Transcript:Haymond, Henry. History of Harrison County, West Virginia/p352

Source

Haymond, Henry. History of Harrison County, West Virginia: from earliest days of northwestern Virginia to the present. (Morgantown, West Virginia: Acme Publishing, 1910).

Overview

William Haymond, Jr. was the son of Major William Haymond. He submitted a series of letters about the life and times of his father and family to his nephew, Luther Haymond. Eight of these letters were included in the source above. This transcript is part of a series of transcripts that provide the text for those letters. The text is presented as accurately as possible and hyperlinks to werelate pages for individuals are provided. This is a work in progress.

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Transcript - Letter No. 1.

p 352 - William Haymond's Letters.

Palatine Hill, Va., 18th. Feb'y- 1842.
Mr. Luther Haymond,

Sir: — Your letter was duly received some time past asking or re- questing something in relation to the education, residence, trade &c., of my father. I should have answered sooner only I have been unwell.

It is but little I can say in relation to his life, nothing scarcely of any consequence, some few anecdotes etc. It is, I think, likely he was raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but I do not know. Let that be as it may he lived before moving to this country near Montgomery Court House, at or near Rockville. He, I suppose, was educated some- where there. He was one of the best arithmeticians, understood surveying &c. I believe he had learned the trade of wagon making, however he could make almost anything out of wood and iron.

I have understood he commanded a company at the taking possession of Fort Duquesne, now Pittsburgh. I have heard it said when living in Maryland, he being from home, his dwelling house was burnt, on his re- turn my mother was bewailing their loss, he in reply said they had a kitchen, and appeared to be contented.

At the above mentioned place near said Court House, I suppose I was born in the year 1771.

In the year 1773 my father moved to this country. It is strongly impressed on my mind that we stopped in the Forks of Cheat River, at or near Rogers Fort. We may have staid here a year or two. I think one of my brothers, a child, died. This can be known by reference to his family record. The next I recollect our family were living in the Monon- gahela Glades near Decker's Creek. It seems very strange that any per- son should have settled there at that date. When the whole country was almost vacant. I have no recollection of how long we lived there, but I presume not long. As soon as the war broke out we had to leave there and the whole family went to Keam's Fort, opposite where Mor- gantown now stands. My father then had eight negroes. We planted and tended in corn the ground where Morgantown now stands. This was a stockaded fort.

At one time I think there was a company of soldiers there. While living there Cobum's Fort, about two mile this side of Kearns' Fort, was burnt by the Indians. I was at it when on fire.

How it happened that I was suffered to go I cannot tell. Miller and Woodfin were killed on Miller's place, three miles from Kearn's Fort while we were there. They were brought into the Fort on poles, having their feet and hands tied and the pole running between them. I remember this perfectly. When we left the Glades we had two horses. Slider and Prince, the former a brown and the latter a black horse. They often ran away and went to the Glades, brother John and myself would go after them. These two horses I may hereafter mention. While living in Kearn's Fort we had the small pox in the natural way, all the family except my father who had had it. Two children I think were all that died there with that disease ; however my father lost six or seven of his negroes there. It was said they were poisoned.

While living in said fort we boys would go on what was called the Hog-Back near the Fort to hunt ramps. We used the bow and arrow and were very good at shooting them. Once while in the yard someone shot an arrow straight. It fell and struck through the wrist of either Col. John Evans or one of the Wilsons. It was hard to draw out. This was all the accident I recollect happening while we lived in the fort.

We moved from the Fort what time I cannot say, went about two or three miles below town on the land of John Johnson, sometimes on the land of William Joseph. While living on these farms we were often called up in the night and moved off a mile or two to some house for safety. Once I recollect we went to our house, while there some person came riding by as fast as he could and said he saw an Indian just back. The men ran out with their guns but no Indians. On examining it was found that he had seen a dog wood which some person had cut, and a red substance had oozed out of it. We often had such alarms and often the Indians killed or took prisoners in three of four miles or less of us. Dur- ing what was called the hard winter the snow was very deep. We lived in an old house on Johnson's land. It had two doors. I remember We would draw large logs in the house with Prince and roll them on the fire. My father would go on to Wickwire's Creek, about sixteen miles from this place, and hunt in the Fall. This hard winter he had a number of deer skins hung around the house to keep the wind off.

In those days we wore short breeches and leggins : what else I do not now recollect. How we lived I have an indistinct recollection.

I remember Brother John and myself with Slider and Prince went to Ruble's mill in Pennsylvania, eleven miles and staid all night, next morning when on our horses to start for home. Ruble or some other person brought each of us a piece of light bread spread with butter. This I thought such a great feast that I have it in my mind to this day. While we were living, I think on Joseph's land, the Indians I presume, killed Madison, the surveyor of all this country. Hanway was appointed. I have understood, or heard at the time, that my father might have gotten the appointment, but I suppose he thought Hanway wanted it and he would not interfere.

While living here Albert Gallatin and ____ Savory were at my father's to see something about land.

The surveyor's office was kept at a Mr. Pierpoint's about two miles from where we lived. I was once there with my father. There were several gentlemen there from Philadelphia, getting or locating land. As my father had been in the country above this place, they applied to him to locate for them, how much I cannot say. 1,000 or 100,000 acres more or less. My father directed how their entries should be made. They wished to pay but he would have nothing. He or they said they might or would give me something; finally they gave me a dollar. I remember I think hearing my father say that he expected they would give me eight or ten dollars. Next day we started for home on Slider and Prince with the dollar in my pocket, if I had a pocket, but before we got home my father borrowed the dollar and sent me to Keam's Mill to buy com with it. I believe I got l 1/2 bushels. I have often thought of this occurrence. He here had an opportunity to get a considerable sum if he would have made a charge, and although his family were perhaps on the brink of suffering, he preferred leaving it to their honor rather than charge them. It seems that no situation of circumstances would change his course. While living here at William Joseph's or Johnson's, the last negro, a man, died. While we were living on Joseph's land David Morgan killed the two Indians. They sent my father a piece of tanned Indian skin for a strop.

I went occassionally to school. I suppose a year or two. Two boys and myself were one day in the woods near Owen Davis' orchard. They concluded to go and get some apples and I staid back. On their return I helped eat them. This comes the nearest to stealing anything I have any recollection of in my life, my partaking of a part. How I happen to remember it so long I cannot say. In those days I used the bow and arrow, killed squirrels in the corn field, birds, etc.

I was with my father at the rope works making cords to make a hoppose. He was preparing to go in to the Revolutionary Army and had got ready when news came that peace was made. They had a great rejoicing meeting on the occasion, at Morgantown. The Indians were less troublesome than they had been. People began to stir about.

Harrison County was formed out of Monongalia in 1783 or 4. My father was appointed surveyor, we still living on Joseph's farm. Thomas Laidley had brought a store to Morgantown. My father bought a bear skin coat as he had to go to Williamsburg to be examined. The morning before he started Laidley and Mense the storekeepers came to our house with I believe twenty half joes, in all two hundred dollars in gold to send to Richmond to buy land warrants. I remember hearing my father say he was ashamed to wear said coat for fear people would say he was proud.

Of the old settlers I have no recollection. Whether my father was in the Revolutionary war or not I do not know. If he was it was while we lived in the Fort. How it happened that he was called Major I can- not say. He, I suppose, was in the army when Daniel Morgan was a wagoner there of which I suppose you have heard. It has always been my impression that he was in the Revolutionary Army. How it happened that he got the appointment of surveyor in Harrison I cannot tell, but I think he did not electioneer for it. I have omitted to say that sometime before this he was appointed one of the Commissioners to settle the claims to unpatented lands in the country. During this time he obtained a certificate for his land in the Glades. He also got two other certificates for land in Harrison County. I may hereafter refer to them. In the Spring or summer of 1784 Brother John with others started from the mouth of Decker's Creek in canoes down the river and went to the mouth of Kanawha to survey for Vanderen.

On the return of my father from Richmond he went to Clarks- burg on his duty of office. In October following brother John, having returned from Kanawha, and myself, with those two celebrated horses, Slider and Prince, took two loads of plunder. I was then thirteen years old. Brother John went up to Jonathan, and got two or three more horses to help us move. I knew no person in Clarksburg, and was quite lost.

There I met David Prunty and went back of that hill with hira to hunt chestnuts. Clarksburg was built by two rows of cabins extend- ing from near where the Court House now is to Jackson's house on the east side of Elk Creek. It had been built to answer for a Fort. Next day we started for home, which day the Indians attacked I believe Mr. West where "Weston now stands. When we arrived at home we got a Mr. Tibbs to help us with a horse. We started and on the first day stayed or lodged on Tom's Run two miles below Smithton. Next day got to Priekett's settlement. Third day to the Valley River, Fourth day just above where William Martin's brick house now stands, and the fifth day we arrived in Clarksburg in the afternoon, having been five days on the road nearly.

If I feel like writing I will continue the narrative although a great part so far is in relation to myself. When I think of those times above mentioned, it seems strange to me how the people survived, many times without anything to eat and little to wear. I think I ought to have stated that when we were on Joseph's farm my father gave $1000 for a peck of salt.

He had a considerable quantity of Continental money. It is likely he sold his possessions in Maryland and took Continental money for the same.

Wm. Haymond.