Francis Harrison Pierpont,called the "Father of West Virginia," was an American lawyer and politician who achieved prominence during the American Civil War. During the conflict's first two years,Pierpont served as Governor of the Restored Government of Virginia and,in this capacity,administered the part of Virginia then under Unionist control before West Virginia's admission to the Union as a separate state. After recognizing the creation of West Virginia,Pierpont continued to serve as Governor of the Restored Government. However,the degree of civil authority he could exercise was minimal for the remainder of the war. Having claimed to be the legitimate Governor of Virginia for the duration of the conflict,Pierpont assumed civil control of the state's entire post-1863 territory following the dissolution of the Confederacy and continued to serve as Governor during the early years of Reconstruction.
Thomas Rosabaum Carskadon from Keyser,West Virginia,U.S. had a national reputation as a Prohibition Party leader. He was the Prohibition candidate for Governor of West Virginia in 1884 and again in 1888. He was an influential Mineral County farmer and political leader.
Waitman Thomas Willey was an American lawyer and politician from Morgantown,West Virginia. One of the founders of the state of West Virginia during the American Civil War,he served in the United States Senate representing first the Restored Government of Virginia and became one of the new state of West Virginia's first two senators. He is one of only two people in U.S. History to represent more than one state in the U.S. Senate,the other being James Shields.
George Wesley Atkinson,a cavalryman,lawyer,politician,judge and scholar,became the 10th Governor of West Virginia after running as the candidate of the Republican Party. He also served in the West Virginia House of Delegates,as well as in the U.S. Congress from West Virginia and ended his career of public service as a United States federal judge of the Court of Claims.
John Alexander Buchanan was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia and a judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia.
George Western Thompson was a nineteenth-century Virginia politician,lawyer and judge. He served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives,resigning to become a state judge. During the American Civil War Judge Thompson resigned that position as because he believed the creation of West Virginia to be illegal.
William Gay Brown Sr. was a nineteenth-century politician and lawyer from Virginia,who was twice elected to the Virginia General Assembly and thrice to the U.S. House of Representatives. He also served at the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1850 and later opposed secession at the Virginia Secession Convention of 1861. A leading Unconditional Unionist during the American Civil War,he became one of the founders of West Virginia.
John Marshall Hagans was a nineteenth-century politician,lawyer and judge from Virginia and West Virginia.
Richard Whiting Blue was a farmer,teacher,lawyer,judge,state senator,and U.S. Representative. He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He lived in Virginia and then Kansas.
Warren Miller was a lawyer and Republican politician from West Virginia who served as a United States representative in the 54th and 55th United States Congresses,as well as both houses of the West Virginia legislature Senate and on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
William Pallister Hubbard was an American Republican politician from Wheeling,West Virginia who served as a United States representative. The son of Congressman Chester D. Hubbard,he served as a member of the 60th and 61st United States Congresses.
George Cookman Sturgiss was a lawyer and Republican politician who served as United States Representative for West Virginia's 2nd congressional district. He was a member of the 60th and 61st United States Congresses.
William Alexander Harrison was a Virginia lawyer,judge and politician who helped found the state of West Virginia. He represented Harrison County,Virginia in the Virginia House of Delegates for three successive terms before the American Civil War and strongly opposed Virginia's secession. He helped form the new state of West Virginia and served as a circuit court judge during the American Civil War before winning election as one of the first judges of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
Marmaduke Herbert Dent was a West Virginia soldier,lawyer,politician and judge of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals (1893-1904).
Edwin Maxwell was an American lawyer,judge,and politician in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Maxwell served as Attorney General of West Virginia in 1866 and was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia from 1867 until 1872. He was elected to the West Virginia Senate and the West Virginia House of Delegates.
Thayer Melvin was an American lawyer,politician,and judge in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Melvin served as the fourth Attorney General of West Virginia from January 1,1867,until July 1,1869,and twice served as the presiding circuit judge of West Virginia's First Judicial District in the state's Northern Panhandle.
Frank Cox was a justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia from January 1,1905 until his retirement January 28,1907.
James Henry Brown was a justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia from June 20,1863 to December 31,1870.
James Paull was a prominent lawyer,politician and judge in Wheeling in what became West Virginia during his lifetime. Before the American Civil War,Paull represented Ohio County in the Virginia General Assembly as a Whig,then attended the First Wheeling Convention,which led to the area's secession from Virginia and creation of the state of West Virginia. During his final years,Paull served as a judge of the West Virginia Court of Appeals,having won election as a Democrat,from January 1,1873,until his death on May 11,1875.
Thomas Sylvester Riley was an American lawyer,politician,and businessperson who was based in West Virginia. Riley was the state's eleventh attorney general from March 4,1893,until March 3,1897.
