The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-24
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.

CONVICTION, VA, January %, 1878.
Allegheny county is OF comparatively re-
cent origin, having been formed in 1922 from
Bath, Butetourt, and Monroe. It is about
twenty-siX miles long and twenty wide, and
is for the most part high table land,
drained by the hcadwaters of the james.
Covington, the county seat, is on Jackson
river, fifteen miles above its junction with
the Cowpasture to form the james, and i'm
mediaiely on the line Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad. In the oIden time it was the
head OF battcauX navigation, and had con-
siderable trade with Lynchburg and Rich
mond. And then a bright dream dawned
upon the Gcnizens Of the little town. The
Virginia Central railroad was to terminate
here, the Coyington and Ohio with differ
eut gauge) was to connect it with the Ohio,
the James River canal was to be completed
to this point, and in the transfer of the rich
freight from the West to the canal and the
railroad, which were to compete for the pri-
vilc.e of carrying it East, as well rs by the
richy-ladcued return c;,rgocs, Coyington was
to become most important mart of trade,
if not IL great city.
The war and its results have dssipated
those bright visions, and Covinston has been
reduced to a way-station on the great
through line from Richmond to the West.
But the town still has the prospect of con-
siderable growth and Importance. When
the great canal is pushed through this must
be an important point; and when the pro.
jected narrow-gauge railroad from here to
the Healing, Hot, and Warm Springs shall
be built this little town must become a great
centre of attraction for pleasure-seekers.
Indeed it has already large number OF
summer visitors who branch of to the
springs and other points of interest.
Aneghany county can now boast OF what
few counties in the State can. The Jail has
not had in it criminal for over six months.
And il has not had for Il long time u Crimi-
nal who was Il native of tue county, ull OF
them being strangers attracted by work
on tue railroad.
We learn that the neighboring county of
Bath has an even better record. 1t has had
no prisoner in jail for over two years, has
no representative in the penitcntary, and
has so few Ilupers that its poor.hou>e is a
source Of revenue TO the county.
Your correspondent witnessed in Coving-
ton day before yesterday something as credi.
table to the people as it is unusual. Rev. j..
VI. Pitcher, pastor of the Baptist church
here. assisted 10y Richmond minister, had
been conducting for some days protracted
meeting in the courthouse. Monday being
court-dav, Rev. Mr.. Weller, pastor OF the
Methodist church., courteously rendered the
use OF his house of worship, and the service
was appointed there for II o'clock. 1t was
bad day, the church is just opposite the
courthouse. and your correspondent sup
posed that the men would be kept away by
business aud the llGic, by the weather, aud
the fact that it was " court-dav." But to his
surprise the congregation was larger than
usual, the lutlie:, Icing undeterred by either
the weather or "court," and many Of the GER
tlclncn leaving their daily business to attend
to the great business of this life--preparation
for the life that is to COME. Is there another
county town in Virginia where so large Il
congregation could be gathered at II O'Clock
| on court-day? And all through the meeting
| the congregations have been large (neithcr
rain nor snow keeping the ladies back) and
! seemingly deeply interested. There were
| nt.e pubic professions Of conversion, Others
| were Interested, and it is hoped that other
| fruit will be gathered. Alr. Pitcher viii!
close the meetin" to-day by administering
| the ordinance Of baptism.
The region around Covington was famous
IN the Indan wars, and not far from the
| town is The site OF an old fort which was tue
scene of most gallant defence against n
| large force OF savages, who were defeated
| with srcat slaughter
| Howe gives the following account of a
| strange character whose memory still fingers
in the traditions of the people:
"Thcrc was an eccentric female who lived
IN this section of the country towards the
latter part of the lust century. Her name
was Ann Bailey. She was born in Liverpool
and had been the wife of an English soldier.
| She generally went by the cognonen OF
Mad Ann During the wars with the In.
| dianS she very often acted as messenger,
and conveyed letters from the fort at Coyine..
| ton 10 Point Pleasant. On these occasions
she was mounted Oh fayorite horse of great
sagacity, and rode like man, with n rifle
| over her shoulder, and a tomahawk and q
| butchers knife in her belt. At night she
| slept in he woods. Her custom was to let
her horse 90 free, and then walk some
distance back OIL his trail to escape
being discovered by the Indians. After the
| Indian wars she spent her time i'll hunting.
| She pursued and shot deer and bears with
! the skill of backWoodsma1. She was n
short, stout woman, very masculine and
coarse in her appearance, and seldom or
never wore gown, but usually had on a
pettcoat with mans coat over it, and
| buckskin breecbcs. The services she rem
dered in the wars with the Indians endeared
her to the people. Mad Ann and her black
pony Liverpool were always welcomed at
every house. Often she gathered the honest,
simpc.hearted mountainccrs and related her
adventures and trials, while the sympathetic
tear would course down their cheeks. She
was prolanc, often became intoxicated, and
could box with the skill of one OF the fancy.
Mad Ann could read aud write, and pos
sessed considerable intelligence. She died
in Ohio many years SINCE"
Another celebrated character in this region
was Peter Wright, a famous hunter, from
whom Peters Mountain takes its name. A
large shelving rock is still shown which bears
his name, and under which, tradition has it,
he once took shelter from snoW-storm, had
to- remain there some days, and kept OH
starvation by eating his moccasins and finally
killing deer which strayed near bis retreat.
As illustrative of the horrors of Indian
warfare the following incident is preserved I:
In 1854 Captain Paul, who commanded at
Fort Dinwiddie, while in pursuit OF one
party OF Indians came upon and routed an
other. One of his men was about to strike
with q tomahawk what he supposed to be an
Indian sluaW, who sat perfectly quiet, when
the captain rushed between them and re-
ceiYed the blow Oh his own arm, exclain1ing,
aIt is Il shame to hurt q woman, even a
squaw.'
She proved to be an English woman, an
acuuaiutunce OF Captain Paul, whom the
sayuges had captured on Catawba after killing
her husband and children. Upon being
asked why she did not make herself known,
she replied: !" + had as soon be killed as not
INV husband is murdered, ,3my children are
shin. NV parepts are dead. / have not d