BECKLEY POST-HERALD, FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 15, 1963
Page 6 Column 5

Richmond District Also Split Over War
By Shirely Donnelly

While out on Bennett Mountain in Richmond District on March 2 a lot of local history flooded my mind. Richmond District derives its name from the pioneer family in those parts. The original Richmond in that area was William Richmond. This native of England migrated to New River Falls, also called Richmond Falls and Sandstone Falls, what is now Summers County at the close of the War of 1812. During that war William Richmond served in the American army, warring against his native England. He was a man of remarkable vitality as evidenced by the fact he lived to the age of 98. He passed on in 1850, mourned by his six children. Youngest of the sons of William Richmond was Samuel Richmond (March 1, 1801-Sept. 12. 1863.)

Samuel Richmond sired a large family, eight boys and five girls. His two youngest sons were Allen and "Tuck" Richmond. There at the Falls of New River Samuel Richmond had a grist mill—water powered—of no mean proportions. It was built of hewed logs. This was a grist mill that operated the year round due to the flow of New River over the high falls. Other mills in the area could not operate in time of drought or low water in their streams but the Samuel Richmond mill operated throughout the year. This made it an important center and people came from all over what is now Summers and Raleigh counties to have grain ground. This helped make Samuel Richmond a man of influence. Like most Englishmen, Samuel Richmond was an austere man of firm convictions. People knew where he stood because he was outspoken in his uncompromising beliefs and opinions.

CAME THE CIVIL WAR and like the nation, the Richmond district area was rent in twain. Samuel Richmond was a Union man and didn't care who knew it. He was dead set against secession. He was too old to take the field with the Union Army but he upheld with firm speech the cause of the men in blue. Others in the vicinity where he lived were just as firm in the adherence to the southern cause. Partisans on both sides in the fraternal conflict kept the area whipped into a dither. Bitterness prevailed on both sides. Often brother was pitted against brother. An example of this was found in the pioneer Waddeil family of that area. Crockett Waddell joined the Confederate Army but his brother, Green Waddell of Madams Creek, went into the Union Army. A grandson of Crockett Waddeil lives at Jumping Branch now. He is Thomas Crockett (Tom) Waddeil. He told me the other day that his grandfather in grey was shot in the hip during the Civil War at Cedar Creek.

SAMUEL RICHMOND also ran a ferry across New River were his grist mill stood. On Sept 12, 1863, Allen Vincent asked him to set him across the river to the Summers County side. War feeling was at fever pitch in the community. With the intuition of a woman, Mrs. Richmond pleaded with her husband not to make the trip across with Vincent. Richmond was not a man to be deterred by anyone, so he rowed the fare across in a canoe. They made it across all right and Vincent landed safely on the Summers —now Summers— side. Richmond turned to row back to his side of the river in Raleigh County. At this juncture he was shot from ambush and mortally wounded. By main strength and determination he made it back across the river and was hustled home. As soon as he got home he succumbed to the wound. But who shot the powerful 62-year-old Samuel Ricmond.

ACCUSED OF THE SHOOTING was Henderson Garten, a guerrila under Capt. Philip Thurmond of Oak Hill, and Jefferson (Jeff) Bennett a strong Southern sympathizer. This all came on March 2nd as we buried Boude Bennett in the Bennett graveyard several miles back of Jumping Branch. A kinsman of Jefferson Bennett pointed out the homesite of the old Secessionist and told how he met an untimely end. When the Civil War was over, the report runs, "Tuck" Richmond and others returned, went up to Jeff Bennett's house and avenged the death of Samuel Richmond, Tuck's father. This they did by killing Jeff Bennett and his dog. An old grave mound was pointed out as the tomb of secessionist Jeff Bennett there in the ancestral burial ground of the generations of Bennetts. Only a dornick marks the grave.

HENRY GARTEN, reported to be in on the Samuel Richmond shooting, was tried after the Civil War ended for the wartime shooting of Henry Martin, son of Nick Martin. He was tried at Union, and got 16 years in the penitentiary. He served about 10 years and was let out. He came back to his mountain home near Hinton and became a gunsmith. He became celebrated for the mountain rifles he manufactured, the famous Henderson Garten rifles. Some of them are still around. Only recently I learned of the whereabouts of one.