West Virginia...Southern or Northern? (Morgantown, War: accent, coastal, top)

[ButtercupMcToots]

Originally Posted by Chriscross309

It is really funny how offended you get when talking about WV being considered a northern state!

I don't understand why you have come to this forum to bash everything, and have not shown anybody any respect!

It is people like you that give "liberals" a bad reputation!!!

Hey don't put him in with liberals. He's just in a "jerk" class.

[Bobilee]

Originally Posted by snorpus

West Virginia was never a slave state. In fact, when Virginia seceded from the Union, the western counties decided not to join the Confederacy, remained in the Union, and became a separate state on June 20, 1863 (West Virginia Day!). Before the Civil War, there was relatively little slavery in the counties that eventually would form the state of West Virginia.

Sorry Snorpus, but that is not exactly true. Charleston's growth was the result of slave labor in the salt and coal extractions. Slave numbers were lower in West Virginia, but it was an important cog in the economics of these counties. Wilma Dunaway's books on slavery in the southern mountains

History of slavery in West Virginia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When West Virginia became a state, not a single slave was freed. The Willey Amendment would free no slaves until 1867. There was no provision for freedom for slaves over 21 years of age. Some websites say this, but it is not true.

There was little support for statehood in West Virginia.

West Virginia, the Other History

[Bobilee]

I realize I left a sentence unfinished. I wanted to recommend Wilma Dunaway's two books on slavery in the southern Appalachians, "Slavery in the American Mountain South", and "The African-American Family in Slavery and Emancipation". Both are available in paperback and fairly cheap. The books are a bit statistical and dry but have a lot of information on WV.

[Threerun]

Suffice to say that a good portion of the state was anti-slavery and a good portion of the state was pro.. Such is WV. A state of dichotomies.

[rooster21]

Hello West Virginians. We've had one of these threads in the KY forum as well, and it looks like yours is even more divided than ours. I have always felt WV had more in common with the upper south states of KY, TN, NC, and VA than anywhere else. The accents in the southern part of the state sound just like the ones in Kentucky to my ears, but that is the only area of the state that I have visited. I can see why the northern part of the state would have a more northern culture due to Pittsburgh and a large, Big East university. I recently learned that Bob Huggins is a native of West Virginia. He sounds like hes from New Jersey or somewhere! Anyways, I have to go with southern going by what I have seen of the state. Merry Christmas.

[CTMountaineer]

Originally Posted by Bobilee

Sorry Snorpus, but that is not exactly true. Charleston's growth was the result of slave labor in the salt and coal extractions. Slave numbers were lower in West Virginia, but it was an important cog in the economics of these counties. Wilma Dunaway's books on slavery in the southern mountains

History of slavery in West Virginia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When West Virginia became a state, not a single slave was freed. The Willey Amendment would free no slaves until 1867. There was no provision for freedom for slaves over 21 years of age. Some websites say this, but it is not true.

There was little support for statehood in West Virginia.

West Virginia, the Other History

There might have been "little support for statehood" in that part of West Virginia, but there clearly was such support in other areas. Although there was a strong Confederate contingent (The Shriver Grays) in Wheeling, and although Bethany was a Confederate leaning town, the overall sentiment for statehood was clearly evident in the populous and prosperous industrial northern part of the state.

[Bobilee]

Originally Posted by CTMountaineer

There might have been "little support for statehood" in that part of West Virginia, but there clearly was such support in other areas. Although there was a strong Confederate contingent (The Shriver Grays) in Wheeling, and although Bethany was a Confederate leaning town, the overall sentiment for statehood was clearly evident in the populous and prosperous industrial northern part of the state.

Again, I have to disagree. There was support for the Union, but not for statehood. 70% of Ohio county voters avoided the polls on Oct. 24. And when the Constitution was voted on April 3, 1862, 76% of Ohio county was absent. The Ohio county vote was higher on issues they supported, but when something like statehood or the Willey Amendment came up, they stayed home. Because if you didn't vote the way Wheeling wanted you to, your ass could end up in Camp Chase or the Atheneum.
John G. Jacob, the editor/owner of the Wellsburg Herald, considered the statehood referendum merely an opportunity for the Wheeling delegates to gain offices and honors in a new state they would control. At no time could the Wheeling government ever get more than a third of the voters for any of their referenda. West Virginia was the first trial run by the Federal government of supporting juntas for political purposes, a technique they perfected in the mid-20th Century.

I won't bore everyone with much of this, if they are interested they can go to my website, where I can bore them at greater length.

West Virginia, the Other History

[CTMountaineer]

I'll certainly read your materials, but the fact that only 30% of a populace votes does not mean there is no support. It is also indicative of a certain apathy. People were tired of the war where many of their friends and relatives were actually fighting against each other. They just wanted the thing to be over with. There are plenty of elections today where the percentage of the electorate that votes is amazingly low, in spite of the attempts to "get out the vote" financed with millions of dollars of special interest money and the empty rhetoric of the politicos. We pay for that in West Virginia in a big way even today.

Unfortunately, our politicians are some of the worst in the Nation for being self serving bozos who mostly ignore the opinions and desires of the public at large. If you ever looked at the way Jay Rockagoodfeller votes, you just know it wouldn't be supported by the majority of the citizens of the State.
That said, I would not be at all surprised to learn that such serf serving individuals existed in mid 19th. Century Wheeling, where the remnants of the old money fortunes of the industrial mogals of that era are to be found to this day. It would also not be surprising to find that there was strong sentiment for continuing as part of Virginia in Wheeling and elsewhere in the State... especially elsewhere in the State. But, strong support does not necessarily indicate majority support.

My own opinion is that in some ways it is unfortunate that we didn't stay with Virginia, which is the recipient of tax dollars generated from mega Federal Government expenditures in the DC area and the military bases in the Virginia Beach area. West Virginia shares little of this.

[FLW1938]

I certainly have fond memories of southern W.Va. where I grew up. Must be doing something right there since it has had the lowest crime rate in the nation for about the 25th year.

[spunkydawg]

Originally Posted by FLW1938

I certainly have fond memories of southern W.Va. where I grew up. Must be doing something right there since it has had the lowest crime rate in the nation for about the 25th year.

Really?? What's your source on that??