The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-05-13
HUGHE MOUND
FOR STATE PARK.
Prehistoric Relic Purchased
by West Virginia.
Most Celebrated and Best Pre-
served Remains Of
Ancient Race.

old, the mammoth mound from which
Moundsville, w. Va, derives its name.
located on the Grave creek flats, near
the Ohio river-the greatest monumen
of antiquity In the Ohio valley and a
tremendous memorial of the aboriginal
life of the prehistoric peopie-has bee
purchased by the state Of West vir-
ginia and converted into a public park
The legislature of the Mountain
State, following unceasirg activity in
the interest of the purchase of the
mound for twenty years, appropriated
$4,000 with which to save the relic
from the ravages of modern CONNER
cialism. The deed of transfer from
: G. s. McFAdden's heirs to the state
OF West Virginia was formally exc
cuted before the work of identifying
the grounds was allowed to commence
Twenty-Five thousand dollars is the
price 10 be paid for the mound. OF
this sum $4,000 has been donated by
the heirs as a memorial to their ia
ther, who preserved the mound for
years. A similar sum was raised by
subscription by the school children
of the state. The last payment on the
purchase price is due next October.
The mound In question is one of
the most celebrated and best pre-
served of the remains or the prehis-
toric American race which, for lack
of a better name and because of
its characteristic habit of erecting
these mounds, has become known as
the mound builders"
Antedating the Indian, they appear
to have been driven by an invasion
of strangers-possibly the first In
dians-from the northwestern part of
Sthe American continent in general
southwesternly direction, mounds and
hill forts marking their retreat.
The best remains are found in the
Miami and Ohio river valleys. There
is a theory that this strange people
may have migrated into Mexico and
formed therethe nucleus of the pow
Serful Aztec nation, conquered by
Cortes. $50
The mound was first discovered by
Joseph Tomlinson of Pittsburg in 1872
The man, one of the pioneer adven-
turers, journeyed down the Ohio river
from Pittsburg in an open canoe,
searching for location for a home
in the trackless wlds. MooIfrg his
bark near Little Grave creek, just
north of where the city of Mounds
willie now stands, he toured the coun-
try thereabout for suitable lite
for his prospective cabin, coming
upon the mound.
Realizing nothing of the historic
value of his discovery or that the
mound was anything more than
curious conformation Of the earth,
Thomlinson, impresser with the re-
gion, returned 10 Pittsburg, loaded his
family and his Belongings upon raft
and ventured again upon the broad
bosom of the Ohio. He was the first
settler In this territory and to all In
tents and purposes the founder OF
the present cities of Moundsville and
wheeling. Other settlers followed
the path blazed by Tomlineon in the
wilderness. A small colony was form
ed north of the location OF the mound
at a point near what is now known
as the city of Wheeling. AS a pro-
lection against the Indians stockade
that afterward became celebrated as
Fort Henry was erected. Several years
later Simon Girty, the renegade, in
company with White Cloud and his
band of Blackfeet marched up the
Ohio and attacked the home OF Tom
linson. His two small sons were slain,
but he and his wife escaped to Fort
Henry. The attempt of the redskins
to take the fort and their ultimate
repulse are new matters of history.
1t was during this battle that Betsy
Zane made her heroic run through
the line of Indian fire to storage
house from which she secured keg
OF powder to be used in defense OF
the fort, the ammunition having be-
come exhausted.
A quarter of a century ago the
late G. s. McFadden purchased the
mound in order to prevent dts being
sold to German who knew the value
OF the spot for a popular resort and
intended opening saloon on its
summit. A year OF more ago the heirs
Of McFadden served notice that they
had held the mound as long oH pos
sible and that it would be sold at
once. State officials secured an option
on the property, later securing from