USA > West Virginia > Wood County > Sketches of Wood County : its early history : as embraced in and connected with other counties of West Virginia : also brief accounts of first settlers and their descendants : including accounts of its soils, timber, minerals, water, and material wealth > Part 1
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Gc 975. 401 W85s 1437770
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY L
3 1833 02276 9001
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/sketchesofwoodco00shaw_0
SKETCHES
OF WOOD COUNTY: West Virginia ITS
EARLY HISTORY; As embraced in and connected with other COUNTIES OF WEST VIRGINIA. ALSO Brief accounts of
FIRST SETTLERS;
AND THEIR DESCENDANTS. Including accounts of its Soils, Timber, Minerals, Water,
AND
MATERIAL WEALTH.
S. C. SHAW.
Part First. Price 50 Cents.
PARKERSBURG, WEST VA .: George Ellotson, Job Printer, Court Square. 1678.
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1437770
PREFACE.
FORTY-SIX YEARS ago, the author of these Sketches, then a young man, became a permanent citizen of the town of Parkersburg, in Wood county, Virginia. At that time, Parkersburg, the seat of jus- 'tice in the county, was a small town on the southern banks of the Ohio river, above and adjoining the Little Kanawha, and contained a population of about two hundred inhabitants Up to that time and after, the territory of Wood county had remained the same as when the county was first organized; embracing an area of about fourteen hundred square miles, and contained a population of between six and seven thousand inhabitants.
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Since that date, by the formation of new counties from the origi- nal territory of Wood, the area of the county has been greatly les- sened, and now contains only about one-fourth of its original boun- daries, and yet such has been the increase of its population, that it now contains upwards of twenty thousand inhabitants. He might here add that the territory which has been taken off, in the formation of new counties, has probably increased in population and material wealth, in like proportiou. This permanent increase of inhabitants and wealth, speaks volumes for the social and commercial advantages of our new State. It carries upon its face the evidences of affluence, prosperity and social happiness.
Changing the form of expression from the past tense, to the present, we will say, chat during the first seven years of our citizenship in Par- kersburg, we were employed and performed the duties of Clerk of the. County Court of Wood county; and for several years was Deputy, under the late James H.Neal, Esq., Clerk of its Circuit Superior Court. Be- tween the years of 1845 and 1855, for seven years, we held the office and personally performed all the duties of Assessor and Commissioner of the county. Also during those years, as Surveyor, we became well acquainted with the lands of the county, in their various localities.
Having closely and carefully studied and improved these sources
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of information, arising from these several positions occupied by us, we became familiar with the history of the county, its early settle- ments, and many of its hardy, bold and enterprising inhabitants. Also we acquired a general knowledge of its lands, waters, water- courses, soil, productions and natural advantages. The diversified scenery of its mountain slopes and valleys, with its salubrious cli- mate, and health-restoring and invigorating agencies, being such as to add to the length of our years, we have taken pleasure in penning these sketches, and thus complying with the oft-expressed wishes of personal friends, by presenting them to the public. They are the re- sults of many hours of reflection, toil and research, and have been revised and corrected from a series we published in the Parkersburg Sentinel.
In conclusion, permit us to say, that in the opening paragraph above, we referred to our forty-six years of residence in Parkersburg. At its commencement, that length of time then appeared long, yet it has been past. Now, in the review, it appears but a step. Yet along the way we have had sunshine and shadows-hours of pleasure and pain-broken shrines of affection and love are in dust and ashes at our feet-footprints upon the sands of time have been made and washed away-mounds covered with the green grass have been mois- tened with tears, covering forms that cannot be effaced from the tab- let of memory. In penning these pages, we have labored to bring back, and converge some of the rays of sunshine and joy, which onee illuminated our pathway, and gave hope and happiness-to call back the associations of other years, and other friends, and perpetuate their memories.
Should this effort prove successful, and be appreciated by our eiti- zens, we have the materials on hand for their continuance-materials which have not yet been published, in addition to those which have appeared, which we desire to revise. If errors are made to appear in any of these pages, we will take pleasure in correcting them, when pointed out. Our objeet being, to present facts, as they are interwo- ven with the carly settlers of the county. Much has been omitted, owing to the uncertainty enshrouding the past. With these thoughts and anxieties, we submit these pages to the consideration of the pub- lic.
S. C. SHAW: -
LEAFY GLEN, W. VA.
WEST VIRGINIA.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION.
The bold, hardy and venturesome pioneers who first emigrate and take possession of a country, and with labor, toil and privations, put forth strong and unwearied efforts to clear away the heavy primeval forests, and subdue the soil to cultivation, should be held in remembrance in the history of that country. Especially should that be the ease when the multiplied incidents, seenes, adventures and sufferings connected with their history are fading and disappearing in the dim shadows and back- ground of the past.
It is at such a time that these varied incidents ought naturally to be- come deeply interesting to the generations that follow-those who thus enjoy the rewards of their anecstors' adventurous toil. And yet how often it is the case that but a few of those early adventurers leave their names, or a posterity behind them to record their doings-their feats of daring and courage-their adventures and toils-their privations and sufferings.
Time, in its ever onward flight, soon leaves the present in the past and the past is soon lost in forgetfulness. One generation passeth away and another cometh and is soon gone-gone from the present to make room for the myriads who are crowding the earth in its onward course of years. But a few, only a few, of the teeming multitudes-the countless millions of all the vast generations of the past, have permanantly fixed their names, and causes them to stand out upon the records of time, or left a memen- to of the stirring events which were numbered in their generation. .
Ere the history of the early settlements made in our county, with the changes of its name, as connected with the State, as also the names of the prominent actors, together with such reflections as may arise in our mind, will claim the attention of these Chapters, made up from such scanty materials as we can now command.
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EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS,
But in doing so, we are fully aware that many of those early settle .:- those first pioneers to the county, whose active energies were here spent, and whose genial smiles and social bearings once gladdened the hearts of many are gone, leaving no records of themselves among the living. Owing to these causes our sketches will be imperfect and incomplete, and will lose much of their interest, which might otherwise be interwoven in our early history as & county.
The reader in forming a correct idea of the difficulties and dangers attending the first settlements of Western and Northwestern Virginia, along the slopes of the Allegheny Mountains and on to the Ohio river, it will become necessary for him to go far back in the history of Virginia, to its collonial records, and from thence to trace the slow, toilsome move- ments Westward amid the difficulties and dangers which then environed her surroundings.
Again, for the purpose of obtaining a clear and good understanding, and forming correct ideas of the trials and conflicts attending the early settlements made in this then far western country, it will be necessary to have a knowledge of the character and influences brought to bear upon the aboriginees then inhabiting the great Northwestern territory, as then connected with the policy of those Nations of Europe who were seeking to establish and maintain their claims and authority in these Colonies, as the rightful owners of the soil, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centu- ries.
Three of those great powers-viz .: England, France and Spain, were contending for and claiming by right of discovery, large parts and por- tions of this Western Continent, and were constantly at variance with each other, as to their rights and boundaries. Hence, was inaugurated by two of those powers-viz .: Mance and England-what has been here known in history, as the French War, between the years 1750 and 1765. This war between the French and English governments was mainly confined to, and carried on in the colonies of this country, as then claimed by each of them. In the prosecution of this war, the French government formed alliances with the numerous Indian tribes, then in- habiting the great Northwestern territory.
By its promises of protection and rewards, that Government enlisted these tribes of the forests to engage in their barbarous methods of cruel- ty and blood upon the frontier settlements of those colonies. These atrocious alliances were formed and perfected through their agents and emissaries, at that time extensively engaged in commercial transactions, as connected with the fur trade with these Indians.
Hence may be traced much of the hostility of the Indians, and the reason for their cruel and relentless course. Much of the horrors of their mode of warfare may be and is justly chargeablo upon the French government, during these years of untold sufferings. .
It is a well known and established fact that the disposition and gener- al character of the Indian was far more amicable and reliable when the
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ENGLAND, FRANCE, SPAIN.
country .was first discovered by the Europeans, than it now is, or has been since. Ile then was in possession of more noble and generous and worthy qualities of mind and heart, thereby molding his character more in accordance with the great moral principles of reliance, truth and jus- tice.
These thoughts and considerations open a wide field for reflection and should be improved by every American citizen. The law- making power of our General Government, in all its dealings with the Indians, should carefully consider their relations to this country, and then act with impartial justice.
Again, during the dangers and struggles of the Revolutionary. War, in which the thirteen colonies of this country contended with Great Britain for their independence, similar alliances were formed by that Government, through their agents, with these Indian tribes, at and immediately anterior to 1776, which lasted during the contin- uanee of that bloody confliet. And again, in the war with that Gov- ernment in 1812-15, the same inhuman policy was adopted by that Government, in enlisting t'ese savage tribes iu the work of barbar. ism, cruelty and deith. Menee, as we have before said, much of the hostility and cruelty of the Indians, in their savage and sickening mode of warfare, is justly chargeable upon those enlightened nations of Europe, and for wineh they should be held accountable by the historian in all time to come.
From these considerations and others which might be given, it must be apparent to the mind of the reader that the cruel hostility of these tribes-these denizens of the forest-towards the citizens of these colonies, in their raids for plunder-for taking into captivity men, women and children, and for their cruel and bloody acts of barbarism upon the first settlements made in the great Mississippi Valley. and its numerous tributaries, are chargeable upon those en- liglitened Governments of the Old World.
Consequently, as we have before said, in making up and reviewing the history of those years of darkness and sufferings we have felt and still feel, that much of the sin and sorrows visited upon those early pioneers, will not and should not rest upon the " poor Indian."
It is undoubtedly true that in feeling and disposition for protecting themselves and their posterity in their territorial hunting grounds, they felt, and to some considerable extent carried out, their feelings of hatred and aversion, but these had become greatly intensified and made cruel and relentless by those emissaries then neting under the direction of these foreign Governments. Consequently, as we have already said, it well becomes the historian, in writing of these early times, and the records of those years of bloody and inhuman strife, he should not pass by and lose sight of these facts. They should be carefully considered and plead iu extenuation of many of the inhuman barbarities of those years when these Indian tribes of
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FRENCH WAR, REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
the forest went forth upon the war-path. In presenting these sars- mary sketches of those times, we have, therefore, felt that we were called upon by the principles of truth and justice to make this avowal for the "poor Indian," when speaking of the early settlements of Western and Northwestern Virginia and their tragic memories.
During the latter part of the eighteenth century, owing to the active and controlling influences made by these European Govern- ments, through their agents, then passing from one fort or station to another, extending from the Canadas and the Northern lakes to the Ohio river, which they then brought to bear upon these tribes, but few attempts were made by the Government to colonize any parts or portions of this Western and Northwestern Virginia, and those then made were wholly insufficient for the protection of those who had sought homes in what was then known as the Far West.
CHAPTER II.
WHE FORMATION OF COUNTIES.
In our introductory Chapter, we gave to the reader, summary state- ments of the nature and character of the various influences brought to bear upon the Indian tribes of the Northwestern territory, by the French and English governments, with our reflections thereon, as interwoven in and standing connected with the early settlements of the colony of Vir- ginia-its wilderness territory and subsequent history.
This was done, not only in justice to those unlettered denizens of the forest, but for the purpose of placing the responsibilities and blame where they so justly belonged. Those great European governments then were ' included in the enlightened and civilized nations of the earth, whose so- cial and civil institutions were endowed with, and should have been guid- ed by the principles and precepts of the christian religion, as then connected with those governments. Hence we have held, and now hold them to the just responsibilities of their conduct and policy as enlighten- ed and christianized nations, and also for the results of their combined acts; adopted, pursued and carried out by each of them individually as nations, in their efforts to support and maintain their assumed territo- rial claims.
Having thus briefly referred to these historic facts, so painfully con- nected with the early settlements of Virginia, in her valleys and over her mountains, lying West and Northwest of the Blue Ridge, we now turn the attention of the reader to che divisions and sub-divisions of its territories and counties.
At and prior to the Independence of the United States in 1776, the popular branch of Color >l legislation in Virginia, was known as the "House of Burgesses." It enacted its laws under & provincial charter, granted by the English government, to whom its allegiance was due. .
The House of Burgesses by its enactments from time to time, laid off the wilderness territory into counties, as its increasing population sd-
10 AUGUSTA, FREDERICK-DISTRICT OF WEST AUGUSTA.
vanced their forest settlements westward beyond the mountains of the Blue Ridge,
In 1788, the counties of Frederick and Augusta were formed by pre- seribed metes and bounds, embracing a large territory of land west of the Blue Ridge mountains. All the vast and wide spread wilderness territory, lying Vest and Northwest of those two counties, was then named and designated by the House of Burgesses, "The District of West Augusta," extending on the Northwest to the Ohio river, and West as far as the colonial territory extended. The lands now embrae- ed in the State of West Virginia, formed a portion of the territory, then known as the District of West Augusta.
In 1754 the county of Hampshire was formed from parts of Frederick and Augusta counties.
In 1770 the county of Botetourt was' formed by a division of the county of Augusta.
In 1772 the counties of. Berkeley and Shenandoah _were formed by sub-divisions of the county of Frederick:
In 1776 the counties of Ohio and Monongalia were formed out of the . northwestern part of the District of West Augusta, and embraced the territory between the States of Maryland and Pennsylvania on the northeast and the Big Kanawha on the southwest, lying southeast of the Ohio river. Ohio county extending down the Ohio river, from Pennsyl- vania to the mouth of Middle Island creek. Monongalia county lying southeast of Ohio county and extending below and down the Ohio river trom the mouth of Middle Island creek to the valley of the Big Kan- awha river, and from thence northeast to the State of Maryland.
In 1777 and 1778 Montgomery and Greenbrier counties were formed . from the western and northwestern portion of the District of West Au- gusta, extending west of the Allegheny Mountains to Big Sandy river and down its valley and the valley of the Big Kanawha, to the Ohio river, which then formed the southwestern boundary of the county of Monongalia.
In 1784 the county of Monongalia was divided, and the northwestern part was named Harrison, in honor of Benjamin Harrison, then Gover -. nor of Virginia. This county then extended from its division line northwest to the Ohio river, and down the Ohio river to the valley of the Big Kanawha river, then embraced in Greenbrier county. During these years while the land in Western Virginia was embraced in the ter- ritory of Monongalia and Harrison counties, numerous large surveys of land were entered and patented by land speculators. These entries when surveyed, the lines of which intersected each other, causing much confusion in the titles of these lands. More of this anon. .
In 1780 the county of Kanawha was formed by a division of Green- brier county, and embraced the beautiful valley of the Big Kanawha to the Ohio river. The territory of this county then embraced one of the richest portions of West Virginia.
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WOOD COUNTY-ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES, &C.
By an Act of the House of Burgesses in 1799, the county of Wood was set off by a division of the county of Harrison, and was named in honor of Governor Wood, of Virginia. Its northeastern boundary line was Ohio county; its southeastern boundary was the line separa- ting it from the county of Harrison; its southwestern line was the county of Kanawha, and its northwestern boundary was the Ohio river. Its territory as then formed, contained about 1400 square miles. The Little Kanawha river, heading in the slopes of the Alle- gheny Mountains and running northwest, joined the Ohio river at Parkersburg, dividing the county into nearly two equal parts. Ow- ing to conflicting interests of its settlers, the regular organization of the county did not take place until the 10th of March, 1800.
In 1804 Mason county was formed by a division of Kanawha coun- ty, taking in the valley of Big Kanawha to the Ohio river. For many years thereafter this county formed the southwestern boundary of Wood county.
In 1814 Tyler county was formed by a division of Ohio county; it was taken from its southwestern part, and became the northeastern boundary of Wood county.
In 1816 the county of Lewis was formed by another division made of Harrison county, and for many years was the southern boundary of Wood county.
We have thus traced and defined the boundaries of Wood county, as it was first formed in 1799, and as it remained up to the year 1832. The reader will perceive that its territory was embraced in, and formed a part of that celebrated territory of Virginia, known and desiguated in the eighteenth century as the District of West Augus- ta from the year 1738 to the year 1776. From the year 1776 to the year 1784 it was included in the territory of Monongalia county; and from the year 1784 to the year 1799 it formed the western part of Harrison county, and from that year to 1832 the territorial boun- daries of the county remained unchanged.
The first settlements made in any of the territory of this county was when it formed a part of Harrison county. Yet in all its vast territory such was the slow progress made in its settlement, that in the United States census taken in 1830 it contained only a popu- lation of 6,414 persons, and its taxation was $4,257. There were va- rious causes which operated unfavorably to its rapid settlement and increase of population. Of these we may have more to say hereaft- er. But owing to these causes, one of the most romantic, pictur- esque, healthy and invigorating portions of our common country, whose rich alluvial soils, abounding in vast beds of mineral wealth, numerons heavy veins of coal, forests of every variety of timber, and rivers and streams of water, and water power were passed by for years and left in their primeval solitude.
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NEW COUNTIES.
Leaving all these adverse circumstances and their considerations for the present, we again return to the historical sketches of Wood county and its territory from the year 1832, down to the present time. By an act of the Legislature of Virginia in 1832. the county of Jack- son was formed from the counties of Wood and Mason. In the for- mation of this county, about one-half of its territory was taken from each of the above-named counties, taking from Wood all the lands lying southwest of a line running from the mouth of Pond Creek, on the Ohio river, in a southerly direction to the northern boundary of Lewis county. Ripley, a pleasant settlement on Mill Creek, in a central portion of the territory, was made the county seat. This county embraces a fine body of land for agricultural purposes, and is rich in mineral wealth and prospective affluence. Ravenswood, on the Ohio river, its emporium, is beautifully situated on an elevated plateau, with good pikes and roads extending to the back counties. A hopeful future awaits the enterprise of the citizens of this county.
The northeastern portion of the present county of Roane, taken from Jackson county, was, prior to 1832, a portion of Wood county.
In 1843 the county of Ritchie was formed from the eastern portion of Wood. Harrisville, situated on the north fork of Hughes river, was made the county seat. The Northwestern Virginia Railroad, a branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, passes through the central part of this county from East to West. On its track are many beau- tiful and picturesque towns, lately sprung up as points of commercial business. The lands of this county are rough, broken and mountain- ous, yet abounding in rich minerals, oils and other substances, invit- ing the enterprise of capitalists.
A portion of the territory of the present county of Doddridge was, prior to 1843, embraced in the boundaries of Wood county, in con- nection with the county of Ritchie. From these facts, the reader can form some idea of the large territory of land once embraced in the boundaries of Wood county.
In 1848 Wirt county was formed from the southern part of Wood, lying on both sides of the Little Kanawha river. The town of Eliza- beth, on the south side of the river, above the mouth of Tucker's creek, became the county seat. On the north side of the river, eight miles above Elizabeth, are the famous Burning Springs, and the great oil basin, from which there is exported annually vast quantities of petro- leum. A town by that name has there sprung up, inviting capital- ists. The working of these subterranean deposits of oil, in late years, has added greatly to the wealth and population of this county. Slack- water navigation, by dams, of the Little Kanawha, from Parkersburg on the Ohio, to Burning Springs, is opening up a new field of com- mercial enterprise to the back counties along the valley of the river and its tributaries, and should receive the fostering attention and care of the government. Siack-water navigation of this river up to the .
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NEW COUNTIES.
beds of mineral wealth which lie hid in the back mountains, would in- crease the commerce of the entire Little Kanawha Valley.
At the time Dr. David Creel, who represented Wood county in the Leg- ยท islature of Virginia, about the year 1820, made an effort to have the State engaged in this enterprise by improving this river by slack-water navigation. Ilis effort met with opposition from the eastern portion of the State, causing its failure.
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