By William “Skip” Deegans
West Virginia history students who prepped for the Golden Horseshoe competition were required to memorize the names of the State’s 55 counties. It was common to re-site them alphabetically and in a cadence. Most county names honor someone. Seven are named for United States presidents: Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Grant, Lincoln, Monroe and Taylor. Ten for governors of Virginia: Berkely, Brooke, Cabell, Harrison, McDowell, Nicholas, Pleasants, Preston, Tyler and Wood. Fourteen were named for statesmen: Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Gilmer, Hancock, Hardy, Mason, Randolph, Summers, Taylor, Tucker, Upshur and Wirt. Seven are Indian names: Kanawha, Logan, Wyoming, Mingo, Monongalia, Ohio, and Pocahontas. Four were prominent jurists: Barbour, Marshall, Roane, and Pendleton. Two were named for frontiersmen: Boone and Wetzel. Named for soldiers include: Fayette, Lewis, Mercer, Marion, Morgan, Putnam and Wayne. One was named for colonizer Sir. Walter Raleigh. Hampshire was named for a shire in England. Greenbrier was named for the river that drains it. Ritchie was named for a Virginia journalist and newspaper publisher. Mineral County was named for its natural resources.
Pocahontas is the only county named to honor a woman. Shown is the only known likeness of Pocahontas – a portrait engraved in 1616 when she visited England.
Sources: Greenbrier Independent, West Virginia Historic and Scenic Highway Markers.
Portrait from the National Portrait Gallery.
