USA > West Virginia > Upshur County > The history of Upshur county, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 27
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A Presbyterian class was organized on the river some miles below the present county seat of Upshur county, at the home of Martin Root, in 1819. Dr. Loyal Young spells the new missionary station "Buchanon," and says it was thus spelled at that time, before the town of Buckhannon was in existence. Martin Root and Dr. Elisha D. Barrett were chosen as Ruling Elders. The class afterwards made the town its center of activity, building a church on a lot near the present residence of Captain A. M. Poundstone.
Revs. A. J. Fairchilds, Ezekiel Quillin, Edward Brooks, Ebenezer Churchill, Orr Lawson, C. P. French, administered the Lord's Supper and expounded the Word at French Creek and Buckhannon until after the civil war.
The first house of Presbyterian worship at French Creek was near where the present one stands, and was built of logs, and in 1823 or '24. The three things peculiar about this building was the ladies' contribution of linen sufficient when sold by Augustus W. Sexton at Frazier's store, to pay for the nails and window glass for the house ; second, the then common act of some one on the completion of the roof of new building to stand on the ridge-pool thereof and christen to its proper use the new house, not by breaking the bottle filled with sparkling champaign, but by drinking its contents to the health and prosperity of the church, and third, the high pulpit, such as prevailed in those days, and were reached only by flights of stairs.
Today the Presbyterian denomination has three churches in the county, Buckhannon, French Creek and McCue.
Rev. Elisha Thomas carried a petition to the- Greenbrier presbytery, signed by Robert Coyner, Elizabeth Coyner, Mary Cooper, T. E. Janney, Caroline A. Janney, Ann Little, Caroline McFadden, David Little, W. A. Patrick, Sarah Trimble and Abbey D. Wood, which gave creation to the local church on Novem- ber 6, 1849.
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THE UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH.
The United Brethern in Christ church began its career in this county in the year 1846, at Peeks Run, where a class under the direction and authority of Brother Benjamin Stickley of Hardy county was organized. Some of the charter members were Mrs. Rebecca Gerald, daughter of Jacob Brake; Moses Marple, father of G. D. Marple ; Henry Neff and Henry Neff James in 1847. John P. White was the first class leader.
The second class organized was at Mt. Washington, Hickory Flat, in the same year the county was formed. The ministers who are entitled to praise for zeal and fidelity to the U. B. church in its youthful days in these parts were Revs. Benjamin Stickley, John Haney, Brashear, I. K. Staten and Isiah Baltzel. This denomination has for its meritorious work for the past sixty years fourteen churches and classes in flourishing condition.
The greatest stimulus in the United Brethren church's growth was 1880, when the Normal and Classical Academy was established in the town of Buck- hannon. It brought into this field students, scholars and devoted workers, who labored assiduously for the strengthening of the society which promoted, guarded and supported the struggling school.
The first society formed by this denomination at Buckhannon was perfected in the year 1871, with a membership of twelve. A house of worship was begun, and amid many discouragements continued to completion, and dedicated Novem- ber 22, 1873.
The ministers who lent their energy and ability to the building up of this local church were: Revs. A. L. Moore, H. L. Poling, J. W. Boggess, D. Barger, C. Hall, J. W. Shumaker, G. W. Weekly, J. O. Stephens and Martin Weekly.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The initial step for the organization of an Episcopal church in Upshur county was taken during 1852, when Robert A. Castleman, resident minister at Clarks- burg, and Rev. James Page, a missionary, held various periodical services in Buckhannon town.
The next year Rev. Page was stationed at Weston and held services more frequently. His zealous efforts bore their fruit in due time, and now we have two Episcopal churches in the county, one at Buckhannon and one on the plantation of the late William T. Higginbotham.
The Buckhannon church was purchased from the Southern Methodist, re- paired, remodeled and named by Rev. T. H. Lacy "The Transfiguration.
The first time a minister of the Episcopal church was at Spruce was in 1848 Services were held in the log school house, and the frame one supplanted the log house in 1895, when the present building was so nearly completed as to permit of occupancy.
In 1895 the Rev. A. K. Fenton was placed in charge and in July, 1897, Spruce Chapel was consecrated under the supervision of Bishop G. W. Peterkin.
There are at this time fifteen communicants and twenty-eight baptized per- sons who look to the church for ministrations.
A small rectory was built on the church land in 1897 by Rev. A. K. Fenton, the minister in charge.
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THE GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH.
The German Baptist, commonly known as "Dunkards," planted their first organization and church during the early years of the rebellion on the head waters of Big Sand Run.
Their first church house was a log structure, which was abandoned for an elegant new frame building in 1888. This first class was organized by the devotion and energy of Rev. Joseph Houser. The mantle of construction fell from Rev. Jos. Houser on the shoulders of our estimable countryman, D. J. Miller, who has pushed forward the work of recruit, organization and establishment. He builded a church at Indian Camp more than a score of years ago, and in 1903 removed the class from that place to Bean's Mill on the B. & O. railroad, where a new and handsome home had been previously provided. The third and last class to be or- ganized by Rev. Miller was at Goshen, where a strong class meets and worships according to the edicts of that organization.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
The first church organization at Frenchton was the Baptist in 1816. Rev. James Wells preached here and at Buckhannon.
Robert B. Semple, in his History of the Baptist in Virginia, gives a table of Union Association, to which the Buckhannon Baptist church belonged for many years. In this he states that the church at Buckhannon was constituted in 1786, with five members, by Rev. J. W. Loveberry. Uncle Henry Westfall main- tains that the Baptist church was organized about the year 1814, and a log house was built on the south hill side facing Fink's Run, the present site of the Baptist cemetery. After a very thorough investigation of records we are prone to accept the later date as the correct one. The members of this first Baptist class were Jacob Hyre, John Hyre, John Brake, Jacob Brake and Major Jackson.
The growth of this church has not been phenomenal, but marked by a regu- larity and gradation that is the pride of its members. The Baptist denomination now has as the tangible fruition of a century's labors six churches, to which a large and appreciative membership and friends weekly repair and pay just devo- tion to that God, who is the source of all blessings, temporal and eternal, of earth and heaven.
The present church on Locust street was built in -, and its principal sup- porters are Senator T. J. Farnsworth, D. C. Hughes, Dr. C. E. White, the Drum- monds, Colwes, Sanford Graham.
METHODIST PROTESTANT.
Some ten years elapsed after the great schism in the Protestant denomination of 1830, before this branch endeavored to effect any organization in this county. As is well known, the differences which resulted in the creation of this denomi- nation was the manner of government, the contention being to take power from the deacons, elders and other high church officers, and lodging it with the people, the real bone and sinew of any church.
The first class was organized at Lorentz, about the year 1837; the second class was organized at or near the mouth of French Creek. Today, this denomi- nation is the third strongest in the county, having at least eight churches within the county limits.
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THE CHARACTER AND LIFE OF THE FIRST SETTLERS.
Our native ancestors lived very simple lives. They were held together by the bands of mutual protection and mutual helpfulness, and were shiftless and in some instances lazy and vicious. Their greatest aim was to perform the three- fold task of building their cabins, clearing the land and planting corn; and the extent of their improvements was gauged largely by the indefinite measure of nec- essity. Some would not even enter upon strenuous life of husbandry long enough to provide themselves and theirs with bread and meat to sustain them. To these the passion of hunting, rambling, visiting and often times pillaging was stronger than the love of domestic duty ; and they yielded willingly to the sinful tempta- tions of gratifying their own inclinations, leaving their helpless and dependent families to shift for themselves.
Our forefathers were backwoodsmen in deed and in truth. Their environ- ments, habits, if their parents and birth did not make them so, was fertile soil to generate within their breasts those elements and characteristics that style the true American. They were virile, inured to all kinds of hardships, expectant of any contingency. They were the kernel and seed of the American citizenship of today.
They readily caught on to the ways of their inveterate foe, the savage, who by nature never was a husbandman, and imitated him in every thing that guar- anteed them less work, more pleasure and greater protection. The five senses of the frontier settler were as acute and keen as the hostile Indian to whom the wilderness was an open book.
The Pringle brothers, John Cutright, William White and the Hughes rev- elled in abundant story of how they excelled the aborigines in detecting and in- terpreting signs, in watching and in trapping game and in seeing and tracking the unusual visitors to their little plantations. They could tread the dry leaves and dead limbs of the boundless forest as stealthily and silently as the mountain panther, and they excelled him, if need be, in cunning and ferocity. Why should it not be thus? The child at a very early age accompanied his father in hunt and in field, learning by observation how to handle a gun, the wiles of the savage and the necessity of quick, rapid action of defense.
The four walls of the pioneer home were made of unhewn poles, uniform in size and similar in length. The roof was cut in pieces of bark, usually birch or hickory or clap boards. These were held in position on the rough horizontal rafters by means of tie poles; these tie poles lay on the lower half of the roofing material sections and directly over the rafter. They were kept in place by staves placed between them. Doors were hung on wooden hinges, fastened with a latch string and locked with a timber button ; floors and ceilings of puncheon, rived boards and strong bark made ready for habitation the original cabin. As time passed the continuity of life was as- sured the rock-based, "cat and clay" chimneys, hewn logs, four-panel windows, obtained in buildings and added to home comfort. There were no outbuildings other than the bush-covered rail pens known as the stable. It was just strong enough to protect animals from harshments of wild beasts. The first painted house was built by Jacob Lorentz, and was a sign of wealth, an object of envy and an ornament of admiration. The furnishings of the house consisted of a cupboard in the corner nearest the fire, a table used for dining and stand pur-
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poses and some rough knife-made chairs and bedsteads; this latter article had two end pieces, fastened to the side of the log house and to the front railing, which was attached to legs at either end. Other poles or hickory withes were used as slats, and upon them was placed the straw and feather ticks, or more often the pallet of furs and skins. The turning lay came later on and improved very much the ornamental appearance of the household furniture. With its introduction came the use of flax ropes as bedcords.
The culinary apparatus was of the rudest. Many substitutes were forced by necessity and few vessels oftimes served many purposes. The journey cake was baked in cabbage leaves, the sweet pone in large skillets, as was the wheat bread.
No article of food debated the supremacy of Indian corn as the staple diet, but meat, pumpkins and beans were in continued strife to hold their respective positions. These digestibles were prepared in frying pans, Dutch ovens and large pots by the artful house wife, taken up in pewter basins or wooden trays, and served on flat boards or pewter plates.
No rugs or carpets hid the rough surface of the floor and augmented per- sonal comfort unti! 1828, when the Goulds and Youngs made in partnership the first bolt of rag carpet, using flax for chain and rags for filling.
The dress of our forefathers was in great part borrowed from the Indian The fur cap was the man's headgear. It was made grotesque by leaving the tail of the wild animal hang from the crown, making its wearing have a weird, fierce look. Samuel Oliver made some ill-shaped headgear, but the first real wool hats were made by Abraham Carper, who came here soon after serving an apprentice- ship in Pennsylvania. The main part of the body was covered with the fringed hunting shirt, homespun or buckskin. It was a loose cloak or smock reaching to the knees and held in at the waist by a belt from which hung the tomahawk, bowieknife or other sharp instruments. Many preferred the shorter coat of homespun jeans, called the "wamus." It was tied around the body just below the waistband of the breeches. This was another absolute article of male attire, made of deerskin or linsey woolsey. The feet were protected by moccasins made of tanned horsehide, cowhide, buffalo or deerskin. They were light, loose, elastic when wet and rasping when dry.
The most intricate machine of the home was the loom, an appliance for the weaving of cloths and carpets. By means of this instrument and the growing of a few sheep and a small acreage of flax, the good housewife was able to man- ufacture linsey woolsey, a kind of cloth known as the warmest and strongest. Toe was the warp and yarn was the woof of this cloth. Many of our grandma- mas were experts in weaving, putting out in one day's full work many yards.
The one other article of great usefulness to the pioneer was the gun ; it is a firearm. The first of that class was called flintlock, so named because the user had to touch off the powder with a spark produced by steel coming in violent attack with a flint. The second is known as the percussion lock guns, the powder of which was exploded by a hammer sent forth by a strong spring and striking a small copper cap containing fulminating powder. These weapons were muzzle loaders, very accurate and very long, compared with the present firearms. Some- times from dampness of cap or weakness of strike guns failed to fire, and this was great argument against their use at first. Abraham Crites once having an experience of this kind declared his gun was not worth a d -. Hunters were adepts in the use of these guns, always boasting and tormenting each other about the excellency and accurateness of their own. It is remarkable that many pio-
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neers could shot, load, fire and reload those old percussion muzzle loaders with a quickness that would astound the living Nimrod.
In the hands of the true backwoodsman the gun subserved two ends. It was a weapon of defense and protection, and it was an instruments of supply and furnishing. Its function in this latter case was facilitated, yea compelled when the scarcity of grain and other provisions was general. The failure of the corn crop drove the pioneer to the expedient of a substitute for bread, and this could be found only in the dense, fertile, boundless forest, which shrowded his home and contained game. The Pringle brothers saw, met and killed two or three shaggy-maned buffalos who were feeding on the wild sweet peas and other nutritious plants on the fertile lands along which the beaten buffalo path lead. Wild turkeys were also plentiful and furnished the first settlers with many delectable roasts. The lordliest game of all the forest here about was the round-horned deer, whose antlers spread out like producing apple trees, and whose numbers were great. This animal saved many a poor family from starvation, scurvey and disease, and the home was safe when a goodly amount of jerk, dear meat dried in the sun or by the fire, was on hand. The bear abounded where chestnuts, haws and persimmons abounded, and was another standby to the pioneer. Whenever the larder was deficient of hog grease, butter or other short- ening or seasoning, the man went forth on the beloved bear ground to kill one of its inhabitants in order that fat and oil for cooking might be had. The pigeons. at times filled the woods, and came down on the improvements in such large flocks that their coming was like unto impending clouds; and when they came down on a plantation they spread devastation and desolation in their way.
The black and gray squirrel made inroads on the corn field and had to be repulsed and driven away continuously to save the crop.
Besides these animals might be mentioned the woodchuck, whose habitation was under an old stump in an old field and whose fur was warm and desirous for head covering ; the panther or American lion, whose nature was vicious and whose invasions were frequent. Nor must we forget the wolf, whose sheep killing proclivities were only satisfied with a full and complete gratification of their blood-thirsty appetite.
The frontiersmen lived in a stage of independent economy. Everything from bread to sandals was produced or manufactured by members of the household. The grubbing of a few acres for a corn patch was usually done by the man in the open days of winter; and if the approach of spring found little work done on the intended clearing a general invitation was sent to neighbors to come in and make up the backwardness. These gatherings were largest at chop- pings and rollings. The married and unmarried women were visitors at the home of the maker of these parties on the same day, passing their time in the use- ful labor of quilting a bed cover or separating dirt from sheep's wool and spin- ning it into available yarn. That night men and women made merry in dance, song, drink and story ; these social exercises both terminated and dominated the separate day gatherings. They were called "frolics," and are known to this day as such. Oftimes a full month in spring was given to attendance on these frolics ; mutual helpfulness was the motive back of them. He who rolled logs for an- other fould have help in rolling his own logs. During autumn a repetition on a smaller scale occurred with those who wanted to sow wheat.
With the single exception of these grubbing, chopping and rolling frolics the frontiersman relied exclusively upon his own help and ingenuity. With the
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hand-made plow, all wood but the broad shovel or narrow colter fastened at the lower end of the beam, he weaved in and out among the roots and stumps across the cleared patch until the tough turf was well broken. The power drawing the plow was either the horse harnessed with home-made straw collar, wooden hames, leather back-bands and hemp traces, or a pair of cattle joined together, side by side, by hickory bows passing around the neck and up through holes in a wooden beam laying just behind the bovine's ears. A wooden key was thrust through a small aperture in the end of the inside prong of the bow, holding it in place on the neck and in the beam. The Pringle brothers did their plowing and hauling with a milch cow, harnessed like a horse. The animal served the double purpose for years of a beast of burden and a producer of food.
John Hacker, at Lorentz, was the first blacksmith on the waters of the Buck- hannon.
Prior to his cobbling in iron the frontiersmen had to use withes for chains, for bolts and for ropes. The singletree was a three-foot stick of tough wood, with a hole through the center and another at the end.
Clips were unknown. The doubletree was like the singletree and larger.
The saddle was a typical pack saddle, made of dogwood forks and slats of wood. Blankets of rags or sheepskin were put under this rough make-shift to lessen the injury to the animal's back and skins of fur and wool were put over it to lessen injury to the rider's stern.
Horses, cattle and hogs were fed out of soft wood troughs of every size and length; and oftimes the larger troughs were used as grain bins, pickling barrels and swill tubs. Milk pails and water buckets were wooden, manufactured of dressed staves and hickory hoops. When these vessels were distinct the former was called a "keeler," the latter a "piggin," but the rule was that multiplicity produced confusion and one was sufficient for both purposes.
Sleds were exclusively used until the dawn of the nineteen century. Messrs. Jacob Lorentz, Abraham Carper and Abe Post transported their goods from Beverly on a wagon in 1800, the first seen on the Buckhannon. The first wagon brought here permanently was the one carrying the goods of Messrs. Robert Young and Gilbert Gould. The paths were so narrow and steep, it fell into disuse and decay.
Hogs and cattle date their presence with the beginning. The rich mast and nutritious range kept the swine in a growing, healthy condition, such as insured and encouraged rapid multiplication. Shortly the woods were full of them. If hog meat was craved the pioneer had no trouble to satisfy his craving. As time went on a market for savory mountain ham was found and the hog trade became a paying business.
The demand for hogs was responsible for infinite and sometimes menacing disputes over ownership. The cause of these disputes was removed by the custom of a system of markings, ear cuttings, nose lashings and tail trimmings. Messrs. James Smith, Abram Reger, James Teeter and J. Wesley Westfall were some of the first hog merchants. The hogs brought a certain price per head, were col- lected in one large herd at the home of the buyer, and started off on foot to mar- . ket. Men were hired to follow them to Richmond, Winchester or Cumberland and watch that none escaped. The owner usually followed soon after his drove in a wagon loaded with corn and carrying an empty box to rest and help the tired or injured which fell by the way.
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Chester W. Morgan was employed to assist in driving a herd of 937 to Richmond, which place was reached with the full number.
Wandering away from improvements and staying away for a term of years effected the hog's tameness and reduced him in many instances to his former wild and ferocious state.
GEOGRAPHY OF UPSHUR COUNTY.
This political division of the commonwealth of West Virginia hangs like an elongated diamond on the thirty-ninth parallel of north latitude. About four times as much territory lies south of this parallel as lies north of it. Its width being about one-third of its length. It lies between the eightieth and the eightieth and thirty minute's meridens of longitude east of Greenwich.
The surface of Upshur county is undulating and bordering upon the rough. This surface lies above the sea level at a height ranging from eleven hundred to three thousand feet, a sufficient variation to cause a very perceptible difference in temperature and in the ripeness of fruits and vegetables.
The streams of Upshur county are such as are found at the head waters of all the principal rivers of this continent. Away up against the mountain side beyond the confines of Upshur county there bursts forth a perennial stream of water which flounders around in the porous soil thereabout and finally starts off down the western slope. As this tiny stream goes on, it receives additions, branches and divisions which make it stronger and stronger ; it creeps, silently, toward the father of waters until it becomes a river, silvery in its appearance, sinuous in its direction and rich in its blessings. The beauty of this principal river through the central portion of Upshur county transcends that beautiful river of which long ago it was sung in most delightful poesy,
"Onward ever, lovely river, Softly falling to the sea, Time that scars us, maims and mars us, Leaves no track or trench on thee."
In many places along the course of this river there are positive geological testimonials of its prehistoric origin and work. The broad alluvial valleys, and ยท the wide fertile plateaus through which this stream flows, is proof ample and abundant that some time in the ages of the past its banks extended from hill top to hill top; geological up-heavals, the ocean's receding action, and the erosion caused by these streams, have wrought the change whereby these waters are more limited and less dangerous. From the northern to the southern end of the county streams of lesser size empty their water into the bosom of this beautiful river. On the west side commencing in the northern end of the county and proceeding toward the southern extremity, are Peck's Run, Turkey Run, Fink's Run, Cutright's Run, French Creek, and Big Run pouring their sparkling waters into the Buckhannon. On the east side commencing at the north and going southward, Big Sand Run, Little Sand Run, Truby's Run, Grassy Run, Panther Run and the Left Fork empty their contents into the same stream.
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