USA > West Virginia > Summers County > History of Summers County from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 24
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
Hinton residence, and the latter as the Ballangee residence, Avis Hinton and her family residing in the former, and the family of Isaac Ballangee, deceased, in the latter. We are enabled, by the courtesy of Mr. Frank Cundiff, to produce a cut. of the Ballangee residence, and by the courtesy of Mr. Howard Hinton to produce a cut of the old Hinton homestead. The Hinton homestead was occupied as a boarding house for a number of years after the com- pletion of the railroad, Mrs. M. S. Gentry being the proprietress for a number of years, and the first night ever spent in that town by the writer, thirty years ago, was in this boarding house of Mrs. Gentry, at which time Captain Phil. Cason, the oldest passenger railroad conductor then on the road, was then boarding. This house was finally torn down by the railroad company to make room for its double track. It was an old two-story log. house, with an old- fashioned stone chimney, large fireplaces covered with shingles, the kitchen being at the end of the "big house."
The Ballangee house was also of hewed logs, the "big house" being two stories, and the kitchen one story, with the same char- acter of chimneys and fireplaces, with a double porch fronting the mountain. This building was used by the railroad company for round-house, offices, and storage place for junk and rubbish for many years, but in the construction of the new vard tracks some eight or ten years ago, was pulled down.
The lands on which Avis was built was, at the time of the found- ing of the cities, the property of Avis Hinton, the widow of John Hinton, to which she retained title until her death. except as she disposed of the same in lots.
The Isaac Ballangee tract, on which the city of Hinton stands, was owned by the heirs of Isaac Ballangee, and consisted of 165 acres. Some of these heirs being infants at the date when the rail- road was projected, Rufus Pack being guardian, took proceedings in the Circuit Court of Summers County to secure a decree for sale, by which the title was conveyed to the C. & O. Railroad Com- pany, in consideration of the sum of $3,500.00. Afterwards, the C. & O. Railroad Company conveyed all of the property except what it desired for railroad purposes and some five lots on which it had built tenement buildings, to the Central Land Company of West Virginia, a corporation, of which C. P. Huntington, the pro- moter and builder of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, was the president, and continued in ownership, selling off lots from time to time, until the company was placed in the hands of a receiver of the United States Court for West Virginia, who continued to sell
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
lots and exercise dominion over the property until the death of C. P. Huntington, in 1903, when the remaining unsold portions, amount- ing to some eighty acres, mostly the hill land, was sold to Wm. Plumley, Jr., and E. H. Peck, of Hinton, for the sum of $11,000, and they have continued to sell off lots and small boundaries.
The Hinton tract originally belonged to Henry Ballangee, having been patented by him and conveyed afterwards to John Hinton, who, becoming involved in debt, the land was sold by a decree of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, and purchased by Charles Maddy, John Maddy and David Hinton, three of his brothers-in-law, who lived in Monroe County, who held the title for some time, and then conveyed the same to Avis Hinton, who had succeeded in paying out the purchase money.
What is now included in the territorial boundary of the city of Hinton was laid off into town lots, and a map made thereof in the year 1873, by B. R. Dunn, a civil engineer, and a brother of the late L. M. Dunn. This map is of record in the county clerk's office of this county, in Deed Book "A," page 540. Stones were placed at the corner of each street, and they were sold by the railroad company and the Central Land Company at the price of $300.00 for corner lots, each inside lot being sold for $250.00; lots which orig- inally cost $300.00 are now selling and worth from $8,000.00 to $10,000.00.
The first buildings erected in the town were principally on Front Street, one of the oldest buildings being the four-cornered, two- story square frame residence now owned by Miss Maggie Atkin- son; another one was the D. H. Peck building, recently pur- chased by Dr. S. P. Peck and transformed into a business and tenement building, with three stories. The court house and all of the flat remained an open common and was used principally as a pasture for cows, hogs and horses. The first business and residence building on the flat was that of John M. Carden opposite the court house, in which he established the Hotchkiss House (Hotel), and operated the same for a number of years. The next building was on the corner of Second Avenue and Ballangee Streets, near the court house square, built by Carl A. Fredeking, in which he operated a mercantile business with Mr. A. G. Flanagan; afterwards his son-in-law was manager. This house and half the lot is now owned by Dr. J. A. Fox, recently purchased for $5,200.00.
Another one of the early buildings was a one-story, two-roomed
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
frame near the present brick Methodist Church, built by B. L. Hoge, directly after the flood of 1878, when his residence was washed off in that distressing calamity. This was used by Mr. Hoge for a number of years, when he built an addition in front, and afterwards sold to the present owner, T. H. Lilly, the lumberman.
In 1878, John Robinson's show gave a performance in a two- ringed circus on the square between Ballangee Street and Temple Street, on the lots occupied by the Central Baptist Church, J. H. Miller and J. T. McCreery's residences. Another one of the first buildings was the old Thespian Hall, built in what was known as Middle Hinton, opposite where Dr. Bigony's Hospital is now situ- ated. This building was an amateur theatrical arrangement, in which home talent furnished the actors and amusement for the town for some time, but, not being well supported financially, on account of the small population, was finally torn down. The first brick house erected in Hinton was by John Finn, an Irishman, on the corner of Third and Summers Streets. He purchased the lot January 27, 1874. The building is now owned by the city, and occupied by the city as its administration building.
W. C. Ridgeway, early in the history of the city, built what was at that time considered a modern hotel on the corner of Third and Front Streets, now known as "Scrapper's Corner," and now owned by Mrs. R. S. Tyree. This building was afterwards burned down in one of the numerous conflagrations which visited this city. The buildings in the lower town are much more regular than in the upper, they being on the island and scattered. The upper town, however, was building up more rapidly than the lower until the great flood in 1878, which practically destroyed the upper part of that then flourishing village. Seventeen houses were washed away and a great deal of real and personal property destroyed, but no lives were lost. The storehouse building, which had been occupied as a court house, B. L. Hoge, the clerk's residence, J. P. Mill's fine residence and others, whose names I am not now able to ascertain, were entirely swept away. This flood was the highest ever known within the memory of man of New River, and came without warn- ing and without opportunity for the residents to barely escape with their lives, without saving their property. Heaps of driftwood below, especially at New Richmond, were piled along the river banks on the shores, containing all manner of household goods. sewing machines, cook stoves, etc.
Many daring acts were performed by the citizens in saving prop- erty from destruction, as well as the lives of the people. Hon. Wm.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
R. Thompson, then a young lawyer in the city, with the assistance of another party-Vanwinkle-secured a skiff, and, at great risk of their own lives, rowed to the residence of J. P. Mills, on the island near the present waterworks power house on the river bank, and saved the lives of that family. The water was up high into the building, and it was threatening to leave its foundation at any moment, when these gentlemen succeeded in reaching the building from the railroad with their boat across the tremendous torrent which was running between the hill and the main river. It has been related to me by persons who witnessed the act in the darkness of the night as one of the most daring acts recorded in the annals of adventure.
After these gentlemen had secured from danger these families they went to the Evi Ballangee place, about half a mile above, and where the old house is still standing; the water was then running direct from the ferry down the side of the railroad track and over the railroad track a depth of some eight or ten inches; at great risk they rowed across the track, the boat lodging on a rail, to the house of Mr. Ballangee, which was entirely surrounded. and solic- ited them to be permitted to be carried to safety, but were re- fused by Mr. Ballangee and his sister, who preferred not to give up the house.
The first citizens to locate in Hinton were Dr. Benjamin P. Gooch and M. V. Calloway-Dr. Gooch, from our best information, being the very first. Among the old inhabitants who settled in the town, now still living, are Messrs. R. R. Flanagan, A. G. Flanagan, his brother: C. A. Fredeking, Charles and Lee Frede- king, L. M. Dunn, Walker Tyler and W. C. Ridgeway.
An effort was made in the year 1879 to incorporate the two towns as one, under the State law. A vote was taken, but the upper town, which is now Avis, being bitterly opposed, incorpo- ration was voted down: the lower town then proceeded to take a vote on its own account, which vote carried, and on the 21st day of September, 1880, the Town of Hinton was incorporated under the State law by the circuit court of this county. After- wards. the upper town, becoming satisfied of the necessity and advantages of incorporation, took a vote, and on the 4th of Septem- ber, 1890, was incorporated by the circuit court as the Town of Upper Hinton. Jacob Pyles was the first mayor, elected October 14, 1890. The first meeting of the council was held at Graham's shoe shop. These two towns continued in existence until 1897, B. F. Thompson being the last mayor, when Colonel Swope, an
HINTON IN 1880.
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THE ME
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187%, LSAXX AND
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
active politician, who had emigrated into our midst from Monroe County, believing that he could advance the interests of the Re- publican party, proceeded to secure the passage of an Act of the Legislature incorporating the two towns into one, under the title of the City of Hinton, by special charter. An election was held soon after the passage of this act; but instead of aiding the Re- publican party, it seemed to have the reverse effect, every ward in the city electing Democratic councilmen, and an entire Demo- cratic administration. Colonel Swope then not being satisfied with the political situation, proceeded to have the two towns "di- vorced," and at the session of 1899 the Legislature divided the two towns, leaving Hinton a separate corporation, and leaving Up- per Hinton without any municipal government whatever, the Colo- nel's idea being that if he could get Upper Hinton into a separate town, he could control its political destinies. After some time he had the upper town incorporated again under the State law as the City of Avis, and which incorporation remains operative to the present time ; the city of Hinton operating under the spe- cial charter granted by the Act of the Legislature as modified by the second act dividing the town into the two municipalities. In addition to Col. Swope's political philosophy, he and a number of the upper Hinton people were dissatisfied with the administration of the municipal government.
The first mayor of the town of Hinton was W. R. Benedict, who held for three terms. W. R. Duerson was mayor for three terms, and afterwards removed to Clifton Forge, Virginia, where he still resides, having been treasurer of that town for some ten years. I give below in succession the various mayors and re- corders of the town of Hinton, and also of the town of Upper Hin- ton and the city of Avis. The present mayor of the former is Hon. James F. Smith, who was re-elected for the third term on De- cember 5, 1905; and of the latter Mr. A. G. Meadows, who has been elected for the third term. R. H. Maxwell was the first mayor, R. W. Ervin the second,, A. G. Meadows the third, and Jas. E. Meadows the fourth. J. H. Allen was the first recorder. and held that office for several terms. The members of the first council were: A. G. Meadows, R. H. Maxwell, W. A. Charlton, Dr. J. F. Bigony and Geo. W. Pyles, with J. L. Ramsay, town sergeant.
The city of Hinton was named for Evan Hinton, the father of Summers County, and the city of Avis was named for Mrs. Avis
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Hinton, an aged lady who owned the property on which it now stands.
Until the year 1890 there was no water service for either town. In that year a joint stock company was organized through the efforts of a number of public-spirited citizens, under the title of the Hinton Water Works Company, which proceeded to put in a first-class system of water works for both towns, building a res- ervoir near the top of the hill, in close proximity to Hill Top Cemetery. This reservoir is not now in use, a new reservoir hav- ing been built in 1903, some 360 feet below the old reservoir. The original Hinton Water Works Company continued to own and operate the business until 1904, when it sold out its entire plant, franchises and property to the Hinton Water, Light & Supply Company, a West Virginia corporation, composed of stockhold- ers residing in the city of Wilkesbarre, Pa., of which O. M. Leiner is president and general manager. The first superintendent un- der the new company was R. H. Peterson, who held the position until the summer of 1905, when he resigned, and was succeeded by A. G. Flanagan, who held the position for one month, and then resigned on account of ill-health; he was succeeded by H. W. Platt, who held the position until January 1, 1906, when he was succeeded by A. A. Miller, the present superintendent.
The first lights for the town were the old-fashioned street lamps, which burned kerosene oil. These were continued until F. M. Starbuck, an enterprising machinist, and Dr. S. P. Peck, con- structed a lighting plant for the city, contracting with the authori- ties for lighting the town and private residences and business houses with up-to-date electric lights. This plant was operated by Dr. Peck as owner until 1901, when he sold to the same gentle- men who purchased the Hinton Water Works properties, and they were consolidated into one establishment, the light and water service for the two cities now being provided by this company.
A sewerage system was established in the year -, at a cost of $10,000. Twenty-year bonds for the town of Hinton were voted to be used for that purpose. These bonds remain unpaid. The only indebtedness against the city of Hinton being the $10,000 bonded indebtedness for sewerage purposes, and liability by reason of the $12,000 in bonds voted by the school district for high school purposes.
The streets in the city of Hinton were named by the engineer, Dunn, Front Street taking its name by reason of its fronting on the railway track and the river; the next street above being Sum-
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
mers, named for the county; the next street above being Temple Street, named after Major Temple, one of the chief engineers who built the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, and who had his headquar- ters in the building constructed by him at New Richmond; Bal- langee Street, the next street above, was named after the old set- tlers of that name; James Street was named for William James, the lumberman, who early settled in the town. The cross streets were originally called 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc., streets, but are now called by the more modern name of avenues.
The religious history of the town will be found under the va- rious church titles in a separate chapter, to which the reader is referred for details. The reader is also referred, for educational history of the towns, to the chapter on Schools.
The first professional man to locate in the town was Dr. Benj. P. Gooch, as above stated : then Dr. Jno. G. Manser, and Dr. S. P. Peck, then a young man, who graduated and located in the city, and has since that time cast his destiny with the towns and made them his home. N. M. Lowry, W. W. Adams and J. S. Thorne were probably the first lawyers.
The first bank established in Hinton was the Bank of Hinton, promoted by Hon. Azel Ford as president, Edwin Prince, Esq., a capitalist of Raleigh County ; and M. A. Riffe, then of Hinton, as cashier. This bank was afterwards converted into the First Na- tional Bank of Hinton. The second bank established was that of the Bank of Summers, in 1893, the principal promoters being the present and only cashier, Mr. J. H. Jordan, Jas. H. Miller, H. Gwinn, its president, and ex-Sheriff H. Ewart and W. J. Bright- well.
The latest banking establishment has only recently been or- ganized-that of the Citizens' Bank, a State institution, promoted by L. P. Graham, the cashier; W. H. Warren, its president, and J. Donald Humphries, one of the largest stockholders. These financial institutions are a pride and an honor to the town, and should be to any town. They are operated under honest, legitimate business management, and the people are as safe in intrusting their funds with them as with any government-at least, while under the present conservative management.
The second attempt at a town hall was that built by J. H. Gunther, in the third story of a large brick building constructed in the year 1885, on the grounds now occupied by Dr. S. P. Peck's brick flats. This building was considered dangerous and was never successful, and was burned down a few years later. The next was
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
the present opera house, which was originally built by Colonel J. A. Parker and Dr. S. P. Peck, the entire second floor being used for opera house and theatrical purposes. Some differences having arisen between these gentlemen, the hall was divided, Dr, Peck discontinuing ; and Colonel Parker has for many years operated the present Parker Opera House, which is the only institution of that character in the city.
A new opera house is now under projection, to be built in the Masonic Temple, of which Hon. P. K. Litsinger is the promoter. R. R. Flanagan, in the year 1900, built a three-story brick busi- ness house adjoining the Bank of Hinton, on Third Avenue, the third story being used as a hall, and has been the Knights Tem- plars hall since the organization of that order in the city.
The Ewart-Miller Company completed in 1905 their new three- story brick building, the third story of which is devoted to hall purposes.
The Hinton Toll Bridge is now under construction, being an iron bridge across New River, at the head of Temple Street, land- ing near the mouth of Madam's Creek. This enterprise was largely promoted by Dr. J. A. Fox, and when completed will be a valuable enterprise for the upbuilding of the lower town.
THE NATIONAL BANK OF SUMMERS.
This financial institution first opened for business June 3, 1895, under a charter issued by the Secretary of State of West Virginia, as a State bank, with an authorized capital of $50,000.00, and with a paid-up capital of only $27,800.00. Its first officials were H. Gwin, president ; C. B. Mahon, vice-president ; H. Ewart, James H. Miller and W. J. Brightwell, directors, with J. H. Jordan, cashier. These officers continued as long as the Bank of Summers was in existence. About the 1st of January, 1906, it was converted into a national bank, with the same directors, Captain Charles Faulkner, T. H. Lilly, James T. McCreery and Colonel J. A. Parker being added to the directorate, J. H. Jordan continued as cashier, H. Gwinn resigning as president, and James T. McCreery made presi- dent to fill the vacancy. The advancement of this bank has been phenomenal ; it numbers among its stockholders a large number of the most prominent and safest business men of Summers County, the volume of its business now amounting to over $700,000.00, and occupies handsome bank quarters on the corner of Third Avenue and Temple Streets, in Hinton, the book value of its stock being
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
$160.00 per share, and is the strongest bank in the New or Green- brier River Valleys.
BANK OF HINTON.
This is the oldest banking institution in Summers County; it opened for business in 1887, and was capitalized at $25,000.00. Hon. Azel Ford was its promoter, with Edwin Prince. The first officials were Azel Ford, president; Edwin Prince, vice-president; M. A. Riffe, cashier ; E. O. Prince, assistant cashier, and James Kay. They constituted also the board of directors. On the 29th of August, 1900, the Bank of Hinton was converted into a national bank, under the title of the First National Bank of Hinton, and its capital in- creased to $50,000.00. The first dividend was declared on June 30, 1901, of three per cent., and since that time it has been one of the inost successful business enterprises in the county, the book value of its capital stock being about $125.00 per share. The present officials of the bank are Azel Ford, president ; O. O. Cooper, vice- president ; W. H. Garnet, cashier ; Joseph Hinton, R. R. Flannagan, William Plumley, Jr., M. J. Cook and J. A. Graham, directors. Hon. Azel Ford has been president of the institution since 1887, and the successive cashiers have been M. A. Riffe, E. O. Prince, F. R. Van Antwerp, W. M. Puckett and W. H. Garnet, its volume of business now amounting to practically $500,000.00. It occupies a commo- dious, substantial three-story brick and stone building, erected for its especial occupancy, and is a modern banking institution in every particular, and includes among its stockholders many of the promi- nent financial men of Summers County.
THE CITIZENS BANK.
This bank was founded in November, 1905, by Luther P. Gra- ham, William H. Warren and J. Donald Humphries. The president is William H. Warren; L. P. Graham, cashier; and the directors are W. H. Waren, M. J. Cook, J. A. Graham, O. S. Fredeking, J. D. Humphries and John Lang. This is the youngest banking institution in the county and is a safe and substantial institution. The volume of its first year's business amounted to $100.000.00. and the book value of its stock is $110.00 per share.
The Hinton Hospital was founded by Dr. O. O. Cooper in 1900. and from a modest enterprise of a two-story building, it has grown into a large four-story establishment, with a staff of five surgeons,
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
and has a reputation throughout the State, O. O. Cooper, the owner and chief surgeon, having a reputation as one of the finest surgeons in the country.
HINTON-DISTANCES FROM THE PRINCIPAL CITIES.
Two hundred and ninety miles from Washington; 518 miles from New York; 428 miles from Philadelphia ; 332 miles from Bal- timore ; 270 miles from Richmond; 347 miles from Newport News; 357 miles from Norfolk; 307.9 miles from Cincinnati; 613.5 miles from Chicago ; 683.2 miles fron St. Louis : 96.6 miles from Charles- ton, the State Capitol.
The post office at Hinton now distributes mail to 7,000 people. It is the most accessible and central point for operations in the New River, Bluestone and Greenbrier Valleys, and most of the moun- tainous and platean regions of the counties of Greenbrier, Poca- hontas, Mercer, Fayette, Raleigh, Monroe and Wyoming, connected directly with each of these counties, except the latter. It is the natural location for the center of population for all this region of the State. It is situate on the main line of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, and is a central point for the distribution of the United States mails for this region. There are now six country postal routes into the city-one to Princeton, one to Jumping Branch, one to Beckley, one to Elk Knob and Clayton, one to Talcott and Al- derson, one to Forest Hill and Pack's Ferry, War Ford and Crump's Bottom, besides the railway mail service. It is the end of the rail- way mail service division between Washington and Cincinnati, the half-way point between those two cities. There are now ten daily mails delivered into Hinton by the railway service, and the number of pieces of mail received into this office and distributed therefrom daily is enormous. This postoffice is now open from 4:30 a. m. to 12:00 at night, eighteen hours out of the day.
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