Charleston WV – The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history. To read more, go to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia at www.wvencyclopedia.org.
April 22, 1908: Marshall “Little Sleepy” Glenn was born in Elkins. Glenn coached basketball at West Virginia University from 1934 to 1938 and football from 1937 to 1940. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
April 22, 1948: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician Larry Groce was born in Dallas, Texas. He is best known as the longtime host and artistic director of the Mountain Stage radio program.
April 22, 2003: Activist Judy Bonds, a Raleigh County native, received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her fight against mountaintop removal mining. Her efforts inspired thousands and turned a local issue in West Virginia into a national cause.
April 23, 1857: Andrew S. Rowan was born in Gap Mills, Monroe County. Rowan, a military officer, was chosen as the messenger when President William McKinley wanted to send a message to Cuban General Calixto Garcia during the Spanish-American War. The 1899 pamphlet A Message to Garcia made the incident famous.
April 24, 1865: McNeill’s Rangers surrendered to Union troops at New Creek (now Keyser). The Confederate guerrilla force probably never numbered more than 100 men at any time but managed to inflict regular damage on Union operations.
April 25, 1863: In what would become known as the Jones-Imboden Raid, about 1,500 Confederate soldiers under Gen. William “Grumble” Jones advanced through Greenland Gap, a deep pass through New Creek Mountain in present Grant County. The Confederates encountered 87 Union soldiers who held off several assaults before finally surrendering.
April 25, 1923: Union leader Arnold Ray Miller was born at Leewood on Cabin Creek in Kanawha County. In December 1972, he defeated Tony Boyle to become president of the United Mine Workers and served until 1979.
April 26, 1816: General Alexander Welch Reynolds was born in Lewisburg. He served in both the U.S. and Confederate armies. After the war, Reynolds accepted a commission as a colonel in the forces of the khedive of Egypt, which ruled Egypt under the Ottoman Empire.
April 26, 1900: Baseball great Lewis Robert “Hack” Wilson, whose 1930 single season runs-batted-in record stands today, was born in Pennsylvania. He started his pro career with the Martinsburg Blue Sox. He returned to Martinsburg after his retirement and is buried at Rosedale Cemetery.
April 26, 1937: The first West Virginia highway historical marker was installed in Charleston, detailing the many travels of our state capital.
April 27, 1758: Fort Upper Tract in present-day Pendleton County was destroyed by an Indian attack during the French and Indian War. The next day, Delaware and Shawnee warriors destroyed Fort Seybert in the same county.
April 27, 1951: Businessman and politician Jim Justice was born in Charleston. From 2017 to 2025, he served as West Virginia’s 36th governor and currently is the state’s junior U.S. senator.
April 27, 1978: An accident at the Willow Island Power Station on the Ohio River killed 51 men. The scaffolding that had been erected for use in the construction of a new cooling tower collapsed, sending the workers plunging to the ground.
April 28, 1884: Musician Henry Reed was born in Peterstown, Monroe County. Reed was a legendary West Virginia fiddler whose repertory contributed to the old-time music revival in the last half of the 20th century.
April 28, 1914: An explosion at the Eccles No. 5 mine in Raleigh County killed 174 men. The mine connected with Eccles No. 6, operating in another coal seam. Nine men in No. 6 died of injuries and of afterdamp, the deadly gas left after a mine explosion.
April 28, 1920: The Monongahela National Forest was created by presidential proclamation. It is the only national forest completely within the boundaries of West Virginia.
April 28, 1924: An explosion ripped through the Benwood coal mine south of Wheeling, killing 119 miners.
April 28, 1948: Watt Powell Park opened in Charleston. About 8,000 people, including Governor Okey Patteson, attended the city’s inaugural game in the Class A Central League. After the 2004 season, Watt Powell Park was replaced by what is now known as GoMart Ballpark, and the old park was demolished in 2005.
