Pocahontas County, West Virginia - Articles about Marlin and Sewell ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Cathy Wood Osborn, ************************************************************************** University of MI web site SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER, Vol. 1, Issue 3, p. 123, 124. Richmond, Virginia, 1834. Publisher was T.W. White "The next article is a 'memoir of Indian wars, and other occurrences, by the late Colonel Stuart, of Greenbrier' -- a paper which sheds considerable light upon the events which transpired upon the western portion of Virginia, during the thirty years succeeding the year 1749. The writer participated in the eventful scenes of that interesting period, and was not only a soldier, but a man of strong mind, who has recorded his recollections in a clear and easy style. The following anecdote is quite characteristic: 'About the year 1749, a person who was a citizen of the county of Frederick, and subject to paroxysms of lunacy, when influenced by such fits, usually made excursions into the wilderness, and in his rambles westwardly, fell in on the waters of Greenbrier river. At that time, the country on the western waters was but little known to the English inhabitants of the then colonies of America, being claimed by the French, who had commmenced settlments on the Ohio and its waters, west of the Alleghany mountains. The lunatic being surprised to find waters running a different course from any he had before known, returned with the intelligence of his discovery, which did abound with game. This soon excited the enterprise of others. Two men from New England, of the name of Jacob Marlin and Stephen Sewell, took up a residence upon Greenbrier river; but soon disagreeing in sentiment, a quarrel occasioned their separation, and Sewell, for the sake of peace, quit their cabin and made his abode in a large hollow tree. In this situation they were found by the late General Andrew Lewis, in the year 1751. Mr. Lewis was appointed agent for a company of grantees, who obtained from the governor and council of Virginia, an order for one hundred thousand acres of land lying on the waters of Greenbrier river, -- and did, this year, proceed to make surveys to complete the quantity of said granted lands; and finding Marlin and Sewell living in the neighborhood of each other, inquired what could induce them to live separate in a wilderness so distant from the habitations of any other human beings. They informed him that difference of opinion had occasioned their separation, and that they had since enjoyed more tranquility and a better understanding; for Sewell said, that each morning when they arose and Marlin came out of the great house and he from his hollow tree, they saluted each other, saying -- good morning Mr. Marlin, and good morning Mr. Sewell, so that a good understanding then existed between them; but it did not last long, for Sewell removed about forty miles further west, to a creek that still bears his name. There the Indians found him and killed him.'" A similar rendition of this story appeared in the article, "Romance of the Valley of Virginia," in the journal, THE VIRGINIA TOURIST, p. 208, 209, 210. Philadelphia, 1870. Publisher was J.B. Lippincott & Co. "The supplement to Burden's grant was a new enterprise, the circumstances of which were even more dramatic than those which prefaced the first adventure of the Lewis family into the mountainous region of Virginia. The grant obtained by Burden did not include some lands on the upper branches of the Shenandoah. An opening to further settlements in that direction, however, was obtained by an order of the governor and council of Virginia, giving to a company of grantees 100,000 acres of land lying on the waters of the Greenbrier river; and in 1751 we find General Andrew Lewis, as agent for the company, entering upon the exploration of this country, lying close to the great range of the Alleghany. To his surprise, he found that he had been preceded in the discovery of this new area for settlement, and that there were white men already living in it. The story goes that in the year 1749 a person who lived in the county of Frederick was subject to spells of lunacy, during which he wandered into the wilderness, returning to his home when he recovered a sane condition of mind. This unhappy creature, wandering westwardly, came to the waters of the Greenbrier river. The features of the country here were unknown to the English inhabitants of the then colonies of America. It is true it was claimed by the French, but their settlements were limited to the Ohio and its waters, west of the Alleghany Mountains. The lunatic being surprised, even in his condition of mind, to find waters running a different course from any he had known before, and retaining a recollection of the scene where he had been brought to his senses, told of the phenomenon on his return home, and described a country abounding in game. His wild tale found believers, and soon excited the enterprise of others. Two men from New England, Jacob Marlin and Stephen Sewell, were the first white settlers on the Greenbrier river. Have disagreed, they separated and lived apart. "In 1751, General Lewis found these two men in the Greenbrier country -- one lodging in a cabin, the other making his abode in a large hollow tree. He inquired what could induce them to live separate in a wilderness so distant from the habitations of any other human beings. They replied that difference of opinion had occasioned their separation, and that they had since enjoyed more tranquillity and a better understanding; for Sewell said that each morning when they arose, and Marlin came out of the great house and he out of his hollow tree, they saluted each other, saying 'Good-morning, Mr. Marlin,' and 'Good-morning, Mr. Sewell,' so that a good understanding then existed between them. The neighborly feeling did not last long, for Sewell soon removed about forty miles father west, where he was found and killed by the Indians. 'Sewell's Mountain' is a monument to the name and memory of the rude adventurer." A query of the USGS GNIS website, , using "Sewell" and "West Virginia" as criteria revealed the following: Rainelle / WV / Greenbrier Co. / 375807N / 0804602W / Rainelle Map Sewell / WV / Fayette Co. / 375950N / 0810116W / Thurmond Map Sewell Branch / WV / Raleigh Co. / 374810N / 0805532W /Meadow Creek Map Sewell Creek / WV / Greenbrier Co. / 375841N / 0804534W / Rainelle Map Sewell Mountain / WV / Fayette Co. / 375606N / 0805028W / Rainelle Map Sewell Mountain School / WV / Raleigh Co. / 374124N / 0805343 / Hinton Map Sewell Valley P.O. / WV / Greenbrier Co. / Unk. / Unk. / Rainelle Map A query of the USGS GNIS website, , using "Marlin" and "West Virginia" as criteria revealed the following: Marlin Lick Run / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381523N / 0800031W / Edray Map Marlin Mountain/ WV /Pocahontas Co. / 381338N / 0800053W /Marlinton Map Marlin Mountain Trail / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381401N / 0800013W/ Marlinton Map Marlin Run / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381310N / 0800536W / Marlinton Map Marlin Run Structure One Dam / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381312N / 0800448W / Marlinton Map Marlinton / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381324N / 0800541W / Marlinton Map Marlinton District Ranger Station / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381256N / 0800448W / Marlinton Map Marlinton Elementary School / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381316N / 0800538W / Marlinton Map Marlinton P.O. / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381317N / 0800537W /Marlinton Map Marlinton Presbyterian Church / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381324N / 0800542W / Marlinton Map Marlinton United Methodist Church / WV / Pocahontas Co. / 381315N / 0800532W / Marlinton Map