Randolph-Harrison County WV Archives History - Books .....Randolph County History 1889 1889 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Alice Warner http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003503 July 22, 2009, 9:44 am Book Title: History Of West Virginia In Two Parts By Virgil A. Lewis RANDOLPH. Randolph is the largest county in the State, having an area of 1080 square miles. In October, 1786, the General Assembly enacted "That from and after the first day of May, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, the county of Harrison shall be divided into two distinct counties, that is to say, so much of the said county lying on the southeast of the following lines, beginning at the mouth of Sandy creek; thence up Tygart's Valley river, to the mouth of Buckhannon river; thence up the said river including all the waters thereof; thence down Elk river, including the waters thereof, to the Greenbrier line, shall be one distinct county, to be called and known by the name of Randolph ; and the residue of the said county shall retain the name of Harrison." The Act provided that the justices for the new county should meet at the house of Benjamin Wilson, Tygart's Valley, and hold the first court. Edmund Randolph, in honor of whom the county was named, was born at Williamsburg, Virginia. He was of distinguished lineage. He was the son of John Randolph, the Attorney-General of the colony, and the grandson of Sir John Randolph, who filled the same office and received the honor of knighthood for services to the Crown, His mother was Ariana, daughter of Edmund Jennings, Attorney-General of Maryland and Virginia. Educated at William and Mary College, Edmund Randolph entered on the profession of law. In 1775, he entered the Continental Army, for which he was disinherited by his father, who remained loyal to the Crown. By the Virginia Convention of 1776, he was appointed first Attorney-General of the Commonwealth, and in 1779, he was elected a member of the Continental Congress. In 1786, he became Governor of the State, and in 1787, was a member of the body which framed the Federal Constitution, and the next year a member of the Virginia Convention which ratified that compact. In 1790, he was appointed first Attorney-General of the United States, and in 1794, succeeded Jefferson as Secretary of State. In 1784, he was appointed Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Order of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Virginia, and in 1786, was elected Grand Master of the same. His name is masonically perpetuated in that of the Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 19, chartered October 19, 1787. About the year 1754, David Tygaft and a man named Files attempted a settlement within the present limits of the county. Files settled at the mouth of a creek that still bears his name. Tygart selected a spot a few miles farther up the river. The valley in which they settled has since been called Tygart's Valley, and the river which flows through it, Tygart's Valley river. They found it difficult to procure provisions for their families, and from their contiguity to an Indian villages, did not feel secure. They soon determined to retrace their steps. But before preparations for removal were completed, the family of Files, one son only escaping, were killed by the Indians. This son was near enough to his home to hear distinctly all that happened, and knowing he was utterly powerless to assist his friends there, fled in haste to warn Tygart's family of the danger that threatened them. The country was at once abandoned by them. Indian Incursion.—Previous to the war of 1774, the settlers of Tygart's Valley were undisturbed by Indian marauders, yet this happy exemption from sharing the terrible fate of other settlements did not prevent them from using the utmost caution. Spies were regularly employed to watch the Indian war paths beyond the settlement and give warning in case of the approach of the savages. In this capacity William White and Leonard Petro were serving when they were discovered by the Indians. (See Calhoun county.) After White's return in the autumn of 1777, the settlers, accustomed to enjoy quiet during the cold seasons, somewhat relaxed their vigilance and began to consider themselves secure for the winter. The following shows how sadly they were made to see their mistake. "A party of twenty Indians designing to commit some depredations during the fall, had nearly reached the upper end of Tygart's Valley, when the snow, which inspired the inhabitants with confidence in their security, began falling. Fearful of laying themselves open to detection if they proceeded farther at that time, and anxious to enact some mischief before they returned home, they remained concealed about ten miles from the settlements, until the snow disappeared. On the 15th of December, they came to the house of Darby Connoly, at the upper extremity of the Valley, and killed him, his wife and several children, and took three others prisoners. Proceeding to the next house, they killed John Stewart, his wife and child, and took Miss Hamilton into captivity. They then immediately changed their direction, and with great dispatch began the journey home, with the captives and plunder. "In the course of the evening after these outrages were committed, John Hadden, passing the house of Connoly, saw a tame elk lying dead in the yard. This, and the death-like stillness that was all around, excited his fear that all was not right. Entering the house he saw the awful desolation. Seeing that the bloody work had been but recently done, he hastened to alarm the neighborhood, and sent an express to Captain Benjamin Wilson, living twenty miles farther down the Valley, with the intelligence. With great promptitude, Captain Wilson went through the settlement, exerting himself to procure as many volunteers as would justify going in pursuit of the aggressors. So indefatigable was he in accomplishing his purpose, that, on the day after the murders were perpetrated, he appeared on the theatre of their exhibition with thirty men, prepared to take the trail and push forward in pursuit of the savages. For five days they followed through cold and wet. At this time many of the men expressed a determination to return. They had suffered much, travelled far, and yet saw no prospect of overtaking the enemy. It is not strange that they became dispirited. In order to expedite their progress, the numerous water-courses which lay across their path, swollen to an unusual height and width, were passed without any preparation to avoid getting wet; in consequence, after crossing one of them, they were compelled to travel with icicles hanging from their clothes. They suffered much, too, for want of provisions. The short time afforded for preparation had not admitted of their taking with them as much as they supposed would be required, and they had already been on the chase longer than was anticipated. With great difficulty Captain Wilson prevailed on them to continue the pursuit one day longer, hoping the Indians would be compelled to halt in order to hunt for food. Not yet being sensible that they had gained upon the enemy, the men positively refused to go farther, and returned to their homes." Lieutenant John White, of Tygart's Valley, was killed by the Indians in 1778. A party of them lying in ambush fired at him as he was riding by, wounding his horse so that he threw his rider, whom they then tomahawked and scalped. Captain Wilson, with his usual promptitude, again went in pursuit of the Indians. But the wily savages returning by another way than the one he took, escaped him. Beverly, the county seat, was established by legislative enactment December 16, 1790, on lands the property of James Westfall. John Wilson, Jacob Westfall, Sylvester Ward, Thomas Phillips, Hezekiah Rosecrouts, William Wormesley and Valentine Stalnaker, were appointed trustees. January 26, 1811, the freeholders of Beverly were directed to elect five fit and able men, freeholders and inhabitants of the town, to be trustees thereof. By Act of Assembly, January 17, 1848, the town was incorporated under the name of the " Borough of Beverly." File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wv/randolph/history/1889/historyo/randolph39gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wvfiles/ File size: 8.5 Kb