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Tracing the history of old buildings in Romney reveals secrets and stories. The Davis House lot was originally owned by Matthew Montgomery (DB 10 p 195), granted to him by the town trustees provided he build a dwelling. Records show that he applied for a license to run an "ordinary," i.e. a tavern of some sort. Bidinger lists several applications to keep an ordinary; plus being fined for retailing 1/2 pints of whiskey without a license and then a case where John Daughtery is accused of stealing a coat and wool stockings belonging to a David Potts from Montgomery's home, i.e. "ordinary."Various sources (see Maurer) indicate that William Naylor owned the house by 1800 (DB info needed to confirm) and he gave the house to his daughter Leacy when she married Angus McDonald in 1827. On her death, after 9 children, in 1843, Angus inherited the house which he then sold to William Davis in 1849. And the Davis family lived there until the death of the last one, Mary Davis, in 1979. The property was then willed to the Library and the County Commissioners.This property can be viewed by contacting the Hampshire County library.

The Davis House 1795 photo by Justin A Wilcox

Video

Angus McDonald - one owner of the David House

Website

The Davis House in Romney is one of the last examples of life on the edge of the frontier at the during and at the end of the French and Indian Wars. If houses could speak, it would tell of veterans returning from the War of 1812, the growth of the frontier town into one of wealth and prosperity.  It could gossip about the various businesses that came and went on Main Street, sorrow over the devastation of the Civil War and share its amazement as horse-drawn buggies and wagons gave way to automobiles and the Opera House began showing silent films and then "talkies." The house watched parades and celebrations of ordinary life as well as the departures and sometimes returns of young men marching off yet again to war; some to places they never imagined that they would see. The artifacts inside bear witness to these changes and share with us visions of a life none of us can remember.

Davis House

A walking tour of historic buildings and sites

Taggart Hall

The Wilson-Wodrow-Mytinger House was built sometime in the late 18th century. The earliest surviving documentation lists Colonel George Wilson as the first owner of the property, who received it as part of a land grant from Lord Thomas Fairfax. Wilson was a veteran of the French and Indian War, serving with the Hampshire County Militia and received praise from George Washington for his bravery. A supporter of the Patriots during the American Revolution, he perished in 1777 during the march to meet with Washington's forces in New Jersey. After Wilson's death, the house was inherited by his son-in-law, Andrew Wodrow. Another Patriot, he sold off many of his import goods to fund the revolutionaries in Boston. He would go on to become Clerk of Court of Hampshire County from 1782 to 1814. The office he used in that capacity is considered to be the oldest public office in West Virginia. Following his death, the house would pass through several hands over the next 170 years, including the Mytinger family, who would own it for 100 years. The house is now privately owned, though restored to pristine condition. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

The Wilson-Wodrow-Mytinger House, or simply the Mytinger House, was built in the latter half of the 18th century, though the oldest building on the property has been dated to the 1750s. The first documented owner was Colonel George Wilson, who received the land as part of a grant from Lord Thomas Fairfax. The house was inherited by his daughter, Mary Ann, and son-in-law, Andrew Wodrow. For the next 170 years, it passed several hands until it was purchased by the Mytinger family, who would hold on to it for nearly 100 year. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Wilson-Wodrow-Mytinger House

Tracing the history of old buildings in Romney reveals secrets and stories. The Davis House lot was originally owned by Matthew Montgomery (DB 10 p 195), granted to him by the town trustees provided he build a dwelling. Records show that he applied for a license to run an "ordinary," i.e. a tavern of some sort. Bidinger lists several applications to keep an ordinary; plus being fined for retailing 1/2 pints of whiskey without a license and then a case where John Daughtery is accused of stealing a coat and wool stockings belonging to a David Potts from Montgomery's home, i.e. "ordinary." Various sources (see Maurer) indicate that William Naylor owned the house by 1800 (DB info needed to confirm) and he gave the house to his daughter Leacy when she married Angus McDonald in 1827. On her death, after 9 children, in 1843, Angus inherited the house which he then sold to William Davis in 1849. And the Davis family lived there until the death of the last one, Mary Davis, in 1979. The property was then willed to the Library and the County Commissioners. This property can be viewed by contacting the Hampshire County library.

This building has had many incarnations - Romney Mercantile, Green Palm Restaurant,

Saville Law Office

Founded January 30, 1819, the Romney Literary Society (initially called the Polemia Society of Romney) worked to provide books and literary resources to local citizens. Within a few years, the Society claimed thirty members. Membership fees raised funds for books, and the Society soon boasted "a considerably body of ancient and modern history and other useful works of literature."[3] Incorporated by the Virginia legislature, in eventually appealed to the Virginia General Assembly for funds to build a physical library and lecture hall. Once built, the library served as an intellectual hub in the community, and public lectures were given. In 1846, the Society also took control of the local Romney Classical Institute, which was a collegiate preparatory academy in town. The Society managed to the Institute through the Civil War. By the beginning of the Civil War, the Romney Literary Society had established a collection of nearly 3000 books, housed in the building that now contains the administrative building of Romney's School for the Blind and Deaf. However, Union troops had either destroyed or stolen most of the collection by war's end, leaving only 400 volumes.  Literary Hall was built in 1869 to house the remaining books as the Romney Literary Society worked to reconstitute their collection. The Romney Literary Society held their last meeting in 1886. Following that, the building was used as a meeting place for both the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Order of the Eastern Star. In 1973, Literary Hall was purchased by Ralph Haines, a local lawyer. Under Haines, Literary Hall was restored and converted into a law office and museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Built in 1869, Literary Hall was home to the Romney Literary Society, which founded in 1818. The organization used the building to store their collection of books, numbering nearly 400 after the Civil War. Between 1886 and 1973, the building was also used as a meeting place for the local lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and Order of the Eastern Star. Following 1973, it was purchased and restored by Ralph Haines, a local lawyer, and turned into a law office and museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Literary Hall, Romney West Virginia 

This is the 2nd Courthouse Building on this site.

Old Courthouse

Tracing the history of the building through deeds, we find that the Saville Family bought the building in 1988 (deed book 299 p 18). Virginia deBarry Hill inherited it from her husband Bernard Hill in 1957 (WB27 p 33). Bernard's brother Walter R. Hill bought the building in 1904, already occupying it as a drug store (DB78 p 112). Hill bought the building from William Guthrie and his wife Susan who had bought it in 1899 (again already occupying it) per DB 73 p 414. In 1879, William Russell and his wife and JE Russell bought it (DB 59 p 75) and per the deed it was known as the Old Courthouse Property. Skipping back a bit, a deed (DB 54 p 477), explains something of the history of this building and its site. Per this deed, on March 16, 1869, Isaac T. Brady obtained a contract to use the material in the "Old Courthouse" on this site to build a new jail. On May 17, the ordinance was amended to read "use the materials or lease the same together with all the ground directly in front of it to pavement on Main Street and the ground in the rear as far back as the original Old Jail." And then as of October 20, 1869, the date of this deed, the county commissioners sold the property to Brady. Some details need to be filled out, but it looks like this was the site of the County Courthouse prior to the building of one west of this site in 1837, on the corner of Main and High Streets. Per Maxwell and Swisher (p 369), "a brick building was erected for the court. it stood east of the present court house and answered all purposes for which it was intended until 1837, when the present court house was completed."

The building at 41 East Main Street is known locally as The Rexall Building due to memories of Ira Ralph "Bud" Nealis and his years of managing the business.  Particularly well-remembered are the milk shakes that he gave to high school athletes, having been a Pioneer football star before his graduation from Romney High School in 1937. He then went on to serve in World War 2. Returning to Romney, he worked at the Rexall Drug Store.  He died in 1984. 

The building had been a pharmacy since at least 1899. Sometime in the 1980s, it became a restaurant with a succession of business owners, one of the best remembered perhaps being Patty Perry and her Brickwood Hearth.

The Romney Backpack Program currently uses this building.

Rexall Building

Wirgman Building

Demolished in       ,  Brady's Corner was the home of

Brady's Corner

The Gilkesons' built this in 1875 and it was the site of many popular business, most famous in recent memory was that of J. Brady Thompson

Gilkeson's Corner

The Kerns House was mostly likely built in the late 1700s by Perez Drew

Historic Romney WV

Davis House

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information