Bio: John Smith, 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/wvfiles.htm *********************************************************************** Price, William T., Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County WV, 1901 by Price Brothers, pg. 302-306. JOHN SMITH This paper is designed to perpetuate the memory of two very deserving persons, who were among the first to open up a home on Stony Creek near its source, now known as the West Union neighborhood. John Smith was a native of Ireland. He came to this region a hundred and thirty years ago, from Pennsylvania, and upon becoming acquainted with the family of Levi Moore, the pioneer at Frost, he made love to Sally Moore, one of the daughters. Upon their marriage the two young people took a fancy to the large spring that gushes so copiously and beautifully from the rocky cliffs at the source of Stony Creek, and settled close by it and built up their home. The place is now occupied by the family of the late Captain William Cochran. Some Particulars in regard to their sons and daughters have been already given in other biographic papers, that need not be repeated here in full. In addition, therefore, to what has been written the following fragmentary items of their history are recorded. John Smith, Junior, married Fannie Cochran, daughter of the late John Cochran, near Marvin, and settled on the place now in possession of John Young, a great-son of John Smith, Senior, near Edray. He afterwards moved to Roane county, and lived at the three forks of Reedy. He was a Union sympathizer, and was arrested by the Confederate military as such; but when it was ascertained that he was not a dangerous person, he was paroled on his honor, but died on his return home. Andrew Smith's wife was Nancy Cackley, daughter of Levi Cackley, on Stamping Creek. After settling and living for a time at the old Stony Creek homestead, he moved to the State of Missouri. Elizabeth Smith became Mrs Jacob Drennan. After living some years in Braxton County, they moved to Nicholas County, and located on Peter's Creek, fourteen miles west of Summersville, where members of their family yet reside. Ann Smith was married to Captain William Young, and lived many years on the place near Hamlin Chapel now in possession of George C. Moore. She was a person of great industry, fine mental endowments, and a model homekeeper, and intelligently, sincerely pious. The writer remembers her and members of her family as cherished friends. Late in life she went west and died but a few years since at a very advanced age in the State of Iowa. The first wife of Captain James M. McNeill was one of her daughters. The late Colonel Samuel Young was her eldest son. Adam Young was another son. The only survivors of her family now in Pocahontas are her grandsons, John Young and Adam Young and their children. Rebecca Smith was married to John Auldridge, and lived on Laurel Creek, a few miles from the old homestead, farther west. These worthy people reared an interesting and exemplary family, of whom special mention is made in the Auildridge memoirs. Mrs Rebecca Auldridge died in 1899, over ninety years of age. Her last years were spent with her daughter, Mrs Nancy Newcomer, in the town of Ronceverte, and was hale and hearty up to the time of her death from extreme old age. Her late home was but a step or two from the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway on one side, and the other is at the edge of the Saint Lawrence boom, whence the logs are floated to the mills by the million. How different the surroundings of her youth and early life from those of her old age. A more marked contrast can scarcely be imagined. There is scarcely an hour, day or night, free from the thundering of the trains, fast or slow, and Mrs Auldridge seemed to regard them no more than she once regarded the rustle of the falling leaves around the old Laurel Run homestead, sixty miles away from the iron road. Hannah Smith became the wife of Richard Auldridge, a brother of John Auldridge just mentioned. After living some years at the Smith homestead, they went to Braxton County, and were happily situated on Wolf Creek at the opening of the late sad war between the States. Mr Auldridge sympathized with the Southern Confederacy, and was killed. Both soms were in the Southern army. John Auldridge fell at the battle of Gettysburg. Allen Auldridge survived the war, with an honorable record as a brave and faithful soldier. He sought a home in the State of Kansas taking his mother and sister with him. Mrs Auildridge sleeps in her Kansas grave, while at last accounts her son and daughter are keeping house and doing well, as good dutiful children deserve. Sally Smith was married to Robert RODGERS, and for some years lived in Buckeye Cove, near Swago. Afterwards they settled in Nicholas County, WV, where Mrs Rodgers still lives, far advanced in years. Martha Smith became Mrs Samuel Young. They lived for a few years on a section of the old homestead and finally moved to Logan County, Ohio, where their descendants mostly have their present homes, and enjoy the fruits of honest labor and judicious management. Thus we have been able to lay before our readers some information in regard to these worthy persons and their two sons and six daughters. In their day their home was a place where the young people had good times, as good times went in the pioneer era. At log rollings, quiltings, wool picking, and flax pullings the youngsters met, fell in love, and did much of their courting. Sundays it would be preaching or all day prayer meetings, when it was not deamed right and proper to think and talk about anything but Heaven and heavenly things. The grandest social events would be the weddings, that occurred just as fast as the young folks thought themselves old enough to get married and go to themselves. Mrs Smith survived her husband a good many years, --and did her part well, -- her children settled in life. When the time came, folded her busy hands in rest and quietly went to sleep. It is a comforting reflection that here and there on the hillsides of our beautiful land are planted immortal sleepers--like the bodies of these worthy people--that will some day appear in all that is radiant and lovely. It is touching to reflect how widely apart are the graves of their children. Kansas, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, and West Virginia have graves where members of this family are waiting for the coming of the Redeemer they learned to know and love in the old paternal home on Stony Creek.