History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with family history and biographical sketches, a statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages, Vol. I, Part 23

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : Brant & Fuller
Number of Pages: 842

USA > Ohio > History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with family history and biographical sketches, a statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages, Vol. I > Part 23

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It may be a matter of interest to many to recall the names of a few of those who at an early day made improvements and opened farms in the vicinity of West Liberty. The names of Curtis, Morgan, John Wilson, the McCollochs, Harris, Vanmetre and Hearst are a few, prominent among those who first settled in the country adjacent to West Liberty, and made improvements. These persons settled here in point of time nearly or about the same period. James Curtis im- proved the farm known as the Hugh Mitchell farm subsequently, and which is now owned by William North, as well as the farm about two miles and a half east of West Liberty, on which last he lived for a number of years, and on which he died. He raised a family of ten children, namely: Salathiel, Susan, Fannie, Nancy, Rachel, Sally, Elizabeth, Alice, James and John. The first named, Salathiel, was one among the early lawyers who practiced in the courts of western Virginia, and was a man of fine intellect and ranked high in his pro- fession. He died at the age of eighty-six, honored and respected by all who knew him.

Abraham Vanmetre was the first person to improve the present site on which West Liberty stands; Ruth, one of his daughters, mar- ried Reuben Foreman, and Hannah, another, married Providence Mounts. The town of West Liberty was laid out by these last two named persons, Reuben Foreman and Providence Mounts, and this was the first town organized in the Ohio valley. It was organized November 29, 1787.

About the year 1772, Samuel McColloch, who was killed in the sum- mer of 1782, while on a scout, by the Indians, and John Wilson, each took up a tract of land lying on Short creek. Mr. Wilson emigrated to this section from the state of New Jersey; his first visit being made

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about the year 1771, after which he returned to his home east of the mountains and brought with him on his return his bride - Rebecca. Before returning east he had erected a cabin home for the reception of his companion, a refined and gentle woman unused to the rough life of the backwoods. On arriving in sight of it he pointed it out to her, at the same time remarking: "There Becky, is your future home." For a moment she felt a pang of keen disappointment as the memory of her home in the Jerseys was pictured upon her mind, but she made no reply, nor manifested any regret, but resignedly acquiesced in the lot which had been assigned her. Her wifely devo- tion and heroic fortitude in the hour of peril and danger has embalmed her memory and kept it fresh and green through all the generations of her offspring. About this time Mr. Wilson planted a pear tree on his farm which grew and flourished, and for more than a century has continued to bear fruit. It still stood some four or five years ago, and its lower branches were still thrifty and productive.

The tracts of land located by Maj. Sam. McColloch and John Wilson as well as the tracts taken up by Abraham and John McCol- loch, are still owned and occupied by the descendants of these respec- tive families, and they are among the finest, most fertile and produc- tive farms in the county.

James Baird improved where Bethany college now stands, and William Baird where Col. Alex Campbell now lives. Both of the Bairds subsequently removed to Ohio.

Gen. Benjamin Biggs improved the farm situated on the hill to the south of West Liberty, now belonging to the heirs of Josiah At- kinson; and his brother John Biggs, improved the farm west of Liberty, known as the Robert Bonar farm, the same where James Smith and Mrs. Julia Curtis resided. Shortly after opening this tract John Biggs was killed by the Indians at the time of Crawford's defeat, when it came into possession of his brother Benjamin.

Robert Curvy improved where the late John Wayt lived, now owned by Theodore Wolf; and Benjamin Pyatt the farm where James Wayt lived. Joseph Ogle improved where Alexander McCoy lately lived one mile southeast of the town of West Liberty on the road to West Alexander. The farm owned by the late James McMurray was improved by Robert Agars, who was slain by the Indians on lands now owned by Mrs. Howard in the year 1791. He is the last man who fell a victim to savage cruelty in Ohio county. The farm owned by the Yates' heirs was improved by Matthew Houston, who was also killed by the Indians. His brother, Robert Houston, im- proved the farm belonging to John Faris. It may not be uninterest- ing in passing to call attention to the longevity of some of those early settlers whose names and memories alone remain, and even these are fast being obliterated by the flight of time and the indifference of the generations which have followed them.

R. Mazingo died at the age of ninety-nine years and six months, and his wife at the age of eighty-seven years. J. Atkinson died at the age of eighty-two years, Mrs. Wiedman at the age of eighty-nine

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years, Mrs. Lewis at the age of eighty-three, Mrs. Armstrong at the age of eighty-five years, Mrs. Taylor at the age of eighty two years, Mrs. Standiford at the age of eighty-nine, Thomas Martin at the age of eighty, William Martin at the age of seventy-nine, Mrs. Steele at the age of eighty, John Curtis at the age of ninety-three, Mrs. Bonar at the age of eighty-two, George Bonar at the age of eighty-three, Susan Beck at the age of eighty-three, Susan Edgington at the age of eighty-one, Mrs. Smith at the age of seventy-nine, Mrs. Mitchell at the age of seventy-nine, and Jane, a colored woman, at the age of eighty-six. These are a few among many more which might be se- lected, but these are enough to establish the character of the country for healthfulness. In the old graveyard of this ancient town there are fifty-one graves chosen at random, the occupants of which each lived until over eighty years of age. Thirty-seven of these persons at the time of their death were between eighty and ninety years of age. Thirteen of them were between ninety and one hundred years of age, and one was one hundred years of age. Were Old Mortality to visit this old cemetery he would find here ample scope for the exer- cise of his peculiar talent. The early settlers were a fun-loving set of jolly fellows, fond of jokes, drinking bouts and horse racing. This latter was a mania. On court days it seemed that the whole county would gather at West Liberty and frequently the crowd would amount to 1,500 and even as many as 2,000 souls. Court day was looked upon by the large majority of the settlers as a gala day. Here trials of speed between fast horses would be had and bets of larger or smaller sums would be offered on favorite animals. So prevalent was the habit of betting on these occasions that men would even bet the clothing on their backs when they had no money to gratify their pro- pensity. It seems almost incredible that some of the stories we have heard of the prevalence of this vice could be true, but being so well vouched for we must accept them. But we have neither time nor space to enter into details now.

In early days an individual had settled at "Beech Bottom," about twelve miles above Wheeling, on the river. As a proof that he must have settled there quite early, it is sufficient to state that he had an orchard bearing fruit at the time of the organization of Ohio county. It is said that when he came out from the east he brought with him a quantity of apple seeds which he planted and from which he raised a nursery. When large enough he transplanted them, and in a few years he had a large and flourishing orchard from which he obtained a sufficient quantity of apples for all ordinary use, the making of cider included. He had no wagon to transport them into market, and consequently had to use the mode of conveyance then in vogue in the country-a sled. In those days, and for many subsequent years, even as late as 1820, people made use of sleds with but few ex- ceptions as wagons were a novelty not then much in use in the west- . ern section of the country. After 1820, or about that period, pros- perity began gradually to increase, until at length he was looked upon as a poor farmer who owned no wagon.

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OHIO COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.

This individual to whom we refer was in the habit of taking his apples to West Liberty at the meeting of the court, on a sled upon which was set a body or box to receive the apples. Upon arriving at the county seat he would select a prominent position and display his fruit in the most tempting manner upon a board laid across the top of the box, which he sold for a penny an apple or a shilling a dozen. If a purchaser paid him with a twelve and a half cent piece, or what was in later days called a "bit," an old denomination which many years since has passed into disuse, and has now quite disappeared, to make even change he would cut an apple in halves giving one half to the purchaser and retaining the other half for a similar emergency.

From his nursery of fruit trees thousands were taken to Pennsylva- nia and eastern Ohio, and from this source sprung many of the orch- ards which were planted in those states.

He was quite a venerable person in appearance, was soft of speech, very shrewd and withal quite covetous. In the days of which we write he was considered as being quite well off in this world's goods. He always kept on hand an ample supply of bacon and cured meat in his store-house. Hence when his neighbors ran short in this res- pect, which they often did, he did a very lucrative business in sup- plying their wants. It is related of him, that on one occasion when provisions, and especially bacon had grown scarce in his neighbor- hood, he he was called upon to supply the deficiency. At the time he was suffering from a lingering and severe attack of sickness from which it was doubtful whether he would recover. His shrewdness, however, did not desert him, but he was keenly alive to driving a good bargain with such as came to purchase from him. At times he would grow much better and then have a relapse into dangerous symptoms. His condition from time to time determined the standard by which he graduated his scale of prices. On the days when he was worse he would charitably reduce the tariff of his prices, but when better he would covetously increase it. One day during his sickness it is stated that his wife entered the room and inquired of him -"Pap, what is the price of bacon to day?" Hesitating a moment- he replied -- " Fifteen cents a pound live or die."

A remarkable fact in reference to the early settlement of the east- ern part of this county is, that no murder or depredation of any kind was ever committed there by the Indians. A man by the name of Hawthorn was shot from his horse where Triadelphia now stands, and one John Grist was taken prisoner by them at another time at no great distance from the same place. Then we hear of no more mischief done by them until we cross the Pennsylvania line, near West Alexander, where a Mrs. Ross was murdered by them. They never did any mischief south of these two points, nor north of them, although the Indians were known to pass often through these settlements. There is a reminiscence in the Hosack family that on one occasion when Mr. Hosack was absent from home over night, and his wife and children slept in their cabin unprotected save by a dog, and appre- hensive of no danger, in the morning they found Indian tracks in the

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snow around their cabin, but nothing was disturbed. These settle- ments were composed almost exclusively of Presbyterians of the Scotch-Irish stock, who came there to procure homes for themselves and their children, and the majority of the families still have repre- sentatives in the neighborhood. With a high sense of justice which has ever been a characteristic of their race, they refused to aid or countenance any aggressive acts against the Indians. There were no scouts or warriors among them, and none of the lawless class, but they acted strictly on the defensive. From the light which has since been thrown on the character of Simon Girty, it would appear highly probable that they were indebted to a considerable extent to this strange erratic character for their singularly good fortune, notwith- standing they always supposed him to be their worst enemy. Girty was well acquainted with the character of the settlements. If it was an accident, it was a very singular one, that hostile Indians continued to pass on their raids through a settlement for twenty years without ever striking it a single blow, whilst they committed murders all around it. It is a further confirmation of the theory, that if the In- dian had been dealt with justly it would have saved the writing of many a bloody page of border-history.

There was just one exception so far as known by the writer and that we have already adverted to, in the case of John Neiswanger, who was one of the earliest pioneers and a daring scout. He forted under a rock in a sort of a cave, one mile and a half above Triadel- phia and a quarter of a mile north of the pike. He was killed by the Indians at the mouth of Little Grave creek, where he had put in with his canoe for the night when on a hunting expedition in the year 1783.

Still there were some scares in the neighborhood occasioned by the presence of Indians. A Mrs. Lockwood, who at one time lived just above the "forks," formed by the junction of " Little Wheeling" and "Middle Wheeling," was startled one morning by the cry of " Indians! Indians!" by a fleeing neighbor as he passed by her cabin. All the men at the time were absent from home and the neighbors had all fled to Shepherd's fort. A few days before this she had been con- fined, but as soon as the alarm was given she left her bed and drag- ging herself along she picked up an old musket, loaded it, and placed the muzzle between the chinks of the logs in front of the cabin and resolutely awaited the coming of the savages, determined to have the " first shot" should they appear. But after waiting patiently for a season and seeing nothing of the Indians she became so weak from her exertions she was unable longer to stand guard and with difficulty reached her bed again, where she remained undisturbed and suffered no serious effect from her fright. A young man about this same time who had been to mill some distance up " Middle Wheeling " was on his return shot at by some Indians on a hill just above him. Dis- engaging his burden from the horse he was riding, he put him to his mettle and at full speed made for Shepherd's fort, shouting as he rode, " Indians! Indians!" so as to give the alarm to the neighbor-

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hood. Mrs. Lee, the mother of my informant, was preparing break- fast at the time for herself and little ones, and was engaged in baking flannel cakes. Upon hearing the alarm she promptly discontinued her culinary operations and snatching up her two children, placing one under each arm, she ran with them to the fort, which she reached in safety.

CHAPTER XI.

THE NATIONAL ROAD - THE ROAD FROM CUMBERLAND TO THE OHIO RIVER AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS IN 1806- EFFORTS TO SECURE THE TERMINI OF THE ROAD AT DIFFERENT POINTS ON THE OHIO -THE COST OF THE ROAD UP TO 1817-PRESIDENT MONROE'S INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT MESSAGE-COL. MOSES SHEPHERD, JOHN MC LURE, DANIEL STEENROD AND OTHERS, CONTRACTORS -LITIGATION -TRAVEL AND TRADE ON THE ROAD-PROPOSED CHANGE OF LOCATION - HENRY CLAY THE FRIEND OF WHEELING-THE OLD ROAD FROM WHEEL- ING TO WEST ALEXANDER -SIXTY ODD YEARS AGO-THE "LAND ADMIRAL -COACHES RUN FIRST TIME DAY AND NIGIIT ACROSS THE ALLEGHENIES, IN 1827- ROBBERY OF THE MAIL - ARREST AND PUN- ISHMENT OF THE ROBBERS-IN 1835 TWO LINES OF STAGES BETWEEN

WHEELING AND FREDERICK - OPPOSITION LINES - AN INCIDENT -

TAVERNS OF THE OLD NATIONAL ROAD -THE WAGONERS -THE "REGULARS" AND THE "MILITIA,"SO CALLED -PRICE OF MEALS -- THE "CONTINENTAL " LINE-THE OLD STAGE COACH A MEMORY.

HE bill authorizing the construction of the National road, or as it is sometimes called, the Cumberland road, passed congress in the year 1802, the same year in which Ohio + was admitted as a state, but the construction of the road was not commenced until 1815. In 1812 there was a turn- pike from Baltimore to Frederick and Hagerstown, and that portion of it between Boonsboro' and Hagerstown was the first piece of macadamized road in the United States. From Hagerstown west to Wheeling there were no turnpikes. On the 29th of March, 1806, congress passed a law providing for the con- struction of the road from Cumberland to the Ohio, and Thomas Moore of Maryland, Joseph Kerr and Eli Wilson, of Ohio, were ap- pointed commissioners to decide upon a route. The route proposed by them with only one deviation at Uniontown, was approved by President Jefferson in 1808, as far as Brownsville-the route from that point to the Ohio being left undetermined. The point at which

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the road would strike the Ohio, was considered as of the utmost lo- cal importance, and every eligible point on the Ohio from Pittsburgh, to below Wheeling, was warmly engaged in urging its claims. It was anticipated that a city would at once spring up wherever the crossing was definitely fixed.

At this period dates the jealousy that subsequently existed between Wheeling and Pittsburgh, and in a greater or less degree with all the other points on the eastern shore of the river. It became a delicate question for the commissioners to decide, and remarking that " in this was to be consulted the wishes of that populous section of Ohio, and the connections with roads leading to St. Louis, under the act of 1806," they left the question open. The route from Brownsville to Wheeling was afterward located by another commission, the engineer for which was a Mr. Weaver. Operations on the road were com- menced forthwith, and up to 1817 it had cost $1,800,000, and had moreover in some portions become worn out so as to need extensive repairs. The question of abandonment came up. In 1822 President Monroe issued his celebrated internal improvement message, in which he argues with consummate ability the general improvement policy of the country, and enlarges upon the propriety of the government carrying out the original compact with the state of Ohio* by continu- ing the road west of the Ohio river. Three commissioners had been appointed in 1817 to locate the western division; and it is at this date that we first read of its Ohio terminus being definitely fixed at Wheel- ing. Col. Moses Shepherd was a principal contractor on the road be- tween Wheeling and Cumberland. Messrs. John McLure, Daniel Steenrod and others, had contracts more contiguous to the former place. The work was executed promptly and with apparent faithful- ness; but subsequently much litigation arose on account of alleged failure to comply with the terms of contracts in executing masonry, etc., which afterward found its way into congress in the shape of bills for the relief of different parties.t A large amount of money was ex- pended by the government and large fortunes were made by some of the contractors out of the proceeds. The road gained great celebrity at the time from its magnificence of design, costly character, the ro-

* When Ohio was admitted into the Union in 1802, there was a proviso that one-twentieth of the public lands within her boundaries should be set apart that the proceeds might be applied to the construction of such a road through that state, and ultimately to St. Louis.

+ Moses Shepherd, who, as above stated, was one of the contractors for building a portion of the road, had large landed possessions in its immediate vicinity. The original survey of the road was made on the north side of the creek which flowed in front of his residenee and but a few rods distant. This original survey therefore located the road several hundred yards distant from his residence leaving the creek be- tween it and the road as originally surveyed. But by means of influences brought to bear by him, he had the road changed from its original location to the south side of the creek in front of his residence, believ- ing that this would enhance the value of his property. But this change involved a heavy expense to the government in the construction of that portion of the road, inasmuch as it required the building of two additional stone bridges of considerable dimensions, to-wit: the one known as the " S" bridge opposite to the residence of Moses Flay, between six and seven miles east of the city of Wheeling, and the one near the Shepherd place at the " forks of Wheeling." Had the road been built in accordance with the original survey, not only would it have been unnecessary to have built these bridges, but also the additional length of road which necessarily was a consequence. This gave rise to a large claim against the government, which, though persistently proseeuted by Shepherd during his life, and by his widow after his death, was wholly ignored by the government, and we think justly so .- G. L. C.

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mantic country traversed, and the immense trade and travel that passed constantly over it. It became the grand artery of emigration as well as of transportation between the east and the west. Forty wagons in a train all magnificently belled and otherwise equipped, might be seen at one time traversing this national highway, loaded with merchandise for the whole country, as far west as St. Louis.

Notwithstanding, however, the immense travel and trade, the tolls were insufficient to keep it in proper repair, and bidding fair to become a burden on the federal treasury, a growing disposition was manifested to abandon, or rather to transfer it to the state it traversed. About the year 1825, it was terribly out of repair, especially that portion of it between Brownsville and Wheeling; and so desperate had become the condition of the western division that a change of location was seriously talked of from the Wheeling route to the route via Wells- burg. During the previous long and acrimonious contest for the crossing place, Wellsburg had been the equal and formidable rival of Wheeling, and now, when it was re-opened, she renewed her rivalry with a desperate zeal. Topographical advantages were confessedly in her favor, both as to distance and nature of the ground to be traversed in order to strike the Ohio, but even at that early day, and indeed a long time previously, the narrowness of the river had sug- gested the practicability of a bridge at Wheeling Island, and there were influences also on the Ohio side, that operated strongly in her favor. She was also fortunate in her advocates in congress. Henry Clay, the reputed father of the internal improvement policy of the government, "threw in her favor the weight of his influence; and con- tributed greatly to her success by his zeal, and his sarcastic allusions to a panther mountain," a high hill two miles to the east of Wellsburg which he came out of his way to explore on one of his journeys to Washington city, purposely to see for himself the comparative merits of the rival routes. He, perhaps, unwitingly misrepresented the character of the Wellsburg route; the entire twenty-three miles of which, it has been estimated since, would have cost less than the two miles nearest Wheeling, of the route as adopted. But superior management triumphed and the original location to Wheeling was confirmed. When, afterwards, Henry Clay, became a candidate for the presidency in opposition to Gen. Jackson, in 1832, he was remembered by the adherents of the respective routes. Ohio county went for him with the greatest unanimity, while in Brooke, he only received one vote, that of Prov. Mounts, an eccentric, hair-brained individual, whose solitary vote was for a long time a subject of amusement among his neighbors and acquaintances. The fact coming to the ears of Mr. Clay, elicited from him a humorous and good-natured remark. "Harry of the West " was defeated; but the impress of this local con- troversy remained not only upon the neighborly relations of the par- ties, but upon their political complexion. Wheeling became thoroughly and persistently whig; and together with the county of Ohio, firmly devoted to the interests of Mr. Clay; while Wellsburg and all the vi-

13 -- A.

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cinity sympathizing with her, became uncompromisingly anti-Clay and democratic. Subsequent events and the obliterating effects of time, have softened and modified this local antipathy in some degree; but to this day, the effects may still be distinctly seen, both in local jealousy and national politics. At the time of this last desperate ef- fort to wrest from Wheeling, the possession of the terminus of the national road, Philip Doddridge represented this district in congress. This was in 1829-32.'

An old resident states, that before the National pike was con- structed, the road to West Alexander followed the side of the hill parallel to the present route of the National road to a point a short distance beyond the Steenrod house, when it descended to the bank of the creek, and binding thereon, continued its course to Roney's point, where it took up the hill at the Sisson place and followed a country road to West Alexander. When the National road was first constructed, it was laid with corded stone, that is to say, the stones · were placed on edge, but in 1827 it was repaired and in places these corded stones were removed, but in the sunken places they were per- mitted to remain and the whole road was leveled up macadamizing the same.

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History of the Upper Ohio Valley, with family history and biographical sketches, a statement of its resources, industrial growth and commercial advantages, Vol. I, Part 23

Author: Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Madison, Wis. : Brant & Fuller Number of Pages: 842

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : Brant & Fuller
Number of Pages: 842