USA > West Virginia > Upshur County > The history of Upshur county, West Virginia, from its earliest exploration and settlement to the present time > Part 40
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From year to year, the number of dwellings increased and became so numerous that the citizens living on these lots took steps to incorporate the new town of South Buckhannon. This corporation, known as South Buckhannon, was effected in 1900, with a population of about 1,000.
The mayors of South Buckhannon : James Daily-1900-1904. W. H. Conrad-1905. B. F. Malone-1906. Arthur Reese-1907. Recorders of South Buckhannon : Sanford Graham-1900-1903. George K. Gay-1904-1905. E. L. Coburn-1906-1907.
Industries of South Buckhannon are: Three planing mills, The Wm. Flaccus Oak and Leather Tannery, The Buckhannon Electric Light and Water Plant, Artificial Stone Works, Broom Factory, and the West Virginia Wesleyan College.
This corporation owns its own council hall and lockup.
FRENCHTON.
The original name of this post office was Beech Town, so named from a legend handed down to the first settlers of this neighborhood by those who had seen and frequently talked with the Indians who occassionally made invasions at an early date into this part of Virginia. Those bands, who traveled from the East to the Ohio river and from the West to the eastern valleys, made this point one of their stopping places, and in order to more carefully protect themselves they reared a number of Indian huts out of poles and logs on the site where the present M. E. Church now stands; these logs were beech and thus the name Beech Town. The first permanent settler was Samuel T. Talbot, and then came the Douglasses, the Armstrongs, the Wilsons, and the Hefners. The first store- keeper was Samuel T. Talbot and the first blacksmith was Peter Hefner and the first shoemaker was Harvey McCauley. Among the postmasters were S. T. Talbot, Joseph Groves, William Bennett, Sarah T. Curry, Daniel Hefner, Samuel Wilson, Wm. P. Wilson, E. S. Wilson, W. E. Wilson and C. B. Wilson. The present M. E. Church was built in 1850 by. Elbridge Burr,Jr., and W. H. Curry, and the most prominent members of the class at that time were Samuel T. Talbot, Samuel Wilson, James Curry, John Douglass and Peter Hefner.
In the cemetery by the church are buried side by side soldiers of the blue and the grey, whose names are: George W. Rusmisell, James Smallridge, Isaac T. Vincent and Wm. Bennett. This village is now a station on the Coal & Coke railroad.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
ROCK CAVE.
On the plateau west of the Little Kanawha river is a village, whose first settlers were the Currys and MacAvoys. Rumor has it that one Robert Curry and his descendants composed so large a per cent. of the population of this early young village that for years it was styled and known as Bob Town; after- ward it was called Centerville and it was the intention and desire of its inhabitants at the time they asked the United States Department for a post office at that place to make that its permanent name, but under the ruling and subjection of the department, the post office was named Rock Cave. Its first postmaster being Dr. Wm. H. Curry. The first blacksmith was Morgan A. Darnall, the first shoemaker was James MacAvoy, as he was also its first Inn keeper, the present postmaster is Wm. Kincaid.
GARFIELD JR. O. U. A. M. No. 77,
was organized on September 24, 1892, those who had signed the original petition asking for the society and therefore were its charter members were: T. M. Cheuvront, V. L. Bennett, Andrew Mearns, Edward McClain, F. L. Coburn, E. W .. Andrews, J. T. Vincent, R. W. McClain, A. O. Harper, E. E. Loudin and E. I. Buchanan.
SOLDIERS BURIED IN ROCK CAVE CEMETERY,
are: Austin Griffin, Robt. Curry, Wm. J. Smith, Henry Geyer, Wm. J. Anthony, Wm. Littlefield, A. B. Geyer and Wm. Blagg.
HOLLY GROVE.
The village of Holly Grove is situated on the Little Kanawha river, about 18 miles south of Buckhannon. It was all originally part of the farm belonging to the late James B. Moore, one of the pioneer settlers in this communitty.
It contains seven dwelling houses, two stores, at one of which is the post office, a small mill, one hotel, one church and a school house of two rooms. The M. E. parsonage of the Holly Grove circuit is here.
The Providence Baptist Church of Holly Grove was organized November, 1872, at the home of James B. Moore and a log church was built not long after on land donated by him for that purpose, the members contributing of their tim- ber, time and labor in erecting the building. It was dedicated September 5, 1875, by Rev. Reuben A. Kemper.
In 1892 this building was torn down and a larger and better frame building erected on the same site. The new church was dedicated July, 1893, by Rev. L. W. Holden.
There were twenty-seven charter members, whose names were as follows: Jas. M. Sharps, Mary F. Sharps, Peter Johnston, Elizabeth Johnston, Caroline F. Johnston, Ethan Carpenter, Eda M. Simons, Thos. N. Martin, Sarah C. Martin, Elizabeth Moore. Wm. F. Moore, Mary S. Raikes, Nancy J. Raikes, Hester M. Ogden, Jas. M. Raikes, Thomas C. Raikes, Edwin C. Hyre, Mary E. Hyre, Ann E. Long, John J. West, Mary E. West, Josiah L. West, Wm. H.
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MISCELLANEOUS .HISTORY.
Dever, Rachel O. Dever, Jas. R. Dever, Anderson Shingleton, Elzina Shingleton. Sixteen of these are still living and nine of them are still members of this church.
Thirteen different men have served as pastors during these years. Their terms of service ranging from a few months to six and a half years. Their names are as follows, given in the order of their pastorates: Rev. Henry E. Carter, Rev. L. W. Holden, Rev. L. B. Moore, Rev. S. Barb, Rev. Chas. L. Brown (lic), Rev. W. B. Fisher, Rev. Henry Langford, Rev. H. E. Hoff, Rev. M. W. Perrine, Rev. J. Frank Cost, Rev. F. B. Baldwin, Rev. W. L. Oliver, Rev. H. H. Martin (lic).
There have been baptized into the fellowship of this church since its organization, 104 members, received by letter 29, making in all 160 different persons, who at some time have belonged to this church. Present membership 82. had no regular pastor since October, 1905. They have a sabbath school all the year and have had for several years.
MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE AND DOMESTIC GENIUS.
The coin of the realm was very scarce and possessed only by those of saving habits and close economy. Its circulation was limited, indeed. The parting of it occurred at the general store where the settlers had to purchase the necessities of life, and only did the possessor of money release his grasp of it when the products of the farm or the forest failed to make a complete balance with his debts. Money was used in the purchase of land and in the buying of cattle. These transactions were had usually away from home and the buyer was compelled in most instances to make exchanges and transfers of property, real and personal, through this medium.
The great bulk of business was done by barter, that is, the exchange of one commodity or property for another with the payment of the difference in like kind or some other commodity. The woods were filled with the productions of the soil, such as ginseng, seneca snake root and other medicinal plants and abounded with the fur-producing animals, such as the fox, the raccoon, the skunk or the pole cat and the opossum, and the meat-producing animals, such as the deer, the rabbit, the squirrel, the pheasant, the partridge, and the wild pigeon ; these gave the pioneer settler the opportunity and the occassion of not only getting that which sustained life 'but also that which paid debts. The habit of hunting seemed and was a necessity in the early settlement and ceased only when the profits arising from activity and work in the woods became less than that which could be gained from other labor or when the merchant had failed to make satisfactory arrangements with the commission men at Cumberland, Parkersburg, Baltimore and other points, about the products secured by the chase or with the hoe. Thus it was these very common articles became the bases of a condition of business wherein they were the mediums of exchange. Later the state of society had evolved and in place of the aforesaid articles the grains, such as wheat, barley, buckwheat, oats and Indian corn, as well as the domestic animals, such as the horse, the cow, the steer, the sheep, and even the dog, entered into the business transactions of daily life. One instance has come to our attention in which a tract of land of no small size was exchanged for a horse, a gun, and a dog. The last of which was prized most highly and considered most valuable by the individual who parted with him.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
Conditions have changed. The advent of the huckster, who came and paid cash for poultry, poultry products, for furs and mountain game, and the coming of the live stock man to drive away the farmers' cattle and sheep for a cash valuation and the introduction of the railroads whereby all the products of farm and forest are brought into ready market or can easily be taken where there is a market-all has wrought a wonderful and more highly industrial state of society. Money is the measure of all values here now as elsewhere and whenever an individual has something to exchange or to sell he puts a price on it by the unit of value-the gold dollar.
The tanning of leather for the moccasins, the breeches, and the ladies' walking skirt was a home made process. A large trough was provided as a tan vat. During the months of spring, when the clearing was made, a good supply of bark was obtained. It was piled up, dried out and hauled in, and in wet days was shaved and pounded on a block with an ax or mallet. Of course the settler had no lime for taking off the hair and wood ashes were used as a substitute. "Bears' oil, hogs' lard, and tallow answered the place of fish oil." The operation of currying or dressing the hide was performed with a drawing knife which was inverted and handled very much as deftly as the currying knife in a modern tannery. Of course the leather was rough and course; but it was strong and durable. Even to this day some farmers use the tanning trough and other primitive instruments to prepare the hides of the smaller animals, such as the ground hog, for their wives' half-handers, and their harness strings.
Without a single exception every family contained its own tailor. This was not true as respects shoemakers, however, most families contained a cobble: of more or less pretentions. The grades of their proficiency took them through the three principal shoe productions known to the pioneer settlers: First, the moccasin, which was the simplest form of shoe wear, consisted of a single piece of leather, brought together over the foot and sewed from the toe to the ankle. There was a seam behind running from the bottom of the foot to the top of the moccasin. The second development of shoemaking was the shoe pack. "These like moccasins, were made of a single piece of leather with the exception of the tongue piece on top of the foot, which was about two inches long and circular at the lower end and to which the main piece of leather was sewed with a gathering stitch. The seam behind was like that of a moccasin and a sole was sometimes added." The tailoring work of the household was usually done by the women. No single lady was considered a fit companion for man until she could cut out and make hunting shirts, leggins, coats, pantaloons, and underwear. Therefore, it was the ambition of every young girl to acquaint herself with the modes and methods of tailor work. The first itinerant tailor and the first lady tailor in the county was a Miss Young, who went from house to house and settlement to settlement doing work. On one occasion when going from a settlemnt from below the town of Buckhannon to the settlement on the head waters of French creek she got lost in the woods, darkness came upon her and she was compelled to remain in the forest over night. So bad were the roads or paths over which the people had to travel and so open were the forests that a heavy rain oft- times obliterated the path and only the most expert and observant could find it. Miss Young on the next day found her bearings by occasionally burning a pile of leaves, which would indicate her direction and left a trace to those who might hunt her as to where she might be.
JOHN REGER AND DAUGHTER, BARBARA. Patent made by Patrick Heniy, and in possession of L. A. Teter. A spoon brought from Germany by Jacob Reger, 1735. A knife made in Sheffield, Eng- land, and the deer horn handle placed on by John Reger's own hand, and the James Teter family Bible.
CATHERINE (STRADER) TETER.
ALVA TETER.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
"The state of society which existed in our country at an early period of its settlement was well calculated to call into action every native mechanical genius. There was in almost every neighborhood, some one whose natural ingenuity enabled him to do many things for himself and his neighbors, far above what could have been reasonably expected. With the very few tools which they brought with them into the country, they certainly performed wonders. Their plows, harrows with their wooden teeth, and sleds were in many instances well made. Their cooper ware, which comprehended every thing for holding milk and water, was generally well executed. The cedar ware, by having alternately a white and red stave, was then thought beautiful. Many of their puncheon floors were very neat, their joints close, and the top even and smooth. Their looms, although heavy, did very well. Those who could not exercise these mechanic arts were under the necessity of giving labor or barter to their neighbors in exchange for the use of them, so far as their necessities required." The art of knitting was most general. Almost all the women could knit hose and half-hose, mittens and gloves out of cotton or wool. Some women were adepts in this art. Their work combined neatness, harmony of colors and faith- fulness of form that made their product things of beauty and joys for the possessor. Some of the men even undertook to learn this art and succeeded admirably in wielding the needles in the making of yarn suspenders and yarn belts.
LAND PATENT, OLD GRANTS, QUIT CLAIMS AND DEEDS.
Patrich Henry, Esquire, Governor of the commonwealth of Virginia, all or Whom these presents shall come, Greeting; know ye, that by virtue of a certificate in right of settlement given by the commissioner of adjusted titles to unpatented lands in the district of Monongalia, Yohogania and Ohio, and in consideration of the ancient composition of thirty shillings, sterling, paid by John Reager into the treasury of this commonwealth, there is granted by the said commonwealth unto the said John Reager, assignee of Paulcer Butcher, a certain tract or parcel of land, containing two hundred and eighty-six acres, by survey bearing date the first day of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, lying and being in the county of Harrison, including his settle- ment made in the year 1777 on Buckhannon river, and bounded as followeth, to wit : Beginning at a white oak on the bank of said river and running thence south fifteen degrees, east two hundred and six poles to a white oak, south sixty-five degrees, west one hundred and twenty-four poles to a white oak on the river bank, thence down the same with the meanders thereof five hundred and sixty-two poles to the beginning, with its appurtenances; to have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land with its appurtenances, to the said John Reager and his heirs forever.
In witness whereof, the said Patrick Henry, Esq., governor of the common- wealth of Virginia hath hereunto set his hand, and caused the lesser seal of the said commonwealth to be affixed at Richmond, on the twenty-fifth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six and of the commonwealth the eleventh.
P. HENRY.
.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
James Monroe, Esquire, governor of the commonwealth of Virginia. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting; Know ye, that by virtue of a certificate in right of settlement given by the commissioners for adjusting the titles to unpatented lands in the district of Monongalia, Yohogania, and Ohio, and in consideration of the ancient composition of eight dollars and eighty-nine cents paid into the treasury of this commonwealth, there is granted by the said commonwealth unto Samuel Jackson, a certain tract or parcel of land, containing four hundred acres by survey bearing date the seventh day of October, seventeen hundred and ninety-eight, lying and being in the county of Randolph, on Pecks run, a branch of Buckhannon river adjoining lands of George Jackson, Esq., and bounded as followeth, to wit: Beginning at a white oak corner of George Jackson's and John Reager's and running S. 5 E. 100 poles to a white oak and mulberry near Pecks run, S. 18 W. 156 poles crossing said run to a white oak, S. 42 E. 32 poles to a black oak, S. 82 E. 100 poles crossing Haw run to a white oak and dogwood, N. 40 E. 135 poles to two dogwoods, N. 58 E. 94 poles crossing Pecks run to a white oak, N. 21 W. 40 poles to a white oak, N. 48 W. 160 poles to a white oak, John and Abraham Reager's corner W. 166 poles crossing Rock run to the beginning, with its appurtenances ; to have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land with its appurtenances, to the said Samuel Jackson and his heirs forever.
In witness whereof, the said James Monroe, Esquire, governor of the commonwealth of Virginia, hath hereunto set his hand, and caused the lesser seal of the said commonwealth to be affixed at Richmond, on the twenty-fifth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred, and of the commonwealth the twenty-fifth.
JAMES MONROE.
Among the old papers of Marcus L. Barrett was found a parchment sur- vey dated August 10, 1811, and conveying a grant of land to Henry White. It is interesting to note the description of the land at this time: "A certain tract or parcel of land, containing twenty-five acres, situated in the county of Harrison on the water of Stone Coal, a drain of Pecks Run and bounded as followeth, to wit: Beginning at a walnut tree Henry Jackson's corner and running thence to the line of George Jackson's N. 45 W. 270 poles to a beech, thence N. 86 W. 20 poles to a white oak Samuel Jackson's corner, thence by a line of his S. 45 E. 270 poles to a stake on a line of Henry Jackson's and thence by the same S. 86 E. 20 poles to the beginning."
In the month of March, 1817, George Casto and wife, Sarah, deeded to John Hyre sixty-eight acres on Mud Lick run for the consideration of $140.00.
In the year 1817, George Bozarth and Mary, his wife, conveyed to Peter Smith one hundred acres, on the left hand fork of Stone Coal, being a part of an eight hundred tract patented by Jacob Cozad.
In March, 1817, for the valuable consideration of $25.00 George Casto and Sarah, his wife, made a fee simple title for lot number 12 in the town of Buck- hannon to Alexander Ireland and David J. Jackson.
On August 9, 1817, Jacob Hyre, Sr., and Elizabeth, his wife, for $640.00 good and lawful money conveyed to Joseph Ligget one hundred and sixty acres on Fink run, being the lower part of a four hundred acre tract conveyed by Henry Fink to said Jacob Hyre.
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MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY.
On October 30, 1817, Samuel Jackson and Barbara, his wife, made a deed to Isaac Wamsley for three hundred and nine acres of land on Peck's run, said land adjoining lands owned by John and Abraham Reger. The consideration in this deed of conveyance was $200.00.
On November 17, 1817, Samuel Pringle, Sr., and Charity, his wife, con- veyed to Andrew Cutright by deed for $20.00 fifty and one-half acres of land on Cutrights run, near Philadelphia church.
On the same date as above, the same Samuel Pringle and wife made a deed to John Pringle, Sr., for the tract of land on which said John Pringle now lives, situate on Cutright's run, and containing fifty and one-half acres.
On September 20, 1817, Christian Simons and Elizabeth, his wife, for the consideration of $225.00 conveyed to George Radabough and Christian Rada- bough one hundred acres on Big run, said land being divided by the line of Harrison and Lewis counties.
In the year 1818 John Jackson and Elizabeth, his wife, for the sum of $500.00 conveyed to Henry Ours one hundred acres on the east side of Buck- hannon river in Randolph county, being a part of a four hundred arce tract granted to Charles Parsons by patent of the state of Virginia.
On September 9, 1818, for the sum of $700.00 Samuel Oliver and Lydia, his wife, granted by a deed to Abraham Carper one hundred and thirty-five acres of land on Cutrights run, bounded by lands of William Clark, Gillaudott Oliver and Abraham Cutright.
On the same date Gillandott Oliver and Mary, his wife, conveyed to Abraham Carper sixty-seven acres on Lick run.
On August 18, 1818, J. Daniel Stebbins, of Mass., conveyed by deed to Asa Brooks, of Vt., 100 acres on the west side of Buckhannon river.
On October 4, 1818, Daniel Stringer and Milly, his wife, conveyed by deed for fifty dollars ($50.00) a fifty acre tract of land on Frank's creek to Ebenezar Gould.
On August 28, 1818, Jonathan Thayer, of Brookline, Mass., made a deed to Murray Thayer, of Williamsburg, Mass., for one-sixth interest in 1650 acres, situate on the west side of the Buckhannon river, being a part of the Daniel Whitmore survey.
In the same year Joel Westfall and Elizabeth, his wife, conveyed to Jona- than Barkdoll, of Hardy county, for the sum of $26.75, lot number Io in the town of Buckhannon.
On March 31, 1819, Isaac Abercrombie, made a deed to Patrick Peebles for a two-third interest in three hunrded and fifty acres of land on the west side of the Buckhannon river, said land being a part of the Ely and Booth survey. The other undivided third interest is held by Mary Thayer. The consideration named in this deed is $350.00.
On May 25, 1819, Jonathan Thayer granted to Alexander Thayer, physican, Lucretia Elsworth, wife of John Elsworth, Pectee Thayer and Dency Thayer, single women, for the consideration of $100.00 to be paid by Alexander Thayer, three thousand and fifty acres.
In 1819 John Tingle and Sarah, his wife, of Guernsey, Ohio, conveyed to Leonard Hyre, Jr., for the sum of $625.00 two hundred and four acres on Brushy fork of Buckhannon river, said land being a part of tract conveyed by deed dated January 11, 1802, to said Tingle by Mary Bennett and Solomon Collins and
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Elizabeth, his wife, who patented it in 1791. This deed was proved in court by Jacob Lorentz, Henry Reger and William Allman.
On October 30, 1819, John Jackson of Lewis county, and Henry Jackson, Wood county, for the valuable consideration of $75.00 conveyed their interest in a one hundred acre tract of land situate on Back run of the Buckhannon river.
RAILROADS.
About the year 1880 the citizens of Upshur county, feeling the necessity of railroad transportation, inaugurated a plan by which their needs could be supplied. It was the purpose of these citizens to interest themselves in the forma- tion of a railroad company which would prevail upon the county court to submit to the voters of this county a proposition to take so much stock in the new railroad and pay for it by issuing bonds. This movement made two efforts before it succeeded with the people.
On the sixth of April, 1882, the Buckhannon and West Fork Railroad was incorporated to run from Weston, in Lewis county, to Buckhannon, in Upshur county. In the following month of May, 1882, the Weston and Centre- ville was formed and took a lease from the Buckhannon and West Fork Rail- road or rather merged into and with it forming the Weston and Buckhannon railroad. A narrow gauge road was constructed from Weston to Buckhannon and opened for passenger traffic on June 11, 1883, the date of the arrival of the first passenger train, and Upshur county by the building of it obligated itself in the magnanimous sum of sixty-five thousand dollars toward the construction of the new road. In 1889 the earnings of the line had so increased that the new company was justified in a large expenditure of money for the changing of the narrow gauge system to that of a broad gauge. W. P. Fowkes was local agent from 1883 to 1897.
In September, 1889, the Buckhannon and West Fork railroad and the Weston and Centerville railroad were merged into the Clarksburg, Weston and Midland and on February 6, 1890, the latter absorbed the Buckhannon River railroad which was incorporated on the 20th day of July, 1889, for the purpose of build- ing a railroad up the Buckhannon river to Pickens. With the absorption of all these roads a reorganization took place and a new name was given to the system, namely, The West Virginia and Pittsburg Railroad.
The West Virginia Pittsburg in turn was sold out to the Baltimore and Ohio and became a branch of that great system and oldest railroad running out from Baltimore to the west, tapping the rich coal fields east and west of the Alleghenies and piercing a rich timber section around the head waters of Monon- gahela and Kanawha rivers. This railroad put Upshur county in touch with the great and busy marts of the east and gave a market to our timber, our coal, our fire clay and our building stone. True it is the magic touch of capital has worked a spell over our invaluable coal fields by gathering up and keeping them undeveloped for the present.
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