As published in the book entitled "Pioneer Recollections" by Hetty Swindall Sutherland - Interview with Nannie Sykes Kerr Dotson on October 11, 1951 at Millard, Virginia.
As published in the book entitled "Pioneer Recollections" by Hetty Swindall Sutherland - Interview with Nannie Sykes Kerr Dotson on October 11, 1951 at Millard, Virginia.
I was born July 17, 1882 at what is now Clinchco, Dickenson County, Virginia being the youngest of Noah and Susan Jane (Arrington) Sykes.
My grandfather was John Sykes, who lived on a farm near Lebanon, Russell County, Virginia. I do not know where he lived before he came to Russell County. His wife was Lydia Jane Hargis. I have been told that the Sykes are of Scotch descent and that we also have some Cherokee Indian blood in us, but I dont know how this come about. Both my Sykes grandparents died and were buried in Russell County. Their children were (as far as I know):
Sammuel Sykes lived on a farm in Russell County, Virginia. I don't remember his wife's name, but some of his children were: Bolivar, Betty (married Andrew Hall, father of Levi), Catherine (married Judge H. A. W. Skeen- I think he was married twice), and Levi.
John Sykes lived on a farm in Russell County, Virginia. I do not remember the name of his wife nor the names of any of his children.
Thursey Sykes married Naaman Kiser, and I believe they lived in Scott County, Virginia. I dont know the names of their children.
Winnie Sykes married John Bartley and lived at Lookout, Pike County, Kentucky. Some of their children were: Cordie, Dock (Preacher), Jane (married her first cousin Levi Sykes- son of Sammuel).
Noah Sykes, my father, grew up in Russell County, Virginia. After his marriage, he moved to what is now Dickenson County, Virginia - at the Ambrose Hay Place on Backbone Ridge - when my sister Caldona was a baby ( she was older than Burrell) - about 1856. During the war, they moved to John's Creek in Kentucky. After the war, they moved to Ashcamp, in Pike County, Kentucky and in a year or two father swapped land there to Billy Wright for his large tract of land at the mouth of Mill Creek, where Clinchco now stands. The family moved there in one room log house, which Mr. Wright had built at the mouth of Old House Branch ( which was so named because of this old house). Father added some rooms to it and lived there the rest of his life. Jasper Wright, a son of Billy, lived on a farm across the point from his fathers farm, and later moved to Kentucky. Father built a water mill on McClure River about where Luther Saul's now lives above Clinchco. This mill was before I can remember. After a few years, he built another mill nearer home - just about where the bridge over McClure goes to the railroad station. Here he ground grain for all the people in the community. He also had a sawmill run by water at the same place. It used a rip saw - run by water power. Brother Jim built his house in the bottom just beyond the mill, near where the railroad station now stands. My father just growed to mill. He was always around it doing something about it. He was a farmer and miller. Mill Creek got its name from this mill, which was on McClure River about a hundred yards above the mouth of Mill Creek. He married Susan Jane Arrington. They both died at Clinchco and were buried on Graveyard Hill. Their children were Burrell F., Sara A. V., John A., James S., Irene S., Rachel J. B., Brice M., Minerva L., and Nancy Adeline (myself). I was the youngest child, born July 7, 1852 at what is now Clinchco.
I dont know anything about any of my ancestors being in the Revolutionary War or Indian Wars. I've heard the old folks tell a lot of Indian tales. (See Below)
Grandpa Lewis Arrington came to Russell County from Franklin County, Virginia and settled on the Aaron Hendricks Farm, where Governor Stuart later lived. The Arringtons were considered a fine family. They had plenty of sense and got along well with everybody wherever they lived.
Brother Jim Sykes is 12 years older than I am, and he dan tell you a lot more than I can about the family.
Here are some of the Indian Tales I have heard. I dont remember the names of any of the whites or Indians involved in these stories. The old folks used to tell us children these tales while we sat before the fireplace at night.
1. In Indian times, the whites would put pickets out about the camp or fort to keep the Indians from slipping upon them. At one place, several of the pickets had disappeared. The officers placed a man on duty at night, with orders to shoot anything he saw moving. Pretty soon he noticed an old sow rooting in the leaves under the trees and it came closer and closer. He hated to shoot and old sow that would later make good meat. But he had his orders to shoot, which he did. At the crack of his rifle, the sow r'ared upon its hind feet and fell over backwards. It proved to be an Indian in an old sow's skin, and this was the way the Indians had been slipping up and killing an carrying away the other pickets.
2. A Musick was killed by Indians near Honaker, and his wife and several children were captured. The Indians brought their prisoners over a Mountain and down Russell Ford River to Haysi, where they camped. Early the next morning, the whites fired into the Indian camp and rescued the Musicks. They said at least one Indian was killed, buy the rest escaped into the woods. I'd been told that Drayton Musick, who now lives near Haysi is a descendant of the Musick Man that was killed near Honaker. He has other descendants living in Russell and Dickenson Counties.
3. Another Indian story that was often told to us by the older folks. The Indians took a woman captive and took her into Kentucky. After a few days, they let her go and get firewood in the evenings. Each day she went further and further. Finally, she ran into the woods and tried to get back to her old home. At night, she hid in a hollow log. The Indians followed her with a dog. The dog got ahead of the Indians and went into the log after her, but she choked it to death. Spiders wove a web over the open end of the log. The Indians came and saw the spider web. They were so mad they struck the log with their tomahawks and went away. She got out next morning and found her way back to the settlements. She had little to eat in her travels. At one place, the path forked and while she was debating which way to go, a little bird fluttered in front of her and darted up stream. She was still undecided which way to go. The bird came back and fluttered away in the same direction. She followed the bird and got home safely.
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