The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-09-10

4 sta md came 90 tl9tlt NJ ms f.slt
rms vie. sito lpe remembers
4 bysthe people 81 that sur ls
one Of Fairmont s. most eli a l,tF
j ing women, was tie only fun sister
of the late Prof. White She died II
4 1905
Atr. Cromwell engaged In manufac
turing, after locating here. His mil
was located on the river Just above
Fatrmont, at what Is locally called
i'JohntT,wn-' When the Civil War
came on Mr.. Cromwell became an ar
dent supporter OF the Federal or I'm
ion cause. Among other things, hs
manufactured large quantities Of gun
stocks for the u. 8. Army. He sawed
them and they were sent from here
to Springfield, Mass, where they were
used in making the famous Spring
field rifles. SO generally used in the
civil war.
On April 20. 1863, at the time Of the
Jones Raid" Mr.. cromwell's mile
fixtures. and large amount of mater
ial. Including some 1000 gun stocks
were destroyed-burned by order Of
EConfederate General Jones. At the
same. time the B. o. bridge, iust
above the mill was destroyed. 1t Is
Interesting to note that Mr. Crom
wells mill, and the law library Of
Governor Pierpoint were the only
items of private property DESTROYED
at the time. 1t seems that the genera
had orders not to destroy private prop
erty, In his official report OF the
raid, General Jones says:
1.-TWO saw mills (private property
were burned by my orders, one al
Fairmont, was engaged on contract
with the Federal government in max
ing gun stocks, and had on hand many
thousands; the other, at Cairo, would
have been used to repair the damages
done the railroad. am aware my
orders were In few instances dis
obeyed. The library of Pierpoint waS
burned, in retaliation for like acI
on the part of the ambitious little
man. One or two stores were plumber
ed, but as far as practicable the goods
were restored"
Extract from the record of w. e
Jones, brigadfer general commanding
to General Robert E. Lee, under date
of May 26, 1868. published in "Tht
4 War of the Rebellion pursuant t
Act Of Congress, Series I, Vol. rs
page 1870.
1t is said that Jones' contemplate
burning the Hunsaker bridge. across
the west Fork river at Watson, bul
changed his mind, and remarked thai
the bridge was built by the State o.
Virginia, and she would resume con
troll of it some day. Some day." Ir
this the general was not prophet.
The story of the raid is familiar t.
many of our older people. How Jones
soon captured the small force of Fed
erals and citizens who opposed him
and marched them TO the court house
as prisoners of war, Mr.. Cromwell in
cluded. While thus detained he look
ed out and saw the smoke of his burn
ing mill. He was financially unable
to rebuild and sold the site and the
mill was rebuilt by others, and fol-
many years was operated by Joseph
M. Fleming.
In 1867 MIR. Cromwell removed from
Fairmont to Doddrldge county, this
State, where he lived some three
years, and then moved to Ft. Wayne
Ind, where he lived until 1898. wher
he moved to McBain, Mich, where HI
now lives.
He now has pending in the U, S
Court of Claims, at Washington. D
c., claim against the United States
for the loss of his mill, materials, ant
business. and is in Fairmont to take
dispositions to establish his claim. ANY
one who has knowledge of the value:
4 of the mill and contents, will confeI
a great favor on Mr.. Cromwell b!
communicating with him or his at
torney r. N. Parks. He is stopping
while in town Mt the Marietta Hote!
Mr. Cromwell is now above 8
years Of age, but, like the hero in thu
Bible. with "eye undimmed," and "VIg
or unabated.' He is we'll remembered
not only for his devotion and services
to the Federal cause, but for his pub
lie spirit generally. During his en-
tire stay in Fairmont he was leade
In musical circles.
He was member of the Preshy
terrain church and is probably the old
est surviving member unless tina
honor can be claimed by our excellen
tuwnsman. Ashbel Hall.