USA > West Virginia > Summers County > History of Summers County from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 63
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The water of each branch of the creek was utilized by him by erecting a dam across each some distance up the stream, and carrying the water by race down to the mill, where it was brought together and formed into one forebay, where the turbine wheel was located. He erected here a fine frame residence, which took the place of the old log habitation. The old log residence and storehouse were among the earliest buildings of the county, Jack- son Smith and M. Hutchinson having built the storehouse before the war. Later. Smith sold out his interest to Hutchinson and went West. After the death of Hutchinson in 1896, the business was purchased by Samuel P. Bragg, his son-in-law, who later
DAUGHTERS OF MICHAEL AND MARY HUTCHINSON.
Beginning at Left-Mrs. J. Eller Miller, Mrs. Nora Gwinn, Mrs. Jennie Irene Miller, Mrs. Kittie Hutchinson, Mrs. Esta Bragg, Mrs. Eunice Cundiff.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONE.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
sold to W. W. Gwinn, another son-in-law, who now conducts a mercantile business therein. In the later years of his life Mr. Hutchinson abandoned active business, but was engaged in the lumber and other enterprises. His children were Ed., who mar- ried a Miss Surbaugh, and was engaged in the stave manufac- turing business on Lick Creek, and was killed on the Thomas A. George place, by a stave block rolling from the montain and striking him unawares, killing him instantly. J. Ellen. the old- est daughter, married James W. Miller, the hotel man, and now resides in Hinton. Jennie Irene married A. E. Miller, general manager of the New River Grocery Co., and lives in Hinton ; Miss Eunice married Frank C. Cundiff, the railway locomotive en- gineer, and resides in Hinton ; Miss Esta married Samuel P. Bragg, the merchant, and lives at Elton; Miss Nora married W. W. Gwinn, the merchant, and also lives at Elton; Miss Lizzie mar- ried Theodore S. Webb, and removed to Colorado after his death, where she died recently. John A. Hutchinson married the other daughter, Miss Kitty, and they live at Alderson.
Mr. Hutchinson, at his death, was one of the wealthy men of the county, and left a considerable estate. Before he died he exe- cuted his last will and testament, by which he names James H. Miller executor, and left his property practically equally to all his children. This will was probated, and is of record in the county cleik's office of this county.
FERRELL.
James Ferrell was one of the oldest settlers in this region of country. He was born near Forest Hill, then Monroe County, in 1807. The family lived there until he was about grown. His father's name was William Ferrell. At the age of his majority he removed with his family to Coal River, but he returned alone and determined to seek his permanent residence near Lowell, and hired himself to an old Dutch settler by the name of Conrad Kel- ler, who had settled near the present village of Lowell, Conrad Keller being the ancestor of the present Keller generation of Sum- mers County.
James Ferrell, after working for Keller for some time, married one of his daughters, Elizabeth, in August, 1831. Soon after their marriage they settled on what is known as the old James Ferrell farm, on Greenbrier River, back of the Big Bend Tunnel, which is still owned by the two grandsons of James Ferrell. E. D. and
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
James W. Here James Ferrell began life in the woods, the farm being bought by Conrad Keller and given to his daughter, Eliza- beth, the purchase being from a man by the name of Sawyers. James Ferrell was the father of two sons, the elder dying in in- fancy, and the second, D. K. Ferrell, lived to the age of twenty- seven years. He married Celia A. Meador, daughter of Hon. William Meador, of Bluestone, and to them were born three sons, the first being deadborn, and the other two, J. W. and E. D., are the representatives of the Ferrell family and live at the old an- cestral home.
J. W. Ferrell, the elder, married a daughter of S. K. Boude, who is a sister of our circuit clerk, Walter H. Boude, and E. D. Ferrell married a daughter of I. G. Carden, late deputy sheriff, all of whom are still living, except the oldest, of J. W. Ferrell's children, who died in infancy.
James and Elizabeth Ferrell lived to a very old age, the latter living to the age of eighty-five, and the former to the age of seventy-six. After the death of D. K. Ferrell, his widow married R. H. Shumate, a son of Anderson Shumate, of Giles County, Vir- ginia, and to them were born six children. all of whom are still living. One married W. F. Shumate, of Hinton, and another mar- ried James E. Ford, of Hinton, and are now living in that city. Two of the children are living in Giles County, Virginia, A. E. Shumate and Mrs. Loue H. Alvis: two reside in Lynchburg, Dr. C. R. Shumate and Mrs. Rosa L. Paris. Mrs. Celia A. Shumate, the widow of D. K. Ferrell, afterwards Shumate, died February, 1888, and her husband, R. H. Shumate, in 1890.
Messrs. J. W. and E. D. Ferrell, who reside on the old home- stead, are among the most enterprising and thrifty citizens of the county. The ferry at the place is known as Ferrell's Ferry. E. D. Ferrell was asssessor of Summers County for four years, begin- ning January 1, 1901, ending December 31, 1904, with John W. Harvey, of Jumping Branch, as his deputy.
NATHANIEL ALLEN.
One of the oldest and most respected of the early settlers of Summers County was Nathaniel Allen, who resided at the time of his death and for many years before on top of the Big Bend Tun- nel. He was born in 1811, and died June 11, 1903. He was married when twenty-one years of age. He resided seven years at the place where he was born, then located on Big Bend Tunnel, near Green-
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
brier Springs, where he resided until his death. He raised eight children, Hon. A. A. Allen, who married Miss R. J. Wyant; James M., who resides near Forest Hill, and who married Miss Caroline Hutchinson: W. S. Allen, who died in the government service of the United States; John G. Allen, who married Miss Susan Hedrick, and lives at Flat Top, in Mercer County : Miss Elizabeth, who married Deputy Sheriff William C. Hedrick; Miss Sallie, who married John F. Lowe: Misses Susan and Mary F. died, unmarried.
Mr. Allen was a very devout Methodist, and resided near the famous old Pisgah Church, and was one of the pillars of that congregation. He attended the Methodist meetings far and near. and was individually delegated to represent his denomination in the church conferences. This old church building was originally built of logs as a Methodist Episcopal Church. After the seces- sion of the Southern church, the old building went to the Northern branch. After the war a new frame church building was erected by the Methodist Episcopal Church South. This is one of the ancient graveyards of the county, located at this old church, which is entirely filled with graves. Mr. Allen's history and life are indelibly linked with this organization. He was a quiet man, but upright in all the walks of life.
His son. A. A. Allen, known as Archie, resides at the old homestead, and is one of the leading citizens of the county, and is probably the oldest public school teacher in the county. James M. Allen, the land assessor, placed a re-valuation on all the real estate in Summers County for taxation purposes, being appointed by the Governor in 1889. His valuation seemed to have been en- tirely satisfactory, and there was less dissatisfaction from his judgment and decision than from any other assessment which has ever been made. Thi's family of Allens is of English de- scent, and there are a number of the younger generation scattered throughout this section, all of whom are good, law-abiding citizens. Fletcher Allen is a son of James M. Allen, residing in Forest Hill.
KAYLOR AND HIX.
In the settlement of the territory of this country around New Richmond, there are a number of old families identified who have disappeared, and we have nothing but tradition. Among them are Mathias Kaylor, born February 10, 1748, in Germany; died at the age of ninety years. He settled at the mouth of Farley's Creek,
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
opposite New Richmond, a little below. Katherine Kaylor, his wife, was born March 20, 1760, in Germany; married April 11, 1780. There are a few descendants of these German settlers yet in the county.
Michael Kaylor, a son of Mathias, was born April 26, 1784, and married Christiana Adkins, born September 27, 1785. Michael Kaylor at one time owned 1,700 acres of land on the Hump Moun- tain, extending to Lick Creek.
Susan and Love Kaylor were twin daughters of Michael Kay- lor, and were born August 30, 1781. Love Kaylor married John Hix, and was the grandmother of Robert Hix, the present over- seer of the poor of Green Sulphur District.
William Kaylor a descendant of the original Mathias Kaylor, lived until he was killed, about two years ago, on the Hump Moun- tain, near Meadow Creek, when he was shot to death by. one Bennett. He was tried in the Circuit Court of Summers County, in 1905. convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to the peniten- tiary for the minimum termn.
John Hix, the original Hix ancestor of the honorable family of that name, was a native of Monroe County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and settled at Green Sulphur Springs. He was killed by a bull in 1807, near the residence of the Hon. M. Gwinn. John Hix, Jr., son of the John Hix above referred to, was born August 31, 1778, in Cumberland County, Virginia, and died on the farm on which Robert Hix now resides, near New Richmond. William and Andrew Hix were twin sons of John Hix, Jr., born July 27. 1823. Andrew died in 1900. He was a brave Confederate soldier under McCausland. William is still living, and is the father of Robert Hix. William Hix is one, if not the oldest, of the citizens now living in Green Sulphur District.
He has a wonderful recollection of things which are apparently ancient to the younger generation. He remembers distinctly see- ing Indians, in his boyhood days from his father's farm, on their way to Washington City. He was then about fourteen years old, and it was about the year 1837. The three brothers, John, William and Andrew, each lived to be very old men. They were Demo- crats in politics before the war, and continued their affiliations with that party during their entire lives. William resides with his only son, Robert, who is one of the leading citizens of Green Sulphur District, one of the leaders of the Democratic party, member of the Executive Committee, and a very loyal citizen, but not an office-seeker, never having been a candidate for any office,
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
although he permitted the use of his name as deputy for Mr. O. T. Kesler, in his last race for the shrievalty.
In religious affairs Mr. Hix and all of the family are identified with the Missionary Baptist Church. Robert married a Miss Lusher, daughter of Thomas D. Lusher. John Hix, Jr., left the following family: Elizabeth, born October 13, 1804; Catherine, born November 27, 1806: Michael, born January 4, 1809: John, born December 5, 1811; Adeline, born July 18, 1816, who married John Duncan, who lives at Green Sulphur Springs. William and Andrew were twins, born July 27, 1823. William Hix married Jane Kincaid, September 17, 1845, and the following children were born to them: Martha, born July 7, 1850, now deceased ; Robert, born January 1, 1852; Susan, who married Mr. Edwards, born October 3, 1853; John L., born November 20, 1856, now de- ceased ; Virginia, who married Robert Gwinn, born March 3, 1861 ; Minerva Ella married Charles Withrow, and was born Au-
zu gust 3. 1853. The wife of William Hix died December 29, 1828. .. Michael Hix, living on the Hump Mountain, a son of Michael, who died during the war, is also of this family. He was a brave Confederate soldier and a good citizen, as was also Andrew Hix, his uncle, who was severely wounded during the war. One of his daughters married George W. Ayres. John Hix lived on the Swell Mountain at a very high point, where, at one time, the lightning struck his barn, killing one son and severely wounding another, Marion, who now lives near Hinton. John Hix was a president of the Board of Education of Green Sulphur District, as was also his son, James M. Hix, who now lives on Lick Creek- another of the soldiers of the Confederacy.
No one by the name of Ilix was ever known to vote any ticket except the Democratic. Michael Hix, Sr., married Jeriah Dun- can, who lived to be a very old lady, near Lick Creek, adjoining the S. F. Taylor place.
KELLER.
Conrad Keller, the founder of the family west of the Allegheny Mountains, was a German. Ilis son, Abram, went on further west and settled in Gallia County, Ohio. Two sons remained in the Lowell settlement, one raising a family in the old log farm- house near the present railway station, his widow being Polly Milburn, and whose son, Henry Keller, resides on the same farm .on Keller's Creek, where the sulphur spring is located. This spring
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
was discovered by Henry Keller and improved by him, and is a very strong sulphur water, but we are unable to give the analysis. A number of visitors have been entertained at the place, but Mr. Keller, not being disposed to open up the place as a resort, it has not been largely patronized. George Keller, his uncle, lives on the opposite side of the creek a few hundred yards from Green- brier River on the other part of the old Keller plantation. Andrew Gwinn married a daughter of Polly Keller, who was a very sturdy pioneer lady, and used her freedom of speech to her satisfaction on all occasions. One time she had had some talk about one of her neighbors, Henry Gwinn, who brought an action for slander in the circuit court. She employed a lawyer, came to court with her retainers and brought a large chest filled with groceries and food, which she had carried up to the court house, fully prepared to sustain her forces during the litigation. The lawyers inter- vened, and the troubles were settled, however, in her favor, in a trial before the court. She was a lady of strong character, and on one occasion. when the railroad company was trespassing on what she conceived to be her domain and invading her rights, she secured her old mountain rifle, went out to the land lines, remain- ing however, on her own side of the fence, took steady aim and ordered the railway forces to clear out. all of whom took to the woods at a long run, and the boss landed at the court house, de- manding a warrant, but was persuaded out of the notion. She was known to be thrifty and always had considerable money, several hundred dollars of which was stolen from her house where she had it concealed. Her husband died many years before she did, after which she took charge of all the affairs, managed the farm, fed her stock and did a man's work. She was woman of strong. but generous character, and with womanly virtue and instincts. She was a sister of the late Henry Milburn, and was raised on Greenbrier River. The only ancestors of this old generation of settlers still residing in the county by the name of Keller is the venerable George Keller, his son, the Rev. Wallace Keller, and his grandson. the store manager for Johnson, Miller & Co. at Low- ell. His daughter Sally lives at Pence Springs, having married Sheriff O. T. Kesler. George Keller married a daughter of Jessie Beard. Miss Madora. There was a Keller settlement on Symms' Creek, in Galia County, Ohio.
The original settler in this country was Conrad Keller, who came from Germany and settled in the Valley of Virginia. There
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
he raised a family, among which there were three boys. One set- tled in Pennsylvania ; one removed to Indiana, and another, Con- rad, settled at Lowell, and his son, Abram Keller, married Susanna Newsome, a French woman and sister to General Newsome, of Gallipolis, Ohio. Abram Keller, who settled in Gallia County, Ohio, raised fourteen children. One of his son's name was George, who was born before he settled in Ohio; the others were born afterward. The removal to Ohio took place about the year 1817. Newsome is an old name up in the Lick Creek settlement. The place now owned by Harrison Gwinn on the mountain between Lick Creek and Duncan's Creek is known as the Newsome place.
J. E. C. L. HATCHER.
J. E. C. L. Hatcher was born on the 6th day of June, 1843, in Jumping Branch District, Summers County, West Virginia. He is a man of original native ability, although he claims to have had no education except what he secured through his own efforts. He was a son of Edmund Hatcher, who was one of the early settlers of that region, and who removed to that place from Frank- lin County, Virginia.
John Edward Charles Lewis, the subject of this sketch, came with his parents to what is now Summers County when a boy. He was a brave Confederate soldier, fighting four years through the Civil War, and since that conflict has been a member of the Republican party and a leader in its councils, independent, how- ever, and voting for those whom he believes will give the people the best administration in local governmental affairs.
In 1900 he was a candidate for the nomination of justice of the peace, but was defeated in the convention. He promptly went to work and got out petitions by his neighbors, by which means he secured his name to be placed on the ticket, and was voted for at the election in the fall, and, to the surprise of every one, was elected by a good, creditable majority, and held the office for four years, and has ever since been known as "Squire" Hatcher. He was a great debater. going to the school houses where the boys held debates and joining with them, and was quite entertaining. He engaged in the manufacture of brandy for a number of years after the war, taking out, however, Government license. Ile is an honest, loyal and patriotic citizen.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
THOMPSON.
With the formation of the county, the building of the C. & O. Railway and the developments following, there came within its borders many new citizens, some from adjacent counties and the immediate section, some from other States, and some from other parts of our own State. Among the latter was Major Benjamin S. Thompson, a native of Kanawha County, but who settled among us directly from Kentucky, where he had sought a new home after the devastations of the Civil War. He with his sons, Honorables Cameron Lewis Thompson and Wm. Roote Thompson, located in . Hinton in 1874, engaging in general business pursuits, Hon. C. L. Thompson in the publication of the "Mountain Herald," and Hon. Wm. R. in the practice of the law with his brother, J. S. Thomp- son, who also settled in the county about the same time, and who was assistant prosecuting attorney to W. G. Ryan, and one of the first lawyers to locate in the county.
Major Benjamin Stanton Thompson was born at Coal's Mouth (now St. Albans), Kanawha County, Virginia, March 26, 1818. His parents were Hon. Philip Rootes Thompson and Elizabeth, his wife, whose maiden name was Slaughter, she being the daughter of Robert Slaughter, of "The Grange," Culpeper County, Virginia.
Major Thompson received his education from tutors in his father's family, and at William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia. He studied law, and it was his purpose to make it his profession ; but his father died after a few days' illness, and this event changed the course of Major Thompson's life. He inherited the home place, "Muccomore Castle," and became a farmer, which occupation he continued in until 1861, when the Civil War came on and he joined the Confederate Army, and was made captain and quartermaster of the 26th Virginia Regiment, Infantry, Col- onel John McCausland. He continued with his regiment until after the surrender of Fort Donelson, but when the regiment was or- dered back to Virginia, he was ordered to remain and report to General S. M. Barton, commanding a brigade in the Division of Major General Carter L. Stevenson, and later was commissioned a major. Major Thompson remained in the army until after the surrender of Lee at Appomattox.
In the summer of 1865 he returned to Coal's Mouth, Kanawha County, and lived there until 1867. when he moved to Kentucky and engaged in merchandising.
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
In 1874 he returned to West Virginia, and took up his resi- dence at Hinton, Summers County, where he resided until 1898, when he moved to Huntington, West Virginia, where he now lives at the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. He was postmaster at Hinton during the first administration of Cleveland, and filled the office to the satisfaction of the people and the Government. He also filled the office of mayor of the city of Avis after the expira- tion of his term as postmaster of Hinton, and was the mayor at the date of the consolidation of the towns of Old Hinton and Hin- ton by Special Act of the Legislature in 1897.
He was also candidate for clerk of the county court against E. H. Peck in his first race in 1876. Major Thompson is a true type of the old loyal Virginia gentleman, fast disappearing from the land. His wife is a direct descendant of the famous generals, Charles and Andrew Lewis, and is now eighty-seven years of age ; and both of these old people aided largely in founding the county. They are now residing in Huntington, surrounded by their chil- dren, enjoying the evening of useful lives well spent. They are still active in their enjoyment.
CAMERON LEWIS THOMPSON.
Cameron Lewis Thompson was born at Coal's Mouth (now St. Albans), Kanawha County, Virginia, and was the eldest child of Major Benj. S. Thompson. He was educated in the public schools and at the Lewisburg Academy, Greenbrier County, Virginia.
At the age of eighteen he joined the Kanawha Riflemen, Con- federate Army, April 17. 1861, which company was one of the ten companies forming the 22d Virginia Infantry, Confederate Army. At the close of the war he was a captain, serving on the staff of General Wm. Terry Pickett's Division, C. S. A. He was cap- tured at Appomattox C. H., April 9, 1865, and paroled in May, 1865, and went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and worked in a hardware store at $35.00 per month, and paid $30.00 per month board. He lived in Cincinnati four years, and afterwards moved to Mayfield, Ky., where he engaged in merchandising until compelled by ill- health to move to a higher climate. He came to Hinton, Sum- mers County, West Virginia, February 1, 1872. It was his inten- tion to make the law his profession, but in December, 1873, at the request of the Hon. Frank Hereford, and other influential men of
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HISTORY OF SUMMERS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA.
the Democratic party, he was induced to start a weekly news- paper at Hinton, and before the first of June, 1874, the "Mountain Herald" made its appearance as a weekly Democratic newspaper. It was not Mr. Thompson's intention to continue in the active management of. the paper longer than necessary to find a compe- tent man for the work, but circumstances ruled otherwise, and he continued to publish the paper until September, 1885, when he sold the "Mountain Herald" to Major E. A. Bennett, and pur- chased the Huntington "Advertiser," and continued in control of that paper until 1892.
In 1888 he took up his residence in Huntington, West Virginia, and has made his home there ever since. Mr. Thompson was one of the pioneers of the city of Hinton, and labored earnestly for its growth and development. In looking over the old files of his pa- per, the "Mountain Herald," we are forcibly reminded of his loy- alty to his town by article after article editorially bringing to the attention of the public the advantage to investors and settlers to be derived by locating in the new and growing city of the moun- tains, giving the city and the people the benefit of a fine advertis- ing of inestimable value to any community.
He also took an active interest in politics, being a staunch sup- porter of the Democratic faith, the editorials of his paper being strong and clear cut. That paper, while under his editorial con- trol, was ably conducted, and was one of the cleanest papers ever printed in our State. We are under obligations to Mr. Thompson for the use of the files of this paper during the time of his publica- tion, which have been of much use to us in the chronicling of the events during the years of its publication.
Mr. Thompson was in the seventies a candidate for the nomi- nation for State Senate on the Democratic ticket, and later for State Auditor, but the combinations against him were more than he could overcome. In 1892 he was appointed to a position in the office of Hon. I. V. Johnson, Auditor, which was one of the most lucrative in the State. Since the expiration of his term he has made his home in the city of Huntington, where he has met with great business success, and is now one of the wealthy men of that city.
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