Histories of 58 WV Communities - Chapters 16-17



Chapter 16  Monroe County
Gap Mills - Greenville - Marie - Peterstown


                   BRIEF HISTORY OF GAP MILLS COMMUNITY
                         Written By C. C. Ballard
                                  1925 

Gap Mills
In giving a brief outline of the previous history as well as present 
conditions of Gap Mills vicinity, we will first mention the territory 
embraced in this community. 

We will take into consideration only the drainage area of the Gap Valley, 
which includes all the land fron the village of Gap Mills to "top of the 
Alleghany," a distance of five miles east. It extends also south of west 
three and seven-tenth miles, and from the crest of Peters Mountain and Gap 
Mountain to the Lewis place.

This basin is drained by three streams that unite to form Second Creek. 

This valley is almost all underlaid with limestone. Numerous caverns have 
been discovered, some of which have been explored for almost a mile. The 
soil is of such a composition that when the timber is removed a bluegrass 
sod soon forms. More than thirty different native forest trees may be 
found here. The elevation in the valley ranges from 2200 to 2600 feet. 

Perhaps the first white man to set foot on the soil of Gap Valley was 
Major Wood in 1671 who with four other soldiers and seven Indians as 
guides and scouts set out on September 1 from Fort Henry now Petersburg, 
Virginia by order of the British Government to explore the region west of 
the mountains. He discovered New River near Radford and for seventy years 
after it was known as Wood's River. They followed this stream to Thurmond 
or near there and returned through Monroe County by way of Indian Creek, 
Thorny Hollow, Gap Mills, Sweet Springs, and Fincastle, Virginia, where 
they retraced their steps back to the fort over the same route they set 
out on. This trail through the county was known by all Indians in this 
region as the direct route from East to West. 

Major Wood made special mention of Second Creek because it runs in a 
northern direction, while all other small streams run in a western or 
northeastern direction. 

Nothing is known as to who was the first settler of this community, but at 
the outbreak of the Dunmore War in 1774 there was a chain of settlements 
from Sweet Springs to Gap Mills. 

The first mention of a county road was in June 1774 which was twenty years 
after Braddock's defeat. 

Botetourt Court ordered the men to view a road from Sweet Springs to 
Second Creek Gap. When this road was built is not known, but an old record 
reads as follows: 

"By an Act of 1819 Alexander Kitchen, near the head of Second Creek, was 
authorized to put up a toll gate and collect tolls for six years in order 
to reimburse himself for the $550.00 he had paid out of his own funds in 
building the road. He failed to collect the amount named and was given an 
extension of time to 1830. People going from Gap Mills to Sweet Springs 
were required to pay as follows: for 20 cattle .30, 20 sheep or hogs .15, 
1 horse .08 each vehicle with two wheels .20, each wagon with four wheels 
.50, for each wheel of a cart and for each animal attached to the vehicle 
.06 1/4. 

The survey for this road was made the same year that Cornstalk was 
defeated at the Battle of Point Pleasant, and in passing, will just 
mention that the entrance to our high school building sets a portion of 
the old road bed. Our first roads were often nothing more than widened 
Indian trails. 

The first settlers of this valley were four families to which we wish to 
make special mention. 

Four sisters named Maxwells: Margaret, Isabelle, Elizabeth, and Hannah 
married respectively Thomas Steele, Owen Neel, Andrew Crosier, and Robert 
Dunbar. They came here from Pennsylvania and lived as neighbors. This 
occurred about 1790. Owen Neel first settled in Potts Valley, but later 
moved to this place. All four of the sisters and their husbands, except 
Andrew Crosier, are buried in a graveyard on B. L. Neel's farm. Andrew 
Crosier died while visiting relatives in Tennessee, and was buried there. 

Being of Scotch descent they were all Presbyterians. In the year of 1835, 
feeling they were strong enough to support a church of their own, they 
petitioned the session to allow them to establish a church at Gap Mills. 

The following is from the records of the church of Union, Volume 2, Page 
48: 

"August 1, 1835 the session met. Present: Rev. Wm. Campbell, Moderator, 
James Glenn, James Curry, Thomas Irons, James Young, Jno. Dunbar and J. B. 
Hogshead, elders. 

The following petition from members of the church in the Gap was presented 
by Mr. Dunbar, viz: 

"We, the undersigned members of the church of Union, residing in the Gap 
Valley, believing that it would be for the spiritual interest of our 
neighborhood for us to be organized into a distinct church respectfully 
ask leave of the session of the church of Union to be dismissed from that 
church for the aforesaid purpose. (Signed) Abner Neel, Robert Dunbar, John 
Steele, Thomas Dunbar, Rebecca Bland, Hannah Dunbar, Adam Crosier, Wm. 
Dunbar, George Steele, James Crosier, Sarah Steele, Elizabeth Crosier, 
Mary Neel, Elizabeth Dunbar, Agnes Kitchen, Julia Smith, Rebecca Neel, 
Mary A. Dunbar, Owen Neel, Jno. O'Neel, Jno. Crosier, Margaret Neel, Nancy 
Dunbar, Margaret Dunbar, Alice Patton, Wm. Crosier, Sarah Crosier, Jane 
Steele, Margaret Jarvis, Isabelle Gilchrist, Samuel Steele, Edith Steele, 
Wm. H. Neel, Margaret Bland, Thos. Steele, and Jno. M. Dunbar. 

"Resolved that the above petition be granted and that the persons there in 
named be and they hereby are dismissed from the church for the purpose 
stated in the petition and in obedience to an or from Presbytery. And so 
soon as they shall have organized a distinct church their responsibility 
to this session shall terminate as being no longer under its watch and 
care." 

All signers of this petition except two were direct descendants of the 
Maxwell sisters. 

It was left the oldest member of this petition to name the church and 
Thomas Steele was the oldest and he named it Carmel. This building: was 
erected near where the present one now stands on land given by Andrew 
Summers. 

The first sermon preached in this valley by any minister, so far as any 
record shows, was at the home of Wm. Haines where Mr. Burice Dransfield 
now lives, by Mr. McElheny and it was also his first sermon. 

The Methodist Episcopal church, South, here was organized 1871 with three 
members. Dr. Martin, Mrs. Martin his wife, and Miss Martha Ellen Teass. 
The first sermon was preached by Lewis Lynch in the Temperance Hall where 
Mr. J. A. Bates now lives He was pastor for two years. Services were held 
in the Campbell school house till 1880 when the first Methodist church was 
built on the site where the present structure now stands. The land was 
given by Mr. R. C. Appling and was built by a number of men. Among whom 
were J. E. Loudermilk, J. W. Hull, Wm. Blankenship, J. R. Teass, R. C. 
Appling, J. P. Patton, and C. E. McGuin. 

It is quite interesting to note the appraised value of the most common 
articles found in Gap Mills Community in 1800 by the assessor, Adam 
Bowyers: pewter plate .25, goose .24, cowhide $2.50, hog .70, mould for 
pewter spoons $1.00, sheep $1.68, spinning wheel $2.00, men's saddle 
$1.00, flax hackle $2.00, kraut tub .50, cattle per head $5.35, negro boy 
$200.00, and for still and vessels $26.33. 

In the village of Gap Mills there are twenty-seven homes including four 
colored families. The present population of the town of Gap Mills is 
ninety-six white and twenty-nine colored people. 

We have two flour mills (roller process) in this town, and a third mill is 
nearby, three churches - one of which is colored, a first class high 
school, a graded school, a one room school (colored), three stores, one 
hotel, one garage, one blacksmith shop, a barber shop, a harness shop, a 
cobbler shop, and a post office. 

The Gap Mills Community consists of 507 persons with 114 homes and an 
average of 4.44 people to each home. 

Ninety-one homes are owned by their occupants, and twenty-three are 
occupied by renters. Of the present population 297 were born here, 155 
came from other communities, and 48 were born in other states. 

In recent years we have had two county superintendents of schools, two 
sheriffs, two deputy sheriffs, two attorneys, five doctors, and forty-
three school -teachers. 

Col. Andrew S. Rowan of Spanish American War fame was a native of this 
community. First Lieut. Percy Pharr of the World War and W. J. Humphrey, 
Physicist of the Metearological Bureau, Washington, D. C., were born in 
Gap Mills village. L. R. Neel, manager of Middle Tenn. Experiment Station 
was born and reared one mile from the village of Gap Mills. 




                 A BRIEF HISTORY OF GREENVILLE COMMUNITY
                     (Monroe County, West Virginia)
                           by George W. Vawter

It appears that about the year 1770, Valentine Cook and his brother Jacob 
came to the farm now owned by J. R. Johnson, one fourth mile west of 
Greenville. With the help of other families whose names seem to have 
included Miller, Hann, Campbell, Ellison, Bradshaw, Henderson, Thompson, 
and Bland, they constructed a fort known as Cook's Fort. 

Among the many skirmishes the settlers had with the Indians, those of 
Valentine Cook are best known. At one time he was captured by the Indians, 
taken up on Indian Draft, and there forced to trade his good rifle with 
the Indians for a very poor one, after which he was permitted to return 
home unharmed. Jacob Cook, who a few years ago married the widowed mother 
of Frank and Luther Maddy of Greenville, is a direct descendant of 
Valentine Cook. 

Jacob Mann, the great grandfather of I. N. Ballard and S. M. Mann of 
Greenville, was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, near where the city of 
Charlottesville now stands. When about thirty years of age he moved to 
this community, and assisted in the construction of Cook's Fort. He was 
one of the most outstanding Indian fighters of the community. On one 
occasion the Indians killed an entire family who lived, in the vicinity. 
Jacob Mann in command of five others started in pursuit of the Indians. 
After following them for five days they came upon them at the close of 
day, camped on the banks of the Ohio River. It was decided, after holding 
a council of war, to wait until morning before attacking the Indians who 
were seven in number. 

Jacob Mann's instructions to his men were that each one should select his 
Indian so that no two would shoot at the same one. At the first fire six 
Indians fell dead. The seventh dropped his gun and jumped into the Ohio 
River. Jacob Mann, being a great swimmer and possessed of unusual physical 
strength, leaped in after him. Catching the Indian about midway of the 
river, he killed him with his hunting knife. 

At another time the food supply at the fort became exhausted and Jacob 
Mann started up Cook's Run across into the Flatwoods on a deer hunt. He 
succeeded in getting a deer and had begun his return with the carcass on 
his back, when encountered by Indians. He started on the run for the fort. 
But when about three-fourths of a mile from the fort, he saw it was either 
throw away the venison, and let those at the fort suffer, or be captured 
himself, as the Indians were consistently gaining on him. About that time 
he saw a depression in the ground, which turned out to be a small cave. 
Throwing the meat into the hole, he immediately crawled in after it. His 
dog followed, and hearing the bark of the dog, Jacob Mann held its mouth 
shut tight, while the Indiana prowled around so close at times that the 
muzzles of their long rifles brushed the weeds about the mouth of the 
cave. After a time the Indians departed, and he was successful in reaching 
the fort with the precious venison before daylight. 

John Ellison, grandfather of J. Z. Ellison, who now lives on Hans Creek, 
was one of the men who lived in Cook's Fort at times for a number of 
years. While living there he cleared out about two acres of land near 
where Mr. J. Z. Ellison now lives. This land he planted in corn and would 
walk from the fort three miles away over Ellison's Ridge to cultivate his 
crop. At a later date he built a log house just at the forks of the road 
where it turns to go to Dry Pond. 

A family by the name of Meeks lived near the mouth of Indian Creek some 
ten miles west of this house built by Mr. Ellison. They were attacked by 
Indians and the entire family with the exception of Mr. Meeks were 
captured and carried away. The oldest and the youngest in the group Mr. 
Meek's mother and his baby were killed by the Indians. Mr. Meek's mother, 
who was a very large woman, had on a homespun dress at the time. This the 
chief of the Indians appropriated for his own personal costume. We are 
told that it reached about to his knees. 

John EIlison was the nearest neighbor of the family, and a runner was 
immediately sent to notify him of the capture. Ellison in command of five 
men, three of them his sons and two others by the name of Paul, set out in 
pursuit of the Indians, whom they overtook on the Kanawha River. Mrs. 
Meeks seemed to realize that help was near. She quietly got her children 
together at a place as far removed from the Indians as possible. The 
rescuers fired into the six Indians and killed them all. Ellison afterward 
returned the Meeks family to their home. 

Among the early settlers of the Greenville Community was a Mrs. Anne 
Maddy. Her husband who had been a soldier in the Revolutionary war was 
accidentally drowned in the Shenandoah River. Mrs. Maddy came with her 
children to Monroe County, and settled on the land now known as the Chas. 
Maddy farm, near the Saltpetre Caves. At this place she brought up her 
family. Being the owner of considerable property in Virginia, she was 
compelled at one time to go back to the state to dispose of her holdings 
there. She rode alone all the way on horseback through the mountains and 
wilderness country. 

After transacting her business and receiving the money for her land, she 
started on her way home. She stopped over night in the Wilderness with a 
settler. During her stay there, she happened to disclose the fact that she 
had considerable funds with her. The settler suggested to her that she 
take a short cut across the mountain on her way home. In addition he 
offered to pilot her a part of the way. He took her to the top of a very 
high cliff, and told her that he wanted her money, that he intended to 
push her over the bluff and kill her. She told him that her money was 
sewed up in her clothes and that she would have to take off her dress to 
get it. She asked him to turn his back while she removed her dress. He 
turned his back facing the cliff, and she immediately pushed him over, 
killing him and saving her own life. Mrs. William Comer, Frank and Luther 
Maddy, all of Greenville, are direct descendants of this Mrs. Anne Maddy. 

In 1798 Peter Larew, the grandfather of Peter and Lewis Larew who now live 
on Hans Creek, traded a farm that he owned in Augusta County, Virginia, to 
Priscilla Gould for the farm that his grandson, Peter Larew, now lives on. 
This farm has been in the Larew family for one hundred thirty years. 

In the year 1808 Robert Shanklin moved to the farm where Newton Ellis now 
lives about one mile west of Greenville. The field in front of Ellis' home 
has been in corn for one hundred eighteen years in succession, and still 
grows a good crop. A little later William Shanklin, his brother, bought 
the three hundred thirty-three-acre farm on which Vetner Shanklin now 
lives. The taxes on this farm at that time amounted to only three dollars 
per year. 

Homes and Public Buildings 

The first house in Greenville was built for James Vawtor, uncle of the 
writer, and stood where Frank Maddy now lives. This home was built by John 
Houchins in 1844. The next house was a store constructed for the use of my 
father and uncle, James Vawter, and stood just about on the location of 
the present J. F. Maddy's store. The third house was the Logan-Shanklin 
home, in which he kept a hotel. There was a store house built about this 
date on the corner where R. H. Arnott's store now stands, in which Baldwin 
Ballard and his brother John carried on a general mercantile business. 

What is now Greenville was known at that time as Centerville. In the 
course of a lot sale in the town, John Houchins bought two lots, one 
opposite the Presbyterian Church, where he constructed a building, in 
which he ran a carding machine by horse-power. 

The Methodist Parsonage was built at a very early date. About the same 
time a dwelling house was put up by Jim Lawrence, in which Dr. Shannon 
Butt lived. Dr. Butt was the father of Dr. Henry Butt who had for years 
the largest country practice that any physician ever had in Monroe County. 
Not far from this time Anderson McNeer put up a tobacco factory, and his 
brother John a tannery. 

Education 

The first school in the vicinity of Greenville was taught by William 
Shanklin to whom reference was made above. It was located in a house about 
half way between his own and that of John C. Ballard. The first school 
house in Greenville stood on the point of the ridge, below the Methodist 
Church. It had but one window, and that a small one containing eight panes 
of glass, size 8 by 10 inches. The earliest teacher mentioned was 
Henderson Ellis who certainly was on the job in 1857. 

Early Churches 

The first church established in the neighborhood of Greenville was that of 
the Primitive Baptist Denomination. It bore the name of Indian Creek 
Church, and was built one hundred thirty-four years ago. The present 
building is the third on the same site. The earliest Methodist Church was 
called Mt. Bethel which stood on the point just below the present church. 
The record shows that on September 10, 1845, the following trustees were 
elected: Richard Thomas, Richard McNeer, William Arnott, John H. Vawter, 
Armisted Ross, Henry Taylor, and Sylvester Upton. The Presbyterian Church 
was organized in June 1854. One year later the Rev. M. H. Bittinger became 
the pastor of this church to which he gave an active service of fifty 
years. He was known and loved by all the people of the community 
regardless of of denominational preference. The first elders were William 
Hinchman, Robert Young, Richard Thomas, and Richard Shanklin. 

Tom Miller, who had been a captain in the war of 1812, came to Greenville 
in April 1851. He was the father of A. P. Miller, who made a most unusual 
and distinguished record in the Civil War. He fought in Stonewall 
Jackson's Brigade and took part in every engagement but one. He missed 
that battle only because he was severely wounded at the time. He was 
wounded three times and on one occasion lay on the battle field for three 
days and nights without food or water. Despite his wounds he lived to the 
age of 93, and died in Greenville in the year 1924. 

No attempt has been made to give a history of the community during the 
Civil War. Suffice it to say that some of the men who fought through the 
War never got tired of talking about it. John Maddy had put up just after 
the Civil War a pair of cattle scales, which are still being used today. 

Greenville now has two churches, one bank, doing a good business, three 
stores, two garages, one blacksmith shop, one large flour mill, one hotel, 
and an excellent high school. 




                        History of Marie Community
                   (Summers and Monroe Counties, W.Va.) 
                          Prepared by W.T. Maddy
                                 1925 

In writing a description of Marie Community we are at a loss to know just 
where the boundary lines should be located. In the early settlements of 
our community, the lines that bounded a given neighborhood was much 
farther than at a later date. People living eight or ten miles apart were 
considered neighbors, therefore I will, in describing a few events that 
took place, confine myself to this immediate neighborhood. 

This community as late as 1870 was primitive, but little land was cleared 
and houses were few and far apart and built out of logs of the rudest 
kind. Every farmer raised his own grain, and bought what he was short from 
his more thrifty neighbor. He raised all of his own meat and sheep from 
the wool of which he manufactured his clothing. The wool was woven into 
jeans and flannel cloth for wearing apparel. Tow was also made from flax 
raised on the farm, skutched, and spun on the old fashioned spinning wheel 
and wove into cloth on the looms. The women of the household would cut, 
pattern, and make clothing for all members of the family. Sugar was 
manufactured from the sap of the sugar tree. The reap-hook and sickle were 
still in use for cutting wheat and grass. Kerosene oil lamps were not 
introduced until 1870, the pine knot and tallow candle being still in use 
at that time. Salt was hauled from the Kanawha River and cost $9.00 a 
barrel. 

The flint lock rifle was still in use and the"Deer Lick" was still watched 
by night; the log rollins, grubbings, skutchings, quiltings were in vogue 
when neighbors, both men and women would be invited. The woods were in 
full of deer and small game, the creeks teemed with fish. The people were 
not very poor nor very rich, but they were contented and happy. 

The schools in those days were known as subscription schools, that is, 
each parent signed an article of agreement binding himself to send so many 
children to school for a certain period, usually three months and to pay 
the teacher a certain stipulated sum for each scholar per month an din 
turn the teacher of "schoolmaster" then called, bound himself to teach 
spelling, reading , writing and arithmetic as far as the single rule of 
three and keep good order. The school room used was usually some vacant 
dwelling and a few of the pioneer teachers were Messrs Eli Ballengee, 
Johnathan Davis, James Lively, and John Brown. 

We mention with a feeling, we trust of pardonable pride, that about the 
first free school taught under the laws of West Virginia in Monroe County 
(all of this community was then Monroe County) was taught in an old log 
dwelling on the farm now owned by Charley Lowe of Little Stony Creek. The 
first teacher was Mr.J.M. Davis. This was in the year 1868. In those 
primeval days order was the first consideration, and filling the minds of 
scholars with useful knowledge was a second consideration. The following 
year a log school house was built near the residence of Mr. J. H. 
Ellison's and known as the Maddy School house. Also about the same time 
there was another school house erected on the land now owned by C.N. Vass. 
known as the Dughill School house. These buildings were the only ones used 
for many years. The age of the scholars were not considered, many of them 
were twenty-five years old. Some of the teachers of these schools were: 
Ward Baker, John Carden, J.H. Maddy, W.M. and Geo Ballengee, Omer Light 
and others. It was soon after the great Civil War that these school houses 
were erected and when we today look backward, take a view of the hardship 
caused by that cruel war and consider that many bright boys and girls were 
deprived of all educational advantages, we can but think if the youth of 
our land had been trained mentally and morally along the common school 
branches for those four years instead of filling their youthful minds with 
political hatred and malice and al l kinds of immorality incident to war 
that our country would have gone forward with untold strides of mental, 
moral, and financial prospertiy. 

Location
The boundary line of Marie Community extends from Greenbrier River to 
Indian Creek, commencing with an imaginary line at A.L. Campbell's on the 
Greenbrier River, three miles north west of Marie running east up the 
river to the mouth of Big Stony Creek, then south east to I. H. Ellison's 
with the old Carruthers road to the Milton Hall school house, thence to 
High Top, then south with the Morran Hollow to W. L. Hinton's on Indian 
Creek, then west with said creek to M.A. Belcher's, including him in Marie 
Community, then to P.M. Garrison's. From there with the line established 
by George Cottle, in writing the history of Forest Hill Community, which 
runs by James Campbell's then to the beginning, containing about twenty 
square miles, with a population of about three hundred. 

The Marie Community consist of about forty farms. Agriculture is the 
principal pursuit of the people. The community is locate in the foothills 
of the Allegheny Mountains between the ranges of Peters Mountain and Elk 
Knob, and in sight of each, lying in both Monroe and Summers Counties, and 
is on the 37th parallel North latitude. The highest land being "High Top" 
2400 feet above sea lebel, and Greenbrier River at the mouth of Little 
Stony Creek 1800 feet above sea level, making an average of 2100 feet 
altitude for the community. 

The first land was granted by the government or John Brynside, consisting 
of 1920 acres in the year of 1794, and from him to John Hollingsworth, and 
since then has been divided and sub-divided into many small farms. 

The natural resources are varied, but the scenery is magnificent. High Top 
on the extreme east affords a great view. With the aid of magnifying 
glasses one is enabled to see a great distance form this point which is 
used for geological observations, there being but few higher points in the 
state. Alum Rock on the extreme north affords great scenery and is visited 
by many tourists each year. Big Stony Creek here breaks through what is 
known as Carden's Ridge and forms one mile of the most rugged depression 
or canyon in this part of the state; high cliffs hanging over on each side 
of the creek afford an example of the wonderful work of nature. 

Cemeteries
The first person buried in the New Hope Cemetery was a Mrs. Thompson, who 
was buried in the year of 1870, and now the bodies of 135 people lay at 
rest in this cemetery. There are other places where the older settlers 
were buried, called family grave yards. There is one on the E.C. Maddy 
farm, known as Lively grave yard, one on Elbert McNeer farm, known as the 
Baker grave yard, one on Robert Pitzer's Farm, known as the Pitzer's grave 
yard, but the people of recent years prefer a church cemetery and have 
abandoned the practice of burying in family plots. We pause for a brief 
time in remembrance of our departed brothers, those who have passed to the 
great beyond, from whose borne no traveler returns. Today we solemnly 
tread the walks of the city of the dead, bowing to the inevitable, yet 
holding in ever tender remembrance, the qualities, the fatherly and 
brotherly love of our departed children and neighbors. This day we 
remember their gift of friendship, fellowship and devotion. This is the 
day of memories. It is a day of sorrow. It is a day of revelation. But to 
us it is not a day of despair. We are facing the light, we are looking 
forward toward eternal sunrise. We cherish the hope of the great 
resurrection. The grave we believe is not lonely and deserted but 
garrisoned about with angels of God. We look forward to reunion with these 
deaparted children and neighbors of ours. We look for the city of God, 
upon whose hillsides there are no graves, but homes of joy and increasing 
life. 

Wars
The parties from this and immediate neighborhoods who served in the great 
Civil War between the North and South are as follows: William and Geo. 
Young. Stewart Mann, Richard McNeer, H.H. Ballengee, F. Hoback, A.F. 
Brown, Allen Ellison, Harvey Gwinn and Joseph and Eber Maddy, the last two 
parties named were killed in battle. The others lived to be old but are 
dead now, except Mr. Brown. Most of these men served in Edgar's Battalion. 

Those who served in the Great World War from this and immediate 
neighborhoods are as follows: Talmadge Light, Cicer Light, Earl Cody, Glen 
Claude and Jennings Maddy, Dr. F. K. Vass, Lloyd Lively, Eura Light and 
Homer Roach. The three last named, either died or were killed while in 
service. 

The C. and O. Railroad
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad was completed in the year of 1876 which 
gave the land owners market for their lumber as there was abundance of 
fine timber, consequently the farms were neglected and a period of twelve 
or fifteen years farming was but little considered, but the emigration of 
people from Floyd County Virginia about that time helped the situation and 
is worthy of consideration. Mr. John S. Light who first came with his 
family to this community in the year of 1878 purchased a 200 acre tract of 
land from the Minner heirs, all of which was in woods and it is worthy to 
relate that he received sufficient money to pay for his farm wiht one crop 
of tobacco. During the next the years the following parties came to this 
or immediate neighborhoods withe their families: James, John and Booker 
Light, F. Hoback, John Shumate, Jonas and Taylor Wilson, Bird Iddings, 
James and William Shanks, and many others. They were industrious people an 
did much in making and preparing the community better for man's future 
abode. Their descendants constitute a large per cent of the populace here. 

Early Public Buildings
The first church at New Hope was a log building. It was built in the year 
of 1850. The promoters of this church were: H.H. Ballengee, Stewart Mann, 
Joseph Huffman, John Baker, Charles Ellison, Jordan Lively, and several 
others, all of whom are dead. This church was used as the place of worship 
for all denominations of the community, but was built by and deeded to the 
Methodist people, and strange as it may seem there has been no strife of 
denominational trouble in the community. This log church was considered an 
up to date country church building at the time, and it really was, up 
until the year of 1893, a new building was put up in its place. The 
promoters of the erection of the new church were: Robert and Shannon 
Baker, H.J. and Walter Light, D.A. Welder, C. N. Vass, E.C. Maddy, Lewis 
and James Garten, W.B. Ellison, Geo. Akers and many others, most of whom 
are still living. 

The New Hope school house which is located one-half mile east of New Hope 
church was built in the year 1885, or forty years age, an it is 
conjectured that this school has sent forth more teachers than any other 
free school in the county. 

The first store at Marie was owned by Robert Miller. A room in W.A. 
Goode's home was used, and in 1898 Mr. Miller sold to Young and Company 
and they erected the store building that is being used now. Later the 
style of the firm was changed to W.A. Barger and Company, then to C.N. 
Vass and Son the to McNeer Brothers and the to E.J. Vass, the present 
owner who has been clerk or owner for twenty-five years. 

The Marie post office was established in the year of 1900, and before 
thatt time mail facilities were a great handicap to the community. The 
principal promoters in establishing this office were C.N.. Vass, Walter 
Light, F.K. Vass, W.A. Goode, and others. 

Noted Sons and Daughters
As to our prominent citizens, while we have never had the honor of 
furnishing statesman or governors, yet we believe that the natural 
intelligence of our community will compare with that of other rural 
communities. 

We beg to submit some of the names of those who were native born and away 
and made a success in the different business vocations in life. Dr. F.K. 
Vass, born near Marie, the son of C.N. Vass graduated with honors at the 
Maryland Medical College, Baltimore, and served his profession with marked 
ability, practicing at Marie and also at Gassaway, West Virginia. In 1917 
he offered his services in the World War and was accepted as an officer 
with the rank of Lieutenant. He was discharged in the fall of 1919 after 
which he practiced his profession at Red Sulphur Springs and later at 
Greenville, where he died June 7, 1923. His death was great shock to his 
many friends, who realized the loss of a useful and upright citizen. 

Rev. W. H. Ballengee, son of the H.H. Ballengee, who was reared near New 
Hope Church and entered the ministry in 1886, has been active as one of 
the most able preachers in the M.E. Church, Baltimore Conference. 

We are proud of the fact that this community furnished the first county 
superintendent of schools of Summers County elected by the people after 
the formation of the county. Mr. Charles L. Ellison was elected in the 
year of 1875 and served two years thereafter, as two years was the term of 
that office at that time. Mr. Ellison lived on and owned the farm now 
owned by C.L. Lowe, one mile from Marie on Little Stony Creek. He was an 
old soldier and died in the year of 1886 and was buried in the family 
burying place on the farm. 

Mr. Walter W. Baker, son of Havey Baker, deceased, was born one mile east 
of New Hope Church and followed the profession of teaching and farming and 
has been elected twice as county Superintendent of schools of Monroe 
County, and is now serving his second term. His last election to this 
office was 1922. 

Dr. F.M. McNeer, son of Richard McNeer, deceased, who lived in the village 
of Marie graduated at Maryland Medical College and practiced his 
profession at Hinton and Green Sulphur, West Virginia, and is now located 
at Roanoke, Virginia. Dr. McNeer recently specialized in ear, eye , and 
throat disease. 

Rev. P.H. Gwinn, son of Robert Gwinn, was born and reared on his father's 
farm on Indian Creek now owned by Mr. M.A. Belcher. He taught school when 
quite young and later entered college and studied for the ministry and 
graduated with honors and was ordained by the Presbyterian church. His 
work has been mostly in the state of North Carolina. Of late years Mr. 
Gwinn has spent a part of his time in the National Banking business. 

Dr. C. N. Vass, born and reared near Marie, has been very active in local 
affairs. He served one term as Justice of Peace of Forest Hill district, 
and was elected and served one term as assessor of Summers County. At 
present he is President of the County Court of Summers County. He is noted 
for his hospitality and is ever ready to assist in any local enterprise. 

I would like to write a biography of more of our citizens, but time 
forbids me to do so. I might mention H.J. Light by trade a mason, farmer, 
and architect; D.A. Welder, undertaker; E.J. Vass, postmaster, merchant 
and financier; C.W. Garten and T.E. Light, auctioneers; J. F. Belcher, 
miller and carpenter; O. M. Foster auto repairer; A.E. Welder, Justice of 
Peace; M.B. Bowyer, blacksmith; L.A. Coulter and many others. 

We feel that we should submit the names of some of those who were native 
born and some who have adopted our section and taught in the free schools 
of Marie section, or who have gone to other communities: L. C. Akers. D.C. 
Light, L.K. Maddy, Charles Sumner, M.E. Carden, Glen and Fred Maddy, Clyde 
Akers, Miram, Addie and Katie Light, Jessie Maddy, Clara and Esta Woodrum, 
Roxie, Jennie, and Berta Brown, Ada and Lillie Gwinn, Leta Ellison and 
Mamie and Arlene Miller. 

Anna Maddy Episode
Anna Maddy, after losing her husband who was a soldier in the 
Revolutionary War from Virginia, by accidental drowning in the Shenandoah 
River, emigrated with her children to Monroe County, and settled on what 
is still known as the "Charley Maddy Place", near the Saltpeter Cave near 
Greenville. Here she reared her family. She had a considerable estate in 
Virginia, which it became necessary for her to return to settle up, and 
she rode horse back through the mountains and the wilderness, crossing the 
Alleghenies. After transacting her affairs and recovering her money, a 
considerable sum, she proceeded on her return, and in doing so she stopped 
over night with a settler in the wilderness. During her stay she 
incidently disclosed the fact of her carrying on her person considerable 
funds. On the next morning, the gentleman of the house told her he knew a 
direct route through hills that would save her a great part of the 
distance, and volunteered to show her the near cut. They proceeded for 
some time until they came to a wild place and a great cliff, where the man 
stopped, told her to give him the money, and declared his object to be to 
secure the money which she carried on her person in her clothing, and to 
murder her. She declined to give up the money, when he demanded her to 
take off her dress, it being his purpose to secure it and the money 
therein, and then throw her over the cliff. She requested him to turn his 
back, as she did not desire to undress in his presence. This he did, 
turning his back to her and facing the precipice whereupon she gave him a 
sudden push with all her strength, sending him over the cliff and into the 
ravine below, where he was instantly killed , thus saving her own life as 
well as the money. She then proceeded on her journey at her home in 
safety. The above experience does not deal directly but indirectly with 
this community and is a fine illustration of pioneer life. We have 
wondered if there are any women of this day who would make this trip, 
under the circumstances as described, crossing the Allegheny Mountains 
alone on horse back with hardly a path through the unbroken forest, 
subject to the danger of wild animals and hardships. 

Mr. Maddy was of English descent, married the Dutch lady Miss Anna Morris, 
as figures in the above episode, just after the Revolutionary War which 
formed the tree which sent forth its branches over the country. To this 
union there were ten boys born, which is now scattered over the country 
generally but there is more of their descendants found in Ohio than 
elsewhere, although many to be found in Monroe County and also some in 
Summers County. 

Homes of Marie Community
"Homecraft" meant all things which help to make the ideal home. Home is 
mighty definite because it has to do with nothing but home interests but 
could be stretched to convey every thing from religion to Arctic 
explorations. The farm homes in the community are on an average with these 
in most rural communities. There are no mansions but the homes are 
comfortable ones and the people generally have what is especially required 
to make an ideal home for boys and girls and without these qualities the 
home is lacking of the most requisite. There are games, music and reading 
for recreation. No one is wealthy but every one is happy. 

Sports
The sports of the earlier days were quite different from what they are 
today. The earlier sports consisted of jumping, foot racing, wrestling and 
hunting. At school the games were "shooting the buck", "town ball" and 
other games of the like. Now the more exciting games are baseball, 
football and basketball. Automobiling and other sports are also a part of 
the community recreation. Hunting the small game is in vogue as much as it 
was in bygone days, when we had plenty of deer and wild turkeys, as will 
as the small game found now. The last deer killed in this section was 
killed by James Garten. The circumstances surrounding this marvelous 
achievement never to be accomplished again by any one here is as follows: 
The report went forth that there was a deer on "High Top". This was many 
years after the deer were killed or run out of this section but nobody 
especially cared of did not go in pursuit of a same until James Garten 
borrowed a double barrel shot gun from P.M. Garrison and on December 10, 
1893, with his brother, Lewis, started in pursuit of the only deer that 
decked Neels Mountain, the deer that is noted for its beauty, fleetness 
and docility. The hunters soon observed that the deer fed on high land at 
night and lay on low land by day, in a lonely hollow known as the Morran 
Hollow, James Garten went down the right side and Lewis Garten the left 
side of the hollow. James Garten found the deer lying in a small hollow 
about two hundred yards below the "Laurel Hole" and fired the other barrel 
but missed. The deer couldn't go far but dropped dead. The commotion and 
shooting scared up a red fox that ran to Lewis Garten and he killed it. 
When they called to each other one said, "I got him", the other said, "No 
you didn't, I got him", to their surprise one had a red fox the other a 
deer but each one thought the other was shooting at the same animal. Uncle 
Jimmie takes pride in telling this hunting experience. Ask him to tell you 
all about it. 

Fox Chasing
Fox chasing is a sport that is much enjoyed by many people not especially 
for the profit as the hunters that keep fox hounds seldom kill a fox but 
prefer keeping the hounds for mere sport. People often come from 
Ballengee, Talcott and Hinton and spend a night on High Top in this way. 
Where there is often as many as ten or fifteen dogs in the chase and it is 
claimed that the grey fox runs as long now as the red in years gone by 
often running eight or ten hours before swift fox hounds. The following 
occurrences is worthy of note which explains one of those hunting 
experiences: 

Mr. O. R. Parker, E.F. Pitzer and others while out fox chasing on :High 
Top had a very interesting experience. After a lengthy chase the dogs 
succeeded in running the fox into a den on G. M. Decks farm. The hunters 
planned and finally decided that the smoking process would be the surest 
and best plan to get the fox. After the pine and other dry timber were 
secured and the fire built, the hunters with guns ready sat down to wait 
for "Mr. Fox" to come out of the "fiery furnace". They waited anxiously, 
especially when the groans and commotion were heard within; when they 
missed one of their best hound dogs, and to their disappointment, found 
the leader of the pack belonging to C. T. Houchins, (Old Jack), was in the 
den and receiving the combustion, the best that could be procured by 
modern hunters. After the mutual agreement characteristic of all hunters, 
the trio, near day break, retired to their homes and secured all of the 
rock masons tools such as sledge hammers, crow bars, etc., available and 
by working hard when the sun was going down the western slope the next day 
many tons of rock had been torn out of the cliff and scattered over some 
farming land, and the long lost dog as well as the fox were secured. The 
hound appeared not much damaged by the unfortunate affair, except his eye 
sight was temporarily impaired. The hunters secured the fox first and tied 
it to a tree and while they were working with the dog to get it out of the 
den, the fox broke the string and bid farewell to that place and made its 
safe escape. 

Base Ball Sport
Baseball sport has been in vogue since 1900, when the first team was 
organized at Marie, and since that time the game has been played each year 
during the ball season and the Marie team has been able to always hold 
their reputation as a good country team. O.R. McNeer is the "Babe Ruth" of 
this community and when in practice we doubt if he could be excelled in 
Monroe or Summers counties. 

The First Automobile in Marie Community
The first automobile that passed through our community belonged to a Mr. 
Yink from Virginia, father of Harry Yink, who then lived on a farm near 
Milton Hall school house. The auto was one of the first models and did not 
have a muffler as was used later on all cars. The horses on the road and 
in nearby fields became much excited and the people were not much better. 
The noise made by this car was similar to the noise made by a car with a 
cut-out which many people insist on using, disturbing schools, church 
services, and pedestrian on the public highway in spite of the fact that 
it is unlawful to use such. The first automobile in this community was 
owned by E.J. Vass. There are now fifty cars and trucks or an average of 
one car for each family. There are a few families that have no car but a 
few families have two cars or one car and a truck. The automobile 
prosperity began here about 1912 and has kept growing till the present 
time. 

Telephone Companies
The first telephone line built through our community was one from Lowell 
Post Office along what was known as the Red Sulphur turnpike by the 
present site of Marie to Red Sulphur Springs. This line was the first 
telephone line used in Monroe or Summers counties. It was built while Mr. 
Glavis was proprietor of the Red Sulphur Springs line in the year 1879. 
The writer as well as other people near by who visited the offices of A. 
C. Lowe to hear him talk to another party thirteen miles away, this being 
the length of the telephone lines, could hardly comprehend or think it 
possible. This line was not used but about five years. The next telephone 
was the Greenville line. The citizens of Greenville, Monroe County, 
obtained a charter from the state about the year 1890 and organized the 
Greenville Telephone Company, which is well known and whose lines are much 
used today. It was extended through the Marie Community, first entering 
the community at Mr. George Young's and by way of Forest Hill on to 
Hinton, Summers County. This line is used by a few people in Marie 
Community. The next line built was by the Monroe Mutual Telephone Company. 
This corporation was organized in the year of 1894 and built its first 
line on our section in 1905. The majority of the farmers had stock and got 
the service rendered by said company. The next company was the Marie 
Telephone Company, the present and only local telephone company that is 
used in our section. This company was organized in 1918, and most of the 
stockholders transferred from the Monroe Mutual. The Southern Bell or long 
distance line is built through by way of Marie, and there is a phone on 
said line which enables each farmer on the local line get not only service 
on the local line but on the long distance line. Telephone facilities are 
all we could ask for. The charter members of the Marie Telephone Company 
which was organized at Marie on September 4, 1918 are as follows: D.A. 
Hedrick, C.N. Vass, C.W. Michael, E.J.Vass, A.H. Michael, S.C. Ballengee, 
L.A. Ellison, O.B. Pauley, Henry Shumate, R.L.C. Foster, G.F. Kesler 
(deceased), W.T. Maddy. Jr., O.C. Kesler, L.B. Garten, E.C. Maddy, 
(deceased), L.J. Davis, J. O. Perdue, H.D. Lively, Hugh Lowery, L.K. 
Maddy, C.A. Richardson, J .Henry Smith, J.P. Garden, H.T. Crawford, W.J. 
Garten, W. B. Flint, W.T. Maddy, Sr., S.J. Michael, W.G. Iddings, Lee 
Tabor and J.F. Leftwich. 

Flour Mills
The only flour mill in the Marie Community was built at Marie by O.B. 
Pauley in year 1910 and was operated by a kerosene engine. This mill is 
equipped with the latest machinery for making flour and also a corn mill 
and buckwheat mill combined. Mr. Pauley sold this mill to Fleshman 
Brothers who sold to Michael and Son. It was then sold to D.A.Welder and 
Son then to Sumner and Light and from them to J.F. Belcher the present 
owner. 

There was a corn mill established and run by W. L. Maddy as early as 1885 
who sold to W.A. Goode. Mr. Goode ground and crushed corn for several 
years. D.A. Welder and Son established and had a corn mill and crusher at 
their home about one-half mile north of Marie. They ground for the public 
until the present mill used now was built. 

Biography of Some of the Old Soldiers While in the Civil War 
The name of the old soldiers that served in the great Civil War are found 
elsewhere in this narrative. I would like to write a biography of their 
life or at least during their service while in the war, but failed to 
procure but little data in regard to them, hence the importance of a 
community history. The Civil War might be considered the worst war fought 
by man considering thenumber engaged in it as a rebellion is the worst 
form of war. Neighbors, relatives and even brothers often allied against 
each other. This community being sparsely settled did not furnish soldiers 
but furnished its quota of brave men, characteristic of this state. The 
following letter written to and printed by the Monroe Watchman in 1915 by 
Captain T.C. Morton of Staunton, Virginia, we herewith copy in full. 

"I think it will interest the surviving members of my old company F 26th 
Virginia Battalion and their friends to know that the name of their 
comrades who fell at New Market, Virginia are engraved upon the battle 
monument there. A year or two ago I received a letter from the Ladies 
Monument Association telling me that they were erecting a monument upon 
which are to be inscribed the names of the New Market dead. I sent with 
the subscription asked for, the names of Joseph A. Maddy and John Midkiff, 
who their comrades will remember fell on that victorious May 15, 1864. The 
other day I was driving along the well remembered pike, north of town, 
when casting my eye across the battlefield I was attracted by a tall white 
marble shaft I had never seen inn that cemetery before. I hitched my horse 
to the fence, climbed over the locked gate and was soon standing before 
the monument eagerly scanning the names upon it and there were the names 
of the poor fellows, John Midkiff and J.A. Maddy deeply cut in the white 
stone; and a few yards away their graves, neatly sodded and with white 
marble stones at their heads. How well do I remember the day they fell. 
Joe Maddy, first. He was in the front firing line and men were falling 
like broken reeds in a gale, while the rain poured down, wetting the guns 
and disabling many of them. Joe was standing near me and called out, 
"Captain my gun is choked, I can't get the cartridge down." I took it from 
him and tried to ram it down but it stuck fast, then a man fell beside us. 
I picked up his empty gun found the lock worked right and handed it to 
him, telling him to drop his. He hastily loaded the dead man's gun, cocked 
it, raised it to fire, when at that instant he was struck in the middle of 
the body by the fatal ball and fell at my feet. John Midkiff did not fall 
until the battle was nearly over. It was when we made a last charge up a 
slope, capturing the Yankee battery. Midkiff was on the color guard close 
to Allen Woodrum, who carried the flag, and fell seventeen days after with 
two bullets through him at Cold Harbor. He shouted aloud as the he charged 
with the leading group and was hit by a shot in the mouth. He never knew 
what hit him as he fell backward stone dead. A few hours after, about 
midnight as I found poor Midkiff lying on his back, his glassy eyes 
staring at the moon, but his countenance placid and his face showing no 
cuts of his head. Maddy mortally wounded had been carried back in by the 
ambulance corpse and soon died. Peace to their ashes, they sleep in 
honored graves in the shadow of a marble shaft in the green valley of the 
Shenandoah River at Staunton, Virginia. Signed T. C. Morton." 

Hon. John C. Ballard of Boogo, Monroe County was with the above named 
parties, Maddy and Midkiff, and was lined up between them until they were 
killed. 

Ebrew Maddy was killed in the battle of Cedar Creek. As to the particulars 
there is little known only that he received two wounds from which he died 
and was buried in the usual way characteristic of that cruel war. 

F. Holback, whose name appeared elsewhere received a wound in the hip at 
the battle of Gettysburg, and carried the minnie ball as long as he lived, 
as the ball was never extracted. 

Law and Order
The citizens of Marie community have been generally law-abiding people. No 
one ever served a term in the penitentiary but still the community has had 
some law breakers and there is always room for improvement along that 
line. We have had one homicide and one suicide: Cha Crawford, son of E.W. 
Crawford age twelve years shot an killed his brother Frank, age seventeen 
on Little Stony Creek on Monday morning February 11, 1901. Charlie wanted 
to go hunting to which his older brother objected, whereupon Frank 
interfered and he received the fatal shot from a breech loading shot gun. 
Justice W.G. Halstead conducted an inquest and the accused was sent to the 
reform school and he remained there for two years. The defense of the 
youthful homicide was that the shooting was accidental and he did not 
intend to kill his brother. 

Jake Hall, son of D. Hall who lived on the Baker farm one mile east of 
Marie, age twenty- one years, killed himself on July 4, 1898 by shooting 
himself through the heart with a pistol. Justice W.G. Halstead conducted 
the inquest and the jury returned the verdict that the deceased Jake Hall 
came to his death by a gun shot wound inflicted by his own hands. This was 
a great shock ti his people and friends and they said if they said he had 
any intentions of suicide before that time that no one knew about it. 

The First and Only Still Used for Making Liquor
There was but one still used for the making of whiskey legally in this 
community. It was owned by Jordan Lively and operated on the farm now 
owned by E.C. Maddy heirs on Little Stony Creek. This still was mostly 
used before the great Civil War when it was allowed by law to make grain 
and fruits into liquor and sell same. Mr. Lively acquired a large estate 
and did his part as one pioneer clearing away the forest aiding in making 
future homes. He owned and cleared the most of what is known as "War 
Ridge" which has always been noted for good crops of wheat. Mr. Lively 
when old became involved in debt and after his death the land then owned 
by him was sold for same by a decree of court. 

The First Road Built Through Marie Community
The first county road through this section was one built from the old 
Corruther's road at a point near I.H. Ellison's home running South, 
crossing Little Stony Creek near the farm of Charlie Lowe and up the 
Huffman hill by New Hope Church and down the Baker Hill connecting the 
Indian Creek road near the residence of Elbert McNeer. This road was used 
in the stage coach days in spite of the fact that some of the road was 
steep grade possibly 25 degrees but used daily by the traffic when the Red 
Sulphur Springs was used and considered one of the greatest mineral 
resorts in the East. 

Later, possibly in the years of 1875 to 1885, the road known as the Red 
Sulphur Springs turnpike was completed. This road had at different points 
been regraded and now is considered a good mountain dirt road. This road 
connects Talcott on the C. and O. Railroad and Rich Creek on the Virginian 
Railroad which is the nearest route east of New River which connects the 
two railroads. 

Balloon Incident
On the morning of June 4, 1924, Mr. Fleet Pitzer, who lives two miles east 
of Marie, observed on the hillside near his home some mysterious obstacle 
which had appeared there during the night. 

As the first scouting party advanced near the object to find out what it 
was, the sun was shining on it and the warm rays of sunshine were causing 
it to move and expand according to the laws of nature. Whence it came and 
whither it was bound, no one knew, but soon it was to rise again and go on 
its course to come to earth again when the air became damp and still. 

When the first party approached and saw it moving, one leg seemed to be 
saying to the other "Let me pass this time and I will let you pass the 
next time". The news went far and near and soon became the central factor 
of the community everyone trying to find a solution of the miraculous 
event. Some thought it might be a sign of an invisible Empire, while 
others thought it to be something that had sprung up during the night like 
mushroom from a hotbed, but the monster constantly shaking and going up a 
few inches and then coming down in the grass, blubbed and held back all 
but one, Robert Pitzer, who had by old age and hard work had the 
misfortune of losing his vision to some extent and due to this fact having 
not had such a clear realization of the monster, proved a real hero. Mr. 
Pitzer, in rather a cautious manner went forward and touched the thing in 
spite of the protests of the onlookers. His sense of touch related to him 
the fact that it was pliable and resembled the inner tube of an 
automobile, being spherical in form. As nothing miraculous happened to him 
his first investigation, his courage increased to the extant that he 
carried the object back to the crowd. The crowd decided the thing to be a 
ballon and after thorough examination it was turned loose to ascend the 
air on its lonesome journey, while Mr. Pitzer was hailed as the hero of 
the day. 

Oldest Inhabitants of Marie Community Now Living
The oldest lady inhabitant of our community is Mrs. Huffman, who lives one 
mile east of Marie near New Hope Church in Monroe County. She talks of the 
happenings of pioneer days and often weaves cloth on the old fashion loom 
in spite of the fact that her age is more than four score years. Mrs. 
Huffman, in 1924, visited the town of Hinton, rather Avis. She had not 
been there for over fifty years. She visited her uncle, Mr. Joseph Hinton, 
and the great changes to her were noticeable, as when she made her last 
visit. Avis was only a farm, with only one log farm house owned by her 
grandfather and the land farmed by him. Now it is solid with modern homes, 
hence the great contrast to the old lady, who spent many of her childhood 
days on the farming fields there, and now automobiles are running all the 
time on paved streets as well as cars shifting most of the time over the 
tracks from the C. and O. Railroad yards, cars shifting over the place 
where there was once a pond where her grandfather killed wild ducks. Her 
mind is clear and runs back to days she spent there. Mrs. Huffman could 
locate the site of the old farm house which was removed long age and more 
modern homes built in its place. 

The oldest gentleman is Mr. A.F. Brown, who lives one mile north-west of 
Marie in Summers County, aged 84 years, with R.H. Pitzer, who lives tow 
and one-half miles north east of Marie in Monroe County, a close second. 
Mr. Brown gets the credit for setting up the first wheat reaper that came 
to Summers County. 

An Unusual Car Trip
Messrs Lake Maddy, Kester Maddy, L.C. Davis and Jennings Maddy made a trip 
to Shamrock, Texas in 1924. They visited Carl Maddy, a brother to the 
first two named above and cousin to the last two. They reported good roads 
most to the way, hard surfaced roads from Charleston, West Virginia, to 
Oklahoma City. The automobile registered 3,250 miles the round trip and 
used only 132 gallons of gas, hence the saving of gas as well as cars on 
good roads. Carl Maddy did not know his brothers. He started, when a small 
boy on a western tour in 1907, and traveled over most of the western 
states. Finally he married and settled down in Colorado, later going to 
Shamrock Texas. We can imagine the unexpected and agreeable meeting of the 
boys. The first above named party arrived at Carl Maddy's Home about 
daybreak and asked for breakfast for four parties. The reply was that he 
had lost his wife recently and was keeping house and caring for his little 
children and was sorry that he could not accommodate them. When they told 
him they were from West Virginia, the reply was "come in and I will do the 
best I can for you". 

Fraternal Orders
The Marie Camp, Modern Woodman of America was organized by O.C. Hutchison, 
District Deputy, Head Consul on April 6, 1906. O.C. Hutchison was a member 
of Indian Mills Camp, but was transferred to Marie Camp on June 2, 1906 
and remained a member of this camp until his death which occurred April 3, 
1924. The names of the charter members of Marie Camp appear below and 
their present camp rating: 

Ira M. Hutchison Transferred to another camp
S.C. Ballengee Still a member
N. P. Stover Not a member
J.J. Cottle Dead
W.T. Maddy Still a member
Clyde Garten Transferred
J.O. Perdue Not a member
C.F. Akers Not a member
E.P. Davisson Dead
O.C. Kesler Still a member
E.J. Vass Still a member
P. M. Garrison Still a member
J. P. Carden Still a member
W.F. Ellison Transferred
M.D. Bailey Not a member
G.C. Smith Not a member

The present number of members is forty-two. 

Biography of the World War Veterans While in Service 

The parties from this community who served in the great world war, whose 
names appear elsewhere, with a description of their rating and time of 
enlistment in service are as follows: 

Glen W. Maddy enlisted and began service in the Navy May 6, 1918, and was 
discharged October 23, 1919. His time of service being one year, five 
months and seventeen days. After graduating in a class of one hundred at 
Norfolk, Virginia in the Signal Masters Department, he was assigned to the 
battleship, U.S. New Hampshire. This ship was used principally in convoy 
duty, accompanying troop ships carrying soldiers across the ocean. After 
the Armistice was signed he was transferred to the Dutch Troop ship, 
Ryndam, whose displacement was about five thousand men, where he also did 
signal work. He made seven trips and crossed the Atlantic Ocean fourteen 
times. 

Claude R. Maddy enlisted and began service in the Navy, July 25, 1918 and 
was discharged Sept 10, 1919. He was in the service one year, one month, 
and fifteen days. While in camp at Norfolk, Virginia, he was put in a 
Gunners School which taught the machinery of the large eight and twelve 
inch guns which required six men to operate the machinery of one gun. 
After signing of the armistice, Claude Maddy was assigned to the 
battleship U.S. Virginia, which ship was temporarily converted into a 
troop ship, that is all of the guns were removed to give room for the 
necessary hasty delivering of the soldiers back home. Claude Maddy made 
three trips or crossed the Atlantic Ocean six times. 

William Jennings Maddy was drafted in service August 26, 1918 and was 
discharged December 24, 1918. Time in camp being four months. He was taken 
to LsFayette, Indiana and put in the Engineering Corps, then to 
Valparaiso, Indiana, then to camp at Washington, D.C., with over sea 
equipment and while there the armistice was signed, which on the eleventh 
hour, eleventh day eleventh month, 1918. He was trained for guard duty. 

D. Cicero Light, whose name appears elsewhere was drafted by the 
government for service in the world war on July 26, 1918, and discharged 
June 21, 1919. He was in service the months and twenty-five days. He was 
taken to Camp Meade, Maryland, and kept there one month, and then to Camp 
Lee, Virginia, where he embarked for Europe, landing at Brest, France on 
October 14, 1918, at which time he embarked for Europe, landing at Brest, 
France on October 26, 1918. He began his over-seas service in the 
Veterinary Corps, and served in that capacity until discharged from duty. 

Lloyd Lively, son of D.W. Lively, was drafted by the government for 
service in the World War on July 26, 1918, and was first taken to Camp 
Meade, Maryland, and then to Camp Lee, Virginia, where he died October 10, 
1918, with the "flu", which was in camp at that time. He only served two 
months and fourteen days. His body was brought back home and laid to rest 
in the Wayside Cemetery, October 14, 1918. 

Earl Cody, son of D.W. Lively, was drafted by the government for service 
in the World War on July 26, 1918 and taken to Camp Lee, Virginia, where 
he remained until the armistice was signed and was then honorably 
discharged. 

Eura Light, son of H.J. Light, was drafted by the government for service 
in the World War on May 15, 1981, was taken to Camp Meade, Maryland, and 
kept there a short time, from thence he was taken over seas. He was a 
machinist and consequently was installed in the Machine Gun Battalion 
Company A. He became ill with that much dreaded disease "flu" and died in 
a French hospital on September 12, 1918. His time of service was only 
three months and seventeen days. Eura Light married the only daughter of 
R. L.C. Foster and she died in 1917 leaving a daughter, Due May Light. 
Eura Light's body was brought back home and was laid to rest in the Forest 
Hill Cemetery August 15, 1920, having been buried in France one year, ten 
months and twenty-three days. 

Homer Roach, son of Isaac Roach, whose name appears elsewhere was drafted 
by the government for service in the World War on July 26, 1918, and was 
taken to Camp Meade, Maryland. He was there but a short time when he 
contracted the "flu" from which he died. His body was brought back home 
and laid to rest in the Forest Hill Cemetery. 

Talmadge E. Light, whose name appears elsewhere in this narrative was 
drafted by the government for service in the World War on July 26, 1918, 
and discharged August 1919, his time in service being one year and one 
month. He was taken to Camp Meade, Maryland and kept there one month and 
then to Camp Lee, Virginia, where he remained till October 1918, at which 
time he embarked for Europe and began his over-seas service in the Medical 
Corps. He served in that capacity until discharged from duty. 

The boys whose names appear in this narrative and who served in the Great 
World War the never-to-be-forgotten strife between the leading nations of 
the world, endured hardships and suffering only known to themselves, but 
did their part as heroically as did any soldier of this much regretted 
affair. Not only did they suffer hardships but their parents and friends 
who were back home spent many restless hours while their boys were 
subjected to the horrors and hardships of the greatest war the world has 
experienced. 

Sketch of Indians and Their Habits
The history of any community of country is not complete unless there is 
some data of the original inhabitants or Indians who inhabited America 
before it was discovered by the white people of the Europeans, otherwise 
this Indian description would have left out. As this is told in my own way 
and put off till the last part I shall make a comparison of Indian days 
with the present time. 

When working in the fields we often find arrow heads or flint used by the 
Indians which is the only visible sign that the Indians once inhabited our 
country and when I find a flint my mind runs back over the cycle of time 
when this country was wild and grand. Every schoolboy and girl knows that 
less than two centuries back this country was a howling wilderness. There 
was almost an unbroken forest from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic 
Ocean which included this community. This forest was roamed through by a 
people known as the "Red Man". He was in many ways less intelligent than 
the present inhabitants. His physical make-up was different from any other 
race. He had long, coarse black hair, small black eyes, high cheek bones, 
swarthy complexion , straight posture and was noted for activity and 
alertness as well as strength. The Indian's most desirable pursuit was 
war. Tribe warred against tribe, clan against clan, and often family 
against family. In fact about all his time was spent in preparing for war 
and hunting. His living was simple and he relied on the skins of wild 
animals for his clothing and their flesh for food. The Indian was 
revengeful, never forgetting a wrong or vice-versa a favor. He knew no 
mercy or pity but probably angered by the mistreatment practiced by some 
of the Europeans especially the Spaniards there was no cruelty too bad for 
the white captive. 

We feel sure that this was intensified by such acts as rushing many 
natives on board ships by the early discovers and working them in European 
copper mines and also other mines. We are told in history that a religious 
sect bought the land from the Indians in New England and signed a treaty 
which the Indian was to respect as long as the sun would shine and this 
treaty has never been broken. The Indians that inhabited this section were 
some of the eastern tribes, probably the Algonquin of Iroquois 

There have been many Indian relics found which the present race of people 
value as rare souvenirs. A spear head was found by Fred L. Maddy who lives 
in Marie section and it is said to be the most beautiful relic in the 
state or probably anywhere. The dimensions of this spear head are 31/2 by 
81/2 inches. It is of white flint and the architectural work is complete. 
The making of these flints which is a lost art by a people who did not 
know of steel or electricity is puzzling to the present inhabitants. The 
finding of the above described flint and other relics in this mound 
strengthens the belief that the pre-historic mound builders once inhabited 
this country before the red man. 

But the Indians are gone,
Gone with their old forest wide and deep
And we have built our homes
Upon fields where that generation sleep. 

We probably have omitted many things that might have been said concerning 
those who have taken prominent action toward the upbuilding and 
maintaining the high efficiency of our schools, church services, Sunday 
schools and community in general but in the limited time we had to prepare 
this sketch as well as the limited space to which we must confine our 
remarks we hope to be pardoned for any oversight. 




                       HISTORY OF PETERSTOWN COMMUNITY
                              by R. F. Fleshman
                                    1924 

Owing to a lack of authentic written data a history of Peterstown 
community is particularly hard to write and much of this narrative is 
based on tradition, some of which at least must be taken with the 
proverbial grain of salt. 

To name the first white settler and the date of his coming is a hopeless 
task, but that white people had visited this section at an early date is 
certain, for in 1748 explorers found near the mouth of East River a grave 
at the head of which was this inscription: "Mary Porter was killed by the 
Indians May 28, 1742". 

Possibly several settlements had been made by the pioneers but in July 
1763 an uprising of the Shawnee Indians, to which tribe this part of the 
country belonged, seems to have driven out or destroyed all the white 
settlers west of the Alleghanies and if any were here at that time they 
must have shared the common fate and for several years the land was again 
in the hands of the red man. 

Wood's Fort on Rich Creek was built in 1773 by Captain Matthew Wood and 
Judge Johnston says no white settlement existed between Fort Wood and the 
mouth of East River In 1779, but soon after this date there must have been 
quite an influx of settlers, as the pioneer, Christian Peters, first made 
his home two miles east of Peterstown in 1784 and there were several names 
contemporary with Peters, among whom were Felix Williams, brother to Dave 
Williams, who helped to capture the spy Andre during the Revolutionary 
War, Isaah Callaway, who had a block-house near Powers' home, and other 
names, many of whom have disappeared from our modern community. 

There is no history or tradition of any serious encounters between the 
settlers and the Indians in this immediate community, but on Sept. 23,1779,
a white renegade named Morgan with five Shawnees attacked a party of 
emigrants on their way to Kentucky traveling the Indian trail on East 
River, killing and capturing the whole party with the exception of John 
Pauley, who, though fatally wounded, escaped and finally made his way back 
to Fort Wood, dying there from his wounds. 

There is an old tradition that an Indian was killed near here on Rich 
Creek near Fort Wood. It seems that the Indian was imitating the gobble of 
a wild turkey, hoping thereby to lure some hungry inmate of the fort into 
the woods and to his death. A settler,detecting a false note in the turkey 
call, slipped out of the fort and stealthily crawling upon the Indian from 
the rear shot him dead. 

Another and later tradition says that a Wiley of Peterstown killed an 
Indian near here and cut a razor strap from the Indian's back. 

A little stream above Peterstown a tributary to Scott's branch re- ceived 
its name in commemoration of an encounter between an Indian and a white 
settler. The white man had hidden behind a log near this little stream to 
await the nearer approach of a deer, but a buck of an unexpected genus 
appeared on the scene In the person of a Shawnee brave. The hunter thought 
the Indian better than no game, so drawing a bead on the approaching and 
unsuspecting red-skin he pulled the trigger, but between buck ague and the 
crude workmanship of the old flint lock, the trigger wouldn't work, so to 
save his own scalp he had to run, and in commemoration of his adventure he 
named the little stream, "Trigger Run". 

Among the early settlers Christian Peters was one of the most prominent. 
He was a man of energy and push and to him must be credited , among his 
various enterprises, the building of the first grist mills in the 
community, of which there were three on Rich Creek -one at the head of the 
creek, one on the Davis Farm (or road thereto, B.L.C.), and the third 
where Heslep' s mill now stands and which was the nucleus of Peterstown. 
These mills were quite different from the flouring mills of today and were 
very crude and rough affairs that would not be considered now as effective 
for grinding pig feed. 

While speaking of Peters it may be well to correct some erroneous 
statements concerning him - namely, that Peters Mountain was named for 
him, that his first settlement was at Peterstown and that he was the first 
white settler In the community. Peter's Mountain was named for Peter 
Wright who lived where Covington now stands but who explored the mountain 
chains for many miles westward. Peters' first home was two miles east of 
the present town of Peterstown, which had its origin several years later 
when he built his mill here and established his son John as miller and 
wagon maker and afterwards came himself and made his home with his son 
(mistake: Peters' son's home was on the hill in n.w. part of town, built 
in 1812; whereas the house Peters built for hisself was on the main street 
on the town, diagonally across now from Mr. Terry's s store, where there 
is now a garage, and here he kept tavern - this place became the home of 
Peters' daughter and her husband George Spangler, who cared for her 
parents in their last days; the house burnt to the ground In 1918, and was 
then called "the Jim-Ed Spangler house") statement by B.L. Clark, a Peters 
descendant) 

Peters could not have been the first white settler in the community, as he 
did not come until 1784, while Wood's Fort was built in 1773 and Captain 
Woods furnished his quota of fourteen men from this community for the 
Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774, ten years before the arrival of Peters. 

Some anecdotes of the early settlers may be of interest. The original 
Dillion was a cousin of Henry Clay and also of General Early. Clay and 
Dillion were great fox hunters together. After coming to this community 
Dillion would take a bag of meal, a jug of snake medicine and with his 
trusty rifle he would disappear in the forest for days, hunting any game 
that came his way. Once on leaving he remarked that he was going to eat a 
piece of everything that he killed on his trip, and on his return someone 
asked him If he had sampled a piece of all his game. His reply was that he 
had, but that a fox was the worst thing he ever tried to eat. 

It is said that the pioneer Callaway was particularly fond of venison and 
sweet potatoes and that he would tell his daughter to go to the garden and 
dig the potatoes and he would go upon the hill and get a deer, so they 
could have venison and sweet potatoes for dinner. The deer were so 
plentiful then that he would get back with the deer before his daughter 
could with the potatoes. Another thing that he unfortunately was too fond 
of, was home-made liquor. Once while under the spell of a case of "never-
again" he swore he would never let another drop of liquor run down his 
throat. But when the craving for his accustom dram would become too great, 
to keep his oath he would try to stand on his head and pump it up instead 
of letting it run down. 

Aunt Lisa Dunn, the oldest inhabitant of the Peterstown community and who 
has passed her ninety-second birthday, relates this incident of her 
childhood. One cold autumn evening just after the little girl had been 
tucked into her trundle bed, the door suddenly flew open and in stalked 
seven Indian braves, demanding lodging for the night. An older sister, 
fearful for the safety of the child, hastily pushed her and her little bed 
under the larger bed nearby to hide her from the Indians. Some of the 
young men of the village came in and persuaded the Indians to an 
outbuilding and there made them comfortable for the night. In the morning 
the Indians passed on into the forest without doing any harm. At this time 
Andrew Jackson was president of the United States and the Seminole and 
Creek Indian Wars were going on. 

Another incident of this time, which is recalled by old residents, is said 
to have taken place during the infancy of the late Pat Spangler. One warm 
evening when the family had the doors open in their old house which stood 
just behind the present home of Mrs. Frank Spangler, a very large and 
fierce looking panther came trotting into the room and stood near Pat's 
cradle. The screams of the women apparently alarmed the panther, for it 
dashed out the rear way and disappeared In" to the forest. These incidents 
are typical of Peterstown ninety years ago. 

The first home in what is now Peterstown was the Jim Ed. Spangler house, 
recently destroyed by fire. This house was built here by Christian Peters 
at some time shortly before the year 1800. Peterstown was laid off into 
lots and streets in 1801 by Peters and at first contained 18 1/2 acres. It 
became a town by the Act of the Virginia Legislature January 4,1804, 
although at that time there were no more than two houses here. The first 
trustees or council were William Vaughter, Edward Willis, John McCroskey, 
Henry McDaniel and Hugh Caperton. Probably none of them lived In Peters 
town at that time and some of them never lived in the town. 

The first industry of Peterstown was the grist mill and wagon shop 
conducted by Captain Jack Peters. These industries were followed by 
blacksmith shops, harness shops, shoe shops,and tanneries. At one time as 
many as six tanneries were in operation here. There were also tailor 
shops, hat makers, cabinet makers, carding machines, a pottery, and other 
industries at various times in the community. All the frontier homes had 
their spinning wheels and looms, on which the clothing for the whole 
family was made. 

Religious services were first held under the trees of the forest and in 
the homes of the settlers. Some of the larger homes had partitions hinged 
to the upper joists, which partitions could be raised and fastened to the 
ceiling, thus converting two smaller rooms into one, the full size of the 
house, for the better accomodatlon of the assembled settlers. 

Probably the oldest church building in this community is the old Pack 
Church - a log building near Cashmere, followed soon after by the building 
of a union brick church on the site of the present Missionary Baptist 
Church at Peterstown. The land for the Peterstown Church was deeded 
exactly one hundred years ago but it is not thought that the building was 
completed until about 80 years ago. The Presbyterian Church on Rich Creek, 
built about 1857 was next. That was followed by the Peterstown Methodist 
Church built soon after the close of the Civil War. And since that time a 
number of other churches of various denominations have been erected at 
suitable places over the community. 

After the establishment of free school system the first schools in this 
community - constructed of logs and with large stone chimneys - were 
located in the following places: One near the Grey Sulphur Springs, one 
near the present school house in Green Valley, and one about two miles 
above Peterstown on Rich Creek. The first school house in Peterstown was 
just across the creek from the Baptist Church near where Mr. Henry 
Hansbarger now lives. 

At various times in its history, this community has been included in the 
territory of Augusta, Botetourt, Greenbrier and Monroe counties, and what 
is not generally known for a brief time, from 1773 for about three years, 
it was a part of Fincastle County, which county went out of existence in 
1776, being divided between Greenbrier and Montgomery counties and the 
state of Kentucky. Before the Revolution it was also a part of the 
proposed province of Vandalia and afterward was the proposed fourteenth 
state of the Union which was to be known as the state of Westsylvania. 

Citizens of this community have taken part in every war in which the 
United States has been engaged with the possible exception of the Mexican 
War. Christian Peters, John Dunn, William Hutchison, Abraham Nettles, and 
probably others were soldiers of the Revolution. 

Henry Craig, Andrew Hutchison, Lieutenant William McDaniel, George 
Spangler, a Phillips, and probably others from this community were 
soldiers in the War of 1812, Captain Jack Peters,Colonel Conrad Peters, 
Lieutenant Harden Shumate, and Lieutenant John Symns of this community 
were officers of the state militia at the time of the trying War of 1812, 
but it is doubted that they took any actual part in that war. Capt. Jack 
Peters was the officer in command of a company raised at that time in this 
community, while Conrad Peters was lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment to 
which this company belonged. Both officers were sons of Christian Peters, 
the founder of Peterstown. It is thought that a Beasley and one other man 
from Peterstown were in the Mexican War, 

Practically every man from this community who was old enough, bore arms 
for the southern cause in the Civil War, and one of them, Mike Foster, was 
mentioned by General Stonewall Jackson as being the bravest man in his 
army. Many others distinguished themselves for their bravery and fortitude 
in the service of the Lost Cause. 

This community also did its part In the Spanish-American War, In the late 
World War the youth of this community came forward to the service of their 
country in such numbers that space and time prevents a mention of their 
names in this brief history, but two of them -, Sergeant Howard Spangler 
and Dale Rice - gave their lives on the fields of France. 

Many names of the original settlers in this community have disappeared. 
Many have gone to other sections and have attained prominence there. 
Probably a majority of the native born business people of Princeton, W. 
Va., are former citizens of this community, or their descendants. 

The first house where Bluefield now stands (the old Higginbotham House) 
was built by James Alexander Hutchison from this community. 

The early settlers were of several nationalities, but the majority came 
from Scotland, which contributed familiar local names as Arnott , Burns, 
Byrnside, Callaway, Campbell, Chambers, Charlton, Clark, Conner, Dickson, 
Dickson, Duncan, Dunlap, Dunn, Givens, Humphries, Karnes, McClaugherty, 
McDonald, McGhee, Thompson, and Wylie. And from England came Biggs, 
Blankenship, Boone, Bradley, Brown, Coulter, Ellison, Foster, Hale, 
Hunter, Hines, Hancock, Hutchison, Keatley, Lively, Pack, Riner, Robison, 
Rushbrook, Shanklin, Shires, Smith, Symns and Woodson. Germany contributed 
Broyles, Hansbarger, Mann, Miller, Spangler, Peck, and Peters. From the 
Emerald Isle came Dillon, Murry, and Sweeney. France sent us Adair, 
Caperton, Larue, and Shumate. Then from Wales came Ballard, Evans, Gwinn, 
Thomas,Vawter, and Williams, while Poland contributed Crotchins. 

Many of those names have attained prominence in social and political 
circles, and while none have as yet been presidents of the Unites States, 
one - Jennie Pack Morris - a granddaughter of Laomi Pack, was the wife of 
President Hayes. 

A number of newspapers have recently carried special articles and pictures 
of Mrs. Strong, who is the only surviving daughter of a Revolutlonary War 
soldier. However, Aunt Liza Spangler of Peterstown occupies almost as 
distinguished a position. Since her first husband was Captain Jack Peters, 
she is the daughter-in-law of a Revolutionary War soldier and the widow of 
a militia captain of the War of 1812. Peterstown was named for its 
founder, Christian Peters, and his descendants are among the most 
substantial citizens of the present community. Of his two sons, John or as 
he was later known-Captain Jack, was a wagon maker, miller and influential 
citizen of Peterstown, while Conrad was a blacksmith and hotel keeper near 
town. One of the daughters of Christian Peters married John Symns, another 
Elias Hale, another Charles Spangler, and the other was the wife of George 
Spangler. All of them had large families. 

The name of Peters has disappeared from this community, but four 
grandchildren of Christian Peters still live here. They are Mrs.Eliza 
Dunn, who is past ninety-two years old, Honorable S. Y. Symns who has 
attained the ripe age of eighty-five, G. P. Spangler and J. E. Spangler, 
both of whom are well advanced in years but still are possessed of 
considerable vigor. 

Probably nine-tenths of the population of Peterstown are in some way 
related to the original Peters or his descendants. It is a good honorable 
stock, noted for its honest, plain living and long and prosperous life. It 
is the kind of stock that builds up the finest communities.



Chapter 17  Nicholas County
Panther Mountain


                 A HISTORY OF PANTHER MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY
                         Prepared by A. J. Legg
                                 1930

As an explanation of how this community got its name, the following story 
has been handed down from generation to generation: 

A hunter went into the mountains near what is known as High Rocks and 
succeeded in killing two deer. He could nor carry both of them to his 
cabin as he went in that evening so he bent down a sapling and hanged one 
of the deer on it thinking that it would be safe until the next day. He 
took the other deer home with him. 

Upon his return the next day two panthers were feasting upon the deer that 
he had left the evening before. He promptly shot one of them, the other 
was so enraged that it rushed upon him before he got his gun loaded again, 
so he threw gunpowder in its eyes which caused the panther to retreat to a 
safe distance until he got his gun loaded and shot it also. 

From this incident, it is said, the name of Panther Mountain was applied 
to the entire community in Jefferson District, Nicholas County, West 
Virginia, lying between the mountain and Gauley River. 

Some say that Captain George Fitzwater was the hero of this story, others 
attribute it to another pioneer. 

Pioneer Settlers
It is said also that Captain George Fitzwater camped for two weeks under a 
rock, just above Pine Grove schoolhouse with nothing but venison to eat. 
He was hiding from the Indians. Dirt has washed under this rock now so 
that there is not much space but the writer can remember when there was 
considerable space under this rock. Quite enough to shelter a person. 

As to the exact truth of these stories the writer is not able to say. We 
know, however, that Captain George Fitzwater was one of the first white 
men to visit this part of the country, since we find that he took up one 
hundred acres of land by authority of land warrant Number 20196 issued 
October 28, 1783, survey made December 14, 1798, and patent issued June 
13, 1801, by James Monroe, Governor of Virginia. 

Early Land Titles
This one hundred acres is described as cornering upon another tract of 
land owned by said George Fitzwater. George Fitzwater got a patent for two 
hundred and fifty acres on January 14, 1800. This land was sold to Charles 
W. King and conveyed to him by deed dated June 4, 1801. I am led to 
believe that this Captain George Fitzwater was a soldier of the Revolution 
since he held a land warrant dated 1783 and the land was not claimed until 
December 4, 1798. This Captain George Fitzwater still has grandchildren 
living in Nicholas County. 

The oldest mark that I have found in the community is some hieroglyphics 
cut on a beech tree just over the brink from Arnette Church with the date 
1797. I know nothing of the maker of the marks. 

According to Campbell's reminiscence Charles W. King moved from Wythe 
County, Virginia, in 1810 and made a clearing on the land purchased from 
Captain Fitzwater. He had taken up land on Patterson's branch in 1798, and 
he purchased the two hundred and fifty acres from Fitzwater in 1801, so it 
seems that Charles W. King was here and took up land about twelve years 
before he moved his family here. 

In 1822 Charles W. King got patent for one hundred and thirty acres of 
land now occupied by Orbin Cavendish and others. In the course of time 
Charles W. King died and was buried in the cemetery on the two hundred and 
fifty acres purchased from .Captain Fitzwater. 

Leading Families
In a very early day Jonathan Dunbar settled on land on Backus Branch. It 
is thought that his house stood on land now owned by H. E. Backus. We do 
not know the exact date of his settling here but the court records show 
that he had part in the first circuit court of Nicholas County in 1818, 
also that Alexander Brown was in attendance at this court, so we must 
conclude that the Browns and Dunbars both came to this community prior to 
the year 1818. 

Alexander Brown lived on Laurel Creek on the farm now owned and occupied 
by Mrs. J. W. Backus. This is just outside of the Panther Mountain 
Community but Alexander Brown had a son Dr. William Brown and a daughter 
Mrs. Joseph Backus, both of whom settled in the community and have 
descendants still living in it. Dr. William Brown lived at the head of 
Backus Branch on the farm now known as the Burdette place. He was a farmer 
and a doctor of good repute and a man of considerable influence in the 
community. He was a staunch Union man during the Civil War and while he 
was too far advanced in years to join the federal army he did not let an 
opportunity to aid the federal cause pass without doing what he could for 
the advancement of what he advocated. His son William K. Brown settled in 
the community and raised a family of useful citizens of whom W. G. Brown 
of Summersville was the eldest. His other son Wesley Brown moved to the 
West soon after the Civil War. 

One of Dr. William Brown's daughters, Martha A., married William A. 
Burdette and they settled on the home place, lived and died there, leaving 
a family known and respected by the entire community. We have not been 
able to find the exact date in which Joseph Backus came to the community. 
He married a daughter of Alexander Brown but I am not sure that he first 
settled in the community but he did live in a house on Backus Branch at an 
early day. The house stood where H. E. Backus now lives. It was a log 
house, noted for the nice, true work done on the hewing of the logs and 
building of the walls. 

Joseph Backus had a reputation of being a very careful workman and he was 
also noted for his promptness at church. He had a certain place to sit at 
church and if he was not on hand in time to get his place it was pretty 
strong evidence that there was something seriously wrong. 

Joseph Backus left four sons, Benjamin F., Henry, Alexander, and Isaack, 
and two daughters, Mrs. Dempsey Baker and Mrs. Levi Nutter. Benjamin F., 
known as Frank Backus, married Caroline Grose, a daughter of William 
Grose, and settled on the home place. His father and mother moved to a 
house on the hill but in sight of the old house. There was born to this 
union five children, Clark, Alexander A., Bloomfield, and Rufus G. The 
only daughter, Lucy, died of flux when she was only eight years old. The 
mother died also of this dread disease. 

Benjamin F. afterward married a Miss Dorsey and moved out of the 
community. 

Rufus G. Backus, youngest son of the family, grew up, entered the 
ministry, joined the West Virginia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, rose rapidly until he became District Superintendent which 
position he held for a number of years. He is still an active minister in 
the West Virginia Conference. 

Henry Backus, second son of Joseph Sr., married Mary Ann Grose, a daughter 
of William Grose. They settled on Backus Branch raised a family of four 
sons, Weldon W., George W., William P., and Henry E. 

Henry Backus had the reputation of being a very careful farmer and 
orchardist. He subscribed for and read the American Agriculturist, the 
only agricultural paper that came into the community at this early date. 
He was skilled in grafting and introduced many new varieties of apples 
among his neighbors by grafting them upon native stalks. He knew most 
standard varieties of apples by name and could identify them at sight. He 
died in the prime of life of a throat disease. His wife lived to be eighty-
four years old. 

We do not know much of Jonathan Dunbar who settled on Backus Branch except 
that he raised a family. One son, Jonathan, lived on the head of the Mason 
Branch above the Charles W. King property. He married a daughter of 
William Legg who lived on Laurel Creek. They raised a large family of 
daughters. The two sons died of tuberculosis when young. One daughter, 
Mary, married Clark Grose and settled in the community. Another daughter, 
Talitha A., married John Cavendish, lived in the community for a number of 
years, but finally moved to Montgomery, West Virginia, where she still 
lives. The other daughters married but finally left the community. 
Jonathan Dunbar died at about the close of the Civil war. A daughter of 
Jonathan Dunbar, Sr., married Dr. William Brown who lived on the Backus 
Branch. The other members of Jonathan Dunbar, Senior's, family moved out 
of the community. 

John R. Mason came from Virginia and married Elizabeth King, daughter of 
Charles W. King at an early date. We do not know the exact date of his 
settlement in the community but it was probably about the year 1825. He 
settled on the land which Charles W. King purchased from Captain George 
Fitzwater and lived on this property until his death a few years after the 
war. His wife lived until she was very old. Of this family there were 
three sons and two daughters. The two daughters both died young. Henry, 
the oldest son, married Caroline Walkup from Fayette County. John Marion, 
the second son, married Jane Spinks and settled on a part of the home 
place. Their children are known by all in the community. Charles D., 
Augustus L., and Omar W., sons of John M. Mason still live in the 
community and are honest, law abiding, and useful citizens. John M. Mason 
died at the age of eighty- six years. Marshall Randolph, youngest son of 
John R. Mason lived in the community until he was well along in life when 
he moved to Mason County, West Virginia, where he died a few years ago. 

Thomas Legg, one of three brothers who came from Monroe County, Virginia, 
now West Virginia, settled on the farm now known as the Renick place early 
in the history of the community. He was a good citizen but unfortunately 
he risked too much to help another person. He became surety for another, 
had the debt to pay, lost his home, and moved to Fayette County where he 
reared a large family all of whom became useful citizens. His grandson 
Charles H. Legg returned to the community in the year 1860, married 
Harriet J. Grose. They settled in the community and lived there for the 
remainder of their lives. His wife died in the year 1885 leaving a family 
of eight children all of whom are still living. He afterwards married 
Serena Hull who died in 1910 of measles leaving seven children all of whom 
are still living. Charles H. Legg died April 5, 1929, at the advanced age 
of ninety years. 

After Thomas Legg left the community Willis Martin moved to the farm he 
had left and lived there for a number of years, he got into trouble and 
moved to Illinois leaving the farm to his step- son, James A. Renick, who 
married Margaret Grose, daughter of William Grose. They lived on this 
farm, except for a few years during the Civil War, until their death, both 
living to be quite old. They raised a large family, but all are dead at 
this writing, 1929, except Mrs. Margaret Harrah of St. Albans, West 
Virginia. 

Henry Hess took up one hundred acres of land, the land on which Albion 
post office is now located. The patent of this land is dated November 17, 
1820 and signed by Thomas M. Randolph, Governor of Virginia. Hess lived on 
this land for a number of years but in the course of time sold his farm to 
William Grose and moved to Fayette County. 

I do not know just when William Grose moved to the community but he first 
settled on a tract of fifty acres taken up by a man named Foster and we 
find that he made survey of and got patent for one hundred and forty acres 
adjoining this land on September 1832. His father had moved to Line Creek 
in 1815. William married Susan Koontz of near Keslers Cross Lanes so we 
conclude that they settled in the community prior to the year 1832. 

William Grose was born in the year 1799 and came from Bath County, 
Virginia, to this county. He and his wife were industrious, good citizens, 
they accumulated considerable property. They bought the Henry Hess farm, 
moved to it and lived there until their death, both lived to be old. They 
reared a family of eleven children. William Grose was a leader in his 
church. He and his wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was 
a licensed exhorter and was an earnest, forceful speaker. Some of his 
friends asked him to obtain license to preach but he thought that this was 
out of his line of work so he preferred to remain as an exhorter and local 
worker in the church. His oldest son A. J. Grose moved to Cooper County, 
Missouri. His second son Franklin Grose married Sarah Keenan, they had one 
son A. D. Grose, while he was yet a little child his mother died in the 
year 1848 and was buried in the Grose cemetery. 

A. D. Grose, "Andy" as he was called, grew up at his grandfather Grose's 
home and married Estaline Harrah. They settled on his father's farm which 
adjoined William Grose's farm and was the place where William Grose first 
settled in the community. Franklin Grose lived with them until his death 
which occurred about the year 1880. He was somewhat of an invalid and 
spent much of his time caring for the children. George Richmond Grose was 
the eldest son of A. D. Grose's family, the second child was a daughter 
who afterward became the wife of State Auditor Arnold C. Scherr, the 
second son, Wesley, died at the age of three years and was buried in the 
Grose Cemetery beside his grandmother Grose. The next son of A. D. Grose's 
family, Arthur Grose, is a practicing attorney in Columbus, Ohio. A. D. 
Grose moved from the community when his son George Richmond, was thirteen 
years old. 

George R. Grose taught school for a few years in Fayette County, West 
Virginia, then went to Ohio Wesleyan University where he graduated with 
the degree of A. B. 1894, and received the degree of D. D. in 1908, and L. 
L. D. in 1916. He also received the degrees of M. A. and S. T. B. from 
Boston University. He married Lucy Dickerson of Cadiz, Ohio, June 28, 
1894. He was ordained minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1896. 
He served as pastor of Cherry Valley Church, Leicester, Massachusetts, for 
three years then he went to Boston where he preached for three years, then 
at Newtown, Massachusetts, for five years; then at Lynn for three years. 
From there he went to Grace Church, Baltimore, for five years and from 
here he was called to the presidency of De Paw University at Greencastle, 
Indiana, in 1912. He served as president of this institution for eleven 
years and left this work to become a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church to which position he was elected in 1924. His home is now in 
Peking, China. He is author of the following books: "Religion and the 
Mind", "The Outlook for Religion," "Life of James Whitford Ashford," "The 
New Soul of China," and "Edward Rector." 

Covington Grose, third son of William Grose, married Nancy Walker. They 
had three sons; George Grose, Clark Grose, and Joseph T. Grose. The mother 
died and was buried at the old Walker Cemetery on Laurel Creek. Covington 
Grose married again but soon left the Community. George Grose was a very 
studious boy and reached manhood at just about the time that the free 
school system was established in the community. He taught his first school 
in the community and afterward taught school in the winter time and 
attended summer schools until he obtained a good education. He was reputed 
one of the best if not the best educated man in the county in the early 
days of the free school system. He perhaps exercised a greater influence 
in the community and its surroundings than any other person. Especially 
was this the case among the younger people. He died in 1916 and was buried 
in the Grose Cemetery. 

Clark Grose, second son of Covington Grose, married Mary Dunbar and 
settled in the community. He was a leader in the church, was honest and 
industrious. He took a pride in having the best stock on his farm that he 
could get. He served one term as member of the Board of Education, died at 
the age of forty-six years and was buried in the Grose Cemetery. He left 
his farm in good condition and has one daughter Mrs. Emma Mason still 
living in the community. His son Edward A. Grose lives at Fairmont, West 
Virginia. 

Joseph T. Grose moved to Fayette county in early manhood where he taught 
school, was elected County Superintendent in 1887, served one term; then 
worked as bookkeeper for William Beury Cooper and Company for a few years, 
was elected County Clerk in 1896. He served in this office for six years. 
He then organized the Bank of Fayette and became its cashier. He has 
helped to organized several other banks and business institutions. He has 
accumulated considerable property and lives at Fayetteville, West 
Virginia. William Grose, fourth son of William Grose, Sr., married Miss 
Becky Anne Stephenson and lived in the community. Then they moved to 
Hutchinson's Creek where he became owner of more than one thousand acres 
of land. He was father of the Revered Logan S. Grose and Professor Walter 
R. Grose of Buckhannon. His second son, B. F. Grose, still resides on the 
farm owned by his father. He is a successful farmer and business man. 

Socrates Wesley, youngest son of William Grose, Sr., lived with his 
parents until they died and then became owner of the farm. He was an 
earnest church worker, a licensed exhorter in the church, and was class 
leader in the church for years. He died in the fall of 1887 and was buried 
in the Grose Cemetery. 

Benjamin Dorsey the first settler on the Samuel Neil land was one of the 
first settlers of the community. Though we do not know the exact date of 
his coming it must have been some time before 1830. He cleared out a farm 
and raised a family of five sons and three daughters, whose names were: 
John B., Robert L., Socrates, Samuel, Andrew, Benjamin, Sarah, Elizabeth 
and Talitha. Samuel died in early manhood and Socrates moved to Iowa. 

John B. Dorsey married Margaret Summer and settled on lands adjoining his 
father. They raised a large family but while the younger members of the 
family were still small Mrs. Dorsey died. Their children were Lorenzo, 
William W., Rensselare Vaught, Lydia (who married Lewis Walker and moved 
to Illinois,) Jennie (who married a Mr. Bell and moved out of the 
community; she was the mother of attorney C. W. Bell of Zela, West 
Virginia), Evermont, Clark, Lizzie (who became the wife of M. B. Mason), 
Viola and Catharine, the last two named both died young. John B. Dorsey 
afterward married a Mrs. Neil daughter of Hiram Walker. One son from this 
union is still living. He has served as office deputy assessor of the 
county for several years. 

Although John B. Dorsey's family all removed from the community, one 
member, Rensselare Vaught Dorsey, on account of his business success 
deserves especial mention. 

Rensselare Vaught Dorsey was born December 16, 1854. He attended the 
schools of his time and afterward a school taught by P. D. Horon. He 
obtained a teacher's certificate and taught two terms of school in 
Nicholas County. After which he went to Illinois where he taught one term 
of school and then returned to West Virginia. He married Victoria C. Neil 
in 1879 to which union four children were born. He moved to Hurricane, 
West Virginia, where he engaged in mercantil business for about twenty 
years. He was elected sheriff of Putnam County, West Virginia, in 1896 and 
again in 1904. He owns an interest in two tobacco warehouses, is a 
stockholder in Twentieth Street Bank of Huntington and is a director of 
Putnam County Bank. He has extensive oil and gas investments and owns a 
four-hundred-acre farm near his home at Hurricane. He is a member of the 
Baptist Church. 

Robert Dorsey married Alice Cavendish and settled on the home place. To 
this union was born two children. Hanceford, the oldest, is still living. 
Mrs. Dorsey died in a few years and Robert Dorsey married Margaret 
Kincaid. There were several children born to this union but all are dead. 
Robert and his wife both died in 1877. 

Sarah Dorsey married Alexander Cavendish and they settled on land 
adjoining John B. Dorsey. They reared a family of seven sons and one 
daughter all of whom removed from the community except Benjamin B. 
Cavendish, who died at the age of forty-nine years, and Joseph F. 
Cavendish, the youngest son who married Ermina J. Legg and settled in the 
community. Joseph died at the age of sixty-nine years leaving a wife and 
nine children living. The children have all removed from the community 
except Orbin Cavendish who still lives with his mother and is now serving 
as commissioner of the Board of Education. Two daughter Vina and Letha 
still make their home with their mother when not engaged in teaching 
school. They both hold diplomas from Marshall College as graduates in the 
Normal Course. 

This completes a brief sketch of the families that resided in the 
community prior to the Civil War except the Crookshanks family who moved 
across the line from Grand District about the time of the Civil War and 
resided in the community for about twenty years. The father of this family 
was Franklin Crookshanks a son of Robert Crookshanks an early settler who 
resided just over the district line. 

Franklin Crookshanks was an easy going, honest citizen. He married a Mary 
Jane Rose. The family consisted of four sons and two daughters. The two 
older sons, William and Robert, were just old enough to appreciate the 
advantages of free public schools at the time that the system was adopted 
by the new state of West Virginia. They were both good natured boys. 
William was a great boy for having fun which sometimes led him into 
trouble with the teacher who as a rule was pretty strict and arbitrary. 
The teachers of those days had not learned any better method of 
controlling delinquent boys than by using the rod of correction freely. 
These boys attended school regularly and grew up to early manhood with 
sufficient education that they passed the teachers examination 
successfully and both taught school in the county for a few years. William 
allied himself with the Republican party though his father was a Democrat 
and the Democratic party was in a majority in the county. In a course of 
time he was nominated by his party for circuit clerk of the county. His 
party was several hundred votes in the minority but when the votes were 
counted it was found that William Crookshanks was elected circuit clerk of 
the county by a safe majority. After serving the people for a term of six 
years, with credit to himself and to the people who elected him, he moved 
to the town of Richwood where he has been twice elected justice of the 
peace. 

After teaching several terms of school Charles Robert Crookshanks (or as 
the name is now spelled, Cruikshank) attended college at Richmond, 
Virginia, and a Theological Seminary at Louisville, Kentucky, and became a 
licensed preacher in the Missionary Baptist Church. He preached a few 
years in West Virginia then went to Virginia where he has preached to 
several different churches. At present he is located at White Stone, 
Virginia, where he has preached to a congregation for more than eight 
years. He is nearing three score and ten but there are still a number of 
his old schoolmates who attended the Backus school with him remaining in 
the community. They are all proud of the success in life of the Rev. 
Charles Robert Cruikshank of White Stone, Virginia. 

Social Relationships
We have traced the families who first settled the community up to the 
present generation giving especial attention to those who remained in the 
community and those who won distinction in their various pursuits in life 
after leaving the community, though we have given but little attention to 
churches, schools, and the political affiliations of the people. It does 
not seem that the people took must interest in politics prior to the Civil 
War though most of them were opposed to human slavery and so far as we 
know there was not a colored slave ever owned in the community. 

The Brown family, the Backus family, the Masons, the Renicks and the 
Groses were all adherents to the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Dunbars 
and Dorseys held to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the 
Cavendishes were Baptists. There were no organized churches in the 
community prior to the Civil War but all active members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church held membership at Bethel Church on Laurel Creek. The 
Methodist circuit rider had a regular appointment to preach in William 
Grose's house. As William Grose's home was a regular stopping place for 
the preacher, his children took advantage of this and they used him both 
as preacher and teacher. The Grose family accumulated the largest private 
library in the community and they took advantage of every available means 
of getting an education. There were a few crude school houses in the 
community before the war. 

Development of Schools
One of these school houses stood up the hollow back of where O. W. Mason 
now lives. It was a log house with puncheon floors and a log cut out of 
one side for a window. I am told that greased paper was pasted over this 
opening. The early school teachers of the community were Marshall Keenan, 
Franklin Grose, and perhaps others. Isaac C. Cavendish taught a school 
just after the war in one of the Dorsey dwelling houses. I think that 
William Renick taught the first free school that we had in the community 
in the winter of 1867-1868 in Franklin Backus' kitchen. The second term of 
school was taught by George Grose, his first experience in teaching, 
during the winter 1868-1869 in a dwelling house used for preaching 
services and vacated by A. J. Grose. The house stood where Orbin 
Cavendish's house now stands. Some of the pupils walked for three or more 
miles to attend the school. He had a large school of pupils whose ages 
ranged from five to twenty-three or twenty-four years. 

After this two schoolhouses were built, one for the upper part of the 
community and one for the lower, and the Board of Education arranged to 
have four months of school each year but the school was to be kept in 
these houses alternately. George Grose taught the first school in each of 
these houses. In a few years the board decided to have school in each of 
the houses every year. Of the teachers in the upper school, called the 
Backus School, who taught school in the early days of the free school 
system, I recall the names of George, James Koontz, Alfred Groves, Rev. 
Jos. L. Smith, who later became county superintendent of schools, W. W. 
King, who afterward became a distinguished preacher in St. Louis, 
Missouri, and John McCutcheon, who afterward became a prominent preacher 
and president of a Theological Seminary. 

In the earlier years of the lower school George Grose taught the school 
most of the time. There were several persons who came from other places to 
attend his schools. Among these was J. C. Hull from Fayette County, who 
afterward attended college and attained the degree of D.D. He rose to a 
high position both as a preacher and lecturer and exercised a wide 
influence in the church, but unfortunately lost his mind before he hardly 
reached middle age and died in an asylum for the insane. J. T. Grose 
taught this school for a term or two. He then went to Fayette County where 
he served as county superintendent of schools and was afterward elected 
clerk of the county court. 

The other school in the community was known as the Dorsey School and was 
situated in the lower part of the community. It was also called the 
Panther Mountain School. It was usually a small school but some very good 
teachers were employed and the students took interest in the work. 

When the Civil War broke out a large majority of the people of the 
community favored the Union cause. The people did not join the army but 
their sympathies were with the Union cause. Benjamin Dorsey Jr., joined 
the Confederate Army and was severely wounded at the Batle of Droop 
Mountain. C. H. Legg joined Captain Isaac Brown's company of state 
soldiers and wore the Federal uniform until the company was disbanded. He 
received an honorable discharge. 

Civil War Occurrences
Of the incidents of the Civil War which occurred in the community, I will 
record the following: 

While General John B. Floyd was camped at Carnifex Ferry some Confederate 
scouts came into the community. They took several horses from the people 
and as they passed the first small drain west of where Arnette Church now 
stands they were fired on by Captain Ramsey and a few of his men who were 
concealed in a laurel thicket. One Confederate soldier was wounded, Ramsey 
and his men escaped unhurt across Gauley River. John M. Mason passing 
along the road late that evening picked up a sword lost by a Confederate 
officer. 

Just after the battle of Cross Lanes three soldiers from Colonel Tyler's 
army had escaped to the woods. They came in to James A. Renick's home and 
were hid under a cliff and fed until it was safe for them to travel. One 
of these a Mr. Condit visited the Renick family two or three times after 
the war. 

The day after the Battle of Cross Lanes Major Andrews and seventeen other 
Union soldiers wandered in to William Grose's place where they were fed 
and given some rations to take with them. They traveled on down the river 
and reached the Union camp at Gauley Bridge. 

Edwin Spriggs, a Union soldier from Ohio who belonged to General 
Rosecrans' army with two other soldiers were crossing the river and their 
boat capsized. All were drowned. Some time afterward Sprigg's body was 
found just below the Edz ferry near where Albion post office is now 
located on the Nicholas side by William Kincaid, a boy living just across 
in Fayette County. John B. Dorsey, Franklin Grose, C. H. Legg, and perhaps 
a few others buried the body, which later was raised and identified by a 
Union scout named Carpenter. It was afterward taken up by his brother 
aided by John Dorsey, Alex Cavendish, C. H. Legg, and others and removed 
to his old home in Ohio. 

My father, C. H. Legg, had built a cabin and moved to a new clearing about 
one-fourth of a mile back from the public road. Near the close of the war, 
my grandfather Legg, Franklin Grose, his son A. D. Grose, Lieutenant 
Samuel B. Koontz, who had recently returned from the Richmond rebel 
prison, and my father were near the road just about where Pine Grove 
school house now stands. We heard shooting and saw men running their 
horses. My mother, of course, was scared so leaving my sister and I at the 
house she hastened to see what had happened. She found my grandfather Legg 
and Franklin Grose had been taken prisoners by the Confederate Captain 
Holstead and a party of his men. Samuel B. Koontz, A. D. Grose, and my 
father had escaped to the cliffs. 

The soldiers also had Dr. William Brown with them as a prisoner. They 
would not allow my mother to return to her home until they had gone within 
a mile of the ferry. The Confederates seemed to be fearful of Union 
soldiers in the county so they were afraid to let my mother return for 
fear that she would carry news to their enemies. This was the last 
incident of the Civil War that occurred in the community and it is the 
only incident remembered by the writer. 

James A. Renick, Covington Grose, and A. J. Grose moved their families to 
Ohio during the early part of the war. Soon after the war Covington Grose 
and James A. Renick moved back to their farms but A. J. Grose moved on to 
Missouri and never returned. He lived and died near Clifton City, 
Missouri, at the ripe old age of 89 years. 

After the War
At the close of the Civil War everything was in rather disorganized 
condition. The free school system had never been introduced into the 
state. There had been no schools of any kind in the community during the 
war and church service was of rare occurrence. The majority of the people 
held to the Methodist Episcopal Church though there were a few Missionary 
Baptists and a family or two of Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The 
Methodist Episcopal preacher, Benjamin Darlington visited the community, 
whenever he though it safe for a Methodist preacher to travel over the 
county, and preached for the people. Benjamin Darlington had a reputation 
of being a faithful servant of the Lord and a true servant of his church. 
After the war he was assigned the Nicholas circuit with A. D. Perry, a 
young preacher as his assistant. They preached in the community regularly 
once a month for three years. After him Rev. L. H. Jordan preached for 
three years then a preacher named Rhodes was assigned to the work but he 
only made one trip and gave up the work which fell to Rev. George C. 
Wilding, an enthusiastic Welchman, who had just entered the ministry. He 
traveled over the circuit and preached his third sermon at an old house 
used for worship which stood where Orbin Cavendish's house now stands. 
After one year's service he was assigned work near his home at Point 
Pleasant. He afterward became a noted preacher and lecturer. He died a few 
years ago in Jersey City, N. J. 

After the Rev. Geo. C. Wilding, Rev. N. C. Berkley, a Confederate captain, 
served as preacher for three years. Then came Rev. F. H. J. King for 
another three years who was followed by Rev. A. T. Morrison for three 
years more, and then Rev. George H. Williams, another Confederate soldier, 
preached for another three-year period. For a number of years there was no 
regular church class organized but after a time a separate class of the M. 
E. Church was organized with S. W. Grose as leader, which trust he held 
until his death in 1887. James A. Renick was leader for a while, followed 
by Clark Grose, J. E. Renick and Ira W. Legg, who is still class leader. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church had kept up an organization and had regular 
preaching in the community for many years, first in a dwelling house then 
in a school house. In the course of time they decided to build a church 
and in May 1903 Arnette Church was completed and dedicated. Since that 
time the church has been kept up and the people have had a church building 
of their own in which to meet together for worship. 

Of the other persons who moved to the community, lived for a number of 
years and took an active part in the community work we will mention 
Leonard Crookshanks who lived for a number of years just over the line 
from Grant District. He was class leader of the M. E. Church, South, at 
Tipton but took an active part in Sunday School at the upper school house 
of our community. His wife died before he moved to the community. His 
family consisted of two daughters, Ada