Biography of George L. Pence, MD - Summers Co. WV


The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II,
pg. 612-613


GEORGE L. PENCE, M. D. One of the most accomplished
physicians and surgeons of Summers County is Doctor
George L. Pence of Hinton. Doctor Pence was a captain
in the Medical Corps during the World war, saw active
service in the field hospitals and light artillery in France
both during the war and after the armistice.

Doctor Pence was born at Pence Springs in Summers
County, February 24, 1881, son of Andrew P. and Sallie
Ann (Lewis) Pence. His father, founder of the noted re-
sort and mineral springs known as Pence Springs, was
born near Greenville in Monroe County, West Virginia, in
1839, and died in 1915. The family were pioneers of
Monroe County. Andrew P. Pence served four years as a
Confederate soldier in the artillery branch of the army.
After the war he became a merchant, conducted a store at
Green Sulphur Springs and Sandstone, now known as New
Richmond, and subsequently was the partner in the busi-
ness at Alderson. About 1877 he bought from the Jesse
Beard estate about 300 acres, including the Pence Springs.
He subsequently sold two-thirds in order to enlist capital for
the development of the springs, but later bought back the
interest. He did much to give publicity to the fine qualities
of the mineral water, and established a large hotel that was
filled with guests seeking the benefit of the water and the
other attractions of the locality. Pence Springs is one of
the noted resorts of the state, and is located twelve miles
east of Hinton. Andrew P. Pence served as a member of
the Legislature in 1910-12, for a number of years was
president of the Board of Education in Talcott District,
and he was an ardent democrat. His wife, Sallie Ann
Lewis, was born at Blakes Mill in Greenbrier County, and
is living at Pence Springs at the age of seventy-eight.
They have five children: Jacob D., of Pence Springs;
Bessie S., wife of O. C. Carter of Alderson; Silas H., of
Pence Springs; George L.; and Nellie K., at home.

George L. Pence grew up on the old homestead at Pence
Springs, was educated in the public schools there, and was a
student in West Virginia University from 1901 to 1903. In
the latter year he entered the College of Physicians and
Surgeons at Baltimore, graduating M. D. in 1906 and
receiving a similar degree from West Virginia University.
.From 1906 to 1910 Doctor Pence was associated with The
Hinton Hospital. In June, 1911, he was a student specializ-
ing in laboratory work in the Post-Graduate School of
Medicine in New York.  following this experience in
preparation Doctor Pence was engaged in a general prac-
tice at Pence Springs until July, 1917.

At that date he joined the army, attending the Medical
Training School at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He was com-
missioned a first lieutenant and later promoted to captain.
Doctor Pence went overseas with the Fifth Division in
June, 1918, and until September was located in the Vosges
sector, was in the St. Mihiel campaign and was with the
Light Artillery during some of the great operations in the
closing months of the war. He was transferred to the
Nineteenth Field Artillery on the Moselle River, and was at
Thieacourt at the time of the signing of the armistice. He
was performing the duties of major in charge of a hospital
for some time. After the armistice he was at Luxemburg,
Esch, and Mondorf, a summer resort, in all about ten
months. Doctor Pence had command of the Twenty-ninth
Field Hospital, located at Mondorf for two months previous
to returning to the United States in July, 1919.

Since leaving the army he has been established in practice
at Hinton. He is a member of the County, State and
American Medical Associations, is a Royal Arch and
Knight Templar Mason and Shriner, a member of the Elks,
the Chamber of Commerce, and is a democrat in politics.



Submitted by Valerie Crook <vfcrook@earthlink.net> 

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