Clarksburg’s official
Secretary of the Navy
portrait.
Charleston WV – 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.
Feb. 5, 1784: Nancy Hanks (Lincoln), the mother of Abraham Lincoln, was likely born in Hampshire County, Virginia, on Mikes Run at the bottom of New Creek Mountain in what is now Mineral County, although historical records of her early life do not exist.
Feb. 5, 1889: Fiddler and self-taught physician James Franklin “Doc” White was born near Ivydale, Clay County. White served the community as doctor, dentist and midwife, delivering more than 1,800 babies.
Feb. 5, 1890: Coach Eli Camden “Cam” Henderson was born in Joetown, Marion County. He is a revered figure in Marshall University sports history.
Feb. 5, 1941: Actor David Lynn Selby was born in Morgantown. His stage and screen credits include the outdoor drama Honey in the Rock, and the television shows Falcon Crest and Dark Shadows.
Feb. 6, 1732: Revolutionary War general Charles Lee was born in England. Late in his life, during the war, he moved to what is now Jefferson County.
Feb. 6, 1882: Poet Anne Spencer was born Annie Bethel Bannister in Henry County, Virginia. In 1886, she and her mother moved to Bramwell, where she spent most of her childhood and adolescent years.
Feb. 6, 2007: Selva Lewis “Lew” Burdette, a native of Nitro, died in Florida. Burdette was an outstanding major league baseball pitcher who spent most of his career with the Milwaukee Braves. In 18 major league seasons, he won 203 games and lost 144. He was MVP of the 1957 World Series.
Feb. 7, 1867: West Virginia University was established by an act of the West Virginia legislature. The college, originally called the Agricultural College of West Virginia, opened its doors in September 1867.
Feb. 7, 1889: Nell Elizabeth “Pistol Nell” Walker was born at Sewell Mountain. Known as the “First Lady” of Fayette County, she served 12 terms as a member of the House of Delegates.
Feb. 8, 1892: Cartoonist Irvin Dugan was born in Huntington. For many years, his “Adam” cartoon character was a feature on the editorial pages of the Herald-Dispatch.
Feb. 8, 1915: Photographer Volkmar Kurt Wentzel was born in Dresden, Germany. He immigrated with his family to the United States at age 11. As a teenager in West Virginia, Wentzel took up with an eclectic group of people who had retreated to Youghiogheny Forest, a Preston County artists colony.
Feb. 8, 1918: Medal of Honor recipient Herbert Joseph Thomas Jr. was born. He excelled as a football halfback at South Charleston High School, and Herbert J. Thomas Memorial Hospital (now part of WVU Medicine) in South Charleston is named for him.