West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-03-30
FRANCIS HARRISON riERpoiNr
The Father OF west Virginia Died
IN PittsburS Last Friday

IltrpOut ulei iiSt ffl LAY, G
Z Eth, ~ the h,me Of his d,ughter.
Mrs. William II Siyiter in Pitts.
bIrg. lie hrl ben in filling
henl'h since list July, whtu he
left Fairmpnt aud went to Puts
burg to spend his declining days
with his children.
lie died about 9 o'clock Friday
evening and the funeral services
were held at his daughters home
Sunday afternoon after which the
remains were taSen to FIirmOnt,
where the interment took place
Monday.
Although often referred to as
such; Mr.. PlUrpont WAS never Il
governor Of West Virginia. He
was the governor of tho ''reor-
ganized State of Virginia" after
the old State had seeded from the
Union and before the admission Of
West Virginia.
A simple sketch OF his career
from his boyhood to his old age
cannot do him full ~justice as a his
toric character, for it must neces-
sarily be brief at present. Francis
Ii. Pierpont was born in Moaong.lIa
county, then Virginia, but now
West Virginia, oR the 25th Of June,
1914, aud and was therefore almost
at the end of his eighty.ffth year
at the time of his death. His life
had been spent at Fairmont, ex
cept whom his duties during the
wal required ais presence else.
where.
At twenty-five he m%atriculated
as a student at Allegheny College,
and remained there an earnest, in
dustrious %toiler, until June 1910,
when he graduated. After gradua-
ton he went Ssu:a. and taught
school in Missi ssippi. Having de-
termlned to enter the legal pro-
f~ession, while a teacher he bsgtn u
systematic course Of reading. La u
year or two he passed the required
examination, and returning to
Virginia, was ad mitted to the bar
at Fdirmsnt, Marion county.
At the June IL, 1861, conven
ton, held ut Wheeling, for the
purpose of Ie-Organ zing the gov.
eminent of Virginia, after the
State had seeded from the Union
MIR. Pierpont was almost unanI-
mously elected governor by the
forty counties that b id sent dele
gates to the convention. lilo held
Office under this election for about
twelve months, and in the mean
time was elected by the people to
fill an unexpired term of two years.
He was subsequently, re elected by
the loyal people Of the State for
the full term of four years, and
vas recognized by President Lin.
coin as the legitimate governor of
Virginia.
After the division of the State OF
Virginia into two separate States,
Governor Pierpont removed the
State archives to Alexandria, con
yened the Legislature, and re
mained there two years. At his
call, in 1864, a convention as
sembled which, by vote, abolished
slavery in tho State. When Rich
mona fell, he moved the seal of
government from Alex ndria to
that city, and in a few months had
the State properly recognized.
At the close OF his gubernatorial
mission Goyernorf ierpont returned
to Fairmont, and resumed the
practice Of his profession. In 1870
he was elected a delegate from
Marion county to the West Vir-
ginia Legislature. His natural
abilities, added to his long OK
p%erionce in public affair equipped
him for great usefulness in that
body. lie was an uctl,e and IN
nuential member aud did much in
shaping the Legislature Of that
session. lie was appointed col
lcctor OF internal revenue by Prosi
dent Garfield, aud held the Office
unul the First and Second districts
were consolidated and thus Legis
lated him out Of office.
Governor PierpOnt became q
member Of the Methodist Protcs
tant church when eighteen years Of
age, aud has u5uilly been a mem
Der Of It's important conventions,
and several times representative to