ll. 3Vew {Descriptive ATLAS Of 'West ^Virginia r U&fltt MICROFILMED G s CAI /Yt-f/tfi Contains a separate map of the state and each of its fifty-five counties. A short article on the formation and history of the state and of each county, together with a notation of their products, popu­ lation and magisterial districts. With mention of the principal cities and towns of each county, their altitudes, populations, etc. Also an alphabetical list of all post offices in the state Giving the name of every stream and showing the boundary lines of each county and the districts thereof. Together with all established county and state roads. The design of the Great Seal and the Coat-of-Arms of West Virginia, are the same. This design was prepared and executed by Mr. Joseph H. Diss Debar, a naturalized American of French birth. At the time of the execution of this work he was a resident of Doddridge County, West Virginia. He was West Virginia's first Immigration Com­ missioner, and author of the First Handbook of West Virginia. Following is the description of the seal and what it means: The State of West Virginia. "Montani Semper, Liberi" — Mountaineers are always free. In the center a rock with ivy, — emblematic of stability and continuance, and on the face of the rock the inscription June 20th, 1863, the date of our foundation, as engraved with a pen of iron in the rock forever. On the right of the rock a farmer clothed in the traditional hunting garb, peculiar to this region, his right arm resting on the plow handles, and the left supporting a woodman's axe, indicating that while our territory is partly cultivated, it is still in process of being cleared of the original forest. At his right hand a sheaf of wheat and a cornstalk; on the left hand of the rock, a miner, indicated by a pick-axe on his shoulder, with barrels and lumps of mineral at his feet. On his left an anvil, partly seen, on which rests a sledge hammer, typical of the mechanic's arts, the whole indicating the principal pursuits and resources of the state. In front of the rock and the hunter, as if laid down by the latter and ready to be resumed at a moment's notice, two hunters' rifles, crossed and surmounted at the place of contact by the Phrygian cap, or cap of liberty, indicating that our freedom and liberty were won and will be maintained by the force of arms. The official state flower of West Virginia, is the rhododendron or big laurel. It was adopted by a vote of the pupils of the schools of West Virginia, during the school year of 1901-02, and confirmed by the State Legislatui-e in 1903. The state flag was adopted by a resolution of the West Virginia Legislature in 1907. The design consists of a white ground with a blue border and this bordered by a strip or fringe of old gold. With the design of the coat-of-arms of the state in the center on one side and a rhododendron bush in full bloom in the center of the re­ verse side. GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF UTAK y 1 PUBLISHED BY CLARKSBURG PUBLISHING COMPANY CLARKSBURG, W. VA. COPYRIGHT 1933, CLARKSBURG PUBLISHING COMPANY PAGE TWO WEST VIRGINIA Geographical, Industrial and Historical Introduction scale, especially in the eastern pan-handle of the state and In 1841 William Tompkins struck a flow of gas in a well the valleys of the North and South branches of the Potomac which he was drilling for salt water, located in the vicinity West Virginia is not only topographically an odd-shaped river, where great quantities of apples, and peaches are of Washington's burning spring. He contrived to pipe it to state, but it also occupies an unique position among the grown and marketed. The apples especially are of excellent his salt works where it was used to evaporate the salt brine. states of the Union. The most northem point of the state quality and color, and are shipped to many foreign markets To West Virginia goes the credit of having originated the is north of Pittsburgh, Pa. The most eastem point is as far and are much in demand. West Virginia Apples have won an first drilling tools, which were developed as early as 1808 in east as Raleigh, North Carolina. The southernmost point is enviable reputation for their superior quality in competition drilling salt wells in the Great Kanawha Valley. The first farther south than Richmond, Va., and the most westerly with like fruit from other states and countries. At least actual producing oil well in West Virginia was drilled at point is as far west as Central, Ohio. It is not a northern two of the leading varieties, Grimes Golden and Stark's De­ Burning Springs, in Wirt County, and was completed in state, because it is south of the Mason and Dixon Line. It is licious originated in this state. May, 1860, which produced about one hundred barrels of oil not an eastern state, because it is west of the Allegheny per day. Although the "Burning Springs" had been known to Mountains. It is not a southern state, because it did not exist almost as long as the one before mentioned in the secede from the Union during the Civil War. It is not west- Timber Originally most of the entire land area of the state was Kanawha Valley. The striking of this oil well caused a em because it is east of the Ohio river. Therefore, West vertible stampede to the locality from all sections of the Virginia is in a class by itself. covered with great quantities of the finest quality timber. The major portion was hard and semi-hard wood such as nation and for a time this section enjoyed a wonderful boom. The boundaries of the state are almost as unique as its Fortunes were made and lost there over-night. From the position among the States of the Union. They follow the grows in the north temperate zone. Interspersed with this growth was much yellow poplar, cherry and black walnut. time of discovery of the Burning Springs oil pool, searches rivers and mountain tops in the majority of instances — in and tests were made for other oil pools. As new ones were other words the boundaries are the natural ones and only in These varieties of woods were early sought because they were more valuable at the time than other kinds. Cherry and wal­ discovered the production gradually increased until in the four instances do any of the lines run straight or on a tan­ year 1900, it is estimated that 16,000,000 barrels of oil were gent. The Ohio river, from the point where it leaves the nut especially were selected for use in making furniture and for like purposes. marketed from West Virginia, nearly all of which was pro­ state of Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Big Sandy river, duced from the western half of the state. From that date is entirely within the confines of West Virginia. The state One of the great problems of the pioneer settler was to forward there has been a gradual decline in the total produc­ has a total area of 24,780 square miles, of which 24,022 square raise his crops. After cutting smaller timber and brush, tion of this commodity, although the quantity yet produced miles are land, and a 1930 population of 1,729,205. larger trees were deadened so the sun could shine through amounts to upwards of four million barrels annually. The West Virginia is one of the greatest coal producing states them and make the com grow and ripen. After using such product is an exceptionally high grade paraffin base oil and in the nation and one of the most extensive producers of nat­ of the small timber as was needed for constructing the cabin especially superior for lubricating purposes and in the pro­ ural gas and high grade crude oil in the eastern part of the and other buildings, and providing rails for pens and fences, duction of gasoline. United States. It is also a great grazing country, with ex­ the remainder was set afire and destroyed. More land was tensive agricultural and horticultural products. The first cleared as rapidly as possible and as done most of the tim­ For many years after the discovery and production of articles of earlier trade and commerce in the Trans-Alle­ ber was destroyed by burning. In this manner untold mil­ oil began, natural gas, the companion product, was consider­ gheny region were skins, furs, medicinal herbs and roots, lions of feet of the finest timber that grew was entirely de­ ed a detriment and a nuisance to the producers. It was let such as ginseng, snake root, yellow root, etc., and bees wax, stroyed by a method that now would be termed ruthless. As escape into the air. The use of natural gas for fuel began secured from the comb of the honey, taken from wild bees. time went on, logging and lumber became one of the princi­ about 1890, and from that time on, more and more of it was These products of the forest were taken principally to Win­ pal industries of West Virginia. utilized for that purpose both in homes and factories. At chester and traded for salt, iron, and a few goods selected At first timber production was on a small scale, for the one time the state geologist estimated that five hundred from the meager stocks of these old time merchants.