WASHBURN, W.Va. — From Otter Slide Creek to Hell-for-Certain Branch, many streams in West Virginia boast interesting placenames, but the name of this scenic brook in Ritchie County is remarkable.
Locals call it "shiver-dee-freeze" or something similar, though its origin is undeniably French and hard for the typical English speaker to pronounce — Chevaux de Frise.
Patrons of the Washburn General Store (Est. 1870), which stands across from the Chevaux de Frise Road sign, often find themselves in conversations with passersby who ask about the name. How is it even pronounced? No one ever seems certain.
"It's certainly a subject of conversation," Eric Osborne says of the matter.
Osborne and his wife, Lori Mudry, recently reopened the store, which is a conversation piece itself. With its single gas pump and a period storeroom seemingly full of more antiques than sundries, it appears to be pulled out of a Norman Rockwell painting, a remnant of a time long passed.
Yet, here, Eric, a native of Oregon, and Lori, who has returned to her native countryside, are fulfilling a dream, though Osborn also works as a state highway employee and Mudry as a nurse. Despite its limited hours, the store is bustling with activity, serving the needs of both locals and travelers while stocking a remarkable selection of locally crafted tinctures and botanicals.
How Chevaux de Frise got its name
But what of the strange French name? French names are rare in a land settled more often by Irish, German, and English descendants.
Mudry provided an account lifted from the pages of a local history book that she keeps at the store register:
CHEVAUXDEFRISE SETTLED
"Two traditions are in existence as to the origin of the name of this stream. The first is that a piece of wood filled with iron spikes called chevauxdefrise, having once belonged to the Indians, was found upon its banks, giving rise to the name. The other is that two hunters, being compelled to lie out in the cold throughout the night, shivered and froze, and ever after in referring to the stream, they called it "shiverdy," hence the name."
But is that the end of the Chevaux de Frise story?
However, several locals at the store expressed doubt. "Katbird," one of many new residents in the area who sat in the shade of the store's porch, accompanied by his pet pig, had his doubts.
He seemed to agree with Osborne that the name might have come from stands of dead wood that resembled a "cheval de frise," a movable defensive obstacle used against cavalry but which could be submerged to prevent the passage of ships or other vessels on rivers.
The cheval de fries (plural form: chevaux de fries) was most often a simple log frame with many projecting spikes.
The cheval de fries became common in Europe and was used extensively in the U.S. during the Civil War before the advent of metal barriers. They were commonly employed by Confederate forces rather than the Union, according to some sources.
Therefore, the origin of the name may be of Civil War origin rather than European in origin. However, it may take some time for the establishment at the Washburn General Store to confirm.
The citation Mudry presented provided further information on the history of the immediate area, as well as the old church and cemetery perched on a hill overlooking Washburn and the store.
Though not immediately relevant to the origin argument, it certainly elucidates the history of this delightful section of rural West Virginia. Please note that the following text was published in the early 1900s, and many of the landmarks referenced may have long since disappeared.
"Harmon Sinnett was the first settler. He was a native of Pendleton County, being a son of John Sinnett and a grandson of Patrick. In 1835, he was married to Miss Frances Moats, daughter of George Moats, and during the following autumn, took up his residence at the mouth of the creek, on the land now owned by the heirs of his late son, John P. Sinnett. The Hall Brothers, the latter of whom had the old home, which is still standing, though unoccupied.
"His services to this community were of a high order. He erected the first grist-mill in this section, near 1850-the well-known Sinnett's mill, which stood a little above the mouth of Chevauxdefrise, on Indian creek; and which was twice washed away by a flood, and was not rebuilt the last time.
"Mr. Sinnett was truly the cornerstone of the Indian Creek Baptist church; he having given the grounds and played an important part in the erection of the old log church, in 1855, which was replaced by the present frame structure in 1890.
"Until the close of his life, which came on March 9, 1904, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Alfred Simmons, on Gillispie's run, he was a familiar figure in this community. His beloved companion had fallen asleep just twenty-seven hours before (on the evening of March 8, 1904).
"When he was told that "she was no more," he expressed a hope that he might be per- mitted to go with her; and on the following morning, though he seemed in his usual health, he remarked that he might "yet be ready to be buried with her," and that night he closed his eyes, and quietly joined her on the other shore.
"The family, hearing him making a slight noise, went to his bedside just in time to see him breathe his last. Both were ninety-one years of age, and both were laid in one grave, in the Heck cemetery, on Gillispie's run. Thus this venerable couple, who had traveled hand in hand so far down "the declivity of time," were reunited after but a few hours of separation.
"They were the parents of the Rev. James T. Sinnett; the late Mrs. Susan (Wm.) Heck, Mrs. Mary (Alfred) Simmons, Rutherford; Mrs. Martha (Cyrus) Washburn, the late Mrs. Florinda (Harmon) Nottingham, and the late John P. Sinnett, Washburn; Mrs. Harriet (George) Washburn, Harrison county; the late Mrs. Frances (B. F.) Cunningham, Cantwell; the late Mrs. Serepta (A. O.) Wilson, Harrisville, and the late Elizabeth Sinnett, of Cairo.
"The Rev. James T. Sinnett was the first merchant in this section. He built the store that is now owned by the Hall Brothers in 1870; and was engaged in the mercantile business here until 1887, when he removed to Smithville, where he still claims his residence."
Washburn, located in north-central West Virginia, is situated on WV-16, five miles south of Harrisville, West Virginia, and seven miles north of Smithville, West Virginia.
Sign up for a FREE copy of West Virginia Explorer Magazine in your weekly email. Sign me up!
I really enjoyed your article about the Washburn General Store in Ritchie County. I met Lori in January while I was one of her very fortunate patients where she is a caring and compassionate nurse. During one of her visits to my room, we talked about the places where we lived. She told me about the Washburn General Store and it's history. Your article reminded me of how wonderful this state is and why it's history needs to be preserved. Thank you for sharing your expertise and publishing your magazine.
Thanks, Pat! Lori and Eric are heroes of mine. Preserving the store and its history fulfills an economic need in the community while sustaining an essential cultural resource.
I’m a West Virginia native born & raised.
In my 45th year of life I moved to Central Texas newly married & a job transfer.
I love reading about my home state & lots of locations I lovingly recall…. I was born up Indian Creek in Tyler county. I dream of that life lots of times!
Enjoyed this posting tremendously!
You may take the girl out of West Virginia but you may NEVER take West Virginia out of the girl!
Have wished I could return many many times!
We'll try to publish an extra story or two on Tyler County then.
We really enjoyed talking with you and hanging out on the porch. I hope your t-shirt is nice and comfy! Thanks again and stop by any time.
I hope I won't be gone long. It's a great corner of the state, and you have such an inviting place.
My father Ellis Boyles once owned the Washburn store. We lived in the apartment attached to the store. My father bought the store in 1956 and sold it in 1962.
I grew up on the farm on the hill above the Baptist Church. When I was very young, my parents had to go to the general store, then owned by the Hoover family, to get their mail. Tey used to sell groceries, gasoline, and animal feed. I had always thought that the road from Washburn to Pullman was "Chevauxdefrise Road" and never knew that the small stream that empties into Indian Creek by the general store was called "Chevauxdefrise."
I was a Pennsboro boy, but dated and later married a girl that lived right up Cheveaux De Fries about a mile or two from the store.
Spent a lotta hayfield money in that store
Hi, my parents Arden Mccormick and Agnes Mccormick own this store for 27 years,I lived there from age 6 till 22. It was called then McCormick general store. We sold food,beer,tobacco products, gas,feed,plants and the best Christmas candy. I also worked in the store for many years, my childhood, loved it.
Actually the Ohio River Valley itself has plenty of French settlers via several land brokers who sold to groups in France. Gallipolis, Ohio (city of the Gauls) and Marietta, Ohio (named for Marie Antoinette) are just two river towns settled by the French. The French and Indian War was fought over these lands.
By the way, the logic that West Virginians would use Confederate equipment during the Civil War might be correct, but we shouldn't forget the whole reason we are a state is because we stayed in the Union.
I believe the Alfred Simmons in the story is my great-grandfather. My dad grew up in Petroleum and my mom in Cairo. Fond memories of visiting those great communities.
My brother has read that a group of Yankees serving in Parkersburg were sent to block a road between Pullman and Gillispie Run, to protect the P&H from a small Confederate raiding party. He thinks its very likely that they built a chevaux de frise to block the road, and thats where the name came from. I think thats very likely.
Now when I was a kid, I went with my neighbors to do a home valuation there, and I was extremely disappointed when "Shivertyfreeze" wasn't an ice cream place...lol