[70] Mr. David Johnston was removed from his office in Beaver county after the election of Mr. Snyder as governor. Before he went to Charlestown he taught in the Canonsburgh college, and was elected in that county, Washington, to a seat in the Pennsylvania legislature. He now teaches a private school in Brownsville.—Cramer.
[71] Cuming here refers to Rev. Dr. Joseph Doddridge, whose Notes on the Settlement and Indian Wars of the Western Parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania (Wellsburgh, 1824; second edition, Albany, 1876) is a mine of antiquarian lore. Doddridge, the son of a well-known pioneer, was born (1769) in Bedford County, Pennsylvania; but at an early age his father removed to Washington County and the family experienced backwoods life. Young Doddridge was first a Methodist itinerant, but later ordained in the Protestant Episcopal church. He also studied medicine under Dr. Rush in Philadelphia, and settled at Wellsburg, where he was a useful and influential citizen. His brother Philip was a well-known Virginia lawyer and statesman. See West Virginia Historical Magazine, January, 1902, on the Doddridges.—Ed.
[72] This bridge has since been rebuilt.—Cramer.
CHAPTER XII
New town and settlement of Warren—Roland’s ferry—Comfortable situation, the effect of industry—Wheeling—Walk by moonlight—New state road—Wheeling island—Canton.
We proceeded after dinner from Charlestown, three and a half miles to a ferry, and two miles further, we passed a point and a tavern on the right, a mile and a half below which on the same hand, is the straggling town and fine settlement of Warren, laid out by Mr. Kimberly, the proprietor, five years ago, but it is only within two years that it has began to assume the appearance of a town. It contains thirty-eight dwelling houses, charmingly situated on an extensive bottom, the largest I had noticed since leaving Pittsburgh, with Indian Short creek emptying into the Ohio at its southern extremity.
Three miles lower, we passed Pike island, which is about three quarters of a mile long, and seems capable of cultivation, though perhaps rather low. Opposite to it is the boundary line between Jefferson and Belmont counties in Ohio.
Two miles further, at six o’clock we landed at Roland’s ferry, on the left, and found Roland and his son employed building a boat on the bank. He had removed from Pittsburgh last April, and now rents {94} a small farm from Mr. Woods, the county surveyor, who has a handsome house in sight, a little remote from the river where he resides, another on the bank a little lower down, and a cottage amongst the woods on the highest neighbouring hill, intended for a banqueting house during summer, and commanding an extensive prospect. At Roland’s invitation, we walked to his cottage a little distant from the river bank. His wife and a very fine girl his eldest daughter were spinning cotton, while a younger one was attending the ferry, who though a delicate and pretty girl, paddled the skiff backwards and forwards as well as a man could do. He has been very industrious, as besides having built several skiffs since his removal, he had planted and cultivated twelve acres of the finest corn I ever saw, some of it now twelve feet high, just beginning to ear. He had also a large garden well stocked with useful roots and vegetables.
At seven we left Roland’s, and three miles and a half below, passed between the north end of Wheeling island on the right, and the principal part of the town of Wheeling on the left,[73] which is situated on so high a cliff, with the avenues from the river so steep, that on account of the apparent difficulty of getting our baggage carried up, we preferred going on to where the cliff was considerably lower, landing just under Sprigg’s tavern near the ship-yards, a little above the confluence of Wheeling creek with the Ohio.
This being a great thoroughfare, on account of its situation where the great post roads from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the northern part of Virginia unite, and cross the river, on the route through the states of Ohio and Kentucky, to Tennessee and New Orleans, we found several travellers of various descriptions in the house, and after partaking with them of a good supper, we went out to saunter until bed time through the town, into which we had to {95} ascend a steep but short hill. It appeared very lively, the inhabitants being about their doors, or in the street, enjoying the fresh air of a clear moonlight evening, while two flutes were playing en duo the simple but musical Scots ballad of Roy’s wife of Aldwalloch, the prime part very tastily executed. Yet notwithstanding appearances, our impression of the town was not the most favourable, nor after tolerable beds and a good breakfast next morning, had we reason to alter our opinion when we examined it by day light.