A History of The Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory

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by David E. Johnston

Published: Huntington, W. Va, Standard PTG. & Pub. Co., 1906

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I

1654-1753

VAST UNEXPLORED DOMAIN WEST OF THE ALLEGHANIES - CROWING AND CROSSING THE

SAME - FIRST WHITE MAN TO SEE NEW RIVER - FIRST WHITE MAN WEST OF THIS RIVER - ORIGIN OF NAME - PORTER SETTLES AT MOUTH OF EAST RIVER - SALLEY, HOWARDS AND ST. CLAIR ON MIDDLE - LOWER NEW RIVER - CLINCHE AND CASTLE IN CLINCH VALLEY PRIOR TO 1748 - THOMAS WALKER AND PARTY CROSS NEW RIVER, 1748 - SAME YEAR DRAPER'S INGLES' SETTLEMENT MADE - ADAM HARMAN AT GUNPOWDER SPRING - 1750 DR. THOMAS WALKER AND OTHERS ON THE HOLSTEIN AND AT CUMBERLAND GAP - CHISTOPHER GIST ON THE OHIO AND VISITS MOUNTAIN LAKE -PHILIP LYBROOK SETTLES AT MOUTH OF SINKING CREEK - JOHN LEWIS AND HIS SON ANDREW ON THE GREENBRIER - JAMES BURKE DISCOVERS BURKE'S GARDEN - SAMUEL CULBERTSON ON CULBERTSON'S BOTTOM - THOMAS FARLEY ON NEW RIVER - BUILDS A FORT - JAMES ELLISON BORN IN FARLEY'S FORT - FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR -WASHINGTON ON THE OHIO - INDIAN DEPREDATIONS.

CHAPTER II

1753-1766

EXPLORING THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY - FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR - WASHINGTON ON THE OHIO - VIRGINIA RAISES TROOPS - COLONEL FRY SICK AND COMMAND DEVOLVES ON WASHINGTON - FORT NECESSITY - GENERAL BRADDOCK DEFEATED ON THE MONONGAHELA - DEPREDATIONS ON THE VIRGINIA BORDER - DESTRUCTION OF DRAPERS MEADOWS SETTLERS - MRS. INGLES A PRISONER - PHILLIP BARGER KILLED - MRS. INGLES ESCAPES - CAPTAIN WILLIAM INGLES AND GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE PLAN AN EXPEDITION AGAINST THE OHIO INDIANS - MAJOR ANDREW LEWIS ORDERED TO RAISE A FORCE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE INDIAN TOWNS ON THE OHIO - LEWIS MARCHES IN FEBRUARY, 1756, CROSSES NEW RIVER, NORTH FORK OF THE HOLSTEIN, THROUGH BURKE'S GARDEN, OVER THE HEAD OF THE CLINCH AND ON THE SANDY -

VAUX'S FORT DESTROYED - 1756 SETTLEMENTS WEST OF NEW RIVER - JOSEPH HOWE AND OTHERS ON BACK CREEK WEST OF NEW RIVER, 1760 - INDIAN MARAUDING PARTY NEAR INGLE'S FERRY ATTACKED BY INGLES, HARMAN AND OTHERS - CAPTAIN HENRY HARMAN, ADAM HARMAN - HERRMAN - ONE BRANCH OF THE FAMILY FROM NORTH CAROLINA AND THE OTHER FROM VIRGINIA VALLEY - NEW RIVER LEAD MINES DISCOVERED BY COLONEL CHISWELL - INDIAN INCURSION INTO JACKSON'S RIVER, ROANOKE AND CATAWBA SETTLEMENTS - PACK, SWOPE AND PITMAN ON THE NEW RIVER -

CAPTAIN AUDLEY PAUL ON LOWER NEW RIVER IN 1763 - MASSACRES BY INDIANS IN GREENBRIER SECTION IN 1763 - BUTLER, CARR AND OTHERS, HUNTERS ON HEAD OF CLINCH, 1766 - THIS YEAR FAMILY OF JOHN SNIDOW SETTLE AT MOUTH OF SINKING CREEK ON THE NEW RIVER.

CHAPTER III

1766-1774

FORMATION BOTETOURT COUNTY FROM AUGUSTA IN 1769 - COOKS, KEENEYS AND

OTHERS ON INDIAN CREEK AND THE GREENBRIER - BUILDING FORTS - COOKS ON

INDIAN CREEK AND KEENEYS AT KEENEY'S KNOBS - FORT AT LEWISBURG BUILT -

JOHN AND RICHARD CHAPMAN AND MCKENSY SETTLE AT MOUTH OF WALKER'S CREEK -

SNIDOWS, LYBROOKS AND CHAPMANS BUILD FORT AT THE HORSE SHOE - ABSALOM

LOONEY FROM LOONEY'S CREEK EXPLORES UPPER BLUESTONE WATERS - OTHER

SETTLERS ON THE HEAD OF CLINCH - JOHN MCNEIL FROM THE VIRGINIA VALLEY

LOCATES AT LITTLE LEVELS - ACCOMPANIES GENERAL LEWIS TO THE BATTLE OF

POINT PLEASANT - CAPTAIN JAMES MOORE, SAMUEL FERGUSON, THE PEERYS AND

OTHERS IN THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMANCE MAY 16TH, 1771 - IN 1772 EVAN SHELBY

AT KING'S MEADOWS, AND JOHN SEVIER FROM THE VALLEY, ON THE NOLICHUCKY -

REFUGEES FROM THE ALAMANCE, FROM FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA, ON THE

WATAUGA - OVER MOUNTAIN MEN - BACK WATER MEN - PEACE MEN - FINCASTLE COUNTY CREATED AND COURTS HELD AT LEAD MINES - DANIEL BOONE, FAMILY AND PARTY FROM THE YADKIN - SQUIRE BOONE A BAPTIST MINISTER, WITH THE PARTY -

ON THEIR WAY TO KENTUCKY ARE ATTACKED BY INDIANS AND PARTY SCATTERED -

DANIEL AND SQUIRE WINTER NEAR CASTLESWOODS - DUNMORE'S WAR BEGINS IN THE SPRING OF 1774 - DANIEL BOONE IN COMMAND OF THE FRONTIER - CAPTAIN WILLIAM

RUSSELL'S COMPANY FROM THE CLINCH - REECE AND MOSES BOWEN WITH RUSSELL -

EVAN SHELBY, HIS SON ISAAC AND JOHN SEVIER ALSO LEAD A COMPANY - SEVIER

FROM NORTH CAROLINA BUT SUPPOSES HE LIVES IN VIRGINIA - GOVERNOR DUNMORE

RAISES AN ARMY AND COMMANDS NORTHERN DIVISION - GENERAL ANDREW LEWIS THE

SOUTHERN DIVISION - MARCH TO THE MOUTH OF THE KANAWHA AND BATTLE OF POINT

PLEASANT - AUGUST 7TH, 1774, INDIANS ATTACK THE LYBROOKS AND SNIDOWS AT

SINKING CREEK - HARMAN'S FORT - SHANNONS SETTLE AT POPLAR HILL, 1774 -

GRANT OF CLOVER BOTTOM TO MITCHELL CLAY.

CHAPTER IV - Part A, Part B

1775-1794

MITCHELL CLAY AND FAMILY SETTLED ON CLOVER BOTTOM - MATHEW FRENCH AND

FAMILY SETTLE ON WOLF CREEK - DECLARATION OF THE FINCASTLE MEN - FINCASTLE

COUNTY ABOLISHED AND MONTGOMERY, WASHINGTON AND KENTUCKY COUNTIES CREATED

- CAPTAIN JAMES MOORE VISITS ABB'S VALLEY - PETER WRIGHT, THE HUNTER, IN THE NORTHERN VALLEYS OF PETER'S AND EAST RIVER MOUNTAINS - GREENBRIER COUNTY CREATED AND ITS BOUNDARIES - REV. JOHN ALDERSON IN THE GREENBRIER VALLEY - JOSEPH CLOYD SETTLES ON BACK CREEK - THE FAMILY OF COLONEL JAMES GRAHAM ATTACKED BY INDIANS - DONNALLY'S FORT ATTACKED - MOREDOCK O. MCKENSEY AND FAMILY ATTACKED BY INDIANS - CAPTAIN THOMAS BURKE, MICHAEL WOODS, JOHN FLOYD, AND JOHN LUCAS IN COMMAND OF THE FORTS 1777-78 -LYBROOKS, CHAPMANS, SNIDOWS AND OTHERS ON THE FRONTIER - EDWARD HALE AND JOSEPH HARE IN NEW RIVER VALLEY 1779 - TORY UPRISING ON UPPER NEW RIVER SUPPRESSED BY CLOYD, CAMPBELL, CROCKETT AND CLEVELAND - DAVID JOHNSON AND FAMILY, FROM CULPEPER COUNTY, SETTLES IN THE NEW RIVER VALLEY - ILLINOIS COUNTY CREATED - THOMAS INGLES LOCATES IN WRIGHT'S VALLEY AND REMOVES TO BURKE'S GARDEN - IN SEPTEMBER 1779 JOHN PAULEY AND WIFE AND OTHERS ATTACKED BY INDIANS ON EAST RIVER - 1780, JOHN TONEY AND FAMILY, FROM LOWER VIRGINIA, SETTLE AT THE MOUTH OF EAST RIVER - FAMILY BY NAME OF CHRISTIAN SETTLE ON EAST RIVER - JOHN G. DAVIDSON AND RICHARD BAILEY WITH THEIR FAMILIES SETTLE AT BEAVER POND - WILLIAM WILBURN AND DAVID HUGHES, FROM NORTH CAROLINA, AND JOHN AND BENJAMIN WHITE, FROM AMHERST COUNTY, VIRGINIA, SETTLE ON SUGAR RUN - MAJOR JOSEPH CLOYD IN OCTOBER 1780 LEADS TROOPS TO NORTH CAROLINA AND FIGHTS BATTLES AT SHALLOW FORD OF YADKIN, CAPTAIN GEO. PEARIS WOUNDED - BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN, PART OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY MEN KILLED IN THIS BATTLE UNDER LIEUTENANTS REECE BOWEN AND JAMES MOORE, BOWEN KILLED IN ACTION - BATTLES OF WETZEL'S MILL AND GUILFORD COURT HOUSE - CAPTAIN THOMAS SHANNON LEADS A COMPANY OF NEW RIVER VALLEY MEN IN THESE BATTLES - CAPTAIN GEO. PEARIS SETTLES ON NEW RIVER IN THE SPRING OF 1782 - ADAM CAPERTON KILLED AT ESTILL'S DEFEAT - THE COUNTRY ALARMED BY THE ATTACK ON THOMAS INGLES, MILITARY CALLED OUT - SWARMS OF EMIGRANTS CROSS THE ALLEGHANIES IN 1782-3-4 AND SETTLE IN PART IN NEW RIVER VALLEY, AND OTHERS GO TO KENTUCKY - PETERS, WALKER, SMITH, STOWERS AND OTHERS COME IN 1782 - INDIAN RAIDING PARTY PENETRATE THE BLUESTONE AND UPPER WOLF CREEK SECTION, STEAL HORSES AND ESCAPE - MITCHELL CLAY'S FAMILY ATTACKED BY INDIANS AT CLOVER BOTTOM IN 1783 - CAPTAIN GEO. PEARIS KILLS AN INDIAN ON NEW RIVER - JAMES MOORE, JR., CAPTURED BY INDIANS IN ABB'S VALLEY - NEW STATE OF FRANKLIN, EFFORT TO ENLARGE ITS BOUNDARIES BY CAMPBELL AND OTHERS - "RUSSELL COUNTY CREATED IN 1785 - CAPTAIN JAMES MOORE AND HIS FAMILY ATTACKED BY FORTY SHAWNEE INDIANS IN 1786 AND KILLED, CAPTURED AND DESTROYED - 1787, FEDERAL CONVENTION ASSEMBLES IN PHILADELPHIA, FRAMES A CONSTITUTION AND SUBMITS IT TO THE STATES - 1788, NOVEMBER 12TH, CAPTAIN HENRY HARMAN AND HIS SONS FIGHT A BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS ON THE BANKS OF THE TUG - HARMAN'S BATTLE SONG - 1789, WILLIAM WHEATLEY KILLED BY INDIANS - FAMILY OF JAMES ROARK DESTROYED - 1789, OCTOBER, MRS. VIRGINIA WILEY CAPTURED - INDIAN MARAUDING BAND ON HEAD

OF CLINCH AND BLUESTONE IN 1790 - BIRTH OF JONATHAN BAILEY - WYTHE COUNTY

CREATED - FAMILY OF ANDREW DAVIDSON CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS IN 1791,

DAVIDSON'S LONG SEARCH FOR HIS WIFE AND HER RESCUE - UPPER CLINCH AND

BLUESTONE RAIDED BY INDIANS IN JULY, 1792 PURSUED BY MAJOR ROBERT

CROCKETT, GILBERT KILLED AND LUSK CAPTURED - LUSK AND MRS. WILEY ESCAPE IN

THE FALL OF 1792 - JOHN G. DAVIDSON MURDERED BY INDIANS AND A WHITE MAN,

ONE RICE, ON THE 8TH DAY OF MARCH, 1793 - INDIANS PURSUED, OVERTAKEN AT

ISLAND OF GUYANDOTTE, SKIRMISH FOLLOWS - PETITION OF ROBERT CROCKETT,

JOSEPH DAVIDSON AND FIFTY OTHERS TO THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA - ALARM IN THE NEW RIVER SECTION AND GOVERNOR CALLS OUT A MILITARY COMPANY UNDER CAPTAIN HUGH CAPERTON WHICH IS STATIONED ON THE KANAWHA, DANIEL BOONE THE

COMMISSARIAT - MARAUDING PARTY OF INDIANS IN 1793, THE LAST ON THE WATERS

OF THE UPPER CLINCH AND BLUESTONE - WAYNE'S GREAT VICTORY OVER THE UNITED

INDIAN TRIBES IN OHIO ON AUGUST THE TWENTIETH, 1794, BRINGS PEACE TO THE

VIRGINIA BORDER - SWARMS OF LAND SPECULATORS AND SURVEYORS ON THE OHIO

WATERS, NORTH AND WEST OF THE SETTLEMENTS - NUMEROUS AND LARGE GRANTS OF

LAND TO ROBERT MORRIS, THE PATRIOT AND FINANCIER - GRANTS TO POLLARD,

HOPKINS, YOUNG, MCLAUGHLIN, MOORE AND BECKLEY, BLISS, DWIGHT AND GRANGER,

RUTTER AND ETTING, DR. JOHN DILLION, DEWITT CLINTON, ROBERT MCCULLOCK,

WILSON CARY NICHOLAS, WILSON, PICKETT, SMITH AND OTHERS - MANNERS AND

CUSTOMS OF THE BORDER PEOPLE, THEIR RELIGIOUS LIFE - EARLY MINISTERS.

CHAPTER V

1795-1836

MARRIAGES, BY WHOM CELEBRATED PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE OF TOLERATION ACTS -

REAL CIVILIZATION BEGUN - MONROE COUNTY CREATED, ITS BOUNDARIES, BRIEF

HISTORY OF - FORMATION OF TAZEWELL COUNTY, ITS BOUNDARIES, BRIEF HISTORY

OF - FORMATION OF GILES COUNTY, ITS BOUNDARIES, AND BRIEF HISTORY THEREOF.

CHAPTER VI

1837-1861

FORMATION OF MERCER COUNTY - ITS BOUNDARIES, ETC. - COURTS ORGANIZED -

FIRST GRAND JURY EMPANELLED - POPULAR ELECTION - INCLUDING ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF SECESSION CONVENTION.

CHAPTER VII Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D

1861-1865

THE ORGANIZATION OF MILITARY COMPANIES - THE CONCENTRATION OF ARMIES - THE

WAR BEGINS - GREAT UNION UPRISING IN NORTHWESTERN VIRGINIA - RESTORED

GOVERNMENT OF VIRGINIA - FORMATION OF WEST VIRGINIA - VARIOUS BATTLES AND

ENGAGEMENTS - CAMPAIGNS OF 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865 - THE WAR ENDS -

PEACE RESTORED - RECONSTRUCTION IN MERCER COUNTY.

CHAPTER VIII

1866-1905

RECONSTRUCTION IN MERCER COUNTY, W. VA - CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

DISFRANCHISING CONFEDERATES - REGISTRATION LAW - COUNTY SEAT AGITATION -

THE "COMMITTEE OF SAFETY" - THE CREATION OF SUMMERS COUNTY - THE

RESTORATION OF THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE - INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT - THE FLAT

TOP COAL FIELD - RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION - THE CITY OF BLUEFIELD.

APPENDIX A

THE COURTS, JUDGES, MAGISTRATES, ATTORNEYS, ETC.

APPENDIX B

COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA FORMED OUT OF THE TERRITORY

OF AUGUSTA AND FREDERICK, AND HOW OR FOR WHOM NAMED.

APPENDIX C - PART A, PART B

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

APPENDIX D

ELECTED OFFICIALS

APPENDIX E

A LIST OF ATTORNEYS FOR THE COMMONWEALTH FOR GILES COUNTY FROM 1806

TO 1905.

APPENDIX F

CONFEDERATE OFFICERS

APPENDIX G

MILITARY ROSTERS

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Happy Saint Patrick's Day !!!

St Patricks Day Glitter Graphics


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Virtual Jamestown website

Folks, this is just about the coolest thing I've seen lately. The Virtual Jamestown website has a ton of information, but a most interesting thing is where students at Salisbury State University used a technique to put the Indian towns on Google Earth.
This is from their site:

Indian Groups/Towns

The towns or Indian groups (usually having the same name) located on this map were taken from John Smith’s Map of Virginia. Smith created the map in 1608 from two voyages he took up and down the rivers that feed the Chesapeake Bay.

Working under contract to Virtual Jamestown, geographer Mike Smith and students at Salisbury State University employed a “rubber sheet” technique to fit the towns onto a modern map of Virginia. During the 2007 fall semester, students in Crandall Shifflett’s undergraduate research history class at Virginia Tech collected data on 16 Indian groups or towns: Accomack, Accohannock, Arrohateck, Chesapeake, Nansemond, Kecoughtan, Kiskiack, Monacan, Mannahoac, Nottaway, Meherrin, Patawomeck, Powhatan, Rappahannock, Weanock, and Werowocomoco.

Towns were chosen primarily on the basis of the quantity of data available on Smith’s towns. Students used research data from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and secondary sources. In addition, courtesy of a special Google Earth (GE) Education Initiative (GE provided each student in the class with a license to Google Earth Pro), students could add their findings to the map. GE Pro allowed students to create pop-up windows of information on their assigned group according to a template with the following features: name, alternative names, meaning of name, geographical coordinates, distance from Werowocomoco, population with dates and sources, language group, link to report, and notes.

We have compiled them into a single kmz file (Google Earth file).

Continue here.

Penny Ferguson

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Non-Christian Servants Declared Slaves

In November 1682 the Virginia assembly enacted legislation specifying that

. . . all servants except Turks and Moores . . . whether Negroes, Moors, Mollattoes or Indians, who and whose parentage and Native country are not Christian at the time of their first purchase of such servant by some Christian, although afterwards, and before such their importation and bringing into this country they shall be converted to the Christian faith; and all Indians which shall hereafter be sold by our neighbouring Indians, or any other trafiqueing with us as for slaves are hereby adjudged, deemed and taken to be slaves to all intents and purposes, any law, usage or custom to the countrary [Hening 1809-1823:II:491-492]

Thus, all who were sold as slaves were considered slaves, whether or not they had been converted to Christianity. Moreover, Indians and other non-whites were considered slaves if they had been imported or sold as such. The new law also declared that Indian maid servants who were age 16 or older were considered tithables, i.e., they were considered taxable personal property.

continue here

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