BIOGRAPHIES: GENEALOGICAL HISTORY of DUCK CREEK'S PICTURESQUE PIONEERS
HARRISON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
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GENEALOGICAL HISTORY of DUCK CREEK'S PICTURESQUE PIONEERS,
by Henrietta Horner Martin, and copied by D Ruth Davisson
of Lost Creek, WV. Parts of this narrative were featured,
also, in the Clarksburg, WV Sunday Telegram, 23 Dec 1923.
THE DAVISSON FAMILY
The story is told that two Davisson brothers (William and Jonathan) came to
the valley about 1799 from New Jersey. However, according to Ruth Davisson,
William Davisson did not come here with his brother Jonathan. Jonathan
Davisson came to present-day Harrison County, probably influenced to do so
because his sisters, Mrs Watters Smith and Mrs John Gaston were already
established here.
William had married in New Jersey and he and his wife built their cabin near
the residence of what is now the home of the late Dr William H Horner, traces
of which may still be seen just south of the lane that leads to the Harley
Gaines home. Their children were: Margaret, Ellen, Mary, Sarah, Patsy and
Creasy (probably a diminutive of Lucretia) and one son, Andrew.
Sarah married Nathan West and Mary became the wife of a man named Haley.
Traces of the Haley cabin may still be seen on the hill on the western side
of the Thomas M Horner farm about 300 yards north of the Ben's Run gap. Two
or more of the Haley children died of diphtheria and were buried in forgotten
graves on the "cow-lot" hill of the Horner farm. After this, the parents
moved to "Red Banks," now Hendersonville, Kentucky.
Ellen married Daniel Hurst from the South Branch country. They made their
home on the site of the Upper Duck Creek School. He was a soldier of the War
of 1812 and his father fought through the Revolution. A sister, Margaret
Hurst, married a McWhorter and became the mother of Walter McWhorter. Later
the Hursts moved to Fink's Creek near the present village of Hurst, Lewis
County.
Margaret became the wife of James Culdice and they made their home in Greene
County, Pennsylvania. Patsy and Creasy never married and made their home on
what is now the George farm and are buried in the old Judah graveyard on the
Charles J Horner farm. This graveyard is long since abandoned. Aunt Patsy
and Creasy were bright and interesting talkers, and in their declining years
spent much of their time in visiting their neighbors and entertaining with
talks of long ago.
Andy, the only son, built a hewed-log house on the southern end of his
father's farm on what is now the Thomas M Horner place. The house, long
since converted into a barn, is still usable, though over one hundred years
old. It was well built and was a palace in its day, evidencing the skill of
the old-timers with the axe.....
WILLIAM DAVISON
William Davison (a carpenter), the immigrant ancestor of the Davisson family
of Duck Creek, Harrison County WV, and of Sarah Louise West Moffett, was born
in Scotland and came to America as the indentured servant of Thomas Fullerton
of New Jersey, arriving on the ship "Thomas and Benjamin" in October of 1684.
Following his arrival in New Jersey, William Davison married Margaret
Oliphant. William and Margaret settled on a 70-acre farm located just below
Tennant in Freehold Township, Monmouth Co NJ.
William Davison died in 1723. His will names his wife Margaret, children
William, George, Robert, Andrew, John and Margaret, also "cousin" Isabel
Davison.
WILLIAM DAVISON II
Son of William (the immigrant) and Margaret Oliphant Davison, William Davison
II was born in New Jersey, probably in Monmouth County. By his father's
will, made in April 1723, he inherited 70 acres of land located south of
Tennant, NJ. It appears that William II was married twice. The name of his
first wife, the mother of his sons Robert and Andrew, is not known, however,
this marriage must have occured before 1729, the year his son Robert was
born. In 1744 William II married Anne Brunson of Somerset County, the
daughter of Barefoot and Mary Brunson.
William Davison II apparently left no will and probably died in the mid 1760s
as no record of him is found after 1762 when he signed a deed.
ANDREW DAVISON
The son of William Davison II and grandson of William the immigrant, Andrew
Davison was born in Monmouth County NJ, probably in the late 1720s or early
1730s. Although no record of the marriage has been found, it seems almost
certain that Andrew Davison;s wife was Sarah Smith, a sister of Thomas Smith
of Maidenhead (now Lawrenceville), NJ, and the aunt of Thomas' son Watters
Smith, who married Andrew Davison's daughter Elizabeth, and settled on Duck
Creek, Harrison County, (W)V.
Andrew Davison was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury, NJ,
where, on May 1, 1762, he and his brother Robert Davison signed the salary
subscription list.
Andrew Davison owned land on Duck Creek, as shown by quit claim deeds signed
by some of his heirs. He is said by some to have moved to Duck Creek in
Harrison County (W)V, but soon returned to New Jersey, however, no record of
his actual presence in the Duck Creek area has been found.
Andrew and Sarah Davison had the following children:
1. William - born in NJ; married Mary Maple; settled on Duck Creek, Harrison
County (W)V; died before 1821.
2. Thomas - was living near New Geneva, PA in 1801 when he signed a quit
claim deed making over to his mother, Sarah, land on Duck Creek, which he
described as part of his father's estate.
3. George - was listed on the Harrison County (W)V tax rolls from 1812-1826,
and was later living in Ohio.
4. Elizabeth - married Watters Smith; settled on Duck Creek.
5. Ann - married John Gaston; settled on Duck Creek.
WILLIAM DAVISSON*
*Sometime after this family left NJ the spelling of their name
changed from DAVISON to DAVISSON
William Davisson, the son of Andrew and Sarah Davisson, was born in NJ,
probably at Cranbury Neck in Middlesex County, about 1760. He married Mary
Maple. Although no record of the marriage has been found, it no doubt took
place in NJ and Mary was probably a member of the Maple family who lived in
the vicinity of Princeton NJ, several of whom moved to Greene Co PA in the
1700s.
Sometime after 1786, when their daughter Sarah was born in NJ, and 1789, when
their son Andrew was born in PA, William and Mary Davisson moved to PA,
settling near New Geneva in Fayette Co, where they are shown to be residing
by their listing in the 1790 census of PA. This stay in PA may have been
influenced by the fact that William's brothers-in-law, John Gaston and
Watters Smith, were living in that area at that time. Both later moved to
Duck Creek, Harrison Co (W)V.
Sometime after 1792, when their daughter Eleanor was born in PA, and 1800,
when their daughter Lucretia was born in (W)V, William and Mary Davisson
moved to Duck Creek, Harrison Co (W)V, where in 1814, William and his
brothers-in-law, John Gaston and Watters Smith were named to a jury empaneled
by the Sheriff of Harrison County, to report on a mill dam which Daniel
Morris proposed to erect across Lost Creek.
William and Mary Davisson had the following children:
1. Jonathan - born about 1780; married Lorena Holland; died in 1862.
2. Margaret - moved to Indiana; no other info
3. Sarah - born 1786 in NJ; married Nathan West; died 1872.
4. Andrew - born 1789 PA; married Bridget Haley; died 1862.
5. Eleanor - born 1792 PA; married 1st Joseph Powers, 2nd Daniel Hurst.
6. Mary - married ----- Haley; no other info
7. Lucretia - born 1800; never married.
8. Martha - born 1803; died after 1850; never married.
William Davisson died before 1820, the first year the Harrison County Tax
Books listed his land to "Heirs of William Davisson."
SOME ANCESTORS OF SARAH LOUISE WEST
WIFE OF GEORGE W MOFFETT
Compiled by the late V Layne Moffett
Clarksburg, WV
THE WEST FAMILY
The West family of Duck Creek descended directly from Thomas West of England
who became known to history as Lord Delaware or De la Warr, as originally
spelled. He was born in Hampshire, England in 1577 and died at sea in 1618,
leaving seven children by his wife, Cecilia Shirley. Concerning Thomas West,
John Fiske, the famous historian says: "For governor of Virginia the council
appointed Thomas West, third Baron Delaware. This Lord Delaware belonged to
a family distinguished for public service. On his mother's side he was
closely related to Queen Elizabeth........"
Space forbids our following the genealogical line but it is unbroken to the
Duck Creek Wests. About 1799 two brothers, Job and Nathan came to Duck Creek
from near Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Job (usually called
"Shobe") married Mary Gaston, eldest daughter of John Gaston, and made his
home where now stands the residence of his descendant, Aldo West. In 1823
Job and his family moved by the pack-horse method to Old Town, Ohio, now
called Chillicothe. (Chillicothe was a branch of the Shawnee Tribe.)
This place had been a big Indian village but was abandoned after the War of
1812. Job died of age and was buried there in a grave which his descendants
have been unable to locate. His widow and family returned and spent the
remainder of their days on Duck Creek. Their children were: Ruanna, wife of
Watters Smith Jr; Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Coberly; and the unmarried
daughters, Phoebe, Debby and Sally. Mrs West died in 1865, aged 80, and is
buried in the Sinclair graveyard with her three unmarried daughters. They
lived to a great age and to the last, maintained the habits and customs of
pioneers.
The Old Spinning Wheel
The writer especially remembers Aunt Phoebe as a woman of excellent sense and
marvelous memory. In her kitchen, the loom and spinning wheel were
conspicuous, and the fine rag carpets, woolen blankets and coverlets proved
that she knew how to use them. She also made fine linsey-woolsey which the
"dressy" people of that day, wore. They were excellent gardeners, too, and
were almost always successful in raising a good crop.
Elizabeth West married Daniel Coberly and made her home on the farm of the
late Henson D Gaston. The cabin stood across the lane from the present
cottage. Mr Coberly died June 5, 1838, and is buried in the Sinclair
graveyard. The widow and son, Daniel, moved to Gilmer County.
John Waldo West died in 1847, age 28, and Eli in 1857, aged 44. The latter
left a number of children whose sons entered the Civil War.
Job West has many descendants. Edward N and Andrew Jackson Smith are
grandsons. Olandus West of Clarksburg, prominent in the business and
political life of Northern West Virginia, is a great-grandchild, as are also
Lavada and Mary West, Byrd Edmonds, Dolph McIntire, Aldo West and G N Smith.
Nathan West married Sarah, daughter of William Davisson and lived on what is
now the Charles J Horner farm. Their children were: Davisson, John, Wilse
(Wilson), Lee, Tillie, Zelzah and Fannie. Nathan and wife spent their lives
on the farm where they first established their home. Their son Davisson
married Salina Romine and lived on what is now the William Lloyd Queen farm.
He lived past eighty and with kindred, is buried in the West graveyard. We
recall vividly old Uncle Dave riding to market on his aged mare,
"Silverheels," and his interesting stories of early days. The streams, he
said, never went dry in pioneer days and even brooks would form cataracts
over the fallen timber and thus create pools which were filled with fish.
John West, who lived on the John Sandy place, moved to the headwaters of the
Buckhannon River, while Lee lived and died on the ancestral estate. Tillie
and Fannie never married and lived the greater part of their lives in the
valley.
Zelzah (Urzelda) married Darius Hinkle and made her home on the farm now
owned by her daughter, Adeline Washburn, wife of the late Luther Washburn.
The third brother, Nathaniel "Natty: West was born near Uniontown, January
28, 1789, married Miss Mary Everley, and was the father of ten children. In
1842, when 53 years old, he removed to Duck Creek, bringing with him five of
his younger children. The other five had married and were living in
Pennsylvania. The five who came with him and located on Duck Creek and Lost
Creek were: Jefferson B., Thomas J., William J., Jesse Howard, and Melissa,
who married a Crawford and lived on a farm that is now a part of Northview,
Clarksburg. Jesse Howard removed to Columbia, Adair County, Kentucky, where
hd died in 1877.
William J was a first lieutenant under Stonewall Jackson, and was killed in
the Second Battle of Manassas.
Thomas J was three times a member of the legislature and was again his
party's nominee in 1898, when an old man, for the same office. He was also
State Treasurer and Superintendent of the state prison at Moundsville. He
was a man of education and culture. In early life he taught school on Duck
Creek at a point just north of the Upper School House and east of the
Turnpike. Marion Smith was one of his pupils and the memory survives that he
was an exacting but able instructor.
Jefferson B West, born September 26, 1824, died February 12, 1902, was one of
the most picturesque and notable characters in the history of Harrison
County. He was twice a member of the Virginia legislature, justice,
president of the county court, school official, and in 1882, under Auditor
Miller's appointment, he revalued the lands of Harrison County which he did
with great ability. He was a colonel in the Confederate Army.....
But it was as a natural-born orator that "Uncle Jeff" will long be
remembered. For the last forty years of his life his party managers sought
his services in every campaign, and being a well-read man and a master of the
rough-and-ready oratory which the farmers liked, he was always persuasive and
convincing. Others may have differed from him in his views but there is one
thing in which all agreed: Uncle Jeff was honest and sincere. His long
white hair and flowing beard, the vibrant voice, the animated gestures, the
countenance glowing with earnestness -- these were the qualities of the
powerful oratory of which he was master.
Jefferson West's wife was Ruhama Maddox of Duck Creek and he left a family of
ten children all highly respected.
JOHN WEST
John West and his wife Frances were living in Baltimore County, Maryland in
the 1780s when their sons Nathaniel and Nathan were born. Probably their son
Job was also born in this area though no evidence either confirming or
denying this has been found. If John and Frances had other children no
record of them has been located.
Very little information actually relating to John and Frances has been found.
There is a tradition among their descendants that John's wife was Frances
Howard of Baltimore, but no proof of this has been found. Another family
tradition is that following John's death in Baltimore, Frances moved with her
family to Fayette County, PA. However, all that is positively known
regarding such a move is that the three sons, Nathan, Nathaniel and Job were
living in Fayette County in the late 1700s and early 1800s. By 1810 Nathan
and Job West had moved to Harrison County (W)V, settling on farms on Duck
Creek. Nathaniel moved to Harrison County several years later, settling on
Lost Creek.
Job West married Mary Gaston, a daughter of John Gaston of Duck Creek, and
moved to Ohio.
Nathaniel West's wife is said to have been Mary Everly of PA.
NATHAN WEST
Nathan West, son of John and Frances West, was born in Baltimore County, MD
in the 1780s. By 1803 he was living in Fayette County, PA, where on February
21 of that year, he purchased 250 acres of land in Mercer County, PA.
In January 1803, Nathan married Sarah Davisson, daughter of William and Mary
Maple Davisson of Duck Creek, Harrison County, (W)V. On January 5, 1804
Nathan and Sarah West sold the Mercer County PA property and in 1807, Nathan
bought 131 acres on Duck Creek, Harrison County.
Nathan and Sarah had the following children:
1. Mary - born about 1803
2. John - born about 1806; married Abigail Clemens in 1833.
3. Andrew Davisson - born about 1810; married Salina Ann Romine in 1843.
4. Urzelda - born in 1817; married Darius Hinkle in 1841.
5. Matilda - born about 1821.
6. Frances - born about 1825.
7. Wilson - born 1819; married Matilda Bailey; died 1897.
8. Eliza - born about 1830.
9. Washington - married Mary Lowther.
Nathan West died after 1850 when he was last listed in the census, and before
September 22, 1865 when some of his heirs sold their interest in his estate.
ANDREW DAVISSON WEST
Andrew Davisson West, son of Nathan and Sarah Davisson West, was born on Duck
Creek, Harrison County (W)V on April 8, 1808. In 1839 he bought thirty-five
acres of land on Duck Creek, near the present site of Watters Smith State
Park, and adjacent to the farm of his father, Nathan.
On July 9, 1843, Andrew married Salina Ann Romine, the daughter of Benjamin
and Lettis Norman Romine. They had the following children:
1. Mary Carminta "Carrie" - born 1846; married Thomas J West in 1869.
Thomas J served three terms in the WV State Legislature, from 1870 to 1876,
when he was elected State Treasurer, and upon expiration of his term in this
office, was appointed Superintendent of the State Penitentiary at
Moundsville, WV.
2. Columbia Virginia "Ginny" - born September 30, 1847; married October 16,
1871, Robert E Lawrence, born Fauquier Co VA, son of Alexander and Nancy
Lawrence.
3. Sarah Louise "Sally" - born August 30, 1850; married October 10, 1870
George Washington Moffett (born August 25, 1847 Fauquier Co VA, son of
Anderson Furnicehand and Lucinda Bailey Moffett). Their children were Myrtle
Virginia, Ivy, Daisey, Claire, Davisson West, Luna Bird, Nathan Bailey,
Addied Beatrice, Frances Roscoe and Mortimore George Moffett, who died in
infancy.
4. Martha - born June 19, 1852, died September 16, 1924; never married.
5. Eliza "Lide" - born April 8, 1856; died February 14, 1952; never married.
6. Lucy Estaline "Esta" - born January 10, 1860; married John Clayton Israel
on December 28, 1882. Their children were Carrie W., C Earl, Mary
Marguerete, Mattie V., and Paul C Israel. Another daughter died in infancy.
7. Mortimer Jasper - died June 18, 1856 at age two years, eight months.
JOHN SMITH
A bricklayer of New York City, John Smith purchased land in the Village of
Bedford, Town of Brooklyn, Kings County, Long Island, NY. The deed dated 17
March 1680, described the purchased property as consisting of a two-acre home
lot, a forty-acre farm, and four pieces of meadow land. Here John erected a
house, and here he resided until his death in 1684.
By his will dated 7 December 1683 and proved 8 October 1684, John Smith
bequeathed his entire estate to his children. Although he failed to name his
children in his will, it is obvious that the Thomas and Jasper Smith who, on
20 October 1696, sold this same property to John Bibout, were his sons.
THE MADDOX FAMILY
William Maddox was born April 19, 1785, probably in Eastern Virginia, and
when very young, came to Clarksburg and became part owner of the Old Point
Mill. He married Sarah Gaston, born December 22, 1790, daughter of John
Gaston Sr and Anna Davisson, and settled on Duck Creek on what is now the
Harley Gaines farm. In 1825 he erected a hewed-log house near the head of
Maddox Run which was occupied until recently when Mr Gaines replaced it with
a modern cottage. It was the home of his daughter, Mrs Anna Sinclair, wife
of Hiram Sinclair, who died a few years ago at the ancestral home. Hiram
Sinclair came to the valley from near Pruntytown. William Maddox raised a
large family, of whom but one survives, John Maddox of Ripley in Jackson
County, aged 95. Ruhama Maddox was the wife of Jefferson B West. Margaret
married Washington Ward and for a long time lived on Ben's Run on what is now
the Reze Davisson farm. They had a large family. From Ben's Run they moved
to Gilmer County. Thomas and William Maddox Jr went to Jackson County and
raised large families. Matthew, a noted Baptist preacher, died a prisoner of
war at Camp Chase, Ohio. Dorcas married ----- Lyons.
THE GASTON FAMILY
The Gastons were originally French Huguenots. That is to say, French
Protestants. It will be recalled that in 1598 King Henry IV of France (that
celebrated king who could change his religion as easily as he could his coat)
issued the famous Edict of Nantes which granted religious and civil liberty
to the Huguenots. In the succeeding eighty-seven years they became rich and
powerful. But in 1685 Louis XIV promulgated the equally widely known
"Revocation of the Edict of Nantes," which took away from the Huguenots all
the rights and liberties theretofore granted to them. A frenzy of
persecution and property confiscation followed. And, the Huguenots left
France by the thousands. They went to Holland, England and Germany, and
thousands found a home in America. Among these were the Gastons.
The name is derived from the province of Gascony in southern France now
divided into several departments. In the original French we find the name De
Gascoigne and De Gaskin, and in 1735 the name of Abraham De Gaston appears in
the church records of the different counties of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
(Abraham is a family name of the Gastons).
About 1797, John Gaston arrived with his wife, Anna Davisson, sister of Mrs
Watters Smith, and built his cabin on the east side of the road just north of
the residence of the late Enoch Gaston. The gravestones in the now abandoned
graveyard on the Harley Gaines farm show that he was born in New Jersey in
1753; died on Duck Creek on April 6, 1829. His wife died on Duck Creek
August 8, 1854, aged 94 years.
John Gaston was the father of five sons and five daughters: John Jr., James,
High (Hughie), Andrew and William.
John Jr married Betsy Morris and built his cabin where the residence of
Thomas Snider now stands. He and his wife lived past eighty, had a large
family and are buried on Duck Creek. Mrs Gertrude E Davis of Point Comfort,
Clarksburg, is a granddaughter.
William married Mary Post, raised a large family and died on Duck Creek, aged
83. To his last days he had been a hard worker; collapsing in the harvest
field. Mrs Edward N (Byrs) Smith is his only surviving child. Enoch died
recently at 82. William's grandchildren are George and Charles Gaston, and
Cecil and Arlie Smith. Mr and Mrs Wade Gaston of Duck Creek are lineal
descendants.
Andrew (Andy) lived on Wire's Run near the residence of the late John T
Freeman. He was married and is buried at Broad Run with his wives. None of
his descendants live on Duck Creek.
Hughie moved to Freeman's Creek and founded the Freeman's Creek branch of the
family. He died about twenty years ago, aged 101.
James married Lottie Swisher and lived on what is known as the Elizabeth
Dawson farm. (Mrs Dawson was a daughter of William Gaston.) His sons
emigrated to Lewis County and founded the town of Gaston on Stonecoal Creek.
A son-in-law, George W Dayton, raised his family in the valley, but all have
left. Mrs W F Horner of Lost Creek is a granddaughter. James Gaston and his
family differed from his brothers in their views as to the Civil War, and
supported the Union both politically and in the armies. Bit it is a fine
tribute to the good sense of the family that they did not permit this
difference of opinion to make the slightest discord in their social
relations. They remained good friends and neighbors to the last.
The daughters of John Gaston Sr were: Mary, Sarah, Deborah (Debby), Margaret
and Jane. We shall speak only of Sarah and Mary because the others moved
away and did not settle on Duck Creek. Mary became Mrs Job West and Sarah,
Mrs William Maddox.
THE PATTON FAMILY
Two other families, the Pattons and the Maddoxes located on Duck Creek at
such an early date that they should be classed as pioneers.
About 1800, perhaps earlier, William Patton came to this section from
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, having emigrated to that county from
Delaware a few years before. He brought with him his wife whose maiden name
was Lewis, and several children. He first settled near Good Hope on the
opposite side of the river from Duck Creek on what is now the Washburn farm,
occupied a log cabin, and later a small stone house. The he removed to
Manley's Run, a branch of Duck Creek, about a mile to the southwest opposite
the residence of Dock Smith.
On Manley's Run about..........(illegible) eight children: Z------, Lewis,
John W., William, Ebenezer, sons; and Kezia, -------, and Elizabeth,
daughters. The parents attained an advanced age and were the first to be
buried in the Patton graveyard on the hill of the old farm. William Patton
died in 1815.
After William's death his widow and son Zack inherited the homestead. Zack
married Ann Gusman and three unmarried daughters, Keziah, Tymander and
Indiana, the eldest being 93, still live on the old place. Zack died in
1859, age 45. His wife survived him over half a century. Both are buried in
the Patton graveyard. His son, Nowal G., is still living at the age of 82.
Lewis Patton, better known as "Squire," born July 23, 1789, died May 21,
1866, inherited a part of his father's farm now owned by the younger Leeman
Maxwell of Blue Stone Run, Doddridge County. It was purchased by the senior
Frank Maxwell, the noted landowner, in the seventies. Lewis married Ruth
Smith of Clarksburg, born May 31, 1789, died August 8, 1848. His second wife
was Rulina McWhorter, who survived him many years. He is buried in the
Patton graveyard by the side of his first wife. The children of Lewis and
Ruth Smith Patton were: E Eilse, William H, Edgar, Smith, Green and Luther,
sons; and Elizabeth, Columbia, Mary Morilla, Emeline and Susan, daughters.
The family first occupied a two-room log house until 1835 when Lewis built
what was then the finest home in this section, a commodious two story frame
structure with finished attic. It is plastered throughout, the finishing
wood is cherry, and if repaired would still be a comfortable home. It was
abandoned long ago. He also built a large three-story hewed log barn with
mortised frame, which we regret was torn down the past summer.
Shot Last Panther
Lewis Patton shot the last panther, so far as we have been able to learn,
that was killed on the creek. In the hunting party were some of the Wests
and William Maddox. The panther had slaughtered a deer and secreted it on a
ridge above the I M Horner farm, and having gorged itself, was lying under a
fallen tree in the cove above the Horner house, when Patton dispatched it.
In this connection we should note that the last timber wolf was seen at the
Snake Rocks below West Milford, by William Maddox, on his way to the nearest
mill at Clarksburg. In the early days the settlers were obliged to lock up
their stock at night owing to the great number of these destructive beasts.
Of their children, E Wilse for many years conducted a store in West Milford
and was a man of shrewdness and great natural ability. He had acquired a
good, practical knowledge of law and was legal adviser of the neighborhood.
Wilse Patton was thrice married. His first wife was Sarah Anne Carder of
West Milford. Their family consisted of seven children: Lucy, Lilly,
William, Wirt, Benjamin, Dow, John and Ruth. Their daughter Lucy married
John Ed Highland and became the mother of Virgil L., Scotland G., and Frank
M., all prominently identified with business interests of Clarksburg, Cecil
of New Martinsville, and Bruce Highland and Mrs Icie Tetrick of Fairmont.
Marquis Green Patton was a noted surveyor of his day and with his brother, E
Wilse Patton, surveyed and superintended in part, the building of the New
Salem, West Milford and Buckhannon Turnpikes which runs from Salem to
Clarksburg, from Clarksburg to West Milford by way of Sycamore Dale, thence
up Duck Creek to its intersection at Milford road station, with the
Clarksburg, Weston and Gauley Bridge Turnpike, thence to Jane Lew and up
Hacker's Creek to Buckhannon. This road was paid for jointly by the Turnpike
Company and the State of Virginia. The company was incorporated in 1850 and
some of the officers were A M Austin, Robert Jackson and John D Smith. The
road was completed on Duck Creek in 1852.
Green Patton inherited a part of his father's farm. He married Martha Owens
of Clarksburg and their only child -----------(Illegible) Andy Holden, lives
in Nebraska. Green died in 1864, age 35.
William H Patton, born in 1817, was a teacher and surveyor. He never married
and spent his life largely on his father's farm.
Edgar Patton, like his brother William, taught school in winter and worked on
the farm in summer. He was never married and died in early manhood.
Smith Patton married ------Crumrine. He inherited part of the home farm,
spent his life there.
The five sons above mentioned are buried in the Patton graveyard where
members of the family for four generations have found a final resting place.
Luther Patton, sixth son of Lewis Patton, married Berlinda Highland and lived
near Clarksburg. A daughter, Mrs Lorena Pritchard, lives in Clarksburg. Of
the daughters: Elizabeth became the wife of a Methodist preacher named
Patterson; Columbia married McCuff Lowther and they lived near West Milford;
Mary Morilla married Cortland Sperry and settled on Middle Island Creek in
Doddridge County. She is the mother of Captain Melvin Green and Clarence
Burdette Sperry, prominent members of the Harrison County Bar; Emeline died
in childhood, age eleven; Susan died in childhood.
John W Patton, third son of William Patton, pioneer, settled in Clarksburg.
He was a United States Marshal and married Emeline Lint. Their daughter
became the wife of Judge Charles Lewis. Mrs T Moore Jackson of 528 West Pike
St., is a daughter of Judge Lewis.
William, Jr., another son, married Mary Smith and settled on Cove, a branch
of Fink Creek in Gilmer County. He and his wife are buried there. (William
Patton, Jr was born 18 Jan 1799, died 21 Oct 1863, married Mary A Smith, born
20 Feb 1818, died 12 Apr 1885.)
Ebenezer, the fifth son, never married. He was a soldier in the War of 1812
and settled in Kanawha County where he is buried.
Keziah, oldest daughter of William the pioneer, married Enoch Cheuvront and
lived near Good Hope. She died at her home and is buried in the Patton
graveyard. Mr Cheuvront removed to Parkersburg where he died.
Polly married Major John Hoff and lived near West Milford.
Elizabeth never married and is buried in the Old bethel graveyard on the
Sommerville farm below Good Hope.