Logs, Crossties, and Tan Bark
At this time the country surrounding Galax contained a large percent of original forests of hardwoods, poplar and pine timber and the marketing of this timber became the main industry of the country around the town; this Industry encouraging the building and grading of better roads, although the roads remained dirt roads for many years.
The farmers in this section used oxen largely for farming and hauling to town, and during this period, Galax could boast of more Ox teams in town any day than any other known town.
J. P. Carico bought the E. P. Givens farm on the east side of the creek and moved there in 1904, and his son James K, Carico, was born there on January 30, 1905, and would be in the running for the first child born in Galax.
This trail was known as the Quaker Trail and the Quakers built a meeting house and laid out a burying ground on a high hill overlooking the Wards Mill Creek. This meeting was first called Mt. Pleasant but was later changed to Chestnut Creek and the burying ground is known as the Old Quaker Graveyard. The land for this meeting house and graveyard was given by Joshua Hanks and William Riddick and the deed was recorded soon after the County of Grayson was established, about 1792.
Joshua Hanks had title to about 1,000 acres of land on both sides of the Mill Creek and built his cabin not far from the meeting house and graveyard. The marker to his grave states that he was born in 1760 and his wife's name was Ruth. He must have moved to this lcoation soon after his marriage and built his cabin.
"And What of Nancy Hanks?"
Joshua Hanks' brother whose name was Thomas (as I remember it) was on his way with his family to find a home in the West and came to his brother, Joshua, with his family, and spent considerable time there before deciding to go on farther west; and while he was staying with his brother his daughter gave birth to a girl who was named Nancy. This child went on with the family farther West where they stopped for some time in what is now West Virginia, where she married Thomas Lincoln and became the mother of Abraham Lincoln.
This tradition had been handed down through three generations when it was told to me and I have talked to others Who have passed on now, that had been told the same story.
After checking all the circumstances and dates, I find nothing that would prevent this story from being possible and in all very probably as authentic as any that has been told and written through the years.
Blair's Forge on Chestnut Creek
About the year 1770, John Blair built a forge just below Blair station on Chestnut Creek for the purpose of smelting and making iron out of the iron ore in that section. The iron bars from this forge were fashioned into shape by the use of a trip hammer; this hammer was powered from a dam built across the creek. After about five years he turned the operation of the forge over to his son, who operated it for many years.
The plateau surrounding the present town consisting of some four or five counties in these early periods was all rural country, with not a single industry to employ the labor outside of the farm, even in most cases to the clothing for the family. The young men who sought to better their circumstances, went where they could find work, and some earned and bought property and settled there.
Photo ca. 1916 showing Oxen and Automobiles in Galax
