Wood County, West Virginia Biography of Major William G. PETERKIN ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Lisa James ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc. Chicago and New York, Volume II pg 440 MAJOR WILLIAM G. PETERKIN, a son of the late and beloved Bishop George William Peterkin of West Virginia, has been a resident of Parkersburg since boyhood and has played a prominent part in the affairs of that city. He is president of the Citizens Trust and Guaranty Company and the Citizens Insurance Agency. Major Peterkin was born in Culpeper, Virginia, October 21, 1870, and was eight years of age when his father took up his official seat at Parkersburg. Here he continued his education in the public schools to the age of thirteen, and for six years lived with his grandfather at Richmond, Virginia, and attended the McGuire private school of that city. Major Peterkin was a resident student of the University of Virginia five years, graduating with his law degree in 1894. In the same year he began practice at Parkersburg, and was active in the profession until 1907. During the last three years of his practice, he was secretary of the State Bar Association and later was elected vice president of the association. For the past fourteen years his attention has been chiefly devoted to the surety and insurance business. He earned his title by a service of more than ten years in the West Virginia National Guard. During the Spanish-American war he became interested in military matters, and was appointed small arms inspector, with the rank of major on the staff of Gen. B. D. Spilman, brigade commander of the West Virginia National Guard. He continued on the staffs of Gen. George W. Curtin, Gen. Clarence L. Smith and Gen. W. W. Scott. He was also judge advocate of his brigade, an office which he resigned in 1910. Major Peterkin in politics has been a democrat. He was elected a member of the City Council for 1902-03, in 1904 was candidate for secretary of state, and in 1910 was chosen a member of the State Senate, serving four years, and in both sessions acting as chairman of the committee on insurance. He has been chairman of the City Democratic Committee at various times, also secretary and treasurer of the Wood County Executive Committee. During the World war he was chairman of the Draft Board for Wood County, under the Selective Service Law. He is loyal to the church of his father and grandfather, a member of the Elks Order and Kiwanis Club. April 18, 1912, he married Miss Ora Moss Martin, of Parkersburg. Their two daughters are Julia Moss and Constance Lee.