Greenbrier County WV Archives Biographies.....Stuart, Col. John  
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Alice Warner http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003503 July 21, 2009, 11:51 am

Author: Virgil A. Lewis

/Memorandum Written by Colonel John Stuart:/óIn 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.

"MEMORANDUMó1798, 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 houseósoon 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 ó
unwilling that any should share advantages in preference to themselvesó that
this laudable measure was opposed by Mr. William Hutchison, who had first
represented the County in the General Assemblyóon 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:
From Greenbrier County in History of West Virginia by Virgil A Lewis 1889

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