Flesher Log Cabin-Whelan Store Building / Native American Attack

At the topmost historic Weston spot, where once stood the brick onetime Whelan Store building, was originally located the log cabin home of Henry Flesher who was a revolutionary war veteran, he was the first person to establish a settlement in what would become Weston, circa 1776, on the land that would, on the land that would, in 1817, become the Lewis County seat. The brick building, constructed in 1886 replaced a frame one that had burned early in the year one of Weston's major fires.

Henry Flesher was born on November 12, 1734 in Ober-Seemen, Heese, Germany. He was the son of Balthasar and Anna (Schmidt) Fleischer.  He came to America with his brother, Peter. They arrived on November 2, 1752 at the Port of Philadelphia upon the ship "Phoenix". Peter was a shoemaker who passed on his trade to his brother Henry. Upon arriving in America they changed their name to Flesher. They settled in a s German community near the Potomac River that is now located in Pendleton County, WV. After marring Henry moved his family to the mouth of Stone Creek on the West Fork River in what is now Lewis County.

In 1781 due to many attacks by Native Americans, Henry decided to take his family's to stay at Fort Buckhannon where they remained until 1782 when they moved on to Fort Richards. All adult males had to take turns scouting and protecting the fort. Henry returned to his farm in 1784 in what is currently Weston, WV.

In an account published in the Weston Democrat Newspaper in 1884 by Henry's son Noah retells the story of an attack that his family had with Native Americans located near the cabin. His brother Adam and Father, Henry were working on timbers for a barn. It looked like it was going to rain so they started for the house to get bells to put on the horses before turning them loose for the night. This was a common practice on livestock to help locate them in unfenced areas around the family home. As Adam started to unharness the horses he noticed the Native Americans and jumped into a bush before escaping. Henry ran for the cabin door and had almost been caught but Elizabeth had opened the door to the cabin and pulled him inside. She slammed the door but did not have time to put the bars up and the attacker pushed against the door until he gained entrance. Henry grabbed for all his guns until he found one that was loaded and was able to scare the attacker away.

In the night the family stole away in to the woods out of fear for another attack. They hid in the woods until Edward Hughes found them and led them to the West Fork what is today Jane Lew. Henry passed away in February of 1803 and Elizabeth died in 1804 in Weston, WV.

Accessed December 10th 2020. https://www.krepps.net/henrywestonflesher.htm.