History

Wayne County was created in 1842 from Cabell County when West Virginia was actually Virginia. Because of the threat of Indian attack, there were no settlers in Wayne County until after 1794 when General "Mad" Anthony Wayne defeated the the Native Americans at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in northwestern Ohio, making the area safe. To honor General Wayne, the county was named for him. Most of the original pioneer settlers of the area were nearly self-sufficient farmers, raising their own food and sheep for wool clothing, and building their homes, stores, furnishings and tools from the wood harvested in the surrounding forest. There were a few trading posts and general stores providing manufactured goods. Later, grist mills at Wayne, Dickson, and Lavalette ground corn into meal and wheat into flour.