August 18, 1823: Greenbrier County Pioneer John Stuart Dies at 74

Greenbrier County pioneer John Stuart died on August 18, 1823, at age 74.

As a young man, he helped survey the Greenbrier Valley and, in 1770, built the county’s first known mill —in the community of Frankford. He was given command of Fort Spring, which became a place of refuge for early settlers in the event of Indian attacks.

Stuart led a Greenbrier company at the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774 and defended Greenbrier settlements during various Indian raids, including the last attack on Fort Donnally in 1778. His memoir, which was written in 1799 and published in 1833, includes accounts of the Battle of Point Pleasant and the later murder of Shawnee Chief Cornstalk.

John Stuart was a founder of Lewisburg, serving as one of the town’s first trustees. He was the clerk of Greenbrier County and built the first clerk’s office in his own yard. He also donated land in Lewisburg for the first county courthouse and for Old Stone Presbyterian Church.

His house at Fort Spring, which was built in 1789, still stands and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.