05 Sunday Jul 2020
Posted in Big Sandy Valley, Hatfield-McCoy Feud
Tags
Appalachia, Beech Creek, Devil Anse Hatfield, genealogy, history, Mingo County, photos, Valentine Wall Hatfield, West Virginia
Valentine “Wall” Hatfield (1834-1890), a brother to Anse Hatfield, lived at Beech Creek, present-day Mingo County, WV. The family holds the original image.
28 Sunday Jun 2020
Posted in Beech Creek, Big Sandy Valley
Unknown residents of Beech Creek, Mingo County, WV.
24 Wednesday Jun 2020
Posted in Big Sandy Valley, Wharncliffe
Tags
Appalachia, Ben Creek, Big Sandy River, Mingo County, Norfolk and Western Railroad, photos, Tug Fork, West Virginia, Wharncliffe
The old railroad town of Wharncliffe is gone. 30 May 2020
Mouth of Ben Creek, Mingo County, WV. 30 May 2020
20 Saturday Jun 2020
Posted in Big Sandy Valley, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Music
Tags
Appalachia, banjo, Beech Creek, Early Mahon, genealogy, history, Mingo County, music, photos, Plyant Mahon, Vicie Mahon, Wall Hatfield, West Virginia
Early Mahon (1884-1969), son of Plyant and Vicie (Hatfield) Mahon. Plyant Mahon was a participant of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud. Early was the grandson of Valentine “Wall” Hatfield. The family holds the original photo.
20 Saturday Jun 2020
Tags
Appalachia, Beech Creek, Ben Creek, Big Bottom Fork, Big Creek, Big Fork, Bluff Mountain, Bone Lick Bottom, Breckenridge's Fork, Clear Fork, Coal Branch, Coal River, Cow Creek, Crawley Creek, Crooked Creek, Crooked Run, Defeats Branch, Double Camp Branch, Drew's Creek, Elkhorn Branch, Elkhorn River, Flat Top Mountain, Grapevine Creek, Green Shoal Creek, Guyandotte River, Harts Creek, history, Horsepen Creek, Huff's Creek, Indian Creek, Ingrams Branch, Island Creek, Laurel Creek, Laurel Fork, Lick Branch, Lincoln County, Little Coal River, Little Huffs Creek, Logan County, Marsh Fork, Mate Creek, Middle Fork, Mill Creek, Millers Branch, Mingo County, New River, North Fork, Peach Tree, Peter Huffs Creek, Pigeon Creek, Pine Creek, Pond Fork, Rattlesnake Branch, Rock Creek, Rock House Fork, Rum Creek, Sand Lick Fork, Shannon Branch, Skin Fork, Spruce Fork, Trace Fork, Tug Fork, Turtle Creek, Twelve Pole Creek, Virginia, West Fork, West Virginia, Wolf Pen Creek
The following list of regional place names of streams is derived from Surveyors Record Book A at the Logan County Clerk’s Office in Logan, WV. Each document generally lists three dates for the survey; I chose to identify the earliest (Treasury warrant date) and the latest date (survey completion date). The purpose of this list is to document the earliest usage and spelling of a place name in my region. Logan County was extremely large in the 1820s and has since been partitioned to create new counties, so many of these places are not located in Logan County today. This list will be updated periodically.
Beech, a branch of Tug Fork (24 May 1825, 12 October 1825, p. 64)
Ben (26 July 1826, 13 October 1826, p. 89)
Bend of Guyandotte (30 April 1823, 3 March 1831, p. 129)
Big and Clear Fork of Guyandotte River (1 October 1818, 26 June 1826, p. 79)
Big Bottom Fork of Guyandotte (12 February 1823, 25 October 1827, p. 100)
Big Creek (11 December 1817, 25 October 1824, p. 34)
Big Fork of Guyandotte River (18 July 1825, 17 February 1826, p. 73)
Big Island [Logan] (16 February 1825, 17 January 1827, p. 94)
Bluff Mountain (1 October 1818, 21 February 1825, p. 37)
Bone Lick Bottom, New River (19 January 1824, 31 July 1830, p. 123)
Breckenridge’s forks of Cole River (31 January 1825, 27 February 1827, p. 100)
Buffalo (10 February 1825, 6 February 1827, p. 99)
Coal Branch of Guyandotte River (17 December 1824, 31 March 1825, p. 42)
Cow Creek of Island Creek (13 December 1823, 11 October 1826, p. 87-88)
Crawley (10 June 1824, 8 July 1825, p. 47)
Crawleys Creek (16 February 1825, 17 January 1827, p. 95)
Crooked Creek (16 February 1825, 1 April 1825, p. 43-44)
Defeats Branch on Little Huffs Creek (7 October 1830, 27 July 1831, p. 131)
Double Camp Branch of Clear Fork (1 June 1821, 29 December 1825, p. 69)
Drew’s Creek, one of the forks of Peech Tree, a branch of Marsh Fork of Cole River (22 July 1826, 15 October 1828, p. 109)
Elk, a branch of Guyandotte (14 January 1830, 22 November 1830, p. 127)
Elk, a branch of Pigeon (16 February 1825, 18 August 1825, p. 51)
Elkhorn Branch of Tug Fork (30 April 1825, 12 November 1826, p. 93)
Elkhorn River (30 April 1825, 1 November 1825, p. 65)
Flat Top Mountain (22 November 1824, 14 February 1826, p. 72)
Gilbert (14 January 1830, 26 August 1830, p. 121)
Grapevine, a small branch called Grapevine (8 July 1825, 14 October 1825, p. 63)
Green Shoal Creek (15 March 1826, 10 October 1826, p. 86-87)
Harts Creek (17 February 1824, 10 October 1826, p. 87)
Hewetts Creek, a branch of Spruce Fork of Coal River (20 May 1813, 11 April 1825, p. 44)
Horse Creek (10 February 1825, 22 July 1826, p. 92)
Horsepen Creek, a fork of Gilbert (14 January 1830, 26 August 1830, p. 121)
Huff Creek (11 December 1822, 11 March 1825, p. 40)
Huffs Creek (18 July 1825, 14 March 1828, p. 104-105)
Indian Creek (22 July 1826, 8 February 1827, p. 99)
Ingrams Branch, New River (6 October 1829, 4 December 1829, p. 117)
Island of Guyandotte [Logan] (17 December 1824, 18 January 1827, p. 96)
Island tract [Logan] (4 May 1826, 12 May 1830, p. 120)
Jacks Branch of Clear Fork (6 January 1824, 16 December 1825, p. 66)
Laurel Fork of Guyandotte River (17 February 1824, 27 August 1830, p. 122)
Left Fork of Island Creek (4 February 1817, 28 October 1824, p. 35)
Left Hand Fork of Ben, waters of Tug Fork (13 December 1823, 11 October 1826, p. 88)
Laurel Creek and Crooked Run, New River (10 May 1825, 25 August 1825, p. 56)
Laurel Fork of Pigeon Creek (17 December 1824, 10 October 1826, p. 85)
Laurel Fork of Twelve Pole (3 November 1813, 19 March 1825, p. 40)
Lick Branch (24 May 1825, 10 October 1826, p. 85)
Little Huff’s Creek (4 May 1826, 27 May 1829, p. 116)
Loop of New River (20 February 1821, 26 February 1825, p. 90)
Main Right Hand Fork of Big Creek (24 May 1825, 8 September 1825, p. 54)
Marsh Fork of Cole River (17 February 1823, 9 March 1825, p. 39)
Marshes of Cole River (30 April 1825, 3 February 1830, p. 118)
Mate, a branch of the Tug Fork of Sandy (8 July 1825, 11 October 1825, p. 62)
Mazzel, Little Huffs Creek (12 February 1825, 18 September 1829, p. 116)
Mill Creek, a branch of Guyandotte (18 July 1825, 28 January 1831, p. 128)
Mill Creek of Island Creek (10 January 1823, 29 October 1824, p. 36)
Millers Branch of Tug Fork (4 May 1826, 16 September 1826, p. 81)
North Branch of Big Creek (18 July 1825, 7 September 1825, p. 52-53)
North Fork of Big Creek (4 April 1825, 9 September 1825, p. 54)
Old Island survey [Logan] (22 July 1826, 17 January 1827, p. 95)
Peach Tree, a small branch called the Peach Tree (24 May 1824, 7 October 1825, p. 60)
Pete Huff’s Creek (18 July 1825, 27 August 1830, p. 125)
Peter Huffs Creek (13 December 1823, 12 November 1825, p. 66)
Pigeon Creek (16 February 1825, 15 October 1825, p. 63)
Pine Creek of Island Creek (4 February 1817, 27 October 1824, p. 35)
Pond Fork of Cole River (8 March 1826, 13 November 1828, p. 112-113)
Rock Creek (22 July 1826, 11 August 1828, p. 106)
Rock House Fork of Middle Fork of Island Creek (17 February 1824, 5 October 1825, p. 59)
Rock House Fork of Pigeon (6 February 1825, 22 March 1825, p. 41)
Rum Creek (23 November 1824, 17 July 1828, p. 105)
Sand Lick Fork of Cole River (14 May 1826, 31 January 1827, p. 97)
Shannon branches, Tug Fork (6 December 1828, 2 September 1830, p. 125-126)
Skin Fork of Cole River (12 February 1825, 29 October 1828, p. 111)
Spruce Fork of Coal River (16 February 1825, 22 April 1825, p. 45)
Tonies Fork of Big Cole and Horse Creek (10 February 1825, 22 July 1826, p. 92)
Trace Fork of Big Creek (16 February 1825, 8 September 1825, p. 52)
Tug Fork of Sandy River (10 March 1825, 24 March 1825, p. 42)
Turtle Creek, a branch of Little Coal River (13 December 1824, 12 April 1825, p. 45)
West Fork of Cole River (12 February 1825, 10 November 1828, p. 111-112)
Wolf Pen Creek, branch of New River (10 May 1825, 25 August 1825, p. 56)
Wolf Pen Creek at mouth of Rattlesnake Branch (10 February 1825, 11 January 1826, p. 71)
15 Wednesday Apr 2020
Posted in Big Sandy Valley, Hatfield-McCoy Feud
Tags
Appalachia, county clerk, crime, Ephraim Hatfield Branch, feuds, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, James Vance Jr., Jim Vance, John Dils Jr., Kentucky, Lick Rock Hollow, Perry Cline, Pike County, Pounding Mill Branch, R.M. Ferrell, Tug River, William Daniels, William Daniels Branch
James Vance to Perry A. Cline, 1874-1875.
James Vance promissory note to Perry A. Cline, 1 February 1875.
Perry A. Cline petition, 8 May 1876.
Perry A. Cline petition, 8 May 1876.
Perry A. Cline petition, 8 May 1876.
Perry A. Cline petition, 8 May 1876.
Perry A. Cline petition, 8 May 1876.
Perry A. Cline affidavit, 8 May 1876.
22 Sunday Mar 2020
Posted in Big Sandy Valley
Tags
Appalachia, Beech Creek, Big Sandy River, Devon, history, Kentucky, Mingo County, photos, Tug Fork, West Virginia
Here’s a beautiful old landmark. Devon, Mingo County, WV. 12 July 2019
This way to the Tug Fork. Devon, Mingo County, WV. 12 July 2019
Mouth of Beech Creek in Devon, Mingo County, WV. 12 July 2019
That’s Kentucky across the river! Devon, Mingo County, WV. 12 July 2019
17 Tuesday Mar 2020
Posted in Big Sandy Valley, Timber
Photo date and credit unknown.
14 Tuesday Jan 2020
Posted in Big Sandy Valley, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Pikeville
Tags
Appalachia, county clerk, crime, genealogy, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, Jacob Smith, James H. McCoy, John Dils, Kentucky, merchant, Pike County, Pleasant McCoy, Randolph McCoy, S.K. Damron, Sallie McCoy, Sam McCoy, sheriff, William McCoy, William P. Johnson
Promissory note between William McCoy and Dils and Smith (1861). Pike County, KY.
Page 1 (1865)
Page 1 (1865)
Page 1 (1865)
Page 1 (1865)
Page 1 (1865)
Summons for William McCoy (1865). Pike County, KY.
Summons for William McCoy (1865). Pike County, KY.
NOTE: This case is most definitely unrelated to the Hatfield-McCoy Feud. I included it here because of the involvement of John Dils. The William McCoy involved in the case is likely the brother to Sallie (McCoy) McCoy, wife of Randal McCoy.
19 Thursday Sep 2019
Posted in Big Sandy Valley, Timber, Twelve Pole Creek
Tags
Appalachia, Big Sandy River, Bragg Creek, Fort Gay, history, Horse Creek, Kenova, logging, Mingo County, Naugatuck, Ohio River, pushboats, rafting, steamboats, timber, timbering, Tom Brown, Tug Fork, Twelve Pole Creek, Wayne County, West Virginia
The following interview excerpt of Tom Brown (born c.1909) was conducted at Fort Gay in Wayne County, WV, on December 15, 1979.
***
It was probably hard to get around back then, to go to church.
Well the only way you could get around through this country was up and down creeks or on horseback or wagon. And roads were in the creek most of the way. And where they cut timber and logs they had tram roads built back in the heads of the hollows and they had tracks–they built their track out of 2″ X 4″s–and they hauled these logs or ties from the mills back to the heads of the hollows back to the railroads. And they logged out of the mountains and they ran lots of rafts down Tug River. I’ve see high as four to five. They started the rafts running in the spring. They run them out of Mingo County and generally a lot of them was set out in Naugatuck.
That’s how they got them, they used rafts and boats?
Yes, they used rafts. Logs. They’d put these logs together… Sometimes a raft would be maybe 200 or 300 feet long.
200 or 300 feet long?
Almost as wide as the river. The man would stay on that and they’d pull the men to, I guess, Kenova and the Ohio River down here. And they would log them through the winter. The spring waters came and they started down the rivers with the rafts. The river banks were all cut clean.
That’s what I was going to ask you about. They had to be cut clean, didn’t they?
Yes, they was all cut clean. But the rafts… Well they ran logs down Twelve Pole Creek to… Back then people used to put their logs in the creek when it would raise and run them plumb out down Twelve Pole to Kenova. Heads of these creeks… And sometimes I can remember Bragg Creek and Horse Creek… They was a sawmill. There was locks in at Saltpeter and they pushed just like water to Bragg Creek. I’d say along 1916-1917. And almost the travel was boats. It went down on a little showboat. It used to come up an old paddle wheel boat.
That was in about 1917?
About 1917, ’18, ’19, along that.
Could you get a ride on that showboat if you wanted to?
No, they just pulled in and parked and had a show every night, like the picture show, the movie picture show had.
How long did that showboat go up and down the river? How many years did that last?
Well, I don’t know. It would just come up every once in a while maybe, and just stopped at certain places maybe. Places you know at that time… That was about as far as it could get up. And then things was brought up on pushboat. They loaded ties and stuff like that. I remember them loading them on the boat at the river at the mouth of Horse Creek. It was about as far as boats could come up the river.
Writings from my travels and experiences. High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water. Mark Twain
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