The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-14
dreGnteIIigetreer
RATES OF SUBSCRIPTION.
s5oFADVFRTIsING.
A short Biographical sketch of Gov.
PIerpofnt, --.g.~
- Frd,, IE1rDsg,S IlIsBLJtC

- From Hdrpe,'s WeekzM
Francis Harrison Pierpoint, Govern
or of Virginia, was born in the county
of Monongalia, Virginia, and is now
about fifty years of age. He graduated
at Allegheny. College in the fall, of 1889,
and Immediately occupied his time in
teaching school and reading law. AZ
ter a while he left his native county
and went to Mississippi, where he re-
sumed school teaching, and the study
of law; but he soon returned to his
own State, commenced the practice of
law in the county of Marion, and rose to
prominent and lucrative practice.
On the openingof the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, Mr.. Pierpoint purchas-
ed some coal lands, and entered large
ly into mining operations and the
manufacturing of hre-brtck. II was in
the pursuit of these callings that his
mind was first turned toward the Won
derful manufacturing and mineral re-
sources of the State of Virginia, which
are only now-through the downfall of
slavery and its surrounding influences
for the first time actively engaging
the attention of the world, and rapidly
placing her in the very foremost rank
among all the States of the Union.
The long and turbulent period COM
prised between the John Brown affair
and the actual passing of the Ordinance
of Secession in Virginia are too fresh
in the memory of. our readers, and can
only be briefly alluded to in n sketch of
this character. Suffice it to say that,
during all this time, when to be consid-
cred Union man waste confront all
that can most deeply test the manhood
of an individual-the risk of property
and life, the overthrow of all that was
loved and valued in the past, the scorn
and hatred of lifelong friends-Gover-
nor Pierpoint shone like beacon OF
light. .-.5.. s,5.,.,,
ern heart had been fired, the Cotton
States precipitated into revolution, and
after q large amount of struggling, V1r-
ginia gave way, and, the, OrdinanGe 90. OF d
Secession was passed in Richmond by a
large majority, the few prominent lead
ers against the movement being SO un-
popular that they had to fly from the
city in disguise. a public meeting was
called at Clarksburg on the 22d April,
at which n series of resolutions were
introduced by the Hon. John s. Car
lille, and approved; calling Conyen-
tion to meet on the 1lth day of May, ut
Wheeling. This Convention having
assembled, passed n resolution calling
a Convention to meet on the 1lth day OF
June at the same place, and in the
! meantime appointed a Committee of
Safety, consisting of five, whose duty
it was to see that the State did not
suffer in the interim. Francis III Pier
point was one of that Committee.
On the 11th of June the Convention
assembled ut Wheeling, pursuant to
call, and Immediately organized by
electing Hon. Arthur i. Boreman Pres
ident, g. L. ,Cranmer Secretary. A
declaration of the rights of the loyal
people, of Virginia was Immediately
passed, and an ordinance adopted pro-
viding forathe appointment of Gov
ernor. Lieutenant Governor, and Attor-.
ney-General, to act as provisional Off
GERS for six months, or until their sue
cessors should be elected and qualified.
Francis Harrison Pierpoint was elected
Governors station which he has since
filled by reelection. until he came, by
Presidential authority, to preside ut the
= A grent deal of Governor Pierpoint's
popularity is due to his personal ply
Stque and manner. He has n frank,
genial, honest-hearted way about him,
amounting almost to joviality, that in
spires sympathy and utmost confidence
in his good nature and integrity among
all who come in contact with him. He
is one of those men of whom one in
.stinctivaly feels that if he has an enemy
it can not be of his choosing.
r. I Z