USA > West Virginia > Preston County > History of Preston County (West Virginia) > Part 31
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403
PORTLAND DISTRICT,
CHAPTER XIX.
PORTLAND DISTRICT,
GENERAL DESCRIPTION -INDIAN TRAILS AND, GRAVES - EARLY SET- TLEMENTS : MURDER OF THE DUNKARDS, INDIAN DEPREDATIONS, BUTLER'S FORT-ROADS - ORGANIZATIONS: MAGISTERIAL, TOWN- SHIP, DISTRICT - TOWNS - MAIL SERVICE - THE MURDERED PED -- DLER -- RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS - SCHOOLS.
The territory of Portland was embraced in the Third (magisterial) District when Preston County was divided into such districts in 1852 ; and in 1863, in order of division of the county as then made, it became, with slight change of bound- aries, Portland Township. By a change of designation merely in 1873, it became Portland District.
Portland District is bounded on the north by Pleasant, on the east by Maryland, on the south by Union, and is separa- ted by Cheat River on the west from Kingwood. Laurel Hill Ridge runs N. E. and S. W. through the district. The larger portion of the district is west of the ridge in the Lig- onier Valley, and is abundantly supplied with the Freeport, veins of coal. It is drained by Roaring Creek, Dougherty's
and Buffalo runs, tributaries of Cheat River.
These
streams break through the high Cheat River hills, full of coal, lime and a brown and red iron ore, pronounced hema- tite, and from appearance very rich, and from 5 to 10 feet thick at the mouth of Roaring Creek and on the west side of Doughtery's run and Spruce Creek.
The part of the district east of Laurel Hill Ridge is in the Cumberland Valley, and destitute of coal, but wonder fully rich in limestone, the 100-foot vein coming to the sur-
404
HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
face in many different places. It is drained by Salt Lick on the S. W., a tributary of Cheat, and on the east by the head waters of the Youghiogheny River. Heavy bodies of tim- ber still remain in portions of the district, especially of pine in the pine swamp region along the Maryland line. Oak, pine, and chestnut are the leading kinds of timber, with con- siderable sugar and some poplar, beech and sycamore.
Wheat does well and averages from 7 to 15 bushels per acre. Corn, oats, rye and buckwheat yield well. Fruit, ex. cepting peaches, does well. Grass is a fair crop, and cattle do well any place in the district.
The climate is somewhat colder in the eastern than in the western part of the district, on account of the east being a high elevated plain, extending from the mountain into Mary. land.
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Indian Trails and Graves. - The great Indian War-path, from the Ohio to the South Branch (Potomac), crossing the district, entering at Dunkard's Bottom, opposite the mouth of Morgan's Run, and following the river about two miles down, struck across the mountain, passing over Nettle Ridge, through the old Beatty and Freeland settlements, and between Willey and Cranberry, and crossed the Mary- land line near the headwaters of Snowy Creek, south of Cranesville.
Mccullough's traders' path passed southeasterly from Morgan's Glade through the southern part of the district ; passing near Cranesville, crossed the Maryland line east of that village.
Two Indian graves are found on the Cranesville and Cranberry road, not far from Pleasant Hill p. o. Here a petrified potato was found in 1881, by Mrs. Daniel Titche- nell, which may be seen in the University museum at Mor- gantown.
Early Settlements. - The first attempted settlement by white men in the county was in this district, about 1755, on the Dunkard Bottom, on the east side of Cheat, by well-in-
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PORTLAND DISTRICT.
tentioned but ill fated Dunkards-the Eckarlys, whose mur- der is described on page 22. Day's History of Pennsylva- nia, p. 414, asserts that their name was Eckerlin, that they were originally Catholics in Europe, that these three broth- ers had charge of the secular concerns of their society of Ephrata, and being suspected of ambitious designs to pos- sess themselves of the title to the property of the society, they were expelled and went to the southwest part of Penn- sylvania, from which they removed to Virginia. The society of Ephrata was a distinct sect from the Dunkards, although they descended from them.
The first permanent settlement in the district was made by Robert Butler, in 1773, on the east side of the Dunkard Bottom. He was a justice of the peace for many years, and a prominent man in the county in its early settlement. The next settlement was by Thomas Chips, in 1776, near the site of Willey p. o. In 1777, mention is made of the Powells, Brains and Dillons, and on April 11, 1778, more than 2 miles from where Cranberry now stands, occurred the murder of Brain and the capture of little Ben, his son. Jacob Mouser kept tavern on Dunkard Bottom at an early day. He was related to the Chips family, and was unpopular.
About 1800, Robert Beatty, a Revolutionary soldier, came from Hampshire County, Va, and located 3 miles from Kingwood on the Dille farm. His children all went West, except John, and are all dead but him. John was born in 1795, and married Rachel Bishop, daughter of John Bishop. Their sons were Thomas, Joseph, Alphens, James, Henry C., George R., and William W.
February 2, 1787, William Ashby received a patent for 500 acres of land as the assignee of Jacob Vanmeter. J. F. Nor- deck, P. C. Nordeck, John Vanverth and Samuel B. Crane now own this tract. J. F. Nordeck made the first improve. ment in the settlement on Laurel Run.
John Bishoff (now spelled Bishop) came about 1790, from Hagerstown, and settled on Elliott's Ridge. His children were Rachel, Henry, John, Joseph, Samuel, and William
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HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
who died November 8, 1881, on the old home stead. Guy A. Bishop, of Pleasant District, is a son of William. John C. Crane lives on the old Bishop farm. . He married Mollie, daughter of William Bishop.
Abner Messenger, a Revolutionary soldier, married Abagail Pike (a sister to Gen. Pike of the War of 1812), and came to the site of the Messenger settlement about 1800. He was the grandfather of James W. and Edmund Messenger.
William Dougherty, father of Jarvis, lived near what is now St. Joe, and owned a large amount of land. In 1794, William Elliott married Jane Dougherty, William's daughter. Abraham Elliott got land of Wm. Dougherty, his father in law, and settled where Elliott Crane now lives. Abraham had 11 children. Among this number were William, father of Dr. Felix Elliott ; John, father of Captain William Elliott ; Sarah, wife of Calvin Crane; Mary, wife of Jacob Crane ; and Andrusilla, wife of Robert Forman.
Peter Wilhelm came into the wilds of Preston some time before 1800. Solomon, Peter, Jonathan and Catharine were his children.
About 1791, John Freeland came from near Baltimore. He married Polly McCann, of Fayette County, Pa. David and Benjamin were sons of his. He lived to be 94. David, born in 1809, has local fame as a hunter-supposes he has killed 600 deer in his time. Twice he has killed five in one day.
John Whetsell married Mary Troxall, and came from Frederick, Maryland, about 1800. He was the founder of the Whetsell settlement, 7 miles above the mouth of Muddy Creek. His sons were George, Peter, John, Conrad, Abraham and Michael who married a Felton. D. J. and John O. are Michael's sons.
John Felton came from England, and served as justice long enough to gain the sheriffalty. His son Henry was a distinguished hunter.
Among the fathers of the county was one who claimed that he exercised that mastery over serpents known as snake-
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PORTLAND DISTRICT.
charming ; and that he could handle snakes with impunity. The words of his charm were :
" As fire doth melt the wax, And winds blow smoke away, So in the presence of our Lord The wicked shall decay."
The Shaws came from Ireland at an early day. Benjamin Shaw reached the sheriffalty by seniority of commission as a justice of the peace, and was among the first representatives of his county in the legislature of Virginia. Benjamin's children were Edgar, Celia and William (father of A. Staley Shaw), who married Sarah Gibbs, a sister of Nancy Gibbs, first wife of David Freeland, Sr. Samuel Shaw, brother of Benjamin, settled near Sandy Creek on the Scott farm. His son Alexander, who died in 1868, was the father of Benjamin, Joseph M., and George C., the dentist.
About 1800, Benjamin Trembly, from New Jersey, came to Turkey Foot, Somerset County, Pa., and in 1803, settled where .George H. Trembly, his great-grandson, now lives. He married Eunice Remington. His children were Josiah, Ephraim, who died young ; John, Mary and Sallie. He was drowned while coming from a fair at Morgantown.
John Rodeheaver, a saddler, came from Woodstock, Va., in 1807 and bought land from John Chips where his son, Col. John Rodeheaver, now lives. He married Mary Yagle, and their children were George, Christian, Samuel, Joseph, Isaac, David, William, and John (Colonel of the 104th regiment), and five daughters. John Rodeheaver, Sr., was justice of the peace, commissioner of revenue, and reached the sheriff- alty. He started a tannery in 1829.
Dennis Jeffers came from Trenton, New Jersey, in early days. His son Abraham was a justice of the peace about 1836. Benjamin, another son, was in the legislature before 1825, and emigrated to Iowa, and died there.
Martin Ridenour, ancestor of the Rev. James Ridenour, came from Germany in 1820, and settled in Portland District.
Nicholas Lee, Sr., came from Maryland in 1824. He en-
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HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
listed in the 3d Md. when 59 years of age, and served through the Rebellion. The name of Lee seems to be a martial name. Captain C. C. Lee is his son.
Toliver Childs, remembered for the magnitude of his imag. inative tales, lived in a small cabin near Captain Lee's house.
Roads .- The old Burchinal road, from " Burchinal town," passed Crane's (Hartman's) mill, not far from Willey p. o., and on through the district southeasterly, crossing the Maryland line south of Cranesville, and extending to Wes- ternport, Md.
The Brandonville mud pike, with the road to Aurora, makes a complete thoroughfare through the center from north to south. The old pike by Fairfax's Ferry and the pike which crosses the iron bridge at Albrightsville, enter the district, and running southeasterly unite about a mile west of Cranberry, from which point a road runs due cast to Oakland.
The Cranesville road branches off from the Brandonville pike, 3 miles north of Cranberry. The Kingwood and Brandonville pike runs north through the northwestern part of the district.
On the old pike by Fairfax's Ferry were three tavern stands. At the Dunkard Bottom, Jacob Mouser kept, suc- ceeded by Squire Wm. Price ; next Abner Messenger ; and third, Aaron Gibbs in the Green Glades.
Organization. - As the county was not districted until 1852, the territory of Portland was not organized as a dis- tinct part of the county from 1818 till that year.
Among the number of old Justices were Robert Butler, Amos Roberts, Nathan Ashby, Abram Jeffers, William Ma- son, John Felton, John Rodeheaver (father of Col. John Ro- deheaver), and John Feather, father of David O. and Harry Feather.
In 1852 the territory of Portland, in the main, was organ- ized as the Third District. The magistrates that year were Buckner Fairfax, Abram Jeffers, David O. White and. Wil- liam T. Kelley.
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PORTLAND DISTRICT. 409
On the 10th of July, 1863, a committee established the Third District by the name of Portland, in honor of the town of Portland in Maine, and ran its boundaries as fol- lows : "Beginning at the East end of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad bridge across Cheat River, and running thence with the said railroad to a stone standing on the south side of the railroad near to and west of Henry Nine's dwelling- house ; thence, leaving said dwelling-house and running S. 62, E. 1060 perches, crossing (Salt Lick Creek) to pointers standing on the north side of an old road west of a large flat rock ; thence with said road to a stone : thence leaving said road S. 122, E. 248 p. to a stone in said road ; still with said road (crossing Laurel Run) to a maple standing in the Maryland line on the north side of the said road last afore- said ; thence with said Maryland line to a triple maple cor- ner to Pleasant Township; thence with the lines of said township reversed; to wit : N. 61, W. 40 p. to a bridge across Salt Block Run; thence with Salt Block road to a maple ; thence S. 653, W. 500 p. to chestnut stump ; S. 88, W. 600 p. (crossing Muddy Creek) to a stone ; thence S. 66, W. 56 to a knotty W. O. (now fallen) on the North side of the old Pineswamp road; thence with said road to a large white oak standing at the north side of said road; thence S. 763, W. 200 p. to a stone; thence S. 7, E. 56 p. to a white walnut near William Kelley's dwelling house; thence S. 643, N. W. 62 p. to a stone ; S. 32}, W. 548 p. to a linn on the east side of Muddy Creek; thence down said creek with its meanderings to its junction with Cheat River ; thence up said river with the meanderings thereof to the place of beginning."
1869. - Edmund Messenger, supervisor ; John Forman, clerk ; William T. Kelley, school commissioner; Henry Har- desty and Joseph H. Everly, constables.
1870. - William T. Kelley, supervisor; Henry Beatty, school commissioner; Samuel Freeland, clerk ; Benjamin Freeland and A. Perry Jenkins, inspectors of election.
1871. - Buckner Fairfax, supervisor ; Philip Buckalew,
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HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
school commissioner ; Samuel Freeland, clerk; David Free- land and William Hollen, inspectors ; Thomas Gregg and William T. Kelley, justices ; Ezra D. Benson and Henry Hardesty, constables.
1872. - Themas Gregg and Albert G. Mason, justices; Ezra D. Benson and John W. Hill, constables.
1874. - E. D. Benson and Walter W. Worthington, jus- tices.
1876. - Ezra D. Benson and John O. Whetsell, justices ; George W. Fraley and Wm. H. Whetsell, constables.
1880. - W. A. McGinnis and Ezra D. Benson, justices : William M. Shaffer and William H. Whetsell, constables.
Towns. - Cranberry is situated at the junction of the Cranberry and Brandonville with the Kingwood and West Union turnpikes, on the B. & O. R. R., 137 miles east of Wheeling, 64 west of Cumberland, and 10 miles southeast of the county-seat. At the head of the celebrated "Green Glades " and the Salt Lick valley, it is 2500 feet above tide level. It was first Salt Lick Falls p. o., then Cranberry, af- ter the name of the Railroad station, which was Cranberry Summit, because of the cranberry swamps, and the place be- ing situated on the summit of the Laurel Hill range.
Somewhere about 1858, Eastern men, mostly from Maine, came in and made it a center of the shook trade in the State, and in honor of the metropolis of Maine, called it Portland.
In 1869, when Cranberry was a candidate for the county- seat, and before it had been decided to rebuild the court- house at Kingwood, ex-Senator Jones, in an earnest speech setting forth its advantages, called it "The Commercial Cen- ter, " an apt appellation that has become almost another name of the town. Owing to the confusion caused by there being several Portlands in the Union, the council of the town de- cided to have the name changed to Cranberry, which was done by an act of the legislature passed January 19, 1882. which took effect April 20 following. The name of the post- office was changed to Cranberry two or three years before.
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PORTLAND DISTRICT.
Cranberry was incorporated by the name of Portland on the 13th of March, 1860. The officers of the town were to be seven trustees and a sergeant, they composing the coun cil. James W. Brown, M. F. Stuck and William Glover, or any two of them, were to hold the election, but there is no record to show who was elected at the first election. The present town council (1881) is as follows : C. W. Jackson, Mayor ; Wmn. A. McGinnis, Recorder ; John P. Jones, C. W. Mayer, John W. Watson, Dr. R. R. Frey; Marshall W. Crane, Sergeant.
The first postoffice established was Salt Lick Falls, James C. McGrew, p. m. ; then Cranberry, Elijah E. Alford p. m. ; and in 1860, Portland, and Wm. B. Crane, p. m., succeeded by John P. Jones. J. W. Watson is the present postmaster.
The first physician was W. H. Ravenscraft ; succeeded by Solomon Parsons, Dr. Sturgiss, Dr. Womack, Wm. Davis, and J. B. Fogle (1866), from Morgantown; Robert R. Frey, of Maryland, a graduate of the University of Md., and S. M. Scott. The last three are still resident and practicing.
The first house, about 1840, was a small log cabin built by Elijah Alford, which stood on the site now occupied by C. W. Jackson's store. When the railroad was projected, James C. McGrew opened a store in a building on the site of the de. pot, and was succeeded by James W. Brown, who then kept in the depot building. He was succeeded by the late Hamil ton Dorsey, and he by Joseph Adair, who is now the B. & O. R. R. Co.'s agent and & partner in the mercantile firm of W. H. Glover & Co. James W. Brown was the first station agent, succeeded by Dorsey, Adair, David Lovenstein, and Adair again. Among the older mercantile firms were Wm. B. Crane, J. M. Hartley, Nutter & Jones, Jones & Glover, Solomon Parsons, Benjamin Shaw, A. A. Perry & Co., J. D. Howe & Co., J. C. Painter & Co., and others.
Charles W. Jackson, a graduate of Eastman's Business College, opened out in the p. o. building, and in 1879 removed into his present commodious building, which he
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HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
erected and associated with himself John H. Feather. A. A. Perry & Co. kept in the p o. building, succeeded by Jones & Glover, 1876 ; Jackson, 1877 ; J. W. Watson and C. W. Jackson, 1879. J. W. Watson, 1880; J. W. Watson and R. M. Shaffer, who remain and are liberal advertisers. Mr. Watson came in 1870 from near Masontown, and has been secretary and president of the Portland District board of education.
Charles W. Mayer & Son opened out in their present building in 1877. M. F. Stuck has kept a store at several places in town. John Zotz has occupied his present store for seven years ; P. A. Fox opened in April, 1881 ; and A. G. Mason, confectioner, about 1880.
Thornton White and J. R. Smoot opened in 1865, on Washington Street. White & Crane kept in the Crane Building from 1871 to '74, when White moved to his present place of business under the firm name of T. White & Son. His son L. P. White is very favorably known in the mercan- tile business as an excellent salesman of considerable experience.
Joshua Gibbs kept the first tavern in a house on the site of the Summit House, and was succeeded by the late George W. Fraley, Moses Silbaugh, Jacob Windel (in the upper house), and Charles Worthington, who built the Summit House, and opened it as a hotel and summer resort. Cran- berry, owing to its location, its climate, picturesque scenery, and healthfulness, is a favorite summer resort for the denizens of the cities east and west.
James W. Brown built 40 feet square of the Jones build- ing, and rented it to Aaron Freeland, who kept tavern, succeeded by John Dawson, Samuel F. Conner, and James Hill. The house was then bought by J. P. Jones and changed to a dwelling and store. Mathias F. Stuck opened the Washington House, which he still keeps. The Central House was opened by George E. Gutherie, and is now kept by Salathiel Posten. The railroad eating houses are two. Many years ago the one now kept by Amos Carroll was
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PORTLAND DISTRICT.
opened by Mr. Slater, and kept several years by his widow. The other is owned by Mr. Shaw, who kept it for several years, succeeded by several persons. Mrs. Sallie Chidester, Mr. Shaw's daughter, is the present landlady.
W. A. McGinnis opened out his present harness making and saddling business in 1871.
In 1872, R. Bruce Fogle, of Morgantown, opened out a drug store.
Justice E. D. Benson, formerly of Bruceton, in 1867, opened his present gun and silversmithing establishment.
Wm. Groscup, about 1870, commenced wagon mak- ing here.
Wm. T., son of George W. Fraley,. in 1870, opened out his blacksmith shop, in which he is now assisted by James WV. Fraley.
In 1881, J. A. Garner started his tin establishment.
During this year, Guy A. Bishop, John P. Jones, and John M. Freeland began the erection of the "Mountain Mills. " Bishop sold out and Jones and Freeland completed the mill, and now have it in successful operation. It is onė of the most complete flouring mills in the State. It is four stories high, and cost about $10,000. The machinery is propelled by a 35 horse power engine. It has five sets of the finest burrs, ten sets of elevators, with all modern improvements and conveniences. Novel arrangements for the extinguishing of fires, the invention of Mr. Jones, ren- ders the mill always safe from fire.
The present tailor is John A. Peters, who has been here many years.
The Baptist Church was organized April 17, 1859, with 17 members. The ministers have been J. M. and D. B. Purin ton, D. W. Rogers, Dr. Felix Elliott, J. C. Jordan, and Lee. At present the church is without a pastor.
The M. E. Church at Cranberry, in 1853, enumerated 19 members, W. W. Eaton and John Francisco, pastors. The church has been served by the following ministers: 1854. Wm. Smith; 56, A. Bowers ; 57, D. O. Stewart; 59, Ashford
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HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
Hall; 61, J. J. Dolliver; 63, Spencer King ; 64, M. V. B. White ; 66, Charles King; 67, J. M. Powell; 70, R. M. Wal- lace; 72, J. L. Clarke ; 73, J. P. Thatcher; 75, J. A. Fullerton ; 77, Benj. Ison; 79, H. C. Sarford; 80, S. C. Jones. The church was changed from the Morgantown to the Oakland district in 1879, in which year the latter dis- trict was erected. The present church was completed in 1868 or '69. The trustees were John P. Jones, George F. Huffman, E. M. Bartlett, J. B. Davis, W. Shaw and W. Golden.
The Presbyterian church was organized in 1869, and the present church building was erected in 1876.
St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church was built in 1869. The first pastor was the Rev. James Meurer, succeeded by Rev. P. A. Boyse, the present priest.
One of the founders of the town is Elisha J. Miller, a son of Squire Joseph N. Miller, who, in 1853, built his first. shop where Charles W. Jackson now lives. Mr. Miller has built ten houses in the town, and has carried on wagon making and general blacksmithing in his present building since 1860.
In April, 1863, the town was visited by Col. Harmon's Confederate forces and Nutter & Jones's store, where White now keeps, was nearly cleaned out. Meat was thrown on the cellar floor, flour emptied and tramped over it, and molasses and oil let over the mass. Benj. Shaw, keeping in the Crane Building, fared but little better.
In 1864, John P. Jones built the board-walk now in front of his store, and his improvement was designated an obstruc- tion by the town council, and he was notified to remove it : but did not obey.
The present fine school building was erected in 1877, and school opened in .it under the supervision of Prof. L. W. Fike, who is now connected with the Clarksburg Academy.
Cranesville was named after John Crane, father of Smith Crane, Esq., who owned the adjacent lands, The first house
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PORTLAND DISTRICT.
was built in 1854 by John W. Edwards. Dr. Daniel Fichtner, who came from Somerset County, Pa., built a number of houses.
The first store was kept by John Crane, succeeded by D. Fichtner & Son (Ben. A., now a physician at Confluence, Pa.). Afterwards stores were kept by N. B. Browning, F. Heermans & Co., W. G. Trickett, Dr. D. Fichtner and Mr. Enlow.
The first school was taught by A. J. Sanders,
The physicians have been Daniel Fichtner, and his son Dr. M. L. Fichtner, and P. H. Heermans.
B. A. C. Miller, son of Joseph N. Miller, is the blacksmith. Meshac A. Browning has a shook shop.
Samuel A. Teats is proprietor of the portable steam saw mill.
On petition of J. W. Feather and others, a voting place was established at Cranesville July 3, 1878.
Charley Houseman, a tinker, was the first settler in the Pineswamp. He had a rude cabin on the line of Browning's and Feather's land, a few rods east of Cranesville, to the right of the road going east. Lewis Wolfe recollects, when a boy, of staying over night with him. The first clearing was done in 1812 by Jacob Wolfe, where M. E. Feather now lives ; and about the same time Joseph Hilton made an opening near Solomon Wilhelm's. Henry Sines lived on the knoll just above M. E. Feather's.
Next came Henry Mattingly (grandfather of James H.), near Albright's mill ; and Joseph Kelley, son-in law of Meshac Browning, and father of William T. Kelley, an old school teacher, who inherits his grandfather Browning's fondness for hunting.
The trade from the Sang Run neighborhood, on the Mary- land side, is considerable since the two stores at Sang Run, kept by Rev. D. H. Friend and his brother the late Elijah Friend, have been discontinued.
The Cascade Fountain near Cranesville, on the lands of .
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HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
Notley B. Browning, is a strong mineral spring whose waters have been kept six months and remained pure.
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