West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-04-08
SETTLERS AND CUSTOMS
EARLY DAYS OF COUNTY
Reminiscent Sketches of Prominent
Citizens and Incidents in Preston
County During the Fourth, Fifth
and Sixth Decades of the Nine
teenth Century
Try Jacob Guseman MatlickD
CHAPTER w.

Payton Zinn and wife. Mr.. Zinn built
a saw mill and grist mill, and It was
there we got what little lumber we
needed sawed. and took our wheat.
buckwheat and corn to be ground into
-four and meal. My father, Samuel
Matlick, purchased tract of land,
consisting of one hundred and sixty
acres, Joining Uncle William Matlick's
on the west, about 1886. There were
no improvements on II except hewed
log cabin and a little patch cleared
for corn and potatoes. Father married
Mary Guseman October 81, 1888. and
soon afterwards moved to his farm.
Those sturdy, indefatigable pioneers
commenced housekeeping amidst
many discouragements, and with a
very scant supply OF household goods.
and but very little to work with. They
had to literally hew the land they
cultivated, out of the almost impene-
trable. primitive forest. Hence, they
had hard and laborous struggle
many years for livelihood, having to
undergo many hardships and priva-
tions unknown to but few of the pres
ent day. Yet they heroically toiled on
and stoicly endured until, by their
frugality they were rewarded with
comfortable homes and a modest COM
petence.
MIR. James Jefferys had located on
the old State road, rather between
William Matlick and father, as they
had to go on the road from one place
to The other, and it was over the hill"
south Of fathers.
Out mile west on that old State
road was the farm and residence of
Thomas Shay, the father of the large.
rd-working men: Reese, Hugh, Ben
jamin, Jesse and James. 1t was there
we went to get our blacksmithing done
by "old uncle Tommy"
Over north a mile, beyond the run.
in full view of fathers farm, dwelt
the redoubtable east Virginian, Ste
phen A. Blackwood, whom we knew
to be an exemplary neighbor In times
OF peril and need. Out on the ridge
about mile south of fathers farm
was the farm and home of James Plum
where we went to get big mulberries.
William Michael and family lived on
farm south of his brother-in-law,
James Jefferys. and his residence was
half mile south of the pike
Further down and to the left of the
pike was the farm and residence of
the quaint neighbor. Thomas Jefferys
He was so eccentric he would not use
horse unless he absolutely had
to cultivate a patch OF corn or other
grain.
On the pike, adjacent to his fathers
farm, was the residence of Louis jeff
erys. the neighborhood squire, and
scribe for that community for all legal
papers. Here / desire to state there
grew to manhood in those two jeff
erys homes boys who, by the philan-
thropic aid of the late Hon. James G..
McGrew, surprised those who knew
them as boys by the successful and
honorable men they are and have been.
Those OF them who are now living
are honored men In their various sta
tions of business, manifesting what
boys can do with a meagre education
II they will but try.
Alfred MoreIand, a son-in-law of
Thomas Shay, was a conspicuous fac
tor In the community, though, with his
numerous progeny. do not know that
he ever owned farm. His eldest son.
Thomas Moreland, while driving a
team for the Federal government dur
ing the Civil War, was captured by
Confederate soldiers and taken a
prisoner of war TO AndersonvlIle
prison, where he died August 10. 1864.
and his mortal remains now repose I'm
grave No. 1857 i'm the Federal ceme-
terry near where the prison pen was.
So far as ] was ever informed. like
the case OF Isaac Sandsbury. 1 am the
only one who ever gave his parents
any authentic information OF what be-
came of him. The neighborhood ceme-
terry Of that community was located
on Mr.. Thomas Shay's farm. where
were laid to quiet, peaceful rest the
mortal remains of many of the pioneer
settlers of that locality, and also, many
of their children.
The humble writer OF these sketches
saw the mortal remains of a beloved
sister. OF only eight months of earthly
life deposited there May 10, 1851. to
await the awakening sound of Ga
briefs trumpet.
We oftimes have stood upon that
consecrated spot aad witnessed the
mournful scene of the final terrestrial
separation Of loved ones.
On a promontory OF what was then
heavily timbered ridge. a short dis.
tance south Of the Shay cemetery, by
the wayslde, was erected the little rus
tic cabin school house. which accom-.
modated a large area of country for
meeting house also.
And twas there acquired what liz.
tie book larnin'" Il was my good
fortune TO obtain, under the busy and
economic circumstances and environ.