Tag Archives: Man

Harts News 11.27.1925

15 Monday Feb 2021

Posted by in Atenville, Big Creek, Hamlin, Harts, Huntington, Logan, Man, Sand Creek, Whirlwind

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An unnamed correspondent from Harts in Lincoln County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on November 27, 1925:

Here comes Harts at the tip top again.

Mrs. Vina Adkins and children of Man are visiting relatives at Harts at the present time.

Mrs. Chas. Brumfield and children were the guests of her daughter, Mrs. Robert Dingess, of Whirlwind, Sunday.

Miss Sylvia Shelton and Laura Lucas of Sand Creek were calling on friends at Harts Monday.

Mr. Bill Faris is quite a popular fellow with all the girls at Harts now.

We wonder why Mr. Spencer is taking dinner with Mrs. Sadie Powers so often now?

Mrs. Herbert Adkins attended the circuit court at Hamlin the past week.

Miss Cora Adkins of Logan spent Sunday with home folks at Harts.

Mrs. Beatrice Adkins was shopping in Logan Saturday.

Miss Jessie Brumfield is progressing nicely with her school at Atenville.

Mr. Tom Brumfield and Sesco Messinger have opened up their new garage at Harts.

Miss Myrtle Mobley of Big Creek and Fred Shelton of Sand Creek were seen out walking through Harts Saturday evening.

Mr. A.B. Gillan, C. & O. operator of Huntington was calling on Miss Jessie Brumfield Monday evening.

Miss Harriet Dingess of Logan is visiting friends and relatives at Harts this week.

Combinations: Sadie and her red coat; Inez and bobbed hair; Bessie and her wrist watch; Nora and her powder puff; May and her purple dress; Tom in his garage; Bill and his grey suit; Jessie and her diamond ring.

Dear old Banner, we will see you again next week.

Harts News 11.27.1925

05 Friday Feb 2021

Posted by in Harts, Logan, Man, Ranger

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An unnamed correspondent from Harts in Lincoln County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on November 27, 1925:

Business seems to be improving at Harts now.

Messrs. Herbert and Watson Adkins made a flying business trip to Ranger Tuesday.

Mrs. F.B. Adkins and sister Miss Harriet Dingess was calling on Misses Pearl and Cora Adkins of this place.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Adkins of Man were the week guests of Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Powers of this place.

Miss Jessie Brumfield was seen passing through Harts Tuesday evening.

Miss Cora Adkins spent Sunday and Monday with homefolks here. She is working in Logan.

Mr. Bill Adkins of this place seemed to be enjoying himself all alone Sunday. Never worry, says Billie, She will come.

Mrs. Hollena Ferguson has been ill for a few days, but seems to be improving now.

R.L. Powers has two fine hogs. Hope he soon makes pork.

Mrs. Delphia Dingess and sister were calling on Miss Cora Dingess Sunday.

Bill Adkins was calling on Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Powers Sunday.

Mrs. Vina Adkins and Mrs. Sadie Porter were calling on Mrs. Watson Adkins Sunday.

Combinations: Uncle Gibb and his horse; Pearl and her new dress; Cora and her callers; Sadie and her new sweater; Inez and her bobbed hair; Jessie meeting the tarin; Lewis and his mule; Luther and his truck; Herb and his flat tire; Bill and his yellow breeches; Beatrice and her purple umbrella; Ora and her beaux; Hendrix the mail carrier; Bessie at the pump; Kirt and his water bucket; Watson and his pipe; James and his dog; Aunt Catherine and her curls.

Harts News 11.27.1925

03 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in Harts, Logan, Man, Ranger

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An unnamed correspondent from Harts in Lincoln County, West Virginia, offered the following items, which the Logan Banner printed on November 27, 1925:

Business seems to be improving at Harts now.

Messrs. Herbert and Watson Adkins made a flying business trip to Ranger Tuesday.

Mrs. F.B. Adkins and sister, Miss Beatrice Dingess, were calling on Misses Pearl and Cora Adkins of this place.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Adkins of Man were the week guests of Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Powers of this place.

Miss Jessie Brumfield was seen passing through Harts Tuesday evening.

Miss Cora Adkins spent Sunday and Monday with homefolks here. She is working in Logan.

Mr. Bill Adkins of this place seemed to be enjoying himself all alone Sunday. Never worry, says Billie, she will come.

Mrs. Hollena Ferguson has been ill for a few days, but seems to be improving now.

R.L. Powers has two fine hogs. Hope he soon makes pork.

Mrs. Delphia Dingess and sister were calling on Miss Cora Dingess Sunday.

Bill Adkins was calling on Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Powers Sunday.

Mrs. Vina Adkins and Mrs. Sadie Porter were calling on Mrs. Watson Adkins Sunday.

Combinations: Uncle Gibb and his horse; Pearl and her new dress; Cora and her callers; Sadie and her new sweater; Inez and her bobbed hair; Jessie meeting the tarin; Lewis and his mule; Luther and his truck; Herb and his flat tire; Bill and his yellow breeches; Beatrice and her purple umbrella; Ora and her beaux; Hendrix the mail carrier; Bessie at the pump; Kirt and his water bucket; Watson and his pipe; James and his dog; Aunt Catherine and her curls.

African-American Items from Logan, WV (1920s)

29 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in African American History, Holden, Man, World War I

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From the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, comes these items relating to African-American life in Logan County during the 1920s:

“Jes’ Twelve O’Clock”

A hungry looking negro was observed sitting on a railroad track at Peach Creek yards when the noon whistle blew. He scratched his head and remarked, “Dar she blows. Dinner time for most folks, but jes’ twelve o’clock fo’ me.”

Logan (WV) Banner, 14 April 1922

***

War Story Uncovered

It was four shot years ago and the American doughboys were in the front line trenches facing Heinie. A company of colored troops were in the front trenches and among them were two colored boys from Logan whom we will call Sam and Rastus. They were backed up by 6,000 white troops and the order had been given to “go over the top” at a certain moment and the zero hour was fast approaching.

]Sam aquietly crept over to Rastus and said, “What do you ‘spose our folks would say about us if ‘de knowed where we was now?”

“Go away,” said Rastus. “If ‘de knowed where we wuz ‘de Logan Banner would be setting up headlines right now, saying, ‘Six thousan’ white boys done been trampled to death'”

Logan (WV) Banner, 27 October 1922

***

Negro Advancement

Though most northerners, including Negro leaders, often express disappointment with the progress the race is making, especially in the southern states, an impartial survey would doubtless inspire hope and pride rather than despair and humiliation.

In spite of deplorable lynchings and persistent unkindness toward him that must make the angel weep, the Negro is advancing. Future generations will be amazed at the rapidity with which he has overcome his handicaps. This view is set forth clearly, along with the facts that justify it, in the Dearborn Independent, which quotes a “Southern Planter” as follows:

Nearly nine million Negroes live south of Mason and Dixon’s line. With but few exceptions they are the progeny of grandparents who were born in slavery. The Negro emerged from the darkness of servitude without land, capital or credit. Within the sixty years that have followed emancipation he has come into possession of twenty-two million acres of land, an area greater than that of South Carolina. Negroes of the South are proprietors of business of every description. Approximately forty thousand enterprises, some of which are national in scope, are owned and operated by them. There are nearly seventy Negro banks, three Negro life insurance companies, real estate firms, hotels, factories, drug and department stores. Colored lawyers, doctors, dentists, undertakers and artisans of every degree of skill practice their profession and ply their trade in every part of the Negro’s native section. In sixty years the Southern Negro has acquired these for himself.

Negroes of the nation own one billion dollars’ worth of property and their holdings are increasing at the rate of fifty million dollars a year. Their most important investments and greatest enterprises are in the South, for that is the section they have known for generations, and the one in which, best authorities say, they will find their greatest success.

Were the Southerner not the friend of the Negro it would have been impossible for the Negro to have attained the degree of success with which he has been blessed. The late Andrew Carnegie and the late Lord Bryce agreed that the progress of the American Negro, after emancipation, was the most remarkable racial accomplishment in the history of the world. The Southerner claims his part of the glory for this achievement for he is the Negro’s teacher.

Logan (WV) Banner, 6 January 1928

***

Holden Wins Debate

Resolved “That the Negro has received more cruel treatment than the Indian in America,” was the interesting subject debated by Holden and Logan at Cora last Friday night, with a judges’ score of 5 to 6 points in favor of Holden. The Logan speakers were Rev. E.W. Ross, Rev. M.C. Gentry and Prof. Lucas Wade, while R.R. Batty, Eugene Carter and Guy W. Pennington represented Holden. A spicy program, arranged by the local P.T. Association at Cora, who sponsored the debate, was also a pleasing feature.

Logan (WV) Banner, 8 March 1929

***

Negro Prisoner Bears Odd Name

A colored man of very dark skin languishes in the county jail in default of bond for his appearance in federal court. Commissioner Hager bound him over to Charleston court April 16, after hearing evidence concerning a sale of whiskey. The arrest was made by Troopers Reed and Creasy of Man.

Now the interesting feature of this case is the prisoner’s name, which is none other than White Child. The surname as well as the first name must be the gift of the satirist, for this fellow, a resident of Accoville, has been under pretty close surveillance for a child.

The same troopers brought in Harvey Bias on a charge of possessing booze. He, too, was bound over to federal court and in default of bond went to jail.

Logan (WV) Banner, 12 April 1929

Recollections of Laura Hinchman at Combs Addition, WV (1984), Part 1

24 Friday Jan 2020

Posted by in African American History, Civil War, Coal, Guyandotte River, Huntington, Logan, Man, Timber, Women's History, Wyoming County

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Laura C. Hinchman was born on March 22, 1919 to Walter and Anna Brooke (McVey) Hinchman at Mallory in Logan County, WV. She was an educator for over fifty years and was very active in civic affairs. For more information about her background, see her obituary at this location: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140834185/laura-caryl-hinchman

The following interview of Ms. Hinchman was conducted on July 16, 1984. In this part of the interview, she discusses her ancestry, community history, timbering, and coal mining.

***

Miss Hinchman, how did your family first come to this area?

Well, when West Virginia was being settled, people who were willing to come here were given land grants by governors of Virginia over different periods of years. This property was given by the governor of the commonwealth of Virginia at that time, Governor Nicholson. It was given in 1815 to my great grandfather, Dr. Ulysses Hinchman, who was a member of the legislature. He had land holdings in Wyoming County, and he laid out the town of Oceana. He is recorded in a lot of the books of the history of Wyoming and Logan Counties. According to the West Virginia Blue Book, that is how Man got its name. At first it was called Buffalo City. Then they decided to change the name. They thought Hinchman was too long and there was already a place called Hinch, so they named it Man in honor of my great grandfather. Now, that’s according to the West Virginia Blue Book.

Do you remember what your grandparents were like?

Now, both my grandfather and grandmother Hinchman died before I was born, so I don’t remember either of them. At that time, this was all timber land. My grandfather Hinchman, whose name was Lorenzo Dow Hinchman, was a timberman. We have a lot of records here in the house where he kept books of how much he paid the men and how much he sold, and all that. After this was cleared, then, of course, it became farmland. Now, they had no way of getting the logs that were cut to a market. So down there just below Woodrow’s, and this happened several places, they built what was called splash dams. They made a dam and dammed the water up and filled it with logs. Then there would be a great big lot of excitement. Everybody would gather and they would tear the dam lose and let the logs float down to the Guyan River. There were men who went with them, I suppose on rafts, and rafted the logs together, and floated them down the Guyan River to the Guyandotte. Now, my mother’s father, who came from Raleigh County, was Uncle Vic McVey. Of course, I remember him well, he lived here with us until he died at the age of ninety-four. He was one of the men who followed floating those logs down the river, and then they would walk back from Huntington. They had places that they stayed on their way back. I don’t know how many days it took.

Now, my grandmother Hinchman was a Chambers, which is also one of the early settler families in this area. She was a schoolteacher. At that time, it was possible to teach school when you got through the eighth grade, you were given a certificate. All first teachers in the one room schools here were just graduates of the eight grade, because the high school at Man was not built until 1919 or 1920, and that’s all they had. Now some people taught after they finished the eighth grade, and then went on when it was possible. I have a cousin Lake Claypool–that’s another old family in this area for which Claypool is named–that she taught after she finished the eighth grade then she went on to Man and finished high school and then went to Morris Harvey. But all the older teachers were just eighth grade. There was a one room school down here at Claypool. There was a one room school up at Vance’s. There were several one room schools on Buffalo Creek. There was a one room school up–what’s that creek up Bruno called–Elk Creek. My grandmother was a teacher, but as I say, both died before I was ever born. Now then, this place was called Cyclone. This is where Cyclone was. My grandmother Hinchman kept the Cyclone Post Office here for forty years. After she passed away, my mother–she was a McVey–and she married my father, Walter Hinchman, in 1910, and came here. I had Aunt Rosa Hinchman, who had never married at that time, who helped her keep the post office. The mail was carried on horseback from Huntington and the West, came that way, and from Oceana, from that direction they carried it. The postmasters met here, and they ate dinner here every day. My mother–ever who all was here, and at that time, you never knew who might be there for dinner… But when this house was built, this part wasn’t part of it. The kitchen and the dining room were in separate buildings. Now, of course, in the south they had slaves and all, but I do recall their talking about on black man, by the name of Sam. I don’t remember much about him but that’s the only black person that they ever had here, you know, on the farm.

I do remember my granddad McVey quite well, and my great-grandfather came to Raleigh County with General Beckley and settled there. Then my mother’s grandfather was a Confederate soldier in the Civil War. His name was Zirkle, which is the German word for circle. He ran away from home during the Civil War and joined the Confederate Army. After the war he came here and settled. He also lived with us until he was in his nineties. But my mothers’ mother, my grandmother McVey, died when my mother was only, maybe two years old, so I never knew any of my real grandparents except, you know, my granddad McVey.

Were you born here, at this house?

I was born here on March 22, 1919. My father passed away in February of 1920 when I was eleven months old. There were three of us Hinchman children: Woodrow, Paul, and I was the youngest, of course. I don’t remember my father, but Woodrow does. Then my mother married Pete Toler when I was twenty-three months old, a year after my father died. I remember his as my real father because he reared me. He worked this farm and I remember the first time I called him Daddy, now I don’t know how old I was.

There was a mine at Davin that was first called Forkner, and it was changed to the name of Davin after Hollow A. Davin, a prominent man in Logan who probably owned the mine, and that started in 1923. Then the post office was taken up the creek and then we had a post office at Davin. Then my dad ran a coal cutting machine. Men took those jobs by contract and they were paid for the number of cars that they cut. They could work as many hours as they wanted. The men who loaded the coal–they may have loaded themselves, I don’t know–they loaded the coal into wooden cars. Now, in order to get credit of the coal car that they had loaded they had a–what was it called? Well, it was a little round piece of metal with a number on it that they hung on that coal car. The coal was hauled out of the mine by mule or ponies. There was a tipple and everything there at Davin. Then the Clean Eagle mine went in later, I don’t remember when, but my dad worked there, and he also worked at Mallory. But when we were children, we never saw our dad until the weekend because he went to work before daylight, before we ever thought of getting up and he never came in until after we had gone to bed. That sort of thing kept up with miners until John L. Lewis, you see, organized the union.

Chapmanville News 11.30.1923

20 Monday Jan 2020

Posted by in Big Creek, Chapmanville, Coal, Holden, Logan

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A correspondent named “Pug Nose” and “Let All-Alone Blues” from Chapmanville in Logan County, West Virginia, offered the following news, which the Logan Banner printed on November 30, 1923:

We are having some rainy weather here now.

Fannie Brown, Miss Daniels and Mrs. Bernie Ward have some attraction in Big Creek, as they go down every evening on 51 and back on 52.

Mr. A.K. Bowling was home Sunday from Man, W.Va.

Mrs. Collins of Holden was calling on homefolks SUnday.

Borned to Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Langton, a fine boy last Friday. Mrs. Langton before marriage was Miss Fannie Brown.

Some one said wedding bells will ring at Henlawson soon.

Mr. Bill Cooper is able to be home from the Guyan Hospital at Logan.

Mr. T.A. Rogers was in Logan last Thursday on business.

We are having lots of new houses built now.

Oliver Shuff is building him a house here.

***

As there hasn’t been any one here writing I will try and see what I can do.

Last week was sad on account of the death of Dr. J.D. Turner. We are much grieved over the loss of him.

Mr. Bill Carper was seriously hurt in the mines while driving. He was caught between two cars. Mr. Carper was taken to the Guyan Valley hospital.

Miss Molly Conley and Mr. Chester Barker were seen coming from church one night last week.

Ferrells and Winters store seems to be doing great business under the general manager, Mr. O.C. Winters.

Combinations: Everett and his sweater; Inez and her dancing; Anna and her apron; Bena and beans; Mrs. A.K. Bowling and her cap; Mrs. Ward and her hotel; Eva and her parcel; Cecil going to Charleston.

Chapmanville News 10.12.1923

14 Tuesday Jan 2020

Posted by in Chapmanville, Holden, Logan, Man, Sports

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A correspondent named “The Black Cat” from Chapmanville in Logan County, West Virginia, offered the following news, which the Logan Banner printed on October 12, 1923:

Quite a large crowd attended the musical Saturday night at Ula Barker’s store.

Mr. Bob Ferrell was calling on Miss Barnette Sunday.

A large number was presented at the pie supper Thursday night. It was given by the school. Pies and candy sold well with auctioneer Mr. Charlie Stone, Prof. Stiles and Mr. Eyrial.

There was much excitement here Friday when two of our dry law officers were thrown by the white mule and were seriously wounded. They were taken to the Charleston General Hospital.

We are sure glad to see Ima Nutt back on the job again. We have missed him so much.

Mr. Homer Langdon spent Sunday with his mother of this place.

Mr. Bernard Ward spent Saturday in Holden.

Quite a large crowd attended the party Friday night at Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Ward’s. After an evening of fun, refreshments were served.

Some of our most popular young men have left here and gone to Holden to work.

Mr. and Mrs. N. Muncy returned last week after a few weeks visiting in Virginia. They report a good trip.

Mrs. Annie Ward and Mrs. A.K. Bowling were visiting in Man this week.

Mr. Oran Mabley is seen in Chapmanville pretty often now.

Misses Ina Barker, Bennie Robertson, Messrs. Darnald Stone and Bacil Robertson and Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Ward attended the football game at Logan.

Mr. Willie Boothe and Miss Nell Bryant seem to enjoy themselves walking in the sunshine.

Messrs. Joe Glim and George Ohler returned home after a long vacation.

Civil War Hanging in Logan County, WV (1937)

28 Friday Dec 2018

Posted by in Civil War, Man

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From the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, comes this bit of history about a Civil War hanging in present-day Logan County, West Virginia.

Civil War Hanging in Logan 1862 LB 06.01.1937 1.JPG

Squire Sentenced Man To Be Hanged In This County

Constable George Scaggs Carried Out Edict Of Justice Of Peace John Perry Near Taplin In Logan County’s Only Legal Hanging

Nothing but the gnarled weather beaten stump of an old locust tree remains today to mark the scene of Logan county’s only legal hanging.

The stump is standing just below the highway at the mouth of Taplin hollow and is the only landmark which calls to mind the hanging of Henry S. Walker, convicted of murder by Squire John Perry of Man in the spring of 1862 and hanged the same day by Constable George Scaggs, uncle of Emmett Scaggs, prominent lawyer, and brother-in-law of Eli Gore, old resident of Stollings.

A story is told that Henry Walker came down Taplin Hollow late one night in the closing months of the civil war on a “scouting” tour. He entered the home of Uncle Frank McKesson and for no apparent reason seized a double bitted axe and chopped to lifeless, bleeding masses the bodies of Uncle Frank and his wife and then fled to Raleigh county.

One week later Constable George Scaggs arrested the man in the county where he was hiding and brought him before Justice of the Peace John Perry.

Squire John Perry had a fine eye for justice and he was meting it out under the Virginia law which allowed a justice of the peace to pass the death sentence.

George Scaggs was delegated as executioner and Walker was put on a wagon and brought to Taplin down the river road to the spot where he committed the crime.

Old-timers say that a crowd of men, women and children laughing and passing jokes on the show they were to see followed the wagon to the scene of the proposed hanging and watched tensely as a rope was thrown over the limb of the locust tree and the noose was placed snuggly around the neck of the murderer.

He was placed on the flour barrel, a couple of feet of the slack in the rope was taken up and tied securely to the trunk of the tree, and George Scaggs, without any preliminaries, kicked the flour barrel from under the man.

The man fell to within six inches of the ground and the awed onlookers gasped as they heard an audible crack which told them the murderer’s neck had snapped. He hung quivering at the end of the rope several minutes before the peace officer cut him down and placed him in the wagon to be taken to Man for burial.

The same crowd followed the wagon back to Man, but it was a crowd of sober individuals who had seen a human life pass into oblivion. There was no joking and even the children talked in muted undertones.

Source: Logan (WV) Banner, 01 June 1937.

Confederate Pensions in West Virginia (1929)

24 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by in African American History, Big Creek, Big Harts Creek, Boone County, Civil War, Crawley Creek, Holden, Logan, Man, Pecks Mill, Whirlwind

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In 1929, the State of West Virginia nearly opted to allocate a monthly pension to its Confederate veterans, as well as blacks who had served the Confederate Army in service roles. In covering the story, the Logan Banner of Logan, WV, compiled a list of its remaining Confederate veterans.

HOW MANY VETERANS?

A pension of $20 a month is provided for Confederate veterans of the state by a bill passed by the Senate last week and sent in the House for concurrence. Senator M.T. Miller, of Boone county, who said he could not vote to pension men who had carried arms against their government, cast the only vote against the proposal.

A Charleston paper says there are only about 60 Confederate veterans living. This paper cannot believe that, although it has no information on the subject. How many are there in Logan county? Does anyone know? Has anyone an approximately correct list? If so, will he or she make the fact known? Uncle Dyke Garrett probably knows most of them.

The Banner would like to obtain a list of both Confederate and Union veterans still living in the county, together with their post office address.

Source: Logan Banner, 26 February 1929.

***

AS TO OLD SOLDIERS

The Banner’s request for information about old soldiers living in Logan county has not been in vain, nor has the response been satisfactory. The names of four confederate veterans have been turned in, as follows:

Rev. Dyke Garrett, Curry, beloved and venerable minister; William Workman, Shegon, who fought at Gettysburg and is now 88; Steve Markham, Holden No. 20, who has been blind for 20 years; and William Chafin, who lives with his son Harvey, at Holden 5 and 6.

Who are the others? Send in their names and addresses and any information you deem of interest concerning their careers as soldiers and citizens. The same information about Union soldiers, residents of the county, is likewise desired.

Logan Banner, 5 March 1929.

***

PREPARING THE ROLL

Another name has been added to the list of old soldiers that The Banner has undertaken to compile. Reference is to J. Matt Pauley, residing in Band Mill Hollow, post office Stollings. He was in the Confederate army, fought throughout the war and was wounded, writes Mrs. A.V. Pauley of Ethel. He is of the same age as Uncle Dyke Garrett.

The names of four survivors of the War Between the States, all living in Logan county, were published in Tuesday’s paper. There must be others. Who are they?

Today, W.C. Turley brought in a list of eight Confederate veterans, including the following new names: Wm. C. Lucas, Big Creek; Henry Mitchell, Henlawson; Hugh Avis, Green Thompson and John Neece, Logan; Harrison White, Pecks Mill.

Logan Banner, 8 March 1929.

***

On Confederate Roll

Two more names have been added to the roll of Confederate veterans that The Banner is preparing. These are James Zirkles of Man, whose name was sent in by Leslie Mangus, of Kistler, and Zan Bryant of Whirlwind, whose name was recalled by County Clerk McNeely. Are there not others besides nine or ten previously published?

Logan Banner, 12 March 1929.

***

Confederate Veterans Living Here Number at Least 17

There Are Probably  Others–Will You Help to Enroll Them–All Merit the Tender Interest of Younger Folk

Seventeen names of Confederate soldiers, residents of the county, have been collected by The Banner. Wonder if any have been overlooked, or if the appended list is in error in including any Union veterans? If any reader knows of a Confederate soldier not listed here, please send in the name and address AT ONCE. There will be no further request or reminder.

This paper undertook to make up a list of these old soldiers for two reasons. Chief of these was a desire to prevent any of them being overlooked in case a bill to pension them was passed by the legislature–but the writer does not know yet whether or not that bill was enacted into law. Another reason for assuming the task was to test in a limited way a statement in a Charleston paper that there were only 60 Confederate veterans left in the state. That statement was doubted, and with good reason judging from the number polled in this county. Anyhow, the ranks have become terribly thinned. Every few days we all read of taps being sounded for another one here and there.

Middle-aged men and young folk should esteem it a privilege to do something to brighten the lives of these old soldiers. As the years roll by our pride will increase as we recall our acquaintance with and our kindness toward the “boys of ’61 and ’65.”

Here is the list. Look it over, and if there is a name that should be added or a name that should be stricken out, or any error or omission that should be corrected or supplied, speak up:

James Zirkles, Man; Zan Bryant, Whirlwind; J. Matt Pauley, Ft. Branch; Uncle Dyke Garrett, Curry; William C. Lucas, Big Creek; Henry Mitchell, Henlawson; Hugh Avis, Green Thompson and John Neece, all of Logan; Harrison White, Pecks Mill; Melvin Plumley, Crawleys Creek (post office not known); William Workman, Shegon; Steve Markham, Holden No. 20; William Chafin, No. 5 and 6.

Logan Banner, 15 March 1929.

***

Two Names Added Confederate Roll

Bill to Pension Them is Defeated By Parliamentary Tactics in House

Names of two more Confederate soldiers living in the county have been sent to The Banner. They are: C.H. Gilkinson, minister, resident of Holden, who was born and reared in Wayne county, and is the father of Dr. L.W. Gilkinson. Jackson McCloud, a resident of Whirlwind on Harts Creek. His name was supplied by A.L. Browning of Monaville, who says he feels sure that Mr. McCloud was in the Confederate service and fought at Gettysburg.

Assuming both names should be added to the roll, it means that there are at least 19 Confederate veterans still living in Logan county, seventeen names having been listed and published a week ago.

For many of them there will be disappointment in the information that the bill to pension them did not pass. Sponsored in the Senate by ex-governor A.B. White, the son of a Union soldier, the bill passed, that body, Senator M.T. Miller of Madison casting the only vote against it. In the House of Delegates it was amended, by a majority of one, to include Negroes, whether slave or free, who had served in the Confederate army of cooks, personal servants, or otherwise, and later tabled.

Source: Logan Banner, 22 March 1929.

***

Slagle Man 17th in Confederate List

Zan Bryant Probably Oldest Veteran In County–Born in Jackson’s Time

Joseph Lowe of Slagle is the latest name to be added to the list of Confederate veterans that has been compiled by The Banner. However, that leaves the count at 17, as the name of Melvin Plumley of Crawleys Creek was erroneously included in the published list. He was a Union soldier, it seems.

Of all those listed Zan Bryant of Whirlwind must be the oldest. He is said to be 98 years old and his wife, Judie Hensley Bryant, 91. They have been married for 75 years and have a son, Dave Bryant, who is 73. There are five other children, Dave, John, Wade and Dyke all live on Harts Creek, most of them near their parents; Mrs. Martha Jane Smith at Gay, and Mrs. Lucinda Spry of Mingo county.

This venerable couple have spent all their years in the isolated Harts country, their home being on White Oak fork, and can be reached only by a long horseback ride.

When Zan was born Andrew Jackson was president and Logan county as a political subdivision was but five years old. He was 23 years old when married and 30 when the War Between the States began.

Logan Banner, 26 March 1929.

 

Recollections of McKinley Grimmett of Bruno, WV 1 (1984)

31 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by in African American History, Coal, Dingess, Guyandotte River, Holden, Logan, Man, Timber, Wyoming County

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McKinley Grimmett was born on November 30, 1896 to Henderson and Nancy (Hatfield) Grimmett at Sand Lick, Logan County, WV. On May 14, 1916, Mr. Grimmett married a Ms. Plymale, who soon died, in Logan County. One child named Alva died on June 21, 1919 of whooping cough, aged fourteen months. His World War I draft registration card dated September 12, 1918 identifies him as having blue eyes and light-colored hair. He was employed by Mallory Coal Company at Mallory, WV. On November 13, 1919, he married Matilda “Tilda” Hatfield, daughter of Thomas Hatfield, in Logan County. He identified himself as a farmer in both of his marriage records. During the 1920s, he served as a deputy under Sheriff Tennis Hatfield.

The following interview of Mr. Grimmett was conducted at his home on July 17, 1984. In this part of the interview, he recalls his family background and early occupations. Logging and rafting in the Guyandotte Valley are featured.

***

Would you mind telling me when and where you were born?

Right here. I was born about a mile up above here. I was borned in Logan County. The post office was Christian at that time. Christian, WV. It’s changed now. They throwed Christian out – it was over here at Christian – and they throwed it out and moved it over here to Bruno. Christian went… The mines stopped over there. And that’s where I was born, right here at Bruno, Logan County. Been here all my life.

What day were you born?

November 30, 1896.

Who were your parents?

Henderson Grimmett and Nancy Hatfield Grimmett.

What kind of work did they do?

They did logging work. All they had that day and time. Mule teams and ox teams.

Where did your dad do his work?

All over Logan County.

Did he have his own farm?

Oh yeah. Yeah.

How big was his farm?

It was about 287 acres.

Can you describe his house?

Well, the house was a two-story building. But he never did get… He took the fever and he never did get the upper story, all of it completed. He died at a very early age of 74. He put him up a little store. Got ahead a little bit. Had a store here. Come down and bought this place off Walter Buchanan and he deeded his five kids the homeplace up there. And then he stayed on it from ’21 to ’29. He died 19th day of January, 1929.

Who were your mother’s parents?

Oh, Lord, I can’t… Slater Hatfield was her daddy’s name. And I don’t know my grandma. My daddy, now they both was born in Wyoming County. Baileysville or somewhere in there. I think my mother was born over there in Big Cub Creek. She was a Hatfield. I don’t know where…

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

I had three brothers and three sisters. Sanford was the oldest one. Austin and Johnny. They’re all dead. I’m the only one that’s living. All my three sisters… Lilly was the oldest one, and Rose was the next one, and Ettie was the youngest. They’re all dead. All of ‘em but me.

Were you educated in Logan County schools?

Yeah, that’s all we got. Free schools. I believe we started off about three months out of the year. Right over there where that first house is sitting – a one-room school house. All of us kids.

What was the last year of school you completed?

I believe it was about 1914, I’m not right sure. ’15.

Did you use the McGuffey Readers?

That’s all we had. And the spelling books. And in the late years, why we had a U.S. history… A small one. Most of it was just about West Virginia. It wasn’t about the whole United States. And geography, we had that. Arithmetic. That was about all we had in free schools. We had to buy them all then. They weren’t furnished.

How did you meet your wife?

She was born and raised over here at Horse Pen in Mingo County. And that’s how we met. We were just neighbors.

What was her maiden name?

She was a Hatfield, too. But now they were… There’s three or four sets of them.

Was her family related to Devil Anse Hatfield?

Well, they was some… Not very close, though, I don’t think.

Which church did you belong to?

I don’t belong to any.

Did you belong to a church when you were younger?

No, never did. If I ever would have joined, I’d have stayed with it.

Do you remember the year of your marriage?

Yeah, I sure do. November 13, 1919.

How many children do you have?

Four. We have two boys and two girls. Travis Grimmett is the oldest. And Ralph, Edith, and Nancy.

What was your wedding like?

Well, we just got married and come right home. At that time, they didn’t have such things, to tell you the truth.

Who was the preacher?

Green Perry. Rev. Green Perry on Elk Creek. Rode a horse back when I went up there to get married. A pair of mules. I rode them mules.

Where did you first live after you married?

Right about a mile above here at the old homeplace.

You have lived here all of your life?

All of our life.

Was it always this populated?

No, no. Wasn’t three or four houses on this creek at that day and time. It was farm land. It’s all growed up now. All them hills was put in corn, millets, and stuff like that. If they couldn’t get a machine to it, they cut it by hand. Some of them raised oats and some of them raised millet, corn. Raised hogs and cattle and sheep and selling ‘em.

Who owned this property back then?

Burl Christian owned this here, but I don’t know… My daddy bought his… A fellow by the name of Wyatt Belcher. Wait a minute. Browning. I can’t think of his name. He lived over here on Christian and he bidded in… It sold for back taxes and he bidded in. Henderson Browning.

What kind of work did you do after you married?

Just the same thing as I worked at before I got married. I first started out – my daddy was a boss for Cole and Crane on this river. I first started out working in the log business. I worked two years at that and then I decided… Mule team – I worked about eighteen months at that. Then in 1913 the coal company started in and I went to work in carpenter work. I helped build all of these houses down here at Landville. The superintendent, we got done, they was wanting to hire men, he give me a job keeping time for a while. And he wanted me to learn to run the drum – that’s letting coal off the hill. I learned it and about the third day I was up there, a preacher was running it, and he told me they’d just opened up and they didn’t have much coal to run off the hill, he told me, that preacher, he rolled out two cards and he said if that preacher fails to go out and work on that side track today you give him one of these cards. Well, I didn’t give him a card. But he come out that evening, the boss did. And he said, did the preacher work. And I said, no he refused. He said, I’ll fix him. He fired him. And I took the job and stayed with it four years and then I got married and then I went to work over here at Christian running a drum and I stayed there 34 years.

When you worked for Cole and Crane, did either of those men ever come up here?

Oh yeah. One of them was. Cole was. I don’t think Crane was ever here. A little slim fella.

Did you get a chance to talk to them?

No, they wouldn’t talk to us working men. They’d talk to the boss. They’d go away from us and talk to theirselves. We just got a $1.10 for ten hours. Eleven cents an hour.

What kind of a person did Cole seem to be?

Well, he knowed how the men was. They’d raft timber and go down this river to Guyandotte. Had what they called locks and dams there to catch the logs. This river was full of logs. He bought timber everywhere. Plumb at the head of it.

Did you ever ride a raft?

Oh, yeah. I went with my daddy. I wasn’t grown.

Can you describe it?

Oh, they’d raft the logs, poplar. Now they didn’t raft hardwoods. They’d sink on them. Some rafts, a big one would be 160 to 200 feet long, about 24 to 26 feet wide. Oar on each end of it. If it was a big raft, they had two men up front all the time plumb in to Guyandotte. I was the second man on it when I got to go out on it. My dad had timber and he rafted it, took it there and sold it. Took what they called dog wedges and cut little basket oaks and rafted them, stringers across ‘em, you know. Lots of people get drowned, too.

Were you ever in an accident?

No, I never was in no big one. I’ve seen about six or eight drown.

Could you describe how it happened?

Oh, if he couldn’t swim, sometimes the best swimmer drowned, you know, if he got under a lot of logs or something. According to whatever happened there with him. He could get out if there wasn’t no logs on top of him no where to hold him under, you know. If logs were on top of him, he was gone. Now about the last ones I seen drowned was two colored people. They was building a railroad from Logan to Man up Buffalo Creek. So we was working on a log gorge down there at the lower end of Landville. And there was four colored men… 1921. Had a saloon up here at Verner. They wouldn’t allow one in Logan County. And they went up there on the 21st day of December to get ‘em a load of whisky. And they come back… They’d seen white people ride these logs. Some county people would get on one log and ride it plumb to Logan, as far as you wanted to go. And they thought they could ride it. And they got on. Rode ‘em off the gorge and they was running into eddy water and they would hit the back end, it would, and the other end would swarp out and they’d pull out that way. And they got on ‘em with their whisky and everything and two of ‘em got out and two of ‘em drowned.

When you rode the raft to Guyandotte, how did you get back to Logan?

Oh, we had to walk. We’d get a train up to Dingess over here. You know where that’s at? We’d ride down up to there. And then we’d have to get off and walk across the hill there and come right straight out at the mouth of Mud Fork, Holden there, and up another little drain and down Madison Creek down here. And walk… Man alive, our feet would be so sore, I’d be up for two or three weeks I couldn’t walk, my feet would be wore out so.

NOTE: Some names may be transcribed incorrectly.