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Big Bill Lias
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Jul 14, 1900
William George "Big Bill" Lias was born in Wheeling
1920
Big Bill Lias started a career in the illegal sale and distribution of liquor Other events that happened on or around 1920 Women received the right to vote State apple-packing plant in Inwood was established Walter Barnes wrote Types of Children's Literature 14 West Virginia cities and towns had professional baseball Braxton's population peaked at 23,973 Alonzo Brooks published West Virginia Trees Izetta Brown was first woman to second a presidential nominee, John W. Davis Chauncey H. Browning graduated from Logan High School City Hospital was moved to Camden mansion on Garfield Avenue in Parkersburg Don Chafin was reelected as sheriff Louis Watson Chappell received his M.A. from University of Virginia The Union Carbide Company bought small refinery near Clendenin Matthew Wesley Clair, Sr. was elected bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church Fayette County population jumped to 60,377 Caroline Gentry released The Key to Power, a movie The Glen Ferris Inn was sold to a subsidiary of Union Carbide Voters approved the Good Roads amendment Grafton reached its peak population of 8,517 H. B. Moore and his brothers purchased the school and reorganized it as the Greenbrier Military School Harrison County population rose to 74,783 Sid Hatfield assisted a United Mine Workers campaign to organize Tug Fork miners The Clarksburg factory of the Hazel Atlas Glass Company had 15 acres of floor space, employed 1,200 people and shipped all over the world Chemical firms in the Kanawha Valley began expanding rapidly Census reported 6,260 Hungarians in West Virginia Union organizing led to confrontations at Matewan and Blair Mountain La Belle Ironworks merged with Wheeling Iron and Steel and Whitaker-Glessner Company to form Wheeling Steel Corporation Ann Johnson Gates became the first woman member of the West Virginia legislature The legislator salary was set at $500 High school at Walkersville was constructed John L. Lewis became the president of the UMWA Minnie Lowther moved to Washington Jacob Marcus attained his rabbinical ordination William Marsh stopped serving as president of the M. Marsh and Son company Marshall became a four-year college The name was changed from Martinsburg West Virginia Evening Journal to Martinsburg Journal McDowell was the third most populous county in the state Willow Glen mansion, known in the Wheeling area as McKinley's Palace, was completed James Miller ran unsuccessfully for secretary of state James Miller left as judge Additional land for Monongahela National Forest was purchased The B&O leased the Morgantown & Kingwood The National Bank of Commerce moved to Charleston and was renamed the State Street Bank The Parkersburg Daily Sentinel ceased publication. Monongahela National Forest was created. Jennings Randolph graduated from Salem Academy. The buildings at Red Sulphur Springs were dismantled and the resort ceased operation. Red Ribble moved to Mount Hope The third courthouse at Ripley was built There were 398 sawmills operating in West Virginia The United Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate Veterans decided to erect a memorial to Heyward Shepherd W. H. S White became president of Shepherd College Matthew Holt was the Socialist candidate for governor James Weldon Johnson was responsible for publishing Anne Spencer's " Before the Feast at Shushan" P. D. Strausbaugh received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Howard Sutherland made a bid for presidency of United States Union Carbide purchased a small refinery at Clendenin C. W. Ferguson III was born Webster County population was 11,000 Weirton population was at 8,000 Welch population was at 3,232 West Liberty's first dorms were built Riley Wilson ran unsuccessfully for Congress Carter G. Woodson left Howard University Carter G. Woodson began Dean of the West Virginia Collegiate Institution (now West Virginia State University)
1934
Big Bill Lias' first wife mysteriously died Other events that happened on or around 1934 Interwoven Mills took part in the Textile Workers of America's nationwide strike Iris Bell was born in Charleston The state Department of Public Welfare established Kamp Kump in Winfield Hazel Hyre became the first female state senator, filling the unexpired term of her dead husband Paul Williams was born The Civilian Conservation Corps boys began building cabins at Camp Hardy, now Lost River State Park Louis Marx & Company opened the world's largest toy plant in Glen Dale, Marshall County Clarence Meadows married Nancy Massie Tomas E. Posey published The Negro Citizen of West Virginia The first North-South Football Game occurred
1939
Big Bill Lias opened a string of casino-nightclubs along Market Street in Wheeling Other events that happened on or around 1939 Robert Strider became bishop of the Episcopal Church George Bird Evans bought a historic farm near Brandonville Farm tenancy prevailed on 25% of all West Virginia farms Harcourt, Brace and Company published Louise McNeill's book of poems, Gauley Mountain Harcourt, Brace and Company published Louise McNeill's book of poems, Gauley Mountain There were reported 55 one-room schools in Gilmer County West Virginia Conservation Commission purchased land for roadside park, now Grandview Davis Grubb went to New York City as a page for NBC Davis Grubb's first commercial writing was a show for WBLK-Clarksburg Gov. Homer Holt sent a letter promising support if the striking miners in Fayette, Raleigh, Mercer and McDowell counties returned to work without labor contract Enrollment at Marshall College (now University) peaked at 2,177 students Louise McNeill married Roger Pease Bishop Edwin Holt Hughes was instrumental in uniting the three branches of the Methodist Church
1945
Big Bill Lias purchased Wheeling downs racetrack on Wheeling Island Other events that happened on or around 1945 Alderson-Broaddus College (now University) established the first baccalaureate nursing program in West Virginia William "Wally" Barron was discharged from the army as a sergeant Normantown won unclassified basketball tournaments against all Florence Blanchfield received the Distinguished Service Medal Bill Blizzard was appointed president of UMWA District 17 Harry Brawley became director of political affairs at Charleston radio WCHS Bill approved for a city-county hospital in Huntington Fannie Cobb Carter became dean of women at National Trade and Professional School for Women and Girls in Washington Extension of Route 39 linking Richwood to Marlinton was finished Oliver Chitwood published the first volume of A Short History of the American People George W. Hand became the president of Fairmont State College Ann Flagg graduated from West Virginia State College (now University) U.S. Forest Service reports 8.7 billion board feet of timber volume Gunner Gatski played at Auburn University General Dwight D. Eisenhower vacationed at the Greenbrier resort hospital upon returning from Europe Alberta Pierson Hannum wrote Spin a Silver dollar: The Story of a Desert Trading Post The name Happy Retreat was restored after being named Mordington by Isaac Douglas The West Virginia Health Department assumed advisory medical supervision of state hospitals Joseph Hodges began serving as director of the Roman Catholic Diocesan Mission Band in Richmond, VA Italian POWs were repatriated, and many returned to America Maryat Lee graduated from Wellesley College in religious studies Dora Ruth Parks became the executive secretary of the Library Commission The United Zinc Smelting Corporation ceased operations in Marshall County Bernard McDonough began a concrete business in Houston The UMWA proposed a royalty to 10 cents per ton of coal to be paid to the union to provide medical services in the coalfields The Monongahela Power & Railway Company changed to Monongahela Power Company, discontinuing street car business The first issue of the bi-monthly National Hillbilly News appeared Otis Rice received an M.A. in education at WVU Eleanor Roosevelt began serving as U.S. representative to the United Nations Louis Jordan composed "Salt Pork, West Virginia" The one-room Cave School located in Germany Valley, Pendleton County, closed Julia Davis published The Shenandoah Julia Davis published The Shenandoah The Strayer Report recommended basic reforms in the delivery of public education in West Virginia The Sunrise mansion and adjoining mansion were acquired by the Salvation Army Legislation to protect the environment from surface mining was enacted The state of West Virginia purchased the Sweet Springs property and established the Andrew S. Rowan Memorial Home Clint Thomas began working in the state capitol as messenger for the Department of Mines Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) enrollment was at 2,000 students There were 225 students enrolled at West Liberty Kelly Miller was hired to coach at West Virginia State Victorine Louistall became the first African-America female to earn a graduate degree from WVU Reported 6,000 wild turkeys in West Virginia M.J. Horsch became president of West Virginia Institute of Technology John Ross Eakin suffered a stroke, ending his National Park Service career
1948
The federal government charged Big Bill Lias with income tax evasion Other events that happened on or around 1948 Peak production of coal in West Virginia Clair Bee wrote Touchdown Pass Charles Town Opera House was closed Westvaco Chemical Corporation became part of FMC Oliver Chitwood published the second volume of A Short History of the American People President Irvin Stewart approved Earl Core's proposal to found WVU arboretum Five floors were added to the 1941 addition of the Diamond Department Store Little Jimmy Dickens signed with Columbia Records Joanne Dru appeared in Red River The Edwards Moonlight was rehulled K. K. Hall was elected mayor of Madison Roy Lee Harmon wrote Up the Creek Virgil Carrington Jones wrote The Hatfield and McCoys, published by University of North Carolina Press The music department of Concord College awarded the first degree in music education Louis Johnson chaired President Truman's finance committee The Lilly Brothers moved to WWVA Wheeling where they worked with Red Belcher The appointment of a separate dean for the Marshall College graduate school began An addition was built to Louis Marx & Company facility for plastic toys Bernard McDonough bought the Kanawha Sand & Gravel company Herbert Chester Greer died John Nash entered the doctoral program at Princeton University The Spirit of Jefferson newspaper merged with the Farmers' Advocate The last case of smallpox in West Virginia was reported Jack Rollins joined music publishers Hill and Range in New York West Virginia State College romped through an undefeated basketball season, winning the regular season and tournament championships Construction began on the state police academy Eleanor Steber sang at the Republican National Convention Eleanor Steber commissioned and premiered Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 Stone & Thomas opened a new store in downtown Charleston P. D. Strausbaugh retired from WVU The Federal Communications Commission granted approval for the construction WSAZ television in Huntington Andre Van Damme settle in Charleston WAJR-FM (now WVAQ) began broadcasting in Morgantown The West Virginia Review ceased publication WVU enrollment at 8,069 A physical therapy department was opened at Wheeling Hospital WHIS radio increased to 5,000 watts The Shott brothers made a premature effort at an FM station Frankie Yankovic was voted “America’s Polka King” by an 8-to-1 margin at a contest sponsored by record companies
1952
The Wheeling Downs racetrack and other assets of Big Bill Lias were seized by the federal government Other events that happened on or around 1952 Raleigh County Memorial Airport built Charleston baseball joined the American Association, class AAA Henry Lake Dickason retired as president of Bluefield State Teachers College (now University) The Lilly Brothers of Raleigh County relocated to Boston Widen was scene of fatal labor confrontation Consolidated Bus Lines traveled 5,873,468 miles Virginia Ruth "Dagmar" Egnor began own variety show, Dagmar's Canteen John W. Davis argued for the continuation of racial segregation in South Carolina before the U.S. Supreme Court Briggs v. Elliot, later Brown v. Board of Education John Warren Davis accepted a U.S. government appointment in Liberia A wing to the Denmar Hospital building was completed Fairmont State College president George W. Hand lost his position by refusing to fire Luella Raab Mundell Ann Kathryn Flagg resigned her teaching position at Dunbar High School in Fairmont and became director of Children's Theater in Cleveland U.S. Forest Service published reports on West Virginia Forests Report stated that 64% of the state was forested Gunner Gatski earned All-Pro honors in football The Health and Physical Education Building at Glenville State College was dedicated Original Mound Museum opened at Grave Creek Mound K. K. Hall became circuit judge of West Virginia's 25th Judicial Circuit Joseph Hodges was made an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Richmond Johnnie Johnson moved to St. Louis and hired Chuck Berry to be in the Johnnie Johnson Trio The 167th Fighter Squadron returned to West Virginia The current number of members was established for the House of Delegates Library service was improved with creation of regional library systems Hobert Skidmore wrote The Years Are Even Lock No. 1 on the Big Sandy was closed Walter Martens became a fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a distinctive honor The Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad was merged into the New York Central System Walter Reuther was elected president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations Jack Rollins wrote "Smokey the Bear" WVU's Mark Workman became All-American in basketball Jim Sprouse began serving with the Central Intelligence Agency Spruce Knob Lake was constructed as a fishing lake P. D. Strausbaugh published Part One of Flora of West Virginia Planning for Sutton Dam was suspended because of Korean War WSAZ-TV in Huntington became channel 3 S. A. Abram began redevelopment of the old seminary grounds at Hilltop, near Oak Hill in Fayette County The Bluestone Dam and Lake was completed A strike at Widen occurred Virginia Mae Brown was named West Virginia’s first woman assistant attorney general
Jun 01, 1970
Big Bill Lias died in Wheeling View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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