Thursday, May 7, 1925
In the old days, Williams River was good for a day, for a week or a month. It was 10 miles from the county seat across a divide from the waters of the Greenbrier to the waters of Gauley. Williams River rises to the south and flows north and the young fellow could ignore the roads and make a bee line across the mountains and strike it most anywhere and throw his hook in and commence fishing. A hunk of bread, a coffee pot, and a frying pan were the essentials.
One day’s work for a boy was to get up at three in the morning, walk across Buck’s Mountain to the head of Days Run, fish down that stream to its mouth, down the Williams River to the Mouth of Tea Creek or below. Toy with the waters of Sugar Creek and Tea Creek and quit fishing at the Mouth of Tea Creek late in the afternoon. Then he would be about 12 miles from the county seat. A walk home would bring him in about 10 o’clock at night. To do this required a man sound in wind and limbs. A more luxurious way was to have a riding horse and ride to Big Laurel Creek and tie the horse there some eight miles from home. Fish down Laurel Creek some miles to Williams River and fish up the river through the meadows and the pastureland to the head of the sod just below the falls; fish back down the river to where the wagon trail struck the river through the hacking at the Mouth of Big Laurel and walk that trail to the old horse and ride home. This was a long day from dawn to dark and was good for from 50 to 100 trout.
TRAIN WRECK
Traffic on the Greenbrier Division is tied up this week by a wreck which knocked down a span of the bridge across Greenbrier River at Watoga Monday morning. No one was hurt.
The big manifest freight train from Ronceverte with two engines was crossing the bridge when a car about the middle of the train jumped the track and knocked one of the two spans into the river Two carloads of flour, a car of brick and a car of lumber went into the river.
The C & O and the Western Maryland tool cars are at work, and it is expected that the span will be replaced and the road open by Thursday or Friday. Passengers and mails are being transferred.
LOCAL MENTION
Married, Clawson Dilley and Miss Ruth Witherow, Friday, May 1, 1925, at the home of John Dilley, at Clawson.
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The other day, J. L. Baxter secured a powder horn which had belonged to his grandfather, the late William Baxter, who lived on Red. Lick Mountain about 100 years ago. The horn is well preserved and has “W. Baxter” cut on it in two places, with the dates Sept. 13, 1834 and June 1, 1832. There is no telling what the dates were memorable for.
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Isaac Cashwell, four-year-old son of Sarah Cashwell, of Marlinton, was struck by a hoe in the hands of another child, Monday, which complete destroyed the sight of the eye.
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Ernest Jackson, Emory Miller, Dan Carpenter, Fred Galford and others killed themselves a big bear on Day’s Run last Thursday. The night before the bear killed three sheep from M. L. Beard and ate up a good part of his kill. He left tracks in the snow and the neighbors put 10 dogs on his trail. He made a short run, and the dogs held him until the hunters came on. He was a big three-year-old bear, fat and fine. The pelt measured six feet from top to tip and six feet two inches across the shoulders.
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Since so much of the timber has been cut in the Black Forest, the almost impenetrable thickets which cover so great an area, the bears have a safe retreat. They are multiplying rapidly, and they are fast putting the sheep raisers out of business. One day last week, a man coming in from the camps on the Middle Fork of Williams River, saw the tracks where a band of five bears had crossed to the Cranberry side.
DEATHS
Mr. Henry M. McMillion, a highly respected citizen of the upper part of Greenbrier county, near Loveridge, died Sunday afternoon April 19th, aged 62 years. In 1886, he united in marriage to Miss Fannie Hill, of Jacox… His funeral was attended by a large crowd. His remains were laid to rest near the Beulah church.
The writer is again bereft of an earthly friend and again sustained by God’s comforting grace and the knowledge that our heavenly Father makes no mistakes, and we believe that our brother had his “house set in order” ready for his going to “a house not made with hands.”
“Peace to his ashes and respect to his memory.” – S.Mc.
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James L. Sheets died at his home in Marlinton Saturday morning, May 2, 1925. His age was 65 years. On Sunday afternoon his body was buried in the Mt. View Cemetery, the funeral being conducted from the Methodist church. An immense congregation was present to pay their tribute of respect.
The deceased is survived by his wife, who was a daughter of the late Jacob Simmons, and their two children, Carl L. Sheets and Pearl.
Mr. Sheets was one of our best citizens. An outstanding characteristic was his sterling honesty. He was a humble, consistent Christian…
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The body of Mrs. Florence Beverage Mills was brought here Monday for burial on Stony Creek. She and her husband were killed in an automobile accident near their home in Itman, in the Wyoming coal fields, on Saturday. The deceased was a daughter of A. P. Beverage on Stony Creek.