| Transcribed by Norma Knotts Shaffer from microfilm
of the Calhoun Chronicle dated 3/22/1898.
Last Tuesday we conceived the idea of taking a trip a few miles in the
country, and we instinctively headed in the direction of the scenes of
our childhood. Crossing the river at this point, we dashed away at
a good lively clip up the historic Philips' run. This stream is noted
for its productive soil. Before proceeding very far up the line,
we observed that the farmers were clearing up and preparing for good crops.
We also met Hugh Johnson and W.E. Bell with a good six horse team, hauling
timber. It was raining at a good, lively clip, and farmers were mostly
indoors.
Passing from Philips' run to Sycamore, we heard that J.M. Wilson and
wife were the proud parents of a new baby girl. Saw a new building
in course of construction on the Frank Hathaway farm, at the mouth of Upper
Road run. Here we headed down stream, and a few paces brought us
to the mouth of Lower Road run, where we could not help pausing, and for
a moment look with utter astonishment at the improvement that had been
made there in the last few years. A new two story frame residence
had taken the place of a little log hut, and grassy fields had taken the
place of what, a few years ago, was an untouched forest. The widow
of the late William Hathaway resides there, and we are informed that the
improvement has been made by her two noble sons "Road" and "Bob."
Everything was quite as of yore, about the residence of Ben Sommers.
Next we visited the residence of Matilda Poling, widow of ex-sheriff
Nicholas Poling, who died about nine years ago. He was the first
sheriff of this county after the war, and was for many years President
of the Board of Education of Sherman district. We found Mrs. Poling
comfortably situated in a home built since it had been our pleasure to
pass through that part of the country, and as kind and gentle in her nature
as ever, and we regret that lack of time compelled us to decline a pressing
invitation to wait for dinner.
This brought us to the point where the right and left hand prongs of
the creek join, but we must hasten on down. At the residence of Rev.
D.R. Poling we expected to dine, but his excellent wife being absent, and
rain beginning to fall in torrents, we hurried on to the little village
of Staten, where we met and was warmly received by "Grandma" Wilson and
Mrs. John Wilson, nee Peninger. The temptation to tarry and chat
a while with these excellent ladies was great, but verily an editor's time
is precious. Crossing the streat we found J.D. Jeffreys with his
knees under a table richly spread. He insisted upon our joining him,
but after learning from him that he was erecting a new store room, we faced
homeward, and casting one glance across to the residence and farm of W.F.
Barnes and one long look up the beautiful Little Kanawha river and Steer
Creek, where the latter empties into the former, and where we took our
first lesson in the art of rafting x ties and saw logs, we urged our nag
to make rapid strides homeward.
Along the line we called John Barr and John Frame out of their respective
homes and chatted each of them a moment, and reached home at 1 o'clock.
We regret that we have not space to mention all the improvements (illegible)
promise to take another trip in a few days, and report something of the
progress that the citizens are making. |
