This cemetery dates back to 1774, the same year that Pricketts Fort was built by Jacob Prickett in the wake of increased hostilities with area Native American tribes. The first burial was one of Prickett’s own sons. In the summer or fall of 1774, a young Isaiah Prickett was helping Mrs. Susan Ox with caring for cattle when they were attacked by Native Americans. Isaiah was killed, and Susan Ox was taken and never seen again. Isaiah was buried close to the fort and his internment marked the start of the Prickett’s Fort cemetery. Notable burials include the fort’s founder, Captain Jacob Prickett, and many members of his family, as well as James Chew and Zackquill Morgan.

Jacob Prickett was born in 1722 in either New Jersey or Delaware, married Dorothy Springer in 1745 (in New Jersey), and had 11 or 12 children. As a young man Jacob served as a spy in the Virginia Militia, served on Braddock’s expedition, and was also the captain of the Monongalia County troops in the Revolutionary War. Prickett settled around Prickett’s Creek by 1766, although there is evidence that he had explored the area around 1747 and had a trading post there by 1759. Prickett received the official title to 400 acres on Prickett’s Creek in 1781.

James Chew was born in Virginia in 1745 and arrived in the area in 1766 alongside Zackquill Morgan and Jacob Prickett. Chew served for a time as a surveyor for Monongalia County and also assisted Zackquill Morgan in establishing the area that would become Morgan’s Town (Morgantown). During the Revolutionary War Chew acted as a special agent and supply commissary out of Fort Pitt, supplying and inspecting forts in the Ohio Valley. Chew died sometime before early 1783.

Zackquill Morgan, known as the founder of Morgantown, was born around 1735 in Berkley Springs. After moving near Uniontown, Pennsylvania, Morgan moved to the current site of Morgantown with his second wife around 1771-1772. Morgan's brother David also moved to the Monongahela Valley and lived near Prickett’s Fort. Morgantown was officially established in 1785, and Morgan speculated and sold plots of land within the town. He also served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Revolutionary War, tasked with defending the western portions of Virginia. There are two recorded dates for Morgan’s death. Court documents state 1802, but family records and his tombstone lists 1795 as the year of his death.

Another notable but unmarked burial is that of John Champe, a sergeant major in the Revolutionary War known for becoming a double agent for George Washington. Champe attempted to capture Benedict Arnold and bring him back to the Americans to face trial for his treason. After the war Champe worked briefly in support of the Continental Congress while it was in Philadelphia and then returned to his birthplace of Loudoun County, Virginia to establish a home and family. Champe later moved his family to (now) Pendleton County. His home was near Champe Rocks and a historical marker there references both his home and grave, although the reference to his burial is an error. Champe died while staying at Prickett’s fort in 1798 and he was buried there, although his grave was not marked. A military gravestone was placed in the Prickett’s Fort cemetery in April 2001 in memory of Champe.

The cemetery was active from 1774 until the 1960s or 1970s. The cemetery is maintained as a historical site along with the nearby Pricketts Fort and is closed to further burials. 

The author, along with Jacob Ivey and Danielle LaPresta, conducted research on the Prickett's Fort cemetery in 2010. Logothetis (Thompson) completed the research on Prickett and Ivey and LaPresta researched Chew and Morgan. Information from this paper has been summarized here. Ivey, Jacob, Katie Logothetis, and Danielle LaPresta. "Historical Context Paper for Prickett's Fort: Biographic Information about Jacob Prickett, James Chew, and Zackquill Morgan." December 2010.

Paper Bibliography:

Jacob Prickett and Settlement

Balderson, W. L. Fort Prickett Frontier and Marion County. 1976?.

Dunnington, George A. History and Progress of the County of Marion, West Virginia, From its Earliest Settlement by the Whites, Down to the Present, Together with Biographical Sketches of its Most Prominent Citizens. Fairmont, WV: George A. Dunnington, Publisher, 1880.

“Everly Family History.” West Virginia Collection A & M 2505, West Virginia University.

Haymond, Henry. Historical Reference to Pricketts’ Fort and its Defenders with Incidents of Border Warfare in the Monongahela Valley and Ceremonies at Unveiling of Monument Marking Site of Pricketts’ Fort, Erected in 1779, Including Brief Sketches of Major William Haymond and the Ancestors of the Morgan and Prickett Families. Clarksburg, VA.

Newman, Dora Lee. Marion County in the Making. Fairmont, WV: 1917.

Spevock, Frank. Historic Events of the Following Areas: Montana Mines, Prickett’s Fort, The David Morgan Farm, Catawba, Mt. Harmony, Meadowdale, Viola, Five Forks, Hoult, Dakota, Rivesville, Pharaoh’s Run, Parker Run, and Morgan Mines. Montana Mines, WV: 1961.

Titus, Elroy Wilson. History of the Guise (Geiss, Gise) and related families who were early settlers in Northeastern Ohio. Columbus, OH: 1972.

www.ancestrylibrary.com

www.findagrave.com

James Chew

MacGregor, Douglas. “Double Dishonor: Loyalist on the Middle Frontier.” Pennsylvania’s Revolution, William Pencak, ed. University Park, PA: Penn State Press, 2010.

Morgan, Haze Report of Moran Monument Commission. Charleston, WV: Jarrett Print, 1924.

Popenoe, Oliver. Settling Along the Monongahela in the 18th Century. (Sep. 2004), http://www.popenoe.com/Settlers.htm#_ftn11

Thwaites, Reuben Gold and Louise Phelps Kellogg, ed. The Revolution on the Upper Ohio, 1775-1777. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society, 1908.

Thwaites, Reuben Gold and Louise Phelps Kellogg, ed. Frontier Defense on the Upper Ohio, 1777-1778. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society, 1912.

Zackquill Morgan

“Chalkey’s Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia” found on Heritage Quest at the West Virginia Collection.

Core, Earl P.. The Monongalia Story: A Bicentennial History, Vol. 2: The Pioneers, Parson: McClain Printing Company, 1976.

Dilger, Robert Jay. “Monongalia County History” West Virginia University, http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/wv/Monongalia/monhistory.html.

“Lineage Book, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution,” Vol. 113, p. 208, found on Heritage Quest.

Morgan, French. A History and Genealogy of the Family of Colonel Morgan Morgan, The First White Settler of the State of West Virginia, New Martinsville: Virginia Chaplin Tuttle, 1966.

Morgan, Haze. Report of the Colonel Morgan Morgan Monument Commission. Charleston: Jarratt Print Co., 1924.

Thwaites, Reuben Gold. and Louise Phelps Kellogg, eds., The Revolution on the Upper Ohio, 1775-1777. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society, 1908.

Titus, Elroy Wilson. A History of the Warman and Related Families, Chiefly of Monongalia County, West Virginia. Columbus: Unknown, 1972.

“West Virginia Blue Book,” p. 438, found on Heritage Quest.

Wiley, Samuel T.. History of Monongalia County, West Virginia: From Its First Settlements to the Present Time; with Numerous Biographical and Family Sketches, Kingwood: Preston

 Publishing Company, 1883.

“The Will of George Washington: Schedule of Property”:The Papers of George Washington, http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/documents/will/property.html#n13

For more information on John Champe, see:

Rose, Alexander. Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring.. New York, NY. Bantam Books, 2014.

Kranish, Michael. Flight from Monticello: Thomas Jefferson at War. New York, NY. Oxford University Press, 2010.

A family history with photos of Champe's Prickett's Fort headstone can be seen here: http://falcon.mychamp.com/~bchamp/Champe/john_champe.html