Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-03-06
EARLY HISTORY OF
BARBOUR COUNTY
Contributed by j. B. skidmore.

The writer was born in the year
creek, Barbour Co. and at that time
Va W. Va. did not become a
state for some fifteen years after.
My grandfather built mill on
Zebbs creek just below the forks of
the creek near mile | believe from
where the creek empties into the Val
ley river at that time from where
Uncle John Yoakum then lived to
my grandfather Abraham Skidmores
there was one house that was where
uncle James Booth then lived
will now tell you how Zebbs
creek was so named having received
the history from persons belonging
to the generation that has long since
crossed the great divide
am sorry that cannot give any
date of the occurrence to which |
refer as it occurred many years be-
fore l was born.
An old hunter by the name of
Zebadee Cantrell killed a black bear
of monstrous size on the head waters
of the creek which has borne his
name ever since.
The entire country at that time
was one unbroken wilderness. Old
grandfather Teter was at that time
the only settler on the west side of
the Valley river for several miles.
He came from Pendleton Co. and
located just across the river from
where the depot is now located He
was the first settler in that vicinity
He cleared out large farm and
raised considerable family some of
whom | have seen. Some of the
Oldest citizens of that neighborhood
| suppose still remember them also
there was uncle Joe, uncle Jake
and uncle Ike as they were Familiarity
called were all born and grew up to
manhood in and around the old farm.
farm.
And now their children have all pass
ed away. OF course | do not give
those facts as an eye witness to them
but | give them as | often heard
related by old persons many years
ago. When old grandfather Teter
raised his log barn he invited help
from the neighbors as far west as
Clarksburg. The old double log
house in which he lived has long
since disappeared. Colonel Howes
believe had it removed and built
another dwelling house on or near
the site where the old house stood.
Win the writer took his leave
from that country fifty years ago
one could stand where the depot is
now situated and all the houses that
were then in sight was uncle Billy
Elliotts and R. A. McCutcheon on the
] East and Colonel Howes on the West
side of the river. 1t was my priv
1lege to visit some of the scenes of
my early days last year but what
changes those old landmarks with
their history will soon pass into OBJ
livion.
read with interest the early his
tory of Barbour County as given
from time to time in you paper and
hope the older citizens will not stop
contributing until the boys and girls
of the present day have some idea
what we had to endure.
A description of the early school
# houses brought wildly to my mind
the first house that l went to school
in with its split log seats puncheon
floor, clapboard roof, paper window
and as well as recollect there was
not IL pound of nails in the build
ing even the door was hung on
wooden hinge s.
believe that there are still a few
of the boys that went to the same
school: Gorge Thorn, Raymond Cob
erly, and James Harris. Our teach
er was John Bennett. When l com
pare our early advantages with those
of the present day | sometimes won
der that the boys and girls that grew
up then ever became as intelligent as
they did. We often hear persons
speak of the good old times but boys
and girls you have all reasons to be
thankful that you were born in the
twentieth century for the boyhood
days of your grandparents were full
of hardships that you know nothing
! of