WV-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 103 Today's Topics: #1 HISTORY: THE FACTS CONDENSED, Part [Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000412061449.00821b00@trellis.net> Subject: HISTORY: THE FACTS CONDENSED, Part 1 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA THE FACTS CONDENSED COPYRIGHTED, 1910, BY A. S. LEE, PRINCIPAL RIPLEY NORMAL SCHOOL, RIPLEY, W. VA. GLOBE PRINTING & BINDING CO., PARKERSBURG, W. VA. ************************************ Part 1 History of West Virginia THE FACTS CONDENSED No new State shall be formed or created within the jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the junction of two or more States or parts of States, without the consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress - U. S. Constitution, Art. IV, Sec. III. The Civil War was the occasion and not the cause of the formation of West Virginia. It was the rock on which the State of Virginia broke into two parts, along the line of its social barrier. FIRST ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE VIRGINIA. As early as 1775 the Province of Vandalia west of the mountains was proposed and approved by King George III. It included nearly all of West Virginia and was bounded on the south by a straight line join- ing the mouth of the Sciota River and Cumberland Gap. Point Pleasant was named as the capital. In 1780 the question of the division of Virginia was again revived in the proposed colony of "West- sylvania" with boundaries identical with those of Van- dalia on the west and south but moved farther toward the north and northeast. This desire for separation became more and more intense until it was realized in the admission of West Virginia into the Union, June 20th, 1863. SOME THINGS THAT LED TO THE SEPARATION. 1. The loyalty to the Union existing in Western Virginia. 2. The unpopularity of slavery west of the moun- tains. 3. The almost impassable chains of mountains retarding social and commercial intercourse between the two sections of the State. 4. The natural highways of commerce in Western Virginia all led to the west and north. 5. The people of Eastern Virginia did not con- sider the people west of the mountains their equals, either socially or intellectually. 6. An unjust apportionment of taxation, repre- sentation, public moneys and public officers, favoring the eastern part of the State. 7. The secession of the State of Virginia. 8. The courage of the people of Western Virginia to act in accordance with their convictions. HOW THE SEPARATION WAS MADE. It was at Clarksburg, April 22, 1861, that the first united effort was made. This convention provided for the first Wheeling convention. Twenty-four counties were represented in the Wheeling convention. May 13, 1861. This convention was divided into two factions: the Radicals and the Conservatives. The Radical ele- ment, led by J. S. Carlile, favored the formation of a new State at once. The Conservatives, led by Waitman T. Willey, insisted that the action proposed by the Radicals was revolutionary and unconstitutional (see opening sentence), and that they should proceed in such manner as would comply with all the requirements of law. THE COMPROMISE. The two factions seemed hopelessly divided until Campbell Tarr, of Brooke county offered a compro- mise measure providing ultimately for the end sought by each. Mr. Tarr's measure declared the "Ordinance of Secession" void, and advised that no action be taken until the ordinance was voted upon as required by law. It further, provided for a second Wheeling convention to take decided action, in the event the ordinance was ratified at the polls May 23, 1861. The ordinance was ratified, and the Second Wheel- ing Convention met in Washington Hall, June 11. A. I. Boreman was chosen president and G. L. Cranmer secretary. WORK OF THE SECOND WHEELING CONVEN- TION. This convention reorganized the Government of Virginia, that the U. S. Constitution be complied with (see opening sentence) in the formation of a new State. Francis H. Pierpont was chosen first Governor of the reorganized Government of Virginia. The Legislature met July 1, 1861, and resumed the work of reorganiza- tion. Accordingly, W. T. Willey and J. S. Carlile were chosen U. S. Senators for Virginia to supersede Messrs. Hunter and Mason. This reorganized govern- ment was recognized by the Federal Government. The Wheeling Convention resumed its work in Aug- ust and (1) obtained consent of the Legislature of Virginia for the formation of West Virginia and later (2) obtained the consent of Congress. RATIFICATION. In October, 1861, the people by a vote of 18,408 to 780 ratified the ordinance for a new State, and on April 3, 1862, they ratified the constitution for the new State by a vote of 18,862 to 514. ADMISSION OF WEST TIECtINIA. The bill for the admission of West Virginia was introduced in the Senate by J. S. Carlile, and after amendment by Senator Willey, passed that body July 14, 1862, by a vote of 23 to 17. This bill on motion of Roscoe Conkling, New York, was not taken up in the House until the 37th Congress met in 1862. Con- gressman John A. Bingham, of Ohio, led the forces favoring the passage of the bill, and by skillful tactics, secured its passage December 10, 1862. December 10 is known as West Virginia Day, in the public schools of the State. President Lincoln signed the bill De- cember 31, 1862. It is likely that a telegram sent by Archie W. Campbell, editor of the Wheeling Intelli- gencer, removed all doubts from the President's mind as to the merits of the bill. The changes in the Constitution of the new State, required by Congress, were made, ratified, and the re- sult forwarded to President Lincoln, who, on April 20, 1863, proclaimed West Virginia a separate State. By provisions of the bill, sixty days later West Virginia entered her career as a State of the Union. STEPS BY WHICH WEST VIRGINIA BECAME A STATE. (a). The government of Virginia was reorgan- ized. (b). The consent of the Legislature of the re- organized government was obtained. (c). The consent of Congress was obtained. (d). A constitution was adopted and ratified by the people. (e). The president proclaimed it a State. John S. Carlile, W. T. Willey, P. G. Van Winkle, A. I. Boreman, Francis H. Pierpont, Campbell Tarr, Daniel Polsley, A. W. Campbell and Gordon Battelle, are among those who took an active part in the new State movement. OFFICERS OF THE NEW STATE. (ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE.) Governor, A. I. Boreman; Auditor, Samuel Crane; Treasurer, Campbell Tarr; Secretary of State, J. E. Boyers; Attorney General, A. B. Caldwell. Peter G. Van Winkle and Waitman T. Wiley were the first U. S. Senators from West Virginia. BERKELEY AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES ADDED Early in January, 1863, the Legislature of the reorganized government of Virginia passed acts pro- viding for elections in Berkeley and Jefferson counties to determine whether the people of these counties de- sired that the counties become a part of West Virginia. The majority of the votes cast favored the annexation proposed, and later in the fall of the same year, they were admitted by the Legislature of West Virginia. Virginia tried to recover the lost counties on the grounds that many of the voters were in the army when the vote was taken. Congress by act of March 2, 1866, declared the counties subject to the jurisdiction of West Virginia. Virginia then brought suit in the Supreme Court of the U. S. for the recovery of the lost counties. This court decided (December, 1870) the case in favor of West Virginia. As soon as the new State was organized, the cap- ital of Virginia was moved from Wheeling to Alexan- dria. THE PART WEST VIRGINIA TOOK IN THE CIVIL WAR. West Virginia furnished about 43,000 soldiers, 36,000 of whom enlisted in the Union army, and 7,000 in the Confederate army. The military operations in the State are confined principally to raids of the Con- federates, and attacks and counter raids by the Union forces. ENGAGEMENTS. Union Confederate Battle County Commander Commander Victorious Phillipi ...... Barbour . .. Morris ..... Porterfleld.. Union Corrick's Ford...Tucker ...... Morris ..... Garnett .... Union Cross Lanes..... Nicholas .. ..Tyler ...... Floyd ...... Confederate Gauley River.... Fayette ..... J. D. Cox... Wise ....... Union Carnifex Ferry...Nicholas .... Rosecranz .. Floyd ...... Union Gauley Bridge... Fayette ..... Rosecranz .. Floyd ...... Union Beverly .........Randolph .... Averell .... Jackson . .. Union Droop Mountain...Pocahontas... Averell .... Echols ..... Union Rocky Gap .......Greenbrier... Averell .....Jones ...... Indecisive CONFEDERATE RAIDS. Jenkin's Raid extended through Monroe, Green- brier, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur, Lewis, Gilmer, Roane and Jackson counties. Imboden's Raid extended over most of the State. They burned vast quantities of oil in Wirt county. Thousands of cattle and horses were captured and sent to Gen. Lee to aid in the second invasion of the North. Witcher's Raid covered the counties from McDow- ell to Lewis county. Much property was destroyed and many prisoners taken. These raids were counteracted by the activities of Gen. Averell and his men. (to be continued) ______________________________X-Message: #2 Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 06:25:11 -0400 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000412062511.00822b70@trellis.net> Subject: BIO: WILLIAM GRIFFIN HAMMOND, Doddridge Co. WV Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 394 WILLIAM GRIFFIN HAMMOND has devoted nearly all his active career to the glass industry of West Virginia. He was an official of a glass plant at West Union for a num- ber of years, and since 1914 has been manager of the Royal Window Glass Company of Grafton. Mr. Hammond was born near West Union in Doddridge County, February 7, 1879, and is member of one of the old families of the state. His parents were John W. and Eliza D. (LaRue) Hammond, both natives of St. Mary's. John W. Hammond was reared in Pleasants County, de- voted his active years to the timber business, and is now living retired at West Union at the age of seventy-six. He is a democrat in polities. William G. Hammond was one of the youngest in a fam- ily of five daughters and five sons. As a boy he attended public schools in Doddridge County, lived on a farm until he was about seventeen, and for several years following that was manager of a store at West Union. In 1905 he became one of the promoters of the Ideal Window Glass Company of West Union, had built the plant, and was secretary of the business for about nine years. In 1914 he removed to Grafton to take up his duties as manager of the Royal Window Glass Company. This is one of the important industries of its kind in the Grafton District, and the owners of the business are all West Virgina men. Joseph A. Pugh is president of the company, Mr. Ham- mond, secretary and treasurer, and the official board of directors are Joseph A. Pugh, William Archdeacon, W. P. Hendrickson and Mr. Hammond. Outside of his business Mr. Hammond is interested in local organizations for the welfare of Grafton, including the Chamber of Commerce and the Gratton Rotary Club. He was reared in a democratic home, but has been a re- publican since casting his first vote for William McKinley in 1900. Fraternally he is active in Masonry, being af- filiated with Friendship Lodge No. 56, A. F. and A. M., at West Union, Odell S. Long Chapter, R. A. M., at Penns- boro, and is a member of West Virginia Consistory No. 1 of the Scottish Rite at Wheeling, and Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Wheeling. At West Union, July 20, 1911, Mr. Hammond married Miss Ethel Strickling, daughter of Albert E. and Emily J. (Kipley) Strickling. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hammond are: William G., Jr., Joseph Valentine and Helen Lee. ______________________________X-Message: #3 Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 06:17:53 -0400 From: Valerie & Tommy Crook To: WV-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.20000412061753.00821a20@trellis.net> Subject: HISTORY: THE FACTS CONDENSED, Part 2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA THE FACTS CONDENSED COPYRIGHTED, 1910, BY A. S. LEE, PRINCIPAL RIPLEY NORMAL SCHOOL, RIPLEY, W. VA. GLOBE PRINTING & BINDING CO., PARKERSBURG, W. VA. ************************************ Part 2 THE STATE CAPITOL. Was at Wheeling from 1863 to 1870. From 1870 to 1875 the Capitol was at Charleston. From 1876 to 1885 the Capital was again at Wheeling. Since 1885 the Capital has been at Charleston. The location was decided by vote of the people. THE CONSTITUTION. The Constitution adopted in 1863, remained in force until 1872 when the convention which framed the present Constitution met in the M. E. Church, Charles- ton. Samuel Price, President; H. A. Holt, Okey John- son, C. J. Faulkner, B. W. Byrne, H. M. Mathews, W. T. Willey and D. D. T. Farnsworth were among the prominent members. The leading changes made in the Constitution were that (a) the term of State officers was increased from two to four years, (b) The Board of Public Works was to consist of the Governor, Auditor, Treas- urer, Superintendent of Schools and Attorney General. The last two named, were added, (c) The number of Judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals was increased. (d) The (Secretary of State was to be appointed instead of elected, (e) The Superintendent of Schools was to be elected by the people instead of the Legislature. (f) The term of office of Delegates and Senators was doubled. IMPEACHMENT. The House has the sole power of impeachment and the Senate the sole power to try all cases of im- peachment. But two cases have been tried before a West Virginia Senate. These occurred in 1875 against Treasurer J. S. Burdett and Auditor E. A. Bennett. The former was found guilty, and the latter acquitted. It may be mentioned here that in the Impeach- ment Trial of President Johnson, the vote of U. S. Senator VanWinkle, of West Virginia, acquitted the President. This claim is based on the peculiar condi- tions and forces that influenced his vote. THE FLICK AMENDMENT. The Flick Amendment, proposed by W. H. H. Flick, went into effect April 27, 1871. It enfranchised persons giving aid to the rebellion, who had been dis- franchised by the amendment of 1866. THE PEABODY EDUCATION FUND. George Peabody, of Massachusetts, engaged in the banking business in London. He was eminently suc- cessful and by will in 1867, created the Peabody Educa- tion Fund for the educational interests of certain southern states. The interest alone of this fund is used, and since his death in 1869, West Virginia has received over $200,000 from this fund. THE PERMANENT OK IRREDUCIBLE SCHOOL FUND. Is made up of the Literary Fund of Virginia ($120,000) forfeited or delinquent lands, grants or bequests made the State, certain taxes on corporations, and estates of persons leaving no will nor heir. This fund has been, by amendment, reduced to and fixed at $1,000,000. The interest alone of this fund is to be used. GENERAL SCHOOL FUND. The General School Fund is derived from interest on the permanent fund, two-sevenths of all license tax- es, capitation tax, and the proceeds of all fines. This fund is distributed among the different districts in proportion to the enumeration of school youth. PROMINENT MEN. ALEXANDER SPOTTSWOOD was one of the distinguished colonial governors of Virginia. He founded the Trans- Mountain Order known as "Knights of the Golden Horseshoe." The object of the order was to explore the country west of the mountains. Each member of the order was given a miniature golden horseshoe with the inscription, "I swear to cross the mountains," pro- vided he would comply with the inscription. Governor Spottswood was later Assistant Postmaster General for the colonies. GEN. T. J. JACKSON was born at Clarksburg in 1824, died at Chancellorsville in 1863. He graduated at West Point, served with distinction in the Mexican War. He was Professor of Philosophy in the Virginia Military Institute at the outbreak of the Civil War. He rose to the highest rank in two years. As a General, it is not likely that he was surpassed by any one on either side. MAJOR-GENERAL HORATIO GATES, the victor at Saratoga lived in what is now Berkeley county. ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, of Bethany, Brooke county, founded Bethany College and established the "Christian Church." GEN. I. H. DUVAL, of Brooke county, was a promi- nent Federal commander during the war. He was State Senator, member of Congress, and Collector of Internal Revenue. W. G. BROWN, of Preston county, was a member of the State Legislature of Virginia, member of Con- gress, and helped to frame the present State Constitu- tion. DANIEL LAMB, of Ohio county, and cashier of the North-Western Bank at Wheeling, perhaps did more to shape the plans for the formation of West Virginia than any other man. He was always consulted before any important action was taken in that direction. HON. J. C. McGREW, of Preston county, was a member of the Richmond convention of 1861. He did much toward the new state movement. GEORGE W. THOMPSON was born in Ohio county in 1806. He was postmaster at Wheeling, U. S. District Attorney, member of Congress, and Judge of the Cir- cuit Court. He was a writer of prominence. GEORGE H. LEE, of Clarksburg, was an eminent lawyer and jurist. He served as U. S. District Attor- ney, Circuit Judge, and Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals. CHARLES J. FAULKNER was born at Martinsburg in 1806. He was elected to lower house of Congress five times and to the U. S. Senate from Virginia in 1844, and served as Minister to France during Buch- anon's administration. Another Charles J. Faulkner was twice elected U. S. Senator from West Virginia. ALEXANDER MARTIN was an educator of note and the first President of the University of West Virginia. DAVID H. STROTHER ("Port Crayon") was born in Martinsburg in 1816 and died in Charlestown in 1888. He was a student under S. F. B. Morse, and later went to Rome to complete his art studies. He became a writer and artist of note. He wrote the "Virginia Canaan." He was a Brigadier General in the Civil War, and Consul General to Mexico during the admin- istration of President Hayes. SENATOR JOHN E. KENNA was born in Kanawha county in 1848, and died at Washington, D. C., 1893. He served in the Confederate army, was Prosecuting Attorney of Kanawha county, represented his district in Congress for six years, and was elected twice to represent West Virginia in the U. S. Senate. His statue, with that of F. H. Pierpont, represents West Virginia in Statuary Hall, Washington, D. C. W. R. WHITE was a prominent educator. He was Principal of the Fairmont Seminary and, in 1864, was chosen by the Legislature as the first State Superin- tendent of Free Schools. He did much to start the new school system on a firm basis. He was later Principal of the Fairmont Normal. He died in 1893. DR. JAMES G. BLAIR, President, Fairmont Normal School 1870 to 1878. Noted educator and among the early champions of the Public School System. Editor of the first Educational Monthly published in West Virginia. Died in 1878. JUDGE NATHAN GOFF, of Harrison county, is a public speaker and politican of wide reputation. He lacked but 141 votes of being elected Governor of West Virginia in 1888. He was elected to Congress, served as Secretary of the Navy under President Hayes, and is now (1910) Federal Judge in the Fourth U. S. Cir- cuit. JUDGE OKEY JOHNSON, of Wood county, was an eminent lawyer, member of the Supreme Court of Appeals, and Dean of the Law School at Morgantown. JOSEPH JOHNSON, of Harrison county, was the only Governor of Virginia elected from the west side of the Alleghanies. GOVERNOR A. B. FLEMING planned and directed the work of securing from Virginia the necessary documents and records to settle, in a measure, the land titles in dispute in this state. ALEXANDER L. WADE was an active worker for over fifty years in various capacities in the schools of West Virginia. He originated the graded system for public schools and wrote a valuable book entitled "A Graduating System for Country Schools." He was one of West Virginia's best known and most beloved school men. He died in 1904. D. B. PURINTON is a prominent school man and at present (1910) is President of the West Virginia Uni- versity. WEST VIRGINIANS AS CABINET OFFICERS. GENERAL NATHAN GOFF was Secretary of the Navy under Hayes, S. B. ELKINS was Secretary of War under Harrison, and W. L. WILSON, Postmaster Gener- al under Cleveland. WEST VIRGINIANS IN DIPLOMATIC SERVICE. Strother, Snodgrass, Birch, Cole, Hoge and Latham have represented the U. S. as ministers or consuls. MEN WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE AD- VANCEMENT OF THE INTERESTS OF WEST VIRGINIA. WILLIAM R. WHITE, first State Superintendent of Schools, in a large measure deserves the credit of establishing our public school system on right princi- ples, and on advanced ideas. A. L. WADE deserves much credit for accelerating the good work begun by Superintendent White, and for his untiring labors in behalf of the educational interests of the State. SENATORS HENRY G. DAVIS, STEPHEN B. ELKINS, and J. N. CAMDEN, deserve the greatest of credit for developing the material and industrial interests of the State. They have built railroads and put in commer- cial channels the rich natural resources of the State. GOVERNOR FLEMING has done much toward settling the disputed land titles of the State. He secured from Virginia the essential records to establish just claims. VIRGIL A. LEWIS, former State Superintendent of Schools and present (1910) State Historian and Ar- chivist, has collected and published a vast amount of State historical matter. Great credit is due him for his untiring efforts in this direction. His "Graded Course of Study for Country Schools" has done much toward the unification of rural schools. GEN. T. M. HARRIS, late of Ritchie county, was born in Wood county. He rose to the rank of briga- dier-general in the Union Army and was a member of 'the military jury that tried the conspirators in the assassination of President Lincoln. He wrote a book entitled "The Assassination of President Lincoln." JAMES RUMSEY, of Shepherstown, is often spoken of as the inventor of the steamboat. He appears to be the first man to apply steam to propel boats, but his plan was not practical. He died in England in 1772 and is buried in Westminster Abbey. His "Treatise on the Application of Steam" is the first literary work of any kind written in the State. (to be continued)