AN OLD PIONEER
(A tribute by a friend)The writer remembers once hearing the Rev. A. E. O’Dell, while delivering a funeral sermon for some aged citizen, say that the country suffers a distinct loss in the death of the pioneer residents, to whom he referred as "the very mud sills of civilization". The first settlers of this country were usually high class citizens, strong, sturdy and scrupulously honest . If the history and the lives of more of these early settlers could be written, much of
the early history of the country could be saved to posterity and would be interesting to future generations.
One of the oldest of the early settlers of Nicholas county, George Loderick Brown, lived near Craigsville in what was formerly known as the "Crupperneck" section.
Mr. Brown, born in Bedford county, Va., in 1840, was the oldest of a family of four, two sisters, Narcissus and Luticia Brown, and one brother, James Ferry Brown.At 15 he came with his father to West Virginia, and settled on Muddlety (then called"Mumletypeg") and remained there until the close of the Civil war. He was a regularly enlisted soldier in the Home Guards, serving from 1861 to the close of the war. He was wounded and carried the scars to his grave. Mr. Brown married his first wife, Sarah Sparks, in 1862. She died in 1866 and was buried at Bucks Garden. They had three children, Ulysses, Margaret and Mrs. Nannie Hamilton.
After the death of his wife he came to Crooked Run and settled down to farming. There he met, won and married Elizabeth Cox, daughter of John Cox. To this union were born 10 children, namely; Mrs. Dora Springston, Camden-on-Gauley, Thomas Wyatt Brown, Catlettsburg, Ky.; Clora, who died at 18; Mrs. Victor Donaldson, Williams River; Wallace Brown, Craigsville; Mrs. Nettie Crew and Lemon Brown, who lived on the old homestead.
In the year 1869 Mr. Brown bought 125 acres of land in the bend of Gauley, in what was known as Lower Crupperneck, and has resided there since that time. He paid $2 an acre for the land in fee, mineral, timber and all. This was virgin forest and was in the midst of what was at that time a howling wilderness. He set bravely to work - hewed out a set of house logs, and with the help of neighbors he soon reared a modern two story double log house, and almost alone and unaided split and dressed the stone and built an old fashioned
double chimney. The house stands today as a striking example of the early pioneer home.
"Uncle Loderick," took a great deal of pleasure in relating his early wilderness
experience. Game was plentiful, and it was not an uncommon thing to go out almost
anywhere in the woods and get a deer, and quite frequently one was killed within gunshot of
the house.
While neighbors were rather scarce, they were real neighbors, and upon occasions
of log-rolling, house or barn-raising, they would come for miles - come early and work late. And such meals as these good house wives served at these gatherings, now unhappily
gone out of date, none but those who have actually attended can know and appreciate them."Uncle" Loderick relates that during harvest time and other busy seasons of the
year, he would sometimes work for other people to get tax money and such like, getting up at daybreak, walk perhaps five or six miles, work until sundown, and then walk back home by moonlight, and for 50 cents a day.Mr. Brown was converted in early life and united with the Methodist Episcopal
Church and has lived a consistent Christian life, which has been an inspiration to many.The writer has known Uncle Loderick over 50 years, and can testify to his sterling worth as a conscientious Christian gentleman.
After his last wife died Mr. Brown lived with his youngest son, Lemon Brown, on
the home place, calmly waiting the summons to join the many friends gone on before.Excerpts from the NEWS LEADER - September 6, 1967 - Richwood, WV
Margaret Brown, daughter of George Loderick and Sarah, married James Whitney Mullens, my grandfather.