Herman G. Kump
Encyclopedia
Herman Guy Kump was the Democratic Governor of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

 from 1933 to 1937. In 1907, he married Edna Hall Scott
Edna Hall Scott Kump
Edna Hall Scott Kump was the wife of former Governor of West Virginia Herman G. Kump and served as that state's First Lady from 1933 to 1937. She was born April 18, 1887, at Elkins, West Virginia. She attended Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy in Wheeling, West Virginia. In 1907, she married...

. He served as the 19th Governor of West Virginia during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

.

Early years

Governor Kump was a graduate of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...

, and after completing his studies he started a law practice in Elkins, West Virginia. Herman Guy Kump and his wife Edna reared six children. They were Cyrus, Frances, Margaret and Elizabeth (twins), Mary, and Benjamin. H. G. Kump served as Prosecuting Attorney and Circuit Judge of Randolph County, was president of a local bank, and also was elected mayor of Elkins. During World War I, he was a Captain in the United States Army serving in the Judge Advocate General's office in Washington, D.C.

Legal career

For years, former Governor Kump had a respected law firm of Kump, Kump, and Nuzum with his eldest son, Cyrus Kump, and their law partner, Jack Robert Nuzum
Jack Robert Nuzum
Jack Robert Nuzum served several years as Circuit Judge representing Randolph County in Elkins, West Virginia from 1976-1991. Prior to that, he was also a legislator, for Taylor County, West Virginia and then, neighboring Randolph County, West Virginia in the West Virginia Legislature as a...

. Cyrus Kump was active in community life and in 1952 attempted to be the Democratic nominee for Governor of West Virginia, but was not successful in that bid. He was a notable lawyer in West Virginia and was instrumental with other community members in starting the West Virginia Highlanders Bagpipe Band. Cyrus Kump was a member of the West Virginia University Board of Governors in the early 1960s and was an alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from West Virginia in 1952. Governor Kump's law partner, Jack R. Nuzum, was the husband of Eldora Marie Bolyard Nuzum
Eldora Marie Bolyard Nuzum
Eldora Marie Bolyard Nuzum was a American newspaper editor and journalist who interviewed several United States presidents. She was born in Grafton, West Virginia to Roy Everett Bolyard and Georgia Ellen Deavers Bolyard . Eldora Nuzum started her newspaper career in the 1940s at the daily...

, the first female editor of a daily newspaper in West Virginia and noted journalist. Judge Jack R. Nuzum, mentored by former Governor Kump, later became Circuit Judge of Randolph County, West Virginia, and during his lifetime also served as a legislator from Taylor and Randolph counties.

Historic Kump Home

The home of the 19th Governor of West Virginia on Randolph Avenue in Elkins, West Virginia, is a landmark in the town known as the Kump Home. The brick home stands stately reminding citizens of an era in the town's history.

Work as Governor

Herman Guy Kump focused upon public education, rights of property owners as related to taxation, and public welfare during his tenure as Governor of West Virginia. While Kump was Governor of West Virginia, new state programs were developed such as the state road administration, state park and forestry projects, state-run public assistance programming, and a county school system. His positions were moderate and he encouraged local control where possible. Governor Kump served West Virginia during demanding economic times and some of the programs developed during his tenure are still operational. Governor Herman G. Kump is buried in the Beverly Cemetery in Randolph County, West Virginia.

External links

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