Captain James Booth migrated from the valley of Virginia to this valley in 1768 and founded the first settlement here in 1772. He was fired upon and killed by a party of Shawnee Indians on June 16th 1778, at a point on the near shore of the stream about 200 yards below here, and he lies buried at this spot. He was a highly esteemed man of education and character, a surveyor, pioneer settler, and patriot, and a friend of General Washington, under whom he served as an officer and with whom he made a surveying and exploring expedition in the great Kanawha Valley.