| Grant County Press- September 01, 1976
About this Issue Today’s special 40-page Bicentennial edition of the Press symbolizes more than just our biggest paper ever. It is the culmination of over two months of slumping, bleary-eyed over mounts of copy by our entire staff to bring to you what we believe is the most comprehensive compilation of county history to date. Why didn’t we issue it on or around July 4 like many other newspapers around the country? That was our original intention back in May when we appealed to our readers to contribute historical pictures, stories and other memorabilia. But as June rolled around, the box we had set up for the material was bare indeed. Approaching deadline, we faced a choice: Should we go ahead with the limited material we have and deliver a July 4 edition, even though it would only superficially touch on history-rich Grant County? Or should we delay until September the edition so that we could launch an in-depth, vigorous campaign to capture the histories and heritage of the some 20 communities that comprise our proud county? We chose the latter and we promptly promised our readers a bigger and better collection of pictures and stories that would be worth the wait. Fully conscious of our boast, we began roaming the county, contacting local historians, dropping in on lifelong residents, rummaging through Courthouse records (and in it’s attic) and tendering another invitation to our readers for aid. Happily, this time the response was over whelming. We were bombarded with over 100 pictures, each capturing some aspect of our past. Although we couldn’t use the entire assemblage, the scores of unique pictures found within these pages were made possible by you. We are indebted to those who dismantled old family albums, and for allowing us to pry apart antique frames so that we could share these moments with others. We solicited only enough advertising (and advertisers have been generous) to meet the costs of producing the paper. We have sought to reincarnate some local history of every portion of the county. In so doing, we have tapped a variety of sources: books, letters, memoirs, magazines articles and personal interviews to name a few. Yet, we realized what a monumental task we were undertaking and have barely scratched the surface of the noble heritage of some communities and perhaps completely passed over others. Unfortunately, in some instances, the space devoted to a particular area is proportional to the amount of material available or submitted to us. We are bound to have omitted places, events and people that mean much to people born then and who live there today. But we sincerely believe we have fulfilled our commitment to you and ourselves of rejuvenating some of the founding qualities of our forefathers that made us what we are today. In conclusion, we would like to reprint a portion of the late D. W. Idleman’s preface to the “History of the Mt. Storm Community.” Because it so epitomizes our need for preserving the past: “Man is not wholly living in the present. Life is only a sort of threshold where memories of the past and anticipations of the future meet and intermingle. Human society everywhere today has grown largely out of past experiences and these experiences greatly influence present and future activities. Knowledge, therefore, of present and past history is interesting and profitable. “Local history is not only interesting to the community, but touches and influences the current of the national life. It is as the mountain springs and streams are to the mighty river—the source from which the river derives its power.” ************************************************************************ Grant County Grant County was formed in 1866 from hardy. Named for General Grant, later President. At the northwestern corner is the Fairfax Stone, which established the limits of the lands of Lord Fairfax. The county has many mountain peaks and beautiful scenery. Names in honor of Union General Ulysses Simpson Grant, Grant County was formed from Hardy by an Act of the W. Va. Legislature on February 14, 1866. The division line started at the Fairfax Stone at the junction line of West Virginia and Maryland, running down the North Branch of the Potomac to the Hardy County line, crossing Patterson Creek Mountain southeastward along the top of the mountain to the Gap below the mouth of Lunice Creek, then with a straight line to the top of Elk Horn Mountain and continuing along the mountain to the Hardy and Pendleton line, along the Pendleton line northwestward to the Tucker County, line back to he Fair fax Stone. The newly established county comprised 478 square miles with a population slightly over 5,000. Early settlers were secured at Maysville and Greenland. The first white men came largely from adjoining counties as they followed the South Branch westward. Maysville was declared the first county seat and the first circuit court met April 19, 1866 in the temporary Courthouse located near John May’s Mill in Laurelton, about ½ mile west of Maysville. Petersburg and Maysville fought for control of the county seat for 31 years before Petersburg finally secured it. Presiding over the initial circuit court was Judge E. C. Bunker who remained on the bench until 1868 when James P. Smith took over. The first county Court consisted of Henry Feaster, Jacob Roby and Michael N. Rady. Ernest C. Muntzing was appointed by Judge Bunker as the county’s first circuit clerk and held the office for 15 years. Rounding out the county‘s premier officers were S. H. Corn, prosecuting attorney; John R. Dolly, sheriff; Martin Judy, assessor; W. D. Nydegger, county surveyor; and George Harman, superintendent. D.P. Hendrickson, who was the county’s third clerk, certainly must have been one of the county’s ablest or most popular residents as he held the office for 41 years, from 1880 to 1921. The population of Grant county was 5, 542 in 1880, 6,802 in 1890, 7,275 at the turn of the century, 7, 838 in 1910, 8,993 in 1920 (its peak population), 8, 441 in 1930 and 8,607 in 1970 The Great Courthouse Feud The county’s first courthouse built in Maysville in 1868 County officials and crates of dusty records documenting over 11 decades of existence were quietly placed in their new cradle last month. The complete lack of fanfare, which hailed the move into the $1.1 million Courthouse, was a first in this respect. The abandonment of the 97-year old edifice marked the first time since the county was spawned from Hardy County that there was no raucus outcry of protest from the citizenry over courthouse swapping. By contrast, Maysville, which occupied the honor beginning in 1866 and Petersburg, where it has been lodged since 1897, engaged in an intense and bitter feud over its placement that lasted 31 years. The county seat was shuffled back and forth no less than three times, exhausting four different buildings and misplacing the county’s bell. (a present by General Grant) in the process. Four countywide referendum votes were held on the matter. The bickering over which town should possess the county seat involved a mixture of pride, and accessibility—no less important at the time. It must be remembered that in the horse and buggy days in which the harangue occurred, the 10 miles or so between the two towns was not the simple jaunt it is today by auto. Rather, it was a time of consuming expedition at best and quite often a nuisance if the dirt roads were in less than tip top form. It is no wonder then that Maysville denizens stubbornly clung to their prize, buttressed by the rationale that they were the geographic center of the county. Just as understandable was Petersburg’s ever-proliferating pressure to relocate the county seat there as the most populated section of the county. In the four elections held on the location controversy, the Mountain top communities invariably sided with the Maysville situated (which offset Petersburg’s advantage in population) the southern end of the county, naturally sided with Petersburg. The resulting sectionalism spawned hotly contested races for the county Court seats, each party seeking a coalition to further their interests. A chronology of the highlights of the county seat polemic, which eventually terminated in Petersburg’s favor follows: Following the formation of Grant County from neighboring Hardy on February 14, 1866, the fledging county’s governing body, the Board of Supervisors, set up temporary quarters in a log dwelling in Laurelton, one mile west of Maysville in the Gap. On October 18, 1866, Maysville residents John May and his wife, Catherine, donated a small tract of land near their mill free to the Supervisors for construction of a permanent courthouse. The brick structure was completed in October 1868 Maysville remained the county seat until 1872 when, by a special act of the West Virginia Legislature, Petersburg became the new county seat. The Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church served as the new county seat’s fist place of business until February 19, 1879 when the new Courthouse on Virginia Avenue was completed. The County, Court (which replaced the Board of Supervisors) paid the church’s trustees 4150 a year, in rent for the parish’s use. On May 17, 1877, County Court commissioners George Harness donated one square acre of land to the court located between his residence and that of William McNemar for construction of a permanent courthouse. Besides Harness, Commissioners (or Justices) at the time included President William Babb, John Sites and Job W. Shell. The contract to build the building was awarded to James Anderson and Stratt (first name unknown) for the tidy sun of $5,450. First meeting in the new Courthouse was held on February 19, 1879. On November 04, 1890, the first of four elections was held on where the county seat should be relocated in Maysville. The Court called the election after receiving petitions of at least one-fifth of all voters in the county as required by the West Virginia code on the relocation matter. It was not until a January 19, 1891 County Court meeting that the votes were canvassed and declared valid over the protests of several Petersburg citizens. The tallies showed 854 for relocation to Maysville and 507 against. Since the state law required a favorable vote of three-fifths or more for passage, the referendum passed by 38 votes. The court ordered Maysville be declared the county seat again beginning immediately and authorized county records transferred back to the Maysville Courthouse. The Dissenting Petersburg residents however claimed the election was invalid because the ballot did not designate any specific building in Maysville. And on March 27, 1891, the Circuit Court upheld the appeal submitted by T. J. Grove and pronounced the election invalid. Judge Jason Armstrong ruled the Court failed to make separate certificates of election results at Mt. Storm and other precincts. The County Court subsequently appealed to the State Supreme Court but apparently without success. Undaunted, the Petersburg bloc assimilated another petition drive at the Court’s June 22, 1892 meeting. B. S. McDonald presented 575 signatures asking for another vote. Complying, the relocation question was placed on the ballot for the November 8 general election. In their January 10, 1893 meeting, the Court announced the official results: 813 for relocation and 596 against. The back-to-Maysville movement this time fell short by a scant 30 votes. At the June 19, 1895, results were announced showing 906 for and 651 opposed. In the largest turnout to date, pro-Maysville forces were again thwarted by only 27 votes. Quite possibly, the matter would have ended there had not the Legislature amended the code dealing with relocation on February 14, 1895. The act superseded the three-fifths affirmative vote for relocation with a simple majority. It is not known whether the timely (or untimely, depending on one’s affiliation) act was a result of any sort of pressure from Grant County forces. At any rate, the Maysville for county seat advocates, armed with new blood submitted the standard petitions to the Court on June 18, 1895. Doing the honors this time was John B. Ford. The Court placed the issue this time on the agenda for a special election to be held August 17, 1895. On the fateful day 876. County residents cast their vote for relocation while 604 continued to oppose the defection back to Maysville. Although the margin was similar to the three previous elections, this time the verdict was different At a special session the Court on September 2, the Commissioners officially announced the results and promptly declared Maysville the new county seat and ordered records transported to their former home. In doing so, the County had to overrule Petersburg residents, J. B. Grove, W. A. Ervin, O. M. Smith. T. J. Grove, B. J. Baker and Thomas Welton who pleaded in vain that the 1895 Act was unconstitutional and did not apply to Grant County. Likewise, J. B. Groves move to suspend the relocation order until an appeal could be made to the Circuit Court was nixed. And so, 23 years after Maysville lost its venerable honor to the “big city,” a certain and short-lived vindication was accomplished. But barely had the dusty and much jostled about county records been placed on the shelves than Petersburg regained for good the county seat. The 1895 act was declared unconstitutional and the records wee once more ordered back to Petersburg. The Act’s unconstitutionality was decided either in 1896 or 1897. The only mention of the return in he County Court minutes is though a brief bill of $83.15 presented by Sheriff Will C. Smith for “the removing of records back to Petersburg” on January 13, 1897. An amusing comment on the editorial page of the July 16, 1897 edition of the Grant County Press refers to the nullification of the 1895 Act and wryly observes, “Some of our neighbors who suggested in the past that we have our county seat put on wheels for convenience.” So in Petersburg the county seat stayed. The Courthouse was remodeled and expanded considerably in 1909. The Courthouse in Maysville was sold to the Board of Education on June 18, 1884 where it was used briefly as a two-room schoolhouse. Eventually all evidence of Maysville’s past glory was obliterated when it was torn down to make way for the United Methodist Church which occupies the hill across cook’s store today. The temporary quarters in Laurelton which served as the county’s first abode of official business was also disassembled by Frank Porter of Maysville who used the original logs to build a new home. One of the most intriguing anecdotes to spring from the county seat hassle revolves around the immense bell given to the county by none other than general Grant whom the county was named after. During the course of one of the shuttles from Maysville to Petersburg, the bell, which was being transported by wagon, unaccountably disappeared. The culprits behind the theft were never uncovered nor was the bell ever see again—at least not publically. But according to Lahmansville resident Lloyd Snyder, the bell may still exist and in perfect condition. As Snyder tells it, W. H. Muntzing told him 15 years ago or so that he had seen the bell intact in the hayloft of a barn. Furthermore, Muntzing had chosen to reveal to Snyder the secret whereabouts of the heist bell. Unfortunately for Snyder and the county, Muntzing suddenly died before spilling its location. To this day, the mystery of the bell’s disappearance r *********************************************************************** Grant County Firsts Automobile, Airplane Wow Citizens The first transportation in Grant County was by means of horses and wagons. All merchandise was transported from Keyser, by way of Petersburg, as far south as Upper Tract. Beyond there Merchandise was hauled from Harrisonburg, Va. If these wagons were heavily loaded it took from four to five days to make the round trip. Some of the teamsters were Walter Strader, Arch Redman, Jobe Redman, Lee Shobe and R. W. Bright. The roads were only plain dirt roads, and in the winter, at times the mud was knee deep to a horse. The mail and passengers were carried in stagecoaches from Petersburg to Keyser with a change of horses at Medley and Burlington. A stagecoach left Petersburg in the morning and arrived at Keyser in the evening and one left Keyser in the morning and arrived in Petersburg in the evening. The first mail transportation by automobile from Petersburg to Keyser was carried by George Shank. There were no bridges over the streams, and when the waters were high the mails were water bound. Grant County has two railroads. The Western Maryland was built by Henry G. Davis and Thomas B. Davis in the closing years of the nineteenth century. It traverses the western end of the county, and has been the outlet for much coal and timber. The other now a branch of the Baltimore and Ohio was known as the Hampshire Southern and was built by John J. Cornwell and W. B. Cornwell. It came to Petersburg in the year of 1910. At first it operated separately a freight and a passenger train later a mixed rain, and finally passenger traffic was abandoned. The railroad has been an outlet for much lumber, pulpwood, and stock, especially before the days of trucks, and an inlet for grain, feed, and merchandise of all kinds. When automobiles first began to travel on the roads they created much excitement. Dogs barked, horses ran and chickens flew. People would phone to their neighbors that an automobile was on its way. When a picnic or a tournament was scheduled, the committee in charge would advertise that no automobiles would be allowed on the ground. Rumor has it that the Grant county Court passed an order prohibiting automobiles to travel on the highways of the county. In 1907 the first automobile came to Grant County. It was a Ford and was owned by Bob Baker. Walter Ervin came along with the next one that steered by a tiller. John Parks purchased a one cylinder Reo, and Asa Alt a two cylinder 1909 Maxwell. The aut9omobile simulated the greatest road-building program in the history of the world, and has revolutionized travel and transportation. The first airplane to land in Petersburg was sometime during the early 1920’s and created as much excitement as the automobile did at an earlier date. Petersburg has no landing field for passenger planes, but has a field for emergency landings. Since the last war a few hatcheries have shipped chicks here by plane. In August of 1949, conservation Officer Harrison Shobe, with Hugh Allen Jr. as pilot of a Piper cup plane successfully stocked Stony River Lake with two hundred fifty trout fingerlings. This was the first attempt in West Virginia to stockfish from the air Published on May 10,1950 County Education in 1904 “Fairly Good” (By Rev. Lawrence Sherwood) Fifty years ago there was a great interest throughout the State of West Virginia. This interest centered in an attempt to find out the history of education in each of the counties and communities of the State. These local histories, along with other related matter were put into a book, “ The History of Education in West Virginia”, which was published in Charleston in 1904. The purpose of these local histories and the purpose of the book was to show to all of the world that West Virginia was not the “backward state” that most outsiders thought it was. The book was printed primarily to be taken to the Great Louisiana Purchase Exposition, held at St. Louis in 1904, In this book were two pictures that dealt with Grant County. One is of “Edward F. Vossler, Pioneer Educator of grant County.” The other shows the Petersburg school, set in an open field with a large group of students around it. This open field was later to become the very populated North Main street; and the school building was later to be remodeled into the attractive dwelling beside of the present day Pepsi-Cola plant. Perhaps it will be of interest to quote the entire write up on Grant County. This shows that our area had done between 1866 and 1904. The article was written by Jos. L. Rexrode, superintendent. “Grant County, named in honor of General Grant, was formed from the county of Hardy in 1866. It is situated in the eastern panhandle of the State and surrounded by the counties of Mineral, Hardy, Pendleton and tucker. It is not wholly made up of mountains and hills as shown upon most maps of the State. It possesses that portion of the South Branch Valley in and about Petersburg, whose soil is very fertile and well adopted to corn and wheat growing. To it also belongs the part of the Alleghenies from Mineral to Tucker County, which is covered with fine timber and whose surface is under laid with coal containing the new mines of Henry, Bayard and others. “As to the educational position and development of the county, we do not claim first place and we would resent the idea of being placed last. “Hardly had the free school system been heard of, when the people of the western part of Hardy County said, “ Give us a new county and its name shall be a monument to the memory of the great general.” “Thus, the first free school of Grant county came into existence with the organization of the county, numbering the first year about fifteen or twenty. They were taught principally in log houses with a space between floor and ceiling of little more than six feet. They were built upon the theory. “The smaller the space, the easier to warm.” Since, the number has increased to sixty-six, the great majority of which are roomy and comfortable. For the great improvement in school buildings and the furniture there is perhaps no man in the county deserves more credit than Edward F. Vossler, who was born and educated in Germany, and located in Grant County early in his life. He was the first county superintendent of the county, and has ever since been in some way connected with the public schools. As a member of the First Free School Legislature under the new constitution he was chosen as a sub-committee with State Superintendent W. K. Pendleton to frame the Free School of Law of 1873 “Of the superintendent who followed were: William K. Davis from 1879 to 1885; J. C. Judy, from 1885 to 1889; H.W. Kuhn from 1889 to 1891, and Joseph L. Rexrode, the present superintendent, who has served the office since 1891. Under the supervision of the schools by the later, about twenty-five new houses have been built, nearly all of which have been furnished with modern desks and moderate supply of apparatus. “The examinations for teachers for a number of years have been rigid. Therefore, a scarcity of teachers. The motto of the examiners has been, “better a little sort than have a surplus of inferior teachers.” “The first year’s uniform examinations did not diminish the teacher’ roll in the county. At the close of the examination for the first year under the uniform system, no applicant failed, and no teacher was turned away with a lower grade than formerly held under the county board. “The school system of the county is in a fairly good condition and we believe that there is a growing sentiment toward a longer term and better teachers’ wages. Published on April 29, 1953 ************************************************************************ Falls: Inter-Potomac Industrial Edition 1908 Assessor of Grant County, of Falls, West Virginia A. J. Berg The office of County assessor has been filled for the last five years by Mr. A. J. Berg, of Falls. He was first appointed in 1902, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. S. T. Kessel. The people of Grant County are very exacting in their demands of their county officers, but Mr. Berg gave such satisfaction during his first two years as Assessor that he was re-elected in the fall of 1904. His term of office will expire January 1908, and he is now spoken of as his own probable successor. Born on a farm and raised to hard work, he naturally possesses that sturdiness of character and honesty of purpose, which in the long run are worth more than diamonds. ************************************************************************ From Our Files: Inter-Potomac Industrial Edition 1908 Greenland Gap Hotel, Greenland, West Virginia Just at the west entrance of the famous picturesque Greenland Gap is to be found one of the best country inns that it ever befalls the lot of the wayfarer to know. This hotel is the property of Mrs. Mary E. Nydegger, but the hotel and the general store, which is near, is managed by Samuel Nydegger, a most jovial and accommodating landlord. Traveling salesman invariably makes it a point to reach Greenland in the evening as the needs of both horse and man are always carefully looked after. Greenland Gap Hotel—Grant County Press April 16, 1897 The store belonging to Jesse Hays of Greenland burned Saturday night with all its contents. The fire was discovered about 10 o’clock in the night, and was then about the door in the rear of the building and on the outside, which points substantially to incendiary origin. ********************************************************************* T. M. Michael Justice of Peace, Greenland, WV Inter-Potomac Industrial Edition 1908 T. M. Michael, son of Adam Michael, was born at Greenland, was reared on the farm, which he now owns and schooled at the local public schools. In 1891 he, with S. Life, entered the mercantile business at Greenland, WV, under the firm, name of Life & Michael, but after three years, he sold out to his partner and devoted his entire time to farming. Squire Michael is an ardent Republican and has often been a delegate to Congressional and County conventions. In 1899 he was appointed justice of the Peace for Union District to fill the unexpired term of Squire Lyon; elected to the same office in 1900, and re-elected in 1904, which goes to prove that the people have explicit confidence in him. He also served his district as a member of the Board of Education, having first filled the office by appointment, then by election. He was married in 1905, to Miss Clara Kessel, daughter to S. T. Kessel of Arthur, Grant County, West Virginia. HISER General Merchants, Hiser, West Virginia Hiser, W.Va. is located about three miles south of Petersburg and takes its name from Mr. W. F. Hiser, member of the firm of Hiser & Sites. Mr. Hiser opened up a store at this place in 1904, and so successful was the business that it was found expedient to increase the stock, so Mr. I. W. Sites was taken into partnership early in 1907, and at this time the firm name of Hiser & Sites was assumed. Mr. Hiser was born in Pendleton County, 1873, and remained with the family on the farm until he was seventeen years of age, when he commenced work along the line of the West Virginia Central Railway, and from 1895 to 1900 contracted the getting out of pulp wood at Davis, W.Va. On leaving Davis, in 1900, he opened up a store at Pansy, W.Va. and continued to run it until 1904, when he disposed of the store and came to Hiser. Inter Potomac Industrial Edition 1908 ************************************************************************ JORDAN RUN Loney Keplinger Visiting Sonnie and Delores Keplinger and Dorcas have been Fred and Dawn Knicely, Kevin and Kristy. Sonny and Delores Keplinger were visiting her grandfather, Walter Nelson, who under went surgery on Friday at Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Also on Tuesday the Keplingers were visiting her grandmother Mrs. Cora Nelson at Mouth of Seneca who recently underwent surgery. Saturday was senior Citizens day at Camp Galilee at Terra Alta. 129 attended, 15 from Arthur, Maysville and Scherr attended. Mr. and Mrs. Rosco Goldizen of Bloomfield, Iowa, spent from Thursday through Monday visiting Mr. and Mrs. Ed Goldizen. Sunday visitors in the same home were Mr. John Evans of Gormania and Mr. and Mrs. Junior Nesselrodt of Keyser. Craig and Dougie Edwards of Silver Spring, Maryland spent the past two weeks with their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Doug Disney. Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Keplinger wee visiting Maynard Keplinger Thursday evening Word was received here last week of the death of Arthur Rohrbaugh, formerly of Keyser. Mr. Rohrbaugh spent the past few years in Texas with his daughter. He was born and reared here on Jordan Run and lived here before moving to Keyser. His wife, Hattie Stonestreet Rohrbaugh died February 01, 1955. We can remember when Arthur and his brother did all the thrashing grain in this area. This was a great treat for us, to help our neighbors thrash and for them to help us. Those days are over. Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Edwards of Silver Springs, Maryland and Clem Rohrbaugh of Weaton, Maryland were weekend guests of Mr. and Mrs. Doug Disney. A baptismal service was held Sunday aftern0oon at the pond at Gene Evans when eight were baptized in to the Church of the Brethren of Jordan Run. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Miller and family of Delaware are spending some time with his mother, Mrs. Dorothy Miller and relatives. The writer and wife visited Norman Woodrow, Myrtle Burgess and Carl Doman Sunday afternoon. The annual Homecoming will be held this Sunday, September 5 at Jordan Run. All are welcome. Misses Twila and Pansy Berg called in our home recently. The writer and wife were supper guests in the home of our son and family Thursday evening. LANDES Mrs. George Yokum Mr. and Mrs. Paul Moreland and granddaughter of Belpre, Ohio were recent visitors of Mrs. Stella Alt and Charles. Charles Kimble, Hambleton, Ohio and Mrs. Verda Whetzel were visiting Mrs. Louvene Kimble Thursday. George W. Stump accompanied Jesse stump to Baltimore last Monday and spent the week visiting Mr. and Mrs. William Konitzer and Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Riggleman. Mr. and Mrs. Clement Stump visited Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Parsons and Mrs. John alt and grandchildren on Wednesday evening. Mrs. Neva Kesner and Kathy Stump were visiting Vernon Kesner Saturday at the Veterans Hospital in Martinsburg where he has been a patient since last Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Oather Ours and Mrs. Louvene Kimble were visiting Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Alkire of Piedmont Saturday evening. Mr. and Mrs. David stump and Toni attended the state Fair on Friday. Amanda stayed with her grandparents. Mr. and Mrs. Clement Stump. Visiting last week I the home of Dallie, Glenna and Kathy stump were Mrs. Marvin Thorn, Marion, Janice and Paul, Mrs. Phyllis Shook and Crystal and Clement Stump. Mrs. Stella Alt spent Saturday night with Mr. and Mrs. bill Alt and family and accompanied them to Winchester, Va. on Sunday where they attended a family reunion. Sunday afternoon visitors of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Calhoun were Ray Getz, Romney and Mr. and Mrs. Randy Ketterman and Mark. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Calhoun were Saturday evening visitors of Mr. and Mrs. George Kile. Visiting Sunday were Cleo Alt, Mars. Phyllis Waddy, Gina Dove, Judy Kile, Mrs. Annie Keny and Pam Kimble. Mr. and Mrs. George Yokum spent the weekend visiting Mr. and Mrs. Glen Hartman of Harrisonburg, VA, Jacob A. Hedrick and Miss Cindy Wilford were also Sunday dinner guests in the same home. Recent visitors in the Clement Stump home were Jesse stump, Gina Dove and Judy Kile. Mr. and Mrs. Pat Rhine were Monday visitors of Mrs. Stella Alt. Visiting in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Borror during the week were Mr. and Mrs. James Kesner and family. Mrs. Shirley Feaster, Mrs. Phyllis Shook and girls, Mrs. Pat Sherman and Patti. Mrs. Ruth Ann Keplinger and Vicki and Jimmy Yokum. Roland Borror, Roger and Lonnie and Carolyn and Douglas Borror visited Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Borror recently. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Borror were Sunday dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. James Kesner and family. Mrs. George Yokum, Mrs. Glen Hartman and Cindy Wilfong were Sunday afternoon visitors f Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Ratliff and Mr. and Mrs. Condie Hedrick, Harrisonburg, Va. *********************************************************************** MARTIN Martin was a rambling village settled about 100 years ago along the Knobley Road in the northeastern corner of the county. Situated in the village were nine houses, a store and post office, a saw and woolen mill and blacksmith shop. Thorn Run furnished water to power the mills. The gristmill, saw mill and blacksmith shop were owned by Christopher Columbus Martin. Four to six-horse or mule teams hauled wagons loaded with bark to the New Creek Tannery. Early residents were the McNemars, Markwoods, Martins, Georges, Harrises and Rotrucks—later Billmyers. The oldest house standing in Martin is the Lee Harris Home, built by Taylor Martin. A brother of Christopher, their father is reputedly none other than Christopher Columbus. Another very old house in the area is the William George home that stands south of the Knobley cemetery. Its current owner is Allen Patchett. Behind the Lee Harris home is the log cabin and small farm that George bought to give to his daughter, Ruhama George Dolly when her husband, Abijah Dolly, lost all his property during the Civil War. There was a still at the foot of the Dolly place that belonged to Christopher Martin Sr. Minor Martin and John Billmyer took the still to the flats and traded it for a sawmill. A man by the name of Markwood owned and operated the woolen mill. The Inskeep Farm was built in 1871 by Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Baker. Mrs. Baker was the late L. V. Inskeep’s maternal aunt. Mr. Baker’s first wife was named Peppers and was from Hampshire County. His second wife was Mary E. Lyon. ‘ Peppers died when the Bakers lived in the old log house below the barn across the road during the Civil War when soldiers stopped for a meal and she excitedly went to the milk house at the foot of the hill for butter and milk. While in the milk house she died, supposedly from the excitement of the arrival of soldiers. After Mr. Baker’s death, I. V. Inskeep purchased the farm in 1911. It was sold again in 1960. Aaron baker taught school in this area and continued to buy acreage until he had approximately 1, 000 acres. He originally came from Baker in Hardy County, was a teacher and a justice of the peace. MAYSVILLE by Mary Harris Maysville was named for John and Henry May, two brothers who located and built a mill there about 1831. The Mays migrated from Rockingham County and later donated land for a new Courthouse in the town which served as county seat off and on until1897. The Mays lived in what is known as the Will Franz house and contained a single room at the time. Other early settlers of Maysville included Franz, Scherr and Vossler. Later came Hetzler, Hollen and Trenton. The first Franz to arrive in Maysville was a doctor and the father of Mrs. Will Franz. The town’s saw mill stood by the race along Lunice Creek. The woolen mill, a three story building, was operated by the Scherrs and provided work for many of the town’s citizens. The woolen mill stood behind the present day R. C. Kimble store. The race from the creek provided the mills’ power. Yet a third mill, this one producing grist, was located in lower Maysville and was maintained by the Hollens. Mrs. Edward F. Vossler and Mrs. Arnold Scherr ran the general store. Mrs. Vossler was the town’s first postmistress. The Scherrs lived in the house owned today by Mrs. Amy Snyder. Mrs. Vossler resided where Donald Rexrode now lives. The Grant House (now owned by W. G. Bosley) was a hotel built around the turn of the century by the C. H. Vosslers. It was later sold to Mr. and Mrs. Emil Vossler and still later to Squire Hiram Powell. Powell was a teacher and Justice of the Peace in addition to running the hotel until his death. A blind teacher, Prof. Johnson, held the first normal school in Maysville. Miss Blanche Babb and Prof. Joseph N. Stayman each conducted normal schools also. A pottery briefly set up shop, where Mrs. Gordon Cook now resides. Noah May and Ed Kline were both carpenters and coffin makers of the town. The old Courthouse was erected where the United Methodist Church now stands. George Yokum was the jailer, made and repaired shoes and delivered mail to Jordan Jun. Benny Kline still operates his father’s planning mill. Originally, there was only one church on the creek bank built by the Methodist with aid from the Lutherans. Both denominations used the building. The disastrous 1949 flood completely washed away the church and it was rebuilt. After the Methodists and U.U. B. united, it was sold. The old church of Christ on the hill on Knobley Road is no longer used. Maysville’s Edward F. Vossler represented grant County to the House of Delegates during the 11th session of the Legislature in 1872-73. Vossler’s Store Robbed Thanksgiving Eve, 1915 On Thanksgiving Eve in 1915, three men rode horseback into Maysville and after visiting the Church of Christ, taking the carpeting from the aisle of the church, returned to the store and post office, owned and operated by the late C. H. Vossler and his son, Clarence, where they proceed to enter the store and made their way to the safe. After covering the safe with the carpet to muffle the sound, nitro-glycerine was used to blow open the door. Mr. Vossler’s papers, checks and $400 cash was then stuffed into an empty mail sack. They then returned to the church, separated the money from the papers, and hid the papers and mail sack in a corn stack in a cornfield belonging to Taylor Kessel. Thanksgiving morning discovery of the robbery was made by the late W. E. Clauze, when he opened the store for the day’s business. Mr. Vossler was promptly notified as were the sheriff, the late Dr. W. T. Highberger, and W. D. Trenton, his deputy. Search was started and the culprits followed down the Falls Road to the Greenland Gap Bridge where a horse blanket, stolen previously from Jim Idleman, a teacher at Scherr, and a leather purse containing $7.10 in pennies were found. From there they were traced over the mountains and late in the evening three men, supposed to have been the wanted men, stopped at the Hartmansville store where they bought food. Mr. Vossler imported bloodhounds from Fairmont, but it remained an unsolved crime. By way of an explanation, the recent breaking and entry of our school brought this tale to mind that has been told to me by my mother, and with the cooperation of Mr. Vossler’s daughters, Mrs. Taylor Kessel and Clerk of the Court, Elton Hiser, we have been able to gather the facts as are present here. From a Newspaper clipping. ************************************************************************ Town Landmark Razed in 1930’s From a Newspaper clipping The store building that has housed the Vossler store at Maysville for many years burned Monday night. The building with everything around burned, and it took hard work to save the nearby property; Ed May’s house was on fire several times. The building was unoccupied, the stock of goods having been sold and it is not known how the fire started, being discovered about 1 o’clock in the morning. A part of the building was a substantial structure having been built out of lumber manufactured the old way, hewn from logs. It was the old stand of the late Arnold Scherr, later owned by Hon, C. H. Vossler. Mr. Vossler recently sold the ground and building to Corbett Kimble who has planned to erect a garage and service station on the site. Mr. Kimble intended to use the old factory building and build to it, but now a new building will cover the site. *********************************************************************** How Medley Was Named No Medley Ever Lived in Medley The Story of how the small community arrived at its name is worthy of note. According to all available knowledge no one by the name of Medley ever lived at Medley. Thornton Stallings was the first merchant at Medley and also the first postmaster. The first time he went to Baltimore to buy goods for his store, the wholesale man asked him where he was to ship the goods and was told by Mr. Stallings to ship it to Patterson’s Creek Depot. He then asked the name of the place where he did business. He was told that the place had no name. The wholesaler then asked what the people do who lives there. Mr. Stallings told him that the place was way out in the country and consisted of a tannery, a harness shop and farmers, - a medley of things. The wholesaler replied, “Well, we’ll just call it Medley.” He was then told that there was no post office and that the nearest post office was at Williamsport. The wholesaler said he would bill the goods to Medley, but address the letter to Williamsport. This was done. The mail from Williamsport was brought to Medley for all by anyone who was inclined to go after it. Soon afterward application was made for a post office at Medley, which was granted and the name of Medley was officially established. This account has been verified by Thornton Stallings’ son, H. L. Stallings and his daughter, Emma Stallings. Medley by Mary Harris A little village located on Patterson Creek road about halfway between Burlington and Petersburg. It originally consisted of 11 homes, eight on the road and three at the foot of the ridge. Also among the first establishments were a church, schoolhouse, store, post office, doctor’s office, two shoemaker shops, a Justice of the Peace office, tannery, blacksmith shop and stable where the stage transporting mail, express and passengers between Keyser and Franklin changed horses. The first medical doctor there was Joseph F. Scott who set up practice in 1878 and served the community until his death in December 1911. The surrounding area contains substantial farm home. Familiar names in the area include, Schell, Babb, Miller, Hershey, Scott, Stallings, Michael, Stingley, Reid, Strother, Naedele, Lahman, Inskeep, Bruce, Hillards, Stewart, Ware and Kent. Thornton Stallings ran a store and was the community’s first postmaster. His grandson, Arnold Stallings, is the present postmaster. In the interim, I. V. Inskeep, Frank Williams, and H. L. Stallings held the position. Kercheval’s History of the Valley’ notes that on January 20, 1864, General Rosser, with a strong Confederate force, captured a train of 93 wagons, 300 mules and 20 prisoners at Medley. Among the prisoners was Judge Nathan Goff of West Virginia. Goff’s house allegedly fell on him, which resulted in his death. In charge of the wagon train was Col. Joseph Snyder. Reid Murders Near Medley Shocked County: HORRIBLE screamed the headline of the Grant County Press in its October 29, 1909 edition. Brutal Double Murder, Whole South Branch is Wrought up Over the Crime was the banner headline of the Wheeling intelligencer. The unsolved double murder of Mrs. E. M. Reid and her son, Coker, who perished amidst the hand-set flames of their home one mile south of Medley on the night of October 21, 1909 remains one of the county’s most chilling and sensational crimes. The motive of the slayings was apparently robbery as the Reids, according to newspapers accounts at the time, “kept a large amount of money in the house in what was called their strong room. It was determined that Coker Reid, 21 had first been murdered in the nearby drill shed before being dragged into the house where the fire was set. Authorities found his hat, half-filled with blood, within the barn and containing a small hole made by a sharp instrument the murder(s) used as the death weapon. The hole would have required a blade three inches wide. The charred torso and head of the widowed mother (E. M. Reid had died about three years earlier), the Wheeling Intelligencer related, indicated that she too may have been bludgeoned to death rather than killed in the fire. Near the bodies, a mason’s hammer was found. Evidently, the murder(s) set the fire to erase the evidence of their deeds. T. M. Michael, a neighbor who lived near the Reids, first noticed the two0story house in flames around 11 p.m. and rushed to the scene. But the house was already engulfed in flames by the time of his arrival. Unable to gain entrance, he called in vain for the occupants. The house was completely razed by the fire. Neighbors first attributed the fire to lightening as a severe storm had just passed through the area. It was not until the next morning that Coker Reid’s blood-splotched hat was discovered in the drill shed. The Press reports: “The news of the awful crime and terrible fate of one of Grant county’s most estimable families spread rapidly and hundreds of neighbors and citizens from far and near visited the scene.” Bloodhounds borrowed from the state penitentiary in Moundsville were rapidly dispatched to the scene but so many onlookers had visited the scene that the dogs couldn’t discern the murder’s scent from hundreds of others. Despite a $500 reward offered for information leading to the conviction of the perpetrators, no one was ever brought to trial. The two Reids were interred in Lahmansville cemetery with Revs. J. S. Willridge and L. A. Racey officiating. ************************************************************************ NORTH MILL CREEK Virginia Ketterman Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Ours and daughters, Danny Ours and daughter of Harman visited Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Ours during the weekend. Mrs. Mary Stoner of Westminster spent a week with Mr. and Mrs. Harman Kile. Mrs. Clyde Davis and Mrs. Lottie Hockman attended the Helmick Picnic at the Day Park Sunday. Mrs. Leona Nelson and Mrs. Denton Kisamore visited the former’s sister, Mrs. Emma Shreve at the Harrisonburg hospital Saturday. Kenneth Miller of Westminster was a Tuesday supper guest of Mr. and Mrs. William Hatcher. Mrs. Leroy Boooks and girls spent Tuesday with her mother Mrs. Nellie Brennen. Mr. and Mrs. John Moyers visited Mr. and Mrs. William Hatcher Wednesday. Those visiting in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Davis last week were Mrs. Lottie Hockman, Ruthie and Brenda Goldizen, Mrs. Linda Berg and two children, Mrs. Elbert Berg and Robert Goldizen. Mrs. Leona Nelson Spent a few days with Mr. and Mrs. Bennie Nelson because of illness. Rev. and Mrs. Joseph Eversole are on vacation at this time. PANSY General Merchant, Pansy, West Virginia Between Petersburg and Pansy, Grant County—about five miles from Petersburg, and one mile from Pansy- is located the general store of Mr. G. E. Hiser, from which the people in that section of the country obtain their good and dispose of their produce. Mr. Hiser was born at Pansy August 17, 1875. He was schooled at the local district schools and at Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA, from which institution he graduated in vocal music and after graduation followed the teaching of music for three years. Since 1896, during the winter months, he has taught school, filling in the vacations at farming and milling, and since 1903, at which time he entered the mercantile business, has given his time during vacation to the store. In 1905 Mr. Hiser was married to Miss Sudie Iman, of Grant County, West Virginia and they with their only child, reside in a dwelling near the store. Inter Potomac Industrial Edition 1908 |