The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-06
eURnISG OFsIMoN GIRTY.

Rev. HORACE EDWIN HAYDEN, whose
contribution to the Virginia Historical
Society i'll reference to the burning Of the
body Of SIMON GiRTY in q log-heap IN
inthe county Of Pocshontas was
recently printed in the REGISTER, has
written a letter to tho Brownsville CLIP
per, in which he warmly sustains the
correctness of the theory Of the burning.
1t will be remem bered that, year and
a half ago, Capt. GEORGE II. MoFFETT'
in one OF his letters to the REGISTER
from the White Sulphur Springs, told
the story OF the cremation Of the nOtorl-
GUS white renegade, by q number OF
honest but indignant backwoodsmen 81 q
log rolling in Pocahontss county, as told
to him by Rev. SAMUEL Brown, an aged
and highly respected Presbyterian cler-
gyman. Afterwards, Captain MoFFETT
visited the locality where this tragedy
was said to have taken place, and on
careful inquiry of all the old inhabitants
who would likely know something, either
by personal knowledge or tradition, OF
the affair, he not only failed
to find anything confrmatory OF the
story as related by Rev. Mr.. Brown,
but found evidence that Mr.. Browns
authority was not such as it was safe to
build history upon. In recent letter to
the REGISTER, Captain MoFFETT detail
ed his experience in the search for evil
dence and its results, and accompanying
it asked US to reprint, as we did, Rev. d.
L. HAYDEN's contribution to the annals
of Virginia.
In his present communication, Mr.
HAYDEN adheres to the probabilities Of
the cremation story. He says, "That
such an incident should happen is very
possible aud that it should be forgotten
or lost 70 the present genera
tions is also very possible. The Mora
Wan massacre by party OF men from
Washington county, Pa, less than q
hundred years ago, is 50 far forgotten
that although the main facts are matters
OF history, Dr.. Creigb, the historian Of
Washington county, says he traversed
the entire section Of the county from
which Wilamson's party was collected,
and made every effort TO gather some
material on the subject, and to learn the
names of the company, but ho could get
nothing at all, and was obliged TO give
it up in despair.
Mr.. HAYDEN further says: "The Rev
SAMUEL Brown, on whose authority the
incident is given, is the son OF MARY
MOORE, the Abs Valley captive, whose
history is told in FooTE's Sketches Of
Virginia, and the brother Of the Rev
WIN. BRowN, D. D., editor of the Cen
trail Presbyterian, and is we'll known TO
be an intelligent, cultivated, and
thoroughly reliable Christian gentleman
and Presbyterian minister. He has IN
preparation a moro detailed history than
FooTE gives of his mothers captivity,
and has been careful sitter and pre-
server OF the early traditions of the
frontier, gathered up while collecting
data for his work. He states that his
informant, Mr.. JAMES WooD, lately de-
ceased at the age of ninety, was known
to be man Of strict veracity, and had
lived for years IN Randolph county,
Virginia, and was well acquainted with
the persons who gave him the lntorms-
ton, and who were men of unblemished
reputation; that they were brothers by
the name Of HANNAH, both Of whom
were present and took part in the trans
action, and one of whom as local Metho-
dist preacher was esteemed as a useful
and good man."
ALI that Mr.. HAYDEN is seeking, how
ever, Is the truth Of history and be
urges Captain MoFFETT to presevere in
his effort to get AZ the exact facts.