Randolph County, West Virginia - Settlement on Roaring Creek

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Submitted by Valerie Crook <vfcrook@earthlink.net> 1999

The History of West Virginia, Old and New, by James Morton Callahan
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume I, pgs. 149-150

  "No event in the history of Randolph county will leave more permanent traces than 
the settlement on Roaring Creek by the Irish in 1840-50. This is true from a business, 
educational, political and religious point of view. These settlers, strong of body and 
intellectually alert, inured to toil and hardship, soon converted the wilderness into a 
prosperous community of comfortable homes, churches, and schools amid which sprang up the 
village of Kingsville, with the conveniences of a store, postoffice and blacksmith shop. 
These settlers were not only eminently successful themselves in their undertakings, but 
bequeathed sons and daughters, who took front rank in the business and professional life 
of the county."
  The first to locate in what is known as the Irish settlement was Patrick Flanigan. He 
was a contractor and was engaged in the building of the Staunton and Parkersburg pike.
  John O'Connell was the next to locate in that vicinity, in about 1850. In the Civil 
War he was a strong southern sympathizer and in attempting to communicate with the 
Confederate army at Philippi, in the first year of the war, was shot and killed near 
Laurel, from ambush.
  Patrick O'Connor, who had been engaged in the construction on the Staunton and 
Parkersburg Pike, bought land of Patrick Flanigan and with his family added to the 
nucleus of a settlement in its earliest days. He lived to the ripe old age of 108 years.
  About seventy families located in that section. Among them were Michael O'Connor,
Peter King, Patrick Riley, Patsy King, Miles King, Edward King, Owen Riley, Andrew Durkin,
John Madden, Owen Gillooly, Andrew Durkin, Patrick Gillooly, Patrick O'Connor, Richard Ford, 
John Ford, Patrick Rafferty, Morris Hanifan, John Nallen, Sr., Thomas Burke, Alexander
Burke, John Conley, Mathew Davis, John Cain, Patrick Moyles, John A. King, Thomas O'Connor
and John Staunton.
  Morris Hanifan, born in County Cavan, Ireland, 1820, came to America in 1840. He worked
on the C. & O. Canal in its construction to Cumberland, then on the Winchester and 
Strawsburg Pike to New Market, Va., then on the Staunton and Parkersburg Pike to 
Huttonsville. He settled on Roaring Creek in 1847. He died in 1868.
  Daniel Tahaney, who came in 1846, was born in the County Sligo, Ireland, in 1815. 
He came to America in 1835. He married Bridget McCan in New York City in 1837. For a time 
he worked on the construction of the Staunton and Parkersburg Pike. He died 1872.
  The first priest to celebrate mass in the Kingsville parish was Father Stack, of 
Staunton, Va., at Patrick Flanigan's house in 1865. In 1863 Father O'Connor with the 
aid of his people commenced the erection of a log church, the first Catholic church 
in Randolph. In 1872 Father Dacey came as resident priest, but died soon thereafter. 
In 1873 Father Fitzpatrick came to take charge of the Mission. Soon the growing 
congregation became too large for the little church and under the leadership of Father 
Fitzpatrick, they built a commodious church and rectory in the growing village of 
Kingsville. Father Fitzpatrick also commenced the erection of a church at Coalton, but
it was completed by his successor, Father Sauer.
  Father Fitzpatrick was in Kingsville twenty-eight years. He was for many years one 
of the leading figures of the county and had many friends throughout Randolph and 
adjoining counties among the Protestants as well as the adherents of his own religious
faith. He died in Wheeling.
  John Madden, son of William and Mary (Brennan) Madden, was born in the Parish of 
Kiltormer, County Galway, Ireland, in 1815. In 1834 he sailed for America, landed in New
York City, and after a short stay in the State of New York he went to Baltimore, Md.,
and was employed on the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from that point 
to Cumberland. In 1839 he was married to Cecelia Dwire. He then went to work on the 
State road from Winchester to Staunton, Va., and later was employed on the Staunton 
and Parkersburg pike to Huttonsville, W. Va. He then located in Tygarts Valley near 
Huttonsville, where he worked as a tenant on the farms of Moses and John Hutton, and
also on the Nagler farm.
  John Stanton was born in Ireland, County Calway, Perish of Kiltormer, in 1826. He came 
to Grafton, W. Va., and worked along the B. & O. railroad from that point to Kingwood, 
W. Va. In 1857 he migrated to Randolph County, W. Va., and settled in Roaring Creek 
district.
  Luke White, born in the Parish of Kiltevin, County Roscommon, Ireland, came to 
America in 1854, landing in New York City. Re came to West Virginia and married 
Margaret Burke, a widow. He worked on the B. & 0. for a time and later settled in 
Roaring Creek district, and in 1858 purchased a farm of 100 acres where he made his 
home for the rest of his life.
  The opportunities of a new country with cheap lands, together with the oppression of 
English landlordism at home were, perhaps, among the principal reasons for Irish 
immigration to America. The average price paid by Irish settlers for Roaring Creek 
lands was about $1.25 per acre. These lands at the present time command fabulous 
prices, in many instances, as a result of the discovery of very rich veins of coal
in that vicinity.