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 6
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The Elliotts .- Not far from the time of the coming of the Malones, Jabez Elliott found a home on the Eugene Barker farm. near the mouth of Lamb's run, and in this vicinity he
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
spent the rest of his days, and in the Smithville cemetery he found a final resting place.
The early history of this family is very meager, and what is in our possession cannot be verified.
But they are of English origin and they probably first settled in the New England colonies, where they were en- gaged in savage warfare. And we, also, find them in Ohio bat- tling with the Indians, during General Wayne's campaign.
Jabez Elliott is said to have been a native of the New England States and a soldier of the war of 1812. He married Miss Elizabeth Wigner, daughter of John Wigner, senior, and sister of John, junior, of Ellenboro, and came here from Harrison county. His venerable widow spent her last days in an old cabin that stood near the present residence of W. J. Burwell, in the vicinity of Goff's. Here she passed to her reward in 1875, at the age of ninety-six years. She had been a communicant of the Methodist Episcopal church for seventy- eight years, she being one of the class that was organized in 1810. She rests in the Smithville cemetery by the side of her husband.
Their children were as follows :
John, Jacob, Henry, Washington, Mrs. Elizabeth Low- ther, Mrs. Sarah Howard and Mrs. Manly Collins, all of this county ; and Jabez, junior, of Calhoun. All have now passed to the other shore, but their descendants in this county are not a few.
Among the grandsons are Frank and Wesley Elliott, of Indian creek ; and Thomas Elliott, of Pullman. Hayes Elliott, the assistant cashier of the Pullman bank, is a great-grandson.
Manly Collins and his wife, Mrs. Mary Elliott Collins, were the first settlers on Lamb's run after the Elliott family. they having built their cabin where Emery Tibbs now lives.
Mrs. Collins survived until a few years since, when she passed away at a ripe old age, and was laid at rest in the Cun- ningham burying-ground, near Mahone.
Mr. Collins was the son of Mrs. Mary Collins, who spent her last hours on Slab Creek, and a brother of Chainey Collins. of Smithville ; of Mrs. Phebe Smith, late wife of Aaron Smith,
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of Smith's chapel ; and of John Collins, of Wirt county, all of whom have passed on.
The children of Manly and Mary Collins are as follows :
Daniel, Benjamin, Mrs. Sarah Frederick, and Mary and Louisa, who are dead.
After the death of Jabez Elliott his family had a dwell- ing erected, where Peyton Tingler now lives, and for a num- ber of years this cabin was occupied by the Elliott family.
This stream is said to have taken its name from a man by the name of Lamb, but we have been unable to learn any- thing farther concerning his history.
The Wigners .- John Wigner, senior, succeeded William Layfield on the S. H. Westfall farm, above Smithville. This old pioneer cabin stood on a rivulet, which still bears his name, "Wigner's run."
Mr. Wigner was of German lineage, and he came here from near Philadelphia before the year 1810, and here the remnant of his days was spent, and in some of the old bury- ing-grounds in this vicinity his ashes lie.
He was the father of John Wigner, junior, the first settler at Ellenboro ; of Jacob, of Stuart's run ; of Henry, of Husher's run; Joseph and Daniel, of Ohio; Mrs. Elizabeth (Jabez) Elliott, of Goff's; Mrs. Elijah Cunningham, Husher's run ; Mrs. Barbara Newcome, and Mrs. Susan White, of Gallipolis, Ohio.
John Cornell .- John Cornell was the first resident of the Martin Smith farm, above Smithville. He and his wife, Mrs. Susan Park Cornell, came from "Maryland, My Maryland," and having twice purchased this farm and lost it at law, removed to Pleasants county, in 1840, where he "laid down the cross" in 1860. Seventeen years later his wife joined him on the other side, and in the Rutnian cemetery they both lie at rest.
Mr. Cornell was a Revolutionary soldier, and was the son of William Cornell, an Irishman. He and his wife were the parents of twelve children-seven sons and five daughters, all of whom reached the years of maturity: Benjamin resides at Buffalo, in Putnam county : Susan is Mrs. William Ward, of Shuitz; Mary is Mrs. Stephen Workman, of Huntington :
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Sarah is Mrs. William Douglass, of Highland; William sleeps in Oregon; Harrison, in the Dry Ridge cemetery ; two sons and two daughters, with the parents in the Rutman cemetery ; one son, at Smithville, and one, in Calhoun county.
John Cornell, of Calhoun county, is a grandson of this pioneer, as is J. A. Cornell, of Burnt House. And Mrs. Free- man G. Barr, of Smithville, is a great-granddaughter.
Mrs. Douglass, while on a visit with her daughter, Mrs. A. D. Adams, at the M. E. church parsonage at Smithville, during the autumn of 1904, visited the place of her nativity, after an absence of sixty-five years, and noted with interest the changes that had been wrought by the mighty hand of "Father Time."
Elias Lowther was another early settler in the Webb's mill vicinity. He was the second blacksmith and the first gunsmith and powder-maker in this section. He was the son of Thomas and the grandson of Col. William Lowther, and like the other pioneers of this name, was a native of West Mil- ford. He removed to Wirt county near the year 1825, and here, fell asieep, and here some of his descendants live. He had two sons, Andrew and Daniel, and perhaps other children.
The Dyes .- Dennis Dye was the first settler on the farm which is still designated as the "Dye farm," in the Webb's mill vicinity, though now owned by Martin Smith and son.
Mr. Dye was the son of Reuben and Mary Dye, who came from Prince William county, Virginia, at an early day and settled in Wood county, and he was a brother of the late D. Dye, of Elizabeth ; John, of Ohio, and William and Benja- min, who started to Texas and were never heard of again.
Dennis Dye was born in 1801, and came to this county in his early manhood and married Miss Anna Webb, daughter of Benjamin Webb, and took up his residence on the old homestead, above mentioned, near the year 1825, where he remained until June 20, 1866, when he crossed to the other side.
His wife was born on July 14, 1809, and died in June, 1888. Both sleep in the Webb's mill cemetery.
His children are as follows: Benjamin, David, William,
1
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Mrs. Julia (Adam) Laird, Mrs. Jane (Daniel) Nicholson, of Calhoun county ; and Mrs. Martha (Robert) Taylor, of Smith- ville ; and Mrs. Drusilla Gear, of Wirt county ; who have all passed on; and Mrs. Harriet (Barnes) Smith, Burnt House ; Mrs. Nancy (Jacob) Cunningham, Smithville; Mrs. Mary (Barnes) Smith, Auburn; Mrs. Agnes Haught, Wirt county ; and Mrs. Elizabeth Nutter, Kansas, are the surviving ones.
Benjamin Dye, whose family are still identified with the Smithville vincinity; was born at the old home at Webb's mill, on August 16, 1827, and though he resided across the Calhoun county line, after his marriage to Miss Roena Petty, daughter of Rowland Petty, of Wirt county, on January 10, 1860, his entire life was spent within the bounds of the Smith- ville vicinity. He passed from earth on March 3, 1905, and Mrs. Dye followed him to the grave on May 30, 1909. Both lie at rest in the Nicholas burying-ground, near the old home in Calhoun county.
They were the parents of the following named children :
The one daughter died in childhood; and their sons are : Dr. W. T. W. Dye, of Grantsville ; Dr. James A. Dye, Minora ; Rowland F. Dye, Smithville; George W. and Judson B. Dye, Freed.
The Smiths .- John Every, of whose history we know nothing, erected the first dwelling on the B. H. Wilson farm at Goff's, but this improvement passed into the hands of Barnes Smith as early as 1810, and remained in his possession until near the year 1835, when he removed to Smithville, where he passed from earth, on March 9, 1857.
In his honor the town was named and within the peace- ful bosom of its cemetery his ashes lie.
Mr. Smith was of English lineage. His ancestors came to America in Colonial days and settled in Virginia, but he was born in Harrison county, on May 18, 1782, and there he was married to Miss Anne Earle, who was born on November 26, 1788, and died on October 14, 1855, and rests at Smithville. Nine children were the result of this union :
Isaac and Barnes, junior, sleep at Smithville: Joshua, in Calhoun county ; Levi J., in Boone county, Iowa ; Sarah, wlio married Samuel Davidson, in Gilmer county, near Tanners-
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
ville; Kathrine (Mrs. Levi Smith), on Spruce creek; Hila (Mrs. Eli Riddel), near Goff's; Mary (Mrs. George Goff), in Missouri ; Elizabeth (Mrs. Thomas Goff), in Iowa.
Although these children were so widely scattered, their descendants in this county are a multitude. Among the grandchildren are Martin Smith, Alvus Smith, Mrs. M. A. Ayres, and Mrs. Alfred Barr, of Smithville; T. M. Goff, of Harrisville; the late Mrs. A. P. Hardman, Fonsoville; Mrs. John White, S. B. and S. A. Smith, of Iowa.
Dr. J. M. Goff, of Harrisville, is a great-grandson.
(Several of these sons were among the pioneers of this county and the history of their families will be found else- where.)
Aaron Smith, brother of Barnes, who was also a native of Harrison county, was the first settler at Goff's, on the land that is now the homes of Abner Hatfield and E. C. Goff and the Reeves estate.
His old cabin, which was built early in the century, stood near the present Hatfield residence, and not far away, on this homestead, he lies in his last sleep.
He married Miss Hannah Drake, sister of the Rev. John Drake, who was born on April 17, 1778, and, like his brother, has an innumerable line of descendants in this and adjoining counties.
After his death his widow married John Riddel, the Grass run pioneer, and in Roane county she died on October 27, 1868.
Their children are as follows: Elijah, Levi, William, Elisha, Rebecca, Zilpah, Susan, Orpha, Rhoda and Eda.
Elijah married his cousin, Miss Roana Smith, daughter of Squire Smith, of Harrison county, and lived and died near the mouth of Smith's run, where his son, Aaron, still survives. He was also the father of the late James, of Gilmer county ; and of Mrs. Thomas D. Tibbs, of Lamb's run.
Levi married his cousin, Miss Kathrine Smith, daughter of Barnes, senior, and was one of the Spruce creek pioneers.
William married Miss Susana Cain, daughter of David Cain, and went to Lee creek, where he died in 1883, at the age of eighty-six years.
Elisha married Miss Martha Stuart, sister of Robert
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Stuart, and settled the Connolly farm, on Leatherbrake, where he and his wife and several children, all died near the same time of fever.
Elisha, his eldest son, who was married, died at this time ; and Levi, of Hardman chapel ; and Gilbert, of Long run ; and Mrs. Lydia Ann Goff, wife of the late M. A. Goff, of Hazelgreen ; and mother of L. C. Goff, of Juna, have since passed on, leaving families; and James T. Smith, of Burnt House ; and Mrs. Sarah Jane (John) Goff, of Gilmer county : are the surviving members of the family.
Rebecca Smith married Cornelius Cain, and lived and died in this county. Her children were the late Mrs. Rosetta Moats, of Cairo; Mrs. Phillip Goff, of Juna; Mrs. Ruhama (Ephraim) Morehead, Mrs. Louisa Chevrount, David, Cor- nelius H., Albert, James and Lemuel Cain.
Zilpah Smith married James Riddel and went to Gilmer county.
Susan became Mrs. Jacob Smith and went to Roane county.
Orpha was Mrs. Hill, of Clay county ; Rhoda, Mrs. Board, of Roane county. Eda married Benjamin Goff and became the head of a pioneer family of this county. (See later chap- ter.) She was the last survivor of the family.
David Cain was the first settler on the late Wilson Prunty homestead, now the property of John Gorrell.
He was of Holland descent. He married Miss Mary Cain, who was born in 1779, and came here from Ohio. He finally went to Lee creek, where he sleeps. His wife rests in the Egypt cemetery at Cairo.
The Cain's run, on the south side of the river, took its name from a sugar camp that he owned, which was located just below the John Wass residence.
Mr. Cain has been accredited with the first settlement at the mouth of Slab creek, but this claim proves to be in error, as John Shores, father of the late James Shores, of Cairo, was the first pioneer at the mouth of this creek.
Mr. Cain's children were as follows :
Susana (Mrs. Wm. Smith), of Lee creek; Mary (Mrs.
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
Joseph Wilson), of Slab creek; Cornelius Cain, of Cairo, and Jesse.
Jesse married a Miss Firth, of Barbour county, and set- tled on the north side of Hughes river, at the mouth of the run, which still bears his name, "Jesse Cain's run," where Peter and Charles Wass now live.
Quite a number of David Cain's grandchildren are still identified among the citizens of the county.
Lemuel Wilson, of Smithville; Mrs. Phillip Goff, of Juna ; the late Mrs. Rosetta Moats, of Cairo : are among the number.
A family by the name of Belt made the first improvement at the forks of Hughes river, on the farm that became the per- manent home of the Jacksons, in 1830.
Thomas Cummins, another early settler, moved farther west in 1811, and the name of George Turvey is also men- tioned among the very early settlers, but we have been unable to learn anything of his history or settlement.
Although many authentic dates are wanting, the greater number of these settlers are said to have come before the year 1810.
CHAPTER IV
Thomas and Phebe Cunningham
HE year 1807 was marked by the coming of Thomas and Phebe Cunningham, from Har - rison county. Though many historic remin- iscences cluster about the names of the brave-hearted pioneers of this county, per- haps no other one is of such absorbing in- terest as the one that hangs about the mem- ory of Thomas and Phebe Cunningham ; and, perhaps, too, no other pioneer family is more largely represented among the present citizenship of the county; and from the pages of "Border Warfare" we glean the story of their adventure with the Indians, before they became identified with the history of Ritchie county :
In 1785, when our tragical story opens, Thomas Cunning- ham and his brother, Edward, resided in Harrison county on Bingamon creek, a branch of the West fork, in adjoining cabins. Thomas was absent on a trading expedition, when six Indians made their appearance at his home.
Mrs. Cunningham and the four children were gathered about the dinner-table when one entered, and closing the door behind him, stood with drawn tomahawk for a few moments ; then, having at once apprehended danger from the other cabin, and having no such fear of the helpless mother and children, he seemed for a time only intent upon his own escape.
Edward, seeing the Indian enter his brother's cabin, secured his own door, and, stepping to a small opening in the wall, stood ready to fire when the intruder should make his appearance ; but in Thomas' cabin was a like aperture, and through it the Indian fired at Edward, and gave the signal for victory, which was answered by Edward, who saw the
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HISTORY OF RITCHIE COUNTY
aim of the savage in time to save his life. So narrow was lis escape that the bark from the log struck him in the face.
The Indian, seeing that he had missed his aim, at once seized an adz and began cutting an outlet through the back of the cabin, so that he could escape without danger from Edward's house. While thus engaged, he asked Mrs. Cun- ningham how many were in the other cabin, and she tacitly replied by holding up the fingers of both hands.
Just after the firing had ceased another Indian entered the yard, and, seeing Edward's gun through the port hole, beat a hasty retreat; but Edward fired, the bullet taking effect in the Indian's hip; he managed, however, to reach some place of safety before Cunningham could again load his gun.
Mrs. Cunningham made no effort to escape, for she felt that death only awaited her at the hands of the lurking foe without. To escape with her children was impossible; and to leave them at the mercy of this savage monster was not to be thought of. So she cherished the hope that he might quiet- ly withdraw, but the fallacy of such a hope was soon evident, when he sank his ruthless tomahawk into the brains of one of her children, and casting its scarcely lifeless form into the yard, ordered her to follow him. She, knowing that resistance meant certain death. quietly obeyed, stepping over the dead body of her child, as she passed out with her babe in her arms, and the other two children clinging to her and screaming frantically at the horror of the sight.
When all were outside, scalping the dead boy. he set fire to the house, and withdrew to a high point in the field, where he joined his two companion, who were caring for the wounded Indian. The other two were left to guard the door of Edward's house, so that they could strike the fatal Slow when the flames should drive them out; but fortunately the family were able to extinguish the fire from within by tearing the boards from the roof, though the Indians kept up their firing all the while.
Without hope of accomplishing more, and fearing detec- tion, they gathered together, and, having tomahawked the elder Cunningham boy and his little sister-whom they beat against a trec until life was extinct-they took their departure.
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Mrs. Cunningham said that the last she saw of her little daughter was one quivering foot sticking up from behind a log, where she had been thrown. The poor mother stood aghast, dazed with grief, momentarily expecting the death blow to fall upon her and the little one at her breast. But a more cruel fate awaited her-that of the life of a captive.
From this awful scene, she was taken to a cave. (This cave is said to be about two miles from the scene of the cap- ture, on Little Indian run-a branch of Bingamon creek-in Harrison county.) Here the Indians remained until night, and, under cover of darkness, returned to the home of Edi- ward Cunningham, and, finding it deserted, plundered, and set it on fire.
Mr. Cunningham and his family had taken refuge in the forest during the night, the nearest settlement being eight or ten miles distant, and on the following morning gave the alarm ; and a company of men were soon in pursuit. When they reached the scene of the tragedy, finding the cabins in ashes, and being unable to follow the trail, so carefully had it been covered, they buried the remains of the children and returned to their homes. But after the lapse of a few days, circumstances pointed to the suspicion that the savages were still in the vicinity, and another search was instituted. in which the trail was followed to the mouth of the cave and lost. But Major Robinson, being familiar with the forest, and after dwelling upon the incidents of the day, remem- bercd the cave, and upon investigation, on the following morn- ing, found that it had been their hiding place, but was now deserted. They had resumed their journey during the night, having been detained here by the wounded Indian, who, Mrs. Cunningham said, was borne from the cave, and she never saw him again. She supposed that he was dead, and that his remains were sunk in a pool near by.
She said that the whites were so near several times that she could distinctly hear their voices ; that they stood upon the rock above her head. But a savage stood over her with an uplifted tomahawk, commanding silence, and forcing her to keep the child to her breast, lest its cries should lead to their apprehension.
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Owing to this delay, they did not reach their own count- try for some time, and the poor captive's suffering from hun- ger, fatigue and grief, was almost beyond human endurance : and the helpless infant at the breast, sought milk and ob- tained blood instead. The Indians, observing this. ended its sufferings by the tomahawk, while it clung to its mother's bosom, and then cast its lifeless form beside the pathway, without leaf or branch to protect it from the beasts of prey.
No tongue or pen can describe the anguish of the suffer- ing mother, whose only sustenance for ten days was the head of a wild turkey and three pawpaws. By the frequent wading of streams, her feet had become so scalded, that when she reached the village of the Delawares and was permitted to remove her stockings, the nails and skin came with them. Yet, on the following day, she was compelled to continue her journey. A humane Indian of the village somewhat al- leviated her pain by an application of sanative herbs.
One incident of this dreadful march, which has been omitted by the historian, but which will doubtless add inter- est here, we glean from the Autobiography of the late Rev. James L. Clarke, who heard it from her own lips, and who tells it in the following language :
"It was during the painful march after the murder of her babe, that she was converted. Overwhelmed and horrified at the murder of her children, and the terrible suffering she was then undergoing, she longed to die, and wished the savages would kill her.
"One day while wishing for death, the question was . forced into her mind, 'Are you prepared to die?' It awakened her. she saw that she was a sinner, and if she died as she had lived, she would be lost and would have to endure suf- fering forever to which the sufferings of the present would bear no comparison, and that she must be forever separated from her children, whom she had no doubt were now in Heaven.
"She now became very much alarmed and fearcd that they would kill her before she was prepared to die. Her sins became a burden too intolerable to be borne, and she went
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to Him who said 'Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'
"One night after the Indians had lain down in a circle around the fire, with her inside the circle, she kneeled down at the root of a tree and in her agony wrestled with God in prayer, and taking Jesus as her Savior, the blessing came in power. She sprang to her feet clapping her hands. and shouting at the top of her voice, 'Glory to God.' The savages raised upon their elbows, gave the Indian 'yough,' watched her for a while, and lay down again. She con- tinued to shout for some time, the fear of death was gone, and her soul was exceedingly happy." And from this time until her death, she continued a faithful, devoted Christian.
When the home of her captors was reached, she received no barbarous treatment, but she was filled with fear and the apprehension of some impending doom. Everything about her seemed to bode evil. She was delivered into the hands of the father of the wounded and missing Indian, and was compelled to wear her soiled clothing. which was regarded as a bad omen for a captive. And thus for three years her captivity continued.
A conference, preparatory to a treaty between the Whites and the Indians, was pending, when, one evening, she noticed an unusual commotion in the village, and, upon inquiry, learned that the presence of the great Simon Girty occasion- ed it.
She determined to ask him to intercede for hier release, and on the following day, seeing him passing by on horse- back, she went to him and lay hold of his stirrup, and im- plored his interference in her behalf, which, at first, was only met with derision ; but though the heart of this chieftain had long been a stranger to tenderness and sympathy, her en- treaties finally succeeded in touching his better nature, and he made intercession for her, secured her release. made pro- visions for her ransom, and had her conveyed to the commis- sioners who negotiated the treaty.
During the Autumn of 1788, having been in captivity for three long, weary years, she was taken to a great Indian conference, at the foot of the Maumee rapids, on or near the
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present site of Perrysburg, Ohio: and while here, Captain Girty brought the case before the British agent, McKee, who furnished the trinkets for the ransom, and she was set free : and from here, she went to Kentucky with two gentie- men, who came to this conference in quest of their captive children.
After much difficulty and no little delay, she finally reached her old home-the home of Edward Cunningham --- in Harrison county, and found that her husband, on hearing of her release, had gone in quest of her. Depressed by the disappointment of not meeting hini. and by the thought of the danger and peril that attended his every footstep, she could not enter into the spirit of rejoicing. that her home- coming had occasioned : but in a few days her husband, learn- ing that she was homeward bound, returned, and with joy unspeakable, clasped to his bosom again the long lost wife. Though the remembrance of the tragic fate of their children, shadowed the joy of their reunion, yet, time alleviated their sorrow. when other, and more fortunate, children came to bless their home. And from these children are descended 110 small per cent of the present population of Ritchie county.
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