Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-11-26
WEST VIRGINIA.
Some Historical Facts From the
Cumberland Region.
SOME STRANGE OLD CUSTOMS
Laws That Might Well be Copied Nova
days---The Birthplace Of Porte
Crayon.
AN oLD-TlME INDIAN ROMANCE.

MARTINsBuRG, W. Va, November "a
With desire to know something Of this
section, Istopped off here q few hours on
my way to Washington. This is an old
town in the Cumberland region, famous for
war stories from the time Of Prsddocks de-
feat to the surrender at Apnsmaste--, AS
you whirl around the curves of the B. & o.
along the Potomac there is continual re-
mipder of historical events which date back
| to the days of the Catawbas and Delawares
Indian tribes, which fought here two hun
dred years ago. Every inch of the Potomac
bank suggests thought of warfare. For
many years after the English conquest Of
this section the Indians delighted to call
this river the "Cahoosgorvata," a name
which sounds strangely, but one which
could never have gotten into the literature
/ of the country. For how would it sound
"All quiet in the Cahoongorvata to-night," "
as starter for the famous poem, "Ai quiet
on the Potomac to-nightT
But it was all quiet when | came here to-
day. A few flags and banners fiuttered in
frozen fabbiness, relics Of the liyeliest cam
paign which West Virginia ever saw. The
town is so near Pennsylvania and the North
that many Southern characteristics have
been crowded out by emigration, yet the in.
herent Democracy is able to assert himself
as boSs-a fact shown by the publication
OF only one Republican paper in three ad-
Joining counties. DESTROYS Of putting in
my stay between trains, | went into the
county records 10 get historical data. At
he Court house found Grandfather Irwin,
sCed eighty, patriarch and local dignitary,
10 rejoites to tell of the old, old times and
lie modern degeneracies. .
If YOU should stay week here could
live You a volume" said the old man, as he
pat in the fresand leaned over on his cane
/ Was born here, lived here all my days
md will be buried Wonder, God willing in a
.ew years. Do know anything about
Indians? Well, I've seen some and
heard of more. When was young, stories
of the Revolution and of the Indian wars
we're told at every hesrthstone. A few
miles below here, at the mouth Of the An
tietam creek, are yet signs Of an old Indian
fort There was terrible Indian fight there
years ago, when the Delaware tribe was
driven out of this section, One of the Del.
aware Indians had stolen squaw from the
Catawba camp in Carolina, and brought
her this ia1 on his way to the Delaware set
Element on the SusquehanDa, in Pennsyl
vana. Here he met band OF his own peo-
| ple on their annual hunt They were, OF
| course, armed and ready for fght They
got it. A full force of the Catewbas came
| from Carolina, tracking the Delaware war
rior and his stolen squaw into the hunting
camp Of his brethren Of course the cap
i've was demanded. She didn't want
to GO back, as she loved the Del
aware brave. A Catawba lover was
bound to take her anyhow, and msde a
clip with a club at the new lover. This
caused general fight, and the Delewares
were badly butchered. Only few got
away alive, and the lover was not one OF
them. He died with six dead Catawbas
about him. His afianced was recaptured,
but killed herself rather than live with the
Catawba chief"
What became Of the DelawnresY
"The few thar were left went westward
In time all Of them settled in the Ohio
1 country"
As in all other old towns, the court house
contains old records of value for their
Curious Features
and age. turned back the pages until !
came 10 court entry of March lG, 1873.
This paragraph struck me first with its
uriNueness:,
"trpon motion Robert Irwin; ordered by
the church wardens, binds Nellie Mat
thews. four years old, to said Robert till
she csmes of age, and that he cause her to
be taught to read and write, and give her
when free one good COW and calf and
| spinning wheel, according to law
Turning over for yeas afierward, there
is no record that Nellie Matthews got hcr
COW, calf and spinning wheel. But 10
| doubt, If she hved, she did, and presented
them to her husband, as her only DOVER
| next TO the sublime dover OF q good wo
mans leve. Ny eye caught another entity
in the record, which noted the appointment
of 'Philip Pendleton Gent" as colonel Of
The county militia. II shows, If pothing
more. that the ancestors OF our own Gen
tlemsn George" were owners Of such tit!s;
but uafy as an affix.
a Manuscripts Copy
| Of the, Statutes" is wocthy nrneh study.
Let re give few gems:
"Ns person shall move out Of the county
without public notice thrse Sundays put On
| church door.
From this we may infer that our fore
fathers went to church on Sunday to hear
the Gospel-and the news. But good cit;-
zens Of Cincinnati and Ohio. will agree with
me that some statutes are worthy OF copy
| nowsdays. Here is one which Uncle Dan.
| Wolf should draft into his hotel ball:
"Hatersais stranger without bargain be
made. you shall recover no pay for the tine
You entertain such.
1t was customary to fac the evil doors
from 200 to 1000 pounds OF tobacco. lie
who moved cattle withoat license was
fined 900 pounds The "DSulgers OF
false reports were "socksd to the tune OF
2,Oes pounds Persons refusing to- have
their children baptized were compelled to
pay 200 pounds. "Slsndefous persons
we're mulcied sor 500 Pounda The
| Law Against TraAps
or "yagrsnts" Is good enough to be tired on
Il the DUN ElcHu IN NthSth1st&-
aSturdy yaorasts shall Be, BY ordsr Of tAe
Justice, whipped until bloody aud sent to
their place Of abode" What scattering
and "skunyiDg" to and fro there would bt
among the human hes in Cincinnati i
Judge Fitzgerald could post sach notice
in his eourt room. He would have 10 com
uepce on the parasites who iafest the Cat,
| Building and cause a stencil to rise belos
The pos,rils of Justice. Talking Of whip
ping reminds me that such IN impostan
taetor Of early civilization does not eIst Ii
| Martinsburg. There Was one fe. year
| ago standing in the square. rottng b
inches. One night il was blown mp with
charge Of gunpowder plugged in bJ
HPerte Creyon," ss
then young resident Of this town. He wa
born here with be name Of d. 81. Strothe
As On authos and artist he is best known
'Porte CrsYon." and bis humorous sketch'
in Hapers years ago made him famous.
While here heard one young Germa