USA > West Virginia > Ritchie County > History of Ritchie County, with biographical sketches of its pioneers and their ancestors, and with interesting reminiscences of revolutionary and Indian times > Part 15
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Susan Rutherford became Mrs. Matthew Douglass, and died childless.
Margaret Rutherford, who was the wife of the late John P. Harris, of Harrisville, was the mother of three sons and
1This land had formerly been settled by Benjamin Butcher, who, with his first wife, rests here: but little else is known of his history other than that he came here early in the century.
2See Hall family for names of her children.
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three daughters.1 She fell dead while walking on the street in New York city several years ago, and with her husband sleeps at Harrisville.
Isabella Rutherford, who is the only survivor of the iam- ily, is now Mrs. George B. Douglass, of Petroleum ; and their only child is Dr. E. H. Douglass, who resides with them, and is the village physician.
Kathrine Rutherford remained unmarried.
Jane Rutherford married Jerome A. Vandiver, whose his- tory appears with the Smithville chapter, and her children were four in number.
George Rutherford, who was long a prominent factor in business circles at Petroleum, married Miss Sarah Griffin, and they were the parents of the following named children: John G., and Richard H., of Ohio; W. H. and S. I., of Petroleum ; Jennie, Archibald and Newton, who are numbered with the dead : Alice (Mrs. John McCoy), of California; and Della, who is now Mrs. McKinney, resides with her mother at the old home.
Archibald Rutherford was long a leading citizen of the Rusk community. He first married Miss Rebecca Griffin, of near Harrisville ; and his second wife was Miss Martha Camp, bell, of Ohio. His family, which consisted of two sons and two daughters, were all born of the first union: Jennie, thie eldest daughter, with her parents, lies in the Egypt cemetery ; and the rest are all married: viz., Ellen is the wife of H. E. McGregor, of Cairo: Frank is a physician of near Pittsburg ; and Richard W., who was graduated from the college at New Concord. Ohio, and who spent several years in the profession of teaching, resides at the old home.
All the family except the three daughters, Margaret, Ann, and Jane, with their parents, slumber within the bosom of the old Egypt cemetery.
The first two mentioned, with their husbands, lie at Har- risville : and the last one, in Louisville, Kentucky.
While the Rutherfords have never been office-seekers, and have seldom held public positions, the progenitors of this family. as well as their innumerable descendants, have ever
1See Harris family.
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stood for the best citizenship of the county ; and the name is an honored one in their native "Scotia," beyond the sea-Anne Rutherford, daughter of an eminent physician, of Edinburgh, who doubtless belonged to this sanie family, was the mother of one of Scotland's greatest bards-Sir Walter Scott-"The Wizard of the North."
密粒
The old Rutherford home as it looks to-day.' 1This was one of the oldest frame buildings in this part of the coun- ty, it having been built near the year 1839, by Richard Rutherford The old log cabin, which was the original home of Mr. Rutherford and prob- ably the one erected by Benjamin Butcher, the first pioneer here, still stands and one corner of it is visible in this picture.
The Wanlesses .- Richard Wanless, senior, married Miss Sarah McKinney, youngest daughter of William and Frances Piatt Mckinney, who was born on January 15, 1805, in the Keystone state. They were married on April 17, 1830, and took up their residence in this vicinity on land still owned by their heirs ; and here they continued to reside until they were borne to the Egypt cemetery.
They were the parents of five children, all of whom have joined them on the other side: John, sleeps in Kansas : and all the rest: viz., William A., Richard, junior, Frances, and Mary, in the Egypt cemetery.
John married and had one son-Dr. Richard Wanless, of New York city.
William A. Wanless married Miss Drusilla Mckinney, daughter of Jacob Mckinney, and was the father of one son, William Wanless, junior.
Richard, junior, and Frances remained unmarried.
Mary became Mrs. Christopher Douglass, of Cornwallis, and was the mother of two sons and three daughters; viz.,
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Richard W. is a dentist of St. Mary's; and the other son, E. H. Douglas, is a prominent pulpit orator of the Presbyterian church, of Ohio; Fannie is Mrs. A. C. Rollins, of Cornwallis ; and Anna and Sarah are at home with their aged father.
These include the entire posterity of Richard, senior, and Sarah McKinney Wanless, to the third generation.
Isabel Wanless, sister of Richard, senior, who came from Scotland with the emigrant party, married Stephen Outward, and in the Egypt cemetery she sleeps. Her children were Mary, Jane, and William Outward.
George Wanless, an elder brother, came over at the same time. He married Miss Anne Douglass, and lived and died in Carroll county, Ohio.
Miss Bittie Wanless, another member of this family, mar- ried Robert Cranston, and settled in New York.
Mrs. Jennie Anderson, Mrs. Margaret Browne, Mrs. Susan Dodds, and William, who died in youth, with their parents, Archibald and Mary Rutherford Wanless, remained in Scotland. The Wanlesses and Douglasses, are closely al- lied by nature, the mother of Archibald Wanless being Miss Isabella Douglass before her marriage.
John Taylor, senior, and his wife, Mrs. Mary Wanless Taylor, took up their residence on the farm that is now the estate of their late son, John. Here, they remained until they were laid in the Egypt cemetery with the many others of their race. They were the parents of four children: Archi- baid, the eldest son, died in infancy : Ellen never married ; John, who was born, lived, and died under the parental roof, inarried Miss Lydia Pew, but left no issue; Sarah married David Pew, and was the mother of several children ; viz .. John A., William, Archibald, and Florence, who, with her mother and brother, John, lives at the old home, and Anna, who has passed on.
The Douglasses, who also came from Scotland, were the next settlers in this vicinity. In 1818, John Douglass, senior, and his wife Susan Howee Douglass, with their four daugh- ters and two sons1 (viz., Susan, Belle, Anna, Jane, Williamn,
1Two members of the family, Andrew Douglass and Mrs. Margaret Atcheson, remained in Scotland. Mrs. Atcheson died there, but Andrew came to this country later.
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and John, junior), bade adieu to their native land, and set sail for America, on the "good ship Queen Anne," landing in Phil- adelphia, after a long and perilous voyage, where the father died of fever, a week later, and where he was laid to rest.
After the father had passed from sight. the rest of the family went to Pittsburg-residing there and at other points in the Keystone state for a few years, before coming to Wheel- ing (West), Virginia, where they met with Jack and Robin- son, two early settlers of Bond's creek; and through their influence came to Ritchie county and found a home in the Cairo vicinity-first on the late David Pew homestead, and a very little later, on the farm that is now the estate of the late John Douglass. They having purchased the latter tract of William McKinney, senior.
While residing here, the four Douglass sisters, above mentioned, were married : Susan became Mrs. George Frater : Belle, Mrs. James West; Anna, Mrs. George Wanless; and Jane. Mrs. John Younge; and all went to Ohio, where they answered the final call.
The widowed mother, Mrs. Susan Howee Douglass, after- wards became the wife of William Layfield, the first settler on the South fork of Hughes river.
William Douglass .- On board the same "good ship" with the Douglasses was a pretty Scotch lassie by the name of Ellen Roberts, who, with her brother. William Roberts, was also bound for America: and at Halifax, she and Witham Douglass were married, and along with the rest of the family, they came to the Cairo vicinity. But, in the early thirties, leaving the John Douglass homestead, they went to the "Schultz farm," in Pleasants county ; and later, to the Cline farm on "Dry Ridge," and finally, during the construction of the Northwestern turnpike in the early forties, they re- moved to the late Andrew Douglass homestead, on Goose creek, and became the first settlers of the forest in what is now the Glendale vicinity. Here. they crected a laige, hewed-log house, which served as residence, hotel and post- office : Mr. Douglass being the first post-master at the "Goose creek" office. And here, in 1877, the lamp of his life went out. His venerable companion had preceded him to the other shore
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by seven years, and side by side, they are sleeping in the "embracing mold" of the Douglass cemetery, not far distant from the U. B. church in that vicinity.
They were the parents of ten children : Elizabeth, the eldest daughter-born in 1820, and died in 1905-never mar- ried. Thomas and Margaret died in childhood. Susan mar- ried Harrison Cornell, of Pleasants county : John married the daughter of his Uncle John Douglass, and went to Kansas, where he sleeps ; and Mary, who is now Mrs. Adam Robson, resides in Kansas.
Jeremiah R., who was one of the early pedagogues of the Glendale vicinity, married Miss Elizabeth Umphrey, and after residing on French creek, and in the Cornwallis com- munity for some years, he went to Cabin run, near Tollgate, where he saw the last of earth ; and beside his wife in the Douglass cemetery he is resting. His only daughter, Mrs. Mason, resides on Cabin run ; his son, Thomas, in Wirt coun- ty ; D. E., is a prosperous merchant of Berea ; and William, the other son, died in youth.
Andrew married Miss Sarah M. Bills, and died. at the old homestead in 1904. He was the father of fifteen children : Three died in infancy : John met a tragic death in Oklahoma a year or so since, and the rest are as follows: Mrs. Mary J. Lowther, Mrs. Grace Emerick Mrs. Florence Scott, Mrs. Eva Templeton, Mrs. Elizabeth Irvin, Minnie and Mrs. Myr- tlc Snyder, Andrew R., Clarence W., Jeremiah L., and Charles E. Douglass.
Eleanor Jane became Mrs. William Hamilton and went to Kansas, where she rests.
William Douglass, the last surviving son of the family, who was long a leading citizen of Highland, was laid in the Highland cemetery in November, 1909. He married Miss Sarah Cornell, daughter of pioneer John Cornell, and was the father of five children; viz., William, junior, of Highland, is the only son ; Cathrine is Mrs. F. L. Hamilton, of the same place : Sarah Elizabeth is the wife of the Rev. A. D. Adams, of the West Virginia Methodist Episcopal conference : Mary Eleanor is Mrs. D. W. Alkire, of Tyler county ; and Belle, Mrs. E. R. Reed, of Parkersburg.
HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
John Douglass, junior, son of John and Susan Howee Douglass, married Miss Mary Cline, daughter of Abraham Cline, a very early pioneer, who is said to have been the first white girl born west of the Blue Ridge mountains, and went to Kansas, where they heired their "six feet of earth."
William Roberts, who came with this little band of emi- grants, married Miss Nannie Cameron, and at Cairo they sleep. They left no issue.
Andrew and Catharire Hall Douglass.
Andrew Douglass .- The year 1829, brought Andrew Douglass, son of John and Susan Howee Douglass, with his wife, Catharine Hall Douglass, and their five sons (viz., John, Wm. H., Andrew, junior, Christopher, and Matthew), from Scotland, to the farm adjoining Cairo, which is still in the hands of his heirs.
This family crossed to New York in the "Jean Hasty." and from there, made their way to the Ohio river, near the mouth of the Big Beaver; there they rested while Andrew Hall, who was one of the party, went to Pittsburg and secured a keel boat, and on this they drifted down the river to the mouth of Cow creek, in Pleasants county, where they were met by William Douglass and his horses, as this was the only means of conveyance at that time. Here, at Cairo, where they first settled, they spent the remainder of their
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lives, and in the Egypt burying-ground, they are sleeping, as are the sons above mentioned, with the exception of Christo- pher, who lives at Cornwallis.
Three children were added to the family after their ar- rivai here: James R. died while serving as a soldier in the Civil war, and in the Egypt cemetery he, too, rests. Ellen married William Skelton, and at Litchfield, Illinois, she sleeps : and George B. is of Petroleum.
John, the eldest son, was well known throughout the county, he having been County surveyor for many years. He married Miss Elizabeth Marsh, sister of the late Jefferson Marsh, and at the old home at Cairo she still survives, though he has been gone for several years. Matthew Douglass, and Mrs. Emma (David) MeGregor, of Cairo; and Mrs. Laura Crummett, wife of the Rev. S. P. Crummett-the Superin- tendent of the Parkersburg district of the West Virginia MI. E. conference, are his children.
WVm. H., too, was widely known, he having served as Clerk of the Circuit court for many years. He married Miss Mary Rutherford, and left no heirs.
Matthew, who married Miss Susan Rutherford, was killed by the falling of a tree, in the Cornwallis vicinity. He left no issue.
Andrew was twice married, his first wife being Miss Mary Hindmarsh, and his widow, Miss Narcissus Smith. The one child-of the first union-was Andrew, junior, who has passed on.
Christopher, who has long been prominently identified with the Cornwallis community, married Miss Mary Wanless,1 and five children were the fruits of this union.
Ellen, the only daughter, became Mrs. William Skelton and went to Illinois.2
George B. Douglass, the youngest member of the family, is a leading citizen of Petroleum. He is a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted in the 2nd West Virginia Infantry Vol- unteers in 1861; but owing to an illness which immediately followed, was not mustered into service until later in the year,
1See Wanless history.
2See Cairo chapter for her family.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
when he re-enlisted in the Sixth Virginia, where his services continued for three years. He married Miss Isabella Ruther- ford, and is the father of one son, Dr. E. H. Douglass, of Petroleum, as before stated.
The name, Douglass, has been a distinguished one almost throughout the annals of Scotland. History tells us that they were "territorial magnates" before the time of Bruce and Wallace; that they played a conspicuous part in the numer- ous wars that visited their native land from time to time ; and that they early became guardians against the encroachment of the English-as their estates lay on the outer borders of the country. In the days of feudalism, they were a powerful clan ; and at the battle of Floddenfield, when James the Fifth of Scotland fell, two hundred of the name were slain.
The name not only figures prominently in the history of "Scotia," but it holds a place in its stories and its songs. In "Marmion," the pretty little poetical tale that Sir Walter Scott has woven about the Battle-field of Flodden, the memory of Archibald Douglass, the Earl of Angus, is enshrined.
He being a man of remarkable strength of body and mind acquired the popular name of "Bell-the-Cat." At the time that the war against England was declared, he was an oid man, and he protested earnestly against such a step : and on the eve of the battle of Flodden, he remonstrated so vehement- ly on the impolicy of fighting that the King in a voice of in- dignation, told him "that he might go home if he were afraid." At this insufferable insult, the brave old earl burst into tears and retired, leaving his sons, George, Master of Angus; and Sir William, of Glenbervie; in command of his followers. These sons were both numbered among the two hundred of the name that fell on that fatal day; and the aged father, broken-hearted over the calamities that had befallen his house, sought relief from his sorrow within the friendly walls of a religious castle, where he died a year later.
To this same Archibald Douglass, the familiar, ireful lan- guage of Lord Marmion was directed when he exclaimed :
"If thou said'st, I am not peer, To any lord in Scotland here, Lowland or Highland, far or near, Lord Angus-thou-hast-LIED."
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In the "Lady of the Lake" it was the fair Ellen Douglass, that sang the simple lay, "Soldier Rest Thy Warfare O'er," etc., to the Knight of Snowden-to James Fitz James.
The Halls .- Andrew Hall, who is mentioned as a mem- ber of the Douglass emigrant party, was the son of William and Mrs. Ellen Brown Hall, of Scotland; and a brother of Mrs. Andrew Douglass, senior, and of Mrs. Andrew Younge. He was at this time enjoying single life, but a little later, he claimed Miss Margaret Blake as his wife, and settled at Park- ersburg, where he was a stone contractor. He finally re- moved to Wheeling, and there he and his wife sleep. They were the parents of six children, two of whom have passed on. and the others reside at Wheeling, and in the far West.
Miss Isabel Hall, his sister, who was, also, a member of the emigrant party, lived and died at Cairo. She never mar- ried.
Mary Hall, another sister of Andrew, married Jamies Browne, in Scotland, and came to the Cairo vicinity. Mr. Browne was a miller by trade, and they went from here to Brooke county, where they bade their final adieu to earth. They had six children, four of whom were born in Scotland, and some of their descendants still reside near Wheeling.
John Hall, another brother, married Miss Margaret Doug- lass, in Scotland, and after her death, he, too, with his family, came to America, and settled in the Cairo vicinity, in the year 1836 ; and there remained until he was laid in the Egypt cemetery. He had three sors and two daughters, who crossed the sea with him. Eespeth had married William Newland in her native land, and they settled in Pleasants county, where some of their descendants live.
Ellen Hall married James Pew and iived and died at her father's house. Her only child. Maggie, is now Mrs. Milton Wall, of Pennsylvania. After she was laid in the Egypt ceme- tery, Mr. Pew married Miss Nancy Younge, and was the father of four more children. The Pews are of German de- scent and came here from the "Keystone state."
John Hall, junior, son of John and Margaret Douglass Hall, married Miss Hannah Pringle, and lived and died at Parkersburg, and there, beside his companion, he sleeps in
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the Cook cemetery. His youngest daughter, Mrs. John Dare, now occupies the old home.
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William Hall married Miss Mary Taylor, and resided be- tween Cairo and Cornwallis. His children are John, and Miss Margaret, of Cairo ; and Mrs. Mary Jenkins, of Petroleum.
Andrew Hall, junior, married Miss Ellen Rutherford, and spent his life at the old homestead, near Cairo; and in the Egypt cemetery beside his wife he is sleeping. He was the father of the following named sons and daughters : John Hall, of Beliott, Kansas; Richard R., of Harrisville : William, a prominent merchant, of Cairo: Andrew and Archie L., of Ohio: Misses Ellen and Mary, of Cairo; and the late Miss Eppie, and another daughter who, with the parents, lie in the quiet churchyard.
The Younges .- Along with the Douglasses, in 1829, came Andrew Younge, and his family from Scotland. His wife. Mrs. Agnes Hall Younge, was a sister of Mrs. Andrew Doug- lass, and they were the parents of nine children-six daugh- ters and three sons-all of whom were born in Scotland, ex- cept one daughter and one son, who were born at Cairo. Mr. and Mrs. Younge spent the remainder of their lives here and with the many other pioneers, sleep in the Egypt. cemetery.
Their children: William H. Younge married Miss Al- meda Browne, of Parkersburg, and resided there until after her death, when he went West, and there re-married. He now lives in Arkansas, and is the only survivor of the family. He lost his eyesight six years ago and now lives in darkness. His family consists of three sons.
Andrew Younge, junior, married Miss Janet Smith, and lived at Parkersburg. He had two sons, and one daughter, Lulu, who was the late wife of U. B. Merchant, of Cairo.
John married Miss Rebecca Lowther, daughter of Will- iam, of Cairo, and died childless.
Nancy became the second wife of James Pew, and her children were four in number ; viz., Preston, Andrew, Jessie and Nannie, who, after her death, with their father, went West. They now reside at St. Louis, Missouri. Nannie is married.
Ellen Younge married Brigham Wood, of White Oak,
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and left no issue ; and Mary, Isabel, Christiana, and Margaret never married.
John Layfield, senior, eldest son of William Layfield, whose history appears with the South fork settlers, was an- other early pioneer in this section. He was born in the wilder- ness, on the S. H. Westfall farm, above Smithfield, on Febri- ary 4. 1803-was perhaps the first child born within the pres- ent limits of this county. He married Miss Elizabeth Moats, and first settied on "Dry Ridge," on Goose creek, and from there he removed to the dividing ridge between Addis' and Elm runs, where his grandson, Noah Layfield, now lives ; and there he passed from earth on March 5, 1877, and in the Mt. Moriah churchyard, he sleeps. His wife was laid by his side in 1892.
They were the parents of eleven children. One died in childhood, and the rest are as follows : the late Henry, John, junior, Jacob, George, Mrs. Mary (Uriah) Shrader, the late Mrs. Margaret ( Milton) Reger, Mrs. Sarah Furr, the late Mrs. Elizabeth Hilkey, and the late Miss Julia Lavfield, all of this county.
Nearly all of the Layfields in the county are descended from John, senior. His brother, Sanford, lived and died near Cornwallis, where he was tunnel watchman on the B. & O. rail- road for many years. The others went West. John Layfield. senior, and his sons, George and James, were all Union sol- diers in the Civil war.
The Philippses were another worthy pioneer family that have heretofore been overlooked.
They crossed the "briny deep" from the "Emerald Isle" at a date unknown, and settled at Norfolk, Virginia. Here Benjamin Philipps was born in 1810; and at the age of twelve years, with his parents, Thomas D. and Mrs. Sarah Lemon Philipps, he removed to Belington, Barbour county, where he grew to manhood and where his parents fell asleep.
In 1830, he came to this county, where he met and mar- ried Miss Mary Deem, daughter of pioneer Jacob Deem, who was born here in 1812; and shortly after his marriage, set- tled on the North fork of Hughes river, six miles below Cairo,. on the old homestead that is still in the hands of his heirs.
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Here, he continued to reside, until April, 1897, when he was borne to his final resting place in the Egypt cemetery. Here, his companion also rests.
They, like the other pioneers, came at a time when the forest was resonant with the howl of the wild beast, and their domestic animals were not unfrequently disturbed by the bear and the wolf.
This venerable couple were the parents of a large family of sons and daughters : viz .. Thomas D., Lawford: Benjamin F., A. R., Mrs. Sarah Dotson, the late Rev. A. H. Philipps, of the Baptist church, and the late Mrs. Rachel (George) Twyman, all of Rusk; D. M. V., of Smithville, who was a Confederate soldier : Philip C., who resides at Elizabeth ; and Mrs. Cinderilla (Samuel) Hatfield, Cairo.
Thomas D. lost his hearing when a small child, and was educated at the college for the Deaf and Blind at Staunton. Virginia, as was his wife, Mrs. Lydia Bartlett Philipps.
The Sharpnacks .- Sharpnack is another prominent, pio- neer name that belongs to the history of this part of the coun- ty. This family trace their ancestry to Germany, where the name was originally spelled "Scharpenack."
In the year 1759, the founder of this family, leaving his native land-"Prussia"-with his wife and one child, Peter, set sail for the New World; but he died on board the emi- grant ship, and was, doubtless, sunk beneath the waves, and his widow and child came on to Philadelphia alone. Here, a few months later (in 1760), she gave birth to another son, who was known as "Henry." These two sons grew up in the "City of Brotherly Love," and became identified as silk merchants.
Peter returned to the place of his nativity at Elberfeld Half Camp, Prussia; and Henry took up his residence at Rice's Landing, in Pennsylvania, where he met and married Miss Mary Rice in the year 1783. Here he reared a large family ; and here his last hours were spent-in 1848. He was locally known as "River Henry."
His sons were: Daniel, Samuel, Henry, Peter, John, Jacob, and William ; and he had three or more daughters.
John, with his wife and brothers, Samuel and Henry.
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crossed the plains to Pike's Peak, in 1849, in wagons drawn by their cows. Having secured some gold there, they all re- turned to Iowa and settled near Modale, where they reared families.
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