Bio:Alexander Waddell, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County WV Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Barbara Gramp, ************************************************************************ This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/pocahont.htm *********************************************************************** Price, William T., Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County WV, 1901 by Price Brothers, pg. 479-481. ALEXANDER WADDELL One of the pioneers of our county from whom quite a number of our people trace their descent was Alexander Waddell. He was of Scotch-Irish descent and was among the earliest settlers in the neighborhood of Marvin Chapel. His wife was a Miss Rouss. He came from Augusta County before the Revolution, but in what year is not certainly known. He came out to examine the country, and looked over the Levels and the lands beyond Buckeye and around Sewall's Cave, and selected the place so long known as the Waddell Place, where the public road reaches the highest point on the mountain in passing from Buckeye to Millpoint. When he first explored the Levels all was mainly vacant or unclaimed, and he might have entered the greater part of it. He concluded it was too level and gladly, and so he preferred the lands north of Millpoint where he could be high enough to keep in the dry. Their daughter, Martha, married the late John Barlow, of Edray, mentioned elsewhere. Elizabeth Waddell married William Sharp, near Edray. Ann Waddell married Squire James Sharp of Beaver Creek. Each of these sons-in-law of the early pioneer are specially mentioned in this book as men of prominence in the affairs of the county. Mary Waddell married Squire John Gillilan, near Millpoint. This large family moved to Missouri, where their numerous descendants have their prosperous homes. Jennie Waddell married Josiah Brown, near Edray. Miriam Waddell was married to John Thompson and moved to Ohio. The Waddell sons were John, William, and Alexander. To give his sons a chance to have their homes near him, the venerable pioneer concluded to move to Ohio and settled near Gallipolis. These sons all died on Ohio, and their history is not much known to their friends in West Virginia. Mr Waddell seems to have been a fervently pious person. It was his intense desire to live on hundred years, and he made this desire for longevity a matter of special prayer. He died in Ohio at the age of one hundred an two years, thus receiving a full measure and more of borrowed time. With long life good satisfied him, and showed him his salvation. The history of his life shows he had paid good attention to bible reading where it is written in the thirty-fourth Psalm: "What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good? Keep they tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile; depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." This Psalm was a great favorite with our pious pioneer people, to give them consolation in their times of danger and distress.