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 47
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William Douglass came here in 1868 from Cairo and re- mained an influential citizen of the town until his death a few months since.
The mercantile business at this time is in the hands of Smith and Mays, and W. A. Douglass, who is also the post- master. M. A. McGregor, great-grandson, of John Mc- Gregor, one of the earliest blacksmiths of this section, is the "village blacksmith."
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
Highland is near the center of an extensive oil field, but it is noted for its law-abiding citizens. For near a half-cen- tury but one indictment for felony has been recorded in this territory from the St. Mary's pike to the head of Bond's creek. a distance of ten miles.
"Pike" which derived its name from the fact that it is situated at the junction of the St. Mary's and Northwestern turnpikes, is another little Bond's creek hamlet.
Robert Childers of whose history we know nothing, was the first settler here, and the late Levi Hammond operated a blacksmith and gun shop here sixty years ago.
It is now a hamlet of several dwellings, two stores, and a post-office (with C. W. Wilcox Company and W. E. Delany and Brother in charge.) A milliner and dress-making estab- lishment, a blacksmith and barber-shop, an I. O. O. F. and Sis- ters of Rebecca Lodges, a school-house and a church of the Christian faith. And the Eureka Pipeline Pump Station is located here.
Adam Cunningham was the first settler at Finch, and William Cunningham, at League.
Cornwallis is situated at the mouth of Bond's creek. on the North branch of Hughes' river, and like all the other rail- road towns, came upon the stage as a station near 1856.
Jesse C. Lowther, William Cunningham, John Skelton and George Wells (whose histories have all appeared in car- lier chapters), built the first few residences here.
William Skelton built the first station-house near 1857. and the late General A. S. Core, of Ellenboro opened the first store in this building shortly before the Civil war, and Phil- lip Reitz, his brother-in-law, was his clerk. Both of these gentlemen came from Pennsylvania, and when hostilities opened between the North and the South. Gen. Core took his daughter back to his native state for safety, and went into active service in defense of the Union, and at the close of the conflict found a home at Ellenboro where he spent the re- mainder of his life.
W. H. Peirpoint was another early merchant here, but his
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stay was of brief duration. Among others who have been identified in this business here from time to time we find the names of Joseph Robinson, Charles Pendergast (who. was the first post-master), James Taylor, William C. Gilbert, H. N. Wilson, the Marsh Brothers (N. D. and Harvey), and the present merchants are C. Brinker. A. C. Rollins, and the Bar- nett Brothers, Lloyd Barnett being the post-master.
The Catholic church was the pioneer church here. It was located on land that was formerly owned by Isaac Cun- ningham. The Methodist Episcopal denomination, also, has a church building.
The first school-house came soon after the inauguration of the Free School system. This building was replaced by the present two-roomed structure some fifteen years ago.
This village now claims a population of near two-hun- dred and it has never had a house of public entertainment or a resident physician. Being so accessible to Cairo and to Harrisville its citizens have ever looked to these towns for medical aid. Christopher Douglass and George Wells, who have both been mentioned in earlier chapters are among the oldest and more prominent citizens of the vicinity. Others whose names have long been associated with the town are the Lavelles, the Griffiths. Michael Naughton, the Rolands, and the McCabes.
Glendale .- The village of Glendale, which now numbers seventy-five inhabitants, and has a post-office, two stores, a hotel, black-smith shop, school-house, public hall, and an I. O. O. F. organization, was born in 1218 when William Seevers built the first residence on the site.
J. Clint Lacy. the well-known "knight of the grip" of Ellenboro, opened the first store here in 1880, but he was succeeded by W. C. Gilbert, formerly of Cornwallis, but now of Williamstown, a little later. The names of not a few other merchants of the village are wanting, but the late John A. Garrison held this business in-tact longer than any other one individual, he having served his customers for more than a score of years, and established a reputation for integrity which leaves a fitting monument to his memory. His old
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stand is now in the hands of Harry McKinney who came here from Williamstown in 1906.
Mr. Garrison was born in Tyler county, on August 23, 1863, and began his connection with the history of this town by clerking in the store of W. C. Gilbert, and continued in business here for himself, at the same stand, until his death, from tuberculosis, on July 11, 1902. On August 24, 1884, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Angy D. Martin, of Ellenboro, and the children of this union were: A. F., J .. D., Anna B., Lottie C., Wm. McK., and the late Bertha D. Garrison.
Dr. Asa Coplin was the first physician to hang out his shingle, in 1875. He was born on March 4, 1839, near West Milford in Harrison county, and with his parents removed to Doddridge county in 1847. Here, on May 8, 1862, he was married to Miss Amy M. Maxwell, and immediately after re- ceiving his diploma, in August 1875, he came to Glendale. He was a physician of the "old school" but a very successful one, and he had a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Coplin died on October 24, 1898, at Nevada city, Missouri, where he had gone to take treatment of the renowned Dr. Weltmer. His six children are as follows : A. H., W. F., Charles L., Fannie, Hattie and Maude, all of Goose creek.
Christopher Ambrose and Richard Rinehart were the first to wield the blacksmith's hammer here, and James Spiker and C. Ambrose are the present smiths.
Mole Hill .- This village (if village it can be styled) is located on the original Daniel Haymond farm. As early as 1860, a post-office was established here under the name of "Federal Hill" with Mrs. Daniel Haymond post-mistress, but after a brief history it was discontinued, and "Mole Hill," which was named by John Lantz, came later on.
Smith .- Near the year 1869, Washington Smith, of Tyler county, purchased the Haymond homestead, and erected the second residence, which is now occupied by David William- son. Mr. Smith being a blacksmith by trade, built the first shop here; and also erected the first store-house, but David Carmichael was the first merchant. Mr. Smith's enterprise did not stop here, and some time later, he erected a flouring-
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mill with a saw and planing-apparatus in connection. He was a brother of Hon. Anthony Smith, of Harrisville, and his wife was a Miss Ripley, and they now reside in Wood county near Parkersburg. The family consisted of two daughters, Mary, and Elizabeth and one son, Walker Smith.
Dr. Isaac Jones was the first resident physician. He was born at Centreville in Tyler county in 1849, and died at his home here in 1902, and was taken back to the scenes of his childhood for interment. His family still reside here, his wife, Mrs. Ida Taggart Jones, having charge of the only hotel in the place. Three of the children, Charley, Elizabeth, and Lantz died in childhood. Nina is Mrs. John McGinnis, of Goff's; James R. Jones resides at Mole Hill ; and Florence and Reed are still at home.
The village, though scattered, now claims near a dozen families with a population of near seventy persons. It has two stores with Thomas Miller and the firm of Hickman and Mccullough in charge, an opera house, a good graded school (two-roomed building), one church, a blacksmith-shop, a medical office, a saw and flouring-mill combined, a hotel, and a post-office with Walter Mccullough, post-master.
The Haymond homestead has several times changed hands, but it is now the property of Benton Cunningham. Other prominent farmers of the community are Harvey Kysor, Isaiah Griffin, E. C. Peirpoint, Jacob Lantz, John R. Marsh and N. G. Willis.
CHAPTER XLIX
Tollgate
HIS town took its name from an old toll-gate that came into existence here late in the thirties or early in the forties, and went out during the Civil war.
The Northwestern turnpike at this time was a State road, and it was kept up by the revenue that was collected from the toll- gates along the road.
Notley Willis, senior, was the first keeper of this gate. He was born near Winchester, Virginia in April, 1800; and being left an orphan in childhood, was early thrown upon his own resources. He came to Tyler county in his boyhood. and near the year 1817, went to Charleston where he was en- gaged in the growing salt industry ; and, at one time, he was a salt commissioner at Cincinnati, Ohio. But in 183? he came to Tollgate (from Charleston), and shortly after his arrival here he was married to Mrs. Epha Marsh Cline (daughter of James Marsh and widow of William Cline), the marriage taking place at the old Marsh homestead, on February 16. 1837. Near this time he became the owner of the Marsh homestead, a little east of this place; and here he spent the first six years of his married life ; and when the toll-gate was established he was made the keeper : but in 1843, he removed to Mole Hill and Mrs. Lee succeeded him as guardian of this gate.
Mr. Willis was a Master Mason ; was one of the early justices of the peace of the county, and was one of the first members of the Board of Education after the inauguration of the Free School system. He died at Mole Hill on November 17. 1878, and there his ashes lie. He was the father of onc son, Notley G. Willis of Mole Hill.
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Notley G. Willis, this son, was married to Miss Louisa Martin, and four children were the result of this union; viz .. Epha and Josephine died in youth. Helen married D. B. Strickling and died at her home in Pennsylvania in 1907, leaving one daughter. Mrs. Cammie Gormley, two other children, Romeo and Nellie having preceded her home. And Judge M. H. Willis, who married Miss Anita Magness, of Iowa is the son. This completes the entire line of the des- cendants of Notley Willis, senior, the pioneer toll-gate keeper.
The Willises are descended from an old Virginia family, who were perhaps, of English descent, but the exact time of their migration to the New World is unknown. However, Francis Willis was prominently identified in Colonial affairs before the middle of the seventeenth century. As early as 1640, he held the office of Clerk of Charles River in York county. Virginia, and was a personal admirer and an ardent supporter of the policy of Sir John Harvey, governor of tin colony ; and upon Sir Harvey's removal from this office, Wil- lis was deprived of his position, and was prohibited from ap- pearing as attorney in any of the courts. But after the lapse of near two years, when Sir William Berkely came to the Gubernatorial chair, he was restored to favor, and afterwards filled several important offices, among which was that of chairman of the committee that revised the Colonial laws in 1657-8, and member of the Governor's council until 1645, the year preceding Bacon's rebellion. He died in England in 1691, and by his last will and testament. his nephew. Francis Willis, son of Henry, heired the greater part of his property, including his vast estates in Gloucester county, Virginia.
Francis Willis, junior, had two sons, Francis III, of Gloucester county, and Henry Willis,1 the founder of Fred- ericksburg. After this generation, the family was known as two branches, the Gloucester and the Fredericksburg; and from the Gloucester branch the Ritchie county family come. This branch of the family are scattered throughout the northern counties of Virginia, and through Maryland and Pennsyl- vania ; and Brunswick county, Virginia, Jefferson and Berke-
1This same Henry Willis married Mrs. Mildred Washington Gregory. See Wa hington genealogy in Chapter Fifty-fourth.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
ley counties, West Virginia are said to abound in their tradi- tions.
William Willis .- Another Willis family who has no known connection with the one just mentioned, but who has numerous descendants in this and sister counties, is that of the late William Willis, who came from Ireland during the latter part of the eighteenth century : and married Miss Anna Douglass of Harrison county and settled near Clarksburg. where he was identified as an early pedagogue.
This pioneer couple were the parents of five sons, and seven daughters; viz .:
Robert (1:99-1886) with his three wives (Mary Venort, Mary Vanhorn, and Matilda Prine) rests in Doddridge county.
George (married Miss Elder), and John, who died un- married at the age of eighty years, were of Harrison county. William (Miss Elizabeth Bumgardner) was of Doddridge county ; and Reuben (who never married) met a tragic death by drowning in the Ohio river.
Malinda was the wife of Andrew Nutter,1 senior, of Ox- ford: Elizabeth1 was the late Mrs. Peter Pritchard, of White Oak: Nancy married Julius Davidson, and Jane. Andrew Divers, both of Harrison county : Margaret became Mrs. Gus Greathouse and died in Doddridge county at the age of eighty years : and Ruhama was Mrs. William Elder of this county.
Mrs. Edmund Lee, a widow, was the second keeper of the toll-gate, she having succeeded Mr. Willis near the year 1843. and remained in charge to the end of its history. She came here from Indiana near 1837 and settled in a cabin that stood only a few feet from the pike and a short distance from the Doddridge county line, and here within this community, she spent the closing years of her life. She was the mother of the late E. C. C. Lee who was a citizen of this village until his death in 1897, and has quite a number of other descendants. in different parts of the country.
Tollgate is said to be the only post-office of the name in the United States. It was established in 1868 with Captain
1See Nutter and Pritchard families.
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Wicks post-master, and W. C. Taylor, grandson of pioneer Eli Taylor, is the present incumbent.
The first school-house in the vicinity stood near one one-half miles from town on land that is now owned by B. H. Hickman. It came into existence in 1868, and the first school within the village, was taught in the old Masonic hall in 1880.
The Board of Education then purchased a store-house, and converted it into a school-room which served until the present two-story frame building came into existence.
The first church which was erected in 1842, was a union church ; but it was destroyed by fire during the Civil war. Notley Willis, senior, was the donor of the grounds; and John Garner, junior, gave the ground for the cemetery, which is located one-half mile east of the town, on land now owned by J. M. Wilson.
This pioneer "city of the dead" has long since been aban- doned, though some forty or fifty persons slumber here.
The one church of the village, to-day, is Baptist in de- nomination. It was built in the ante-bellum days, and. though still doing service, is fast crumbling to decay.
This village now has twenty-five families with a popula- tion of less than one hundred. Perhaps no other town in the county with this number of families, has so few inhabitants -- such a large percent of childless homes.
Although Doddridge corners in the town, all the citizens, except one, reside in Ritchie-A. J. Zinn goes to Greenwood to cast his vote.
There are now two general stores, one grocery, one hard- ware, and two feed stores, two black-smith shops, one saw and planing-mill combined, two hotels, and a good two-story substantial school-building.
The Broadwater Brothers, M. M. Cochran, Charles M. and William Denning (blacksmiths who are the inventors of the Denning well-drill machine, an invention upon which they have secured a patent), and W. C. Taylor are its busi- ness men ; and Silas J. Taylor, is the leading farmer of the vicinity, as was the late T. J. Broadwater.
Thomas Jefferson Broadwater was born in Garrett coun- ty. Maryland, on November 8, 1837, and with his parents, Mr.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
and Mrs. Jefferson Broadwater came to this county when he was but a lad of a few summers, and from that time until his death, on April 18, 1910, he was a familiar figure in this com- munity.
In 1869, he was married to Miss Rhoda Rinehart, of Boyd, Maryland, sister of Mrs. L. P. Wilson, of Pennsboro, and eleven children were the result of this union; viz., Boyd, a commercial traveler, of Vienna, Wood county ; Harry of Pennsboro; Mrs. Lyda Small, of Maryland ; Will, who is also married, and Misses Minnie and Nettie, Charles, Thomas, Ralph and Robert, who are at home with their mother.
Mr. Broadwater died at the home of his son at Vienna. where he had gone for medical treatment and the remains were brought back and laid away in the Tollgate cemetery. after impressive services had been held by the Rev. D. S. Boggs, of the Harrisville M. P. church and the Masonic order.
CHAPTER L
Other Prominent Families
HE MAXWELLS .- Though the Maxwells were not residents of this county in pioneer days, they have had large land interests here almost throughout its history, and quite a number of their descendants are identified with its present citizen-ship.
Lewis Maxwell was an early surveyor, and when he found a piece of vacant land, he laid a warrant upon it and entered it, and thus he came into possession of large tracts of valuable wood-lands all over this section of the state. Without doubt he was the largest individual land- owner that this county has ever known, and at his death his nephew. Franklin Maxwell, fell heir to much of his estate here. But since the death of Franklin, the heirs have princi- pally disposed of these lands, but have retained their royal- ties which are now, to some extent, under development for oil and gas purposes.
The name "Maxwell" originated in Northumberland. county. England, near the year 1000, it being, at first spelled "Maccuswell." Prior to this date the family are supposed to have come from Saxony, and to have become connected with the Athlings of Northern England in some way, but, as this tradition is such an ancient one, it is not well authenticated. However, they went from England to Scotland at the time of the conquest of William the Conqueror, and are said to have figured in the Border wars with Wallace and Bruce ; and from "Scotia" they migrated to America before the year 1700, and settled in Connecticut and in New Jersey, and to the New Jersey branch of the family, the Ritchie County Maxwells trace their ancestry ; although they are unable to give definite
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connections farther back than Thomas Maxwell, of Pennsyl- vania.
Thomas Maxwell was married, near the year 1785 to Miss Jane Lewis, daughter of Alexander and Mary Smith Lewis, who was born in the Keystone state, on July 17, 1762.
He was probably the son of Robert and Elizabeth Max- well of East Nottingham township, Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, as Robert's will, dated December 30, 1791, and pro- bated November 13, 1792, mentions his son, Thomas.
He (Thomas) died in 1796, but his burial place is un- known. He had been making arrangements to remove from the Keystone state to Western Virginia, and had made one or more trips to this wilderness; but on his last journey, he was lost to view and all efforts to learn something of his fate were met with defeat. He was traced as far as Morgantown, and there all clew was lost. He was known to have had a considerable sum of money in his possession and the theory of robbery and murder was entertained by some, and others thought that he might have been drowned, but nothing was ever known.
In 1799 his widow, Mrs. Jane Lewis Maxwell, with her six orphaned children removed to Harrison county, and set- tled on land owned by Col. William Lowther near what is now the little town of West Milford. Mrs. Maxwell's means were very much limited and when she arrived with her little flock, she found shelter with the family of Col. Lowther in the old cabin shown in an earlier chapter until another one could be fitted out upon the farm; and here she reared her family-one member of which, Lewis Maxwell, became a Congressman. And to this day sacred memories linger about the crude walls of this ancient dwelling for the descendants of Mrs. Maxwell, as well as for those of Col. Lowther.
She afterwards removed to Lost creek, and finally to near Jane Lew in Lewis county where she died on October 20, 1835. This town, "Jane Lew" was named by her son, Lewis, in her honor.
Her family consisted of four sons and two daughters; viz., Abner, Levi, Lewis, Robert, Amy and Mary Maxwell.
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OTHER PROMINENT FAMILIES
Abner Maxwell, the eldest son (1785-1864), was captain of a Harrison county company in the war of 1812, and re- mained a citizen of the Clarksburg vicinity until, perhaps. some time in the forties, when he removed to Doddridge county, where he spent his last hours, near West Union, in 1864.
He was first married to Miss Susan Davidson, and his second wife was Miss Judith Modisette, and his children were twelve in number: Marshall (born 1811), Franklin (1814), Mary, who became Mrs. A. W. Flucky (1816), Levi (1819). and William (1821), were the fruits of the first union. And Frances Jane, wife of Archibald Lowther, of Goose creek: Lewis Maxwell, formerly of Pullman, but now of Glenville ; Charles, of Summers ; Amy M., who became Mrs. Asa Coplin, Abner M., James, and Robert, Doddridge county, of the second marriage.
Franklin Maxwell (son of Abner) was born in 1814; and. in 1840, he deserted single life when he claimed Miss Frances Jane Runnels as his bride, and though he lived and died in Doddridge county, he owned large interests here, and was widely known. He is said to have helped many a poor la- borer in this county to a home of his own by permitting him to live on his lands and by giving him almost his own time in making the payments, provided that he was honest and indus- trious ; for he had no patience with dishonesty or laziness. He died very suddenly in his potato-patch at his home near West Union, on July 4, 1892, and not far from the scenes of his activities, he lies in his last sleep.
His children : Leman, Lewis, Porter, Rector, Wm. Brent, Harriet P., who married G. W. Brown (1853-1890), Mary Martha (1855-1860), Franklin Post (1857-1880), Frances Jane, who became Mrs. B. C. Bland (1859-1880) and Susan Alice (1861-1883).
Frances Jane Maxwell, half-sister of Franklin, was mar- ried to Archibald Lowther, brother of the late William I. Lowther, of Pullman, on November 9, 1848, and after a brief residence in Doddridge county, removed to Goose creek this county, where she died in 1904. Mr. Lowther preceded her
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to the other world in 1899, and both lie at rest, on Goose creek.
Their children were: Mrs. Sarah Juda (A. B.) Wilson. the late Mrs. Amy Carpenter, Robert M. Lowther, Frances, who is now Mrs. Ross Webb, Elizabeth, the wife of John Scott, and the late Minter, all of ,Goose creek: and John Franklin Lowther, of Pullman.
Lewis Maxwell, brother of Mrs. Lowther, who was born on May 18, 1831, was married to Miss Margaret Mitchell. sister of Mrs. Wm. I. Lowther, in 1861, and for long years re- sided at Pullman, and from there, removed to Glenville, in Gilmer county, twenty years ago, where he and his wife still survive.
Their children are as follows: Mrs. Anna V. (Ulyses S.) Upton, Braxton county; Mrs. Cordelia Jane (Spencer) Col- lins, Glenville, who was formerly a teacher here; Irvin F., Charles Lewis, William E., Sylvester S., and M. C. Maxwell.
Abner M. Maxwell, brother of Lewis and Mrs. Lowther, was married to Lydia Jane Osbourne in 1862, and they were the parents of Mrs. Mary Frances (Homer ) Griffin. Elizabeth : Mrs. Ella Jane (Calvin E.) Wilson, Summers : James A. Max- well, Harrisville: Wm. Bruce, Porter, Levi, and the late Miss Rebecca Blanche Maxwell. Doddridge county.
Levi Maxwell, son of Thomas and Jane Lewis Maxwell. was born on July 25, 1788, and died at his home near Weston, on November 13, 1884. On March 23, 1823, he was married to Miss Sarah Haymond, daughter of Captain John and Mary Wilson Haymond, and grand-daughter of Col. Ben Wilson. senior, and the following named children were born of this union : Angelina (1823-1864), unmarried; Edwin Maxwell (1825-1893), Clarksburg; John (1827-1860), Rufus. Semira, and Jane, who remained single.
Rufus Maxwell, born on October 19, 1828, was a lawyer in his early life but never engaged in the practice of this profession after the Civil war. He was justice of the peace in Lewis county, but removed from there to Tucker county in 1856, where he filled the offices of District Attorney, Superin- tendent of schools, County surveyor, and was a representative in the House of Delegates : and there he still survives.
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