USA > West Virginia > Harrison County > History of Harrison County, West Virginia : from the early days of Northwestern Virginia to the present > Part 3
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Christopher Gist was appointed agent of the Company to survey and locate its lands and to attend to its affairs West of the mountains. He established a trading Post at Wills Creek now Cumberland and stocked it with goods to trade to the Indians. He also commenced a settlement in a valley west of Laurel Hill in what is now Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
The opposition of the French and Indians checked the efforts of the Company to locate settlers and subsequent treaties with the Indian tribes and the war of the Revolution put an end to all land schemes on the upper Ohio, and the new country of Indiana as it was called faded away.
In 1752 the Virginia Assembly passed an Act releasing all settlers from the payment of taxes for the period of ten years, who would locate on lands west of the mountains.
In 1754 the Governor of Virginia by proclamation promised lands to the soldiers who would enlist to serve in the French and Indian wars.
After the capture of Fort Duquesne by General Forbes in 1758, adventurers began to cross the mountains and cluster around the walls of the Fort now called Fort Pitt, seeking the protection of its garrison and gradually extended up the streams and to the surrounding neighborhood, composing the skirmish line of civilization.
In the peace of Paris in 1763 France ceded the Ohio Valley to England, and in the same year King George the III issued a proclamation forbidding any of his subjects from occupying lands on the western waters until they were purchased from the Indians, and ordered the settlers already there to withdraw.
The settlers paid no attention to this proclamation as it was considered by them that the land on the east side of the Ohio did not belong to the Indians as they had no villages in that territory and had not occupied it for many years if ever, but used it in common as a hunting ground.
John Simpson Discovering Elk Creek
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY
At one time about 1766 the authorities sent soldiers to dispossess the settlers on the Monongahela of their holdings, but if they performed this unpleasant duty the inhabitants moved back as soon as the soldiers were gone.
The colony of Pennsylvania in 1768 made some kind of treaty with one or more tribes of Indians for the purchase of lands west of the moun- tains in order to keep them quiet, but Virginia never purchased any title from them.
In 1754 an attempt was made to settle the Tygart Valley by Files and Tygart, but they failed through the hostility of the Indians.
In the fall of 1758 a small colony headed by Thomas Decker attempted a settlement on the Monongahela just above the site of Morgantown at the mouth of the creek which still bears his name, but in the spring of 1759 it was broken up by a party of Delawares and Mingoes and the greater part of its inhabitants murdered.
In 1766 Zachel Morgan, James Chew, and James Prickett made a permanent settlement at the site of Morgantown.
After the close of the French and Indian war a treaty of peace was made by the English and various tribes of Indians in the Ohio Country in 1765, which brought comparatively peace and quiet to the Virginia fron- tier and emigration began to flow over the mountains to the virgin lands of North Western Virginia.
It was during the continuance of this exemption that settlements were made on the waters of the Monongahela and Ohio rivers.
The first of these in order of time was that made on the Buckhannon river, a branch of the Tygart's Valley river, and was induced by a flat- tering account of the country as given by two brothers who had spent some years there under rather unpleasant circumstances.
Among the soldiers who formed part of the English garrison at Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh) were William Childers, John Pringle, Samuel Pringle and Joseph Tinsey. In 1761 these four men deserted from the Fort, and ascended the Monongahela as far as the mouth of Georges Creek near the present town of Geneva, Pennsylvania. Here they remained a while but not liking the situation crossed over to the head of the Youghogany, encamped in the glades and remained there for about twelve months.
In one of their hunting rambles Samuel Pringle came on a path which he supposed would lead to the inhabited part of Virginia.
On his return he mentioned the discovery and his supposition to his comrades, and they resolved on tracing it. This they accord- ingly did, and it conducted them to Looney's creek, then the most remote western settlement. While among the inhabitants on Loony's creek they were recognized and some of the party apprehended as deserters. John and Samuel Pringle succeeded in making their escape to their camp in the glades where they remained until some time in the year 1764.
During this year and while in the employ of John Simpson, a trapper, they determined to move further west. Simpson was induced to do this by the prospect of enjoying the woods free from the intrusion of other hunters, the glades having begun to be a common hunting ground for
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY
the inhabitants of the South Branch, while a regard for their personal safety caused the Pringles to avoid a situation in which they might be exposed to the observations of other men.
In journeying through the wilderness and after having crossed the Cheat river at the Horse Shoe, now in Tucker County, a quarrel arose between Simpson and one of the Pringles, and notwithstanding that peace and harmony were so necessary to their mutual safety and comfort, yet each so far indulged the angry passions which had been excited, as at length to produce a separation.
Simpson crossed over the Valley river near the mouth of Pleasant creek, and passing on to the head of another water course gave it the name of Simpson's creek, which still bears his name. Thence he went Westwardly and came on to the waters of a stream which he called Elk Creek because of the number of animals of that name which he encoun- tered. On the opposite side of the West Fork River from the mouth of Elk Creek, and not far from the Fair grounds on what is known as the Stealey farm he established his camp and pursued his occupation of a trapper.
After remaining for a year, in which time he neither saw the Pringles nor any other human being, and getting scarce of ammunition he journeyed to the South Branch valley taking what furs he could carry with him to trade for supplies.
The Border Warfare states that he returned to his encampment and continued there until permanent settlements were made in the vicinity.
It is hardly to be supposed that he resided constantly at the mouth of Elk Creek, but used it as a head quarters for his trapping expeditions, as it was several years before settlers came into the neighborhood.
At the time of Simpson's arrival at the site of Clarksburg there was not an acre of land in North Western Virginia under cultivation. All was a dreary wilderness occupied by buffalo, elk, deer, bear and turkeys and the streams swarming with fish. So far as is known John Simpson was the first man who stood upon the banks of the West Fork River.
A stray trapper or a prisoner to the Indians may have passed along its waters, but history or tradition makes no note of it, and the credit must be given to him.
It can be imagined that Simpson had a lonely time of it with no companion but his own thoughts, no sounds greeting his ear but his own voice and the howls of wild beasts quivering upon the slumbering sea of the forest night and living in hourly dread of the approach of a savage foe. But this sturdy pioneer preferred to brave all of these perils and discom- forts rather than be hampered by the restraints of a civilized life. He was one of the outer pickets of civilization, the vanguard ever in advance of that grand army of emigration that was soon to roll around and thousands of miles beyond his humble cabin.
But little is known of the subsequent history of John Simpson. Like many frontiersmen when settlers began to come in to his neighborhood he moved further on, most likely into Ohio.
The commissioners appointed to settle the claims to unpatented lands at its session in 1781 granted a certificate of ownership to John Simpson
Home of the Pringles.
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY
for 400 acres of land on the West Fork river, opposite the mouth of Elk Creek to include his settlement made in 1772. This tract included the Fair Ground and the Stealey lands.
Simpson never perfected his title to this land, but as was the custom sold and assigned the certificate to Nicholas Carpenter and it was patented to him. Carpenter built a house on it in 1786 that stood for more than one hundred years.
He appears once upon the surface of affairs as a principal in a quarrel with one of the Cottrils about a peck of salt, which resulted in Cottril being found dead near the cabin of Simpson with his gun cocked, having been shot by him. As there were no courts established at the time there is no record of any legal proceedings being taken against Simpson on account of this affair.
John and Samuel Pringle after they had separated from Simpson continued on up the Valley river to where it is joined by the Buckhannon river, and continuing up it and at the mouth of a small branch called Turkey Run, they took up their abode in a hollow sycamore tree, not far from the present town of Buckhannon. The hollow tree in which they lived stood about two and a half or three miles from the Court House in Buckhannon on the Southerly or right bank of Turkey Run about one hundred yards from where it empties into the Buckhannon river on the westerly side. The tree has long since disappeared. Tradition says that a fence rail could be turned around inside of it without striking the sides. This would have made the tree about thirty feet in circumference.
The site is still well known to the inhabitants of the neighborhood.
The situation of these men was not an enviable one, remote from their fellow men, with no salt, bread or garden vegetables and fearing arrest as deserters from the army. They remained in this condition for three years and not until they were reduced to two loads of powder could they be driven to venture to the Eastern settlements to replenish their supply.
In the latter part of 1767 John Pringle left his brother and intended to make for a trading post on the Shenandoah, and appointed a period for his return.
Samuel Pringle in the absence of John suffered for food, one of his loads of powder was expended in a fruitless attempt to shoot a deer. His brother had already delayed his return several days beyond the time fixed for his return and he was apprehensive that he had been recognized, taken to Fort Pitt and would perhaps never get back. With his remain- ing load of powder he was fortunate enough to shoot a fine buffalo, and John soon returning with news of peace with the French and Indians, the two brothers agreed to leave their wilderness home, but also resolved to return with others and settle permanently in that region. They accord- ingly left their humble home with many regrets and returned to the Eastern settlements, but with the determination to return and permanently reside in the neighborhood of their Sycamore Tree.
The settlers on the head waters of the Potomac listened to the descrip- tion of the western country by the Pringles, its fertility, climate and quantities of game with delight, and with that restless spirit that charac-
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY
terizes the pioneers, quite a number of them agreed to move to this newly discovered country.
But before moving permanently a party of them resolved to examine for themselves and in the fall of 1768 under the guidance of Samuel Pringle visited and explored the region that had been so long inhabited by the Pringles.
Being pleased with it, they in the following Spring of 1769 with a few others repaired thither with a view of cultivating as much corn as would support them and their families the first year after their emigration.
In addition some erected cabins and prepared for permanent occu- pation of the territory now Upshur County.
John Jackson and his sons, George and Edward, settled at the mouth of Turkey run, John Hacker higher up on the Buckhannon river, where Bush's Fort was afterwards built, Alexander and Thomas Sleeth near to the Jackson's. The others of the party William Hacker, Thomas Hughes, Jesse Hughes, John Radcliff, William Radcliff and John Brown appear to have employed their time in hunting and exploring the surounding country, thus supplying those who were clearing land with an abundance of meat, and acquiring a knowledge of the country which was of great use to the colony afterwards.
In one of their expeditions they discovered and gave the name to Stone Coal Creek, which flowing westernly induced them to believe that it emptied into the Ohio River. Descending the creek they came to its confluence with a stream near where Weston now stands, to which they gave the name of the West Fork. After having gone some distance down this river they returned by a different route, being better pleased with the land they had seen than with that on the Buckhannon River.
Soon after this other emigrants arrived under the guidance of Samuel Pringle. Among them were John Cutright, Benjamin Cutright, who settled on the Buckhannon, and Henry Rule who located just above the mouth of Fink's Run.
Before the arrival of Samuel Pringle, John Hacker had begun to improve the spot which Pringle had chosen for himself. To prevent any unpleasant feeling Hacker agreed that if Pringle would clear as much land on a creek which had recently been discovered by the hunters as he had on the Buckhannon, they could then exchange places. Complying with this condition Pringle took possession of Hacker's improvement and Hacker of the clearing Pringle had made on the creek which was then called Hacker's Creek. John Radcliff and William Radcliff also settled on this stream. These comprise all the improvements which were made on the upper branches of the Monongahela in the years 1769 and 1770.
At the close of the working season of 1769 some of these adventurers returned to their families on the South Branch, and when they returned to gather their crops found them entirely destroyed. In their absence the buffalo had broken down the fences and eaten all the corn. This mishap delayed the moving of their families until the fall of 1770, and from this time dates the permanent settlement of the Country.
In the year 1771 Captain James Booth and John Thomas settled on Booth's Creek on land that was afterwards owned by the Martin family
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY
and others shortly followed. Captain Booth was afterwards killed by the Indians and his loss was severely felt by the inhabitants in his neighbor- hood.
On the 31st December, 1771 a party of explorers consisting of John Merrick, Samuel Cottrill, Andrew Cottrill, Levi Douglass and Sotha Hickman, encamped on Ann Moores run near the present town of Grasselli in Clark District.
They were engaged in hunting and looking out for lands upon which to make permanent settlements. On New Year's day 1772 they turned out to hunt, and passing south through the low gap where Lemuel D. Holden afterwards lived for so many years, and near there killed a bear and several turkeys.
On the little bottom where Brushy Fork empties into Elk Creek their dogs discovered a herd of buffalo and in a short time the hunters had killed seven of them. One of the largest of the herd being fatally wounded in attempting to escape down Elk Creek fell dead into the bed of the little stream that puts into Elk below the mouth of Brushy Fork, and lay in such a position that they could not pull him out, and he was left to lie there with regrets that they could not get his robe.
The party remained in this camp all winter and were visited by a friendly Indian who hunted with them for some time.
They discovered the abandoned camp on the West Fork River of Robert Lindsay a trapper, and also where he had made one or more canoes to transport his furs down to Fort Pitt.
In the Spring of 1772 they selected lands on which to establish permanent homes. Andrew Cottrill located his claim and built his cabin at the site of their camp, on Ann Moore's run, where Grasselli is now located. Samuel Cottrill just east of where Clarksburg now stands, near the Jackson grave yard. Sotha Hickman on the opposite side of Elk Creek near where the Elk View Cemetery now is, and Levi Douglas preempted four hundred acres on the Brushy Fork of Elk. John Merrick did not permanently locate in this country but probably went further West.
There are still residing in Harrison County many descendants of the two Cottrills, Hickman and Douglass, and they have the satisfaction of knowing that their ancestors were among the very first permanent settlers in the present limits of Harrison County.
In this year, 1772, the beautiful Tygarts Valley now in Randolph County, was nearly all taken up by settlers, among them being the Had- dens, Connelly's, Whiteman's, Warwick's, Nelson's, Stalnaker's, Riffle's and Westfall's. The latter of these found and interred the bones of Files' family, which had lain bleaching in the storms of eighteen years.
In the year 1772 the Horseshoe bottom on the Cheat River was located by Captain James Parsons of the South Branch, and in his neighborhood settled Robert Cunningham, Henry Fink, John Goff and John Minear.
The Dunkard Bottom was settled by Robert Butler, William Morgan and some others in the same year.
Thomas Nutter in 1772 took up one thousand four hundred acres on Elk Creek close to Clarksburg at this time, on which was built the famous
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY
Nutter's fort, which was a haven of security to the many families of settlers when harrassed by Indian forays.
John Nutter located on the West Fork river near Clarksburg and Obadiah Davisson above him, near where the salt works was afterwards located, and Daniel Davisson where Clarksburg now stands.
These were the principal settlements made in Harrison County prior to the year 1774.
Few and scattering as they were no sooner was it known that settle- ments had commenced in what was reported to be a rich country full of game than a heavy emigration set in to this new Eldorado.
This emigration exhausted the bread supplies in some localities in the year 1773, and there was considerable suffering until the corn crop was gathered, so much so that it was called the starving year.
Colonel William Lowther was for many years gratefully remembered by the inhabitants for his great exertions to secure corn, and for his success in relieving their sufferings.
Daniel Davisson, who is mentioned above, was the original proprietor of the land on which Clarksburg now stands, which was included in his four hundred acre survey. Tradition states that Daniel Davisson's cabin was built on the west side of Chestnut street between Pike and Main, near where the Southern Methodist church now stands.
Andrew Davisson took up four hundred acres on the opposite or east side of Elk Creek from Daniel Davisson's survey.
Under the act of May 1779 for adjusting and settling the titles of claimers to unpatented lands, the counties on the western waters were divided into districts, and four commissioners were appointed for each district. The first district was composed of Monongalia, Yohogania and Ohio Counties, these three counties having been organized in 1776.
The records of the proceedings of this commission as relates to Monongalia County, which at that time included practically the Northern half of West Virginia and a portion of Pennsylvania and of course of the territory afterwards formed into Harrison County.
The certificates granted by this commission show the time and place of settlement of the person to whom they are granted, or by his assignor, and are of the greatest importance in fixing the date of occupancy of the country by the pioneers.
It appears from this record that the commissioners held meetings at Red stone Old Fort near Brownsville, Pennsylvania, at Colonel John Evans' house near Morgantown, at Cox's fort, in what is now Washington County, Pennsylvania, at Clarksburg, at the house of Samuel Lewellen, at the house of John Peirpont, near Morgantown, at the house of Thomas Evans and at the Ohio County Court House.
Below will be found one of the certificates copied in full followed by extracts of others omitting the formal part:
Certificates granted in 1781 at the house of Colonel John Evans:
"We, the commissioners for adjusting claims to unpatented lands in the counties of Monongahela, Yohogania and Ohio, do hereby certify that John Evans Assignee of Daniel Veatch is entitled to four hundred acres
.
Clarksburg
Elk brock.
Daniel Davisson's Survey 1773.
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY
of land in Monongalia County on the Monongahela River, on the West side of said river to include his settlement made in 1770.
Given under our hands at Colonel John Evan's this 7th. day of March in the fifth year of the commonwealth 1781.
JOHN P. DUVALL,
JAMES NEAL, WILL HAYMOND.
This certificate cannot be entered with the surveyor after the 26th of October, 1781.
Ent'd, 9th. April 1781.
WM. MCCLEARY, Clk. Com.
The following extracts taken from certificates issued in 1781 by this commissioner to settlers for lands in Monongalia County in the territory subsequently included in Harrison County as it was originally created in 1784 from the former county.
The changing of the name of streams and the duplication of quite a number of others leads to some confusion in locating entries, and it is possible that some of them given below are outside the limits of Harrison County as originally formed, but this occurs, if at all in but few instances.
Henry Snider is entitled to 400 acres of land in Monongalia County on the waters of the West Branch of the Monongahela River adjoining lands claimed by Enoch James to include his settlement made in the year 1773.
Peter McCune 400 acres at the mouth of Rooting Creek, in the right of residence having made a crop of corn before the year 1778 to include his improvement made on said land in 1778.
Hezekiah Davisson 400 acres in the right of residence to include his improvement made in the year 1773.
Hezekiah Davisson is entitled to 1,000 acres of land adjoining his improvement made in 1773.
Hezekiah Davisson assignee of Jonathan Lambert 400 acres on Lam- bert's Run adjoining the lands of Joshua Allen to include his settlement made in 1774.
Hezekiah Davisson, assignee of Jonathan Lambert 1,000 acres in the right of preemption on Lambert's Run, adjoining lands of Joshua Allen. Josiah Davisson 400 acres on Pleasant Creek, to include his settle- ment made in 1775.
Josiah Davisson 1000 acres in the right of preemption adjoining his settlement on Pleasant Creek.
Andrew Davisson, Junior, 400 acres in the right of residence on a branch of Simpson's Creek called Thomson's Run including his improve- ment made thereon in 1774.
Andrew Davisson, Junior, 1000 acres in the right of preemption ad- joining to his right of residence by an improvement made in 1774.
Andrew Davisson, Junior, assignee of William Boon, is entitled to 400 acres on the waters of Simpson's Creek adjoining lands claimed by James Anderson, including his settlement made thereon in 1773.
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HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY
Thomas McCan 300 acres on Davisson's Run, adjoining lands of Thomas Berkley to include his settlement made in 1775.
Thomas McCan 1000 acres adjoining his settlement made in 1775.
Archibald Hopkins, assignee of Andrew Davisson, Junior, 400 acres on a branch of the waters of Simpson's creek known by the name of Jerry's Run, to include his settlement made in 1773.
Daniel Davisson is entitled to 1000 acres in the right of preemption adjoining his settlement made in 1773.
Nicholas Carpenter, assignee of John Simpson is entitled to 400 acres of land in Monongalia County on the West Fork. opposite to the mouth of Elk Creek to include his settlement made in the year 1772.
The above named John Simpson was the first settler in Harrison County as now (1909) constituted, he having established his camp on the above described tract of land in 1764 for the purpose of trapping.
Ncholas Carpenter 400 acres on Ten Mile Creek at the mouth of Carter's Run by right of residence to include his improvement made in 1772.
James Anderson, Senior, 400 acres on Simpson's Creek, adjoining to lands of Andrew Davisson, to include his settlement made in 1771.
James Anderson, Senior, 1000 acres on Simpson's Creek, adjoining lands of Andrew Davisson in the right of preemption, adjoining his settle- ment made in 1771.
James Anderson, Junior, 400 acres on Simpson's Creek, adjoining the land of John Powers, to include his settlement made in 1775.
James Anderson, Junior, 1000 acres on Simpson's Creek, adjoining the lands of John Powers, and adjoining his settlement made in 1771.
Thomas Batton, Junior, assignee, to Thomas Batton, Senior, 400 acres on a dream of the Ohio River, and about one mile from the mouth of the Little Kanawha River, and about one mile from the Indian Old Field, in the right of residence, to include his improvement made in the year 1772.
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