USA > West Virginia > Upshur County > The history of Upshur county, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 25
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NICHOLAS CARPENTER EPISODE
In the month of September, 1791, Nicholas Carpenter set off to Marietta with a drove of cattle to sell to those who had established themselves there; and when within some miles from the Ohio river, encamped for the night. In the morning early, and while he and the drovers were yet dressing, they were alarmed by a discharge of guns, which killed one and wounded another of his party. The others endeavored to save themselves by flight; but Carpenter being a cripple (because of a wound received some years before) did not run far, when finding himself becoming faint, he entered a pond of water where he fondly hoped he should escape observation. But no, both he and a son, who had likewise sought security there, were discovered, tomahawked and scalped. George Legget, one of the drovers, was never after heard of. But Jesse Hughes succeeded in getting off though under disadvantageous circumstances. He wore long leggins, and when the firing commenced at the camp, they were fastened at top to his belt, but hanging loose below. Although an active runner, yet he found that the pur- suers were gaining and must ultimately overtake him if he did not rid himself of this incumbrance. For this purpose he halted somewhat and stepping on the lower part of his leggins, broke the strings which tied them to his belt; but before he accomplished this, one of the savages approached and hurled a tomahawk at him. It merely grazed his head, and he then again took to flight and soon got off.
It was afterwards ascertained that the Indians by whom this mischief was effected, had crossed the Ohio river near the mouth of Little Kanawha, where they took a negro belonging to Captain James Neal, and continued on towards the settlements on West Fork, until they came upon the trail made by Carpenter's cattle. Supposing that they belonged to families moving, they followed on until
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they came upon the drovers; and tying the negro to a sapling made an attack on them. The negro availed himself of their employment elsewhere, and loosing the bands which fastened him, returned to his master.
It is said that General Tecumseh, the justly celebrated Indian chief, was with the party of Indians in May, 1792, which came into the Hackers Creek settlement and totally destroyed the Waggoner family either by instant death or by captivity. And some even go the extent to say that Tecumseh was born on Jesse's run and came back there for the purpose of avenging the outrage which the whites had committed against his copper colored race in taking and settling their land.
ABANDONMENT OF BUSHES FORT
For years after the capture of Timothy Dorman the settlers on the Buck- hannon lived in constant dread. The foundation of their fear was well founded in their knowledge of the disposition and character of their once neighbor whose enmity toward certain settlers was well known and would in time bring him back to plunder, destroy and murder. Therefore, the brave settlers who formed the vanguard of the army of settlers who were later to take, possess and hold the numerous hills and valleys in this county, rightfully acted in leaving the fort. Their departure was not quiet for on one occasion when the inhabitants were mov- ing their property to a fort on Tygart Valley, a party of savages attacked them and Michael Hagle and Elias Painter were killed. The small ill-fed horse of John Bush was brought down by a shot, and he was near being caught while extricating himself from under the fallen animal. With a desperation of death staring him in the face, he crawled out from under his animal and ran off with such perseverance and indefatigable continuance that the pursuing Indians soon gave up hope of captivity. Edward Tanner, a mere boy, was taken prisoner and while on his way to the Indian town was met by twenty or more savages under Timothy Dorman intending to attack the Buckhannon fort. Dorman learned of him that the inhabitants were abandoning the settlement and purposed to be out of danger before the arrival of his followers to accomplish the bloody deed of destruction. All were safe within other fortresses ere the coming of Dorman and his party into the country. Some days after the evacuation of the fort some former inmates thereof came from Clarksburg to carry away the grain and other provisions they had left here. On coming in sight of their former protection a horrible sight met their eyes. The fort had been completely destroyed by fire and the Indians were lurking in the neighborhood. Being discouraged but not despairing they proceeded from farm to farm, collecting the grain with the utmost vigilance and caution. The night they stayed in the house which Bush had vacated they found a paper with the name of Timothy Dorman, and containing much information about the location and persons of Buckhannon settlement. This discovery made them more apprehensive and cautious and turning what way they may it would have been no surprise to have been attacked by Dorman and his band. Indeed the next morning they had to make a bold stand of fight to the Indians who, seeing the inhabitants coming in twos and fours from the vacant house hastily withdrew into the dense forest. That night Captain George Jackson went on double quick time all the way to Clarksburg to get defenders which on their arrival scared away Dorman and the Indians and enabled the provision grain under the escort to leave the place unharmed and unhurt. Dorman and his band went directly to Tygarts Valley where between Wetsfall and Willson
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forts they came upon John Bush and his wife, Jacob Stalnaker and his son Adam. The only fatality resulting from this encounter was Adam Stalnaker. This was perhaps in 1782.
INDIAN FORAY OF 1795
This year witnessed Waynes rebellion in western Pennsylvania and made thirsty the revengeful spirit of every savage connected therewith. A dozen years of quiet and repose must now be followed by a period of aggression, de- struction and murder. During that famous summer the trail of a band of savages was first observed on Leading Creek, leading in the direction of the settlements on West Fork, Buckhannon or Tygarts Valley. Familiarity with the uncertain minds of the Indians led the detectives of this trail to at once ap- prise the settlement of their intelligence. A messenger on the swiftest horse ยท was sent to these settlements and advice of measures of defense and protection were freely communicated. Immediate and vigorous action was taken by all except those on the Buckhannon. They had been left so long in peace and quietness that they could not think that danger was apparent. They treated the message as a false alarm and no precautionary means were observed. They continued to pursue their usual avocation without cessation and with impunity when on the day following the express while John Bozarth, Sr., and his sons George and John, engaged in hauling grain from the field to the house on their farm near Lorentz, W. Va., heard agonizing screams at their home and they hastened to ascertain the cause and remove it if possible. George Bozarth while being very fat and carrying a weight of over three hundred pounds, was yet more agile and active than his father or brother. He reached the house first, followed closely by his paternal ancestor. Zed Bozarth, a simple and idiotic member of this family, was cursing the Indians and accusing them of all the foul crimes known to border warfare. Neither command of father nor persuasion of brother could close his insane mouth. The father with true parental solicitude on seeing an Indian approach George cried to him, "See, George, an Indian is going to shoot you." George seeing the drawn rifle and the proximity of his foe to him could not withdraw, but instead gazed intently and fiercely upon the murderous savage watching every movement of his hand and fingers. At the instant the trigger was about to be pulled he fell to the ground and simulated death, the ball whizzing by him in the air The savage passed by him, thinking him dead and proceeding to get the father. The old gentleman being no drone in sprinting, outran and outwitted his pursuer so badly that the Indian, despairing of overtak- ing him, threw with terrific force his tomahawk at his head. It went amiss its mark ; the old gentleman got safely off. Mental actions like streams of lightning were pouring through young George's mind as he watched the footrace. Of one thing he was certain that the savage would return and tomahawk him were he to remain where he fell. So preferring, under the circumstances to be a live coward than a dead hero, he arose and took to his heels. On his way he came on one of his brothers who was lame and gave him every aid in his power to facilitate his flight until he saw another savage coming closely upon him. One thing was certain, that odds of death were against them both if they remained together. Separated he might escape and believing it no disgrace to run when you are scared he left his brother to his own fate and hied away to the dense woods. Going on deeper and deeper into the places of security he met up with his father, who, thinking him dead, exclaimed. "Why, George, I thought you were dead."
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While the father and son were expressing to each other their joy of escaping, the Indians were committing tortures, inexpressible upon the innocent and helpless ones at home. The hobbling Bozarth was killed, soon after George left him, and three small children were dragged from their home and tomahawked in the vard. Mrs. Bozarth and two boys were taken prisoners and carried off to the Indian towns, from whence they were turned over as captives to Gen. Wayne.
These are some of the outrages suffered by the inhabitants of this section of the country during the past twenty years. A respite eternal and everlasting from the horrors of savage warfare and the woes which spring from the un- curbed indulgence our barbarous vindictive and revengeful passion was now given.
John Bozarth in his effort to escape his inveterate foe, the pursuing Indian, made every tree trunk a breastwork, every bush a defense and every stone and boulder a place of refuge. Dodging around these several helps he discomfitted and mixed up his pursuer so much that in a short distance from where the race began, (near where Jacob Allman's house now stands) his advance was sufficient to warrant the risk of going in haste to Bush's Run at a point whose width was about twenty feet and whose banks were high, soft and murky. He had calcu- lated that the Indian seeing his destination would slacken his step thinking the usual would happen between the high banks of that small stream. Bozarth's judgment was well taken and instead of doing what the Indian had expected as he neared the banks, he ran like wild, and jumping like a deer, was instantly on solid ground on the other bank. His pursuer seeing the unparalleled jump made tremendous effort to gather himself and do likewise, but instead of landing where the paleface did his leap brought him into the soft, treacherous mud by the waters edge, which held him in its sandy grasp long enough to allow Bozarth to get out of danger's way. It was upon his reaching the bank and making a sudden and powerful dash to catch up with his rival he gave up the chase and hurled his deadly tomahawk at Bozarth with terrific force.
The older men now living in the community of Lorentz know well the Locus of this saving pond and many of them used it for years and years as a swimming hole because it was deeper and wider than any other in the creek at that place.
NEW ENGLANDERS AND THEIR SETTLEMENTS.
While the roots for a permanent settlement had become firmly attached to the soil by the sturdy, rough and untutored backwoodsmen who braved the hardships and discouragements of the past twenty years, and while their numbers were few, yet their fortitude and persistence was such as would establish homes in any wilderness, in any forest and in any woodland ; to another and greater influx of immigrants was committed the important task of working a higher civilization through church and school.
Prior to the nineteenth century not a few persons in New England had taken out letters patent for large acreages of land in that part of Virginia, west of the Allegheny Mountains, and were earnest and anxious to send out settlers to their land grants. Some of these land grabbers had claims in these parts and prominent among them was Dr. Daniel Stebbins, of Northampton, Mass., who called frequent meetings of his townsmen and portrayed to them in glowing description the advantages and opportunities of this new country.
UNCLE ISAAC MORGAN and Faithful Horse, "Old Bill," who was once Stolen and Found After an Absence of 4 years and 7 months.
MR. AND MRS. HOMER H. WESTFALL.
LOGGING SCENE.
R. B. REXROAD. Family and Res'd nce
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J
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Mr. Patrick Peebles, of Pellham, Mass., acquired some interest in land here and made the first visit to this country. He went back, made a report to his neighbor, Zedekiah Morgan whose family returned with him and made settle- Inent in 1801. Patrick Peebles built the first saw-mill on Saw Mill run near its mouth, which was swept away by high waters. This misfortune discouraged him so much that he returned to Massachusetts and did not return to his Virginia lands until 1819, when he came back bringing his entire family.
Zedekiah Morgan located on the Buckhannon River at the place now called Sago, and on the lands now owned by George W. Burner, who married his granddaughter, Frances Roxane, daughter of Alfred Morgan, born 1804.
This Morgan family came direct from Connecticut here and has many living decendants in Upshur to-day.
In 1808 Aaron Gould, Sr., came from Charlemont, Mass., and selected as his future home the farm no owned by Randolph See. His family consisted of a wife and eleven children, three of his sons being unmarried. Most of this large family's posterity went west years and years ago, locating principally in the State of Illinois.
The glowing letters of the members of Aaron Gould's family to their Charle- mont neighbors induced Robert Young and Gilbert Gould in the year 1811 to move here with their families. They went deeper into the wilderness than any others had heretofore gone, settling on the lands once owned by Rev. James Young, near Hollygrove. The nearest improvement to their place of settle- ment was Haymond's Salt Works, or Bulltown.
Jonathan Aldan came from the same town in Massachusetts in 1816.
The next Massachusetts town to make large contributions to the population of the unbroken forests was Florida. From this place in 1814 came John Loomis, a single man, Elijah Phillips and his family; the next year his brother, David Phillips, with his large family also came, and the two went deeper into the forest southward. Elijah Phillips made improvments on the land once owned by his son Edward. And David Phillips on that now owned by R. A. Darnall. Abieser and Anzel Phillips, sons of Elijah and married, brought their families the same time. Three-fourths of the people residing in and around French Creek have sprung or can trace a relationship back to either Robert Young, Gilbert Gould, Elijah Phillips or David Phillips.
Montgomery, Mass., was another New England town to give up its resi- dence to swell the population in the new country. This town gave us Daniel Barrett, Martin Root and Joshua Bosworth, all of whom settled on lands below the present town of Buckhannon, mainly on the waters of Turkey Run.
In 1816, Nathan Gould, Jr., and family came from Charlemont, Mass. ; John Burr, Noah Sexton and Ebenezer Leonard and their families, from Worthington ; Mr. Daniel Haynes came from Monson; Gould and Alden families settled on Bull Run and two weeks after their advent to their new home, Nathan Gould, Sr., eighty-three years of age, made his demise, having traveled that long, weary, journey over hill and valley to find a grave in the wilderness.
Burr, Sexton and Leonard families settled first on the middle fork of Buck- hannon River, not far from Queens, West Virginia.
Later they removed to the waters of French Creek, where they and some of their decendants have nearly all lived since.
In the late fall of 1816, young Asa Brooks was sent out by the Central Missionary Association of Hampshire county, Mass., to preach for the settlers
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who had lately come from New England, and to establish a church in the new settlement, which would promulgate and perpetuate th faith of John Calvin. His advent into the forest wild was hailed with delight, and was an omen of increment and strength to the settlement. His brothers, Ezra Brooks, Amos Brooks and John Brooks, of Halifax, Mass., came out the next year.
Then came Roswell and Warren Knowlton, who settled near the Frenchton postoffice as, also, did James Bartlett and Mr. Ferry. These four people prior to the date of their emigration were citizens of the town of Belcher, Mass. About the same time came Elias Perry, Sr., Sylvanus Rice, Joseph Howes and the Shurtliffs, who planted their settlement in what is now known as the Wm. Smallridge community ; Alpheus Rude, Jacob Hunt, Ezra Morgan, Asa Boynton, Job and Murray Thayer, who settled on the John Hull farm, that land being a part of a tract of 1650 acres staked and patented by a Mr. Whitmore. Others came from time to time afterwards from New England and elsewhere, among whom were Wm. Smallridge, William Henderson, James Lemon, from Pendleton in 1830; Ebenezer Phillips and Moses Ward, from Charlemont, Mass., and lived where Andy Buchanan now lives.
To this yoemanry of Puritan belief and practice on the waters of French Creek may be added the settlers from other parts of Virginia who found homes, lived among, intermarried and became competent parts of this New England set- tlement ; Valentine Powers, on farm of Foster Wilson; Samuel Talbot, who came from Harrison county, on farm of David Talbott; Abraham, James and Daniel Wells and Joseph Mckinney and located on J. S. Douglass farm, and William Clark with his sons who emigrated from Albermarle county, Va., settled in the vicinity of Beechtown; afterwards he moved to Cutright's Run. John Vincent and Van Devanters, Abner Rice and the Conkeys came a little later on from New England and made their home in the same vicinity with those who had preceded them. Isaac Parker built his rude cabin on the H. Armstrong place.
Owing to the defects of the land system of Virginia, great uncertainty and anuch injustice resulted to the early settlers in this county. Long before the Revolution, shrewd and far-sighted speculators who saw the wild lands must grow in value, had organized land companies and real estate monopolies for the purpose of acquiring large stretches of western land. These companies employed surveyors, scouts or backwoodsmen to stake offand locate claims pursuant to the real property laws of England as executed by the Colonial officers of Virginia. These agents, ignorant of prior locations, paid little attention to the rights of others, seeking only the benefit of their employes by choosing the most fertile and best laying wild lands. This course of action must needs in time produce endless controversies, and in 1789, after all real danger of the Indians driving the whites from the land had passed, the Virginia assembly enacted some remedial legisla- tion looking to and providing for more protection to individuals who had acquired by possession, by grant, patent or other title, rights to certain tracts of land. At the same session all titles to ground regularly surveyed and claimed under char- ter, military bounty and old treasury rights, to the extent of 400 acres each, was ratified. Each family of actual settlers was given the opportunity by the same law to a "settlement right," costing about $9 and securing a title for 400 acres, and if the settlers were too poor to pay the required $9, provision was made whereby he could get it on time. This law of land protection to the actual settler allowed him a preemptive right by which on the payment of 40 cents per acre he could increase his holding an additional 1,000 acres. Thus it is plain to
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be seen that many land warrants applied to no particular spot; and there were often two or three titles to each patch and the surveys crossed each other in hope- less tangles.
Under such loose and haphazard laws as these much of the territory acquired and settled upon by this New England yoemanry was later involved in endless controversy and law suits ; and the judgments and decrees of the courts were gen- erally adverse. Many of these quiet, peaceable New Englanders soon tired of the dilatory action of the courts and its adverse decision to their titles, resolved to quit the ceaseless and grinding frontier life in the woods and go to a country richer in soil and freer from the entanglements of conflicting titles. Therefore, the trouble over the titles to the lands, locally, caused an emigration westward about the year 1830. Dr. Loyal Young, D. D., thinks that fully one-half of the New Englanders who came into this county went west about this time, most of them going to Illinois and founding a New England settlement near the town of Assumption, where many of their descendants still live. Some went to Penn- sylvania and some went back to New England. This loss was very heavy and hindered the progress and growth of this new settlement very materially, but it was a great gain to the State in which they located.
Great discouragement possessed those who remained. They had either to purchase their land again or be ejected by the strong arm of the law, and be com- pelled to go forth to buy elsewhere. Consequetly, feeble efforts were put forth by these despairing ones to make improvements, not knowing how soon some other soulless land company might come forth and make claim of priority of survey and grant to that which was held by the company lately selling. Indeed, these things really did occur and some had to purchase their farms for the third time, which was sufficient to drive into despair the most hopeful and buoyant among their numbers.
W. D. Talbot informs us that his grandfather, Samuel T. Talbot, living in the vicinity of Beechtown, had first purchased his title from a "squatter" and later was compelled to buy it a second time from the McCall heirs, assigns or agents, the McCall survey embracing all the land occupied and settled upon by Talbot, Wells, Mckinney and others.
PATHS TRAVELED BY EARLY IMMIGRANTS
People of this day often wonder by what roads the early settler reached the goal of his ambition on the upper waters of the Monongahela. The woods were everywhere, their density only excelled by their loftiness. To the weak and cow- ardly they presented an uncomparable, impassable difficulty which could be removed by myriads of expert axemen applying their strength and dexterity to the swamping of passage-ways. This was a task hardly to be thought of on account of its immensity and duration. Those who had for years been innured to frontier life and by force of circumstances had become apt students in appro- priating everything found available and useful in the forest, adopted the more practical and less laborious, but more dangerous expedient of traveling to their new settlements over game paths and Indian trails. These game paths were the beaten tracks usually of large herds of Buffalo which led from one large pasturage to another. Some of them were more than a rod in width, and all of them were on grades sufficiently good for horses to travel. And if these led in a direction contrary to that which the settlers wanted to go, the other expedient
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was adopted and the backwoodsman with his horses, cattle and family sojourned toward his destination by an Indian war path of which there were many. These Indian trails antedate in their establishment authentic history. Evidently their origin, judging from their unused and neglected condition goes back to the time when the northern tribes of the United States were making raids and actual warfare on the southern Indians or vice versa.
With dread and apprehension and constant watchfulness, these first settlers traveled these trails which eliminated the absolute necessity and great labor of swamping out new and less desirable roads.
West Virginia seems to have been at one time, nearer the great battle ground of contending Indian tribes, and was on that account cut up in every direction by Indian war paths of which the brave, the courageous and the fearless men and women, who sought homes in the western wilderness, made use of in their emi- gration from the tidal lowlands of Virginia and Maryland.
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