USA > West Virginia > Braxton County > History of Braxton County and central West Virginia > Part 26
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The first quarterly conference held after the war was at the residence of Wm. G. Squires on Salt Lick, Dec. 3, 1866. This circuit was then in the Clarksburg district. The following ministers were present: William Kennedy, Presiding Elder, J. K. Hedges, preacher in charge, Jesse Shaver, steward and Asa H. McCoy, class leader.
The next quarterly conference was held at Sutton Nov. 13, 1867; next conference met at Lumberport, (now Burnsville), and Rev. J. R. Hedges was elected secretary, the following being present: W. Kennedy, Presiding Elder, J. W. Lambert, preacher in charge, A. H. McCoy and Jesse Shaver, stewards. Same Presiding Elder and preacher in charge for 1868.
The minutes of the first quarterly conference of the following year having been lost from record, we take this from the second conference held at Sutton, March 6, 1869, W. Kennedy, Presiding Elder, J. I. Pullen, preacher in charge, J. L. Rhea, local preacher.
The next quarterly conference was held at Sutton Nov. 13, 1869, Rev. John F. Pullen in the chair, Dr. J. L. Rhea, secretary ; members present, J. L. Rhea, local elder, Albert Ellison, local deacon, Allen S. Berry, James Paintiff, stew- ards, Harding R. Friend, class leader.
The minutes of the 4th quarterly conference held at Flatwoods, Aug. 13, 1870, the following members being present : S. H. Pullin, Presiding Elder, John S. Pullen, preacher in charge, John L. Rhea, local elder, Wm. G. Squires. John C. Taylor, Allen S. Berry, H. R. Friend, David Berry, stewards. John L. Rhea was nominated and appointed secretary.
Commencing with the year 1870, the following men have served the church as preachers : G. W. Young, T. Cooper, J. E. Wasson, John S. Pullin, T. R. Houghton, Wm. N. Childress, C. S. Murrill, W. W. Rew, E. W. Reynolds,
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J. J. Fontaine, W. N. Childress, C. R. Taylor, E. T. Caton, W. R. Chambers, J. W. Lambert, E. S. MeClung, T. S. Wade, C. A. Slaughter, L. S. Cunning- ham, F. F. Shannon, L. S. Cunningham, A. E. O'Dell, W. L. Reid. C. N. Coff- man, A. P. Keyser, R. J. Yoak, and W. I .. Reid, the present preacher in charge.
Since the war, the following men have served this distriet as presiding elders : W. Kennedy, S. H. Mullen, T. S. Wade, James H. Burns, T. S. Wade, E. M. Murrill, C. W. Cook, J. W. Lambert, A. P. Sturm, T. S. Wade, J. M. Boland, B. F. Gosling, I. N. Fannin, H. M. Smith. W. I. Canter, L. S. Cun- ringham and F. S. Pollett, the present presiding elder.
This eireuit was first in the Guyandotte distriet, Kentucky Conference, and in 1850 was changed to the Western Virginia Conference, Greenbrier dis- triet. In 1853, the name of the distriet was changed to Clarksburg.
(Braxton eireuit had only two houses of worship before the war-the one mentioned above, in Flatwoods, built in 1830; the other was built on a site now in the village of Shaversville, about the year 1858. The latter would have been a good house, perhaps, until this time, but some one in time of the war, with maliee aforethought, and without the fear of God before his eyes, touched it with fire, and it went up in flame. In 1866, there was no church house in the bounds of Braxton eireuit belonging to us. Our people worshipped in groves, in private houses, and in schoolhouses. In the last half century, seven churches have been built.)-The Pastor.
A church was built in the Flatwoods section in 1870, during the pastorate of Rev. John S. Pullin, and dedicated in 1876. It was first known as Flat- woods church, and is now known as Berry church. It was built of logs sawed with a whip-saw, weather-boarded and cciled. At that time, it was considered the finest church in Braxton county. Allen Berry, Jesse Shaver and Wm. G. Squires were the prime movers in building this house.
An excellent frame church was built in time of the pastorate of Rev. F. T. Caton, in Shaversville, and Jesse Shaver, A. C. Dyer, Lee Shaver, B. F. Shaver, Dr. J. L. Queen, W. H. L. Queen and J. L. D. Queen were the moving spirits in building the house.
Rev. E. T. Caton was preacher in charge when St. Paul's church in Sut- ton was built. The leading people in building the church were: Mrs. Ammie Hammon, Mrs. A. V. Kelly and her daughters. Petro Evans, Mifflin Lorentz, D. A. Berry, E. A. Berry, E. S. Bland, Chas. Y. Byrne, John Byrne, Mrs. H. H. MeEiwain, Mrs. W. L. J. Corley, Mrs. Emily Sterrett, Mrs. Taylor Frame, Mrs. Jane Byrne, the family of C. S. Evans', G. S. Berry, Mrs. Luther Pierson, Mrs. R. H. Humphreys, and many others whose names are not recalled at this time®
Reynolds chapel, on Long run, was built while Rev. E. W. Reynolds was in charge of Braxton cireuit, and the church was named in honor of him.
Mt. Zion church, at Burnsville, was built in time of Rev. E. S. McClung's pastorate. The work on the building was begun in 1895, and same was dedi- cated by Rev. T. S. Wade, May 24, 1896. W. S. Hefner donated the lot for this building, besides liberal contributions. The men prominent in this work
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were, W. S. and Samuel C. Hefner, Hugh Amos, Frank W. Hefner, Claude Hefner, E. W. Hefner, J. E. Heater, J. C. Berry, E. A. Berry, C. W. Wade, and many others.
In 1896, a small class was organized by Rev. E. S. McClung in a house once used as a dwelling on Long Shoal run. Special meetings were held in a school- house which resulted in many additions to the church membership. A subscrip- tion was started, and a church was built which was dedicated in: 1897 as Maggie Hoover Memorial, in memory of the wife of Frederick Hoover who died shortly before this time. The contributors and helpers in the work were Fred. Hoover, Wm. Stout, W. S. Hefner, E. C. Exline, John Watson, George L. Smith, Wm. Davis, W. W. Johnson, Homer Ewing, Adetha Hefner, S. D. Clemons, A. J. Knight, and many others.
The corner stone for the church was laid at Cogers station, in the village of Gem, by Rev. T. S. Wade and Rev. E. S. McClung in 1896. This house was duly dedicated the following year.
During the pastorate of L. S. Cunningham, Elizabeth Chapel was built on Otter. It is a beautiful church and in a flourishing condition at this time.
Otterbein Church (United Brethren) was organized in 1841, by a German colony from Baltimore. For nine years after the organization services were held at the private residences of George Gerwig, Daniel Engle, Mathias Ger- wig, Michael Smith, Christian Long, Jacob Cramer, John Wyatt, Jacob Ru- mach, John Miller, Conrad Leopard and others. But in 1850, all joined to- gether and erected a neat hewed log church, 28 x 36, with a seating capacity of 200. Rev. Daniel Engle was the pastor at the time of organization, and in that capacity continued for twelve years. The present pastor is the Rev. Mr. Hess; steward, Daniel S. Engle; class leader, Christian Engle; trustees, Christ an Gerwig, Levi Weitzel, Jacob Rumach and Israel Engle.
In the year 1841, Daniel Engle, Jacob Rumach, George F. Gerwig, God- frey Moyer, Mathias Gerwig, J. H. Wyatt, Mathew Hines, M. Eckerman and son, and a Mr. Leopartd, came from the city of Baltimore, settled on Steer creek, and founded what is known as the "German settlement." They were of the United Brethren faith, and soon after their arrival built a church, which was dedicated to the worship of God according to the teachings of that denomination.
PRESBYTERIAN.
The first stated service held by the Presbyterian church at Sutton, was in 1871. The preacher was the Rev. W. R. Sibbit, evangelist, working under direction of the Presbytery of West Virginia, 1871-74, although many years before Mr. Sibbit came, the Rev. James Brown, D.D., of Charleston, and the Rev. Mr. Young, had held services in Braxton county. Mr. Sibbit's charge then included Burnsville, Glenville, Sutton, and other adjoining neighborhoods. He labored here for three years before a church was organized, or a house of worship erected. He held services in the Sutton court house.
In 1873, the Presbytery of West Virginia, then in session at Fairmont, ap-
.
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pointed a commission, consisting of Rev. W. R. Sibbit and Elder Floyd Chris- man, of Glenville, to organize a church at Sutton. On the 10th of August, of the same year, the church was organized with the following named persons as members: Messrs. A. B. Beamer, Amos Gorrell, James Humphreys, Martin Van Buren McElwain, Mrs. A. B. Beamer and Mary McQueen Humphreys.
Mr. Sibbit was succeeded in his work by the Rev. C. C. Gould, 1877-84. The church was then without any pastoral oversight for four years-1884-88.
The Rev. F. S. McCue was the preacher from 1888 to 1894.
The Sutton church was, until April 16, 1887, in the Northern Assembly. But when the Northern and Southern Assemblies agreed to make the Baltimore and Ohio railroad the dividing line, the Sutton church, being south of that line, was received into the Lexington Presbytery, Va.
After Mr. McCue, came Rev. R. D. Stimpson, who labored in the field a short time.
The man who was most energetic and untiring in his work was the Rev. W. H. Wilson, who was pastor of the church from 1895 to 1900. It was during his pastorate that the house of worship was erected. In this Mr. Wilson showed untiring zeal, not only in helping to secure funds for the building, but in doing much of the work with his own hands. Prior to this time, the little eongrega- tion worshiped in the M. E. South church, to whose good people we owe a last- ing debt of gratitude, for the use of their sanctuary. It was within Mr. Wilson's pastorate that the Sunday school was organized, with Mr. Lee Himrod as super- intendent, which was later guided by the steady and faithful hand of Mr. J. W. Humphreys, for fourteen years. Mr. Wilson passed from his earthly la- bors to his Heavenly rest soon after leaving Sutton, but his works do follow him.
Mr. W. H. Wilson was succeeded by the Rev. M. E. Sentelle, D.D., whose life and labors endeared himself greatly to our people. Mr. Sentelle remained in the Sutton pastorate only about one year, when he resigned to become Pro- fessor of Moral Philosophy and Physicology at Davidson College, N. C., which chair he has held ever since.
In January of the year following Mr. Sentelle's resignation, Rev. C. L. Altfather became pastor, and was much beloved by all whose privilege it was to know him. His pastorate lasted one year, when he resigned to accept a call to Bethel church, in Virginia. Mr. Altfather is at present laboring in Fort Worth, Texas.
Rev. R. E. Steele, who was much beloved by the young people, was pastor from 1905 to 1907, and was succeeded by Rev. J. M. Sedgwick, 1909-1910. Mr. Sedgwick is now pastor of Marion Presbyterian church, Marion, Va.
'The present pastor came first in 1910, but has been a regular pastor only since June 15, 1913.
The church has been greatly handicapped much of the time for lack of a pastor, but it has shown steady progress during all these years. Although it has suffered to some extent for want, of a pastor so much of the time, let it be
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said to the credit of the loyal people of this church and Sunday school and their faithful workers, that this little church has always been a living oracle of God. "Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither His ear heavy that He cannot hear." Isaiah 59-1.
J. W. ROWE.
Rev. J. W. Rowe resigned his pastorate in Sutton in the fall of 1916, and removed to a charge near St. Louis about Jan. 1, 1917. Rev. Rowe was well beloved by all who knew him, and it was with regret that the people whom he had so faithfully served, were called to part from him and his charming wife, both of whom are exemplary characters. 1
JOHN BROWN'S RESIDENCE, NEAR HARPERS FERRY .
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THE MOUNTAINEER
Vol. 1. Sutton, Braxton County, West Virginia, Fri., Jan. 7, 1876.
THE MOUNTAINEER.
Published every Saturday at Sutton, Braxton Co., W. Va., by Hyer & Hnff, Pro- prietors and Publishers, at $1 a year; 65c. for 6 months; 35c. for 3 months.
CASH IN ADVANCE.
G. F. Taylor, Editor.
RATES OF ADVERTISING.
One inch or less, one in- sertion
$1.00
Fach additional inser-
tion
$2.50
$ 4.00
$ 6.00
$10.00
3.00
6.00
10.00
15.00
4.00
8.00
15.00 25.00
5.00 15.00 25.00 45.00 more.
Local notices, 15c. per line for the first insertion ; 10c. per line each additional inser- tion, cash in advance.
For announcing candidates for county and district of- fices, $3.00; for State offices and for Congress, $10.00, cash in advance.
Obituary and marriage no- tices exceeding five lines will | be charged 10c. per line. All transient advertise- ments must be paid for in ad- vance.
Job printing in the best style on short notice and at reasonable rates.
TIME OF MAILS ARRIV- ING AND LEAVING SUTTON.
Arrives daily, except Snn- day, at S p. m .: leaves for Weston at 6 a. m.
Arrives daily, except Sun- day, at 7 p. m .; leaves for Nicholas C. H. at 6 a. m.
Arrives Fridays and Tues- days at 6 p. m .; leaves for Glenville Saturdays and Wednesdays at 6 a. m.
Arrives Saturdays at 7 p. m .: leaves for Clay C. H. Fridays at 7 a. m.
Arrives Tuesdays at 8 p. m .; leaves for Middleport Tuesdays at 5 a. m.
DISTRICT OFFICERS. Birch District.
Justices-Jas. McLaughlin,
Wm. R. Pierson. Constable
Joseph P.
James. Poor Overseer Chas.
Frame. Otter District.
Justices-John E. Eakle,
Francis B. Stewart. Constable-John J. Wil- liams. Poor Overseer -- Jas. M.
Holly District.
Justices-Henry C. Hose, James T. Frame.
Constable Matthew Skid-
Poor Overseer-Thos. W.
Skidmore. Salt Lick District.
Justices-Jacob M .; Evans, M. P. Havmond. Constable-J. M. Taylor. Poor 'Overseer-John M.
Shields. Kanawha District. Justices - Elias Cunning- ham, Moses Cunningham. Constable
Poor Overseer
Circuit Court meets March 18th and Angust 18th. County Court meets first Tuesday in January, March, May, July, September and No- vember. Fiscal Term, July. Grand Jury Terms, May and September.
We intend to make this de- partment as instructive as possible, aud earnestly solicit the aid of those who can help us. If in your experience there remains questions un- answered, forward them and we will publish all such in- quiries as may be generally beneficial.
The Farmers on the Revenuc Question.
The State Farmers' Asso- ciation profitably expended
to the state government. This is only an estimate, for the fact is, there is no officer in the state who knows how much the people pay for road taxes, school taxes, town taxes, city taxes and county taxes. Not only is this true, but it is also true that the tax-payers themselves are ig- norant of the amount of money levied, collected or ex- pended by most of these local governments. The Farmers' Association may reasonably expect from its numbers to exert a considerable bearing upon public opinion and legis- lation. Reform in revenue is not only demanded, but essen- tial; for the people of the state cannot go on forever paying the heavy taxes at present levied. We suggest that the association should take such action as will tend to produce the most essential reform in this direction. The first thing the people need is the knowledge of how much local taxes they are paying, and how it is expended. Let the Farmers' Association therefore pass resolutions call- ing upon the general assem- bly to so amend the revenue law that any officer or board of officers in the state, who has the power of levving or collecting taxes for any pur- pose whatever, or the power of expending public money, shall make out and cause to be published in some news- paper exact statements of the amount of taxes levied, the amount collected, the amounts expended and the purpose of expenditure. This provision will give the tax-payers of each local subdivision of the state full information as to what their local governments cost, and they can then judge of whether the cost is too
Dunn. .50
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SUTTON'S HISTORY.
Arrives Thursdays at 5 p. m .; leaves for Clendennin
Fridays at 7 a. m.
James T. Frame, P. M.
Braxton County Official Directory.
County Officers.
Judge Circuit Court Homer A. Holt.
State's Attorney M. T. Frame. President County Court Allen S. Berry.
Clerk Circuit Court John M. Jones.
Clerk County Court W. L. J. Corley. Sheriff A. M. Lough. Deputy Sheriff M. Morrison.
Surveyor Marcellus Byrne. Superintendent Schools J. W. Humphreys. Jailor Wm. H. Bryant. Assessor
Jas. A. Johnson.
the afternoon in discussing |
the state revenue question. The basis of the discussion was an extempore address by Hon. S. M. Smith upon what is called the Pennsylvania sys- tem of taxation. After speak- ing of the evils of the pres- ent system, the speaker show- ed how, in Peunsylvania, a state revenue of over seven, millions of dollars was raised by liceuses, taxes on banks, corporations, etc. Although
no conclusion was reached, the discussion was not the less profitable, for it will no doubt induce thought on the most important question of the day -the method of raising rev- enue.
It is to be observed, how- ever. that the discussion was upon state revenue alone, and that the much more important question of local taxation and revenue were left wholly un- touched. In this state the people pay ten dollars to their local government to one paid l years old.
great or not, and where the reform in expenditure shall be begun and how it shall be ac- complished. Until this is done there can be no genuine, effective reform in revenue matters, and this fact the farmers will do well to remem- ber.
The ladies of Chicago are to canvass that city for sign- ers to a petitiou, to be pre- sented to the board of educa- tion, asking for a reinstate- ment of the Bible in the public schools.
"If you don't believe times are hard." says Flora Mc- Flimsey, "just feel my muff; it's stuffed with rags instead of cotton."'
Michigan has eighteen per- sons who are over a hundred
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SUTTON'S HISTORY.
The Mountaincer continued under different editors until 1882, when it went into the hands of a stock company and the name was changed to the Braxton Central, and thus continued for a few years with Rev. Gould, minister of the Presbyterian church, as editor, but shortly after this it was sold to James H. Dunn of Clarksburg, West Virginia, and has since been published as a Republican paper. The Central has always been bright and newsy. Its circu- lation is 1500.
The Braxton Democrat was established Fch. 2, 1883, by a company of Democrats composed of A. C. Dyer, J. M. Boggs, E. S. Bland, A. M. and A. N. Lough, W. P. and Chas. K. Newlon, W. E. Haymond and John and Chas. Y. Byrne.
C. Y. and Peyton Byrne were the first editors, followed in the order named by Geo. M. Hamilton, John A. Grose, Ben Gillespie, E. B. Carlin, R. M. Caven- dish, J. E. Baughman, J. L. Stewart, L. H. Kelly and Jas. E. Cutlip.
The editors at this time are Ben Gillespie and John A. Grose, the latter being manager and publisher.
The paper is owned by G. B. Fisher, J. L. Fisher, C. C. Hines, Jas. E. Cut- lip, Chas. H. Bland, B. B. Boggs, E. W. Hefner, Ben Gillespie, John Edwin Grose and John A. Grose.
It is an 8-page, 6-column quarto, all home print and enjoys a growing patronage. Its weekly circulation is 2450 copies.
John A. Grose has been connected with the paper in different capacities since September, 1885, when he purchased an interest of C. Y. Byrne, who had be- come the owner. Ben Gillespie has been connected with the paper since Decem- ber 24, 1889.
9
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SUTTON'S HISTORY.
CHAPTER X.
Miscellaneous, including Animals, Game and Fish, Large and Wonderful Trees, Meteorology, Incidents, etc .; Generals of the U. S. Army; Burial Place of our Presidents.
LAST PANTHER KILLED IN THE COUNTY.
The last panther killed in the county was killed by F. B. Carr more than twenty-five years ago. The panther was discovered passing through the lower edge of Braxton. Frank Carr, a man who kept hunting dogs, was a good marks- man and inordinately fond of sport. He got on the panther's tract and chased it for several miles before coming up with this terror of the forest, on a branch of O'Briens fork of Steer creek. When the dogs came up with the panther, it went to the top of a very tall, smooth-barked trec. At the first shot Carr gave, the panther turned a handspring backward, and caught the tree with its steel-like claws, slid for some distance down the tree, tearing great furrows in the bark. About half way down, it turned another backward spring and slid down as before, coming to the ground in a dying condition.
It was unusually large, measuring nine and one-half feet from the end of its nose to the tip of its tail. The description of that battle, the wonderful . venture of the dogs, the awfulness of the brute's appearance as it clung to the tree, viewing his pursuers with balls of fire, the frailty of the dogs in the presence of such an animal, and the uncertainty of the rifle with a single barrel and a single load, rendered the situation one of unusual danger. Carr had been a brave soldier in the Civil war. He participated in many battles, he had chafed in defeat and exulted in victory, but he had never stood under the fiery blaze of a panther at bay. His feelings can better be imagined than felt or described. If he gave a shot that would slightly wound and infuriate the animal, he would lose the battle and possibly his life. If he succeeded in killing the monster, he would have a trophy that no other citizen of the county could boast. Though the years have come and gone, and the natural forces of this once powerful. frame is giving way to feebleness and old age, yet to meet this old veteran, al- low the conversation to lead up to this panther hunt, listen to a description of the battle, one forgets for the time that the years are stealing on.
He still has his old rifle which he has owned for sixty-six years.
On Buffalo on the land now owned by A. W. Corley, it is said J. N. Long killed the last bear that was killed in the county.
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It is related that while Jerry Carpenter and his brother Amos were down the Elk trapping beaver, that a panther came to Jerry's cabin one night, and that Mrs. Carpenter saw him through the opening in the door, and threw some live coals of fire on him that burned some of the fur off his back, and the next day she sent some of the children to the turnip patch, and she saw the panther creeping toward them, and she called them to the house. The next night the panther came back, but Carpenter had returned, and he shot the animal by moonlight. The brute was known by the burned hair on his back.
The mode of catching game was mainly by steeltraps and snares. A bear trap was necessarily made very strong and was difficult to set, as were also traps for wolves .. One mode of trapping bears was to build a covered pen of strong, heavy logs, raising it high enough on one side to admit the bear. This was arranged with a trigger which the bear threw after entering the pen. Some- times the bears would gnaw a log off and escape if they were left in too long. A wolf trap was made by building a log pen, beginning the pen larger at the bottom and gradually drawing it in. This would enable the wolves to clib up the outside of the pen and jump in, when his doom was sealed. Sometimes an old sheep would be placed in the pen for bait, hence the term wolf bait. Wolves were said to be very fond of horse flesh. Persons trapping for wolves would go a long distance to get the flesh of a dead horse to use either in a trap or for bait in which to place poison. Wolves in traveling would take a straight course. When hunters got the course the wolf was going, it was not difficult to follow. The wolf and wild bee would go in a direct line with as much accuracy as though guided by the compass.
Hannah Hyer killed a deer at Boling Green in the absence of her husband. Some dogs ran a young deer near her house, and it took shelter under a bridge that crossed the creek. She took the butcher knife, went under the bridge, and by the assistance of here daughters they succeeded in cutting the deer's throat.
Joseph Carpenter relates that his grandfather, Jeremiah Carpenter tracked a very large elk from some point on the Elk river near his home to the Island just below the Wolf shoal, and there he killed it. He made a kind of skiff by first making a framework out of grape vines and placing the hide of the elk over this frame. Then he loaded his gun and meat in this rudely devised skiff, and proceeded to make his way home.
He said that the horns of the elk were so iminense that by resting their tips on the ground, his brother Joseph who was over six feet tall could walk under them erect.
About the year 1880, squirrels were so plentiful in the county that Mason living in Gilmer county, killed and salted down a barrel full of this delicious meat.
It is said that the last buffalo killed in the bounds of. Braxton county was on the lands owned by Lewis Harris on Buffalo creek. We are not advised who killed the buffalo nor the year in which it was done. Possibly about this time a
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buffalo was killed on Grass Lick of Steer creek, said to have been killed by Timothy O'Brien.
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