Surveyor's Diary, George Raymond Cunningham Ot Life in West Virginia

Quarto. 124 typewritten pages with significant photographs of the era especially in the period, 1900-1915 all nicely identified with workers, identification of scenes, etc. A detailed account of his early life (his family of surveyors had been active along the Little Kanawha River since the 1780's). He writes: "The surveyor, doctor and travelling Missionary Preacher were the key people for the community life." He covers the background with sketches of early construction, a hand drawn detailed Civil War map of the Battle of Bull Town along the Little Kanawha River on October 13, 1863 with extensive pencil notes of fortifications, people's houses where battles took place (supplement to page 1).had the Confederates succeeded in cutting the line of communication between the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Great Kanawha Valley, it would have been a terrible loss for the Federals. He describes the "Free Schools" [Pioneer Schools), noting the low salary did not attract teachers, still they had revival meetings, literary societies, log rolling's, house raisings the spelling bee held at Mud Lick. Life in the Weston Gauley Bridge Pike area, his father a surveyor began teaching him at age 10, by age 13 could survey a farm on old-time method of surveying (which was remarkably accurate using triangle system). In 1895 he used a threshing machine and was paid 50 cents a day. Describes lumber business along the Little Kanawha River (Nicolette Lumber Company, Parkerburg). Though in the early 20's he was hired as foreman on sending logs down the river dealing with the danger of log jams. He began surveying in 1908 on area from Alta Pass to Erwin City (at Nolle Chucke River), then, surveyor for the Virginia and South Western RR. He worked at other states and Canada, by 1839 he was the oldest surveyor and was selected to remap Parkersburg. The last 15 pages are more general reminiscences more typical of an old man looking back with less precision. All held within a binder.