Volume 18 , Issue 30

Formation of Pendleton County, W Virginia

According to Oren Morton's book, "History of Pendleton County, West Virginia" in 1910, we discover the formation of Pendleton county, West Virginia, at the close of 1787 with population of Rockingham nearly 7000. That included 700 slaves, also.

The state legislature passed the Act establishing Pendleton county, (West) Virginia, 4 December 1787. The population in its beginning was about 2200, almost exclusively white. The distribution of the inhabitants between the three valleys was not very unequal. The people lived mainly along the larger watercourses, the mountains being still an almost unbroken forest.

The organization of the county government was described in the records:

"Be it remembered that at the house of Seraiah Stratton, in the county of Pendleton, on the 2nd day of June and in the year of our Lord 1788, and in the 12 year of the Commonwealth, Commissions of the Peace and of Oyer and Terminer, directed to Robert Davis, john Skidmore, Moses Hinkle, James Dyer, Isaac Hinkle, Robert Poage, James Skidmore, Matthew Patton, peterHull, James Patterson, and Jacob Hoover, Gentlemen, was produced and read, and thereupon the said Robert Davis took the Oath appointed by the Act of assembly giving assurance of fidelity to the Commonwealth, and took the Oaths of a Justice of the Peace, of a Justice of the County Court in Chancery, and of a Justice of Oyer and Terminer, all of which Oaths were administered to him by the said John Skidmore and Moses Hinkle. And thus the said Robert Davis administered all the aforesaid Oaths to the said John Skidmore, Moses Hinkle, James Dyer, Isaac Hinkle, James Skidmore, Matthew Patton, and James Patterson.

"A Commission from his excellency the Governor to Robert Davis, Gent. to be high Sheriff of this County during pleasure as produced by the said Robert Davis and read, thereupon together with Seraiah Stratton, Francis Evick, Roger Dyer, James Davis, Isaac Hinkle, and George Dice, his securities, entered into and acknowledged two Bonds for the said Robert Davis's due and faithful performance of his Office, which are ordered to be recorded. And then the said Robert Davis took the Oath for giving Assurance of fidelity to the Commonwealth and was sworn sheriff of said county."

Of the eleven justices, Davis, Dyer and Patton were brother-in-law. The Hinkles were of one family, and the Skidmores were of one other, and were related to the Hinkles. Regimental Militia Officers; Co. Robert Poage; Lt. Col. Peter Hull; Maj. Henry Fleisher.
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