Preston County, West Virginia Biography: Eugene BUCKLEW ************************************************************************** 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 Valerie Crook, March 2000 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 372 EUGENE BUCKLEW, of Terra Alta, is one of the oldest surviving native sons of Preston County, now past the age of four-score, was a soldier in the Civil war, devoted half a century to the tasks and responsibilities of agriculture, and is now comfortably retired among his children and grandchildren at Terra Alta. While the record of his family is more completely re- viewed on other pages, some of the chief facts concerning his parentage should be set down here. Mr. Bucklew was born near the old Fairfax Ford on Cheat River, now the Caddell community of Preston County, March 30, 1840, son of John Elzy and Abigail (Sipolt) Bucklew. His father was also a soldier in the Civil war, and the family was one of the first to settle in Preston County. Eugene Bucklew grew up at the old home farm, and he gained only a little knowledge from the community schools of that day. The chief text books were the spelling book and the New Testa- ment. His knowledge of reading was largely acquired from reading the Testament. He never studied arithmetic at all in school, though he learned something of the multiplication table. When he left school to enter the army he could little more than write his name. While a soldier in camp he got most of his education, learning to write and do some- thing with figures. One of his comrades set the copy and he practiced until he was proficient enough to write letters home. This was in every sense a practical education, and he put it to good use in the varied activities and responsibili- ties of his subsequent life. In 1863 Mr. Bucklew joined Company O of the Sixth West Virginia Infantry. This regiment was broken up into detachments for guard duty along the Baltimore & Ohio Railway from Parkersburg and Wheeling to the eastern border of the state. Mr. Bucklew participated in this guard, scouting and skirmish duty, and remained with his company until discharged at Wheeling, June 11, 1865, and mustered out a few days later. Having done the part of a patriotic citizen in preserving the Union, Mr. Buckley returned home and went to work on the farm in Portland District. From that time until December, 1918, his lot was that of a hard working and progressive farmer in the rural community, and then with the burden of years he retired from the country to Terra Alta. Mr. Bucklew began voting even before he reached his majority, and he cast a ballot at Kingwood in 1860, voting for Abraham Lincoln for president. There has not been a national election in the past fifty years in which he has not contributed his ballot for republican principles and candi- dates. He has been equally devoted to the religious phase of life, was reared in the Methodist Episcopal Church, but for convenience of attendance he has for many years been identified with the United Brethren. He joined the Grand Army of the Republic when its ranks were full of veteran and is a member of Terra Alta Post, perhaps one of the most active of the remaining posts. In Preston County in 1861 he married Miss Rachel Wil- son, daughter of John Wilson. The only surviving child of this union is Lydia, wife of George Shaffer, of Elkins. September 11, 1873, Mr. Bucklew married Miss Mary Free- land, who was born near Terra Alta and reared there, being one of the ten children of Hiram and Nancy (Bucklew) Freeland. The other children to grow up were: George Freeland; Susan, wife of John Braham; Sarah, who mar- ried Wilber Teets; Rachel, wife of Nicholas Braham; and Philip Freeland, of Cumberland, Maryland. Mr. and Mrs. Bucklew had five children, and their grand children number fourteen. Vernie is the wife of Daniel F. Metheny, of Taylor County, West Virginia, and their chil- dren are Ray, Hazel and Clarence. Laura married George Nine, of Preston County, and they have three children, Asa, Clara and Walter. Ella, who died as Mrs. Walter Listen, left six children, Mary, Densel, Isa, Ethel, Ruby and Georgia. Robert H., who lives in Fayette County, Pennsyl- vania, has two daughters, Dorothy and Velva Goldie. The youngest of the family is Russell Bucklew, still at the family home at Terra Alta and who married Cora Teets, daughter of Bert and Mary Virginia (Rodeheaver) Teets. Russell Bucklew is an ex-service man, having trained as a soldier at Camp Meade, Maryland, but the war ended before his command reached overseas.