Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-28
THE PocAHoNTAs WAR.
Descendants d Jstm Knox Rice Up and
Knock the Seeks O. the Massachusetts,
Pilgrins-Staad fbom Under, Gentle
mes, When yos Steal Fem
THE WEST VIRGINIA YEUANRY.

CpovER LICK, PocAHoSrAsCo:, March %.
AS great des3 Of prominence has been
given through the press to a. difficulty oc-
curing In this county between the eiti-
zens of the county and bandof land sar-
veyors working in the interest OF Gen.
Ben Butler, it may be well enough to give
a statement OF the facts as they are under
stood in this locality. The reports sent
out to the metropolitan press ne widely
magniiied and exaggerated, and are doubt
less the emenations Of some Of the survey
ing party, who wished to magnify them
selves into heroes. The interview with
Cen Butler as published in the RfsIsrEH
of the 18th inst, is misstatement OF facts
so far as they relate 10 events which occur.
red in this community.
The Rrosea Facts.
The facts are as follows: About the year
1880. a grant, or rather several grants. for
land were issued by the Commonwealth of
Virginia to one Thomas Wilson. OF. Augusta
county. Among the number was q grant
for forty four thousand acres, which -.
cording to later political subdivisions, now
lies in Pocahontas county, West Virginia.
on the east side OF Greenbricr river. and
lying between that stream and the front
ridge of the Allegheny mountains. The
tract was returned delinquent for non'pay.
ment of taxes, and by an act OF Assembly
was forfeited 70 the Commonwealth, and
was sold by the State, eighty.six years ago.
at which sale one Connolly became tho
purchaser. Connolly afterward sold and
conveyed to one Sampson Mathews, an
ancestral re- lative Of cur late Governor.
Mathews afIcrward undivided the tract and
sold aud conveycG Il in parcels 10 various
purchasers. and {. - they have passed by
successive grant Il deed and devise until
the present time, when.
over One Hundred Families
and farms are included in the original sur
vcy. The survey embraces some OF the
most valuable agricultural and pastoral
land in the country, and instead of being
occupied BY squaitcrs, as represented IN
the newspaper articles and by Butler in his
interview, they are occupied by thrifty.
intelligent people, descendants OF the old
Scotch.Irish stock which populated the
Cumberland Valley, and afterwrri' the
great Scnandoah Valley OF Virginia. il is
not region infested by Illicit disiillers and
ex- Con federatcs, who refused 10 surrender
at Appomattox, rs represented by the sur
veying party. The political sentiment II
pretty evenly divided, and in this region
are dwelling cx-soldiers who comprised tho
flower OF both Federal and Confederate
armies. and when the time came for them
10 protect their iiresides from the invasion
of
Northern Land sharks,
the blue and the gray stood side by side.
Such is the history OF the title the resi-
dents claim under. Now for Butler's n
deed placed on record by one Strong claims
all the Wilson surveys, including tho "a
600 acre tract In this county, from ono
Britton, claiming 20 hold by descent from
BENJAMIN Wilson, the brother Of Thomas.
the original grantee. who, IN the consider
alton OF 81 900 conveys the entire Wilson
interest (IOO, 900 TO $4,000 acres In bath
and Pocahontas counties) 10 Ben njamin y.
Butler and VIM. A. Strong. This is deed
for land forfeited 10 the Commonwealth
eighty-six yoarf ago. and for the redemp-
ton OF which no effort has ever been made
either in Virginia or West Virginia. There
is nowhere deed on record from Thomas
Wilson IA q brother, or to any one else, and
OF course there follows
No Connected Title.
Pocahontas county was created by art o(
Assembly In 1921, and the courts Organized
in said county early in 1872: yet there has
never appeared on tho records of the coun-
~ any evidence Of the Wilson title, nor
has the Wilson tract been entered on the
land books Of this county since It's creation.
sixty years ago There was n deed admit
ted Ia record here. ten years ago, from ths
same party who conveys to Butler a
Strong, TO one Jones. for the identical same
land, and was brought 10 the comfy and
placed on record by man giving his name
IN Miller This tract was never placed on
the land books, and no taxes paid on the
claim. Of the rccordation OF this deed the
public was In ignorance until q recentdsts.
Rssier's Break.
A lew weeks ago Buffers surveying par
ty, accompanied by Strong and M attorney
named Barrett, came into the county, and,
representing themselves A. railrord engi-
necrs prospecting for new railroad route.
went to work endeayoring TO establish the
Wilson survey. Not much attention was
paid to them ut first, but when II became
apparent that land surveying and not rail-
road engineering was their real object. they
then professcd 20 be hunting traces of .
certain old Campbell survey. Then public
suspicion became aroused and m inyesti-
CATION was set on foot, and when the real
object was discovered 70 be an Effort on tbs
part Of Butler and Strong 10 grab lands"
and
BIseksssn shs People.
indignation went up 10 fever heat, and .
summary plan toput stop 70 IL was speed
lily organized First being warned by resi-
dent landholders not 70 come upon their
lands or they would be treated as trespass-
ers. and the defiant scorn with which the
surveyors received the notice, With the
declaration that they had the whole United
States army at their back and would forcs
their way, aroused the indignation Of the
people 70 o point beyond forbearance. and
the result was an armed bo1y Of the people
halted the surveyors at point near Dillys
mill. six mile- north of Huutersyiile. and
demanded their Withdrawal from. the coun-
~, A number Of shots were fired, but evi.
IDENTIFY without the intention Of hnrbnf
any one, NJ no one wss hurt and these Old
soldiers are good shots. Mod and wsser
was thrown over the surveyors ~ tho buI-
lets striking near them. The surveyin9
party retrested 10 Huntersville and called
q halt. Ambassadors soon came into The
town with a notice for the land grabbeFS
10 get beyond the State Hne, and without
much regard ~ the order OF going, they
got up and got
These are ne Kasts
rs have been enabled 70 gather them frosn
mo.t reliable sources. There 10 no dissuis-
ing the fact that most Indignant sentinent
prevails here against the Batter party. IL
is evident that the feeling n more intsnse
and bitter than the war spidt ever prevail.
ed from 1851 to lsG5. Il k- related that
independent Of the company which sttack.
ell and drove away the sureycss, hen
were two other companies from oehes Ieh~
Of the county, marching 70 their Assistance.
and a. er-deiessie Siple exprssses u IN
three DAYS time ample forces could ssve
/ feen mustered 10. haze whipped ost ti,s
vbols United States army, II IL hsd besa
| led By Ben Batter.
While tho setiaa o3 The ei6srns nay
have been in violation Of lag, there is .
higher unvrittsn hw planted IN ths
human bstas1-sbst Of self psessfvsaoe,
and Of psotsctin9 de family homs Iron
| The intrusion a robbers and eItoftloesn-
which snifsss pah,ie sympsfhy s"d sP'
pIauss, and
Tbs Dsss sssssosss
| Of the State Il, thst few more dec,ded
steos In imitation OF the Pocahontss Plan,
4 vilI do more 70 settle land titles IN MeS
yirduis than oil the codes and courts o.
The uniyene could accomplish