USA > West Virginia > History of West Virginia > Part 33
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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA.
In the Richmond Convention of 1861, which passed the ordinance of Secession, Mr. Willey occupied a seat, having been chosen without opposition to represent the people of Monongalia county therein. His last vote in that body was in opposition to the Ordinance, and on the 21st of April, having obtained a permit from Gov- ernor Letcher to leave the city, he began the journey home. At Alexandria, he was stopped, and not allowed to proceed to Washington. Retracing his course, he proceeded by way of Manassas Junction, thence over the Blue Ridge to Winchester, and from there to Harper's Ferry, where he saw the Government buildings a mass of smoking ruins. Here he was detained some time under military surveillance, but was at length allowed to proceed to Morgantown. He was a member of the first and second Wheeling Conventions, and in July, 1861, was elected by the Assembly under the Restored Government, to a seat in the United States Senate, and on the 4th of August, 1863, was chosen to the same position by the first Legislature of West Virginia. Pro- ceeding to Washington with his colleague, Peter G. Van Winkle, he, by lot, drew the short term of two years, but on the 31st of January, 1865, the Legislature re-elected him for the term of six years. He was a member of the convention of 1872, which framed the present Constitution of the State, in which body he represented Monongalia county. Mr. Willey, in addi- tion to his political life, has been widely known in the lecture field and in literature, one of his most important productions being "The Life of Philip Doddridge," published in 1875.
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OHIO.
The present area of the county of Ohio is 120 square miles. It was formed from the District of West Augusta, by Act of the Assembly passed Octo- ber, 1776. The original boundaries were as follows : "Beginning at the mouth of Cross creek ; thence up the same to the head thereof; thence southeastwardly to the nearest part of the ridge which divides the waters of the Ohio from those of the Monongahela ; thence along said ridge to the line which divides the county of Augusta from the said District; thence with the said boundary to the Ohio; thence up the same to the beginning." The Act provided that the land- holders should meet at the house of Ezekiel Dewit to choose the most convenient place for holding courts. Such a meeting was held December 8th, 1776.
When the Legislature of Virginia, on the 8th of October, 1785, ratified the report of the surveyors who extended Mason and Dixon's Line, Virginia lost nearly the entire area of Youghiogheny county and the re- mainder was annexed to Ohio county.
The first Court for the county convened January 16th, 1777, at Black's cabin, on the waters of Short creek, at or near where West Liberty now stands. The Justices were Silas Hedges, William Scott, David Shepherd, Zacharias Sprigg, Thomas Wallen and David McClain. David Shepherd was recommended to "His Honor the Governor" as County Lieutenant; Silas Hedges as Colonel, and David McClure as Major of Militia. The first attorneys who were licensed to practice in the courts of Ohio county were Philip Pendleton and George Brent. In 1797, Wheeling
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became the county seat. The first court here was held at the house of John Gooding, and convened May 7th, 1797.
West Liberty was established by legislative enact- ment November 29th, 1787, on lands of Reuben Fore- man and Providence Mounce, with Moses Chaplaine, Zachariah Sprigg, George McCulloch, Charles Wills, Van Swearingen, James Mitchell and Benjamin Biggs, trustees. A branch of the West Virginia State Normal School was established at West Liberty, March Ist, 1870.
Wheeling was first laid out in town lots by Colonel Ebenezer Zane, in 1793. By Act of Assembly, passed December 25th, 1795, it was established a town, with the following trustees: John M'Intyer, Andrew Woods, Henry Smith, Archibald Woods, James Nelson, Robert Woods, Absalom Martin and William Waddle. De- cember 28th, 1803, new trustees were appointed, as follows : George Knox, William Irvine, Thomas Evans, John Kerr, William McConnell, Joseph Col- well, John White and Frederick Beimer. The town was incorporated January 16th, 1806, when it was made lawful for the freeholders of the town "to nominate and elect by ballot twelve fit and able men being freehold- ers and inhabitants of the town to serve as Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, and Common Councilmen for the same." On the 17th of March, 1806, a meeting of the freeholders was held, when Mordecai Yarnall, Moses Shepherd and George Miller were appointed to receive votes. The following were elected by ballot: Noah Linsley, George Miller, William Irvine, Dennis Capat, William McConnell, John Carr, Joseph Caldwell, Charles Hammond, Frederick Beimer, John White,
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James Ralson and William Perrine. These met March 22d, 1806, to elect from their number, in pursuance of the Act of March 17th, a Mayor, Recorder, and four Aldermen. George Miller was elected Mayor; Charles Hammond, Recorder; Dennis Capat, William Irwin, James Caldwell and John Carr, Aldermen. The officials appointed George Pannell, Town Sergeant. By an Act of March 11th, 1836, the town of Wheeling was incorporated into the city of Wheeling. Richard Simms, James S. Wheat, Thomas Sweeney, William T. Selby, John Eoff, Moses W. Chapline, Charles D. Knox, David Zane, Z. Jacobs, Dana Hubbard, and John Richie were elected to constitute the Board of Commissioners.
A diversity of opinion has existed relative to the origin of the word "Wheeling," and several theories have been advanced to account for the same. The following, subjoined from Howe's "Historical Collec- tions," appears to be the most probable :-
"It is stated in a communication to the American Pioneer by Mr. John White, that Wheeling was originally called Weeling, which signifies " the Place of a Head." The following tradition explanatory of this was ob- tained from Mr. John Brittle, who was taken prisoner by the Delawares, lived with them five years and acquired their language: "In the earliest period of the settlement of Pennsylvania, some white settlers descended the Ohio river in a boat, and stopping at the mouth of Wheeling creek, were killed by the Delawares. The savages cut off the head of one of their victims, and placing it on a pole, with the face toward the river, called the place Weeling. The Indians informed Mr. Brittle that the head was placed
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there to guard the river; I presume to guard the camp from the incursions of the whites. Mr. Brittle said that if an Indian were asked, after shooting a deer or a bear, where he had hit the animal, his answer-if in the head-would be, 'Weeling.'"
When Wheeling was first settled (see ante p. 221.) Indian warfare raged along the border. The stockade was the only place of safety. Very early one arose at Wheeling, and in the annals of border warfare no braver deed is recorded than the defense of this Fort Henry against an attack by a band of savages, when the assailants numbered more than thirty times the assailed. (See account of the siege of Fort Henry, - Chapter XI., Part I.)
The Grice Family Massacre .- In 1775, Colonel Shep- herd erected a fort at the forks of Wheeling creek. Among the families finding refuge here was one named Grice. After the attack on Fort Henry, in 1777, it was determined to abandon the place. Grice decided to return with his family to their improvement, some two miles distant. Near the mouth of Peter's run, the family was attacked by Indians, who killed, as they supposed, all except one boy, who was carried away captive. When the victims were found, Rachel, a girl of eleven years, was alive. She always insisted that the man who scalped her had light hair and blue eyes.
Attack on Link's Block House .- In 17So, Jonathan Link erected a block house on Middle Wheeling creek. near the present site of Triadelphia. In the fall of 1781, this rude structure was attacked by a party of fifteen or twenty Indians. Link and two of his men were killed and several were made prisoners. Among
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the latter was William Hawkins, who promised the Indians to direct them to his cabin if they would spare his life. When approaching the cabin, he spoke to the Indians in loud tones, so as to give his family time to conceal themselves. This they did, but one daughter was discovered and marched away captive. After pro- ceeding a few miles, Hawkins and Presley Peak-also a prisoner-were tied to trees and tomahawked.
Thomas Mills' Escape .- July 30, 1783, Thomas Mills started on a fishing excursion from Wheeling, in company with Henry Smith and Hambleton Kerr. The last-named was one of the most efficient of Indian ยท scouts. His father having been killed by the Indians, the son swore vengeance on the race, and no Indian was safe who crossed his path. When the fishing party were near Glenn's run, they were fired upon by Indians. Smith was killed instantly, and Mills wounded by fourteen bullets. Kerr was unhurt, and as rapidly as he could rowed the canoe back to Wheeling. Mills recovered, and afterward located in Ohio, near Shade river.
John Wetzel and Frederick Erlewyne, in the spring of 1785, were captured by Indians. The boys had left Shepherd's Fort to look for the horses. John, attempting to escape, was shot through the wrist. His companion, refusing to go with the Indians, was in- stantly killed. The Indians, retreating with their cap- tive, came to the river near the mouth of Grave creek. The settlers from this place, having taken refuge in the fort at Wheeling, had sent three of their number to look after the cattle at the deserted settlement. On arriving, they found the Indians engaged in shooting
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their hogs. They attacked the savages, killed three of their number and rescued John Wetzel.
The Becham Murder .- A family named Becham settled on Little Wheeling creek in 1783. A few years later, probably in 1787, two sons of the household went one October day in search of the horses. A small party of Indians were on the watch. They caught the horses, and when the boys approached made them prisoners and made for the Ohio at Grave creek. Four miles from the river they encamped. During the night they tomahawked and scalped the boys and left them. In their haste their work of death was not complete, neither of the boys being killed. Thomas, the eldest, started for help. Arriving at Grave Creek Flats he was kindly cared for and a party despatched to search for his brother. But before aid reached him the savages had returned and completed their murderous work.
The Purdy Family .- James Purdy was an industri- ous and worthy settler in the vicinity of Wheeling. One night, in 1790, four Indians stepped into his cabin and began their work of destruction on the defenseless family. Mrs. Purdy was knocked down with a war club but afterwards recovered. Purdy and two child- ren were left dead, while two daughters were carried across the Ohio to spend ten years in captivity.
The Folly Family .- Another of those atrocious Indian murders was perpetrated in the vicinity of Wheeling, June 8, 1792. The victims were the wife and children of Daniel Jolly, who was himself absent from home. No one in the house escaped. One son, who was taken prisoner, was recovered by the father after seven years.
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HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA.
GREENBRIER.
Greenbrier, Rockbridge and Rockingham counties were the children of the Revolution, born when the Briton was ravaging the colonies, and when the shores of Virginia were resounding to the tread of her armed oppressor, and her bays and inlets were echoing the thunders of British cannon. The bill providing for the formation of these counties passed the General As- sembly of Virginia, October, 1777-second year of the Commonwealth. The section relating to the organ- ization of Greenbrier is as follows :-
And be it further enacted, " That from and after the first day of March, the said county and parish of Bote- tourt shall be divided by a line beginning on the top of the ridge which divides the eastern from the western waters, where the line between Augusta and Botetourt crosses the same, and running thence the same course, continuing north fifty-five degrees west to the Ohio ; thence beginning at the said ridge, at the said lines of Botetourt and Augusta, running along the top of the said ridge, passing the Sweet Springs to the top of Peters Mountain ; thence along the same mountain to the line of Montgomery county ; thence along the same mountain to the Kanawha or New river ; thence down the said river to the Ohio. And all that part of the counties of Montgomery and Botetourt between and to the westward of the said lines shall be one dis- tinct county and parish to be called and known by the name of Greenbrier."
Another section, providing for the time and place of holding the county courts, fixed for Greenbrier the
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third Tuesday of each month as the time, and the house of John Stuart as the place.
Just when the first court in the county was held is not known. The earliest record in the clerk's office is for the November term of 1780, at which time the fol- lowing justices were present: Samuel Brown, John Anderson, William Hutchison, John Henderson and William Poage. The first entry in the records for the term says that John Archer " came into court, and with the consent of the said court, resigned his office as clerk ; whereupon John Stuart was unanimously elected to act in that office, and thereupon took the oaths as prescribed by law." This entry shows conclusively that the court had been organized prior to the above date, but of that organization no record is extant. At this time Andrew Donnally was high sheriff, and John Rodgers and John Williams were his deputies.
Pioneer Settlers .- In the year 1769 Robert McClan- achan, Thomas and William Renick located near where the town of Frankford now stands. Captain McClanachan, afterwards killed at the battle of Point Pleasant, settled on the north side of Greenbrier river, midway between Frankford and Falling Spring, but soon sold his land to Major William Renick, by whose descendants it is still owned. His wife was Catharine Madison, a cousin of James Madison, fourth president of the United States. After his death she married Captain William Arbuckle, spent several years in Fort Randolph, at Point Pleasant, and afterward lived and died on the banks of the Kanawha, on what is now known as Craig farm, four miles below the town of Buffalo.
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In 1769, Thomas Williams settled about two miles south of Williamsburg, on what has since been known as the Glendi farm. The same year William McCoy built his cabin near where Williamsburg now stands, and William Hughart reared his three miles southwest of the present town. In 1770, James Jordon settled on lands adjoining Hughart's. In 1771, John Patton set- tled at the foot of Hughart's mountain, and William Blake on Culbertson's creek. About the year 1772, Samuel Mckinney located on Muddy creek, near where the Clendenins were murdered, nine years before. His first neighbor was David Keeney, from whom Keeney's Knob takes its name.
In 1773, William McClung settled on the banks of Big Clear creek. When he reared his cabin there was not a store or mill within a hundred miles of his lonely habitation. He patented a large tract of land on Meadow river, and here, December 20, 1777, was born William McClung, son of William and Abigail, his wife. He was the first white child born on Meadow river. Captain McClung was soon joined by his brothers, John and Edward. The first settlement within the limits of Anthony District was made in 1774, by a man named Hatfield. In the same year Andrew Donnally settled on land ten miles northwest of Lewisburg ; here remain the ruins of old Fort Donnally. In 1775, Uriah Jenkins, Frank Ford and John McFerrin settled in the vicinity. In 1776, came William Cavendish, who after- ward became the first clerk of Kanawha county. About the same time, came Alexander Ockeltree and James Burns, both of whom were killed at Donnally's Fort. Anthony Rader added his cabin to the settlement in
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1778. In 1780, the number of settlers was increased by the arrival of James Kincaid, John Gregory, George Mollahan and Charles Hyde.
In 1778, Erwin Williams, James Crawford, David McClure and John McDowell settled near the centre of what is now Irish Corner District. In 1781, they were joined by John Gardner, in 1785, by Samuel Wil- liams, Robert Knox and David Williams, and in 1786, by Samuel Lewis.
Attack on Donnally's Fort .- In May, 1778, a body of about two hundred Indians, determined to avenge the death of their chieftain, Cornstalk, began a siege of Fort Randolph, at Point Pleasant, then garrisoned by a detachment of Virginia troops, commanded by Lieutenant McKee. A determined resistance was con- tinued for a week, at the end of which time the siege was raised, and the Indians, instead of returning north of the Ohio, proceeded up the Kanawha.
Lieutenant McKee, believing their object to be the destruction of the Greenbrier settlement, dispatched two men to notify the settlement of the advance of the Indians. After following them several days they be- came frightened and returned to Point Pleasant. Cap- tain McKee then formed his men in line and asked if there were any two among them, who would volunteer to go to the Greenbrier country and warn the people of their danger. John Prior and Philip Hammond stepped from the ranks and replied "We will."
The Grenadier Squaw, a sister of Cornstalk, but a friend of the whites, painted them as savages, and though the Indians were far in advance, still by travel- ing night and day, they were enabled to overtake them, and came upon their camp at the mouth of Big Clear
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creek, only twenty miles from Fort Donnally. Not knowing whether the Indians had attacked the settle- ment, one of them climbed a pine tree to ascertain from their movements something of their intentions. The Indians were preparing for a massacre.
Prior and Hammond immediately started for the settlement to warn the people of their danger. The following men, with their families, were in the fort at the time of the attack: Colonel Andrew Donnally, Captain Jack Williams, Richard Williams, William Blake, William Hughart, - Hughart, Sr., John Mc- Ferrin, William McCoy, Sr., William McCoy, Jr., Henry Hedrick, James Jordon, Thomas George, William Hamilton, James Graham, William Strickland, Griffin, Philip Hammond, John Pryor, Dick Pointer (colored), and William Pritchart. Alexander Ockel- tree and James Burns were killed as they approached the fort.
William Pritchart, an Irish servant of Colonel Don- nally, in the morning, just before daylight, went across the run to an old tan-trough, either to wash or get some kindling, and was there tomahawked. No one knew of his going out, therefore his absence created no alarm, but he had left the stockade gate open.
The evening before the battle the Indians came to the top of Brushy Ridge, at a point called Bald Knob, one mile from the fort. In the morning they left the ridge and came down to the creek, about a quarter of a mile from the fort, which they followed to where it crosses the road, only a hundred yards from the fort, and knowing the stockade gate to be open, made a sudden rush for the fort. William Hughart, who was standing at the door, saw the Indians, and instead of
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firing his gun to give the alarm, drawled out in his pe- culiar style, "Y-o-n-d-e-r t-h-e-y c-o-m-e," and pushed the door shut.
The Indians made a rush for the door and began to cut it down with their tomahawks. They could open it only partially, on account of a hogshead of water placed behind it. Hammond was soon on his feet. Dick Pointer had seized an old musket heavily loaded with swan shot, and was jumping about the floor, call- ing to Hammond, "What must I do?" Hammond said, "D-n you, shoot!" "Where, massa?" said Dick. "At the bunch," replied Hammond. At this the Indians had partly forced the door open. Ham- mond cut the first down with his tomahawk, and Dick fired, mowing a swathe to the stockade gate, the recoil of the gun knocking him over. This awakened the people above, and springing from their beds, they grasped their rifles and opened a galling fire, which drove the Indians outside the stockade.
Before they retired some of the Indians succeeded in getting under the floor and attempted to set fire to the building. The striking of the flint and steel at- tracted attention, and when they tried to raise the floor the inmates helped them, and every Indian under the floor was killed.
The Indians continued the battle, using every con- ceivable method to capture the fort. By climbing a tree one of the savages was enabled to glance a bullet so that it struck William Blake on the forehead, inflict- ing a scalp wound. But the Indian paid dearly for his folly, for soon after a ball from the gun of Captain John Williams went through his brains. The whites were scarce of ammunition, and were constantly warn-
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ing each other in the use of it. An Indian, who had succeeded in getting within the stockade and climbed the corner of the fort, began mocking them by crying out "Load'em well, shoot 'em sure, ammunition scarce." Richard Williams dug a hole through the mortar and shot him through the body. Letting go his hold, he swung round and fell into a soap trough. At the same time another Indian had gotten under the floor. A kettle of boiling water or soap frightened him out, and a ball from Hammond's gun killed him as he was at- tempting to climb the stockade fence.
The loss on the part of the whites was four men killed and two wounded-Pritchart at the tan trough, Alexander Ockeltree and James Burns, who were on their way to the fort, and James Graham within the Fort. William Blake was wounded in the head and William Hamilton in the finger. Burns fell dead when shot. Ockeltree ran about three hundred yards, and fell pierced by seven bullets.
The news was carried to Fort Savanna, now Lewis- burg, by a scout sent out for the purpose by Captain John Stuart. He and Colonel Samuel Lewis, accom- panied by sixty-six men, started for the fort about noon. They went by the way of what is now Livesay's Mill, up the creek, then westward to Rader's creek, then through a rye field to the fort, arriving about four P.M. When they approached, they thought the Indians had with- drawn, as the firing had ceased, but seeing an Indian behind a tree, Captain Stuart and Charles Gatliff fired, and the savage fell dead. Then with butts of guns foremost, they made a rush for the fort. The inmates at first supposed it to be another charge of the Indians, but soon discovering their mistake, threw open the
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doors. Although the Indians opened fire upon Cap- tain Stuart and his men, and many of them had their clothes pierced by bullets, not one of them was in- jured. The Indians continued firing slowly from an old barn two hundred yards northwest of the fort, and at dark withdrew. Just before dark, an old Indian approached the fort and said they wanted peace, but ' the whites could not induce him to enter. They carried away all their dead accessible to them, but seventeen were left within the stockade fence. These Dick Pointer buried next day, about thirty yards south from the fort. He dragged them to the place with a horse, using a chain, the hook of which was placed in their mouths. Where the remainder of them were buried was never known.
The engagement, except for the cry of Hughart, would have been a complete surprise. The whites fought as they came from their beds, and many of the women, in similar attire, moulded bullets.
The fort was a single log-house, two stories high, and a kitchen one a half stories high, with a passage- way of eight feet between them. The stockade was eight feet in height, made of split logs. The fort stood on the east side of Rader's creek, ten miles northwest from Lewisburg.
Dick Pointer was granted his freedom for his work on the day of the battle. John Davis gave him a life lease to a piece of land, on which the people built him a cabin. There Dick eked out a kind of life, and at his death they buried him with the honors of war in Lewisburg cemetery-fulfilling the saying "Man's good deeds are never known through life, but they live after death."
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Dick was a large, powerful man, very black, and in the latter part of his life became very dissipated. No monument marks his resting-place, but one should be erected over the grave of him who saved more than seventy human beings-most of them women and children-from the tomahawk and scalping-knife of the savage.
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