West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-04-29
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 MatlickD
CHAPTER VII

vile. He was perhaps the first mer-
chant to start a store in Brandonville.
IL not. he was the prince OF merchants
there for many years.
The first foundry operated I'm Pres
ton county was built and put in blast
by him to manufacture cook stoves. |
well remember the jovial Joseph Glib
son peddling them in the western part
OF the county. Also one of my uncles.
Zaxharia Matlick. They sold the
stoves at fifty dollars each. They
were the first and only cook stoves
sold in Preston county until after
the baltimore & Ohio railroad was
completed to Grafton in 1852. except.
possibly, four by my grandfather.
Jacob Guseman, who purchased them
in Baltimore, about 1S4S, for his wife
and three daughters, Mrs. Samuel Mat
lick. Mrs. William Kelley and Mrs.
Samuel f. Conner.
Prior TO about 1854 there were but
few men If any more potential for the
good and prosperity of any vicinity
than was grandfather Guseman. who
set'.ed on Muddy Creek about 1914
For he did not only engage largely
In farming, but he erected good and
substantial milling properties that
were very helpful conveniences to n
large scope of territory at that time.
He first purchased a good mill site
with a. small corn cracker" on il.
He then erected saw mill with which
he sawed lumber and built the largest
houring mill in the county at the time
---1S42.
lie set up carding machine and
pulling mill, an oil mill for making
linse't oil and also a distillery. Bv
thcs' irdphtries he gave employment
to many laborers and accommodated
the community with needed facilities.
Early in the fourth decade he nut In a
general stock of merchandise that was
great convenience to the settlement.
He for several years bought and drove
TO the eastern markets each fall large
herds of cattle and this was the means
OF distributing to the farmers consid-
cradle much needed money.
MIR. Thomas Scott was a helpful in
strument in obtaining appropriations
from the state to build new roads. re-
pair old ones and build needed bridges
as the old suspension bridge across
Cheat river at Albright.
The first and greatest enterprise to
start West Virginia on the highway
of prosperity was the extension of the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad from Cum
berland to Wheeling and from Grafton
to Parkersburg. The road was com
pleted to Fairmont June 22. 1852.
The last spike was driven and the
road finished, Baltimore to Wheeling.
279 miles, December "a, 1852. The
hrst train to reach Wheeling from Bal
timore was January 1, 1853"
Previous to the commencement in
1S49 of the grading of the B. e. O.
railroad there was but very little
money seen or exchanged in the west
ern counties of Virginia. Nearly all
trade and exchange was by traffic. +"
even for a days labor.
The building of that great trunk
line of railroad from tidewater on the
east to the Ohio river, both to Wheel
ing and Parkersburg, opened and ush-
cred In new era OF prosperity in
what is now West Virginia. 10 made
ready commensurate cash market
for all kinds Of farm products. and
for the valuable timber that stood like
majestic giants all over those West
Virginia hills" giving remunerative
employment TO all who wanted to
avail themselves Of the opportunity.
II brought into the country capitalists
who developed the vast and wonderful
mineral resources, and started the
various interests that have been in
strumental for the unprecedented
prosperity OF the little Mountain
State" making IL one OF the most
prosperous states in the Union. and
the pride Of her enterprising. wide
awake citizens.
Before the extension OF the B. & O.
railroad do not recall that there was
a postohice along the immediate line
of the road from the Potomac river TO
the Tygarts Valley river where now
all OF thriving towns mark SO MANY
postofiices along the road. There were
only three villages in Preston coun-
ty: Brandonville. Kingwood and
Evansville, prior TO 1848, and now
they can be counted by the scores. and
some assuming the proportions and
functions OF a city.
am not I'm possession of any an
thentic dates Of the founding OF the
three towns except that Of Kingwood
However, / presume BrandonviIle was
the first. perhaps early in the first
decade of the century. Kingwood
probably was the next town instituted
In Preston county We quote the dates
Of it's founding from the Preston Coun.
ty Journal, dated January 20, 1910.
According to Wiley's history OF
Preston county Kingwood was estab.