Pocahontas County History Preservation, Digitization, Community

Aaron Moore, p. 278, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Aaron Moore, one of the older sons of Moses Moore the pioneer, hunter, and scout, after his marriage with Catherine Johnson, daughter of John Johnson, first lived near Frost; but the greater part of his life he dwelt on the west bank of the Greenbrier, four miles above Marlinton, where he had settled in the woods.

Sampson L. Mathews, p. 497, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Among the citizens of prominence in the early his tory of Pocahontas County was Sampson Lockhart Mathews, the first county surveyor. • His grandfather was Sampson Mathews, one of the early residents of Staunton, whose wife was a Miss Lockhart, hence the name borne, by members of the family connexion. She had a sister married to a Mr Nelson, and another married to a Mr Clark. Thus the Montgomerys and the Mathews became related.

The subject of this sketch" was the second son of Sampson Mathews, Junior, and Mary Warwick, daughter of Jacob and Mary Warwick, of Clover Lick. Early in life he manifested an intense desire for an education, and his wishes were gratified. Much of the time he passed in studies he was under the care of Dr John McElhenny, who established and for so many years conducted the renowned Lewisburg Academy.

Upon reaching his majority in 1821, young Mathews and his father, who had become a widower, moved to the farm on Swago now owned by Mrs Mary McClintic, his only daughter. Father and son lived in this manner for several years.

In 1825 young Mathews was married to Miss Nancy Edgar, daughter of Thomas Edgar and Ann Matthews, whose farm afterwards became the site now occupied by the town of Ronceverte. Mrs Edgar was the daughter of Archie Mathews, whose residence is now known as the Alexander farm, three miles from Lewisburg.

Lanty Lockridge, p. 207, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

One of the most widely known of Pocahontas families in former years was that of the ancestor of the Lockridge relationship, at Driscol, four miles east of Huntersville. It was a place of resort for visiting lawyers to and from Huntersville on public occasions. Pleasant mention is made of the kind treatment received and of the nice and bountiful table comforts enjoyed in the memoir of the late Howe Peyton, and in some published reminiscences of George May so, of the Warm Springs. Lancelot (Lanty) Lockridge, the progenitor of the name in our county, came from the Lower Bull Pasture, in Highland county, about four miles up the river from Williamsville, Bath county. Mrs Lockridge was Elizabeth Benson, of the same vicinity. Some of her near relatives migrated to Ohio, from whom Joseph Benson Foraker traces his name and ancestry, and who is now in the Senate of the United States, colleague of M. A. Ilanna, from Ohio.

Mr and Mrs Lockridge were of pure Scotch-Irish descent. Early in the century they settled on Knapp's Creek and built up a prosperous home and reared a large family, four sons and five daughters: Andrew, Matthias, Lanty, James T., Elizabeth, Nelly, Harriet, Rebecca and Martha.

Peter Lightner, p. 180, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Forty or fifty years ago, one of the most generally known citizens of our county was Peter Lightner, on Knapps Creek. He was tall in person, active in his movements, always in a good humor, and one of the most expert horsemen of his times, and perhaps realized as much ready change swapping horses as any other of his citizen contemporaries. He could come so near making a new and young horse of an old dilapidated framework of an animal as was possible for anyone to do who has ever made a business of dealing in horse-flesh.

Near the close of the last century, he settled on Knapps Creek, on land purchased from James Poage, who emigrated to Kentucky. Mr Poage had built a mill which Mr Lightner improved upon, and for years accommodated a wide circle of customers, who had gotten tired of hominy and hominy meal pounded in a goblet-shaped block. The pestle by which the trituration was done was usually a piece of wood like a handspike, with an iron wedge inserted in one end, and fastened by an iron band to keep it from splitting. This mill was a precious and valuable convenience, and brought comfort to many homes, and some of the most toothsome bread ever eaten in our county was made of meal from Lightner''s mill. Some families had hand-mills, but they were about as hard to operate as the hominy block, or mortar with the iron-bound pestle.

Richard Hudson, p.481, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

The Hudson family trace their ancestry to Richard Hudson, whose wife was Elizabeth Redden. They came from Augusta County early in the century, and settled in the woods on the head waters of Sitlingtons Creek, on lands now held by their grandsons, Warwick B. and John L. Hudson. This land was purchased from a Mr Armstrong. A small opening had been made by one Posten previously. Mr and Mrs Hudson were the parents of seven daughters and three sons.

Sally and Polly Hudson went to Ohio and married and settled in that State. Keziah Hudson, of whom the writer has no definite information, more than that she was named after one of Job's daughters.

Rachel Hudson married Dysard and lived in Barbour County.

Matilda married Thomas Humphries and lived in Barbour County.

Naomi became Mrs Samuel Mathews, and lived in Randolph County. M. G. Mathews, deceased, a teacher and superintendent of Pocahontas schools, Charles Mathews and Captain J. W. Mathews, of Alvon, West Virginia, are her sons.

Nancy Hudson first married John Seybert, of Highland County. Her second marriage was with Andrew Lockridge, of Bath County.

Thomas Hudson went to Missouri, and married and settled there.

Madison Hudson went to Maryland in his youth, and married and reared a large family. He prospered in business, and was a citizen of prominence in neighborhood and county affairs.

Richard Hill, p. 116, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Richard Hill, whose ancestral blood courses the veins of a great many worthy citizens, now claims our special notice in this paper. It is generally believed he came to this region soon after the armies of the Revolution were disbanded, from North Carolina. He was one of the more distinguished of the early pioneers as a scout and a vigilant defender of the forts.

Upon his marriage with Nancy McNeel, daughter of the venerated pioneer of the Levels, John McNeel, he settled on Hill's Creek, on lands lately occupied by Abram Hills family. As long as Hill's Creek flows and murmurs his name will be perpetuated. There were three daughters, Elizabeth, Martha, and Margaret; and seven sons. Thomas, John, Abraham, Isaac, William, Joel, and George.

Elizabeth became Mrs John Bruffey, and lived on Bruffey's Creek. In reference to her family the following particulars are given. Nancy Bruffey married Levi Hooker, from Connecticut, a dealer in clocks, and settled in Missouri. Eliza Bruffey became Mrs Robert Moore, near Edray. Late in life her family went to Iowa. George P. Moore, now of Edray, is one of her sons. Davis and Clark were the other two, now in Iowa.

Martha Bruffey married James Ewing, and lived some years near Marlinton, and finally settled in Nicholas County, West Virginia.

Margaret Bruffey married Morgan Anderson, now of Hills Creek.

Julia Bruffey was married to William McClure, on Little Anthony's Creek.

Christopher Herold, p. 372, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Among the prosperous citizens of Pocahontas County in its early development, Christopher Herold deserves recognition of a special character. He was of pure German parentage--his immediate ancestry came from the Fatherland, settling in Pennsylvania, thence removing to Virginia. Though he could not read English, no one would have suspected it, so well posted he seemed to be in political matters and current affairs. His powers of memory were surprising, and his business sagacity was equal to any of his contemporaries. He was honest and enterprising. He and his sons accumulated an immense landed estate on Elk, Douthards Creek, and other places, amounting to many thousands acres.

Christopher Herold married Elizabeth Cook, of Pendleton County, and soon after their marriage located on Back Creek, now known as the Thomas Campbell place. From Back Creek, Highland County, he migrated to Douthards Creek, about seventy-six years ago, and bought of Colonel John Baxter, and settled on hinds now held by Henry White and sons and Henry Sharp, on Douthards Creek. On this place Mr and Mrs Herold reared their family and passed the residue of their lives. Their family consisted of seven sons and three daughters: Susan, Jane, Elizabeth Ann, Henry, Peter, Benjamin, Charles, Christopher, Andrew, and Josiah.

Susan Herold was married to Philip Moyers, and settled in Upshur County.

Henry Harper, p. 393, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Among the persons whose industry, economical habits, and wise management of diversified useful industries did much for the development of our county, the name of Henry Harper, Senior, is richly deserving of respectful notice. He was a native of Pendleton County, a son of Nicholas Harper, a native of Germany, who lived on the South Branch. Henry Harper's wife was Elizabeth Lightner, daughter of William Lightner, Senior, on Back Creek. For a few years after his marriage he lived on the Branch. About 1812, Nicholas Harper bought two hundred acres from Abram Duffield and Colonel John Baxter, on Knapps Creek, and on this purchase Henry settled.

The young settlers from Pendleton County found a few acres of cleared land. The thickets of thorn and crab apple and wild plums were almost impenetrable. The sheep, pigs, and calves had to be penned by the house to protect them from wolves and bears. By patient and persistent effort land was cleared and a home reared.

Joseph Hannah, p. 224, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

Among the earliest settlers of the Elk region was Joseph Hannah, a son of David Hannah, who lived at the mouth of Locust Creek. H e married Elizabeth Burnsides and early in the century settled on the "Old Field Fork of Elk."

His home was on Mill Run near where William Hannah, a grandson, now lives. This immediate vicinity seems to have been a place of more than ordinary importance in prehistoric times. One of the most frequented Indian trails seems to have been from Clover Lick up the Creek to the Thomas Spring; thence over the mountain, crossing at the notch near Clark Rider's farm; thence down by James Gibson's to Elk. Here is the "Magic Circle," mentioned elsewhere in this book. Nearly a mile further down was the encampment where about two acres of land had been denuded of trees for camp fires, and this was the "old field" that gave this branch of Elk its name; and was the-first piece of ground planted by Joseph Hannah.

Mr and Mrs Hannah reared a large family of well behaved, industrious children. This family did a good part in the industrial development of this thrifty section of our county. In reference to their children the following particulars are given.

Joseph, William, Robert, and Sally died in childhood or early youth.

David Hannah, p. 218, Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County by William T. Price (1901)

This paper is prepared to pay a tribute to the memory of a pioneer citizen of our county, the late David Hannah, of the Old Field Branch of Elk. He was a son of David Hannah, Senior, who was the progenitor of the Hannah Family, one of the oldest in Pocahontas. David Hannah, Senior, was a native of Ireland. H e married a Miss Gibson, who was reared in Augusta County, and settled at the mouth of Locust Creek soon after the Revolutionary war. He possessed some practical knowledge of medicine of the botanical school, and did a good deal of practice in frontier times. He was probably the first person that ever practiced physic in lower Pocahontas. Dr and Mrs Elizabeth Hannah were the parents of six daughters and four sons.

Ann became Mrs Joseph Oldham and Lucinda married William Oldham. Their homes were near the source of Locust Creek. Mary Hannah was married to John Mollohan, and lived in what is now Webster County. Elizabeth Hannah became Mrs William Bennett, and lived in Harrison County. Jennie Hannah was married to the late Samuel Whiting, on Droop Mountain, where the Whiting family now lives. Her son Ebenezer married Sallie McMillion and lived on the Whiting homestead. Nancy Hannah became the wife of James Cochran, and lived near the Greenbrier border.

William Hannah and John Hannah died in youth.