The first European-American settlers in present-day West Virginia were pioneers seeking a new life, drawn by the cool mountain air and fertile valleys. They built homes, hunted, trapped, and gathered food all using either their bare hands or tools they had made. As they cleared land for crops and animals, farming became more important, especially in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Until the late 1800s, most people lived by subsistence farming, growing their own food and making what they needed. Families used their land and nearby forests as sources for food, building materials, and clothing. Early industries, like grain grinding and cloth making, were closely linked to farming.