Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1916-07-21

cratic leader of great proni!iieitSS
In 1868 during the Seymour and
Blair acnipaign the first poilticat
meeting of any consequence remem-
bered by citizen of this region was
a barbecue on Licl, Creek. The
meeting was started and pushed BY
the enterpris.ng DR.. Samuel Wih-
Jams; steer or two were bar5ecued'
platform erected, and great crowd
assembled. Everybody came, men'
women and children, from the tops
of the mountains and from the hol-
lows. The speakers were Capt. Rob
ert Dennis, Col Buehring H. Jones
and Edward Sehon, all of the Green
)rier bar. The entire day was occu-
pied, and it was a mental as well as
a physical feast. That barbecue is
we'll remembered to this day.
Iol. Jas. w. Davis was one of the
best known and first known of the
Lewisburg lawyers in this region af-
ter the war, taking an active interest,"
itics and attending all the cir
cult courts. 1t was to his enterprise
largely. in connection with the Hon.
A. P. Pence, that the great qualities
of Pence Spring were brought I'D
he attention of the public and its
--,--eat ropute established.
Cne of the original friends OF the
"Old Luminary" in the Lick Creek
region was the aforementioned DR..
Samuel Williams. He proclaimed It's
usefulness and value far and wide.
A remarkable man was this old
Greenbr!er Virginian. A native OF
Hanover County, educated at Chapel
Hill and the University of Virginia
with a most wonderful memory,
big man mentally and physically,
broad minded and unselfish. After
the close of the war he did great
things in this "far country" He
organized a night school and the
youngsters, boys and girls, attended
for miles around He taught them by
lectures. He would lecture one or
more nights out of the week. Ii was
considered remarkable thing ia
those days that a man could teach
without books, but thus he taught
grammar and arithmetic, geography,
history, etc. At the beginning OF
the war he lived in Putnam County,
emigrated to Lick Creek, married
daughter of Erwin Miller, prartissS
his profession until the building OF
the railroad, removed TO New Rich
mond and died several years after
wards. He weighed $50 pounds at
the date of his death. That country
owes a monument to this grea1 man,
but recollections of him are fast f&g-
ing away because the generation TO
which, he was known is departing
| y Andrew Johnson, Of Blue Sulphur
Springs me rather Of Capt. ]. w.
Johnson, exssheriff. 5wasia well-knpxA
figure in that region.
After the building of the railroad
and the formation of Summers. ~
stead of looking to the East for our
markets our factories and our mills,
practically all eyes and all trade
turned to the West.
In going to the Piercy's Mill wa
crossed the Patterson Mountain,
through the Meadows and down
Snake Run. We remember one point
of interest on this run where large
rock was pointed cut as the place
where Halcomb killed DePrie3t. II
was claimed, even after years, that
the splotch of blood still showed on
the rock where the homicide occurr-
ed, and many weird stories of ghosts
were in circulation in those days
and for years afterwards. Halcomb
who killed DePriest, was tried, and
served term in the penitentiary.
Being a native of Greenbrier Coun-
ty, Virginia, have never seen
moment of my more than fifty years
that I was not proud of the fact, and
of the section of country from which
I came, Lick Creek. This region
was at least fifty miles across the
mountains from any railroad. The
nearest doctor was at 1.-THE Blue"
DR.. Sam. Beard and DR.. Temple
ton, father Of Howard, were pioneer
physicians in that distant region.
1t is difficult for the present gene
ration TO appreciate the conditions
of fifty years ago and the many
changes now everywhere seen. They
can hardly understand that the White