WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 104 Today's Topics: #1 HISTORY: THE FACTS CONDENSED, Part [Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000412062638.0081ab60@trellis.net> Subject: HISTORY: THE FACTS CONDENSED, Part 3 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA THE FACTS CONDENSED COPYRIGHTED, 1910, BY A. S. LEE, PRINCIPAL RIPLEY NORMAL SCHOOL, RIPLEY, W. VA. GLOBE PRINTING & BINDING CO., PARKERSBURG, W. VA. ************************************ Part 3 CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. Schools for the Deaf and Blind at Romney, Hamp- shire county; Hospital for the Insane at Weston, Lewis county, and at Spencer, Roane county; Home for In- curables and Insane at Huntington, Cabell county. PENAL INSTITUTIONS. Penitentiary at Moundsville, Marshall county; Re- form School for Boys at Pruntytown, Taylor county; Industrial School for Girls at Salem, Harrison county. NOEMAL SCHOOLS. Marshall College State Normal School was estab- lished in 1867. Since then, branches of this school have been established at West Liberty, Ohio county; Fairmont, Marion county; Shepherdstown, Jefferson county; Glenville, Gilmer county, and Athens, Mercer county. The purpose of the State Normal is to train teachers in the art of teaching school. The State Nor- mals of West Virginia do more academic than normal work. THE STATE UNIVERSITY. The State University is at the head of the Free School System. In 1862 Congress donated to each State providing for agricultural and mechanical col- leges, 30,000 acres of public lands for each represen- tative the State had in Congress. Under this arrange- ment West Virginia was entitled to 150,000 acres, which netted the State $90,000. This money was in- vested according to law. In 1863 the Legislature pro- vided for the establishment of an Agricultural College. This college was located at Morgantown in 1867. On December 4, 1868, the name of the school was changed by the Legislature to the "West Virginia University." Since then this institution has been growing in influence and usefulness until it now compares favorably with the best institutions of learning in the country. It has many modern buildings with modern Improvements and apparatus. THE FREE SCHOOL SYSTEM. The first public school law that affected what is now West Virginia was passed by Virginia in 1846. Under this law the free schools were established in counties desiring them. The first free school so es- tablished was in Jefferson county, 1847. But few counties (Jefferson, Ohio, Kanawha and Brooke), pro- vided for schools before the war. The present free school system of West Virginia was established December 10, 1863, by the Legislature of the State, acting under the authority of the State Constitution. GROWTH OF THE SYSTEM. W. R. White, the first State Superintendent, was chosen by the Legislature. His report for the year of 1865 includes 22 counties, with 133 school houses, 431 schools, 17,972 pupils enrolled, and 63,458 enum- erated. Since then our school system has maintained a steady and healthful growth until now there is a school in the reach of every child. Besides the many excellent city high schools, there are denominational and independent institutions of learning of a high order. Take it all in all. West Virginians have much to be proud of in their educational institutions. "OLD FIELD SCHOOLS." The "Old Field Schools" were a kind of schools provided for partly by local taxation and partly by local subscription, and located in some old cleared field, whence its name. Not many such schools were lo- cated within the present limits of West Virginia. WEST VIRGINIA BOOKS AND AUTHORS. "Chronicles of Border Warfare," by A. S. Withers. This book deals with the early pioneers, the Indians, Indian wars, and massacres. "Virginia: Its History and Antiquities," by Henry Howe. This work contains a brief history of thirty- two counties in West Virginia. "The Blennerhassett Papers," by W. H. Sanford. "General History of West Virginia," by Virgil A. Lewis. "Rending of Virginia," by G. D. Hall. "Prominent Men of West Virginia," by G. W. At- kinson and Alvaro F. Gibbons. "A Graduating System for Country Schools," by A. L. Wade. "History and Government of West Virginia," by Fast and Maxwell. "History of Education in West Virginia," by B. S. Morgan. "Going to College," by Waitman Barbe. "Ashes and Incense," by Waitman Barbe. "West Virginia: Its Farms, Forests and Oil Wells," by J. R. Dodge. "Coin's Financial School," by W. H. Harvey, of Putnam county. Cox's "Literature in Common Schools." Armstrong's "The Bible: Its History and Litera- ture." The first newspaper published in Western Vir- ginia was the Martinsburg Gazette, by Nathaniel Willis, father of the poet, N. P. Willis. NATURAL RESOURCES. Coal, oil, timber, and natural gas constitute the principal natural resources of the State. West Vir- ginia ranks third in the production of oil and second in the production of coal. The regions about the sources of the Monongahela, Little Kanawha, Great Kanawha, and Guyandotte rivers produce coal in great quantities. Much timber is found in this region also. Wetzel, Tyler, Pleasants, Wood, Wirt, Calhoun, Ritchie, Dodd- ridge, Roane and Lewis counties are noted for their oil productions. Fayette county leads in the production of coal and McDowell in the production of coke. Over 60,000,000 tons of coal were mined in the State in 1908. RAILROADS. The railroads now reach every county in the State, the N. & W. crossing Wayne, Mingo, McDowell and Mercer counties; the C. & O. crossing Cabell, Putnam, Kanawha, Fayette, Summers, Greenbrier and Pocahon- tas counties; the B. & O. crossing Wood, Ritchie, Dodd- ridge, Harrison, Taylor, Preston, Mineral, Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley ,and Jefferson counties; the K. & M. extending up the Great Kanawha; the Ohio River road following the east shore of the Ohio; together with other branch and independent lines aggregating 2,500 miles of main line, reach all parts of the State, and with the navigable rivers, furnish excellent transportation facilities. TAX LEVIES. The Legislature, county courts, boards of education and town councils are the bodies that can levy taxes in this State. Boards of education can levy 12 1/2 cents for the building fund and 25 cents for the teachers' fund, on every $100 of taxable property. THE LEGISLATURE. There are 86 members in the House of Delegates and 30 members in the State Senate. The Delegates serve two years and the Senators (two from each Sen- atorial district) serve four years. The salary of each is $4 per day and 10 cents a mile each way in going to and returning from the Capitol. The Speaker of the House and President of the Senate get $2 per day additional. Should a vacancy occur within the last year of the term of office of the Governor, the President of the Senate acts, and if he dies or resigns, the Speaker of the House acts as Governor. The Legislature meets biennially in odd years, on the second Wednesday in January, and remains in session for a period of 45 days, excluding Sundays. The term may be extended by a two-thirds vote of each House or by call of the Governor. MABYLAND SUITS. Maryland has sued the State of West Virginia in the Supreme Court of the United States to make the South Branch of the Potomac the boundary line of Maryland instead of the North Branch. It is claimed by the State of Maryland that in the Grant to Lord Baltimore, the South Branch is the "principal tribu- tary" meant. THE VIRGINIA DEBT. When West Virginia was admitted, provisions were made in the first Constitution for the payment by West Virginia of her just portion of the then bonded indebtedness of Virginia, amounting to over $30,- 000,000. It is claimed that very little of this money was ex- pended west of the mountains, and that the taxes of the western part of the State exceeded the public ex- penditures there, and that from the standpoint of jus- tice, West Virginia owes no part of this debt. Fur- thermore, since Virginia has repeatedly refused to appoint commissioners to meet with those appointed by West Virginia and has transferred her claims to pri- vate speculators, it seems that a settlement favoring Virginia is a long way off. A suit is now (1910) pending in the U. S. Su- preme Court brought by Virginia against West Vir- ginia to compel West Virginia to pay the undetermined portion of this debt that Virginia claims due her. Ex- Gov. Dawson and Charles E. Hogg, Dean of the Law School, et al, are retained by West Virginia, as her attorneys. BLENNERHASSETT. Is an Island in the Ohio river just below Parkersburg. Harmon Blennerhassett and wife obtained possession of it in 1798. They built a palatial residence upon it and equipped it with everything to make an ideal home. About 1806 Aaron Burr visited this home. He was on his way to the west to conduct a private expedition against Louisiana and Mexico to the end that he might become the ruler of this vast domain. He enlisted the sympathy and fortune of Blenner- hassett in the enterprise and the island became a place for organizing and drilling an army. On the night of December 10, 1806, the troops embarked for down river points. During their absence, Virginia troops occupied the island. Burr and Blennerhassett were later arrest- ed and tried for treason at Richmond, Va. Attorney General Wirt was the prosecutor. Blennerhassett was released, and Burr acquitted for lack of evidence. (to be continued) ______________________________X-Message: #2 Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 06:33:40 -0400 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000412063340.00820c00@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: CARLTON L. TABLER, Berkeley Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 394-395 Berkeley CARLTON L. TABLER, a successful young business man and merchant of Martinsburg, is an ex-service man who was on front line duty in France until the close of the war. He was born at Martinsburg, son of Mayberry G. Tabler, whose birth occurred on a farm near the present site of Tabler Station in Berkeley County, and a grandson of James Walling Tabler, who was born in the same locality, where the family was established in pioneer times. James Walling Tabler after reaching mature years acquired a place known as Federal Hill Farm, located in the Arden District, and remained there prosperously engaged in his chosen location until his death at the age of seventy-six. For several years he was a member of the County Court and also magistrate for Arden District. He married Ame- lia Schindell, who was born near Hagerstown, Maryland. They reared three sons, Mayberry G., John N. and How- ard. Mayberry Tabler spent his early life on the home- stead, and as a young man left the farm to engage in mer- cantile pursuits at Martinsburg. In 1886 he and Mr. Thompson established the men's furnishing goods business now conducted by Carlton Tabler. After a few years May- berry Tabler became sole proprietor, and in 1914 took in his son as partner and continued active in the store until his death. He married Mary Elizabeth Hawk, who was born on a farm near Darkesville in Berkeley County, daugh- ter of Martin and Mary (LeFevre) Hawk. Carlton L. Tabler is one of two children, his sister being Mary A. Tabler. He acquired a public school education at Martins- burg, and also attended Conway Hall at Carlisle, Pennsyl- vania. He is a member of a college fraternity. After re- turning home he went to work in his father's store, became a partner in 1914, and now has a business with a trade all over the territory of which Martinsburg is the logical cen- ter. On September 7, 1917, Mr. Tabler joined the colors as a member of the Three Hundred and Thirteenth Field Ar- tillery, Eightieth Division. He sailed for France in May, 1918, landing on June 9th, and took his position on the fir- ing line September 9th. He was at the battle front until Armistice day, November llth, when he was stationed on the River Meuse. He remained overseas with his division until May 30, 1919, when he sailed for home and received his honorable discharge in June. Mr. Tabler is affiliated with Washington Lodge No. 1, Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 778, Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks, and is a member of the American Legion. At the age of twenty-six he married Miss Louise Milboure Foreman, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, and daughter of Milton and Harriet (Zimmennan) Foreman. Mr. and Mrs. Tabler have one child, Harriet Elizabeth. ______________________________X-Message: #3 Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 06:33:44 -0400 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000412063344.0081a530@trellis.net> Subject: HISTORY: THE FACTS CONDENSED, Part 4 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA THE FACTS CONDENSED COPYRIGHTED, 1910, BY A. S. LEE, PRINCIPAL RIPLEY NORMAL SCHOOL, RIPLEY, W. VA. GLOBE PRINTING & BINDING CO., PARKERSBURG, W. VA. ************************************ Part 4 EARLY HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA. West Virginia lies between the parallels of 37 de- grees 6 minutes north, and 40 degrees 38 minutes north latitude and between the meridians of 77 degrees 33 minutes west, and 82 degrees 38 minutes west longi- tude. Its area, including 135 square miles of water surface, is 24,780 square miles. The mountain section extends from northeast to southwest along the eastern margin of the State. That part of the State west of the mountains is within the Appalachian Plauteau (Redway). FIRST INHABITANTS. The first inhabitants of West Virginia were the Mound builders. They were followed by the Indians, of whom the following nations were represented in the present limits of the State: The Cherokees claimed the part of the State south of the Great Kanawha River; the Shawnees claimed the valley of the Great Kanawha; the Mingoes occu- pied the territory between the Little Kanawha and Wheeling Creek; the Delawares occupied the Monon- gahela Valley, and the Tuscaroras occupied the East- ern Panhandle. INDIAN BATTLE FIELDS. Three great Indian battle fields were within what is now West Virginia - Antietam Creek, Jefferson county, and Opequon and Hanging Rocks, Hampshire county. (page 21-22 missing here) in the State, both being laid out in 1762. Shepherds- town was named in honor of Thomas Shepherd, who laid out the town. It was first settled by some Ger- man families who called it Mechlenburg. Jacob Marlin and Stephen Sewell made an attempt at settlement in the Greenbrier Valley as early as 1649. EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN WEST VIRGINIA. A settlement was made where Clarksburg now stands by John Simpson and others about 1765, and the same year near Buchannon by the Pringle brothers. Settlements were made in Tygarts' Valley about 1772, by the Westfalls, Stalnakers and many others. Under the leadership of John Minear, the Cheat River Valley was settled in 1774. The Greenbrier Valley became the home of the white man very early, as it was the gateway to the valley of the Great Kanawha. Settlements were made there as early as 1769. A settlement was made at Wheeling in 1790 by Ebenezer Zane and two of his brothers. In 1772 Leonard Morris became the first perma- nent settler in the Great Kanawha Valley. The sons of Charles Clendenin settled where Charleston now stands in 1788. The town was named after the father. Zackwell Morgan and others settled on the Monon- gahela where Morgantown now stands in 1768. In 1810 the town of Parkersburg was laid out and named in honor of Alexander Parker. FRONTIER WARRIORS. Lewis Wetzel, Samuel McColloch, Ebenezer Zane, Andrew Poe, Samuel Brady, William Crawford and John Stuart were among the most noted. THE OHIO COMPANY Was formed in 1748. The company was granted 500,- OOO acres on both sides of the upper Ohio, principally in Jefferson and Columbiana counties, Ohio, and Brooke county, West Virginia. Though prominent in the early settlements, it was without results. This company was formed and other land grants made west of the moun- tains about the middle of the eighteenth century to counteract the activities of the French in the Ohio Valley. THE DISTRICT OF WEST AUGUSTA Was a part of Virginia west of the Alleghanies and consisted of the territory now embraced by the counties of Wetzel, Marshall, Ohio, Marion, Monongalia, Brooke and Hancock, and two-thirds of Randolph, half of Bar- bour, a third of Tucker, half of Taylor, a fourth of Harrison, half of Doddridge, and two-thirds of Tyler. The tract was divided into three counties, Ohio, Mon- ongalia and Youghiogheny. The latter was mostly in- cluded in Pennsylvania when an accurate survey was made, and is known as the "Lost County." Washing- ton said of it, "Leave me but a banner to plant upon the mountains of West Augusta and I will gather around me men who will set my country free." THE FAIRFAX LAND GRANT Was bounded by the Rappahannock and Potomac Riv- ers and by a straight line joining their sources. The Fairfax Stone marks the first fountain of the North Branch of the Potomac. Lord Fairfax employed George Washington to survey much of this tract. At the close of the Revolution his lands were confiscated. The first settlements in West Virginia were made on this land. THE TREATY OF FORT STANWIX. Now Rome, N. Y., was made between the Indians and the colonies of Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jer- sey, 1768. For 10,460 pounds English money, the Indians ceded to the English King a large tract of land west of the mountains, including West Virginia. The Indians reserved a tract bounded by the Ohio, Little Kanawha and Monongahela Rivers, to satisfy a claim of some Philadelphia merchants for damages to their goods by the Indians on the Ohio. This is called the original Indiana Territory. DUNMORE'S WAR. The murder of Logan's family and other atrocities led to the Dunmore War between the Whites and the Indians. The leading engagement was the Battle of Point Pleasant, October 10, 1774. General Lewis, com- manding the southern wing of Dunmore's army, was attacked by the Indians under Cornstalk. It was a fierce attack and a heroic defense, but the Indians were defeated. They retreated into Ohio. Dunmore with the northern wing of the army was at the mouth of the Little Hocking River in Ohio, at the time. He later moved westward into the Indian country and con- cluded a treaty of peace with them. The Battle of Point Pleasant is sometimes called the first battle of the Revolution, and the second attack on Fort Henry the last. Both engagements were in West Virginia, but neither, properly speaking, was a battle of the Revolution. A noted incident of the first siege of Fort Henry, 1777, was McCollough's Leap, and of the second, the securing of gunpowder from an adjacent house by Elizabeth Zane. WHY WEST VIRGINIA CONTROLS THE OHIO. In 1784 Virginia ceded her territory north and west of the Ohio River to the general government, leaving the Ohio River within the boundaries of Virginia, and consequently it became a part of West Virginia, after the division of Virginia. West Virginia levies and collects taxes on all bridges across the Ohio within the jurisdiction of the State, but when new bridges are built across the Ohio or other navigable streams within the State, consent must first be obtained from the Navy Department of the Government of the United States, and the Attorney General of the State. In accordance with the charter granted Lord Baltimore, the Potomac River belongs to Maryland. REVOLUTION AND WAR OF 1812. In the Revolutionary War, West Virginia furnish- ed many soldiers and three major-generals, Gates, Lee and Stephen. But one engagement occurred within the State, the second siege of Fort Henry. In the War of 1812 West Virginia contributed largely in daring soldiers, and in funds by direct taxa- tion. General Steenbergen arid Major Waggener the hero of Lundy's Lane, were from West Virginia. (to be continued)