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In 1775, Major William Morris and an enslaved man named Peter Morris claimed land in what is now Nicholas County. Morris offered the land to his oldest son, William Jr., who later sold it to his brother Henry. Henry moved here in 1791 and built a cabin along Peters Creek, named after Peter. In 1792, two of the Morris daughters were killed by Simon Girty, who had stayed with the family under false pretenses.
In 1818, the first Nicholas County court meeting took place at John Hamilton’s home. He donated land to create the county seat, which was named Summersville in 1820 and incorporated in 1860. In 1859, the Weston & Gauley Bridge Turnpike was completed, helping the county grow by connecting Summersville to other towns.
