Chapter XXV

Mount Hope

Fayette's Phoenix City

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Mount Hope is located in the southern edge of the county, just west of the junction of the Sugar and Dunloup creeks, and the Kanawha, Glen Jean & Eastern railway, and the Loop creek branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad.

There is no more historic spot in West Virginia than Mount Hope; nowhere is found more big-hearted, generous, progressive people. Mount Hope Stands today prophecy realized.

In 1777 during the darkest period of the Revolutionary war, General George Washington had in mind people of the sterling worth and ability common to the citizens of Mount Hope when he said "Leave me but a banner to plant upon the mountains of West Augusta and I will gather around me the men who will lift or bleeding country from the dust and set her free."

About this date and later, much later, mail addressed to the residents of this section was as follows: "William Blake, Esq., West Augusta, Va." A note in 1822 reads thus: "Know all men by these presents that I, William McClung, Sr., of West Augusta of the county of Greenbrier, State of Virginia, am held and firmly bound unto William Blake of the County of Giles and sate aforesaid, in the sum of eight hundred dollars, lawful money of Virginia, for a parcel lot of 800 acres of land in Nicholas county, said plot made by Jones McCutcheon."

William Austin and Sarah, his wife, secured from the Commonwealth of Virginia a land grant dated July, 1786, signed by James Wood, then governor, a parcel of land or boundary, containing three thousand, sixty-two and a quarter acres, it being a portion of the Henry Banks survey lying and being in the county of Montgomery, on the waters of Loup creek and waters of New river.

In the same year 1796 this same tract of land was transferred to William Blake and recorded in the land grant book in the office at Richmond, Virginia, November 22, the sum being paid one thousand two hundred fifty-eight dollars ($1,258.00). William Blake owned

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much more land but this special tract of land was that upon Mount Hope was built.

In the year 1800 the section in and around the present site of Mount Hope was a wilderness inhabited only by the wild denizens of the forest; bears, deer, wolves, etc. The Indians are not supposed to have occupied the territory of the Kanawha and New river valleys immediately prior to the coming of the whites, but only to have made temporary visits in their hunting and war expeditions.

William Blake came here from Scotland, bringing his newly married bride, seeking a place where he could enjoy freedom of thought and leaving in Scotland a castle and a large estate. The estate, valued at $6,000,000 is now and long since has been in litigation and the only obstacle preventing the Blake heirs from inheriting the estate is the precise place and time of Mr. Blake's landing in America cannot be determined.

Having faith in the fertility of the soil, William Blake, with his wife and little ones, in the spring of 1805 located at what is now Mount Hope. After looking about he selected an old Indian fort for housing quarters until his grant could be filed and a log cabin erected. This fort, which stood just a few feet back of the present high school building, remained in a good state of preservation until as late as 1875.

A few years later, in order to accommodate the traveler, the old "Blake Inn," or "Mansion" as some chose to call it, was erected. It was the pride of the whole surrounding country. Many notables were entertained there. The contracts for building much of the Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike were signed in the Blake Inn.

Mr. Blake was unfortunate in that he buried his first wife, known as Mother Sally, a short time after he settled at the site of Mount Hope, also two daughters, Nancy and Peggy, and an infant son, William. John, his other son, went to California when the gold fever first gripped the people, and amassed much money. In sending money home he would cut the bills in half and when word came that they had reached their destination, the other half was sent. The bills were then carefully pasted together with gummed paper furnished by the sender.

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William Blake was one of the original petitioners praying to be exonerated from taxes on account of the remoteness of their situation, and until the Indian incursions could be put down. This was shortly after the organization of the firs county court of Kanawha county by Act of 1789. The petition was denied, but the taxes on more than three thousand acres was only 84 cents. William Blake was a scholar, aflame with freedom's enthusiasm. His son John, in his published writings on "Our Country," quoted his father as saying: "In matters of either state or religion let conscience be

your guide - not dictation - less is servitude," also that "An essay however beautifully written gotten up and rendered a prayer was solemn mockery before God." Further, concerning "Our New Country," of which he was so justly proud, he wisely remarks: "We have jumped out of dog fennel into clover; let us build wisely the hedge."

Mr. Blake later married Miss Elizabeth Wiseman and to them were born three children, William, Jackson and Martha Ann.

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On two occasions committees met by appointment at the Blake Inn to discuss the formation of Fayette county. At the dinner table one day the discussion became heated over the right pronunciation of the proposed new county. One held that it should be pronounced Fee-at while another contended that is should be pronounced Fay-et. Peace was restored only by the timely intervention of Mother Blake with a steaming platter of venison.

At this time, save for Indian trails and the old stage coach route, the country was practically a wilderness. Sheep folds had to be carefully guarded. It was not an uncommon occurrence to see a big bear carry off a choice pig. Wheat fields were often injured by herds of deer, not the least daunted by barking and baying of dogs. The male deer would stand, stamp his foot, and shake his head which was immensely covered with horns, while the others grazed on unconcernedly. Bear and deer were plentiful in this section as late as 1850.

A little water mill for grinding corn was on the land high up a mountain side, where rock had been chiseled supposedly by the Indians. There was no scarcity of water, though, for flour they had to go beyond the present site of Oak Hill to the old Rook Huddleston mill. As late as 1850 the nearest neighbor to the Blake home was Jack McCoy who operated a water power mill at the present site of Glen Jean, then known as Leblong.

Until 1854 the nearest post offices were at Raleigh and Fayetteville. Shortly after 1854 a post office was established at Glen Jean site and was named White Oak. The name was afterwards changed to Leblong. The nearest physician lived at Lewisburg. If the younger folk wanted a little social all they had to do was hike over to Pittsburg.

During the war of 1861-65 the Blakes went to Raleigh county, returning after the hostilities were over.

In 1867 Luther Warner bought a tract of land from the original Blake estate. This estate is now known as Warner Town. This tract bought by Mr. Warner was part of the inheritance of William Blake, Jr. In 1870 J. H. McGinnis bought Jackson Blake's part of the inheritance. This tract was located on the present Kilsyth site. After making this purchase of land Mr. McGinnis

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moved his family there. He was a lawyer and practiced in the courts of surrounding counties. He afterwards became a judge and in his latter years was best known as Judge McGinnis. His sons, William and Douglas McGinnis, are now members of the Raleigh county bar and reside at Beckley.

Martha Ann Blake, the youngest of the Blake heirs, was married to Charles C. Brown of Montgomery county, Virginia, April 16, 1857. Their youthful plans were frustrated by the call to arms in 1861. C. C. Brown was one of the first to respond. The torch applied to their home by invaders lighted their route for miles. Gathering together only a few article of wearing apparel they joined a party of refugees going south. This alarming circumstance forced Mrs. Brown to take temporary quarter in Giles county, Virginia, where she remained until June, 1865.

Truly Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Brown have been named the "Parents of Mount Hope." Truthful, public spirited, uncompromising Christians, they gave the present location for the Mount Hope high school, Mount Hope cemetery, and the old Union church. It was C. C. Brown who cast the first prohibition vote in Fayette county.

As later as 1870 three families constituted the citizenship of Mount Hope. In the Brown home were father, mother, two sons and five daughters. In the Warner home were grandfather and grandmother Warner, daughter Susan and son Hiram. In the McGinnis home were father, mother, two sons and five daughters. From these three families have gone out judges, lawyers, doctors, teachers and farmers - each life meaning much more to the state as well as to early Mount Hope.

The name Mount Hope was suggested by Judge McGinnis some time in the early seventies. A public school has been established there and Mr. Warner, Judge McGinnis and Mr. C. C. Brown, son-in-law of Mr. Blake were appointed as trustees. They were desirous of giving the school a name. It is said that the name occurred to the judge in the following way: In the long valley near Mount Hope extending to New river, pea vines in great abundance grew very early in the spring in defiance of the late snows, and the early settlers living a score of miles or more from the valley were accustomed to bring their cattle to graze annually at this

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early season. The name Egypt had been given to the valley, and the name still clings to it. The judge suggested that inasmuch as the school stood near the head of this fruitful valley, it could very appropriately be called Mount Hope school. The place has ever since been known by that name.

Miss Sue Warner, a dear revered old lady, who lived past the one hundred mark, having celebrated the hundredth anniversary of her birth on August 4th, 1920, helped as no one else could have done to shape the destinies of the children, for good, and much of the time superintending the Sunday school and helping to care for the sick and any others who needed her assistance. She it was who taught the first free school in the Warner kitchen in the old

Blake Inn in 1869. A Miss Criner taught the school the next year in a tenant house on the Brown farm. As school house was built in 1872. Luther Warner being the first post master with Miss Sue Warner as assistant.

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Luther Warner, J. H. McGinnis and C. C. Brown, having been appointed as the first trustees for the free school, met and adopted the following rules for the government of the school:

Rule 1: It shall be the duty of the teacher to see that all of the pupils get proper instructions.

Rule 2: It is required of the pupils to show perfect respect to all the officers and pupils of the school.

Rule 3: It will not be expected of any pupil, teacher, or other officer to any idle or indecent language at school.

Rule 4: It is not permissible of any pupils to fall out on the way to and from school.

Rule 5: No pupil shall call nicknames or in any way give cause of offense, but shall show perfect respect for each other and be reserved in their deportment as they were at preaching.

Among the names of the early teachers at Mount Hope we find the following: Walter Hanna, who afterwards became a successful business man of Charleston, West Virginia; J. R. Ford, who taught four or five sessions and being a member of the old Virginia aristocracy always wore a high silk hat; A. P. Light; A. P. Bailey; J. H. Dunn and Charles Walker.

About 1897 it was found necessary to have a two-room building, and the first building was moved to the adjoining lot and occupied by the first store in Mount Hope, conducted by Messrs. Frank and Alf Bailey. This two-room building was afterwards torn down and a six-room building was erected in its place, to which afterwards was made an addition consisting in all a building of ten rooms and an auditorium. This burned in the fire of 1910 and a new building has been erected in another part of town, so more play ground space could be secured. The new building has twelve large school rooms, and an auditorium seating comfortably five hundred people, a library and office room, and a basement fitted up as a chemical laboratory.

T. L. Davies became principal of the Mount Hope schools in 1908. He was preceded by A. A. Hendrick, who was principal from 1906 to 1908. Mr. Hendrick followed Mr. Paxton, L. S. Tully, the present vice president of the Bank of Mount Hope, who was followed by

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Mr. Hawks, Professor Curry, C. H. Martin, H. W. Charlton, B. G. Moore and J. L. Harvey, who is the present superintendent.

Mr. James Mankin and his son, Ward, started the second store in 1894 and P. M. Snyder the third in 1895. In the fall of 892 the Loup Creek branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway was begun and by September of the following year it was completed to Macdonald.

The mining developments began with the advent of the railroad and after that date the population increased and several mines were opened in rapid succession. The town of Mount Hope was incorporated June 1, 1895. The following persons have in order held the office of Mayor: P. Maynor, Robert Thurmond, H. J. Tucker, J. W. Bragg, Dr. C. M. Brown, D. C. Snyder, J. E. Garrett, W. H. Darnall and N. P. Rhinehart.

The post masters of Mount Hope from the time of its creation have been Luther Warner, C. C. Brown, Henry Bailey, Dr. T. E. Combs, J. W. Bragg, J. E. Garrett, Belle Perry, W. E. McDowell, J. Harry Bailey, W. R. Moore and C. H. Forst.

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Mount Hope Fire

On the morning of March 24th, 1910, the news flashed over the wires throughout the county and state, "Mount Hope is burning up."

The fire is supposed to have started from a gasoline stove. From the residence of W. R. Gray on one side of the street and the Union church on the other side the hungry flames devoured everything in their path as far as the Sugar creek store. About forty business houses and one hundred fifty dwelling houses were consumed. The loss aggregated five hundred thousand dollars with one hundred sixty thousand dollars insurance. Fully one thousand persons were rendered homeless. The town was left a mass of blackened ruins, but not long did thus remain.

No sooner had the coals of fire begun to cool than the clearing away of debris was in process to make way for new and better buildings. Many of the business men erected temporary quarters and were ready for business in a few days. In the meantime foundations were being laid for stone and brick buildings of fire-proof type. Hardly two years had elapsed from the time the town was in ruins until almost every business house which had burned was replaced by a larger structure of a type that defies the flames. The dwelling houses which burned were rapidly replaced by new ones in a comparatively short time the town had many more buildings and of much better kind than it had at the time of the fire.

Thus it is always so with good towns that suffer such calamities. It is an opportunity for those sterling, unyielding qualities of good citizenship to manifest what can be done even under difficulties.

Recall the burning of Boston, Baltimore, Chicago and San Francisco. New and better towns almost instantly sprung up in place of charred wreckage. If the site is located advantageously for the building of a town no calamity can permanently check its progress. Mount Hope is ideally located, and there is certainly in store for her future growth. On million dollars has been spent to rebuild the town and the end is not yet for the new Mount Hope.

What has already been said is indicative of what Mount Hope is destined to become in the future. The fact that the town so soon

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recovered from the heaps of cinders and ashes proves conclusively that people have faith in her future. The location at an elevation of 1,728 feet is ideal for a town. It is situated on Loop creek, a stream large enough to supply water for any industry that may locate there. There is an excellent system of water works, reaching every part of town, and the sewerage system is complete and sanitary in every detail. The streets are paved and the sidewalks all cement. The buildings and streets throughout are lighted by

electricity. With all this the town has money in the treasury and taxes are comparably low. The insurance rates are just one-eighth of what they were before the fire.

The legislature of 1921 granted to Mount Hope a city charter, so that is now the "City of Mount Hope." With the possible exceptions of Montgomery, Mount Hope is the largest municipality in Fayette county, having a population of approximately 2500. The business institutions of the town are varied and successful. There are four drug stores (one of which is easily the leading drug store

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of the county) eight grocery stores, seven general stores, two hardware stores, seven confectionery shops, three shoe repairing establishments, six dry goods stores, five barber shops, five garages, four heating and plumbing establishments, one bakery, four cleaning and pressing shops, one tailor shop, one photograph studio, one chiropractor, five physicians, three pool rooms, one bowling alley, a moving picture theater, one newspaper, one printing office, two hotels, four restaurants, and two banks in Mount Hope. In Mount Hope is located the head offices of the New River Company, the

largest coal producing concern in southern West Virginia with a capital of $10,000,000, fifteen producing mines, 30,000 acres of coal land under lease and 30,000 acres more owned outright. It is also the location of the White Oak Coal Company which is the selling agency for all of the mines owned by the New River Company. In addition to the above named, Mount Hope is the principal office for the following coal companies: Fayette Smokeless Fuel Company, Glencoe Coal Company, Bob Coal Company, Sugar Creek Coal Company, Dartmont Coal Company, Laurel Creek Fuel Company,

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Pemberton Fuel Company, Long Branch Fuel Company, East Gulf Coal Company, Prince-Wick Coal Company, City Coal Company, Mount Hope Fuel Company, Sugar Creek Coal Sales Company, Dunn Loop Coal & Coke Company, Collins Colliery Company, White Oak Fuel Company, Cranberry Fuel Company, Beckley Coal & Coke Company, Mabscott Coal & Coke Company, Macdonald Colliery Company, Mount Hope Coal & Coke Company and Meadow Fork Fuel Company. Mount Hope is fortunate in having the fines Y. M. C. A. building to be found in a city of its size in the United States. The Y. M. C. A. cost upwards of $110,000 and is the wonder of all who see it. There is also located here the lodge rooms of a number of secret orders including the I. O. O. F., K. of P., Moose, F. O. E., K. G. E., Red Men, O. U. A. M., Master Masons, and the Mount Hope Commandery No. 22, Knights of Templar, for the latter named a building will be completed soon at a cost of $125,000.

Mount Hope is fortunate in having a first class high school for white students, also a high school for colored children. The enrollment in the graded schools and high school aggregates about 1,100, and the colored school has an enrollment of about 400.

There are five Protestant churches in Mount Hope, viz: Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopal South, Christian and Baptist. In addition to the white churches mentioned, there are four colored churches. All churches maintain Sunday schools which are very interesting and well attended, the total enrollment being approximately 1,500. The Baptist and Presbyterian Sunday schools are both conduction Daily Vacation Bible Schools with an enrollment of about 100 each. The little city of Mount Hope deserves special credit for a number of achievements, among which are the following:

(1) The best water, light, fire department, sewer system in Fayette county.

(2) The largest, completest and most modern drug store in the county.

(3) The largest and strongest bank in the county, with total assets of more than $2,200,000.

(4) The headquarters for more coal companies than any other city in West Virginia outside of the very largest cities.

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(5) The location of the New River Company shops which are not surpassed by any similar utility in the state.

(6) The Loop Creek District Young Mens Christian Association which was built at a cost of $110,000 and serves many thousand men and women, boys and girls, each year.

(7) The largest church and Sunday school attendance of any city or town in Fayette county.

(8) The largest and most thoroughly equipped garage in Fayette county.

Mount Hope is located on the Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike and has twenty-five miles of paved road to the eastward ad many times that number to the westward. It is served by the Kanawha, Glen Jean & Eastern railway, the Price Hill division of the White Oak railway and the Chesapeake & Ohio railway. It is the church center, the trading center and school center for no less than ten other mining towns and fills a very important place in the social and economic life of the surrounding industrial communities.

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W. S. Johnson

A Native Son of Fayette County of whom we are justly proud

W. S. Johnson was born on November 13, 1870. His parents were Miles and Caroline Woodrum Johnson, both of whom were born and reared near Kincaid, Fayette County, where they spent their entire lives. His ancestors on his father’s side were the Johnsons, Settles, Simms and Pinnells, and the Woodrums and Kincaids on his mother’s side. The Johnson and Pinnell families for four generations have each been noted for producing a large number of Methodist ministers.

Mr. Johnson was reared on a farm and received an education such as was afforded in those days by the district school. After he attained his majority he worked in the coal mines and lumber camps in Fayette County for a number of years and then took up the profession of teaching school. He was elected county superintendent of schools of his home county in 1902 and served in this capacity for four years.

In 1904 he was elected State Senator from the Ninth Senatorial district and was reelected to the same position in 1908. While State Senator he introduced and secured the enactment, after a strenuous fight, of his famous pistol toting law which gave him the sobriquet of “Pistol Bill.” This law has done much to reduce murder and crime in West Virginia.

In 1916 he was nominated and elected State Treasurer and reelected to the same office in 1920 and again in 1924. As State Treasurer he has made a very commendable record. He has inaugurated many reforms in the methods of handling the finances of the state.

For eight years he waged a determined fight before the legislature to secure a change in our antiquated state depository law which was enacted in 1882 and had not been amended from time to time to meet the requirements of a rapidly growing state. His efforts were rewarded in 1925 when the legislature unanimously enacted the new depository law advocated by him.

Treasurer Johnson has made an exceptionally creditable record in his handling of the redemption of the $13,500,000 3 ½% bonds issued by the state in 1919 in payment of the Virginia debt. The law requires the state to redeem $675,000 of these bonds each year. He has already redeemed $5,559,500 at a figure enough below par to net the state a saving of $604,789.50 in actual cash.

The work and responsibility of the state treasury department has increased by leaps and bounds during the past ten years.

The total number of checks issued annually by the Treasurer has increased from 73,512 in 1916, to 216,667 in 1925; the amount of money handled including transfers has increased from eleven million in 1971 to sixty-four million in 1925; the number of depository banks has increased from 156 in 1916 to 263 in 1925.

Treasurer Johnson was married in 1907 to Miss Allie Groves of Kessler’s Cross Lanes, Nicholas County, who died in 1914. In 1919 he married Miss Erna B. Young, of Charleston, Kanawha County. Two children have been born to the latter union, namely, William Carey, born March 6, 1921, who died in infancy, and Virginia Bondurant, born February 19, 1926.

Treasurer Johnson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is prominent in fraternal circles. He still maintains his legal residence at Mt. Hope, Fayette County.

The foregoing text was taken directly, verbatim, from The History Of Fayette County, West Virginia as it was originally written. This book was written by J. T. Peters and H. B. Carden. It was published in 1926 by the Fayette County Historical Society, Inc., Fayetteville, West Virginia, and printed by Jarrett Printing Company, Charleston, West Virginia. All rights reserved.

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