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Go 975.401 W53m 1281147
M. L
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02276 8847
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historyofwetzelc00mcel 0
PHOTO. BY LEMMON.
yours Truly
.HISTORY ....
- -- OF-
WETZEL COUNTY,
WEST VIRGINIA.
BY-
JOHN C., MCELDOWNEY, JR.
1901.
1281147 PREFACE.
The History of Wetzel County runs from the year of 1772 to the present time. The author has used great pains in securing the most important events during that time, and has succeeded as far as the interesting matter is concerned, though there may be a few incidents left out for the want of data. The most im- portant ones have been secured. There may be incidents in the history of the county that would not only speak bad of the morality of the county, but would bring back remembrances of unhappy days, and things that would sadden the pages of Wet- zel's History. Wetzel county for years has been suffering with a name that she does not deserve, and she is gradually blotting it out. In the history of the county there are a great many men whose lives should have been mentioned in the book but were not, from the fact that the author could not secure anything concerning them. The author has put in four months in se- curing information and in writing this history. It does not require very much of an education to write a book of this kind. You can see that when glancing over the pages.
THE AUTHOR.
+
CONTENTS.
Prehistoric Races of Wetzel 5,6
Indians.
7
Lewis Wetzel 9, 20
Simon Girty 21,22
Fort Henry
.23,27
David Morgan's Adventure 28, 30
Levi Morgan . 31,34
Edward Doolin. 35, 36
Morgan Morgan 37,38 The Story of Crow's Run 39, 40
The Drygoos or the Two Half Indians . 41,42
Massacre of Handsucker Family
43
Harman Blennerhasset
44
French Traveler 45
Notes on the Death of Logan's Family
46, 48
Battle of Captina.
49,51
George Bartrug
52
Pressley Martin
53
Old Hundred. 54
Abraham Hanes 55
Sampson Thistle 56
R. W. Cox.
57
John Moore
58
John F. Lacey 59,77
J. P. Dolliver
78
Dr. T. M. Haskins 79, 80
Friend Cox .. 81,83
Ebenezer Clark
84,85
Isaac Smith, 109 Years Old 86, 87
Wm. Little. 88 Jeremiah Williams 89
Robert McEldowney, Sr. 90 Judgs Thos. I. Stealey . .91, 92
Formation of Wetzel County .93,94,95
Officers of Wetzel County 95
Col. Robert McEldowney 96
Capt. John McCaskey
97
Elijah Morgan. Basil T. Bowers ..
99
Capt. Friend C. Cox
100, IOI
Judge M. H. Willis
102, 103
Ex-Judge T. P. Jacobs
104
Banks of Wetzel 105, 106
Churches of New Martinsville 107, 108
Newspapers of Wetzel
109
Jennings Gang,
IIO, 127
The Ghost of Gamble's Run 128, 130
Towns of Wetzel County 131, 158
Education of Wetzel County. 159, 162
An Indian Massacre near the Borders of Wetzel County . . 163, 165 The Heroism of Mrs. Bozarth. 166
An Indian Massacre in Tyler County . 167
Adam Poe's Famous Fight With Big Foot. 168, 169
Sad Death of Captain Van Buskirk. 170, 17I .
Murder of the Two Misses Crow .172, 173
Fourth Judicial Circuit. 174, 186
Philip G. Bier G. A. R. Post. 181
Wetzel Lodge No. 39, A. F. & A. M .182, 183
98
PREHISTORIC RACES OF WETZEL COUNTY.
The known history of this valley covers but a short period of time, probably 125 years, since the advent of the present race. The Indian at that time was its only inhabitant. He was not at all an industrious being, but a free man, whose home was wherever he chanced to place his wigwam. It is plain to be seen that a race more civilized and industrious inhabited this valley and the whole United States. Whether they were of the same race as the Indian, will never be known, but we do know that they were more thriving and industrious. The earth works that are found, in so many parts of this valley, are, no doubt, the works of a previous race. The stone imple- ments, that are found in so many parts of this valley, are con- structed out of a material that man at this genius world, deem not pliable. There was a mound, at one time, situated on the shore of the Ohio river, on the farm now owned by John C. McEldowney, a mound which was possessed of a rare an- tiquity. The following is a sketch taken from the January 19, 1901, edition of the Wheeling Register:
"The river bank below the fair grounds, opposite the amphi- theatre, was possessed at one time of a mound, that was very antique. The mound, which is now part of the Ohio river, was at that time as high as the bank is to-day, it being very much isolated from the shore. It was often used as a place of re- sort, to boys from the years of 1840 to 1850. Samuel Mc- Eldowney at that time lived near the spot, where the mound was situated. Many stone hatchets, tomahawks, spears, neck- laces, earrings, arrow heads and many other curiosities were
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HISTORY OF WETZEL COUNTY.
taken from the mound. But one of the things that was of so vast importance, and no doubt was greatly admired in prehisto- ric times, was a golden image of an unknown god, moulded out of pure gold, without a mixture of any other metalic elements. It was about ten inches high, having a base, as though it were an ornament, and moulded on it was a statue of an unknown god. If the image could have talked it could tell a history of itself, that no doubt would unravel the mystery of the pre-his- toric races. It was found by the late Capt. Robert McEldow- ney. Willis De Haas, an antiquarian and agent for the Smith- sonian institute, was then writing a history of the border wars of Western Virginia, and borrowed the curiosity. Comments of all kinds were passed on it by all of the leading newspapers of that day. The president of the Smithsonian institute au- thorized De Haas to purchase the image at any price, if pos- sible, but the prices offered were refused. The image was then borrowed by one Phenton McCabe, who disappeared from this place as soon as he had the image in his possession. A half moon moulded of copper was found near the same mound and about the same time by Mrs. Geo. Martin. Copper wrist- bands were found in a rock mound situated near the water tanks at New Martinsville. Are these the works of the In- dian? If it be answered by ones who have lived with the In- dians all their life, they would say no, for they have never seen them constructing such articles as we have just men- tioned.
THE INDIANS.
The Indian race is the most peculiar of the living races; their origin is not known, and ideas of all kinds have been expressed on their origin by noted historians. We can speak nothing of the Indian but that which he was when this country was dis- covered and following. The Indian was made up of rare ge- nius; they were capable of working material that men at this time cannot work; their whole mind was based upon the hunt- ing of game or fighting with the white man; they were divided into different nations and tribes, which were very distinct from each other; there was a general resemblance among them, their faces being of a copper color. The language of the differ- ent nations was different, though being very much alike. They lived in huts, which they called wigwams; they were very light, and could easily be carried from one place to another. The Indian used great pride in adorning himself in gay colors. They believed in a supreme being, but not as we do. There are numbers of Indians in the west, being the descendants of the western tribes; they are kept and protected by the United State government.
LOUIS WETZEL, THE BOONE OF WEST VIRGINIA,
And His Adventures Among the Indians.
In the year of 1772 the four Zane brothers settled at the mouth of Wheeling creek; with them came an honest, brave, but rough old German, by the name of John Wetzel, the father of Louis, the bold, wary and tireless Indian hunter of West Virginia, whose name was a household word throughout the State. He was also the father of four more sons and two daughters. His sons were Martin, George, John and Jacob. The two daughters were Susan and Christina. The latter books of Indian wars which contain the story of John Wetzel, say he was killed up Wheeling creek, but the old Border Books, whose authors have talked with the notorious Louis Wetzel, say that his father was killed near Captina in 1787. "On his return from Middle Island Creek, himself and compan- ion," says the author of the Western Border, "were in a canoe paddling slowly near the shore of the Ohio river, when they were hailed by a party of Indians, and ordered to land; this they of course refused, when immediately they were fired upon and Wetzel was shot through the body. Feeling himself mor- tally wounded, he directed his companion to lie down in the canoe, while he (Wetzel) so long as strength remained, would paddle the frail vessel beyond the reach of the savages; in this way he saved the life of his friend, while his own was ebbing away fast. He died soon after reaching the shore at Baker's Station, a few miles north from where he was shot." The author (McEldowney) claims that the foregoing is a true state- ment as to the death of John Wetzel, from the fact that a hum-
9
HISTORY OF WETZEL COUNTY.
ble grave can be seen near the scene of the old fortress, and a rough stone marks the spot, bearing the inscription in rough and rude, but plain, letters:
J. W. 1787.
No man of the western border was more dreaded by an ene- my than was Louis Wetzel. By many he was regarded as nothing more than a semi-savage, a man whose disposition was that of an enraged panther, whose whole mind was upon the blood of a human being. "But it was not true," says De- haas, in his Border Wars of Western Virginia, who says: "He was never known to inflict any cruelty upon women and chil- dren, and he was never known to torture his victim as he has been charged." He had often heard his mother read these lines in the Bible: "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord." He had received unwonted torture from the hands of the Indians; his father had been killed by them, and he was revengful for those things. When he swore to have vengeance against the whole Indian race, in the presence of his mother, brothers and Zanes at the mouth of Wheeling creek, he was joined by all of his brothers, even Jacob, who was then a mere lad, who said: "Louis, your oath is mine." He was possessed of a remarka- ble degree of intuitive knowledge, which constitutes an effi- cient hunter. He was as bold as a lion, cunning as a fox, and as quick as a squirrel. The name of Wetzel sent a thrill of horror through the breasts of the heartless savages.
The first event in the life of our hero occurred when he was but sixteen years of age. The Indians had not been very trou- blesome in the vicinity in which his father lived, and one day while he and Jacob, his younger brother, were out playing, he was amazed to find a gun pointed at him, and started to run towards the house, upon which he was shot in the breast, which wounded him severely, but not dangerously. In an in- stant two warriors sprung upon him and his brother and made them prisoners, and they were taken about twenty miles from
10
HISTORY OF WETZEL COUNTY.
home. During the march, Louis suffered very much with the wound he had received from their hands, but bore it with cour- age, knowing that if he complained he would immediately be tomahawked and scalped. When night came they built a fire and laid down to rest, but did not tie their prisoners, as was the usual custom. When the Indians were asleep, Louis hav- ing cautioned his brother in the meantime, not to sleep, they arose and pushed into the woods, where they instanly paused, Louis finding that they could go no further without moccasins; he returne to camp and secured the moccasins, and after fit- ting them on his brother returned to get his father's gun, which the Indians had stolen from his house, and returning, went onward till they were again among friends, having es- caped from the Indians without detection.
The following are incidents in the life of Louis Wetzel, taken from the "Mirror of Olden Time Border Life."
"The first I recollect of seeing this distinguished warrior was when he attached himself to a scouting party, about the year 1787. My father then lived on the bank of the Ohio in Virginia, at a place known as the Mingo Bottom, three miles below Steubenville. A party of Indians had crossed the Ohio not far from where we lived, killed a family and then made their escape with impunity. As the Indians had not crossed the Ohio in that neighborhood for a year or two previous the settler's began to think that they could live with safety in their cabins. This unexpected murder spread great alarm through the sparse settlement and revenge was determined upon. Some of the settlers, who were in very easy circumstances, in order to stimulate the young and active to take vengeance on the enemy, proposed to draw up a subscription, and give a handsome reward to the man who would bring the first Indian scalp. Upwards of one hundred dollars was subscribed. Major McMahon, who frequently led the hardy frontiersmen in those perilous times, soon raised a company of about twenty men, among whom was Louis Wetzel. They crossed the Ohio and
11
HISTORY OF WETZEL COUNTY.
pursued the Indians' trail with unerring tact, till they came to the Muskingum river. There the advance, or spies, discovered a party of Indians far superior to their own in number, camped on the bank of the river. As the Indians had not yet discov- ered the white men, Major McMahon retreated with his party to the top of the hill, where they might consult about their future operations. The conclusion of the conference was, 'that discretion was the better part of valor,' and a hasty re- treat was prudently resolved on. While the party were con- sulting on the propriety of attacking the Indians, Louis Wetzel sat on a log, with his gun laid across his lap, and his tomahawk in his hand; he took no part in the council. As soon as the resolution was adopted to retreat, it was without delay put into execution, and the party set off, leaving Louis sitting on the log. Major McMahon called to him, and inquired if he was going with them. Louis answered, "that he was not; that he came out to hunt Indians; that he was not going home like a fool with his finger in his mouth. He would take an Indian scalp, or lose his own before he went home." All their argu- ments were without avail. The stubborn, unyielding disposi- tion was such, that he never submitted himself to the control or advice of others; they were compelled to leave him, a soli- tary being in the midst of the thick forest, surrounder by vig- ilant enemies. Notwithstanding this solitary individual ap- peared to rush into danger with the fury of a mad man, in his disposition was displayed the cunning of a fox, as well as the boldness of the lion.
As soon as his friends had left him, he picked up his blanket, shouldered his rifle, and struck off into a different part of the country, in hope that fortune would place in his way some lone Indian. He kept aloof from the large streams, where large parties of the enemy. generally encamped. He travelled through the woods with a noiseless tread, and the keen glance of the eagle, that day and the next, till evening, when he dis- covered a smoke curling up above the bushes. He crept softly .
12
HISTORY OF WETZEL COUNTY.
to the fire and found two blankets and a small copper kettle in the camp. He instantly concluded that this was the camp of only two Indians, and he could kill them both. He con- cealed himself in the thick brush, but in such position that he could see the number and motions of the enemy. About sun- set one of the Indians came in, made up the fire, and went to cooking his supper. Shortly after the other came in; they ate their suppers, after which they began to sing and amuse them- selves by telling comic stories, at which they would burst into a roar of laughter. Singing and telling stories was the com- mon practice of the white and red men when lying in their hunting camps. These poor fellows, when enjoying them- selves in the utmost glee, little dreamed that the grim mon- ster, death, in the shape of Louis Wetzel, was about stealing a march on them. Louis kept a keen watch on their maneu- vers. About nine or ten o'clock at night, one of the Indians wrapped his blanket around him, shouldered his rifle, took a chunk of fire in his hands, and left the camp, doubtless with the intention of going to watch a deer lick. The fire and smoke would serve to keep off the gnats and mosquitoes. It is a remarkable fact, that deer are not alarmed at seeing fire, from the circumstance of seeing it so frequently in the fall and winter season, when the leaves and grass are dry. The absence of the Indian was the cause of vexation and disap- pointment to our hero, whose trap was so happily set, and he considered his game secure. He still indulged the hope that the Indians might return to camp before day. In this he was disappointed. There were birds in the woods who chirped and gave notice to the woodsman that the day would soon appear. Louis heard the wooded songsters begin to chatter, and deter- mined to delay no longer the work of death for the return of the Indian. He walked to the camp with a noiseless step, and found his victim buried in profound sleep, lying upon his side. He drew his butcher knife, and with all his force, im- pelled by revenge, he thrust the blade through his heart. He
13
HISTORY OF WETZEL COUNTY.
said the Indian gave a short quiver and repulsive motion, and faded away in death's eternal sleep. He then scalped him, and set off for home. He arrived at Mingo Bottom only one day after his unsuccessful companions. He claimed, and as he should, received his reward.
Some time after, General Harmer had erected a fort at the mouth of Muskingum river. He prevailed upon some white men to go with a flag among the nearest Indian tribes, and endeavor to prevail with them to come to the fort, and there to conclude a treaty of peace. A large number of Indians came on general invitation, and camped on the Muskingum river, a few miles above its mouth. General Harmer issued a proclamation, giving notice that a cessation of arms was mu- tually agreed upon, between the white and the red men, till an effort for a treaty of peace was made. As treaties of peace with the Indians had been so frequently violated, but little faith was placed in the stability of such treaties by the front- iersmen, notwithstanding they were as frequently the ag- gressors, as were the Indians. Half of the frontier men of that day had been born in a fort and grew to manhood, as it were, in a siege. The Indian war had continued so long and was so bloody that they believed war with them was to con- tinue as long as one lived to make fight. With these oppres- sions, as they considered the Indian truthless, it was difficult to inspire confidence in the stability of such treaties. While General Harmer was diligently engaged in making peace with the Indians, Wetzel concluded to go to Fort Harmer, and as the Indians would be passing and repassing between their camp and the Fort, would offer a fair opportunity for killing one. He associated himself in this enterprise with Veich Dick- inson, who was only a small grade below himself in restless- ness and daring. As soon as the enterprise was resolved upon, the desired point, and set themselves down in ambush near the
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HISTORY OF WETZEL COUNTY.
path leading from the fort and the Indian camp. Shortly af- ter they had concealed themselves by the wayside, they saw an Indian approaching on horse-back, running his horse at full speed. They called to him, but owing to the clatter of the horse's feet, he did not heed or hear their call, but kept on at a sweeping gallop. When the Indian had nearly passed they concluded to give him a fire as he rode. They fired, but as the Indian did not fall they thought they had missed him. As the alarm would soon be spread that an Indian had been shot at, and as large numbers of them were at hand, they commenced an immediate retreat to their home. As their neighbors well knew their object, as soon as they returned they were asked what luck. Wetzel answered that they had bad luck; that they shot at an Indian on horseback and missed him; but the truth was, that they had shot him in the lower part of his body on which he rode to camp, and expired that night of his wound.
It was soon rumored that Lewis Wetzel was the murderer. General Harmer sent a Captain Kingsbury with a company of men to the Mingo Bottom, with orders to take Wetzel, dead or alive, a useless and impotent order. A company of men could as easily have taken Old Horny out of the bottomless pit as to take Lewis Wetzel by force from the neighborhood of Mingo Bottom. On the day Captain Kingsbury arrived, there was a shooting match at my father's, and Lewis was there. As soon as the object of Captain Kingsbury was ascertained, it was re- solved to ambush the Captain's barge and kill him and his men. Happily, Major McMahon was present to prevent this catastrophe, and prevailed upon Wetzel and his friends to sus- pend the attack until he could pay Captain Kingsbury a visit, and perhaps he would prevail with them to return without making an attempt to take Wetzel. With a great deal of re- luctance they agreed to suspend the attack until Major McMa- hon returned. The resentment and fury of Wetzel and his men were boiling and blowing like the steam from a steam- boat. "A pretty affair is this," they said, "to hang a man for
15
HISTORY OF WETZEL COUNTY.
killing an Indian, when they are killing some of our people every day." Major McMahon informed Captain Kingsbury of the force and fury of the people, and assured them if they per- sisted in the attempt to seize Wetzel that he would have all of the settlers in the country upon him; that nothing could save them from being massacred, but a speedy return. The Captain took his advice and forthwith returned to Fort Har- mer. Wetzel now considered the affair as finally settled. As Lewis was never long stationary, but ranged at will along the river from Ft. Pitt to the falls of the Ohio, and was a welcome guest and perfectly at home wherever he went, shortly after the attempt to seize him by Captain Kingsbury and his men, he got into a canoe with the intention of proceeding down the Ohio river to Kentucky. He had a friend by the name of Hamilton Carr, who had lately settled on an island near Ft. Harmer. Here he stopped, with the intention of stopping for the night. By some means, which never was explained, Gen- eral Harmer was advised of his being on the island. A guard was sent who crossed to the island, surrounded Mr. Carr's house, went in, and as Wetzel lay asleep he was seized by num- bers, his hands and feet were securely bound, and he was hur- ried to a boat, and from thence placed in a guard room, where he was loaded with irons. The ignominy of wearing iron hand cuffs and hobbles, and being chained down, to a man of his in- dependent and resolute spirit was more than he could bear; it was to him more painful than death; shortly after he was con- fined, he sent for General Harmer, and requested a visit. The General went. Wetzel admitted without hesitation, "that he had shot an Indian." As he did not wish to be hung like a dog, he requested the General to give him up to the Indians, as there was a large number present. "He might place them all in a circle, with their scalping knives and tomahawks, and give him a tomahawk, and place him in the midst of the circle, and then let him and the Indians fight it out in the best way they could." The General told him, "That he was an officer
ยท
16
HISTORY OF WETZEL COUNTY.
appointed by the law, by which he must be governed. As the law did not authorize him to make such a compromise, he could not grant his request." After a few days longer con- finement, he again sent for the General to come and see him; and he did so. Wetzel said, he "had never been confined, and could not live much longer if he was not permitted to walk about." The General ordered the officer on guard to knock off his iron fetters but to leave on his handcuffs, and permit him to walk about on the point at the mouth of the Muskingum; but to be sure and keep a close watch upon him. As soon as they were outside of the fort gate, Lewis began to caper about like a wild colt broke loose from the stall. He would start and run a few yards as if he was about making an escape, then turn round and join the guard. The next start he would run farther, and then stop. In this way he amused the guard for some time, at every start running a little farther. At length, he called forth all his strength, resolution and activity, and de- termined on freedom or an early grave. He gave a sudden spring forward, and bounded off at the top of his speed for the shelter of his beloved woods. His movement was so quick, and so unexpected, that the guard were taken by surprise, and he got nearly a hundred yards before they recovered their as- tonishment. They fired, but all missed; they followed in pur- suit, but he soon left them out of sight. As he was well ac- quainted with the country, he made for a dense thicket, two or three miles from the fort. In the midst of this thicket he found a tree which had fallen across a log, where the brush were very close. Under the tree he squeezed his body. The brush were so thick that he could not be discovered unless his pursuers examined very closely. As soon as his escape was announced, General Harmer started the soldiers and Indians in pursuit. After he had laid about two hours in his place of concealment, two Indians came into the thicket and stood on the log, under which he lay concealed. His heart beat so vio- lently he was afraid they would hear it thumping. He could
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