West
Virginia
A HISTORY
Otis K. Rice
Stephen W. Brown
Second Edition
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS OF KENTUCKY
This edition was made possible in part by a grant
from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
First edition copyright © 1985 by The University Press of Kentucky
Second edition copyright © 1993 by The University Press of Kentucky
Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth, serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University. All rights reserved.
Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky 663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008 www.kentuckypress.com
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rice, Otis K.
West Virginia : a history / Otis K. Rice, Stephen W. Brown.
—2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index.
ISBN 0-8131-1854-9 (alk. paper)
1. West Virginia—History. I. Brown, Stephen W., 1950-
II. Title.
F241.R515 1993
975.4—dc20 93-17819
ISBN-13: 978-0-8131-1854-3
This book is printed on acid-free recycled paper meeting
the requirements of the American National Standard
for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Member of the Association of
American University Presses
For David Neal, Matthew, and Lennie
Contents
2. Exploration and Early Settlements
3. At the Vortex of Imperial Conflict
4. Advance Across the Alleghenies
7. The Quality of Mountain Life
8. Educational and Cultural Foundations
10. Conflict with Eastern Virginia
12. Secession and Reorganized Government
15. Tensions of Reconstruction
17. Agriculture and Rural Life
19. Progressivism and Reaction
20. Labor Problems and Advances
21. The Transformation of Education
23. Twentieth Century Politics: Kump to Marland
24. Twentieth Century Politics: Underwood to Rockefeller
25. Old Problems and New Dilemmas
Selected Bibliography and Suggested Readings
Preface
The first edition of West Virginia: A History, published in 1985, was designed for informed West Virginians and others interested in the history of the state. The approach was primarily narrative and based upon the belief that most readers desired essential information and a faithful re-creation of the past rather than one predominantly interpretive or analytical.
In this second edition we have retained the same approach, but we have added a chapter on the 1980s and 1990s. We have also updated or amended some material in the text and bibliographical listings. Insofar as possible, we have based this work upon scholarly writings, both past and present, and commented upon their findings and interpretations, while at the same time we have offered our own views when they seemed essential or desirable. Although we subscribe to the belief that history may inform and elucidate the present, we have not attempted to draw out only those threads that seem to exist in the late twentieth century. The past has its own integrity, and recapturing it for its own sake may in the long run be as instructive as winnowings that appear to have special relevance to some later time. We have tried to recognize that integrity without ignoring pertinent threads from the past where they genuinely appear to exist.
In the course of our research, we have