The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-07-25
WEST LIBERTY, WEST VA.
An Historic YiIlage-A Page from
the Past-Ebe Pioneers Of West VIZ
g,nia-RuraI Scenes-A Graveyard
Ancient and MOdern-Ihe Names
and ges Of Some of the Oldest In
MATHEMATICAL EaIe thai IL Told
WEST LIBERTY, WEST Va, !
July "a, 1877.

ana \ ges oil some Oh tbf oi"S'' A
bsbitant.-"A TaIe tina, IL Told
WEST LIBERTY, WEST VA
July "a, 1877. !
/ To the City Editor of the Register:
No place in West Virginia possesses
more historic interest than the village
and epyirons of West Liberty; and a.
though it is like turning the page OF
some worm-eaten book upon whose
uusty leaves are traces OF blood yet the
record is none the less interesting. 1t
relates to and is directly connected with
the early settlement OF this SLate-to
period when the Indians roved the Tor
ests and claimed the supremacy, seeking
TO stsv the advancing tide OF civilization
by acts of violet ce-when the names OF
Wetzel. McCulloch, Zane and Sheppard
were household words in the
HOME or THE PIONEER
when brave and intrepid men took their
lives in their hands, rs 1t were, and WITH
their families entered this section (tnen
called the Vest 10 carve out homes ana
fortunes. Then it Wa that this vi lage
was laid out, which event occurred In the
wear 1885; but the men who stood at the
baptismal font rs sponsors to the infant
hamlet have long since passed away
Only their names as remembered IN ira
dition and story, or as perpetusted DE
descendants, remain. We recall among
the latter the families of McCuiloch,
Forman, Vanmetre, Hedges, Curtis and
Biggs as the representatives OF the plo'
neers. who hewed the way tor the tide OF
humanity that poured iato this part OF
the State, and subsequently swelled the
population to Its present proportion.
However the town has only It's past his
,orv. Though ushered into existence
under circumstances that promised q
bright future il never grew into proml-
nence; and its only claim to distinction
rises from the tact that It is
THE OLDEST TOWN IN THE STATE.
Hero the first civil court west OF the
AIleghenies was held. 1t was convened
in what was then termed Blacks cabin,
January Is, l776, just lOl years ago. A
court house and Jail were built, the sites
of which are still pointed out with no
| little pride. The county seat remained
here some twenty years, when 1t was re-
moved to Wheeling. The town has
about two hundred Inhabitants, two or
three stores, three churches, u postOtiice,
blacksmith and wagon shop and tan
| nerv. These are now its chief claim to
earthly distraction. 1t is butt on gen.
tie emineuce, and is surrounded by sue
| cession OF hills and valleys, covered with
forests or with fertile fields. Fbe scene
reminds one of Goldomith's description
| OF sweet Auburn
GRAVE YARD
stands near the centre Of the town; and
unnumbered are the dead who sleep
| there meath the greenswsrd. The White
| hesd-stoues gieam amid the shrubbery,
while the green grass almost concealSthe
| less pretentICus tablets 0! sand stone.
The inscriptions on some of these slabs
which mark the last resting place oil
the jewellers in this silent clty,
are very unique. One grave,
said to be the nrst lntermeni,
IS marked BY 4 rude sandstone COZ tain
ing these words:
Robert Ewing, died January 18th,
1890
Here sleeps my dust which must soon
| arise,
TO meet my glorious Lotd in yonder
| skies"
Another bears simply this: 81. w.
Deem, died 1873" Another contains the
name and date OF the death OF a boy OF
fourteen, with these lines:
| "Afiiic:ions sore, long time bore,
| Physicians all III vain,
TIL God was pleased to give me ease,
| And tree e from my pain.
Still another has this warning:
.Remember me as you pass 10y,
| As you are now, so once was /,
As an now SO you snail be,
| Prepare Tor death and follow me-
AMONG THE NOTED PERSONS
who sleep herein are Captain Samuel
Brady. the celebrated Indian fighter. A
large locust tree has grown upon his
grave, entirely hiding 1t. There IS u
monument near by, however, erected 10
his memory, and also to that OF his son,
| John Brady, sr., who died 1t this place n
few years ago; General Benjamin Blggs,
OF Revolutionary tame, Is likewise buried
nere; q plain marble slab marks the
grave.
! A REMARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCE IN LOCAL
HISTORY
is the number OF people in the vicinity
who have outliveG the allotted three
score and ten, and whose lives seem as q
tale that is told. We mention few of
them with their ages: Casper Fritz,
aged So; William Wells, So; Levi
Mills, 81; John Curtis, 80; MIS-
Dianns Hedges, 80; Mrs. Hen rietta lrv.
ing, 81. Generally, they are hale and
hearty and may live years yet, ere the
| summons comes TO cross the dark river
and enter the val .ey OF the shadow OF
| death. The two first named were veter-
ans. the one serving in the war of 1872,
the other in various European wars
Mr.. Fritz also served under Napoleon,
and participated and was
WOUNDED IN THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO,
where the combined armies OF the old
world by brute force overthrow one OF
the greatest generals tue WorIu las ever
produced Mr. Mills likewise fought
the "blasted Britishers" Of 1872, for two
weeks, fgurstively speaking. Their
lives are like.
"A clock wound up-a tale told to its
close.
But leaving ON the page of memory
Scenes of old times, quaint pictures OF the
past.
nr la.,,nl for tho tut,,ra
Did time permit, much more might be
said of West Liberty, around which so
many matters OF historical interest clUs-
ter but let the foregoing suffice.
L. T, H.
Good for wheeling.
Nj VIM. SchAmbra. one of the