Teachers identified the following schools in Chapmanville District of Logan County, WV, and offered a bit of local history in 1927:
Dave Dingess School, est. 1814
Ula Adams, teacher
One room frame school
“Harts Creek derived its name from Steven Harts, said to have been killed by Indians on the creek.”
Striker School, est. about 1874
Edward Chapman, teacher
One room frame building
Three Fork School, est. 1878
One room frame building, originally a log house
Nine Confederate veterans live here: George Doss, T. Doss, L.D. Stollings, Ed Dalton, Ruben Conley, John Conley, Ben Adams, E. Burton, Melvin Plumley. A Union veteran lives here; he originated elsewhere. Three branches of Crawley Creek are Road Fork, Middle Fork, and Pigeon Roost. Alonzo is the local post office.
Bulwark School, est. 1880
Robert Dingess, teacher
One room frame building
“All fought on the Confederate side” during the Civil War. One man gained great merit from our district as a marksman with the American marines during World War I.
Lee Dingess School, est. 1891
Cole Adams, teacher
One room frame
Five local men served in the Confederate Army.
Browns Run School, est. 1892
Ina Dingess, teacher
One room frame building
“Sent several soldiers to help the South.” The fork is named for a Brown who lived at its mouth.
Buck Fork School, est. 1894
No teacher given
One room frame building
A Church of Christ exists nearby. Three local men served in the Confederate Army. One local soldier lost both hands in World War I.
Ivy Branch School, est. 1895
Anna Adams, teacher
Albert Thornton was the first teacher here. “Trace Fork received its name from the original road leading to Twelve Pole Creek.”
Hugh Dingess School, est. 1897
Sallie Dingess, teacher
One room frame building
Conley School, est. 1897
J.L. Thomas, teacher
One room frame building
The first house built on Smoke House Fork at its mouth had no chimney for quite a while and smoked badly.
Dalton School, est. 1897
Thelma Dingess, teacher
One room frame building
“This district furnished a lot of Civil War veterans and played her part.”
Bud Dingess School, est. 1904
Beatrice Adams, teacher
One room frame building
“East Fork named on account of its being the most Eastern fork of Harts Creek.” One local soldier served in the Confederate Army.
Hoover School, est. 1910
Howard Adams, teacher
One room frame building
A Christian Church exists in the vicinity. Four local men served in the Confederate ARmy. “Harts Creek named from Steven Harts murdered by Indians.” Three boys went from here and one was wounded at the battle of Argonne.
George Mullins School, est. 1910
Dixie Mullins, teacher
One room frame building
“Buck Fork named from large number of male deer on creek.”
Rocky School (no date)
Daisy Given Dingess, teacher
References an Indian mound on Pigeon Roost where tomahawks, arrowheads, etc. can be found. Indian burial ground.
Under the Tim’s Fork entry, it says that John Dingess was killed in battle at Cloyd’s farm. Tim’s Fork is named for Timothy Dwight, who lived there.
Lower Trace School, est. 1919
Alice Dingess, teacher
Two room frame building
“Sent several soldiers to help the South.” Also, “Harts Creek named from Steven Harts.”
Piney School, est. 1921
F.M. McKay, teacher
One room building
No permanent churches exist locally; people meet occasionally in one of the school houses. Four local men served in the Confederate Army. “Piney was named because of so much pine growing there.”
White Oak School, est. 1922
Fisher Thompson, teacher
One room rented frame building
Manor School, est. 1923
Located at Limestone
Workman School, est. 1924
Fisher B. Adkins, teacher
One room frame building
Marsh Fork derived its name from the marshy land near its mouth.
Source: Local History and Topography of Logan County by J.A. Vickers (Charleston, WV: George M. Ford, State Superintendent, 1927).
