History of Wetzel County
Wetzel County, West Virginia, was created in 1846 from Tyler County and named for Lewis Wetzel, famous frontier character and Indian fighter.
County seat: New Martinsville Area: 360.47 square miles.
When the thirteen original states were organized, the
Wetzel County area fell within the area of Virginia and remained
a part of that state until the formation of West Virginia in
1863. The area was Aragon within the limits of Ohio County, which
was formed in 1776, and at that time included not only all of the
panhandle, but extended indefinitely westward and for a
considerable distance to the south. After the formation of the
state of Ohio, the westward extension of Ohio County, Virginia,
became fixed by the Ohio River. In 1814 Tyler County, named in
honor of President Tyler's father, was formed from a part of Ohio
County, and included what is now Tyler and Wetzel Counties.
Wetzel County was created in 1846 from the northern part of Tyler
County.
Lewis Wetzel, called "the Boone of Northwestern
Virginia," was born on the south branch of the Potomac River
about 1764. He was the second of four sons of John Wetzel who
later lived at the mouth of Wheeling Creek in Marshall County.
Lewis Wetzel's brothers and sisters were: Martin, George, John,
Jacob, Susan and Christina.
No man of the western border was more dreaded as an
enemy than Lewis Wetzel. He had been tortured by the Indians and
had vowed revenge on the Indians for the death of his father, who
was killed when Lewis was about 23 years of age near Captina upon
his return from Middle Island Creek.
Literally a man without fear, Lewis Wetzel was as
brave as a lion, cunning as a fox, "daring where daring was
the wiser part, prudent when discretion was valor's better
self." For example, when about thirteen years of age, Lewis
and his brother Jacob, were captured by the Indians from their
home and made prisoners. Lewis had been hit by a glancing shot
which carried away a small piece of his breastbone, leaving a
painful wound. Even at this tender age Lewis Wetzel was a true
adventurer, brave and cunning; he and Jacob tricked the Indians
into trusting them not to escape, then made their escape after
the Indians fell asleep without having the boys tied up.
Daringly, the boys walked barefoot for several miles
but, realizing that they could not walk as far nor as fast as
necessity decreed, Lewis left Jacob in the forest, returned to
the sleeping Indians, and made off with their moccasins and a
gun. The following day the boys reached the Ohio at a point
opposite Zanes' Island, having been taken more than twenty miles
downriver on the Ohio side, the boys reached safety the same day.
Universally regarded as one of the most efficient
scouts and most practiced woodsmen of his day, Wetzel was
frequently engaged by parties who wanted to hunt and locate lands
but were afraid of the Indians, Engaging Wetzel for months at a
time, however, they felt safe. John Madison, brother of President
James Madison, employed Wetzel to go with him through the Kanawha
region.
Early in his youth Lewis Wetzel had acquired the habit
of loading his gun while at a full run and hit his mark. These
habits greatly facilitated his efforts to obtain revenge on the
Indians for the death of his father. The fact that he killed
every Indian he was confronted with and his amazing personal
appearance made Wetzel's scalp most prized by the Indians.
Having a very dark complexion, and wild black eyes,
five feet ten inches tall, very erect broad across the shoulders,
with an expansive chest, and muscular arms and legs, Lewis Wetzel
was a striking man. His hair was of raven jetness and very
luxuriant, reaching when combed out below his knees. Of course,
this would have been a rare scalp for any Indian.
Wetzel County was formed by an act of the Assembly of
Virginia, Martinsville, now New Martinsvil1e, was designated as
the county seat, The first session of court was held in April
1846 in a house owned by Sampson Thistle, located at the corner
of Main and Jefferson Streets. In 1848, the ground now occupied
by the Wetzel County Courthouse was deeded to the county for
$1.00 by Presley and Margaret Martin for the purpose of building
a court house. The building was completed in 1852 and was used as
a courthouse for 48 years when, in the early 1900's it was torn
down and the lumber moved to Paden City. In 1902, the present
courthouse was completed at a cost of less than $175,000.
Early grand jury records disclose that nearly all
indictments found in the early years were for assault and
battery, riding in a horse race on a public road or for selling
"bootleg" liquor.
S. Bruce Hall representing the Wetzel County Bar
Association as its oldest member, in his presentation of a gavel
to newly elected Judge James F. Shipman said: "The article
which I am requested to present to you upon this occasion is an
appropriate one. It is one of ancient and honorable use. It is
the sincere hope of this speaker that you will not have occasion
to use it frequently. We assure you that we have not selected
this particular article by which to express our welcome for the
reason that we think you are, or ever will become, a Knocker.
This article carries sentiment with it. It brings back fond
memory to some of us older members of the bar, the little old
square courthouse, its large brick pillars in front, its squatty
cupola, its high rostrum and sawdust floors of the courtroom, its
stacks of old army muskets, silent reminders of the carnage of
former days, stowed away in an upstairs room, like the rusted
toys of Little Boy Blue of the hundreds of swallows who annually
returned to build mud nests under its projecting eaves. I have no
doubt, Sir, but what you will always live up to the highest
ideals, and the finest traditions of the exalted office to which
you have been elevated by voters of this Circuit. Please accept
this mallet from the Wetzel County Bar Association, in the spirit
in which it is given. It is made from timber of our old
Courthouse. Lift it with care, hammer with caution, and may
neither it nor the Court ever fly off the handle!"
Wetzel County is an Ohio Valley county, located in the
northwestern part of the State of West Virginia. It forms the
base on which the Northern Panhandle rests. It is bounded on the
north by Marshall County, West Virginia and Greene County,
Pennsylvania; on the east by Monongalia, Marion and Harrison
counties, West Virginia; on the south by Doddridge and Tyler
counties, West Virginia; and on the west by the Ohio River and
Monroe County, Ohio. Wetzel County is separated from Greene
County, Pennsylvania and from Marshall County on the north by a
portion of the historic Mason and Dixon line. The county is
principally rolling, with slight hills. The surface is broken in
some places by higher hills, which occasionally assume
considerable proportions and are steep. The lowest point, 588
feet above sea level is in the southwestern corner of the county
at the Ohio River, and the highest, 1,650 feet, at the summit of
Honsocker Knob in the opposite corner.
Wetzel County fronts on the Ohio River for about
thirteen miles. The largest tributary of this river in the county
is Fishing Creek, the whole basin of which lies within the area
and drains 220 square miles. The remaining area is drained by
Fish Creek, which flows northwest into Marshall County and by
several small creeks and runs.
New Martinsville, the county seat and chief town, is
located on the Ohio River. It has an altitude of 630 feet above
sea level. By road, it is 283 miles from Bluefield, 150 miles
from Charleston, 75 miles from Clarksburg, 243 miles from
Martinsburg and 38 miles from Wheeling.
Wetzel County, in common with other counties of the
Ohio Valley, has extensive agricultural interests, and in
addition it has for many years been one of the more important oil
and gas counties of the State. Natural resources other than oil
and gas have not been developed, though coal at varying depths is
present in many sections of the county.
The industrial plants of the county are located in the New Martinsville area. These include glassware, sand and gravel plants and lumber mills.
Source: History of Wetzel Co., WV 1983
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