USA > West Virginia > Greenbrier County > Frankford > Sesqui-centennial of Frankfort, Mineral County, West Virginia : July 29, 30, 31, 1938, Fort Ashby, West Virginia, 1787-1938 > Part 1
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SESQUI-CENTENNIAL
OF
Frankfort, Mineral County, West Virginia
FANFARE OF FRANKFORT JULY 29, 30, 31, 1938
CONTAINING COMPLETE HISTORY AND PROGRAM
TO FRANKFORT
ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 150th ANNI- VERSARY, THE BANK OF ROMNEY EXTENDS CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES.
From the little settlement established at Fort Ashby during the French and Indian Wars - by those hardy pioneers in the early days of our great nation - has grown the thriving com- munity that exists today. It is, therefore, most desirable and fitting that this anniversary should be properly commemorated.
In this year 1938 THE BANK OF ROMNEY is celebrating its Fiftieth Anniversary. For a full half century this Bank has served faithfully and without interruption its own and adjacent communities. The public confidence it enjoys today is the result of constant effort toprovide better service, and adher- ence to sound and progressive banking policies. You are in- vited to make this 50-year-old bank your bank, and to use to the fullest extent its many facilities and services.
THE BANK OF ROMNEY
MEMBER FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION.
# 3500 35-
TO FRANKFORT
ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 150th ANNI- VERSARY, THE BANK OF ROMNEY EXTENDS CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES.
From the little settlement established at Fort Ashby during the French and Indian Wars - by those hardy pioneers in the early days of our great nation - has grown the thriving com- munity that exists today. It is, therefore, most desirable and fitting that this anniversary should be properly commemorated.
In this year 1938 THE BANK OF ROMNEY is celebrating its Fiftieth Anniversary. For a full half century this Bank has served faithfully and without interruption its own and adjacent communities. The public confidence it enjoys today is the result of constant effort to provide better service, and adher- ence to sound and progressive banking policies. You are in- vited to make this 50-year-old bank your bank, and to use to the fullest extent its many facilities and services.
THE BANK OF ROMNEY
MEMBER FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION.
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OLD MAP SHOWING PLAN OF FRANKFORT
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Map copied by David G. Martin, Surveyor, Antioch, W. Va.
A map or plan for the town of Frankford (Frankfort). Town laid off at Cross Roads, the one leading from Winchester to Frank- ford, and the other from Fort Pleasant to Patterson Creek, situated in Hampshire County. The street leading from Winchester to Fort Pitt bears N. 39 degrees W., and those leading from the mouth of Patterson Creek to Fort Pleasant S. 51 degrees W. Each of the lots are 491/2 feet in front and run back 198 feet, except the four corner lots which are 99 feet square. and the Market Place is 264 feet square including the streets which are 66 feet wide. The alleys are 161/2 feet wide.
The lines bounding the town are as follows: Beginning at a white walnut at Patterson Creek, thence S. 42 degrees E. 221 perches to three white oaks; thence N. 60 degrees E. to three white oaks; thence N. 39 degrees W. 160 perches to said creek; thence along said creek N. 60 degrees W. 37 perches; thence S. 19 degrees W. 59 perches; thence S. 15 degrees E. 38 perches; thence S. 47 degrees W. 18 perches; thence N. 73 degrees W. 32 perches to the place of beginning; containing 196 acres, 0 roods, and 9 perches, laid down by a scale of ten equal parts to an inch. Established in 1787, 139 acres of land were laid off into lots and streets with out-lots, by John Sellars.
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4
SESQUI-CENTENNIAL
OF
Frankfort, Mineral County, West Virginia
JULY 29, 30, 31, 1938 FORT ASHBY, WEST VIRGINIA
1787 1938
"Out of monuments, names, words, proverbs, traditions, private records, fragments of stories, passages of books and the like, we do save and recover somewhat from the deluge of time." Bacon.
- Published by - FRANKFORT SESQUI-CENTENNIAL COMMISSION AND MINERAL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
HONORABLE JOHN J. CORNWELL Ex-Governor of West Virginia
FOREWORD
This publication is designed to serve a four-fold pur- pose: To present a complete program of the Frankfort Sesqui-Centennial Celebration, together with a synopsis of the historical pageant, "Fanfare Of Frankfort". To present a brief history of Mineral County, and of Frank- fort, (Fort Ashby). To encourage those who read these sketches to dig deeper into the treasure-trove of history found here. To stimulate the business and industrial interests of those who have helped to make this celebration possible.
LEONORA W. WOOD
Keyser, West Virginia. July 6, 1938.
PICTURES OF THOSE TAKING PART ON PROGRAM
COLONEL M. A. REASONER Medical Corps U. S. Army, Corps Area Surgeon, 6th Corp. Area.
HOMER A. HOLT Governor of West Virginia
JENNINGS RANDOLPH Congressman, Second District
4
TO THE CITIZENS OF MINERAL COUNTY, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF THE PATTERSON CREEK VALLEY AREA
It is a pleasure for me as Governor to extend to you the greetings of the State of West Virginia on the occasion of the observance of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Frankfort, now Fort Ashby, by an Act of the General Assembly of Virginia passed December 5, 1787.
Your section of our State has been beneficiently blessed-picturesque in scenery, rich in resources, outstanding in history and attractive in possibilities.
I congratulate you on your Sesqui-Centennial program, a means of vividly recalling to mind the men and women who and the events which have made your area one of great historical importance.
I believe I extend to you the wishes of the citizens of the entire State in wishing for you a most successful commemorative observance on this occasion and in future years a progressive development consistent with the accomplishments of the past and commensurate with the rich res sources and natural advantages which are yours.
Sincerely yours,
HOMER A. HOLT, Governor.
FRANKFORT SESQUI-CENTENNIAL COMMISSION
MELVIN H. MARTIN
Chairman MRS. CHARLES H. CARVEY
Secretary K. H. RATCLIFF Treasurer GLEN JUDY Chairman Advertising Committee
LEONORA W. WOOD
Director
MINERAL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY J. C. SANDERS, President LUKE McDOWELL, Secretary-Treasurer
MINERAL COUNTY COURT T. M. CANNON, President J. FRANK JUNKINS SAM S. SMITH
POTOMAC VALLEY CHAPTER, D. A. R.
MRS. WILLIAM MacDONALD Honorary Life Regent
MRS. JAMES G. WRIGHT Regent
MISS MARIA VASS FRYE Vice-Regent
MRS. H. S. THOMPSON
Chaplain
MRS. J. C. SANDERS Registrar
MISS MARIA VASS FRYE
Historian
MISS ALICE SMITH
Secretary
MISS HALLIE MARSHALL SAYRE
Treasurer
- ROSTER OF COMMITTEES GENERAL
MELVIN H. MARTIN, Chairman
WILLIAM WELKER MRS. CHARLES H. CARVEY
MISS RUTH EVERSTINE
FINANCE
K. H. RATCLIFF, Chairman
JESSE ABE
CLEVE PYLES
RAYMOND ADAMS JACK LỌNG GUS WAGONER
SAM SMITH
STELLA WAGONER
T. F. PYLES
HILDA PYLES
ADVERTISING
GLEN JUDY, Chairman
C. L. DOWDEN
EDGAR KENNEY
RALPH WELCH
EARLE WOLFORD
CONDA BENNETT
RAYMOND C. ADAMS
JAMES ALKIRE
OSCAR MARKER
MELVIN MARTIN
GERALD ADAMS
CHARLES H, CARVEY K. H. RATCLIFF
FLOYD WAGONER
CONSTRUCTION
CARL ADAMS, Chairman VERNON ALLEN BEATTY PYLES
RALPH MARKER CLARK WETZEL IRA ABE
6
MRS. CLARK WETZEL
JOHN DOWDEN CHARLES H. CARVEY HUMBIRD WAGONER
CLARENCE WOLFORD CHARLES PYLES BEATTY DOWDEN
PUBLICITY
WILLIAM MARKER, Chairman
EARL WOLFORD
MRS. CHARLES H. CARVEY
T. E. PRICE
PROGRAM
HELEN LEWIS, Chairman WAYNE DAYTON DAISY PYLES
ETHEL PYLES, Chairman LENA MARKER
LOUISE CARVEY
MARJORIE WAGONER
MRS. J. Z. GARLITZ
FLORENCE HOWARD MRS. CLARENCE ABE
MRS. CLARK WETZEL
PAGEANT
OSCAR BROOME
OSCAR MARKER
MAMIE SEEDERS
MRS, JOHN FISHER
MRS. GARLAND EBERT
SPEAKERS
MRS. CLARK WETZEL, Chairman NELLIE WELTON REV. L. K. KNOWLES MRS. CHARLES H. CARVEY HAROLD CARVEY
PARADE AND TRAFFIC SELBY JACOBS, Advisory Chairman
CONDA BENNETT, Chairman
CLAUDE WELCH
JOSEPH PRETTYMAN
HOLLY DAVIS
CLARENCE ABE
HARRY CHESHIRE
EDGAR DOWDEN
FRED MALONE
JOHN RINEHART
EDD MALONE
J. F. BOWERS
MUSIC
EDNA MARKER, Chairman
MRS. LOUISE CARVEY
WILLARD BROOME MARJORIE WAGONER
ENTERTAINMENT
WILLIAM WELKER, Chairman
EVA PYLES
MRS. EDWARD OATS
TEMPEST MARTIN
NANNIE KLINE
RECREATION
ROBERT KUYKENDALL, Chair- DOUGLAS DEREMER man
OSCAR MARKER
CHARLES DELAWDER
JOHN FISHER
HISTORICAL RESEARCH
MRS. D. H. WEAKLAND. Chairman
MRS. CHARLES H. CARVEY
MRS. R. M. JOHNSON
ALLEN EVERSTINE
RUSSELL ADAMS KENNY RATCLIFF
ETTA DUNN MRS. VIRGIE ALLEN MRS. MYRA DEREMER
7
-
SUSAN VAN METER MRS. H. A. PYLES
MRS. ALTHEA MARKER JAMES FLANAGAN
HISTORICAL DISPLAY
D. H. WEAKLAND, Chairman
EVA ALLEN
MARTHA ADAMS
MARY ALKIRE
MRS. BEATTY PYLES
MILDRED HAMMER LOLA DOWDEN
MRS. ROSS ALLEN
ELLA MARKER
DAISY DAVIS
TREASURE HUNT
R. M. JOHNSON, Chairman L. J. BROOME
MRS. MARGARET ADAMS
REGINALD ALLEN JAMES ALLEN MINNIE HOLLENBACK
WADE LEASE
WATER, LIGHTS, SANITATION
EDGAR DOWDEN, Chairman E. TROUTMAN JAMES ALKIRE
ODELL PYLES
8
WEST VIRGINIA LEGIONETTES
The quartet of ladies of the Auxiliary of Boyce-Houser Post, Ameri- can Legion, Keyser, has won the national championship for three times in succession at Legion Conventions.
9
QUEEN FRANKFORT I AND HER COURT
HELEN REBECCA BRIGHT
SARAH JANE ASHBY Maid of Honor
VIRGINIA REESE Maid of Honor
PRINCESSES
VIRGINIA LEE BRYDON
HELEN WAGONER HUTCHINSON
11
----...
HARRIET KUYKENDALL
MARTHA ADAMS
EDNA MARKER
EVA ALLEN
EVA PYLES
ELMIRA WEAKLAND
12
MARTHA WAGONER Flower Girl
SARAH ALVINA GIFFIN Flower Girl
ORLANDO REX FAZENBAKER Train Bearer
13
1
PROGRAM
FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1938
10:30 A. M .- Parade.
11:00 A. M .- Band and Choral Concert.
11:30 A. M .- Address: Honorable John J. Cornwell.
12:00 -Noon. Recess for meals. To be obtained from Places Listed In This Program.
1:30 P. M .- Music: American Legion Drum Corps, Boyce-Houser Post No. 41, West Virginia Legionettes.
2:00 P. M .- The Coronation of Queen Frankfort I, His Excellency Governor Homer A. Holt officiating.
3:00 P. M .- Address: Colonel M. A. Reasoner, Medical Corps, U. S. A. Surgeon, Sixth Corps Area, Chicago.
3:30 P. M .- Address: Honorable Jennings Randolph, Congressman Second District.
4:00 P. M .- Baseball Game. Marble Tournament. ..
HISTORIC EXHIBITS Open from 10:00 to 12:00 A. M. and 1:00 to 5:00 P. M. Public School House 1
FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 29, 1938
7:00 P. M .- Band.
7:30 P. M .- Folk Songs and Ballads by Maurice J. Matteson, Head, Music Department, State Teachers College, Frostburg, Maryland.
8:00 P. M .- Historical Pageant, "Fanfare Of Frankfort." In which the history of Patterson Creek Valley and Mineral County, from its earliest beginning to the present time will be de- picted by a cast of 500 players.
14
SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1938
10:00 A. M .- Band.
10:45 A. M .- Address: "Places You Should See". - J. C. Sanders.
11:00 A. M .- Tour to Historic and Scenic Places Under Direction of Transportation Committee.
Historical Exhibits, and Entertainment by Historical Dis- play Committee, Potomac Valley Chapter D. A. R., Min- eral County Historical Society, and Recreational Commit- tee.
12:00 -Noon-Lunch.
SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1938
1:00 P. M .- Band.
1:30 P. M .- Choral Concert-Helen Pownall, Director of Music.
1:45 P. M .- Charge To Knights-Colonel M. A. Reasoner, Surgeon, Sixth Corps Area, Chicago.
2:00 P. M .- RIDING TOURNAMENT.
4.00 P. M .- Band Concert.
5:00-P. M .- Colonial Dinner.
7:30 P. M .- Band.
Awarding of prizes: At this time prizes will be awarded to winners in "Historical Exhibits", "Better Homes" and "Band Concert" contests. Prizes to Tournament Riders will be awarded later.
8:00 P. M .- Pageant, "Fanfare Of Frankfort". In addition to episodes presented Friday evening, a special feature of this eve- ning's performance will be crowning of the "Queen of Love and Beauty", and awarding prizes to winning knights of the Tourney.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 1938
SPECIAL HOMECOMING SERVICES PLANNED BY CHURCHES OF PATTERSON CREEK VALLEY
15
FANFARE OF FRANKFORT HISTORICAL PAGEANT 1725 1938
LEONORA W. WOOD, Author
HELEN POWNALL, Director of Music
RUTH JACKSON, Director
JOSEPH HODGSON Associate Director
LYNN ROTRUCK Pianist
16
Pattersons Creek Survey
List of persons to whom lots were granted on Pattersons Creek, from the first survey made by George Washington and James Genn, March, 1748.
No. of
Lot
Name
Acres
Date
1
George Parker
399
1748
2
John Adam Long
293
1748
3
Nicholas Reasoner
277
1748
4
John Ratan
354
1748
5
Abram Johnson
309
1749
6
David Thompson
312
1748
7
John Colston
326
1777
8
Power Hassall
328
1748
9
John Bever
1749
10
Nicholas Crist
167
1748
11
Joseph Hamlin
289
1749
12
John Parker
312
1748
13
Matthew Rodgers
379
1748
14
Jacob Good
394
1748
15
Joseph Walter
238
1748
16
John Keller
300
1779
17
Benjamin Rutherford
201
1766
18
Robert Worthington
306
1766
Jane McCracken
Margaret McCracken
19
Survey for Nathaniel Parker, Jr.
300
1788
20
Occupied by Nathaniel Parker, Sr.
328
1788
21
Joseph Robinson
322
1748
22
Philip Martin
283
1748
Grant issued by THE RIGHT HONORABLE THOMAS LORD FAIR- FAX, to Charles Keller, November, 1748. Charles Keller was killed by the Indians, 1756, the grant was re-issued to his son and heir, John Kel- ler, June 1, 1779.
17
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18
Pattersons Creek and Mineral County
By Lenora W. Wood
The history of Mineral County had its beginning in 1734, when the House of Burgesses of Virginia passed an act creating Orange County. All the territory now embraced in what is West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois was included in the new formed county.
Four years later, 1738, that part of Orange County east of the Alle- gheny Mountains was divided into two counties: the lower Augusta and upper Frederick.
In 1753, Hampshire County was formed from portions of Augusta and upper Frederick Counties, and included all the territory now con- tained in Mineral, Hardy and Grant, with portions of Morgan and Pen- dleton.
After the War between the States, 1866, the western part of Hamp- shire was cut off and Mineral was created. The territory of this county has, therefore, been designated as Orange, Frederick, Hampshire, and Mineral, and its early history is inseparably linked up with the early history of Colonial Virginia which furnishes the background for much of our National History.
In 1669, John Lederer, having crossed the Patterson Creek and New Creek Valleys, stood on top of the Alleghenies, in what is now Mineral County, and looked westward over the vast territory drained by the Cheat.
In 1670, the governor of Virginia sent out an exploring party which crossed the mountains of the west seeking for gold, and trying to dis- cover a river flowing into the Pacific Ocean. These explorers forced the steep, rocky heights of the Blue Ridge, descended into the valley west of that range, and discovered a river flowing due north, as far as they could see.
The observations of these explorers must have been greatly affected by the vastness of the wilderness. For to them, New River became "Four hundred and fifty miles wide; its banks in most places one thousand yards high." Beyond the river they could see towering mountains desti- tute of trees, and crowned by white cliffs. They believed these moun- tains to contain gold and silver, but made no attempt to cross them.
A party sent out the following year remained for several months in the New River Valley, but their findings are recorded only as conjec- tures.
Forty-six years later, 1716, Governor Spottswood of Virginia led a party of daring explorers over the Blue Ridge, across the Shenandoah River to the summit of the Allegheny Mountains. And these "Knights of the Golden Horseshoe" returned with reports that did much to en- courage explorers to come into the South Branch Valley.
In 1736, a surveying party made up of William Mayo and Colonel Brooks, representing the King of England, and Mr. Savage and Mr. Winslow, representing Lord Fairfax, ran the line marking the western boundary of the Fairfax Grant.
On December 14, 1736, these commissioners trailed the Potomac to its source, ascertained and marked the dividing ridge where the waters on one side flow into the Cheat River and on the other side into the Po-
19
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tomac. Here they placed a large sandstone to mark the northern limit to the land of Lord Fairfax.
The report of these surveyors was approved by the King of England and the State of Virginia in 1746. And the Fairfax Stone, which they had planted ten years before, at the corner of Maryland and West Vir- ginia, became the official cornerstone of the Fairfax boundary.
On the heels of these first surveyors settlers flocked into the region, some making their way across the mountains from New York, New Jer- sey, and Pennsylvania, others pushing up from the Shenandoah Valley. News of the advancing settlement reached Lord Fairfax, at Greenway Court, new Winchester, and he began at once to arrange to have the lands laid off into manors and lots. On March 25, 1748, James Genn, then the only certified surveyor in the Colony of Virginia, led a party across the river at the mouth of Patterson Creek, and spent the night at Abram Johnsons. Included in this party were George Washington, then only 16 years old, and George Fairfax, with Henry Ashby and Robert Taylor as chairmen, Robert Ashby as marker, and William Lindsay as pil- ot. The following day they moved up the river to stay with Solomon Hedges, one of "His Majesty's Justices of Ye peace for ye County of Frederick," on whose table at supper time Washington says, "there was neither a Cloth upon ye Table nor a knife to eat with, but as good luck would have it we had knives of our own." On Monday morning, March 28th, 1748, they began what is generally believed to have been the first official survey of this region. There is evidence, however, that an earlier survey had been made of some of these lands. The Mineral County His- torical Society has within its possession an original grant of land issued by Lord Fairfax to Hassel Power, bearing date of June 3, 1740-eight years before the Washington party came into the valley.
Washington's diary records that lands were laid off for Solomon Hedges, Henry Van Meter, Michael Stump, James Rutledge, Michael Liv- eron, James Simons, Henry Harris, Philip Moore, Jeremiah Osborn, Ben- jamin Forman, Peter Casey, and others. Between the years 1748 and 1751, the Wappacoma Manor, containing 55,000 acres, the Patterson Creek Manor of 9,000 acres, and about 300 lots were surveyed.
As the surveys were made, those living on the lands were forced to take up the properties they occupied either by lease, or by actual pur- chase. In either case his lordship required a fixed rental to be paid an- nually, "on the feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel." From the renters he also extracted a small down payment which he termed "com- position money." He stipulated in the deeds that the buyers should "nev- er kill elk, deer, buffalo, beaver, or other game without consent of His Majesty, Lord Fairfax or his heirs."
Despite these conditions settlers continued to pour into the region: English, Scotch-Irish, French, German, Irish; brave, hardy men and wo- men of many nationalities, willing to endure hardships, and brave the dangers of the wilderness, that they might build homes and secure to themselves and their families a foot-hold in this land of promise.
Coincident with the sale of lands and development of the South Branch and Pattersons Creek valleys by Fairfax, other wealthy London and Virginia gentlemen formulated plans for carrying on an extensive trade with the Indians, and for the colonization of the lands west of the Allegheny Mountains. These gentlemen, John Hansbury. of London; Thomas Lee, one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the Colony of
21
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22
Virginia; Thomas Nelson, also a member of the Virginia Court; Col. Thomas Cressup, Colonel William Thorton, William Nimmo, Daniel Cres- sup, John Carlisle, Lawrence Washington, Augustus Washington, George Fairfax, Jacob Giles, Nathaniel Chapman, and James Woodrop, had watched the colonization of the Northern Neck of Virginia, and believed that a similar scheme could be extended to the great stretches of wilder- ness beyond the mountains, on the Ohio. They formed a corporation known as the "Ohio Company," and in 1749 were chartered by George II, and granted 500,000 acres of land. A few months later the company opened its first store on the south side of the Potomac, near the present town of Ridgeley, Mineral County. Mr. Hansbury had shipped about $4,- 000 worth of goods from London. Abraham Johnson of Patterson Creek had been appointed proprietor, and the settlers could exchange their surplus supplies of grain, hogs, and tobacco for "blankets," "red shroud," "haif thicks," "liker" and "ches." Copies of original accounts of Abraham Johnson with the Ohio Company, which are still in the possession of his descendants are most interesting, and give a fair idea of the flourishing business that was carried on by this Company that can well be called. "Americas First Chain Store Corporation."
Although short lived the Ohio Company greatly influenced the trend of American history. In fulfilling the conditions of its charter and land grant it helped to secure for England the territory west of the Alleghen- ies. It brought more settlers into this region, and encouraged others to push further westward. It established a chain of heavily constructed store buildings which later were confiscated as forts, and became mili- tary centers for the protection of the settlers against the French and Indians. The road surveyed and built by this Company, from the upper Potomac Valley, near the present town of Ridgeley, to the Monongahela, now Pittsburgh, was the first outlet from the East to the West over which any white man ever traveled. It was the route over which Gen- eral Edward Braddock, in 1755, made his historic march upon Fort Du- quesne. It is today largely the roadbed of the National Highway front Cumberland to Pittsburgh.
Up to this time, the white men had been unmolested by the Indians. The noted Shawnee chief, Killbuck, had been on friendly terms with the villagers, and had visited the settlement frequently.
But the French on the Ohio had watched the westward advance of the English with growing jealousy and alarm. They recognized in the rapidly growing settlements, and in the Ohio Company the greatest threat to their dream of an inland empire, west of the Alleghenies. The French saw in Killbuck a valuable ally, and began sowing seeds of sus- picion in his mind, persuading him that the English he had thought his friends were plotting the destruction of his people, that their trading was only a clever scheme for taking possession of their hunting grounds.
Early in the Spring of 1753 scouting parties of the Indians began roaming through the settlements, and their suspicious attitude aroused the anxiety of the people. The extensive fur trade that the Ohio Com- pany had enjoyed with the various tribes was withdrawn, and there were numerous rumors of planned attacks that added to the mounting fear of the villagers.
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