Volume 14 , Issue 22

Highland County Virginia - The Highlander Abroad

In chapter XXII, History of Highland County, we come upon the Highlander abroad and their call of the West; their extent of emigration from Highland and the prominent emigrants and letters by Highland Emigrants.

The older states of the Union peopled newer states, but the Old frontier, which rested along the entire Alleghany front, was foremost in this movement, and contributed very heavily to the settlement of the Mississippi basin.

It was in 1783, after Highland had been settled almost forty years, there were yet but 10,000 people west of the Alleghanies. Seven years later there were 100,000 beyond the mountains, three-fourths of them in Kentucky, and nearly all these from Virginia. Up to 1847 it was estimated that a third of the emigration to the West had gone from the Old Dominion. The census of 1860 found 400,000 people of Virginia birth dwelling in other states. This was equal to a third of the white population remaining in the state.

The people of Highland have swarmed outward in great numbers. Families once quite numerous were now slimly represented or not at all. Occasionally a family name had scarcely more than maintained a foothold, even from the coming of the pioneer himself. Only leaving a few remaining in the old homesteads as the others had gone westward.

For many years the outflow from Highland was almost exclusively westward. The westward current first occupied the upper section of the Greenbrier Valley. Then it moved onward in a widening stream, scattering Highland surnames very widely in what is now West Virginia. It crossed the Ohio, keeping step with the opening of the country to settlement, and never halted, except for the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

There was an early rush into Kentucky, as it dispersed widely over the Southwest. The depleting of the East and the ultimate exhaustion of desirable land in the West, together with the changes wrought by the new industrial conditions, have caused the seaboard states to present a measure of attraction which once was unthought of and did not truly exist. Highland people had been moving somewhat into the Valley, pushing across the Blue Ridge into the counties of Piedmont and Middle Virginia.

There was not a Highland family but had kinsfolk abroad. Many were born abroad, having never seen their ancestral county, and were strangers to its people. There were nearer relatives, native to the county, who had migrated in all directions. Highland was represented throughout by two classes of people: 1) those of Highland birth and 2) those of Highland ancestry only.

They were to be found from New York to San Francisco and from Chicago to Mexican border. Some amassed wealth in industrial occupations. Some had gone into professional careers. Some had been judges and legislators. Even a governor's chair or a seat in Congress with a national reputation has not proved beyond the reach of the man of Highland birth or parentage.

In the broader field of opportunity which was outside of the little mountain valleys, the emigrant from Highland had made good. They were shown the capabilities of their stock, and had competed on even terms with Americans of other localities.

It was the Highlanders of parentage only of whom the residents of the county know the least. The larger share of these had been quite lost sight of. Yet several were known to have attained eminence.

The late John G. Carlisle of Kentucky, Senator and Cabinet officer, was a son of Robert and grandson of James, of the Bullpasture. His father left Highland in childhood and married a wife of Connecticut birth.

Joseph Benson Foraker, ex-governor of Ohio and ex-senator, was of the Bensons of Highland and had near relatives here.

Professor Robert A Armstrong, of the University of West Virginia, so well and favorably known in the educational circles of his state, was a scion of the Armstrongs of Doe Hill.

Benjamin Estill, Jr., of Washington County, Virginia, possessed an eloquence that matched his commanding presence. He served in Congress in 1824-6. His father's name was commemorated in Estillville, a town of this state, as an uncle's name was in that of Estill county in Kentucky. The name of General Knox, reared on the Cowpasture, was given to the metropolis of East Tennessee.

Highland had furnished a congressman who grew to manhood on its own soil. General William McCoy removed from Doe Hill to Franklin about 1800, where he went into the mercantile business. He was also a large landholder, and possessed a well-stocked farm. In 1811 he was elected to Congress for the district comprising the counties of Augusta, Rockingham, Bath, Pendleton and Hardy. His majority was 135, though he carried but his own county and Rockingham. He was re-elected for ten more terms, serving until 1833. He was a trusted friend of Andrew Jackson, and in Congress was a man of influence. For a number of years he held the important position of chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of Virginia in 1829. General Mccoy is scarcely remembered by any person now living, although he was known to have been tall and spare and of commanding presence.

This is just a few Highland men abroad that had varying instances of success:

• Adam C.Snyder, judge of court of appeals of West Virginia
• Dr. J. R. S. Sterrett, accomplished scholar and professor in leading American university, traveled extensively in Europe and the Orient. He knew sixteen tongues and conversed in several. His mastery of German being so complete as to cause him to be taken for a native German by the Germans themselves.
• Rev. Robert H. Fleming, D. D., was at the head of the Presbyterian Orphanage at Lynchburg.
• William and George M. Life were also thoroughly educated divines, and the former founded Rye Seminary in New York.
• Professor Thomas H. Jones holds a prominent position in the Randolph-Macon system of secondary schools.
• Clifton E. Byrd and William H. Keister were superintendents of city schools at Shreveport, Louisiana, and Harrisonburg, Virginia, respectively.
• Charles S. McNulty was a leading attorney of Roanoke.
• Henry Jones, who went to Texas bout 1825, left a million to his daughter.
• Jacob W. Byrd, and original "Forty-niner," narrowly escaped being lost in his journey across the western plains. He reached El Dorado in safety and dug a competence out of its golden sands.
• Edward C. Rexrode is a high-salaried salesman in a produce house of the city of New York.
• Charles A. Bradshaw was a very successful insurance agent of Bluefield, West Virginia.

The following letter is from a Highland man who had gone West: "Franklin Co., Mo, Aug., 2, 1829 - Dear Friend, I rec'd your friendly letter on the 31 of July bearing date June 1st which gave rise to every sensation of old friendship and caused them to Reverberate through all the faculties I possess as though we were personally present. I hope we will have the pleasure of spending some time together yet and our latter days may be our best ones. This leaves me well thank god and hope they will find you all the same. I have many things to communicate but being in one of John homespun's bustles I must omit part of them. Tomorrow I start for Camp meeting on the Illinois a distance of 100 miles. I have been at 2 camp meeting on the Illinois a distance of 100 miles. I have been at 2 camp meetings one Methodist 6 miles from home and the other was a Cumberland Presbyterian meeting one mile from home. The one in Illinois is a methodist meeting, where I will see your mother's cousins and Cynthia's uncle and cousins.

"It appears uncertain whether Cynthia will come with the old people or not. Present my compliments to her. Tell her now is the time to exercise sound judgment. She is of age. Let her speak for herself. My opinion is made on the subject, therefore the prayer of her ever unthankful friend is that she may be enabled to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and in every thing give thanks and be kept blameless till the coming of our lord and saviour.

"My love to father and mother Pendleton and family. Tell Phebeann I want to see her and Susan very bad. I want to see Betsy Ann and infant, all of you. Sir, if you write about the time you start I will meet you in Illinois and assist you the balance of your journey as you will be wore out by that time. Write and let me know all the news. I must return thanks for the last being so satisfactory. Give my love to . . . . . and family. Tell him to send me some money all if he can by you or your father as he has the papers. I rote to them both last June. I also sent a note of $8.00 on the . . . . . to your father for collection. I hope he will not neglect to collect principal & interest to a fraction. I think hard of . . . . . 's not writing, also of your father and mother. I have written several times to them and they have turned a deaf ear to all my entreaties. Is this christian love? No, god forbid. Is this friendship. No. If ye only love them that love you how much more do ye than the Pharisees.

"You expect to winter in Boone. You will not like it as well as some other counties I think. George & Thomas B. & family are well and all the Moses Falls & families are well. John and Betsey are single. The people are in perfect health. A few shaking with the ague a sign of good health.

"I never expect see Virginia. My mind is firmly fixed on a residence for life if things cooperator with the present flattering prospect. I am Sir, Respectfully Yours, Henry M. McCann.

"P.S. My unremitted love to Miss Rebecca --, let me know where she is and how her health is. My compliments to old Mr. Tommy R and family. Tell Polly I was in hopes to have heard that her and friend -- have been spliced before this. Remember me to all enquiring friends -- to uncle John and aunt Betsy Cunningham, in particular and the family & to Nancy Campbell. her Brother Thomas was well not long since. I conclude by sending my compliments to old Miss Martha. (Note: the postage on this letter, from Union, Mo. to Hull's Store, Pendleton county, was 25 cents.)"   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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