USA > West Virginia > Monroe County > A history of Monroe county, West Virginia > Part 6
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John Dunn in his affidavit in behalf of Peters states that he served with him in the campaign on the Peninsula in 1781.
John Robinson, born 1749, was drafted in Greenbrier and served six months under Major Andrew Hamilton against the Indians. The inten- tion was to march against Detroit, but the command went via Cumberland Gap to McAfee Station, Kentucky, where the men were discharged, 28 returning with Robinson. Through being away from home, he sustained a loss of $1600 in the depreciation of the paper money he held. Declara- tion, 1832.
Samuel Sams, born 1758, served six months in 1780 as substitute for
*Tobacco was once a form of currency in Virginia. At this period 100 pounds of the weed equaled one pound in coin and 5 pounds equaled one shilling. One pound of tobacco was therefore the equivalent of 3 1-3 cents.
+These battles took place near Jamestown in the summer of 1781.
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PENSIONERS OF THE REVOLUTION
William Dickey, being then a resident of Augusta. Was at Cowpens. Un- der Colonel William Washington he helped to capture 100 tories at Ruge- ly's mills. June, 1781, drafted three months and in battle of Green Spring and siege of Yorktown. Was guarding prisoners to Winchester when discharged. In 1782 served three months at Clover Lick as substitute. Declaration, 1832.
Thomas Steel, born 1752, drafted in Chester county, Pennsylvania, and served nearly six months under General Putnam. About two years later drafted from Lancaster county, same state, but order for service counter- manded. Can prove by Hannah Dunbar that he started in this service. About 1779 his wagon and team being impressed in Lancaster, he got himself appointed wagoner and during about seven weeks was hauling flour to Easton. Served again as wagoner in 1780. Never in any battle. Came to Monroe, 1790. Declaration, 1836 and 1838.
Hemy Winckleblack-known in the army as Henry Squire-born 1755, went into the army as substitute, and was stationed nine months at Forts Pitt, McIntosh, and Lawrence. Then substituted another nine months. From Fort McIntosh went on a scout with 15 or 20 others and they killed several Indians in a fight. From Fort Pitt he went with another party that defeated some Indians and killed 10. Came to Monroe before the Revo- lution and was employed by James Byrnside to pack merchandise to Fort Lawrence. It was in one of these trips that he entered service as a sub- stitute. Declaration, 1832.
Thomas Walker, born 1764, was drafted in Rockingham for three months, four days before he was 16, and joined Muhlenberg's army near Jamestown. His own portion of his regiment proceeded to Great Bridge near Norfolk, where there was some skirmishing. July 1781, again drafted from same county. Discharged for disability at Yorktown three days before the surrender. Declaration, 1832.
Joseph Wiseman, born 1759, drafted from Berks county, Pennsylva- nia, 1776, and served three months on the Hudson. Moved to Rowan coun- ty, North Carolina, 1777, and next year volunteered under General Ruth- erford. Joined General Ashe just after the latter's defeat near the Sa- vannah River, and in time to cover the retreat. Next year went out as substitute, but discharged in Mecklenberg to await orders which never came. Returned to Pennsylvania, but settled in Washington county, Mary- land, where a call was made for one in every nine of the militia. Him- . self and eight neighbors hired a substitute for 45 pounds. Came to Mon- roe, 1794. Declaration, 1832.
Abraham DeHart served in the Third Pennsylvania, James Larkin and Francis Meadows in the Twelfth Virginia, and Samuel Hunt in the Second Virginia. John Rank, who came from Rockingham, served in the Tenth Virginia.
VII
MONROE UNDER GREENBRIER
The State of Franklin-Formation of Greenbrier-End of Eighteenth Century.
FACT in American history which receives little notice is the attempt, just after the Revolution, to create a new state on the waters of the Holston. To the people in that valley a strong local government was peculiarly necessary, because of their remoteness from the old settlements east of the Blue Ridge. The effort was temporarily successful, and for a few years the state of Franklin, with its capital at Greenville, un- dertook to maintain a career of its own.
It is usually assumed that the territorial limits claimed for Frank- lin were the same as those of Tennessee. But this is not the case. The Franklin memorial of 1785, presented by Colonel Arthur Camp- bell and seventeen other men, asked for statehood because of geo- graphical position. It petitioned that the new commonwealth be
Bounded by a meridian that will touch the mouth of Little River near Ingles' Ferry, thence down the Kanawha to the Ronceverte, or Greenbrier River, then southwest to latitude thirty-seven, then along latitude thirty- seven to the meridian of the rapids of the Ohio, thence along this merid- ian to the Tennessee, or Cherokee, River to the part nearest of latitude thirty-four south; eastward on that parallel to top of Appalachian Moun- tains, and along the highest part of the same (the divide between Eastern and Wastern waters).
A little map study will show that the proposed limits include nearly all of that corner of Virginia sometimes known as Little Tennessee; a part of Summers and Mercer counties, in West Vir- ginia; a narrow strip of Kentucky; rather less than half of Tennes- see; a very slight portion of Alabama and Georgia; and that nar- row belt of North Carolina which lies west of the Blue Ridge. A more natural boundary could have been found on the north and west, but the idea in the minds of Campbell and his colleagues was a
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sound one. The new state would have been wholly a mountain state. It would have been homogeneous in geography, population, social usages, and political feeling. It would have understood and looked after its own peculiar needs, and would have obviated very much of the illiteracy and other phases of backwardness which ob- tain in some localities of this area. Had the new state become a reality, Old Monroe would have been on its border. This curious circumstance is our reason for calling attention to the state that failed to materialize.
Another state that likewise failed to come into full existence would have had Monroe on or near its border. In 1771 it was proposed to create the inland colony of Vandalia with its capital at Point Pleasant. The plan was favored by Franklin and other in- fluential Americans on the ground of convenience in local self-gov- ernment. It was favored by the British government, which desired a colony more amenable to arbitrary control than were those of the seaboard.
Botetourt, even after the erection of Fincastle county, ran from the Blue Ridge to the Ohio, and had an average breadth of about 50 miles. The increase in population, and the inconvenience to many people of attending its court made subdivision inevitable. Two new counties were carved out of it at the same time. Rockbridge was formed out of a portion of the territory east of the Alleghany, while all the portion west was made into the county of Greenbrier.
An Act of Assembly of October, 1777, is of this import:
Whereas, it is represented to this present session of Assembly, by the inhabitants of Augusta and Botetourt counties that they labor under many inconveniences by reason of the great extent of the said counties and par- ishes.
And be it further enacted, That from and after the first day of March the said county and parish of Botetourt shall be divided by a line begin- ning on the top of the ridge that divides the eastern from the western waters, where the line between Augusta and Botetourt crosses the same, and running thence the same course continued north fifty-five degrees west to the Ohio; thence beginning at the said ridge, at the said lines of Bote- tourt and Augusta, running along the top of the said ridge, passing the Sweet Springs, to the top of Peters Mountain, thence along the said moun-
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A HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
tain to the line of Montgomery county, thence along the same mountain to the Kenhawa, or New river, thence down the said river to the Ohio. And all the part of the said county and parish of Botetourt between and to the westward of the said lines shall be one distinct county and parish, and be called and known by the name of Greenbrier.
And for the administration of justice, a court .... shall be held .... for the county of Greenbrier on the third Tuesday in every month, the first court for the said county of Greenbrier to be held at John Stuart's. And thie justices for the said court .... or a major part of them being present, and having taken the oaths required by law, and administered the oaths of office to the sheriff .... the said court shall fix on a place for holding court in (its) county, at or as near the center as the situation and convenience will ad- mit of, and shall thenceforth proceed to erect the necessary publick build- ings at such place, and shall also appoint such places for holding courts in the meantime, until such buildings shall be completed, as they shall think fit, and shall have power to adjourn themselves to such place as it shall appoint; and after the publick buildings shall be completed, the court for the said county shall then be held at such place.
We have omitted the few words that pertain exclusively to the counties of Rockbridge and Rockingham, which were created by the same act. Other provisions are the dissolution of the vestry of Augusta parish; the requirement that the people of Greenbrier shall elect, before the first day of the next May, "twelve able and discreet persons," to be a vestry for the parish of Greenbrier; and certain provisions as to suits and petitions pending in the parent county. The clerk of Botetourt is instructed to make out a docket of such, and deliver the same to the clerk of the new county, together with all papers filed and a copy of all costs, and to take the clerk's receipt. No appointments of clerks of the peace or of places for holding courts were to be made unless a majority of the justices were pres- ent. The collectors of Botetourt were empowered to collect and distrain for dues remaining unpaid by the inhabitants of the new county.
It is very unfortunate that no record-books of Greenbrier, an- terior to November 21, 1780, seem to be in existence. The miss- ing records therefore include the details as to the organization of the county, and much other information that would throw consid-
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erable light on the annals of Monroe during the middle Revolu- tionary period.
Although the courthouse of Greenbrier has always occupied the lot on which the present building stands, it was not until October, 1782, that the town of Lewisburg was recognized by legislative en- actment. Until then, the locality was variously known as Camp Union, Fort Savannah, and Lewis's Springs.
Kanawha county was set off from Greenbrier in 1788. An Act of 1795 aims to correct the alleged vagueness of the line between the old county and the new by making the west line of Greenbrier run with Gauley River from its mouth to the point where it crosses the line between Greenbrier and Randolph.
In 1788 Greenbrier voted for the Federal Constitution. Ten years later it refused its assent to the disunion tendencies of the Virginia Resolutions of that date.
The latter half of the period during which Monroe was a part of Greenbrier is a time of complete exemption from Indian raids. Population was increasing, new roads were being opened, and new farms were being cleared. Better dwelling houses were taking the place of the primitive cabin. By the time Monroe became a dis- tinct county, thirty years had elapsed since the permanent resettle- ment. Many of its younger inhabitants had been born here. The period of settling was giving way to a period of settling down. The pioneer period proper had come to an end.
In Monroe, as in other American communities that have passed through a frontier phase of existence, the pioneer epoch is pictur- esque and full of life and color. It stands for the heroic age in American history. The people then in the forefront deserve great credit for their share of the work in transforming the wilderness into an abode of civilization. But theirs was no golden age of vir- tue and contentment, outshining the alleged degeneracy of our own time. It is well to remember that
'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view,
And robes the mountains in their azure hue.
A book containing a scrappy outline of the history of this and other counties, has these words for the pioneer :
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A HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
He was a soldier and true bravery and valor were displayed every- where and at all times by him. No timid shrieks escaped them; no maid- enly fears caused them to shrink from their self-imposed and onerous task. There was no feudal system to divide the grand estate among those who had borne arms in its defense.
The historian of a certain county of West Virginia, while paus- ing to extol the "good old times," tells us that "personal liberty had not been curtailed"; that there was "a real Utopian dream of equal- ity and liberty"; that "laws were to be obeyed, not evaded."
Such loose statements as these do positive harm to the general reader. They ask him to believe in a past that never did exist, ex- cept in the fervid imagination of the author and his impulse to give high sounding rhetoric in place of hard historical facts. Men of sterling worth, firm purpose, and generous impulse lived in the pio- neer era just as such persons live in our own time. But to allege that the entire pioneer population was of superhuman mould is laughable. In those days of empire-building there were shirks, cow- ards, and scoundrels; there were skulkers even at Point Pleasant; there was panic-stricken flight at the rumor of an Indian foray; the land claimant was often ousted by fraud or violence; magistrates were insulted while sitting on the bench; the fights between man and man were brutal in the extreme; might or privilege was often victorious over common justice ; lawbreaking, drunkenness, gambling, profanity, stealing, and licentiousness disported themselves on every hand. The writer of this volume could support the above state- ments by filling page after page from the documentary history of Au- gusta and the counties formed out of it. Such authority is well- nigh incontestible. The age in which we live contains much that may very justly be deplored; yet, on the whole, the march of civi- lization is forward and not backward.
That there was "no feudal system to divide the grand estate among those who had borne arms in its defense" is a very "irides- cent dream." Despite the arrogance and ostentation of plutocrats and the near-rich in our own time, the colonial age was still less democratic. It is true that this fact was less in evidence along the inland frontier than in the aristocratically organized society of the
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MONROE UNDER GREENBRIER
seacoast. Yet even in the mountains the feudal pretentions of wealth and privilege made themselves obnoxious. Something has been said in a former chapter on the monopolistic tendencies of the order in council. The growth of the Greenbrier country was hampered by the greed of the Loyal and Greenbrier companies, particularly the latter. The feeling of the settlers is thus voiced in a Botetourt petition of 1777 :
We have settled it (the country) in the west and defended it for years against the savage, in consequence of which we hoped to have obtained a just and equitable title to our possessions, without being obliged to con- tribute large sums of money to the separate emolument of inidviduals.
William Blanton of the Sinks of Monroe bought the right and improvements of a man who offered to make declaration that he and others had applied to Andrew Lewis, spokesman of the Greenbrier Company, offering to pay any reasonable price for their "settle- ments," but that the offer had been refused.
VIII
RECORDS OF TWENTY YEARS
Extracts from Record-books and Petitions.
N THIS chapter the record-books of Greenbrier and the petitions from the said county to the General Assembly tell their own story. Such extracts are given as are of most general interest and deal more particularly with that portion of Greenbrier that became Monroe.
NOVEMBER, 1780
Justices present: Samuel Brown, John Anderson, William Hutchinson, John Henderson, William Poage.
John Archer resigns as clerk. John Stuart elected. Andrew Donally qualifies as sheriff to succeed James Henderson, his deputies being John Rodgers, Adam Caperton, and James Thompson, and his sureties, John Henderson and James Thompson.
Grand Jury: William Frogg, John Humphreys, Matthew Gwinn, Andrew Willson, John Wiley, Thomas Hamilton, John Benson, Charles O'Hara, John Miller, Sr., John Akins, John Riley, George Davidson, John McCan- lis, Martin Smith, Sampson Archer, William Hedding, Archibald McDowell,
View ordered from for a road from Second Creek to Camp Union.
Christopher Bryan given license to keep an ordinary.
Three presentments for unlawful retailing of liquor.
John Stuart was advanced $400 in paper for iron to be used in jail and transportation of the same; also $1,000 to buy necessary books. (Note: This paper was depreciated Continental money.)
Ordinary rates authorized: breakfast, $15; lodging, $3; stablage and hay, per night, $14; corn, per gallon, $14; oats, per gallon, $6; whiskey, per gallon, $80; rum per gallon, $320.
764 tithables, each assessed at 14 pounds of tobacco (47 cents), total levy being $356.53.
James Warwick made constable in Captain Hugh Miller's company, Samuel Kincaid in Captain Thompson's, John Dixon in Captain Ander- son's, and John Carlisle (vice Michael Shirley, resigned) in Captain John Hendersons
Clerk to certify to Auditor of Public Accounts a claim of $2,000 for
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RECORDS OF TWENTY YEARS
a horse taken from John Henderson to take a witness to Richmond. James Byrnside allowed 200 pounds ($666.67) for damage to horse in taking a criminal to "gaol."
Bond of Andrew Donally as sheriff. 100,000 pounds. John Hender- son and James Thompson sureties.
Bond of Andrew Donally to collect, account for, and pay all taxes due in this county, per Act of Assembly, 10,000 pounds. James Byrn- side, Archibald Wood, sureties.
DECEMBER, 1780
Called court to examine James Stuart on suspicion of murdering John Estill. Adjudged guilty. Philip Hammond, Mary Faught, and William Bradshaw bound in 100 pounds each to appear at Richmond as witnesses.
FEBRUARY, 1781
William Ward, a justice, authorized to buy a "compleat Wagon and Team" for use of sheriff, and procure a driver for the same. The sher- iff to collect 20,000 pounds to pay for it.
MARCH, 1781
Mary Trimble, servant to William Shanks, having run away and been taken back, agrees to serve one year over and above her time to repay him for the expense of recovery.
Mary Ann, wife of Stephen Robinson, a soldier, in service, and her two children are recommended for legal relief from indigency.
William Tincher to survey a road from James Byrnside's to Christo- pher Bryan's, vice Archibald Handley, discharged.
Order, per Act of Assembly, for the viewing and marking of a road from the courthouse to Warm Springs, and the mouth of the Cowpasture. Ordinary rates: dinner, $25; breakfast, $20; corn per gallon, $10. Order for the refitting of the house which the court uses.
John Hutchinson qualifies as deputy sheriff.
APRIL, 1781
John Day ordered bound in 10,000 pounds to answer charge of try- ing to incite an insurrection among the militia.
Sheriff to let to lowest bidder a contract, payable in hemp, for a good wagon road to Warm Springs.
MAY, 1781
Grand jury: Anthony Bowen, William Crawford, James Thompson, Thomas Grattan, John Davis, Samuel Kincaid, George Blackburn, Arch- ibald Handley, James Lockhart, James Hanna, William Davison, Thomas Hamilton, George Gray, James Houston, Moses Hall, Joseph McClung, Archibald McDowell.
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A HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
Christopher Bryan, David Jarrett, James Graham, and James Byrn- side to view a road from Peter Vanbibber's to the mill in Second Creek gap.
Matthew Arbuckle and William Hunter Cavendish appointed com- missioners of the grain tax for the ensuing year.
AUGUST, 1781
Sheriff to let contract, payable in not over 50 tons hemp, for a wagon road from the courthouse to Warm Springs. The road to be 12 feet wide in deep places, 15 feet elsewhere, and to be finished by October 1, 1782. Contractor to give bond in 5,000 pounds.
Ordinary rates: dinner, $50; breakfast, $40; corn per gallon, $50; hay or fodder per night, $50.
NOVEMBER, 1781
John Henderson to take list of tithables in Captain Wood's and his own companies, and James Henderson in the companies of Glass and Wright.
Archibald Wood resigns as captain.
APRIL, 1782
Edward Keenan made constable vice William Robinson.
Archibald Handley, Edward Keenan, Samuel Glass, and James Alex- ander to view a road from the widow Miller's to Conrad's mill on Indian Creek. Next month James Thompson made overseer of road.
Ordinary rates: corn or oats, 8 cents per gallon; lodging, 8 cents.
James Byrnside and Archibald Wood qualify as collectors of the tax. Bond, 10,000 pounds.
MAY, 1782
Samuel Gwinn, James Miller, and John Hall to view from the widow Miller's to the top of Swope's Knobs to join the road to Second Creek.
Attachment for $40 specie by James Gwinn against the estate of James McAfee, "who hath privately removed himself." Return by John Hutchinson. Executed in hand of Israel Meadows 200 pounds saltpeter and in hands of John Thompson a bond of about 500 pounds paper. Sale of same ordered to satisfy a sum of $23.77.
William Estill, constable, allowed pay for a laboring man for 23 days at 50 cents a day; for two horses for two days at 33 cents a day; also provisions for man and horses, the work being the construction of a "grainery" for tax grain.
One adultery case and eight bastardy cases.
George Thornton presented for breaking the Sabbath by drinking to excess and saying he borrowed that day and would pay it again.
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RECORDS OF TWENTY YEARS
Robert Armstrong to pay John Vawter, a witness, 370 pounds of to- bacco ($12.33) for two days attendance and 80 miles travel.
William Dunn and Thomas Downey, presented for unlawful gaming, and not appearing in court, they are each to forfeit to the poor of the parish $20 in current money and costs.
Agnes M-, for bastardy, is to forfeit to the churchwardens of Botetourt parish 50 shillings to the poor and costs. Same judgment pro- nounced against three other women.
Jacob Lockhart, for retailing liquors contrary to law and not coming to court, is to forfeit to the use of the commonwealth 10 pounds specie and 50 pounds paper and costs.
Patrick Murphy fined five shillings for swearing in court.
Thomas Ellis, whose sons were killed in the service of the United States, allowed $32 for one year.
Colonel James Henderson, sheriff in 1779-1780, in arrears for $1768.08. Ordered that he pay the depreciation on the same.
Order for levy of 50 shillings to buy a book for the surveyor.
811 tithables. Head tax, 80 cents. Levy, $648.80.
For taking a criminal to Richmond $2 allowed. $80 allowed for viewing road to Warm Springs. For handcuffs, five shillings allowed.
JUNE, 1782
This was a court of claims for provisions or other services rendered in behalf of the United States in the war with Britain. Numerous claims presented and allowed.
William Estill made constable in Captain John Henderson's company.
AUGUST, 1782
William Myers, overseer of road from James Byrnside's to Patrick Boyd's.
James Byrnside allowed $42.58 for damages done him by a party of Greenbrier militia on their way to Kentucky.
NOVEMBER, 1782
Order for the laying off of a road from the courthouse to Ugly's Creek.
DECEMBER, 1782
Reverend John McCue qualifies as competent to perform the marriage ceremony.
JANUARY, 1783
John Crain given 25 lashes for hog stealing.
MARCH, 1783
Summoned to attend surveyor in adjusting land dispute between Wil-
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A HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
fiam West and Martin Turpin in Second Creek: Archibald Handley, James Handley, John Handley, Matthew Patterson, James McNutt, John McNutt, Moses Higgenbotham, Samuel Ewing, William Robinson, James Allen, Thomas Wright; or any 12 of them.
APRIL, 1783
Hugh Caperton appointed lieutenant in Woods' company, Daniel Sbu- mate, ensign. James Knox and Andrew Woods qualify as captains. 915 tithables. Levy, $915.
AUGUST, 1783
Ordinary rates: "hott diet," 21 cents; cold diet, 17 cents; lodging, 8 cents ; corn or oats per gallon, or pasturage one night, 8 cents; oats per sheaf, 6 cents; "tody made of Rum with Loaf Shugar," per quart, 25 cents; the same with brown sugar, 17 cents; whiskey per gallon, $1.33; apple brandy, 83 cents; peach brandy, $1.67.
NOVEMBER, 1783
James Bradshaw and William Lafferty to divide the tithables under them to work the road from the mouth of Indian to Jacob Mann's.
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