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Here is a link to a transcript from the Constitutional Convention of 1861, a debate on the name. There was a fight between the native-born Virginians and the northerners at the Convention, like Van Winkle. The Naming of West Virginia
Here is a link to a transcript from the Constitutional Convention of 1861, a debate on the name. There was a fight between the native-born Virginians and the northerners at the Convention, like Van Winkle. The Naming of West Virginia
I read the transcript on the naming of West Virginia, very interesting. I have always thought the history behind the formation of the state was interesting this just adds another element to it.
I read the transcript on the naming of West Virginia, very interesting. I have always thought the history behind the formation of the state was interesting this just adds another element to it.
If you are interested in state history here is a link to my website. I've put a lot of material there that is not available in most histories. As the historian Richard Curry said over 50 years ago, the trouble with West Virginia history is not what it says, but what it leaves out.
If you are interested in state history here is a link to my website. I've put a lot of material there that is not available in most histories. As the historian Richard Curry said over 50 years ago, the trouble with West Virginia history is not what it says, but what it leaves out.
Thank you very much for posting the link. I'm glad you were able to get your site back up after GeoCities shut down. I've looked at your material often and find it fascinating. How did you manage to gather this information?
Hi, Mensaguy. I'm a lot happier with the Google site than the Geocities, it looks a lot better and it's fairly easy to maintain. The material has been very hard to track down, none of it is in a single, handy volume. The 2 books that started me off were McGregor's "The Disruption of Virginia" and the other Richard O. Curry's "A House Divided". They gave me the direction of where to look next, and I am always finding new things. I had heard about James Carter Linger's "Confederate Military Units of West Virginia" but could never track down a copy, but I just did a Google search for his name and there he was in Tulsa, so I wrote to him a got a copy, which has been very useful.
My current interest is in West Virginia's Civil War monuments. Because of the trouble Wheeling had in getting West Virginians to sign up with the Union army, the majority of the early Union regiments are not West Virginian but mostly from Ohio and Penn. Which is why I get a little bothered by our memorials at Gettysburg. Company C WV Artillery was from Ohio, the 7th WV Infantry contained about 40% non-WVians, the 1st WV Cavalry was 62% non-Wvian and the 2 companies of the 3rd WV Cavalry were mostly WV. So roughly half were Pennsylvanians and Ohioans who were there to kill real West Virginians, most of whom were under the command of Jeb Stuart. There were probably about 3 times as many WVians in gray at Gettsyburg than blue, and no one has paid any attention to this. Even worse is the Vicksburg monument to the 4th WV Infantry, which was from Ohio (about 80%).
When the first state government was inaugurated in 1863, it was headed by Gov. Arthur Boreman (of Pennsylvania), and one-third of the members of the first Legislature were non-WVians.
Anyway, I'm glad you like the site and I will add to it as I get more information. Thanks for the feedback.
Bobilee, thanks for posting the link. Your site was quite an interesting read. Well done, nice layout & look of it.
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