Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-04-25
JUDGE ARTHUR /. FOREMAN
First Governor Of West Virginia Is
no More.

! At o:eo O'Clock Sunday morning
/ April 10. 1896, Arthur Ingrahan Bore
man departed this life at his home II
Parkersbubg, after an illness of sew
eral weeks. His funeral took place al
the Methodist Episcopal church, Q
that city. Tuesday. April n. The
immediate cause Of his death was {
total collapse of the energies and q
general breaking down.
Judge Foreman was Is years o.
age. He was born in Waynesburg,
Pa, July III. 1928. His parents, Ken
ner S. and Sarah Qngraham) Bore
man, were both natives of Greene
county, Pa. Kenner S FOREMAN was
the son of John Foreman, native OF
London, England, from whence he
came to America prior to the Revolu-
ton. and located in Philadelphia, Pa.
At the breaking CO. he war for
America ) Independence he joined the
American army, and served during
the entire war as paymaster, his home
at that time being in the Shenandoah
Valley. Once each year he went to
Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh to pay the
troops stationed there, passing over
the road made by Braddock. After
the close of the war he took up his
residence in what is now Greene conn
ty Pa, was appointed Clerk OF the
Circuit and Criminal Courts by the
Governor, and held that office until
his death in 1873. He married a
Miss Seaton, a member OF an old Viz
ginia family, who bore him large
family. Kenner S. father ofdeeeased,
was born in the year 1890. He spent
his early youth in Greene county,
where he embarked in the mercantile
business, after attaining his majority.
and was subsequently made Recorder
of Deeds and Marriages in 1927. He
removed to Tyler county, Va, and re-
manned there until 1870, when he
changed his residence to Moundsville.
In 1876 he located in Parkersburg,
and remained there until his death, in
November, 1850. He was the father
of seven sons and two daughters
Arthur /. attended the public
schools in Tyler county. Va, but COM
pleted his education under the tutors
age of private instructor. He then
began the study of law under his eld-
er brother, William /. and James NJ.
Stevenson in I843. Two years later
he was admitted to practice, and in
November, I845, began the practice
OF his profession with his preceptor,
MIR. Stevenson, but soon opened an
Office for himself. In 1861 was elect.
ed Judge of the Circuit Court under
the restored government. and acted
as President of the convention held in
Wheeling that was the means of reor-
ganizing West Virginia. Previous to
this. however, he had been elected to
the Legislature in 1855. During his
term of service in the Legislature, he
was one of the most active workers
for the Union aud bitterly opposed all
measures tending towards secession.
In 1868 he was elected Governor of
West Virginia. Until the year 1869
he occupied the Gubernatorial chair,
having been reelected, and in Janu-
airy, 1860, was elected United States
Senator He served is this capacity
until 1875, and then retired from polit-
ical life aud resumed his law pfac-
tice until the fall Of the year of 1888.
when he was elected judge OF the
Fourth Judicial Circuit Of West Viz
GINA.
Ex-Governor Foreman was for
many years a member of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church. and was honor
ed by the West Virginia conference,
in 1888, by an election as lay.delegate
to the General Conference which held
its quadrennia1 session in New York
that year. Judge Foreman was a
clear and incisive speaker, with rare
power of analysis. which was often
exercised in debate He was an in
dustrious worker, strict adherent TO
principle, and a man of liberal senti-
ment. He enjoyed wide acquaint-
anceship and the respect and conf
dence of all who knew him.
.