man, and a noted hunter. He and several others, in
1761, penetrated into Powell's Valley, naming Walden's Mountain
and Walden's Creek, and proceeded on through Cumberland Gap
to Cumberland River, and a few miles beyond to the Laurel
Mountain, where meeting a party of Indians, they returned. In
subsequent years, Walden settled on Holston, about eighteen
miles above Knoxville, where he was residing in 1796; a few
years later, he removed to Powell's Valley, but soon after
migrated to Missouri, where he lived hunting up to extreme
old age. Save what is related from Haywood's _Hist. of
Tennessee_ about the trip of 1761, this information was
communicated to the writer in 1849, by Maj. John Redd, of
Henry county, Va., who personally knew the old hunter very
well.--L. C. D.

[19] A curious misconception, this. Some of the founders of
Marietta acquired in 1788 a large tract west and north of their
own, and as a private speculation organized the Scioto Company.
Joel Barlow, the poet, was sent to Paris to negotiate the sale
of the lands. To the "Society of the Scioto," formed by him
there, he sold three million acres, and France was deluged with
rose-colored immigration pamphlets written by Barlow. In
February, 1790, six hundred Frenchmen--chiefly professional men
and small artisans from the large towns, with not an
agriculturist among them--arrived in Alexandria, Va., _en
route_ for the Scioto. They found that the Society, not having
paid for its lands, had forfeited its rights, and deeds granted
to the intending settlers were void. Five hundred finally went
west, and founded Gallipolis. Poor, not knowing how to work the
soil, and simple folk with no notions of independence, they
suffered from famine, Indians, and yellow fever. They finally
repurchased their lands, and upon the cessation of the border
war gained some strength; but Gallipolis was never more than a
weakling until Americans and Germans came in and put it on its
feet.--R. G. T.

[51] CHAPTER II.

The tract of country usually denominated North Western Virginia,
includes the counties of Brook, Ohio, Tyler, Wood, Lewis, Randolph,
Preston, Harrison and Monongalia, covering an area of 8,887 square
miles, and having a population, according