GATEWAY TO THE WEST

By J. M. Moseley

Part Seven

Early Industries

Early Lumber Making

The first lumber in our community was made by the “up-and-down” sawmill. It consisted of a long saw similar to a crosscut, but only a rip saw, cutting one way. One man stood on the ground and the other on a scaffold above. The log was placed on a skidway so the saw would rip boards from the side. Later this was altered into the whip saw which was operated on the same principle except that it was run by a water wheel and a crank arrangement, the saw in each case cutting only on its downward movement. The log was pushed along a track by means of a hand carriage, with a gauge to cut the boards uniform in thickness. At first the logs were faced and lined with a chalkline and broad axe.

One such mill was erected west of Schafers Ford, in the year 1860. Part of the dam for the water wheel still remains after almost a century. It was built by Boone Melburne, and operated by Russell Clawson. It was on Schafers Creek just below the Wynn Grist Mill. It was erected to saw the lumber to build the grist mill. Right at Schafers Ford on the west bank of Powells River may be seen the remains of another dam where a similar mill was built in 1861. It was known as the James Shelburne Mill.

There were several such mills over the country. A good deal of lumber was cut for local use by such crude mills. Many of the better houses in early years were made at least in part by lumber made by this process. Sometimes houses would be built of hewed logs, and then lumber sawed for flooring, ceiling, partitions, rafters and joists, and for furniture.

Vandals of the Forest

After most of the land was taken up by the early settlers, cattle raising became a paying industry. This was an inducement to have the steep mountain land cleared and sowed in bluegrass, which grows well on much upland of the county. The tenant lease came in to give homes and employment to many who did not own land.

Under the tenant leasing system, a boundary of timbered upland would be leased to a tenant who would go on it and build a cabin and clear the land for five crops. This meant a home for the tenant and good fertile land to cultivate as his own for five years. There were usually running leases, each year’s clearing running for five years. Thus the leaser might make for himself a home for several years. Each five year boundary would be seeded to bluegrass as soon as the leaser’s term was out on it. The term of lease was later shortened to three years.

But the leasers were the vandals of the forests. No value was put upon timber. It was cut and burned in a most prodigal manner. Durable kinds of timber were split into rails for fencing and boundaries. Even such valuable timber as black walnut was often split into rails for fencing.

During that period, fences were all made of rails. A satisfactory fence was “bull strong and pig tight”. Usually the best fence was ten rails high and staked and ridered. The fence was built ten rails high, then two rails were set up on the ground and crossed over the corners. A rider or extra rail was placed in these staked corner crosses, making the fence several inches higher. In time this system of fencing gave way to barbed or woven wire. Now the sight of a rail fence attracts attention as a notable antique.

Logging

After the period of the up-and-down saw, and the whip saw, some timber was floated to market in rafts down the river. Only prime, first class timber was thus marketed. The logs were cut  in uniform lengths, and hauled with oxen to the river. They were rolled into a convenient sheltered estuary and secured together in rafts. This was done by pinning or nailing a slab of pole along the ends of the logs to hold them together. Then long oars were fixed at each end of the raft.

Only when a tide was rising int he river was the raft released for the trip to market. The oars were for keeping the raft in the middle of the stream, to avoid striking the shore on bends. A crew was made up and ready, subject to call when a tide came. Tides were much more regular and dependable then than now. Their coming was hailed with delight by the crew. The raft was cabled to trees fore and aft. When ready to start, the cables were loosed and the oars were manned to pull the raft sidewise away from the shore. The start was always made on a rising tide. If the raft outran the tide, it was sometimes necessary to land the raft, cable it up and wait a few hours for the tide to catch up. One end of each cable was secured to the raft. A man with each cable would leap upon the shore or reach it with a canoe, and by quick deft movements pass the cable around a tree. Thus secured, the raft would lie quietly by until released again and pulled toward the middle of the stream.

There was a crew sufficient to man the oars in shifts as needed, and a cook to prepare provisions along the way. A bunk was erected on the raft for sleeping and for storage of supplies.

A trip down river on a raft or a flat boat was interesting and exciting. Good raft hands were always in demand. When the destination was reached, the manager would sell his raft or cargo and pay his crew wages. They would sell everything and return home or to the nearest point by train.

The advent of the movable steam sawmill put an end to rafting. It became easier and cheaper to saw and ship the lumber from the grounds where the logging was done.

In pioneer days, and for many years after that time, oxen were used for logging in the mountains. A heavy yoke of wood was placed upon the necks of a pair of oxen and bows of bent hickory were placed under the necks and up through the yoke and pinned in place. In the middle of the yoke between the oxen was secured a great chain that passed back to be secured to the logs by heavy grabs, with hooks which were driven into the log. Any number of yokes could be linked together by trailer hooks. Thus thousands of feet of timber could sometimes be hauled at one trip.

A skillful driver, armed with a long leather whip and a loud voice would drive the well trained animals and handle and maneuver them at will in a remarkable way. They could pull ponderous loads. But it took a lot of patience for their slow motions, or a lot of impatience as one would think to hear the loud cracking of the whip and the lusty yelling of the driver.

Fire Making

The pioneer had to depend on himself much, because neighbors were not very near. There had to be means of preserving fire, as there were no matches. So the big broad fireplace was sure to have its firebrand of hardwood carefully covered with ashes to preserve fire from which the next fire could be kindled. If the fire happened to go out, then one would have to go to a neighbor’s house to get a firebrand or coals from which to start a fire, or a new fire had to be made by a process which would be strange to us now, either a flint and steel or by friction.

To start a fire with flint and steel, there had to be tinder made by burning a piece of cloth into a char and then putting out the fire and carefully preserving the charred cloth, called tinder. A spark falling on tinder would catch, and could be fanned into a blaze sufficient to ignite tow and then spread to other light dry material.

Another source of tinder was punk, which is thoroughly rotted wood preserved in a perfectly dry state. Punk can sometimes be found in the hollow of a tree or log.

With punk or prepared tinder, sparks can be struck from a flint with steel, and allowed to fall on this material and a fire started. Sometimes in the absence of these, a little powder would be sprinkled in tow and a spark from a flint and steel allowed to fall into this.

In the absence of all these, fire can be made by vigorously rubbing two pieces of dry wood together, which requires plenty of patience and persistence. Ingenious devices were sometimes made for this, such as a form ob bow and string to give mechanical speed when sawed back and forth on a spindle around which the string was wound, the lower end of the spindle working in a dry piece of wood, and the upper end being pressed down firmly with a block of wood in the hand.

Gunpowder

Black powder is made of 70% to 80% saltpeter (Potassium nitrate), pulverized with 10% to 15% each of charcoal and sulphur. Potassium nitrate is rock salt that filters from rocks in certain caves. Powder is explosive because it contains enough oxygen for its own combustion, and it liberates nitrogen and carbon dioxide sufficient to occupy 1,000 to 1,500 times its own space while dormant powder.

The soldiers in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars and Indian Wars, and the pioneer backwoodsmen, sometimes made their own powder by collecting and pulverizing and mixing ingredients when the deposit of saltpeter could be found. This important chemical is found in many caves among the mountains. It was found near Duffield, near Schafers Ford, and in sections of the caverns near Ewing, Cumberland Gap and other places.

In making powder the ingredients had to be handles with great care, each being ground separately. To try to grind them together would cause an explosion. They were best worked and mixed under water, and then allowed to dry in a safe place.

Open Fire Cooking

In Pioneer days, and for many years after that period, every house had its one or more wide fireplaces for burning wood. There were usually the pot hangers and hooks for hanging cooking pots over the fire and for lifting the bakers and lids. The baking was usually done in a Dutch oven or baker, a low heavy baker with heavy lid. This baker and lid were set on the fire until hot, then the pones of corn dough or pieces of meat or dressed fowl were placed in the oven and the hot lid placed over it. Then the heat could be raised by setting the baker over hot coals on the hearth and adding shovels full of hot embers on top of the lid. All old timers will witness that the flavor of bread and foods baked this way were far ahead of stove cooking.

The lights were candles made right in the home. There were candle moulds, usually of tin and holding several candles at the same time. A wick of twisted cloth string was suspended in each  of the six or eight tubes and melted tallow poured in the moulds. In a few minutes this would harden sufficient to open up the moulds and turn the candles out. The were then ready for use.

A crude light was some times made by placing a lump or lard or other grease on a saucer or cup and placing in it a rag string wick. When the grease was almost burned out, another supply could be placed on the wick.

On the broad fireplace would be made the soap for all the family use. A crane held a large iron kettle over the fire, and in this would be placed the “soap grease” and ash lye. The soap grease was the meat scraps, fat, bones, etc., kept for the purpose. This grease had to be “cut” with lye which was made by placing wood ashes in an ashhopper, a V-shaped structure of boards flaring at the top and set at the bottom in a narrow spout to run the lye into a vessel at one end. Then water was poured on the ashes and allowed to go down slowly. After a while it would run a strong red lye. This was added to the soap grease until it would “cut a feather.” Then it was boiled until the lye would “eat up” the grease. More boiling and a soft but very effective soap would be the result. This was kept in a tub, or if well made, might be cut into blocks and dried, to be used as needed. Often the soap gourd was kept handy as a container for the soap to be in reach when needed.

Later the ash lye was replaced by manufactured or store bought balls of lye, which served the same purpose in soap making, and was more convenient to use.

Time Keeping

To keep the time of day in the absence of clocks and watches, a compass mark was sure to be found at every house. This was simply a mark cut in a porch or door to show the edge of the shadow int he sun by a post or jam. This mark usually indicated twelve o’clock noon. Other times had to be judged accordingly.

Now and then a very skillful workman learned to make clock movements of wood. Usually apple wood or wild cherry were used. The wheels were accurately made of this close grained wood, and the whole movement thus constructed except the escapement which had to be made of sheet brass. This movement with long swinging pendulum and heavy metal weights with cords, was assembled in a tall case standing some seven feet high and resting on the floor. These came to be known as Grandfather clocks. They kept accurate time, and a very rare one can now be found, keeping the time and striking the hours after as much as 130 years or more of continual use.

In Lee Co. there lived one such clock maker, Tommy Duff, whose home was near Kanes Gap, on the Wilderness Road, at the head of Wallens Creek. It is a rare thing to find such an antique now, on which collectors place great value.

Eli Terry of Plymouth, CT (1772-1852) was a master int he making of Grandfather clocks with wooden movements. Some of his clocks have been brought into Lee Co. and date back to more than a century ago.

Pump Logs

In early years, and up until almost the time of the Civil War, water pipes were made of wood, called pump logs. A log auger - about eight feet in length - was used. Logs, usually chestnut wood, were prepared and secured on a level base, and the hole through the log bored about two inches in diameter.

The logs were flared inside at one end and tapered on the outside at the other end, so as to fit into each other. The ends were usually bound with metal bands to avoid cracking.

Many lines of such pipes were laid in the country, one of which brought the water from the big spring on the mountain at Cumberland Gap to Lincoln Memorial University. This pipe line was in use until about 1930, when it was replaced with metal pipe.

Such a line of wooden pipes was in use at the John P. Orr place on the Fincastle Road south of Dryden, and at the Gilley Farm south of Green Hiill, one at the Wynn Mill near Schafers Ford, and many others. Now and then a piece of such a pump log can yet be found. Water soaked, the wood will last almost indefinitely.

We have known of such a pipe line being terminated in a willow post with a spout emptying into a trough. The willow upright, being planted in the ground, takes root and grows into a tree with a fountain. Two such fountains have been created in Virginia, one in the Valley of Virginia which was often visited by soldiers during the Civil War, and the other in Lee Co. at the Nathan Cox house a mile east of Jonesville. This last brought water perhaps a hundred yards from the spring on the hillside northeast of the house and poured from a willow tree into a stone trough. The trough still remains but the rest of the notable water line has been removed by time.

Mills

One of the first machines necessary for the existence of people is some kind of mill for preparing grain for food. Burrs for grinding grain were known from ancient times, and reached their highest perfection in France where good stone was found from which to make them. These began early to be imported to America. They were called French burrs.

Likewise the water wheel comes to us from France. But the pioneer could hardly expect at first to have French burrs for grinding his meal and flour for his bread. Neither could he get a water wheel brought from Europe to furnish power, even though there were fine streams all around for the work. Many contrivances were skillfully worked out by the shifty pioneers.

The first primitive effort toward a mill was doubtless patterned after Indian methods, simply a hollowed out log or stone, in which the corn was churned or punched with a club of wood similar to a heavy baseball bat.

In ancient times, referred to in the Scriptures, two mill stones were used to grind grain, the top one being turned on the bottom one by hand. This was done by means of a wooden pin inserted in a hole at one side, the stone being turned by a crank-like movement. Two operated the mill, one to turn the stone and the other to feed the grain into the hole in the upper stone.

In Deut. 24:6 we read: “No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man’s life to pledge.” That is, one could not take away a mill stone for a debt or obligation. Every family had a mill, and the women did the grinding as one of their regular routine duties.

In making a spiritual comparison, Marr. 24:41 says: “Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one shall be taken and the other left.”

From the Indian method of grinding, the inventive pioneers devised various other contrivances. One ingenious old timer on Wallens Creek built a “Slow John” with which his meal was ground for several years. It consisted of a “dug trough” or hollowed out log and pestle or maul which was operated by water. A beam was balanced on a post to which, at one end, was suspended the maul for crushing the grain in the trough, and to the other and was suspended a large bucket into which a spout of water flowed. When the bucket filled, its weight lifted the maul on the other end of the seesaw beam. Then when the bucket of water went down, it was arranged to trip and empty the water. Then the maul would come down with force on the grain in the trough as the empty bucket flew up ready to be refilled from the water spout. Thus the “Slow John” worked all through the night grinding grain for the next day’s bread. This machine continued to be useful until at last an unfortunate rate lingering too long in the trough stealing corn was caught by the maul, with what dire outcome one can imagine. The results were tragic, and caused the “Slow John” to be discontinued.

The early settlers were not long in beginning to build water wheels, and bringing imported stones from Europe. Then ever community came to have its small grist mill to which the neighbors for miles around took their turns of corn to be ground, or their wheat to be made into healthful whole wheat flour. The flour was sometimes bolted by a bolting cloth turned by hand, or by a sieve. Such flour or meal would not keep beyond a reasonable time, but was far better for the health than the finely ground and thoroughly bolted product of the modern process.

A very few extra large French burrs were brought to Lee Co. in the early days, one of which is in the Collier Mill near Schafers Ford, formerly the Wynn Mill. Another was used in the Riley Pennington Mill at Ben Hur. These stones measured 42 inches in diameter, the upper runner stone weighed more than a half ton, and the lower or bed stone weighed around a ton. Most of the burrs measured only about 18 to 24 inches across.

Some of the early mills of the county are the Lytton Mill on Powells River near Woodway, built by Joseph Koger before the Civil War. Wireman’s Mill and the Cumberland Gap Mill at the extreme western end of the county, the DeBusk Mill on Powells River south of Dryden, the Orr Mill and the Wynn Mill just west of Jonesville, and the Yeary Mill and Coleman Mill on Wallens Creek.

The leading mill in the county at present is the Pennington Mill run by electricity, with modern machinery for making fine flour, meal and feed.

The once popular small country burr mill has fallen into disuse. It is more convenient to go to any store in the country and purchase find flour or bolted meal than to take time to go to mill with grain from the farm. Then the people have learned to prefer the fine white products to the whole grain process. In the modern roller mill the grain is crushed to extreme fineness, and the vitamin and mineral containing heart and husk are thoroughly removed, thus robbing the bread of one-third of its value as food. But the new process is completely replacing the old time mill, until the country burr mill will soon be only a memory. Of this the State Board of Health says it is a “national calamity, working untold damage to the present generation.”

Medicines and Remedies

Medicine in the early days and to more recent times, consisted mostly of herbs. Many home remedies proved valuable. There was nothing else on which to depend. Doctors were few and far between in pioneer days. Even the doctors who could be reached depended more on herb remedies than anything else.

A favorite remedy for most ills was the jug of liquor in which herbs were mixed. The spirits were supposed to hasten the flow of blood and carry the virtue of the herbs to the affected parts promptly. They preserved the remedy indefinitely and stimulated the patient. But sometimes, as in snake bite, the remedy was worse than the disease.

Many medical herbs were gathered and dried, and kept for use any time they were needed. Some really had virtue and some were merely fetishes depending on superstition for their value. One plant in particular was valued very highly for the market, that really has no medical value worth mentioning. This is ginseng. The Chinese have used this herb from earliest times many centuries ago. The root rather than the herb was valuable. Its value has always depended upon superstition. The Chinese attributed to ginseng a charming value, believing it was of the gods, and helped the Medicine Man’s words and incantations to drive away the evil spirits of ailments.

“Sanging” in our native forests has brought considerable income to those who would gather the roots. It was formerly bought by almost every country grocerman, and commanded a high price, often as much as a dollar per ounce.

The Chinese put fabulous value upon a root of ginseng in human form. It has been reported that as much as eight thousand dollars has been paid by Chinese royalty for a single root of ginseng in striking human form. It was dressed in silk and kept on a pillow, being held in godly reverence.

Common wild American ginseng is preferred to the cultivated product. The roots are crushed by the Medicine Man and boiled with rice. Then the patient is attended with mysterious words, gestures and incantations, and required to eat the concoction. This is believed to appease the evil spirits of ailment and effect a cure. Of course its only value could not be beyond the faith of strong superstition, a kind of hypnotic effect. However, it is capitalized upon extensively by American trade, less now than formerly.

Among our people there are many remedies and superstitions which have persisted even down to the present, which are equally absurd. One can observe the fragmentary remains of some of these groundless beliefs almost any day, though they are slowly removed by proper education.

Pioneer Equipment

The early pioneer, as well as later mountain folks, found no lack of material to make their houses, and most of their equipment. They knew how to rive splints from the smooth, tough-grained white oak. From these they wove baskets and chair bottoms. This required skill that is kept up only by a very few old folks today. Young hickory bark was also used for these purposes.

The pioneer, and his successors also, knew how to make staves from mulberry, white oak or cedar. With these he made barrels, hogsheads or churns. The hoops were all made of wood, the bands very skillfully notched and locked to make a smooth and perfect binder.

The art of tanning was well known and used to make a perfectly good leather. The chestnut oak bark tanning process took twelve months, but shoes and boots wore well made with old time, honest, dependable leather. At first moccasins, made of rawhide or of buckskin, were the only footware. They were simply cut in one piece and made with a seam up the front. But at a very early date, shoe and boot makers came. They had no metal nails or tacks. The bottoms were put on with wooden pegs of beech, maple or any hard wood. Half-soling was done with pegs of wood which were made and driven with remarkable skill. The lasts on which they were made were of wood hand fashioned at home. The sewing was done with strong waxed linen thread, sometimes pointed with hog bristles to serve instead of needles.

The building of a hewed log house required a broad axe. This was imported or made by a local blacksmith of imported material. The broad axe was a very wide bladed axe, the edge of which sloped one way. It was reversible.

Put on the handle one way, it could be used by a right-handed person. To change to left-hand use, the blade only had to be removed and turned around. With the broad axe a log could be rapidly hewed straight and smooth by a skilled workman. The log had to be first lined with a chalkline, and scored with a common chopping axe.

Sometimes the axe came into use to smooth the puncheon floor. This hoe-like tool could be handled with great skill, which takes quite a lot of practice for perfect work. These are tools not often seen even by good carpenters now, because modern methods of manufacturing and building have made them unnecessary. Still they have great interest for us as antiques coming to us from the days of our forefathers.

The old-time workman did not worry about equipment, late models or high prices of machinery. When he needed a lathe to turn his bed posts or chari rounds, he simply went to work and made one. Some very fine pieces of work, valued at fabulous prices today, were made entirely by hand or with home made tools and equipment.

Bed steads were not associated with high costs or scarcity. The first ones were mere pegs driven in holes bored in the log wall, and supported by posts in the floor. Slats or poles on these supports held the bedding. When the workman got around to making a nicer article, there was the finest of walnut, cherry and oak at hand. The bed stead was made with fine turned posts, massive hand-carved foot and head pieces, and instead of slats to support the bedding, a system of ropes or cords were woven in between the rails. The 3/4 inch flax cords, also made at home, were very strong and durable, and were drawn very taut. Such a bed as an antique is far more valuable than a factory made item now, not only because of age alone, but because of the marvelous skill shown in the workmanship.

Flax was early grown for fiber. A stinging nettle weed grew wild in the mountains, a plant that yielded a fiber similar to flax, but an inferior article. Still it was used for tow, and other uses. The pioneer mothers were deft with the hand-made spinning wheel and loom. Most of the cloth for the whole family was made right in the home. As soon as sheep could be raised by the settlers, wool was added to the home manufacturing process. Even dies were made of native material. In time the carding machine was added to the water mill as a power machine. This saved the labor of hand carding.

Each of these many tools and items of equipment are fortunately preserved in museums near us, and may now be seen by the present generation. They mean much more than mere curiosity. They speak volumes for the hardihood, inventive genius and skill, and the great spirit or self-support in our forefathers, which we must greatly admire, and which should be a great inspiration to us.

One small item, but one of great importance, was the writing pen. This was no costly fountain pen with gold point. It was only a goose feather. It took remarkable skill to trim out a writing quill point; but when properly done, excellent writing could be done with it. Many valuable documents were written with such pens and remain to this day.

Education was limited among the mountain folks to mere reading, writing and arithmetic. This was thought to be all that was necessary except the fine education of living in that age of handcraft and woodlore. Schools were held in each community, when a teacher could be hired, for a few months each year. The teacher was paid by subscription, and boarded among the scholars. His discipline was strict and severe.

The school house of logs with a wide fireplace for burning wood. There were no desks, only benches of split logs supported by wooden legs in holes bored in the log seats. Many a man of talent and achievement had been taught in such a school.

Rough Lands

Much of the land in Lee Co. is steep and rough, yet people have penetrated almost every nook and corner and built homes. There has been no mountain gorge that contained any land that could be cultivated that has not been reached by the hardy mountaineers. Land has been cultivated and even improved that others less accustomed to adverse circumstances would have considered completely untenable.

Leo Borah, writing in Geographical Magazine a few years ago, said: “The hillbillies are just normal, likeable, honest Americans. Considering their lack of advantages, their centuries of isolation, the poor quality of the soil many of them till, I marvel at their success in life. A visit among them makes a man who is honest with himself search his own soul and wonder whether under similar circumstances he could do as well.”

There have been many humble homes built among the rugged mountains. In those homes long remained the hand-loom, the spinning wheel and the Dutch oven. There remain the never-failing hospitality and fervent religion. In isolated districts the pioneer atmosphere lingered long after the Civil War. Today most of the old cabins have been removed and many have been replaced by neat painted houses and modern conveniences. But much of the old time hospitality still remains. The people still cling to some old fashioned ways, and sharply resent the “high-hat”, which was originally the real “hillbilly.” Formerly the fellow who turned against his raising and became “stuck up” was called the “hillbilly.”

Opportunity schools are near, and extensively used by the mountain boys and girls. A good system of schools is in reach of all. Many useful citizens have come from the mountains and held important positions in every line. The proverbial backwardness of the “hillbilly” has lost its meaning. The joke has lost its punch. In many instances it has turned like the weathervane the other way. The lingering spirit of pioneer hardihood has often proved an asset. Time and experience have shown as fine brain and brawn, talent and integrity in mountain lads and lasses as in their more favored contemporaries. The typical mountain youth is not ashamed of his origin, but proud of his opportunity and his honest and honorable background. It is an inspiration and a challenge to higher attainment.

Singing Conventions

On Sunday, May 13, 1917, while the world was being rended with carnage and strife, there was organized in Lee Co. a peaceful institution for fellowship which has brought comfort and spiritual uplift to thousands all through the years. Introduced by L. V. Jones at St. Charles, VA, the beginning of a Singing Convention which has survived for a third of a century, still goes strong to create harmony and good will and promote singing in the churches all over the county.

Four years later, May 21, 1921, the same leader conceived the idea of a similar nature for the three counties of the extreme southwestern corner of the state - Lee, Scott and Wise. Its first session was at Vico in Wise Co. on that date. This organization was called the Tri-County Singing Convention, with a view to bringing the three counties together in singing. The three counties came together at Bullett Park in Big Stone Gap in June, 1921. There were 20 quartets present and took part. Bullett Park was adopted as a permanent meeting place, and the name and plan was changed to Tri-State Convention, to be the combined work of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.

The Tri-State Conventions had been held at Big Stone Gap, VA; Woodway, VA; Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN; and Middlesboro, KY. The regular meeting date of the Conventions is annually on the second Sunday in June.

Two titanic world struggles have passed into grim history of remorseless time. Men have proclaimed peace when there was no peace. Tears of bitterness still flow. Yet met get comfort from sacred songs as did the pioneers of old in the midst of trying times. This peaceful organization in coordination with the churches still strives to bring bits of sunshine and hope against the dark clouds of a troubled world, until the Day of Peace when all men may sing together without prejudice or fear.

Places of Interest

The Midway Baptist Church in the Thompson Settlement near the mouth of Wallens Creek is probably the oldest church standing in Lee Co. Its window ledges are of red cedar, and the house is still in good condition. It was built in the year 1800. Rev. John Kenney was the first pastor. It is a notable landmark representing 150 years of worship.

Another very old Church is Blackwater Lick, or Big Door as it is commonly called. It was organized September 27, 1847, on the farm of Oren L. Robinette, by the Primitive Baptists. Near by was an Indian burying ground, perhaps Shawnees judging from the stones that were used. The first building was made of logs with puncheon floor. The good women of the community, in that age of the sun-bonnet, high-top shoes and long dresses, kept the floor clean with water and sand applied with the old time hickory scrub broom. Their services were for worship and not for show. This building was destroyed by fire during the Civil War by Witcher’s Men, either by accident or design, while camping there. Another log building was erected on the present site of the Church, which served for school and for worship. It had extra wide double doors which gave rise to the name “Big Door.” The present building was erected in 1907. A modern school house was erected near by. With this Church are associated the records and memories of old ministers of long and faithful service, among whom were Rev. E. S. McPherson, Rev. Isaac Robinette and Rev. Emory A. Robinette.

Capital Punishment

Before the electric chair replaced hanging as a means of capital punishment, the older people tell of two colored men who were executed at Jonesville more than half a century ago. One was humble and prayerful. The other was impudent and unrepenting. It was a cold day and the man hardened in crime told the sheriff to hurry up, that he was cold and wanted to get to a warmer place.

Next to the last hanging was in 1894. Bill Jones (sometimes called Bill London) was convicted of killing  Wess Ely, a colored man, while they were working on the L & N Railroad. Jones was sentenced to be hanged early in 1893. The day was set, and a large crowd assembled in Jonesville to witness the execution. The hangman’s rope was suspended from an upper window in C. A. Russell’s store. Just before the hour of execution, a reprieve came from the Governor staying the execution. There seemed to be a wave of disappointment in the crowd. But one year later, in February, 1894, Jones was hanged.

The last hanging in Lee Co. occurred the next year. Sam Marshall, colored, was convicted of killing a white man named Ingle. He was executed by Sheriff Charles E. Flanary, in March, 1895.

Jonesville Campground

The Camp Meeting as an institution began in 1810. At first there was only a brush arbor in which to worship and the grounds on which to camp. This temporary structure would not turn the rain. It only protected against the sun. It was located two miles west of Jonesville. Not until 1824 was there a permanent shed made of log posts split in half and covered with clapboards that had holes bored in them for pole legs. Benches were made of logs. The plates, rafters and seats were hewed with a broad axe. Henry Woodward and David Orr scored the logs, and Robert W. Wynn and Joseph Haskue the presiding Elder, hewed the timbers.

Abraham Still, an old time Methodist Circuit rider, was pastor, and one of the founders of the Camp Meeting. The land, about three and one-half acres, was given around the shed by Elkanah Wynn and his wife Mary.

As time went on, the shed was lengthened and more comfortable seats were provided. The lights at first were no doubt candles, later replaced by oil lamps, and then gasoline lamps, and finally electric lights.

Before the Civil War there were perhaps thirty or forty camps erected in a hollow square on the grounds with the shed in the center. There was a dirt floor in the shed, and this would be covered with straw or sawdust. The grounds were early enclosed by a stone wall with three gates. There was once a cave just outside the wall which was used to store provisions, but it has been filled up. The wall remains, but somewhat tumbled down. There are stones in it 7 feet in length and more than a foot in width and thickness.

Camp Meeting has been held there every year since 1910, except two - 1863-64. During those two years, for fear of army intrusion while the War was on, the meetings were held at the old log church in Long Hollow four miles east of Jonesville. That house is still standing in use, both as a church and school. The school is called Rock Castle, and the church is Old Long Hollow. It has been standing since 1858.

The old Camp Ground has held a warm place in the affections of thousands through the generations for nearly a century and a half. It is still going strong, and has a fine annual attendance and lively interest. People have always looked forward to Camp Meeting in August of each year with reverend interest, when crowds from all over Lee and adjoining counties assemble at this great social center and shrine.

During the Civil War Confederate soldiers of the 64^th Virginia Regiment camped in the buildings for a while. Through some neglect on leaving the place, the Camps were burned, only the old shed in the center remaining unharmed. In 1865 several camps were rebuilt and the annual Camp Meeting was resumed there.

In the year 1928, a new modern brick church was erected on the west end of the lot. The Camp Ground is a well drained, rocky, gentle rolling ground, with a rim of cedars and ancient gnarled white oaks that have stood for centuries. Beautiful low lying hills surround the spot of olden memories. A shed 40 by 90 feet still stands on the old ground, but is seldom used since the erection of the new church.

Southwest Virginia Museum

Mrs. Janie Slemp Newman, daughter of Col. Campbell Slemp, gathered a collection of historical relics. With this collection as a nucleus, the hobby was expanded, enlarged and developed by her brother, C. Bascom Slemp. At his death in 1943, the whole collection passed into the hands of the Commonwealth of Virginia by his will. It was thus made a permanent museum with an annual endowment fund, and placed under the management of the Virginia Conservation Commission.

The fine old brown stone mansion of the late Rufus A. Ayers, in Big Stone Gap, VA, was taken over by the State in 1946, and made permanent housing for the Museum.

The Museum contains a fine variety of items of interest, including history, custom, industry and achievement. Here may be seen the evolution from the pine knot to the electric light. An excellent display of native woods with their leaves, nuts, berries, grain and bark. Here may be seen a nice collection of Indian relics, things pertaining to Daniel Boone, Thomas Walker, Christopher Gist, the flintlock gun and other firearms, a good line pertaining to spinning, weaving and quilt marking, furniture, chinaware, glass, and valuable paintings. Here are preserved many books by native authors. Here are collections and furnishings by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

This fine museum is in the midst of many other places of scenic beauty and historical and industrial value. Twenty-two miles to the south is the Natural Tunnel, the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” Ten miles to the east is the High Knob, the hunter’s paradise in the midst of Jefferson National Forest. Sixty miles to the southwest is famous Cumberland Gap and the National Historic park.

To Be Continued..........