West Virginia History - "The loyal West in times of the rebellion;" - West Virginia

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Submitted by Valerie Crook, <vfcrook @trellis.net>, January 1999

The loyal West in times of rebellion; also, before and since: being an 
encyclopedia and panorama of the western states, Pacific states and 
territories of the Union.  Historical, geographical, and pictorial.
Author: Barber, John Warner
Published: 1865, F. A. Howe, Cincinnatti
Pages 33-59

   West Virginia owes her existence to the Great Rebellion; or rather to the patriotism 
of her people, who, when the mother State, Virginia, plunged into the vortex of secession,
resolved to stand by the Union.  The wisdom of their loyalty has been signally
shown by its saving them from the sore desolation that fell upon most parts of 
the Old Dominion.

   The seal of the state is remarkably appropriate. It has the motto, "Montani semper 
liberi"--mountaineers always free. In the center is a rock, with ivy, emblematic of 
stability and continuance; the face of the rock bears the inscription, "June 20, 1863," 
the date of foundation, as if "graved with a pen of iron in the rock forever."  On the 
right stands a farmer clothed in the traditional hunting-shirt peculiar to this region;
his right arm resting on the plow handles, and his left supporting a woodman's ax--
indicating that while the territory is partially cultivated it is still in process of 
being cleared of the original forest. At his right is a sheaf of wheat and corn growing.
On the left of the rock stands a miner, indicated by a pickax on his shoulder, with 
barrels and lumps of mineral at his feet. On his left is an anvil partly seen, on which
rests a sledge hammer, typical of the mechanic arts--the whole indicating the principal
pursuits and resources of the state. In front of the rocks and figures, as if just laid
down by the latter, and ready to be resumed at a moment's notice, are two hunter's rifles,
crossed and surmounted at the place of contact by the Phrygian cap, or cap of Liberty-
indicating that the freedom and independence of the state were won and will be maintained 
by arms.

   In the spring of 1861, when the question of secession was submitted to the people, 
those of Eastern Virginia voted almost unanimously in its favor, but in the northwestern 
counties quite as strongly against it. In fact, the desire for a separate state government
had for a quarter of a century prevailed in this section, where the slaveholding interest 
was slight and the habits of the people diverse. The reasons for this were, that they
were in a measure cut off from intercourse with Eastern Virginia by chains of mountains,
and that state legislation had been unfavorable to the developement of their resources.
The breaking out of the rebellion was a fovorable moment to initiate measures for the
accomplishement of this long-desired seperation.  As the movement was one of grave
importance, we must give it more than a passing notice, from a pem familiar with 
the subject.

   "It has passed into history, that for many years, while the western counties of 
Virginia had the perponderance of white population and taxable property, the eastern
counties controlled the legislation of the state, by maintaining an iniquitous basis
of representation.