The Story Of Joel & Margaret
THE WAY IT WAS
AND
THE WAY IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
Joel Church came into the Dismal area of Tazwell County Virginia around 1832 , from Lee County Virginia. He moved around a lot in those early years. From North Carolina to Clay County Ky, from there to Floyd County Ky. from there to Lee County Virginia, and from there to the Dismal River area of Virginia.
This is an account of Joel Church and Margaret and how they came to be in the Dismal area of Tazewell County Virginia when Milton Ward arrived there in 1833, and why Joel was in a temporary cabin with only his good old wife, and hound dogs. Some of this is is only to say,"The Way It Might Have Been." Put together from facts, combined with my imagination.
Joel Church was a Trapper. Which means that he would leave his family each fall, and trek back into the head of some wild watershed country, throw together some sort of shelter tight enough to keep him warm through the winter, and Trap the Beaver, Mink, Muskrats, Fox, or whatever had a pelt that would sell. I believe that this accounted for his moving around so much in his younger years.
He always made a home for his family where they would have neighbors nearby, because of the threat from Indians. He also wanted to live , not too far from the Beaver, Mink, and muskrat.
It was in the fall of 1832, Joel had a farm in Lee County Virginia, and his son Gabriel lived nearby. Joel Jr, was the oldest of his children that was still at home,, he was sixteen years old.
Joel needed horses or mules to take his supplies to his trapping camp, and he needed them in the spring to get his gear,and furs back home, but he didn't need them during the winter while he was trapping. He would be hard put to feed them when the snows came, unless he carried grain, and hay, back in there with him, and he didnt want to do that. He would have been more likely to be bothered by Indians if he had horses. He was on friendly terms with some of the red brothers, but some of them wasn't to be trusted. This time he decided to have someone go with him to the place he chose for trapping, to bring the horses back, then to return with the horses in the spring.
As soon as the harvest was over in the year 1832, the two Joels loaded the traps, Bed covers, and provisions on two horses, then riding another two horses, and allowing two of his best Hounds to trail along, they left for a place that Joel had discovered a few years before while on a hunting expedition.
It was a two day journey to their destination , but they made it three because they spent a night, and part of a day at the home of a William Layne, in Pike County Kentucky. It was only a slight detour. The Laynes had a Daughter, Nancy Jane, that J.R. wanted to see.
On the third day they dropped off of the mountain range back into Virginia, and followed a good trail up the Levisa River for a few miles.
They saw no people here, but heard dogs bark a time or two, and saw sign of cattle, and shod horses. They crossed Contrary mountain , and found themselves at the Dismal river, near a place Now called Pilgrims Knob , just as the sun gave up and called it a day.
They were now where Joel Sr. wanted to be, but still needed to find the best place to make his camp, a place closest to where the trapping would be good.
The next day they traveled upstream for a distance that was later measured to be seven mile, to a place which was to be called Sang Camp.
Joel Jr. stayed with his dad for about a week, as they built a small cabin, and chinked it tight against the comming winter winds, then he took the horses , and started home, promising to return in the spring around planting time.
They built the cabin far enough back from the river so it would not wash off if the creek got up, but close evough that he would be able to hear the frogs in the springtime, and could hear the splashing of a horse crossing. The river was not much more than a creek here except for the rainy seasons.
Nothing could sneek up on you if you are listening to frogs singing. the frogs will go silent if there is any movement, or sound nearby.
While Old Joel was trapping furs in the Dismal River Valley, Margaret was at home worrying about him, and taking care of his home,and children. With near neighbors, and a couple grown boys around her, she felt safe enough, but there was a little worry in her mind.
The winter before, Joel had trapped Down in Tennessee, and Margaret had gotten wind of a little mischief between him and a Hobbs woman, So she worried
But trapping was good, and there was no mischief this winter.
Joel saw no Indians, but did see unshod horse tracks on the mountain trail just before the first snow fell.
He met two young men down near the Levisa, who were hunting, one said that he was a Stiltner, and the other a Yates. They had killed a bear, and dressed it out, and was tying the meat up in the bearskin in a manner that they could pack it home on their horse. They insisted that he take a piece of the fresh meat for his supper.
Joel liked the Dismal area better than most places he had been, there was something about it, it had a homey feeling to it like he hadnt felt since his earley days in the Carolinias. He decided that if Peggy would agree he would like to build here somewhere , give his place in Lee County to one of the boys, and move here.
Spring came early, and Joel JR, came with the horses as soon as the snow melted. Margaret came with him.
They brought him a few supplies, figuring that he might need a few more days to finish drying out his furs, and pulling in his traps,and such, knowing that he would be out of coffee, tobacco, and maybe salt.
Joel JR. started back right away, saying that he wanted to make it to the Laynes house, before dark, if possible. JR had his eye on the Layne girl named "Nancy" "How long for you all be coming along Pap ?" he asked his dad.
" Be three, four, days I reckon, got to get this woman back to them younguns " "No more'n a week."
"O. K. Keep your powder dry" JR, turned his horse,and went splashing across the shallows of the river.
"Old man" , You know that them younguns are alright with Gabe, and Jane,n their younguns."
"Yeah Peggy, I know. Im glad you came" "How about fixing me something to eat? I aint had a decent meal all winter."
Both Joel, and Margaret was in their fifties, but neither was old, they would tell you right away that they could work circles around the youngsters.
The next day Joel pulled in the rest of his traps, but it was going to take a few more days for the last of his hides to dry enough to take off of the boards.
It was the morning of the fourth day when Joel awoke to find that Margaret had died in her sleep. She was lying curled up against his back, the way she always slept. Her heart must have just quit, she had died without even moving.
There were some silent tears there at Sang Camp that morning, but after setting silently by her bed for awhile, his head cleared , and he began to do what he had to do. He wrapped her up tightly in the bed tick, which was simply a large sack like affair, filled with sage grass, which served the purpose of a mattress. He used his sewing awl to sew the sides together .
He had been looking at a place six, or seven miles downstream thinking of setteling there in a year or so. The "Contrary" Mountain Road Crossed The Dismal there. On the Contrary side of the river there was some bottom land which would be good for farming.
A man named Milton Ward, had just days before placed his claim on the property just across from the mouth of Contrary, (Later called Bill Young Branch) and had several slaves there building a house.
From the hill just above where Milton's house was being built you could see up river towards Sang Camp. and you could also see the piece of land across the river where he planned to someday build.
Joel left Peggy's body wrapped up in the Tick, while he went down the river to talk to Mr. Ward.
Milton said "Sure", "Bury her there if you want to, I wish my women folk was here, women always know what to do at a time like this. Take a couple of my boys to help you " Milton called two of his black men by name, " You all go on with Mr, Church here and help him any way he say's"
"Thats alright Mr. Ward, I really don't need any help".
"Naw, take em on with you, they will be company to you anyhow. They can just come on back when they get through."
Joel, with his two helpers, buried Margaret on the hill which has come to be known as Pilgrims Knob. As time passed, others were buried there, many of which were Wards. The Graveyard is called The Ward Cemetery.
Joel did return, and did buy property on the Contrary side of the Dismal river, in the mouth of what is now called Bill Young's Branch. But that is another story.
Near where the road up Bill Youngs Branch crosses the Railroad there was a Post Office during part of the eighteen hundereds, It was Called "Contrary Post Office"
The farm of Joel and Caroline lay in the valley to the left of the road as you go up "Bill Youngs Branch" which then was called "Contrary"
Later some of Joel's children would build on the property.
Story written by Raymond Church, Gr Gr Grandson Of Joel