History of the Early Settlers
Of Dry Fork, Rich Mountain and Shavers Mountain By E.C. Wyatt, Randolph Enterprise, Elkins, WV, 1922-1923
26 Oct 1922 – Randolph Enterprise [White, Smith, Summerfield]
In writing of Allegheny Thomas White perhaps some readers wonder why I call him Allegheny Tom, at that time there were two Thomas Whites, one was sometimes called Soldier while his brother and others called him Tom so when these men’s names are mentioned in conversation they would either say Allegheny Tom and sometimes Baker Tom.
John Smith moved to Middle Mountain and I will write of him later.
Job Smith lived near the home place and died 15 years ago. His sons are Denver, William and Isom, they all live near Job.
Gabriel lives near Glady, we always knew him as “Gabe”, he is a farmer. His sons name is Calvin and he lives near Glady.
Gabe’s son-in-law, Fred Louk was killed during the World War.
Aaron Smith moved to Middle Mountain, therefore his history will be written later.
There are some Smiths below Harman on the east side of Rich Mountain but I never learned but little about them. I have heard of Abraham, Job, Solomon, Robert and Conrad. I do not know when Abe came up there to live, but if I mistake not, Job, Sol and Conrad were his sons. I have met Bob several times he used to work at Evenwood in the mill and also had a barber shop there. The Smiths are of German descent.
We now take up the Summerfields and give their genealogies up to the third generation and the younger generation can trace it from there.
Thomas Summerfield is the first. He was a Revolutionary Soldier in Captain Peter Hulls Company and was in several battles and also witnessed the surrender of Cornwallis. We presume he often told his war stories to his children and how the English soldiers threw their guns down so hard they broke some of them when Washington gave them orders to hand them over to Gen. Levi Lincoln. As I mentioned in Joseph Roys history of their Indian troubles it is not necessary to repeat that part. I am told that Mr.
Summerfield built his first house a short distance east of Adam Roy’s boarding house at Job. There is a huge rock at the side of the road that goes over to Onego from Job and that rock formed part of Thomas Summerfield’
s chimney. In 1794 the court gave this man the privilege to sell whiskey without license. They seemed to think this was one way to help this man that had fought for our independence.
The Summerfields are of English descent.
Thomas Summerfield lived to the age of 93 years. He died and was buried somewhere along Red Creek, so we have two men in some lonely graveyard down there that fought for our Independence. We also say as we did about Joseph Roy that some of his relatives or some friends will remember him next Memorial Day.
His sons are Washington, Abraham, Thomas, Joseph, Jackson and John.
We imagine he and Edmund Wyatt, the Raines, Joseph Roy and John Wolford often would visit each other and tell great hunting stories in their new homes.
(To be continued) [End of article]
Transcribed by Cathy Thompson
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