West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1894-03-15
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
Early Reads and Settlers of This
Section Of Northwest Virginia.
Another Valuable aud Interesting
Article.
cwtltten tor thc Argus By Thos. startzman, Esql


CARMEL, w. VA, March. 1894.
In former communication the
early mail service in this section of
Preston county was delineated. but
in this one it Is the intention to
describe some OF the roads over
which the people travelled and the
mails were carried.
Most OF the old roads we're mere
trails. and afterwards wldened so
as to allow wagons to pass over them,
and beyond a doubt the first road
to pass through the Glades was the
old road from Looney's Creek, on
the South Branch Of the Potomac,
|. (naw Petersburg. w. Va to Fort
Redstone, (now Brownsville, Pa
This road followed the waters of
booney's Greek to its source and
crossed the Alleghanies west Of
Greenland Gap, and crossed the
North branch and into Maryland
near Smiths farm, (now FIT. Pen
dle,on) Thence it descended TO
the Glades through what is now
known ms the Gen. Kelly farm and
crossed Youghiogheny river near
the present bridge at the Ashby
farm; and came into West Virginia
and crossed Snowy Creek, near
Corinth. aud crossed east OF. and
near the top. of Gregg's Knob, ana
crossed the Brandonyille Pike one
mile south of Preston Tannery.
thence via Cranes old mill, on
Rosring Creek, and Mt Mnriab.
and Wymp's Gap, to Fl. Redstonc.
This road is mentioned IN with
ers' History of the Border Warfare
when be refers 10 the descrtion
from TT. Pitt, in 1851, Of William
Childers, Joseph Linsey. Joseph
and Samuel Pringle. lie says,
"TEese mon remaincd on The Mo
nongihcla, where New Geneva, Pa. ,
now s. for one year, and not liking
the country. they left and Travelled
over to the head Of the Youghio.
ghcny and settled in the Glades,
and after remaining there about one
year, Samuel PringIe found path,
and following it. it led him to
Looney's Creek"
WiIey's Preston County's Histo-
rian, page "a, says, "These men,
when they left the Monougahela,
crossed the Chestnut Ridge by the
old Braddock road" He may be
correct. But II they did, they GER
tainly had TO cross this road to
reach the Braddock road, and after.
wards re-crossed it near the mead of
YoughIogheny river, and then
afterwards foundit, such would not
likely have been the case. 1t is
more probable that they came IN
Cheat to some place near AIbrights.
vile, and finding that the river
bent west, they came to the Glades
ond settled near Aurora. They
we're formerly from the South
Branch. and were evidently bearing
in that direction when they settled.
Wtbers, IN his History Of the
Border Warfare" continues. (see
sketch Of Zane). "CoL Ebonezer
Zane was born and raised where
u M9orefeid now stands. and he ex-
ploreJ the AlleQhany Glades sever
al years before he founded The sell
Element at Wheeling. So it is very
probable that the first settlers Of
that enterprisiDg city passed over
this old road, for they were from
tho South Branch and went via r..
Redsto0e. That this was mail
route. we can see by the following.
In 1870 a gentleman, who was then
q Deputy u $. Marshal. whose
name can't be re called now. pub
lished IN the Richmond papers an
account Of his trip to Parkersburg.
iu 1904, TO summons a jury or
witnesses in the famous trial Of
Herman Blaunefhasset, for con
spiraoy with Aaron Burr. Tic saif
in substance as follows. Il quote
only from memory): after leav
ing Staunton, my road was almost
wholly through an unbroken vii.
derness. but on top OF the Alloeha-
uies. near the bead Of tho Potomac. /
foand an Oasis; there 1ved a
scotch gentlemen named Alexander
Smith; he had a nice farm, several
slaves, and bis daughters had beer,