USA > West Virginia > Wetzel County > History of Wetzel County, West Virginia > Part 4
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THE BATTLE OF CAPTINA.
Jefferson, in his "Notes on Virginia, says the battle of Cap- tina was fought on the Virginia side in 1794, and it is probable that he is wrong, for Martin Baker told the author of the his- tory of Ohio (McDonald) the following: He was twelve years of age when the battle of Captina was fought. Now Captina is a considerable stream entering the Ohio at Powhatan, on the Chio side, and on its banks, says Martin Baker, the battle of Captina was fought. The following is the incident which fell from the lips of Martin Baker: One mile below the mouth of Captina, on the Virginia shore, was Baker's fort, so named from my father. One morning in May, 1794, four men were sent over, according to the custom, to the Ohio side to reconnoitre. They were Adam Miller, John Daniels, Isaac McCowan and John Shoptaw. Miller and Daniels took up stream and the other two down. The upper scouts were soon attacked by Indians, and Miller was killed. Daniels run up Captina about three miles, but being weak from loss of blood ensuing from a wound in his arm, was taken prisoner, carried into captivity, and subsequently released, at the treaty of Greenville. The lower scouts having discovered signs of the enemy, Shoptaw swam across the river and escaped, but McGowen, going up toward the canoe, was shot by Indians in ambush. Upon this he ran down toward the bank and sprang into the water, pursued by the enemy, who overtook and scalped him. The firing being heard at the fort they beat up the volunteers. There were about fifty men in the fort. There being much reluctance among them to volunteer, my sister exclaimed that she wouldn't be a coward. This aroused the
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pride of my brother, John Baker, who before had determined not to go. He joined the others, fourteen in number, includ- ing Captain Enochs. They soon crossed the river and went up Captina in single file a distance of about a mile and a half, fol- lowing the Indian trail. The enemy had conceded that they were on their trail and were in ambush on the hillside awaiting their approach. When sufficiently near they fired upon them, but being on an elevated position their balls passed over them. The whites then treed some of the Indians, who then shot again and hit Captan Enochs and Mr. Hoffman. The whites then retreated and the Indians pursued but a short distance. On their retreat my brother was shot in the hip. Determined to sell his life as dearly as possible, he drew off to one side and secreted himself in a hollow with a rock at his back, offering no chance for the enemy to approach but in front. Shortly after two guns were heard in quick succession. Doubtless one of them was fired by my brother and from the signs afterwards it was supposed he had killed an Indian. The next day the men turned out and visited the spot. Enochs, Hoffman and my brother were found dead and scalped. Enoch's bowels were torn out, and his eyes and those of Hoffman screwed out with a wiping stick. The dead were wrapped in white hickory bark and buried in their bark coffins. There were about thirty In- dians engaged in this, and seven skeletons were found of their slain, long after, secreted in the crevices of the rocks. McAu- thor, after the death of Captain Enochs, was called on to lead the company. The Swaney chief, Charley Wilkey, lead the In- dians.
David Prunty was the first man to open up a road in Wetzel county. He opened one from Middlebourne, Tyler county, to Reader, Wetzel county, in the year of 1815. The road is now known as eight mile ridge road.
In the year of 1790, a man by the name of Turbal erected a .
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grist mill near the present sight of the Wetzel county poor farm.
The first mail carried to Wetzel county was carried in the year of 1800, from Fairmont, now Marion county, to New Mar- tinsville.
The first two-story log house along Big Fishing creek was erected by James Lowe, in the year of 1791.
In the year of 1790, George Wade erected a grist mill in what is now Clay district, and run it by water power; it was built of logs in the old style and for a long time did all the grinding that was to be done for miles around. A two log saw mill was erected by John Leaf in the year of 1835 in Proctor district. In the year of 1846 John Sole erected a grist and saw mill combined and run it by water power; the burrs were made of native stone, but did good work.
The pioneer of Grant district was John Wyatt, who came there in the year of 1790. He was followed by James Lowe, Uriah Morgan, James Jolliffe, and a man by the name of Wilson.
The first in Green district was James Troy, who settled on what is now known as the nergo quarters about the year of 1791. The property was transferred by him to Benjamin Rea- der, and from him to Morgan Morgan, who erected a house on the ground in the year of 1804, which stood until the year of 1897. Other settlers of Green district were James Hays, Wil- liam Snodgrass, Benjamin Hays, Z. Cochran, Aiden Bales, Jas- per Strait and many others.
The pioneer of Center district was Benjamin Bond, who set- tled there in the year of 1805.
The first settler in Clay district was William Little, who settled where the town of Littleton now stands in the year of 1810.
The first settler in Church district was Henry Church, who came there in the year of 1782 and settled where the town of Hundred now stands.
GEORGE BARTRUG.
George Bartrug, from whom Burton should have been named, was born in what was then known as Croach Back, Pennsylvania, in the year of 1790. He came with his parents to what is now known as Cottontown in the year of 1806. Af- ter living with them but' a short time he married and erected a cabin near the present site of the B. & O. R. R. station at Bur- ton, and lived there until the year of 1850, when the railroad company purchased the land. He erected another house on the land now owned by his son, Moses Bartrug, and the house stood until lately, when it burned down.
PRESSLEY MARTIN.
Pressley Martin was born in Martin's Fort, in Monongalia county, in which his father at that time was commander. He came to what is now New Martinsville in the year of 1808, and boarded at the house on the south of the forks of the creek and the Ohio river, which was then owned by Abraham Hanes. In 1810 he purchased the land on which is now situated the town of New Martinsville from Mrs. Dulin, the widow of Edward Dulin, and erected a house on the north forks of Big Fishing creek and the Ohio river, which was commonly known as the Point House, on which is now situated the Grand Opera House, and the place of business of Handron & Dulin. He carried the nails that he put in the house from Morgantown to New Mar- tinsville in pack saddles, they having been made at that place by a blacksmith. A short time after purchasing the land, he married Miss Margaret Clinton. While living at that place he farmed the land on which is now situated the prosperous town of New Martinsville, and often made trips to the Kanawha river for salt. In 1836 he laid out the town of New Martins- ville and named it Martinsville, and in the incorporating of the town the Assembly of Virginia prefixed the word New before the Martinsville, making it New Martinsville, from the fact htat there was a town in Henry county, Va., by that name. He died in the year of .. His name will always be remem- bered as the originator of the town of New Martinsville.
HENRY CHURCH.
Henry Church, better known as "Old Hundred," was born in Suffox county, England, in 1750. He came to this coun- try a British soldier of the 63rd Light Infantry, and served un- der Lord Cornwallis in the memorable campaign of 1791. He was captured by the troops under Lafayette and sent a pris- oner to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He remained there until peace was declared at that place. He fell in love with a Qua- ker maiden, Miss Hannah Kiene. She was born in the year of 1755. Henry Church lived to be one hundred and nine, and his wife one hundred and seven. When the first excursion train ran over the B. & O. R. R. in 1852, it made a stop at the home of "Old Hundred," and among the passengers was an at- tache to the British legation at Washington City, who was in- troduced to the old man as one of his countrymen, who sound- ed one of the martial airs of England. "Old Hundred" stood up as though his blood had been warmed with wine, and said: "I know it, I know it!"' He was loyal to his king for more than a hundred years, about which time he took allegiance to the United States. The home of "Old Hundred" stood near Main street, at Hundred, and was constructed from logs. They had eight children, the youngest dying at sixty-eight, on which "Old Hundred" made the remark that they never did expect to raise her; that she never was a healthy child. It seemed that every family of the Churches honored one by naming it Henry, until there was Henry Church, Henry Church, Sr., who was not "Old Hundred," Henry, Jr., who was not the youngest, Henry of Henry, Henry of Sam, Long Henry and Short Henry. They both are buried at Hundred.
ABRAHAM HANES.
Abraham Hanes was born in Louden county, Virginia, in the year of 1784. He came from that place to Middle Island creek, Tyler county, in the year of 1804, where he married Su- sana Martin, a native of New Jersey. In 1807 they came to what was then the mouth of Big Fishing creek, and erected a house on the South Side, and kept hotel during the war of 1812 in the same house that was known to the citizens of the county as the Robert Cox homestead. The ground is now owned by Dr. Underwood. In 1814 he moved with his family one mile below Proctor, and built a house on a run which now bears his name.
SAMPSON THISTLE.
Sampson Thistle was born in Allegheny county, Maryland, in the year of 1781, June 27th. He came to Tyler county, Vir- ginia, now Wetzel county, West Virginia, in the year of 1805. In the year of 1806 he was married to Susana Tomlinson, at the home of the bride in Cumberland, Maryland, in a brick house, which is still standing, and in excellent condition. Af- ter the close of the usual festivities incident to such occasions in those days, they started on horseback to their future home near New Martinsville, where they maintained a comfortable and hospitable home the remainder of their days. He was a prominent and prosperous citizen, being deferred to by his neighbors and becoming the owner of much land. This wor- thy couple raised a family of eleven children, six sons and five daughters, all of whom attained maturity, were married and left the parental roof before their parents died. Sampson Thistle lived to the age of seventy-five years, and was buried in the family burying-ground on his farm, whither the body of his faithful wife was borne a few years later at nearly the same age. Of their large family only one is now living. He was a "Whig" in politics, in religion a Methodist. The land upon which he lived is situated ten miles north of the town of New Martinsville, comprising nearly 900 acres, and is now owned by his grandchildren.
R. W. COX.
Robert Woods Cox was born in the year of 1820 at the Old Robert Woods homestead six miles above Wheeling. He was six years old when his mother died, and shortly afterward the family removed to New Martinsville, Tyler county, now Wetzel county. He attended law college at Meadville, Pennsylvania, but never was admitted to the bar, for the reason that he had to assume the care of his real estate. He assisted his father in the mercantile business. He was interested in the welfare and development of Wetzel county and was a great factor in poli- tics. He was married in 1845 to Miss Jane 'Cresap, who was from one of the oldest settlers in the Ohio Valley, her father settling in Tyler county in the year of 1805. He sold his inter- est in Wetzel county in 1869, and went to Marshall county, where he died ten years later. His widow still survives him, at the age of seventy-nine. He had three children who are all dead with the exception of Friend Cox, who is still living.
JOHN MOORE.
John Moore was born August 24, 1818, at Clarington, Monroe county, then known as Sunfish, in the year of 1818. In the year of 1834 he came with his father, Jacob Moore, to Proctor, where he settled at the mouth of Proctor creek. At that time Proctor was a vast wilderness. He was justice in his district for twenty-five years and was also president of the county court for two terms. He is still living and is good for a number of years, and is recognized as one of the oldest living settlers in Wetzel county.
HON. JOHN M. LACEY, Congressman from Iowa.
HON. JOHN F. LACEY.
John F. Lacey, representative in Congress from the Sixth Iowa district, was born May 30, 1841, on the Williams farm, just above New Martinsville, Va. (now West Virginia). In 1855 he moved to Iowa, and has made his home in Mahaska county ever since. At the beginning of the Civil War, in May, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company "H," Third Iowa Infantry; afterward made a corporal. He was taken prisoner at the bat- tle of Blue Mills, Mo., in September, 1861, and was paroled with General Mulligan's command at Lexington, Mo., soon after, The President issued an order for the discharge of all paroled prisoners, not then deeming it proper to recognize the Confed- erates by exchange. Mr. Lacey was discharged under this or- der. In 1862 an exchange of prisoners was agreed on, which re- leased all discharged men from their parole, and Mr. Lacey at once re-enlisted as a private in Company "D," Thirty-third Iowa Infantry. He was soon promoted to the rank of sergeant-major of the regiment, and in May, 1863, was appointed first lieuten- ant of Company "C." Colonel Samuel A. Rice, of the Thirty- third Iowa, was made a brigadier-general, and Mr. Lacey was appointed by President Lincoln as assistant adjutant-general of volunteers on his staff. General Rice was killed at the bat- tle of Jenkins Ferry, Ark., and Mr. Lacey was then assigned to the same position on the staff of Maj. Gen. Frederick Steele, in which capacity he served until his muster-out in September, 1865. He participated in the following battles: Blue Mills, He- lena, Little Rock, Terre Noir, Elkin's Ford, Prairie d'Anne, Poi- son Springs, Jenkins Ferry, Siege of Mobile and storming of Blakeley. He was struck with a minie ball in the battle of Jenkins Ferry, but his ponche turned the ball aside and pre-
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vented any injury. His horse was killed under him by a shell in the battle of Prairie d'Anne.
Major Lacey's advancement was continuous, and although he was only twenty-four years of age at his discharge, he had in nearly four years' service done duty as a private, corporal, ser- geant-major, first lieutenant, adjutant-general of a brigade, ad- jutant general of a division, adjutant general of a corps, adju- tant general of General Steele's command (15,000 strong) in the Mobile campaign, and finally as adjutant general of Steele's Army of Observation (of 42,000 men) on the Rio Grande.
Mr. Lacey's education was obtained in the public schools and private academies. He was admitted to the bar in 1865, and has continually practiced law ever since, having enjoyed a very extensive practice in the State and Federal courts. He is the author of "Lacey's Railway Digest," which includes all the rail. way cases in the English language up to 1885; also author of "Lacey's Iowa Digest." He served in the Iowa Legislature in 1870, and afterward as alderman and city solicitor of Oskaloo- sa for a term each.
Notwithstanding his long service in Congress, he has retained his love for his profession, and kept up his connection with his law practice. He represented the sixth Iowa district in the Fifty-first, Fifty-third, Fifty-fourth, Fifty-fifth and Fifty-sixth Congresses. He is now a member of the Fifty-ninth Congress. This district has long been a political battle ground, and Mr. Lacey has had a hard contest in each of the campaigns in which he has been engaged. His opponents were General Weaver, Mr. White, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Steck, in these various campaigns. Though active in political affairs, Mr. Lacey has always preferred to be known through his chosen profession, rather than as a politician.
An old and eminent member of the State bar and one of Mr. Lacey's most intimate professional associates, submits this estimate of his character:
"As a lawyer, Mr. Lacey easily ranks among the leading law-
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yers of the State. His greatest success in life has been at the bar, and he still holds a good practice, although for ten years a member of Congress. His success has been attained largely by his indomitable energy and industry. He is particularly strong as a trial lawyer, being full of resources. When driven from one position he will seize another so quickly and support it by such ready reference to authorities, that he frequently be- wilders his opponents and wins out on a new line, which seems to come to him by intuition as the trial progresses. As an ad- vocate to the jury, he is not severely logical, not confining him- self strictly to a mere reference to the evidence, but takes a wider range, and by illustrations drawn from literature or his- tory, he retains the interest of the jury, while at the same time emphasizing some feature of the case."
Major Lacey is one of the Wetzel county boys who went west to grow up with the country. His father, John M. Lacey, was one of the first settlers of New Martinsville. He came to the town when it became the county seat and built the house now owned by Mr. McCaskey, immediately east of the court house. Major Lacey and Philip G. Bier both filled positions as assist- ant adjutant generals of volunteers. They were in the same class at school at New Martinsville when little boys .. Dr. John Thomas Booth, now of Concinnati, Ohio, was one of this same class. Dr. Booth was a surgeon in the Spanish war, and a Un- ion soldier in the Civil War.
Mr. Lacey's mother was Eleanor Patten, daughter of Isaac Patten, of Captine creek, Belmont county, Ohio. She is held in pleasant memory by the old settlers. Major Lacey's parents both died in Iowa.
Robert W. Lacey, an uncle of John F., formerly lived in New Martinsville. He died in Pasadena, California, a few years ago. His widow is the sister of Mrs. Dr. Young, of New Martinsville.
Rev. J. J. Dolliver, father of Senator J. P. Dolliver, of Iowa, used to spend much of his time when a bachelor, at the home of
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John M. Lacey, who was an active leader in the Methodist church.
Williams R. Lacey, the youngest son of John M. Lacey, was born in New Martinsville, and was named after the Williams family, who lived north of the town, and who were ardent friends of the Laceys. Williams R. is now the law partner of his brother, and is one of the most prosperous and successful business men in Iowa.
Mr. Lacey, in 1865, married Miss Martha Newell, of Oska- loosa. They have two daughters living, Eleanor, who is the wife of James B. Brewster, of San Francisco, and Berenice, who is now a young lady. Raymond, their only son, and Kate, another daughter, died in childhood.
We here give an address delivered by John F. Lacey, at Des Moines, Iowa, May 31, 1897 :
FROM BULL RUN TO APPOMATTOX.
Comrades and Fellow Citizens:
I have come a long distance in compliance with the courteous invitation of my comrades of Kinsman and Crocker Posts to ad- dress you on this memorial day. To-day is a flower festival for the dead designed by General Logan, when he was the Com- mander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Kinsman's and Crocker's names suggest memories of the past which bring pride and pleasure to every citizen of Des Moines, and of our whole State as well. Kinsman fell in battle, leading the 23d Iowa, but Crocker, though he died young, still lived to see victory crown our national cause.
We meet on this day with no political purpose, but lay aside all partisanship and forget for the time all matters of difference upon which we may be divided.
We assemble each year on this sad but pleasing memorial to pass the old story down the line to another generation, and to keep alive the spirit of fraternity, charity and loyalty.
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The new corn comes out of the old fields, and new lessons may always be learned by turning our eyes again upon the past. Let us again revive
"The memory of what has been But never more will be."
Every institution is the lengthened shadow of some great man who has passed away. Our people have been led to great- ness by the hand of liberty.
The war was the penalty of a great wrong. Individuals sometimes escape punishment in this world, because death claims them before the day of retribution comes. But not so with nations-they cannot escape. The wrong of slavery re- quired atonement, and severe, indeed, was the punishment that was meted out.
The men who fought against us recognized their first alle- giance as due to their States, and the soldier of the Union with a broader view felt that his country was the whole Union. The war destroyed slavery and again restored the old sentiment of Patrick Henry when he said: "I am no longer a mere Virginian, I am an American."
We could not partition this Union. We could not divide the Mississippi. Bunker Hill and Yorktown were the heritage of the whole people.
We could not divide Yankee Doodle, nor could we distribute among the dismembered States the flag of our forefathers.
When the war began in 1861 we were twenty-six millions of freemen and four millions of slaves. In 1897 we are seventy- millions, and all freemen.
When the body of Jefferson Davis was disinterred and re- moved to Richmond, the funeral train was witnessed by thou- sands as it passed through many States upon its long and final journey, but no slave looked upon that procession.
As I glance over this splendid audience here to-day I cannot
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help but feel that a country filled with such people is worth fighting for, and, if need be, worth dying for.
Kinsman died thirty-four years ago, but his name lingers upon all our tongues. Crocker passed to the great beyond later, but his name is still upon all our lips. The preservation of such a country is worth all that it cost in treasure, blood and tears.
There must be an appearance of right in everything to keep wrong in countenance, and our brothers of the South fought for their opinions with a zeal and earnestness that no men could have shown had they not felt that their cause was just. It is to-day the most pleasing of all things to hear one of these men say, "I now see that the result was for the best. I am glad that slavery has disappeared." Even Jefferson Davis in his history attempts to prove that the cause of the war was not slavery but the tariff. The day of peace and reconciliation has come, and no heart to-day in all this throng beats with any- thing but love for all who' live under our flag. It is not mere emotional and meaningless sentimentalism, but brotherly kind- ness between the sections that were. There are no sections now.
Two ships may sail in opposite directions, moved by the same wind. But the course of all our people has now been directed to the same common goal. We meet in an era of reconciliation. The Grand Army has no vindictiveness. I will recall the war to-day, but will not seek to revive any of its bitterness. We should not forget it, but we should seek to keep alive none of its animosities.
If I bring back any of its horrors it is to the end that we may better appreciate peace. We renew the past to shun its errors.
The body of our great commander, Grant, has recently been enshrined in a new tomb erected by the free will offering of the people in the greatest city of our land, upon the beautiful Riv- erside Drive on the banks of the Hudson.
Napoleon lies in state under the gilded dome of the Invalides
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and his mausoleum is full of the inscriptions of his victories from Lodi to Marengo, from Austerlitz to Pena and Wagram, and even the abominable carnage of Essling is there commem- orated.
But the silent commander of the Union army has a more no- ble inscription than if the names of all his battles had been there recorded. Over the door are his simple and touching words,
"Let us have peace."
Grant's victories made peace not only possible but permanent upon the only sure basis of union. The Potomac joins friendly States instead of separating hostile nations. It does not form a bloody boundary as the Tweed so long separated the land of our ancestors.
Grant should have been buried near Sheridan at Arlington with no sentinel but the stars, surrounded by the soldiers who had died under his command. Amid the stir and living bustle of the great metropolis his solitary grave seems lonely.
His example will live; obstinacy is the sister of constancy, and he never despaired of the Republic.
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