USA > West Virginia > Barbour County > The history of Barbour County, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 35
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The Mt. Morris M. E. Church was built in 1839, at a cost of $200 and the trustees were William Walter, Levi Miller, George Walter, John Holbert.
Melker Baker built one of the first mills, if not the first, in Cove District It was near Rockford.
Before the building of the Northwestern pike (1835-1849) merchandise for Barbour County was hauled from Baltimore in wagons. The road passed through Hampshire County to Piedmont, thence near Oakland to Aurora in Preston County, down Mill Run to St. George, thence up Clover and over Laurel Hill to Meadowville. The last Barbour County man who wagoned from Baltimore was John Elliott.
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An eccentric pedagogue who taught school in Barbour about 1830-1860 was William Ferguson. He was noted for the severity of his punishment when pupils failed to get their lessons, He pulled their hair and cracked their heads together, exclaiming as he bumped them: "Abomination on your abominable heads! Can't I learn you nothin'!" He always carried his pockets full of pills, saltpetre, sulphur. ipecacuanha, mandrake and other nostrums, and if a child in school complained of being sick he proceeded to dope it with all the ingredients of his heterogeneou's pharmacopoeia until the remedy became worse than the disease. However, some of his pupils remember him with great veneration. He lived in the Coves and died in the county,
The Kelley Mine, a mile below Philippi, was incorporated in 1896. The · president was James E. Hall; secretary and treasurer, C. F. Teter. The company owns 3000 acres of coal land and has machinery which cost over ten thousand dollars. The boilers have 300 horse-power capacity. The mine was developed largely through the energies of Columbus Kelley.
On the farm of J. D. Holsberry, in Glade District, stand the walls of a Methodist Episcopal church which was built sixty-five years ago by John Holsberry and his neighbors. It was of logs, eleven rounds high, and 26 by 30 feet, with a gallery. The roof has long since fallen in, but the old pulpit remains among poison vines which have grown to the top of the walls. Within the walls of that old edifice the Scriptures have been ex- pounded by some of the most noted preachers of the land. Among them was Samuel J. Clawson with his eccentricities. Hon. Henry Clay Dean, before he left the ministry for politics, preached many a time there. Once while preaching in this church a member of the congregation was making a disturbance, when Dean took a chestnut from his pocket and struck the unruly member in the forehead to remind him of his conduct. This church was used until the close of the war, when most of its members united with the M. E. Church, South, and the old house of worship went to ruin.
The origin of surnames is often discussed, and much has been written on the subject. It is well authenticated that at least one surname origi- nated in Barbour in 1792; but the name belonging to a woman, it was lost when she married, One Monday morning, in 1792, an infant was found on the doorstep of Solomon Yock, of Barker District. The identity of her parents was never discovered; and from the fact that it was Monday when she was found, they named her Elizabeth Monday, shortening her name to Betsy Monday. In 1816 she was married to James Skidmore (by John Rowan of Beverly) and the license gives her name Elizabeth Monday. She lived to the age of ninety-nine years, and had eleven children, four of whom are still living, Collins, Solomon S., Martha, Christina and Felix. She lived with the last-named son, and died in 1891. She was always called Betsy Monday. It may not be amiss to mention that a surname is known
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to have originated in Preston County nearly in the same way. Soon after the building of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad a crew of repair hands found an abandoned child, and named him "Repair." He retained the name as long as he lived, served by that name in the Union army, drew a pension by that name, and now his children are perpetuating the name. It is probable that nearly all surnames originate in some small incident or occurrence.
Little Bethel Church, of the Primitive Baptist denomination, stands near Meadowville, occupying one acre, deeded in 1836 by Eli and Isaac Phil- lips to John Harris and William Price as trustees. The first organization of the church was in 1795, probably the year following the arrival of Elder Simeon Harris at Glady Creek from Hardy County. The old church book is lost, and the present book gives only the date of organization and not the names of the members. This churchi appears to have been the first in Bar- bour's territory. In 1836 a second house was built on the site, and in 1876 the present one. The minutes of 1835 say that William Price was modera- tor and John Harris clerk. The next year Simeon Harris was moderator; and at present Elder Jacob B. Cross is moderator, and E. B. Phillip clerk.
There are several sinkholes in the limestone belt along Laurel Hill. One called Simbad's Cave, long suspected, but never explored till October 20, 1899, is on the head of Johnson's Mill Run. On that date it was entered by Guy C. Elliott, Dr. W. A. Campbell, Warren W. and J. Mike Johnson, W. S. and Boyd O. Lang. The entrance is through a funnel-shaped depression, 35 feet across and about ten feet deep. An old opening has become filled with logs and earth within the memory of the citizens; but a new one declining at an angle of thirty-five degrees for as many feet, admits one with difficulty to a more level floor. Some distance further a small brook is reached, which presently disappears. The cave, in places very narrow, can be followed 160 feet further, where an offset four or five feet down is met. Beyond this the opening is larger a few yards, and then to the end is so low that it can be entered only by crawling. The opening, apparently, has been closed by mud and gravel carried in by water. There are well-formed stalactites, due to dripping lime-water, and in places the walls are white with deposits resembling porcelain. It is supposed that this cave is connected with the limestone spring on Y. B. Elliott's land.
PART THIRD.
Family History.
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CHAPTER XXII,
-: 0:
FAMILY HISTORY.
A
WILLIAM EDGAR ARNETT, born in Monongalia County, 1845, son of Solomon and Mary Arnett, was married in Mason County, June 27, 1876, to Caroline, daughter of Davis and Milla (Dawson) Pritchard. Children, Della May, Hugh Glenn, Bessie Day, Minnie Milla, Frank Elsworth. He is a member of the M. E. Church, a Republican, a farmer and stock-dealer, living two and a half miles west of Philippi where he owns 160 acres of the old Adam Woodford farm, nearly all improved. He was educated in the public schools of Monongalia County, and takes an active interest in educational matters. The ancestry is German and Dutch, his grandfather having come to West Virginia from Delaware. The Pritchards are also of Dutch origin, William Pritchard, Mrs. Arnett's grandfather, having come to West Virginia from Maryland, about 1818.
B
CAPTAIN ADAM COLEMAN BOWMAN (autobiography.) My life is un- eventful and unimportant, and I am disinclined to write one word con- cerning myself, yet I have been so importuned by my children, and the publisher of this work, that I forego my own feelings and give a sketch for the gratification of others. I was born May 1, 1839, on Cheat River, near Licking Creek, in the present County of Tucker; was married May 24, 1874, to Tacy Jane Wilmoth ;* our children are three, Stuart Hampton, Thomas Armstead Bradford and Tacy Maud. To their mother is due their health, good looks and moral and intellectual training. I was born at a time when there were no educational opportunities, to speak of, and my parents being poor, I by dint of perseverance and the help of an old college professor, Wm. Ferguson, was enabled to obtain a smattering edu- cation far in advance of most people of my day. I obtained from Professor Ferguson, not a classical education, but knowledge of English, some Latin and a good idea of mathematics and surveying. I was also good in history. When about 19 years of age I conceived the idea of being a lawyer; but
*Mrs. Bowman is a daughter of Isaac W. Wilmoth, formerly a representative man of Barbour, but now dead. He was a son of John Wilmoth, and John was a son of Thomas who was one of five Wilmoth brothers who settled on Shaver's Fork of Cheat River, east of the present town of Elkins, when that region was Monongalia County, now Randolph. The brothers were Jonathan, Nicholas, Thomas, John and James. The last named was killed by Indians.
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had not a book or a dollar to buy one. I went to members of the profession and got the loan of books, and advice as to the course of study. After two years' studying and teaching school at intervals, I presented myself for examination before Judges Gideon D. Camden, George W. Thompson and William Jackson, who signed my license and congratulated me upon pass- ing a very satisfactory examination.
Just as I had entered upon the practice of law, the Civil War was upon us. I, with a number of others, regarded the cause of the South just; and in the spring of 1861, was arguing for the South and encouraging the enlistment of volunteers for the war. We held meetings at old Valley Furnace, and so high was our blood and effective our arguments, that we soon enlisted a number of young men, who were organized into a company and mustered into the service of the Confederate States. Our first rendez- vous was Grafton which we occupied with great satisfaction to ourselves, deluded with the idea that to meet the enemy was to vanquish him at sight, having become impressed with the idea that a Southern dog was better than a Northern lion. . Our commander Colonel Porterfield had a much better conception of the fighting qualities than his soldiers. Hearing that
the enemy was approaching he wisely retreated. Our retreat to Philippi was accomplished in good order and without incident except a false alarm that the Yankees were upon us and an order to flank and take the woods, which order was executed with alacrity by all except our company, the "Mountain Guards," and which order, for lack of knowledge and because of an utter misconception of the enemy, I foolishly countermanded, and formed our company into line of battle, firmly believing Yankees were cowards. Our company got then and there great credit for daring and bravery, all on account of an order without authority. The next incident was our flight from Philippi. To call it a fight is a misnomer. Here the Mountain Guards again showed a lack of appreciation of the situation, refused to run, formed in line and marchea out in good order, and only retreated a short distance until they concluded the Yankees didn't amount to much, and hearing the report of cannon, decided to go back and capture the cannon. They actually marched back a considerable distance and only were prevented from the undertaking by citizens and cooler heads who realized the folly of the undertaking. I have always regretted that we did not go on for there never was more blundering or greater lack of general- ship than the taking of Philippi, and I firmly believe, with the light now before me, that 100 disciplined, well equipped men could have routed the army of General Kelley.
The next army incident was at Laurel Hill. There, came the first rev- elation to me of war in earnest. A new and graver conception was forced upon my mind. I found that the Yankees could shoot and fight. We engaged them on the skirmish line without faltering, and I began to realize
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that the idea of a southern dog whipping a northern lion existed only in imagination. General Garnett would have defeated the enemy but for the capture of Rich Mountain. When that occurred retreat was the only hope. It was accomplished without confusion or hurry, until we were overtaken by a straggling few at Corrick's Ford where a few shots were fired and General Garnett killed. Then what had been orderly retreat became a rout. The army ran wild; officers had no control; the swiftest were able to get ahead, soldiers fell out of the ranks; took to the woods and fields; and in their frenzy, it was every man for himself. I not being accustomed to marching and unable to endure fatigue, was soon in the rear. A circum- stance occurred here that made a deep impression on my mind. A comrade, John R. Phillips, and myself, friends from boyhood, both belonging to the same company, had fallen exhausted and unable to go farther, when a wagon came along, and Henry Sturm, our captain, who was riding a horse, saw us lying by the road. He called to the wagon and got Phillips on, say- ing that he was a lieutenant. I tried to get on the wagon and was pushed off, while Phillips went on. I followed on until I, with other straggling soldiers, got near a point called the Red House, and found the enemy there ahead of us. There we took to a swamp so thickly grown with brush, that it was almost impenetrable. Here we lay concealed three days and nights without blankets or rations. I was huddled with three Confederate officers who on the third day decided to surrender. They left me in the swamp with a solemn promise not to betray me. Hunger and thirst were so great I finally succumbed and crawled out, and got to an old Dutchman's by the name of Enos Sell. Fever set in, they nursed me three weeks, when I rode home horseback. In a few days I was captured, and was held prisoner until exchanged, then returned to the South and resumed hostilities. I recruited a company, joined the command of Wm. L. Jackson, and followed the fortunes of the Confederacy until the close of the war; participating in the battles of the Wilderness, Antietam, Petersburg, and the campaign of Early in the Valley of Virginia; was Captain of Company K, 19th W. Va. Vols .; was wounded twice, and surrendered with General Lee at Appomattox.
During the time I was in the army I had many sanguinary conflicts, many hair breadth escapes and many blood curdling experiences, but nothing so chilled my blood, and was so ground into my nature as the killing of my father, Henry V. Bowman. From that time my nature changed and revenge took the place of the common, ordinary soldier; and nothing was too daring for me to undertake that was within the bounds of legitimate warfare. I was to the front in every engagement and led my company with a fierceness that surprises me at this time. The instigators of the fiendish and hellish act were known to me soon after my return home. They are all dead now and gone to their reward. While the fire of the furies burned in my nature, and does now, while I write this, yet I never
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took the slightest revenge upon prisoners though numbers fell into my hands, or punished innocence for a crime dark as hell.
Since the war I have been engaged in peaceful avocations, merchandis- ing and practicing law. The law was really my forte and I now exceed- ingly regret that I did not give it my entire attention. To me it was enjoyment and a financial success.
The Bowman genealogy to mne is limited. They are German, or rather Dutch. The only one we can date from is George Bowman, who came from the state of New York with the Van Meters, and settled on the South Branch of the Potomac, in what is now Hardy and Hampshire Counties. George Bowman's son Adam married Rachel Van Meter, daughter of Abram Van Meter, and at an early day migrated with James Parsons to Cheat River, in what is now Tucker County. Adam Bowman had a numer- ous family, my father Henry Van Meter Bowman being his second son and child. There is nothing peculiar or striking about the Bowmans, so far as I know, except an utter disregard of ornamentation and especially jewelry. Not one was ever known to wear a finger ring, shirt stud, breast pin or diamond. While too poor to indulge in these luxuries, that is not the only reason. The fact is they abhor these; and never was a Bowman known who could dance or touch a musical instrument. Instrumental music to them is a dead language. Among the Bowmans are lawyers, doctors and one preacher, Bishop Bowman, of the M. E. church, who is a lineal descen- dant of George Bowman. None have won particular distinction or great wealth, but are all respectable, none ever guilty or accused of a crime.
I give this sketch, with this admonition especially to my children: There are greater things than money and some things for which money is no equiv- alent. Your honor, honesty and integrity are above price. Let money be no temptation to barter with these. Live honestly, justly and uprightly, and you will always have the confidence and esteem of the good, and will quit this life happily.
STUART H. BOWMAN, son of Captain A. C. Bowman, was born at Val- ley Furnace, Barbour County, June 28, 1875, and attended the county schools until fifteen years of age, when he obtained a certificate in Tucker County and taught the Location school, five miles east of St. George. He subsequently taught ungraded schools and summer normals in Barbour County while working his way through college. In 1893 he graduated from the Fairmont Normal School, the highest in a class of twenty-one, and valedictorian of his class. The next year he entered the Peabody Normal College at Nashville, Tennessee, and graduated in 1895 with the degree of L. I. (Licentiate of Instruction). He won the gold medal in the inter-society debate between the Erosophian and Adelphi Literary Societies of the Uni-
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versity of Nashville the same year; and in 1896 graduated from that Uni- versity with the degree of A. B., being class representative. For two years while in the University of Nashville he was connected with the editor- ship of the Peabody Record, the official organ of the University, the second year being editor-in-chief. In 1896-'7 he was third assistant in the Fair- mont Normal School, and edited that school's journal which was established that year. He delivered the address before the Alumni at the commence- ment in June, 1897. He was for two years a member of the Barbour County Board of Examiners, during which time a vigorous and successful effort was made by the board to prevent dishonest practices among applicants. In 1897 he entered the West Virginia University and graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1898. His studies at the University were chiefly along the lines of political science and political economy.
In 1898 he was nominated by the Democratic party of Barbour County for the House of Delegates, and elected by a majority of about sixty, having run more than one hundred votes ahead of his ticket. He at once took a prominent place in the House, was chairman of the Committee on Educa- tion and member of the Committee on Taxation and Finance, and of other committees. He introduced and pushed through the House the bill for in- creasing the tax on telegraph companies, which the Senate failed to pass; and also the " Bowman Express Bill," for increasing the tax on express companies, which passed both houses but was vetoed by the Governor. He advocated the idea in the Legislature that the first and most important duty of that body is to reduce the burden of taxes and to provide for a bet- ter equalization of taxes by reducing the State levy and by bringing under tribute the various forms of invisible wealth, and the property and public · franchises held by corporations. To that end he introduced a set of reso- lutions directing the Committee on Taxation and Finance to take under consideration the advisability of enacting a State Income Law, a movement which was heartily approved by leading newspapers of the State. Mr. Bowman was also identified with other measures of an educational and lit- erary character. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Acme Publishing Company, a large printing and binding plant at Morgantown, and is financially interested in other business enterprises. He has taken up the study of law and expects to make that his profession.
LEONARD CLARK BOWMAN, born in Tucker County 1845, son of Henry Van Meter and Margaret (Wilmoth) Bowman, was married near Corrick's Ford, Tucker County, April 28, 1874, to Margaret Catherine, daughter of Jacob and Sarah Ryan (Long) Kalor. Mr. Bowman is a Democrat and a farmer, residing on Glady Creek, where he owns 200 acres of land, princi- pally cleared, and underlaid with coal. He cleared nearly 100 acres of the farm himself after his return, about 1881, from Kansas, where he had re- sided five years and pre-empted 160 acres of land, which he sold. His farm
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is in good condition, with good residence and other buildings, and will graze twenty head of cattle, fifty sheep, besides stock to run the farm, and meadow to cut twenty-five or thirty haystacks yearly. He was educated in the public schools, and held the office of Justice of the Peace. He is a lcader in educational matters, and while in Kansas was a school officer and assisted in organizing a free school system in his part of the country. Mrs. Bowman was living at the mouth of Pheasant Run, in Tucker County, in 1861, and the skirmish at Kalor's Ford, two hours before the battle at Corrick's Ford, was fought round the house where she lived, and many bullets struck the house.
ELDER JOHN N. BARTLETT, born 1850 on Simpson's Creek, son of Wil- liam P. and Edith (Bailey) Bartlett, was married February 24, 1870 to Ann Belle, daughter of Elder Joshua S. and Virginia A. (Grant) Corder. Child- ren, Edward Marshall, William P., Joshua Corder, Virginia Belle, Farris E. The subject of this sketch is a minister of the Primitive Baptist Church; in politics a Democrat, and resides on the headwaters of Simpson's Creek where he owns a fine farm of 190 acres, underlaid with coal. In 1862 he joined the Missionary Baptist Church at Mt. Vernon. In 1879 at Mt. Olive Church, he joined the Primitive Baptist Church, and in 1884 was licensed to preach. Two years later he was ordained a minister, and since then has been regularly visiting Primitive Baptist Churchs in Tygart's Valley River Association and also in the Redstone Association in Pennsylvania, and has done it without charge, engaging all the while in extensive farming oper- ations. He has baptzied and received into the church of his faith a large number of persons. Edward Marshall Bartlett, his oldest son, was born January 25, 1871; and after completing the public schools of the county, he attended the Fairmont Normal, Salem College, (Salem. W. Va.) Pen Art Hall, Delaware, Ohio, and in 1894 graduated there in the commercial course; and then he attended the University at Logansport, Indiana. After leaving school he traveled in twenty-three Western and Southern States, and at present has taught nine years in the public schools of Barbour. As a pen- man he ranks among the very best in the State. William P., Elder Bart- lctt's second son, was born June 28, 1873; and is a skilled mechanic and undertaker, in business at Flatwoods, Braxton County.
The genealogy of the Bartlett family of Barbour and adjoining counties is more accurately preserved than is the record of most families as old as that. There is some obscurity concerning the earliest in American, but after that the record is not much broken. Four Bartlett brothers came from England to America about 1700. One settled in Virginia, one in New Hampshire, and the descendants of the other two have not been located. The Virginian is the ancestor of the Bartletts of this part of West Virginia .*
*There is a tradition that the Bartletts are of Turkish origin, but investigation shows that the tradition is not well founded. Early in the history of New York a Turk- isli boy came to that city, apparently friendless, and was cared for at the house of a man
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William Bartlett, the earliest of the name born in America, so far as known, was born in Virginia in 1720. Subsequently he made his home in Loudoun County, where he raised a family of seven boys, (no daughter, so far as known). The sons came into Western Virginia soon after the close of the Revolutionary war, and were among the pioneers west of the Alle- ghanies. Their names and places of settlement were as follows: William settled near Simpson in the present County of Taylor; Thomas settled in the Glades of Preston County; Benjamin settled near Bridgeport, Harrison County; Robert and John settled on the West Fork a few miles below Clarksburg; James settled at Clarksburg, and Sanford lived at the same place, but was never married. He was a recruiting officer for the United States army in the War of 1812.
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