U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Haymond, William (1740-1821) ------------------------------------------------------------------- History of Harrison County, West Virginia, From the Early Days of Northwestern Virginia to the Present. by Henry Haymond Acme Publishing Company, Morgantown, W.Va., 1910 Page 369-371, Major William Haymond. William Haymond, son of John, who came from England prior to 1734, was born in the colony of Maryland, January 4, 1740 (OS) and died at his residence near Quiet Dell, November 12, 1821. According to family tradition he accompanied the army of General Edward Braddock on its march to capture Fort Duquesne, now Pittsburg, from the French, and which met with a disastrous defeat on the Monongahela River on the 9th of July, 1755. At this time he was only fifteen years of age, and it is not known in what capacity he was employed but likely in the quarter-master's department. In the year 1758 he was a soldier in the expedition commanded by General Forbes against the same position, which was successful and the name was changed to Fort Pitt after the English Prime Minister In February, 1759, he enlisted in the Virginia Regiment commanded by Col. George Washington, which had been detailed to garrison the country captured from the French. He served along the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers and as far north as "Presque Isle," now Erie, on the lake of that name. When the regiment was withdrawn from the West it was marched up the Shenandoah Valley and on to the Holstein river to suppress an outbreak among the Cherokee Indians. When the Cherokees were quieted the regiment returned to the valley and was discharged. William's discharge is dated at Fort Lewis, near Staunton, Va., Feb. 24th, 1762, and states that he has "Duly served three years and behaved as a good soldier and faithful subject." After he returned home from the wars, he, in the following year, April 19th, 1763,, was married to Cassandra Clelland and settled down to the life of a planter. In May, 1773, he sold his farm near Rockville, Maryland, to James Sutter for the sum of two hundred and twelve pounds and ten shillings current money of the province, and moved with his family, consisting of his wife, four children and a number of negroes, to the District of West Augusta, Virginia, and located on the Monongahela river near where Morgantown now stands. The country was a howling wilderness, but thinly settled and the few inhabitants for twenty years were destined to endure not only the privations incident to a frontier life, but the horrors of a savage warfare. Upon the formation of Monongalia County in 1776, he served in various important positions, such as justice of the Peace, Deputy Surveyor, Coroner and Sheriff. At the commencement of the Revolution he at once warmly advocated the cause of the colonies and was appointed a captain of Militia, and was frequently in active service against the hostile Indians. In 1777 he was in command of Prickett's Fort with a detachment at Scott's Mills. In 1781 he was promoted to Major and performed the duties of an officer of Militia during the whole of the Revolutionary War. He was making preparations to go east of the mountains and join the army there when news of peace was received. He was one of the officials selected to administer the oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia, to all male inhabitants over the age of sixteen years and requiring them to renounce and refuse all allegiance to George the Third, King of Great Britain. He was one of the commissioners appointed for adjusting the claims to unpatented lands in the counties of Monongalia, Yohogania and Ohio. Upon the creation of Harrison County in 1784 Major Haymond was appointed the principal surveyor of the new County. He traveled on horseback across the mountains to Williamsburg in order to be examined by the professors of William and Mary's college as to his qualification for the position. He passed a successful examination and was duly commissioned Surveyor by the Governor of Virginia. This appointment required another change of residence to Clarksburg about forty miles west of Morgantown. So in the fall of that year he moved to that place, purchased a few acres of land near town, built an office and entered upon the discharge of his duties. At that time Harrison County extended from the Allegheny mountains to the Ohio and the duties of the office were of a most important character, affecting the titles to the homes of the settlers who came pouring in rapidly after the close of the war of the Revolution. He was a member of the commission to build two courthouses in Harrison County in 1787 and 1812, and as a surveyor assisted in marking out a state road from the Valley River to the Ohio, near Marietta and was always prominent in public affairs. In 1791 he purchased a tract of land containing 194 1/2 acres on Elk Creek, six miles from Clarksburg, and moved on it in the Fall of that year. The house in which he lived and built is still standing and is still used as a residence. The farm is now (1909) owned by Sidney Haymond the grandson of "William, and has descended from father to son by will, no deed having been made for it since its purchase as above stated. He was a skilled mechanic, a mathematician of rare ability, a thoroughly competent surveyor and was widely respected for his sterling integrity. Major Haymond held the position of principal surveyor for thirty- seven years and died at his home on November 12th, 1821 and was buried in the Haymond graveyard in sight of his former residence. ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Harrison County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/harrison/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------