Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-12-05

WlLIlSIIIlllIlE
busily engaged in large Monday
washing it was set aside and splen
did dinner was prepared, including
maple syrup which was much en-
joyed by the writer. 1t was with
great regret and reluctance that Mr..
j. V. Wilmoth consented to sell the
home that he had built in tbs neigh
borhood, and leave his many friends
but it was a great exchange to get
on better country roads, near the
r. R. and close to a good market.
After spending short time in
pleasant conversation with our
friends,we in company with John D.
started to the City and as John
placed we'll filled basket of
eggs on his arm his father said his
friends in town gave him the name
of Basket William" No bad thing
to have basket of hen fruit to feed
the hungry AS we walked up the
pike passed the old log house, where
late Lloyd Davis lived, there came
thronging back to my memory sounds
of childhood days. Mr.. Davis had
formerly lived where Uncle Robert
McCutchen now lives near the High
School building in your city, and ran
a stage from Belington carrying the
mail and passengers to and from
Webster. The only public convey
ance then before the war between
the states, except the slow road wag
that place. Now many automobiles
daily pass over this pike. 1t was
the custom of Mr.. DAYS to announce
his arrival as he came in the vicin-
ity of this old log house by blowing
his bugle, which he always carried
under the seat of his vehicles. |
do not remember that the sounds
were very melodious, but they were
welcome sounds especially to the
writer when he often came three
miles for the mail, and paid 3 cents
for each letter received, and trudg-
ed home late in the evening. Mr.
Davis CARED the mail until the out
break of the war, when he was in
jured by his horses running away at
the Philippi Bridge, which left him
a cripple all of his life.
His Oldest son Taylor by his first
marriage died from injuries received
in this runaway, and it is related
that he was buried at Webster in
the grave first made for his mother
who had died when the Federal
troops came to Grafton it was thot
to be unsafe to convey her remains
there and they were buried at Be-
ligton. Her son said that he would
be buried in the SINE grave made for
her, which prophecy was fulfilled.
Mr.. Davis employed help to keep
house for him and his son Winfield
Scott and moved to this old house.
He for years had to lie on his back
and made his living by selling spirit
Gus liquors. He had a recepticle
made against the wall by his bed
in which he kept his liquors in
bottles ad supplied his many custo-
mers, as the prohibition sentiment
was not so strong then as now. This
seemed to be the only way for him
to make living. We have heard
that the Rev. Joseph Teter while a
member of the W. Va. Legislature
secured for him the special permit
without license to engage in the
business. He after some years mar
RED widow Bolton, mother Of the
late VIM. Bolton and daughter of
VIM. England and to this union was
born three or four sons. Mr.. Davis
recovered in after years so that he
could ride in a carriage when placed
in it, and often attended public
gatherings. He was a very ener-@
getlc man and did everything to
make an honest living for his fam
1ly.While he was brisque in manners
and harsh in speech, he was kind at
heart.
This article has already grown
long but there is another thing that
| cannot leave unmentoned. We
had noticed years ago, possibly in
the year 1859 large marble grave
stone, and afterwards learned that
1t had been made for the grave of
Gen. Isaac Booth standing outside
OF the chimney corner, as we passed
the house. We mentioned the fact
to Mr.. Wilmoth and he condusted
us to large marble slab reclining
against a tree some distance above
the house from which we read as
aac Booth, born Jan. 10, 1776 died
Mar. IA 1858. Age 80 yrs, 2 mo.
and II d." Gen. Booth was a man
who had accumulated much property
for his time. Honored by his coun
trVmp0 with ciuio ,,,au