Early Travel in Logan County

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By Dwight Williamson

Bus Terminal Building, Logan, WVThe Ohio, Guyandotte, Tug, and Big Sandy rivers, as well as Indian trails, were no doubt the first avenues of travel into the lands of what was centuries ago simply known as the unsettled mountains of western Virginia. Mostly Scotch-Irish settlers hailing as protestant immigrants from Northern Ireland, who had been looked down upon in both that country and by the early eastern seaboard English settlers of early America, had made the treacherous journeys deep into Appalachia. They brought with them their families,  weapons, bibles and their abilities to make what would later be termed “moonshine whiskey”

Fiercely independent, these early “mountain men” fought the Indians first and then were recruited heavily by George Washington for their aid in the Revolutionary War. Though promised money for their war efforts, many would be given western land grants to what was considered isolated areas in the Appalachian Mountains. These mountaineers, who were considered “crude, dirty and uneducated” by those east of the rugged lands, would settle the mountainous areas west of the Alleghenies in what is today Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and parts of North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Of these states, only West Virginia, with its “Mountaineers are always free” motto, is considered totally engrossed by the Appalachian Mountains.

Isolated and largely uneducated, early mountaineers mostly survived because of nature’s blessings, though deprivations were many. There was game in the woods from the bear down to the squirrel, wild honey in hollow trees, fish in the stream, and no game laws. Gardens could be grown and wild greens were plentiful. There was enough range for livestock and chickens in the summer and mast for the hogs in the fall and winter. All of this meant bread, meat, milk and eggs for the family, and feed for work stock.

About the only source of income for early settlers in what was to become Logan County was the digging and selling of ginseng, of which there was plenty. It is said these sturdy mountain people came into the Guyandotte River valley after the Revolutionary War ended in 1783. Mostly German and Scotch­-Irish, early Loganites came here for different reasons. Some came for religious freedom, some for the solitude of the mountains in which they could make their own liquor without being taxed, while others were here to escape the law. Together, they would remotely create a completely new lifestyle. Cut off from the rest of the world, they became self­reliant, depending heavily upon the axe and the rifle.

As more families came into the area, trading posts in the 1820s were opened in what would become the town of Logan, and furs and ginseng were traded or sold and then transported by river to metropolitan areas. Timbering would become a major local industry and the wood was also transported from the region by means of the river. The need for transportation only became a matter of consequence when coal was discovered and its value to our nation realized.

Today, there is not a single taxi cab service in Logan County. Oddly, it should be noted that the first public highway service to Logan came when the railroad reached Dingess in neighboring Mingo County. According to an article written by Dr. N. E. Steele in the 1950’s, service was established into Logan after arrangements were made for travelers to rent horses at Dingess and ride them to Logan, leaving them at a stable near Mt. Gay for some other traveler to ride back to Dingess. Buck boards were used to transport goods to Logan which were brought by rail to Dingess. However, when the C&O railway reached Logan in 1904, everything seemed to change. The town, which once was only a village with a trading post owned by Anthony Lawson, was to become a “roaring 20s” city — all because of coal.

Logan grew quickly to the point that pioneering taxi cab services were opened in 1916 as some roads were being built. According to Dr. Steele, who became a stockholder in the Logan County Bus Company when it was formed in the 1920s, the taxis were making runs to Holden and Omar “when the creeks weren’t too deep.”

In 1922 the Logan Bus Company was operating regular bus service to Holden, Omar, Ethel and Mud Fork from a stand located on Main Street where the Pioneer Hotel was to be built. The building of the hotel forced the business to a corner of Main and Dingess streets. Legendary Sheriff Don Chafin was President of the original company until 1925, when Dr. W.S. Rowan and Merrill Atkinson took over the business. Among the bus drivers listed at that time were Carson and Tweel Browning, Dick and Anthony Baisden, Harper Kinzer, Leslie, Leonard and Lawrence Avis, Kyle and Clyde Mounts, Grady Hager, Frank Gaylock and Harley Curry; all were said to be stockholders in the company.

Lawrence Avis, a listed bus driver, was shot and killed by Logan Police Chief Lawrence Cary in the early morning hours of May 10, 1927 on Stratton Street after a struggle. In a strange twist, Chief Carey would commit suicide during a recess of his own trial for murder. Less than a year later, his eldest son, Brooks Carey, would be shot dead by Chief of Police A.D. Scaggs at the fire station then located on Stratton Street between the Christian and Baptist churches. The Carey’s are buried side by side at the City Cemetery on High Street in Logan.

In 1926, Dr. Steele, G.W. Raike, Dr. Rowan, John Reed, Merrill Atkinson and others formed the Logan­-Williamson Bus Company to operate a line between Logan and Williamson, and in the same year sold their interests in the Logan County Bus Company which later became the Logan Transit Company — extending its operations to Buffalo, Rum and Peach Creeks. It eventually was acquired in 1934 by J.E. Craft to become a part of Consolidated Bus Lines. In bad weather, horses were used to pull the buses up Horsepen Mountain to make the schedule to Williamson, according to Dr. Steele’s account titled “Highway Transportation.”

By 1928 Logan County was booming and more and better roads were being constructed to and from the county. The Logan­-Williamson Bus Company extended its routes to Huntington, Gilbert and Iaeger and later to Welch. However, things were not that easyÍŸ nothing ever is when there is a “Hatfield” and a “Chafin” involved.

The bus company had applied and received franchises to operate vehicles over regular routes and between fixed terminals, especially the route to Huntington. Several taxi cab companies existed in Logan and there was tremendous competition between the bus lines and taxi services. One such taxi service was owned by William C. Chafin, brother of former Sheriff Don Chafin. When the State Road Commission denied Chafin a taxicab permit to operate on state highways, Chafin filed suit and later his attorneys filed a writ of mandamus against state road commissioners to make them explain the grounds of their refusal. In the meantime, the Logan County Bus Company filed a petition alleging Sheriff Tennis Hatfield with “graft” soliciting. The petition accused the son of Devil Anse of wanting paid $300 a month by the bus company to enforce state law in regards to the various taxi businesses. Lorenzo Sites, one of Hatfield’s deputies, was engaged in the taxi business.

While this matter was about to be heard by the West Virginia Supreme Court, The Logan Banner was reporting the progress of the first ever building in West Virginia designed to be a bus terminal. The three story brick structure was to be located on the corner of Dingess and Main Streets. The lot was 70×70 feet in width and length and formerly was owned by James A. Nighbert, a Civil War veteran who opened a trading post/store in 1840 and later fought for the Confederacy during the war. He and his wife, Vicie (Stratton), owned a huge home where the Little General Exxon station is located in Logan. Before the boulevard was built in Logan, the street where the boulevard now is located was called Nighbert Street.

The January 3, 1928 edition of The Logan Banner announced the planned construction of the “fireproof” building at a cost of over $100,000 and that the terminal would serve all bus lines. The story reads as follows: “On the first floor will be quartered a union station and ticket office and an up to date quick lunch restaurant. Offices of the three companies will be on the second floor, while the third floor will be divided into apartments or other living quarters for drivers and other employees. Those plans are not fixed or definite, Dr. N.E. Steele said this morning.” The Banner further reported that new Buick and Studebaker buses had been ordered. It listed Dr. Steele as President of the company, with Dr. W.E. Rowan vice­ president and Merrill Ackinson, secretary and treasurer.

The February 3, 1928 account of the court battle between Chafin and the bus company relayed that Chafin had lost his suit to compel the State Road Commission to grant him a taxicab permit. The Supreme Court’s decision in part said, “The State Road Commission has discretionary power in granting or refusing applications for permits to operate taxicabs on the public highways.”

The state Road Commission maintained that its investigation disclosed that “the service proposed by Chafin at Logan was adequately performed by others.” Chafin, however, claimed the decision was “unjust and illegal.” The report revealed there were 17 taxicabs operating in Logan at the time of the State Road Commission investigation.

The Banner in June of 1928 reported the bus terminal building “should be completed before cold weather as the contract provides for the structure to be built by November 1 or a penalty will be added to the contractors. The job was done by G.C. Johnson Construction Company of Bluefield and Welch.” On two sides of the building the year 1928 is inscribed near the top of the structure, which still stands today.

The building continued as the Logan Bus Terminal until 1949 when construction of the “new” boulevard forced the moving of the station to another location where the Consolidated Bus Lines constructed for Logan what was described as “one of the finest bus terminals in the state”. Many may recall that station being located where the Wendy’s restaurant site is today. The basement of this terminal contained a pool hall, which many locals may recall for its smoke filled air and distinctive smell.

However, the 1928 terminal once had its own ice cream parlor, shoe­shine man, and barber shop. That shop, operated today by barber Chad Browning, may be the oldest operating barber shop in the United States. Once the bus terminal was moved, other businesses have operated in the building, including a State Liquor Store, a furniture store and Don Elkins Music. The rear of the building, which is where the buses once pulled into and departed, has long since been cinder blocked.

In an upcoming story, interviews with current building owner Stan Morgan, who purchased the structure in 1989, and former businessman Don Elkins, who operated his music store there for 10 years, will be related. In addition, the names of at least 11 barbers, who cut hair in the barber shop since its very beginning, will be revealed — including this writer’s own father, Carlos Williamson.

Oh, if only walls could talk.

Dwight Williamson is a contributing writer and a former reporter for The Logan Banner. He currently serves as a Logan County Magistrate.

*Published with the author’s permission.

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9 thoughts on “Early Travel in Logan County”

  1. Jack Browning

    Dwight, In the early 80’s while I was living in Roanoke, VA and flying for fun, I met the chief pilot for Dehaven flight service. He introduced me to George Dehaven, the owner of a transfer commpany, and the flying operation. I got lots of free flying time with his pilot. While visiting with George, I discovered that George had worked for Consolidated bus company as the manager in Logan. I’m guessing in the early 50’s. We played did you know so and so, and I asked him if he knew my grandfather, Rev. A.J. Coffey. He laughed and said grandpa had married he and his wife!~ Small world!

    Reply
  2. Charles Small

    Charles: my grandfather which I am named after owed a restaurant at what used to be the end of Dingess Street, there have been two other builds built there since it closed it 64 which the Browning’s bought to expand their grocery store. It was across from the old Mountain State Packing Company and was called Columbia CafĂ©

    Reply
    1. Jewell Maymard Shipey

      I often ate at the Columbia Cafe with my Mom and Dad
      ..Roy and Sally Adkins Maynard..my aunt Willie Stollings may have worked there. In the mid 40s. Jewell Maynard Shipley

      Reply
        1. Jewell Shipley

          Many months later, Jim. I think you be Dixie’s Jimmy? Love to you and yours. Love reading Logan’s history stories.

          Reply
  3. Genny

    If your ancestors were given land grants, how could a descendent find out if the land grant is still viable

    Reply
    1. Douglas Dempsey

      Genny,

      Generally speaking, the area of southwestern WV was settled by persons that were given “land grants” from the Commonwealth of Virginia in the early late 1700’s-early 1800’s. When interest in this area increased due to the “discovery” of “oil and gas” in Pennsylvania in the late 1800’s after the Civil War, it came to be learned that, prior to the issuance of the land grants by the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Federal Government had issued “land grants” to large tracts of lands to Revolutionary War soldiers for their service in the Revolutionary War.

      Accordingly, when the holders of the Federal grants came to take possession of their lands they found the Commonwealth of Virginia grant holders were already here.

      With the primary interests of the then Federal holders being the very valuable mineral (oil, gas, coal, etc.) in the lands, the “Federal” owners took the “Virginia” local owners to Federal Court in ejectment lawsuits. The Federal Courts sided with the Federal owners saying that the Federal grants superseded the Commonwealth of Virginia grants.

      As a result of this type of court rulings, the “local” owners (holding under the Virginia grants} worked out settlement deals with the “Federal” owners whereby the mineral rights to the lands were conveyed to the Federal owners and the local owners kept the surface lands. (This was the process of the infamous “mineral severance deeds”.)

      Quite often, the deals were settled by the Federal owners by “buying” the mineral from the local landowner for very small amounts. There are many of us that have heard that their grandfather’s were cheated out of their mineral for as little as a dollar per acre.

      Owing to the development of minerals such as oil, gas and coal for well over a hundred years, there is virtually not one square inch of “original” land grant lands that cannot be accounted for in the titles on record for properties in this area.

      Reply
      1. Genny

        Wow! I am astounded at the details you provided. I didn’t understand what a land grant meant. I thought I could have been land rich from my ancestors, Conley, Chambers and Curry. Thank you for answering my question in such great detail.

        Reply
  4. Brenda Collinson

    Another interesting story. If you know of any that would involve the Browning’s and the Walker’s, I’d love to hear it.

    Reply

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