by Granville Parker (Wellsburg, WV: Glass & Son, 1875), p. 95
". . . on the day of election, April 3, 1862, the informal poll was opened in about twenty Counties, and the vote for gradual emancipation was nearly equal to that for the Constitution as proposed, both being nearly unanimous.
I give the following returns as samples of the way the vote stood in Counties where separate polls were opened, in all, or some precincts: Preston, for the Constitution, 1493, against, 11; for Emancipation, 1320, against, 93. Upshur, for the Constitution, 719, against, 2; for Emancipation 594, against 13. Monongalia, (Senator Willey's County,) for Constitution, 1148, against, 17; for Emancipation, 649, against, 185. Marshall, for Constitution, 1053, against, 34; for Emancipation, 795, against 71. Ohio, for Constitution, 1023, against, 31; for Emancipation, 875, against 54. Brooke, for Constitution, 292, against, 45; for Emancipation, 248, against, 43. Hancock, for Constitution, 225, against, 73; for Emancipation, 217, against, 44. Cabell, for Constitution, 269, against, 1; for Emancipation, 244, against, 26."
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: April 1862