More names of streams from The Pocahontas Times April 27, 1939

Until Adam Baxter put me straight, I had never associated the Robert Morris grants of land with Pocahontas County, for the big survey bore the name of the man who made it, to be transferred to Mr. Morris. Bearing to the east, the northern boundary line of this survey was with the Greenbrier Harrison County line where it crossed Williams River at the falls. At the James Sheets place on the Dutch Run survey called line for 18 miles to Egghole’s land on the head of Spring Creek. Thence it went on to Cherry Tree Bottom. Egghole’s land is a call on the county line between Greenbrier and Pocahontas.

One of the calls on the survey is for the Buffalo Cow Pasture. This is a name which has passed out. As near as I could line out the old survey without taking time to work it out on topographical sheets –– which as usual were out of pocket–– the Buffalo Pasture was the grassy glade country where Cowen is now.

Cranberry, another big tributary of the Gauley, is called for the square mile of boggy terrain up on the head of the South or Glady Fork, where cranberries grow in profusion. Without looking the important matter up, I think I remember the botanists list two varieties here –– the mountain and the small berry. Anyway, the bog of cranberry is a piece of northern tundra left here in the mid Appalachians –– a remnant of the muddy time following the receding of the ice cap age. Spruce, northern hardwood, cotton grass, arctic moss (haircap), beaver bay, red backed Shrew, Hudson Bay sparrow and other flora and fauna of the far north country make these bogs the wonderland for those trained for scientific observation.

Where Williams River got its name, I have never known for sure, I have been told it was for William Schimmerhorn, of New York, who financed the deal for land from the late Colonel Paul McNeel to settle a colony of Dutch people on back in the 1840s. This does not hold water worth a cent for the records show the name long  before this. Then I have heard it was for William Day, early pioneer and settler, but my hazy recollection is that the Day who had the fort at Mill Point and for whom Days Mountain Run were called was named Charles. This, of course, calls up Charles Mountain; so I go aside to say I have heard this name is in honor of both Charles Kennison, early settler and Indian Scout and Charles Day.

I have my own idea it might have been for William Ewing –– Swago Bill –– who owned land now the Williams. He bought this land, now the Moore place away back in the 1790s.

Ham and Bacon Sale

The 12th Annual County Ham and Bacon Show and Sale was held last Thursday at the Marlinton High School.

A total of 44 4-H boys and girls from the county have prepared 51 sugar cured and smoked hams, 10 unsmoked hams and 50 bacons for the show and sale, making this the largest ever held in the county.

Those entering are as follows: Lucy Jane Gladwell, Roland Cutlip, Vivian Shue, Gary Hollandsworth and Sollie Workman, of Hillsboro; Ernie, David, Judy and Mike Shaw, Duane Sharp, Jim Johnson and Dan Gilmore, of Marlinton; Tucker Reynolds, of Slaty Fork; Tiney McComb, Henry, Jean and Phyllis Burr, John and Bill Shelton, Peggy and Linda Malcomb, Howard McLaughln, Lowell, Virginia, Alice and Wanda Underwood, of Huntersville; Karen Mullenax, of Boyer; Martha, Sam, Rose Marie and Edward Sheets, Danieth Coleman, Robert and Joyce Matheny and John Patterson, of Green Bank; Freddie Jacobs and Carloyn Wenger, Arbovale; Eugene Davis, of Cass; Roger Galford and Larry McLaughlin, of Dunmore; William Ray and Lonnie Armstrong, of Buckeye; Riger and Dolan Irvine and Rodney Gardner, of Clover Lick.

Snow

Same story last Wednesday night and a little more Saturday morning. Now again Wednesday a heavy snow and no school. James Schaffer, at Seneca State Forest, keeps a record of rain and snowfall, and according to his records we have a total of 103 1/2 inches of snow so far this year; in November six inches, December 14 inches, January 10 /12 inches, February 31 inches and up to 36 inches in March.

ALPINE THEATRE

“Tall Stranger”

Joel McCrea ~ Virginia Mayo

“The Rabbit Trap”

Ernest Borgnine

“Ask Any Girl”

David Niven ~ Shirley McLaine

“Gidget”

Sandra Dee ~ James Darren

DEATHS

Daniel Reese Hughes, age 23, of Bartow.

BIRTHS

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Loy Burgess, of Marlinton, a son named Charles Wayne.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Sharp, of Marlinton, a son named Joe Elmer, Jr.

Born to Mr. ad Mrs. William King, of Cass, a son.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Everett Dilley, Jr. of Marlinton, a son named William Everett.