USA > West Virginia > Summers County > History of Summers County from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 58
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GRANDISON CALLOWAY LANDCRAFT.
Was one of the most prominent citizens in the county at the date of its foundation. He was born in Nelson County, Virginia in the year 1806. In 1838 hie intermarried with Miss Emily Pack, a daugh- ter of Bartley Pack, and on the 12th day of June, 1891, he died at Landcraft's Ferry on New River, in Forest Hill District, of this county. His wife survived him several years, and their remains rest side by side in the old family graveyard on the farm formerly owned by him, on which Mr. Joseph N. Haynes now resides, and of which he is the owner, Mr. Haynes having intermarried with a niece of Mr. Landcraft's, Miss Emma Mclaughlin, he leaving no children surviving him. For five years, between 1838 and 1843, he engaged in the mercantile business at Gauley Bridge, in Fay- ette County, and then moved to the Landcraft (Pack's) Ferry, where he resided until he died, at which place he named and se- cured the establishment of Pack's Ferry Post Office, of which he became the first postmaster, which position he retained until his death. There being no mail service, however, a part of the time during the war, the mail at the date of establishment of this office was carried on horseback over the Red Sulphur Turnpike, and
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Pack's Ferry was the only post office between Red Sulphur and Jumping Branch.
In politics before the war, and up to the date of the formation of the Republican party, he was an old-line Whig, but was opposed to slavery, and a strong Union man, and opposed to the secession of the South or the dissolution of the Union. After the war between the States he continued his allegience to the Republican party, and held the office of member of the Board of Supervisors of Monroe County, and in 1867 was appointed to make the re-assessment of the real estate of five counties of the State, including Webster, Nicholas and Braxton, and was complimented for the excellent execution of this work by the auditor. He was aided in the work of transcribing and making of the land books by J. Cary Woodson, now of Alderson, West Virginia, and Josephus B. Pack, late clerk of this county, and the father of our townsman, James P. Pack, the auditor saying: "It was the best set of books in the State."
Mr. Landcraft was a man of strong convictions, a man of fine and studious habits, reading and forming his own opinions. He was noted for his kind treatment of the former slaves of which he had been an owner. When his father sold two, Ben and Milly, he purchased them, brought them to his home, and cared tenderly for them the balance of their lives. His house was a home for all his friends, and in fact his "latch string" was always on the outside.
During the war it is related of him that he was arrested and taken to Union, on account of his Union principles, to which he stood firm and never wavered in the least. General A. A. Chap- man, General John Echols, and Senator Allen Caperton were his personal friends, recognizing the true and manly spirit, took him to their homes, and, through their influence, soon returned him home. He was noted for his fearlessness in upholding the doctrines deemed by him as right. As an example, when arrested by the Confederate scouts, he was cursed by one for his Unionism, who drew his gun and placed it at his breast. He, without flinching, told the man "to shoot," not moving a muscle or an inch. The captain saved his life by taking hold of the man with the gun.
Mr. Landcraft gave his earnest support to the formation of Summers County, and it was through his influence that the ap- pointment of Josephus B. Pack was secured as the first clerk of the county court of this county, and also of the Board of Super- visors. He was a steadfast friend, of great individuality, as well as firmness of character, esteemed by all who knew him and re- spected by those who differed from him. He, after the war, had
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a long litigation over the Landcraft plantation. The suit went to the Supreme Court of Appeals, and is reported in one of the reports of that court. Mr. Landcraft had the distinction of being the oldest postmaster in point of service in the United States at the date of his death. He was the postmaster at Pack's Ferry office during all administrations.
A trust deed was executed on the land at Pack's Ferry on the 7th of March, 1858, to secure a debt of $1,400.00 due the first day of September, 1862. The property was advertised for sale on the 4th day of February, 1868, and an injunction sued out before N. Harrison, and perpetuated. The grounds were that the times were hard, great scarcity of money and general depression. The plain- tiff appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals, which reversed the Circuit Court of Monroe County.
See Second West Virginia Reports, page 540.
Another suit was instituted by Mr. Landcraft concerning this same New River property, on the 13th of October, 1869, in the Circuit Court of Monroe County, which was decided by Nathaniel Harrison, judge, and which was decided in his favor, but it was appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeals, and decided at the January Term, 1870, and reversed. This was against George W. Hutchinson, Trustee, J. H. Alexander and Allen T. Caperton con- cerning a deed of trust executed to secure Alexander a certain debt.
, See West Virginia Reports, 4, page 312.
The Kent and Watson lands, of about 80,000 acres, were partly in Pipestem District, generally known as the Kent and Watson lands. The owners were James R. Kent and James T. Watson. After the death of Watson, James Watson Williams was made administrator in New York, both owners being residents of that State.
On the 15th day of February, 1844, an Act was passed by the General Assembly of Virginia authorizing said administrator to bring a suit for the appointment of a commissioner to collect the unpaid purchase money on lands sold, and to sell the unsold lands. In the Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery in Mercer County the said Kent and Williams filed their bill according to said act, and on April 30, 1844, and Samuel Pack was appointed com- missioner for the purposes aforesaid, who gave bond in the penalty of $5,000.00, with William G. Caperton, Reuben F. Watts and John McClaugherty as sureties.
Pack died in 1848.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
ALLEN.
Nicholas N. Allen is now about seventy-eight years old, a native of Monroe, but removed to this county before its organization, and married Miss Susan Martin, of Lick Creek, a daughter of Shadrach Martin, and settled on the upper waters of Lick Creek. He had no start in the world except what he gave himself by his good sense and muscle. He cleared out an excellent farm, built an ex- cellent home, became a dealer in stock, and is as prosperous as any man in the county. In his later years he has practically retired from business-a plain man and an honorable one. His family consisted of three daughters; one married Fred Bush, of Hinton, and another, Rev. L. S. Huffman, and Miss Alice first married W. W. Withrow, and after his death, a Mr. Foster; Jacob H., a merchant of Hinton, and Wilbur N., a farmer and capitalist.
Nicholas N. Allen was born in 1828, and is the architect of his own success. He was a soldier in the Confederate Army, is a Pres- byterian and a Democrat. His father was Jacob Allen, who lived on the Indian Draft near Greenville, in Monroe County. Jacob Henderson Allen, who lived farther up Lick Creek, was a brother of Nicholas N.
R. T. BALLANGEE.
R. T. Ballangee bears the name of one of the first families of settlers in this county. He was born near where Talcott is now built, on June 21, 1853, and is a son of Eli Ballangee, who was a constable for several years, and an old and respected farmer citizen. Mr. Ballangee was elected constable, and took office January 1, 1876, serving one term of four years. He has held the office of justice of the peace of Talcott District for two terms by election, eight years, elected, 1888 and 1892, and a part of one term by appointment ; two years, 1886 to 1888. He is a farmer by occu- pation, intelligent, enlightened, progressive and an up-to-date farmer. He married Miss Sallie J., the daughter of George W. Chattin and M. C. Chattin, of Rollinsburg, in 1877, who is still living. They reside at Ballangee Post Office, about two miles and a half from Greenbrier Springs, which post office was established during the second Cleveland administration, in 1893, and was named for "Squire" Ballangee. His son, Homer Ballangee, who is now a justice of the peace, is an intelligent, well-educated young man,
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married Miss Kate Chattin, and lives at Talcott. ""Squire" Bal- langee, as he is always called, has four children, two daughters, who have married-one, Miss Bessie, Frank Dunn, and Miss Grace, who married W. B. Dunn ("Jack"), sons of C. L. Dunn, of Red Sulphur Springs, and Schuyler, unmarried, who reside at Ballangee Post Office.
R. T. Ballangee is a direct descendant of the pioneer of that name who settled on the island at Hinton in Indian days. There are a number of the name still in the county, the older being Lorenzo and Lafayette. Evi, a son of George, died some six years ago near Hinton.
The first Ballangee to settle in this territory was Isaac, who had three sons, Isaac, George and Henry. George inherited the land immediately below the mouth of Greenbrier; Henry patented the Hinton lands, and Isaac the lands on which the city of Hinton is built. Isaac Ballangee, the second, left Lafayette, who married a Pack; Lorenzo, who married a Hicks; Anderson, Richardson and Eli. George left two sons, Evi, who never married, and who died at the old George Ballangee house ; and John R., who settled near Clayton, at the foot of Keeney's Knob. His first wife was Rebecca Graham, a daughter of Joseph Graham, by whom he had two chil- dren, David Graham Ballangee and Mary. After her death he married a Miss Rookstool, by whom he raised three children, John, Franklin and Charley, and one daughter, Susan, who mar- ried Charles H. Graham. George Ballangee made a will, by which he devised the lands between the Hintons and the mouth of the Greenbrier to Evi and John R. Evi never married, and he and his sister lived in the old log house until their death. Interesting litigation grew out of the lands devised by George Ballangee for a partition of this land.
Evi Ballangee was, in 1898, when alone in the house late at night, attacked by three robbers, who thought he had a large amount of money hidden on the premises. They entered his house and attacked him. He resisted, and a desperate fight took place. They knocked out his teeth, and left him covered with blood. They finally overcame him, bound him with cords and rendered him insensible. The desperadoes searched every nook of the house- into the garret and loft, but got no money, and Mr. Ballangee refused to tell them anything, except that he had no money. They would not believe him. They placed his feet to the fire and burned the soles of them into a blister. Finally they left, and he was
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helpless and unable to get loose until next day, when he reported to the authorities. A large reward was offered, and but one of the robbers was ever caught. His name was Crawford, and he was sent to the penitentiary for five years.
FORD.
Hon. Azel Ford is a native of western New York, reared on a farm and educated at the Genesey State Normal School, and fol- lowed the profession of teaching for some time in his native country. In 1878 he came to West Virginia, which has since been his home, and in the development of which he has enlisted and has aided materially. After Mr. Ford located in West Virginia he was engaged for several years as a civil engineer, and he became thoroughly familiar with the vast, undeveloped wealth of the lower end of the State in timber and coal, and acquired large interests in his own right, the prevailing prices then being moderate. After he had resided a few years in the State, having made his permanent abode in Raleigh County, he was nominated as a Democrat and elected to the House of Delegates, and was a member of that body during the session of 1889, when the contested election was de- termined between Hon. A. Brooks Flemming and General Nathan Goff for Governor, Mr. Ford voting with his party in favor of seating Judge Fleming, and his vote was understood to be the deciding vote. Later, Mr. Ford changed his political views from those of the Democratic party to those of the Republican policies ; was again nominated for House of Delegates by the Republican organization, and elected over Hon. I. C. Prince. This election was contested, but he was seated and held the office throughout the term. He always adhered to the policies when in the Democratic organization of Samuel J. Randall, and was known as a "Randall Democrat," believing in the policies of protection as proclaimed by that great statesman. After his death many of his followers transferred their political affections to the party of the protective tariff. Mr. Ford has not, since his last race for the Legislature, been a candidate for political office, but has devoted his time and energies to business.
Mr. Ford was practically the founder of the Bank of Hinton, the oldest bank between Lewisburg and Charleston, and was at its organization elected its president, in 1889, and has continued in that position to the present date. This bank was first organized
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as a State bank by Mr. Ford, the late Edwin Prince, of Beckley ; M. A. Riffe, the first cashier, of Hinton ; E. O. Prince, who was the second cashier, and Burke Prince, on a capitalization of $25,000.00. After several years of successful operation under the advice of Mr. Ford, when the United States banking laws were amended and made more liberal, converted in 1900 into a national bank, and is the oldest national bank in this section of the country, Mr. Ford being retained as a member of the board of directors and president. The policy of the institution has been largely dictated by him, and while he has a greater part of the time been absent, his has been the master hand always guiding its destinies, which have been successfully and. wisely done.
Mr. Ford resided at Beckley, Raleigh County, for a number of years, and owned a handsome residence property in that town. Later, he removed with his family to Hinton, and became a- citizen of Summers County, and is now a citizen thereof, but spends the greater portion of his time in Washington, D. C., in which city he has established a home, but is still a citizen of this county.
He is a business man ; began life at the bottom, and has made a success, and is conceded to be one of the wealthiest men of the State, and is yet comparatively a young man. He, with James Kay, the Scotch coal operator, with Frank and Letus Puckett, built the large brick flats on Temple Street, consisting of thirteen residences. His holdings in coal and timber lands on the west side of New River have been large, and from which he has acquired a large fortune. His good business foresight led him to take advantage of the development, and his holdings rapidly in- creased in value. He projected and was largely instrumental in the building of the narrow gauge iron rail steam road, from New River, at the mouth of Glade Creek, up that stream into the heart of the timber region of Raleigh County.
Mr. Ford married Miss Ewart, daughter of Harvey Ewart, of Livingston County, New York State. Their children are Misses Grace and Anna, who united in marriage with Frank and Melitus Puckett, prominent and successful business men of Hinton. Miss Rosa is at school in a Washington college for ladies, and Harvey is a young business man, engaged and interested in business with his father.
Mr. Ford is one of the largest realty owners in the county, and has materially aided in the development of the city in past years, but of recent years his energies have been spent in other directions.
HON. AZEE FORD, President and Founder of First National Bank of Hinton.
CAPTAIN A. C. HARRISON, Railway Conductor and Democratic Politician.
THE NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENAX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONE.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
ANN BAILEY.
The history of this noted pioneer woman is tradition largely, but enough is known to make it pretty correct history. The story of her life is connected principally with the history of the New River and Kanawha Valley.
In the year 1891, when Hon. Virgil Lewis, the West Virginia historian, wrote of this locally noted woman pioneer, there were still people then living who had known her and conversed with her, among them Colonel Charles B. Wagner, of Point Pleasant; Mrs. Mary McCullough, of Mason County; Mrs. Mary Irons and Mrs. Phoebe Willy, of Gallia County, Ohio, extremely old persons seventeen years ago. The two latter were granddaughters of Ann Bailey; also John Slack, Sr., and J. H. Goshorn, of Charleston, West Virginia.
Ann Bailey's name was Hennis. She was a native of Liverpool, England. The exact date of her birth is not known with absolute verity. It has been claimed that she lived to the age of 125 years. This is no doubt a mistake, but that she did live to a very old age there is no doubt. Her father was a soldier in Queen Ann's war, and served on the continent of Europe under the Duke of Marl- borough at Blenheim. She was named after Queen Ann. She had visited London in her childhood, then five years old. She witnessed the execution of Lord Lovat, convicted of high treason. From this event the date of her birth is fixed at 1742, as approximately correct, Lovat having been beheaded April 9, 1747.
She came to Virginia in 1761. Various traditions exist as to the manner of her coming. Some stories printed state that at the age of nineteen years she was kidnaped and carried away while on her way to school with her books, brought beyond the sea, landed on the James River in Virginia, where sold to defray the cost of her voyage. Others claim she was married to Richard Trotter, and with him sought a home in the Virginia settlement, and because of their extreme poverty, was "sold out" to pay costs of passage, as was the custom in those days, and that they were bought by a gentleman by the name of Bell, residing at Staunton, Virginia, and after their term of service became settlers of Augusta. The facts scem to be that, when her parents died, she was left a penniless orphan of youthful years, alone in the great city of Liverpool. In her extremity she thought of some friends or relatives who had gone beyond the Atlantic Ocean and settled in the colony of Vir-
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
ginia, and she determined to follow them, and went on shipboard and sailed. In time she reached the Virginia Capes, sailed up the James River ; then she undertook the passage through the wilder- ness overland to Augusta County, passing the Blue Ridge. At the age of nineteen she arrived at the home of the Bells in that county, where Staunton now stands. Soon after her arrival she became acquainted with Richard Trotter, a brave frontiersman, fell in love with him and married him. He was one of the youthful soldiers of Braddock's Army; was at Bradock's Defeat." Trotter escaped with his life, and later he married Ann Hennis. Her maiden name was Hennis. She was fair. Trotter was brave. "None but the brave deserve the fair." They were married in 1765. A little cabin was reared by their joint industry in a voiceless wil- derness. Their first child, William, was born in 1767. Pressing westward, a few frontiersmen had located on Muddy Creek in the Greenbrier Valley. This infant settlement survived but a short time, perishing by the hand of the barbarians. Dunsmore's War came on. Richard Trotter's wife was one of the bravest who encouraged the whites to break the savage power and save the mothers and children from the savage tomahawk and knife.
Richard Trotter joined Lewis' Army that proceeded from Camp Union (Lewisburg) to Point Pleasant, and aided in fighting the most hotly contested battle ever fought on the American continent between the white men and the Indians. He was one of the slain, leaving Ann a widow, who watched and waited in her humble home for his return, but he never came. He died in aiding to plant white civilization on the Ohio. Married to Trotter at the age of twenty- three, she was a widow at the age of thirty-two, and so remained for eleven years. She resolved to avenge her husband's death when she finally learned of his dismal fate. It was not a visionary dream. It was an outburst of patriotism and heroism. The Revolutionary War was now at hand. She found a duty to perform, and tradition tells how well she performed it. Her neighbor was a Mrs. Moses Mann, and some of her family were victims of the Indian savages. She tendered a home to the boy of Ann of seven. made an orphan by the Indian bullet at Point Pleasant, and Ann Trotter entered on her unparalleled career, which has no equal in Virginia history. She clad herself in the costume of the border. She joined the re- cruiting stations, where she urged enlistments with great earnest- ness and heroism. Her appeals were first on behalf of the de- fenseless women and children on the border, and when these were not in immediate danger, she was urging the men to enlist in the
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Continental establishments and strike for freedom against her native land.
She was clad in buckskin trousers, with a petticoat, heavy bro- gan shoes, a man's coat and hat, a belt about the waist with a hunting knife attached, and with a rifle on her shoulder. In this garb she passed from one recruiting station to another, from one muster to another, appealing to the patriotism of all she met. The whole border, from the Potomac to the Roanoke, was her field. Long before the close of the Revolution the name of Ann Trotter was famous in all quarters, and her virtue and patriotism, as well as her heroism, were sung by all who knew her or knew of her.
After the Revolution a continued struggle waged, and for long years Ann Trotter redoubled her energies, if it were possible for human to do so; and, on foot and on horseback, she bore messages and dispatches from the eastern settlements to the remotest fron- tiers, among them Fort Fincastle on the Jackson River, Fort Edwards on the Warm Springs Mountain, Fort London, now Win- chester, Fort Savanna, now Lewisburg, in Greenbrier County, then the most western outpost of civilization in 1778, on the southwest- ern frontier of Virginia, with the exception of Fort Ranolph at Point Pleasant. She bore messages between Staunton and Lewis- burg and Point Pleasant on the Ohio. The inhabitants awaited her coming with anxiety. It was 160 miles from Point Pleasant to Lewisburg on the route the army of Lewis marched in 1774. She traveled the lonely defiles of the Alleghenies, crossed the Sew- ell Mountains, the Gauley and the Elk Rivers and other streams. She traversed this region and the valley of the Kanawha, which became the scene of many an adventure by her.
John Bailey was a brave scout. She met him. He was worthy of her admiration and devotion. They were married on the 3d of November, 1785, by Rev. John McCue, the first Presbyterian minister west of the Alleghenies. She was then forty-three years of age. Thus, Ann Trotter, the heroine of the Shenandoah, became Ann Bailey, the heroine of the Kanawha. The marriage record is in Record No. 1, page 7, in the office of the county clerk of Greenbrier County.
When Charleston was founded as Fort Clendenin, John Bailey became the commandant with his bride, the now famous Ann. Here she entered upon a career of unsurpassed daring and adven- ture. Her skill with the rifle was great. Her dexterity as an equestrienne was wonderful. Her care for the sick and helpless challenged the admiration of all. Often she left the fort and rode
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
into the wilderness, carried messages to Point Pleasant, sixty miles, to Lewisburg, to Staunton and other settlements. She carried the letter of Daniel Boone, who was then lieutenant colonel 'of Kana- wha County, to Governor Henry Lee, regarding the military es- tablishment of the county, which is characteristic. He wrote:
"For Kanawha Co. 68 Privits; men and captain at Pint plesent 17 men; John Morris Juner; Insine at the Bote yards 17 men; Two spyes or scutes Will be Necessry at the pint to sarch the Banks of the River at the crossing places. More would be want- ing if the could be aloude. Those spyes Must be Compoused of the inhabitants who Well Know the Woods and Waters from the pint to belleville 60 miles-No inhabitance: also from the pint to Elke 60 miles-No inhabitence; from Elke to the Bote Yards 20 miles, all inhabited."
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