USA > West Virginia > History of West Virginia > Part 34
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A remarkable incident of the day was the birth of a male child, who grew to manhood, and, from his great size, was known far and wide as Big Joe Hughart.
The Last Indian Incursion .- After the signal defeat at Donnally's Fort, the Indians made but two more incursions into the Greenbrier country, and these in small parties. In the first they came to Muddy creek, and there wounded Captain Samuel McClung and killed Mr. Munday and his wife. In the second they visited the same place, and Thomas Griffith, the last victim of savage butchery in Greenbrier county, was killed. His son was carried away prisoner, but while descending the Great Kanawha, they were pursued and overtaken by a body of whites. One Indian was killed and the boy released and returned to his friends. Thus ended the period of savage atrocity in Greenbrier county in the year 1780.
Lewisburg is situated on the old James river and Kanawha turnpike, two hundred and fourteen miles west of Richmond, and two hundred and sixty-three miles from Washington. Its beginning was the crec- tion of old Fort Union in 1774, which continued to stand until the storm of Indian warfare had spent its force and died away. When the savages no more visited the beautiful savanna on which it stood, then its walls were permitted to crumble to dust, and the old
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pioneers which it had sheltered for many years went forth, 'not with the rifle, but with the axe, to reclaim from the wilderness what their valor had won from the sway of the barbarian, and how well they succeeded in this conquest let their posterity who now enjoy its fruits answer.
In October, 1792, the General Assembly enacted : " That forty acres of land whereon the courthouse of the county of Greenbrier now stands, be and the same is hereby vested in Samuel Lewis, James Reid, Samuel Brown, Andrew Donnally, John Stuart, Archer Mathew, William Ward and Thomas Edgar, gentlemen, trustees, to be by them, or any five of them, laid out into lots of half an acre each, which shall be and the same is hereby established a town by the name of Lewisburg." An- other section of the bill declared it to be unlawful to build a house less than 18 x 20 feet, and, in addition, it must "have a brick or stone chimney."
THE LEWISBURG PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
This is the oldest church organization on the western waters of the Virginias. It was formed in 1733 by Rev. John McCue. He continued as pastor of the Church five or six years, when he returned to the east and was succeeded in the pastorate by the Rev. Ben- jamin Grigsby, who remained until the coming of Dr. John McElheny, in 18OS. Then began one of the longest pastorates recorded in Church history. He served the congregation until his death in 1871, a period of sixty-three years. Because of his age, Rev. J. C. Barr was called in. 1859 to assist him, and remained until 1869, when Rev. M. L. Lacy became the assistant. After the death of Dr. McElheny, he
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became the pastor and continued as such until 1882, when his ill health compelled him to resign his charge and he was succeeded by Rev. J. C. Rosebro.
Soon after the organization of the church a log building was erected, and in this it continued to worship until 1796, when the present "Old Stone Church " was completed. It is built of irregular blocks of blue lime- stone, and is of Gothic architecture. It is the oldest Church edifice in the Greenbrier country. As the worshiper enters the vestibule he may read, on a słab just over the door, the following inscription :-
THIS BUILDING WAS ERECTED IN THE YEAR 1796, AT THE EXPENSE OF A FEW OF THE FIRST INHABITANTS OF THIS LAND, TO COMMEMORATE THEIR AFFECTION AND ESTEEM FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. READER, IF YOU ARE INCLINED TO APPLAUD THEIR VIRTUE, GIVE GOD THE GLORY.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF GREENBRIER.
The first Baptist preacher west of the Alleghenies was the Rev. John Alderson, in honor of whom Alder- son, in the county of Monroe, was named. He was pastor of the Lynnville Baptist Church, in Rockingham county, then far out on the frontier. But no sooner did the settlements in the west assume the appearance of permanency than he carried the glad tidings to them. Between the years 1775 and 1777, Mr. Alderson made no less than three visits to Greenbrier, then a wild, un- cultivated and almost uninhabited country, and while
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on these visits baptized three persons, two of whom were John Griffith and Mrs. Keeney. These were the first persons ever immersed in the western waters of Virginia.
Mr. Alderson now determined to remove to the west, and accordingly, early in the year 1777, set out with his family. On reaching Jackson's river he learned that a few days before, the Indians had attacked the house of Colonel James Graham, in Greenbrier, and had killed one member of his family and carried an- other into captivity ; in consequence of this information he halted for some months, but reached his destination in October. His first location was in Jarrett's Fort, on Wolf creek, now in Monroe, but after a short time he settled on the bank of the Greenbrier river, where Alderson now stands, and cleared a farm on which he afterwards followed the plow with his gun swung to his
shoulder. In going from fort to fort to fulfill his engagements, he was often guarded by a body of armed men. In two years he succeeded in collecting twelve members, himself and wife included. They con- sidered themselves a branch of the Lynnville church, but transacted business as a separate body. On the 24th of October they were regularly constituted into a working body known as the "Greenbrier Baptist Church," and the following year it was admitted into the Ketocton Association.
At this time the members were very much scattered over the country, some living twenty miles from the location of the church, and because of this, the regular church meetings were held in different localities. Occa- sionally such meetings were held at Second Creek Gap, in the big Levels near Lewisburg, and on New river.
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Notwithstanding the members were dispersed over such a wide area, measures were taken to build a house of worship as early as 1783, and in May follow- ing the ground on which the Greenbrier church has since stood was fixed upon as a suitable location. · In July of the following year, the building was so nearly completed that it was used for public worship. This was the first church building erected in Southwestern Virginia.
Accessions continued to be made, and in 1785, some of the members resided at Second Creek Gap, some on New river, some on Indian creek, others on the Big Levels, and one named Burr on Spring creek, a distance of thirty miles from the church building, and yet the records say these members were in the habit of attending the regular church meetings. Mr. Alderson continued his labors here seven years before he met with a single Baptist minister. In 1785, Rev. James Johnson came over the mountains and was induced to settle on the Kanawha. Here he continued his ministry until 1803, when he removed to Kentucky.
GREENBRIER LODGE, NO. 49, A. F. AND A. M.,
Was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Virginia on the fifth day of December, A. D. 1796, A. M. 5796. James W. Williams, Archer Matthews and John G. Brown were the charter members. The first meeting was held April Ist, 1797, at which time the following officers were installed: James W. Williams, W. M. ; Archer Matthews, S. W .; John G. Brown, J. W. ; Dennis McGlauthlin, Sec .; Linna Mimms, Treas. ; John D. Littlepage, S. D .; George McClung, J. D. : and James Johnson, Tyler. On the rolls appear the
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names of many eminent men of Virginia. This is the parent lodge of Southwestern Virginia, and many are the members who have been dismissed to form the nucleus of other organizations.
Williamsburg was laid out in 1833, by Moses McCoy, and named in honor of Thomas Williams, the first settler.
Ronceverte was laid out in 1871, by Cecil Clay. It was incorporated in 1882, at which time A. E. White became first mayor.
White Sulphur Springs .- This is now the most celebrated watering-place in the Southern States, and among the most noted in the world. The land upon which it is situated was originally patented by Nathan Carpenter, who reared his cabin near the spring, and removed his family to it in the year 1774. Soon after his settlement his house was attacked by the Indians, and he and every member of his family murdered, except his wife Kate, who with her infant escaped to a high mountain. Here she remained concealed some time, then, with her infant-now the dearest object on earth-fled to the east, where she found her friends and related to them the sad story of the fate of her family in the wilds of West Augusta. It is said that from this child have sprung some of the wealthiest and most influential families of Staunton, and "Kate's Mountain" will never cease to be an object of interest to those who visit the White Sulphur Springs.
The massacre of the Carpenters did not deter others from settling near the site of the bloody tragedy, and soon after came William Herndon the first to open the Springs as a public resort, he having leased the property from James Caldwell for a period of ten years.
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Early in the history of the country, years before Mr. Carpenter came, explorers, hunters and trappers drank of the health-giving waters which flowed from this mysterious fountain, and related to their friends the story of what seemed to be the rival Fountain of Per- petual Youth. As early as 1772, a woman was brought here on a litter a distance of forty miles, whose disease had baffled the skill of the most eminent physicians in Virginia. A tree was felled and a trough made and filled with water, which was then heated by putting hot stones into it. In this the patient was bathed, at the 'same time drinking freely from the fountain. Strange to relate, at the termination of three weeks she was able to walk to her home. The fame of the cure at- tracted many invalids to the spring, and rude cabins soon began to be reared around it. But the dreariness of the mountains, the bad condition of the roads and the poor accommodations deterred all but the most desperate from attempting to reach the health-giving waters until 1818, when James Caldwell came into possession of the property, and from that time dates the history of the place as a national resort.
Nature has done everything possible to render it an enchanted spot. The valley opens about half a mile wide, and winding in length from east to west, finally passes away into the mountains beyond the view. On every hand is presented the grandest scenery. The elevated plateau, from which the spring pours forth its healing waters at a height of 2000 feet above the sea level, commands a lovely and extended view to the south and southwest, while to the east and west the whole horizon is fretted with mountains, the peaks of which glistening in the clear sunlight, seem to kiss the
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skies .. Kate's Mountain and the Greenbrier Range, with an elevation of 3500 feet above sea level, surround and shelter the valley, while the towering Alleghenies are seen five miles away to the north and east.
Art has done her part as well. Within a few rods of the spring stands the Grand Central Hotel, among the finest buildings of its kind in the south; beautiful walks and drives run in every direction separating one lawn from another. Long rows of dazzling white cottages stretch away on every side, contrasting beauti- fully with the verdant foliage of the lofty forest trees which overshadow them. At night brilliant jets of electric light flash all around, while strains of sweet music fill the air.
The fountain itself is crowned with a stately Doric dome, supported by twelve large pillars, the whole sur- mounted with a colossal statue of Hygeia, looking toward the rising sun.
MAJOR WILLIAM RENICK: His ancestors were among those who fled from persecution in Scotland, and James Renick was the last martyr who yielded up his life rather than renounce his allegiance to his chosen church. The family first settled in Pennsylvania, but soon removed to Augusta county, Virginia, and settled where Swope's depot, on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, now stands, and here, in 1745, William Renick was born. In 1757, the family was attacked by a band of Shawnee Indians ; Robert, the father, was killed and the wife and children carried into captivity, where soon after their arrival at the Indian town, Mrs. Renick gave birth to a child in a wigwam on the site where Chili- cothe, Ohio, now stands. William remained in captiv- ity, then returned to Virginia, and as we have seen,
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became one of the first settlers of the Greenbrier country.
Memorandum Written by Colonel John Stuart :- In the following mentioned year, Colonel John Stuart, then old and feeble, entered the office of the County Clerk at Lewisburg, and in Deed Book No. I, beginning on page 754, wrote the following.
"MEMORANDUM-1798, JULY 15TH. (BY JOHN STUART).
"The inhabitants of every county and place are desirous to inquire after the first founders, and in order to gratify the curious or such who may hereafter incline to be informed of the origin of the settlements made in Greenbrier, I leave this memorandum for their satisfaction, being the only person at this time alive acquainted with the circumstances of its discovery and manner of settling. Born in Augusta county, and the particulars of this place often related to me from my childhood by the first adventurers, I can relate with certainty that our river was first discovered about the year 1749, by the white people. Some say Jacob Marlin was the first person who discovered it, others that a man of unsound mind, who's name I don't now remember, had wandered from Frederick county through the mountains, and on his return reported he had seen a river running westward, supposed to be Greenbrier river. However, Jacob Marlin and Stephen Suel were the first settlers at the mouth of Knap's creek, above what is now called the little levels on the lands still bearing the name of Marlins. These two men lived there in a kind of hermitage, having no families. But frequently differing in sentiment, which ended in rage, Marlin kept possession of the cabin,
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whilst Suel took up his abode in the trunk of a large tree at a small distance, and thus living more independ- ent, their animosity would abate and sociability ensued. Not long after they had made the settlement on the river, the county was explored by the late General Andrew Lewis, at that time, a noted and famous woods- man, on who's report, an order of Council was soon obtained, granting one hundred thousand acres of lands on Greenbrier to the Hon. John Robinson (Treasurer of Virginia), and others to the number of twelve, in- cluding old Col. John Lewis and his two sons, William and Charles, with conditions of settling the lands with inhabitants, and certain emoluments of three pounds per hundred acres to themselves. But the war break- ing out between England and France in the year 1755, and the Indians being excited by the French to make war on the back inhabitants of Virginia, all who were then settled on the Greenbrier were obliged to retreat to the older settlements for safety, amongst whom was Jacob Marlin, but Suel fell a sacrifice to the enemy. This war ended in 1761, and then some people returned and settled in Greenbrier again, amongst whom was Archibald Clendenin, who's residence was on the lands now claimed by John Davis by virtue of an inter- marriage with his daughter, and lying two miles west of Lewisburg,
"The Indians breaking out again in 1763, came up the Kanawha in a large body to the number of sixty, and coming to the house of Frederick See on Muddy creek, were kindly entertained by him and Felty Yolkcom ; not suspecting their hostile design, they were suddenly killed and their families with many others made prison- ers ; then proceeding over the mountain, they came to
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Archibald Clendenin's, who like Yolkcom and See, entertained them until they put him to death, his family with a number of others living with him being made prisoners or killed, not any escaping except Conrad Yolkcom, who doubting the design of the Indians when they came to Clendenin's, took his horse and under the pretence of hobbling him at some distance from the house-soon after some guns were fired at the house and a loud cry raised by the people, whereupon, Yolkcom taking the alarm mounted his horse and rode off as far as where the Court House now stands, and there beginning to ruminate whether he might not be mistaken in his apprehensions, concluded to return and know the truth, but just as he came to the corner of Clendenin's fence some Indians placed there presented their guns and attempted to shoot him, but their guns missing fire (he thinks at least ten), he immediately fled to Jackson's river, alarming the people as he went, but few were willing to believe him. The Indians pursued after him, and all that fell in their way were killed until they went to Carr's creek, now in Rockbridge county. So much were people intimidated in them days by an attack of the Indians, that they suffered them to retreat with all their booty and more prisoners than there were Indians in their party. I will here relate a narrative of Archibald Clendenin's wife. Being a prisoner with her young child, as they were passing over Keeney's Knob from Muddy creek, a part of the Indians being in front with the Indians behind, the prisoners in the centre, Mrs. Clendenin handed her baby to another woman to carry, and she slipped to one side and hid her- self in a bush, but the Indians soon missing her one of them observed that he would bring the cow to her calf,
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and taking the child caused it to cry very loud. But the mother not appearing, he took the child and beat out its brains against a tree, then throwing it down in the road all the people and horses that were in the rear passed over it until it was torn to pieces. Many more cruelties were committed too hard to be related, too - many to be contained in this memorandum. Thus was Greenbrier once more depopulated for six years, but a peace being concluded with the Indians in 1765, and the lands on the western waters with certain boundaries being purchased at a treaty at Fort Stanwix by Andrew Lewis and Thomas Walker, commissioners appointed by Government, the people again returned to settle in Greenbrier in 1769, and I, myself, was among the first of those adventurers, being at that time about nineteen years of age, with Robert McClenachan another very young man ; our design was to secure lands, and en- courage a settlement in the country. But the Indians breaking out again in 1774, Col. Andrew Lewis was ordered by the Earl of Dunmore (then Governor of Virginia), to march against them with fifteen hundred volunteer militia, which army marched from Camp Union (now Lewisburg) the 11th day of September, 1774, two companies of the said army being raised in Greenbrier and commanded by Captain Rob. Mc- Clenachan and myself. We were met by the Indians on the 10th day of October, at the mouth of the Ka- nawha, and a very obstinate engagement ensued. The Indians were defeated, though with a loss of seventy- five officers and soldiers ; amongst the slain was Col. Charles Lewis, who commanded the Augusta militia, and my friend Capt. Robt. McClenachan. Col. Andrew Lewis pursued his victory, crossing the Ohio, until we
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were in sight of some Indian towns on the waters of Sciota, where we were met by the Earl of Dunmore, who commanded an army in person and had made his route by way of Fort Pitt. The Governor capitulating with the Indians, Col. Lewis was ordered to retreat, and the next year hostilities commenced between the British and Americans at Boston in New England, and I have since been informed by Col. Lewis that the Earl of Dunmore (the king's Governor) knew of the attack to be made upon us by the Indians at the mouth of the Kanawha, and hoped our destruction. This secret was communicated to him by undisputable authority.
"Independence being declared by America the 4th of July, 1776, and the people assuming the reins of gov- ernment, a county was granted to the people of Greenbrier, under the Commonwealth, in May, 1778, and a Court was first held at my house on the 3d Tuesday in said month. Not long after which we were invaded again by the Indians, who had taken part with the British, and the 28th day of the same month, Colonel Andrew Donnally's house was attacked, about eight miles from Lewisburg, by two hundred Indians; these Indians were pursued from the mouth of the Kanawha by two scouts from the garrison, to wit: Phil. Hammond and John Prior, and passing the Indians at the meadows, gave intelligence to Colonel Donnally of their approach, who instantly collected about twenty men and the next morning sustained the attack of the enemy until he was relieved, about two o'clock by sixty men from Lewisburg. I was one of the number, and we got into the house unhurt, being favored by a field of rye which grew close up to the house, the Indians being all on the opposite side of the house. Four men
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were killed before we got in, and about sixteen Indians lay dead in the yard before the door; some of these were taken off in the night, but we scalped nine the next morning; this was the last time the Indians in- vaded Greenbrier in any large party.
"Peace with the British followed in 1781, and then the people of this county began to make some feeble efforts to regulate their society, and to open roads and passes for the wagons through the mountains, which by many had been thought impracticable, no wagon at that time having ever approached nearer than the Warm Springs. On our petition the Assembly granted a law empowering the Court to levy a certain annual sum in commutables for the inhabitants for the purpose of opening a road from the Court House to the Warm Springs ; a conve- niency for the importation of salt and other necessaries of lumber as well as conveying our hemp and other heavy wear to market would readily be expected to receive the approbation of every one, but such is the perverse disposition of some men-unwilling that any should share advantages in preference to themselves- that this laudable measure was opposed by Mr. William Hutchison, who had first represented the County in the General Assembly-on this occasion, without the privity of the people, went at his own expense to Richmond, and by his insinuations to some of the members with un- fair representations obtained a suspension of the law for two years, but the following year Col. Thomas Adams, who visited the county, satisfied with the impropriety of Hutchison's representation, had the suspension repealed, and full powers were allowed to the Court to levy money for the purpose aforesaid, and by this means a wagon road was opened from the Court House to the Warm Springs, which made way for the same to Sweet Springs.
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"The paper money emitted for maintaining our war against the British became totally depreciated, and there was not a sufficient quantity of specie in circulation to enable the people to pay the revenue tax assessed upon the citizens of this County, wherefore we fell in arrears to the public for four years. But the Assembly again taking our remote situation under consideration, gra- ciously granted the sum of five thousand pounds of our said arrears to be applied to the purpose of opening a road from Lewisburg to the Kanawha river. The people, grateful for such indulgence, willingly embraced the opportunity of such an offer, and every person liable for arrears of tax agreed to perform labor equivalent on the road, and the people being formed into districts with each a superintendent, the road was completed in the space of two months in the year 1786, and thus was a communication by wagon to the navigable waters of the Kanawha first effected, and which will probably be found the nighest and best conveyance from the Eastern to the Western county that will ever be known. May I here hazard a conjecture that has often occurred to me since I inhabited this place, that Nature has designed this part of the world a peaceable retreat for some of her favorite children, where pure morals will be pre- served by separating them from other societies at so respectful a distance by ridges of mountains ; and I sin- cerely wish time may prove my conjecture rational and true. From the springs of salt water discoverable along our river, banks of iron ore, mines pregnant with salt- petre and forests of sugar trees so amply provided and so easily acquired, I have no doubt the future inhab- itants of this County will surely avail themselves of such singular advantages greatly to their comfort and satis- faction, and render them a grateful and happy people."
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