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As pioneers ventured further west, they experienced more frequent encounters with Indians. The first settlers in what is now Randolph County were the Robert Files and David Tygart families, who arrived near Beverly and Dailey in 1753-54. Most of the Files family were killed during Indian raids, and the Tygart family left shortly after. By 1772, most of the best land had been claimed, but ongoing Indian attacks slowed further settlement. In the 1770s, several forts were built for protection, including Wilson's, Roney's, and Friend's. Despite these efforts, more than 100 settlers were killed in raids over the next 20 years.
Farming was the main way settlers made a living in the flat areas of Leading Creek and the Tygart Valley River. The river's bottomlands stretch 35 miles from Valley Head to Leadsville (Elkins). The arrival of turnpikes brought some business, but the Civil War slowed progress.
