Raleigh, McDowell & Wyoming Counties

New! 50-Page Booklet

Early days in Raleigh, McDowell and Wyoming Counties, WV, are recalled in this booklet comprised of excerpts from three rare vintage books: West Virginia in History, Life, Literature and Industry by Morris Purdy Shawkey (1928); History of West Virginia by Virgil A. Lewis (1889); and Virginia, a Guide to the Mountain State, a WPA publication (1941). The new 50-page booklet has the print size enlarged as needed to fit the 8 1/2 x 11 size. The front cover is a parchtex card stock, protected with a vinyl sheet.

Communities currently listed for this area by the National Association of Counties include: (Some are not mentioned in the booklet.)

McDowell County (formed in 1858) Algoma, Anawalt, Asco, Ashland, Avondale, Bartley, Berwind, Big Sandy, Bradshaw, Canebrake, Capels, Caretta, Coalwood, Crumpler, Cucumber, Davy, Eckman, Elbert, Elkhorn, English, Filbert, Gary, Gilliam, Havaco, Hemphill, Hensley, Iaeger, Isaban, Jenkinjones, Jolo, Keystone, Kimball, Kyle, Leckie, Maybeury, McDowell, Mohawk, Newhall, Northfork, Pageton, Panther, Paynesville, Powhatan, Premier, Raysal, Roderfield, Skygusty, Squire, Superior, Switchback, Thorpe, Twin Branch, Vallscreek, Vivian, War, Warriormine, Welch (County Seat), Wilcoe, Worth, Yukon

Raleigh County (formed in 1850) Abraham, Ameagle, Arnett, Artie, Beaver, Beckley (County Seat), Blue Jay, Bolt, Bradley, Clear Creek, Coal City, Colcord, Cool Ridge, Crab Orchard, Cranberry, Daniels, Dorothy, Dry Creek, East Gulf, Eccles, Fairdale, Ghent, Glen Daniel, Glen Morgan, Glen White, Harper, Helen, Jonben, Josephine, Lanark, Lester, Mabscott, Mac Arthur, McAlpin, Mead, Midway, Montcoal, Naoma, Odd, Pemberton, Piney View, Princewick, Prosperity, Raleigh

Wyoming (formed in 1850)County Allen Junction, Amigo, Brenton, Bud, Clear Fork, Coal Mountain, Corinne, Covel, Cyclone, Fanrock, Glen Fork, Glen Rogers, Hanover, Herndon, Ikes Fork, Itmann, Jesse, Kopperston, Lynco, Maben, Marianna, Matheny, McGraws, Mullens, New Richmond, North Spring, Oceana, Pineville (County Seat), Ravencliff, Rock View, Sabine, Saulsville, Simon, Stephenson, Wolf Pen, Wyco, Wyoming

Among the subjects included are: Formation of the counties and towns; physical features; where place names came from; shifting county seats; captivity of Mrs. Jenny Wiley, early pioneers and officials, Beckley during the Civil War, the Raleigh County and Wyoming County courthouses, Beckley College, and other bits of history and trivia.

Attention Genealogists: This booklet contains relatively detailed biographies of many county residents of the late 1800s. They frequently include ancestors, siblings, children, in-laws, affiliations, war records, and business activities, in the course of which they often shed light on the businesses, churches, professions and institutions, and on the events of the day. The biographies include: M. L. Garvey, Harvey Bailey, John Blakely, Kyle Bright, Julius G. Cartwright, Charles R. Harless, Alexander Campbell Hufford, John Quincy Hutchinson, William Keyser, Prince E. Lilly, France J. McHugh, Walter M. Minton, George Dewey Mitchell, Charles C. Payne, Edward O'Toole, William J. O'Toole, George C. Richards, John O. Smith, Charles H. Smithey, Joseph E. Summerfield, Charles A. Tutwiler, William C. Williams, William B. Belcher, Charles L. Heaberlin, Joseph H. Cooper, Dr. James F. Biggart, Perry C. Cook, Harold A. Williams, Dr. Orwell W. Lilly, Dr. Curtis R. Sloan, Okey J. Douglas, Henry H. Payne, Alfred M. McKinney, Charles Lewis Lilly, Isaiah Kidd, Patrick d. Sullivan, George W. Goode, Lloyd E. Rodgers, William M. Holroyd, William R. Toler, Alexander C. Carman, Victor L. Wetherby, George A. Brooks, Rev. Elbert D. Worley, Walter Poindexter, Lawrence L. Belcher, Robert Wriston, William P. Cook, Virgil A. Cook, Benjamin Franklin Howard and Hobart Elkin Payne.

Illustrations include: the Court House in Beckley, the Black Knight County Club and the Town of Oceana.

Wouldn't this make a unique gift?