xt7228051483 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7228051483/data/mets.xml West Virginia Historical Records Survey (W.V.) United States. Work Projects Administration. Division of Community Service Programs 1941 3 p. l., vi p., 1 l., 327 p., 1 l. 28 cm.  UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program libraries. Call Number FW 4.14:W 52v/9 books English Charleston, W. Va., West Virginia Historical records survey This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. West Virginia Works Progress Administration Publications Mathews, Henry Mason, 1834-1884 West Virginia - History - Sources West Virginia - Politics and government Calendar of the Henry Mason Mathews Letters and Papers in the State Department of Archives and History text Calendar of the Henry Mason Mathews Letters and Papers in the State Department of Archives and History 1941 1941 2019 true xt7228051483 section xt7228051483 "' .. 1 53132.;5j \ KN " " . - ~ '
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CALENDAR OR THE {

. HENRY MAS ON MATHEWS LETTERS AND PAPERS
In the State Department of Archives and History ’
3 Pr e p ar e d by *1
j The Wes t Virginia His torical Re cords Survey .’
Di vis ion of Comllulni ty Service Programs ' “7“
Work Projects Administration ‘
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2 The Wes t Virginia His torical Re cords Survey ‘ j;
‘ O c t ob e r l 941 ,
1 i

 Historical Records Survey Projects

Sargent B. Child, Director

Eva Margaret Carnes, State Supervisor
Research and Records Subdivision

Harvey E. Becknell, Director

George W. Hubley, Jr., Regional Supervisor
Division of Community Service Programs

Florence Kerr, Assistant Commissioner

Mary G. Moon, Chief Regional Supervisor

Irene Gillooly, State Director

A WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION

Howard 0. Hunter, Commissioner

George H. Field, Regional Director

J. N. Alderson, State Administrator
Sponsor: West Virginia Department of Archives and History

 FOREWORD
Already deeply indebted to the Historical
Records Survey for calendars of the papers of three
early West Virginia governors, the student of state
history will find the present volume a digest of no
less significance and value. Politically Henry
Mason Mathews belonged to that long line of Demo—
cratic governors not inaptly called the ”Virginia
Dynasty." Of greater importance however is the
fact that his term (1877—1881) spanned a period of
economic transition. Not only did property values
sink to their lowest levels in his day, but agri—
culture and industry receded to low ebb. Following
this recession however there came an upturn which
enabled West Virginia products, notably coal, oil, I
and timber to crowd the market place. This was ‘
truly a new day of business venture, although many e
were the enterprises which never flourished beyond
the paper stage.
Approximately four hundred letters in this i
> book bear on clashes between capital and labor. Of
these some three hundred concern the unhappy rail— ,
,road strike on the Baltimore and Ohio in 1877. I
Others deal with subjects so diverse as the prohi~ I
bition of prize fighting and the revocation of a I
"diploma mill" charter. Not a few contain evidence I
that West Virginia then practiced a "peculiar brand :
of politics." The entire collection provides a §
bountiful sample of the raw materials from which
real history is made. ;
,v/I“-,w,x’/) -v _:
L/r fl 51/4, n4 14A 4?. L7. 611‘/ I
Festus P. Summers I
West Virginia University ]
March 1941 I
,Qii

 PREFACE

The Historical Records Survey was established in West
Virginia in 1956 as a part of the Federal Historical Records
Survey, under the national direction of Dr. Luther H. Evans.
Pursuant to an Act of Congress, the Federal Historical Records
Survey, with other Work Projects Administration Federal Pro~
jects, was terminated August 51, 1959; its work in West Vir-
ginia has been continued since then by the West Virginia
Historical Records Survey, Sponsored by the West Virginia
Department of Education until July 1, 1940, and after that
date by the West Virginia Department of Archives and History.
Mr. Sargent B. Child succeeded Dr. Evans as Director of His—
torical Records Survey Projects, March 1, 1940.

This is the fifth in a series of calendars compiled from
the original letters and papers of West Virginia Governors,
preserved in the library of the State Department of Archives
and History and in the Division of Documents of West Virginia
University. Through these calendars, it is the hope of the
survey, to contribute additional source material to those
students of history who are especially interested in the for-

. mation of the State of West Virginia, its founders, and the
part it has played in the economic, political, and industrial
development of the nation.

The manuscripts abstracted in this volume have been care~
fully checked with the entries for errors. All dates and
spelling of proper names are preserved as in the original doc—
uments. Since the capital of the State at this period was
Wheeling, West Virginia, the address on official correspond-
ence to the Governor has been omitted, except that addressed
to him at other points. Explanations and corrections which
could be obtained from various books of reference have been
supplied either in footnotes or enclosed in brackets in the en-
try itself. If a document has twelve signatures or less, the
names of all the signers appear in the entry; if the number ex—
ceeds twelve, they are listed in the appendix.

The type of manuscript is designated in the third para—
graph of the entry by the following symbols: A.L.S., auto—
graphed letter signed; A.L.,.autographed letter; L.S., letter
Signed; A.D., autographed document; A.D.S., autographed doc-
ument signed; D.S., document signed; A.N.S., autographed note
signed; A.PC., autographed postcard, and A.PC.S., autographed
postcard signed. Symbols have not been used for telegrams or

, military dispatches. The sizes of telegrams have been omit—
ted because of the uniformity in size of telegram blanks. All
other abbreviations are those commonly used in other publica-
tions.

The entries of this volume have been compiled from the
letters and papers located in the State Department of Archives
and History at Charleston, West Virginia.

7 _ .nr ill, cll___s iii?

 .7 «
Preface
Research for the volume was done by Lawrence Gresham,
Paul Hively and Albert Goodall. The calendar was prepared in
the State office in accordance with instructions from the
Washington office of the Historical Records Survey; detailed 3'
editOrial comments and criticisms of the book have been made b1
by Margaret Sherburne Eliot, Assistant Archivist in charge of a:
the manuscript inventories of the survey. t
The survey is deeply indebted to Dr. Eestus P. Summers _
of the West Virginia University for writing the foreword to V1
this volume as well as for his advice and constant coopera- S
tion in this and other publications. 5
Other acknowledgments are due the staff of the Depart—
ment of Archives and History, for their continuous assistance
in securing all available information relative to the manu— da
scripts in that depository; to Joseph N. Alderson, State Di— W
rector of Work Projects Administration, Mrs. Irene F. Gillooly,
Director of Community Service Programs, and Paul B. Shanks, who
at the time this manuscript was prepared was State Supervisor ed
of ReSearch and Records, for their kind cooperation. Th
" er
A list of completed publications of the Historical Records en
Survey in West Virginia will be found on the last page of this hi
volume. Requests for information concerning these publications De
. should be addressed to the Historical Records Survey, 210 an
Smallridge Building, Quarrier Street, Charleston, West Virginia. He
€\ 7 4 Co
' ". ; /' in
~ ° We i WWW/ML Moi/May wi
th
{ EVA MARGARET CARNES du
- State Supervisor tr.
The West Virginia Historical er.
- ' Records Survey th=
Charleston, West Virginia Ma
October 1941
of
j to
1

 1
INTRODUCTION
in
In 1854, some twenty years before the formation of the
ed state of West Virginia, Henry Mason Mathews was born in Green—
je brier County, Virginia. His family was politically prominent
of and young Mathews was taught to believe in, and to support,
the customs and traditions of the ‘Old south.'
3 He attended the Lewisburg Academy and the University of
3 Virginia. After graduating from the University, Mathews
- studied at the law school of the famous Judge John W. Brocken—
brough in Lexington, Virginia, and opened an office in Lewis—
burg where he began practice in the fall of 1857.
106 In November of the same year he married Miss Lucy Fry,
- daughter of Judge Joseph L. Fry, an eminent attorney of
.— Wheeling, Virginia.
’Oly:
who Shortly after opening his law office, Mathews was assign-
or ed a chair in Allegheny College, at Blue Sulphur Springs.
There he was professor of history, modern languages, and lit-
erature, until the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, when he
ords entered the Confederate Army as a Volunteer. At this time
his his father, Mason Mathews, a member of the Virginia House of
ions Delegates, was very active in promoting the southern cause
and used all of his political influence to secure his son,
inia. Henry, a commission as Major of Artillery.
Although his bravery in battle and his loyalty to the
Confederacy was never doubted, Henry Mathews frequently ran
into military difficulties. In 1865 he was so discontented
/ with official military procedures that he contemplated leaving
the army and returning to Greenbrier County. At another time
during the same year he, feeling that he had been disagreeably
treated by his Uncle Alex, a Brigadier General in the Confed—
- erate Army, applied for a transfer to the War Department of
the Confederate states of America at Richmond.
On October 10, 1864, from Jacksonville, Alabama, Henry
Mathews wrote the following letter* to his brother Joseph;
My Dear Brother:
I enclose you a letter from Sissey which came
yesterday as I wanted to hear from home I opened it.
The army is somewhere near Resaca and I am here _-
with the train and in arrest. It is not necessary
that you mention this until you know the result. On
_i___._~____w“___.i_H______.__.ii____~_______~._______~_____._____‘
% Original letter in Mason Mathews Collection, prOperty
of Miss Patty Mathews, Lewisburg, W. Va., hereinafter referred
to as Mathews Letters.

 Introduction ii I
the night of the 6th, I got into the Camp tired and t:
wet, went to bed and slept very soundly. About mid~ W_
night a courier brought me a note that each Brigade 0
should move with its own ordnance. By a very dim
light and just aroused, I read the note incorrectly,
that each division shall move with its own ordnance. ed
When I discovered my mistake I explained the G:
matter to Gen. 8. He said that my explanation was ya
perfectly satisfactory and asked me to make it in
writing in order that he might forward it to Gen.
Lee. I did so and just before Lee rec'd the explana- T“
. tion he ordered Stevenson to arrest me and prefer er
charges. So here I am in arrest. ‘I have not seen H
Gen. S. since, but I hear that Reeve says no charges Ré
will be preferred. I have no further excuse to of~ mi
fer and they can do as they choose, as soon as I am ci
relieved, I will apply to be relieved from duty. I Ma
am not willing to serve any longer in Lee‘s Camps, go
and they cannot compel me to report to a Capt. I av
have not heard a word from you since your note of
the 22nd ult.
The train will go from.here to Godsen and then ti
I suppose will cross the Tenn. River. I heard yes~ an
terday that we had taken Resaca and burnt the bridge. so
Remember me kindly to Uncle A., Will Patton, ti
f Byrd, etc. Write to me.
Your affectionate brother, Vi
Henry M. Mathews 3:
In a letter* from Mason Mathews to his son Jeseph, written :1
at Richmond, Virginia on February 27, 1865, we learn that e.
Henry had gone home on a forty day leave and that "He had been :m'
relieved from duty on his request and ordered to report here. no.
When he arrived here he reported as ordered and was informed 1n
that a Gen'l commanding had no right to relieve an officer
from duty, and was ordered to report to his command. He was . .
complaining considerably and went before the medical examining po
board and was recommended for a leave of sixty days, on which tr.
he procured a paSSport, and went home." B2.
In the same letter we find that Henry was selected by the so
members of the House of Delegates from Pocahontas County to te‘
become a candidate for the Virginia Senate but that he icould
not determine what he would do until he got home and talked
with the people." i:
In the fall of 1865 Henry Mathews was elected to the
State Senate but could not qualify because of his inability
p.
% Mathews Letters.
\

 I
ii Introduction iii
to take the test oath. Furthermore, upon returning from the
war he found himself ineligible to practice law since the test
oath was also required from all practicing attorneys.

The following year the prescriptive measures were repeal-
ed and in 1872 Major Mathews was nominated and elected Attorney
General of West Virginia in which capacity he served for four
years.

"In the exciting election of 1876 the Democratic State
Ticket of eight persons, seven of whom had been in the Confed—
erate army, was elected by a majority of from 12,000 to 16,000.
H. M. Mathews, who defeated General Nathan Goff, the popular
Republican candidate for governor, was a patriotic, and liberal
minded ex-Confederate who had fully accepted the results of a
civil war and was well fitted to lead in meeting living issues.
Mathews' administration has been characterized as an era of
good feeling in which the State began to show new signs of
awakening life."*

West Virginians, victims of the "worse results of a sec-
tional conflict......... sought prosperity in terms of dollars
and cents."** They now attempted to develop the natural re—
sources of the State which had received much favorable adver-
tising, during the Civil war by non—resident capitalists.

At the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in l876, West
Virginia spent $20,000 to prepare an exhibit of the State’s re—
sources. The West Virginia building was constructed from 18

_ varieties of hardwood from Marshall County. Large blocks of

tten bituminous coal, some of which had been hauled 50 miles by ox
team to a railroad for transportation to Philadelphia, were

een among the exhibits. These exhibits attracted international at-

e. tention and induced the investment of large amounts of capital

d in the State.

3 Mathews adopted the liberal and sensible policy of ap—

ing pointing both Democrats and Republicans as members of adminis—

ch trative boards. During his administration a committee of in—
vestigation questioned the discriminating freight rates of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and reported that the Camden Con—

the solidated Oil Company had received special advantages by a sys—
tem of rebates.

1d

In spite of all of Mathews' efforts to the contrary, the
State resources were in the hands of non—residents. They
held monopolies on industry and transportation. Industrial
__-_*.«_*_~_*___*___~___*~_______a______*_____.”__~___~_____

_m. 24: Callahan's, Semi—Centennial History pg West Virginia,
19' v
%* Ambler, West Virginia, Egg Mountain State, p. 458.
A

 Introduction iv Ir
unrest was openly manifested in violent strikes and labor to
troubles in 1877. gr
ti
Because of a national business depression the railroads De
throughout the country were forced to give their employees a st
ten percent cut in wages. The Baltimore and Ohio was the last an
of these companies to make the reduction. The cut was accept—
ed quietly except by the firemen and a few engineers.
on
On July 16, about 25 firemen left their trains at River— Cu
side, Mount Clare and Camden Station in Baltimore, but were We
replaced by others. In Martinsburg, West Virginia all freight in
trains were stopped and held. Men brought in to replace
strikers were intimidated by the striking men. The mayor of
Martinsburg, A. R. Shutt, arrested the leaders of the movement mo
but they were soon released by reinforcements of strikers from "R
other cities. The ViceuPresident of the road, John King Jr., Go
wired Governor Mathews for military assistance. co
At the outbreak of the industrial trouble the military 2;
force of the State was in a deplorable condition. The legis~
lature of 1875 had prohibited the enrollment of the militia
and at the time of this emergency, the only organized force in me
the State consisted of four companies, three of which were in- th
efficient. Two of these companies were stationed at Martins— mi
burg where 800 rioters were reported. These two companies, ra
composed mainly of railroad men were in sympathy with the C&
strikers.*
sm
On July 1‘7, 75 trains of coal, cattle and oil were tied 8:}:
up in Martinsburg. The ineffective militia disbanded, leaving
the rioters in possession. Mathews did not wish to call upon
the Federal Government for aid, so he began organizing other th‘
companies of volunteers and ordered them to the scene of the i
strike. Still the tendencies to riot could not be broken.** 2:]
By the 18th, all possibilities of a strike settlement 1?:
seemed hopeless. There were large threatening mobs at Martins— de;
burg, Keyser, Sir John's Run, and in the vicinity of Opequon. now
Colonel Faulkner, commanding the State forces, admitted that vs:
the force was too formidable for him to cope with. As a last
desperate measure Mathews asked the President of the United
States for Federal troops to suppress the riots. 001
The Secretary of War, George W. McCrary, ordered to Mar— 3?:
. tinsburg all available troops from the arsenal at Washington to
and from Fort McHenry in Baltimore. In less than two days,
the riot at Martinsburg was broken and striking men were asking
% See entries 167, 180.
as SEE entry 140. e
g

 I
1V Introduction v
to be reemployed. By that time, in Baltimore, the strike had
grown into a small war. There the city police and State mili-
tia had been over-powered by the mob. On July 20th, Col. R. M.
ds Delaplain in a telegram to Governor Mathews says, "Terrible
a state of things now prevailing in Baltimore. Bloodshed, arson,
is? and riot at Camden Station."*
Transients who assisted the strikers at Martinsburg moved
on to Baltimore. By July 27, all the main stations from
ar— Cumberland to Wheeling were heavily garrisoned and riots in
? west Virginia were considered suppressed.** Trains began mov-
Lght ing east and west with full crews on the night of July 51st.
?f This strike was followed by other demonstrations, the
gent most formidable being centered in an organized band known as
Irom "Red Men.” This organization, which first appeared in Wetzel
" County in 1879 and extended its activities to all adjoining
counties,was composed of native farmers who took the adminis~
_ tration of justice into their own hands and either terrorized
‘isn or murdered those whom they suspicioned or disliked.
'. In January 1880, Coal Valley operators held a special
.ln meeting to discuss competitive schemes. On the day following
i?“ the meeting, January 6th, the Operators supposedly told the
' miners that they could get no orders as long as the Page Mines
ran, but that if the miners would stop the Ansted works, they
could be put to work, at an advance, on January 12th. On the
same day, Mr. wyant of Eagle Mines came dewn on the train and
d encouraged rioters who had come in from Cannelton and Paint
ing Creek to keep the Ansted Mines closed."”* '
in Governor Mathews was in New York City at the outbreak of
8 this strike. His cousin Alex F. Mathews, upon investigation, I
* wired the Governor on January 10th that the strike "is thought ,
serious and seems to be general." In the same dispatch, Alex »
Mathews stated that on January 9th, 200 or more miners from
ins— Coal Valley stopped work at Ansted and since it was quite evi-
1. dent that the power of state Government must be asserted either I
t now or later, insisted upon Governor Mathews' immediate inter-
3t vention in this labor dispute."““"
On the same day, January 10th, the sheriff of Fayette
County, G. H. McClung, sent the following telegram to the Gov- I
,_ ernor: "May want 1000 to 1500 men at any minute to stop miner I
i difficulties as I think the civil authorities will be unable I
to control them."***** . I
ting . I
r~———-~——————-w--—-—~—~fl~—-—-—~e-—~—~—*--——-*---——~——— w
-~~- * See entry 196. a
%% §2§ entries 525, 527, 558, 559. I
eHHeége entry 817. 9
*ss* §2§ entry 815. I
%%**%.§e§ entry 814. I

 Introduction vi
Maj. John W. Appleton, commanding State troops in Charles-
ton, began moving troops on January llth, but his orders were
countermanded because authorities did not think that the pres-
ent conditions warranted troops, except, perhaps at Campbell's
Creek where Appleton stated, ”force will be used if men who are
willing to work are driven out of the mines."w
The Kanawha Riflemen under command of W. A. Bradford Ch
moved into the Hawk‘s Nest vicinity on January 15th, and the
strike was settled in two or three days without violence."" _~
At this time there was less wealth per capita in West I
Virginia than in 1865, the result of which had a pronounced Ge
effect upon State politics. Those highest up in the social
scale held the highest political positions and the entire or- -
ganization became dangerously corrupt. Ja
The social, political, and economic ills of West Virginia ‘
were not to be cured nor even successfully treated during
Mathews' administration nor during his life time. ”1
Governor Mathews died in Lewisburg, West Virginia, on ‘h
April 28, 1884, less than four years after leaving the State's E1
Executive Office. ‘
, ./” , ,2 ‘
'//(’('Z 21/ /%{ (.é")/?/(-.zf (1114/
- / is
MARY LAW RICKARD ‘
Project Technician
Wile
Ma:
1
a See entries 825, 826.
. as See entry 850.
L
rig

 vi
'les—
2’: LIST or WORKS USED
.l's
are 4
Charles H. Ambler, A History-3f West Virginia. New York; ‘
e Prentice—Hall, Inc. 1955.
‘ ~~~-——~~—--—-~~—~, West_Virginia, The Mountain State. New
York; Prentice—Hall, Inc. 1240.
George W. Atkinson and Alvaro F. Gibbens. Prominent Men 3:
r- West Virginia. Wheeling, W. Va. 1890.
James Morton Callahan, histor‘ 2: West Virginia, Old and New.
nia Vol. I, Chicago, Ill. 1§25.
——~———-~---——-—~—, §§mi-Centennial History 2f West Virginia.
Charleston, W. Va.: Tribune Printing Company Press. 1915. g
e's Phil Conley, The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Charleston, E
W. Va.: West Virginia Publishing Company. 1929. i
Dictionary pf Amgrican Egography. New York: Charles Scribners' ‘
Sons. 1928.
/
The Encyclopedia Americana. New York, Chicago; Americana
Corporation. 1952.
Wheeling Intelligencer. Wheeling, W. Va.: Jan.—Dec. 1877.
Mason Mathews Collection of Original Manuscripts, 1861—1865.
Owned by Miss Patty Mathews, Lewisburg, W. Va.

 W
CALENDAR OF THE H. M. MATHEWS LETTERS AND PAPERS
1877 Geo. W. BRUCE, Medical Officer, Moundsville, 1
Jan. 26 W. Va. To Gov. H. M. MATHEWS. 1
Cannot say positively if a release will prolong ‘
the life of Botsford; is certain that the man could
be better cared for at home and that his wife would
prevent him from becoming a public charge.
A.L.S. 1 p. 20 cm. x 14 cm. [.17
1877 L. D. ISBELL, Cotton Hill [Fayette County7 W.Va.
Feb. 4- To Gov. H. M. MATHEWS. 1
Requests information concerning the whereabouts ‘
of an application for a requisition in the case
against Hackett.
Telegram. [27
1877 Barna POWELL, Attorney—at-Law, Parkersburg, 1
Feb. 24 W. Va. To H. SLACK.
By papers ”just received" has ascertained H. P.
Neal's deficiency in the case of S. B. Hull XE' the
Steamer Glenn; the amount in Neal's hands after de- 1
ducting eVerything to which he is entitled is $259.71 ‘
with interest from April 29, 1875, date of boat sale;
at the time of sale there was an order for distribut— 1
ing the fund; remembers that Slack promised to settle 1
this account if Neal could be located; hOpes that
Slack will remit a check for the amount, including
interest; requests that Slack have the first term of
court at Charleston approve the amounts due T. L.
Maurice and J. M. Baker and that those amounts be in—
corporated into the Slack account and paid; has ad-
vanced money on these accounts long ago; desires im-
mediate payment.
A.L.S. 2 pp. 22.5 cm. x 14.5 cm. 537 1
1877 William E. ARNOLD, Wheeling, W. Va. To Gov. 1
Mar. 2 H. M. MATHEWS. i
When writing in behalf of William P. Cooper for i
the position of Secretary of State, was not aware of J
his intemperate conduct; has seen enough since that
time to be convinced that Cooper would not be a suit—
able person for the place; withdraws his recommenda-
tion for same.
A.L.S. 1 p. 28.5 cm. x 21.5 cm. [:7
1877 Jno. B. SNODGRASS, M.D., Martinsburg, W. Va.
Mar. 4 To Gov. H. M. MATHEWS.
Requests the appointment of State vaccine agent,
made vacant by the death of Dr. Thomas S. Page.
A.L.S. l p. 25 cm. x 20 cm. 157
At bottom of page; Elban O. Faulkner. To

 _za
(ewe)
Hon. Henry M. Mathews. Knows Dr. Snodgrass well and
believes, if appointed as one of the State vaccine
agents, that he will perform the duties faithfully.
AONOSI
18
1877 John W. MASON, Member of the Board of Regents, Ma
Mar. 6 Deaf, Dumb and Blind School, Grafton, W. Va. To Gov.
H. M. MATHEWS.
Resigns from position as a member of the Board
of Regents of the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb and
Blind; feels that since the Governor is held respon—
sible by the public for the management of State insti—
tutions, during his administration, he should be free
to select such persons as he desires to control them;
resigns that the Governor may be relieved from any
embarrassment in the situation.
A.L.S. 2 pp. 25 cm. x 18.5 cm. ' [:7
1877 R. M. MARSHALL, M.D., Martinsburg, W. Va. To
Mar. 6 Gov. H. M. MATHEWS.
At the request of Senator M. Grantham, makes
application for vaccine agent for the first district; .
the vacancy was caused by the death of Dr. Thomas 13
Page; gives Charles J. Faulkner as reference. _ Ma
A.L.S. l p. 20 cm. x 12.5 cm. [2]
‘ 1877 T. B. CAMDEN, M.D., Superintendent, Hospital for
Mar. 7 Insane, Weston, W. Va. To Gov° H. M. MATHEWS.
The Board has been called to meet on Friday,
March 20th; was compelled to call this meeting be—
cause the institution is practically out of money;
the Board will make necessary orders to draw money
until October lst and will receive his [Gamden's7
semieannual report; unless an emergency occurs they
will not meet again until the regular October meeting;
desires to know the law in regard to drawing an appro-
priation; the report that money was drawn and banked
is not true; the money shall be drawn the first of Y
each quarter; two quarters will be due April 1, 18
amounting to $27,500; heretofore, the money has been Mal
drawn as needed; wants to know if they will have to
draw the money according to law; does not wish to
cripple the organization; wishes the Governor to give
his opinion relative to the meeting; will be glad if
1 Governor appoints persons previously spoken of; Gover-
nor's letter was delightful and very different from
others received from the executive mansion.
A.L.S. 5 pp. 22.5 cm. x 14.5 cm. A?
; 1877 Charlotte H. YANCEY, Wheeling, W. Va. To Gov.
1 Mar. 7 H. M. MATHEWS.
‘ Thanks Governor for a favor recently received;
1. was ”rather startled at the amount” which came at a
f ‘ nbst opportune moment; extends an invitation to the
L.

 , . T]
"5. .
(9-ll) ’
6”8) Governor to visit at ”Yancey Place" and to bring
and J. H. Good if it is convenient; her address is I
a Benwood, Marshall County, West Virginia. l
gr. A.L.S. l p. 25 cm. x 20 cm. 527 :
1877 William A. QUARRIER, Kanawha Court House '
. Mar. 9 [Charlestonz W. Va. g
33v Desires to know if the ”Erskins devisees“ will §
‘ get any rent and if so when; is particularly ”hard ;
rd run and would like to get hold of enough to get a 1
and part of my fee"; was an active participant in the bill i
>n~ concerning food fish and is anxious that it be a suc— 3
lsti- cess; the success of the bill will depend largely upon q
“ree the character of the commissioners appointed by the
lem- Governor; hopes that the Governor will make careful ;
f ’ selections and choose men who will take pains to un-
derstand the subject rather than politicians; "Dennis 1
[:7 suggests Mr. Harris of Lewisburg as a good selection”; ?
thinks that Harris should be appointed from the third ‘
> district; does not know_enough men in other districts '
to make suggestions for appointments.
A.L.S. 2 pp. 25 cm. x 18.5 cm. [I97
‘Ct’ 1877 W. F. BUTCHER, Greenbank, W. Va. To GOV. H. M. i
Mar. 10 MATHEWS. .
[37 was not at home when Governor returned from
washington, therefore has not had an Opportunity to j
for inquire into the matter about which they were discuss— 3
ing at their last meeting; if inquiries have been made 3
concerning same,_desires to know the results; if Mr. 4
. Kenna makes the next appointment and the Governor has %
any influence with him, requests that he ZEutchefi7 be !
- recommended for the appointment; if such an appoint- 1
ment cannot be made, wishes to begin the study of law A
y as soon as his school is out, about the 10th of May; p
ing; wants to study with ”the Captain" if possible and will M
pro- wish to use the Governor's offiCe and books.
:ed A.L.S. 2 pp. 20 cm. x 12.5 cm. [:27
1877 A. G. TIBBETTS, Attorney—at-Law, Union, Monroe ;
en Mar. 10 County, W. Va. To Gov. H. M. MATHEWS.
o Telegram came too late last night for an answer;
does not think that he can leave Union at this time; 1
ive all suits for the May term of the circuit court will
if have to be instituted before April Rules and on the 3
ver- following Tuesday the county court of Summers will
m convene, in April the circuit county court of Summers
and soon after that "our County Court"; if he should
[E7' go to Wheeling, he would lose one or more of these
courts; is satisfied that the work could not be fin—
. ished in the time allotted by the Supreme Judge to
this work in Wheeling; had supposed that there would
3 be no hindrance to a speedy completion of the work
a when the contract was closed but it has been so imped—
e

 “4- I
(12—15)
ed that he has spent half of what he received in
traveling expenses; if anything is to be made out of
the deal the present arrangement of allowing proof to
be sent here must be continued; the 7th and 8th vol—
umes were too hurried; must remain here if the 9th
volume is to be done properly.
A.L.S. 2 pp. 25 cm. x 20 cm. [:27
1877 C. A. SPERRY, Attorney—atwLaw, Topeka, Kansas.
Mar. 12 To Gov. H. M. MATHEWS.
_ Desires that the President of the United States 187
(R. B. Hayes7 who was his Colonel during the war, ap— Mar
point him United States District Attorney in Topeka;
the President knows him.[§perry{ personally but does
not know anything about his abi ity as an attorney;
does not know what Mathews' opinion may be; while he 187
[Sperry7 was "under the thumb of Samuel Price. I Mar
never felt that I was anybody. I believe he is the
meanest man on the face of the earth, even his own
family deepise him“; feels that the fatal move of his
life was when he [Sperry7'went to Lewisburg; feels
differently now and hopes to make amends for the past;
requests the Governor to write the President certify-
ing Sperry's ability as a lawyer to show that in the
Governor‘s opinion, Sperry is fully qualified for the
I office; has been in Topeka only eight months but has
, many friends here; "I have quit all my badness and am
on probation in the Methodist Church.t _
A.L.S. 2 pp.. 25 cm. x 20 cm. Zl§7 187
Mar
1877 501,7 R. M. DELAPLAIN, Wheeling, w. Va. To
Mar. 12 Gov. H. M. MATHEWS. .
Acknowledges and accepts the appointment to a
position on the Governor's staff. 187
A.L.S. 1 p. 21.8 cm. x 13.7 cm. [I37 Mai.
1877 Thomas A.