West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-03-18
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
tBy Jacob Guseman Matlick)
CHAPTER I


Preston county. West Virginia.
while incorporated within the bound
aries of Monongalia county. Virginia
was hrst mainly settled by immigrants
from Pennsylvania. A few came
across the Allegheny mountains from
the eastern part of the state. notably
the Fairfaxes. Browns and Zinns
The Gusemans were formerly from
Martinsburg, Va, although Abraham
2 SSuseman, the ancestor OF all in both
Monongalia and Preston counties. To-
Gated on Deckers creek in Monongalia
county about 1898. Many thrifty Ger
mans from Lancaster county. Penn
sylvania. settled in the northeastern
part'of Preston county.
During the fourth decade-1S3O to
ls4O-families residing I'm the eastern
part OF Preston county. Virginia
commenced moving to the western
part. Among the first to move were
William Matlick in 1895; James and
Thomas Jefferys and William Mich
aei. AT that time the roads, or rather
trails. as the western people would
call them. were very poor make
shifts for roads. For the white man
like the Indians, went straight bee
line to the objective point, regardless
OF the steep hills and deep. narrow
gtIches.
But In the latter part of the fourth
decade the two political parties-Wbig
and Democrat-promulg the no.
itical slogan of internal Improve
ments." which proved of great bene-
Mt to the many immigrants, who were
settling I'm the county at that time
and, also. to facilitate the stupendous
improvements that >were made soon
after.
The House of Delegates OF Virginia
had been for several years making
large appropriations for extensive in
ternal improvements in the part of
the state east of the Shenandoah
mountains.
Yet the citizens west of the noun
tains had to pay the same propor-
tionate rate of taxes as those who
were getting the benefit of the i'm
proyements. The delegates from the
western counties began a vigorous
protest against such action, and intro
duced bills for appropriations to build
good roads in the counties west OF the
mountains.
The Representatives from the west
ern counties asserted themselves for
proper recognition of their rights and
finally obtained small appropriations
FOR the grading of roads and building
bridges. But then they could not get
an appropriation OF fifty thousand dol
lars unless they voted for an appro-
priatiop of three to four times as large
for the eastern counties. In conse-
1uence of the unequal ratio of appro-
priations and representation between
the eastern and western counties for
maty years prior to the Civil War the
citizens west OF the Allegheny noun
tains had, with serious import, dis
cussed the propriety OF a division of
the state
Therefore, when the opportunity af
forded at the commencement of "the
war between the states" the loyal
counties west of the Allegheny noun
tains at once, in May, 1861, organized
as the State of West Virginia, under
the state and Federal constitutions.
The provisional convention assem-
bled in Wheeling on the 11th day of
June, 1861, and temporarily organized
state government on "the principle
that the loyal people of the state are
entitled TO the protection of the laws
of the state and the United Safes" by
electing Francis II. Pierpoint COVER
nor.
William Lazier was selected as one
OF the governors council, and L. A.
J'agans, Of Preston, secretary OF state.
The people of the state as reorganized
were intensely loyal to the federal
government and because OF the dis
regard Of their importuning for their
rights at the hands of the eastern por-
ton OF the state the people I'm every
meeting and convention had no other
purpose I'm view than TO hold the coun-
ties west of the mountains In an or
ganization under the Federal constitu-
tion, and for the organization OF a new
state west of the mountains.
To that end I notice that AT a
meeting at Kingwood. Preston county.
on May 9TH. 1861, II WAS declared that
the separation OF western from east
ern Virginia was essential to the main
tenance. of their liberties"
Hence, the new organization OF the
state until a constitution for new
state was submitted to the citizens OF
the forty-eieht counties, which Il was
proposed should constitute the new
state, that was voted on the Ord day
OF April, 1862. and adopted by a vote
Of 1882 for and SID against.
by proclamation OF the President
Abraham Lincoln, on the Goth day OF
June. 1863, while the nation was in
the throes Of Civil War. the state oi
West Virginia had it's birth. We have
digressed little from our subject tC