GANDEE: Of Gandeeville, first settlers. Uriah Gandee, first of the name in this country between the Kanawhas, was born in the Monongahela Valley, among its earliest settlers. We have no information at hand as to his ancestors, except those of that family name are found among the Indian fighters and def~nders of those settlements. Uriah married “Massie” (Mercy), daughter of Jesse and Grace (Tanner) Hughes, of the first settlers of the valley. This, the Jesse Hughes of the wonderous fame as a scout, guide and single-handed slayer of Indians; hero of all historians of Border Warfare and Frontier settlements. See “de Hass” Withers Border Warfare, “McKnight,” and especially “Border Settlers of North Western Virginia,” by L. V. McWhorter, who makes half his title “The Life of Jesse Hughes.” Uriah and Massie (Hughes) Gandee, his wife, came to the upper Pocatalico and made their home near the watershed between the Kanawhas, about the year 1823. They had left the Monongahela Valley some ten years before coming to this safe and satisfactory home. They first settled on the western side of the great Ohio River, on what has been long known as Old Town Flats, at that place their eldest child, William, afterward known as Captain William Gandee, was born in the year 1813. So it is observed that he was a boy of thirteen when they arrived at this place, now Gandeeville. Grace, Massie’s mother, came here after the death of Jesse Hughes, which occurred near Ravens- wood, in the autumn of 1829,’ says McWhorter’s, and lived with Uriah and Massie Gandee until her death. There is much speculation by historians whether Massie or her sister, Martha, was that daughter of Jesse Hughes which was captured by the Indians at her home on Hackers Creek on the Monongahela—1787— and carried away and kept in the Indian camps on Sandusky Plains, where she was surrendered to Jesse Hughes, her father, after the treaty of Fort Harmer, January 9, 1789. The time of Martha’s capture is a notable one in all histories because it was at the time of the massacre of the families of the Wests, Edmund, Sr., and Edmund, Jr., as told by Withers, was on December 5, 1787. McWhorter is positive in his statements, and adds to what Withers tells, the further information that Martha was the eldest child of Jesse Hughes, and “she was then fourteen years old. When captured she was returning home from the house of John Hacker,” about four miles up the creek, “where she had gone to get a pup.” McWhorter makes the further positive statement that she “was a prisoner two years and nine months.” And “Hughes recognizes her as soon as he caught sight of her in the Indian country.” The tradition in the Gandee family here is confirmatory of all McWhorter tells, and that of th~ other historians as well, except that McWhorter’s dates and time are the correct ones. Jacob Gandee, grandson of Massie, now living near Gandeeville, adds that the fireside story in the family, which he had heard so often, was that Martha was captured and carried away as told in Histories, and no word was heard of her for the two and more years ensuing. It was believed she was dead, for the Indians had killed other maidens and children and spared none on that foray. That during Martha’s unknown existence another daughter was born to Jesse and Grace, his wife, and they named this child Martha as a return of her that was gone; that when the first Martha was restored to them, there were exclamations, “It is the mercy of God!” So the younger Martha was rechristened “Mercy,” which, under the old Virginia manner of speech in which the “r” was suppressed and the “e” sounded as “e” in they, the name “Massie” and hence was always so, pronounced. This spelling is that given by McWhorter and others. Martha married Jacob Bonnett, 1792. See family name, “Bonnett.” Other children of Jesse Hughes, brothers and sisters of Massie Gandee, our pioneer mother, are: Nancy Agnes, married George W. Hanshaw, long a resident near mouth of Straight Fork, three miles out from Ravenswood. Rachel, married William Cottrell and lived on Hackers Creek many years and after the death of William, came and settled on upper Spring Creek, about six miles from Spencer. Sudna, married Elijah Runner and they lived near Sandyville, Jackson County, many years. Elizabeth, married James Stanley and lived on Mud Run, of Sandy Creek, in Jackson County. Lourania, married Uriah Sayre, lived in Meiggs County, Ohio, on the west bank of the Ohio. Thomas lived on the Ohio, not far below Ravenswood, and there died. William, married a Miss Staats, lived a lengthy life on Mill Creek, below Ripley, in Jackson County. Jesse, Jr., married Susana Mock, in the year ThOu. To Uriah and Massie (Hughes) Gandee, first settlers of Gandeeville, part of Pocataiico, were born the following named sons and daughters: Jesse, who married a Miss Mary “Dority,” May 3, 1829, Rev. Barnabas Cook officiating clergyman. Sarah, married Charles Droddy, whose name see. William, afterward “Captain William and Squire.” Lucinda, married Abram Raines. Cynthia, wife of Henry Runnion, of Lick Fork. Harriet, or Hattie, wife of Mac D. Ferrell. James S. Gandee. He was twice married; first wife being Margaret LeForce, the second wife being Rachel, daughter of Thomas Fields, ofLower Flat Fork. He afterwards, later in life, moved to Jackson County and died not long ago at Ripley. They reared some children whose names I do not have. Except the daughter, Mahala J., who married Noah F. Pence, January 6, 1881. See Pence. William Gandee, third son of Uriah and Massie, was born in the year 1813, at Old Town Flats, Meigs County, Ohio. Married a Miss Margaret Casto, of the Jackson County Castos. They succeeded to the ancestral home lands or part of them. William was for twenty-five years a prominent citizen here, taking part in all public affairs; became one of the Justices of the Peace of the county, took part in formation and organization of Roane County, sitting as one member of the first County Court. On outbreak of the Civil War was pro-Union as against secession; became a captain of Home Guards, and led his men in defense of and keeping of legal authority in the county during the five years of that awful turmoil, and so behaved as to hold the friendship and respect of even returned Confederates until the time of his death several years after ending of that conflict. He was elected and served in the sessions of the State Legislature, 1871, as Delegate for Roane County. To Captain William Gandee and his wife, Margaret (Casto), were born and reared three sons and three daughters. Their names in order of their respective births, are: William, Jr.; Cynthia, who married Henry Patrick; Frederick; George W., who was twice married, first to a Miss Green, next to Sarah Shouldis, of Poca; Martha, who married Thomas Marks, of Walton District; Jemima, wife of Samuel Lee, JE, and Jacob; and Sarah, wife of George W. Damewood. Jacob Gandee, son of William, still on the old home lands, and th~ one who gave me the main facts of the Gandee family, married Josephine Snodgrass in 1872. She was the daughter of Isaac Snodgrass, early settler of Big Lick. To Jacob and Josephine (Snodgrass) Gandee have been born fourteen, of whom nine have grown up and become citizens of this county. Frederick Gandee, son of William and Margaret (Casto) Gandee, was born here, July 31, 1842; married Carolina Canterbury, daughter of Zadoc and Marcenia (Snow) Canterbury, February 2, 1864, in Walton District. Caroline was born in Monroe County, Virginia, September 25, 1843. Frederick was a “Union sympathiser” during the “War of the Secessions,” and he says in his biography, dictated to Hardestrys, 1882, “I was in the seven days’ battle at Spencer.” He means the series of shootings and surrendered in 1862, by Colonel Rathbone to General Albert G. Jenkins, given in this book in the chapter “History of the City of Spencer.~~ Frederick served in the regularly enlisted ranks of the Union army, 1861 to 1864, was in the battles of Charleston, Cloyd Mountain, New River Bridge, Lexington, Carter’s Farm, Winchester, Hall Town, Martinsville, Berryville, Opequon and Fisher’s Hill, as a member of Company B 9th West Virginia Infantry. After the wai’ he was elected and served two terms as a Justice of the Peace of Walton District; was a Delegate for the County of Roane in the 18th Session—1887—of the West Virginia Legislature. To Frederick and Caroline (Canterbury) Gandee, his wife, were born the following children: Martha M., 1866; Henry D., 1868, died in youth; Lewis W., 1869; Sarah M., 1871; John D., 1873; Mary J., 1876; Jemima A., 1877; Alice M., 1880, and Zadoc William, May 20, 1882.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 527-529
******************************************************************
Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@aol.com
November 28, 1999
******************************************************************
