USA > West Virginia > Summers County > History of Summers County from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 34
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S. F. McBride, the publisher of the "Hinton Headlight" and later the "Hinton Republican," secured a position in Washington, after he had left Hinton and gone to Charleston, but returned to Hinton at each election and voted at each successive election. The Democrats would have him arrested, and bail would be given, but he was never prosecuted. At the time above referred to he was refused a vote, but Judge McWhorter mandamused the election com- missioners, and compelled them to accept and count his ballot, after which the judge had the election officers brought before him for contempt, but the excitement of the election times dying out, a better spirit prevailed, and they were not procceded against. These parties who were hauled up for contempt were Attorneys Reid Dunlop and "Squire" C. L. Parker.
The only incorporated towns in this county are Talcott, which was incorporated by the circuit court about 1890, and which, after two or three years, was abandoned, and the corporation not main- tained : Upper Hinton, or what is now included in the city of Avis, was incorporated by the circuit court, and remained a separate and
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
distinct corporation from the city of Hinton until the consolidation of the two corporations by an act of the Legislature passed in 1897. This consolidation was dissolved by a subsequent act of the Legis- lature passed in 1890, so that at this time there are two incorpora- tions of this city, distinct municipal bodies-one, the city of Hin- ton, in which the court house is situated, and which includes the territory from the jail, running to the mountain west, and the other, the territory east, formerly Upper Hinton.
In the city of Hinton for many years there were no party nomi- nations, Independent candidates making the races and the elections fought out regardless of political affiliations. The first nomination for a candidate for mayor was that of Mr. R. E. Noel, who was nominated at a mass-meeting called at the court house, at which there were probably twenty people present, and being an innovation and irregular, was resented by a large part of the people. Dr. S. P. Peck, a Republican of liberal and broad views, was induced to make the race against Mr. Noel, who was one of the best and most enterprising citizens of the town. Dr. Peck was elected by a slim majority of only one vote.
Nominations for city offices in that town did not become a fixed proceeding until later, about the year 1890, after which the city authorities have been Democratic, only one Republican mayor having been elected, which was Squire L. M. Dunn, who was elected in the year 1892.
By maintaining the high ideals of official honor, the people have created a force and power, individual and collective, but strong, which tends to unify and add strength to a magnificent patriotism, as well as a glorious enthusiasm for the great republic, which was made powerful by the blood and arms of fellow countrymen, and which has continued the strong republicanism of ideas and ideals which perils have only tended to strengthen, and the ability of this land to maintain itself has been fully exhibited as against the unanimous antagonism of all the nations of monarchial Europe. Every hamlet, every small municipality, when all are united for good and free government, go to make up a great country, with all its glory, strength and power, and to maintain a well-balanced government, and a free land requires political parties and political antagonisms. There was a disposition, prompt and strong, after the fires of civil war had perished in all this region, among all patriots to cast off the Jacobins of abolition, as well as those of the Southern slaveholders, which had done so much to plunge the country into fratricidial strife a few years before, and for which
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
the people were so little responsible. The new nation had a thorny road to travel for many years. Surmounting every obstacle, the nation grew great. Internal strife broke into dreadful war; the life of the nation trembled in the balance, but it was saved and the nation born again. It arose with greater and stronger vigor than before. The men who strove against each other became friends; then began the scenes leading up to the present-the wonderful panorama of an industrial development which has no parallel in the history of any country, including the minimized territory within the prescribed limits of this mountain fastness, in the space of no less than forty years, in agricultural industries, commercial prog- ress, intellectual attainments, high ideals and its standards of civ- ilization.
CHAPTER XX.
ROADS.
At the date of the formation of the county there were but few roads and highways, and those that did exist were unfinished and of poor grade. The law existing at that date provided for each district to be laid off into road precincts and a surveyor appointed by the Board of Supervisors, afterwards by the county court, with the hands in the neighborhood of the respective precincts allotted thereto, who were compelled, between the ages of twenty-one and forty-five years, to work such number of days as appointed by the county authorities, not exceeding six. The roads were built and kept up by public labor, the county being sparsely settled, as will be noted by the number of votes cast in the early days. There were no highways except through the generally most populous precincts, and led to such commercial marts as then existed. The Red Sulphur and Kanawha Turnpike, a State road, had been con- structed before the war from the Red Sulphur by the mouth of Indian, down New River to Pack's Ferry ; thence across into Jump- ing Branch, at or near the mouth of Leatherwood, and out to Jump- ing Branch Village ; thence by Shady Springs to Beckley, into Fay- etteville and Kanawha Falls, at which place it united with the James River and Kanawha Turnpike, leading to Charleston. This turnpike became a county road after the formation of West Vir- ginia.
There was a road leading up New River by way of the mouth of Bluestone, crossing at Landcraft's Ferry ; thence back down New River, up Bluestone to the foot of Tallory Mountain, up said moun- tain to Pipestem, by the G. L. Jordan and B. P. Shumate locations, on to Concord Church and Princeton.
A "bridle path" from the mouth of Greenbrier down to Rich- mond's Falls, which was destroyed by the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail- way Company, as detailed in another chapter. A road had been built up Lick Creek to Green Sulphur over Keeney's Knob on to Hayne's Ferry on Greenbrier River, and on through to Johnson's Cross
CHARLES II. GRAILAM.
Farmer, Teacher and Lumberman. Descendant of the Ancient Plo- neer, Colonel James Graham.
1
THE NEW YOR PUBLIC LIBRARY
AUTOR LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONE.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
Roads, in Monroe County, one leading from Green Sulphur to the Big Meadows by way of Hutchinson's Mill, now Elton; one from Forest Hill to Rollinsburg, now Talcott, with a few cross roads, but those above named were practically all, and what roads were built at the formation of the county were dug out of the hills by the hard labor of the pioneers, some of the hands having to travel ten miles from their homes and then perform a day's labor or a certain task allotted to them by the surveyor. A man would go and return home from this labor and do a day's work or an allotted task.
My father and others of his neighborhood along Lick Creek built the road from Green Sulphur Springs to New Richmond by day's labor, and sometimes would work all night to complete their task, in order to save the long walk of returning home at night and again returning to their work in the morning, a distance of eight miles.
The road across Keeney's Knob to Clayton Post Office was built in the same way. The building of this road was equivalent almost to crossing the Alps. The road to the Big Meadows across Patterson's Mountain was also built in the same manner, but since the formation of the county, the farmers from all the region are required to work on the road being built.
We frequently at this day hear violent complaints of the con- dition of our roads in the county, but when we consider the rough character of our county-its broken, rocky and mountainous sur- face, the poverty and hardships under which the roads have been made, working boys originally from sixteen years to fifty, and from six to twelve days out of the year, we can appreciate the hardships under which our highways have been made, and realize that the cause of complaint is not well taken.
At the present time all the districts of the county build and keep up their public roads, or highways, known as county roads. by taxation, except Jumping Branch and Pipestem. One misfor- tune has been in the unfortunate grades made in locating many of the public highways by unscientific engineering in the early days. At this time there are roads and highways into almost every nook and neighborhood within the county's borders, and they are being extended and improved as the years go by. Each of the high mountains of the county is now crossed and penetrated by one or more county roads, with changes of the grades gradually progress- ing for their betterment each year. We doubt if there is a county in the State with a harder or more difficult territory over which to
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
construct its public highways. An examination of the first records made by our county authorities after the organization of the county shows that the question of the public roads began to be a matter of public interest. They at once began having the locations viewed, roads established, changes made and hands assigned, and the records are full of orders authorizing and directing these advance- ments for the location and establishment of the new roads. One of the first changes recorded was to set the road back from New River on to the base of the hills from the mouth of Greenbrier to the mouth of Bluestone, the road formerly running up the river bank. Mr. C. B. Deeds, a resident of Jumping Branch District, and one of the pioneers of that section and most enterprising and hospitable of men, early began a campaign for a road up Beech Run, from Hinton's Ferry on New River to Jumping Branch. He labored long, earnestly and persistently, and finally secured its establishment and an appropriation from the court, Mr. Deeds con- tributing a large proportion of the costs from his own pocket, and he is well worthy of the title to that of "Father of the Beech Run Road," as Mr. W. G. Flanagan is entitled to be designated as the "Father of the road" leading up Meadow Creek from New River to the Little Meadows. After years of persistent appeals, labor and sacrifices, he secured that thoroughfare. The old roads exist- ing at the formation of the county were narrow and bad grades, going up and down, and a great many changes have been made for the better, they being broadened and graded.
An instance of changes for the better is in the road from Green Sulphur Springs to New River, and the road up Madam's Creek from its mouth, for the former of which Mr. Harrison Gwinn is entitled to credit for his enterprise, and for the latter Mr. John H. Dodd and C. E. Stevenson are entitled to credit, as are Senator Wm. Haynes and Joseph Nowlan for the road up Greenbrier River from the Haynes' Ferry to the mouth of Griffith's Creek.
The late M. A. Withrow, of Green Sulphur Springs, and James H. Martin, Esq., each of whom occupied the position of road sur- veyor for years, and were enthusiastic road men, and deserve much credit for the improvements of roads in that district. The road down New River from Hinton was destroyed. as above stated, and never replaced, although a bridle path has been made by the county to take its place across the Chestnut Mountain by way of Brooks, but hardly safe for an equestrian riding single. The road across Taylor's Ridge from Talcott to Lick Creek, from Clayton to Al- derson, from Lowell to that town, from the mouth of Pipestem to
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
the top of Tallory Mountain, from Lowell across Gwinn's Moun- tain towards Red Sulphur, from Indian's Mills to Forest Hill, from the mouth of Greenbrier to Wolf Creek, the Little Bluestone Road, the bridge across Indian Creek, near its mouth, and at Lick Creek at New Richmond, and across Slater's Fork of Lick Creek have all been made within recent years.
A long-fought battle was waged for a new road from the mouth of Indian up New River by the places of the Harvey boys, but no success has been attained at this time. This road was especially fought for for a number of years by Messrs. J. E. Harvey, J. H. Harvey and W. L. Harvey, C. A. Baber making a successful fight against it, and who, about the year 1900, secured the establishment of a ferry across New River, about the mouth of Indian over to the Crump's Bottom.
There was before the war a path over Keeney's Knob leading from Lick Creek to Alderson, known as the Hog Road, by which the hog-drivers from Kentucky took a near cut, went directly across the mountain, driving their hogs from Kentucky for the Eastern markets. They would drive them from the Kanawha over the Sewell Mountain to War Ridge; over that ridge to the Little Meadows; thence up Lick Creek on over Keeney's Knob to Grif- fith's Creek; thence to Alderson's Ferry; thence up Greenbrier River and across the Allegheny Mountains to Jackson's River ; thence down the same to Buchannon and the James River to the head of canal navigation. Evidences of this old road remain to this day, and I have passed over the same when younger than I am now on horseback, although it was nothing but a bridle track, but it was much nearer and more practical for that kind of travel than the wagon road built across by engineers.
There was, some three years ago, an iron free bridge built across Lick Creek at New Richmond, for the building of which and the change of the road from the creek to the depot Mr. M. A. Withrow, now deceased, is entitled to much credit for his enter- prise.
In 1905, the Hinton Toll Bridge Company was incorporated and the bridge across New River at Hinton. from Temple Street to the mouth of Madam's Creek, was let to contract, which is at this time under construction, and will cost about $42,000.00, the contract price being $41,000.00. Unusual delays have occurred in the construction, the contractor, a man by the name of P. Q. Shrake, having failed and his bondsmen having to undertake the completion of the work in order to save themselves, the bridge
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
company being protected by ample bond executed by the con- tractor. Messrs. R. F. Dunlap, J. A. Fox and others are the prin- cipal promoters, the stock being held largely by the citizens of Hinton. These gentlemen deserve credit for their enterprise in pushing this matter, as it will be greatly to the benefit of the city generally. The bridge, however, when completed, will greatly depreciate the value of the two ferries at Hinton, one owned by Mr. Joseph Hinton in the town of Avis, and the Lower Hinton ferry by H. Ewart and Martin Nee. It is said they will cut the rates and still fight for existence.
The other ferries now having existence in the county are the one across Greenbrier, at its mouth, owned by A. E. and C. L. Miller ; one at Ferrell's Landing, near Greenbrier Springs, owned by E. D. Ferrell, and one at Pence's Springs, owned by A. P. Pence; Shank- lin's Ferry, the ferry at Crump's Bottom, owned by Buck Smith ; Pack's Ferry at the mouth of Bluestone, owned by Joseph N. Haynes ; Patrick's Ferry, at the mouth of Greenbrier, owned by Miller Brothers and George W. Lilly, and Richmond's Ferry, at the mouth of Laurel Creek, owned by Allen Richmond; also one at Meadow Creek across New River.
The only ferries which are operated by means of wire cables are the two Hinton ferries, the one at the mouth of Greenbrier, the one at the mouth of Bluestone, of Mr. Haynes' and Mr. Pence's at Pence's Springs. There is also a ferry across New River at War- ford, which was owned and operated until recently by Mr. James W. Cox, a son of Wellington Cox, the first county assessor, and which is now owned by recent purchase by Dr. J. A. Fox. J. E. Harvey also has a ferry across New River above Crump's Bottom at his farm.
The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway was completed through this county in 1872, which runs through the county a distance of about thirty-five miles from the point on Greenbrier River, and two miles west of Alderson down Greenbrier to New River; thence down New River to the Fayette line below Meadow Creek, passing through the Big Bend Tunnel, half a mile west of Talcott Station. This tunnel is built through the Big Bend Mountain, and is one and one-fourth miles in length, and the Little Bend Tunnel is a short distance west, only a few hundred feet in length. These are the only railroad tunnels in the county. The Big Bend Tunnel was completed about the 1st of January, 1872, was constructed by William R. Johnson, a Virginia contractor, at an immense cost, the amount of which we are unable to secure any information. In
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
its construction a number of shafts were drilled from the top, from which forces of hands worked each way, coming together in accordance with the engineer's plans. These shafts still exist, and when trains pass through the tunnel, immense clouds of smoke arise therefrom. The tunnel was originally arched with wooden timbers, but, becoming decayed, were condemned by the county authorities (after the killing of several railroad employees), under the direction of Elbert Fowler, the then prosecuting attorney, and soon afterwards the arching of the tunnel began with brick, which required some ten years in its completion. It is now substantially arched with brick. This work was done without interfering with the transportation of the road, the work progressing and the trains running without interruption, except at times, temporarily, when a large amount of debris would be pulled down. The completion of this work terminated some ten years ago. As the frequency of trains passing through this tunnel increased the density of the smoke, and the fumes therefrom became unbearable and destruc- tive to human life, the employees would be overcome in passing through these dense fumes, and others came ncar doing so. John C. Wise, an excellent citizen of this city, who was a locomotive engineer. and in the year 19-, his engine being stopped for some cause in this tunnel, he was overcome, and before assistance reached him, death ensued. Public sentiment being aroused, the railroad company, by reason thereof, finally undertook the work of putting in fans at the east portal, which were, after a year or two, placed in complete operation, by which means these dense and deathly fumes and smoke were forced out of the tunnel promptly, thus making it now a safe highway.
Mr. M. Smith was the county surveyor for many years, and a large proportion of the changes of grades, re-locations and locations and new roads were made by him in his official capacity-not being a scientific engineer, but a most estimable gentleman. His grading was not done in the most scientific and modern manner, hence the defectiveness in the grades of many of our roads.
There have been several accidents on the road from New Rich- mond to Green Sulphur. A few years ago Jolin Thomas, a farmer from the Big Meadows, was driving his team up that road, accom- panied by Miss Sarah McNeer, when, in making one of the short turns around a steep precipice, his wagon overturned, and Mr. 'Thomas was instantly killed, his wagon broken up and his horses badly injured.
In hauling for the construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail-
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
road, a four-horse team and wagon went over this high precipice near the Fall Branch. Part of the team was killed, the wagon going down into the creek.
Many years ago, before the formation of the county, and before there was a public road from New Richmond up Lick Creek, a lady by the name of Cales was leading a horse up the bridle path about a half a mile above New Richmond at Fall Branch, where there was a very steep and high precipice. The horse slipped or lost his footing, went over the cliffs, and was instantly killed.
CHAPTER XXI.
NAMES.
The derivations of names of various points, places, objects, etc., is a matter of more or less interest, and the manner of their adoption is gone and lost sight of before we begin to think of the incidents connected with their naming, and now all the mountains, streams, springs, valleys and places are named in days gone by, and practi- cally all of them have some original interest to the after dwellers of the country, but they soon become matters of tradition. Thuits, "Sewell Mountain" in some of the histories, was named for Sewell, or Suel, the first settler, when he and Marlin first settled at the mouth of Knapp's Creek, at Marlin's Bottom in Pocahontas County. They resided as monarchs of the entire wilderness until they had personal differences about religion, when they parted, Sewell going into a large, hollow tree, later removing west on to the mountain, and near the creek which bears his name to this day. "Sewell Moun- tain" and "Sewell Creek," and at which place he was finally slain by the Indians, as did Marlin's Bottom take its name from Marlin, who settled there with Suel.
Green Sulphur Springs has no history in its name, except to designate it from the other springs in this region. The names of places frequently follow the proprietor or occupant ; thus, Barger's Springs was at one time "Carden's," the owner ; then "Barger's." and now the "Greenbrier," a name given by the present company. Keatley's Spring, near Hinton, was so called after Henry Keatley. an aged citizen, who lived by it for a number of years.
Pence's Spring was named for Andrew P. Pence, who ac- quired the property in the seventies, and exploited it, bringing it to the attention of the general public, and to his enterprise and energy is due the honor for its present fame. It was once known as Buf- falo Spring, as it was a noted lick for buffaloes and deer in the early days, as was also the Green Sulphur Spring, at which there was a fort. This fort was built by the Indians, and was a kind of stone breastwork built across the bottom in the meadow below
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
the spring. The outlines are distinctly visible at this day. Many arrow heads and curious shaped stones are still plowed up and found in numbers in this bottom.
Slater's Creek, a branch of Lick Creek, in Green Sulphur Dis- trict, was named for a man by the name of Slater, the first settler thereon, and who has, with all his descendants, long since disap- peared from the earth. Slater is said to have been killed by the Indians.
Patterson's Mountain, between Greenbrier and Summers Coun- ties, named after an old family of settlers, who located at its base and top ; the "Hump" Mountain, between Lick and Meadow Creeks, on account of its peculiar formation ; the Swell, between Lick and Laurel Creeks, likewise; Chestnut Mountain, between Laurel Creek and New River and a continuation of Keeney's Knob and Elk Knob, by reason of the great amount of chestnut timber on it. Keeney's Knob or Mountain, a part of the Allegheny system, after Keeney, a first settler, who was killed by the Indians; Stinson's Knob (properly Stevenson's), after the first settler in that region ; Cale's Mountain, between Wolf Creek. Greenbrier and New River, sometimes called "Wolf Creek Mountain," after an old settler by the name of James Cales, who lived on its top; White Oak Moun- tain, by reason of the great amount of white oak timber which grew on its sides; Tallery Mountain, by reason of the peculiarly slick soil when wet, makes it slippery like grease; Gwinn's Moun- tain, after Andrew Gwinn, who owned a magnificent plantation at its base and on its sides of some 2,000 acres ; Taylor's Ridge, from Hunghart's Creek to Keeney's Knob, after a man by the name of Taylor who first settled in its region.
The other mountains in Green Sulphur District are Chestnut Mountain, between Laurel Creek and Lick Creek; the Hump Moun- tain, between Lick Creek and Meadow Creek, and the Swell Moun- tain. All are high. rough mountains, but are settled over with thrifty and enterprising farmers; the War Ridge Mountain, prin- cipally in Fayette County, is on the west side of Meadow Creek. We are not prepared to state from what it takes its name, but there was evidently a trail across it for the warriors in the ancient Indian wars. The Hump Mountain is a peculiar shaped mountain, and from its shape took its name. The top is flat and has an area of several hundred acres of level land thereon. There are on top of this mountain three fine springs of pure crystal water, which never go dry. Near one of these springs is what is known as the "Stamping Ground." There were three large white oak trees
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