The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-02-13
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nY ALEXANDER S. ElTnERs.


Improvements and severslly proceeded to
select positions for their future residence
Colonel Zane chose for his an enineuce
shove the mouth of Wheeling creek, near
to the Ohio, and opposite beautiful and
considerable island in that river. The
spot thus selected by him. is now occupied
by his son, Noah Zane, Esq and is nearly
ihe centre Of the present fourishing town
Of Wheeling. Silas Zane commenced i'm.
proving on Wheeling creek, where Colo.
mel Sheppard now lives, and Jonathan
sesided with bis brother Ebenczer. Sew
eral ofthosc who accompanied the adveu.
turers. likewise remained with Colonel
Zane, in the capacity OF laborers.
After having made these preparations
which were immediately requisite for the
reception Of their respective families, they
returned to their former homes. In the
ensuing year they finally lief. the South
Branch and accompanied BY Colonel David
Shepherd, (,he father of Colonel Nose.
Sheppard, } John Wetzel Ohio father Of
q Lewis aud the McCullougl,s--m men whose
comes are identified with the early history
of that country-rcpaired again to the
wilderness, and took up their psrmanen,
abode in it.
Soon after this, other settlements were
made at different points, both above and
below Wheeling; and the country on
Buffalo. Short and Grave creeks and on
the Ohio river, became The abode of civ.
ilized man. Among those who were frs,
30 occupy above Wheeling, were George
Letter, John Doddridge. Benjamin Biggs,
Daniel Greathouse, Joshua Baker and
Andrew Swearingen. srgal sslssn
In liz. that comparatively beautiful
sesian Of country, lying on The east fork
fthe Noncngsh"la ri,.r. between the
Allegheny mountains, en- its south east
ern. and the Laurel Hill, or as it j, pc~
called the Rich mountain, on its north
western side, and which had received the
denomination Of Tygart's valley, again
attracted the attention Of emigran.s. In
the course of that year. the greater Fart
Of this valley was located by persons said
to have been en'iced tbither by the de-
seription given off. BY some hunters from
Greenbrier, who had previously explored
it Game, though principal, was not
their sole object They possessed them
selves at once.of noarly all the level land
lying between those mountaius-a plain Of
% or 30 miles in length, aad varying
from three-fcurtbs to two miles in width,
and Of fine soil. Among these who we're
FIRST to occupy that section of country, we
find the names ofaHadden, Counelly,
Whitemau. Warwick, Nelson, Stalnaker
Rifle and Wcstfall; the latter of these
found and inferred the bones of Files
family, which had lain bleaching in the
sun, after their murder by the Indians, in
1854.
Cheat river, too, On which no attempt
at settlement had been made but BY the
unfortunate Ecknrty'.. b,eau.y au obiec,
Of attention. The Ho:ss Shoe bottom was
located by Captain James parsons, Of the
South Branch, and in bis neighborhood
settled Robert Cunningham, Henry Fink,
John Golf and John Minear. Robert
Butler, William Morgan and some others
settled on the Dunkard bottom.
In this year, too. settlements we're made
on Simpsons creek. the West Fork river
and on Elk creek Those who made the
former were John Powers, who purchased
Simpsons right "a tomahawk improve
meuD 10 the land on which Benjamin
Stout now resides; and James Anderson
and Jonas Webb, who located themselves
farther up the creek.
On Elk, and in the vicisity of Clsrks-
burg, there settled Thomas Nu.ier, near
to the Forge mills, Samuel Cot,rial, on
the east side of the creek and nearly oppo.
site to Clarksburg; Sofia Hickman, on the
west side Ofthe same creek, and above
Cot'risl, Samuel Beard at the mouth of
Nanny's run, Andrew Co!trial, above
Beard and Ut the farm now owned BY John
w. " Patton, Daniel DAVIDSON, where
Clnrksburg is now situated, and Obadiah
DAWSON and John Nutter on the West
Fork the former near to the old Salt
works, and the latter a. the place new
oSnod byAdam Hickman. jjr.
There was likewise, at this time, con.
siderable accession to Tho settlements or
Buokhuuuon aud Hackers cre,k. So