Development of Education
By J. A. Vickers
This article was originally published in the 1952 Centennial Program Booklet published by the City of Logan, WV.
The history of Logan County dates back to the French and Indian War. The settlers were all uneducated me setting out into a strange country as pioneers, courage and a will to win being their only tools. Among these early settlers was a man by the name of Boling Baker, a deserter from General Braddock’s army. He was taken in Ohio by a tribe of Shawnee Indians whose chief, Cornstalk, decided to make him run the gauntlet. He was persuaded by his daughter to spare Baker’s life and put him in their tribe. Baker later married this daughter whose name was Aracoma, who became princess of the race. In 1765, they settled on what is now known as the Midelburg Island and the City of Aracoma was named in honor of the princess.
In 1799 William Dingess starter the first settlement in Logan. He built his home near the present site of the courthouse, this proved to be very desirable spot and soon more people settled here and in 1824 Logan County was created and received its name from a red foeman, Logan, the Mingo Chief.
The first store in Logan County was opened by Anthony Lawson in 1821. He brought his merchandise from Baltimore over the national road to Wheeling, down the Ohio River in flatboats, and up the Guyandotte. River in canoes.
The Guyandotte River received its name from Henry Guyan, a Frenchman, who had an Indian trading post at the mouth of the river before the county was settled by white men.
The county seat was then known as “The Islands.” In 1827 the name became Lawnsville; in 1852 the name was change to Aracoma, and finally, in 1907 it was changed to Logan because there had been a post office there for some time which was called Logan Court House.
The fist school house in the county was erected by Peter Dingess upon the ruins of an Indian lodge on the island. Later Lewis B. Lawson erected a log house near the mouth of Dingess Run for a school building. George Bryant taught the first school in this building, and was assisted by a Methodist circuit rider’s wife, whose name was Mrs. Graves, from Kentucky. In these schools there were no uniform rulings. Each teacher followed his own plan; each pupil studied what he pleased. One was considered sufficiently educated when he had finished McGuffey’s Reader and Ray’s Arithmetic.
The first high school in Logan was organized August 28, 1911, in what is now known as the Central Grade Building. F. O. Warner was appointed principal. There were sixteen pupils enrolled. Ths school was classified as a third-rate high school and it was not until 1914 that the school became a first-class high school.
During the years 1914-1915, the Junior High School building was constructed and was first occupied by the Logan High School. By 1921 the enrollment had increased to the point where it was necessary to have another building and the present Senior High School was built. In 1930 the school became a member of the Secondary Schools and Colleges.
Thus was the beginning of one of the wealthiest and most progressive sections of West Virginia as we see it today.
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Does anyone have any information about an elementary school that was across the river from Lyburn back in 1926? The reason I’m asking is because I remember my mom telling me about a school she went to that was at the mouth of Davy Branch at Lyburn. Also, just before she passed away on February 1, 2005 at the age of 94 she gave me a her elementary school diploma that’s dated April 15, 1926. Any information would be much appreciated.
Keith,
I would note that the 1926 USGS topography map does not show a school at the mouth of Davy Branch but schools are shown at the mouth of Madison Branch and the mouth of Rich Creek as well as at the mouth of Beech Branch across from McConnell. All of these schools were on the west side of the river across from the communities of Lyburn, Rita and McConnell. There were no bridges shown crossing the river but a low-water ford river crossing road was shown at about where the lower end of the Rita Mall location was.
In the vicinity of Davy Branch there were 13 houses shown within a half mile or so from the mouth with 8 of those houses near the mouth.
From the mouth of Davy Branch it is about 1.4 miles to where the school was shown at the mouth of Madison Branch.
Presumably, your grandmother lived at or near the mouth of Davy Branch so it is likely that a search of the land records for her family would show where she lived and perhaps a reservation of a school lot could be found in further title search of larger parcels of land there. I note that much of the land now appears to have been acquired by WVDOH for the new 4-lane road construction.
I would note that early schools were also used as a local church and the current Davy Branch Church may be in the same location as what an older church may have been at.
Thanks very much for the reply. I’ll be 70 years old in another year and have lived over here all of my life. I can remember mom taking me to the church, it was then called the “Davy Branch Missionary Baptist Church,” and playing on the dirt floor in front of the old pot bellied stove. Conda Burress was the Pastor and the community was called “Buchanantown”. My grandmother was a Buchanan (on mom’s side of the family) and my great-great grandfather, Thomas Buchanan was a Lieutenant (Union) in the civil war. I still have a picture of the Buchanan homeplace that used to be at the mouth of Davy Branch. And you’re right, the state has bought some of the land over here because of the 4-lane and part of it has changed. When I turned 50 in march of 2000 I started writing about everything I could remember about growing up across the river from Lyburn and it jogged my memory and enabled me to remember many things I had forgotten, stories that mom, dad, and grandma Harless (Buchanan) had told me. I want to keep the old memories alive after I’m gone so my grandchildren and hopefully their grandchildren can read about the “old days”. Thanks again for your comment.
I envy your early beginning of writing and documenting your family and community histories. (I’m 77 and just started writing in the last year or so. Wish I had paid attention to things my parents hold told me about.)
Keep writing and posting!
Yeah, I know what you mean. I wish I had talked to mom, dad, and grandma about the old days, back when they were kids. I’ve been thinking seriously about posting some of the stuff I’ve written and some of the old pics mom gave me. Some of the pics was given to her by her mom.
I Graduated from Chapmanville High School in 1968; My Brother Curtis Millins and I Graduated Together. He was held Back in 7th due to infection set up in His Knee. Stayed in St. Marys for a way long time. A qt. of Puss was drained from is knee. He almost lost his leg. Then when we Transferred from W. Chapmanville Grade there was not enough room for all the 8th Graders, so the lowest grades got held back. We went to school from 8 til 12th in same grade. The only kids that knew we were Sister and Brother were our Buck Fork of Harts, Neighbors. We rode the same school Bus.
Pray for him, he is in Corner Stone Hospital, next to St. Mary’s. He was in St. Marys fighting for his Life, again, but was transferred to Corner Stone Hospital. Been in the Hospital since Nov. 2015. On ventilator, and today is 4/19/2016. He needs to be healed and come Home. We miss him. Thank you, i love the pic. of Chapmanville High School. It had changed over the years. My other two sisters Menerva Joyce Mullins 1963….An JoAnn Mullins 1964 Also Graduated from CHS. Oh, and my little Brother Roger Mullins in 1969.