The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-03-29

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Thcughts cf his Boyhooc Recalled By
Heeent Mention In the New Domin-
ion-So Doubt They WIN be Read
With Pleasure by the Residents Of
the Flourishing Town at the Point.
WESTON, ILL, March rs Il noticed ia
recent issue Of your paper an item
from your Point Marion correspondent
saying that Point Marion was laid oua
by John Sadler 10 1912, and which il
correct il my memory is not at fault.
| would have been pleased if your cor
respondent had given larger sketch OF
the now fourishing town or city, but
reading the item referred to, as a nat
ural consequence caused me to think of
my boyhood days. / remember the day
Point Marion was laid out; also | well
remember seeing rye cut with the hook
or sickle las in early days all small
grain was so harvested) / well remem-
Der OF Mr.. Bowen and Uncle John
Sadler's Oldest boys and the writer
gathering the sheaves into punches OF
six ON side 20 be shocked up Quite
a number OF apple trees also stood on
the ground at the time mentioned. The
reapers OF that grain al the time referred
TO were George Neil. Christy Sadler,
Moses sadler o. G. father and my
father, and poPsibly some others, but
these | recollect We boys carried wa
ter to drink (of course they hal some
old fashioned rye Juice on tap to molly
the water) and put the bundles together
as above mentioned. | was also on the
ground the time Point Marion was sur
veyed or laid out, the first part or
original Point Marion and II my mem
DRY Is not at fault the surveyors name
was Dawson, Father allowed me to
come down In the afternoon provided I
did not get in the way of the surveyor
and chain carriers, and you can be as
sured that kept out Of the way, as my
time OF being there depended very much
on my good behavior, OF course was
sometimes close enough to see the COM
pas and hear what was said. The sur
veyor was quite lively, jolly man, as
well recoiiecf, and among things that he
said. While they we're oilng up some
as II was rather a co1l day, said he
Mr.. Saddler DO not think it is Just fair
and right that few men own all the
land. | am in favor OF an equal divis-
ion, so we all would have some land and
You bet Iwould live well while mine last
W. W tti ohit tilJiC pdhQiCi Wnnb
would you do when yours was gone p
Cpd 90 in for another divide" It caus-
up quite laugh and merryment. He
appeared to be the Lion of the day for
fun. | also we'll remember the first
building that was erected. 1t was put
in by an old colored man by the name
of Patterson on the Point Lot, purchas-
ed by squire Seth Stafford OF Virginia,
and was slab cabin, buckeye posts
set in the ground and slabs from the
saw mill on Camp Run bored and pinned
to the posts, and covered with the same
material. The posts put out spouts that
grew after being set In the ground. Mr..
Robert Beatty also was among the first
to build; he put up frame but never
finished it as the boom appeared to be
vanishing. Mr.. j M. Weltner built the
first house of any consequence. I think
that was about 1913 or 1874 on water
street, up Cheat River. Mr.. Abraham
Wright built in the early days OF the
town and also started fork factory on
a small scale. | had the contract OF
helping him get out fork handles, that
is, pulled one end of the cross cut-saw
while the old man erode the other end"
for found it tough pulling. Mr.. James
Neal was among the first merchants he
also. sold old Monongahela rye whiskey
and | we'll recollect of hearing an Oil
gentleman by the name Of Knots, say
it was the genuine stuff, for he saw the
old gentlemen go to the Monongahela
river aud get a bucket of water and fill
up his barrel xhen it got little low
Mr.. Knots carried on brick yard in
the early days OF Point Marion and
was one off the bearers. Mr.. Robert Hits
of Mergantown was the moulder and We
had to move lively when bob" got
one of his funny spells. The late Alfred
Maple merchandsed for time and 9TH
ers but did not appear to make it pay SD
soon pulled ny. for a more congenial
cline.
Yes Point Marion has quite history.
! wish some one would write it up as we
would be pleased to possess and pre-
serve it, Yes there was quite contro-
velsy on the day Poin' Marion was laid
out as to what the name of the
new town should be- Quite number
proposed the name OF Saddler Town
among others (as said by yonr cores
pondent from that place) Uncle Saddler
was q great admirer of General Francis
Marion and finally agreed they could
put Point in front of Marion. One more
incident and then | will close this brief
and somewhat short history of my early
recollections.
About the year 1862 Point Marion was
almost all under water from the big
flood few houses; were tenable. Mr..
Knots and family among others were
driven out of his house the water being
up to the caves. The old man said he
had been Caught from his childhood
that person could go home when he
couldn't go anywhere else. but he be
dimpt if l can go home just now"
Again will say that my recollection is
that Uncle Saddler set apart and dedica-
ted parcel of land in the new town for
church purposes and will further add
that in all my recolections | do think
Uncle John (every person called him
by that name) was one OF the biggest
hearted aud most generous men l ever
knew. have known him to divide with
his neighbors until he would become
short Of wheat o. Bacon, for himself and
some wonld say Uncle John you will
run out yourself before harvest or hog
killing. "Well well'' he would say eve
all have to live and If there is will
there is away. never have starved
yet. Long gone to his reward.
S. A. MCCARTNEY.