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Brian, this topic should not be on this forum. It would be inappropriate to respond to that. I believe there is a political forum some place and you should post it there.
CT is probably right as this would get heated, but I know my answer: William Erskine Stevenson. From the WV Archives and History:
"March 18, 1820 - November 29, 1883
(R) Wood County
Elected governor in 1868
William Erskine Stevenson was born in Warren, Pennsylvania. In 1829, he moved to Pittsburgh and worked as a cabinet maker's apprentice. He was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature in 1856, but moved to Valley Mills, Wood County, before his term expired. Stevenson served in the first state constitutional convention in November 1861, and was elected to the first West Virginia Senate in 1863, serving as president from 1865 to 1868.
As governor, Stevenson successfully advocated for the right of Confederate veterans to vote. Ironically, most Confederates were Democrats, leading to Stevenson's defeat for re-election in 1870. He supported equal education rights for blacks, increased immigration, improved transportation, and the development of industry. During his term, in 1870, the entire state government moved from Wheeling to Charleston, the first of three relocations.
After leaving the governor's office, Stevenson published the Parkersburg State Journal with O. G. Scofield until early 1882, when they sold the business to future governor Albert B. White. Stevenson held the position of receiver for the West Virginia Oil and Land Company until shortly before his death in 1883."
Yeah, I know that's probably a drastic overstatement of his work, but still, who can argue with that portrait?
William C. Marland, Governor from 1953-1957, from Wyoming County. Interesting life story
Met Cecil Underwood campaigning in McDowell County, pretty nice down to earth guy.
Talk about an interesting guy. He did a lot of great things for the state (and some questionable things too). Got Kaiser Aluminum here, I believe. After he left office he eventually became a cabbie in Chicago, right?
Talk about an interesting guy. He did a lot of great things for the state (and some questionable things too). Got Kaiser Aluminum here, I believe. After he left office he eventually became a cabbie in Chicago, right?
Yes he is the one who became a cabbie in Chicago, there was a sign goin into Wyoming County that had his name on it. Our history teacher use to tell us stories about him, knew his family.
William Casey Marland (March 26, 1918 – November 26, 1965), a Democrat, was the 24th Governor of West Virginia from 1953 to 1957. He is best known for his early attempts to tax companies that depleted the state's natural resources, especially coal, as well as overseeing the generally non-violent implementation of school desegregation, during an era when other Southern governors opposed it.
Contents [hide]
1 Biography
2 Later years
3 References
4 External links
Biography[edit]
Son of a mining boss, Joseph Wesley and Maude Casey Marland, he was born in Johnston City, Illinois on March 26, 1918. His family moved to the coal town of Glen Rogers in Wyoming County, West Virginia when he was seven. During World War II, he served as a Navy lieutenant in the Pacific theater, completing four tours. He attended the University of Alabama, where he was a star football player, and received a law degree from West Virginia University in 1947. He married Valerie Allen Marland in 1942, and they had three children: William Allen, Susan Lynn, and John Wesley.
Allen was appointed law clerk to Federal Judge Ben Moore, and in August 1948, he was appointed Assistant Attorney General. Upon resignation of former Attorney General Ira J. Partlow December 1, 1949, he was appointed Attorney General. In November 1950, he was elected to the office.[1]
Later years[edit]
The pressures on Marland may have contributed to the development of alcoholism. Accusations that he drank heavily in office or at inappropriate times during the day have been made by Underwood.[2]
After his second Senate loss, Marland worked as an attorney, eventually relocating to the Chicago area.
In the early 1960s, the ex-governor gave up drinking. But it was not his fate to live out his life as a private individual. A few years after his recovery, he was recognized by a Chicago Sun-Times reporter. Marland indicated that he was working as a taxi driver, and a subsequent article was released to wire services on April 13, 1965. The story received great attention in West Virginia and nationally.
Knowing that the story was about to break and concerned about damage to his family, he called a press conference and spoke candidly about his alcoholism, how he overcame it, and his reasons for driving a taxi: to hold in check a level of ambition that may have contributed to his drinking.
His fortunes dramatically changed for the better. He was soon invited to appear on Jack Paar's television talk show, and was hired to run a West Virginia horse racing concern.
But shortly thereafter, he was struck down by pancreatic cancer. He died of the disease in his Barrington, Illinois home, attended by his wife, children, other relatives, and family friends, on November 26, 1965. His widow followed him in death in 1977.
Brian, this topic should not be on this forum. It would be inappropriate to respond to that. I believe there is a political forum some place and you should post it there.
As long as the topic is about history, not the good old partisan us vs them fight, all is good.
So please, everybody, before this gets out of hand - stay calm and respectful and agree to disagree. It's not that hard
Yac.
CT is probably right as this would get heated, but I know my answer: William Erskine Stevenson. From the WV Archives and History:
"March 18, 1820 - November 29, 1883
(R) Wood County
Elected governor in 1868
William Erskine Stevenson was born in Warren, Pennsylvania. In 1829, he moved to Pittsburgh and worked as a cabinet maker's apprentice. He was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature in 1856, but moved to Valley Mills, Wood County, before his term expired. Stevenson served in the first state constitutional convention in November 1861, and was elected to the first West Virginia Senate in 1863, serving as president from 1865 to 1868.
As governor, Stevenson successfully advocated for the right of Confederate veterans to vote. Ironically, most Confederates were Democrats, leading to Stevenson's defeat for re-election in 1870. He supported equal education rights for blacks, increased immigration, improved transportation, and the development of industry. During his term, in 1870, the entire state government moved from Wheeling to Charleston, the first of three relocations.
After leaving the governor's office, Stevenson published the Parkersburg State Journal with O. G. Scofield until early 1882, when they sold the business to future governor Albert B. White. Stevenson held the position of receiver for the West Virginia Oil and Land Company until shortly before his death in 1883."
Yeah, I know that's probably a drastic overstatement of his work, but still, who can argue with that portrait?
Yeh that portrait makes him look like a slick charmer who got things done.
Marland would have to be my pick as well. Though during my lifetime, I'd have to say it was Gaston Caperton, who made vast improvements in the state's schools and transportation infrastructure.
But Gaston also plunged the state into debt from which it has never really recovered, and wasted more than $160 million on the prison boondoggle in Fayette County and another $30 million on a football stadium that has never once been filled up. He also bloated the bureaucracy. My personal favorite would have to be Marland. He is a man who overcame addiction and found a way to cope with it. In my opinion, that is an even bigger accomplishment for somebody than becoming Governor.
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