Greenbrier County, West Virginia    Biography: Col. Joel McPHERSON

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Transcribed and submitted by Valerie Crook, <vfcrook @earthlink.net>, 1998.
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COL. JOEL McPHERSON - is a Virginian, born in Loudoun County, October 28, 1807,
a son of John and Sarah (McDONALD) McPHERSON. Since he reached manhood's estate
his home has been in Greenbrier County, where he has filled many positions of 
public trust worthily, and been prominent in the best interests of his adopted 
home. Greenbrier County does not contain a more upright and useful man, nor one
more justly esteemed by all classes of its residents. It was through his 
influence and personal efforts that the county and other records were saved 
from destruction during the civil war. On Christmas Day, 1835, Joel McPHERSON
received commission from Governor Tazewell as colonel in the State militia, 
a rank he held many years. He was one of the commissioners for West Virginia
in the location of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad through that State, 
appointed in 1868. Among the county offices he has held are: sheriff, 
clerk of the county court, clerk of tile circuit court, clerk of the board
of supervisors, county recorder. He was also member of the Virginia 
legislature for Greenbrier, and many years notary public and justice of
the peace, the last two offices still filled by him. In Lewisburg, 
Greenbrier County, July 1, 1830, Joel McPHERSON and Amanda McCLUNG, 
were wedded. She was born in Greenbrier County, on the 1st day of July, 
1808, her marriage day the anniversary of her birth. John and Annie 
Crawford (BOURLAND) McCLUNG were her parents, her father born in 1782, 
and her mother in 1784. The father died in 1815, and the mother on the 
26th of February, 1826. The children of Col. and Mrs. McPHERSON are
recorded: Sarah Ann, born April 16, 1831, died June 21st, following:
John Harvey, June 8, 1832, lives in Lewisburg; Washington Wilson,
February 22, 1835, died May 17, 1836; Samuel McClung, October 11, 1837, 
was a very eminent surgeon of the Confederate army under Gen. Wise, and 
died June 14, 1863, in the service; Mary Copeland (AUSTIN), December 10, 1839,
and Rebecca Adaline (HARRIS), March 15, 1845, live at Lewisburg; Joel Crawford,
March 13, 1848, was killed by accident on the Richmond & Danville railroad,
November 25, 1876; James Calwell, March 1, 1851, lives in Lewisburg. 
Rebecca Mays McCLUNG, sister of Mrs. McPHERSON living in the colonel's
family, was born July 18, 1812. Col. Joel McPHERSON may be addressed
at White Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier County, West Virginia.

Source:  Hardesty, Henry H.  Hardesty's Historical and Geographical
Encyclopedia.  New York: H.H. Hardesty and Company, 1884.
Rpt. in West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia.  Ed. Jim Comstock.
Richwood: Comstock, 1974.