The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-02-08
GOSSlplnE.

kingeport, Tenn, 10 one Of the oldest
and most remarkable towns in that State.
II is about two hours ride from Cato City,
Va, and is situated at the mouth Of the
North Fork of theHolston River, whore it
and the South Fork come together. This
old town 10 very qwaint, with its lettering
houses that have apparently not heen re-
paired since the flood During the days
of the stage coach, kingsport was the
terminus of the lines between Lynchburg
and Knoxville. The coach would come
frem Knoxville to kingsport and then
transfer the passengers to the line RIM
ming between Lynehbulg and kingsport.
The old hosiery, with its quaint old
gabled roof, reminds ono very much Of
some of the Inns described in Dickens'in
comparable work Pick Wick papers, and
though it ia totterihg OH ita foundation
from decay it was vol built. Kingsport
has some very interesting history CON-
nected with it's early colonization. inst
across the river is the Roller farm, which
is known as the Long Island." In 1871
Col. Joseph Martin owned this farm and
resided upon It. Just opposite his resi-
dencc was fort built Ly Col. Vim. Chris
tian in l776, aud which was garrisoned
up to 1854 with men raised on the Wa
tauga and Holston Rivers. This island is
about three miles in length, and is most
excellent farming land. In fact, all the
land along the Holston is admirably
adapted to farming. Capt. Clay's beauti-
full farm "Soltude" is situated few
miles further down the river, and is con-
sidsrad the finest farm in East Tennessee.
About the year ITS, o fierce battle occur
red on the "Long Island" between the
whites and Indians, in which the former
were victorious. The whites were saved
from alniost total humiliation by another
Pocahontas, Nancy Ward. She was close
ly allied to the commanding chief of the
Indians, dragging Canoe and was able
to give the whites very valuable informa-
ton as to his piaEs, &c. IN this battle,
the Indians lost heavily and dragging
Canoe" wos wounded. was down on the
island last spring fishing, but could not
find any traces Of the old fort built by
Col. Christian, but the battle and its in
cidents have been handed down by tradi-
ton to the present generation. Judge
Haywood, in bis admirable history Of Ten
nessee, mentions the fight. The promi=
nent men that figured in those days in the
various Indion fights near Kingpport were
Col. Evan Shelby, John Shelby, his broth
or, Col. Arthur Campball, Col. Vim. Pres
ton, Col. Christian, John Morrison and
James Robertson. The Eolston river was
called Watauga by the Cbsroksss. but the
name was lost, and about l7s5 it was
ia med for Stephen Holston, of Botetourt.
s.*
1t may be of interest to some Of the
readers Of the Posi- to learn how some of
our various mountains got their names
/ remember hearing an old gentleman,
now dead, who resided at Gate City, but
whose grandfather was with Col. Camp
bell in his various expeditions, recapitu-
late from memory how several Of our
mountains and streams got their name s.
PoWsll's Mountain wss named for AM
brose Powell, whose name was found
carved on a beech tree OH PowalI's River.
PowelPs River took its name from Pow
ellis Mountain. Moccasin Gap, in Scott
County, derived its name in this way:
About 1862 or probably, later, party
passing through this Gap in the Clinch
Mountain CHANGED upon this cast off moe
casin ofan Indiau, dyed with blood, and
named tile place Jfockason Gap, from
which aams Morcasin Gap has syolutea.
Some Of the men in this party we're Val
lien. for whom Wallen's Ridge Was named,
Scaggs, Bleyins, Neal, Cox and others.
An Irishman. quito an "emeraldy Tsle''
lone, MAS sith The party, and he was re-
sponsible for glincil River getting its
name. In crossing The river he fell from