Logan County People and Places

10 Comments / Coal Miner’s Daughter, Uncategorized / / Dolores Riggs Davis

Originally posted on March 23, 2011

Logan County is located on the Guyandotte River, and nestled in the Appalachian Mountains with an elevation of six-hundred and sixty-two feet. Logan County was once called “The Billion Dollar Coal Fields.” Those days have vanished just like the coal camps where we once lived. On this page, I hope to recreate that world where we once lived with stories and pictures from the past.  – Dolores Riggs Davis

MEMBERS OF THE LOGAN WILDCATS 36TH VIRGINIA INFANTRY TAKEN LONG AFTER THE CIVIL WAR. WILLIAM DYKE GARRETT STANDS IN THE MIDDLE BEHIND THE MAN WITH A CANE

Garrett was a Hardshell Baptist, and was known in the hills of Logan County as “The Mountain Preacher” and “Uncle Dyke.” He fought for the South beside Devil Anse Hatfield in the Civil War, and for many years tried to convert his friend. The murder of his son’s Elias and Troy broke the seventy-two-year-old feud leader’s heart. It was then Uncle Dyke added Hatfield to his list of converts. On a Sunday Uncle Dyke baptized Devil Anse in the waters of Main Island Creek. His sons Johnse and Cap where also baptized, and the Hatfield’s stacked their guns.

Most of the Logan County citizens who joined the 36th Virginia Volunteer Infantry, Co. D. under Colonel John McCausland were from Virginia, and were sympathetic to the southern cause. Colonel McCausland later became Brigadier General and the 36th Infantry were involved in at least 85 engagements in 1864 alone. Mingo County was then a part of Logan County. The unit was famous for “deeds of daring,” and they were known as the “Logan County Wildcats.” They enlisted in June 1861, and remained until the end of the war. The Wildcats took part in sixteen major battles. The largest unit to be organized in Logan County was the 45th Battalion in August of 1863 when 287 men enlisted. Seventeen direct descendants of Valentine Hatfield, including “Devil Anse” and his father “Big Eph,” were part of that battalion. The Civil War started on April 12, 1861 and ended April 9, 1865. In the 1890 census of Logan County it listed 56 Union Veterans, so there was Union sympathizers in Logan County.

Source: The Hatfield and The McCoys by Virgil Carrington Jones. The Logan Banner files.

LOGAN COUNTY COURT HOUSE 1875-1905

THE TRIANGLE SERVICE STATION AND THE WATER STREET BRIDGE

PARADE FLOAT CROSSING THE WATER STREET BRIDGE IN THE LATE 1930’s

STRATTON STREET PARADE-1940’s

THE LOGAN MASONIC TEMPLE BUILDING ON MAIN STREET – 1993

YEP . . . MORRISON’S DRIVE INN IS STILL THERE

Photograph by O. Wilson Link called Hot Shot Eastbound, Iaeger, West Virginia, August 2, 1956. Iaeger is located in McDowell County, but when I look at this picture I think of the Logan County Moniter Drive Inn Theater.

Photo taken by James LeMaster of Landville on Buffalo Creek in the 1940’s. The bus driver, Joe Conley has his sign rolled to Lorado. This is truly a picture worth ten-thousand words.

TRAINS

Steam engine passing through Switzer, WV
Photo by: Henry Jordan

PEACH CREEK TRAIN YARD

CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO PASSENGER TRAIN AT PEACH CREEK YARD

LOGAN COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFFED BALDWIN
Father of Ralph Baldwin

LOGAN COUNTY’S FINESTPicture courtesy of Ralph Baldwin

ROBERT BYRD CAMPAIGNING FOR OFFICE

Ray Watts (former sheriff) behind suitcase, Lester “Bus” Perry, standing behind him, (now Senator) Robert Byrd to right of Watts, man with cigar, Judge C.C. Chambers, man standing behind Chambers is (former sheriff) Grover Combs. Picture courtesy of Ed Baldwin’s son, Ralph.

LOGAN ARTIST

Logan County native, Roger Williamson is an artist who is well-known for his paintings on coalminer’s hard hats. In 1982 he did a limited edition lithograph print of the old Logan CourtHouse. Roger is now working with an AB airbrush that is normally used as a photo touch-up tool to recreate a series of pictures which he calls “The Coalfield Collection.” Below are two examples of his work. For further information call 304 752-0657 or write Roger Williamson, 715 Stratton Street, Logan, WV 25601 or visit RogerWilliamson.com

Coming Home
Painting©byRoger Williamson

Getting In The Coal
Painting©byRoger Williamson

THE LOGAN WATER STREET BRIDGE IN 1988

The Water Street, often called the Blue Bridge, came tumbling down April 10, 1999 at 6:30 in the morning to make ready for a new bridge.  A bridge off Rt 10 by Wilson Cleaners gives access to the high school and city of Logan.

Click on any of the thumbnails to see the full-size images and descriptions.

10 thoughts on “Logan County People and Places”

  1. Dodie (Smith) Browning

    This video was made in 2011 and it makes me so proud to say that I am from Logan, WV. People from West Virginia (especially Logan County) are different and always have been. I saw folks in this video that a knew as a young girl. This song has been my “theme song” from the first time I ever heard it and I truly think it could be the theme song for everyone from Logan County. ENJOY!

    Reply
    1. Dodie (Smith) Browning

      Shelby, You are absolutely right (as usual).
      I first learned about “Uncle Dyke” as a child, going to Bible School (and Sunday School) at the First Christian Church.

      William Dyke Garrett lived for at least seventy years at what became Garrett’s Fork, a branch of the Guyandotte River (Chapmanville- Big Creek area). As a young man he accepted Christ as his personal savior and was baptized by Alexander Lunsford in the Guyandotte River at Big Creek. Uncle Dyke became a Campbellite minister (First Christian Church) known lovingly as “The Sheppard Of The Hills.” He is best known for baptizing Anderson “Devil” Anse Hatfield and for his statement, “today I baptized the devil”, referring to his old friend, Anse. “Uncle” Dyke Garrett died in 1938.

      Reply
        1. Dodie (Smith) Browning

          Thanks for your input, Sonja, but I believe if you check the early history of Logan County, you will find that the First Christian Church and Church of Christ were the same- Only difference was Church of Christ does not have musical instruments, but First Christian does. Both were originally “Campbellite” if memory serves. J. Green McNeeley was also a Church Of Christ minister (married to my husband’s aunt (Yantie Hale). Uncle Green was baptized by Rev Garrett, as was Devil Anse Hatfield. I believe the first actual Church Of Christ in Logan County was at Huey (Crooked Creek).

          Reply
        2. Shelby Burgess

          Dodie;
          Thanks for the info on The musical differences between the two church groups. This practice was not observed at the Chapmanville Church Of Christ. Lois Ferrell often led the singers with her piano selections. Green McNeely was the visiting minister every Sunday. I have heard him preach many times as a kid. When he got into his “Dispensations Of Times” topics , he was good for two long hours !
          Shelby

          Reply
          1. Dodie (Smith) Browning

            Shelby, I am not even sure that musical instruments were not allowed in other Church of Christ locations in Logan – I just know from studying history of different religions that was the main difference in the Christian Church and Church of Christ. The Roots were the same – first called Disciples of Christ.

    1. Dolores Davis

      Rose, We just returned from our winter condo in Titusville, FL May 30th, and are still adjusting. It was wonderful to see our children and grandchildren, but we are really tired today. I guess getting ready for the trip and the flight home drained all of our energy. I hope to add some new pictures and stories in the near future.

      Reply

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