History of The Middle New River Settlements - Chapters V-VI



Chapter V
1795-1836

As has already been noticed, the early preachers who came across the
Alleghanies, were Dissenters, and not authorized by law to celebrate
marriages, and therefore all marriages solemnized by these Ministers were
by law illegal, but by subsequent acts of the Legislature such marriages
were not only legalized, but certain acts were passed authorizing a
limited number of these Dissenters to celebrate the rites of matrimony.

After the close of the Indian wars in 1794 the country not only filled up
rapidly, but real civilization began in earnest, the people built houses,
opened farms and roads, elected officers, prepared and carried on civil
government without hindrance or molestation.

The people living along the New River to the northeast thereof and north
of the Narrows of said river, in what is now Giles County, were
inhabitants of Greenbrier County and lived many miles from Lewisburg,
their county town. They therefore determined to apply for the creation of
a new county, and by an act of the Legislature of Virginia passed January
14th, 1799, the County of Monroe was created out of the territory of
Greenbrier, with the following boundaries as set forth in the said Act,
viz: "Beginning where the ridge dividing the eastern from the western
waters joins Peter's Mountain, and with said eastern ridge to the ridge
which divides Howard's and Second Creek, thence with the said ridge
westwardly, including the waters of Second Creek to the Wagon road at
Robert Knox's, thence with the said creek to Thomas Nichols' Spring
branch, thence a straight line to Alderson's ferry landing on Greenbrier
River, thence down the said river to the mouth of Muddy Creek, thence
crossing the same to the ridge which divides the waters of Muddy Creek and
Griffith's run, and with the said ridge to Keeney's Knobs and with said
Knobs, including the waters flowing into Greenbrier River to New River,
and up the same to where it breaks through Peter's Mountain, thence with
said mountain an east course to the beginning."

From Lewis' History of West Virginia the following information is given
concerning the organization of said county. "At one mile east of the
present town of Union at the house of George King on the 21st day of May,
1799, the first County Court was held. William Hutchison, James Alexander,
Isaac Estill, William Haynes, John Hutchinson, John Gray, John Byrnside,
William Graham, James Hanley, and William Vawter holding commissions from
the governor of Virginia, composed the members of the first court. John
Hutchison was appointed clerk, and John Woodyard Commonwealth's Attorney.
Isaac Estill having been by the Governor commissioned as sheriff, entered
into bond as such, with James Alexander, William Haynes, and John Byrnside
as his bondsmen. John Byrnside was recommended for appointment as surveyor
of lands. John Arbuckle was appointed Deputy Sheriff.

The second day of the term was taken up largely in putting the military
establishment on a proper footing, whereupon James Graham was recommended
for appointment as Colonel for the county; John Hutchinson and John Hanley
for Majors; and for Captains, Isaac Estill, John Byrnside, James Jones,
Robert Nickel, William Graham, Samuel Clark, Henry McDaniel, and Watt
Farley. For Lieutenants, Nimrod Tackett, John Hanley, Jr., George Swope,
James Gray, William Maddy, David Graham, Tollison Shumate, and Thomas
Wyatt; and for Ensigns, Alexander Dunlap, Charles Keenan, James Young,
James Byrnside, James Miller, James Gwin, James Thompson, and John Harvey.

James Graham was recommended for appointment as Coroner, and Thomas Lowe,
Robert Dunbar, John Cottrell, William Dison, George Foster, Enos Halstead,
and Joshua Lewis were appointed Constables.

On the 19th day of May, 1800, Honorable Archibald Stewart, Judge of the
District composed of the counties of Greenbrier, Botetourt, Montgomery,
Kanawha, and Monroe held the first court for the county, at Sweet Springs.
John skinner was appointed to prosecute for the Commonwealth, and Samuel
Dew to discharge the duties of clerk.

A grand jury was empanelled, composed of William Royal, foreman, Dennis
Cochran, John Matthews, Samuel Todd, Hugh Caperton, Joseph Snodgrass,
Isaac Snodgrass, William Howell, John Peck, Joseph Cloyd, (the latter two
citizens of Giles County.) John Lewis, William Vawter, Jacob Persinger,
John Byrnside, and James Byrnside. Two indictments found at the term,
parties tried same term and acquitted.

The second term of the court held at the same place on the 18th day of
October, 1800, at which Judge Paul Carrington presided.

In 1799, the County Court selected the present site Union, for the County
town on twenty-five acres of land the property of James Alexander, and was
laid off into lots and streets, and the same was subsequently, to wit:
January 1800, established as a town by the General Assembly, and William
Haynes, John Gray, John Byrnside, James Hanley, Michael Erskine, John
Hutchison, Isaac Estill constituted trustees thereof."

The territory now embraced in Monroe County was visited by white people as
early as 1760. John Alderson and William Morris visited the county about
1777. Christian Peters, an American Soldier, who served in General
LaFayette's Corps at Yorktown, came to what is now Petestown in 1783. In
the year of 1770, came the Manns, Cooks, Millers, Alexanders, Nickels,
Campbells, Dunsmores, Hokes, Lakes, Calloways, Sweeneys, Haynes, Erkines,
Grahams, and Hutchinsons, largely from the Virginia Valley.

The early history of this people is the same substantially as those of the
Greenbrier and New River Valleys, which has already been given in this
volume.

The military history of the people of Monroe is in a measure written in
the chapter devoted to that subject in this volume, as her citizen
soldiers served largely with the New River Valley men, with the exception
of one company, which was led to the war by Captain Hugh Snidow Tiffany,
who fell in the first battle of Manasses. His company belonged to the 27th
Virginia Regiment of the Stonewall brigade.

In both civil and military life, Monroe has furnished a number of
distinguished men, among them Hugh Caperton, Andrew Beirne, Allen T.
Caperton, A. A. Chapman, John Echols, Frank Hereford, John M. Rowan, Judge
A. N. Campbell, Rev. J. P. Campbell, and others.

Among her valued citizens, are Campbells, Hansbargers, Swopes, Johnsons,
Johnstons, Symns, Clarks, Ballards, Fleshmans, Pecks, Aldersons, Nickels,
Rowans, Becketts, McClaughertys, Osborns, Harveys, Pences, Adairs, Packs,
Thrashers, Karnes, Spanglers, Shanklins, Vawters, and numerous others. Its
population is steady, industrious, and as little crime is committed in the
county of Monroe as any county in the state.

Adam Mann, Jacob Mann, and others as early as the year 1770, built a fort
on Indian Creek, some ten miles west from the present town of Union. The
Cooks, also built a fort on Indian Creek some three miles from its mouth.

This Mann family was of English origin--from Kent. They came at an early
day to America, and that branch of the family, the ancestor of the present
New River Valley families of that name was William, who settled in Augusta
in 1778. It is a numerous family, some of them attained to prominence in
the revolutionary, border and civil wars. From Mann MS. it appears, that
two of this family, Thomas and William, were soldiers on the Ohio at fort
Randolph shortly after the battle of Point Pleasant, and while there, on
the south side of the Kanawha, appeared one Simon Girty, who gave to
Thomas and William Mann the sign of distress, and urged them to cross for
him as he was pursued by the Indians; yielding to his entreaties, they
with others crossed the river in a canoe, and as they approached the shore
a party of Indians in hiding fired upon them, killing Thomas Mann, and
badly wounding William, who escaped but died in what is now Fayette
County, while trying to make his way to Donnally's Fort, in Greenbrier
(Mann MS.). Of this family are Isaac T. and Edwin Mann, prominent and
successful business men of Mercer County. Mr. James E. Mann of this same
family, a most useful, intelligent citizen, and successful financier lived
for a number of years in the city of Bluefield, where his widow and
children still reside. Mr. Mann died a few years ago, a highly respected
and esteemed citizen.

The territory of Tazewell County as it formerly and now exists, has a
history much in common with that of the Counties of Monroe, Giles and
Mercer. It is not intended in this work to do more than give a general
outline history of this county, for to write it in full and that of its
people would within itself fill a volume. So far as can be ascertained,
with anything like accuracy, the first white man that put his foot on the
soil of this county, was the man Castle hunting with the Indians in what
is now known as the Castle's wood section, now in Russell County; and the
second white man in the territory referred to was the hunter Clinche.
These two men traversed the Clinch Valley section prior to 1749 and from
the latter the river Clinch took its name, as hereinbefore related.

The next in order was Doctor Thomas Walker of Albemarle, and his
companions Ambrose Powell and others, who in 1750, traversed the ridge
country, a few miles north of the present town of Tazewell, passing the
site of the present town of Pocahontas, and following the Water Shed
dividing the waters of Bluestone, Sandy, Guyandotte, and Piney, to the New
River near where the town of Hinton, in Summers County, is located.

According to Summers' History So. W. Va., Christopher Gist, agent for the
Ohio Company, on his return from the Kentucky section and the Ohio River,
in 1751, came through what is now the county of Wise, giving name to a
river, Gist's, and a station where he camped, called Gist's Station.
(Note: Now, Coburn, in Wise County, Virginia.) He also passed along the
Water Shed above referred to.

In the year of 1753, James Burke and stepson, Morris Griffith were in what
is now known as Burke's Garden, situated in the south-eastern part of this
county. Burke was one of the Draper's Meadow Settlers, who crossed the
Alleghanies in 1748 and made settlement near the present town of
Blacksburg in Montgomery County. His adventurous disposition and love of
the forest led him to the vicinity of the spot called Burke's Garden, into
which, through the gap since known as Hanshue's, he followed the Elk which
he had wounded.

The evidence is not only persuasive, but may be regarded as conclusive,
that Burke removed with his family from Draper's Meadows into this
beautiful land in the year of 1754. He had cleared out some land, and in
the spring of 1755 had planted a crop of potatoes which were found in the
ground unharvested by Lewis's men in February, 1756. Colonel Preston in
his Journal, describing Burke's Garden says among other things that the
soldiers gathered potatoes in the waste plantations; therefore it is
certain that in February, 1756, the place was known as Burke's Garden, and
that there were potatoes found there in "Waste Plantations." Again it is
true, that neither Burke nor his family were at Draper's Meadows on the
8th day of July, 1755, when the settlers were attacked by the Indians,
captured or destroyed, as no mention is made of Burke or his family, while
all others are accounted for, and we see from Preston's Journal, that
Lewis' men met Burke west of New River in February, 1756, hence it appears
as most likely and no doubt true, that Burke for fear of the savages left
Burke's Garden with his family in the fall of 1755, and the tradition that
the Indians followed him to Sharon Springs is no doubt correct. At any
rate Burke discovered a magnificent body of most valuable land which was
appropriated by other people.

Major Andrew Lewis with about 340 men on his way to the Ohio, in February,
1756, passed through the territory of Tazewell, camping in Burke's Garden,
and on the head waters of the Clinch, and from there passed over the
eastern and northern branches of that stream near by or through the farm
owned by the late William G. Mustard, Esq., and thence on to Horsepen
Creek of Jacob's Fork of Tug of Sandy. We hear nothing from 1756 to 1766
of any white people in the territory of the county; this is accounted for
from the fact that the French and Indian war was occurring during this
period, and in fact did not end on the border until the year of 1765,
after Johnson's Treaty--the result of Bouquet's expedition into Ohio that
year.

It appears from Bickley's History of Tazewell, that two men, Butler and
Carr with others from about Carr's or Kerr's Creek in the Rockbridge
country, were in this territory about the head waters of the Clinch in
1766, engaged in hunting and trapping, and that all of said hunting party,
except Butler and Carr, left on the close of the hunting season.

Butler and Carr erected them a hunter's cabin at the Crab Orchard, about
three or four miles west of the present Court House of Tazewell. In the
spring of 1767 they opened up a small field and planted a small crop of
corn, the seed of which they obtained from the Cherokee Indians, and a new
supply of ammunition of another company of hunters that came out to hunt
with them.

The territory of Tazewell, very much like that of Kentucky, was a kind of
middle ground between the northern and southern Indian tribes, between
whom a war was waging in 1766, and which was not finally ended until about
the beginning of 1774.

As stated by Bickley, in the early summer of 1768, a band of Cherokee
warriors camped near the cabin of Butler and Carr; they had come to spend
the season in hunting around and near the Lick. Very soon there appeared a
large body of Shawnees, men and women. These had long been open and deadly
enemies, and could not long remain near each other on terms of peace. The
Shawnees ordered the Cherokees to evacuate and to look for other hunting
ground. This order, the latter refused to obey, and took position on the
top of Rich Mountain which they fortified with rude breastworks. The
Shawnees attacked that evening, and continued the battle on the next day;
Butler and Carr furnishing the Cherokees with ammunition. The Shawnees
were forced to retire, retreating to the head of what is now known as
Abb's Valley, and there on the farm owned by the late Jonathan Smith,
erected a rude stone fort, which stood until a few years ago. The place
where they built this fort is the gateway to the head of the Tug fork of
Sandy; the latter one of the highways when on their way out and return
from incursions into the white settlements along the upper waters of the
Clinch and the Bluestone. The dead left on the battlefield were buried in
one common grave, and shortly the Cherokees departed for their homes in
the south, leaving Butler and Carr lords of all they surveyed.

Peace and quiet being restored, Butler and Carr separated, the latter
making settlements on the Clinch about two miles east of the present
county town, while Butler seems to have removed near the Elk Lick. More
hunters coming out, and returning with glowing descriptions of the
country, induced others desiring to make permanent settlements in this new
wilderness country, to emigrate hither.

In the spring of 1771 came Thomas, James and Jerry Witten (Note: The
Wittens first halted at a large spring on Walker's Creek, near where the
late William B. Allen resided, in what is now Giles County, where they
remained for one year before moving to the Clinch.) and John Greenup, the
former from the Fredericktown section of Maryland. Thomas settled at the
Crab Orchard, purchasing Butler's claim, whatever that was, but there were
none to dispute it.

James Witten and John Greenup settled on the Clinch near where Pisgah
Church now stands, and Jerry Witten settled on Plum Creek. On the
authority of James R. Witten it is stated that a son of this John Greenup
became governor of Kentucky.

In the same year of 1771 Absalom Looney, from Looney's Creek in the
Virginia Valley, made his way into the section of this county now known as
Abb's Valley, where he hunted and trapped for three or four years, having
a cave near what is now Moore's Memorial Church, as his hiding place and
refuge from the savages and wild beasts.

Looney, on returning to Looney's Creek, met Captain James Moore, and so
impressed him by his description of this wonderful valley which he had
discovered as to induce Moore to make a journey to see it. The statement
that Captain James Moore settled in Abb's Valley in 1772 is incorrect, for
more reasons than one. Moore had gone from the valley to the Alamance in
North Carolina, to join his countrymen (the Scots), in their struggle
against the tyranny of Governor Tyron, and having united with the
Regulators, was in the battle of the Alamance fought on the 16th day of
May, 1771, in which the Regulators were defeated and scattered by the
forces of Governor Tyron. Captain Moore returned to his home on Moore's
Creek in the Virginia Valley, now in Rockbridge County, where he remained
until 1775, when he raised a company of valley men, and marched at their
head, joining General Washington's army then engaged in the siege of
Boston. It was at the head of this company of volunteers that he won his
title of Captain. He and his men had entered the service for one year,
upon the expiration of which they returned to their homes. Their return
was in 1776, and there is no evidence to be found that Captain Moore
visited the territory of Tazewell prior to 1776, but in the fall of that
year he came to spy out the land and prepared for the removal of his
family, which took place the next year, together with the family of his
brother-in-law Poague.

Prior to the year of 1776 one Peter Wright, an old hunter, had traversed
the valley known since his day as Wright's Valley, which no doubt led him
into the present territory of Tazewell County.

In the year of 1772 Mathias Harman, and his brothers Jacob and Henry,
settled at Carr's on the Clinch, John Craven in the Cove, Joseph Martin,
John Henry, and James King in Thompson's Valley, and John Bradshaw in the
valley two miles west of the present county town. The Harmans came from
North Carolina.

In 1772 William Wynn, John Taylor and Jesse Evans settled on the upper
Clinch waters, and Thomas Marshall, Benjamine Joslin, James Ogleton, Peter
Harman and Samuel Ferguson on the upper Bluestone, William Butler on the
south branch of the north fork of Clinch above Wynn's. William Webb about
three miles east of the present Court House, Elisha Clary near Butler,
John Ridgel on the Clear fork of Wolf Creek, Reece Bowen at Maiden spring,
David Ward in the Cove, and William Garretson at the foot of Morris' Knob.

Of the people who came in 1772 Thomas Maxwell, Samuel Ferguson and the
Peerys, who were in the battle of the Alamance, came from the Virginia
Valley, Reece Bowen from Botetourt, near where Roanoke city now stands. He
was from western Maryland, William Garretson from Culpepper county, from
which the Wheatleys came about the same time, settling near the spot where
Captain C. A. Fudge now resides.

Thomas, John and William Peery settled where the present town of Tazewell
is now located, and John Peery, Jr. at the fork of Clinch one and one half
miles east of the present county site. In the meantime a number of
settlers, among them the Scaggs, Richard Pemberton, Johnson, Roark, and
others settled in Baptist Valley, and Thomas Mastin, William Patterson,
and John Deskins farther west in the same valley, Richard Oney and Obadiah
Paine in what is now known as Deskins Valley.

Thomas Ingles, son of Captain William Ingles of Draper's Meadows, settled
in 1778, in what is now known as Wright's Valley at a spring near the
residence of the late Captain Rufus A. Hale, about two miles west of the
present city of Bluefield, and a few hundred yards north of the track of
the Norfolk & Western Railway. He remained here only about two years, when
finding himself too near the Indian trail which led up the Beaver Pond
Creek to Bailey's gap in East River Mountain, he removed to Burke's
Garden, and occupied a tract of land which had been surveyed by his
father, until 1782, when his family was captured, and in part destroyed by
the Indians. At this date Ingles and a man by the name of Hicks were the
only residents in Burke's Garden.

In the meantime, that is between the date of the commencement of the
settlements by the white people within what is now the territory of
Tazewell and the breaking up of the Ingles family in 1782, Dunmore's war
had broken out, (1774), which in a measure halted emigration into the
territory.

In the year of 1773, in September, Daniel Boone and his brother, Squire,
with their families and a number of others, had left the Yadkin in North
Carolina and started for Kentucky. The party with Boone had reached
Powell's Valley, when needing provisions, Boone's son, with a party, had
gone to the house of William Russell, in Castle's woods in search of food,
and on its return on the second day after, and before overtaking the main
party, were attacked by a band of Indians and destroyed. This caused Boone
and his party to halt and retire to the neighborhood of William Russell,
in Castle's woods, where a part of his company wintered. Finding, in the
spring of 1774, that the Indians were on the war path, and that Governor
Dunmoore had ordered the raising of an army to punish the savages; one
wing, the northern, he proposed to command, and the other, the southern,
to be commanded by Brigadier General Andrew Lewis, who was ordered to
rendezvous his troops at Camp Union, now Lewisburg, in Greenbrier County;
and that call had been made upon the Fincastle men (this territory was
then in Fincastle County), Captain William Russell gathered the men of his
company, and in August marched up the Clinch and down the East River to
join his regiment, commanded by Colonel William Christian, then on the New
River, and on its way to unite with General Lewis. To Russell's company
belonged Reece Bowen and Moses Bowen, who marched with their company to
Point Pleasant--Moses Bowen dying on the trip from smallpox.

Daniel Boone was left in command of Russell's Fort, that of Bowen's, and
of the Frontier, which he with his faithfully guarded in the absence of
Russell's men.

Roving bands of Indians entered the Castle's woods and Maiden Spring
neighborhoods during the absence of Russell and his men. The neighboring
women and children had gathered in the forts for protection.

It was the opening of Dunmore's war that led the white people of this and
adjacent sections to establish forts and blockhouses for protection. In
Tazewell there was a fort erected by the Wynns on Wynn's Branch, at Crab
Orchard by Thomas Witten, and one at Maiden Springs by Reece Bowen, and a
little later, one at head of Beaver Pond by Bailey's and Davidson's, and
later as stated by Bickley, between the years of 1780 and 1794, the
Virginia Government occasionally kept a few companies of men along the
border, who occupied these forts, and in the absence of such armed bodies
of men, sent out by the state, the men within the territory threatened,
gathered in these places of refuge. The names of several of these people
have been preserved, among them:

James Bailey
John Bailey
Joseph Belcher
Robert Belcher
Thomas Brewster
Edward Burgess
Christopher Caffin
James Conley
John Crockett
John Evans
Joseph Gilbert
Absalom Godfrey
William Hall
David Lusk
Samuel Lusk
Robert Lesley
James Martin
John Maxwell
James Peery
John Pruett
Archibald Thompson
John Ward
William Ward
James Witten
Michael Wright
Oliver Wynn
Hezekiah Wright

Robert Trigg was the military commandant while the territory of what is
now Tazewell was within the County of Montgomery, and Major Robert
Crockett after the territory was erected into the county Wythe.

The Indian depredations began in the territory of what is now the county
of Tazewell, in the year of 1776. In the month of May of that year they
destroyed John Henry, his wife and six children in Thompson's Valley, and
carried one little boy away a prisoner. In the same year they captured
John Evans.

In the year of 1779 the family of Jesse Evans was attacked by eight or ten
Indians, four of his children were killed, his wife with one child
escaping to Major Taylor's.

In the latter part of the summer and early fall of 1780, the British army
under Lord Cornwallis was advancing northward through the Carolinas. One
division thereof, under Colonel Patrick Ferguson, had reached Piedmont,
North Carolina. Ferguson had sent threats to the Backwater men that if
they did not come over and take the oath of allegiance to his Sovereign he
would cross into their country and lay it waste with fire and sword. Evan
Shelby and John Sevier planned an attack upon Ferguson's troops, calling
on Colonel Campbell of Washington County, Virginia, for assistance.
Campbell called out the military force of his county, including the
company of William Bowen of the Clinch settlements, in which company Reece
Bowen, of Maiden Spring and James Moore of Abb's Valley were Lieutenants.
Captain William Bowen at the date of the call being sick with fever, the
command of the company devolved on Lieutenant Reece Bowen, who led it to
the battle of King's Mountain, fought on October 7th, 1780.

At the date of the call for and march of Bowen's company from the Clinch,
the western boundary line of Montgomery County reached to Morris' Knob and
Roark's Gap, and therefore a part of the men who marched with Bowen from
the upper Clinch and Bluestone lived in Montgomery County, and were not
within the military district of Colonel Campbell, but within that of
Colonel William Preston, of Montgomery. Among the number of those who went
from Montgomery territory with Bowen, were James Moore, Samuel Ferguson,
Henry Henninger, Thomas Peery, (the Distiller) Thomas Peery (the
Blacksmith) William Peery and John Peery, the latter wounded a number of
times, but recovering, and one of the Thomas Peerys killed, together with
Henry Henninger and Reece Bowen.

No attempt will be made here to describe the march to King's Mountain nor
the battle and return home of the men, as the reader is referred to a very
full and accurate account thereof given by Draper in his "King's Mountain
and its Heroes."

In the month of April, 1782, the family of Thomas Ingles, in Burke's
Garden, was attacked by Indians and all who were at the house captured.
They were pursued by Thomas Ingles and Captain James Maxwell, and a party
of men, who overtook them in a gap of Tug Ridge, since known as Maxwell's
Gap from the circumstance that Captain Maxwell was there killed. On the
opening of the fight the Indians attempted to kill their prisoners, and
succeeded in tomahawking Mrs. Ingles, her little son William, and little
daughter Mary, scalping the two latter from which the little boy soon
died, the little girl a few days later, but Mrs. Ingles recovered. The
Harman Ms. shows that Captain Henry Harman was one of the pursuing party.

Another part of this marauding band at the same time killed and scalped
two daughters of Captain John Maxwell, and took nine prisoners, and also
killed and scalped near the Clinch two sons of Captain Robert Moffett.

A part of this same band of Indians visited the home of James Poague, a
brother-in-law of Captain James Moore, and who had come to Abb's Valley
with him in 1777, and had settled and opened up some land on the farm
recently known as that of Captain John W. Taylor. These Indians attempted
to enter Mr. Poague's house in the night time but finding some three or
four men in the house they left without doing any harm to Mr. Poague's
family, but the next morning, near Poague's house they killed a young man
by the name of Richards, who had been working for Captain Moore.

In 1783 Joseph Ray, living on Indian Creek, with a part of his family,
together with a man by the name of Samuel Hughes, who happened at Ray's
house at the time, were butchered by the Indians.

Mr. Poague became so much alarmed for fear of the Indians that very
shortly after their visit to his house on a night in April, 1872, and
hereinbefore referred to, he left the settlement and went back into
civilization, and two years after the occurrence at Poague's viz: in 1784,
James, the son of Captain James Moore, was captured on this Taylor farm by
Indians, and carried into captivity where he remained about five years.

In the year of 1785 Robert Barnes, born in Ireland, (Note: So stated by
Captain D. B. Baldwin.) and coming to America about 1782, first halting in
the valley of Virginia, then came on to the Cove in what is now Tazewell
County, Virginia.

From this man Robert Barnes, has descended all the people of that name now
in the Tazewell Section, and who are among the most respectable people to
be found there or elsewhere.

On April 11th, 1786, two men one---Dials and Benjamin Thomas, were scalped
by the Indians on the upper waters of the Clinch; Dials died in a few
hours, Thomas lived several days.

In 1785 an Act was passed by the General Assembly of Virginia to take
effect 1786, creating the County of Russell out of the territory of
Washington County. The eastern boundary line of Russell to be that of the
western line of Montgomery County.

Before describing the destruction of the family of Captain James Moore in
Abb's Valley, reference will be made to the date of the first coming of
Captain Moore to the valley referred to.

William Taylor Moore, who has already been mentioned as the grandson of
Captain Moore, stated to the author that Looney so accurately described
the route from the Virginia Valley to Abb's Valley that his grandfather
had no difficulty in traversing it, and that he described the route after
leaving the New River to be up a large Creek, (Walker's Creek), to the
mouth of its main north branch, (Kimberling), and thence up the same to
its source, and through a gap, and down to a stream, to and through
another gap through which said stream passed, and down the same to the
mouth of a stream coming in from the north, (Laurel Creek), and up the
same and through a low gap of a high mountain to the north, and thence
down the streams flowing west--northwest--to where the waters flowed over
a very high rock, now called Falls Mills, where he would strike a Buffalo
path, following which would lead him into the Valley. (Note: Shortly after
Captain Moore's settlement in the Valley a buffalo bull came up to his
home with the milch cows, and the Captain killed the animal.)

On July 14th, 1786, Captain James Moore and his family, were attacked by a
band of forty Shawnee Indians, and the Captain and a part of his family
killed, and part captured and carried away.

In 1788 in the month of August, a man by the name of Pemberton, who lived
in Baptist Valley, about five miles from the present County site of
Tazewell, was attacked by a party of marauding Indians, but succeeded in
beating them off, and making safe retreat to a neighbor's house.

As has already been related, Captain Henry Harman and two of his sons,
George and Matthias, on a hunting expedition on Tug had, on the 12th day
of November, 1788, a severe battle with seven or eight Indians, part of
whom they killed and wounded, the remainder retreated. This fight took
place on the bank of the Tug a short distance below the residence of the
late Mr. Henry T. Peery. Captain Harman received several wounds from
arrows shot into him by the Indians.

In the month of March, 1789, a party of Indians came up the Dry Fork of
the Sandy, and about the mouth of Dick's Creek were caught in a snow
storm, and took shelter under a large shelving rock opposite the mouth of
the above mentioned creek, and while hiding there and sheltering from the
storm, William Wheatley of Baptist Valley, in search of a lost dog was
killed by these Indians, who mutilated his body in a most horrible manner.
They then proceeded to the gap at the head of Dry Fork and destroyed the
wife and children of James Roark. They were pursued by the whites but
succeeded in making good their escape.

On the night of October the first, 1789, a body of Indians visited the
house of Thomas Wiley, at what is now known as the Dill's farm, a little
below the mouth of Cove Creek of Clear fork of Wolf Creek, and captured
and carried away his wife, Mrs. Virginia Wiley, and her four little
children whom they killed on their way up Cove Creek. Mrs. Wiley was
carried away a prisoner to their town where she remained until September,
1792, escaping with Samuel Lusk.

In the year of 1790 the county of Wythe was created out of the territory
of Montgomery. The western line of Wythe by the Act of Creation, was the
same as between Montgomery and Russell Counties; that is, from the west
side of Morris Knob to Roark's gap and to the head waters of the Sandy.
The eastern line running from Reed Island Creek to the Kanawha line,
passing about one half mile west of the present town of Princeton, in
Mercer County. In April, 1791, the wife and children of Andrew Davidson,
with two bound children were captured by Indians at their home on the head
waters of East River, near the present city of Bluefield, then in Wythe
County. Mrs. Davidson was not recovered by her husband until after Wayne's
Victory in August, 1794.

In the same year of 1791, Daniel Harman on a hunting expedition on the
upper Clinch waters was killed by Indians.

In the month of July, 1792, a band of Indians from the Ohio section
entered the upper Clinch and Bluestone settlements, and stole horses.
Major Robert Crockett, the military commandant of Wythe County, gathered a
force of men and followed the marauders. His scouts or spies, Joseph
Gilbert and Samuel Lusk, were sent in advance to a lick on a creek flowing
into the Guyandotte to kill some game for food for the men. They reached
the lick on the 24th day of July, killed a deer and wounded an Elk,
following the latter some distance and failing to over take it they
returned to the lick for the deer, and were suddenly attacked by the
Indians, who were in hiding near by, and Gilbert killed, Lusk wounded and
captured. Major Crockett's men failed to overtake them. In September of
the same year, Lusk in company with Mrs. Virginia Wiley, escaped from the
Indian town at Chillicothe, on the Scioto, and made his way home.

On the 8th day of March, 1793, a body of twelve Indians, and a white man
by the name of Rice, murdered John Goolman Davidson, usually called John
or Cooper Davidson,at the mouth of a small branch of Laurel Creek of clear
fork of Wolf Creek, and at the southern base of East River Mountain at a
point where the path leaving Laurel passes through Bailey's Gap. This
party was pursued by Major Crockett and a company of men, who overtook
them at the Island of the Guyandotte River, where now stands Logan Court
House. A skirmish followed in which one Indian was killed, the rest fled
leaving their stolen horses and their breakfast, the latter the whites
devoured, and among the recaptured horses was recognized that of Mr.
Davidson, which led on the return of the party to a search of Mr.
Davidson, whose dead nude body they found under the roots of a beech tree
on the bank of Laurel Creek.

This Indian incursion was the last ever made into the territory in what is
now Tazewell County. The next year, 1794, General Wayne defeated the
United Indian tribes at Fallen Timbers in Ohio, and this gave peace to the
border, along which had been committed by the savages horrible barbarities
for almost forty years. (Note: A family by the name of Sluss was destroyed
by Indians near what is now known as Sharon Springs, but the date and
circumstances are unknown.)

With a full establishment of peace and quiet on the border new people came
rapidly into the country, and settlements began throughout the whole
Clinch Valley section and on to the Sandy.

In the winter of 1799 a bill was introduced into the General Assembly of
Virginia, by Mr. Cottrell, the representative from Russell County,
providing for the creation of a new county out of the territory of Wythe
and Russell. The bill of Mr. Cottrell as stated by Bickley, met with
formidable opposition from Mr. Tazewell, the representative from the
county of Norfolk. Mr. Cottrell inserted in the bill Tazewell as the name
of his proposed new county, which not only silenced the member from
Norfolk, but secured his support for the bill.

The following are the boundary lines of the county of Tazewell as set
forth in the Act of its creation December 19th, 1799 viz: "Beginning on
the Kanawha line, which divides Montgomery and Wythe Counties, thence to
where said line crosses the top of Brush Mountain, thence along the top of
said mountain to its junction with Garden Mountain, thence along the top
of the said mountain to the Clinch Mountain, thence along the top of said
mountain to the mouth of Cove Creek, a branch of the Maiden Spring Fork of
Clinch River, thence a straight line to Mann's Gap in Kent's Ridge, thence
north 45 west to the line which divides Kentucky from that of Virginia,
thence along said line to the Kanawha line, and with said line to the
place of beginning." On February 3rd, 1835, the Legislature altered the
line dividing the Counties of Russell and Tazewell, by running from Mann's
gap in Kent's ridge north 45 deg. 45 minutes west of distance of 974
poles. In 1806 a portion of Tazewell was cut off into the county of Giles,
and in 1837 another portion of the territory of Tazewell was stricken off
into Mercer, and in 1858 the Counties of Buchanan and McDowell were
created out of Tazewell territory, and in 1861 Tazewell also lost part of
her territory by the formation of Bland County.

The first court held for the county of Tazewell was at the house of
Colonel John B. George, in the month of May, 1800. John Ward was elected
clerk, and ----- Maxwell made sheriff. The second court was held in June
of the same year at the house of Harvey G. Peery, in which month Judge
Brockenborough held the first Superior Court of Law. He was succeeded by
Judge Peter Johnston.

James Thompson was the first Commonwealth's Attorney for the county.

Bickley in his history of Tazewell, gives the following as the names of
the citizens of the county, who were in the battle of the Alamance and in
the American Revolution, viz:

At the Alamance

James Cartmell
Samuel Ferguson
James Moore
William Peery
Thomas Peery
John Peery In the Revolution
Reece Bowen
Low Bowen
Thomas Harrison *
John Lasley
Archer Maloney
Neal McGuire
James Moore
Solomon Stratton
Isham Thomlinson

* (Note: Thomas Harrison came from Birmingham, England, and was the son
of a cutler.)

And the following as soldiers in the war of 1812 viz:

William Asbury
William Barnes
George Barnheart
Isaac Bostic
James Belcher
Peter Gose
Colonel Henry Bowen
James Brooks
John Davidson
Jeremiah Early
Pleasant Franklin
William Greene
James Higginbotham
William Higginbotham
Isaac King
David Lusk
Captain Thomas Peery
Jonathan Peery
David Robertson
Matthew Stevenson
William Smith
Daniel Tabor
Reece B. Thompson
Henry B. Thompson
Charles Vandyke
John Vandyke
Joseph Walls
Alexander Ward
Hugh Wilson
William Witten
Peter E. Wynne
Samuel Wynne
Israel Young
Nathaniel Young

From 1800, the date of the formation of the county, to the beginning of
the year of 1861, this county had within its borders as pure a type of
Americanism as any county within the Commonwealth. There were few, if any,
of what might be deemed foreigners, that is, those who came direct from
foreign countries.

In politics this people was so thoroughly democratic that in the two
presidential contests, 1828-1832, between Jackson and Clay, the latter in
the first contest received in the county but one vote, and the second two
votes. This solid democratic wall was shaken but once from 1800 to 1861,
and that was in the contest for the State Senate in 1857, between
Nathaniel Harrison, Democrat, and Napoleon B. French, Whig, the latter
succeeding in reducing the democratic majority largely in this county,
which resulted in the defeat of Mr. Harrison in the district.

The bitter fight and exciting contest for Congress in 1848, between
Colonel John B. George and Fayette McMullen, both Democrats, in which the
latter won by over 2,000 majority, is still remembered among the older
people of the county.

The contests for the Circuit Judgeship between George W. Hopkins and
Joseph Stras, and again between Samuel V. Fulkerson and Mr. Stras were
notable.

The people of this county held but few slaves, the first of these were
brought into the county by James Witten, about 1771, and the next by a man
by the name of Hicks and Thomas Ingles in about the year of 1780

When the civil war period approached it found the people of this county as
thoroughly united for the south, and the upholding and vindication of its
constitutional rights as the people of any county within the Commonwealth.
In the election for delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1861,
two of its most distinguished citizens--William P. Cecil and Samuel L.
Graham--were elected. Both these men were above the average, and imbued
with strong convictions in favor of resistance to further Federal
aggression, and in favor of Secession if that step was felt to be
absolutely necessary for the protection of the rights of the people of
Virginia. These gentlemen voted for the Ordinance of Secession, came home,
buckled on their armor, and went forth to do battle for their cause and
country. The people of this county entered upon the war with zeal and
earnestness, organizing and sending to the war above twenty companies.
There was as little disloyalty to the south and her cause among the people
of Tazewell as in any county in the State, and when the war had ended her
people were less annoyed with scalawags and carpetbaggers than the people
of any county west of the Alleghanies. After the close of the war and up
to the agitation of the State debt question, the people still adhered to
Democracy. This debt question divided them, and a large number of the most
prominent, respectable and influential people of the county fell in with
the Readjuster Movement, which finally landed them in the Republican
party; since which time the county has been overwhelmingly Republican.

This county is a little Commonwealth within itself, having within its
borders, the most valuable agricultural, grazing and mineral lands to be
found in this region of Virginia. Its people are among the most
cultivated, law-abiding, and best in the world. Its lawyers among the most
distinguished in the State; among the number may be mentioned Honorable
Samuel C. Graham, Major R. R. Henry, J. W. Chapman, A. P. Gillespie,
Samuel D. May, J. H. Stuart, S. M. B. Couling, H. C. Alderson, J. N.
Harman, Barnes Gillespie, E. L. Greever, Thompson Crockett Bowen.

There has been less change in the character of the rural population of
this county, than that of most any adjoining county. The building of
railroads and the development of mines have had but little apparent effect
upon the character of the population. These people are largely the
descendants of the Wittens, Moores, Maxwells, Bowens, Barnes, Gillespies,
Grahams, Crocketts, Peerys, Georges, Wards, Shannons, Harrisons, Greever,
Meeks, Higginbothams, Deskins, Thompsons, Davidsons, Wynns, Cecils,
Spotts, Taylors, and Harmans, the most of whom were among the first
settlers of the country. Matters connected with the Courts of this county,
the names of the judges and members of the House of Delegates, together
with a list of the military organizations, or at least the names thereof,
that entered the Confederate service will be found in the appendix to this
volume; but before closing it will probably not be out of place to relate
an anecdote given to the author by the late Major Rufus Brittain.
Honorable Benjamin Estill, long the respected, honored judge of the
Circuit Court of Tazewell, was a very grave and dignified gentleman, and
was held in high respect by the bar and people. In the early years of his
administration, in the trial of a case before him, there came a witness
from lower Sandy country, who for the first time in his life was at his
county town and his county Court House, and who had never testified as a
witness in a court of his evidence and when he was about to leave the
stand, the judge, apparently not impressed with the truthfulness of his
story, leaned forward, and in a very quiet but earnest manner, said, "Mr.
Witness have you told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth?" The witness looking straight into the face of the Judge replied,
"Well, Mr. Jedge, I think I have and a little the rise."

Prior to the formation of Giles County, in 1806, the people inhabiting the
new River settlements and westward beyond in Montgomery County, when
compelled to attend the court, had to travel many miles through the
wilderness to reach their county Court House at Christiansburg. By the
creation of Giles County, out of the territory of the counties of
Montgomery, Monroe and Tazewell, the people along the lower New River
settlements, and on the waters of the Bluestone, Guyandotte, and the head
waters of the Coal Rivers were brought nearer to their County Court House.
In January, 1806, the County of Giles (Note: Named for Hon. Wm. B. Giles.)
was created with the following boundary lines described in the Act, viz:
"Beginning at the end of Gauley Mountain on New River where the counties
of Greenbrier and Kanawha intersect; thence, up the river with the
Greenbrier and Montgomery County Line to the upper end of Pine's
Plantation; thence, a straight line to the mouth of Rich Creek, thence
with the Montgomery and Monroe line to the intersection of Botetourt
County line, and with the line of Montgomery and Botetourt to the top of
Gap Mountain, thence along the top of said mountain to New River, crossing
the same to the end of Walker's Creek Mountain, thence along the top of
said mountain to the intersection of Wythe County line, thence
northwestward with said line to the intersection of Tazewell County line,
and with Tazewell and Montgomery County line to the top of Wolf Creek
Mountain to a path leading from Round Bottom to Harman's Mill about three
miles below the mouth of the Clear fork of Wolf Creek, thence a straight
line to the mouth of Militon's Fork, thence a direct line to the head of
Crane Creek to the top of Flat Top Mountain, thence a direct line to the
three forks of the Guyandotte, thence down said river until it intersects
the Kanawha County line, thence with said line to the beginning."

There have been since the creation of the county of Giles four changes in
the boundary lines thereof. The line between Giles and Monroe was altered
in 1830, by running from a point on Peter's Mountain, opposite the Grey
Sulpher Springs, down Rich Creek near Peterstown and to Wiley's Falls,
taking from Monroe and adding to Giles this strip of territory. In 1841,
by adding a small strip from the county of Mercer by running from Toney's
Mill dam to Wiley's Falls. Again in 1851, on the formation of the county
of Craig, by cutting off to that county a strip of the territory of Giles
and, later in 1858, another strip to Craig; and likewise in 1861, by the
formation of Bland County, Giles lost a very considerable strip of her
territory.

The territory embraced in the now county of Giles is very mountainous, and
of the most rugged character, covering at the period of its formation the
New River Valley for a distance of over one hundred miles in length with a
mean width of about thirty miles, embracing not only waters which flow
into the New River proper, but also the head waters of the Guyandotte,
which flows into the Ohio, and the headwaters of the Coal River, which
flows into the Kanawha. The names of the streams in the then territory of
the county and flowing into New River are as follows: Spruce Run, Sinking
Creek, Doe Creek, Big Stony Creek, Little Stony Creek, and Rich Creek on
the northeast side of the river, and Walker's Creek, Wolf Creek, East
River, Brush Creek, Bluestone, Piney, Big and Little Coal Rivers, and some
of the branches of the Guyandotte on the west and northwest side of the
river. The mountain ranges--Walker's Mountain, Angel's Rest, Great Flat
Top, Guyandotte, Peter's Mountain, East River Mountain, Wolf Creek
Mountain, Butt Mountain, Brush Mountain, and Salt Pond Mountain.

Pursuant to the act creating the County of Giles, the first court was held
on the 13th day of May, 1806, in a house adjacent to the dwelling house of
Captain George Pearis (Note: The first settler where Pearisburg station is
now situated and the first merchant in what is now Giles County.) on New
River, near where Pearisburg station is now situated. The building in
which the first court was held remained standing until two or three years
ago, when it was destroyed by fire.

The Governor of the Commonwealth, William H. Cabell, had issued
commissions to the following named gentleman as Justices of the Peace of
the new County, viz: George Pearis, Thomas Shannon, Christian Snidow,
David French, David Johnston, (Note: David and Andrew Johnston were the
first merchants and opened the first tannery; Dr. John H. Rutter, the
first resident physician; W. C. Charlton, first tailor.) Edward McDonald,
Isaac Chapman, John Kirk, John Peck, Christopher Champ, John Burke, and
James Bane. Thomas Shannon and Christian Snidow, the second and third
named persons in the commission, administered the oath to George Pearis
the first named, and he then administered it to the others. David Johnston
produced a commission from the Governor of the Commonwealth as Sheriff of
the new county, and qualified as such with Christian Snidow and Isaac
Chapman as his sureties, giving bond in the penalty of $7,000, and James
Hoge qualified as his Deputy. David French was elected clerk, and at his
request the court appointed John McTaylor as his deputy. Captain George
Pearis was elected presiding Justice, and also commissioner of the
revenue. Philip Lybrook was appointed county surveyor, and afterwards gave
bond in the penalty of $3,000 with John Lybrook and David French as his
sureties.

Henley Chapman produced a license authorizing him to practice law in the
courts of the Commonwealth, and on his motion was admitted to practice in
the courts of the County. The second term of the court convened on the
10th day of June, 1806, at which term the first Grand Jury for the county
was impaneled and was composed of the following named gentlemen: William
Smith, foreman, Matthew French, John Peters, Charles Walker, Joseph Hare,
Thomas Clyburn, Adam Johnston, William Wilburn, William Brown, John
Chapman, William Tracy, David Summers, William Law, John Sartin, Edward
Hale and Robert Clendenin.

Two indictments were found by the jury at this term, to wit: one against
Peter Dingess for retailing spiritual liquors, and one against William
Stowers, for entering the whiskey house of John Toney without leave and
making use of his liquors. George Pearis and John Toney were each granted
a license to keep an Ordinary at their respective houses, they having
given the required bonds. Thomas Lewis, an attorney-at-law, and who was
afterwards, in 1816, near Christianburg, Virginia, killed in a duel with
McHenry, was admitted to practice in the courts of the County. The
following named persons were appointed constables for said County, viz:
John Hale, Charles Stuart, Henry Clay, Jacob McPherson, Edward Lewis,
Reuben Johnston, Noah Mullet and Delaney Sweeney, and Christian Snidow and
Isaac Chapman were recommended to the governor as being qualified to
discharge the duties of the office of Coroner.

It was ordered that the next term of the court be held in the house to be
erected by James Aldridge on one of the public lots.

Captain George Pearis donated fifty three acres of land to the County on
which to erect its public buildings, and a town was established on this
land, called Pearisburg in honor of Captain Pearis. Andrew Johnston
agreeing to survey and lay off the town lots and public square for the
consideration of $31.00, was appointed to do so. The first petit jury
impaneled in the County consisted of Patrick Napier, John Peters, Joseph
Jackson, Isaac Jackson, William Clay, Colby Stowers, William Pepper,
Nimrod Smith, Henry Dillion, Charles Clay, Philip Peters, and Larkin
Stowers. The second Grand Jury consisted of the following named persons,
viz: Thomas burke, foreman, John Peters, Theodore Hilvey, Charles Walker,
James French, John Martin, William Caldwell, William Wilburn, Thomas
Clyburn, John French, John Sartin, John Lybrook, Thomas Farley, Reuben
Johnston, James Johnston, Adam Taylor, and Michael Williams.

On these early records of Giles County appear the names of Chapman,
Johnston, Oney, Givens, Price, Farley, Straley, (Note: David Straley and
John Fillinger first blacksmiths.) Hare, Lybrook, Burke, Copley, McKensey,
Garrison, Gore, Solesbury, Roberts, Harman, Mustard, McDonald, Fry,
French, Miller, Clay, Cooke, Eaton, Munsey, Canterbury, Mullens, Burgess,
Maupin, Jones, Hall, Emmons, Little, Spangler, Clyburn, Blankenship,
Snodgrass, Atkins, Bogle, Conley, Rowe, Epling, Cecil, Tracy, Sarver,
Marrs, King, Smith, Bowling, Hager, Lester, Meadows, Albert, Scott, Ford,
White, Bane, Shannon, McClaugherty, Watts, Pearis, Sweeny, Snidow, Toney,
Napier, McComas, Burton, and Rowland, the latter named family from
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Before giving further history of the County, notice will be taken of some
interesting matters appearing on the old court record of Fincastle and
Montgomery Counties. Among the numerous orders of the County Court
ordering parties suspected of being Tories to appear in court, and either
take the oath or give bond for their good behavior, is an order made upon
the petition of numerous citizens praying that the place for the holding
of court be removed to Craig's, as it is a "better place for hitching
horses."

It must be remembered that the County Courts, for there were no others in
this section at that date, constituted practically, the legislative,
executive and judicial authority and power of the County, before the
itinerant District Judge came along.

On March 3rd, 1778, Benjamin Rogers was appointed a constable in Captain
Pearis' company. In June, 1785, David Johnston was appointed a constable.
On the 26th of April, 1785, an order was made by the County Court allowing
a sum of money to George Pearis for provisions, bacon and Indian meal
furnished to two spies, and to the militia in June, 1782. Thomas Shannon
and George Pearis were appointed in 1785 to review a road down New River
on both sides to the Greenbrier County line, and the same year George
Pearis and Snidow and Chapman had ferries established across New River. In
1787, September 8th, Mitchell Clay conveyed one half of the Clover Bottom
tract of land to Hugh Innis, of Franklin County. On the 7th of April,
1788, George Pearis conveyed a tract of land on Sugar Run to Joseph Cloyd,
and in June of the same year, conveyed a tract on New River to David
McComas. June 1st, 1890, Mitchell Clay conveyed to George Pearis the
remaining half of the Clover Bottom tract. In 1793 Colonel Christian
Snidow erected his dwelling house on the east side of New River, at the
Snidow-Chapman Ferry, and Isaac Chapman settled on the opposite side of
the river from Colonel Snidow, and in 1794, George Chapman erected his
dwelling house on the east side of New River, about one mile below Colonel
Snidow's, on land now belonging to H. B. Shelton and H. L. Phlegar.

The following extracts are taken from the record of Fincastle County
Court. On January 6th, 1773, the Court recommended to His Excellency, the
Governor, that he will be pleased to establish a Court House for the
County, at a piece of land commonly called McCaul's Place, near the
property of Ross and Co., and the lands of Samuel Crockett, in lieu of the
Lead Mines for the several reasons following: "that the said McCaul's
Place and Crockett's lies on the Great road that passes through the county
and that it is well watered, timbered, and level; that it is much more
central than the Mines, and that it is in the neighborhood of a great deal
of good land and meadows; that the Lead Mines are near the south line of
the County, and there is no spring convenient, very scarce of timber, and
in a neighborhood where there is very little pasture, and entirely off the
leading road. To which order Arthur Campbell dissented." At March Court,
1773, John Aylett and John Todd qualified to practice law. John Aylett
produced a commission appointing him His Majesty's attorney. On the second
day of April, 1775, appeared James Clevars agent for General Washington,
and being first sworn as the law directs, produced to the court a
valuation of the improvements on the lands situated on the lower or south
side of the Great Kanawha, containing 10,990 acres, property belonging to
General Washington, with a certificate granted by William Russell, Justice
of the Peace for this County, and that Stevens, George Aubry, and John
Clemonts, being first duly sworn to value the tax improvements, which said
valuation of the improvements amounting to 1,100 lbs., 15 sh. 7 1/2 pence,
together with the above mentioned certificate is ordered to be recorded
according to law.

The following extracts are taken from the records of Montgomery County
Court: John French qualified as Lieutenant in the eighty-sixth regiment.
John Chapman appointed ensign at March Court, 1778, in Captain Lucas'
company. On the eighth day of April, 1778, the following order was
entered: "The court proceeded to vote for a place for the Court House.
John Montgomery, Walter Crockett and James McGavock having made the
several proposals and the question being put, a majority were of the
opinion that it should be at Fort Chiswell, Mr. McGavock giving the county
twenty acres of land on the hill above the house on the north side of the
road to within ten poles of the mill, thence down the branch and binding
thereon so as to make the same nearly square, with the use of the spring
in common with himself; also twenty acres of wood land to begin at the
corner near his and extend eastwardly along the line ninety poles, and
then such course and distances as will include the said twenty acres;
likewise the use of any quarries on the Fort Chiswell tract for building,
which lands and privileges he is to convey to the court for the benefit of
the County in fee simple without any consideration other than the
advantage of having a Court House located on his land; and a reservation
of one half acre lot in said land, such as he shall choose after the
ground for the public buildings is laid off."

At September Court, 1785, John Chapman was appointed one of the Viewers to
view a route for a road from Big Crossing of Walker's Creek by Thomas
Shannon's and Sugar Run, at Taylor's land to Captain Pearis'. At November
Court, 1790, John French was recommended for ensign and John Chapman for
Lieutenant. At the June term, 1804, Isaac Chapman was recommended as
Lieutenant in the eighty-sixth regiment and John French recommended as
Captain in the second Battalion of the eighty-sixth regiment, and David
French a Lieutenant in the same, At the October Court, 1795, William
Dingess was appointed Deputy Surveyor. At the June term, 1801, the
following order was entered: "Henley Chapman Gentl., having produced a
license under the signature of the Honorable Richard Parker, Paul
Carrington, Jr., and Archibald Stewart permitting him to practice as
attorney in the Superior and Inferior Courts within this Commonwealth, and
having taken the oaths required by law, he was admitted to practice in
this court.

Our second war with England, usually called the war of 1812, drew from the
population of Giles County a considerable number of men, who served at
different periods during its existence. Among those who served were James
Straley, John Straley, Daniel Straley, Captain John Peters, Julius Walker,
Berry Blankenship, James Sarver, John Spangler, Captain C. H. A. Walker,
William Oney and many others whose names the author has not been able to
secure. Near the close of the war Andrew Johnston, as Captain, marched
with a company of men from Giles County, who were ordered to report at
Norfolk, Virginia. On their way thither, on reaching Liberty, now Bedford
City, they received information that a treaty of peace had been signed and
that their services were not needed, and they were ordered to return to
their homes.

There came into the County of Giles, at quite an early date, a family by
the name of Lucas, who became very notorious on account of their crimes.
There were other families of Lucas' in the New River Valley, and some in
the county of Giles, who were people of standing and repute, and in no
wise related to this criminal gang generally known a the Randall Lucas
Tribe. Jeremiah Lucas, a son of Randall on May 28th, 1814, was hanged in
the public square of Pearisburg for the murder of Julius Walker, committed
on the 9th day of April preceeding. Walker was a soldier of the war of
1812, and during his absence, Lucas became intimate with his, Walker's,
wife, and on his return Lucas determined to kill him, and in order to
accomplish his purpose he feigned friendship for him, and invited him home
with him, and on their way along the New River Cliffs not far from the
Eggleston Springs, Lucas struck Walker with a club and continued to beat
him over the head until he supposed him dead and then hid him away, and
went on to Walker's house and stayed that night, and as is not uncommon
with a murderer he went back the next morning to visit the spot where he
had left his victim, and found him sitting upright against a tree, unable,
however, to move or get away. Walker begged Lucas to spare his life and
told him if he would not kill him that as soon as he was able to leave the
country he would go and never return, and would say nothing about Lucas'
assault upon him. Lucas was unrelenting-brute-like and clubbed the
unfortunate man to death., So soon as the murder was discovered, the
murderer fled, taking refuge in the great Butt or Salt Pond Mountain.
There was snow on the ground at the time and a posse of citizens pursued
Lucas and finally ran him down and captured him. His captor was John
Marrs, who died only a few years ago in Fayette County, West Virginia.
Lucas was promptly indicted in the month following his capture, quickly
tried, convicted and sentenced to be hanged on the 28th of the May
following. The names of the jurors who tried Lucas are, viz: Joseph
Canterbury, John Eaton, Joseph Hare, John Chapman, Isaac McKinsey, Philip
Peters, Edward Hale, Isaac French, Thomas Clark,, James Emmons, William
Tracey, and John, (name not legible.) William Chapman, Deputy for John
Chapman, Sheriff of the County, carried the sentence into execution. After
his sentence and while awaiting execution the jailer of the county, George
Johnston, had confined his prisoner in what they call the dungeon, and on
giving him food on one occasion, Lucas, who was a physical giant, struck
Johnston over the head with his handcuffs, felling him to the floor, then
sprang out and started on a run to escape; Johnston, , the jailer, had an
old musket loaded with powder and buck shot, which he kept in an adjoining
room, and as soon as he could recover himself he seized the musket and ran
out into the street; but by this time Lucas had gone more than 150 yards
away, when Johnston pulled down on him and wounded him in one of his legs,
which brought him to the ground, and the jailer soon had him back in the
dungeon.

Michael Montgole and family, in 1821, lived on the end of the Little
Mountain, just below the mouth of Wolf Creek, in a small hollow, a few
hundred yards west of the late residence of the late Joseph Hare, Esq.
Montgole was accused of the murder of his wife, by shooting her with a
rifle gun, on June 16th, 1821. He claimed that the shooting was
accidental, and insisted upon his innocence. He was arrested and promptly
indicted by the Grand Jury of Giles County. Feeling against him was so
strong that he was enabled to procure a change of venue to the Circuit
Court of the County of Montgomery, wherein he was tried and convicted in
May, 1822, and executed on the 21st of June, 1822. He died protesting his
innocence.

Dave Lucas, another son of Randall's, was more than once in the Virginia
penitentiary for larceny and other crimes, and finally, in 1841, he
murdered John Poff, of Franklin County, Virginia, and being suspected of
the murder, he ran away into Botetourt County, where he was arrested and
brought back, indicted and on the 13th day of May, 1842, was tried by a
jury composed of Robert Farris, Robert Caldwell, Christian Simmonds,
Olliver C. Peters, Tobias Miller, Edward Nelson, Reuben Hughes, St. Clair
French, Samuel Thompson, Joseph Fanning, Charles Miller, and Hiram Pauley,
who found him guilty of murder and on the 16th day of the same month he
was sentenced to be hanged. The sentence was carried into execution June
24th, 1842, by Abalsom Fry, deputy for John Peck, Sheriff of the County.
Mr. Fry often related the incidents connected with the execution of this
man, and among others the funeral sermon preached by Rev. Mr. Harris, a
Methodist minister, on the day of execution, and that the text from which
he preached was "As the lord liveth and my soul liveth there is but a step
between me and death."

Thomas Berry Farley was the principal witness against Lucas, and upon his
testimony he was convicted. Farley was born in 1795, on Gatliff's bottom
on New River, in what is now Summers County, West Virginia, and died in
Giles County. Virginia, in 1903. He was the grandson of Thomas Farley, who
settled on Culbertson's bottom now in Summers County, about the year of
1755.

John, a third son of Randall Lucas also killed a man and was tried for his
life; the jury however found him guilty of murder in the second degree and
fixed his punishment in the penitentiary at nine years.

The only other execution for murder in Giles County (Note: On March 23rd,
1906, Morris Cremeans is to hang for the murder of one Kidd) was that of
Mahala Mason, a negro woman who was hanged May 14, 1852 for the murder of
Sallie, a negro woman the property of W. B. Mason. The murder was
committed on the 15th day of January, 1852. The funeral of this colored
woman was preached by a negro preacher by the name of Harry Chapman, from
the text: "Put thine house in order, for thou must die and not live."

In the early history of Giles County there were some very interesting
characters, both wags and wits, among the number one John Conley. On an
occasion Mr. Conley was passing over the old County road across Cloyd's
Mountain, and meeting Mr. Frank Wysor riding in a two wheeled vehicle,
Conley accosted Mr. Wysor, who had a very large nose, saying to him,
Stranger turn your nose to one side until I can get by it." Mr. Wysor did
as requested, and after he had passed Mr. Conley in the road, he stopped
his horse and called to Conley, saying, "Old man, wouldn't you like to
have a drink this morning?" to which Mr. Conley replied he would. Mr.
Wysor dismounted from his vehicle, taking a bottle therefrom and placing
it on the ground, told Mr. Conley to help himself, and as Mr. Conley
stooped down to reach for the bottle Mr. Wysor with his fist struck him on
the side of the head, knocking him over the bracing of the road, and when
Mr. Conley recovered himself Mr. Wysor was in his vehicle and several
hundred yards away.

One Chrispianos Walker, a young man at that time who lived with his father
on New River, opposite the mouth of Wolf Creek, had fallen in love with a
young lady, a Miss Peters, whose parents lived nearly two miles above
Walker's, on the river.They were engaged to be married, but the match was
vigorously opposed by the girl's parents, and Walker was forbidden the
house and the girl put under watch, but Mr. Walker succeeded through some
one in informing his betrothed that at a given time he would be at his
father's house, have the necessary papers and the preacher on hand, and
for her to attempt to make her escape at the time he had indicated. So
early one morning, the young lady suddenly disappeared from her home, her
absence soon being detected she was pursued by two of her brothers, but
out ran them, reaching Mr. Walker's house, and her lover "now or never."
Her intended husband was still in bed when she reached the door, but he
immediately sprang out, having on but one garment, the preacher then and
there said the ceremony, at the conclusion of which the brothers appeared,
but too late.

About the year of 1829, there appeared in Giles County (Note: The first
newspaper , called "The Southwest," was published by John Sower, about
1858, and the first picture gallery by Bushong, in 1860.) a quaint
eccentric man, about thirty years of age, by the name of Norman Roberts,
who came from Massachusetts, and many interesting stories are told of his
peculiar doings and sayings. A gentleman driving a wild cow met Roberts at
the forks of a road, and the cow taking the wrong road, the one on which
Roberts was approaching, called out to Roberts: "head that cow." Roberts
replied, "She is already headed." He then said to Roberts "Turn that cow,"
to which Roberts replied "She already has the right side out," and the man
then said to Roberts "Speak to that cow," whereupon Roberts said "Goodbye,
cow." Roberts wore long hair, lived in caves, and often hid himself from
his fellowmen. the young girls were afraid of him, as he pretended to make
love to all he met with. He died in Mercer County, West Virginia, about
1854.

A brief history will be given of the general laws, Legislative and
Constitutional, bearing upon the subject of suffrage which will lead up to
the assembling and action of the Virginia people in holding various
Constitutional conventions. Sir George Yeardley, governor of Virginia,
arrived in April, 1619, he was the first to summon a General Assembly to
be held by the inhabitants, every free man voting, and which was to make
laws for the government of the country. He issued his summons in June, and
on July 30th, 1619, the first Legislative body that ever sat in America
assembled at Jamestown, the then capital of Virginia. This was a notable
event, and portended radical changes in the form of government. Popular
right in America had entered on life and the long struggle to hold its
own. Whatever might be the issue, the fact remains that at least it had
been born. Here commenced the question of popular and restricted suffrage
which has agitated the body politic from that time to the present. In 1670
suffrage was restricted to free-holders and housekeepers. From the first
years of the colony to 1655 all the settlers had a voice in public
affairs, first in the daily matters of the Hundreds, and after 1619 in
electing Burgesses. In the year 1655 the Burgesses declared that none but,
"Housekeepers, whether freeholders, leaseholders or otherwise tenants
should be capable to elect Burgesses." In the year of 1656 the ancient
usage was restored and all freemen were allowed to vote. In 1670, the
first act restricting the suffrage was restored, and this it seems, was
thenceforth the determinate sentiment, with the exception of the year,
1676, when Bacon's Assembly changed it and declared that freemen should
again vote. This however, was swept away by the general abrogation of all
Bacon's Laws, and the freehold restriction was thus restored, and was in
operation when the Virginia convention assembled in 1776. That convention
provided in the Constitution which it framed that "the right of suffrage
in the election of members for both Houses shall remain as exercised at
present;" and this remained the law until the assembling of the convention
of 1829-30.

On the 5th day of October, 1829, a convention of delegates from the
senatorial districts of the Commonwealth of Virginia began its session in
the city of Richmond. James Monroe, Esq., ex-president of the United
States, was elected president of the convention, but on account of ill
health served only for a short time, being succeeded by Philip P. Barbour.

From the 15th senatorial district, composed of the counties of Montgomery,
Giles, Wythe and Grayson, the following gentlemen were elected as
delegates to said convention, viz: General Gordon Cloyd, of Montgomery,
Henley Chapman, of Giles, John P. Matthews, of Wythe and William Oglesby,
of Grayson.

The Constitution framed by this convention made many radical changes in
the organic law of the state, and enlarged or rather extended, the right
of suffrage to persons who had not theretofore exercised the same; but it
failed to give satisfaction to the people west of the Alleghanies.

The vote in the convention on the adoption of the Constitution as
engrossed, and as a whole, was taken thereon on January 14th, 1830, and
stood 55 for and forty against. Of the forty votes cast against the
adoption of the instrument, twenty were by delegates from west of the
Alleghanies, and whose names are as follows, viz: Andrew Beirne, William
Smith, Fleming B. Miller, John Baxter, William Naylor, William Donaldson,
John B. George, Andrew McMillan, Edward Campbell, William Byars, Gordon
Cloyd, Henley Chapman, John P.Matthews, William Oglesby, Edwin S. Duncan,
John Laidley, Lewis Summers, Adam See, Alexander Campbell, and E. M.
Wilson. The constitution was adopted by the people by a majority if 10,492
votes.

About 1832 and for some years subsequently the incorporation and building
of turnpike roads gave great impetus to the trade of the century; among
these roads Price's Mountain and Cumberland Gap turnpike, Wythe, Raleigh
and Grayson and Giles, Fayette and Kanawha. (Note: The Virginia and
Tennessee Railroad extended west of New River about 1856 and the C. & O.
Ry. about 1872.)



Chapter VI
1837-1861

In the election held in the county of Giles in 1836 for delegate for
Legislature, Daniel Hale, Esq., of Wolf Creek, was chosen. The people
living along the Flat Top Mountain, Bluestone and its upper waters and
Brush Creek, partly within the territory of Giles and partly within the
territory of Tazewell, finding themselves greatly inconvenienced by the
distance they had to travel to their County seat, determined to have a new
County, and so petitioned the General Assembly of Virginia. Among the
petitioners were Captain George W. Pearis, Colonel Daniel H. Pearis,
William White, Cornelius White, Captain William Smith, William H. French,
Joseph Davidson, (Note: Made settlements in Wright's Valley, within what
is now the corporate limits of the city of Bluefield, West Virginia, and
built what is known as "Davidson's house," in Hick's Addition; was a son
of John Goolman Davidson.) John Davidson, James Calfee, Isaac Gore, Elijah
Bailey, and various others, then living within the territory of the
proposed new County. The bill was introduced, passed, and became a law on
the 17th day of March, 1837. The act in so far as the boundaries of the
new County is concerned is as follows: "Be it enacted by the General
Assembly, that all that part of the counties Giles and Tazewell contained
within the following boundary lines, to-wit: Beginning at the mouth of
East River, in Giles County, and following the meanders thereof up to
Toney's mill dam; thence along the top of said mountain, East River
Mountain, (the line from Toney's mill dam to the top of the mountain was
evidently omitted in the act) ; to a point opposite the upper end of the
old plantation of Jesse Belcher, deceased, thence a straight line to
Peery's mill dam near the mouth of Alp's (Abb's)) Valley, thence to a
point well known by the name of the Peeled (Pealed) Chestnuts, thence to
the top of the Flat Top Mountain, thence along said mountain to New River,
thence up and along the various meanderings of the same to the beginning,
shall form one distinct and new County, and be called and known by the
name of Mercer County, in memory of General Hugh Mercer, who fell at
Princeton." The Governor was authorized to appoint eighteen persons as
Justices of the Peace for the County, the justices then in commission
residing in that part of Giles and Tazewell Counties, which will be in
Mercer County after the commencement of the act were to be of the number
to be commissioned for the new County. The following are the names of
those who held commissions as Justices of the Peace within the territory
of the new County, viz: Captain William Smith, Captain C. H. A. Walker,
Elijah Peters, John Davidson, John Brown, Robert Gore, Robert Lilley,
Robert Hall.

A court for the county was directed to be held on the second Monday of
every month. The following named gentlemen were by the act to locate the
site of justice for the county, to wit: Thomas Kirk, of the County of
Giles, James Harvey, of the County of Tazewell, Joseph Stratton, of the
County of Logan, and Henry B. Hunter, of the County of Greenbrier.

The first meeting of the justices for organization was to be at the
residence of James Calfee, (Gladeville about one mile west of Princeton),
on the second Monday in April, 1837.

The county by the said act was attached to the same judicial Law and
Chancery to be held on the first days of May and October.

Philip Lybrook, of the County of Giles, John H. Vawter, of the County of
Monroe, and John B. George, of the County of Tazewell were named as
commissioners to run and mark the lines between the Counties of Giles and
Tazewell and County of Mercer, and make report to the County Courts of
each county. It may here be noted that the line between Wythe and
Montgomery crossed the County of Mercer from a point on East River near
the present Ingleside station, and running northwest passed a little to
the west of the public burying ground at Princeton, crossing Bluestone and
at Clover Bottom. The Giles and Tazewell County lines crossed about three
miles west of Princeton; the Big Spring at Jarell's being one Bluestone,
and head of Crane Creek another.

The County Court met on the second Monday in April and elected Moses E.
Kerr, Clerk, and named Captain William Smith as Sheriff, who was
afterwards duly commissioned as such by the Governor of the Commonwealth.
Captain Smith named John Jarrell as his Deputy, and he was duly appointed.
Robert Hall was appointed Surveyor of the County.

The Commissioners to locate the place on which to erect the public
buildings for the county, did so on a plat of land donated by Captain
William Smith, and near the Glady fork of Brush Creek, about one mile east
of Gladevillle, and the same on which the present Court House of Mercer
County now stands. The question of the name of the county town was
debated, some wishing to call it Banesville for Mr. Howard Bane, one of
the Commissioners, but finally as the more appropriate, they called it
Princeton, inasmuch as the county was named in memory of General Hugh
Mercer, who fell at Princeton, that it was altogether proper to name the
county town for the place where General Mercer fell mortally wounded.

The first Circuit Court for the County was held on the 1st day of May,
1837, by Judge James E. Brown, of Wythe, who appointed John M. Cunningham
Clerk, and Thomas J. Boyd, Attorney for the Commonwealth.

The first grand jury empanelled for Mercer County was composed of the
following named gentlemen: Robert Hall, John Martin, Sr., Christian S.
Peters, Green W. Meadows, John Walker, George W. Pearis, James M. Bailey,
John Davidson, Archibald Bailey, William Cooper, Richard Runion, Thomas
Maxwell, Joseph McKinney, Jr., Joshua L. Mooney, William Ferguson,
Achilles Fannon, Philip P. Bailey, Chrispianos Walker, Samuel Bailey,
William Garretson, Lewis M. Wilson, Robert B. Davidson and Josiah
Ferguson. The following Attorneys were admitted to practice at the first
and second terms of the Court: viz: Joseph Stras, Albert C. Pendleton,
Thomas J. Boyd, A. A. Chapman, M. Chapman, A. T. Caperton and David Hall.

A list of all the judges, attorneys, clerks, justices of the peace,
including names of members of the house of delegates will be found in the
appendix to this work, covering as far as possible the period from the
first organization of civil government within the territory of which
Mercer County had formed a part down to the date of the completing of this
work.

Since the date of the act creating the County of Mercer there has been
three changes in its boundary lines. Under an act authorizing it, the line
between Mercer and Tazewell from the top of East River Mountain to Peery's
mill dam, was run, throwing a small strip of the territory of Tazewell
into Mercer. In 1841 on its eastern border, by an act of the Legislature,
the line along New River at Wiley's Falls to the Toney mill dam was
changed so as to run from said mill dam a straight line to Wiley's falls;
thus cutting off a small strip of territory from Mercer and adding it to
Giles County. In 1871 the County of Summers was created, and all that part
of the territory of Mercer County lying east and northeast of a line drawn
from Round Bottom on the west side of New River to Brammer's Gate on the
top of Flat Top Mountain was stricken off the County of Summers, leaving
to Mercer about 420 square miles.

Some of the men who aided in securing and organizing the County of Mercer
had come over the Alleghenies a few years after the close of the American
Revolution, and some were the sons and grandsons of men who had come prior
to the Revolution. Those who came during the war for independence were
called "Over Mountain or Peace Men" for the reason that they were from
over the mountains, and peace men, because it was supposed that many of
them were opposed to war with Great Britain, but this could not be true of
all, because many came before the Revolution began, and a large number of
those who came fought gallantly in several battles; notably, King's
Mountain, Shallow Ford of the Yadkin, Wetzell's mills, and Guilford Court
House.

It is doubtless true that there were Tories in the New River Valley
region, mostly however on the upper waters of the New River. Colonel
Preston, when requested to secure the British and Tory prisoners captured
at the battle of King's Mountain, in stockades to be built at Fort
Chiswell answered, "that he did not regard the place as secure, as there
were more Tories in Montgomery County than any other county of Virginia."
It is certain that some among the most prominent families of today in the
new River Valley, and upon the Clinch waters are the descendants of Tory
ancestors during the Revolution. For fear of giving offense or wounding
the feelings of the more sensitive, no names are here mentioned, but no
just reason can be assigned why men of that day may not have well been on
the King's side. It was at least a question of opinion as to who was right
and who was wrong.

Returning to the organization of Mercer County it will be noted that the
justices met and chose one of their number as Presiding Justice, and this
was what had substantially been provided by former laws.

Captain William Smith, who was born in the County of Rockingham, Virginia,
in 1774, came to the New River Valley with his father and family when a
small lad. He had often before, as well as after 1837, been honored by his
fellowmen. He was the Presiding Justice of Mercer County for twelve years,
and although not a man of letters, without education in the common
acceptation of the term, only able to write his name and that
mechanically, for he could write nothing else, but his high sense of
honor, coupled with his great native ability and common sense, commended
him to the favor of his fellow citizens, who not only honored him by
keeping him in the office of Justice of the Peace and making him the
presiding officer of the court for a long term of years, but the court had
his portrait painted, framed and hung over the judicial bench in the Court
House, where it remained until the destruction of that building on the 1st
day of May, 1862.

Captain Smith was several times elected to the House of Delegates of
Virginia as the representative of the County of Giles, and of Mercer and
Giles after the formation of Mercer. He was a candidate for the
Legislature twelve times and was elected six times.

The first settler at the place where the town of Princeton is situated,
was French C. Smith, who was a son of one Ezekiel Smith, who went to Texas
in the early thirties, was captured by the Mexicans and kept in
confinement for five years. French C. Smith, the son, shortly after his
father left the country for Texas, also went there, and became quite a
prominent figure in Texas politics, having been the Whig candidate for
Governor against General Sam Houston, the Democratic candidate, and by
whom Smith was defeated by a large majority.

The first merchant to open a store at Princeton was Theodore Jordan, who
was followed by Captain William H. Howe, George W. and Daniel H. Pearis,
Ward and Gibbony, Johnston and Pearis, Pack and Vawter, John A. Pack &
Co., Scott Emmons & Pearis, Pearis & Mahood, John W., Smith, Brown &
Shumate. (Note:Dr. R. G. McNutt was the first resident physician.)

The first hotel keepers were James M. Bailey and Charles W. Calfee, who
were followed later by George W. and Daniel H. Pearis and J. H. Alvis.
Daniel Straley was the first Black smith, followed later by George B.
Newlee, and later by J. W. Dorsey. The first shoemaker was Isham Brinkely,
followed by Crockett Scott, and the first tanners were Thompson & Chapman.
The first Court House was built in 1839 by a man by the name of Ledbetter.
Mercer County enjoys the distinction of having had more Court Houses than
any other county in the state and promises to build still more. The first
Court House was so badly erected that it had to be taken down and rebuilt,
and this was destroyed when the town of Princeton was burned in 1862. The
third, in part built at Concord Church by George Evans, contractor, and
abandoned after an expenditure of several thousand dollars; the fourth
built in 1874 by Andrew Fillinger was destroyed by fire in 1875, supposed
to be the work of an incendiary; the fifth and present one with the
additions thereto was built in 1876 by D. W. McClaugherty in part and also
later by John C. Darst; and it is now seriously proposed to build the
sixth one at Bluefield, that is, whenever the necessary vote of the people
can be had removing the County seat to Bluefield.

For a number of years the Counties of Giles and Mercer sent a delegate to
the Legislature. The political parties in the two counties were very
closely and equally divided.

The census of 1840, the first taken after the creation of the County of
Mercer showed a population of 2,243 people. Many fierce political battles
were fought in the two counties. From the year of 1840 to that of 1854.
These spirited political contests were usually over two offices, member of
the house of Delegates and the office of Sheriff.

In the year of 1841 Oscar F. Johnston defeated Captain William Smith for
the House of Delegates. In the year of 1842 William H. French defeated
Chapman I. Johnston for the house of Delegates.

Before proceeding to relate incidents occurring in later contests, it will
here be mentioned that two quite distinguished gentlemen and members of
the bar, viz: Albert G. Pendleton and Nathaniel Harrison, over a trifling
matter came very near venturing out on the field of honor to settle their
differences; the interposition of mutual friends settled the difficulty,
and no blood was shed.

In the year of 1843 the contest for the house of Delegates was between
William H. French of Mercer, the Whig candidate and Albert G. Pendleton,
of Giles, the Democratic candidate in which contest French won by eleven
votes. At that day there were only two voting places in the county of
Mercer, one at Princeton and the other at Pipestem. It was customary and
usual in those days for the opposing candidates to get together at the
Court House on the day of an election and sit in the polling room. The
voting then was viva voce, and when an elector cast his vote, the
candidate for whom he voted expressed his satisfaction by publicly
thanking him. A very amusing little incident as well as a clever trick
occurred at Princeton in the election between French and Pendleton, and is
deemed worthy of relating here. French, the Whig candidate was at
Princeton on the day of the election sitting in the polling place. Captain
George W. Pearis, a very ardent democrat, and known to be the special
champion and friend of Colonel Pendleton, lived at Princeton and had
charge of Mr. Pendletons interest at that place on the day of election.
Only those could vote who had a freehold, and were assessed with some part
of the public revenue and had paid the same.

One Samuel Waldron, who lived about 1 1/2 miles southeast of where the
city of Bluefield is now located, but who under the law was not a voter,
was present at the election at Princeton and expressed to Captain Pearis
his desire to vote, and inquired of Captain Pearis whether he, Waldron,
was a legal voter. Being informed by Pearis that he did not think he was,
but that if he would vote for Pendleton he thought he could arrange the
matter for him. Out of the three commissioners conducting the election,
two of them were Whigs and known friends of French. Captain Pearis told
Waldron to go in and offer his vote, and that when his name was called he,
Pearis, would suddenly appear at the Court House door and challenge his
vote, and that he had no doubt that the commissioners would promptly
decide that he was a legal voter. Waldron appeared before the
commissioners and expressed his desire to vote, and the Crier called out
"Samuel Waldron, who do you vote for?" Before he could answer Captain
Pearis appeared at the door and shouted at the top of his voice, "I
challenge that vote, that man is not a voter." From these circumstances
French's friends concluded that Waldron wanted to vote for him, and they
promptly decided that he was a qualified voter, and being again inquired
of as for whom he wished to vote, he replied, "Pendleton," much to the
chagrin and disappointment of French and his friends. Another incident
occurring at this same election is worth telling as Mr. Pendleton was the
butt of the joke this time. Mr. Pendleton very early on the morning of
election day on his way to Pipestem voting place, went several miles out
of his way to see Mr. John Comer, who lived on Christian's Ridge and after
a talk with Comer, was led to believe that he was a friend and would vote
for him, so he took him up on his horse behind him and rode to the polling
place about ten miles away, and when Comer's name was called by the Crier
at the polls, Comer shouted "French."

A few years after this Cornelius White was elected to the House of
Delegates from the Counties of Mercer and Giles. Mr. White was a plain
farmer, without much education, but a man of good native sense. After
reaching Richmond and entering the House, he introduced a bill of some
local nature, touching some local matters connected with roads, and seemed
to have taken no further interest in the bill until within a day or two of
the close of the session, when he inquired of some friend if he knew
anything of his bill and being answered in the negative, Mr. White
inquired what he should do about it; his friend told him to call up the
bill and ask for unanimous consent to put the bill on its passage. The
next morning at the opening of the session., Mr. White addressed the
Speaker telling him about the bill and how anxious he was to have it pass
and then said "Mr. Speaker, if you will take up that bill and have it
passed I promise you that I will show you the frog of my foot to-morrow
morning."

In the year of 1847 difficulties growing out of relations between the
United States and Mexico brought on war between the two countries. No
organized troops went from either of the two Counties of Giles or Mercer,
though Colonel Daniel H. Pearis, the commandant of the militia of the
latter county, sought to obtain a commission as Colonel of the Virginia
regiment then being organized for the field, but failed, the commission
being given to Colonel John M. Hamptrampeh, and to John Randolph as
Lieutenant Colonel, and to Jubal A. Early as Major.

Captain James F. Preston, of Montgomery County, raised in that county a
company which was attached to the Virginia Regiment. Many of these men who
went with the Virginia Regiment to Mexico, became distinguished soldiers
in our late Civil War: viz: Jubal A. Early became a Lieutenant General,
Captain James F. Preston became Colonel of the Fourth Virginia Regiment of
the Stonewall Brigade, Robert D. Gardner succeeded Preston in command of
the Fourth Regiment, Charles A. Ronald also became Colonel of this
Regiment, and at one time commanded the Stonewall Brigade, Joel Blackared
became Captain of the first company from Giles County, and while such was
killed in the battle of Frazier's farm in 1862, W.W. McComas, a prominent
physician of Giles County, as Captain led a company of artillery from that
County, losing his life in the battle of South Mills, N. C. Judge Robert
A. Richardson, at one time a Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals of
Virginia, was a soldier in the Mexican War, and led the first company from
Mercer County into the civil War, Andrew J. Grisby, who aided in the
organization of the first company of volunteers that left Giles County,
was made Major of the 27th Virginia regiment of the Stonewall Brigade
afterwards becoming Colonel of that regiment, and several times in command
of the Brigade, was a member of Doniphan's regiment of Missouri Cavalry in
the Mexican War. Harvey Wall, who long lived in Mercer County, was a
member of Captain Preston's company, as well and Daniel H. Harman, of
Boone County, West Virginia, Benjamin Linkous, another member of Preston's
company, became a Colonel of a Confederate regiment, and Greenbury
Chandler, who was with Preston in Mexico, became a Confederate officer and
was slain in the battle of Piedmont Virginia.

Another step forward was to be taken by the Virginia people in the
enlargement of the right to vote, and a convention assembled at Richmond
on the 14th day of October, 1850, and framed a constitution which was
adopted, whereby the restrictions upon the right of suffrage were
practically swept away; excluding only persons of unsound mind, paupers,
noncommissioned officers, soldiers, seamen, and marines in the service of
the United States, and persons who had been convicted of bribery in an
election or of any infamous offense.

The representatives in this convention from the district in which Mercer
County was included were Albert G. Pendleton of Giles, Allen T. Caperton
and Augustus A. Chapman of Monroe.

The Constitution framed by this convention was adopted as a compromise
measure between the east and the west.

In 1850 Lewis Neal defeated John Miller, of Sinking Creek, for the House
of Delegates. In 1851 Captain George W. Pearis was elected to the house of
Delegates over Alexander Mahood, and in 1852 Reuben Garretson defeated
Colonel James M. Bailey. Under the Constitution of 1851 Mercer was
accorded a delegate.

The most remarkable and notable contest in the matter of an election, that
ever occurred in Mercer County, was over that of a delegate to the
Secession Convention. The contest was between two brothers, William H.
French and Napoleon B. French. At the time of this election Napoleon B.
French was serving as a senator in the Legislature of Virginia from the
district of which Mercer County was a part, and was in Richmond at the
time of this election. These men were and had for long years been
prominent in politics, and were the two best known men not only in the
county, but in this particular section of the state. Both brothers had
been Whigs all of their lives and up to a short time prior to the
beginning of the Civil War, when William H. left the Whig and united with
the Democratic party. This action on his part so incensed his old
political friends that they determined to get even with him the first
opportunity, and when he announced himself a candidate for the convention
and made known his views, which tended toward secession, his old political
friends who had become his enemies, as well as the political friends of
his brother, Napoleon, at once named the latter as the opposing candidate.
There was considerable feeling in this contest and some bitterness. At
this time a large majority of the people of Mercer County were strongly
union in sentiment.

The great political battle between these two brothers was fought to the
finish, and resulted in the election of Napoleon B. French by a majority
of more than 300. On the assembling of the convention in February, 1861,
Mr. French took his seat therein as the representative of the people of
Mercer County.

The next spirited contest was for the Legislature, a battle royal which
took place between Captain Robert A. Richardson and Dr. Robert B. McNutt,
in May, 1861. Richardson had raised a company of volunteers for the Civil
War, of which he had been elected Captain, and consequently had gathered
to himself a very large following and was then on the eve of starting off
for the war, and the people of the county were very much agitated and
excited. Dr. Robert B. McNutt had long lived in the county, was a very
eminent physician, had quite a strong relationship, and a host of friends,
personal and political. He was defeated by Richardson by a small majority.

The secession Convention which assembled in Richmond in February, 1861,
was composed of the ablest men in the state; they were not only able but
patriotic, and weighed well and carefully every step that was taken. A
great deal of the time of the convention was taken up in considering the
report of the committee on Federal relations. The report of this committee
recommended certain amendments to the Constitution Of the United States
fixing the limits of the slave territory, and the rights of slaveholders
to take their slave property into the limits of such territory. There were
a great many substitutes offered for this report, and it was evident from
the various votes taken on these substitutes that in the beginning the
larger number of the members of the convention were opposed to separation
from the Union, and on the other hand the majority thereof seems to have
been unwilling to see the Federal Government coerce the states which had
seceded. At last and when the point was reached and it became evident that
the Federal authorities were determined to attempt to coerce the seceding
states, it became necessary for the convention to take some decided step.
It went into secret session on Tuesday, the 16th day of April, 1861, and
on that day Mr. William Ballard Preston, of Montgomery County, submitted
an ordinance "to repeal the ratification of the Constitution of the United
States by the state of Virginia, and to resume all the rights and powers
granted under said Constitution."

In the afternoon session of that day Mr. Robert Scott, of Fauquier,
offered a substitute for Mr. Preston's ordinance. This substitute recited
that there were still eight slaveholding states within the Union, and some
members of the convention favored consultation and co-operation with these
states, and that it was desirable to ascertain the preferences of the
people of the state as to whether or not they desired co-operation with
eight slave states or immediate secession, and to that end a vote of the
people of the state be taken on the 4th Tuesday in May next thereafter.
When a vote on this substitute was called for, Mr. Baldwin of Augusta
moved an adjournment, but the convention refused to adjourn by a vote of
sixty- five to seventy-eight, Mr. French, the representative from Mercer,
voting for adjournment. After the transaction of some other business
another motion was made to adjourn, which was carried by a vote of seventy-
six to sixty-five, French again voting for adjournment. On Wednesday, the
17th day of April, 1861, the convention resumed consideration of the
ordinance submitted by Mr. Preston and the substitute offered therefor by
Mr. Scott. The vote was first taken on the substitute which was lost by
sixty-four to seventy-nine, French voting for the substitute, and casting
his vote with John A. Campbell, of Washington, John J. Jackson of Wood,
John F. Lewis of Rockingham, John S. Burdett of Taylor, Jubel A. Early of
Franklin, Samuel Price of Greenbrier, Henry L. Gillaspie, of Raleigh, and
other members from northwestern Virginia. The Monroe, Giles and Tazewell
delegates voted against the substitute. The substitute being lost, a vote
was then taken on the ordinance proposed by Mr. Preston which was adopted
by a vote of eighty-eight to fifty-five. On this final vote French voted
for the ordinance as did almost all the members from the southwestern part
of the state, while the major part of the members from the northwestern
part of the state voted against it.

It is here noted in this connection that the Congress of the United States
agreed to and submitted an amendment to the Constitution, which was
approved March, 1861, touching the slavery question and known as amendment
number "Thirteen," and which was ratified by the Legislature of the
restored Government of Virginia at Wheeling, the 13th day of February,
1862. The amendment is in the following words: "No amendment shall be made
to the Constitution which will authorize or give to Congress the power to
abolish or interfere in any state with the domestic institutions thereof,
including that of persons held to labor or service by the laws of the said
state."

The convention of Virginia provided for the submission of the ordinance of
secession to the people on the 23rd day of may, 1861, for ratification or
rejection. It was ratified by a majority of 96,750 out of a total vote of
161,018 votes. The counties of northwestern Virginia in a vote of 44,000
gave 40,000 majority against the ordinance. The vote in Mercer County on
the ordinance was practically unanimous, only seven votes being cast
against it. Giles County cast her 1,033 votes solidly for the ordinance;
electing at the same time Captain William Eggleston to the House of
Delegates over Dr. John W. Easly by 234 votes.

As has been seen by reference to the vote of the delegates in the
convention from the counties west of the Alleghenies and north of the
Kanawha, as well as the vote of the people of those counties, that they
were intently and earnestly opposed to secession, while all the counties
south of the Kanawha, and particularly those in the new River Valley and
southwest Virginia were almost a unit for it. Toward the closing days of
the secession convention, a party of gentlemen from several counties in
the state--representative men, catching the spirit of the people at home,
which seemed to be in advance of the convention, by self appointment in
the city of Richmond with the view and purpose of influencing if possible
the action of the convention in favor of immediate secession. What bearing
if any the meetings of this self constituted body of men had on the action
of the convention can only be conjectured.

Such was the intense feeling and excitement in Richmond, and in fact
throughout the Commonwealth, that the representatives in the convention
from the northwestern and other parts of the state who opposed the action
of the convention and refused to vote for the ordinance, became alarmed
for their safety, some leaving and traveling incognito, while others
thought it necessary to procure letters of safe conduct from the Governor
of the Commonwealth in order to enable them to reach their homes.

The news of the passage of the ordinance of secession, spread throughout
the state like unto wild fire in a dry stubble on a windy day. The
intelligence was greeted with shouts of applause by the populace, bells
were rung, cannons boomed, great gatherings of the people were had, and
oratory dispensed without stint.

Virginia had stood for peace, placed herself in the position of mediator
between the contending sections. Her appeals on the one side were
unheeded, and the threats and demonstrations on the other, did not move
her. She did not intend to act in haste, and only decided to leave the
Union when the Federal Executive called for seventy-five thousand troops
to coerce the Seceded States.

History can scarcely furnish a parallel of the beginning of a revolution
so orderly, peaceful, and without blood shed or excesses of any kind, all
accomplished in a quiet, Constitutional form and method--Virginia claiming
nothing further than to be allowed to depart in peace, uttering as she
withdrew from the Union the hope and prayer that war might be averted.
Without waiting for the result of the vote on the ordinance, the people
went to work with energy to organize and equip the whole military force of
the state for defense, not for aggressive war on the Federal Union, but to
prevent if possible, the Federal power from crushing the state and
overthrowing Constitutional government therein, and to prevent further
encroachments upon the rights of the state. Virginia had resumed her
original sovereignty, and had withdrawn all the powers and rights that she
had delegated to the Federal agent; she had revoked the power of attorney
that she had given that Federal agent, and did not propose to withdraw the
revocation, but to maintain it by force of arms if necessary; that was all.

The position of the south, and particularly of Virginia, seems not to have
been well understood by the great bulk of the northern people, who were
led astray by the cry for the Union, and that these people of the south
were preparing to establish a government and power which sought to destroy
their Constitutional rights. It was not the establishment of a southern
Confederacy that our people sought and fought for, but it was to uphold
and maintain the integrity and sovereignty of the state and with no view
of making war on the other States of the Union of the Federal Government.