|
KANAHWA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: ATKINSON, Hon. George Wesley
******************************************************************
Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
SSpradling@aol.com
September 18, 1999
******************************************************************
Source: History of Charleston & Kanawha County, by William S. Laidley, 1911
Hon. George Wesley Atkinson, one of West Virginia's distinguished sons,
formerly governor of the state, has been a prominent factor in public life in
his native state since early manhood. He was born in Kanawha County, West
Virginia, (the Virginia) in 1845, and is a son of Col. James Atkinson, onece
a man of prominence in public and business life in the Kanawha Valley.
Goerge W. Atkinson chose law as his profession after graduation in the
classical course from the Ohio Wesleyan University in 1870, and 1875 was
graduated from the Columbian Law School, later in which year he was admitted
to the bar. Early identifying himself with the Republican Party, Mr.
Atkinson became a leader in a short time. In 1876 he was made a member of
the Republican State Executive Committee and served as its chairman from
1880-1884. He was its secretary for four years more, continuing his
membership with this powerful body for 28 consecutive years. He also served
as chairman of the Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee for eight
years, of the Third Congressional for ten years, the First Congressional for
six years, and the National Republican Congressional Committee. George W.
Atkinson served for four years as a United States marshal, and in 1888 was
elected a member of Congress from the First Congressional district of West
Virginia.
In November 1896 George W. Atkinson was elected governor of West Virginia.
On March 4, 1901 Governor Atkinson retired from that office on which his
administration had reflected credit. Shorly afterwards he assumed the duties
of United States district attorney for the souther district of West Virginia,
serving therein a term of four years. In 1905 George W. Atkinson was
appointed a judge of the Court of Claims for the United States, a position of
grave responsibility, the members of which are chosen for life.
Governor Atkinson is a man of versatile talents, and has also made a name for
hinself outside public affairs and his profession. For seven years he was
editor of the West Virginia Journal, a leading Republican party paper
published at Charleston. Despite his many other interest, he has found the
time to put forth a number of books on other subjects, which shows his great
fund of knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the deeper things of
life.
Governor George W. Atkinson was married first in 1868 to Miss Ellen Eagan,
who was survived by five children. In 1897 he was married second to Mrs.
Myra H. Camden, widow of the late Judge G.D. Camden of Clarksburg, West
Virginia.
|
