The Henderson's., a rich family from eastern Virginia decided to invest in the cheap land available on the frontier.   They bought up a lot of local land and sent a son to operate a plantation in Pleasants County. 

Photo shows this first plantation in Pleasants County.   In 1835, this branch of the family moved to Henderson Hall Plantation, near Williamstown.

Also in 1802 the first Wood County courthouse was built in Parkersburg, marking the end of a struggle to have Williamstown be the county seat.

The Hendersons were friends with George Washington, and the elite of Virginia,  In 1806 Harman Blennerhassett proved his ineptitude by trying to recruit the Hendersons to his scheme to estalbish his own nation in the  West.    The Hendersons promptly reported the scheme to the authortities and organized a militia to invade Blennerhassett Island.