USA > West Virginia > Wood County > Sketches of Wood County : its early history : as embraced in and connected with other counties of West Virginia : also brief accounts of first settlers and their descendants : including accounts of its soils, timber, minerals, water, and material wealth > Part 3
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The traet of 2314 aeres in this county, surveyed and patented to him, has, sinee that time, been known by the name of "Washington Bottom." . It is a fine body of land sitnated, in a bend of the Ohio, immediately below Blannerhassett's Island. It was first settled in the fall of 1806, by emigrants from London county, Va. No portion of our county was first settled by more noble, generous and worthy citizens, than Washington Bottom. They brought with them their oid Virginia bearing and hospitality, and a most cordial welcome was given to those who visited that portion of our country. The early settlement of "Washington Bottom" and sketches of its citizens and families is reserved for a future Chapter in this series.
It will be noticed by the reader that General Washington in 1771 became a large land holder i, the District of West Angusta, and dur- ing the Indian war he had b ome acquainted with the character of the early pioneers of Western, and North Western Virginia. Proba- bly it was owing to these facts that during the dark days of the Rev- olution, when the liberties and independence of these States trembled in the balance of social, political and religious freedom, that caused him to look to the District of West Angusta, as his place of retreat, in the event of a failure of the American cause : and from here he would maintain the struggle and continue the war for national independ- enee. During the French war he had become acquainted with these men, and could rely upon them as aiding and sustaining him in the cause of freedom against the government of Great Britain. Gen. Washington in early life formed a very correct idea of the importance of the Western country and of the necessity of having inland commu- nications with the Eastern portion of the State. Other large grants and surveys were made about the same time. One opposite Parkers- burg, of 28,000 aeres was made to Van Strobo and others, for military services.
For the purpose of increasing emigration and furnishing homes on a cheap seale to the young, adventurous and enterprising yeomanry of those early years in Virginia's history, and to cause them to colonize and settle upon. her trans-alleghany domain-her wide spread wilder- ness territory, the House of Burgesses, by colonial enactments and laws, presented and gave to the actual settlers of these lands, great inducements. Among the laws thus enacted, was that of a settle- ment right and preemption claim. This legislative enactment or col- onial law secured to the individuals, who might take up, occupy, elear and cultivate a few acres of land and ereet a cabin thereon, a patent for 400 acres of land around and including the improve- ment, with the further right of preempting by entry or treasury war- rant, 1000 acres adjoining the said settlement right of 400 acres, within a specific limited time. There were many persons who made · efforts to avail themselves of the liberal provisions of these laws of
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SETTLEMENTS, RIGHTS, &C.
colonial legislation, but owing to the trouble arising from predatory bands of Indians, then infesting the country, many of these settlers abandoned their claims thus made. Vet under the provisions of these laws a few settlements were successfully made in Western, and North- western Virginia, while it was embraced in the District of West Augusta, prior to the year 1776. Also like settlements were made between the years 1776 and 1784, when it was included in the counties of Monon - galia and Ohio, and also, when this valley was included in Harrison county, between the years 1784 and 1799, when this (Wood) county was formed, like settlements were made.
The first actual settlements made in the valley of the Ohio, and in this county, were made under the provisions of these settlement rights and preemption laws of the commonwealth. And further we may add, that it was under the provisions of these laws, arose what was once gen- erally known in this country as the "Tomahawk," right or title. A Tomahawk claim or right was generally made by selecting some prom- inent place or situation, and making a deadening of the growing timber, and marking his name and date of his claim on prominent trees, as bis entry. By this mode of proceeding he gave notice to all land adventur- ers of his settlement right to 400 acres and pre-emption claim, to 1000 acres of land surrounding the deadening thus made, and the rights claim- ed thereby. The first settlers in this country recognized these Toma- hawk entries, and the rights growing out of thiem, and they were fre- quently sold and transferred to persons who afterwards settled upon them and perfected a title.
From the year 1769 the date of the treaty of peace with the Indians, under Governer Dunmore, of Virginia, to the year 1795, the date of the treaty of peace made after the victories of General Anthony Wayne over the Indians inhabiting the Northwestern territory, there were in this vast wilderness territory, but a few inhabitants, scattered in settlements far apart from each other, who had here secured homes. Yet this wide wildernes domain invited the enterprise of land speculators from the Eastern and Northern states. These speculators procured from the Land Office of Virginia, at a nominal price, land warrants for large en- tries and tracts of land, to be located in this unbroken forest wilderness. A large proportion of these entries and surveys were inade in this coun- try, between the years of 1785, after the close of the Revolutionary war, and 1795, after the close of the Indian war under General Wayne, During these twelve years, numerous Indian bands, from various tribes, were on the war path, passing through and infesting and carrying on a sickening war upon these frontier settlements of Western and North- western Virginia and the Districts of Kentucky.
The colony of Virginia had adopted no correct and sure system for having her wild, unsettled lands surveyed and divided off into sections of any given quantities, by which persons might and could enter their land warrants. But instead of pursuing such a ssytem, hier policy was
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SURVEYS OF LANDS.
to let the owner of a land warrant locate and make his own entry and survey wherever he chose, leaving the rights to the land thus acquired by the landholder subject to the rights of any prior claim or patent.
Under this policy distant land speculators or land companies procured their land warrants for a definite number of aeres. The number of acres named in these warrants, the holdor of them entered, independent of oth- ers, who may have entered lands or without any correet knowledge of the lands he was entering.
Owing to the many dangers. arising fror. predatory bands of Indians then infesting this wilderness and Inrking in ambush to wreak their ven- gcance, only a few surveys of these wild lands were made at the time of their being entered.
The course most generally pursued by the surveyor in those years was, . to select some very noted or prominent point and mark a beginning cor- ner, and run and mark the line for some little distance, and then in his camp protract a chain of surveys many times, not even knowing where they might end, leaving the entire chain of surveys dependent upon the first survey and beginning corner. In after years when these protract- cd surveys were run out, the lines would be found to eross the Ohio river or would frequently intercept and cross the lines of other surveys, so that in some instances the lands would be covered by two or three dif- ferent patents, bearing different dates. This insecure and equivocal pol- icy, adopted when Virginia was a colony under the British Government, has caused immense trouble in the land titles of Western and Northwest- ern Virginia. These troubles are not all yet ended. In past years they have hindered and retarded its settlements by the uncertainty connected with her land titles, causing many to leave or pass by and seek homes in the far West, where a more safe policy obtained.
Chapter upon chapter might be written in reviewing the past history of the early settlements of Western Virginia, thereby disclosing many of the causes and considerations which acted as hindrances to the growth and population in all the essential clements of material wealth. Among these might be noticed the fact that the Legislature of the State was slow to award to her any material aid in the opening up and developing her resources and advantages. In the early years of her history she was made to feel her dependence upon the clemency of the Eastern mem- bers composing that august body of legislation.
This and the preceding chapters will furnish the inquiring mind with a key which will u lock, open and diselose many of the adverse causes which in the past was held in check the tides of cmigration to her lofty mountains and beautiful valleys, and the reasons why the development of her internal wealth was not sooner madc. They also furnish the rea- sons why the prosperity, health and happiness enjoyed by persons in her pure mountain air, her mineral waters and invigorating climates were passed by.
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RESULTS.
But her past history discloses the fact that amid all these adverse con- ' ditions she has held on her way, and though her external wealth and in- creasing population has not been rapid as compared with many other States of the Union, yet it has been healthy and advancing. And not- withstanding all these varied conditions, she can look with pride upon her native-born citizens and feel that she has contributed her full share of great men-men whose names brightly adorn the history and fame of our common country.
In closing this chapter the numerous and health-restoring springs of mineral water which abound in these mountains should not be lost sight of. Their reputation is fast becoming world-wide. The invalid is made to rejoice and look forth upon life with renewed hopes. . Again, while closing, we turn and with gladness of heart contemplate her mild and in- vigorating climate; the salubrious and health-restoring atmosphere of her grand, majestic mountains; her picturesque and lovely valleys in all the splendor of their scenery; all-all conspire to give breadth and . strength to the mind, and force upward the intellectual and moral growth of character; to energize, expand and elevate the moral perceptions, and call forth the generous emotions of the heart. The contemplation of the wild, majestic scenery of these lofty and picturesque mountains, are well calculated to enlarge and give force and power to thought and strength of purpose to its inhabitants. Again, the soft, mellow tints of her flushed, golden sunsets, as they fade into azure loveliness and deepen into the shades of night, awaken within the soul the purest emotions of grateful adoration and praise to that infinite Being who has piled up these sub- lime ranges and overshadowed .them with such gaudy vestments. And yet for years past, this majestic mountain scenery-this "Switzerland of America "-has been passed by for the unvarying monotony of the "plains of the farther West," where health and happiness have been sac- rificed.
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CHAPTER V.
INDIAN HOSTILITIES.
Among the present inhabitants of Western and Northwestern Virginia . . there are but a few, a very few, if any, to be found who know of the fre- quent alarms, the sufferings and privations, incident upon its early set- tlements. Even the present frontier life along our far Western border presents but a faint idea of the many hardships, adventures and tragedies of the early pioneers into the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys. What a vast and mighty change has come over the world of mankind during the last one hundred years, especially in our country, under the fostering care of our republican institutions. The dark, impenetrable forests which secreted the Indian in his acts of barbarism, cruelty and blood, have with him faded, and are disappearing like the mist upon the moun- tains, as the sunlight of civilization and earnest enterprise has gone forth and opened up the treasures of wealth in our wide spread country, from ocean to rean. The proud and haughty spirit of the bloody and re- vengeful ... dian has been broken, and the years of his doruinion are clo- sing upon the great drama of time. Soon all the traces of his dark and bloody empire will have passed away, and the vast realms of hi wilder- ness home will be lost in the noontide glory of American greatness.
We propose devoting this chapter to giving accounts of these raids and depredations made by Indians, within the original limits of Wood county as far as they have come to our knowledge.
After the close of the Revolutionary War in 1783, and the treaty of peace with the English Government, the war spirit and hostility of the
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GEN. HARMAR AND OTHERS-CAPT. CARPENTER.
Indians, who had been in alliance with them, did not cease. From that time to 1795 small parties of Indians would make raids upon the white settlements of Western and Northwestern Virginia and Kentucky for the purpose of plunder, taking captives and scalps from the victims of their inhuman barbarity. The treaties made with a few of these North - western tribes were but of little worth, soon violated on either side, af- fording and giving no quiet security to the settlements. ·
Owing to these causes it was not until 1785 that any permanent set- tlements were made in any part of the territory embraced in the origi- nal boundaries of Wood county, of which any definite knowledge can be ascertained at this time. There were, however, in 1783, and prior thereto, pre-emption rights or tomahawk claims made by Samuel and Joseph Tomlinson, the three Briscoe brothers, Robert Thornton and others, in the rich bottom lands of the Ohio river. But no accounts of any Indian depredation being made upon any of them have come down to us.
From the year 1785 to 1795, all the tribes of the Northwestern terri- tory, excepting the Moravians, were engaged in a united war upon the white settlements of this great valley. Early in the fall of 1791, Gen- eral Harmar started with an army made up of militia and 300 regular troops from Fort Washington (now Cincinnati) for the Indian towns in the Miami and Scioto Valleys, and in two engagements with the Indians was badly defeated each time. In November following, General Arthur St. Clair raised an army of about the same number and started from the same Fort, for the same valleys, but met a very signal defeat and great loss of life. These successes of the Indians gave them great confidence of final success and caused them to reject all offers for negotiations for peace. In December following, General Scott raised a volunteer regi- ment at Louisville. Ky., and invaded the Miami Valley and defeated the Indians and recaptured much of the army property lost by General St. Clair, and returned to Kentucky. This expedition inspired the frontier settlements with hope.
It was during the year 1790 that the first Indian raids were made upon this county. In September 1791 a party of Indians crossed the . Ohio river and captured a bright mulatto boy belonging to Capt, James Neal, of Neal's Station, named Frank Wycoff, while on their way to West Fork river (a branch of the Monongahela). But ou their way there they came across the trail made by Capt. Nicholas Carpenter, of Harri-
son county, in driving a drove of cattle to Marietta. Y turned their course and followed the trail, supposing it to be that of e rants. Capt. Carpenter, with his son and four persons with him, had crossed Bull creek with his drove und encamped on a run. On the next morning the In- dians surprised and made an attack and killed him and his son, and three of the men with him. Mr. Jesse Hughes, one of the men, by his fleetness made his escape and returned to Harrison county. The Indians after scalping those they had killed, returned to where they had tied Frank, who, whilst they were absent, had released himself and made safe his es-
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JAS. KELLEY, MR. WOOD'S SONS,
cape back to his master. That run has since been known in the county by the name of Carpenter's run. Mr. Isaac Williams headed a party and made pursuit after the Indians, but failed in overtaking them. They returned and buricd the mutilated bodies of Capt. Carpenter and the oth- ers. They then returned home and made their defences against the In- dians more secure.
During the fall of the year, Mr. James Kellcy, who, with his family resided at Belleville, on the Ohio river, in this county, eighteen miles below Parkersburg, while out at work was surprised, shot and sealped by a party of Indians on their return home. His oldest son, Joseph, who was with him, then six years old, was captured and taken off by them to a Shawnee village in Ohio, where he remained until after the treaty of peace at Greenville in 1795, when he was surrendered to Com. R. J. Meigs, and returned to his widowed mother, then residing at Marietta. He had been adopted by an aged Indian warrior (who had lost his five sons in battles), named Merhalenæ, and received great kindness at his hands; and indeed he had become so much attached to his foster Indian father that he parted with him in sorrow. Mr. Kelley finally settled and married in Marietta, raised a large and respectable family of children, and dicd there some years since, respected and beloved for his many vir- tues. In other ycars we have heard him speak of the kindness mani- fested for him by his Indian father, and the painful regrets he had when he parted with him and his Indian friends. .
Sometime during the summer of 1790 a party of Indians crossed the Ohio river below Parkersburg, for the purpose of destroying Neal's Sta- tion and capturing Capt. Jas. Neal. They had secreted themselves in ambush a short distance up a run from the station for the purpose of as- certaining its strength. While thus secreted, two boys of Mr. Wood, aged twelve aud fifteen years, were sent out in the evening to hunt the cows, came upon the Indians, who at onee seized and tomahawked them. Their screams were heard by Mrs. Neal at the Station. The Indians fearing the alarm thus made, scalped the boys and then left, thus aban- doning their attack upon Mr. Ncal and the force at the Station.
In the fall of 1792 Mr. Daniel Rowell, a son-in-law of Capt. James Neal, and his son Henry Neal, and a Mr. Triplett, Icft Neal's station and ascended the Little Kanawha river in a canoe, some forty iniles. to the mouth of Burning Springs run, now in Wirt county, on a hunting excursion. On the cvening of their landing they built a camp, while Mr. Rowell took off the lock of his gun to examine the spring. Just at that time they heard what they supposed to be the clucking of wild turkeys on the opposite or south shore of the river. Thinking of the fine repast a good turkey would make for a supper, they sprung into their canoo, Mr. Neal and Mr. Triplett standing, and Mr. Rowell seated in the stern, working and stecring the canoe across the river. As it struck the shore they were fired upon by the Indians in ambush, and Mr. Neal and Triplett fell dead into the river. Mr. Rowell sprang over the stern
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HENRY NEAL & MR. TRIPLETT AND PARCHMENT.
of the canoe with his gun in his hand and swam back to the northern shore, while a shower of bullets fell around him but failed to do execu- tion. On reaching the shore he saw that the Indians were pursuing him in the canoe, and to facilitate his escape hid his gun (as he always said) under a red oak log in Burning Spring run. From thence he passed out a short distance from. the river, through a low gap, and the better to elude his pursuers, changed his course and recrossed the river a few iniles below where they had been surprised, and returned to the station. Here he raised a party and returned and pursued the Indians. But so much time had intervened that the pursuit was unavailing, the Indians having made good their escape. The bodies of Mr. Neal and Mr. Trip- lett were found in the river, unscalped, and were interred, the Indians having failed to find them.
The probabilities are, that this party of hunters had been discovered by the Indians while ascending the river, and were decoyed from their camp by the Indians imitating the cry of the wild turkey. It has also been supposed that this was the same party of Indians that were killed soon after at Wheeling, as they took a course in that direction.
Mr. Daniel Rowell, with his family, moved from here many years ago and settled in the West. IIe, however, died at the residence of his son, Dr. Neal Rowell, in Florence, Alabama, in 1851, aged 93 years.
In 1858 the gun was found at the place where it had been hid, in a state of preservation, so as to be identified; although it had been sixty- . seven years, and the remains of the red oak tree were then to be seen. The muzzle of the gun had become fast in a young dogwood, about six inches above the ground. The barrel, trigger. guard, thimble and brass cover, with the words "Liberty or Death" engraved upon it, were for- warded to Dr. Neal Rowell, his son, then residing in Florence, Alabama, in 1859.
After the occurrence of this mournful tragedy in our county, great vigilance was used by the few inhabitants during the remainder of the Indian War to its close in 1795.
Mr. Jacob Parchment, a young man, left the garrison at Belleville in the fall of 1790, to hunt deer on the South Branch of Lee creek, about a mile back of the station, was shot and scalped by a party of nine Indians. Mr. John Coleman was within a short distance of him when it occurred, but owing to the number of Indians was unable to render any assistance to his comrade. This was the first death by the Indians which had oc- curred to the inhabitants of this settlement, and had a tendency to cast a deep gloom over them, causing them to exercise great caution in all their future movements and operations.
Late in the spring of 1792, Mr. Stephen Sherrod, who had left the garrrison, at Belleville, and after feeding his hogs had gone to the woods to cut an oxgad, was surprised and captured by a party of ten Indians and taken off a prisoner. His wife, a bold and courageous woman, bad left the garrison soon after to milk the cow, a short distance off, was
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MR. SHERROD-MR. COLEMAN.
seized by two of the Indians, who intended to make her a prisoner also. She, however, resisted them with so much foree, and screamed so loudly, that one of the Indians knocked her down, while the other proeceded to take her scalp. Her screams brought Mr. Peter Anderson from the garri- son, who shot the Indian and wounded him in the arm, causing them hastily to retreat. Mrs. Sherrod was senseless for a long time from the stun- ning blow of the tomahawk, which had gashed her head in a shocking manner. Mr. Joshua Dewey immediately. proceeded to Marietta, Ohio, a distance of thirty miles, in a light canoe, for a physician. He made this trip in about forty hours and returned with Dr. Jabez True, who suc- ceeded in her recovery.
The garrison at this time contained but five men, and it was eonsid ered unsafe to pursue this party of Indians. They crossed the Ohio on a raft, with Mr. Sherrod as prisoner, at the narrows above Belleville bot- tom, and took up the valley of the Big Hoeking. They bound Mr. Sher- rod's hands securely behind him with thongs of bear skin, and in this manner he was hurried on until night, five of the Indians marching be- fore him and five behind. While on their way they informed him that they had killed an old woman at the garrison. At night they made him, with his hands tied behind him, lie down on his back while they eut slen- der saplings and laid them across him from his head to his feet. On the ends of these the Indians spread blankets and laid down to sleep. As soon as Mr. Sherrod discovered that they were all asleep, by their heavy breathing, he quietly released his hands and slowly worked himself from under the saplings, and took down the valley of the river. He soon en- tered it, and by wading and swimming passed down a considerable dis- tanee, and came out on the opposite shore. He pursued his way to the Ohio, and early the next morning he hailed the garrison, who at once went to his reseue in a boat. He at onee learned the sad condition of his wife, yet in time was enabled to rejoice in her discovery.
Mr. Sherrod was a native of New Hampshire, and in early life had re- moved to the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania. While there he had become well acquainted with the Indian mode of warfare, and was re- garded as an excellent frontiersman. After the treaty of peace of 1795, he, with his family, removed to the Mississippi Valley.
For the purpose of procuring a supply of meat in the month of Feb- ruary, 1793, a party left the garrison at Belleville on a hunting expedi- tion. The party was composed of Mr. Maleomb Coleman and his son John Coleman, Elijah Pixley and James Ryan, They descended the Ohio in a pirogue to the mouth of Mill ereek (now in Jackson county). and ascended that creek about four miles. Here they built a comforta- ble camp, to which they retreated at night after spending the day in hunt- ing. Here Mr. Coleman and his party passed several days very pleas- antly, meeting with sueeess, filling their pirogue with venison and bear meat. The weather, which had been fine, set in cold, with a light fall of snow. During this time the water in Mill creek had fallen so as to
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