0.4 Linear Feet, Summary: 5 in. (1 document case), 1 oversize folder (.1 in)
Location
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown,
WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Papers regarding Early Settlers of Aurora in Preston County, A&M 0728,
West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Account books, and legal, business, and personal papers of some early settlers at Aurora, Preston County, West Virginia. There
are records of a tannery, blacksmith shop, a general merchandise store, and a sawmill, as well as deeds and subscription lists
for the Lutheran and German Reformed churches. Also included in the papers are land surveys, wills, deeds, plats, school notebooks,
tax receipts, and other items.
The legacy contents list for this collection was very detailed but had no information regarding what folder each item was
in, and the order of the list did not match the physical order. The documents had previously been categorized chronologically–-e.g.,
Folder 1, 1788-1860; Folder 2, 1860-1943; Folder 3, undated. To facilitate use, we placed all the land grants and oversize
deeds of land in one oversize folder, then sorted the remaining documents into folders by document type. This seemed most
logical because there were many documents of the same category–-for example, many contracts, many ledgers, etc. If there were
only a few documents of one type, we foldered them with documents of a similar type/similar subject matter. For example, Folder
5 has birth and death certificates, wills, and related items. We noted and added descriptions of items that were not in the
original contents list, added corrections in brackets to misspellings of names, and fixed incorrect dates and other information.
A few items from the legacy contents list were not located. If you are having trouble locating an item from an old citation,
please contact us for assistance.
Form: Ledger; Persons: Various persons; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Leather goods
circa 1821-1832
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
Ledger, Could be from tannery. Half sheet paper
circa 1825-1832
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
Form: Ledger; Persons: Various persons; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Blacksmith's account book
circa 1821-1888
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
Form: Ledger; Persons: Various persons; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Mostly leather goods, but lists some
groceries, too
circa 1832-1838, 1858-1859
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
Ledger/account book, Jacob Ridenour
circa 1833-1838
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
Form: Ledger; Persons: Various persons; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Accounts
circa 1832-1859
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
Form: Manuscript; Persons: John A. Wotring; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: "John A. Wotring's Sawing Book"
1851
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
Multi-color bound ledger book
circa 1883-1888
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3-4
John Wotring Jr. Schoolbook Material
1819-1821 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
Form: Copybook; Persons: Arnold Bonnifield, schoolmaster; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: One of two school
student's copybooks (leather-bound) belonging to John Wotring, Jr.
1820–1821
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
Second of two student copybooks belonging to John Wotring, Jr. and a hymnbook (6 pages) belonging to John Wotring Jr. (undated)
1819-1820 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Birth and Death Certificates, Wills, Related Items
1802-1943 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Form: Manuscript; Persons: John Wodring, son of Abraham Wodring and Ann Maria Smiten; Places: Monongalia County, VA [now WV];
Subjects: Baptismal certificate ("Certificate of Birth and Christening")
1802
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Illegible; Places: No place listed; Subjects: List of names (in German) of children and when they
were born with translation
1803
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Jacob Ridenour; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Will of Jacob Ridenour
1819 January 26
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Henry Hansen [Hauser]; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Will
1843
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Form: Manuscript; Persons: John A. Wotring; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Will
1859 February 23
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Walter C. Spiggle; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Death certificate of Walter C. Spiggle
1943
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Form: Printed matter; Persons: George H. Shaffer; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Undertaker's shipping certificate
for George H. Shaffer
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Deeds
1831–1916
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: John Rayne [sic, Rayse] to John Lance; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Deed
1831
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: John Rayne [sic] to John Wotring; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Deed
1831
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: John Hay to John S. Hechert, John Shafer, and Henry Hansen; Places: Allegheny County, MD; Subjects:
Deed
1843
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: George Orr and wife to David H. Fortney; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Deed
1851
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Marian D. Hode [sic, Mariam Hoye] to John A. Wootring [sic, Wotring]; Places: Preston County, VA
[now WV]; Subjects: Deed
1855
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Deed, Henry M. Lantz and Elizabeth Lantz to John A. Wotring, 1859
1859
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Isaac Startzman and wife to John Spiggle; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Deed
1873
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: McCrum and Son to David Wotring; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Deed of trust
1881
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Walter C. Spiggle and wife, et al., and Jesse W. Shaffer; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV];
Subjects: Deed
1907
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Rebecca Trickett and husband to Walter C. Spiggle; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects:
Deed
1912
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: John Spiggle heirs to Walter Spiggle; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Sheriff's
deed for delinquent land sale
1916
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Lloyd C. Shaffer and wife to W.C. Spiggle; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Deed
1916
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Tax Receipts and Other Receipts
1835-1916 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Receipt for Better Sox Knitting Mills
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Receipts (mainly tax receipts) for Henry Howser [Hauser/Houser], Henry Hauser's Hrs [Houser], Eve Houser [Hauser], George
Houser [Hauser], John M. Hauser, T H Stuttler (1859;1), Jacob Houser. Total: 34
circa 1835-1873
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Tax receipt for Eve Hauser [Houser, alt. spelling], signed by S. Guthrie, "to keep a house of private entertatinment"
1860
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Henry Hansen's heirs[sic. Hauser/Houser]; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects:
Receipt for entering and assessing 41 acres of land
1861
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Ada Wolf [Adam Wolf] to Mrs. Eve Hansen [Hauser]; Places: Preston County, VA [now
WV]; Subjects: Receipt
1866
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Mrs. E.K. Hansen [Houser/Hauser]; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects:
Receipt for license to "keep a house of private entertainment"
1866
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Eve Hansen [Houser/Hauser], signed by John C. Wotring (Deputy Commissioner of Internal
Revenue); Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Tax receipt for a county hotel keeper's license
1867
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Mrs. C.E. Hansen [Hauser/Houser], signed by A. Wagner; Places: Preston County, VA
[now WV]; Subjects: Tax receipt
1867
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Eve K. Hansen [sic, Hauser/Houser]; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects:
Receipt for a state hotel keeper's license
1868
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Printed matter; Persons: James A. Brown, Samuel Wotring; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Bill for newspaper ad
1878
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Samuel Wotring, Jr.; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Bill and itemized statement [2 bills]
1879
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Samuel Wotring, Jr.; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Receipt for transfer of land
1877
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Sarah J. and Syvilla Hansen; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Receipt for transfer of
land
1875
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Samuel Wotring, Jr.; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Postal registry receipt
1881
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Samuel Wotring; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Receipt for recording will of Samuel
Wotring
1916
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Manuscript; Persons: John Spiggle and A. Roy Arnett; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Receipt
1887
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Samuel Wotring, Jr. to J.E. Valzian; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Postal registry
receipt
1884
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Manuscript; Persons: John Spiggle and H.G. Sanders; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Receipt
1889
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Printed matter; Persons: John Spiggle, redeemed by Walter Spiggle; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Memo of redeemed
real estate of John Spiggle, taxes
1913
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Tax receipt for L.C. Shaffer
1916
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Tax receipts for Isaac Wotring, Samuel Wotring, Samuel Wotring Jr., Isaac and Samuel Wotring, John Wotring Hrs. 13 total
circa 1867-1909
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Tax receipts for John Spiggle Hrs [Heirs], W.C. Spiggle, John Spiggle. 8 total
circa 1897-1909
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: John M. Hansen [sic, Hauser], signed by Isaac Startzman; Places: Preston County,
WV; Subjects: Receipt
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 8
Daniel Shafer Papers: Bonds, Summonses, Attachments
1842–1847
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 8
Form: Manuscripts; Persons: David Shaffer [Daniel Shafer] (J.P.) to John A. Wotring (Constable); Places: Preston County, VA
[now WV]; Subjects: Bonds, summonses, and attachments
circa 1842-1847
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Contracts and Agreements, Promissory Notes
1830–1940
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Thomas Dunn to Thomas Pemberton; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects:
[Looks like an I.O.U.]
circa 1830
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Court document/settlement[?] between Lennia [?] Stolinberger, Elizabeth McCartney
1841–1842
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Agreement on Stephen Losh and John A. Wotring; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV];
Subjects: Contracts and agreements
1843
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Joseph M. Cain [sic, Crim[?]; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Promissory
note
1861
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Savilla R. Hauser and Sarah J. Valjean to Samuel Wotring; Places: Scioto County,
OH; Subjects: Power of attorney
1884
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Sarah Champ to John Spiggle; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Promissory
note
1890
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Jon Fauder [sic, J M Fauder] to John Spiggle; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV];
Subjects: Promissory note
1890
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Mary Thayer [sic] to John Spiggle; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects:
Promissory note
Approximately 1890s
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Walter C. Spiggle and wife with Coleman Shafer; Places: Preston County, VA [now
WV]; Subjects: Contract
1940
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Land Surveys and Related Material
1906-1907 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Mary J. Trickett; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Surveys and plats
1906
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Form: Manuscript; Persons: No identification; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Area calculation of a tract
1907
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Form: Manuscript; Persons: No identification; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Survey (3--one of the Wotrings
family land, two others that are not labeled)
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Form: Typescript; Persons: Geo. Wotring, Isaac, and John Wotring; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Survey and
plat
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Form: Manuscript; Persons: No identification; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Survey, bearing and distances
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Form: Typescript; Persons: William Selders; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Survey and plat
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Form: Manuscript; Persons: No identification; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Survey and plat
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Form: Typescript; Persons: Mary S. Shaffer; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: 3 plats
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Form: Manuscript; Persons: E.H. James's Survey -- L.L.H. Saunders (surveyor); Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects:
Survey and plat
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Itemized Accounts
1855-1863 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Mrs. Eve Hansen [sic, Hauser/Houser. Doc titled Mrs E Hauser]; Places: Preston County, VA [now
WV]; Subjects: Itemized account
1855
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Form: Manuscript; Persons: William Benson; Places: Aurora, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Itemized account
1859
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Daniel Shaffer and Jesse W. Shaffer; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects:
Itemized account
1863
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Mrs. Hansen [Hauser[?]; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Itemized account
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
"Subscribers Not Paid," 2 pages, itemized list
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Small yellowed lined sheet of paper, titled "June 3 92" with itemized list
Likely 1892
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Personal and Business Correspondence
1846-1882 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Form: Manuscript; Persons: William A. Fander (Constable); Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Execution on a judgement
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Peter Woodring to John Wotring; Places: Union County, KY; Subjects: Personal correspondence
1846
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Unknown; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Letter to church members
soliciting funds
1851
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: David Wotring to James A. Brown; Places: Carmel, WV; Subjects: Business letter
1881
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Samuel Wotring from [?] Barton Payne; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Business
letter
1881
Scope and Contents
Letter does not clearly say "Samuel Wotring, but addressed to Sam from "Mr [?] Barton Payne." Has two other papers related
to it following this letter, headlined "McKee + Darrell."
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: Barton Payne to Samuel Wotring, Jr.; Places: Kingwood, WV; Subjects: Business letter
with envelope
1882
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Form: Autographed Letter Signed; Persons: J.A. Brown to Samuel Wotring; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Postcard
Possibly 1881
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Letter from Barton Payne to John Spiggle, Kingwood, with envelope
1881
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
Licenses
1863–1943
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Eve Hansen [sic, Hauser]; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Hotel Keeper's License, issued
by the Bureau of Internal Revenue
1863
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Eve Hansen [sic, Hauser/Houser]; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Hotel Keeper's License,
issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue
1865
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Eve Hansen [sic, Houser/Hauser]; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: Hotel Keeper's License,
issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue
1866
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
Hotel license for Eva K. Houser [alt. spelling Hauser], signed by J.M. Chidester
1871
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
Form: Printed matter; Persons: Walter C. Spiggle; Places: Preston County, WV; Subjects: WV driver's license
1943
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 14
Farm and Fireside Ohio Agricultural Newspaper
1886
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 14
Farm and Fireside agricultural-related newspaper, Springfield, Ohio
1886
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Religious Papers, Pamphlet, Miscellaneous Papers
1844-1879 and undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Scratch paper with figures, details an election
1844
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Scratch paper with figures, list of names, begins "We the undersigned," dated July 4, 1853
1853 July 4
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Scratch piece of paper with numbers, Jesse Parson
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Lined paper, begins with "Michael Bolfles built the Red House for Joe Casson…" undated
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Form: Printed matter; Persons: No persons listed; Places: No place listed; Subjects: Order of Salvation in questions and answers
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Small slip of paper about measurements and "facts and figures" in typed print. On the back is a list of prices for crops in
Philadelphia
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Two lined sheets--One titled "Receipt for Cure of Cancer" and the other titled "To Make Sour Cloves Salve"
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
"Warrens Summer Drinks" recipe instructions
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Paper titled "The Age of Horses"
undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Religious paper warning against vices of drinking, begins with "Young men give ear to what I say"
Undated
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
"Pomeroy's Elastic Rupture-Belt" Pamphlet
Approximately 1870s
Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 8
Land Grants/Deeds
1788–1858
Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 8
Form: Land grants; Persons: Edmund Randolph (Governor of Virginia) to John Turton Goff, Nathaniel Goff, and Thomas Pierce;
Places: Richmond, VA; Subjects: Land grant
1788
Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 8
Form: Land grants; Persons: Henry Lee (Governor of Virginia) to John T. Goff, Thomas Goff, [?] Ashley, and Zacharias Pitz;
Places: Richmond, VA; Subjects: Land grant
1792
Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 8
Form: Land grants; Persons: Henry A. Wise (Governor of Virginia) to John A. Wotring; Places: Richmond, VA; Subjects: Land
grant
1858
Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 8
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Samuel Wotring and wife to David Wotring; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV]; Subjects: Deed
1849
Mixed Materials Map Case: 10 Drawer: 8
Form: Manuscript; Persons: Farmer H. Hutt [sic, James H. Heitt] to David H. Fortney; Places: Preston County, VA [now WV];
Subjects: Deed
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