The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-06-08
MOnOngalia County.

face is principally hilly, but the hills
contain good soil, and are arabic from
their bases to their tops. The soil is
a sandy, clayey loan, and in some
parts of the county calcareous lands
are found. In every portion the lands
are productive, and are especially
adapted to glazing purposes. Fol
sheep culture there is not better soil
or climate in any State. The land
varies in prices from SIC per acre up to
800 and upwards. The principal
water courses are the Monongahela
and Cheat rivers, and Dunkard's creek,
a tributary of the former. There are
about 80 public schools within the
county, about As churches and 80 post
offices. The population in 1890 was
1902; in 1900, 1859; 1910, 12,405;
1920, 10,56S; 1880, 1875; 1910, 16,
962; 1850, 1902; 1860, 1901 1870,
49, SAT and in 1880 it will be in round
numbers, about $4,000. The valua-
ton of taxable property is about five
million dollars.
But Monongalia county is not val
liable for its agricultural lands only.
1t is underlald with the best of min
erals, in immense quantities, and its
hills are covered with all kinds OF
hard timber peculiar to VIVA. The
Pittsburgh, the Red Stone, the Sc
wickley and the Waynesburg coal
seams have all been found and opened
in Monongalia county. Iron ore has
also been discovered in various por-
tons Of the county, and lime stone
abounds in different sections. Upon
the whole, it is thought by many to be
among the richest mineral counties
within the State.
From the formation of Monongalia
county up to May 1888 it is not def
nitely settled where the County Court
was held. AT the time stated the re-
cord shows that a-court was held at
the house of blackwell Morgan. 1t
had been meeting at some point, now
in Greene county, Pennsylvania, and
when Masons and Dixons line was
run it was so ascertained and was &c
cordingly removed to the house OF
blackwell Morgan, above alluded TO.
At the meeting in May, 1888, the JUS
tices were authorized to select ten
acres ofground upon which to locate
the county seat.
David Morgan settled at the mouth
of Decker's creek on the Monongahela
river in the spring of 1867, and is gen
orally regarded as among the first set
tiers of the county. Mr.. Morgan
improvement was selected by the Jus
tees as suitable place for the seat
of justice for the county, and in 1888
it was formally announced as the
county seat, and was given the name
of Morgantown in honor of David
Morgan, its first settler 1t was in
corporated by law in 1856 and Samuel
Hanway, John Evans, David Scott,
Michael Kearnes and James Dougher-
ty were named in the act as trustees
for the town.
Morgantown is beautifully and
BEAUTIFULLY located, and is a prosper
Gus and progressive town. 1t is the
seat of the University of West Vir-
ginia, one of the most thorough cdu-
cational institutions in the West, and
its citizens are noted for their culture
and refinement. 1t has been for near
~ three quarters of a century noted
place of learning, being the seat OF
Monongalia Academy for about halt
a century, which was one of the most
thorough educational institutions in
the South and West.
November 29th, 1914 the Legisla-
ture of Virginia passed an act incor-
porating the Monongalia Academy
January 2Sth, 1929, another act was
passed authorizing lottery for its
benefit, out of which considerable
sum of money was realized, which
placed it firmly upon its feet. During
this year lot was purchased and a
building erected, which is now the
public school building of the town.
In 1867 it was donated to the state
and was valued at $4,000. For up
wards of fifty years Professor Moore
who in all respects was one of the
foremost educators of his day, sent
out accomplished scholars into almost
every state in the Union. Instead of
an academy, we would rather say his
school was university, where young
men received thorough Quotations and
were prepared for the responsible du-
ties of life. The wife of professor
Moore is now conducting very ex-
cellent Female College in Morgan
town, which has been in successful
operation for number of years, and
has been the means of educating a
large number of young ladies in and
out of Monongalia county. Morgan
town has very properly been termed
"the Athens of West Virginia"
In 1889, the General Court of Vir-
! ginia commissioned two Judges to hold
a District Court for Ohio, Monongalia
Harrison and Randolph Counties
The first term for Monongalia county
began May 18th, 1888; Joseph Prem
tice and Cuthbert Bullitt were the
judges presiding.
In October, 1909, the first superior
Court of Law for Monongalia county
was held by Hugh Wilson, one of the
judges of the General Court of Vir-
ginia. William Jingle was appoint
| aI nlnrI- nf Tho Co,.4