History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 29

Author: Laidley, William Sydney, 1839-1917. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1066

USA > West Virginia > Kanawha County > Charleston > History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens > Part 29

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF KANAWHA COUNTY

dine, Dr. Charles Stump and Dr. Fox. The dentists are: Dr. Milton and Dr. Garnes. The present postmaster is Mr. Riley.

There is a Southern M. E. church in Clen- denin, the pastor of which is A. H. Perkins. They held services for some time before erecting their church building.

The Baptist church has been organized since the town was laid out. Rev. Jonathan Smith is the pastor and he is one of the oldest pas- tors in the state. There is also a Northern M. E. church, whose pastor is Rev. Fallen.

The first mayor of Clendenin was L. V. Koontz and the last, E. R. Oglevee.

In 1910 the town installed a system of waterworks and in the same year a ladder hose company was formed, there having been a bucket fire department for four or five years. In 1905 and 1908 the town was visited by fire. There is a very good high school build- ing. The public school and high school build- ing combined was built in 191I.

Fraternally there is the Clendenin Lodge No. 26, A. F. & A. M., a lodge of the I. O. O. F. and one of the Improved Order of Red Men.

POCA DISTRICT

Poca District lies on the northwest side of the county adjoining Jackson county, and is on the stream known as Pocatalico river, which flows into the Kanawha river about fifteen miles below Charleston. It is rather sparsely settled, but has some good farms, plenty of timber and coal, oil and gas, and is a good district in which to live a quiet life and behave yourself. The people generally vote the republican ticket. They have one town Sissonville, named for an old resident, who is almost forgotten, and it has not made any special effort to enlarge its borders or crowd its boundaries. There are some good people in this district, and it adjoins Jackson and Roane Counties, which are over- flowing with oil and gas, and there are coal works on the waters of Poca.

Kelly's creek, Frogg's creek, and Derrick's creek, named respectively from the first settlers upon their banks, all flow south and empty into Pocatalico. Tupper's creek, named from an

early trapper, runs northeast and falls into Poca- talico. First and Second creeks, named in their order from Fisher's settlement at the mouth of Tupper's creek, are likewise tributaries of Po- catalico.

The surface of Poca for the most part is broken and hilly. Limestone is found in con- siderable quantities on Pocatalico near the mouth of Kelly's creek. Iron ore also abounds ; by analysis it is shown to contain sixty per cent of iron. The soil consists chiefly of a red clay, and ranks among the best wheat lands in the _county. The principal varieties of timber are hickory, poplar, beech and oak.

The first settler in the district was a man of the name of Johnson, who, about the year 1802, erected a cabin near the mouth of Tupper's creek. He was not long permitted to enjoy the solitude of his mountain home, for other set- tlers soon moved in; and among his earliest neighbors were Joseph Hines, Jonathan Der- rick, who came in 1810, John Fisher, James Sisson, John Dawson, Robin Atkinson, George Boggess, and David Shirkey.

The first grist mill was built by Johnson, the first settler; it was located on Tupper's creek on lands now owned by Robert Ransom. It was but a shed covered with clapboards, under which were one run of stone twenty inches in diameter-water was the propelling power. The first saw-mill was built by John Parsons, on the site where Sissonville now stands ; it was constructed after the old "sash saw" pattern, a "flutter" wheel being used as the driving power. It was built at an early day, but the exact date is not known.

The first schoolhouse was built at the mouth of Schoolhouse branch, now called Second creek. It was a common, round, log cabin, one end of which was entirely taken up by a huge fireplace. Of the present schoolhouses in the district the most are for white, but several for colored pupils; and there is a good general at- tendance.

The oldest church edifice was the Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal church, which for- merly stood in the "Low Gap," one-fourth of a mile south of Sissonville. It was a hewed log building erected by Henry Sisson, John Sisson,

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James Sisson, David Shirkey, and John Fisher. Castello H. Bates did the carpenter work. It was pulled down in 1873.

SISSONVILLE

Sissonville is the only town; it is located on the north side of Pocatalico river, in the central part of the district. The land on which it stands formerly belonged to John Sisson, and was laid out by him, he disposing of the lots. The first merchant was a man of the name of Reynolds, while William Lynch was the first "Son of Vulcan" who wielded the sledge and blew the bellows. It has at present a population of about 150 or more, with good stores and up-to-date people.

Its nearest railroad shipping point is Charleston, sixteen miles distant. Humphreys' Flouring Mill, roller process, steam and water power, flour and feed exchange, is lo- cated there. It is five stories including base- ment, and has a capacity of 100 barrels of flour daily. The present mill was built about IO years ago. The old mill, which was erected at a very early date-perhaps 75 years ago-was destroyed by fire.

Among the merchants of Sissonville there are the following: F. H. Staats, general mer- chant and undertaker, who is also postmaster of the place; Charles Newhouse, general mer- chant; J. D. Thaxton & Son, general merchan- dise : and E. M. Derick, general merchant.

The Southern M. E. church of Sissonville, was erected about 40 years ago. It is a frame building and is used for services by all de- nominations.

Dr. W. J. Glass and Dr. Caldwell are phy- sicians located in Sissonville. There is a lodge of Odd Fellows, which owns a hall and has a good membership of about 75. There is another church two miles south of the town at Tupper's creek known as Tupper's Creek Bridge Chapel, a northern M. E. church.

Well known, old families of Sissonville are the Sisson, Newhouse, Shirkey, Bean, Fisher and Milams families.

The two hotels of the place are Matthews House, Mr. Matthews, proprietor; and Gib- son House, Mr. Gibson, proprietor.

UNION DISTRICT

Union District lies on the Kanawha river, west of Charleston, and on the north side of the river, adjoining Poca, Elk and Charleston districts, and has therein a part of Poca river, Tyler creek, Two-mile creek and other branches and creeks. It has good farms and farmers, and is a little more democratic than Poca. On the river, it has Lock 6 at the upper end and Lock 7 at the lower end. It has the County Infirmary, and at Sattes, opposite St. Albans, there is almost a town, made up of saw-mills, etc.

Union district lies south of Poca, and may be called the central one of the western tier. Po- catalico river flows through the northwest cor- ner, and forms what is known as the Horse Shoe bend. It is here that the first settlement was made in the district. In 1798 Adam Aults, a German, and Elijah Towler arrived here and erected their cabins. They were actual set- tlers; both purchased land and lived here until removed by death. The next settlers were James McCown, afterwards a soldier in the War of 1812, and John Casey, and a year later came Moses and Aaron Kelley. Other early settlers were John Young, Andrew Hannis, James Anderson, John Martin, Daniel Hill, John Dawson, James Roberts, Greenbury Sam- uels, and Alexander Wallace, all of whom were actual settlers.

The first election held in the district was in the year 1863, at which time the commissioners were James High, J. C. Burford and J. Gilispie. The following were among the voters: H. Gil- ispie, J. O. Shoemaker, W. T. Johnson, W. A. Howell, W. D. McCown, Robert Johnson and James McCown.

John Martin erected the first grist mill about the year 1808. It was a water-mill, and had a capacity of cracking twelve bushels of corn per day. The patience of the pioneer was not thought to have been sufficiently tested unless he had "waited his turn at Martin's mill."

Two-Mile Spring. Situated in this district, two miles west of Charleston,, is a never-fail- ing spring, whose history may be traced back- ward through more than a hundred years. Dur- ing the late Civil war, in the year 1861. Gen-

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HISTORY OF KANAWHA COUNTY

eral Wise, with a large force of the Confed- erate army, encamped on the Two-Mile creek upon the lands of Dr. Spicer Patrick and A. B. Littlepage, and during their stay he and his forces relied upon this spring for supplies of fresh water, and when General J. D. Cox, of the Federal army, compelled the Confeder- ates to retreat from the valley, thousands of his dust covered and weary, worn soldiers quenched their thirst from the bubbling waters of this fountain. During the marches and counter-marches, soldiers of both armies gladly welcomed the site of the Two-Mile spring.

In 1817, Benjamin Rust built the first saw- mill, but soon after its completion, a rise in Pocatalico river swept away the dam, and otherwise injured the mill to such an extent that it was never used.

The first school taught in the district was by James Rust, in the year 1817, in a cabin on Pocatalico river, eleven miles from its mouth. There were but five pupils in attendance, and these Mr. Rust taught gratuitously. The dis- trict is now well supplied with good school- houses.

Among the early church organizations was that of the Hopewell Baptist; formed on the 3Ist day of March, 1834, in what is known as the flat woods of Pocatalico, by Elders John Ellison and William Martin. Since then the Methodist Episcopal, Baptist and Second Ad- vent or Millerite denominations have estab- lished each one or more churches.

ELK DISTRICT.

Elk District lies on both sides of Elk river, between Charleston and Big Sandy districts. It almost encircles Big Sandy district, and ex- tends from Roane, around by Charleston, to Clay county. On the west side of Elk are Lit- tle Sandy and its branches and Cooper's creek. On the east side there are Mill, Indian, Pinch and Blue creeks.

It has a railroad from Charleston, on the west side, up to Blue creek, where it crosses Elk and goes up Blue creek. On the east side of Elk, it has a railroad from Charleston, on through the entire district, and county, to El- kins, etc.

It has no town, but has many beautiful foundations and prospects of towns, to be named by the parties developing the same. It was in this district that the Indian fighters cap- tured the boy prisoner, killed the white man that was playing Indian and gave the name "White Man's Fork" of Aaron's Fork of Lit- tle Sandy. Everybody claims to have coal, oil and gas, in every hill.

At "Big Chimney" are the remains of a van- quished industry, where stood a salt furnace- on Mill creek, where they once made oil from Cannel coal. Now they are pumping it from the rocks, and gas is being wasted in many places.

The surface of the district for the most part is rough, the hills high, and, in most instances, rising abruptly from the narrow valleys at their base. Coal exists in abundance, and the Peacock variety, which is found near what is known as the "Big Chimney," is said to be the best in the State.

The first settlers were Michael Newhouse, Martin Hamock and Allen Baxter, all three coming in 1783. Newhouse settled on the west side of Elk river, five miles below Jarrett's ford; Hamock one mile above the mouth of Little Sandy, and one-half mile below Jarrett's ford, and Baxter at Baxter's shoals on Elk, four miles from Charleston. The next set- tler was John Young, who chose as the site of his future home a spot four miles above Jar- rett's ford and sixteen from Charleston. He was a noted scout and Indian fighter, and for many years did he wander, rifle in hand, over the hills and valleys lying between the Alle- ghenies and the Ohio, and his practiced eye enabled him to usually be among the first to discover the presence of the ruthless foe. Other early settlers were Henry Newhouse, who located near the mouth of the branch which still bears his name, William Porter, who reared his cabin on the north bank of Elk, and Edward Burgess, who built his near what is now known as Moore's dam, three and one- half miles above Charleston.

The first salt ever produced on Elk river was made within the present limits of Elk district by a Frenchman named Jinott, in the year 1817. In more recent years it was produced in con-

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siderable quantities, at what is now called the "Big Chimney," nine miles above Charleston.

The first grist mill was built in 1817 by a man of the name of Edmund Price. It has a water-mill, situated on Elk Two-Mile, two and one-half miles from Charleston. John Mc- Collister was drowned in the dam at this mill, in the year 1826; the body was afterward re- covered, and buried at the foot of a large beech tree upon the bank. Nothing, not even a rude stone, now marks the spot to show the passer- by the location of the grave. The first saw- mill was erected in 1831 by a man of the name of Joseph Moore; it was located three and one- half miles from Charleston.

When the first school was taught we cannot now learn, but among the pioneer teachers were John Slack, Sr., James S. Riley, Eli Chamber- lain, Joseph Blackeny, Andrew Newhouse, Robert Malcome, Mrs. Fannie Thayer, James Eddy and Rev. William Gilbert. Such are the names of those who trained a generation now grown old, and as such they have now gone to meet earth's greatest teacher-He that taught in Jerusalem nineteen centuries ago. But they left an impress upon the age which succeeded them; their work was not in vain, and who can tell what the end shall be?

Among those who nearly a century ago called men to repentance were the Revs. Asa Shin, Jacob Truman, Samuel Brown, John Cord, Samuel Dement, William Picket, Henry B. Bascom, Thomas A. Morris, Thomas Low- ry, Burwell and Stephen Spurlock, Francis Wilson, Garland A. Burgess, Bishop Cavenau, William Martin and Dr. William Gilbert. All have gone to their reward but their work has been like bread cast upon the waters, and to- day there are within the district hundreds of members of the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyter- ian and other churches.

JEFFERSON DISTRICT.

Jefferson District extends along on the south side of the Kanawha river, from Davis Creek, near to Lock No. 7, just above Scary Creek. It includes Gallaton's branch, Coal river and Tacket's creek and branches. Two and Three- quarter Mile creek. Watton's Creek, Spring Hill Station and St. Albans. Then there are

Fall Creek of Coal River, Brown Creek, with Amandaville and Lewis Station.

It is noted for having the most crooked stream in the world. A man can place his corn on his back, then go to his boat and float down to the mill and get his meal, put it on his back, and float on down the stream and get back to his house.

At Tornado, there are the upper falls of Coal River, but there is no telling where the lower falls are. The Coal River railroad forms a junction at St. Albans, and coal, timber, and almost everything can be brought down on this road.

Coal ( formerly Cole) River divides this dis- trict into two unequal parts. This stream has its source in the counties of Boone and Fay- ette, and flows in a northwest direction until it discharges its waters into the Kanawha, twelve miles below Charleston, and forty-eight above Point Pleasant. It is a beautiful moun- tain stream, and was named in honor of Lewis Cole, who was a soldier in the Big Sandy ex- pedition under General Lewis, in 1756. To prevent starvation, the army disbanded or broke up into small companies, that they might be the more successful in hunting; the party to which Mr. Cole belonged came over upon the waters of this stream, and were thus its first discoverers, and in honor of the leader of the party, it was named Cole river. Since the discovery of vast deposits of bituminous coal along its entire course, it has been spelled C-o-a-1, but upon the early maps of Virginia and by early writers, as well, it is spelled C-o-1-e.

The first settler upon its banks, or in the dis- trict, was Lewis Tackett. He first located some distance up the river, but soon removed to the mouth, where he built Tackett's fort, at the time (with the exception of Fort Randolph at Point Pleasant) the most western outpost in Virginia. It was destroyed in the year 1788 by a powerful band of Shawanese Indians. Soon after its destruction other pioneers came to assist in rebuilding it. Among them were Joseph Thomas, James Thomas, Richard Teays, a Mr. Roberts and Samuel Turley. All were actual settlers, and all became prominent in the early history of the Kanawha valley.

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The first marriage in this district was that of Levi Jones and Mary Thomas.

The first grist-mill, not only in the district, but the first worthy of the name in Kanawha county, was built at the upper falls Coal river, by Joseph Thomas, in 1801 or 1802. Our informant says that "it accommodated the county for fifty miles around." The first post- office established was at Colesmouth.

Among the earliest ministers were the Revs. Lee and George, Baptist ministers, and Francis Guthrie and Burwell Spurlock, of the Metho- dist Church. By a reference to the old rec- ords of the Greenbrier Association (Baptist) it will be seen that the Coal River Church was admitted into that body in 1803, and this was doubtless the first society formed in this sec- tion of country.

The Methodist Episcopal Church (South) was organized by the Rev. Amos, in 1857, with the following membership: Stephen Capehart, John Overshiner, Jerry Searhol, Anderson Rock, George Overshiner, Wyatt Creasy, Mat- tie Wilson, Parthena J. Wilson, Parthena Wil- son, Mrs. Lasley, Ann Willimson, Branche and Wilkinson. At the same time there was organized a Sabbath school in connection with the church. Stephen Capehart was the first superintendent. With the exception of a short time during the Civil war, it has never sus- pended.

ST. ALBANS

St. Albans is a growing, booming town. It has mills, natural gas, coal water and railroad transportation, the Bank of St. Albans, every- thing that a manufacturing company wants, and plenty of good people, with churches, schools, and water to drink.

The town of St. Albans was incorporated in 1868 by an act of the Legislature under the name of Kanawha City and a short time after- ward the name was changed to St. Albans, the exact date of change of name not being re- corded on the town records. The name of St. Albans was given by an Englishman who at that time was associated with C. P. Hunting- ton in the construction of the C. & O. R. R. The place was named for St. Albans, England, though there are some who think it was called

St. Albans after St. Albans, Vt. At the first town election there were eighteen votes. At the second election there were two candidates for mayor, eighteen votes being cast and each candidate receiving nine, making a tie vote. If the voters had increased from the first to the second election, the returns did not show it. The officers were elected annually. The first mayor of St. Albans was John P. Turner. In 1910 there were 282 registered voters and about 250 votes polled at the election.

The first town hall was located almost on the identical spot of the present one. The first was the school building and was used as the town or city building until the present building was erected. The latter is a two-story struc- ture, built of buff brick, with large council room and recorder's office on the second floor and fire department on the first floor. In 1908 there was a $5,000 bond issue to raise the money for the new town hall. In 1906 $17,- 000 worth of bonds were issued to pay for the sewerage system and to lay the concrete sidewalks. The water and electric light plant was put in about May, 1907 by William E. and Thomas Mohler. The water is of a fine quality, the supply coming from Coal river. The power plant is at the end of B street on the Coal River road as is also the pumping station. The service is excellent. There is a natural water pressure of 100 pounds on Main Street. W. E. Mohler is president and Thomas Mohler, treasurer of the Electric Light and Water plant.

The St. Albans Fire department is com- posed of volunteer firemen, organized by a few persons under the name of the St. Albans Sal- vage Corps in 1907. After getting together considerable equipment the same was turned over to the town and has since been supported by the municipality. It has four hand reels, one ladder, one extinguisher cart, and 1,000 feet of hose in use.

The necessity of a good fire department was keenly felt after the two very disastrous fires of 1906, which occurred a little less than two weeks apart. The first occurred Jan. 31, 1906 and the town was visited by the second fire February 12, 1906. The first fire de- stroyed all Main Street, on both sides between

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Second and B streets. The second fire de- stroyed between A street and an alley east ; practically all the business section was wiped out, also the Baptist Church and Mrs. S. L. Cato's house, the oldest residence in St. Al- bans. The oldest residence still standing is the old Turner residence, a log house, but it is in such a dilapitated state that it is no longer used for a residence. The oldest house in the business section is a two-story frame structure on the A. M. Smith Estate. Mr. A. M. Smith conducted a mercantile business for a number of years and after his death his son-in-law, Mr. A. A. Rock, carried on business in this building. One feature of this building is that the name of Mr. A. M. Smith has been painted over several times but it still shows to this day to the observer, which speaks well for both the paint and painters in those days. Among the oldest residences, though both are located beyond the corporate limits of St. Albans, are the James Teays residence west of the town and the residence of Judge John A. Warth, east.

There are two land companies in St. Albans -the St. Albans Land Company, adjoining the corporate limits and the Virginia Land Com- pany, organized principally to deal in oil lands.

The Atkinson foundry and car shops were located in St. Albans in 1908.

The McGregor Manufacturing Company op- erated a plant for a time, turning out wood work, columns, etc., but it has not been in operation for several years.

The greatest industry in St. Albans is her lumber interests. There are several large con- cerns with plants, yards and mills. The vol- ume of business runs annually into millions. The Mohlers with yards and office are on the opposite side of the Kanawha River from St. Albans. Then there are the American Col- umn & Lumber Company, and the Bowman Lumber Company

The American Column & Lumber Company, of St. Albans .- In 1899, Mr. W. W. Stark, a prominent business man of Mansfield, Ohio, became interested as one of the organizers of the American Column Company, establishing its plant at St. Albans, W. Va., contiguous to the timber supply. The need for a larger or-

ganization, created by the rapid growth of this business, gave life in 1905 to the American Column & Lumber Company, at which time F. B. Squire and Francis Widlar, of Cleve- land, Ohio, capitalists, and M. W. and E. M. Stark became associated with him.

The business then organized has since de- veloped into the immense lumber enterprise of the present day, to which we devote a few words of description, scarcely adequate, how- ever, from lack of space, to its size and im- portance. The company has large timber holdings and an up-to-date saw-mill at Ward, the latter erected in 1909 and having a daily capacity of 50,000 feet (in 10 hours), not counting a large daily output of lath and hard- wood chair stock; 40,000,000 feet of lumber being carried in stock at all times. It has also a large plant at Colcord, in Raleigh county, with extensive holdings extending eastward along the Clear fork of Coal river, a distance of nine miles from the town of Colcord.

The company owns its own timber, and has adopted the policy of cutting only that 'which virtually is matured.

The company's holdings, located in the southwestern part of Kanawha and the ex- treme northeastern part of Raleigh counties, West Virginia, comprise about 20,000 acres of land, which will cut an average of 6,000 to 7,000 feet of selected timber per acre, giving it an original resource of about 140,000,000 feet, the largest portion of which is poplar and oak. The poplar logs cut by the American Column & Lumber Company are splendid spec- imens, from which some remarkably fine, wide stock is secured. The white oak is of equally high order, and is unsurpassed in color, texture and figure.

Of other woods there is a wealth of varie- ties, namely : hickory, beech, maple, basswood, black walnut, buckeye, black gum, red oak, chestnut, ash, cherry and sycamore, all of un- usually high quality.

At St. Albans is located also the company's planing mill which has a floor space of about one and one-half acres and a capacity of 30,000 to 40,000 feet a day. The dry kiln capacity is 24,000 feet a day. One hundred or more skilled workmen are employed continually in

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 29

Author: Laidley, William Sydney, 1839-1917. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co Number of Pages: 1066

Author: Laidley, William Sydney, 1839-1917. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Richmond-Arnold publishing co
Number of Pages: 1066