History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 40

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 40

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).

The unveiling took place September 27, 1910, in the presence of at least five thousand people, strangers and citizens of the city, and the procession was headed by the Stonewall Brigade Band of Staunton, Virginia, and a company of cadets of seventy-five from the Virginia Military Institute, and then a bat- talion of the Second Regiment of West Vir- ginia National Guard, and the people followed after. At the monument, Brig .- General S. S. Green presided. The invocation was by the Right Rev. Geo. WV. Peterkins of Diocese of West Virginia. Addresses were made by Gen. Green, Hon. John A. Preston of Lewisburg, West Virginia. Mrs. Green of Chapter 151, U. D. C., cut the cord and unveiled the statue, and the Virginia Cadets fired a salute. Other addresses were then made by Hon. Robt. White of Wheeling. Hon Bennett Young of Louisville, Ky. The vocal music was ren- dered under the direction of Mrs. J. Griff Ed- wards of Portsmouth, Virginia. Governor Mann of Virginia, was represented by R. A. James of the board of visitors of the Virginia Military Institute, and Governor Glasscock of West Virginia, was represented by Adj .- Gen. Charles E. Elliott. The inscription is as follows :

STONEWALL JACKSON

Erected as a memorial to the Confederate Soldiers

1861-1865

By Charleston Chapter No. 151

United Daughters of the Confederacy

The above was taken from the Third Bian- nual Report, State Department and History, Appendix III, 1910-1911, in which is found a biographical sketch of Gen. Thomas J. Jack- son, showing why they called him "Stone- wall."

U. S. DIRECT TAXATION

Congress, in 1813, wanted to raise three millions of dollars and passed an act for the raising of the same by direct taxation. Of the state of Virginia, there was required of her as her part, the sum of $369,018.44. Vir- ginia raised it by taxation on her counties and the counties now part of West Virginia, were required to pay as follows :

Monroe county paid. $1,030.50

Mason county paid.

Brooke county paid. 1,130.50

Wood county paid. 1,195.50

1,338.50

Cabell county paid. 1,546.50

Greenbrier county paid 1,650.44

Pendleton county paid 1,428.50

Kanawha county paid.

2,167.50

Harrison county paid. 2,672.50

Hardy county paid. 2,126.50

Ohio county paid. 1,907.50

Monongalia county paid

2,992.50

Hampshire county paid.

3,795.50

Randolph county paid.

5,465.50

Berkeley county paid. 6,147.22

Jefferson county paid. 6,876.28

The taxation required then indicates the relative strength financially in 1813. Wood and Ohio would be lower in the line, Hamp- shire and Jefferson would not appear among the large counties now, and Kanawha would probably vary her position; and the list is otherwise interesting.

DERIVATION OF THE NAME "KANAWHA"

June 12, 1734, order of Colonial Council.

"Whereas a barborous murder was some time since committed in Spottsylvania county by some northern Indians, and thereby there is just cause to suspect that the same, was done by the nation of Coonays (Conoys) under the government of Pennsylvania." *

With reference to the matter above referred to, Governor Gooch of Virginia, on the 13th

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HISTORY OF KANAWHA COUNTY

of July, 1733, sent a letter to Governor Pat- rick Gordon, of Pennsylvania, stating that a man and his wife had been murdered and scalped in Spottsylvania in April, 1733, by said Indians,-Coonay or Conoy Indians-they were called in Pennsylvania the "Ganawese" and in 1701 made a treaty with Pennsylvania and were said to be from the northern part of the Potomac and that the now "Lost river" derived its name from them-Conai-Conoy.

EAST BANK

The first to purchase lots on the site of this flourishing town were A. C. Shaver and E. M. McVey, in 1878. The site of the town was laid out on the property of the Harriman heirs. William Prior owned some land, on which re- sided his sons, James, a funeral director, John, a bookkeeper, and Tipton, a salesman, and the town for a time was called "Prior," its first name having been Hampton. Its present name was taken from a small coal bank in operation about that time. Here are located the East Bank Coal Works and a number of other coal works, and here or in the vicinity, are also lo- cated the Hamilton Oil and Gas Company and the Montgomery Gas Company, both successful enterprises.

Among the oldest settlers in the place are William Paxton Prior (the oldest settler ), Rev. Mr. McVey, who has been here since 1866, when he built a house here and moved into it; A. C. Shaver, Sylvester Chapman, Shelton Johnson, Henry Thompson, and Mrs. Sallie Saunders, who first married a Mr. Morris. The first mayor was G. W. Poff.

S. M. Buck opened the first coal bank in East Bank.

East Bank has three church edifices-those of the M. E. Church, South, secretary, B. G. Keeny ; the Missionary Baptist, F. Howell, pas- tor ; and the Free Will Baptist church, pastor, E. M. McVey, the Missionary Baptist being the oldest organization.

The Missionary Baptist church was organ- ized about 1887 and is known as the Hampton Baptist church. The first pastor was H. H. Hugart, whose successors were Rev. James Roberts, Rev. Geo. Foster (now a Unitarian minister of Chicago, Ill.), Rev. J. W. Cock

(now of Huntington, W. Va.), Rev. Mr. Winebenner, and Rev. V. F. Howell, the pres- ent incumbent. The membership of the church is about eighty. This church originated with or sprung from the historic old Kanawha Bap- tist church, whose building was destroyed dur- ing the Civil war. The present and first build- ing is a frame structure.

The Free Will Baptist church was organized in 1878 with four members and now has about seventy-five. Its pastors have been Rev. W. J. Fulton, John E. Cox. Rev. Mr. Stewart. N. E. Mercer, E. M. McVey and W. R. Nester, Mr. McVey, the present pastor, having served the organization during the greater part of the time. The church edifice is a frame building. 46x64 feet ground plan, and is the first build- ing of the organization.

The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, has a present organization of twenty-eight mem- bers. The building-a neat brick structure- was erected about twenty years ago. The con- gregation has been served by Revs. Carney, John Martin, N. McClung, A. M. Hollister and W. E. Bennett.

East Bank has one dentist, Dr. G. W. Owens. The present mayor of the town is J. R. Jones ; recorder. Julian F. Keeny. Postmas- ter, D. M. Jarrett.

East Bank is well supplied with secret or- ders, including the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Senior Order of American Mechanics and Red Men. Abraham Encampment No. 20, I. O. O. F., moved in 1873 from Marmet to Coalburg, and came to East Bank in the fall of 1896.

Lodge No. 63. chartered February 15, 1872. was first instituted at Coalburg. A hall was built in the fall of 1896 at East Bank, the build- ing being of brick. There were five charter members and seven in lodge when it was in- stituted, the former being Capt. A. Frauber, Francis Calvert. John Calvert, Milton Cole and Larry Bryan. The two others who went in at the same time were M. W. Stanley and A. Schlaegel. The lodge has now 97 members.

Cherokee Tribe No. 33. Improved Order of, Red Men, of East Bank, was instituted with 27 charter members, namely: Chas. Rutroff, William Thomas, Tobias Benjamin, G. A.

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Poff, John B. Clark, John Banister, John Can- terbury, William H. Bowers, Geo. P. Snead, John M. Hudnall, James Hull, W. S. Monta- gue, T. L. Moore, William Sigmond, D. L. McConihay, R. E. Hendrickson, M. F. Poff, Elex. Sims, Geo. W. Keeney, C. T. Stanley, William L. Banister, Robert A. Snead, G. P. H. Spruce, James D. Arrington, M. F. Spruce, Buron E. Holstine and G. W. McVey. The charter was issued in May and the lodge in- stituted in November, 1892. It has about 28 members at the present time.

The Senior Order of American Mechanics was instituted June 11, 1892 and has a present membership of sixty-five. They rent their hall and have their own cemetery.

Kanawha Lodge, K. of P., No. 16, was first instituted at Coalburg. It now has about 60 members and owns its own building, which is a frame structure.

The Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias have each a cemetery and the latter own their own hall.

East Bank has seven stores, the merchants being as follows: Harry Howery, general mer- chant H. P. Hudnall, general merchant; J. C. Lewis, general merchant and restaurant; H. M. Blair, general merchant; M. Morowitz, clothier and dry goods; E. Rosen, dry goods and clothier; H. R. Wiltberger, druggist. There are two milliners-Miss Anna Golden and Mrs. L. McConahey.

THE CASE OF JACK NEAL-1801

The following account of a freeman's strug- gle for liberty was written by Dr. Henry Ruff- ner. There seems to have been two cases where negro traders attempted to take slaves down south on boats on the Ohio and met dis- aster, and there was more sympathy for the negroes than for the traders.

Jack Neal and Sam Robinson had been manumitted by will, and before the will had been probated, some traders purchased them, though knowing that they were free, seized them in the night and moved them out of reach to the Ohio river, placed them in a large canoe and started down South. But Jack was no ordinary negro-in the first place he was a giant in strength, was an excellent mechanic

with plenty of sense. They told Jack what they intended to do with him and he told them that he gave them warning. All the negroes they had were ironed and fastened together with a chain and placed in the piroque, and they were required to row while the traders guided the boat. They had passed the mouth of the Kanawha in the night; Jack had been working to get loose and had succeeded. He struck one of the traders with a hatchet, which quieted him, and the other plunged into the river and drowned. Now what was to be done? They were below Gallipolis-there they were ar- rested and sent to Virginia, at Kanawha courthouse. Edward Graham was the attor- ney for the commonwealth and William Ster- rett for the negroes. They were tried before the whole bench of justices with no jurors, and on the 17th of August, 1801, for the murder of Bennett Rogers and Ralph Elliott. All of them were acquitted except Jack and he was found guilty and sentenced to be hung on the 19th of September, next. The court directed the clerk to write the facts to the governor. The attorney, Graham, resigned and Sterrett was appointed in his place. When Jack was asked if he had anything to say, he arose and related the whole facts-his life, his being freed, kidnaped and the consequences. Then he was sentenced, and a history of the case sent to the governor with a petition for re- prieve.

The governor suspended the execution and investigated the facts of the story. There was another trial as to some points occasioned by the fact that he had not been executed, but he was resentenced to be hung on the 19th of September, 1802. It was close to the fatal day and no pardon yet and no other mail to come. Jack said he must get out. He made all preparations and waited. Evidently he had many friends and all seemed desirous that he should escape. Jack made his attempt just be- fore daylight. He got the jailor's gun first, and then broke for the woods in a heavy fog, but they afterwards recaptured him and re- turned him to the jail. The next day they expected to hang him but a special messenger arrived with reprieve. He was kept in the jail, then permitted to work in shop, then was

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HISTORY OF KANAWHA COUNTY

fully pardoned, then obtained his papers of freedom and afterwards returned to his old home. The expenses for guarding and board- ing Jack seem to have been needless, and it looks as though there might have been some sort of "graft;" but perhaps we are wrong. It seemed that no one could blame Jack for what he did, but he seems to have found no friends either in Ohio or in Pittsburg; he did find them, however, in Kanawha.

EARLY TAVERNS

The first tavern, or inns, as they were then called, so far as can now be learned, were the Buster Tavern, at the northeast corner of Court and Kanawha streets, and the Griffin Tavern at the northeast corner of Summers and Kanawha streets.

The prices of accommodations at such places of public entertainment were prescribed by the courts. The following is a list of prices established at a court in 1820:

Breakfast, dinner, or supper, each. 25c

Lodging, per night 1212C

Horse at hay, per night. 25c Horse at pasture, per night. 121/2C

Jamaica Spirits, Cogniac Brandy, and Madeira Wine, per gallon. 600c Cherry Bounce and Country Gin, per gal. 300C Whiskey and Peach Brandy, per gal ... 200C Beer and Cider, per gal .. . 50c

Clearly, they were not prohibitionists.

NEWSPAPERS

The rise and progress of newspapers fur- nishes a good gauge of the advance of civiliza- tion, and a short history of the press is a proper accompaniment of the history of any county. The first newspaper established at the county seat of Kanawha county was called the Kana- wha Patriot, and was published by H. P. Gaines in the year 1819. In 1820 Mason Campbell began the publication of the Western Courier, which survived for two years, but five years later the same gentleman started the Western Virginian, the publication of which he continued until 1829. He then sold out to other parties, who changed the name to the Western Register, but continued its publication for only one year. A year or two afterward Mason Campbell and

Ezra Walker began the publication of the Ka- nawha Banner, which survived until 1834, when it was followed by a paper of smaller size, called the Kanawha Patriot, a political or- gan of the Whig persuasion. In 1840, Pate & Hickey established the first Democratic jour- nal, the Jeffersonian, but at that time the Whigs largely predominated in the county, and the paper only had the brief existence of one year. In 1842, E. W. Newton began the is- sue of a Whig paper, called the Kanawha Re- publican. The Western Virginian was the sec- ond Democratic venture, in 1851, by Thomp- son & Gardner. The paper survived but lit- tle longer than its democratic predecessor. It was succeeded by the Kanawha Valley Star, by John Rundell, and this paper lived to record the opening of the Civil war. In 1864. S. S. and E. T. Moore began the issue of the first Republican paper, the West Virginia Journal. In 1870. H. S. Walker & Co. established the West Virginia Courier. first a weekly, then a daily and finally a tri-weekly paper. The Bap- tist Record, by J. B. Hardwicke. D. D., was started in 1870, but it had a short life. The same year the Charleston Herald was started by John Brisben Walker, which was issued for two years. The Kanawha Daily, in 1871 had a short existence, under the charge of Thomas Hughes & Co. In 1872 C. B. Webb issued the Kanawha Chronicle, at first independent in politics, but in 1876 espousing the cause of the democracy. The Kanawha Gazette, Demo- cratic. established in 1877 as a weekly ; issued as a daily since 1888; M. W. Donnally. pro- prietor: the Kanawha Democrat, by P. M. Noyes: The Nonpareil, independent. 1877, weekly till 1890, then daily, by J. V. Hender- son; the Star Tribune, Republican, 1881; M. B. Reber, manager: the West Virginia School Journal, educational; 1881, by B. S. Morgan.

In 1911 there are the Charleston Daily Ga- zette. Democratic. (Vol. 25), and the Charles- ton Daily Mail, Republican, (Vol. 28). We shall not attempt to say who the different ed- itors may be.

Then there are the Advocate, the Labor Ar- gus (Socialist). the Mountain Leader: and during campaigns of any kind, there are others.

The Kanawha Republican was the longest

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lived; it was edited by Mr. Newton and con- tinued for about thirty years.

Probably the ablest edited, was the "West Virginia Courier," by Mr. H. S. Walker. The Kanawha Valley Star was edited by Demo- cratic lawyers.

SURVEYORS OF LANDS

The surveyor was always an important man ; there was a sort of mystery about him, for he knew things that many others did not. He had to know that there was a north star and he had to run his course thereby-had to have an instrument that most of the people could tell nothing about. He pretended to be able to explain the variation of the needle, knew what a degree meant, and knew an angle to be something other than something to eat. A sur- veyor was a learned man, a sort of magician. In the days when the State had lands for sale and a man wanted to purchase and own real estate, he deposited money with the treasurer and took a paper giving its date, its number and the amount paid in, and the quantity of land to which he was entitled. He then went to the neighborhood where he wished to locate the land and made an entry of the quantity of land and the location thereof in a general way. He then had it surveyed accurately, marking the corner and line trees, for each had a dis- tinctively different mark placed on the trees to indicate the lines and corners. A plat was made and also a description of the survey, giv- ing its corners, courses and distances, with monuments, creeks, trees, etc. With this and the treasurer's warrant, he laid them before the governor who wrote out a grant or patent for the land surveyed and paid for. The pur- chaser then had his land charged to him on the land books, and then paid his taxes, once each year, forever.

In the course of human events, these lines and corners would be forgotten and lost, as it were. Trees would fall down and sometimes they were cut down; other surveys would be made near to them, others would set up claim to the land and it would become necessary to learn the location of the lines anew. The sur- veyor would be sent for; he would try to lo- cate some corner, tree or rock, or known point

in the said survey, and then he would run it out as it was originally run or located. An- other interesting matter would have to be at- tended to; that was, to ascertain what was the variation of the needle so as to make exact allowance for it. Finding a tree that might have once been marked as one of the corner or line trees, the surveyor wishes to establish it beyond question. The tree has changed greatly ; it has been growing all these many years since it was marked. Was this the tree that was marked in 1795? Can you prove it? This is the business of the surveyor.

There were for many years two surveyors in Kanawha, Mr. A. P. Sinnett and Mr. John L. Cole. They were in no manner alike. Mr. Sinnett was a dignified, quiet, stately man, and went about his work as if he meant to do it exactly, no guess work at all. Mr. Cole was a jocular, good-natured, hearty, humorous, over- grown boy, who was never very much in ear- nest, never as exact or particular as you might suppose ; if he could not find the star he wanted, another one would do as well. Practically ev- erybody knew that Mr. Sinnett was a surveyor. The court had directed Mr. Sinnett to go to a certain place on Coal river to do some survey- ing. He had notified the parties of the day that he would be there and he expected they would meet him, but for some reason he could not go. He sent Mr. Cole in his stead, and Cole was on time and in place. Cole did not think it necessary to introduce himself or tell them his name was not Sinnett, for he heard them all call him Sinnett. They had learned by some means that Mr. Sinnett wore a wig to cover his bald head and they were curious to see it. They mentioned the fact, and Cole admitted it but made no move to display the curiosity. A certain man could stand it no longer and proposed that if Cole would ex- plain one thing he would be satisfied. Cole be- came curious and agreed to his proposition. He stated he could not comprehend how it was that when Mr. Sinnett made choice of a wig he selected a red one. Cole found himself in a close place and was getting Mr. Sinnett in a tighter one. He could not carry that any further. When they had been going until noon they reached the bank of Coal river and

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HISTORY OF KANAWHA COUNTY

were enjoying the rest and cool of the shade. Cole saw a long grape vine hanging from the limb of a tree down to the roots of the tree on the bank. He cut it loose from the ground and taking it in his hands swung out over the stream. He had a delightful swing but when it came back toward the bank it did not quite reach, and each time it failed to come as near as before, until it was about to come to a stop some ten or more feet away from it. There was nothing to do but to let go, drop into the stream and wade ashore-with the joke on him.

Before surveyors were allowed to work at their profession they had to secure a certificate from the College of William and Mary that they had been examined and found competent to survey. Reuben Slaughter was the first surveyor and there were others, and they kept coming. The Mathewses were all surveyors and they came quite early. They might all have had their certificates of competency, but no two surveyors ever made the survey contain the same area; however, it is wonderful how they can trace a line and learn the corners of large surveys that had been made many years. Everybody knew that Sinnett was exact, but Cole could find a line with less to help him than any other surveyor; he seemed to know what the old surveyor thought, said and did, the latter perhaps concluding there was no other way to lay the line, and Cole arriving at the same conclusion from the self-same circum- stances.

FRATERNAL SOCIETIES

Of secret and benevolent organizations Ka- nawha county has her full share, the beneficial influence of such societies, though formerly doubted by some, is now generally recognized, and that citizen is a rara avis who hasn't "jined" one or more of them. Owing to their predilection for secrecy we have been unable to find out as much about some of them as we could have desired. A few, formerly organ- ized have for one reason or another passed out of existence, but those now flourishing are as follows :

FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS Masons.

Masonic Temple, cor. Virginia and Hale. Trustees, Charles K. Payne, for Kanawha

Lodge No. 20, A. F. & A. M .; James F. Brown, for Tyrian Chapter No. 13, R. A. M .; James N. Carnes, for Kanawha Commandery No. 4, K. T.

Odel Squier Long Lodge of Perfection No. 3, A. & A. S. R., meets every third Tuesday in Masonic Hall. J. Talman Waters, sec.

Beni-Kedem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. Meets 2d Thursday of each month in Masonic Temple, Virginia n. w. cor. Hale. Benjamin Caruthers, potentate ; Joseph Ruffner, recorder ; 26 Citizens' National Bank bldg.

Kanawha Commandery No. 4. Knights Tem- plar. Meets every 4th Monday evening of each month in Masonic Temple, Virginia n. w. cor. Hale. J. Talman Waters recorder, 27 Citi- zens' National Bank bldg.

Kanawha Lodge No. 20 A. F. & A. M. Meets Ist and 3d Monday evening of each month in Masonic Temple, Virginia n. w. cor. Hale. J. T. Waters, sec.

Tyrian Royal Arch Chapter No. 13, R. A. M. Meets 2d Monday of each month in Ma- sonic Temple, Virginia n. w. cor. Hale. H. M. Anderson, sec.

B. P. O. E.

Charleston Lodge No. 202. Meets every Friday at Elks Hall. Quarrier and McFar- land. Guy H Newcomer, sec., 1580 Quarrier.

F. O. E.

Charleston Aerie No. 519. Meets every Thursday at I. O. O. F. Hall, Capitol cor. State. J. R. Foster, rec. sec.

Improved Order of Red Men.

Cornstalk Tribe No. 23. Improved O. R. M. Meets every Thursday evening in Elk Bank- ing Co. Hall, Charleston cor. Virginia av. John Thumb, S .; J. L. Javins. K. of R.

Nokomis Tribe No. 13, Imp. O. R. M. Meets every Wednesday evening in Odd Fel- lows' Temple, Capitol cor. State. R. Kuntz. C. of R., 1071/2 Capitol.

I. O. O. F.

Ellinipsico Encampment No. 13, chartered Aug. 23, 1851 ; meets every Thursday evening at Odd Fellows' Hall, Capitol cor. State, E. W. England, scribe, 329 Court.

Glen Elk Lodge No. 95. Meets every

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Thursday evening at 8 in I. O. O. F. Hall, Virginia s. w. cor. Pennsylvania av. J. M. Masoncupp, sec., 112 Court.

Glenwood Encampment No. 40. Meets ev- ery Monday evening at I. O. O. F. Hall, Vir- ginia s. w. cor. Pennsylvania av. F. T. Mel- dahl, scribe, 1215 Washington.

Kanawha Lodge No. 25, instituted Dec. 5, 1865; meets every Tuesday evening at Odd Fellows' Hall, Capitol cor. State. W. J. Coch- ran, sec., 1814 Quarrier.

Patriarch Militant, Canton Kanawha No. 7. Meets at Odd Fellows' Hall, Capitol cor. State every Thursday. Howard B. Wolf, clerk.

Daughters of Liberty."

Union Council No. 5. Meets every Monday night in Orts Hall, Charleston cor. Tennessee av. Mrs. Dema Hill. treas.

Daughters of Rebekah.

Myrtle Lodge No. 97. Meets at Odd Fel- lows' Hall, Capitol cor. State, every Monday evening at 7:30. Miss Maude Grinstead, sec., 423 State.

D. O. K. K.

Shiaraz Temple No. 29. Meets 2d Thurs- day of each month at II12 Capitol. Ceremo- ial sessions January, May and September. Freeman Carte, sec.

Knights of Columbus.

K. O. C. Council No. 771. Meets every Ist and 3d Sunday in School Hall. Broad and Quarrier. G. G. Bratt, F. S.

Knights of Pythias.

Glenwood Lodge No. 180. Consolidated with Glendale Lodge No. 78.

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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens, Part 40

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