Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1921-08-19
FIRST SETTLERS
OF POCAHONTAS
Col. William Lamb, of Norfolk
Gave Town It's Name-Dr. Jas.
O'Kee(fe Started Develop
ment of Great Coal Field.

AccurulllP 10 OOl. JuIfitS DrOWlllIt
the town of Pocahontas was givei
its name by Col. William Lamb, oil
Norfolk, commander ut Fort Fisher
near Wilmington, N. c.. during tn,
civil war during my boyhood days
l would hear my brother in law
speak of Col. Lamb, his old COM
mander at Fort FISHERY Others
claim that it was the first intention
to name the town Mary Moore, III
honor of the youngest daughter of
Squire w. Il. Moore, who lived in
Abb's Valley ut the time, and has
been fererred to in previous art
icle. lie was Il desccndcnt of the cap
tives of Abb's Valley. 1t was dccid-
ed that the name was too long A
writer i'll the year 1912 states that
it was named by a gentleman in
Philadelphia, (possibly referring to
f. j. KimbalD who gave it the namo
of Pocahontas. in honor of John
Smiths rcscuer. Others have stated
that the town was named after Min
ME Pocahontas Butt, the first child
born in Pocahontas, taking her middle
name. The chances are that Colonel
Browning is right, and that the town
was given it's name by Col Lamb,
who q believe) was director of the
N. d. w. II. r., and came to this
section occasionally.
Previous articles failed to mention
the name of Col. Thomas Graham.
of Philadelphia. who is given credit
for being the leader in discoverin.
the possibilities Of this section and
directing the attention of capitalists
TO the wealth stored away in these
mountains. He was said to be the
promoter of the Southwest Virginia
Improvement Company. Whether this
is correct or not he was q man Of
enthusiasm and energy, and helped
to put this section on the map, as
well MS the town of Graham, which |
believe is named after him. His son,
John Graham, Jr., WAS engineer for
the new railroad work.
The late Dir. james O'Keefre, uf
TaZewcll, who was then living at
Pearsburg, was selected by the cap
italists as advance agent to purchase
all coal lands available, anil came to
this section in March, 1881. to take
options ON coal land, travelling on
horseback, this being the only means
of travel, not even wagon road op-
ened in portions of the territory COW
cred by him. He spent his first night
here in Jordan Nelson's cabin, Sit
uated in the Horseshoe" opposite
and across Laurel Creek from the
present cemetery belonging to the
town. After DR.. O'Keeffe had Sc
cured the options. VIM. McGeorge,
Jr., an attorney and conveyancer Of
Philadelphia, came with n force of
clerks to examine and pass upon the
titles to the lands purchased by con-
tract.
Mr.. VIM. A. Lathrop. the first
superintendent, previously referred
to, accompanied by his estimable
wife, reached Pocahontas in October.
1881, and finding no room here he
and Mrs. Lathrop boarded with
six miles from here. AT the time of
his arrival the present site contained
one log house about where The
Bloch Company's store is now locat-
ed, occupied by VIM. E. Butt and
family, and one tobacco barn which
stood in the rear of the colored Met
hodist church. Ono of Lathrops first
acts was to provide shelter for the
engineering corps, under j. w. Bak-
er, chief engineer. j. w. Minor and
Bro, of Connelsvillee, Pa, were the.
contractors to build the first coke
ovens, 100 bank and 100 block ovens.
Speaking of Blakey's corps there are
several names mentioned, lamong
whom were Gus SPOTS, Henley G.
Henderson, Ancil D. Witten and Dick
Witten, Tom T. Taylor John ID.
Barns, CharlSs Black, John and Will
Graham. Charlie Witten, John Will
son and others, some of whom have
gone to their reward, where mans
virtues "are not measured with the
tape line" These men remember and
can talk interestingly of the "Cii.-
cinnati chicken" "Black Jack" mo-
lassesi potaties boiled with their
coats, vests and pants on at the Lilly
boarding house. 1t is no wonder that
they needed at times a little stimu.
liant. and no one would be disposed
to criticise them now if they some.
times pattook to excess of thest
liquid refreshments. If some of Tho
party did not so indulge they vii
understand, of course, that there ar,
exceptions to nearly all rules
"Old Slabtown" was the name O.
the portion of town where Samue
L. Litz opened up the first mea
market and snack house on a capita
of $3.50, and it is said that he slep
Mt night on the soft side of boar,
in his place of business, which wa
the only "hangout" in the place. Hi
counter consisted of the bottom O
goods box, and he had scarcel,
room enough to turn himself abou
on the inside. He made squar
opening similar to ticket agent
delivery window, and through TIN
aperture passed the snacks to tn
waiting customers outside, receivin
therefor the sum of one dime. Thi
was the beginning of his eventfr
career.