U.S. Data Repository -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MARION COUNTY IN THE MAKING By the J. O. WATSON CLASS of the FAIRMONT HIGH SCHOOL WEST VIRGINIA Under the supervision and direction of DORA LEE NEWMAN, Head of the Department of History in the High School COPYRIGHT, 1917 by JAMES OTIS WATSON ________________________________ | | | We dedicate this book to | | | | Our Sponsor | | | | James Otis Watson | |______________________________| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (pages 9 and 10) Class Roll Lucy Meredith Susan Catherine Troxell Heber Van Gilder Leona Goodenough Thora Leoti Robinson Launa Evelyn Mason Harrison Jefferson Manley Harry Phillips Edward F. Stevens Ruth Hamilton Cecilia Luetta Mitchell George Samsell Irvin Harry Evans Watkins Catherine Cox Rose Ella Layman Mabel Irene Barnes Hugh Allen Meredith Harry Hamilton Ethel Mae Clelland Martha Helen McMillan Alice Evelyn Snider Robert Le Moin Mapel John Oliver Glover Nina Maxine Simon Bettie Andra Rinehart Mary Cathryne Hamilton Charles Donald Snider Paul Yost Lucy Mirian Kelley Margaret McClure Workman George Harold Roush Ella May Hawkins Faustina De Carlo Davia Jeannette Lee Wigginton Jessie Carr Vandervort Gladys Mae Parker Herbert Mearle Hamilton Walter G. Binns Grace De Vore Ott Ethel Marguerite Gatrell Edmund Kearsley Hartley Clauda Grace Layman Ava Felicia Curtis Lena Bell Hunsaker Howard T. Koon Florence Dowden Ora Phyllis Watkins James Francis Burns Ruby Winona Hess Frances Esther Kneisel Joseph Ralph Miller Lela Grace Williamson Hazel Elizabeth Minor Paul Donham Eleanor Mayers Harvey Earl Fear Emerson Orrin Bell Ethel Eleanor Toothman Ruth Elizabeth Phillips Dorothy Beatrice Wilderman Helen Josephine Crowell William Lynn Straight Paul Bennett Olin Braxton Tharp Hallie Lee Cotter Sydney Levin Mary Marguerite Barnes Madge Evelyn Smith Donald Edward Conaway Elsie Mildred Parsons Virginia Gail Clelland George Hobart Spencer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (page 11) Contents Chapter Page Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Source of Our Inspiration . . . . . . 19 Legend of the Monongahela . . . . . . . . 22 I The Land Beyond the Mountains . . . . . . 29 II The Native Races . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 III Trails and Transportation . . . . . . . . 51 IV Establishing a New Frontier . . . . . . . 67 V Means of Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 VI The Struggle for the Mastery . . . . . . . 95 VII Homes and Homelife . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 VIII Before the Rule of Fashion . . . . . . . . 147 IX Manners and Customs . . . . . . . . . . . 171 X Remedies and Superstitions . . . . . . . . 197 XI Songs and Legends . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 XII Locating Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 XIII The Beginning of Other Industries . . . . 261 XIV Organization and Government . . . . . . . 289 XV The Early Churches . . . . . . . . . . . . 325 XVI Schools and First Newspapers . . . . . . . 337 XVII The Coming of the Railroad . . . . . . . . 357 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (pages 13 to 16) Foreword In presenting this history of pioneer Marion County, the Class of 1916 of the Fairmont High School wishes to make known to the pub- lic the object of this effort and to acknowledge its indebtedness to all who have so kindly as- sisted in the work. The past, present and future are indissolubly joined. We of this feverish twentieth century are mightily concerned as to the present and the future, but are in great danger of forgetting the past, without which we can neither under- stand the present nor prepare for the future. The days when in the long winter evenings the family gathered about the fire and listened eagerly to the tales of adventure, of hardship, of redskins, of goblins and of ghosts, handed down from one generation to another覧those days are gone never to return. In this day we read the evening paper by our electric light and think only of the morrow. Of our grandfathers' and our great-grand- fathers' time we know little or nothing. From written history we may learn of the pioneer life of New England and of old Virginia, but of the deeds and lives of our own ancestors we of Marion County are most ignorant. Some such realization as this prompted the Class of 1916, Fairmont High School, to undertake the collection and preservation of this most interest- ing and valuable unwritten history覧history that was lived right here in Marion County. The great object in the preparation of this book has been to gather up new material. In- formation on such subjects as dress, manners and customs, homes and homelife, remedies and superstitions, songs, legends, etc., found in pub- lished accounts has not been used. Every im- plement, every utensil described has been found in Marion County. Many of the older resi- dents of the county were visited in their homes and from their lips was obtained the greater part of the material. These pioneer residents were most considerate and patient in relating events and in describing customs of the long ago. It was a privilege to us of this generation to know and to talk with them. We can now see that compared to theirs, our lives are too cheap for the dear price they paid for them. A great mass of most interesting material was submitted which we were unable to use, as it concerned events succeeding 1852, the date we chose as a fitting end to the period of primi- tive Marion County, for in 1852 the building of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad formed the connecting link that brought the pioneer settler into relation with the outside world. History to be history must be exact. The Class has made every effort to present truth as truth, and legend as legend. It has sometimes been difficult to distinguish between the two, but we feel confident that the facts presented are as nearly correct as may be. In some cases as many as eight versions of an Indian story have been handed in by mem- bers of different branches of a family, and when these stories have agreed on some main point that point has been emphasized, although it may not be in accordance with even such high au- thority as "Border Warfare." In cases where it was necessary, reference was made to Wil- ley's "History of Monongalia County" and to Callahan's "History of the Upper Mononga- hela Valley" and "History of West Virginia," but in every possible case original documents were consulted and we are much indebted to those who placed at our disposal the county records and old newspapers and family papers, and to those who submitted articles and imple- ments, sketches of which furnish the illustra- tions. The illustrations are all the work of Heber Van Gilder, a member of our Class. The Class of 1918, Fairmont High School, our sister class, has been a faithful helper. The Class is most deeply indebted to Miss Dora Lee Newman, instructor in history, who planned and supervised the entire work. Her enthusiasm and interest stimulated and encour- aged the members of the Class, and we feel that the success of the work is largely due to her efforts. The writing of the history of pioneer Marion County has been of great interest and profit to the Class and has awakened a most wholesome interest throughout the county. It has kindled a friendly family feeling, tracing back our an- cestors, as many of us can, to neighbors who lived side by side through perils and privations. It has impressed upon our minds the rugged, sterling valor and virtues that secured for us the comforts and refinements of which they never even dreamed. James O. Watson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (pages 19-20) The Source of Our Inspiration Tradition tells us that the knoll on which the High School stands was once the scene of a sanguinary conflict between the Shawnees and the Delawares, and, although we can not vouch for the authenticity of the legend, we give it for what it may be worth. In the early spring of 1786覧so runs the story覧a band of Shawnee warriors came into the Monongahela Valley and camped upon the hills overlooking the present town of Fairmont. Then came a band of Delawares, and camped on the eastern hills, on the opposite side of the river. Preparations were speedily made for a conflict, and soon the canoes of the Delawares entered the mouth of Coal Run覧then a wider and a deeper stream than it is to-day. The Shawnees had fortified the hill upon which the High School stands, and on it a bloody battle took place, a fight in which the Shawnees were victorious, and the Delawares were forced to retreat to the river. Both tribes finally disap- peared along the trail that leads up the Tygart's Valley. Perhaps the bullets found in the heart of the old oak tree recently cut down on the cam- pus are silent witnesses that, if they could speak, would prove the truth of this old tale覧who knows? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (pages 21-28) Legend of the Monongahela Long before the white man's foot trod the forests on the western slopes of the Alleghanies, the red men from the white lakes of the north and the swift rivers of the east hunted on the banks of the Monongahela, and fished in the clear green water. Spring and autumn they came, and built their wigwams underneath the spreading branches of the trees; and when the hunting season was over, laden with game, they returned to their homes and kindred. They who came from farthest away were the Susque- hannas, and chief of that mighty tribe was Mo- nongahela, who was young and strong and brave, and fleeter than the red deer. One season, when the buffaloes ranged the woods in larger herds than common, and small game was more plentiful than usual, the Sus- quehannas lingered longer than ever before in the valley of the clear green river覧lingered un- til the trees were masses of gold and crimson, and a mellow haze was in the air. Then the hunters spoke longingly of home as they sat be- fore their camp-fires覧of dark-eyed maidens, dusky squaws, and straight-limbed children who would welcome their return with song and dance. Monongahela listened, and his heart grew sad, for he loved no Indian maiden, and there were none to watch for his home-coming. Soon he left the camp-fire and wandered silent and alone through the forest, his heart filled with longing for companionship other than that of comrade in the chase. Overhead the great moon shone above the tree tops and the stars twinkled through the leaves, for the air was clear and touched with frost. Suddenly the woods were filled with music, weird and pene- trating, and as he peered among the branches he saw a group of star-maidens dancing in the moonlight. Fair and tall were the star-maidens, slender as the willows by the river and graceful as the swaying branches. Long Monongahela watched them, and his eyes filled with love light as they rested on the tallest of the sisters, but a breaking twig beneath his eager foot betrayed him and, startled, the maidens spread their shin- ing garments and, mounting upward, vanished from his sight, leaving the forest more lonesome than before. In vain Monongahela's comrades pleaded with him to leave the valley. Alone he built his wigwam near the playground of the star-maid- ens, and alone he watched for their return. Soon beds of dead leaves covered all the brown earth; then the deep snow drifted around his wigwam, but Monongahela waited, ever watch- ful. The great sun crept slowly southward from her distant journey, the swollen streams filled with melting ice, and the smell of growing things was in the air; but Monongahela was sadder than before, for all the birds were call- ing to their mates and all the world was filled with hope and promise and he was alone. One night as he lay sleepless within his wigwam and watched the moonlight glimmer through the open doorway, the same unearthly music filled the forest, and the star-maidens descended through the tree tops and danced within the moonlight once again. But now Monongahela was more wary in his watching, and bode his time until, with sudden move- ment, he rushed among the maidens and took the tallest for his keeping. The aerial visitors mounted swiftly, leaving their sister with the hunter. Monongahela led her, timid and reluc- tant, to his wigwam. There he made her a couch of skins and balsams. There he brought her fish and wild game from the forest. There he wooed her long and tenderly. Day by day the sunlight shone warmer on the wigwam, and the flowers carpeted the forest trails and the water murmured cheerfully as it leaped from rock to rock. And the eyes of the star-maiden grew luminous and tender. Eagerly she watched at nightfall for Monongahela's coming, then in the doorway of the wigwam sat contented with her dusky lover. Summer blossomed in glowing splendor. Then autumn lay in golden glory on the hills, and when the harvest moon was shining in the sky the weird music floated through the forest and the fair star-maidens once more danced be- neath the trees. At sight of them Mononga- hela's lovely bride yearned to clasp her sisters, to tell them of her home and happiness, but when she rushed to greet them, they circled her with strong arms and, lifting her above the tree tops, vanished. In frantic, helpless grief Monongahela watched them. Poignant was his anguish. Loudly he wailed and loudly called. No answer came but the moaning of the pine trees. Bitter was his home-coming with no one there to greet him. No longer could he bear the sight of his empty wigwam, so he wandered far away beyond the valley. But the star-maiden had tasted of a mortal's life, had felt the joy of earthly love and serv- ice, and the thoughtless pleasures of the star- land brought her no happiness. When the moon again hung in the sky, she floated down its long white beams and entered the door of the wig- wam. Now the forest home was empty, and the forest trails deserted. Long she wandered through the woods, and by the river, calling "Monongahela, Monongahela," but the hills echoed, mockingly, "Monongahela, Mononga- hela," and the water laughed "Monongahela, Monongahela," as it washed the roots of the willows by the shore. Now her spirit only lives within the valley, but you can see her soft robes glimmer in the white light of the moon- beams. You can hear her soft voice calling when the south wind bears the spring, and the flowers rise to greet her footsteps. In autumn the Great Spirit sends the Indian summer to fill the air with mellow light, that she may con- tinue her search long after the leaves are dead. The waters in the mountain streams still call "Monongahela, Monongahela," as they plunge over their rocky beds; and the deeper water of the river murmurs, "Monongahela, Mononga- hela," as it glides under the silent stars; and all who come to dwell within the valley are filled with the breath of her spirit覧the spirit of help- fulness and faithfulness and love. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -