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Look Back: Jurors scarce for Aaron Burr trial

Historical newspaper excerpts from the Wood County Historical Society

Photo Provided The drawing above, by Joseph H. Diss Debar, depicts the second Wood County courthouse. It was situated near “the Point,” at the confluence of the Little Kanawha and Ohio rivers. It was at this courthouse that Drew found six venire men (jurors).

The trek of Mr. Drew, from Richmond to Wood County, Virginia to collect jurors for the Burr-Blennerhassett trial continues:

At this place he found a large congregation of men from the surrounding country. Some were bare-footed, and all roughly clad and just as rough in manner and appearance. These were pitching coins, and otherwise amusing themselves after the fashion of the region. Colonel Phelps, who had been to the Legislature, was present. He gave Mr. Drew the names of parties present, and he got six venire men. A week’s search in other parts of the country gave him five more. But to get the twelfth seemed a matter of impossibility, for no sooner would he go on horseback to a house than the males all made for the woods, through the back door — having heard of what he was doing, and not caring about a forced trip to Richmond.

When almost disheartened, he encountered alone, at the ferry crossed by those going to Marietta, a citizen of Irish birth, who, by questioning, he found was named Hamilton Morrison. He was summoned, and in spite of protests, was added to the list, and as is hereafter mentioned in this narrative, had all the ready wit of his countrymen.

***

How they lived at Parkersburg

Mr. Drew, while at Wood Court House, was the guest of Mr. Bukey, who had been in the Legislature and owned five or six slaves. He with his family lived in a log house twenty-four feet square — one room comprising the chamber, dining room and the parlor. Bukey and his wife slept in one corner of this room and his daughters, and other children in another. Mr. Drew in a third [corner] and a stranger in a fourth. This was the usual habit of the country. The ex-legislator, despite his hospitality, was summoned on the venire. From this point Mr. Drew proceeded to Grave Creek, now Moundsville, and thence to Wheeling to serve a process on Colonel Chaplain.

***

Wheeling in 1807

There were only six or seven stores, most of which were log houses. A man came into Colonel Chaplain’s office while Mr. Drew was there and asked what he would take for coal on his farm, and the reply was, if the applicant would dig it he could have it for a cent a bushel. The coal was exposed on the surface and could be gotten with little trouble. Joining Bukey, Morrison and several others of the venire at the place indicated, Mr. Drew proceeded with all possible speed by way of Winchester to Fredericksburg, stopping at the famous “Spotted Tavern,” between Fauquier Springs and the last named town. He reached Richmond, Friday August 6th, and on Monday the 9th, the trial of Aaron Burr commenced.

To be continued…

***

Bob Enoch is the president of the Wood County Historical Society. The group meets at 7p.m. on the last Monday of each month in the Summers Auditorium at the Wood County Public Library on Emerson Avenue. They do not meet in December. For more information, contact P.O. Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.

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