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1900
Don Redman was born in Piedmont Other events that happened on or around 1900 West Virginia had 100,000 farms on 8.9 million acres Charles Ambler served as sheriff of Pleasants County for two years B&O added the Monongahela River Railroad (Fairmont to Clarksburg) There were 600 Baptist churches in West Virginia Raleigh County Republicans launched the Raleigh Herald Berkeley County population was 19,469 First women on the Bethany College board of trustees Jesse Bloch entered the family Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company Alonzo Brooks completed a business course at West Virginia Wesleyan College Capon Springs developer William H. Sale died Cass was founded by West Virginia Pulp & Paper Company West Virginia Pulp & Paper built paper mill at Covington, Virginia The Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) completed its Greenbrier Division into Pocahontas County to harvest red spruce on Cheat and Back Allegheny mountains Moses Donnally sold the Charleston Gazette Davis Child Shelter, an orphanage, was established in Charleston First sewer lines were installed in Clarksburg Coal production had doubled Little evidence of the Coal River locks and dams remained West Virginia chapter of the Colonial Dames of America was organized Only remnant populations of deer and turkey were noted West Virginia's median age was below national average at 20.3 Doddridge County population was 13,689 William Edwards wrote a book on the authorship of Shakespeare's plays Fairmont Times was first published by Gen. C. L. Smith and O. S. McKinney Thaddeus Fowler returned to West Virginia Garnet High School was founded with a class of 12 black students Howard Gore graduated from WVU with a degree in agriculture Harrison County held a population of 27,690 Nancy Hart and husband Joshua Douglas settled in Webster County Morris Harvey founded the Fayette National Bank William "Coin" Harvey moved to Arkansas to begin building a retreat and vacation resort The population of Helvetia reached 500 people The first time the word "hillbilly" was used in print, in a New York newspaper Reported 1,062 native Hungarians in West Virginia Water power began being used for the production of electricity in West Virginia, at Kanawha Falls Census reported 2,458 Indians living in West Virginia There were 18 farms of the settlers on the Irish Tract Jackson County's population rose to 19,000 The Kanawha Falls were augmented by a low dam Oil and natural gas in high quantities was found in Lewis County Cousin Abe Lilly received a law degree from the Southern Normal University, Tennessee Railroad replaces streams as the chief means of transporting logs to sawmills The Benwood Ironworks grew into a large steel mills James Miller ceased to be Summers County prosecuting attorney James Miller ran unsuccessfully for state auditor Steam and electric fans made larger mines possible The completion of the C&O Railway's Greenbrier Division to Marlinton put the Minnehaha Springs within reach of travelers Fairmont's first electric streetcar line built Morgantown population was at 1,895 The Morgantown Glass Works began production A developer began selling oceanfront lots for $25 in Myrtle Beach The anticlinal theory of oil and gas was applied along Sand Fork of the Little Kanawha The Toledo & Ohio Central gained control of the Kanawha & Michigan and the Kanawha & West Virginia Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad began purchasing the N&W stock E.M. Carney purchased the Pence Springs property Kanawha County had the largest population with 54,696 residents. The largest city in the state was Wheeling with a population of 38,878. The Lilly family began ownership of the Ruffner Hotel St. Joseph's Hospital was founded by Patrick J. Donahue Samuel and Violet Bryant got their first jobs on showboats James H. Brown's obelisk was erected at Spring Hill Cemetery Interurban railway operations began in Huntington Tyler County's oil and gas boom peaked Wayne County population was at 23,619 Wings were added to Woodburn Hall at WVU Weston had municipal water plant, sanitary and storm sewer systems and brick paved streets West Virginia Pulp & Paper began constructing a sawmill in Cass A nursing school was founded at Wheeling Hospital The Collins Colliery company store burned Matthew Whittico moved to Keystone Buffalo, elk, gray wolf and passenger pigeon had all disappeared from West Virginia The second courthouse at Winfield was built Wirt County's population peaked at 10,284 Carter G. Woodson became principal of Douglass High School The first record of the ballad "The Wreck on the C&O" came out
1903
Teddy Weatherford was born in Bluefield Other events that happened on or around 1903 Barger Springs property purchased by company of 30 investors Ambrose Bierce returned to Randolph and Pocahontas counties to revisit locations where he had served in the Civil War The town of Bretz and the mining plant were built by West Virginia Coal Company Camden Park was established Col. E. G. Via became park manager Annex was built across from State Capitol Construction on the new section of the Coal & Coke Railway began Grover Lewis was born in Alabama John Harrington Cox received appointment in English Department of WVU Legislature enacted a uniform teachers' examination law William Edwards produced a book of Edwards family genealogy Fairmont Coal Company was absorbed into Consolidation Coal Company of Maryland William Glasscock was admitted to the bar The Coal & Coke Railroad was completed from Elkins to Durbin. A junction was made at Durbin with the C&O and the Coal & Iron railroads Capt. Greene built the side-wheel packet Greenland Harrison County was fourth in the state in total tons of coal produced A compulsory attendance law was enacted The Homer Laughlin Company traded factories with the National China Company The House of Delegates grew to 86 delegates Herman Kump attended the University of Virginia law school Carnegie library was established in Huntington Reported 63% of McKendree Hospital's patients were miners Local businessmen bought the Fairmont Electric Light and Power Plant The Morgantown Glass Works employed more than 400 people Oak Hill was incorporated The Owens bottle-making machine was invented by Michael Owens President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Christopher Payne as consul general to the Danish West Indies The Barbour County courthouse was constructed at Philippi Melville Davisson Post married Ann Bloomfield Gamble Schoolfield The West Virginia death rate from smallpox was reported as being from 12 to 20 percent of reported cases A new wing was added to St. Joseph's Hospital John G. Knutti became administrator of Shepherd College The Pope Dock Company built the Eisenbarth Henderson Floating Theater-The New Great Modern Temple of Amusement The Parkersburg & Marrietta Interurban was built An interurban railway line was built from Sistersville to New Martinsville The Parkersburg & Ohio Valley Electric Railway was built T. C. Townsend opened a law office in Fayettesville The USS Huntington was constructed at Newport News The West Virginia State Federation of Labor was founded Carter Woodson accepted an administrative and teaching assignment in the Philippines Zane Grey wrote Betty Zane Paul Wissmach and Joseph Reininger began to manufacture stained glass as the Empire Glass Company in Paden City T. G. Nutter opened a law office in Charleston
1904
Frankie Masters was born in Pleasants County Other events that happened on or around 1904 Charles Ambler received an A.B. in social sciences J. G. Bradley came to West Virginia Sturdevant and Johnson constructed new buildings Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad was built Name changed from Thomas Hospital to Charleston General Hospital Barber Sanatorium constructed by Dr. Timothy L. Barber Sr. Railroad from Greenbrier Valley to Bartow completed Roy Bird Cook graduated from high school John Cornwell was Democratic nominee for governor Davis & Elkins College founded by Southern Presbyterians Rebecca Davis wrote autobiography Bits of Gossip William M. O. Dawson ceased to be chairman of West Virginia Republicans John Dickinson became the first director of the Kanawha Coal Operators Association Chestnut blight introduced to America Fairmont West Virginian became daily Millard Giesey and Frederic Faris designed the West Virginia Building at the St. Louis World's Fair Pennsylvania investors opened a second glass sand plant on the east side of Warm Springs Ridge The Glenville Democrat was first published Capt. Greene acquired the Cincinnati, Portsmouth, Big Sandy & Pomeroy Packet Co. Railroads reached the Guyandotte River area The National Carbon Company began operating a graphite plant in Anmore The Huntington Dispatch began Cousin Abe Lilly was elected prosecuting attorney of Raleigh County The C&O Railroad was constructed from Huntington to city of Logan The Logan County coal industry began its boom Gannett's gazetteer was the first to be devoted exclusively to West Virginia place names and locations Wheeling Metal and Manufacturing Company opened in Glen Dale Sandy Mason moved back to Charleston to start the Mason School of Music and Fine Arts John McGraw became chairman of state Democratic party Thomas Gaylord McKell died John McWhorter became a judge of West Virginia's 12th judicial circuit James Miller was elected as a judge of the Circuit Court of the Ninth West Virginia Circuit A fifteenth dam was built on the Monongahela The daily edition Morgantown Evening Post stopped publication The Morgantown Chronicle was founded by Hu Maxwell The Mount St. George mansion was completed John Nugent was elected president of UMWA District 17 Herschel Ogden purchased the Wheeling Intelligencer Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assembly spearheaded a drive that defeated a proposal to built a Carnegie Library in Wheeling Pence Springs water was presented the highest award in its class. Benjamin Rosenbloom was admitted to the West Virginia bar Henry Schmulbach built the Schmulbach Building in Wheeling Official addressed the question of a flag for the West Virginia building at the St. Louis World's Fair John Swint was ordained to the priesthood William P. Tams went to work for Samuel Dixon in the New River coalfield Henry Gassaway Davis built the Coal & Coke Railway Sam Vinson died John T. McGraw expanded the Webster Springs Hotel A president who was not the state superintendent of school was elected to head of the West Virginia Education Association Charles Frederick Tucker Brooke was elected to be in the first group of Rhodes Scholars Matthew Whittico renamed his paper the McDowell Times J. G. Bradley came to Clay County Hurry-up Yost's University of Michigan team defeated WVU 130-0 Romeo Freer returned to Ritchie County and was appointed Harrisville postmaster Paul Wissmach reorganized his company as Ohio Valley Glass Company
1905
Tommy Benford was born in Charleston Other events that happened on or around 1905 Charles Ambler received an M.A. in social sciences Waitman Barbe wrote The Study of Poetry Company constructed a three-story wooden hotel near the spring at Barger Springs Walter Barnes graduated from WVU Jesse Bloch married Jessie Thornton Moffat C&O absorbed the Hocking Valley Railroad William Edwin Chilton and others bought Charleston's electric streetcar system Oliver Chitwood received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins Coal & Coke Railway reached Clay Alston Dayton was appointed judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia Legislature created a four-member Board of Examiners to issue teaching certificates Charles Town Academy ceased Fenton Art Glass Company opened in Martins Ferry, Ohio Thaddeus Fowler returned to West Virginia The Frederick Hotel was built in downtown Huntington William Glasscock was appointed internal revenue collector for the District of West Virginia by President Theodore Roosevelt The C&O Greenbrier Division extension to Winterburn was completed The original Grimes Golden apple tree blew down Ella Holroyd entered the Cincinnati Conservatory Earnest T. Weir purchased the Jackson Iron & Tin Company tin mill at Clarksburg John Jay Jackson Jr. retired as judge Blanche Lazzell received an art degree from WVU St. George Orthodox Church of Charleston was established Howard B. Lee graduated from Marshall College (now University) Sarah Ann Legg went on trial for murder of Jay Legg Carnegie library was established in Parkersburg Oil and gas business began in Griffithsville The entire Little Kanawha River system was acquired by the federal government The electric streetcar service arrived in Mannington Martin Christensen invented the marble-making machine Frank McEnteer graduated from Harvard Engineering School Jim Sellers and J.W Grimm bought a brick-making machine The West Virginia Department of Mines was created Matewan opened its first hospital Margaret Montague published The Poet, Miss Kate, and I The West Virginia State Museum was founded The B&O Beaux Arts-style station in Wheeling was built John Nugent was elected president of the state Federation of Labor Pardee & Curtin Lumber Company expanded operations by buying a sawmill on Cherry River at Coal Siding. The Western Maryland Railroad arrived in Paw Paw A commercial department was added to Potomac State College The Virginian Railroad developed a shop and yards in Princeton. Teddy Roosevelt walked Eleanor Roosevelt down the aisle to marry FDR St. Joseph's Hospital opened a nursing school The Pope Dock Company built Sunny South The Morgan Museum began in Putnam County by Sidney Morgan The Sunrise mansion was built by William MacCorkle Ernest T. Weir founded Phillips Sheet & Tin Plate in Clarksburg The West Virginia Archives and History was created by legislature The West Virginia Central & Pittsburg(h) became part of the Western Maryland Railway Company The Historical Society ceased publication of The West Virginia Historical Magazine Quarterly The Historical Society collections were moved to the Capitol Annex West Virginia Wesleyan College awarded its first five degrees Albert White left office as governor The Elk River Coal & Lumber Company organized Timber in the Williams River watershed began being taken out by log train Williamson was incorporated A bridge at Williamstown was built Laura Jackson Arnold was named "Mother of the Regiment" by the 5th West Virginia Cavalry
1909
Garland Wilson was born in Martinsburg Other events that happened on or around 1909 R. D. Bailey graduated from Valparaiso University in Indiana Waitman Barbe wrote Famous Poems Explained Broaddus Institute (now part of Alderson Broaddus University) moved from Clarksburg to Philippi Broaddus Institute (now Alderson-Broaddus College) moved from Clarksburg to Philippi Rosa Pelham returned to the castle The Birch Boom & Lumber Company built a sawmill near the mouth of Birch River West Virginia legislature created the Board of Control which consolidated management and fiscal control over West Virginia's institutions The Bluefield Daily Telegraph dubbed Bramwell the "Coalfield Capital" Sturdevant and Johnson's partnership ended, factory ceased operation and buildings torn down Camp Dawson was established Elegant seven-story Waldo Hotel opened West Virginia legislation prepared way for establishment of National Forest Reserve in Monongahela Legislature authorized the governor to appoint a Forest, Game and Fish Warden Consolidation Coal, Fairmont Coal and Somerset Coal companies combined into the Consolidation Coal Company Danske Dandridge wrote George Michael Bedinger, a Kentucky Pioneer Huntington annexed Central City Legislation called for forest protection and research and provided fines and imprisonment for owners who intentionally or carelessly set fires Sunday hunting and fishing was prohibited by legislature Michael Owens began his own company to manufacture bottles in Fairmont and Clarksburg Legislature appropriated funds to purchase Grave Creek Mound A receiving vault was built at Greenwood Cemetery Lincoln County destroyed by fire City of Weirton was founded by Weirton Steel Ernest T. Weir established Weirton Steel The broad-gauge Harrisville Southern Railroad began to run to Cornwallis The Herald-Dispatch began with the merger of the Herald and the Huntington Dispatch Only two county seats in West Virginia were connected by paved highways Legislature established the State Road Fund and the position of state commissioner of public roads Timber production in West Virginia reached its long-time record of 1.5 billion board feet The Jackson Iron & Tin Company relocated to Holiday Cove in Hancock County Dr. Hugh G. Nicholson leased the Barber Sanatorium and added a nursing school James Kay opened mines on Campbells Creek Keystone was incorporated George Kossuth opened his own photography studio Howard B. Lee began to practice law in Bluefield The Morgantown Republican merged with the New Dominion-News The first congregation of the Church of the Nazarene in West Virginia appeared in Martinsburg Pardee & Curtin opened a double-band sawmill at Hominy Falls. Princeton was chartered as a city The Virginian Railway was completed, the last entry into West Virginia's coalfields. Ritchie Mines were abandoned A second sawmill for St. Lawrence was built for Neola The hotel in Shannondale Springs burned down again Thomas C. Miller became administrator of Shepherd College The Pope Dock Company built Goldenrod A stone sculpture of a frontiersman was dedicated in memory of the Battle of Point Pleasant A steel strike in Wheeling failed Ernest Weir expanded the Phillips Sheet and Tin Plate Company from Clarksburg West Virginia tobacco production peaked at 14,400,000 pounds Fred Torrey enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago T. C. Townsend first served as the state tax commissioner The name changed from Education Association of West Virginia to the State Education Association Byrd Prillerman became president of West Virginia Colored Institute (now West Virginia State University) The Western Maryland Railway company was organized White Sulphur Springs was incorporated as a town The Wirt County courthouse in Elizabeth burned down Completion of the Virginian Railway sparked an industrial boom in Mullens
1912
Hubert "Bumps" Myers was born in Clarksburg Other events that happened on or around 1912 J. A. Viquesney and H. M. Lockridge organized the Allegheny Sportsmen's Association Baldwin-Felts Agency attempted to end the Paint Creek-Cabin Creek strike Olgebay Hall, now Kirkpatrick Hall, added as a wing at Bethany College John Bishop published poem "To a Woodland Pool" in Harpers Weekly Alonzo Brooks received a B.A. in agriculture from WVU The Bull Moose Special armed train began operation Union Bank building finished in Clarksburg William Conley ran unsuccessfully for congressional 2nd district William Dawson embraced Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Moose presidential candidacy Diamond Shoe became the Diamond Shoe and Garment Co., later Diamond Department Store Samuel Dixon was purged from the New River Company by management from outside Clarence W. Alvord and Lee Bidgood concluded that the Batts and Fallam group only traveled to Peters Falls U.S. Supreme Court confirmed North Branch as Potomac main stream Fairmont State began adopting college curriculum The Golden Delicious Apple was discovered by Anderson Mullins in Clay County A Gasoline engine was placed in Howell's Gristmill Rimfire Hamrick was appointed Webster County game and fish warden Record floods hit Hardy County The state called troops to mining strikes Charles Hodel established himself in Beckley as editor and general manager of the Raleigh Register Holidays Cove incorporated Harold Houston returned to Charleston A large Celtic cross was erected in Coalburg by William S. Edwards to honor the Irish mine workers Thomas Moore Jackson died Regular services at Job's Temple were suspended Mother Jones returned to West Virginia to aid union miners on Paint Creek and Cabin Creek Dr. George A. MacQueen took over the lease and changed Barber Sanatorium to Barber Sanatorium and Hospital A new double-track tunnel at Kingwood Tunnel was opened High school at Jane Lew was constructed Luna Park was built by J. B. Crowley in Charleston I. T. Mann was a candidate for the U.S. Senate The Apollo Theater was built in Martinsburg Harry F. Bryd sold the Martinsburg Journal to Max von Schlegell Louis Marx began working for Ferdinand Strauss John McGraw was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention John McGraw's Bank of Grafton failed Prohibitionist John McWhorter served as chairman of the West Virginia Ratification Federation John Raine became president of the Meadow River Lumber Company The Minnehaha Springs Improvement Company was formed The Minter Lumber Company was founded by William E. Minter The Monongahela Railroad was completed to Pittsburgh Margaret Montague published Linda Matthew M. Neely left the office of clerk of House of Delegates Reported 223 different newspapers were publishing in West Virginia Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assembly supported Eugene V. Debs for president Ogden's company had acquired the Parkersburg Daily Sentinel Ida Reed published her autobiography My Life Story The Pallottine Missionary Sisters came to West Virginia William MacCorkle became active in the Salvation Army Edward Stifel built Edemar mansion The Charleston Interurban Railroad was built to St. Albans The Huntington tobacco warehouse opened T. C. Townsend was elected as Kanawha County's prosecuting attorney Pittsburgh's flood commission called for a dam on the Tygart Miners Hospital No. One changed its name to Welch Hospital No. One The College of Physicians and Surgeons became an independent program at WVU WVU had 46,500 books in the library Carter Woodson received a doctorate at Harvard Tibbs Run Reservoir began providing water to city of Morgantown
1915
William "Keg" Purnell was born in Charleston Other events that happened on or around 1915 Harry Stansbury contacted high schools across the state to participate The Belle Alkali Company started a plant near Belle The Warner-Klipstein Chemical Company started A Clarksburg newspaper became the Exponent-American First land for the Monongahela National Forest acquired Legislation gave authority to Forest, Game and Fish Warden to establish refuges for protection of wild game and birds Reinforced concrete began with C.A.P Turner Monument erected at Fort Lee site to mark the beginnings of Charleston Fostoria Glass's popular "American" pattern was fist designed and patented West Virginia Bureau of Mines reported 1,479 hand-loading miners employed at Gary The Mother's Pension Law was enacted The Board of Health was replaced by the Department of Health Local timbering brought a narrow-gauge railroad to Helvetia The word "hillbilly" appeared in the title of a Harper's Monthly travel article, "Hobnobbing with Hillbillies" A 5-acre tract of land at Jackson's Mill was purchased by the Monongahela Power Company Ann Baker was born Mother Jones testified before another congressional committee The New River & Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company operated a series of drift mines at Layland, Fayette County Legislature passed bill to empower cities and towns to levy taxes for public libraries and reading rooms A monument to General Joseph Lightburn was placed at Vicksburg National Battlefield Park The Marcus family relocated to Farmington Marietta Manufacturing Company began operation in Point Pleasant The Concrete Steel Bridge Company built the Alderson bridge across the Greenbrier River Legislation called for provision for preventing underground mine fires and requiring foremen and fire bosses to pass state examination and receive state certification Margaret Montague published Closed Doors Ephraim Morgan was appointed to the Public Service Commission by Governor Hatfield Descendents of Hunter John Myers left the Sleepy Creek Mountain area A member of the Church of Nazarene moved to Mannington and started a church in his house Greasy Neale graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College Greasy Neale played with the Canton (Ohio) Bulldogs Herschel C. Ogden became the owner of the Parkersburg News The legislature removed Workmen's Compensation from the Public Service Commision Dr. Burke offered the state of West Virginia property for use as a tuberculosis sanatorium Frederick Rhead received a gold medal at the San Diego Exposition for his design of mirror black pottery glaze Rat Rodgers lettered in football Benjamin Rosenbloom served as state senator from Wheeling The state legislature passed a primary law that made it difficult for third parties to be on the ballot The West Virginia legislature first imposed the corporate excise tax Charles Ward died H. Rus Warne designed the West Virginia Building at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco H. Rus Warne designed a Masonic Temple Building Walter B "Watt" Powell moved to Charleston The West Virginia Coal Association was formed Legislation changed the name of West Virginia Colored Institute to West Virginia Collegiate Institute (now West Virginia State university) State women's suffrage amendment was reintroduced Carter G. Woodson published The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 Lenna Yost became the state legislative chair of the West Virginia Federation of Women's Clubs Thomas Davis resigned from National Guard Vernon Johnson was elected the youngest Speaker of the House of Delegates
1917
Billy Moore was born in Parkersburg Other events that happened on or around 1917 Charles Ambler's last year teaching history and political science at Randolph-Macon College Hotel built by Harvey Ghiz in Logan West Virginia Folklore Society became inactive Louis Bennett Jr. graduated from Yale First book of poetry, Green Fruit,was published by John Bishop Florence Blanchfield enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps Pearl Sydenstricker married John Lossing Buck Louis Watson Chappell received his B.A. from Wake Forest William Edwin Chilton completed his term as U.S. Senate and became publisher U.S. government hired DuPont Company to build new nitrocellulose plant 89.4 million tons of coal produced in West Virginia The Shenandoah (George Washington) National Forest was created U.S. Supreme Court supported Alston Dayton's "yellow dog" contracts ruling Legislature established the West Virginia State Colored Tuberculosis Sanitarium Diamond Shoe and Garment Co. received full department store status Natural gas peaked at 309 billion cubic feet Marion County in the Making was published Study of German in schools dropped due to the entrance of America in WWI Henry Hatfield entered the army medical corps as Captain West Virginia launched a series of highway improvements with creation of the State Road Commission The State Road Bureau was replaced by the State Road Commission The U.S. Supreme Court sustained the lower court ruling prohibiting UMWA from seeking to influence workers from breaking yellowdog contracts The House of Delegates grew to 94 delegates Itmann began mining the Pocahontas No. 3 coal seam in Wyoming County Fanny Johnson and Vincent Costello moved back to Charleston Fanny Johnson's story "The Strange Looking Man" was included in a best short stories collection Mother Jones returned to West Virginia to hold meetings and seek union recognition in the Fairmont and Winding Gulf coalfield Frank Keeney became president of UMWA District 17 Harley Kilgore was commissioned a second lieutenant The town of Nitro was established by the U.S. War Department for the manufacture of munitions for WWI Fred Mooney became secretary-treasurer of UMWA District 17 Regents began to abolish high school courses in normal schools The U.S. government acquired the majority of land on Otter Creek for Monongahela National Forest The Owens Bottle Company opened a plant in the upper end of Kanawha City William Nelson Page moved to Washington. Pruntytown Correctional Center, near Grafton, offered eight years of education, providing a full grade-school education Denmar Sanitarium for black tuberculosis patients was established in Pocahontas County. The Division of Vital Statistics was established by the West Virginia Legislature. Short lines, including the Coal & Coke Railway, became part of the B&O. The Reymann Memorial Farm was donated to WVU as two separate farms Rat Rodgers was named to the All-American teams Samuel Craig Shaw became editor of the Moundsville Daily Echo Capt. Thomas J. Reynolds built his first real showboat and named it America Five companies merged to form the Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation The USS Huntington was equipped for early experiments in naval aviation Commercial mining had started in Webster County The Montgomery Preparatory School was renamed the West Virginia Trades School (now WVU Institute of Technology) Lenna Yost became the president of the West Virginia Equal Suffrage Association Mordecai Johnson became pastor of Charleston’s First Baptist Church
1921
Musa Kaleem was born Orlando Wright in Wheeling Other events that happened on or around 1921 Newton Diehl Baker served as a director of the Cleveland Trust Company and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Walter Barnes became president of the West Virginia Education Association The Beckley Register began publishing twice a week Bluefield became the second city in the nation to adopt the city manager form of local government via charter International Nickel Company plant opened Blenko Glass established in Milton State Capitol Commission was created Louis W. Chappell received appointment in English Department at WVU Drs. Romie and W. F. Walker's stately home on Virginia Street in Charleston became the Mountain State Hospital The Viscose Company established a plant in Nitro West Virginia legislature enacted anti-lynching legislation The Game and Fish Commission was created by the legislature John W. Davis resigned as ambassador to England John W. Davis began law practice in New York Levi Dean became the 19th architect licensed under the West Virginia licensing law Dunbar was incorporated John Easton became VP of West Virginia State Federation of Labor Governor Morgan appointed first woman, Lenna Lowe Yost, to serve on the state Board of Education William H. "Teepi" Kendrick established and directed the first state 4-H camp in the U.S. at Jackson's Mill Fairmont High Level Bridge was open for traffic The Glen Rogers Mine opened as one of the state's largest Legislature expanded the state road commission to three members and classified all roads as state or county roads Howard Gore was hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a plan for government marketing of livestock and livestock products Federal Highway Act directed each state to recommend for federal designation a connected road system Frank Keeny and 550 others were indicted for murder and treason after the Miners' March on Logan Harold Houston represented the UMWA leaders who were accused of treason during the Battle of Blair Mountain Interwoven Mills had opened branch plants in Hagerstown, Maryland, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and Berkeley Springs Jackson's Mill became the location of West Virginia's state 4-H Camp Herman Kump was elected mayor of Elkins Supreme Court ruling Ex parte Lavinder moderately tempered the power of the executive branch to use martial law Reported 99 out of 124 members of the West Virginia Legislature were Republicans Clarence Frey came to Logan County Ned Cline was born Joseph Long left the Huntington postmaster position Occupation of the present courthouse in Madison began Mannington was incorporated as a city Marshall College awarded its first baccalaureate degrees Walter Martens moved to West Virginia and opened an architecture practice in Charleston Louis Marx & Company acquired toy manufacturing facilities of its own John Matheus received an A.M. degree from Columbia Annie Brake of Valley Head began midwifery The Fairmont Electric Light and Power Plant changed its name to Monongahela Power and Railway Company Sawmill at Hominy Falls was moved to mouth of Deer Creek. The West Virginia Preparatory School (now Potomac State) became a junior college and began offering the first two years of the baccalaureate programs and certain vocational programs Funding for maternal and child health began in West Virginia Benjamin Rosenbloom began representing the First Congressional District The Franciscan Sisters of St. Francis Hospital in Charleston were recalled to New York Morris Shawkey became superintendent of Beaver Pond School District of Bluefield Spruce Knob was acquired by the U.S. Forest Service The West Virginia State Fair was founded by the Shorthorn Association as Greenbrier Valley Fair Greenbrier Valley Fair was first held State police helped defend Logan County in the Miner's March State Police field structure grew to four companies West Virginia replaced the corporate excise tax with a business gross receipts tax Clint Thomas joined the Lincoln Giants baseball team in New York T. C. Townsend was hired by the UMWA to defend miners and union leaders in the March on Logan W. W. Trent received an A.M from Columbia University St. Joseph's Hospital (Upshur County) was founded by the Pallottine Missionary Sisters Architect H. Rus Warne established a partnership of Warne, Tucker and Patterson was established The Watoga Land Association was organized Huntington expanded corporate limits into Wayne County Phil Conley began working with the American Constitutional Association The Engineering Experimental State was established at WVU The Schmulbach Building building was taken over by the Wheeling Steel Corporation Wheeling Steel began providing company housing for its coke plant workers Williamstown was incorporated The West Virginia Trades School became the New River State School (now WVU Institute of Technology) Cyrus H. Martin became president of New River State School (now WVU Institute of Technology) Lenna Yost represented the U.S. at international congresses against alcoholism in Switzerland Hack Wilson started his pro career playing for the Martinsburg Blue Sox
1924
Ray Wetzel was born in Parkersburg Other events that happened on or around 1924 Elementary school and junior high schools numbered 453 for African-American students and teachers Mary Atkeson wrote The Woman on the Farm The number of banks in West Virginia peaked at 225 state banks and 125 national banks Walter Barnes wrote The Children's Poets The Evening Post, Beckley's first daily newspaper, was established UMWA President Keeney and Secretary Treasurer Mooney were forced to retire Izetta Brown seconded Davis again for nomination Izetta Brown again defeated for U.S. Senate, this time by William Edwin Chilton Chauncey H. Browning graduated from WVU John W. Davis Democratic candidate for president Matthew Wesley Clair Sr. returned to Washington for a visit Association changed its name to West Virginia Council of Churches and Christian Education Democratic presidential candidate John W. Davis failed to carry home state West Virginia Huntington's Frederick Douglass Junior and Senior High School was built Patrick Gainer recorded folk songs and lore of West Virginia's people Construction of the Governor's Mansion began Major flood brought devastation Record floods hit Hardy County Another school was built in Harrisville The Concord College He-Man Club began as picnic to honor retiring college president Christopher Columbus Rossey The hemlock wooly adelgid was first reported in the Western United States Colonel Joseph Long bought a corner lot in Huntington to erect a building for his paper, the Herald-Dispatch The UMWA had lost half of its members in West Virginia and was nearly bankrupt The Huntington Post-Herald became a daily newspaper Homer Holt married Isabel Wood of Charlottesville, Virginia Rush Holt graduated from Salem College Cheat Lake construction began, created primarily for the production of electricity Carmine Pelligrino of Rosemont held record of mining 66 tons of coal in 24 hours The Jackson's Mill property was donated to the state of West Virginia Mother Jones called on Governor Morgan for pardons for miners imprisoned after the Logan March Out-of-state KKK publication carried reports from several West Virginia location The Ku Klux Klan marched through Hinton Howard B. Lee left office as Mercer County prosecuting attorney Carnegie library was established in Hinton Howard M. Gore became assistant secretary of agriculture Mountain lions were declared extinct Walter Martens designed the Science and Liberal Arts halls of Davis & Elkins College Clarence Cameron White was named director of music at West Virginia State College The Concrete Steel Bridge Company of Clarksburg had 52 separate construction teams in the field The Metropolitan Theater in downtown Morgantown opened Fred Mooney left as secretary-treasurer of UMWA District 17 The first Mountaineer Field opened The Clarke-McNary law was passed by Congress authorizing the purchase of forested, cut-over, or denuded lands for the production of timber in addition to the flow regulation of navigable streams Records of chicken production began. The West Virginia Public Health Association was organized. Jennings Randolph graduated from Salem College. Walter Reuther began work as apprentice tool and die maker at Wheeling Steel Leonard Riggleman accepted a pastorate in Milton William Ritter made headline for sharing $3 million in company stock with his employees Money from the John B. Crowley estate paid for a new addition to St. Francis Hospital A second wing was added to St. Joseph's Hospital The state built a fire tower in Seneca State Forest A merger agreement between Sheltering Arms Hospital and Charleston General Hospital fell through Ada "Bricktop" Smith performed in Paris West Virginia Wesleyan defeated Navy, Syracuse, Kentucky in football The West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference began Seneca State Forest became the first state forest in West Virginia P. D. Strausbaugh and colleagues collected, mounted and filed the nucleus of a new plant collection for WVU The Blackwater Boom & Lumber Company closed All lumber operations in Tucker County closed due to depletion of original forest Membership in the United Brethren Parkersburg Conference was 10,337 Frank Keeney and Fred Mooney resigned from the UMWA Ward Engineering built the Greenbrier, a sternweel towboat
1927
Don Redman joined McKinney's Cotton Pickers Other events that happened on or around 1927 Levi Dean built his office in downtown Huntington Diamond Department Store was built at site of old state capitol Douglass School gained accreditation from the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges Irvin Dugan began working as newspaper artist First commercial synthetic wood alcohol, methanol, was made at Belle William Eagle's grave was discovered in Smoke Hole Garnet High School moved to corner of Shrewsbury and Lewis streets in Charleston Country music star Vernon Dalhart recorded "The Miner's Doom," written by John Unger about the Berkeley Glass Sand explosions All larger cities were linked by hard-surface roads Alberta Pierson Hannum received a B.A. from the Ohio State University Frank Hutchison recorded one of his earliest versions of "John Henry" with Arnold and Irving Williamson
1928
Ernest Farrow was born in Huntington Other events that happened on or around 1928 Reported 88 junior high schools were open in the state The Raleigh Register became a daily newspaper William Thomas Bland died The Jones Diamond was found by Grover Jones and William "Punch" Jones in Monroe County An edition of Samuel Kerchival's A History of the Valley of Virginia incorporating editorial notes was printed Fiddler Clark Kessinger began recording The Kimball War Memorial was dedicated Waitman Linger relocated his family-run chair business to the French Creek William A. MacCorkle published The Recollections of Fifty Years of West Virginia William A. MacCorkle published The Recollections of Fifty Years of West Virginia Minnie Lowther wrote Friendship Hill, Home of Albert Gallatin Louis Marx & Company introduced the yo-yo The Concrete Steel Bridge Company of Clarksburg encountered unexpected difficulties with Pennsylvania bridge project A record 31.6 million board feet was sawed by the Meadow River Lumber Company Margaret Montague's Tony Beaver tales were published as Up Eel River
1934
Iris Bell was born in Charleston Other events that happened on or around 1934 Interwoven Mills took part in the Textile Workers of America's nationwide strike The state Department of Public Welfare established Kamp Kump in Winfield Hazel Hyre became the first female state senator, filling the unexpired term of her dead husband Big Bill Lias' first wife mysteriously died Paul Williams was born The Civilian Conservation Corps boys began building cabins at Camp Hardy, now Lost River State Park Louis Marx & Company opened the world's largest toy plant in Glen Dale, Marshall County Clarence Meadows married Nancy Massie Tomas E. Posey published The Negro Citizen of West Virginia The first North-South Football Game occurred
1938
Jazz singer Jennie Smith was born Other events that happened on or around 1938 The Short Ballot Amendment was rejected by voters Report by Paul A. T. Noon and Mildred W. Sandoe showed 88% of West Virginia were without library services The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers began at WHIS radio in Bluefield Pare Lorentz was appointed head of the U.S. Film Service by President Franklin Roosevelt Upton Sears made a special crosscut saw to cut the famous Mingo Oak Jack Maurice joined the staff of the Charleston Daily Mail as a reporter Howard Gray became president of the Meadow River Lumber Company The federal prison camp at Mill Point opened Congress approved construction of flood-control reservoir on the Mud River Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was incorporated The New York Central merged with the K&M, K&WV and other railroads The Greenbrier County Museum Committee was created The wooden deck of the Philippi Covered Bridge was removed and replaced with a concrete deck supported by steel girders and new intermediate concrete piers Pinnacle Rock State Park opened The first annual "Feast of the Ramson" was held in Richwood Ruth Rohde served on the advisory board of Alderson's Federal Reformatory for Women Hubert Skidmore published Heaven Came So Near Ada "Bricktop" Smith made radio broadcast in France The West Virginia Department of Mines first reported production figures for surface mining The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the Tygart Dam Clint Thomas suffered an ankle injury An area for an arboretum was set aside in Watoga State Park The dental hygiene department opened at West Liberty State College A West Liberty State College branch campus opened in Wheeling The state was divided into four regions for the West Virginia Athletic Union basketball tournament WVU had 3,500 students and 150 faculty Patty Willis exhibited her work at the Society of International Artists in New York Joe L. Smith Jr applied for a broadcast license Fairmont radio station WMMN increased to 5,000 watts Grote Reber confirmed that radiation at radio wavelengths was reaching the earth from outer space
Oct 30, 1941
Chu Berry died in a car crash in Ohio Other events that happened on or around October 30, 1941 Joe Smith Jr. was called into military service
1951
Ray Wetzel died in a car accident Other events that happened on or around 1951 Woodford Sutherland killed after training flight when his parked P-51 was hit by another Akro Agate Company ceased production Clair Bee ended his college coaching career at Long Island University after the point-shaving scandals that devastated college basketball Florence Blanchfield received the International Red Cross's Florence Nightingale Medal Harry Atlee Burdette and Fred Clifford Painter first to be put to death via electric chair in West Virginia Charleston Memorial Hospital dedicated with 129 beds Air Force ROTC program was established at Davis & Elkins College Fiestaware colors forest green, rose, chartreuse, and grey were introduced Floodwall in Point Pleasant was completed Ruel Foster wrote William Faulkner: A Critical Appraisal Tony Brown graduated from Garnet High School Gunner Gatski earned All-Pro honors in football Ella Holroyd retired from Concord College Elizabeth Kee took her place in the House of Representatives, replacing her late husband, John Kee Maryat Lee wrote and produced the street play Dope! The federal navigation system on the Little Kanawha River was turned over to the state Kanawha County Democratic boss Homer Hanna Sr. and Governor Patteson picked William Marland as candidate for governor Catherine Marshall wrote A Man Called Peter J. Kemp McLaughlin led the squadron on active duty in the Korean War Okey Mills married Netie Mae Neely Waterford Park (later Mountaineer Race Track) opened Ruth Ann Musick and others founded the West Virginia Folklore Journal Karl Myers compiled a second poetry collection, Cross and Crown College assumed its current name, Potomac State College of West Virginia University Benjamin Rosenbloom retired from practicing law K. Duane Hurley became president of Salem College Sam Shaw became editor of the Moundsville Daily Echo Hulett Smith became chairman of Beckley's Democratic executive committee. The Paw Paw Tunnel was shut down The first coaxial cable television system started carrying programming of WSAZ to Welch Bishop Swint asked Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus to help establish a Catholic college of liberal arts in West Virginia (now Wheeling Jesuit University) Hurry-up Yost was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Robert Graetz Jr. married Jeannie Ellis
1954
Garland Wilson died in Paris Other events that happened on or around 1954 Appalachian Bible Institute had a student body of 40 and needed more space Walter Barnes retired as president of the West Virginia Folklore Society West Virginia physician Joseph E. Martin Jr. insisted black lung was a progressive, terminal disease associated with exposure to coal dust. W. E. Blackhurst published Riders of the Flood Improved amplifiers made it possible to offer as many as five cable television channels by the end of the year Monsanto and Bayer built polyurethane foam plant in New Martinsville J. R. Clifford remains re-interred at Arlington National Cemetery Explosion at Jamison No. 9 mine killed 16 Life magazine dedicated 3 pages of photos to Phyllis Curtin's "dance of the seven veils" Farm Women's Clubs changed names to Home Demonstration clubs West Virginia State's land grant college status was transferred to WVU Fairmont State College opened the campus to black students for the first time Deadly explosion in Consolidation Coal Company's Farmington Mine The Follansbee steel mill was sold to the Louis Berkman Company Davis Grubb wrote A Dream of Kings John T. Willet became commissioner of the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park Harold Hayslett established Hayslett Violins in South Charleston The West Virginia Turnpike was completed from Princeton to Charleston The federal government transferred the deed of the Holly River State Park to the state Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation built a large aluminum plant in Ravenswood Joy Manufacturing Company reported that 72% of all coal loaded mechanically was loaded by Joy loaders Lakin State Hospital was integrated after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled segregation unconstitutional Harts High School was built at Harts Marshall College named its buffalo mascot "Marco" Governor William Marland implemented his no-nonsense policy of public school desegregation following the U.S. Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision Minter Homes Corporation began concentrating on custom millwork, finished lumber, windows, doors and other items for building contractors Public school districts in Morgantown desegregated John Norman received an M.D. from Harvard Medical School The Oak Hill Saturday Night Wrestling television show first aired Peach production was at 900,000 bushels The Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative purchased Hardy County Power and Light Fred Schaus began coaching basketball at WVU Shepherd College admitted African-American students for the first time Red Sovine joined the Grand Ole Opry Morris Harvey College football team participated in the Cigar Bowl in Tampa Miles Stanley was elected president of the Kanawha Valley Industrial Council A Turnpike Division was added to the State Police The Statler hotel chain was purchased by Conrad Hilton Boyd Stutler left the American Legion magazine Pope Pius XII bestowed the honorary title of archbishop ad personam on John Swint Clint Thomas became messenger for the state Senate The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Morgantown was founded WCHS-TV Channel 8 was launched The Press Association was revived under its original name The West Virginia State Wildlife Center began evolving as a zoo Geoffrey Hobday began leading the Charleston Symphony Orchestra West Virginia dedicated the Charlton Memorial Bridge on the West Virginia Turnpike
1964
Don Redman died Other events that happened on or around 1964 Pearl Buck founded the Pearl S. Buck Foundation French Carpenter record, Old-Time Songs and Tunes from Clay County, West Virginia, released Ted Cassidy secured television role on The Addams Family Maryland Pimlico Race Course installed lighting to compete with newer tracks C&O acquired the Western Maryland Railroad Swimming pool at Chief Logan State Park opened Congress passed the Civil Rights Act Roy B. Clarkson published Tumult on the Mountains: Lumbering in West Virginia, 1770-1920 Legislature enacted law that authorized election of delegates to a state constitutional convention Work began at Parkersburg to make U.S. 50 a four-lane highway Ellis Dungan married Elaine Runner North Hall was completed at Fairmont State College Part four of Flora of West Virginia was published The Food Stamp Act was passed, making the program permanent U.S. Forest Service published reports on West Virginia forests, stating that 74% of the state was forested Harry B. Heflin retired as president of Glenville State College An addition to the Pioneer Center at Glenville State College was completed The Hazel Atlas Corporate Headquarters in Wheeling was donated to the West Liberty State College Homer Hickam graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a B.S. in industrial engineering Ella Holroyd was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music by Concord College Sam Huff began his career with the Washington Redskins Schools in West Virginia were considered fully desegregated The Better Roads Amendment was voted on in the general election to provided money for the "building and construction of state roads and highways" A radiocarbon date estimated the Kanawha Madonna to be around 350 years old Elizabeth Kee retired from Congress John Knowles wrote Double Vision: American Thoughts Abroad Supreme Court ruling State ex rel. Smith v. Gore required equal apportionment in the election of delegates to a constitutional convention and derailed a move to draft a new state constitution The number of state senators was set at 34 The U.S. Library Services Act was amended to provide funds for library education and library construction Hartman Hall was built at Beckley College (now Mountain State University) The National Bank of Commerce purchased the old Kanawha County library property in Charleston The N&W acquired the Nickel Plate in a merger that included the Wabash Railroad, the Wheeling & Lake Erie, the Akron, Canton & Youngstown and the Pittsburgh & West Virginia John Norman joined the surgical team at Boston City Hospital Oscar Mairs and Hillis Youse recorded the Luther Elkins petroglyph site. Joe Powell became state director of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO. Leonard Riggleman retired as president of Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) Chuck Ripper quit Standard Printing & Publishing Co to be full-time freelance artist The Rock Lake Pool remained racially segregated after the Civil Rights Act Jay Rockefeller came to West Virginia as a poverty volunteer with Action for Appalachian Youth The West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey first began extensive excavation on the St. Albans archeological site The Soupy Sales Show weekday morning show debuted in New York Lawmakers created a 17th state senate district in Kanawha County Bill Campbell beat Ed Tutwiller in golf in the U.S. Amateur Championship Final Miles Stanley organized the AFL-CIO Appalachian Council Western Pocahontas Corporation and Pocahontas Land Corporation donated land for Twin Falls State Park Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) began offering an associate degree in nursing The Valley Falls State Park area was acquired by the state Cyrus Vance became deputy secretary of defense under Robert McNamara The federal Economic Opportunity Act was signed into law Wheeling Dollar Saving & Trust acquired South Wheeling Bank and Trust The state purchased the old Wheeling Custom House and leased it to the West Virginia Independence Hall Foundation. Charles Gabor became conductor of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Henry Aaron left Wheeling View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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