The History of Upshur County, West Virginia, from its first exploration and settlement to the present time

650 Pages·1907·56.236 MB·English

by  William Bernard Cutright, Hu Maxwell, Earle Amos Brooks

HON. WILLIAM CURRENCE CARPER.
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THE
of Upshur County
History
West Virginia
From its Earliest Exploration and Settlement
Time
to the Present
ILLUSTRATED
BY
CUTR1G HT
W- B.
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INTRODUCTION
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The actual history of Upshur antedates the period of recorded events; re-
lates to the peoples who lived on this continent prior to its discovery; embraces
the epochs of settlement, colonization, nationality and disruption of Virginia;
refers more particularly to the early settlers on the waters of the Buckhannon
and West Fork rivers and their troubles with the Indians, the local political
agencies which brought about the formation of the county, her complete records,
including Upshur’s share in the Civil and Spanish-American Wars, the life of her
people, commercial, industrial, economic, social, educational and religious; also
the family records of a thousand persons who have taken part in the settlement
and county periods.
Within this volume will be found a very instructive chapter on the Birds
of Upshur, by Rev. Earle Amos Brooks, a native bom son who is authority on
ornithology and whose reputation spreads to the ends of this nation.
The plan of this history proper embraces three divisions. The first is a
condensed history of West Virginia the second is an elaborate, carefully-prepared
;
county history, and part third is a biography.
Part First was written by Hu Maxwell, author of county histories of Tucker,
Randolph and Barbour, and joint author of County History of Mineral and a
text book on History and Government of West Virginia.
Parts Second and Third in the fall of 1906 and spring of 1907 and the
material (much of collected years before) was collected from every available
source. To those who aided in collecting the data for this book we are indebted
and for the names of those who assisted in the most substantial way to make the
History of Upshur a success, particular reference is directed to family history.
Buckhannon, W. Va., July 1, 1907.

..
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART FIRST—STATE HISTORY
CHAPTER
I.
'Explorations West of the Blue Ridge.
Capt. Batte’s Expedition. .Governor Spotswood Reaches the Base of the
Alleghanies—. .The South Branch Valley Explored—. .Washington’s Surveying Tour
Alleganies The South Branch Valley Explored Washington’s Surveying Tour
..Settlement Forbidden West of the Alleghanies..Soldie—rs Attempt to Drive
Colonists Out. .Settlements on the Ohio and Monongahela Population of West
Virginia. .Land Titles. 19-24.
.
CHAPTER
II.
Indians and Moundbuilders.
West Virginia’s Territory Uninhabited. .The Mohawk Invasion..Mound-
builders and Indians Probably Identical. .Their Origin Unknown. .America Had
Pre-Historic Inhabitants. .Estimated Number of Indians East of the Mississippi
25-28.
. .
CHAPTER
III.
The French and Indian War.
The Scheme of France. .Contest for the Ohio Valley. .The French Build
—
Forts England Interferes. Washington's Journey to the West. .The French
.
Use Force. .English Troops Skirmish with Jumonville. .Battle at Fort Necessity
..Washington Surrenders. .Braddock’s Campaign..His Defeat and Death- -In-
dians Attack the Settlements Expedition Under Forbes Fort Duquesne Falls
. . . . .
France Loses the Ohio Valley. .29-38.
CHAPTER
IV.
The Dunmore War.
Causes Leading to Hostilities••Forerunner of the Revolution. .England’s
Scheme to Intimidate. .The Quebec Act. .Lord Dunmore. .His Greed for Land.
Indians Take Up the Hatchet. .Two Virginia Armies Invade the Indian Coun-
try. .Battle of Point Pleasant. .Treaty at Camp Charlotte. .Alleged Speech of
Logan. .The Indians Make Peace. .39-46.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
vi
CHAPTER
V.
West Virginia in the Revolution.
Meeting at Fort Gower. .Resolutions Passed..Meetings at Pittsburg and
Hannastown Soldiers from the Monongahela Attempted Tory Uprisings Sup-
. . . .
pressed. .Patriotism on the Greenbrier. Four Indian Armies Invade West Vir-
.
ginia- •Numerous Incursions..Cornstalk Assassinated. .First Siege of Fort
Henry..Capt. Foreman Ambushed. Simon Girty Joins the Indians. Fort Ran-
. .
dolph Beseiged. .General Clark Marches to the West. .Last, Battle of the Revo-
lution. .Expeditions Against the Indians. .General Wayne Conquers the Savages
-47-56.
•
CHAPTER
VI.
Subdivision and Boundaries.
Virginia’s Western Territory. .Jealousy of other States. .The Controversy.
.
Virginia Cedes to the General Government Her Territory West of the Ohio.
.
Mason and Dixon’s Line..Other Boundary Lines. .Contest with Maryland..
Virginia’s Original Eight Counties. .Table of Population. .57-65.
CHAPTER
VII.
The Newspapers of West Virginia.
Humble Beginnings. .The First Newspaper. .Others Enter the Field..
Ephemeral Character of Country Journalism. .The Editor’s Mistakes and Suc-
cesses. .66*70.
CHAPTER
VIII.
Geography, Geology and Climate.
The Rock-History of West Virginia. .Mountain-Building. .Valley-Sculpture
.The Plateau of West Virginia. .Influences Acting on Climate. .How Coal was
.
Formed. .The Rain Winds and t*he Rainless Winds. .Rainfall and Snowfall..
Formation of Soil. .Fertility and Sterility. .Fertilizing Agents. .Altitudes in West
Virginia. .71-82.
CHAPTER
IX.
Among Old Eazvs.
>
Examination of and Extracts from Virginia’s Early Statutes Death Pen-
. .
alty for Petty Crimes Cruel Punishments Condemned Prisoners Forbidden
. . . .
Spiritual Advice. .Law Against Gossiping. Hog Stealing. Special Laws for
. .
Slaves Horse Thieves “Utterly Excluded” Pillories Whipping Posts, Stocks
. . . . . .
and Ducking Stools. .Fees of Sheriffs and Constables. .Tavern-Keepers. .Ferries
..83-88.
CHAPTER
X.
Constitutional History.
The Bill-of Rights..Constitutio—n of 1776. .Freedom of the Press..Schools
not Mentioned..Restricted Suffrage Constitution of 1830. .Members West of
the Mountains AdvocateGreaterliberty .Overruled. .EducationNeglected, :Con-
.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
vii
stitution of 1852. .Line Drawn Between the East and West. .Property Against
Men..West Virginia’s First Constitution. .The Slavery Question..Constitution
of 1872. .Enlarged Suffrage. .89-104.
CHAPTER
XI.
John Brown's Raid.
His Purpose..The Attempt..Capture, Condemnation and Execution. .105-
108.
CHAPTER
XII.
The Ordinance of Secession.
Causes of Beginning. .The Richmond Convention. .Delegates from Western
Virginia. .Stormy Sessions. .The Vote. .Western Delegates Secretly Leave Rich-
mond. .Virginia Seizes United States Property. 109-112.
.
CHAPTER
XITI.
The Reorganized Government of Virginia.
Mass Meetings West of the Alleghanies. .First Wheeling Convention..Its
Members. .Vote on the Ordinance of Secession. .Second Wheeling Convention.
.
The Delegates. .New Officers Chosen for Virginia. ,113-119.
CHAPTER XIV.
Formation of West Virginia.
The United States Constitution Provided a Way. .The Several Steps. .Pres-
ident Lincoln’s Opinion. .The Bill Signed. .120-125.
CHAPTER XV.
Organizing for War.
.Call for Volunteers-by Virginia. .Troops Sent Across the Alleghanies. .MusJ
kets Sent to Beverly by the Confederates. .Guns frfom Massaphusetts•Reach
Wheeling. .Federals Cross the Ohio. .Eight at Philippi. .Confederates Fortify in
Randolph. .General Garnett in Command• •General McClellan Arrives. .Defeat
of the Confederates at Rich Mountain. .Garnett’s Retreat. .126-137.
CHAPTER XVI.
Progress of the War.
General Lee in West Virginia. .Expedition Against Cheat Mountain and
Elkwater. .General Loring’s Army. .Movements in the Kanawha Valley. .Quar-
rel Between Generals Wise and Floyd. .Federals Defeated at Cross Lanes* -Con-
federates Worsted at Gauley Bridge. .Further Fighting. .Contest for the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad. .Governor Letcher’s Proclamation. .138-146.
.
TABLE OP CONTENTS
viii
CHAPTER XVII.
Chronology of the War.
List and Dates of Important Movements in West Virginia- -147-170.
PART SECOND—COUNTY HISTORY
CHAPTER
XVIII.
Early Settlers and Indian Troubles.
Royal Deserters. .First Settlers- -William White, Sr..William White, Jr..
Flight of 1770. .Hughes and Lowther Shot. .Mrs. Freeman Killed. Schoolcrafts
.
Captured and Killed. Siege of West’s Fort..Murder of Bush and Children..
.
Nicholas Carpenter Episode. .New Englanders. .Paths of Early Settlers. .Begin-
ning of Roads. .Religious Life..Early Churches. .Character and Life of Early
Settlers. .Geography of Upshur County. .175-230.
CHAPTER XIX.
Formation of Upshur County.
Vote For and Against County. Circuit Court Proceedings, Judges of Cir-
.
cuit Court, Circuit Clerks, Lawyers, Prosecuting Attorneys, Constables, Super-
visors, Commissioners, Sheriffs, Surveyors, Clerks, Delegates..Site of Court
House. .Justices. .Magisterial Districts••Buckhannon, Meade, Union, Washing-
ton, Warren, Bunks..School History. .Superintendents. .Buckhannon Academy
.Baxter’s Institcte. .French Creek Institute. .West Virginia Normal and Classi-
.
cal Academy . . West Virginia Wesleyan College . . Buckhannon Town, Its
Churches and Officers Court Houses Election Returns Marriage Licenses-.
. . . . . .
231-295.
CHAPTER XX.
Upshur in Civil War.
Confederate Raid Under Jenkins. Imboden and Jones Raid. .Witcher Raid
.
. .Company E, Sixth West Virginia Cavalry. .Upshur Battery..Company B,
Tenth West Virginia Cavalry. .Upshur Militia. .Upshur Greys. Spanish-*Amer-
.
ican Soldiers. .296-317.
CHAPTER XXI.
Miscellaneous History
.
Commercial Beginnings..Stanton and Parkersburg Turnpike. .Philippi and
Buckhannon and Buckhannon and Little Kanawha Turnpikes South Buckhan-
. .
non, Frenchton, Rock Cave, Holly Grove, Medium of Exchange, Land Patents,
Etc..Railroads..Indian Camp Rock..Bear Den..Three Frenchman. .Logs of
Test Wells. .Newspapers. .Financial Institutions. .Lodges- -Native Ministers.
.
Protestant Episcopal Church, U. B. Church, German Baptist. .Trading Posts and
Forts. .Bounty Creditors. .Bounty Soldiers. .Miscellaneous. .Buckhannon Fire..
table of contents
ix
First Cereal Poem. .Governors of Virginia, of Reorganized Virginia, of West
Virginia, Etc. .318*361.
CHAPTER XXII.
The Birds of Upshur County, by Earle Amos Brooks, A. B.. .362-385..
PART THIRD—BIOGRAPHY
CHAPTER XXIII.
Family History.
page:.
A begins with David Adams • • 390
B begins with Charles A. Bailey 390
C begins with John W. Calhoun .401
D
begins with John R. Davis 431
E
begins with Jacob C. Eckess. . . • • 439
F begins with Burton U. Farnsworth 44i
G begins with Thomas W. Gawthrop 453
H
begins with G. Hall 464
J.
J begins with Clinton D. Jack. . . • * 486
K
begins with Aljourn G. Karickhoff 488
L begins with Asberry Lance 492
M
begins with William B. Malcolm 502
N begins with Jed Ney . . • • 523
O begins with W. S. O’Brien 526
P begins with Asa D. Page 530
Q begins with Albinas Queen• • 538
R begins with Benton C. Radabaugh 539
S begins with Charles W. Scott 566
T begins with Talbot Family 580
V begins with Homer O. Vantromp 590
W
begins with Lloyd Wamsley 592
Y begins with Randall P. Young 604
Z begins with Albert Zickefoose 386-606-607
J.