William A. MacCorkle
Encyclopedia
William Alexander MacCorkle (May 7, 1857 September 24, 1930), was a United States
teacher
, lawyer
, prosecutor
, the ninth Governor of West Virginia and state legislator
of West Virginia
, and financier
.
. After briefly teaching school in Pocahontas County, West Virginia
, he attended Washington and Lee University
in Lexington, Virginia. Returning to West Virginia, in 1879, he established a law practice in Charleston
and also taught school. From 1880 to 1889, he served as the Kanawha County
prosecuting attorney. In 1884 he married Belle Goshorn
.
In 1892, as the Democratic Party's candidate, he was elected governor of West Virginia
. As governor, MacCorkle advocated increased funding for state institutions and improved transportation. Through an advertising program, he actively promoted the state's natural resources to attract industry. MacCorkle opposed the growing labor movement among coal
miners and dispatched the state militia to break a strike
.
After leaving office, MacCorkle returned to his Charleston law practice. In his numerous travels, he continued to publicize the state's resources. In 1910, he was elected to the West Virginia Senate. MacCorkle was also a founder and president of the Citizens National Bank
, which later merged with the Charleston National Bank. He wrote an autobiography
, The Recollections of Fifty Years, which was published in 1928. He died at his home, Sunrise, in 1930.
, became home to a children's museum in the early 1960s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974. In Charleston, a major arterial road, Maccorkle Avenue, was named for him and carries U.S. Route 60
through the area. His papers form a valuable research resource at the MacCorkle Collection of the West Virginia State History and Archives website.
The children's museum (now called Avampato Discovery Museum) was relocated to The Clay Center about two miles away in downtown Charleston in 2003. The Sunrise estate currently houses a law firm.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
, the ninth Governor of West Virginia and state legislator
West Virginia Legislature
The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the Legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI of the West Virginia Constitution following the state's...
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...
, and financier
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
.
Biography
He was born near Lexington, VirginiaLexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
. After briefly teaching school in Pocahontas County, West Virginia
Pocahontas County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,131 people, 835 households, and 527 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 7,594 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
, he attended Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
in Lexington, Virginia. Returning to West Virginia, in 1879, he established a law practice in Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
and also taught school. From 1880 to 1889, he served as the Kanawha County
Kanawha County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 200,073 people, 86,226 households, and 55,960 families residing in the county. The population density was 222 people per square mile . There were 93,788 housing units at an average density of 104 per square mile...
prosecuting attorney. In 1884 he married Belle Goshorn
Belle Goshorn MacCorkle
Belle Goshorn MacCorkle was the wife of former Governor of West Virginia William A. MacCorkle and served as that state's First Lady, 1893-1897. She was born in 1841, at Charleston, West Virginia. In 1884, she married William A. MacCorkle. The MacCorkles were the first to reside in the state...
.
In 1892, as the Democratic Party's candidate, he was elected 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...
. As governor, MacCorkle advocated increased funding for state institutions and improved transportation. Through an advertising program, he actively promoted the state's natural resources to attract industry. MacCorkle opposed the growing labor movement among coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
miners and dispatched the state militia to break a strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
.
After leaving office, MacCorkle returned to his Charleston law practice. In his numerous travels, he continued to publicize the state's resources. In 1910, he was elected to the West Virginia Senate. MacCorkle was also a founder and president of the Citizens National Bank
Citizens National Bank
-Banks:* Citizens National Bank , a bank headquartered in Paintsville, Kentucky* Citizens National Bank, founded 1851, acquired by Chemical Bank in 1920-Buildings:...
, which later merged with the Charleston National Bank. He wrote an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, The Recollections of Fifty Years, which was published in 1928. He died at his home, Sunrise, in 1930.
Legacy
Maccorkle's mansion, SunriseSunrise (Charleston, West Virginia)
Sunrise, also known as MacCorkle Mansion, is a historic home located at Charleston, West Virginia. It wasbuilt in 1905 by West Virginia's ninth governor, William A. MacCorkle . It is a long, three-story stone mansion...
, became home to a children's museum in the early 1960s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974. In Charleston, a major arterial road, Maccorkle Avenue, was named for him and carries U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
through the area. His papers form a valuable research resource at the MacCorkle Collection of the West Virginia State History and Archives website.
The children's museum (now called Avampato Discovery Museum) was relocated to The Clay Center about two miles away in downtown Charleston in 2003. The Sunrise estate currently houses a law firm.