The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-10
Condemnedsin 1870 Remain
Village, Refuses Fate and
Is =NoWlLarge City.
is GROWTH IS RAPID
LOG lated in Heart Of Great
Coal Field With Many
Natural Advantages.
EDITORS Note: The author
I of this article makes acnoWl-
edaement of his Indebtedness
to Myers History OF West
Virginia for much OF. the infor-
.n1ation Contained herein.)

i Z III a.
Middletown -S now Fairmont--
was established and laid out in
1919 on the farm of Boaz Fleming.
It was built on hill overlooking
the Mon ongahela River
It has been said that when the
early. citizens Of this city We're
looking about for, town site the
place on which Fairmont now
stands was selected because It
was considered by them toughest
and poorest and least adapted 70
farming purposes and having little
idea that the new born town Would
ever be more than a small ham
let. .
(. It was called Msd0letown be-.
cause It lay midway between
Clarksburg and Morgantown and
served as a stopping place Tor ,
travellers going to and fro be-
tween these two points.
was a 1aurcr 4 hicket'
cat that time 'sHsays Dunning--
tons History. Of Marion County
much Of Middletowny was a laurel
thicket, the only house being. a
log cabin occupied by MI. Elem.
ing which stood near the corner OF
Jefferson street and Decatur alley.
The first house built after the
laying off of the town was by Mr.
Samuel Jackson, father OF OllvsSt
and James r. Jackson. The first
child born in Middletown was F.
NJ ECona way.
IN 1912 Marion County vas
formed MiddIetown was made the
county: seat and shortlysA aYter-
ward the, sname w eilang e 60 esg7.51
Fairmont S1r first8 counts court g
was held April 1S43s William ian J.: q e:
Raymond was chosen the first
prosecuting attorney and Ben1a.
min J.. Brice, the first sheriff = OF OF
the county.
The Jail was one-story log
house, built in the manner OF an IN
Indian fort and located OF WASH 'lTl:
'ington street where the residence
of William E. Hough was bullt
later. The first courthouse cost
SO 150.75 and was considered a
fine building when it was corn
.pleted Improvements later-'ln
1S77-brought the total cost to
$4,000. Since that, time, of course,
the old court house was gwen
away to a new and up to IN date
stone structure. &oue ~ - ~ -
buildings of its kind in the state.
Thomas S. Raymond and John
s.. Clayton we're the first repres-
entatives OF the county in the
House of Delegates and William
G.. Wiley in the Senate ME-.
Wiley was "a resident of this
county. and represented Mononga-
liza. Preston and Randolph counr--
ties as well, 1t is related OF him
that on one occasion he attended
the Legislature at Richmoqd
dressed in blue linsey breeches
and brown linsey hunting shirt 11't&.
Pa1atine which is now a, part Of
Fairrnont was established in 1855.
1t was located upon land purcha.;
ed from Daniel and John Panis-
lev, the sons Of Jacob Paulsley
who had moved on the land IN
1893
B., & O. Railroad Finished
The completion of the B & o.
Railroad to Fairmont, June 20,
1852, marked an important epoch
in the history Of the town and the
occasion was duly celebrated. the
president and directors of the
company, together with a large
number of Prominent men from,
Baltimore. Cumberland, Wheeling,