Pocahontas County History Preservation, Digitization, Community

John Collins, p. 412, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

For nearly a hundred years the name Collins has been a familiar one among our people. The progenitor was John Collins, a native of Ireland. He found his way from Pennsylvania to Pendleton county, where he met and married Barbara Full. He first settled on the Dun woody place, near Meadow Dale, in Highland. About the year 1800 he moved to what is now Pocahontas county, and settled on the Greenbrier on lands now held by William H. Collins, and built up a home. There had been some improvements begun by former settlers, but so little that to all intents and purposes he settled in the woods. Mr and Mrs Collins were the parents of four sons and four daughters: John, James, Lewis and Charles; Barbara, Susannah, Mary and Elizabeth.

Barbara went west; it is believed to Ohio; Susannah became Mrs George Nottingham and lived in Athens county, Ohio; Elizabeth became Mrs William Queen, and went to Marion county, Ohio.

In reference to the sons of John Collins, we learn that John was a dealer in horses, and upon going to Richmond with a drove he was never heard of afterwards. The probability seems to be that he was killed and robbed in the Blue Ridge.

James went to Lawrence county, Ohio, married Henrietta daughter of Judge Davidson, settled seven miles below Iron ton, and reared a large family. H e was a prosperous prominent citizen.

Thomas Cochran, p. 422, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Among the persons who have been identified with our county history, the Cochran relationship claim recognition. For more than a hundred years the name has been a familiar one. The Pocahontas Cochrans are the descendants of Thomas Cochran, senior, a native of Ireland, one of three brothers who came over together. One of these brothers settled in Augusta and his descendants are highly respected in that county. Another of these Cochrans went to Kentucky, it is believed. Thomas Cochran, the subject of this sketch, married a Miss MacKemie, near Parnassus, in Augusta county, and settled on the Rankin place on the Greenbrier, near the mouth of Locust Creek. Thence he moved to the place now held by Mathews Ruckman. The relationship is so widely extended that it is only possible to trace his descendants to a degree where the present generation can take up the line and complete it.

Archibald Clendennin, p.154, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

The Clendennin name has been familiar as a household word to our people for more than a hundred years.

They are the descendants of Archibald Clendennin, who was one of the pioneers of Greenbrier County, and lived in the Big Levels, not far from Lewisburg. The place has been long known as the Ballard Smith homestead.

Charles Clendennin was slain by the Indians in 1763 and was survived by two sons, George and Charles.

In regard to George Clendennin we have nothing authentic. Charles Clendennin was one of the pioneers of Kanawha County, and the city of Charleston is named for him. William Clendennin, a son of Charles, married Sallie Cochran, daughter of John Cochran, and settled on the Burgess place, near Hillsboro, now occupied by John Payne. This occurred about 1780. Their sons were William and John; their daughter Catherine became Mrs Jacob Kennison.

Michael Cleek, p. 379, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

The ancestor of the Cleek relationship in Pocahontas County was Michael Cleek, who was one of the earlier pioneers to occupy the attractive portion of the Knapps Creek valley adjacent to Driscol, and came from Bath County. His wife was Margaret Henderson Crawford, whose father was from Lancaster, Pa., and lived in Bath County, near Windy Cove.

Michael Cleek opened the lands comprised in the Peter L. Cleek, William H . Cleek, and Benjamin F. Fleshman properties--the persons just named being his grandchildren. With the exception of two or three very small clearings, it was a primitive, densely unbroken forest of white pine and sugar maple. He built a log cabin on the site of the new stable, and some years subsequently reared a dwelling of hewn timber, now the old stable at Peter L. Cleek's. The late John Cleek, father of Peter and William, and who was the oldest of the family, could just remember when his parents settled here. They came out by the way of Little Back Creek, crossing the Alleghany Mountain opposite Harper's. His mother carried him in her lap, horseback, all the way from Windy Cove. Michael Cleek's family consisted of three sons, John, William, and Jacob; and three daughters, Elizabeth, Barbara, and Violet.

Jacob Cassell, p. 409, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Jacob Cassell, ancestor of the numerous relationship of that name, was a native of Pendleton. In early manhood he came to Bath, where he married Nancy McLaughlin, a sister of Squire Hugh McLaughlin, late of Marlinton. After living several years in Bath, he bought out Mr Deaver, on Greenbrier River, three miles west of Greenbank, now known as the Cassell fording. Here he settled and became a wellknown citizen of our county, about seventy years ago. His family were two daughters and five sons: William, Jacob, John, Samuel, James, Nancy and Jane.

William married Matilda Wanless, and settled on Back Alleghany where he spent the remainder of his life—he was eighty-two years old when he died. He was married twice. The first children were Nancy Jane and George. The daughter became Mrs Henry Barlow and lives near Edray. George was a Confederate soldier and died of wounds during the war. William Cassells second marriage was with Nancy Collins. By this marriage there were seven children. Mary Catherine became Mrs Thomas Beverage; Martha Ellen was married to Robert Sutton, a prominent teacher of schools; William, Jr., married India Sutton and settled on the homestead; Louisa was married to John Cassell and lives near the old home; Charles married Annie Geiger and lives at Huttonsville. Sarah Ann died aged 13 years; George went to Texas and after many adventures on cattle ranches was drowned.

James Callison, p. 434, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

The Callisons of Locust have a claim for special recognition in our biographical sketches as one of the oldest families of southern Pocahontas. Members of that relationship have done a great deal in developing their section, and have shown what can be done with our soil in our climate by well applied energy and industry. The progenitor of this relationship, so far as it is traceable, was James Callison, Senior. This person and his wife Elizabeth were natives of Ireland, but, as the name indicates, were of English origin. No doubt the Callisons were among the families that King James the First encouraged to settle in the north of Ireland.

Late in the eighteenth century it appears that James Callison went from Greenbrier County to Granger County, Tennessee, and made a permanent settlement and reared his family. The sons of James Callison the imigrant and Elizabeth his wife were James, Anthony, Isaac, Jesse, Samuel, and Elisha. Their daughters were Rebecca, Abigail, Mary, Nancy, and Ruth. In reference to the whereabouts of most of these sons and daughters but little has come to our notice.

Isaac Callison settled in the Meadows of southwest Greenbrier, where some of his descendants now live.

Colonel Elisha Callison, another son of the emigrant and pioneer, married Margaret Bright, daughter of David Bright, of Greenbrier, and lived on the noted Callison homestead near Lewisburg.

Valentine Cackley, p. 197, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

During the last century but few names have been more familiarly known in our county, before and since the organization, than the Cackleys. The ancestors of this relationship were Valentine Cackley, Senior, and Mary Frye, his wife, from the lower Valley not far from Winchester, at Capon Springs. They located at Millpoint about 1778. These worthy people were of German descent. The original name was Keckly, and came to be spelled Cackley by the way it was pronounced. Their sons were Levi, William, Joseph, Valentine, Benjamin, and their daughters were Alice, Mary, Anne, and Rebecca--six sons and four daughters.

Alice, the eldest daughter, became the wife of the late Samuel M. Gay who resided on the farm now held by the heirs of the late George Gibson, on the Greenbrier above Marlinton two miles. Mr Gibson was her grandson. Mrs Gay was a very estimable person, and the story of her life would make thrilling reading.

Mary Cackley was married to Willette Perkins, and went west.

Anne Cackley became the wife of Thomas Hill.

Rebecca Cackley was married to John Ewing. Her family went to Ohio. She was the mother of eleven sons. The youngest was named Eleven Ewing. It is believed that the famous Tom Ewing, statesman and orator, and as such was the pride of Ohio, in his time was of this family.

Charles and Jacob Kinnison, p. 149, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Among the earlier pioneers of the Little Levels were Jacob and Charles Kinnison. They were among the persons who had heard the wonderful intelligence brought in by a half demented neighbor, that he had seen streams flowing towards the west during his last excursion in the wilderness regions beyond. In their explorations of the Greenbrier Valley they found John McNeel, a refugee neighbor, near Millpoint. He gave them the benefit of his observations, and the three persons attempted permanent settlements about 1765, and thus left their old homes a few miles of Winchester, Va., near Capon Springs.

Charles Kinnison's wife was Martha Day. About the time of Braddock's defeat she and her mother were taken prisoners by the Indians, in the Capon neighborhood. On the morning after the captivity, Mrs Day remarked to her friends that she believed the Indians intended to kill her.

"Oh, mother, what makes you think so?" exclaimed Martha.

"Because they have given moccasins to all the prisoners but me, and have left me bare footed," replied the mother.

When all were ready to move on a warrior walked up to Mrs Day and with his war club struck her a stunning blow between her shoulders, knocking the breath out of her, and then in an instant lifted her scalp-lock. She was left there in a state of insensibility, and it was never known whether she recovered consciousness or died immediately.

Daniel Kerr, p. 376, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Acknowledgements are due Samuel Sutton and Mrs Harvey Curry, near Dunmore, for the following items that may rescue from oblivion the memory of a very worthy and useful pioneer of upper Pocahontas. This was Daniel Kerr, who located soon after the Revolution on the upper end of the immense estate now owned by Uriah Hevener.

It seems very probable he came from Rockbridge County. He established a mill, saw mill, and blacksmith shop on the Little Back Creek branch of Deer Creek, and his place became a centre of industry for a wide region.

He was married twice. The first wife was a Miss Kirkpatrick, of Anthonys Creek. Their children were Robert, John, William, Thomas, and James. Daniel Kerr's second wife was a Miss McKamie, of Rockbridge, a very sprightly and attractive person. Her children were David, Daniel, Nancy, Betsy and Mary.

George Kee, p. 292, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

The late George Kee was one of the early settlers of our county, and deserves a place in the history of the the Pocahontas people. He was a native of Tyrone, Ireland. He and his brother William left Ireland when he was under age, and owing to the shipping regulations was not allowed to embark as a regular passenger. Young Kee went aboard to see his brother off, and concealed himself until too far away at sea to put him off the vessel. The intention was to take him back, but upon landing at Philadelphia he eluded the parties in search of him, and escaped to the country.

He came to America in 1780, landing at Philadelphia after a voyage of thirteen weeks. At Lancaster City the brothers spent some time, and separated at that place and never met again, and Mr Kee never heard anything more of him.

From Lancaster Mr Kee went to Lakeville, near the Susquehanna River, where he staid for some time. From Lakeville he came to Pendleton County, West Virginia, where he met a relative, Aaron Kee. This relative was a merchant, and furnished Gorge Kee some goods, and sent him to Pocahontas County, (then Bath), to dispose of them. He became acquainted with John Jordan, who had been in that business before him, and Mr Jordan had him make his home with him, and for six or seven years he spent the most of his time in the Levels at John Jordans.