for a generation or longer. This mass-meeting was called for the purpose of nominat ing a candidate for delegate to the House of Delegates, and one hour was fixed in the call, but on account of another hour being more convenient, or certain persons desiring to be "too soon" for the other, the meeting was called to order and held at a different hour. The vote was taken by each voter writing the name of his choice on a slip of paper, and a hat passed around f6r the reception of the votes. Hon. Wm. Haynes, the nominee, was made the can didate for the party at this election, which was to be held in the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 331 year 1874, it being a Democratic mass-meeting to nominte a candi date for the Legislature. Hon. Elbert Fowler, then a young attor ney, son of Dr. Thomas Fowler, whose career and the unfortunate termination of whose life is hereafter detailed fully, was voted for, but he was not a candidate, and it was without his consent. Great dissatisfaction resulted from this meeting, it being claimed that the voting was unfair; that every person was allowed to vote as often as they pieased, etc., while, on the other hand, it was claimed to have been entirely fair. The dissatisfied element organ ized an opposition, led by Mr. Fowler, Dr. Benj. P. Gooch, then a young physician and the first man who settled in the town of Hin ton ; E. C. Stevenson and others. The Hon Sylvester Upton de clared himself an independent candidate. No complaints were made against Mr. Haynes as a man or against his personal character, but the fight was against the manner of his candidacy. Mr. Upton was a Republican, a Union man, and had been a delegate to the Legis lature from Mercer County, and was such member at the passage of the act creating the county, and voted for it. He was a man of character, conservative, broad-minded and popular. Mr.- Haynes was one of the most eminent, cultured and distinguished citizens of the county, and was afterwards elected to the State Senate and Constitutional Convention held in 1872.. An incident is recalled of Mr. Upton's legislative career. When a party measure was being pressed, a "whip" who was looking after Delegate Upton, said to him when he had been unsuccessful in coaching him, and desiring to appeal to his party prejudices : "Sir, are you not a Republican? If so, you will support this meas ure," to which Mr. Upton quietly replied, "Yes, sir, I am a Repub lican, but I was sent here to represent the interests of all my people, and I shall vote as my judgment dictates and as I deem it to their interests." Circulars were circulated throughout the county; factional feel ing was vigorous and strong, and a very hard-fought campaign was the result. Mr. Upton was elected, thus defeating the nominee, who was charged as a ring candidate, whether justly or unjustly, the people thus early showing a distaste for "ring rule," and stamp ing their disapproval. Party nominations continued to be made only by the Democratic party for certain offices until the year 1884, the Republicans always uniting on Independent candidates, who were usually, but not always, Republicans in politics. In 1884, the Democratic party made nominations for a full county 332 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ticket, except prosecuting attorney, there being no Republican law yer then in the county, in which race Hon. Wm. R. Thompson, now of Huntington, and James H. Miller were the only candidates, and made a "scrub race." The Democratic and Republican committees decided to make no nomination for that office, and leave it to the people to determine between them, there existing at that time two factions of the Democratic party in the county, one of which was designated as the Fowler faction, and the other as the Thompson faction. Mr. Fowler supported Miller, and he was successful by the slim majority of only twenty-nine votes. No party nominations had been made prior to that election, and for several years after, for superintendent of free schools. In my chapter on Elections details and results are given as to the results of the various elections. The candidates for the superintendents of schools always ran as Independent, it being deemed advisable and the general policy and to the interest of the schools to keep the election of school officers out of politics, and for many years the election of school officers was held separate and on different dates from all other elections, and on "off" years, and no other candidates were voted for except school officers. The Democratic party has always been in the ascendancy in the county, and it is estimated the normal majority at this time is from 150 to 200, if the party lines are strictly adhered to, which is seldom done in the selection of county officers, and there have been several Republicans who have filled important county offices since the for mation of the county. The names of these Republicans who have been selected for county officers are as follows : Hon. Sylvester Upton, Republican member of the House of Dele gates, elected in 1874. Elected on the Independent ticket. M. V. Calloway, Republican, elected as an Independent candi date as sheriff, in 1884. And in 1894 the Republican party nominated a full ticket, which was elected in its entirety. Hon. M. J. Cook to the -House of Delegates; Geo. W. Leftwich, Esq., superintendent of schools; James Allen Graham, commis sioner of the county court. Many Republicans have been elected to district office-:-. Frank Lively, prosecuting attorney in 1900. Hon. T. P. Davis, member of the Senate for the district, of which Summers County was then a part; Jonathan F. Lilly, Repub lican, having been elected in the year 1888 as superintendent of schools. Mr. Lilly was elected as an Independent candidate over HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 333 John H. Jordan, Esq., the Democratic nominee, the son of Hon. G. L. Jordan. Mr. Lilly was afterwards killed by his brother-in-law, Thomas Meador, an account of which is given in this book. Mr. Jordan's defeat grew largely out of the prejudice engendered against him by reason of his being a material though unwilling witness in the trial growing out of the killing of Elbert Fowler. The only instance in which the county has gone Republican and elected the whole county Republican ticket, was, as before stated, in the year 1894, at which time they elected all of the county officers which were voted for, at which time the clerks of the courts and the sheriff were not elected at that election. About the year 1880, the new party, and one which has long since vanished from the earth, known as the "Greenback" party, cut quite a figure in the politics of this county, and its candidates received a considerable and respectable vote, the leaders of that party being Allen L. Harvey, Dr. Wm. H. Talley, L. G. Lowe, John P. Duncan and others. They founded a newspaper, known as the "Hinton Banner," which was edited by Dr. Talley; nominated a full ticket, and their candidates were generally supported by the Republicans. Dr. Talley was afterwards accidentally drowned in another State. He resided in those days at Mandeville, in Forest Hill District. He was an eccentric, peculiar man, well educated and intelligent, but had put his ability to little use. The voters of the party were made up from both of the old parties, but the "Greenbacker" in politics usually came from the Democratic ranks. Its candidates were defeated; the party organization fell to pieces upon the death of Mr. Harvey, and the followers of the Greenback doctrines fell back into the old parties, some going to the Demo cratic and some to the Republican party. For instance, Mr. L. G. Lowe, of Indian Mills, joined the Republican organization, while the sons of Mr. A. L. Harvey joined the Democratic ranks, and to-day there is no more loyal Republican than Mr. Lowe, nor better and more reliable Democrats than the Messrs. Harvey — James H., John E. and William L. The "People's party," upon its organization in this country, had a minority following for some years, from about 1890 to 1900, but never a very decisive vote. The populists of this county were with Mr. Bryan, and supported him for President in 1896; they prin cipally followed him and the Democratic banner. The leaders of that political party and organization in the county were principally Messrs. I. D. Martin, now residing at Neponsit; his brother, H. Z. Martin, now deceased; Mr. James H. Martin, of Green Sulphur 334 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Springs, and others, very estimable, intelligent, sincere and honest citizens. Both the Messrs. Martins supported the Democratic ticket at this time. The Prohibition party has never had any material strength in the county, although it usually receives a few scattering votes. The Socialist and Socialist Labor party have never had any can didates in this county, and have never received any votes in the county. The two political parties now under organization are the Democratic and Republican, with H. Ewart, Esq., chairman of the Democratic County Committee, and E. C. Eagle, Esq., an attorney at Hinton, chairman of the Republican County Committee. These gentlemen conducted the campaigns for their respective parties at the elections of 1904. The disposition to embitter the campaigns with personalities still exists to some extent, and attacks are still being made on the personal character of the candidates, but not to the extent indulged in in the past political times in the county, and its indulgence is growing less, fortunately and properly, and where it is indulged in now is frequently from indiscretion and inexperience and want of breadth of character and generosity. The political parties, usu ally, in this county have been fortunate in the nomination of men of character, and we hope to see the time when what is known as personal politics may be banished entirely, and this will come when the minds of the partisans are broadened by experience and ex tended contact with broad-minded, patriotic people. AVhile the political and official affairs of the county have been in the hands and under the control of Democrats from almost its foundation, it stands to the credit of all parties that no official scandals have occurred and can be justly charged to either party in this county. The authorities have all been honest, fair and just. The county has never been "bossed or ring-ridden;" no financial failures of the officials or financial wrongs perpetrated upon the people, except in the one unfortunate instance' of Evan Hinton, sheriff, in which he was the principal sufferer. The office of sheriff, no doubt, caused his financial failure, and, unfortunately for him, all of his property, as well as that of practically all of his sureties, was taken in pay ment of public liabilities, but in the end the county did not suffer loss, although during his term, and for some time afterwards, the county paper was below par, and it was troublesome and hard to collect. At no other time during the history of the county has the county drafts and paper been below par, and it was as good at all times, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 335 and accepted as cheerfully as if it had Uncle Sam behind it. The county has never lost a penny from dishonest or unfaithful officials, and all settlements have been made and a clean slate left to pos terity. The Democratic party was for a number of years split into two factions. The Fowler and the Thompson were known from almost the formation of the county to 1896, and the fights in numerous instances were bitter and unfortunate, but those party disturbances and disorganizations have with time disappeared, and almost com plete harmony now prevails within the ranks of the party within the county, it having long since adopted and adhered to fair and equitable measure for making its nominations, so that no one from just cause can complain of the party's actions; and, if complaint can at any time be justly made, it is from the injudicious actions of individuals, and not from the party organizations. A bobtailed trickster sometimes bobs up and tries to create factional animosi ties, but his political life is usually nipped in the budding. The methods first adopted were those of public mass-meetings called of the Democratic voters of the party at the court house, to vote for their choice of candidates, and the one receiving the great est number of votes was declared, the nominee. Sometimes these votes were taken by ballot, and sometimes by division, but as the number of voters increased, and those nominations were necessarily made by a minority of the party, it being impossible, to secure a majority attendance, dissatisfaction sprang up, and then the mode of calling district mass-meetings was adopted, by which the Demo cratic voters of the Democratic party were called to meet at a fixed day and hour at one place in the various districts where the can didates were voted for either by ballot viva voce, or by a division or rising vote. This gave general satisfaction for some time, but finally the plan of nominating by primary election, for which pro visions had been made by statute enacted by the Legislature, was adopted. By this method the Executive Committee called an elec tion to be held throughout the county at the voting precincts in each district, or of a part thereof, those entitled to vote being .the Democratic voters, or those who will support the nominees. The election of officers, commissioners, clerks and challengers are sworn, the polls opened at an hour fixed by the county committee, and closed at a fixed hour in the afternoon, the vote being taken by ballots printed by the committee, with the name of each candidate for each office printed thereon, the voter erasing those names for whom he does not wish to vote. After the polls are closed, the 336 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. results are ascertained by the commissioners of election and clerks and the ballots returned to the Executive Committee of the party, and the result declared. Before these committee contests can be had, the respective candidates receiving the highest number of votes being declared the nominees of the party. Usually a mass-meeting is called the week following the elec tion, at which the announcements of the results are made and the nominations ratified, and at these meetings the delegates to con ventions for the nomination of officers to be voted for outside the county are selected, or sometimes these delegates are selected by the voters on the day of the primary by the various district meet ings, and this is the usual plan followed at this time. The primary elections being thus conducted on the principles of a general elec tion, have been very generally satisfactory, and are a fair method for any candidate who desires fairness and justice. The Republican party, in the strenuous desire of some of its members for more offices and less labor, in order to dissatisfy the Democratic people and cause disruption, cry out, "court house ring," "town clique," etc., which is and always has been the cry of the "wolf when there was no wolf." The Republican party of the county, while it has not at any- time had full control of the county offices or official machinery in those cases where they have held office in the county, they have been honestly conducted, and there have been no grounds for charge of fraud, and the administration of the offices held by them has been creditable and of credit to the county. The Republican party did not, for many years after the forma tion of the county, adopt nominations for office, usually supporting an Independent candidate sometimes agreed on before and by their leaders. The Independent candidate was usually a Republican or a disgruntled Democrat, preparing to "flop." Our experience is, that when you find a disgruntled Democrat running as an Inde pendent candidate, he is on the highway into the camp of our friends, the enemy, and not until about the year 1888 did that party make nominations at all ; and after they adopted the method of nominating, they first adopted the original plan of the Democrats, by selecting their candidates by mass conventions held at the court house. Afterwards they nominated by district meetings, and in 1904 they nominated by district meetings called at a voting place in each district. The party was well united until after the election in 1900; and since the selection of postmaster in the city of Hinton, after the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 337 Republican success in 1900, there has been more or less dissatis faction in the party ranks. At the time the last postmaster, Hon. S. W. Willey, was appointed, L. P. Graham was a candidate, but Mr. Willey was successful. The canvass was active, and the ap pointment of Mr. AVilley left considerable dissatisfaction among the friends of Mr. Graham. The Graham family was then and has always been prominent in the party, and had a large and respectable following throughout the entire county, and especially among that class of Republicans who had been responsible for maintaining a party organization from its very foundation, and when there was hardly a corporal's guard of followers, and the prospect of office was hopeless, and the party was in a hopeless minority, and at these times when official preferments were not bright. So, when the time for the election of a. member of Congress in the year 1902 came, from the Third West Virginia District, what was known as the "old-timers," or Graham faction, were not spe cially active, but generally supported the party nominees, the Willey faction, or "Blue Pencil Brigade" being in charge of the party organization and responsible for the party management, they were permitted to take charge of the campaign. That faction known as the "Blue Pencil Brigade," assisted largely by Demo cratic floppers and converts, had gone into the ranks of that organization since the prospects for office therein had brightened, and their failure in securing preferment in the Democratic party, that organization not being so situated as to provide jobs for all its deserving members, especially at one and the same time. While the Democratic candidate for Congress was not supported by the Graham faction, he received considerable Republican votes from individual Republican friends, and came out of the election for Congress in 1902 with a majority of over 600 votes in the county over his opponent, Hon. Joseph H. Gaines, who was elected, how ever, from the district by a majority of about 2,500, the larger part, however, of the old-time factions standing loyally by the nominee, Mr. Gaines. When the campaign came on in 1904, a very strenuous fight arose between the two factions to secure the delegates and repre sentatives to the various conventions, which included the State, Congressional, Senatorial and Judicial. The fight was made for the party organization, each faction attempting to secure a majority of the Executive Committee, which terminated in each faction securing an equal number, but by some means unknown to parties like the writer, on the outside, a member of the Graham faction on 338 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the committee "flopped to the organization wing, giving 'them a majority of the county committee. Mass-meetings were called, to be held at a voting place in each district, for the purpose of selecting delegates to a county mass-meeting to be held at the court house. These occurrences were in the year 1904, the mass- meeting at the court house being composed of delegates selected at the various district mass-meetings. These district meetings re sulted in great strenuosity. A number of fights occurred and blood flowed, lawlessness ensuing, especially at Talcott, in Jumping Branch District, persons being knocked down, and fist fights being one of the "entertainments. L. P. Graham and John Wrilley came into collision at Talcott. The conventions in each district, except Forest Hill, split wide open, each faction appointing a separate set of delegates to the county convention to be held on the following Saturday. In Forest Hill District but one set of delegates was appointed, with Charles A. Baber, the leader, and an old-time, loyal Republican from the beginning; a very popular, conservative man of fine judgment, who controlled the situation entirely in that district, there being only eleven voters opposed to his leadership. When the convention met at the court house there were two sets of delegates, and they proceeded by selecting two chairmen and holding two conventions in the court room at the same time, each faction having its orators on the floor, and pandemonium reigned supreme, the Brigade refusing to give the old-timers a hearing or voice or representation in the meeting, or to have any thing to do with the selection of delegates to the various conven tions, the Forest Hill delegatiori co-operating and acting with the old-timers, or Graham faction. At one time it looked very much like there would be bloodshed. The Chairman of the "Blue Pencil Brigade" faction, as it was called, Hon. Upshur Higginbotham, appointed a sergeant-at-arms, and ordered the court house cleared of the opposing faction. John Willey being appointed as one of the sergeants-at-arms, started forthwith to obey commands, but, com ing in close proximity to W. R. Neely, Jr., of Pipestem District, he evidently determined that caution was safer than valor, and retired to a window near by and took a seat, so there were no further demonstrations of physical force, but great noise from the vigorous orators throughout the room. Two sets of delegates were appointed to the convention, and when those delegates repaired to the various conventions, the Willey faction, or Blue Pencil Brigade organization, was recognized gener- . HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 339 ally, and the other set of delegates turned down. At some of the conventions — the judicial, for one — the Graham delegates did not at tend and made no effort for recognition. There were two Congres sional Republican Conventions held, one of which was composed of those of the followers of the Hon. Wm. Seymour Edwards, of Kanawha, the Republican candidate for the norhination to Con gress, and the other composed of the followers of the Hon. Joseph H. Gaines, a Republican candidate for Congress, to succeed him self. The Gaines delegates were admitted to his conventions, and the old-timer delegates were admitted to the Edwards Con vention, both conventions being held in Hinton on the same day. Both candidates were nominated, but before the election on November 8th, Mr. Edwards withdrew, and left Mr. Gaines a clear- field, and he was elected to succeed himself in Congress over Henry B. Davenport, Jr., the Democratic nominee. Hon. S. W. Willey, the postmaster at Hinton ; John Willey and George B. Dunn, of Talcott; L. G. Lowe, of Forest Hill; Messrs. Frank Lively, E. C. Eagle, Upshur Higginbotham, A. R. Heflin, Lucian Woolwine, Miletus Puckett, Chris. Hetzel and L. E. Dyke were the principal leaders of the organization, the "Blue Pencil Brigade," or Willey faction, as it was called; and Messrs. J. A. Graham, R. H. Maxwell, T. G. Mamm, C. H. Graham, John W. Graham, David G. Ballangee, W. R. Neely, M. D. Neely, C. A. Baber, R. R. Flanagan and James H. Hobbs were the principal lead ers of the old-timers, or Graham faction. The mass-meeting at the 'court house was a history-making pro ceeding. Upshur Higginbotham was made chairman of the "Blue Pencil Brigade" meeting, and George Dunn, secretary; W. N. Shanklin was chairman of the old-timer meeting, and Other Gra ham, secretary. By the action of the organization people in refusing representa tion to the old-timers and not permitting them to have a voice in the affairs of the party, great dissatisfaction arose, and in the coming election the entire responsibility of the campaign was thrown on the Willey faction, the Graham faction generally passively supporting the ticket, but assuming no responsibility for the campaign. The result showed a largely increased Democratic and abnormal vote for its candidates, many of the Graham sympathizers and supporters making no fight on the nominations, except in the race for the judgeship, the leaders of the old-timer faction openly voting for Jas. H. Miller for that position against the Hon. Frank Lively, his opponent and the Republican nominee. 340 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. From these differences, which has divided it, factions have grown up in the Republican . party, and future Republican skirmish ing in the Republican ranks may be yet expected. At the district primary meetings there was quite a division between the two factions, and we are unable to state which had the majority. At some places there is no doubt but what the Graham faction had the majority largely, while at others, the vote seemed to be about equal, and, possibly, in some instances, at the court house, for instance, where no contest was made, the organization wing had a majority. But the Graham faction was in no instance given a hearing or representation. Efforts were made to secure a com promise and give each party a fair representation according to its strength, but the organization forces turned all advances down. The Democratic majority for President at this election (1904) in this county was 265 votes for Judge Parker and the same for the Hon. Henry G. Davis for Vice-President. Mr. John J. Corn- well, Democratic candidate, for governor, received 400 majority over Mr. Dawson, the present incumbent. There are two Republican papers in the county, one the "Hin ton Leader," controlled by John Graham, of the Old-timer faction, and the other, the "Summers Republican," edited by Upshur Hig ginbotham, of the "Blue Pencil Brigade," or organization faction. The establishment of the "Summers Republican" grew out of these factional differences, and is the child of political strife. Both of the political parties of this county deserve credit up to this time of having provided good officers, and the absence of political or official scandals, for which so many counties and munic ipalities have been afflicted in this and other States in modern times. No corruption can be truthfully charged against either in this county, and it is to be hoped that this good record may con tinue to the end. There have been some charges of unfairness in elections, and, unfortunately, not always unfounded and not based without some cause. These matters will be gone into more fully under the head of Elections. The principal trouble in the elections of this county and the cities therein has been the attempt to vote and the votes cast by illegal negro voters, not brought into the county for that special purpose, but being in the county from other counties or States engaged on public works, or loafing, as a large proportion of the colored population is disposed to do. They are surrounded by irresponsible politicians or by "smart Alex" negroes, who get pay for voting them ; and many of them being naturally ignorant, are made to believe they are entitled to vote, and are HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 341 promised immunity from prosecution. They on some occasions force their ballots in by making the affidavit required by statute when their votes are challenged. An instance of this character occurred at the general election of 1902. There were a number of negro laborers, claimed to be at work on the C. & O. Railway at and near Hinton, all strange to the inhabitants, who came up to the polls of the First Ward to vote late in the evening, to the number of ten or twelve, in charge of a white man or two and a colored. In such instances the white is no better than the colored. They attempt to violate the law through ignorance, while the white man who leads them into the violation of the law does so with a full knowledge of the crime. These parties were challenged and their votes refused. A mandamus was secured from the judge of the circuit court, Judge McWhorter, who had been brought from Lewisburg on the morning of the election for the purpose ; and under the peremptory mandamus of the court the ballots went into the box. The offenders were immediately arrested and carried to jail, and the politicians provided bail. The negroes departed, and have never been seen in the county since. No forfeiture of the bail bonds was taken and no witnesses were summoned before the grand jury. The Republican party was the beneficiary of the frauds, if any were perpetrated, and at that time a Republican prosecuting attorney was in office, and the action of the court, whether legitimate or not, permitted the votes of these people to be cast and counted. S. F. McBride, the publisher of the "Hinton Headlight" and later the "Hinton Republican," secured a position in Washington, after he had left Hinton and gone to Charleston, but returned to Hinton at each election and voted at each successive election. The Democrats would have him arrested, and bail would be given, but he was never prosecuted. At the time above referred to he was refused a vote, but Judge McWhorter mandamused the election com missioners, and compelled them to accept and count his ballot, after which the judge had the election officers brought before him for contempt, but the excitement of the election times dying out, a better spirit prevailed, and they were not proceeded against. These parties who were hauled up for contempt were Attorneys Reid Dunlop and "Squire" C. L. Parker. The only incorporated towns in this county are Talcott, which was incorporated by the circuit court about 1890, and which, after two or three years, was abandoned, and the corporation not main tained ; Upper Hinton, or' what is now included in the city of Avis, was incorporated by the circuit court, and remained a separate and 342 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. distinct corporation from the city of Hinton until the consolidation of the two corporations by an act of the Legislature passed in 1897. This consolidation was dissolved by a subsequent act of the Legis lature passed in 1890, so that at this time there are two incorpora tions of this city, distinct municipal bodies — one, the city of Hin ton, in which the court house is situated, and which includes the territory from the jail, running to the mountain west, and the other, the territory east, formerly Upper Hinton. In the city of Hinton for many years there were no party nomi nations, Independent candidates making the races and the elections fought out regardless of political affiliations. The first nomination for a candidate for rnayor was that of Mr. R. E. Noel, who was nominated at a mass-meeting called at the court house, at which there were probably twenty people present, and being an innovation and irregular, was resented by a large part of the people. Dr. S. P. Peck, a Republican of liberal and broad views, was induced to make the race against Mr. Noel, who was one of the best and most enterprising citizens of the town. Dr. Peck was elected by a slim majority of only one vote. Nominations for city offices in that town did not become a fixed proceeding until later, about the year 1890, after which the city authorities have been Democratic, only one Republican mayor having been elected, which was Squire L. M. Dunn, who was elected in the year 1892. By maintaining the high ideals of official honor, the people have created a force and power, individual and collective, but strong, which tends to unify and add strength to a magnificent patriotism, as well as a glorious enthusiasm for the great republic, which was made powerful by the blood and arms of fellow countrymen, and which has continued the strong republicanism of ideas and ideals which perils have only tended to strengthen, and the ability of this land to maintain itself has been fully exhibited as against the unanimous antagonism of all the nations of monarchial Europe. Every hamlet, every small municipality, when all are united for good and free government, go to make up a great country, with all its glory, strength and power, and to maintain a well-balanced government, and a free land requires political parties and political antagonisms. There was a disposition, prompt and strong, after the fires of civil war had perished in all this region, among all patriots to cast off the Jacobins of abolition, as well as those of the Southern slaveholders, which had done so much to plunge the country into fratricidial strife a few years before, and for which HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 343 the people were so little responsible. The new nation had a thorny road to travel for many years. Surmounting every obstacle, the nation grew great. Internal strife broke into dreadful war; the life of the nation trembled in the balance, but it was saved and the nation born again. It arose with greater and stronger vigor than before. The men who strove against each other became friends; then began the scenes leading up to the present — the wonderful panorama of an industrial development which has no parallel in the history of any country, including the minimized territory within the prescribed limits^ of this mountain fastness, in the space of no less than forty years, in agricultural industries, commercial prog ress, intellectual attainments, high ideals and its standards of civ ilization. CHAPTER XX. ROADS. At the date of the formation of the county there were but' few roads and highways, and those that did exist were unfinished and of poor grade. The law existing at that date provided for each district to be laid off into road precincts and a surveyor appointed by the Board of Supervisors, afterwards by the county court, with the hands in the neighborhood of the respective precincts allotted thereto, who were compelled, between the ages of twenty-one and forty-five years, to work such number of days as appointed by the county authorities, not exceeding six. The roads were built and kept up by public labor, the county being sparsely settled, as will be noted by the number of votes cast in the early days. There were no highways except through the generally most populous precincts, and led to such commercial marts as then existed. The Red Sulphur and Kanawha Turnpike, a State road, had been con structed before the- war from the Red Sulphur by the mouth of Indian, down New River to Pack's Ferry; thence across into Jump ing Branch, at or near the mouth of Leatherwood, and out to Jump ing Branch Village ; thence by Shady Springs to Beckley, into Fay etteville and Kanawha Falls, at which place it united with the James River and Kanawha Turnpike, leading to Charleston. This turnpike became a county road after the formation of West Vir ginia. There was a road leading up TSTew River by way of the mouth of Bluestone, crossing at Landcraft's Ferry ; thence back down New River, up Bluestone to the foot of Tallory Mountain, up said moun tain to Pipestem, by the G. L. Jordan and B. P: Shumate locations, on to Concord Church and Princeton. A "bridle path" from the mouth of Greenbrier down to Rich mond's Falls, which was destroyed by the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail way Company, as detailed in another chapter. A road-had been built up Lick Creek to Green Sulphur over Keeney's Knob on to Hayne's Ferry on Greenbrier River, and on through to Johnson's Cross CHARLES H. GRAHAM, Farmer, Teacher and Lumberman. Descendant of the Ancient Pio neer, Colonel James Graham. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 345 Roads, in Monroe County, one leading from Green Sulphur to the Big Meadows by way of Hutchinson's Mill, now Elton; one from Forest Hill to Rollinsburg, now Talcott, with a few cross roads, but those above named were practically all, and what roads were built at the formation of the county were dug out of the hills by the hard labor of the pioneers, some of the hands having to travel ten miles from their homes and then perform a day's labor or a certain task allotted to them by the surveyor. A man would go and return home from this labor and do a day's work or an allotted task. My father and others of his neighborhood along Lick Creek built the road from Green Sulphur Springs to New Richmond by day's labor, and sometimes would work all night to complete their task, in order to save the long walk of returning home at night and again returning to their work in the morning, a distance of eight miles. The road across Keeney's Knob to Clayton Post Office was built in the same way. The building of this road was equivalent almost to crossing the Alps. The road to the Big Meadows across Patterson's Mountain was also built in the same manner, but since the formation of the county, the farmers from all the region are required to work on the road being built. We frequently at this day hear violent complaints of the con dition of our roads in the county, but when we consider the rough character of our county — its broken, rocky and mountainous sur face, the poverty and hardships under which the roads have been made, working boys originally from sixteen years to fifty, and from six to twelve days out of the year, we . can appreciate the hardships under which our highways have been made, and realize that the cause of complaint is not well taken. At the present time all the districts of the county build and keep up their public roads, or highways, known as county roads, by taxation, except Jumping Branch and Pipestem. One misfor tune has been in the unfortunate grades made in locating many of the public highways by unscientific engineering in the early days. At this time there are roads and highways into almost every nook and neighborhood within the county's borders, and they are being ¦extended and improved as the years go by. Each of the high mountains of the county is now crossed and penetrated by one or more county roads, .with changes of the grades gradually progress ing for their betterment each year. We doubt if there is a county in the State with a harder or more difficult territory over which to 346 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. construct its public highways. An examination of the first records made by our county authorities after the organization of the county shows that the question of the public roads began to be a matter of public interest. They at once began having the locations viewed, roads established, changes made .and hands assigned, and the records are full of orders authorizing and directing these advance ments for the location and establishment of the new roads. One of the first changes recorded was -to set the road back from New River on to the base of the hills from the mouth of Greenbrier to the mouth of Bluestone, the road formerly running up the river bank. Mr. C. B. Deeds, a resident of Jumping Branch District, and one of the pioneers of that section and mos^t enterprising and hospitable of men, early began a campaign for a road up Beech Run, from Hinton's Ferry on New River to Jumping Branch. He labored long, earnestly and persistently, and finally secured its establishment and an appropriation from the court, Mr. Deeds con tributing a large proportion of the costs from his own pocket, and he is well worthy of the title to that of "Father of the Beech Run Road," as Mr. W. G. Flanagan is entitled to be designated as the "Father of the road" leading up Meadow Creek from New River to the Little Meadows. After years of persistent appeals, labor and sacrifices, he secured that thoroughfare. The old roads exist ing at the formation of the county were narrow and bad grades, going up and down, and a great many changes have been made for the better, they being broadened and graded. An instance of changes for the better is in the road from Green Sulphur Springs to New River, and the road up Madam's Creek from its mouth, for the former of which Mr. Harrison Gwinn is entitled to credit for his enterprise, and for the latter Mr. John H. Dodd and C. E. Stevenson are entitled to credit, as are Senator AVm. Haynes and Joseph Nowlan for the road up Greenbrier River from the Haynes' Ferry to the mouth of Griffith's Creek. The late M. A. Withrow, of Green Sulphur Springs, and James H. Martin, Esq., each of whom occupied the position of road sur veyor for years, and were enthusiastic road men, and deserve much credit for the improvements of roads in that district. The road down New River from Hinton was destroyed, as abovev stated, and never replaced, although a bridle path has been made by the county to take its place across the Chestnut Mountain by way of Brooks, but hardly safe for an equestrian riding single. The road across Taylor's Ridge from Talcott to Lick Creek, from Clayton to Al derson, from Lowell to that town, from the mouth of Pipestem to HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 347 the top of Tallory Mountain, from Lowell across Gwinn's Moun tain towards Red Sulphur, from Indian's Mills to Forest Hill, from the mouth of Greenbrier to Wolf Creek, the Little Bluestone Road, the bridge across Indian Creek, near its mouth, and at Lick Creek at New Richmond, and across Slater's Fork of Lick Creek have all been made within recent years. A long-fought battle was waged for a new road from the mouth of Indian up New River by the places of the Harvey boys, but no success has been attained at this time. This road was especially fought for for a number of years by Messrs. J. E. Harvey, J. H. Harvey and W. L. Harvey, C. A. Baber making a successful fight against it, and who, about the year 1900, secured the establishment of a ferry across New River, about the mouth of Indian over to the Crump's Bottom. There was before the war a path over Keeney's Knob leading from Lick Creek to Alderson, known as the Hog Road, by which the hog-drivers from Kentucky took a near cut, went directly across the mountain, driving their hogs from Kentucky for the Eastern markets. They would drive them from the Kanawha over the Sewell Mountain to War Ridge; over that ridge to the Little Meadows ; thence up Lick Creek on over Keeney's Knob to Grif fith's Creek; thence to Alderson's Ferry; thence up Greenbrier River and across the Allegheny Mountains to Jackson's River; thence down the same to Buchannon and the James River to the head of canal navigation. Evidences of this old road remain to this day, and I have passed over the same when younger than I am now on horseback, although it was nothing but a bridle track, but it was much nearer and more practical for that kind of travel than the wagon road built across by engineers. There was, some three years ago, an iron free bridge built across Lick Creek at New Richmond, for the building of which and the change of the road from the creek to the depot Mr. M. A. Withrow, now deceased, is entitled to much credit for his enter prise. In 1905, the Hinton Toll Bridge Company was incorporated and the bridge across New River at Hinton, from Temple Street to the mouth of Madam's Creek, was let to contract, which is at this time under construction, and will cost about $42,000.00, the contract price being $41,000.00. Unusual delays have occurred in the construction, the contractor, a man by the name of P. Q. Shrake, having failed and his bondsmen having to undertake the completion of the work in order to save themselves, the bridge 348 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. company being protected by ample bond executed by the con tractor. Messrs. R. F. Dunlap, J. A. Fox and others are the prin cipal promoters, the stock being held largely by the citizens of Hinton. These gentlemen deserve credit .for their enterprise in pushing this matter, as it will be greatly to the benefit of the city generally. The bridge, however, when completed, will greatly depreciate the value of the two ferries at Hinton, one owned by Mr. Joseph Hinton in the town of Avis, and the Lower Hinton ferry by H. Ewart and Martin Nee. It is said they will cut the rates and still fight for existence. The other ferries now having existence in the county are the one acrdss Greenbrier, at its mouth, owned by A. E. and~C. L. Miller; one at Ferrell's Landing, near Greenbrier Springs, owned by E. D. Ferrell, and one at Pence's Springs, owned by A. P. Pence ; Shank- lin's Ferry, the ferry at Crump's Bottom, owned by Buck Smith; Pack's Ferry at the mouth of Bluestone, owned by Joseph N. Haynes; Patrick's Ferry, at the mouth of Greenbrier, owned by Miller Brothers and George W. Lilly, and Richmond's Ferry, at the mouth of Laurel Creek, owned by Allen Richmond; also one at Meadow Creek across New River. The only. ferries which are operated by means of wire cables are the two Hinton ferries, the one at the mouth of Greenbrier, the one at the mouth of Bluestone, of Mr. Haynes' and Mr. Pence's at Pence's Springs. There is also a ferry across New River at War- ford, which was owned and operated until recently by Mr. James AV. Cox, a son of Wellington Cox, the first county assessor, and which is now owned by recent purchase by Dr. J. A. Fox. J. E. Harvey also has a ferry across New River above Crump's Bottom at his farm. The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway was completed through this county in 1872, which runs through the county a distance of about thirty-five miles from the point on Greenbrier River, and two miles west of Alderson down Greenbrier to New River; thence down New River to the Fayette line below Meadow Creek, passing through the Big Bend Tunnel, half a mile west of Talcott Station. This tunnel is built through the Big Bend Mountain, and is one and one-fourth miles in length, and the Little Bend Tunnel is a short distance west, only a few hundred feet in length. These are the only railroad tunnels in the county. The Big Bend Tunnel was completed about the 1st of January, 1872, was constructed by William R. Johnson, a Virginia contractor, at an immense cost, the amount of which we are unable to secure any information. In HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 349 its construction a number of shafts were drilled from the top, from which forces of hands worked each way, coming together in accordance with the engineer's plans. These shafts still exist, and when trains pass through the tunnel, immense clouds of smoke arise therefrom. The tunnel was originally arched with wooden timbers, but, becoming decayed, were condemned by the county authorities (after the killing of several railroad employees), under the direction of Elbert Fowler, the then prosecuting attorney, and soon afterwards the arching of the tunnel began with brick, which required some ten years in its completion. It is now substantially arched with brick. This work was done without interfering with the transportation of the road, the work progressing and the trains running without interruption, except at times, temporarily, when a large amount of debris would-be pulled down. The completion of this work terminated some ten years ago. As the frequency of trains passing through this tunnel increased the density of the smoke, and the fumes therefrom became unbearable and destruc tive to human life, the employees would be overcome in passing through these dense fumes, and others came near doing so. John C. Wise, an excellent citizen of this city, who was a locomotive engineer, and in the year 19 — , his engine being stopped for some cause in this tunnel, he was overcome, and before assistance reached him, death ensued. Public sentiment being aroused, the railroad company, by reason thereof, finally undertook the work of putting in fans at the east portal, which were, after a year or two, placed in complete operation, by which means these dense and deathly fumes and smoke were forced out of the tunnel promptly, thus making it now a safe highway. Mr. M. Smith was the county surveyor for many years, and a large proportion of the changes of grades, re-locations and locations and new roads were made by him in his official capacity — not being a scientific engineer, but a most estimable gentleman. His grading was not done in the most scientific and modern manner, hence the defectiveness in the grades of many of our roads. There have been several accidents on the road from New Rich mond to Green Sulphur. A few years ago John Thomas, a farmer from the Big Meadows, was driving his team up that road, accom panied by Miss Sarah McNeer, when, in making one of the short turns around a steep precipice, his wagon overturned, and Mr. Thomas was instantly killed, his wagon broken up and his horses badly injured. In hauling for the construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail- 350 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. road, a four-horse team and wagon went over this high precipice near the Fall Branch. Part of the team was killedj the wagon going down into the creek. Many years ago, before the formation of the county, and before there was a public road from New Richmond up Lick Creek, a lady by the name of Cales was. leading a horse up the bridle path about a half a mile above New Richmond at Fall Branch, where there was a very steep and high precipice. The horse slipped or lost his footing, went over the cliffs, and was instantly killed. CHAPTER XXI. NAMES. The derivations of names of various points, places, objects, etc., is a matter of more or less interest, and the manner of their adoption is gone and lost sight of before we begin to think of the incidents connected with their naming, and now all the mountains, streams, springs, valleys and places are named in days gone by, and practi cally all of .them have some original interest to the after dwellers of the country, but they soon become matters of tradition. Thus, "Sewell Mountain" in some of the histories, was named for Sewell, or Suel, the first settler, when he and Marlin first settled at the mouth of Knapp's Creek, at Marlin's Bottom in Pocahontas County. They resided as monarchs of the entire wilderness until they had personal differences about religion, when they parted, Sewell going into a large, hollow tree, later removing west on to the mountain, and near the creek which bears his name to this day, "Sewell Moun tain" and "Sewell Creek," and at which place he was finally slain by the Indians, as did Marlin's Bottom take its name from Marlin, who settled there with Suel. Green Sulphur Springs has no history in its name, except to designate it from the other springs in this region. The names of places frequently follow the proprietor or occupant ; thus, Barger's Springs was .at one time "Carden's," the owner; then "Barger's," and now the "Greenbrier," a name given by the present company. Keatley's Spring, near Hinton, was so called after Henry Keatley, an aged citizen, who lived by it for a number of years. Pence's Spring was named for Andrew P. Pence, who ac quired the property in the seventies, and exploited it, bringing it to the attention of the general public, and to his enterprise and energy is due the honor for its present fame. It was once known as. Buf falo Spring, as it was a noted lick for buffaloes and deer in the early days, as was also the Green Sulphur Spring, at which there was a fort. This fort was built by the Indians, and was a kind of stone breastwork built across the bottom in the meadow below 352 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the spring. The outlines are distinctly visible at this day. Many arrow heads and curious shaped stones are still plowed up and found in numbers in this bottom. Slater's Creek, a branch of Lick Creek, in Green Sulphur Dis trict, was named for a man by the name of Slater, the first settler thereon, and who has, with all his descendants, long since disap peared from the earth. Slater is said to have been killed by the Indians. Patterson's Mountain, between Greenbrier and Summers Coun ties, named after an old family of settlers, who located at its base and top ; the "Hump" Mountain, between Lick and Meadow Creeks, on account of its peculiar formation ; the Swell, between Lick and Laurel Creeks, likewise ; Chestnut Mountain, between Laurel Creek and New River and a continuation of Keeney's Knob and Elk Knob, by reason of the great amount of chestnut timber^ on it. Keeney's Knob or Mountain, a part of the Allegheny system, after Keeney, a first settler, who was killed by the Indians ; Stinson's Knob (properly Stevenson's), after the first settler in that region; Cale's Mountain, between Wolf Creek, Greenbrier and New River, sometimes called "Wolf Creek Mountain," after an old settler by the name of James Cales, who lived on its top ; White Oak Moun tain, by reason of the great amount of white oak timber which grew on its- sides; Tallery Mountain, by reason of the peculiarly slick soil when wet, makes it slippery like grease; Gwinn's Moun tain, after Andrew Gwinn, who owned a magnificent plantation at its base and oil its sides of some 2,000 acres ; Taylor's Ridge, from Hunghart's Creek to Keeney's Knob, after a man by the name of Taylor who first settled in its region. The other mountains in Green Sulphur District are Chestnut Mountain, between Laurel Creek and Lick Creek; the Hump Moun tain, between Lick Creek and Meadow Creek, and the Swell Moun tain. All are high, rough mountains, but are settled over with thrifty and enterprising farmers ; the AVar Ridge Mountain, prin cipally in Fayette County, is on the west side of Meadow Creek. We are not prepared to state from what it takes its name, but there was evidently a trail across it for the warriors in the ancient Indian wars. The Hump Mountain is a peculiar shaped mountain, and from its shape took its name. The top is flat and has an area of several hundred acres of level land thereon. There are on top of this mountain three fine springs of pure crystal water, which never go dry. Near one of these springs is what is known as the "Stamping Ground." There were three large white oak trees HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 353 standing close together, and the pioneer hunters bored holes in the trees and placed salt in the holes so that the cattle and horses could always be found without trouble, and deer could be found there at any day, as they would gather there for salt. There are three seams of coal in this mountain near its top; one two feet, one four feet, and one eight feet, of fine quality. In Jumping Branch District the White Oak and Flat Top Moun tains are the principal ones, in both of which there is New River coal. In the Pipestem District are the Bent Mountain and Tallery Mountain. In Talcott the Keeney's Knob extends, and the Green brier River Hills; Shockley's Hills and Bent Mountain are also in Pipestem, as well as Davy's Knob. The principal streams oi the county are New River, Greenbrier and Bluestone. New River has its source in North Carolina, and runs through the entire length of the county, some thirty-five miles from the Virginia line to Fayette County line, from south to east, and on which is situated the cities of Hinton and Avis at the mouth of Greenbrier River. New River is a continuation of the Great Kanawha, but is named New River from the mouth of Gauley to its source. It was first discovered by explorers in the upper valley, and was supposed to be a "new" or undiscovered stream, when in fact it was really a continuation of the Kanawha, and has its source in the mountains of North Carolina. A number of theories have been entertained as to how it received its name. One by Major Hotchkiss was that a man by the name of New had a ferry across it; but the generally accepted theory is that it was taken by its discovery to be a new and unexplored stream at the point first reached by its explorers, and that it was a new, and, therefore, unknown stream. The next stream in size is the Greenbrier, a most beautiful piece of pure water, celebrated throughout the land as a fine stream for fishermen and sportsmen, the stream now being well stocked with black bass, mud and blue catfish. Large numbers of persons from the towns and cities come singly and in parties to fish in this stream ; some camping along its margin, while others stop at hotels and farmhouses. The campers use large canvas tents, with some one to cook, thus enjoying a novel and pleasant outing. The fish are caught with hook and line, trout lines, by wading from the bank, and in boats and skiffs, using the patent minnows, living minnows, worms, bugs and crawfish for bait. The black bass is not a native of the stream, having been stocked twenty odd years ago by the State and Federal Government, the first supply having 354 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. been placed therein by William A. Quarrier, then one of the fish commissioners of the State, about the year 1880. The first settle ment at Hinton was by Isaac Ballangee about 1780 on the island now owned by C. H. Graham, by reason of the dangers from the Indian savages. The Ballangees are of French descent. We have information as to the naming of Big and Little Blue- stone Rivers, which is that the Big Bluestone flows in its upper course over clear bluestone rocks. The Greenbrier River was so named by the explorer, General Lewis, by reason of the great growth of green briers which he found growing on its banks in such masses that he had difficulty in penetrating into the region. New River is stated to have been of a late discovery. It is really the head waters of the Great Kanawha, but when discovered in the Virginia territory was considered a new discovery and called New River, because it was supposed to be an entirely unknown stream and a new discovery, otherwise it should be Kanawha to its source. Pipestem Creek, because of its peculiar windings ; both the Lick Creeks, by reason of the great deer and buffalo licks thereon, and the place where the Green Sulphur Springs, and the other where the salt works were afterwards located ; Mognet Branch near Hin ton, from a man by the name of Mognet; Powley's Creek, which empties into the Greenbrier near the west end of Big Bend Tunnel, after the first settler, of whom we have no information ; Meadow Creek, because the stream heads in and flows through a section of country called the "Little Meadows," because of the flat land mostly and great grass-producing country. Blue Lick, which flows into the Greenbrier at Greenbrier Springs, after a deer lick at its source, known as the "Blue Lick;" Indian Creek, because of the Indian highway up its meanders and their camping ground at its mouth ; Griffith's Creek, after the old settler by the name of Griffith, who when a boy was stolen by the Indians, as recited in these pages, and whose father was killed by them; Lane's Bottom, after General Lane, who owned the farm; Madam's Creek, opposite the court house, we have no history of; Beech Run, which flows into New River just above, by reason of the character of the timber preponderating on its banks ; Flat Rock, just below Hinton, by reason of its flat rock bottom; Brook's Branch, Brooks' Post Office and Brooks' Falls of New River, four miles west of Hinton, all took their name from the early settler who located there in pioneer days ; Richmond's Falls of New River, Richmond's Mills, now gone, and New Richmond Post Office, all took their name after the celebrated Richmond family who lo- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 355 cated there, utilized the water power on the western shore to operate a large two-story flour mill, and who was shot to death during the late Civil War between the States. Jumping Branch, by reason of the numerous falls near its mouth and the habit of jumping teams over it before being bridged ; Little Wolf Creek, because of the harbor for wolves which bred in its region, there being a larger stream in Monroe County, which also flows into the Greenbrier some three miles west of Alderson, called Big Wolf Creek; Bradshaw's Run, which empties into Indian Creek at Indian Mills, named after the first settler thereon by the name of Bradshaw ; Crump's Bottom, by the various owners; first, as Culbertson's Bottom, then as Reed's Bottom, Reed being an owner; then Crump's Bottom, after the father and son who succeeded each other, William, and then William B. Crump, and no doubt it will some day be known as "Harmon's Bottom" and "Shumate's Bottom," after the owners at this day, Harmon owning the upper end, and Shumate estate the lower end. True Post Office was named by the late Larkin McDowell Meador. He was seeking to secure a post office at the present- lo cation, and went to the post office department, presenting his petition and the facts, and at the end of his letter said, "Now this is true," and thereupon the department established his office and named it "True" ; Landcraft's Ferry, across New River, was named for Grandisori C. Landcraft, an old settler and progressive citizen, who acquired the residence where Jos. N. Haynes now lives, and the old Pack Ferry, which was then a mile above the present ferry and a mile above the mouth of Bluestone. This ferry has had some history-making litigation between Jos. N. Haynes and later Thos. Meador, known as "Tommy Tight," in which Mr. Haynes was victorious and the ferry moved to its present location. Dust Lick Fork, a tributary of Little Bluestone, from a deer lick known .as Dust Lick. Bacon's Mills is located at the Falls of Greenbrier below Tal cott, on the old Jacob Fluke plantation. Jacob Fluke, about seventy years ago, in 1835, built a grist mill and carding machine, which was patronized for miles around, where the people had their wool made into "rolls," and then the women of the house. spun into "yarn" on the old-fashioned spinning wheels, and then with the looms, reeds and shuttles wove into cloth jeans for the men and flannels for the women's wear, all of the wearing apparel being of home manufacture, and this continued up to the date of the building of the C. & O. Railway and the formation of the county, 356 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. which were practically simultaneous. Fluke's Mill burned down, and not being able financially to rebuild, Robert Bacon, of Vir ginia, joined him prior to 1861, and they built in co-partnership the famous mill known to this day as "Bacon's Mill." Mr. Bacon afterwards married Miss Nancy Fluke, who became the only heir to all of Jacob Fluke's property. The post office at Talcott was first known as Rollinsburg, named after Charles K. Rollyson, who owned all the, lands around and has left as his descendant and our present citizen, C. S. Rolly son, commonly known as "Shan," residing on a part of the old homestead on Big Bend Mountain. Rollinsburg was on the op posite side of the Greenbrier River from Talcott,. at which place resided George W. Chattin, an enterprising farmer, who owned the bottoms there and whose descendants still own the same. Among his children are Mrs. R. T. Ballangee, Mrs. Giles H. Ballangee and John and Oscar Chattin; and J. W. Jones & Bro., who were mer chandizing under that firm until the building of the railway, when they moved across the river to Talcott, as did also the Rollinsburg post office, and the name of Rollinsburg became a thing of the past. Lowell was named after the two brothers, A. C. and Granville, who located there and engaged in the mercantile business and built a hotel in the early seventies. Talcott Post Office and town were named after Capt. Talcott, a civil engineer, who aided in the construction of the C. & O. Rail road, and was the engineer in charge of the construction of the Big Bend Tunnel. It was here that Dr. Bray, the eminent English surgeon and engineer, resided at the date of his death, having been born and educated in England. He emigrated to this country, married a Miss Brown, of Mercer County, a sister of Mrs. J. M. Carden, and located at Talcott, where he died during the building of the Big Bend Tunnel. 'He was the father of A. B. C. Bray, the accomplished telegrapher, and now cashier of the First National Bank of Ronceverte. The widow still resides with her daughter, Mrs. Frank L. Cox, in Hinton, Mr. Cox being one of the most expert train dispatchers and railroad men in the service. Dr. Bray left a monument in the magnificent survey and plat of the old West land survey in Pipestem District and Mercer County. It is an authority, and has been used in many of the land title settle ments, controversies and suits growing out of that immense tract of land, and is known among lawyers as Bray's survey. Its me chanical appearance can not be excelled, and no price will buy it. Hinton took its name from the old family of that name, and HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 357 especially after Evan Hinton, who promoted the establishment of the county. The Hintons did not own or occupy any part of the present territory of the city of Hinton, that land being owned by the heirs of Isaac Ballangee, of which Mrs. M. N. Breen is one of the heirs. Avis was named after Mrs. Avis Hinton, wife of "Jack" Hinton, the father of Joseph, William, Silas and John, who lived on the lands included in the city of Avis at the founding of a town site on which Avis is now built. She was born in 1809, and died in 1901, aged niriety-two years. She was a Miss Gwinn, sister of William, Enoch, Moses and Lewis, of Meadow Creek. Hallidon was the name of a post office established at the resi dence of Wm. E. Miller on Lick Creek, the mail route being from Green Sulphur to Alderson, and carried twice a week, with Wm. E. Miller as postmaster. The route crossed Keeney's Knob to the foot on the opposite side, where a secon'd office was established, called "Clayton," after the Cincinnati balloonist. Halidon was named after Halidon Hill in England, where the Battle of Halidon Hill was fought, and was named by Miss Mary B. Miller. After a few years this route was discontinued as impractical. Sandstone Depot, between the mouths of Lick and Laurel Creek, was originally New Richmond Depot, same as the post office and falls of the river; but when the extension of the railroad was made a few years ago, from Huntington to Cincinnati, a station a few miles east of Cincinnati was named New Richmorfd, and the name of the old depot on New River changed to Sandstone, as there is at that place a sandstone quarry, at one time operated and pro ducing a very fine building stone, and the railway company and John A. Richmond, the owners of the surrounding land, being antagonistic to each other, by reason of Mr. Richmond's propensity for litigating with the company over damages and wrongs, they determined not to permit its depot named longer for him. The litigation between these two litigants became noted; the railroad track ran through and split open wide his bottoms, and frequently killed his stock, and at one time burned his barns, and in those days it required a suit to secure redress, and he seldom failed to "give it the law without the benefit of clergy." The company having built its depot across the line at that place, and not being disposed to adjust the matter, he promptly brought an action in ejectment. Thereupon, it bought his land and paid for it. Meadow Creek station was built when the railroad was completed. William Gwinn, one of the oldest settlers, owned the land, and 358 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. i upon his agreement to give the right of way to the company, it agreed to establish a station at that point. He conveyed the right of way, and the company built the depot, established its station, but locked it up, and for some time provided neither a station nor agent, nor did it stop its trains, all of which was, however, later adjusted, and a station has been operated at that place for a number of years. This illutrates, however, how sometimes injudicious acts of injudicious agents bring honorable corporate enterprises into dispute. Ballangee Post Office, on the Red Sulphur road from Talcott, was secured through the efforts of Squire R. T. Ballangee, and named for him, that being one of the family names of one of the oldest and most respectable pioneer families in this region. Forest Hill was for many years designated as the "Farms," it being a desirable and good farming territory. At one time the raising and manufacturing of tobacco in that neighborhood was a profitable industry, long since abandoned. A tobacco factory was constructed and operated at that place for many years, the then modern presses and machinery being acquired and utilized for the manufacture of the chewing tobacco and smoking tobacco, but not of cigars, John and William Roberts, Joseph Ellis and James Mann and J. Cary Woodson being the owners from time to time, but the raising of the weed becoming less profitable, the enterprise was finally abandoned, and the property permitted to fall into decay. The old tobacco factory at that place is now owned by John Garten, who purchased it from the late James Mann, of Alderson. Leatherwood Bottom, at the mouth of Leatherwood Branch, on New River, where James W. Pack now lives, was so named be cause of the great growth of leatherwood brush there. Kesler Springs is named for the discoverer, Bunyan L. Kesler. A new post office was established in July, 1880, on Madam's Creek, at the residence of William Hinton, with Mr. Hinton as postmaster, but after a short while it was abandoned. It was near the interesting old landmark of Charlton's overshot water grist mill at the forks of Madam's Creek. There are interesting traditions in regard to the discovery and naming of New River, the principal river of this section of West Virginia. It is claimed by Major Hotchkiss that it was named by a man by the name of New, who had a ferry somewhere in the upper territory. It is claimed by others that it was, when dis covered, a new river, not shown by any maps, and for that reason took the name of New River from its source to its mouth. By others HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 359 it is claimed that the entire river was known as the Kanawha from its source to its mouth. It was known as AVood's River without any question for some time after its discovery, and is so shown on some of the old maps. The Kanawha River was not named, however, until 1770. In the Indian tongue it is the "River of the Woods," but it had been discovered at the other end and known as New River and named after Col. Woods as Woods River many years before the Kanawha or River of the Woods was ever dis covered. On some of the old maps New River is shown as New River, or Woods River, from its source to its mouth at Point Pleasant, and on others it is the Kanawha from its mouth to its source ; later, it was called New or Woods River from its source to the mouth of Green brier, and Kanawha thence to its mouth ; still later, and at the pres ent, it is Kanawha from its mouth to the mouth of Gauley, and New River from that point up to its source, the name of Woods River having become obsolete. To show the claims of French dominion over this territory at one time, we mention the fact that in 1846, a resident of Point Pleasant, a young man by the name of Beall, unearthed a lead plate at Point Pleasant, just 100 years after the French had printed it, the French having planted it at the foot of a tree, claiming dominion over all of the region west of the Alle gheny Mountains. The duplicate copy of this original plate and inscription is preserved among the French national archives. The found plate has been lost by the owner being cheated out of it. The Guyandotte River was named for a tribe of Indians,, as the Delawares called it Se-co-nee — -Narrow Bottom River. The Tug River was named during the Andrew Lewis expedition to the Big Sandy in 1756, because his men became so straitened for food they ate the thugs from cow hides. The Ohio has had all kinds of names. In 1607 it was called •Dono. In 1708 a Dutch map calls it Cubach. A map of 1710 calls it O-O. In 1711 it is called Ochio. - In 1719 it is called Sabongungo. The Delawares called it Kittono-cepe. The AVyandottes called it Oheezuh, the grand or beautiful. In D. Thoyer's History of Eng land, 1744, it is called Hohio, and is made to empty into the AV abash. In some of the early Pennsylvania treaties with the Iroquois they got to spelling it Oheeo; in 1744 it went by the name of Ohio, or Hohio. In 1749 the French called it O-Yo, or Ohio, not giving it a new name, but rendering it into French designations, most of which were equivalent to beautiful river. The Greenbrier was originally spelled Greenbriar. The Dela- 360 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. wares called it O-ne-pa-ke-cepe, and the Miamis called it We-o-to- we-cepe-we. Cepe-we in Indian means river. Gauley River is supposed to have been taken from the French Gaul, ey being added. The Indian name was Chin-que-ta-na-cepe-we. Coal River was on the early maps spelled Cole, and was named in 1756 by Samuel Cole, who, with, some others, on returning from the Lewis Big Sandy expedition, among whom was Andrew Lewis, got over onto and followed up this river and cut their names on a beech tree near the junction of the Marsh and Clear Forks, which remained legible there until in recent years, when it was cut down by some vandal in clearing the ground. Since the discovery of minerals and coal along this river in quantities, the name is spelled Coal. John's Knob, in Jumping Branch. District, took its name by reason of the tragic death of John Acord thereon by freezing to death many years ago. He was a stranger passing through the country during a cold snap, and was found at the foot of a chestnut tree, having given out in the storm and sunk down, to rise no more. This occurred in the early part of the eighteenth century. Panther Knob in Jumping Branch District was named by a man killing a large panther thereon. Shockley Hill in Pipesteth took its name from the fact that a man by the name of Shockley was killed by the Indians in the early settlement of the country. Barker's Ridge, in Wyoming County, was named for a great uncle of M. C. Barker, of this county. He was killed by. the Indians on this ridge in the early days on that mountain. Tom's Run, in Fipestem District, was so named by reason of a man by the name of Thomas being drowned in its waters years ago. It is a small stream flowing into New River at the lower end of Crump's Bottom. Bear Wallow Mountain, in Jumping Branch District, was named from a "wallow" thereon. "Bar Wallow" Bob Lilley, got his nick name, from living on one of these mountains. Surveyor Branch empties into Bluestone, was named from the fact that early surveyors of the county sheltered under the cliffs. Jumping Branch is a stream running by Jumping Branch Post Office and village on its way to Bluestone. In the days of the early settlement there was no bridge across it, and the traveler made his crossing by jumping his horse from one bank to another. The first ferry established in the county was Pack's Ferry across New River by the Packs, opposite the old Landcraft resi- FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF HINTON, Corner Third Avenue and Temple Street. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 361 dence. It remained there until ten years ago, when, by an order of the county court, it was removed down the river near the mouth of Big Bluestone by Mr. J. N. Haynes. Out of this removal grew a celebrated lawsuit between him and Tommy Meador, known as "Tommy Tight," who was a large landowner around where the ferry was removed. The removal was by the agreement of Mr. Meador, and one landing was on his land. This was opposed by Mr. Haynes, and the result was a suit in the chancery court of Meador vs. Haynes. Haynes won in the circuit court, and Meador undertook to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeals, but it refused the appeal, and thus the title to the whole ferry passed to Mr. Haynes, who has now erected a wire cable to aid in operating his boats. War Ford, a place of fording New River at the lower end of Crump's Bottom, was used in war times. The ford is rough and deep and is unused, but in the early days, and when no boats were on the river, the pioneers in war times could cross back and forth. This was also a crossing place for the Indians. It is located at the lower end of Crump's Bottom. Christian Peters built the -first State road from Peterstown in Monroe County down New River by mouth of Indian Creek, cross ing at the Baptist Church, and by Jumping Branch to Beckley. Peterstown and Peters' Mountain are supposed to have been named after him by others and according to the history of Peter Wright. Robert Lilly, the founder of the great generations of Lillys in the counties of Summers, Raleigh and Mercer, lived to be 114 years old, and his wife, who was a Moody, lived to be 111 years. On his grave has grown a white pine tree three feet in diameter at the stump, which was planted there by his granddaughter, the mother of (Curly) Joe Lilly, a justice of the peace and commissioner of the county court, who has died since this work began. Robert Lilly is buried at the mouth of Little Bluestone. This white pine is the tallest monument in the county to the oldest couple that ever lived in it, and the graveyard where Robert Lilly is buried is the oldest in the county. It was begun by the burial of a child therein from a train of emigrants passing through the country, and its coffin was of chestnut oak bark. Its name is lost to history. Robert Lilly first settled on Bluestone on the farm on which (Curly) Joe Lilly resided at the date of his death in 1906. The Falls of New River are known as Richmond's Falls, after Wm. Richmond, and whose son, Samuel, first settled on the Raleigh side and built a log water mill for grinding corn and wheat, utilizing the water power from the falls. He was killed during the Civil 362 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. War, being shot through the liver in his canoe on the opposite side of the river. After the war, about 1872, the Raleigh side of the falls was sold with sixty acres of land, including the water power, to W. R. Taylor, of Philadelphia, for $15,000 in gold, the proceeds going to the widow and Allen and "Tuck" Richmond, two sons. Ex-Governor Samuel Price, of Lewisburg, received a fee of $500 for passing on the title, which was considered a great fee in those times for the service rendered. The other, or Summers side, is owned by J. Motley Morehead and associates, who purchased, con templating the establishment of a great electric plant there, but the site was abandoned and the plant installed at the Falls of the Great Kanawha, by reason of the railroad company being arbitrary about rates. The mineral used in operating this plant is brought from Asia Minor. At these falls is a fine fishing place. The per pendicular fall is fifteen feet. Brooks' Falls, at the mouth of Brooks' Creek, was named after the first settler, Brooks. The Summers side is owned by Charles R. Fox, and the Raleigh side by the heirs of Avis Hinton. The fall is from twelve to fifteen feet and is excellent water power. Bull Falls, at the west end of Crump's Bottom, is also good water power, and has recently been purchased by Dr. J. A. Fox, of Hinton, to be utilized at some future day in the operation of a power plant. There is also further up considerable falls at Shank- lin's Ferry. There is also fine power at other places along New River. Bull Falls took its name from the fact that a bull was washed over the rapids and came out alive lower down the river. There is a ford a short distance which was used during the war, and is known as "Warford," the name of the post office near there. These names were by reason of the shallow places in the river having been uti lized as a ford in war times and by the Indians in their incursions. Meadow Creek, which flows into New River twelve miles west of Hinton, heads in the "Little Meadows" country, and takes its name therefrom. Lick Creek, both the one in the lower end of the county in Green Sulphur District, as well, as the one in the extreme upper end of Pipestem District, are named after the great buffalo licks, one at Green Sulphur and one at Salt Works, besides many early deer licks in the hollows and mountain sides. Boring for salt on each creek resulted in a find. One, the Green Sulphur Springs, and the other, salt water. As all buffaloes disappeared, like the Indians, with the advance- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 363 ment of civilization, the deer were plentiful, and middle-aged men can yet remember watching the deer licks at night behind blinds and killing them, but they, too, are now a thing of the past. The first name given the great Kanawha River from its mouth by the whites was by a French engineering party commanded by Captain De Celeron, and it was on the 18th day of August, 1749, that he planted the engraved leaden plate at the mouth of the river, by which he gave it the name of "Chi-no-da-che-tha," and by which action of these French explorers they claimed all of the territory drained by its waters from its mouth to its source, which included all of the Trans-Allegheny region, and on to North Caro lina, in which State the river, under the name now of New River, gets its source. The leaden plate referred to was found just 100 years afterwards by a little boy, a nephew of John Beale, residing in Mason County. This plate was carried by James M. Laidley, who was a member of the Legislature of Virginia, to Richmond, and submitted to the Virginia Historical Society, where a copy was made and the original returned to Mr. Beale, with the result above stated. The name "Kanawha" was given to the river between 1760 and 1770, and when this name was given it, it already had a name, as herein stated. Kanawha probably took its name from the Conoys, a tribe of Indians, as there is great variety in the spelling of the name. Wyman's map of the British Empire in 1770 calls it the Great Conoway, or Wood River. Kanawha County was formed by an act of the Legislature of Virginia in 1789, and therein it was spelled "Kenhawa." Daniel Boone spelled it in his survey in 1791, "Conhawway." If this river now had its original and proper name, it would be "Woods River" from its mouth to its source, or "New River" from its mouth to its source. The Wolf Creeks, as there are several of that name in this region of the country, there being Big Wolf Creek in Monroe, emptying into the Greenbrier below Alderson; Little Wolf Creek, emptying into the Greenbrier between Talcott and Wiggins, as well as Wolf Creek, which empties into New River in Giles County, were named from the many wolves found, trapped and destroyed on these creeks. Elk River was originally called by the Indians the "River of the Fat Elk;" by the Delawares, the "Walnut River." Pocatelico was known by the Indians as the "river of the Fat Doe." CHAPTER XXII. BIOGRAPHICAL. I shall, under this head, give some of the oldest family history in a general way. I am unable to give as full and detailed stories of the founding and building up of these families as should be done, by reason of being unable to ascertain the histories thereof sufficiently to give complete accounts. Unfortunately, they have been allowed to lapse into oblivion, and the larger part of what we do obtain is traditional, but is, however, entirely reliable. We shall begin with the Graham family, that being a family of which we are enabled to give possibly a fuller history than of any other family in the county, by reason of the very commendable diligence of Mr. David Graham, the oldest member of that historic family now living, who has, with great diligence and (abor, at his own expense, gone to the trouble of tracing the history of the family as far as possible at this late day, from the obscurities into which old family histories always fall, unless preserved by some members as the generations pass. Mr. David Graham, who is now eighty-seven years old, when in his 79th year, prepared, as stated, a history of the Graham family, a copy of which I have in my possession, and I am under obliga tions to him for his courtesy extended to me in the preparation of this narrative for much of the information secured in regard to this family and other incidents of tradition. GRAHAMS. I shall not go back into the ancient times before the settlement of this family in this country. The family is of Scotch-Irish descent, and emigrated to this country from the counties of Donegal and Londonderry, North Ireland, having formerly located there from Scotland to escape religious persecution, which escape was of short duration, and they crossed the ocean to America. The name of Graham, years ago, like the name of many other The Historian of the Graham family at 87 Years of Age. R. HUNTER GRAHAM, Attorney at Law. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 365 of the old settlers, was sometimes spelled, for short, Grame, and sometimes Grimes, but there is no question about the correct name being Graham. Names in the earlier days were seldom seen in print, and but very seldom in writing, but were handed down orally, from one to another, thus giving ample opportunity for mispronun ciation, and, as Mr. Graham says in his work, "Many names can be recalled, which, in our youth were pronounced differently from what they are now, and as an illustration, Stevenson was called Stinson." Stinson's Knob, the highest point of Keeney's Mountain, is called Stinson's Knob to this day, the correct name being Steven son. The name of Withrow, an old name of the Greenbrier set tlers, was called Withero; Stodgill was called Sturgeon, and so on. The Graham name in all English history and in the history of this county, as well as in legal writings pertaining to the family from the earliest settlements in America down to the present time, is spelled as we now have it — Graham. The Graham family, before its emigration across the sea, was a very large and influ ential one, and its official head was James Graham. The first emigration of the Grahams to this country of which there is an account was from about 1720 to 1730; the exact date is not known. Michael Graham settled in Lancaster County, Pa., he being a direct descendant of the Earl of Montrose, who was beheaded by reason of his loyalty to the king. The descendants of Michael Graham afterwards settled in the Valley of Virginia. About the same period that Michael Graham came to this country other mem bers of the family came, among whom were John Graham, the great grandfather of David Graham, the author of the "History of the Graham Family," who also settled in Pennsylvania from Ireland, direct Scotch-Irish, and later removed to the Great Calf Pasture River, then in Augusta County, Va. Scotch-Irish does not mean a commingling of Scotch and Irish blood, but applies to those Scotch emigrants who first came to Ireland and then to America. Mr. David Graham fixes this date from 1740 to 1745. John Graham, the senior, in this country, had a family of four sons and five daughters. His oldest son's name was Lanty (Lan celot) ; the other three sons were John, James and Robert. His will was probated in Augusta County, A^irginia, on the 19th day of November, 1771. About the year 1770, James Graham, the son of said John Graham, moved to Greenbrier County, and settled in what is now this Summers County, just across the river opposite where the village of Lowell now stands on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. The house in which he lived is the same, together with 366 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the farm now owned and occupied by Bunyon L. Kesler, which is spoken of and described in another part of this book. It is immediately at Graham's Ferry on the Greenbrier River at Lowell. About the same time that Graham settled on the Greenbrier, Samuel Gwinn, and men by the name of Vanbibber, Scee, and Conrad Keller settled in the same region. Indian incursions were still made into this region after these settlements, but not frequently. James Graham was a prominent citizen in the affairs of this region; was created a colonel of militia under the laws then exist ing; assisted in the defense of Fort Donally when attacked by the Indians in Greenbrier County, and his name is largely connected with public affairs during his long life. The Gwinns and Grahams, we have no doubt, were all neighbors in the foreign country; emigrated across the ocean together, and sought homes in the same neighborhood when they advanced into the wilderness west of the Alleghenies, each inter-marrying into the other family. John was the oldest son of Joseph Graham, and lived nearly all of his life at the foot of Keeney's Knob on the Greenbrier side, near Clayton Post Office, dying at the advanced age of eighty-four years, he having never married until he was sixty odd years of age, when he married a Miss Mary Crews, who survived him, and died about 1902, leaving no children. He was a man of considerable property, both real and personal. He devised all of his property to his wife, making provision for two boys, William and James Ayres, whom he had taken and raised from infancy. John Graham was a man of extraordinary common sense, but without any education except what he had acquired by his own efforts. He was a master mathe matician, and early took to the avocation of surveying and engi neering. He was one of the finest land surveyors in all the country, and was noted for having with his own hands constructed entirely and completely the first surveyor's compass which he used in his work for many years and which was entirely correct. He was surveyor of Monroe County and assistant surveyor in Sum mers, and occupied other positions of trust. He was considered a man of honor in his business affairs, leaving an estate valued at $20,000.00, which was a large fortune in those days. He wrote his own will, making a provision in it for the Methodist and Baptist churches, being a member of the former denomination. After his death his wife occupied and controlled the property. She undertook to follow her husband, and wrote her own will, disposing of the property which she had acquired from her hus band, giving it to her two nephews by marriage, Charles H. Gra- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 367 ham and David Graham Ballangee. The two boys which she and her husband had raised from infancy undertook, after her death, being unmindful of the moral and other obligations, as well as the gratitude due from them, to substitute another will in the place of the one which was determined to be the last and only will. This was done" by William Ayres, and a legal fight resulted before the court in determining which was her last will and testament. After some three days' trial, the court properly decided that the will which had been written by herself in her own handwriting to be the true will. The one which was undertaken to be substituted was found under an old clock on the mantel some time after her death, and was an attempt to imitate her handwriting, and had evidently been slipped under the clock on the day of the sale of -her personal estate. A few years after the death of her husband, John Graham, she inter-married with Elijah Meadows, who still lives in the Green Sulphur neighborhood. His brother, James Graham, also remained a bachelor for many years, having, toward the end of his life, married Miss Rebecca Vass. He died several years ago, leaving one child, and his widow surviving him, married W. W. Walton, and they still reside at Clayton. David Graham still survives, and is now eighty-seven years of age. He married a Miss Alderson, a descendant of John Aider- son. He now makes his home with his children, and is a man of considerable property and of fine intelligence. It is very interest ing to converse with him of matters and affairs of long ago. He resided and reared his family at Clayton Post Office, near the foot of Keeney's Knob. His sons are James Allen Graham, L. P. Graham, Charles H. Graham, John W. Graham and Joseph Ulysses Graham, the latter residing at Charleston, AA^est Virginia, while the others each make their homes in this county. James A. Graham, son of David Graliam, resides iri Hinton, and is one of the leading citizens of this day in affairs of this county, being engaged in the mercantile business at New Rich mond. His son, R. Hunter Graham, has occupied for a number of years an important position in the Revenue Department of the general government at Washington, D. C, and has recently re signed, and is undertaking the practice of law at Hinton, West Virginia, with bright prospects for his success. L. P. Graham is the organizer and cashier of the Citizens Bank of Hinton, founded in November, 1905. He has been a candidate 368 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. for superintendent of schools, sheriff and mayor of Hinton on the Republican ticket. James A. Graham held the important position of commissioner of the county court for six years, having been elected "on the Republican ticket in 1894 by a majority of 300, although the county was largely Democratic. He was also elected to the office of justice of the peace for Green Sulphur District, which position he held for four years. He is a man of fine sense and judgment, and the only Republican ever elected in the county1 to the county court. Charles H. Graham, now engaged in the lumber business and farming, still retains the ownership of the old David Graham home stead at Clayton. He is a man of fine sense and generous impulses. He is, possibly, the best educated Graham of his name; was in his younger days a public schoolteacher for a number of years ; justice of the peace of Talcott District at the election held in the year 1884, which position he occupied for four years. He was a can didate for sheriff on the ticket with S. W. Willey later, and has been notary public for many years. He is a good business man of fine attainments, now engaged in the lumber business and farming. The Grahams, in politics before the war, were Democrats, and were Union men during the Rebellion, not believing in the secession of the States or the dismemberment of the government. They have done more to create and maintain a Republican party organization in Summers County than any other family of people therein, even when the party was in a hopeless minority, and when there was no prospect of office, either Federal, State, county or municipal, and are noted for their political acumen and steadfastness to Republican party principles. In 1904, while they were accused of party disloyalty in that cam paign, that disloyalty, if it can be called such; and to which we do not agree, extended to the support, openly and through the press, of the Democratic candidate for the position of judge of the circuit court, they claiming as. grounds therefor that his opponent was not loyal to the Republican party or its principles, but was a "flop- per" to that organization for the purpose of disruption and for office, and not in good faith. John Graham was the ancestor in this country. His children were: Lancelot (Lanty), John, James and Robert, Elizabeth, Ann, Rebecca and Florence. Joseph Graham, the settler at Clayton Post Office, married his cousin, Rebecca Graham, a daughter of James Graham, in 1803. Joseph was a son of David, Sr., of Bath County, Virginia. David HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 369 Graham, Sr., and James Graham, Sr., who settled at Lowell (Gra ham's Ferry), were brothers, and another of their brothers settled at Fort Chiswell, in Wythe County, Virginia. After the marriage of Joseph and Rebecca, they lived for a short time in Bath County, Virginia, then, after the year 1804, they came to the Lowell settle ment, and lived some time on an island on the present farm of Hon. M. M. Warren and T. J. Riffe. Their house was near where said Riffe now lives, and in 1813 they moved to the Graham farm at the foot of Keeney's Knob, where Clayton Post Office is now situate. On the spot where Joseph Graham built his house was a hunter's cabin, previously built by a man by the name of Stevenson (Stin- son). The cabin had probably not been occupied for years, as the survey for the land was made twenty-seven years before and pat ented in the name of James Graham, Sr, (Colonel), and the calls included this cabin. Joseph and Rebecca Graham raised the following children: Florence, born January 13, 1805; Lanty (Lancelot), born December 8, 1806; John, born February 23, 1807; Jane, born April 6, 181—; James, born March 31, 1813; Elizabeth, born July 19, 1815; Ann, born October 16, 1818; David, born January 1, 1821; and Rebecca, born December 13, 1823. Florence, the oldest daughter of Joseph Graham, married John Nowlan, a native of Carrick, Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1835, and settled two miles from her father, where they lived until his death' in 1875. They raised four children. Rebecca, the only daughter, married George W. Hedrick, a son of George AAr. Lledrick, a brother of Moses Hedrick. She died in 1863, and her descendants still live on the land, one of the daughters having married a worthless fellow by the name of W. D. Sherwood. Patrick, the other child, died in 1884, aged twenty-three. Joseph, the oldest son of John and Florence Nowlan, married Miss Mary Keeney, of Kanawha County, in 1865, and now lives on a farm near Pence Springs on Greenbrier River, once owned by his uncle, Samuel Graham. He has been a prominent farmer in the county. His son, John C, has been a justice; another son is an attorney and telegraph operator; Elmer, now living at Alderson; Rebecca, Florence, who married Rev. C. T. Kintner ; Stars, J., is a merchant, and Wm. C, lately died at Talcott, having married a Miss Huston, a daughter of the veteran station agent, E. P. Huston. He was a practicing physician. The other children, Lawrence, George, Anna and Homer, live with their father. K. P. Nolan, is 370 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. an operator and station agent on the C. & O. Railway; John died unmarried. Patrick, the third son of John Nowlan, was drowned at Hayne's Ferry on January 8, 1877, at the exact 'place where his great uncle, Samuel Graham, was drowned sixty years before. Florence Nowlan died January 21, 1869, and John Nowlan, the original ancestor, died November 4, 1876, having been born January 24, 1793. Joseph Nowlan is one of the prominent Republicans of the county; was the nominee for sheriff, and also the nominee of his party for commissioner of the county court of the county. The land on which he lives was purchased from the heirs of James Madison Haynes. At one time it belonged to Samuel Gra ham, and passed to the Haynes ancestor. Mr. Nowlan has erected on the farm a good brick residence. Since writing the above he has sold this plantation to a Mr. Tolly, of Raleigh County, for $8,000.00. He married the only daughter of Thomas Meadows of that county, a very wealthy farmer. The lands of Hon. Wm. Haynes and the Tolley farm were at one time owned by Samuel Graham ; after he was drowned accidentally at Haynes' Ferry, it passed into the ownership of James Madison Haynes, and consisted of some 400 acres. Lanty Graham, the oldest son of Joseph and Rebecca Graham, married "Sabina Ellis, daughter of James Ellis, in 1833, and settled on Greenbrier River, on what is now Riffe's Bottoms, owned by M. M. Warren, Thos. J. Riffe and Mrs. Jennie Boggess. In 1836 he settled at the foot of Keeney's Knob on land devised to him by his father, where he died in 1880. Joseph Allen, the second son of Lanty, lives at his father's old homestead. He married Susan DuBois in 1859, and had five chil dren : Susan, the wife of J. L. Meadows ; Martha J., wife of M. V. Wheeler; David U., Allen B. and George W., who live in Fayette County. Rebecca J., the oldest daughter of Lanty, married Andrew J. Honaker, May 18, 1865, and had four sons, Calvin L., Oscar T., Marion and Charles W. Jehu Shannon, the third son, married Frances Alderson. Lanty Graham had a son, Lanty Jackson, who was a Confederate soldier, and who died at Jackson, Miss., in 1863. Another son was Thomas C, who married Malinda Bryant in 1871, and whose two daughters, Laura, married James H. Harriss, and Jennie, who married Hugh P. Miller. JOHN W. GRAHAM, Publisher and Editor. JAMES ALLEN GRAHAM, Merchant and Lumberman. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 371 John, the second son of Joseph Graham, when he was sixty years old, married Mary J. Crews. Jane, the second daughter of Joseph Graham, died unmarried. She died a violent death some time prior to the war. It was never known whether she died by her own hand or whether she was killed. She was missing for some time, and a vigilant search was instituted, and the whole neighborhood was enlisted in the search. Her body was finally recovered, and showed evidences of a violent death. It was in a wild and unfrequented place; and whether she had gone there and died by her own hand was never known. Sus picion fastened on her kinsman and brother, James Graham, who was arrested and placed in jail. Finally the case was removed to Giles County for trial, a change of venue being had from Monroe County, where the public feeling was strong against him. He was defended by the late Senator Allen T. Caperton and other distin guished attorneys. The trial resulted in his acquittal of any crime, . and the matter was not prosecuted further. This was a noted case in its day. This son, James Graham, was the third son of Joseph Graham, and lived to an old age before marrying, in 1877. He married Rebecca A. Vass, a daughter of Curtis Vass, and she still survives. He spent several years in the West, in Ohio and In diana, Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky. He returned at the close of the Civil War, and remained in this country until his death in 1889, residing about one mile from the old Joseph Graham home stead. Elizabeth, the third daughter of Joseph Graham, married Archi bald Ballangee and settled on a portion of her father's land. She died on the 12th of January, 1857, leaving four children. Archibald Ballangee was born November 13, 1819, and died March 4, 1894. His children were Cynthia Jane, who married J. H. Bowden ; Martha Florence, the wife of J. H. Harrah ; Mary Hicks, wife of Marion Hicks, and one son, Herndon Ballangee. Ann Graham, the fourth daughter of James Graham, died in 1837, aged nineteen, unmarried. Rebecca, the youngest daughter of Joseph Graham, married John R. Ballangee, a son of George Ballangee, of the mouth of Greenbrier River, and who was a son of Isaac, the settler, who located there in 1780, when George was one year old. The Bal- langees came from North Carolina, and are of French descent. He owned one-half of the George Ballangee farm by devise, and out of which grew extensive litigation between his heirs and their uncle, Evi Ballangee, and Aunt Katie, neither of whom married, 372 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. and at their death their estate descended to their next of kin, some fifty in number, scattered throughout the land. This litigation is of record in the office of the Circuit Court of Summers County, and consists of three suits in chancery. John R. and wife later removed onto the land which she inher ited from her father, Joseph Graham, at the immediate foot of Keeney's Knob, on the east side, where he died in 1852, leaving three children, David Graham Ballangee, the oldest, who married Delphia Flint, a daughter of Jerry D. Flint. He now resides at the old Joseph Graham home, is its owner and is the postmaster at that place, and is given more extended notice elsewhere. Rebecca J., youngest daughter of John R. Ballangee, married Robert Carter, whose children are Otey C. Carter, Alice, George and Walter. Joseph Graham, the ancestor, died December , 1857, aged ninety-one years. He was a large land owner, having accumulated 2,000 acres in a compact body, and owned a number of slaves. The whole of this land was devised to his descendants. The father of Rebecca was Colonel James Graham, of the Lowell settlement,- and this land of 330 acres at Clayton was patented by her father in 1786 and by him given to his daughter, and has been in the family for 121 years. Joseph Graham's father was a son of David Graham, Sr., who lived in Bath, Virginia, and a son of John, Sr. Over the will and lands of Joseph Graham litigation grew among his chil dren in the Circuit Court of Monroe County, and which was car ried to the Supreme Court of West Virginia. Florence Graham, the daughter of John Graham, the senior and founder of the family originally, to which direct descent is traced, married her cousin, Colonel James Graham, who settled at Lowell in 1774, and a fort was erected where the Lowell Hotel now stands, known as Graham's Fort; and when he built the house at Lowell, which was 24 x 30 feet, he made it peculiarly strong to protect "himself and family against the Indians. The sills are of walnut and in a good state of preservation to this day. There are two large stone chimneys. The fireplace is six feet wide, with a wooden arch five feet high. All nails are wrought, made at the blacksmith shop, and all lumber sawed with a "whip-saw" by hand. The stone was transported for the chimneys from a mile up the river in a canoe. It was a fine house for those days. John Graham, the oldest son of Colonel Graham, was killed by the Indians at the attack on Fort Donnally. AA^illiam Graham mar ried Catherine Johnson in 1809, and settled on the Riffe place on HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 373 Greenbrier River, of 400 acres, which was patented to William Graham in 1785. He was appointed a major of the Sixty-sixth Regi ment of Virginia by the first county court held at the organization of Monroe County, and was elected in 1809 a representative to the General Assembly of Virginia. He was a justice of the peace of that county, and held the office for thirty-seven years, or until his death. He had three children, James, born in 1810, who married Patsy Gwinn,. daugher of Joseph Gwinn; William, Jr., married Rebecca, daughter of Lanty Kincaide. David, the third son, married Mary Stodgill in 1795, and settled at the mouth of Hungart's Creek on what was later known as the Woodson farm, and the hewed log bouse built by him still stands there. He was a surveyor, and was a lieutenant in a company of the Sixty-sixth Militia Regiment. Jane, the second daughter of Colonel James Graham, married David Jarrett, and settled on the May's farm near Buffalo Lick (Pence Springs). Florence, the second daughter of Colonel James Graham, mar ried Jarrett See. James Graham, the fourth son, married Lea Jarrett in 1800, a sister of James Jarrett, Sr.,. and also located on the Riffe Bottoms, at the upper end. His son, Samuel, married Sallie Jarrett, a daugh ter of David Jarrett, the father of David Jarrett who married Jane Graham. He settled on the James Nowlan or Tolley farm, which was patented by Colonel James Graham, Sr., in 1785, and his daugh ter, Susan, married Andrew Jarrett, .a brother of the late James and Joseph Jarrett, of Greenbrier. Samuel Graham undertook to ford at Haynes' Ford when the river was flush in March, 1819, near his home, and was drowned. The farm of 400 acres where Samuel Graham lived descended to his son-in-law, Andrew Jarrett, and was by him sold to Madison Haynes in 1840, and later a portion pur chased by Nowlan. Lanty, another son, married Elizabeth Stodgill, and Rebecca, the other daughter, as above stated, married Joseph Graham. Colonel James Graham was evidently born in Donegal, Ireland, as was his father, a brother of John Graham, Sr., who settled on the Greenbrier River; whether he came to America is not known. He was uncle of said Colonel James Graham and of David, who set tled in Bath. There have been several surveyors in the family, a number of whom were experts, and many of them have held honorable posi- 374 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. lions. They are noted for their intelligence and sagacity in busi ness and other affairs. R. Hunter Graham, a son of James Allen Graham, a young lawyer, educated at the common schools and graduated in law at Columbia University of Washington, D. C, is now engaged in the practice of law in Hinton. JOHN W. GRAHAM. This is the youngest son of David Graham, who is the oldest member of that family now living, and one of the old residents of this section of the country. John W. Graham was born at Clayton July 9, 1860. He was married on the 24th of August, 1892, to Miss Frankie Lowry, a daughter of J. W. Lowry, one of the pioneer settlers of Fayette County. He was raised on the farm, where he spent his early life, first engaging in other business at New Rich mond, where he established a plant for the manufacture of timber products, which he disposed of in 1893, and removed to Central City, where he resided until early in 1899, at which time he became proprietor of the old Republican newspaper plant at Hinton, and founded the present "Hinton Leader," which he has edited and published since that day until the present. It is an up-to-date, enterprising country newspaper with a large circulation, and is prospering, Mr. Graham being a Republican in his politics. He established the "Daily News," the first daily newspaper ever printed in Summers County, May 5, 1902, and continues the same unto this day. He publishes the same in connection with his "Leader," oper ating only one plant. The first issue was on May 5, 1902. It is a four-page, five-column paper, and is the pioneer paper of that char acter in this section. It is independent in its political views. John AV. Graham is a Republican in politics, and has taken a decided stand in political matters, and was one of the leaders in the political troubles which beset the party from 1902 to 1906, of that branch of the party known as the "Old-timers," he declining, with many other of the leading and influential Republicans, to support the entire ticket nominated by his party in 1904. He has been, also, as well as his paper with its influence, a violent opponent to the present State administration, headed by Governor Dawson, being a follower of the Teter wing; nor has ¦ he been kindly disposed toward the new and existing tax laws being put in force in the last three or four years, but he is an ardent Republican, and believes in the doctrines of that party, as are all of his family in this county. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 375 DR. JOSEPH ANDREW FOX. Dr. Fox is a native of Meigs County, Ohio, but was reared in Jackson County, West Virginia. He is of direct German descent, his father being a German, and the original Dutch spelling of the name was Fuchs. Dr. Fox emigrated, to Summers County about fifteen years ago, and engaged in the occupation of barber, by which means he procured the funds to attend the Concord Normal School, and later a medical college, the University of Maryland, graduating from the University of Nashville College of Medicine in 1903. After his graduation he stood a successful examination before the medical examiners of \Arest Virginia, located at Hinton, and entered into active practice in July, 1902. He has worked himself up from the ground floor, starting without means, money or prestige, and is now one of the men of financial means in Summers County, owning large interests in real estate. His brothers, Ed., Jake and William, also located in Hinton and followed the barber business for some time, Jake now being engaged in the butcher business, and Ed. and William still operating the barber shop. Dr. Fox is interested in a number of the leading enterprises of this section, hiving been the promoter of the Hinton Toll Bridge Com pany and one of it's largest stockholders. He supervised its con struction, securing franchises, rights of way, etc. He is also interested in the laundry business and other successful enterprises. He was born on the 4th day of January, 1875, and married Miss A. M. Rush in May, 1897. Dr. Fox also is a graduate in pharmacy in the University of the South. His father's name, in German, is Adams Fuchs; his mother's maiden name was Catherine Wink, and she is also a native German. They emigrated from Germany to America soon after their marriage, thirty-eight years ago, and first located in Meigs County, and then across the Ohio River into Jackson County, West Virginia, where they now reside. J. FRED BRIANT. There is but one family of this name, although there are others who spell their name Bryant. J. Fred Briant was born in Morris County, New. Jersey, and descends from one of the old ancestral families of the State of New Jersey. The family is able to trace its lineage to Elias Briant, who settled in that State at Springfield, a short distance from Elizabeth Port, which was then one of the chief seaports of that country, in 1690. The grandfather of the 376 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. subject of this sketch was named Elias, who had four brothers, the five brothers being soldiers in the American Army during the eight- year war of the Revolution for American independence. These five were the grandfather and four grand uncles, and, strange to say, each of these four brothers of the grandfather spelled their name Bryant, although the original records of the original settler and other documentary evidence show the spelling of the name to' be Briant, and there is in the possession of Elias Briant, the brother of J. Fred, a stamp made in 1750 of metal for stamping his name on his work tools, the stamp spelling the name with an "i" — Briant. The original owner of this stamp was a blacksmith, and Elias seems to have been an original family name descended from gen eration to generation. Elias Briant, the father of J. Fred Briant, was born in 1799. After the Revolution the brothers scattered, settling in different sections of the country, and passing westward, emigrated in that direction, one coming to Virginia, another to Ohio, and the descendants are scattered promiscuously throughout the country. Periodically these descendants meet and hold a re union of the Briant clan. J. Fred Briant came to Summers County in August, 1886, lo cating at Little Bend Tunnel as a telegraph operator, and afterward depot agent at Talcott, and was finally promoted to train dispatcher at Hinton in 1899, which position he occupies at this time, being associated in that office with the Irish citizen, M. A. Boland, who is chief dispatcher, and who worked himself up from the bottom. His father, commonly known as Billy Boland, located at New Rich mond soon after the building of the railway, where Mike was born. He learned telegraphy, and has been with the C. & O. Railway Company since, working up from one station to another. His father was accidentally killed at the crossing in Avis several years ago. He was an Irishman from Ireland and an honest citizen. He was track-walker for many years for that road. M. A., in addition to his railway engagements, is a director in the Citizen's Bank and one of the business men of the city. In 1895, Mr. Briant was appointed justice of the peace for Tal cott District, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Squire James P. Staton, now located at Glenn Jean in Fayette County, where he has been a justice for the last twelve years. In 1896, Mr. Briant was elected to the office of justice of the peace of Tal cott District, which position he filled intelligently and honorably to himself and constituents for four years. In 1900 he was the nomi nee of the Democratic party of the county for representative to the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 377 House of Delegates, and was elected, and held that position for a full term, declining further office. Fie is an intelligent gentleman, a fiuent speaker, well posted on public affairs of the day and times. When a boy he lost his left hand in attempting to board a train in Philadelphia. In 1887 he was united in marriage to Miss E. A. Wyant, a daughter of Peter B. Wyant, of Talcott District, and she is a descendant of that ancient and honorable family of German descent. They have three children, James R., Leah and Arminta. JORDAN. One of the ancient families of the New River settlements was that of Jordan, a Southwest Virginia family. Thomas Jordan was a native of England and an English soldier who came to America with Burgoyne's army in the War of the Revolution and fought therein for the cause of King George until the capture of that army by General Gage at the Battle of Saratoga. After the capture, he was sent by the Americans as a prisoner of war, along with the other captives, to the fastnesses of A^irginia until exchanged. During his captivity he became acquainted with Lucy O'Neal, an Irish girl, to whom he was married, and settled at the junction of the Cow Pasture and Jackson's River, and there lived and raised a large family. One of his sons was Hugh Jordan, who married Sallie Chapman, a daughter of Isaac Chapman, one of the most ancient settlers in the Middle New River Valley. They settled at Providence, in Giles County. Hugh Jordan was a great hunter, and during the hunting seasons annually came to the wil derness of the Bluestone around about Clover Bottoms, where he had a hunting lodge, and it was at that place that Gordon L. Jordan was born, but he raised his family in Giles County. In those days wolves and other ferocious animals were plentiful in all the region round about where Jordan lived at Clover Bottom, and the wife of Hugh Jordan spent many nights sleeping under the rafters in the loft of the cabin, to keep out of the way of the wolves which were howling around for admittance. Hugh Jordan returned to Providence, and there were sixteen children born to them — four boys and twelve girls. The boys were Gordon L., Thomas, William W. and Oscar. Gordan L. Jordan married Elizabeth G. Toney, of Giles County, a daughter of Captain Jonathan Toney, and was raised where the old brick house of the Toneys still stands at Glenn Lynn, on the Norfolk & Western Railway, near the mouth of East River, in Giles County. Gordon L. Jordan was born on the 18th 378 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. day of July, 1812, and died on the 18th day of June, 1886. He was by profession a contractor in stone, brick and plaster work. In 1849 he removed to Pipestem, then Mercer County. There were ten children ; two sons. One died in his youth ; the other, our present county man,. John H. Jordan. Miss Mary died in 1886, never having married. Clara Frances married M. D. Tompkins, of Hanover County, Virginia, and was one of the first, settlers of Hinton, where he located at the beginning of the building of the town and engaged in the mercantile business, and in which business he is still engaged to this date, and is now constructing the three-story brick business building at the railway crossing in Upper Hinton, through Eli W. Taylor, the architect, being the contractor. Miss Lizzie, his daugh ter, is one of the teachers in the Hinton High School, one son, Ed., is engaged with the First National Bank of Huntington. Other sons are attending school at Marshall College and Bethany College. Emma L. Jordan married James L. Barker, a son of Calloway Barker, who died on the Barker's Bottom at their home several years ago, in 1882, leaving one daughter, Lula, who married D. R. Barton, and now resides near Pack's Ferry. Lizzie Jordan married Clifton Lane, a son of Charles Lane, of Pipestem District, and a prosperous farmer at Pipestem. Nannie married W. B. Gautier, of Athens, and died in 1889, leaving one son, Claude V. Gautier, now a medical student at the AVest A-rirginia University. The other children of G. L. Jordan died from diphtheria while young. Gordon L. Jordan, upon his removal to Pipestem, engaged in the mercan tile business up until the beginning of the Civil War. Prior to that time he had been a justice of the peace and a member of the County Court of Mercer County. He was a sincere and loyal Southern man; loyal also to the Union, and violently opposed to secession of the States, and never gave in his adherence to the Southern cause until the firing on Fort Sumter. The feeling against Mr. Jordan in the early part of the war by Union sympathizers and bushwhackers was so vigorous that he emigrated in ' 1862 to Giles County, where he remained for one year, and then returned home, remaining there until the termination of the war. Soon after his settlement at Pipestem he constructed a large, two-story frame residence, which was the first frame residence ever built in Pipe- stem District. He and his brother also, about the same time, built and donated to the Methodist Church a frame house of worship, which is known to-day as Jordan's Chapel. The framing and tim bers in these buildings were hewn from trees, the old-fashioned HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 379 nails being used in their construction, and the plank all sawed with the whip or pit-saw. After the war Gordon L. Jordan followed farming until his death, and that farm remained in the hands of his children until 1902, when the same was sold to Kelsoe & Dickey, of Pennsylvania. Mr. Jordan was one of the first justices of the peace in the county after its formation, and held the office for four years by election. At the first election held within Summers County after its creation he was elected as a delegate to the House of Delegates, and repre sented the county as its first representative in that legislative body after its formation. He was an active man in the organization of the new county. He was unable to hold any office after the war until after the abolition of the infamous test oath. In politics he was a Democrat, and a Methodist in his religious beliefs, and one of the principal supporters of that denomination in that section, it being headquarters for all the Methodist ministers round about. The Jordan's Chapel was constructed in 1852. He was a man of fearless character and bravery. When a boy of fifteen, he, with William Mahood, descended into a cave in Giles County sixty feet, and killed a wolf. The wolf had fallen down through a sink hole, or opening in the surface, having been caught in a steel trap. They cut Indian ladders and descended from one bench to another. He held the light while Mahood slew the wolf. One of the first licenses to keep a house of public entertainment ever granted in the county was, to Mr. Jordan. His residence was the half-way point between Union and Raleigh Court House and Princeton, and was the stopping-place for persons going from points west to the latter town. -The celebrated and pioneer lawyers, Gen. Chapman, who was a first cousin to Mr. Jordan; Senator Allen T. Caperton, who was a first cousin to Mrs. Jordan; Frank Hereford, John E. Kenna, James W. Davis, Judge Gillespie, Judge Harrison, Judge Ward, Major McGinnis, Gov. Samuel Price, and many other celebrated men made their headquarters there in passing through this region. His wife died on the day of April, 1901, at the residence of J. H. Jordan in Hinton, where she lived the last five years of her life. She was born in 1822. Thomas Jordan, the other brother, who emigrated to Pipestem, entered into the mercantile business with his brother, Gordon, where he only remained two or three years. While in that country, he and the brothers purchased title to several hundred acres of timber land, which became valuable in recent years, and was disposed of to Pennsylvania capitalists. He afterwards settled in Tennessee. All of the Jordans in America, 380 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. so far as known, are descended from this British soldier. One of his descendants settled in Indiana, and they are scattered over Ohio and many other parts of the country. The Jordan brothers first sold goods up until the war at the old James Ellison place at Pipestem. John Hugh Jordan is the only member of that family of Jordans now living in Summers County, and is the only son of Gordon L. Jordan, who grew to maturity. He was educated iri the free schools, and graduated with honor at the Normal School at Athens, and then took a post-graduate course at the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, taught school in this county and in Raleigh, and was a teacher in the Hinton public schools at the time they were transformed into a high school, he being the first principal, and it was he who graded the Hinton schools. He was appointed a clerk in 1889 in the office of the State Auditor, Patrick F. Duffy, which position he held for four years. Upon the election of Governor McCorkle, in 1892, he was appointed Assistant Labor Commissioner, which position he held two years, and then resigned, returning to Hinton and organizing the Bank of Summers in 1895, which was afterwards converted into the present National Bank of Summers. He was elected its first cashier, which position he holds to this day. He is connected with a number of the other principal local business enterprises, among them being the New River Grocery Company, of which he is treasurer, a director and a stockholder, and of which he was the principal promoter. He is a stockholder and director in the Hinton Water, Light & Supply Company; a stockholder of the Greenbrier Springs Company, at which place he has a neat cottage, where his family spends part of the summer. He is a stockholder and director in the Hinton Foundry & Machine Com pany; a stockholder in the Bank of Wyoming and the Bank of Athens ; also a stockholder and officer in the New River Milling Company and other corporations. Mr. Jordan was born on the 11th day of May, 1857. He married Miss Lilly Brightwell, a daughter of Charles Bright- well, of Prince Edward County, Virginia, by which marriage there are three children, Julian J., who is a student at the Virginia Mili tary Institute; William W., who is a clerk in the National Bank of Summers, and Miss Lilly, who is a student at the Hinton High School. His first wife died in 1893, and in 1899 he was married the second time to Miss Hattie W. Brightwell, of Roanoke, Vir ginia, a sister of Captain W. J. Brightwell, of Hinton, and of Walter Brightwell, lately deceased, at Talcott. By this marriage HON. GORDON L. JORDAN, Founder of the Jordan Family in the County. JOHN H. JORDAN, Founder of National Bank of Summers, First Cashier. Financier and Capitalist. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 381 there are four children, Hugh C, Mary E., John Gordon and Nellie Lee. Mr. Jordan has not been a candidate for office in Summers County except in one instance, when he was the nominee of his party for superintendent of schools, but by reason of the factional trouble then existing, growing out of the death of the late Hon. Elbert Fowler, and the trial of J. Speed Thompson for his killing, in which he was a witness, he was defeated by a small majority by Jonathan F. Lilly, of Jumping Branch. He has occupied the office of city councilman ; is a man of strong character, loyal to his friends, and is a man of excellent business judgment, enterprising, pushing and energetic. In 1906 he erected in Hinton, on the court house square, a handsome brick residence, which he now occupies. He was one of the promoters and organizers of the Bank of Raleigh, the Bank of Wyoming, the Logan National Bank and the Bank of Athens. Hugh Jordan, the grandfather of John H. Jordan, was a soldier of the War of 1812, and fought at the Battle of New Orleans under General Andrew Jackson. Thomas Jordan, the ancestor of this family in this country, was one of the most powerful men physically in all the British Army, and his physical prowess was a matter of notoriety throughout the same. He was a resident and a property owner on land' afterward covered by the city of London, and it was claimed for generations that he had an estate in those prop erties by inheritance, but it was abandoned by him, he failing to make any effort to secure the same or to return .to that country for that purpose. Gordon L. Jordan, while a refugee at Pearisburg in 1862, was captured by the Federal soldiers, being the Twenty-second Ohio Regiment, under General Rutherford B. Hayes, then a lieutenant colonel, and of which command AVilliam McKinley, also afterwards President of the United States, was a sergeant. His army passed down New River through Summers County, crossing at Pack's Ferry and following the old turnpike road to Raleigh Court House, where it encamped for some time, Major McKinley occupying the residence of Mr. Davis, the father of the present sheriff of that county, John R. Davis ; Mrs. Davis still resides in the same build ing, and is a very aged lady; but the Union armies were not able to secure their capture of Mr. Jordan, and they being attacked in the neighborhood of Pearisburg by Colonel, afterwards General, John McCausland, of Mason County, who drove the Federals out, recaptured Mr. Jordan, who was set at liberty, and afterward re- 382 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. turned to his home in Pipestem. Mr. Jordan, at the time of his capture, was driving a team of horses on the streets of Pearisburg. His wife, and son, John, were with him, the latter remembering very distinctly the incidents connected with the capture and release. J. H. Jordan also remembers very distinctly of witnessing the Battle of Pearisburg, seeing and firing the cannons, etc., which was a very exciting occasion to a youth of his years, he then being five years of age. John H. Jordan is a Knight Templar in Masonry; an Odd Fel low; a member of the Order of Red Men and the Knights of the Golden Eagle ; the Ancient Order of United AVorkmen ; also of the Modern Woodmen of America. The great grandmother of John H. Jordan, Mrs. Tompkies, an other of the children of G. L. Jordan, was a daughter of Mitchell Clay, the first settler at Clover Bottom, and a sister of Tabitha Clay, who was killed by the Indians, an account of which is given elsewhere. Squire William Hughes, of Pipestem, married Louise Jordan, a sister of Gordon L. Jordan. SHEFFEY. The old Jordan Chapel has been witness to many celebrated revival meetings by various ministers, the most celebrated of which was by. Robert Sawyers Sheffey, a pioneer Methodist preacher, who was celebraled throughout all that region and Southwest Virginia. He was an eccentric itinerant, and one of the most remarkable characters that has ever lived in the New River Valley. During the life of Gordon L. Jordan he regularly visited him about once a year, and frequently held meetings at the old chapel. He was born on July 4, 1820, and died in Giles County in 1902. He was a native of Wythe County. He came into the New River Valley in 1859, and married a Miss Stafford. He was a pious, devout, Chris tian and godly man, and was a man of wonderful faith in God and most eloquent in public prayer. The most remarkable thing about this eccentric man was that his prayers for special things were not in vain, for what he asked the Lord for he always seemed to receive. So often were his prayers answered and his highest hopes and aspirations gratified, that people who knew him well and were disposed to do evil things, were frequently alarmed for fear he would call down upon them vengeance from heaven, and they be lieved that if he asked the Lord to smite them with pestilence or death, it would be done. Doubts of his 'sanity were expressed. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 383 These expressions, after being conveyed to Mr. Sheffey, he would often publicly repeat, and comment thereon by saying, "AVould to the Lord that they were crazy on the same subject that I am." Many are the interesting stories told of this preacher and his conduct, one or two of which we will give, as he was known to a large number of people throughout the upper region of the county, and I take them by permission from Judge Johnston's "New River Settlements." Twenty-five years or more ago Mr. Sheffey had a regular preach ing place on East River in Mercer County near the residence of Anderson Tiller, at whose house, when in the neighborhood, he made his stopping place. It was known that Mr. Sheffey was ex ceedingly fond of sweet things, and especially of honey, and when on a preaching tour he went to fill this appointment on East River, and as was usual, became a guest of Brother Tiller. Being on a Sunday morning, and late in the summer season, while at breakfast, Mr. Tiller remarked to Mr. Sheffey that he regretted he had no honey for him — that his bees had done no good, had not swarmed, and he feared that they had frozen out during the winter, or something had destroyed them. Mr. Sheffey arose from the table, went down upon his knees, and told the Lord that his brother's bees had not swarmed, and that there was no honey in the house, and he - im plored to have the bees swarms. Scarcely had his petition ceased, when the swarm came with such rapidity that Tiller was unable to secure rapidly enough sufficient gums to save them. There is no doubt about the truth of this incident. At a meeting held by Mr. Sheffey at Jordan's Chapel, Dr. Bray, a physician in the neighborhood, took his wife, Mrs. Martha Bray, the mother of Mrs. Captain Frank Cox, now living in this city, and was present at the Sunday morning services, and had with them a nursing infant child, which was taken suddenly ill about the close of the services. Mrs. Bray became alarmed and grief-stricken about the condition of her child, and in her paroxysms she cried out that her child was dying. A large number of people were present, who gathered around the mother and child, supposed to be dying, when- Mr. Sheffey appeared, and being informed of the cause of the trouble, said, "Here, brother, give me the little child ;" and taking it in his arms, he fell upon his knees, and in a most earnest prayer to God, asked for the life of the little child, and that it might be restored to its mother. Arising from his position on the ground, he handed the child to its father, saying, "Here, brother, is your little child, well and all right." So it was. 384 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. These are only a few of the many truthful and similar incidents which are related of this strange man. He had a wonderful faith in God's Providence — His care for His people, in providing for their wants, physical and spiritual. On one occasion he met a man in a road on a very cold day, and the man had on no socks. Mr. Sheffey, observing this, took off his own and gave them to the man. After riding some distance, he stopped at a house, and the lady of the house said to him that she had knit for him some nice pairs of socks, which she wished to present to him. He could not bear to see his horse suffering, or even any other animal — not even a bug if turned on its back; and he has been known to dismount from his horse and turn the bug over. If he found a hungry dog or animal, he would give it his lunch, not eating it himself. When provided with lunch for a journey through the mountains, the first hungry-looking dog he met, he would give it to the dog, and go hungry the remainder of the journey. On the upper waters of Bluestone, many years ago, was a whiskey distillery operated by a man and his son. Mr. Sheffey stopped in the neighborhood at the home of a good Methodist family. The good wife of the house told him of this distillery, and that it was wrecking the lives of many of the young men in the community, and requested him to pray for its removal, which he promised to do. The lady inquired how long it would be before she might expect his prayer to be answered. He replied, about twelve months, and, sure enough, in twelve months the distillery was closed up and the owner and his son in jail. On another occasion, on Wolf Creek, near Rocky Gap, he was informed by a mother of a, family of the existence of a distillery in the neighborhood which was proving a great evil, and requested to pray for its removal. He immediately went to the Lord in prayer, and asked Him to destroy the evil, and, if necessary, to send fire from heaven to burn it up. That night an old, dry tree took fire near the distillery, fell on the shanty, and destroyed the whole thing. J. B. LAVENDER. This gentleman is of English descent and a native of Mont gomery County, Virginia, where his ancestors settled on their emigration to this country. He was born September 6, 1849, mar ried Miss Ella Bransford, of Greenbrier County, a daughter of HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 385 Henry Bransford, in 1876. He is by profession a civil engineer, architect and builder, and has supervised some of the substantial buildings of Hinton. He was the architect and- contractor for the handsome brick residence of James T. McCreery on Temple Street,, and the architect of the Chesapeake Hotel, now owned by H. Ewart, built by A. B. Perkins. Mr. Lavender, when he first moved from Virginia, located in Ohio, then in Kanawha County, and settled in Hinton in 1882, and is one of the older residents. He was originally a Democrat in politics, but changed his views on the political parties, and in 1888 was the Republican candidate for surveyor of the county, and was the nominee of that party at a later election, but the party being in the minority, he was defeated in each in stance. He assisted in the re-assessment of the real estate of the county in 1905 under the new tax laws of West Virginia, Jonathan Lee Barker being the assessor, with Mr. Lavender- as assistant. In 1900 he was the United States census enumerator for one-half of the county, along with the same Mr. Barker, who was the enumer ator for the other half. Mr. Lavender is also a professional pho tographer, which occupation he follows for a diversion. He is also local minister of the Methodist Church. By his courtesy we are able to get a cut of the old George Ballangee mansion at the mouth of Greenbrier River. BLAKE. Andrew Jackson Blake resides near Clayton Post Office. He is a native of Fayette County, and was born August 14, 1830. He was the owner of coal lands in Fayette County, and as develop ments came, he sold and removed to the Clayton neighborhood in 1901, along with his sons, Marcus and Thomas Blake, and two other sons, Edward R. and William Preston. Edward lives in Ne braska, and William Preston in Fayette. The Blakes are all farm ers by occupation, Democrats in politics and missionary Baptists. The father of Andrew Jackson Blake was William Blake, who was born in 1789 in the upper end of Greebrier County. He first settled near Fayetteville, and later near Mt. Hope, in Fayette County. The Blakes are of Irish . descent. A. J. Blake married Mary Howery, January 16, 1881. He was a member of Company A, Edgar's Bat talion, and was engaged during the war as a scout for two years. Marcus Blake married Rhoda E. Dotson, a daughter of Lazarus Dotson. Thomas married Minnie Knafe in Fayette County. Her father's name was Isaac Knafe, a native of Floyd County, Virginia. 386 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. They purchased the old Joseph Hill place near Clayton. Mr. A. J. Blake is a man seventy-seven years of age, hale and hearty, and a man of fine recollection. The Blakes are thrifty, enterprising, law-abiding citizens. THE MILLER FAMILY. John Miller, Sr.'s father's name was Patrick Miller, which would indicate that the ancestor was an Irishman. Patrick Miller was born on the Atlantic Ocean while his parents were emigrating to America. Patrick Miller's father settled on the spot where the city of Staunton, Augusta County, Virginia, is built. I have but little information as to the life and movements of the great-grandfather, Patrick, but he was of Scotch-Irish descent. We have in our possession, by descent, a number of very old and ancient books, which belonged to Patrick Miller, and have his name written on the fly-leaf thereof. I am not informed as to how many children he had, or where they settled. John, the senior, having some family differences, set out in the world for himself, and came to Lick Creek, in Greenbrier County, more than 100 years ago, bringing with him three negro slaves, Abe, Sarah and Minta, settling at the forks of Slater's Creek, Flag Fork and Lick Creek, on the farm, and built the house now resided in by William Shu mate, who purchased the same from J. AV. Alderson. He came through the mountains over the Patterson Mountain, having mar ried a Miss Jane Hodge,, of Highland County, Virginia. The three slaves were given him by his father. He acquired title to ninety acres of land, originally, where his residence was built by first clearing out a small patch of ground and raising a crop of corn there, thus securing title by what was known as the best and surest — the "corn title." This crop of corn was raised in the yard of the present building. After raising this crop of corn he secured a patent to the ninety acres. He was a carpenter by trade, and built what was in those days a fine house, double-story, hewed logs, with a dressed stone chim ney; evidently before this, however, building a single-story log house, which was afterward used as a kitchen and quarters for the slaves. This kitchen had one of the old-fashioned chimneys at least ten feet wide, built of small stone, with a hickory hewed log for an arch. He made a portion, at least, of his own furniture of cherry and walnut; one, a large walnut, three-cornered cupboard, and the other, a book-case and desk and bureau combined, curiosi- FOUU GENERATIONS OF MILLERS. From left, standing: Fenton H. Miller, Wm. B., Sarah B., Jas. H, A. A., Jas. H., Sr., Aseneth and Daisy Miller (Photographed by C. L. Miller.) Jr., Margaret A., HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 387 ties in this day. These pieces of furniture are as neat and as well finished as any we see in the modern days. He cleared up that fertile land and planted an orchard. Soon after he came, finding a wild bee tree, from which he got a start of bees, the same stock which is now held by C. L. Miller, of Foss, at this time, the stock being more than 100 years old. He was a Presbyterian, and Dr. McElheney ministered to his spiritual wants, visiting him once a month for many years. He owned his own still, manufactured his own spirits from the fruit raised in his orchard, and evidently enjoyed all of the liberties dreamed of by the persecuted peoples of the British Isles, so many of whom emi grated to this land in the early days to escape from religious persecution and to secure the liberties of which they dreamed. He died at the advanced age of seventy-four years, from cancer. It first appeared on his hand, which was amptuated, and it appeared again on his body, and was incurable, his wife having died some time previously from a similar cause. This farm of John Miller, Sr., passed to his sons, Wm. E. and A. A., thence by them the home plantation was conveyed to James W. Alderson, and by him sold to William Shumate, who now re sides thereon. The other lands of A. A. Miller passed to his chil dren, and thence to his son-in-law, John A. George, who now lives thereon. John Miller, the direct founder of the family, was a native of Bath County, Virginia, born on the Cow Pasture River, October 13, 1772. His wife was Jean Hodge, born in Highland County, Virginia, on Cow Pasture River, on February 26, 1780. They re moved to Lick Creek, then Greenbrier County, about the year 1800, and reared a family consisting of: Patrick Henry, born November 26, 1803 ; James Hodge, born October 19, 1805 ; John Hamilton, born January 5, 1808; Robert, born July 21, 1810; Ervin Benson, born June 1, 1815; Jean, born November 12, 1812; Mary Ann, born July 27, 1821 ; Margaret Elizabeth, born December 16, 1823 ; An drew Alexander, born June 6, 1818, and William Erskine, born August 19, 1825. John Miller, Sr., and Jean Hodge were married January 27, 1803. Patrick Henry Miller and Margaret George were married and removed to Gentry County, Mo., where their descendants still reside. James H. Miller and Aseneth Chapman were married May 25, 1831, and he, after learning the tanner's trade with James Withrow, of Lewisburg, located at Gauley Bridge, then Virginia, where he 388 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. engaged in the mercantile business for sixty years, continuing in active business until his death, the 23d of October, 1893, at the age of eighty-seven years, leaving surviving him one son, James Henry Miller, Jr., -who succeeded to the business founded by his father. James H., the senior, was appointed postmaster at Gauley Bridge by President William Henry Harrison, and held the office until his death, more than forty years. He represented Fayette County in the Legislature, and filled other positions of trust. His son, James H., Jr., resides at the old homestead, and has continued successfully the business established by his father. He was elected sheriff of Fayette County, which position he resigned, and was also president of the county court, which position he held for six years, and suc ceeded his father as postmaster at Gauley Bridge. His children surviving him are Fenton H., who married Mattie King; William Alexander, who married Pearl -Helman; Robert H., who married Leona Richmond; Jane T., who married James H. Miller, of Hin ton, and Annie, who married Oscar L. Morris. Robert Miller and Ankey Alderson were married February 13, 1834, and settled in Morgan County, Indiana, where their descend ants still reside. Irvin B. and Sarah Alford were married September 1, 1836, and settled on Sewell Creek, in Fayette County. Andrew Alexander and Eliza Hinchman were married on the 24th , 1846. After the death of the latter, on the 9th of November, 1866, he was married the second time to Eliza beth Thomas, of Centerville, Alonroe County, on the 3d day of December, 1868. Mary Ann married Major Anderson A. McNeer, of Monroe County, on the 15th day of January, 1846. Jean Miller married Joseph Hill, of Putnam County, West Vir ginia. Margaret E. and William B. McNeer were married on the 14th of 1 1843, and William E. Miller and Sarah Barbara McNeer were married February 8, 1849. Those of the family of John Miller, the senior, who settled on and near the old homestead, were William E., who, being the young est, retained the home farm, which he still owned at his death, owning a tract of over 400 acres. Andrew Alexander located one- half mile below on Lick Creek, where he acquired a plantation, some 1,000 acres of good land, which he owned at his death. He erected a substantial brick dwelling, the second one ever erected in that section of the country, and was one of the most enter- WM. ERSKINE MILLER And Sarah Barbara, His Wife, 1895. CHARLES LEWIS MILLER, Farmer and Capitalist, "The Sage of Foss.' HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 389 prising citizens, having been a captain of militia and justice of the peace before the war, and one of the first supervisors and members of the county court on the formation of the county, being one of the principal factors in the formation of the new county into a thriving municipality, representing the county in the Legislature for a term, 1880-1881, while the capital of the State was still at Wheeling. He left surviving him two sons, James Houston, who located at Waxahatchie, Texas, and is now the president of the National Bank of Waxahatchie, and the owner of a majority of its stock, and George A. Miller, of Hinton, capitalist, being president of the New River Grocery Co., and connected with many other in dustrial enterprises. James H. Miller, Sr., had one daughter, Eliza Ann, who died many years ago, unmarried. His wife was Asenath Chapman, of Frankfort, Ky., who lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years. Andrew Alexander Miller married first Miss Eliza Hinchman, a daughter of William Hinchman, a descendant of an English gen tleman who settled at an early day near Lowell. One daughter of A. A. Miller — Elizabeth — married John A. George, who lives at the old A. A. Miller homestead on Lick Creek, she having died some four years ago. His second wife was Miss Elizabeth Thomas, of Monroe County. William Erskine Miller had four children, Charles Lewis, James Henry, Anderson Embury and Miss Mary Benson. Arvin Benson Miller left four sons, James William, who was engaged in the mer cantile business in partnership with the late M. Hutchinson, whose daughter, J. Ellen, he married, removing to Hinton, where he now resides, being engaged in the hotel business, and owner and pro prietor of the Hotel Miller; John A., who married Miss Sallie Knapp, resides at Ashbury, in Greenbrier County, and is engaged in the mercantile business. His son, Dr. Roy Miller, is one of the surgeons at the- Hinton Hospital; Olan Benson, who married Miss Virginia Baber, died in the year 1903, having been engaged in the mercantile business for many years at Alderson, West Virginia. Irvin also left surviving him one daughter, Margaret Ann, who is living with her son, William, at Richmond, Virginia, at this time. She married Dr. Samuel Williams during the war on Lick Creek. Dr. AVilliams refugeed from Putnam County at the beginning of the war to Lick Creek, and there became acquainted with Miss Margaret Miller, and they were married. They resided at New Richmond for many years, where he died some twelve years ago. Dr. Williams weighed 350 pounds, was very short in stature, was a 390 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. man of magnificent learning, having been educated at the Uni versity of Virginia and the University of South Carolina, although he was very careless in his habits. It was he who provided the West Virginia stone now in the Washington Monument, from the quarry at New Richmond. Margaret E. Miller, who married William B. McNeer, located and resided on the Slater's Fork of Lick Creek until their deaths, about 1870, leaving two sons surviving them — John Caperton Mc Neer, a resident of Fayette County, and William Newton McNeer, a resident of Charleston. Ervin Miller left four sons surviving' him, Logan, who was killed in the War of the Rebellion ; John A., who is a merchant at Asbury, in Greenbrier County; James W., the hotel man of Hinton, and Olin B., a merchant of Alderson, as above stated. John Miller, Sr., died November 25, 1854; Jean Miller, wife of John Miller, Sr., died February 3, 1836; Jean Hill died November 20, 1835; James Hodge Miller died October 23, 1893; Sarah Bar bara Miller died February 6, 1896; Robert Miller died August 10, 1887; Andrew A. Miller died March 26, 1898; John Hamilton Miller died February 18, 1811; Anky, wife of Robert, died July 2, 1890; Aseneth Chapman Miller died June 9, 1898. WILLIAM E. MILLER. William Erskine Miller was the youngest son of John Miller, Sr., and was born on the old homestead, which is now owned by Mr. William Shumate, who purchased the property from -J. W. Alderson, a son of L. M. Alderson, four years ago. The subject of this sketch was born August 18, 1825, and died on the 3d day of February, 1901. He was named for the late William Erskine, who built and at one time owned the Salt Sulphur Springs, in Monroe County, of whom he was a relative. We give below a sketch taken from the "Hinton Leader," written by Mr. John W. Graham, editor of that paper, immediately following his death : -- Death of William E. Miller. "William Erskine Miller, after an illness of several weeks with pneumonia, died at his home at Foss on Saturday the 3d inst., at 12 :45 p. m. Funeral services were conducted at his home Sunday afternoon at one o'clock, by his pastor, Rev. H. A. Brown, of the Methodist Church, after which the remains were interred at Hill GEORGE A. MILLER (at left), GREEN LEE LILLY. Salesmen for New River Grocery Company. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 391 Top Cemetery. Mr. Miller was born August 19, 1825 near Green Sulphur Springs, this county, formerly of Greenbrier County, Vir ginia, where a greater part of his life was spent. About ten years ago he moved with his family to Foss, near the mouth of Green brier, where his death occurred just three days before the fourth anniversary of his wife's death. He is survived by four children, Hon. James H. Miller, of this city; A. E. Miller, of Beckley; Charles L, and Miss Mary B. Miller, of Foss. "In his death Summers County loses one of her best and most honored citizens, the church one of its most consistent members. He possessed a combination of qualities rarely equalled and never surpassed. "And, in addition to this, he was of a most unselfish character and most humane and merciful disposition, with a gentleness in domestic and social life which obtained the admiration of all who knew him, and added to these the character of a consecrated and devoted Christian. During his long career not a blot ever fell upon his character, not a blemish ever rested on his life. It might be truly said of him, 'If every person to whom he had spoken some kind word, or for whom he had done some kind deed, could drop but one leaf upon his grave, he would bow beneath a wilderness of foliage.' " I also append a quotation from the "Hinton Independent Her ald," referring to his death : "In his death this county loses an honest and upright citizen. Mr. Miller was an unassuming Christian gentleman. While a man of strong convictions, he was as gentle as a child, and obtruded his opinion on no one. He was not a politician, and despised chicanery of the demagogue ; was never a candidate for any office, and refused political preferment. He was a soldier in the Confederacy, loyal to his government, his friends and his country. He leaves as a heritage to his posterity an honorable and good name. He had no enemies. 'Those who knew him best loved him most.' It is a pleasure to pay a tribute to a man of his character. The world is better for his having lived among us. His place, no doubt, can be filled, but will it be? He was of a generation fast passing away, which should be emulated and remembered. "He leaves surviving him three sons, Charles L., A. E. and James H., and one daughter, Miss Mary B., who, with a large number of relations and friends, will cherish his memory and the honest, faithful, Christian character which he made and maintained throughout his long life of nearly seventy-five years. Mr. Miller 392 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. was taken sick with pneumonia two weeks before his death, which was complicated with inflammatory rheumatism. His sufferings were fearful, but he bore them patiently, and his mind was clear to the last. He had been a consistent member of the M. E. Church South for forty years, and died in the faith of a Christian. His wife preceded him to the grave .four years ago, nearly to the day, from the same dreaded disease, pneumonia. Funeral services were conducted at the residence on Sunday afternoon by his pastor, Rev. H. A. Brown, assisted by Rev. J. W. Holt, and the interment was at Hill Top Cemetery, where a large number had assembled to pay the last sad tribute to their departed friend." He was married to Miss Sarah Barbara McNeer, of Monroe County, who rests by his side at the beautiful Hill Top Cemetery. A handsome shaft has been erected b) their children to mark their last resting place. John Miller and Robert Miller, the seniors and half brothers, had a sister, Mary Miller, who married a Benson, who lived at Salt Sulphur Springs, and her daughter married William Erskine. Olive Benson Miller, Mary Benson Miller, Elizabeth Benson George (nee Miller) were named for this sister. John Alexander, of Monroe County, married Jane Miller, a daughter of Robert Miller, Sr., and a sister of John and Alexander Miller. John George married Margaret, another sister. Another sister married Thomas Ferry, who early moved to the West. His son, Thomas, went to California in the days of '49 as a gold miner, secured a considerable fortune, and now lives at Green Sulphur Springs. He is a most estimable gentleman. Betsey, another daughter, married Grigsby Lewis. John Miller, Sr., resided in Bath County, Virginia, until he re moved to Lick Creek. When he came his only means of transpor tation was in a "Yankee jumper," a kind of sled made with the shaft and runner all of one pole. He came across the Patterson Mountain, down and over the Sugar Knob and onto Slater's Creek, and down that creek, where he located, bringing with him his wife and one child, then born, Henry Patrick. The first thing he did was to go to the Alderson's place a mile above and borrow a mattock to begin operations with, dig out a foundation for his cabin, and "grub'' a corn patch and locate his claim. He was an accomplished carpenter and cabinet maker. Thomas Miller, a son of Henry Patrick Miller, went to Cali fornia during the golden era of '49 in search of the yellow metal, but never returned, and was lost sight of entirely. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 393 Robert Miller, who married Anky Alderson, a daughter of James Alderson, and emigrated to Indiana and settled in Morgan County, left Robert, Alexander, Oliver and John, sons, and Martha, who married Newton Sandey, of Paragon, Morgan County, Indiana. Other children of Robert and Anky Miller were Robert, Oliver, John and Alexander, now residing in that State, except Robert and Oliver, who are dead. The wife of the infamous Judge Harrison who reigned so viciously over the courts and the people of this section directly after the war, was a daughter of William Erskine, the founder of the Salt Sulphur Springs. After her separation from him she lived in New Orleans, where their daughter, "Skippy" Harrison, mar ried and now resides. JOHN MILLER'S WILL. I, John Miller, of the county of Greenbrier and State of Vir ginia, do make this my last will and testament in the manner and form following, that is to say : Second. I wish my funeral expenses and all my just debts to be paid out of my personal property after my decease. Third. I gave to my son, Henry Miller, a tract of one hundred acres, joining to my home place, that I bought back from him again, that my son, Ervin B. Miller, now lives on, which I intend for his part of my estate. Fourth. I leave to my son, James H. Miller, one hundred dol lars, to be paid by my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller, two years after my decease. Fifth. I leave to my son, Robert Miller, one hundred dollars, to be paid to him at my decease by my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller. Sixth. The hundred acres of land I bought from my son, Henry P. Miller, which the write — was made to my son,- Ervin B. Miller, lives on, and I intend for his part of my estate. Seventh. I leave to my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller, my plantation on which I now live, to be as equally divided according to quantity and quality between my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller, and if they can't agree about the divide, it is to be divided by disinterested persons, and I further leave all my personal estate of whatsoever kind I may have at my decease to the above-named A. A. Miller and W. E. Miller, to be equally divided between them, with the exception of what will be 394 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. hereafter named, and after the above-named partition is divided and property my son, A. A. Miller, is to have choice. Eighth. I leave to my grandson, James R. Hill, one horse worth fifty or sixty dollars, and saddle and bridal, to be payed by my sons, Andrew A. Miller and William E. Miller, at my decease, which is to be his part of my estate. Ninth. I leave to my daughter, Mary Ann McNeer, my black man, Abram, and my black woman, Sarah, if they outlive myself, and I intend them' to be her part of my estate. Tenth. ' I leave to my daughter, Margaret Elizabeth McNeer, my black woman, Minty, if she should outlive myself, and I intend that to be her part of my estate. And lastly, I wish no administration of my estate further than what I have left it to take possession of what I have left them, hereby revoking all former wills or testaments by me made. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this third day of July, 1846. JOHN MILLER. A codicil to the last will and testament of John Miller, bearing date the third day of July, 1846; that is to say, I now wiirand be queath to my son, William E. Miller, all my house and kitchen fur niture, farming utensils and stock of sheep, and also my watch, given under my hand the twenty-fifth day of September, 1854. (This will seems to have been written by John Miller himself in his own hand.) Charles Lewis Miller is the oldest of the. sons of William Ers kine Miller. He was born on Lick Creek on the 13th day of May, 1852. He was educated in the public schools and at Oberlin Col lege, Ohio ; taught school a number of years, learned telegraphy, and became a proficient operator, but never followed the business. He afterwards became agent for. the C. & O. Railroad Company at Gauley Bridge, which position he held for ten years. Later, he located at the mouth of the Greenbrier River, where he has been engaged in farming, merchandising and other enterprises. He was never married. He was the projector, and constructed the steel bridge over the Greenbrier River at Foss. Pie built the first silo ever built in Summers County, which was a successful experiment. He is an up-to-date, modern farmer, and is connected with a num ber of the business enterprises of the country. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Raleigh, New River Milling Company, Hinton Hard ware Company and other local corporations. He was at one time HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 395 deputy clerk of the County Court of Summers County, which po sition he held until his resignation. He has been repeatedly re quested to run for public office, including that of county clerk, sheriff and other positions, but has always firmly declined. Anderson Embury Miller was the third son of W. E. Miller; was born on the 1st day of October, 1859. He was raised on the farm and educated in the public schools, and has engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years. He was one of the pro moters and founders of the New River Grocery Company, of which he has been general manager since its organization several years ago; is one of the principal stockholders in the Foss Bridge Com pany, and he and C. L. Miller own together that valuable property at Foss, part of the old William Pack plantation and ferry. He has never sought political preferment or been a candidate for any office. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Gauley; was one of the founders of the Bank of Raleigh, of which he was the first cashier, and with which he was connected for several years, until his resig nation on account of his health. He -is a large stockholder in The Lilly Lumber Company, and numerous other local business enter prises. His children are Owen E., Harry L., Faye, Josephine and Barbara Hutchinson. He was married to Jennie Irene Hutchinson June 22, 1887. The Oscar L. Morris mentioned in these pages, who married Annie Miller, is a direct descendant of the ancient settler, who was associated with Daniel Boone in the early settlement of the Kana wha Valley for twelve years, and the name was then spelled "Mor riss," as seen in the pioneer prints. JAMES HENRY MILLER, The second son of William E. Miller and the fourth of the genera tion of James H. Miller, was raised on the farm, and attended school with the neighborhood boys and girls in the old Gum School- house on Lick Creek, a celebrated place of learning in the early times. He was a student of James Huston Miller at Green Sulphur Springs in 1876 ; graduated in the class of '79 at Concord Normal, taking the two prizes contested for, one adjudged to him for the best original oration, "The Wrecks of Time" ; the other for the best essay delivered at the commencement of that term, "The Ideals of a True Life." He taught school for thirty months ; four terms in Hinton, at Green Sulphur, on top of Hump Mountain, at New Richmond and White Sulphur Springs. He began the study of 396 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. law with Hon. William Withers Adams at Hinton, writing in the clerk's office to pay expenses, and rooming in the jury room at the court house ; took a law course at the University of Virginia ; was admitted to the practice at the February Term, 1881. Soon after he formed a co-partnership with the late Elbert Fowler, which ter minated with his death two and one-half years afterward, where upon he formed a co-partnership with his old preceptor, W. W. Adams, which continued until his death in 1894, after which the partnership of Miller & Read was formed, which continued until the 1st of December, 1904. During the time from 1881 to 1905 he practiced his profession in Summers County, occasionally taking business in the adjoining counties of Monroe and Greenbrier. In 1884 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Summers County, which office he held for sixteen years in succession, when he de clined to again be a candidate for that position, but was nominated in 1900 for the office of State Auditor on the Democratic ticket, and was defeated, with the rest of his party ticket, by Hon. Arnold Scherr, the present accomplished Auditor, of West Virginia. In 1904 he was nominated without opposition to the office of judge of the Circuit Court of the Ninth West Virginia Circuit, composed of Summers, Raleigh and Wyoming, and was elected by about 1,200 majority in a Republican circuit over his opponent, Hon. Frank Lively, of Summers County, which position he now holds. He was unanimously selected as a delegate to the Chicago Convention of 1896, which nominated William J. Bryan for President and Arthur Sewall for Vice-President. He was not an original Bryan man, for Bryan was then practically unknown as a statesman, orator and patriot; but voted on two ballots for J. C. S. Blackburn, of Ken tucky, and then for Bland. Up until his election as judge, when he retired from politics, he was a delegate to each State convention of his party for the last twenty-five years, as well as to the Sena torial and Congressional conventions of his district, the Third AVest Virginia, and was Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Com mittee for the Third West Virginia District for some sixteen years, resigning in 1900, when he became a candidate for auditor, and in the campaign of that year he was selected unanimously as Chair man of the State Democratic Committee for West Virginia, and conducted that campaign, with headquarters at Charleston, his assistants being Hon. W. E. R. Burns, John T. McGraw, Hon. Thomas B. Davis, Wm. E. Chilton and others. This was in the cam paign of 1900, and which position he held until 1904, his term in that office being resigned upon his nomination for the judgeship. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 397 Others associated with him at headquarters were W. H. Garnett, C. C. Campbell and Frank A. Manning, of Summers County. He was Chairman for the Senatorial convention which nominated Hon. William Haynes for the State Senate, also which nominated John W. Arbuckle. On February 1, 1882, he was married to Jane Tompkins Miller, a daughter of James H. Miller, Jr., of Gauley Bridge. They have four children, James H., Jr., now a student at Randolph-Macon Academy; Grace Chapman, Jean and Daisy Corinne. He has been connected with a number of business enterprises in this section. He is president of the Greenbrier Springs Company, a director of the National Bank of Summers from its organization, president of The Hinton Hardware Company, stockholder in the Ewart-Miller Com pany, and others. k It was he and R. R. Flanagan who first projected a bridge across New River at Hinton, on the site afterwards occupied by the Hin ton Toll Bridge Company. It was some ten years prior to the erection of the bridge, and they determined that the patronage at that time and population was not sufficient to justify the business investment, and it was abandoned for the time, and afterwards taken up by enterprising citizens and carried to a successful ter mination. He first adopted the profession of medicine and studied for that profession for some time under the celebrated Dr. Samuel Wil liams, at New Richmond, but abandoned it for the law by reason of being unable financially to take the medical course required in that profession before entering the practice of the medical pro fession. GEORGE A. MILLER. The second son of Captain A. A. Miller is George Andrew, born on the 10th day of January, 1857, on Lick Creek, on the old Miller plantation, within fifty feet of where the Indians hid the night after they killed Griffith on Griffith's Creek, the last Indian incursion into this region of the country. (Griffith's Creek bore that name in 1777 at the date of the formation of Greenbrier County, and is named in the act of the General Assembly of Virginia, cre ating that county, therefore the Griffiths must have settled in that region some time before that date.) George A. Miller was reared on the farm, attended the free schools at the Old Gum Schoolhouse, where so many of the youths of that day received their education; also Lyle's Academy on Second Creek in- Monroe County. At his majority he entered the mercantile business at Alderson with L. E. 398 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Johnson, now president of the Greenbrier Valley Bank, and George K. Gwinn, a son of Augustus Gwinn, now engaged in the hardware business in that town. The firm name was Johnson, Gwinn & Co., in which he retained an interest for some years. Later he traveled for a number of years for the old shoe house of Wingo, Ellett & Crump, retaining, however, his citizenship through all these years on Lick Creek. He married, in 1906, Miss Minnie Gwinn, a daugh ter of J. Clark Gwinn and a granddaughter of Augustus Gwinn, heretofore referred to'. He is largely identified with many of the principal business enterprises in this section; engaged as a coal Operator, president of the New River Grocery Co., director In the Greenbrier Valley Bank, engaged in the drug business at Ron- ceyerte with his nephew, P. A. George, under the firm name of P. A. George & Co., and is one of the capitalists of this section. He is also a large stockholder in the National Bank of Waxahachie, Texas, of which his brother, James Houston Miller, is president. His mother was a Hinchman, a descendant of the old English set tlers near Lowell. He is an astute and honorable business man, energetic, skillful and reliable. His wife is an accomplished sten ographer, and has rendered material aid in the preparation of this work. So far as I am able to state, Robert Miller was the emigrant who founded the generation of Millers of which we have undertaken to give some history. Then came Patrick Miller ; then John and Rob ert, who settled on Lick Creek, half brothers. John married Jane Hodge, of Highland County, Virginia, and his oldest son, Henry, was born before emigrating to Lick Creek. ^ The others of his children were born on that creek. James Hodge 'Miller was named for his mother. Robert, the son of John, was named for his half- uncle, Robert, who settled at the Thomas A. George place. Andrew Alexander. was named after John Alexander, who married Robert Miller's daughter. Irvin Benson was named after Washington Ir ving, and Benson, a collateral ancestor. William Erskine Miller was named for a collateral ancestor, AVilliam Erskine, who founded the Salt Sulphur Springs. James William, the son of Irvin, was named for his uncle William and his uncle James. John Alexander, the son of Irvin, was named for his grandfather, John and his uncle, A. A. Olen Benson was named for his father, Irvin Benson. Charles Lewis was named after General Charles Lewis. A. E. Miller was named for. Major Anderson A. McNeer and Bishop Em- berry, of the Methodist Church. Mary Benson Miller was named for her Aunt Mary and the old ancestral name, Benson. James Henry was named for his uncle and cousin at Gauley Bridge. A. E. MILLER, Founder and General Manager New River Grocery Company. A. E. MILLER AND JENNIE IRENE, HIS WIFE. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 399 George A. was named for the ancient Georges and his father, Cap tain A. A. Miler. James Houston Miller was named for his Uncle James at Gauley Bridge and General Sam Houston, the Texas patriot. Elizabeth Benson Miller, who married John George, was named for the Benson family. Fenton Hodge after his great-great maternal grandfather and Fenton Morris. Robert Hamilton after has great-uncle, Robert, of Indiana, and Hamilton, one of the col lateral ancestral names, of which Jacob Hamilton, of Blue Sulphur Springs was a descendant. William Alexander was named after his uncle, William Erskine Miller, and Captain A. A. Miller. Jean Miller is a family name from the foundation from the paternal side. Among the old papers of James Hodge Miller, the ancient post master at Gauley Bridge, the following relic was found : 5832 Pounds 12-9. No. 1369. August 11, 1777. Three years after date pay to the order of James Hodge the above mentioned pounds, good and lawful money of Virginia, for value received, issued by order of the Governor. GEORGE BLUNT. This note seems never to have been collected. We also insert a copy of an ancient fee-bill as follows : James H. Miller. To the Commissioner of the Revenue, Fayette County,-entering transfer from William Morris, 75c. W. C. CAMPBELL, C. R. F. C. Mr. James H. Miller. To the Clerk of Fayette County, Debtor. 1834, November. Fees in suit against James River Company, $1.76. Teste: H. HILL, C. F. C. Thomas Ferry, whose mother was a daughter of Robert Miller, the settler, in 1850 went to California in search of gold. He ac quired' lands in the Sacramento regions and mined and prospected for gold in the mountains, spending a large part of his life in the fascinating life of a gold miner. He was a bachelor and never married, and the only child and heir of his parents who settled in Missouri, and was therefore one of the heirs to the large estate of his uncles, John and Alex. Miller, who were bachelors and never married. Nothing was heard of Ferry for many years. The estates had been settled through the courts at Lewisburg, and all the funds distributed, except the interest, which fell to Ferry, and all efforts 400 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. made to find him had failed. Finally, sorne fifteen years ago, before distributing his part to the other heirs, Hon. M. Gwinn, who was settling up the estates, determined to make one further effort, and inserted a last advertisement in a California newspaper. Ferry was in the Rocky Mountains prospecting, with a party of miners, and one of the party went to the settlement for supplies, which he secured and had wrapped up in newspapers. These papers Ferry preserved to read, and in doing so, ran across Gwinn's little adver tisement wanting information of Thomas Ferry. At once he be lieved himself to be the man. He wrote Gwinn ; they got into communication, and he came on to Green Sulphur Springs ; had no trouble in proving his identity -and in claiming and receiving his own, which was a considerable sum. He has remained on Lick Creek since, and is now an old man. Thomas Miller, a bachelor, a son of Henry P. Miller, went to California as a forty-niner, and was heard of for some time as a successful miner for gold, but was finally lost sight of, and dis appeared. Robert Miller, the third son of John, the settler, long before the war removed to Hancock County, Indiana, returned to Virginia and again removed to Morgan County, Indiana, and settled on a farm near Martinsville, where he raised a family and died at an old age. His sons, John, Robert, Oliver and Alex., resided in that country. Robert was a soldier in the Federal Army and died from the ex posure of a soldier. One of his daughters married Newton Sandey, who is a prosperous farmer near Greenfield. JOHN B. GARBEY. John B. Garbey was born on the 6th of November, 1837, in Frederick County, Maryland. His father, Bartholomew B. Garbey, and his mother, Helen Ferriter, were both natives of Ireland, and emigrated to America from Kerry County. He was engaged in the public works in different parts of the country — in Massachu setts, Vermont, and finally located at Staunton, A'irginia, and from thence removed to Pocahontas County, West Virginia. John B. came to Summers County in 1877. He has been prominent in the affairs of the county ; was a soldier in the United States Army dur ing the Civil War ; was a courier for General Scammon, and was captured in Greenbrier County by McCausland's men under Colonel Edgar ; carried to the Pickaway Plains ; thence confined to Belle Isle, Andersonville, Savannah, and other Southern prisons, for JAMES H. MILLER, 1900. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 401 fifteen months in all, and was finally exchanged. He is a devout Catholic in his religious beliefs and a Republican in his politics. He was one of the first notaries public commissioned in the county; has been frequently the nominee of his party for local office, and is now the Secretary of the Board of Education of Talcott District, elected to that position for the third term by a Democratic board, which goes to prove his efficiency and fidelity as an officer. His sons are B. B., John E., Dan G., who was killed by the C. & O. Railroad, and Michael A. His daughters are Mary G., who mar ried Captain Meredith, of the C. & O. Railroad ; Maggie J., Rosa F., Rebecca F. and Elizabeth. He settled on and owns lands at the Pence Springs. He is one of the intelligent and enterprising Irish citizens of his section. MEADOWS. This is one of the largest families in the county, and the con nection is scattered throughout Raleigh, Mercer and adjoining counties. The original name was "Meadows," but many of the descendants are now "Meador," but the original ancestor of all the Meadows and Meadors are the same : Josiah and Jacob Mead ows, two of a family who came to this region after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. They came about 1780 — between that date and 1785. Jacob came from Rockingham County from the same settlement as John and Christian Peters, who came in 1782. Judge Johnston, in his "New River Settlements," says he filed a claim for a pension in the County Court of Giles County in 1832, and that he therein states that his first enlistment was for three months under Captain Coker, in Colonel Wall's Regi ment. During his three months' service he skirmished with the British around Norfolk and Portsmouth. The last three months he served as a substitute' for Adam Hansberger, and served in the Battle of Yorktown, in LaFayette's Corps. John Peters swears that he saw him at Yorktown serving as a soldier. He settled on Lower East River. The other was Josiah Meadows, and he came from the county of Bedford. He was also a soldier in the Conti nental armies for two or more periods, a part of the time against the Indians and in the American Army against the British. He enlisted in 1778, under Captain Joseph Henfoe. He marched with him to Jarrett's Fort, in Wolf Creek, now Monroe County, and from there to Keeney's Fort, on the Greenbrier River below Aider- son. After the expiration of this enlistment he again enlisted with 402 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY; WEST VIRGINIA. Captain Isaac Taylor, Colonel James Montgomery's Regiment, and served in the Holstein country, and then into the Illinois country, under George Rogers Clark. After that he was with the American Army at Yorktown in charge of the British prisoners captured there. He was a fighting missionary Baptist minister, locating on Blue- stone River, at the mouth of Little Bluestone, and among his sons were Josiah and John Meadows. From this Josiah, the soldier- preacher, has descended the large family in this region. Later came Meador. The Meador or Meadows and Lilly families became closely allied by marriage, Robert being the founder of that family, first settling at East River, and later in what is now Jumping Branch District, on the farm owned and on which Joseph Lilly* (Curly Joe) lived at his death in 1906. Robert, the founder, was a justice in Mercer County. Josiah Meadows, the soldier, was the grandfather of Hon. Rufus G. M. Meador, of Athens, and John Calvin Meador, who recently died in this country. He was the great-grandfather of Joseph M. Meador, clerk of the County Court of Summers, and the grandfather of the Rev. John J. Meador, Green M. Meador, the merchant-minister, of Jumping Branch, of the firm of Meador & Deeds, who married his partner's daughter (C. B. Deeds), also of Larkin McDowell Meador, the merchant who died in 1889 at True, while deputy sheriff for Sheriff O. T. Kessler; as well as of Mrs. B. P. Shumate, and is the ancestor of many other prominent and valuable citizens, including William T. Meador, the first presi dent of the county court, elected under the amended Constitution about 1874, and James E. Meadows, the present mayor of Avis, a prominent citizen, once a justice of the peace by election for a term of four years, and the Republican nominee for commissioner of the county court, and the father of A. G. Meador, the assistant postmaster of Hinton and mayor of Avis for three terms by election. In 1778, Josiah Meadows referred to, was with George Rogers Clark, the Virginia explorer, on his expedition into the Illinois country, who marched back by way of the Falls of the Ohio River, this then all being in a Virginia county. In October, 1778, the Legislature of A^irginia created and erected the county of Illinois, which included all of the Northwest territory north of the Ohio, south of the great lakes and east of the Mississippi. The county of Illinois continued as a Virginia county until its session of March, 1784. Kentucky County re mained a distinct county of Virginia until its organization into a State. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 403 MEADOR. There is some difference as to the origin of the families and their names and the source of ancestry, and it is claimed that they are an entirely distinct and separate ancestry, and had separate family beginnings, which is probably true. Josiah Meador was the father of Squire William Meador, and was probably the first of the name within our territory. Allen H. Meador, the first elected circuit clerk, six years ; a commissioner of the county court six years; a justice of the peace of Jumping Branch four years; Larkin McD. Meador, the merchant at the mouth of Bluestone, and was expected to be the owner of a "sang hoe" to complete his outfit. It was not unusual for a farmer to kill three deer in those days before breakfast. The Meadors were among the earliest settlers of the Bluestone and Jumping Branch region. It is one of the largest family con nections in the country. It has frequently been remarked that if a candidate for office had the support of the Lilly and Meador families, he was sure of election. Both being among the earliest settlers, the families largely intermarried, and were closely allied by affinity, as well as by a consanguinity. Both families have to the present day and are now largely represented in the annals of political and official history of the county. Probably the first settler by the name of Meador within our territory was Josiah Meador. Juda Lilly was the name of Josiah's wife, and after his death married John Woodrum, who was the father of Major Richard Woodrum ; Harrison Woodrum, Green and Hugh were his sons, and Judith their daughter. They were all farmers and hunt ers. . A considerable amount of their time was devoted to "sanging," and farming. The first location was at the mouth of Little Blue- stone, on which plantation is located the oldest cemetery known in the county. There have been many men of local note of that name. There was John J. Meador, the Baptist minister, the father of "Little Joe," our present courteous county clerk; Green F. Meador, the merchant, of Meador & Deeds, of Jumping Branch, who is also a minister of the missionary Baptist Church, and who was a deputy sheriff under O. T. Kessler, elected in 1888, but who died soon after the election ; D. Morgan Meador, the merchant and lumberman of Hinton; his brother, LaFayette Meador, for a num ber of years a general merchant in Hinton, now a citizen of Vir- 404 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ginia; Hon. B. P. Shumate's first wife was a sister of Squire Allen Meador ; William T. Meador, the first elected president of the county court; E. B. Meador, the pioneer merchant at the mouth of Greenbrier, and whose wife was a daughter of Rev. Rufus Pack. William T. Meador married a daughter of Ephraim J. Gwinn; William Meador also, who lives on a part of the Charles Clark place at the mouth of Bluestone. The Meadors are numerous and scattered throughout this sec tion of the State, all springing from the common source. Hon. Rufus Meador, of Athens; Calvin Meador, a schoolteacher of this county; Beecher Meador, now of Little Bluestone, and Hon. Isa- dore Meador, clerk of the County Court of Raleigh County ; Marion Meador, the merchant of Hinton ; Squire George Meador, of Rich mond District in Raleigh County, and others prominent in the affairs of the county.- JOSEPH M. MEADOR. At the date of the preparation of this sketch the subject thereof is spending the winter in Florida with his wife and children (the former being afflicted with pulmonary trouble), with the view of securing relief for her. Mr. Meador has taken up a temporary abode in the "Sunny South." He is known and loved all over Summers County as "J. Roy Midwinter," the poet of Summers, being endowed with considerable of the poet's genius. He was born in this county on the 27th day of March, 1866, and is the son of the Rev.' John J. Meador, and is one of the numerous families of the name of Meador of this and adjoining counties. On the 15th day of October, 1890, he was married to Mattie L. Burch, of Athens, in Mercer County, and of which union there has been born five children of the following names : Julius C, Aubrev P., Roy H., John G. and Florentine. He obtained his education by attend ing the free schools of Pipestem District and the Concord Normal School of Athens, at which place he took the normal course at the session of 1888. His father being a Baptist minister, his financial resources, as is usual with these patriotic people, were limited. The usual experience of ministers' sons in this section is, that they have to look out for themselves after their majority, and are not born with the silver spoon in their mouths, and "Little Joe," as he is familiarly known throughout the county, was not an exception; and, to use his own expression, he started out early "to root hog or die." While a youth he began teaching in the free schools for the J. M. MEADOR (Little Joe), "The Poet of Summers." D. M. MEADOR, Lumber Manufacturer. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 405 purpose of obtaining funds with which to secure a higher educa tion, teaching one session the Old Red Springs school, at John K. Withrow's house on the Red Springs Branch of Lick Creek, and at other different places in the county. During his attendance at the normal school he made the acquaintance of his future wife, Mattie L. Burch. After leaving the normal school he entered into the mercantile business as a partner with his uncle, B. P. Shumate, at the old Shumate stand, at the mouth of Lick Creek on New River, in Pipestem District, known as Salt Works, at which place he remained a number of years, having the entire control and conduct of the business affairs of the co-partnership, which was operated under the name of B. P. Shumate & Company, Captain Shumate only giving him some general supervisory aid, of which he was very capable by reason of his many years' experience as a pioneer merchant in that part of the. country, as was his father, the late Anderson Shumate, before him. When Captain J. M. Ayres became a candidate for the Demo cratic nomination for clerk of the county court, he secured "Little Joe" Meador as his deputy, they making the race together, Mr. Meador to have an equal interest in the profits and proceeds of the office. Captain Ayres being successful at the election of 1896, he entered upon the duties of deputy clerk on the first day of Janu ary, 1897, serving throughout the full term of six years as deputy clerk of the county court, performing all the duties thereof with extraordinary diligence, care and correctness. At the expiration of the term he became a candidate for the position himself, Captain J. M. Ayres and Jake A. Riffe being his opponents for the nomina tion. A lively contest ensued between the three candidates at the primary election, out of which Mr. Meador emerged with a hand some majority. At the election following, in 1902, he was elected over Erastus H. Peck, his Republican opponent, by a majority of 393. In this race J. M. Carden ran with him as deputy, occupying the same position with Mr. Meador as Mr. Meador occupied with Captain Ayres, he having served three years of his term. After the election of Captain Ayres in 1897, Mr. Meador, with his family, removed to Hinton, purchasing property, which he still owns, and in which he makes his home. He is an exceedingly polite, conscientious and gentlemanly of ficial, having the respect of the public of both political parties. He grew up in the company of boys like himself, wholesome, honest. self-respecting, who looked down upon nobody, and his advance ment has not made him, to use a common expression, "stuck-up." His parents were sober, God-fearing people, intelligent and upright, 406 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. without pretension and without humility. "Little Joe" Meador is a self-made man, and is not ashamed of the job. Early in his young manhood he began writing verses, and still at his leisure time de votes himself to that pleasant occupation. We have taken the liberty of reproducing, at random, from some of his productions. The following lines are based upon a conservation had with Mrs. Wilson one Sunday afternoon at the home of her son-in-law, the late J. J. Charlton, and were written especially for "The Inde pendent-Herald" : * I was in your city ; 'twas long ago, And a noble forest broke on my view ; The grand New River was bright and clear, And we crossed it's tide in an old canoe. Beside this craft did our noble horse Swim safely across ; no boatman's oar As then had dipped in its crystal wave Where the city of Hinton now marks the shore. Yes, that was three-score years ago, And I a young woman in my prime ; But then, as now, what the future held Was hidden away in the chest of time. We were hunting a home, my husband and I, Where hopes would bud and open to bloom ; But the woof Ave weave in the warp of life Is never woven in fancy's loom. We judge of the future, 'tis said, by the past; What wonderful things are then .in store For those who will seek them, rememb'ring this : The costliest pearls are not found ashore ! And what of the three-score years to come? With the marks of a century creasing your brow? Perhaps you will tell of the strange, strange past. As I'm telling you of the strange past now. Yes, what of the three-score years to come? Your city is but an infant still, But her pulse is strong and her courage grand. And ere then she may reach from hill to hill ; For they tell me now soon an arch of steel Will span the river — a bridge in lieu Of the mode of crossing long, long ago, When we swam the horse bv the old canoe. * This lady, at the time of the conversation above referred to, was over ninety years of age, and has since visited relatives in the city of Hinton, and, I am creditably informed, is still living. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 407 WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. (Written for "The Dispatch," Richmond, Va.) In others oft we but behold The quartz, nor seek to find the gold ; Each serves its purpose. Night and day Shall each chase each, like boys at play, Through cycles yet untold. Let's weigh their faults as if our own ; The brighest flowers are ofttimes grown In thorny wilds, and gems of worth" Oft taken from the depths of earth, 'Midst worthless pebbles strown. The dews that glitter on the flowers Are but the tears of midnight hours, And oft the very pangs of grief Bring to the heart a sweet relief ; Oft sunshine gilds the showers. Deep treasured in the heart of man There lies a view we may not scan ; " here dwells a hope serenely sweet A¥here tide of earth and heaven meet We may not understand. /. Roy Midwinter. ADMONITORY. (Written for "The Republic," St. Louis, Mo.) My son, if in thy song is sadness, sing it not ; Each mountain hath its echo, and each grot Some slumbering sadness of its own doth keep; Let not thy words arouse it from its sleep. Turn not thy key unto the crypt of years, Nor tell us of the rankling of thy fears ; Enough to know the past its sorrow holds, Enough to know what time to time unfolds. But, if thy song be gladness, let it fill The valley with its music ; let the hill Echo and re-echo back its joyous notes Until responsive wells from other throats Gladness alike to thine. As leafy trees Nod to the summer's gently rustling breeze, So do our hearts respond to joy's strain, E'en though they bear of sorrow oft the stain. J. Roy Midwinter. 408 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. TO MY SOUL. (Written for "The Republic," St. Louis, Mo.) Be still, my soul; spurn not this house of clay That seeming hides thee from the light of day, But temper it unto thy Master's will, And let thy warmth its every chamber fill Of this, thy dark abode, and may thy care Attend me in the silent hour of prayer. Know thou this earthly mold is legal heir To vales of hope with castles of despair, Where sorrow, in his might, grim war doth wage Alike upon the peasant and the sage ; Forsaking not, attend me in the strife, Thou better being of the inner life. And when these hands would grasp some sin-bought prize, Be thou a veil before these mortal eyes; Kindle upon the altar of my heart A flame of love that may become a part Of every act of mine, to make life's whole A dwelling-place more meet for thee, my soul. So when the shadows from the twilight hill Fall o'er life's vale, and ev-ning's gath'ring chill Bespeaks the gloom of the approaching night, That thou mayest know, within the morning bright, Thine eyes, my soul, shall hail a fairer day Than ever kissed the dews from rose of May. /. Roy Midwinter. The foregoing quotations were selected at random from the nu merous poetical compositions of Mr. Meador, who sometimes wrote as /. Roy Midwinter, and other noms de plume. The first tradition of the Meador or Meadows family is that the original ancestor came from England and settled in Baltimore City, and his son came into the Bluestone region. This Meador who settled in Baltimore had seven sons, and named them all, beginning with "J," and they were known as the "7J family." A. G. MEADOWS. A. G. Meadows, the present mayor of the city of Hinton, was born on the 12th day of May, 1865, and is the son of James E. Meadows. He was educated in the common schools of this county A. G. MEADOWS, Three Times Mayor of Avis. JOSEPH HINTON, Banker and Capitalist. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 409 and the Concord Normal at Athens, West Virginia. In 1889, he was united in marriage with Miss Nannie Anderson, of Greenbrier County; is a Republican in politics, identified with the organization of the county, and as such was first elected mayor of the city of Avis in the year 1903 ; re-elected in 1904 and 1905, being the regular nominee of his party. In 1906 he declined further nomination, and his father, James E. Meadows was elected as his successor, the term of office being twelve months. The administration of Mayor Meadows, both father and son, have been fair and intelligent and to the general satisfaction of their constituents. Early in the ad- ministraton of Hon. Sira W. Willey as postmaster of Hinton, he appointed him as his assistant in that office, which position he has well filled for ten years. Mr. Meadows has a large relationship through the county. His father, James E. Meadows, has held the office of justice of the peace for four years by election ; has been prominent in the councils of his party; was the Republican can didate for commissioner of the county court in 1906. He married a daughter of the late Squire Joseph Grimmett. THE RICHMOND FAMILY. There are large settlements of people of this name in the coun ties of Summers, Fayette and Raleigh. William Richmond was the founder of the Richmond family in this part of Virginia. He was an Englishman, and the family is of English descent. AVilliam Richmond, the founder of the settlement of that name throughout this region, although a native of England and an emigrant from that empire, fought through the War of 1812 in the American Army. At the close of that war, he emigrated from Norfolk, Virginia, and settled at New River Falls, in what is now Raleigh County, living there the remainder of his life. He died in the year 1850, at the age of ninety-eight years, leaving a family of six children, his youngest son, Samuel, retaining the old homestead, including the lands now owned by W. R. Taylor, of Philadelphia, consisting of sixty acres, and including half of Richmond's Falls, sometimes known as New River Falls, the old Richmond grist-mill and the lands upon which Allen Richmond now lives, as well as the Rich mond Ferry. From this William Richmond are directly descended all of the people of the Richmond name in this region of the State. Samuel Richmond was the youngest son of William. He was born on March 1, 1801, and died on September 12, 1863, leaving a family of eight boys and five girls, his two youngest sons, Allen 410 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. and "Tuck," as he is commonly known, and his widow retaining the old homestead, as above described. His fifth son, John A. Rich mond, located at the mouth of Lick Creek, where he lived all his life, having married Permelia S. Thomasson, of Raleigh County. John A. Richmond was a man of excellent natural sense and abil ity, and was a man of fine personal appearance. His opportunities for education were limited, but he was a successful business man throughout his career. He was one of the first postmasters ap pointed in that part of the country. He was appointed postmaster in April, 1856, by President Buchanan, the name of the post office at that time being Richmond's Falls, afterwards changed to New Richmond in 1871. He retained the office of postmaster without change until his death on March 1, 1901, at the age of sixty-eight years. His widow, Mrs. P. S. Richmond, succeeded him as post mistress, and retains the office to this day. His business included a general merchandise business, from 1870 until his death, and the business was continued by his widow until 1905, when her two sons, John W. and Fred., succeeded, and are now operating the business at New Richmond, at the mouth of Lick Creek. John A. Richmond was a man of strong person ality, very true to his friends, and for his enemies he had no use. He was noted for his frankness, and was without deceit. If he disliked a person, that person was sure to know it, and he desired no transactions with him. If he was a friend, he was kind and considerate, although sometimes his manner was rough and un couth to those he liked best. He adopted that method of showing his friendship. He left surviving him eight children, John W., who is now jus tice of the peace of Green Sulphur District, elected on the Repub lican ticket at the election of 1905 ; Samuel A., who now resides at Thurmond, in Fayette County, and who was elected and served as justice of the peace for two terms in that district on the Repub lican ticket; Enfield, who is a railroad conductor, residing at Cov ington, Ky. ; Fred., the youngest, who resides with his mother on the old Richmond homestead; Dr. B. B. Richmond, a graduate of the Louisville Medical College, now practicing his profession on Gauley River, and is a successful practitioner and surgeon. One of his daughters, Leona, married Robert H. Miller, of Gauley Bridge, where they now reside ; another daughter, Martha, mar ried John Nutty, a United States Government employee, residing in Louisville, Ky. ; another daughter, Kitty, married Chris. Rodecap, both of whom died several years ago. He was a railway locomotive HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 411 engineer on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. Misses Ida and Laney reside with their mother at the old homestead, and Norma died, unmarried, some four years ago. Samuel Richmond, the father of John A. Richmond, was shot and killed in 1863. He. was a Union man, and opposed to the sev erance of the Union and the secession of the Southern States. With the Richmond characteristics, he left no doubt in the minds of the people as to his beliefs, but proclaimed them far and wide. Being over the age at which he could be required to serve in either of the armies, he remained at home, owning a large burrh hewed log grist-mill, located at the lower side of the falls, which was pat ronized for rriany miles around, as it ran all the year, and the people on both sides of the river were enabled to have their grind ing done at this mill when the water had dried up during the summer and fall months, and the other mills were out of commis sion by reason of the low water and dry weather. The feeling was intense, and a great deal of bitterness had been engendered between the partisans of the Southern and Northern cause preceding and during the four years of the Civil War. Sam uel Richmond, on the day o.f his death, ferried Allen Vincent across New River, from the Raleigh side. His wife, insisted on his not crossing, fearful that some harm would result, but he disregarded her warning, went down to the ferry, some half mile below the residence, got into his canoe, ferried Mr. Vincent across to the Summers side, who landed, and as Mr. Richmond started to row back, he was shot at from ambush by two persons who were hid on the mountain side, the ball passing through Mr. Richmond's lungs. Being, however, a man of powerful determination and physique, he rowed his canoe back to the opposite side, where he was carried home, and died instantly from the result of the wound. The death of Mr. Richmond has been supposed to have been caused by Hen derson Garten, who is mentioned in this history in another con nection, and Jefferson Bennett, a warm secession advocate. The Falls of New River were named Richmond's Falls, and have borne that name for nearly 100 years, after the original settler, William Richmond. New Richmond Post Office was also named after this family. The C. & O. depot was known as New Rich mond for many years, but has been within recent years changed to Sandstone, by reason of there being another depot of the same name on the road at the time of the extension of the road from Hunting ton to Cincinnati, which required a change of the name of this depot. The Sandstone name was taken from the sandstone quarry 412 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. at that place, where many of the foundations, piers, abutments and much of the building stone for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway construction was secured, as well as much of the ballast made from crushed stone at that place. The stone used in the construc tion of the large grain elevators at Newport News was taken there from this quarry, and also the stone was taken therefrom that was placed in the Washington Monument, secured through the enter prise of Dr. Samuel Williams. The village of New Richmond was also named for John A. Richmond. James W. Richmond, another son of Samuel Rich mond, died during the war. He resided near the Sandstone depot until his death, leaving several children and a widow, who died in recent years and who was a sister of Mrs. John A. Richmond. Wm. Richmond, another son of Samuel, lived and died on the fine bottom about a mile below the round-house at Hinton, on the Raleigh side. This is noted as one of the best small bottom farms in this section of the State. Wm. Richmond secured it in his early days, built himself a residence and resided thereon until the date of his death, some seven or eight years ago. He was another noted character in this section, having been engaged actively during the Civil War on the Federal side. There are many adventures recorded of him, and he took the name during the war of "Devil Bill" Richmond. All of the Richmonds were noted for their powerful physical strength. This Wm. Richmond was the one with whom Evan Hinton had the famous fight, recorded elsewhere in these chron icles. He was a member of the County Court of Raleigh County, a justice of the peace, and in the early history of the State a mem ber of the Legislature from that county and a well-known character. Another son of Samuel Richmond, Samuel, resided for many years at the foot of.Guyan Mountain, in Raleigh County, dying at a very advanced age in 1904, leaving a family of two sons and three daughters, who reside in that community. The late Wm. Richmond also left a number of sons — Marshall, Sam and John Richmond, residing on the old homestead below Hinton, and a number of daughters, one of whom married Thurmond Hinton, a resident of Hinton, a son of Evan Hinton ; another daughter mar ried Samuel Ervin, also a resident of Hinton ; another son of Sam uel Richmond — Marshal — removed in his youth to Iowa, and died a short time ago. He married a daughter of E. J. Gwinn, of Green Sulphur Springs, and a sister of ex-Sheriff H. Gwinn and Hon. M. Gwinn. Marshal Richmond, the son of James Richmond, died, JOHN A. RICHMOND, Pioneer Merchant at New Richmond. COLUMBUS WRAN WITHROW, Oldest Living Representative of the Withrow Family. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 413 unmarried, some ten years ago at his uncle's, John A. Richmond. He was a young man noted for his generosity; he had traveled extensively through the West, but returned to his uncle's some time before his death. Samuel Richmond and his descendants were all Republicans in politics, were good citizens, people of strong personality, and fre quently voted against their party candidates in local affairs, when the opposite party had candidates they deemed better qualified to administer the affairs of the county. This is especially true of John A. Richmond. Sixty acres of land, including the old Samuel Richmond mansion house, which was a large, two-story, hewed log house, and the old grist-mill, which was operated by water-power from the falls, in cluding the Richmond side of the falls, was sold in 1871, by Allen Richmond, "Tuck" (whose correct name was "Alexander H."), and the widow of Samuel Richmond, to W. R. Taylor, a Philapelphia capitalist, who is still the owner. He paid therefor the sum of $15,000.00 in gold, but has never utilized the water-power or the property in any way, and has permitted the buildings to decay and fall into ruins. This Wm. R. Taylor was the same gentleman who, about 1874, or 1875, bought the old Cabell place in the Big Meadows, in Green brier County, of two or three thousand acres, on which he erected a very latge steam saw and grist-mill, with a church in the roof and a large, modern barn, filling it with a fine stock of horses, and a large store building, and other improvements, irrigating the lands, and was a pioneer after the developments began in this country after the construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. The build ings were burned to the ground a few years afterwards ; first, the mill, then the barn, with the horses and other buildings, one at a time. It was supposed, and talked of as common gossip at the time, that the wife of Mr. Taylor did not desire to live in that region, and in order to induce Taylor to return to Philadelphia and take her back to that city, burned, or had burned, these buildings, one at a time, to discourage him. If this be true, for which we do not vouch, it seemed to have had the desired effect, for Mr. Taylor abandoned the country, sold the land, removed his family, and is still residing in the city of Philadelphia, never having made any improvements or utilizing the Richmond property in any man ner, not even leasing the farm. Samuel Richmond, at the date of his death, left surviving him a widow, Mrs. Sarah Richmond, who was Sarah Caperton before 414 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. her marriage, closely related to Senator Allen Caperton, of Monroe County and the other Capertons of that county. A daughter, Sallie, married Rufus Bragg, was the mother of Samuel P. Bragg, an enterprising merchant and citizen, now of Hinton, and a stock holder and engaged in the managemet of the New River Grocery Compay, the wholesale establishment operated in Hinton. He married Esta B. Hutchinson, daughter of Michael and Mary Hutch inson, of Elton. Another daughter was the wife of William Gwinn, the pioneer settler of Meadow Creek; another daughter married Samuel Bragg, now residing at Pear, Raleigh County, West Vir ginia. The date of the shooting of Samuel Richmond, the senior, was September 11, 1863. This has always been understood as a cold blooded and unprovoked murder, done in the heat of partisan passion, when the woods were full of bushwhackers on both sides, ready at any moment, when they believed the interests . of their partisan sides demanded, to commit cruel, unnecessary and unpro voked destruction of human life and of private citizen's property. Many depredations of that character were, done during the strife of the Civil War, which went unpunished, and which would not be tolerated in times of peace. M. M. WARREN. Mathew Madison Warren is a native of Monroe County; was born on the 9th day of February, 1838, near Peterstown, and is the son of Curtis H. Warren. In the early settlement of the Amer ican continent, two English cousins, named Uriah and Nathaniel Warren, took passage on a ship sailing from Liverpool to this country, and after a very stormy passage, including one shipwreck, in which they had to abandon their ship and take chances in an open boat on the open sea, after about eight days, almost without food and drink, were picked up by a Dutch ship, in almost a starv ing condition, and were landed at Plymouth, Mass. Nathaniel Warren located in Massachusetts not far from where they made their landing, and from this source sprang a numerous progeny, and in all probability including the Gen. Joseph AVarren, of Bunker Hill fame, and who was killed at that famous battle. All schoolboys who have read their country's history will remember the story and bravery of Gen. Warren, and his death at the battle of Bunker Hill. Uriah Warren made his way to Virginia, and finally settled in HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 415 the Valley of Virginia near what is now the town of Harrisonburg, and from him descended the Warren family of this region. The grandfather of M.' M. Warren, Uriah Warren, was born in the year 1777, and at the age of twenty-three he was married to Elizabeth Stevens, of German descent, and from best information, this Uriah Warren was the grandson of Uriah Warren, who crossed the seas as above described. Uriah Warren moved in later life to Monroe County, not far from Rehobeth Church, near Union; later, he removed to Sinking Creek, in what was then Giles County, Virginia, now Craig County, and in the year 1848 moved back to Monroe County, near Peters town, where Uriah Warren, the grandfather, and his wife both died, he at the age of seventy-eight years. The grandmother died at the age of eighty-nine years. They raised a family of twelve chil dren, eight girls and four sons. The father of M. M. Warren was Curtis H. Warren, the third of the family, and was born on the 12th day of November, 1807. In 1830, he married Sarah A. Lowe, a daughter of Levi Lowe, who was of English descent, of Kanawha County, Virginia, and through the Lowes Mr. Warren was con nected with the late Joshua Lowe and Gran Lowe, of this county, as well as A. C. Lowe, of Lowell, and from this family of Lowes the town of Lowell takes its name. They lived in Monroe County until the year 1857, when they removed to Fayette County. C. H. AVarren raised a family of seven children, four girls and three boys. The boys were named as follows: M. M. Warren, the subject of this sketch, being the oldest ; W. W. AVarren, who now resides at Jumping Branch ; Lewis Warren, who was killed by a C. & O. Ry. train in Fayette County on the third day of December, 1901. The four girls were named Margaret M., who first married a Basham ; after his death she married Franklin Alderson, and after his death, Isaac Cales, of Laurel Creek, in this county; Sarah E. married John Fleshman, formerly of Monroe County; Eliza A. was never married; Mary L., the youngest, married Harvey Walker, of Fayette County. All of the brothers and sisters are still living, except Lewis, who was killed, as above stated, and Margaret. L. L. Warren removed to Fayette County from Hinton in the year 1899 or 1890, and is still a resident of that county. M. M. Warren removed to this county, having purchased the D. M. Riffe farm at Riffe's Crossing, on Greenbrier River, on the 9th day of February, 1894. He married Mary J. Fleshman, daugh ter of John Fleshman, of Dutch descent, June 16, 1859. Mr. War- 416 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ren was a member of Captain W. D. Thurmond's company in the Confederate Army, .and known as Thurmond's Rangers, enlisting in September, 1862, in Fayette County. His company was dis banded near Blacksburg, on the 11th day of April, 1865, he re maining with his company during all of that time. He was for tunate in not being wounded during the hostilities, was never cap tured, nor ever had to be excused at a single instance on account of sickness or failure in performance of duty, during the whole of his time of service. At the close of the Civil War he removed to Fayette County, and resided in that county until his removal to this county in 1894. He raised a family of eight children, five boys and three girls, viz., Amanda R., John C, Sallie M., Ellen, Wm. H., Chas. B., Lo renzo D., and James B. Warren. Mr. AVarren is a Democrat in politics and a Methodist in religion. He has occupied many posi tions of trust among his political associates in Fayette County. He was chairman of every Democratic Convention held in Fay ette County for twenty years. He was a member of the Board of Education, justice of the peace, and assessor of internal revenue in that county before his removal. Since removing to this county he has occupied a prominent place in the councils of his party, being a member of the Execu tive Committee from his district, and was elected to the House of Delegates in the AVest Virginia Legislature from the county, in the year 1903, as a Democrat. His majority over his Republican opponent, George Wiseman, a popular railroad engineer of Hinton, was 100 votes. Mr. Warren is a Shriner in Masonry, having taken all the de grees- in that ancient and honorable order. The third son of the Hon.. M. M. Warren, AArm. Henry War ren, born March 3, 1866, is one of the leading men of the State. He is the secretary -and treasurer of the New River Smokeless Coal Company, "and -its general manager, which corporation owns a' very large proportion of the output of the celebrated New River soft or Red Ash coal. He is a stockholder and identified with the coal development and business in the New River coal field, as well as the president of -the Citizens' Bank of Hinton, and has the con fidence of the business public. He is one of the enterprising citi zens of the city of Hinton, and whenever there is an enterprise pro jected tending to the advancement of his city and county, we usu ally find him in the front ranks among those promoting its inter ests. He married, November 15, 1892, a daughter of Alexander HON. M. M. WARREN, Soldier, Surg-eon and Farmer. WM. H. WARREN, President Citizens Bank, Coal Operator and Capitalist. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 417 Laing (Miss Mary Webster Laing, born in Scotland), a Scotch coal operator of Fayette County, removing to this county in the year 1901. He has recently erected a magnificent residence on Ballangee Street, in the city of Hinton. His principal place of business at this writing is at Thurmond, W. Va., in Fayette Coun ty, while his residence is in Hinton. John C. Warren, another son of M. M. AArarren, has held the office of constable in Talcott District. M. M. Warren is a man of honorable and upright character, and has been a successful and enterprising citizen. He is also an engineer and one of the first discoverers, as well as one of the first to bring the valuable New River coal deposits to the attention of capitalists, and has greatly aided in the great coal industry of Fayette County. George W. Warren, now cashier of the Bank of Raleigh, is a cousin of M. M. Warren. He is a son of Stuart I. Warren, of Monroe County; married Miss Harlow, a daughter of the cele brated editor and veteran newspaper man of Lewisburg; a brother- in-law of Jake A. Riffe, of Hinton, who married his sister. He was educated for the law, and located in Hinton for the practice of his profession in 1883. Later he purchased an interest with J. H. Jordan in the "Independent-Herald" newspaper, and edited the same for a number of years. He was appointed postmaster by Cleveland during his second administration, which office he faith fully filled four years, when he removed to Clifton Forge, Vir- .ginia, purchased, edited and published the "Review" for several years, when he was elected cashier of the Bank of Raleigh, which position he now fills, at Beckley, W. Va. JOHN W. WISEMAN Is a native of this county; is the son of Jos. G. and Clementine Wiseman, who was Clementine Ingle before her marriage to Mr. Wiseman, who was a native of Potts Creek, in Monroe County. The subject of this sketch is one of a family of seven sons. All of this family are Republicans except John W. His brothers are Dr. Gooch Wiseman, who is a mail agent in the railway service, and located at Roanoke, Va. ; George W., who is a railway loco motive engineer, and was the Republican candidate for house of delegates at the election of 1902, being defeated by Hon. M. M. Warren, by a majority of 100 votes; Sira, James and Finly, each of whom are residents of the county. 418 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Joseph G. Wiseman, the father, died six years ago, at the old Wiseman homestead, near the mouth of Greenbrier River, at Zion Church. John W. Wiseman is now the jailer of this county, and one of the deputies of A. J. Keatley, sheriff of the county. He was elected a member of the Board of Education of Greenbrier District at the election of 1888, and faithfully discharged the du ties of the position. He also served four years as constable, and ran with James H. George as one of his deputies at the election of 1896, which position he held for four years. Mr. Wiseman has for the greater part of his life been engaged in farming and mer cantile pursuits. He is a man of honest character, and popular in the confidence of the people and of his neighbors. His wife, who was a Miss Webb, daughter of George W. Webb, died a few years .ago. As jailer of the county, he is now rendering faithful service to his principal and constituents. While not elected to the posi tion, he was selected promptly as a suitable person to fill the position rendered vacant by the death of H. M. Hughes, who was elected jail deputy of Sheriff A. J. Keatley. He was born on the 11th day of April, 1855, and is now in the prime of life, being fifty-one years of age. W. J. BRIGHTWELL. Captain W. J. Brightwell is a native of Prince Edward Coun ty, Virginia ; born May 4, 1852, on a farm, at which occupation he remained until July, 1869, when he emigrated to West Vir- Virginia, landing on the Big Ben Tunnel July 11th, of that year, which was then in Monroe County. He worked on the construc tion of the railroad, and after its completion became a railroad employe, and has continued in the service of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company continuously from its completion in 1872 until the present time. At the time he came into the territory of the county there was no railroad nearer than White Sulphur Springs, and trains ran over the Lewis Tunnel, which had not been completed. He has been engaged in all kinds of railroad construction and mainte nance, carpentering, mining, firing and engineering; but his great success has been as a master wrecker, and in the thirty years of his service he has been faithful to all of the demands of his company. At this time and for many years he has had charge of the wrecking force and train, and is one of the most expert wreckers CAPT. W. J. BRIGHTWELL, Railroader, Financier and Capitalist. BENJAMIN P. GOOCH, M. D., Soldier and Statesman. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 419 in the United States. He was never suspended or discharged — not even criticised by his superiors — his wages having been ad vanced from time to time as his merit was appreciated. He was married in Bath County, Va., to Miss D. V. Saylor, on June 3, 1875, first residing at Alderson, then at Talcott until 1890, when he removed to Hinton, and from that date to the pres ent has 'been a citizen of that town. His two sons are following in the footsteps of their father. H. A., although but twenty-one, is captain of a tool car force at Richmond, Va., and the other son, F. H., is a railway clerk in Hinton. He has three daughters — Misses Pauline and Maude, and Mrs. Kate Plumley, who resides at Parkersburg, W. Va. Captain Brightwell is one of the most enterprising citizens of the town, and through his industry and judicious management has acquired a considerable fortune. He is a director, and has been since its formation, of the Bank of Summers, and has been a mem ber of the Board of Education, and several terms a member of the city council, having been re-elected on the 5th day of December, 1905. He has never been a politician or sought any office, and is a Democrat, and adheres to the policies of that party. In the "money" campaign of 1896 he supported Bryan, and, because he displayed Bryan's picture at his residence conspicuously, his wages were reduced $10.00 per month for some time. He is engaged in numerous business enterprises, including coal production, banking and merchandising. CAPTAIN J. M. AYRES. Captain Ayres was born in the year 1843, in Monroe County, at Dickson's Springs, near Pickaway; was a son of Stradford and Nancy Ayres, who were natives of Rockbridge County, Virginia, and removed to Monroe County in the winter of 1842, thence to Greenbrier County when Captain Ayres was 18 years old. He volunteered in the Rocky Point Grays, and was a brave Confederate soldier throughout the Civil War — Louis F. Watts being his captain — and was attached to the 27th Virginia Infantry, a part of the time under Generals Jones, Echols and Breckenridge. He enlisted on the 11th day of April, 1861, lacking nine days of being eighteen years of age, and was mustered out of the service on the 12th day of April, 1865, at Blacksburg, Va. He was cap tured at the Battle of Cedar Creek, but escaped from his captors the following night, slipping away from them after dark, and pro- 420 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ceeding into the Massenot Mountain, where he spent three or four days and nights, finally getting into Page Valley at Luray, and joining McCausland's Brigade, with whom he fought a battle, and was brought in with McCausland's men, and rejoined his com mand on the eleventh day after his escape. Captain- Ayres was engaged in the battles of Scarey, Cedar Creek, Cross Lanes, Rude's Hill, second Battle of Strasburg, Fisher's Hill, New Market, and many other of the bloody battles of the war. He helped bury in one grave 214 Federal soldiers killed at New Market. At this battle he was promoted on the field to ser geant major, and afterwards promoted to adjutant. After the war he located in Greenbrier ; was engaged in farming, measuring lum ber, etc., and came to this county in 1883, to Green Sulphur Dis trict, where he clerked in a store and worked as a carpenter until he arrived at Hinton, in 1890, being at that time appointed deputy clerk of the county court, which office he so faithfully administered that, in 1896, he was nominated over his predecessors, E. H. Peck and J. A. Riffe, for clerk of the county court of this county, and was elected by a large majority for the term of six years. He was a candidate for renomination, but was defeated by a strong com bination against him ; has since been engaged in the mercantile business, and now resides in the city of Hinton. Captain Ayres stands high in the esteem of the citizens as an honorable, law-abiding citizen. He was married twice, his first wife being Miss Belle Ingles, of Greenbrier County, and his sec ond wife Miss Priscilla Young, of Summers County. He has one son, William Ayres, residing in the State of Indiana. Captain Ayres was also twice elected to the office of recorder of the city of Hinton, and was deputy clerk of the circuit court of this county for six years. SILAS F. TAYLOR. Silas F. Taylor was an old resident of Lick Creek, of Green Sulphur District; was a native of Bedford County, Virginia, hav ing emigrated with his' father to Monroe County when sixteen years of age. He died in the year 1896, having been a resident of the territory within the county for sixty years, settling on Lick Creek in 1855. He married Miss Sabina Nutter, in Monroe County, in 1842. He was the father of six children — James M. Taylor, W. J. Taylor, generally known as "Jack"; D. C. Taylor, Mark D. Taylor, Charles Lee Taylor and Eli AAf. Taylor, and one daugh- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 421 ter, Mary Susan, who married D. R. Thomas in 1872, and now resides on Griffith's Creek, in this county. C. L. Taylor now re sides in Fayette County; Mark D. Taylor resides in Beckley, Ra leigh County; James M. in Greenbrier County; Eli W. being the only one of the sons remaining a citizen of this county, and who now resides at Greenbrier Springs, being one of the stockholders in the corporation which owns that property, and is, like his father, a brick mason by trade. Silas F. Taylor, the ancestor, was a brick mason by trade, and had a reputation throughout all this section of the country for his honest work and ability in his oc cupation. He built the brick house of Captain A. A. Miller on Lick Creek, also one for Augustus Gwinn near Alderson, one for Andrew Gwinn at Lowell, and also the Ephraim J. Gwinn brick house at Green Sulphur Springs, now occupied by ex-Sheriff H. Gwinn, and many other old, substantial brick buildings of the county. Some years before his death he removed to Alderson, in Greenbrier County, where he died in 1896. At the breaking out of the war he was captain of the militia, and became a soldier of the Confederacy, being captured in 1862, confined in Johnson's Island prison, and after his discharge entered the service under Captain Philip Thurmond, and was again cap tured and confined in the same prison, and finally exchanged at the close of the war and dismissed from prison. Each of the sons followed their father in the selection of an oc cupation, and those residing in this county who are personally known to the writer are Eli W., James M., Mark D. and C. L.- All are fine brick masons, Eli W., during the year 1905, having su perintended the construction of the Ewart-Miller building in Hin ton, opposite the court house, and also the new brick store build ing of the New River Grocery Company. We reproduce a letter written to Silas F. Taylor by his son, AVm. J. Taylor: "August 1, '62. Camp Chase, Ohio, Prison No. 1, Mess 5. "Dear Father: 1 take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well and hearty. I was taken prisoner at Lewisburg on the 23d day of May. I was slightly wounded in the thigh. I want you to write to me as soon as you -get this letter and let me know how you have been and when you heard from home. I have not heard from home but once since I was taken. I would like to see you. I want you to write to me soon. Direct your letter to Prison 1, Mess 5. I got a letter from Sam Fox. He said that John Sur- baugh was well. I would like to see you and all of the family. So 422 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. nothing more at present, but remain your friend, Wm. J. Taylor, to Silas F. Taylor." We also copy a tax ticket of 1859 of Mr. Taylor's, which is something of a curiosity in these days : "Mr. Silas F. Taylor to the sheriff of Greenbrier County, Dr., 1859. To 2 county levy at 90 cents, parish levy at 80 cents, $3.40; to capitation tax at 80 cents, $0.80; to slaves at 120 cents, ; to property tax on $78 valuation at 40 cents, $0.32; to land tax on ; total, $4.52. Received payment, , deputy. For Andrew Beard, S. G. Co." THE BOLTON FAMILY. Absolem Dempsey Bolton was the head of the only family of that name that we have any information of in this county. This gentleman emigrated to this country from the county of Giles, in the State of Virginia, in the year 1878, locating permanently on Bradshaw's Run, near Forest Hill. He had been preaching in this county, and was a pastor of the Baptist churches for twenty- eight years before his permanent removal into the State. He was a minister of the Missionary Baptist Church; a man of fine attain ments and fine character. No man left a better name to his pos terity, or better heritage to his descendants, than did Rev. A. D. Bolton. He was ordained as a minister of the ¦ Missionary Bap tist Church December 16, 1861, and we are able to append a copy of his certificate, executed by the venerable Matthew Ellison and others. We have a memorandum from his diary showing that from June, 1873, to October 22, 1899, he preached three hundred sermons, and the texts and places at which these sermons were delivered, as well as the date of each; from 1885 to 1898, inclusive, he married 95. couples. He was born December 12, 1828, and on D'ecember 12, 1850, was married to Miss Clementine Albert. He delivered his last sermon at Indian Mills, on November 5, 1899, from the text, II. Thess., 14-16. Following is a copy of his certificate of ordination : "This is to certify that our brother, Absolem D. Bolton, was publicly ordained and set apart for the full work of the gospel min istry, with prayer and laying on of hands by the undernamed Pres bytery, according to the usages of the Baptist Church, on Decem ber 16, 1861. He was called to ordination by the Big Stony Creek Church, regularly connected with the Valley Baptist Association, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 423 of which church he is a member, and which, after full and sufficient opportunity to judge of his gifts, were agreed in their opinion that he was called to the work of the ministry. Our brother was ac cordingly received with the full and entire approbation of the Pres bytery called by the church, and also of the church, in thus enter ing officially upon the full work of the gospel ministry, and is hereby authorized to administer all the ordinances of the gospel, and to perform all the duties under a minister of Christ, and may the great Head of the Church abundantly bless him in all of his labors, and may he walk worthy the high vocation whereof he has been called. Given under our hands December 16, 1861. M. ELLISON, JOHN B. LEE, AV. R. GITT." He left two sons, Henry Albert and James D., both residents of Forest Hill, and one daughter, Ettie W. H. A. Bolton is a prosperous farmer and a very intelligent and honorable gentle man, respected by his neighbors and the community. J. D. Bol ton has been deputy sheriff of this county during two terms of four years each, first as deputy for James H. George, and the sec ond term under Harvey Ewart, filling that position to the eminent satisfaction of his principals and to the people. The Bolton fam ily is of English descent, emigrating to this country from Bolton City, England. Both of these gentlemen are consistent members of the Mis sionary Baptist Church, and in politics are Democrats, and have both been warm adherents to the political fortunes of the author, Mr. Jas. D. Bolton having, in the campaign of 1904, personally canvassed large portions of the counties of Raleigh and Wyoming of his own accord and as a matter of personal friendship, in the writer's race for the judgeship. He is now engaged as one of the proprietors of the Greenbrier Springs, with Sheriff A. J. Keatly as his partner. He is the youngest son of Rev. A. D. Bolton, and was born on the 21st day of November, 1855, at Parisburg, Va., and was married to Miss Garten, a daughter of Chas. Garten, Sr., of Forest .Hill District. H. A. Bolton, the oldest son of Rev. A. D. Bolton, also married a Miss Garten, and these two brothers are also brothers-in-law. Charles W. Garten married Miss Ettie Bolton, the only daughter. H. A. Bolton is one of the enterprising1 farmers of Forest Hill Dis- 424 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. trict, and is a careful, temperate and honest citizen, respected by all persons, and wherever known. A GOOD MAN GONE. (From Independent-Herald.) The death of Rev. A. D. Bolton, which has been expected at any time for several months past, occurred at his home near For est Hill, in this county, at 8 o'clock P. M. on the 27th ult. The deceased was in the seventy-second year of his age, and up to November, 1899, he had been able to keep up his regular pastoral work with the churches of which he was the honored and beloved pastor. He was a native of Giles County, A^irginia, where he lived un til December, 1878, when he moved to this county, settling in the home where his death occurred. He leaves a widow with whom he had walked in sweet companionship for nearly fifty years — the 5th of next December would have been their fiftieth marriage day. He leaves two sons, H. A. and J. D., both prominent and use ful citizens of this county, and one daughter, Etta, who, with her mother, ministered so tenderly at the side of their loved but suf fering one, during the months of his affliction. Another member of his family was his nephew Abbie, whom he raised from infancy, and whom he loved as his own child. Brother Bolton spent about forty years of his life in the minis try of the Baptist Church, and while the writer knows but little of his life and labors before coming to West Virginia, yet I am glad to say that I have personal knowledge of his work in this State, which begun with the Peterstown church in the latter part of 1871, seven years before he moved to this county. During these twenty-nine years he served as pastor, for longer or shorter pe riods, the following churches of the Greenbrier Association : Pe terstown, Fairview, Springfield, Talcott, Pine Grove, Indian Mills, Red Sulphur and Little Wolf Creek, in which relation he continued with the last three named till his death. He was also pastor, for a term of three years, of Jumping Branch Church in Raleigh Asso ciation. No pastor was ever more beloved and honored by the churches and the people to whom he preached than he was. He was recognized as a man of ability, and in debate on questions of doctrine, as the writer has often heard him, he was excellent. He has gone, but he has left to his family, his neighbors and friends, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 425 and the churches over which he watched, a name and record and influence of which we may all be grateful to God. His funeral service took place from the Fairview Baptist Church, a discourse being preached by the writer from Acts 11 :24 : "For he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost of faith, and much people was added unto the Lord." Revs. Hank, Thorne and McClelland were present and took part in the services. A large gathering of people was present, coming from afar to testify their love for the good man. His remains were laid to rest in the Fairview Cemetery, to wait the blast of the trumpet sig naling the great rising and crowning day. J. P. CAMPBELL. MADDY. There is an old family of settlers- in Monroe County who have an ancient as well as a tragic history. Nancy, or Nannie, or Annie Parsons, was a sister of Robert Morris, the patriot financier of the Revolution of 1776, who resided in Philadelphia ; and in providing funds to carry on the great Revolution impoverished himself, dying in poverty by reason of the' obligations assumed by him, and as a compensation for which, and as a partial remuneration, the Gov ernment granted to him many thousand acres of wild, unappro- priate lands, much of which lies in West Virginia and west of the Alleghenies, and especially in Raleigh, Wyoming, Mercer and Mc Dowell Counties, and some of which patented lands extends into Summers County, known as The Robert Morris Patents or Grants, and many acres of the finest timber territory in the world is in- eluded therein; and which is now worth an inestimable amount of money since the developments of recent years ; but during the lifetime of Morris a sufficient amount could not be realized there from to cover the tax assessments thereon. This sister of Mor ris' married a man by the name of Maddy, who was a soldier in Washington's Colonial Army, and after the close of that war was accidentally drowned in the Shenandoah River in the Valley of Virginia. His widow, with her children, emigrated to Monroe County, and settled on what is still known as the "Charles Maddy Place," near the Saltpetre Cave near Greenville, where she reared her family. She had a considerable estate in Virginia, which it became necessary for her to return to and settle up, and she rode horseback through the mountains and the wilderness, crossing the 426 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Alleghenies. After transacting her affairs and recovering her money — a considerable sum — she proceeded on her return, and in doing so she stopped over night with a settler in the wilderness. During her stay she incidentally disclosed the fact of her carrying on her person considerable funds. On the next morning the gen tleman of the the house told her he knew of a direct route through the hills that would save her a great part of the distance, and vol unteered to show her the near cut. They proceeded for some time, until they came to a wild place and a great cliff, where the man stopped, told her to give him her money, and declared his object to be to secure the money, which she carried on her person in her clothing, and to murder her. She declined to give up the money, when he demanded her to take off her dress, it being his purpose to secure it and the money therein, and throw her body over the cliff. She requested him to turn his back, as she did not desire to undress in his presence. This he did, turning his back to her and facing the precipice, whereupon she gave him a sudden push with all her strength, sending his body headlong over the cliffs and into the ravine below, by which he was instantly killed, thus saving her own life, as well as the money which she carried. She then proceeded on her journey, and arrived at her home in safety. After the death of her first husband, Maddy, she married a gentleman by the name of Parsons, and lived to a very old age, and was known throughout her neighborhood as "Granny Par sons." She never bore any children by her last husband. From this lady has descended some of the best citizens of this region of the country, and many of her descendants still reside in Summers, Monroe and adjoining counties. John Maddy, who died at a very old age, lived and died near Greenville, and was a very wealthy man; was a pioneer merchant at that place, and owned good lands around the country. His son, Richard Maddy, who married a Miss Peck, died a few years since at that place, where he owned a splendid farm, the Riley Cook place, where his widow and children still live. John Maddy late in his life married a Miss Arnet. Charles Maddy was a brother of John, and together with their brother-in-law, David Hinton, at one time, some fifty years ago, owned the Hinton lands on which the city of Avis is built. The land, about 150 acres, was sold under judicial decree of the circuit court of Monroe County, and purchased by the Mad- dys and David Hinton, who were brothers-in.-law and brother of John Hinton, at this sale, it being sold for the payment of debts of John Hinton — "Jack." Later they conveyed it to Mrs. Avis HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 427 Hinton, who held it to the date of her death. These two Maddys also at one time owned the Boyd farm at Little Bend Tunnel now owned by Lewis N. Bartgis. Matthew Maddy, another brother, lived on Little Stony Creek, and it was during his life the sulphur spring on the Maddy farm, known as the Lindeman Spring, was discovered. It was a deer lick and swampy place. A gum was placed in the ground, through which the percolating water es caped. After sixty years this gum — a piece of hollow tree — was taken out, and it was found as sound as the day it was placed in the spring. Gabriel Maddy lived on this farm for many years, being a son of Matthew. Later he removed onto the Wolf Creek Mountain, in Greenbrier District, where he died, leaving a widow and five boys. Thomas C, for a long time a ferryman at Talcott until the bridge was built there in 1905, was a brave soldier in the Confederate Army, and noted for his patriotism and faithfulness to the Demo cratic party. He has been a member of the Board of Education, a road surveyor for several years, and is an honest man, being the present and only tax collector for the Talcott toll bridge since its construction. His son Oscar also resides at Talcott. Thaddeus R. Maddy, another son of Gabriel, now lives at Dugat, in Raleigh County. He was for many years a resident of this county, a val iant soldier in the Confederate Army, and held the office of consta ble for several years in the county. Jesse, another son, a farmer, died in 1906, near Hinton. Two other sons of Gabriel were killed in battle during the Civil War, and one shot and killed accidentally. Their names I have failed to secure. One daughter married Mar shall Scarberry, and lives on the Gabriel Maddy place on the moun tain. A brother of Gabriel was Dr. Eber W. Maddy. Another descendant of Nancy (or Annie) (Maddy) Parsons was Alexander Maddy, who died in Monroe County many years ago. Wilson (the litigant), who lives not far from Talcott, was his son. He has been famous for the great number of lawsuits he has maintained, and by which he has unfortunately made himself poor, but en riched the lawyers. Dr.- Eber W. Maddy, a dentist, was a noted man in his day, but not in the way of bearing out the good reputation of the Maddy name. He was a scientific dentist, who practiced throughout ad joining counties. He owned large boundaries of real estate in Tal cott District and in Raleigh, valuable in coal, but through dissi pation and litigation it all passed from his hands before his death — lands now easily worth more than $100,000. He and his nephew 428 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Wilson had many bitterly contested suits. His descendants still reside in the county. Another of the Maddy descendants was Rev. John C, Maddy, an eminent Methodist divine in Ohio State, where his sons, Frank and Charles, still reside at Toledo. His daughter Ella, who mar ried a Mr. Tucker, resides in Topeka, Kansas. Augusta, who is married and lives in Los Angeles, California, and Miss Emma, also a resident of Toledo. Another of the descendants was James Maddy, who settled at Galhpolis, Ohio. His son William was a steamboat captain on the Ohio, and was sent for and operated the "Cecilia," the only steam boat ever operated in New River. A daughter of James, Mary, married Mr. Caleb Johnson, an honorable gentleman of Monroe County, and whose daughters, Misses Josephine and Salome, now live in Hinton, and the daughter Ella married Mr. Edgar Johnson, president of the Greenbrier Valley Bank, at Alderson, and one son James C. Johnson, who now lives in Texas. Another daughter of James Maddy, Eliza, married Major Rich ard Woodrum, and other children are scattered throughout the Mid dle AVest. Another descendant was Peter Maddy, a son of Matthew Mad dy, who married Miss Elizabeth George, a daughter of John George, of Greenbrier County. He owned 400 acres of good land on Lick Creek. AAThile a young man he joined the Confederate Army, con tracted the typhoid fever and died at Union, leaving a widow, Eliza beth, who died in recent years, and two infant sons, John Peter and William T., who still reside in the county, and are enterprising and honorable citizens. Richard McNeer, Sr., married Elizabeth Maddy, a sister of John, Charles and Matthew Maddy, and from whom all the generations of McNeers and allied connections are descendants. We are unable to give any detailed account of this ancient and honorable family, and give only such incidental information as we have. CAPTAIN ROBERT W. SAUNDERS. Captain Robert W. Saunders was born June 8, 1828, in Bedford County, Virginia, and was of English descent. He died on the 20th of October, 1904. Early in life he located in the territory of Forest Hill District. His first wife was Lina Miller, by whom he raised three children — Lewis, Rebecca and Maria — all dead, dying from diphtheria during the war. The second wife was Sa- HON. UPSHUR HIGGINBOTHAM, Lawyer, Orator and Republican Politician. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 429 rah E. Meadows, daughter of Robert Meadows, who lived near the old church on Greenbrier River. Their children were Edward Lee, Josephine, who married A. A. McDowell; A. H. and C. E. Saun ders. His third wife was Sallie A. Harvey, a daughter of Allen L. Harvey. Robert A. Saunders was a captain during the Civil War in the Confederate service. He was one of the main supports of the Missionary Baptist Church of Forest Hill, of which he was a member for thirty years. His sons are now prominent and law- abiding citizens of the county, active in affairs. Captain Saunders was a man of property, and one of the founders of the county. HIGGINBOTHAM. Upshur Higginbotham was born in Mercer County, West Vir ginia, December 1, 1875; spent his youth on the farm; was edu cated at the Normal School at Athens and at the West Virginia University, taking the law course in the latter institution. Having completed the same, he located in Hinton, December, 1900, for the practice of his profession.' Soon after entering the practice he was appointed by Judge Jackson referee in bankruptcy, which position he held until his resignation in 1905. In 1906, seeking a wider field for his abilities, he located in Charleston, entering into a parner- ship for the practice of law with Hon. Dell Rummell, city attor ney. In 1904 he was appointed private secretary to Hon. Jos. H. Gaines, member of Congress from the Third West Virginia Dis trict, which position he has successfully and intelligently filled until the present time. Mr. Higginbotham is a Republican in poli tics, a shrewd party leader, and has had the confidence of his party associates. In 1902 he was elected Secretary of the Republican Congressional Committee for the Third AVest Virginia District, which position he still holds. On May 29, 1902, he was united in marriage with Miss Roberta R. Kessler, of Talcott District, a daughter of Henry F. Kessler, Esq. Mr. Higginbotham is an able lawyer and a strong man, with bright prospects in his profession. BROWN. Garret Brown was one of the old settlers of Forest Hill. A son of Garret Brown still lives on the old place near Barger Springs, at the top of the hill. Garret's father's name was Wil liam. The grandfather of Allen first settled on Bradshaw's Run, at the Bolton farm. A mound still stands on this farm where his 430 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. house was burned by the Indians, who came to the house in the absence of the menfolks and set fire to the flax in the roof and burned the house. They carried the old lady Brown away. She was a very fleshy woman, and when the Indians came to the house and found the old lady alone and the men gone, set the house afire. The men came home, found the house burning, followed the In dians to Paint Creek, at an old Indian camp on the land afterwards owned by Eber Maddy. They were preparing to burn Mrs. Brown at the stake, as she was so fleshy they had decided not to be both ered with her any longer. The Indians had everything ready for the bonfire, when the men fired on the Indians, and thus rescued her. Garret Brown settled where Allen F. Brown now lives, sixty- three years ago. His son Allen married a daughter of Rufus Clark, of Pipestem. Her name was Mary Ellen, and they were married in 1855. He was a member of Philip Thurmond's Rangers during the war. He had one sister, who weighed only thirty-three and one- half pounds, was twenty-two inches in height, and lived to be twenty-two years old. She was born in 1853. The Garret Brown patent was issued by the Governor of \Airginia in 1855, for 136 acres, and adjoined the John Carden patent of 100 acres. The old Watkins patent adjoins the Brown lands. Garret Brown mar ried Harriet Ann Alford, of Monroe County, and who was a Scotch woman from Scotland. The children of Allen Brown are Roxie, Nora, Mary, Jennie Lee and Lura ; also one son, Prince Clark. Gar ret Btownwas made famous by the old ejectment suit of Carden vs- Brown, which pended in the circuit court for thirteen years. It was pending in Monroe County prior to its removal to this county. THOMAS W. TOWNSLEY. The ancient and celebrated auctioneer was born March 25, 1835, in Roanoke, Virginia. His father's name was W. N. Townsley, of England, born in May, 1800. He married a Miss Wade. Thomas W. emigrated to this part of the country in 1840, and located first within one mile of Peterstown, and has been within the territory of this county thence hitherto ; was a brave Confederate soldier, a member of Clark's Battalion, 30th Virginia, Horton's Brigade, Breckenridge's Division ; was in many of the great battles of the Civil War, including Cold Harbor, Leetown, AVinchester, Kerns- town and New Market, and was at the battle of Lewisburg. He was constable of Forest Hill District for twelve years. His first wife was Nancy J. Brown ; his second wife a Keatley, and third a HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 431 Shelton. His children are Mary, Eliza, who married Judson Fos ter; Alice, who married Peter M. Foster; and Josephine, who mar ried Green Taylor. Thos. Jalysle and C. Luther are his two sons,- residing at Hinton, engaged in the employment of the C. & O. Ry. Co. Thomas W. Townsley is a shoemaker by trade and a Demo crat in politics ; was for one year the sergeant of the town of Up per Hinton, and has been for a number of years the janitor of the court house. RATLIFFE MYSTERY. During the building of the Big Bend Tunnel in 1872, a peddler by the name of Ratliffe disappeared, and was never heard of after. He had on his person $375, and left the tunnel accompanied by Harry Gill, who lived in the mountains back of Bradshaw's Run, in Forest Hill District. Mr. Henry Milburn saw the peddler and Gill cross the Greenbrier River near his place, and they went on in the direction of Gill's. That night a Mr. Lowe, who lived in the neighborhood, heard the cries of distress of some one appeal ing for help. At first he thought the cries came from his father's, and he ran in that direction, on Bradshaw's Run, but discovered that the trouble was in the mountain. The cries ceased, and later in the night a great fire was seen in the direction of Gill's. The next day it was learned that Gill's stable had burned during the night, claimed to be accidental. The peddler was never seen or heard of afterwards, and no evidence could be found of him except a piece of his trousers was found in a hollow hickory tree in the neighborhood of where the stable had burned, with a hole near the waistband, indicating and appearing to have been made by a bullet. No arrests were made, as no evidence could be found for certain that Ratliffe was dead. A few years ago this same Harry Gill died, and during his last illness the neighbors came in to attend on him and administer to his wants, and during this last illness he seemed to be in great despair, although perfectly sane in mind, and he would cry out, "There is Ratliffe ! Take him away !" Finally he secured possession of a pair of scissors, and demanded to know if Ratliffe was gone. He kept hold of this weapon until his death. People were present at his death who were not in the State at the time of the disappearance of the peddler, and had never heard of him or of the circumstances. Gill lived to be an old man, and was in his late years elected a constable. Whether Ratliffe was killed was never known. The corpus delicti could never be proven. Here is the foundation for one of the "Strange Schemes of Ran dolph Mason, Lawyer." 432 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. MAXWELL. There is but one family of this name in Summers County, that of Robert H. Maxwell, of Avis, who has been a resident thereof almost since the formation of the county. He was born in Clover Bottom, on Bluestone River, on the 26th day of December, 1843. When he was fourteen years old his father moved to Raleigh Coun ty, in the Winding Gulf region, where he remained until the out break of the Civil War, at which time he removed to Jackson County, West Virginia, and on the 15th of August, 1862, enlisted in Company K, West Virginia Infantry, United States Army, re maining in the active service throughout the remainder of the war. He took part in- the Hunter raid throughout West Virginia, and participated in many battles and skirmishes. When his army reached Lynchburg, Virginia, on this raid, he was shot, and was left on the field of battle and taken prisoner by the Confederate Army, carried to Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, and there confined in the famous Libby Prison. He was paroled on the 14th of September, 1864, and went to the Union hospital at An napolis, Maryland. When Mr. Maxwell left Libby Prison his first movements were to secure something to eat. He drew a day's ra tions, which he ate for breakfast. He sold his canteen and blanket for nine dollars in the coin of the Confederate realm, all of which he spent for bread, and all of which he ate at one meal. He then started down the James River to the place where prisoners were exchanged, and again found himself under the stars and stripes ; and it was then that he saw the first bacon and ham which he had seen in all the time since he had entered the army, and there he finished up the meal which he began at Libby Prison, and there he secured the first coffee he had seen in three months. After the war he returned to Jackson County, having been discharged from the army in 1865. He there married Virginia Rand, a daughter of Robert Rand, of that county, to which union there were born three children — John B. Maxwell, now of Texarkana, Texas ; Nel- liej who married Captain Bobbett, the Railway conductor of Hin ton; and Annie, who married a Mr. Barker, of Kansas City, Kan sas. After the death of his first wife he moved to Hinton, West Virginia, in 1883, and married Miss Eliza Flanagan, a daughter of Richard A. Flanagan, of Fayette County, and by this union one son was born — Irvin Maxwell, the lawyer, now located in Virginia. Upon locating in Hinton he engaged in the timber and lumber business, which he has followed up until 1904, since which time HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 433 he has been engaged principally in the real estate business. He is an active politician, takes great interest in the conventions and elections in his county, he being an old-school Republican, but is never a candidate for office. One time he was the chairman of the Republican county committee, and has been one of the leaders in the councils of that party. In 1904 he took an active part with the old-time branch of the party in the county troubles. Irvin Maxwell, the lawyer, was admitted to practice in this State and county in 1906, in the town of his birth. He is a gradu ate of the law school at Washington and Lee University. His home is in Hinton. Robt. H. Maxwell is one of the leading citizens of Avis; has been mayor of that city, member of the city council several terms, and is now a member of that body. He is an enter prising and useful citizen. It was largely through his efforts that the dyke improvements have been secured to prevent the overflow from floods in that municipality. He has been successful in his business affairs and is independent. The ancestors of R. H. Maxwell are among the original pioneer settlers west of the Allegheny Mountains in the New River Valley. Captain Maxwell was one of the commanders who fought the Indians in 1782, in the Holstine River settlements in Abb's Val ley, and was in command in the Indian troubles in the Ingles set tlements of the Upper New River. This Captain Thomas Maxwell, with Samuel Ferguson and the Peerys. were in the battle of the Alamance. They came from the Valley of Virginia. Two of the daughters of Captain Maxwell were killed by the Indians at the time of the Ingles settlement troubles. Robert H. Maxwell's father's name was Mathias, who married Juliet Brown,' of Mercer County — the same family of Browns as Mrs. J. M. Carden and Mrs. Margaret Bray, wife of Dr. Thomas Bray. A brother of Mr. Maxwell, J. A. Maxwell, now resides in Portsmouth, Ohio. He was a soldier in the United States Army during the Civil War in the same company as his brother. Another brother, John, was a member of the St. Louis Cavalry in the United States Army. The father of Mathias Max well was William Maxwell. The Maxwells are directly connected with the Clays, who first settled in the Clover Bottom, on the Big Bluestone, Tabitha Clay, who was killed by the Indians at that place, being a direct blood connection of Robert H. Maxwell. The Maxwells, Clays, Browns and Jordans were related from the first pioneer, Mitchell Clay, who raised thirteen children. The Maxwells were early settlers in the Upper New River Val- 434 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ley, and were attacked by the Indians in 1782. Captain Thomas Maxwell was the leader of fifteen or twenty men, with anothei force of five or six men with John Hix, whose descendants live in this county, which he had gotten together, who pursued a parcel of Indians in 1782 who had attacked the Ingles settlement on New River. They pursued the Indians for five days, and finally discov ered them in a gap of Sandy Ridge, which divides the waters of Sandy and Clinch Rivers. This gap since that time is known as Maxwell's Gap, a short distance west of Abb's Valley. Captain Maxwell divided his company, he taking a part of his men to the flank of the Indians, while Ingles remained with the other portion in the rear, the fight to be made at daylight the next morning. Unfortunately, Maxwell, in order to escape detection, bore too far away, and was not in position to make the attack at the appointed time. Ingles, having waited beyond the hour agreed upon, seeing the Indians begin to move, began the attack. The Indians there upon began to tomahawk the prisoners. Mr. Ingles reached his wife just as she had received a terrible blow on the head. They had already tomahawked his daughter, five years old, and his son William, three years old. In their retreat the Indians passed be low Captain Maxwell and the party, fired upon them, and killed Captain Maxwell. The wounded little girl died, but the mother recovered. This gap on the Sandy is known to this day as Max well's Gap. We have no direct history of the Maxwells and their descend ants from that day to the present, except in a general way. That Maxwell's ancestors were Indian fighters and scouts and soldiers in the Revolution there is no doubt. The Maxwells, Browns, Pearis and Jordans are related through the descendants of this original settler, Mitchell Clay. Captain John Maxwell was also of the same family. Two of his daughters were captured by the Indians near the Clinch about 1782. . Captain James Maxwell was also another one of these pioneer soldiers and Indian fighters. The battle of the Alamance was fought in 1772, in which Thomas Maxwell took a part. The Maxwells were Scotch-Irish. Mitchell Clay settled on the Clover Bottom tract of land in 1775. This was the first white settlement made in the present ter ritorial limits of Mercer County. Andrew Culbertson settled Crump's Bottom twenty years prior to the settlement of the Clover Bottom. Clay and his family remained on this land undisturbed for a period of eight years, and were finally attacked by the Indians, and a part of his family killed and one captured. PROF. JAMES E. CADLE, Educator and Superintendent of Schools. ROBERT H. MAXWELL, Whose Ancestors Were among the First to Settle in - This Land. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 435 Clay opened up a considerable farm on the Clover Bottoms. In 1783, in the month of August, he and his sons Bartley and Ezekiel were building fence around grain stacks. It was in the afterno.on. The boys were at work. The older daughter and some of the young girls were at the river washing. A party of eleven In dians crept up to the edge of the field and shot Bartley dead. The discharge of the gun alarmed the girls at the river, and they started on a run to the house. An Indian attempted to scalp the young man and at the same time capture the girls. The older girl, Tabi- tha, undertook to defend the body of her dead brother and pre vent his* being scalped, and in the struggle with the Indian she reached for his butcher knife, which hung in his belt, and missing it, the Indian drew it and stabbed her repeatedly. She, however, several times wrung the knife from his hands and cast it aside, but he each time recovered it, and continued cutting her with the knife until he had literally chopped her to pieces before killing her. The small girls, during the melee, escaped to the house, and the small brother, Ezekiel, a lad of sixteen years, was captured by an other Indian. The house of Mitchell Clay stood on a high point or knoll, three hundred yards due west of the dwelling house now owned by the present occupant. The foundation stones of the old Clay cabin are still there to be seen. About the time the attack was made by the Indians, a man by the name of Liggon Blanken- ship called at the Clay cabin, and when Mrs. Clay discovered her daughter in the struggle with the Indian, begged Blankenship to shoot the Indian and save the child ; instead thereof he took to his heels and /an to the New River settlements, and reported that Clay and all his family had been killed. This cowardly behavior of Blankenship has been handed down from generation to genera tion, and will be to the end of all time. The Indians, securing the scalp of the young man, Bartley, and the sister, Tabitha, with their prisoner, Ezekiel, left. As soon as they left, Mrs. Clay took her children and carried the bodies of the dead ones to the house and placed them on a bed, left the cabin with her children, and made her way through the wild woods six miles to the house of James Bailey, who lived on Brush Creek, near the present New Hope Church, he being the nearest neighbor of the Clays. Mitchell Clay, before the coming of the Indians, had gone into the woods for game, and wounded a deer, followed it until dark, and then re turned to his home and discovered the horrors committed in his absence. He discovered the dead bodies of his children and other evidences, and supposed all of his family had been killed. He left 436 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the cabin for the New River settlements by way of the East River. During the night he discovered the Indians in his road, who fol lowed him closely until he reached the settlements. They stole a number of horses and immediately retreated west of the Ohio. Information was immediately conveyed to the various neighbor hoods, and a party of men, 'under Captain Mathew Farley, among them Charles Clay, Mitchell Clay, Jr., William Wiley, Edward Hale, John French and others, who went to the Clay cabin, buried the bodies of Bartley and Tabitha, and then began a pursuit of the Indians. The Indians took the old trail on the Bluestone, across Flat Top Mountain, down the divide between Guyandotte and Coal, on top of the Cherry Pond Mountain, continuing down the west fork of Coal River. The Indians separated into two squads, one going down Pond Fork. The whites, not suspecting they had separated, seeing the horse tracks, followed on down Pond Fork, until they saw the smoke from the Indians' fires and heard the whistle of a fife. The whites halted in order to confer as to the best method of attack. They decided to divide their party, so as to place a portion of them below the Indians and attack at daylight the next morning, and make the attack from above and below at the same time. The whites crept up as close as they could to the Indians. All was quiet during the night, and just at break of day a large Indian arose from his bed and walked out a short distance, and was shot and killed, and thereupon began the attack. Two of the Indians were killed and one was wounded and at tempted to escape, and in his broken English begged for his life, but Charles Clay, whose brother and sister had been killed by them, and had another brother in captivity, refused him quarter, and killed him instantly. The remaining Indians fled down the river. Mitchell Clay, Jr., was then a boy of sixteen. When the attack began, a large Indian rushed toward him. Clay had a large rifle gun, too heavy for him to use, and missed the Indian when he fired at him. The Indian wheeled and attempted to run off, but was killed by another of the party. This fight occurred in what is now Boone County, at the head of Little Bottom on Pond Fork on Coon's farm. The spot where this battle was fought is marked by a pile of heavy stones, carried by the Indians from the mountain and piled over the bodies of their dead comrades. The whites re covered their horses, but did not recover Ezekiel Clay, and the Indians carried him on to Chillicothe.and burned him at the stake. Both Edward Hale and William Wiley took from the backs of two dead Indians strips of their hides, which they converted into HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 437 razor straps, which remained in their families for many years as souvenirs of this battle. After this Indian trouble Mitchell Clay moved to New River and bought the land now owned by J. Roily Johnson, who recently owned some land in the Pipestem District, which he sold to the French Brothers. The house built by Clay remains, with the port-holes to be seen. Mitchell Clay married Phoebe Belcher and raised fourteen chil dren. One of his daughters, Mary, married William Stuart, and the Clays and Stewarts now form a large part of the population of Wyoming County, especially the descendants of William Stew art. The courteous clerk of the county court of that county, A. M. Stewart, is a descendant of this William Clay and of this daughter of Mitchell Clay. Mitchell Clay died on New River in 1812, having sold his Clover Bottom tract to Hugh Innes and his son-in-law, Colonel Pearis. Mr. Maxwell has held important positions in the management of the Republican party and policies in Summers County. As stated, he was once chairman of the County Committee, and man aged the affairs of the party throughout that campaign. As is customary in these days, it is understood that the chairman of the party organization handles and controls largely the campaign funds. Maxwell did what few chairmen do, as far as our observation ex tends. All of the campaign contributions were placed by him in bank and checked out, and vouchers kept therefor as disbursements were made, no contention being made that he had pocketed any of the funds, and his manner of doing this business was such that he could not be charged with maladministration. He was the first mayor of the city of Avis, elected at its incorporation. He was largely instrumental in securing the separation of the two cities, the citizens of Avis being dissatisfied with the management of affairs under the charter which consolidated the two towns. He was selected by the citizens of that city as their representative ; went to Charleston, stayed throughout the session of the Legis lature, securing the passage of the bill known as "The City of Hinton Divorce Bill." In the election of 1904 he did not stand with the regular organization of the party so far as it stood by the nominations of his party for judge of the circuit court, and he was an earnest, active and influential supporter and advocate of the Democratic candidate for judge of the Circuit Court for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, devoting his time and influence, without money, price or compensation of any character. In his political actions, as in other matters, he is bold, aggressive, and makes no secret of the 438 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. position taken by him. In the famous Thompson and Fowler fac tional controversy many years ago, he was an active adherent of the destinies of the Fowler contention and adherents. At one time he was offered a large sum of money for his support by a repre sentative of the Standard Oil Co. to take a different position in one of those factional fights, but he was as firm as the Rock of Gibraltar. R. H. Maxwell's grandfather's language was distinctly broken and showed the Scotch accent very perceptibly. Robert H. Max well is the only representative of these old settlers now living in this county, and, as stated before, is a man of character, sober, industrious and enterprising. In politics, as in other matters, he stands up for his principles, and has been from the foundation of the Republican party an ardent and faithful Republican, without seeking office or political preferment, and an earnest fighter for his political principles — fights straight from the shoulder without hypocrisy or deceit, and without money and without price. He goes into any cause earnestly, without false representation as to the position which he occupies. At one time he was chairman and made a successful chairman of his party organization in this county. If he is for a party, man or principle, he will be found advocating the same openly and above board. He now holds the office of commissioner of school lands by appointment. THE SWOPE FAMILY. This is a German ancestry (Schwab or Swab being the original German name for what is now known as Swope). The Swopes were among the first settlers in Monroe County, Jos. Ulrich, or John Ulrich Swope being the ancient and original settler and an cestor of the family in this region of the country. He was the second son of Yost (Joseph) Swope, and was born in the town of Leiman, in the Duchy of Baden, in 1707. His grandfather was the mayor or burgomaster of that town. His father, Yost Swope, was born in the same town, on the 22d day of February, 1678, and owing to the persecutions of the Lutheran Church, of which he was an active member, he emigrated across the seas and settled in Upper Leacock Township of Lancaster County, Pa. Here he raised a family of five children, all of whom located there except John Ul rich, or Joseph, as he will hereafter be called. We are not positive as to his first name, whether it is John or Joseph. The family rec ords show that frequently these Dutch people gave two of their chil- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 439 dren the same name, and tradition is that he dropped the name of John and assumed the name of his older brother, and assumed and adopted his father's name of Joseph. The original ancestor wrote his name Swab, and it was Americanized into Swope. This Jo seph Ulrich left Pennsylvania and emigrated with the German col ony into the Valley of Virginia, locating in Augusta, near the site of the present Swope Depot on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. It was here that his son Joseph was born, on the 11th day of Au gust, 1751. He was of a . venturesome disposition, and began ex plorations in the country to the west. In 1750 and 1752, with his trusty flint-lock gun, he followed the Indian trail up Jackson's River to the mouth of Dunlap's Creek, thence up that creek, cross ing the table-lands into the country where Union is built. There, instead of following the trail down the waters of Indian Creek, he took a. due west course and landed on top of those knobs which bear his name to this day — Swope's Knobs — and from there he viewed the country. He descended from this mountain into the Wolf Creek Valley, and was detected by a party of marauding Indians, who followed him, but whom he discovered in time to make preparations for his escape. He headed for a large hollow poplar tree which stood about a third of a mile west of the present site of the Wolf Creek Post Office near the Broad Run Church. He managed to crawl into the hollow of this tree and climbed up the hollow, bracing himself against the sides, and there remained until the Indians gave up the search. He could hear them talking and marching around the tree, but they decided it was impossible for a man to be inside of it. This tree remained standing until 1860, when it became dangerous from decay and was cut down. After the departure of the Indians he came out of his hiding place, and there located a claim to the land round about, and cut his name in a beech tree near the spring on the farm now owned by Mrs. Cornelius Leach, entered his tomahawk or corn title and cut a brush heap at the same place. He then left, and returned in a year or two, and brought his wife and son, Joseph, and built his house a few hundred yards west of what is known as the Connor Spring. In this house he lived, and his son, Michael, after him, who was born there on the 29th of September, 1753. This child was the first white male child born in the territory of Monroe County, if not within the present territorial limits of Southern West Virginia. There is a tradition that there had been a girl born before this date within that territory, but if so, all history thereof is lost. This house built by this pioneer still remains in 440 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. splendid condition, and it was from this house that his son, Joseph, was stolen by the Shawnee Indians in 1756, at the age of five years, and kept a prisoner with them near Chillicothe, Ohio, for nine years. After formally settling his family in this new home, Joseph, the settler, decided to visit his people in Pennsylvania and look after his interest in his father's estate. On this trip his horse threw him, fractured his leg where it had once been fractured by an Indian bullet, and from this wound he died, and where his place of burial is not one knows. He was a traveler and hunter, and it was Swope, Pack and Pitman who were hunting down New River near its mouth, and discovered the Indians, who were making for the Jackson's River and the Catawba settlements for the purpose of attacking and destroying them. These hunters separated, one going to one set tlement and one to another to warn them of the danger, and it was this band of Indians that Captain Paul followed. An account of his fight with them at the mouth of Indian is given elsewhere in this book. The theft of Swope's boy by the Indians embittered him towards that people to such an extent that he never let any opportunity pass to harrass them or to secure a scalp. This son, Joseph, who was taken to the Indian village, was adopted by the queen of the tribe, who was said to have been Cornstalk's mother. He was treated with royalty and saved from death and many hard ships. An Indian boy one day located a skunk near the camp, and induced his white comrade into making an investigation for game, the result being that he was thoroughly fumigated. Bent on re venge, and not large enough to whip the Indian, he waited his opportunity, and when the Indian boy started to kindle a fire with steel and flint, Swope placed some powder where the fire would ignite it, and when he got down to blow the smoke into a blaze, the powder ignited and blew out both eyes of the Indian. The Indian tribe took up the matter, and Swope was sentenced to death, and it was here the good offices of the old queen came in. She was a silent spectator to his sentence of death ; then she quietly exercised her authority, took charge of her adopted boy, and told the Indians they had taught him nothing but revenge, and that this boy had a right to resent the treatment of the Indian ; so saying, she led him to her wigwam, and the sentence was set aside and his life saved. The boy was returned to his parents by reason of the treaty following the battle of Point Pleasant. He was ex changed and returned to civilization, recognized by his parents, and became the ancestor of many people now living. This boy HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 441 took to civilized life after his return, learned to write, and became a prosperous man. On April 3, 1774, he married Catharine Sul livan, a full-blooded Irish woman. She was a woman of strong character, and led an eventful life, many of the details of which would be interesting to her descendants. She was a fearless pio neer, capable of defensive as well as offensive warfare for the pro tection of her family against the wild beasts as well as the savage men. On one occasion six Indians came into her house without saying a word, and sat down at the table and ate all she had pre pared. With a grunt of thanks they walked over to the woods in the direction of her people. In a few moments she heard the crack of a rifle, and directly the Indians returned, and one was carrying a large buck which they had killed, and delivered it to her. They laid it down by the door, and indicated by signs and grunts that it was to pay for the dinner. This Joseph and his wife, Catharine, raised a family of nine children. George was born August 15, 1776; Margaret, October 20, 1777; Ruth, December, 1778; Joseph, June 20, 1781; Jonathan, January 5, 1784; Catharine, February 12, 1786; Eleanor, January 3, 1788; Adam, April 23, 1791, and Mary, March 17, 1793. Joseph settled in the Wolf Creek country and secured a patent to 600 acres of land above where his father en tered his tomahawk right, and there raised his family in the house built by his father. Of this large family of early settlers and their descendants but few remain in the country of their nativity. George moved to Kentucky; Eleanor married a Burdette and moved to Kentucky ; Mary married Thomas Casebolt and settled on Locust Creek, Pocahontas' County. She was the mother of Henry Case- bolt, who went to California with the forty-niners and who was the inventor of the cable car. Joseph Swope died March 3, 1819; Catharine, his wife, died March 12, 1820. Michael Swope, brother of Joseph Swope, settled on the head of Hand's Creek, where he raised a large family. He died April 25, 1839. Jonathan Swope, the third son of Joseph and Catharine, first married Frances Legg on the 4th day of January, 1803. They settled on a part of the 600 acre patent. He was a prominent and useful citizen, inheriting the sturdy German traits of his father, with the active determination and push of his Irish mother. The children of Joseph Swope by his first marriage were George W., Lewis C, Elizabeth, Matilda, Catharine and Mary Jane. Lewis C. Swope settled in Madison County, Indiana; Elizabeth married an Argobright and settled at Spencer, in Roane County, West Virginia; Matilda married a Johnston and settled in Iowa; Catharine married Griffith Ellis and 442 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. died near Bluefield. Mary Jane was twice married, her first hus band being Henry Miller and her second husband, Christian C. McGame. They moved to Greenfield, Indiana, where she died a few years ago. The third daughter married Joseph Craig, of Nicho las County, and is a literary lady of pronounced ability, she having published a book of poems. George C. Swope married and settled near his father at the site where his great-grandfather cut his name on the beech tree at the Swope Springs. He raised three children, one son and two daughters. His son, Caperton Swope, settled in Boone County, Indiana. His daughter, Elsie, first married Robert Haynes, by whom she had one daughter. Haynes was a brave soldier in the Confederate Army, and was captured and killed with a large number of prisoners in a railroad wreck: while being trans ported to prison. She afterwards married James Alderson, by whom she had one daughter, Elizabeth, now deceased. Her hus band, James G. Alderson, and one daughter, Abbey, now live at Alderson. Her daughter, Mattie Haynes, married Charles K. Thompson, and they live in Alderson. Amanda Swope married Cornelius Leach, settled on the homestead of her father, and to them were born two boys and three girls. Elmer, the oldest son, after graduating at the University of West Virginia, taught one session as associate principal with William H. Sawyers in the Hin ton High School. He is now engaged as a draughtsman with one of the large steel bridge concerns near Pittsburg. Arthur, the sec ond son, married a daughter of J. J. H. Tracy, and is living on the farm since the death of his father. Ada married Dr. De Veber; Irene married a Mr. Black, and they both live in Monroe County; Elsie is unmarried and lives with her mother. Cornelius Leach was a prominent citizen of Monroe County, a Confederate soldier who fought through the war and an active Republican politician. He died in 1906. He was a prosperous and enterprising citizen ; four years deputy sheriff under R. T. McNeer, and was six years a member of the county court. He was the first man to insist on and agitate a revision of the tax system of this State, contending that all species of property should be assessed at its true and actual value. George W. Swope bore the distinction of being the best scribe in his county, and one of the best educated men of his day and time. He was for several years a justice of the peace, was a careful farmer, and it was said that he was able to walk out in the night-time and lay his hand on any tool used on his farm. He died in 1871. On January 3, 1850, Jonathan Swope married as his sec ond wife Susanna Roach, widow of M. Roach, her maiden name HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 443 having been Susanna Siders. .To this union was born on Decem ber 28, 1854, one son, Joseph Jonathan Swope, whose father at the time of his birth was seventy-one years old and his mother in her forty-sixth year. This Joseph Jonathan Swope received such rudi ments of an education as was afforded by the public schools of the neighborhood until he was seventeen years of age, when his father died on April 5, 1872, leaving him in charge of the farm and the care of his aged mother. He gave up the attempt at securing an education, except what he could secure from study at home on the farm. On the 28th of May, 1873, he married Lucy J., daughter of L. J.- and Susan (Scott) Burdette. To this union four children were born, Ida S., wife of Jacob H. Hoover, of Hinton; Mary E., wife of John W. Cook, of Charleston ; Elsie W., wife of Z. A. Dick inson, of Talcott, and Loxie J., wife of Ethelbert Baber, of Hinton. Mrs. Swope died- in 1883, and on September 23, 1883, he married Nettle Diddle, daughter of M. P. Diddle, of near Union in Monroe County. To them four children were born, Nina L., who married C. B. Stewart, and is now residing at Northfork, in McDowell County; Nellie H., at present postmistress at Thacker; Joseph Buell, who has completed the course in the Hinton High School and is at present a student of the commercial college at Charleston, and Stella J., residing with her parents in Pineville. Mr. J. J. Swope is the most prominent of the -present generation of the long line of the Swope ancestry now residing in this section of the country. After thirty years of life on the farm of his father in the Little Wolf Creek Valley, he abandoned it and went into the timber business. In 1887 he built a portable steam sawmill at Ronceverte, on which was placed one of his own inventions, a variable friction with only one wheel to use in either feeding and gigging the carriage. In 1888 he moved his family and located in Hinton, where he continued until 1889, when his mill and entire property was destroyed by fire, after which he recuperated and again embarked in the mill business with Robert H. Maxwell for a short time, but the business proving unsuccessful, it was aban doned. He then entered the law office of James H. Miller, and while firing the engine for the Hinton Water Company, began the study of law, and after six months of close application was ad mitted to the bar in 1892. , He is a gentleman of great mental activity. In 1894, through his advice and efforts and in his office, a company was organized which established the "Hinton Repub lican," now the "Hinton Leader." In 1902 a fight grew up over the leadership of the Republican party in Summers County, and 444 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. during that campaign he published and distributed the "Yellow Jacket" newspaper, which was only intended as a campaign pub lication. It was independent of the Republican organization and opposed the ring rule of the bosses. In 1903 he abandoned Sum mers County for more attractive opportunities, and located at Oceana, in Wyoming County. He and his son constructed the first telephone line in that territory, which was from his office to the clerk's office. On September 1, 1903, he took charge of the "Wyoming Herald" under lease, which he published until Feb ruary, 1905, when he founded the "Wyoming Mountaineer," a Republican newspaper, of which he took entire charge as manager and editor, and which has been a successful county paper, its cir culation having arisen to 1,400 copies each week. In the contest over the removal of the county seat from Oceana to Pineville, which was voted on at the election of 1904, he espoused1 the side of Pineville with his paper, and that town- won by a majority of fifty votes over the necessary two-thirds required by law for the removal of a county seat. This election was declared void for technical irregularities on the part of the commissioners holding the election. A second election was called in 1905, Mr. Swope again espousing the cause of Pineville, and again that town won over Oceana, and the court house was removed to the latter place in the year 1907. He removed his newspaper office to Pineville, and his first issue from that town was March 9, 1906. He brought the first cylinder press and the first gasoline engine into that county. Mr. Swope still practices law, but his law is secondary to his interests and energies devoted to his paper. During his residence in Summers County he was an active Republican politician, and had much to do with the policies and management of that party. It was through his efforts that a city charter for the city of Hinton was passed by the Legislature in 1897, consolidating the two towns of Hinton and Upper Hinton under one administration. He pre pared in his own handwriting that legislative act. That consolida tion not proving satisfactory, he prepared a bill and aided in se curing its passage, known as the "Divorce Bill," by which the two towns were separated and again became two separate municipalities. His practice of law extended to the adjoining counties and in the Supreme Court of Appeals. He is a gentleman of intelligence and of enterprise, and his en ergies are usually for the interest of his community at large. He is now exercising all of his influence towards securing the construe- CAPT. HATFIELD, The Feudist. JOSEPH J. SWOPE, Attorney-Editor. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 445 tion of a new court house and fire-proof clerk's offices and modern jail for his adopted county of Wyoming. There are few of the Swope descendants now residing within our territory. Jacob H. Hoover, the tinner of Avis, married his daughter, and they reside in that town. Another daughter, Mrs. Baber, and' her husband live in the same town. Another daughter, Mrs. Dickinson, and her husband reside at Talcott. They are all intelligent, law-abiding people. There are a few things of which the Swope ancestors may justly feel proud. They are descendants of the original pioneers who first settled in this county. From 1678 to 1907 there is no record of any of the Swope generation who was ever in prison except as prisoners of war. Not one has ever been tried or convicted of a felony in all the long line. Not one, so far as I have ever known or heard of, has signed his name with a mark, and no hungry person has ever gone unfed from their doors. The old house built by the original settler on Wolf Creek still stands, well preserved. The site on which the hollow poplar tree stood in which Joseph Swope hid from the Indians is still marked and preserved. A large tombstone stands in the Broad Run church yard with the following inscription: "Joseph Swope departed this life March 2, 1819, in his sixty-eighth year. He was one of the first settlers of this country, after having been nine years a prisoner with the Shawnee Indians." BARGER. There were two pioneers within the territory of Summers County by the name of Barger who were descendants of the ancient pioneers of the Middle New River settlements, and no doubt de scendants of the builders of Barger's Fort. William H. Barger married a daughter of Isaac Carden, and purchased from his heirs the old Carden plantation, including the Barger Springs. He owned another plantation in Forest Hill, which now belongs to John P. McNeer, who married his youngest daughter. William A. Barger, his son, the merchant of Hinton, was a railway conductor, but aban doned that occupation several years ago, and has been a successful merchant in Hinton, having married Miss Vass, a daughter of Philip Vass, of Forest Hill and sister of Squire Cary Vass, the merchant and justice of that district. He was elected in 1906 a member of the County Court of Summers County, which position he now intelligently fills. Another son, W. G. Barger, some four 446 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. years ago removed from the old Barger Springs property to Bell, California. The other brother and early settler, J. H. Barger, owned what is known as the Taylor farm, in Forest Hill District, where he died about the time of the war. He was an enterprising citizen and engaged in tobacco manufacturing and raising. The firm of I. G. Young & Co. was composed of I. G. Young, one of the first settlers of Hinton, and W. A. Barger, and did a general mer cantile business in Hinton for many years. Mr. Young died in 1906. His wife was also a daughter of Philip Vass, who was a descendant of the pioneers of that name in the Middle New River settlements, and who built the Vass (Vaux) Fort. Another of his daughters married C. C. Cook, who, with his brother, Hon. M. J. Cook, were pioneer settlers in Hinton, and engaged in the butcher business about 1880, acquiring large property interests in the town. He died in 1907. D. J. Vass, another son, was a railway engineer, and died a few years ago in Hinton. BRAY. Dr. Thomas Bray was born in Burham, England, November 26, 1826. He died at Talcott December 26, 1875. He emigrated to America after his preparation for the practice of the medical pro fession. He was a physician of great accomplishments and an ex ceedingly thorough and accomplished engineer. He made a com plete map of the great West Survey of land in Pipestem District and Mercer County. It is an invaluable piece of engineering and of priceless value to the owners of that property, and could never be purchased. The original is one of the most beautiful pieces of art of that character that can be found in any country. Dr. Bray married Miss Martha Brown, of Mercer County and lived in that county until the building of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, when he located at Talcott, dying soon after. His wife was a sister of Mrs. John M. Carden. His son, Captain Ed Bray, was a conductor on the C. & O. Railway, and a few years ago was overcome and suffocated in the Lewis Tunnel in the Allegheny Mountains while performing his duties as trainman. An accident occurring, the caboose stopped in that tunnel, and he died therein from the poi sonous fumes collected. His son, A. B. C. Bray, spent his early boyhood days at Talcott, and was for many years a valued railway employee, being station agent at Ronceverte, and is now the cash ier of the Ronceverte National Bank and a business man noted for his courtesy and ability. One of the daughters of Dr. Bray married HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 447 Captain Frank Cox, of Hinton, now one of the most competent of railway train dispatchers. Dr. Thomas Bray is buried in the old Barger cemetery at Barger's Springs. His widow still lives with her children. Captain Ed Bray married a daughter of William H. Barger, who now lives in California. PACK. The ancestor of Samuel Pack was a hunter and trapper with Swope and Pitman, and the first heard of him he was at the mouth of Indian, and discovering Indian signs, he went to the settlements to inform the settlers, and reached there too late, but it led to and resulted in the fight of Captain Paul with the Indians at the island at the mouth of Indian (which was then known as Turkey Creek) . This was in 1763. We are unable to learn the name of this hunter. Samuel, the settler, was born in Augusta County in 1760, and members of this family were found along New River in 1764 be tween the mouth of Indian and the mouth of Greenbrier. We insert something of this family's history from Judge John ston's "New River Settlements," and from information given us by Mrs. Ellen Shanklin, who was a daughter of Richard McNeer and the wife of John Pack Shanklin, now residing near Hamilton, Ohio, and whose mother was the wife of Dr. Richard Shanklin, and a Pack and from other sources. The Packs in America first consisted of several brothers, who came across the sea early in the founding of the colony of Virginia, but the hardships were such that they returned to England, and later three of them returned. Two of them went to the South and the other came to Virginia. This one settled in Augusta County, and had two sons, one of whom was named Samuel, born in Au gusta in 1760. He had seven sons, John, Mathew, Samuel, Bartley, Loe, William and Anderson; the daughters were Betsey, who mar ried Jackson Dickinson ; Polly, who married Joe Lively, and Jennie, who married Jonah Morris. John and Bartley settled at Pack's Ferry, in what is now Sum mers County. Samuel settled on Glade Creek, now Raleigh ; Loe lived on Brush Creek, now Monroe County ; William went West ; Polly and Betsey lived in Monroe, and Jennie in Missouri. John, who lived at Pack's (Landcraft's and now Haynes') Ferry, had a great many troubles with the Indians, and plowed in the field with his gun strapped over his shoulder. General, and afterwards President, Hayes' wife was a Pack, and when John Pack, a son of 448 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Anderson Pack, was captured and taken to General Hayes' camp, he recognized him and the family connection, and gave him the freedom of the camp at Raleigh Court House. President Hayes' wife's mother was Jennie, Pack, who married Jonah Morris, and their daughter married General Hayes, the Federal soldier and President of the United States. The Packs are English. Alderman Pack, an ancestor, was a member of the Long Parliament, and while a member of Parliament moved the Parliament to make Oliver Cromwell Protector. One of the Pack ancestors was a general in the English Army and fought under Lord Wellington in the Peninsular Wars in Spain and Portugal and against the Emperor Napoleon at Waterloo, and his name will be found in a history of that wonderful battle. Sam uel Pack, the grandfather of Anderson, was English, and wore the English custom-made trousers — knee breeches and frock coat, and his hair with a queue. The John Pack referred to married Jane Hutchinson, of an old Monroe family. His children were Samuel, who married Harriet French ; Rebecca, who married Robert Dunlap ; Archibald, who married Patsy Peck; Polly, who married Dr. Richard Shanklin; Rufus, who married Catharine Peters, a sister of Mrs. L. M. Al derson and Mrs. Columbus Wran Withrow ; and Julia, who married Elliott A^awter. John Pack was a lawyer, and practiced and lived in Giles County; Samuel Pack, who married Harriet French, had four sons and one daughter. The sons were Captain John A., who married Mary Gooch; Allen C, who married Susan Lugar; Samuel, who married Sarah Douthat, and Charles D., and the daughter, Minerva, married Dr. J. W. Easley. The children of Anderson Pack were Conrad B. Pack (Coon), who emigrated to Kansas; Samuel B., who also went to Kansas; John A., who is living in McCloud County, Oklahoma; Allen C, in Kansas ; Loe L., who died at Ansted ; Charles H., now living near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, having entered that territory at its opening; he married Louisa S. Skaggs, a daughter of James A. Skaggs, of Lindside, Monroe County. The daughters of Anderson were Virginia, wife of Dr. John G. Manser; Clara, who married E. B. Meador, his first wife, and Kate, who married Captain Bob Saunders, of Raleigh. These Packs were Confederate soldiers. Among the first settlers of the New River Valley in this section was Samuel Pack. The people of this name thirty years ago were numerous in this county. The Packs were among the most thrifty of the first settlers in all this region west of the Alleghenies, but REBECCA PACK, Widow of Anderson Pack. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 449 in recent years, since the Civil War, the majority of the name have gone West with the advancement of civilization, into the great Middle West. There still remains, however, some families of the name in Summers, Fayette and Raleigh Counties, and descendants, relations and connections by marriage are still numerous in num bers in the surrounding region, though the name of Pack is not. The Packs at one time owned a large part of the most fertile lands along New River, including from the mouth of Greenbrier to War Ford, on the eastern side of the river, and some of the bottoms on the western side, including the lands around the mouth of Blue- stone River. Samuel Pack, the original ancestor of the generations of this region, married a daughter of Captain Mat Farley, a famous Indian scout and brother of Drewry Farley, from whom the pres ent generation of Farleys in this county descended. The other child of Captain Mat Farley emigrated while a young man to Indiana. Captain Mat Farley at one time lived on Gatliff Bottom, now known as the Calloway Barker place. The sons of Samuel Pack were John, Anderson, Lowe, Bartley and Augustus. Lowe settled in Fayette County, in the Ansted country ; Augustus, in Raleigh County; Anderson, at the mouth of Bluestone River, owning the Gatliff Bottom, and where Lark M. Meador's widow now resides, and on the Jonathan L. and John W. Barker lands. John Pack lived on the Rufus Pack place, opposite the mouth of Bluestone River, and owned the land from the mouth of Bluestone to the mouth of Greenbrier. The children of John Pack were William, who owned the lands at the mouth of Greenbrier River, now owned by C. L. and A. E. Miller; Sarah Ballangee, the wife of Lafayette Ballangee, the Sam Pack and James W. Pack places. Rufus Pack lived for many years on the east side of New River, immediately below the mouth of Bluestone ; Archie settled on New River, where the de scendants of A. L. Harvey now live, above the mouth of Indian ; Sam, who married Harriet French, lived in Giles County, Virginia. The children of John Pack were William, Rufus, the preacher, Archie, Sam and Polly, who married Dr. Richard B. Shanklin, of Monroe County, father of John Pack Shanklin, who married Miss Ellen McNeer, and now lives near Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a brave Confederate soldier, who fought throughout the Civil War, and now holds a pardon, granted to him by President Andrew Johnson, for offenses committed by reason of his being a so-called "rebel" soldier. The minister, Rufus Pack, moved with his fam ily to Kansas about 1880. It was his son, John H. Pack, who was 450 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the first county superintendent of schools of Summers County and the first merchant in Upper Hinton. It was over his storehouse the courts were held for the county for some time, until that building was washed away in the flood of 1878. Rufus Pack had one other son, Archie, and several daughters, among them being Miss Emma and Miss Clara, who married E. B. Meadows-; the other daughters and Archie removed to Kansas with their father, Rufus. Archie lived to be a very old man, and died near Red Sulphur Springs. His daughter, Malindy, married A. L. Harvey, and his son, James emigrated West. Anderson Pack was a large land and slave owner ; he married Rebecca Peters, a daughter of Christian Peters, who married Clara Snidow. Rebecca Pack was born February 14, 1811, near Peterstown, Monroe County, Vir ginia. She married Anderson Pack May 5, 1829, and lived at the mouth of Bluestone River until the death of her husband, after which time she lived with her daughter, A^irginia Manser, and moved to the mouth of the Greenbrier River in 1872 ; thence to Hinton in 1884, and then to Burden, Kansas, where she still resides with her grandson, Dr. William Henry Manser. She is a very remarkable lady, being now- ninety-seven years old, retaining fully her physical and mental faculties. She remembers, after her mar riage, her father-in-law, Samuel Pack, Charles Gatliff and William Wiley, who had all been Indian spies and scouts, meeting at her home and talking over their experiences in Indian warfare. She remembers that there was a fort on the Gatliff or Calloway Barker farm. At one time the settlers were driven from this fort by the Indians, the fort burned, and all their property destroyed. It is on this bottom that in recent years the prehistoric graveyard was washed up from beneath the surface of the earth. After the In dians destroyed this fort, they went up New River to Indian Creek to the mud fort on Rich Creek. She also remembers the fort on Crump's Bottom. A number of the slaves of Anderson Pack and the descendants of others still live- on New River, and in Hinton. Among them is William Pack ("colored), Tandy's children, and Allen. There was another son of Samuel Pack named Bartley. Samuel Pack owned all the land from the mouth of Greenbrier to Gatliff Bottom. Bartley inherited the Landcraft and Dunn places, which descended to his children, Miss T- Dunn, who married John H. Dunn. Mrs. Isaac Young, Mrs. Emily Landcraft, Mrs. J. M. McLaughlin, and Josephus Pack, who was the first clerk of Sum mers County Court, were all children of Bartley Pack. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 451 Conrad Pack, a son of James W. Pack, of the mouth of Leather- wood, a relative namesake of Coon Pack heretofore referred to, is another prominent member of the Pack family in this region. He is now, and has been for several years, general manager of the Buckeye Coal & Coke Company at Bramwell, AVest Virginia, and has represented Mercer County in the Legislature. He has amassed a considerable fortune in coal lands speculation and in the manu facture of coal and coke. He is an enterprising gentleman, and was for a number of years located at Athens as a partner in the mer cantile business with Hon. Rufus G. Meador. He, like his relative, James P. Pack, has departed from the faith of his fathers, and is now a follower of President Roosevelt. The Captain Mat Farley referred to above was also a scout under General George Washington in the Continental Army of the Revolution. The only families of the Packs remaining in Sum mers County are James W. and Samuel -Pack, who live just above the mouth of Greenbrier. Their sisters married Charles R. Fox, Lafayette Ballangee and E. B. Meadows (first wife). They were children of William Pack, who owned the land at the mouth of Greenbrier, as was also Richard, who died many years ago, leaving two sons, Evan B. and Erastus, who inherited the Greenbrier Ferry property. There were two Pack ferries across New River, one at the lower end of the Rufus Pack place near the mouth of Leather- wood, where the State road crossed New River, and the other above the mouth of Bluestone, on the Landcraft place, over which the famous suit of (Tommy Tight) Meadows vs. Joseph N. Haines was fought through the court. There were three brothers living in the Jumping Branch Dis trict some thirty years ago — James M., Samuel and Preston. Some of their descendants still live in that region, but I do not know from what branch of the Pack family they are derived. James P. Pack, a representative of the Pack family now residing in the county, is a son of the first clerk of the county, Josephus B. Pack, and a grandson of Bartlett Pack. He is now about forty- seven years of age, and is a gentleman of varied accomplishments, intelligent and patriotic towards Hinton, the town in which he has made his home the greater portion of his life. He was at one time- a guard at the West Virginia penitentiary; later, under Cleveland's first administration, a post office inspector for the na tional government; later, he studied law, passed the examinations with honor, and entered into practice in Summers County in co- 452 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. partnership with Col. James AV. Davis, under the firm name of Davis & Pack. Later, he formed a co-partnership with Hon. Wil liam R. Thompson, and practiced the profession for a number of years under the firm name of Thompson & Pack. Tiring of the law, he later retired from the active practice, and became a travel ing salesman, in which occupation he continues, and has made a success, having accumulated a competence. He is a bachelor. As a lawyer he was successful, becoming an able, conscientious and reliable counsellor, especially in chancery practice. The other chil dren of Josephus Pack were Luke and John B. The former was a railway conductor, and was accidentally killed. John B. is engaged in the manufacture of lumber in Raleigh County. There was one daughter, Miss Emma. The widow of J. B .Pack was a Miss Kate Dunn, and, after the death of Mr. Pack, married Mr. Erastus H. Peck. She and her husband still reside in Hinton, Mr. Peck having been county clerk for twenty-four years, and was .the second agent of the Central Land Co., having succeeded John H. Gunther, the first and only other agent for that corporation in Hinton. There is a settlement of Packs in South Carolina and a town called Pack- ville, and numerous Packs in that region who are descendants, no doubt, of the Pack emigrant who went South. All the Packs in all America are descendants of this English stock, as above de scribed, beyond a question. Matthew Pack had a son John, who settled in Raleigh County. He left surviving him his sons, Samuel, James M., William and John, who lived and died in Jumping Branch District, this county. John was killed during the war, being shot in the leg, from which he died. It was claimed to have been accidental. William's chil dren were John, James M. and Lewis A. Lewis A. is now a resi dent of Jumping Branch, and was the Democratic nominee for justice of the peace in 1904, but was defeated by factional differ ences. He has held the position of president of the Board of Edu cation, and is an intelligent gentleman. Preston left one son, Alex ander, who is a telegraph operator at Montgomery. James M. was a justice of the peace and a constable, holding each position for four years. He died 'in Jumping Branch. Samuel was the owner of the old Little Bluestone Mill and was a man noted for his honesty in that community. James M. left surviving him the following sons: John A., Chris., AVilliam, Lee and Grover. He married a Cook as his second wife, his first wife having been a Miss Goodall. JOHN CAPPELLOR, Locomotive Engineer And City Councilman. JOSEPHUS PACK, First Clerk of the County Court of Summers County. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 453 ALLEN HOUCHINS. There is another family of Houchins who resided at Indian Mills. Allen Houchins, the ancestor, lived at that place for many years, and was an honorable carpenter and millwright. His two sons, John and Henry, were both millwrights and millers, who, with George W. Leftridge and Louis Witt, erected the lower mill and were the owners at one time. Henry married a daughter of Rev. Henry Dillon, removed to Greenville, in Monroe County, where he died in 1905. Another son, John, now lives at Barger Springs. Lewis, another son, is a railway mail clerk on the N. & W. MANSER. John Garfield Manser was born at Monterey, Mass., May 21, 1822, and came to Virginia in his youth, first to Culpepper Court House, later, to Gauley Bridge, where he had an uncle in business with James H. Miller. He graduated from the medical college at Cincinnati in 1851. He was twice married, his first wife being Araminta Dickinson, of Fayette County; his second wife was Vir ginia Pack, of the mouth of Bluestone, then Mercer County, and daughter of Anderson and Rebecca Pack. John G. Manser belonged to the Fifty-first Virginia Infantry as a surgeon in the Confederate Army. After the end of the war he practiced medicine in Raleigh and Summers Counties, first on the Flat Top Mountain, where he owned a large tract of land now known as the McAlexander place; from thence he came to Summers County in 1872, living at the mouth of Greenbrier and Hinton, practicing his profession until 1884, when he removed to Burden, Kansas, where he died Septem ber 17, 1886. He was an active, intelligent, strong man intellec tually, took, an active part in shaping the destinies of the new county of Summers ; for twelve years was a member of the county court and justice of the peace, and took an interesting part in the educational affairs. For several years he and Dr. Benjamin P. Gooch practiced medicine under the firm name of Manser & Gooch. He resided in and owned what was known as the Frank Dennis property, at the Upper Hinton Ferry in Avis. He has two sons residing in Burden, Kansas, Dr. William Henry Manser, a prac ticing physician (he was at one time sergeant of Hinton and taught school there), and John Manser, a dentist, and three daughters, the oldest, Miss A. G., who married George H. Prince, a son of the late Edwin Prince, of Beckley, and Misses Mary and Virginia. 454 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. McNEER. McNeer is a Scotch name, the original being spelled "McNair." The original settler in Monroe County was James McNair, who came from near Washington, D. C, in Virginia. He married a Miss Busby; his children were Andrew, Valentine, Richard, Keyser and Giles, Katie, who married C. Harper Walker, Margaret, who married Bartett Powell, and another daughter, who married a Smith. All of these children removed to Indiana while young, except Richard, who married Elizabeth Maddy, a sister of John and Charles Maddy, of Greenville. Richard married in 1810, and set tled on Hand's Creek at the Sulphur Springs, where William Miller now lives. His children were Anderson, Richard, James, Augustus, Caperton, William B., Polly and Sarah Barbara. Polly married William Ryan and Sarah Barbara married William Erskine Miller, of Summers County; William B. settled on Lick Creek, having married Margaret Miller, both of whom died about 1868 on the William H. Ford land. They left surviving John C. McNeer, who lived in Summers County until recently, when he removed to Oak- hill, in Fayette County; William N. McNeer now lives in Charles ton. The McNeers were originally from Paisley, Scotland. The name is now spelled "McNeer." Hon. A. S. Johnson, editor of the "Monroe Watchman," married a daughter of James • W. Mc Neer, a son of Major Anderson McNeer, a son of Richard. Richard McNeer, a son of James, resides in Forest Hill. His son, John P., is the justice of the peace and president of the Board of Education. Richard (Dick) was a brave soldier in the Confederate Army. Miss Sarah lives at the mouth of Greenbrier. Another daughter of James, Mary J., married Major G. W. Goddard, and lives on Lick Creek. McCULLOCH. Samuel G. McCulloch settled in Hinton on the 6th day of May, 1886. He is a native of Montgomery County, Virginia, born February 10, 1864, and on the 28th day of March, 1893, he married Mrs. M. E. McCorkle, a daughter of Mrs. Mary McCorkle, who was a daughter of Charles Clark, the senior, and grand-daughter of James Thompson. John R. McCulloch, Benjamin McCulloch, Matthew McCulloch and Frank McCulloch, all brothers of Samuel G., settled early in Hinton. John R., at that time, was a locomo tive engineer, and became a citizen in 1877. All the brothers HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 455 located in Bluefield when that town began building, and are now bankers, merchants and leading business men of that city. Samuel G. McCulloch engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years, was elected town sergeant of greater Hinton under the charter of 1897, and has filled the office of constable of Greenbrier District for eight years, being first elected in November, 1892. His mother was Elizabeth Bowers, daughter of Jacob Bowers, who was for many years the sheriff of Montgomery County, and re moved to Texas overland during the gold days of 1849. Mr. McCulloch now occupies the office of constable and also that of city sergeant. He is an active Democrat in politics and takes an interest in the success of his party nominees. THE FRENCHES. This is one of the oldest families of the Southwest Virginia country, from which have descended a number of distinguished men, both in civil and military affairs. The ancestors were from Scotland originally; thence removing to Wales, and removing to America many years prior to the great American Revolution. They first settled in the northern neck of Virginia in Westmore land County, and within the Fairfax grant. John French married in Westmoreland County, Virginia, in 1735. Matthew. was born in 1737 fromvthis union. The Frenches came west of the Blue Ridge in 1775, among them John, and settled in the south branch of Potomac Valley, and French Neck is still known on the river, a beautiful and valuable body of land. John lived but a short time after this location, and his widow married Captain Cresap. This was in the present ter ritory of Hampshire County. The sons of John were Matthew, above referred to, who, after his death, fell out with Captain Cresap, sold out, and went to Culpepper and married an Irish girl, Sallie Payne ; William, James and a daughter, who married John Locke. In 1775, Matthew, his wife and seven children crossed the Alle ghenies into the New River Valley, and settled on Wolf Creek in what is now Giles County, Virginia, then Fincastle. The sons of Matthew were John, Isaac, James and David. John married Obe dience Clay in 1787; Isaac married Elizabeth Stowers for his first wife, and for his second, a Mrs. Fillinger; James married Susan Hughes, a half-sister of William Wilburn. His second wife was Margaret Day; David married Mary Dingess; Martha married 456 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Jacob Straley; Mary married Isaac Hatfield, and Annie married Elisha McComas. The names of the children of John French by Obedience Clay French were William, Ezekiel, Charles C, James, George P., John, St. Clair, Hugh, Austin, Annie, Sallie, Orrie, Obedience, Nancy and Rebecca. Isaac French had the following children : Isaac, Sallie and Docey. The children of James French by his first marriage were Isaac, Reuben and Andrew; Sallie, who married William ; Mary, who married Daniel Straley ; Elizabeth, who married James Rowland ; Isaac married Sallie Straley ; Reuben married a Miss Meadows, and Andrew married Miss Day, and by the second mar riage James had two daughters, Esther Locke, who married Kinzie Rowland, and Martha, who married William Miller. The names of the children of David French and his wife, Mary Dingess French, were Guy D., who married Arminta Chap man; Napoleon B., who married Jane Armstrong; Dr. David M., who married Miss Smoot; Rufus A., AVilliam H. and James H. The daughters were Cynthia, who married Judge David McComas f Harriet, who married Samuel Pack ; Minerva, who married Colonel Thomas J. Boyd. Matthew French, the founder of the French generation in this region, died on Wolf Creek in Giles County in 1814. He and his eldest son, John, were soldiers in the Revolution under Colonel William Preston. Their major was Joseph Cloyd and Thomas Shannon, captain. He fought at Guilford C. H., Wetzel's Mill, in 1781, and in other fights. The names of the children of Guy D. French were Henly C, who married Harriet Easly; Mary, who married William B. Mason; Fannie, who married J. H. D. Smoot; Sarah, who married Dr. W. W. McComas (killed in the battle of South Mills), and then mar ried Captain F. G. Thrasher; Susan, who married Dr. R. T. Elliot. Captain David A. French first married a AAllliams, and on her death, Jennie C. Early; W. A. married Sarah E. Johnson; Charles D. married Annie C. Johnston ; William A. died in 1902. This family has not been numerous in this county. Napoleon B. French, who died a few years ago at Princeton, was elected to the Legislature and the secession convention from Mercer County, while it included a part of our territory. He was at one time the Greenback nominee for governor. His daughter, Miss Eliza, now a missionary in China, once taught school in Hinton. His son, Ed HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 457 French, was an attorney at Princeton, an able lawyer and a cour teous gentleman. Captain John A. Douglas, who for some time in the '80's resided in Hinton and practiced law, married another daughter. David, another son, resided at Concord Church, cele brated for the "big yarns" he could tell. One of his origin he fre quently told was "That a cold, snowy day in January, while every thing was frozen up, he was cutting and splitting rails. He cut and split open a solid and sound oak tree, and found therein a dry land frog. Being in the solid tree, it was as flat as a case knife. Pie laid it out on the snow, and after a while it began to inflate itself, until it appeared as a full-grown dry land frog, and jumped off on the top of the snow crusts." This is a sample of the yarns he dispensed to the early students of the normal school in his town, of which the writer was one. His son, John Douglas French, studied law;- another son, James, became a prominent minister in the M. E. Church South. His daughter, Miss Minnie, who married a Mr. Shields, was the first lady to graduate at the Concord Normal School. Miss Bessie, another daughter, is a teacher, and another daughter of David French is an author of note and popularity. Captain James H. French was the first principal of the Concord Normal School, being a very learned man, noted for his learning and eccentricities, as well as his high sense of honor. He was a law yer by profession, but abandoned the profession and took up teach ing. He remained principal of the school until his death — some twenty years — and his remains are buried in the school grounds, where a handsome monument has been erected to mark his resting- place by the students whom he had taught. He was a brother of Colonel Napoleon B. French and W. H. French, who was a bachelor, and who owned a great plantation between Athens and Concord. William French owned a farm on Lick Creek, where he died several years ago. He married the widow of Henry Gore, who was Adeline Keatley. He operated one of the first saloons in Hin ton. Wm. A. French owned and lived on the Overton Caperton place on Lick Creek. They came to the county from Giles County, Vir ginia. The Frenches are scattered throughout the South and West. Among them are many brilliant men and women. The men have been justices, sheriffs, lawyers, clerks, judges, statesmen and sol diers. William McComas, a descendant of Matthew French, was a 458 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. member of Congress from 1833 to 1837, David McComas an emi nent jurist, and Dr. W. W. McComa? a distinguished physician and gallant Confederate soldier. Colonel James Milton French, a celebrated lawyer, was a brave and gallant Confederate soldier, now of Arizona, and practiced law in our courts. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Congress in our district in 1888. He married Miss Lucy Gooch, a sister of our citizen, the late Dr. Benj. P. Gooch. William Wirt French, now practicing law at Princeton, is his son. , J. A. French, a prominent lawyer of Key stone, West Virginia, is of the same family. (See Johnston's History of the New River Settlements.) Matthew and John French were soldiers in the American Revo lution, and served in Colonel Wm. Preston's Battalion of Mont gomery Valley. SHUMATE. Tollison Shumate was one of the earliest settlers in this region of the New River Valley. At the formation of Monroe County, in 1799, we find his name among those named in the military estab lishment of the county as a lieutenant, along with David Graham, George Swope and William Maddy, each of whom have direct de scendants in this county at this day. Mat. Farley, Wm. Graham, Samuel Clark, Robert Nickell, as captains, who also have descend ants in the county as well. James Gwinn, James Byrnside, James Miller, Alexander Dunlap, John Harvey and others, named as en signs. These settlers, along with many others, came into the re gion directly after the Revolutionary AVar, about 1780 to 1785. Tollison Shumate came from Fauquier County, A^irginia. The Shumates are direct descendants of this Tollison. The di rect descendants who inhabited the county were Anderson and Wilson. The latter lived and died at an old age on Crump's Bot tom. Anderson lived at one time on the Mercer Salt Works prop erty of about 1,000 acres, which he owned at the date of his death in recent years. He was a very wealthy and prosperous man. The sons of Wilson Shumate still living in the regions of New River, in the county, are Tollison and S. T. Shumate. Anderson Shu mate was the father of Hon. B. P. Shumate. Rufus H. Shumate owned the lower half of Crump's Bottom at his death, and the same is still owned by his descendants, one of whom is Carl Shu mate, now residing thereon. Dr. Shumate, a prominent physician of Giles County, Virginia, Milton H. and Colonel Henderson Shu mate, who owns and lives on the French farm, between Athens and HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 459 Princeton, in Mercer County. Milton H. is president of the Bank of Athens, and has represented Mercer County in the legislature for two terms. The Shumates are a thrifty and prosperous race, Anderson Shu mate being a man of great wealth, as well as all of his sons being men of large property. R. W. Clark, the justice of Pipestem, mar ried a daughter of Wilson, who was also a man of property. B. P. Shumate, Jr., a son of Hon. B. P. Shumate, resides at and is the present postmaster at True, and is a prominent merchant and thrifty citizen. Harrison Shumate, one of the oldest citizens of the county, died a few years ago in the upper end of Forest Hill Dis trict, and was a somewhat noted character in his time. J. T. Shumate, who married a Ferril about 1900, purchased the lower part of the Culbertson (or Crump's) Bottom farm formerly owned by W. C. Crockett, for which he paid $14,000. It is on this land the Pennsylvania gentleman, about the year 1890, drilled for oil 3,000 feet, and found a great supply of gas. His sons Carl and Frank succeeded to this farm. The former married Miss Josephine Coe Peck, a daughter of ex-County Clerk Peck, and died some five years ago. Carl and the son of Frank, an infant of tender years, still own the place, which is farmed by the former. The Shumate family is of French descent. Daniel Shumate was one of the pioneers of Giles County, where he located soon after the Revolution. His sons' names were Tollison, Harden, Silas, John and Daniel. Tollison first married a Lilly, and then a Green. He had five sons — Thompson, Wilson, Anderson, Harrison and Parkinson. Anderson, Wilson and Parkinson were the direct progenitors of the present Shumate family in this county. Harden married Eliza beth Leach. His sons' names were Edmund, Washington, Kend- ley, Daniel, William and Harden. Daniel married a Washington, and went to Missouri in 1852. Edmund and Kendley both reared families in Giles County. John Shumate went to Ohio in 1825. Daniel married an Ellison, and settled on Coal River. He has a number of descendants in Raleigh. Kendley Shumate, one of the younger generation, is a learned lawyer in Mingo County at this date. BALLARD PRESTON SHUMATE. Hon. B. P Shumate was born near Parisburg, in Giles County, Virginia, on December 10, 1842, and is the son of the late Anderson Shumate. At the age of seven years his father located near Mer cer Salt Works, on territory then in Mercer, but which now forms a part of Summers County. There Mr. Shumate resided up to the 460 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. year 1858, when his father removed to near Glen Lyn, Giles Coun ty, Virginia, where Mr. Shumate worked as a farm laborer until the breaking out of the Civil War in 1861, at which time he enlisted in the Confederate Army in the company of Captain Watts, and was assigned to the famous 22d Virginia Infantry Brigade. In the early spring of 1862, the company was reorganized and Mr. Shu mate commissioned first lieutenant, this being the first office or com mission held by him in his career. He continued with this com mand, participating in all the great battles in which his regiment was engaged, up to the Battle of Dry Creek, in Greenbrier County, on August 26, 1863, in which he was wounded and disabled from service, being placed on the retired list; but later he was commis sioned provost marshal for the southwestern counties of Virginia. In 1865, after the close of the war, he located in Pipestem District, then Mercer, now Summers County, and in the year 1871 he es tablished a mercantile business at that place, which he has through all these years conducted personally and successfully, and without an intermission from that date to this day. In the year 1872 he was elected deputy sheriff with Evan Hin ton, which office he resigned in 1874; After the adoption of the amendments to the Constitution and the present county court sys tem went into effect, he was elected as one of the first commission ers of that body, his associates being Joseph Hinton, of Greenbrier District, and John C. McNeer, of Green Sulphur District. At the expiration of his term of two years, he was again re-elected for a full term of six years. In 1892 he was the Democratic nominee for the House of Dele gates, and was elected over L. G. Lowe, the Republican nominee, of Forest Hill District. In 1894 he was again the nominee of his party, but in the landslide it went to the Republicans in that cam paign. He was defeated by the Hon. M. J. Cook, of Hinton, by the small majority of 43 votes. In 1898 he was his party's nominee for member of the Legisla ture, and was elected by a very handsome majority. On the 7th day of October, 1903, he was commissioned by Governor White as a notary public. He is the present secretary of the Board of Educa tion of Pipestem District, and has been for thirty-one years, re gardless of the political complexion of the Board, which elects its secretary. He is the present postmaster of Pipestem Postoffice, and has been such since July 22, 1879. Mr. Shumate has been one of the most successful and enterprising citizens of this county, and is identified with its history from its foundation to the present date. ELBERT FOWLER, Lawyer, Killed by J. S. Thompson. HON. BALLARD PRESTON SHUMATE, Farmer, Statesman and Pioneer Merchant. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 461 THE DUNCAN FAMILY. John Duncan was one of the first settlers on Lick Creek, in Green Sulphur District. It is impossible to give the exact date of his location, but it was some time prior to 1800. He was from Shenandoah County, Virginia, and married Elizabeth Patterson. He died in 1823, and it was at the house of his widow, on the old Duncan place on Lick Creek, that the first Baptist Church in that region was organized in 1832. He was an Indian fighter, and helped to defend the forts in that region. He was the father of eleven children, six boys and five girls. The three boys, who were known to the writer, were John, being the oldest, who resided on Mill Fork, almost in sight of Green Sulphur Springs, where his son, Harvey Duncan, now lives, and who married a Miss Adeline Hix, sister of John and William Hix, and aunt of Robert Hix. Charles married Cassie Alderson, a sister of the wives of David Graham and Robert Miller; and Nathan Duncan, who married Elmira Crews, of Monroe County. We are unable to ascertain any history of the other members of the older family. Charles Duncan left two sons, Nathan A. and James, known as "Jim Curly," his son, Elliott Duncan, being the present deputy sheriff for Green Sulphur District ; and one daughter, who married A. J. Miller, now living in Roanoke, A^irginia. Nathan L. Duncan left surviving him George A. Duncan, who lives at the old Nathan Duncan homestead on Duncan's Branch. George A. Duncan married Miss Mollie Graham, a daughter of James L. Graham. James Sedley Duncan, who was a brave Confed erate soldier, and fought throughout the Civil War in the Confeder ate Army, and was desperately wounded at the Seven Days' fight, now resides on Lick Creek, and John L. Duncan, who married Miss Alice George, a daughter of Tom Lewis George, of the Meadows. His daughters were Ellen, Martha and Lucy. Lucy married John C. McNeer, who now resides at Oak Hill, in Fayette County; Ellen married a Mr. Watson, of Ashland, Ky., who died some years ago. and Martha married Charles Connor, and resides on Muddy Creek, in Greenbrier County. John Duncan, Sr., was understood to be a Scotchman, and was a native of that country. John Duncan the younger, or second, left the following chil dren : John Hunter Duncan, who is a farmer residing near Elton. He has also engaged in saw-milling. He is a very tall, large man, noted for his slow speech and slow movements. W. H. (generally 462 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. known as Harvey), who was disabled when a boy from the disease commonly known as white swelling. Marion, who was not of strong mind, and three daughters, and Michael — Miss Jerusha, who married Mr. John H. Ford, a prosperous farmer and horse trader; Lovey Jane, who married W. L. Stanard, of Webster Springs, and Elizabeth, who married Marion Surbaugh, commonly known as "Bug," a nickname. THE LILLY FAMILY. In the year 1640, Cecil Calvert, a younger brother of the Second Lord Baltimore, brought about 300 colonists from England, and settled at St. Mary's. From some of the descendants of this colony originated the largest family now in Summers County, viz., the Lilly family. About the years 1696 to 1702 was born in what is now the State of Maryland a family of three brothers, one of whom went to what is now the State of Georgia, and the other two crossed the Alleghe nies. One settled on the Kanawha River below where Charleston now stands, and the other, whose name was Robert Lilly, settled in what is now Summers County, on Bluestone River, about four miles from its junction with the New River, on a bottom now owned and occupied by Joseph Lilly ("Curly Joe"), one of his nu merous descendants. This was about the years 1740 to 1750. Robert Lilly married a lady whose maiden name was Moody, and to them were born four sons, who, together with his wife, came and settled with him. The names of these sons were Thomas, Ed mond, Robert and William. Robert Lilly, one of these sons, died on Guyan River about the year 1828, at the age of 108 years. Edmond Lilly lived and died at a very advanced age here in this county, the date not known. He was the father of Rev. Joseph Lilly, who was an honored minister of the Primitive Baptist Church. He also had a twin brother named Edmond. James and Jonathan were also twins. John Lilly, who died from the bite of a rattle snake; Robert, Washington, who lived and died on Mountain Creek; Elijah, who spent his days on the great Flat Top Moun tains ; and William, known as "Dr. Bill," who lived near Glade Creek, in Summers County. The family of Joseph Lilly consists of the following: Ander son, deceased ; Hugh, who was the father of Mrs. T. B. Barker, of Beech Run ; Alexander, known as "Alex the Jockey" ; Joseph, known HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 463 as "Blind Joe"; Jonathan K., ex-deputy sheriff of Mercer County; Isaac, deceased; Henry Lee, deceased; Edmond, Russell and Thompson, deceased; as well as several daughters, among whom are Mrs. John Roles, now living near Forest Hill, and Margaret, the first wife of Robert W. Lilly. The sons of Jonathan were Samuel S., Remley, Rufus, Ballard P., John E. and Jonathan S. Lilly, known as Togger, several of whom are living near Ellison P. O., in Summers County. The sons of Washington, known as "Kinney," are James, John, Daniel and Henry, as well as several daughters. The sons of Elijah are Wm. H., known as "Hickory Bill"; Pres ton, Thomas, James, known as "Jerusalem Jim" ; Russell, Naaman, Joseph and Lee H. William ("Dr. Bill") had quite a large family. Their names I am now unable to give. These, the family of Edmond, all lived to a ripe old age, and from them many of the Lillys of Summers, Mer cer and Raleigh trace their lineage. From Thomas descended the following : Thomas Lilly, his old est son, who married Delilah Payne, of Taswell County, Virginia, and settled on Bluestone River, seven miles from its mouth. He was the father of Levi Lilly, Thomas Lilly (who is the father of the present county superintendent of schools of Summers County), Geo. W. Lilly, Josiah Lilly ("Dick"), Robert Lilly, known as "Shooting Bob," and Austin Lilly, the father of ex-county super intendent of Summers County; J. F. Lilly, known as "Tess," and several daughters. Thomas Lilly died in 1884, at the age of 82. The next, William Lilly, known as "Taliancher Bill," was the father of Lewis Lilly, known as "Bolley Lewis" and William Lilly, known as "Preacher Will." Bolley Lewis is the father of Simeon Lilly and John Lilly,, ex-county superintendent of Mercer County, and is known as "John Bolley." The next Robert Lilly, known as "Bearwallow Bob," who also married a Payne, reared a large family and died in 1883, where he first settled, on the Bench of Bluestone, in Summers County. His family consists of the following: William, known as "Billy Bear- wallow"; Washington, now of Wyoming County, and James M., known as "Jim Cute" (who is the father of J. J. Lilly, known as "Cud") ; Robert, also living in Wyoming County ; Pleasant H., now deceased, and several daughters, the oldest of whom, Julia, married Joseph Meador, and Sallie, who married Henley Farley, a member of a very large family of Farleys now living in Pipestem. William Lilly, the fourth son of Robert, the first settler, was the 464 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. father of Ameger Lilly, about whom nothing is known. Robert, known as "Fighting Bob," was in Louisiana when last heard from. Andrew Lilly, known as "Sock Head Andy" ; Tollison Lilly, the father of James W.. and Geo. A. Lilly, now living on Little Wolf Creek ; George Lilly, deceased (never married) ; William S. Lilly, known as "Shoemaker Bill," ex-sheriff of Summers County, father of Green Lilly; Joseph Lilly, known as "Curly Joe," ex-member of the county court, and James Lilly, known as "Grinning Jim." Of the sons of Edmond Lilly one was Robert Lilly, known as "Squire Bob," who married Mary Cadle, and settled near the mouth of Bluestone. To them were born the following sons : David Lilly, who died in Kansas not long since ; Captain Jonathan Lilly, who died about 1902 ; R. C. Lilly, known as "Miller Bob," who died near Spanishburg, in Mercer County, about 1904; Dr. J. A. Lilly, now liv ing at Jumping Branch; Thomas Lilly, known as "Squire Tom"; Josephus Lilly, deceased, and Samuel D. Lilly, known as "Devil Sam," now living near Dunn's, W. A^a., as well as several daughters, among whom are Julia, who married M. C. Barker, and Rebecca, who married Levi M. Neely, Sr., who is the father of L. M. Neely, Jr., the present assessor of Summers County. Also from this same Thomas Lilly, the son of Robert (the first settler), were the fol lowing other children, viz., Pleasant, John, Turner, Joshua and Daniel. Pleasant Lilly had four sons — Hiram, John, William, known as "Ground Hog Bill," and Christopher. John had one son, whose name is John, and known as "Pence John," living on the Bench of Bluestone. Turner had several sons ; not much is known of their family. Joshua had one son, AVilliam David. Daniel had only one son, whose name was Daniel. It is an interesting fact to note that Robert Lilly, the first Lilly west of the Alleghenies, died in 1810, at the ripe old age of 114 years, and his wife died in 1807, at the age of 111 years. The first relationship between the Lilly and Meador families was occasioned by the marriage of Josiah Meador, one of the first, if not the first, minister west of the mountains, marrying a daughter of the elder Robert Lilly; and since that time they have married and intermarried, until their histories in many cases blend very closely together. This Rev. Josiah Meador was the father of Green Meador, who settled, lived and died at the mouth of Little Bluestone River. John Lilly, the son of Edmond Lilly, was the father of the GEORGE W. LILLY, Educator and School Man. GREEN LEE LILLY, Traveling Salesman. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 465 following children : Wilson, Lewis, John, known as "Gentleman John" ; William H., known as "One Arm Bill," and one daughter, who married a Cook, and who is the father of Harvey Cook, ex- sheriff of Raleigh County. William Lilly was the father of the following children, viz., Andrew Lewis, now living near Jumping Branch ; Perry, AVilson, John H., known as "Barlow John," and two other brothers, who went West, and died in 1884 and 1886; as well as several daughters. To Lewis Lilly was born the following children, viz., Joshua, now living near Jumping Branch; Dayton, who married Miss Sarah Ellison, and lives in Mercer County; R. P., deceased; J. A., Ed mond and Robert, known as "Kansas Bob," all living in Summers. John ("Gentleman John") had no children, although married twice. AVilliam H. ("One Arm Bill") had the following children : John P., Jackson, Hugh, Hamilton and George. This entire family is living near Jumping Branch. He also had two daughters, one of whom married W. H. Dunbar, and now lives near Foss, this county. James Lilly, and his^twin brother Jonathan, were sons of Edmond Lilly. James had the following children: John W., known as "Big John"; William, know as "Limber Bill" (the father of James L. and Thomas W. and Mrs. S. L. Deeds, of Madam's Creek) ; James, known as "Beaver Jim" ; Lewis, Harman, Green W. and G. T. Lilly, known as "Tanner," all of whom live near Cave Ridge, in this county. He also had two 'daughters, Mrs. A. J. Martin and Mrs. Emily Hogan. To Edmond Lilly, the twin brother of Rev. Joseph Lilly, was born the following: Allen, known as "One Eyed Allen"; James, known as "Shady Jim," who now lives in Oklahoma, and is the father of C. H. Lilly, near Elk Knob ; John R., of Hinton, and P. G. Lilly, known as "Pet," of Raleigh County. He also had three daughters — Mrs. Albert Farley, of Kansas, and Mrs. Prince, of Beckley. The third daughter is now dead. John, Hence, now in Indiana, and perhaps there are some others, but as they are out of the county, we are unable to reach them. It may be interesting to know that in Summers County there are 285 tax-paying Lillys, to say nothing of the numerous children and ladies who are not on the tax rolls. A conservative estimate would be no less than 1,450 in the county, to say nothing of this numerous family outside the limits of the county and in adjoining counties, all originating from only one family. Plence the impos sibility of giving anything like a biographical sketch of all this fam- 466 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ily. It has been the aim of the writer to give only such part of the history that any one desiring may trace his lineage for several gen erations, and keep in touch with the family history, and enlarge upon special branches. As noted on another page, the Rev. Josiah Meador, who mar ried a daughter of the elder Robert Lilly, was probably the first Baptist minister in this part of the country, arid to him is probably due the honor of organizing the first church, which is known as the "Old Bluestone Church." It was organized in a grove two miles above the mouth of Little Bluestone, prior to 1800. Later an old log church was erected where Squire John H. Lilly now lives, and at which church the people assembled monthly for divine worship, and from the mouths of good ministers, such as the Rev. Josiah Meador, Elder Matthew Ellison, Rufus Pack and others, heard and partook of the bread of life, and prepared themselves for the future life. Here many of the Lilly family worshiped, lived, died and are laid to rest in the old Bluestone churchyard, to await the sound of the last trumpet. In the latter part of the last century the old church was reor ganized, and was moved to Jumping Branch, where the records of the old church may still be found. From this old Bluestone Church has emanated many new churches, among which is the old Rocky Mount Church at Pipestem, which was organized by Elder M. El lison, soon after the late war. Recently another church has been organized where the old church met, and a neat new church edifice has been erected, with a thriving membership, composed in part of the descendants of the old Bluestone Church, which calls to mind very forcibly the lines of Knox, in which he says : For we are the same our fathers have been, We see the same sights our fathers have seen ; We drink the same stream, we see the same sun, And run the same race our fathers have run. ROBERT W. LILLY. One of the oldest citizens of the county is a man with a record. He is a farmer, and has a reputation for being a man of considerable bravery. He has acted as special officer in a number of criminal cases, one of which we recollect was in a case where he held a ca- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 467 pias against Jack Bragg, who was accused of some infraction of the law, and who had been evading it for a long time. He was accused of selling liquor without a license. Air. Lilly took the capias and got after him, and undertook to arrest him. Suspicioning some thing Bragg took to his heels. Coming to the Big Bluestone River, he jumped in and swam across, although it was in midwinter, the river up and mush ice floating, making his escape. He is now a peaceable citizen of the county, and has been engaged as an assist ant deputy marshal for quite a while in the arrest of moonshiners. Robert W. Lilly, who is known as "Shootin' Bob," shot what was at the time thought to be a deputy marshal, but was George W. Shrewsbury, sometimes known as Lilly. Lilly, however, mi raculously recovered. He was shot in the body, in the Jumping Branch country, and is still living. He was a Union soldier during the war, and draws a considerable pension from the United States for his services in that army. Lilly was never tried for the shooting until about fifteen years afterwards, when the witnesses were dis covered, and he was tried,' and was acquitted. His son Naamon lives near Hinton, in Jumping Branch. His grandfather, T. J. Lilly, is a constable now of Jumping Branch. Lilly, and the aforesaid Shrewsbury (Solesberry) shot Josiah Lilly, and was acquitted, as there was no desire to prosecute him. FRANCES LILLY. This lady was born on Big Bluestone, on the 17th of February, 1815, and raised at the mouth of Pipestem, then Giles County, Vir ginia. Her father's name was Matthew Pack, who owned one hun dred and twenty-five acres around the mouth of that river. Her grandfather's name was Samuel Pack, who came to that country with a man by the name of Gatliff e, who was from France. Sam uel Pack settled on Brush Creek, where he died. Her mother was a Moody, her grandmother Pack being a Farley, who lived to be 105 years old. Mrs. Frances Lilly is now living", and remembers seeing many Indians after there were no more hostilities between them and the whites. They would come to Samuel Pack's, her grand father's, and say they were on their way to Washington City. There they would get drunk, and Pack would give them liquor to see them dance and shoot their bows and arrows. They would put up dimes to be shot at, and when they hit them they would get the dime. The Indian women didn't get drunk. The Indians claimed to come up New River from near the Ohio, and passed on up 468 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Brush Creek once a year. They passed up the river on the oppo site side from where Alderson Pack lived, on New River. They wore feathers and other things in their hair. In the early days of her recollection the country was thinly settled, and the settlers would go twelve and fifteen miles to a log-rolling, starting before daylight and taking their guns, killing deer, bear, panthers, wolves and other wild animals, and return home after supper. The coun try was then full of all kinds of these and other wild animals. She helped to kill them in her young days. Their clothes were all made of flax and hemp, and they had no mails or postoffices. She tells of a preacher by the name of Lorenzo Dow, who visited this" region, and how he ran the hunter outlaws out of the country, who came there hunting and helped themselves to the settlers' property. Mrs. Lilly is now ninety-one years of age, and resides with her kinsman and son-in-law, Squire John E. C. L. Hatcher, of Jumping Branch. Her mind is as active and bright as ever, and she made us these statements from her own lips. She was the mother of Mrs. Hatcher. LILLY. Charles Henderson Lilly was born February 19,' 1859, and mar ried Miss Lavelett Ann Ballard, of Monroe County, a daughter of John C. Ballard, May 22, 1882. He is a son of James Edmund Lilly, and lived where J. E. C. L. Hatcher now lives, in Jumping Branch District. His father and mother now reside in Arkansas, at Pea Ridge. .C. H. Lilly resided in that State also for four and one-half years. He now resides on Elk Knob Mountain, and is engaged in farming. In 1896 he was elected constable of Greenbrier District, which position he held for four years. In 1900 he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for sheriff of Summers County, but was defeated by H. Ewart. He is at this time again a candidate, with fair prospects of success. He is an enterprising gentleman, one of the best farmers in the county, and a Jefferson Democrat, and a descendant of the ancient Lilly family of the county. GEORGE W. LILLY. George W. Lilly is a native of Pipestem District, in Summers County. He was born on the 30th day of July, 1859. He was educated in the public schools and by private tutors. He is the most prominent school man and educator in Summers County, and has taken a great interest in the success of the free school system. He HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 469 has held the office of county superintendent for two terms of four years each, the first in and the second in 1900. He married a daughter of William Ball, the old settler on the New River hills, about two miles from Hinton, and a sister of Thomas E. Ball, Bal lard Preston Ball and John W. Ball, and a sister of Mrs. Elijah Lilly, a prominent farmer and teacher who lives on Leatherwood, near Hinton. Lother L. Lilly, a son of George W., is a trusted employe in the National Bank of Summers, of Hinton. Prof. T. E. Ball, assistant principal in the Hinton High School for several terms, and at one time candidate for the Democratic nomination for county superintendent, and a son of John W. Ball, is a nephew of Mr. Lilly. Mr. Lilly is an active Democrat, and takes an active inter est in his party's affairs in the county and State. He has been a delegate to the Wheeling, Parkersburg and Huntington State Con ventions, and to practically all of the congressional and senatorial conventions held within his district within the last twenty years. He is a man of tremendous physique, standing six feet six inches in his socks, and weighs 250 pounds ; a man of character, education and ability, who has made his way from the ground floor. He has for a number of years been appointed by the courts to make county settlements with the sheriff ; the settlements for the city of Hinton ; making off tax tickets, tax books and property books ; is a notary public, and has held many positions of trust. His other children are Grace, who mairied K. E. Smith, superintendent of the Fort Defiance Coal & Coke Co., of Gauley Bridge; Ada Mary, Cecil W. and Myrtle. The daughters of Wm. Ball are Nancy, who married* Reyburn Buckland; Hulda, v/ho married Ward Meadows, and Mary" Ann, who married Jacob A. Epperly. Wm. Ball married Diena Cadle. Robert C. Lilly, "Miller Bob," married Virginia Gore. He and Captain Jonathan Lilly married sisters. He raised a family of six sons and five daughters, to whom he has given eleven good farms. Their names are David G., J. A., Ida, L. M., Ruhama, V. F., C. J., R. C, Jr., Zach and A. A. David G. married Estiline Thompson, a daughter of Philip Thompson. J. A. married Arminta, a daughter of James Lilly, and resides on Little Bluestone. His daughter Amanda married M. B. Moyes. Mary, another daughter, married Professor Beecher Meadows, a school teacher and farmer, and an active Democrat, now running the race with C. H. Lilly as his deputy for sheriff of Summers County. Arthur married a Cooper, a school teacher and farmer. 470 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Ida, the oldest daughter of R. C. Lilly, married Chas. B. Ash- worth, who resides on Flat Top Mountain. I. L. married Victoria, a daughter of James and Sarah Hogan, of Summers'County. M. B. married Jonathan F. Lilly, who was once county superin tendent of the county, and was killed by Tony Meadows. The youngest son of R. C. Lilly is A. A. Lilly, an attorney-at- law of Beckley, West A^irginia. He was born March 25, 1878. He graduated at Athens in '98, took the law course at S. N. U. in Ten nessee, and married Miss Mary Glenn, of Arlington, Ky., June 16, 1900. In 1900 he was elected a member of the House of Delegates from Raleigh County, being the youngest member of that body. He was assistant clerk of the Senate of AArest Virginia in 1903. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Raleigh County in 1904, which office he now holds, and is an active, energetic and able lawyer and prosecutor. He, as the majority, if not all of his family, is an active Republican, and he is one of the leaders of this party in his county. Emma married Chapman Wills, of Raleigh County. V. F. mar ried Henry, a son of James Griffith. C. J. married Arthur B., a son of Simeon Lilly. R. C, Jr., married Miss Hattie Reed. Zach married Miss Dora Richmond, of this county. He is a school teacher and miller, and now lives near Spanishburg, in Mercer. T. H. LILLY. Thomas Hubbard Lilly is a native of Raleigh County, being a son of Thomas Edmund Lilly, and was born on May 23, 1868, near the foot of the great Flat Top Mountain. His father was a promi nent farmer in that section. The subject of this sketch remained on his father's farm until he was fifteen years old, but not being pleased with a farmer's life, decided to look for something better, as he thought, and wandered into the New River hills, working at saw mills and as a day laborer in all kinds of work required in the log ging and manufacturing of timber into lumber, until he reached his majority. He worked for many days at fifty cents a day, and paid his own board. Finally, he was enabled to secure an interest in a sawmill, which he operated for local trade, being able to sell his product at one dollar per hundred for first-class lumber, and forty cents a hundred for the lower grades. Finding the lumber business, under these circumstances, unprofitable, he again retired to the farm and tried farming again for a period of two years, then removed to Hinton, where he secured employment at the stone- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 471 mason's trade; later-, with D. C. Wood, the contractor, he purchased the old Gibson carpenter shop. In May, 1895, he purchased from Cook & Burkes a small sawmill and machinery at the price of $1,139.50, agreeing to pay for same in five months. By his energy he succeeded in making this payment. He operated this mill until the spring of 1897, when he engaged in a general mercantile busi ness at Dunns, West Virginia, and later, engaged in the sawmill business at Flat Top, with a branch store at Odd, West A^irginia. This business was not profitable, and in the spring of 1899 he pur chased a new sawmill and machinery and operated the same in Dickinson and Wise Counties, Virginia, sawing practically on con tract for John A. Taylor & Co., of this county, who failed in busi ness in the fall of 1900. Mr. Lilly has had many tips and downs in his financial career, but has always been exceedingly enterprising and industrious. In 1901 he began operating a lumber business in the city of Hinton, to which he gave his entire time and energy and good business judgment, from which he has accumulated a handsome fortune. He has been operating over a territory which had been culled from for the last twenty-five years, and, remarkable to say, has been able to find much good timber near the line of the railroad, which had been overlooked by pioneer lumber dealers and timbermen. His whole sale trade now embraces all of the territory of Greenbrier, Poca hontas, Monroe, Summers, Fayette and Raleigh Counties, shipping to the Eastern and foreign markets. The first shipment in his pres ent trade was purchased by him from John S. Kellogg, of Elk Knob, this county, and shipped from Don station. At this time he has handsome offices in the Ewart-Miller Build ing in the city of Hinton. He owns a handsome home formerly occupied by B. L. Hoge; he is a stockholder in the Bank of Sum mers and a director in the Hinton Hotel Company, active, energetic, reliable and responsible. He is president of the New River Land Co., Hinton Steam Laundry, and president and general manager of the Lilly Lumber Co. In a difficulty with Creed Meador, he was shot through the body, at Dunns, in Mercer County. His recovery from this wound was very remarkable, by reason of the character and the seriousness of the same, but from which he has suffered continuously to the present time. Mr. Lilly is one of the successful business men of the city of Hinton. His father still resides on the old farm at the foot of Flat Top Mountain, and is one of the honored Confederate soldiers 472 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. of the Civil War. Mr. Lilly has three brothers, Everett AV., Wm. Lundy and Grant. His mother was Abagail Turner, of Patrick County, Virginia. His grandfather's name was Elijah Lilly, and w.as a descendant of the original Robert Lilly, the pioneer settler of. that name in this region. GREENLEE LILLY. Greenlee Lilly, now a resident of Florida, was born two miles and a half from Jumping Branch, and is a son of "Shoemaker Bill" Lilly, the second sheriff of Summers County. His son Green lee, served four years as his deputy, beginning when seventeen years of age. He also later served four years as deputy sheriff for Harrison Gwinn, being equally interested in that office. He married a daughter of Charles Clark, Miss Emma, who died within a few years after. For a number of years he engaged in farming after retiring from office. During Cleveland's second administra tion he was appointed to an office under the general government in Washington city, and later was made a policeman at the capital, which position he held for over four years. Retiring from that posi tion he engaged as traveling salesman for the first wholesale grocery company ever established in Hinton, the Hinton Grocery Company. He was an active promoter and one of the principal persons who organized the New River Grocery Company, with which he en gaged for a number of years as traveling salesman, after which he retired and removed to Florida on account of his health, and for the last four years has been engaged as a traveling salesman in that state, making his home at Oceola. In January, 1908, he mar ried Mrs. Smith, of Hot Springs, Virginia. Mr. Lilly is an active, energetic and intelligent gentleman and one of the descendants of the original ancestor, Robert Lilly, who founded that great family in this region. LEE WALKER. Lee Walker is an enterprising citizen of Hinton, who has made his own way in the world. He was born in Boone County, West Virginia, on the 12th of September, 1872, and is a son of John Thomas Walker, a native of Boone County and of English descent. On the 23d day of October, 1893, he married Miss Florence G. Cook, a daughter of John H. Cook, of Old Sweet Springs, in Monroe County. He located in the city of Hinton, December 21, 1891, and T. H. LILLY, Founder Lilly Lumber Company. JAMES B. LAVENDER, Civil Engineer. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 473 engaged as a brakeman on the C. & O. Ry., and later he became agent for the Standard Oil Company in Hinton and surrounding territory, which position he has held for several years, being in charge of the distribution of the products of that great corporation in the region round about Hinton. In 1896 he organized the New River Milling Company, a corporation which is now doing a large business in the manufacture of feed, with its headquarters and mills in Hinton, its business now averaging $10,000 per month. His corporation has erected a large three-story brick milling plant in the lower end of the city of Hinton, and of which corporation he has been the general manager from its organization until the present, and which position he fills with ability, fidelity and intelligence. The leading citizens of the city are stockholders in the enterprise, including Robert R. Flannagan, president; C. B. Mahon, vice-presi dent; H. Ewart, secretary, and E. W. Grice, John Richmond, J. H. Jordan, A. E. Miller, C. L. Miller and others. Lee Walker is a Democrat, but not an office-seeker. He takes an active interest in the success of his party. He now owns valu able property on the Court House Square, at the triangle on the corner between Avis and Hinton, at the junction of the two towns. MAHON. Captain Charles B. Mahon is the only citizen of that name in the county, and is one of the pioneers of Hinton, and a veteran railway employe, but retired from railway affairs several years ago, and has become one of the leading and enterprising- citizens of the coun ty. Since retiring from railroad work he has been engaged in mer cantile affairs and other business enterprises. He is a native of Hanover County, Virginia. At the close of the war his father's plantation was devastated and in ruins, and laid waste by both ar mies, and all labor gone, so that young Mahon had to start on the ground floor and work his way up therefrom. He made his way on foot to the Kanawha River during the construction of the C. & O. Ry., and began labor in a stone quarry in Montgomery, having walked overland through the mountains, across the Alleghenies by White Sulphur and on. On the completion of that railroad he en gaged as a brakeman, and was later promoted to conductor, run ning from Montgomery to Hinton. He finally abandoned railroad work and began the mercantile business, having in the meantime married Miss Carry Scott, a daughter of the veteran hotel man, Hiram Scott, who operated the New River Hotel on the present 474 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. site of the Chesapeake Hotel until his death, being one of the first hotels opened in Hinton when it was a village. Captain Mahon is one of the pillars of the Presbyterian Church, and it is largely indebted to him for its steady development, growth, popularity and influence. He has amassed a handsome fortune, being vice-presi dent of the National Bank of Summers, and one of its principal stockholders from its formation. He is interested in the New River Milling Co., Greenbrier Springs Co., Hinton Water, Light & Sup ply Co., and largely interested in other leading local enterprises. ADKINS. One of the oldest families of people in all this region of the New River Valley was that of. Adkins, or Atkins. They are said to have come into this region during the time of the Revolutionary AVar, and were first discovered living under cliffs on the Summers side of the river from New Richmond Falls, supposed to be the magnificent cliffs in the canyon at the mouth of Laurel Creek which empties into New River half a mile from the mouth of Lick Creek at New Richmond Post Office. They were hunters and trappers in the earliest days, and have so continued as long as there was game in this region, and there are descendants scattered one place and another throughout this region and adjoining counties. Once in a while you find a member of the generation rising above the common level, but no great advancements have been made in the race. There was Parker Atkins, a man noted for his nose, the end of it being half the size of a man's fist ;' Riley Atkins, known as the "Chestnut Mountain Lawyer" ; Leonard Atkins, living in the Chest nut Mountain country; Albert Atkins, one of the most intelligent, lives near Hinton. Hen Atkins, one of the race, was drowned in Laurel Creek with L. M. Alderson's wedding suit on. Mr. Aider- son was married twice, and this was the suit he had purchased for his first marriage. He said that he sold a steer to secure this broad cloth suit. Sometimes the name is spelled Atkins and sometimes Adkins. The Gills were supposed to have come into the country about the same time and to have lived about the same way. The Gills and Atkins have intermarried. There is an intelligent family by the name of Atkins now residing in the Little Bluestone country of a different generation. A thriftless, harmless, indolent, unam bitious race of people as a race, but without malicious cunning or dangerous, indigenous races are the Gills and Adkins. Possibly the ancestors were Tories who emigrated into this then fastness to escape military service. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 475 MICHAEL N. BREEN. Mr. Breen is one of the brave soldiers who wore the gray, and fought for the "lost cause" — one' of the bravest of the brave. Col onel Wright was his chief in command at the battle of South Moun tain. His captain was the gallant William McComas, of Giles Coun ty, Virginia, whose widow still survives and lives near Newport. General Reno, the Indian fighter of the West, commanded the Fed erals. Breen was a gunner in charge of his gun, named by him "Old Kate"; J. Mat. Peters was his sergeant. A desperate on slaught was made by Reno at this fight at South Mills, in South Carolina, to capture the Confederates while marching through the Dismal Swamp. The Federals outnumbered the Confederates two to one. Wright made a stand, placing two pieces of McComas' battery in a narrow road, one being a rifle cannon, "Old Kate," while Reno's forces had six guns in an open field. After eight houis of incessant cannonading — a regular artillery duel — the uncon querable spirit of the brave and fearless Confederate gunners, Mike Breen and Mat. Peters, with their cool and accurate aim, disabled the Federal guns, and drove them from the field under the protec tion of their fleet, which lay anchored in the bay. Seven or eight Confederates were killed and twenty wounded. Reno lost three hundred of his men, and a great amount of his equipments. The brave Captain McComas was killed and the ammunition of his men exhausted. Colonel Wright then gave orders to his men to retire. Peters and Breen refused to do so. They were attacked by a crowd of Zouaves. Twelve charges of cannister had been reserved to meet this charge of the Zouaves. Breen and Peters waited patiently until they came within thirty yards, when Breen gave the command. Their enemies were paralyzed and stood still, and "Old Kate" belched forth her missiles of death, and there the attacking squad ron met its Waterloo at the hands of these fearless men, who re mained masters of the field, and limbered their guns and took their seats on the limber chests. Here Sergeant Peters was shot and bad ly wounded, and was placed in an ambulance by Breen and carried away. The battle and little army were saved by the bravery of these two gallant soldiers, who never met again until very recently, and both are now gray-headed veterans of the "lost cause." Breen fought throughout the war. A very affecting scene was the meeting of these old comrades-in-arms, after a lapse of forty years. Breen and Peters were ordered court-marshaled for refusing to obey orders 476 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. and give up their guns at this fight ; but of course the order was never executed. They saved the battle, and were not likely to be cashiered .and shot lor disobeying orders. Captain Breen, as he is now usually called, remembers and talks of "Old Kate," his rifle cannon, as he would of a loved member of his family. Captain Mc Comas was a very estimable and gallant gentleman. General R. E. Lee, in his correspondence, speaks in highest terms relative to this battle, and as having known him (Captain McComas) personally, and of his good qualities. He was killed by a minnie ball, and his men, who had fought for four hours with the most indomitable courage, were thrown into despair at his fate. Mr. Breen is a native of Kerry County, Ireland, and emigrated to this county sixty-six years ago. He was one of the "bosses" that constructed the Big Bend Tunnel, and was so engaged for the four years of the building of this tunnel. He was a stone mason by trade, but for the last few years of his life, being in comfortable circumstances, has devoted himself to agriculture. His father, after emigrating to this country, was a contractor on the old James River Canal, and the family resided for some time in Botetourt County, Virginia, then in Giles County, from where M. N. Breen enlisted in the army of the Confederacy.- He fought in the battle of the Wil derness, Seven Days' Fight around Richmond, and all of the great battles of that war. His gun, "Old Kate," was the only one saved from the fight at Elizabeth City, where he fought all day. There were thirty-two pieces of artillery in Captain McComas' corps. He crossed the ocean in a whaling vessel, which required "six weeks in the passage. After the construction of the C. & O. Railway, he married Miss Sarah Ballengee, a daughter of Isaac Ballengee, who once owned the land on which Hinton is built. They have eight children, four sons and four daughters — Walter, George, Richard and Mike ; the girls being Mary J., Nancy, Ellen and Nora. He now resides in comfort on his farm on Tug Creek, a short distance be low Hinton, and is a respected citizen. He occupied the position of road surveyor for a number of years, school trustee, and is an active supporter of the Democratic policies. An ode of a Confederate soldier to his faithful old gun, which he called "Kate," by M. N. Breen : "The Zouaves who charged, in double quick strain. Whilst making the charge, were mostly all slain ; To their sorrow and dismay, they thought it no fun Charging bold rebels who manned the old gun (Kate). HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 477 The few who escaped made a very bad run, As Kate belched her last greeting, at setting of sun ; The undaunted old warriors who mann'd the old gun (Kate), Had announced to the world the battle was won. The missiles of death, belched forth by old Kate (cannon), Were accurately sighted, although it was late ; The angels from heaven, hovering around the old gun (Kate), Cheering the bold rebels till the battle was won." CLARK. One of the kindliest "old-time" gentlemen it has been my good fortune to know and number among friends is Charles Clark, now residing in Mercer County, near the Summers line, at Tophet Post- office, but for many years a citizen of the county, and one of the pioneer enterprising generation now fast passing away. He has al ways been a big-hearted, loyal, honest citizen, having for his own financial good too much confidence in the integrity of his fellow- citizens. Mr. Clark was born near Maiden, in Kanawha County, Virginia, now West Virginia, May 20, 1824, and in his youth followed steam- boating on the Ohio River ; but his principal occupation for many years, and until about 1870, was that of boring and developing salt wells. In 1849 he removed into Mercer County and began pros pecting for salt, and first examined the present place known as Mer cer Salt Wells property for a company (Kinney, Eskridge & Co.) of Staunton, Va., beginning his investigations May 26, 1849. After concluding his investigations there, he rode horseback to Staunton, Va., to make his report on same. Upon this report he was provided with the necessary funds, and Mr. Clark sent to Cincinnati, Ohio, to purchase the equipments for boring the well. By September L 1849, the equipment was in place, and the well completed within ninety days after the first lick was struck, and salt water struck in sufficient quantity to produce fifty bushels of salt per day at a depth of 600 feet. The boring was continued until 800 feet in depth had been reached. In those days the machinery and manner of boring were crude, the power being entirely horse-power. The plant for making the salt was then erected as quickly as the supplies could be provided. The first salt was produced in the spring of 1850, and was manufactured continuously until 1861, when the entire plar.t 478 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. was burned down by bushwhackers -in sympathy with the Union forces, or Union citizens, the property then being owned by the late Anderson Shumate. The property was later rebuilt in 1862, by Mr. Clark and Wm. Crump, and operated until 1866 continuously, when the enterprise ceased to be profitable on account of scarcity of fuel, and was per manently closed down, and there is now nothing to show for this once celebrated and widely known enterprise except a large stone smokestack still standing. People secured salt from this "furnace" for many miles, carrying it away in wagons, boats, old-fashioned batteaux, and on horseback. During the last years of the Civil War salt sold for $5.00 per bushel in Confederate money. People from the Green Sulphur neighborhood carried salt from this well on horseback, a distance of forty miles, as well as from Kanawha in wagons after the war. We paid $9.00 per barrel for the salt. A team would transport a load of wheat or bacon to the salt wells, a distance of 160 miles, and exchange it for salt, return and sell it for that price per barrel. One barrel, in those days would usually last an ordinary Lick Creek farmer a year, or longer. After the railway was built, it suddenly dropped from $9.00 to $2.50. Mr. Clark, after he abandoned the salt manufacturing business, engaged in the lumber business and farming, and is now spending his old age on a farm on the Mercer line. His children have all grown to manhood and womanhood. He was first married to Ar- thelia Thompson, a daughter of Captain James Thompson, whose murder is detailed in another section of this book, on the 23d day of March, 1852. By this marriage he reared a family of ten children, seven of whom are still living. His first wife died May 10, 1876. He was again married on the 13th clay of April, 1884, to Mrs. Mary J. McCorkle, another daughter of Captain Thompson, her first hus band having died several years before, leaving two sons, James Mc Corkle, who was engaged in the drug business at Hinton until his death, several years ago ; the other John T. McCorkle, who is now residing with his mother, he having been a great traveler ; traveled over the entire West and Northwest, occupied in mining and pros pecting, being a mining engineer by profession. He volunteered in the Spanish-American War, was seriously wounded in the Philippine Islands, while serving his country in those faraway islands, engaged in aiding Uncle Sam with powder, etc., in the work of assimilation of which we read so much. Mr. Clark now resides on the old Captain James Thompson homestead. He at one time owned the fine farm at the mouth of Big Blue- CHARLES CLARK, Enterprising Citizen of the Early Days. MRS. NANIE B. MCLAUGHLIN, A Daughter of the Ancient Settler, Charles Clark. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 479 stone River, now owned by John W. Barker, and there for many years his generous hospitality and real old Virginia geniality was enjoyed by the public for miles around. His latch-string always hung on the outside to all who passed his way. In the early days, his hospitable mansion was the resting-place of many a footsore and weary student making his way to or from the Concord Normal School, as in the old days many of us took up our grips and walked to and from those old halls of learning, and many of us remember when we stopped with Mr. Clark, because, first, we did not have the "change" to pay for a night's lodging; and secondly, because we knew there would be no charge if we had an abudance. We knew we were welcome with Mr. Clark, without money and with out price. Mr. Clark's children were Charles Allen, who was superintendent of free schools of the county, and later graduated in law at the West Virginia University, and is now located in the practice of his profession in the city of San Francisco, having married Miss Ella Haynes, of Monroe County. He has been a great traveler; was elected to a judgeship in Washington State, and also prosecuting attorney, which positions he resigned for more attractive occupa tions. Lewis, a jeweler of Radford, Virginia, and Joe, a soldier in the United States Army in the Philippines ; Lizzie, who married A. T. Maupin, of Athens ; Nannie B., who first married L. W. Bruce, an enterprising pharmacist, and after his death the Rev. Harvey McLaughlin, an eloquent minister, and most excellent citizen of Summers; Emma, who married G. Lilly (she died several years ago; Mr. Lilly is now residing in the State of Florida, and is engaged as a traveling salesman) ; Lucy, who married John Wise, a locomotive engineer on the C. & O. Ry., and who was killed by being overcome by the deadly fumes in the Big Bend Tunnel ; and Jennie, who married Captain Charles Schweichert, a passenger con ductor on the C. & O. Ry., were his children. THE FOWLER FAMILY. The Fowler name is no more mentioned among those of the residents of the county, but no complete history of our territory would be perfect without mention of this illustrious family. The impress of a family of people with the strong characteristics of the Fowlers will be felt in any community in which they have made their habitations. The founder of the Fowler family in this State was Dr. Thomas 480 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Fowler, who died at his large and elegant old-time Virginia planta tion "Indian," as he named it, on April 2, 1858, -in the 60th year of his age. He was born in the State of Tennessee, having been a na tive of Cocke County. When quite a young man he located at Tazewell, Va., and later emigrated to the mouth of Indian Creek, then in Monroe County. He married Priscilla Breckenridge Chap man, daughter of Isaac Chapman, of Giles County, Va. She died at the age of 73, at "Indian." She, as well as her husband, figured in the trials and events of the early settlement of that land, and in the events of the early settlements of the progress of peace and or der and society there. She was a pattern of the noble womanhood bred in her day. She, like her cotemporaries, rose to a peculiar dignity of character that was imparted to the exigencies of the early days and the brave part they sustained in social life. Trial and familiarity with the prac tical philosophy of a daily life gave strenth and nobility of mien to female virtue and grace. Mrs. Fowler was an estimable lady — a member of that community of brave and admirable ladies. Dr. Fowler's plantation was located on the thoroughfare much trav eled in ante-railroad days, being on the old Red Sulphur Turnpike, and among the wayfarers in that day were the leading people in politics, commerce and public concerns generally, and the beautiful residence of Dr. Fowler gave rest and recreation to the fatigued traveler, which gave the place a widely spread fame. Dr. Fowler lived at Tazewell from 1826 to 1835, the date of his emigration to the land now known as West A^irginia, and of Summers County. Dr. Thomas Fowler was a direct descendant of the English Fow lers, among his ancestors there having been the Lord Mayor of London, and another, an English Episcopal bishop of that name. Dr. Fowler's grandfather came to America, direct from England. He was an eminent physician, became a large owner of slaves, and acquired into one plantation a large part of the territory around Indian Creek, on which he erected a fine brick mansion on a beau tiful eminence overlooking the New River, and almost opposite the Crump mansion on the noted Crump's Bottom, across the river. This brick mansion is still standing, and will stand for ages. The walls are very thick, of brick and mortar, with fine locust doors and window facings, and dressed stone basements. The building is located on one of the most beautiful natural locations in all the country. The lands of Dr. Fowler have been divided up, and are now held by many farmers. The mansion, with about 150 acres of the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 481 home place, is now owned by Mr. Tabor; of Arkansas, who pur chased from Captain C. R. Price some three years ago. Chas. A. Baber, Ward Simms, Dr. Wykel and a number of others own the remainder of the lands. At the time of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln the estate of Dr. Fowler owned a number of slaves, who, with their descendants, reside in the county, among them is Susan Muse, who lives in Hinton, and her son Samuel. Hon. I. C. Fowler, a few years ago learned accidentally that Susan's lot in Hinton was advertised for sale for non-payment of taxes. He immediately sent the writer a check to redeem the lot, and something for Aunt Susan besides; Patrick Lee was another of his slaves, with Oliver Lee and Amy Banks, his children, who live in Hinton at this time; Willis Dickinson, Beverly Stanard and others of his slaves now live at Stockyards. A number of these colored people remained long after their emancipation at the Fowler place, and were loath to leave their old masters, so greatly were they beloved, and some remained with them on the old place until the last of the Fowler descendants had parted with the last remnant of the estate. Patrick Lee and his wife, "Aunt Sallie" (the latter still living in Hinton), were deeded about 150 acres to enable them to spend their old age in comfort, free and without a cent's pay, by the children of Dr. Fowler, Mrs. Pearis, Mrs. Johnson and Hon. I. C. Fowler, so kindly did they feel towards these faithful servants. Dr. Fowler left surviving him six children, Hon. I. C. Fowler, of Bristol and Abingdon, who died in 1905 ; Dr. Allen Fowler, who ' died in May, 1902, in Salt Lake City, where he located after the war, having accumulated a large fortune and acquired a great reputation as a physician and surgeon. Hon. I. C. Fowler was five times elected to the House of Dele gates of Virginia, and was the Speaker of that body. He was a politician of character and a statesman of ability — stumped the State in the days of the Funders and the Readjusters ; was one of the trusted followers, counsellors and lieutenants of Gen. William Mahone in his political career in the Old Dominion. He, with his brother, Elbert Fowler, founded the "Bristol News," a newspaper, at Bristol, Virginia-Tennessee, and was its chief editorial writer for many years. He was a brilliant, forceful and clear-cut writer. He was later appointed by Judges Paull and Bond as clerk of both the U. S. District and Circuit Courts, which positions he held until his resignation on account of failing health, when his son-in-law, Stuart F. Lindsay, was appointed as his successor. He was a 482 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. soldier in the Confederate Army and a Republican in politics. The second son of Dr. Thomas Fowler died in Texas in 1867. The third son, Hon. Elbert Fowler, died in Hinton, March 21, 1884. A more extended sketch will be found elsewhere in this book. There were two daughters, Amanda L., who married Dr. Thos. Pearis, died several years ago; Mary, who married Hon. James D. Johnston, also died a few years ago ; he was one of the eminent lawyers of Southwest Virginia. The only child of Dr. Fowler now living is Mrs. Amanda Pearis, who resides in Roanoke, Va. She had two children, Fowler Pearis, a mining engineer of note, who recently died while in the employment of the Norfolk & Western Railway Company; and Miss Louise, who resides with her mother in the city of Roanoke. Hon. I. C. Fowler left no sons. Dr. Allen Fowler was never married. Hon. Elbert Fowler left two sons, Bailey and Elbert, who are now citizens of Georgia. The daughters of I. C. Fowler are Mrs. Stuart F. Lindsay, Mrs. Mary Louise Preston and Mrs. Priscilla Chapman Fowler Goodwyn. ELBERT FOWLER. Hon. Elbert Fowler was a native of Summers County, son of Dr. Thomas Fowler, born at the mouth of Indian Creek, "Indian," in Monroe County, on the 24th of November, 1843, and was of a family of two sisters, Mrs. Mary Johnson and Mrs. Amanda L. Pearis ; and two brothers, Hon. I. C. Fowler and Dr. Allen Fowler. Hon. I. C. Fowler was a Confederate soldier and made his home in Virginia after the war, he and Elbert Fowler founding the "Bristol News," and later, he was Speaker of the House of Dele gates of Virginia for five terms, and afterward appointed clerk of the United States Court, and resided at Abingdon, which position he held until near the date of his death within the last twelve months. Dr. Allen Fowler was also a Confederate soldier, who immedi ately after the war emigrated to Salt Lake City, Utah, and became one of the most celebrated physicians of that country, and died but recently, a wealthy man. Elbert Fowler joined the Confederate Army when a boy about eighteen years of age. He was educated partly at Emory and Henry Colleges, and after the war he went to McGill University, Montreal, Canada, where he graduated. Returning, he and his brother, I. C, founded the "Bristol News" at Bristol, Tennessee HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 483 and A'irgmia. Later, in the year 1871 or 1872, he founded the "Border Watchman" at Union, Monroe County, AVest Virginia, which is still existing, and is owned and edited at this time by the Hon. Albert Sidney Johnston, as the "Monroe Watchman," which is one of the ablest edited papers and one of the most reliable in the State or any other State, Mr. Johnston being one of the most chivalrous and true-hearted citizens of any commonwealth. Elbert Fowler received from Andrew Johnson a pardon for his transgressions as a Confederate soldier. After disposing of the "Border Watchman," he took up the practice of law, which he pursued until his death, on March 21, 1885, making his home at the mouth of Indian Creek on the old Fowler homestead. At the date of his death he and James H. Miller were partners in the law. Mr. Fowler was one of the brightest lawyers and most loyal of men it has ever been my good fortune to be associated -with or to know. A comparatively small portion of his time was spent at the mouth of Indian after he applied himself to his profession, being counsel for the Norfolk & Western Railway Company for the last several years of his life, and much of his time was spent in Virginia looking after the interests of that corporation. He was elected prosecuting attorney of this county in 1874, and served four years ; was a candidate for re-election against the Hon. W. R. Thompson at the election held in 1878. Mr. Thompson, on the face of the returns, had a majority of votes. Mr. Fowler, believing that the election had not been fairly conducted and that irregularities existed, instituted a contest in the courts, which was fought through the county and Supreme Courts for some time, when the differences were compromised, and Mr. Thompson was per mitted to retain the office for the full term. A law partnership was formed between Mr. Fowler and James H. Miller on the first day of October, 1883. The latter was elected prosecuting attorney at the election held in 1884, and Mr. Fowler qualified as his assistant, which position he continued to hold until his death. On the 12th day of March, 1885, Mr. Fowler came to Hinton, from his farm at Indian, a distance of sixteen miles up New River from. Hinton, stopping at the office of the firm at the court house "for some time, and then went to his hotel for dinner (the old brick Central Hotel, which was afterwards burned), after which he started to return to the court house, when he met J. S. Thompson, an attorney, at the crossing, of the alley on Second Street, just below the new hotel of the Hinton Hotel Company, which is now 484 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. under construction. When Fowler was at the middle of the cross ing and Thompson about twenty feet above on the sidewalk, they coming towards each other, Mr. Fowler having a bundle of law books under his arm, Mr. Thompson drew a revolver and began shooting at him. Some four or five shots were fired by him, two of which took effect in Mr. Fowler's leg between the knee and ankle, breaking the bones in two places and shattering that part of his leg, the breaks of the bones being about four inches apart. Fowler drew a small derringer, about four inches long, from his pocket, and shot as he fell, but missed his mark. Fowler fell to the ground, and was carried to his room at the Central Hotel, where he was attended by a number of the most skilled surgeons in the country, including Doctors S. P. Peck, of Hinton; Dr. Isaiah Bee, of Princeton, and Dr. McDonald, of Union. It was not thought at the time that the wounds would prove fatal, and Mr. Fowler would not consent to having an amputation performed, but after four or five days it was apparent that the only hope of saving his life was to amputate the foot. This was done two or three days before his death, but it was too late; blood poisoning had set in, the bones of the leg" having been shattered, and on the 21st he died from the result of the wound. A day or so before his death a mistake was made in the administering of his medicine, by wrongfully administering a poison called aconite, which mistake was shortly afterwards discovered and the effects counteracted, but resulted in weakening the patient. This mistake was made by an attendant, an old gentleman, Wm. B. AViggins, who was greatly distressed by reason of his unintentional carelessness, Mr. Wiggins being an earnest friend and admirer of Mr. Fowler. It was claimed at the trial of Thompson, later, that this mistake aided in producing the death, and was set up as a part of the defense. Mr. Wiggins was deeply pained over his mistake, and at the trial as a witness he was subjected to a very bitter attack by the at torneys for the defense, especially Captain R. F. Dennis, in argu ment to the jury, the character of which will be well remembered at the time by those who heard it, and a part of which is of a nature not to be preserved in print, which language was regretted by Cap tain Dennis in cooler moments. A coroner's jury was held after the death of Mr. Fowler, and Mr. Thompson was charged with his murder, and indicted and tried. The feeling of a very large portion of the county was much aroused against him , the prominence and connections of the parties naturally made strong partisans. Bail in the, penalty of $25,000.00 THOS. NASH READ, Lawyer and Orator. SHANNON P. PECK, M. D. Twenty-five Years Surgeon C. &«0. Ry. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 485 was granted by Judge Holt, the circuit judge at the time, which was easily given, the bondsmen being C. L. Thompson, Col. J. G. Crockett and A. B. Perkins. At the first calling of the case Judge Holt vacated the bench, and the hearing came on before Judge Frank Guthrie, of the Kanawha Circuit. A motion was made for a change of venue by the defendant, which was vigorously opposed by the State. Af fidavits were filed by the accused to show that the prejudice of the people was so strong against him in the county that he could not get a fair and impartial trial ; counter affidavits were filed by the State to the contrary, but the court held that the case should be removed to another county for trial, which was accordingly done, and the case was removed to Lewisburg, the county seat of Green brier County, the place of former residence of Mr. Thompson, and where a number of his relatives resided, who were proriiinent citi zens in the community. A great many witnesses were summoned for each side, some twenty or twenty-five, and great interest was manifested in the trial throughout this section. The defense claimed by Mr. Thompson was principally on the grounds of self-defense, threats by the deceased against Thompson being proven, the prin cipals in the tragedy having been on unfriendly terms for a number of years, and not having spoken for some four or five years. At the trial the State was represented by Hon. John W. Ar buckle, of Lewisburg, appointed by the court to prosecute, as the prosecuting attorney of that county. Mr. John A. Preston was a relative of Mr. Thompson, and had been engaged for his defense after the removal of the case to that county. Gen. Frank P Blair, of Wytheville, Va., who had been a former attorney*general of that commonwealth, and James H. Miller, the then prosecuting attorney of Summers County. The defendant was ably represented by United States Senator John E. Kenna, Gen. J. W. St. Clair, of Fayetteville ; Col. James M. French, of Princeton ; Col. J. W. Davis, Capt. R. F. Dennis, Hon. John A. Preston and Capt. A. F. Mathews, of Lewisburg, one of the ablest array of attorneys that ever defended any man in this State or in any other State. There were two trials. The first occupied two weeks, result ing in a hung jury. A second trial was afterwards had and oc cupied a similar length of time, which resulted in the acquittal of Mr. Thompson, the jury being out only a few minutes. Mr. Arbuckle occupied in his argument for the State two hours and a half; Gen. Blair, five hours at the first trial. The attorneys ar- 486 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. guing the case for the defendant were Senator Kenna, Captain Dennis, Colonel Davis, General St. Clair, Colonel French and Mr. Preston. Jas. H. Miller did not argue the case, being a witness examined for the State. Mr. Thompson was crippled in one limb from a natural de formity, from which he had suffered all his life. Mr. Fowler weighed about 140 pounds, had been badly crippled in. the capital disaster at Richmond, Virginia, at the time of that catastrophe, by having one leg shattered and his scalp torn off. This was about the year 1870. Mr. Thompson continued to reside in Hinton until about the year 1903 or 1904, when he located at Beckley for the practice of his profession, but soon afterwards died at his father's residence in Huntington, West Virginia. Mr. Fowler was a most excellent and enterprising citizen, and at the time of his death was engaged in a number of enterprises for the development of this region of his State, one of which was for a construction of a branch of the Norfolk & Western Railway from the mouth of East River, in Giles County, down New- River to Hinton, for which a large part of the right of way had been secured and paid for. He was a promoter of the New River Rail road and Mining Company, and proposed a railroad up New River. These enterprises lapsed after his death. He was one of the pro moters of the Hinton Steamboat Company, which proposed to navigate New River from Hinton east. The Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company had become very antagonistic to him, and in his last race for prosecuting attorney fought him at the polls, and did its utmost to encompass his de feat, by reason of his independence of corporate influence and faithfulness to his constituents, and to the great mass of the -com mon people. This antagonism also grew out of the fact that Mr. Fowler had been largely instrumental in compelling the arching of the Big Ben Tunnel, near Talcott. When first constructed, this tunnel was arched with wooden timber, which after a few years became decayed and began to fall in and endanger the lives of passengers and employes. A short time before he retired from the office of prosecuting attorney a crew on a freight train had been caught in the tunnel by falling rotten timbers from the arch, and a number killed and crippled. Fowler as prosecuting attorney had a coroner's inquest held, the tunnel condemned and the railroad company held responsible. Soon after this the arching of this great tunnel was begun, and continued for a number of years until com- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 487 pleted, and to Mr. Elbert Fowler is due the honor of changing that hole from a death-trap into safety. As a prosecutor he was vigorous and determined. He was a man of high and honest aspirations and instinct, a true and loyal friend, an excellent and faithful lawyer, and an open enemy. His great misfortune was that of a violent temper and strong preju dices. His death was a great loss and most keenly felt, not only by the public, the county and State, but personally by the author of this book, who had enjoyed his friendship and assistance at a time when it was most valuable, and it is with pleasure an honor and a duty for him to pay some tribute to his character and man hood. On the 28th of November, 1878, he married a Miss Bailey, of Griffin, Georgia, and left surviving, him two boys, Elbert and Bailey, who are now grown men, but have never made this State their residence, being reared in the State of Georgia, at their mother's home. Just before his death Mr. Fowler executed his last will and testament, which is a matter of record in the clerk's office of this county. He made a dying statement. At the trial Mr. Thompson did not take the stand as a witness in his own behalf. Sleep on, brave soldier, in the endless battle of man ! If immortality be the crown of lofty aims and noble work, Then thou hast immortality. That the killing of Mr. Fowler was in cold blood is borne out by his slayer, who told to a number of people from his own lips that he shot Fowler to kill him, and detailed his actions and the manner of the killing, saying that he "shot too high the first time, and the second shot he aimed at his heart; but that his crutch slipped and he hit him in the leg." It was a killing without legal justification. Last will and testament of Elbert Fowler: I, Elbert Fowler, desire that all my just debts be promptly paid as possible, and first among my debts I desire that a debt I owe to my sister, Mrs. A. L. Pearis, be paid, and to that end I di rect that my executrix shall sell at public or private sale, as she may deem proper, both my personal and real estate. I bequeath to my beloved wife, Mrs. Mary Bailey Fowler, all my real estate and personal, wherever located, whether in the State of West • Virginia or Virginia ; some mineral lands in the counties of Pulaski and Montgomery, Virginia. I desire that my wife shall -associate with her in the settlement of my estate James 488 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. D. Johnson, a lawyer and my brother-in-law, iri the uounty of Giles, Virginia. I desire that the executrix of my estate shall give no bond as such executrix. I desire that J. H. Miller, my law partner, shall close up any business of mine that he has in hands, and that he shall give no bond. In testimony whereof I here set my hand, this March 22, 1885. ELBERT FOWLER. Witnesses : J. C. M'DONALD, W F. M'CLUNG, A. G. FLANAGAN, TAS. H. MILLER. DAVID HUGHES. One of the first Settlers in all this land was William Hughes. He was a Loyalist, and so continued, and to escape military service in the American Army, hid himself in the wilds of Pipestem Dis trict on the waters of Bluestone River. The high knob in that region, Dave's Knob, was named for David Hughes, which is some seven or eight miles west of Athens. He had a hiding place on the top of this knob. He was a giant in size and strength, and on one of his expeditions he caught a cub bear, which, by its outcries, brought its mother, which fiercely attacked him, seizing him by the left arm. He succeeded in dispatching the bear by striking it in the ribs with his fist. Afterwards he moved into Wyoming County and had some thrilling experiences with the Indians on the Clear Fork and Guyandotte Rivers, one especially about where X Jesse P. O. is now located, but I have not been able to secure a sufficiently authentic account to detail it here. He afterwards re turned to the Pipestem country and founded the Hughes family, which is now scattered all over the land. AArilliam Hughes, his descendant, died in recent years at Pipestem. He was a prominent man, justice of the peace and the owner of lands. His son, Gordon L. Hughes, at one time owned the Pipestem mill and a large boundary of land, and was engaged in the cattle and lumber busi ness, and placed the present plank fence around the court house about 1885. Pie was also a man of considerable literary talent, being engaged as a schoolteacher and at one time a candidate for school superintendent, but is now a resident of Arkansas. Another ADRIAN D. DAL\r, First Judge of Hinton, Attorney and Capitalist. WM. H. SAWYERS, Editor, Lawyer and Humorist. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 489 brother, Hugh J. Hughes, was a merchant in Hinton for a number of years, and now resides at Beckley, Raleigh County. His son, G. J. Hughes, resides in Hinton and is engaged in the mercantile business, as is also his brother, Edward Hughes. H. M. Hughes was a deputy sheriff and jailer and died in 1905. He married a daughter of Captain Mark M. Miller. AVm. Hughes married a Jordan. The Hughes of modern days have been prominent and good citizens. G. J. Hughes is an active and energetic gentleman. They are active in the councils of the Democratic party and are Methodists in their religious beliefs. David Hughes, the founder of the Hughes family in this region, was a native of North Carolina, and when the Revolution of 1776 began, he came to this wilderness to avoid service in the American Army, being a loyal supporter of King George the Third. GOTT. One of the first settlers in Hinton was John R. Gott, who first located in what is now the city of Avis, then Upper Hinton. He is a native of Mercer County and a son of Andrew Gott, of that county. Andrew Gott was a brave Confederate soldier. John R. Gott was a carpenter and the first undertaker who ever located and who has successfully operated his business in this city. He married a Miss Carr, daughter of Captain Carr, of Mercer County. His son, Andrew, who married a Miss Smith, is a resident of Hin ton, W. Va. A daughter, Miss Sallie, married S. O. Fredeking, the locomotive engineer of Hinton, and another daughter, Miss Nellie, married Dr. Palmer. Miss Mary Gott, a sister of John R. Gott, married Isaac Gerow, the New Yorker, who located in Hinton soon after its foundation, and is the brother of H. S. Gerow. Wil liam Gott, another brother, married a Miss Lavender, residing now near Ronceverte, W. Va. Andrew Gott, a brother of John R., and now a citizen of Mercer, was a captain in the Confederate Army during the Civil War of Co. I, 36th Virginia Infantry. John R. Gott has been a member of the city council of both Hinton and of Upper Hinton. Another son, Fred, is an undertaker in the town of Princeton, W. Va. DALY. Adrian D. Daly is one of the rising lawyers of this section. He was born in Bridgeport, Alabama, July 11, 1876; studied telegraphy 490 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. at fourteen years of age, rose to the position of train dispatcher on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, which position he occupied at Thurmond and Hinton. During his employment as telegraph operator he studied law; took the law course at the West Virginia University in 1902, was admitted to the bar in 1903, and began the active practice in -1905, retiring from the railway service. When the law was passed in 1907 establishing the office of police judge in the city of Hinton, he was appointed police judge, which position he now holds, being a fearless and just official. In 1904 he was united in marriage with Miss Vella V. Flanagan, a daughter of Andrew G. Flanagan, of Hinton. He is an active and enterprising lawyer and citizen, free from deceit, sham or hypocrisy. His course as judge of the police court, the first the city ever had, and under a law passed by the Legislature of 1907, against the protest of many of the best citizens of the city, has been efficient and in the interest of good government, and has met the approval of the great majority of the best citizens of the cities. He is the founder of "Sunset Hill" addition to Hinton, for which he deserves credit for his enterprise. COMPTON. William Egan Compton was an early settler in Hinton, though not one of the earliest. He was a native of Tazewell County, Vir ginia, and married Lucinda Neal, of Bland County, Virginia. In 1875 he bought a. plantation, including a part of the Clover Bottoms on Bluestone, in Mercer County, which is still owned to this day by his children. He owns that part of the Clover Bottoms known as the old Clay place, and the exact spot on which Tabitha Clay was killed by the Indians. Her grave is still to be seen by rough monuments, and the place where the Indian stood who shot her, close to a spring, is still pointed out. Mr. Compton came to Hinton in 1883, and made that city his permanent home until his death in 1903, his wife having died in 1900. Their children were Edward W., who now lives in Beckley and is one of the largest stockholders, and is the general manager of The Raleigh Supply and Milling Company, which manufactures feed and other foodstuffs and op erates a general feed business and rock crushing plant at AVhorley's Mill, one of the ancient water grist-mills in Raleigh County on Piney. He was at one time sergeant of the city of Hinton. Miss Susanna Belle Compton, the second child, resides in Chillicothe, Missouri, in the same town with Thos. K. Campbell, an old resident THE COMPTON FAMILY, Early Settlers of Hinton. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 491 of Camp Creek, and J. H. Campbell, his son, who was for some time a resident of this county, having emigrated to Missouri in 1905. The other children are Miss Hester, unmarried; Miss Lily, who married C. T. Nunnelley, a competent locomotive engineer of the C. & O. Railway, and they reside in Hinton ; Captain B. T. Compton, a conductor on the C. & O. Railway, who married Miss Maddox, of Front Royal, Virginia, and who live in Hinton; Miss Mary, who married James Eubanks, another locomotive engineer of the C. & O. Railway; and Walter Compton, who resides at Charleston, in the employment of the K. & M. Railway, occupying the position of road foreman of engines. CLARK. There were two families of Clarks of Pipestem District who deserve special mention in any correct history of this region — that of Charles Clark, mentioned in another section, and that of Rufus Clark, which is undertaken to be dealt with, and, as in so many in stances, we have the same difficulty on account of defective fam ily records. - Rufus Clark, the founder of the family in this county, was born near Indian Mills, then in Monroe County, where Esquire James M. Keatley and his family now reside, on the 13th day of December, 1812, during the period of the second struggle of our country with great Britain, his father being in the army of the United States at the date of the birth of Rufus Clark. He was the tenth of a family of twelve children. His father's name was Al exander Clark, and, as above stated, a soldier of the war of 1812, and was of Irish descent. The date of the emigration of the re mote ancestor from beyond the sea is now unknown. The first founders of the family resided near Union, in Monroe County, and were familiar with all the hardships and burdens of pioneer life, and with the treacherous and deadly modes of the Indians. Rufus Clark was united in marriage with Mary Ford, and there were born to them ten children, four boys and six girls. Sa rah E. married Joel A. Butler; Derinda, Joseph F. Wood; Mary E., A. F. Brown, P. C, Z. R. Butler and Virginia Clark, and N. G., who married A. H. Via. The boys were Allen T., A. F., Jas. G., John and R. W. Rufus Clark and wife settled on the old Clark homestead, now occupied by R. W. Clark, overlooking the New River, in 1851. Alexander Clark's wife's maiden name was Mary Hawkins, and 492 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. they were married in what is now Monroe County, in 1796, and the following year that county was formed. Rufus Clark died January 12, 1886. Alexander Clark, a brother of Rufus, settled in Kanawha County, and Judge Henry C. Mc Whorter, of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, mar ried one of his daughters. Allen T. Clark, the oldest son of Rufus, and James G., were brave soldiers in the Confederate Army throughout the Civil War, the latter receiving a severe wound at the Seven Days' Fight around Richmond. A. F., another brother, joined the army in 1863, and was severely wounded at the Battle of AVinchester, on September 19, 1864. Rufus Clark and all his family are noted for their good citi zenship and as law-ibiding and pious people — that character of people who go to make the "bone and sinew" of a good commu nity. Several of the boys have held positions of trust among their neighbors, Allen T. having been the president of the Board of Education of Pipestem District and a justice. R. W. Clark, the eighth child, and who resides on the old plantation of his father, is one of the oldest and most progressive teachers in the county, having begun that occupation in 1877, and is noted in this section as one of its most progressive educators. He was elected as a member of the Board of Examiners of the county for a term of two years. On the 13th day of April, 1887, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary C. Crawford, and they have seven children. He is now a member of the Book Board of the county, haying been elected to that position by reason of his character, probity and good judgment; served his district for four teen years as a justice of the peace, and refused to serve longer. His conduct of that office was characterized by honest, fair and good judgment. So admirably were his official duties performed that his constituents desired him to continue to hold the position, but he declined, after having been elected four terms in succes sion, only serving two years of his last term. The ancestors of this family were engaged as fighters of the Indians, and one of them — possibly Alexander — took part in a fight on an island at the mouth of Indian Creek, near where Charles A. Baber now resides. This fight on the side of the whites was fought by Captain Paull, and it was in this fight that a Mrs. Gwinn was recaptured from the Indians, who had taken her prisoner and were conveying her West when overtaken and recaptured in this Indian fight on said island. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 493 Unfortunately, the details of this fight are lost to history, and only by tradition are we able to chronicle that there was such a fight, commanded by Captain Paull on the part of the whites, and that they were victorious, and that it resulted in the recapture of the white woman, who was thus enabled to be returned to her friends, and the Clark ancestry were engaged on the side of the whites and of civilization. LIVELY. This family name is celebrated principally through Colonel Wilson Lively, of Lowell. At the date of his death, he was resid ing in the old "Graham House," at the west end of the railroad bridge at Lowell, at the old Graham ferry. There are but com paratively few of the name now residing in the county, a large number being located in the counties of Fayette and Monroe. Two of Colonel Wilson Lively's daughters married and are now living on the old homestead, one being Mrs. Bunyan L. Kesler, and the other Mrs. Henry F. Kesler. Another daughter, Miss Bettie M. B., married Prof. James French Holroyd, both of whom were schoolmates at the Concord Normal School at Athens, West Vir ginia, where Professor Holroyd and his family now reside, he being one of the oldest and most widely known, popular and dis tinguished of the faculty of that institution. Mrs. Holroyd and the two Mrs. Keslers are sisters of the Hon. Frank Lively, of Hinton, West Virginia. The Livelys are of English descent, but as to the date of their emigration and settlement in this land, I am unable to state. Hon. Frank Lively is the youngest child of Colonel Wilson Lively. He was born at Lowell, then known as Graham's Ferry, now Talcott District, then Monroe Cpunty, now Summers County, on the 18th day of November, 1864, attended the free schools in his boyhood, and then took the general course at the Concord Nor mal School, graduating there with honor in 1882, after which he took a supplemental course and the law course at the University, of West Virginia in 1883 and 1884, from which he graduated and took the degree of "Doctor of Laws" in 1884. After completing his course at school he located at Hinton in 1884, for the practice of his profession, and within about a year thereafter formed a co partnership with Hon. W. R. Thompson in the practice of the law, which copartnership continued until after the removal of Mr. Thompson to Pluntington, in 1890, when he was united in marriage 494 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. to Annie E. Prince, of Hinton, a daughter of James Prince. In 1900 he was elected prosecuting attorney over Mr. Thos. N. Read, by a majority of fourteen. He was the nominee of the Republican party, and it was in this election that the celebrated "Blue Pencil" wing of that party received its christening, it being claimed that the blue pencil cut a figure in the result; Mr. Lively held this office, with Judge A. R. Heflin as his as sistant, until April 1, 1905, when he resigned the office to accept the appointment from Governor White as Fish and Game Warden, E. C. Eagle being appointed the prosecuting attorney to fill out the unexpired term of Mr. Lively, with Judge Heflin to assist. Upon the election of the Hon. Clark W. May as Attorney Gen eral at the election 'in 1904, Mr. Lively was appointed Assistant Attorney General, which position he held until May 1, 1906, when he was appointed by Governor Wm. M. O. Dawson as pardon at torney, and which position he now holds. In 1888 Mr. Lively was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for the nomination for prose cuting attorney of Summers County, but was defeated by Jas. H. Miller. He retained his affiliation with that party until 1900, when he allied himself with the fortunes of the Republican party, and was nominated as the candidate of that party for prosecuting attorney, and was elected as herein stated. In 1904 he was the nominee of the sartie party for judge of the Ninth Judicial District, composed of the' counties of Wyoming, Summers and Raleigh, against Colonel T. G. Mann, Major Jas. H.. McGinnis and I. C. Christian. This was a celebrated campaign, and much bitterness was engendered in that party between the opposing candidates. Two executive committees were in opera tion, and a general "war to the knife" contest resulted, two sets of delegates being appointed from Summers, the. home county of Messrs. Lively and Mann ; but when the convention came off neither Mr. Mann nor Mr. McGinnis permitted their names to go before the convention, and at the polls both Mr. McGinnis and Mr. Mann supported the Democratic nominee, and both being men of pronounced ability and probity, their influence largely aided in encompassing the defeat of Mr. Lively. Mr. Lively is an active and an influential citizen, and until he entered politics and assumed charge of his duties as a public offi cial, which requires practically all of his time at Charleston, had a large clientele and a fair proportion of the legal business of the county. He has many warm friends, and a large following as a politician in his party. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 495 Colonel Wilson Lively was a colonel in the militia before the war, and was sheriff of Monroe County a number of times, and was a very popular and prominent citizen. The ancestors in the "old country" were centuries ago followers of the great English soldier and statesman, Oliver Cromwell, and after the restoration of the English kings to the throne of the kingdom, "came across the waters" and settled in the colony of Virginia, of which West Virginia is now a part. The death of Colonel Wilson Lively was one of the tragedies growing out of the great Civil War. He was an intense South erner, a Union man devoted to its adhesion, but loyal to his Com monwealth, and when it seceded, like the great body of the loyal people of the State, went along. He was a member of the Virginia State Senate when Richmond fell and Lee surrendered, having been a member of that body throughout the war. It was the shock of the news of the evacuation of the Confederate capital and of the surrender of Lee at Appomattox which caused his death. He was on his way to Richmond, at Farmville, when the news reached him, and the shock was so great that he died within two hours thereafter. Colonel Lively's wife was a Miss Gwinn, of the old family of that name of the county, and is of Irish origin. The only other members of the Lively generation now in the county are Le- roy Lively, of Green Sulphur District, a distant cousin of the Wilson Lively family, and David and Chris, of Barger's Springs. BOWLING. The Bowlings are a numerous family in the lower end of Mer cer County, and it is a pioneer family. The most prominent citi zen of the name in this county at this time is Walter P. Bowling, the present efficient and active deputy sheriff, with A. J. Keatley, sheriff of the county, and an enterprising merchant at Tophet, and the candidate for the nomination for clerk of the County Court at the next election. The original ancestor of the Bowlings was Jessie, who was kidnaped in England and brought to Maryland, where he remained until the Revolution, volunteered in the Con tinental Army for six months, and continued in the active service until the close of the war. He came to Lynchburg after the Revo lution, married Sarah Robinson, and then settled on Wolf Creek, in Giles County, where he reared a family of seven children- William, Thomas, John, Dorcas, Nancy, Virginia and Betsey. Wil- 496 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Ham married a Perdue, and settled in Mercer County, near the present site of Athens. He was the pioneer settler in that district. Thomas settled on Twelve Pole, in Wayne County. John married Sallie Walker, and settled on the Bluestone, near Spanishburg. He reared a large family, who live in Mercer and Summers counties, nearly all' living in Mercer. Nancy married Hiram Burgess, and settled on Bluestone, near the present location of Maxwell's Mills. Virginia married Joe Crawford, and they lived on East River. Dorcas Bowling was never married. The family name is spelled in several different ways — Bowling, Bowlin, Bolin and Boling; but it matters not how the name is spelled — they all descend from the same common ancestor. F. A. Bowling, the successful merchant at Athens, is a promi nent member of this family, who was in the Confederate Army, in which he was a soldier. He was elected and held the office of clerk of the Circuit Court of Mercer County for six years. Walter P. Bowling, the merchant of this county, is an enterprising citizen, and takes an active interest in public affairs, being active in the councils of the Democratic party, of which he is a member. He was born and reared in Mercer County, but has made this county his home for the last fifteen years. Thomas Jefferson Bolin and his three brothers, Jessie I., Lee and Charles, all went out into the Civil War at its beginning, vol unteering and becoming members of the first company that enlisted in the Southern Army from Mercer County. They were members of Captain Straley's company, except Charles, who joined another company. The four brothers were in the entire four years of the war until the surrender at Appomattox, and came out without a scratch or wound of the flesh. Thomas J. had the heel of his shoe shot off, his cartridge belt shot in twain and his- clothes shot full of holes and his horse shot under him, but no shot reached his flesh. He was the father of Walter P. Bowling, the merchant of Tophet. The original Bowling settlers located on the Clover Bottoms in the Clay settlement, and were in that region in the Indian days. F. A., commonly known as "Alex.," the merchant at Athens, was shot in the arm and shoulder during the war, being a brave Con federate soldier. When he came back from the army he had noth ing whatever. He dug "sang," sent it to Richmond, and secured a suit of clothes, then raised a crop and secured an education to teach school. After teaching several sessions, the late H. W. Straley furnished him $800 with which to begin merchandising at Athens. He was always noted for his honesty and fair and square WALTER P. BOWLING, Merchant, Farmer and Capitalist. A. J. KEATLEY. Present Sheriff. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 497 dealing, and is now estimated to be worth easily $100,000.00. He and H. W. Straley. entered into a co-partnership with Walter P. Bowling, and founded the business of the latter at Tophet as W. P. Bowling & Co., which partnership continued for fifteen years, but is now owned entirely by the younger member of the firm. DAVID G. BALLANGEE. David G. Ballangee, the postmaster at Clayton, is now sixty- one years of age. He married Miss Delphia Flint, and they have reared the following-named children : Thomas G., now 36 years of age ; Davis A., 35 years old ; John C, 32 years old ; Ella C, 30 years old; Sarah A., 28 years old; Mina M., now 26; Medora R., 24; Mary E., 21; Emma S., 19; Homer C, 16; and Grace L., 13 years old. Mr. Ballangee is one of the enterprising farmers of the county; has installed a sawmill, blacksmith shop, commissary, and, having the postoffice, is an independent man, thrifty and honorable. He is a staunch Republican in politics, an advocate of the protective tariff, and is a Missionary Baptist. His mother was a Graham, daughter of foseph Graham, and is therefore a descendant of that ancient family, and is the owner of the old Graham homestead at the foot of Keeney's Knob. Mr. Ballangee has always taken an active interest in politics, but not as a politician of the office-seeking kind, and while a Re publican, has not been so strenuous that he has not voted for and supported candidates on the Democratic ticket whom he consid ered better qualified and more worthy than the candidates on his own party ticket. Any country is better off by having such citi zens as David Graham Ballangee. He was a "Union man" during the war, but was not an active participant, being under the age of enlistment at the declaration of hostilities. LUSHER. There is but one family of the name of Lusher in the county, and Thomas Daniel Lusher, of Lick Creek, in Green Sulphur Dis trict, is the head of that family. He resides on the "Sugar Knob," and is now one of the aged citizens of that section. His father's name was George Lusher, who was a soldier in the war of 1812 with England. He lived to the good old age of ninety-nine years, and when in his ninety-ninth year walked the distance of seventeen miles on foot. 498 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. T. D. Lusher was born in Greenbrier County, on June 26, 1823, and served throughout the Civil War as a soldier in the Confeder ate Army. He married Miss S. J. Wood, a sister of Zacharia Wood, the famous hunter and Lick Creek blacksmith. The lat ter was born July 17, 1826, and married a sister of Thomas D. Lusher. Thomas D. Lusher has for many years been a consistent tem perance advocate, a Missionary Baptist and a Democrat. He is the father of Andrew Jackson Lusher, Aeniss Lusher, Sarah Lusher, who married Robert Hix; and Amanda, who married Thomas Bryant. He is now one of the oldest citizens of the Green Sulphur District. JOHN LOWRY. John Lowry was one of the first settlers on the mountain at the head of Lick Creek. His son Giles resides on Little Wolf Creek, and was for a number of years the road commissioner for Greenbrier District ; Samuel, who now lives in Monroe County and is engaged in the lumber business ; Tolliver, who in his younger days emigrated to Fresno, California, where he had by industry and thrift accumulated a handsome fortune, died in 1906 ; John L., commonly known as Jack, resides on the old farm near -the head of Lick Creek, the spring which forms the head being known as Eleber Spring. One daughter married Henderson Allen, an-r other married Andrew J. Lusher, and another married A. M. For- ren. John Lowry, Sr., was of English descent, .a shoemaker by trade and a man of sterling honesty. HOUCHINS. The Houchins family is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and their set tlement in this country antedates the formation of the county by many years. The first settler of the name, of which we have any tradition, was James Houchins, the grandfather of Wm. Houch ins, Jr., now of Lerona, W. Va. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and resided in Monroe County, emigrating from- Patrick County, Virginia. Wm. Houchins, Sr., came to New River when a boy, with his brother James, and both grew up into manhood in the territory of Pipestem District. He was born in 1805. Wm. Houchins, Sr.'s, wife's maiden name was McDaniel, and there were born to them four girls and two boys. The boys were AA^m. Houch ins, Jr., and Ballard. The girls were Caroline M., who married a HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 499 Caldwell; Mary, who died single; Martha, who died single, and Cela, who married the famous Primitive Baptist Minister, Joseph Hubbard. Wm. Houchins was an old-time AVhig, until that political party became disorganized and was absorbed by the present Democratic and Republican parties, a Union man and a Primitive Baptist. When war broke out between the States he remained loyal to the State of Virginia, and cast his lot with the fortunes of the old Commonwealth. He was commissioner of the revenue and a jus tice of the peace, being a land-owner and farmer by occupation, and a good, honest citizen. He was also, as well as the rest of the old settlers, a great hunter and trapper. He and AArilliam Keaton killed five panthers on Camp Creek, in Mercer County ; they shot time about, killing one at each shot, Wm. Houchins killing three and Keaton two, there being only five in the flock. He also killed five deer while standing in the same track. The wind was blowing from the deer towards him, and they could not get his scent. He stood by the side of a tree, and it is said that he killed in his days at least 300 deer. The son of Wm. Houchins, Sr., Wm., Jr., now resides at Le- rona Postoffice. He is one of the oldest and best equipped teach ers of the county, and has followed that occupation for many years. He was also engaged for some time in the mercantile business, and is a land-owner and farmer, still holding a Grade No. 1 teacher certificate, good for five years, he having received that grade at the second examination ever had in the State tinder the present law. This shows a very complimentary standing in that profession, as the examinations were very rigid, and only a small proportion of the teachers came out with first grade and full term of five years. He married Alice Barker, a daughter of the late M. C. Barker, of Barker's Bottom, on New River. Ballard, the other son of AVm. -Houchins and Mary, his wife, resides near the old Wm. Houchins, Sr., homestead, in Pipestem District. He is a farmer and a Democrat in politics. He was one of the brave Confederate soldiers who fought on the side of the "lost cause," of which there were many from that section of the country. James Houchins, a brother of Wm., Sr., was one of the found ers of the county. He was one of the first supervisors of the county, and the old records show much of his handiwork. We are unable to give in detail but little of his family history, as his de scendants have mostly removed from this section. He was a farmer and land-owner and an honest man. Like his brother William, 500 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. he was a Democrat after the war, an old-time Whig before, and a Primitive Baptist. There was another brother, John, who settled in Monroe County. In the passing of these old citizens we are unfortunate in not having more of their personal history, for it was of such men that the "bone and sinew" of the land was composed, and by their hardy energy that the country was made habitable, and to blos som and bloom as the rose. These Houchins were gruff, rough, strong-charactered men, without deceit or hypocrisy, and for what they stood were square from the shoulder. JAMES. The Wm. James Sons' Co., one of the leading business con cerns of this section of the State, has done much for the building up of the cities of Hinton and Avis. - The founder of this house in this county, and of the above- styled firm, was William James, an Englishman by birth, having been born in London, England, on the 24th day of March, 1815, but spent his youth and until his emigration to America in the southern part of Wales. His mother was a AVelsh lady. In 1835 Wm. James embarked for the United States, locating for a num ber of years in Philadelphia, Pa. Later he removed to Cambria County and resided at Edensburg, returning across the ocean, how ever, twice, making the two voyages to induce his widowed mother to emigrate to the United States, in which efforts he was unsuc cessful, as she was not willing to undertake the perilous voyage, more perilous than now by reason of the great advancements in modern navigation. In 1844 he intermarried with Miss Mary Ev ans, of Edensburg, Pa., and of this union there were born nine children, eight boys and one daughter, the latter dying in her in fancy, within a few hours after birth. Mr. James was a man of fine business ability and judgment, and accumulated a handsome fortune in the manufacture of lum ber, and from other enterprises promoted by him. His partners in business were his sons, adhering to the doctrine that "in union there is strength," admonishing his boys to adhere to this princi ple; and the result of his wisdom in this particular is fully dem onstrated by the successful business operations of the "James Boys," the family being associated in all enterprises in which they or either of them have engaged. Wm. James, the father, with his wife, removed to the county HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 501 in 1879, beginning business, however, a year or two before under the firm name of Wm. James & Sons. Before his removal his son, George James, and J. C. James, the eldest son, came to Hinton prospecting for a business location, in the early summer of 1876, and in the fall of the same year the father and J. C. made another examination of the prospects, and before the purchase of the tim ber lands on the Bluestone River, securing also the first charter for booming and damming New River, for the purpose of advan tageously transporting logs from the mountains. Work began on these improvements in 1877, by J. C. James, with some laborers from Pennsylvania and George James. It was during the follow ing year the great flood of 1878 occurred, which destroyed much of the work done by the Jameses, and greatly disheartened them, and to some extent modified their plans. About the same time George James died from typhoid fever, and a little later another one of the sons, while attending school at the University of Virginia, visited his brother at Hinton, contracted typhoid fever and died. Their misfortunes were quite discouraging, but the work went on. A great dam was constructed across Bluestone River, on the Charles Clark place, and dykes built in Greenbrier River, as well as a large steam saw and planing mill at Hinton, the noted James Pond having been acquired by Wm. James, with fine foresight, for the purpose of creating a harbor for the logs floated down the riv ers, and it was on this pond the mills were built, and on which two of the largest mills in this region are now located. Large tracts of timber and timber lands were acquired. Mr. George James, up to the date of his death, was largely the promoter in the construction work. Pie was a magnificent young man, in the prime of young manhood, with the brightest prospects. He and his brother, J. C, had been companions in this work, and this death was especially a blow to him. Mr. Howard James died soon after, being a student of medicine, -and concluding his course at the great University of Virginia. The family, up to these deaths, consisted of the father and mother, Wm. and Mary, John Clarkson, Doctor M., Dwight W., Alphias W., Eben B., Howard, George and Herschel. Mr. James, however, regardless of the discourage ments, determined to construct his operations here, and in the fall of 1878 removed to Hinton, having purchased the "Sperry" prop erty in Upper Hinton — a handsome residence — and a little later built a large frame storehouse on the corner of Third Avenue and Ballangee Street, in Hinton, and opened up the furniture business of James Brothers, which was operated by the two younger sons, 502 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. A. W. and E. B., manufacturing a portion of the furniture at the Upper Hinton mills. Mr. Wm. James contracted pneumonia, from which he died, and his remains now rest in the old cemetery on the hill in Avis. He was one of the founders of Hinton, and one of Nature's noble men, the architect of his own fortune, of a Christian character, leaving to his children an ample fortune, and, best of all, a noble character, one of which any ancestry might be proud. After his death the enterprises and industries which he had in good judgment founded continued, the widow being taken in as one of the partners, under the original firm name of AA'm. James & Sons. Later it was changed to the AA'm. James Sons' Co., and in 1894 it was transferred from a copartnership into a corporation, under the style of the AA'm. James Sons' Co., with J. C. James as president; P. L. James, a son of J. C, as secretary, and D. AV. James as vice-president; the two younger sons, A. AV and E. B., removing back to Pennsylvania, where they still reside in the city Of Kane, a town named after the celebrated Arctic explorer, .Dr. Kane, of which he was a native, leaving the control of the entire business, mainly in this State, in the hands of J. C. James, assisted by his brother, D. AV. James. The brothers, in addition to their enterprises in this section of the State, engaged in the lumber business, a chemical manufactur ing plant, and railroading in Pennsylvania. They are, in addition to the plants in this county, interested in considerable coal lands and mining interests in Kanawha and Raleigh Counties. D. M. James graduated at the University of A^irginia, and is a minister in the Congregational Church in the city of Plymouth, Mass., where the Puritans landed from the Mayflower, and has made a reputation as a preacher of eloquence and ability. The Wm. James Sons' Company erected the first houses known as "flats" in Hinton, situate on James Street, nea'r the foot of the hill. The building is some 300 feet long, two stories high, and is adjusted for a residence of twenty-four families ; is twenty-four houses in one, and is frame. The only other similar building in the city is that of Hon. Azel Ford and James Laing, on Temple Street, constructed of brick, the front being of pressed brick. J. C. James, the present head of ¦ the family, resides in Hinton, and is one of the leading business men of the State. He is a man of fine business attainments, always found at the front in any movement for the advancement .and betterment of the public, in terests, and has done as much as any other one man towards the upbuilding of the community, and is looked to for his aid and good JOHN CLARK JAMES, Founder of the Wm. James Sons Co. HON. SIRA W. WILLEY, Twelve Years Postmaster of Hinton and Active Politician. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 503 judgment in any enterprise for the general betterment of condi tions and affairs. He was one of the leaders in securing the con struction and maintenance of the branch of the Young Men's Christian Association of Hinton ; is the president of its board, and has held that office since the founding of the institution, some twelve years ago. He has been president of the Board of Educa tion, elected as a Republican when the District was Democratic, and was largely responsible for the construction of the first mod ern brick school building in the city, as well as the establishment of a public high school. He was one of the promoters of the Hin ton Hardware Company (wholesale and retail), its vice-president, and has held that position from its foundation. He is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and one of the strong supporters of that organization, and has done more towards securing that denomination a handsome, permanent and substantial house of worship, as well as a neat and attractive residence for the minister — "parsonage" — adjoining the church, than any other person, Mr. James having donated liber ally towards the costs of the erection of the old as well as the new church building and the minister's home, after having donated a valuable lot of ground on the corner of Ballangee Street and Third Avenue, on which the buildings are located. He donated liber ally towards securing the ground for the C. & O. Railway Com pany's yards in Avis, when Hinton was apparently about to lose the division, by reason of not having sufficient grounds on which to operate. He was one of the original founders of the water sys tem for the cities of Hinton and Avis, and was the president of that company throughout its life of some fifteen years. He is the president of the LaMont Mining Company, and in the organization of a Board of Trade for the two cities he took an active part, and is one of the officers of that organization. His influence may always be found on the side of good order and of morality, and of honest government. In politics he is an ardent Republican, as is the entire family of the Jameses, but he has never been a politician or office-seeker. He believes in the doctrine of a protective tariff, and was a stal wart on the money issue following the much larger wing of his party in the campaigns of 1896 and 1900, led by President McKin ley, on the question of the gold standard versus free coinage of silver, at the ratio of 16 to 1. He made no false pretenses, as so many of our constituents do — promise to vote one way and do the reverse. It is a pleasure to contemplate a character such as we regard 504 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. that of James Clark James, because it is good, and not submerged in deceit and hypocrisy. As widely as you may differ from him in public matters, he hideth not his position under a bushel. He was united in marriage with Miss Campbell, of , Pennsylvania, and they have a family of four sons (one daughter having died in infancy) — Paul L. James, general manager of La- Mont Mining Company, who married Miss Carrie Bare, of Vir ginia; Maurice James, secretary of LaMont Mining Company; Frank James and Howard James. Dwight AV. James resides in Hinton, at the C. L. Thompson homestead, having married Miss Alice Gott, formerly of Mercer County, West Virginia. He has, with his brother, J. C. James, conducted- the lumber business of the concern in this county, he having direct charge of the delivery of the timber from the stump to the mills. PETERS. There are but few known descendants now in the territory of John and Christian Peters. They did not settle in the territory of the county, but near its territorial lines. They, John and Chris tian, were both soldiers under General Nelson, in La Fayette's Corps, in the Revolution of 1776. They were at the surrender of the British at Yorktown, October 19, 1781, fighting Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. They were of German descent, and were from the Valley of Virginia. Christian was born October 16, 1760, and died in October, 1837. John was probably older. It was in 1782, with their brother-in-law, Charles Walker, they came to the valley of New River, Christian settling on the grant where Peterstown is built, being named for him. Walker located in the lower end of Monroe County, near the Summers line. John settled in Giles County. John Peters married a Miss Simms, of Madison County, Vir ginia, then Rockingham County, from whence he came. Christian married Catharine Belcher, of Rockingham County. She spoke the German language and kept her German Bible in the house. Captain John Peters, Conrad Peters, James C. Peters, of Mer cer Salt Works ; John Peters, of Peterstown ; the late James M. Byrnside, of Peterstown; the late Mrs. C. W. AVithrow and Mrs. L. M. Alderson, of Green Sulphur District, are descendants of Christian Peters. Mrs. Alderson left surviving her one daughter, Miss Sallie, who married Mr. Henry Shepherd, a very estimable and honorable citizen of Green Sulphur District, who owns and lives on the old L. M. Alderson homestead. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 505 Mr. James C. Peters, of Mercer Salt Works, has been a justice of the peace of Pipestem District for ten years, and the postmas ter of that office for many years. He now owns and resides on the old Mercer Salt Works property of some 900 acres, which he in recent years purchased from Plon. B. P. Shumate. The Peters are among the best citizens and truest people of the county. L. E. Peters, a very prominent divine of the Missionary Baptist Church of Parkersburg, is also a descendant of Christian Peters. The probability is that Peters Mountain was named for Christian Peters, although by some another origin is claimed through a hunter who ranged its wilds in early times. John Larue, of Hays Creek, in Monroe County, also married a descendant of Christian Peters. His son Lewis still owns and lives at Larue's Springs, on that creek. He taught school on Lick Creek many years ago, and is a most excellent citizen. The descendants of John Peters still inhabit Giles County, and, like those of Christian, are among the truest and best people of the South. Charles W. Walker, who owned and resided on a fine farm on New River in the Harvey settlement in Forest Hill District, and who died some years ago, a most enterprising and thrifty farmer, and who married a Peters, a sister of Henry Peters, who lived for many years at the old schoolhouse on Stinkirig Lick in Forest Hill, now of Monroe County, and of Samuel C. Peters, the cattle dealer of that county, was a descendant of Charles W. Walker, the brother- in-law of Christian and John Peters, as was his wife of these set tlers. His children still live in this region, excepting one son, Dr. C. A. Walker, who is practicing his profession in Missouri The father of Mary Burks Alderson and Eliza Angeline With row was Conrad Peters. He died in Braxton County. A brother of Conrad was Christian, who died ih the State of Missouri. Con rad died in Braxton County. James C. Peters, the justice above mentioned, is a son of Christian. The only child of Columbus AVran Withrow and Eliza Ange line (Peters) Withrow is Estella Burk, who married Oscar T. Honaker, an enterprising merchant and lumber dealer ~of New Richmond. Another daughter of Conrad Peters, and the only one now living, is Mrs. Rebecca Pack, the widow of Anderson Pack, who now lives at Burden, Kansas, with her grandchildren, the Man sers. 506 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Rev. L. E. Peters, of Parkersburg, the Baptist divine, is a de scendant also of the ancient settlers of the name in the middle New River settlements. Columbus Wran Withrow, the eldest of the Withrow genera tion now living in the county, first married a daughter of Brice Miller, an ancient settler at the foot of the Lick Creek side of Keeney's Knob. He was the father of AVilliam Anderson Miller and Andrew Jackson Miller. The former married a daughter of William DeQuasie, the Frenchman, the latter a Duncan, daughter of Charles Duncan and Cassie (Alderson) Duncan, and they now live at Roanoke. Nathan A. Miller is a trusted locomotive en gineer now living in Hinton, a son of A. J. Miller. W. A. Miller died on the Brice Miller farm, now owned by John L. George. Other daughters of Brice Miller married Vardeman DeQuasie ; Joseph Fink, the father of Rev. J. Newton Fink, the Baptist min ister of New Richmond, and Andrew Hix and T. J. Jones. Cornelius Miller, another son of A. J. Miller, lives in Talcott District. A few years ago, when returning to his home on Hun gart's Creek with a considerable amount of money on his person, when a short distance up the creek, near where E- D. Alderson now lives, about dark he was visited by robbers, knocked down, badly wounded and robbed of all his money. A vigilant effort was made by the county authorities to apprehend the robbers, but they made their escape in the darkness into the Big Bend Mountains and escaped, and Mr. Miller was never able to identify the robbers or secure the return of his property. T. N. COOK. Thomas N. Cook, a native of Greenbrier County, married Miss Florence Miller, sister of Robert Miller, March 9, 1871. He is a native of Nicholas County, but has been a resident of Summers County for the past twenty years. He was a brave soldier in the Confederate Army, belonging to the Nicholas Blues, Twenty- second Regiment, and later the Thirty-sixth Virginia Regiment, and lost a leg in battle. He spent most of his life before locating in this county in Nicholas. His captain was Hon. C. T. Smith, of Nelson County, Virginia, and for a number of years was located at Ronceverte — a lawyer and politician, and served after the war a number of terms in the Senate of Virginia. Mr. Cook, although coming out of the war, went to work and has succeeded against great disadvantages, having accumulated a considerable fortune. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 507 He is a schoolmaster by profession; has operated one of the first liveries established in Hinton; engaged in farming at one time, purchasing the Curtis Alderson place on Lick Creek, where he resided for some time. He is a consistent missionary Baptist and a Democrat; a man of high integrity and honor. Mr. Cook was one of the early settlers of Hinton. THE HUTCHINSON FAMILY. The Hutchinson family is a family of the older settlers of For est Hill District, and consisted of two brothers who settled in that district many years ago, and were the sons of Jacob Hutchinson, James A. and John Masten. James A. was a missionary Baptist, while John M. was very prominent in the Methodist Episcopal Church, both brothers being active in church affairs, and were consistent Christian pioneers. James A. was known since the war as Major Jim Hutchinson, having been a major in the Virginia militia before the war. After the war he was township treasurer of the school fund. They were born in Forest Hill District, in what was then Monroe County, their father removing from Au gusta County and. settling in Forest Hill many years before the war. Major James A. Hutchinson left surviving him Alonza M., Wel lington, Lewis, J. E. and T. M. A. M. Hutchinson was for eight years Assistant Assessor of Summers County, filling one term as deputy for John Lilly; the other-, as deputy for W. C. Dobbins. He was also, like his father, a consistent Christian of the missionary Baptist denomination, and has filled the position of moderator for the Greenbrier Association for the long period of ten years. He now holds the position of jury commissioner for the county under appointment from the judge of the circuit court. Wellington is a farmer near Forest Hill, as is also Lewis. J: E. was a prominent minister in the missionary Baptist Church, and T. M. is engaged in the mercantile business at Forest Hill, and is the postmaster at that place, which position he has held for several years. James A. Hutchinson also left four daughters, Mrs. Eliza Ann, Mildred J., Mary C, who married William Gillespie, who resides at Talcott, and Louisa A., who married William A. Goode, of Forest Hill District. John Maston Hutchinson, the other brother, left two sons, James A. and Richard A., who both emigrated to Jackson, Ohio, at which place they still reside. 508 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. WILLIAM B. WIGGINS. About 1870 there appeared on Greenbrier River one of the quaintest personalities known to the history of the county. He appeared as the representative of the large grant of land known as the Rumford Tract, of several thousand acres. His wife was a Rumford. All the heirs, including Margaret Rumford, an ancient maiden lady, Mary B. Pyle, Richard Humphries and Lucy B„ Spain, lived in Pennsylvania and Delaware. AViggins was eccentric and peculiar and finely educated, writing a magnificent and beautiful hand, as can be seen on the record deed books in the office of the clerk of the county court, where he was engaged as deputy for some time under E. H. Peck, c.lerk. He had been at one time paymaster in the army of the United States; had been charged with irregularities in keeping his accounts; came out short in his accounts, and was tried, convicted and sentenced to confinement in the penitentiary, but was only sent to jail. After serving for some time, he was paroled by President U. S. Grant, and on his release he emigrated to this country and took up his abode, and remained until his death, at an advanced age of about eighty years. His bondsmen at one time, about 1880, gave him up, came out from Wilmington and carried him back to confinement, but he secured his release and returned. He had, before his downfall, been mayor" of the city of Wilmington, and was a licensed lawyer, and was too "handy" with his pen. He built a queer-shaped house with four sides at Wiggins, where he lived alone, doing his own cooking and housekeeping. In 1890 he was the Republican nominee for clerk of the circuit court against B. L. Hoge. He wrote deeds and other legal docu ments and did a general scrivener's work, being well qualified for that work. He was an architect of accomplishment, and had a wide reputation in all the region for his accomplished penmanship and education, but in business matters he was a failure. His wife's interest in the Rumford patents of 900 acres was not sufficient for him to make an ordinary living from, and he died in want and poverty, his wife remaining in the East. He had one son, Mr. Charles Wiggins, an employe of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, and a daughter, who married an Episcopal clergyman in Boston by the name of Cobbs. He secured the establishment of a post office at Wiggins, which Missing Page Missing Page HARRISON GWINN, President Bank of Summes During Its Life. ALONZO M. HUTCHISON, Farmer. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 511 was named after him, and was the first postmaster. He secured the establishment also of Don Station on the C. & O. Railway at the same place, four miles from Hinton, on the Greenbrier. DeQUASIE. \\rhile John and Alex Miller were engaged in the mercantile business on Lick Creek, many years before the war, a Frenchman by the name of William DeQuasie and his wife came onto that creek, carrying all their belongings in a bundle on their backs. They had no money, credit or property, and could scarcely make themselves understood in the English language. They procured a piece of land and applied to the Millers for a peck of seed corn, which they refused. They were industrious, thrifty, saving people, and before the death of the said Millers they had borrowed many dollars from these thrifty foreigners. They saved money and in vested it in the rough mountain land, of which they acquired several hundred acres on the Hump Mountain, lived to an old age, and at their deaths left large landed interests, as well as money and lands to their children. Their descendants are numerous. Vardeman, Lorenzo and Harrison were their sons. Squire William DeQuasie, of Fayette County, is a grandson. Wm. Anderson Mil ler, a son of Brice Miller, of Keeney's Knob, married a daughter, Mary, and the wife of C. W. Wise, of Lick Creek, and of Marion Wise, of New River, who emigrated from Patrick County several years ago, are daughters of W. A. Miller and Mary Miller, nee DeQuasie. Cornelius Stickler, of the Hump Mountain, married another daughter, Andrew J. Stickler being their son and a grand- 'son of the DeQuasies. These old pioneers could not read or write in English, but when William died he made a last will, devising his property to his wife, and at her death she made a will likewise pro viding for their children, and especially for a daughter and son, Harrison and Betty, who were non compos mentis. NOEL. The pioneer resident physician of the lower end of this county was Dr. Norbin WT. Noel, who was born near the Peaks of Otter in the county of Bedford, Virginia, on the 6th day of March, 1825. After reaching his majority, he removed with his parents to the county of Franklin, in which county he married Miss Mary Webb, on the 30th day of August, 1856. After his marriage he began to 512 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. prepare himself for the medical profession. He attended lectures and took a medical course at the Philadelphia College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Penn., after which he removed with his family to Green Sulphur Springs, and located for the purpose of practicing the medical profession. Within a short time after his location at that place — some three or four years — the Civil AA^ar began, and he returned to Franklin County, Virginia, and enlisted as a private soldier, but was soon promoted to a lieutenant in his company, and shortly after was assigned to the Twenty-second A^irginia Regiment as a surgeon, in which capacity he -remained until the close of the war. Dr. Noel was a Virginia gentleman, and a true Southerner, believing until the day of his death in the justness of the principles and the cause for which he enlisted and fought. At the close of the war Dr. Noel returned to Green Sulphur Springs, and again entered into the active practice of his profession, which he followed arduously to the close of his life, which occurred on the 6th day of May, 1892. His practice extended throughout Green Sulphur District into Fayette, Raleigh and Greenbrier Counties, and he was for many years the only physician in all that region. His travels were by night as well -as by day, over rough mountains and through all kinds of weather ; distance, inclemency of the weather, roughness of the roads or dangers from the streams never deterred him from attending a call. He was truly a benefactor in those times to all that region of country. His charges were moderate, and he took in payment for his services such of those things raised on the farm, because the people in those days were unable to pay for medical serives with currency. He never was known to sue or enforce the collection of medical bills. His family consisted of his wife, an intelligent lady, educated at Holland's Institute ; one son, Dr. Edgar E. Noel, who. following in his father's footsteps, adopted the medical profession, now lo cated at Green Sulphur Springs, and is one of the wealthiest and most prominent citizens in Summers County. He married a daughter of Thomas A. George, of Lick Creek. The only daughter of Dr. Noel, Miss AA'illie, married Mr. John AAT Plale, of Southwest Virginia. Dr. Noel was a prominent citizen of the county at the date of its formation, and at the solicitation of friends in 18 — . made the race for clerk of the county court, but was defeated by a small majority through a combination of circumstances. He was a man of fine character, learned in his profession and a Christian gentleman. Doctor, DR. N. W. NOEL, Soldier and Southern Patriot. CHARLES A. BABER, Farmer, Miller and Business Man. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 513 WILLIAM C. DOBBINS. The Rev. William C. Dobbins came to this county from Mont gomery County shortly after the close of the Civil War. He was a member of the Thirty-sixth Regiment under General McCaus- land. His captain was John R. Dunlap. He was reared in Mont gomery County, and was married in that county to Miss Mary F. Bird. He was born August 20, 1839. In 1881 he was elected assessor, with Alonzo M. Hutchinson as his deputy. They served four years, and at the end of that term was re-elected for an ad ditional four years, with Peter M. Grimmett as his deputy, serving in all eight years. For twenty-five years he was a minister in the primitive Baptist Church, after which he left that denomination and joined the Missionary Baptists, in which church he has been a minister for fifteen years. In politics Mr. Dobbins is a Repub lican. In his races for assessor he ran independent, but later was nominated by the Republican party for the Legislature, but was defeated by John W. Johnson. This was in 1888. He and Erastus H. Peck were in a combination in one of Mr. Peck's races for clerk of the county court. Mr. Peck agreed to pay Mr. Dobbins a certain sum of money, and did execute his note therefor in order to secure his influence and the support of himself and friends, but afterwards Mr. Dobbins claimed that Mr. Peck had repudiated the business part of the transaction. Mr. Dobbins has always been a prominent citizen from the foundation of the county. He has a family of four boys and one daughter. His daughter, Mary Alice, married J. L. Farrow. His sons are W. J. Dobbins, B. M. Dobbins, D. C. Dob bins and A. T. Dobbins. In his first race for assessor he defeated Levi M. Neeley, and in his second, Walter H. Boude. In those races no nominations were made by either political party, and there were always a great number of candidates, especially for that office. Mr. Dobbins, in his early days, was a strong man, but in late years has not taken an active interest in political matters. JONES. Jesse Jones was born near Hilldale, in Monroe County, and settled, lived and died a prosperous man, merchant and farmer on Wolf Creek, at Bradshaw Church. This family of Joneses are of Welsh descent. His mother was from Grayson County, Virginia — Miss Margaret M. Miller — and she married a Charlton as her sec- 514 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ond husband, and by him was the mother of the venerable J. J. Charlton, of Charlton's Mill, on Madam's Creek. The only family of the descendants of Jesse Jones in this county is William AV. Jones, of Talcott, one of the oldest and most re spected merchants in the county. The mercantile business of which he is the present owner and successor was founded in 1867. The style of the firm was Stafford, Thrasher & Co., and later J. AAr Jones & Brother. J. \\r Jones, the other member of this firm, was later, in 1875, accidentally killed in his store by a pistol in his own hands. This was September 17, 1875. The business was first be gun at Rollinsburg, on the opposite side of the river from Talcott, and moved to Talcott on the building of the railway into the coun try. Mr. Jones was the first express agent in that town, which position he held for many years, and is still doing a general mer cantile business in his ancient storehouse, the one at Rollinsburg remaining only as a relic and reminder of the past. He was a sol dier of the Confederate States Army through the war, being a member of Captain Reed's Company B, Edgar's Battalion. He has been a member of the Board of Education of his District, has been a consistent Missionary Baptist, and the people of the com munity have great faith in his honor and integrity. When the citi zens of Talcott were sued in the Karnes case, and their homes and property threatened, he was selected as one of the Committee of Safety, along with Messrs. Manning and Ford. In 1894 he married Miss C. Hawkins, of Rocky Point, Monroe County, who died on the 15th of January, 1894. The other children of Jesse Jones were J. W. Jones, Andrew J. Jones, the merchant of Alderson ; James M. and Lewis A., who reside in Monroe County, the latter at the old place on AArolf Creek. His daughters were Mary A., who married Jacob Hall, who died, and she then married W. P Willis ; and Catharine, who married G. W. Hill. W. W. Jones was also one of the promoters and stockholders of the Talcott Toll Bridge Company, which was instrumental in the construction of the new iron bridge at that place. At one time he owned the Talcott ferry across the Greenbrier at that place, which he sold to Captain Thomas C. Maddy, a descendant of that old and honorable family of first settlers by the name of Maddy, an other of which is Thaddeus Maddy, of Raleigh, Raleigh County. W. W. Jones is the oldest merchant in point of time engaged in the business in the county, and a very enterprising and Chris- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 515 tian gentleman, a Missionary Baptist and a Democrat. He was for many years, until he resigned, the agent for the Adams Express Co. at Talcott. CAPTAIN MARK MILLER. Marcus Marion Miller is a son of Grief Miller, a native of Ap pomattox County, Virginia; was reared in that county and Lees- ville, in Campbell County, where he lived twenty-one years, and when he left there and came to Mercer County and located on Flat Top Mountain, he had $21,000, and owned twenty-one slaves. He became a very wealthy man, and owned large boundaries of land around Princeton. He owned the site of Bluefield, and died in re cent, years. He was of Scotch-Irish descent. He left four sons — Marcus Marion, Chas. H., who was a judge in Bland County, Vir ginia, for a number of years, and finally removed to Texas, where he died. Another son was Dr. Thomas Miller, a graduate in medi cine of the University of New York. He died some years ago in Texas, where he located, on the settlement of that State. The other son, William, was a professional school teacher. Marcus Marion Miller is still a resident of Hinton, in Sum mers County. He was born on the 25th day of September, 1834. In 1855 he emigrated to and resided for some years at Camden, Ar kansas, where he was elected clerk of the county court of Sevier County, also clerk" of the probate court. Returning to West Vir ginia, he engaged in the mercantile business in Mercer County, and was one of the pioneer lumber men at the time of the building and directly after the C. & O. Ry., in which business he was engaged for twenty-five years. He was a captain in the Confederate Army during the whole war, and was a captain of the State militia at the beginning of the war. He was a drill master at Fort Smith and Fort McCullough, in Arkansas. He was one of the few soldiers engaged during the entire war who never saw a Union soldier, being located as drill master, and required to prepare recruits and send them on to the front. He was under the command of General Pike. Captain .Miller is a Knight of Pythias and an Odd Fellow, who takes great interest in the secret order work, being captain of the uniform drill in the Uniform Rank of Odd Fellows. He is Presby terian in religious belief and Republican in politics and principles. He first married Elizabeth Branch Herndon. Judge Herndon, of 516 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. McDowell Circuit Court, is his nephew. His second wife was Edith Billingsly, a widow and the mother of that excellent citizen Samuel Billingsly, the lumberman and farmer of Powley's Creek. GEORGE. Thomas George was one of the early settlers in the Meadows of Greenbrier County, near the Summers line ; was of Scotch-Irish descent and an orphan, having been raised by his uncle, Thomas Moore. He came originally from the county of Rappahannock, in Virginia, in the Valley of Virginia. He had one brother and sev eral sisters. The sisters all married and settled in the AVest. The brother of Thomas was older, and by the old laws, under the Eng lish customs, the older son inherited the estate. This brother is understood to have settled in Missouri. Thomas married Catha rine McCoy, and raised twelve children, all of whom lived to ma turity and to old age, three boys and nine girls. Sallie married John Gwinn, who settled in the Little Meadows. Jane married Enos Huffman, and lived on Muddy Creek. Betsy married Jacob Sur- baugh, and lived in the Grassy Meadows. Mary married a -Sha ver, and lived in Nicholas County. Cynthia married a Frazier, and moved to Ironton, Ohio. Elize married a-McCrary, and settled in Lewis County. Catharine married Daniel Sumner, and also resides in Lewis County. Malinda married a Boggess, and lived in Fay ette County. Margaret married Harry P. Miller, a son of John Miller, who moved to Gentry County, Missouri. The boys were William, who settled on Muddy Creek, and whose wife was Ruth Conner. The other sons were John and Thomas Lewis, who had one son, John Frazier George, who resided for a number of years at the old place near Mcllhenny Chapel, in the Grassy Meadows ; thence removed to Hinton, and later to Orange County, Virginia, in which county he now resides. The girls were Emily, who mar ried James H. Bledsoe, the mother of Randolph and James Owen Bledsoe, now citizens of Hinton, and Champion Bledsoe, of the Meadows, and Miss Sallie. Another daughter, Virginia,, married James W. Alderson, who now lives at Foss, in this county, and the other daughter, Miss Alice, married John L. Duncan, who lives at Oak Hill, in Fayette County. John George was the father of eleven children — eight girls and three boys. Martha married a Curry; Elizabeth married Peter Maddy; Sarah married Marion Gwinn ; Mary married a McClung; Cynthia married Pharas Harrah, and Virginia, who married Hill Nickell, now lives in Colorado. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 517 The sons were John A. George, who married Elizabeth Benson Miller, daughter of Captain A. A. Miller, and who owns the A. A. Miller plantation. He was married in 1868. He was a brave soldier in the Confederate Army through the Civil War, was a member of Edgar's Battalion, is a Presbyterian and a Democrat. William V. George, another son of John, died in Texas. Thomas A. George married Miss Mary Hinchman, a granddaughter of the English set tler, William Hinchman, of near Lowell. He settled on and be came the owner of the Robert Miller farm of several hundred acres on Lick Creek near Green Sulphur Springs at the close of the war, and lives there to this day. His children are James H. George; cash ier of the Bank of Wyoming, who was sheriff of Summers County for four years, from January 1, 1897, to December 31, 1900; and John L. George, who resides with his father on Lick Creek; Miss Minnie, who married Dr. Edgar E. Noel, and Miss Nina, who mar ried Sam McClurg; and Ella. Thomas A. George entered the Confederate Army in 1861, and on the 7th day of October, 1863, was captured by the Federal sol diers under Blazer while returning and near his home on a furlough. He was carried to Fayetteville and placed in jail ; from thence taken to Charleston; thence to Wheeling; thence to Camp Chase, where he remained for three months ; thence to Rock Island, Illinois, where he was detained eighteen months, and released in July, 1865. He was married to Miss Mary Symms Hinchman August 31, 1865. He is one of the leading citizens of Summers County, engaged in farming and stock dealing. Dr. P. A. George, of Ronceverte; Arthur George, of Hinton; Miss Norma, of Colorado, are children of John A. George. The Georges are among the most substantial citizens and the oldest settlers of this region, and their descendants are scattered over' many States. Another son of Thomas A. George was Rev. Wm. George, an accomplished Presbyterian minister, who went West, and in early manhood died from pneumonia. He was a graduate of Hampden Sydney College, with bright prospects for the future. Margaret Miller, daughter of Robert Miller, the senior, married Alex. Mc Clurg, who settled in Missouri. He is one of the main supports of the Presbyterian Church, and a Democrat in politics. John George, the father of Thomas A., was killed by a horse kicking him, in the barn on the George place on Lick Creek while on a visit to that place. These Georges are descendants on their mother's side of Robert 518 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.. Miller, a half brother of John Miller, Sr., who settled on Lick Creek where T. A. George now resides. He was the owner of three slaves before the war, and built a large hewed two-story log house on the site where the modern frame residence now stands. The wife of Robert Miller was born in Philadelphia, Penn. They left at their death eight children, four boys, William, who died at an old age in the Meadows at the foot of Sewell Mountain. Before removing to the Meadows he owned .the Goddard and Dean farms on top of the mountain near Elton, and formerly known as the Sampson-Zickafoose place. The other sons were John and Alex ander, who never married, and lived and died on the old farm where Thomas A. George now lives. They were large land own ers and enterprising men, and operated an ancient mercantile es tablishment on the site of the present Gwinn, Flint & Co. estab lishment. They at times owned large tracts of wild lands on Keeney's Knob, Chestnut Mountain, AVar Ridge, and in Fayette County, and were wealthy men in their day. They were both buried in the Miller graveyard on the old John Miller, Sr., farm. Of the other son, whose name was Robert, we have no history, as he emigrated West and was lost sight of. He was understood to have settled in Missouri. The four girls of Robert Miller were Polly, Betsy, Jean and Margaret. Jean married John Alexander, of Monroe County; Mary married Thomas Ferry and settled in Missouri; Betsy married Grigsby Lewis, of the Meadows, and Margaret married John George. There was another daughter of John George, Sr., Louisa, who married James Houston Miller, who removed to Texas, and she died there. CARDEN. Isaac Carden was of English descent, a native of Botetourt County, Virginia, born in 1791, and died August 31, 1863, and is buried at Barger's Springs. He was a soldier in the American Army in the war with England in 1812, and was at Hamp ton Roads when peace was declared. After being discharged from the army by reason of the termination of the war, he located on Greenbrier River at what was then, and was for years afterwards, known as Carden Springs, later as Barger's Springs, and now as the Greenbrier Springs. He built a two-story log house, still standing on that property, which is now 107 years old. He purchased that farm with his brother, John Carden, who lived where W. J. Tabor now resides. Allen Carden lived on the land now owned by E. W. JAMES H. GEORGE, Ex-Sheriff and Capitalist. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 519 Taylor; Allen later moved to Tennessee, and John to Illinois. Allen was a singing master and author. His nephew, Allen A. Carden, now seventy years old, resides in Hinton. Isaac Carden left surviving him John M. Carden, the present ef ficient deputy clerk of the County Court of Summers County. I. G. Carden and Allen A. Carden ; two girls, Mary J., who married W. H. Barger, and Amanda, who married Thomas Webb, who died, leaving one child ; McKendrie, who married Andrew L. Campbell. After the death of Isaac Carden, the ancestor, the Carden plantation was di vided into five parts, one part to each child. Each of the three brothers were brave soldiers in the Confederate Army through the Civil War, each being members of Lowry's Battery, each volunteer ing in 1861, and were true and honorable soldiers. J. M. and A. A. Carden now reside in Hinton ; I. G. resides at Forest Hill ; he has been deputy sheriff of the county for sixteen years. John M. Carden built one of the first hotels in the city of Hinton, which he named the Hotchkiss House, after Stonewall Jackson's famous courier, Major Jed Hotchkiss. The Carden brothers, sons of A. A. Carden, now own and operate The Carden Hardware Company, doing business near the court house. Each of the Cardens are enterprising citi zens, among the substantial and progressive people of this region. KEATLEY. The founder of the Keatley family came from Ireland early in the eighteenth century. His name was James Keatley, and" he settled at the mouth of Indian Creek; another brother settled in Pennsylvania. The two brothers emigrated together from Ireland. James Keatley settled at the mouth of Indian, and died, leaving five sons, James, Henry, Joseph, John and Wilson. Wilson died in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, ;of which army each of the brothers were soldiers, except James. Joseph located in Wyoming County in 1870; Henry on Stinking Lick, in Sum mers County, and John in Mercer County. Joseph returned to the mouth of Indian in 1890, purchasing a part of the Fowler plan tation, at which place he died in 1899, leaving surviving Andrew Jackson Keatley and George, now residing in Fayette County. James now lives at Montgomery, in Fayette County; Louis at the same place ; Robert is also a resident of Fayette County, and the following daughters, Mary, who married George Sanger; Ellen, who married Morris Harvey; Jenny, who married W. D. Light, 520 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. each of whom reside in Fayette County; Malindy, who married Louis Shumate, of Wyoming County; Ann, who married Mr. Houchins. A. J. Keatley and George were twin brothers, born May 11, 1868, and for some time they owned jointly and operated the lower Indian Creek Mill. In 1904 A. J. Keatley was elected sheriff of Summers County, as the regular nominee of the Demo cratic party, which office he has faithfully filled, with Walter P. Bowling his efficient deputy, Mr. Keatley's majority being over four hundred (400), his opponent being Ashby Brown, of Meadow Creek. A. J. Keatley, during his term as sheriff of the county, resided at Barger Springs, he and James D. Bolten being the pro prietors of that resort, and are engaged in business under the firm name of Bolten & Keatley, having taken charge of that property in the year 1905 under a lease for five years. Mr. Keatley married Miss Linnie Harvey, a daughter of the late Allen L. Harvey. Henry Keatley died at Hinton a few years ago. He was quite a celebrated character throughout his early life, being charged, in connection with a number of others, in the commission of various offenses in violation of law, and spent some time in jail, charged with the burning of Walker & Peter's tobacco barn, convicted at one trial and new trial given, and he was proven to be innocent. He was a man of shrewd sense, and left surviving him two sons, Jorden and James, and one daughter, Lydia, who married Samuel Nunley, who lives on Madam's Creek. James Keatley lived to an advanced age, and died recently at the old Keatley homestead at the mouth of Indian. Each of the Keatley brothers were Democrats in politics, and strong secession- icts, except James, who was a strong Union man and Republican; he married a Garten, one of a family of the first settlers of the New River Valley of Summers County — a daughter of Goodall Garten, who was an ancient horse-trader and who settled, lived and died on New River opposite Gatliff's Bottom, and owned an island in New River at that point. James Keatley left two sons, John and Lewis, now dead. Wilson Keatley was the father of "Squire" James M. Keatley at Indian Mills, dying during the war. His son, James M., owns the old homestead and was elected a justice of the peace of Forest Hill District, and held the office to the sat isfaction of his constituents for four years, and is an enterprising farmer. There are a number of the descendants of the original James Keatley in this section of the State. Sheriff A. J. Keatley has two boys, Harvey and Joseph, and one daughter, Virginia. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST, VIRGINIA. 521 FORD. William Harrison Ford, one of the substantial farmers of Lick Creek, was born in Greenbrier County April 13, 1816. He is still hale and hearty, and has lived all his life in this region. He came to the county from Sewell, in Fayette County, eighteen years ago, purchasing the William B. McNeer place on Slater's Creek, where he resides with his son, Rufus H. Ford, one of the substantial and enterprising men of the county, and who married Miss Dora Har row. The other sons of William H. Ford are John H., who mar ried Miss Arathusa Duncan ; Wallace A., who married Miss Sabina George, and nowvresiding in Fayette County, and two daughters, Cyntha Alice, who married Walter H. Boude, the present clerk of the circuit court, and Martha, who married John Gibson, of Fay ette County. The land on which Mr. Ford now lives was granted by the commonwealth to a man by the name of Slater, who sold the place for a gun and buckskin waistcoat. Later, the land came into the ownership of John C. and William Newton McNeer, heirs of Wil liam B. McNeer, who sold to the present owner. FREDEKING. There were three brothers emigrated from Germany in 1848, who located in Southwest Virginia — Charles Fredeking, Carl A. Fredeking and Lee Fredeking. They each removed to Summers County in 1873, locating in Hinton, and were three of the first settlers of that town. They were each educated Germans, well instructed in English and enterprising gentlemen. Lee engaged in mercantile pursuits, and died a few years after his settlement, leaving a widow, the venerable Mrs. Martha Fredeking, who is the mother of Mrs. Robert R. Flannagan; Lee, who is a telegraph operator in Hinton, and W. L. Fredeking, who is a jeweler, and is now one of the wealthy men of that ,city, prominent in business affairs, the present president of the Hinton Water, Light & Sup ply Company, a stockholder in the Bank of Summers and numerous other business enterprises and corporations, and has been recorder of the city of Hinton for three terms. Otto Fredeking, another son, is a locomotive engineer and director in the Citizens Bank, and interested in various business enterprises. Charles Fredeking engaged in mercantile pursuits, an artist of ability and reputation. He originated and had constructed under 522 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. his direction the first theatrical enterprise established in Hinton; painted the scenery throughout with his own hands. He died several years ago, leaving his son, A. G. Fredeking, a locomotive engineer, a deputy game and fish warden under Governor's Daw son's administration, and three daughters, Miss Lena, who married P. K. Litsinger; Miss Laura, who married L. E. Dyke, and Mrs. Hazeltine, the milliner. Carl Alexander Fredeking, the third brother, lived for many years after the death of the two older brothers, Charles and Lee. He lived to see the city of Hinton grow from an insignificant ham let of no population, into a strong, populous and wealthy town of more than 6,000 souls. He was an enlightened and enterprising man, a merchant and soldier of fortune, engaged at one time in the export of timber to Europe, and took a lively interest in political affairs. He died on the 14th day of May, 1907, at his home in Hinton, respected by all men. After emigrating to America when the Crimean War was declared, he was in Louisville, Ky. He enlisted a company of soldiers for that war, carried them to New foundland, across the Atlantic Ocean, enlisted under the flag of Great Britain and the allied armies against Russia. He fought at the battle of Balaklava, and took a part in the famous charge in that fight. After the termination of this war, he returned to South west Virginia, and in 1873 came to Hinton, first engaging in the mercantile business, building the store and residence building now owned by Dr. Fox, on the corner of Ballangee Street and Second Avenue, which was then a barren field, which showed his faith in the future of the town. Later, he engaged in the export of walnut timber to Europe, and in 1878 had a large and valuable cargo lying in the James River, awaiting transportation, when the flood came and carried all of his accumulations out to sea, thereby losing his entire fortune. About this time he returned to Germany, married Miss Helena Schmidt, who survives. He was twice justice of the peace and was coroner for the county at the time of his death. He left surviving Herbert, Walter, Carl, Julian and Frankie, who married Wm. Callison, and Miss Alice, who married A. G. Flana gan, all residents of the city of Hinton ; and Miss Josie, who mar ried Dr. Timberlake, of Fayette County. He was justice of the peace for eight years, and one of the main supports of the Presby terian Church from the date of its organization until his death. The Fredekings have always been prominent in the affairs of the county from its formation practically. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 523 ALDERSON. The Aldersons were among the first settlers west of the Alle gheny Mountains. George Alderson was the first pioneer Baptist minister west of that range, and settled at the town of Alderson and organized the Missionary Baptist Church in this region of the country. His descendants still live at the same place, for whom that town is named, Hon. George Alderson being the owner of the land on which the town is built. Curtis Alderson was the name of the original settler in America and the founder of all the gen erations of Aldersons. He was banished from England, made his escape, was recaptured, and by his captivating persuasiveness, the captain of the ship on which he was confined agreed to convey him to America, upon his agreeing to work for seven years in consid eration therefor. At the end of the seven years' service he married the daughter of this captain, whose name was Curtis, he thus taking the name of his wife's father. One of his descendants, Curtis Aider- son, settled on Lick Creek at the foot of Keeney's Knob, where he built a modern two-story log house, and raised a large family. This place is now owned by Mr. Daubenspeck, and is known to this day as the "Curtis Alderson" place. It was granted to Samuel Withrow by Governor James Wood, June 27, 1790, Withrow being assignee of James Claypool, assignee of Wm. Dunbar. At the time the Indians killed Thomas Griffith two miles below Alderson town on the Greenbrier River, and in escaping with the prisoner, Griffith's boy, they passed down Lick Creek and slept one mile below the Curtis Alderson place, while the white men were pursuing, camped at this place. Lina Mims Alderson was a son of Curtis Alderson, and lived to be an old man at the low gap between Laurel and Lick Creek, where he owned a good mountain plantation, where his daughter, Sally, who married Henry Shepheard, now lives. His first wife was a Dunsmore, of Sink's Grove, in Monroe County, and was an aunt of Prof. J. G. Dunsmore, now conducting the Dunsmore Business College at Staunton, Virginia. His second wife was a Peters, a descendant of Christian Peters, and was a sister of the wife of Columbus Wran Withrow, now living at New Richmond, and a niece of Mrs. Rebecca Pack, the widow of Anderson Pack, now living at Burden, Kansas, ninety-seven years of age. L. M. Alderson left two sons, James W., who married a daughter of Thomas Louis George, of Greenbrier County, and is now a mer chant at Foss. Peter L. Alderson, the other son, married a daugh- 524 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ter of one Marion Gwinn, and is a prosperous farmer, residing in the State of Kansas. Asa Alderson, another son of Curtis, also lived on Keeney's Knob Mountain, on a tract of land adjoining his brother, L. M. Alderson. Over this 100 acres of ground he and Captain A. A. Miller had their famous law suit, which was finally decided by the Supreme Court of Virginia in favor of Alderson, and is reported in thp Grattan reports. Governor Price was the losing attorney. Samson, a son of Asa Alderson, lives near Frank fort, in Greenbrier County, and his son, Charles M. Alderson, is the practicing attorney at Charleston, W. Va. Another son owns the Alderson Academy at Alderson, W. Va. All of the remainder of the Alderson generation of the Summers branch have long since emigrated to other countries. Major J. Coleman Alderson, who married a daughter of Governor Samuel Price, and courier for Stonewall Jackson, and a chivalrous, courtly gentleman, resides at Charleston. Hon. John Duffy Alderson, who represented the Third West Virginia District for Congress three terms, is a son of Joseph Alderson, and resides at Summerville, in Nicholas County. They are all direct descendants of the original Curtis Alderson. John Alderson, the first of the name, visited the upper end of this county in 1775, with his brother-in-law, William Morriss, each bringing a patent for 1,200 acres. John Alderson made his survey so as to include the bottom lands at and just below the town of Alderson, which lapped over on a part of the Lewis survey, Lane's Bottom, so named from the fact that it was once owned by General Lane, and over which there was extended litigation in the local and Supreme Courts. Alderson built his cabin on the identical spot where John W. Alderson's hotel now stands. This was Rev. John Alderson, the pioneer Baptist preacher. There are some of the descendants of this John Alderson residing on Griffith's Creek, namely, Joseph and James. BROWN. William Brown is now sixty-five years old, born March 17, 1842. His father's name was William Brown, who moved from Monroe County and settled in Pipestem District ; his grandfather's name was William Brown, a native of Scotland, who emigrated from that country. The present AA'illiam Brown married Cornelia Hale, of Giles County, Virginia, on the 14th of November, 1868. They have seven children, Robert, Edmond, Lee, Rufus, Daniel, Sira AV., who was killed in March, 1897, bv W. B. Clough, who was tried for HISTORY- OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 525 murder in the Summers Court, convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to the penitentiary for one year; Wilmeth, who married Dan Tolly; Edna, who married Grat AA'illiams; Lucinda, unmarried. William Brown was a member of the 17th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry, Co. A. His captain was Henly French. He was in the battle of Gettysburg, and one of the detail to guard 5,000 prisoners (Federal soldiers) captured on the first day of the battle. It was here that Robert Gore alone captured a company of 100 Union soldiers and marched them into camp. This feat of bravery was witnessed by William Brown. Captain Bob Gore was made cap tain of Co. D, 17th Virginia Cavalry, promoted on the first day of the fight for his gallantry in battle. William Brown was in the principal battles of this war ; was at Morefield and Winchester. He was nineteen years old when he enlisted in August, 1861, and was at the surrender at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, and was never absent 'except on leave from his superiors. He was at the Flat Top fight, May 2, 1862, between General Cox, commanding the Fed erals, and Colonel Marshall ; also at the fight at the Pigeon Roost, at Princeton, between General Marshall, commanding the Confederates, and General Cox, the Unionist ; was at Monocasy Junction in Maryland, where his company went in with 120 men and came out with sixty; at the Spottsylvania Court House, fight ing for ten days in succession under' Lee after the fall of Richmond. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, a Christian citizen and a worthy man., HOBBS. There are two families of Hobbs in the county, one of which is of the very first settlers of the city of Hinton, James H. Hobbs, who located on the island in Avis in the early history of the town about 1874. He married a Miss Foster, a daughter of James E. Foster, of the Wolf Creek Mountain, and reared a large family of children. He now resides in Jumping Branch District, his wife having died a few years ago. His son, Cyrus C. Hobbs, resides in Hinton, and is a painter and an employe of the C. &. O. Railway Company, and was a sergeant -in Co. A, First Regiment, West Virginia Volunteer Infantry in the Spanish-American War of 1898, and was in service throughout that war. James H. Hobbs, the founder of the family in the county, is a carpenter by trade and an educated and intelligent gentleman, celebrated for his wit and good sense — a strong, old-time Republican, who was one of the 526 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY,""" WEST VIRGINIA. founders of the party and organizers of it in this county. For the past few years he has been engaged in farming and teaching school. He is generally known as the "mayor of Leatherwood," he being the owner of the old Williams farm on that branch. He was a constable for four years, elected in Greenbrier District when the same was Democratic, and has filled other important positions. He is quite an intellectual gentleman; frequently writes for the public press. His daughters teach in the high school at Hinton. THOMAS NASH READ. Thomas Nash Read is by birth a native of Danville, Virginia, having been born in that city on the 18th day of February, 1868. His father's name was Thomas N. Read, and he was an accom plished doctor of dentistry. He was accustomed to spend ftie sum mers at the noted summer resort, Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, and in the year 1870, while en route over the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway to that place, was killed in a railway accident at Jerry's Run, on the Virginia side of the Allegheny Mountains. The railroad track ran along the mountain beside a deep ravine, called Jerry's Run. The train left the track, which was on trestles, and rolled down the mountain side into the ravine, killing thirteen persons instantly, one of whom was Dr. Read. Prior to the date of this accident, there existed no laws in the State of Virginia or West Virginia by which damages could be recovered for the death of a person caused by the neglect, care less or criminal intent of another, and this accident being so ter rible in its consequences, the neglect of the railway company being so apparent, that the statesmen of those days took the matter up, and the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia pro ceeded to pass an enactment, fixing a pecuniary liability of not exceeding $10,000.00 for a death caused by that character of ac cident, which enactment in that State was later followed by the present West Virginia laws on the same subject. Mr. Read's mother was Rebecca S. Barksdale, of Halifax County, Virginia, and a sister of Dr. William Leigh Barksdale, a prominent practicing physician and surgeon, now residing in Hin ton. She now resides with her sons, Thomas N. and Leigh. He has one brother, Dr. E. L. Read, a dentist, now residing and prac ticing his profession in the city of Baltimore, he having married Emma Gwinn, of Bloomington, 111., a daughter of Jackson Gwinn, CHARLES GARTEN, SR., Ancient Farmer and Capitalist. JAMES H. HOBBS, Wit, Teacher, Farmer (Mayor of Leatherwood.) HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 527 who removed to the western country many years ago, being one of the Lowell Gwinns. Mrs. Read removed with her sons to Alderson, in Monroe County, when the subject of this sketch was seven years of age, and in which town he grew to manhood, attending the public schools and the Alderson Academy, later taking a literary course at Hampden Sidney College, the noted Presbyterian school, lo cated in Prince Edward County, Virginia, after the completion of which he took the law. course of the University of Virginia, under the celebrated law professors, John B. Minor, author of "Minor's Institutes," and Gilmore, of 1899-90. He was first admitted to the practice of the law and received his license in Virginia in the year 1890, and was admitted to the bar in Virginia in 1891, beginning active practice at Newcastle, in Craig County, having located for that purpose in Newcastle, the county seat of said county, where he practiced 'by himself for a short period, but soon after locating, formed a co-partnership for the practice of the law with the Hon. James AA' Marshall, known all over Virginia as "Cyclone Jim," which partnership was dissolved, in 1894, when he removed to Hinton and formed a law partnership with James H. Miller, the writer, on the first day of July, 1894, which partnership continued until the election of the latter to the judgeship of the Ninth West Virginia Circuit, on December 1, 1904, since which time he has continued in the practice of his profession in Summers, Monroe, Greenbrier and Fayette Counties, the part nership name of the old firm having been Miller & Read, he suc ceeding to the business of the old firm and concluding all of the unfinished business, which was extensive for a county of the popu lation and wealth of Summers. James H. Miller was the prosecuting attorney of the county at the date of the formation of the firm of Miller & Read, and Mr. Read at once qualified as an assistant, and which position he filled during the remainder of that term and for the next succeeding term, to •which he was elected in 1896. His fulfillment of the duties of that position was able, consistent and conscientious. He is an able and faithful attorney. The associations of the writer with him for a period of ten years gave him an exceptional opportunity to learn of his ability, his honesty as an attorney, as well as his short comings, and it is a pleasure to record the testimony as to this gentleman's manly character. We consider him in the front rank of his profession, well worthy of the full confidence of his clients. He is a Democrat in politics and an Episcopalian in his religious 528 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. connections, having the confidence and esteem of his political as sociates, frequently stumping the county in the interest of its can didates, and is one of the trustees and vestrymen of his church. In 1905 he was married to Miss Nannie D. McCartney, of Craig County, Virginia, a daughter of Captain Thomas B. McCartney, of that county, an old Confederate veteran, for many years clerk of the county court, and an "old Virginia gentleman." Mr. Read was a candidate for the office of prosecuting attorney in this county at the election of 1900, having received the nomina tion at the Democratic primary over one of the favorite "sons of Summers," the popular and well-esteemed Charles Allen Clark, now practicing law in San Francisco, Cal., but was defeated at the polls by fourteen votes, as shown by the returns of the board of canvassers, by Hon. Frank Lively, the present Assistant Attorney- General of this State. It was over this election and the Read vote at the court house precinct that the Republican organization re ceived the famous appellation of "Blue Pencil Brigade," given to it by Mr. Howard Templeton, then editor and proprietor of the "Independent Herald," a newspaper then published in Hinton, the claim being made by the Democrats that a man by the name of Smith, one of the election commissioners at the court house, while counting the vote in that ward on the night of the election, and in taking out the ballots from the box, smoothing them out and pass ing them on to another commissioner to read; and after reading them, had passed them on to a third commissioner, to be strung on a string arranged for the purpose, Mr. Read's name was erased from thirty-six of the first eighty ballots counted, a blue pencil being used in making the erasures.. When eighty ballots had been counted, the other commissioners discovered that something im proper was being done, the count was stopped, and an investigation made, which revealed something of these facts, after which the count proceeded. The honest commissioners watched,, and no fur ther suspicious erasures were discovered on the remaining 200 ballots counted after the dicovery. This Mr. Smith has ever after been designated as "Fishy Smith," he at one time having been fish and game warden. That this fraud was perpetrated has never been successfully denied, although it has been alleged frequently and continuously from that day to this, in and out of the public prints, by reliable, responsible and truthful persons of a political faith opposite to that of Mr. Read. Mr. Smith later became a captain in the war with HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 529 Spain, and is now a citizen of Richmond, Virginia, in the coal agency business. At the election in 1904, Mr. R. F. Dunlap was elected prosecut ing attorney on the Democratic ticket, and upon taking the office on the 1st day of January, 1905, Mr. Read, upon his motion, took the oath as assistant prosecutor, which position he has held to the present time, and still retains. Mr. Read is a pleasant speaker, with considerable oratorical powers. He has been engaged as counsel on one side or the other in practically all of the principal cases tried in the courts of the county within the last ten years, and has had considerable practice in the Supreme Court of Appeals of the State, equal to that of any other attorney in this section of the State. He was senior counsel in the celebrated case of Pence and Davis vs. Carney et aL, con cerning the Pence's Springs property, lately determined by the highest legal tribunal of the State. He has one child, a lad of nine years of age, named Thomas Leigh Read. He is attorney for the city of Hinton, New River Grocery Co., Hinton Hardware Co., National Bank of Summers, and a number of other leading enterprises and leading business men of the county. His fir^t law partner was the Virginia statesman, Judge James M. Marshall, of New Castle ("Cyclone"), when he was admitted to the practice of his profession. He located in Hinton July 1, 1894. His brother, Dr. Leigh Read, is a dentist and resident of Baltimore City. He is a Democrat in politics, a believer in the doctrines of Jefferson, Jackson and Bryan, but has taken no active interest in politics outside of the county. He has engaged on one side or the other in most of the litigated causes arising in the county since his location here in 1894. ARCHIE ROY HEFLIN. Archie Roy Heflin, attorney at law and prominent member of the Hinton Bar, was born in Stafford County, Virginia, on the 18th day of September, 1856, his father being Charles Seddan Heflin, a relative of Seddan, famous in war times as a prominent Confed erate, and Secretary of War in President Davis' Cabinet. His mother was Miss Nannie E. Latham. On the 27th of October, 1881, he married Miss Ellie Dunlap, of Monroe County, W. Va. Judge Heflin was educated at the Virginia Agricultural and Me chanical College at Blacksburg, Va., and took the law course at Richmond College, Richmond, A^a., graduating at the former in 530 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 1877 and the latter in 1880, and was the orator at his graduation in both of his colleges, winning the $50.00 prize Cochran Medal of the Maury Society in the debate on his graduation at the Virginia A. and M. College. In 1880 he was unanimously elected as final orator of the Mu Signa Rho Society, one of the literary societies of the Richmond College, an exceedingly flattering com pliment, as that honor is universally hotly contested for. The Society was founded in 1845, and in its history this is the only occasion where the honor was bestowed unanimously and without opposition. His subject on that occasin was "Perils of States' Dishonor," which he handled with great ability and credit, his opponent being M. P. Huff, whose subject was "Bismark." The subject of his debate at his graduation at the Blacksburg College was, "Is the World Advancing in Civilization?" in which he had a hard proposition to handle the negative, and it was in this de bate he won the Cochran Gold Medal, awarded by a distinguished committee consisting of Hon. John W. Daniel, Hon. John Ran dolph Tucker, and Governor J. Hoge Tyler. He was called back to deliver the alumni address in 1881 of this school. Judge Heflin is a speaker of great force and very effective, es pecially in his arguments before the jury. He began the practice of law at Blacksburg, Va., in 1881, his license being signed by the late Judge Moncure, of Stafford, Va., one of the most distin guished jurists that ever occupied a seat on the bench of the Su preme Court of Appeals of Virginia. In 1885 he was elected by the Legislature of Virginia to the county judgeship of the dis trict composed of Giles and Bland counties, in Virginia, for a term ending in 1891. This court had original criminal jurisdic tion in all criminal probate and fiscal matters, which gave him a wide range of experience in his profession. In 1895 Judge Heflin, on the 24th day of December, located in Hinton for the practice of his profession,' forming a copartnership with the late George D. Haynes. Mr. Haynes died within a short time, since which time he has continued the practice in Summers and adjoining counties. In 1891 he was appointed by Governor A. B. AA'hite as a mem ber of the Board of Directors of the Asylum for the Insane at Spencer for a term of two years, and again for a term of four years, but resigned in 1905, having filled the position with honor to himself and profit to the State. He also served one term as city attorney for the city of Hinton, and as assistant prosecuting attorney of the county with Hon. Frank Lively, until his resig- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 531 nation, and then with Hon. E. C. Eagle, until the expiration of the full term of four years. Judge Heflin is an accomplished law yer and gentleman. He has a family of four children — Miss Archie, who is a student in New York City; Dunlap, engaged with the C. & O. Railway Co. at Lexington, Ky. ; John, a student at AArilliam & Mary College, and Paul, a student at the Hinton High School. He has taken an active part in the majority of the contested legal battles occurring in the courts of the county since his set tlement in Hinton, on one side or the other. He is considered a safe and wise counsellor. LEFTWICH. There are but two families of this name now residents of Summers County — George W. Leftwich, the veteran school teacher, and Jabez F., farmer, of Barger's Springs. The family is of English origin, emigrating from Europe in the latter half of the seventeenth century. Jabez seems to be a family name, that being the given name of the grandfather of the above-named Jabez and George. He was a soldier in the war with England of 1812, and his wife's name was Early, being a first cousin of the illustrious Confederate General Jubal A. Early. David W. Leftwich, the father of George and "Jabe," was born in Bedford County, on February 11th, 1827, and married Nancy Jane Williams, of Giles County, Va., February 14th, 1850, and died November 29th, 1895, near Talcott, W. Va. He volunteered in the Confederate Army in 1861, and served with honor and bravery throughout the Civil War in Clark's Battalion, Vawter's Company. George W. was born August 8, 1851, being the eldest of a family of six boys and six girls, and on December 18, 1873, mar ried Miss Sarah J. Ellison, whose grandfather was the celebrated Indian fighter at the time the Indians and whites had a fort on Crump's Bottom, and others on New River below Indian Creek. He began early life in the occupation of farming and teaching school, which he continues to the present day, and is one of the oldest and most successful teachers in the county. He was also one of the promoters and builders of the lower large grist mill on Indian Creek, at Indian Mills, just below the mouth of Brad shaw's Run. In 1894 he was elected superintendent of free schools for a full term, which position he filled with great ability 532 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. and to the satisfaction of his constituents, being elected by about 300 majority in a Democratic county. Mr. Leftwich being a con sistent Republican in politics, his election was a compliment to his honesty and capacity, and he is the second Republican elected to that office in the county, having been the regular nominee of his party, the other member of that party being Mr. J. F. Lilly, who ran as an independent candidate, back in the 80's. Mr. Ira W. Leftwich, the accomplished hardware salesman for Belknap & Co., is his eldest son. Mr. Leftwich is also an enterprising farmer and a gentleman of character, well informed and well edu cated. Jabez F. Leftwich is one of the most enterprising and thrifty farmers of Talcott District, and owns one of the neatest planta tions and homes in the county, adjoining the Bacon plantation near Barger's Springs. He married Miss Ellison, and has reared a family of grown children, all enterprising and intelligent, his eldest son, Earl, being engaged with the C. & O. Railway, and another son is in Colorado for his health. One daughter married Mac Nowlan, Esq., of Pence Springs, and one daughter is at home. He is one of the best citizens in the county. Hon. J. F. Leftwich, now a member of the State Senate, elected in 1906, a prominent lawyer of Boone County, is a. cousin, as is also Everett Leftwich, an attorney of Mingo County, and also Leftwich, attor ney, of Mississippi. Robert W. Leftwich, a brother of George AV. and J. F. Leftwich, took a course in medicine; resided for some years at Talcott, then removed to Texas and died there a few years ago, while engaged in the practice of his profession. CUNDIFF. Wm. R. Cundiff was a locomotive engineer, and one of the first settlers in Hinton, being a native of Virginia, emigrating to Gauley Bridge, and after the construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway removing to Hinton with his family, consisting of his wife, Annie Cundiff, and his sons, Frank and Ollie, and one daugh ter, Mamie, who afterwards married Charles H. Hetzel, the barber. He was by occupation a locomotive engineer of the Chesa peake & Ohio Railway Co., having been on the road since 1878, and on the 18th of February, 1881, he was killed by his engine running into a slide at Moss Run Fill. His widow was formerly Miss Annie Kilcollins, of Amherst County, Virginia, of which HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 533 county Mr. Cundiff was also a native, and she still resides in this city. Frank Cundiff, the oldest son, born at Blue Ridge Springs, Va., 1874, is also a very competent and trusted locomotive rail way engineer of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co., running west of Hinton. His picture will be seen ori the little shed or the end of the double porch of the log building formerly standing in the center of the railroad yard near the roundhouse, he being the one on the left leaning against the one-story log building. He is now thirty-three years old, and was married on the 6th day of Oc tober, 1898, to Miss Eunice Hutchinson, of Elton, a daughter of Michael and Mary Hutchinson, in this county. He has three chil dren — Edith, Bernice and Frank, Jr. I am indebted to him for the photograph which he had preserved of that old landmark. W. R. Cundiff married Sarah A. Kilcollins, of Blue Ridge Springs, Bed ford County, Virginia. JOHN HINTON. This gentleman resides two and one-half miles from the court house, on Madam's Creek. He is a son of Captain John Hinton, the first settler in the county, and a brother of Evan Hinton. His father at one time owned the land on which the city of Avis is now built. He was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, his wife being a Maddy, from Greenville, in Monroe County, a daugh ter of John Maddy. He had been in the habit of coming to the mouth of the Greenbrier River during his boyhood, with his father, John Hinton, on hunting excursions, and when he was about ten years of age his father purchased the Henry and Isaac Ballengee land at the mouth of the Greenbrier River at Avis. The only child of John Hinton is his son, John Wayne Hinton, a valued citizen of Jumping Branch District — a farmer. He lives adjoining his cousin, Silas R. Hinton, a son of Evan. John Hinton was one of the sureties on the first sheriff's bond ever executed in the county, that of his brother Evan. He can tell of many of the pioneer reminiscences, and the way things were done in this then wilderness in his boyhood days. The Hintons are loyal Democrats in party faith, and Missionary Baptists in their religious faith. He says merchandise in those days was shipped to the imme diate region around where Hinton is now located and the upper end of the county from Lynchburg and Richmond overland. At the time Mr. Hinton moved to the mouth of Greenbrier there were 534 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. no roads — nothing but bridle paths ; — and there were plenty of deer, wild turkeys and bear in the woods. The Avis Hinton prop erty was bought by his father from Henry Ballangee. There was no church then nearer Hinton than Alderson, twenty-one miles. The pioneer preachers were beginning to come into the region, however, and were permitted to preach at the private residences of the farmers. There were no schools or school houses. Mr. Hinton remembers John Rollyson, one of the foremost teachers in those times. Robert Commack was an old teacher, but his day was about 1860, and following the war. Green Lively was a cap tain of militia, and Wilson Lively the colonel. Colonel Wilson Lively lived at the old Graham log house, now resided in by Bun Kesler, at Lowell, until his death during the war, being a brave Confederate soldier. He was the father of our townsman, Frank Lively, the lawyer. There was no postoffice nearer than Union, a distance of twenty-five miles. John Hinton was mustered into the service of the Confederate Army at the mouth of Big Bluestone. In the days of the militia, Evan Hinton, the brother of John, was a captain, and the place of muster was at Jumping Branch. Lewis Upton was orderly ser geant. Soon after the declaration of war, Mr. Hinton volunteered and joined the company of Captain Philip Thurmond, and was attached to General John Echol's Brigade. John Hinton was one of the pioneers, a man of strict honor and integrity. He suffered much financially, by reason of his being one of the bondsmen of his brother, Evan Hinton, the first sheriff of Sum mers County. John AVayne Hinton is his only son, and he and his father reside together. He was an early neighbor of the Foxes, who lived at the place where Brooks Postoffice is now located, which is at the mouth of Brooks Creek, four miles west of Hinton, was originally settled by Mr. Brooks, who sold out his possessions at that place to David Fox, who died several years ago. David Fox owned the farm at the mouth of Brooks Creek, on which the little village of Brooks is now located, as well as the postoffice, there being two stores there at this time, owned by R. Meadows and James Samples, and half a dozen houses. The brother of David Fox, Samuel, resided about a mile above Brooks, at what is now known as Barksdale, where he died dur ing the war, leaving several daughters, who. still reside on the premises, and one son, George, who resides in Greenbrier County, at Dawson. David Fox was the father of Charles R., Samuel H. and James H., who all reside at Brooks Postoffice, who are each JAMES D. BOLTON, Farmer and Capitalist. JOHN HINTON, The Oldest Representative of the Hinton Generation. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 535 thrifty, well-to-do and prosperous farmers, each having money in bank and owe no debts. They are noted for being the possessors of fine horse-flesh. Joseph is now living in parts unknown, having emigrated to Parkersburg, in this State, and afterwards going to parts unknown, having failed in business. THE HINTON-RICHMOND FIGHT. William C. Richmond was a son of Samuel Richmond, raised at Richmond Falls, and was a man of tremendous physical power. Evan Hinton, the "Father of the County," son of Jack (John) Hinton, was also a man of great physical strength ; Richmond being a large-boned, tall, sinewy man, while Hinton was short, active and muscular. Before the war it was very fashionable for the young men of the country to have wrestling matches, which very frequently ended in fights, as a test of manhood. Some of the neighbors of these gentlemen desiring to see a contest of their strength, told Evan Hinton that "Bill" Richmond had stated that he "could whip 'Jack' Plinton and all of his boys," for the purpose of incit ing a fight for the amusement of the neighborhood. Evan imme diately wrote to Richmond what he had heard, telling him if it was true to meet him, with his friends, at the farm just opposite Tug Creek, across New River, on the Raleigh side, below Hinton, and he "would show him whether he could whip 'Jack' Hinton and all of his boys." Richmond replied that he would be on hands. On the day appointed Richmond was on the grounds bright and early with his friends, and Hinton was there with his friends. They had each other searched for dangerous weapons, and, none being found, they stripped for the fray. Richmond was more ju dicious than Hinton, having put on a rotten shirt, so that when Hinton grappled it his holds would break, Hinton haying put on a shirt of strong make, and they went at it. It was about an equal show-down, sometimes one being down and the other on top, and so back and forth, until finally Richmond got Hinton down and got on top of him and had him in very bad shape, until Hinton managed to get Richmond's finger in his mouth. John Hinton said to Evan, "Come out from under there, Evan," and the friends of Richmond were encouraging him likewise to hold him down while he had him; Hinton having the finger of Richmond in his mouth, biting it with all his power, the pain became so severe 536 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. that Richmond could stand it no longer, and cried "Enough!" Leftwich Barker, a brother-in-law of Hinton's, told Richmond he would have to "holler" louder; that that wouldn't do; so Rich mond yelled "Enough !" The parties then separated and the fight ended. While Hinton was the victor, his punishment was possibly more severe than Richmond's. He became violently sick and suffered very severely. After the fight was over the young men shook hands, and there was no more of it from that day until the death of each, they being neighbors and friends until their deaths, both living to be very aged men. This fight was celebrated throughout the country, and is frequently referred to by the older citizens, Evan Hinton and William Richmond having both de tailed the facts to the writer years ago. Richmond was afterwards a Union soldier and Hinton a Confederate soldier. Richmond was known throughout the country as "Devil Bill" Richmond. He was afterwards a member of the Legislature from Raleigh County, justice of the peace, and high in the councils of the Republican party; while Evan Hinton became the sheriff and the "Father of Summers County." Richmond was arrested at one time by the Confederate bush whackers or scouts, and was taken on horseback behind one of the soldiers. In traveling through the mountains after night, he, desiring to make his escape, being astride the horse, holding on to the man in front, who held the bridle, took out his knife and deliberately cut the man's throat from the rear, slid off his horse and escaped. The man whose throat was cut, however, fortu nately did not die from the wounds. To show the fighting proclivity of the young men in those days, we give another instance of Evan Hinton and his father. They were driving hogs through the country and met with an other party, and when they came in sight "Jack" Hinton, Evan's father, told Evan that they would have to thrash those people ; so when they got together, Evan, after a hard-fought battle, cap tured his man, after considerable worry and distress, and on hap pening to think of his father, he looked back to see if he needed any assistance ; but the old gentleman had already thrashed his opponent, and was sitting on the bank of the road watching Evan complete his job. This story is not given in detail, and is quite an interesting yarn ; but it has been so long since its recitation to the writer that he has forgotten it, and is unable to give it in its interesting details. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 537 M'GINNIS. James H. McGinnis, of Raleigh County, was for thirty years identified with Summers County as a practicing attorney. He was one of the very few lawyers who could consistently and consci entiously practice his profession in this section of the State after the war. While he was a Union man, he was not one of that character who practiced or believed in oppressing his unfortunate neighbor who cast his lot with the fallen Confederacy, and he will always be remembered by the old Confederate soldiers and by their descendants for his conservatism, and for his aid in relieving them from the shackles of disfranchisement and test-oathism prac ticed for some years on powerless and defenseless' citizens. While the elective franchise was by the Government cast upon igno rant black men, educated, intelligent and patriotic white men were denied the rights of citizenship — citizens, but decitizenized. Mr. McGinnis was born of poor parents of Irish ancestry. He had but little opportunities — none of wealth or station, or the pres tige of an influential class. His educational opportunities were limited. For many years after he became celebrated as an advo cate and the most celebrated wit of his time and State, he wore the homespun garments of the backwoods, and without shame for the necessity. He enjoyed life ; took things as they came, whether in prosperity or adversity, and his greatest ambition was not to lay up riches. He practiced his profession in all the counties around, including Raleigh, Greenbrier, Monroe, Mercer, McDow ell, Kanawha, Fayette and Boone, and in the United States and Supreme Court of Appeals. AVe doubt if there was another law yer ever lived within the confines of the State who had so wide a range of practice as he enjoyed in his young and middle life. There were no means of transportation in those days except horse back. Years ago he located in Raleigh County, at Beckley, and there continued to reside until his death. He was prosecuting at torney of his county. In 1888 he was, without desire, effort, or even his knowledge, nominated as the Republican candidate for Congress in the Third West Virginia District against Hon. John Duffy Alderson, of Nicholas County. The returns showed his elec tion by about 200 votes. The election was contested. Mr. Al derson was given the certificate of election by a Democratic Gov ernor, Hon. E. Willis Wilson, and the contest was never tried. The term of two years expired before the case was reached on the 538 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. calendar. He was a candidate for judge of the circuit court at one time when the district was Democratic, and was defeated. At another time his friends ran him for the same office, and the nomi nation was his, had he seen proper to resort to certain manipula tions ; but he declined, and the nomination and the office went to his opponent. He was an accomplished criminal lawyer, as well as in the general practice, and his equal as a "pleader" is seldom found in any land. He attended the courts regularly in Summers at each term for many years, and was engaged in many of the earlier fa mous cases tried therein. He defended Lee Young for killing his father, John L. Young; Jordan Keatley and his father, for the burning of the tobacco barn of Henry Peters and C. W. Walker ; the Willis-Dickinson case (indictment for buggery) ; the Eva'n Hinton cases ; the court house location litigation, and many other celebrated causes. At one time he practiced in our county as a partner of Hon. Elbert Fowler, as McGinnis & Fowler. He was the best generally known practitioner from without the county. His brilliancy and witticisms were known far and wide. AA'hile a Republican in politics, it was without arrogance or narrowness. It was from principle, and not the politics of the demagogue or the office-hunter. In 1904 a strong effort was made to induce him to permit the use of his name as a Republican candidate for judge of the Ninth Circuit, but he declined by reason of his dis taste for political strife and his advancing years, and supported with all his vigor the Democratic candidate, and aided very ma terially in securing his election. He wrote as many as 500 letters under his own hand to his old friends and clients requesting the support of his choice. His funeral was preached in the Methodist Church at Beckley, and a great concourse of people out of respect attended the ser vices. He was a Mason, and was buried by that fraternal order. In his early days he taught school, and there are people now living in Raleigh County who owe to his teaching all the education they have. His son, William Hereford McGinnis, married a daughter of Rev. William Holroyd, of Athens, and the vote of Summers County was cast for him by 250 majority in the election of 1902, at which he was elected to the State Senate for a term of four years. He has also been the prosecuting attorney of Raleigh County and is one of its most prominent lawyers and Democrats, he and his father differing in their political faith. He represented his district four years in the State Senate, and has served his county HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 539 four years as prosecuting attorney, and is now one of the leading lawyers in the State and practicing in our county. A kinsman, Hon. T. J. McGinnis, is judge of the criminal court of Raleigh County. His son, John Douglas McGinnis, is also a practicing attorney at Beckley, and his son-in-law, Mr. T. K. Scott, is the postmaster of that town. WOODSON HARVEY. The first man convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary from this county was Woodson Harvey. He was indicted, tried and convicted for the murder of Til Thrasher in 1875. At the time of this killing for which he was sent to the penitentiary, James Keatley was selling whisky at the mouth of Indian Creek, near where C. A. Barber now lives. There was a Baptist Associa tion or meeting of some kind in that country, at Barton's Ridge, and Thrasher and Harvey had been to Keatley's grog shop and secured a supply of whisky, and went to this Baptist meeting. After they left the meeting they passed up Lick Creek, and when on the mountain side got into a quarrel and fight7and Harvey shot and killed Thrasher. Thrasher fell over against a large rock which remains by the roadside to this day, and the blood from the wounds ran out over onto this rock and remains there to this day to be seen. The killing occurred not far from the residence of Henry Gore, who married Adaline Keatley. After his death she married William A. French. Thrasher married Henry Gore's daughter, and after his death she sued her uncle, James Keatley, for damages for selling Thrasher the liquor. Keatley had secured his license from the county court of Monroe County just before the formation of Summers County. Adaline Gore was a sister of James Keatley. Keatley hunted up Thrasher's widow, secured a settlement or some kind of a statement from her by which the suit was dismissed, and nothing was ever recovered ; and from that day to this Adaline Gore (now French) never again spoke to her brother. Harvey was tried in the Summers Circuit Court, convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary for two years. He served his term, and returned to this region of the State, and is now living somewhere in the mining district, and was an active agitator of the strike of 1902. No liquor license has ever been granted at that place but once since the formation of the county, which was immediately Qn its formation for one year to said Keat ley. The old grog shop is a relic of the past. 540 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. MANDERVILLE. This is a family living near Indian Mills, at Manderville Post- office. The only settler of that name in the county was Joseph Manderville, who removed to the county from the Clear Fork, in Wyoming County, settling in the upper Forest Hill country. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and his widow, Mrs. Cleo Manderville, received a pension for many years from the National Government, until her death. She died at a very advanced age in 1906. There were two sons, John W., who is now postmaster at Manderville, and engaged in farming, and Joseph, who died several years ago. He was at one time a justice of the peace. This family is directly descended from the celebrated Lord Chief Justice of England. He was the Chief Justice in England, and is frequently quoted as an authority in the law books ; but was not of the cleanest reputation. He was, however, a great lawyer. A large patent of 10,000 acres of land was granted by the Govern ment to an ancestor of John Manderville, situated on Clear Creek Fork and the waters of the Guyandotte River, which descended to the Manderville ancestry, and which is now very valuable ; but until recent years to own it was to be land poor, as it brought no income, was far from transportation and market, but was cov ered with immense forests of the most valuable timber and is now underlaid with the now famous Pocahontas coal, and is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Mandervilles were not situated to hold it intact and pay taxes, and parted with parcel at a time until it had all been disposed of, while its great value was appreciated and it had no market for its real value. John W. is the only man of the name in the county. He has a number of relations among the Blankenships and others in Wyoming County. GEROW. Henry S. Gerow was a native of New York State, having mar ried Miss Sarah A. A. Owen, also of that State. He emigrated to Hinton in the year 1880, where he made his home until his death, on the 1st day of October, 1885. He was born in September, 1835. He is the only Quaker, so far as we have information, ever residing in the county, and was a most excellent and Christian gentleman. His wife was a relative of the Newkirks, and inherited one of the old land surveys in Pipe- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 541 stem District — 2,500 acres — jointly with her relatives, John R. and William H. Newkirk, who were sons of Steven Newkirk. Mrs. Gerow and her husband came to this country for the purpose of securing the title and possession to her inheritance, which in volved one of the longest and largest suits in equity ever prose cuted in the courts of this county. There were a great number of defendants, and a full account of this litigation is given else where. Mrs. Gerow recovered about 800 acres of this old sui'vey, which is situated on the waters of Tom's Run, on New River, and which property she still retains. She and her husband have made their residence and were among the most enterprising citi zens who helped to found the Mountain City. An instance of their patriotism is cited at the time the railroad company was threatening to remove its division, round house and offices from this city for want of room for yard purposes, and it became neces sary for the citizens to make some provision in order to retain the railway enterprise. Mrs. Gerow contributed one hundred dollars for that purpose. She is a lady of education, refinement and fine business ability, and is one of the considerable property-owners in the city at this date. The Owens and Gerows were of Scotch and English descent. Airs. Cerow's great-grandfather was Ebenezer Owen, of New York State, and he purchased the old patent in Pipestem in 1800. About 17S5 he visited this region of country and made a survey of his property, and while undertaking to ford New River at the War Ford, he was overthrown into the water and lost his instru ments. He also purchased large estates in realty in Kanawha County. Her grandfather's name was Abram Owen. Her father's name was Ebenezer Owen. H. S. Gerow was born in Plattekill, N. Y. The only other member of Mrs. Gerow's family was her brother, John, who died in Butte, Montana, within the last few years, unmarried. Abram Owen, the grandfather of Mrs. Gerow, was a soldier in the Mexican War. On another page an account of the famous suit of Gerow vs. Newkirk and others is given. JOSEPH HINTON. Joseph Hinton was one of the three sons of Avis Hinton, hav ing married a Miss Carper. He has been one of the most promi nent citizens of the county. He was first a deputy under Evan Hinton as sheriff of Summers County, after which he engaged 542 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. in the mercantile business in partnership with his brother, Silas, under the firm name of S. Hinton & Brother, which business was continued at the Upper Hinton Ferry for thirty-two years. He was one of the first commissioners of the county court, being the president of the court, along with John C. McNeer and B. F. Shu mate, the first commissioners under the present system. He was again elected to that position in 1900, most of the time being president of the court, and refusing to become a candidate for re-election in 1904. He was a Confederate soldier during the Civil War, being a member of Captain Thurmond's Company. He was one of the party who came from Alderson to Hinton in a large canoe used for the transportation of men and supplies on the Greenbrier River during the war. AArhile making one of these excursions down the river the party was shot at by bushwhackers in the mountain. The fire was returned, but no one shot, the party in the canoe lying down to prevent being killed or wounded. Mr. Hinton is one of the largest property-owners in the county, being one of the beneficiaries under the will of his mother, the late Avis Hinton. He is now sixty years of age, being only nineteen years of age when he joined the Confederate Army. He has trav eled quite extensively, having visited the Holy Land and other points of interest in Asia and Europe. He is identified with nu merous business enterprises, being a director in the First National Bank of Hinton, and identified with other large business enter prises. His father, John Hinton — he being a half-brother of the late Evan Hinton — had for many years before the war endeavored to secure a hew county, with the court house to be located at the mouth of Greenbrier River. John Hinton died in 1858. AArm. Hin ton, Jr., his brother, was a brave Confederate soldier. They are Missionary Baptists and Democrats. ELLISON. Ellison is one of the oldest family names in the county. Elli son Postoffice, in Jumping Branch District, established several years ago, was named in honor of this family. Jonathan F. Elli son then lived at that place, and was the first postmaster. He was a Republican, and at one time the nominee of that party for as sessor. His descendants live in the community to this day. James Ellison was the father of Matthew Ellison, the veteran preacher and pioneer Baptist minister, a man of great natural ability and an authority on immersion baptism, having written HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 543 one or two books on the subject. He died at a very advanced age, at Alderson. His father, James, was captured by the Indians on Crump's Bottom, after being shot in the shoulder. They chewed dogwood bark and spit in the wound, and carried him on the trail to Ellison's Ridge, in Jumping Branch District. He lagged be hind when darkness overtook them, when he ran over a bank and hid under a cliff, being pursued and passed in his hiding place, they passing on below. His hands being tied with thongs qf raw hide, he rubbed them against the stones until they were freed, and the thongs cut loose by the rubbing, and thus he made his escape, and made his way back to the settlement. This capture was on the last raid of the Indians on the trails by the Lower Bluestone and west of New River, in this region of the county. There is a field on Crump's Bottom now owned by Mr. G. W. Harmon, known as "Fort Field," because it was in this field there was in aboriginal times a fort constructed and maintained for the protection of the first settlers. It was in this rude fort that James Ellison was captured. The Farleys came early into that section, and were Indian fighters to the extent of breaking up further raids through that section. It is below this bottom on New River that the fine bottoms of Matthew Calloway Barker are located, originally granted to Galiff, and first settled by a man by the name of Collins. It is on this same bottom, some three years ago, that an ancient burial ground was discovered by an overflow of the banks of New River. The bones of a great number of human beings were found, and many curious and ancient implements and weapons uncovered, over which the footsteps of civilized man had trodden for generations. Lewis A. Ellison, a brave ex-Confederate soldier, resides on his farm near Forest Hill. He is one of the most substantial men of the county, and is now treasurer of the Mike Foster Monument Association, an organization having for its object the erection of a soldier monument to the brave Mike Foster, who died from the many wounds received in battle, soon after the war, and was buried at Forest Hill. William Ellison, another thrifty farmer, resides at Pipestem, and is engaged in the mercantile business at the old B. P. Shu mate stand. There are a number of other descendants of James Ellison still living in the county, including Frank and D. ElHson, sons of Jonathan F. ; but we are unable to secure a detailed his tory of the Ellison family. 544 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Samuel J. Akers, the land surveyor and notary, married a daughter of J. F. Ellison. Wm. Henderson Ellison now lives in Hinton. He is a son of Wm. T. Ellison. His grandfather's name was Asa. His great grandfather's name was Tuggle Ellison, from Franklin County, Virginia. There were five brothers who came from beyond the sea togther. Wm. Ellison settled in Florida; Larkin Ellison, a brother of Asa, settled in Oregon ; James Ellison lived in Pipe- stem, and died in 1888. HEDRICK. , This is a Talcott District family, the ancestors being of Eng lish descent, and of the same stock as the Greenbrier Hedricks. Moses Hedrick, the founder of the Hedrick generation in the county, first settled on Hungart's Creek, then Monroe County; thence removed to the Pisgah Church neighborhood, where he died on the 4th of April, 1894, aged eighty-seven years. At one time he owned large landed interests in the Hungart's Creek re gion. His brother, George, married a daughter of John Nolan, who left one child living, the wife of A\r D. Sherwood. Moses Hedrick married Miss Jennie Allen, who died November 27, 1893, aged eighty-four. The four sons of Moses Hedrick now living in Summers County are George W., AVilliam C. and John, who reside in Talcott District, near Barger Springs. William C. Hedrick, com monly known as "Squire," the elder brother, is distinguished as being the father of eight boys, all of voting age, and all voting the Democratic ticket. He has always wielded a large*and potent influence in the county. He was elected a justice of the peace, which office he held for four years. He was appointed for a second term in 1905, but resigned. He was also deputy sheriff of the county from 1896 to 1900, under James H. George, high sheriff of the county. He is a man of character, and resides with his wife, a daughter of Nathaniel Allen, on his farm near Barger Springs. Geo. W. Hedrick was elected in 1892 a commissioner of the county court, and held the office for the full term of six years. In 1904 he ran with L. M. Neely, Jr., for assessor of Summers County, which position, as assistant to Mr. Neely, he has faithfully filled for three years, and he is now a candidate for election to the of fice of assessor of the internal revenue in the county, with Mr. Neely as his assistant. Matthew C. Hedrick, another brother and son of Moses, resides in Jumping Branch District, on Little Blue- WM. C. HEDRICK, Oldest Living Representative of the Hedrick Family. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 545 stone, and was elected to the office of' justice of the peace in that district, which position he held for four years, and was also ap pointed by the county court to the same position. His son, M. C. Hedrick, was deputy sheriff for four years under H. Ewart, high sheriff. The Hedricks are all Democrats in their political affilia tions, and have held important positions in the councils of "the county and district committees. Squire W. C. Hedrick was a brave soldier throughout the Civil War for four years. George W. Hedrick, ex-sheriff of Raleigh County, is a member of the same branch of the family, and is one of the substantial citizens of that county, having been also deputy and held other important posi tions. In 1906 he was the Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates from that county. • "Dock" Hedrick, son of Squire William C, is now the courteous hackman of the Greenbrier Springs Company, along with his brother Henry. John B. is another son of Moses, who resides at Talcott, and has two sons, Matthew and Mike, who are employed by the C. & O. Railway Co. The Hedrick family is one of the pioneer and substantial fami lies of the county, that go to make up her good citizenship. N. B. Hedrick, another son of Squire William C, was elected justice of the peace in 1906, having held one term prior under appoint ment. The Hedricks are loyal party men; but are not seekers after political office. When elected, it is at the demand of their neighbors. HINES. Charles R. Hines, the founder of the family name in this county, was a native of Monroe County, having removed from that county in 1806. He married Sarah R. Beard, a daughter of Jesse Beard, one of the Pocahontas stock of that name, who owned the Beard plantation, which was a large and valuable tract of land ori which the famous Pence's Spring is located. Jesse Beard was a native of Milborough, Pocahontas County, who died about the close of the Civil War, leaving two sons, Thomas Beard and Wallace Beard, and three daughters — Madora, who married George Keller and now resides at Lowell; Sarah R. married Charles R. Hines, and the other sister married Caleb Johnson, of Illinois. The Beard plantation was divided, and the wife of Charles R. Hines became the owner of 116 acres, which has recently been 546 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. sold to A. E. Humphries, of Charleston, for $10,000. Charles R. Hines was married twice, his first wife being a Conner, of Muddy Creek, a daughter of John Conner, one of the first merchants who ever sold goods on the Lick Creek. By this wife there were born five children, two girls and three boys — James, Lorenzo and John, and Mary and Mattie — all of whom are now dead. By the second wife there were six children, all of whom died in infancy except Charles L. B., who is now engaged as a pharmacist in Kansas City, Mo., and J. Lee, who lives at Pence's Springs. He married Miss Winn, of Albemarle County, Va. C. L. B. is unmarried. Charles R. Hines, the ancestor, was a brick mason by trade, and a very intelligent man. He was at one time engaged in the mercantile business at Palestine, m Greenbrier County, but at the formation of Summers County was a resident thereof, and was active in its formation. He was a justice of the peace and a mem ber of the county court from the formation of the county until his death. His partner in the mercantile business was E. M. Brown, a veteran merchant of Union. He was one of the mem bers of the county court who settled the court house location question. Thomas Beard emigrated to the West, and was thrown from a wagon loaded with hay, and killed. He never married. COCHRAN. Charles Cochran, one of the oldest citizens of this county, resides in Jumping Branch District. He emigrated to this county from Franklin County, Virginia, in 1872. His wife's name was Ruth Radford. He is now eighty-two years old, hale and healthy. He was a Confederate soldier throughout the Civil AA'ar. He at this time has two sons living — Robert, who married Aliss Pack, a daughter of Preston Pack, and A. J., who married a Aliss Shively. Robert is a prosperous farmer in Jumping Branch District. A. J. has been a justice of the peace eight years. He also held the office of Constable for the Jumping Branch District for several years, and has been a member of the Democratic County Execu tive Committee, and aggressive in the causes of his party. One son, Michael, died in 1884. He married a Miss Arest, daughter of Anderson Vest. In 1894 he was accidentally cut by a scythe while mowing his meadow, from which wounds he died. He had also held a position as constable for a number of years. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 547 DEEDS. Two of the oldest citizens now residing in Summers County are two brothers, John Deeds and C. B. Deeds, the former living near Jumping Branch and the latter at Jumping Branch, and is a member of the firm of Meador & Deeds, who have been en gaged in the mercantile business at that place for many years, and who are probably the oldest merchants now operating in Summers County. The other member of the firm is Green F. Meador, a son-in-law of C. B. Deeds. These brothers removed to Summers County while they were youths, before the war. John is now ninety-two years old. They were born in Allegheny County, Vir ginia, and were of Dutch descent. C. B. Deeds is one of the thriftiest business men in the county. Both brothers are honest, reliable citizens. The former established and operated a tanyard at Jumping Branch for a number of years. EWART. The only family of this name ever residing in Summers County was founded by Colonel John S. Ewart. His ancestors were Eng lish. He was born August 22, 1813, in Groveland Township, Liv ingston County, New York, and educated at Temple Hill Acad emy, in his native county. He was a member of the New York State Guards, and as such led a company against the marauding Indians on the Canadian frontiers, and held a commission under the Government as colonel, by which title he was always famil iarly known thereafter. The title was well earned from active service, as well as intelligent and brave in action as a soldier in the army. In 1844 he removed to Southwestern Virginia, where he was engaged for a number of years in teaching school, civil -engineering and bridge building. He possessed rare mathe matical ability, and was noted for the intelligent plans and well executed work on several of the best 'bridges constructed in Vir ginia. He and his brother, James Ewart, were contractors in the construction of the famous James -River Canal. In May, 1852, he married Miss Sarah Honaker, of Pulaski County, Virginia. In 1856 he removed with his family to Raleigh County, W. Va., then Virginia. This was then a sparsely settled and wild frontier section. In those early days his intelligent judgment and fore sight saw the great development which was bound to come to 548 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. that region, as well as its great wealth in timber and coal ; but in those days there were no railroads or means of transportation within a hundred miles, with no prospects. of its being developed within a century. He acquired, however, a large boundary of these coal lands, which he held until the developments were in sight, a number of years before his death. In the great conflict between the States, which began in 1861, he remained neutral, taking no active part on either side, though his sympathy was naturally with the South. In 1862 his farm in Raleigh County was devastated by local plunderers. His dwelling and barn were burned. His stock was driven off, slaughtered and sold, and the accumulations of many years were swept away in a night. Noth ing was left but a barren waste of farm land. - He then moved with his wife and two children to a one-room cabin, the be,st then obtainable, on what was then known as the "Cooper place," where he resided until 1868, when he took his family to New York, where he resided until 1872, when they then removed to Shady Springs, in Raleigh County, residing there until 1878, when they removed to Athens, then Concord, in Mercer County, for the pur pose of securing the benefit of the Concord Normal School for his children then growing up. In the fall of 1880 he became a resident of Hinton, West Virginia, purchasing the Dr. Gooch homestead on the island of Avis, where he continued to reside until his death, February 8, 1888. His remains now rest on the old plantation in Raleigh County. His wife and four children, who survive him, still reside in Hinton. His family, at the date of his death, consisted of one son, Harvey Ewart, and three daugh ters, Mary J., the eldest of the family, having married Captain C. A. Alvis, one of the leading passenger conductors engaged in the service of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company. Miss Stella is engaged as clerk in the Hinton postoffice, which posi tion she has held for more than twelve years, having been first appointed by George W. Warren during the second Cleveland ad ministration, and as evidence of her efficiency, her retention through Republican as well as Democratic administrations is the strongest. Miss Ella also resides with her mother, and Harvey Ewart, the only son, is one of the leading and most enterprising citizens of this section of West Virginia. Colonel Ewart invested largely in mineral and timber land in Raleigh, but parted with his holdings before the great appreciation in these lands came. He foresaw the wonderful wealth of that region, but the war, no doubt, was one of the chief causes in the delayed development, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 549 and prevented the consummation of his hopes and plans. He was a man of strong convictions, great courage and extreme energy. These natural endowments brought him in conflict with men, and unavoidably resulted in making him strong enemies and abiding and fearless friends. It was Colonel Ewart who first planned, and by his enterprise secured, the" construction of the first bridge over the branch of the river forming the island in Avis. It was a wooden structure, constructed on plans made by him, and under whose observation and management it was built without money and without price to the town or the people. Each of the children of Colonel Ewart graduated at the Con cord' Normal School. He was a man of strong convictions, loyal to his friends, and his enemies knew where to find him. Harvey Ewart, the only son of Colonel John S. Ewart, re sides on the flat in Avis, in Summers County. He was born on the 3d day of March, 1861. He was educated by private tutors, largely by his father, finally taking a course and graduating at the head of his class at the Concord Normal School, in the fa mous class of 1879, which included J. W. Hinkle, of Greenbrier County; Clark El-lis, of the same county; M. J. Garst, of Salem, Va. ; Harvey Lewis, of Greenbrier County ; Miss Mary J. Ewart and James H. Miller. After graduating he taught in the public schools of Summers County for some time, and was engaged with A. B. Perkins in the mercantile business. In 1892 he was nomi nated by the Democratic party for justice of the peace in Green brier District, without being a candidate. In 1896 he was re elected, holding that position for eight years. In 1890 he was nominated for sheriff of Summers County over1 C. H. Lilly, and elected over L. P. Graham, holding the office for four years. He was appointed a commissioner in chancery by Judge A. N. Camp bell, which position he held throughout Judge Campbell's term of eight years'. He was removed in 1897 by Judge McWhorter for political reasons, and again appointed in 1905 by the present judge, Miller. In all official positions he is fair, honest, intelli gent and entirely impartial, and has been one of the most effi cient and fearless officers ever holding office in Summers County. He is one of the most enterprising citizens of the county, and has been engaged and interested in more of the enterprises for the advancement and development of this, section than any other citizen residing therein. His intelligent, honest business fore sight attracts him to all persons entering a new business enter- 550 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. prise. His judgment in business, as well as other matters, is un excelled. His loyalty and honor are unimpeachable. He is an inveterate worker and energetic to the utmost, and is a master in every matter that he undertakes. He is now engaged in the coal-producing industry, in lumber enterprises, in the wholesale and retail industry, and is one of the large stockholders and chief promoters in the Hinton Water & Light plant. Much is due to him for the great hotel now being constructed in the city of Hin ton. Practically all of his investments are with home industries and for the development of home enterprises. He has for a num ber of years been engaged in insurance, both life and fire. He was one of the chief promoters in the organization of the National Bank of Summers, the strongest bank in this section of the State. In 1901 he was united in marriage with Miss Emily Burke, a daughter of the famous editor and newspaper man, Richard Burk. They have two children — James H. M. Ewart, a lad of four years, and one daughter, Hildegard, one year of age. WITHROW. The ancient family of Withrow is connected with the first settlement of the Green Sulphur and Lick Creek regions. Rob ert Withrow, the founder of the family, was born near Yorktown, in Virginia, and was a boy at the time of the fight of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis, which terminated the Revolu tionary War of '76. He related his recollections of that famous battle, hearing the cannons booming and seeing the marching of the French and English and American soldiers. His father's name was William Withrow, an emigrant from Scotland, and was of Scotch-Irish-Welsh descent. The family has more or less been always noted for the contrariness of the various members, which is attributed to this mixture of ancient blood. Robert Withrow's wife was an Alderson, from the Greenbrier River settlements, and her name was Jean. The sons of Robert Withrow were: Abel, who went We.st, finally settled in Iowa, raised a large family and died. His wife was a Newsom. The second son, David, married a Gwinn, of the ancient Lowell Gwinns, who settled in the West, and his family was lost sight of. The third son, Robin, married a Foster, and settled and died in Ohio State. The fourth son, Alderson, married a Skaggs, settled in Fayette County, raised a family and died. His wife was a daughter of Dr. Jimmy Skaggs. The fifth son was Samuel Harrison, born in 1811, and first set- CAPTAIN WHITE G. RYAN, First Elected Prosecuting Attorney Summers County, Soldier, Farmer and Lawyer. JOHN W. WISEMAN, Jailor. s HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 551 tied where Elton Postoffice is. He at one time owned the mill at that place, and died at the age of seventy-seven, on the head of Lick Creek, where he built one of the first and ancient mills in that region, known as "Withrow's Mill," first an undershot and later an overshot wheel. The old building is one of the pic turesque memories of that section. He was engaged ten years in building it, that being the second one near the same site. His first wife was Sarah Kincaid, daughter of Matthew Kincaid, who died in Missouri. Samuel H. emigrated to Missouri, where he lived six years, and then returned to Lick Creek, where he lived until his death. His second wife was Amanda A. Smith, of Fay ette County, a daughter of Elijah Smith. He was noted for his stubbornness and contrariness, and was a man of strong personality. He was a Union man during the war and a Republican after the war, largely in opposition to all of his neighbors and all of his sons. He was a man of ingenuity and a good carpenter and millwright, all of which he learned with out teaching. The sixth son was Allen, who also married a daughter of Matthew Kincaid, settled in Missouri and died there. The daugh ters of Robert Withrow were: Hannah, who married a Harrah; Bettie, who married a Smith, the mother of Jackson Smith, and the man who, with M. Hutchinson, built the first log storehouse at Elton and was the ancient merchant of that place, along with his partner, M. Hutchinson. The third daughter, Virginia, mar ried a McClung. The sons and daughters of Samuel H. Withrow by his first marriage were : Columbus Wran, John Knox, Matthew Alexander, and two daughters, Sarah, who married Joseph Green Burdette. The children by his second marriage were : Milliard Fillmore, who lives on the old plantation ; Robert Smith, who married Miss Mollie Graham, a daughter of Blacksmith James Graham, . and Allen, who removed to Ohio in his youth. The daughters were Miss Sallie Ann, who married Enos Flint, of Griffith's Creek, Ellen and Kate. Among the family of Withrows, on Lick Creek, was Curtis, married and having a family. Charles W., now of Beckley, and the late A. J., of New Richmond, were his sons. He volunteered in the Southern Army, from which he never returned, and from the day he left his family to fight for his State he was never heard from. His widow and children, after the close of the war, waited and watched for his return as the other soldiers came in, but he never came, the general understanding being that he was killed in battle and his identity lost forever. 552 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. JONES. Brice Miller was a native of Monroe County and of English descent. T. J. Jones was a noted justice of the peace in recon struction days, always signing his name "T. J. Jones, Justice J. P." He was from Monroe County and a descendant of one of the first settlers of the Wolf Creek region, and one of his sisters, Sarah, married George W. Dean, one of the oldest residents of the county, now being eighty years of age. Their sons are Dr. George W. Dean, a dentist; Samuel W. Dean, an insurance broker, and Ballard W. Dean, a lumberman. George A\r Dean lived for a number of years on the Matthew Dunbar place on the Hump Mountain adjoining the Kalor lands, then removed to the Simp son Zickafoose place on the mountain near Elton, adjoining the William Miller farm, now owned by Major G. W. Goddard's heirs. Thos. J. Jones married a daughter of Brice Miller, a native of Mon roe County, who at an early day settled at the foot of Keeney's Knobs on the Lick Creek side. His sons were A. J. and AA'm. An derson. These Millers, Jones and Dequasies were all allied by marriage. Marion Mize married Christina, a daughter of AA'illiam An derson Miller, and they now live on the Dunn place on New River near Pack's Ferry. Charles Mize married another daughter, and they live on Lick Creek on the waters of Van Bibber (Bensliver) branch of Lick Creek. He is a very quiet, hard-working, thrifty man. The Mizes were from Patrick County, Virginia. William DeQuasie Miller, the only son of AAr. A., lives in Monroe County. He was many years ago going down Lick Creek one day, and on the road between the W E. Miller and A. A. Miller farm found a large pocketbook with a considerable sum of money in it. He concealed it under a culvert, and later went back and appropriated it and the funds to his own use. Later it was discovered, and he was arrested, indicted and sentenced to serve two years in the penitentiary, but a question as to his sanitv arose. He was proved to be insane, and escaped incarceration. He as. a youth was known far and wide as a notorious story-teller. He would fabricate a yarn out of anything, and tell "white lies" for his amusement. Later in life he settled down and became a peaceable, quiet and law-abiding citizen. HISTORY OF. SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 553 CRAWFORD. Thomas Crawford was a native of Monroe County, born near Lynnside, who i moved from that county many years ago and s'ettled near Greenbrier River in the Dog Trot community. He was a man of worth and a good citizen. He left the following children, now residents and citizens of Forest Hill District: Henry Crawford, the oldest son, is a merchant at Forest Hill. He mar ried Elizabeth McNeer, a daughter of Richard McNeer. A. T. Crawford, another son, married Miss Boude, a daughter of Sam uel K. Boude, and sister of AAralter H. Boude, the clerk of the circuit court. J. Walter, another son, married a daughter of Wil liam Redmond, of near Indian Mills. Another son, John W., has never married. He also left one daughter, who married Charles Lively, of Monroe County. J. Walter Crawford is a prominent minister in the Missionary Baptist Church. There was another family of Crawfords in that district, of whom Henry Crawford, a prominent farmer and excellent citizen, resides near Ballangee Post Office. He married a Leftwich, sister to Jabez and George W. Leftwich and daughter of David Leftwich, the settler. His father settled on Bradshaw's Run. His son, Lacy Crawford, is engaged in the lumber business at Mayberry, West Virginia. Another son, Robert, married Florence Hedrick, a daughter of Squire Wm. C. Hedrick, and his daughters, Misses Nina and Bessie, are teachers in the county. There are no better citizens than these Crawfords of Forest Hill. LOWE. Matthew Lowe was one of the first settlers in Talcott District. He was born at Pence Springs and raised a large family on the Hungart's Creek farm, about a mile from the mouth of that creek, now owned by John Willy. He was a son of S. Lowe. His wife was a daughter of the old settler Kincaid. He was born in 1793, and was drafted as a soldier in the war of 1812, but it was terminated before he saw actual service. He raised a family of eighteen children — Clark, who married Sarah Campbell, a daughter of William Campbell ; Charley, who married Emmeline Meadows, a daughter of Joshua Meadows ; Sam, who married Catherine Meadows, a daughter of Joshua Meadows ; Granville (J. G.), who married a Miss Vines, daughter of Silas Vines; M., 554 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. who married a daughter of William Campbell; John, who married Sallie Allen, a daughter of Nathaniel Allen and sister of Archie Allen; Clementine, who married Archie Mann, son of John Mann; Adaline, who married William Arnett, son of Henry Arnett; Liz zie, who married James Ramsey, son of David Ramsey; Ann, who married Anderson Wheeler, son of Robert Wheeler; Rebecca, who married Jordan Grimmett, son of Joseph Grimmett; Agnes, who married Peter Wyant, a son of Peter Wyant. There are a number of the descendants of Matthew Lowe still living throughout that part of Jumping Branch and other parts of the county. C. E. Lowe and Clifford Lowe, of Hinton, the furniture dealers, and Webster Lowe are sons of Granville Lowe, who lived near the "Shoemaker Bill" Lilly place in Jumping Branch District. John Lowe, who died in 1906, lived at the same place. He was afflicted and unable to walk for twenty-seven years prior to his death. Matthew Lowe was one of the guards at the hanging of Beck Coulter at Union Jail, the first and only woman ever legally executed from the territory of Summers County. The only woman ever executed from this section of the country and from the territory of Summers County was a negro slave, Beck Coulter, who was owned by William Coulter. She was a nurse for the son of her master, and to get rid of the labor and annoyance attendant upon nursing the child, killed him. She was arrested and lodged in jail at Union, being in that part of Summers territory taken from Monroe, tried for murder, found guilty, and hung by the neck until dead in the jail yard at Union. That was more than fifty years ago. Matthew Lowe, of Hungart's Creek, was one of the guards at the jail at this execution. Another negro executed at Union jail was Buck Johnson, who killed Hun ter, the timekeeper at the Big Bend Tunnel during its construc tion. Hunter was killed at the exact location where Hilldale Station is now situated, at the west portal of the Big Bend Tunnel, and Johnson was tried and convicted at Union, and executed im mediately prior to the formation of Summers County. He was a negro laborer working on the construction of the Big Bend Tunnel. Hunter was the timekeeper for Wm. R. Johnson, the contractor who constructed the Big Bend Tunnel for the C. & O. Railway Co. He was supposed by Johnson to have in his possession the money to meet Johnson's pay-roll, and was killed in cold blood for gain, and the law was righteously vindicated by the conviction and execution of the black murderer. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 555 THE STORY OF PAULEY. It was on September 23, 1779, that Margaret Pauley and her husband, John, together with James Pauley, wife and child, Robert AArallace and wife and Brice Miller set out from the Greenbrier section to go to Kentucky. They crossed New River at the horse ford at the mouth of Rich Creek, then down New River and up East River, which was the shortest route to the Cumberland Gap. Each of the men had his rifle; the women on the horses, on which was packed what household plunder they could carry was in front, the men in the rear driving the cattle. About noon of the day referred to, and when the party had reached a point on East River about one mile below the mouth of Five Mile Fork thereof, sup posed to have been near the upper end of the old farm of Captain William Smith, they were attacked by five Indians and one white man by the name of Morgan, who was in company with the In dians. The first intimation that the party had of the presence of the savages was the report of a gun. The women, Mrs. John and James Pauley, were knocked down from their horses by the Indians with their clubs. Wallace and the two children were killed and scalped, and John Pauley, though fatally wounded, escaped, and succeeded in reaching Wood's Fort on Rich Creek, where he died in a short time. The Indians took Mrs. John and James Pauley prisoners, and on leaving the scene of their atrocities, went up East River to the mouth of Five Mile Fork, and thence up the same to the head across the Bluestone, and on to the Ohio and to the Indian towns of the Miami. There were two women and the little boy of Mary Pauley, born shortly after she reached the Indian towns, who remained prisoners for about two years. Finally Mrs. Pauley escaped, and Margaret and her child shortly after this were ransomed. Mrs. Pauley's maiden name was Handley. After the return of Margaret Pauley she married a Mr. Erskine, by whom she had a daughter who married Hugh Caperton, who became a distinguished man, and who was the father of the late U. S. Senator Allen T. Caperton, of Monroe County. Adam Caperton, the father of Hugh, was killed in a battle with the Indians at the Little Mountain, or Estell's Defeat, near where Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, is now situated. Captain Estell and six of his men were killed and seventeen of the Indians were killed. This battle was fought on the 22d day of March, 1782. Senator Allen T. Caperton wrote out a full history 556 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. of the attack, capture and escape of his grandmother, Margaret Pauley from her dictation when she was a very aged lady. His account is published in full, as taken by Senator Caperton, in Mr. Virgil A. Lewis' "History of West Virginia. See also "Johnston's History of the Middle New River Settlements." FOX. David and Samuel Fox, two brothers, emigrated in the early days from Franklin County, Virginia, and settled at Brooks' Falls on New River, four miles west of Hinton. They were sons of William Fox, who bought land from Brooks, the first settler, who had secured a grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia. David and Samuel had two other brothers, William and Joseph, who settled on the War Ridge in Fayette County. Samuel died during the Civil War, a prisoner at Johnson's Island, one of the Union prisons. David died a few years ago, leaving the following chil dren, who reside in the county : J. A. Fox, Charles R. Fox, David M. Fox and Samuel H. Fox, all prosperous and living at Brooks and its neighborhood. Joseph R., who moved to Parkersburg. Elizabeth married James H. Martin, a Confederate soldier of Lick Creek; Susan married Henry Bennett, and Mary married John Willis. William, George Fox and Frank, Eldridge and John are also sons of David, and moved from this section several years ago. The Foxes are a thrifty, law-abiding people, good citizens and of the class that go to make a good community. WILLIAM H. SAWYERS. Wm. H. Sawyers was born October 25, 1870, on a farm near Meadow Bluff, in Greenbrier County, and, like many of the suc cessful men of this country, began his career as a farmer and teacher in the public schools, as a stepping-stone to a higher career. Through his own efforts he took a complete course at the State Norrnal School at Concord, graduating and taking the orator's medal in the class of 18 — ; later, he took the law course at the West Virginia University, graduating and taking the degree of L. L. B. in the class of 1894. In 1895 he acquired one-third interest in the "Independent Herald," a newspaper, with Howard Tem- pleton and his son, Maurice Templeton. Later, he disposed of his interest in that enterprise, and he was appointed to a position in HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 557 the Interior Department of the general government at Washing ton, D. C, at which city, at the Columbia University, he took the post-graduate course in international law and diplomacy. Later, he acquired the entire ownership of the "Independent Herald," a newspaper at Hinton, which he has successfully conducted to the present date, being the editor, owner and publisher. Air. Sawyers is an accomplished writer and close student, with a successful future before him. In politics he is a Democrat, and has occupied positions of trust in the councils of that party, having been Chairman of the Democratic County Committee, conducting the campaign of 1898 successfully. In 1904 he was elected a mem ber of the Democratic State Executive Committee for the Seventh Senatorial District, succeeding James H. Miller on his nomination for the judgeship. He practices his profession incidentally with his newspaper work. Recently he has been selected as secretary and editor of the "Fayette Sun," a Democratic newspaper founded on the first day of February, 1906. He has been twice elected presi dent of the Board of Education of Greenbrier District, and favor ably mentioned for other places of trust and honor. He married Miss Josephine McCreery in 1907, a daughter of James T. McCreery. Since the retirement of Judge Daly he has been elected judge of the police court of Hinton for the succeeding term. FOSTER. There are a number of people now residing in the county by the name of Foster, and who seem not to have been of the original settlers. One of the first to settle in the county was James Ellison Foster, who came from Monroe County before the war and settled on Wolf Creek Mountain — a very intelligent man, who was promi nent at the formation of the county. He was related to the old family of that name, descendants of whom live in Monroe County. Addison Foster, a brother of James E., located in the same section of the Wolf Creek country, in Forest Hill District, while James E. located in Greenbrier, Wolf Creek being the line between the two districts. James E. Foster, who owns a good farm on the same mountain, is now engaged in the butcher business in Hinton. Lee Foster and Peter M. are sons of James E. Foster. Judson Foster, now residing in Hinton, is a son of Addison, both of the older brothers living to be old men. James E. and his sons are Methodists and 558 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Republicans, while Addison's were Baptists and Democrats. James H. Hobbs married Martha, daughter of James E. Peter M. Foster, son of James E., is one of the active Demo crats of Forest Hill, and is a member of the Board of Education of that district. He married a daughter of Thomas W. Townsley, and is a carpenter by trade, as well as a farmer. There is another family of Fosters residing in Green Sulphur District, of which A. A. Foster is the founder, settling at an early day on the Swell Mountain. His two sons, J. J. and A. J. Foster, are both prominent farmers in the community, Jacob J. Foster having held the office of justice for four years, and Andrew J. president of the Board of Education for four years, being Repub licans in their political faith. They are among the old teachers of the county, are farmers, and are law-abiding and good citizens. Joseph Martin married their sister, Margaret; Simeon Berkeley, another sister, and Henry Clay Martin, another. HAYNES. The family of Haynes has never been a numerous one in the county, though of eminent respectability, prominence an intelli gence. They are of German descent. "The Dutchman naturally takes to blue grass, limestone and fat cows," so the original Haynes settle in Monroe County, then Virginia. The original German was Hayne, and the only American modification is the addition of the letter S. The German botanist, Friederich Gottleib Hayne, 1763- 1832, preserved to the present century the original orthography in his native country, as also the American poet, Paul H. Hayne, Isaac Hayne, a Revolutionary officer, and Robert Hayne, the Amer ican statesman and orator, 1791-1840. The family of Haynes of which we treat are descendants from the Revolutionary officer, Isaac Hayne, who was famed for his patriotism in the days of '76. Isaac was the father of seven broth ers, soldiers in the struggle for American independence. The pro genitor of the Monroe branch was William Haynes, who emerged from the Revolution of 1776 with an S to his name. Of the seven brothers, Charles is without a history, except for the single item of his marriage, November 24, 1781, with Mary Dixon, of Green brier. Benjamin belonged to General Morgan's "Legion" of riflemen, and is traditionally remembered as a rollicking, hardy, stout young HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 559 man. Late one evening, when the "Legion" was about to bivouac for the night, a young bull came bellowing into camp. Getting down on all fours, Ben began to menace and bellow, too. At an unguarded moment the animal made a furious lunge, and, catching a horn under the waistband of Ben's leather breeches, bore his terrified tormentor off in triumph some forty or fifty yards, to the great amusement of his "Legion" comrades, who had stopped to witness the performance. After the Revolution Ben lived and died on Jackson's River, about nine miles above Covington, Virginia. All traces of the family of these brothers have entirely disap peared. Joseph also lived and died on Jackson's River. April 5, 1872, he was married to Barbara Riffe, of Greenbrier. The late Major Haynes, who lived near Oakland in Allegheny County, was a son of Colonel Charles Haynes, of the "Stonewall Brigade," who died a few years ago, and was a grandson of Joseph Haynes. Moses settled in Tennessee at an early day, but no special knowl edge is had of him. William, born December 18, 1863, settled in Monroe County (then Greenbrier) on a farm between Gap Mills and the Sweet Springs. His wife was Miss Catherine Shanklin, of Botetourt County, Virginia. About 1795 Mr. Haynes moved to another farm at the foot of Little Mountain near Gap Mills, where he resided until his death, May 1, 1819, and his wife died there also in June 1812. In early life he was a merchant, but soon gave up that occupation. The pioneer Presbyterian divine, Dr. McElhenhy, says : "The first family I visited in the field of my mission (Green brier and Monroe) was that of Mr. Haynes in the Gap in Monroe County, and in his house I delivered my first sermon on the west of the Allegheny. By the aid of physical phenomena and certain topographical features, the locality in which Mr. Haynes lived is of considerable interest to the lover of natural curiosities. The point was named from the gap torn by Second Creek through Little Mountain by the bygone ages. This and the forcing of New River through Peter's Mountain at the Narrows, measure up in grandeur almost with Jefferson's description of the 'Passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge.' The marks of disruption and avulsion left where these mountains of Monroe were cloven from apex to base also furnish monuments of war between rivers and mountains, which must have shaken the earth to its center. Relics of the glacier and plutonic era prevail extensively throughout the New 560 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. River and Greenbrier Valleys. Everywhere, turn whithersoever you will, there causes are to be seen " 'Flinging their shadows on high, Like dials which the wizard, time, Had used to count his ages by.' " William Haynes was a prominent citizen. He had one daugh ter, Agnes D., who married, in the winter of 1819, Michael Erskine, of Monroe, afterwards removing to Gaudolope County, Texas, where she died, leaving five sons, John, Andrew, William, Michael and Alexander, and five daughters, Catherine, Margaret, Melinda, Ellen and Agnes. The late Mr. Erskine Miller, of Staunton, Vir ginia, was a grandson of Mrs. Agnes D. Erskine. James Madison Haynes was the eldest child of William, the senior, and was born February 17, 1794. He was one year old when his father moved to the McNutt place, which event he distinctly remembered in after years. He lived to be sixty-four years of age; was a student of Lewisburg Academy and member of the military company thereof. He married Miss Elizabeth Dunlap, September 20, 1821. He was a magistrate of Monroe County and a commis sioner of the county court. He removed to Greenbrier County in 1840, five miles below Alderson, where he died in 1858. He left six children, William Haynes, of Summers County ; Alex. D. Haynes, a successful merchant of Red Sulphur Springs, who rep resented Monroe County in„the Virginia Legislature in 1856, and died November 14, 1857. Robert P. Haynes was a major of militia before the war between the States, and entered the regular service of the Confederacy in the 26th Batallion, Virginia Infantry. He was captured at the battle of Cold Harbor, and a few days after killed in a railroad collision, July 16, 1864, while on his way to Elmira, N. Y., as a prisoner of war. The fourth son was Rev. James Haynes, who was graduated from Washington College in 1859, entered Union Theological Semi nary in 1859, and graduated in 1862, and located the same year at Muddy Creek, and was ordained into the Lewisburg Presbytery in 1863. After preaching one year at Anthony's Creek, he entered the Confederate Army as chaplain in the spring of 1863, and there continued until the close of the war. He preached at Muddy Creek from 1865 to 1870, which included McElhanny Chapel in the Mead ows and Lick Creek, when he was placed in charge of an evangeli cal field in Fayette County for two years, making his home at Gauley Bridge; thence he made his home at Cotton Hill. He HON. WM. HAYNES, Farmer and Statesman. n \ MICHAEL HUTCHISON and Mary, His "Wife. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 561 recently died, leaving a large family. One daughter of James M. Haynes never married ; the other, Jane A., married Wm. Caraway, of Alderson, West Virginia Andrew S. Haynes died at the age of twenty-six at Gap Mills. AA^illiam P. Haynes was born August 2, 1802, and graduated in medicine in Philadelphia, and located in Alabama for the prac tice of his profession, but died November, 1825. Thomas N. Haynes also graduated in medicine in Philadelphia, and practiced for a short time in Monroe ; went to various points South, and died in Texas. He was the youngest son of William Haynes, and was born August 9, 1805, and was never married. A cave on the farm of William Haynes at Gap Mills is pointed out as being the scene of the death of two Guinea negroes, man and wife, many years ago. They were the property of William Haynes, and were noted for their thieving propensities. They committed some theft, for which they received a severe whipping by the overseer, with the promise of its repetition in a day or two. The next day they were missing. Search being made, they were found with their throats cut and sitting erect against the side of the cave, the man still holding in his hand the razor with which the fatal deed had been done. These superstitious slaves, believing that they would return to Guinea after death, had taken all of the clothes and money they possessed into the cave with them. The money had been placed in the dress pocket of the woman with a view to bearing the expenses of their spiritual transportation, and was buried in the cave with the bodies. The present family of Haynes of the county are the descendants of the late William Haynes, a son of James Madison Haynes, who resided at the old Haynes ferry plantation on Greenbrier River about five miles west of Alderson, and Thomas N. Haynes, of Pack's Ferry, on New River near the mouth of Bluestone, on the opposite side therefrom, residing on the old Captain Grandison Landcraft place, on which the old Pack's Ferry was originally established many years ago by the Packs, the first settlers of that region. He is the son of Mr. George Haynes, of Big Wolf Creek in Monroe County, who was a famous horse-trader and owner of the water-mill on that creek. J. N. Haynes is one of the best citi zens of the county, and is the father of James Haynes, a successful employee of the C. & O. Railway, and Harvey Haynes, a farmer on New River. J. N. Haynes married a Miss McLaughlin, sister of Rev H. 562 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. McLaughlin, the able minister of the Missionary Baptist Church, and a daughter of Jarnes McLaughlin, of Nicholas County. Hon. William Haynes resided at his farm of Oak Lawn at the old Haynes' Ferry near Pence's Springs all his life. He was an educated farmer, practical as well as theoretical, a fine surveyor and mathematician. Some of the finest maps of land surveyed existing anywhere were made by him. One is now held by Mr. Andrew Gwinn at Lowell of his magnificent plantation of 2,000 acres. He was a son of James Madison Haynes and grandson of William, the senior, of the "Gap," and the grandfather of William J. Haynes, of Hinton, now engaged in the Hinton Department Co., and from whom we acknowledge much of the information we have in regard to the ancestral Haynes, having furnished me with a sketch from "Dr. McElhenny's Scholars," the old Lewisburg Acad emy, from which we have liberally quoted ; William Haynes, Jr., being the only son and child of the late James H. Haynes, a son of the Hon. William Haynes. Hon. William Haynes was born September 5, 1822, and in his eighteenth year moved with his father, James M. Haynes, to "Oak Lawn," where he died. In 1850 he was married to Miss Amanda Ellen Harvey, a sister of the late "Squire" Allen L. Harvey, and who was a daughter of James Harvey, of Monroe County. Of this union there were born three sons, Jas. Harvey Haynes, who was en gaged in the mercantile business in Hinton at the date of his death, on the 15th day of October, 1897, suddenly and without a moment's warning. He was a man of strong parts, open, manly and gen erous. At the time of his death he was at the head of the Demo cratic party organization of the county, and it was by his leadership the notable victory of 1896 was won, when foes from without and traitors and enemies from within the party organization had de termined to annihilate the organization within the countv, when the C. & O. Railway, with all its prestige and power, -endeavored to force the county under its "Gold Standard" into the Republican camp; when the president of the great road went all over the city in a carriage drawn by four horses, accompanied by the superin tendent and lesser officials, threatening employees with confiscation of jobs and dire calamity. It was then that the great power of Jas. H. Haynes was exhibited at its best as an organizer. Never losing his head or his good temper, he organized the party as had never been clone before, and saved the county to the Democratic party. At the next convention of the party strong and sincere resolutions were passed, emulating his character and his virtues. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 563 He had been a teacher, farmer and merchant. The other son, John, is one of the leading merchants of Hinton and one of the owners of the Hinton Department Co., a leading Democrat, and one of the members of the common council of the city of Hinton. The other son, Harry Haynes, resides with his mother at the ancestral home on the banks of the Greenbrier, is a farmer and was elected in 1900 a member of the county court of the county, and is now its presi dent. Hon. William Haynes was elected a member of the Constitu tional Convention of 1871, which framed the second Constitution of West Virginia and the one now existing in the State. He was prominently connected with farm organizations for many years ; was lecturer and secretary of the State Grange, and believed that in the union of the farmer there was strength. In 1892 he was nominated and elected a member of the State Senate from Eighth Senatorial District of the State of which Summers was a part, serving for four years with honor. It was during this term that Charles J. Faulkner and Johnson N. Camden were elected for the last time to the Senate of the United States, they being the last Democrats elected to that body from the State. He was educated at the old Lewisburg Academy under Dr. McElhenny, as had his father before him, and, as stated elsewhere, was directly related to the American poet, Paul Hayne, and the great orator and statesman from South Carolina, Hon. Robert Young Hayne, who had the celebrated oratorical tilt with Daniel Webster. He was a consistent and energetic member of the Presbyterian Church for forty years, high in its councils, and one of its pillars in this section of the State. He was noted for his kind heart and Christian character. His farm was a model; he demonstrated his theories by practical applications. At the date of the formation of this county as created he made a survey for a new county under the direction of Dr. Samuel Williams and A. P. Pence, Esq., of New Richmond. Had this county been formed in stead of Summers, the county seat would have been at New Rich mond instead of Hinton. In 1874 the famous political fight was made, in which Mr. Haynes was the Democratic nominee against Hon. Sylvester Upton, a very estimable citizen of Jumping Branch, and who had represented the county of Mercer in the State Legislature. Mr. Upton was a Repub lican of conservative inclinations, but ran as an independent candi date, receiving the full vote of his own party and a strong element of the Democratic party, led by Mr. Elbert Fowler, who found fault with the manner of the nomination of Mr. Haynes, which was made 564 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. by "passing around the hat" at a mass-meeting held in the grove where Mr. Dwight James now lives in Hinton. Whether the nomi nation was regular or fair, or whether it was unfair, it is not possible now to say; but no charge or hint was ever suggested that Mr. Haynes was a party to anything wrong in connection with the nomination, as he was in no wise a candidate. Mr. Upton was successful, and the result submitted to by Mr. Haynes in that philo sophical spirit for which he was noted. In the election for the Constitutional Convention and to the State Senate he was not a candidate for either position, but was nominated and elected by reason of the high esteem in which he was held by his fellow citi zens. In those days the custom had not entirely ceased to exist of the office seeking the man. His death was sudden and without warning. In addition to his three sons, he left surviving him two daughters, Misses Isabella and Mary and his widow, who still reside at the old homestead with Mr. Harry Haynes. The homestead is a part of the 400 acres at Haynes' Ferry granted by the Commonwealth of Vir ginia to James Graham, Sr., which was acquired by James Madi son Haynes, who owned it at his death. A part of this farm de scended to William Haynes and to his children, and a part was purchased by Joseph Nowlan, and is now owned by Mrs. Tolly. Hon. William Haynes was a scientific farmer, as is his son, Harry, and it is not uncommon for his cornfield to produce 100 bushels to the acre. BACON. Robert Carter Bacon was a direct descendant of the famous pa triotic leader of Bacon's rebellion against the authority of Lord Berkeley in Virginia in the early colonial days, Berkeley being the English nobleman, then Governor, against whose authority Na thaniel Bacon led a revolt, and on whose death the revolution col lapsed, facts of history known to all who have read the history of this county, and his name will live in history to the remotest ages and as long as history is written. Robert Carter Bacon came to this country before the Civil AA'ar, formed an acquaintance with Jacob Fluke, who resided on the plantation now known as the Bacon place. At that time there was located where Bacon's Mill is now situated, around the bend of the Greenbrier, back of the Big Bend Mountain, some two and one half miles from Talcott Station, "Fluke's" mill and carding ma chine, run and operated from the splendid water-power at that HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 565 point. Soon after Mr. Bacon's arrival in the community this mill was burned and utterly destroyed, a total loss to Mr. Fluke, who was not able to rebuild on the plans desired, and Bacon became a partner and interested in the property, and on the site of the de stroyed plant was built Bacon's Mill, just prior to the war a few years, and which is still standing to-day, being a large two-story frame structure, with wooden turbine, wheel and machinery for the manufacture of grain into flour, feed and meal. It has for years been the only available mill in that region, and is patronized for miles around, it being an "all-the-year-around" mill, and not a "wet-weather" enterprise. Later, Mr. Bacon married Miss M. N. Fluke, the only daughter oi Jacob Fluke, and each of her brothers dying in the Southern Army. On the death of her father she inherited all of the properties formerly, owned by him, and is now the posessor of one of the best and most elaborate farms in the county, consisting of 1,000 acres' of land on the Greenbrier. Robert C. Bacon died in the year 1880, leaving the widow who still survives, and who is a lady of rare good sense, culture and refinement, one son, Nathaniel, and one daughter, Miss Mary, who died a few years ago in New Mexico, where she had gone in search of health. N. Bacon, the son, is now cashier of the Talcott Banking & Guaranty Co., incorporated under the laws of the State of West Virginia on the 29th day of September, 1906. He is also president of the Talcott Toll Bridge Co. and actively engaged in farming and stock raising, and is progressive and active in business affairs. We are able, through his courtesy, to give some data in regard to the Bacon lands. Robert C. Bacon was a gentleman of education, an "Old Vir ginian" of. business foresight. To secure the advantages of the water-power below Talcott on the Greenbrier, which is very fine, he secured all the river frontage from above Talcott to a distance below his mill, three miles. Some time before his death he prepared his last will and testament in his- own handwriting, de vising all of his property to his wife. Nathaniel Bacon is the only man of the name in the county, and is a direct descendant of the colonial Bacons and Carters. Jacob Fluke was one of the first settlers on the Greenbrier River within the county. Robert Carter Bacon came to the territory of Summers County to John Gwinn's, in the Lick Creek country, on the 23d of Novem ber, 1853. There he took sick, and meeting with Andrew Gwinn, of the Lowell settlement, when he became able, he returned to Mr. 566 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Gwinn's house, a mile east of Lowell, and while there he was present at a trial before Squire Gwinn over a sheep killing dog, at which trial he met Jacob Fluke, his future father-in-law and the grandfather of Nathaniel Bacon. Mr. Fluke's mill — and carding machine — had been burned down a short time before, which was located on the present site of Bacon's Mill and where it now stands. He bought the site of that mill from Jacob Fluke, and while build ing the present mill thereon, boarded with him and remained there until he married his only daughter, Miss Nancy Mathews Fluke. When he was twenty-one years old, his father desired that he enter into the practice of medicine. The son, how ever, declined, declaring that medicine was a humbug, and that he would beg from door to door before he would do it. The old gentleman told him it was time to try it, and on that day the son left home, went to Clarksville, and bought a suit of clothes from a friend, whom he made promise that if he never paid for it, that he would not ask his father for his money. He went from thence to Tennessee and taught school there, earning his first money. From there he went to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he had three brothers who were operating a cotton farm. He proceeded to be come a bookkeeper and a clerk for a firm in that town, Alltschul & Bloom. There he lost his health, and returned to Clarksville, A'ir gmia, being confined to his bed with congestive chills. His doctor advised him that one more chill would kill him. He got on his horse and started for the White Sulphur Springs ; took one drink of the water, declared he would not pay fifty cents for the whole place because it smelled like rotten eggs. He then started to Fay etteville to visit a Colonel Coleman, with whom he was acquainted, took sick at John Gwinn's, and landed as above stated. He never had another chill from the time he left Clarksville. He went through the Civil War as a Confederate soldier, being a quarter master in the Confederate Army. He was buried at Barger Springs, having died February 8, 1885. -He was the sixth child of the fifteen children of Colonel Lydall Bacon and Mary Ann Bacon, whose maiden name was Mary Ann Carter, of Nottoway County, Virginia. Colonel Lydall Bacon was born December 26, 1793, and was a son of Drury Allen Bacon and Nancy E. Bacon. Sons of this Bacon settled in Tennessee and Georgia. Colonel Lydall Bacon died June 23, 1875, aged eighty-one years and six months. Drury Allen Bacon was born December 4, 1765, and was the elev enth child of Lydall Bacon and Mary Bacon. Her maiden name was Mary Thompson, of Lunenburg, Virginia. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 567 INSCRIPTION ON THE TOMBSTONE OF NATHANIEL BACON. "Here lieth the body of Nathaniel Bacon, Esquire, whose de scent was from the ancient house of Bacon, one of which was Chancellor Bacon and Lord Berulian, who was ancestor of Vir ginia and President of the Honorable Council of the State and Commissioner in Chief for the County of York, having been such commissioner for above six years, and having always discharged the office in which he served with great fidelity and loyalty to his friends, who departed this life the 16th of March, 1692." The tombstone from which the above inscription is taken lies in the old churchyard of Glebe of York, Hampton Parish, at Hamp ton, Virginia. KESLER. Osborn Taylor Kesler (named after General Zachary Taylor), who now resides on the old Gwinn farm at Pence's Springs station, on the C. & O. Railway, was born on the 2d day of October, 1849, in Botetourt County, Virginia, and removed with his father, Abra ham C. Kesler, to Monroe County, now Summers, in 1858. The wife of A. C. Kesler and mother of O. T. Kesler was Miss Sallie Coiner. The Keslers are of German descent. Abraham C. Kesler, the founder of the family in this county, is now about eighty years of age. He first settled on what is known as the "Chattin" farm, across Greenbrier River from Talcott. O. T. Kesler married Miss Sallie A. Keller, October, 1869, a daughter of George Keller, Esq., of Lowell, and is a descendant of the Kellers who settled at Lowell in the early Indian fighting days, when that section was settled by the Grahams, Konrads, Kellers, Ferrells and Hinchmans, Homer Kesler, postmaster and merchant at Pence Springs, is the only child of O. T. Kesler. O. T. Kesler has been one of the leading citizens of the county, engaged for many years as a stock dealer and farmer, taking an active interest in the politics of the county, being a Democrat in his party principles. He is the present general manager of the Summers Dairy & Food Co., a corporation chartered in the fall of 1906, the present business being conducted is the dairy. A modern establishment is being placed in operation on the farm at Pence Springs, on the Greenbrier River, purchased from Mr. Kesler for $4,000.00. The farm consists of the old Gwinn place, one of the 568 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. first grants in the county acquired by Silas R. Mason from Andrew Gwinn (Long Andy), the celebrated and prosperous farmer at Lowell, and by Mr. Kesler from Mason. In 1888 Mr. Kesler was nominated for sheriff without opposition as the Democratic candidate, and was elected over Hon. Sira W. Willey, the Independent Republican candidate. He held the posi tion for the full term of four years. L. McD. Meadows was his first deputy for the west side of New River. He, dying soon after the election, Henry F. Kesler, a brother of O. T. Kesler, filled the position to the end of the term. In 1896 Mr. Kesler was again a candidate for sheriff before the Democratic primary, but was defeated by James H. George, of Green Sulphur Springs. Mr. Kesler is an active, enterprising man, and is now one of the jury commissioners of the county. Bunyan L. Kesler is the second son of Abraham C. Kesler, and is a farmer and stock dealer, and resides at Lowell, having married a Miss Lively, a sister of the Hon. Frank Lively. In 1900 he was appointed to re-assess the real estate of the county by the State Board of Public Works, on the recommendation of the county court of the county. In 1906 he drilled for sulphur water at Lowell on the west side of the Greenbrier, and succeeded in developing a very fine mineral water, which is likely in the future to become famous and make its discoverer wealthy. The analysis of the water is given elsewhere. Henry F. Kesler, the third son of Abraham Kesler, married Miss Ella Lively, a sister also of Mr. Frank Lively, and resides on a good farm on Greenbrier River between Lowell and Talcott, a part of the old Kincaid-Griffith Meadows tract. He was born in 1854, and has been twice nominated by his party, the Democratic, and elected to the position of county superintendent of public schools. His first term under the old law in 1882 was for two years, and his second term of four years began in 1898. He is one of the oldest in service of the teachers of the count}', is a gentleman of accomplishments and a practical and successful educator as well, as farmer. He is a Democrat in politics and a Presbyterian. He is also one of the oldest and most successful teachers of vocal music in this region, having pursued that vocation in his younger days. Hon. Upshur .Higginbotham, now an attorney located at Charles ton and the accomplished private secretary to Hon. Joseph Holt Gaines, M. C, married the oldest daughter of Mr. Henry F. Kesler. George Kesler, the youngest son of Mr. Abraham C. Kesler, was born in 1861. He is a resident of Greenville, Monroe County, HARVEY EWART, Ex-Sheriff and Capitalist. OSBORN T. KESLER, Ex-Sheriff and Farmer. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 569 being now the proprietor of the famous old grist-mill at that town on Indian Creek. A. C. Kesler, the ancestor, still resides near ' Lowell, and is in the possession of his mental and physical activi ties, although one of our oldest citizens. BRAGG. The Braggs were early settlers in Green Sulphur District, especially in the Laurel Creek and Chestnut Mountain region, and their descendants still reside in that section, but not in great numbers. The most celebrated Bragg of the name was the Rev. John Bragg, a good Missionary Baptist minister, and who was a hardy pioneer in the work of the Master. Some mention of his great labor in this rough and then poor and sparsely settled region is due to history. He was a verteran soldier of the cross in the wil derness in all the surrounding counties. He was born December 21, 1815, and married twice, his first wife being Amanda Thompson, and the second, Mary J. Witt. By his first wife he reared twelve children, and by the second, eight, twenty in all. During his min istry he united in marriage 396 couples, and was the pastor of practically all the churches organized in the early days in the territory of Raleigh, Summers, Greenbrier, Monroe and Fayette Counties. In 1884 he removed to Imperial, Nebraska, where he died many years ago. He has two sons now residing in this county, Judson Bragg, of Pipestem, and Braxton Bragg, named after the two famous generals of the same name, one a Confederate general who fought at the great battle of Chickamauga, and the other a Union general of Wisconsin. One daughter, Mrs. Dr. Clement White, resides in Raleigh. RYAN. White G. Ryan was a native of Fluvanna County, Virginia, born in 1815, and removed to Mercer County, now Summers, in February, 1857, bought 392 acres of land from Edmond Lilly's heirs. He was an Irishman, and the red blood of the Celtic race was strong in his veins. He enlisted, in the Confederate army, and was the captain commanding Ryan's Company, Company I, Third Virginia Regiment, as brave a lot of men as fought in that army. He was educated for the law, and practiced that profession, but divided his time between the law and his farm. He was elected in 570 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 1872 as the first elected prosecuting attorney of the county, serving four years, a full term, with J. Speed Thompson as his assistant. In November, 1841, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Jane Burnett. He was licensed to practice law in 1858. Captain Ryan was an ardent Southern man and Jeffersonian Democrat and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. His children were Joseph W. Ryan, a successful farmer in the county, assistant assessor under E. D. Ferrell, and resides in Pipestem District; is a prominent man of intelligence and honor; Edward M. Ryan, a Confederate soldier, killed at Cloyd's Mountain battle, shot through the heart and fell dead into the arms of his brother; Joseph W., Bowman G., John T. and C. L., who is also a success ful farmer of the county, John T. being a locomotive engineer of the N. & W. Railway, and Bowman G. .also having been killed in the army of the Confederate States ; one daughter, Mary W., inter married with W. F. Ryburn, of Glade Springs, Virginia. Captain Ryan, during the war, was also division provost marshal ; was captured at Waynesboro, Virginia, on the 2d of March, 1862, and carried by the Federals to Fort Delaware as a prisoner of war. He organized two companies for the service of the Southern cause from Mercer County, then Virginia, being the captain of each company. Joseph W. Ryan was wounded in the war by being shot through the thigh. He has been married three times, his first wife being Fannie Lee Wilson, of Fayette County; the second, Miss Minerva A. French, of Mercer County, and the third, Miss Sarah F. Pine, of Mercer. His children are Bertie Edwards, Mary A^erne, who married Rufus Butler; Charles W., Rachel R. and Fred L. Captain W. G. Ryan, before the war was an ardent AVhig, and was opposed to secession, but went with his State, and after the war and until his death, some five years ago, was identified with the Democratic organization. An uncompromising friend and an open enemy. During the exciting times just prior to the secession of Virginia, being opposed to secession, he had a noted fight with one William Dunbar, a strong secessionist, who, however, after the secession, organized a company of bushwhackers to prey on the citizens of the border. He was one of the prominent men of the county, and took an active interest in public affairs up to his death, although in his later years living somewhat a retired life. He was a familiar figure at party conventions, a strong speaker and influential in his section. He was one of the founders of the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 571 county. The farm which he bought and resided on at his death was underlaid with coal, and became a valuable inheritance to his children. He was a brave, loyal pioneer. BOWLES. There is living on the Hump Mountain, in Green Sulphur Dis trict, several families by the name of Bowles, which is a familiar name to all of the inhabitants of Summers County. The original settler, whose name was AArilliam Allen Bowles, was an English man who crossed the ocean shortly after the Declaratiort of Inde pendence by the thirteen American colonies. His wife's name was Sarah Preston, and was Irish. Both he and his wife crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the same ship before their marriage, and were unable to pay their transportation. Both were arrested and sold for the amount of their ship fare across the sea to New York. AArilliam A. Bowles was sold to a tanner, and Sarah Preston was sold to a baker, each for a term of seven years. After the expira tion of this long period they were married, and removed to Frank lin County, Virginia. David Bowles, the oldest son, was born in Franklin County, Virginia, and was bound out at the age of ten years. Before his term of service expired he was removed to Raleigh, . then Giles County. After his majority he married Ruth Richmond, a daugh ter of William Richmond. She was born on the 15th of March, 1818, and died February 22, 1895, her grandfather coming from Germany, as well as her grandmother. David Bowles and his wife, who were married on April 5, 1836, settled in what is now Sum mers County, two miles below Richmond's Falls, on the Hump Mountain, at the old David Bowles place, now owned by W. AAr. Richmond and wife, of the city of Hinton, and was a farmer by occupation, born on the 17th day of December, 1811. His wife was born on March 18, 1818. They raised seven children, three girls and four boys. Four of the children are still living. The girls' names were Cynthia, who married Beckenridge Gwinn Oc tober 15, 1858, and died in Carroll County; Jude Ann died Novem ber 8, 1864; Ruth died in infancy; Louisa Jane married T. L. Bragg, and lives now in Oklahoma. She was married March 3, 1867. David Bowles was a great hunter in his day, the forests then abounding in bear, deer, wild turkeys, panthers and wolves. On one occasion he killed a buck that weighed 150 pounds, which he 572 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. carried to Blue Sulphur Springs, a distance of twenty miles, and sold it for $8.00. He used to relate to his children that he had seen thirty-one deer in one herd. He killed on Lick Creek a panther measuring eleven feet from the end of tail to the end of its nose. He was attacked by this vicious animal, having no weapons with which to defend himself except a dirk knife, one dog and two pups. He stabbed the panther nine times, eight times through the heart. He built the first schoolhouse in all that region at his own expense, and employed the teacher at like expense. The house was made, as was universal in those days, with a dirt floor and clapboard roof. His death occurred July 11, 1885, his wife having died pre viously, and both were buried at the family graveyard on the old home place. He left surviving him James Bowles, the youngest son, who died some eight years ago ; William Bowles, who still resides on Hump Mountain, some two miles from Meadow Creek Station ; Ervin E. Bowles, who also resides on that mountain, and David Bowles, Jr., who also resides in the same vicinity. David Bowles, Jr., is an old schoolteacher, and has held the position of Road Commissioner for this district, being a man of intelligence. William Bowles is quite a geologist, having taken up the study on his own account, and he has claimed to have found considerable deposits of gold, coal, and other minerals in the Hump Mountain, which, however, is doubted by mineralogists. He has not gotten his practical knowledge of geology into exten sive uses, nor has he applied it beyond the narrow precincts of the Hump Mountain, principally on his own farm. Mr. Ervin Bowles is quite an authority on the Bible and Bibli cal literature, he being able to repeat large portions of both the Old and New Testament from memory. James Bowles, the young est son of David Bowles, died August 17, 1895, without issue. There have been fifty-one grandchildren born to David Bowles, Sr., in his lifetime. P. K. LITSINGER. One of the men who has made this county his adopted resi dence and made a success is Pearnis Keefer Litsinger, born at Storistown, Pa., where his father, a tinner by trade, was tempo rarily engaged, but whose residence was Westminster, Maryland, were young Litsinger grew up. He was born on the 23d day of June, 1858, and married Miss Lena Fredeking, at Hinton, on the DR. WM. LEIGH BARKSDALE, Surgeon in the Confederate Army, an Old Virginia Gentleman with His .Valet, "Squire" Law. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 573 21st day of June, 1891. He began as a machine smith, and followed his occupation in Baltimore, Richmond, and finally arriving at Hin ton on the 27th of December, 1879, and began his employment with the C. & O. Railway in its shops here, which continued, until within the past five years. He is an organization Democrat, belonging to Litsinger alone. Being loyal to his friends, he has friends of his own. He was elected mayor of the- city of Hinton in 1894, and re-elected to succeed himself, and again elected in 1898, having served for three full terms, and is prominently spoken of for the position again at the next election ; besides, he has served several terms of a member of the city council. At the election of 1904 he was elected a justice of the peace for Greenbrier District for a term of four years, and is now filling that position. He is a Shriner in Masonry, and takes great interest in that, as well as in all other secret order work, being also a member of the B. P. O. E. and other orders, and has done as much, if not more, than any other citizen in supporting and maintaining the progressive- ness of the societies of which he is a member. He has, by judicious investments and good judgment in financial matters, accumulated a handsome fortune, owning a handsome residence in the extreme lower end of the city. Mr. Litsinger is a tireless worker, full of energy and push. He married Miss Lena Fredeking, a daughter of the early settler, Charles Fredeking. He is the President of the Independent Publishing Company, a director of the Hinton Masonic Real Estate Company, the Hinton Water Company, and numerous other of the leading business enterprises of Hinton. WILLIAM L. BARKSDALE. William L. Barksdale, now a citizen of Hinton and a native of Virginia, was born on the 11th of November, 1836, in Halifax County. He married Miss Mary N. Holt, a daughter of George W. Holt and Ann Logan, on the 23d of October, 1872. He was educated at the Samuel Davis Institute and the University of Virginia, taking a medical course at that university, and eventually graduating at the Jefferson Medical College, of Louisville, Ken tucky. Dr. Barksdale had located for the practice of his profes sion at Lewisburg, arjd was there at the opening of the hostilities between the States in 1861. He promptly enlisted as surgeon in Jackson's Cavalry, Twenty-second Regiment, Edgar's Battalion, Patterson's Brigade, Warden's Division, and continued as a sur geon in the army throughout the war. After the war he returned 574 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. to Lewisburg, but later returned to Virginia and practiced his pro fession for five years, and until the death of his father. Later, he returned to West Virginia, and finally, in January, 1874, located at Alderson, and practiced his profession in that community. In 1892 he removed to Hinton, at which place he has continued to reside until the present time. Dr. Barksdale has been continuously in the active practice of his profession since 1858, except two years and a half he was engaged in the lumber business at Barksdale. He is an enterprising citizen and a successful surgeon and prac titioner. His great experience during the war gave him great opportunity for developing into one of the many great surgeons which that war produced. He was of a family of physicians and surgeons, his father being a doctor before him, as well as a number of others of his family. He is a relative of the famous Manchester lawyer, Leigh, after whom he was named. He has one son, Holt, who is now preparing himself for the medical profession in the Northwestern University of Chicago. Another son, John, resides with the father in Hinton. The other son, William L., Jr., having died a few years ago. His oldest daughter Annie, married Charles Bailey. His other three daughters, Misses Seldon, Cary and Maggie, reside with their father in Hinton. It was through the enterprise of Dr. Barksdale that the Brown stone industry was at one time developed in this country. It was due to his efforts and to those of Judge \\r G. Hudgin that the Alderson Brownstone Company was formed, which constructed a railroad up Griffith's Creek to the quarries on the John Graham land. He is the owner of the largest tract of land owned by a single individual in Summers County at this time. This tract of land of about 4,000 acres lies near Brooks. Dr. Barksdale is a true rep resentative of the "old Virginia gentleman," a man of honor, faith ful to his friends and his profession. In one of the most interest ing cases in which he was called as an expert was that of the late J. S. Thompson, tried for the murder of Elbert Fowler at Lewis burg in 1885. HINTON-JOHNSON FIGHT. John Hinton, the father of Joe, Silas and Evan Hinton, went one day before the war to Richmond's Mill, ten miles west of Hinton, to get a "grist ground." In those days, when enough apples could be gotten together, they were converted into apple jack. On this occasion there were enough men to get up a good- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 575 sized row — one of old-fashioned apple jack. The country in those days was ncvv, rough and wild. Andy Johnson and Jake Adkins were each at the mill that day, and each claiming to be the "best man in the county." Johnson said "he weighed 164 pounds, and was the best man that ever walked on two legs on the New River Bottoms." Adkins said "he was the best man that ever walked on the New River Bottoms, and weighed 140 pounds." They prepared for a round or two just to see who was the best man. Andy Bennett walked up, strutted around and said that "he was the best man that ever walked on the New River Bottoms," where upon __ Johnson struck at him, and they went at it. Johnson knocked him down and got on top of him. Bennett hallowed: "Take him off and let me get my coat off, and I'll lick him." They pulled Johnson off, let Bennett get his coat off, and they went at it again. Bennett again hallowed "Enough," and they let him up and the fight was over, and Bennett pulled away and knocked Johnson down while they were politely waiting to see which was the best man that ever walked on the New River Bottoms. DUNN. Hon. Edward L. Dunn is a native of Monroe County, but has been a citizen of Summers since its formation. He is a descend ant of an old and honorable family of that name long resident of the lower end of the good county of Monroe. In 1870 he was united in marriage with Miss Mattie J. Baber, a daughter of Rev. Powhattan B. Baber, the distinguished Chris tian minister who resided in the Red Sulphur Springs neighbor hood, and grandfather of the Rev. P. B. Baber, Jr., minister also of the same church, and who is making his mark as one of the rising men of his church, who is not afraid to work with his gloves off. E. L. Dunn has for a large part of his life since his majority been engaged in the mercantile business at Indian Mills, where he made of the business a success. In 1880 he was elected for a term of four years justice of the peace in a Democratic district. In 1888 he was re-elected to succeed himself for a second term of four years. In 1898 he was appointed deputy sheriff under M. V. Calloway. In 1900 he was appointed by President William Mc Kinley supervisor of the census for the Southern West Virginia District. In 1901 he was appointed by Governor A. B. White as a member of the Band of Regents of the State Normal Schools 576 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. of West Virginia, which position he held for four years, and was reappointed by Governor Dawson in 1904, and is at present hold ing that honorable and respectable position. He was the active promoter in organizing the Greenbrier Springs Company and se curing for it the property now owned, and was the first and the only general manager of the company. Mr. Dunn is a straight-out-from-the-shoulder Republican, al ways adhering to the principles of the party and voting its ticket. He with 'his wife now reside at the Greenbrier Springs, where he owns a cottage. His son, Mr. George Dunn, resides at Talcott, and is one of the leading merchants of that section, having mar ried Miss Laura McNeer, a daughter of John Wesley McNeer, of Greenville, in Monroe County. He, like his father, takes an active part in politics, both being identified with .the controlling faction of the party in the county. "Squire" (E. L.) Dunn, as he is universally known, is a man of integrity, honor and reliability, and one of the substantial men of the county. DR. SAMUEL WILLIAMS. This most remarkable man is deserving of more than a passing notice in a true history of Summers County, by reason of his pe culiarities, his great size, his great mind and wonderful and thor ough education and information, and his early friendship to the people, especially to the youth and young men of the region around about where he lived. He emigrated into the Lick Creek settlement in the early part of the war, from Putnam County, Virginia, now AArest Airginia, on the Kanawha River, having made his headquarters at John Garrett's, and practiced medicine in Putnam County. His loca tions prior to that are unknown. He was possibly a 'native of Hanover County, Virginia, as he sometimes mentioned that county as if having lived and hunted there. He was an active man ; very fond of hunting and a fine shot on the wing, although he weighed 350 pounds, and was not over four and a half feet in height. So large was he and so ponderous was his stomach that he could not fasten his shoes or his clothes. Soon after he located at Lick Creek he met and married Miss Margaret Miller, a daughter of Irving Benson Miller, son of John, Sr., and a sister of John A. Miller, of Asbury, in Greenbrier County ; James W. Mil ler, the hotel proprietor in Hinton, and the late Olen B. Miller, of Alderson. He continued to practice his profession in the Lick FATHER DAVID WALSH, Founder of Catholicism in this Region. HON. ED. D. DUNN, Republican Politician and Capitalist. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 577 Creek country, locating at Green Sulphur Springs until the rail road was under construction, about 1872, when he removed to New Richmond, at which place he resided until his death from heart disease, very suddenly, about 1885, practicing in all that and the Lick Creek section. With. all his size, he would ride and travel all over the Chestnut and Hump Mountain and the Irish Mountain in Raleigh to visit the sick until his death, for some time being the surgeon for the C. & O. Railroad Company. His charges were most moderate if he charged at all, and seldom if ever compelled payment, and was not very particular about paying himself. He, with Dr. N. W. Noel, a physician at Green Sul phur, opened and conducted the first drug store in the county, which was at New Richmond, during the construction of the rail road. His education was complete, having graduated at the two great universities, that of the University of Virginia, at Char lottesville, Virginia, and of the University of South Carolina, at Chapel Hill. He could read, as well as the ordinarily educated man in the English could his language, a great number (13) differ ent languages. He was a thoroughly read and informed man on all subjects; could carry on intelligent conversation with his vis itors, and while doing so read a book or newspaper. He would frequently, in the midst of an animated conversation, fall asleep, and on waking proceed with the conversation where he left off. Directly after the war he, without charge, offered free lectures to the young men of Lick Creek, which were conducted at night at the Baptist Church. In its connection he organized a debating society among the young men, frequently preparing speeches for those participating on both sides of the question, when they did not feel competent to do it themselves. His teachings were only lectures delivered to his audience on grammar, etc., questioning to ascertain their progress and attention, for all of which no com pensation was desired or received. Many of the young men of the locality had been in the war. The schools for five years had en tirely suspended, and he thus secured, to all who desired, an op portunity to secure knowledge of which they were deficient. The young people for miles around attended these free lectures, for it was "sitting at the feet of Gamaliel." He accumulated no property, and desired none. When he died he left surviving him a widow, who still lives; two sons, Bion, now dead, and William A., now residing in Rich mond, Va., and Samuel Tilden, a cigar-maker, and Miss Susie, a trained nurse, in Durham, N. C. From whence he came or who 578 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. his relations were, no one knows. He never mentioned them, ex cept he would sometimes talk of his mother. He was a man of a great and generous, good heart, as big as his body. At his death he was supposed to be about sixty years old, and he was buried in the old Miller burying-ground on Lick Creek. LANE. There has been but one family of this name in the county. It consisted of Moses Lane, who settled on Brush Creek, in Monroe County, then moved to Crump's Bottom, in this county, and then emigrated to Field's Creek, on the Kanawha River. The sons of Moses Lane who continued to live in the county were Franklin, who settled in the Ellison country and still lives there, being now seventy-six years old ; Charles and John, who were twin brothers and lived near the mouth of Little Bluestone, and emigrated to Indiana during the war. Charles lived all his life on Pipestem Creek. William also emigrated to Indiana in his youth, and died there in early manhood, unmarried. John also settled and died in Indiana. James, the next son, settled near the Captain Ryan place, and later moved to Pennsylvania, where he resides. Marion, the youngest son, now fifty-two years old, re sides on his farm on Madam's Creek. He married Miss Elizabeth Lilly, daughter of Samuel Lilly. They have eight children living and three dead. He is one of our intelligent citizens. There were nine daughters in the family of Moses Lane, mak ing a family of sixteen children, all of whom grew to the age of maturity except one child. Moses Lane married Miss Cynthia Lawrence, of Monroe County. Her father was a native of Ire land. The Lane ancestors were also from beyond the sea, were Union men, opposed to secession of the States. JAMES T. M'CREERY. Mr. McCreery is of Irish descent, and was born in Union, Monroe County, on the 1st of January, 1845. His father was William McCreery, who was a native of Ireland, and who emi grated after the Civil War and located on a large boundary of land three miles north of Beckley, in Raleigh County, where he resided until the date of his death, leaving surviving him Hon. John W. McCreery, one of the prominent citizens of that county, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 579 and one of those largely responsible for the development of that now prosperous region. He is a prominent attorney of that county, and has been a member of the State Senate from his district and president of that body. He has also been elected prosecuting attorney of his county, and has held other positions of honor and trust. He is also presi dent of the Bank of Raleigh, Beckley Electric Light & Water Co., and is the owner of large landed properties in connection with his brother, Jas. T. He is one of the wealthiest men of the State, and highly esteemed at home and abroad; and Jas. T., the subject of this history, with his brother, Senator John W. McCreery, with business foresight, began early in the development of the coal regions of the State to acquire a large acreage of real estate in the early days, which has appreciated as developments came, and to-day he is one of the wealthiest men of the country. Jas. T. is the president of the New River & Southwestern R. R. Co., a proposed railroad to connect the C. & O. at Hinton with the N. & W. at the mouth of East River, following the course of New River on a route once only a trail for the Indian, and later the path of the pioneer hunter, discoverer and settler, and still later a country settled and inhabited by intelligent, prosperous and law-abiding citizens. He is president of the Hinton Hotel Co., and one of the principal promoters of that enterprise now being encouraged for the upbuilding and development of the city of Hinton. Recently he has been selected as the president of the National Bank of Summers, on its reorganization into a National bank, and on the resignation of Mr. Harrison Gwinn, the enterprising and excellent first president, on account of advancing years, and his long distant residence from the location of the bank. Mr. McCreery, is pre-eminently a business man, and has devoted his entire time to business enterprises and occupations, never hav ing engaged in political ventures or taken an interest therein except to vote in the interest of good government, he, as well as his brother, Senator John W. McCreery, being, as their father before them, followers after and believers in the doctrines of Jef ferson and Bryan, except he (Jas. T.) was not in sympathy with the free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, as proclaimed by the Democratic platform of 1896. Mr. McCreery spent a large part of his earlier life in the county of Raleigh, having moved to that county with his father in the 580 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. year 1855, and was engaged for a number of years in the hotel business in Beckley, when he removed to the mouth of Piney, where he constructed a handsome residence at one of the most picturesque locations for a country seat in the State. Here he resided until 1897, when he purchased a handsome brick residence in the city of Hinton, in which he has since resided, and where he expects to reside the remainder of his days. In the meantime he was actively engaged in the land business, having promoted the Piney River Railway, which was afterwards ab sorbed by the C. & O., and is now built, and is in operation as a branch of that great trunk line. He with others promoted the turnpike leading from the mouth of Piney to Beckley, building a toll bridge across Piney at its mouth, which is a covered structure, built of wood, and is still well preserved. The station at the mouth of Piney is named for him, and is called "McCreery." He organized the first bridge company to construct a bridge across New River at Hinton, but never completed the arrangements. He married Miss M. E. Prince, who was for many years an invalid. She was a daughter of the late Edwin Prince, a wealthy capitalist of Beckley. She died at Hinton since the removal of the family here. Mr. McCreery's family at present consists of three sons and three daughters, Mrs. Josie Sawyers, Mrs. Annie Gray and Mrs. Ben Perkins, of Parkersburg, W. Va. The founders of the McCreery family in this country were three brothers, William, John and Thomas. They were natives of Armagh, Ireland. William McCreery came from beyond the seas about 1821. John and Thomas came later. William and John settled in Monroe County, and Thomas went to Illinois, so that the descendants of the McCreerys were Irish. William mar ried Mary S. Francis, a daughter of an old Monroe family of that name, James, Frances and Susan. William McCreery be came prominent in affairs soon after his settlement in this coun try. He merchandised for a number of years at Greenville, in Monroe County; later located at Fincastle, Virginia, and became cashier of the Fincastle Bank, with William Glasgow, president, which position he occupied for ten years. In 1872 he was a mem ber of the Constitutional Convention which met in Charleston, with ex-Governor Samuel Price, president, and framed the pres ent Constitution of the State of West A^irginia. In 1879 he was ^¦:';,-:..V'-.;:- ISIilil* JAMES T. McCRBBRY, President National Bank of Summers. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 581 elected to the House of Delegates from Raleigh County. He set tled in Raleigh County before the war, and died about three miles from Beckley, where he owned a large plantation. He was an intelligent, honorable and prominent citizen and thoroughly Ameri can. He lived at one time in Union, Monroe County, where Sena tor John AAr. McCreery was born on July 31, 1845. The only three children of William McCreery were John W., James Thomas and William H. All three of these brothers were soldiers in the Con federate Army in the Civil War, John W. being a member of Company C, Second Virginia Cavalry. James T. was in the ar tillery service. William H. died some years ago, and his widow and family still reside in Beckley, Raleigh County. John W. was a member of the Senate two terms, elected in 1884 and 1888 for terms of four years each, and was president of that body during his last term, and made a capable and intelligent official and pre siding officer. His first wife was Miss Aletha Prince, who died, leaving one daughter, Aletha, who married Hon. Edward Keat ley, now clerk of the United States Courts at Charleston. His first wife was a sister of the wife of James T. McCreery, who died a few years ago in Hinton ; also a sister of E. O. Prince and Burke Prince, who were among the first settlers of Hinton. His second wife, who is also now dead, was, as above stated, a Miss Lacy, a sister of the lawyer, portrait painter and teacher, A. J., commonly known as "Sandy" Lacy. Jas. T. McCreery was mar ried the second time in 1907 to Miss Hattie Hatch, of New Jersey. Senator McCreery settled at Raleigh Court House in 1865, studied law, and began the active practice soon thereafter, and has followed his profession actively to the present day. He for many years practiced his profession actively in our county, and beginning with its creation, and has always been noted for his close and careful attention to the interests of his clients, and is an in domitable worker. He refused to permit the use of his name as a candidate for the judgeship in 1904. The McCreerys are Democrats in politics and Presbyterians in religious affiliations, Senator McCreery being actively engaged in church and charitable work, and his influence is always found in aid of morality and the best interests of society. The great-grandmother on his mother's side was a sister of Senator Allen T. Caperton's, who was an Erskine. W. H. Mc Creery built one of the first brick houses erected in Hinton, now owned by the estate of Dr. Gooch. 582 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. JOHN W. McCREERY. Among the lawyers who practiced their profession in the county from its very formation to the present from outside of the ter ritory is Hon. John W. McCreery, of Beckley. He is the son of Hon. William McCreery, who lived for many years in that county, having emigrated thereto from Virginia with his sons. He is. now about sixty-four years of age and one of the wealthiest men in this state. He started on the ground floor, but by judicious investment and business foresight he has accumulated a large fortune, esti mated to be worth now $1,000,000, largely in real estate. His in vestments were in wild lands in Raleigh County. When the devel opments came in that region, Mr. McCreery's land appreciated very rapidly in value. He is the president of the Bank of Raleigh and of the Beckley Water Works & Lighting Company, and is iden tified with many of the leading enterprises of this section, especially in Raleigh County, which he has been largely instrumental in developing. He is attorney for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company ;, has represented his district in the Senate of the State for two terms of four years' each, and was president of that body. He has been prosecuting attorney of Raleigh County. He is a Democrat in" politics and Presbyterian in religion. He takes great interest in those affairs for the betterment of his section. He has had one of the largest and most profitable law practices of any lawyer of this section of the State, which large clientelle is largely due to his careful attention to the interests of his clients, and is considered a faithful and conscientious counsellor. He first mar ried a Miss Lacy, of Princeton, a stepdaughter of Dr. Isaiah Bee, in 1876. After her death he married a Miss Prince, a daugher of Edmund Prince, of Beckley. His son, Henry - Lacy McCreery, also a lawyer of promise, died recently, aged thirty-two. Another son is a pharmacist. His daughter married D. Howe Johnson, a lawyer of Mercer County, a son of Judge David E. Johnson. Another daughter married Mr. Payne, the merchant of Beckley; another, Mr. Patterson, a lawyer and stenographer at Clarksburg. Mr. McCreery's close identification with the people of the county entitles him to some notice in these pages. In addition' to those positions mentioned, he has been general receiver of the court of his county for many years, a commissioner of the United States Court, appointed by Judge Jackson and also by Judge Keller. He was very favorably spoken of as the candidate of the Democratic 'HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 583 party for judge of the circuit court of this circuit in 1904, but declined to be a candidate. His practice extends throughout Ra leigh and adjoining counties, in the Supreme Court of the State and in the United States Court. He is a brother of our county man, James T. McCreery. WYANT. The first settler of Powley's Creek was Peter Wyant, who settled on the head of the creek. He left three sons, who settled in that region, around the Big Bend Tunnel — John, Elijah and Peter; and William, who was the youngest, and remained on the homestead of the ancestor, as it was the usual custom in the early days for the youngest son to remain at home to take care of his parents and inherit by devise or deed the "home place." William, the son of J. M., the third of the generation, still resides on the Powley's Creek homestead. Peter settled on top of Big Bend Tunnel Mountain, where he resided at his death. He left one daughter, who married Hon. J. Fred Briant, a train dispatcher of Hinton; J. Morris, who owns and lives on the old John Rooch farm on Greenbrier River, below Bacon's Mill ; Charles, who re sides where his father died, and Thomas, who lives on an adjoin ing farm. Archie Allen also married another daughter. Elijah went through the war as a Confederate soldier. He did not be lieve in secession, but did believe in obeying the laws of his State, and when the State seceded and demanded his service, he obeyed. He died several years ago, leaving a son, Peter M. Wyant, who lives on the Elk Knob, and married a daughter of C. Wran With row, and is raising a family of seventeen children, eleven boys and six girls. Another son, John M., who married a daughter of Squire Joseph Grimmett ; a daughter, who married Louis M. Shiry, and another who married John B. Thompson, of Talcott. The Wyants are a very sturdy, honorable, law-abiding, Chris tian people, and good citizens, who have retained the faith of their fathers. They are generally Methodists and Democrats, except John M., who has departed from the faith of his fathers to the extent of being an ardent Republican. One of the oldest settlers in the county was John Rooch, who married a sister of Andrew Gwinn, of Lowell. He owned the river bottom farm adjoining the Bacon Mill property, now owned by J. Morris Wyant. After the death of the original settlers his 584 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. children, with the exception of the youngest son, John M. Rooch, moved West. John M. still lives on the Keeny's Knob, in Green Sulphur District, and is a farmer. Peter Wyant, the owner of the farm of that name, was from Rockingham County, Virginia, and a German. He settled on Powley's Creek in 1820, and married Sarah Meadows, a daughter of Elijah Meadows, and they reared five boys and four girls. The boys were Elijah, the oldest, who married Sallie Dick, of Cale's Mountain, a daughter of John Dick; John, who married Mary Meadows, a daughter of James Meadows; Peter, who married Isa bel, a daughter of Matthew Lowe; William, who married Mary Hedrick, a daughter of Moses Hedrick; Ris, who married Clara Garten, a daughter of Thompson Garten. The daughters were Nancy, who married Archibald Cales ; Lucinda, who married James Meadows ; Ann, who married Irvin Wilburn, and Sarah, who married John Persinger. Each of these children raised large families. John and James died during the Civil War. James was buried at the old Pisgah Church, and John near his farm. Two sons of Peter Wyant, Jr., still reside in Talcott District — Morris and Charles. Ben R. Boyd married a daughter of Peter Wyant, as did Hon. J. Fred Bryant, who is now train dispatcher for the C. & O. Ry. at Hinton. Peter Wyant, the farmer, lives on Elk Knob, one of the highest points in the county, on a farm of rich land on which blue grass grows spontaneously. It consists of 300 acres, and once belonged to Elias Wheeler, and where the last wolves in the county were killed. He is a son of Elijah Wyant and a grandson of the set tler, and now sixty years old. All of the Wyants in- this section of the country are descend ants of Peter Wyant, who died at the age of ninety-one years, on his farm on the head of Powley's Creek, which was later owned and lived on by his son William, and then by his grandson, James, and is now owned by Samuel Ballard. The father of Peter Wyant, the settler, was a native of Germany, and settled in the Valley of Virginia, in Rockingham County; was seven years in the Ameri can Army during the Revolutionary War, and fought for the in dependence of this country. John M. Wyant, a grandson of Peter Wyant, married a daughter of Joseph Grimmett, and is now re siding on a portion of the old Joseph Grimmett home place, five miles east of Hinton, on the waters of Greenbrier River. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY," WEST VIRGINIA. 585 ROLLYSON. John Rollyson was an Englishman, emigrating from beyond the sea in his youth. He settled on Greenbrier River, opposite the west portal of the Big Bend Tunnel, which land he once owned. He left the following sons : James, Charles R., Joseph, John, Martin, Michael, William and Samuel, all of whom removed to Jackson County, West Virginia in their youth, except Charles R., who married a daughter of Charles Mathews, and James mar ried a sister of Archie Caly, and settled and reared a family on the place of his father. Charles R. married a daughter of David Math ews, the old settler of the bottom across the river from Talcott, and* which came through her to him, and is now known as the Chattin place. He was a large land owner in that region. He died many years ago, leaving two sons, William and Charles S. Wil liam died twenty years ago, leaving a widow and children, his wife being a daughter of A. J. Miller, a son of Brice Miller, who lived on the west side of Keeney's Knobs, near Lick Creek. Charles S. still resides on his half of the farm on the Big Bend, inherited by him from his father. Joseph settled in what is now known as Jumping Branch Dis trict, then Mercer, and his descendants still reside there. James Rollyson left two boys, J. P., who lives on Stony Creek, in Monroe County, near the Summers line, and A. N., who removed to and lives in Fayette County. He also left five daughters — Sarah, who married first Garland Sims, and then after his death, Henry Gib son ; Matilda married Caleb Garten, whose descendants still live in Hungart's Creek country; Amanda married Charles Carson, who lives on Wolf Creek, now an aged man ; Emily married Hugh Meadows, of that numerous family, many of whose descendants live in the county at this day ; Elizabeth married Richard M. Woodrum, the Wiggins merchant and son of one of the early settlers, Arm strong Woodrum, who died in recent years. HUFFMAN. Samuel Huffman, of Dutch descent, is a native of Roanoke County, Virginia. He was born the 16th day of August, 1827. He came to Monroe County when seven years of age. His father's name was Samuel. On the 8th of December, 1853, he married Sarah J. Allen, of Monroe County, a daughter of Jacob Allen, of near Greenville, and a sister of Nicholas N. Allen, one of the most 586 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. substantial and well-to-do citizens of this county, and of J, H. Allen, the merchant. Mr. Huffman was in his younger day a stone mason, but later devoted himself to farming. He purchased a good tract of land on Little Wolf Creek, where he now resides, having reared his family thereon, which consisted of six children — -Giles H., who died some three years ago; Leonidas S., a graduate of Concord Normal School, and a prominent minister of the M. E. Church, now located in Ohio, and who married Miss Lizzie Allen, a daughter of Nicholas N. Allen ; John Fletcher, one of the most prosperous farmers in the county, and two daughters, Rosa and Alice S. J., who married Wilber F. Allen and Jacob H. Allen, respectively. Mr. Huffman is one of the pioneers of Buck on Wolf Creek in this county; is a Republican, and not in any sense an office seeker. He has the full confidence of his party, and has been its nominee for delegate to the Legislature and for commissioner of the county court, and is a consistent Christian of the M. E. Church and a conscientious and- just man. The other son of Samuel Huffman is Gaston Huffman, an enterprising citizen farmer of AATolf Creek, in Greenbrier District. GRANDISON CALLOWAY LANDCRAFT. Was one of the most prominent citizens in the county at the date of its foundation. He was born in Nelson County, A'irginia in the year 1806. In 1838 he intermarried with Miss Emily Pack, a daugh ter of Bartley Pack, and on the 12th day of June, 1891, he died at Landcraft's Ferry on New River, in Forest Hill District, of this county. His wife survived him several years, and their remains rest side by side in the old family graveyard on the farm formerly owned by him, on which Mr. Joseph N. Haynes now resides, and of. which he is the owner, Mr. Haynes having intermarried with a niece of Mr. Landcraft's, Miss Emma McLaughlin, he leaving no children surviving him. For five years, between 1838 and 1843, he engaged in the mercantile business at Gauley Bridge, in Fay ette County, and then moved to the Landcraft (Pack's) Ferry, where he resided until he died, at which place he named and se cured the establishment of Pack's Ferry Post Office, of which he became the first postmaster, which position he retained until his death. There being no mail service, however, a part of the time during the war, the mail at the date of establishment of this office was carried on horseback over the Red Sulphur Turnpike, and HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 587 Pack's Ferry was the only post office between Red Sulphur and Jumping Branch. In politics before the war, and up to the date of the formation of the Republican party, he was an old-line Whig, but was opposed to slavery, and a strong Union man, and opposed to the secession of the South or the dissolution of the Union. After the war between the States he continued his allegience to the Republican party, and held 'the office of member of the Board of Supervisors of Monroe County, and in 1867 was appointed to make the re-assessment of the real estate of five counties of the State, including Webster, Nicholas and Braxton, and was complimented for the excellent execution of this work by the auditor. He was aided in the work of transcribing and making of the land books by J. Cary Woodson, now of Alderson, West Virginia, and Josephus B. Pack, late clerk of this county, and the father of our townsman, James P. Pack, the auditor saying : "It was the best set of books in the State." Mr. Landcraft was a man of strong convictions, a man of fine and studious habits, reading and forming his own opinions. He was noted for his kind treatment of the former slaves of which he had been an owner. AVhen his father sold two, Ben and Milly, he purchased them, brought them to his home, and cared tenderly for them the balance of their lives. His house was a home for all his friends, and in fact his "latch string" was always on the outside-. During the war it is related of him that he was arrested and taken to Union, on account of his Union principles, to which he stood firm and never wavered in the least. General A. A. Chap man, General John Echols, and Senator Allen Caperton were his personal friends, recognizing the true and manly spirit, took him to their homes, and, through their influence, soon returned him home. He was noted for his fearlessness in upholding the doctrines deemed by him as right. As an example, when arrested by the Confederate scouts, he was cursed by one for his Unionism, who drew his gun and placed it at his breast. He, without flinching, told the man "to shoot," not moving a muscle or an inch. The captain saved his life by taking hold of the man with the gun. Mr. Landcraft gave his earnest support to the formation of Summers County, and it was through his influence that the ap pointment of Josephus B. Pack was secured as the first clerk of the county court of'this county, and also of the Board of Super visors. He was a steadfast friend, of great individuality, as well as firmness of character, esteemed by all who knew him and re spected by those who differed from him. He, after the war, had 588 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. a long litigation over the Landcraft plantation. The suit went to the Supreme Court of Appeals, and is reported in one of the reports of that court. Mr. Landcraft had the distinction of being the oldest postmaster in point of service in the United States at the date of his death. He was the postmaster at Pack's Ferry office during all administrations. A trust deed was executed on the land at Pack's Ferry on the 7th of March, 1858, to secure a debt of $1,400.00 due the first day of September, 1862. The property was advertised for sale on the 4th day of February, 1868, and an injunction sued out before N. Harrison, and perpetuated. The grounds were that the times were hard, great scarcity of money and general depression. The plain tiff appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals, which reversed the Circuit Court of Monroe County. See Second West Virginia Reports, page 540. Another suit was instituted by Mr. Landcraft concerning this same New River property, on the 13th of October, 1869, in the Circuit Court of Monroe County, which was decided by Nathaniel Harrison, judge, and which was decided in his favor, but it was appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals, and decided at the January Term, 1870, and reversed. This was against George W. Hutchinson, Trustee, J. H. Alexander and Allen T. Caperton con cerning a deed of trust executed to secure Alexander a certain debt. See West Virginia Reports, 4, page 312. The Kent and Watson lands, of about 80,000 acres, were partly in Pipestem District, generally known as the Kent and Watson lands. The owners were James R. Kent and James T. AVatson. After the death of Watson, James Watson Williams was made administrator in New York, both owners being residents of that State. On the 15th day of February, 1844, an Act was passed by the General Assembly of Virginia authorizing said administrator to bring a suit for the appointment of a commissioner to collect the unpaid purchase money on lands sold, and to sell the unsold lands. In the Circuit Superipr Court of Law and Chancery in Mercer County the said Kent and Williams filed their bill according to said act, and on April 30, 1844, and Samuel Pack was appointed com missioner for the purposes aforesaid, who gave bond in the penalty of $5,000.00, with William G. Caperton, Reuben F. AAratts and John McClaugherty as sureties. Pack died in 1848. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 589 ALLEN. Nicholas N. Allen is now about seventy-eight years old, a native of Monroe, but removed to this county before its organization, and married Miss Susan Martin, of Lick Creek, a daughter of Shadrach Martin, and settled on the upper waters of Lick Creek. He had no start in the world except what he gave himself by his good sense and muscle. He cleared out an excellent farm, built an ex cellent home, became a dealer in stock, and is as prosperous as any man in the county. In his later years he has practically retired from business — a plain man and an honorable one. His family consisted of three daughters; one married Fred Bush, of Hinton, and another, Rev. L. S. Huffman, and Miss Alice first married W. W. Withrow, and after his death, a Mr. Foster; Jacob H., a merchant of Hinton, and Wilbur N., a farmer and capitalist. Nicholas N. Allen was born in 1828, and is the architect of his own success. He was a soldier in the Confederate Army, is a Pres byterian and a Democrat. His father was Jacob Allen, who lived on the Indian Draft near Greenville, in Monroe County. Jacob Henderson Allen, who lived farther up Lick Creek, was a brother of Nicholas N. R. T. BALLANGEE. R. T. Ballangee bears the name of one of the first families of settlers in this county. He was born near where Talcott is now built, on June 21, 1853, and is a son of Eli Ballangee, who was a constable for several years, and an old and respected farmer citizen. Mr. Ballangee was elected constable, and took office January 1, 1876, serving one term of four years. He has held the office of justice of the peace of Talcott District for two terms by election, eight years, elected, 1888 and 1892, and a part of one term by appointment; two years, 1886 to 1888. He is a farmer by occu pation, intelligent, enlightened, progressive and an up-to-date farmer. He married Miss Sallie J., the daughter of George W. Chattin and M. C. Chattin, of Rollinsburg, in 1877, who is still living. They reside at Ballangee Post Office, about two miles and a half from Greenbrier Springs, which post office was established during the second Cleveland administration, in 1893, and was named for "Squire" Ballangee. His son, Homer Ballangee, who is now a justice of the peace, is an intelligent, well-educated young man, 590 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. married Miss Kate Chattin, and lives at Talcott. '"Squire" Bal langee, as he is always called, has four children, two daughters, who have married — one, Miss Bessie, Frank Dunn, and Miss Grace, who married W. B. Dunn ("Jack"), sons of C. L. Dunn, of Red Sulphur Springs, and Schuyler, unmarried, who reside at Ballangee Post Office. R. T. Ballangee is a direct descendant of the pioneer of that name who settled on the island at Hinton in Indian days. There are a number of the name still in the county, the older being Lorenzo and Lafayette. Evi, a son of George, died some six years ago near Hinton. The first Ballangee to settle in this territory was Isaac, who had three sons, Isaac, George and Henry. George inherited the land immediately below the mouth of Greenbrier; Henry patented the Hinton lands, and Isaac the lands on which the city of Hinton is built. Isaac Ballangee, the second, left Lafayette, who married a Pack ; Lorenzo, who married a Hicks ; Anderson, Richardson and Eli. George left two sons, Evi, who never married, and who died at the old George Ballangee house ; and John R., who settled near Clayton, at the foot of Keeney's Knob. His first wife was Rebecca Graham, a daughter of Joseph Graham, by whom he had two chil dren, David Graham Ballangee and Mary. After her death he married a Miss Rookstool, by whom he raised three children, John, Franklin and Charley, and one daughter, Susan, who mar ried Charles H.. Graham. George Ballangee made a will, by which he devised the lands between the Hintons and the mouth of the Greenbrier to Evi and John R. Evi never married, and he and his sister lived in the old log house until their death. Interesting litigation grew out of the lands devised by George Ballangee for a partition of this land. Evi Ballangee was, in 1898, when alone in the house late at night, attacked by three robbers, who thought he had a large amount of money hidden on the premises. They entered his house and attacked him. He resisted, and a desperate fight took place. They knocked out his teeth, and left him covered with blood. They finally overcame him, bound him with cords and rendered him insensible. The desperadoes searched every nook of the house — into the garret and loft, but got no money, and Mr. Ballangee refused to tell them anything, except that he had no money. They would not believe him. They placed his feet to the fire and burned the soles of them into a blister. Finally they left, and he was HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 591 helpless and unable to get loose until next day, when he reported to the authorities. A large reward was offered, and but one of the robbers was ever caught. His name was Crawford, and he was sent to the penitentiary for five years. FORD. Hon. Azel Ford is a native of western New York, reared on a farm and educated at the Genesey State Normal School, and fol lowed the profession of teaching for some time in his native country. In 1878 he came to West Virginia, which has since been his home, and in the development of which he has enlisted and has aided materially. After Mr. Ford located in West Virginia he was engaged for several years as a civil engineer, and he became thoroughly familiar with the vast, undeveloped wealth of the lower end of the State in timber and coal, and acquired large interests in his own right, the prevailing prices then being moderate. After he had resided a few years in the State, having made his permanent abode in Raleigh County, he was nominated as a Democrat and elected to the House of Delegates, and was a member of that body during the session of 1889, when the contested election was de termined between Hon. A. Brooks Flemming and General Nathan Goff for Governor, Mr. Ford voting with his party in favor of seating Judge Fleming, and his vote was understood to be the deciding vote. Later, Mr. Ford changed his political views from those of the Democratic party to those of the Republican policies ; was again nominated for House of Delegates by the Republican organization, and elected over Hon. I. C. Prince. This election was contested, but he was seated and held the office throughout the term. He always adhered to the policies when in the Democratic organization of Samuel J. Randall, and was known as a "Randall Democrat," believing in the policies of protection as proclaimed by that great statesman. After his death many of his followers transferred their political affections to the party of the protective tariff. Mr. Ford has not, since his last race for the Legislature, been a candidate for political office, but has devoted his time and energies to business. Mr. Ford was practically the founder of the Bank of Hinton, the oldest bank between Lewisburg and Charleston, and was at its organization elected its president, in 1889, and has continued in that position to the present date. This bank was first organized 592 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. as a State bank by Mr. Ford, the late Edwin Prince, of Beckley; M. A. Riffe, the first cashier, of Hinton; E. O. Prince, who was the second cashier, and Burke Prince, on a capitalization of $25,000.00. After several years of successful operation under the advice of Mr. Ford, when the United States banking laws were amended and made more liberal, converted in 1900 into a national bank, and is the oldest national bank in this section of the country, Mr. Ford being retained as a member of the board of directors and president. The policy of the institution has been largely dictated by him, and while he has a greater part of the time been absent, his has been the master hand always guiding its. destinies, which have been successfully and wisely done. Mr. Ford resided at Beckley, Raleigh County, for a number of years, and owned a handsome residence property in that town. Later, he removed with his family to Hinton, and became a citizen of Summers County, and is now a citizen thereof, but spends the greater portion of his time in Washington, D. C, in which city he has established a home, but is still a citizen of this county. He is a business man; began life at the bottom, and has made a success, and is conceded to be one of the wealthiest men of the State, and is yet comparatively a young man. He, with James Kay, the Scotch coal operator, with Frank and Letus Puckett, built the large brick flats on Temple Street, consisting of thirteen residences. His holdings in coal and timber lands on the west side of New River have been large, and from which he has acquired a large fortune. His good business foresight led him to take advantage of the development, and his holdings rapidly in creased in value. He projected and was largely instrumental in the building of the narrow gauge iron rail steam road; from New River, at the mouth of Glade Creek, up that stream into the heart of the timber region of Raleigh County. Mr. Ford married Miss Ewart, daughter of Harvey Ewart, of Livingston County, New York State. Their children are Misses Grace and Anna, who united in marriage with Frank and Melitus Puckett, prominent and successful business men of Hinton. Miss Rosa is at school in a Washington college for ladies, and Harvey is a young business man, engaged and interested in business with his father. Mr. Ford is one of the largest realty owners in the county, and has materially aided in the development of the city in past years, but of recent years his energies have been spent in other directions. HON. AZEE FORD, President and Founder of First National Bank of Hinton. CAPTAIN A. C. HARRISON, Railway Conductor and Democratic Politician. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 593 ANN BAILEY. The history of this noted pioneer woman is tradition largely, but enough is known to make it pretty correct history. The story of her life is connected principally with the history of the New River and Kanawha Valley. In the year 1891, when Hon. Virgil Lewis, the West Virginia historian, wrote of this locally noted woman pioneer, there. were still people then living who had known her and conversed with her, among them Colonel Charles B. Wagner, of Point Pleasant; Mrs. Mary McCullough, of Mason County; Mrs. Mary Irons and Mrs. Phoebe Willy, of Gallia County, Ohio, extremely old persons seventeen years ago. The two latter were granddaughters of Ann Bailey; also John Slack, Sr., and J. H. Goshorn, of Charleston, West Virginia. Ann Bailey's name was Hennis. She was a native of Liverpool, England. The exact date of her birth is not known with absolute verity. It has been claimed that she lived to the age of 125 years. This is no doubt a mistake, but that she did live to a very old age there is no doubt. Her father was a soldier in Queen Ann's war, and served on the continent of Europe under the Duke of Marl borough at Blenheim. She was named after Queen Ann. She had visited London in her childhood, then five years old. She witnessed the execution of Lord Lovat, convicted of high treason. From this event the date of her birth is fixed at 1742, as approximately correct, Lovat having been beheaded April 9, 1747. She came to Virginia in 1761. Various, traditions exist as to the manner of her coming. Some stories printed state that at the age of nineteen years she was kidnaped and carried away while on her way to school with her books, brought beyond the sea, landed on the James River in Virginia, where sold to defray the cost of her voyage. Others claim she was married to Richard Trotter, and with him sought a home in the Virginia settlement, and because of their extreme poverty, was "sold out" to pay costs, of passage, as was the custom in those days, and that they were bought by a gentleman by the name of Bell, residing at Staunton, Virginia, and after their term of service became settlers of Augusta. The facts seem to be that, when her parents died, she was left a penniless orphan of youthful years, alone in the great city of Liverpool. In her extremity she thought of some friends or relatives who had gone beyond the Atlantic Ocean and settled in the colony of Vir- 594 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ginia, and she determined to follow them, and went on shipboard and sailed. In time she reached the Virginia Capes, sailed up the James River; then she undertook the passage through the. wilder ness overland to . Augusta County, passing the Blue Ridge. At the age of nineteen she arrived at the home of the Bells in that county, where Staunton now stands. Soon after her arrival she became acquainted with Richard Trotter, a brave frontiersman, fell in love with him and married him. He was one of the youthful soldiers of Braddock's Army; was at Bradock's Defeat." Trotter escaped with his life, and later he married Ann Hennis. Her maiden name was Hennis. She was fair, Trotter was brave. "None but the brave deserve the fair." They were married in 1765. A little cabin was reared by their joint industry in a voiceless wil derness. Their first child, William, was born in 1767. Pressing westward, a few frontiersmen had located on Muddy Creek in the Greenbrier Valley. .This infant settlement survived but a short time, perishing by the hand of the barbarians. Dunsmore's War came on. Richard Trotter's wife was one of the bravest who encouraged the whites to break the savage power and save the mothers and children from the savage tomahawk and knife. Richard Trotter joined Lewis' Army that proceeded from Camp Union (Lewisburg) to Point Pleasant, and aided in fighting the most hotly contested battle ever fought on the American continent between the white men and the Indians. He was one of the slain, leaving Ann a widow, who watched and waited in her humble home for his return, but he never came. He died in aiding to plant white civilization on the Ohio. Married to Trotter at the age of twenty- three, she was a widow at the age of thirty-two, and so remained for eleven years. She resolved to avenge her husband's death when she finally learned of his dismal fate. It was not a visionary dream. It was an outburst of patriotism and heroism. The Revolutionary War was now at hand. She found a duty to perform, and tradition tells how well she performed it. Her neighbor was a Mrs. Moses Mann, and some of her family were victims of the Indian savages. She tendered a home to the boy of Ann of seven, made an orphan by the Indian bullet at Point Pleasant, and Ann Trotter entered on her unparalleled career, which has no equal in Virginia history. She clad herself in the costume of the border. She joined the re cruiting stations, where she urged enlistments with great earnest ness and heroism. Her appeals were first on behalf of the de fenseless women and children on the border, and when these were not in immediate danger, she was urging the men to enlist in the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 595 Continental establishments and strike for freedom against her native land. She was clad in buckskin trousers, with a petticoat, heavy bro- gan shoes, a man's coat and hat, a belt about the waist with a hunting knife attached, and with a rifle on her shoulder. In this garb she passed from one recruiting station to another, from one muster to another, appealing to the patriotism of all she met. The whole border, from the Potomac to the Roanoke, was her field. Long before the close of the Revolution the name of Ann Trotter was famous in all quarters, and her virtue and patriotism, as well as her heroism, were sung by all who knew her or knew of her. After the Revolution a continued struggle waged, and for long years Ann Trotter redoubled her energies, if it were possible for human to do so; and, on foot and on horseback, she bore messages and dispatches from the eastern settlements to the remotest fron tiers, among them Fort Fincastle on the Jackson River, Fort Edwards on the Warm Springs Mountain, Fort London, now Win chester, Fort Savanna, now Lewisburg, in Greenbrier County, then the most western outpost of -civilization in 1778, on the southwest ern frontier of Virginia, with the exception of Fort Ranolph at Point Pleasant. She bore messages between Staunton and Lewis burg and Point Pleasant on the Ohio. The inhabitants awaited her coming with anxiety. It was 160 miles from Point Pleasant to Lewisburg on the route the army of Lewis marched in 1774. She traveled the lonely defiles of the Alleghenies, crossed the Sew ell Mountains, the Gauley and the Elk Rivers and other streams. She traversed this region and the valley of the Kanawha, which became the scene of many an adventure by her. John Bailey was a brave scout. She met him. He was worthy of her admiration and devotion. They were married on the 3d of November, 1785, by Rev. John McCue, the first Presbyterian minister west of the Alleghenies. She was then forty-three years of age. Thus, Ann Trotter, the heroine of the Shenandoah, became Ann Bailey, the heroine of the Kanawha. The marriage record is in Record No. 1, page 7, in the office of the county clerk of Greenbrier County. When Charleston was founded as Fort Clendenin, John Bailey became the commandant with his bride, the ¦ now famous Ann. Here she entered upon a career of unsurpassed daring and adven ture. Her skill with the rifle was great. Her dexterity as an equestrienne was wonderful. Her care for the sick and helpless challenged the admiration of all. Often she left the fort and rode 596 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. into the wilderness, carried messages to Point Pleasant, sixty miles, to Lewisburg, to Staunton and other settlements. She carried the letter of Daniel Boone, who was then lieutenant colonel of Kana wha County, to Governor Henry Lee, regarding the military es tablishment of the county, which is characteristic. He wrote : "For Kanawha Co. 68 Privits ; men and captain at Pint plesent 17 men; John Morris Juner; Insine at the Bote yards 17 men; Two spyes or scutes Will be Necessry at the pint to sarch the Banks of the River at the crossing places. More would be want ing if the could be alotide. Those spyes Must be Compoused of the inhabitants who Well Know the Woods and Waters from the pint to belleville 60 miles — No inhabitance ; also from the pint to Elke 60 miles — No inhabitence ; from Elke to the Bote Yards 20 miles, all inhabited." Thus, in 1791, we are informed there were no white inhabi tants in all the Kanawha Valley, and no idea of a fixed habitation. And ever afterwards, mounted on her famous horse, "Liverpool," she ranged all over the land, from Point Pleasant to Staunton. "Never," says Professor Lewis, "under the impenetrable coat of mail of a Crusader beat a heart actuated by greater heroism and ardent love for humanity than that which throbbed within the bosom of Ann Bailey. She boldly sallied into the wilderness as if to challange the ferocity of wild beasts and the vengeance of savage men. Day and night she continued on her journeys, and slept in the wilderness, with only her faithful horse tied near as her sole companion." On another occasion she journeyed from Charleston to Lewis burg. She slept in a hollow tree, and tied her horse so that he constantly blew his breath on her, and thus aided in saving her from freezing. She frequently slept in a cave at the mouth of Thirteen Mile Creek, known to this day as "Ann Bailey's Cave." This cave was destroyed by stonemasons in recent years, by blast ing out the rock, in the absence of the owner, Dr. Forbes, of lower Kanawha County. On one trip from Point Pleasant to Charleston she was dis covered, where Winifred now stands, by a band of savages, who gave chase. It was Ann Bailey who volunteered to go from Fort Clendennin, Charleston, to Lewisburg and secure the necessary supply of powder for that fort, which was besieged by the Indians, and the supply had been exhausted. It was a trip through a trackless wil- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 597 derness, beset with savage foes and wild beasts. The fort was surrounded by savage Indians. All the men in the fort refused to undertake the perilous and dangerous passage. She bestrode the fleetest horse. The commander aided her to mount. The gate of the fort opened, and she disappeared in the forest. She passed Kanawha Falls, Gauley, Hawk's Nest, the Sewell Mountains, the Greenbrier Hills, and finally the fort, where Lewisburg now stands, was reached. She immediately secured a supply of powder. She refused a return guard, but with two horses, one she rode, and the other lead, loaded with the precious burden of powder, she reached Fort Lee exhausted, having made successfully the most daring feat in the history of the West. The next morning the garrison sallied from the fort with plentiful supplies, and, after a fierce fight, drove off the besieging savages and saved the people of the fort, where the Capitol now stands, from certain butchery. She was then forty-nine years old. This ride has been preserved in song. Charles, Rabb, of the U. S. A., while encamped at Gauley Bridge in 1861, wrote "Ann Bailey's Ride; a Legend of the Kanawha." She was voted as a reward for her noble service the noble horse she rode on this ride. His name was "Liverpool." John Bailey, the second husband of Ann, died about 1802 in the vicinity of Charleston. Prominent among the people with whom Ann Bailey associated was Captain William Arbuckle, born at Balcony Falls, Virginia, on the James, ancestor of Hon. John W. Arbuckle, attorney and citizen of Greenbrier County. He was as great as Daniel Boone or Simon Kenton. He was among the first to enroll with General Lewis for the Point Pleasant campaign. Another was Jesse Van bibber, one of the first settlers on the Greenbrier near Lowell. Then westward he went, and we find Vanbibber Rock at the Kanawha Falls, and Vanbibber hollows and licks in Greeft Sulphur District of Summers County. After the treaty of 1795, which ended the Indian depredations in all the New, Kanawha and Ohio Valleys, Ann Bailey spent her days in the Kanawha and Ohio Valleys, especially in'the region of Point Pleasant and Gallipolis. After the famous ride from Fort Lee to Lewisburg she appears to have lost all. On the trip she was about to be overtaken. She abandoned her horse and disappeared and escaped in the underbrush in a hollow sycamore log. The Indians made a careful search, halted and rested on the log, finally departing, taking her horse. Later she came out 598 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. and followed the trail. Coming up with their encampment, she waited for the cover of darkness, and, while they slept, she stole up, and, untying her horse, "Liverpool," she sprang on his back, and when a short distance she gave a scream, and rode rapidly to Charleston in safety. So often did she baffle the Indians in this respect that they came to the belief she bore a charmed life. The Shawnee women knew her as the "AA^hite Squaw of the Kanawha." They, on account of her recklessness, came to the conclusion she, was insane, and regarded her as the "phantom rider," which appeared here, there and everywhere on their paths, and thus for many years she was conspicuous. She Would carry supplies from one fort to another, from Gal- lipolis to Staunton. Frequently her horse was so heavily laden that she would walk and lead him. She would bring coffee for one, drugs for another, powder for another, farming utensils for an other, etc. She did an original express business. Outdating Alvin, Adams and William Hernden and Ephraim Famesworth by half a century. If it was hogs or cattle that she wanted, she would drive them through if she had to go to the banks of the Shenandoah for them, and it is tradition that she first introduced tame geese into the New River Valley, as well as the Kanawha. In compliance with an agreement for tame geese, she drove twenty 150 miles for Captain William Clenendin. One died by the way. She put its dead carcass in a bag, and delivered nineteen alive and one dead, keeping the contract to the letter to deliver twenty geese. It is tradition that she drank and was profane. Professor Lewis denies this. After a careful study and research, and conversing with aged people, he asserts that she was not profane or addicted to the use of strong drink. She did not belong to any church. She observed the Sabbath. She was known to pray. 'What more was wanted?" says Professor Lewis. Heroism, virtue, mercy, benevo lence, observance of the Sabbath, dependence on Providence, which protected her through an eventful career, all blended to make up her character, the pioneer heroine of the Kanawha A^alley. She had a son, William, who grew to be an old man. She made her last visit to Charleston in the summer of 1817 She walked some seventy-five miles, then seventy-five years old. Jacob AVarth says fie met her six miles from Charleston, walking towards that place in 1817. This was some ninety years ago. She was clad in border costume. It was' her son William (Trotter) whom she had left with Mrs. Moses Mann in Augusta County, as heretofore set forth, at the #.OSE;I S W O P re 1 vf.t * J am J I f[ * Allen T. Caperton, Democrat, Union, from March 4, 1875, to date of his death, July 26, 1876. Samuel Price, Democrat, Lewisburg, appointed August 26, 1876 —December 4, 1876. Frank Hereford, Democrat, Union, January 31, 1877 — March 3, 1881. Johnson N. Camden, Democrat, Parkersburg, March 4, 1881 — March 3, 1887. John E. Kenna, Democrat, Charleston, March 4, 1883 — March 3, 1895 (died in 1893). Charles J. Faulkner, Democrat, Parkersburg, March 3, 1887 — March 3, 1893. Johnson N. Camden, Democrat,. Parkersburg, March 4, 1893 — March 3, 1895, filling the unexpired term of John E. Kenna. Charles J. Faulkner, Democrat, Parkersburg, March 4, 1893 — March 3, 1899. Steven B. Elkins, Republican, Elkins, March 4, 1895— March 3, 1901. Nathan B. Scott, Republican, AArheeling, March 4, 1899— March 3, 1905. Steven B. Elkins, Republican, Elkins, March 4, 1901— March 3, 1907. N. B. Scott, Republican, Wheeling. Elected January, 1905, for a term of six years. HISTORY OF SUMMERS 'COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 749 STATE SENATORS FROM THE DISTRICT OF WHICH SUMMERS COUNTY IS A PART SINCE ITS FORMATION. Robert F. Dennis, Lewisburg^ John W. Arbuckle, Lewisburg; William L. McNeal, Pocahontas ; J. W. St. Clair, Fayette ; M. Van Pelt, Fayette; W. W. Adams, Summers; William Haynes, Sum mers; William H. McGinnis, Raleigh; M. F. Matheny, Raleigh; Ault. Ballard, Monroe, and N. P. Baker, Mercer. COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS. The county superintendents of schools have been: John H. Pack, appointed when county was formed and elected one term. C. L. Ellison 2 terms. David G. Lilly 2 terms. James H. Miller 1 term. Charles A. Clark 1 term. J. Morris Parker 1 term. Victor V. Austin 1 term. Jonathan F. Lilly 1 term. Henry F. Kessler 2 terrrls. George W. Lilly 2 terms. J. E. Keadle 1 term. JAILERS OF THE COUNTY. The jailers of the county have been: WTilliam Gott, W- R- Neeley, Jr., E. B. Neeley and John W. Wiseman. DELEGATES TO THE SECESSION CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, 1861. From Monroe: Allen T. Caperton, John Echols. From Mercer County: Napoleon Bonaparte French. MEMBER OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, 1870. William Hayne. 750 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. SUMMERS COUNTY CORPORATIONS. New River Land Company, incorporated 1907; T. H. Lilly, Presi dent. Hinton Water, Light & Supply Co., incorporated 1903 ; W. L. Fredeking, President. National Bank of Summers, incorporated 1905; Jas. T. McCreery, President. First National Bank of Hinton, incorporated 1900; Azel Ford, President. Citizens' Bank of Hinton, incorporated 1905 ; W. H. Warren, Presi dent. New River Grocery Co., incorporated 1901 ; Geo. A. Miller, Presi dent. Hinton Steam Laundry, incorporated 1906; T. H. Lilly, President. Hinton Hotel Company, incorporated 1905 ; Jas. T. McCreery, President. Hotel McCreery Company, incorporated • 1907 ; Jas. T. McCreery, President. Hinton Toll Bridge Company, incorporated 1904;. Wm. Plumley, Jr., President. Hinton Foundry, Machine & Plumbing Co., incorporated 1906; Jas. T. McCreery, President. Ewart-Miller Company, incorporated 1905 ; Jas. H. Miller, Presi dent. Foss Bridge Co., incorporated July 26, 1906; A. E. Miller, Presi dent. Greenbrier Springs Co., incorporated August 14, 1903 ; Jas. H. Mil ler, President. "Independent-Herald" Publishing Co., incorporated April 19, 1907; P. K. Litsinger, President. Franklin Publishing Co., incorporated May 3, 1902 ; Geo. O. Que- senberry, President. , Talcott Toll Bridge Co., incorporated July 13, 1904; J. A. Fox, President. Big Four Improvement Co., incorporated 1907; S. B. Hamer, Presi dent. Hinton Masonic Development Co., incorporated April 27, 1905; Will L. Fredeking, President. Summers Realty Co., incorporated July 11, 1905; H. Ewart, Presi dent. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 751 Hinton Drug Co., incorporated August 6, 1900; E. N. Falconer, President. Hinton Department Co., incorporated May 1, 1901; Jake A. Riffe, President. Hinton Hardware Co., incorporated December 26, 1901 ; Jas. PI. Miller, President. Sandstone Planing Mill Co., incorporated 1907; Jas. Gwinn, Presi dent. Charlton Curtain Co., incorporated 1906; J. F. Bigony, President. Riverview Land Co., incorporated July 2, 1906; O. O. Cooper, President. Summers Coal & Land Co., incorporated March 27, 1906; M. F. Alatheny, President. Greenbrier Land Co., incorporated 1907; . Hinton Construction Co., incorporated 1907; H. Lawrence, Presi dent. Lilly Lumber Company, incorporated 1906; T. H. Lilly, President. Indian Mills Supply Co., incorporated 1906; C. A. Baber, President. Raleigh Supply & Milling Co., incorporated 1905; W L. Barks dale, President. Summers Publishing Co., incorporated 1903; E. C. Eagle, Presi dent (which is the publisher of the "Summers Republican" newspaper). Summers Dairy & Food Co., incorporated 1906; Andrew L. Camp bell, President. Elks' Improvement Co., incorporated January 29, 1906; J. Donald Humphries, President. SHERIFFS. The sheriffs of Summers County were, first, Evan Hinton, who was appointed and held the office for two years thereunder, then elected for four years. The second sheriff was W. S. Lilly, elected for four years; M. V. Calloway, four years; H. Gwinn, eight years (two terms) ; O. T. Kessler, four years ; James H. George, four years ; H. Ewart, four years ; A. J. Keatley, present sheriff, elected for a term of four years. All sheriffs of Summers County have been Democrats except M. V. Calloway, who was a Republican. The deputies under Evan Hinton were Joseph Ellis, W. P. Hin ton and Isaac G. Carden. The deputies under W. S. Lilly were his son, Green Lee Lilly, and I. G. Carden. The deputies under M. V. Calloway were Sira W. Willey, A. G. Flanagan and E. L. Dunn. 752 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. The deputies under H. Gwinn were Green Lee Lilly, I. G. Carden, John W. Wiseman, Levi M. Neeley, Sr., and W. R. Neeley, Jr. The deputies under O. T. Kessler were L. M. Meador and Henry F. Kessler. The deputies under James H. George were William C. Hedrick, John_W. Wiseman and W. R. Neeley, Jr. The depu ties under H. Ewart were I. G. Carden, W. R. Neeley, Jr., E. E. Angel and W. H. Dunbar. The deputy under A. J. Keatley is W. P. Bowling. MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. Gordan L. Jordan One term, 2 years. M. Gwinn One term, Nelson M. Lowry One term, Capt. A. A. Miller One term, Sylvester Upton . ': One term, John W. Johnston One term, Dr. B. P. Gooch Two terms, 4 years. B. P. Shumate Two terms, M. J. Cook One term, 2 years. Col. John G. Crockett Two terms., 4 years. M. M. Warren , One term, 2 year's. Dr. J. Thompson Hume One term, Capt. Frank M. Gallagher Two terms, 4 years. M. J. Cook is the only Republican ever elected to the House of Delegates from Summers County. Each term of this office was for two years. JUDGES. The judges of the circuit court who have been in office in the county of Summmers are as follows: J. M. McWhorter, who served for two years, and was in office when the county was formed. He was Republican in politics, and succeeded Nathaniel Harrison, who resigned when proceedings to impeach him had been instituted. The second judge was Homer A. Holt, who was elected and served for two terms of sixteen years. He was a Democrat. The circuit then included Greenbrier, Summers, Monroe, Braxton, Nich olas, Fayette, Pocahontas and Webster. The third judge was Andrew Nelson Campbell, a Democrat, who was elected for one term of eight years. He was from Mon- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 753 roe County. He was nominated for a second term by his party, but the district having become strongly Republican, his defeat was accomplished, along with all other candidates on the Democratic ticket. Fourth — The fourth judge was again ].' M. McWhorter, who was elected as a Republican nominee for one term of eight years. He was a candidate for renomination, but was defeated in the con vention. Fifth — James H. Miller, serving the present term, which, if completed, will be eight years. He was elected as a Democrat in a strong Republican circuit. After Judge Holt's first term the circuit was Greenbrier, Mon roe, Pocahontas, . Fayette and Summers, until 1905, when Judge Miller was elected, the circuit had been changed, so that the pres ent circuit includes Summers, Raleigh and Wyoming. PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS. The first prosecuting attorney was Carlos A. Sperry, who was appointed on the formation of the county in 1871, and served for two years. Second — White G. Ryan, who was the first elected prosecut ing attorney, for one term of four years. Third — Elbert Fowler, who was elected for one term of four years. Fourth — William R. Thompson, who was elected for one term of four years. Fifth — James H. Miller, who was elected in 1884, and for four succeeding terms, holding the office for sixteen years in succession. Sixth — Frank Lively, who was elected in 1900, held the office for a part of one term (two years), and resigned. Seventh — E. C. Eagle, part of one term, appointed by Judge McWhorter to fill the unexpired term caused by the resignation of Frank Lively. Eighth — R. F. Dunlap, now serving his first term. Each of the prosecuting attorneys of the county has been a Democrat, except Frank Lively and E. C. Eagle. No nominations were made in this county until 1892, when James H. Miller was nominated over William R. Thompson. Since that time all can didates for that office have been by party nomination. 754 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY COURT. Joseph Hinton, two terms, of 12 years ; J. C. McNeer, one term ; B. P. Shumate, two terms ; J. J. Christian, two terms ; Joseph Lilly, one term ; Allen H. Meador, one term ; Harry Haynes, present commissioner, one term ; W. O. Farley, present commissioner, serv ing his first term ; W. A. Barger, now serving his first term ; George W. Hedrick, one term ; Wm. J. Kirk, one term. Each term in this office was for a period of six years, except the first commissioners under the new Constitution, providing for the election and creation of this office. Those commissioners were Joseph Hinton, J. C. McNeer and B. P. Shumate. They were elected, but took office for two, four and six years respectively. Jos. J. Christian is the only commissioner who held the office for twelve years in succession. B. P. Shumate held for eight years, J. C. McNeer six, and Joseph Hinton, ten. CLERKS OF THE CIRCUIT COURT. Allen H. Meador was appointed at the formation of the county, and was elected at the first election thereafter, and held for the term of six years, and was then succeeded by B. L. Hoge, who was elected for three terms in succession of six years each. The third clerk of the circuit court is Walter H. Boude, who is serving his second term of twelve years, the terms of each of the clerks being six years. CLERKS OF THE COUNTY COURT. The first clerk of the county court was Josephus Pack, a Demo crat, appointed by Judge McWhorter on the formation of the county. He was appointed through the influence of G. C. Land craft. Mr. Pack was born February 2, 1831; died June 1, 1873, during his term of office, being elected at the first election after the formation of the county. He was a brave soldier in the Confeder ate Army, first with Captain John Swan, of the Kanawha Rifle men, and afterwards a member "of Edgar's Battalion. He was suc ceeded by E. H. Peck, who held for twenty-four years ; was then defeated for the nomination by the Democratic convention, where upon he changed his political affiliations, and is now a strenuous and ardent Republican. The third clerk was James M. Ayres, who held for one term HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 755 of six years, and was defeated for renomination by Joseph M. Meador, his deputy. The fourth clerk of the county court was Joseph M. Meador, commonly known as "Little Joe," who is now serving his first term of six years, with John M. Carden as his deputy. ASSESSORS. John Lilly, commonly known as "Item John," held the office for two terms — eight years; W. C. Dobbins, two terms of eight years ; W. H. Boude, two terms of eight years. Mr. Dobbins, when he was elected, defeated Mr. Boude. Mr. Boude "was again a candidate, elected, and held the office for eight years. The first elected assessor of the county was Wellington Cox, who was appointed at the formation of the county, and elected at the first election thereafter; E. D. Ferrell, one term. J. H. Maddy was elected and held the office four years, with John W. Harvey, of Jumping Branch, as his deputy. Mr. Maddy was from Talcott District, and a son-in-law of William C. Hedrick. L. M. Neely, Jr., is the present assessor, with George W. Hedrick, of Talcott District, as his deputy. Each assessor of the county has been a Democrat, except Mr. Dobbins, who was a minister of the Primitive Baptist Church, and elected as an independent in politics, but has since identified him self with the Republican organization, being its nominee at one time for the Legislature. CORONERS. Summers County has never had but two coroners — L. M. Dunn and C. A. Fredeking — who were appointed by the county court. JUSTICES OF THE COUNTY. Jumping Branch District: — John W. Harvey ; Matthew C. Hed rick; A. J. Cochran; A. L. Cole; J. E. C. L. Hatcher; Lewis A. Meador; Wm. A. Dodd ; Thomas E. Ball; Joseph A. Parker; Jo seph Lilly ("Curly Joe") ; John H. Lilly ("Buckwheat John") ; W. R. Neeley, Jr. ; J. J. Lilly. Pipestem District. — Allen Clark; Robert W. Clark; G. L. Jor dan; Gordan C. Hughes; William Hughes; C. H. Spangler; W. C. Crockett ; James C. Peters. 756 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Green Sulphur District. — William R. Taylor; William G. Flan agan ; ..Marion Gwinn ; Jacob Johnson Foster ; W. G. Flanagan ; Erastus Beasley; E. P. Beasley; James A. Graham;- Andrew A. Miller. Forest Hill District. — James M. Keatley; Allen L. Harvey; L. G. Lowe; Hugh M. Hill^ A. H. Sanders; Carey Vass; Ed. L. Dunn; Henry Dillon; J. C. Garten; Samuel K. Boude; Samuel Al len; John P. McNeer; Joseph Mandeville. Talcott District.— Enos C. Flint; William R. Taylor; Charles H. Graham; Matthew A. Manning; R. T. Ballengee; N. P. Hed rick; Homer Ballangee; A. C. Lowe; J. C. Lively; C. H. Perry; William C. Hedrick ; Griffith Meadows ; J. F. Briant ; Clay Gra ham ; James K. Scott ; George P. Scott. Greenbrier District. — Henry Milburn ; James E. Meadows ; Lu ther M. Dunn; John Buckland; P. K. Litsinger; Charles L. Par ker; Carl A. Fredeking; Harvey Ewart; Wise W. Lively. CONSTABLES OF THE COUNTY. Forest Hill District.— T. W. Townsley ; Hugh M. Hill ; W. H. Gill; Samuel K. Boude; John Allen. Green Sulphur District. — John K. AVithrow; John W. Harris; Theo. P. Withrow; Ballard Ward; AVilliam Harris. Greenbrier District. — Thaddeus K. Maddy ; James H. «.Hobbs ; James A. Foster ; John W. Wiseman ; Sam G. McCulloch ; W. H. Whitten; Joseph Reed; Chas. L. Parker; Charles H. Lilly. Jumping Branch District. — Michael Cochran ; J. J. Lilly ("Cud") ; Jeff D. Lilly; W. H. Dunbar; A. J. Cochran. Pipestem District. — C. H. Spangler ; John Lucas ; Joseph Wood. POSTMASTERS AT HINTON. L. M. Dunn; S. F. McBride; James Prince; Major Benjamin S. Thompson ; R. R. Flanagan ; and S. W. Willey, who is now serving his third term of four years. While Green Sulphur Springs is one of the first postoffices es tablished in the county, there have been but two postmasters — father and son, Ephraim J. Gwinn and Harrison Gwinn. G. C. Landcraft and Joseph M. Playnes have been the only postmasters at Pack's Ferry P. O., probably the oldest postoffice A GAULEY VIEW. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 757 in the county. Mr. Landcraft, at the time of his death, was the old est postmaster in point of service in the United States. J. N. Haynes is a son of George Haynes, of Monroe County, and mar ried Miss AIcLaughlin, a niece of Mr. Landcraft, who married a daughter of Bartley Pack. POSTOFFICES. Pack's Ferry, Foss, Green Sulphur Springs, True, Pipestem, Mercer Salt Works, Indian Mills, Wiggins, ' Forest Hill, Buck, Crump's Bottom, Ballengee, Jumping Branch, Clayton, Talcott, Elton, Lowell, Junta, Pence Springs, Farley, Elk Knob, Crump's Bottom, Barger's Springs, Ellison's, Marie, Ola, Tophet, Lilly, New Richmond, Hinton, Brooks, Neponset, Meadow Creek. Mandeville. There are now thirty-four post-offices in the county. At the date of its formation there were Rollinsburg, Pack's Ferry, Jump ing Branch, New Richmond, Green Sulphur Springs and Pipestem. INDIAN ROCK AND OTHER THINGS. Three-quarters of a mile above the mouth of Indian Creek there is a large rock standing alone and not connected with the cliffs, known as the Indian Rock. On this rock are marked characters, supposed to have been made by aboriginal inhabitants. No one knows the meaning of these characters. Near the end of this rock there is cut some kind of hieroglyphics in the shape and form of a turkey's foot. It is tradition in that region that the Indians had buried something of value thereat, and explorations have been made with a view to discovery, but nothing has ever been found to in dicate what, if anything, was ever deposited at or near this ancient natural curiosity. 758 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Dr. Thomas Fowler, the owner of the "Wildwood" plantation at the mouth of Indian, some time in the '50's made a visit to the Pacific Coast, and on his return home brought with him an Indian boy nine years of age. This boy was taken to the Indian Rock, and seemed with some intelligence to examine the hieroglyphics thereon inscribed and with some signs of recognition. He was returned to Dr. Fowler's, made his disappearance afterwards, and, upon search being made, was discovered at the rock, which seemed to have a natural fascination for him. The boy soon after, how ever, died, having remained with Dr. Fowler two years. He failed to become civilized or to show improvement in his customs and manners. Vincent Sweeney, sometimes called "Swinney," who lived to be one of the oldest men in Summers County, lived on the adjoin ing place to the Fowler plantation. He died at a very old age, leaving no children. The mother of Christopher H. Payne, the colored politician, preacher and lawyer, was raised by Vincent Sweeney, having mar ried Ann, a slave of Vincent Sweeney's. Joseph Gore also lived in this region, and whose heirs and de scendants live in this, Boone County and Mercer, and it was he who first secured from the State of Virginia an appropriation for the building of the Red Sulphur Turnpike, which leads down New River, crossing at Pack's Ferry by way of Jumping Branch, Ra leigh Court House and Fayetteville, intersecting at Kanawha Falls with the James River and Kanawha Turnpike. Alncent Sweeney was a native of Virginia, and his plantation is now owned by James Barton, Jr., an intelligent farmer and good citizen. The adjacent place below was owned at one time by Captain Frank Dennis, the sailor, who lived at Foss, then at Hinton, and whose tracks had been made on the soil of almost every country on the face of the globe. His roving disposition permitted him to remain in this county for only a few years. Finally selling out all of his belong ings, and marrying after he was sixty years old, he left this region for Middleborough, Kentucky, and was afterwards lost sight of. Joseph Gore, above referred to, lived near the AYar Ford in Bull Falls. On the place in modern times known as the Mike Smith place, opposite to which are what is known as the alum rocks, there being an abundance of alum in the cliffs, which has been obtained for medicinal purposes, but not for commercial uses. Captain Frank Dennis above referred to was a native of Mary- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 759 land, a sailor by trade, a peculiar, whimsical and cranky man, pos sessing a high sense of honor and sensitive loyalty and affection for his friends. He is referred to elsewhere fully. SOME STATISTICS. Since the formation of the county, in 1871, there have been 2,300 deaths, an average of about 60 a year. A large number of these- were from accidents, diseases peculiar to children, and the infirmities of old age. The climate is healthy. The clouds from the Atlantic and those from the Gulf of Mexico meet and form ample, yet not a surplus of rains on our mountains and valleys, which are so adjusted as to give us the benefit of every wind that blows.. The summers are never extremely hot, nor the winters extremely cold. The vegetation of our county is evidence of the fine climate of the region. Trees, plants and vegetables thrive in and throughout the county, which is located 37 degress and 30 minutes north latitude, and 59.5 degrees (Greenwich) west longi tude. The soil is a sandy loam and clay, and adapted to the graz ing of sheep and cattle-raising ; is generally productive, and will suport a very large population, although its territory of level land is comparatively small in proportion to the uplands, plateaus, hills and mountains. The year 1905 was the banner year for the issuance of marriage licenses in the history of the county. The marriage licenses are issued by the clerk of the county court, and for each license so issued he receives a fee of $1.00. The law provides that the min ister celebrating the rights of matrimony shall receive from the contracting parties a fee of not less than $1.00, who returns the li cense to the clerk after the ceremony is performed, with a certifi cate showing the facts. Quite a number of couples of recent years have come to the clerk's office, secured their license, sent for a minister (most frequently Rev. J. P. Campbell), and closed up the contract then and there. A celebrated performance of this cere mony was once consummated under the foliage of the ancient and historic gum tree at the foot of Keeney's Knob, by the Rev. Henry C. Tinsley. When called to the point designated, the reverend gentleman, with an eye to business, suggested a settlement with the needful to the lusty groom-to-be, who was unable to respond, but made copious and tearful promises, whereupon the ceremony progressed. The lady, a Mrs. Adkins, soon tired of her shiftless spouse, and left him for more congenial company, excusing her- 760 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. self by claiming the marriage was illegal by reason of "her man" having failed to pay the preacher. Register of marriages in Summers County, since its formation to the year 1905. Prepared for the author by the courteous young deputy clerk, Mr. Chas. H. Cline: Year. Number. 1871 41 1872 85 1873 53 1874 91 1875 79 1876 ,75 1877 84 1878 73 1879 94 1880 96 1881 • 89 1882 119 1883 .- 88 1884 91 1885 93 1886 106 1887 88 1888 98 1889 101 1890 118 1891 114 1892 162 1893 147 1894 142 1895 142 1896 139 1897 151 1898 162 1899 197 1900 183 1901 154 1902 207 1903 . : 187 1904 202 1905 211 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 761 AMOUNT AND VALUE OF PRODUCTS, 1906. Wheat 62,136 bushels Oats 500 Corn 28,860 Buckwheat 4,480 Potatoes 32,000 Hay 2,125 tons Apples 30,400 bushels Pears 200 Peaches 5,000 Cherries 950 Plums 750 Horses 2,575 head Cattle 6,202 Sheep 5,307 Angora Goats .... 85 Swine 4,002 Poultry 18,173 . Value $ 49,708.80 1,530.00 14,430.00 2,240.00 16,000.00 21,250.00 18,240.00 1,200.00 4,000.00 2,850.00 1,450.00 154,500.00 186,060.00 , 15,927.00 255.00 12,006.00 5,451.90 PRICES FARM PRODUCTS, 1906. Wheat $1.00 per bu. Corn .70 Potatoes 75 Apples 75 Plums 1.50 Buckwheat 75 Peaches l'.OO Hay $15.00 per ton Poultry 10 " lb. Butter Eggs Cattle Sheep Swine .20 a it .15 it doz .03 a lb. .05 it k .08 a (< LAND ASSESSMENTS, 1907. Forest Hill District $205,720 00 Greenbrier District, outside of Hinton and Avis 135,440 00 Green Sulphur District 257,565 00 Jumping Branch District 268,905 00 Pipestem District 194,050 00 Talcott District 238,790 00 Total, outside of Hinton and Avis $1,300,460 00 762 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. ASSESSMENT OF TOWN LOTS. Avis $242,145 00 Hinton ' 1,610,160 00 Green Sulphur Springs 20,365 00 Jumping Branch (Village) 9,265 00 Talcott 37,185 00 Total assessment of town lots $1,919,120 00 The town and city lot assessments amount to $70,000.00 more than the country district assessments. The population of Summers County at this time is 18,000; roll ing population, 4,000. The assessment of the C. & O. Ry. Co. in the county for 1907 was $3,734,665.00. v VALUATIONS. The personal property valuation in Summers County for 1907 is as follows : . Forest Hill District $99,630 00 Greenbrier District, outside of Hinton and Avis $50,560 00 Avis 62,520- 00 Hinton 612,840 00 Total for Greenbrier District 725,920 00 Green Sulphur District 200,010 00 Jumping Branch District 156,820 00 Talcott District 216,880 00 Pipestem District 81,330 00 Total for the county $1,480,590 00 POPULATION. The population of Summers County in 1870 was less than 4,000. In 1900 it was 16,000, an increase since the formation of the county in 1871 of 12,000 souls. The population of Hinton in 1870 was two families ; in 1907, oyer 6,000 souls, including Avis. The first house at Lowell was a small cabin, probablv built by S. T. Lee. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 763 LAND ASSESSMENTS FOR 1907. There have been five land assessments for the county; usually these assessments being made each ten years, but not always, this being required by statute. Hon. S. W. Willey, the present post master in the city of Hinton, was the first assessor, and he made his re-assessment in the year 1875. The total valuation at that time, as made by him, was $94,338.74 increase. It was at that time all made as farm land, there being then no town lots within the borders of the county. The railway and other public utilities were assessed in the county by the Board of Public Works, and were as follows : Pullman Car Company $7,644 60 Adams Express Company 2,110 74 Union Tank Line Co 3,500 00 Union Refining Transit Co 2,400 00 Provision Despatch Co 1,600 00 A. Booth Refrigerator Car Co 800 00 Hinton Water, Light & Supply Co 50,000 00 Summers & Mercer Mutual Telephone Co.. 650 24 Greenville Telephone Co 500 00 Monroe Mutual Telephone Co 681 15 Southern Bell Teleg. & Telep. Co 39,734 00 American Telephone & Telegraph Co 13,446 75 Western Union Telegraph Co 598 86 The West Virginia stone in the National Monument in Wash ington City is a block of sandstone secured from Richmond quarry at New Richmond. The inscription on this stone is : "Tuum nos sumus monumentum." It was sent on the 2d of February, 1885, by W. K. Pendleton, State Superintendent of Free Schools. It is placed in the monument more than two hundred feet above the ground, and is two by four feet in dimensions. It was secured from the quarry by Dr. Samuel Williams, of New Richmond. SOME POINTS OF INTEREST ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA. Area, 24,770 square miles. Coke production, 3,400,593 tons. Total annual wages, $21,153,042.00. Stands first among producers of natural gas. 764 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Value of mineral gas production, $8,114,249.00. The valuation of property has doubled in the last twenty years. West Virginia is one of the few States of the Union out of debt. Captial invested in manufacturing enterprises, $86,820,823.00. Seventy-three per cent, of the State is covered with timber, most of which is of good size and quality. The largest average number of wage-earners — 46,163 — was em ployed in May, and the smallest — 38,852 — in January. There are about 700 coal mines in West Virginia, employing about 50,000 men. West Virginia is growing so rapidly that the census of 1900 is obsolete. Population now about 1,250,000, with a larger per cent, of na tive-born than any State in the Union. The climate, soil, water, grass and grain are in the highest de gree favorable to stock farming, and great advancement has been made along this line. The State leads in oil production, producing 12,500,000 barrels last year, and petroleum of fine quality has been found in nearly every section. Our lumber interests have grown to enormous proportions, but millions of acres of splendid forest lands are still awaiting devel opment. , We have 100,000 farms, producing a great quantity of cereals, and the average fertility of the soil is equal to that of any State in the Union. More than ten per cent, of the entire coal output of the country was mined in West Virginia, and the percentage for 1906 will show a greater increase. Our banking has kept pace with the great development, and thirteen new banks started business the past year. We have now 142 State banks, 76 National banks, and 22 trust companies. According to expert estimates, more than $100,000,000.00 has been invested in coal and timber lands and coal and timber opera tions and railroad construction in West Virginia in the past three years, and indications are that this is but a starter. West Virginia stands second in output of coal, production hav ing arisen from 1,400,000 tons in 1880 to 43,000,000 in the past year, from the largest coal fields in the country, comprising 17,000 square miles, or one-thirteenth of the total coal area of the United States, and development only fairly started. Our hills and valleys are adapted to the culture of all the fruits FISHERMEN'S LUCK, At Greenbrier Springs, 1906. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 765 grown in this latitude, and produce the finest quality in the great est luxuriance. Great advance has been made, and the total value of fruits produced, according to the 1900 census, was $150,000,- 000.00. —"Monroe Watchman," Nov. 27, 1907. Mrs. Geo. W. Warren, at one time a resident of Hinton, is an authoress of note, having written and published a number of short stories. The editors and newspaper writers of the county have been : Cameron L. Thompson, the founder and editor of the "Mountain Herald" ; John M. Ferguson, late editor of the same paper ; A. Brown Boughner, also of the same paper at a later date ; Geo. AV. Warren and John H. Jordan, still later; Wm. H. Sawyers, also, as well as Howard Templeton. These are the various editors of this old-established paper, and the first one printed in the New River A^ alley— established in 1874. Richard Burks was a veteran newspaper publisher and a writer of merit. At one time and for many years he operated and edited the "Union Register," of Alonroe County, which in the early days after the war had a large circulation in Summers County and its territory. Afterward he moved his plant to Hinton and founded and published the "Hinton American." A. S. Johnston and AAr. B. Cushing published and edited the "Hinton Independent" after its purchase from Chas. Lewis Peck, the founder. S. F. McBride was a virile writer, and founded the "Hinton Re publican," and later the. "Hinton Headlight," which finally became the "Hinton Leader." J. A. Oldfield, a very forcible writer, edited the "Hinton Re publican," and after him for some time R. Hunter Graham, and since it became the "Leader" John W. Graham has owned, edited and published it. The "Free Lance" was edited during its sickly life by the vet eran editors and newspaper men, Geo. C. Mcintosh and James Henderson. The greatest freak in the newspaper editorial business was the 'Yellow Jacket," a free lance Republican paper edited by J. J. Swope, the founder of the "AAryoming Mountaineer." It lived dur ing the Congressional campaign of 1902 ; supported Jas. H. Miller, the Democratic candidate for Congress, and was supported by that branch of the old-time Republicans who were opposed to the nomination of Joseph Holt Gaines. 766 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Dr. Wm. H. Talley, Squire Allen L. Harvey and other leaders of the Greenback party established the "Hinton Banner" in 1878, of which Dr. Talley was the editor. It led a feeble existence for a year or so. Paper before the war was exceedingly scarce. Tax tickets, for instance, were made out of little strips of paper large enough to make a condensed statement of taxes, frequently written, and not printed, on brown paper or scraps of paper. Receipts and accounts were kept in a similar way. A sheet of paper would be cut into narrow strips just large enough for a condensed receipt or statement or account. We give below a sample of the tax tickets used some time prior to the war, which were written out by the sheriff, evidently in the presence of the taxpayer. Robert Boyd, August 20 : To Taxes of 1849 Rec. Pay't, S. M. Meadows, D. S. Air. Robert Boyd, To the Sheriff of Monroe County, Dr. To 1 Poll, County and Parish levy $1.50 Personal Property , 2.36 Land tax 4.20 Railroad tax — Land 5.70 $13.76 John W. Lanias, S. M. C. 1817 Robt. Boyd, To the Sheriff of Monroe County, Dr. 1 Poll at 75 Horse 18 $ .93 Land 22 22 M. C. Note 236 2.36 M. G. Note 42 42 1818 Feb. 28 By Cash 3.93 M. Erskine, D. S. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 767 1862 Patrick Boyd's Heirs, To the Sheriff of Monroe County. To County levy at $ Parish levy at c. Cap. tax at $ To slaves and property tax on $ valuation. To land tax on 10 acres 12 Rec. Payt. S. A. Clark, Dr. For A. L. Harvey, S. M. C. Robert Boyd, Dr. To the Sheriff of Monroe County. 1827 I Poll $ .75 2 Horses 24 Land 47 C T 50 1.90 Hugh Caperton, D. S. ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW. The following is a list of attorneys-at-law who have prac ticed in Summers County since its formation as a county, as shown by the records of the circuit court, and the year in which they qualified at this bar. This work is done by Walter H. Boude, Esq., clerk of the circuit court of the county at this date : N. M. Lowry 1871 A. A. Chapman 1872 C. A. Sperry 1871 A. G. Tebbetts 1871 Cyrus Newlin 1872 James H. McGinnis 1872 W. G. Ryan 1872 J. B. Peck 1873 Robert C. McClaugherty 1873 R. F. r)ennis 1873 J. Speed Thompson 1873 Martin H. Holt 1873 John A. Douglass 1873 Fount W. Mahood .' 1873 768 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. W. W. Adams 1873 A. C. Snyder 1874 J. C. Reed 1874 James F. Patton 1873 A. J. Lacy 1874 H. T. Wickham 1874 Governor Samuel Price '. . 1874 J. F. Snyder 1874 John A. Preston 1875 James H. French 1875 Alex. F Alathews 1876 A. N. C. Levenson Gower 1877 John AV Harris 1874 John AAr Arbuckle 1874 A. N. Campbell 1873 John W. AlcCreery 1873 Colonel James W. Davis 1873 M. A. Steele 1875 A. C. Fellers 1876 M. Vanpelt 1877 Wm. R. Thompson .' 1877 George W Easley 1877 James W Malcolm 1878 David E. Johnson 1877 Elbert Fowler 1874 J. D. Logan 1878 Alark Jarrett 1879 H. D. McCue 1879 F. B. Smith 1880 Thomas N. Page 1881 A. C. Houston 1881 Wm. H. AIcGinnis 1881 James D. Johnston 1881 Frank Hereford 1881 A. W. Hawley 1882 A. C. Davidson . . . : 1882 J.. W St. Clair 1882 John H. Crozier '. . . .1882 Samuel AV. AYilliams 1883 C. P. Snyder 1883 James H. Brown 1883 E. Willis AVilson 1883 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 769 J. W. Hale 1883 Albert AV. Reynolds . 1883 A. P. Farley 1883 J. M. Payne 1881 C. W. Bocock 1881 James H. Miller 1882 J. W. Cracraft 1882 P. P. Garland 1882 W. S. Laidley ' 1884 George D. Haynes 1884 John Osborne 1884 James P. Pack 1884 J. W. Isbell 1884 George W. Warren 1884 Henry C. Simms 1885 C. W. Smith 1885 Charles A. Clark 1885 John J. Cabell 1885 F. S. Blair 1885 C. C. Watts 1885 John E. Kenna 1885 John S. Rudd 1885 Frank J. Parke 1885 James H. Ferguson 1885 W. G. Hudgin 1886 James M. French 1886 S. C. Burdette 1886 Walter M. Gwinn 1886 George R. Poole 1885 Frank Lively 1886 A. P. Farley A 1886 W. F. Boggess ; 1886 A. J. Oliver (colored) 1887 J. A. Bings 1887 Joseph E. Chilton 1887 Thomas G. Mann 1887 Henry Gilmer 1888 J. B. Laidley 1888 C. W'. Campbell 1888 Thomas H. Dennis 1888 F. B. Enslow 1888 L. M. Day 1888 770 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. J. D. Daniels 1888 John H. Holt 1889 H. W. Straley, Jr 1889 P. B. Stanard 1889 L. D. Isbell 1888 H. W. Brazie 1889 Homer A. Holt 1890 C. B. Cushing , 1890 H. A. Mykrantz 1890 M. A. Manning 1890 Alfred Rheistorm 1890 W. S. Thompson 1891 James W. Hayes ' 1891 John D. Alderson 1891 John M. McGrath 1891 J. J. Swope _ 1892 F. M. Hartman .' 1892 J. R. Kountz 1892 W. E. Chilton 1892 L. J. Williams 1892 R. L. Keadle 1893 M. Jackson '. 1893 M. B. Stickley 1893 Ben. H. Oxley 1893 Wm. H. Sawyers 1893 Thomas N. Read 1893 J. S. Clark 1894 C. R. Summerfield 1894 H. S. Douthitt 1894 C. M. Alderson 1894 P. W. Strother 1894 John W. Johnson 1894 S. L. Flournoy 1894 Geo. E. Price 1895 W. W. Lively 1895 J. A. Oldfield 1895 A. R. Heflin 1895 H. D. Perkins 1896 W. D. Payne 1896 W. H. Garnett 1897 R. M. Baker 1897 Herbert Fitzpatrick 1897 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 771 Alfred B. Percy 1897 E. W. Nowlan 1895 James P. D. Gardner (colored) 1897 T. C. Lowry 1897 E. W. Knight 1897 R. F. Dunlap 1897 A. G. Patton 1897 Wm. H. Copeland 1897 E. S. Curtis 1897 G. M. Ford 1898 E. C. Eagle 1898 George J. Thompson 1898 C. W. Ossenton 1898 E. M. Keatley 4899 Wm. A. Wade 1899 Wesley Mollohan 1899 A. V. Perkinson 1899 J. French Strother 1899 Robert H. Miller 1899 George W. Lewis 1899 Robert McEldowney 1900 A. A. Lilly 1900 T. L. Sweeney (colored) 1900 T. M. Garvin 1900 P. W- Boggess 1900 T. L. Henritze 1900 M. I. Dunn 1901 Upshur Higginbotham 1901 Roy R. Hoge 1899 I. E. Christian 1902 J. F. Maynard 1902 George J. McComas 1902 T. W. Peyton 1902 E. L. Nuckells 1902 C. W. Allen 1902 James W. Marshall 1903 Wm. R. Bennett 1903 L. E. Poteet 1903 R. J. Thrift 1905 A. D. Daly 1903 M. N. Higginbotham 1904 J. Alex. Meadows 1898 772 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Ira C. Green 1905 J. W. Kennedy 1905 Ashton File 1905 J. Lewis Bumgardner 1905 . M. F. Matheney 1905 J. M. Ellis (colored) 1906 R. H. Graham . . . 1906 S. B. Thomas 1906 W. L. Lee 1907 John T. Simms 1907 Robert S. Spillman 1907 J. E. Price 1907 Robert E. Maxwell , 1907 Robert Bland 1907 TWO UNFORTUNATE YOUNG LAWYERS. George D.. Haynes, a descendant of the ancient Haynes family who settled in Fayette County, married a Miss Holliday and came to Summers County when about twenty-five years of age. He taught school, residing on Lick Creek, where he purchased a small tract of land and erected a residence. He studied law and was an energetic man, a loyal man, and an honest man. After residing there for a few years, when the financial misfortune came to the firm of Bearse & Hall at Meadow Creek, which had been doing a large and extensive stave, lumber and mercantile business, having one of the largest general merchandise stores of Summers County at Meadow Creek. Air. Haynes was appointed receiver by Judge A. N. Campbell. He had for several years been studying law, and had been admitted a few years previous to the practice. He then removed to Meadow Creek about 1885, took charge of and wound up that extensive business as receiver, teaching school in the meantime and practicing his profession. After closing out this business, he removed to Hinton, purchasing property in Smith Hollow and residing there for some time, later purchasing the Jordan property on the court house square, where he lived until his death, with his family. He was elected and served one term as recorder and one term as mayor of Hinton. Phil D. Stanard, a native of Rockingham County, Virginia, some time prior to the removal of Mr. Haynes to Hinton, had come to Hinton as a railway employee in the station at Hinton. During his employment he studied law with James H. Miller, and was HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 773 admitted to the practice. He was a bright young man. After being admitted to the practice he removed to Newcastle, Virginia, married a young lady from Lexington, Virginia, practiced there for a few years, and then about the time Mr. Haynes came to Hin ton, Air. Stanard removed his family to the same city, and he and Mr. Haynes formed a partnership as Haynes & Stanard. Their business grew, and they were growing in the confidence of the people, but in the spring of about 1895 Mr. Stanard was found in a dying condition in the third story of the Tyree Building, on the corner of Third and Front Streets, lying in a bed. Some powders were found in the room and the paper covers from others were found there, and the evidence showed that he had taken an over dose of morphine. An inquest was held, and the conclusion ar rived at was that no crime had been committed, and that Mr. Stanard had either taken this overdose intentionally or by inad vertence, he having become addicted to some extent to the use of this drug. He was buried at Lexington, Virginia, and thus the firm of Haynes & Stanard terminated. He was a man of bright intellect, with a bright future before him. Soon after, Judge A. R. Heflin removed to Hinton and formed a partnership with Mr. Haynes, under the firm name of Haynes & Heflin. Within about twelve months afterwards, Mr. Haynes had been out of town attending to some legal matters ; returned home on Saturday night, and on Sunday was found dead in his bed. He had also unfortunately become addicted to the use of strong drink, and had either taken an overdose of some drug intentionally or by inadvertence. They were about thirty-five years of age. Thus terminated the lives of these two young men. The family of Mr. Haynes still resides in Summers County, his widow having married Rufus Bragg, of Green Sulphur District. SKETCHES BY CLERK BOUDE OF A FEW OF THE LAW YERS WHO HAVE PRACTICED AT THE SUMMERS BAR SINCE THE FORMATION OF THE COUNTY IN 1871. Gen. A. A. Chapman, lawyer, dropped dead at the railway track in Hinton, from apoplexy, en route to Charleston, about 1877, and Major- Cyrus Newlan, a New Yorker, located at Union, died of heart disease while attending court in Hinton some few years after the formation of the county. He was a very bright man, but 774 HISTORY OF SUMMERS . COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. dissipated, and was called a "carpet bagger." He is buried in Hinton, but nothing to show his last resting place. J. B. Peck, 1873. Was a native of Giles County and lived in Virginia and practiced his profession for many years, and was a good lawyer. He died recently. John A. Preston, 1875. He is a member of the Lewisburg Bar and an able practitioner, and one of the most popular men of Greenbrier County. He is a Democrat and has represented his people as prosecuting attorney and delegate to the Legislature. John W. Harris, 1875. Has been a member of the Lewisburg Bar for many years and is a lawyer of ability. He now resides in Richmond, Virginia. Gen. A. A. Chapman was a resident of Monroe County, where he resided many years. He practiced here in the early history of the county, and rode horseback from his home in Union, and at tended the courts of this county before the completion of the rail road. He was elected to Congress when this part of the State was Virginia. He was a good lawyer and enjoyed a large prac tice, and attended many of the courts in the adjoining counties. Few men in the country were better known than Gen. Chapman. He died in Hinton in 1876, while on his way to attend a Demo cratic Congressional Convention at Charleston. David E. Johnston, 1877. His home is in Bluefield, Mercer County, and one of the leading lawyers of this part of the State. He is identified with many enterprises of his State, and few men in Southern West Virginia are better known. He was a Confed erate soldier during the Civil War, and is the author of several books. He was elected to Congress from this district in 1898. A. C. Snyder, 1874. Was from the Greenbrier Bar and was a good lawyer. He was a judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia at one time. John W. Arbuckle, 1874. Is a native of Greenbrier County and a leading citizen. He is quite an active man in his profession and a most excellent speaker and political campaigner. He is quite popular throughout the Greenbrier Valley. Has represented his people in the State Senate. Alexander F. Mathews, 1876. He lived in Greenbrier County, and was a very prominent man in the State and a fine lawyer. He was a brother of Governor Henry M. Mathews. He died a short time ago. . * W. W. Adams came here in the early 70's from Virginia and soon built up a lucrative practice. He was a great mixer with HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 775 the people, and soon became well known. He was an able man in his profession and had the confidence of the people. He was a Democrat and elected to the State Senate in 1876. About the year 1884 he moved to Charleston, where he died in 1894. At the time of his death he was a member of the law firm of Adams & Miller. Martin H. Holt, 1873. Lived at Beckley, in Raleigh County, and was a native of Floyd County, Virginia. He died at Wyoming Court House while attending a term of the circuit court of that county. It is said that he died while sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee. M. Vanpelt, 1877. Was a lawyer from the county of Fayette, and lived in that county for many years. He represented this district in the State Senate for one term, commencing in 1887. He was the superintendent of the penitentiary during the Mc Corkle administration. James H. McGinnis was born in Logan County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and lived in the county of Raleigh for many years. We find from the records that he was practicing law in Summers County in the year 1872, and for a number of years after had con siderable business at this bar. He was a brilliant man in his pro fession and well known throughout the State. He was a Repub lican in politics and a leader among his people. He had no ene mies. He was ever ready to lend a helping hand to those who needed his assistance and influence. He was a prominent figure and noted landmark of Raleigh County. Died at Beckley Sep tember 2, 1907, at the age of seventy-nine years. He had been prosecuting attorney of Raleigh and Fayette Counties. He was the father of AV. H. McGinnis and J. D. McGinnis, both members of the Raleigh Bar. He was admitted to the bar in early life. A. G. Tebbetts came to Monroe County, West Virginia, from New Hampshire and began practicing law in Union during the days of reconstruction. He attended the courts of this county for a time while he resided in Monroe, and made a number of friends, and his name is often mentioned by the older settlers. He was a careful and safe man in business. He removed to Charleston, West Virginia, where he died. Nelson M. Lowry was the first attorney to locate in Summers County for the practice of his profession after its organization in 1871. He came here when quite a young man, and lived in Hinton for a number of years. He soon built up a large practice, and had the reputation of a good lawyer. He was quite popular among his people and well known. He was a Democrat and a leader in his 776 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. party. He was elected to the Legislature in 1880, and in the year 1885 went West, and died in Texas a few years later. A. N. Campbell is among the leading lawyers of the State ; was judge of the Tenth Judicial Circuit for eight years and has represented his county in the Legislature. His home is in Monroe County, and no man in that county is closer to the hearts of his people than Judge Nelse Campbell. He was a Confederate soldier during the Civil War. He graduated in law at the Washington and Lee University, and his diploma is signed by Gen. Robert E. Lee. He has a fine memory and seldom forgets a face or name. He is a man of great physical strength and well endowed by nature. He is still in the active practive of his profession. Elbert Fowler was a native of Monroe (now Summers County) and reared at the mouth of Indian Creek. He was a Confederate soldier and member, of Lowry's Battery, and after the close of the war began the practice of his profession. He was an able and successful lawyer and a great friend to the common people. No man was more true to his friends. He founded the "Border AVatch- man," afterwards called the "Monroe County Watchman," in the early 70's, which is now one of the oldest and most influential newspapers in West Virginia. He was an energetic and able writer. He was elected prosecuting attorney of this county in 1876, and served four years in that office. He was a leading Demo crat and a fine politician. At the tirne of his death he was a member of the law firm of Fowler & Miller. He died in 1885. Frank Hereford came to Alonroe County from California soon after the close of the Civil War. He did much for this part of the country during the days of reconstruction. He was elected to Congress from the Third District in 1872, and re-elected in 1874 on the Democratic ticket, and few men in our country were more popular. In 1877 he was elected United States Senator to succeed the late Allen T. Caperton, who was then in the Senate from the county of Monroe. Mr. Hereford was a conservative man and was always found true and loyal to his people. He often visited Sum mers County in its early days, and did much to encourage its people and build up its institutions. He died in 189 — . FORTS. The pioneer settlers established forts for their protection against the attacks of the savage Indians who still infested the regions west of the Allegheny Mountains, as well as from the attacks of 'V"-'r:- .>;\ :•'.- '-^«;;|!'--. ' ¦ ' . -«•>* A PENCE SPRING VIEW. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 777 wild beasts and reptiles. The forts that were established and maintained within the borders of this county so far as we are able to learn are as follows: Keeney's Fort was located at the foot of Keeney's Knobs ; the exact location is in some doubt, and on which side of the mountain. There was a fort on the bottoms below Alderson in the county near the mouth of Griffith's Creek. Jarret's Fort was on Wolf Creek at the mouth on the Summers side of the river. There was a fort on Indian Creek three miles from its mouth known as the Cook's Fort. There were two forts on Culbertson's or Crump's Bottom, one known as Farley's Fort. This was estab lished by Captain Matt Farley. The other, Field's Fort. There was another on the Gatliff Bottoms, or Barker place. There was a fort several hundred yards below the Green Sulphur Springs which was much older than any civilized settlement of this region. It was built of stone across the bottom near where the frame barn of Harrison Gwinn now stands. The remains are still to be plainly seen. This was constructed by the Indians before the whites had ever crossed the Alleghenies. The houses of the settlers were constructed for defensive purposes, and were forts on a miniature scale. Many of them had no windows whatever. An example of this still remains on the old Ballangee place at the mouth of Greenbrier, still standing. Evi Ballangee and his brother John inherited the land from their father, George. He and his sister neither ever married, both living to be very old people. There was another brother, John, who settled at the foot of Keeney's Knob, in the Graham settlement, which place is now owned by Squire C. H. Graham, who married his daughter. This house at the mouth of Greenbrier was a house of the aristocratic in its day, and never had a window in it until fifteen years ago, when Evi had a window constructed in the walls of the house, and a well dug in the yard, over which he had a little frame house con structed, covered with corrugated iron, of which he was very proud. One fort in a settlement was expected to accommodate all the people in the surrounding section. If an alarm was made of a prospective Indian attack, all the settlers gathered with their women, children, cattle .and effects into the fort. Many of the dwellings were so constructed as to enable the occupants to fight the savages, after the Indian incursions had become less frequent. 778 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. - THE IRISH SETTLEMENT. About 1870 there settled on the mountain above Elton, in Green Sulphur District, several native Irish families, who have formed and grown into a thrifty, enterprising and law-abiding community. Among them was Thomas Hurley, a native of Ire land, who married Catharine Lawler. He was a native of Cork County, Ireland ; purchased four hundred acres of good mountain land, and there raised a family and died. His children are Jerry, John, Dennis, James and Timothy. Dennis married Mary Sulli van, of Raleigh County. The daughters were Nora, who married John Hurley, from Ireland ; Margaret, who married Tom Goheen ; and Ellen, unmarried. Another family was that of Richard Twohig, who emigrated to this country from Ireland in 1850, first locating in Rockingham County, Virginia. He aided in building the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. He married Julia Shay, dying in Greenbrier County. The boys were James, Dennis, Bartholomew and Richard, and one daughter, Mary, who married Jerry Hurley, son of Thomas Hurley. Another of these families was Patrick Conly. His wife was Margaret Hagerfy, also from Cork County, Ireland, locating in that region in 1869. He left a number of children. Among them were Dennis, who married Nora Sullivan, and Patrick. Another family was Terrence Foley, who left two sons, John and Patrick Foley. Another family was Edward McGuire, who left five sons sur viving him — Morris, Edward, John, Mike and Patrick. Another family was Florence Donohue. He left surviving him Pat, Morris, Dan and Florence, and two daughters, Mary and Annie. Another family was John Hurley, also from Ireland, and who married a daughter of Thomas Hurley's. These Irish settlers were faithful Catholics, and about 1876 erected the second Catholic Church built in Summers County, named Saint Kehrens. It was planned and built under the super vision of Father David AA^alsh. The first building was of logs. Later the old building was abandoned, and at the present day they have a frame house of worship, the present pastor being Father De Ladd. There was another family of Irish settlers who located near HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 779 the top of Keeney's Knob, the head of which was James Hurley. He purchased some four hundred acres of land from the John and Alex. Miller estate, all in the woods. During his lifetime he cleared a large and fertile farm, rearing a family of boys and girls thereon. The boys were Morris, who was born on the ocean, during their emigration. He was a self-made and educated gen tleman, taking a course at the Concord Normal School; taught school a number of years in the free schools, and attended the old "Gum" School on Lick Creek. He removed to Kansas about 1885, and died soon thereafter. The second son was William, who also emigrated to Kansas, and is now a citizen of that State. Another son, Michael, lives in Raleigh County. The daughters were Mary, Nora and Bridget. Bridget married Joseph Dick, who lives on the old plantation. These Irish settlers were all devout Catholics, and were vis ited periodically by the representative of the church. They are good, honest, industrious citizens. Patrick O'Leary was another Irish-American who settled in this neighborhood, and reared a family of boys and girls. DOCTORS. The doctors who have practiced medicine in the county are given as nearly as we can do so at this late day. At the first set tlement, and for years afterward, there were but few practicing physicians within our territory. Before the war there had been but one doctor located in Green Sulphur District, he being Dr. N. W. Noell, who had located at Green Sulphur Springs, a short time before the beginning of hostilities, upon which he migrated to Eastern Virginia and entered the Southern Army, returning after the war and resuming his practice. Before that time the services of a physician were secured from Blue Sulphur Springs. Dr. Samuel Beard, practicing in all that territory, had his office in that place. Dr. Beard was among the older class of physicians, having married a daughter of Jacob Hamilton. There was an other doctor at Blue Sulphur Springs by the name of Martin — a Frenchman — who also practiced in that region up until the war. One time he claimed a large boundary of land, including the Red Spring, a branch of Slater's Creek, and extending on to the waters of Mill Creek Fork. This large boundary he placed under fence; but dying about the beginning of the war, and having no heirs or relatives in this country, his title lapsed, and his claim reverted 780 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. to the Schermerhorns. He was a man of peculiar abilities, had an extensive laboratory, and was possessed of some genius. Dr. Noel, after the war, located on Lick Creek, and continued in active practice until his death, some fifteen years ago, being succeeded by his son, Dr. Edgar E. Noel, who still resides at Green Sulphur Springs, and practices his profession throughout all that territory. During the war Dr. Samuel Williams emigrated and settled on that creek also, and practiced in that region until his death. These pioneer doctors rode horseback over the mountains into Raleigh, Monroe, Greenbrier and Fayette counties. No call went unheeded. The compensation charged by them was nominal com pared with the prices of to-day. They were benefactors and phi lanthropists to those people, and their praises will descend to fu ture generations. No such thing was ever heard of as these coun try doctors suing their patients. Later Dr. J. W. Riffe settled in the Tick Creek country, prac ticed his profession a few years, and removed to Indiana. Dr. G. D. Lind located first at Meadow Creek and later at New Rich mond, where he now practices throughout that region. He is an in telligent, educated practitioner, and was a professor in medicine in the National University at Lebanon,' Ohio, for a number of years. Dr. J. E. Hume also located and practiced for some time at Meadow Creek. Dr. Lind is an authority on archaeology and an enlightened gentleman. Drs. Bigony and Cooper of Hinton, both attended the Lebanon School, of which Dr. Lind was a professor. The first doctor in Pipestem District and Jumping Branch was a Dr. Greenleaf, who practiced throughout the region of those districts and in Mercer and Raleigh. Later Dr. John Lilly, the first native physician within the territory, located in Jumping Branch, and has there practiced his profession for forty years. He is a brother of "Miller Bob" Lilly, Captain Jonathan Lilly, Mrs. M. C. Barker and Mrs. Levi Neeley. His travels cover a territory of many miles on horseback. He discovered and origi nated the celebrated cure for fevers and malaria which he manu factures. He is now postmaster at Jumping Branch, and has been for the past twelve years. He was never known to sue for a doc tor's bill or for medical services. His son, L. L. Lilly, also gradu ated and located for the practice of medicine at Flat Top, a few years ago, but soon afterward died from consumption. In later years Drs. Amick, Brown and Abshire have located within Dr. Lilly's territory. In Forest Hill District, Dr. L. C. Thrasher was the first doctor HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 781 to locate permanently in that whole territory, the lower end of Monroe County having been under the practice of Dr. Henry Butt, one of the most celebrated and widely known physicians and surgeons in this part of the State. Later Dr. Wykel, now of Hinton, who married a daughter of Hon. S. AV. Willey, located at the mouth of Indian, and practiced there for a short time. He is also a native of Summers County. Dr. Smith, of Virginia, also located at the same place and practiced for a few years. Dr. Kyle Vass and Dr. Dillon, sons of Squire Cary Vass and Rev. Henry Dillon, natives of this county, graduated in medicine in 1907. Dr. J. C. Vermillion practiced medicine in the upper end of Forest Hill and Greenbrier Districts for a number of years, being a resi dent of Foss, and later located above Pack's Ferry, where he died some six years ago. He was from Southwest Virginia and a cultured gentleman. He married a daughter of "Squire" James E. Meadows. He was a man of fine attainments in his profession. The only doctor on New River for many miles was Dr. Thomas Fowler, who died in the 50's. He was a native of Tennessee, and located at the mouth of Indian, where he acquired a magnificent plantation, owned a large number of slaves, and built the first brick house ever built in the county, and it remains one of the finest residences therein. He married a Chapman, and there raised a distinguished family, including Dr. Allen Fowler, Hon. I. C. Fowler, Hon. Elbert Fowler, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Paris. Dr. Holdran located at Tophet, a few years ago, and practiced for a short time in that territory. At Talcott the first doctors to locate were Drs. J. W. Ford and J. W. de Vebber. These'' gentlemen practiced under the firm name of Ford & de Vebber for a number of years. After the dis solution of the firm, Dr. Ford continued, and still resides in that town and practices throughout that vicinity — a very excellent and enterprising physician, and one of the surgeons for the C. & O. Railway Co. He married a daughter of Paul Knight, Esq. In Greenbrier, the first physician to locate therein was Dr. Benj. P. Gooch; then Dr. J. G. Manser; then followed Dr. Shan non B. \Peck, Dr. Victor Quesenberry, and later his nephew, Dr. George O. Quesenberry; Drs. J. Thompson Hume, J. G. Haley, J. A. Palmer, and O. O. Cooper, who owns and operates the first medical hospital established in this part of the State — the cele brated Hinton Hospital, in which he is chief surgeon, with Drs. R. B. Miler and George Pence as associate surgeons; Dr. John F. Bigony, who established, owns and operates the Bigony Hos- 782 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. pital, with his brother, Dr. Hiram Bigony, as assistant surgeon. Dr. G. W. Holley is the first and only physician of color to ever locate or practice the profession of medicine in Summers County. He has also erected and owns and controls a hospital for the treat ment of colored patients in the city of Hinton. Dr. William L. Barksdale, an old Confederate Army surgeon, who has been in active practice longer than any other physician in the county, lo cated in Hinton some twelve years ago, removing to that city from Alderson. Dr. Jos. A. Fox located in the city some three or four years ago. Dr. Samuel Henry Hartwell, who owns and resides on the old Willey place, on the A\rolf Creek Mountain, having married a daughter of Eber Willey, the settler, has a large practice over an extensive territory in that region. The natives of the county engaged in the practice of medicine are : Drs. J. A. Gooch and Carlos A. Gooch, sons of Dr. B. P. Gooch; Dr. B. B. Richmond, a son of John A. Richmond, of New Richmond, now located at Page, West Virginia ; Drs. E. E. Noel, Allen Fowler, W. H. Manser, J. W. Riffe and J. A. AVykel ; Dr. Barker, a son of Jonathan L. Barker ; Drs. A'ass and Dillon ; Dr. AA' C. Nowland, and Dr. Hartwell. The first doctor to locate at Talcott was Dr. Thos. Bray, the English surgeon, about 1871. There was an itinerant doctor, who for many years did a ram bling practice in the lower end of the county. He was a "Thomp- sonian" or "herb doctor," and something of a genius in his way. His name was Thomas. The latest doctor to locate in Hinton is Dr. J. A. Palmer, who married Miss Nellie Gott, an accomplished lady of Hinton. Dr. Thrasher, above mentioned, killed himself by taking the wrong medicine, swallowing poison, at the Red Sulphur, some thirty years ago. His son in recent years located at Forest Hill and practiced for several years, and then removed to Greenbrier County, and is an accomplished physician, and was succeeded by Dr. W. C. Nowlan, a son of Jos. Nowlan, who was succeeded by Dr. Hunter and Dr. Ryan, who now occupy that territory. LUMBERMEN. The stave and lumber industry has been one of the principal industries of the county. For a number of years, immediately fol lowing the advent of the C. & O. Railway, numerous timber and lumbermen came into the county, and began the manufacture and HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 783 shipment of staves and lumber. One of the first on the ground was Theodore Arter, Esq., of Cleveland, Ohio, a representative of the Standard Oil Company, who made his headquarters at Hinton about 1875, retaining the same practically all of the time at this place, and buying and shipping practically all of the oil barrel staves manufactured in this region. He was an active and shrewd business man. Robert Elliott was another of the ancient lumbermen. He was a native of Canada, and was actively engaged for several years in the county, residing in Hinton, and was a member of its city coun cil in the early days, and was connected with Judge W. S. Lewis' operations, and then entered the business on his own account. He married a daughter of James Rose, of the mouth of Bluestone, a granddaughter of Anderson Pack. Oscar Roles, a son of James Roles, was raised at the mouth of Bluestone, on the old Pack lands, and is now a business man at Bluefield. The other sons of James Rose were Garfield and Howard, who both died — How ard in the AA'est and Garfield at his home — when about twenty- five years of age. Judge W. S. Lewis, of Kentucky, was a large -stave and lumberman operating in the county for many years. W. R. Johnston, a Pennsylvanian, was one of the first stave and lumbermen who came into the county, operating first on Beech Run, and was probably the first man to make sawed oil barrel staves in the county. The first split stave hogsheads ever made in the county were made by Captain Silas F. Taylor, in the hollow Jcnown as Ben Bebber (A^an Bibber), on the headwaters of Lick Creek, on a tract of land he had purchased from Captain A. A. Miller — one hundred acres — in exchange for building the brick house now resided in by John A. George, Esq., on that creek. Captain Taylor and his sons got out a large number of these large staves, placed them in Lick Creek and floated them to New Richmond, where they were loaded in cars. He was the pioneer stave man in Summers County. It was he who built the brick house for Andrew Gwinn at Lowell, the brick house for Augustus Gwinn, near Alderson, and many brick houses in other counties, being the pioneer brick mason for all this region, and a very hon est workman and contractor. Another of the ancient lumbermen in the county was M, Hutch inson, who did a large lumber and stave business in the lower Lick Creek country, and was succeeded in the business by his son Ed, who was killed while engaged therein. John A. Rich mond early engaged in the purchase, shipment and sale of the 784 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. large split staves. Thos. J. Jones and his boys also dealt largely in staves at one time on Laurel Creek. James Allen Graham and his brother, C. H. Graham, as well as their uncle, John Graham, were early lumbermen in the county. The Graham brothers bought a mill and located at the foot of Keeney's Knob, hauling the mill and machinery across that big mountain. They located on the W. A. Miller land, and sawed a large amount of poplar timber, which they hauled to New Richmond and shipped. Later they engaged in business on Laurel Creek. M. A. Carroll located a mill in the early days at New Richmond, and manufactured large quantities of lumber. The first sawmill man to operate at Meadow Creek was a Mr. Moore, from Pennsylvania, later succeeded by B. F. Hall and Owen Bearse, Jr. Bearse was from Massachusetts and Hall from Ohio. They did a large business at Meadow Creek. A tram-road was built for several miles up that creek, and the products brought down to the railroad ; but they finally failed, went into the hands of a receiver, and the business was wound up, George D. Haynes, the lawyer, being the receiver. Owen Bearse, Jr., was a man of parts — educated, courteous and gentlemanly. He did a large busi ness in the shipment of split staves to foreign lands. Marcelliott & Bearse was the original firm, which began business in the early 70's, on Lick Creek. They at one time owned the whole of North Alderson, purchasing the same and converting it into town lots. Benjamin F. Hall came in the early days of the county into the country, first as a stave inspector, and later engaging in the busi ness himself, and became an active politician. At one time he was a candidate for commissioner of the county court, and at another time for the Legislature, and at his death was postmaster at Meadow Creek. He was a very large, jovial man, and a bachelor, but was very unfortunate in his financial affairs, and died in pov erty, his only income being from the postoffice, which he received for his loyal party services. He died some eight years ago. Harrison Gwinn, of Green Sulphur Springs, has been engaged in the lumber business for many years, as also the stave business, successfully. D. M. Meador is now one of the largest lumber and stave manufacturers, with headquarters at Hinton. The Lilly Lumber Company, a corporation, was organized by T. H. Lilly, the lumberman. He opened business in Hinton about 1901, becoming very successful. He does a wholesale and jobbing business, with a yard at Hinton, and mills on the Greenbrier Branch of the C. & O. Railway. His corporation was organized HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 785 with a maximum capital stock of $100,000, his brother, Everett Lilly, being treasurer; T. H-. Lilly, president; H. Ewart, Jas. H. Miller, J. M. Godfrey (vice-president), A. G. Flanagan (secre tary), D. M. Meador, Martin Hill, Jr., Everett Lilly, R. H. Max well and F. B. Kidd being directors. They ship to the foreign markets; also to the local business. Kidd & Kirby have been maufacturing extensively in this county for the last few years. W. R. Best has been manufactur ing in- the Jumping Branch District, on the Davis lands, on Mad am's Creek. B. B. Burks is one of the oldest lumbermen in the county, having begun operations as early as 1873. He is from Ashland, Kentucky, and is now residing in Florida. He first began opera tions at the mouth of Bluestone, on Tallery Mountain. R. H. Maxwell was also one of the pioneer lumber and stave men, along with R. M. Commack, of Cleveland, Ohio. He did a large busi ness in this county at one time. William James & Sons began operations directly after the formation of the county, locating their mills on the pond in Avis, acquiring seven acres of ground, and utilizing the pond for storing logs and boom purposes. They still operate large saw and planing mills in the city of Avis, and have done so continuously since the founding of the business by William James. John P. Mills was another of the pioneer lum ber manufacturers in Hinton. He was a New Yorker, and built a large steam mill below the Hinton ferry. He erected a hand some residence, which was destroyed by the flood of '78, and his mill greatly damaged. Daniel F. Mohler was one of the first tim ber men to operate on a large scale. He was at the mouth of Griffith's Creek— "Mohler's Switch"— in 1880, and made consid erable money at the business. In the early days great quantities of staves and lumber were floated down the New River in batteaus by Captain Thomas Quinn, the Irish boatman. He married a Farley, of Pipestem, and his two sons still reside in that district, Fowler and Miller, Mike being killed in a railway accident with John Flanagan, in 1906. He was a fireman on the railway. Squire Homer Ballen- ger, of Talcott, is also engaged in the lumber business at this date. Welder & Son, of Forest Hill District, enterprising saw mill men and stave manufacturers, have been doing business in the region of Forest Hill and Barger Springs for a number of years. Green L. Scott and J. D. Scott, his brother, have been en gaged in the lumbering manufacturing business for several years 786 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. successfully in Talcott District. Captain Mark M. Miller came to the county with its formation, and began the lumber manufac turing business, having his mills in Jumping Branch and Green brier Districts, and Hinton. J. S. Kellogg, a New Yorker, oper ated on Big Creek extensively for a number of years. A. J. Mil ler and his son Cornelius, who now lives in Talcott District, op erated on Big Creek for a number of years, on the John Buckland property. In 1904 Evans & Company, of Michigan, purchased the timber on the Dr. Barksdale property, near Brooks — three thousand acres — and have been removing the same since. Dr. Barksdale, about 1885, operated at Barksdale Station, near Brooks, extensively in the manufacture of lumber. The timber from the Schermerhorn tract was largely removed by Crosby, Bodman and others, a good many years ago. John M. Holland, an old citizen of Green Sulphur District, a native of Franklin County, Virginia, and an enterprising and an honest man, whose family now reside in that country, operated a lumber business for a number of years in the Lick Creek country and also in Pipestem, where he was operating at the time of his death. The first man to engage in the walnut timber business in the county was Sam Smith, of Ohio. He came into the Lick Creek country immediately after the construction of the railroad, about 1874, and purchased large quantities of the finest walnut timber in any country, which he undertook to get out and ship to foreign markets, but managed his affairs badly, secured the people's wal nut timber and failed. ' This walnut timber was originallv pur chased and gotten out by Dr. Samuel Williams, for Dr. Richard P. Lake, the average price paid being one dollar per tree. Dr. Lake was at one time chief surgeon for the C. & O. Railway Co., and a very celebrated man in his profession. I. N. Johnson -oper ated in the timber business at one time on the head of Lick Creek, but did not succeed, as did a great many of the pioneer timber men. One of the most celebrated suits tried in the county was con cerning a lot of staves manufactured by R. H. Maxwell, on the lands of Joseph Thompson, in the upper Lick Creek country. Maxwell manufactured his staves, but Thompson refused to per mit him to remove them out off his land, and Maxwell sued him for damages, recovering a judgment for $500, and instituting a chancery proceeding to enforce the same, and the matters were litigated for ten years, the lands of Thompson being finally sold to satisfy Maxwell's judgment. It was one of the most hotly con- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 787 tested cases ever litigated in the county, and is known generally as the Thompson-Mexwell-Locker case. A large part of the land undertaken to be sold was claimed by H. S. Locker, of Lexington, Virginia, the father-in-law of Joseph Thompson, who was the son of Captain James Thompson, and Locker succeeded in hold ing his property, which was known as the old Robert Gore tract of some eight or nine hundred acres. Maxwell was generally suc cessful, however, in the litigation. A. E. Miller and W. N. McNeer lumbered extensively at one time on Lick Creek; also, J. W. Alderson and W. B. Dean, and the Dean Lumber Company, which was composed of Dr. Fletcher Dean and William Ballard Dean, sons of George W. Dean. The timber business, however, is about terminated in the ter ritory of this county. The valuable forests have been cut and re moved, and the timber industry is practically at an end within the territory of Summers County. William James & Son first began the floating of timber down New River, being the pioneers of the boom business, having con structed a large dam and boom across Bluestone River near its mouth, also a dam-up at the mouth of Little Bluestone; another dam at J. W. Pack's, at the mouth of Leatherwood, and one at their mills in Avis, in Upper Hinton. The Commonwealth Lumber Company, now operating on Grif fith's Creek and Keeney's Knob, is a corporation composed of Pennsylvania capitalists. It has erected a bridge across' Green brier River at the mouth of the creek, and built a broad-gauge railroad to the top of the Keeney's Knob, eight miles, where they own the old Jos. Jarrett 3,000 acres of land. They have built up a village of fifty houses near the site of the old fort. The Wm. James Sons' Co. during the winter — the dry season — would prepare a large run of logs, containing many hundred thousands of feet ; then, when the floods came, run them down to their booms, and finally to their mill. When the floods came there would be a great rush and demand for laborers to save the logs, and also to make the run. As an instance, at one flood in recent years, among the laborers engaged in securing the logs were two preachers, one justice of the peace, one constable, one doctor and one president of a coal company, all engaged in driving these logs, as laborers. If the boom broke, or it was an extraordinarily high flood, many logs would escape down the river, probably being caught in the Kanawha, or going on out into the Ohio. Their boom at Avis was near where the concrete breakwater was built in 1906, by William H. Charlton, 788 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST- VIRGINIA. a contractor, to turn the floods into the rivers, and prevent the overflowing of the upper town. A. E. & C. L. Miller at one time did a considerable lumber business in the upper Lick Creek coun try. Price & Heald are also in the lumber business at Hinton, with offices in the Ewart-Miller Building. There has also been a large planing mill and lumber, business done at New Richmond in the last ten years. The business was originated by John W. Graham, who established and built a large manufacturing building, which still stands. The planing mill busi ness was established by Oscar Honaker, later succeeded by the T. H. Lilly Lumber Company, and now by a corporation of which Otho Graham is general manager; J. A. Graham, AVm. W. War ren, L. P. Graham and others, are stockholders, and James Gwinn, president. "Squire" Chas. H. Graham is still engaged in the lumber manu facturing business in the county, at Brooks, as is his son Otho, at New Richmond and David Graham Ballangee, at Clayton. TWO MURDERS. Page Edwards killed his wife in April, 1878, and Hugh J. AA' il- burn killed George W. Farley on the same day. Page Edwards was a negro living at the east portal of the Big Bend Tunnel. His wife was a bright mulatto woman of handsome appearance. She was standing in the cabin door, holding a child in her arms, when Edwards shot her with a shotgun filled with buckshot'. Strange to say, the woman was killed, but the child was unhurt. Edwards was jealous of his wife. He was tried for murder in the Summers Circuit Court at the term following, was found guilty and sentenced to life confinement in the penitentiary, where he died. He was defended by Alark Jarrett, a descendant of the pio neer settler of that name in the Aluddy Creek country. He was an orator of wide reputation, and a graduate of Roanoke College. His speech was said by those who heard it to have been one of the finest pieces of oratory ever delivered in Summers County. He married Miss Lula J. Garst, of Salem, Va. He afterwards died in the West, and his widow married John H. Clay, of Aider- son. Mark Jarrett left one son, Mark Jarrett, Jr., who has re cently completed a course at law in the University of Virginia. Hugh J. Wilburn was a quiet, peaceable citizen residing in Pipestem District, and a descendant of the ancient AA^ilburns of the Middle New River settlements. George W. Farley was a de- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 789 scendant of the old Farley ancestors of Pipestem District. He was in the habit of visiting Wilburn's residence in his absence, of which Wilburn learned. Wilburn went to his house one morning, and called Farley out, who started to run. Wilburn carried a double-barreled shotgun, and immediately shot one load into his body. As he started to fall he fired the second shot, but, as Farley was falling, that discharge missed him. Wilburn then took out his revolver, walked up to Farley, shot him in the head, and killed him instantly. Wilburn made his escape, and was followed by Green Lee Lilly, the deputy sheriff; but he was never captured and never tried, and has been a wanderer from this land from that date. GRAHAM vs. GRAHAM. One of the noted cases between residents within our territory was that of Graham vs. Graham. It was brought at November Rules, 1859, in Monroe Circuit Court. Colonel James Graham made his will in 1812, by which he made a devise as follows: "I give unto my daughter, Rebekah Gra ham, and her children, that plantation where she now lives, known as the "Stevenson's Cabin" (Stinson). Also, I give unto her and her children my negro girl named Dinah, the land and the negro never to be disposed of out of the family, nor the increase of the negro, if any she has." And later on he further provided : "All of the before-mentioned legacies thus bequeathed to my children, I give unto them and their heirs forever, according to the way they are stated." Rebekah was the daughter of James and the wife of Joseph Graham. "All the foregoing legacies I give to them and their heirs forever, according to the way they are stated." The suit was for the partition of the plantation into five parts, and the division of the proceeds of the sale of the negroes into five parts. Rebekah (Rebecca) claimed that under the provisions of the will quoted, she took in fee simple absolute. On the 25th of May, 1869, the circuit court decreed a partition of the land into five parts — one to Rebecca and the residue to the four children, including the daughter of the one deceased — and by Rebecca four- fifths of the price Dinah had brought, to be paid to the children, arising from the sale of the two negro slaves, the increase of Dinah, and also their hire. This was the suit of Rebecca Graham et al. vs. Lanty Graham et al. 790 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. This decree, which was rendered by Judge Nat. Harrison, was appealed from to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, which court reversed the circuit court, and held that Rebecca Gra ham was entitled to the whole of the real estate, and also of the proceeds of the funds arising from the sale of the negro slaves. Hon. Allen T. Caperton and Hon. Frank Hereford, of Union, were the attorneys for Rebecca Graham, who was the widow of Joseph Graham and a daughter of Colonel James Graham, and ex- Governor Samuel Price was the attorney for the defendants, the children. This was concerning lands at Clayton Postoffice. (See West Virginia Supreme Court Reports, Vol. 4, page 320.) A second suit growing out of the same will was tried in the Monroe Circuit Court, the decree appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals, and decided by it May 1, 1887. The will of James Graham above referred to, as stated, gave to said Rebecca the slave Dinah, who had two children, Ira and Stuart. At the death of the said James Graham, said Rebecca was the mother of four children, and others were born after his death and before the death of Joseph, who died about 1860. The court in this case held that the slave Dinah passed to the husband by reason of his marital rights under the laws then existing, and that not only Dinah, but her increase, Ira and Stu art, were the property of Joseph Graham, and not his wife, to whom they were by the will bequeathed, and after the death of Joseph they went to the widow and children equally. On the 9th of March, 1868, the said widow, Rebecca, John Gra ham, James Graham, David Graham and David G. Ballengee exe cuted an agreement by which said Rebecca conveys to the others all of her estate by reason of the last will of James Graham, de ceased, they to support her during her life, and they were to pay all the costs of a suit brought by another son, Lanty, and others, for which she might be liable, and they agreed to go her security to carry said former case to the Supreme Court. The two negroes, increase of Dinah, were sold for $2,000, by Rebecca — $1,000 each — and the proceeds she invested in a debt against Arbuckle, which she assigned to Jier son, David Graham. Joseph Graham made no will disposing of his property in said slaves, and this suit was brought by John Graham, David Graham and David G. Ballengee (a grandson), against said Rebecca Gra ham and said James Graham, for the specific execution of said agreement, claiming that the said Dinah and her increase and the proceeds of their sale invested in the Arbuckle claim were included GREENBRIER SPRINGS HOTEL, 1905. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 791 in the agreement above mentioned of the 9th of Alarch, 1868, and said same will devised to said Rebekah a tract of 286 acres of land, on which said Joseph Graham and his wife, Rebekah, then resided. The Supreme Court held that the agreement of March 9, 1868, did not embrace or include the said slaves or either of them, or the $2,000 proceeds of sale thereof, or the said Arbuckle claim, and that said Joseph Graham held said tract of land by the cur tesy during his life, and at his death Rebecca took in fee simple to the whole thereof, and passed under the agreement of the 9th of March, 1868, to said John, David and James Graham and D. G. Ballengee. The decree appealed from was rendered by the circuit court of Monroe County, May 23, 1873. The style was John Graham, Plff., vs. James Graham, Rebecca Graham and others, Defts. Judge Homer A. Holt was the circuit judge rendering the de cision appealed from, and which was reversed. The attorney for the appellants was Samuel Price, and for the appellees, Frank Hereford. The opinion of the court is very lengthy, covering thirty-one printed pages. The suit was begun in January, 1871. The decree was ren dered by the circuit court May 23, 1873. The decree being ad verse to James Graham, he appealed, and the decree of the circuit court was reversed. In this suit the reputation of James T. Dempsey was attacked and proven bad for truth and veracity, a number of witnesses swearing it to be bad. A number of others swore it was good, and that they would believe him on oath. James Graham recovered his costs from John, David and Bal lengee. (See 10 W. Va. Reports, page 355; 4 AAr Va. Reports, page 320.) CARNES CASE. On October 12, 1890, a suit in chancery was instituted by Lo gan & Patton, attorneys-at-law of Union, for K. S. Karnes, the descendants and heirs of Matthew Kincaid, as plaintiffs, against all of the lot-owners and others of the town of Talcott, as well as the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, claiming each and all of the lots in that town, as well as the right of way of the railway company through the Matthew Kincaid tract of land. It seems that this 792 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. tract along Greenbrier River, from Hungart's Creek, of several hundred acres, had been sold many years ago to Griffith Meadows, now a very old man, and who was at one time a justice of the peace of Talcott District, and to Sarah Woodson, the wife of Zachariah Woodson, who lived in the log mansion at the mouth of Hun gart's Creek. The purchasers thought they were gettting a title in fee simple, but after many years it was ascertained by the heirs of the wife of Kincaid, who were the Karns, of Monroe and Mercer, that the land belonged in fee to the wife of Kincaid; that she did not join in the deeds of conveyance by him to Woodson and Meadows, and therefore they only took thereunder the title of Kincaid, which was a life estate, His wife having died and not having conveyed him any of her title, he only took by the curtesy, which gave Meadows and Woodson a title good only so long as Kincaid lived. He lived to be a very old man, and finally died a short time before this suit was instituted ; and thus the heirs of Kincaid came into the "remainder" at his death, and employed the said counsel to secure the possession, the attorneys to have one-third of the recovery. The citizens .of Talcott, led by W. W. Jones, Esq., and Hon. M. A. Manning, determined to defend their title to the uttermost. They employed Mr. Manning and Miller & Read, a law firm, to protect their interests. The land had been cut up into lots on the completion, of and before the railway, and many conveyances had been made from one to another; the lots had been built on, good dwellings and improvements, and the thrifty little town of three hundred souls inhabited the property. By this suit, if the plaintiffs won, they would take the land, with all the improvements, and place a great number of honest people out of house and home, as their entire earthly possessions were invested in these homes. Mr. Manning took charge of the legal end of the fight, and a Committee of Safety was organized, consisting of W. W. Jones, Dr. J. W. Ford and Mr. Manning, to finance the fight. The case came on February 9, 1900, and delays were inter posed, and amendments to the plaintiff's pleading required, T. N. Read having direct charge of the active legal defense, which he most faithfully and intelligently conducted. Finally, after some two years, the court, Judge McWhorter, pronounced its opinion, by which the rights of the parties were defined, which was in ef fect that the plaintiffs were entitled to an undivided one-ninth interest in the tract of land, and entitled to a partition, if an equitable partition could be made, giving them their interest in HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 793 unimproved land in value, if this could be done, and giving the Talcott citizens their lots and improvements. It was ascertained that there was a part of the AAtoodson tract which was unimproved. The court appointed by its decision commissioners to make this partition, if it could be done; Messrs. James A. Graham, Harrison Gwinn, John E. Harvey, Chas. A. Baber and Rev. Henry Dillon as commissioners to go on the ground and report, and this they did, assigning to the plaintiffs forty acres of unimproved land. This report was by the court confirmed. The citizens then, through the committee, Messrs. Jones and four others — Mr. Manning hav ing died during the pendency of this suit — raised the money and bought this land from the plaintiffs for $600, and had it reconveyed to the heirs of Mrs. Woodson, paid the costs and saved their prop erty and homes. The whole cost, including their attorney's fees, costs of property, and costs of suit being about $1,400, of which each lot-owner paid his part, or was supposed to do so. This final settlement was placed in the hands of Mr. William W. Jones, who closed out the matter with the most scrupulous integrity and with great intelligence, and to whom all of those people should owe a lasting gratitude. It was a fortunate ending to what looked at one time like a great disaster. Had the plaintiffs succeeded, they would have taken the Manning residence, the C. & O. depot, Dr. Ford's residence, Mr. Jones' storehouse and residence, the Baptist and Methodist churches, Masonic Lodge, and all of the improvements and houses of the happy people of Talcott. The plaintiffs, the Carnes', realized about $800, their attorneys for their services receiving one-third. There are two white churches in Talcott — one Missionary Bap tist and one Southern Methodist — and a Masonic Lodge. There is one colored church in the town, and one white and one colored free school. They are a thriving, industrious and intelligent people. There are four general stores, a millinery store, two hotels, one conducted by E. P. Huston, and the "Valley View Hotel," con ducted by John Willy, completed in 1906, a very creditable prop erty of thirty rooms, costing some $6,000. It is the C. & O. station for the Red Sulphur Springs, Green brier Springs, and Lindeman Springs, on Stony Creek. The first C. & O. depot agent at Talcott was a Mr. Lacey, who after a few years was transferred to Lowell, and Mr. E. P. Huston substituted. Mr. Huston is the oldest station agent in the county, and has been faithfully filling the position for the past thirty years. 794 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. He was postmaster for four years under Cleveland, president of the Board of Education, and is one of the public-spirited, old- time Virginia gentlemen of the place. He was a brave and gal lant soldier throughout the Civil War in the Confederate Army. His son, Elbert, is a trusted telegraph operator, and owns one- half of the old Chas. K. Rollyson place on the top of the Big Bend Tunnel, one of the shafts operated in its construction being on this land. The Talcott Toll Bridge stands in the town of Talcott, at the old Aladdy Ferry. HISTORY AND CONFESSION OF W. I. MARTIN. The crime of AA". I. Alartin was committed immediately across New River from Hinton, at the landing on the Raleigh side of the Lower Ferry. The incident relates to Summers County history, and we give it in detail. After his trial and sentence to death, some time before the date set for his hanging, he made a detailed confession, which was written in his cell in long hand and signed by Martin in his own hand. Martin's relatives were respectable people. His father died recently in this county. He made every effort within his power .to secure commutation of the sentence. J. R. Armstrong, one of the officers who went to Big Stone Gap and returned the prisoner to Raleigh County, was at that time the sergeant of the town of Hinton, and was afterwards shot to death by Brown Pack. W I. Martin murdered his wife in Brooklyn. Raleigh County, West Airginia, in October, 1887, and was arrested at Big Stone Gap, AA'ise County, A^irginia, by Detective AA" "J. AIcAIahan. and held by him until R. AA" Lilly, who held a requisition from Gov ernor E. A\". AA'ilson, of this State, could reach him. Air. Lilly. assisted by J. R. Armstrong, delivered Alartin over to the authori ties of Raleigh County, on Monday, the 19th day of January, 1890. He was tried at the July term, 1890, before Judge R. C. Mc Claugherty, and sentenced to be hanged October 3, 1890. AVhile he confessed doing the killing before his trial, no authentic state ment of the foul and brutal murder has ever been given the pub lic but the statement given below, written by Alartin himself. The Confession. "I shall now give a short sketch of my life. I was born in Floyd Countv, A'irginia, in 1858. I was raised in the beautiful P. K. LITSINGER, Three Times Mayor of Hinton. LEE WALKER, Promoter and Founder of New River Milling- Co, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 795 and picturesque Allegheny Mountains. I lived there until I was twenty-five years old, and moved to West Virginia in 1883. In 1884 I moved to Hinton, Summers County. In 1886 I married Ann Brown. Owing to my illiteracy, I will not give a history of my early life. I will commence from the time I came to this State, and give only a sketch of my trouble after I was married. I had always been a hard-working, sober, peaceful and quiet man until I came to the realization 'of the fact that I had married a vile woman. Being the husband of a woman of this character caused me a great deal of trouble. I considered it the downfall of myself and children. The fact that I had married a woman of that char acter caused me much trouble, and finally I took to drinking, thinking to drown my mortification and shame ; but it did not suc ceed. It led to much trouble. My wife was not true to me, and besides, she was very high-tempered and abusive to me. In spite of all I could do she became worse to me and harder to please. Finally, she got to dividing her attentions between other men and myself. In the fall some men came to my house on account of her, and abused me, and tried to get me to do or to say something to give them a chance to shoot me. She had frequently taken rides with those men, and afterwards they said she was the cause of it, and they had nothing against me. After this I saw it was danger ous, to live with her, and we parted, she going to Fayette County at my expense. After she had been there two or three months she wrote me to bring or send her some money, and I sent her money two or three different times, and also went to see her. She soon got tired of that place, and wrote to me to send her some money so she could come back to Hinton. She said she could not nor would not live without me any longer, and if I did not send her money, she would come if she had to walk. I sent her money, and she came back and lived with me two or three weeks, and left. Her excuse for it was that she would not live with my peo ple, or where they lived. She then came across the river opposite Hinton, in Raleigh County, and rented one room in a house that Bud Galloway lived in. After she had rented this room she wrote to me to come and bring her things. After I had received her let ter I went to see her. I asked her what she was going to do, and how she was going to get along. She said she did not know, un less I helped her, or would come and live with her. I told her I thought she was giving me poor encouragement to do anything, but that she knew I would do anything I possibly could for her, and always had, if she would only do right. The way she talked, 796 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. I thought she was about whipped out running around, and the promises she made me led me to believe that she was going to do better. After we had concluded to live together everything moved along smoothly until two or three days previous to that unfortu nate trouble. A man came to the door and knocked one night two or three days before the trouble. When he knocked I was sitting and she was standing before the fire. When he knocked she darted to the door and opened it a very little and looked out. The man at the door gave it a violent shove ; it staggered my wife back, but she held to it. When he had thus pushed the door open, he asked her where her eldest boy was ; she told him he was at the watch-house, and he walked away. The boy he had inquired for had just set him across the river. I knew there was something wrong by his actions. The only thing I said was, 'Who is that?' After that there was a considerable change in her treatment to me. The next day she took my revolver and hid it. When I missed it, I asked for it, and her answer was, 'You have got to quit carrying revolvers,' and. she would not give it to me. "She had never done anything of this kind before. I had car ried a revolver almost constantly since we had the trouble in the spring. The day my wife was killed I went up on the mountain to work, and, as well as I remember, I started-home about three o'clock. I came by my sister's, and she told me she had heard that there was some fellows coming to my house to run me rjff. At the time she was telling me I thought very little of it, and only said, 'Let them come.' I went on down to Hinton and got to drink ing a little. I commenced to think of those things my sister had told me, and I thought I might meet with some danger at any time. I went to Mr. Burke Prince's store and bought me a re volver. I thought if any one came to my house I would not run, for I had done nothing to run for. I knew there was a change in my wife, and if any trouble come up she would be the cause of it, and for this reason she had been too intimate with other men. When I went home I had no idea of shooting her, although I was greatly aggravated over the trouble she had caused me after the promise she had made. While in Hintori I bought some goods and a pint of whiskey. It was about sundown when I reached home, and I was about half drunk. I also, bought a pair of shoes for myself. After the family had ate their supper my wife came into the room and began to grumble about me not getting her a pair of shoes. I told her that I did not know that she wanted a pair, but if I had known it I would have gotten them for her. As HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 797 soon as supper was over her oldest boy walked off. I did not say anything in regard to what I had heard about the parties com ing there to run me off, but I walked out of the house to look after the boy. I stood in the yard a few minutes, but did not see any one, but I heard talking down at the ferry. I went back into the house after drinking at least one half pint of whiskey. I sat down,- and she commenced to quarrel about the shoes. I sat there and listened at her and also listened for some one to slip in and commence shooting at me at any minute. I thought she had given my revolver to some one to shoot me with. I did not say much to her, anyway. I was standing before the fire and so was she when ,she said, 'If you can't get what I want, there is a man that can, and he shall do it, too.' When she said this I thought of my condition. I had broken myself up trying to please her, and all the time I was expecting to be shot at any minute on account of her. I don't know what kind of a condition I did get into. I flew into a mad fit, and, taking my revolver from my pocket, I fired at her. I was standing in about six feet of her when I shot, v When I shot she went towards the room Mr. Galloway stayed in, and I went out of th« back door. It was all done in a flash. I did not know whether the shot struck her or not or how bad she was hurt, or anything about it, until the next day. I came back to the house in the course of the night, and when I stepped in the door I realized I did not want to see my wife, and I walked off about fifty yards from the house and stopped. I heard at least a half a dozen men talking just a few steps from the house, and I was afraid to. go back to the house any more. "The next morning about nine o'clock I went to my sister's, and she met me in the yard and told me that there had been some men there looking for me, and they had said I had killed my wife and left. I was greatly surprised to hear that she was dead. When she told me of it, if I had had a million dollars I would have given it if I could have recalled that fatal shot. I knew it would not do for me to stay there. I left the country. I was in Virginia and Tennessee until arrested. "In conclusion, I want to say that I hope my sad fate will be a warning to all that wish to live a happy life, to beware of bad women and whiskey. I want to thank the jailer, Mr. Hawley, and the guards, Frank Godby and Wm. E. George, for the kindness they have shown me while in jail. "(Signed): W. I. MARTIN." 798 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Martin was prosecuted by Hon. A. P. Farley, prosecuting at torney of Raleigh County, and Gen. J. W. St. Clair, of Fayette ville, and defended by Hon. William R. Thompson, of Summers. Judge R. C. McClaugherty was the trial judge. At his execution, which was public, there were five or six thousand people to witness it from the county and adjoining counties. A. P. Farley, who prosecuted Martin, is a native of Summers County, born February 2, 1861, in Pipestem, then Mercer County; educated in the public schools, and graduated from Concord Nor mal School in 1881. He taught school in Summers, Raleigh and Greenbrier. Was first elected prosecuting attorney of - Raleigh County in 1888, and again in 1896, and filled that important position for two terms of four years each. He is one of the ablest lawyers at the Raleigh Bar. On October 16, 1889, he married Miss Alice Atkinson, daughter of the railroad builder of the Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs. He is the son of Mr. Henderson Farley, who a few years ago removed from this county to the West. He has two brothers in Missouri, Albert C. and W. U., both teachers, and is one of the descendants of the family of Farleys who first settled the Pipestem country and were Indian fighters in the early days. JONATHAN F. LILLY CASE. Jonathan F. Lilly was a prominent man in affairs and resided in Jumping Branch District on the Bluestone Hills. He was about thirty years of age and married a daughter of '"Miller" Bob Lilly, and was the father of seven young children. At the time of which we write he was teaching one of the public schools in his neigh borhood, was a farmer and teacher by occupation, and had served one term as superintendent of free schools of this county. His brother-in-law, Thomas S. Meador, lived in the neighbor hood, and had become jealous of Lilly. On the 18th day of Oc tober, 1893, he loaded his shotgun, went into the upper story of his house and took his position to keep an outlook through a crack under the eaves. In the evening Mr. Lilly came by from his school, and, on coming up the path, directly into Meador's house, Meador fired his gun from his hiding-place, killing Lilly instantly. Meador came to the prosecuting attorney's office in Hinton, stating that he desired to surrender himself, and telling what he had done. He was placed in jail and an indictment was preferred at the following term of court, and on the fourth day of May, 1894, his case came on for trial, Hon. A. N. Campbell presiding as judge. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 799 He was prosecuted by Adams & Miller, prosecutors, assisted by Col. James- W. Davis, who was employed by Mr. D. G. Lilly, a brother-in-law of the deceased. The trial lasted three whole days. A view of the premises where the killing occurred was demanded, which was a distance of twelve miles from the court house. The judge, jury, sheriff, clerk, attorneys and prisoner were all conveyed, -going in hacks, buggies and on horseback to the scene of the tragedy on the mountains beyond Little Bluestone. After viewing the premises the trial was completed, and the accused acquitted. This was one of the most interesting and hard-fought legal matters that even took place in the courts. Thomas Meador, the accused, still resides in the county with his family, near the mouth of Little Bluestone, and is one of the descendants of Josiah Meador, the first known of that numerous family of that name in the county, his wife, as well as the deceased, being descendants of Robert Lilly, the founder of the great family of that name in these parts. The jury which tried and acquitted Meador were: Granger Hol stine, W. R. Boyd, Daniel Gwinn, O. P. Jameson, R. T. Grady, Allen F. Brown, M. N. Breen, W. E. Carden, W. R. Taylor, S. W. Owen, J. H.- Allen and R. M. Martin. KILLING OF T. P. WITHROW. Theodore P. Withrow was a constable of Green Sulphur Dis trict elected in 1904, and a very good and efficient officer. On the 26th day of August, 1907, Frank Clark, a son of Alex. H. Clark and a grandson of George W. Dean, who was a brakeman on the C. & O. Railway, was at Sandstone to see a woman by the name of Ward, and was drinking. He was twenty-two years of -age. He was not behaving very -well, and some of the citizens requested the constable, Withrow, to stop the misbehavior. With row got off his wagon, went to where Clark was and requested him in a vigorous manner to stop his misconduct and go away, taking hold of him. Clark at once retreated and pulled out a pistol and began firing into the body of the officer, shooting him five times. He died the next day from the wounds. Clark was arrested and lodged in jail at Hinton and sent on to answer an indictment for murder. He denied that he did the killing at first. At the October Term, 1907, he was indicted for murder. He was defended by Messrs. T. G. Mann, W. H. Sawyers and J. A. Meadows, and prosecuted by T. N. Read and R. F. Dunlap. His father and mother both died when he was an infant. He was a bad boy, 800 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. with a kind heart, and had served a term in the reform school at Pruntytown. Withrow had also served a term in the reform school at Pruntytown. Both were grown men, raised up in the same neighborhood. Clark was twenty-two years old, a slim, pale youth with red hair. The first trial came on the 16th day of Oc tober, 1907. The regular judge of the court, having been guardian for the boy, declined to sit at the hearing of the case, and A. R. Heflin, a practicing attorney at the bar of the county, was agreed upon to sit as special judge. On the 16th Clark made his plea in person of "not guilty." The following were the jurors who tried the case : 1. C. C. Coulter; 2. Albert H. Mann; 3. J. A. Bostic; 4. A. J. Williams; 5. H. W. Flanagan; 6. J. A. Allen; 7. A. E. Welder; 8. J. P. Keaton; 9. A. J. Martin; 10. Taylor Reed; 11. Francis Buck- land; 12. C. D. Albert. The evidence was concluded on the evening of the 18th. The instructions offered on the part of the defendant were very volu minous, numbering thirty-five, all of which were not given, how ever. The arguments of counsel began at seven o'clock p. m.. R. F. Dunlap opening for the State, and was followed by Alessrs. Mann, Sawyers and Meadows for the defendant. The State's case was closed by T. N. Read at twelve o'clock on the 20th. The jury was out five hours, failed to agree, and were discharged. A second trial of the case was set for the January Term, 1908. Alex. H. Clark, the father of this young man, was a native of Augusta County, Virginia, and one of the descendants of Patrick Miller. He married a Miss Dean, daughter of George W. Dean, of Lick Creek. At the opening of the Oklahoma Territory for settlement, fourteen years ago, he went to that country, took the typhoid fever and died. His wife died some two years afterward, leaving Frank Clark, the defendant in the above named trial, and Lena, a sister younger than Frank. This is one of the most un fortunate homicides ever occurring in the county. The people connected with both sides were good people. Frank Clark is a youth, and, while his crime is grave, there is a disposition to be lieve, on the part of many, that there was no malice in the killing. He had not seen Withrow for nine years. This case came on again to be tried at the January Term, 1908, before A. R. Heflin, as special judge, elected by the bar to try it. The same attorneys were retained as those who tried the case at a former term, except the defendant associated additional counsel in the person of Hon. Charles W. Osenton, a learned lawyer of HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 801 Fayetteville, who took charge of the case as counsel in chief. The case was on trial for three days, and the jury finally returned its verdict about one o'clock, having been out nearly two hours, bring ing in a verdict of "AA'e, the jury, find the defendant not guilty of murder in the first degree, as charged in the within indictment, but we do find him guilty of murder in the second degree, as therein charged." A motion to set aside the verdict and grant a new trial was strenuously pressed by the prisoner's counsel, but was overruled, and a sentence of twelve years' confinement in the peni tentiary imposed. The maximum punishment which could have been imposed was eighteen years. It clearly developed in the trial that it was not a case of cold-blooded, premeditated, malicous mur der, but grew out of an altercation at the time, and while the court construed it to be a technical homicide of the second degree, it was conceded that elements of previous premeditation were ab sent, and public sentiment had changed much in regard to the character of the offense. Many exceptions were taken to the rulings of the court, and the accused determined to appeal to the Supreme Court and have the lower court proceedings reviewed, and at this time counsel are preparing bills of exceptions, with a view to an appeal. CALES vs. MILLER. On the 29th day of February, 1848, John Miller, son of Robert, and Joel McPherson brought a complaint before a justice of the peace of Greenbrier County against James Cales, that he had un lawfully ousted them from out of possession of a certain cabin tenement containing forty acres, on the end of Chestnut Mountain, part of a tract of 1,100 acres. The trial came on March 18, 1848, but was continued to June, 1849. The plaintiff introduced a deed from Jacob Maddy to John Miller made in 1846, $40.00, which was the consideration for one-half of said 1,100 acres, which was on New River and its waters on Chestnut Mountain. A decree was accepted in evidence of Richard Thomas and Jacob Maddy against Samuel Pack, made in 1842, and under this decree Jacob Maddy and Joel McPherson were adjudged the owners, the decree being against Samuel Pack for the purchase money. The patent to the land was also introduced, showing a grant to Davis Martin for this land, bearing date Alarch 15, 1798, who was a resident of Wil mington, Delaware, and he had made deed to John Martin, of Philadelphia, conveying the 1,100 acre tract. A patent was also 802 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. introduced from the commonwealth to Miller and McPherson for the 1,100 acres, dated February 29, 1848. It was also charged that the old Long Bottom on New River, just above the falls, had been in the possession since 1831 of William Bragg, who settled thereon, and he had made a title bond to said Jacob Maddy, Daniel Bragg then living on the mountain back of the river. Joseph Willard also claimed the Old Bottom settlements by deed from Martin.. Jacob Maddy had sold to Richard Thomas, and Thomas to Samuel Fox, who failed to pay for some. It was also shown that in 1815 Jeremiah Meadows took possession of the land as tenant of Joseph Williard under the Martin patent. Meadows, in 1821, placed Dan iel Bragg in possession of 1,100 acres for Williard, and he turned the same over to Thomas Bragg, who held possession until 1847. The tract was entered for taxes in 1816 by Joseph Williard. Judg ment was rendered in favor of the plaintiff, and the defendant appealed to the circuit court, which affirmed the justice of the peace and county court, and then the defendant appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia. The final judgment was entered in July, 1851. Reynolds represented Cales; William Smith and Samuel Price represented McPherson and Miller. By the final decree the plaintiffs won, and the lower court's judgment was affirmed. The Old Bottom and a part of the mountain is now owned by J. Turner Moorehead, of North Carolina, which includes the eastern side of Richmond Falls, the water power of which is to be used for generating electricity by a powerful plant to be erected at that place in the near future. The settlement of Abra ham Bragg on Long Bottom is the first we have a record of in that vicinity. These lands are now owned by many different people, and cut up into many farms. It was a finely timbered tract, but that has been cut off long ago. John Miller was a bachelor, en terprising in his day, and he and his brother Alex, owned large boundaries of land in that region. After their death, both being bachelors, these lands were parceled out and sold in small farms, principally by Hon. Marion Gwinn as commissioner of the Circuit Court of Greenbrier County. James Cales lived to a very old age on the Chestnut Mountain, and his descendants still inhabit that region, including Riley, John, William H. and others. Jacob Maddy is of a Monroe County family, and the descendants of Abraham and Daniel Bragg still live and inhabit that section, both in Ra leigh and Summers Counties. See 15 Grattan for a full report of the case above recited. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 803 ALDERSON vs. MILLER. This was an interesting case brought in Greenbrier- County by people residing in the territory of Summers, and the controversy, which was unlawful detainer, was over 100 acres of land on the mountains of Lick Creek. The plaintiff was Captain A. A. Miller vs. Asa Alderson, brought in the circuit court of said county for the' possession of the 100 acres where Alderson then lived and afterwards known as the Dunbar and then as the Rookstool lands. At the trial Alderson received a verdict in his favor in the county court. Miller obtained a supersedeas to the judgment of the circuit court and a judgment in his favor; Alderson appealed to the Su preme Court of Appeals of Virginia, and the case was decided again in Alderson's favor in that court on the 31st day of August, 1859. What was known as the Schermerhorn Title Banks Patent came in question, that title involving 28,000 acres of land in then Blue Sulphur District, now Green Sulphur. Miller leased the land to Alderson on the 1st of March, 1858, who declined to give pos session when his lease expired, and Miller sued. Alderson set up in the defense a decree of the Circuit Court of Henrico County, Virginia, of April 21, 1852, in two causes there pending of Richard B. Smith and David Doyle, plaintiffs, vs. Eliza L. Schermerhorn and others, defendants. The other case named George Alderson, John Alderson, William Miller and others, plaintiffs, vs. Richard Smith, David Doyle and others, defendants. By the decree in this case the sheriff of Greenbrier was commanded to deliver into the possession of Eliza L. Schermerhorn all the lands in the possession of George Alderson and the Andersons or others through them held since May 23, 1837, and the defendant, Asa Alderson's, claim to a title deed executed in 1829. The Supreme Court sustained Alderson's contention, reversed the circuit court and affirmed the judgment of the county court. ' Samuel Price represented Aider- son; Borden & Crosby represented Miller. This land was held by Alderson until he sold to Dunbar and moved to Greenbrier, where his son, Samson Alderson, now resides His grandson is Hon. Charles M. Alderson, the lawyer of Charleston. Granville Aider- son, the school man of Alderson, West Virginia, is also a son of Samson. See 15 Grattan, 278. 804 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. THE McKELVEY CASE. Theodore F. McKelvey was a locomotive engineer on the C. & O. Railway for a number of years prior to August 31, 1888. He married a lady of Patterson, N. J. On the 31st day of April, 1888, while running his engine east from Montgomery towards Hinton, at Sewell Station, having stopped to take on water at that place from the tank, and just having filled the same, the engine exploded, causing the instant death of McKelvey, and almost killing L. N. Bartgiss, his fireman. McKelvey's body was thrown higher than the trees, and part of his remains were left hanging in the trees by the river bank, the river at that place being very deep. Mrs. McKelvey qualified as administratrix, and the railroad company refused to make settlement or pay anything by reason of the death of her husband. The firm of Adams & Miller, of Hinton, were employed to bring suit for damages, which was instituted in the year 1888, in the Circuit Court of Fayette County, West Virginia. The railroad company was defended by Simms & Enslow, attorneys, of Huntington, West Virginia. Major Brazie sat as special judge at the trial. At the first calling of the case on the evening before, both sides were ready for trial, and so stated, having all their witnesses present. At that time the railroad com pany was represented by Judge James H. Furgeson, who died before the trial, and was succeeded by Messrs. Simms & Enslow, as counsel for the railroad company. There was an important witness in behalf of the estate by the name of LeGrange, who was a boiler maker, employed in the shops at Hinton. When the case was called, Judge Furgeson announced that they were not ready for trial on account of the absence of LaGrange, who had been there the evening before. Upon a search being made, it was ascer tained that LaGrange had -disappeared. A suspension of the trial was had and a messenger sent to Hinton, but no LaGrange could be found. His absence necessitated a continuance. LaGrange never returned to Hinton, but had cut across the country, boarded a freight train at Gaymont and gone west. After several months he was located in the employment of the East Tennessee & Georgia Railroad Company, at Atlanta, Ga. Notice was given the railway company to take his deposition, and James H. Miller, representing the plaintiff, and Henry Simms, representing the railway com pany, went to that city and secured the deposition of LaGrange, however, before the attorneys reached Atlanta, a representative HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 805 of the rail-way company appeared on the ground and in company with the witness. After securing the evidence of LaGrange, an other witness, in the meantime, had disappeared, and this man was located at Nashville, Tenn. W. W. Adams for the plaintiff, and Major Joseph E. Chilton, for the defendant, went to Nashville and secured his testimony. Great interest was manifested in this case. Fo"ur expert boiler makers were brought by the railroad company from Schenectady, N. Y., and a number of practical loco motive engineers were summoned on behalf of the widow. A trial was finally had,, and the jury gave judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $10,000.00. From this judgment an appeal was taken to the Supreme Court, and was reversed by reason of wrongful instructions having been given by the trial judge, and a new trial was awarded. Before the next calling of the case the rail road company adjusted the differences, and the action was dis missed. This case attracted great attention by reason of the character of the accident which caused the death of McKelvey. LaGrange had worked on the engine at frequent times, as well as other boiler makers, and he testified that there was fifty stay bolts broken. These bolts were to hold together the fire box and outside valves. He also testified that the boiler had a quantity of mud in it, which should have been taken out ; the crown sheet had been down and had been burnt ; the side sheets had given away two or three times, and the bolts were not sufficient, they being three-fourth inch bolts, when they should have been seven-eighths. These de fects had been reported by McKelvey, and also by LaGrange to the foreman, a gentleman by the name of Butler. McKelvey had stated on frequent occasions that the engine was dangerous, and that he didn't want to run it. The fire box seemed to have broken all to pieces by the explosion, and was sunk into the bottom of the river. It was claimed that the railway com pany, after the first trial, had a diver to go into the bottom of New River and find the fire box and examine it, but finding that it showed the defects complained of, they refused to bring it to the surface, and made settlement. The defence of the railway company was that contributory negligence applied, claiming that McKelvey knew of the dangerous condition of the boiler, and should not have run the engine, know ing, this fact. Plaintiff contended that he had a right to presume that the company would repair these defects after having been notified. 806 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. THE STATE vs. ROBERT PAULEY. The defendant and W. Harrison Robbins were two young men residing at Pence Springs, in Talcott District, both of whom were poor and labored for their living, Pauley being engaged in ferrying persons across Greenbrier River at his father's ferry, his father, Felt Pauley, owning the ferry at that place. It was Christmas time. The young men had been indulging in strong drink and were under its influence. Robbins' brother and Pauley had some words, and threats were made. Pauley went to his house and secured his shotgun and returned to Kesler's store, where the Robbins had remained. They again got into words, and it is claimed a knife was used, and that Pauley had cut Cal Rob bins, brother of Harrison, and, from the evidence Robbins followed Pauley down the road towards the river. Robbins had no weapons. An altercation ensued, and Pauley shot Robbins through the body, the load passing through the thigh of the deceased, cutting a large hole, by reason of the parties being in close proximity, the wound being one and one-half inches in diameter, made at short range. Testified to as a dangerous and deadly wound. Immediately after the shooting Pauley ran swiftly towards the river in the dark, and the next day was standing around at the depot. The State was given one hour and the defense one and one- fourth hours for argument. Dunlap used thirty-one minutes ; Hef lin, forty-five minutes ; Mann, thirty minutes, and Read, twenty- nine minutes. This occurred on December 26, 1906, at Pence Springs depot. Robbins died within nine days, and Pauley was arrested and held in jail. At the January Term, 1907, on the 8th, he was indicted by the grand jury, and entered a plea of not guilty, and the case was set for trial on the 10th, at which time the case came on to trial. The jury was composed of Charles M. West, C. A. Rich ardson, Millard F. Withrow, Alfred W. Lilly, S. G. Huffman, J. T. Law, S. J. Michell, H. J. Thompson, W. W. Martin, J. A. Ball, E. C. Grummell and E. F. Thompson. Judge Heflin and Colonel Mann ably represented the accused, and Messrs. Dunlap, the prosecuting attorney, and Read, his assist ant, prosecuted with ability for the State. Miss Mary Miller acted as stenographer. The plea of self-defense was interposed by the defense, it being claimed by him that the shooting was done by him in self-defense, and that it was necessary to save his life or to protect his body from great bodily harm. As is usual, all the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 807 witnesses did not see all the transactions at the scene of the conflict alike, and there was a conflict in the testimony. The taking of evidence occupied a day. The case was argued by each of the coun sel engaged in the trial, time being allowed to a side. The jury re turned with a verdict of guilty of voluntary manslaughter. Robbins was a son of "Bill" Robbins, who was sentenced to serve seventeen years in the penitentiary for causing the death of his daughter after being guilty of incest, and died some ten years ago. A motion was made to set aside the verdict of the jury and grant the accused a trial on the grounds that the verdict was contrary to the new law and the evidence, which the court took time to consider, and on the 15th this motion was argued and overruled by the court. Then the prisoner was sentenced to con finement in the penitentiary at hard labor for the period of five years. THE CASE OF ELBERT MEDLIN. Elbert Medlin is a young colored man born in the county. 'His mother is a white woman of low and degraded instincts. His father was a light mulatto. They claimed to have been married several years ago in Ohio, and have resided for a number of years on the banks of New River opposite Hinton. At the February Term, 1903, of the Circuit Court of Summers County he was convicted and sent to the penitentiary of the State for two years. He served the term and returned to Hinton, and at the June Term, 1905, of the same court he was again convicted, sentenced and served a term of one year in the same prison. Again at the October Term, 1906, he was again indicted for maliciously shooting Charles Smith through the lungs, and Mary Smith, his wife, in the leg, both light mulattoes and of unsavory reputation. The trial came on to be heard at the March Term, 1907. The accused plead not guilty, and a jury was impanelled to try him. The attorneys representing the State were R. F Dunlay, prose cuting attorney, and T. N. Read, his assistant. The attorneys for Medlin were Messrs. T. G. Mann and E. C. Eagle. It developed that they lived as neighbors near the west end of the new steel bridge; that Medlin was jealous of Smith, Medlin's wife having separated from him; that on the 6th day of October, 1906, Medlin dressed in his wife's clothes, went out into the public road, and called Smith to him, it being quite dark. Just as he came down, Mary Smith came over the bridge, and Medlin shot 808 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Smith through the body, the ball passing through his lungs; then he turned on Mary and shot her in the leg. They both thought he was a woman who did the shooting, and Mary was indicted also for the offense. The trial came on on the 26th day of March, 1907, before a jury, and a verdict of guilty was returned at ten o'clock that night. A motion was made for a new trial, affidavits were filed, and on the 30th day of March the verdict was set aside by the court by reason of the contents of the affidavits, which went to show that some other party had done the shooting. The penalty for an offense of this character on a third convic tion is confinement in the penitentiary for life. This being the third conviction of Medlin, it meant a lifetime imprisonment. The court rendered its decision granting him a new trial, having in mind some doubt from said affidavits as to the guilt of the accused in this instance. He has never been re-tried for this offense, but after the new trial had been granted in the latter case he robbed a man- while confined in jail, Carl Shumate, who was then confined for drunkenness in the same cell with Medlin, and broke jail and made his escape by throwing a bowl of bean soup in the jailor's face, blinding him, then knocked him down and broke through the door. Later he was captured, returned to jail, and at the October Term, 1907, again indicted for the robbery of Shumate, tried by a jury, and again convicted. A motion was made for a new trial, which was overruled. This was his fouth conviction of a felony. The motion to set aside the verdict and a judgment of confinement iri the penitentiary for life entered, and which he is now serving. His brother, Brad Medlin, is also serving a cumulative sentence of twenty-three years in the same penitentiary. BLAINE KINLEY CASE. Blaine Kinley is a young negro, very black, reared at the mouth of Bluestone River, a son of Greely Kinley, about twenty-one years of age. He killed Edward Pack, another negro, about twen ty-five years old, married and the father of one child, in Avis, in the night in 1906, between nine and ten o'clock. Pack was a laborer, and worked at the round-house in Hinton, working at night. Kinley was also a laborer, living with his father, unmarried, without a steady occupation. He was in the habit of visiting at Pack's home in Pack's absence. On the night referred to, 1906, Pack went to his work as usual, but, becoming unwell, returned to his residence about nine o'clock. No lights were to HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 809 be seen inside. He knocked, but his wife was slow about opening the door, and he pushed it open, entered in the dark, placed his hand on some man; could tell it was a man by his clothing, when this man shot him with a 32 Smith & Wesson revolver. The ball passed through Pack's body through the stomach. The as sassin ran out and up the street in the dark, followed by Pack, who ran across the street and fell. Kinley ran up the street to his father's house, secured his friend, a colored man by the name of Alerchant, went to the river, secured a boat, crossed New River and went up New River to Pack's Ferry, to his brother's house, when he hid his pistol under the pillow and waited for daylight, his shoes and clothing being covered with inud. About daylight; W. F. Bush, the policeman in Avis, with a Air. Weis as guard, came to the house and arrested him. He con fessed to them that he had shot Pack. The officers found Kinley by following his tracks up the river, as it had rained and the road was muddy. Kinley was brought back to Hinton, a preliminary examination was had before Squire C. L. Parker, justice of the peace, and sent on to await the action of the grand jury at the June Term of the Circuit Court, when he was indicted for murder and his trial set for June 14, 1906. Pack, after he fell on the side walk, was removed to Bigony's hispital, and died from the wound on the morning following, after having made a dying statement to be used on the trial of Blaine Kinley. At the trial the prosecuting attorney, R. F. Dunlap, and assist ant, T. N. Read, represented the State, and A. R. Heflin represented the defendant, Judge Miller presiding. The trial was concluded about midnight, an hour and a half being occupied in the argu ments on each side. The jury, after being out only four minutes, returned a verdict. "We, the jury, find the defendant, Blaine Kin ley, not guilty of murder in the first degree, as charged in the indictment, but we do find him guilty of murder in the second degree, as therein charged." A formal motion was interposed by Judge Heflin for a new trial and in arrest of judgment, and the court adjourned. On the next morning, on the convening of court, the court overruled the motion for a new trial, and proceeded to pass the sentence of the law, which was "That Blaine Kinley be returned to the jail of this county, and there held until he could be transported to the penitentiary of the State, and there to be confined according to the law of the State for the period of eighteen years." When the prisoner was asked by the judge if he had anything to say why 810 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. the sentence of the law should not be passed, he replied, "No, sir." Immediately following the sentence of Blaine Kinley the court took up the trial of Manuel Kinley, his brother, for burglary, a trial had on the same day, and which resulted in a hung jury, eleven being in favor of guilty and one in favor of acquittal, and he has not at this time had a re-trial. The jury who tried him were as follows : A. T. Dobbins, Jack son Bennett, A. G. Williams, J. S. Meadows, O. E. Maddy, G. H. Allen, A. G. Lilly, J. F. Hoover, T. J. Lilly, C. S. Wyant, B. F. Foley and F. B. Lively. THE WM. HALE CASE. On the 21st day of April, 1899, Squire Law, an old colored man, was keeping a restaurant on Front Street, in Hinton. On the night of said day, about midnight, four or five men and women were in this restaurant having a good time, dancing to the music of an "accordial," as one of the witnesses testified, drinking beer, etc., when Law and Wm. Hale, a young negro, got into a diffi culty and had some words, Hale breaking some chairs over Law. Hale went out, and was gone about half an hour, when he returned with a "gun," and offered to pay Law one dollar for the damaged chairs and head, but Law declined. Harsh words prevailed. Hale drew his gun and fired point-blank into Law's body, the ball pass ing directly through his body and coming out at his back. Law followed and ran up the street, and fired, hitting Newt "Morris, another negro. Hale was not in sight, and Morris was shot through the leg. Hale left the country and remained away seven years, in the meantime being indicted for malicious wounding, the indictment also charging that Hale had been twice sentenced to the peni tentiary. If found guilty of this crime, his sentence would be confinement in the penitentiary for life. Hale returned to the city in 1906, and was in hiding, but was arrested by Policemen McGhee and Yancey, and landed in jail. At the June term, in 1906, on June 14th, the case came on to be tried. The accused pleaded not guilty, having by his attorneys moved to quash the indictment, and demurred, which motions were overruled. A. R. Heflin and T. G. Mann were attorneys for the defendant, and R. F. Dunlap, prosecuting attorney, and T. N. Read, his assistant, appeared for the State. The evidence was all in by five o'clock in the evening, and an HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 811 hour and a half was given to each side for aigument. The prose cuting attorney opened for the State in an argument of forty minutes. A recess was then taken until after supper, when Colo nel Mann concluded the arguments for the defendant. The jury retired to consider their verdict, and on returning the foreman an nounced, "We, the jury, find the defendant guilty as charged in the within indictment," whereupon the court proceeded to sen tence him to confinement in the penitentiayr for five years. The case closed at midnight. The court house was filled to hear the evidence and arguments of counsel. The pistols used were brought into court and handled before the jury. A new proposition was passed upon by the court, for which no authorities could be produced in support of or against. The attorneys for the State failed to prove by their direct testimony the fact that Hale had been twice previously sentenced to the penitentiary in the United States, and undertook to do so after the accused had introduced all his evidence, except his personal examination. The defendant's attorneys objected, which objec tion was sustained, and which eliminated the life sentence from the case. IN EJECTMENT. A. A. Carden, Plff., vs. Garrett Brown, Deft. This cause was one of the most famous civil causes ever tried by a jury in the county, and was concerning about thirty acres of the old Carden lands on the hills near Barger Springs. There were three trials, the first being on the 16th day of September, 1883; the second, May 8, 1884,- and the third and final one on the 16th day of September, 1885, which was in favor of the plaintiff. Celebrated and distinguished counsel appeared in the cause, including Senator Frank Hereford, Colonel James W. Davis and Captain R. F. Dennis. The expense of the trial was greater than the value of the property. A. A. Carden was one of the sons of Isaac Carden, the first settler, and Garrett Brown, an old settler, the father of the present citizen, Allen F. Brown. The jury that tried the case were: Walter H. Boude (present circuit clerk), James E. Meadows, foreman ; G. C. Hughes, James A. Foster, Giles H. Ballengee, W. D. Rollyson, P. M. Foster, J. H. Jordan, Joseph Hubbard, Isaac Milburn, T. B. Barker, J. E. Meadows, J. Gwinn and G. W. Chatten. The old Watkins patent and the Car den title to the Barger Springs property came in question. Of 812 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. these, J. C. Hughes now lives in Arkansas; J. H. Jordan is cashier of the National Bank of Summers; J. E. Meadows is mayor of Avis; Messrs. Chatten, Gwinn and Rollyson are dead, and the re mainder are residents of the county. The case was tried Septem ber 10, 1885. In this case an old deed, date the 30th day of August, 1815, was filed, from Michael Erskine, deputy sheriff of Monroe County for William Haynes, sheriff, to David and Joseph Graham, for 1,211 acres of land sold for non-payment of taxes for the years 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814 and 1815. The whole price paid for the 1,211 acres was $5.79, and was sold as delinquent for the non payment of taxes for those years by Richard Stocton, and they secured a good and valid title thereto. Stocton was the patentee. IN EJECTMENT. Wm. Turner, Plff., vs. A. M. Hutchinson, Julia A. Hoback, Sarah E.. Turner and Matilda Turner, Defts. This was an action in ejectment brought by William Turner, through Adams and Miller, his attorneys, April 6, 1891, for the possession of only a few acres of a thirty-three-acre tract of land in Forest Hill District, in which the two old Pollard patents (one of 1,390 acres and the other of 2,500 acres) were involved in the ascertainment of the true ownership of the land sued for. Messrs. Thompson & Lively were the attorneys for the defendants. Sur veys were made and maps filed by John E. Harvey, county sur veyor, and another by James B. Lavender, a surveyor of Hinton, by orders of the court. A number of continuances were had, and a great amount of costs piled up. Finally a trial was had by a jury composed of Harry Haynes, M. L. Duncan, J. G. Cules, D. M. Meador, R. L. Martin, J. L. Duncan, J. A. Bryant, E. T. Hin ton, J. M. Parker, E. E. Angell, J. A. Fox and J. W. Bradbury. The jury failed to agree and were discharged, after which the par ties compromised, each paying his own costs and dividing the land. The plaintiff's costs were $250.05, and the defendant's, $71.15, with attorneys' fees to add. Judge A. N. Campbell presided at the trial. There were a large number of witnesses. One of the Pol lard patents had a straight line of over four miles, which had to be ascertained. The Benj. Pollard grant of 1,390 acres was conveyed by him on the first day of January, 1807, to Robt. Gibson. Pollard lived in Norfolk, Virginia. The price paid was $1,000. It is described A WEST VIRGINIA COLONY AT HOT SPRINGS, ARK. — 1906. T. H. Lilly, J. B. Douglas. John W. Flannagan, Dick Shelton. Fred Callahan. John D. Alderson, Clarence Alderson, Jane T. Miller, Jas. H. Miller, HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 813 as being in Greenbrier County, on the headwaters of Bradshaw's Run, Little Stony Creek and Little Wolf Creek, and adjoining one of the Henry Banks patents. Thus it will be seen the names of these streams were borne by them one hundred years ago. In October, 1839, a suit was pending in Monroe County, of Burwell W. Seay and others, heirs of Benj. Pollard, vs. Sarah Hutchinson, on a "writ of right." A survey was ordered of the 2,500-acre patent, which was granted in 1786, April 22d. In 1849 the heirs of Benj. Pollard appointed Allen T. Caper ton their attorney in fact to dispose of all of said patent. In 1833 the court of law and chancery of Petersburg, Va., in a suit against Robert Gibson's heirs, ordered a sale of said 1,390 acres, and appointed Hugh Caperton, of Union, a special commis sioner to make the sale and convey the land, to sell the 1,390-acre patent, and Allen T. Caperton and John H. A^awter became the purchasers. The land was sold for the payment of 521 pounds, two shillings and five pence farthing. Said Caperton and Vawter bought the land — 1,390 acres — when sold at public auction to the highest bidder, at the Red Sulphur Springs, for $352 cash, this being the amount for which these 1,390 acres of land sold, which are now owned by many thrifty farmers, and are worth many thou sands of dollars. Both of these surveys are now practically cleared and in cultivation, and go to make up at least fifty farms, owned by intelligent, law-abiding, well-to-do citizens. The case of Turner vs. Hutchinson grew out of the location especially of one corner. Great and diversified opinions prevailed among different honest, intelligent and competent surveyors, and the jury could not agree after hearing the proof. The parties on both sides of the case were honest people, but stubborn and de termined, and it was not the value of the property involved, but the principle, and the claim of both to be in the right. FELONY. The State of West Virginia vs. Rosa Ford and Zella Gray. Zella Gray and Rosa Ford were two young women, aged re spectfully nineteen and twenty-three years, of ill-repute, who were living in August, 1907, at Flat Rock, on the outskirts of Hinton, in a cabin. The Ford girl had been sentenced and served a part of a term in the Reform School, but escaped therefrom, and was afterwards sentenced and served a term of three years in the 814 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. penitentiary of West Virginia. After the expiration of her term, she returned to Hinton and again began a career of dissipation, crime and prostitution. Zella Gray was raised in the community, her parents being divorced. She was a notorious character, cruel, dissipated and without a conscience. They had been prosecuted within the city limits and compelled by the city authorities to re move therefrom, and had located at this cabin at Flat Rock. On the night of August 16, 1907, a woman by the name of Sarah Siers, commonly known as Sarah Sawyers, and nicknamed "Alississippi" Sawyers, was staying with these girls, occupying a menial posi tion, doing washing, cooking, etc., and sleeping on a pallet in the corner of the room. The girls were attractive in appearance, neatly dressed in fine raiment and in the fashions of the land on the day of their trial. On the night referred to the girls had been drinking, and a number of people had visited their house. With out cause they got into a quarrel and attacked the Sawyers woman, who was fifty-nine years old, and struck her with a poker, three smoothing-irons, glasses, glass pitchers and other instruments. Her face was beaten until she was almost unrecognizable. Dr. J. A. Fox was called the next morning to examine her, and found thirty-two cuts and wounds on her face and head, twenty-one on her right hand and arm, and eleven on her left arm and hand. Her clothes were rent and covered with blood, and she was found in a dying condition. She had managed to escape in the night and wandered into the woods, where she remained until daylight, when she wandered back to the high road. No doubt was enter tained at the time but what she would die from her wounds ; but after a lingering illness she recovered, and was the principal wit ness in the prosecution. After her wounds were dressed she was sent to the poor-house, where she was still staying at the time of the trial in October, at which time she had recovered to the extent of being able to attend the circuit court as a witness for the State. At the October term, 1907; these girls were indicted under the maiming statute for malicious wounding. They were' arraigned for trial before Judge James H. Miller, on the morning of October 11, 1907. They each in person pleaded not guilty. The State was represented by the prosecuting attorney, R. F. Dunlap, and his as sistant, Thomas N. Read. The girls were defended by Messrs. T. G. Mann, Wm. H. Sawyers and A. R. Heflin. Ben D. Keller was the court stenographer who transcribed the evidence. The jury was composed of Dennis Twohig, G. C. Alderson, J. M. Roach, Albert H. Mann, J. A. Allen, A. A. Bostic, L. AV. Kessler, H. W. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 815 Flanagan. J. P. Alerrix, Francis AAr Buckland, Taylor Reed and A. L. Taylor. Dennis Twohig was a son of the Irish settler, Rich ard Twohig; G. C. Alderson, a descendant of the ancient Baptist minister, John Alderson ; J. M. Roach, a descendant of John Roach, who settled back of Big Bend Tunnel, on the Greenbrier, on the Morris Wyant place. Albert H. Mann was a son of Isaac Mann, the settler on Bluestone and Jumping Branch. L. W. Kessler was a descendant of Abraham Kessler. H. W. Flanagan was a grand son of R. E. Flanagan. F. AAr. Buckland was a son of Francis Buckland. A. L. Taylor was a son of Garrett Taylor, brother of Captain Silas Taylor. The witnesses for the State were : Sarah Siers, William F. Steers, J. A. Fox, J. R. Woolwine, Mrs. J. R. Woolwine, Tom Breeden, Julia Roach, and Sheriff A. J. Keatley. The only witnesses for the defendants were themselves. William F. Steers, under the sheriff's direction, had gone to the house and gathered up the various implements of war, and brought into the court-room a basket full of broken glassware, etc., as well as bun dles of clothes, which were worn by the various parties engaged in the difficulty. The clothing of all the parties was saturated with blood. The defendants testified in their own behalf. The case was argued by all the counsel engaged except Colonel Mann. The jury was instructed by the court, and after being out but a few minutes, returned the following verdict: "We, the jury, find the prisoners, Rosa Ford and Zella Gray, guilty of malicious wound ing as charged in the within indictment." The jury was discharged, whereupon Counsellor Sawyers moved the court in arrest of judg ment, and to set aside the verdict of the jury as contrary to the law and evidence. The court overruled these motions, directed the prisoners to stand. up, and asked them if they had anything to say why sentence of law should not be passed upon them, to which they responded that they "plead for mercy and for leniency." The court thereupon proceeded to pronounce the sentence, which was that Rosa Ford should be confined in the penitentiary of the State for the term of ten years, and that Zella Gray be therein confined for the period of seven years. In the trial of this cause there were used in evidence four photographs taken of Sarah Sawyers on the next day after the tragedy, showing the different wounds and her condition. Her eyes were swollen shut, and one ear was destroyed to the extent that the doctor's hand was plainly visible in the picture in holding the ear in position. 816 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. THE ANDY SLAGLE CASE. One Andy Slagle, who lives in Possum Hollow in the upper Keeney Knob country, near the Greenbrier line, some three or four miles from Alderson, was indicted in 1907 for the malicious shoot ing of Patrick G. Burns. The case came on to be heard, with Saw yers and Heflin representing the accused, and Dunlap and Read prosecuting for the State. In the country where this shooting occurred lived the Forrens, Harrahs, Maddoxs, Bryants and others. It is in the region of the headwaters of Griffith's Creek, the Eleber Spring (the headwaters of lower Lick Creek), and is an isolated region, from which many of the denizens who attended this trial had never seen a court house before. There were forty witnesses summoned. Slagle is a one-armed man, and has a local reputation of being a pole-cat trapper and dealer in the furs from the skunk, and was an expert in the handling of the perfumed hides of these rodents, the chief criminal ambition of that section not being elevated above the night-time visits to the chicken roosts. Slagle's claim to no toriety was above the common among the people of the com munity. Slagle contended that Burns was visiting his chicken house in the night-time against the wishes .and consent of the aforesaid Slagle, and thereupon he fired at him with a shotgun loaded with bird shot, and some twenty-five of these murderous missiles were taken from Burns' body by the surgeon. It was shown that he had threatened to "bleed" Burns some days pre viously, and the evidence clearly showed that the shooting was premeditated with malice. A number of Bryants were witnesses, one of whom especially was devoted in his love for chicken flesh. It was related that, on one occasion, being desirous of possess ing himself of the chickens of his neighbor, being a man of great piety, he called at the house of his friend and insisted on having family prayer for the salvation of the whole family. This neighbor did not especially desire the prayers on that occasion, but the deacon, expressing - great anxiety for their spiritual welfare, in sisted on the presence of the entire family, who were called in, except one or two who were out in the field. Finally all had con gregated except one, and Brother Bryant was so insistent that he went after him to the barnyard himself. After securing a full attendance, he began his devotions by reading from the longest chapter he could find in the Bible, which he designated as "The one-eyed chapter of the two-eyed John," being intended, as he HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 817 meant it, for the first chapter of second John. After reading this chapter he began his prayer, which he continued for almost thirty minutes, during which there was a great noise from the chicken house, and the more noise the chickens made, the louder Deacon Bryant prayed. Finally he hastily left the house, and his good neighbor, upon investigating the cause of the disturbance among the chickens, found that the entire roost had been depopulated, for, while Deacon Bryant was praying, his confederate had trans ported the entire brood. Slagle was forty-seven years of age and unmarried. He had stated that he would as soon shoot Burns as shoot a rabbit. Burns was at that time passing in the big road, carrying a lot of goods which he had purchased in Alderson. Immediately after the shot he raised a cry of distress, which brought the neighobors to the scene, and they carried him off the field. The doctors from Aider- son were sent for, and he recuperated in a few weeks. The jury which tried the case were J. F. Beckner, Frank A. Cundiff, J. W. Barton, D. C. Epperly, M. E. Donahoe, J. L. Bates, James H. Dickinson, John E. C. L. Hatcher, John M. Wyant, C. D. Guttridge, M. A. Cox and James F. Akers. After long argument and instructions by the court, the jury brought in a verdict of unlawful, but not malicious, wounding. A motion to set aside was overruled, and a sentence of sixty days in jail, the payment of a fine of $50.00 and costs, which were $300, was imposed. In this trial, Mr. A. L. Taylor, a son of Garrett Taylor, who is a brother of Captain Silas F. Taylor, and his two sons, were im portant witnesses, as were many others from that region. THE CARRIE DOOLEY CASE. I write of this case while it is fresh in mind, it having been tried before me as judge of the circuit court at the October term, 1905. The case was prosecuted ably and vigilantly by Messrs. R. F. Dunlap, prosecuting attorney, and T. N. Read, his assistant. The accused was earnestly, ably and faithfully defended by Judge A. R. Heflin, of the Hinton bar, and Hon. Wm. E. Allen, of the Covington (Va.) bar. The attorneys were not limited as to time in argument. Dunlap occupied one hour and a half and Read an hour, for the State, the argument- being opened by Dunlap and closed by Read. Mr. Allen occupied two hours and fifteen minutes, 818 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. and Judge Heflin, who closed for the accused, about an hour and thirty minutes. The jury was composed of J. A. Foster, J. D. Hoke, R. L. Hopkins, M. H. Hix, L. G. Williams, C.-P. Crotty, R. J. Crook, A. M. Austin, S. P. Turner, C. H. Read, G. P. Mead ows and Lawrence Williamson, and the trial occupied two days. Miss Mary Miller was the stenographer who transcribed the testi mony. On the 13th day of July, 1905, Carrie Dooley shot and killed B. D. Gibson, in a room over the mayor's office, in the city of Hin ton, where he resided with his wife and Carrie Dooley, his step daughter. Gibson was a railroad locomotive fireman, and was lying on the bed asleep when killed, the top of his head being prac tically blown off. The accused was fifteen years of age at the date of the trial, and the shooting was done with a single-barreled breech-loading shotgun. Gibson had come in from his run, ate his breakfast with a neighbor, drank some liquor with one Sevey, played the fiddle, and laid down to sleep. Soon afterwards a shot was heard, and the girl came out of the house and said she had shot Gibson. The girl and her mother were arrested at Clifton Forge, Va., charged with murder, and indicted. The accused stated on the stand that she did the shooting and claimed that her step-father had struck her and made indecent proposals to her and tried to ruin her, and to prevent this she had done the shooting. The evidence tended to show, however, that the shooting was done while he was asleep. The gun was found in the kitchen. The prisoner had made differ ent statements about the occurrence. Great interest was taken in the trial, the court house being crowded to its capacity, on account, especially, of the youth of the accused, who did not seem to appreciate the enormity of the of fense. The jury was out a short time, and brought in a verdict of murder in the second degree, and she was sentenced to confine ment in the Industrial School for Girls at Salem, AA'est Virginia, until she became twenty-one years of age, or was otherwise re leased according to law. Her mother, who was indicted as an ac cessory, was never tried, the State being unable to connect her with the crime, although circumstances pointed strongly towards her, and she was indicted, but afterwards a nol pros, was entered on motion of the attorney for the State. John W. Wiseman, Esq., the jailer, later married the mother, and they are living happily together. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 819 THE KILLING OF RILEY ARMSTRONG. On the morning of the 23d. day of May, 1891, E. Brown Pack, a descendant of Samuel Pack, walked into my office, very much excited, and said he desired to give himself up. On asking him what was the trouble, he replied that he had shot Riley Armstrong, and reckoned he had killed him, and that he did the shooting in selPdefense. He was placed in custody. Pack at the time was working a force of men at the reservoir built on the hill by the Hinton Water Works Company. Arm strong was the town sergeant, and while a fearless man and con sidered a good officer, was feared by violators of the law. He was a dangerous man in anger, or when under the influence of liquor, which he had not drunk for sime time. Pack was going to his work at the reservoir, and was passing, as usual, the house of Armstrong, who lived in the hollow below Third Street, upon the side of the hill, on the lot now owned by Geo. O. Quesenberry, and at the time Pack came along was milk ing his cow, early in the morning, about eight o'clock. There seemed to have been some existing feeling between them, words having been passed. Pack, who was of an excitable disposition, drew his revolver and shot Armstrong through the stomach, and he lived only a few days. Before his death he made a dying state ment in the presence of Dr. S. P. Peck and the prosecuting at torney. Pack was refused bail, indicted for murder, and after a very vigorous prosecution by Jas. H. Miller, the prosecuting attorney, and Hon. W. W. Adams, assistant, and being ably defended by Hons. Wm. R. Thompson and Frank Lively, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty of murder in the second degree, and a sentence of five years' confinement in the penitentiary was imposed by Judge A. N. Campbell. Self-defense was interposed. It was claimed in defense that Armstrong was preparing to attack Pack, and to pre vent himself from great bodily harm or death, the wound was in flicted. Pack was a one-handed man, having lost one hand at the wrist by accidentally shooting himself. He was raised at the mouth of Greenbrier River, and was a son of Richard Pack, de ceased, and at one time owned a one-half interest in the ferry and nineteen acres of land, now owned by Miller Bros. Pack was afterwards pardoned by the Governor. The time was on Septem ber 12, 1891. The jury were R. P. Boyd, W. K. Eades, E. B. Neeley, J. D. Roles, H. M. Hill, R. A. Wood, S. S. Long, W. G. Barger, J. F. Huffman, P. M. Foster, J. J. Vest and M. M. Hall. 820 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. THE SHOOTING OF L. V. REYNOLDS. Luther V. Reynolds was elected -and qualified as constable of Greenbrier District, and took office. On the 20th day of July, 1889, the streets crowded with people. — pleasure-seek ers — Mr. Reynolds undertook to arrest a negro by the name of John Carter, not a resident of Hinton, but from the min ing district of New River, on a telegram from some point West, for some infraction of the law. The negro, without a word, drew his pistol and shot Mr. Reynolds through the stomach, the ball lodging in the extreme back. The negro undertook to escape, but was lodged in the jail of this county. Talk of lynching began, and the prosecuting attorney, Jas. H. Miller, and the sheriff, Mr. O. T. Kessler, to prevent a crime, slipped the negro out of the jail, hav ing arranged with the railroad authorities to stop No. 14, the east- bound passenger train, under the cliff at the jail at two o'clock P. M. They carried the prisoner down over the cliffs onto the train, and that evening lodged him in the jail at Lewisburg for safe keeping; and all danger of lynching was believed to have been avoided. On the second night afterwards, however, a party called out the sheriff of Greenbrier County, James Knight, demanded the keys of him by threats of violence, secured them, entered the jail, took possession of the accused, and silently and without noise con veyed him up the Ronceverte road about three-fourths of a mile, placed a rope around his neck, threw it over the lower limb of a large white oak tree, hardly high enough from the ground to pre vent his feet from touching the earth, and there he remained until dead. The Summers County authorities were notified, and the sheriff and prosecuting attorney immediately went to Lewisburg,' and a coroner's inquest was held. On their return by way of Ronceverte, one of the lynchers, who had imbibed freely of whisky, disclosed the entire proceedings to the prosecuting attorney. After wards he appeared before the grand jury for Greenbrier County, and the members of the mob were indicted. In the meantime, however, they had all fled to foreign jurisdictions, and none of them was ever apprehended or legally punished for this crime. The man, whose name was White, who disclosed the facts of the lynching, fled to Virginia, and was there killed by a railroad train. The party who did the lynching was composed of persons from Hinton and Ronceverte, and were about equally divided. This, with the lynching in the Diffenbaugh case, are the only trans- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 821 gressions of this character for which this county is in any way chargeable, and it is earnestly hoped that there may never again be occasion for reflection on the good name and fame of our county by reason of the people undertaking to take the law into their own hands. All of the officers, without exception, have been vigilant in the prosecution of crime and in a swift and sure meting out of justice, and the delays charged to the law have not had an abiding place in this county. Mr. Reynolds, the wounded man, who at the time was thought to have been mortally wounded, and no hope of his recovery was entertained by any one, did miraculously entirely recover, and is still living in this city at this time, with prospects of a long life before him. This is an example of the great mistake by a resort to mob law. The would-be slayer in this instance was killed, and his intended victim is yet alive. It is doubtful if justice or the law would have justified a jury in finding the accused guilty of murder in the first degree, if Mr. Reynolds wounds had proven fatal, or the infliction of the death penalty would have been demanded, as there would have been some question raised as to his authority to execute an arrest of the negro without other authority than a telegram from some one without the jurisdiction of the county. The law should always be permitted to take its course, al though at times the aggravation is great at the time excited im aginary justice demands other than the legal mode of its execution. THE LOUIS BENNETT CASE. Louis Bennett was a poor farmer, residing on the branch of Pipestem Creek above the old Hughes Mill. Pie had, unfortu nately, gotten into some entanglements with a young woman named Warren, and one morning before breakfast she was shot in Mr. Bennett's house, while the family was at their meal. It was claimed to be a case of suicide. The prosecuting attorney was notified and investigations made, and the circumstances being of a suspicious character, an inquest was held. Bennett was arrested and lodged in jail on a charge of murder, and an indictment preferred. The trial was had about 190 — . The accused was ably defended by Hon. Frank Lively and W. R. Thompson, with their usual ability and energy, and prosecuted by Jas. H. Miller, prosecuting attorney, and W. W. Adams. The jury was out but a short time, when they 822 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. returned a verdict of not guilty. There was no one present at the time of the shooting except the prisoner and his family. He had several small children, too young to be competent witnesses ; so the only witnesses that were on the scene, or near it at the time, were the defendant and his wife, although there were a number of other witnesses in the case as to various circumstances. Only these two testified as to the facts of the killing, and it was proven by them that the deceased complained of -being unwell on the morning of her death, didn't get up for breakfast, and, while the family was in the other building, a gunshot was heard, and on going into the room, they found the young woman on the bed with the top of her head shot off. It was claimed in defense that she had taken down the gun — a long mountain rifle of the ac cused — from the rack over the door, laid down on the bed and fired the same herself, she having threatened on different occasions to take her own life. THE CASE OF JAKE COLEMAN. Jake Coleman was a negro, who resided in Hinton for a num ber of years, having served a term in the penitentiary for burglary, and was known as a morphine fiend. It was alleged that he had' procured and administered morphine to a young man by the name of Wickline, of Hinton, from the effects of which he never recov ered. The negro was arrested, and evidences of a lynching began to' develop. The authorities at once gathered up Coleman and car ried him to Union, in Monroe County, fourteen miles from the rail road, where he was detained for several months at his own request, as he was afraid to return^to Hinton. There not being sufficient evidence to make a case against him, he was afterwards discharged, and has never been heard from since that day, twenty years ago, or shown himself in our midst. THE LYNCHING OF WM. LEE. On the 10th day of May, 1900, Mrs. Deifenbach, a tele graph operator, and the wife of Engineer Deifenbach, a loco motive engineer, was at work in a temporary office of the Chesa peake & Ohio Railway, near Sandstone, where the railroad com pany was arranging to lay a double track and operating a con struction force. About dusk a negro man by the name of Wm. Lee appeared at her office and attempted to assault Mrs. Deifen- HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 823 bach, in which attempt he failed. The matter was reported, and the negro arrested and placed in jail. .The people became greatly excited, and in the afternoon were seen in knots on the street cor ners. Judge J. M. McAArhorter was holding circuit court at the time. That night a large crowd silently collected, but without a disposition at secrecy, in the jail yard. Shots were fired. The lynchers were disguised with cloths tied over their faces, and con siderable drinking had been indulged in. Bottles were found on the ground, and on their trail up the hollow to the place of hang ing. Entrance was secured by force to the jail. At the time W. R. Neeley was jailer, and Jas. H. George was sheriff. Possession of the negro was secured, and he was brought out into the jail-yard, a rope placed around his neck, and it is claimed by some that he was shot then, and possibly a mortal wound inflicted. In the mean time, and before the prisoner was secured, the judge and assistant prosecuting attorney, T. N. Read, appeared on the ground and made speeches to the crowd, pleading with them to disperse and permit the law to take its course, promising that a special grand jury should be convened the next day and a speedy trial had dur ing the pending session of the court, but their appeals counted for -naught. The crowd had met for a fixed purpose, from which it could not be turned. It was most thoroughly organized, and worked like machinery. After securing the prisoner it marched out Cliff Street to the top of the hill, where Dwight James now re sides, then towards and by the old graveyard to the head of Pos sum Hollow, turning from the right to the road leading to the Hilltop Cemetery, and going some distance above the last house in the edge of the woods, threw a rope over the limb of a tree, and left him hanging there until the next day, when he was cut down by the coroner. An inquest was held, and the body was buried in the paupers' graveyard, at the expense of the county. A number of citizens not connected with the affair saw the en tire transaction at a distance, who were in no wise concerned ex cept as spectators, but were entirely powerless to stay the arm of violence and lawlessness. The names of none of the perpetrators have ever been learned to this day. Many of the citizens ap proached the crowd, but were commanded to stand back. This is the only lynching that ever occurred in the county, and it is earn estly hoped that it will be the last, as there has never been occa sion for resorting to lynch law in the county, if ever excusable any where. 824 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. This judgment and execution by Judge Lynch occurred on the 11th day of May, 1900, and is the only execution of this character ever carried to a conclusion in the county. THE CHAPMAN FARLEY TRIAL. On the first day of July, 1889, Chapman Farley, who lived on top of the New River hills, near Pack's Ferry, in Pipestem Dis trict, shot Wm. Barton through the body, and very dangerously wounded him, on the west side of New River, just a quarter of a mile above the old Paek's Ferry, or Landcraft Ferry, which is near the present residence of Rev. W. F Hank, Barton at that time living on the place where Mr. Hank now resides. Farley had been in the habit of visiting the home of Barton in the absence of the latter, of which he secured information. On the day he was shot Farley visted Barton's residence, and was leaving to return to his home across New River, and met Mr. Barton at his skiff landing. An altercation ensued, which resulted in the shoot ing of Barton by Farley. The wound was supposed to be fatal at the time, but Barton finally recovered. Farley was indicted for malicious assault, and the trial came on to be heard at the May term, 1890, of the circuit court, Judge Campbell presiding. After a hard-fought legal battle, the jury returned a verdict of guilty of unlawful but not malicious wounding, upon which the Judge sentenced Farley to confinement in the jail of Summers County for the period of six months, and imposed a fine of five hundred dollars and costs. Farley afterwards, by petition to the Governor, secured a remission of the fine, and he received a part of the jail sentence off. Farley was defended by Messrs. Frank Lively and W. R. Thompson. The State was represented by Prosecuting Attorney Miller and W. W. Adams, and it was one of the most interesting and closely-fought legal battles of the county. Mr. Farley was prominent in affairs, and made an earnest fight for vindication. He still resides in the county, and is considered a peaceable and quiet citizen, respecting the law. His inability to control his mis guided passions led him into the unfortunate trouble. The jury was composed of Henry Crawford, Allen Meadows, W. R. Neeley, V. W. Cooper, A. P. Bonham, T. M. Gwinn, J. L. Davis, J. L. Dun can, J. A. Bragg, W. AAr AA'ithrow, A. H. Aria and C. S. Rollyson. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. g25 THE BRAD MEDLIN CASE. Brad Medlin was a bright mulatto, who resided on the opposite side of New River, directly across from the court house of this county, with his parents, just above the mouth of Madam's Creek. On the 22d day of July, 1905, without provocation, he shot and killed Bob Muse with a shotgun. At the time of the shooting he was under the influence of strong drink. The wife of Muse (who were colored people) was going to the body of her dead husband, when she was shot at by Medlin, but not wounded. Medlin then secured a horse and started for foreign parts, going up New River, and, arriving at James W. Pack's, at the mouth of Leatherwood Creek, about .two miles above Hinton, he overtook two young- men, named Ed. Bradberry and Luther Pack. Medlin demanded their money at the muzzle of his gun, and upon telling him they had no money, he disputed their word; told Pack that his father had plenty of money, and to go in and get it. Pack parleyed with him, and went in the house and secured a shotgun and came to the win dow. Medlin fired into the house and Pack fired out at Medlin, fill ing him full of buckshot and knocking him instantly from his horse. The gun being loaded with small shot, the wounds were not dan- g rous, but sufficient to disable him temporarily. He was then ar rested and placed in jail, where he soon recovered from his wounds, and at the October term of the circuit court following, he was in dicted for the murder of Muse, and also for an attempt at murder, which was a felony, the maximum punishment being five years' confinement in the penitentiary. He was put on trial at the same term of court, and the State had concluded its evidence, making a strong case of murder. The attorneys then proposed to the attor neys for the State to allow a verdict of murder in the second de gree to be entered, which was agreed to, and the jury entered the following verdict: "We, the jury, find the defendant, Brad Medlin, guilty of murder in the second degree, as charged in the within in dictment. (Signed) A. M. Austin, Foreman." Medlin then confessed to the indictment for the attempt, the second offense, whereupon a sentence was imposed of eighteen years, the maximum punishment under the law for murder in the second degree, a sentence of five years, which was given him in the other case, making a cumulative sentence of twenty-three years, and Medlin is now serving that time in the State penitentiary. He was defended by Col. T. G. Mann and Hon. M. F. Matheney, and prosecuted by Messrs. Dunlap & Read, James H. Miller pre- 826 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. siding as judge at the trial. Immediately after the crimes there was strong talk of lynching Medlin, but cooler heads and better counsel obtained, and the law- was permitted to take its proper course. THE JOSEPH NEELY CASE. Joe Neely and Alva Lilly were first cousins residing near the mouth of Little Bluestone River, in Jumping Branch District. Neely was about twenty-four years of age, the son of E. B. Neely, Esq., and the grandson of Levi M. Neely, Sr. Lilly was about thirty years of age, and the son of John H. Lilly, and also the grandson of Levi M. Neely, Sr. They were boys raised together in the same community, Lilly being a farmer and Neely a merchant. On the 28th day of July, 1905, both of these young men were in the city of Hinton, Neely peddling produce, and started home late in the afternoon. Lilly was drinking and riding horseback; Neely in charge of a wagon load of merchandise, accompanied by his brother, a youth of twenty-one years. When Neely had reached the point near the mouth of Big Bluestone River, going up the west side of New River, it being very dark, but having a lantern, he was overtaken by Lilly, who was in a very bad humor, and began abusing and cursing the Neelys, threatening them bodily harm. The young men had on former occasions some hot words, and were not on the best of terms. After some words, Lilly having called Neely vile names, he caught Neely by the coat and shook him. Neely drew his revolver and shot Lilly, killing him instantly, shooting three times, two of the shots taking effect. Neely at once gave himself up to Jonathan Lee Barker, a notary, who lived in the neighborhood, waived examination and gave bond to answer an indictment. A coroner's inquest was held and Neely was held to answer to the grand jury for indictment on the charge of murder, but was admitted to bail by the justice, C. L. Parker, in the penalty of $2,000.00. At the October Term of the circuit court he was in dicted for murder, and on his motion a continuance was granted on account of the absence of witnesses, a colored woman, Geo. Pack's wife. He was granted bail in the penalty of $10,000.00, bond being increased. Col. Thomas G. Mann and Hon. C. W. Osenton of the Fayette Bar, were retained to defend the accused ; attorneys for the State, R. F. Dunlap, T. N. Read and Hon. A. A. Lilly, of the Beckley Bar, John H. Lilly, the father of the deceased, having em ployed him to assist in the prosecution. The trial came on at the HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 827 January Term, 1906, January 10th. Twenty-two witnesses were examined for the State and forty-four were examined for the de fense. The evidence was all concluded by five o'clock on the 11th, and the arguments began at seven p. m., four hours being allotted to each side. The. argument for the State was opened by R. F. Dunlap, who occupied three-quarters of an hour. He was followed by T. G. Mann for the defense in an argument of three-quarters of an hour. The argument for the defense was closed by C. W. Osenton in an hour, and A. A. Lilly closed for the State in one hour and a quarter. The jury was sent to their room at eleven o'clock, but did not undertake to reach an agreement, and were adjourned until the next morning, the 12th. They were out about half an hour, and returned a verdict of not guilty, the jury being unanimous for acquittal on the first ballot. Captain C. R. Price was the foreman. Hon. A. A. Lilly, who aided in the prosecution, is a second cousin of the Neelys and the same relation to Lilly, the deceased. The jury was composed of Joseph W. Ryan, C. R. Price, C. C. Coulter, Mathew Daniel, R. Porter Boyd, Thomas Shoemaker, Tom Wiseman, C. D. Albert, J. W. Coiner, Hugh Boon, Pete Dono- hoe and Hugh Boon. Great interest was manifested at the trial, the court house being crowded to its fullest capacity. MURDER OF HUNTER AND OTHERS. During the construction of the Big Bend Tunnel a colored man by the name of Johnson killed Booker Hunter, clerk for the con tractor, W. R. Johnson. Hunter had been at Menifee's camp and was -returning at the east end of the tunnel when he was attacked by Johnson, killed and thrown out of the county road into the cut. The murder was committed for the $240.00 which Hunter carried. The negro went to spending money, was apprehended, confined in the jail at Union, tried, convicted and hung. This was about the time of the formation of Summers and before any courts were held in the county. Another murder was committed about the same time, during the construction of this tunnel, by a man by the name of Hess, who killed Rhodes in a fight. Hess was followed to Goshen, Virginia, by Sira W. Willy, captured, returned to the county and convicted of manslaughter. The first man buried in Hinton was the Irish peddler by the name of Richards, who was killed by Jim Ashby. The. peddler was buried in the woods above the street leading from the railroad crossing up the hill to the new school building. Jim Ashby was captured by S. W. AYilly, placed 828 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. in jail at Union, escaped therefrom and was never recaptured. He was brought to the inquest held over the peddler, which lasted two days. The manner of the arrest of Ashby was an exhibition of the fearlessness of S. W. Willy in his younger days. Ashby was a dangerous man, was working in getting out stone for railroad con struction above Hinton. The peddler came along, and he said he would not work that day', and he came along with the peddler; they stopped at Jim Calloway.'s. The peddler left his pack at that place and went on down the railroad track to get his watch re paired. Ashby accompanied him and returned by himself. The peddler was never again seen alive, and his body was not found until the following Thursday. Squire Henry Milburn held the in quest, summoned a coroner's jury from the county, there not being enough men then at Hinton to make up a jury; the jury was sum moned by Mr. Willy. The body of the peddler was found near the old graveyard, badly decomposed. Ashby went to spending money, paid Joe Hinton $20.00, not having any before the disappearance of the peddler. The peddler was killed by being knocked in the head, his skull crushed and jaw bone broken. Mr. Willy took up the case, followed Ashby to his boarding house, slept in the same room with him, and it was during the night, while Ashby was crawling from his bed to Willy's, that he made the arrest, after his escape from the jail in Monroe County. Mr. Willy got on his trail, followed him for many miles, but was never able to make his arrest the second time. This arrest by Mr. Willy showed him to be a man of great and fearless nerve. CAPE FORD CASE. Caperton Allen Ford was a resident of Talcott District. Nu merous petty thefts had occurred in Talcott District, and finally the premises of John W. Francis, a merchant of most excellent character, were broken and entered at Lowell, and a lote of fine hides and fur skins stolen. Suspicion pointed to Ford, and the case was put into the hands of Sira AV. Willy, then deputy sheriff under M. V. Calloway. Ford was arrested and placed in the jail of Mon roe County, the jail of this county not having been deemed sufficient. He made his escape, and after several months, Mr. Willy located him in Northern Missouri at a place in the country working as a farm hand, with a Dutchman by the name of Bunerstock. Requi sition papers were secured from the Governor of West Virginia and placed in the hands of Messrs. Calloway and Willy, who went HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 829 directly to Missouri and succeeded in arresting him while at work in a field. Ford had begun to earn a reputation, and his employer had some disposition to stand by him and resist his removal back to this jurisdiction for trial, but after an examination of the papers had by these astute officers, he became convinced. Ford was so chagrined that he declined to go to the house for his effects. He came back with the officers under arrest, was tried in the circuit court of this county by a jury, found guilty and sentenced to con finement in the West Virginia penitentiary, and served out his sen tence, being prosecuted by James H. Miller and defended by Wil liam R. Thompson. Ford had some connections and friends near Forest Hill, to whom he wrote under the name of "Allen," his middle name, being named for Allen Caperton Ford. From these letters he was quietly located, through astute cleverness of Officer Willy and brought to the bar ot justice. Since serving his sentence he has continued a resident of the State and county a part of the time, and has been a quiet, peaceable, law-abiding citizen. He is now a resident of Mason County, West Virginia. John R. Davis, Plaintiff, \ vs. > In Slander. Wm. Davis, Defendant. ) This was one of the few slander causes ever tried in the county by a jury, tried on the 3d and 4th of September, 1890, and judg ment was rendered on the 10th for $1,000 in favor of the plaintiff. It was a case of son against father. Wm. Davis was one of the pioneer farmers on Madam's Creek, where his thrifty sons, Horton and Garfield, still live, who had ac cumulated for his time a considerable fortune in land and money. He was a very gruff man, without educational opportunities, and when his son, John R., married against his wishes, he said some - harsh things, to which John and his wife took exceptions and in stituted this action. The jury which tried the case was J. M. Hix, James H. Hobbs, S. S. Crotty, J. N. Lowry, Gaston Huffman, J. W. Coiner, W. M. Cottle, J. D. Chattin, J. C. Clark, Isaac Coleman, L. G. Lowe and J. H. Allen. The old gentleman proceeded after judgment to pay the same, and to execute his will and disinherit his son John, and prevent him from forever participating in his estate, and he received no part of it, except what he got out of this slander suit. Another of the notorious cases for slander was that of Indian 830 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. Creek, John Buckland vs. James Keatley, which was tried Sep tember 6, 1892. Buckland accused Keatley of calling him a thief and said he was dishonest, whereupon he proceeded to seek com pensation for his wounded reputation by action in slander, and se cured a verdict for $1.00 damages and his costs expended. The jury that tried the case was S. W. Dean, A. L. Gwinn, T. G. Flint, W. T. Meador, J. N. Waddle, J. D. Bolton, F. A. Hale, J. V. Arthur, A. G. Patterson, M. D. Neely, T. A. Dick and A. J. Christian. This action resulted in the complete financial annihilation of Mr. Buckland. His property was all sold in another suit on the chancery side of the court by Keatley to enforce the payment of unpaid purchase money due him for claims to be due him by Buckland. The Wm. Davis referred to, -when a young man went to Lick Creek to sell John and Alex. Miller a dun horse. When he arrived at Miller's they were not at home, and he had to stay all night. After he got to bed late in the night John Miller came home and learned of- Davis' presence and his business to sell the horse. John went down to the stable, took out the horse, saddled him and gal loped him over the fields. Davis, however, caught on to what was up, and was an unknown looker on. The next morning Miller was prepared to close a deal, and was willing to take Davis' word as to the capacity of the animal, and a trade was soon closed, Miller thinking all the while that Davis knew nothing of his nocturnal test. In Slander. Helen M. Withrow, Plaintiff, vs. John A. Smithson and Sarah F. Smithson, His Wife, Defendants. This was a notorious "slander" case. The plaintiff and the de fendant were neighbors, and it was alleged that the defendant used her tongue "too freely" and without due regard for the truth, and damages were claimed. It was not alleged that the husband was guilty of any offense. The trial came on on the 20th day of Feb ruary, 1889, with Adams & Miller, attorneys for the plaintiff, and Thompson & Lively for the defense. . The jurors who tried the case were Jackson Meadows, Henry Milburn, Jr., J. D. Bolton, J. W. Ellis, S. A. Meador, J. J. Christian, John Dove, J. B. Farley, E. B. Farley, P. M. Buckland, H. C. Farley and T. G. Lowe. After a long trial judgment was rendered and a verdict for the plaintiff for $1,000 and costs. John A. Smithson was worth considerable property in lands on HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 831 Griffith's Creek, and the alleged slander having been spoken by his wife, the judgment went against him for the whole amount. An appeal was applied for to the Supreme Court of Appeals, but was refused. A chancery suit was instituted on this judgment, and the Smithson lands were all sold in satisfaction of the judgment; en tirely impoverishing the defendants. This sale included the farm -on which D. P. Thomas now lives, and should be a lesson to all long-tongued women. The plaintiff was a young lady, unmarried, and one of the AArithrows of Lick Creek. J. S. Hite, Plaintiff, vs. John A. Richmond and Robert Hix, Defendants. In Ejectment. This is one of the few ejectment causes tried in the county, and arose out of a controversy over an interlock on the old Kaylor land -on the Hump Mountain, and resulted in a victory and verdict for the defendants, which was quite unsatisfactory to the plaintiff. The attorneys for plaintiff were Fowler & Miller, and W. R. Thomp son and W. W. Adams for the defendants. The jury who rendered the verdict were O. P. Hoover, James Price, Joseph Cox, J. F. Wood, J. A. Sims, T. B. Barker, E. B. .Neely, James Boyd, Wm. Woodson, A. J. Miller, J. L. Young and A. G. Patterson. The trial was had on September 10, 1884. The land in controversy was a small tract, and the costs were more than the land was worth. The tract of which this was a part was acquired by Michael Kaylor from Wm. Richmond, Jr., by deed dated on the 1st day of October, 1819, the tract being 1,655 acres conveyed. Wm. Richmond was the father of Samuel Richmond, who married Sally Caperton, and had purchased the land from Wm. McClung and George Meys, of Bath County, Virginia, by deed dated November, 1818, and adjointed Sampson Mathews and others. The deed was acknowledged before Joseph Alderson and Curtis Alderson, justices of the peace. The survey of the disputed portion was made by Hon. Wm. Haynes. Kaylor paid $100 for a one-half interest in the 1,655 acres. Michael Kaylor made his last will on the 29th day of November, 1859, written by Col. George "Henry, a grandson of Patrick Henry. 832 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. THE CASE OF LEE YOUNG. John Lewis Young was a farmer residing on the waters of Beech Run, in Jumping Branch District, on a little rough mountain farm, on the road leading from Hinton to Jumping Branch. He unfortunately was in the habit of coming to Hinton and using ardent spirits to an intemperate extent. He had a large family of children, some eight or nine, and his wife. Lee was one of his boys, about eighteen or nineteen years of age. Mr. Young came to Hinton, became somewhat intoxicated and returned home. Some controversy between his wife and himself arose, Lee taking the part of his mother, and without legal provo cation went up-stairs, secured a pistol, came down into the living room and shot his father through the heart, killing him almost in stantly. Lee gave himself up to the authorities and was indicted for murder, and tried and convicted of voluntary manslaughter. To excuse himself, he claimed self-defense, and that the shooting Was done to save himself from death or danger of great bodily harm, and in the protection of his mother. The trial occurred at the old frame Methodist Church in Hin ton, the court house then being under repairs. The State was rep resented by the prosecuting attorney, Jas. H. Miller, and T. N. Read; the accused was represented by Colonel Thomas G. Mann, of the Hinton bar, and Major James H. McGinnis, one of the most astute lawyers of this section of the State, and known throughout the State as a great wit. The trial lasted about two days, the defense being ably conducted by Colonel Mann and Major McGin nis, Mr. Mann being then one of the best criminal lawyers at the bar; Judge McWhorter presiding. A view of the premises was demanded, and the jury taken to view the location of the tragedy, spme five miles from the court house, on the Beech Run road to Jumping Branch. After the ar guments by the counsel, the jury in a short time returned a ver dict of murder in the second degree, which left the infliction of punishment to the court of from five to eighteen years in the peni tentiary. In viewing the premises the law requires that the pris oner shall be conducted with the jury to take the view. Inad vertently this was overlooked, and instead of the prisoner accom panying the jury in the custody of the sheriff, and with the prose cuting attorney, judge, clerk and attorneys, he was left in Hin ton, and the view made without his presence. A motion for a new trial was submitted by his attorneys, and under the law the court THE EWART-MILLER BUILDING. Erected in 1905. HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. 833 would have been compelled to have granted a new trial; but the attorneys compromised the matter, and it was agreed that" the verdict should stand, and that sentence of five years' confinement in the penitentiary should be inflicted. This was done and the sentence carried out. At this time Mr. Young has been discharged from the penitentiary, and is now a laborer in the city of Hinton, conducting himself well, and is a peaceful and quiet man. THE DEATH OF JOHN CRAWFORD. John Crawford was a citizen of the Flat Top region of Raleigh County, a man about fifty-five years of age. He frequently came to Hinton, indulged in the use of strong drink to excess, and left for his home, a distance of some twenty-five miles through the country, in an intoxicated condition. On March, 1893, Mr. Crawford had been in Hinton for a day or two, and left with his pockets well filled with bottles of whisky, crossed the river at the lower ferry, and proceeded up Beech Run late in the evening, about dusk. On the next morning early he was found in the middle of the Beech Run road, a short distance above Nthe Burning Spring, on the Calloway-Barker land, with his face in the mud and on all fours. It was a cold, drizzly March night, and his body was perfectly stiff when discovered. He had fallen on his knees, with his hands extended in the mud and his face also, and being too intoxicated to assist himself, there and in that position perished. A family residing near by heard during the night what they thought somebody calling, but hearing no further noise, paid no attention to it. Suspicion of foul play having arisen, a coroner's inquest was held, but it was determined that no crime had been committed, and that the death had occurred from the use in excess of intoxi cating liquor. The position of the body and the circumstances were the most horrifying ever witnessed or imaginable. He left a large family of boys surviving him, who have now grown to manhood and reside in this and Raleigh counties, and are useful citizens. John Crawford was a brother of Jas. H. Crawford, of Ballen gee, in this county. One of the sons of John is now a thrifty and very competent constable of Shady Springs District, of Raleigh County. Another, Charles, is a prosperous farmer and railway em ployee near Foss, on Greenbrier River. 834 HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. NEW RIVER DIVISION. Order of Railway Conductors was organized in Hinton August 1, 1887. The first officers were J. H. Schutts, Chief Conductor; W. T. Crawford, Assistant Chief Conductor; J. F. Drish, S. and F. Fraternal Order of Eagles was organized in Hinton November 28, 1904. The first officers were J. W. Myrtle, Past Worthy Presi dent ; James F. Smithy, AVorthy President ; W. L. Fredeking, Worthy Vice-President; J..R. Lilly, Secretary; W. R. Miller, Treas urer. INDEX A PAGE. Ayers, J. M 419 Adkins 474 Alderson 523 Allison 542 Allen 589 Abe, Story of 600 Allen, Nathaniel 638 Adams, Hon. W. W 682 Accident, A Fatal ' 732 Alum Springs 746 Assessments Town Lots 762 Attorneys at Law 767 Attorneys, Sketches of 773 Alderson vs. Miller 803 Armstrong, Riley, Killing of 819 Assessors 755 B Bryant, J. Fred 375 Blake 385 - Brightwell, W. J 418 Bolton, H. A 422 Bolton, H. A., Death of 424 Brown '. 429 Breen, Michael N 475 Bowling 495 Ballengee, David G 497 Brown 524 Bacon 560 -Bragg 569 Bowles 571 Barksdale, Dr , 572 Barksdale, Wm. L 573 Ballangee, R. T 589 Bailey, Ann. 593 Baber, Chas. A 676 Barker, Genealogy 679 Boude Family 698 B. P. O. E. No. 821 721 PAGE. Barger's Springs 742-746 Bennett-Lewis Case 821 Bryan 569 Barton Family 690 C Clark, Chas ;.... 477 Clark, Rufus '. 491 Compton 490 Cook, T. N 507 Carden 518 Cundiff 532 Cochran 546 Crawford 553 Cook Family 608 Clayton 621 Campbell, A. N 622 Campbell, Rev. J. P 626 Campbell 652 Christian, Jos. J. . . 656 C. & O. Ry 722 County Supt's of Schools 749 Corporations 750 Commissioners County Court. . . . 754 Clerks Circuit Court 754 Clerks County Court 754 Coroners 755 Constables 756 Carnes Case 791 Cales vs. Miller 801 Carden vs. Brown 811 Coleman, Jake, Case 822 Crawford, John, Death of 833 D Dooley Case 817 Davis vs. Davis 829 Duncan Family 461 836 INDEX. PAGE. Daly 489 De Quasie 511 Dobbins, W. C 513 Deeds 547 Dunn, E. L 575 Dillon, Rev. Henry 692 Dunn, L. M 717 Doctors 779 Delegates Secession Convention.. 749 E Ellison 542 Ewart 547 Fox, J. A : 375 T^v^f F<«-* r — E 7 0 V Frenches 455 Fowler family 479 Fowler, Elbert 432 Ford 521 Fredeking 521 Heflin, A. R 529 Fox 556 Foster 557 Ford 591 Flanagan 612 Flint, Enos. B 620 Ferrell 637 Farley family 705 Fox, Dr. J. A 712 Foss Bridge 737 Free Lance 737 Forts 776 Farley, Chapman, trial 824 Ford, Cape, Case 828 Foster, Mike 714 (i Graham, John W 374 Garvey, John B 400 Gott 489 George 516 Gerow 540 f ieoirge, Jas. H 618 Grimmett 636 Gooch 650 Gwinn, Andrew 661 Gallagher, F. M 672 PAGE.. Garten, Chas. Sr 686' Green Sulphur Spgs. Analysis.... 746- Graham vs. Graham 789- Greenbrier Springs 741 Gwinn, Marion 664- H Houchins, Allen 454 Hughes, David 488- Houchins 498 Hutchinson family 507 Hobbs 525 Heflin, A. R 529' Hinton; Jno 533- Hinton-Richmond fight 535 Harvey, Woodson 539- Hinton, Jos 541 Hedrick 544 Hines 545 Huffman 585 Hinton-Johnson fight 574 Haynes 55& Harvey 617 Hatcher, J. E. C. L 643 Hinton 663- Hunter Murders and others 827 Hoge, B. L 688' Harman 709 Hinton Lodge, A. F A. M 781 " Hinton Toll Bridge 735 Hinton Water Works 735- Hale case 810 Hite vs. Richmond 831 Hinton, Mrs. Avis 665 Hutchinson, Michael 635 Hume, Thompson 668- Inscription on Bacon tombstone.. 567 Ingles & Draper 71! Indian Rock and other things.... 758 Irish settlement 778' J Jones 513' Jones, T. J 552 Johnston, Albert Sidney 606 Jailors '. 749' INDEX. 837 PAGE. Judges 752 Justices 755 Jordan .Tl . *-TTT7^3S7 James 1 500 K Keatley 519 Kesler 567 Kaylor & Hix 639 Keller 64i Keadle 693 Kinley, Blaine 808 L Leftwich .- 531 Lowe 553 Lane ."...578 Lindeman Springs 745 Land Assessments, 1907 75 1 Land Assessments for 1907 763 Lavender, J. B 384 Lilly family 462 Lilly, R. W 466 Lilly, Frances 467 Lilly 468 Lilly, Geo. W 468 Lilly, T. H 470 Lilly, Greenlee 473 Lively 493 Lusher 497 Lowry, John 498 Lee, William, lynching of 822 Landcraft, G. C 586 Lawyers, two unfortunate 772 Lumbermen 782 M Miller, Mark 515j McGinnis 537 Miller, Brice and others 552 McCreery 578 McCreery, John W 582 Manning, M. A 604 Meador, Daniel Morgan 616 Mann, Thos. G 671 Members of Congress 747 Memb'rs Constitutional Convention 749 Members House Delegates 752 PAGE. Marriage register 760 Miscellaneous 765 Murders, two 788 Martin, confession of W. L 794 Medlin, Elbert, case 807 McKelvey case 804 Miller 380 Miller Wm. E 390 Miller, Jas. Henry 400 Meadows 401 Meador '. 403 Maddy 425 Maxwell 432 Manser 454 McNeer 454 McCulloch 454 Mahon 474 Medlin, Brad, case 825 N Noell 511 Neely 695 Noell ' 713 Neely, Joseph, case 826 P Peters 504 Parker, Jos. A ' 648 Parker, C. L 649 Peck 654 Patterson 674 Pioneers of Pipestem 707 Parker Opera House castastrophe 733 Pence Springs 738 Prosecuting Attorneys 753 Postmasters at Hinton 756 Postoffices 757 Population 762 Points of interest about W. Va.. 762 Pack 447 R Read, Thos. Nash 526 Richmond family 410 Ratliff mystery 431 Railway conductors order 834 Rollison 585 Reynolds, L. V. shooting of 820 838 INDEX. ^ PAGE. Swope tombstone 598 Smith, Jas. F 669 Scott, Jas K 674 Stenographers 738 Surveyors of the County 746 Senators, U. S 748 Senators, State 749 Sheriffs 751 Statistics 759 Sheffey -. . . . 382 Sanders, R. W 428 Swope 438 Shumate 458 Shumate, B. P 459 State 'vs. Ford and Gray 813 Slagle, Andy, case 816 t Thompson, Jas 602 Thompson, Wm. R 633-4 Thompson 644 Thompson, C. L 645 Talcott 728 Talcott Toll Bridge 735 Talyor, Silas 420 rf^'h' ^fc PAGE. Townsley T. W 430 Turner vs. Hutchinson 813 V Valuations 762 W Withrow, T. P. killing of 799 Woodrum, Major Richard 656 Walker, Lee 473 Wiggins, W. B 51C Withrow 550 Williams, Dr. -Samuel 577 Witte, Lewis 602 Wyant 583 Willey 629 Warren, M. M .- 414 Wiseman, John W. 417 Withrow vs. Smithson 82C Y Young, Lee, case 382 Young ' 608