Local History

Written by Charles J. Rawling of Wheeling, WV and originally published in 1887 by the J.B. Lippincott Company of Philadelphia, this work remains the only history of the First West Virginia Infantry ever published. Its twenty-five chapters contain comprehensive accounts of the regiment's activities. This regiment was the first to be formed in West Virginia for defense of the Union. They participated in the first land battle of the Civil War at Philippi. They were subsequently engaged in guarding the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and were mustered out of service in August 1861. Two days later Dr.

Travel down the country roads of West Virginia with Dr. Jay Banks. Meet the amazing array of characters this general practitioner encountered in his years of family practice. This collection of short episodes will bring you into the homes of down-home country folk you’d sometimes like to have as neighbors — and sometimes be glad you don’t. We promise you an enjoyable journey, so sit back and read a spell.

Homesick for the Hills is a collection of columns written by Alyce Faye Bragg. She is a weekly columnist for the Charleston Gazette and the Clay County Free Press. However, these columns — meaningful stories — are woven together with a nostalgic note of how life used to be in the hills of Clay County, West Virginia. Alyce lovingly underlines the passion and deep inner longing of those who have left the country life to come back home again. Alyce accurately depicts the fine people and their unique country ways. We believe you’ll enjoy this selection.

From the author of Homesick for the Hills, here is another winning collection of columns written by Alyce Faye Bragg. She is a weekly columnist for the Charleston Gazette and the Clay County Free Press. In this book, the author reflects her deep love for the hills of West Virginia. Actually, it’s a simple chronicle of life in Clay County with a frequent look back to the recent past. According to Miss Bragg, this life is not too different than it was in Grandma’s day — hopes and dreams centered on family, home and the land.

One of the first settlers in the Kanawha Valley, Indian fighter and scout, lieutenant under Daniel Boone, one of nine founding trustees of Charleston, survivor of the massacre at Tackett’s Fort, first purchaser of certain lots in today’s prime real estate, progenitor of countless present-day citizens of the valley, John Young remains an obscure player on the stage of frontier history.

The THIRD PRINTING of the Land of the Canaan is a collection of intriguing, hilarious and sometimes tragic tales from the mountains of Tucker and Randolph Counties. It takes its title from the land around Canaan Mountain and the lovely Canaan Valley, which is lazily drained by the Blackwater River before it engages in its wild leap over Blackwater Falls near Davis, WV. This is a book that must be in your book collection if you enjoy homespun tales, country humor, and rich stories of how it used to be in Appalachia.

This little booklet is extremely rare. The Mary Draper Ingles story has been told and retold many times, sometimes with not enough regard for historical facts. John Ingles, Sr., wrote an account of these frontier days experiences as told to him repeatedly by his father, William Ingles, and mother, Mary Draper Ingles. His manuscript is preserved in the University of Virginia Library. In this literary work, the editors have tried to decipher the original manuscript of John Ingles, Sr.