Pax

In 1831 Fayette County was formed from Kanawha, Nicholas, Greenbrier and Logan Counties.

In 1851 a part of Fayette County in which the present site of Beckley was then included was cut off to form a part of Raleigh County then created.

In 1871 a small part was cut off to form a part of Summers County then created.

In 1907 Deepwater Railroad was consolidated with the Tidewater Railway of Virginia to form the Virginia Railway. Started at Deepwater and ran to Mullens, two years later to Princeton.

IN 1910 Kanawha, Glen Jean and Eastern Railway (K.G.J. & E.), a McKell enterprise, was extended from Mt. Hope to Pax.

The Pax Community in 1926

The first settler at Pax was William Humphrey who came here from Monroe county about the year 1840. He bought a large tract (4,580 1/4 acres) of land from H.M. Dickenson, Special Commissioner on October 2, 1847, two land grants from the State of Virginia one in 1852 for 175 acres and one in 1856 for 205 acres, and built his log cabin at what is now known as the Burgess place.

He reared a large family of boys and girls and when they became of age he gave each a large farm. Jarrell, his son settled at what is now Weirwood, Lewis on the present site of Pax, Elijah and Dick settled up Packs Branch. One of the girls married a Davis and settled where the Willis Branch coal town is now located. One married a Burgess and fell heir to the home place located at Ole Willis Branch. They all raised large families and were hard working sturdy people. They cleared their lands, raised grain and cattle and the posterity of William Humphrey, constitute some of the leading citizens of this part of the county.

In 1903 the Paintsville Development Company was organized with P.M. Synder of Mt. Hope as one of the principal promoters. They bought the Lewis Humphrey tract of land from the heirs and laid it off in town lots which were sold by them at public auction. These lots were bought by progressive business men who at once began the construction of residences and business houses.

The first name given to this place was Paintsville, in 1905 the name of the Post Office was changed to Pax.  Pax is actually a misnomer as far as the community name go. From the Latin for "Peace," the town is really a misspelling of "Pack." The town was supposed to have been named for Packs Branch, a nearby stream honoring Sam Pack. an early settler.

It was said in 1926 that Pax has the best school and best school facilities of any town of its size in the county. It has a large modern, well equipped eight room brick school building used for junior and senior high school and on the same lot a large six-room frame school building for the grades. The school is well patronized. There upper grades from surrounding schools attend here where they receive instruction from a thoroughly trained corps of teachers, this giving these children equal opportunities with those of the cities. Pax has three churches, a Methodist Episcopal south, a Christian Baptist, and a Baptist Church for the colored people located between Pax and Long Branch where the colored people from both town meets.

They have two dry goods stores, two grocery stores, four general stores, one general feed store, two barber shops, two hotels, one bank, depot, post office and garage, two doctor, J.W. and A.L. Hunter, one drug store, one picture show and the Oak Hill telephone exchange. The post office was established at Paintsville with J.T. Humphrey as first postmaster. The name was later changed to Pax and the following have been postmasters: J.F. McQueen and A.B. Canterbury the present incumbent.

Pax was incorporated in 1920 and the following have served as mayors: W.C. Ayers, H.E. Woolwine, and J.E. Williams. Pax has a population of about 600 people.

In 1923 a hard road was constructed from Mt. Hope to Pax and from here to the Raleigh county line. It also extends to Long Branch, a distant of one mile.

Pax is also on the main line of the Virginian Railroad at the junction of the Kanawha Glen Jean and Eastern (K.G.J. & E.) Railway with the Virginian making Pax accessible either by rail or automobile. There is talk of the Virginian Railway establishing shops just above Pax, and with plenty of building territory and several mines that surround the town and with the prospect that sometime in the near future a hard road may be laid down Paint Creek from Harper to Charleston thus connecting up Beckley and Charleston. Pax is destined to become a city.

Bank Of Pax Opens Oct. 1, 1915

The new Bank of Pax is now organized and expects to begin business about the first of October.  J.H. McQueen is president & J.C. Tyree will be the cashier. The bank will have quarters in the new brick business district block now being built by Mr. McQueen.

Construction

(Center section)   Bank

(Right Side of  Bank) Pool Room