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Yesteryear – When Pretty Town of Vienna Was a Fledgling

By Minnie Kendall Lowther

The Vienna of today [this was written in 1939] is a pretty incorporated town with all the modern conveniences stretched along the new highway and the carline toward Williamstown — spreading out toward to the east and to the west over a wide area, but that is well known, the purpose of this story is to tell about the Vienna of yesteryear – the fledgling that once vied with Parkersburg for the county seat of our own Wood County.

Tradition said that it was older than Parkersburg, but we wanted to prove it, and so after repeated research of records and remote corners, we are fairly well prepared to speak authentically.

The shades of Dr. Joseph Spencer seem to guard the scene and emphasize anew that he was the founder of the place. He had large tracts of land in Wood County, and sold many acres to the early settlers of Ritchie and surrounding counties for their homes. But his domain here covered about five thousand acres and included parts of the settlement rights of the Briscoe Brothers, who left their name here in Briscoe Run. His lands extended from Parkersburg up the Ohio to the mouth of Briscoe Run, a distance of about six miles over some of the most beautiful bottom land along the river.

He settled in the central portion on the present site of Vienna in 1794 – the site of his old home being now marked by the summer home of Attorney James McCluer, of Parkersburg; and he early laid out the town which he named Vienna. Vienna was quite a village when Wood County was formed in 1799. What is now Parkersburg was just a small settlement at the mouth of the Little Kanawha known as “The Point” situated on land owned by John Stokeley, and included in a survey on both sides of the river – taking in the mouth. A blockhouse stood near “The Point,” where the landing is now. Neal Station on the Southside of the Little Kanawha, a mile above the mouth, was a little village that Colonel Hugh Phelps had named Monroe, which felt a bit more important too. So, the fight was on for the county seat. The justices named in the commission for organizing the new county under the legislative act of Virginia, 1798, were equally divided in sentiment. Dr. Spencer put forth his every effort for Vienna. Colonel Phelps favored Neal Station. Consequently in 1799, two county courts claimed jurisdiction – one sat at Neal’s Station; the other at Vienna.

By order of an act passed by the legislature of Virginia on January 11, 1800, the county court convened on March 10, 1800 with all the justices present, and in cooperation, and the difficulty vanished. “The Point,” now Parkersburg, [officially] became the county seat on February 7, 1801.

Dr. Spencer did not let his disappointment over this affair disturb his usefulness nor his good citizenship, but continued to play a large part in the welfare of the county. He became sheriff in 1813 and continued in activity until his death.

Dr. Joseph Spencer was born at Hadley, Connecticut, 1749, and availed himself of every scant opportunity for education, and chose the medical as his profession. When the Revolution came on, he enlisted in the Colonial Army, as did his father, and served as surgeon. On September 4, 1777, midst the roar of cannon, he plighted his troth with Miss Deborah Seldon, of East Haddon, Connecticut; and doubtless, his army service which entitled him to lands, had something to do with his finding way into this distant wilderness. However, they came in 1794, and not only helped to conquer this wilderness and lay the cornerstone of Wood County, but they remained to rest when their labors were done.

To be continued….

The Parkersburg News

March 5, 1939

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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.