The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-04-26
COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE
5 WRITTEN BYs.A SPECIAL
PREVENTATIVE
OF THE WEST VRGlNIAN---AF.
FEcTS*FIVE HUNDRED THoUS-
ANDsAcRES OF$sLAND
I'M SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
:s AND VlRGlNlA--THtS EARTlcLE
IS WORTH PRESERVING.

The King land case, for which a spe-
cial term of Circuit Court was held
Monday, and which was put off until
July IS, owing to the absence of At
torney Stiles, who represents King, is
the most renowned case in the history
of our State. There are 100000 acres
of land in question, situated formerly
in 5yVythe and Russell counties, ViI-
ginia, on the waters of theSSaHdyy am
Guyandotte rivers, and now embraced
in Logan, Ningo, Mcdowell and Wyo-
ming counties, West Virginia. in Buc-
hanan county Virginia. and in Ken
lucky.
In 1892 the State Of Virginia passed
a law Offering for sale the waste and
unappropriated" lands west of the AL
Ileghenies at the rate Of two cents per
acre. Syndicates were formed and
most of the lands were entered for.
But what has caused a great deal of
trouble is that in some cases the
grants overlap each other, or the same
tract is covered with two or more
grants. -
About the year 1894, Wilson Cary
Nicholas, who was commander OF,
General Washington's body guard in
the Revolution, entered for several
I large tracts of land, one Of them being.
the 100000 acres in question: The
next yearsthis was assigned by Mich
oIas toSzRohert4 Morris. 1.-The Banker
of tile Revolution who obtained q
patent for it. Morris decided the tract
to James Swan, who decided one-fourth
to Dallarde, sone-half to Schwitzer and
then deed all his lands in Virginia and
Kentucky-in all over two and a half
million acres-to Allison, including
the 100000 acre tract; notwithstand-
ing thatthe had already decided most of
this tract. Allison conveyed the whole
of the lands to Hollbrook, and Holl-
brook to Tregent. Then Hollbrool..
overlooking his conveyance to Ire.
gent, decided the 100000 acre tract TO
Green and DeForest, trustees for the
Virginia and Kentucky Real Estate
Trust Fund, Then, in 1887 grand
daug hter of Holbrook claimed an inter-
est in the 100000 acres. She con-
viewed it to Grooms. who conveyed it to
Armstrong.
In 1888 John Peter Dumas was APP
pointed trustee, by the General Assem-
bly, Of Virginia, vested with all the
lands. which James Swan had died
possessed of. the lands to be sold for
the benefit of Swans creditors. Du-
mas paid no attention to the deeds
made by Swan tosDallarde, Schwitzer
and Allison, but conveyed 100000
acres of the 100000 acre tract to
Thornield, who in turn conveyed 1t
to a French corporation. This corpor-
alton was dissolved in 1857, and made
a deed to Maupertins, who, so far
as can be learned, never disposed OF
his claim.
Dumas claimed the remaining 2OO,-
900 acres until his death, when his
son claimed title by inheritance. Du-
mas, son was an alien and could not
legally hold the land, SO it was es-
cheated in 1850. Thus the claims of
Dumas went to the State of Virginia
1855 the Circuit Court Of Kanawha
appointed Josiah Randall trustee. He
was succeeded by Robert Randall,
who was succeeded by Reed. The lat
ter sold all claims to the remaining
100000 acres to Armstrong in 1891.
Reed claimed that through a lien on
Thornfield:s part he had right to sell
the other 100000 acres, which he con
yeyed to Armstrong. Later Reed and
Armstrong conveyed most of the tract
to BeMoyne.
The Pittsburg National Bank Of
Commerce claimed title to three
fourths of the 100000 acre tract. Al
though there is no record, it is claimed
that the land was sold from Dallarde
and Schwitzer, passed through differ
ent hands until it came into the hands
of the Pittsburg bank. This bank.
& conveyed it's claim to Armstrong in
1893. Armstrong and LeMoyne have
both conveyed their claims to Henry
e. King, whoEis party to the suit.
AT different times have the lands in
question become the property OF the
State according to the laws thereof,