Celebrating Black History Month. The photo is labeled “Cook & Cookee at Barlow Top.” It shows Joe Wilson at left with his friend Judge McClintic cooking a meal at the camp on Williams River in the early 1900s. Joseph Wilson, of Brownsburg, died on January 23, 1923. ID: PHP003253
From Judge McClintic to
The Editor of The Pocahontas Times
I wish to impose upon you and to use some of your space to note tbe death of Joseph Wilson, my friend and woods companion for thirty-five years, and to express an appreciation of what he was to me and others in that long period.
Beginning with the year 1887, and during each and every year since then, I and usually others, were companions at least once, often twice and many times thrice in camping trips and sojourns in some part of Pocahontas County. A partial list of those now called to memory who accompanied us during that period of time will not be uninteresting.
Upon the first trip, when he accompanied us to the cabin at Tea Creek in 1887, the land there then belonged to the Hon. Wesley Mollohan, as Trustee for himself and others. The party was composed of Mr. Mollohan, James H. Huling, L. M. McClintic and others. Upon subsequent trips, the following have at various times enjoyed camping with Joseph Wilson, either on Williams River or Cranberry River or at some of the other numerous places where hunters and fishermen foregather in Pocahontas County, for the pleasure that comes to those who love the solitude of the woods, the pleasure of the chase or the comfort and happiness gained from the use of the fishing rod, to-wit: Joseph Ruffner, Judge Frank A. Guthrie, Captain John K. Thompson, Edward W. Knight, Edward A. Donallv, Henry Hunter McClintic, Edgar D. McClintic, Senator N. Camden, John K Cowen, then President of the Baltimore & Ohio Company, Hon. C P. Snyder, Dr. J. N. Mahan, Dr. B.V.T. McClintic, Hal W. Knight, C. A. Cabell, Murray Briggs, Wm. A Bratton, Levi Gay, D. A. Fisher, Judge B. F. Keller, Edwin M. Keatley, B. L. Priddle, George J. McComas, Dr. John M. McConihay, Harry M. Anderson, W.G. Matthews, P. D. Yeager, Col. John T. McGraw, Hon. W. G (Junior) Brown, John A. McLaughlin, Dr. Ernest Hill, Charles K. Payne. George W. Sharp, Judge S. H. Sharp, Hon. H. G. Young, Judge C. S. Dice, Judge A. S. Alexander, John L Dickinson, J. W. Hill, T. S. McNeel, Judge Frank Lively, E. M. Smith, John Moore, Frank P. Anderson, Frank R. Hill, Alfred N. Edgar, William H. Knight, Harold W. Knight, Jr., Dr. Allen, Dr. E. G. Herold and Arthur Jackson.
No doubt there are many others not now called to mind. In flight of years, the time has been long, but in sweet memories, it seems short.
Joseph Wilson, in a way often commented upon, seemed to belong to the McClintic family. Once I was asked if he belonged to me. My answer, spoke in truth, was, “that he belonged to me, or I belonged to him, the relation would be the same in either event.”
All of us at times were with him. In the woods and at other times he was with us at our homes, where he was in fact always at home. The greatest affection seemed to be for the boys, Captain John Hunter McClintic and George Lockhart McClintic. In camp when, as little boys, they were with us, we knew that at all times and in all ways, they had a guardian and protector, who under no possible circumstances would ever forsake them, and no member of our family felt the untimely death of George Lockhart McClintic more than Joseph Wilson.
In many respects, he was a model man, whom we could all follow with the certain assurance that we would be better in every sense that the word implies if we did.
He was a chaste man, chaste in speech, chaste in conduct. He was an honest man. In his long life of three score and ten, more than forty years of which was spent in Pocahontas County, no one could truthfully say that he had any taint upon his character as to his integrity in any way. He was a kindly man. His kindred, his neighbors and his friends elsewhere had many evidences of the natural kindness of his heart. He was a good son and a great help in time of need to his family as the supporter and protector of his Father and Mother in their old age and last days and the helper and keeper of young and dependent nephews and nieces, he only showed in his quiet way that he was a man in every good sense of the word.
In many days and weeks, which we spent together at camp, in my home or driving in conveyances, he was always courteous, always thoughtful of other people’s wishes or wants, and always companionable and agreeable.
By reason of being engaged in holding a busy term of Court at Bluefield, I was unable to attend the funeral services. If the fates had permitted my presence there, I would gladly have borne testimony to all I have said as to this good man and much more. I could, out of the fullness of my heart, have said in words, which a cold type will not express.
A good man is gone. Peace to his ashes.
Sincerely,
Geo. W. McClintic