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Capital Punishment
Go back to Capital Punishment
Dec 16, 1897
Ripley was the site of West Virginia's last public hanging Other events that happened on or around December 16, 1897 John F. Morgan was executed in the last public hanging in West Virginia
Feb 18, 1899
Governor Atkinson signed bill for capital punishment to be performed only in Moundsville
1918
J. Howard Holt published Crime and Punishment, a pamphlet opposing the death penalty Other events that happened on or around 1918 Walter Barnes wrote An Easy Primer Claude Worthington Benedum, the only child of Michael L. and Sarah Benedum, died of influenza at Camp Meade Robert C. Byrd's mother died and he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle Anne Camden died in Parkersburg, leaving the Camden mansion to the heirs which in turn donated the house to the city for use as a hospital Chamber of Commerce established in Wheeling Fire destroyed Charleston Gazette newspaper plant located at the South Side Bridge DuPont Company plant closed at end of WWI John W. Davis ended his time as solicitor general John W. Davis became ambassador to England John W. Davis was a member of the American delegation to the Geneva conference Construction began on the High Level Bridge in Fairmont Fairmont Times began publishing Sunday editions West Virginia Farm Bureau Federation was created Homer Holt graduated from Washington and Lee University The Spanish Influenza epidemic became one of the world's deadliest and swiftest pandemics Weirton Steel Corporation was formed Fanny Johnson's story "They Both Needed It" was among the best short stories of the year Hayes Picklesimer first came to work at Kanawha Valley Bank The United Zinc Smelting Corporation began operation in Marshall County Williamson Memorial Hospital was founded The Morgantown Post-Chronicle was renamed the Morgantown Post The Weekly New Dominion, a Morgantown newspaper, ceased publication The National Bank of Commerce was founded Owens-Illinois Glass Company purchased a Huntington glass factory A large brick hotel was constructed by the Pence family at Pence Springs Board of Public Works acquired constitutional status by ratification of an earlier amendment The town of Nitro was completed. The Bryants built the Bryants New Showboat The Parkersburg & Ohio Valley Electric Railway ceased operation Boyd Stutler rose to the rank of sergeant and served with distinction in the American offensives Eighteen of Melville Davisson Post's stories were published in Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries by Appleton The German Bank changed its name to the Wheeling Bank & Trust Company A Romney hospital at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind proved vital during influenza epidemic Oglebay Hall was completed for the College of Agriculture at WVU Plans for the West Virginian Hotel began with the Bluefield Rotary Club West Virginians participated in the Italian Campaign Lenna Yost became the legislative representative for the national Women's Christian Temperance Union
1949
West Virginia chose electric chair over hanging for capital punishment 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 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 Mole Hill changed its name to Mountain 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
1951
Harry Atlee Burdette and Fred Clifford Painter first to be put to death via electric chair in West Virginia Other events that happened on or around 1951 Woodford Sutherland killed after training flight when his parked P-51 was hit by another Akro Agate Company ceased production Clair Bee ended his college coaching career at Long Island University after the point-shaving scandals that devastated college basketball Florence Blanchfield received the International Red Cross's Florence Nightingale Medal Charleston Memorial Hospital dedicated with 129 beds Air Force ROTC program was established at Davis & Elkins College Fiestaware colors forest green, rose, chartreuse, and grey were introduced Floodwall in Point Pleasant was completed Ruel Foster wrote William Faulkner: A Critical Appraisal Tony Brown graduated from Garnet High School Gunner Gatski earned All-Pro honors in football Ella Holroyd retired from Concord College Ray Wetzel died in a car accident Elizabeth Kee took her place in the House of Representatives, replacing her late husband, John Kee Maryat Lee wrote and produced the street play Dope! The federal navigation system on the Little Kanawha River was turned over to the state Kanawha County Democratic boss Homer Hanna Sr. and Governor Patteson picked William Marland as candidate for governor Catherine Marshall wrote A Man Called Peter J. Kemp McLaughlin led the squadron on active duty in the Korean War Okey Mills married Netie Mae Neely Waterford Park (later Mountaineer Race Track) opened Ruth Ann Musick and others founded the West Virginia Folklore Journal Karl Myers compiled a second poetry collection, Cross and Crown College assumed its current name, Potomac State College of West Virginia University Benjamin Rosenbloom retired from practicing law K. Duane Hurley became president of Salem College Sam Shaw became editor of the Moundsville Daily Echo Hulett Smith became chairman of Beckley's Democratic executive committee. The Paw Paw Tunnel was shut down The first coaxial cable television system started carrying programming of WSAZ to Welch Bishop Swint asked Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus to help establish a Catholic college of liberal arts in West Virginia (now Wheeling Jesuit University) Hurry-up Yost was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Robert Graetz Jr. married Jeannie Ellis
1965
Governor Smith signed bill to end death penalty in West Virginia Other events that happened on or around 1965 Development of West Virginia's Appalachian Corridor highways began Appalachian Regional Commission established by Congress President Johnson's War on Poverty began Charleston joins Morgantown and Huntington as alternating site of state high school basketball tournament George Hodel became president of Beckley Newspapers Bens Run Earthworks officially recorded by the Archeology Section of the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey W. E. Blackhurst published Of Men and A Mighty Mountain E. J. Scrafford became interim president of Bluefield State College (now University) Weldon Boone wrote A History of Botany in West Virginia Maurice Brooks published The Appalachians Harry F. Byrd retired from the Senate Franklin Cleckley earned a J.D. from Indiana University Arden Cogar exhibited his wood chopping at New York World's Fair Diamond Department Store built a $1 million addition to its Charleston building Pete Everest became brigadier general African-American State Farm and Homemakers Council voted to join the West Virginia Homemakers Council Gertrude Humphrey left WVU Extension work One-volume edition of Flora of West Virginia was published Ruth Ann Musick published The Telltale Lilac Bush Ruel Foster wrote Jesse Stuart Per capita personal income in West Virginia was 76% of national average The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation made its first discretionary grant, to Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) State Route 150, the Highland Scenic Highway, began construction The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was established Hope Natural Gas Company and New York State Natural Gas Corporation merged to form Consolidated Gas Supply Corporation Hopemont Sanitarium became a personal care center Blasingame Report recommending improved library service was completed The West Virginia Library Commission launched an ambitious library construction project A joint committee was created to study and survey matters of government, finance, and claims against the state and make recommendations to the full legislature The Logan Banner was sold to a Tennessee publishing company Marco mascot first began showing up at Marshall University events Dan Maroney was elected a vice president in the Amalgamated Transit Union Paul Marshall stopped working at Libbey-Owens-Ford in Kanawha City Morgantown Glassware Guild was purchased by Fostoria Glass Mount Storm Lake was built to supply water for steam generation at coal-fired power plant Mylan Pharmaceuticals moved to Morgantown The last coke-making operation in the New River Gorge closed at Sewell Delf Norona became the first recipient of the Sigfus Olafson Award for his outstanding contributions to the West Virginia archeology E. Lewis Case became president of Ohio Valley College (now Ohio Valley University) Ohio Valley College (now University) was accredited by the state of West Virginia Congress created the 100,000 acre Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area. Jack Rollins moved to Cincinnati The Soupy Sales Show first debuted nationally Burl Sawyers resigned as state roads commissioner under indictment Charles Town Race Track installed lighting Smoke Hole became part of the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area Red Sovine wrote "Giddyup Go" Miles Stanley was selected as personal assistant to AFL-CIO President George Meany Fred Torrey made a bust of John F. Kennedy U.S. combat troops first deployed in the Vietnam War The War on Poverty was scaled back due to the escalation of the Vietnam War Don West came to West Virginia and established the Appalachian South Folklife Center Charles Schiff became conductor of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra View Articles by Existing Key Dates or Specify Your Own Date Range |
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