Raleigh County's First Settlers, 1830-1840 -- The following list was compiled by Judge Winton A. White and presented to the Beckley Post-Herald newspaper in 1950. The list was published in the 1850 Centennial Edition of the Beckley Post-Herald on 26 Aug. 1950. It is now available in either the "Smith-Riffe" microfilm collection at the Raleigh County Public Library in Beckley, or from the Beckley Register-Herald Archives also located in Beckley, WV. Judge Riffe was an excellent historian, however, there are known errors in this work, so please check all information against primary sources. -- 1830-1840 ABBOTT, Wilson - A native of Monroe, he settled on Dry Creek about 1838, where he was a large landholder. He was the first assessor of Raleigh County and also one of the early sheriffs. ALLEN, James, Cary, and Nehemiah - Natives of Carroll County, Va., they settled in the Marshes. Cary returned to Carroll. Cary was the grandfather of Floyd and Sidney Allen who shot up the courthouse at Hillsville, Va. BAILEY, Issac - A grandson of Richard Bailey, one of the ancient pioneers of Mercer County and son of Archibald Bailey who settled on Clear Fork of Guyan about 1815, he lived in the Lester and Marshes neighborhood for many years and then returned to Wyoming. He was a school teacher and physician. Greene W. Bailey, his oldest son, enlisted in the Confederate Army at the start of the war, and was wounded in one of the early actions in the Kanawha Valley and was discharged. His son, Alderson Bailey, enlisted in his father's place. Alderson was seriously wounded at the Battle of Cloyd's Farm. BECKLEY, Alfred - Born in Washington, D. C., he was a son of John and Mariah Prince Beckley. John lived at Richmond. Mariah was a daughter of James Prince of Philadelphia. Alfred Beckley graduated from West Point in the class of 1823 and came to Beckley to live in 1837. A brigadier general in the Virginia militia, he entered the Confederate service but was relieved in about a year because of bad health. Three of his sons, Henry, William, and Isaac, were in Confederate service. Henry was colonel of a regiment of cavalry. BROWN, Alexander - A native of Monroe County, he moved to Marsh Fork near Montcoal on Upper Big Branch. His sons were William, Harrison, Peter, and John. BRYSON, James - Bryson was a native of North Carolina but moved to Monroe County. He first settled on the Ferguson farm in the Marshes near Glen Daniel about 1835, later moving to Maple Meadow, where he was a large landholder. He was the father of Major Alexander Bryson, prominent local citizen. Akexander, while not regularly enlisted in the Confederate Army, was very active in the interests of the Confederacy throughout the war. His grandson is D. W. Bryson, present superintendent of Raleigh County schools. BURGESS, Hiram - A native of Monroe County, he settled in the Marshes, later on Soak Creek and then at Crab Orchard. His daughter, Narcissus, married Daniel Shumate, Sr. CANTLEY, Alexander - Cantley came from Monroe and settled on Rock Creek in the early 1830's. CLAY, John T. and Meredith - These two brothers were originally from Giles County, Va. John T. moved to Marsh Fork, where he was a large landholder and first sheriff of Raleigh County. Meredith settled on Miller's Camp Branch. His first land grant was dated 1834. John T. and Meredith were sons of Mitchell Clay, Jr. and grandsons of Mitchell Clay, Sr. who settled on the Clover Bottoms of Bluestone in 1775. DAVIS, Lucien B. - A resident of Mechanicsburg in Bland County, Va., he came to "Owlsburg", present Crouch farm, about 1836, to manage Floyd's store. In addition to operating the store he taught school for several years. He married Martha, daughter of Lemuel Jarrell, in 1841, and lived at Owlsburg until 1856, when he moved to Beckley. Davis served as county assessor before the Civil War and was the father of John F. Davis, who served as circuit clerk, county clerk, and sheriff of Raleigh County. DUNN, John - Settling on Sand lick after moving from Wyoming County, he married Mary Ann, daughter of Charles Hutchinson, in 1844, moving to Crab Orchard about 1847 and then to Slab Fork in 1856. He was a Confederate soldier, serving in Capt. William Thurmond's company. FARMER, John - A resident of Wyoming by way of Monroe County, he settled on Breckinridge near Bolt about 1836. He was originally from Pittsylvania County, Va. Two sons, Hugh and John R., were Confederate soldiers and Hugh lost a leg in the Clark House fight in 1862. FLOYD FAMILY - This family, while none permanently resided in Raleigh, was early identified with this region. Dr. John Floyd lived in Wythe County, Va. (now Pulaski) between Newburn and Draper's Valley. He was a member of Congress several terms and in 1831 became governor. For many years he maintained a hunting camp on Soak Creek, a short distance west of Sophia, on what later became the McGinnis farm. This farm was designated on the early land books as being located at "Floyd's Camp". The small stream on which the camp was located is known as "Governor's Camp Branch" and the spring nearby was known as "Governor's Spring". His sons, John B., Rush, and George, would accompany him on his hunting trips. John B., about 1835, established a store at the residence of Conrad Riffe, on the Owlsburg farm in the Marshes. This store was managed by Lucien B. Davis and the main business was exchanging goods for ginsang and peltry. The store prospered and was continued until the latter 40's. John B. also bought cattle in this section for his Burk's Garden Farm in Tazewell County. John B. Floyd became governor in 1850, was secretary of war in President Buchanan's cabinet and a brigadier general of the Confederacy. Major R. C. Floyd spent a great deal of his time in his young days in Raleigh County. He was an intelligent man but did not have his brother John's thrifty habits. He was celebrated for his brilliant conversational powers. He finally settled in Logan County (now Mingo), where he lived until his death at an advanced age. HULL, Henry - Hull moved to Shady Spring from Monroe County in 1832. He kept a tavern there. His son Lewis, who lived near Raleigh Depot, was one of the original Union men at the beginning of the Civil War, and was first sheriff of the county after the war. Lewis Hull operated a grist mill at Raleigh for many years. LAWRENCE, Charles - A native of Montgomery County, Va., he moved to Daniels about 1835 and lived at the place where former Sheriff C. C. Lewis now lives. He moved to Fayette County before the Civil War. LILLY, Edmond and Elijah - These two brothers originally lived on Lower Bluestone (now Summers County). Edmond settled at Mt. View and Elijah settled at Ghent. Edmond's sons, James and Henderson, were Confederate soldiers. James was a lieutenant. Henderson went to Indiana at the close of the war, where he died at the age of 101 years. When 98 years old he attended the celebration at Gettysburg in 1938, the oldest soldier there. He was one of the last survivors of the war and probably the very last from Raleigh County. Elijah's sons, William H., James, Thomas E., and Preston, were Confederate soldiers. MAYNOR, Richard - A native of Franklin County, Va., he settled on Paint Creek. His son, G. W., was a Union soldier. McVEY, Richard - A son of James McVey, he came from Franklin County, Va., and settled on Flat Top. James moved to Ohio. Richard married Lucinda Cooper, daughter of John Cooper of Bluestone. He first settled at Raleigh Depot, then at Sullivan and was a surveyor. He was in Confederate service and died at Mobile, Ala. Richard's son John was a Confederate soldier. Richard's grandfather McVey was a Revolutionary soldier and was color bearer of his regiment and witnessed the surrender of Yorktown. O'NEAL, William and Jesse - These two brothers came from Carroll County, Va. William married Nancy, daughter of Ellison and Sarah Acord Christian, and settled on Maple Meadow. Jesse married Mary, daughter of Daniel Shumate, and settled at Lester. In 1856, Jesse sold his farm to John W. Clay and moved to Missouri. His oldest son, Daniel, remained in Raleigh County. Daniel served in both armies, but was not a deserter. He first entered Confederate service, was captured, taken to Camp Chase Prison in Ohio and entered the Union Army in order to get released from prison. He was in the latter army at the Battle of Cloyd's Farm, where he rendered kindly service to some of his old neighbors and friends who were seriously wounded. William's sons, James and William, Jr., were Confederate soldiers. James died in prison. PHILLIPS, Vinson - Phillips settled on Glade Creek. PITTMAN, John - John came from Lower Bluestone (now Summers County) and settled on Little Beaver. His son, William Pittman, was a Confederate soldier and died in prison. John was a blacksmith, gunsmith, and all-round mechanic. PRINCE, Clarkson and William - These two brothers came from Philadelphia in 1834 to look after large tracts of land belonging to their father, Isaac Prince. They boarded at Henry Hull's tavern at Shady Spring and each married a daughter of Hull. Clarkson married Susan and William married Margaret. Clarkson's sons, Isaac and John, were Confederate soldiers. Isaac died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., and William was in the Confederate service in the Commissary Department. At the Battle of Cloyd's Farm in Pulaski County, Va., May 9, 1864, he accompanied the Confederate soldiers to the field, and while acting as special messenger and courier his horse was shot out from under him. Immediately after the animal fell, James George and Burrell Williams utilized its body for breastworks and began firing across it. His son James was a Union soldier and his son William (Bub) was a Confederate soldier. James was living in Pittsburgh when the war broke out and he enlisted there. He served under General George Thomas. He once saw Gen. Thomas sitting on a log in the woods at the battle of Chickamauga, perfectly calm. Clarkson was a county clerk one term shortly after the war. William represented Raleigh and Fayette counties in the Virginia Legislature several terms and Raleigh in the West Virginia Legislature several terms. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1872. RIFFE, Conrad - A native of Montgomery County, Va., he came to Breckinridge Creek in 1833 from his home in Wythe (now Pulaski County), Va. In a year or two he moved to Owlsburg in the Marshes, present Crouch farm, living there until 1844, when he moved to Soak Creek. His son, Owen S. Riffe, was a Confederate soldier throughout the entire four years of the war and was a sergeant in Captain Adams' company. Conrad was a soldier in the War of 1812. ROGERS, Martin - A native of Pulaski County, Va., Rogers moved to the Pearis Bailey place at Prosperity about 1830 and was the community blacksmith. SARRETT, John T. - Sarrett was a native of North Carolina but came to Raleigh County after living in Carroll County, Va. He settled on Main Marsh Fork at Arnett. His sons were E. P., Joseph A., John T. and Van S. Sarrett. SCOTT, Moses - Scott moved to Little Beaver Creek about 1839 from Greenbrier County. James and Robert, sons of Moses, were prominent citizens. James served one term in the State Senate shortly after the Civil War. Robert married Angeline, daughter of Henry Hull. His sons, James and Moses, were in the Union Army the last few months of the war. SMITH, Henry - Noted for his great physical strength, Smith settled at McCreery at the mouth of Piney River. THOMPSON, Chapman - Thompson came to the mouth of Sycamore Creek from Monroe County in 1837 and married Aletha, the daughter of Gibson Jarrell. He was one of the few of Southern sentiment in his section. TONEY, Jesse - A native of Boone County, Toney settled on Clear Fork in 1832, marrying Amanda, daughter of Gibson Jarrell. His son Robert was in the Confederate Army. TYREE, Satterwhite - A Powhatan County, Va. native, Tyree lived on the old Williams place on Glade Creek, and was one of the earliest school teachers of that section. His sons, Richard, Edward, Granville and George, located on Paint Creek. WARD, Robert and Thomas - Father and son from Greenbrier County, they settled on Little Beaver Creek. Later, Thomas Ward settled on Ward Mountain between Glen Morgan and Sullivan. His sons, Robert and John, were Confederate soldiers, the former dying on his return from prison after the close of the war after having reached the home of relatives near Crow. WARDEN, Thomas - Warden was from Pulaski County, Va. but moved to Cranberry in 1833. His son Hughes was a Confederate soldier. He was missing and it was never known what became of him. Submitted by Melissa Duggins **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. 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