Rockingham-Rockbridge County Virginia USGenWeb Archives History - Books .....Greenbrier County History 1889 1889 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Alice Warner http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003503 July 21, 2009, 11:38 am Book Title: History Of West Virginia In Two Parts By Virgil A. Lewis GREENBRIER. Greenbrier, Rockbridge and Rockingham counties were the children of the Revolution, born when the Briton was ravaging the colonies, and when the shores of Virginia were resounding to the tread of her armed oppressor, and her bays and inlets were echoing the thunders of British cannon. The bill providing for the formation of these counties passed the General Assembly of Virginia, October, 1777—second year of the Commonwealth. The section relating to the organization of Greenbrier is as follows :— /And be it further enacted/, "That from and after the first day of March, the said county and parish of Botetourt shall be divided by a line beginning on the top of the ridge which divides the eastern from the western waters, where the line between Augusta and Botetourt crosses the same, and running thence the same course, continuing north fifty-five degrees west to the Ohio ; thence beginning at the said ridge, at the said lines of Botetourt and Augusta, running along the top of the said ridge, passing the Sweet Springs to the top of Peters Mountain ; thence along the same mountain to the line of Montgomery county; thence along the same mountain to the Kanawha or New river ; thence down the said river to the Ohio. And all that part of the counties of Montgomery and Botetourt between and to the westward of the said lines shall be one distinct county and parish to be called and known by the name of Greenbrier." Another section, providing for the time and place of holding the county courts, fixed for Greenbrier the third Tuesday of each month as the time, and the house of John Stuart as the place. Just when the first court in the county was held is not known. The earliest record in the clerk's office is for the November term of 1780, at which time the following justices were present: Samuel Brown, John Anderson, William Hutchison, John Henderson and William Poage. The first entry in the records for the term says that John Archer "came into court, and with the consent of the said court, resigned his office as clerk ; whereupon John Stuart was unanimously elected to act in that office, and thereupon took the oaths as prescribed by law." This entry shows conclusively that the court had been organized prior to the above date, but of that organization no record is extant. At this time Andrew Donnally was high sheriff, and John Rodgers and John Williams were his deputies. /Pioneer Settlers/.—In the year 1769 Robert McClanachan, Thomas and William Renick located near where the town of Frankford now stands. Captain McClanachan, afterwards killed at the battle of Point Pleasant, settled on the north side of Greenbrier river, midway between Frankford and Falling Spring, but soon sold his land to Major William Renick, by whose descendants it is still owned. His wife was Catharine Madison, a cousin of James Madison, fourth president of the United States. After his death she married Captain William Arbuckle, spent several years in Fort Randolph, at Point Pleasant, and afterward lived and died on the banks of the Kanawha, on what is now known as Craig farm, four miles below the town of Buffalo. In 1769, Thomas Williams settled about two miles south of Williamsburg, on what has since been known as the Glendi farm. The same year William McCoy built his cabin near where Williamsburg now stands, and William Hughart reared his three miles southwest of the present town. In 1770, James Jordon settled on lands adjoining Hughart's. In 1771, John Patton settled at the foot of Hughart's mountain, and William Blake on Culbertson's creek. About the year 1772, Samuel McKinney located on Muddy creek, near where the Clendenins were murdered, nine years before. His first neighbor was David Keeney, from whom Keeney's Knob takes its name. In 1773, William McClung settled on the banks of Big Clear creek. When he reared his cabin there was not a store or mill within a hundred miles of his lonely habitation. He patented a large tract of land on Meadow river, and here, December 20, 1777, was born William McClung, son of William and Abigail, his wife. He was the first white child born on Meadow river. Captain McClung was soon joined by his brothers, John and Edward. The first settlement within the limits of Anthony District was made in 1774, by a man named Hatfield. In the same year Andrew Donnally settled on land ten miles northwest of Lewisburg ; here remain the ruins of old Fort Donnally. In 1775, Uriah Jenkins, Frank Ford and John McFerrin settled in the vicinity. In 1776, came William Cavendish, who afterward became the first clerk of Kanawha county. About the same time, came Alexander Ockeltree and James Burns, both of whom were killed at Donnally's Fort. Anthony Rader added his cabin to the settlement in 1778. In 1780, the number of settlers was increased by the arrival of James Kincaid, John Gregory, George Mollahan and Charles Hyde. In 1778, Erwin Williams, James Crawford, David McClure and John McDowell settled near the centre of what is now Irish Corner District. In 1781, they were joined by John Gardner, in 1785, by Samuel Williams, Robert Knox and David Williams, and in 1786, by Samuel Lewis. /Attack on Donnallys Fort/.—In May, 1778, a body of about two hundred Indians, determined to avenge the death of their chieftain, Cornstalk, began a siege of Fort Randolph, at Point Pleasant, then garrisoned by a detachment of Virginia troops, commanded by Lieutenant McKee. A determined resistance was continued for a week, at the end of which time the siege was raised, and the Indians, instead of returning north of the Ohio, proceeded up the Kanawha. Lieutenant McKee, believing their object to be the destruction of the Greenbrier settlement, dispatched two men to notify the settlement of the advance of the Indians. After following them several days they became frightened and returned to Point Pleasant. Captain McKee then formed his men in line and asked if there were any two among them, who would volunteer to go to the Greenbrier country and warn the people of their danger. John Prior and Philip Hammond stepped from the ranks and replied " We will." The Grenadier Squaw, a sister of Cornstalk, but a friend of the whites, painted them as savages, and though the Indians were far in advance, still by traveling night and day, they were enabled to overtake them, and came upon their camp at the mouth of Big Clear creek, only twenty miles from Fort Donnally. Not knowing whether the Indians had attacked the settlement, one of them climbed a pine tree to ascertain from their movements something of their intentions. The Indians were preparing for a massacre. Prior and Hammond immediately started for the settlement to warn the people of their danger. The following men, with their families, were in the fort at the time of the attack: Colonel Andrew Donnally, Captain Jack Williams, Richard Williams, William Blake, William Hughart, ----- Hughart, Sr., John McFerrin, William McCoy, Sr., William McCoy, Jr., Henry Hedrick, James Jordon, Thomas George, William Hamilton, James Graham, William Strickland, ----- Griffin, Philip Hammond, John Pryor, Dick Pointer (colored), and William Pritchart. Alexander Ockeltree and James Burns were killed as they approached the fort. William Pritchart, an Irish servant of Colonel Donnally, in the morning, just before daylight, went across the run to an old tan-trough, either to wash or get some kindling, and was there tomahawked. No one knew of his going out, therefore his absence created no alarm, but he had left the stockade gate open. The evening before the battle the Indians came to the top of Brushy Ridge, at a point called Bald Knob, one mile from the fort. In the morning they left the ridge and came down to the creek, about a quarter of a mile from the fort, which they followed to where it crosses the road, only a hundred yards from the fort, and knowing the stockade gate to be open, made a sudden rush for the fort. William Hughart, who was standing at the door, saw the Indians, and instead of firing his gun to give the alarm, drawled out in his peculiar style, " Y-o-n-d-e-r t-h-e-y c-o-m-e," and pushed the door shut. The Indians made a rush for the door and began to cut it down with their tomahawks. They could open it only partially, on account of a hogshead of water placed behind it. Hammond was soon on his feet. Dick Pointer had seized an old musket heavily loaded with swan shot, and was jumping about the floor, calling to Hammond, "What must I do?" Hammond said, "D—n you, shoot!" "Where, massa?" said Dick. "At the bunch," replied Hammond. At this the Indians had partly forced the door open. Hammond cut the first down with his tomahawk, and Dick fired, mowing a swathe to the stockade gate, the recoil of the gun knocking him over. This awakened the people above, and springing from their beds, they grasped their rifles and opened a galling fire, which drove the Indians outside the stockade. Before they retired some of the Indians succeeded in getting under the floor and attempted to set fire to the building. The striking of the flint and steel attracted attention, and when they tried to raise the floor the inmates helped them, and every Indian under the floor was killed. The Indians continued the battle, using every conceivable method to capture the fort. By climbing a tree one of the savages was enabled to glance a bullet so that it struck William Blake on the forehead, inflicting a scalp wound. But the Indian paid dearly for his folly, for soon after a ball from the gun of Captain John Williams went through his brains. The whites were scarce of ammunition, and were constantly warning each other in the use of it. An Indian, who had succeeded in getting within the stockade and climbed the corner of the fort, began mocking them by crying out "Load 'em well, shoot 'em sure, ammunition scarce." Richard Williams dug a hole through the mortar and shot him through the body. Letting go his hold, he swung round and fell into a soap trough. At the same time another Indian had gotten under the floor. A kettle of boiling water or soap frightened him out, and a ball from Hammond's gun killed him as he was attempting to climb the stockade fence. The loss on the part of the whites was four men killed and two wounded—Pritchart at the tan trough, Alexander Ockeltree and James Burns, who were on their way to the fort, and James Graham within the Fort. William Blake was wounded in the head and William Hamilton in the finger. Burns fell dead when shot. Ockeltree ran about three hundred yards, and fell pierced by seven bullets. The news was carried to Fort Savanna, now Lewisburg, by a scout sent out for the purpose by Captain John Stuart. He and Colonel Samuel Lewis, accompanied by sixty-six men, started for the fort about noon. They went by the way of what is now Livesay's Mill, up the creek, then westward to Rader's creek, then through a rye field to the fort, arriving about four P.M. When they approached, they thought the Indians had withdrawn, as the firing had ceased, but seeing an Indian behind a tree, Captain Stuart and Charles Gatliff fired, and the savage fell dead. Then with butts of guns foremost, they made a rush for the fort. The inmates at first supposed it to be another charge of the Indians, but soon discovering their mistake, threw open the doors. Although the Indians opened fire upon Captain Stuart and his men, and many of them had their clothes pierced by bullets, not one of them was injured. The Indians continued firing slowly from an old barn two hundred yards northwest of the fort, and at dark withdrew. Just before dark, an old Indian approached the fort and said they wanted peace, but the whites could not induce him to enter. They carried away all their dead accessible to them, but seventeen were left within the stockade fence. These Dick Pointer buried next day, about thirty yards south from the fort. He dragged them to the place with a horse, using a chain, the hook of which was placed in their mouths. Where the remainder of them were buried was never known. The engagement, except for the cry of Hughart, would have been a complete surprise. The whites fought as they came from their beds, and many of the women, in similar attire, moulded bullets. The fort was a single log-house, two stories high, and a kitchen one a half stories high, with a passageway of eight feet between them. The stockade was eight feet in height, made of split logs. The fort stood on the east side of Rader's creek, ten miles northwest from Lewisburg. Dick Pointer was granted his freedom for his work on the day of the battle. John Davis gave him a life lease to a piece of land, on which the people built him a cabin. There Dick eked out a kind of life, and at his death they buried him with the honors of war in Lewisburg cemetery—fulfilling the saying " Man's good deeds are never known through life, but they live after death." Dick was a large, powerful man, very black, and in the latter part of his life became very dissipated. No monument marks his resting-place, but one should be erected over the grave of him who saved more than seventy human beings—most of them women and children—from the tomahawk and scalping-knife of the savage. A remarkable incident of the day was the birth of a male child, who grew to manhood, and, from his great size, was known far and wide as Big Joe Hughart. /The Last Indian Incursion/.—After the signal defeat at Donnally's Fort, the Indians made but two more incursions into the Greenbrier country, and these in small parties. In the first they came to Muddy creek, and there wounded Captain Samuel McClung and killed Mr. Munday and his wife. In the second they visited the same place, and Thomas Griffith, the last victim of savage butchery in Greenbrier county, was killed. His son was carried away prisoner, but while descending the Great Kanawha, they were pursued and overtaken by a body of whites. One Indian was killed and the boy released and returned to his friends. Thus ended the period of savage atrocity in Greenbrier county in the year 1780. Lewisburg is situated on the old James river and Kanawha turnpike, two hundred and fourteen miles west of Richmond, and two hundred and sixty-three miles from Washington. Its beginning was the erection of old Fort Union in 1774, which continued to stand until the storm of Indian warfare had spent its force and died away. When the savages no more visited the beautiful savanna on which it stood, then its walls were permitted to crumble to dust, and the old pioneers which it had sheltered for many years went forth, not with the rifle, but with the axe, to reclaim from the wilderness what their valor had won from the sway of the barbarian, and how well they succeeded in this conquest let their posterity who now enjoy its fruits answer. In October, 1792, the General Assembly enacted: "That forty acres of land whereon the courthouse of the county of Greenbrier now stands, be and the same is hereby vested in Samuel Lewis, James Reid, Samuel Brown, Andrew Donnally, John Stuart, Archer Mathew, William Ward and Thomas Edgar, gentlemen, trustees, to be by them, or any five of them, laid out into lots of half an acre each, which shall be and the same is hereby established a town by the name of Lewisburg." Another section of the bill declared it to be unlawful to build a house less than i8x 20 feet, and, in addition, it must "have a brick or stone chimney." The Lewisburg Presbyterian Church. This is the oldest church organization on the western waters of the Virginias. It was formed in 1783 by Rev. John McCue. He continued as pastor of the Church five or six years, when he returned to the east and was succeeded in the pastorate by the Rev. Benjamin Grigsby, who remained until the coming of Dr. John McElheny, in 1808. Then began one of the longest pastorates recorded in Church history. He served the congregation until his death in 1871, a period of sixty-three years. Because of his age, Rev. J. C. Barr was called in 1859 to assist him, and remained until 1869, when Rev. M. L. Lacy became the assistant. After the death of Dr. McElheny, he became the pastor and continued as such until 1882, when his ill health compelled him to resign his charge and he was succeeded by Rev. J. C. Rosebro. Soon after the organization of the church a log building was erected, and in this it continued to worship until 1796, when the present "Old Stone Church" was completed. It is built of irregular blocks of blue limestone, and is of Gothic architecture. It is the oldest Church edifice in the Greenbrier country. As the worshiper enters the vestibule he may read, on a slab just over the door, the following inscription :— THIS BUILDING WAS ERECTED IN THE YEAR 1796, AT THE EXPENSE OF A FEW OF THE FIRST INHABITANTS OF THIS LAND, TO COMMEMORATE THEIR AFFECTION AND ESTEEM FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. READER, IF YOU ARE INCLINED TO APPLAUD THEIR VIRTUE, GIVE GOD THE GLORY. The Baptist Church Of Greenbrier. The first Baptist preacher west of the Alleghenies was the Rev. John Alderson, in honor of whom Alderson, in the county of Monroe, was named. He was pastor of the Lynnville Baptist Church, in Rockingham county, then far out on the frontier. But no sooner did the settlements in the west assume the appearance of permanency than he carried the glad tidings to them. Between the years 1775 and 1777, Mr. Alderson made no less than three visits to Greenbrier, then a wild, uncultivated and almost uninhabited country, and while on these visits baptized three persons, two of whom were John Griffith and Mrs. Keeney. These were the first persons ever immersed in the western waters of Virginia. Mr. Alderson now determined to remove to the west, and accordingly, early in the year 1777, set out with his family. On reaching Jackson's river he learned that a few days before, the Indians had attacked the house of Colonel James Graham, in Greenbrier, and had killed one member of his family and carried another into captivity; in consequence of this information he halted for some months, but reached his destination in October. His first location was in Jarrett's Fort, on Wolf creek, now in Monroe, but after a short time he settled on the bank of the Greenbrier river, where Alderson now stands, and cleared a farm on which he afterwards followed the plow with his gun swung to his shoulder. In going from fort to fort to fulfill his engagements, he was often guarded by a body of armed men. In two years he succeeded in collecting twelve members, himself and wife included. They considered themselves a branch of the Lynnville church, but transacted business as a separate body. On the 24th of October they were regularly constituted into a working body known as the "Greenbrier Baptist Church," and the following year it was admitted into the Ketocton Association. At this time the members were very much scattered over the country, some living twenty miles from the location of the church, and because of this, the regular church meetings were held in different localities. Occasionally such meetings were held at Second Creek Gap, in the big Levels near Lewisburg, and on New river. Notwithstanding the members were dispersed over such a wide area, measures were taken to build a house of worship as early as 1783, and in May following the ground on which the Greenbrier church has since stood was fixed, upon as a suitable location. In July of the following year, the building was so nearly completed that it was used for public worship. This was the first church building erected in Southwestern Virginia. Accessions continued to be made, and in 1785, some of the members resided at Second Creek Gap, some on New river, some on Indian creek, others on the Big Levels, and one named Burr on Spring creek, a distance of thirty miles from the church building, and yet the records say /these members were in the habit of attending the regular church meetings./ Mr. Alderson continued his labors here seven years before he met with a single Baptist minister. In 1785, Rev. James Johnson came over the mountains and was induced to settle on the Kanawha. Here he continued his ministry until 1803, when he removed to Kentucky. Greenbrier Lodge, No. 49, A. F. And A. M., Was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Virginia on the fifth day of December, A. D. 1796, A. M. 5796. James W. Williams, Archer Matthews and John G. Brown were the charter members. The first meeting was held April ist, 1797, at which time the following officers were installed: James W. Williams, W. M. ; Archer Matthews, S. W.; John G. Brown, J. W. ; Dennis McGlauthlin, Sec. ; Linna Mimms, Treas.; John D. Littlepage, S. D.; George McClung, J. D. ; and James Johnson, Tyler. On the rolls appear the names of many eminent men of Virginia. This is the parent lodge of Southwestern Virginia, and many are the members who have been dismissed to form the nucleus of other organizations. /Williamsburg/ was laid out in 1833, by Moses McCoy, and named in honor of Thomas Williams, the first settler. /Ronceverte/ was laid out in 1871, by Cecil Clay. It was incorporated in 1882, at which time A. E. White became first mayor. /White Sulphur Springs./— This is now the most celebrated watering-place in the Southern States, and among the most noted in the world. The land upon which it is situated was originally patented by Nathan Carpenter, who reared his cabin near the spring, and removed his family to it in the year 1774. Soon after his settlement his house was attacked by the Indians, and he and every member of his family murdered, except his wife Kate, who with her infant escaped to a high mountain. Here she remained concealed some time, then, with her infant—now the dearest object on earth—fled to the east, where she found her friends and related to them the sad story of the fate of her family in the wilds of West Augusta. It is said that from this child have sprung some of the wealthiest and most influential families of Staunton, and "Kate's Mountain" will never cease to be an object of interest to those who visit the White Sulphur Springs. The massacre of the Carpenters did not deter others from settling near the site of the bloody tragedy, and soon after came William Herndon the first to open the Springs as a public resort, he having leased the property from James Caldwell for a period of ten years. Early in the history of the country, years before Mr. Carpenter came, explorers, hunters and trappers drank of the health-giving waters which flowed from this mysterious fountain, and related to their friends the story of what seemed to be the rival Fountain of Perpetual Youth. As early as 1772, a woman was brought here on a litter a distance of forty miles, whose disease had baffled the skill of the most eminent physicians in Virginia. A tree was felled and a trough made and filled with water, which was then heated by putting hot stones into it. In this the patient was bathed, at the same time drinking freely from the fountain. Strange to relate, at the termination of three weeks she was able to walk to her home. The fame of the cure attracted many invalids to the spring, and rude cabins soon began to be reared around it. But the dreariness of the mountains, the bad condition of the roads and the poor accommodations deterred all but the most desperate from attempting to reach the health-giving waters until 1818, when James Caldwell came into possession of the property, and from that time dates the history of the place as a national resort. Nature has done everything possible to render it an enchanted spot. The valley opens about half a mile wide, and winding in length from east to west, finally passes away into the mountains beyond the view. On every hand is presented the grandest scenery. The elevated plateau, from which the spring pours forth its healing waters at a height of 20x30 feet above the sea level, commands a lovely and extended view to the south and southwest, while to the east and west the whole horizon is fretted with mountains, the peaks of which glistening in the clear sunlight, seem to kiss the skies. Kate's Mountain and the Greenbrier Range, with an elevation of 3500 feet above sea level, surround and shelter the valley, while the towering Alleghenies are seen five miles away to the north and east. Art has done her part as well. Within a few rods of the spring stands the Grand Central Hotel, among the finest buildings of its kind in the south; beautiful walks and drives run in every direction separating one lawn from another. Long rows of dazzling white cottages stretch away on every side, contrasting beautifully with the verdant foliage of the lofty forest trees which overshadow them. At night brilliant jets of electric light flash all around, while strains of sweet music fill the air. The fountain itself is crowned with a stately Doric dome, supported by twelve large pillars, the whole surmounted with a colossal statue of Hygeia, looking toward the rising sun. Major William Renick: His ancestors were among those who fled from persecution in Scotland, and James Renick was the last martyr who yielded up his life rather than renounce his allegiance to his chosen church. The family first settled in Pennsylvania, but soon removed to Augusta county, Virginia, and settled where Swope's depot, on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, now stands, and here, in 1745, William Renick was born. In 1757, the family was attacked by a band of Shawnee Indians ; Robert, the father, was killed and the wife and children carried into captivity, where soon after their arrival at the Indian town, Mrs. Renick gave birth to a child in a wigwam on the site where Chilicothe, Ohio, now stands. William remained in captivity, then returned to Virginia, and as we have seen, became one of the first settlers of the Greenbrier country. /Memorandum Written by Colonel John Stuart:/—In the following mentioned year, Colonel John Stuart, then old and feeble, entered the office of.the County Clerk at Lewisburg, and in Deed Book No. 1, beginning on page 754, wrote the following. "MEMORANDUM—1798, JULY I5TH.' (BY JOHN STUART). "The inhabitants of every county and place are desirous to inquire after the first founders, and in order to gratify the curious or such who may hereafter incline to be informed of the origin of the settlements made in Greenbrier, I leave this memorandum for their satisfaction, being the only person at this time, alive acquainted with the circumstances of its discovery and manner of settling. Born in Augusta county, and the particulars of this place often related to me from my childhood by the first adventurers, I can relate with certainty that our river was first discovered about the year 1749, by the white people. Some say Jacob Marlin was the first person who discovered it, others that a man of unsound mind, who's name I don't now remember, had wandered from Frederick county through the mountains, and on his return reported he had seen a river running westward, supposed to be Greenbrier river. However, Jacob Marlin and Stephen Suel were the first settlers at the mouth of Knap's creek, above what is now called the little levels on the lands still bearing the name of Marlins. These two men lived there in a kind of hermitage, having no families. But frequently differing in sentiment, which ended in rage, Marlin kept possession of the cabin, whilst Suel took up his abode in the trunk of a large tree at a small distance, and thus living more independent, their animosity would abate and sociability ensued. Not long after they had made the settlement on the river, the county was explored by the late General Andrew Lewis, at that time, a noted and famous woodsman, on who's report, an order of Council was soon obtained, granting one hundred thousand acres of lands on Greenbrier to the Hon. John Robinson (Treasurer of Virginia), and others to the number of twelve, including old Col. John Lewis and his two sons, William and Charles, with conditions of settling the lands with inhabitants, and certain emoluments of three pounds per hundred acres to themselves. But the war breaking out between England and France in the year 1755, and the Indians being excited by the French to make war on the back inhabitants of Virginia, all who were then settled on the Greenbrier were obliged to retreat to the older settlements for safety, amongst whom was Jacob Marlin, but Suel fell a sacrifice to the enemy. This war ended in 1761, and then some people returned and settled in Greenbrier again, amongst whom was Archibald Clendenin, who's residence was on the lands now claimed by John Davis by virtue of an intermarriage with his daughter, and lying two miles west of Lewisburg, "The Indians breaking out again in 1763, came up the Kanawha in a large body to the number of sixty, and coming to the house of Frederick See on Muddy creek, were kindly entertained by him and Felty Yolkcom ; not suspecting their hostile design, they were suddenly killed and their families with many others made prisoners ; then proceeding over the mountain, they came to Archibald Clendenin's, who like Yolkcom and See, entertained them until they put him to death, his family with a number of others living with him being made prisoners or killed, not any escaping except Conrad Yolkcom, who doubting the design of the Indians when they came to Clendenin's, took his horse and under the pretence of hobbling him at some distance from the house—soon after some guns were fired at the house and a loud cry raised by the people, whereupon, Yolkcom taking the alarm mounted his horse and rode off as far as where the Court House now stands, and there beginning to ruminate whether he might not be mistaken in his apprehensions, concluded to return and know the truth, but just as he came to the corner of Clendenin's fence some Indians placed there presented their guns and attempted to shoot him, but their guns missing fire (he thinks at least ten), he immediately fled to Jackson's river, alarming the people as he went, but few were willing to believe him. The Indians pursued after him, and all that fell in their way were killed until they went to Carr's creek, now in Rockbridge county. So much were people intimidated in them days by an attack of the Indians, that they suffered them to retreat with all their booty and more prisoners than there were Indians in their party. I will here relate a narrative of Archibald Clendenin's wife. Being a prisoner with her young child, as they were passing over Keeney's Knob from Muddy creek, a part of the Indians being in front with the Indians behind, the prisoners in the centre, Mrs. Clendenin handed her baby to another woman to carry, and she slipped to one side and hid herself in a bush, but the Indians soon missing her one of them observed that he would bring the cow to her calf, and taking the child caused it to cry very loud. But the mother not appearing, he took the child and beat out its brains against a tree, then throwing it down in the road all the people and horses that were in the rear passed over it until it was torn to pieces. Many more cruelties were committed too hard to be related, too many to be contained in this memorandum. Thus was Greenbrier once more depopulated.for six years, but a peace being concluded with the Indians in 1765, and the lands on the western waters with certain boundaries being purchased at a treaty at Fort Stanwix by Andrew Lewis and Thomas Walker, commissioners appointed by Government, the people again returned to settle in Greenbrier in 1769, and I, myself, was among the first of those adventurers, being at that time about nineteen years of age, with Robert McClenachan another very young man; our design was to secure lands, and encourage a settlement in the country. But the Indians breaking out again in 1774, Col. Andrew Lewis was ordered by the Earl of Dunmore (then Governor of Virginia), to march against them with fifteen hundred volunteer militia, which army marched from Camp Union (now Lewisburg) the 11th day of September, 1774, two companies of the said army being raised in Greenbrier and commanded by Captain Rob. McClenachan and myself. We were met by the Indians on the loth day of October, at the mouth of the Kanawha, and a very obstinate engagement ensued. The Indians were defeated, though with a loss of seventy-five officers and soldiers ; amongst the slain was Col. Charles Lewis, who commanded the Augusta militia, and my friend Capt. Robt. McClenachan. Col. Andrew Lewis pursued his victory, crossing the Ohio, until we were in sight of some Indian towns on the waters of Sciota, where we were met by the Earl of Dunmore, who commanded an army in person and had made his route by way of Fort Pitt. The Governor capitulating with the Indians, Col. Lewis was ordered to retreat, and the next year hostilities commenced between the British and Americans at Boston in New England, and I have since been informed by Col. Lewis that the Earl of Dunmore (the king's Governor) knew of the attack to be made upon us by the Indians at the mouth of the Kanawha, and hoped our destruction. This secret was communicated to him by undisputable authority. "Independence being declared by America the 4th of July, 1776, and the people assuming the reins of government, a county was granted to the people of Greenbrier, under the Commonwealth, in May, 1778, and a Court was first held at my house on the 3d Tuesday in said month. Not long after which we were invaded again by the Indians, who had taken part with the British, and the 28th day of the same month, Colonel Andrew Donnally's house was attacked, about eight miles from Lewisburg, by two hundred Indians; these Indians were pursued from the mouth of the Kanawha by two scouts from the garrison, to wit: Phil. Hammond and John Prior, and passing the Indians at the meadows, gave intelligence to Colonel Donnally of their approach, who instantly collected about twenty men and the next morning sustained the attack of the enemy until he was relieved, about two o'clock by sixty men from Lewisburg. I was one of the number, and we got into the house unhurt, being favored by a field of rye which grew close up to the house, the Indians being all on the opposite side of the house. Four men were killed before we got in, and about sixteen Indians lay dead in the yard before the door; some of these were taken off in the night, but we scalped nine the next morning; this was the last time the Indians invaded Greenbrier in any large party. " Peace with the British followed in 1781, and then the people of this county began to make some feeble efforts to regulate their society, and to open roads and passes for the wagons through the mountains, which by many had been thought impracticable, no wagon at that time having ever approached nearer than the Warm Springs. On our petition the Assembly granted a law empowering the Court to levy a certain annual sum in commutables for the inhabitants for the purpose of opening a road from the Court House to the Warm Springs; a conveniency for the importation of salt and other necessaries of lumber as well as conveying our hemp and other heavy wear to market would readily be expected to receive the approbation of every one, but such is the perverse disposition of some men — unwilling that any should share advantages in preference to themselves— that this laudable measure was opposed by Mr. William Hutchison, who had first represented the County in the General Assembly—on this occasion, without the privity of the people, went at his own expense to Richmond, and by his insinuations to some of the members with unfair representations obtained a suspension of the law for two years, but the following year Col. Thomas Adams, who visited the county, satisfied with the impropriety of Hutchison's representation, had the suspension repealed, and full powers were allowed to the Court to levy money for the purpose aforesaid, and by this means a wagon road was opened from the Court House to the Warm Springs, which made way for the same to Sweet Springs. "The paper money emitted for maintaining our war against the British became totally depreciated, and there was not a sufficient quantity of specie in circulation to enable the people to pay the revenue tax assessed upon the citizens of this County, wherefore we fell in arrears to the public for four years. But the Assembly again taking our remote situation under consideration, graciously granted the sum of five thousand pounds of our said arrears to be applied to the purpose of opening a road from Lewisburg to the Kanawha river. The people, grateful for such indulgence, willingly embraced the opportunity of such an offer, and every person liable for arrears of tax agreed to perform labor equivalent on the road, and the people being formed into districts with each a superintendent, the road was completed in the space of two months in the year 1786, and thus was a communication by wagon to the navigable waters of the Kanawha first effected, and which will probably be found the nighest and best conveyance from the Eastern to the Western county that will ever be known. May I here hazard a conjecture that has often occurred to me since I inhabited this place, that Nature has designed this part of the world a peaceable retreat for some of her favorite children, where pure morals will be preserved by separating them from other societies at so respectful a distance by ridges of mountains ; and I sincerely wish time may prove my conjecture rational and true. From the springs of salt water discoverable along our river, banks of iron ore, mines pregnant with saltpetre and forests of sugar trees so amply provided and so easily acquired, I have no doubt the future inhabitants of this County will surely avail themselves of such singular advantages greatly to their comfort and satisfaction, and render them a grateful and happy people." Additional Comments: "History of West Virginia" by Virgil A. Lewis 1889 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/rockingham/history/1889/historyo/greenbri331gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/vafiles/ File size: 38.6 Kb