USA > West Virginia > Preston County > History of Preston County (West Virginia) > Part 39
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520
HISTORY OF PRESTON. COUNTY.
The B. & O. R. R. runs along its northern boundary line for 6 miles and 39 poles.
DR. J. C. KEMBLE.
About 1800 Samuel Kemble came from England, remain. ing a while in New Jersey he finally made his home in Harri son County, Virginia, (now West Virginia). He married Eliza- beth Warner, and their children were Thornton F., Rebecca, Julius C., the subject of this sketch, Harriet, Henry B., Wil liam P., George B., Samuel P., Francis M., and Elizabeth V.
The subject of this sketch was born in Pruntytown, May 21, 1817. He attended Rector College, read medicine with Dr. J. L. Carr, and attended lectures at Richmond, Va. He came in 1844, from West Union to Evansville where he served as postmaster from 1845 to 1850, and also as justice of the peace. He was a member of the Legislature of Vir- ginia from 1855 to 1861, and afterwards Democratic candi date for State Senator from Preston and Monongalia . counties.
His first wife having died several years since, on the 17th .of January, 1882, he married Miss Catherine C. Carroll, of Kingwood.
He has enjoyed a good practice and accumulated consid- cerable wealth.
J. C. KEMBLE.
APPENDIX.
CHAPTER XXV.
[The information hereunder was received too late for proper classification in the body of the work.]
COMMISSIONERS TO LOCATE COUNTY-SEAT - CLAIBORNE AND MOYLAN SURVEY - THE FIRST SURVEY -OLD. FERRIES - POSTOFFICES AND POSTMASTERS IN 1822 - JUDICIAL: WM. G. PAYNE, JUDGE M. B. HAGANS, JUDGE E. C. BUNKER - EDUCATIONAL : JOHN S. RITENOUR, DR. M. S. BRYTE, M. T. POWELL - SMALL-POX - ADDITIONAL DISTRICT HISTORY : GRANT, PLEASANT, PORTLAND, VALLEY, KINGWOOD WEALTH OF THE COUNTY IN 1881 COUNTY AND DISTRICT LEVIES.
Thomas Byrne, Felix Scott, William Irwin, William Mar- teny and John M'Whorter were the commissioners appointed in 1818 to locate the county-seat.
The Claiborne and Moylan survey of many thousand acres, patented in 1783 or 84, passed into the hands of the Johnson and Hornby estates of England. The owners being aliens could not hold the lands in their own names, and vested the title in the names of their American agents. Dr. Robert Troup, of New York, was general agent for the Johnson es- tate up to his death in 1832 -; succeeded by Joseph Fellows, of Geneva, New York, until 1863, when he resigned, and. Benjamin F. Young succeeded, with his office at, Bath, New York, and now holds the title for both estates. Israel Bald- win had charge at Kingwood until 1847, of the Johnson in- #terests ; succeeded by Sylvanus Heermans, who held with,
524
HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
Fellows the title until 1853, when John Heermans held the title until 1857. The Hornby estate vested their portion of the title in John Greig; succeeded by Alexander Jeffreys.
The first land surveyed on the territory of Preston after it became a county was 55 acres on Laurel Run, for Samuel Gandy, by Buckner Fairfax, October 30, 1818.
In 1792, the General Assembly recognized two ferries in the county, one on Cheat River, from the land of Thomas Butler across the river to his land opposite ; the other, from the land of Samuel Morton across Big Sandy Creek, to the land of John Conner, Sr. The ferriage was by law 4 cents for a man and 4 cents for a horse. In 1806, the county courts were empowered to establish ferries.
In 1822, the postoffices and masters were as follows : Crab Orchard, Jacob Guseman, postmaster; it was 195 miles from Washington and 300 from Richmond. Glady Creek Cross Roads, Jesse Philips, p. m., 223 miles from Washing- ton, 329 from Richmond. German Settlement, Adam Shafer, p. m .; 170 miles from Washington, and 175 miles from Rich- mond. Kingwood, William Johnson, p. m .; 185 miles from Washington, and 295 miles from Richmond. Sandy Cross Roads, Andrew Armstrong, p. m. ; 201 miles from Washing- ton, and 307 miles from Richmond.
Judicial. - William G. Payne came from Morgantown and attended the first court held in Preston. He was a citizen of the county for many years. He was a native of east Vir- ginia, and a good lawyer. He died and was buried on Cheat River in this county.
The Hor. Marcellus Brown Hagans, son of Elisha M. and Anne M. Hagans, was born in Petersburg, Pa., April 21, 1827. His boyhood was spent in Kingwood. He graduated from Washington College when only 17; studied law with his uncle, the Hon. William G. Brown, and was admitted to the bar in 1848, and formed with his brother-in-law, Judge John A. Dille, the law partnership of Dille & Hagans In 1852, be removed to Cincinnati, and in 1856 entered into the
525
APPENDIX.
law firm of Hagans & Broadwell, of which he is still a mem- ber. In 1868, he was elected to the judgeship of the Supe- rior Court of Cincinnati, and voted to retain the Bible in the public schools of the city. He married, in 1851, the only daughter of the Hon. Samuel Lewis, who was the father of the free school system in Ohio. Judge Hagans is still en- gaged in the practice of the law in Cincinnati, and is highly spoken of in the "Biographical Dictionary of Ohio."
The Hon. Edward C. Bunker was born in New York City, October 9, 1830, and was brought to Kingwood at an early age by his uncle, Israel Baldwin, who was his guardian. He entered Washington College in 1844, but was compelled to leave on account of ill health. He studied law in 1849 with Guy R. C. Allen, of Morgantown, and was admitted to the bar at Kingwood in 1850. He married Miss Delia, daughter of Harrison Hagans, and removed to Morgantown in 1857, and became a member of the law firm of Willey & Bunker. He was prosecuting attorney for Monongalia County from 1861 to 1863, when he was elected to the State Senate, and was a member of it until appointed to the judgeship of the Eleventh Judicial District, and removed to Piedmont, where he died, November 24, 1867. He was buried at Kingwood, A high tribute of respect was paid him by the bar in his district, "bearing testimony to his pure, uncorrupt sense of justice and right," as being "a citizen of tried public and private virtues," and " a faithful, upright and efficient judge." Judge Bunker was of more than medium height, and of ge- nial disposition.
Educational. - John S. Ritenour, a member of the edito- rial force of the Pittsburgh Daily Commercial Gazette, was the son of William M. Ritenour, who came to Brandonville about 40 years ago, and was a commissioned officer in the 4th Iowa Infantry during the Rebellion. John S. Ritenour was born in Brandonville, February 9, 1851 ; taught school in Bruceton in 1868 ; established the Fayette County Re- publican, now the Republican-Standard of Uniontown, Pa.,
.526
HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
June 6, 1878 ; and served editorially on the Pittsburgh Dis .. patch and Philadelphia Bulletin.
Dr. M. S. Bryte and Ir. M. T. Powell were appointed as- sistant examiners by the presidents of the district boards of education, June 6, 1882.
Dr. M. S. Bryte was a lieutenant in the third Md. Vol. Infantry. Sergeants John W. Haines and Daniel Haines (who died) belonged to the regiment, as also did N. P. Smith.
Small-pox has been in the county twice since 1830. There were forty cases in 1876 at Clifton Mills, treated by Dr. J. T. Fuller, of which but three were fatal. In 1882, there were three cases at Reedsville, treated by Drs. Manown and Conley, of which none were fatal.
Grant District. - The "Moccasin Rock" is a rock in which is the print of a moccasined foot, near Preston Guthrie's. A large, unexplored cave is on the land of Solomon Walls.
The Cuppett (Lutheran) Church was organized September 2, 1843, by the Rev. Henry Knepper. Elder, Jacob Myers ; deacons, Daniel Cuppett, Philip Turney ; members, John Cuppett, Sr., Susannah, John, Jacob Morgan and Henry Cuppett, Philip and George Beerbower, David and Catherine Dennis, Elizabeth Myers and Elizabeth Wolf.
The constables of the district in 1876 were, George H. Armstrong and Jonas Frankhouser; 1880, Milton W. Robinson and A. D. Hagans. Road surveyors, 1881: Pre- cinct No. 1, Samuel Conner ; No. 2, Harry Spurgin ; No. 3, E. B. King; No. 4, Perry J. Rogers ; No. 5, John Vansickle; No. 6, Preston Guthrie ; No. 7, Samuel Darby ; No. 8, John WV. Cuppett ; No. 9, Robert Arnold.
Pleasant District -In 1833, John Crane and Vick John. son had a store on a hill above Ringer's Mill.
Road surveyors, 1881 : Precinct No. 1, John Johns ; No. 2, S. Martin ; No. 3, Alpheus McNair ; No. 4, Guy A. Bishop ; "No. 5, W. C. Ringer; No. 6, Lot M. Spurgin; No. 7, Lewis
527
APPENDIX
Smith ; No. 8, Joseph B. Feather; No. 9, Alex. Shaffer ; No. 10, Isaac Guseman ; No. 11, J. J. Martin. A new post- office named Harned has been established at Beach Run.
Portland District .- Pleasant Hill Circuit of the M. E. Church was formed in 1872; C. J. Trippett, pastor ; 1873, J. G. Weaver ; 1875, J. W. Hess; 1877, G. Rogers ; 1878, F. G. W. Ford (now at Brandonville), who was born in 1833, licensed to preach in 1860, captain in the 15th Reg. of W. Va. Vols., was in several battles, and commenced preaching again in 1874 ; 1880-1882, Joseph B. Feather. The circuit has 200 members, 6 churches valued at $3000, and one parsonage at $450.
About 1855, Mr. Annan and Andrew McCleary started their tannery. Mr. McCleary married Martha Armstrong, a sister to Mrs. James H. Manown.
Charles W. Forman opened his store, one mile from Willey, in 1882. Edmund Messenger claims to have raised the first Union pole in the district in 1861.
Miss Ruth Crane was one of the leading teachers of the district, and a good newspaper correspondent. She married the Rev. A. S. Baumgardner, who is preaching in Penn- sylvania.
Road Surveyors appointed October 4, 1881 : Precinct No. 1, Elmer Forman ; No2, S. A. Sisler ; No. 3, Edmund Mess- enger ; No. 4, William Felton; No. 5, H. C. Beatty ; No. 6, George H. Trembly; No. 7, R .. P. Jackson; No. 8, H. Feather; No. 9, Alfred Sisler ; No. 10, Edward F. King ; No. 11, S. O. Fralev; No. 12, Jonathan Wilhelm; No. 13, C. C. Lee.
Valley District. - The M. E. Church at Masontown was built in 1872, and burnt down in March, 1882. A new church is now being built.
Among the old papers of Col. John Fairfax was found a letter written by George Washington to Col. Fairfax. con- cerning some business that Fairfax was to transact for
528
HISTORY OF PRESTON COUNTY.
Washington at Boston. The letter is now in the possession of Col. John A. F. Martin.
As these pages go to press, it is said that there is a good prospect of the early. construction of the Iron Valley & Mor gantown Railroad.
Kingwood District. - Benjamin Thomas came about 1800, from Culpepper C. H. to the Dunkard Bottom. His children were William (who married Elizabeth Gaines, and was the father of Sheriff Elisha Thomas), Richard, James, Joseph, Elisha, Nancy, and Lucinda.
The first steward of the county poor-house was C. B. Fawcett; succeeded by J. H. Bennett, C. B. Fawcett, A. T. Holt, C. B. Fawcett, J. A. Fawcett, and B. A. Conner.
The wealth of the county in 1881 was as follows:
Districts.
Real.
Personal.
Total.
Grant.
$311,670.
$117,338.
$429,008
Pleasant
227,316
79,335
306,651
Portland
297,221
117,662. 414,883
Union
213,109.
76,997
290,106
Valley
158,946
63,839
222,785
Kingwood
321,752.
254,394.
576,146
Lyon
305,327
109,172
414,499
Reno
317,907.
99,620
417,527
Totals. 2,153,248. 918,357
3,071,605
The levy for State and State school purposes is 30 cents on the $100. The levy for county purposes (including poor tax) has been as follows: 1869, 65 cents on the $100; 1870, 60 cents ; 1871, 50 cents ; 1872, 60 cents ; 1873, 50 cents ; 1874, 54 cents ; 1875, 64 cents ; 1876, 272 cents : 1877, 57₺ cents ; 1878, 80 cents ; 1879, 50 cents ; 1880, 50 cents ; 1881, 70 cents.
The district levies from 1871 to 1881, inclusive, for road, school (to pay teachers) and building (school houses) are shown in the following tables, in which R in the sub head is for road levy ; S, school ; B, building :
529
APPENDIX.
YEAR.
KINGWOOD.
VALLEY.
LYON
RENO.
R
S.
B.
R.
B.
R.
S.
B .:
1871
10
25
10
5
30
10
50
50
10
50
50
1872
10
10
20
10
25
40
10
50
50
10
5 )
50
7873
10
25
35
10
25
25
10
35
55
10
35
55
1874
10
15
40
10
35
10
10
35
40
10
35
35
35
1876
10
25
40
331/3
30
25
10
30
25.
10
45
35
1877
10
20
40
10
40
40
10
30
15
10
35
15
1878
22
15
10
15
31
12
10
30
12
10%
45
15
1879
18
22
15
15
12
37
15
30
25
45
20
1880
20
20
15
5
22
31
10
30
15
10
15
10
1881
25
22
24
20
32
30
10
40
10
35
25
20
YEAR.
UNION.
PORTLAND.
PLEASANT.
GRANT.
R.
S
B.
R.
S.
B.
R.
B.
R.
26
B.
1871
10
40
45
10
40
20.
5
25
-
5
25
10
1872
10
45
40
10
40
20
5
25
25
10
20
80
1873
10
45
15
10
40)
ŻU
10
25
5
10
25
26
1874
10
40
10
10
40
10
30
20
5
30
10
1875
-
50
20
10
40
20
5
30
10
40
10
1876
10
40
15
10
4-1
41
5
30
10
5
65
10
1877
35
45
25
15
20
30
10
35
10
10
35
5
1878
20
35
15
60
2元
40
10
35
5
20
30
0
1879
20
25
25
1212
25
20
5
25
21/2
5
10
2 . 35
10
1881
25
40
15
20
25
30
15
25
10
10
35
10
10
. 20
40
10
20
15
10
37
40
10
1212
5
1880
20
35
20
20
30
24
5
25
B
1875
2990
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