USA > West Virginia > Braxton County > History of Braxton County and central West Virginia > Part 24
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William Barnett was a man of great strength. It was said that he could carry a bundle of hickory hooppoles in his teeth, and one under each arm, Hooppoles were cut in the forests, and tied in bundles of fifty with small
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twisted withes. The poles were cut about seven feet long, and had to be of sufficient size to split, each pole making two hoops for a salt barrel.
Our father related to us the following story of a woman whose name we cannot recall: When alone one day, the bees swarmed and settled in a beeeh tree on a hill some distance from the house. The woman gathered her young ehild, a bee gum and the axe, and went up, placing her ehild some distance from the tree, and cut the tree down and hived the bees.
"Aunt Matty" Sprigg, mother of the late Captain John S. Sprigg and wife of Edward Sprigg, was one of the noble women of the country. She was a faithful attendant on the siek, and before the days of professional nurses was a constant visitor at the bedside of the afflieted. She had a knowledge of diseases and remedies that sometimes exeelled that of the physicians. Her great physical strength enabled her to handle a patient with ease. Her indus- trious habits knew no bounds. She was an expert hand in putting up fruit butters and providing a sustenanee for her family. She eould lift a two-buchel kettle of boiling apple butter off from the fire with one hand. Her death oc- curred some years ago. She was loved by all who knew her.
Marshall Triplett, James Carr and his son, Andrew Carr, were all men of great strength.
Frank Rhea, a eolored man who belonged to Dr. John L. Rhea, weighed about two hundred twenty-five pounds and was a remarkably strong man. He eould piek up a barrel of salt and pitch it into a wagon with ease. On one oceasion he was dragging wood with a yoke of oxen for a man named Shobe Ward, and going up a bank the near ox broke his bow, and not discouraged at this mishap, Frank took hold of the end of the yoke, plaeed his shoulder against it and went on with the load.
Andrew Skidmore, one of the old pioneers, whose weight was one hundred eighty pounds, carried a yearling bear from four miles above Sutton, on Wolf creek, to his home three miles below Sutton, a distanee of seven miles. He rest- ed but twiee. He had in addition to his gun a hunting outfit. This was a feat of strength and a very remarkable endurance rarely if ever equaled. His nephew. Crawford Seott, who lived in Randolph eounty, was a pugilist of the old school. He could take a man of ordinary size on his shoulder and run up a hill with apparent ease.
Peter Francisco was thought to be a Portuguese, kidnapped and taken to Ireland when an infant. He was then kept for some years by a sea eaptain and brought to America and sold to Anthony Winston, Esq., of Buckingham county, Virginia. At the age of sixteen, he seeured the consent of Mr. Winston to volunteer in the Ameriean army. He was in nearly all the battles of the Revolution, and had many daring eneounters with the British seouts. His height was six feet and one ineh, and his weight two hundred sixty pounds. He eould casily shoulder a cannon weighing eleven hundred pounds. He ear- ried a sword, the blade of which was five feet long, which he could wield like a feather. His eolonel, William Mayo of Powhattan, presented him with a thous-
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and acres of land, and the House of Delegates of Virginia appointed him Sergeant at Arms, in which service he died in 1836, and was interred with military honors in the public burying-ground at Richmond.
Melville Stump of Gilmer coun- ty was said to be one of the most strong and fleet of foot of any in all the Stree Creek Valley. He could run almost as fast as a horse, and in his young days foot-racing was a very popular sport. The custom was for the referee to stand at a starting point, and the two who were to run the race would stand a few paces in his rear, and holding each other by the hand they would start at the signal, and coming to the referee ANDREW SKIDMORE they would part and one go on each side, thus insuring an even start. It was related to the author by parties who were present that about sixty-five years ago at a general muster at Stumptown, Samuel Brown and Thomas Smith arranged to run a foot race of one hundred yards, and Melville Stump was one of the referees, and when the contestants passed him he started after them and passed them before they reached the other end of the race as they came out, to the great enjoyment of those who witnessed the sport.
It is said that Benjamin Hameric and his nine sons of Webster Springs are the most remarkable family, physically speaking, in West Virginia. Mr. Hamric measures 6 feet, 51/2 inches in height, and his sons draw the fathom line as follows: Arnold, 6 feet, 11/4 inches; Isaac, 6 feet, 53/4 inches ; Adam. 6 feet, 3 inches; William, 6 feet, 1 inch; Eli, 6 feet, 3 inches; Samson, 6 feet, 114 inches; Felix, 6 feet, 2 inches ; Ellis, 6 fect, 5 inches; and George, 6 feet, 3 inches. The average height of the family is 6 feet, 23/4 inches, and the average weight 's 174 pounds.
Judge A. N. Campbell of Monroe county, measures 6 feet, 3 inches in height, and weighs 323 pounds. He has four brothers whose heights and weights are as follows: Rev. J. P. Campbell of Hinton, height 6 feet, 4 inches, weight 200 pounds; L. E. Campbell of Pickaway, height 6 feet, 3 inches, weight 280 pounds; N. B. Campbell of Underwood, height 6 feet, 21/4 inches, weight 255 pounds. The average height of the five is 6 ft. 2 in., and the average. We doubt whether these magnificent proportions can be exceeded by any family of equal numbers in West Virginia. Another member of this family, Archi- bald Campbell, who was killed at the first battle of Manassas while fighting in
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the 27tlı Virginia Infantry, Stonewall Brigade, was also a man of superb physique, standing 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 250 pounds.
a man of superb physique, standing 6 fect 2 inehes and weighing 250 pounds.
The father of these gentlemen, the late Andrew Campbell, for years one of the prominent citizens of Monroe county, was one of the most majestic and powerful men who ever dwelt in Virginia. He stood 6 feet 3 inches in height, his weight was 250 pounds, and when in the prime of life, his strength was prodigious. He though nothing of lifting two anvils by their horns one in each hand, and swinging them above his head. He was of the clan of MacGregor- Campbell, and was as renowned for his warm heart and high spirit as for the splendor of his physical gifts.
God has created'man with wonderful gifts of strength, endurance and length of days. It is now near midnight, and we close this chapter. In about two hours, should we live, we will have rounded out the time allotted to man, and we are reminded of the language of the poet who said :
Life is composed of a thousand springs That would fail if one goes wrong; How strange it is that a harp with a thousand strings Should keep in tune so long.
QUAKERS.
Quakers, a sect which took its rise in England about the middle of the seventeenth century. It rapidly found its way into other countries in Europe, and into the English settlements in North America. The members of this so- ciety, we believe, called themselves at first Seekers, from their seeking the truth; but after the society was formed, they assumed. the appellation of Friends. The name of Quakers was given to them by their enemies, and though an epithet of reproach, it seems to be stamped upon them indelibly. George Fox is sup- posed to be their founder; but. after the restoration, Wm. Penn and Barclay gave to their principles a more regular form.
They tell us, that, about the beginning of the seventeenth century, a num- ber' of men, dissatisfied with all the modes of religious worship then known in the world, withdrew from the communion of every visible church to seek the Lord in retirement. Among these was their honorable elder, George Fox, who, being quickened by the immediate touches of divine love, could not satisfy his apprehensions of duty to God without directing the people where to find the like consolation and instruction. In the course of his travels, he met with many seeking persons in circumstances similar to his own, and these readily received his testimony. They then give us a short account of their sufferings and different settlements; they also vindicate Charles IT from the character of a persecutor; acknowledging that, though they suffered much during his reign, he gave as little countenance as he could to the severities of the legislation. They even tell us that he exerted his influence to rescue their friends from the unprovoked and cruel persecutions with which they met in New England; and they speak with becoming gratitude of the different acts passed in their favour
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during the reigns of William and Mary, and George I. They then proceed to give us the following account of their doctrine.
"We agree with other professors of the Christian name, in the belief of one eternal God, the Creator and Preserver of the universe; and in Jesus Christ his Son, the Messiah and mediator of the new covenant, Heb. xii. 24.
"When we speak of the gracious display of the love of God to mankind, in the miraculous eoneeption, birth, life, miracles, death, resurrection, and as- cension of our Saviour, we prefer the use of such terms as we find in Scrip- ture; and contented with that knowledge which divine wisdom hath seen meet to reveal, we attempt not to explain those mysteries which remain under the veil; nevertheless we aeknowledge and assert the divinity of Christ, who is the wisdom and power of God unto salvation, 1 Cor. i. 24.
"There are not many of our tenets more generally known than our tes- timony against oaths, and against war. With respect to the former of these, we abide literally by Christ's positive injunetion, delivered in his sermon on the mount, 'Swear not at all,' Matt. v. 34. From the same sacred collection of the most excellent precepts of moral and religious duty, from the example of our Lord himself, Matt. v. 39, 44, etc., Matt. xxvi. 52, 53, Luke, xxii. 51, John, xviii. 11, and from the correspondent convictions of his Spirit in our hearts, we are confirmed in the belief that wars and fightings are in their origin and effects utterly repugnant to the Gospel, which still breathes peace and good will to men. We also are clearly of the judgment, that if the benevolence of the Gospel were generally prevalent in the minds of men, it would effectually pre- vent them from oppressing, much more from enslaving, their brethren (of what- ever colour or complexion, ) for whom, as for themselves, Christ died; and would even influence their conduct in their treatment of the brute creation, which would no longer groan, the victims of their avarice, or of their false ideas of pleasure.
"Some of our ideas have in former times, as hath been shown, subjected our friends to much suffering from government, though to the salutary purposes of government our principles are a security. They inculcate submission to the laws in all cases wherein conseienee is not violated. But we hold, that, as Christ's kingdom is not of this world, it is not the business of the eivil magistrate to interfere in matters of religion. but to maintain the external peace and good order of the community. We therefore think persecution, even in the smallest degree, umwarrantable. We are careful in requiring our members not to be con- cerned in illicit trade, nor in any manner to defraud the revenue.
"It is well known that the society, from its first appearance, has disused those names of the months and days, which, having been given in honour of the heroes or false gods of the heathen, originated in their flattery or superstition ; and the custom of speaking to a single person in the plural number, as having arisen also from motives of adultation. Compliments, superfluity of apparel and furniture, outward shows of rejoicing and mourning, and the observation of days and times, we esteem to be incompatible with the simplicity and sin- cerity of a Christian life."
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HISTORY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.
The first Methodist society in the United States of America, was formed in the City of New York, in the year 1766, by a few Methodist emigrants from Ire- land. Among these was a local preacher, by the name of Philip Embury. He preached the first Methodist sermou in a private room, to those only who had ac- companied him to this country. The name of "Methodist" as well as his manner of preaching being a novelty in this country, soon attracted attention, and many came to hear the stranger for themselves, and the number of hearers so increased that the house in which they assembled very soon became too small to contain all who wished to hear. They accordingly pro- cured a larger place. About this time considerable attention was excited by the preaching of Capt. Webb, who came from Albany, where he was stationed. to the help of Mr. Embury. This gentleman had been converted to God under the preach- ing of Mr. Wesley in Bristol, England, REV. C. WARMAN Fifty years a treveling minister and being moved with compassion towards his fellow men, although a soldier, he now employed his talent in calling sinners to repentence. Through his and the labours of Mr. Embury, the work of God prospered, and the society increased in number and stability. From the place they now occupied, which soon be- came too small to accommodate all who wished to attend their meetings, they removed to a rigging-loft, in William street, which they hired, and fitted up for a preaching room.
Such was their continual increase that, after contending with a variety of difficulties for want of a convenient place of worship, they succeeded in erect- ing a mecting house in John street, in the year 1768.
About the same time that this society was establishing in New York, Mr. Strawbridge, a local preacher from Ireland, commenced preaching, and formed a small class in Frederick County, Maryland.
In October, 1769, two preachers, Messrs. Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmore, being sent under the direction of Mr. Wesley, landed in America ; and in 1771, Messrs. Francis Asbury and Richard Wright came over. The first regular conference was held in Philadelphia, in the year 1773, under the super- intendence of Mr. Thomas Rankin, who had been sent by Mr. Wesley to take general oversight of the societies in this country. These zealous missionaries,
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spreading themselves in different directions through the country, cities and vil- lages, were instrumental in extending the influence of evangelical principles and holiness among the people.
During the revolutionary war, all the preachers from Europe, except Mr. Asbury, returned to their native land. But prior to this event, the Head of the church had. under the energetie labors of Mr. Asbury and his colleagues, called forth some zealous young men into the ministry, whose labours were owned of God in the awakening and conversion of souls. These men of God, under the superintendence of Mr. Asbury, who laboured hard and suffered much during the sanguinary conflict, continued in the field of Gospel labour; and, notwithstanding the evils inseparable from war, they witnessed the spread of pure religion in many places.
At the conclusion of the revolution, in the year 1784, Dr. Thomas Coke came to America with powers to constitute the Methodist societies in this coun- try into an independent church. Hitherto the societies had been dependent on other churches for the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper, as the Methodist preachers were considered only lay-preachers, and according to the uniform advice of Mr. Wesley, had declined administering the ordinances. This had occasioned much uneasiness, among both preachers and people, in this country. They therefore earnestly requested Mr. Wesley to interpose his au- thority, and furnish them with the ordinances independently of other denomi- nations. After maturely weighing the subject in his own mind, he finally re- solved, as the United States had become independent of both the civil and eccle. siastical polity of Great Britain, to send them the help they so much needed. Accordingly, being assisted by other presbyters of the Church of England, by prayer and imposition of hands, he set apart Thomas Coke, L.L.D. and as pres- byter of said church, as a superintendent of the Methodist societies in America ; and directed him to consecrate Mr. Francis Asbury for the same office. In con- formity to these instructions, after his arrival in the United States, a confer- ence of preachers was assembled in Baltimore, December 25, 1784, amounting in all to 61. Having communicated his instructions, and the contemplated plans for the future government of the societies, which were generally approved, Mr. Asbury, being first elected by the unanimous voice of the preachers, was ordained by Dr. Coke first to the office of deacon, then elder, and then superin- tendent or bishop. Twelve of the preachers were elected and ordained elders at the same conference.
In 1819, the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church was formed; and it received the sanction of the general conference in 1820, accord- ing to the following constitution: This association shall be denominated "The Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church."
It was about the year 1808, that the first ministers found their way into what is now Braxton county. These were a Baptist minister of the name of Mathew Mattox and one of the name of Jamison, representing Methodism. They preached once a month at private houses, that of Colonel John Haymond being a regular appointment for both.
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The Methodists formed the first society, but the exact time of its institu- tion cannot be ascertained for the reason that the records have long since been lost. They worshipped however for a number of years in a house erected by Henry Cunningham for church and school purposes. This, no doubt, was the first church building in this section of the country. It was built by, and at the expense of Henry Cunningham and son, with the exception of the "raising" in which the neighbors assisted.
Of the early ministers, we have the names of :
David Read, Presiding Elder, Asa Shin whose circuit extended to Morgan- town to Gauley Bridge, Andrew Dixon, an Englishman, who had the Braxton Circuit. Rev. Munsel was on the circuit in 1844 when the division of the church took place. Rev. Stewart was Presiding Elder. John Biringer and Wm. Bing rode the circuit, Rev. Dolliver, J. B. Feather, Rev. Brooks, Rev. Totten, R. L. Woodyard, Rev. Pinchon, Rev. Hatfield and Wm. H. Wiley. Wiley was on the Circuit at the beginning of the Civil war in 1860.
The first Quarterly Conference after the close of the Civil war for Braxton Circuit, Charleston District, West Virginia Conference, met at Morrison School- house, June 16, 1866. Conference opened with singing and prayer, the fol- lowing members present: Rev. R. A. Arthur, P.E., Rev. C. H. Conway, P. in C., William D. Baxter, L.P., Jantes W. Morrison, Thos. H. Squires, Zebedee Brown, Milton Frame, William B. Rose, Samuel Brown, Norman B. Squires.
On motion, N. B. Squires was appointed Secretary. There are no com- plaints and no appeals. Pastor's Report No. 3 was made. Brother John Mor- rison came in, and was admitted a seat in the Conference.
In 1868, the Rev. Arthur was followed by G. D. Richmond with James D. Stricklen as preacher in charge; in 1889, Samuel Steel was Presiding Elder, with L. A. Tallman, preacher in charge; in 1870, G. W. Richmond was Pre- siding Elder, with L. F. Smith, preacher in charge; in 1871, M. G. Sayre suc- ceeded Rev. Smith. This was the last Quarterly Conference held under the old Charleston district, and was convened at Sutton, Feb. 17, 1872.
The next Quarterly Conference was held at Pleasantdale, April 27, 1872, with John W. Regar, Presiding Elder, and M. G. Sayre, Preacher in charge; in 1873, Asbury Mick was assigned to the Braxton work; in 1876, T. B. Hughes as Presiding Elder, and C. W. Upton came to the work; in 1878, the time of holding the Conference was changed from Spring until Fall; in 1879, C. Poling served the Braxton circuit, and in that year, Wm. R. White was made Pre- siding Elder of the district; in 1880, Renox Weese was sent to the charge; in 1882, Rev. Weese was assisted by Fred Cotrel; and 1882, C. Warman served the circuit; in 1883, Wm. G. Riheldaffer was made Presiding Elder; in 1884, C. Warman was assisted.by Renox Skidmore; and in 1885, T. C. Exline was Rev. Warman's assistant; in 1885, G. H. Williams was sent to the Braxton work; in 1887, L. H. Jordan was made Presiding Elder; and in 1888, Paris Bent was made pastor of the work; in 1889. John Norris and P. L. Bent, as- sistant; in 1890, R. E. Hughes was pastor; in 1892, Gilbert Rodgers was as- signed to the work; in 1894, J. H. Hess was made Presiding Elder, with G. D.
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Smiht, pastor; in 1898, T. M. Hawkins was made assistant; in 1899, E. R. Skidmore was assigned to the Braxton charge; in 1899, S. P. Crummitt was made Presiding Elder with W. G. Loyd, pastor, in 1904, G. H. Williams was sent to the charge; in 1905, Rev. Albert Cameron was made Presiding Elder and R. G. Backus was preacher in charge; in 1906, B. H. Shadock was preacher in charge; in 1907, Wm. Anderson was Presiding Elder and G. R. Williamson was preacher in charge; in 1909, Wm. Anderson was Presiding Elder and J. O. Bolton, preacher in charge; in 1911, L. E. Ressegger was Presiding Elder and A. Mick, preacher in charge. Rev. Miek was followed by C. G. Stater, in October, 1913, then by I. F. Rickett, in October, 1915. Dr. Ressegger was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Workman as Presiding Elder in October, 1916. Rev. Riekett was followed by A. Backus, in October, 1917.
NATIVE MINISTERS OF BRAXTON COUNTY.
Theodore Given and Wm. Dobbins (Baptist).
Nathan H. Prinee (Methodist Episcopal).
Daniel H. Davis, Isaac Ocheltree and two of his sons, M. L. Barnett, Jonathan Y. Gillespie, Anderson MeNemar, Win. Betts, Jonathan Friend, John I. Tonkin, Simeon T. Davis (Methodist Protestant).
Okey J. Jackson, Wm. G. Loyd (M. E.)
Curtis Ellison (S. M. E.).
P. C. Roberts (M. P.).
Henry Pierson, J. B. MeLaughlin, James Frame (Baptist).
W. M. Given (S. M. E.)
CHURCHES.
In 1860, the Braxton circuit of the M. E. Church embraced almost, if not the entire eounty and part of Webster county. W. H. Wiley was the pastor. He related to the author a few years ago that in the year 1860 which ended his pastorate here, and embraced the most exciting and strenuous period of the church's history, except perhaps its division in 1844, that he had fourteen appointments, that he held thirteen protracted meetings, that there were one hundred and fifty conversions, and a hundred and seventy accessions to the church, that he preached every day in the week except Monday and Tuesday. At that time there were but few church buildings in the circuit, Cunningham church which was the oldest, the Morrison church, a frame building, one among the first churees built in 1856 or 1857. It stood on the old site where the pres- ent church stands in upper Flatwoods. It has been twice rebuilt. The Prince ehapel was a frame building and stood where the present church stands in Flatwoods. It was burned down in time of the Civil war, and was rebuilt with a parsonage.
There was a church house on Tate creek, built principally by Milton Frame. The people worshipped principally in private houses, and since the school
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houses were built by the state, they were very generally used by the people as places of worship. Not many years after the Civil war, the church built a house of worship on Steer creek, called Simpson chapel, and later another one was built on Big Buffalo called Frames' chapel. More recently a church was built on Salt Lick near the mouth of Bickel's fork, called Tichnal. The widow of Moses Tichnal contributed largely to its erection. It has since burned down, and a new church has been built on the same site. A church was built on Perkins fork near Shavers. The society built a house called the Riffle chapel on the Perkins fork of Cedar creek. Jacob Riffle was the principal one in its construction. A church house was built on the Isaac Loyd farm on Cedar creek, called the Loyd chapel. Mrs. Isaac Loyd contributed liberally to its construction. At the confluence of the Westfall fork and the Scott's fork of Cedar creek at a place called Bonny, the society built a house called the Bonny chapel. Another church was erected near the head of the Middle fork of Cedar ercek, called Sunrise. A church house was built on the Bison range near the head waters of Bee run and the waters of Salt Lick, called High Knob church. It was largely through the energy and Christian influence of Estiline Morrison that this house was built. These churches were all frame buildings.
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