USA > Virginia > Washington County > Washington County > History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870 > Part 44
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In the fall of this year the Democratic and Whig parties nomi- nated their strongest men for Governor and the Legislature, George W. Summers, of Kanawha county, being the Whig, and Joseph Johnson, of Harrison county, the Democratic candidates for Governor, while in this county, Isaac B. Dunn and William King were the Democratic candidates and John A. Campbell and James Orr, the Whig candidates for the Legislature. The result was the election of the Democratic candidates in the State and the county by a greatly-reduced majority. This was the first time in the history of the Commonwealth that the Governor of the Com- monwealth was elected by popular vote and Virginia's first expe- rience with manhood suffrage.
At the same election the following county officers were selected : Clerk of the County Court, Jacob Lynch.
Commonwealth's Attorney, Samuel Logan.
Sheriff, Matthew H. Buchanan.
County-Surveyor, James C. Black.
Commissioner-Revenue, upper end, Robert H. Henderson.
Commissioner-Revenue, lower end, James L. F. Campbell.
At the same time twenty-four members of the county court were elected by the people. In the year 1852, Washington county was divided into magisterial districts by Jonathan King, Washington Bishop, Robert B. Edmondson, Alexander Findlay, James C. Fulcher, James L. Davis, Michael W. Weathers, John M. Hamilton. L. L. Waterman, Peter S. Hanby and Whitley Fullen, commis-
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
sioners appointed for that purpose, and the members of the county court were divided into classes and held the court in the order arranged.
From this time forward, the magnificent specimen of manhood that so often adorned the old county court of this county grad- ually disappeared, and their places, in many instances, were filled by men who were able to control the voters, either by an appeal to party passion or corrupt measures.
The members of the county court were elected from this time until the year 1870, at which time the old county court system was abolished.
In the fall of the year 1850, a considerable revival was evidenced among the agricultural portion of the people of Washington county. After notice, a number of the citizens of the county assembled at the courthouse for the purpose of organizing an agricultural society for this county.
At this meeting, upon motion of Connally F. Trigg, Colonel Wil- liam Byars was elected chairman and John A. Campbell secretary, and the following resolution was adopted :
That the chair appoint a committee of five gentlemen to pre- pare and report a constitution to our next meeting, under which the agricultural society for Washington county shall be organized.
Thereupon the chairman appointed the following committee : Connally F. Trigg, chairman ; Wyndham Robertson, F. H. Preston, Samuel E. Goodson and William Y. C. White. The meeting then adjourned to the 28th day of September, 1850, on which day a large number of the leading citizens of the county met at the courthouse and adopted a constitution and by-laws and elected the following officers of the agricultural society.
President, William Byars.
Vice-Presidents, David Campbell, William C. Edmondson and James L. Davis.
Secretary, John A. Campbell.
Treasurer, John M. Preston.
Executive Committee, William Y. C. White, Lewis F. Cosby, Isaac Horne, F. H. Preston and John Baker.
The agricultural interest of Washington county was closely looked after, and prospered to a considerable extent for many years.
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Washington County, 1717-1870.
The General Assembly of Virginia at its session in the year 1849, incorporated the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company. and interest throughout this section of Virginia in the building of this railroad was greatly stimulated.
A railroad meeting was held at Abingdon on the first day of July court, 1849, for the purpose of electing delegates to a con- vention to be held at Christiansburg on the 7th of August. Gov- ernor Wyndham Robertson was elected chairman and Leo Shaver, secretary of the meeting, and on motion of John A. Campbell the chairman appointed John M. Preston, Dr. Snead. Jacob Lynch, C. F. Trigg and John A. Campbell a committee to draft resolu- tions expressive of the sense of the meeting. The meeting was addressed by Governor Robertson, who dwelt upon the paramount importance of the road to this section of Virginia.
John A. Campbell, chairman of the committee, reported the fol- lowing resolutions, which were adopted :
"Resolved. That we, the people of Washington county, respond cordially to the invitation made us by the county of Montgomery. to appoint delegates to the convention proposed to be held at Chris- tiansburg on the 7th of August, next. to take measures in aid of, and to promote subscriptions of stock to, the Virginia and Ten- nessee Railroad.
Resolved. That both local and general considerations urgently recommend this great work to the enlightened self-interest and the patriotism of the people of the whole Southwest.
Resolved, That twenty delegates be appointed in behalf of this county to attend the said convention: and that they be charged to cooperate heartily in any measure proposed by said convention, cai- culated to attain the desired object.
Pursuant to the third resolution, the chairman appointed the following-named gentlemen delegates to said convention : John M. Preston. Colonel William Byars. Major John Campbell, Willian: King Heiskell. William C. Edmondson, William Y. C. White. C. F. Trigg, Thomas L. Preston, John Gray. Charles B. Coale, John A. Campbell. Colonel Ota H. Ward. C. S. Bekem, John D. Mitchell, Colonel James L. Davis, Dr. N. Snead, William B. Byars, Dr. A. R. Preston, John C. Cummings and Colonel Abram Mongle.
The convention was held at Christiansburg, and in the month of
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
April, 1850, a corps of engineers were engaged in making a survey preparatory to the location of a railroad through this county.
Another mass meeting of the citizens of the county was held in Abingdon on the 25th day of August, 1850, for the purpose of elect- ing delegates to a railroad convention to be held in the town of Wytheville on the 11th of September, 1850, at which meeting Dr. Daniel Trigg presided and James T. Preston acted as secretary.
On the 20th of September, 1850, a railroad meeting was held at Elizabeth Chapel at Saltville, having for its object the election of delegates to a railroad convention to be held at Jeffersonville, on the 17th of October. The object of this convention was to have the Virginia and Tennessee railroad located from New river along Walker's creek and Holston Valley, passing Saltville. The pro- ceedings of said meeting were as follows:
"On motion, Major A. B. Trigg was called to the chair and William P. Bishop and William King were appointed secretaries.
The object of the meeting was explained by Dr. Robert Thurman, and the following-named persons appointed to report resolutions for the action of the meeting: Dr. Alex. McCall, Major Thomas Tate, Dr. Robert Thurman, H. D. Poston, Theo. G. Pearson, D. M. Hunter and John Roberts.
The committee retired and afterwards reported the following resolutions which were unanimously adopted :
Resolved, That it is expedient for the carrying out of the objects of this meeting that the committee hereby appointed shall solicit the concurrent support of the people of Russell, Tazewell, Washing- ton, Smyth, Wythe, Mercer, Giles, Boone, Monroe, Logan, Wyo- ming, Kanawha, Fayette and Greenbrier counties, in behalf of obtaining a survey for the Virginia and Tennessee railroad from New river along Walker's creek and Holston Valley, passing the Gypsum bank and Salt Works to the Tennessee line for intersection with the Tennessee railroad at the most convenient point.
Resolved, That a general meeting of the citizens of the aforesaid counties and others interested be held on the 17th day of October next, at Tazewell Courthouse, in aid of the aforesaid objects.
Resolved, That the following-named persons be appointed dele- gates to said convention : Tobias Smyth, James Kelly, W. W. Har- vey, James McNew, J. M. Ropp, Wyndham Robertson, Alex. McCall, D. M. Hunter, Thomas L. Preston, James T. Morehead, Robert Thurman, James Saunders, T. G. Pearson, H. D. Poston,
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
Whitley Fullen, O. H. Ward, John Roberts, Charles C. Taylor, Charles C. Campbell, Jerome Campbell, Jezrell Harman, P. C. Buchanan, Jr., Joseph Sexton, A. H. Cox, James Cox, Ransom Tilson, Martin Davis, William P. Milner, C. F. McDonald, G. W. Buchanan, John B. Tate, C. J. Shannon, P. C. Buchanan, Sr. and J. F. Baugh.
Resolved, That the names of the chairman and secretaries be added to the said delegation.
Resolved. That the Abingdon Democrat, Abingdon Virginian, Jeffersonville Democrat, Wytheville Republican and other papers friendly to the objects of this meeting be requested to publish its proceedings at the earliest time practicable.
On motion, the meeting adjourned.
A. B. TRIGG, Chairman.
W. P. BISHOP,
WILLIAM KING, Secretaries.
The County Court of Washington county, on the 28th of July, 1851, directed the election officers of this county to submit to the qualified voters of the county, at the next general election, the ques- tion whether the court of this county, on behalf of the county, should subscribe to the stock of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company the sum of $33,400, on condition that said road be put under contract to the Tennessee line the ensuing fall, and in the month of October, 1851, a great railroad meeting was held in Abingdon, at which meeting delegates attended from most of the counties of Southwestern Virginia and East Tennessee. The pro- ceedings of this meeting are here given.
On Wednesday last, pursuant to previous notice, a great railroad convention was held in Abingdon. It met at 12 M. and was tem- porarily organized by the call of Major John Campbell as chairman, and the appointment of Charles B. Coale and William King Heis- kell as secretaries.
On motion of C. F. Trigg, a committee of seven was appointed to select and report officers for the convention, whereupon the chair- man appointed the following gentlemen said committee-viz. : C. F. Trigg, I. B. Dunn, W. Y. C. White, P. J. Branch, J. L. Davis, Dr. T. M. Tate and Colonel William Byars.
The committee having retired for a few minutes, returned and reported the following nominations for officers, all of whom were unanimously elected.
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
For President, Hon. Seth J. Lucky, of Tennessee.
For Vice-Presidents, Colonel William L. Burwell, of Bedford; Colonel L. C. Haynes, of Tennessee; Colonel Thomas J. Boyd, of Wythe; Hon. William B. Preston, of Montgomery ; John S. Gaines, Esq., of Tennessee; E. S. Watson, Esq., of Smythe; Colonel Wil- liam Heiskell, of Tennessee.
For Secretaries, Charles B. Coale, Leonidas Baugh and William King HeiskelL
The names of the delegates were then recorded.
From Washington county, Virginia, there were several hundred delegates in attendance, and it was impossible to procure a list of them.
Smyth county-James F. Pendleton, Thomas L. Preston, James Saunders, Dr. Thomas M. Tate, H. D. Poston, Esq., Meade E. Smythe, Richard Haller, John C. Poston, William T. Campbell, E. S. Watson, Esq., Dr. William T. Thurman, William Porter, Esq., Robert Houston, Esq., A. H. Campbell, James C. Smythe, Dr. Robert Thurman, John C. Rogers, James Campbell, John Campbell, Thomas H. Thurman, Colonel Hiram A. Greever, John H. Barton, John Pride and Robert Goolsby.
Wythe county-Colonel Thomas Boyd, Mitchell B. Tate, Charles S. Crockett, Esq. and P. S. Buckingham, Esq.
Bedford county-William M. Burwell, Esq.
Scott county-Samuel V. Fulkerson, Esq.
Russell county-Richard H. Lynch, Dr. John T. Smith, John McElheny and Charles L. Creigh.
Montgomery county-Hon. William B. Preston.
Emory and Henry College-Professor Edmund Longley.
Richmond city-Wyndham Robertson.
Giles county-(as alternates), Colonel Thomas J. Boyd, Dr. Thomas M. Tate and Colonel S. E. Goodson.
From Tennessee.
Sullivan county-Robert P. Rhea, Samuel Rhea, William Lynn, James W. Preston, John S. Gaines, George M. Bachman, Rev. S. D. Grimes, Hon. A. McClellan, A. B. Tipton, General James Dulancy, Eli Marsh, Cyrus King, D. Willoughby, Benjamin Pemberton, David McClellan, James Crockett, John G. King, William Wil- loughby, John L. Keys, William Odell, Leander G. Dryden and Leander M. King.
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
Jefferson county-William F. Anderson and Samuel N. Fain.
Green county-John McGaughey, Peter Earnest and Colonel Loyd Pilghman, Chief Engineer of the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad.
Washington county-Dr. Samuel B. Cunningham, Colonel Lan- don C. Haynes, Hon. Seth J. Lucky, William G. Gammon, Joseph S. Rhea, Samuel D. Mitchell, Isaac MePherson, Henry Young, George Grisham, John A. Wilds, William H. Crouch, Albert S. Graham and Colonel A. E. Jackson.
MeMinn-Thomas L. Preston, W. Y. C. White and Colonel Wil- liam King Heiskell as alternates.
Monroe county-Colonel William King Heiskell.
Carter county-N. J. Taylor, Colonel William C. Emmert and Nathaniel M. Taylor, Esq.
Caldwell county, North Carolina-Colonel William A. Lenoir.
Huntsville, Alabama-Dr. L. B. Sheffey.
The chair appointed Messrs. W. Robertson and C. F. Trigg to conduct the president-elect to the chair, who promptly and cheer- fully performed that duty, when the president indulged in a few brief and eloquent remarks explanatory of the object of the con- vention, and closed by calling upon the president of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad Company (General O. G. Clay) for an exposition of the condition and prospects of the work.
General Clay, having complied, stated that but the comparatively insignificant sum of $200,000 was wanting to complete the work from Lynchburg to the Tennessee line. On motion of C. F. Trigg, Esq., Professor Edmund Longley, who was present, and who had been appointed a delegate to this convention, by a meeting of the students of Emory and Henry College, was invited to take a seat and participate in the deliberations of the convention.
It was moved by Wyndham Robertson, Esq., that a committee of seven be appointed to prepare a series of resolutions for the con- sideration of this convention; whereupon the president appointed the following gentlemen said committee: W. Robertson, Esq., Dr. S. B. Cunningham, Colonel S. E. Goodson, Hon. A. McClellan, Thomas L. Preston, Esq., Captain J. A. Campbell and William King Heiskell, Esq.
The committee having retired, in response to a call made upon him, Colonel L. C. Haynes, of Tennessee, entertained the audience
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Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786.
for more than an hour, with a most thrilling, eloquent and unanswerable address, in advocacy of this great improvement; at the close of which (the committee not having returned), Colonel William M. Burwell, of Bedford, was loudly called for and briefly, but eloquently, addressed the convention.
The committee returned, but not having accomplished their work;
On motion, the convention adjourned till to-morrow morning at ten o'clock.
The convention, in pursuance of adjournment yesterday, assem- bled at ten o'clock.
A number of ladies were present on the morning of the second day, blessing and cheering the members of the convention and those in attendance, with their smiles and presence, urging us on to renewed efforts in behalf of this great work, for their sakes, at least, if not for our own.
Colonel John McGaughey, being called upon for that purpose, occupied the stand for a short time, during which he advocated the speedy completion of this great railroad line, and deprecated that want of energy and nerve that has lost to so many forlorn bachelors a prize worth more than all the gold of California; and the lack of which is so detrimental to the interests of our great railroad.
After Mr. McGaughey concluded, the committee appointed yes- terday, through its chairman, Wyndham Robertson, Esq., submitted the following resolutions-viz. :
Resolved, That all history has shown, and all experience still attests, that an easy and convenient means of intercourse between men and of a ready interchange of the products of labor, if not the main spring, is yet the indispensable condition of human progress and national power, and of all the ameliorations, social, moral, political and material, that follow in their train.
Resolved, That from the introduction of railroads to the present day, a like unvarying experience, wherever they have been tried, has fully established their vast and yet unrealized importance to the cause of civilization and of natural and individual wealth- outstripping in their results, year after year, all previous calcula- tions of their capacity for usefulness, and that, in view of the over- whelming array of concurrent proof, we feel authorized to declare,
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Washington County, 1777-1870.
that, in our opinion, the value of the railroad is no more than the value of light and heat, of the steamboat or mariner's compass, open to question.
Resolved, That among the projected railway communications of the day, we recognize the great southwestern national route-pass- ing through Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee-which pur- poses to connect, through the most favorable depression of the Alle- ghanies, the waters and people of the West and South with the waters and people of the East and North, which, in particular, by the most direct location possible across the Union connects New Orleans with the seat of the national government and the eastern cities, and which promises at no distant day to offer the most direct practicable connection between our Pacific and Atlantic borders, as second in importance to no other, exerting, as it must, a great and most beneficent influence on all the great interests of our coun- try-commercial, social and political.
Resolved, That the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad and the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, occupying the very throat of the pass between the West and East, form a most interesting portion of this great line and must largely share in the mighty results to flow from it; and yet more, because, viewed in its local aspects, their result must inevitably be to augment production, cheapen transportation, increase population and diffuse knowledge, they pre-eminently deserve the fostering care of the States in which they lie, and present the strongest claims on them and on the people along the line, to a most liberal support.
Resolved, That, connected by the strong ties of vicinage with our sister State of Tennessee and by the bond of a common interest in the prosecution of this great line of improvement, this conven- tion feels at liberty and does most earnestly appeal to the authori- ties of the State to lend their liberal aid and cooperation to our fellow-citizens of East Tennessee, who are now laboring, with inade- quate means, but enlightened and patriotic spirit, to construct the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad.
Resolved, That the Legislature of Virginia, by its generous par- ticipation in the expenses of the construction of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, by the liberal charter granted it and by the wise policy it encourages by authorized county subscriptions to public works, has well and wisely discharged a high public duty,
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and receive the merited tribute of the acknowledgments of this convention.
Resolved, That while we consider the ultimate completion and triumphant success of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad as beyond all contingency, we yet deem its early construction through- out the line to its western terminus to be of the highest importance, and to insure that, it is only necessary to put forth renewed exer- tions ; that we entertain no doubt whatever of the great value of its stock, and, confidently recommending it as a safe and valuable investment, we earnestly invite present subscribers, so far as they can, to enlarge their subscriptions, and particularly appeal to those who are able to aid in the enterprise and situated so as necessarily to share its benefits, but who from whatever reasons have. heretofore held back, now that its final completion is certain, to come up to the work and no longer refuse to share its preliminary burdens.
Resolved, That we recommend the appointment of committees for the various counties interested in this improvement to solicit individual subscriptions and a standing central committee in the county of Washington, and that such subscriptions be on the condi- tion that steps be taken by the company during the present fall to place the road under contract through its whole length.
Resolved, That in the opinion of this convention, the counties along the line of the road will derive benefits from a subscription to the road in increased wages to the laborer, increased prices of the farming products and lands, in the increased amount of circulating money, in increased variety of employments, and the early and per- manent reduction of county taxes, so great as to render a small tem- porary provision for any required loan scarcely felt as a burden, and felt in all time after as the source of unmixed benefits.
Resolved, That the company shall apply its present resources first to completing and putting in operation the first division ter- minating at Salem ; secondly, the grading and masonry of remaining. divisions to the Tennessee line; relying upon the remaining resources after the said grading and masonry shall have been com- pleted and upon further subscriptions to purchase the iron neces- tion.
Resolved, That we deem the uninterrupted prosecution and ear- liest possible completion of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad to be commended by every consideration of sound policy; that we
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Washington County, 1977-1870.
applaud the energetic policy which has heretofore marked its man- agement, and express the undoubting confidence that a persistence in it will insure within a period of three years from this day its triumphant consummation.
A call being made for Hon. William Ballard Preston, he arose and took the stand and entertained a large and attentive audience for two or three hours, with a speech of great force and eloquence, in which he showed the importance of this road, not only as a local or State work, but as a great national work, and as an important link in the great chain of railway communication that is destined to convey the productions of the Eastern Hemisphere to Europe, and to the Eastern shores of this country.
On motion the convention adjourned until this evening at half past four o'clock.
EVENING SESSION.
The first business in order was the report of the Committee on Resolutions, but before any action was taken thereon, a call was made on the "distinguished gentleman from Bedford," Mr. William M. Burwell, who entertained the convention for more than two hours with a masterly address in favor of the great line from New Orleans to Norfolk.
The convention now took a recess for one hour. On reassembling at candle-light, Sidney Baxter, Esq., having appeared as a delegate from the city of Richmond and being introduced to the conven- tion, proceeded to address it for a short time.
After Mr. Baxter "wound up," the resolutions of the Committee on Business coming up in order, they were unanimously adopted.
Thomas L. Preston, Esq., then introduced the following resolu- tion :
Resolved. That this convention highly approve of the proposed General Railroad Convention to be held at New Orleans, on the first Monday in January next, and request the appointment by the president, on its behalf, of five delegates thereto.
Hon. William Ballard Preston, submitted the following, which was adopted :
Resolved, That a committee of seven be appointed by the chair, to prepare, after the adjournment of this body, an address to the country setting forth the character, advantages and relations, State. National and international, of the Southwest Virginia and East
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Tennessee Railroad, and that the same, with the resolutions adopted by this convention, be respectfully presented, on its behalf, to the legislatures of the two States.
Mr. Robertson moved that the President have leave to appoint the several committees required under different resolutions of the convention, after its adjournment, which motion was agreed to.
The following resolution was on motion of Mr. McGaughey unanimously adopted :
Resolved, That the thanks of this convention are due to the people of Abingdon and its vicinity for their bountiful hospitality, and to the ladies for their countenance and support to this con- vention.
The president being requested to vacate the chair, Colonel Wil- liam M. Burwell was requested to occupy it for a few minutes, when on the motion of John A. Campbell, Esq., "the thanks of the convention were unanimously tendered to Hon. Seth J. Lucky, for the dignity, ability and impartiality with which he presided over the deliberations of this convention."
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