West Virginia...Southern or Northern? (Charleston, Huntington: 2015, move, metro)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I do notice that there are the least Southern accents in the Eastern Panhandle, even compared to Fairmont. I don't know if this is because of the high influx of transplants in the EP. I've never met anyone native to the EP for more than one generation so I don't know if the natives there are culturally more southern or not.
The two counties where I've seen the most rebel flags are Kanawha County and Mineral County, geographically very far apart, though I also see them in Western Maryland which border Mineral County.
Which "southern" accent are you talking about? If you are from Manhattan, the people in southern New Jersey seem to have a southern accent to you. If you are in Mobile, the people in Nashville sound like Yankees. Middle Atlantic folks do not have a classic southern accent. Not even close, but it is more southern sounding than the speech form used by someone from Cleveland.
The Battle of New Market, Va. (May15, 1864) will be re-fought this year, it should be the best one to go to if you can only go to one. Be sure to visit VMI to see their Stonewall exhibits.
The battle of New Market should interest many West Virginians because many of their young men were cadets in the battle. Here is a list of the ones I could find so far. Click on the blue links for photos.
Arbuckle, Andrew Alexander (1867) -Andrew Alexander Arbuckle, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. D. Genealogy: Born- June 16, 1847 in Greenbrier Co.
Boggess, Albert (1864) -Albert Boggess, Class of 1864: New Market Cadet; 2nd Lt., Co. C. Genealogy: Born- April 23, 1839 at Ten Mile Creek, Va. now Lumberport, WVa.
Bennett, William George (1866) -William George Bennett, Class of 1866. New Market Cadet (Lewis County). Bennett was the son of Jonathan M. Bennett of Lewis County, the Virginia state auditor
during the Civil War. His mother was also a cousin of Stonewall Jackson
Buffington, Edward Stanard (1867) -Edward Stanard Buffington, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. C. Genealogy: Born- August 11, 1847, in Cabell Co., West Va
Douglass, James Travilla (1865) -James Travilla Douglass, Class of 1865: New Market Cadet; Sergeant, Co. A. Genealogy: Born- September 9, 1844 in Mordington, West Va
Dunn, John Robert (1867) -Born on November 4, 1846. Matriculated on September 17, 1863. Graduated in 1867. Died on November 8, 1906. John Robert Dunn, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. C. Genealogy: Born- November 4, 1846 in Greenbrier Co. W. Va
Early, John Cabell (1867) -John Cabell Early, Class of 1867. New Market Cadet. Private, Company C, New Market Corps; Genealogy: Born- February 29, 1848 in Charleston, WV
Evans, Oliver Perry (1865) -Oliver Perry Evans, Class of 1865, New Market Cadet. Genealogy: Born- June 2, 1842 near Jackson Court House, West Virginia. Oliver Perry was the flag bearer in the battle. His fellow West Virginian, Porter Johnson, wrote of him many decades later-
"Another man I marked with attention was Oliver Evans (Poor fellow, Anderson just writes me that he has heard from a friend in Cal. that he answered the last roll call). Evans was just in front of me and I could and did see him well. I have read of the joy of battle but I never saw it so fully illustrated as in his case. I do not think he would have exchanged places with Gen. Breckinridge himself. He would glance back over his shoulder occasionally and I would catch his eye (I knew him well). His whole face was wreathed in smiles and seemed to radiate joy and happiness, his form seemed to swell and grow in size, and as he carried that banner so gloriously and shook back his golden locks he appeared to me the most inspiring figure on that gory field. Indeed a very 'God of Battle.' "
Faulkner, Charles James (1867) -Charles James Faulkner, Jr., Class of 1867: New Market Cadet, Private, Co. B. Genealogy: Born- September 21, 1847 in Martinsburg, W. Va
Gibson, Franklin Graham (1868) -Franklin Graham Gibson, Class of 1868: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. B. Genealogy: Born- November 24, 1844, in Lewis Co., W. Va.
Johnson, Porter (1867) -Porter Johnson, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. B. Genealogy: Born- October 19, 1845, Pruntytown, Taylor Co. [West] Virginia.
McClung, Thomas William (1867) -Thomas William McClung, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. D. Genealogy: Born- March 8, 1847, in Greenbrier County, W.Va.
Raum, George Edward (1867) -George Edward Raum, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. A. Genealogy: Born- August 22, 1846, in Charlestown, WVa.
Ricketts, Lucien Cincinnatus (1867) -Lucien Cincinnatus Ricketts, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. C. Genealogy: Born- August 22, 1847, in Guyandotte, W. Va.
Shriver, Samuel Sprigg (1864) -Samuel Sprigg Shriver, Class of 1864: New Market Cadet; Fourth Cadet Captain, Commander of Co. C. Genealogy: Born- January 9, 1843, at Wheeling, W. Va
Skaggs, Sanford Bernard (1866) -Sanford Bernard Skaggs, Class of 1866. New Market Cadet. Genealogy: Born- June 16, 1845. Lived in Blue Sulpher Springs, Va. (now W. Va.)
Thomson, Augustus Pembroke (1866) -Augustus Pembroke Thomson, Class of 1866: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. A. Genealogy: Born- January 11, 1847, Jefferson Co. WVa.
Smith, William Taylor (1867) -William Taylor Smith, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. C. Genealogy: Born- April 26, 1838? 1844?, in Clarksburg, [now] WVA.
Welch, Levi (1864) -Levi Welch, Class of 1864: New Market Cadet; 2nd Lt., Co. B. Genealogy: Born- July 8, 1842, in Kanawha Co., WVa
The battle of New Market should interest many West Virginians because many of their young men were cadets in the battle. Here is a list of the ones I could find so far. Click on the blue links for photos.
Arbuckle, Andrew Alexander (1867) -Andrew Alexander Arbuckle, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. D. Genealogy: Born- June 16, 1847 in Greenbrier Co.
Boggess, Albert (1864) -Albert Boggess, Class of 1864: New Market Cadet; 2nd Lt., Co. C. Genealogy: Born- April 23, 1839 at Ten Mile Creek, Va. now Lumberport, WVa.
Bennett, William George (1866) -William George Bennett, Class of 1866. New Market Cadet (Lewis County). Bennett was the son of Jonathan M. Bennett of Lewis County, the Virginia state auditor
during the Civil War. His mother was also a cousin of Stonewall Jackson
Buffington, Edward Stanard (1867) -Edward Stanard Buffington, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. C. Genealogy: Born- August 11, 1847, in Cabell Co., West Va
Douglass, James Travilla (1865) -James Travilla Douglass, Class of 1865: New Market Cadet; Sergeant, Co. A. Genealogy: Born- September 9, 1844 in Mordington, West Va
Dunn, John Robert (1867) -Born on November 4, 1846. Matriculated on September 17, 1863. Graduated in 1867. Died on November 8, 1906. John Robert Dunn, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. C. Genealogy: Born- November 4, 1846 in Greenbrier Co. W. Va
Early, John Cabell (1867) -John Cabell Early, Class of 1867. New Market Cadet. Private, Company C, New Market Corps; Genealogy: Born- February 29, 1848 in Charleston, WV
Evans, Oliver Perry (1865) -Oliver Perry Evans, Class of 1865, New Market Cadet. Genealogy: Born- June 2, 1842 near Jackson Court House, West Virginia. Oliver Perry was the flag bearer in the battle. His fellow West Virginian, Porter Johnson, wrote of him many decades later-
"Another man I marked with attention was Oliver Evans (Poor fellow, Anderson just writes me that he has heard from a friend in Cal. that he answered the last roll call). Evans was just in front of me and I could and did see him well. I have read of the joy of battle but I never saw it so fully illustrated as in his case. I do not think he would have exchanged places with Gen. Breckinridge himself. He would glance back over his shoulder occasionally and I would catch his eye (I knew him well). His whole face was wreathed in smiles and seemed to radiate joy and happiness, his form seemed to swell and grow in size, and as he carried that banner so gloriously and shook back his golden locks he appeared to me the most inspiring figure on that gory field. Indeed a very 'God of Battle.' "
Faulkner, Charles James (1867) -Charles James Faulkner, Jr., Class of 1867: New Market Cadet, Private, Co. B. Genealogy: Born- September 21, 1847 in Martinsburg, W. Va
Gibson, Franklin Graham (1868) -Franklin Graham Gibson, Class of 1868: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. B. Genealogy: Born- November 24, 1844, in Lewis Co., W. Va.
Johnson, Porter (1867) -Porter Johnson, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. B. Genealogy: Born- October 19, 1845, Pruntytown, Taylor Co. [West] Virginia.
McClung, Thomas William (1867) -Thomas William McClung, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. D. Genealogy: Born- March 8, 1847, in Greenbrier County, W.Va.
Raum, George Edward (1867) -George Edward Raum, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. A. Genealogy: Born- August 22, 1846, in Charlestown, WVa.
Ricketts, Lucien Cincinnatus (1867) -Lucien Cincinnatus Ricketts, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. C. Genealogy: Born- August 22, 1847, in Guyandotte, W. Va.
Shriver, Samuel Sprigg (1864) -Samuel Sprigg Shriver, Class of 1864: New Market Cadet; Fourth Cadet Captain, Commander of Co. C. Genealogy: Born- January 9, 1843, at Wheeling, W. Va
Skaggs, Sanford Bernard (1866) -Sanford Bernard Skaggs, Class of 1866. New Market Cadet. Genealogy: Born- June 16, 1845. Lived in Blue Sulpher Springs, Va. (now W. Va.)
Thomson, Augustus Pembroke (1866) -Augustus Pembroke Thomson, Class of 1866: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. A. Genealogy: Born- January 11, 1847, Jefferson Co. WVa.
Smith, William Taylor (1867) -William Taylor Smith, Class of 1867: New Market Cadet; Private, Co. C. Genealogy: Born- April 26, 1838? 1844?, in Clarksburg, [now] WVA.
Welch, Levi (1864) -Levi Welch, Class of 1864: New Market Cadet; 2nd Lt., Co. B. Genealogy: Born- July 8, 1842, in Kanawha Co., WVa
It is interesting (but not surprising) to note that one of the Wheeling Shrivers was a VMI Cadet. That family was strongly attached to Virginia and (as I mentioned before) raised an entire company of Confederates in Wheeling that was part of the Stonewall Brigade. The Shriver home is still standing in Victorian (North) Wheeling, and there is a group of re-enactors in the Wheeling area named after that unit.
Some of the Shriver family still reside in the Wheeling area.
The VMI cadets I listed were mostly from wealthy and connected families. The Shrivers, of course, as well as the Arbuckles of Greenbrier, who were of the planter class. Charles J. Faulkner's father had been the American ambassador to France until Lincoln had him arrested for buying arms for the Confederacy in France. The Bennett family of Lewis County were very influential, as well as the Boggess family. It took good connections to get into VMI.
Despite their status they were put to a hard duty on that day when Breckenridge put the cadets into the fight to fill in a gap in his line. Here is a painting of the cadets charge, up high in the painting the figure holding the flag on the front line would have been Oliver Perry Evans of Jackson County.
So would y'all consider Weston, Buckhannon, and Elkins culturally more Southern or northern? Are they part of North Central?
What about Point Pleasant and Ripley? Then there's the Ohio Valley and other areas bordering Ohio like Huntington. There are those who say the parts of WV bordering Ohio have a strong Midwestern influence and feel like the Midwest (well there IS a surprising amount of flat farmland near Point Pleasant) and others who say that southern Ohio is Southern.
Location: Appalachian New York, Formerly Louisiana
4,409 posts, read 6,536,583 times
Reputation: 6253
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70
So would y'all consider Weston, Buckhannon, and Elkins culturally more Southern or northern? Are they part of North Central?
What about Point Pleasant and Ripley? Then there's the Ohio Valley and other areas bordering Ohio like Huntington. There are those who say the parts of WV bordering Ohio have a strong Midwestern influence and feel like the Midwest (well there IS a surprising amount of flat farmland near Point Pleasant) and others who say that southern Ohio is Southern.
I've argued this to death, Ohio is not southern. There are influences in the border areas, just as there are northern influences on the south side of the same region. That doesn't make Kentucky northern and it doesn't make Ohio southern.
Aside from that, I've been to Elkins and honest to God with the exception of dominant accents that place feels and looks just like anywhere in PA or the less-Canadian parts of upstate NY, to me.
I've also been to Beckley and that area feels undoubtedly southern to me. Even the forestry seems to have more of a southern appearance to it.
On Huntington, quoted from Wikipedia-
"Although situated in a Southern state, Huntington was originally considered a western city. Huntington is influenced by Appalachian Culture, Southern culture, Midwestern culture, and Mid-Atlantic culture. It is often referred to as one of the northernmost cities in the South or one of the southernmost cities in the North."
That seems to depend solely on where you view it from.
I think a rough line dividing the more Northern culture and Southern culture in WV could be made just North of Huntington/Charleston and going over to just South of Elkins. I think counties like Mason, Jackson, Roane, Braxton, Randolph and Pendelton could be on the North side of the line, and counties like Cabell, Kanawha, Clay, Webster and Pocahontas would be on the South side. I have lived in the Charleston area, Morgantown, and now on the border of Ohio. I have seen differences each place I've lived. There is no doubt Morgantown is Northern. Charleston is an interesting mix. Living along the Ohio River is definitely more like the Appalachian portion of Ohio (which interestingly is much like WV). But since it seems more like Ohio here, I would place it on the North side. Just my opinion.
Living along the Ohio River is definitely more like the Appalachian portion of Ohio (which interestingly is much like WV)
When I visited Athens, Ohio, I thought I was in West Virginia. I had no idea that the Appalachians extended into Ohio. One thing I did notice is that the locals in Athens did not have twangy accents. Yet, the people on the West Virginia side did (of sorts). My guess is that the river prevented both accents from crossing over.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WV guy
I think a rough line dividing the more Northern culture and Southern culture in WV could be made just North of Huntington/Charleston and going over to just South of Elkins. I think counties like Mason, Jackson, Roane, Braxton, Randolph and Pendelton could be on the North side of the line, and counties like Cabell, Kanawha, Clay, Webster and Pocahontas would be on the South side.
Missouri, the other mixed state seems more jumbled. I have met people in rural areas who seemed to be southren, yet they were living further north of areas that seemed strongly mid western. Even in the same area of relatively southeren Missouri, some locals struck me as southeren and others did not.
Out of all the regions, i feel that West Virginia aligns most closely with the Midwest. Living in the metro Northeastern US and originally from Northern WV, I definitely feel that West Virginia is more culturally like Ohio than it is Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Eastern PA, etc. The east coast is much, MUCH more fast paced than anywhere in the state; yet northern WV is far from being southern. However this is a pretty large generalization and in reality all the different sections of the state align with various regions. For example; The northern panhandle and Ohio Valley (down to Point Pleasant, approx.)= highly midwestern, much like eastern Ohio. North Central (Monongalia, Marion, Harrison, Taylor, and Doddridge counties NOT including Preston and Tucker counties)=Southwestern PA; the whole Morgantown-Fairmont-Clarksburg corridor has a strong affinity to Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas more than anywhere else. North Central-Preston and Tucker counties= Western MD; much more of that Mountain resort atmosphere that Garrett county has. Huntington=Kentucky, southern Midwest. Elkins and the Western portion of the Eastern Panhandle=Appalachian Virginia. Eastern Panhandle= the only somewhat fast paced part of the state that gives an east coast vibe; much like Metro DC/VA/MD. The rest of the state is definitely southern in most ways from my experience.
Out of all the regions, i feel that West Virginia aligns most closely with the Midwest. Living in the metro Northeastern US and originally from Northern WV, I definitely feel that West Virginia is more culturally like Ohio than it is Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Eastern PA, etc. The east coast is much, MUCH more fast paced than anywhere in the state; yet northern WV is far from being southern. However this is a pretty large generalization and in reality all the different sections of the state align with various regions. For example; The northern panhandle and Ohio Valley (down to Point Pleasant, approx.)= highly midwestern, much like eastern Ohio. North Central (Monongalia, Marion, Harrison, Taylor, and Doddridge counties NOT including Preston and Tucker counties)=Southwestern PA; the whole Morgantown-Fairmont-Clarksburg corridor has a strong affinity to Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas more than anywhere else. North Central-Preston and Tucker counties= Western MD; much more of that Mountain resort atmosphere that Garrett county has. Huntington=Kentucky, southern Midwest. Elkins and the Western portion of the Eastern Panhandle=Appalachian Virginia. Eastern Panhandle= the only somewhat fast paced part of the state that gives an east coast vibe; much like Metro DC/VA/MD. The rest of the state is definitely southern in most ways from my experience.
Gotta disagree with you a tad.. Elkins is much more linguistically tied to Pittsburgh than "Appalachian Virginia". While the strong Pittsburgh accent isn't heard here as much, many residents are either from Pittsburgh or their grand-parents (mine) were. There are still Pittsburghese words spoken here that are unfamiliar to other areas. Sports-wise this this strongly Steelers, Pirates, and Pens territory. We receive as much snow as if not more than Pittsburgh compared to mountainous/hilly Virginia which has affected the way the locals live. Older architecture is very reminiscent of PA style homes and the economies were vastly different. That area of VA has branched out and includes Pendelton County but despite being so close geographically to Harrisonburg, VA, the mountainous terrain between the two has created a large barrier. Are there similarities? yes. But the area is more aligned with the Pittsburgh region than VA or the DC area.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
