USA > West Virginia > History and government of West Virginia > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
2
F
.
1
.
.
.
.
4
4
4
3
AA
.
Mi
-
4
M
M
MA
Gc 975.4 L58hi 1707636
MV. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02269 5875
٠٠
CAPITOL OF WEST VIRGINIA, CHARLESTON (Destroyed by fire in Juovary , 1921).
HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT
OF
WEST VIRGINIA
BY VIRGIL A. LEWIS, A.M., STATE HISTORIAN AND ARCHIVIST
Ex-State Superintendent of Free Schools; Member of the American Historical Association; Member of the American Political Science Association; Member of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association; Member of the Ohio Valley Historical Asso- ciation; Author of a general " His- tory of. West Virginia," etc., etc.
NEW CENTURY EDITION
NEW YORK .:. CINCINNATI .:. CHICAGO AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY
F 864 .498
2
1707636
Copyright, 1896, 1904 and 1912, by VIRGIL A. LEWIS.
Copyright, 1922, by AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY.
Copyright, 1923, by ELIZABETH LEWIS.
E. P. 26
MADE IN U. S. A.
-
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historygovernmen00lewi
INTRODUCTION.
The idea of preparing a history of West Virginia as a text-book for use in the public and private schools of the State was not born of a sudden impulse. For more than a quarter of a century the author was engaged in public school work, and nearly all that time in active classwork in the schoolroom. While so engaged he became strongly impressed with the fact that any course of instruction is seriously defective if it does not include a study that enables pupils to grow familiar with the history of their own State and people. History is also entitled to a place in the curriculum because it possesses high value as a character-builder, because its subject-matter is in itself deeply interesting, and because it readily leads into other subjects of the school course.
This book has been prepared for the use of schools, and its aim is to place in the hands of the children of West Virginia a faithful, non-sectarian and non-partisan history of the State in which they will eventually have to discharge the duties of citizens or residents. As West Virginia is one of the many States composing the Great Republic, enough of national history has been interwoven to enable the pupil to perceive in what manner and to what extent the local laws, customs and institutions of the State have been affected by events occurring in the progress of the Nation.
With the view of making pupils more familiar with the lives of such characters as have borne conspicuous parts in the history of the State, and that they may have before
3
4
INTRODUCTION.
them high examples from their own localities, of what individuals of this and preceding generations have been able to achieve in the different walks of life, a consider- able number of short biographical sketches have been inserted as foot-notes or otherwise. The small size of the work does not permit these sketches to be as full as they should be; but it is hoped that when these have been read, the interest of the pupil will be sufficiently aroused to lead to the seeking for more complete information from other sources, regarding not only those herein mentioned, but the hundreds of others whose names are prominent in our annals.
It has been the endeavor of the author to prepare a volume, however humble, of authentic and unimpeach- able history. If he has succeeded in his effort, he has at least contributed something to the cause of public edu. cation. And it is his hope that this contribution will enable the pupil to begin that preparation that will, in the future, make it possible for him to sketch for himself or others a picture showing in accurate outlines and features the noted men and events that go to make up the history of West Virginia.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PART I.
CHAP. I .- A Geographical and Physical View 7-13, CHAP. II .- The Mound Builders of West Virginia-Pre- historic Time 14-23
CHAP. III .- The Founding of European Colonies on the Atlantic Coast-From 1607 to 1669 24-34
CHAP. IV .- Exploration and First Permanent Settle- ment-From 1669 to 1735. 35-13
CHAP. V .- Important Events in the Early History of the State-From 1735 to 1754 44-58
CHAP. VI .- The French and Indian War-From 1754 to 1763 59-73
CHAP. VII .- An Era of Peace-Pioneer Settlements- From 1763 to 1773 74-84
CHAP. VIII .- Lord Dunmore's War -- The Battle of Point Pleasant-From 1773 to 1775. 85-94
CHAP. IX. West Virginia During the Revolutionary War-From 1775 to 1783. 95-114
CHAP. X-West Virginia After the Revolution-From 1783 to 1795 115-130
CHAP. XI .- West Virginia at the Close of the Eighteenth Century - From 1795 to 1800 131-138
CHAP. XII .- The Lewis and Clark Expedition -Burr- Blennerhassett Conspiracy-Steam Navigation on the Ohio River -- From 1800 to 1811. 139-150
CHAP. XIII .- The War of 1812-Newspapers-From 1811 to 1825 151-160
CHAP. XIV .- Constitutional Changes and Other Events -- From 1825 to 1842 161-167
5
6 HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA.
CHAP. XV .- Jurisdiction Over the Ohio-Constitutional Convention-Insurrection at Harper's Ferry-From 1842 to 1860. 168-178 CHAP. XVI .- Division of Virginia and Formation of West Virginia-From 1860 to 1861 179-185
CHAP. XVII .- The New State-From 1861 to 1863 186-189
CHAP. XVIII .- West Virginia Under First Constitution -From 1863 to 1865. 190-199
CHAP XIX .- The State Under the First Constitution (Continued)-From 1863 to 1865 200-206
CHAP. XX .- The State Under the First Constitution (Continued)-From 1865 to 1870. 207-216
CHAP. XXI .- The State Under the First Constitution (Concluded)-From 1870 to 1872. 217-223
CHAP. XXII .- The State Under the Present Constitution -From 1872 to 1881 224-231
CHAP. XXIII .- The State Under the Present Constitu- tion (Continued)-From 1881 to 1889. 232-242
CHAP. XXIV .- The State Under the Present Constitu- tion (Continued)-From 1889 to 1893 243-251
CHAP. XV .- The State Under the Present Constitution (Continued)-From 1893 to the Present Time. 252-274
PART II.
CHAP. I .- The Relation of the State to the Nation 275-278 CHAP. II .- The State Government 279-282 The Constitution of the State. 283-346 534 Questions on the State Constitution. 347-383 State, County and District Government of West Virginia. 384-398 Population of West Virginia by Counties 399, 402 Map of West Virginia. 400-401
Act of Congress Admitting West Virginia into the Union. 403-405 State Officials. 406-410
THE COUNTIES OF WEST VIRGINI.1 411-416
---
HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF
WEST VIRGINIA.
FROM PREHISTORIC TIMES TO THE PERMANENT SETTLEMENT OF WHITE MEN IN THE STATE.
PART I. HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA. CHAPTER I.
A GEOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL VIEW.
1. Geographical Position of the State .- West Virginia lies chiefly on the western slope of the Appa- lachian Mountain System, and is situated between 37° 6' and 40° 38' north latitude, and between oº 40' and 5° 35' longitude west from Washington. It is territorially bounded on the north by Ohio, Pennsyl- vania and Maryland; on the east, by Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia; on the south, by Virginia and Kentucky, and on the west, by Kentucky and Ohio.
7
8
HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA.
2. Description of Boundary Lines .- West Vir- ginia is the most irregular in shape of all the States of the American Union. Why this is so, will appear as we progress in the study of its history. No legal description of its boundary lines has been prepared, but may be given thus: Beginning at a point on the summit of the Blue Ridge, one mile east of Harper's Ferry, where the Potomac breaks through that moun- tain barrier; thence with the said river to the mouth of the South Branch thereof; thence with the mean- derings of the North Branch to its source or first fountain, thence with the meridian passing through the said first fountain due north to the southern boundary of Pennsylvania; thence due west to the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, and thence due north to the low water mark on the west bank of the Ohio river; thence with the said low water mark along the Ohio, to the mouth of the Big Sandy river; thence with that river and Tug Fork thereof, to the mouth of Knox Creek; thence to the western extremity of the dividing ridge now separating Virginia and West Virginia, and thence with the lines separating the several adjoining counties of the two States to the place of beginning. To travel around the state by the boundary thus described, would require a journey of 1,170 miles.
3. Extent and Area of the State .- The total area of the state is 24,715 square miles, of which 135 square miles are water surface. This area is almost twenty times that of Rhode Island; twelve times that of Delaware; five times that of Connecticut; three
9
A GEOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL VIEW.
times that of Massachusetts, and more than twice that of Maryland. The longest straight line that can be drawn across the State is that between a point on the Blue Ridge, one mile east of Harper's Ferry, and Vir- ginia Point, at the mouth of Big Sandy river; it measures 27434 miles. The longest line that can be drawn through the State from north to south, if extended from the northern limit of Hancock county to a point on Dividing Ridge, on the southern border of McDowell county, would measure 245 miles.
4. Physical Features of West Virginia .- West Virginia is often called the "Little Mountain State." This is due to the presence of the western ridges of the Appalachian Mountain System, which extend parallel through the east- ern part of the State. These mountains are grouped under the gen- eral term of Alleghanies, but are known by various local names in different parts of the State: as the Greenbrier, Peters', Big Clear, the Yew Pine, the Gauley, the Black, the MOUNTAIN SCENE IN RANDOLPH COUNTY. Rich, the Cheat, the South Fork, the North Fork, the Jersey, the North mountains and others. Amid the lofty elevations the scenery rivals in grandeur and beauty any to be found elsewhere on the conti- nent, or, perhaps, in the world. For this reason the
IO HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA.
State is frequently spoken of as the "Switzerland of America."
.5. The Plateau Region of West Virginia .- The mountain elevations around the sources of the Tug, Twelve Pole, Guyandotte and Cole rivers in the counties of Mingo, Logan, McDowell, Wyoming and Raleigh, are but a northern continuation of the Cumberland range of Tennessee and Kentucky, and they stand upon the Cumberland Plateau, which extends northward centrally through West Virginia, to the southern boundary of Pennsylvania. Upon this elevation lies all the hilly portion between the mountains and the Ohio river. This is the most extensive region of the State; its general character is that of vast ranges of hills with ever recurring valleys and ever changing scenes.
6. Elevation Above Sea Level .- The altitude of a country is a subject of much interest, for it not only determines in a great measure, the climatic conditions and products, but largely, the character of the inhabi- tants. The following elevations have been ascertained by the United States Geological Survey and may therefore be taken as accurate. At the mouth of Big Sandy river, the altitude is 510 feet above the Gulf of Mexico; at Wheeling, 645 feet; at the source of the Twelve Pole river, 997 feet; at Harper's Ferry, 279 feet above Chesapeake Bay; at the mouth of Tygart's Valley river, 875 feet; Loudoun Heights, Jefferson county, 1,000 feet; Little North Mountains, Berkeley county, 1,000 feet; Sleepy Creek Mountains, between Berkeley and Morgan counties, 1,500 feet; Mann
II
A GEOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL VIEW.
Knob, Wayne county, 1, 437 feet; Powell Knob, Gilmer county, 1,460 feet; Bragg Knob, Clay county, 1, 674 feet; High Knob, Braxton county, 1,720 feet; Milam Ridge, Wyoming county, 2,500 feet; East River Mountain and Stoney Ridge, Mercer county, 2,500 feet; Mitchell Ridge, Raleigh county, 3,000 feet; Flat Top Mountain, between Raleigh and Mercer counties, 3,500 feet; Swope's Knob, Monroe county, 3,000 feet; Big Sewell mountains, Fayette county, 3,500 feet; South Branch mountain, Hardy county, 3,000 feet; Keeney's Knob, Summers county, 3,955 feet; Cold Knob, Greenbrier county, 4,318 feet; High Knob, Randolph county, 4,710 feet; Spruce Knob, Pocahontas county, 4,730 feet; Spruce Knob, Pendle- ton county, 4,860 feet. The latter is the greatest elevation yet determined in the State.
7. The Rivers of West Virginia .- The whole of the State lies within the Mississippi basin, except the counties of Berkeley, Morgan, Jefferson, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, Grant and Pendleton, which lie east of the mountains and belong to the Atlantic Slope drainage. All of the State west of the mountains, is drained into the Ohio by the Big Sandy, Twelve Pole, Guyandotte, Great Kanawha, Little Kanawha and Monongahela rivers, with smaller streams, all of which flow in a northwest direction. The Big Sandy river forms the boundary between West Virginia and Kentucky. The Great Kanawha has its source in western North Carolina, and its upper course above its junction with the Gauley river, is known as New River; its principal tributaries are the Greenbrier, the
-
12 HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA.
Gauley, the Elk, the Coal* and Pocatalico rivers. The principal tributary of the Little Kanawha is Hughes river which was once called Junius' river. The Monongahela, in its course, receives the waters of the Cheat and Tygart's Valley rivers. That portion! of the state east of the mountains, is drained by the South Branch of the Potomac, the Opequon and Caca- pon rivers and several smaller streams.
8. Source of Six Rivers .- From the lofty apex of the mountain region which connects the counties of Pocahontas, Ran- Buckhannon Orphan jKeten- dolph and Pendle- V N Belington Hor Devil Vandalia Sand Run Do. Gilmad ATS . NORA Sago Shreve's Harding Day's Mills Yokun ton, flow six beau- MTG Too Mile Queens tiful mountain M.Y.5 M Furto Alton Palace PENDLETON rivers, five of FAS Lacker Valley Lee which drain the . : TIL MIS. Pickenx Franklin CHEAT OUT 0 TSH.A VELIZY MIDDLE. principal part of -Blue Top of Alleghany. · Dry Run o.Spring A Split Rock o South the State. These T Giaco Ediray ON are the South MOUNTA BLACK UT Sugar Grov H M Point Greendrie C Branch of the Po- Hunters(! BIRTHPLACE OF RIVERS. tomac, Cheat riv- er, the Tygart's Valley river, the Elk river, the Greenbrier river and Jackson's river, the latter of which has its
* The statement that this river was named for Samuel Cole and should be spelled C-o-1-e is a mistake. In 1742, John Peter Salley with John Howard, Josiah Howard and Charles St. Clair, left Augusta county, Virginia; crossed the mountains; descended New River to Richmond Falls; thence traveled westward to another river which they descended, and because "In those mountains we found great plenty of coals * * * we named it Coal River, " and such it is today. From the mouth of the Great Kanawha they descended the Ohio which had been discovered by the French explorer Robert, Cavalier la Salle, in 1669.
13
A GEOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL VIEW.
source beyond the State line and flows away to join the historic James river of Virginia. Each of the five rivers flowing through West Virginia has its first fountain on the highest elevation of the Alleghanies and two of them find their way to mingle their waters with those of Chesapeake Bay, whilst three of them by way of the Ohio and Mississippi, discharge their waters into the Gulf of Mexico. This mountain ele- vation may be called the "Birthplace of Rivers."
9. Where Our History has been Made .- It was here in the valleys of the rivers of West Virginia, upon the hills and amid the mountain fastnesses, that the events which go to make up the history of our State, have taken place. And we are now to learn of them, that hereafter we may study the history of other States and of the Nation; but before we can successfully do that, we must know the history of our own State. It will be a task of rare interest to all who shall carefully study it and thus learn how the territory within the State has been changed from a howling wilderness inhabited by wild beasts and savage men, to a land of schools, churches and thou- sands of happy homes, the abode of a brave and intel- ligent people who dare to maintain the enduring State as a part of the great Nation.
"No tyrant here can wield the accursed rod Where all breathe the atmosphere of God ! This goodly land by Nature's stern decree Was preordained a land of liberty."
CHAPTER II.
THE MOUND BUILDERS AND INDIANS OF WEST VIRGINIA.
Prehistoric Time-Continued.
1. The First Inhabitants of West Virginia .- Before entering upon the study of the history of our
MAMMOTH MOUND AT MOUNDSVILLE.
*This Mound is one of the greatest prehistoric monuments in America. It is 245 feet in diameter at the base; 79 feet in height, with apex flat and 50 feet in diameter. The first white man who saw it, so far as known, was Joseph Tomlinson, who built his cabin near it in 1770. Soon after, while hunting, he came upon a strange looking hill rising abruptly from the level plain. Pro- ceeding to his cabin, he returned with bis wife and the two made
14
15
MOUND BUILDERS AND INDIANS.
State, it is proper that we make inquiry regarding the people who dwelt here before the coming of white men. Who the first inhabitants were we 1XXXX4X 5 do not know, for all the ages through which the New World passed, prior to its dis- covery by Columbus, are destitute of his- tory and chronology. SCULPTURED STONE, FOUND IN MOUND AT MOUNDSVILLE.+ But that a race, now called Mound Build- ers, far superior to the Indians, once existed on this continent, there can be not the least doubt. From the Atlantic on the east, to the Pacific on the west, and from the Great Lakes on the north to the Gulf
the ascent where they stood upon the summit-the first English speaking people on the top of this, one of the greatest mounds on the continent; from that day to this it has stood the wonder of all Leholders, and such, if not destroyed by the hand of man, it will continue to be through centuries to come. The Mound was opened in 1838, a tunnel ten feet wide and seven feet high being made along the natural surface to the center (a distance of 111 feet) to a vault. Then a shaft was sunk from the apex to connect with the tunnel. Two large vaults were discovered which con- tained human skeletons, copper rings, bracelets, plates of mica,. ivory beads and ornaments. Within two feet of one of the skele- tons was found the Inscribed Stone.
tThis stone was found in the Mammoth Mound in 1838. The inscription is in unknown characters, resembling those used by the Scandinavian priests before the introduction of the Roman alphabet. It has never been deciphered and nothing like it has ever been found in America. It has attracted more attention
16 HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA.
on the south, we trace them by the mounds which are to be found in almost every county of West Virginia, and throughout the Mississippi Valley and by the ruined structures in the south western part of our coun- try. But, who were they? What their origin, and what their fate ? Alas, we shall never know ! Contem- porary history furnishes no aid, for they were isolated from all the world beside. They have disappeared from the earth with not a line of recorded history left behind them.
"Antiquity appears to have begun
Long after their primeval race was run."-Campbell.
2. The Ancestors of the Indians .- Were the Mound Builders the ancestors of the Indians ? It is not prob- able that they were. At the time of the discovery of America, in 1492, many thousands of individuals, ex- isting in all the various conditions of society, from the lowest stage of barbarism, to that of a half civilized state,
from scientists and antiquarians at home and abroad than any other relic found in the United States. The characters are now conceded to be of European origin, and, if this be true, then there is evidence that Europeans visited this continent before the com- ing of Columbus. But who were they? No reply can be made beyond the fact that they were of those acquainted with some ancient alphabet known and used along the coast and among the islands of the European continent. Powell, the antiquarian, says: "Four of the characters correspond to the ancient Greek, four to the Etruscan, five to the Norse, six to the Gaelic, seven to the old Erse, and ten to the Phoenician." Certain it is that these char- acters were those of the ancient rock alphabet consisting of right and acute angled strokes used by the Pelasgi and other early Med- iterranean people and which is the parent of the modern Runic as well as of the Bardic. How came this Stone to be in a West Virginia mound is a question which scientists and antiquarians will continue to ask, but one which will never be auswered.
I7
MOUND BUILDERS AND INDIANS.
were found roaming from place to place in the Ameri- can wilderness. They were altogether ignorant of the country from which their ancestors had come, and of the period at which they had been transplanted to the New World. And, although there were traditions among them seeming to cast some light upon these subjects, yet, when thoroughly investigated, they tended rather to bewilder than to lead to any satis- factory conclusions. They knew no more of the work of the Mound Builders than we do.
3. The Tribal Organizations of the Indians .- The Indians, though seeming to know nothing what- ever of any form of national government, nevertheless existed in great tribal organizations, each having its distinctive characteristics and name, and each con- fined, in a way, to certain geographical limits and under the leadership of ruling chiefs. Thus, in New England, were the Pequods and Narragansetts; in New York and Pennsylvania, the Six Nations; in Virginia, the Powhatans; in Tennessee and other southern states, the Cherokees, Creeks, Catawbas, Seminoles and Yamasees, while north and west of the Ohio dwelt the Miamas, Potawatamies and several . other tribes.
4. The Indians of West Virginia .- That part of the present State of West Virginia south of the Great Kanawha river was claimed by the Cherokees, while the region drained by that stream and its tribu- taries, was occupied by the Shawnees, one of the most warlike tribes with which the white people came in contact; they had towns within the present county
18 HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA.
of Greenbrier, and a large one at the mouth of Old Town creek, in Mason county; this latter they aban- doned about the year 1763. That part of the State between the Little Kanawha river and the present site of Wheeling, was the hunting ground of the Mingos, who had their towns on the northern bank of the Ohio, near where Steubenville now stands. The val- ley of the Mononga- hela river was occu- ٠١ ١١١٠ pied by the Delawares, while the region now embraced in the coun- ties of Morgan, Berke- ley and Jefferson, was AN INDIAN WARRIOR. the home of the Tus- caroras, which tribe removed from North Carolina in 1712, and, becoming one of the Confederated Tribes afterward known as the Six Nations, set- tled here. Tuscarora creek, which flows through the city of Martinsburg, derives its name from this tribe.
5. The Supremacy of the Six Nations .- The most powerful Indian Confederacy in America was that of. the Six Nations, or the Five Nations, before
19
MOUND BUILDERS AND INDIANS.
it was joined by the Tuscaroras; until then, it was composed of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagos, Cayugas and Senecas. The names of rivers and lakes in western New York indicate the former resi- dence of these tribes. Fierce and warlike, they tri- umphed over the Eries, Susquehannas and other eastern nations. Then turning southward, they carried their victorious arms to the Tennessee, and westward to the shores of Lake Superior, and in 1675, they com- pelled allegiance on the part of the Delawares, Shaw- nees and other tribes. Thus, by conquest, they established their title to all the territory between the Alleghany mountains and the Great Lakes, and thus their rule was supreme in West Virginia. The Indians residing here acknowledged their su- premacy.
6. The West Virginia Hunting Grounds .- During the period of Indian occupation, West Virginia was a favorite hunting ground for many tribes. Over these extensive wilds, herds of bison, elk and deer roamed at will, all the way from the Alleghanies to the Ohio, and bear and muchother game abounded in all this region. Here the Indian built his wigwam along the courses of the streams, and then chased the game through the dense forests, or wended his way along the war-path against the foe of his own race who had dared to trespass upon his hunting grounds.
7. Indian Battlefields Within the State .- Long before the coming of white men to West Virginia, the Indians quarreled and warred among themselves
20 HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA.
and engaged in many bloody battles. Traditions of these struggles were preserved and communi- cated to the white settlers when they came to occupy the land. A bloody battle occurred about the year 1700, opposite the mouth of Antietam Creek, now in Jefferson county, on the Potomac river, between the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.