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Ritchie County
Go back to Ritchie County
1788
George Lemon was born Other events that happened on or around 1788 Artist John Drinker was active in Pocahontas County Gen. William Darke voted for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution during the Virginia ratifying convention Daniel Boone and his family settled near mouth of Kanawha River Dr. Henry Harvey was born in Fincastle, Virginia Pendleton County was formed. Franklin originated as county seat of Pendleton County David E. Jackson was born The first Mennonites in West Virginia settled near Lewisburg John Stuart was a member of the Virginia convention that advocated ratification of the U.S. Constitution Reader, Wetzel County, was settled Ebenezer Zane represented Ohio County in the Virginia convention to ratify U.S. Constitution
1800
John Bunnell built a cabin in Pennsboro Other events that happened on or around 1800 There were about 16 churches in present West Virginia The Greenbrier Association of Baptists established John Beckley wrote a Jefferson campaign biography Ephraim and Anna Musick Hatfield moved their family from Russell County, Virginia to the Tug Valley Jesse Hughes returned to West Virginia John George Jackson married Mary Payne The site of Jackson's Mill was first settled by Edward Jackson Old State Road was opened to the Ohio River Joseph Johnson traveled to Winchester, Virginia George Gregg built a gristmill and sawmill on the Jug of Middle Island Creek The Hatfields settled in Lincoln County John Marshall was appointed secretary of state The first whites settled in Mingo County as farmers Newport was given a charter Nicholas Harvey acquired the site of Red Sulpher Springs St. Albans was first settled as Coalsmouth Sampson Sanders settled in Cabell County Permanent settlement on the Tug Fork began Henry Jolley established a ferry across the Ohio River at Sistersville Union was established by General Assembly to be county seat for Monroe County Fort Gay was the first permanent settlement in Wayne County The West Fork River was declared a navigable public highway Isaac Williams was authorized to operate a ferry to carry traffic to the Ohio Shore Barney McGraw planted the first apple orchard in the Little Kanawha Valley James Wood left office as governor of Virginia
1807
Thomas Harris moved westward from Clarksburg Other events that happened on or around 1807 Aaron Burr and accomplice Harman Blennerhassett were arrested Alexander Campbell's father, Thomas Campbell, migrated to Washington, Pennsylvania Patrick Gass published his journals from the Lewis and Clark expedition Felix Grundy resigned from the Kentucky Supreme Court Thomas Harris moved his family to Harrisville Joseph Johnson acquired additional acreage on Simpson Creek Kingwood was settled Bishop James Madison's maps appeared The Wheeling Repository was established William Parsons built the first road between Clarksburg and Point Pleasant The Halcyon Church declined Levi Shinn died Johann Stifel was born James Caldwell land in West Union (Doddridge County) was sold, and settled by Nathan, William, and Joseph Davis Alexander Henderson exposed the treasonous plans of Aaron Burr and Harman Blennerhassett
1810
John Webster bought the property of John Bunnell and built the Old Stone House, in present Pennsboro, Ritchie County Other events that happened on or around 1810 First recorded permanent settler, Phillip Starcher of present Calhoun County Virginia established a "Literary Fund" for support of education The General Assembly recognized the new village of Guyandotte The Virginia Court of Appeals upheld David Hunter's claim to 739 acres of the former Fairfax lands The Bye-Stander was established in Clarksburg Newport was rechartered and named Parkersburg after Captain Parker. Thomas Buffington was instrumental in founding the town of Guyandotte Berkeley County had a water-powered textile industry Methodists organized their first church in Upshur County The Old Stone House at Belle was built by Samuel Shrewsbury The William Clark House was built The Potomac River flooded
1817
Daniel Haymond settled at the head of the North Fork of the Hughes River Other events that happened on or around 1817 Northwestern Bank of Virginia in Wheeling chartered The Bank of the Valley in Virginia chartered in Winchester Theodore Burr patented his system for covered bridges The town Beauchamp's Mills was renamed for Elizabeth Woodland Beauchamp Sistersville Ferry began operation from Sistersville to Fly, Ohio Aaron Stockton bought the Glen Ferris Inn Abner Vance fled a Russell County murder charge and took refuge in Tug Valley John George Jackson became the president and chief stockholder of the Monongahela Navigation Company Coal began being mined to fuel the salt works The Turnpike Act passed providing for financing and organization of canal and turnpike companies The Staunton Turnpike was chartered by the General Assembly to end at Sistersville The Monongahela Navigation Company began efforts to construct a slack water navigation system Weston was founded
1822
Harrisville was laid out by Thomas Harris Other events that happened on or around 1822 Martin Delany family was forced to flee Virginia to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, for violating black education law The first Western Virginia cut-nail machinery was installed at Ices Ferry Ironworks The first Catholic church in West Virginia was established in Wheeling by German and Irish parishioners Covered bridges over the Greenbrier and Gauley rivers opened Joseph Johnson was elected to the House of Representatives Bounties paid for gray wolves were discontinued Organ Cave was owned by John Rogers Robert W. Simmons was born at Fredericksburg Williamstown was chartered Elizabeth was chartered by the General Assembly
1833
The town of Solus (present Harrisville) became known by that name Other events that happened on or around 1833 Dr. Sydenham Herford graduated from Jefferson Medical College A high school was established in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Glenville The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal came to Harpers Ferry Harrisville's first post office opened Samuel Kercheval published A History of the Valley of Virginia in Winchester Point Pleasant was incorporated Buffalo was laid out and incorporated The Red Sulphur Springs property was purchased by Dr. William Burke John Stuart's book Memoir of Indian Wars and Other Occurrences was published Sam Vinson was born Waitman Willey began law practice in Morgantown
Feb 18, 1843
Ritchie County was created from Wood, Lewis, and Harrison Counties
1844
The city of Smithville was planned Other events that happened on or around 1844 Samuel Black was ordained a deacon Jacob Blair was admitted to the bar Wills De Hass acquired the Grave Creek tablet and skull when the Grave Creek Mound Museum closed The first courthouse of Ritchie County was built The Methodists split Weston's first church building was erected The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was created in present West Virginia Four dams were built upstream from Pittsburgh on the Monongahela The Spirit of Jeffersonnewspaper began in Charles Town Philippi was chartered. The first post office in Roane County was established in Walton John C. Calhoun visited the Salt Sulphur Springs Cedar Grove was built Pruntytown became the county seat of Taylor County Laura Jackson married Jonathon Arnold and settled in Beverly
1850
There were 200 residents at Federal Hill Other events that happened on or around 1850 1,500 slaves owned by salt barons or rented from owners worked in the Kanawha County salt works Lemuel Chenoweth had finished many bridges on Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike Wills De Hass transferred the Grave Creek tablet and skull to the Smithsonian Martin Delany finished medical school at Harvard Medical College Fugitive Slave Act was passed Western Virginia had 1,300 primary schools Map showed Davidson's Ferry near mouth of Elk River and Goshorn's Ferry crossing the Kanawha River The first courthouse was completed in Glenville The First Baptist Church was organized in Greenville Census reported three slaves in Hancock County Nancy Hart and family were living in Boone County The Virginia Constitutional Convention made changes that addressed the political sources of western discontent Alexander Campbell supported the Fugitive Slave Law but felt runaway slaves should be provided food, shelter and clothing The Paw Paw Tunnel opened on the C&O Canal Reported number of slaves in Jefferson County was 3,960, 27% of the population Mother Jones and family arrived in Boston The new edition of A History of the Valley of Virginia was published Malden had several hotels, a bank and saloons Trustees offered Marshall Univ. to the Western Virginia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South A reported 21 weeklies and 3 dailies were published in English or German in West Virginia The C&O Canal was built to Cumberland Henry Ruffner stopped participating in the emancipation movement in Louisville The last bridges were made on the Staunton Turnpike George Summers was a member of the Constitutional Convention A large seam of bituminous coal was found on Paint Creek Parts of Fayette County were taken to create Raleigh County The Beall-Air Mansion was built by Lewis William Washington Wheeling had a hospital Waitman Willey was a delegate to the VirginiaConstitutional Convention West Virginia had 20,527 slaves
1852
The Ritchie Mines was discovered by Frederick Lemon Other events that happened on or around 1852 The congregation of the African Zion Baptist Church formally organized for the black community of Malden. Lemuel Chenoweth designed and built Philippi's covered bridge. Buckhannon was chartered Archibald Campbell graduated from Bethany College James Watson organized the Montana Mining Company Martin Delany published The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, And Destiny of the Colored People of the United States William Edwards opened his first coal mines on Paint Creek Thomas Moore Jackson was born Jacob Jackson was admitted to the bar Anna Maria Reeves married Granville E. Jarvis George Smith Patton graduated the Virginia Military Institute La Belle Ironworks was founded Robert E. Lee became superintendent of West Point Weston's first bank opened its doors Thomas Lake Harris and James L. Scott jointly led the Mountain Cove Spiritualist community The Wheeling Intelligencer was established Shinnston was chartered as a town by the General Assembly David Strother contributed 20 illustrations to John Pendleton Kennedy's Swallow Barn: A Sojourn in the Old Dominion George Summers was elected circuit judge of Kanawha County Grafton emerged as a city A major flood hit Virginius Island James O Watson joined with Francis H. Pierpont to open a mine in Fairmont Wheeling had a library The Wheeling Intelligencer began The Potomac River flooded The Shenandoah River flooded
1856
A B&O station was located at Cairo Other events that happened on or around 1856 The B&O leased the Northwestern Virginia Railroad A troupe presented "Uncle Tom's Cabin" at The Atheneum Belle Boyd was sent to Mount Washington School in Baltimore Archibald Campbell moved to Wheeling William Edwards erected the first cannel coal oil works Thomas English moved from Logan County to Tazewell, Virginia Glenville was incorporated Grafton was chartered Hamilton Hatter was born in Jefferson County Andrew Gardner Jackson was born George Smith Patton moved to Charleston and organized the Kanawha Riflemen Daniel Lucas graduated from University of Virginia Mannington was chartered as a town by the Virginia legislature The city of Mason was incorporated Henry Mathews graduated from University of Virginia The Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy moved to a new building Oglebay Park Mansion Museum property was purchased by George W. Smith Piedmont was chartered Francis Pierpont helped found the Fairmont Male and Female Seminary. The Walton post office moved to Droddyville The first church was built in the St. Joseph Settlement William Stevenson was elected a member of the Pennsylvania legislature Ralph Swinburn was ordained a Baptist minister Wheeling Hospital moved to the Michael Sweeney Mansion The Intelligencer was acquired by Archibald Campbell
1859
Frederick Lemon sold the Ritchie Mines Other events that happened on or around 1859 The African Methodist Episcopal Church aided slaves in Western Virginia after John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry Gordon Battelle moved to a church in Wheeling Charles James Faulkner Sr. was appointed minister to France by President Buchanan Alexander Boteler was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Whig Boyds moved to 500 block of South Queen Street, Martinsburg Meshach Browning died First oil-producing well drilled in Pennsylvania Construction of stone-filled timber crib dams and timber-crib locks were completed on the Coal River Claude Crozet became principal of Richmond Academy Henry Koontz bought a 600-acre farm in Easton, near Morgantown Weston College was sold at public auction Granville Davisson Hall moved to Wheeling Morris Harvey began his service as Fayette County sheriff George Imboden married Mary Franes Tyree Martin Robison Delany and 34 others met with John Brown in Canada to develop a provisional constitution for the liberated slaves Mother Jones began teaching in a convent school in Michigan George Latham was admitted to the bar Construction of Weston Hospital began A library company in Wheeling was chartered by Virginia Linsly Institute built a new three-story building Martin Delany wrote Blake: or, The Huts of America Daniel Lucas was admitted to the practice of law Michael J. Owens was born The Weston & Gauley Bridge Turnpike was completed The Greenbrier Historical Society begun Nathan Scott travelled to Leavenworth Kansas Traveller took top prizes in the Lewisburg fair Only 94 of 162 state chartered turnpike companies operated within West Virginia The U.S. Customs House was built A new U.S. Custom House was completed at Wheeling Waitman Willey was defeated as a candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia The three-story front section of Henderson Hall was completed
1866
George Lemon died Other events that happened on or around 1866 There were 250 churches in West Virginia Capt. John M. Burns established a sawmill at Burnsville Jefferson and Berkeley confirmed as West Virginia by U.S. Congress Henry Gassaway Davis received charter to build the West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh Railway Dickinson-Shrewsbury partnership dissolved by the courts after partners died Private school for black children, in Parkersburg, was converted to a public school J. N. Boyd began publication of Vedette in Fairmont Three men were hanged on the "hanging tree" at Fort Boreman Freedmen's Bureau began operation in West Virginia Grantsville was laid out Grant County was formed from Hardy County Morris Harvey and brother-in-law received a land grant from West Virginia of 1,000 acres on the west side of New River The Radical-dominated legislature enacted the Voters' Registration Law John Joseph Kain was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Richmond The Buckhannon home of George Latham was purchased A new shop complex was built in Martinsburg, with roundhouse Elizabethtown and Moundsville were consolidated under Moundsville Free schools were established in Moundsville The multiflora rose was introduced to the eastern U.S. as rootstock for ornamental roses The North Bend superintendent's residence was built by Christopher Douglas Samuel Price became a director of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. Sumner School became West Virginia's earliest black public school H.M. Calhoun was born Samuel W. Starks was born in Charleston Sumner School became a part of the segregated public school system Ceredo was incorporated The West Virginia Central & Pittsburg Railway was chartered under the name of the Potomac & Piedmont Coal & Railroad Company Archibald Campbell left the Wheeling Intelligencer William H. Davis became a teacher for Malden’s Black children
1895
Harrisville, the county seat of Ritchie County, was named in honor of Thomas Harris Other events that happened on or around 1895 The Bluefield DailyJournal closed Land purchased for $24,757 for Cabell County Courthouse Huntington established Chamber of Commerce Reuben Gold Thwaites edition of Chronicles of Border Warfare was published, which provides corrections to some errors of fact or interpretation Clay was incorporated $20,000 appropriated for new academic building at what is now known as Concord University John William Davis (originally from Clarksburg) graduated from law school at Washington and Lee Bethany Chapter of Delta Tau Delta ceased activity Distinct historic courthouse was built in Fayetteville Jack Glasscock returned to Wheeling to manage and play for Wheeling Base Ball Club The Montgomery Preparatory School (West Virginia University Institute of Technology) was founded Lewis County's first high school was established Joseph Long sold the Herald West Virginia passed a law preventing railroad from engaging in the business of buying and selling coal A formal community of Orthodox Christians was founded in Bluefield Michael Owens had perfected machinery for blowing tumblers, light bulbs and lamp chimneys Extensive timbering began along the Pocatalico River A timber company began extensive operations on the waters of Pocatalico which added to Poca's growth. Morris Shawkey came to West Virginia as professor of education at West Virginia Wesleyan College E. M. Statler left the McLure House for Buffalo, New York Ephraim Wells opened the Wells Hotel in Sistersville The Virginia was built in Cincinnati Ralph Weinberg was born in Baltimore The McDowell County courthouse at Welch was constructed Welch population was at 300 Agnes Westbrook Morrison was the first woman to graduate from College of Law at WVU Agnes Howard Hall, now on the Register of Historic Places, was built as a residence for women at West Virginia Wesleyan College Williamson became the county seat of Mingo County William Wilson became postmaster general under President Cleveland's cabinet Hurry-up Yost played tackle on the WVU football team A.S. Withers wrote an early report of Betty Zane's save of Fort Henry in Chronicles of Border Warfare
1949
Mole Hill changed its name to Mountain Other events that happened on or around 1949 Appalachian Electric Power provided electricity in 21 counties Clyde Beale pardoned by Governor Patteson Walter Barnes wrote The Teacher Speaks West Virginia Conservation Commission constructed Baker Lake The Berkeley Woolen Company closed its operations in Martinsburg Pearl S. Buck founded the international adoption agency, Welcome House, based in Pennsylvania Lew Burdette married Mary Ann Shelton The state's first television station WSAZ-TV went on air West Virginia chose electric chair over hanging for capital punishment Northern cardinal became the state bird William E. Davies published first full report on West Virginia caves The beginnings of the Cedar Lakes Conference Center originated in an act of the legislature B'nai Jacob congregation moved to new synagogue Little Jimmy Dickens joined the Grand Ole Opry at WSM Henry Hazelwood retired as principal The Booth family sold the Dreamland to group of Huntington businessmen Joanne Dru appeared in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon Bishop Strider announced his retirement Forestlands of West Virginia covered 60 % of state Major flood brought devastation to Grant County Capt. Mary B. Greene, wife of Capt. Gordon Greene, died Carroll High School in Hamlin was destroyed by fire Alberta Pierson Hannum's book Roseanna McCoy was released as a motion picture The Health Department shifted its emphasis from communicable diseases to chronic illnesses and other public health issues. Cam Henderson resigned as the Marshall football coach The Huntington Publishing Co. started WSAZ-TV Channel 3, first TV station in West Virginia and one of earliest in the country The construction of Bluestone Dam on the New River was completed Rush Holt changed his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican William Flannery became speaker of the House of Delegates Hayes Picklesimer succeeded John L. Dickinson as president of Kanawha Valley Bank Kelly Axe and Tool Company changed its name to True Temper Larry Richardson and Bob Osborne joined the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers Berry Pink and Sellers Peltier founded the Marble King Company Clarence Meadows opened a law office in Charleston Morgantown annexed Suncrest and Sabraton West Virginia Mountain State Gospel Singers Corporation invited groups from Greenbrier and Fayette counties to participate in Nicholas County homecoming of Mount Nebo Gospel Sings Marble King Factory moved to St. Marys DuPont plant built at Washington Bottom Alfred Knobler created the Pilgrim Glass Corporation Jack Rollins wrote the lyrics to "Peter Cottontail" Fred Schaus made All-American in basketball at WVU Union Carbide developed its technical center above its South Charleston plant Red Sovine began recording with MGM, Decca, and eventually Starday Marshal played in the Tangerine Bowl Buddy Starcher's "I'll Still Write Your Name in the Sand" became a hit Weldon Cook and Robert Livingston Russell formed the Cook-Russell Theater Corp The sugar maple became the state tree of West Virginia The West Virginia State Police Academy began operation Commercial television cable installation began operating at Piedmont and Cameron The second USS Huntington was decommissioned after three tours to the Mediterranean WAJR-AM in Morgantown became the flagship station for statewide network distribution of WVU football and basketball games Land was donated to the state for the Watters Smith Memorial State Park Wheeling Dollar Saving & Trust acquired National Exchange Bank The State Education Association changed its name to the West Virginia Education Association Riley Wilson became seriously ill at the inauguration of President Truman Virginia Mae Brown became executive secretary of the West Virginia Judicial Council Sam Jones signed with the Cleveland Indians Elizabeth Harden married Virgil Gilmore, a future two-term Charleston city councilman Toni Stone played for the San Francisco Sea Lions, then joined the New Orleans Creoles
2000
Ritchie County's population was 10,343 Other events that happened on or around 2000 Ceredo had 1,675 residents Charleston population fell to 53,421 Clay Foundation assets at $67 million Reported 44 chapters of the state society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Northern Panhandle and southeastern part of the state had highest median ages Eastern Panhandle and southwestern part of the state had lowest median ages Doddridge population reached 7,403 Dunbar had a population of 8,154 Charleston ranked 167th out of 318 Metropolitan Statistical Areas West Virginia's official poverty rate sat at 17.9% Elizabeth's population was 994 Fairmont had population of 19,097 People 65+ represented 15.3% of population in West Virginia Follansbee's population reported at 3,115 Forestlands of West Virginia reported at 78% of states' area Franklin population reported at 797 Grafton population stood at 2,489 Population of Grant County rose to 11,299 Greenbrier County had a population of 34,453 people Reported population of 32,667 in Hancock County Hardy County reported a population of 12,669 Harpers Ferry was reported with a population of 307 Harrisville held a population of 1,842 The U.S. Census reported the state's population at 1,808,350 The population of Hurricane was reported at 5,222 Census reported 3,606 Indians living in West Virginia Jackson County's population was 28,000 Ripley's population stood at 3,263 Ravenswood's population stood at 4,301 Kanawha County population was the largest in the state at 200,073 Kenova population remained the largest in Wayne County at 3,485 Keyser's population was 5,303 Keystone's population had fallen to 453 City of Logan population was 1,630 Logan County population reported at 37,710 Population of Madison was 2,677 Mannington population was 2,124 Reported 142,728 manufactured homes in West Virginia West Virginia had the third-highest home-ownership rates in the U.S. at 75.2% Marion County population stood at 56,598 Population of Marlinton was 1,204 Marshall County's population was 35,519 Martinsburg population was 75,905 The population of Mason county was 25,957 Census reported African-Americans were 11.9% of McDowell's population Population of McDowell County was 27,329 West Virginia had the country's highest median age at 38.9 years Mercer County population was 62,980 Reported 125,336 members of 1,341 United Methodist churches in West Virginia Middlebourne's population was 870 Milton's population was 2,206 Monongalia County had a population of 81,866 Monroe county had a population of 14,583 Morgan County had a population of 14,943 Morgantown population was 26,809 Moundsville had a population of 9,978 Population of New Cumberland was 1,099 Nicholas County had a population of 26,562 Census reports 141,060 people living in the Northern Panhandle Oak Hill population was 7,589 Population of Ohio County was 47,427 Eleven Orthodox Christian churches were listed in a church survey with 4,310 adherents Paden City's population was 2,860 Parkersburg's population was 33,099 The population of Paw Paw was 524 Franklin had 797 residents The population of Petersburg was 2,423 The population of Philippi was 2,870 Piedmont's population was 1,014 The population of Pineville was 715 The population of Pleasants County was 7,514 The population of Pocahontas County was 9,131 Richwood had a population of 2,477 Roane County population was 15,446 Reported 100,000 Catholics in West Virginia Romney had a population of 1,940 The population of St. Albans was 11,567 St. Marys population was at 2,017 Reported 3,060 second homes in Pocahontas County Shinnston's population was 2,295 South Charleston had a population of 13,390 Spencer had a population of 2,352 Sternwheel Regatta festivities were scaled back to an extended weekend Hinton's population was 2,880 Summersville population was 3,294 Sutton had a population 1,011 Taylor County population was 16,089 Tucker County population was 7,321 Union had a population of 548 Upshur County population was 23,404 Vienna had a population of 10.861 Wayne had a population of 1,105 Wayne County population was 42, 903 Webster County population was 9,719 Webster Springs had a population of 808 Weirton population was 20,411 Welch population was 2,683 Wellsburg population was 2,891 West Union had a population of 806 Weston's population was 4,317 Westover had a population of 3,941 Wetzel County had a population of 17,693 Wheeling population was 31,419 Population of White Sulphur Springs was 2,315 Williamson population was 3,414 Winfield population was 1,858 Wirt County had a population of 5,873 Wood County had a population of 87,986 View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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