The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-07-14
WEBSTER.
A Few Words Concerning
the "Independent State"

tNtG AlANSpShAuSAAts StNtSs
II has been too generally supposed
that this county is q barbarous, un.
tanned wilderness, and It's people unfit
for tho association of those whose loi
is cact amid the buster scenes of life
aud our object in this article Is maiEIy
to show to the contrary. We pre-.
mise by saying thasa more Lospitable,
generous, free.hOarted people never
existed upon Gods broad foOt.stool,
The stranger finds a hearty Welcome
and such as they have is shared with
him in way that leaves him no room
to doubt The sincere hospitality Of biz
hosts. And we may also remark with
propriety that lie who takes tho WOb,
ster county people for fools or groom.
horns will be most wonderfully "suek.
cd in" when he attempts to play any
game upon them. They possess al
the elements Of natural shrewdness tc
a degree that is not attained in The
more thickly settled communities. Tc
use an old saying, they are sharp a,
briars" and good common sense is By
no means q scarce commodity. That
they are honest is easily proven by The
fact that since ito organization, four
teen years ago, the county has neye,
had q delegate in the State prison
and that sound reason prevails is evi,
donced by the further fact that she
has never had but one Of her citizens
in the Lunatic Asylum. Is there
another county in the Stale that can
say as much?
Webster county was formed in 1868
from parts Of Braxton, Upshur, Ran.
dolph, Nicholas aud Lewis. The late
Colonel Addison Mclaughlin, oil
Bull.own, was its originator and
founder. The county scat, Addison,
Is named after him. Hon. JOSEPH
Anderson, Of NicholaI. was tho patron
Of the bill creating the new county al
the time of passage by tho Logiila.
ture.
With Hon. George Il. Morrison as
our guide, we started from Sutton for
the Independent State" From tho
latter place TO Addison is a journey Of
SO miles, over route that cannot bc
equalled for wild grandeur and majes-
tic beauty. For some miles The
road" q narrow brill palh) leads
up Elk River, and then We plunge In
TO the narrow gorgcs Of tho noun
tains. And such mouu.ainsl For
some fourteen miles We Travelled with.
out coming to q house; although prior
TO the war many excellent farms were
cultivated along the route. The
traveller in the Independent State"
should rocollOct that she suffered more
In men aud means according 10 hor
ability in tho late war, than any dozen
counties in West Virginia. Her peo-
pie were about as nearly unanimous
for the Coufederacy as Il is possible
for o community to be; aud double
her proportion Of gallant soldiers did
she send 10 do battle for the Sunny
South. In consequence Of this fact,
tho Federal forces did not spare hor
when they occupied her territory
Another reason for this widespread
desola.ion was, that Webster was re-
garded as tho LINE, dividing Dixie
from the Yankeedom. Here was tho
"post.otfice department." where near.
ly all the letters for Southern soldiers
who lived in tho more northern coun.
ties, were received aud forwarded to
the Boys in Grey. Here was The
headquarters Of tho famous uudor.
ground Telegraph, where information
the movements Of the Fed.
erals was gathered and transmitted, as
fast as horse.aCih could carry Il, to
the Confederate chioftans. Here
many brave Southern woman went
TO meet her husband or hor son, who,
being Confederate soldier. did not
daro venture nearer the Federal out.
posts. In consequence Of these things
tho Independent State became The
scene Of many fanguinary conflicts ;
and you may often stumble across a
little mound, dOnoting that there
sleeps, until tho last day, some poor
follow who gave up his life In tho
struggle. The mon Of Webster, DO.
log hunters and tho sons Of hunters,
we're deadly shots with the squirrel
rife, aud they used that terrible wea.
pom with effect whenever an opporlu.
lily offered. Hence the deyas.ion Of
heir country aud tue solitude Of desc.
alton which yet prevails in the sec.
ions where these things occurred
But, being brave men, they are gen.
'rous and now that tho struggle IL
,ycr, they have no malice to crafty.
they calmly accept the situation
done their duty as citizens Of
Virginia, they now submit, with the
oos. grace they eau muster, to The
foke Of tie limited Statcs.n Thcy
at, drink and ars merry, enjoy liz
ind mind their own business, propa.
cato their species aud vote the Demo.
'ratie ticket with a regularity, unsn.
nifty and precision that is more than
Arriving at the ho,pi.able r..idsnc.
John Mcclure, Esq one mile from
We stabbed our horses in th.
ia Which Judge Mcoomas
,eld tue 6rst court that ever convened