HISTORY OF EDRAY COMMUNITY
By S. B. Moore
The Pocahontas Times
November 4, 1926
Edray community is bounded on the west by Stony Creek range of mountains; on the north by Elk Mountain, to the top of Slippery Hill on the Clover Creek road; then to the Bridger place on the Greenbrier river where Paul Sharp now lives; on the south by the top of river ridges, including the Fairview and Brush Settlements, to the top of Drinnon Ridge where the State Road crosses and to Elmer Sharp’s at the foot of Stony Creek Mountain.
This community is about five miles wide where the State Road crosses, and ten miles long from east to west.
The Drinnons were the first settlers in Edray Community. Thomas Drinnon settled near the Edray Graveyard. There is some difference of opinion as to the exact spot where the Drinnon cabin stood, but I feel sure it was on the bank just close to the graveyard. A spring under the bank has always, since my earliest recollection, been called the “Drinnon Spring.” Other proof is an old apple orchard, trees of large size, mostly winter apples, near the spot where the cabin stood. My father, Isaac Moore, went to this orchard in the fall with the wagon for winter apples when I was a small boy, though large enough to pick apples from the ground. My uncle, Robert Moore, and his boys always called this field the “old orchard field,” and it goes by that name yet. A part of this field belongs to A. R. Gay and the other part belongs to William M. Sharp’s heirs, all of which once belonged to Thomas Drinnon.
Drinnon owned a large boundary of land, several thousand acres that extended from Indian Draft to Stony Creek. Drinnon’s Ridge took its name from the old settler, an everlasting monument.
Drinnon’s home was broken up by the Indians. His wife was captured and taken away and murdered somewhere on Elk Mountain.
Charles Drinnon, a brother of Thomas Drinnon, settled near Onoto. He cleared a field which bears the name “Charley Field,” which is now owned by Anderson Barlow.
The Drinnons all left this country many years ago. I remember seeing James Drinnon, a member of this distinguished family. I think the Drinnons went to the northwestern part of this state.
Robert Moore, my grandfather, was a son of Moses Moore, who was captured by the Indians…
Robert Moore, Sr., once lived at the Bridger place, and reared his family there. My father, Isaac Moore, was born and raised there. One brother, Andrew, fell from a tree and was killed while other members of the family were stirring off a kettle of sugar. About 1820, Robert Moore, Sr., moved to Edray and settled on the Drinnon holdings. He and his boys opened up a fine farm and erected a fine two-story brick dwelling house, the only brick building in the community. I believe the lumber that went into the house was all sawed with the whip-saw as at that time there was no water power saw mills. The broad ax was extensively used in getting out all heavy timber for buildings.
Robert Moore and his wife lived and died in the brick mansion, and were buried in the Edray Graveyard. He was born in 1768 and died 1859, age 90 years. His wife was born 1771, died 1855, age 84 years. These graves were the first in the Edray Graveyard. Robert Moore’s real estate was divided with his boys and one daughter.
The names of the sons were Isaac, James, William and Robert, Jr. Robert received the old homestead, lived there many years and sold to J. W. Sharp about 1867 for seven thousand dollars. That included the upper part of the place, now owned by Isaac Sharp’s heirs. I want to say just here there was an old house stood about halfway between the old brick house and the gate at the road. I think the old settler built and occupied this house while the brick house was being erected. When I was a small boy, elections were held in the old house. There was no ticket or ballot used. The commissioner, or “Conductor of Election,” asked the voter, “Who do you vote for?”
To be continued…
Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County ~ 1901
By William T. Price
BIOGRAPHIC
ANDREW WARWICK
One of the best known names in our pioneer annals was that of the Warwicks. John Warwick, the ancestor of the Greenbank branch of the connection, was of English descent. It is believed he came to upper Pocahontas previously to the Revolution, and opened up a settlement on Deer Creek, at the place now in the possession of Peter H. Warwick and John R. Warwick. Mrs. Warwick, whose given name can not be certainly recalled, was a member of the Martin family in the Valley of Virginia.
John Warwick seems to have been a person of great enterprise, and braved the dangers of pioneer life with more than ordinary courage and devotion to duty. He had a fort raised upon his premises, to which himself and neighbors would resort when threatened by Indian incursions or raids. Being so near to Clover Lick, whose facilities for hunting and fishing were so much prized by the Indians, its erection seems to have been very exasperating to them, and they were very troublesome to the settlers living in reach of the Warwick fort.
The only Indian Major Jacob Warwick was ever certain of killing was shot from a tree not far from this fort. The warrior had climbed the tree to reconnoiter the fort, and it is more than probable that the death of the scout interfered with the Indian’s plans and intentions of attack.
