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Clay County
Go back to Clay County
1812
Sinnett Triplett first known white man to occupy present Clay County Other events that happened on or around 1812 Gen. Elisha Boyd built the Martinsburg mansion Boydsville The first gristmill in Gilmer County was built in Glenville Wilson Cary Nicholas purchased Green Bottom and established an overseer slave plantation The Greenbrier College for Women was founded as the Lewisburg Academy by Dr. John McElhenney Industrial development, especially salt and iron, was stimulated by the War of 1812 The Ices Ferry Ironworks supplied iron for shot used in the Battle of New Orleans and shipped nails and plates for Admiral Perry's Lake Erie squadron The first Western Virginia rolling mill was in operation at Ices Ferry Ironworks Legislature appointed John George Jackson a brigadier general in the Virginia militia during the war John George Jackson emerged as one of the foremost businessmen of the upper Monongahela Valley Joseph Johnson became captain of the Harrison Riflemen Aaron Stockton settled at Kanawha Falls The Kanawha Valley salt industry boomed John Marshall led a 20 man survey party mapping the route across West Virginia between the James and Ohio Rivers Hawks Nest was named Marshall's Pillars Justice Joseph Story delivered the decision to reverse Virginia Court of Appeals in the David Hunter case after John Marshall recused himself from the case Robert Gorrell laid out town lots at present Middlebourne John Marshall boated the New River to asses its navigation potential Organ Cave was mined for saltpeter to manufacture gunpowder Spencer was first settled by the Samuel Tanner and Jonathan Wolfe families Anne Royall moved to Charleston after death of Wm. Royall Henry Ruffner attended Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) John George Jackson began his salt works on the West Fork Salt production quadrupled on 52 furnaces to reach one million bushels Robert Simmons fought in the War of 1812 The "Big Cave" on Cave Mountain was a source of saltpeter for the production of gunpowder Samuel Tanner and Jonathan Wolfe moved into a cave near present Spencer Middle School Western Virginia militias took parts in the Northwest Campaign
Mar 29, 1858
Clay County created by the General Assembly
1914
Golden Delicious apple was discovered on Mullens farm Other events that happened on or around 1914 Akro Agate Company was relocated to Clarksburg Mary Atkeson taught English for a year at the University of Missouri Elkins and Wheeling claimed basketball supremacy Izetta Brown moved to West Virginia as bride to William Gay Brown Pearl Buck graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College Sunday edition was added to Clarksburg Telegram Antoine (Tony) and Julien Gaujot earned Congressional Medals of Honor during the Philippine Insurrection and America's invasion of Vera Cruz, Mexico. Phil Conley graduated from WVU Artemus Cox moved to Charleston Doddridge County's first roads were paved Extension home economics agents were placed in certain counties to further efforts Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act for federal funding to develop agricultural extension program State prohibition began The West Virginia Federation of Labor reported 152 local craft unions with 31,315 Ella Holroyd graduated with honors from the Cincinnati Conservatory The Homer Laughlin Company made semi-vitreous and white granite dinner, hotel and toilet wares Harley Kilgore earned his law degree from WVU Harley Kilgore taught school for a year State's economic focus had shifted to southern West Virginia The local Catholic population built a school in Weston The West Virginia Library Association was organized Duval High School was built in Griffithsville Akro Agate moved to Clarksburg The Marlinton Opera House was sold due to default on deeds of trust Frank McEnteer was appointed to superintend the building of the multi-span concrete arch bridge in Clarksburg Willow Glen, or McKinley's Palace, construction began The Yost Law became effective A hotel building on the hill above Minnehaha Springs was completed Dwight Morrow joined the banking firm J. P. Morgan and Company Leonard "Lynn" Davis was born James H. Boone installed light bulbs in Organ Cave Otter Creek Boom & Lumber Company ceased logging Otter Creak Charles Boldt started manufacturing glass in Huntington The legislature established a minimum age of 10 for incarceration at Pruntytown The Ohio Valley Refining Company began operating in St. Marys There were 40 local offices elected from the Socialist Party Weirton Steel employment was 5,348 A monument to the Confederacy was erected in Hinton The USS Huntington was on the West Coast The Vitrolite factory was fully completed A nursing school was established at what is now Welch Community Hospital The Jones brothers of Red Star Coal & Coke Company donated land to the Baptist State Convention Wheeling Hospital grew to 225 beds
1940
Clay County population peaked at 15,206 Other events that happened on or around 1940 Number of farms in West Virginia began dropping West Virginia Baptist Historical Society formed Tony Boyle became president of UMWA District 27 Extensive remodeling and expansion of the Cabell County courthouse was completed Calhoun County population peaked at 12,455 First building was completed at Camp Washington-Carver Flip left the country music trio group of "Cap, Andy, and Flip" Rose Cousins learned how to fly Easton Roller Mill, near Morgantown, was closed W.E.R. Byrne's Tale of the Elk was published Population of Gilmer County peaked Construction began for Grandview Park G. D. McNeill wrote The Last Forest, whose main character was inspired by Edden Hammons Electric power production increased by 2,000 percent Matthew M. Neely won the Democratic nomination for governor while still serving the U.S. Senate Tom Kromer gave up writing Logan's population peaked at 5,166 Reported 11,000 miners in Logan County Martinsburg had four movie houses Bumgardner Hall was built at Beckley College (now Mountain State University) DuPont put four million pairs of nylon stockings on sale nationally Molly O'Day's brothers moved to Beckley Population of Ohio County peaked at 73,115 It was decided to establish a state forest in the Panther Creek area. Parsons population was 2,077. Pendleton County population peaked at 10,884. Ida Reed published her last book, Songs of the Hills A demonstration site for farm electrification was built at the Jackson's Mill state 4-H camp The Hardy County Light and Power Association served 142 members Hubert Skidmore published Hill Doctor Eleanor Steber won the Metropolitan Opera radio auditions Taylor County population peaked at 19,919 The Tomlinson Run dam was built by the federal Works Progress Administration Wm. Trevey left glass plate negatives in his Glen Jean studio Vienna had five glass factories, a canning company and a silk mill Webster County population peaked at 18,080 Weirton population was 18,000 The West Virginia Historical Society was formed The State Fair ceased operation on Wheeling Island Timber in the Williams River watershed stopped being taken out by log train The West Virginia Conservation Bulletin began quarterly publication with a newspaper format Coonskin Ridge was selected for location of the Charleston airport The Gravens' cabin, located at the Youghiogheny Forest Colony, was designed by Thomas Hood Justice Chambers was called to active duty.
1952
Widen was scene of fatal labor confrontation Other events that happened on or around 1952 Raleigh County Memorial Airport built Charleston baseball joined the American Association, class AAA Henry Lake Dickason retired as president of Bluefield State Teachers College (now University) The Lilly Brothers of Raleigh County relocated to Boston Consolidated Bus Lines traveled 5,873,468 miles Virginia Ruth "Dagmar" Egnor began own variety show, Dagmar's Canteen John W. Davis argued for the continuation of racial segregation in South Carolina before the U.S. Supreme Court Briggs v. Elliot, later Brown v. Board of Education John Warren Davis accepted a U.S. government appointment in Liberia A wing to the Denmar Hospital building was completed Fairmont State College president George W. Hand lost his position by refusing to fire Luella Raab Mundell Ann Kathryn Flagg resigned her teaching position at Dunbar High School in Fairmont and became director of Children's Theater in Cleveland U.S. Forest Service published reports on West Virginia Forests Report stated that 64% of the state was forested Gunner Gatski earned All-Pro honors in football The Health and Physical Education Building at Glenville State College was dedicated Original Mound Museum opened at Grave Creek Mound K. K. Hall became circuit judge of West Virginia's 25th Judicial Circuit Joseph Hodges was made an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Richmond Johnnie Johnson moved to St. Louis and hired Chuck Berry to be in the Johnnie Johnson Trio The 167th Fighter Squadron returned to West Virginia The current number of members was established for the House of Delegates The Wheeling Downs racetrack and other assets of Big Bill Lias were seized by the federal government Library service was improved with creation of regional library systems Hobert Skidmore wrote The Years Are Even Lock No. 1 on the Big Sandy was closed Walter Martens became a fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a distinctive honor The Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad was merged into the New York Central System Walter Reuther was elected president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations Jack Rollins wrote "Smokey the Bear" WVU's Mark Workman became All-American in basketball Jim Sprouse began serving with the Central Intelligence Agency Spruce Knob Lake was constructed as a fishing lake P. D. Strausbaugh published Part One of Flora of West Virginia Planning for Sutton Dam was suspended because of Korean War WSAZ-TV in Huntington became channel 3 S. A. Abram began redevelopment of the old seminary grounds at Hilltop, near Oak Hill in Fayette County The Bluestone Dam and Lake was completed A strike at Widen occurred Virginia Mae Brown was named West Virginia’s first woman assistant attorney general
1959
J. G. Bradley sold the Widen Mine to Clinchfield Coal Company Other events that happened on or around 1959 Alderson-Broaddus College (now University) achieved accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Three-class format based on school size, each class having eight teams was created for the state high school basketball tournament Berwind Lake Wildlife Management Area began Owners of Maryland's Pimlico Race Course bought Charles Town Race Track Name changed from Barber Sanatorium to Kanawha Valley Memorial Hospital Goodyear plant built near Apple Grove There were 47 covered bridges still in existence in West Virginia Donald Duncan sold the Duncan Parking Meter Corporation Ellis Dungan Productions produced Wheels to Progress Medium green was introduced for fiestaware Hal Greer advanced to the National Basketball Association after graduation from Marshall Perry Gresham wrote Sage of Bethany Four Boone County businessmen opened the first Heck's department store in Charleston Dixie Kilham bought the Hilltop House William Hoffman wrote Days in the Yellow Leaf Homer Laughlin China Company began producing restaurant china John Knowles wrote his first novel, A Separate Peace John Knowles wrote his first novel, A Separate Peace Catherine Marshall married Leonard E. LeSourd Kyle McCormick wrote The New-Kanawha River and the Mine War of West Virginia Charlie McCoy moved to Nashville New Mennonite congregation started in Pocahontas County The Mill Point Prison Camp closed Moncove Lake was created by the damming of Devil Creek Size of the Moundsville prison doubled John Forbes Nash was hospitalized for schizophrenia The first radio telescopes were in operation at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank The historic Reber Radio Telescope moved to Green Bank Warden M. Lane outline a proposal for reorganization of the Conservation Commission to correct an overlapping of duties Lewis Keller, Sr. purchased the Oakhurst Links property from Cary Montague Don Gardner became the first president of Ohio Valley College (now University) Rex and Eleanor Parker had a conversion experience and thereafter performed only sacred music Rebel Records was founded in Maryland Nat Reese returned to West Virginia to work for the State Road Commission ABC-TV first aired Lunch with Soupy Sales WVU basketball team lost 71-70 to California in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament final Reported 2,843 schools in West Virginia Shenandoah Downs opened in Charles Town Agnes Smith published An Edge of the Forest Hulett Smith left the state Aeronautics Commission Blaze Starr met Louisiana Gov. Earl Long while performing in New Orleans Jerry West was named most valuable player of the NCAA tournament Jerry West was unanimous All American first-team choice Patrick Gainer became president of the West Virginia Folklore Society The Mountaineers went to the national basketball championships Water ski shows failed to draw a crowd William F. Troy, S.J. became president of Wheeling College (now Wheeling University) Katherine Johnson married Lt. Colonel James A. Johnson Tunney Hunsaker fought Ernie Terrell The Special Forces (Green Berets) were created in the Army National Guard
1960
Clay County was producing 900,000 tons of coal Other events that happened on or around 1960 Chauncey H. Browning's unexpired term in the Supreme Court ended The Conference of Appalachian Governors was formed The President's Appalachian Regional Commission, PARC created, led by FDR Jr. The position of state archeologist was created by state legislature Tony Boyle became vice president of the UMWA Chauncey H. Browning was Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court Jack Fleming became general manager of WAJR radio in Morgantown Construction on the Summersville Lake and Dam began. Construction on the Summersville Lake and Dam began Greer Lime Company was formed The Greer Lime Company began production at Key The Glen Rogers Mine was closed by the Old Ben Coal Corporation Partner D. Ray Hall sold Gravely Motor Plow and Cultivator Company to Studebaker Weirton had highest population in Hancock County at 28,201 Vera Andrews Harvey replaced Roy Lee Harmon as poet laureate The campus of Storer College was added to the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park The United Hospital Center was erected The state population fell to 1,860,421 Frank Hutchison's "Alabama" became a major county hit for Cowboy Copas Storer College buildings were added to the Harpers Ferry National Park Kanawha County peak population at 252,925 Governor Smith was the Democratic state chairman Tom Kromer returned to Huntington from Albuquerque John L. Lewis retired as the president of the UMWA Arden Cogar Sr. started the Webster County Wood Chopping Festival D. K. Shroyer became president of Beckley College (now Mountain State University The City-County Building in Ohio County was dedicated Plum Orchard Lake Wildlife Management Area purchased by the West Virginia Conservation Commission The N&W operated its last steam equipment The Chesapeake & Ohio and the Baltimore & Ohio began a gradual consolidation that eventually included Western Maryland Otis Rice received a Ph.D. in history at Univ. of Kentucky Wm. M. Ritter Lumber Company was sold to the Georgia-Pacific Corporation Jay Rockefeller returned from the International Christian University in Tokyo Rocket boys Homer Hickam, Roy Lee Cooke, Willie Rose, Jim O'Dell Carroll, Quentin Wilson and Sherman Siers won top prize at the National Science Fair for their exhibit "A Study of Amateur Rocketry Techniques" Reported 110,000 Catholics in West Virginia St. Marys population peaked at 2,442 Fred Schaus left as basketball coach at WVU Mary Lee Settle wrote Know Nothing The Preston Railroad line was abandoned South Charleston's population peaked at 19,180 Weirton population peaked at 28,201 Jerry West was unanimous choice for first-team All-American Jerry West co-captained the undefeated U.S. Olympic team West Liberty State College enrollment exceeded 1,000 for the first time The West Virginia Music Educators Association began the movement to adopt "The West Virginia Hills" as the state song Wheeling Steel plants stretched for 30 miles along the Ohio River Henry Aaron was appointed conductor of the Wheeling Symphony There were 1,000 students enrolled at West Virginia Institute of Technology Patrice Harris was born in Bluefield John McKay became head coach at University of Southern California
1970
Clay County population dropped to 9,330 Other events that happened on or around 1970 Congress passed the National Passenger Railroad Act, creating Amtrak Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The West Virginia Department of Public Institutions (now Division of Corrections) leased the Anthony Correctional Center for use as a correctional center for juvenile males Dr. Edward V. McMichael, state archeologist, left the Geological Survey Lincoln County attracted many back-to-the-land settlers Catholic Workers farm established in Lincoln County Gray Barker published The Silver Bridge The historic Berkeley Springs spa was transferred to the Department of Natural Resources Maurice Brooks received the Order of Vandalia from WVU Chauncey H. Browning Sr. was Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court Cabin Creek Quilts began as a self-help quilting cooperative Bernard Coffindaffer suffered from mental and physical breakdown Legislative Improvement Amendment ratified Governor's Succession Amendment ratified, allowing two successive terms Dennis Harrah was an all-state center on the Stonewall Jackson High School football team George Daugherty took the stage name "The Earl of Elkview"
2001
Clay County deep mining fell Other events that happened on or around 2001 First bald eagle nest outside Eastern Panhandle discovered on Blennerhassett Island Genesis Health Care Service Inc. dissolved West Virginia Supreme Court referred to Franklin Cleckley's handbooks as "the bible for West Virginia's judges and attorneys" Arden Cogar Jr. competed in the first international team wood cutting competition Stephen Coonts wrote America West Virginia had 11th lowest incarceration rate George Crumb's Star Child won Grammy Award Documentary Hazel Dickens: It's Hard to Tell the Singer from the Song was released Hazel Dickens won the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship Hazel Dickens received the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship Mike Klusmeyer was elected Episcopal Bishop of West Virginia West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources assumed responsibility of funding for food stamp program Legislature lifted prohibition on Sunday hunting, subject to local vote View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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