# West Virginia's 4th congressional district

West Virginia's 4th congressional district is an obsolete district existing from 1883 to 1993. While the district's bounds were changed many times over the years, from the 1940 redistricting to the 1970 redistricting, the district was focused on Huntington and the industrial mill towns north of that city. In the 1970 redistricting, the district focused on Huntington and the rural coal producing areas of southwestern West Virginia. Today the state has only two districts, the 1st covering the southern half of the state, and the 2nd the northern half.

## History

The 4th district was formed in 1882. It originally consisted of Pleasants, Wood, Ritchie, Wirt, Calhoun, Jackson, Roane, Mason, Putnam, Cabell, Lincoln and Wayne counties. In 1902, Tyler Braxton, Gilmer, and Doddridge were added, while Putnam, Cabell, Lincoln and Wayne were removed. The district was totally reconstituted in 1916 as Tyler, Pleasants, Wood, Wirt, Jackson, Roane, Mason, Putnam, and Cabell counties. In 1934, Wayne and Lincoln were added. The district was unchanged for 1952. In 1962, Logan was added. In 1972, the district was totally reconstituted as Cabell, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Raleigh, Wayne and Wyoming counties. The district was abolished in the 1992 redistricting.

## List of representatives

| Representative | Party | Dates | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District established March 4, 1883 |||||
| Eustace Gibson (Huntington) | Democratic | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887 | 48th 49th | Elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Lost renomination. |
| Charles E. Hogg (Point Pleasant) | Democratic | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889 | 50th | Elected in 1886. Lost renomination. |
| James M. Jackson (Parkersburg) | Democratic | March 4, 1889 – February 3, 1890 | 51st | Elected in 1888. Lost contested election. |
| Charles B. Smith (Parkersburg) | Republican | February 3, 1890 – March 3, 1891 | 51st | Won contested election. Lost re-election. |
| James Capehart (Point Pleasant) | Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1895 | 52nd 53rd | Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Retired. |
| Warren Miller (Ripley) | Republican | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899 | 54th 55th | Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Retired. |
| Romeo H. Freer (Harrisville) | Republican | March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901 | 56th | Elected in 1898. Retired to run for Attorney General of West Virginia. |
| James A. Hughes (Huntington) | Republican | March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903 | 57th | Elected in 1900. Redistricted to the 5th district. |
| Harry C. Woodyard (Spencer) | Republican | March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911 | 58th 59th 60th 61st | Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Lost re-election. |
| John M. Hamilton (Grantsville) | Democratic | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1913 | 62nd | Elected in 1910. Lost re-election. |
| Hunter H. Moss, Jr. (Parkersburg) | Republican | March 4, 1913 – July 15, 1916 | 63rd 64th | Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | July 15, 1916 – November 7, 1916 | 64th | |
| Harry C. Woodyard (Spencer) | Republican | November 7, 1916 – March 3, 1923 | 64th 65th 66th 67th | Elected to finish Moss's term. Also elected to the next full term. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Lost re-election. |
| George W. Johnson (Parkersburg) | Democratic | March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925 | 68th | Elected in 1922. Lost re-election. |
| Harry C. Woodyard (Spencer) | Republican | March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1927 | 69th | Elected in 1924. Retired. |
| James A. Hughes (Huntington) | Republican | March 4, 1927 – March 2, 1930 | 70th 71st | Elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | March 2, 1930 – November 4, 1930 | 71st | |
| Robert L. Hogg (Point Pleasant) | Republican | November 4, 1930 – March 3, 1933 | 71st 72nd | Elected to finish Hughes's term. Also elected to the next full term. Lost re-election. |
| George W. Johnson (Parkersburg) | Democratic | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1943 | 73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th | Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Lost re-election. |
| Hubert S. Ellis (Huntington) | Republican | January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1949 | 78th 79th 80th | Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Lost re-election. |
| Maurice G. Burnside (Huntington) | Democratic | January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953 | 81st 82nd | Elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Lost re-election. |
| Will E. Neal (Huntington) | Republican | January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955 | 83rd | Elected in 1952. Lost re-election. |
| Maurice G. Burnside (Huntington) | Democratic | January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1957 | 84th | Elected in 1954. Lost re-election. |
| Will E. Neal (Huntington) | Republican | January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1959 | 85th | Elected in 1956. Lost re-election. |
| Ken Hechler (Huntington) | Democratic | January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1977 | 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th | Elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Retired to run for governor. |
| Nick Rahall (Beckley) | Democratic | January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1993 | 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd | Elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Redistricted to the 3rd district. |
| District dissolved January 3, 1993 |||||