USA > West Virginia > Braxton County > History of Braxton County and central West Virginia > Part 39
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It is said that either at the time of the massacre or a later period of that season, Jeremiah took his family and went to a cliff of rocks, there watching the Indians burn his house and destroy his property. The cliff of rocks as pointed out is opposite the mouth of Baker's run on the north side of the Elk, and is situated near the top of the mountain overlooking the valley of the Elk for some distance. He and his family then made their way to a camp under a cliff of rocks near the head of Camp run, a branch of Laurel creek, about four miles above his residence at what is now known as the Skidmore bottom. Camp run is remarkably rough, and near the head arc cliffs that look to be over a hundred feet high, with gulches and broken stone below, making the whole mass stand above the tallest pines which skirt the water's edge. It is on the top of this mass of rock, a few yards back from its precipitous edges, where the famous Carpenter canıp was, there being a large projecting rock which formed a room about 25x30 feet and 8 feet high. Between this camp and the edge of the cliff is a public road. It is related that Jeremiah Carpenter and his fam- ily waded up Laurel creek and Camp run to avoid making any sign by which they might be tracked by the Indians.
Joseph Carpenter, son of Solomon, relates that his great uncle Solomon and his wife went to the rocks with his grandfather, and that when his father was born he was named for his uncle Solomon. At the time of the Indian raid, there was a child in the Carpenter family named Libby, a granddaughter of old Mrs. Carpenter, mother of the Carpenter family. Mrs. Carpenter, as stated before, was burning some brush on the point between the Elk and the Holly, just across the Holly from Benjamin's cabin. She discovered the Indians and started up the river to notify the family. The child Libby being too small to make her escape by flight, was placed in a hollow stump and told to be quiet. When Jeremiah saw his mother coming, he knew there was trouble. He re- turned for the child. She lived to be a woman, and her daughter married a man named Andrew Warc. Withers speaks of a Carpenter being killed by the Indians on the Little Kanawha river. He may have been a relative of this family. There remains a doubt as to the time that Jeremiah Carpenter fled to the rock cliffs, but the best impression seems to be when the massacre occurred, at which time the others fled to the settlement on the West Fork.
In April, 1792, William Kipet and a Mr. Neal's son were killed up the Lit- tle Kanawha river by the Indians. As this was on the India ntrail leading to the upper settlements, it is probable that this murder was committed by the same band that killed Benjamin Carpenter and his family. That was the last
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raid made by the red men in central West Virginia. Both murders occurred in the same month and year, unless it be true that a later raid to the Carpenter settlement was made in the autumn of that year, which is most probable and is borne out by well authenticated traditional history.
Solomon Carpenter had four brothers. Joseph who was killed while log- ging near Addison; Amos and Jeremiah, both of whom moved to the West Fork of the Little Kanawha and died there; and John who died on Camp run near the cliff under which his brother Solomon was born.
Solomon Carpenter was the father of scven sons and three daughters, viz: Thomas, John, Jacob, Benjamin, William J., Solomon, Joseph, Caroline, Mary and Elizabeth. Of these only three are living -- William J., of venerable towns- man, who is now past cighty years of age, Joseph who resides on Spring Ridge, and Elizabeth.
There is a daring adventure told of Solomon Carpenter's wife Betsy. She tied the children to the bed post, and went for the cows aeross the Elk river. In her absence the river raised, and she was unable to recross. Her husband being away, and the house being liable to attack by the Indians, she determined to risk her life by swimming across the river. Being unable to swim herself, she drove the cows in, caught the bull by the tail, wrapped the switch around her hands, plunged into the swollen Elk and crossed in safety. One of her daughters named Betsy married John P. Hosey.
The present and future generations that enjoy the blessings of civilization, with all of its immunities and advantages, and the security to life and property, will never be fully able to appreciate the hardships, the great endurance, the personal sacrifice and valient daring of the early pioneers who forged the way to civilization through a land of savagery and privation.
R. M. CAVENDISH.
R. M. Cavendish was born in Fayette county, May 12, 1863. His parents, J. M. Cavendish and R. J. Cavendish (nee Deitz), and grandparents, Andrew Cavendish, and Virginia Cavendish (nee McClung), were natives of Greenbrier county. R. M. Cavendish was married August 9, 1888, to Sallie B. Williams. They have one daughter, Mary Elizabeth; a son, Willie Byron, having died in childhood. Mr. Cavendish taught school for a period of sixteen years, having taught in the public schools, Burnsville Academy, and was superintendent of Sutton sehools. He graduated from Summersville Normal with degree of B. S. in 1898. Studied law at the W. Va. University, and was admitted to the bar in 1908. Prof. Cavendish represented Braxton county in the State Legislature, served the people for several years as County Surveyor, and as a Civil En- gineer he is very efficient, his services being in great demand. Prof. Caven- dish deseended from an old and honored family of England, the family imi- grating to America about the year 1760. William, the progenitor of the fam- ily, settled on the James river, afterward moving to Greenbrier county, and
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was sheriff of that county. When Kanawha county was formed, he was made the first clerk. His son Andrew was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was aid- de-camp to the Commanding General at Norfolk, Va.
CAPTAIN GRANVILLE C. CARLIN.
Captain Granville C. Carlin, son of John and Sarah Gall Carlin, was born in Harrison county, Va., Nov. 4, 1836. He moved to Braxton county in 1880. He served as Captain in the Confederate service in Company H, 18th Virginia Mounted Rifles. Captain Carlin married Susan, daughter of John W. Rider. Their children were John M., Edward R., Edna L., and Wil- liam R.
Captain Carlin owned two hundred and thirteen acres of land on Fall run of Little Kanawha where he resided for thirty-one years. his wife having died a few years since. He now lives with his son, Dr. Wm. B. Carlin, near Craw- ford, W. Va.
ROY BIRD COOK.
Roy Bird Cook was born April 1, 1886, at Roanoke, Lewis county. His father, David Bird Cook, was a native of Weston, and his mother, Dora Eliza- beth Conrad, was born at Roanoke. His paternal grandparents, John Cook and Margaret A. Bird, were born in Virginia, while the maternal grandparents, Isaac N. Conrad, was born at Culpepper, Va., and Mary Queen, at Johnstown, this state.
Mr. Cook was married August 23, 1907, to Nelle Williams Camden, a daughter of John S. Camden of Parkersburg, formerly of Braxton county. The names of his children are Nelle Elizabeth, Elcanor Bird and Mary Randolph. Mr. Cook is a resident of Huntington, and is a druggist by occupation.
SAMUEL E. DUFFIELD.
Samuel E. Duffield was born August 1, 1846, at Glendon. His father, Uriah C. Duffield, and mother, Melvina Given, were born at the Birch River. Names of grandparents, Robert V. Duffield and Nancy Colter.
Mr. Duffield was married to Mary M. Mollohan Nov. 8, 1877. and names of children are Richard E., Rosy B., Lilla M., Clarence S., and Earl C.
THE CORLEY FAMILY.
Minoah Corley, with his family and three of his brothers, came from near Cork in Ireland about the year 1765, and settled in Farquier county, Va. One brother settled near Lexington, S. C., on the James river below Richmond, and the other went farther south.
The children of Mineah Corley and his wife whose maiden name was Fogg, were Richard who lived to be one hundred and five years old, John Gabriel,
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Garland, William, Hezekiah and Agnes. The last named marred Jonathan Poe. Three of the other daughters married Blagg, Fishbaek and Lewis. Three of these women lived to be over one hundred years of age, and one reached the extreme age of one hundred and eight years.
William married Catharine Whitman, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Whitman. Their children were Noah, Edwin, James, Madison, Henry Whitman, John Marshall, William Fogg, Allen Lewis.
JAMES MADISON CORLEY.
James Madison Corley was the son of William Corley of Randolph county. He was for many years a citizen of Braxton, and served as Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff, also a member of the County Court. He also served one term in the State Senate. Mr. Corley married Edith, daughter of James Skidmore. Their children were John P., a Federal soldier who was killed in the battle of Kerns- town, Va., and Virginia who married James Conrad of Lewis county. Mrs. Edith Corley died at their home near Boling Green in the spring of 1851, and is buried there by the side of Mr. Corley's mother, the grave being marked by a plain marble slab. Shortly ofter the death of Mrs. Corley, Mr. Corley mar- ried Miss Deborah Camden Sprigg, daughter of John and Elizabeth Sprigg, formerly of Maryland. The children of this union were Henry Sprigg, Eliza- beth who married Warren Gandy, Catherine who married George Woodard, and James who died in early childhood. Mr. Corley was a soldier in the Union army, and served in the same company with his son. He died ncar Clarksburg, W. Va., in 1881. Mr. Corley was a kind and congenial man, hospitable in his home, but at times became irritable. He was a Whig of the old Clay and Har- rison type.
MANOAH CORLEY.
Manoah Corley, whose wife was a Miss Fogg, eame from near Cork, Ire- land, about 1765, accompanied by three of his brothers, and settled in Farquier county, Virginia.
Their children were Richard who lived to be 105 years of age; four other sons, Gabriel, Garland, William and Hezekiah; also four daughters, Agnes who married Jonathan Poe, while the given names of the other three daughters are not given. One of them married a Blagg, one married Fishback, and one mar- ried a Lewis. Three of these women lived to be over one hundred years of age, one reaching the extreme age of 108 years.
This is a record of longevity in one family that has never been equaled in Virginia; four eentenarians in one family.
NOAH CORLEY.
Noah Corley, son of William and' Catherine Whitman Corley, was born and reared in Randolph county, and was a soldier in the Federal army. He was captured at Winehester, Virginia, and died in prison. His son, Jackson
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L. Corley, who was so well known to the citizens of Braxton county, was a soldier in the Confederate army.
ALLEN LEWIS CORLEY.
Allen Lewis Corley, son of William and Catharine Whitman Corley, and grandson of Manoah Corley (his grandmother being a Miss Fogg).
Mr. Corley was raised in Randolph county, Virginia. He came to Braxton county about the year 1858, and married Rebecca Boggs, daughter of Benjamin L. Boggs.
Mr. Corley's children were M. F., and Jane C. married C. M. Mollohan. One child died young.
Mr. Corley was a soldier in the Confederate army in Capt. McNeal's Com- pany.
He was Secretary of the Board of Education of Birch District No. 1 for several years, and ballot commissioner for the county. He died August, 1915.
WM. FOGG CORLEY.
Wm. Fogg Corley, son of Wm. and Catherine Whitman Corley, was raised in Randolph county, Virginia. He married Sarah Ann Skidmore, daughter of James and Sarah Kittle Skidmore.
The children of Wm. Corley were Wm. H. H. who was a soldier in the Tenth W. Va. Regiment, Archibald W. who was a lawyer, Mary, Addison, Rachael, Stephen, Noah E. and Lida.
W. L. J. CORLEY.
W. L. J. Corley was born July 27, 1827, in what is now included in Bar- bour county, West Va. He was a son of Noah E. and Louisa (Wilson) Corley, and his father died in the army in 1864. Mr. Corley, subject of this sketch, enlisted as a private in the Confederate army, and after one year's service was commissioned lieutenant of Company C, 25th Virginia Infantry, and served through the entire war. He was captured at Williamport, Maryland, July 14, 1863, just after the Gettysburg fight, in which he was wounded, and was car- ried to Hagerstown, Md. He was held there until the following September, then taken to Chester, Pa., thence to Point Lookout, Md., and on Dec. 1st, was again moved to Johnsons Island, at mouth of Sandusky river, Ohio. April 17th, he was taken back to Pt. Lookout where he remained until August, and was then taken to Washington City. He was there confined in the Old Capitol Prison one week, then sent to Philadelphia, thence to Ft. Delaware where he arrived in Sept., and where he was exchanged Oct. 1st. He was unfit for duty, and remained in hospital at Liberty, Va., until the close of the war. After returning to Braxton county, he held several county offices. On Sept. 12, 1878, he married the widow of Win. Kelly who before her marriage was Sarah C.
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Newlon, and two daughters were born to them, Louisa and May. Being clerk of the County Court at the time of his marriage, Mr. Corley issued his own marriage license, the only incident of the kind recorded in Braxton county.
A. W. CORLEY.
A. W. Corley, son of William and Sarah (Skidmore) Corley, was born June 9, 1851. He married Anne Dow Newlon, daughter of Colonel Wm. and Elisa Pool (Camden) Newlon, on Nov. 13, 1877. Their children are: Ann Elisa, Rachael Jane, Mary Edith, Nellie Camden, Genevieve, Marguerite and Sarahpool.
Mr. Corley was born and reared in Randolph county, Va., where he at- tended the public schools, and later graduated in the Fairmont Normal. He taught several schools in his native county before coming to Braxton county where he taught as principal of the Sutton school. Mr. Corley acted as deputy elerk of the County Court under his cousin, Wm. L. J. Corley. He studied law and commenced the practice of his profession in Sutton. Was elected Prosecut- ing Attorney of the county in 1881. Was a prominent candidate for the nomi- nation of Judge on the Republican ticket. He formed a law partnership with G. H. Morrison, with whom he was associated for several years.
Mr. Corley was a man of remarkable memory, and was one of the best in- formed historians of the state. He died in Texas where he was visiting his daughter, Mrs. Kunst, on May 4, 1916, and is buried in the cemetery at Sutton.
JOHN C. CUNNINGHAM.
John C. Cunningham was born Jan. 9, 1814, in Randolph county, (then); Virginia, being a son of Henry and Nancy (Hayes) Cunningham. At an early age, he accompanied his parents to this county, and the lives of both were here ended. On Jan. 19, 1843, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Armstrong who was born in Pendleton county, Dec. 19, 1836, being the daughter of Thomas. and Sarah (Pullins) Armstrong. Thirteen children were born, as follows: Han- son, H. Thomas, Thad. B., Margaret Ann, Sarah, George L., Nancy, Samuel L., Elizabeth, Emily, Amanda, Mary Jane (who died at age of fourteen), and Melissa. John C. Cunningham settled on a tract of nine thousand acres, and by his own toil felled the forest, made a home, and left his family provided for. He died July 15, 1877, and is buried in the family cemetery on the farm.
T. B. CUNNINGHAM.
T. B. Cunningham was a grandson of Henry Cunningham, one of the pio- neers of what is now Braxton county, and a son of J. C. and Elizabeth (Arm- strong) Cunningham whose record has just been given. He married Ann Moss, Dec. 24, 1882, she being the daughter of Pleasant and Elizabeth (Bragg) Moss of Lewis county.
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E. H. CUNNINGHAM.
E. H. Cunningham, son of Moses and Phoebe W. (Haymond) Cunning- ham, and a grandson of John Haymond, one of the first and most prominent of the settlers of Bulltown. He was born on the Kanawha river, Aug. 3, 1845, and this county has always been his home. He has been honored with several public offices, all of which he has filled with ability. He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1880, succeeding his father in the office: was appointed Notary Public in 1879 by Governor Mathews, and was elected to the County Court in July, 1881, and he is still servng in this capacity. At later dates, he served as Overseer of the Poor, president of the County Court, and president of the board of education in that district. He still owns the excellent farm where he has lived for a great many years. He married Sarah M. Armstrong, May 16, 1877. She was a daughter of George and Sarah H. (Pullen) Armstrong who eame from Highland county, Va., to Lewis county many years ago. George H., John H. and Floda are the children of Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Cunningham. There was also an infant who did not live to bear a name. Mrs. Cunningham was appointed postmistress in 1879, which place she filled for a number of years.
GEORGE H. CUNNINGHAM.
George H. Cunningham, son of E. H. Cunningham, married Isa Norman. They have one child named Paul W. Mr. Cunningham is by profession a civil engineer ; he lives in Clarksburg, West Va.
JOHN H. CUNNINGHAM.
John H. Cunningham, son of. E. H. Cunningham, married Mary Singleton. They have one child named Beatrice. He lives on the old farm near the Ka- nawha river at Bulltown.
ABEL R. CUNNINGHAM.
Abel R. Cunningham ,son of Thomas and Catharine (Runnyan) Cunning- ham, was born in Lewis county, July 16, 1819. He came to Braxton county in 1840, and commenced working by the month, making briek for the first court- house. He then engaged in farming and lumbering, in which business he en- gaged for many years. On Sept. 11, 1845, he married Mary C., daughter of Benjamin L. and Jane (Cutlip) Boggs. Following are names of their children : Catharine Jane (deceased), Benjamin F., Susan L., Mary M., Rebecca L., Enos (died in infancy), Caroline, Thomas H. Mr. Cunningham served two terms as Justiee of the Peace before the Civil war. He was a successful farmer and died possessed of valuable real estate.
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MORGAN DYER.
Morgan Dyer, originally from Pendleton county, eame to Braxton county when a very young man and married a Miss Rader. They had two children, A. C. Dyer and one daughter who died young. Mr. Dyer was a popular and correct business man, being a merchant in Sutton many years prior to the Civil war. He was at one time Surveyor of the county. In 1841, he was a Delegate from Braxton eounty to an Educational Convention held in the town of Clarks- burg, showing his interest in public education. Mr. Dyer owned a farm in Flat- woods, where he once resided.
JAMES DALY.
James Daly was born in 1849, one mile east of Heater station. Both his parents and grandparents were born in Ireland. Mr. Daly was educated in the publie sehools, and taught several terms. He is now engaged in farming and stoek raising, and owns the MeAnany farm. Mr. Daly is an enterprising man, and highly esteemed as an exemplary citizen.
P. B. DUFFY.
P. B. Duffy, son of Philip and Margaret Kelly Duffy, was born about 1840. He graduated at a college in Maryland, was Captain of Co. C, 25th Virginia Infantry, in the Confederate Army. He was promoted to Lieut, Col. and served through the war. He married a lady of Charleston, West Virginia. They had one son. Col. Duffy died in the seventies. He was loved and respected for his amiable eharaeter.
ADDISON C. DYER.
Addison C. Dyer was born July 27, 1847, being the son of Morgan and Sarah (Rader) Dyer. Oet. 14, 1875, he married Mary B. Singleton who was born in Braxton county, Aug. 14, 1852, and was the daughter of Charles E. and Margaret (Gibson) Singleton. Their children were Sarah May, Flora Maggie, Mintie Lee and Charles.
Mr. Dyer served in the last year of the Civil war as a member of the "Pen- dleton Reserve," Confederate service subject to General Imboden's order. He served until the war elosed. He served one term as sheriff of Braxton county. Moved to state of Washington where he died.
PHILIP DUFFY.
Philip Duffy, one of the early settlers of Braxton county, after its forma- tion, married Margaret, daughter of Robert Kelly, of Nicholas county. Their children were Patrick B., Margaret, Virginia, Maud and Madora. Mr. Duffy was a merchant, and in connection with Patrick Beirne, of Greenbrier, and John
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Duffy, of Nicholas county, he commenced merchandising in Sutton, shortly after the county was formed. He accumulated considerable property, but at the beginning of the Civil war he went South, and most of his estate was lost. He died near Sutton, some years after the war, and is buried in the Duffy ceme- tery.
HARRISON DEAN.
Harrison L. Dean, son of Ferdinand L. and Mahala Crites Dean, was born August 22. 1855, in Upshur county, West Va. He married Florence Shreve, December 20, 1876, and their children are, Danicl A., Catherine L., Juda A., Ester L., Mary J., Emma J., Major F., William C. Leedana, Agatha M., Daisy P., and Urcy F. Mr. Dean moved to Braxton county about twenty years ago. He owns a good grain and stock farm on the Bison range near the Bolinggreen, and is noted for his industry and hospitality.
REV. DANIEL H. DAVIS.
Daniel H. Davis was born March 19, 1838, in Randolph county. His par- ents, Jesse Davis, and Permelia Lloyd Prine Davis, were both natives of Pen- dleton county. His grandparents, Thomas Davis and Aurelia (Pennington) Davis, were natives of Virginia. Mr. Davis has been married three times. The first marriage was to Susanna Kendall of Mannington, W. Va., in Nov., 1862, and the following children were born: Mary Isabelle, William F., Benjamin Franklin. Second marriage was to Maria Louisa Kendall of Harrisville, this state, on Nov. 11, 1875, and two children were born: Herbert K. and Linnell H. The third marriage took place June 15, 1893, to Anna Laura Bookman of St. Marys,' W. Va. To this union were born four children: Lorena May, Daniel Holland, John Waitman and Mildred Eveline.
Mr. Davis has been a minister of the Methodist Protestant church, and for : some years editor of the Christian Echo. For the last eleven years, he has" been editor, proprietor and publisher of the Mikrophone, and resides at Pull- man.
- His great grandfather, Thomas Davis, emigrated from England when a young man, and served the American colonies through the Revolutionary war. He married Nancy Baker of Baltimore who was of Irish descent. They had three sons: James, a preacher, Thomas (grandfather of subject of this sketch), and Benjamin who went south in an carly day before adequate mail service was established, and has never been heard of by the family since. There were also several daughters in this family, btu there seems to be no available knowledge concerning them. Rev. D. H. Davis has been in the active ministry for over half a century, and is calmly waiting the going down of a brilliant sunset.
SIMEON T. DEEN.
Simeon T. Deen, son of John J. and Elizabeth (Teeter) Deen, was born in Pendleton county July 9, 1833, and Braxton county became his home when
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only three years of age. He had two brothers, George W. and Silas C., who were Confederate soldiers, the last named serving through the entire conflict.
Simeon T. Deen was married April 28, 1858, to Maria Tinney, daughter of Thurman and Catharine (Davis) Tinney. Nine children were born to this union : Alfred J., James C., John M., Thurman F., George S. (died in infaney), Dennis H., William H., Jonathan E. (died same year), Warder S.
J. J. DOLLIVER.
J. J. Dolliver who rode the Braxton eircuit prior to the Civil war, was at one time Presiding Elder, and it is said was once prior to this a saloon keeper in Ohio. When he was converted at a camp meeting, he went home, destroyed his stock of whiskies and went to preaching.
It was while he was Presiding Elder at a meeting held on Muddlety at the' old log church in Nieholas county, that Rev. Jones, eircuit rider, was leading in prayer, and J. J. Dolliver was looking over the congregation and saw a eross- eyed man named Renox Hannah, winking at a girl. Dolliver rose up and said, "Young man, take the door." The young man immediately left. Later, Dol- liver left the West Virginia Conferenee, and went to Iowa. One of his sons represented that state in the U. S. Senate.
ALEX. DULIN.
Alex. Dulin was born in Wirt county, Va., Feb. 22, 1854. His father, A. H. Dulin, and mother Rebecca Burns, were both natives of Virginia, also his grandfather, Albert Dulin.
Alex. Dulin was married Dec. 24, 1884, to Cora Belle Floyd, and their children are W. H. Dulin, A. G. Dulin and Edwin L. Dulin, all deceased.
· Attorney Dulin eame to Braxton county when quite a young man, and en- tered upon his ehosen profession, soon building up a good practice. He is ac- tive in church work, and served several years as Moderator in the Elk Valley Baptist Association. Mr. Dulin is noted as an affectionate parent, a good neighbor, and is kind and affable in his manner.
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