The history of Barbour County, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time

1899·29.5 MB·English

by  Maxwell, Hu, 1860-1927

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Spencisk Dayton.
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Fiistory of Barbour County,
West Virginia,
prom its Earliest Exploration and
Settlement to the Present
Time.
ILLUSTRATED.
BY
IMI^^-WELL
23ZXJ
THEACMEPUBLISHINGCOMPANY,
Morgantowo,W.Va.
1899.
INTRODUCTION,
Thisbook isdividedinto threeparts. Part First treats of the State
in general; Part Second of the county in particular; and Part Third of
biography. TheterritorynowembracedinBarbourCountyformedapart
ofVirginiafromthefirstsettlementabout 1607 till 1863, when it became a
portion of West Virginia. During that period it was,in succession, in
Essex County, in Spotsylvania, Orange, Augusta, WestAugusta. Monon-
galia, Harrison, Randolph and Barbour. It became a separate county in
1843. Theterritoryeastof the Valley River was taken from Randolph,
thatwestwas taken from Harrison and Lewis. This book was written in
the springand summer of 1899, and the material (much ofitcollected long
before) wasgatheredfrom every available source. Many persons in the
county encouraged and assisted the effort; many did not. The county
officials, and especially the clerks of the courts, Richard E. Talbott and
Granville E. Taft, helped in every way possible. Many others in profes-
sionalorprivate life contributed to the success of the work. Where so
manydidmuch, itseems partial to singleout afewfor particular mention;
yetjustice would notbe done if the namesWof Spencer_I)ay-tOtt, Joshua S.
Cord-er, LgwiaJWjlson andJohn_Hopkins oods were omitted. Valuable
information, relating to the beginning of the Civil War within Barbour
County, was furnished by "Colonel George A. Porterfield, ofCharlestown,
WestVirginia. ListsofConfederate soldiersfromBarbourwerefurnished
by Benjamin Holly Woodford, of this county, and by George W. Printz,
ofRandolph. Data concerning agricultural matters werecontributed by
theFarmers' Institute. In the collection of biographicalandmiscellaneous
notes, special creditis due toA. F. Hawkins, of Philippi, and Winfield S.
Lang, ofMeadowville. Forthe names ofothers who assisted in the most
substantial way to make the History of Barbour County a success, the
readerisreferred to thelistofsubscriberspublishedin thisbook.
Thereare three thousand families in Barbour, no member of which
took interestin orcontributed toward the successofthis book. Each one
ofthem probably has a reason fornotdoing so, which, tohimself, is satis-
factory. So letthem rest. History passes them in silence. Yet, in the
criticisms of this enterprise, as of all enterprises, it will be found that
those whoencourageditleastandcontributed nothing to its success, will
be firsttofind fault and the loudestin proclaimingit.
Philippi, W. Va., Nov. 1, 1899.
TABLE OF CONTENTS,
:0:
Part First.
PAGE.
ChapterI. ExplorationsWestofBlueRidge 19
ChapterII, IndiansandMoundbuilders 25
ChapterIII. TheFrenchandIndian War 29
ChapterIV. TheDunmore War 39
ChapterV. WestVirginiaintheEevolution 47
ChapterVI. SubdivisionsandBoundaries 57
ChapterVII. TheNewspapersofWestVirginia 66
ChapterVIII. Geography,GeologyandClimate 71
ChapterIX. AmongOldLaws 83
ChapterX. ConstitutionalHistory 89
ChapterXI. JohnBrown's Raid 105
ChapterXII. TheOrdinanceofSecession.... 109
ChapterXIII. TheReorganizedGovernment 113
ChapterXIV. FormationofWestVirginia 120
ChapterXV. OrganizingforWar. '. 126
ChapterXVI. ProgressoftheWar 138
ChapterXVII. ChronologyoftheWar 147
Part Second.
ChapterXVIII. SettlementsandIndianTroubles 175
ChapterXIX. NotesfromtheRecords 198
ChapterXX. TheCivilWarinBarbour 247
ChapterXXI. Miscellanies 276
Part Third.
ChapterXXII. FamilyHistory 335
ILLUSTRATIONS,
:0:-
Maps and Diagrams.
Map ofHampshireCountyin 1755 61
MapofAugustaCountyin 1772 172
MapoftheDistrictofWestAugusta 175
MapofWashington's Canal Route 177
MapShowingIndianTrails 179
MapofRandolphCountyin 1787 199
MapofPhilippi andVicinity 252
MapofFlatwood andVicinity 298
Autographs.
Autographs of Early Randolph CountyJustices 200
Autographs of Early RandolphCounty Sheriffs 201
AutographsofBarbourCounty CircuitClerks 230
AutographsofBarbourCounty Clerks 230
AutographsofRandolph CountyCircuitClerks 230
Autographs ofCircuit Judges 231
AutographsofBarbour County Sheriffs 232
Autographs ofPresidents ofBoardsof Supervisors 235
Residences, Etc.
ResidenceofMelvillePeck 175
ResidenceofA G. Dayton 195
Residenceof SamuelV. Woods 212
ResidenceofJ. Hop. Woods 233
MansfieldFlouring Mill 262
Dyer& Switzer's Store 262
ResidenceofGranville E. Taft 273
ResidenceofJ. E. Hall 292
AFarm Scene 323
PeelTreePostoffice 343
:..
TheDickenson Monument 383
ResidenceofAi Cleavenger 383
Residenceof G. H. Hamrick 390
Residenceof Sylvanus Talbott 433
A. W. Woodford's Farm 505
ResidenceofDr. E, D. Talbot .512