Journal of Lewis Summers (1808)

History of West Virginia, Old and New, Volume I

From History of West Virginia, Old and New, Volume I, pages 129-133

What follows is an excerpt from the travel journal (diary) of Lewis Summers in 1808. Settlements in the Kanawha valley developed rapidly after 1790. From 1790 to 1810, thousands of Virginians migrated through the valley on their way to Kentucky. Many traveled the route along the Kanawha River to Scary Creek, then through Teay’s Valley and across the Mud River. Some found homes along the Kanawha. Some of the conditions along this route are described in this journal as Summers traveled from Alexandria, Virginia, to Gallipolis, Ohio, and then up the valley of the Ohio River. He was searching for a good location on behalf of his father, Col. George Summers.

Also see “The James River and Kanawha Canal”

THE DIARY

Summers mentions the Tyree tavern in Lewisburg, discussed in Note 2 at bottom. Pictured is the town of Lewisburg (year unknown, colorized). The building that became Tyree Tavern in Ansted existed in 1808, but was apparently not used as a tavern at that time. It is about halfway between Lewisburg and Charleston, but Summers does not mention it. The Tyree Tavern at Clifftop was not built by 1808. See Tyree info here.

Tyree Tavern in Ansted: Photo courtesy of Felipe Barrera (See gallery of interior here.)

The “Boyer brothers” mentioned were probably part of the family of Peter Bowyer. See Note 3 at bottom.

A few illustrations from The Album of Virginia, by Edward Beyer:

Album of Virginia, by Edward Beyer

Below: Wood County Courthouse

Notes:

1 source

2 source (TheTyrees.com)

3 source (History of Fayette County, West Virginia, 1926)