HAMPSHIRE COUNTY (MINERAL COUNTY)
WAR DEAD OF THE WAR OF 1812

This is a list of fatalities taken from the Muster Rolls of the Hampshire County VA "Company of Infantry in the service of the United States in the 7th Regiment under the command of Capt. Samuel Cockerell and commanded by Lieut. Col. David Saunders," from July 29, 1814 to February 22, 1815. This company was mustered out at Norfolk, VA.

Of those who died, only one died in action -
Corporal Charles Ford died in action Oct. 26, 1814. All the rest of the fatalities died from measles. They were:

Private John Dawson, died 6 Dec 1814
Private Joseph W Davis, died 26 Dec 1814
Private James Hill, died 25 Dec 1814
Private Miller Junkins, died 1 Dec 1814
Private William Wilson, died 16 Dec 1814
Private James Fitzgerald, died 15 Jan 1815
Private William High, died 11 Jan 1815
Private Philip Sandy, died 2 Jan 1815
Private John Bowman, died 3 Dec 1814
Private Job Musgrove, died 24 Dec 1814
Private Peter Bever, died 28 Nov 1814

Many of these lived in what is now Mineral County. Some of them or their families traded here at Paddytown at the McCarty store, for example the Junkins, Bevers, Wilsons and Bowmans.
This fatal epidemic of measles occurred at Norfolk, VA. A private of one of the Virginia Militia Companies, Private Spencer Sharp, describes it thus:
"(I) was ordered with Capt. Steed's Company to Norfolk, VA. It was the coldest winter ever. The river at Norfolk froze over and the snow fell to a depth of six inches. The company was engaged in putting up breastworks and they suffered intensely from cold. A worse foe than the English attacked them and great numbers died with the measles. As soon as a soldier was taken sick, the was marched through snow and sleet and mud to the hospital. Most of them took cold and died. I pulled through because the doctor took down just as I did, so I never peeped but just laid still in my hut and I got well. There wouldn't a been no John Sharp, if that doctor hadn't a took it."

This information was taken from "History of Keyser WV" by William W Wolfe. Mr. Wolfe served willingly as the local historian and genealogist for local residents, past and present.
Special thanks to Mr. Robert L. Smith for granting us permission to use Mr. Wolfe's material on the Mineral County USGenWeb Page.