Thursday, September 17, 1897
THE RAILROAD survey on the Greenbrier is gradually nearing Marlinton. The Engineers have run the line on the West side of the River and report that the grade is good and that the road can be cheaply constructed. They have not crossed the river since they commenced their survey, and it is said they will not do so until they reach Marlinton.
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A WRITER in the Washington Post said the old residents dreaded the building of the railroad thro the last great stretch of forest lands on the Greenbrier. Each of those residents would give what he hath to bring a railroad into the country. It is the dream of his life when he will be able to realize on the timber lands on which tax has been paid for a hundred years.
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ALBERT VOIRES surrendered in Charleston to the officers of the law, and was taken back to Fayetteville, where he will have a day fixed for his sentence of hanging. He was out of jail three weeks and one would have thought that he would have gone further afield. Instead of that, he waited around where he was well-known and was captured in the next county.
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BEES HAVE not done well for the past two seasons, owing to unprecedented wet weather coming at a time when the working season is at its height. There will be very little honey on the market this year. Your enthusiastic bee keeper is not to be discouraged, but lives in hope of better luck another time. The bee is preeminently the poor man’s friend, for no matter how poor he may be, he can always have, at small expense and no trouble, other than what is a pleasure, an item on his bill of fare that is fit for the table of kings.
BIOGRAPHIC NOTES
Among the well-known citizens of our county from the 1820s to 1840s was Martin Dilley, Esq. It is believed that he was a native of Maryland and of Quaker descent. His wife was Hannah Moore, daughter of “Pennsylvania” John Moore, the pioneer, and he located near Dilley’s Mill, where his son, the late Andrew Dilley lived. Here he settled in the virgin forest and rescued from the wilderness quite a large estate and accumulated an ample competency.
His home was known far and near where a bountiful hospitality was dispensed, and a cordial welcome awaited stranger and friends alike…
John Dilley and Andrew Dilley were worthy sons of their very worthy father, Martin Dilley. In his day, Martin Dilley was one of the most widely known of Pocahontas citizens and his presence and character reflected credit upon the citizenship of the county in the estimation of those coming from abroad. He was of that type of citizenship of which any county might be considered fortunate to possess. As a member of society, Martin Dilley was worthy of high esteem because of his energy, industry, attention to his own business, honest economical thrift and exemplary morals. He owned a family of slaves to whom he was very indulgent and lenient.
For many years on public occasions at Huntersville – musters, superior courts and Presidential elections – “Dilley’s George” was usually one of the most conspicuous figures in the crowd as the vendor of ginger cakes, apples and cider. He would be dressed “fine as a preacher,” and was very dignified in his manners… The articles he vended were the admiration of the whole county, and the parsonic old colored man found it remunerative, and all was owing to the indulgence of his benevolent master.
Some years before his decease, Martin Dilley was waylaid, fired upon and severely wounded at the bend of the road a mile or more east of Driscol. The event startled the whole county, and was one of the most pathetic and tragic scenes ever enacted in our county…
He should be held in esteem for what he accomplished in developing his part of our county, for he demonstrated that a rich reward awaited the diligent worker, and that an ample competence could be secured by such, in spite of natural obstacles of dense forests, rugged soil, and seemingly capricious climate…