27 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Logan
Tags
Appalachia, Bennett Theatre, history, L. & M. Theatrical Company, Logan, Logan County, Palace Theatre, vaudeville, Virginian Hotel, Welch Theatre, West Virginia, Wilkinson Building
Logan (WV) Banner, 8 August 1913.
27 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Culture of Honor, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Matewan
Tags
Andrew Ferrell, Appalachia, Bud McCoy, Doc Mayhorn, Elias Hatfield, feuds, G.W. Pinson, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, Kentucky, Pharmer McCoy, Pike County, Plyant Mahorn, Tolbert McCoy
The killing of Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud McCoy by a Hatfield-led gang on August 8, 1882 represented one of the most sensational events of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud. What follows is Andrew Ferrell’s deposition regarding the affair:
COMMONWEALTH VS DOC MAYHORN &C
Bill of Exceptions
FILED Sept. 1889
G.W. Pinson, Clk
I staid up at Elias Hatfield’s the night the McCoy boys were killed. I was awoke when Wall and others came there. Dock Mayhorn nor Plyant Mahorn was either of them there. If they were I didn’t see them. I am & have been acquainted with the General Moral character of the Defendants in the neighborhood in which they live and their character for peace is good.
For more information about this incident, follow these links:
http://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/785?tour=55&index=3
http://wvpublic.org/post/three-mccoys-killed-hatfields-kentucky-august-8-1882#stream/0
http://hatfield-mccoytruth.com/2017/04/22/in-hatfield-country-blackberry-creek-in-the-1880s/
27 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Logan
Logan (WV) Banner, 22 February 1927.
27 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Culture of Honor, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Matewan
Tags
Appalachia, Blackberry Creek, Bud McCoy, county clerk, Doc Mayhorn, Elias Hatfield, Elijah Mounts, feuds, G.W. Pinson, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, Joe Davis, Kentucky, Pharmer McCoy, Pike County, Plyant Mahorn, Tolbert McCoy, Tug Fork, Wall Hatfield, West Virginia
The killing of Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud McCoy by a Hatfield-led gang on August 8, 1882 represented one of the most sensational events of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud. What follows is Joe Davis’ deposition regarding the affair:
COMMONWEALTH VS DOC MAYHORN &C
Bill of Exceptions
FILED Sept. 1889
G.W. Pinson, Clk
The Commonwealth then introduced as a witness Jo Davis who Proves that he lives at the mouth of Blackberry Creek in Pike County Ky and was at home on the 9th day of August 1882. the mouth of Blackberry is about one mile above the mouth of Sulphur. knows Deft Plyant Mayhorn. saw him on Aug 9 1882 with with (sic) Wall and Elias Hatfield and Lige Mounts. Wall ask me if the little McCoy boy cut his brother. I told him he did and Wall said that was all right. it was all he wanted to know or something to that effect. They all turned and went back down the river. from the mouth Sulphur to mouth Mate Creek it is something over ½ mile. As soon as Wall and the others left him he turned and got in his skiff and sailed(?) across the river and went up first Bank(?) 8 or 10 steps and stopped and talked with Fanan(?) for about 3 or 4 minutes. walked on 10 or 12 steps to a fence. throwed his leg across it and heard guns or Pistols firing down the river. There is 3 fords in the river between Blackberry & Sulphur. Wall spoke to him in an ordinary tone of voice. Wall, Elias, Elijah Mounts and deft. Plyant Mayhorn wen(t) just opposite my house where Wall asked me about the little boy stabbing his brother. It was nearing dusk.
Written on left margin: In giving the distance from my house [corner torn] I have reference to the distance on the Ky shore [page torn]. It is nearer on the WVa side. I rowed the skiff ____ up the river about 25(0?) yds. Tug River is the boundary line between Ky & WVa and the river was low. I went down in the morning and saw the boys dead and the little one that Wall inquired about had the top of his head shot off.
For more information about this incident, follow these links:
http://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/785?tour=55&index=3
http://wvpublic.org/post/three-mccoys-killed-hatfields-kentucky-august-8-1882#stream/0
25 Friday May 2018
Tags
Appalachia, circuit clerk, Fannie Humphreys, genealogy, Henry Clay Ragland, history, J.B. ellison, J.W. Stowers, justice of the peace, Logan, Logan County, Mattie Buskirk, Nancy Butcher, T.C. Whited, Urias Buskirk, West Virginia
Urias Beckley Buskirk (1856-1962) was the son of a boot and shoe maker who migrated to Logan County from Pennsylvania. Urias, who became Logan’s wealthiest merchant in the 1890s, is profiled elsewhere at this blog.
Logan County Circuit Clerk’s Office, Logan, WV. The child’s name was Mattie Buskirk.
Logan County Circuit Clerk’s Office, Logan, WV. Mr. Buskirk (1856-1962), the wealthiest merchant in Logan, married to Fannie Humphreys in 1897.
25 Friday May 2018
Posted in Coal
From the Logan Democrat of Logan, WV, comes this item about coal history dated February 15, 1917:
The Guyan Valley Operators Decide To Grant Ten Per Cent Wage Increase
Decision Reached By Men Who Control Mines Without Solicitation of Those in Their Employ–Have Treated Workmen Generously in Other Respects
The Guyan Valley operators have agreed to put in effect on March first a general advance of ten per cent in wages. This is the second advance they have given within twelve months, and both were of their own accord and without waiting for their employees to ask them.
These advances have been made because of the high cost of living, and without regard to the price of coal, for while a few of the operations in this valley have profited by the high price at which they have been able to sell their product, most of the coal mined in the field has been and is being delivered on contracts entered into at prices far below those prevailing at the present time. In fact some of the operations are engaged in filling contracts at prices considerably below the present cost of production. Some of the contracts will expire during the next month or two, but other well into midsummer. The average price received for Guyan Valley coal during the year 1916 was little if any more than ten per cent over the prices of the preceding year, when coal sold at figures a good deal less than had been known for a long period of years.
The two advances do not, however, embrace all that the Guyan operators have done for their people during the past few months. They have made a point of giving their men extra work to do, to enable them to make more money during the period of extreme car shortage. Most of the operators have also issued instructions to their store men to sell goods on a very close margin in order to help the men out during the prevalence of high prices for the necessaries of life.
These things are consonance with the general broad and liberal spirit that has characterized the actions of the men engaged in the coal business in this valley, and that has been instrumental in bringing it so rapidly to its present position of importance among the coal fields of West Virginia.
25 Friday May 2018
Posted in Big Creek
Tags
Appalachia, Austin Survey, Big Creek, Daniel H. Fry, Elisha Fry, genealogy, George Fry, history, James Ferrell, John J. Besnoist, justice of the peace, Logan County, Lorenzo Dow Hill, Nancy Fry, Obediah Godby, Patterson Ferrell, Right Hand Fork, Tolbert Ferrell, Virginia, W.I. Campbell, West Virginia, William Godby
Deed Book C, page 420, Logan County Clerk’s Office, Logan, WV. This property is located in present-day West Virginia.
Deed Book C, page 421, Logan County Clerk’s Office, Logan, WV. Daniel’s brother Elisha Fry is my great-great-great-grandfather.
19 Saturday May 2018
Posted in Logan
Tags
Appalachia, Bennett Theatre, Chamber of Commerce, Good Roads Committee, history, Logan, Logan County, Logan Democrat, West Virginia, White Good Roads Picture
Logan (WV) Democrat, 22 February 1917.
19 Saturday May 2018
Posted in Civil War, Pecks Mill
Tags
Appalachia, civil war, Confederate Army, genealogy, George Workman, history, Lewis Lawson, Logan County, Virginia, West Virginia, Whites Mill
The following letter was composed by George Workman of Logan County, WV, and sent to Lewis Lawson:
April the 3rd 1867
Mr. Lewis Lawson. Sir. I take the present oppotunity of informing you that I have been in formed that you claim to have a deed of trust on my land. now this seems a strange truth to me for you know that I never gave you any such a thing and I think you are a man of better sense than to forge such a thing you don’t like to work that well I give you and smoot a deed of trust on five head of cattle which the rebs took from me and when you want your pay you must make them pay me now sir if you have a trust deed on my land you had better keep it to your self for I can prove the deed was on cattle and I will prossecute you as you are a man. You must think that I am a perfect idiot that I will let you forge a trust deed sell me out say nothing to you. but I am not quite that dull now sir I dare you to do any thing with your deed and Just show you that I am not a sleep and I am not worth what the law a lows me until you rebs pays me for my property then I will pay you & c.
George Workman
Note: Mr. Lawson, born about 1810 in England, lived at Whites Mills in 1860 where the census listed him as a farmer and merchant with $4000 worth of real estate and $15,720 worth of personal property.
11 Friday May 2018
Posted in Coal
Camp Bellow #5 Mine, Logan County, WV. Photo credit unknown.
11 Friday May 2018
Posted in Banco, Big Creek, Big Ugly Creek, Estep, Stone Branch
Tags
Appalachia, Aracoma, B.E. Ferrell, Banco, Basil Duty, Big Creek, Braxton County, Broad Branch School, C.A. Justice, Charlie Stone, Clara Harmon, Cynthiana, D.H. Harmon, Daisy, Daisy School, Dewey Miller, Earl Justice, Elm Street, Estep, Gardner Baisden, Gay Petit, genealogy, H.F. Lucas, history, Jesse Justice, Logan Banner, Logan County, Mary Hager, Mary Thomas, Mt. Sinai, Mud Fork, O.C. Justice, O.L. Harmon, Ohio, Ruby Browning, Six Mile, Stone Branch, Ted Hager, West Virginia, Whitman
An unknown correspondent from Banco on Big Creek in Logan County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on October 12, 1926:
All you folks of different towns
And the travelers making rounds
Who read lots of papers
And are always getting blue
Just get The Logan Banner and read it too.
Miss Gay Petit of Braxton county, teacher of the Daisy school, and Miss Mary Thomas of Estep were the guests of Clara Harmon last Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Stone and children were out motoring last Saturday evening.
We imagine H.F.L. will soon don his furs and be off for the “North Pole.”
Gardner Baisden of Estep passed through Banco last Sunday enroute to Stone Branch. What’s the attraction around there, Peanut?
Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Justice, Mr. and Mrs. O.C. Justice, and Earl Justice motored from Whitman last Sunday and were the guests of home folks on Elm Street.
Mr. and Mrs. C.L. Hager and small daughter of Stone Branch and Mr. and Mrs. Ted Hager of Big Creek were the guests of Mrs. Mary Hager last Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Miller of Six Mile motored through Banco last Sunday evening.
O.L. Harmon of Aracoma was calling on his uncle Mr. D.H. Harmon here one evening last week.
Look out girls of Banco and Estep. You’re going to lose Basil Duty, as he is visiting Mud Fork real often. There must be some attraction up there.
H.F. Lucas of Elm Street was in Banco real early last Sunday morning. He surely was inspecting the “Candy Kitchens” of this town.
Miss Ruby Browning, teacher of the Broad Branch school, was visiting her parents at Cynthiana, Ohio, the last weekend.
Mrs. B.E. Ferrell of Mt. Sinai was a business caller in Banco one day last week.
Wonder if the “Boy” who resides on Elm Street saw the pretty girl from Daisy that was visiting in Banco last Sunday?
Jesse Justice surely will be an expert at swallowing taffy as he followed a mill all last week that ground out the goods.
Good luck to all.
06 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Crawley Creek, Lincoln County Feud
Tags
Appalachia, Crawley Creek, genealogy, Harvey S. Dingess, Henderson Dingess, history, John J. Besnoist, Julius C. Dingess, Logan County, Peter Dingess Jr., Tim's Fork, Virginia, W.I. Campbell, West Virginia, William Straton
Deed Book C, page 518, Logan County Clerk’s Office, Logan, WV. This property is located in present-day West Virginia. I descend from Harvey S. Dingess, a brother to Henderson Dingess.
06 Sunday May 2018
Posted in Coal
Tags
Appalachia, Charles E. Krebs, Charleston, coal, history, Logan, Logan Banner, Mine Inspectors Institute of America, West Virginia
From the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, in a story titled “Origin of Coal,” comes this bit of coal history dated May 24, 1927:
ORIGIN OF COAL
It is a self evident fact that coal is of vegetable origin, and the evidence of which can be briefly stated, based on present scientific study of this subject:
1. Vegetable remains long extinct are found plentiful in close proximity with coal seams; stumps, roots, leaves and stems are found int eh slate overlying the seam and under clay, and are found even imbedded in the seams themselves.
2. This vegetation is associated with the coal seam and often becomes coal whiles till retaining its original form and structure.
3. This vegetation is found and recognized in the whole coal seam, even the coal ashes carefully examined under a powerful microscope show vegetable cells.
4. The perfect gradation may be traced from wood through the different kind of coal, and by chemical analysis.
5. Peats may be manufactured into a substance having many of the qualities of coal, and we may say further that all carbon and hydro carbon have organic matter.
The Flora or plant life of the coal measures are of the most abundant and perfect of all the extinct plants. It has been estimated that there are about 2000 known species of plant fossils in the coal measures. This Flora is really interesting to the geologist in that it furnishes a key to the evolution of the land plants. These plants are found preserved in some form in the coal seams in the overlying slate and rocks and underlying clays and slates.
From address by Charles E. Krebs, at convention of Mine Inspectors Institute of America, in session at Charleston last week.
04 Friday May 2018
Posted in Atenville, Guyandotte River, Little Harts Creek
Tags
Appalachia, Charles Adkins, Elizabeth Adkins, genealogy, Guyandotte River, Henry Adkins, history, Isaac Adkins, Isaac Adkins Jr., Isaiah Adkins, Lincoln County, Little Harts Creek, Logan County, Polly Adkins, Spencer A. Mullins, Virginia, W.I. Campbell, West Virginia, William Straton
Deed Book C, page ___, Logan County Clerk’s Office, Logan, WV. This property is located in present-day Lincoln County, WV. Isaiah Adkins is my great-great-great-great-grandfather.
04 Friday May 2018
Posted in Coal, Holden, Huntington
Tags
Appalachia, Boston, Cincinnati, coal, F.W. Batcheler, history, Holden, Huntington, Island Creek, Island Creek Coal Company, James D. Francis, Kentucky, Logan, Logan Banner, New York, Norfolk and Western Railroad, Ohio, Pine Creek, Pond Creek, R.S. McVey, Thomas B. Davis, West Virginia
From the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, comes this story titled “Boston Coal Men Pleased with Island Creek Development–New Town of Pine Creek Planned For,” published on October 25, 1927:
BOSTON COAL MEN PLEASED WITH ISLAND CREEK DEVELOPMENT–NEW TOWN OF PINE CREEK PLANNED FOR
Wish that more of the men at Boston, who talk about “mining camps” could come to West Virginia and see the flourishing cities and towns which dot the coal fields and ride over the hard roads which connect them was expressed Friday by F.W. Batcheler of Boston, treasurer of the Island Creek Coal Company. Mr. Batcheler, for 25 years in his present capacity, had just arrived in Huntington after his first visit to his company’s properties in Logan county and on Pond Creek in Kentucky. He said frankly that the experience had been a revelation to him, familiar as he already was in theory with the activities of his and other companies in these fields, reports the Herald-Dispatch.
Thomas B. Davis of New York, the Island Creek president, who has observed personally the development of the coal fields, was no less enthusiastic than Mr. Batcheler in his comment off the changes which have been wrought since his first visit to Island Creek.
“At first,” he said, “we had to go up the Norfolk & Western, using an accommodation train, and go across the mountains on horseback. Now we can inspect both Pond Creek and Island Creek properties in less time than it took them to get into the field.”
His enthusiasm and that of his fellow travelers was heightened by the fact that the party came to Huntington from Holden, by automobile, in two hours and twenty minutes.
With the president and Mr. Batcheler were R.S. McVey of Cincinnati, vice president in charge of sales, and James D. Francis of Huntington, vice president. Other members of the sales force took part in the inspection visit to the fields.
President Davis spoke in an optimistic strain of business conditions, which he feels are going to continue good despite a “let down” tendency now manifest.
“We can’t go at top speed all the time,” was his comment.
One of the chief points of interest to the inspection party while in Logan was operation No. 22, a new shaft mine which is being opened by the Island Creek company at an outlay of several million dollars.
15-Foot Seam at No. 22
“The shafts are down,” Mr. Davis said, “and we have found a 15-foot seam of coal as good as any found anywhere. The hoists are being raised and the first houses are being built.”
The preliminary housing in the new town of Pine Creek will include about forty buildings. The complete program, the officials explain, includes 600 houses to care for a population of 3,500. To reach this operation a railroad extension was built and a hard road, running for much of the seven-mile distance, was built by the company to connect Pine Creek with Holden.
04 Friday May 2018
Posted in Cemeteries, Shively, Timber
Tags
Albert Dingess, Albert Dingess Family Cemetery, Appalachia, cemeteries, Charleston, genealogy, Harts Creek, history, James Bryant, Logan County, Martha Ann Dingess, Minerva Adkins, Shively, Shively Post Office, Smokehouse Fork, West Virginia, West Virginia State Archives, Works Progress Administration
Albert Dingess Family Cemetery, Shively, Smokehouse Fork of Harts Creek, Logan County, WV. You can see the old Shively Post Office down past the trees and along the road. 28 April 2018.
Albert Dingess Family Cemetery, Shively, Smokehouse Fork of Harts Creek, Logan County, WV. 28 April 2018.
Albert Dingess was an important splasher and timberman on Harts Creek in Logan County, WV. His sister, Minerva (Dingess) Adkins, is my great-great-great-grandmother. 8 March 2013.
Martha Ann (Bryant) Dingess was Albert’s second wife. 8 March 2013.
Here’s an old WPA map of the cemetery that shows graves for Albert Dingess and his father-in-law, James Bryant. Courtesy of the WV State Archives, Charleston, WV.
04 Friday May 2018
Posted in Coal, Huntington
Tags
Appalachia, C&O Railroad, E.D. Hotchkiss, E.L. Bock, G.W. Stevens, Guyandotte Valley, history, Huntington, J. Paul Stevens, L.B. Allen, Logan, Logan Democrat, West Virginia
From the Logan Democrat of Logan, WV, comes this interesting bit of railroad history titled “High Officials of C. & O. Pay Visit to Guyan Valley,” printed on January 11, 1917.
HIGH OFFICIALS OF C. & O. PAY VISIT TO GUYAN VALLEY
In a special train of four cars, President G.W. Stevens and other high officials of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway company made an inspection up through the Guyan Valley on last Tuesday of this week, and that evening held a lengthy conference with Chamber of Commerce leaders and other prominent citizens of the city in regard to the needs and prospective improvements of the region, and during which many matters were placed upon a very satisfactory basis and better understanding.
Accompanying President Stevens were J. Paul Stevens, general manager; L.B. Allen, general superintendent; E.L. Bock, division superintendent; E.D. Hotchkiss, general freight agent; Mr. Walls, real estate agent; Mr. Trumbull, chairman of the board of directors and a number of other men prominently identified with the great railroad system, all of whom were enthusiastic over the wonderful development of the local coal fields and highly pleased with their trip.
As a result of the meeting it is understood that the long sought chair car on all Huntington trains will become a fixture in the near future, and that several other important and highly desired railroad improvements will very soon be started or accomplished.
30 Monday Apr 2018
Posted in Big Sandy Valley, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Pikeville
Tags
Appalachia, Brandon Kirk, genealogy, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, Kentucky, Perry Cline, photos, Pike County, Pikeville
Perry Cline grave, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Perry Cline grave, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
30 Monday Apr 2018
Posted in Poetry
Tags
Appalachia, civil war, Glencie, Granville D. Hall, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Illinois, Logan Banner, poems, poetry, West Virginia, Wheeling Intelligencer
From the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, comes this poem titled “West Virginia” by Granville D. Hall, dated October 4, 1927:
WEST VIRGINIA
“Child of the Tempest”–O, puny Ship of State!
Christened with the Crimson vintage of the War,
Fate gives thee launch upon a dark unquiet tide;
But the future signals welcome from afar,
Anchored to the Union, thou shalt ride
In haven safe while smiling fortunes wait!
“We know what master laid thy keel;
What workmen wrought thy ribs of steel;
Who made each mast, and sail, and rope;
What anvils rang, what hammers beat–
In what a forge and what a heat
Thy anchors grew–our Hope.” (*)
We laid deep with all our love,
With all our hopes, and bid thee go–
Despite the frowning skies above;
Breasting the heaving tides below–
Forth to the future, strong in right.
Time evens all, and God is just.
In thine own strength and to His might,
Our best beloved–our all–we trust.
Fare forth, O, rich imperial State!
Virginia’s last reluctant gift,
Award of War, the fruit of Fate.
The Sea subsides, the storm-clouds lift.
Take courage, Heir to halcyon years!
Beware the reef; the treacherous lee;
Beware the perils yet to be.
The Prosperous Isles, their lures and guiles;
Their apples of gold, their sirens’ smiles–
Are waiting to win thee from the Sea.
Once more the skies shall bend serene,
And placid seas He broad between;
The tempest past, the radiant bow
Shall arch the heavens above thy prow;
And golden shores beyond the Sea
Shall lift their fronds to welcome thee.
(*) Longfellow
(Granville D. Hall was formerly the editor of the Wheeling Intelligencer. He is now living in retirement [in] Glencie, Ill.)
29 Sunday Apr 2018
Tags
39th Kentucky Infantry, African-Americans, Ann Dils, Appalachia, Basil Hatfield, cemeteries, civil war, Dils Cemetery, genealogy, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, John Dils Jr., Kentucky, Martha Hatfield, Martha McCoy, National Register off Historic Places, photos, Pike County, Pikeville, Randolph McCoy, Roseanna McCoy, Sam McCoy, Sarah McCoy, slavery, Union Army
The Dils Cemetery Sign, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
McCoy Family wreath, Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Randolph and Sarah McCoy graves, Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Randolph McCoy grave, Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Roseanna McCoy grave, Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Col. John Dils grave, Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
History Marker, Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Basil Hatfield grave sign, Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Basil Hatfield grave, Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Sam and Martha McCoy grave, Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, KY. 27 April 2018.
Writings from my travels and experiences. High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water. Mark Twain
This site is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and promotion of history and culture in Appalachia.
Genealogy and History in North Carolina and Beyond
A site about one of the most beautiful, interesting, tallented, outrageous and colorful personalities of the 20th Century
Brandon Ray Kirk 