Frederick Ice Family 
Marion Co. WV                        

Frederick Ice and his family lived along the South Branch of the 
Potomac River. In 1752,Frederick and his oldest son John left 
home to go buy supplies. When they returned, they found that 
indians had raided their cabin, killing Mrs. Ice (Mary). A son, 
William, and two daughters,Christina and Marguerite Mary, had 
been kidnapped. Though they tried to find out, there was no
word of their fate.

In 1757, while taking refuge at Fort Pleasant during an indian scare, Frederick Ice met Samuel
Eckerly, who was being held on suspicion of being an indian sympathizer and spy. When soldiers
took him over the mountains to the Cheat River to investigate his claims, Frederick and John
went along to try to find word of their family. When the soldiers left, the Ices stayed to search
further. It was during this time that they decided to settle along the Cheat River and operate a
ferry. In 1759, Frederick, his second wife Eleanor "Nellie" Levingston, and their family settled
there, at was is called Ice's Ferry.

In 1760, a son was born to this couple. David Adam Ice, known usually as Adam, is said to be
the first white child born west of the Allegheny Mountains. A plaque stating this stands in the
intersection where Ice's Ferry once operated. The river has been made into Cheat Lake, and the
ferry has now been replaced by a bridge.

William came back into the family at Ice's Ferry. He had lived with the indians for years before
making his escape, and when traveling through the area heard of an Ice family nearby. He was
happy to find out that it was his father, and he settled in with them. The two kidnapped girls
were said to be living with the indians, and had refused attempts by indian traders to return them
to their old family.

William and John each claimed 400 acres of land along Buffalo Creek, near the site of
Barrackville. The run they settled on is known as Ice's Run. William and many relatives are
buried in Ice's cemetery in Barrackville.