University of Virginia Library

INTRODUCTION.

The writer is a native born son of Southwest Virginia, and has
always felt a great pride in his country, and since reaching maturity
has been interested in the history of this section.

In the schools but little has been taught in regard to the history
of this portion of Virginia, as but a small part of its history
has been preserved. Our historians have been citizens of Eastern
Virginia or of other States; and while our people have been making
history from the earliest settlement, scarcely any effort has
been made to preserve it, and as a result other parts of our country
whose history has been preserved have in many instances received
credit that properly belongs to the people of this section of Virginia,
and being impressed with this fact, and prompted by a desire
to preserve the past history of our people, he determined, a
few years since, to collect the history of Southwest Virginia, in
so far as it was possible, and to rescue the same from oblivion, and
in doing this work he has given such time only as he could spare
from his professional duties.

If an apology is needed for his effort in thus attempting to preserve
this history it will be found in the remark of Lord Macaulay,
wherein he justly observed: "A people which takes no pride in the
noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything
worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."

There can be no question that this section of Virginia has been
robbed of much of the honor due her for the early settlement of
the vast extent of country to the west and south thereof, and
that the noble deeds of her sons have been ascribed to others; and
a knowledge of this fact has rendered necessary the preservation of
the deeds of the worthy citizens that this section has produced,
not only to gratify the pride of our citizens, but to remind them
of the obligations they are under, and to supply them with examples
of patriotism which they may seek to emulate.

The writer feels his inability to properly perform this task, but
hopes that the gleanings he has gathered may suffice in some more
skillful hands to weave for the founders and builders of our country

an enduring garland of glory, and he asks a kind indulgence of the
reader for such errors, omissions, and imperfections as may be
found in this work.

In the words of Judge Haywood: "Let no one censure his motives,
for they are pure. There will indeed be much room to blame
the defective performance of the author, but this he will hear
with the greatest pleasure if the person dissatisfied will, for the
benefit of his country, either produce a more perfect work or contribute
to the merits of this."

In the preparation of this work he has obtained information
from various persons and places, but in nearly every instance has
required documentary evidence for all statements made, and has
given references where the statement is liable to be questioned,
and in quoting original papers has done so without changing the
same in any particular.

In the course of the preparation of this work he has received assistance
from a number of persons, for which he feels deeply
grateful. He desires to mention in this connection the following
persons: Miss Lucy Landrum, his stenographer, who has faithfully
labored in preparing his manuscript for the printer; W. G. Stanard,
secretary of the Virginia Historical Society; the secretary of
the New York Historical Society, Hon. J. L. Bristow; Fourth Assistant
Postmaster-General, C. A. Dunnington; Congressional Library,
Washington, D. C.; Thomas E. Nimmo, State Library, Richmon,
Va.; Mrs. Margaret C. Pilcher, Nashville, Tenn.; Prof.
T. D. Davidson and many others.