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Beckley
Go back to Beckley
1838
Beckley was established as a town Other events that happened on or around 1838 Grave Creek Tablet found at Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville Claymont burned to the brick walls James Warren and T. W. Morzani patented the Warren double-intersection truss Northwestern Virginia Turnpike was completed to Parkersburg Palatine was surveyed Construction began on the Giles, Fayette & Kanawha Turnpike Robert E. Lee became captain Claudius Crozet recommended that 10 locks and dams be constructed to permit navigation of the Little Kanawha The Monongahela Navigation Company of Pennsylvania built a series of locks and dams from Pittsburgh to the West Virginia border The General Assembly granted Morgantown its first charter Martinsville was incorporated The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad arrived in Paw Paw Samuel Price moved to Lewisburg The Princeton post office opened Alexander Reynolds graduated from West Point The Shannondale Springs resort was incorporated The James River & Kanawha Turnpike was extended to Parkersburg The first class of West Liberty State College met in the home of Nathan Shotwell Dr. John J. Moorman began doctoring the crowds at White Sulphur Springs
Jan 23, 1850
Raleigh County was established by an act of the General Assembly, with Beckley as its county seat.
1863
Union troops shelled the town of Beckley, killing a little girl Other events that happened on or around 1863 The first West Virginia legislature proposed to educate "free colored children," the proposal was left unfunded. The decision to have Attorney General elected by popular vote was made B&O Railroad's management influenced people to support West Virginia statehood Virginia's land and water boundaries given to West Virginia Civil War skirmish at Bulltown Historic Area River pirate John Lockwood arrest and tried for murder Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley were commissioned first lieutenants at Camp Piatt Melodrama East Lynne written West Virginia experimented with New England modified township system West Virginia constitution established public free school system William Edwards opened mines at Coalburg West Virginia's first election was conducted Stephen Elkins left the army Constitution stated that the "executive department shall consist of a governor, secretary of state, superintendent of free schools, auditor, treasurer and attorney general." Construction of Fort Boreman began Frederick County citizens voted not to become part of West Virginia John Hale organized the Bank of the West Harrison County was first in West Virginia in the production of beef cattle Devil Anse Hatfield deserted the regular Virginia infantry in the Civil War The state constitution stated that Delegates of the House of Delegates served one-year terms Chester Hubbard became a member of the first West Virginia senate John Jay Jackson Sr supported the move for the creation of a separate state but opposed the abolition of slavery Mudwall Jackson led troops against Union Gen. Thomas Harris The presence of the B&O influenced the decision to include Jefferson County in the new state The state constitution adopted Virginia common law and statutes as the law of West Virginia Daniel Lamb was a member of the first West Virginia legislature West Virginia state government resumed the project for Weston Hospital The Marshall College property was sold at public auction to Salina Hite Mason The Methodist Church claimed the largest number of congregation in West Virginia Reported 250 newspapers had been established Editors changed their mastheads to reflect the name of the new state Hiram Clay first settled in what is know Pineville. Samuel Price was elected lieutenant governor of Confederate Virginia. Beckley was bombarded by federal artillery. The first period of Republican dominance began Mrs. Henry Woods wrote East Lynne The first free school opened in Ripley Lewis Ruffner was appointed a major general of militia for West Virginia Nathan Scott enlisted in the Union army in Ohio The Supreme Court of Appeals sat at Wheeling with three justices Thurmond's Rangers became 44th Virginia Cavalry Battalion Campbell Tarr became West Virginia's first state treasurer The repayment to the state of Virginia was included in the West Virginia constitution Legislature gave official sanction to teachers organization All turnpikes in West Virginia were turned over to the counties through which they ran The name was changed to West Virginia Hospital for the Insane Kellian Whaley was reelected to Congress from West Virginia Confederate forces reoccupied Lewisburg Waitman Willey began serving as U.S. Senator from West Virginia Wirt County was divided into 7 districts Fort Boreman was constructed in Wood County
1901
Branch of the C&O reached Beckley Other events that happened on or around 1901 Emma Alderson founded the Alderson Baptist Academy (now Alderson-Broaddus College) in Alderson Emma Alderson founded the Alderson Baptist Academy (now part of Alderson Broaddus University) in Alderson Charles Ambler went to school at WVU Morris Harvey donated $10,000 to Barboursville College, now University of Charleston Matthew Clair earned his PhD from Bennette College in Greensboro, NC Thomas G. McKell built the Dun Glen Hotel West Virginia oil production peaked at 16 million barrels Deadly explosion in Consolidation Coal Company's No. 9 occurred Aretas Fleming and Clarence W. Watson merged coal companies into the Fairmont Coal Company Legislature decreed state game and fish warden would be paid from state treasury and could appoint deputy wardens J. P. Morgan interests began construction on works in Gary The Little Kanawha Valley Bank was incorporated The Barboursville Seminary changed its name to Morris Harvey College, now University of Charleston Harold Houston began practicing law in Parkersburg The Cabell County Courthouse was dedicated The Home for the Incurables changed its name to West Virginia Asylum James Monroe Jackson died Teepi Kendrick married Olive Garrison A constitutional amendment required voter registration I. T. Mann visited financier J. P. Morgan in New York Mifflin Marsh died The United State Stamping Company began operations Alexander McVeigh Miller won a seat in the West Virginia Senate Morgantown annexed Greenmont, Seneca, and South Morgantown The N&W acquired the Cincinnati, Portsmouth & Virginia Earl Oglebay sold his iron ore interests to U.S. Steel Earl Oglebay bought a mansion between Wheeling and Bethany, Waddington Farm George Peterkin helped erect a monument on Valley Mountain to memorialize the deaths of Confederate soldiers The Flat-top Coal Land Association was reorganized as the Pocahontas Coal & Coke Company Livia Poffenbarger established a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Potomac State College was founded The West Virginia University band was founded by Walter Mestrezat. Daniel Purinton returned to WVU to become president. Richwood was incorporated Charles Ritter brought the offices of Tug River Lumber Company to Huntington William M. Ritter Lumber Company was incorporated Benjamin Rosenbloom played on the WVU football team The board of directed voted to establish a nursing school at Sheltering Arms Hospital The Pope Dock Company built New Grand Floating Palace The first local branch of West Virginia Socialist Party was established in Wheeling Samuel Starks was appointed as the first black in U.S. to serve as state librarian The Fairmont & Clarksburg Traction streetcar company began Another long distance telephone line was constructed through West Virginia The first coal in Upshur County was commercially mined Ward Engineering Works built the Unique for the U.S. Engineering Corp The Historical Society began publishing The West Virginia Historical Magazine Quarterly Albert Blakeslee White became governor Hurry-up Yost became coach at University of Michigan James E. Taylor died in New York City
1906
The Carter Opera House, Beckley's first theater, opened Other events that happened on or around 1906 There were 35 churches belonging to the African Methodist Episcopal denomination with 1,002 members in West Virginia Hotel at Barger Springs opened to the public Florence Blanchfield graduated from the South Side Training School for Nurses in Pittsburgh Robert Page Sims became president of Bluefield Colored Institute (now Bluefield State University) Stephen B. Elkins acquired Bretz West Virginia Central & Pittsburg Railroad intersected by Coal & Coke Railroad Charleston National Bank moved to Capitol Street J. R. Clifford was chairman of committee on arrangement of the meeting of Niagara Movement Explosion in Parral Mine killed 23 Collins and Whipple mines were sold to New River Company Columbia Corporation formed to construct high pressure pipeline to West Virginia gas fields Fleming-Watson family acquired control of Consolidation Coal Company Wehrle B. Geary opened the Diamond Shoe Store Country club moved to location in Edgewood section of Charleston Fenton Art Glass Company built factory in Williamstown Follansbee became a city The First National Bank of Glenville and Glenville Banking and Trust Company were created H.B. Moore was hired as the Greenbrier Presbyterial School headmaster and reintroduced military curriculum Henry Hatfield was elected to the McDowell County court Hamilton Hatter and much of the Bluefield Colored Institute (now Bluefield Stat College) faculty was replaced The federal Antiquities Act was passed as first legislation aimed at protecting federally owned historic sites The Hitchman Coal & Coke Company began notifying employees they could only be employed if they agreed not to join the UMWA Interwoven Mills had 2,000 domestic accounts Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Wheeling was founded William Leigh took a train excursion to New Mexico Madison was incorporated The Mason College of Music and Fine Arts was founded in Charleston by Dr. William Sandheger "Sandy" Mason Hu Maxwell and Richard E. Fast wrote The History and Government of West Virginia Another courthouse struggle ensued in Mercer County The Morgantown & Kingwood Railroad began running regular trains to Kingwood Virgil A Lewis reported the motto "Montani Semper Liberi" was suggested by Joseph H. Diss Debar The Morgantown News merged with the New Dominion to form the New Dominion-News West Virginia's natural gas production exceed that of any other state Calvin Price became the sole owner and editor of Pocahontas Times 19 cases of smallpox were reported in Hampshire County Reported six Salvation Army corps in West Virginia Morris Shawkey became superintendent of Kanawha County Schools William A. MacCorkle founded the Kanawha Land Company The Lewisburg & Ronceverte was built to the C&O John Swint established the Apostolic Mission Band for the Wheeling Roman Catholic Diocese The Ideal Glass Factory opened at West Union West Virginia Wesleyan College name was adopted A line connecting the Western Maryland and West Virginia Central was completed The New River Company bought Fayette County mines including Whipple Carter Woodson travelled around the world
1907
The great Winding Gulf coalfield opened Other events that happened on or around 1907 Babcock Lumber & Boom Company bought Thompson Lumber Company Walter Barnes began teaching English at Greenville State Normal School (Greenville State College) Fairmont, Clarksburg, and Piedmont played baseball in the Class D Western Pennsylvania League Elkins Coal & Coke Company put beehive coke ovens into full production Brinkley Bridge was built Harry F. Byrd established the Martinsburg Evening Journal McMillan Hospital created by Dr. William A. McMillan The Chilton family acquired an interest in the newspaper and changed the name to the Charleston Gazette The Chilton family acquired an interest in the newspaper and changed the name to the Charleston Gazette Greenbrier Railway Company purchased by C&O Oliver Chitwood became professor of history at WVU Empire Bank building was finished in Clarksburg Michael Benedum moved business headquarters and home to Pittsburgh Stuart shaft mine explosion killed 85 men Alston Dayton issued sweeping temporary injunction against the UMW in Hitchman Coal & Coke v. John Mitchell John Easton came to Williamstown Edgewood Country Club membership under Angus W. MacDonald constructed clubhouse and tennis courts State property levy was eliminated West Virginia lumber production peaked with 1.5 billion board feet sawed Stella Fuller returned to Huntington Howard Gore's father died and he took control of the farm Rimfire Hamrick was employed by the Webster Springs Hotel as guide and handyman City of Chester was incorporated A meeting of the West Virginia Fish and Game Protective Association occurred at Clarksburg John Nugent was appointed immigration commissioner Lily Jackson inherited the family estate after her father, John Jay Jr. died Fanny Johnson and husband, Vincent Costello moved to Wheeling UMWA President John Mitchell came to Charleston to launch a major union offensive Blanche Lazzell studied at the Art Students League in New York Coal mining began around Walkersville Mayor Scott Justice renamed the city of Logan Courthouse (formerly Aracoma) as Logan Ezra Cline was born Lawrence J. Corbly's title was changed from principal to president of Marshall College (now University) The old Tyler County High School building was built Three other mine disasters occurred including the Monongah Mine Disaster The first Corn Club in West Virginia was established in Monroe County Margaret Montague published The Sowing of Alderson Cree The B&O line extending to the Morgantown & Kingwood line was completed The Niagara Movement attempted to meet again at Storer College but officials wouldn't allow Pineville was renamed and incorporated, and became county seat of Wyoming County The William Ritter Lumber Company was indicted by a federal grand jury on charge of peonage Reported 6,159 schools in 396 districts in West Virginia The Lewisburg & Ronceverte brought rail service to Lewisburg The Banner Glass Company relocated from Indiana to South Charleston The Robey Theater opened in Spencer The original stone structure was replace by a viaduct Morris Harvey died There was an explosion at the Pleasant Valley Coal Company mine killing 12 men The Virginian Railway was established H. Rus Warne had two exhibits at the Jamestown Exposition in Norfolk, Virginia The Wheeling Custom House (West Virginia Independence Hall) ceased being a federal building. Black teachers formed a separate Northern Teachers' Association I. C. White advocated for legislation establishing the U.S. Bureau of Mines
1908
Virginian Railway began building a new line Other events that happened on or around 1908 Charles Ambler received a doctorate in social sciences Louis Bennett Sr. unsuccessfully ran for governor Legislature authorized the purchase of land to serve as training base Fannie Cobb Carter organized teacher-training department at West Virginia Colored Institute (now West Virginia State University) William Conley was appointed to unexpired term as West Virginia attorney general Forest fires destroyed 1.7 million acres Congress prepared way for establishment of National Forest Reserve in Monongahela Legislature replaced the Board of Examiners with state Board of Education 4-H movement in West Virginia began in Monroe County The German Dunkards changed their name to the Church of the Brethren William Glasscock resigned as internal revenue collector to run for governor Henry Hatfield became a member of the West Virginia Senate Herman Kump elected prosecuting attorney in Randolph County Clark W. May died William Alexander MacCorkle wrote Some Southern Questions I. T. Mann served as a delegate to the Republican national convention Johnson Camden McKinley became a millionaire coal operator The Mercer Healing Springs Corporation was bought out by Rufus G. Meador James Miller published History of Summers County Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller divorced her husband and moved to Boston after discovering his infidelities West Virginia legislature rejected every mine safety law proposed President Teddy Roosevelt advocated the formation of a federal agency to investigate mine accidents, teach accident prevention and conduct mine safety research Margaret Montague published In Calvert's Valley The Morgantown Weekly Post and the Morgantown Chronicle merged Anna Jarvis founded Mother's Day The Church of the Nazarene was established as a national body Matthew M. Neely was elected mayor of Fairmont There were 2,592 normal school-students Oak Park opened Poles became the third-largest immigrant group working in the West Virginia coal mines Responding to a worldwide epidemic, the Board of Health recommended that West Virginia make provision for the care and treatment of tuberculosis Ritter Park was originally purchased by the city of Huntington The last log drive of the St. Lawrence Boom and Manufacturing Company The West Virginia Socialist Party spread to Huntington E. M. Statler opened the Buffalo Statler The Wellsburg, Bethany & Washington interurban railway was built William P. Tams launched the Gulf Smokeless Coal Company in the new Winding Gulf coalfield An act of Congress provided for a battlefield monument at Point Pleasant Sistersville General Hospital was founded A. Fremont Gold and W. Alfred Gold built twin houses in Mason Vitrolite was manufactured by the Meyercord-Carter Company in Vienna Fire destroyed the building of the Baptist State Convention I.C. White wrote an extensive report on the coal resources of Brazil I.C. White was invited by the Teddy Roosevelt administration to speak at the first White House Conference on conservation Lenna Yost became the state president of WCTU Credit unions began appearing in the United States
1910
Beckley population rose to 2,161 Other events that happened on or around 1910 Appalachian Power Company began Daniel Willard became president of B&O Mannington, Fairmont, Clarksburg, and Grafton baseball teams formed the Class D West Virginia League Charleston entered professional baseball Bluefield's population exceeded 10,000 U.S. Supreme Court established boundary between Preston County, West Virginia and Garrett County, Maryland Pearl Buck returned to the U.S. after living in China Pine Run School was built Annie G. Packette raised $50,000 to construct Charleston Opera House Charleston Mail sold to Samuel Dixon Men including John W. Davis published the Culpeper Exponent U.S. Bureau of Mines created after the Fairmont disaster of 1907 West Virginia coke production peaked at 4,217,381 tons Justus Collins opened Winding Gulf mine Danske Dandridge wrote Historic Shepherdstown Levi Dean began practicing architecture in Charleston The first deer hunting season was established West Virginia's approximate deer population was 1,000 Thurmond accounted for almost 20% of all revenue generated on C&O Railway Isaac Morris sold Easton Roller Mill to William Ley West Virginia schools had fallen behind national averages West Virginia had only 12 fully accredited high schools The Department of Education increased to five divisions Golden era of glass production ended Aretas Fleming pushed to establish the U.S. Bureau of Mines A. B. Brooks compiled a report on West Virginia forests Thaddeus Fowler returned to West Virginia Number of farms in West Virginia stood at 97,000 Glass factory employment totaled 7,500 workers The Meadow River Lumber Company was organized in Rainelle The C&O purchased the Greenbrier Resort and developed it into a major destination Rimfire Hamrick opened a jewelry, watch repair, and gunsmith shop in Webster Springs The High Gate mansion was built for James Edwin Watson Census reported 5,939 Hungarians in West Virginia Census showed 17 Irish families and 82 person occupying Irish Mountain Reported 17,000 Italian immigrants in West Virginia McDowell County reported the most Italian immigrants in West Virginia with 2,300 City of Ranson was established Reported most of the Kelly Axe Company's grinders were natives of Poland or Russia Harley Kilgore graduated from Mannington High School Sarah Ann Legg appealed her case for murder of Jay Legg and was acquitted of all charges Lincoln County had a population of 20,491 Signs bearing "Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco, Treat yourself to the Best" began appearing Akro Agate was founded in Ohio Marlinton had a tannery, two banks, two newspapers, 20 stores, a hospital, opera house, fire department, school, water system, & electric power Marlinton Opera House was built by J. C. Tilton John Matheus graduated from Western Reserve University (Case Western Reserve) in Cleveland, Ohio The original sawmill of the Meadow River Lumber Company was built The McKendree and Welch hospitals opened affiliated nursing schools Morgantown population rose to 9,150 Howard Sloan organized the first enduring work of the Church of the Nazarene in West Virginia The New York Central gained control of the Toledo & Ohio Central Niagara Movement failed to meet The O. Ames company arrived in Parkersburg 37 of the state's 55 counties were completely dry or allowed the prohibition of the sale of liquor under local option laws. The C&O and Virginian railroads had penetrated every section of Raleigh County A factory making buttons from river mussel shell opened in St. Marys Nathan Scott lost the Republican nomination The Raine brothers established the Meadow River Lumber Company Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes ruled that the Swan lands had been forfeited to the state because taxes had not been paid Thurmond had a population of 315 The B&O railroad penetrated the Trough Tucker County population peaked at 18,675 U.S. Coal & Coke built 12 individual company towns at Gary The steamboat Virginia went aground on a falling Ohio River and ended up in a cornfield at Ravenswood The Meyercord-Carter Company reorganized as the Vitrolite Company The Greenbrier, Cheat & Elk Railroad was incorporated T. Edward Hill joined the McDowell Times Ohio Valley Glass became Paul Wissmach Glass Company
1916
Beckley street paving began Other events that happened on or around 1916 Kanawha Park was built in Charleston for baseball Kanawha Park was built for baseball Newton Diehl Baker was appointed Secretary of War by President Wilson John T. Harris produced the first volume of the West Virginia Blue Book Izetta Brown took over management of Preston County farm and established modern dairy operation after husband's death Elk River Coal & Lumber Company built a sawmill at Swandale Col. E. G. Via bought the Camden Park George Carter moved to Coalwood The first fire towers were erected Fairmont High School class wrote Marion County in the Making Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company located one of its main plants in Clarksburg Letter from former Governor MacCorkle to state archivist Henry S. Green confuses John Hardy with John Henry The West Virginia Asylum name changed to Huntington State Hospital The company town of Itmann was built Fanny Johnson published her only novel, The Beloved Son Libbey-Owens-Ford built its large plate glass plant in Kanawha City Herman Kump was defeated for prosecuting attorney Blanche Lazzell began working in the method of single block color print Howard B. Lee began serving as Mercer County prosecuting attorney William Alexander MacCorkle wrote The White Sulphur Springs Joseph Long became the postmaster of Huntington Sam Mallison became city editor of the Clarksburg Telegram Publication of the Market Bulletin began when James H. Stewart was agriculture commissioner The Tilton family regained ownership of the Marlinton Opera House John McGraw was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention Six passenger trains a day operated from Charleston to Blakeley on Kellys Creek 12 passenger trains a day were scheduled into Charleston The Point Pleasant Register became a daily Michael Owens launched a Charleston glass factory Paden City was incorporated Pendleton Land Company took over Paden City Pottery The Wyoming County courthouse was built Rat Rodgers was named to the All-American teams Socialists controlled both District 29 and District 17 of the UMWA The Charleston Interurban Railroad was built to Cabin Creek The earliest recorded instance of surface mining in West Virginia occurred The Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia was incorporated The USS Huntington was on the West Coast The National Guard was activated after a call for troops to pursue Pancho Villa on the Mexican border The National Guard was activated in call for troops to pursue Pancho Villa on the Mexican border Statewide constitutional referendum for women's suffrage passed Carter G. Woodson began publication of the Journal of Negro History A courthouse at Pineville was built Frank Reeves received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University
1933
Classes began at Beckley College, now Mountain State University View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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