USA > West Virginia > Barbour County > The history of Barbour County, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 33
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Treasurer-1872 William McClaskey, 1873 to 1876 J. W. Talbott, 1877 to 1886 A. M. Woodford, 1887 to 1892 I. V. Johnson, 1893 to 1899 M. F. Hall.
Secretary-1872 Samuel Woods, 1873-4 I. V. Johnson, 1875 George E. Grant, 1876 and 1879 S. H. Morrall, 1877 M. F. Hall, 1878 W. F. Byrer, 1880 and 1885 to 1890 A. D. W. Strickler, 1881-2 L. C. Elliott, 1883 and 1890-3 and 1895 to 1899 George A. Byrer, 1884 Monzell M. Hoff, 1885 to 1890 A. D. W. Strickler, 1894 N. I. Hall.
Senior Deacon-1873 Granville A. Grant, 1874 George E. Grant, 1875 and 1880 S. H. Morrall, 1876, 1882 and 1885 B. H. Woodford, 1876 Chester W. Proudfoot, 1877 J. M. Woodford, 1879 L. C. Elliott, 1880 J. E. Hall, 1881,'84, '88 G. A. Byrer, 1883 W. F. Byrer, 1886 S. H. Johnson, 1887 and 1897 J. M. Proudfoot, 1889 M. M. Hoff, 1890 C. C. Douglas, 1891 D. W. Gall, 1892-3 B. H. Paugh, 1894 T. T. Elliott, 1895 S. A. Moore, 1896 R. H. Wood- ford, 1898 R. E. Talbott, 1899 Floyd T. Holden.
Tiler-1872-3 and 1878 to 1890 and 1895 to 1899 Ballard Shaffer, 1874-5 Philip Digman, 1876 H. L. Stout, 1877 G. A. Grant, 1892 to 1896 J. M. Proudfoot.
Following will be found a list of members who have died and have been buried with masonic honors since the organization of the lodge in 1870: Alexander H. Elliott, killed in a railroad wreck July 27, 1873, buried at the Elliott Graveyard at Meadowville. John M. Jenkins, drowned in Gnatty Creek July 30, 1875, buried at the Hall Graveyard. John R. Wil- liamson, died January 31, 1876, buried at Silent Grove. Eugene T. Bran- don, died November 25, 1876, buried at the Philippi Graveyard. Perry Marteney, died December 11, 1880, buried at Mount Vernon Graveyard. Augustus B. Modisett, killed by the falling of a lumber pile February 26, 1881, buried at Modisett Graveyard, afterwards removed to Mary's Chapel Cemetery. Dr. Elam D. Talbott, died June 23, 1881, buried at Philippi Graveyard. Waitman M. Corder, died suddenly at Martinsburg, West Vir- ginia, September 24, 1882, buried at Mary's Chapel Cemetery. William F. Byrer, died July 27, 1884, buried at Philippi Graveyard; was afterwards re- interred in Fraternity Cemetery, Philippi. Rev. Cyrus Kittle, died April 26, 1885, buried at Philippi Graveyard. William McClaskey, died July 1, 1886, buried at Philippi Graveyard. Captain Thomas A. Bradford, died March 30, 1888, buried at Philippi Graveyard. Samuel H. Morrall, killed by lightning on the hill east of Philippi June 7, 1892, buried at Philippi
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Graveyard. Colonel William Johnson, died February 2, 1893, buried at Little Bethel Graveyard, near Meadowville. Major Albert G. Reger, died November 20, 1893, buried at Fraternity Cemetery, Philippi. Colonel John Harvey Woodford, died at Weston, West Virginia, March 1, 1894, buried at Mary's Chapel Cemetery. James Knotts, died October 26, 1895, buried at the Elliott Graveyard, Belington, West Virginia. Judge Samuel Woods, died February 17, 1897, buried at Fraternity Cemetery, Philippi. William S. Elliott, died September 18, 1897, buried at the Elliott Graveyard at Meadowville.
The following have been admitted as members of the lodge:
Isaac V. Johnson Charles J. P. Cresap James W. Talbott
Joseph Teter Cyrus Kittle Artemus McCoy
Joseph E. Wasson Christopher B. Graham S. Harvey Johnson
Mansfield McWhorter James W. Windom David B. Douglas
The following were members of Bigelow Lodge No. 28, and became charter members Lodge 52 when it was organized, or were afterwards ad- mitted as members:
-Granville E. Jarvis Elam D. Talbott William Johnson
William McClaskey
- Samuel Woods John P. Thompson
Benjamin McCoy Joseph N. B. Crim Philip Digman
John R. Williamson Joseph Teter
The following are now members of Bigelow Lodge, No. 52:
George W. Baughman, Fred O. Blue, Alexander S. Bradford, George A. Byrer, Edward H. Compton, Joseph N. B. Crim, J. Minter Dennisson, David Dilworth, C. Columbus Douglas, David B. Douglas, Truman T. Elliott, Luther C. Elliott, David W. Gall, Granville A. Grant, George E. Grant, Marion F. Hall, James Ed. Hall, Nathan Isaac Hall, Monzell M. Hoff, Floyd T. Holden, Arthur G. Hooper, Peyton B. Lake, Lloyd B. Lovett, Porter L. Lovett, J. Frank Manown, Isaac D. Martin, Samuel A. Moore, Artenius McCoy, B. Escridge McCoy, Theophilus McCoy, Mansfield McWhorter, Morgan Parsons, Arthur Parsons, Aldine S. Poling, Jacob M. Proudfoot, John Thomas Reger, Warren W. Right, Lloyd D. Robinson, Amos F. Rohrbough, Charles S. M. See, Lewis S. Semmelman, Ballard Shaffer, George C. Stone, Robert M. Strickler, Arthur D. W. Strickler, Granville E. Taft, James W. Talbott, Dowden C. Talbott, Richard E. Tal- bott, Marone C. Talbott, William Worth Teter, Charles F. Teter, E. Clark Trimble, Charles B. Williams, William A. Williamson, James W. Windon, James M. Woodford, Benjamin H. Woodford, Robinson H. Woodford, B. Holly S. Woodford, J. Hop. Woods.
Philippi Lodge No. 59, I. O. O. F.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows' Lodge and named "Philippi
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MISCELLANIES.
Lodge No. 59," was instituted Dec. 16th, 1871, and was organized by Grand Secretary Thomas G. Steele, of the Grand Lodge of W. Va .; a charter having been granted on the 4th day of November, 1871, by the Grand Lodge I. O. O. F.
Since its organization two hundred and fifty four members have been received either by initiation or by card.
This lodge has erected a large and commodious brick building with an iron front; the ground floor fitted for store room, the largest and most commodious in the town, with a spacious hall above, where the lodge holds its stated weekly meetings (on Saturday evening.)
In addition to this, the lodge owns one half of Fraternity Cemetery in conjunction with the Masonic Order-in all about seven acres for burial purposes, and conveniently located, near a half mile below the town of Philippi on the east side of Tygart's Valley River. The valuation of the property, real and otherwise, is estimated at from six to seven thousand dollars, belonging to the lodge. Since the organization hundreds of dol- lars have been paid out of its treasury for the relief of sick brothers, burial of the dead and to many of its members in distress.
The present membership of Philippi Lodge, No. 59, I. O. O. F. is as follows:
Officers elected July 1st, 1899.
W. T. George, N. G.
Geo. L. Woodford, V. G.
J. W. Bosworth, R. Sec'y. W. Chenoweth, P. Sec'y.
W. S. Wilson, Treas. PAST GRANDS.
*Bosworth, Jno. W. Hovatter, C. C.
Kent, John T.
Reger, S. L.
Barnes, Geo. W.
Holsberry, E.
Knapp, Johu B. Switzer, John B. Talbott, S. S.
Chenoweth, W.
Holt, S. T. H. Lough, Geo. A.
Curry, D. J.
Hulderman, W. T. Murphy, C. M. Taft, Gran. E.
Dayton, A. G. Call, D. W.
Johnson, I. V.
Switzer, P. A.
THIRD DEGREE MEMBERS.
Andrick, Geo W. . Brandon, C. W.
Davis, W. O.
Nutter, A. J.
Talbott, Jeliu M. Talbott, R. Ed.
Griffith, J. W.
Murphy F. B.
Talbott, C. C.
Byrer, C. M. Burgess, Rev. J. M. Bartlett, A. G. Burner, R. B. Brooks, S. Lee
IIolsberry, M. Poling, Jno. W.
Talbott, W.T. W.
Thompson, E. B.
Wilson, A. G.
Jones, A. W. Phillips, Jas. M.
Woodford, Jno. F.
Callihan, Nathan Chrislip, A. G.
Knapp, J. Leteher
Robinson, Ellis B.
Kelley, Noalı Reed, Rob't T.
Cutright, W. S.
Keller, Layfayette
Corder, W. E.
Lough, Geo. A.
Magee, Wm. F. Mc Daniel, Abram
Woodford, Jos. M.
Greynolds, Geo. E. Gall, G. W., Jr. Cox, W. A.
Murphy, C. M. Moore, Sam A. Moore, W. C. Nutter, A. G.
Reed, Geo. W. Rice, Andrew J. Smith, Dr. Isaac Shaw, David W. Showalter, W. U. Stalnaker, White. Simpson, F. M. Switzer, C. L. Hawkins, A. F.
Walter, J. Woodbridge
Douglass, Irvin Dennisson, J. M. Fry, J. W.
Mann, Jno. C.
Williamson, J. O.
Yokum, A. S.
Yokum L. G.
Zinn, John A.
*J. W. Bosworth, G. Rep. to Sov. Grand Lodge for 4 years.
¡A. G. Dayton, Grand Master of the State Grand Lodge.
Ice, Wm. T. Talbott, R. Ed.
Walter, Lewis
Hoff, M. M.
Payne, C. A.
Harvey, G. B. Hall, M. F. Proudfoot, J. M. Parks, Noah S.
Wilson, W. S. Wilson, E. C. Ward, C. C. Watring, F. M.
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MISCELLANIES.
The encampment branch of the order, called "Tygart's Valley Encamp- ment, No. 28 I. O. O. F.," meets in this hall semi-monthly. It was insti- tuted in 1877, on 21st day of April by Gr. Rep. Thomas S. Spates, acting as Grand Patriarch, and has a good membership.
Settlements and Development.
Ebenezer Kelley in 1795 settled near Meadowville and his children were Mary, Eunice, Isaac, Rebecca, Osa, Hannah, Samuel, Jane, Johnson. Two years later John Hoffman, a German, settled near Kelley; and the father of Andrew Stalnaker was a near neighbor. James Poling was living in that vicinity five years earlier. In 1788 Robert Johnson made his home east of Meadowville on a stream which bears his name, and ten brothers and sisters came with him. He had been a Revolutionary soldier. Some members of the family give the name as Levi, but the record of the marriage of his daughter Rachel with Ebenezer Kelley shows that the name was Robert. He had eleven children, ten of them remembered by name. One daughter married George Gainer; and her name is not remembered. The other chil- dren were, Garrett, who, in 1797, married Mary, daughter of James Eng- land; Isaac, who married Hannah Poling; Francis, who married Elizabeth England; Benjamin, John G., who in 1806 married Elizabeth Poling; Wil- liam, who married Catherine Hovatter; Levi, who married Rebecca Cross; Robert, who married Elizabeth Hoffman; Rachel, who married Ebenezer Kelley; and Rebecca, who in 1806 married William Hoff. Henry Phillips, a Welchman born January 7, 1766, settled at Meadowville and built a fort there in 1784. He married a sister of Simeon Harris, the Baptist preacher; and he had seven brothers and one sister, as follows: Isaac Phillips, born January 19, 1769, married Elizabeth daughter of Jacob Kittle, in 1793; Joseph, born December 26, 1769, married Margaret, daughter of Jacob Kittle, 1816; John I., born June 12, 1772, married Bertha, daughter of Phineas Wells, 1793; Thomas, born January 25, 1775; William, born Decem- ber 20, 1776; Susanna, born December 8, 1779; Thomas, born July 23, 1783, married Peggy, daughter of Jacob Westfall, 1815; Moses, born December 7, 1785. Evidence that the brother and sister of Henry Philips, whose mar- riages are not given above, lived in Barbour, has not been found. There was a Thomas Phillips, not mentioned above, who lived somewhere in the south-eastern part of Barbour as early as 1787; for in that year he was appointed Overseer of the Poor, together with Aaron Richardson and Wil- liam Wilson, who lived near him. Thomas Phillips, William Wilson and Simeon Harris were on the first grand jury in Randolph County, 1787. In 1803 the election was held at the house of Henry Phillips. There were then only three voting places in Randolph County, one at Henry Philips', one at David Minear's (St. George) and one near Beverly. The will of Thomas Phillips was recorded in 1806 and that of John Phillips in 1815.
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MISCELLANIES.
In 1783 a man named Smith settled on Sugar Creek. There is disa- greement as to his given name, Joseph or William. The evidence is not conclusive, but there is strong reason for believing that he was William Smith, son of Jonathan Smith, one of the first settlers in Randolph. Some of the stones under his cabin now lie in the yard of William H. Smith.
Simeon Harris, one of the most noted preachers in this part of the State, lived near Meadowville in 1786. The chim- ney of his cabin is yet pointed out. It was large enough to receive a back log ten feet long.
Joseph Pitman, an Englishman who mar- ried Nancy Edwards, settled on Bill's Creek in 1803, with his son Joel, who subsequently be- came a noted Methodist preacher. In 1812, Joseph Pitman's daughter Elizabeth married Samuel Skidmore; in 1813 his daughter Esther OLD CHIMNEY OF SIMEON HARRIS. married William Smith; in 1816 his daughter Judah married John Skidmore. His son Joel married Sarah, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Currence. Mrs. Currence was a daughter Cornelius Bogard. Samuel Currence died in the war of 1812 and was given a military burial. Joseph Pitman was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and his son Joab died while a soldier in 1812. George Pitman, son of Joel, married a daughter of Leonard and Rachel Stout, Mrs. Stout being a niece of Henson L. Hoff.
John Yock came from Germany and was one of the first settlers near Belington. His children were John, Elias, Solomon, Jerry, Debby, Mary, Lucinda, and two other daughters.
Soon after the close of the Revolution, Benjamin Vannoy, who had been a solder in that war, took up his home near Meadowville. John Holsberry, in 1800, came from Pennsylvania by way of Ohio, and made his home on Teter's Creek, near Kalamazoo. He was'a soldier in the War of 1812, and his children were Samuel, William, Nicholas, Martin, Rachel, Elizabeth Catherine and Nancy. Other early settlers on Teter's Creek were Nicholas Sturm, who married Annie McClaskey, and George Gainer, whose daughter Mary married Francis Vansy [Vanscoy ?] in 1814. William Woods, grand- father of Willis Lantz, was an early settler near Calhoun. John England and his son John had their home near Belington at an early date. In 1797 Mary, his daughter, married Garrett Johnson, and Robert Maxwell per- formed the marriage ceremony.
There is a clan of partly-colored people in Barbour County often called "Guineas," under the erroneous presumption that they are Guinea negroes. They vary in color from white to black, often have blue eyes and straight hair, and they are generally industrious. Their number in Barbour is esti- mated at one thousand. They have been a puzzle to the investigator; for
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their origin was not generally known. They were among the earliest set- tlers of Barbour. Prof. W. W. Male of Grafton, West Virginia, belongs to this clan, and after a thorough investigation, says: "They originated from an Englishman named Male who came to America at the outbreak of the Revolution. From that one man have sprung about 700 of the same name, not to speak of the half-breeds." Thus it would seem that the family was only half-black at the beginning, and by the inter-mixtures since, many are now almost white. George Male settled near the mouth of Hacker, and on the opposite side of the river lived Richard Male. Reese Male, son of George, was born in 1815. Soon after 1796 Samuel Morris lived on the hill just below the Kelley Mine.
James Booth lived at the Felton place, five miles below Philippi; and William Booth settled on the head of Ford Run.
Christopher Nutter settled about 1784 where James Nutter now lives in Union District.
Christopher Hovatter of Maryland, ancestor of all the name in Barbour and Tucker Counties, settled in Cove District about 1790. The family of Hardins, said to have come from Kentucky, settled also in Cove about the same time.
The village of Elk City was surveyed and named by Isaiah Wilson in 1869. The first lot was bought by W. K. Jenkins and he built the first house. The creek was named Elk because in early times those animals frequented a lick now on the property of Henry Holsberry, near Elk City.
The village of Hall, on the Buckhannon River, contained 75 people in 1899. John Harrow, 1839, was the first settler on the site of the place.
After half a century of experiments in keeping the poor, Barbour County purchased 175 acres on Taylor's Drain for a poor farm, and placed it in charge of Jasper Wince who speedily made the enterprise self-sustaining.
About 1835 Silas Talbott bored a salt well on Sugar Creek near Vannoy's Mill, to a depth of 700 feet. There was plenty of salt, but it was damaged by petroleum which accumulated in the well. The drill became fast in the hole and the work was abandoned.
Edmund R. Dyer was the first to bring to Barbour a wheat drill, a hay tedder and a manure spreader. He was the first to operate farm machinery by a gasoline engine.
The first corn drill and the first ball-bearing mowing machine in the county were brought by Albert G. Chrislip.
Sylvanus W. Zinn produced a new variety of wheat, "Zinn's Golden," by crossing the Fulse and the Golden Strains. He also crossed and intro- duced a new variety of corn, and his other inventions or introductions were, spike-toothed lever harrow, a land roller and a wire-fence weaving ma- chine.
The Early Harvest potato was introduced by James M. Phillips.
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MISCELLANIES.
Isaac Sturm is authority for the statement that the first thrashing ma- chine chaff piler was brought to Barbour in 1837 by a man named Ranshaw, who five years later brought a horsepower separater.
Augustus J. Zinn claims that the first wheat reaped by machinery in Barbour County was on his farm on Shook's Run.
Bronze turkeys and Light Brahma chickens were introduced into this county by Noah S. Parks; and he likewise brought from Kentucky the first Reuben Turner Horses seen in Barbour; and brought the first traction engine for thrashing machines.
The first wagon factory in Barbour was operated at Hopewell by David P. and J. Newton Hamrick in 1868.
In 1881 Hiram Male was the possessor of a ewe eighteen years old which had raised thirty lambs, which had been sold for thirty dollars.
The largest clearing in one year was by John Harvey Woodford, forty acres. In the fall of 1883 the land was woods. The next spring it was planted in corn.
A lemon tree was planted in 1875 by Mrs. James E. Hall, and was shel- tered from the cold. It began to bear when four years old, and during the first five years produced two hundred pounds of lemons.
Rev. John M. Mason claims that he was the first person in Barbour County to engage extensively in the sheep business (about 1877).
On the old Talbott homestead, on Baker's Run, is a coal bank which has been operated fifty years.
Ginseng was exported from Barbour County as early as 1786.
On the river bottom, opposite the mouth of Ford Run, is said to have been the starting place for-" cheat"-a worthless growth resembling rye- in Barbour. That was a camping place for travelers and emigrants over the Pringle Trail, and the seeds of "cheat" were carried by the horses from the Alleghany Mountains.
David Riley Woodford introduced the first full-blooded Hereford cattle into Barbour County, and John F. Woodford the first Polled Angus cattle, and the first Clydesdale horses. The first Durham cattle were brought to Stewart's Run by John G. Carlin.
The first steam grist mill on the east side of the river was set up in 1867 by C. J. Fisher, near Fisher's store. Near the same place, many years earlier, Jacob Sargeant built a small water mill.
The sheltering of hay and stock on an extensive scale was first prac- ticed in Barbour County by J. E. Heatherly.
It is said that the first horse-power thrasher and separator came to Barbour in 1852.
The first steam flouring mill at Philippi was built in 1882 by J. W. Tal- bott and others,
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V
LEWIS WILSON,
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MISCELLANIES.
Isaac McDaniel claims to have brought to Barbour the first horse- power thrasing machine, in 1846.
About 1800 George Hayes operated a tanyard above Philippi, and about the same year a man named Elkhart built a mill on Sugar Creek, one mile south of Vannoy's Mills, and about the same time John Bozarth built a mill on Buckhannon River, near Teter's Mill. He built a sawmill also. In 1825 Cornelius Hoff built a grist mill above Elk City.
Near Meadowville is a willowtree sixteen feet in circumference, in the yard of F. C. Phillips. About 1795 this tree was a riding switch and at the end of a long day's journey the rider stuck it in the grond where it grew.
The village of Burnersville was built on land belonging to Isaac Reger and the first cabin near the town was built by Jacob Reger. The first store belonged to Solomon Dinkle. The name is from Jacob Burner who settled t here in 182. He was the first postmaster there.
On July 21, 1896, at Belington the river rose eight feet in one hour, and sixteen feet in three hours. All of the creeks in Barbour were very high. On August 3, 1898, a severe thunder storm, accompanied by two and a half inches of rain, passed over Philippi, and lightning struck several times in or near the town. On February 10, 1899, the thermometer was 28 degrees below zero in Barbour. The "year without summer" was 1816. The greatest drought known in this region was in 1755. In 1784 there was a summer frost which killed trees. In 1846 there was a flood which stood nineteen inches deep at the crossing of the street in front of the court house. The flood of 1888 lacked a foot of that mark.
The first mill at Philippi was built by William F. Wilson in 1818. It was burned. In 1830 Solomon Wyatt built where Lewis Wilson's mill now stands. That also was burned. The mill which now occupies the site was built in 1857 by Lewis Wilson.
Bill's Creek was named from William Barker an early settler.
The Belington bridge was built in 1886.
In 1882 Barbour County subscribed for 500 shares ($100 each) of the Grafton and Greenbrier Railroad.
An examination of the wills recorded during the first fifteen years of Barbour's existence shows that only one library was mentioned and listed. It was that of Edwin D. Wilson, of seventy-six volumes.
From June 11 to June 23, 1881, six persons died in Barbour whose aggregate age was 476 years. Their names and ages were, Reuben Board 83, Edward F. Grant 68, John Harris 93, Martin Waters 81, Dr. E. D. Talbott 71, William Price 80.
In 1881 and 1882 an organization known as the Red Men existed in Barbour County. Their avowed purpose was to improve society by punish- ing those whom the law failed to reach. A number of well-meaning citi- zens belonged to the secret organization at first, but within two years the
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body degenerated into an association of vicious persons whose principal objects were revenge or plunder. Persons were taken from their homes at night and unmercifully flogged. On the night of November 2, 1881, they compelled the jailor at Philippi to open the door and release two of their. number. On August 12, 1882, a mail carrier near Belington was robbed by them; and they plotted to assassinate Judge Samuel Woods, Prosecuting Attorney Thomas P. R. Brown and Deputy U. S. Marshal W. W. Teter because these gentlemen had done their duty in upholding law and order. Finally the organization was broken up, after the conviction and punishment of several of the members.
Shook's Run received its name from Monus Shook. In early days Isaac Minear built a mill on that stream, half mile from its mouth.
In 1863 the Legislature passed the law for the division of counties into districts. The commissioners to make the division in Barbour were, David Zinn, Henry Martin, Johnson Ward, Jesse Teter and Enoch Sears. Seven magisterial districts were made at that time, Cove, Pleasant, Elk, Philippi, Union, Glade and Barker. Valley District was added later by division of Barker.
In 1850 Barbour had 222 free negroes and 113 slaves. In that year its real estate was valued at $1,193,712.
On August 12, 1894, the body of F. M. Russell was found in the road by Howard Radcliff between Brushy Fork and Overfield. Three bullet holes were in his body. Russell had recently been tried on the charge of murdering Mrs. Amanda Welch, and acquitted. It was never ascertained who shot him.
The first mill on Taylor's Drain was near its mouth. It would run by water or horsepower. The stones are there yet, and part of the dam. Just above the mill site was the first blacksmith shop in that section, and beside the shop was the second Methodists church built west of the river in the county.
In 1850 David Byrer bought property in Philippi of James A. Bur- bridge and entered the tanning business, selling leather at home and abroad. He hauled hides from Uniontown, Cumberland and Parkersburg. Mr. Byrer brought the first steam engine to Philippi and used it in his tannery. He bought it in the oilfields near Brownsville, Pennsylvania. It is still in fair condition; and likewise is the carpetsack in which Mr. Byrer carried his earthly posessions when he came the first time to Philippi.
In 1851 the first church in Philippi was built, the M. E.
Gideon Martin, a pioneer M. E. preacher in Barbour, about 1835, had a yearly salary of sixty dollars, and a monthly circuit of three hundred miles, including appointments at Beverly, Belington, Jerusalem, (not in Judea) White Oak, St. George, Terra Alta, Oakland and others.
In 1870 a small corner of Barbour County, near the summit of Laurel
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Hill, was added to Tucker. It was done on petition of Elijah Phillips and fourteen other citizens of Barbour, and the petition was presented in the senate Jauuary 27, 1870, by Spencer Dayton.
In June, 1853, a memorable hail visited Philippi, the stones being as large as hen eggs. Many fruit trees were killed, and scarcely a pane of glass was left in windows facing the west. There was only one box of 8x10 glass in town. Judge Samuel Woods bought that, and other people stopped windows with old clothes until glass could be procured from a distance.
The land where the town of Peel Tree stands was cleared by William Reed.
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