The Election News

Wellsburg Herald
May 31, 1861

The news come in very slowly from the Valley and Eastern portion of the State, the telegraph lines being generally in confusion and railroad transit interrupted, so that we will probably not have anything like an authentic report for some weeks, even if then.-In some portions of the valley, and even in the tidewater region, the Union men appear to have made desperate stands in detached localities, where they thought themselves strong enough to resist outside pressure; but their votes will probably never be counted, and even if counted, will not probably amount to much in the general result. The election in the in the Eastern part of the State appears to have been conducted strictly on the French military system, all citizens being free to vote, provided they voted for Louis Napoleon.

In the Western part of the State there is an overwhelming Union vote. The twenty-five counties represented in the recent Wheeling Convention give an aggregate majority against secession of over 20,000; the four counties comprising the Panhandle alone piling up 6,828 against 481. In other counties not there represented, and in some thought to be given over to rebellion, there are also very large Union majorities. The returns from very few of them are in full, but the following list may be set down as very nearly correct, some of the figures being official:

CountyAgainst Sec.For Sec.
Hancock 658 23
Brooke 721 109
Ohio 3,156 159
Marshall 1,993 142
Monongalia 2,232 123
Tyler 880 125
Harrison 1,691 691
Preston 2,256 63
Lewis 300 maj. 
Wood 1,955 257
Mason 1,844 119
Pleasants 303 108

Reported Majorities Against Secession

Morgan1400
Wirt400
Doddridge650
Taylor700
Kanawha1200
Berkeley700
Jackson400
Barbour350
Marion450
Cabell600
Wayne900

The Vote In Brooke and Hancock

Below will be found the vote in our special bailiwick, as polled off Thursday last, showing how overwhelmingly in the minority are those among us who sympathize with the Southern Confederacy. The number of those voting that way in Hancock is 23, in Brooke 109. It is with sorrow and regret that we are called upon to chronicle the fact that so large a proportion even as that, in the good counties of Brooke and Hancock, can be found willing to record their names as enemies to the constitution of the United States and traitors to the country. We know that many others voted that way from personal reasons that ordinary circumstances we would be the first to honor them for, but under the circumstances in which the country now stands, we know of no excuse to palliate conduct which, however much private feelings may justify it, the verdict of a just public opinion will forever condemn. However, as a correspondent from Hancock well observes, no word from us would give additional coloring to the deed. Below will be found their names. Having separated themselves from the mass of good citizens by their own voluntary and public act, they of course cannot object to their names going before the public in that capacity. Whatever of honor, whatever of gratification there is in it, they are welcome to it; it is an important duty to the public in whose midst we and they reside, that we should give their names, so that should emergency arise that same public may know whom to watch and how to set:

Bethany
M.M. Sater
D. Noonemaier
D.S. Fornsy
O. Acerman
Adam Kemp
O.H. Lewis
F.H. Pendleton
Joshua Owens
J.D. Burk
J.W. Boring
Thos. Toner
Wm. Oasner
J. Fillabum
Sam'l Clary
G.W. Boring
J.W. Craft
J.D. Pickett
O. Turner
Samuel Lucas
E.L. Lewis
Elisha Craft
John Shrimplin
James McDugan
J.G. Steel
Ujohn Pasco
P. Grant
B. Hickman
E. Tienan
Robert Vance
T. Leszear
Jas. Waugh, Sr.
Levi Storis
J.F. Johnston
J.J. Linton
Elisha Filabum
G.W. Curtis
James Davis
W. W. Summerville
Joshua Tuttle
John Lucas
James Low
W. P. Wilson
Folix McKin
E.P. Turner
W. K. Pendleton
Joseph Robinson
S. S. Suter
S. Stump
Wm. Rodgers
W. E. Deah
Wm. Gibson

Wells School House
John Coleman
William Linton
Martin Hukill
Lemuel Beck, Jr.
Abram Wilson
David Lefler
Sam'l Lenam, Jr.
J. G. Stewart
S. Kimberland
D. C. Coleman
J. R. McElroy
Jas. Lake
Wm. McKinley
Jas. Linton
Morgan Holly
J. McIntire
Joseph Leazear
Wm. Hukill
John Rolston
J. R. Agnew
John Britt
Joseph Leazear
Wm. Clendenan
Job Lewis
A. Owens
Sam'l Moore
Joseph Hukill
H. W. Clendenan
John Lewis, Jr.
William Lewis
John Lewis
H. G. Lazear
Joseph Hukill
J.M. Agnew
Robert Bane

Wellsburg
W.D. McGuire
Benj. Ryland
Wm. Bowman
David Parkinson
B.D. Sanders
A.F. Sanders
Wm. Murchland
Lemuel Bock

Good Will School House
C. W. Donavan
Sam' Morrow
Z. W. Morrow
David Hunter
William Morrow
John Gardner
William Gass
E. H. Sanders

Fowler's
William White
Henry Jamison
Jas. Simpson
Jas. Simpson, Jr.

Holliday's Cove
Z. Donavan
Thos. Hindman

SECESSION VOTE IN HANCOCK COUNTY

The following is a list of the persons who voted for secession in Hancock County, Va., as taken from the Poll Books, to wit: Archibald Campbell, William Campbell, William Cambell, John P. Campbell (Cove). Samuel B. Heddington, Robert Campbell, Aaron Andrews, Geo. W. Cown, Thomas Brandou Sr., William Smith, John Roberts, William Phillips, Alex Ralston, Samuel Ralston, (Caglen) John Marten, Jas. Purdy, Greenbury Wilcoxon, A. Wilcoxon, Smith Miller, James Shanley, William Culver, Julian Cunningham, Jacob Stewart, Alexander Morrow (Irish). Those men have, from their own choice, recorded their votes and raised their voices against their country - its peace, unity and prosperity. The act is with them. No word from us would give additional coloring to the deed. They have sown in the wind - they may reap in the whirlwind.


Chapter Six: Ratification of the Ordinance of Secession

A State of Convenience

West Virginia Archives and History