The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history. To read more, go to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia at www.wvencyclopedia.org.
Oct. 23, 1890: The Fast Flying Virginian passenger train wrecked due to a rockslide near Hinton, killing engineer George Alley. It became the source of a folk song known variously as “The Wreck on the C&O,” “Engine 143,” and “The FFV,” among other titles.
Oct. 23, 1943: German prisoners arrived at Camp Ashford in White Sulphur Springs. Built by the U.S. War Department, Camp Ashford was one of two camps in West Virginia that housed prisoners of war during World War II.
Oct. 24, 1929: Composer George Crumb was born in Charleston. In 1968, Crumb was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for “Echoes of Time and the River: Four Processionals for Orchestra.”
Oct. 25, 1918: Athlete Marshall “Biggie” Goldberg was born in Elkins. He led the Chicago Cardinals to the NFL championship in 1947 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1958and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1980.
Oct. 25, 1951: Writer Denise Giardina was born in Bluefield and raised in neighboring McDowell County. She is best known as a novelist and also has a long history of community activism, including a run for governor.
Oct. 26, 1801: Jefferson County was established from a portion of Berkeley County by the Virginia General Assembly and named for Thomas Jefferson.
Oct. 26, 1934: Athlete Rodney Clark “Hot Rod” Hundley was born in Charleston. Hundley earned first team All-American recognition his senior year at West Virginia University. He averaged 24.5 points per game and scored 2,180 points over his college career, ranking second in WVU history.
Oct. 27, 1879: Howard B. Lee was born in Wirt County. He was elected state attorney general in 1924, and served for eight challenging years. His term saw the impeachment of a state auditor, the lawlessness of Prohibition and labor troubles in the coalfields.
Oct. 28, 1929: Painter Charles Lewis “Chuck” Ripper was born in Pittsburgh and later moved to Huntington. He was one of the country’s best-known wildlife artists, with paintings appearing on nearly 100 magazine covers and 80 U.S. postage stamps.
Oct. 28, 1972: Brad Paisley was born in Glen Dale. Paisley has received the Entertainer of the Year award from the Country Music Association,14 Academy of Country Music Awards, and three Grammies.
Oct. 29, 1861: Confederate commander Robert E. Lee ended his ill-fated western Virginia campaign. His three months in the region were marked by rain, mud, inexperienced officers, diseases among the troops and rampant criticism of his leadership.
Oct. 29-30, 2012: Following Hurricane Sandy, heavy wet snow fell across West Virginia. With accumulations approaching 40 inches, it surpassed all previously known October snowstorms.
