Lambert Papers
Marshall University Library, Huntington, WV
Alpha Leroy Dillon
Letter from Alpha Leroy Dillon to Professor Lambert at Marshall University. This letter is dated 10/22/1958. It can be found in the Lambert Papers, Marshall University, James Morrow Library, Geneology section, Lambert Papers, Box 19 Notebook 8 MS 76.
The history of the Dillon family begins in Ireland by the name of Lucas Dillon and Sir Henry Dillon came from that part of Europe and landed on the shore of Virginia in 1713 with his family which was the beginning of our clan.
From that family came some of the most distinguished people of America. Farmers, Teachers, Doctors, Lawyers, and Judges of the Common Pleas Court.
My grandfather Dillon came to Lawrence County from Greenbrier County, Virginia in 1816, settled on Trace Creek in Windsor Township as a squatter. He hauled his household articles in a long covered wagon. He and four brothers, and three sisters came down the Guyandotte River, then up the Ohio to Millersport, crossed the river and camped on the bank for the night.
After breakfast on the next morning they started for the hilly country around Scottown. It was a foggy morning and on coming to the hill one of the brothers, Samuel by name, decided he would go up Federal Creek. One mile from the Millersport Road he stopped on some high ground, cut down trees and built him a home becoming one of the first settlers. Others of the early settlers were James Truesdell, Hamilton Knight, John and Paul Toll, Dr. Clark, and William McKinley. The rest of the family passed to Scottown there they divided. Some up Trace Creek and one up Little Guyan and the others on the ridge that divided the two creeks. All were squatters. They cut down trees and built their homes. Two years later my grandfather walked from his home to Chillicothe and purchased 40 acres of land from the government for $5.00. He made the trip in 3 days.
From his first wife he raised a family of six children, my father (Henry Dillon) was one of them. His oldest ____ ________ killed in battle in the Civil War. My grandfather lived to be 88 years of age. I lived in Lawrence County 50 years, in Crown City Village in Gallia County 39 years, making my age at present 89.
The first house in Millersport was on the north bank of Federal Creek in 1796 by a man named Miller built of buckeye logs. The government gave him 640 acres of land for his work in carrying the mail from Gallipolis to a Kentucky town - this tract of land went down the road to Athalia and back in the hills one mile from the river.
Now Archie Chapman your teacher. I had gone to school two years to him at the Guyan Valley before your time. From your description the name of the school was Stony Point. The Ferry Dillon you speak of belongs to another clan of Dillons and is no relation of mine. The surveyor in Gallipolis to whom you talked is still living in Gallipolis and he is a son-in-law of Archie Chapman. Sam White had three children, Robert, Clara, and Nettie. Clara died in Pennsylvania. Bob and Nettie lived on Federal until 1912 when they went north near Columbus and both are dead. Bob married Hannah Dornan. Nettie married David Wickline. Dave and Nettie parted and Dave went to Louisiana and died down there. After going over your description of the road you traveled to school to Archie Chapman could have been Fair Play School house. The one called Stony Point was down on Guyan Creek. If you require anthing more let me know.