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WEST VIRGINIA GOVERNORS
This information
is courtesy of the State of West Virginia and the West Virginia State Archives
- Arthur Ingram Boreman (1863-1869)
- He was the first governor of West Virginia. He presided over the Wheeling
Convention when reorganization occurred at the beginning of the Civil War.
He resigned near the end of his third term to serve in the U.S. Senate
- Daniel Duane Tompkins Farnsworth
(26 Feb 1869 - 4 Mar 1869) - He only served for six days! This was the time
between the resignation of Governor Boreman (who moved to the U.S. Senate)
and the inauguration of the newly-elected Governor Stevenson.
- William Erskine Stevenson
(1869-1871) - He encouraged the repeal of loyalty test oath laws for former
Confederates and restored their right to vote.
- John Jeremiah Jacob (1871-1877)
- He tried to bring peace between Union advocates and Confederate sympathizers.
The state constitution was written and adopted during his first term.
- Henry Mason Mathews (1877-1881)
- He had been elected to the U.S. Senate, but did not take his seat after
refusing to take the loyalty test oath. He had been in the Confederate Army
during the Civil War. Later, after the loyalty oath law was repealed, he was
elected governor. He called in the federal and state troops on many occasions
to quell mine and rail strikes in the state.
- Jacob Beeson Jackson (1881-1885)
- He was an advocate of tax reform. He also increased property values to provide
funds for state institutions.
- Emanuel Willis Wilson (1885-1890)
- He opposed unfair railroad practices and general monopolies. He served almost
a year beyond the end of his elected term due to an election dispute.
- Aretas Brooks Fleming (1890-1893)
- He was one of four who claimed the governor's seat in a disputed election.
During his term the Australian ballot law was enacted. This law provided for
uniform printed ballots.
- William Alexander MacCorkle
(1893-1897) - He was elected governor when only 35 years old. He promoted
the state greatly during his term. There were many labor problems with the
railroads and mines at this time.
- George Wesley Atkinson
(1897-1901) - He helped to regulate labor laws in the state by asking the
legislature for an eight-hour work day, a child labor law and proper working
conditions for women.
- Albert Blakeslee White
(1901-1905) - He worked tirelessly with the state's faulty tax structure and
pushed for reforms.
- William Mercer Owens Dawson
(1905-1909) - He had the old capitol condemned due to fire prevention problems
and proposed building a new building. He also proposed a tax program to increase
state revenues.
- William Ellsworth Glasscock
(1909-1913) - During the mine wars in 1912, he declared martial law. There
was labor unrest during his entire term.
- Henry Hatfield (1913-1917)
- He worked personally with mine owners and laborers to resolve differences.
He also pushed for one of the first workmen's compensation laws in the country.
- John Jacob Cornwell (1917-1921)
- He created a state police force due to violence in the mines. $50 million
was allotted to pave dirt roads in the state.
- Ephraim Franklin Morgan
(1921-1925) - He worked hard for highway safety laws and established a road
commission. The mine wars came to an end during this term in 1923.
- Howard Mason Gore (1925-1929)
- Gasoline tax was increased to raise funds for road construction. An additional
$35 million was approved for highways by the voters.
- William Gustavus Conley
(1929-1933) - Because of his tenure during the depression, much of his administration
was concerned with poor economic conditions in the state.
- Herman Guy Kump (1933-1937)
- The state's first consumer sales tax was enacted during this term to help
put the state in good financial standing. A personal income tax was added
and the of the Department of Public Assistance was also created.
- Homer Adams Holt (1937-1941)
- He was anti-labor and stepped in quickly when strikes were threatened. The
economy improved during his term.
- Matthew Mansfield Neely
(1941-1945) - A democrat who was a friend of labor. During his term mine inspections
were started, he created a Human Relations Commission and increased welfare
grants.
- Clarence Watson Meadows
(1945-1949) - He was instrumental in the reorganization of many state agencies
for more efficiency and less politics. He also fought for raises for teachers
and took more action in resolving strikes in the state.
- Okey Leonidas Patteson
(1949-1953) - He located the state medical school at Morgantown. He also pledged
cash bonuses for veterans and passed new taxes on beer, wine and cigarettes.
The new taxes were levied to provide funds for these bonuses.
- William Casey Marland (1953-1957)
- He introduced a tax on natural resource industries to fund roads and school
programs, but the tax was defeated in the legislature. He supported school
integration.
- Cecil Harland Underwood
(1957-1961) - He was the first Republican governor in 24 years which made
it difficult in dealing with the strongly Democratic legislature. He brought
about a temporary employment program for coal miners as mechanization in the
mines brought thousands unemployment.
- William Wallace Barron
(1961-1965) - Unemployment declined from 100,000 to less than 45,000 during
his term. He also helped the state park system to expand.
- Hulett Carlson Smith (1965-1969)
- He worked for legislation to control strip mines. The restoration of the
Governor's mansion was completed and state employees were placed under civil
service coverage.
- Arch Alfred Moore, Jr.
(1969-1977) - He served two terms with advances in road construction, welfare,
education and mental health.
- John Davidson Rockefeller IV
(1977-1985) - He eliminated the existing sales tax on food. He also attracted
foreign investors to the state.
- Arch Alfred Moore, Jr.
(1985-1989) - He was elected to a third term.
- Gaston Caperton (1989-1997)
- He was instrumental in helping the state educational system to evolve and
become improved with a nationally-recognized education technology program
and school building initiative. The state highways and roads were improved
as well as the state experiencing an unprecedented job growth during his term.
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This page was created 21 June 1999
This page was last updated 23 September
2006 at 9:44 pm
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