U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Cresap, Gustavus Jacob (1806-1884) --------------------------------------------------------------------- A History of Preston County West Virginia Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914 by H. S. Whetsell Pages 657-660 Gustavus Jacob Cresap, a resident of Kingwood, and after the Civil War a practicing lawyer in Preston county, is a great-grandson of Daniel Cresap, the first of the name, so far as known, to land on American soil. Daniel Cresap and his four sons — Robert, Daniel, Thomas and Michael — came over in a ship from England with Lord Baltimore, and preempted a thousand acres or more of land comprising the site of Cresap, a village suburb of the city of Cumberland, Md. Here a house was erected with chimneys made of brick brought from England, an orchard planted with apple trees brought from the home land also, and a homestead established, where Bishop Asbury and Whitefield were wont to preach the Gospel of Good News to whoever would give an ear to hear. It was a noted home in other respects as well. In those days of travail with the Red men savage ruffianism had to be met and repulsed in bloody warfare, and the sturdy, hardy sons of Daniel Cresap found themselves equal to emergencies, becoming known as Indian fighters. Michael Cresap is the man spoken of by Logan, the Indian chief, in a speech, now said by Thomas Jefferson to be unsurpassed by anything ever uttered by Demosthenes or Cicero. At one time in those days of Indian warfare, when land was cheap and weapons of defense expensive, the Cresaps bought a gun in trade for a hundred-acre farm. Robert Cresap, son of Daniel, was the father of Gustavus Cresap, the prosecuting attorney of Preston county for so many years. He was one of the younger brothers of the family, born September 21, 1767. Robert Cresap was too young to carry a musket, but he carried powder for the troops in the War of the Revolution. Besides being men of war, the Cresaps were all highly educated men, culture and scholarship having been one of the characteristic qualifications of the family. May 9, 1795, Robert Cresap married Susannah Sweanger, born August 4, 1773. The children born to this union were: Ruth, January 16, 1797; Harriet, April 24, 1798; Thomas S., June 16, 1799; John, December 26, 1800; Hannah, November 27, 1802; Daniel, June 23, 1804; Gustavus, January 9, 1806; Eusebia, December 21, 1807; Lenox, July 11, 1809; Susan A., August 9, 1811; James William, May 16, 1814. Robert Cresap died September 4, 1827. His son, Gustavus, was graduated from Frederick College, Maryland, and then a course of study in law was pursued. Being a fine scholar, especially in Latin, his legal qualifications were successfully obtained. In 1829 he came to Kingwood and began the practice of his profession and remained there until removed by death. On February 3, 1831, he married Ruhama Pindall, daughter of Jacob and Hannah Pindall of Morgantown. His father-in-law was a large landowner and at one time possessed Crab Orchard, 600 acres of which he gave to his daughters Ruhama and Susan Pindall. He also owned the first hotel in Morgantown. When he was young, Mr. Pindall carried salt and pewter dishes from Philadelphia to Morgantown on horses. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Cresap took up their residence in the new house now owned and occupied by his two children, Gustavus J. and Mary Baldwin Cresap, and where they died, the death of the father occurring in May, 1884, and the mother, May 23, 1900. She was born September 8, 1808. In 1832, Gustavus Cresap was elected prosecuting attorney of Preston county, and he held that office until the year of the War, 1862. After the war he ran for the same office in three counties — Preston, Barbour, and Randolph, and elected in the two last named. He was known as a forceful speaker, a great orator, and, most of all, an honest and upright man. James McGrew said Gustavus Cresap was the best prosecuting attorney in the State of West Virginia. As a man, Mr. Cresap stood high in the estimation of his fellow townsmen. As a Mason, among the members of the Kingwood Lodge, which he honored, none were honored more highly than he. and also as a consistent member of the Methodist Church, to which he and his wife both belonged. Mr. and Mrs. Cresap were both charitable and very good to the poor, for their many deeds of charity and goodwill are still remembered. Owing to Mr. Cresap's work and influence Preston county became a temperance one, and it has remained so. Their children were: Susan Louisa, born March 15, 1833. She married R. E. Cowan, by whom she had four children. Judge Cowan was a brilliant lawyer and Judge of the Court of Equity two terms in Kansas City, Mo. He is now dead. At one time he held the office of Record of the Seal of the Knights of Pythias, the highest office in that fraternity in the world. His widow resides in St. Louis, Mo. (2) Hannah Harriet, born July 9, 1834, died when four years of age. (3) Charles James Pindall, born August 17, 1836, studied law and practiced his profession in all the courts of the state. He settled many large estates and became a large land- owner himself. At one time he was a member of the State Legislature. His wife was Miss Agnes Crawford of Rockbridge, Va. On the night before he died, which was October 21, 1886, he said he was going home at six in the morning, and at six next morning he died. (4) Maria Elizabeth, married Israel Schaeffer. She was born April 11, 1839, and married in 1880; there were no children. (5) Robert Shelby was born March 5, 1841. He was killed in the Civil War at Moorefield, December 4, 1862. (6) Josephine Harriet, was born February 21, 1844. She died when twelve years old. (7) Mary Baldwin was born November 30, 1845. She promised both of her parents never to marry. (8) Rachael Ruhamah, born June 30, 1848, was married to G. G. Murdock, a farmer. They resided in Kansas until his death in 1899, and then she returned to Kingwood. No children. (9) Gustavus Jacob, born September 13, 1850, never married. He and his sister took faithful charge of the old folks until taken from them by death. Under his father's tuition he studied law and practiced with him as long as his parent lived, and then confined his time to looking after his interests of his realty which have been considerable. He was made executor of the parental estate and by his father's request required to give bond but no security. He has been a useful citizen of the commonwealth in a number of ways. In Odd Fellowship he stood high. He was Noble Grand at one time, held the office of Past Grand and filled offices of subordinate lodges ten or twelve years. He was also one of the chief officers of the encampment and represented the Grand Lodge of the State twice. Both he and his sister are members of the Presbyterian church. They reside at the old homestead and their lives are standing monuments of peace and quietude and good will to all men. --------------------------------------------------------------------- (son of Gustavus Jacob Cresap) From Death Certificate, Preston County, WV #3407 FULL-NAME: Gustavus Jacob Cresap BIRTH-DATE: September 1, 1850 BIRTH-PLACE: Preston Co. DEATH-DATE: August 8, 1921 DEATH-PLACE: Kingwood, Kingwood District, Preston County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Single OCCUPATION: Lawyer FATHER: Gustavus Cresap (born in Maryland) MOTHER: Inhaniah Pindall (born in W.Va.) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Myocarditis INFORMANT: Mary B. Cresap (of Kingwood, W.Va.) BURIAL: Kingwood Cemetery --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Preston County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/preston/bios.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------