coal; it lay twelve or fifteen feet below the surface of the earth; the
veins about three feet thick; several hundred bushels lay dug; it had
a strong sulphureous smell. We afterwards passed over a large flat, of
thin, weak, black, wettish soil, covered with dwarf alders and large
weeds; a little of this land cleared and planted with potatoes, they
looked well. What little timber there was, was short and scrubby.
We now again ascended, and at length reached the top of Laurel Hill,
the last ridge of the mountains. Much laurel on this eminence,
resembling the Portugal laurel. Here we had the first, and a most
extensive view of the west side of the mountains. {63} As the air was
clear, we could see objects distinctly; much cleared land in sight, and
many fine springs; indeed, they were numerous all over the mountains,
but there were but few houses. This day we descended gently down the
hill; the road was steep and winding. As we advanced, the timber
increased in size, mostly oak, and towards the bottom it was immensely
large. From the summit to the town of Monroe,[90] at the foot of the
hill, is full three miles, most of the way very steep. Monroe was two
years old, named in honour of the president of the United States. It
contains two large stone taverns, and about twenty log houses, and
a saw mill on a small stream near it. Much land cleared of timber
and laid down to grass, of a better sward than any I saw east of the
mountains. From Monroe to Union town, two miles; here we stopped for
the night.[91] I passed a meadow between these towns, it was of timothy
grass, and higher than any I ever saw before; it was not so thick
on the ground as {64} I have seen English meadow grass, but a most
productive crop. This day our waggons were separated a considerable
distance, the first reached Union at sunset, the other not till two
hours after. We came twenty-one miles.
[90] John Hopwood, having purchased a patent of land from Richard
Penn, laid out a town which he called Woodstock, at the foot of Laurel
Hill on the old Braddock Road. A son, Moses Hopwood, was planning
to enlarge it (1816), when James Monroe passed along the road on a
campaign tour and was entertained as his guest. In accordance with
Monroe's suggestion, when the addition was platted the name was changed
to Monroe. It was a bustling place during the prosperous days of the
National Road, its taverns being crowded with travellers who remained
over night to get an early start over the mountains the following
morning.--ED.
[91] For the early history of Uniontown, see Harris's _Journal_, volume
iii of our series, note 47.--ED.
3d. We had now entered the western country, but we were still in the
old settled part of it, Union town having been built more than thirty
years. It is a large place, mostly of brick buildings; it has a bank,
twelve or fourteen taverns, a flour, a saw, and a carding mill, on
a small stream near the town. On this stream there were some good
meadows, but in a bad state, there being many docks and other weeds in
them. The Indian corn luxuriant; a great many orchards, with a good
show of apples in them. Paid charges for supper, beds, and breakfast, 4
dollars 75 cents, (1_l._ 1_s._ 4½_d._ sterling.)
From Union town, the turnpike was only begun at different places, but
many men were employed on it. Near the town, the {65} land was of
good quality. We afterwards passed a rocky ridge of hills, perhaps
a spur of the mountains. Here the land was rather poor, a clay on a
slate-rock; but many fine orchards well stored with good apples, and
some morello-cherries still on the trees. A woman, at a small cabin,
offered us some, if we would take the trouble to gather them; we
took two or three pounds; they were small but palatable, being very
ripe. But cherries, in general, are not so good as in England, as the
Americans seldom bud or graft any fruit-trees, only planting the stone.
Land better as we approached Brownsville, on the Monongahela.[92]
Brownsville is a thriving place, with some iron-works: at high water
many people embark here for Pittsburg. As the national road crosses
the Monongahela at this place, there is a bridge to be built over the
river; it was about 300 yards when we forded it, but it is much wider
when the water is high.
[92] Consult F. A. Michaux's _Travels_, in volume iii of our series,
note 23, for the founding of Brownsville.--ED.
From the river we went six miles, mostly through woods, to the Golden
Lion Tavern. {66} A woman milking her cow, on the side of the road,
gave us some milk, and offered us some apples, of which there were
large quantities in their orchard. She said they purchased their farm
for 2700 dollars, 900 of which they paid down at the time, and the
remainder by instalments, most of which were now paid; and when the
whole were paid, she would not give a cent to call King George her
uncle. A large wooden building, by the side of the road, in ruins,
and a new stone-chapel, belonging to the Methodists, built to supply
the place of the old one. Here the Methodists are numerous: we passed
a wood on the east side of the mountains, where a camp-meeting had
recently been held; these meetings often continue four or five days,
during which they have prayers four times a day.
4th. I proceeded on foot to Pittsburg, having some business to transact
there, the rest went on towards Wheeling; I should have left the
national road at Brownsville, as I was there at an equal distance from
{67} Pittsburg. I went five or six miles through a poor country, to
Bentleyville;[93] a place with several taverns, a large public school,
a grist and a saw mill on a very large creek, then low, but much
subject to floods in wet weather. I then went two miles up a valley,
full of sugar-maple trees, most of them had been tapped for procuring
the sweet liquor to make sugar. February, in general, is the month for
making it; they catch the sap in wooden troughs, and most of them are
left under the trees from one season to another. After leaving this
valley, at a little distance, I entered the road from Brownsville to
Pittsburg; here I first saw some water-meadows, although I had passed
many pieces of land that might easily have been irrigated. The water
was taken along the side of the hill for some distance; it was not done
in a good manner, yet still it was a great improvement: I have seen
but few water-meadows since. I slept at a tavern, five or six miles
from Pittsburg. This day I travelled twenty-five miles.
[93] Bentleyville, on Pigeon Creek, was laid out (March, 1816) by
Shesbazzer Bentley. It was of little importance, not being incorporated
until 1868.--ED.
{68} 5th. I reached Pittsburg at nine o'clock in the morning, after
having crossed the Monongahela in a ferry-boat, for which I paid three
cents. Having concluded my business at the bank, I took a walk round
the town: it is a large place with upwards 7000 inhabitants. It is well
situated for trade on the Ohio, at the junction of the Monongahela
and Allegany rivers. A large bridge is nearly finished over the
Monongahela, and another partly built over the Allegany; both these
bridges have stone-piers above high water-mark, but the remainder of
them is of wood. The bridge, that was nearly finished, was divided into
four passages; two for carriages and horses, the other two for foot
passengers. Contrary to the English practice, each takes the right-hand
side; so there is no meeting on the bridge, as there are two passages
for coming out, and two for going into Pittsburg. These passages are
covered over, with holes in the sides to admit air and light. As the
whole is covered, the bridge is kept dry in {69} all weathers, and
the timber is prevented from rotting. They are longer and higher than
London-bridge, at least at the ends, being quite level. The streets
are laid out in straight lines, from the Monongahela to the Allegany
rivers, and crossed by others mostly at right angles. There are many
handsome brick-buildings, but there are also a great number of log
and frame-houses. There are several places of public worship, a large
market house, several banks, numerous taverns, and large stores; yards
for building steam and other boats. Several steam ones were building,
and others laid up, the water being too low for them or large
flat-bottom boats to get down the river, when I was there. Trade of
all kinds extremely dull. Owing to the quantity of iron-works, it has
a black and dismal appearance; and from the account I had heard of it,
I was, on the whole, rather disappointed in Pittsburg. It was a desert
until about the year 1756, when the French, from Canada, built a fort
near it.[94] But a few {70} years after it was taken by the British,
and the name of Du Quesne changed to Pittsburg. From that time till the
revolutionary war it was held by them, and during that war it increased
much, being made a place for the manufactory of arms. Yet as the
Indians remained near it for some years, they were very troublesome;
but now they are removed to a greater distance, except a few, who are
settled near, and have adopted the manners of the Americans. It will
always be a place of considerable consequence from its situation. It
is 1100 miles from the mouth of the Ohio, and more than 2000 from
New Orleans. Steam-boats, in high water, come from New Orleans to
Pittsburg, in seventy or eighty days; but from the latter to the former
place in much less time.
[94] Fort Duquesne was built in 1754. For a brief historical account,
see F. A. Michaux's _Travels_, note 20.--ED.
Having purchased a new rifle for 18 dollars, and taken a place in the
Wheeling stage for Washington, for which I paid 2 dollars 50 cents; I
supped and slept at {71} the Pittsburg Hotel; charge for supper and bed
50 cents.
August 6th. I left Pittsburg, in the stage, before day-light, and
crossed the Monongahela, by the new bridge. Then up a very steep hill,
the passengers all walking; we passed a very rough country, for nine
or ten miles, to a tavern, kept by the driver of the stage, where we
breakfasted; they charged us 2_s._ 3_d._ each, instead of the usual
charge of 1_s._ 1½_d._, yet our fare was very indifferent. From
this tavern to Cannonsburg,[95] eight miles; the country still rough,
but better as we approached this town. Here is a college, a large
brick-building, where most of the principal people of Pittsburg send
their sons to finish their education. This town was begun twenty years
since by a Mr. Cannon. It is pleasantly situated on the side of a steep
hill. From this town, seven miles, to Washington (Pennsylvania), along
a rough road with many log-bridges; but some of my fellow passengers,
from the state of Kentucky, called them corderoy. The {72} stage-coach
was very different from an English one, it was much more like a light
waggon; it was covered at the top, but open on the sides, with leather
curtains to let down in case of rain or cold. The road being rough, we
could not keep these curtains down, as there was no sort of fastenings
to them; and as it rained very hard several times, we got wet. We were
much crowded with luggage; the seats were placed across the carriage,
and the luggage under them. At Washington we dined, and I drank some
spruce-beer (for the first time in my life), and I found myself very
unwell from it. I left the room, and went into the air; in a few
minutes I was better; but as the stage still stood at the door, I did
not return for about twenty minutes, when I found they had changed
coaches, and were gone. I endeavoured to recover my money, but there
was no bookkeeper to be found.
[95] For brief notes on the early history of Canonsburg and Washington,
see Harris's _Journal_, notes 31, 32.--ED.
Wishing to rejoin my family at Wheeling, I set off on foot; the
afternoon was excessively hot. The road was good for {73} the first
ten miles, to Claysville, a new town.[96] Then six miles of hilly
country to Alexandria;[97] here I took some refreshment, and again set
forward: near this place I left the state of Pennsylvania, and again
entered the state of Virginia. Then six miles farther to a tavern,
where I intended to sleep; but the house being full, they recommended
me to go two miles farther on. It was very dark, and thundered much;
when I arrived at this tavern I could not make any of the family
hear, but I roused two or three great dogs, and I was again forced
to proceed. My road lay up a long valley, part of the national road
to Wheeling. I passed over several large stone-bridges, but partly
finished; at length it began to rain, and I put up at the first
building I could find; it proved to be a stable. This day I travelled
twenty-five miles by the stage, and about the same distance on foot.
[96] John Purviance opened up a tavern, soon after 1800, on the present
site of this town on the old Wheeling Road. When the preliminary
surveys made it certain that the National Road would pass that way, he
laid out a town (1817), and advertised lots for sale. Claysville was
incorporated in 1832.--ED.
[97] For further information concerning Alexandria, consult Harris's
_Journal_, note 33.--ED.
7th. From my lodgings, in the stable, I proceeded up a valley to some
houses, and enquired the way to Wheeling. I found I {74} was in the
right road, and that it was only seven miles distant. I found much
excellent land on the sides of a creek; the meadows were particularly
so: I saw twelve small hay-ricks in one large meadow. The Indian corn
was much larger than any I had before seen.
I met the two men who had driven our waggons; from them I learnt where
my family were, and that they had settled with them for the carriage
of our luggage. It is but justice to them to say, we had every reason
to be satisfied with their conduct during our journey; Marchant, in
particular, was in his manners much above his station in life. At seven
o'clock I reached Wheeling.[98]
[98] For the history of Wheeling, see A. Michaux's _Travels_, in our
volume iii, p. 33 and note 15.--ED.
After breakfast we entered into an agreement with Messrs. Knox and
Pemberton, of Wheeling, for the conveyance of ourselves and luggage
to Louisville, in Kentucky, 600 miles, for 50 dollars, on condition
we should help to navigate the boat down the river. We hired a horse
and dray, for a dollar and {75} a half, to convey our luggage on
board, and paid one dollar for the room where our goods were lodged.
We laid in some provisions for our voyage, as we expected to sail in
the afternoon, but a thunder storm coming on, we stopped till the next
morning: we slept in the ark or flat boat. There were twelve tons of
store-goods, for Cincinnatti and Louisville, besides our luggage of
about three tons. The ark was about 36 feet long and 10 feet wide, with
a fire-place in the centre; it was covered with boards, as a protection
from the weather.
Wheeling is a thriving place, with some iron-works. As the national
road is to terminate at this place, it bids fair to rival Pittsburg
in the trade of the western country. In a dry time it has greatly the
advantage of Pittsburg, being nearly a 100 miles lower down, and below
the shallowest parts of the Ohio. At any rate, the great road for all
the western country, crossing the Ohio at this place, will always add
much to its importance. The country round {76} Wheeling is very fine,
and I have seen no part of America I should like better than the valley
above it. But all the land is taken up, and sells for a high price;
and, what is still worse, it is situated in a slave-state, where every
thing is done by the negroes, while the whites look on.
8th. At break of day we sailed, or rather floated, from Wheeling; Mr.
Pemberton went part of the way with us, and a Mr. Ferris had the charge
of the boat and the store-goods: these two gentlemen boarded with us.
The wind being against us, we made but little progress, although we
rowed the greater part of the day. We passed several islands in the
river: the banks were steep and high, the country very hilly, and
mostly covered with timber; the flats of the river generally cleared,
and planted with Indian corn. The land would be too rich for wheat,
were it not flooded in the winter and spring. We passed many small
cabins, several of them were on the banks. We only advanced 20 miles
this day, {77} and anchored on the Ohio side: the right, or north-west
side of the river, is the state of Ohio; the state of Virginia lies on
the left, or south-east side. The weather very warm.
9th. The land much as yesterday, except that the hills lay farther
back. In the evening we anchored on the same side, 46 miles from
Wheeling. We landed, and went to a cabin for some milk, where we
purchased five chickens for fifty cents.
10th. We proceeded with caution, the morning being misty, as there are
many sunk trees in the river sometimes. A man we had seen the evening
before, came to us and offered to sell his skiff, as he was near his
journey's end; I purchased his skiff, and an old iron shovel, for two
dollars; Mr. C. bought of him a hand-saw, for thirty-seven and a half
cents. As soon as we had paid him, he went off into [the] woods; from
that, and other circumstances, we then concluded he had stolen them.
Mr. Pemberton took the skiff and followed {78} him on shore, but could
see nothing of him. Mr. Pemberton purchased five large melons for half
a dollar, but as we had not been accustomed to melons, we could eat
but little of them; but after a few days, most of us could eat them
without sugar as well as the Americans. We passed Sistersville, a small
place of Virginia.[99] The wind being in our favour we made 30 miles.
[99] Sistersville, about thirty-five miles above Marietta, is now the
river port for an oil-producing region; "great red oil tanks and smoky
refineries are its chiefest glory." See Thwaites, _On the Storied Ohio_
(Chicago, 1903).--ED.
11th. We passed the mouth of the Little Muskingham river, thirty
or forty yards wide, but very low. About four miles lower down we
anchored at the Great Muskingham, close by the town of Marietta,[100]
of about a hundred houses, many of them good brick-buildings. There
are, also, between thirty and forty houses on the other side of the
Muskingham. Marietta is well situated for trade; but being subject to
floods, it does not appear to increase at all rapidly. It contains
two meeting-houses, a bank, several taverns, a jail, a stream-mill,
and several rope-walks. Ship-building is {79} carried on, on a small
scale; some years ago, a ship of a hundred and twenty tons was built
here, fit for the sea, although nearly 2000 miles from it by the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The country, between the Great and
Little Muskingham, very hilly; but the bottoms, on the Ohio and Great
Muskingham, particularly rich land. The latter river runs far across
the state of Ohio, from north to south; it is upwards of two hundred
yards wide at its mouth. We were informed some English families were
settled at the back of Marietta, but we did not see any of them; I
have since heard that one of our fellow-passengers in the Resolution
is residing there. Mr. Pemberton did not proceed any farther with us,
he having business at Marietta. We proceeded four miles, when Mr.
Ferris landed, and went to see his mother and brothers, who lived two
or three miles back from the river. Whilst he was gone, I landed, with
one of my sons, on the Ohio side; we walked a short distance into the
{80} country; the soil excellent, but not much of it cultivated. Some
apple and peach orchards, containing vast quantities of fruit; there
were more peaches than I ever saw before; single trees had bushels on
them. In the afternoon we passed the town of Parkersburg, in the state
of Virginia, at the mouth of the Little Kenaway, fifty or sixty yards
wide.[101] There is a ferry established here. We made 20 miles, and
after we anchored we laid in some lines, and caught a cat-fish; it
weighed six or seven pounds, and was excellent eating. As they have no
scales, they are stripped like eels; they are often taken of a large
size; they sometimes weigh a hundred pounds; they take their name from
having whiskers like a cat.
[100] For a description of Marietta at the beginning of the century,
see A. Michaux's _Travels_, pp. 33, 34, and note 16.--ED.
[101] For the Little Kanawha River, see Croghan's _Journals_, volume i
of our series, note 98.
The site of Parkersburg was held under patent by Adam Parker, who in
1817 laid out the town. Incorporated in 1820, it grew but little until
the discovery (1864) of petroleum in the immediate vicinity gave it new
life, and it is now one of the wealthiest cities in West Virginia.--ED.
12th. Passed the mouth of the Little Hockhocking, near thirty yards
wide.[102] The Ohio is here wider than at Wheeling. We passed several
islands in the river, some of them cultivated. Generally the houses
on the banks were of logs, but there were {81} some good brick and
frame ones; some large orchards. We met several keel-boats going up
the river, drawn by eight or ten men to one boat; sometimes they push
them up the river with long poles, and at other times, when the wind
is favourable, make use of a sail. At almost every house we passed on
the banks of the river, there was either a skiff or a canoe. We saw
some large wild ducks. About noon we passed the mouth of the great
Hockhocking river, fifty or sixty yards wide; this river runs through
the State of Ohio, between the Scioto and Muskinghum rivers. It is
said to be navigable to Athens, forty miles up. I landed and went to a
cabin to purchase provisions. The owner told me a bad fever prevailed
at Cincinnatti, and cautioned me against going there: being newly
settled, he had nothing to spare. In the afternoon we passed the town
of Belleville, in Virginia, a very small old place. This evening we
anchored on the Ohio side. Some of my {82} family crossed over to the
other side, and bought six chickens for 50 cents (2_s._ 3_d._) This day
we advanced twenty-five miles; weather extremely hot.
[102] For the historical associations connected with the Hockhocking
River, see Croghan's _Journals_, volume i of our series, note 99.--ED.
13th. We were detained some time by anchoring on some rocks over-night,
and the water had fallen a few inches in the night; we got out of the
boat, and pushed it into deep water. The banks were high and rocky,
some of the rocks had the appearance of an old castle. We passed
several islands and sand-banks, the current always much brisker near
them than where the river is wider. The country more settled at some
distance back than on the banks of the river, as it is said to be
more healthy. In the afternoon we passed the falls of Letart;[103]
these falls are only a sharp run over some rocks for near half a mile;
nowise dangerous, even in low water, to those acquainted with the
navigation of the river, but to strangers a little so. In high water
there is only a sharp run, sometimes hardly perceptible. There is a
floating {83} mill on these falls, it had then most of the grist-work;
the other mills for many miles standing still for want of water. We
could not procure any flour, they being fully employed in grist-work.
We afterwards landed at several cabins to get some butter; but there
was not any to be had, being almost all new settlers, many of them in
the Spring. Seven or eight miles below the falls, we anchored for the
night, after making about twenty-six miles.
[103] For Letart's Falls, see Flint's _Letters_, in our volume ix, note
54.--ED.