The West Virginia Brothers That Lived in a Tree

Photo byThe History of Upshur County Book

MARTINSBURG, WV - From 1764 to 1767, brothers John and Samuel Pringle found an unusual refuge in a hollow sycamore tree near the confluence of Turkey Run and the Buckhannon River in present-day Upshur County, West Virginia.

According to the West Virginia Encyclopedia, after deserting from the British-American army at Fort Pitt, the brothers sought shelter in the Buckhannon Valley wilderness. The hollow tree, so spacious that an eight-foot fence rail could be turned inside, served as their home for several years.

According to the West Virginia Encyclopedia, in 1768, John Pringle ventured to a trading post on the South Branch to buy ammunition. Upon his return, the brothers decided they were no longer at risk of being considered renegades and left their tree home.

By 1769, they led a group of settlers back to the Buckhannon Valley, establishing one of the first permanent settlements in the area.

Today, a historic marker on U.S. 119 north of Buckhannon commemorates the Pringle Tree. The current sycamore is believed to be the third generation of the original tree, grown from its roots. Known as the largest native trees in West Virginia, sycamores can reach heights of over 100 feet, according to the West Virginia Encyclopedia.

While hollow sycamores often served as temporary shelters for hunters, the Pringle brothers are uniquely remembered for turning one into a long-term home.