Greenbrier County, West Virginia Biography of JOHN SCOTT McWHORTER. This biography was submitted by Sandy Spradling, E-mail address: This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm History of Greenbrier County J. R. Cole Lewisburg, WV 1917 p. 192-194 JOHN SCOTT McWHORTER. Lewisburg has been noted for its legal talent. J. Scott McWhorter, one of the leading lawyers at this bar and prosecuting attorney at one time, is of Scotch extraction. The McWhorter family was a small clan in Galloway, Scotland, some of whom emigrated to Ireland in a very early day. Hugh McWhorter, a prosperous linen merchant of Armagh, emigrated, in 1730, to New Castle, Del., where he became a prominent farmer and an elder in the Presbyterian church. His son, Henry, born November 13, 1760, in New Jersey, enlisted in the Revolutionary war, in 1776, and served until the treaty of peace, in 1784. He married, in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and moved from there to Hampshire county, Virginia, in 1786, and from thence to Harrison county, now Lewis county, in 1790. His wife was Miss Mary Fields. Their house was built in 1793 and is still standing. It is the oldest house in the historic Hackers Creek Valley, now West Virginia, and here was reared one of the most remarkable families of pioneer days. For sixty years Henry McWhorter was a member of the Methodist church and was class leader fifty years. He died February 4, 1848, and was buried in the McWhorter cemetery, on his farm, by the side of his wife, who died in 1834. Walter, the third and last son of Henry McWhorter, Sr., was born October 31, 1787. In 1806 he married Margaret Hurst. He was a major of militia, a noted athlete and never met his equal in wrestling, jumping or foot racing. The major's house, like that of his father, was the recognized place of public worship. Here were held the winter revivals and big meetings. He died August 12, 1860. His wife died December 27, 1853. Seventeen children were born to this union, the Rev. John Minion McWhorter, D. D., the tenth child, being in direct line with the subject of this sketch. Dr. McWhorter married Rosetta Marple. The doctor espoused the Universalist faith, and was the pioneer promulgator of that doctrine in his part of the State. His wife was a daughter of Ruth Reger, a descendant of Jacob Reger, who came from Germany and made a settlement on Second Big Run, in 1776. F. J. lMcWhorter, son of Rev. J. M., married Olive Catherine Reger. She died when her son, J. S. McWhorter, was but seven years old. F. J. McWhorter now resides at Buckhannon, W. Va. J. Scott McWhorter's early life was under the tutelage of Dr. J. M. McWhorter, on Hacker's creek, Upshur county, West Virginia. When fifteen years of age he graduated from the high school at Buckhannon. He then went to the West Virginia University until he completed his sophomore year, afterwards graduating from the University of Wisconsin, in 1895, with special honors. He came to Lewisburg in November, 1896. In 1899 Mr. McWhorter married Jennie Pearl McWhorter, daughter of Judge J. M. McWhorter. She died in September, 1908, from the effects of a surgical operation, in Baltimore. Four children were the fruit of this marriage. Joe Reger, Julian K., John Scott, Jr., and Catherine. In 1910 Mr. McWhorter was married to Wapella F. Feamster, daughter of William Fearnster, of Rupert, Greenbrier county. J. S. McWhorter was elected prosecuting attorney in 1904, and re-elected in 1908, and is a candidate at the present time for that office. In July, 1914, he was appointed by the Hon. Charles S. Dice to fill out an unexpired term ending in November, 1914. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.