Person:Adam Arbogast (4)

Family Margaret Clarissa Sutton,, Adam Abogast Margaret C Sutton 1840 Pocahontas

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Adam Arbogast 1894 Pocahontas

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Arbovale was named after Adam Arbogast – Arbo for Arbogast, and vale for valley. Adam was born July 11, 1816 and died July 24, 1894. He was a son of Benjamin, Sr., of Glade Hill, and grandson of Pioneer Adam. Adam married Margaret Clarissa Sutton Arbogast (1820 – 1898). The following incident occurred during the Civil War in Arbovale, then a part of Virginia. My grandmother, Emma Arbogast Tracy, remembered it in detail because she experienced it with her parents, Adam and Margaret Clarissa Sutton Arbogast. The drama began on a Monday night when Adam’s brother, the Rev. Henry Arbogast, was dragged from his home by a group of fanatics. He was shot in a wooded area near Frost, and his body was not found until several days later. People talked for years about how the wind carried Henry’s black hat into view, giving direction to the search party. Adam, for whom Arbovale was named because of his extensive land holdings, was also marked for death. Through the quick action of his ten-year-old niece, (whose name I do not remember).

Adam was able to escape. On the day after Henry’s tragic abduction, the niece was sent to the village store. As she entered. unnoticed, she heard men’s voices. They were saying, “We got Henry last night. We’re going to get Adam tonight.” The words struck terror in her heart. She lost no time in getting to the Arbogast home to warn her Uncle Adam of the plot against his life. Adam and Margaret gathered the children around them and explained that their father, to be safe, must leave immediately. He would go on horseback to Upshur County where the Union Army was stationed. There he would serve in whatever way he could until the war was over. Margaret packed his saddlebags with clothes and provisions, enough for the long journey. Then just at dusk when he felt it was safe, Adam bade a tearful goodbye to his family.

The weight of the family and farm fell upon the shoulders of Margaret, a load she carried for at least two years. She had only one arm, having lost her right arm in a cider mill accident at age twelve. But Margaret was strong in every way, especially her faith in God.

That night Margaret sent the children to their upstairs bedrooms with instructions to stay there. Keeping vigil was her responsibility, and she wanted to keep it alone. She stayed downstairs in the front room, reading her bible by lamplight. Purposefully, she sat in plain view of anyone who might come. Once during the long night the dogs howled as though strangers were approaching. Would they break down the door and search the house? Would they harm a one-armed mother protecting her children? At great risk, Margaret sat quietly, praying and waiting. Finally, the dogs settled down, indicating that the danger had passed. A heroic mother, with faith in her heart, had triumphed over evil. The war came close upon their heels. Grandmother Tracy remembered standing in the yard, adjacent to the present Arbovale Cemetery, listening to the cannons of nearby battles. Those were trying times, especially in that area where families were often divided over the issues. Adam and Margaret Arbogast, my great-grandparents, were cut from fine fabric. Their lives inspired many to be better Americans and stronger Christians.

History of Pocahontas County, West Virginia – 1981 under the heading: Adam and Margret Sutton Arbogast by Anna Lee Brevard