I really need to visit that area someday. One-quarter of my ancestry hails from there. About 1740 to about 1880 for my direct ancestors. One family name is unique with nearly everyone with that name being descended from one man. In 1910, according to the census, there were 131 people with that name in that county.
Yes, Pendleton County is the county immediately to the West of where I live and I frequently do work over there.
> One family name is unique with nearly everyone with that name being descended from one man.
Jebediah Cow?
Upper Tract, Oak Flat, Fort Seybert, Brushy Run
Virtually anyone named Conrad or Eye will be some sort of distant relative. Also, other names like Mallow, Probst, Hammer, Bible, Hedrick, Currence, Caplinger, Friend and many others. Back in the days with first names like Jacob, Ullery, Sampson, Laban, Reuben and Lorenzo Dow.
I think of the area as being very steep except on the bottom grounds near sizeable branches and forks. Trees everywhere. Does that match the general locale?
The 1910 History of Pendleton County written by Oren Morton has an extensive summary of family and descendants including a great number of mine. The Randolph County history is closely linked to some lines.
How would you describe the area and the types of survey problems you encounter?
HC,
I am related to the family Propst (probably a variant of Probst) that hails from the Franklin area. Tom (or Thom) Propst is/was a PS from that area. I'm not sure where he is now.
Dave Ingram, any clue about Tom Propst?
Carl
Surveying is rough, difficult work. Mountains are steep. Valleys are deep and narrow. Very remote and rugged. Land records are piss poor and survey records are even worse. Population is sparse. People that live there generally love it and like the lifestyle, but a city slicker would find it difficult.
I recognize many of the names you mention and have had a couple of those family names as clients over the years. Don't do a lot of work over there, but enough to make it worth keeping my license.
If you'd like some topo sheets of the area, send me your snail mail address and I'll plot a couple out for you.
The only Tom surveyor I know from over there is Tom Firor and he has been county surveyor for 20 - 30 years or more. Don't ever remember running across a Propst surveyor.
He may have moved from the area. My uncle (married to my mom's sister) was a Propst from that area, but moved to Clarksburg in the early 50's. Tom was his nephew (via one of his brothers) on the other side. Tom was unique because he had his LLS (precursor to PS) in the 80's before he went to college at Glenville State to get his degree in Land Surveying Technology... sounds odd doesn't it??
I hadn't really thought about him in a long time, I think I may have met him once or twice. He may have moved even before... say... 1987... I'm just not sure.
Carl
Here's a piece of Pendleton survey history
Here's a piece of Pendleton survey history
Mighty expensive triangular scale.
Good guess, but, it was Ezekiel Cow.
